Pick Your Own

My fall tradition, for the past seven years has been going to Larriland Farms in Howard County, MD. This year, I am thrilled to bring my two sons! It's a beautiful farm full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and wildflowers. You can pick your own from May-November every year.

Coming in October will be their famous pumpkin patches, amazing apple orchards, broccoli fields, straw maze, hay rides, and homemade apple cider. You and your family will have the best time there, guaranteed!

Here are some pictures from my son, Aiden's first time at Larriland.

For more information, be sure to visit www.pickyourown.com

Have fun!

Dr. M

The Green Festival is coming!

Washington DC Green Festival


Making positive change in our communities!


Saturday and Sunday, October 10-11


Washington Convention Center 


www.greenfestivals.org



We always hear that it’s easy being green. How come we never hear how fun it is? Join us at Green Festival for a great variety of fun and educational activities for the entire family:

• Delicious organic meals and snacks available all day—yum!

• Kids of all ages can explore the Organic Valley Green Kids’ Zone. Youths 18 and younger get in FREE!

• Your older kids will want to check out the Green Teen Pavilion, featuring safe cosmetics, make-your-own T-shirt shopping bags, and the latest in all-electric scooters and motorcycles.

• Sample organic, Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate—they really do taste better.

• Find out what’s working in our communities and communities a world away at the Fair Trade Pavilion.

• Dig in to the 13 insightful workshops at the Green Home Pavilion, where you’ll learn the best tips and tricks to go green and save green—for apartments, condos or houses.

• Enjoy live, local music all weekend.

• Meet your neighbors at the Community Action Center to get the scoop on the issues affecting your community, and learn more about green jobs.

• In our unique Green Marketplace with more than 350 green businesses, it’s easy go green, support the local economy and find that perfect something for that someone special.

• Take in happy hour at the organic beer and wine garden.

• Enjoy the yoga and dance classes for the whole family!

Visionary Speakers include . . .
Dr. Cornel West, Ed Begley, Jr., Amy Goodman, John Perkins, Lester Brown, Joel Salatin, Dolores Huerta, Eleanor Smeal, Medea Benjamin, Stuart Pimm, Otto Scharmer, Naomi Davis, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., David Orr, Kevin Danaher, Alisa Gravitz, Alan Greene, MD, and many more

PLUS...
It’s time to think holidays, and you’ll find exceptional deals on great gifts! Check out thousands of eco-friendly products and services screened for their commitment to people and the planet—everything from natural body products and organic cotton clothing to Fair Trade gifts and sustainable home remodeling materials.

Also available for you to get the most of your Green Festival experience: Green Festival Bookstore and Author Signings – ASL Interpretation – Electronics Recycling

To see the entire program of events, workshops, speakers and exhibitors - download the program guide at www.greenfestivals.org/downloads.



All at a nearly zero-waste event!

Live Green and Have Fun!

Dr. M

pH: The Numbers Don't Lie!

The pH of our bodily fluids is the key to understanding how healthy or unhealthy we are.  pH balancing is a measure of acidity and alkalinity. Everything can be measured on the pH scale with 1 being the most acidic, 14 being the most alkaline and 7, in the middle, is neutral.

Disease and inflammation can only exist in an acidic body. This is absolutely vital for us to understand. It doesn’t matter how many generations that have gone before you have had cancer or some other life threatening disease. If your body is in balance, that disease cannot exist in your body. The reason that so many people are suffering in this country with debilitating and life threatening diseases is that our bodies are so acidic.

Surely in America we should be eradicating disease. We should be boasting the best health in the world, but despite the billions of dollars that go into medical research, technology and hospitals each year, the health of this nation is in massive decline.

The reason is this. The acid-alkaline balance of our body is dependent on two primary factors; stress and nutrition, and here in America we are terrible at both!  Stress has an incredibly acidic effect on our bodies, creating an environment that invites sickness and disease. Also, the food we eat has either an acidic, neutral or alkaline effect on our bodies. When the bulk of our food has an acidic effect, the repercussions can be devastating.

The most acid forming foods and substances include; meat, dairy, sugar, most grains, most nuts, junk food, processed food, soda, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, chemical additives, preservatives, drugs and medications, synthetic vitamins.

Cooking our foods also makes them more acidic. Unfortunately, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is ridiculously high in extremely acid forming foods. The ideal diet would be 80% raw or lightly steamed vegetables and fruits, and 20% acid forming foods. Just take a look at your plate over the next week and see how close you get to these percentages. We do need some acid forming foods but just not in the quantities that most people consume them.

Once your body is in balance, symptoms of pain, sickness and depression can start to be naturally alleviated. Chasing symptoms doesn’t address the underlying cause. pH balancing gets to the root of the problem. It really is as simple as that!

Be well, Eat well, Live well,

Dr. M

Oh Boy!

Hello Everyone!

I am so excited to announce the birth of my second son, Peyton Grant Mowry. Born July 23, 2009 at 12:39pm, 7 pounds and 14 ounces, 20 inches long. I now am a proud mamma of two beautiful boys. My first son, Aiden is now 18 months old and he is the best big brother! There is nothing better than enjoying family time like we have in the last several weeks. As a new mom for the second time, I feel wonderful and energetic. This is an amazing time in my life and I couldn't be happier!

Some of you may have noticed I have slowed down a bit on my postings toward the end of my pregnancy and in the last couple of weeks... now you know why!

So, here are the latest photos of my two sons. Enjoy!

Dr. M

Go Raw, feel the difference!

Many people may come to the raw way of eating because it is an effective way to lose weight.  But that's not the only benefit of adopting this healthy lifestyle; the raw foods diet has been linked to more energy, healthier skin, a reduced risk of heart disease and better digestion. In addition, raw foods provide the following benefits:

• Raw foods are easy to digest
• Raw foods provide the maximum amount of energy with minimal bodily effort
• Raw foods have healing powers that can alleviate many illnesses from low energy, allergies, digestive disorders, weak immune system, high cholesterol, candida, to obesity & weight problems (weight normalization), etc.

Research and real life experiences have also shown that a person can prevent a body's healthy cells from turning into malignant cancerous cells by consuming mostly a raw food diet & whole organic foods. Phytonutrients (plant nutrients) are found in fresh, uncooked plant foods.  These nutrients include antioxidants and are important for prevention of disease, especially cancers.  When food is cooked (above 130 degrees Fahrenheit) many of the nutrients are destroyed and no longer available for use by your body (enzymes start dieing at 106 degrees Fahrenheit).

It is easy to get complete protein while eating a plant based diet, which includes 8 amino acids.  Plant proteins are easier to digest and don’t clog our arteries like animal proteins do.  That said, even if you still choose to consume some animal products, you will benefit from adding raw foods into your daily diet. 

What is Wrong with Cooked Foods?

Heat changes the makeup of food. Foods that have been heated have lost all of their life force, and their beneficial enzymes are destroyed. The digestive system has to work harder and longer to process cooked foods to get nutrition & energy from it. Once cooked, a food can lose up to 85 percent of its nutritional value. Raw foodists call that "dead food." Since we are essentially what we eat, consuming the dead energy of dead foods make our bodies feel heavy and stagnant.

So start today, incorporate some foods that are still living in your diet. Go to the produce stand and get yourself some good plants that you can munch on all well. Take small steps to incorporate Raw Food into your diet.

Some of my favorite products come from www.goraw.com

My favorite book is Ani's Raw Kitchen and Raw Food Real World.

Gazpacho is my favorite raw soup for the summer.

I will leave you with my top ten on why raw foods are good for you...

1.) Raw foods are better quality; therefore, you eat less to satisfy your nutritional needs. The heat of cooking depletes vitamins, damages proteins and fats, and destroys enzymes that benefit digestion. As your percentage of raw foods increases, you feel satisfied and have more energy on smaller meals because raw food has the best balance of water, nutrients, and fiber to meet your body's needs.

2.) Raw foods have more flavor than cooked foods, so there is no need to add salt, sugar, spices, or other condiments that can irritate your digestive system or over stimulate other organs.

3.) Raw foods take very little preparation, so you spend less time in the kitchen. Even a child of 5 or 6 can prepare most items for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This gives children a sense of self-esteem and independence, not to mention the break it gives Mom or Dad.

4.) When you are eating raw, there's little chance of burns, unless you're in the middle of a forest fire or out in the sun too long. Just think! No burns to tongues, the roof of your mouth, or fingers, and many fewer house fires.

5.) Cleaning up after a raw meal is a snap. No baked-on oils or crusty messes. And any inedible parts go directly to the compost pile.

6.) Eating a diet of raw foods can reverse or stop the advance of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Remember, cooking creates free radicals, which are the major cause of cancer. When you lower the number of free radicals your cells are bombarded with, you lower your risk of cancer.

7.) A raw food diet can protect you from acute diseases such as colds, flu, measles, etc. Raw foods maintain a healthy body, and a healthy body will not become diseased.

8.) As long as you combine raw food properly according to the rules of Natural Hygiene, you will soon reach a level where you no longer suffer from heartburn, gas, indigestion or constipation.

9.) It is environmentally sound. With humanity on a diet of raw foods, the food industry would close up shop and take up organic gardening. This would save us enormous amounts of natural resources used to produce power for these industries. Nuclear power would be clearly unnecessary. And think of how many trees and oil reserves could be saved without the need for the paper and plastics used in packaging our processed foods.There would also be less carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when all the cooking stopped. More oxygen would be produced from all the new orchards and gardens, thus helping to reverse the Greenhouse Effect.

10.) Eating raw saves you money on food, vitamins, pots and pans, appliances, doctor bills, drugs, and health insurance. So don't waste your food, yourself, and our planet by cooking what you eat. Fruits, nuts, and vegetables which are whole, fresh and raw are brimming with life and have the ability to transmit their life force directly to you.

Be well,

Dr. M

Why Grass-Fed?

Hello Everyone!

Your grill is probably getting fired up for this summer... and I want to help you out. This is a topic I could go on about forever, but to keep it short and sweet -- make sure you eat organic meat.

Remember that if you eat beef, chicken, or fish that was given antibiotics and steroids (an industry standard!) while being raised... you too are eating steroids and antibiotics! You are what you eat, and whatever your meat consumed while alive is exactly what's going in your body.

Why are girls getting their menstrual cycles at such young ages? Why do men have breasts? Why is menopause so hard? In short, the hormones in your meat!

Organic Grass fed beef is the best...and Organic Free Range Chickens are primo as well. Make sure that animal you are eating roamed the pasture and was happy prior to your consumption. Here's why:

Five Reasons Why You Should Switch to Organic Grass Fed Beef

1. Grass Fed Beef is healthier for you and your family.
If you are already worried about the effects of meat on you or your family's health, you can stop worrying! Pasture raised beef is lower in total fat than regular beef and is rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids!

2. There is a difference in taste between grain and pasture raised beef.
You'll probably be able to taste a difference with the first bite of a Texas grass fed beef hamburger. What you can taste is clean meat. You aren't consuming antibiotics and hormones.

3. Switching to grass fed beef can help to keep our environment clean.
All cattle eat a lot, and all cattle make a lot of waste. Did you know there are over 90 million head of cattle in the United States? The vast majority of these live in huge feed lots, and the waste has no where to go but down. It seeps into the groundwater, finds its way into the river, and pollutes the water. In fact, animal waste has already polluted many of our waterways. In addition, the corn and grains that is used to feed grain fed beef, has been sprayed with pesticides that not only get into the animal, but harm our environment.

4. American grass fed beef is more humane to the cattle.
Time is money to the average cattle rancher. Their goals are to get the cattle big and fat as fast as possible, and to make as much money as possible. How do typical ranchers speed up the process? They use grain, hormones, AND antibiotics liberally to push Mother Nature along. 

5. Raising beef cattle on the pasture is safer meat.
Why? Because they are eating a diet that was suited for their bodies.

The best book on this topic, that also comes on a narrated CD is "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. 

If you live in the MD area, get your grass fed beef from Lew at Cedar Run Farms. His website can be accessed by clicking here.

Be well,

Dr. M

Probiotics and you...

It's the season for sinus infections and allergies and one recommendation that I give to my patients is to take more probiotics than they usually do. This is to help keep the body balanced and the immune system strong. My patients report significant relief from sinus pain and headaches and overall energy levels when taking a probiotic supplement daily. So, I decided to post on this topic to help you understand probiotics better.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are the natural cultures or flora necessary to keep the digestive tract and immune system functioning properly. Since a healthy digestive tract contains hundreds of different cultures, multi-strain probiotic supplements more closely match the natural ecology of the digestive system than probiotics with only one strain.

Every day, the good, natural flora in the body is killed off by stress, poor diet, caffeine, alcohol, antibiotics, antacids, over-the-counter and prescription medications, chlorinated water, and a toxic environment. Taking a multi-strain probiotic daily supports a healthy digestive tract and immune system by supporting the natural flora that is often destroyed by daily living.

Health Benefits of Probiotics

• Support normal digestion and absorption of nutrients
• Support healthy immune function
• May help relieve occasional diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating
• Maintain a normal level of yeast/candida
• Help maintain a healthy intestinal lining
• Promote regularity of bowel function
• Support healthy urinary tract function, especially in women
• Maintain strong mucosal immune barrier
• Support healthy, clear skin

Common Questions about Probiotics

What are probiotics? 
Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria or natural cultures found in the digestive tract that promote balance, health and proper functioning of the digestive system.

Why take probiotic supplements? 
Stress, poor diet, medication, and chlorinated water, are all factors in daily life that disturb the balance of the digestive tract. Probiotic supplements repopulate the digestive tract with the healthy cultures needed to maintain proper digestive and immune health.

What are the benefits of taking a multi-strain probiotic? 
A healthy digestive tract contains many strains of probiotic cultures. That’s why it’s beneficial to take a multi-strain probiotic supplement instead of a probiotic supplement with just one strain. 

Are probiotic supplements safe for infants and children? Yes. Probiotics are naturally found in the human body and are safe and effective for even the youngest children.

Be Well,

Dr. M