Sexy – Not What You Thought
Conjure up sexy? Fast switchover to dreams of Keanu Reeves, solid hugs, mischievous smiles, nape nibbles, butterfly whispers, barefoot sands, sole strokes, succulent smoothies and nearby nourishment for the mind, body and soul.
That’s exactly where my neighbor “V” spotted me, at the entrance to our neighborhood health food store.
“Hi Hila! I saw you approaching from the distance. You look incredible, sexy. I don’t know what it is that you are doing, but it sure works…”
I chuckled as the raves kept coming in.
“Enough already! Come again tomorrow with some more…”
All the way home I could not stop wondering, why of all words did she choose “sexy”? It was certainly an odd choice for one woman to applaud another. Sexy? For some reason, perhaps because of the current “Me Too” culture, this word conjured up catcalling and inappropriate behavior.
I mulled over the word. Sexy as a word from my lover is warm and gushy, totally appropriate. Sexy as a word from “V”? I didn’t quite know where to file it.
My thoughts wandered freely between the gray spaces, folds and crevices above. If the word was indeed a woman to woman compliment, then what exactly was its essence? After brief speculation the mystery dissipated.
Sexy: Woman to Woman
Self love and acceptance
Comfortable in her own skin
Positivity and vibrancy
Beguiling smile
Radiant health
Self confidence
Movement Liberates
Nevertheless, I was unable to rid myself of that nagging need to know why “V” chose “sexy”. I mustered up the courage and reached out. I was delighted to learn that the past few years she has been dancing with Galit Liss. Currently she is participating in the performance Go at the Suzanne Dellal Center, a salute to the mature woman’s body danced by 60-82 year older women.
Movement Creates Change
“ Slow slow, quick quick.”
If I were to choose the first definitive step towards vibrant health, it was without a doubt on the dancefloor. I began dancing Nia as well as ballroom dancing with my husband. I can quote my daughter who said: “suddenly you are doing things freely with joy and grace”. After this first step out onto the dance floor the next moves flowed with ease.
At times we move from slow to quick and follow with a wild sprint, adopting a frenzied and reckless pace by any standard.
After allowing my darling to lead on the dancefloor (no small feat for moi…), I once again took control, this time full speed ahead on my Vitamix (blender).
I found myself packing enormous amounts of healthy greens and other goodness into that 2-liter container. Manifestation madness, do tell!
More greens, more health, right?
If I was told that parsley was particularly healthy and should consume it on a daily basis, it received a place of honor in my smoothie. I never fancied parsley and would pick it off my plate, however, a handful of parsley now found its way to my blender daily. Chia, you say? To the blender at once! I found myself abundantly stuffing every healthy alternative into the blender, my salad and onto my plate. I couldn’t help but think that I must not leave any one out. There was room for all.
Without warning my body became a haven for pain.
Its path was relentlessly intimate, bold and breathless. I was rendered helpless as it laced itself tautly to the width and breadth of me. I had no clue what was happening, but desperately tried to remain calm.
I felt its grip at random. One minute it was my hands or shoulders, the next it could be in the kidney area, my legs or my feet. The pain on the heel of my left foot, however, was incessant. With hesitation and trepidation, I cautiously moved. Each step felt like there was a mountain of jagged broken glass under my foot.
From time to time, deep within my vagina a shock of pain (vulvodynia) would zap me. I could not bear it in silence and my sudden loud cries would shoot out of nowhere.
After two major surgeries and a double bout of triple antibiotic therapy, the second major stride towards vibrant health was the adoption of a healthy green morning smoothie habit.
More greens, more health, or so I thought. Unable to connect the dots, I upped my smoothie. Surprisingly enough (or not!) the pain did not subside.
I befriended my pain. Each new pain was a challenge. I would take a deep breath as I promised myself: “I can learn to live with yet another trespasser.” In the end I could take it no longer and made it my mission to solve the mystery.
Meet Oxalic Acid
I “googled” far, deep into the web and found the root of my predicament, oxalic acid. Delighted (not) to make its acquaintance. Oxalates are found mostly in the plant world and wouldn’t you know it, but many of the healthiest greens, foods and superfoods are laden with it?!
A low oxalate diet is defined as an intake of 40-60 mg/day. The total oxalate value of a typical green smoothie on the web can contain over 200 milligrams of oxalate. If one were to drink the whole blender (a common practice amongst us “health junkies” (or “health chuggies”!). that would be equivalent to almost 4 times the recommended amount per day and if one were to drink only 1 out of the 4 servings, the recommended amount per day would be finished in that serving.
If we were to substitute lettuce for spinach and pumpkin seeds for brazil nuts, the oxalic value per blender would drop from 210 mg to 29 mg or from 53 mg to 7 mg per serving. This would be a sharp reduction from 350% of the recommended oxalate intake to just 12%.
Oxalates are a simple molecule (C₂O₄2−) and are found within our food, mainly those which are plant based. Oxalates are a personal bodyguard of sorts within the plant world. They provide protection against grazing “predators” of sorts.
I wrote a blog post about my journey of pain, oxalates – what they are and who might be unable to dispose of this toxic waste. I invite you to read the post here or in the following exert.
Oxalate toxicity or even oxalate poisoning is a well-known occurrence. Both veterinary clinics and ERs are well acquainted with this phenomenon.
Our wondrous body has the ability to stay out of harm’s way. Our gut is designed to eliminate oxalates, and when these three conditions are met virtually little oxalate is absorbed:
1 Uncompromised metabolism
2 Healthy gut flora
3 Host nutrition free of oxalate overloadWhen these conditions are met, bacteria within the gut will digest the oxalates and the waste will be disposed via the stool.
However, failure to meet any of these conditions leads to a volatile conclusion. As the oxalate molecule has two free ions (-ve), it is highly unstable. These free ions will easily pair with their opposite match. Thus, the oxalates will rapidly bond to free metal ions (+ve) and crystalize into solids such as calcium-oxalate (CaC₂O₄), iron oxalate or magnesium oxalate. This phenomenon is well known as kidney stones; however, the havoc that these crystals create within the soft tissues and other organs of our bodies is relatively unfamiliar.
Oxalic Acid is not sexy not by any manner of means!
Even with good health and a plate full of “sexy” nutritious foods, foods with high levels of oxalic acid, our bodies may react fiercely in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: kidney stones, crystals within soft tissue and internal body parts (even heart and brain), fibromyalgia, vulvodynia, BPS, depression, arthritis, gut issues and developmental problems (even autism).
Unfortunately, most health and medical professionals are unaware of the connection between these conditions and the foods that we consume.
Sexy Smoothies – The Complete Manual
Follow these simple guidelines:
Expose Less. Don’t pack crazy assortments of A-Z greens; don’t double and triple quantities.
Keep Them Guessing. Rotate; don’t replay yesterday’s blend again and again.
Engage in Foreplay. Take your time. As a good wine, remember color, swirl, smell, taste, and savor. Breathe.
Know Your Partner. Knowledge is protection. Know the big players with the highest oxalate numbers and be aware of good alternatives.
Studs Strike Out. Eat sparingly (if at all) greens (superfoods and other foods) known to have super high oxalate values.
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“Who saves a single life, saves the entire world."
Further information as well as detailed tables with oxalate values can be found in these two sites:
1 www.lowoxalate.info
2 www.thevpfoundation.org
If you have not yet read about the rocky part of my journey, you can read it here.
I would like to thank you for your patience in reading this post to its end.
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Join me: CHOOSE abundant whole health!
You Tell Your Future – The Power is Ours!
Imagine you had a looking glass where for a very short window of time you could observe, live the final moment, day, year or years of your life. The picture that you see is clear. Startled, you clearly do not like what you see. A wave of sadness and fright paralyzes you.
