VIBRANT HEALTH ON A TIGHTWAD BUDGET
by
Carole Tashel
Vibrant
health is not something you achieve, once and for all; it's a
lively, personal dance with a constantly changing external environment.
Making smart daily choices can result in feeling great, so here
are some commonsense, practical options that cost little, as well
as some wise choices that are well worth the price.
OPTIONS THAT COST ALMOST NOTHING
MIND/EMOTIONS: In Perfect Health, Deepak Chopra tells us,
"The mind exerts the deepest influence on the body... [A] state
of balanced awareness, more than any kind of physical immunity,
creates a higher state of health." Good attitudes are indeed powerful
medicine, and they're free, so cultivate gratitude and love. Make
sure you're not harboring a boatload of emotional baggage. (Twelve-step
programs might be an appropriate no-cost way to heal.) Please
do find an excuse to laugh, connect to the beautiful earth, and
contact the peaceful, deep space within your self.
NOURISH YOUR COMMUNITY ROOTS: In Native American tradition,
an individual's first responsibility is to her community, then
her family, and finally herself. Gee, I guess most Americans have
that one backward! I recall a study about a small Italian neighborhood
in Chicago, which sought to discover why the residents lived so
long and so well; it was partly because they were sewn so securely
into their community.
SELF-MASSAGE: Your body is in constant communication with
itself through nerve/hormone reflexes. Touch yourself, and you
can hook into this circuitry and trigger beneficial effects at
distant points. Occasionally, before getting out of bed in the
morning, I slowly massage every single place I can reach. I use
a deep pressure, shiatsu-like touch (without oil). It takes about
an hour and feels wonderful.
Don't have an hour? A satisfying foot massage sets you back only
10 minutes. Just find the sore points and go after them. Look
up "reflexology" on the Internet, and you'll find charts of points
on your feet (and hands) that correspond to areas on or in your
body. I've purchased a small, illustrated card of the reflexology
points for a couple of dollars from a local bodywork supply store.
Sure enough, when my neck hurts, the corresponding spot on my
foot is sore; if I massage that point, my neck pain is reduced.
REST/SLEEP: Give yourself the gift of a short rest or nap
each day. Try to get to sleep before midnight, because beginning
at 11:00 pm, your adrenal glands (and other systems) begin to
rebuild and restore themselves. Your adrenals help you adapt well
to stress, an important sign of robust health.
EXUBERANT MOVEMENT: Vigorous exercise (even just 20 minutes
a day) revs up your metabolism, reverses the harmful effects of
stress, evokes a yummy relaxation response, reduces levels of
inflammatory compounds, and strengthens the bones and heart. (It
can also have overtly medical effects, like reducing menstrual
cramps and constipation as well as increasing "good" cholesterol
levels.) Sunshine is truly a required nutrient, so exercise outside.
I still think walking is the easiest and the best. When the weather
is horrible, I put on my favorite music and dance in the living
room. Don't forget about yoga, either.
Humans are made mostly of water, and that water must flow! Movement
is the only thing that can milk your lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic
system functions like your personal wetland, bathing and cleansing
your tissues. If exercise is a daunting concept for you, try only
one activity for just five minutes; increase at your own pace.
WATER: Internally and externally, pure water is a healer.
Investing in a filter is sensible, but if that's not affordable,
refill your own jug at one of the health food stores. (Liquid
minerals may be added to reverse osmosis water to make it more
complete.) If you drink tap water, let it sit overnight to evaporate
chlorine, which is particularly harmful. Cultivate a keen awareness
of thirst, and always satisfy that need. Creative use of your
bathtub is another free health tool. There are refreshing salt
and soda baths and relaxing herbal baths. A bath doesn't just
feel good, it influences red and white blood cell activity, increases
circulation and tonifies the nerves.
GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES: This can amount to significant
savings, what with organic spinach and other greens costing up
to $2.50 a bunch. You can do it in the winter, too. On December
31 last year, I harvested kale, collards, spinach and Swiss chard--they
set the standard for cold-hardy vegetables, having survived a
five degree night last winter. I grow winter greens in inexpensive
"cold frames" covered in special cloth (and I use shade cloth
for summer gardening). You can save your own seeds, score free
manure at many stables, and receive free compost ingredients from
the market.
GET TOP VALUE FROM YOUR FOOD DOLLAR
Usually, "top value" means saving money. But sometimes when you
make wise choices that may cost more, the value comes later because
you didn’t need to pay the doctor. Here are some suggestions.
* In America, meal portions are much larger than in Europe (kind
of like comparing an SUV to a VW bug). Aside from saving you money,
undereating (within reason) contributes to longevity. Rather than
serving a hefty slab of expensive meat or fish, incorporate smaller
portions of organic meats and poultry and wild fish into soups,
stews, casseroles, stir-fries or fish cakes. Don't forget about
liver... it's a low-cost nutrient bonanza, but you must buy organic.
Chicken liver pâté, anyone?
* Skip the dry cereals--you’re paying for air, sugar, and not
much nourishment. Much better: Soak oatmeal (along with a chopped
dried fig or date) overnight. Cook in the morning with a pinch
of salt. After it's cooked, add two tablespoons fresh or frozen
blueberries, nuts and/or seeds, one to two tablespoons ground
flax seed, a little chopped apple, and a couple of tablespoons
of plain yogurt. I guarantee you won't need a sugary snack at
10:30 a.m.
* Store-bought salad dressings are pricey, and most contain questionable
oils (safflower, canola, soy). Make your own with olive oil, lemon
juice or vinegar (balsamic or apple cider), soy sauce or a pinch
of sea salt and finely chopped herbs. For variety, add Dijon mustard,
a couple of anchovies or a dollop of yogurt.
* Don't waste money on "empty foods"--chips, soft drinks, sugars
and refined carbohydrates--they fill your stomach and cut hunger
for other more wholesome foods. They can also cause great harm.
* Eating a small amount of an organic animal product (yogurt,
meat, fish, poultry, cheese or butter) with each meal ensures
better absorption of minerals. Fats slow down absorption, so you
feel full longer, plus they provide a concentrated energy source.
More expensive proteins seem to go a lot further with adequate,
good quality dietary fat. (More about fats later.)
* To contribute to your health, the food you buy must actually
make it into your tissues. This brings up topics that are beyond
the scope of this article, like eating right for your metabolic
type, and so on.
WHAT ABOUT ORGANIC?
Recently, I was behind a man in the checkout line who held up
a packaged chicken and declared, "Look at this! two bucks a pound!
This is the best buy in the market. This is what America is all
about." Unfortunately, he was mistaken. That hapless, commercially-raised
chicken had a miserable life. Its meat contained cancer-causing
hormones and pesticides (which act like counterfeit hormones),
antibiotics (which create problems with drug-resistant bacteria
in chickens and people), and high levels of inflammatory Omega-6
fatty acids because of its diet. It's the same story with feedlot
beef and the dairy products from these animals. It is very important
to buy organic meat, poultry and dairy.
Organic produce has advantages as well. It can contain up to 80%
more nutrients than commercially-grown. Organically-grown food
is not always more expensive, and requesting it at your regular
supermarket helps stimulate this fast-growing sector. If organic
vegetable prices are simply out of reach for you, remove pesticide
residues with one of the vegetable wash products. And if you can't
afford organic meat, ask the butcher for more naturally-raised
bison. Please don't eat non-organic chicken skin--it’s where the
hormones and antibiotics end up. Farmers' markets are good places
to connect directly with organic ranchers and dairy farmers and
take advantage of this better choice.
HEALTH IN A PILL?
In cultures where longevity was common and degenerative disease
rare, the traditional diet functioned like preventive medicine.
It featured hearty broths, a dizzying variety of vegetables and
wild herbs, small amounts of nutrient-dense meats (including liver,
kidney, etc.), fermented grains and cultured dairy products with
beneficial bacteria, loads of fiber, minerals, natural anti-oxidants
and anti-inflammatory compounds. (These diets didn't contain chemicals,
hydrogenated fats, sugars, refined or fake foods, etc.) Many "modern"
people pop acidophilus capsules, take dessicated glandulars, mineral
supplements and Omega-3 fish oil, hoping for the best.
If only we could take a few pills and guarantee vital health,
right? Well, it's not that simple. In general, vitamins, minerals
and trace elements depend upon each other. Good quality food and
herbs, in a diverse, well-prepared diet, contain these elements,
in just the right balance. What if we returned to eating not one
or two, but all of these complete foods? Could we set the supplements
aside? (I understand that people with serious health challenges
almost always need supplements to help turn things around.)
I know what you're thinking: "But how could we get what we need?
Our world is so toxic, soils are depleted, and foods don't contain
the nutrients they once did." Good point. My answer? Look for
a complete palette of essential elements in the neglected weeds
of the land and sea--wild foods and seaweed.
It pays to acquire a taste for sea vegetables, which offer a bounty
of minerals and trace elements. Eating just two tablespoons a
day is a reasonable and affordable goal. I regularly use seven
different tasty varieties, most of them gathered in clean waters
off the coast of Mendocino.
Wild greens and herbs contain a gold mine of vitamins and minerals
(always gather them on clean land). For example, wild dandelion
leaves boast about twice the beta carotene and calcium as spinach.
Lambsquarters, purslane, dandelion, amaranth greens and mallow
are delicious and free for the taking, probably in your backyard!
There are a couple of inexpensive supplements that can really
make a difference. One is cod liver oil, an "old-fashioned" item
with an A+ reputation. It nourishes the cardiovascular, nervous,
immune and respiratory systems, bones, skin and more. If you just
can't chug the oil, then try capsules. To avoid a potentially
dangerous buildup of vitamin D, take the oil only from mid-October
to mid-April, and don't use it when living in a tropical area.
The other is flax seed. It's a food, an herb and a medicine, and
a month's supply costs only a few bucks. Freshly ground, raw flax
seeds help prevent breast and prostate cancer, normalize the menstrual
cycle, and are anti-inflammatory.
GOOD FOOD = GREAT HEALTH INSURANCE!
Many people seek the omega-3 cold-water fish oils, and end up
purchasing relatively affordable farm-raised salmon (which, by
the way, has considerably lower levels of omega-3s than its wild
brethren). Since health problems abound on most fish farms, you'll
want to avoid farm-raised; but then the real thing--wild salmon--may
be out of range for your tightwad budget. Consider sardines! Some
people have unpleasant visceral reactions to this suggestion,
but there are some very good tasting brands, like Bela. Sardines
are cheap, eminently therapeutic, and these baby fish haven't
had time to accumulate mercury. Eat whole (not boneless/skinless),
smoked sardines, packed in olive oil (not cottonseed or soy oil).
Cost? As little as $1.60 per can--even lower if you purchase by
the case.
Many of the best meals start with sautéed onion and garlic (rich
in anti-oxidants). A once-weekly serving of shiitake mushrooms
(tasty immune support) might cost $1.50. Miso, a traditionally
fermented food, is easy to add to your diet. Thin a scant teaspoonful
in a bit of water and add to soups or stews just before serving
(cooking kills the organisms), or mix with tahini for a sandwich
spread. My favorite is the "mellow white" variety. A reasonable
amount of complex carbohydrates--dried beans, whole grains, etc.--are
important, too. If pre-soaked or sprouted, so much the better.
Nuts and seeds have such excellent credentials that they deserve
a place on your table. Pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds; New
Mexico-grown pecans; lightly roasted almonds and walnuts...buy
them raw, in bulk, for the best prices. Excess carbohydrate intake
is the usual culprit when it comes to weight gain, but if you
tend that way, you may need to limit your nuts.
Top quality saturated and monounsaturated fats play a critical
role in body chemistry: These include grass-fed meats, olive oil,
coconut oil, real butter and ghee, avocado, goat and sheep cheese,
buttermilk, unsweetened yogurt. Actually, dairy products made
from raw milk are far superior to pasteurized, but they're hard
to find (some are illegal to sell). In New Mexico, certain raw
milk cheeses are available (Organic Valley brand is one)--check
your specialty cheese counter or local farmers for raw options,
and look for the best buy. (Some may not thrive on meat or dairy,
so fine-tune these issues with a practitioner.)
Include generous amounts of fruits and vegetables, whose brightly
colored pigments store resveratrol, carotenoids, lycopenes, anthocyanins,
epicatechins and all those unpronounceable things that are so
good for you. They also balance out excess acidity in the body.
In general, the darkest, richest colors offer the most (cabbage
and cauliflower being notable exceptions). Don't eat only broccoli;
make friends with collards, kale, Swiss chard and bok choy. In
the fruit world, blueberries rank number one in antioxidants,
followed by raspberries, sour cherries, blackberries and strawberries.
These powerful fruits can be kept frozen and used daily. In small
quantities, unsulfured dried fruits like apricots, figs and raisins
have many benefits. Combine fruits with nuts and yogurt for a
balanced snack. Fruit juice is pricey and contains loads of sugar.
Instead, eat whole fruit or dilute your juices.
ANCIENT, ELEGANT MEDICINES
While the pharmaceutical industry appears to be in the midst of
a long-overdue moral crisis (over Premarin, Prozac, Vioxx, Celebrex),
and public confidence in drugs is heading toward the gutter, the
world of herbal medicine marches on as it has for thousands of
years, safely providing unique qualities unavailable in drugs.
And they don't cost much. The ultimate way to save money on medicines
is by growing or gathering plants for a home pharmacy. You can
address an astonishing number of minor health conditions with
a few ordinary herbs like chamomile, mullein, peppermint, yarrow,
etc.
Robust health is more likely when you encourage harmonious gut
functioning, keep your liver happy and soothe your adrenal glands.
Herbs easily accomplish such goals. Tea blends with plants like
nettle, red clover, oatstraw, raspberry leaves, horsetail and
spearmint, offer minerals in abundance. Frequent use of culinary
herbs do more than simply flavor your food. They're medicines,
too, and as their volatile compounds pass through your body, they
relax your gut, prevent infection, and more. Use minimal amounts
of ginger, cayenne and cinnamon (rather heating); add basil, thyme,
oregano, fennel, dill and rosemary with a heavier hand.
Here's one example of a combination tonic that covers a lot of
bases, acting on the liver, kidneys, skin, circulation, gut and
adrenal glands. Mix dried herbs in a jar: Two parts each Jamaican
sarsaparilla root and Eleuthero root (formerly Siberian ginseng);
one part each burdock root and dandelion root; one-half part each
licorice root and ginger root. Simmer one level teaspoon of the
root mixture in a cup of water for ten minutes, and drink one
to two cups a day. Herbalists can suggest a daily tonic blend
to support your well-being, based upon your individual constitution.
It's my fervent wish that people could be healthy without spending
a fortune. Self-care is a revolutionary act in a culture steeped
in consumerism, and where health care is big business. So find
practitioners who will teach you skills to care for yourself and
try a few of my suggestions. I wish you vibrant health!
RESOURCES:
* GARDENING the SOUTHWEST: How to care for your land while growing
food, beauty and medicine, by Carole Tashel (1999, Healing Earth
Publications) - Available from the author or from selected Santa
Fe nurseries.
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