11. Get All Your Immunization Shots.

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.


11. Get All Your Immunization Shots



"Despite massive media and government public relations campaigns to the contrary, certain childhood immunization injections may pose considerable risks to children. Most adults today received one to five immunizations in childhool, but schoolchildren today receive an average of twenty-two or more immunizations - most of them administered while he brain and nervous system are still developing!

An epidemic of juvenile autism and other neurological and dvelopmental disorders sweeping through America's school-age children generally coincides with the introduction of certain mandatory immunizations. A growing body of scientific and medical research appears to link this dangerous health trend to these childhool immunizations.

Vijendra K. Singh, Ph.D., an eminent neuroimmuniologist from the Department of Biology and Biotechnology Center at Utah State University, hypothesized in research published internationally 'that a measles virus-induced autoimmune response is a causal factor in autism, whereas HHV-6 via co-infection may contribute to pathophysiology of the disorder. Although as yet unproven, I think it is an excellent working hypothesis to explain autism, and it may also help us understand why some children show autistic regression after the measles-mumps-rebella (MMR) immunization.'

Dr. Singh's findings seem to confirm that results of a similar study published in the Lancet in 1998 by Dr. Andrew Wakefield and co-workers of they Royal Free Hospital in London, indicating a possible link between MMR vaccination, Crohn's disease of the bowel, and autism. Most states allow philosophical and religious exemptions from mandatory immunization programs should you decide this is the way to go."




I have included some links that leads to further links compiled on Natural News if you care to take a look.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025595_vaccinations_vaccines.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/027178_vaccines_autism_NaturalPedia.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/029334_flu_vaccines_seizures.html

Food, Inc.

As Anita Wolff, a staff member of Britannica’s Advocacy for Animals, says: "I’m left feeling powerless by the huge economic and political forces that work to keep the profits rolling to enormous chemical, agricultural, and food-processing companies who benefit from having Americans eat a certain way. The frustration is made worse by knowing that those forces also work to keep us in the dark about the real costs involved and collude to keep people at all levels—such as farmers, consumers, slaughterhouse workers, union leaders (and, of course, these groups overlap)—from having any place to redress their grievances."

But please, PLEASE, don't NOT watch this because you feel that ignorance is bliss. It's not. This food crisis affects you already whether you choose to look it in it's face or not. There is not one single person that can say they haven't been affected by it somehow, either by themselves or someone they love. Whether its cancer, diabetes, or any of the onslaught of MAN MADE disease and sickness, no one is exempt.

There IS something we can do because we as consumers ARE the greatest decision makers. With each purchase, we are making a choice.

Watch the film, open your eyes, take action and visit www.takepart.com/foodinc

Exercise of the Week: Calf Raises

Calf Raises: Using a weight of your choice stand with your feet about hip width apart. Keeping your feet parallel, raise up onto the balls of your feet really squeezing that calf muscle. Lower and then repeat. On your next set, point the toes inward (pigeon-toed) to change the angle of the muscle worked. On your third set, point the toes out with the heels in. To make it extra hard, stand on a ledge or step or even a pile of sturdy books to give yourself a higher range or motion. To make it extra extra hard, performe this exercise one leg at a time!

Cancer and Sugar

I am constantly trying to tell my family to cut out all things with sugar. I don't believe our bodies are made to be eating as much sugar as everyone does - and there is proof!! It is evident all around us. The health problems are too many to count, the costs too expensive. Read this article about how cancer cells feed off High Fructose Corn Syrup and use it to divide and grow faster. I hope it will make you think twice before putting syrup on your pancake or pouring a bowl of cereal or eating a packaged granola bar or drinking a soda or............

Xylitol

You have probably all heard the commercial promoting Xylitol.

One lady comes on saying that their dentist says no more candy or gum.
The next lady come on saying that their dentist says eat candy and gum...with Xylitol.

Xylitol, as far as I have learned, is a low calorie 5-carbon sugar derived birch bark. Regular sugars a 6-carbons and are harmful to your health, whereas the claims surrounding Xylitol is that is actually benefits and aids your health.

I haven't formed an opinion about whether or not I believe the Xylitol health benefits to be true. My qualm here is that Big Industry is only concerned about the profit to be had in Xylitol. Who, in their right mind, recommends eating candy?? Whether it is made with Xylitol or not, it is still bad for you. It is still junk. Things like this really get under my skin because people really do hear a radio commercial and go: "Yes! I can eat all the junk food I want if it has Xylitol in it because 'they' say Xylitol is good for you!"
Doesn't that seem a little...foolish??....stupid??....wrong?? People jumped all over Equal, Splenda, and Nutra-Sweet. "It has no calories!!" "It's natural!!" 'they' claim. And unfortunately, nobody stops to think that these are just one more processed chemical (for they are actually chemicals) added to already overly processed, dead food. And now we know that the main ingredient in these, Aspartame, is a poison - a deadly one wreaking all kinds of havok on our bodies. Have we learned our lesson, yet?? Unfortunately no.

10. Get Tattoos.

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.

10. Get Tattoos.

Scripture warns against piercing the skin. (See Leviticus 19:28.) Body piercing and tattoos can easily introduce potentially deadly infections and toxic foreign substances into the body and bloodstream. Some health providers warn that even tiny puncture wounds might block important electrical nerve impulses just under the skin.

Slacker

I haven't posted in awhile! I am super sorry! I have just had zero time and I get so busy that it slips my mind completely. I have a few things saved up so they will be coming soon - stay with me!

9. Don't Breast Feed Your Baby

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.

9. Don't Breast Feed Your Baby

"Mothers, consider breastfeeding your children if you don't want them to risk the trauma of numerous childhood diseases and if you don't want to pay the hospital bills. It will also reduce your risk of developing breast cancer by 25 percent, and it may lower the risk of postpartum depression! Mother's milk contains cells that attack harmful bacteria in the baby's system, and it is able to form antibodies that destroy invading viruses as well. Mother's milk is the Maker's perfect food for babies, delivered in the closest bonds of maternal intimacy."

I know that there are mothers who can breastfeed and choose not to, which makes me sad for their children and for the mothers who want to breastfeed and can't. I hope I don't have this problem because I believe it's extremely important for the baby to have that start. I don't have much to say otherwise because it's actually not a topic I have researched...what's the best formula to feed your baby if you can't breastfeed? What can even come close and how do you know it's the best possible food?

Honest Food Guide

I encourage you all to stop by here and check out the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. READ IT!! There is real truth to be found there for those who don't already know. The "Disease" side may look more appetizing to some, but it is for sure not going to bring you health. Not even "healthy" breakfast cereals. On the "Health" side, I agree with most everything...except soy. I don't believe in soy unless it is fermented and I most definately stay away from Soy Milk and the like. This is a great tool for beginners in nutrition or just handy to have on your refrigerator for motivation!

Diet Sodas Good For You??

Will the idiocy never end? How can a doctor say such a thing when even little ol' me can tell you that there is NO FREAKING WAY diet soda is good for you in ANY WAY. Not one. Read this article - it might just shed some light at how misled the general public is on REAL health.

Motivation

Motivation: the state or condition of being motivated.

Ever have those moments where you have to talk yourself into working out? I have been running double what I used to run lately and it can be super hard at times to feel the motivation to get up and do another 40 minutes of running. The longer I'm at it, the more motivation I need. Anyone else feel like that?

So what do you do for motivation?

A couple things that work for me:

I have my goals written and posted somewhere where I read them everyday. I am way too stubborn to give up on something I set my mind to.

I list the reasons I want these goals and remind myself of how good it will feel when I get there. I am constantly visualizing what I want.

I record everything I do so I can see my progress. Seeing progress and knowing all your hard work is paying off feels incredible!

Get a buddy to work out with. Mine would be my husband...or will be again someday!

One of my absolute favorites - get a new pair of workout duds!! When you look good and feel good in what you are wearing, you have a little more pep in your step. Getting a new pair of workout shoes, a sports bra, or (my favorite new purchase) cute little knee-length shorts makes me want to get up and show it off!

MUSIC!! Putting together a new playlist or purchasing a few fun upbeat songs that I would love to run to helps a ton. It's so fun to run to something that totally gets you going!

Tricep Dips

Tricep Dips. Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your palms down on the edge, fingertips facing toward you. Lower yourself down off the bench until your elbow is at 90 degrees. Squeezing your triceps, raise yourself back up and repeat, without sitting back down. The closer your legs are to you, the easier it is. To make it extra hard, raise one leg for a set and switch off for the other. Do three sets of ten, if you can, or do burn-outs (do as many dips as you can until you can't perform another one with good form).

Sprouts!!

Mmmmmmm.

I wonder if most people don't care for sprouts, or find them tasteless or what not. I love them! My mom makes fresh sprouts every so often and they are so yummy to put on a sandwhich with or in place of lettuce and top salads with.

I'm a firm believer in eating things straight from the ground, the tree, or the animal - no processing involved. And of course, organic is better because you don't want to ingest harmful chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers that you absorb into your body. Sprouts are fun to grow because you can do it inside of your own house!

Why Sprouts can be so good for you:

"In the life of a plant, sprouting is a moment of great vitality and energy. The seed, after having remained quiet for an often long period of time, becomes more and more active and begins its journey up through the topsoil and into the open air. When it sprouts, a healthy seed activates many different metabolic systems. It converts some of its sugar content into vitamin C, to act as an antioxidant in the new open air environment. It also begins to synthesize a variety of new enzymes, many of them necessary to handle oxygen metabolism in the world above the soil. On a gram for gram basis, sprouts are richer in vitamin C than the older, more mature plants they eventually become, because this moment in their lifecyle calls for a high level of vitality." http://www.whfoods.com/

They carry plenty of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes, all necessary for the body to function optimally. In addition to providing the greatest amount of these nutrients, sprouts deliver them in a form that is easily digested and assimilated. In fact, they improve the efficiency of digestion. Sprouts are also deliciously fresh and colourful!

Mung bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts are probably the most common commercially available sprouts but other easy and healthy sprouts are red clover, radish mustard, lentil, adzuki, garbanzo, pumpkin, and sunflower.

So how do you grow your own yummy sprouts??

• You need a glass jar, preferably quite a large one because depending on how many seeds you use, these babies will GROW!!
• Mesh screen or fabric such as cheesecloth or nylon tulle
• Rubber band
• Fresh water - preferably pure and clean!
• Seeds of your choice, preferably organic! You can buy in bulk because seeds typically last for a year or more if stored in a cool dry place.

1. Soak! Put 1 to 4 tablespoons seed in a wide mouth jar. Cover with mesh and secure with rubber band. Add water, swirl, and drain. Add 1 cup cool water and soak for 4 - 8 hrs.
2. Rinse! Twice a day, refill jar with cool water, swirl, and drain. Invert jar and prop at angle in sink or bowl.
3. Enjoy! It won't take long before they start to sprout! In a few days when sprouts are about 2" long or so, eat them! We transfer ours to a covered container or ziploc baggies and refrigerate to store.
   

"You Cannot Step in The Same River Twice"

Look what I learned today:

Quantum physicists have proven that 98% of the atoms in your body are replaced
within one year. Every three months, your body produces an entirely new skeleton. Every six weeks, all the cells have been replaced in your liver. You have a new stomach lining every five days. You are continually replacing old blood cells with new ones. Every month you produce a new skin as dead cells are shed and new cells grow underneath. The proteins in your muscles are continually turned over as muscle is broken down and new tissue is synthesized. Even your actual DNA as physical cells were not there six weeks ago. Every cell in your body is constantly being recycled.
-Tony Venuto

URL Change

Just a little sidenote - next week I am going to change the URL for this blog. This blog was originally blitz-dubnutrition because it started out as something entirelly different. But the more I thought about it, the more I had to blog about what I know to be true.

So...it will soon be truehealthisachievednaturally.blogspot.com


Long name I know but some other guy beat me to gonatural and everything short that I could think of is already taken. So!! Take note and change it!

Check This Out!

My cousin totally transformed herself after her last baby using Turbo Jam. She is now a certified teacher and her energy and motivation is awesome. She went out to New York be a part of the new infomercial for Turbo Jam sometime last year and now it's on their website!! She's toward the end of it but you can also see her picture down at the bottom of the page. It just goes to show you how there is no easy, magical pill that will help you lose FAT and, most importantly, keep MUSCLE. It's HARD WORK and it involves a lot of sweat and determination. What an awesome example!

A Cancer Industry??

Please take the time to read this. I couldn't put it better so I am not going to try. And as far as my thoughts go on a "Cancer Industry"...YES, I believe it. I KNOW there is a cure for cancer out there already and I have often thought, 'How can the Susan G. Komen campaign still need to be researching cures for cancer because there already is one?....they would know it....but then what would they do without all that money???' I do NOT think that this article is too extreme - I actually believe there is truth in every. single. word. That's my stance, and I am not afraid to say that our government is leading us to the slaughter.


http://www.naturalnews.com/028631_Komen_for_the_cure_pinkwashing.html

A Food Revolution

I love that people are becoming more and more aware of the "food" that the nation eats on a daily basis. I know it's hard for some folks to believe that the people who make this food and sell it KNOW that it is harmful and dangerous. It's a true conspiracy: sick people = billions of dollars.


I think I have mentioned my cousin before who has totally transformed herself and her lifestyle. She totally rocks the health world now and even teaches classes in her hometown. I love her energy and her motivating words she puts on Facebook! She sent out an email that I wanted to share. I don't know too much about Jamie Oliver because I don't watch too much t.v. and I am not sure how I haven't at least seen much of him on the Internet, but in any case, a Food Revolution is what this country needs. I hope you read!


"Loves, In my recent studies of nutrition and how what we put into our bodies effects us, I have been very disturbed at the "foods" being served in most schools. There is also a great problem with our favorite restaurants and how they purposefully process foods in a way that makes them much higher in fat, sugar, and salt than necessary, which increases the opportunity for our brains to literally become overstimulated and cause food addictions. Fat and sugar are among the most popular & cheapest preservatives. Our school foods are being pumped full of fat & sugar then fried & frozen even before it's shipped off to our school's freezers to be reheated & fried yet again.


I am writing to encourage you to sign Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Petition. This petition will be taken to Washingtin, D.C. later this year. If you are parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or a person who wants to see yourself and/or our children healthier, please take a moment to sign. For many people in our country, this is a matter of life and death. And for those of you concerned about healthcare costs, the government spent $92.6 billion in 2002 to treat obesity-related issues, and I would be confident to say that I am sure these numbers have risen, perhaps exponentially, since 2002.

www.jamiesfoodrevolution.com/petition


We have 250,000 signatures so far--please take a moment to sign it and pass this forward!

It's time to eat real food again, to think about what we are putting in our bodies, and to stop and be sure what we are giving to our kids is what we really want them ingesting, and how the food we give them effects their bodies, brains, and behavior. What our society has accepted as "food" is not food, but chemicals and processed grains (almost every single packaged food product can be linked back to processed corn).

If you are interested in viewing Jamie Oliver's struggle to change just one American town's attitudes towards food, you can find Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution at hulu.com and view it for free. Especially if you have children or grandchildren who eat at public school, this will make you understand that we all need to take action, because we are slowly killing our children with the "food" we are feeding them.

I've watched all of the available episodes's on http://www.hulu.com/ & LOVE the show! It's fabulous! I'd love to hear your thoughts! And, please. Sign the petition & share!


--
yours in health & happiness,
Maddy"

8. Swim in Chlorinated Pools (and drink and shower in chlorinated water).

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.

8. Swim in Chlorinated Pools (and drink and shower in chlorinated water).

Chlorine is an effective bacteria killer, although some strains of bacteria are developing a resistance to chlorine. Unfortunately, chlorine is an indiscriminate killer that kills both friendly and unfriendly bacteria. It also eats through lead pipes, corrodes most metals, and harms cells and DNA strands in virtually every living thing it touches. Chlorine also introduces to our water supplies some highly carcinogenic chemicals called trihalomethanes (THMs). Studies show a strong link between chlorinated water supplies with elevated THM levels and cancers of the bladder, kidney, liver, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, colon, and brain. It is risky enough to drink chlorinated tap water, but the mass exposure created by swimming in chlorinated pools or taking extended hot showers in heavily chlorinated water is much more dangerous. (The heat opens skin pores and increases the already high absorption rate of chlorine through the skin). Dogs exposed to chlorine (this is the ingredient used to bleach white bread) get the running fits, a disorder similar to many psychiatric disorders in humans.


That one may be hard to digest for the happy swimmers! I know I swim a couple times a summer, even already knowing this. The information is just there for you to do what you want with it. I believe every word he says: but I can't help a trip into the pool once or twice. But I know I definately wouldn't make it a summerlong occurence.

What??

This article enrages me. It's proposterous, it's idiotic, it's baffling and horrible. This only fuels my belief that doctors try to treat symptoms, never looking at the cause, and have all the wrong solutions. Why would you do this to a family? Who gives them (the British Government) the right to decide to take a kid away because the parents won't feed him JUNK FOOD?? Grrrrrrrr!!!

Does Aerobics Make You Lose Muscle?

By Tom Venuto, Competitive Bodybuilder & Personal Trainer


Yes, it's true. It's a scientifically proven fact that muscle proteins are broken down and used for energy during aerobic exercise. But don't worry, you are constantly breaking down and re building muscle tissue anyway. This process is called "protein turnover." Your body is constantly alternating back and forth between anabolic (building) and catabolic (breaking down) cycles. That's just a normal part of life. Your goal is simply to tip the scales slightly in favor of increasing the anabolic side and reducing the catabolic side just enough so you stay on the anabolic side and you gain or at least maintain muscle.

This fact of human physiology has often been taken out of context and used to scare people into not doing cardiovascular exercise for fear of losing muscle. When you fast overnight as you sleep, you lose muscle too, but that doesn't mean you should stop sleeping!

Sure, it's possible for you to lose muscle from doing too much cardio, but it's highly unlikely. Shying away from cardio completely because you think you'll lose muscle is a huge mistake. Only excessive amounts of cardio would cause you to lose muscle because over-training tips the scale towards the catabolic side. It's difficult to generalize and pinpoint one specific amount as too much, but I think it's safe to assume that just about anyone could do up to 45 -60 minutes of cardio a day, 6 to 7 days a week without losing any muscle - as long as the proper nutritional support is provided.

Trainer John Parillo has always been an advocate of lots of aerobics, even for his bodybuilder clients who are trying to gain muscle mass.

"Aerobics can enhance your recovery from weight training by promoting blood flow and oxygen transport to your muscles," says Parillo. "Aerobics forces oxygen through your body, increasing the number and size of your blood vessels. Blood vessels are the 'supply routes' that transport oxygen and nutrients to body tissues, including muscles, and carry waste products away for muscular growth, repair and recovery. The expansion of this circulatory network is called 'cardiovascular density.'"

So, according to Parillo, aerobics can actually enhance recovery from weight training and increase muscular growth by developing the circulatory pathways that provide nourishment to the muscles. Cardiovascular training is important for fat burning, for good health and for muscle-building.

Losing muscle has more to do with inadequate diet than with excessive aerobics. If you suspect you are losing muscle there are four likely causes:

1. You are not eating enough protein. Protein is the only nutrient that is actually used to build muscle. To stay anabolic you must eat five to six protein containing meals. Each meal should be spaced out approximately three hours apart. Research has proven that if you are physically active, you need a minimum of .8 grams to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.

2. Your carbohydrates are too low. Low carb diets are often used for fat loss, but it is a mistake to cut your carbs too drastically. Carbohydrates are protein-sparing, so even if you are eating large amounts of protein, you can still lose muscle if you your carbs are too low.

3. You are not eating enough calories to support muscle growth. This is the most common cause of muscle loss. When your calories are too low, your body goes into "starvation mode." Your metabolism slows down and your body actually burns muscle tissue to conserve energy. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, requiring a great deal of caloric energy just to maintain it. That's why your body will shed muscle if it thinks you are starving.

4. You are not training with weights. It is a common misconception that if you want to lose weight, you should start with cardio only and add the weights later - another big mistake! It is the weight training that keeps you from losing muscle while you are dieting.


You are much more likely to lose muscle from not eating enough than you are from doing too much cardio. All too often, people are afraid to eat a lot and do a lot of cardio at the same time. It doesn't seem to make sense. Logically, it seems like the two would cancel each other out - but the opposite is true. Many people believe they must "starve" the fat by drastically lowering calories. Unfortunately, this approach can cause you to lose muscle along with the fat. The only way to maintain your lean mass while losing fat is to feed the muscles with plenty of nutritious calories and at the same time, burn the fat off with cardio.

Whether your goal is muscle development, fat loss or both, you should always include some form of cardiovascular activity as part of your training program. Unless you're doing some kind of ultra-endurance regimen, AEROBICS DOES NOT CAUSE MUSCLE LOSS, in fact it supports the pathways that help you build it!

Pesticides and Bees

Humans aren't the only ones affected by the poisonous and dangerous pesticides and chemicals. This article from Natural News sheds a little bit of light on the subject.

Haagen-Dazs is a supporter of bees and you can visit them here to learn a little more. While ice cream is definately not a healthy food, I am definately not perfect and I indulge from time to time. I do, however, choose ice creams with natural ingredients, preferably five or less ingredients, rather than some cheap ice cream with 30 ingredients I can not pronounce. I encourage every one to do the same!

7. Shower Every Day, But Don't Bathe (Take a Bath).

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.

7. Shower Every Day, But Don't Bathe

Excessive showering - even in the purest water - can actually rob your hair and body of the natural oils. It can also alter your body's pH (especially if you're using certain alkaline shampoos and soaps). Then you have the added problem of heavily chlorinated public water supplies. If the Maker has a preference, it might be the use of ritual bathing that combined bathing (washing in a shallow bath) with sprinkling (showering for brief periods).

Weight Watchers and McDonald's....Seriously??

A friend in my neighborhood suggested some really great sites (thank you!) to read. As I was perusing through some articles I noticed one titled "Weight Watchers says eat at McDonald's to lose weight." What??? Well, apparenty Weight Watchers has put their stamp on chicken mcnuggets and a few other menu items as 'healthy' food!! Okay sure...and I weigh 90 lbs and model for Victoria Secret. Read the article - I love how the writer puts it all into perspective with words and my favorite part is this right here:

We live in a world where corporate promotional lies are disgusting at best, and criminal at worst. We're told that psychiatric drugs will make you happy, that chemotherapy will make you healthy and that eating at McDonald's will make you lose weight. We're told that sugary junk drinks will give you "energy", that toxic vaccines are necessary for your immune system to work correctly and that buying silly pink-ribbon products will somehow cure cancer.

At the same time, we're told that vitamins are dangerous, that sunlight causes cancer and that there's no such thing as a cure for type-2 diabetes. Everything that's good for you is discredited as bad while everything that's toxic is hyped up as "healthy."

I suppose in light of the corporate-sponsored sick-care insanity that passes for medical advice these days, the idea that eating at McDonald's will make you lose weight doesn't seem as insane as it really should.

But that doesn't make it any more true.

In a world gone mad with dietary misinformation touting fictional foods, insanity can now be marketed to the intoxicated mainstream as if it somehow made sense.

... and people swallow it.

Cayenne Pepper

The other day I had some friends over and I made a Cajun pizza. I threw together a bunch of spices for the Cajun flavoring and one of them was Cayenne. I love the kick you get from the spice and thought I would look into its health benefits.

If you can stand the heat, Cayenne pepper is more than just a spicy spice! It has plenty of health benefits - as all Chili Peppers do. It's the substance called Capsaicin in the peppers - which is also used to measure how hot a chili pepper is.

Some of it's benefits include:

increased bloodflow

fights inflammation

natural pain relief

reduce blood cholesterol

lower chances of forming blood clots

clear sinuses and congestion

boost immunity

prevent ulcers

And...

weight loss!!

Chart adapted from whfoods.org

For further detail click here. It's such a wonderful site and holds so much information - it's where I learn a lot of my stuff.

The Truth About Cereals

When I go to my parents home for lunch, I can usually find one of my brothers waking up (yes, waking) and having a couple big bowls of cereal with tonz of milk. Bad. Bad. Bad. But they are young and invincible - so I am apparently crazy.

I, myself, love cereal. I grew up on it for breakfast along with some breakfast made from scratch a couple times a week. Growing older and getting more health concious, I branched out and only bought 'healthy cereals'. You know...organic, 100% whole grain, low sugar, blah blah blah.

Now, however, is altoghether different. I don't believe any commercially made cereal is good for you and I have always been against the homogenized, pasteurized, full-of-sugar milk that goes over it. I haven't bought cereal in months and I don't miss it.

Here is some literature I found, some taken from Fighting The Food Giants by Paul A. Stitt - a book I plan on obtaining soon and some information that was presented at a Candaian Health Forum. It's kind of long but it is very interesting!! Please read!! It goes along with everything I believe about the food industry.


"Cereal makers first create a thin mud like mixture composed of water and grains. This mixture is then put into a machine called an 'extruder'."

"The extruder forces the grain mixture out of little holes at high temperature and pressure. Depending on the shape of the holes, the grains come out as little 'o' shapes, flakes, animal shapes, or shreds (as in shredded wheat), or they are puffed (as in puffed rice). Each little flake or shape is then sprayed with a coating of oil and sugar to seal off the cereal and give it crunch."

"In his book Fighting the Food Giants, Paul Stitt tells us that the 'extrusion' process used for these cereals destroys most of the nutrients in the grains. It destroys the fatty acids; it even destroys the chemical vitamins that are added at the end. The amino acids [Definition: the molecules that form proteins] are chemically altered by this process, thus diminishing and destroying their original qualities and properties."

"This is how all the boxed cereals are made, even the ones sold in the health food stores. They are all made in the same way and mostly in the same factories. All dry cereals that come in boxes are extruded cereals [Editor's Note: except some basic cereals such as 'rolled' oats or 'steel cut' oats]."

The rat experiments that were never published:
"Let me tell you about two studies which were not published. The first was described by Paul Stitt who wrote about an experiment conducted by a cereal company in which four sets of rats were given special diets."

"One group received plain whole wheat, water and a synthetic vitamin and mineral solution. A second group received puffed wheat (an extruded cereal), water and the same vitamin solution. A third set was given only water. A fourth set was given nothing but water and synthetic vitamins."

"The rats that received the whole wheat lived over a year on this diet. The rats that got nothing but water and vitamins lived about two months."

"The animals on water alone lived about a month. But the company's own laboratory study showed that the rats given the vitamins, water and all the puffed wheat they wanted died within two weeks -- they died before the rats that got no food at all."

"It wasn't a matter of the rats dying of malnutrition. Autopsy revealed dysfunction of the pancreas, liver and kidneys and degeneration of the nerves of the spine."

"Results like these suggested that there was something actually very toxic in the puffed wheat itself! Proteins are very similar to certain toxins in molecular structure, and the pressure of the puffing process may produce chemical changes, which turn a nutritious grain into a poisonous substance."

"Another unpublished experiment was carried out in the 1960s. Researchers at Ann Arbor University were given 18 laboratory rats. They were divided into three groups: one group received corn flakes and water; a second group was given the cardboard box that the corn flakes came in and water; the control group received rat chow and water."

"The rats in the control group remained in good health throughout the experiment. The rats eating the box became lethargic and eventually died of malnutrition. But the rats receiving the corn flakes and water died before the rats that were eating the box! (The last corn flake rat died the day the first box rat died.)"

"But before death, the corn flake rats developed bizarre behavior, threw fits, bit each other and finally went into convulsions. The startling conclusion of this study is that there was more nourishment in the box than there was in the corn flakes."

"This experiment was actually designed as a joke, but the results were far from funny. The results were never published and similar studies have not been conducted."

"Extruded cereals sold in the health food stores are made by the same method. It may come as a shock to you, but these whole grain extruded cereals are probably more dangerous than those sold in the supermarket, because they are higher in protein and it is the proteins in these cereals that are so denatured [Definition: made unfit to eat] by this type of processing."

Excerpted from a presentation at the conference of Consumer Health of Canada, March, 2002, given by Sally Fallon, Nutrition Researcher
Instead of having cereal, make a really nutritious breakfast of eggs (fried, scrambled, or omelet with meat, cheese or vegetables) with bacon, sausage, hamburger patty or steak. If you feel you must have cereal to make it through the day, "rolled oats" or "steel cut oats" are still real food.

The idea that there are breakfast foods, lunch foods and dinner foods are something we learn when we are young at the dinner table and from our parents.

In fact, when you wake up in the morning your body usually tells you that it is hungry. Your body does not care whether you feed it a juicy steak and steamed broccoli or a plate of scrambled eggs. As long as it is real nourishing food, you will be on your way to improved health and vigor!

Organic All The Rage

With everyone turning green and organic, it makes sense that huge companies that sell us crappy dead food and make billions of dollars would want to get in on that chunk of change. Where people can make a buck, they will - and they will do it at the cheapest cost to them which means that the product you buy will be compromised. For example, Stevia has been around for ages. Real, pure Stevia isn't cheap. But the 'health' industry has caught onto Stevia and now you see it on the shelves in regular stores and I'm sure everyone is aware of the recent commercials advertising juice drinks (like Sobe) that now contain Stevia and no sugar. Well, this is what my head has put together. 1) Look at the ingredients if you buy Stevia. Is it just Stevia?? Or are there other ingredients...like other artificial sweetners and/or fillers that will make the product and cheaper - and unhealthy. Most of the different brands I see on the shelves do contain things other than Stevia - and I put it right back on the shelf. 2) All these sports/juice drinks that advertise the use of Stevia are still NOT GOOD for you. And I would bet a pretty dollar that they aren't using straight pure Stevia - because that would cost more.

So what I am getting at here is that everyone wants to make money off the health industry so be careful when you go to the store and you pick up, say, a box of organic health cereal. I'm not a fan of cereal but that is a post all in itself, but how do we know what's really in there? Yes you can look for the USDA approved organic seal - but!

Check out this chart that shows who owns some of the popular organic food products out there. You'll be surprised!! I know I was. My brain says: "If Kellogs really cared about making 100% healthy, organic, enzyme-full food...wouldn't they make ALL their cereal like that?? Why would they make sugar cereal which is literally killing people from the inside out?? How are we, as consumers, supposed to believe that Kashi is going to be healthy for us, when their other cereals are so very not??

Food for thought.

What's The Difference?

I was chatting with my college roommate the other day about healthy choices and she had a lot of questions - I told her to email them on over and I would do my best to answer them.

Keeping in mind that I am not a professional - nutrition was once going to be my profession but now it is just a hobby - I will answer what I know and what I think:


-Where do I shop for healthy foods if I don't have a whole foods-type store near me?

If you don't have access to a Wild Oats or some equally awesome health joint, it should be fairly easy to find your healthy foods in grocery stores or even Walmart. People are becoming more aware of the health hazards that are associated with the food that is commerically prepared and stocked on the shelves and there is a great demand for everything natural and organic, therefore most stores, in order to improve or keep up with their sales, offer natural and organic sections in their stores. If their isn't a designated 'section', then you can usually find a natural version of whatever it is you are looking for right next to the regular version. For instance when I buy my chicken, whether frozen or fresh, I can find the organic chicken right next to it at my regular grocers. And if that doesn't help, it's a matter of knowing what 'healthy foods' to buy. Which I can tackle in another post.

-Just looking at the word organic makes me wary. I associate it with extreme measures that are unnecessary. Why in the world are people buying organic clothing? Isn't that a little extreme? When I go to the supermarket and see organic veggies, they almost always look sickly and are more expensive. I'd rather just buy from a farmer's market. In the winter, I don't see harm in buying regular produce. In my mind, that is still better than buying canned veggies. And are frozen veggies bad for you?

I was thinking about this question - whether buying organic is extreme or not - and I think it depends on your view on our environment and how deep you really want to go into your health. For instance, I had the opportunity to associate with a Bio-Meridian technician, one who actually knew about health and didn't just learn the computer program, and it was very common for people to come in and find out after testing that their system was full of chemicals, pesticides, metals, and all sorts of toxins. That comes from so many things around us - including our environment. While some things may be out of our control, people still want to control what they put in and on their bodies. Buying organic clothing means buying clothing that has been processed with little chemical and harmful impact on the environment as possible. Buying organic food means nourishing your body with food that hasn't been tainted with herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and many other cancer-causing chemicals. Because farmers want to prevent loss by disease or insect, they heavily treat their fields with chemicals and those chemicals come home to you in whatever you buy whether it goes in or on your body. Some people don't go as far as buying organic clothing - I know I don't - but it is true that whatever chemicals that are on your clothing can in fact find their way into your body.

As far as buying organic food in the store, it is more expensive and that's the part that sucks. It should be the other way around but whatever. Depending on what you buy you might find your produce in a slightly sadder shape. But I think it depends a lot on your grocer and their standards. Harmons has great organic produce and even Macys does from time to time. Another reason it may look that way is because it is more expensive and people on a budget will pass it up in favor of something cheaper so it may be sitting there a little longer.

A local farmer's market is a great way to shop - and a local farmer marker who believes in growing organic is even better! I buy regular produce when the organic version isn't available - veggies are still extremely important to the diet and it is far better than buying canned. As far as frozen veggies being good for you - some of it depends on how they are processed before they are frozen BUT the vegetables do get picked and frozen within a short amount of time. When you go to use those vegetables, they are still pretty nutrient packed. I found a pretty good article that goes into further dept about that here.

-You told me beans are better if fresh, frozen or made from scratch. What about when I want to use them in a recipe and it calls for several types of beans? I really like the ease of opening a can and dumping it in. Do the benefits of beans outweigh the risks of them being from a can? (This question could probably be applied to many things.) What about rinsing? Does that do anything to reduce the sodium content? What about if I buy beans with no salt added?

If you are using beans in a recipe and you need several different kinds, unless you are cool enough to have your own bean garden growing, then I would say just used the canned ones and, yes, rinse well - that is, if you are going to ease and convenience.
Beans are very nutritious and full of fiber and even though they have their health benefits even when canned, I BELIEVE that canning does more harm than good.
Reasons being:
There is a substantial reduction of vitamins and minerals that are sensitive to heat during the canning process. Think vitamin C and folic acid, two important nutrients.
The amount of sodium, salt, sugar and other preservatives ARE DEFINATELY harmful to health.
And the presence of the bisphenol A (BPA) in the cans lining has negative effects on human health and environmental condition. Besides BPA, you also have the metal toxicity to worry about. Aluminum can and will find it's way into the very food that it contains.


So - I hope these help and if there are more questions that stem off these answers, then leave me a comment or email me! I'll be glad to put in my two cents or even consult with a professional that I trust to find out!!

Happy Health Endeavors!

6. Use Artificial Sweetners and Avoid Sugars

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.

6. Use Artificial Sweetners and Avoid Sugars.

As bad as sugar can be in its various forms, artificial sweeteners are worse! Some are downright deadly because of their carcinogenic properties and their use in such high-volume products as diet soft drinks and sugar-free foods. Chief among sinners is aspartame, which is marketed as NutraSweet or Equal. Renowned diabetes expert Dr. H.J. Roberts believes there is a clear scientific link between aspartame and increased incidence of brain tumors, seizure disorders, chronic headaches, and hyperactivity in children. As for saccharin, the cancer-causing labebls that accompany its use still apply. The newcomer on the block is sucralose (used in Splenda), but the jury of scientific research still seems to be awaiting further testimony on this one. (If the Maker didn't produce it "as is", then it probably isn't much better than the other synthetic sugar substitutes.)


My own thoughts about products that are man-made go hand in hand with Jordan's comment. I personally believe that, as a rule-of-thumb, it is better to just stay natural in all things. The processes that our sugar, food, etc go through are not natural or good for our bodies. At my old place of employment, ladies drank several diet sodas throughout the day. They would then complain of headaches (and then rush to get another diet soda so that the caffein could 'help' their headache), that they felt tired and sluggish and that they were gaining, not losing weight. HELLOOOOOOOOO???? I tried and tried to tell them that the aspartame and chemicals in these sodas were the culprit of all of the above symptoms. They wouldn't listen to me when I said that Diet sodas are actually more harmful and make you put on more weight than a regular soda. They still drink Diet and they still complain. Whatever. Water, people!!! It's what your body craves, needs, and wants. And...no aspartame! What a bargain.

Leeks

Not too many people know what these giants are, even less eat them.

Leeks look like a giant green onion and that would be because it belongs to the garlic and onion family (Allium vegetables).
Leeks are a good source of manganese and a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, and iron. This particular combination of nutrients would make leeks particularly helpful in stabilizing blood sugar, since they not only slow the absorption of sugars from the intestinal tract, but help ensure that they are properly metabolized in the body.

Regular consumption of Allium vegetables, as little as two or more times a week, is associated with a reduced risk of prostate and colon cancer. The research focused on colon cancer suggests that several of the compounds found in these foods are able to protect colon cells from cancer-causing toxins, while also stopping the growth and spread of any cancer cells that do happen to develop. Ovarian cancer is also shown to be reduced.

A high intake of Allium vegetables has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and LDL, or "bad" cholesterol levels, while at the same time raising HDL, or "good" cholesterol levels. Allium vegetables have also been shown to lower high blood pressure, another risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

So how do you eat Leeks?? You want to trim about 1/4" from the root bottom and a good portion of the dark green top. I like to remove the outer layer. Dirt will get stuck in between the many layers of this vegetable so you want to wash it thoroughly. You can toss sliced leek into an omelet or frittata, or use them to garnish.

Thanks to a wonderful vegetarian cookbook author, Mollie Katzen: The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without, I am incorporating leeks and other more interesting, less noticed vegetables in my diet. Here is her recipe for "Leek Chips".

After trimming off the roots and dark greens so that you are only using the white and light green portions, slice the leek into 1/4" pieces. Put them in a bowl of cold water to rinse the dirt off and seperate all the layers into several rings. When they are all seperated, transfer to a colander to drain. Pat dry.

Line a try with tin foil and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Dump the leeks onto tray and using tongs, toss the leeks with the olive oil. Bake in a 250 degree oven. Times of baking will vary. Some of the leeks will be done in thirty minutes and some may take an hour. When they are golden and crisp tender, remove them as they are done. Season with salt and wallah!!

Heavy Weight Training vs. Light Weight Training

I am a big believer in weight training. It's important for muscle and bone. I found an article that hits on points that I would like to say but have less expertise to say them. I know that women are encourage to do light weight with more reps, that that is how they will burn the fat and become trim. I say nay. Although it is beneficial for your short-twitch fibers, there is more benefit from heavy weight training in conjunction with a proper diet.


"For years, one debate that has been tossed back and forth in just about every gym and fitness center across the country is; which is better, heavy resistance training or light resistance training? A variety of factors play into this debate, and the answers may not be as obvious as it may seem.

For years (and still today) many weight training enthusiasts thought that the key to getting stronger and building bigger muscles was simply to perform heavy resistance training by lifting big weights. Conversely, it was also thought that if an individual wanted to increase muscle tone or improve weight loss, heavy weights were the enemy and one must aim for higher reps with lighter weight. Years of experience have shown us that this is not always the case.

Muscles grow when they are forced to compensate for extra work. Think about when you first began lifting weights. Within a few months, the muscle growth you experienced was phenomenal, but after a while it dramatically slowed down. This initial explosion of muscle growth was due the fact that your body was not accustomed to lifting weights. Therefore, your muscles rapidly began to grow in size to keep up with their newly acquired task of weight training.

Let’s say you always follow a heavy resistance training program when you go to the gym. You will undoubtedly hit a plateau when you can no longer push any heavier weight. Your muscle growth has stalled. You decide to incorporate a higher rep range instead of your normal one, and suddenly your muscle growth once again takes off. This different training style has caused your muscles to adjust for their newfound workload.

On the flip side, if you constantly train with lighter weight and higher reps, then you switch to lower reps with heavy weight, the same spurt of new muscle growth may happen.

Muscle fibers are categorized into two classes: fast twitch and slow twitch. When you consistently train with heavy weights at lower reps, you focus more on your fast twitch fibers. Fast twitch fibers are excellent at generating short bursts of strength or speed. Slow twitch fibers are more efficient at generating continuous muscle contractions over longer periods of time, perfect for light resistance training with a high rep range. When you switch up your training, you can hit both of these muscle fiber types instead of focusing on one.

Of course, we cannot forget about the all-important role that nutrition plays in muscle growth. You can spend all day in the gym, training with both heavy and light weight and still never gain another ounce of muscle if your don’t consume enough calories to fuel growth.

Let’s go back to our scenario of our first few months in the gym. Back then, it didn’t really matter what you were eating, it seemed that everything was helping you to gain more muscle. This approach no longer works after a few months, and to keep adding muscle, you must consume adequate protein and calories.

Now, as far as the idea that light resistance training with high reps will help tighten up and tone muscles, think about this; when a bodybuilder begins their contest preparation, they don’t all of the sudden switch to lighter weight to help strip body fat. The entire outcome of their contest prep depends on their nutrition plan. They could do sets of 100 reps, but if all they consumed were cheeseburgers, their physique will not come in looking its best. Since this is true of a bodybuilder preparing for a contest, wouldn’t the same rule apply to the average person who wants to look better? Absolutely.

The human body is remarkably adaptable. In order to keep muscles growing, you must challenge them in different ways, and be sure to consume a proper diet. Try not to fall into the trap of doing the same workout day in and day out. As the saying goes, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” "


Author's Bio
Tim Mielke
Author and Supplement Expert

Flaxseeds

These little guys are abundant in Omega-3 fatty acids. They help prevent and control high blood pressure, are rich in beneficial fiber, and recent studies have shown to lower risk of prostate and breast cancers.

Flaxseeds can be purchased either whole or ground. Try a serving in a protein shake, oatmeal cereal or on a salad. It's health benefits are great!

More information can be found at whfoods.com

5. Use Fluoride Toothpaste and Mouthwash, and Drink Fluoridated Water

In his book, The Maker's Diet, Jordan Rubin devotes a chapter to 27 recommendations on how to GET sick and suggests that if you want to remain as healthy as possible, go AGAINST these 27 suggestions if at all possible.

5. Use Fluoride Toothpaste and Mouthwash, and Drink Fluoridated Water

Fluoride is extremely poisonous - especially the salt-based form used in toothpaste and mouthwash. (Besides, its effectiveness is questionable at best). A top EPA scientific advisor voiced the opinion that "since recent federal government tests have shown that fluoride appears to cause cancers at levels less than ten times the present maximum contamination level, this would ordinarily require that all additions of fluoride to water supplies be suspended and treatment be instituted to remove naturally occurring fluoride." That would be enough warning for me! (By the way, I have no evidence that the EPA ever suspended fluoridation operations). Choose nonfluoridates alternatives for oral hygiene and be safe.

I Eat Healthy!!

Paul and I were talking the other night about healthy lifestyles and food choices. To us, it's easy to see through the false advertising and dishonest campaigns telling us that their food is healthy...even though it can be bought at a drive-thru or it comes as a frozen meal or it claims to be made with whole grain!! My favorite is "It's wheat bread, so it's healthy". Ha ha ha ha ha. I think "Come on, people!!" It is alarming how many people have not been taught one tiny ounce of proper eating and nutrition and therefore believe the 'health industries' hype as true.

As we are discussing this, Paul mentions a lady who he works with (I don't know names) that was complaining about not being able to lose weight. "I eat healthy!," she says. Paul said: "You're kidding, right?? Just because the canned soup you eat every day says Healthy Choice, doesn't mean it is. You are consuming loads of chemicals and preservatives and hello, have you ever looked at the sodium content?? It's not hard to see why you retain water." Right to the point, my husband.

It's hard to know what is really good for you when people claim something has all of these health benefits and such. But, things like canned soup - "Come on, people!!"

Sorry for Slacking!

Okay, So I apologize for the huge lag in my posting. With the holidays upon us and catching some crappy sickness, I have been in no mood for blogging. I haven't been sick like that in years and it was not fun. I like to think that my diet of raw foods and lack of dairy consumage has contributed to that fact, ha ha ha.

With the Holidays coming to an end, I am pretty happy to report that for three years in a row now, all of the Holiday junk that comes my way has not been an issue for me. Chocolates were unappealing, candy was not a temptation and overeating is sooo yesterday. One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is workout. For some reason, even though a workout must get skipped here or there due to parties or busy schedules, I don't have much trouble keeping up with my schedule and even got my workout in on Christmas Day - something I have been able to do for several years now and I love it!! Right now however, I have to work up my stamina again because being sick for a week really affects your performance :(

So - while I work on some posts, please enjoy this article posted on my cousin's health blog, A Healthier, Happier Me. She has dived into the health industry with such excitement and enthusiam!! And she is now teaching Turbo Kick classes - how I miss teaching!! It makes me jealous of her :)!!

Now, I have said this before but I am not big on New Year's Resolutions. I believe you can make your resolutions for a better you at any time. However, so many people are big on New Year Resolutions so I hope this article can give you some incentive on your weight loss goals. I am a big fan of the P90X, however, I do not know much of the Shakeology that she mentions and which my cousin currently uses.

Anyway!! God bless you all on your health endeavours.