Sometimes you can be doing everything right-ie eating well, exercising and getting fresh air and sunlight, getting enough rest, living/working in an pleasing, uncluttered space, enjoying happy relationships, purposeful work etc- and yet you still are lacking energy or feeling blah or “off”.
What does this mean? Well it could mean lots of things- but a great place to start is to get a comprehensive blood test, and a vitamin D test. I did this recently, because while I feel great most of the time I was losing steam earlier in the day, and also having trouble sleeping. Nothing seemed overtly wrong to me so I decided to look at my blood chemistry for clues. Well everything checked out pretty good there but low and behold my Vitamin D level was almost non- existent! I was shocked because I’m a super- outdoorsy girl, waking our dogs every day, and spending lots of time on our roof year round here in NYC. I knew my D levels would drop a bit during winter without supplementation (or a trip to Florida or the like) but never suspected they’d be that low. Besides due to the sun being at a less than optimal position during the winter months, Vita D deficiency is epidemic in our country due to environmental issues, overuse of sunscreen, and also a defect many people have- an inability to adequately absorb D3 or D2.
So please get your D levels checked. This one vitamin (actually it’s a hormone) greatly affects your immune response, as well as as almost 1000 genes in your body . Yes really! As soon as I started supplementing I felt much better. But please note: you MUST get your blood tested every 3-6 months if you are supplementing with D. It is a fat-soluable compound and you can overdo it. Good to have your doctor monitoring it with you too.
Also here’s a TIP if you’d rather soak up the sun’s rays (the best way to get D) instead of supplementing: You can do well from April through Oct by exposing legs and arms for 30 mins or more to the sun. Then after exposure DON’T soap the areas that have been exposed to sun when in the shower- (rinsing with water is ok). Can soap the underarms and groin area but forego the rest for 48 hrs. By doing this you help the vita D to be absorbed, and not be washed off with the soap. Ps- optimal levels of D in a healthy adult are around 75-80. For health compromised individuals you might shoot for 100, (and again- test regularly and get monitored by your doctor.
Besides Vita D and blood tests there are a couple other basic tests I recommend to my clients. However first we look at their diet and life-style to get a full picture of what’s working and what might need a a boost. We’ll make adjustments here (diet and lifestyle) and this might be all they need. If there’s still an energy deficit or other symptoms, testing is a wonderful tool. You can also use simple home tests like timing yourself holding your breath to see roughly how acid or alkaline your body is (if you can hold 45 seconds or longer your body may be more alkaline which is good) or pinch the skin back of your hand- if it bounces right back you are probably well hydrated- if it stays up for a second or more- most likely you’re dehydrated). These are simple starter tests to give an idea if your health is on the right track…Ok more to come re this, but for starters get out and get your VITA D levels checked- your body will thank you!
Love reading your articles…
I thought I read that Almonds are high in toxins but can’t seem to find
the article now…
Any thoughts on this?
Should I buy organic peanuts and almonds? any advice?
Thank you, Penny
Hi Penny!
Thanks for your question and it’s a good one.
Raw unpasteurized almonds and almond butter are very nutritious- high in Vitamin E and a good protein source. Just be sure to get them organic- a bit pricier- but worth it. No toxins in almonds unless of course they are sprayed with pesticides which is why I recommend organic. Also best to soak the almonds in filtered or spring water overnight if possible – or at least 6 or 7 hours. Makes them more absorbable, as the soaking releases the enzyme inhibitor that is in most nuts. It’s easier to digest soaked nuts. This also transforms the almonds to high protein food rather than a primarily high fat content food. (This is called “germinating”) If you prefer to eat them unsoaked it’s fine and won’t hurt you, but I suggest you experiment with soaking, you’ll get more nutrition by doing so.
To soak: Simply cover the amount of almonds you want to use with pure water overnight. Next day drain the soak water, rinse the nuts with fresh water, drain again, and enjoy.
They are not as crunchy as unsoaked nuts, so some choose to use a “dehydrating oven” to dry them out a bit (dehydrators use very low heat- under 118 or lower degrees which retains all the nutrients that high heat cooking destroys). I do both depending on time, and sometimes grab them straight from the bag when I just have to have that crunch right now!
I also take soaked nuts (any kind of raw nut will do- walnut, almond, brazil, pecan, cashew- they’re all good!) and throw them in the blender with some fresh pure water, a couple of pitted medjool dates, and some cinnamon to make an awesome raw nut milk. Yummy!
Re peanuts:
I love the taste peanuts and peanut butter! Unfortunately I can’t recommend them because a fungus called aflatoxin naturally occurs in the peanut crop. Although the crops are inspected for it, a certain percentage is ‘allowed’ and since it is a proven carcinogen, peanuts are best left alone. Another reason peanut butter isn’t recommended is that it is not possible to make a butter out of raw peanuts. Peanut butter is produced from roasted peanuts. I do very occasionally enjoy organic peanut butter or peanuts- just not on a regular basis.
While we’re talking nuts
here’s some “nut butter” info you might find useful:
I find other raw nut butters very tasty but your first taste of raw almond butter may disappoint as its flavor is more subtle than peanut butter. However, you will find that your palate quickly gets used to it.
I also love raw cashew butter- it is a supremely delicious food my whole family enjoys- but it’s a bit pricey so we use it as a special treat.
You’ll want to use all nuts and nut butters in moderation in any event. While they are highly nutritious they are still a high fat food.
Check out flax seeds (grind then fresh before using), hemp seeds (delicious and nutritious right from the bag) and chia seeds (soak for at least 20 minutes and unlike nuts be sure to use the soak water or “gel” too – very nutritious) for some great health benefits too! You can see an earlier post that details more about these here.
http://berrnadettepenotti.com/tasty-simple-meal-ideas-for-agelessness
Well Penny I may have given you more nuts than you can chew here- hee!- but hope this helps and thanks again for your question!
Warmly,
Berrnadette