The summer has been wonderful so far and I really can’t get over all the amazing weather we have been experiencing. It is so great to see people – young and old outside playing, walking, biking, enjoying nature and whatever it is that puts a smile on their face. I have to say that our veggie garden could not be happier and you know me…happy food, happy Shannon.
It has been two months since I have taken the time to sit down and write to you and trust me I never have a shortage of what to write. I think you all know that by the length of my posts. This blog came quite easy for me since the purpose was to honour and express gratitude for my friend Carol who recently passed away in July. Carol was instrumental in supporting me when I was first diagnosed with cancer and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know her.
Her passing really got me thinking about life and how we can take things for granted. I fought my cancer and it is over and that is that, but Carol did the same and it came back. She has really got me thinking about my health and if I am really doing all that I can do to make sure my cancer never comes back and if I am really practicing what I preach.
One of the things that I really enjoy doing is having a glass of wine or two with dinner. Sometimes when it is a social night and we have guests or we are out for dinner, those one or two glasses can become three and sometimes four. We really do eat very clean in our house but whether it is solid food or liquid, it is still going into your body. I think I have been trying to convince myself that they are different.
I have just finished this amazing book called “Allergies – Disease in Disguise” by Carolee Bateson – Koch. It is possibly one of the best, most informative books I have read to this day. I can’t even begin to tell you how many amazing things I have take away from it. The one thing that really hit home for me was the acid-base balance or pH of the body. In the book Dr Koch says that not only is the proper pH of the body essential to healing, it is essential to prevent further allergic reactions. PH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance on a scale which runs from 0 – 14 with 7 being neutral. The blood in the human body is at a pH of 7.4, which is slightly alkaline. If the pH of the blood were to make as small a change as 6.8, which is barley acid, severe consequences, such as coma, would result. The heart would relax and then stop beating. If the pH of the blood were to increase to just 8.0, titanic convulsions would occur and the heart would cease to beat. The body will do whatever is necessary to maintain a constant pH of 7.4 because survival depends on it.
So where am I going with this and how does it relate to having a few drinks? Well folks, only one sip of alcohol will cause your blood pH to drop to 4.0. Yep, not good eh. And it gets worse. Imagine that I am eating my very healthy meal and I am drinking wine. Now instead of my body absorbing the nutrients from the beautiful food that I just ate…it is working hard to maintain the pH of my blood. Kind of defeats the purpose of cooking a beautiful organic meal. The body uses alkalizing minerals (potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium) to buffer the acid. Once used, these minerals can only be replaced by alkaline foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. Excess acidity depletes the body’s stores of minerals and minerals are instrumental in enzyme production. In the human body, absolutely every activity requires enzymes: eating, breathing, sleeping, working and even thinking. In addition, excess acidity causes the activity of the cells to slow down and then fatigue results.
In the last 50 years, fruit and vegetable consumption has decreased by 45%. At the same time fat, salt and sugar consumption has increased 100%. These changes are due to the increased production and availability of refined, processed and fast foods (our society of convenience). Dr. M. Ted Morter Jr. explains, “Disease is a by – product of lowered resistance. Lowered resistance is a by-product of an unfavorable internal environment. An unfavorable internal environment is brought about principally by putting the wrong things into the body for it to work with.”
So am I really practicing what I preach? Zig Ziglar said “What determines how good someone is at what they do, is by what they do when they are not doing, what it is they do.” I chatted with my life coach (Lee Chamberland) last week and I have decided to limit my alcohol consumption to social events and still treat myself to non alcoholic beverages in fancy wine glasses. I have chosen kombucha (fermented tea), sparkling cider (you can even get organic), cucumber water and of course my favorite bangle spiced tea with honey. I start back to school in September (two full years) and somehow I know spending time with my fellow students will help me to find new, exciting and healthy beverages to try and enjoy.
It just makes sense to me. Eating healthy isn’t just about what you eat…it is also what you drink and anything that you put into your body. Thank you for continuing to inspire me Carol and know that I will not forget what you have done for me.
Xo
Shannon
Books:
Allergies – Disease in Disguise by Carolee Bateson – Koch
PS
Remember my story of “Hope” back in December 2012?
Below is an email from Cameron and his wife Heather that contacted me back in December of last year:
I just wanted to reconnect and let you know about a project that my wife and I are involved in that I thought might interest you. Heather and I participated in a short video about her cancer experience, and I thought it would make a great follow up to the article of mine that you posted a while back. We’re hoping to use this video to continue to spread hope and awareness to those who need it. If you wouldn’t mind sharing it with your readers, Heather and I would be so grateful. Here is the link to the video:www.mesothelioma.com/heather
Thanks again for your help! I hope all is well.
Cameron Von St. James Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/cameron/