Our Guest Speaker this month is Debra Gaffney, an acupuncture physican that specializes in the treatment of sensitivites, which she refers to as "the hidden cause of illness." Read her great article on how you can overcome sensitivities and allergies to help improve your overall health.

To be notified when updates have been posted to Heal With Hope,
or to submit questions and comments email me: andrea@healwithhope.com

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According to an article in First magazine 1 in 3 women may be tired due to a poorly functioning thyroid. And it is possible, according to Ann Haiden, D.O. millions may be unknowingly deficient in iodine. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid due to insufficient iodine in the body include:

• Difficulty concentrating/poor memory
• Body-wide muscle and joint aches
• Chills, even in warm weather
• Blue mood
• Dry skin/brittle nails/thinning hair
• Chronic constipation
• Unexplained weight gain
• Low sex drive

For most women, a daily recommended dose of 150 mcg. of Iodine, a mineral that enables thyroid cells to synthesize the thyroid hormones that regulate cellular metabolism.

Iodine will restore energy according to Dr. Haiden. Iodine rich foods include: eggs, unpeeled baked potatoes, shrimp, tuna and cod.

Other tips: eat Vitamin A rich foods to enhance absorption of iodine such as eggs, pork, turkey, oranges, carrots, red peppers, pumpkin, squash and yams. Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD suggests you switch to cooking oils that don’t block iodine absorption such as coconut, avocado and flaxseed and avoid polyunsaturated oils like soybean, corn and safflower which do.

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“Berry“ Good Food!

As summer winds down there is still time to savor the sweet taste of berries that can also help boost your health all year. Berries – raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries - are a great source of polyphenols, a plant compound that has been shown to benefit heart heath.

According to an article by Carolyn O’Neil of Cox News Services, nutrition researchers in Finland added berries twice a day to the diet of middle-aged men and women. After eight weeks tests showed lower blood pressure, more good cholesterol (HDL) and less platelet aggregation (potentially preventing blood clots).

Per ounce berries are lowest in calories of any food, they are full of nutrients including Vitamin C and potassium (a mineral that may help lower blood pressure). Of all berries, blueberries came out on top, rated highest in their capacity to destroy cell-damaging free radicals.

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FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL:The Roar of the Lions
written by Steve Bercov

The sun is blazing in a clear sky.  It is a sweltering day on the
African savanna.  The lions are hungry.  It is time to look for
food.  The males guard the pride’s territory from other lions,
while the lionesses gather for the hunt.  Their noses to the air,
they search out the scent of prey.  They find a herd of gazelles.

The pride splits up.  The young ones stealthily go downwind,
so they won’t be detected.  The old ones boldly go upwind.

The gazelles smell danger and get nervous.  When the old
lionesses get in position opposite the young ones, they start
to roar.  They roar and roar making a ferocious and terrifying
commotion.
   
The gazelles, scared senseless, run away from the tumult
into the mouths of the hungry young lionesses.  The old
ones leisurely walk over to join them for lunch.
Origin - Unknown

The moral of the story is to run toward the roar.  Face your fear.
The gazelles would have found a few old lionesses who could
not run, had few teeth and dull claws.  They could have broken
through to freedom.
   
Most of the time, probably 99% of the time, the things you fear
never happen.  You have a powerful reaction to something you
think will happen.  When you confront the situation, the thing
you fear either never comes to pass or you handle it a lot better
than you thought you would.  When you do, you gain confidence
and feel more powerful in your life.
   
Most of your worst fears are about what has already happened
to you when you were young.  Back then you did not have the
resources, knowledge, or strength of character to handle adversity. 
It did not take much to give you a big scare. 
   
Some of those fears are still with you.  You may not think about
them so much as you react to current situations that remind you of
something in your past that evokes an old fear reaction.  When that
happens, a lower, less rational part of your brain sends signals of
danger and your body gets ready for fight or flight.  When you choose
flight you Forget Everything And Run. You react as if you are still a
small defenseless child.
   
You may have a fear of your fear.  You will do whatever it takes to
avoid experiencing your fear. When your fear is not confronted, you
stay stuck in avoidance. By avoiding your fear, you also avoid doing
things that would give you great enjoyment and satisfaction.  You are
left feeling restricted and small.
   
Change involves facing fear. Doing something different takes you into
the unknown and unfamiliar. This newness triggers discomfort. If the
new behavior is similar to something that had negative consequences
in your childhood, it can even feel terrifying. If you spoke in front of
the classroom as a child and the others laughed, you never want to risk
public speaking again. 
   
Fear is just a feeling.  When you allow yourself to feel whatever comes
your way and release it, you are free to move on.  You become more
connected to who you really are, the powerful you. You become less
afraid of your emotions. You develop the courage to face whatever
comes your way (Face Everything And Release.)
    
You will never be without fear, as long as you are facing the challenges
of life.  You don’t have to shrink your life to avoid fear and lose yourself
in the process.  You can stand up in the face of fear and move through it
to claim your life.

Steve Bercov is a licensed mental health therapist in practice for over 34 years. Visit his website for more information and to learn about the Workshops Steve offers: www.personalpowerandprosperity.com.