To The Rescue: Broccoli

Broccoli. One of many amazing super foods. I love broccoli when it is lightly steamed, so you aren't cooking out all the nutrients it is packed with, and still a bit crunchy. Yum!

1. is fiber-rich, which helps out your GI (gastrointestinal) tract.
2. reduces blood cholesterol levels
3. is loaded with Vitamin C, which aids iron absorption, prevents the development of cataracts, and eases the symptoms of colds.
4. has folic acid which helps women sustain normal tissue growth and helps fight birth defects
5. aids those battling high blood pressure and osteoporosis due to its high amounts of potassium.
6. contains the phytonutrients sulforaphane and the indoles, which have significant anti-cancer effects.
7. can optimize your cells' detoxification process
8. helps sun-damaged skin
9. has cardiovascular benefits
10. been linked to preventing and controlling Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, malignant tumors, athritis and even the aging process.

Now that's a lot of power in a little tiny veggie!!

Graph adapted from www.whfoods.com

Myth??: Soy

I think there are a lot of people out there who blindly believe what is being said about the 'health benefits' of soy. I am not convinced. Years ago, while reading The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin, I came across an interesting paragraph on soy. He was breaking down the benefits (extremely few) and downsides of the Vegetarian Diet.

"In Asia, soy products are never used as a primary food! There are used as condiments or in traditionally fermented forms. Unfermented soybeans and soy products are high in phytic acid, an antinutrient that carries minerals out of the body. Vegetarians are known for their frequent mineral deficiencies. The high phytate content of grain and legume-based diets is to blame. Processed soy products are rich in trypsin inhibitors, which inhibit protein digestion! Some recent researtch indicates that soy's phytoestrogens (or isoflavones) could be causative factors in breast cancer, penile birth defects, infantile leukemia, and depressed thryoid function. They have caused infertility in every animal species studied so far!"

Interesting, isn't it?? All of the research I can find supports and adds on to this. I have found other research claiming that soy can cause brain damage, lower sperm count, memory loss, and more. I strongly believe that it's wrong to feed infants soy formula. I can't even begin to comprehend why people would think that soy would be a great alternative just because their infant is allergic to dairy (which is another story all in itself). I found some research on that as well and was surprised to learn that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent (based on body weight) of at least five birth control pills per day. Five!!! Per Day!!! Are you getting this people!! Add to this the alarming amount of estrogen and growth hormone found in the human body due to the meat industry and you are looking at disaster most commonly found in the form of cancer!!

Soy was only ever used by the Orient when fermented. The Chinese did not eat the soybean as they did other legumes because they knew that soybeans contain harmful substances.

Do a little research of the history of the soybean (I found this website by Thomas McPherson Brown M.D. helpful among others) and how it was used and why there is so much hype about it. You might be surprised to learn that it's all for money - as most everything in the 'health' industry is. Decide for yourself. Is the soybean for your health? There is so much information out there and I encourage you to go find it. Other resources you might find interesting on this subject are:
The Hidden Dangers of Soy by Dianne Gregg
The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel

The Aliases of Sugar

Added sugars in processed foods can be found under the following names:

Sugar (sucrose) - the refined crystallized sugar; a combination of glucose and fructose.
Dextrose (glucose) - a simple sugar made of only one molecule.
Lactose - a simple sugar from milk.
Maltose - a simple sugar made from starch, usually grains.
Maltodextrin - a manufactured sugar from maltose and dextrose.
Brown sugar - the refined sugar coated with molasses or coloured with caramel.
Raw sugar - a less refined sugar with a small amount of molasses remaining.
Fructose - a simple sugar refined from fruit.
Corn syrup - a manufactured syrup of corn starch, containing varying proportions of glucose, maltose, and dextrose. (see note below).
High-fructose corn syrup - a highly concentrated syrup of predominantly fructose.
White grape juice - a highly purified fructose solution; virtually no other nutrients are present.

Be aware that cornstarch, treated by heat or enzymes to make dextrose, maltose, corn syrup, corn sugar, and crystalline dextrose, is used to supplement sucrose in processed foods in order to: bring costs down, add colour and flavour, and retain bright colours in preserves, ketchup, and cured meat. This widespread use may be a cause of the increased allergies to corn.

Typically, when ingredients are listed on a product, they must be listed from largest amount down to smallest amount found in that product. Do not be fooled into thinking there is very little sugar in an item if it is not listed near the beginning. Often you will find three or four of the above aliases in the ingredient listing, meaning that in the end the product may be mostly sugar!

Taken from http://www.wholife.com/issues/10_1/02_article.html

Take Responsibility

I had the an opportunity to attend a seminar years ago by Robert Rakowski, DC, CCN, DACBN, DIBAK. This man is an incredible healer. I was amazed at the knowledge and simple truths that he shared and felt very fortunate to be in on that lecture. I have a lot of information from him to share but first I wanted to share this article he wrote about good health.

Health Starts Here
by Robert A. Rakowski, D.C., C.C.N.

A person can acquire all of the riches and power that the world has to offer, but without good health he really doesn't have anything!

Overall, the health of our society is deteriorating. The rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity continue to rise. Who is responsible for this health crisis? The government? The pharmaceutical industry? Fast food? New viruses? Antibiotic resistant bacteria? The cost-cutting approach of managed health care? No! We are all responsible for our own health. The level of health that we enjoy today is a direct result of the decisions that we made yesterday. And the choices we make today will affect our well-being tomorrow.

The key to good health is to act appropriately on good decisions. The good health most of us were born with is a gift, but it is a gift which requires maintenance and care. Health does not come in a bottle or pill. We must acquire the knowledge about what will maintain and promote good health and commit to making health-promoting and life-enriching choices.

True health is a balance of physical, bio-chemical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects.

Physical Health/Fitness
*Physical health and fitness can be achieved through a program that balances endurance, flexibility, speed and power.
*Endurance is listed first, because it increases the strength of the heart and thus its capacity to pump the blood that takes nourishment to the other organs of the body. As an added benefit, endurance training burns fat which leads to a leaner and healthier body.
*Flexibility is achieved through stretching.
Speed and power are developed through vigorous exercises like weightlifting or sprinting.

Bio-chemical Health
Bio-chemical health refers to nutrient absorption and toxin elimination. Eight of the top ten causes of death in the United States are related to nutrition. The nutrients in our food become the building blocks for the repair and replacement of all of the cells of our bodies. If we don't use good building blocks, we can't build good cells. Without healthy cells we cannot build healthy bodies.
*Nutrient absorption requires good digestion. Digestion can be improved by using digestive enzyme supplements and combining foods that digest at the same rate. If you can't absorb it, you can't use it.
*Elimination of toxins usually follows when a wholesome natural diet is consumed. Additionally, two quarts of purified water each day helps to prime the elimination system.

Mental Health
Mental health can be defined as a feeling of inner peace with control of mental faculties. A person will experience inner peace to the extent that he feels that he is in control of his circumstances. Goal setting and daily planning sessions will help to organize what we can control, and thus enhance our mental health.

Emotional Health
Emotional health can be defined as the ability to stay strong in spite of difficult circumstances. We will all experience setbacks in life. However, it is not what sets us back that is important but rather how we respond to it.

Spiritual Health
Spirituality can be defined in terms of one's own beliefs. Nearly all belief systems recognize a higher power and teach that we should treat others as we would like to be treated. Ancient scriptures teach that you should seek first the kingdom of God and all other things will follow.

These fundamental aspects help us all to achieve balance and excellence in the physical, bio-chemical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life. We must remember that our good health is a gift for which to be grateful and a treasure to be cherished. We must take responsibility for ourselves and our bodies. We must be able to look into the mirror and remind ourselves that "Good health starts here."

Dub Muscle

This is my #1 favorite product available at Dub Nutrition. I love the difference I can feel in my weight training and cardio - the muscle recovery and better results. This is not a product designed for the body builder's with muscles so big their skin looks like it's going to rip at the seams (however, still beneficial for them). This product IS designed to protect your muscle tissue. It decides your metabolic rate of burning calories than helps you add muscle in its leanest form possible. When trying to transform your body, first the body has to be relieved of free radicals, such as ammonia through a process called nitric oxide. This allows the body to accept tissue development through proper blood flow to the area in which you are training. Beta Alanine is the amino acid used in Dub Muscle to deliver the most amount of blood to the muscle being trained. This allows a quicker recovery. 500 mg of the Amazing Acai Berry has also been added as a foundational component. Acai is one of the worlds super foods and greatest anti oxidant available today.

Go to http://www.dubnutrition.com/ and click on Products to learn more about the ingredients in this product. If you are trying to become leaner - this is a product you can't afford not to be on.

Candida

CANDIDA. I have to talk about Candida first. Some people already know what that is. A LOT of people have never even heard about it which, quite frankly, is maddening because nearly 90% of Americans have it!! Traditional doctors WON'T find it.

An overgrowth of Candida Albicans (a form of Yeast) is a hidden epidemic. This kind of overgrowth, also referred to as “systemic candida” or “candidiasis,” is found all over the body but is mostly intestinal. We all have friendly intestinal bacteria (known as probiotics). Some medicatons, diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugars, poor digestion and elimination, allergies, and other factors can all cause the friendly bacteria to die, leaving Candida free to grow in parts or all of the body - male or female.

Common Causes of Candida yeast infections:

ANTIBIOTICS
TOXIC METALS AND CHEMICALS
IMMUNE DEFICIENCY
HORMONAL IMBALANCE
PREGNANCY& BIRTH CONTROL PILLS
HIGH STRESS LEVELS
INTESTINAL PARASITES AND WORMS
IMPROPER DIET
CONSTIPATION
CHRONIC DIARRHEA
ALCOHOL
TAP WATER

Some common symptoms of Candida yeast infections are:

PERSISTENT FATIGUE
HEADACHES
ABDOMINAL PAIN AND BLOATING
ARTHRITIS PAINS
NASAL CONGESTION AND SINUS PROBLEMS
POOR MEMORY AND CONCENTRATION
CHRONIC SKIN RASHES
ALLERGIES
WEIGHT GAIN
...AND MORE!

I never use antiobiotics or birth control for those very reasons. I have only used an antiobotic once in my adult life and that was to fight a staph infection from an absess (in which case I am glad there is such a thing as an antibiotic). Also, as a side note, if you are on birth control, don't even bother treating Candida because you will have it as long as you are on the pill.

I have only been treated for Candida through my old employer, Dr. Steve Elmore, DC, of Vital Medical Spa in Sandy, UT. His protocol is typically two weeks of treatment (the 'Candida Diet') involving two supplements and staying away from certain foods. In treating Candida, one thing is for certain and that is that you will have food allergies to which you will need to stay away from. There are three things that you will 100% not be able to eat while treating Candida - Wheat, Dairy & and all types of Sugar (makes sense since most people have Candida from their rich diets of refined carbs and sugar, eh??) Other common food allergies that are person specific are oats, corn, peanuts, potatoes, citrus, tomatoes, eggs & bananas.

Eventually I will go into detail about each of those foods and why they are common food allergies to people (and allergies doesn't always mean that you will break out in rashes and swell. It just means that you have become sensitive to eating those types of foods and don't even know it). There is lots to learn about all of those things.

I am very careful about my intake of wheat, dairy and sugar. There are lots of great substitutes for those things like rice, yams and sweet potatoes, almonds and other nuts, & almond milk (or if you are into soy, which I am not, you can do that to) and Stevia in place of sugar (never Splenda, Nutri-sweet, or any other sugar subsitute or aspartame). Another thing to keep in mind is that it can be transferred between sexual partners, so if one has it, it's likely that your partner has it.

For more information visit:
Vital Medical Spa or
http://www.naturalcures.com/

Paul's Story

I have always been an active person for as long as I can remember. Most of my knowledge of exercise comes from playing football, especially througout High School. My body was at it's best back then. I suffered an injury my Senior year in which my right knee was severely torn and it took a lot of time and physical therapy to be able to get it to where I can play any kind of sport, albeit always with a knee brace. Since college I have been able to maintain the same body weight but I am working towards getting muscled again. My wife and I have, for the majority of our marriage, worked out together and kept each other going strong in exercise.

Maghann's Story

I have been immersed in health and exercise since I was very young. As I came into my High School years I involved myself in aerobics and running. My parents soon added free weights and a cable machine to our workout room and I have been lifting ever since. However, my interest in exercise and health soon became an obsession. In college, I became certified in teaching aerobics and taught night classes for the school. I still worked out everyday on my own on top of that. Even though I was obsessed with exercise and nutrition, I was not into gimmicks, dieting, or quick weight loss schemes. I knew they didn't work and were harmful to the body. I stayed away from sugar as much as possible and ate eggs for breakfast instead of cereal or baked my chicken instead of frying it. I never allowed myself to buy candy, treats or candybars. But with all that I did right for my body, I never did and still don't have a perfect body...although that has always been my goal: the best that I can be at my height and frame. Even though I never bought a candybar, if I was offered one I would eat it. It's not like I was perfect - just very well informed.


During college my plans were to become a nutritionist and a personal trainer. Phys Ed was my major. I took Anatomy and learned all I could about the human body and I loved it. I planned to come home after graduation and start teaching at a gym. I wanted a career in Health and Fitness and I wanted to live the dream! Life had a lesson to teach me, however, and things did not go as planned. But with all that was wrong with my life at the time, I was blessed to find work at a chiropractic office and find a whole new meaning of health. I learned what Kinesiology was and about real natural health and myths and lies and even the government's deceit in what they call health care. It changed my life.


Over the next several years I struggled immensely. My life was still centered around exercise - I knew it was good for me and I loved it but even though it was something I wanted to do, I always felt it was something I had to do and that caused me problems. I still ate as healthy as I could but I punished myself when I didn't. I struggled with my body image and became more and more depressed. I was so very miserable and had been for so much of my young adult life. It wasn't until 2006 that I was introduced to another person that changed my life. She helped me understand things on a deeper level and helped me to break out of the constant punishment and misery. I started accepting myself no matter what I weighed or what size I was and even more important - numbers were thrown out all together. It was extremely liberating. To this day I have no idea what I weigh and that works great for me!


I got married and my husband became my workout partner. We worked out everyday together. Mentally I was a lot better off, but I still had a lot of work to do. I still felt like I had to be a certain size in order to like my body (which is not a healthy way of thinking) and I decided I would try a "get skinny quick" diet. It had worked for my sister, who had lost 30 lbs her first round, and seeing her lose that kind of weight in six weeks had me seeing skinny jeans. I'm talking about the hCG diet. I did lose twenty pounds and I felt amazing. It was an extremely hard diet to be on (especially since I did it through the holiday season) but I loved being skinnier and I wanted to do another round as soon as I was able, to just drop about 15 more. I kept thinking: 'If I only lost 15lbs then I will weigh this much and I'll be happy then.' Not Good. But I did it anyway...and this time the weight didn't melt off. I was frustrated and mad and by the time I was done with the second round, I needed to go see my friend again. Also during this time, I was laid off of my job. It was very bad timing for me to be alone and by myself everyday. I had broken my rule of not weighing myself because you are required to while on the diet. I thought I would be just fine since I was 'fixed.' But that was not the case and I had to throw that scale out again and re-train myself not to worry about what size I was or how I looked. I immersed myself into exercise, lifting and running, and feeling stronger everyday. Since I didn't have a job I worked out twice a day Monday thru Thursday and once on Friday and Saturday. My body was getting leaner by doing this and I began to love exercise and not look at exercise as "I have to." I was eating A LOT! Lots of vegetables and protein and Dub supplements had me feeling great! I had dreams of getting into Figure Competition like my sister did and knew I could do it!

Today I am working again so I am back to working out once a day and that's okay. Once is good enough. I won't have time to train for a competition but one day I will. And because my husband and I are involved in Dub Nutrition, and because I have so much I want to share about what I have learned about health, we decided to make this blog, which is something that has been on my to-do list for quite some time. I hope people find it and can learn something new all the time. I am obviously not as good as a natural health professional and wish that I had a pinkies worth of the knowledge they do, but I am still in the mood to share!!