Several months ago, we asked the question “are you healthful living?” This was our subtle wake up call to conscious beings to draw attention to their thoughts and actions and notice their alignment with the creation of a life they desire (health, love, wealth, etc.).

We point this out to you now because the words and wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi are eternal and within us all ­ Be the change you want to see in the world. Those ten words speak to the human spirit inside of us, the part of us that knows that we are responsible for co-creating everything that shows up for us in life. There is no sitting on the “sidelines” and just watching things go by.

Our world is changing. Sometimes this change is drastic and potentially life threatening to all, as in Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth, other times it may seem distant but is equally disturbing, for example in headlines such as “President defends domestic spying program.” Regardless of the scope of changes, we always remain at choice over our personal orientation to them ­ do we support them, or not? I’ll never forget the day I discovered that my favorite chocolate chip cookies no longer contained actual chocolate. I wrote a letter (one of many the company received), and they put it back.

This is a simple example to reiterate Ghandi’s point ­ about change. While there is much disharmonic change afoot in the world (which I’ll write more about later), there are also many powerful co-creations among forces for good. We hear more and more from people wanting to be in community, individuals seeking to work together to create a world that is sustainable and abundant, without hurting each other or the planet. This feeling of wanting that, to feel and be more connected with others is pulling us forward into the next consciousness level ­ a shift. (See The Solari Model, and our interview with Catherine Austen Fitts)

The "shift” is about moving into a dimension where people experience greater levels of connectedness with each other, like cells in a body - telepathy, almost automatic coordination, people finding it difficult (if not impossible) to hurt others because we experience them as "one" with ourselves. Imagine.

Healthful Living is one such community of people focused on the nourishment of our future. The Healthful Living Model provides a lens through which to focus our beings; six areas that affect everything in our individual and collective life experiences. Revisit the Model often and use it as your own guide to change. What small part of your world can you “be the change” in today? There’s always something; whether you do/think/feel something different today, or interrupt your reinforcement of something you no longer want to see or be a part of.

You needn’t be as resolute as Gandhi, though DO understand the power behind his convictions. Your own personal convictions play out everyday in your own world...with everything you create for yourself. Today, at least, bring greater attention to your own declaration of healthful living and discover one new way to “be the change.” You’re not alone - we are all working together on this and you are supported by others in community.

The most common question I get, "Is soy good for you or not?"

My own experience with soy began when I became a vegetarian years ago (I am now an omnivore). I began eating large amounts of tofu, soy milk, tempeh, soy sauce - you name it. I thought that since it was high in protein it was a good choice. However, after about a year of eating it frequently, I began to experience digestive discomfort (strong enough that I sought professional help).

I know NOW what I did not know then: soy is very difficult to digest and contains potent inhibitors that create dis-ease.

Many people that have a dairy sensitivity choose soy as an alternative. While that is often helpful at the beginning because the dairy is removed, it's often short lived. The same enzyme needed to break down the casein protein in dairy, also breaks down soy. Over time, the body begins to react to the soy.

The following is a list of concerns with soy (from westonaprice.org):

• High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
• Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
• Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
• Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
• Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
• Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D.
• Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
• Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
• Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.
• Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

There are many wonderful sources of protein - you don't need soy. Eggs have more vitamin A, choline, and DHA for the brain than soy. If you can't have dairy (so you normally have soy milk), try nut milks.

While July and August are wrapping up, it's never too late to know this important information about sunscreen. This article is especially important for women who use sunscreen every day.

Excerpt from original article by Claire Gutierrez (TheGreenGuide.com)
Compiled by Michele Gould

We all know how alarming the rates of skin cancer are in the U.S. However, is sunscreen enough and is it the answer to sun protection. Some groups, such as the American College of Preventive Medicine, have called into question claims that sumscreen is all it's chalked up to be. They point out that the evidence supporting sunscreen's cancer-preventive capability is incomplete, especially with regard to malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Some have even speculated that suncreen might be culpable in the dramatic rise of skin cancer incidences over the past several decades. Here are some possible reasons why.

Ingredients to Avoid
Overall, there are two basic types of skin cream or lotion protection: sunscreens, which absorb and deflect (or reflect) the sun’s rays via a chemical reaction, and “blocks” ­ zinc oxide and titanium dioxide- which create a physical barrier against rays. Most commercial products offer a combination of the two, but when possible avoid the following ingredients:

· PABA: 40% of the population is sensitive to it, experiencing red, itchy skin.
· Benzopphenone (benzophenone-3), homosalate, and octy-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate): These chemicals are of more concern because they have shown estrogenic activity in lab tests. They have been shown to disrupt hormones, affecting the development of the brain and reproductive organs in laboratory rats.
· Parabens (butyl-, ethyl-, methyl-, and propyl-): Parabens may also mimic estrogen, but because they are common in sunscreens, avoiding them may be difficult.
· Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 (2-ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoic acid and avobenzone): These two chemicals have the potential to damage DNA when illuminated with sunlight.
· Insect Repellents with Sunscreen: It is best to avoid these because there are dangers with overexposure to DEET, which can cause eye and skin irritations, headaches, and nausea.

Choose Sun Blocks
Zinc oxide, which lies on the skin without being absorbed, is completely safe. Titanium dioxide used in sunscreens is coated with materials that reduce its photoactivity and are less likely to penetrate the skin. Note that on sunscreen labels companies rarely distinguish between "sunscreens" and "sun block," and use the term “sunscreen” for both. Look for zinc oxide or titanium oxide as the active ingredient when choosing.

Best products to buy for the best protection:

Sun Guard, www.seriouslyshady.com
Epicuren Discovery Zinc Oxide Sunscreen
UV Natural Baby, www.theorganichouse.com.au
Blue Lizard Baby, www.coolibar.com
Vanicream SPF 15, www.coolibar.com
Burt’s Bees Beeswax, Lifeguard’s Choice
Baby Blanket Sunblock Lotion for Babies
Lavera Kids Sun Block Spray and Family Sun Spray
Ecolani
California Baby
Dr. Hauschka

Dear Friends,

With all that our world is facing right now, I wanted to invite you to read my synopsis of the book Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman. Optimism involves much more than simply “positive thinking” about things, it is an overall strategy that we can learn and is the science of hope. And, there’s nothing the future needs more from us, than hope.

As a community committed to healthful living, we should consciously make an effort to keep our attentions focused on the kind of future we want to create. And since there's so much fear being propagated in the world, it behooves us to be skilled in the antidote to fear ­ hope. Further, we’re learning much more about how our thoughts affect our reality (see TheSecret.tv), we should employ the tools at our disposal to help us learn to better shape our inner and outer worlds.

Learned Optimism does just that. Simply by reading my synopsis, you’ll pick up distinctions that may be new to you, little ways of looking at something through a broader "lens" of understanding. We all have a style of explaining events and occurances that happen around us, and by better understanding your and other people’s (i.e. the news, people at the water cooler, etc..) interpretations you’ll be better positioned to make empowered sense of the goings on around you.

I’ve found Seligman’s optimism work to underlay many of the strategies employed throughout the personal development arena, as the insights into the nature of our own personal “lens” on the world brings us the kind of clarity that makes any change more possible.

Just as fear is learned, so can we learn to be hopeful. You can read my synopsis on the Healthful Living website here.

Enjoy!

Martin

Here is a listing of some upcoming Healthful Living classes. Be sure to tell your friends and/or use the coupon at the bottom of this Newsletter to receive a discount to these classes.

Cooking for Baby - September 23rd

Nutrition for Pregnancy, Pre-Conception & Postpartum - Begins September 25th and runs for 4 Mondays

Recipe for a Healthy Family - September 30th

Traditional Healing Foods for Children on the Autistic Spectrum - October 28th