A Dose of Health

In 2006 I had my first confrontation with hot flashes. At first I didn’t know what the heck was going on. It couldn’t have been hot flashes, I was way too young (or so I thought).

After coming to the shocking realization that I was actually having hot flashes, I started doing some research on how to fight the dreaded condition. My research brought me to the wonderful green drink Green Vibrance. For the past 10 years Green Vibrance and I have been enjoying an on again off again relationship. It’s on when I remember to drink it and off when I forget.

All it takes is a couple of hot flashes to remind me that I’ve not taken my Green Vibrance in the past week or so.

Hot Flash Round 2

Now, years later, I’ve gotten very lax in a number of areas in my life. Not only have I been forgetting to drink my Green Vibrance, I’ve taken to eating really, really bad foods. I noticed that more and more processed foods have crept into my diet; a little pasta here, a slice of cake there.

In addition to my dietary slip ups, I’ve been spending too much time in front of the computer and not getting any exercise. Although I still fit in my clothes, I usually have to slather a generous portion of lotions and oils in order to slide into them. Apparel with buttons and zippers are a thing of the past, everything has elastic waists and pull over tops (no sense in inadvertently injuring someone with a high velocity button flying off of my shirt).

To top it all off, I felt horrible. For the first time in my life I looked at my hubby and said, “I feel old.” My knees hurt, my back hurt, I felt out of shape and just plain bad (probably because I hadn’t been to the chiropractor in months).

Breeding Ground for Flashes

My decline into ill health is all those pesky little hot flashes needed to grab a hold of me again. One night when I least suspected it, I was rudely awakened. I thought the thermostat for the furnace was malfunctioning. I was awakened by intense heat only to realize that it was my internal furnace that was in overdrive. Of course, to compensate for the extreme heat, my body let the floodgates of sweat flow. I was hot and drenched! Not a pretty sight.

After enduring these beastly hot flashes every hour on the hour for a day or so I realized that I had to take control again. It’s now 10 years later, I’m in the worst shape of my life. To top it off, I’ve got to find the strength to put up a good fight if I want to beat these hot flashes.

Strategy for Fighting Hot Flashes

Immediately, I went to the health store and purchased my beloved Green Vibrance. I started taking it twice a day instead of the recommended one time a day.

Expecting to feel the results in the usual 4 to 5 days, imagine my surprise when all I did was reduce the frequency (and the intensity), but they didn’t stop.

Round 2:

Now I had to up the ante. I cut out the processed stuff. If the food was not grown from the ground or if it didn’t have a Mom and Dad, then I wasn’t eating it. I know for a fact that a Twinkie doesn’t have a Mom or a Dad and sure as shootin’ wasn’t grown from the ground.

I was back to eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish and chicken. It’s amazing how within the first week of modifying my diet, I lost a few pounds. Losing the initial weight is just what I needed to make my knees stop hurting. I think they were angry because they had additional weight to carry.

Round 3

With my knees no longer angry, I was able to begin an exercise program; nothing too strenuous (at first), just walking a few miles a day. The winter storms did much to create a homemade gym. Between cutting tree branches, raking and cleaning up the debris, I was getting a very productive workout.

Turning Down the Thermostat

By making the above changes, I’ve noticed a drastic decrease in my hot flashes. As a matter of fact, its only 3 weeks into my dietary/exercise changes and the flashes have not only reduced in frequency (maybe one a day), but the intensity has also decreased. No longer do I get those warning tingles before the furnace dials itself to the max.

At this point in the game, the hot flashes are infrequent and mild. I’m sticking with my program until they’re totally gone (and I know they will be gone). After all, I went several years without having to suffer with them, why start now.

Hot flashes, when you stop to think of it, are really my friend. They’re my not so subtle reminder that it’s time to get back into health.

I happen to be a fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Often times I make my own peanut butter by grinding peanuts, almonds or even cashews in my Magic Bullet. I add a drop or two of olive oil for consistency and there I have it…peanut butter.

Although I knew the peanut butter was healthy, the jury was still out on the jelly. Organic jelly is nice, but I still would prefer something a little more natural.

Dr. Oz to the Rescue

I was watching the Dr. Oz show the one day and he suggested using fruit on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead of jelly. What a light bulb moment. Plain old fruit and peanut butter, what a nice combination.

After all, I love peanut butter and bananas, and my daughter likes putting peanut butter on her apples. Why go out and buy jelly when you can just slice fruit on a peanut butter sandwich?

Try it Out

So, to try it out, I packed my finicky daughter a peanut butter and sliced apple sandwich on whole grain bread for lunch. The healthy peanut butter and apple sandwich was followed by a healthy snack of peeled Clementines. I waited until she came home from school to hear the verdict. I wasn’t sure if she dumped the lunch and opted for school issued “hot fries.”

When she came home I asked her about her lunch. She said that she liked it and she ate everything I packed for her. Whoo hoo. I was so pleased to finally be able to prepare a healthy lunch that she would actually eat.

Isn’t it amazing how small things like peanut butter and fruit sandwiches can make a mom so happy?

As a result of one of my reader’s comments, I did a little research on Vitamin K. He suggested checking out vitamin K because I had shared my experience about my brain calcification scare. Thanks Stew for the heads up.

Apparently vitamin K helps the blood to clot normally, and helps to prevent heart disease. It also appears to help prevent calcification of the arteries. Does it help with brain calcification? I don’t know. I would think that since it prevents calcification in the arteries, it would help with the brain also.

According to the Health Encyclopedia, on the subject of Vitamin K “it has been hypothesized…it’s possible mechanisms include inhibiting brain calcification…”

Vitamin K also helps to prevent osteoporosis. Apparently it seems to be a facilitator in keeping the calcium in places where it’s supposed to be (the bones) and not deposited in places where it shouldn’t be (the arteries).

As if that wasn’t enough, Vitamin K also helps fight tooth decay. According to a study performed in the 1940’s by Dr. Leonard S. Fosdick , chewing Vitamin K coated gum for 10 minutes after every meal yielded a 60 to 90% decrease in new cavities over a period of 18 months. Vitamin K appeared to be more effective than fluorinated drinking water. Imagine that?

Where to get Vitamin K

Green leafy vegetables have an abundance of Vitamin K. Things like kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, broccoli and so on and so on. Go into your garden or your neighbor’s garden (with permission, of course) and start chomping away.

From what I’ve read, there are no ill effects of eating too much of the stuff. There might be ill effects if you choose to get your vitamin K through synthetic supplements. So, do yourself a favor and get it naturally.

Daily Recommended Dose of Vitamin K

I’ve read anywhere from 1-10 mg per day. To save yourself the headache of having to calculate how much to eat, just get your daily serving of greens each day. You’ll have your required amount of Vitamin K. According to The World’s Healthiest Foods, 1 cup of boiled kale gives you 1327.6% of the daily value.

Does Vitamin K Prevent Brain Calcification?

I can’t say that it does for sure, but it sure can’t hurt to get your daily required dose of vitamin K.