A Natural Approach to Health, with Rhonda Nolan, NTP

Welcome!

August 25, 2011

My Parents, Age 80, Sharing Tender Moments at the Park

My name is Rhonda Nolan and I am a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.

My sincere hope is that you will find many practical pearls of information, health tips and help within these pages.

Below are some navigational tips to help you, well, navigate.

Home – Great place to be.  You’ll get a feel for who I am and what I do.

About – Allow me tell you my story, which I suspect you may just relate to.

Nutritional Therapy – What it is and why it might be just what you are looking for.

Extras – Currently Under Construction.

Resources – Are you a newbie to the concept on these pages and want to learn more?  Are you an old timer and want to delve deeper?  There’s something here for everyone.

Services and Events – What I do and where I do it, including local events (Medford, OR) that may interest you.

Contact – Got questions?  Ready to book a Health Consultation?  Want to suggest health subjects you’d like to see here?  Let me know.

I am here to help!

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Great Aunt Willie (Part 3)

February 4, 2012

After the inspirational Part 1  of Aunt Willie’s life (on Feb 9th she’ll be 90!), we left off in Part 2 with a few of the wholesome foods from Willie’s earliest memories.

But in the 1920s and 30s, food also played a large part in the art of healing.  And Mama had a remedy for everything . . .

Natural “Cures”

One day one of Willie’s sisters came back from a friend’s house with a rash.  Soon the whole family was infected with “the itch”.  Mama had heard about a miracle potion using sulfur and lard to kill the little mites.  So every night they removed their long underwear and rubbed on the grease.  When most of the kids in school were squirming and scratching, they brought the county nurse in. Apparently all of the kids at school seemed to be infected with “the itch” – except for Nora Nixon’s kids.

Mama also had a cure for a cold; juice from the wild plums she had canned and a teaspoon of baking soda.   Willie said that, “when the soda hit the juice, it burst into a mountain of bubbles and ran like a waterfall over the side of the glass.  One was expected to drink that concoction and drink it quickly.  The stomach felt as though it would erupt.”  A mustard plaster worked well to break up a chest cold.  It also was good for back pains.  But then again, it was difficult to remember there had been a back pain when your skin felt like it was on fire.

Any ailment that Mama couldn’t put her finger on got the time tested Castor Oil, but with a twist – hot black coffee!  Willie said it was a “loathsome blend.”  I’ll bet it was!

Although it didn’t take care of the itch left behind, chiggers were killed by dabbing bacon grease on the bite.  And what did you do when a bare foot met with a rusty nail?  Ah, soak it in a pan of kerosene and all was well.

How about cuts that didn’t require stitches?  Turpentine and sugar!  And if one of them had the grippe (the “flu”)?  A stinky herb called Asafetida was used.  Percy or paregoric was used for colic. (Percy was made with bismuth subsalicylate and Paregoric was a camphorated tincture of opium and anise) Lydia Pinkham compound was used for female disorders.

Natural Soap and Household Cleaners

Mama’s big black iron pot in the back yard was used on hog butchering day to render all the hog fat into lard or soap.  Store bought soap was only used for washing hands, face, weekly baths and shampoo (excellent when used with rain water).  Unlike the neighbors’ soap which was dark and heavy, Mama’s homemade soap was a beautiful light golden color.  Mama’s soap was used for laundry and dishes.  Lye was used for the really tough jobs like scrubbing the wooden floor.

Another “Cure” – Home Cured Ham

In Willie’s own words, “The inside of the smoke house was a feast for the eyes.  The place was full of home grown pork.  The hams were sugar cured to perfection with Papa’s own recipe.  Papa ground meat for sausage with just the right proportion of lean and fat.  The sausage was stuffed in long white bags Mama made.  Its flavor was another of Papa’s concoctions, plenty of sage and pepper.  The sides of bacon were a sight to behold.  We truly ate high off the hog all winter.  Papa cut slabs of ham fit for a king.  While the ham cooked in a big fry pan, the red-brown goodness seeped out.  It made gravy beyond description.  All this was complemented with Mama’s high, light biscuits, homemade jam and sometimes a rare delicious egg-butter. It was golden yellow, smooth, sweet and creamy.”  I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering!

Next time I’ll share memories of  fun on the farm with Willie and her siblings.  And of course more delicious food.

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You're Not Too Old

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Great Aunt Willie (Part 2)

January 3, 2012

Last time I introduced you to my Great Aunt Willie.  What an inspiration! In Part 2 of this series, I give you more Great Aunt Willie – this time in her own words.  You see, some years back she wrote her “story”.  Isn’t that what makes life so grand?  Everyone has a story. So sit back and enjoy some of the excerpts in her own words . . . (of course I’ll narrate some in between)

Willie’s story starts appropriately with her birth. “As I remember, it was a cold night, February 9, 1922, that a beautiful baby girl made her grand entry into the home of Zeke and Nora Nixon.”  (Zeke and Nora Nixon were my own Granny and Grandpa and I have wonderful fond memories of them).  Back to the story . . .

Willie was the last child born in this large family that already had seven children; 6 girls and 1 boy.  She wrote, “What a racket!  I knew they were excited, but not necessarily from sheer joy.  It meant growing up a little faster and making room for one more in a house already bursting at the seams.  Of course it didn’t take long to realize the seventh daughter was a real charmer.”

We’ll fast forward 3 years as Willie tells about their big move.  “Papa” was a farmer and was given an opportunity to farm 240 acres; it was 120 miles from where they lived.  But away they went, managing to move everything they owned with a Ford truck and 3 wagons traveling those 120 miles all on dirt roads.

Can you just picture this?  The oldest child was 14 (my own grandma Allen), with the rest of the Nixon children stair-stepping down to the 3 year old (Willie); traveling that distance without cell phones, no mp3, CDs or DVD players in the car, no Rest Areas, no restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or a motel to sleep at night?

Anyway back to the story . . .

“It was a splendid place.  The house had three rooms.  The kitchen was large.  We had a very long table that seated many people.  What a place for kids.  We had a big red barn with a hay loft.  There was an orchard, an elm grove and mulberry trees.  The Washita River ran through the middle of the farm.  There was a bridge high above the river.  There was a smoke house, a two seater outhouse, a long chicken house and other necessities, like a storm cellar, an earthen silo, a windmill, a cement watering trough for the livestock, a cistern. . . ” (Do you hear more stories coming in Part 3?)

They had several cows.  Some of the milk was run through a separator and the thick cream went into a tall in can to be hauled to the market; while the skimmed milk was fed to the pigs.

“We drank whole milk, rich and sweet.  We always kept plenty of cream to churn for butter.  That was a job for a small child.”  (Remember Willie was the baby of the family here).  She goes on to say, “My arms ached from up-down, up-down, until butter formed at the top. It was a tall crock churn with a wooden dasher.  I had the lid off half the time to see if anything was happening.”  (Mama, hasn’t it turned to butter yet?)  “What a sight – yellow, sweet butter floating on the top.  It was lifted from the churn, washed, pressed to get excess moisture out, salted and put into a large bowl.  Churning was almost a daily job; butter disappeared so fast at our house with all the hot biscuits, corn bread and about once a week, light bread.”

And oh the food . . .

“I really didn’t mind chicken most days, especially if it was fried.  There was fresh corn, string beans, green peas, black-eyed peas, beets, new potatoes, okra, melons, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, onions and much more.”

I’m guessing that the chicken was fried in lard since they raised pigs. (Lard, whole milk, butter, cream and two of the Nixon children are still alive at ages 90 and 96!  Pass the butter please!)

“We watched the corn, and as soon as it was eatable, Mama picked the tender ears that were scarcely more than blisters.  With fresh sweet butter, one could eat half a dozen.  Creamed corn was also a specialty of hers.  She cut the corn from many cobs, than scraped the cobs to get the sweet milk-like juice.  Then, with loads of butter and cream, it bubbled over the fire just a little while.  With a pinch of flour to thicken, it was sooo good.”

To be continued . . . stay tuned for some of the fun adventures of Willie as a young girl growing up in the 1920s and 1930s.  Willie will also treat you to some of the old fashioned “remedies”.  And of course more real farm fresh food!

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You're Not Too Old

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Great Aunt Willie (Part 1)

December 12, 2011

Do you get totally inspired by healthy steadfast women who are “older than the hills”?  Well, let me tell you about my Great Aunt Willie!

I was catching up with some distant relatives after a funeral last week.  As the fellowship hall of the church was filling with the noise of cousins and family and friends, I had the most amazing conversation with my Great Aunt Willie!

You see, my Aunt Willie is two months shy of 90 years old!  She sure doesn’t look or act that old.  In fact if you were to guess her age, you’d swear she’s only 65 or maybe 70 years old; a spring to her step, minimal wrinkles and a rosy glow to her complexion.

Oh, but that’s not the best part of my visit with this amazing lady!

As we were standing there chatting, oh maybe 10 minutes had passed, I thought I should ask if she’d like to sit down.  “Oh no,” she said.  “I get stiff when I sit down.”  So we continued to stand and talk.  Never mind that my own lower back was aching; but you know, there was absolutely no way that I was going to wimp out.

Not to say that she hasn’t had a little help along the way; a pin in a leg bone, two knee surgeries and a little work on both shoulders; other than that she is fit as a fiddle. (As an aside, I know plenty of people half her age who’ve had those kinds of surgeries!) She lives alone having lost her husband about 8 years ago.  Except for the yard work she does everything herself. She says she even drives her car some locally – but not long distances.

Still this isn’t what amazes me.

Don’t stop reading now, it gets even better . . . You’ll want to read this to the very end for the full picture.

Well, the Nutritional Therapist in me was curious about how she could be so healthy and vibrant at age 90.  And wondering if I could be like her 35 years from now when I’m 90 . . .

She beat me to the question about exercise; she told me she does water aerobics 3 or 4 times a week, and has done so for many, many years.  She told me that’s the secret of a strong body – always stay active.

When I asked her what she eats, she said, “whatever I want.”  Although she didn’t go into detail, I’m fairly sure she eats a nutrient dense diet.  After all she was raised in the era of large families, an abundance of fresh veggies from huge gardens, home grown and game meats and down home cooking.

At almost 90, just as I expected, butter and eggs still make a regular appearance in her diet.  And she confided in me that she has a sweet tooth and enjoys desserts.  She doesn’t have a weight problem; in fact she looks terrific.  So I’m guessing that she’s good at balancing those sweets with wholesome foods in her diet.

Since she eats what she wants, I questioned her digestion.  Nope, she said she doesn’t have any digestive issues either.

However, she did tell me that a few years back she lost unexpected weight and finally went to the doctor.  She had H. pylori and was given meds to keep that under control.  Other than that, she says the only other medication she takes is something for her arthritis (well, yes, of course – at 90 years old, who wouldn’t have a little pain and stiffness).  How many people do you know only taking 1 or 2 prescriptions, much less at 90 years old?

Awhile back she said she had some rather severe airborne allergies and someone suggested that she should take 100 mg Vitamin C once every hour.  So that’s what she did for about a month.  And just like that – allergies gone!  She now takes 1,000 mg Vitamin C every day of her life.

Other supplements she told me she takes: Omega 3s (fish oil), Chondroitin, Calcium and Vitamin B Complex (she said, “B Vitamins keep neuralgia away”).

Oh, and get this: Aunt Willie mentioned that it’s time to schedule her checkup, since it’s been a year since she’s seen the doctor!  I don’t know about you, but I’m lovin’ this!

Here’s the part that amazed me; not only her physical health, but her vibrant mental health.

Aunt Willie is one very optimistic lady! She says she never gets depressed.  She has a contagious laugh.  And that sparkle in her eyes makes me curious; I wonder if she likes to play tricks and practical jokes on those close to her.

But by far the most important thing she told me was, “it’s all about attitude!”  Never let anything get you down.  She’s always been active in her church, and I understand she is considered a mighty prayer warrior.   Although she didn’t feel the need to tell me, I already know that she has a personal running dialog with God; and in my opinion, this alone I’m sure has a lot to do with her right attitude.

I feel so blessed to have had a chance to see and talk with my Great Aunt Willie.  And I hope that you too have been blessed by my ramblings of this lovely lady, so content and happy and healthy and actually looking forward to her 90th birthday this February!

May we all be inspired to do what we need to do to live in great health well into our 90s!

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You're Not Too Old

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50 Ways to Cope With Stress

November 15, 2011

I recently saw this on Facebook and decided to share it.  Thanks go to Holistic Hottie and “Mind Food” for this wonderful selection of coping with stress.

Get up 15 minutes earlier.  Prepare for the morning the night before.  Don’t rely on your memory … write things down.  Repair things that don’t work properly.  Make duplicate keys.  Say “No” more often.  Set priorities in your life.  Avoid negative people.  Always make copies of important papers.  Ask for help with jobs you dislike.  Break large tasks into bite sized portions.   Look at problems as challenges.  Smile more.  Be prepared for rain.  Schedule a play time into every day.  Avoid tight fitting clothes.  Take a bubble bath.  Believe in you.  Visualize yourself winning.  Develop a sense of humor.  Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today.  Have goals for yourself.  Say hello to a stranger.  Look up at the stars.  Practice breathing slowly.  Do brand new things.  Stop a bad habit.  Take stock of your achievements.  Do it today.  Strive for excellence, NOT perfection.  Look at a work of art.  Maintain your weight.  Plant a tree.  Stand up and stretch.  Always have a Plan B.  Learn a new doodle.  Learn to meet your own needs.  Become a better listener.  Know your limitations and let other know them too. Throw a better airplane.  Exercise every day.  Get to work early.  Clean out one closet.  Take a different route to work.  Leave work early (with permission).  Remember you always have options.  Quit trying to “fix” other people.  Get enough Sleep.  Praise other people.  Relax, take each day at a time … you have the rest of your life to live.

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A Calorie . . . Is A Calorie . . . . Is A Calorie . . . NOT!

November 5, 2011

Do you count calories?  I don’t.  Oh many years ago when I was a teenager I counted them.  1,000 calories and I’d lose weight.  Hey, at only 1,000 calories of course I lost weight.

Back then we were told that a calorie was a unit of energy.  It didn’t matter where those calories came from.  Of course if you wanted to save some of those calories for dessert, then by all means DO NOT eat the fat because after all, everyone knew that fat has twice the calories per gram as carbohydrates.

So I often saved up enough calories for an after dinner treat – a $100,000 candy bar (later renamed 100 Grand).  I could make that candy last an hour!  But if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have been a calorie counter.  Instead I would have considered the nutrients in those calories.

Calories were all about a taste in my mouth, and a half pound up or down on the scales the next morning.  I didn’t know that a calorie is not a true measure of nourishment!  Well, of course I knew I needed to eat vegetables, and I loved canned green beans (shhh, I still do!).  I always had some carrots and potatoes with our Sunday dinner pot roast.  And once a week our family had homemade tacos with iceberg lettuce, onion and tomatoes.

Heck, in high school I thought I got all the nutrients I needed first thing in the morning with my Carnation Instant Breakfast (a forerunner of SlimFast and Ensure) – Yikes!

Now I look at foods differently.  I strive to provide my body with nutrient dense foods that will keep me healthy.  Foods that are naturally packed with anti-aging nourishment like:

  • Farm fresh eggs that are high in antioxidants for the eyes and cholesterol for hormone balance.
  • Raw whole milk with live enzymes, calcium, minerals and fatty acid co-factors for healthy heart, hormones, bones, and more.
  • High quality fats like butter and coconut oil, both known to help your immune system.
  • Local organic veggies and fruits in season are a great source of minerals and antioxidants.
  • Foods that promote gut health such as yogurt and kefir.

These are just a few examples of foods that reach down deep to nourish your cells.

But not only that, real foods are real satisfying; and they taste real great!

No, I don’t count calories.  My day isn’t defined as good or bad by how many calories I consumed.  That’s no way to live.

Do you have a few (or maybe a lot more!) pounds to lose? I challenge you to make it your highest priority that your “diet” (weight loss or maintenance) is truly nourishing your body.

After all it’s the only body you’ll have.  Treat it well now so you’ll stay healthy enough to age gracefully.

Will you accept this challenge?

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Eating and Living Right

October 24, 2011

Eating and Living Right is a Process . . .

It is NOT All or Nothing

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I can fall into the trap of “all or nothing”. Whether it is an exercise commitment, eating more veggies every day, cutting out the dessert. Whatever it is I set out to do, my plan is executed with great enthusiasm. I carry it out for days, weeks, months. I feel good about myself. Then something happens that gets me off track. With the occasional slip, I usually bounce back fairly quickly.

However, sometimes I fall prey to believing the lie I tell myself – what I call “The Excuse”. It’s usually a wimpy excuse; it’s too hot to cook, there’s company coming, it’s Thanksgiving, it’s Christmas, I’m too busy. That “fill-in-the-blank” excuse could be practically anything. And it doesn’t seem to take much sometimes to fool myself into believing the lie. (You’d think I would have learned this by now!)

Oh, having an excuse to loosen up a bit, in and of itself, isn’t really the issue here. What’s life it I can’t let my hair down once in awhile? No, my problem with this is that it’s very easy to allow “The Excuse” to linger far longer than it should. And that’s a classic case of the all-or-nothing mentality.

So instead of beating myself up when occasionally ”The Excuse” goes on for weeks, I need to remind myself that I am human. Humans slip up now and then. But that doesn’t define me! Neither does it define you!

Eating and living right really is a life long process. When what we do 80% of the time is right, then we shouldn’t allow the 20% to become a stressor! In fact, if we “plan” to relax with our diet for a weekend, or a week, or a holiday, we should enjoy every morsel of food that we are indulging it. Then stop lying to ourselves; it’s not all-or-nothing, it’s really about the process of living, loving (including ourselves) and enjoying life.

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You’re Not Too Old

October 20, 2011

I’m just shy of my 55th birthday, but by golly, I’m Not Too Old!

How about you?  Do you hear the words, ”I’m too old” coming from your mouth?

Well, I’m here to tell you that we need to stop making that an excuse!

The other day I was on a blog and was so struck by the comments from the readers, I decided to borrow some of the comments to encourage you that “We’re Not Too Old to Follow Our Dreams”.

Sit back and enjoy and hopefully get as inspired as I did reading them!

  • What am I here to do now? What will give me meaning now? What do I have to share with the world?
  • I have put the fear of being too old, being poor and being independent aside to follow my dreams. I didn’t want to look back at my life when I’ll be 70 and say, “I should have done that when I was younger” NOW is the time to take the steps towards my dream life.
  • You are never too old to do anything. If it is in your heart, the universe will follow your lead!
  • The net will be there when you decide to leap into your dreams. It’s just how the universe works.
  • I am creating my life as I want it to be, not being defined by nor confined to some arbitrary limit imposed by the limited thinking of others.
  • Will you regret not doing it later? Then what are you waiting for? The days of your life are clicking away!
  • This gal is planning on taking the lessons, wisdom, and passion for learning, and enter the later half of my centennial life with gusto and a huge smile!
  • Just put your head down, figure out the steps you need to take, close your eyes and GO!
  • So just focus on your passion, expect great things to happen and follow your dream.
  • Be Focused, Be Determined, Be Confident, Be Happy and Be Expectant.
  • I attended a university with a classmate who was 80! We all thought she was fantastic!
  • Thanks to losing my job I was able to start on this path I’m on now!!
  • Letting go of the fear and uncertainty is the challenge and the goal. I guess my past experience has shown me that when the desire is strongest and the opportunity is right, it will happen.

 

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You're Not Too Old

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