Success from the Heart – The Heart of the Mendocino Coast, Part 1

I’ve visited the Mendocino coast nearly every year; as far back as I can remember.  My dad was passionate about the Northern California

Village of Mendocino, CA

coast and the rugged shores of Mendocino.  We headed there on summer road trips, to brave the bracing winds and stinging-cold water and watch my mom comb the beaches for shells and pretty pieces of glass.   In my early adolescence I became fascinated with the bohemian lifestyle of the village of Mendocino: a grocery store in an old church, charming bookstores in funky water towers, and colorful people and their artwork all over town.

This year I traveled to the Mendocino coast again as I planned and assisted the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce with a press trip for travel writers.  I was meeting and working and getting to know a few people who live and work in Mendocino and Fort Bragg.   As I listened to them I somehow began to sense what it feels like to live there.  I could feel how different and unique it is to dwell on this coastal edge; edging up against the rocky beaches, cold and windy days, forest roads and rural living.

It’s not completely easy to live on the Mendocino coast.  The town of Fort Bragg, the village of Mendocino and a few small hamlets along Hwy 1 are on their own for providing all of the modern conveniences that we, in the 21^st century, take for granted.  Cell phone service is limited, having just landed in Mendocino about two years ago; still, most likely, you have to duck around a corner, or go outside on your porch to pick up a signal.   There are not a lot of choices for employment; working and making a living takes creativity and diligence.

Connecting with Butterflies – Carole Peccorini’s Success from the Heart

I interviewed Carole Peccorini in April of 2008.  Since then The Butterfly Project has raised over half of her goal of $60,000 to fund the college education of Uganda girls.  The Butterfly Project works in collaboration with Village Volunteers, a non-profit organization that works in partnership with rural village and capacity-building programs to support the development of sustainable solutions for

Carole Peccorini and Evaline, Uganda

community survival, education, and growth.  www.VillageVolunteers.org

Carole Peccorini was my first inspiration to create interviews with people that are working and living from their hearts.  Whether making tons of money or not, it is truly Success from the Heart.  www.TheButterflyProject.com

1.         For your first trip to Uganda, how did you “get the nerve” to go to Africa?

Since childhood I have had a longing and connection with Africa.  My heroes are Albert Schweitzer, Jane Goodall with the chimps, Diane Fossey with the gorillas and the Leakeys searching for the oldest human remains in the Oldavi Gorge. I just love all of the wildlife and the new knowledge based on their long-term research and discoveries.  Over a ten to fifteen year period  I probably read every book they published about Africa.  So it was already in me; a sense and longing that got ignited.  It seemed to be my destiny.

The trip to Uganda in 2005 was with MannaRelief, a non profit program of a biotech nutraceutical company called Mannatech.   I have an independent business with Mannatech.  MannaRelief is devoted to children, providing vital nutrients to the orphans in the developing world.  Their first team went to Uganda in 2005.  I’ve been a pediatric nurse, with a passion and commitment for children.  I got the email about the pending trip to Uganda just 5 or 6 weeks before they were scheduled to depart.  I talked it over with my friend Leta, who also had a lifelong dream to go to Africa and we just said, “Should we say yes?” and we took the leap!  I didn’t have a clue how to come up with the money, had to clear my calendar and didn’t know how it would all work.  But I knew in my heart it would work.  I had made a commitment to myself that in my 60’s I would have life-opening experiences.  The decision came from my heart.  The majority of time you just do what is reasonable and keep things working.  But sometimes an inner self just knows when to make a leap. I trusted that inner self to say “Yes” to something that was transformational and life-changing.

2.         It was during that trip that The Butterfly Project evolved.  Do you remember a  specific incident that sparked the idea for  The Butterfly Project?

Probably a handful of things.  While there, we met with, Dr. Nsaba Butero, the Minister for Information & Broadcasting, in the Office of the President.  He had a PhD in Social Sciences.  I just loved this man! What he said touched me deeply: “We don’t need charity. We’re not looking for handouts. What we need are partners to solve problems.” This conversation happened early in the trip.  Uganda has amazing bio-rich resources and wonderful people. They need partnerships to develop what they have.  They not only want to solve problems for their people, but to participate in the global economy.

In addition to that experience, we were with the kids, the orphans, teaching them about the nutrients.  I had brought 1200 Blue Morpho butterflies, small replicas, to delight the children.  The butterflies were easy to include in my luggage.  The kids just lit up when they got a butterfly!  It was very joyful.  And then, when I would begin to leave, the kids would always hug us and say, “I love you”. They would also say, “When you go home, please tell everyone I love them.”  They made an extraordinary connection to people everywhere.

And, of course, I met Eveline, a young orphan girl who was very bright and engaging.  I asked about continuing school for her and could she go to the university. I found out from Bob, the orphanage director, that it cost $6000, total, to attend the university.  I said to him, “That’s doable!”  From that point I knew the funds would be there for her to go to college if she chose. And while in Uganda, it was my 62^nd birthday. I met Bette, also an orphan since six.  She had been trained to be a masseuse and as a gift I was given a massage from Bette.  From learning her story and knowing about all the other girls, by then I just knew that I’d send 10 Ugandan girls to college. It was done and complete in my heart.   It was another big “Yes!”

3.         What’s the most daunting hurdle you’ve had to conquer to get The Butterfly Project going or keep it going?

At some point, transformational vision has to move back into the realm of reasonable.  It was about four of five weeks after I returned before I had the name, The Butterfly Project. In that transformational arena, connections and solutions come magically, but I had to go back and forth between practical actions and transformational connections.  The story made the connections.  The biggest hurdle was turning my vision into a non-profit organization, in addition to running my regular business!  It is an arduous process.  Three main things are needed to establish a non-profit that involves another country: it has to be a legal non profit; there have to be people on the ground in Uganda to make it happen; and there has to be a fundraising division.  I partnered with Global Partners for Development to establish the non profit status and I’ve been learning what it takes to bring The Butterfly Project into a mature, sustainable program that works.

4.         What keeps your commitment going?

The fact that the decision came from my heart, from that sense of spirit within me.  It actually feels sacred, like a covenant.  With that it takes the will to get it going and the passion for it and then the results. There are policies to develop, strategic plans to be made and funds to be raised.  Whenever I do a presentation, the magic of the story re-ignites my commitment.  More stories will develop as the girls attend the universities and have opportunities in their lives that will benefit their villages and the world.  This keeps the juice and joy

Carole and kids, Uganda

going; people’s lives being changed and saying “yes”.

5.         Do you have a specific joyous result or incident that has come from The Butterfly Project?

My vision and prayer for what would happen in my 60’s is happening. My life opened and I have new amazing people in my life.  On a personal level, this is a very powerful result.  And my heart leaps for joy for Evaline!  For her progress in school and knowing she will be able to go to university if she chooses. I’ve seen friends’ lives open from the story and this has allowed them to say yes to transformational possibilities in their own lives.  These opening often arrive unplanned and they usually are not reasonable. But then to see it in action is joyful, to see the results ripple out to many.

1. For your first trip to Uganda, how did you “get the nerve” to go to Africa?

Since childhood I have had a longing and connection with Africa. My heroes are Albert Schweitzer, Jane Goodall with the chimps, Diane Fossey with the gorillas and the Leakeys searching for the oldest human remains in the Oldavi Gorge. I just love all of the wildlife and the new knowledge based on their long-term research and discoveries. Over a ten to fifteen year period I probably read every book they published about Africa. So it was already in me; a sense and longing that got ignited. It seemed to be my destiny.

The trip to Uganda in 2005 was with MannaRelief, a non profit program of a biotech nutraceutical company called Mannatech. I have an independent business with Mannatech. MannaRelief is devoted to children, providing vital nutrients to the orphans in the developing world. Their first team went to Uganda in 2005. I’ve been a pediatric nurse, with a passion and commitment for children. I got the email about the pending trip to Uganda just 5 or 6 weeks before they were scheduled to depart. I talked it over with my friend Leta, who also had a lifelong dream to go to Africa and we just said, “Should we say yes?” and we took the leap! I didn’t have a clue how to come up with the money, had to clear my calendar and didn’t know how it would all work. But I knew in my heart it would work. I had made a commitment to myself that in my 60’s I would have life-opening experiences. The decision came from my heart. The majority of time you just do what is reasonable and keep things working. But sometimes an inner self just knows when to make a leap. I trusted that inner self to say “Yes” to something that was transformational and life-changing.

2. It was during that trip that The Butterfly Project evolved. Do you remember a specific incident that sparked the idea for The Butterfly Project?

Probably a handful of things. While there, we met with, Dr. Nsaba Butero, the Minister for Information & Broadcasting, in the Office of the President. He had a PhD in Social Sciences. I just loved this man! What he said touched me deeply: “We don’t need charity. We’re not looking for handouts. What we need are partners to solve problems.” This conversation happened early in the trip. Uganda has amazing bio-rich resources and wonderful people. They need partnerships to develop what they have. They not only want to solve problems for their people, but to participate in the global economy.

In addition to that experience, we were with the kids, the orphans, teaching them about the nutrients. I had brought 1200 Blue Morpho butterflies, small replicas, to delight the children. The butterflies were easy to include in my luggage. The kids just lit up when they got a butterfly! It was very joyful. And then, when I would begin to leave, the kids would always hug us and say, “I love you”. They would also say, “When you go home, please tell everyone I love them.” They made an extraordinary connection to people everywhere.

And, of course, I met Eveline, a young orphan girl who was very bright and engaging. I asked about continuing school for her and could she go to the university. I found out from Bob, the orphanage director, that it cost $6000, total, to attend the university. I said to him, “That’s doable!” From that point I knew the funds would be there for her to go to college if she chose. And while in Uganda, it was my 62^nd birthday. I met Bette, also an orphan since six. She had been trained to be a masseuse and as a gift I was given a massage from Bette. From learning her story and knowing about all the other girls, by then I just knew that I’d send 10 Ugandan girls to college. It was done and complete in my heart. It was another big “Yes!”

3. What’s the most daunting hurdle you’ve had to conquer to get The Butterfly Project going or keep it going?

At some point, transformational vision has to move back into the realm of reasonable. It was about four of five weeks after I returned before I had the name, The Butterfly Project. In that transformational arena, connections and solutions come magically, but I had to go back and forth between practical actions and transformational connections. The story made the connections. The biggest hurdle was turning my vision into a non-profit organization, in addition to running my regular business! It is an arduous process. Three main things are needed to establish a non-profit that involves another country: it has to be a legal non profit; there have to be people on the ground in Uganda to make it happen; and there has to be a fundraising division. I partnered with Global Partners for Development to establish the non profit status and I’ve been learning what it takes to bring The Butterfly Project into a mature, sustainable program that works.

4. What keeps your commitment going?

The fact that the decision came from my heart, from that sense of spirit within me. It actually feels sacred, like a covenant. With that it takes the will to get it going and the passion for it and then the results. There are policies to develop, strategic plans to be made and funds to be raised. Whenever I do a presentation, the magic of the story re-ignites my commitment. More stories will develop as the girls attend the universities and have opportunities in their lives that will benefit their villages and the world. This keeps the juice and joy going; people’s lives being changed and saying “yes”.

5. Do you have a specific joyous result or incident that has come from The Butterfly Project?

My vision and prayer for what would happen in my 60’s is happening. My life opened and I have new amazing people in my life. On a personal level, this is a very powerful result. And my heart leaps for joy for Evaline! For her progress in school and knowing she will be able to go to university if she chooses. I’ve seen friends’ lives open from the story and this has allowed them to say yes to transformational possibilities in their own lives. These opening often arrive unplanned and they usually are not reasonable. But then to see it in action is joyful, to see the results ripple out to many.

Before we panic….

My good friend, Carole Peccorini, RN, MA, sent me this timely information:

With all the news about the Swine Flu swirling around in the media, don’t board the Panic Train. Focus on building a strong immune system.  It is wise to provide all the support we can to our immune systems on a regular basis, but especially at times like these when we could face additional challenges.  I am increasing the amount of products that I use to build my immune support and encouraging my family and friends to do the same.

Some facts to keep in mind for sanity’s sake – from report by Dr. Mercola (http://www.mercola.com/forms/background.htm)

The Swine Flu came around before in 1976.  More people died or were paralyzed from the vaccine than the flu itself.

To put things into perspective, malaria kills 3,000 people EVERY DAY, and it’s only considered “a health problem”.

I may see a Tarantula and I have to get shots.

In the past I’ve talked about being in my prime; that at 55, I am in my own personal Prime Time. Prime Time is for all of us between the age of 50 and 70 (and beyond! who knows?). We’ve got so many strange and wonderful experiences behind us and we have EARNED our wisdom. (see my post from January) So, with all those happy and motivational thoughts, the next thing I came upon is CHANGE. Ohhh; with all this knowledge and ability to choose wisely, now I realize that many decisions will require a change in myself. You see, I am accutely aware of what and how I did things before…how I handled relationships, obligations, commitments, goals, obstacles and on and on. About 35 years, a entire lifetime, of gettin’ it all together. Now, in my prime I know that to move forward I may…most likely…certainly will, have to change: me. I have been embarking on new work/career/income/creative projects for about two years now; navigating the prime of my life. Today I can tell you that when you make changes, big changes, changes to your environment, body, home, relationships, hair, shoes (whatever!) you will be immediately presented with the big, fat fears that have kept you from even considering these wonderful adventures in the first place! In 2006 I had the amazing opportunity to travel to East Africa. It would be in the category of “humanitarian” trip, visiting projects for clean water, schools, and micro-business being developed in Kenya and Tanzania. And it would include 3-4 days of awesome safari. I jumped at the chance! I was elevated, like feet barely touching the ground at the prospect of me going to Africa! Yes! Yes! Yes!…what? inoculations? how many? five?! shots? needles? oh. And my phantom phobia of big, hairy spiders!! jungle! banana trees! wide-open landscapes! they are everywhere! I just know it!

Resveratrol – Why Wait?

(Contributed by Carole Peccorini, RN, MA) Last Sunday, Jan. 26, on CBS, 60 Minutes, they featured a research team and story about Resveratrol. They called it the Fountain of Youth pill and talked about how it turns on the survival gene that extends life by decades and prevents lots of those dreaded age-related illnesses that ruin your life and finances. The researchers saw the possibility of 90 year-olds looking, feeling, and being able to do things like 60 year-olds.

And what is Resveratrol? It is a natural substance in the skin of grapes that protects them from the invasion of bacteria and it turns out it is good for us too. The universe, it seems, has many of these mutual benefit arrangements between plants and us. How considerate!The researchers then announced that it would take about 5 years to turn this into a drug at the cost of about three-quarters of a billion dollars. That’s B for Billion. Think big cost for those pills. The 60 Minutes reporter failed to ask the next most obvious question: If it is already in nature and we know how powerful it is in promoting health, why do we need to make it a drug?

On top of that, to make it a drug you have to turn it into a chemical toxic substance. It won’t be able to go from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of the new drug approval protocol without first demonstrating how much will kill half of their laboratory animals. It is call LD 50 or Lethal Dose 50.

Should we just drink more red wine instead? I don’t know how well Resveratrol survives the processing and aging of red wine. Does it remain biologically active and do we know how much you get in a glass of red wine? Does it vary with the winery? I love my glass of red wine with dinner. Yet, how much would I have to drink to get enough Resveratrol to make a difference?

For me, I’ve been getting Resveratrol for about a year now in my supplement, in capsule form. With this new data I will continue for sure. With this kind of good news, why wait? Good science is so important. If you are with me, don’t get just any Resveratrol. Make sure the science is there and it is natural and still alive.

Are You Ready for Prime Time?

I’m 55 years old and I’ve been noticing that most of my peers, friends and associates are now between the ages of 50 and 70 years old. I’m declaring that we are in our prime! What if 50 to 70 years old is the “Prime Time” of our life?

Just knowing more about ourselves: been all over there and done all that! Maybe retirement and the freedom to realize dreams of travel. Or choosing to work on projects and occupations that we actually want to do. Folks with grand kids to enjoy…gleefully handing them back to the parents to do the real job of child rearing.

Because I feel that this is my Prime Time, I am more aware of the importance of my health, especially prevention and sustainability. I realize that I don’t actually have a “choice”, whether to take care of myself or not. You see, at this age my body is only going to keep going with how I’ve managed it so far. I know that from now on, things will get “worse”…in terms of slower, saggy-er, etc. But that doesn’t stop me from getting more information about how to sustain what I’ve got and committing to what will sustain my energy, flexibility and healthy cell structure. I’ve been learning about “cell structure”, and really getting the picture of how my body is connected by all these buoyant little cells, communicating and interacting, making up this big mass of fun called Me.

Maybe the Saturday Night Live crew was “not quite ready for Prime Time” on television; but I’m so grateful to be a Prime Time Player in 2009!

All in a day’s journey…

A “walkathon”. Remember that word? I guess a marathon is 26 miles, and then folks would do fund raisers by walking the 26 miles, so that everyone could participate. Well, this noble idea grew and the Susan G. Komen, 3Day Walk for Breast Cancer became a walkathon XXL. Sixty miles, over three days. I just completed this 3Day Walk last weekend. We started out on Friday, September 5th. No, make that Thursday night, September 4th. Because we decided to stay overnight in South San Francisco to get to the Cow Palace at 6:00am. So really, the event starts the night before, when you’re apprehensive, excited, buzzed and tired all at the same time. It takes a lot of logistics to get families and jobs wrapped up and put aside so that you can get off on your adventure. I slept just fine that Thursday night and got up with my roommate at 4:30am. Can’t eat breakfast that early, so granola bars were toted along. A long weekend of many granola bars lay ahead.

Our 3Day route was fantastic! I love San Francisco and lived there for many years, but never have I walked all over the city. All over the entire city and more. On Day 1 we started at the Cow Palace, walked through South San Francisco over to Westlake, down to the beach and along the Great Highway, up into Golden Gate Park, taking Arguello to Jackson Street and up into Laurel Heights, up, up into Pacific Heights and down, down to Lombard Street, crossing to the Marina District and out to the Marina Green stretching way out along the new (to me) trail into Crissy Field…our campsite for two nights. 20.4 miles and it was 88 degrees in San Francisco on Friday.

I trailed behind as our team made it in to camp. Now we had to find our gear bags (35lbs.), drag them to our tent site, pull out a pink pup tent and spread it out, hook up the poles. My tentmate and I just kept moving, plodding, feet burning, legs aching, but nothing mattered more than getting that tent up. And then the air mattress. “Whrrrr” as the battery pump puffed up our mattress; our eyes and fingers working in tandem, focusing on that pump like it was our last hope for survival. Oh what a beautiful sight! The mattress! Toss in the sleeping bags and phoof! Laying down!

A lot of the weekend is a blur to me. The grass at Crissy Field is long and lush and lumpy…a gopher cityscape! We plodded over the grass. Fifty some-odd yards to porta-potties and funny, little stainless steel shower trailers, and cafeteria style food lines for dinner and breakfast. I remember the amazing foot massage machines in one tent along the amenities “boulevard”; a life saver! Medical tents and kind and generous volunteers everywhere. It was roughing it with lots of hugs. On one morning, at about 4:30am I plodded through the cold, wet grass to the potty. As I made my way back to the tent I looked around me and saw others moving slowly through the fog and fuzzy semi-darkness. Hunched with arms hanging, methodically stepping, plodding over dirt clods with bruised and wounded feet. All I could see was a scene from “Night of the Living Dead”! I’m sorry! But that’s what we looked like…zombies!

Day 2: As we walked over the majestic Golden Gate Bridge at about 8:00am and marveled at how sunny and balmy the weather was, I knew we were in trouble. The GGB should have been shrouded in fog, with an icy wind. This meant heat and the temperature in San Francisco on Day 2 sizzled it’s way to 93 degrees. In Mill Valley, our halfway point, it reached 101. I didn’t make it all the way that day. I only got as far a the end of Sausalito; my feet burning and a particularly angry blister on my right foot. I got it cleaned and bandaged at the lunch stop. My tentmate got as far as our Mill Valley lunch stop, over 12 miles. But her feet were burning and blistered too. We made the woeful decision to be bussed back to the camp, to rest and hopefully heal enough to get all the way through Day 3. We had to! We had to do all of Day 3 and we would bandage our feet, stoke up on Advil and walk until we were bloody!

Now, my teammates will tell you that I am a complainer. Yes, I know it was said. But I don’t see it as all that negative. My complaining is simply thinking out loud, letting off steam, and telling it like it is! Ooh, ow, why so many hills?, this is just mean, my feet are on fire! And “Uff da” became my mantra. (Uff da is an exclamation of Norwegian origin that is relatively common in the Upper Midwestern states of the United States, meaning roughly “drats,” “oops!” or “ouch!” especially if the “ouch!” is an empathetic one. http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Uff-da) Up and down every curb…”Uff da!”

This beautiful walk, exciting stories and new women (and men) to meet and talk with. Wild and crazy “cheering sections” that greeted us over and over along the route with costumes, music, candy and wet wipes. “Pit stops” with water, food and porta-potties. Water, food and porta-potties. Water, food and porta-potties. That was our life for three days.

Day 3: Fog. Glorious fog! Cool, damp, fluffy, beautiful fog! No sun! We started out for our last 14 miles in loving fog and gray skies. We were all sore and beat; but the cool morning and anticipation of our achievement gave us strength. We walked together all the way. We made our first 6 miles and 2nd pit stop in about 1.5 hours. We were stoked! Piece o’cake! A little sun came through and we enjoyed our walk through magnificent San Francisco. The intricate architecture of Pacific Heights. The crowded downtown streets and glamorous stores of Union Square. Sax Fifth Avenue had all of its windows done in designer stilettos! Eek! It looked like a torture chamber to me! I hope I recover from the shock; I do love those shoes.

Advil is a wonderful drug. I took my doses every couple of hours and my nasty blister rested in peace. As we marched through the Financial District and up into North Beach we were closing in on our final destination. At 12 miles we all hurt. A lot. But we did it. We marched/hobbled together into Fort Mason, our holding area before the closing ceremonies at the Marina Green. We whipped on our victory t-shirts and sat on the asphalt to cheer the stream of walkers as they arrived. We cried at the site of their limping and pain, disabilities, sweat, red faces, huge smiles, whacky costumes, team spirit, war-whoops and laughter. We hugged. Each other, group hugs. And finally, we located our husbands and families and at the end of the ceremonies we scattered; anxious to start our final journey to home, bathtubs and beds.

My cast of characters? My team? The Tickled Pinks! Lani, Lorri and Tami – mother, daughter and granddaughter. Three generations of a family that knows the terror of breast cancer. Lani is our 10 year survivor and a beautiful 60-something! She has never camped in a tent, or walked miles and miles, just cuz. I think Lani logged about 12 to 15 miles each day; taking care of herself and using the “sweep vans” as needed.

Lorri and Tami, mother and daughter, a vision of determination and fortitude. They walked the entire 3 days. I am truly inspired by them.

Rachel, our road-side warrior. We met her during our training walks and she was alone, ready to do this crazy thing all on her own. We scooped her up into our team and she walked the entir
e 3 days. Her husband, two kids and mother showed up all along the route to support her, and us. A beautiful family, a continuous beam of love throughout our journey. And Sally and Christine. Often they walked slower than us. Not always with us, but…always with us. Smiling faces, hugs and support. We all gave and gave and gave.

My tentmate? Linda! Apparently we were separated at birth. Such an odd story. She is Lorri’s aunt and Linda and I have been connected all our lives through our extended families; beginning in Vallejo, CA. I babysat her niece and she babysat mine. We both graduated from high school in 1971; but across town from each other at “rival” high schools. All my life I’ve heard, “you know Linda, right?” No, I had never even set eyes on her. And she has the same story. For some reason our paths would not cross until we were 55 years old. For me it was like a scene from “The Parent Trap”, seeing my twin for the first time at camp! We had an instantly great time. We laughed and laughed and made wonderful jokes about how miserable we were. I whole-heartedly thank God for Linda!

I’ve got two things, two gifts of life, that came from my 3Day experience:
1. The magic of an all out physical challenge and exertion for a cause exclusive of oneself is a stress and anxiety purge. Whatever projects and problems were festering and nagging at me just the week before are now simply my stuff to do. I am calm, restored and harmonized. It has to be a challenge that is for and about someone or something other than yourself. The fortitude it takes to keep going and push through real and imagined pain to finish just because you said so. A commitment, a promise and an achievement that will make a difference to someone, some world.

2. I am now awake and present to the importance of fighting cancer. Over the 3 days I was immersed in the loss and longing for family members and friends that lost their battle with breast cancer. Any cancer; it’s all an unnecessary evil. Cancer is mutated cells. In a sense there will not be any cure for cancer, it’s not a bacteria or virus we can inoculate. But there is research and science that is developing cellular health through glyconutrients and more. I’m a novice at this, but I want to know more and I want to support it. http://www.glyconutrientsreference.com/whatareglyconutrients/scientificvalidation.html

Will I do this 3Day walk again? I don’t think so. Uff da. BUT, I will be a cheering station! I will jump up and down and dance along the route and bring joy, laughter, love and Kleenex to the walkers. What a great bunch they were, the Cheering Stations!

It’s Wednesday and I’m still in flip flops. You couldn’t pay me to put on a pair of shoes yet. The blister was really ugly, but healing. I had a massage on Monday, more healing. I’m walking normal again, not hobbling. I so had my doubts a few weeks ago. I thought I had made a mistake with all this stress of fund raising and training walks. But last February a message came through my mind that said I needed a physical and spiritual challenge. I chose the 3Day and I got everything I asked for! (wink)

www.the3day.org, www.komen.org, www.nptrust.org

Management of Cancer with Chinese Medicine

This important article was submitted by Isabelle Saint-Guily, MS, LAC

Management of Cancer with Chinese Medicine

“According to the World Health Organization, more than 10 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer every year, and more than 6 million die of cancer. It is projected that in the next 20 years, these numbers will increase by 50%.” Li Peiwen, TCM Oncology Department, Beijing, June 2003.

Western Medicine treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or a combination of these. Unfortunately, both chemotherapy and radiotherapy are harsh, and produce side effects which may become a major problem to the patient. Sometimes the treatment has to be interrupted because the side-effects have become too strong and cannot be tolerated. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has proven to be an effective way to reduce these reactions to the side effects, allowing the treatment to continue. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese herbs are now used routinely in China, alongside Western Medicine in the treatment of cancer.

Surgery: Surgery is currently one of the main methods used when treating cancer. Before the surgery, TCM herbs are used to raise the total white blood count and increase T lymphocyte activity: it strengthens the patient’s resistance to infection and enhance immunity. Also by administering herbs which nourish the Qi (energy) and the Blood, the body’s ability to withstand surgery will be increased, and postoperative complications will be reduced.

In TCM, surgery damages Qi and Blood and affects the functioning of the organs. After surgery, by replenishing Qi and Blood and reestablishing the paths of energy, TCM can reduce the possibility of recurrence of cancer, and builds strong conditions for future chemo and radio therapies.

Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy: In TCM terms, most of the side effects in radiotherapy are Heat patterns, with Yin being severely damaged. In chemotherapy we see patterns of damaged Qi and Blood, Spleen-Stomach disharmony and depletion the Liver and Kidneys. Treatments involve clearing Heat, nourishing Yin, fortifying the Spleen and harmonizing the Stomach, nourishing the Blood and the Qi and enriching the Liver and Kidneys.

Some studies have demonstrated that Chinese Medical herbs, used with radiotherapy and chemotherapy can enhance the immune system and protect the bone marrow.

Combining TCM and Western Medicine can improve the constitution of patients and enhance their quality of life.

“Statistical data covering recent decades indicates 70% – 90 % of patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy combined with treatments involving TCM completed their course, compared with 50-70 % for those undergoing therapies without TCM treatment.” – Li Peiwen: Management of Cancer with Chinese Medicine.-

Success from the Heart – Isabelle Saint-Guily, Napa Valley Acupuncture

I find it inspiring to learn about how one chooses a profession that brings joy and gratitude to their clients or customers, and to themselves. Many women are coming to full bloom in their 50’s and this is wonderful to behold. In our 21st century the 50+ woman is vibrant, charismatic and has the confidence and wisdom to proceed with projects she knows are important; that bring joy to her heart as well as others. Our evolution has accelerated in just my own lifetime. Not many years ago a woman over 50 was ignored, even considered “washed up” as in the movie, “Sunset Boulevard” from 1950. Gloria Swanson plays the tragic figure of Norma Desmond, a “has-been” movie star, and it is mentioned that she is just 50 years old! “Phooey!” I say! Recently Isabelle and I got together to discuss why and how she embarked on her journey from massage therapy to Chinese Medicine. I first met Isabelle in a business networking group in 2003. I watched her business grow from a massage table in a spare room in her home, to an office with two treatment rooms in a business complex in Napa, CA. For me, Isabelle’s journey to her success in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine exemplifies a woman whose work and success are from her heart. Now, at 50 years old, Isabelle is thriving in business and her life. Her vocation brings health and joy to her patients; including me!

Some questions I asked Isabelle:

Q: How old were you when you began to build the business you have today? Was it a straight journey or did you begin with something else that twisted and turned and evolved into what your business is today?

A: In my twenties I was divorced and my kids were just two and four years old. I needed to become self-sufficient and I had very little experience. At the time there seemed to be just two industries in the Napa Valley that were feasible for me; wine and spas. I chose the spa industry because my ex-husband was in the wine industry and I didn’t want to be running into him! With massage I could work weekends and from my home. My passion for massage therapy developed right away. I found I had a natural intuition to feel what people needed. I was giving my teacher a massage and I intuitively moved to massage her head. She was impressed because we had not started instruction about the head yet, so this really acknowledged my intuition for working on what is needed. I then became trained in Chi Nei Tsang, a massage therapy that focuses on the abdominal area, a part of Chinese Medicine. This ignited my passion for Chinese Medicine and I began my education to achieve my license. In California you must be trained in both Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine to obtain your license.

Q: How did you recognize what was in your heart to do?

A: Giving massage is very centering, calming and opens the door to intuition; this is what brings me joy as well as to the person receiving the massage. As it led me toward Acupuncture I was fulfilling my intuition and passion for intellectual theory and methods – science. I love the philosophy of Tao; the harmony with nature, as if I was born to be Tao.

Q: Did you ever or how often did you think you were wasting your time or that it was a foolish venture? How did you overcome your doubts?

A: With the acupuncture I never felt any doubt. But in the beginning with school, the kids and working it was very difficult to manage everything. The financial aspects were intense too. Some say you keep your eye on the big picture; but this was not how I persevered. If I looked at the huge mountain of my commitment and project I would be overwhelmed! I had to look at just each month at a time. One month closer to my accomplishment. I stayed in touch with the beauty of how organic Chinese Medicine is. It is pure nature and science.

Q: In the book, Success Built to Last, Stewart Emery emphasizes having a “disciplined practice” to keep on track; ways to measure how you’re accomplishing what you’ve set out to do. Do you have a disciplined practice or two, or more; and what is it?
A: I’m very happy with my QuickBooks program. It allows me to make monthly income comparisons with what I did last year, and even over the last five years. I can compare revenue and expenses and I can see that in June my income is always lower so that I can forecast for that. I can see that the acupuncture facials are profitable; they provide a very effective alternative to cosmetic surgery and the QuickBooks analysis shows me where I can develop more revenue. This year I am focusing on oncology, the benefits of acupuncture in treating cancer patients; helping to relieve their discomfort during cancer treatment. This is a calling for me and I’m happy to work more to increase my revenue.

I also use the Franklin Covey planner and time management system. It has been great in keeping me on track with my goals.

Q: How does your business reflect your passion?

A: My office is in a small complex on the quieter side of town. I chose not to be in the hub of the medical/professional offices because that part of town is so crowded with traffic and shopping areas. This way people, including me, are not all stressed out just getting to my office! People say that my office and treatment rooms have a very calming atmosphere. I have photos I have taken of nature and music that is soothing. All of this reflects my passion for the harmony of nature and well-being.

Q: What’s so great about being 50+ years old?

A: Being 50 doesn’t seem any different to me…except my hair! (now an adorable short gray hairstyle). Becoming 50 you gain respect and acknowledgment for who you are and what you are doing. I believe that age doesn’t matter. You know, the Native Americans never paid attention to age, they didn’t know how old they were; but they look to the elders for wisdom.

Q: What does success mean to you?

A: Just being happy and fulfilled; wanting to go to work!

Global Warming Effects Inside Our Own Bodies

Cosmetics with a Side of Infertility from the Toronto Star, December 27, 2007
People are applying a toxic stew of chemicals to their bodies daily, author declares, Heather Gehlert of
Alternet.org
Carcinogens in cosmetics? Petro­chemicals in perfume? If only this were an urban legend. Unfortu­nately, it’s a toxic reality, and it’s showing up in our bodies.
In 2004, scientists found pesti­cides in the blood of newborn ba­bies. A year later, researchers dis­covered perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, in human breast milk. Today, people are testing posi­tive for a litany of hazardous sub­stances from flame retardants to phthalates to lead. In her new book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, Stacy Malkan exposes the toxic chemicals that lurk, often un­labelled, in the personal care prod­ucts millions of women, men and children use every day. AlterNet spoke with Malkan about these toxins and her five‑year Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to get the beauty industry to remove them from its products.

Question: There are so many envi­ronmental issues you could have written a book about, Why cosmet­ics?
Stacy Malkan: I think cosmetics are something that we’re all intimately connected to. They’re products that we use everyday, and so I think it’s a good first place to start asking questions. What kinds of products are we bringing into our homes? What kinds of companies are we giving our money to?

Q: It has something pretty interest­ing in common with global warm­ing, too.
SM: It does. I think of it as global poisoning. I think that the ubiqui­tous contamination of the human species with toxic chemicals is a symptom of the same problem (as global warming), which is an econ­omy that’s based on outdated tech­nologies of petrochemicals ‑ pe­troleum. So many of the products we’re applying to our faces and put­ting in our hair come from oil. They’re by‑products of oil.

Q: Many cosmetic products on the market right now claim they are pure, gentle, clean and healthy. But, as you reveal in this book, they’re far from it. Toxic chemicals in these products are showing up in people. What were some of the most sur­prising toxins you discovered in cosmetics?
SM: Lead in lipstick was pretty sur­prising. We (the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) just released that re­port. Many personal care products have phthalates, which is a plasti­cizer and hormone disrupter. That’s‑ why we started the cosmet­ics campaign ‑‑ because we know that women have higher levels of phthalates in their bodies, and we thought that cosmetics might be a reason. There’s so much that we don’t know about these products. Many, many chemicals are hiding in fragrance. Companies aren’t re­quired to list the components of fragrance. Products also are contaminated with carcinogens like 1,4 dioxane and neurotoxins like lead that aren’t listed on the label.

Q: I just want to know what ingredi­ents to avoid, but you say protecting myself is not as simple as that. Why not?
SM: There are no standards or reg­ulations like there are in, for ex­ample, the food industry, where if you buy organic food or food labeled “natural,” there’s a set of standards and legal definitions that go behind those words. That’s not the case in the personal care prod­uct industry, where companies of­ten use wards like “organic” and “natural” to market products that are anything but.

Q: Generally spearing, risk assess­ment involves two factors: a hazard and people’s exposure to that haz­ard. Could you explain some of the unique challenges to assessing risks with cosmetics?
SM: Risk assessment is an extreme­ly oversimplified way of pretending we have enough information to know haw much chemicals we can tolerate in our bodies. A risk assess­ment equation will say, “How haz­ardous is a chemical, how much are we exposed to it from this one prod­uct, and. is that hate?” There’s a lot of information left out of that picture: studies that haven’t been done to determine impacts on fe­tuses, the feet that we’re exposed to so many of these chemicals in so many places every day, and the fact there have been no, or very few, studies about chemical mixtures.

Q: Do you think part of the problem with creating awareness around this issue is that the effects are toxins are often not that immedi­ate? People don’t say, “Oh, I’ve been to this toxic site and now I have a rash all over my body.”
SM: Right, and that’s what we hear from the cosmetics companies when they say, “Well, my product is safe if used as directed, and you can’t prove otherwise:” Which is true.

Q: Can you give me an idea of how many chemicals one product can contain?
SM: The average woman in the U .S. according to our survey uses 12 products a day with about 180 chemicals and men use about six products with 80 chemicals com­bined. But it depends on the prod­uct.

Q: What practical advice can you give to people wanting to clean up their cosmetics bags?
SM: My best advice is that simpler is better. Really, fewer ingredients, fewer products. For instance, hair colour and bubble bath are two things that I’ve given up. But there are a lot of good (non‑toxic) prod­ucts out there on the market and I would say start by switching out the ones that you use the most fre­quently like shampoo and deodor­ant that we’re putting by our breast tissue, experiment with different kinds of natural products and just make changes as you can. The onus at this point is on consumers to do our own research.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
SM: It’s really important to recog­nize that the beauty industry is all about profit and bottom‑line thinking. It’s not concerned about our health issues.

*To learn more and take action, visit safecosmetics.org. Go to cosmeticdatabase.org to find out what toxins are in your personal care products.
Heather Gehlert is a managing editor at alternet.org.