Plastic Food

The easiest way to change your life, is change what you put in your mouth.   It is that simple.

Growing up on a small, self-sustaining farm in Oregon, I was giving an opportunity to understand food at a different level than most.  It didn't come from a store, it came from the ground.  We raised our own meat and drank milk from our goats. We planted, watered, tended and then eventually ate the food that sustained us. Every Fall we would freeze and can our harvest for the winter. It was a cycle that was as much a part of my life as breathing.   

I remember in the 1990's, I was living in Pocatello, Idaho building my third start-up company, using motorsports marketing as a platform to educate people on healthier life choices. It was with this company that I became aware of Monsanto and their "engineering" of seeds.   I could immediately SEE the danger in what would eventually be considered "genetically modifying" our food.  We used our sports platform to educate and warn people of the dangers, but people were more worried about celebrities drunken escapades, "Who Let the Dogs Out" and chicken dances.   I knew that people wouldn't start looking at these dangers until it hit their wallet or their health.   Well, here we are.

I'm not sure if it was my plight or my upbringing, but my body reacts to things that are not natural.  By age 5, my family figured out that Yvonne couldn't drink any red drinks.  I could have the green, yellow and blue, just not the red stuff.   Years later, red die #4 was considered dangerous by the FDA.  I would have extreme reactions to diet drinks; years later it was discovered that saccharine was deemed unhealthy.   I suddenly had issues with soy in the early 90's, then corn, then eventually the same issues with wheat and peas.  And sugar... well, don't get me started on the sugar issue!  I have learned that my body serves as a litmus test for society.  These issues affect me first, then ALWAYS follow to affect everyone else, and eventually studied by the FDA. In my early years, I considered this a curse. Now I consider it a blessing, for it has forced me to eat cleanly.  

I call this non-natural food --- plastic
.  

Plastic food, in my opinion, has many negative effects on our bodies.  Beyond the lack of nutrition, the stress on our bodies attempting to adapt to these foreign substances, I believe the most negative effect it has is numbing our minds.   We simply don't have the nutrition our minds NEED for full function.   It is as if our taste-buds have become our most prized physical asset, more than our minds or our physical bodies.  

With numb minds, we become sitting ducks to messages that appear before us.  Television.  Commercials.  Ads.  Buy this. Do that. THIS is what is YOU need.  THIS is important.   We are bombarded by a over-the-top-ridiculous amount of messages about who we need to be; what we need to value; what we need to spend our money on.  Even the clearest minds have issues sorting through it.   Numb minds have to work much harder.

Better nutrition leads to clearer mind.
Clearer mind leads to better vision.
Better vision leads to better choice.
Better choice leads to a better path.
Better path leads to a better life.

And it all starts with what we put in our mouth.

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(I have found what I believe is a great, easy solution to start this "better nutrition" ball rolling.   give me a shout if you have any interest yvonne@yvonneramage.com)

Why does my skin ITCH when I exercise?

Have you ever started a workout routine with excitement and vigor, only to have your first workout end with every square inch of your skin itching?     I have.   In fact, I think I am the queen of itchy skin.   The itchy skin lasts only through the first couple of weeks. But, oh ... those two weeks .... can brutally deflate the enthusiasm for a new exercise program.   After years of trial and error, I finally found a solution for me.

At first I thought my skin was reacting to the cold outside temperatures.  So I ran directly from outside into a hot shower.  This AMPLIFIED THE ITCH.  Folks, do not do this!  Maybe it was an allergic reaction to either my clothing or laundry soap?  I threw away all my running tights, purchased all new, washing them in just water.   Sadly, my next run started enthusiastically and ended with crazy-itch-lady just trying to get home.

Then I read an article that described this as a physical issue, caused by the sudden flow of blood through my blood vessels - boldly going where no blood has gone in a LONG time; it is called vasodilation. 

When I exercise, my blood flow increases.   To get the blood where it needs to go, the vessels are quickly dilated or "opened up".   It is the opening of the blood vessels that cause the itch.  OK I get it , but how can I get it to stop?   Some research suggests that the only way to get through this is to maintain a workout routine (Men's Health Article) But for me suffering through just wasn't an option any more.

More research revealed that histamine may play a factor. For some people this may be an allergic reaction to clothing, soap, pollen, etc.   For others, their body may feel a physical change and use histamine to help in their physiological shift to their new active body. 

What is my solution? Let me preface this with the fact that I am not a physician. If you have any concerns, you should always consult your physician.  What I am sharing is only my personal experience and research.  

My solution came by accident, from my personal trainer Bambi Will (amazing trainer!!).  She suggested that fresh celery juice in the morning is a great way to restore your electrolyte balance from a long workout.  So I purchased a juicer and juiced celery every morning. The itchiness completely stopped.   

Excerpt from article: Why does exercise make me itchy?   Outside Magazine
Besides being nutrient packed, (beet and celery) juice are great for pre exercise and has been found helpful in prompting improved stamina in endurance athletes- running, cycling etc. Beets contain a certain type of nitrate (that is then converted to nitrite) that has been found to help with functions including blood flow, muscle contraction and neurotransmission. (read full article)
Of course, juicing every morning became quite a chore.  So I found a WONDERFUL product that has the beets and celery pre-juiced, packaged with all the nitrate/nitrite intact.  It is part of a performance line of supplements from a world class company.  Now, all I do is drink a small shot of "garden flavored" juice and workout to my hearts desire.   Happy Day!  Happy Running.  Good-bye itch!

(if you are interested in knowing more about the specific product I use, contact me at yvonne@yvonneramage.com)