S.R. Booth's Blog, page 14
July 8, 2014
Spirulina and Chlorella 7/8/14
I'm just updating my Spirulina/Chlorella experiment. My package arrived a day early (how often does that happen? Yay!) so I was able to start taking both of these on July 1st. When I opened the containers, both products were beautiful, deep green colors and looked like they just had to be healthy!
The chlorella is much more palatable to be than the spirulina. The chlorella has a mild grassy/seaweed taste. The spirulina is a little harder to get down with a very pronounced taste of the sea.
I put approximately 1/4 teaspoon of each into a glass with about an inch of filtered water in it. I let it set for a minute then swirled the glass to mix everything together. I was tempted to down it but have read it's good to swirl things in your mouth a bit to let your digestive fluids get started on them before they hit your stomach. So I swished and swirled before swallowing and while it wasn't delicious, it wasn't too bad either.
A lot of the green powder was stuck to the edge of my glass when I finished so I added a bit more water and swirled it around then downed the remainder. Spirulina and Chlorella aren't cheap, I sure don't want to wash any more down the drain than I have to.
I really want to say I've had a little bit more energy than usual. Or maybe more ambition might be more accurate. The second day I started my day with this drink and after breakfast I was out washing the car. (Which is a rare occurrence for me. ; >( ) But I'm not bouncing off the walls with energy, it's a barely perceptible increase.
The downside is that I've had a sore throat since I started taking it... Ugh! I've increased my dose to 1/2 teaspoon each and I've taken it every day. I hope the sore throat is a good sign—maybe I'm detoxing??? I'm worried that maybe I'm sensitive to one or other of the products. I'll keep taking the combo a few more days and if my throat is still sore (or if anything else negative seems to happen) I'll probably cut out the spirulina for a few days and see how I feel. I plan to eliminate the spiurlina first simply because I've read more negative reactions from it than from chlorella.
Well, this isn't the report that I wanted to write. After a whole week of taking these, even at a low dose, I was hoping to be able to say they were a miracle cure ; >) Maybe I'll be able to say that after 2 weeks...
Have you ever taken either or both of these? What did you think?
The chlorella is much more palatable to be than the spirulina. The chlorella has a mild grassy/seaweed taste. The spirulina is a little harder to get down with a very pronounced taste of the sea.
I put approximately 1/4 teaspoon of each into a glass with about an inch of filtered water in it. I let it set for a minute then swirled the glass to mix everything together. I was tempted to down it but have read it's good to swirl things in your mouth a bit to let your digestive fluids get started on them before they hit your stomach. So I swished and swirled before swallowing and while it wasn't delicious, it wasn't too bad either.
A lot of the green powder was stuck to the edge of my glass when I finished so I added a bit more water and swirled it around then downed the remainder. Spirulina and Chlorella aren't cheap, I sure don't want to wash any more down the drain than I have to.
I really want to say I've had a little bit more energy than usual. Or maybe more ambition might be more accurate. The second day I started my day with this drink and after breakfast I was out washing the car. (Which is a rare occurrence for me. ; >( ) But I'm not bouncing off the walls with energy, it's a barely perceptible increase.
The downside is that I've had a sore throat since I started taking it... Ugh! I've increased my dose to 1/2 teaspoon each and I've taken it every day. I hope the sore throat is a good sign—maybe I'm detoxing??? I'm worried that maybe I'm sensitive to one or other of the products. I'll keep taking the combo a few more days and if my throat is still sore (or if anything else negative seems to happen) I'll probably cut out the spirulina for a few days and see how I feel. I plan to eliminate the spiurlina first simply because I've read more negative reactions from it than from chlorella.
Well, this isn't the report that I wanted to write. After a whole week of taking these, even at a low dose, I was hoping to be able to say they were a miracle cure ; >) Maybe I'll be able to say that after 2 weeks...
Have you ever taken either or both of these? What did you think?
July 5, 2014
4th of July
Hope everyone had a wonderful, safe 4th of July!
July 1, 2014
Spirulina and Chlorella
I'm on a quest to discover the truth behind these two products. At least the truth for me. I've read over and over how these products have changed lives for the better by improving so many different health issues.
I've also read about, Spirulina especially, causing health issues: Headaches, stomach cramps, diarrhea.
I know everyone is affected differently depending on what their body needs at the time. My hope is that my body needs some algae!
I've ordered the powdered form of both Spirulina and Chlorella (I have a terrible time choking pills down). My shipment was supposed to be here today but because of thunderstorms it's now scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
I have very mixed emotions at the moment. I'm hoping and praying that these things will improve my health issues, but I have to admit I'm a little worried that I just wasted my money...I'm known for reacting 'backwards' from what's expected from some things. Like fish oil and even plant based Omega 3s make me stiff. (And they are known for reducing stiffness!)
I'm planning to start with 1/4 teaspoon of each, probably mixed in juice. I'll continue that for a few days and make sure I'm not having any negative side effects. If all goes well, I'll then increase the does, just a bit.
I'm very impatient and would love to take a heaping tablespoon of both the minute I get them, but I've learned the hard way that even with something healthy, too much is just too much. So I'll make myself start slow, and I'll report my findings here once I know something!
I've also read about, Spirulina especially, causing health issues: Headaches, stomach cramps, diarrhea.
I know everyone is affected differently depending on what their body needs at the time. My hope is that my body needs some algae!
I've ordered the powdered form of both Spirulina and Chlorella (I have a terrible time choking pills down). My shipment was supposed to be here today but because of thunderstorms it's now scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
I have very mixed emotions at the moment. I'm hoping and praying that these things will improve my health issues, but I have to admit I'm a little worried that I just wasted my money...I'm known for reacting 'backwards' from what's expected from some things. Like fish oil and even plant based Omega 3s make me stiff. (And they are known for reducing stiffness!)
I'm planning to start with 1/4 teaspoon of each, probably mixed in juice. I'll continue that for a few days and make sure I'm not having any negative side effects. If all goes well, I'll then increase the does, just a bit.
I'm very impatient and would love to take a heaping tablespoon of both the minute I get them, but I've learned the hard way that even with something healthy, too much is just too much. So I'll make myself start slow, and I'll report my findings here once I know something!
June 22, 2014
June 21, 2014
MSG Remedy? Maybe!
If you haven't read my post about 'possible' MSG poisoning you might want to start here. The day after my experience, I felt a lot better, but I was still short of breath and uncomfortable overall. That evening I ran to the store and picked up a small container or Cream of Tarter since it is considered a possible remedy for MSG poisoning.
I came home and added 1/2 a teaspoon to a glass of water and then did my best to choke it down. It is tart! I waited patiently for it to work its magic and noticed absolutely nothing ; >(
The next day I bought Taurine, another amino acid that is supposed to balance MSG naturally. I took just one when I got home, even though the container said I could take up to four a day. I certainly didn't want to overdose and end up with Taurine poisoning! Anyway, within an hour or so of taking the one capsule I was able to breathe much easier!
I know this isn't scientifically proven with lab results or anything, but I really believe the Taurine helped counteract the MSG. So far, I've continued taking one Taurine capsule daily and haven't noticed any problems.
I would really, really like to try taking gelatin again for all of the amazing health benefits it offers. I'm a little too leery to try it just yet, but when I do get up the nerve to give it another shot, I'll be sure to take it with Taurine. (And I'll let you know how it goes ; >)
Have to add the disclaimer that this is not health advice, just my own personal experience.
I came home and added 1/2 a teaspoon to a glass of water and then did my best to choke it down. It is tart! I waited patiently for it to work its magic and noticed absolutely nothing ; >(
The next day I bought Taurine, another amino acid that is supposed to balance MSG naturally. I took just one when I got home, even though the container said I could take up to four a day. I certainly didn't want to overdose and end up with Taurine poisoning! Anyway, within an hour or so of taking the one capsule I was able to breathe much easier!
I know this isn't scientifically proven with lab results or anything, but I really believe the Taurine helped counteract the MSG. So far, I've continued taking one Taurine capsule daily and haven't noticed any problems.
I would really, really like to try taking gelatin again for all of the amazing health benefits it offers. I'm a little too leery to try it just yet, but when I do get up the nerve to give it another shot, I'll be sure to take it with Taurine. (And I'll let you know how it goes ; >)
Have to add the disclaimer that this is not health advice, just my own personal experience.
June 16, 2014
$.99 Sale Today!
Scinegue is a Kindle Countdown Deal June 18th - June 23rd.
$.99 isn't a bad deal for a 300 page book! ; >)
If you prefer paperback, that is available, too, and you can download a free Kindle version of Scinegue with your purchase of the paperback! You might want to gift a copy to a friend and still be able to keep one for yourself!
$.99 isn't a bad deal for a 300 page book! ; >)
If you prefer paperback, that is available, too, and you can download a free Kindle version of Scinegue with your purchase of the paperback! You might want to gift a copy to a friend and still be able to keep one for yourself!
Sale!
Scinegue will be a Kindle Countdown deal starting June 18th - June 23rd.
$.99 isn't a bad deal for a 300 page book! ; >)
If you prefer paperback that is available too but it's a little bit more expensive. ; > (
$.99 isn't a bad deal for a 300 page book! ; >)
If you prefer paperback that is available too but it's a little bit more expensive. ; > (
June 11, 2014
Cover Reveal—I just. Can't. Wait!
I have a shiny new cover that I am so excited to show off, and yet, with all of the delays in releasing The Forest I've kept it all to myself for months now. (Well, unless you happened to get a peek at the back of the Scinegue paperback ; >)
I love this cover for several reasons. It really is bright and shiny. The cover designer captured just what I wanted on the very first try. And, most fun of all, one of my very best friends took the actual photo of the forest used on the cover and kindly consented to let me use it for this book. She takes amazing photos, and I incorporated this photo into the story.
The Forest still has a ways to go on editing, but I'll have it published just as soon as I can. For now, here's the gorgeous cover!
I love this cover for several reasons. It really is bright and shiny. The cover designer captured just what I wanted on the very first try. And, most fun of all, one of my very best friends took the actual photo of the forest used on the cover and kindly consented to let me use it for this book. She takes amazing photos, and I incorporated this photo into the story.
The Forest still has a ways to go on editing, but I'll have it published just as soon as I can. For now, here's the gorgeous cover!
June 9, 2014
Gelatin and ... MSG?
I'll admit I'm super sensitive to a lot of things, and I react completely opposite than almost everyone else in the world to others. But I'm going to write about my experience with gelatin just for anyone else who is super sensitive like me—and might not realize it.
I've read a lot about gelatin and love all of the amazing things it is supposed to do. Not only is it supposed to be good for you, producing amazing hair and wrinkle-free skin (okay, I'm exaggerating a little bit, but it is supposed to help with wrinkles) it also has numerous health benefits. It's said to help heal leaky and cure allergies. I've also read it helps with thyroid function.
I've always seen a warning that gelatin is a source of naturally occurring MSG but usually with the disclaimer that although the person writing the article is sensitive to MSG they do not have a reaction to gelatin.
Well, I'm pretty sure I did. I think I just ended up with too much MSG in my system at one time. I ate Chinese food Friday night for dinner. I ate the yummy leftovers for lunch Saturday.
Chinese food is a known culprit when it comes to containing MSG, but I don't think it has ever bothered me. (Sometimes it's hard to tell what caused a reaction since it usually doesn't occur immediately.) I think taking the gelatin when I most likely already had more MSG than normal in my system pushed my body over the edge.
Saturday evening I made a cup of hot chocolate with a heaping teaspoon of gelatin. It wasn't the best thing I've ever had, but it wasn't bad. At bed time I had another heaping teaspoon of gelatin in coconut milk. (Gelatin is also supposed to help you get a good night's sleep.)
Sunday morning I realized I was short of breath. Not the strangest thing in the world for me, unfortunately. It happens occasionally, and I usually don't know what causes it. Sunday after lunch I had yet another heaping teaspoon of gelatin and shortly after I felt horrible. I was so short of breath that just saying a few words left me winded. I was dizzy when I stood up, and my muscles felt so weak it was hard to move.
I took a nap Sunday afternoon because I was pretty miserable. When I woke up (still very short of breath, irritable and just not feeling good) I hit the internet. I hadn't made the MSG connection yet and thought I could be low on iron (which I have been before). I even thought I might be low on Potassium since I supplement with Magnesium on a fairly regular basis but don't eat many high potassium foods. I finally tried to figure out what I had done differently and hit on the gelatin. Yep, a little more research showed MSG can cause all of the symptoms I was experiencing!
I found some great remedies for MSG poisoning online. One is a teaspoon of cream of tarter in water. Another is Taurine (another amino acid which usually occurs with MSG in nature and helps keep it in balance.) Since I didn't have either of those things on hand, I ended up taking an antihistamine. Within an hour I was breathing easier, and by this morning I feel back to normal.
No, I don't have any proof that MSG was really the culprit, but I have enough evidence to convince myself it very likely was. The next time I find myself short of breath, the first thing I'm going to do is look for an MSG connection.
So if you find yourself with similar symptoms (or any others from the list of MSG symptoms) it might be related to something you ate which contained MSG. Lots of fast food and almost all processed foods have at least some MSG. Oh, and so does gelatin of course. ; >)
This is one of the sites I looked at when searching for more information on MSG:
http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/141-how-msg-monosodium-glutamate-is-hidden-in-your-foods-and-its-antidote-taurine.html
It has a long list of MSG symptoms which is good to keep in mind.
I am in no way vouching for the information on that site nor is this post meant to be medical advice. It was simply an account of my reaction. Always do your own research.
***and I could be totally wrong in my thought that MSG caused this. It's just the most logical conclusion I've come up with so far. I certainly am not trying to give gelatin a bad name. I believe it is very health and sincerely hope I'll be able to try it again sometime.
I've read a lot about gelatin and love all of the amazing things it is supposed to do. Not only is it supposed to be good for you, producing amazing hair and wrinkle-free skin (okay, I'm exaggerating a little bit, but it is supposed to help with wrinkles) it also has numerous health benefits. It's said to help heal leaky and cure allergies. I've also read it helps with thyroid function.
I've always seen a warning that gelatin is a source of naturally occurring MSG but usually with the disclaimer that although the person writing the article is sensitive to MSG they do not have a reaction to gelatin.
Well, I'm pretty sure I did. I think I just ended up with too much MSG in my system at one time. I ate Chinese food Friday night for dinner. I ate the yummy leftovers for lunch Saturday.
Chinese food is a known culprit when it comes to containing MSG, but I don't think it has ever bothered me. (Sometimes it's hard to tell what caused a reaction since it usually doesn't occur immediately.) I think taking the gelatin when I most likely already had more MSG than normal in my system pushed my body over the edge.
Saturday evening I made a cup of hot chocolate with a heaping teaspoon of gelatin. It wasn't the best thing I've ever had, but it wasn't bad. At bed time I had another heaping teaspoon of gelatin in coconut milk. (Gelatin is also supposed to help you get a good night's sleep.)
Sunday morning I realized I was short of breath. Not the strangest thing in the world for me, unfortunately. It happens occasionally, and I usually don't know what causes it. Sunday after lunch I had yet another heaping teaspoon of gelatin and shortly after I felt horrible. I was so short of breath that just saying a few words left me winded. I was dizzy when I stood up, and my muscles felt so weak it was hard to move.
I took a nap Sunday afternoon because I was pretty miserable. When I woke up (still very short of breath, irritable and just not feeling good) I hit the internet. I hadn't made the MSG connection yet and thought I could be low on iron (which I have been before). I even thought I might be low on Potassium since I supplement with Magnesium on a fairly regular basis but don't eat many high potassium foods. I finally tried to figure out what I had done differently and hit on the gelatin. Yep, a little more research showed MSG can cause all of the symptoms I was experiencing!
I found some great remedies for MSG poisoning online. One is a teaspoon of cream of tarter in water. Another is Taurine (another amino acid which usually occurs with MSG in nature and helps keep it in balance.) Since I didn't have either of those things on hand, I ended up taking an antihistamine. Within an hour I was breathing easier, and by this morning I feel back to normal.
No, I don't have any proof that MSG was really the culprit, but I have enough evidence to convince myself it very likely was. The next time I find myself short of breath, the first thing I'm going to do is look for an MSG connection.
So if you find yourself with similar symptoms (or any others from the list of MSG symptoms) it might be related to something you ate which contained MSG. Lots of fast food and almost all processed foods have at least some MSG. Oh, and so does gelatin of course. ; >)
This is one of the sites I looked at when searching for more information on MSG:
http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/141-how-msg-monosodium-glutamate-is-hidden-in-your-foods-and-its-antidote-taurine.html
It has a long list of MSG symptoms which is good to keep in mind.
I am in no way vouching for the information on that site nor is this post meant to be medical advice. It was simply an account of my reaction. Always do your own research.
***and I could be totally wrong in my thought that MSG caused this. It's just the most logical conclusion I've come up with so far. I certainly am not trying to give gelatin a bad name. I believe it is very health and sincerely hope I'll be able to try it again sometime.
