Dear Friends,

Taking the right action is hard to do because it involves changing habits, changing life style patterns, and moving into an unfamiliar territory.

Let’s just look at diet. Taking action and changing to a healthy diet is a profound act that can set off a domino of healthy life style changes. Many people know this fact; yet don’t have the strength or enough of a conviction to change. Why?

Because in all likelihood we are addicted to our existing diet, used to what we eat every day and even if it doesn’t make us feel good—we simply go on. This is the story of the majority of the Western world population. Just look around when you go shopping for food—what’s in people’s carts?

It is our belief that an organic diet of whole food, in sufficient variety and locally grown is best. To that end I am going to share with you three fantastic cookbooks, and a recipe from our CSA (a local organic farm that delivers produce to us each week). I will remind you in Clinical Notes how to detox with the Wild Blueberry, Cruciferous Sprouts and Organic Chlorella. And finally, in Green Facts, we will talk about taking action on the political front, in a baby step sort of way, that feels good and exciting.

The cookbooks and farm recipes:

Cookbook Number One: The Cleanse Companion Cookbook by Bonnie Nedrow ND and Chef Jeff Hauptman.

This little jewel of a cookbook is just out, no more than a couple of week. What a fabulous job and service Dr. Bonnie Nedrow and Chef Jeff Hauptman have given us with a cookbook that facilitates the creation of meals that are easy to prepare, eloquently simple, and delicious. The recipes help you to nourish and detoxify. A great combination!

It is a very quick read and I found myself making a long list of ingredient to get from our local food co-op so that I could begin to change some of our eating habits. I must admit that I am the cook in our family!

Dr. Nedrow said that in her detox seminars she got tired of repeating herself on how to select and cook nutritious and delicious meals that still facilitate the detoxifying process. So, she wrote this book. Now no more questions, her patients read it and do it. They are motivated.

Bonnie says,

We have two main ideas about cleansing diets which may diverge from that you have heard or tried in the past. The first concept is to maintain a balance of macronutrients including fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates in much the same ratios as those recommended in a healthy ongoing diet. We believe this is the key to keeping cleansing safe and to prevent re-toxifying our bodies as we detoxify. The second point we really want to drive home is that you should enjoy the flavorful diversity of the foods you eat.

The book is $14.95. You will love it. Here it the link to her website: The Hidden Springs Wellness Center.

Cookbook Number Two: San Juan Classics Cookbook by Janice Veal and Dawn Ashbach.

Janice is my sister and I must say she has put out a beautiful book. It is a classic. Its copyright is 1987 and is still selling strong because it shares with you in an easy to implement format down-home farm cooking—a collection of recipes from the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest including a brief history and color photographs.

This cookbook features a special cuisine, reflective of the natural abundance, rich history and relaxed lifestyle which has evolved in the San Juan Islands. Like the native Indians and early pioneers, islanders today use the bounty of the land and surrounding seas. The aroma and flavor of oysters on the grill, salmon smoking over alder wood and wild blackberry pie are all natural fare for San Juan residents. To these natural ingredients we have added the classic cuisine and ethnic variations that reflect the heritage of the pioneers and later inhabitants of these islands. (Statement from the preface of their book)

Dawn and Janice literally went around the islands collecting the best of recipes from the residents. Some of our mom’s cooking is in here. Talk about the Slow Food movement!

Here’s an Amazon link to it—check out the testimonials.

Cookbook Number Three: EAT . TASTE . HEAL An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living. Written by Thomas Yarema MD, Daniel Rhoda and Chef Johnny Brannigan.

Deepak Chopra says about this magnificent and beautiful cookbook:

Eat.Taste.Heal makes the ancient healing wisdom of Ayurveda accessible—and deliciously so—to modern cooks everywhere. Read this book.

Dr. Yarema is focusing on areas of “greatest health concern, [and therefore] we offer our Breast Health Restoration Program, our Rapid Metabolic Weight Loss/Eat-Taste-Heal Program, our Anxiety-Insomnia-Depression Repair Program, Chronic Pain Control our Immune-Strengthening Program, along with our general practice of Family Medicine.”

In Eat .Taste .Heal the time honored science of healthy living known as Ayurveda joins forces with modern Western medicine and contemporary international cooking to create a cookbook and guide to personal healing like no other (from the book’s jacket).

This is an amazingly gorgeous book, beautifully written by a masterful doctor Tom Yarema and his partners:

Every wisdom tradition of the world embraces a simple truth: Food is life. The ritual of eating transcends all boundaries of time, culture, and religion. Food is sacred, and the act of eating is a direct communion with Mother Nature’s divine energy. According to ancient Ayurvedic sages, food nourishes our mind, body, senses and spirit on all levels of being. It provides a foundation for personal exploration and evolution. From taking our first sip of mother’s milk to sharing meals with loved ones throughout our lifetime, the ritual of eating is deeply ingrained within the human experience.

Tom is a good friend and a great doctor. His book is a masterpiece—a work of art. Visit his website: EAT . TASTE . HEAL.

Number Four: Helsing Junction Farm’s Weekly Newsletter by the farmers.

Eat week we get a share of the fruits of the harvest—all organic of course. This week we got 1 pound green beans, 1 fresh sweet onion, 1 cucumber, 1 pint Sungold cherry tomatoes, 1pound summer squash, 1.5 pounds Purple majesty potatoes, 1 bunch golden carrots, 1 summer crisp lettuce, 1 head Brown Golding romaine lettuce, 1 bunch basil and 1 head of garlic. The produce is delivered to our neighborhood for our easy pickup.

With each weeks produce we get in their newsletter not only a history of each of the items we received (which is fascinating) but also recipes for cooking each. For example one of the recipes this week was for:

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic Butter

• Wash 1½ pounds potatoes and then cut them into 1-inch chunks.
• Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.
• As soon as the water comes to a rolling boil, drain and rinse the potatoes, then drain again.
• Put back into the pan, and add 2 TBS olive oil and toss to coat.
• Pour the potatoes on to a greased baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and add 5 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press. Toss together.
• Continue to bake for another 15 minutes until brown and crispy.
• Remove from the oven and toss with 2 TBS butter, 2 TBS chopped basil or chives or dill and a big pinch of sea salt.

Doesn’t that sound good? Hope these books help you on your food, health and happiness journey.

Sincerely yours,

Seann Bardell

BioImmersion.com

Clinical Note:

The liver, of course, is the major detoxification organ in our body. Three out of the five Therapeutic Foods products that constitute the Therapeutic Foods Platform facilitate healthy liver detox functioning. They are:

• Wild Blueberry Daily- the polyphenols assist in Phase I Detox. Take one capsule per day.
• Cruciferous Sprout Complex- the glucosinolates stimulate Phase II Liver Detox functioning. Take 4 capsules per day.
• Chlorella, Organic- facilitates the detoxification from the blood and liver of heavy metals. Reduces toxic load on the liver. Take 6 capsules per day.

Next week we will look at this further as we focus the email on The Therapeutic Foods Platform.

The Last Quiz Answer: Last weeks creature: This amazing creature is a Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). Originally from Africa, the cattle egret is now distributed among six different continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. In the United States, the cattle egret can be found in every state except Indiana, New Hampshire, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The birds have also taken up a migratory pattern, which take them in the winter to Latin America and the Caribbean. The egrets habitat consist of fields, marshes, freshwater wetlands, pastures, livestock pens, swamps, and air strips. The cattle egret can be found near cattle because it eats the insects that associate with cattle.

We’ve all seen the tragic images of oil-soaked birds and beaches in the Gulf-a terrible reminder of our addiction to dirty energy sources. But new legislation in Congress would set us on the path to a clean energy future—while protecting wildlife and the places it needs to survive. Take action now. Urge your senators and representative to support the Clean Energy, Community Investment and Wildlife Conservation Act (S. 3587 and H.R. 5735). This bill, introduced By Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and by Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) in the House, will help accelerate our transition to a green energy economy, produce new jobs, and ensure that risks to wildlife and wild lands are avoided, minimized and mitigated. The above quotes from the Defenders of Wildlife urge us to enter the dialogue—become politically active. Click here: Defenders of Wildlife make it incredibly easy to get involved in the legislative process. All you have to do is to click on the Take Action Button and that will lead you to a send button that with send a communication to your Senators and Congress people to vote for the bill. It is great do it. It will feel good. You’re getting involved in the lobbying process.

Dear Friends,

What is the ultimate leverage point that can profoundly transform the system causing our diseases today? My answer will surprise you!

In last week’s Forward Thinking, we talked about the genesis of our rising chronic disease pandemic; the multi causative forces—pollution, pathogens, stress, life style and diet.

I always have hope for our future. One reason is the growing numbers of organic farms and therefore organic food. We pointed out how the use of the Therapeutic Foods Platform on top of a good diet can secure profound effects toward restoring ones health, and I promised that I would spell out the how of this more succinctly this week and I will—but only it will be next week. This week I want to talk about how systemic solutions, like organic farming, is the key to our existence.

I want to share one single focused intervention that could unravel the whole mess, neutralize the negative forces that cause disease, and bring about a more sane, healthy and fulfilling world. What am I talking about?

In systems theory it’s called a leverage point. According to systems theory, life is a series of causes and effects that operate not in a linear fashion, but in a circular or cyclic fashion. Life is cyclic—birth, growth, old age, death and birth again. Carbon based life is one big circle of cause and effect. What each of us does every day affects the whole of our earth. In order to change a system that has gotten off track, one must look for the leverage point (point of intervention) with the most punch to change the system. The following is, I think, one of those, paradigm-shifting intervention.

I would like to introduce you to Annie Leonard and her creation—the video called The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff has been viewed by over 10 million people worldwide! That’s a lot of viewers. In fact, it is the most watched video of its kind. But when you see it, I think you will agree that 10M is a drop in the bucket to the numbers who should see it. This video is a brilliant educational and motivational tool that focuses us on a leverage point that if acted upon by enough people—would set off a domino effect of change that would right our world. The leverage point is simply to change our consumption habits. I know, I know, you have heard that before. But Annie Leonard is different. She brings to life the systemic perspective that tips the scale. Read on!

This is Leonard’s argument :

We live in a materials economy. Stuff moves through a system from extraction to production, from production to distribution, from distribution to consumption and from consumption to disposal.

The driving force in all this that keeps the system producing at a break-neck speed is consumption. Consuming stuff, owning stuff, buying stuff has become our obsession/our addiction.

If we had unlimited natural resources this would be no problem, but we live in a finite world and you cannot run indefinitely a linear system in a finite world. This will become very clear when you view her video. See the picture below with each of the component parts of the production system.

The system is in crisis because we are trashing the planet with more stuff than we have a space for. At every step in the materials economy there are major problems. The leverage point is that it is us, the consumer, that keeps the system going. This all becomes abundantly clear in Leonard’s presentation below—learn how to move from a linear collapsing structure to a cyclical natural system that will bring health back to our bodies and planet.

The bottom line has two parts: one is that we must begin thinking systemically. The linear structure must be transformed into a circular natural system. And two, we must address our consumption addiction and the cost it is inflicting on the world.

Annie Leonard spent ten years studying where our stuff comes from and where it goes to when we’re done with it. It is a brilliant presentation. Click here on The Story of Stuff to view it. You will be rewarded and impacted. It takes only 20 minutes to view it. Her website is a great resource.

Sincerely yours,

Seann Bardell

BioImmersion.com

Clinical Note:

One of the changes at BioImmersion is that we are changing the bottles and pots so they are easily recycled. We have chosen our packaging carefully to ensure the purity of our product remains clean and fresh. The new packaging will continue to serve us well plus it will be easier to recycle and use again. Using the online ordering system enable us to conserve paper and resources. Our catalogue is online, and so are the brochures, monographs, and briefs. It is tempting to use papers but let’s remember The Story of Stuff. Where can we conserve more in our daily life?

The Last Quiz Answer: Another amazing photo from the National Geographic 2009 Best Photo Collection.

Will Your Computer End Up In The Landfill In Ghana? Ghana, Africa via National Geographic’s devastating story about landfills in Ghana being filled with our discarded computer trash and the toxicity it brings to their children and people.

In another section from the Geographic article it link us to this questionairre—Test Your E-Waste IQ. How did you do?

Dear Friends,

It’s 2010 and we have reached a point in history where we now have over a billion people who are starving, and simultaneously over a billion who are overweight with rapidly increasing numbers who are morbidly obese. Chronic illness is a pandemic worldwide not only in affluent, industrialized countries but also in the developing world as well.

Without a doubt, we know what the problem is!

It is the negative impact of the perfect storm of vectors impinging upon our biology, over burdening living creatures in ways that it can’t be overcome. These disease causing factors are:

• pollution—toxins of all kinds in the air, land and water and therefore in our foods too.
• Mounting levels of pathogens—new and old, from all corners of the globe.
• Unrelenting, escalating levels of stress—hammering our fight or flight response
• Unhealthy lifestyle—too little exercise, too much TV, not enough reading.
• Diet—dietary patterns that render most people in the world malnourished.

It is these compounding of factors that are overwhelming our body’s genetic abilities to defend itself, regenerate new healthy tissues, and thrive.

We are experiencing the weakening of our species. We call this phenomenon the de-evolution (or devolution) of the biosphere because it not only effects us humans but all higher forms of life—mammals, amphibians and reptiles. It is imperative that we make the corrections now as we have reached the tipping point. We are experiencing the consequences of our actions.

The most fundamental of concepts is to feed the body correctly so it has the nutrients it needs to replenish, repair, and perform at its top level. Let whole organic food be your medicine. Whole food has the nutrients in the forms that our bodies understand and readily/easily utilize. A variety of organic whole foods is what we must strive for on a daily basis—our own government has been saying this now for at least a decade: “eat seven to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day.” Our bodies need the vitality of real whole organic food regularly.

And yet, who does this consistently? Even if we would consume 7-9 fruits and vegetables a day, the level of assault from a toxic devolving world is too overwhelming to our bodies. We need powerfull protective nutrients and the ability to regenerate and heal. Our body needs the vital factors available from whole foods in higher, concentrated amounts to be able to perform. We need to understand and implement the Therapeutic Foods platform into daily regimes: An imperative addition to not only a deficient diet, but even to a good diet. In the Clinical Notes below we take a look at the Therapeutic Foods Platform.

Sincerely yours,

Seann Bardell

BioImmersion.com

Clinical Note:

The Therapeutic Foods Platform: Imperative, Vital, Successful.

Here’s a great Therapeutic Foods Weekly Regime:

• Wild Blueberry Daily- 1 capsule daily
• Cruciferous Sprouts- 1tsp or 4 capsules three times a week.
• Chlorella, Organic- 4-10 capsules daily
• Synbiotic Formula- one quarter to one tsp daily
• Fructo Borate Complex- one daily

What’s imperative, vital and successful about this Therapeutic Foods Platform regime? The first three of you to answer this correctly will get a free bottle of our new organic Chlorella. Next week I will focus on the answer.

The cost? From $20 retail price per week. The cost of six lattes or two pizzas!

We are currently working on therapeutic regimes for different conditions that are easily incorporated into our daily lives. Remember, these are highly potent foods.

The Last Quiz Answer: Another amazing photo from the National Geographic 2009 Best Photo Collection.

Our condo garden keeps on giving. You will be amazed at this tomato plant outside my window when the tomatoes get red in about a week or two.