This is exciting!

My husband is a general contractor who is LEED certified and is working towards getting schools and businesses to become more sustainable. There are so many ways for businesses to do this and if we have the government to help, well, that is fantastic!

Schools are becoming greener and it may not happen over night but it is in the works. Hawaii seems the ideal place to be putting “greener schools” into action as we have sun, wind and salt water. Let’s hope it happens!

Be well,

I have to agree with my friend who strongly states, “naturopaths have been saying this all along!” Yes, I have been saying this for a long time and have been promoting Nordic Naturals fish oils – it seems – forever!

I actually suggest fish oils (especially the DHA) for children who have been told they are too active (I kinda think this is a good thing…tough for the parents but great for the kid if directed the right way) and acting up at school. The fish oils nourish the nervous system and I have seen amazing results in children who take the oils – they relax enough to remember to think before they act (might be good for adults too!)

I also remember reading an article when Merrin was newly born about infants who took fish oils their first 5 years had higher IQs. That sold me and then realized that the not only was the higher IQ in the works but my kids were not getting sick. Fish oils are full of Vitamin A, which is fantastic for many things, including the immune system.

One important thing to remember is the quality of the fish oils and the species of fish. I use Nordic Naturals because of their high standards of quality control and heavy metal testing and we tend to primarily eat wild salmon, halibut and some local fish.

Be well,

I was very happy to read that Whole Foods Market is now participating two of their house brands in the Non-GMO project.

Let me step back a bit…

GMO stands for genetically modified foods.  It is the science of injecting the DNA of one species into another species to create plant, animal genes that do not naturally occur. This may allow for a perfect looking new species but we have no idea what the health consequences of this could have presently and in the future.

The Non-GMO project is a non-profit organization that is seeking GMO manufacturers to disclose their GMO products to the consumer. The FDA does not require this as of now.

I am all about consumers, patients, students…everyone really….to be allowed to have the resources to become knowledgeable and able to make their own decisions. I believe in this organization and will support it in anyway.

Be well,

In the last few weeks I have been having some left foot pain. It’s in my arch and it’s not hindering my daily life but its’ present. I decided to google foot pain and came across this in the New York Times.

Well, I am not overweight but I probably do not wear the best of shoes. Hey, I live in Hawaii and half of the time I am barefoot. And loving it! After reading this article though, I think I may need to invest in some good shoes – for walking outside and inside.

I may need to get my kids some good shoes too…although my youngest never seems to wear them (which is so foreign to me – growing up in a city with cold snowy winters you just always wore shoes). Sometimes when we will finally make it to school on time she will announce that she forgot to put on shoes – UGG!

Any suggestions on good supportive footwear (with some style) would be appreciated. In the meantime though, I may go get a few more pedicures ( read that article!) and take care of my feet!

Be well,

PS Maybe some hydrotherapy and Magic Socks would help!

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2008

Contact: Heather Manley, N.D.

Phone: 808-640-1159

HAWAII DOCTOR PUBLISHES EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURE STORY FOR KIDS

Hawaii Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Heather Manley, announces the release of Human Body
Detectives (HBD): The Lucky Escape, the first Activity Workbook and Audio CD in her HBD series.

HBD is a series of educational adventure stories where two young “Human Body Detectives,” Merrin and Pearl, magically enter different systems in the body to solve a health mystery. Through action packed fiction stories, listeners learn how the various systems work and what foods best fuel that system. The accompanying workbook filled with games and puzzles reinforces what kids have learned and help them further understand the importance of maintaining a healthy digestive system

As a physician and a mother, Manley discovered that there are no books currently on the market that help kids learn, in a fun way, about how their bodies works especially by focusing on a specific body systems. Her philosophy is that if children understand how their bodies work, they are more apt to make healthy food and lifestyle choices.

The activity workbook and audio CD, and DVD packages are geared to serve as tools for families, teachers and home school parents, to supplement current science and/or health curricula.

Manley’s goal is to expand the series to at least five books with corresponding DVD’s. HBD: The Battle with the Bugs is set for press in September 2009 and will be followed by adventures through the circulatory, nervous, and muscular systems.

The HBD: Lucky Escape release coordinates with the recent launch of Manley’s website, www.drheathernd.com. The site provides a resource for people, especially parents of young children, to learn about preventative health care and take charge of their family’s health.

Dr. Manley is a naturopathic physician licensed in the state of Hawaii. She is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Medicine and the Hawaii Naturopathic Medicine Association.

For more information and wholesale inquires, please visit www.humanbodydetectives.com, email drheather@drheathernd.com, or call 808-640-1159.

Just in case you missed it…here it is a again! And press release is on its’ way.

Enjoy!

I may not have said that during the birthing journey but the next day I did. I feel the need to write something about childbirth because of this Los Angeles Times article which gives many reasons why our country needs to make a change in the way we think and act upon giving birth.

My husband and I decided to have a home birth with a naturopathic physician who is also a licensed mid wife and acupuncturist. I went into giving birth with no expectations. I simply just trusted my body and my doctor. My husband though, made sure we had some back up plans…so we were a pretty good balance.

This is why I loved giving birth:

1)    I was in my own home. This was fantastic for labouring but more importantly I did not have to move, at all, after the birth.
2)    There were no pharmaceutical medicines around that I would have been tempted to have for the pain. This let me focus on what I needed to do…I felt so primal and alive!
3)    I have never felt so empowered as a woman. I felt such strength and respect for my body.

I could go on and on because it really was a very positive experience. A few important things to consider though if you are planning a home birth – you need to be healthy, have a back up plan if things take a turn and you need to absolutely LOVE your doctor. That is really key.

Be well,

“Be not a slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

A friend recently passed on this article to me about baby carrots.  I have been avoiding purchasing these carrots because of the slimy substance that sometimes is covering them in their packaging. It seemed bad so I pretty much buy all my carrots from a local farmer now.

Maybe or maybe not did my intuition kick in. In the article (if you haven’t read it), it states that the baby carrots are washed in chlorine and since the carrots do not have their protective skin on, they are more susceptible to carrying a high dose of chlorine.

But then when I read a little more I found this:

“None of this is harmful to your health, says Dr. Joe Schwarcz, professor of chemistry at McGill University. The whole point of washing vegetables with chlorinated water is to protect consumers’ health by reducing bacteria that could cause food borne illnesses.”

So who knows? But again I will go back to what I always suggest….buy local when you can. It’s fresher, yummier and best for you and the earth!

Be well,

I was browsing through National Geographic site and came across this article about, “ Dentist to Put Bile Acids in Your Teeth?”

Nice…but wait go read this article!

This is my favourite sentence..

“Preliminary tests suggest the bile-acid filling is just as durable as conventional fillings and even more resistant to cracking.”

The reason I like this sentence is that my mercury filling were expanding and contracting due to eating hot and cold foods putting pressure on my jaw, thus creating TMJ and cracking my teeth. I learned this when I had my amalgam fillings taken out and replaced with porcelain. It was beyond one of the healthiest things I have ever done for myself. My TMJ went away immediately, my dreams became so vivid and eventually my fatigue subsided ( not completely as I had young kids!).

This is brilliant contribution to the dental world. I hope it works out, as it would be wonderful to have something more natural and less toxic for our bodies.

Ask your dentist about it – I am going to for sure!

Be well,