Parasite Removal is Just a Step

End All and Be All? Not Quite.

I was recently on a discovery call with a potential client, and she asked me:

So, when I get rid of all my parasites, then all my symptoms will go away?

Which made me think that, probably, a lot of you lovely readers might be asking similar questions.

Well... The short answer is: No.

All the various stages of menopause symptoms are not going to be alleviated just by killing off parasites. It definitely helps. Some of them will (probably) disappear with the freeloaders. Quite a few of mine did.

Though... Some symptoms might also be affected by die off and other toxins. So, it's just as important to get in a good detox after a parasite cleanse too. That will also help with some of the symptoms.

However, there might be other things going on that also need to be addressed.

And nothing is a one size fits all solution.

Everyone is different, and every experience is unique. Especially when it comes to The big M Transition - into your best, wisest, version of self!

A clean diet and living environment, and knowing what foods and situations trigger some of your symptoms (like hot flushes) can go a long way too.

[When I say clean, I’m talking about things like making an effort to keep your life as toxic chemical and mold free as possible. What you put on your body and breath into your body can have just as much of an effect as what you put into your body.]

That includes supplements too. (A little more on that in the next section.)

Speaking of Detox, scroll down for some ideas (and a throw it together recipe) for using Spring's most popular detox vegetable/herb: Dandelion Greens.

Yes, You Can Have Too Much of a Good Thing!

Before we get to a few of the delicious ways you can eat Dandelion Greens.. to help clear up some of the remaining Winter Blahs... just wanted to drop a little counter-knowledge on ya'll:

This might not be as big of a thing in other countries. Or it might be in some, but not others. Not really sure.

I do know that Americans are brought up to believe "More is Better!" though. No matter what kind of “more” it is.

More cars. More guns. More clothes and toys and gadgets and decorations. More stuff to accumulate in general.

More media channels to consume. More social media outlets and entertainment options.

More house, when less than half the size is sufficient for just one person. Go big or go (to a bigger) home.

More food and more supplements is also a big one in the U.S.

However…

Ingesting even more of something you already consume isn't always healthy. Especially when all you really need is for your food to be more nutrient dense.

Usually.

For a lot of reasons, in the U.S. at least, food is mostly not nutrient dense. Even food that should be really healthy. So, naturally, supplements have become a very big thing.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Good supplements can be a great idea. Depending on what you're taking, and why you’re taking them, of course.

However, most people are taking way too many supplements. That has also become a thing.

Actually, as long as you don't have parasites consuming half (or more) of the nutrients you consume, you should really only need a small amount of supplementation to compensate. If you're eating the cleanest, most nutrient dense, food available at least.

What do I mean more supplements aren't going to give you more results?! (Yes, I understand those might be fightin words to some people)

Well...

Let me give you a few examples of when too much of a good thing is really, really, too much.

Since there are quite a few supplements that are great examples of how more can be way too much, I’ll go there.

Even with all the information available on the subject, most people still think that if one pill is good, three is much better. Yeah, information overload is a thing and it's tough to know who to believe. But, the idea that if one works well three will work even better is really not how supplements work. Sometimes three can just cause a whole lot of unwanted issues.

Like with magnesium, which is really important for women in peri and post menopause. In the right doses, it helps with a myriad of bodily functions. And is actually critical for bodies to function properly.

But... If you take too much, it becomes a laxative. Kind of a really good one, if you know what I mean. Plus, at the right dose, it prevents muscle cramps. While too much can actually cause muscle cramps... it's a balance.

Vitamin C, also really important for women of a certain age. Super important for cell healing and to help other nutrients do their jobs. High doses, also a laxative. Sometimes just as good a one as magnesium.

With C though, you can build up to a therapeutic dose. When it’s needed, but maybe not as a normal dose. Lots of debate on that one.

Vitamin E. Yes, too much vitamin E: also a laxative. Like C, can build up to a higher dose, if needed.

Honestly, most vitamins and minerals have some unwanted effects in doses way beyond what you need. Some might just change the color of your urine (looking at you B vitamins). Others can cause serious issues. Too much Iron, for example.

COQ10, is one exception where more might actually be better. Since it's one supplement that most people take too little of to really get all the benefits.

But, as a general rule of thumb, next time you get a really good supplement that is helping at the recommended dose (which might not actually be the dose recommended on the label), taking more is probably not going to make it even more effective. Taking more might just cause problems you didn't already have.

The best way to know how much of a vitamin or mineral you need, is to have a Functional Medicine or Naturopathic Physician test you to find out.

Dandelion Greens Are F'n Delicious!

Don't give me that look...

Dandelion greens Are f'n delicious! Nutritious. Beneficial. And, an important herb that used to have all the respect it deserves.

Unfortunately, in the United States at least, most people just see it as a weed that needs to get the hell off their lawn!

Pish posh!

There's a really good reason people have been eating Dandelion Greens every Spring for centuries.

Detox power, baby! Detox Power!

Eat your Dandelion Greens and your Liver will thank you!

So will a lot of other body parts.

Now, you might already know all this, and have tried, really tried… but just yucked out in all your previous forays with eating Dandelion Greens... To be fair, you might have had some really bad ones, not all greens are equal. It’s also possible you just need to prepare them differently.

Yes, you can chop them up and put them into salads. If that works for you, Do It! Not everyone can handle Dandelion Greens that way. Or only in very small amounts if they do. That’s ok too.

Most people think that's the only thing you can do with them, though. Eat them raw like other greens. Yes. You can eat them that way. In many ways, in a raw state, mixed with many things.

You can add them to pretty much anything you would add other greens to. But you can also add them to some things you might not think to add them to.

Like, maybe, use them mixed with your lettuce in tacos. Or go ahead and chop them up finely and mix them with whatever you use cilantro and/or parsley as a garnish on. Like tacos… or something else.

(It’s Tuesday, and I might be a little hungry - for Tacos!;)

Sure, you can eat them raw, but you can also cook with them too.

You could use them instead of (or with) Spinach in omelettes, or a quiche. For example.

However you choose to incorporate this beneficial, Spring beauty, just make sure you buy Organic and rinse them well before you use them. You might also want to get rid of any extra, leafless, stem before you consume them too. That definitely helps some people with the palatability. 

So. Yeah. I do all the things mentioned above with my Dandelions, when available. Though, I also started out just mixing them with my salad greens each Spring. That got boring real fast, though. So, started changing things up a bit. This year, I am mostly sautéing them.

Like so:

Dandelion Greens, Lightly sautéed with mixed vegetables:

Chop up your favorite sautéing vegetables (I have been using sweet peppers, summer and zucchini squash, broccoli, mushrooms, and tomatoes this week)

Add a little grass fed butter, ghee, coconut oil (refined has no flavor), or avocado oil to your pan (I always use stainless steel and avoid the non-stick forever chemicals) and toss in your chopped vegs. Pop a lid on and let them do their thing.

While they do that thing, rinse and roughly chop your Dandelions into fairly large pieces. (They’ll shrink a lot when they wilt.)

Throw them in the pan as you turn off the stove, when the vegetables have just turned that cooked color and are lightly sautéed. Leave the pan on the still hot burner and let everything sit covered for about 1-2 mins until the Dandelions are just a little past wilted.

I like to add a little Real, Celtic Gray, or Volcanic Salt at that point, then gently stir everything together before I serve.

If you are also an aficionado of the Dandy Lions, let me know:

How do you like to eat your Dandelion Greens?