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If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll want to know how to keep the sweetness in your food while cutting out sugars that are the root cause of obesity, tooth decay, and coronary disease. Many dieters reach for artificial sweeteners, not realising that natural sweeteners like Stevia do the job far more effectively. Here’s something the artificial sweetener manufacturers won’t tell you: Artificial Sweeteners can put on weight and affect your health. How can artificial sweeteners affect your weight? You want to lose weight for health reasons, yet by using artificial sweeteners you’re eating substitutes that are packed with chemicals. Is that what the doctor ordered? These chemicals create a sweetener that stimulates insulin causing calories to turn to fat. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), in a report released in 2012, there is no conclusive evidence that even non-nutritive sweeteners help with weight loss. Aspartame, Saccharin, and Sucralose – and even Agave Nectar – are all produced using chemical processes. How can artificial sweeteners affect your health? There has been plenty of research into the negative effects of artificial sweeteners over the years. Here’s just some of what has been discovered:
If you want to lose weight healthily, the natural sweeteners are the ideal aid. Both Stevia and Xylitol are natural sweeteners which are perfect as sugar substitutes. They are also perfect for diabetics as they lower insulin levels. Both Stevia and Xylitol are produced naturally from plants – none of those nasty chemicals that do so much damage. And they come in a number of forms that make them perfect for adding to drinks, sprinkling on cereal, or creating great home-baked goods. Studies have shown that both these natural sweeteners help to reduce blood pressure, and research by Anton et al in 2010 showed that Stevia may be beneficial in fighting type-2 diabetes. Further research by Alvarez has shown the non-calorific qualities of Stevia - which contains zero carbohydrates, zero calories, and has a zero glycaemic index – improves blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance. Xylitol has a reading of only 7 on the glycaemic index. It is used in dental products for its alkalinising qualities, which help it fight tooth decay by reducing bacterial growth caused by acids, and has been recommended by the American Dental Association. Xylitol has zero net carbohydrates, and only around half the calories of sugar (2.4 calories/ gram as against 4 calories/ gram). What are you waiting for? The sooner you take the healthy weight loss option, the sooner you’ll be slimmer and fitter.
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Global Stevia Institute’s Top Ten QuestionsThe following is an excerpt from The Global Stevia Institute newsletter:
We have been talking to health professionals across the world to ensure that you have stevia facts you need to know based on current research and expertise. Here we answer the Global Stevia Institute’s top ten questions asked by our readers. Whether you are a physician working with patients interested in reducing calories and following a healthier lifestyle or a savvy consumer interested in understanding more about natural zero-calorie stevia, this question and answer session addresses the need-to-know facts about stevia and its use. 1. How is stevia produced?The stevia extract production process uses conventional plant extraction methods. Stevia leaves are first dried and then steeped like tea. The plant extract is then filtered to separate the sweet steviol glycosides from the liquid and plant biomass. The stevia extract can then be further purified to an extract that contains one or more steviol glycosides through additional purification processes. The steviol glycosides remain intact as found in the stevia leaf throughout the entire process. 2. Why is stevia extracted and purified?The water extraction process allows the sweet components of the stevia leaf, called steviol glycosides to be removed from the plant. Extracting and purifying stevia’s sweet components allows stevia producers to reduce off-flavor notes from other naturally occurring compounds in the plant and produce a cleaner tasting, more sugar-like stevia extract. 3. How are stevia ingredients found in foods and beverages today different from past stevia extracts?Generally, stevia ingredients found in most food and beverage products today are high purity stevia extracts. High purity stevia extracts are specified as stevia extracts that have 95% or greater steviol glycoside content. High purity extracts have a cleaner, more sugar-like taste than stevia extracts found in the past and are approved for food and beverage use by the major regulatory authorities. 4. Where can I find stevia?Stevia is now available for consumers in many ways. Sometimes it is the sole sweetener in a product, sometimes it is blended with other sweeteners. Often it is blended with sugar in reduced-calorie products. Stevia may be found in hundreds of items differing around the world, including stevia-sweetened teas, soft drinks, juices, yogurt, soymilk, granola and snack bars, and baked goods. Stevia can also be found in health snacks, cereal, salad dressings, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, canned fruit and jam, confections and as a tabletop sweetener. 5. How are steviol glycosides metabolized by the body?Largely responsible for stevia’s safety and non-caloric status is the fact that steviol glycosides are poorly absorbed in the body. Steviol glycosides are digested primarily by gut bacteria in the large intestines into steviol. Through a series of digestive processes steviol is broken down further into a compound called steviol glucuronide. The steviol glucuronide is then removed from the body in the urine. Research also shows that there is no accumulation of stevia (or any component or by-product of stevia) in the body and that it passes through the body nearly entirely. 1 6. What’s the difference between Reb A and stevia extract?Stevia extract can contain one or more steviol glycosides, the sweet components of the stevia plant. Steviol glycosides naturally occur at different concentrations in the stevia plant. The glycosides share the same steviol molecular core, but differ in the number and arrangement of glucose molecules attached to the core. Due to this distinction, steviol glycosides can differ in taste and sweetness. Reb A (Rebaudioside A) is one of the sweetest and most abundant steviol glycosides found in the stevia leaf, and it’s commonly used to sweeten foods and beverages. 7. Does stevia have any functional benefits, i.e. side effects on the body such as reducing blood glucose or blood pressure?The proven benefit of adding stevia to the diet is its ability to provide sweet taste with no calories. Over 200 studies, reviewed by major regulatory agencies including the Joint FAO/ WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) attest to stevia safety and its lack of side effects. More specifically, in a 2010 scientific evaluation, EFSA stated that stevia had no effect on blood glucose regulation (glucose homeostasis) or blood pressure in people with normal glucose tolerance and in people with type-2 diabetes when given single doses of 1000 mg steviol glycosides (97% Rebaudioside A) per person per day. Longer term studies also did not show any effect on glucose homeostasis or blood pressure. A 16-week study with repeated stevia use of 1000 mg rebaudioside A/person/day demonstrated no change in glucose homeostasis in people with type 2 diabetes. In a four week study with the same dosage, there were no significant changes in blood pressure in people with normal and low systolic blood pressure.1 8. Is stevia safe for pregnant women and children?Yes. After reviewing numerous studies, major regulatory authorities including JECFA, EFSA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Food Safety Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) have determined that stevia is safe for the general population, including pregnant women and children when consumed within recommended levels.2 (See question on ADI for further information.) 9. Is stevia safe for people with diabetes?Yes, stevia is safe for children and adults with diabetes. 1 Stevia is a naturally sourced sweetener with with zero calories, and it has no significant effect on blood glucose levels as it has no carbohydrates and zero effect on the glycemic index. The most important aspect to managing diabetes is controlling blood glucose levels, which can be achieved through managing carbohydrates in the diet and monitoring blood glucose. Stevia allows people with diabetes to enjoy the taste of sweet safely. Stevia is sometimes used with other natural sweeteners like sugar or in products that contain carbohydrates, so it is still important to check ingredient labels on foods and beverages. 10. Why does stevia have an Acceptable Daily Intake if it is safe?The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) defines an Acceptable Daily Intake value for food additives that are approved as safe for general use in food and beverages. The ADI serves as a margin of safety and is defined as the amount of a food additive, expressed on a bodyweight basis that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk. JECFA has evaluated the safety of stevia and determined an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) expressed in steviol equivalents of 4 mg/kg/day over a lifetime. 2 This equates to approximately 12 mg of high purity stevia extracts per kg of body weight per day. The ADI was set by reviewing many research studies, including those demonstrating that daily doses of steviol glycosides up to 1,000 mg/person/day were well-tolerated by people with normal glucose metabolism and people with type-2 diabetes. Food and beverage manufacturers use the ADI to guide how they use stevia as in ingredient in products according to regulation. ReferencesScientific Opinion on the safety of steviol glycosides for the proposed uses as a food additive European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food, (ANS) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy, 2010. (47) Safety Evaluation on Certain Food Additives Prepared by the 69th Meeting of the Joint FAO/ WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 2.2.5 Reproductive toxicity Global Stevia Institute’s Top Ten Questions
The following is an excerpt from The Global Stevia Institute newsletter: We have been talking to health professionals across the world to ensure that you have stevia facts you need to know based on current research and expertise. Here we answer the Global Stevia Institute’s top ten questions asked by our readers. Whether you are a physician working with patients interested in reducing calories and following a healthier lifestyle or a savvy consumer interested in understanding more about natural zero-calorie stevia, this question and answer session addresses the need-to-know facts about stevia and its use. 1. How is stevia produced?The stevia extract production process uses conventional plant extraction methods. Stevia leaves are first dried and then steeped like tea. The plant extract is then filtered to separate the sweet steviol glycosides from the liquid and plant biomass. The stevia extract can then be further purified to an extract that contains one or more steviol glycosides through additional purification processes. The steviol glycosides remain intact as found in the stevia leaf throughout the entire process. 2. Why is stevia extracted and purified?The water extraction process allows the sweet components of the stevia leaf, called steviol glycosides to be removed from the plant. Extracting and purifying stevia’s sweet components allows stevia producers to reduce off-flavor notes from other naturally occurring compounds in the plant and produce a cleaner tasting, more sugar-like stevia extract. 3. How are stevia ingredients found in foods and beverages today different from past stevia extracts?Generally, stevia ingredients found in most food and beverage products today are high purity stevia extracts. High purity stevia extracts are specified as stevia extracts that have 95% or greater steviol glycoside content. High purity extracts have a cleaner, more sugar-like taste than stevia extracts found in the past and are approved for food and beverage use by the major regulatory authorities. 4. Where can I find stevia?Stevia is now available for consumers in many ways. Sometimes it is the sole sweetener in a product, sometimes it is blended with other sweeteners. Often it is blended with sugar in reduced-calorie products. Stevia may be found in hundreds of items differing around the world, including stevia-sweetened teas, soft drinks, juices, yogurt, soymilk, granola and snack bars, and baked goods. Stevia can also be found in health snacks, cereal, salad dressings, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, canned fruit and jam, confections and as a tabletop sweetener. 5. How are steviol glycosides metabolized by the body?Largely responsible for stevia’s safety and non-caloric status is the fact that steviol glycosides are poorly absorbed in the body. Steviol glycosides are digested primarily by gut bacteria in the large intestines into steviol. Through a series of digestive processes steviol is broken down further into a compound called steviol glucuronide. The steviol glucuronide is then removed from the body in the urine. Research also shows that there is no accumulation of stevia (or any component or by-product of stevia) in the body and that it passes through the body nearly entirely. 1 6. What’s the difference between Reb A and stevia extract?Stevia extract can contain one or more steviol glycosides, the sweet components of the stevia plant. Steviol glycosides naturally occur at different concentrations in the stevia plant. The glycosides share the same steviol molecular core, but differ in the number and arrangement of glucose molecules attached to the core. Due to this distinction, steviol glycosides can differ in taste and sweetness. Reb A (Rebaudioside A) is one of the sweetest and most abundant steviol glycosides found in the stevia leaf, and it’s commonly used to sweeten foods and beverages. 7. Does stevia have any functional benefits, i.e. side effects on the body such as reducing blood glucose or blood pressure?The proven benefit of adding stevia to the diet is its ability to provide sweet taste with no calories. Over 200 studies, reviewed by major regulatory agencies including the Joint FAO/ WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) attest to stevia safety and its lack of side effects. More specifically, in a 2010 scientific evaluation, EFSA stated that stevia had no effect on blood glucose regulation (glucose homeostasis) or blood pressure in people with normal glucose tolerance and in people with type-2 diabetes when given single doses of 1000 mg steviol glycosides (97% Rebaudioside A) per person per day. Longer term studies also did not show any effect on glucose homeostasis or blood pressure. A 16-week study with repeated stevia use of 1000 mg rebaudioside A/person/day demonstrated no change in glucose homeostasis in people with type 2 diabetes. In a four week study with the same dosage, there were no significant changes in blood pressure in people with normal and low systolic blood pressure.1 8. Is stevia safe for pregnant women and children?Yes. After reviewing numerous studies, major regulatory authorities including JECFA, EFSA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Food Safety Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) have determined that stevia is safe for the general population, including pregnant women and children when consumed within recommended levels.2 (See question on ADI for further information.) 9. Is stevia safe for people with diabetes?Yes, stevia is safe for children and adults with diabetes. 1 Stevia is a naturally sourced sweetener with with zero calories, and it has no significant effect on blood glucose levels as it has no carbohydrates and zero effect on the glycemic index. The most important aspect to managing diabetes is controlling blood glucose levels, which can be achieved through managing carbohydrates in the diet and monitoring blood glucose. Stevia allows people with diabetes to enjoy the taste of sweet safely. Stevia is sometimes used with other natural sweeteners like sugar or in products that contain carbohydrates, so it is still important to check ingredient labels on foods and beverages. 10. Why does stevia have an Acceptable Daily Intake if it is safe?The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) defines an Acceptable Daily Intake value for food additives that are approved as safe for general use in food and beverages. The ADI serves as a margin of safety and is defined as the amount of a food additive, expressed on a bodyweight basis that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk. JECFA has evaluated the safety of stevia and determined an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) expressed in steviol equivalents of 4 mg/kg/day over a lifetime. 2 This equates to approximately 12 mg of high purity stevia extracts per kg of body weight per day. The ADI was set by reviewing many research studies, including those demonstrating that daily doses of steviol glycosides up to 1,000 mg/person/day were well-tolerated by people with normal glucose metabolism and people with type-2 diabetes. Food and beverage manufacturers use the ADI to guide how they use stevia as in ingredient in products according to regulation. ReferencesScientific Opinion on the safety of steviol glycosides for the proposed uses as a food additive European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food, (ANS) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy, 2010. (47) Safety Evaluation on Certain Food Additives Prepared by the 69th Meeting of the Joint FAO/ WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 2.2.5 Reproductive toxicity You know, I've never quite understood why actors, who make their livings off expression,would choose to have a toxin that freezes the muscles responsible for that expression shot into their faces. It just doesn't make sense to me. But the obsession with youth in Hollywood is a powerful one,that has led to people from all walks of life following in the frozen-faced footsteps of celebrities, despite plenty of news of the potential dangers associated with Botox and other cosmetic injections. Last winter, a woman took Allergan, the makers of Botox, to court, claiming that her daughter was killed by the drug ("Did Botox lead to a child's death?" 2/10/2010). You couldn't get me to go near the stuff if you paid me. But I certainly know plenty of people who have gone down that road, emerging from injection sessions with the smooth, eerie faces that always make me think of the Stepford Wives. Well, now it seems these women may have even more in common with those famous suburban robots. Because a study published in the journal Social Psychology and Personality Science suggests that Botox may not just numb the muscles that create facial expressions, it may also rob users of their empathy. That's right , that frozen face could go with a frozen heart. A research team based at the University of Southern California compared the use of Botox and Restylane to a gel that amplifies facial signals. The researchers found that, when your own facial muscles are numbed, you aren't as good at perceiving others' emotions, meaning you can no longer respond normally to their emotional signals and lose your ability to feel empathy for another person. We read emotions by copying facial expressions, which kicks off signals to the brain that help us understand what another person is feeling. Since Botox hinders the ability to copy facial expressions, the "muscular signals from the face to the brain are dampened, you're less able to read emotions," according to the researchers. Yes, we all want to fight the signs of aging. But there are plenty of powerful ways to do so without injecting poison into our faces -- and without taking away our ability to express and understand emotions. In my opinion the best way to turn back the clock is Protandim. Its safe, effective and natural and currently there are over Universuity 20 studies and a number of peer reviews in medical journals citing some amazing benefits. To your Good Health Robyn High blood levels of triglycerides have been associated with obesity, kidney disease, diabetes and high calorie consumption. So, it may come as no surprise that the healthy lifestyle choices that have been known to keep these conditions at bay can also help to lower triglycerides — otherwise known as fat found in the blood. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have conducted a study which suggests that lowering sugar intake, choosing mono- and polyunsaturated fats and limiting calorie and alcohol consumption in addition to getting more physical exercise may cut triglyceride levels by 20 to 50 percent.
“In contrast to cholesterol, where lifestyle measures are important but may not be the solution, high triglycerides are often quite responsive to lifestyle measures that include weight loss if overweight, changes in diet and regular physical activity,” said lead author Michael Miller, M.D. Authors of the study recommended that individuals with triglyceride levels that are higher than 150 milligrams per deciliter get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week to lower their blood fat. If it wasn't hard enough already, new research out of Monash University and now published in Nature demonstrates that as we age key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger!
We aren't talking about REALLY OLD here, according to Dr. Zane Andrews, a neuroendocrinologist at Monash University: "People in the age group of 25 to 50 are most at risk. The neurons that tell people in the crucial age range not to over-eat are being killed-off. When the stomach is empty, it triggers the ghrelin hormone that notifies the brain that we are hungry. When we are full, a set of neurons known as POMC's kick in. However, free radicals created naturally in the body attack the POMC neurons. This process causes the neurons to degenerate over time, affecting our judgment as to when our hunger is satisfied." In simple English, what is happening is that as we age (25 and up), free radicals are destroying one of the critical mechanisms that tells us not to eat when we are full… scary! It's pretty hard to lose weight when your brain fails to tell you when you're full… It turns out that one of the main culprits here are carbohydrates, especially simple sugars. So in order to reduce this effect, it would be wise to temper your sugar and junk carb intake. There definitely has to be some more research into this. ARE WE DOOMED? I think this research coupled with a lot of other factors in the Western world make it harder and harder to eat right. We all know if we are honest with ourselves that the only way to get to a healthy weight is to eat right and exercise consistently. This means:
Now for the shameless plug! Dr. Temes' hypnosis program for weight loss addresses the issues above and although it won't restore the POMC neurons, it will help you eat the right foods, eat smaller portions, follow your plan, etc… So while you have all kinds of things going on in your brain that make it harder to lose weight, this program works with your brain to neutralize this effect. I think this statement by Ann Carlo says it best: "Enjoying Weight Loss is fabulous. Thought I forgot all about it yesterday, until I realized that I ate breakfast (which I rarely do), drank a lot of water, had a veggie dinner and DIDN'T EAT ANY SUGAR . . . A MIRACLE! Can't convince me that this system does not operate on some level . . . even though you're not always conscious of it at the time. Thank you, Hypnosis Network." So that was my shameless plug! If you are reading this post, I will let you into to our special offer page where you can get this program at a nice discount AND TRY IT FOR 28 DAYS FOR JUST THE PRICE OF SHIPPING. Here is the link: http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/ewl/special I hope you found this interesting and don't mind the plug – please comment. Robyn Monash University (2008, August 22). "Killer Carbs: Scientist Finds Key To Overeating As We Age." ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 26, 2008. The Gift of Breathing
Correct breathing has profound effects on our health. Over 70% of waste by-products are eliminated through our breathing and our skin. When our blood is heavily oxygenated it becomes very difficult for viruses and bacteria to grow in our body. Good breathing supports muscle growth and energy to get things done. In addition to that it is the most effective exercise for triggering our lymphatic system and ensuring it’s working effectively according to Tony Robbins a major American success motivational speaker. The Process is simple and ideally should be conducted three times a day before your meals. It’s a simple deep breathing rhythm of the ratio: inhale 1 count, hold 4 counts, and exhale 2 counts. That means you inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 20 seconds and exhale for 10 seconds. The process is 1) Comfortably seated or standing, take a deep, through the nose, expanding your lungs to their maximum (5 seconds) 2) Hold for 4 times the period of your intake (say 20 seconds) 3) Exhaling, pulling in on the abdominal muscles at the end of the exhale, getting out all the air for a count of 2 (say 10 seconds). 4) Repeat 10 times. Try this and it will have a profound effect on your weight loss, health, and energy. The medical experts agree: Nattokinase is a lifesaver! Most exciting development in the prevention of heart problems!
Martin Milner, M.D., Center for Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon put it this way, "In all my years of research as a professor of cardiology and pulmonary medicine, Natto and Nattokinase represent the most exciting development in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular related problems. We've finally found a potent natural agent that can help thin and dissolve clots effectively, with relative safety and without side effects." Nattokinase is life-changing! Dr . Ralph Holsworth, D.O., leading researcher for clinical studies documenting the efficacy of Nattokinase, is so impressed by what he's found, he says, "I have dedicated the rest of my life to the research of Nattokinase. I've never seen an enzyme that has allowed me to assist my patients this significantly. [Taking Nattokinase] is, literally, a life-changing event for them. I feel honored to have that piece of information and I just want to spread the word." Sounds great right? But what can Nattokinase do for you? Get ready for your own health miracle! Once you start dissolving and blasting away dangerous blood clots, your circulation will dramatically improve. Why is this important? Because healthy circulation can do miracles for your health—but that only occurs when your blood flows smoothly and easily. The result? A miracle for your heart! The fact is Nattokinase in helps safely and gently dissolve blood clots around your heart, helps prevent new clots from forming, and helps keep your blood flowing smoothly in and around your heart. A fading mind and memory Nattokinase can also be...A miracle for your brain! Blood clots can also mobilize in and around your brain, blocking blood and oxygen your brain needs to think, remember, reason and function. If the problem gets worse, and blood flow is slowed down to a trickle in your cerebral blood vessels, age-related memory problems may occur. In fact, in Japan it's estimated that 60% of age-related memory problem cases are caused by blood clots. Then, if your cerebral blood vessels get completely blocked, you could end up having a brain catastrophe! The good news is, Nattokinase can help safely dissolve blood clots near your brain and help keep thin, healthy blood flowing to your brain. You can think clearer, have a better memory, and even surprise yourself at your mental recall or problem-solving abilities. You'll also enjoy... A miracle for your legs, feet and hands! Over the years, I've treated many people with poor circulation, and one of their most common symptoms was pain in their legs. These folks had poor blood flow that caused varicose veins and inadequate circulation, so their legs hurt. With this new formula, your circulation can improve significantly, and your legs, hands and feet can feel much better and much warmer. Clobber high blood pressure, nature's way! One of the main causes of high blood pressure is an enzyme found in your body—angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)—runs rampant. ACE causes your blood vessels to narrow and your blood pressure to skyrocket. But what most people don't know is Nattokinase is a natural ACE inhibitor. This means it blocks the creation and function of ACE. The result? With Nattokinase, you can help lower your blood pressure, the natural way. Work like magic for your whole body—head to toe!
My Top 55 Lean-Body Foods to Build Lean Muscle and Lose Body Fat
by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer Author of best-selling program: The Truth about Six Pack Abs In most of my Lean-Body Secrets Newsletters, I like to provide a healthy snack or meal recipe that not only is delicious and healthy, but also helps to get you closer to that hard-body appearance that everyone is looking for, while also more importantly, improving your health for life. In this article, I'd like to give you healthy food ideas in a different way. This time, I figured I'd just give you some ideas of what I stock my fridge and cabinets with. Remember, if you don't have junk around the house, you're less likely to eat junk! If all you have is healthy nutritious foods around the house, you're forced to make smart choices. Basically, it all starts with making smart choices and avoiding temptations when you make your grocery store trip. Now these are just some of my personal preferences, but perhaps they will give you some good ideas that you'll enjoy. Some of these will be obvious healthy choices, such as fruits and veggies... however, others on this page I think will surprise you! Alright, so let's start with the fridge. Each week, I try to make sure I'm loaded up with lots of varieties of fresh vegetables. During the growing season, I only get local produce, but obviously in winter, I have to resort to the produce at the grocery store. Most of the time, I make sure I have plenty of vegetables like onions, zucchini, spinach, fresh mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli, etc. to use in my morning eggs. I also like to chop up some lean chicken or turkey sausage (make sure to look for nitrate & nitrite free) or grass-fed bison sausage into the eggs, along with some swiss, jack, or goat cheeses (preferably raw grass-fed cheeses when I can find them). By the way I'm talking about whole eggs, NOT egg whites. Always remember that the yolk is the most nutritious and nutrient dense part of the egg, so only eating egg whites is like throwing away the best part... and no, it's NOT bad for you because of the cholesterol... whole eggs actually raise your GOOD cholesterol. Try to get free range organic eggs for the best quality. Here's an entire article I did on the topic of whole eggs vs egg whites. Coconut milk is another staple in my fridge. I like to use it to mix in with smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt for a rich, creamy taste. Not only does coconut milk add a rich, creamy taste to lots of dishes, but it's also full of healthy saturated fats. Yes, you heard me right... I said healthy saturated fats! ...Healthy saturated fats such as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), specifically an MCT called lauric acid, which is vitally important for your immune system. If the idea of healthy saturated fats is foreign to you, check out my article about why saturated fat is not as bad as you think. Back to the fridge, some other staples:
Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean body meals and how I stock my cabinets and fridge. Your tastes are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave you some good ideas you can use next time you're at the grocery store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of groceries. A very interesting article from DR Alan Sears
Does it occur to you that they’re doing the same thing in Tokyo that they did in Three Mile Island? Back in 1979 – exactly 32 years ago yesterday – they were telling everybody for the first couple of weeks not to worry. Then they told everyone to stay inside. Then they evacuated. And then they finally told everyone the truth – that it was a dangerous radiation leak. And radiation is the biggest fear people in America have from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant was damaged, and the situation keeps getting worse. They’ve told the people around the plant to stay indoors or leave, but I don’t know how those poor people could leave. It seems like the roads are all blocked or damaged. Most of them are stuck there, being exposed to radiation day after day. And some of that radiation is coming toward the U.S. Some of it will fall with rain into the Pacific Ocean. Once there, the iodine and cesium will combine with the salt in sea water to turn into very common elements sodium iodide and cesium chloride. And they’ll then spread out into the Pacific Ocean and become diluted. This is not at the level of the Chernobyl disaster in Russia, where plutonium was found hundreds of miles away in the soil of Sweden. But they are detecting radiation from Japan on the coast of Washington state. Don’t let them tell you the radiation from nuclear fuel is in any way the same as other kinds of radiation. In fact, this is one of the biggest things they gloss over when looking at the magnitude of radiation exposure, and trying to convince you that this is negligible. When you get radiation from the sun, you are built for it. We all get that kind of radiation for our entire life, so you have natural defensive mechanisms that evolved on this planet for billions of years. That is our native environment – you’re built for it. But if you then go to the airport, they give you an x-ray body scan, and they say “Don’t worry, this is less radiation than you get from one day at the beach.” Well, that one day at the beach is something that you are built to defend yourself against, and x-rays from a newly created technology are different in ways we may not even know about yet. It may be that you can measure your total exposure to radiation, and get a quantification so you can compare radiation from scans and z-rays and nuclear blasts to radiation from the natural source, but that’s where the similarities end. It’s a totally different kind of radiation. It’s a different exposure, it’s coming from a different source, it has a different level of energy… the only thing that’s the same is the quantity. But the character of the radiation is entirely unrelated, and is something that is unnatural to you. Who knows if standing in front of that scanner and exposing your gonads to it, or standing on the beach in Washington state, is safe or not? No one can say that it’s safe just because it’s the same quantity as a day at the beach. That’s a big presumption that there’s no evidence for. Any level of new radiation is something you can’t know the result of. And people just don’t want it. It’s not something you asked for, and if someone did ask you you’d probably say “Don’t give me any amount.” It’s radiation, and you just don’t want any. Radiation interferes with your body’s chemistry. Your cellular activity is disrupted by the radioactivity of any particles you may absorb. It breaks the chemical bonds between the atoms and molecules that make up your DNA, tissues and organs. Too much radiation makes it so that your body either can’t repair the DNA damage, or your DNA makes mistakes during repair. This is when you get radiation-induced cancer. Radiation is now measured in sieverts. The standard measure is the milisievert (mSv). One mSv is the average accumulated background radiation dose to an individual for 1 year, not including radon, in the United States. And they still use that benchmark even though most Americans get around 3 mSv a year of background radiation. A chest x-ray would give you about 0.06 mSv. A typical CT scan exposes you to about 2 mSv. A worker at a nuclear plant receives 1.6 mSv per year. A dose of 100 mSv a year is the lowest level at which any increase in cancer is evident. A single dose of 1,000 mSv causes radiation sickness such as nausea and decreased white blood cell count, but not death.. You get sicker the more you’re exposed to. For example, 5,000 mSv at once will kill about half of the people within a month. In Japan, according to what we know at the time I’m writing to you, radiation levels near the damaged nuclear plant on Japan’s northeast coast reached as high as 400 mSv an hour. In Tokyo, more than 100 miles away from the reactor, people will probably have their radiation exposure triple for the year to 4 mSv. This is not a deadly dose of radiation… but there is no threshold. Any exposure above zero is assumed to give you a greater risk for radiation-induced cancer. So if you or someone you know is worried about exposure, or has been exposed to radiation, you want to do three things: Step 1) Prevent further radioactive contamination. Step 2) Treat damaged organs. Step 3) Reduce symptoms and manage pain. To do those three things, you first want to recognize the symptoms of radiation poisoning. Some of the more common things that can happen are: • Nausea and vomiting • Bloody nose or mouth • Bruising • Dehydration • Diarrhea • Fainting • Hair loss • Ulcers, swelling or redness • Weakness If you have any of these, get yourself to an emergency care facility right away. Emergency care professionals will then give you one or more of these treatments: • Potassium iodide. Your thyroid is where all the iodine in your body goes. If there’s radioactive iodine in the air, your thyroid will absorb it like any other iodine, and keep it there. Potassium iodide is the non-radioactive iodine, and taking it will fill your thyroid so it doesn’t absorb any radioactive iodine. The standard dose is a 130mg pill. Your body will then eliminate radioactive iodine through your urine. This prevents about 99% of the damage you might otherwise get. • Prussian blue. This type of dye binds to particles of radioactive cesium, the other element released into the air in Japan. You then eliminate the radioactive particles in your stool. What doctors are trying to do with this treatment is speed up the elimination of the radioactive particles so they are not absorbed into your cells. • Diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). This is probably not needed for an event like the one in Japan, but it would have been necessary after Chernobyl. DTPA binds to metals, including plutonium, americium and curium. You also eliminate this through your urine, speeding up the process and reducing the amount of radiation absorbed. • GCSF – If your bone marrow has been affected and you may have trouble producing white blood cells, doctors may give you protein called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. This helps your body make white blood cells which counter sickness and infection. The names of the drugs are Neupogen and Neulasta. Here are four important things to remember if you are ever exposed to significant radiation: 1. Don’t apply ointments to radiation burns – These will hold in radioactive particles. Soap and water are best to remove them. Dress any burn and do not change the dressing frequently. 2. Leave irradiated area – Continued exposure is much more harmful that one-time exposure. Going indoors, or getting away from the irradiated area sounds simple, but it reduces exposure. 3. Take off and discard affected clothing – removing these eliminates about 90 percent of radioactive particles. 4. Radiation sickness is not contagious – once you are away from the radiation and the affected person is decontaminated, it is safe to care for them. |
 Robyn Meywes
Robyn is a qualified Herbalist and has practised natural medicine for over 25 years in Australia. Archives
January 2014
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