Your Body's Unsung Heroes

Today we are going to talk about what could possibly be the single most neglected part of the human body.

Any guesses?

It’s so far from your mind; you’ll never think of it, so I’m just gonna tell you…

It’s your mucus membranes!

If these unsung heroes could sing a song, I’m guessing they would belt out Aretha Franklin, while shaking one of its microvilli, like a shaming finger:

“All I’m asking for is a little respect, just a little bit, yeah, baby, just little bit…R-E-S-P-E-C-T…find out what it means to me.”

Ok, come back to me now. We’ve got a serious conversation to have.

Your mucus membranes do so much for you and most people offer them little in return. They are your inner skin, protecting you and keeping you strong.

Mucus membranes line your mouth all the way through your digestive tract, including your gall bladder.

Your nose, sinus cavity and ears.

Your lungs.

Your eyeballs.

Your urinary tract.

And yes, ladies, your glorious vaginal cavity.

Everywhere there is an opening in your body you can count on there being a mucus membrane. The mucus membrane houses your immune system. As the starting point for sending messages to the rest of your body, they say, “Hey! We’ve got a threat over here!”

If all goes well here in the mucus membrane and you are nourished and rested, you may not get sick and you certainly wouldn’t suffer from allergies.

The only thing the medical system can do with your mucus membranes is try to dry them up. This is the opposite of what mucus membranes want to do, which is flush out what doesn’t belong!

I experienced this firsthand. After years of taking prescription anti-histamines, I decided to stop fourteen years ago and my nose ran constantly for months. Months! Drip. Drip. Drip. That was one of my early lessons about this important part of our bodies.

Let’s really ground this concept that I am trying to teach you…

Why does your eye water? Because your eye is trying to get something out.

Why do you have snot coming out of your nose? Because your nose is trying to get something out.

Why do you cough? Because your lungs are trying to get something out.

Why do you shit your brains out? Because your GI tract is trying to get something out.

And ladies, why do we have vaginal secretions? Sometimes it’s because we are hot to trot and other times, well, there is an undesirable bacterial or yeast over growth.

Are you starting to get my drift?

Mucus membranes are our friends and all we ever want to do is shut them down!

While we say, “Make the mucus go away,” as if getting rid of the mucus solves the problem, the body screams, “Nooooooo! I want to flow!”

So the question becomes how can we go with this flow? How can we show our mucus membranes a little bit more respect? I have some ideas for you:

#1 When you are acutely ill with a viral or bacterial infection, know that both over-the-counter and prescription drugs are a last resort. Herbs, along with sleep and chicken broth, can offer your body so much more here. Herbs can make you more comfortable without interfering with your immune system’s ability to seek resolution. My two favorite herbal formulas to aid healthy mucus production during acute infections are Broncafect Phytosynergist and Sinus Forte from MediHerb – both available through qualified health professionals.

Steam inhalations can also be very supportive during acute infections. All you need to do is a place a large bowl in a sink. Boil 2 quarts of water or so, pour it into the bowl (or a clean sink), and cover your head and upper body with a towel to seal in the steam. If the infection is in your sinus cavity, breathe through your nose; if the chest is more involved, breathe through your mouth. You may enhance the steam with 2 drops of essential oil, like tea tree or eucalyptus, for its antimicrobial activity. My favorite blend right now is Respiratory Rescue from Mothership.

Acute illness is a chance to build strength in your mucus membranes. Don’t fuck it up!

#2 Embrace vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential nutrient to the health of the mucus membrane and is ONLY found in good quality animal fat, like chicken skin, fatty meat, eggs and liver from pastured animals. It is estimated that our ancestors ate 10 times the amount of fat soluble nutrients than we consume in our modern diet. While the label on a can of tomatoes or a bunch of carrots may show that it contains vitamin A, it does NOT. It contains beta carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A that may or may not be converted into the vitamin A that your body needs. So please, the next time you eat a sweet potato, smother it in butter or ghee and know that you are supporting the integrity of your mucus membranes in a profound way.

#3 Eat slime. I know. That’s gross, but bear with me. Foods like okra, chia seeds and flax seeds were made to support the mucus membranes. They hold a lot of water, are soothing and building, and can be quite lovely when prepared properly (see recipes at the end of this blog).

Never forget the great mantra of traditional medicine: LIKE HEALS LIKE! If you have a problem with a specific organ or gland, eat it and if you have deficient mucus membranes, eat slime!

There are also slimy herbs that can go a long way to healing the mucus membranes in your body. Marshmallow root and slippery elm root are two of my favorites. Add water to these two and you get a gel-like substance.

Yes, you can just swallow these in capsules with a big glass of water, but I prefer to taste my medicine. Right now, before I go to bed, I’m drinking a slimy beverage made with 1 heaping tsp of slippery elm powder from Oregon’s Wild Harvest, ½ teaspoon of burdock root powder from Dr. Cowan’s Garden, and room temperature water.

Not only am I supporting the health of my mucus membranes with this beverage, but I’m also feeding good bacteria in my gut. This kind of fiber is what you call a prebiotic – food for the good bugs that live within you.

Speaking of bacteria, I was very grateful to Dr. Ronda Nelson when she came to teach us in Austin because she highlighted the fact that people aren’t going to have a healthy microbiome unless they have healthy mucus membranes!

Think about that for a moment. If I’m a beneficial bacteria in your gut, I need a good home filled with good food that contains fiber. But if I consume inflammatory, refined foods, then my damaged mucus membranes become a home to pathogenic bacteria, and I end up with leaky gut, dysbiosis, maybe a vaginal infection, chronic sinusitis, and an overall weakened immune system, which leads me to my next point…

#4 Your mucus membranes are connected to each other. Medical doctors might specialize in a specific part of the body or system, but that doesn’t mean that it exists in isolation from everything else going on.

Look, you are like a giant sack of water, muscle and fat, being held together by skin. Everything’s connected. All the time. What goes on in your digestive tract is going to affect your respiratory tract, your urinary tract, and even your vaginal tissue.

This is why if you have a vaginal infection, you take probiotics!

Dairy also wreaks havoc with the health of mucus membranes. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is common advice to avoid dairy products during an acute infection because it is a thick, damp-inducing, inflammatory food that most people are better without when they are sick…and even when they are not.

Health begins and ends in the digestive track and usually dairy isn’t doing us any favors. I have a few how-to videos on my website for making homemade nut milks and creamers, if that would be helpful to you.

#5 Look at the excretions coming out of your body! Everything coming out of your body, tells a story. Pee, poop, menstrual fluid, and yes – mucus – is important information.

For instance, thin, watery mucus is usually the sign of a histamine, or allergic, reaction, while yellow to green mucus may signify a bacterial infection.

Don’t just say, “Yuck!” and throw away your Kleenex. LOOK at it first!

And FYI, just because you see green mucus and have a bacterial infection does NOT mean that you need antibiotics. I personally think that antibiotics should be relegated to the emergency room only to be used in life threatening, emergency situations, not because you want to stop hurting and carry on with life as usual.

#6 Simply thank your mucus membranes for taking such good care of you. None of us are acknowledged enough for the work we do in the world, and that includes your mucus membranes, so please, if nothing else, just bring a word or two of encouragement to this part of your body and start to observe it in a different way.

The next time you get sick, instead of cursing snot coming out of your nose and phlegm coming out of your chest, say something like, “Wow! Look at that chunk! AMAZING! You really love me, don’t you? Thanks for cleaning up this sacred house called my body. Thank you.”

Realizing that the mucus membranes and the bacteria living with you are inextricably linked is a very important step in healing your body and doing the next right thing. As Louis Pasteur said on his deathbed: “Bernard was right; the pathogen is nothing; the terrain is everything.”

Respect your mucus membranes in peace, my friends.

Love,

Charlotte

P.S. – Your recipes!

Roasted Okra

1 pound okra

Olive oil

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss okra with olive oil and spread evenly on pan. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

*Note to self: if you put too much olive oil, you will have mushy okra. If you put too little olive oil, it will be dry. So while you cook, just say a prayer that you will use just the right amount.

If you do not like okra, but want to benefit from its positive health effects, then you can consider taking Okra Pepsin from Standard Process.

Here is a link to a Gogi Berry Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding recipe for you.

And...be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, where you'll get in-depth articles and recipes delivered straight to your inbox. You'll also be first to know when you can pre-order my upcoming book, Eat in Peace to Live in Peace: You're Handbook to Vitality!

Beyond Peaches and Cream

A while back, Amanda Love came to my birthday party and surprised everyone by making her Salted Banana Coconut Cream Pies. Not only was that an awesome gift, but it quickly became one of my favorite recipes! Well, the other day I realized that I had a bunch of peaches that needed to be eaten and I had a vision of love: take that recipe, tweak it a little bit because I was missing a few ingredients, and use peaches, instead of bananas. And it worked! Absolutely delicious. Tastes like summer!

Beyond Peaches & Cream

Topping:

2 cans coconut cream

5 drops stevia extract (I use Omica Organics)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:

1 cup pili nuts

4 dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

6-8 peaches, peeled and cut into chunks

1-2 Tablespoons ghee

1 Tablespoon coconut palm sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the topping, pour off the liquid from the cans of coconut cream and scoop cream into a small bowl, along with the stevia and vanilla. Blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside. You can view a how-to video HERE.

To make the crust, put all 3 ingredients into the food processor and blend until combined. Divide the crust into 4 servings and press into the bottom of a small bowl or wine glass.

To make the filling, melt ghee in a pan over medium-heat. Add peaches and coconut sugar. Stirring occasionally, until peaches are nice and brown. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and cook a minute or two longer.

Now, pour the peaches on top of the crust in each bowl and then top with the coconut cream. Get a spoon and enjoy yourself.

EAT IN PEACE!

To receive my weekly newsletter which is full of inspiring stories, information on nutrition and herbs that you won't get anywhere else, and practical tools for regaining your vitality...SUBSCRIBE HERE!

6 Things to Avoid in Health Food Stores

Just because something’s sold in a health food store doesn’t mean it's good for YOU!

This is a shout out to all the people who want to do good things for themselves, but feel confused. I get it. I’ve been there. None of us are immune to the elaborate marketing campaigns strategically designed to influence our choices.

That’s why I never stop studying and why I'm so compelled to share what I learn with you. Part of the healing process involves shopping at health food stores, but let me tell you – buyer beware!

Let’s take a close look at 6 things you need be aware of when you walk through the door of a health food store:

#1 Gluten-Free Foods

Good lord. This section of the store hurts my soul. While I am grateful for the rising awareness that food contributes to chronic inflammation, these are not value-added. Read the ingredients. What you normally see is a long list of gluten-free refined flours that are not really going to do your body any favors. They are often nutritionally void and contain a ton of sugar.

What you need to look for:

When you read the label, you need to see real food, and you may need to start baking at home. Click here to receive a free e-book of recipes titled Sweets in Peace. It can help.

Other than that, macaroons can often be a good choice (just watch the sugar content) and so is a company called Cappello’s.

#2 Protein Powders

At best, these are a crutch. Our ancestors didn’t have access to protein powders and they didn’t drink smoothies. Protein powders are a processed health food, and they lack an essential macronutrient: FAT.

That’s right. Mother Nature packages protein with fat. The yolk of an egg. The skin on a chicken or turkey. The oil in a nut. Protein is an important building block, but fat is your body’s preferred fuel.

You’d be better off eating a steak.

What you need to look for:

If you really want to supplement with a protein powder, animal is always best. That way you get the full profile of amino acids. Collagen, gelatin, and whey (if not sensitive to dairy) can all be helpful short-term. Great Lakes and Vital Proteins are both good brands to consider.

If plant-based is the thing for you, I like Innate made with pea protein.

And like I said, add the fat back. Put an avocado, coconut oil, or scoop of nut butter in your protein smoothie.

#3 Energy Drinks

Yes, these are still sold in health food stores. Do NOT under any circumstances consume caffeine outside of what nature intended. It is a synthetic manmade chemical that comes from China.

Did you know that synthetic caffeine at a high enough dose is a lethal powder? Yet, no one dies from coffee or tea consumption. It’s thought that nature packages the caffeine with protective phytochemicals. In addition, there’s only so much coffee or tea one can drink before you start to feel off or have digestive upset so that is protective as well.

And all of these great energy drinks with added herbs. Please. Oh please. There isn’t enough plant materials in these to do a damn thing. Enjoy your homeopathic dose of herbs, because that’s all you’re getting.

What you need to look for:

Unsweetened or naturally sweetened green teas are good. I’ve always enjoyed Honest Tea’s Moroccan Mint flavored with honey. You can also purchase Reishi Roast online from Farmacopia. There is enough herbal material in this beverage to have an effect. Reishi helps your body adapt to stress and gently calms the nervous system.

Check out a book called Caffeinated by Murray Carpenter to learn more about this drug in our food supply.

#4 Salad dressings and refined vegetable oils.

Canola, corn and soy bean oil are everywhere, particularly in health food stores because everyone is still stuck in an industry-driven paradigm: animal fats cause disease, while fats from plants support our health.

We are here today as human beings because our ancestors prized animal fats. The very thing that we have demonized gave us life and intelligence.

Canola, corn and soybean oil are processed, industrialized foods that are very new to our bodies. Is there anything oily about corn or a soybean? NO! Machines extract the oil and severely damage it in the process.

Here’s a rule of thumb: if you can’t theoretically make the oil yourself, don’t consume it. For example, I could have a cow, milk it and make butter. I could also take olives and press the oil out by hand with the right equipment.

Not so with canola, corn and soy bean oil. Here’s another way to think of it: if you were to step on the food that the oil is coming from, it should leave an oily stain on the floor. If not, think twice.

By the way, canola oil comes from the rape seed. Seriously, the rape seed. Does that sound like something that will promote your health and well being?

The key thing you need to understand is that inflammation underlies every single chronic disease in our modern world. The reason for that is that your cell walls are made of fat, and if you eat poor quality fat, then your cells will not communicate very well and are primed for inflammation.

What you need to look for:

Butter, ghee, coconut oil, lard, and olive oil.

Primal Kitchen is a good, tasty brand of salad dressing that uses avocado oil, but nothing is better than what you can easily make in your own kitchen.

Fatworks is my favorite brand of lard and if you want to read a good book, check out Primal Fat Burner from Nora Gedgaudas.

#5 Sugar.

God, why do I even have to write this? It’s so annoying. But I feel compelled to write this because the truth is that high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners make sugar look like a health food.

We see it all the time on health food labels, "Made with REAL sugar," as if that's a good thing.

The truth is that sugar is a drug that causes disease over a long period of time. I’m not going to elaborate on this point. The less you consume, the better off you will be.

What you need to look for:

Read labels to avoid sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Also, be sure to limit natural sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup.

Check out Gary Taubes new book The Case Against Sugar.

I hope that this is a helpful conversation as we navigate this confusing world of health and wellness together.

#6 on my list is one that you truly don't want to miss and warrants it's own conversation, so I've decided to include it in my weekly newsletter (it comes out every Wednesday). When you sign up you'll also get a copy of my super juicy booklet of all-time favorite resources. Don't worry - it's sugar free and contains no artificial ingredients.

Visit your health food stores in peace!

Love,

Charlotte