Are Your Genes Controlling Your Health

Nutrigenomics can overcome your genetic predisposition. Diseased cellls are FUELED by the choices you make, and unfortunately, sometimes those choices are made for us. (As an example, a lawn or city park that is sprayed by chemicals that drift into your "intake zone".  

Genetic tendencies, a family tree laden with cancer, does not mean you are assured of getting the disease - unless you continually think about it and as in many areas of our life, including our health "what you think about, you bring about". Fact is, a very small percentage of cancers are actually from genetic make-up - less than 5%. The majority of cancer is caused by environmental exposures.  This is a topic I have written about in great lengths - if any of you have beared with me on those particular posts.

For those concerned about genetic make up and disease - there is GREAT NEWS!  The field of Nutrigenomics has made great strides in recent years.  Holsitc wellness is CURING cancer whereas traditional treatment continues to poison the human body so that it often manifests as another disease, or different cancer, years later - per the holistic and alternative medicine books and newsletters that  I read.  A book I highly recommend is "Cancer is Not a Disease, It's A Survival Mechanism"..

Our genetic mapping begins in the womb, obviously, and it comes in part from the hormones of both parents...a lack thereof of one hormone or another will affect offspring. Some babies already have predispositions to certain traits, such as brain triggers, type 1 diabetes, from birth and early on in their lives.  This is one reason why, as an adult, having hormones tested is a good place to start if you have a concern of family health history.   DNA chains become genes and many many thousands of genes become cells.  

CELLS DIE. CELLS POPULATE.   100 billion red cells, 400 million white cells are produced every hour.

Back to cell death...apoptosis.  This is healthy...we WANT cells to die.  The trouble starts when cells do not die after they do their job.  This happens 94% of the time, because of environmental factors.  Genetics, as I mentioned, accounts for a scant percentage of cancer. In addition to the chemicals in our foods and hygiene products, X-rays, radiation and medication also play a role in contributing to cancer.  It stands to reason that if new cells are generating and "old" cells are dying and excreting from the body - that we can become a new being over and over again, and healthier every day if we cease exposure to environmental toxins and foods.

This article is three years old, and from all that I have read the science of nutrigenomics has advanced. There are nutrients that can flip the switch on a gene "just like that". 

Hormones also play a role - with estrogen producing the Bcl-2 cancer-causing gene, whearas progesterone produces p-53, the cancer-protective gene (1990 Formby and Wiley research published Annals of Clinical Laboratory Science)

Progesterone, a natural hormone made by both men and women, is the only hormone that can counter excess estrogen. Most people are out of balance, with the body containing more estrogen than progesterone.  Women are usually imbalanced by age 35. For one, we tend to use more hygiene products than  men, most of which have endocrine disruptors. 

Men's progesterone levels decrease by age 50 - allowing estrogen to get out of hand. Testosterone alone does not cause prostrate cancer...a common sense statement by Dr. Michael Platt in his book "The Miracle of BioIdentical Hormones", states that if prostrate cancer were caused by too much testosterone we would have an epidemic amongst 17 yr old boys. The first time I read that it was an AHA moment - makes a lot of sense, don't you agree?  I do believe that traditional medicine is finally catching one a little bit, as they give drugs that prohibit estrogen.  It's too bad, in my opinion, that more oncologists and men don't know that bio identical progesterone can do JUST THAT - keep the estrogen levels in check.    One study referenced in a book shows that enlarged prostrate reduces and prostrate cancer cells die when progesterone is added and brought back into balance.

Many auto immune diseases are also caused in large part by hormone imbalance and dietary choices.  A family history of disease does NOT DICTATE a future of the same.  Educate yourself on the particular "disease", or as author Moritz describes, a SYMPTOM you may be prone too.  THEN change your DNA by nutrigenomics.  Find a knowledgeable naturopath, and if one is not available to you - the books certainly are.  Many are found in your local library for FREE.

Take an ATTITUDE CHECK.  If it is "woe is me....I come from a line of XYZ disease so I know I will get it" - YOU WILL.  I encourage you to be an OVERCOMER!!   Take control of your CELLS - yes, you can! Fuel them with anti-oxidants that can overcome the free radicals that mutate cells.  Avod the endocrine disruptors.  Make healthy choices 80% of the time. Use pH strips to monitor your body's acidic vs. alkaline status, and if is on the acidic side - consume more anti oxidants n the form of vegetables to tip the scale towards alkaline.  Disease cannot survive an alkaline state. Which is another topic I will not get into...thanks for reading, I hope that this post gives you HOPE if you feel you have been dealt a deck of diseased. genes. It's how you play those cards that will determine if you WIN and enjoy health!

To your health, 
Rita S.

Choosing A Protein Shake Meal Replacement

So many choices in protein shakes...but which product is truly the best for weight loss? Well, in that regard...I would venture a guess that most will help one lose weight.  But at what cost?

Like so many foods that line the grocery stores, labels promise "good for lowering cholesterol", "low-fat", "with extra virgin olive oil" (so we are lead to believe it is healthy). Protein shake labels also make plenty of claims.

But what are you really buying? This is why becoming an educated label reader makes a difference for long term health.  

Take for instance, soy based protein powder, with organic obviously being a better choice than not.  Most soybean crops are genetically modified. (I believe I read over 90% are GMO.) With what? Herbicide for one.  Herbicides mimic estrogen in the body when consumed, they are nasty endocrine disruptors. Increased estrogen can lead to cancer. (This is one reason I would rather have dandelions in the yard than ChemLawn sprays.)  We have Monsanto to thank for this, in large part - stand up against this giant poisoning our food supply and let your congressman know that you vote no to GMO.
Even if organic, soy is naturally very high in glutamate and excitotoxins. The processing to create soy protein isolate makes it even more toxic, and it is an unfermented soy product.  Per Dr. Russell Blaylock, unfermented soy should be consumed no more than 2x weekly, preferably with a side dish of sea kelp to counter the excitotoxins with anti-oxidants.

When people use a daily protein or meal replacement shake, or TWO, for meal replacement or for weight loss, and it is soy based- they are adding a LOT of excitoxins, glutamate, and acid-based foods to their regimen.  On the outside one cannot see what that is doing to a body on the inside, but from all I have read - I wouldn't want to go there.

Whey can be a better option - but only if it is made from milk from grass fed cows free of anti-biotics, etc. AND only if it is cold processed, as again, heat and processing changes the molecular structure and we end up with FRANKENfood. Like all dairy products, whey protein isolates fall on the acidic side of the pH scale - key is for balance between acid and alkaline based foods. Even organic origin whey is inflammatory - as are all animal food products. Inflammation contributes to  disease, cancer, and general unwell-ness.

No matter what shake you choose, know your source and trust that raw goods are tested for purity. Protein shakes have made news headlines on more than one occasion due to traces of heavy metals, arsenic, and more. You might be surprised to learn that some of your favorite, popular brands do not pass the testing for purity.  With protein shakes you truly get what you pay for.
  Artificial ingredients can be problematic for your body to excrete. They build up inside.  My chiropractor shared with me that he sees an increase in kidney stones come February as many people, wanting to lose weight, hop on board a well advertised weight watching diet plan that includes their brand of canned shakes.  Don't be fooled by "Sucralose" - another name for toxic Splenda.  I looked up ingredients in a very popular whey based shake advocated by a health and wellness company to learn that it contains sucralose. Also, if Stevia is being used make sure it is raw Stevia and not the RebA processed version. Note to those adding Truvia to your coffee - it is not "healthy".

An interview with neurosurgeon, Dr. Russell Blaylock, discusses the adverse affects of artificial ingredients and effects of hydrolyzed soy proteins, and as Blaylock states, you will never learn the truth about milk in the media. Suffice to say is, that although I am the daughter of a dairy farmer, I will not give my children store bought milk. I encourage you to learn much more about this by checking out the Natural News interview with Blaylock here.

If you are going to jump in on a 24, 28 or 30 day program, and you are going to incorporate shakes as a part of the program - do your own diligence and analyze the product.  As I said, I have no doubt you can lose weight from any one brand. The question I am putting forth is, "while you are losing weight for outward appearances, what is happening on the inside on a cellular level?"  Feeling your best begins from within. If your meals are costing you around a buck, it would actually make me question the ingredients and quality. Good health into your senior years requires thinking not of short term, but instead long term effects, of your food choices.

I find it interesting when people state they cannot afford a $2 meal replacement shake.  Years ago I did the math, thinking the same thing - so I can relate.. until I realized I was actually paying more for my breakfast, which either required I cook it (time must be factored in), or I stop enroute to work and get it. I can tell you a latte alone, or a travel mug of organic coffee, costs more than $2. Of course the meals after breakfast become even more expensive.  Three of the four of us drink a pea/brown rice/cranberry based pure and safe protein meal replacement shake for our breakfast - and it has actually been beneficial for our family budget. Not only do we save, but we are getting nutrients, anti-oxidants, minerals, and all essential amino acids as we start off our day.

I hope this day finds you feeling and living great!

To your health,
Rita S.

Purity Bests Organic

Good. Better. Best.  When I worked for a window treatment company we had three grades for our products.  The discount, big box stores bought and sold "good", department stores offered better...but the premium stores and design houses offered the BEST.

As we wrap up 30 days of clean eating in our home I thought I should digress from the clean food topic for a bit, and bring up another subject that affects our health - that would be our skincare.  As I have discussed in my cancer prevention workshops, when it comes to toxic food - thankfully our bodies have a liver to filter the toxins.  When it comes to what we put on the largest organ of our body, our skin, there is no filter.  Everything we put on our skin is absorbed into our system, and per the EPA reaches our bloodstream and organs in less than 30 seconds.  So why should we be concerned about our lotions and shampoos?

Toxins in - does not necessarily mean toxins out (unless you are on some sort of regular detox program).  Toxins store up inside - a little toxin a day multiplied by 365 days a year multiplied by.....  get the picture?  It creates a hormone imbalance, interupts our divinely created endocrine system.  Consider that for a moment...and then - be on guard.  Just because a label states "all natural" or "organic" does not mean it is toxin free.

Truth of the matter is - organic farmers have a hard time keeping their produce pure, in some parts of the world more so than others.  I learned a while back from my chiropractor, Dr. Joe Teff, also a highly respected nutritionist, that the fall out of radiation from Japan has affected organic food crops.  Where, you might ask? Well, California, Hawaii and another friend tells me the fall out has reached much further north. To help the organic farmers of California, the state simply raised the allowance of radiation in order to label a product organic.  If you would like to be your own personal watchdog on this topic - check out www.enviroreporter.com or www.compassnaturalmarketing.com and look for the effects of the Fukushima disaster.  It is affecting much more than I could have imagined.

This is not to say you should not eat organic - you can obtain 40% more nutrients from organic than traditionally grown produce, but for certain -wash it! Small organic farms adjacent to Monsanto's huge, chemical laden farms also fall victim to chemical fall out from their genetically modified crop farm/corporation.

So my point here is the ORGANIC label on skin care.  Unless you are growing it yourself - I feel you need to have a higher standard than organic. 

PURITY bests organic.  For myself and my own family - we look for purity standards, and frankly, the European cosmetic industry has standards that far exceed any skin care products made here in the U.S.  Having said that - watch out for foreign sounding names on your product labels. They may sound French, Swiss, or whatever, but may actually be formulated here in the U.S.  I remember a friend telling me her mother uses a high end French sounding product from a fancy department store...and when I researched the ingredient labels the product contained petrolatum (a derivitive of crude oil) and parabens.  It turns out the product line is simply a more expensive offshoot of the Big L in cosmetics.

Know the company from whom you purchase products.  What is their ingredient policy? Are raw materials tested for purity on a regular batch-tested basis?  Even organic soy beans contain naturally occuring toxins such as formaldehyde and trace metals from the soil.  Just one example of why PURITY is the standard by which skin care products are chosen for our family.

Labeling is what labeling does - MARKET. I think about the irony of products who wash their labels PINK in October to support the Komen foundation...when the products themselves have cancer causing ingredients.  All I am saying is be a WISE consumer, and do your research.

Check out those web sites I offered above, and become a SMART consumer about the truth of the nuclear disaster.  Mainstream's media coverage, or lack of it, is rather disturbing. How would you like to apply a skin lotion made with organic ingredients that contain radiation? Think about that. The thought makes me shudder.

European standards, specifically the European Union Cosmetics Directive and the European chemicals agency known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) are two watch dog agencies that I trust more than any U.S. resource. Therefore, the products we use in our family,  adhere to these European standards - and I feel very very good about the safe approach to skin care that my family is using. The company has been formulating with green science and offering pure and safe products for 33 years, before organic was a popular word.

Many of my readers may be familiar with Safe Cosmetics.org - and I will leave you with a link to their article which points out the level of excellence that is established by the European cosmetics directive: www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=346

May you feel great, look great and live great as you make wise decisions, not only in your food choices, but in your skin care as well!

To your health,

Rita S.

Thyroid and the Iodine Bully

Thyroid disorders are at an all-time high – and iodine deficiency is the TOP reason. Contrary to what you may believe, iodine, an essential mineral, is not prevalent in our foods – unless you are eating a lot of raw sea weed and algae.

The iodine you do consume is likely being blocked by iodine inhibitors present in your processed food and even your hygiene. Per the Women’s Health Institute of Texas, “Iodine is fairly easily displaced from your body by toxins called toxic halides… fluoride, bromine and chloride.

Fluoride is by far the worst culprit. Found in toothpaste and in your water supply, every time you take a shower, brush your teeth or drink from the tap, your body gets a little exposure to fluoride, leeching out good iodine. And contrary to popular belief, fluoridated water is actually rather poor at preventing tooth decay.
Why is it in our water supply? Poor science combined with corporate greed and political ignorance paved the way. Basically a toxic by-product of aluminum production, fluoridation was sold as a way to prevent cavities because some areas with natural fluoride in the water also had lower instances of tooth decay. Based upon that spurious observation, fluoridation began. ^29 30 
Then there’s bromine, an endocrine disruptor that competes for the same receptors that capture iodine. Essentially, bromine crowds out iodine.
How prevalent is bromine? Consider this, every time you bite into a piece of store bought bread, you’re probably ingesting some bromine. It’s used to make bread dough more elastic and thus easier to handle, but not by very much.”

The article goes on to site products containing bromine…in addition to store bought bread, your citrus flavored drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, Squirt, Fresca), hair dyes, medicines (such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal Spray, Pro-Banthine for ulcers, and anesthesia agents), pesticides, pastas (for the same reason it is used in bread dough I suppose) toothpaste, mouthwash, fire retardant fabrics, swimming pools, hot tubs, and even your car.  (crazy, huh?) Be aware that bromine may be used in the very same spa you go to to detox – now is that counterproductive, or what?! In addition, plastics – such as those used to make computers, contain bromine…ha, guess what I am typing on?!

Bromine is a natural element…which again, reiterates that just because something is natural does not mean it is good for you…mineral oil and glutamate are tops on my mental list.

Dr. Joe Mercola states in an article on the same topic: “methyl bromide is used as a pesticide predominantly on California strawberries; Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is used in citrus drinks to help suspend the flavoring, and potassium bromate is used as a dough conditioner in bakery goods and pastas.”

Mercola goes on to describe - Bromine as The Bully of the Halide Group. “When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is significant enough to have been given its own name -- the Bromide Dominance Theory. Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide   builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.”  

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedominancetheory.html

Our body is full of receptors – this is something I have learned over the past two years. Just as an abundance of estrogen creates a hormone imbalance, taking over progesterone receptors, essential minerals do the same thing. Bromine and iodine compete for receptors, and it seems that bromine wins – preventing iodine from being absorbed and used by your very important thyroid gland.

If this is not reason enough to read labels and take heed – bromine and iodine deficiency is also linked to breast cancer and other cancers.

Chlorine is also on the halide list, an endocrine disruptor. As we gear up for summer and swimming pool season – my family will utilize the knowledgeable staff at Patio Pleasures, in Madison for their “green” pool option to chlorinated chemicals.

If you are struggling with weight gain, especially mid-section, in all likelihood there is a hormone imbalance – thyroid is a hormone just as is estrogen and progesterone – and all work together. Progesterone is, in fact, a precursor to the thyroid hormone. If you are deficient on both progesterone and thyroid – yikes, problems may be forthcoming!

Bromine not only decreases iodine receptors, it also INCREASES ESTROGEN reception and DECREASES PROGESTERONE receptors. Goodness, in my mind this makes it all the more dangerous as an ingredient and ranks right up there with petro-chemicals!

I hope today’s post helps you become more aware of environmental factors affecting your health. How to counter the underactive thyroid epidemic? Try to greatly reduce the foods and products mentioned above. My family claimed victory to find a bread that is not made with high fructose corn syrup – and now, it looks like we will have to look for the B ingredient on the label. Personally, I am happy to have written bread primarily out of my life!

 If your hormones are out of balance (you can find plenty of articles in this blog that discuss this in further detail – search for “hormone”), find a doctor, or  health practitioner experienced in BIO-IDENTICAL hormone therapy.

Of course, consume iodine (but remember, avoid the bromine or your body won’t utilize the iodine as needed) – use a Celtic or Himalayan sea salt containing iodine and known for its healing properties (I have found amazon.com to offer these salts reasonably), and look for dietary supplementation containing iodine. Our family, both adults and kids, utilize a daily power pack of vitamins containing iodine with a high rate of bio-availability (10,000 ORAC), and as well – our vegan, pea based protein powder also contains iodine.

Readers of my blog…what do you think after reading this? I don’t know if you find this helpful information, or if it makes you think one can’t enjoy food and life for fear of ingredients.  Let me make it clear – we don’t lose sleep over this. We simply took action – we have found brands that are pure and safe, we have our grocery shopping list fine-tuned with the research behind . We enjoy eating as much as the next family  – and feel great because of our choices.  It may take a bit to get started, but as my husband said this evening after his first bike ride of the season, “it feels great to climb a hill with ease that would have “killed me” a year ago”.  This man has probably not had a "workout" since the last biking season - and he did not lose breath or run out of energy! Purely living is a lifestyle, and it makes life great to live!

To your health,

Rita S.

Is Your Baby's Skin Care Toxic?

Babies are amazing, little miracles - they are of a DIVINE design, intricate in all their workings, inside and out. Thier systems are carefully planned out by the Creator - every vessel, strand of DNA and amino acid working together to create a human body. Babies are born in an alkaline state - they smell so good, without the aid of extraneous powders and lotions.
In contrast, nursing homes do not smell so good, because by then - the human bodies have become toxic, highly acidic and typically on the far left side of the pH scale.
How do we go from pure, pH balanced bodies (assuming the baby in the womb had proper nutrition and safety from environmental exposure) to out of balance, toxic bodies as senior citizens? Well, it is a lifetime of environmental and chemical exposures and poor food choices; and it all starts with the products our mothers patted on our soft baby hineys and rubbed on our arms and faces. Products, most likely, recommended by the family doctor or pediatrician.
I remember visiting a friend's nursery, all set up for the baby to come - and being apalled at seeing Johnson and Johnson baby oil on the changing table. This person had already been told about the detrimental effects of mineral oil, but it was a product her doctor recommended.  It is good to trust in your doctor for many reasons, but it is also good to realize that they are human, and BUSY, and don't have time to continue their education outside their clinic life and learn in great part, from the reps of the drug companies that pay them a visit.
Dr. Joe Mercola, who has made time to learn outside his practice and is helping people live healthier lives through awareness (of that mentioned above) and nutrition, makes a statement in his newsletter today about baby care that everyone who is expecting, has a baby, has children, or grandchildren...should be made aware of. Mercola writes:

In my opinion, if you had a hospital birth, you may need to trash some of the sales samples you were given there, and shed your preconceived notions about caring for your new little bundle of joy.
You probably know that there are very few softer surfaces than a newborn's skin.
It is important to remember that most items you apply to this soft skin, just like your skin, will be absorbed into their bloodstream. There are plenty of reasons to be especially concerned with what you allow to go on your baby's skin – for these four reasons.

• Your baby's skin is ten times thinner than yours is
• Their sebaceous glands are not fully developed, making them more sensitive to mother's hormones – and by extrapolation, probably other things
• Like you, their skin is their largest organ
• Your baby's rapidly dividing cells make her even more sensitive to DNA-disrupting toxins than an adult is.
• So it stands to reason that your baby's (or grandbaby's) skin care products may have much more 'damage' potential than even your own skin products do.

Think about the brands that are sent home with your from the hospital. These are BIG NAME companies, companies who want you to keep on using their products once those samples are gone. Do you think the hospital gets some kind of kickback for handing out those product samples? No doubt...and in doing so they lead unwary new parents into thinking they are using safe baby care products on their newborn.
I saw "good" ol' Vasoline Petroleum Jelly on a table while visiting a friend who had a baby a few months ago. These friends are very much aware of the food they eat - organic consumers, whole foods, nothing processed. Yet they were using a petro-chemical, an endocrine disruptor, on the baby for naval care - just as we were instructed to do when our son was born. Had I only known then what I know now.  Food choices and skin care choices are not seperate factions of living a healthy life style - they go hand in hand. Both feed our organs.
Consider what you use on your newborn baby's body, born pH balanced in a hopefully healthy alkaline state. Everything you do...from lotions to food will affect the health and long-term well being of the child. And it all begins in the womb...from what the mother uses and absorbs through her skin and consumes for nutrients. Learn to read your labels, not to trust every product sample given to you, and look for products that are PURE, SAFE and BENEFICIAL for the sake of your precious, little miracle - who depends on you to make smarter choices.

To your health, and that of your family's a well!
Rita S.

Toxins in Western Culture

A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to Pintrist, and have been slowly adding many of the links I share in the sidebar of this blog to my Pintrist bulletin boards. Unfortunately, it only accepts those that have an image to link to. Therefore, some important research studies and such in my list of what I feel is important information for people to read, or for me to revisit, cannot be "pintristed".
I came across such a link in my rolling list just now, Dr. Myhill of the United Kingdom, and one section in particular was very interesting. Although the article focuses on WHY we NEED nutritional supplements this day and age, I thought some of the info to be useful for an upcoming presentation on the reason we detox. The entire read on nutritional supplements is HERE, but below is the part I felt important to share right off. I do know it is difficult to lose unwanted weight if your body is deficient on a number of nutrients.

• Increasing toxic stress of Western environments
  Xenobiotic chemicals (pesticides, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals) all need to be detoxified and excreted from the body, but this process is highly demanding of micronutrients. Our increasing xenobiotic load increases micronutrient requirements. Furthermore, xenobiotics are directly anti-nutrient: so, for example, nickel increases our requirement for zinc; fluoride increases our need for iodine; and mercury increases our need for selenium.
  Xenobiotics come from:
  Contamination of our food and water in ways indicated above.
  Contamination by packaging – many products are wrapped, and sometimes cooked, in plastics with phthalates leeching into food.
  Contamination of the environment by persistent organic pollutants from agricultural industry, polluting industry, war, fires, road traffic and waste disposal.
  Cosmetics often contain volatile organic chemicals and/or heavy metals such as nickel and aluminium – this increases the toxic load and thereby the requirements for micronutrients to detoxify them.
  Jewellery and piercings increase exposure to toxic metals.
  Prescription medication – the best example of this would be the malabsorption induced by proton pump inhibitors and other acid blockers, resulting in an increased risk of osteoporosis. Most drug side effects result from micronutrient deficiencies.
  The medication of healthy people, including children, with vaccinations which often contain heavy metals together with live or attenuated viruses. Vaccinations have immune disrupting potential and the potential to switch on novel disease processes.
  Dental work and surgical prostheses – these often involve use of heavy metals such as mercury, palladium, titanium, nickel, gold and silicones, all of which may be toxic either directly or through their potential to disrupt the immune system.

Much of the above is a recap of previous posts I have shared from doctors Blaylock, Mercola and Weil's newsletters, but I always find affirmation in my sources when I see multiple doctors stating the same thing.

If you have a new years resolution to lose weight, be aware that most of us are deficient on more than one nutrient. Also be aware that when it comes to vitamin supplementation you truly get what you pay for. The less it costs the more likely you are gaining little nutritional benefit and instead your money spent is being flushed, if you know what I mean. (LOL)

I encourage you to get the best vitamin supplementation you can afford. Sometimes all one has to do is make the decision to give up soda, or daily Starbucks, and exchange those expenses for an investment in one's health. Often times we do not realize how much our little habits add up, and an exchange for a healthier option is going to be one of the greatest investments you can make in your own health. It is the type of gift that keeps on giving as you begin to feel better and become more healthy. From a personal experience, I can think of no better gift to give my family.

To your health,

Rita S.

Healthy New Year - Part 2

Optimal Nutrition for Fat Loss
Excerpted from an e-blast by Dr. Mercola...
It is important to understand that 80 percent of your ability to reduce excess body fat is determined by what you eat, with the other 20 percent related to exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits.
The greatest pitfall of the American diet that prevents untold millions from reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is excess fructose consumption. It's the number one source of calories in the US, and this ingredient, primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), hides in so many processed foods and beverages, it can be near impossible to avoid unless you alter your shopping and cooking habits. By avoiding processed foods in general, and focusing instead on whole, preferably locally-grown organic foods, you can plow your way through one of the greatest dietary obstacles there is today.
Next, you'll want to pay close attention to your consumption of grains (including organic ones) as they too readily break down into sugar, and promote insulin resistance and retention of body fat.
Following is a quick summary of Mercola's basic recommendations, which pretty much looks like the 30 day detox program I plan to start on January 1st:
· Limit your fructose to less than 25 grams per day. Ideally, you'll also want to limit the amount of fructose from fruit to 15 grams per day, as you're likely consuming 'hidden' fructose if you eat even small amounts of processed foods or sweetened beverages
· Limit or eliminate all processed foods
· Eliminate all gluten, and highly allergenic foods from your diet
· Eat organic foods whenever possible, preferably locally-grown
· Eat at least one-third of your food uncooked (raw), or as much as you can manage
· Increase the amount of fresh vegetables in your diet
· Avoid artificial sweeteners of all kinds
· Swap all trans fats (vegetable oils, margarine etc.) for healthful fats like raw grass-fed organic butter or coconut oil
· To re-balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, take a high-quality omega-3 supplement, such as krill oil, and reduce your consumption of processed omega-6 fats from vegetable oils (trans fats) (I use a very high quality vegan Omega 3 supplement that utilizes flax and chia seed oils)
· Drink plenty of pure water
· Optimize your vitamin D levels, either through appropriate sun exposure, a safe tanning bed (I don't agree with tanning beds), or a vitamin D3 supplement (if you are vegan and wish for a vegan D supplement, the source will have to vitamin D2, which, when formulated correctly is very absorbable, such as the calcium/D supplementation I take. Quality of vitamin supplementation is especially key in Vitamin D)

I hope you find this list helpful. It has very much become my mantra in in enjoying a healthier lifestyle. I didn't follow the plan of a renowned, or not so well known doctor, a highly publicized fad diet such as Atkins or South Beach, but in general...absorbed information from various health newsletters and utilized my new knowledge, common sense, and scriptural references to foods we should eat...and the result was a much healthier me!

To your health,
Rita

Colon Cancer Prevention - Part 2

Yesterday I started a post about colon cancer, and included what studies have found to be causes of the “silent killer”. It is the second most deadly cancer, and my goal today is to help give you ideas on how you might prevent colon cancer through some lifestyle changes. We never appreciate our health until it is gone, so take the information below to heart, and put some thought and reflection into your current lifestyle – are you living to live well?

I utilized a number of sources in pulling together these suggestions – some of it may be old news, some may be new. Here’s to regularity:
1. Fiber Intake  It’s no secret that the American diet lacks fiber. How many of us consume 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, as recommended? One serving equals one cup of fresh fruit, or a tennis ball sized piece of fresh fruit, or ¼ c. of dried fruit. Blaylock recommends blenderizing your vegetables. I have found that I can toss frozen cauliflower, broccoli or fresh kale and spinach into my vanilla protein shake, with strawberries, and not even taste the “greenies”.

It is recommended to consume 25-35 grams of fiber per day. One source states women can consume on the low end, and men should be on the high end of that figure. I add 12 grams of soluable Fiber Boost to my protein shake each morning, and actually, since I started putting this article together a few weeks ago I am adding in a bit more. Blaylock does state that all fiber supplements are not necessarily beneficial, and one should look for “resistant starches”. He recommends fiber sources from apple, citrus and lentil peas. Apparently, the pectin from these sources and other fruits, when fermented in the colon produce butyrate, which is vital to the health of the cells lining the colon.

2. Probiotics/Prebiotics/Enzymes A number of studies indicate the importance of healthy gut flora in reducing the risk of colon cancer. Unfortunately, when we take anti-biotics we are killing off our good gut flora as well as the bad. Since our body does not replace probiotics we need to supplement to do so, and find a source that includes a robust strain with prebiotics so it can actually pass through the stomach wall and get into the intestines to do its job. In addition to probiotics and prebiotics, digestive enzymes diminish as we age, and it is important to replace them. A lack of enzymes results in esophageal reflux, and an excess of undigested food in the colon, which increases colon cancer risk.

 3. Omega 3s – studies have shown that a high intake of Omega 3 fats substantially lowers colon cancer risk. The type of fats we consume have a great impact on our chances of developing cancer. Blaylock’s report states that studies have shown that omega-6 fats (corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower, peanut, and canola oils) dramatically increase the risk of colon cancer, and turn existing cancer cells into very aggressive, metastasizing cancers. Blaylock goes on to state that this is evident in all cancers. Americans consume 50% more Omega 6 than are needed for good health. (Considering that almost all processed foods contain Omega 6 this should not come as a surprise, should it?) I have done some research on the vegan (non-animal) Omega 3 oils in the supplement that I take: flax seed oil, chia seed oil and more...the more I learned about chia seed and its benefits the more impressed I became. What I do know for certain is our Omega 3s helped my husband get off his statin drugs and our joints feel better as well. Omega 3s are necessary for heart, brain, joint health, as well as cancer prevention. It is the single most important supplement you can take in addition to a QUALITY multi-vitamins. (one a day types don't cut it folks!)

4. MODERATE Exercise – walking weight resistance training, raking the leaves and mowing the lawn are all good forms of exercise. Highly aerobic exercise, per doctors Lee and Blaylock, increase the free radicals and peroxidation in your body, and neither doctor recommends it. Aerobic activity increases prolonged increases in metabolism – a process which is a major source of these harmful chemicals. Lee had discussed this in further detail in his book about breast cancer, stating that cancer survivors who compete in triathalons and climb mountains are doing themselves more harm than good.

5. Diet – Avoid processed foods. Learn to read labels – which scream “Good Source of Fiber” only to be laden with refined carbohyrdrates and fats, which are highly inflammatory.  High fructose corn syrup and MSG abounds in processed foods...contributors to cancer and brain and heart related diseases.
Avoid most vegetable oils – known as omega 6 (N-6). These include corn, safflower, soybean, sunflower, peanut and canola. While Omega 6 are needed for health, most people consume 50x more than as needed (common ingredient in processed foods). Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Coconut Oil should be the oils of choice in the “cancer prevention focused kitchen”. If you cook with EVOO sprinkle turmeric and other spices in the oil, and it prevents oxidation. (I like that last tip!)

Avoid these fish – no matter what due to heavy contamination: shark, swordfish, tilefish, and large tuna.

Red meat in moderation – The biggest issue with red meat is the high iron content, which Blaylock labels “a cancer fertilizer”. Iron dramatically increases free radical generation which fuels cancer growth. Note that it is important to avoid supplements with IRON, as we Americans usually don’t have trouble getting enough iron in our diet, but we often have too much. Dr. Graham Colditz of the Washington University School of Medicine, as well as other experts, state to limit red meat to no more than 3, 3 oz. servings per week. So if you go out to dinner on Saturday night and have a 10 oz. sirloin - you have had your week’s consumption of red meat!

6. Metal toxicity – fluoride, aluminum and mercury are three metals that promote cancer, and Dr. Blaylock states they are very toxic to cells, especially brain cells. Black tea, soy milk, processed meats and processed cheese are high sources of aluminum and fluoride in foods. Mercury comes from fish, dental amalgram, and vaccines. I think we’d be surprised to learn of all things we absorb trace metals from, and it is impossible to avoid it 100%. Keep in mind that although the FDA stamps its approval on many things, and manufacturers will state that amounts are too small to be harmful, trace metals in particular are fat soluable. Basically, these toxins build up as they store inside our bodies. For this reason, I really do believe it is beneficial to detoxify at least once every 3 mo. I use SeaSource 7 Day detox which cleanses and removes trace metals from my essential organs, and is gentle as well. If I had cancer, I would be detoxing every month, especially because of the effects of traditional cancer treatment.
For a healthful life it would seem all of the recommendations above would be beneficial life practices to incorporate for a lifestyle of wellness.
To your health!
Rita S.

What is the pH of the food you eat?

The other day a friend posted a very educational video on her facebook wall...which I of course snagged, and posted to my wall...which is now finding its way to other walls.  This is a CRITICAL video to watch if you want to understand food and how what you eat affects your body.

A case in point....yesterday I had a very non-green day.  I had a vanilla plant based protein smoothie for breakfast with strawberries and blueberries added in. That's a typical start to my day. However, for lunch, rather than my usual 5-6 cups of dark greens (aka salad) I decided to change it up and have leftover grilled pork chop and friend potato and onions (my husband makes GREAT fried spuds!).  A plum was a mid-day snack. Dinner was a quick fix as I had a meeting - came home to my hubby scrambling organic eggs and pan friend bacon. Yummy!
Later, at that meeting, my stomach was bothering me. Have not had a "tummy ache" for eons it seems - every since I began eating whole foods. I reflected on my food intake of the day...what was different? It dawned on me...no greens. I basically consumed ZERO vegetables! My body did not like that. I probably had more protein than my body could handle - namely, animal proteins as mentioned in the video - all falling on the acidic side of the pH scale (pork chop, eggs, bacon). Animal proteins (including whey) are more difficult to digest than plant proteins - bloating and stomach pain (yep!) are not uncommon, and in excess - stain the kidneys and their ability to function.
Be careful about plant proteins as well, however. Soy, which has been touted by the agricultural commission as a  health food - namely to create a market for the cash crop - has been linked to a number of studies associated with thyroid dysfunction, cancer (high amount of estrogenic properties), and just this week - I learned soy (per Dr. Russell Blaylock's Health Watch newsletter) absorbs and has one of the heaviest concentrations of flouride from the soil, than any other plant. As you are probably aware, flouride is a toxin when ingested.
Anytime you are adding estrogen to your body, whether it be through petro chemicals found in skin care and foods, or plant based estrogens - it may create endocrine dysfunction (which messes up a  whole lotta hormones!!). It takes time to build up in your system, have no doubt about that. Endocrine disruption is one of the biggest reasons we are seeing so much cancer in young people these days...as our children our exposed from the time they are born. Parents unknowlingly apply petro-based chemicals to their baby's skin in the form of baby oil or lotion, and we give our kids peto-based food colorings in products such as colored "ades" and gel'd and wiggly fun foods.  I have a new link in my side bar today - to a non profit org studying the effects of endocrine dysruption and its links to neurological disorders, cancer, and more. If you are expecting, or have a baby - please, please read the information provided. If you are having hormone imbalance, in particular thyroid issues - study up! Do yourself a favor and self-educate - we really do have to be our own best advocates for our bodies and well being.

To your health!
Rita S.