Volume 3, Issue 10Welcome to Heartland's NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY newsletter. We are excited to share relevant news about natural health topics and offer alternative and complimentary options for you and your family. We are committed to helping you find more complete answers to your health concerns, and look forward to being a friend as you seek greater health through innovative natural products, ideas, and educational resources. For personalized direction, call our helpline at 1-888-772-2345.
TOPICS IN TODAY'S ISSUE:
·Did You Know? - You can’t use both synthetic birth control and natural progesterone cream
·In the News - Electromagnetic Radiation and Miscarriage
·Alkalize Your Body
·Recipes for Health
“Pray to God, but keep rowing to shore.”
~ Russian Proverb
“If a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.”
~ Edgar Watson Howe (1853-1937, American Journalist, Author)
You can’t use both synthetic birth control and natural progesterone cream – you must choose one or the other. Many women in their childbearing years have symptoms of estrogen dominance, and would like to use natural progesterone cream to help balance their hormones, but, because they are on birth control pills, are faced with a decision – stop the birth control OR forego the benefits of natural progesterone cream. Many feel like they do not have a choice. Even though they are aware that the synthetic “progestins” in the birth control pills have many negative side effects, including bad headaches, discomfort and weight gain, they feel obliged to this form of family planning, and continue sometimes for many years, even at the expense of their own health and appearance. The good news is – there are options! Ask yourself these questions:
1.) Are you sure you are / were ovulating in the first place?
The strange thing is a number of these women may not even be ovulating. When up to 30% of couples in their child-bearing years suffer with infertility, one might apply a little logic and check for anovulatory cycles before going through all the expense (to your health especially) of birth control prescriptions. With the use of a basal thermometer, one can check for both ovulation (or anovulation – cycles without ovulation) and consistency of progesterone levels. This is based on a 0.4 degree Fahrenheit increase. When the increase happens, that signals ovulation. If the increase continues to the end of the cycle, that signals good progesterone production, which normally surges from the follicles after the egg is released. If there is no increase, that reveals lack of ovulation, or anovulation. If there is an increase for only a few days, that reveals ovulation but lack of progesterone, or luteal phase failure. (This is related to early miscarriage.)
Research has shown that there is an epidemic, new to the 20th century, of younger women experiencing both anovulatory cycles and progesterone deficiency.
Women in their childbearing years should find out whether or not they are ovulating. Having normal periods does not guarantee normal ovulation! It is good information to obtain for three reasons: First, you gain important information about your fertility. Second, you gain information about progesterone deficiency, because the normal surge of progesterone depends on the release of the egg. This affects libido and bone health, among other things. And third, chronic anovulatory cycles are closely associated with high ovarian production of androgens, a signal of higher breast cancer risk. You may have anovulatory cycles before ever starting birth control pills. Or, by taking birth control, you have created anovulatory cycles by force. Either way, have you questioned the effects of not ovulating? It’s worth evaluating, and considering other options.
2.) Are there any reliable, more natural solutions to birth control? NFP, or Natural Family Planning, is actually more reliable than birth control pills. But it is not just a matter of trying to “count days”. There are various checks and balances, including the use of a basal thermometer and listening to your body. It is worth learning about if only to understand your body better. You may be surprised that it can work for you. To get exceptional training, support and information about NFP, find someone in your area trained by The Couple to Couple League, or read up NFP on their website, click www.ccli.org.
3.) Finally, there are women who are using birth control pills only to help regulate menstrual cycles. In this case, avoiding pregnancy is not an issue. Hormonal balance is. Hormonal balance can be obtained naturally without the health risks and discomforts associated with synthetic progestins in birth control pills. You can simply switch to natural progesterone – a much safer, more viable option than synthetics. To find out more on how to use natural progesterone cream instead of birth control pills to help regulate cycles, call our helpline at 1-888-772-2345.
You have options!
Did you know that a pregnant woman in her third trimester produces from 300 to 400 mg of natural progesterone EVERY DAY? Beautiful thick hair, radiant skin, and a strong immune system to help protect the baby are a few of the positive effects of this “protective” hormone. To learn more about how women have used natural progesterone cream safely for over 65 years, call our special helpline 1-888-772-2345. We’re equipped to address your individual questions!
IN THE NEWS
Electromagnetic Radiation and MiscarriageExcerpt/summary from: The John R. Lee Medical Letter, March 2003
Respected researchers have linked chronic exposure to strong electromagnetic fields to environmental illness and cancer. A study out of San Francisco, and published in the journal Epidemiology (2002: 13: 9-20), is worth paying attention to if you are pregnant. They found that those with higher peak exposures (to electromagnetic radiation) had an 80 percent increase in the risk of miscarriage. The risk was even higher among women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and/or infertility.
THE FOUR FOOT RULEHome appliances such as toasters, microwave ovens, TVs and vacuum cleaners give off very strong electromagnetic radiation when they’re on. The good news is that these fields drop off very quickly with distance – with most appliances there’s no significant electromagnetic field left at four feet away. Thus, one solution is to not stand near an appliance when it’s on if you’re pregnant (let someone else do the vacuuming!).
GAUSS METER CHECKFaulty wiring in homes (the third major source of electromagnetic radiation) can cause chronic exposure if it occurs near your desk, your favorite chair or your bed. The only way to detect these fields is with a gauss meter, a handheld device that measures electromagnetic fields.” For more information click here: www.johnleemd.com
TIPS FROM YOUR HEARTLAND NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Clock radios with LCD screens, hair dryers, cell phones and computer screens/hard drives are also big EMF emitters. Reconsider how you use these items, especially during the PRE-CONCEPTION season and the 1st trimester of pregnancy, and for people with cancer, environmental illness or on anti-aging/optimal wellness protocols. Some common sense ideas include:
· Check your nightstand for a clock radio with a LCD screen. It can’t be that hard to find another location for this EMF emitter than next to your head all night!
· A new hair protocol may be a tough choice, but why not consider letting your hair air dry as much as possible, and use the blow dryer more as a styling tool versus a drying tool?
· EMF’s in cell phones can actually harm soft tissues like the liver and kidneys more than the brain (which is in part protected by the skull). Take care not to make a habit of carrying a cell phone close to the body, like attached to a belt or purse, especially if pregnant or planning on getting pregnant.
· As far as computer screens and hard drives are concerned, The John R. Lee Medical Letter recommends staying at least two to three feet away. This may be difficult if your work requires you to sit in front of a computer. But small things can add up. Think of ways to position the hard drive farther away. Try using a keyboard extender to lengthen the distance from the screen. Review your workspace for extra computers or other electronic devices that may not need to be so close to where you sit. There is no need to overreact to your environment, but there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy respect for chronic EMF exposure. If there’s something simple you can change, why not?
“Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.” - Anonymous
Worry less by reducing your risk of cancer today. Dubbed “the great protector” by Dr. John R. Lee, natural progesterone cream is shown in numerous studies to reduce the risk of breast cancer (as opposed to synthetic progestins in birth control pills and patches, which are now well known for their breast cancer RISK.) Read more about it in the book “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer”. Both practical and well researched, this book is a must for every woman that prefers good planning to unnecessary worry. Click http://heartlandnatural.com/bcancer.htm for more information.
Women are often looking for foods that provide iron, calcium and non-animal (i.e. no “bad-fat”) protein. One unique source of these important minerals and proteins is roasted nori seaweed. This item can quickly become a staple in a wellness-oriented kitchen because of its flexibility in food preparation. It comes in the form of thin sheets that have been roasted under a heat lamp.
Nori is to Japanese cooking as tortillas are to Mexican cooking – you can wrap all kinds of good things in them. Nori, however, is an “excellent food source” while tortillas often contain bad oils and refined grains that are critical to minimize in a truly healthy diet. In the store, look for nori that is shiny, dark and crisp. Nori has traditionally been used to wrap sushi and rice balls and to add aroma to noodles. You can also use it in soups and to create new form of healthy snacks.
Dr. Baroody rates all forms of seaweed as “super alkalizers” with a 7.0 rating.
NOTE: The recipe below uses some great items to stock in a wellness-oriented kitchen. They all rate high for helping alkalize your body from common acid-eating habits, and are worth incorporating into your healthy cooking endeavors:
Umeboshi plum paste rates a 6.5
Dr. Bronner’s Mineral Boullion rates a 6.5
Nutritional yeast rates a 4.5
Cayenne pepper rates a 7.0
Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runback
RICE BALLS (From Dr. Baroody’s “Alkalize or Die”)
3 cups cooked brown rice or basmati rice
1 package Sushi Nori seaweed sheets
2 tbls. Umeboshi plum paste
2 tbls. Dr. Bronner’s Mineral Bouillon
½ cup nutritional yeast
½ teas. Cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients except seaweed sheets. Add more yeast and/or a little water to make consistency for forming balls. Lightly spray Sushi Nori sheets with water on both sides. Place ½ cup rice in each sheet and roll or fold. Store in waxed paper in refrigerator. Serve cold or room temperature. Great for lunches, and snacks.
Variations:
Add sautéed onions and carrots to rice mixture. Or add cooked aduki beans. Serves 4.
REFERENCES:
Quote sources thanks to Cyber-Nation.Com and www.ZigZiglar.com.
NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY is written, copyrighted and produced by Heartland Products, Inc. All trademarks are representative of the company that owns them and in no way endorse Heartland Products, Inc. Additionally, Heartland Products, Inc. provides this material for informational purposes only and is not responsible for the use of the information. For information about reprinting the NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY newsletter please send an email to info@heartlandnatural.com
