The Free Radical

(Wingful of Eyes by Gong from their 1975 album Shamal)

Longtime readers will recognize the ‘Independently Healthy’ moniker from my archived Newsletters. For many, my health articles were the main reason for tuning in. They’re not a regular part of the monthly missives anymore… but once in a while I still issue brief health statements.

Vitamin D & Immunity

They way I tell people to regard vitamin D is that it is the most basic or foundational activator/support for superlative immunity. In order for our immune systems to even have any chance at functioning properly, there must be adequate vitamin D in circulation… on a continuous basis. You can do everything else perfectly in support of your immune system– rest, exercise, nutrition, etc.– but if there is a chronic lack of vitamin D, all those other factors are severely hampered from delivering their optimal effects. Vitamin D is the special activator; do yourself a favour and include it in your daily regimen.

All those living in northern climes, please realize that the sun’s intensity is not adequate to stimulate proper vitamin D production naturally during the winter months. That means, for instance, that everyone in Canada should be supplementing vitamin D daily for about six months of the year. Additionally, the daily recommended amount (1,000 IU) is merely adequate for preventing diseases like rickets. For total immune function 3,000 to 5,000 IU daily is more like it. The danger of having too much vitamin D lies in the body’s propensity to deposit minerals (inorganic) in places like the arteries– especially calcium– when there is a concurrent lack of vitamin K2. I’ve begun supplementing this year with a new vitamin D patch which includes the proportionate amount of vitamin K2 and 250mg of magnesium as well. So even if I’m getting a little too much vitamin D, the K2 and Magnesium ensure that it doesn’t cause problems over the longterm. (The most common natural source of vitamin K2 is leafy greens.)

Distilled Water… and Detox

I’ve written numerous times about the benefits of distilled water, especially for drawing and flushing unwanted substances from our systems. I’ve been drinking distilled water regularly for about 15 years now. Here’s the minerals that are taken out of a gallon of my tap water through distillation every day:

The opacity in that glass is due to the inorganic minerals dissolved in the water. Generally, our bodies cannot utilize inorganic minerals. We typically utilize minerals which have been incorporated into living tissues of plants and animals; these are organic minerals. Additionally, the inorganic minerals dissolved in all surface water are not merely unusable, they also create problems in our bodies over time, depositing in our organs, arteries and bones. That’s why arteries harden, organs lose functionality and bones become brittle as we age. I would go so far as to say that inorganic minerals are the main culprits in aging us.

Now, many have read or heard that distilled water is dangerous over the longterm. Like I said, I’m 15 years into distilled water at this point and I have no intention of stopping. The (absurd) arguments centre around notions of distilled water being ‘hungry’ water which will leech vital minerals from our tissues; it is also described as ‘dead’ water. I’m not too sure how the same substance can be both hungry and dead! I agree that distilled water is hungry; it will draw inorganic minerals from all the troublesome places they’re typically deposited. That’s very definitely a good thing!

And as for distilled water being dead… just realize that the whole hydrological cycle on Earth is driven by distilled water– evaporation/precipitation. The vast majority of land-based animals rely almost exclusively on distilled water, drinking from puddles, licking the dew from leaves and eating snow in the winter. Think about that last one: for six months of the year, all of the animals around where I live have no option other than snow for meeting their hydration needs. Rain, snow and dew are all distilled water… and they do not cause harm. But of course you’re free to believe whatever you want.

Detoxifying for the New Earth

One thing all the channellers have gotten right is their admonition to cleanse and clear the detritus from the past. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically we need to detoxify for a fresh new start in the emerging paradigm. One of the best strategies in this regard is to eat very pure ‘superfoods’ on an empty stomach daily. (Those who love to argue semantics will claim that “There’s no such thing as superfoods; it’s just a marketing term!” Um, fuck off. There are indeed many highly nutrient-dense foods which easily qualify as superfoods… so there!)

When we provide for our bodies with nutrient-dense foods that contain virtually no fillers, extras or other indigestibles, our bodies just naturally go into detoxification mode. Examples of such foods which I highly recommend include: spirulina, chlorella, pine pollen, marine phytoplankton, etc. I take a squirt of highly concentrated marine phytoplankton (Oceans Alive) every day on an empty stomach. The nutrition provided in that teaspoon of green sludge is superior to just about any full meal you might come up with… and the body has to do virtually nothing in order to utilize it all.

Chlorella and spirulina are especially good at binding with heavy metals and ushering them safely out of our bodies. I’ve been consuming nutritional algae off and on for about twenty years. Every time I take a sizeable dose of chlorella on an empty stomach I can actually smell a strong metallic odour as I’m sitting on the toilet the next day. Find which superfoods work for you and do yourself a huge favour. And just as an extra side note, the common superfoods listed above are so nutrient-dense that they really are extremely cost effective; you’re paying for nutrients, not calories.

And suddenly winter is upon us! I’m hesitant to pull out the big heavy winter boots before I’m knee-deep in snow. I’m still wearing my Vibrams, but I have added toe-socks underneath. Nevertheless, my feet are prone to the cold. Until I make the switch to my winter boots there’s a little ‘trick’ which I continuously utilize during the coldest days to keep my extremities warm. You could call it a meditation or a form of yoga, but what I essentially do is breathe warmth internally into my toes as I’m walking through the snow. I draw a conscious breath from the spot midway between my navel and genitals, hold it there for a few seconds imagining a warm fire igniting that breath, and then as I exhale, I send that warm energy out through my toes and the soles of my feet. Works every time… but again, I’ve been practicing for many years. It’s not as hard or weird as you might think!

This is the time for really connecting with our own bodies in a healthful way. I would suggest talking to your own cells– frequently. Let them know that there is an overarching consciousness which would like to work co-operatively with each of them. Tell your body what kind of physical experience you desire. You may also wish to begin conversing with your food on a regular basis. Firstly, welcome it into your human experience. Then you may wish to speak directly to the nutrients therein contained to provide the very best they have to offer while encouraging any anti-nutrients to simply pass on through without causing harm. Like I’ve said many times recently, get witchy. Try out some basic ‘magic’ and see if you aren’t another catalyst for the re-enchantment of the Earth experience.