What if we could lose weight simply by taking the right probiotics? In the August 2012 issue of the Blaylock Wellness Report reveals how the wrong gut bacteria contributes to obesity, especially visceral fat around the middle, which is the most dangerous type of fat to have. For readers of Purely Living, you are now familiar with Dr. Russell Blaylock, a neurosurgeon who left his practice to study nutrition to learn why he was seeing a significant increase of children with cancer in his practice, brain tumors in particular.
Blaylock's August report has recently been backed up by a Chinese study affirming Blaylock's findings. In short, certain types of bad gut bacteria trigger fat. People who consume diets high in fat and carbs should be particularly concerned. Such bacteria leave the colon and enter into the bloodstream, where the bacteria deposits into the fat cells, especially inside the abdomen, and triggers a state of inflammation. When this happens it contributes to metabolism abnormalties. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, both derived from metabolism abnormalties, are significant players in gross obesity.
Eating Greek-style yogurt does contain good gut bacteria, but for two reasons that I can think of, it is not the best answer to the situation. First, a serving of yogurt a day cannot provide the amount of probiotics necessary to turn your gut health around. It is important to supplement in addition to. Secondly, and perhaps most important in my opinion, is that yogurt, being a dairy product - is in itself an inflammatory food. (Oh, and I should not forget to mention that it is also acidic based - but as we are discussing weight loss today, and not cancer prevention. I won't go into it, but for me personally, that is important as well.) Many are led to falsely believe that eating Greek-style yogurt will resolve all their good vs. bad gut flora issues. Marketing is a powerful thing.
Once good gut bacteria is established, drinking green and white tea also helps keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy. In addition, Blaylock writes that drinking green tea can aid in weight loss.
Blaylock states it is very important to avoid high fat diets, Omega 6, in particular, as well as MSG and other glutamates.Other food products, such as the flavonoids curcumin and quercetin, also protect good bacteria.
For the 2013 Healthy Living Challenge I will be doing a few things differently this time around.
First, I will be consuming a packet of Digestion Plus probiotics/prebiotics EVERY DAY in my vegan, alkaline based pea/brown rice/cranberry protein shake as I start out my morning.
Secondly, I will have a cup of Arbonne decaffenated detox tea each evening. This will help curb my desire to snack after 7 p.m., AND provide benefits that aid in weight loss. Previously I have followed the 30 day Feeling Fit program, but did not incorporate these products daily. I look forward to seeing the results I will experience in the 30 days and compare them to my 16 lb. weight loss in February of 2012.
As you consider your grocery list for healthy weight loss in 2013 - I encourage you to consider adding these products to your regimen for optimal results.
To your health,
Rita S.
Showing posts with label Green Tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Tea. Show all posts
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Green Machine Avocado Smoothie!
This smoothie will kick-start your morning (or pick you up from a sluggish mid-afternoon) with a power-packed punch of delicious green fruits and vegetables. The recipe was created by Patrick Decker and I found it on another consultants Facebook wall. I love how creative we get when it comes to eating clean and green! (LOL)
You will get an ample helping of Omega 3s in this recipe, and check out the benefits of each God created plant!
Avocado contains a punch of anti oxidants, contains 25 essential nutrients, helps lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure.
Spinach and other dark leafy greens like kale, collards, Swiss chard, turnip greens and bok choy are loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron. Spinach is also rich in vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids. Add its lutein and bioflavanoids and spinach is a nutritional powerhouse.
Watercress contains iron, calcium and frolic acid, watercress also provides vitamin A and C.
Parsley provides nature's best carotenoids and is a nutrition powerhouse of a few known anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients and flavonoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, apiole, rutin and apigenin). Also rich with chlorophyll, vitamin A, B, C, and K, folic acid and iron. It has high beneficial mineral contents like calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vanadium, and zinc. Happily I just planted some last night because I learned that swallowtail butterflies like it to lay their eggs upon, and we would like to hatch some this year!
INGREDIENTS
• 2-4 scoops AB Essentials Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
• 2 scoops AB Essentials Daily Fiber Boost
• 1 ripe avocado, coarsely chopped
• 1 small bunch spinach (about 2 cups of leaves), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small bunch watercress (about 1 cups of leaves), coarsely chopped
• 1 handful chopped flat-leaf parsley or kale (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 3/4 to 1 cup water or Silk brand Almond Milk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons agave syrup or honey, if needed
PREPARATION
Combine all of the ingredients except the agave and water or juice in the jar of a blender and puree until smooth, streaming in the liquid as needed to thin the smoothie out to the consistency you like. Adjust the sweetness to your liking with the agave or honey. Serve.
I will add that you might consider brewing up some green detox tea, allow it to cool and freeze in ice cube trays - adding in a couple of cubes that offer the benefit of the powerful ECGC anti oxidant!I hope this recipe gives you the energy and kick you need to make it a great day!
To your health,
Rita
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
More Benefits of Green Tea
I have shared previously benefits of green tea – you can find those when you search for green tea within my blog. Today may be a partial recap, but Dr. Andrew Weil’s e-news of the day shares five reasons why green tea is his beverage of choice. I thought I would pass along his words of wisdom:
1. Lower cholesterol levels and rates of heart disease.
2. Helps protect against bacterial infections
3. Promotes joint health and stronger bones.
4. Reduces inflammation.
5. Enhances the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and super bugs.
Green tea is a potent source of catechins – antioxidants that inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity.
The most common objection I hear about green tea is “I don’t like the taste.” I have to admit, years ago that was my objection as well. When I first tried the Essentials herbal detox tea with milk thistle for liver support, I wasn’t grooving on it right away – because let’s face it, green tea is a far cry from chocolate macadamia nut coffee! But as I sipped the tea I began to enjoy the flavor. Mentally, if you KNOW what you are drinking is going to provide amazing health benefits inside your body, the taste becomes pleasurable. Dear readers, I have said this before and I will repeat myself – our bodies are wired to eating garbage. Mine had been programmed for years to eat the processed, unhealthy choices I was making – I had formed brain triggers to crave these unhealthy foods!
Once you make the decision to eat healthier it has to become a mindset. You don’t try something once, and go “yuck” and quit. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE! What is going to happen to your body if you continue to drink a diet soda (or more than one) every day? Have you seen that list of aspartame effects I posted a few weeks ago – holy cow! Drinking poison would at least be a quicker and perhaps less painful death!
Where are you headed in your health journey? I see the big picture, do you? Doctor up your tea if you must. I recommend agave nectar over honey for the lower glycemic index, or Stevia - a natural sweetener often found in individual packets. Do not use artificial sweeteners! Freshly squeezed lemon might also make a nice addition to your green tea- don't use the processed stuff in a bottle.
Dr. Russell Blaylock states in his August newsletter, and I firmly believe this is true: “…when God made man, he made plants for use as man’s medicines. When we look closely at how these incredible plant extracts can work on a molecular level, it becomes obvious they were created to work with our cells and tissues, both to protect us and to cure many of our diseases. Evolution simply cannot explain the relationship between man and his environment.”A few weeks ago I saw a video as a part of the Truth Project –Science part 2. There was a powerful computerized animation of how our body is made – DNA, cell structure, molecules – transporters, messengers, connectors – we are truly miraculously made, and not a random creation out of chaos. God created man along with plants and animals, not skyscrapers and pollution. He provided everything we needed to live a life filled with pure, safe and beneficial goodness. As hard as it may seem in this modern day of living, I think it is worthwhile to try and reclaim as much of what God had intended as we possibly can.
To your health!
Rita S.
1. Lower cholesterol levels and rates of heart disease.
2. Helps protect against bacterial infections
3. Promotes joint health and stronger bones.
4. Reduces inflammation.
5. Enhances the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and super bugs.
Green tea is a potent source of catechins – antioxidants that inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity.
The most common objection I hear about green tea is “I don’t like the taste.” I have to admit, years ago that was my objection as well. When I first tried the Essentials herbal detox tea with milk thistle for liver support, I wasn’t grooving on it right away – because let’s face it, green tea is a far cry from chocolate macadamia nut coffee! But as I sipped the tea I began to enjoy the flavor. Mentally, if you KNOW what you are drinking is going to provide amazing health benefits inside your body, the taste becomes pleasurable. Dear readers, I have said this before and I will repeat myself – our bodies are wired to eating garbage. Mine had been programmed for years to eat the processed, unhealthy choices I was making – I had formed brain triggers to crave these unhealthy foods!
Once you make the decision to eat healthier it has to become a mindset. You don’t try something once, and go “yuck” and quit. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE! What is going to happen to your body if you continue to drink a diet soda (or more than one) every day? Have you seen that list of aspartame effects I posted a few weeks ago – holy cow! Drinking poison would at least be a quicker and perhaps less painful death!
Where are you headed in your health journey? I see the big picture, do you? Doctor up your tea if you must. I recommend agave nectar over honey for the lower glycemic index, or Stevia - a natural sweetener often found in individual packets. Do not use artificial sweeteners! Freshly squeezed lemon might also make a nice addition to your green tea- don't use the processed stuff in a bottle.
Dr. Russell Blaylock states in his August newsletter, and I firmly believe this is true: “…when God made man, he made plants for use as man’s medicines. When we look closely at how these incredible plant extracts can work on a molecular level, it becomes obvious they were created to work with our cells and tissues, both to protect us and to cure many of our diseases. Evolution simply cannot explain the relationship between man and his environment.”A few weeks ago I saw a video as a part of the Truth Project –Science part 2. There was a powerful computerized animation of how our body is made – DNA, cell structure, molecules – transporters, messengers, connectors – we are truly miraculously made, and not a random creation out of chaos. God created man along with plants and animals, not skyscrapers and pollution. He provided everything we needed to live a life filled with pure, safe and beneficial goodness. As hard as it may seem in this modern day of living, I think it is worthwhile to try and reclaim as much of what God had intended as we possibly can.
To your health!
Rita S.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Green Tea - More Than A Healthy Habit
I believe I may have already posted two times or so about the benefits of green tea...what can I say - the more I learn the more benefits I am discovering!
The more it’s subjected to scientific scrutiny, the better green tea looks as a health tonic. The Chinese and Japanese consume it as much or more as Americans drink coffee—it’s a staple of both cultures. Here’s a list of its beneficial effects, just based on recent research published in major journals:
•Prevention and treatment of cancer
•Reduction of blood pressure
•Protects the brain and nervous system from oxidation and excitotoxins
•Anti-inflammatory
•Anti-bacterial
•Reduces cavities
•Improves cholesterol profiles
•Helps clear arteries
Getting your green tea in one of those awful corn-syrupy bottled drinks will probably negate its benefits. You can buy green tea in loose leaf form, or in bags. Keep in mind that, again, you get what you pay for. Often teas manufactured in convenience bags are made with Findings & Dust - which simply means that you are not getting much ECGC in your tea - which is one of the top anti-oxidants. Know how your tea is made. AB's Detox tea does come in the convenience of bags, but is tea leaves, and as well milk thistle is included which is essential for liver support. Try your tea plain, or add a drop or two of agave nectar if you prefer sweetened tea. Drink it hot, or brew your tea, allow it to chill and serve over ice for a refreshing, cool drink. One thing I have noticed about the Detox tea, even if you leave your tea bag in accidentally, you do not get a bitter tasting tea, as I have experienced with some other, not inexpensive green teas. Because it is caffeine free, it is the perfect cup to soothe and relax you after a hard day.
Drink green tea for your heatlh!
Rita S.
The more it’s subjected to scientific scrutiny, the better green tea looks as a health tonic. The Chinese and Japanese consume it as much or more as Americans drink coffee—it’s a staple of both cultures. Here’s a list of its beneficial effects, just based on recent research published in major journals:
•Prevention and treatment of cancer
•Reduction of blood pressure
•Protects the brain and nervous system from oxidation and excitotoxins
•Anti-inflammatory
•Anti-bacterial
•Reduces cavities
•Improves cholesterol profiles
•Helps clear arteries
Getting your green tea in one of those awful corn-syrupy bottled drinks will probably negate its benefits. You can buy green tea in loose leaf form, or in bags. Keep in mind that, again, you get what you pay for. Often teas manufactured in convenience bags are made with Findings & Dust - which simply means that you are not getting much ECGC in your tea - which is one of the top anti-oxidants. Know how your tea is made. AB's Detox tea does come in the convenience of bags, but is tea leaves, and as well milk thistle is included which is essential for liver support. Try your tea plain, or add a drop or two of agave nectar if you prefer sweetened tea. Drink it hot, or brew your tea, allow it to chill and serve over ice for a refreshing, cool drink. One thing I have noticed about the Detox tea, even if you leave your tea bag in accidentally, you do not get a bitter tasting tea, as I have experienced with some other, not inexpensive green teas. Because it is caffeine free, it is the perfect cup to soothe and relax you after a hard day.
Drink green tea for your heatlh!
Rita S.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
And even more benefits of green tea....
My journey continues to grow in knowledge of health and wellness, and I love it. Many of us are already aware that green tea containing ECGC (which not all do) have great anti-oxidant properties and help ward of cancer.This week I learned even more about the benefits of green tea, it helps reduce anxiety, controls appetite and increases metabolism, lowers blood pressure, and helps with cognitive thinking.
Green tea contains polyphenols, the most beneficial one is called *ECGC. These anti-oxidants help reduce the growth of cancer cells in the body, this has even been proven in studies! Drinking green tea, or applying it to your skin, can even help block the cancer-causing effects of the sun's rays. More and more, sunscreens can be found with green tea listed within its ingredients.
Did you realize that anti-oxidants in green tea help reduce inflammation? Inflammation is the cause of so many health issues. Aching joints are an obvious one, and I recall when I had back issues, inflammed nerves were pressing on my spinal discs. We have glands that swell from inflammation (prostrate is one example). Green tea helps reduce arteries from contracting, thus reducing blood pressure and helps prevent heart disease. People who drink 1/2 cup of green tea a day are 50% less likely to wind up with hypertension than non green tea drinkers.
It's good for the brain. Green tea contains theanine, which is a natural relaxanat amino acid. It can help reduce relax a person and help manage stress. It increases GABA, a brain chemical which produces a calming effect (as mentioned in a previous blog post, the bio-identical (natural) hormone, progesterone, also has a similar effect). It increases the alpha waves in the brain, thus helping one to focus better. (Perhaps college students should consume green tea before final exams, what do you think?) I was also very excited to learn, no pun intended, that green tea can counter, or block the excitatory effects, of excess glutamate, which is an essential brain chemical. Monsodium glutmate, which abounds in our store-bought food products, is a silent killer of brain cells. MSG is causing our brain to have major excesses of glutamate. It is thought by Dr. Russel Blaylock, to be one of the reasons we are seeing so many more children with ADD, ADHD and more. We can educate ourselves, read labels, and shop wisely, but truth of the matter is - we cannot protect our children from all sources of MSG. I do wonder how it infiltrates the school lunch system. I will be inquiring about that. Meats are even injected with MSG, and many kids have access to vending machines - chips are loaded with MSG. If we could only get our children to drink green tea (AB brand is a caffeine free green tea - green teas in general are caffenated), perhaps we can help counter the effects of their diet.
Our elderly parents could benefit as well. Older adults who drink two cups of green tea a day are less likely to develop cognitive thinking disorders, such as Alzheimers and Parkinson's, than those who do not. Apparently the anti-oxidants fight the free-radical damage to the brain nerves, causing these conditions.
Granted, drinking green tea can be an acquired taste. I have friends who say they simply do not care for it. First of all, you can brew your tea too strong. When steeping your tea, remove your tea bag or tea filter after only a few mintues (3-5 is generally recommended, depending upon your personal tastes). If you leave a tea bag in your cup while sipping, your tea will develop a bitter taste. (Trust me, speaking from personal experience here!) If you have made a gentle, calming brew, but still do not find green tea to your liking, you might consider adding a bit of fresh lemon juice and/or a natural sweetener such as honey, agave nectar or stevia. Adding in table sugar pretty much defeats the healthful purpose of drinking green tea.
From the Somers' KNOCKOUT book I learned, from one of the docs curing cancer, that we all have genes programmed to protect us from cancer cells. However, as we age the genes can "go silent", and can in fact, be "turned off" - due to the many environ toxins and such that we expose our bodies to. We need to turn the switch "back on", and reactivate the genes that have gone silent. Studies show there are chemicals in green tea which are molecular switches, which can reactivate some of those switched off oncogenes. Drink up!!
Not to go to waste! Leftover tea can be applied to insect bites, scrapes and burns with a cotton ball - it's a natural anti-septic that reduces itching and swelling. However, I would not use green tea enhanced with sweeteners for this purpose.
I have enjoyed AB green tea many evenings for nearly a year. Having learned even more about its benefits, I have decided to replace morning coffee with green tea in 2011. The Figure 8 detox tea blend also contains 8 additional supporting herbs, including milk thistle, that increase metabolism and promote optimal health by helping to cleanse the liver, kidneys and the blood. Our liver and kidneys are our greatest defense against disease, including cancer, and it is up to us to ensure these vital organs are detoxified and cleansed on a regular basis.
Before I over-steep your sensors with too much information, let me close today's post with information from a USDA study. I hope you have enjoyed this post, and perhaps learned something new.
Making an effort towards purely living,
Rita S.
USDA Study
A 2007 report published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) analyzes nearly 400 foods for their EGCG content.
The scientists brewed one gram of tea leaves in 100 millimeters of water. Figures below are translated into milligrams per 8-ounce cup (about 225 millimeters), which is the standard cup size used in the Western world.
Top of the list is regular green tea. One cup has a whopping 180 milligrams of EGCG. Decaffeinated brewed green tea has only 60 milligrams, about a third of regular tea. Flavoured brewed green tea has 45 milligrams. Bringing up the rear is instant or bottled green tea with only a pitiful 9 milligrams. Unfortunately, it is the most popular American tea beverage. (Rita's note: In other words, drinking Snapple containing green tea is doing very little for your health, and I would bet it contains fructose or other artificial sweeteners that counteract any ECGC benefits with a substantially greater amount of free radicals found in the sweeteners.)
*Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of four major catechins in green tea. Catechins belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids. Green tea catechins are the flavan-3-ols found in green tea leaves. All catechins including EGCG are polyphenolic substances. Green tea catechins, especially EGCG, make up approximately thirty percent of the dry weight of green tea leaves. Of the catechins, EGCG is the most abundant one in green tea leaves.
Green tea contains polyphenols, the most beneficial one is called *ECGC. These anti-oxidants help reduce the growth of cancer cells in the body, this has even been proven in studies! Drinking green tea, or applying it to your skin, can even help block the cancer-causing effects of the sun's rays. More and more, sunscreens can be found with green tea listed within its ingredients.
Did you realize that anti-oxidants in green tea help reduce inflammation? Inflammation is the cause of so many health issues. Aching joints are an obvious one, and I recall when I had back issues, inflammed nerves were pressing on my spinal discs. We have glands that swell from inflammation (prostrate is one example). Green tea helps reduce arteries from contracting, thus reducing blood pressure and helps prevent heart disease. People who drink 1/2 cup of green tea a day are 50% less likely to wind up with hypertension than non green tea drinkers.
It's good for the brain. Green tea contains theanine, which is a natural relaxanat amino acid. It can help reduce relax a person and help manage stress. It increases GABA, a brain chemical which produces a calming effect (as mentioned in a previous blog post, the bio-identical (natural) hormone, progesterone, also has a similar effect). It increases the alpha waves in the brain, thus helping one to focus better. (Perhaps college students should consume green tea before final exams, what do you think?) I was also very excited to learn, no pun intended, that green tea can counter, or block the excitatory effects, of excess glutamate, which is an essential brain chemical. Monsodium glutmate, which abounds in our store-bought food products, is a silent killer of brain cells. MSG is causing our brain to have major excesses of glutamate. It is thought by Dr. Russel Blaylock, to be one of the reasons we are seeing so many more children with ADD, ADHD and more. We can educate ourselves, read labels, and shop wisely, but truth of the matter is - we cannot protect our children from all sources of MSG. I do wonder how it infiltrates the school lunch system. I will be inquiring about that. Meats are even injected with MSG, and many kids have access to vending machines - chips are loaded with MSG. If we could only get our children to drink green tea (AB brand is a caffeine free green tea - green teas in general are caffenated), perhaps we can help counter the effects of their diet.
Our elderly parents could benefit as well. Older adults who drink two cups of green tea a day are less likely to develop cognitive thinking disorders, such as Alzheimers and Parkinson's, than those who do not. Apparently the anti-oxidants fight the free-radical damage to the brain nerves, causing these conditions.
Granted, drinking green tea can be an acquired taste. I have friends who say they simply do not care for it. First of all, you can brew your tea too strong. When steeping your tea, remove your tea bag or tea filter after only a few mintues (3-5 is generally recommended, depending upon your personal tastes). If you leave a tea bag in your cup while sipping, your tea will develop a bitter taste. (Trust me, speaking from personal experience here!) If you have made a gentle, calming brew, but still do not find green tea to your liking, you might consider adding a bit of fresh lemon juice and/or a natural sweetener such as honey, agave nectar or stevia. Adding in table sugar pretty much defeats the healthful purpose of drinking green tea.
From the Somers' KNOCKOUT book I learned, from one of the docs curing cancer, that we all have genes programmed to protect us from cancer cells. However, as we age the genes can "go silent", and can in fact, be "turned off" - due to the many environ toxins and such that we expose our bodies to. We need to turn the switch "back on", and reactivate the genes that have gone silent. Studies show there are chemicals in green tea which are molecular switches, which can reactivate some of those switched off oncogenes. Drink up!!
Not to go to waste! Leftover tea can be applied to insect bites, scrapes and burns with a cotton ball - it's a natural anti-septic that reduces itching and swelling. However, I would not use green tea enhanced with sweeteners for this purpose.
I have enjoyed AB green tea many evenings for nearly a year. Having learned even more about its benefits, I have decided to replace morning coffee with green tea in 2011. The Figure 8 detox tea blend also contains 8 additional supporting herbs, including milk thistle, that increase metabolism and promote optimal health by helping to cleanse the liver, kidneys and the blood. Our liver and kidneys are our greatest defense against disease, including cancer, and it is up to us to ensure these vital organs are detoxified and cleansed on a regular basis.
Before I over-steep your sensors with too much information, let me close today's post with information from a USDA study. I hope you have enjoyed this post, and perhaps learned something new.
Making an effort towards purely living,
Rita S.
USDA Study
A 2007 report published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) analyzes nearly 400 foods for their EGCG content.
The scientists brewed one gram of tea leaves in 100 millimeters of water. Figures below are translated into milligrams per 8-ounce cup (about 225 millimeters), which is the standard cup size used in the Western world.
Top of the list is regular green tea. One cup has a whopping 180 milligrams of EGCG. Decaffeinated brewed green tea has only 60 milligrams, about a third of regular tea. Flavoured brewed green tea has 45 milligrams. Bringing up the rear is instant or bottled green tea with only a pitiful 9 milligrams. Unfortunately, it is the most popular American tea beverage. (Rita's note: In other words, drinking Snapple containing green tea is doing very little for your health, and I would bet it contains fructose or other artificial sweeteners that counteract any ECGC benefits with a substantially greater amount of free radicals found in the sweeteners.)
*Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of four major catechins in green tea. Catechins belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids. Green tea catechins are the flavan-3-ols found in green tea leaves. All catechins including EGCG are polyphenolic substances. Green tea catechins, especially EGCG, make up approximately thirty percent of the dry weight of green tea leaves. Of the catechins, EGCG is the most abundant one in green tea leaves.
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