IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT Protocol ~ supplements and tea

IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT
Building a healthy immune system should be a project all year long but at this crucial time the following suggested protocol using supplements that are historically known to build defenses, will help.
 STEROL 117 plant sterol capsules – research shows that 1- 2 capsules daily encourages the production of NF Killer cells in the human body. You want those to be plentiful when someone coughs, sneezes or blows their nose all around you wherever you are. Sterol 117 is anti viral and builds the immune system function. It also reduces inflammation, is used for allergies and may reduce cholesterol, a function supported by Health Canada.
 OREGANO Oil TABLETS – do not use the tincture or the oil or the essential oil. They are not efficiently utilized in the body. These oregano tablets are water soluble unlike oils which means their absorption is increased on a cellular level. They do not ‘repeat’ and do not cause stomach upset. Research using this supplement has demonstrated its ability to kill yeast, parasites, bacteria and viruses.
 Our very own IMMUNE SUPPORT FORMULA made for Solas Health – 1 to 2 capsules daily – a formulation with Immune regulating vitamins, minerals and amino acids that strengthen all the components of a healthy Immune system and may help to prevent infection.
 ZINC at 25 mg – zinc is THE anti-infection mineral. Taken daily it helps to reduce the risk of acquiring any infection.
 VITAMIN C 1000 to 4000 mg – taken daily C boosts immune system function, feeds connective tissue and is a powerful anti-oxidant.
 VITAMIN A at 10,000 iu – for those with preexisting respiratory ailments, and to prevent a respiratory event, vitamin A is indicated.
 ECHINACEA capsules – using 1 to 3 capsules daily at this time may help to build your immune response and has historically been demonstrated to fight infection.
 PROBIOTICS – the immune system is formed and supported by a healthy presence of bacterial flora in the bowel. 2 capsules before bedtime will enhance immune response.
 NETTLE TEA is a blood purifier and decongestant. NETTLE  has historically been used for pneumonia.  Use  NETTLE on its own or ADD SOLAS HEALTH’S  EXPECTORANT  HERBAL BLEND which contains nettle, to combat coughs and respiratory congestion. Traditional Medicinals Cold Formula tea bags available in grocery stores will also do the trick. ADD 1 -2 tablespoons of Expectorant Tea or 1 -2 tea bags of Cold Formula.
 Use the Solas recipe for a general tonic tea that builds the immune system response and tastes great. RECIPE BELOW

Medications may cause contra-indications. Consult with us for a more specialized protocol just for you, before using any of the above. 902.245.6227

COLD and FLU Soothing  Tea !! In a 6 quart saucepan add:
– 6 to 8 slices of freshly sliced Ginger
– 6 cloves of garlic
– 6 cinnamon sticks
– 1 quartered lemon
– 2 tea bags of Traditional Medicinals Cold Formula tea OR
– 2 tea bags of Traditional Medicinals Throat Formula tea for SORE THROAT OR
1 -2 -3  tablespoons of our Solas Health EXPECTORANT Herbal Blend, for a COUGH
– or ADD all three herbal blends.

Reduce the amount of ginger and cinnamon and Expectorant blend for children.

Top with water and SIMMER DON’T BOIL ~ Let it  STEEP for 10 minutes after simmering.
DRINK and SIP this all day every day.
AND this Cold and Flu tea tastes great !!

~ TAKE 15% OFF ON VITAMINS and SUPPLEMENTS and Herbal Blend to help in this difficult time.

AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP ~ NO WALK-INS ~ CALL 902.245.6227  OR MESSAGE VIA FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/integrativehealthdigby/

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Nella Pidutti ROHP

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The Sharp Points ~ A Lean In To Sustainability

It will become increasingly difficult to live our lives congruent with the beliefs or the politics we expound as we forge ahead with attempts toward increasingly sustainable lifestyles.  People of all ages in our modernity are notoriously entitled, incredibly hypocritical and devoid of humility.  That is a disappointing fact that plays itself out in every layer of our lives and our society at large.

This is a crucial moment in our history and our willingness and ability to move into the discomfort of real not rhetorical change, will be telling.  Our movement forward will become characterized in large part, by where we decidedly plant our feet. If we dig in behind a politic, philosophy or principle, will we be additionally prepared to  self-actualize to the point of living that groove as much as is possible?

The truth of that matter is that backing up our efforts to reverse climate change is complex, difficult and not a short story. As the bells toll and the harbingers of disaster walk among us, there is no more room for couch activism. Declaring support for planet earth, becoming vegan, wearing T shirts, supporting a green party,   and marching to nowhere in particular with cell phone selfies  in hand, is no longer sufficient if  we do not  divest ourselves of the unsustainable  luxuries  and demands we still attach to our lifestyle.

If the carbon footprint of a cell phone equals two short distance flights annually, are those who protest our extinction prepared to dial up another way or at all?  If it takes 50 lemons to produce 15 ml of lemon essential oil, are we deep green or just pale green when it comes to our dedication to sustainability and our politics?

It is about putting our ‘things’ on the line, authentically.   It will be about acting out our democracy and holding the representatives we hire accountable, especially for the platitudes they profess.  It will cost our comfort zones and the lifestyles we have grown to defend with passion. It will engender chaos as transitional economies reduce our incomes and our access to virtually everything we desire, when we desire it. The umbrellas of ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’ attributed largely to oil and gas are dangerously distracting if we ignore the undercurrent of xenobiotics,  pollutants, electromagnetic frequencies, heavy metals, synthetics,  biological warfare,  cultural inequalities etc.,  and all those creature comforts that rely on a petrochemical culture filled with shiny  things that we cannot live without.

So, we will be exploring all the guilty pleasures we seem to think exist in a separate reality from planet earth, separate from our declarations of  horror at global warming, separate from our politics, separate from us in fact and instead, explore how we and our treasured ‘habits’ , our free will and our ‘rights’ will continue to impact the environment, while reality hits, despite our good green intentions. We may find that the solutions we employ, require us first, to lean uncomfortably into the sharp points.

First  Lean In read through:

EXPLORING SUSTAINABLE LIVING ~ The Unsustainability of Essential Oils

EXPLORING SUSTAINABLE LIVING ~ The Unsustainability of Essential Oils

Much, if not all of what we include in our push for comfy consumerism and self-indulgence, comes with an ecological price tag. One such area is the production and sale of essential oils. It should be abundantly clear that if it takes 50 lemons to produce 15ml of Lemon essential oil, or 63 pounds of Melissa to produce 5ml of essential oil, or 30 to 50 roses to create a single drop of rose oil, the growth and production of essential oils is resource intensive and not at all sustainable.

In a 17 billion dollar industry and growing, with an insatiable demand responding to excessive marketing, inaccurate applications and claims, and the push of several MLM companies to use more and more of these oils, it is ridiculous to think this demand could rely solely on wild crafted sources:  weather simply determines  production in the wild. The impact on the environment of controlled growth farmed plants, even those that purport to be ‘natural’ and grown with conscience,  is staggering based on the sheer numbers alone. Outside of  these North American farms is the carbon footprint and the cost of importation of  rare oils from  far and distant locations on the planet.

Essential oils are concentrated and their application is powerful. A trained aromatherapy professional will dilute them instead of using them  ‘neat’ and as many trained aromatherapists will say ”less is more” in fact, when it comes to therapeutic applications.  Unfortunately, too many multilevel marketing outfits encourage the overuse of essential oils, regardless of the unsustainable environmental impact.

Between rubbing them neat on the skin without a carrier, dropping them under the tongue or  into a capsule, using them in your food, in your water, on your pet, on your eye lashes and  diffusing them all day long,  the hype is creating an environmental footprint that needs to be considered by those that  purport to be “green” in their lifestyles as well as their politics.

It is quality not quantity that we need to strive for in a balanced, healthy existence that is equitable with nature and that impacts wellness and sustainability, not the monetary gain by any company.  It is simply not necessary, therapeutically, to overuse essential oils. Although there are some demonstrable benefits, they are not a singular “magic bullet” of treatment any more than any one supplement, one herb, one pharmaceutical or one treatment modality.

Aromatherapist Mindy Green explains: “Growing the substantial quantities of plant material needed to produce essential oils results in a mono-culture style of farming, with large swathes of land dedicated to a single species. These systems are most efficiently managed by intense mechanization, and irrigation is frequently used for optimal oil production of the plants.”

Continuous harvesting has a detrimental impact.  As well, the distillation process produces masses of residual plant material that’s often not disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner. Some companies manage their own farms, dispose of or recycle the residual material and work at creating sustainability in this market. It may be a helpful move forward but it is the critical volume of raw material that is required to produce minute amounts of oil that may be unsustainable, no matter what means are employed to reduce the impact of harvesting and processing.

Also, all essential oils are flammable to varying degrees, in particular citrus scents, so the disposal of the little glass bottles should be treated as hazardous waste. This information appears on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on each oil and should be available from the company that produces it, along with the Certificate of Analysis for each oil.  This information is indispensable, as the MSDS explains the risks of use with the product as well as disposal directions and the Certificate of Analysis demonstrates the testing that was performed  to insure a clean product. Testing for heavy metals in particular for oils that originate in Asian countries or obscure locations,  is imperative.  Many companies produce these legal documents on line, for all to see. However, a few MLM companies absolutely refuse to provide them when asked, begging the questions often asked by those who do have an eye on sustainability, on chemicals, on processing and quality: why the secrecy?   These essential  legal documents inform the user on the presence of heavy metals, pesticides and the origin and efficacy of the oil. With this intensive commodity and its increasing carbon footprint a company’s “word” is not enough.

Additionally many network marketing companies do not use organic sources, claiming instead that ‘organic’ essential oils are a scam. Organic certification is hardly a scam and acquiring those documents is not simple.  The National Organic Program Certificate of Compliance is issued to many essential oil companies. ‘Certified Organic’ is attributed by Quality Assurance International like many national and international certification bodies. Being awarded organic certification means that QAI has reviewed the company’s records, inspected its fields and/or facilities and has determined that the certified entity identified  is certified to the USDA organic regulations.  Fake news is just that and misinformation can certainly convince a few people however in this era of  being ‘woke’, it is a disappointment that several entities still rely on obfuscating facts to sell product. However, I am open to seeing proof that any company’s organic claims and certifications are false.

There is also a level of misinformation when essential oil sellers are not trained aromatherapists and instead, are not only encouraged to increase sales through multilevel marketing networks, but do so without restrained or cautious use.  Just because something is considered ‘natural’ does not mean it should be used with great abandon.

Robert Tisserand, a leader in this industry since 1974, uses Frankincense as an example of unqualified claims and applications. Frankincense is  an oil that has been touted as the answer for everything including a cure for cancer. But Frankincense oil does not contain Boswellic Acid despite assertions to the contrary, even though there are several species and several chemotypes within a species.  In comparison, Frankincense Extract contains 40 to 60 %  of Boswellic Acid, the active constituent. It is the active constituent that is attributed to a therapeutic application. However, no commercially prepared essential oil contains Boswellic Acid so claims to its efficacy for certain indications, are  inaccurate and unfounded.   It bears mentioning that no distributor of essential oils or aromatherapist is are qualified to make therapeutic recommendations of the use of oils where cancer is concerned, unless they are a doctor trained to do so.

When you realize the volume of raw material that is necessary to make a few milliliters of any oil, you will want to use them sparingly. The rampant use and sales of essential oils are a larger carbon footprint than we would like to believe.  So, do we really need to apply oils several times a day? Do we really need a collection of 50 plus oils at home? Do we really need to run a diffuser all day long?  Touting the benefits of oils for anything and everything without substance or training is neither beneficial or part of  any Holistic therapy that  purports to be  about finding balance in our health and well-being with an overall lifestyle plan toward sustainability.   Although there may be no need to stop using essential oils altogether, sensible use without hype and protruded marketing, will help to reduce their obvious and detrimental carbon footprint and un-sustainability.

In addition, if the politics of the day leans toward a green manifesto, should those who plant their feet to follow any green new deal,  be engaged in promulgating as unsustainable a product as essential oils, let alone  the “healthy” lifestyle they say comes with it?   That was the question we asked ourselves.  But self – actualization is a rare commodity  in these days of  trend over timeless knowledge.  The research for this article began with our  company’s concern over the sustainability of our own use of essential oils in some of our skin care products.  In keeping with our effort toward producing small batches of authentically natural, ethically conscious and sustainable skin care, Sohma Naturals Organic Skincare incorporates less than 1% of essential oils in our therapeutic or anti-aging formulations.

Nella Pidutti

 

 

 

 

 

Keepers of the Key or the eleventh hour

I’ve been watching and listening for the past year, and I am amazed. Since the shock of Trump’s inauguration, the number of women running and winning political seats all around the US has been record breaking. In the past year, women were training women to run for office, to canvas communities, to work for voter registration, moving past protest and rhetoric, and proving themselves to be emerging leaders.

As reported in the New York Times,  to see so many women “trying to get the power that comes from office”  after years of protests, marches and a divided women’s movement, means that those voices are soon becoming the decision makers and shakers;  the interlopers in a renaissance  of a truly influential feminine/masculine spiritual balance. And there have been dozens of groups working to get the tools of mobilization to women everywhere, with ‘huddles’ across the country.

Women have said, according to a report in the New York Times that it is not enough to march: “I need the power to make changes.” These are not my words, but the sentiments of several of the Women’s March organizers of 2017 and 2018. I agree with them. There are now 390 women running for office in local and state levels in the US says Charlotte Alter of  Time Magazine, and an infrastructure has been built largely supported by women, with groups such as Flippable and Power to the Polls. Members of Planned Parenthood are running for office. Moving into those positions that make change happen, is not at all an adoption of the patriarchy that got us here.  It is the reawakening instead, of the reality that a majority group of people has existed for so long, stripped of their inherent power to facilitate a more equitable existence for all.

This moment in our collective history,  was spurred by a rigged election that was spearheaded by white misogyny, racism, a neo Nazi uprising and at least one autocrat, but we cannot forget that for years, thousands more women have been quietly working without acknowledgment or fanfare, to effect change in their boardrooms, through their businesses, in their health clinics, in their communities, through legislation, through literature. Having laid down many paths to this moment, we can hardly accuse them of patriarchy.

Many like Rosa Parks have single handedly raised a mirror to the inequities of race and gender. The three brave black women who co-founded Black Lives Matter, are our newest warriors on the front lines – organized politically and socially.  Fifty years after MLK’s assassination, a moment forever ingrained in my memory, the gender and race violence that still prevails against black men and all women in a free country is as unacceptable now as it was then.

The issues  around the world are more complicated than ever, and it will take more than a ‘that’s enough’ bravado to begin to take down the steadfast house of racist, sexist  ‘rules’; a house that in nearly every culture has been historically designed and legislated by men for men, filtered by a hypocritical religious dogma, insidious power and dirty money. It is a history of condescension, dismissal, exploitation and violence toward women. It will take more than a dogged resistance.

Important changes to the legal hierarchy that influences the criminal and civil codes are needed, so that all abuses: the sexual abuse of children, rape, sexism, discrimination, racism, domestic violence, mutilation, stoning, and a ridiculous inequality based on obsolete religious practices, are considered at a more heightened level of  criminality, with the punitive measures they deserve. Those legislative changes, influenced and inspired by women, will create the shifts and the justice we most desire.

This incredible demonstration of solidarity, of progressive reform from American women is a provocative reminder to all women,  in every country that we need to get outside of our personal experiences, our selfie self-congratulatory moments, move past our own stories quickly,  and rise up to this occasion because this is a time that must be seized. In the end, it is for women as keepers of the key to expect more from our sons, from our men, and from ourselves. More now than the women’s movements of the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, I feel the strength that is springing forward from the fearless in the US. More now, specifically because the movement is positioning itself inside the palace.    More than ever before, the opportunity to re-frame political, cultural and religious structures with the nurturing, healing, life affirming nature that is the feminine, is upon us.  It is a hopeful new world dawning for our grandchildren, and it rests now with us.

#powertothepolls     emilyslist.org   flippable.org

Nella Pidutti ©2018  an eleventh hour year

 

Neonics ~ a New Food Chain Tragedy

Neonicotinoids, Bees and Honey

Neonicotinoids or neonics, are used to protect crops from pests and account for 30 % of the global pesticide market. They are now known to be responsible for the decline in bee populations worldwide, and can be found in the plants, pollen and nectar of the plants sprayed. Colony collapse disorder and lowered reproductive success rates are seen in many countries. Bees, including their nests and their honey, are contaminated.

To demonstrate the widespread exposure to neonics in bees, hives and honey, Professor Edward Mitchell of the Crown Research Institute, Landcare Research, and head of the biodiversity lab at the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland, led a study that demonstrated that three quarters of the honey consumed throughout the world contains neonics. The study was conducted in 2015 and 2016 and analyzed 198 honey samples from around the world. The honey was tested  for the five most commonly used neonics: acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam.

The results:

• 75% of the honey samples contained at least one of the five tested substances
• 30%  of all samples contained a single neonic
• 45% contained between two and five neonics
• 10% contained four or five neonics

The highest levels of neonics were found in North America and some traces were found in samples of Manuka honey from New Zealand. Even though strict regulations and special rules through the Environmental Protection Agencies try to limit and prohibit spraying near hives or crops likely to be visited by bees, it is obvious that exposure is inevitable.

The European Union restricts the use of three neonics due to recent incidents of colony collapse disorder. Although New Zealand hives have not yet been affected by this disorder, Manuka honey contains some neonics. The New Zealand harvesters of Manuka honey say that this is likely due to the fact that Manuka honey may be mixed with clover and ‘cheaper’ honeys that do contain higher concentrations of neonics. Dr David Pattemore, a Plant and Food Research pollination scientist, wrote in Sciblogs.co.nz that there was no net effect of neonicotinoids on honey bees in New Zealand because as he noted,  the number of hives is on the increase. He cites instead that colony death is more severe with more traditional, non-neonicotinoid pesticides rather than neonicotinoids, admitting that Manuka honey from New Zealand generally contains, in whole or in part, concerning levels of pesticides.

Further studies could confirm harm or dismiss our concerns of neonics in bee populations, but when honey is tested for contaminants and  the results are positive, we should be concerned. Agricultural use of pesticides is not pro-active and once the effects of such widespread use is felt in the tiniest of species, we need to reverse the process immediately.

Damage Confirmed

“Early studies of the impacts of neonicotinoid insecticides on insect pollinators indicated considerable harm. However, lingering criticism was that the studies did not represent field-realistic levels of the chemicals or prevailing environmental conditions. Two studies, conducted on different crops and on two continents, now substantiate that neonicotinoids diminish bee health (see the Perspective by Kerr). Tsvetkov et al. find that bees near corn crops are exposed to neonicotinoids for 3 to 4 months via non-target pollen, resulting in decreased survival and immune responses, especially when co-exposed to a commonly used agrochemical fungicide. Woodcock et al., in a multi-county experiment on rapeseed in Europe, find that neonicotinoid exposure from several non-target sources reduces overwintering success and colony reproduction in both honeybees and wild bees. These field results confirm that neonicotinoids negatively affect pollinator health under realistic agricultural conditions.”
Science, this issue p. 1395, p. 1393; see also p. 1331

Abstract:  “Experiments linking neonicotinoids and declining bee health have been criticized for not simulating realistic exposure. Here we quantified the duration and magnitude of neonicotinoid exposure in Canada’s corn-growing regions and used these data to design realistic experiments to investigate the effect of such insecticides on honey bees. Colonies near corn were naturally exposed to neonicotinoids for up to 4 months—the majority of the honey bee’s active season. Realistic experiments showed that neonicotinoids increased worker mortality and were associated with declines in social immunity and increased queenlessness over time. We also discovered that the acute toxicity of neonicotinoids to honey bees doubles in the presence of a commonly encountered fungicide. Our work demonstrates that field-realistic exposure to neonicotinoids can reduce honey bee health in corn-growing regions.
Chronic exposure to neonicotinoids reduces honey bee health near corn crops”
N. Tsvetkov1, O. Samson-Robert2, K. Sood1, H. S. Patel1, D. A. Malena1, P. H. Gajiwala1,                              P. Maciukiewicz1, V. Fournier2, A. Zayed1,*  See all authors and affiliations
Science  30 Jun 2017:
Vol. 356, Issue 6345, pp. 1395-1397
DOI: 10.1126/science.aam7470

To read more on the effects of neonics – studies and petitions:

​http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11934014

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Honey in SkinCare

SOHMA Naturals is an organic skincare manufacture that uses Ikaria Honey in a number of their organic anti-aging skincare. Honey contains vitamin B and C and live enzymes, and is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It is topically used for wound healing and provides healing and nourishment to all skin types.

They recently commissioned the lab at the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland to conduct similar testing using Ikaria Honey in Dec. 2017. They are currently awaiting the results, however given the fact that there is a complete absence of pesticides on the entire Island of Ikaria, they have high hopes and full faith that the test results will come back negative.

The focus at Sohma Naturals is to utilize raw material in its cleanest form in keeping with the blueprint of nature. Ikaria honey is the best bet!

Read about the Blue Zone Island of Ikaria, Ikaria Honey, and Authentically Natural SkinCare products at their  website at:  www.sohmanaturals.com

Nella Pidutti©2018

Sugar ~ Fiend, Foe and Fruitless

 

 

Our 21st century lives are filled with chemical choices that are truly questionable and defy reason and common sense.

Sugar for example, manipulates the same opioid receptors in the brain affected by heroin and morphine. From the very first intake of a sugary treat, the chemical pathways are formed toward addiction in the youngest of infants.

Remember this when you allow your toddler or any aged child to consume the same size chocolate bar or ice cream or candy that  you would allow for yourself. Their body size and weight is less than one quarter of a parent’s so consumption cannot and must not be equal. Consumption should be in minimal amounts and infrequent if at all.

Sugar is often the underlying cause of anxiety, depression, behavioral disorders, obesity and acid reflux in children as young as 6 years of age: conditions in preteens, teens and young adults that are now widely ‘medicated’ unnecessarily by modern medicine.

Sugar also disrupts numerous functions of the endocrine system, affecting hormone balance and immune system function. If you or your child are prone to chronic infections, allergic reactions and digestive disorders, check your grocery cart and your chronic food habits. Eliminating multiple sources of refined and processed sugar will greatly improve your overall health.

Remember that carbohydrate foods like potatoes, grains, pasta, bread ( including pizza, muffins, bagels etc.) and rice contribute to a ‘sugar’ load in the body. Contrary to the typical and mistaken advice from dietitians, you do not need 6 servings of 6 ounces each of  the foods from these categories – not unless you want to gain excess weight, feel hungry all the time, experience digestive disorders, be prone to blood sugar imbalance, feel depressed and anxious, feel fatigued especially in the afternoon, and develop cognitive disorders that in your older age, can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s.  If you like living THAT way, then fill’er up!  There’s plenty of foul food in the grocery aisles to make you sick and tired. Some unprocessed, whole grains are necessary each day for added fiber but in minimal amounts. The best fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Remember also, that fruits and vegetables ARE the carbohydrate source of ‘sugar’ fuel that the young and old body requires. That’s simple. Two to three fruit servings per day and six to eight vegetable servings per day will provide all the fuel and plant sterols your body requires to assist our failing immune systems.

We are far too reliant on sugar, salt, fat, flour and chemicals in our food preparation; a practice that is devoid of dense nutrients.  Those foods literally spoil young taste buds so that the natural taste of fresh fruits and vegetables is no longer appealing. More to the point,  we have bought into the commercial food propaganda that portrays junk food as a  ‘treat’ and a necessity.

All of us, but especially our children are  worthy of the highest degree of care and caution in every respect, yet we defend the right to raise them on garbage and to keep ourselves in perpetual dis-ease.

Nella Pidutti © November 2017

Infections & Vaccinations~an Open Letter

November 26, 2017

Dear Valued Client of Solas Health Centre,
We have already had a particularly infectious year, and it became increasingly clear to us last year, that we should make a few requests of our clients and inform you of certain conditions when massage or other treatments are not ideal or indicated.

Infections: If you have a runny nose, feel tired, have a slight cough, feel run down and ‘coming down with something’ as we all say, please call us to cancel your massage or nutrition assessment appointments. There is no charge for missing an appointment due to illness. If you do come for your appointment we will simply send you home for three reasons:
• A massage or other body treatments will only make your symptoms worse and does not help an infection
• The nutrition assessment will not be accurate
• We try to keep ourselves from catching colds and flus

Vaccinations: If you have recently received a vaccination of ANY kind, please be aware that you cannot be massaged. Again, a massage or other body treatments will only exacerbate any symptoms that you may experience from the vaccination, in a negative way. Even though neither your MD or Nurse Practitioner will tell you to isolate yourself, and other groups insist it is not necessary, it is understood that you are actually infectious to certain groups of people for two weeks after a vaccination.

If you receive ANY vaccination please cancel your appointment with us since we cannot treat you and we do not want to be exposed.  Please see the related information from John Hopkins Hospital, and do share it with your family and friends, making them aware of the complex misinformation surrounding vaccinations in particular.
Thank you for your attention and understanding.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –March 3, 2015– [ GlobeNewsWire ] — Physicians and public health officials know that recently vaccinated individuals can spread disease and that contact with the immuno-compromised can be especially dangerous. For example, the Johns Hopkins Patient Guide warns the immuno-compromised to “Avoid contact with children who are recently vaccinated,” and to “Tell friends and family who are sick, or have recently had a live vaccine (such as chicken pox, measles, rubella, intranasal influenza, polio or smallpox) not to visit.”1
A statement on the website of St. Jude’s Hospital warns parents not to allow people to visit children undergoing cancer treatment if they have received oral polio or smallpox vaccines within four weeks, have received the nasal flu vaccine within one week, or have rashes after receiving the chickenpox vaccine or MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.2
“The public health community is blaming unvaccinated children for the outbreak of measles at Disneyland, but the illnesses could just as easily have occurred due to contact with a recently vaccinated individual,” says Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation. “Evidence indicates that recently vaccinated individuals should be quarantined in order to protect the public.”
If you have any questions regarding this policy please contact the staff at Solas Health Centre ~ Digby Nova Scotia 902.245.6227

Contrarian Vegetarian

In my nutrition counseling practice, I often find myself identifying an underlying issue of health with a lack of nutrient dense food and nutrient dense protein sources. And nowhere does this become most apparent as in the vigilant attempts by many at vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is not to be avoided per say, but too many who adopt a raw or vegetarian diet do not adequately replace the dense nutrient proteins found in meats with an equal proportion from legumes and vegetables. Living in the ‘north country’ in the winter months and being vegetarian is actually a counter health productive exercise. The winter body works very hard to maintain an even ‘core temperature’ in order to fuel the internal organs and glands that not only require high amounts of protein but a regulated temperature in order to function. Include the brain in this scenario! The body’s natural ability to ‘regulate’ core temperature however, results in cold hands and feet and a sluggish cognitive ability: not at all conducive to a healthy or ‘holistic’ lifestyle in fact. Science and logic simply overrides philosophy or religion when it comes to ‘how the body works optimally’.

Vegetarian Deregulation
Providing the body’s need for 60 or so grams of protein daily is a time consuming project in the kitchen if it is to come from legumes, nuts and vegetables. What is often the outcome instead is an increase in grain, dairy and sugar consumption since the body will crave carbohydrates when lacking protein, and this results in weight gain from water retention and unnecessary fat. Weight gain especially during the winter months as a vegetarian, comes from the deregulation of the thyroid which controls basal metabolic rate, reproductive hormone production and regulates the overall temperature for the body. Lack of dense protein which feeds the thyroid as well all glands, automatically slows down everything from digestion to hormone function to thought process. Sluggishness, brain fog, lack of concentration, thyroid insufficiency, gas, and bloating, are all outcomes of a diet that lacks an adequate supply of good clean digestible dense proteins.

Lots of Food Prep
The preparation needed to switch from meat to vegetarian based diets and to still obtain all the adequate proteins and amino acids, requires time and organization at any time of year. If you choose to work against biochemistry and your genetic heritage,especially in the winter months, do your homework. Be willing to put in the time to learn a new level of cooking skills as well as the science of ‘Combining Proteins’. Just a quick note though: the brain requires a high amount of protein and complex sugars from vegetables and fruits to function. Science is not only saying that the human brain developed because of eating meat, but that “eating meat made us human”.

Research Showtime
One study, published in the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’, examined the brain sizes of several primates. For the most part, larger bodies have larger brains across all the species. Yet humans have exceptionally large, neuron-rich brains for our body size, while gorillas, three times more massive than humans, have smaller brains and three times fewer neurons. Why? The answer, it seems, is the gorilla’s raw, vegan diet, devoid of animal protein, which requires hours upon hours of eating only plants to provide enough calories to support their mass. Similarly, early humans eating only raw vegetation would have needed to munch for more than nine hours a day to consume enough calories, the researchers calculated. Thus, a raw, vegan diet would have been unlikely given the danger and other difficulties of gathering so much food.
The second study, published in October the journal PLoS ONE, examined the remains of a prehuman toddler who died from malnutrition about 1.5 million years ago. Shards of a skull found in modern-day Tanzania reveal that the child had porotic hyperostosis, a type of spongy bone growth associated with low levels of dietary iron and vitamins B9 and B12, the result of a diet lacking animal products in a species that requires them. The child was around the weaning age. So, either the child’s mother’s breast milk lacked key nutrients, or the child himself did not consume enough nutrients directly from meat or eggs. Either way, the finding implies that meat must have been an integral, and not sporadic, element of the prehuman diet more than 1 million years ago, said the study’s lead author, Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo, an archaeologist at Complutense University of Madrid.

The Luxury of Choice
Humans are omnivores and no matter how much we would love to distance ourselves from the fact that we are part of the natural and animal kingdom, our bodies are science laboratories that are, in this point of our evolution, quite predictable. We suffer from diseases that come from the luxury of basing dietary and lifestyle choices on trends and fads and celebrity, particularly in North America. To eat meat or not to eat meat is not so much a question for our human families in war torn countries. In many ways our ‘right’ in the wealthier countries on this planet, to choose unhealthy ‘lifestyles’ is deplorable in view of the exceptional conditions of deprivation of so many of our human tribe. I am certain for example, that a vegetarian in North America, devoid of the deep religious affiliation of Hinduism, would definitely eat the last cow on earth if necessary and likely recycle its hide for a lovely purse, wallet or sandals.

A balanced approach to choosing from the variety of foods we have available is a holistic approach and one that leads to the regulation not only of a healthy body but of a healthy planetary ecosystem. Increasing vegetable intake to 6 to 8 servings and fruit intake to 2 to 3 locally grown fruits daily, along with choosing ‘humanely raised’ meats and fish sources, is a more regulated health regimen for those of us living in the north. In large part, this Mediterranean diet approach insured our development into the humans we are today. Our recent and ancient history as well as our geographical ancestry plays a role in which food types benefit our health in 2017. More on this factor in another post…

Nella Pidutti ROHP 02/2017

The Cellulite Conundrum

The ‘problem’ of cellulite as it is referred to by the cosmetic and beauty industry is actually a multi-factorial issue involving multiple body systems.

Among the factors contributing to cellulite formation are:

• Collagen and connective tissue breakdown
• Genetics
• Increased body fat
• Estrogen dominance
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Sedentary lifestyle often job related
• Circulation and vascular system insufficiencies
• ‘carbohydrate flesh’ often stemming from  refined ‘white’ food choices – too many grains, starches, sugars, salt
• Lymphatic insufficiency from lack of exercise, toxicity levels, immune dysfunction

There are no quick fixes when lifestyle choices are at the root of such a complex issue. Even so, there are changes that can be made to diet and lifestyle, and applications that do further the breakdown of cellulite when we apply them to body system in a holistic fashion. There is no magic cream that works miracles for the eradification of cellulite for example, but in combination with specific adjustments to diet and cosmetic treatments, there may be the possibility of improvement for many clients.

The two systems primarily involved in the formation of cellulite are the vascular and lymphatic systems. The lymphatic system does not have a ‘pump’ to maintain a healthy flow of lymphatic fluid in the network  and so relies on physical motion to  keep this vital component of a healthy body  moving. Muscle contractions help to massage the fluid so gentle weight bearing exercise improves skin tone and tightening by moving lymphatic fluid. Jumping jacks or a Rebounder will provide some of the up and down massaging the lymphatic vessels require to keep flowing and feeding the cells. Lymphatic drainage massage reduces swelling, and moves lymph fluid out of the cells that form the cellulite pockets visible on the skin.

Dry Brushing

The thighs and especially the back of the thighs are poorly vascularised compared to the rest of the body and this is the area that is particularly susceptible to cellulite formation.  Dry brushing with a rough loofa  brush stimulates the circulation and reduces edema or swelling, and it is the swelling that increases the appearance of the bumpy cellulite.  This same process can be applied to the abdomen and the buttocks. Many people dry brush the entire body, moving in long strokes in the direction of the heart. Just a few minutes of dry brushing boosts the blood supply to the skin for one hour, carrying fluids and nutrients to the affected area. The slight pressure promotes slight dilation of the capillaries increasing a higher volume of blood flow to the cells, giving your skin a rosy glow.

Far Infrared Sauna

The Far Infrared Sauna treatment is exceptional in terms of increasing circulation, lymphatic drainage and gentle detoxification. Since toxicity of the tissues is often the cause of sluggish lymphatic drainage, it is important to use techniques that handle many factors at the same time – a 20 minute  Far Infra Red sauna does that.    Conventional saunas heat the body from the outside to the core, driving toxins inward and contributing to an increased toxic state and the formation of kidney stones.  These classic Swedish type saunas may  be effective for the person living in a relatively clean environment and certainly worked well  50 years ago in European countries, but North America has become a cesspool of pesticides, herbicides, PCB’s, mercury, petrochemicals and lead and the list of estrogenic and carcinogenic contaminants continues to grow every day.  We require a sauna treatment, that moves toxins from the inside to the outside.  Far Infra Red Saunas,  along with a homeopathic or natural medicine protocol that helps the body eliminate these harmful substances through the skin,  is the answer. The skin is the largest filtration system of the body and acts in harmony with the  organs of elimination or ‘emunctory organs’: the kidneys, the lymphatic network, the lungs, the bowels, all mucosal tissues, and various other organs that synchronize their metabolic activity to keep the body motor rolling along.  Perspiration tests were performed on participants who were using conventional saunas and   far infrared saunas, and those using the far infrared saunas had a higher concentration of chemical residue in their perspiration.  There are few contraindications for saunas apart from uncontrolled high blood pressure. Far infrared sauna treatment increases the elimination of toxins that contribute to cellulite formation and toxicity, stimulate the lymphatic system in general and the lymphatics of each organ, and leaves you with a general sense of wellbeing.

Homeopathic Drainage  Remedies

By using a Lymphatic Drainage remedy  for three weeks at a time, we increase the positive outcome of every treatment we incorporate to reduce and maintain cellulite on the body.  5 – 10 drops daily in a little water on an empty stomach ( so between meals) will gently  remind the lymphatic system that its optimal functioning state is not a stagnant one.  Used in combination with dry brushing and far infra red treatments, results are faster and last longer. Ask us about which remedy is perfect for your needs.

Microneedling Roller for Cellulite Reduction

A microneedling roller consists of approximately 200 stainless steel needles that gently break the skin surface increasing  the absorption of the product used to treat cellulite. The Rollers has been highly effective when used for facials as well.  The rollers stimulate the drainage capacity of the skin in the area affected with cellulite, provide nourishment to the cells in the area, increase vascularisation, and reduce lipolysis on the thigh.  On the face, creases and wrinkles are greatly reduced as collagen breaks down and rebuilds. It can be combined with Hyaluronic Acid or Serums which additionally strengthen and tone the skin.  Apply in a back and forth, multi directional action on the area affected with cellulite.

Ask us about the Microneedling Roller, homeopathic remedies for lymphatic drainage and the Far Infra Red Sauna sessions to kick start your Anti-Cellulite program. Call us at Solas Health at 902.245.6227

The Far Infra Red Sauna treatment

Far Infra Red Sauna treatments are used for cellulite reduction, lymphatic drainage, enhanced circulation, pain and inflammation from arthritis and fibromyalgia,  and general detoxification. This type of sauna has become an integral part of a customized “stay well” maintenance program and works very well in conjunction with a homeopathic drainage formula such as GUNA Lymph or Chelidonium Plex for lymphatic drainage support or GUNA  Diur-Ic  for water retention. Since toxicity of the tissues is often the cause of sluggish lymphatic drainage, it is important to use techniques that handle many factors at the same time. A 20 – 60 minute Far Infra red sauna does just that and a session directly after a massage or a reflexology treatment, increases the positive outcome with penetrating rays and a tolerable temperature that heats the body from the inside out.

Conventional saunas heat the body from the outside to the core, driving toxins inward. This actually contributes to an increased toxic state and the formation of kidney stones in some individuals.  These classic Swedish type saunas may  be effective for a person living in a relatively clean ecology  and certainly worked well 50 years ago in European countries, but North America has become a cesspool of pesticides, herbicides, PCB’s, mercury, petrochemicals and lead and the list of endocrine system disruptors, estrogenic and carcinogenic contaminants continues to grow every day.  We are unwillingly exposed every day, so every day we are advised to acquire a ‘stay well’ practice that emphasizes a “Toxin In- Toxin Out” approach. Weekly sauna treatments for a two month period help to initiate the drainage process. Along with a homeopathic remedy, natural medicine, dietary changes and a body work  protocol that helps the body eliminate these harmful substances through the skin, the largest filtration system of the body, it is easy to kick start the improved flow of  lymphatic fluid and the possible reduction of annoying factors like cellulite. The skin is a miraculous system which acts in harmony with the organs of elimination:  the kidneys, the lymphatic network, the lungs, the bowels, all mucosal tissues, and various other organs that synchronize their metabolic activity to keep the body motor rolling along. And winter, with our reduced outdoor activity, and our inclination toward infections, is a good time to stimulate and encourage the lymphatic system by using saunas and homeopathic remedies.

Perspiration tests were performed on participants who were using either a conventional sauna or the Far Infrared saunas, and those using the Far Infrared saunas had released a higher concentration of chemical residue in their perspiration.  Far Infrared sauna treatments increase the elimination of toxins that contribute to cellulite formation, water retention, that ”toxic feeling”, pain and inflammation from arthritis and fibromyalgia and generally stimulate the lymphatic system, leaving  you with a heightened sense of well-being.

Not all Far Infrared Saunas are of equal quality however. If you are trying to detoxify a human body, the sauna itself cannot be lathered with stain, varnish, or other toxic finishes on wood types that additionally off gas, like cedar for example!! Unfortunately, a Made in China label with a bargain price in this case is defeating the purpose of the treatment and adding to a person’s existing toxicity. One Canadian company has been leading the way to a non -toxic sauna treatment.  SaunaRay has perfected the building of a non-toxic, remedial sauna using bass wood and a made in Canada philosophy and uses NO toxic glues or finishes.  Call us about booking a group of sauna treatments, or inquire about ordering your OWN Far Infra Red Sauna. Call Solas Health  902.245.6227