A Fresh Start...

Very exciting things in the works today... We purchased and took delivery on a commercial freezer, commercial fridge, and cash register for opening/re-opening of the Humbaba/Symbielle smoothies and tonics cafe. Whoa! They are currently being stored in Lori's barn until we find the right space for our cafe. Step one: check.

Longevity NOW Conference - Day 3

The final day, and it was packed with the best of the best. Daniel Vitalis started us off with water - it's history, it's properties, how amazing it is, what we've done to it, where not to get it, where TO get it (http://www.findaspring.com/). He really drove it home for me that THIS WEEK I need to drive to Portsmouth, NH, to pick up glass bottles from the brewery, and then make my way to Exeter to fill them up. I recommend watching any interview with him you can find - on You Tube, wherever. Then find a spring near you and start bottling life!

We heard from Donna Gates, the author of "the Body Ecology Diet", which is a must-read for anyone battling candida (most of the American population!). I've always been a fan of fermented foods... But she really sold me on them. Essential to a healthy gut, and they take away your desire for SUGAR! She also spoke extensively on colon / small intestine cleansing... Which I will have to investigate more on my own. What I really loved about her session was how she described the intelligence of bacteria (micro flora). How they communicate with your gut, have the ability to silence "bad" genes such as diabetes, and are responsible for a significant percentage of your immunity. Can I get a "woot woot" shout out to good bacteria!

Donna also addressed Thyroid and Adrenals, which is a hot button for just about everyone (including me). Her breakdown of how to support healthy thyroid/adrenal function goes a little something like this: minerals, B vitamins, vitamin C, healthy proteins and fats (raw butter, ghee), vitamin D, iodine, zinc, selenium.

David Wolfe has been intensely researching hormones for the past year+, and he spent a significant amount of time educating us on hormones - the master switches of aging... If your hormones are abundant and balanced, you're protected! Hormone imbalance is responsible for obesity, depression, cancer, diabetes, aging, infertility, mood swings, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, heart disease... Wow. Causes of hormone imbalance include virus in the pancreas, toxic diet, poor fats and oils, mineral deficiency, pollution, low iodine, heavy metals, plastics, pesticides, soy, birth control pills, cholesterol medication. There are different strategies for helping different hormones, but some of the recurring things are good saturated fats and oils, MSM, folvic acid, nascent iodine, seaweeds, coconut products, a clean (raw) diet, enzymes (lipase), deer antler, I-3-C, maca, citrus peel, oatmeal, cruciferous veggies, tongkat ali, tribulus, superfood protein, far infrared sauna, goji, chlorella, marine phytoplankton, sea salt (pink Hawaiian), jing herbs, grounding, VITAMIN D, proper exercise.

The last one on that lengthy list, proper exercise, leads right into our time with Dr. Mercola (what a TREAT!). Dr. Mercola explained that telomeres, the caps at the end of all our DNA strands, are the most accurate biological clock there is - aging. As cells replicate, the telomere chain gets shorter each time. There are things that prematurely shorten telomeres, but the interesting thing is that our reproductive cells DO NOT AGE. They have a gene, telomerase, that repairs the damage during replication. In fact, all cells have this gene, but it is turned off and therefore aging occurs. The key is finding a way to turn on telomerase in all our other cells, and reverse aging. Whoa!

This hasn't been figured out yet, but there are things we can do to slow down telomere damage. Increase your production of human growth hormone (HGH) naturally through proper exercise and diet. Dr. Mercola explains that we've been on a cardio kick since the 70's (himself included), and he's learned through speaking with 6 of the top fitness experts in the world that cardio is not the way to go. Natural production of HGH decreases by 50% by the time we reach 30. Not because our bodies can't produce it, but because of the fitness changes we make between our early childhood and adulthood. The key to increasing your HGH production is oxygen debt, muscle burn, and not eating ANY FRUCTOSE for at least 2 hours following a workout. Mercola suggests following the Peak 8 philosophy of training: short burst / rest intervals in sets of 8. For example: sprint 8-10 seconds at 90-100% effort, then 90 seconds of rest. Repeat 7 times. Or: cycle 20-30 seconds at 70-90% effort, then 90 seconds of rest. Repeat 7 times. He says the elliptical machine can be just as effective. Always cool down afterwards. He also recommends mixing this routine up with yoga or Power Plate, Peter Egoscue stretching, strength training, core training, plyometrics... and MAYBE some cardio. You can check your HGH levels with a urine test. Should be 1000+ for men and women.

There are some VERY exciting things happening with the http://www.mercola.com/ website, and I urge everyone to subscribe to the newsletter if you are not already. Dr. Mercola is doing some amazing things to make it possible and affordable (essentially free) for you to be your own best doctor...

Unfortunately, I had to leave the conference over an hour early to catch my flight home. However, I know my new friend Travis will hook me up with anything vital I may have missed. this concludes my 3-day longevity experience, but I'll leave you all with a little snack.

Frank Giglio's Curried Kelp Noodle Salad

- 1 package kelp noodles (soak with live oil, vinegar, and juice from 1 lime)

- red bell pepper julienned

- 1 large piece of ginger micro planed

- 2 carrots shredded

- 1 cucumber diced

- 1 daicon shredded

- 1 habanero diced

Stir together with the noodles along with curry spice and arame.

- 1 chopped green onion

- chopped cilantro

- dulse flakes

Add these on top and serve!

I made this for myself tonight for dinner... See photo. Enjoy!

Augusta

Longevity Now Conference - Day 2

I almost can't believe it, but I think today was EVEN BETTER! We started off with a raw food demo by Raw Solla, from Iceland. She was energetic, funny, knowledgeable, fabulous! I truly hope I get to visit her shop in Iceland someday.

Then David Wolfe covered building super immunity, which I am very familiar with from his seminar I attended last spring at Kripalu.

Next was Truth Chalkins, who owns the tonic bar that's been feeding me all weekend... Most amazing seaweed soup ever, and I am not a fan of seaweed. He shared some wonderful wisdom with us, including; "If you can't believe it until you see it, it will never come." The perfect morning beverage... Eliminates candida:

Amino Acid Drink
- 8 oz water
- 1 to 2 tsp Arginine by NOW
- 1/8 tsp Citruline by NOW
- 1 scoop BCAA+G by MRM
- 1/2 tsp Lysine by NOW
- enzymes

And then... the one and only JOHN ROBBINS ("Diet for a New America"). What an amazing treat. He had so many wonderful things to say and share, and I got some truly fabulous one-liners out of our time with him.

"We are not separate. There is no 'other'."

"We could learn something from cats: to take care of our 'sh*t'."

"God says we have dominion over all things. What is dominion? Responsibility. Accountability."

"Let there be peace on earth, and let it being with me. Now give me that burger from a cow that lived and died in misery."

"Less pain. More love."

"I love my country, but I think we should start seeing other people."

I could go on and on, but the point is that I feel to lucky to have spent this time with him. He truly is a wonderful human being, and just a complete joy to be around. I think he's the only person I've met who actually carries around no hate. No matter what. A highlight to the day.

Another highlight, was a panel discussion with Dr. Mark Merriman, Dr. Joseph Mercola, and David Wolfe, deconstructing some of the biggest health myths such as...

- The sun causes skin cancer.
- Milk does a body good.
- Saturated fat causes heart disease.
- Low fat diets are healthy.
- Whole grains are good for everyone.
- Soy is a health food.
- Cardio is the best type of exercise.
- All plant-based supplements are just as good as animal-based ones.
- Vaccines are safe.
- Artificial sweeteners promote weight loss.
- Fluorinated water prevents cavities.

Fun stuff! But, I am once again one exhausted student of health... Lots more to look forward to tomorrow! Off to bed with me.

Augusta

Longevity Now Conference - Day 1

Let's just get this out of the way... With the 3-hour time difference, I was WIDE AWAKE at 4am local time. It is now after 11pm. LONG DAY. However, supremely worth it!

There is SO much information we covered in this first day, I'll just hit on a few highlights. First we heard from David Wolfe, the man. For the first time ever, he talked about cancer... So appropriate since I just wrote about this in my prior post, and he confirmed quite a lot. Some take-aways:

- NO plastics EVER. Especially not to drink your water from. EVER. Elevates estrogen levels and increases risk of cancer by factor of 5.
- Cruciferous vegetables stop the build-up of bad estrogen.
- Outsmart cancer with O2/O3 therapy. "Flood Your Body With Oxygen", "Knockout: Curing Cancer" - books.
- Pancreatic enzymes - enzyme therapy (trypsin and chymotrypsin, the 2 master enzymes).
- Antioxidants from berries!
- Low sugar, low protein diet.
- Garlic, kale, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, low sugar fruits, root vegetables, grasses, super herbs, super foods, medicinal mushrooms, cruciferous vegetables.
- Vitamin D3 one of the best way to turn on cancer fighting hormones.
- Amino acid chains, peptides, in maca, bee pollen, spirulina, royal jelly.

We also learned about Chinese herbal formulation from George Lamoureux of Jing Herbs, EFT Tapping from Nick Ortner, and then how to make an incredible kelp noodle salad with Frank Giglio.

Kevin Gianni told us an amazing story about the Caro people in the Andes of Peru... No western diseases, live off of 400 varieties of sweet potatoes (and coca plant), and have life expectancy of 90+. Their secret?

- Glacier water
- Crops fertilized by alpaca
- Clean air
- Coca leaf (calcium, potassium)
- Protein in potatoes (these are NOT your average potatoes)
- Exercise (they hike MOUNTAINS)
- Connected to pachamama (earth)

Then we heard from Daniel Vitalis. OMG. Almost everything he talked about was a piece of the puzzle I already knew. But he put the puzzle together for us, and I actually cried. I was so overwhelmed with sadness for the direction the human race is headed in... I had to head straight to the Tonic Bar for a Jing Master smoothie after his session. Definitely far too much to get into in this blog, but so powerful. Let's put it this way: buy local, buy organic, know your farmer... And become a gatherer of wild foods. Avoid GMO at ALL COSTS.

Finally, we heard from Dr. Stephen Sinatra about getting grounded (earthing). This is so important, and so simple, I will do a special blog post just about this topic sometime in the next week. Basically, how to save ourselves from the destructive forces of modern living in one, easy, can be done for free, act.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg... I have so much information, I could go on forever! I have some AMAZING recipes to share with everyone also. We will get to all that... Eventually... But for now, I've got to get some shut-eye. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Augusta

The Cancer Answer

Last night I attended the "Trophoblastic Theory of Cancer" seminar with Denise and her mom Doris at Amoskeag Chiropractic in Manchester. Wow. Dr. Ed is knowledgeable, passionate, and inspiring.

This particular seminar explained a long-standing theory of cancer, why cancer rates have soared in the 20th and 21st centuries, and what to do about it. It comes down to healing from the inside out, not from the outside in (i.e. chemo and scalpels). Dr. Ed's wife, who used to be the Director of Oncology at Brigham and Williams, agrees there will never be a "cure" for cancer, precisely for this reason.

The basic theory: pancreatic proteolytic digestive enzymes are the body's main defense against cancer. This is believed to be true because a developing embryo is made up of the trophoblast (undifferentiated, invading, host-feeding cells) and the actual embryo... On day 57 of development the fetus begins producing digestive enzymes (7 months before they're needed), and this is the exact same day the trophoblast matures into an organ (the placenta). Remnant trophoblastic cells (stem cells), become the reservoir for new cell growth in every organ in our body throughout our entire life. If the embryo DOES NOT start producing digestive enzymes, and the trophoblast does not mature into a placenta, it becomes one of the most deadly cancers.

What does this mean? It means enzymes are responsible for the maturation of trophoblastic cells from the beginning to the end of our life. Without digestive enzymes, or enough digestive enzymes, trophoblastic cells in our organs that are meant to mature never do and become cancer.

There are 2 ways we (and all mammals) get digestive enzymes. 1) from our pancreas, and 2) from living foods that have their enzymes intact. The more processed foods we eat (without enzymes intact), the harder our pancreas has to work to produce digestive enzymes, and the pancreas becomes fatigued. To support the pancreas, and ensure the healthy maturation of trophoblastic cells, this suggests we are to eat nutrient rich foods high in enzymes throughout life.

Raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds; miso; avocado; pineapple; raw milk; etc.

Sources: John Beard's publication The Enzyme Therapy of Cancer (1911), Dr. Donald Kelley's book One Man Alone: An Investigation of Nutrition, Cancer, and William Donald Kelley (1960), and Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez's study Nutrition and Cancer (1999). Do you see the history here???

Unfortunately, our current medical model does not make money off the trophoblastic theory of cancer... So we continue to kill ourselves with processed foods, radiation and chemotherapy. Cut it out! And they do...

What a truly fabulous and enlightening seminar!

This was the perfect kick-off to my trip to California for David Wolfe's Longevity Now Conference this Friday, Saturday, Sunday. I was one of the first 100 people to check in to early registration this evening, which means I will receive $100 in fabulous goodies (can't wait!), and I got to walk the vendor hall... OMG!!! Daniel Vitalis is here, Aimee's Livin' Magic, Frankie, Barefoot Connections, etc., etc.

The days are long (8am to 9pm), but our presenters include David Wolfe, John Robbins, Daniel Vitalis, Frank Giglio, and many more... Including the one and only Dr. Mercola! I'll do my best to blog about my experiences each night as the conference unfolds.

Off to bed with my Barefoot Connections grounding pad...

Augusta

Raw Food for Everyone...

I pre-ordered my copy of Alissa Cohen's "Raw Food for Everyone" last night, and I am SO excited! October 28th can't come soon enough! Seriously, I feel like this book will do for raw food enthusiasts what Julia Child's book "the Art of French Cooking" did for the average American household... So, so exciting. I may even be inspired to pull a Julie Powell and create every single one of the 300 recipes in Alissa's new book. Sounds like a great winter project to me!

When Denise and I took Alissa's 4-day training a year and a half ago, we were lucky enough to be in one of the few classes that trained on the 4th day with the Head Chef at Grezzo in Boston, Leah. She is a genius. With Alissa the first 3 days of training, we learned everything you need to know about raw food preparation. With Leah we learned what you WANT to know, so that you can create gourmet, mouth-watering, yum, yum, yumminess! We are both supremely sad that Grezzo is no more, but feel beyond blessed that we happened to time our training just right to get the experience we did.

Gets me thinking... Perhaps we should start a "Raw Food for Everyone" dinner club. We can choose the menu for maybe 2 dinner parties a month. People can choose which recipes they feel comfortable taking on, and Denise and I can cover the more technical ones. Then we get together and graze! I like it. So, pre-order your own copy of Alissa Cohen's "Raw Food for Everyone" and start practicing!

Augusta

Is Saturated Fat in Coconut Oil Bad for Your Heart?

I just spent a glorious weekend in Vermont with my partner and two friends of ours, enjoying the beautiful weather, amazing scenery, and tremendously fabulous food Vermont has to offer. Our friends are from NYC, which for the East Coast, is relatively health-conscious. During our weekend, I was asked about my copious use of coconut oil, because "isn't it a saturated fat which causes heart disease?" I argued my points as to how coconut oil does not apply to this science, but was rebuffed. The jury is still out as to whether coconut oil is good or bad.

Monday morning rolls around... I receive an email from our friends thanking us for the wonderful weekend, along with a link to the article Saturated Fat in Coconut Oil is Bad for Your Heart. this article claims that saturated fat is bad regardless of the source - even if that source is coconut oil. I love a healthy debate, especially one about health!

So... I immediately searched for "coconut oil" on Mercola.com. What I love about Dr. Mercola is that he does not expect you to take him at his word... He always likes to back up his articles with plenty of outside studies and research from medical journals and the like. In his article on coconut oil, he dispels the myths surrounding coconut oil and explains where these myths come from.

Dr. Mercola maintains that coconut oil is the only oil that is "stable enough to resist heat-induced oxidation during cooking, while it also helps you promote heart health, maintain normal cholesterol levels, and even supports weight loss." I can attest to this last piece personally!

Of course there is controversy around anything that is actually good for you, because chances are it comes from the earth and large corporations (pharmaceuticals, food industry, etc) can't make a killing from it. Who do you think pays for the vast majority of medical "research"?

Aside from the health-promoting properties of coconut oil, I love it for many more reasons. For example: it is fabulous for removing glue goo (like from stickers and labels). Honestly, it is the most amazing stuff on the planet and I am never without some. Don't take my word for it... Like anything, do your own research and come to your own conclusions about what's best for your health.

Augusta

Who Says You Can't Have a Happy AND Healthy Halloween?

We have a lot of exciting things coming up in October and November... Just in time for the BIG 3: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah. No need to fear (the holidays)... The answer is here!

Alissa Cohen's Living on Live Food Level I
October 23, 2010, 11am - 3pm
Manchester, NH

Alissa Cohen's Living on Live Food Level II
October 24, 2010, 9am - 5pm
Manchester, NH

Class details are listed on the Humbaba Calendar page, along with a link to email us about registering. Are your living food skills past the basics and ready for sprouting and dehydrating (but not interested in getting certified to teach)? No problem! We offer the sprouting and dehydrating portion of the Level II class separately at a significant discount.

More exciting news for October... We will be holding a Halloween Treats Seminar at Amoskeag Chiropractic in Manchester, NH. We will post the date as soon as we know it... it will be on a Wednesday starting at 6pm. This will be the perfect seminar for parents looking to give their kids delicious and healthy alternatives to the typical toxic Halloween fare. Although, parents may not want to SHARE with their kids, these treats are so delicious!

Think you may want to create desserts to bring to your holiday parties? I do this every year so that I know I'll have a delicious indulgence that's healthy for me too. For this reason, we'll bring back our oh-so-popular Just Desserts class in November. We plan a fabulously fun Friday night filled with decadent specialty drinks to accompany the most amazing raw desserts you've ever tasted!

Looking for one more feather in your living food cap? Add to your repertoire with a Holiday Sides Seminar. All the goodies like stuffing, cranberry relish, and mashed potatoes. If we get enough requests and can fit this one in, we'll DO IT! Let us know what classes/seminars are most exciting to you...

We hope to see you before the snow flies!
Augusta

Are You the Same Nutritional Type as Angelina Jolie?

In comments reportedly made during a press briefing for her new movie SALT, Angelina Jolie discussed her experiences with a vegan diet. "I joke that a big juicy steak is my beauty secret," said Jolie. "But seriously, I love red meat. I was a vegan for a long time, and it nearly killed me. I found I was not getting enough nutrition."

I have been eating a mostly vegan diet for more than two years, mostly raw living foods (uncooked). I am conscientious about the foods I choose - mostly leafy green and vibrant vegetables, some fruits, raw nuts and seeds. On occasion I do indulge - if I really want that slice of pizza, I'll have it. But I have not eaten milk, eggs, or any meats (including fish) since making this lifestyle change.

The first 9 months of going vegan, I felt amazing. My energy was high, I was sublimely happy, and my physical body was in great shape too. Since then, I believe I've been on a very slow backward slide to low energy, some tendencies toward depression, and feeling out-of-shape. I think there are some improvements I could make to my vegan diet to truly optimize it, and there have been periods of not enough sleep, but I'm beginning to wonder if my body requires something else... gasp... meat?

I'm not certain I'm ready to make that leap, but perhaps I am ready to add in a poached egg (yolk is still raw) here and there and some raw milk (preferably sheep's milk). Of course antibiotic- and hormone-free, free range, etc. What I need to do is find a local farmer.

Before making any change like this, I like to do my research. First, I finally took Dr. Mercola's Nutritional Typing online test to see whether, according to his research, I fall into the protein group, carb group (veggies), or combination group (mostly veggies, occasional meats). Turns out, even with several of my responses being "vegetarian/vegan, does not apply", I truly fall into the combination group. Doesn't mean I'm going to go out and eat a steak today! However, after I complete my fall cleanse through Londonderry Whole Health Nurse Practitioners, I will talk with my nurse practitioner about possible changes to my diet based on this new information.

It is my experience that making any major change to diet can be even more dangerous than whatever diet you're living, unless you move slowly and with some professional guidance. Our bodies are great at adapting, but less so when you just flip a switch.

What I know to be true, 100% to my core: no one diet is best for everyone. There isn't a "one size fits all" when it comes to nutrition. This being said, I recommend everyone take Dr. Mercola's Nutritional Typing test (it's FREE!), and then conduct some further research from there. I also believe our bodies do not require one diet for the entirety of our life. Our bodies change. So I will continue to take the Nutritional Typing test at least a couple times a year, and I recommend others do as well.

Augusta