Do You Want to Lose Weight AND Lose Your Mind?

Recent reports on toxins and trace metals in popular, and trusted, protein  powder brands have been mind blowing.  Some not so surprising, but for Beach fans, this report may be shocking. I have long been of the mindset that although expensive, this brand was of very high quality because the company does avoid artificial ingredients and visible ingredients were beneficial.  Purity of a product, however, is not something that can always be seen. Manufacturers are not required to add trace metal PPMs to their labels, yet, these metals do affect our well being, and long term memory.
More surprising is what Dr. Oz lists as "safe" protein powders. Safe by whom? The manufacturers who produce them? Apparently Consumer Labs is  missing the mark, citing proteins with acceptable trace metals but not taking into account other ingredients that contribute to alzheimers, dementia, heart disease and more.
Reviewing the ingredients of the supposed safe powders you will see hormone disrupting ingredients such as soy, inflammatory ingredients such as carrageenan, and GASP!!  artificial sweeteners such as ASPARTAME and SUCRALOSE!!
Really OZ?  I recommend Dr. Oz click his heels together and invite Dr. Russell Blaylock on to his show so that his viewers can be educated not only about immediate benefits of losing weight, but the longstanding benefits of having mental health. As you age certain ingredients build up in our system, which in turn takes a toll on brain heatlh. Avoiding these ingredients is just as important as avoiding trace metals.
Health Ranger Mike Adams is doing a great job of informing consumers about trace metal toxicities in not only protein powders, but processed foods as well, such as Wheaties. Mike recommends a whey protein, but for me personally - I want to ensure I am consuming primarily an alkaline diet to allow my cells to retain oxygen (fuel for life).
After much research I settled on a vegan protein shake for my family that contans NO lead, mercury, tungsten, cadmium or aluminum. Even though it is vegan it provides all BCAAs, scoring 100% on the amino acid profile. Raw organic/non GMO foods are tested for purity before cold processing. The company has been in business for 34 years and the research and development department is cutting edge, using ingredients for years that are just recently making news as being beneficial.
We have been using this protein shake brand for 4 years. It is pure, safe and beneficial for not only myself, but I trust my children's health with this brand, too. Best of all - they love the taste!
We have all become much more healthy - no Rx or OTC in our home any longer. If you would like to learn more about the brand we have come to trust for our dairy and gluten free needs, give me a shout.

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.

Foods that Feed Cancer

Yesterday I offered up foods with choice nutrients that can actually thwart cancer cells. Previous to that my post on Monday was in regards to inflammation being a huge contributor to disease, including cancer. Today’s post will discuss foods to avoid – foods that are highly inflammatory and/or contain elements that promote cancer cell growth. Foods that cancer cells LOVE. Foods that give cancer sells fuel and give cancer energy. Obviously, if you have cancer...this is not the food reaction you are seeking in your cells.
TOP TEN FOODS TO AVOID if you wish to maintain a healthful state include:
1. Cow’s milk and cheese
2. Vegetable oils
3. Processed foods
4. Beef or beef products
5. Soy
6. Sugar
7. Artificial Sweeteners & Dyes
8. MSG
9. Fluoridated Water
10. Gelatin
Perhaps a bit of elaboration will help you understand why some of these foods, marketed as healthy choices, are found on this list.
Dairy in highly inflammatory – no other way around it. In regards to a need for calcium, as on researcher put it – elephants and giraffes, and even cows, don’t grow up and continue on a diet of milk once weaned. Pure water…it does a body good. Calcium is derived from many plant sources, including almonds and kale. Almond milk is the drink of choice in our home.
Vegetable oils – and “fat friend or foe” post will be forthcoming, but you can search for that on my blog to learn more right now about Omega 6 vs. Omega 3 fats.
Processed foods – do I need to say more? MSG, nitrates, petro-chemicals… our very existence as American people relying on processed foods contributes to our being the most unhealthy country in the world, with highest cancer rates of all, and epidemics of obesity and type II diabetes.
Iron, essential for cancer cell growth, is one of the main reasons beef is on that list. Most of us have no problems getting enough iron. Iron is essential for cell division and cancer cells divide like wildfire – red meat consumption basically fuels that fire. I bet the Paleo diet followers will have a hard time with this one…but there are other sources of meat besides red meat. Also, processed meats (your sandwich convenience products, spreads, frozen chicken bits, etc.) are high in nitrates, which also contribute to cancer. Avoid supplements with iron – unless you are anemic. You can have the ferritin levels in your blood measured for an iron count. Higher levels indicate cancer is spreading.
Soy – don’t be fooled, but chances are you have been fooled by years through a great marketing program by the agriculture administration. The majority of soybeans harvested for our grocery products in this country are GMO (genetically modified), which is one reason to avoid soy. Soy is high in glutamate – which is a powerful stimulant of cancer growth and invasion. Third, but not last…soy plants absorb more fluoride from the ground than any other plant in the plant kingdom. Fluoride when ingested, is toxic. Another topic worthy of its own daily discussion.
Sugar – high glycemic index foods are fuel for cancer cells. When you have cancer you absolutely want to avoid eating fruits high in sugar, which include bananas, strawberries, grapes, black and raspberries, melons – although these foods contain anti-cancer nutrients, once you have cancer – sugar is the last thing you want to fuel the cells with. Think about what a “sugar high” does to our kids…it makes our cancer cells bounce of the walls just as well. High glycemic carbs such as white bread, muffins, white pasta, white rice, white potatoes, bagels, cakes, and more...are also metabolized as table sugar in our bodies.
Artificial Sweeteners & Dyes…search “aspartame” in my search field – or “diet soda”. Aspartame not only kills brain cells, cancer cells love it! Were you reading my blog back when I said I had a 2 page, 2 column handout in my hand listing all the side effects of aspartame? I provided a link at the time, don't know if you can still access that site however, as it was a part of one of my subscriptions. I don’t know about you, but seeing that particular list pretty much axed any desire I would ever have for a diet soda. Regarding food dyes - both yellow and red dyes are petro-chemical based. I have posted about this previously as well. Petro-chemicals mask themselves as estrogen in our body. It acts like a "fake estrogen" and 80% of all breast cancers, as an example, are from too much estrogen. Many countries in Europe have banned artificial colors from their processed foods, but not here in the U.S. Supply and demand, as long as we keep buying they'll keep making it as it is...essentially poison to our bodies.
MSG – have posted about that previously as well, but as I mentioned above, it is a powerful stimulant to cancer cells.
Fluoridated water – it is time the American Dental Association reads up on some current research vs. the old, flawed studies by which the fluoride push came. I may have quoted these studies yesterday in regards to grapes, but it bears repeating. Fluoride has been shown to increase cancer growth and bone cancer by 600% in young men. Towns with fluoridated water systems have a 10% higher cancer rate than those without. Again, praise God my family lives on the outskirts of town and have well water. (Although I have a concern about nitrates with the hill above our well, being a former pasture for cows.) If you live in a town serving up fluoridated water, it is recommended you buy bottled or utilize a reverse osmossis filtration system. Washing your produce in fluoridated water rather defeats your purpose as well.
Gelatin, almost always made up of neural cow components and high in MSG and fluoride, is predominant as casings for our supplements and vitamins, not to mention it is found in many desserts. Be aware. We utilize a vegan Omega 3 supplement at our home (to encapsulate the oils) with a plant based casing, and I was quick to throw out the gummy bear type vitamins the kids were using after I learned this.
The Top Ten above is listed in any particular order. Chances are you consume some more than others, and perhaps you eat zero of one- which is great. For cancer prevention, make it a goal to eliminate or severely cut back on the amount of foods you eat that contain the “top ten to avoid” list.

To your health,
Rita S.

Yes, MSG Makes Us Fat

A new study confirms that MSG makes you fat (me too). Published by the American Journal of Clinicial Nutrition, the study confirms what previous researchers and studies have said. SO, not only does MSG kill off brain cells...it makes us a fat population of people. Who do we have to thank for that? Well, it would be the food industry for certain, who when it was made known MSG adds flavor and it could sell more product, began pumping it into every processed food imagineable.
Since World War II our nation has had a steady increase in obesity...that is no coincidence folks!
Want to know the technical aspect of this revelation? I will try to keep it simple. Per neurosurgeon, Dr. Russel Blaylock, MSG toxins destroy a group of cell receptors in the brain called hypothalmus, which send out the signal when you are feeling full.  MSG totally thwarts the sensitivity of these cells, thus you keep on eating.
Of course there are those who try to discredit the studies. Turns out one doctor/scientist who poo pawed the idea of MSG being toxic to the brain happens to work for the Ajinomoto company, a primary manufacturer of MSG. I wouldn't bet a steak on his word.
In the past I had posted on the effects of MSG as an excitotoxin, attributed to many behavioral dysfunctions such as ADD or ADHD. You can check out my topic cloud to find past postings on the topic of MSG. The sidebar on the right does contain a link under "healthful sites" which will give you a list of the many names for monsodium glutamate.
I am tempted to continue about a report that links ACE inhibitor medication (taken for high blood pressure)  to breast cancer, but I wouldn't want that topic to get lost in this one.

To your health!
Rita S.