My time in school is rolling along and picking up speed. When I worked in schools I noticed that after spring break it seemed that we got to graduation without even thinking about it.  That is what is happening here.  We are almost to the halfway point.  This is a bit like having a baby.  My niece would disagree with me I am sure.  It is a 40 week course.  However, we have weeks where we get to take off and don’t have a module so even though I have been at this for 15 weeks we are only at Module 13.  However, 15 weeks into the course and I might actually be getting the hang of things.  Health Histories are becoming easier and not as scary as they were in the beginning, I am beginning to envision what my coaching life might be like, I am much more comfortable talking about what I am doing to anyone who will listen or who asks and I can say things like “gut microbiome” and not wonder what I just think I said.  Everything is growing fast right now and that includes our jasmine arbor which is peaking at this time.  We planted it just a couple of years ago and now we have to chop it back after it blooms it is so thick and fragrant.

It’s seems that I post here about visits from family on a somewhat regular basis. This past week was no exception.  Two of my cousins (plus a cousin-in-law) from Canada were here for lunch on Monday.  Alexander proudly announced to one of our friends that he is the baby of 23 first cousins, which he is.  Some weeks back, the oldest of that same bunch stopped by for lunch.  My goal would be to have all of them come for a visit at some point but hopefully not all at the same time!

We were introduced to the Body Ecology Diet with Donna Gates this week.  The discussion is primarily focused on her anti-candida protocols.  I think I will have to watch this one again, many times, there is so much information in her talk and on her website.  Donna calls it “a silent pandemic” and causes havoc for pretty much everyone.  When found in the gut it will cause inflammation of the lining which can cause Crohn’s, Colitis and IBS.  If it is Systemic it can cause many unrelated symptoms, depression, moodiness, cravings for sugar, eating disorders, OCD, ADHD, memory problems, spaciness and more.  If in specific body parts, it can cause asthma, sinusitic and chronic ear infections and for women it can cause a vaginal infection.  It causes hormone imbalances, autoimmune diseases, things like cradle cap and diaper rash in babies.  It affects our brain and our moods and can cause sleep disorders, migraines, anxiety and depression.  Donna believes that yes, people are dying today from a yeast infection.  I encourage you to go to her website and explore for yourself.  You can conquer candida with a diet that will weaken and starve the yeast.  Her diet removes what she calls adverse foods, processed and GMO foods, sugar, gluten, dairy, cooked saturated fats, unfermented soy, yeast, corn and caffeine.  It is completely focused on gut health.   Here is a link to her website Body Ecology.

The next lecture was a fun one for me to watch.  It was presented by Kathie Swift who wrote a book with a North Hatley friend, Joe Hooper, called The Swift Diet.  I had spoken to Joe about the book and now I was going to get a chance to hear the other author.  She is a wonderful speaker.  I already had bought her book but here is a link if you are interested The Swift Diet.  I could listen to her all day.  She is entertaining and she speaks so well about healing your digestive distress.  Kathie is a big proponent of chewing your food well and taking time to eat in a mindful manner.  These two things can go a long way to slowing us down and to enjoying our meals again.  Again, so much information and too little space but I just loved her lecture and her book.  Thanks to Joe Hooper for introducing her to us last summer.

We moved on to Restore the Gut Microbiome with Liz Lipski and here we were introduced to fermented foods.  Again, you can heal yourself with food.  I loved how she taught us to make pickles and sauerkraut and kefir.  One of our assignments is to pick one of these items and try it at home.  I made pickles.  Seems easy enough.  Put some cucumbers in a jar, cover with water, salt, dill weed and seed, add some garlic and something with tannin like a tea bag or a grape leaf.  She calls these half-sour pickles.  I’ll let you know.  Here is the link to her website:  Lis Lipski

Here are the pickles.

This weekend is the IIN Conference in New York City.  I am attending it via the Live Streaming option as I could not get to New York to attend in person.  So far it has been great and I am enjoying it very much.  Lots of energy, great stories from IIN grads and students, and some great lecturers.  Amazing to see all those folks in one spot.  Maybe one day I will be able to attend one of the conferences in person.  Joshua Rosenthal is the Founder and Director of IIN and is an engaging and inspiring speaker.

The grandchildren are coming for the week on Monday.  A big adventure for them as they are flying by themselves to Charleston.  Well, Jack is 14 and Libby 9 so they aren’t babies but still an adventure.  Looking forward to having some grandparent time.

Hope everyone has a great week.

Lou-Lou