Let Otzi the Iceman be a lesson to all

I firmly believe that 90% of dental health is related to diet.  And if the modern high sugar high grain high processed food diet and poor overall dental health doesn't make the case, then lets take a trip back in time... about 5000 years ago or so.

A story in today's health news reads Otzi the Iceman could have used a dentist, but should say "could have used a better diet".  That is a less agricultural (grains) and more hunter-gatherer diet.  Two particular points of this article clearly make the connection between a heavy agricultural based diet and disease.  Case in point:

"These extensive studies revealed that Ötzi was a middle-age, well-to-do agriculturalist who lived not far from where he died. He also suffered from heart disease and joint pain, and probably had Lyme disease."

Read a little further and we come across this gem...

"But somehow, scientists had never analyzed his teeth before. So Ruhli and his colleagues used a CT scanner to analyze the condition of Ötzi's teeth. They found that the ancient farmer had several cavities, likely caused by his carbohydrate-rich diet.

Ötzi also showed severe wear of his tooth enamel and severe gum disease. Hard minerals in milled grains abraded the surface of his teeth and gums, exposing the bone below and making the roots loose. Similar wear-and-tear is found in the teeth of Egyptian mummies who ate milled grains, Ruhli said."

And finally to sum up...

"Ötzi's dental problems show the results of switching from a strict hunter-gatherer diet to an agricultural one, Ruhli said.

"Hunter-gatherers were depending on meat and berries, whereas (Ötzi) had processed food," Ruhli said. "The processing added a bigger variety of food but also impacted the quality of the teeth."

Need I quote more!

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

I found this article by Christopher Masterjohn on the benefits and importance of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K) to be a great example of why a diet high in healthy saturated fat is crucial for optimal health.  The author goes to great lengths explaining how these vitamins along with minerals (Magnesium, Zinc) work together in synergy and how they fall short without the proper daily amounts of each.

The Benefits of Fat-Soluble Vitamins...

I found his detailed discussion on the history of cod liver oil consumption in the US over the last ~100 years to be a great example of the nutritional power of a whole-food supplements, and why taking the right ones can be far superior to simply cherry picking individual vitamins thought to be important.   I started taking fermented cod liver oil a few years ago as a healthy source for Omega-3 fatty acid, but soon found out that it was naturally high in Vitamins D and A along with trace amounts of other beneficial nutrients. 

If you get a chance, give this article a read, I guarantee you it will be well worth your time.  Especially if you are still skeptical on the importance of a high fat diet.

Fewer calories does NOT equal weight loss!

Over the past year or so I have learned a lot about what a healthy diet truly means.  That is, what the common misconceptions are and why we should avoid them.  So what I don't quite understand is that if I can "see the light" when it comes to a healthy diet then why can't the medical and nutritionist communities?  It's headlines like this one in today's health news US obesity mystery... that boggles my mind.

So if you are as confused as the "experts" when it comes to obesity, rest assured you are not alone.  But there is something you can do.  Familiarize yourself with 4 of the most common dietary misconceptions, and then do the opposite! 

1. Fewer calories equals weight loss. 
1. This common misconception is one of the major reasons many of the fad diets on the market do not work.  All calories are NOT created equal!  Sugar (fructose consumption) in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup is metabolized totally differently than glucose, with much of it being turned into fat rather than utilized by the body as a quick energy boost.  And to make matters worse it has been documented that HF corn syrup interferes with the receptors in your brain that would normally tell the body that it has been satisfied.  And for all those hooked on the so called "zero calorie" foods, keep in mind your body isn't fooled.  The body is designed to expect calories to follow sugar intake, and when this caloric intake is not fulfilled the body will continue to crave calories until it is satisfied ultimately causing you to consume more calories!   And one important side note Aspartame, the most common sugar substitute on the market today, is VERY toxic due to the way the human body metabolizes menthol, converting it into formaldehyde. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/07/aspartame-causes-blood-cancer.aspx
2. Eating fat makes you fat.
1. This is another big dietary misconception, and has proven to be one of the most deadly!  The move from diets high in healthy saturated fat (organic pastured meats, eggs, organic coconut, etc.) to diets high in unhealthy vegetable oils which become toxic when heated up during cooking due to their weak molecular bonds, has led to a dramatic increase (not decrease) in cases of coronary heart disease then was present in this country a decade or so ago.  The fact is a healthy diet should consist of 50% or more of healthy saturated fat.  Humans were designed by nature to be "Fat burning machines".  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/31/coconut-oil-for-healthy-heart.aspx
3. A high cholesterol diet will cause heart disease.
1. This all too common and all too deadly misconception ties directly into the "fat = fat" misconception.  What's important to remember here is that cholesterol is utilized by nearly every cell in the body, making it probably the most important nutrient that you can consume.  And a number of new studies have pointed to the American push for a "heart healthy low cholesterol diet" as well as the excessive use of  cholesterol lowering drugs, as the leading causes of many of the diseases plaguing our society today.  This is in major contrast to what most all nutritional and medical experts will lead you to believe.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/16/cholesterol-regulates-cell-signaling.aspx
4. Whole grains are part of a heart healthy diet
1. Grains, especially those containing gluten which are extremely hard to digest, simply put are nothing more than glucose to the body.  That's sugar in Layamon's terms!  And this point cannot be stressed enough; sugar interferes with the body's natural insulin response, causes inflammation, and in excess (which is the case for most American's) is the root cause of most if not all of the major chronic diseases that affect modern society.  http://cookingallergyfree.blogspot.com/2012/11/dont-believe-heart-healthy-advertising.html

Fat and Cholesterol are our friends!

One of the most unhealthy misconceptions brought forth over the last century was started by one German Scientist and Procter & Gamble, an all to eager company quick to buy in.  In no time at all what has been called one of the most brilliant marketing schemes paved the way for a very deadly product.  A "lard lookalike" that was anything but, and so Crisco was born!  The marketing ploy... that Crisco, a vegetable oil originally made from cottonseed, was low in saturated fat and cholesterol. .  And what a marketing scheme it was!  Sure it boosted the cottonseed industry but at what cost?  This deadly piece of false misleading nutritional information was solidified in the American diet by the mid-50's when a man by the name of Dr. Keys published a flawed misleading paper that compared saturated fat intake with heart disease.  His misleading cherry-picked data painted an ugly picture that Americans were quick to eat with spoon. 

Fast forward to present time and most Americans still believe that a healthy diet is one that is low in cholesterol and saturated fat.  Unfortunately all we have to show for it is an unhealthy society severely plagued by the very diseases (heart disease, diabetes, obesity...) that were supposed to be avoided, and that could only result from such poor nutritional advice. 

If this were true, wouldn't maintaining a diet low saturated fat and cholesterol lead to a healthier you?

Tell me this, why then are there more people suffering from these diseases than back 100+ years ago when people were not afraid of saturated fat (be it coconut or animal based)?

The only ones that have gained from this poor and deadly dietary advice have been those who profit either directly or indirectly from this sort of lifestyle; the companies that make/sell/distribute these products and the medical industry and pharmaceutical companies that have millions of Americans hooked on their magic pill.

The truth is 50% or more of your diet should come from a healthy saturated fat source like coconuts, organic pastured eggs and meats.  And what about that deadly 'C' word... Cholesterol?  It turns out there may not be a more crucial player in a healthy diet!  Cholesterol is used by nearly every cell in the body and without it we cannot survive.  Some of the latest research links low cholesterol due to diet and cholesterol lowing drugs, may be the real causes of diseases like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and more!
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/16/cholesterol-regulates-cell-signaling.aspx

Do the research for yourself, it might just save your life!

Why studies on vitamin D are dangerously misleading

Most all of the 'published' studies, primarily those with the agenda to debunk health claims regarding the benefits of vitamin D have one very crucial flaw in common, the study's participants are always given vitamin D orally via supplements.

There are two major problems with this:

1. The most effective, efficient, and natural source of Vitamin D is from sun exposure through the skin.  UVB rays from the sun triggers your body's natural production of vitamin D.
2. Any dietary source of vitamin D should come from a whole food source such as cod liver oil, wild caught fish, and organic pastured eggs and raw milk, and not via the synthetically derived form found in supplements and processed foods.

 So why is it all of these studies fail to include any of these sources of vitamin D?

The answer is easy, and scary at the same time... scary because it's another example of how our medical industry is influenced by our unhealthy food and pharmaceutical industries.

First let's take a look at the pharmaceutical industry's role in these false claims.  How else could you explain the obvious conspiracy (for lack of a better word) against the sun?

Who in their right mind would have the audacity to even suggest that with the 80+ million years that the evolution of  primates has under its belt, nature has had it wrong from day one.  Maybe instead of selfishly focusing on the development and honing of cognitive skills as well as the development of opposable thumbs nature should have better focused its evolutionary energy on developing a good quality sunscreen.

The truth is sunscreen causes cancer not the sun, but since we cannot patent the sun (yet) it becomes more profitable to create a worldwide scare against that big orange ball of fire and then swoop in to save the day with a miracle cream or spray that will protect you from those evil rays... Don't believe the hype!

Now let's take a look at our food industry and their role in all of this.  If the food industry were to admit that a lack of vitamin D via sun exposure had any negative affect on their product, the entire factory farming industry would come tumbling down.  There simply is no place for a green lush pasture within the walls (and roof) of factory farming.  I mean what would Purdue or Tyson do if they had to actually fess and come clean, admitting to their poor abused sickly flocks of poultry that daylight really does exist and that it wasn't just a rumor started by a bunch of cackling hens... pun intended. 

The truth is pastured poultry (layers and broilers) as well as pastured cows and pigs result in healthier animals due to sun exposure.  Of course daily access to natural healthy forage such as omega-3 rich grasses and herbs also plays a large role, but since both really go hand-in-hand we will consider them one in the same.  And you cannot deny the fact that organic pastured eggs and raw milk are naturally higher in vitamin D then their factory farmed counterpart.  A fact that factory farming and our food industry would rather you not focus on.  Why do you think store bought eggs and milk are fortified with (synthetic) vitamin D?  Maybe because the animal they came from lacked Mother Nature's number one source... The SUN!

Ultimately though the choice is yours; hide from the sun and sport that "I wish I was a vampire look" or embrace the sun (in a safe manner) and get your vitamin D the way nature intended.

Reduced allergy milk? Bad News!

When I read an article in today's health news titled, "Cow named Daisy makes reduced allergy milk", only one thing comes to mind; once again man is meddling where he shouldn't be.

Cows produce milk, like all female mammals, for one reason and one reason only, to feed their young.  This milk, regardless of what mammal it comes from, is packed with nutrients designed to nourish and strengthen, as well as healthy bacteria and digestive enzymes designed to aid in digestion and maintain a healthy gut (immune system).  We humans have decided for one reason or another that feeding our young the milk of another lactating mammal (cow) instead of that of its mother (human) is the better (healthy) or a more socially excepted choice...

Each mammal produces milk specific to the needs and requirements of their own offspring.  And although 'Raw Pastured' cow's milk may be an extremely healthy nutrient rich alternative, the corn-fed hormone induced antibiotic rich variety found at your local food store is anything but.  Add to that it's lack of healthy living bacteria of any kind due to pasteurization and irradiation, and what you are left with is 'more harm than good!' 

Studies have shown that the healthy 'living' (key word here) bacteria present in raw milk aids in the digestion of its proteins.  Therefore it's not the milk per say that is the cause of one of the most common food allergies in humans (dairy allergy) but rather the over consumption of the commercially sold 'dead milk' that we so quickly and willingly subject our young to.  All commercially sold dairy products lack nutrients as well as the necessary digestive bacteria that would render it healthy.

Instead what you have is a highly allergenic protein with some fortified vitamins and minerals, and a lifetime's worth of hormones and antibiotics in every glassful.

So it's your choice as to what you are going to feed your children (pre solid foods), but keep in mind that commercially sold cow dairy products should not be an option, even if they are of the "reduced allergy" kind... sorry Daisy!

Why 'YES' to Proposition 37 is important to all of us

There is something very important coming to a vote this November election, and it isn't which of the two clueless pawns currently in the running will become the next president of the United States.  It's called Proposition 37 'The right to know' and voting yes to this will give consumers the right to know what's in their food, primarily whether or not it contains GM (genetically modified) or GE (genetically engineered) ingredients.

Although this is up for vote in California and not nationwide, a win in the largest state for producing and selling organic products would surely set the tone for the rest of the country.  And even if you're not a California resident you can still donate to the cause.  

It's amazing to me (but not surprising) the amount of money the opposition is spending to blind the consumer.  This isn't a vote as to whether or not GE foods should exist (and they should NOT) but instead it's a vote to ensure proper labeling so we the consumer can have the choice to buy or not to buy.

The top five contributors to the opposition are Monsanto (the industry leader in genetic engineering as well as the maker of the pesticide/herbicide RoundUp), Dupont and DOW (Chemical companies with their dirty hands covered in Agriscience), Bayer (a pharmaceutical company), and BASF (a chemical company), all of which lead the pack with a mind boggling amounts of money being spent in this campaign to blind and poison the consumer. 

Donor	Amount
Monsanto	$7,100,500
E.I. Dupont De Nemours & Co.	$4,900,000
DOW Agrisciences	$2,000,000
Bayer Cropscience	$2,000,000
BASF Plant Science	$2,000,000
Pepsico, Inc.	$1,716,300
Nestle USA	$1,169,400
Coca-Cola North America	$1,164,400
Conagra Foods	$1,076,700
General Mills	$908,200
Syngenta Corporation	$821,300
Del Monte Foods	$674,100
Kellogg Company	$632,500
Hershey Company	$498,006
The J.M. Smucker Company	$388,000
Council for Biotechnology Information	$375,000
Grocery Manufacturers Association	$375,000
Hormel Foods	$374,300
Bumble Bee Foods	$368,500
Ocean Spray Cranberries	$362,100
Sara Lee	$343,600
Bimbo Bakeries	$338,300
Pioneer Hi-Bred International	$310,100
Pinnacle Foods	$266,100
Dean Foods Company	$253,950
Biotechnology Industry Organization	$252,000
Campbell's Soup	$250,000
McCormick & Company	$248,200
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company	$237,664
Rich Products Corporation	$225,537
Cargill, Inc.	$202,229
Dole Packaged Foods	$171,261
Knouse Foods Cooperative	$135,831
Mars Food North America	$100,242

They are pushing hard with adds trying to convince the consumer that GE foods are no different if not better than their non-GMO counterparts.  But if this were true then why not spend the money educating the public and then trusting that they will make the right choice at the check-out. . .  The reason is the "right choice" is NON-GMO!  And they know it!

When more than 40 other nations around the globe either require labeling of or ban the sale of GE and GM foods, the question you should ask yourself is why in the "land of the free" don't WE have the right to choose?

Unfortunately the opposition doesn't make it easy for the average ill-informed consumer especially when, those at the top of the list who currently control our food industry (a product of factory farming), have such deep pockets and political influence making it easy to sway our government, our medical community, the media, and ultimately our nation in their direction.

Do the research, educate yourself, and make the right HEALTHY choice.  Say 'YES' because you do have the right to know!

I still believe the best way to win the fight against our current food industry (factory farming, industrial pharming, Agriscience, call it what you will) is to support your local organic farmer.  Buy only local sustainably farmed foods when possible; organic produce and pastured meats, dairy, and eggs.  Make sure all packaged goods are organic and specifically say NON-GMO on the label.

Another reason to avoid store bought milk!

I just can't resist the urge to comment on a news article such as this one, and I can't help but wonder if when they made the movie 'Dumb and Dumber" they weren't basing it on people like this...

Cattle enjoying sweet life amid corn shortages

In reading just the first few paragraphs it becomes apparent that the poor desperate and naive dairy farmer as well as 'Ki Fanning', a nutritionist with apparently no real nutritional background nor common sense for that matter, are both extremely misguided and unfortunately a product of factory farming at its worst.  

The gist of the article is; with the price of corn so high because of shortages due to the drought this year, farmers are desperately searching for alternative feed choices for their cattle aside from the obvious (grass).  So what have they turned to?  Sprinkles!  Yes you heard me correctly and it doesn't stop there.  Apparently it's Halloween for cows with their baskets full of "cookies, gummy worms, marshmallows, fruit loops, orange peels, even dried cranberries..."

It's not bad enough that these products consisting of sugar and chemicals cause disease in omnivores (humans), but to feed them to ruminants (cows)...

Quick lesson, an omnivorous diet consists of multiple food sources (animal protein, animal fat, herbs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, etc.), but a ruminant, a unique type of herbivore, can only safely digest one type of food... GRASS!  It's the whole reason their digestive system consists of a multiple compartment stomach including its own fermentation tank (the rumen), to allow for healthy efficient digestion of cellulose (plant matter).  Incorrect diet is one of the main reasons factory farming results in animals being fed so many antibiotics as part of their diet.  The majority of  their poor unhealthy diet is grain (corn) not herbs as nature intended.  This causes inflammation within their stomach(s), kills the healthy bacteria within their rumen necessary for digestion, and leads to sickness and disease.

And if all of this can be caused by the almighty grain, which chemically speaking is basically glucose, then imagine what pure refined toxic sugar will do?

Most disturbing by far though is this quote by a supposed nutritionist...

"Everybody is looking for alternatives," said Ki Fanning, a nutritionist with Great Plains Livestock Consulting in Eagle, Nebraska. "It's kind of funny the first time you see it but it works well. The big advantage to that is you can turn something you normally throw away into something that can be consumed. The amazing thing about a ruminant, a cow, you can take those type of ingredients and turn them into food."

I think the scarecrow had more brains then this guy.

How to stay healthy this flu season without the help of big pharma

With shorter days getting shorter by the minute and colder temperatures riding the coattails of autumn, it's only natural that images of your fevered sniffly achy self pathetically lying in bed or on the couch with a thermometer sticking out of  your mouth become more frequent, but haunting?  It doesn't have to be so.

So how then do you stay healthy when all those around you are willingly overdosing on cold and or flu medicine as if they had stock in the very pharmaceutical companies pushing these drugs?

Well for starters don't panic.  A healthy immune system is an amazing and surprisingly intelligent fighting machine.  It's the kind of thing all of the great Sci Fi  films are made of...  It learns, remembers, and attacks with precision strikes!  It has however one critical flaw, to learn and remember it has to first actually be exposed to... and therein lies the problem.

We have become a society of 'live unhealthy and let big pharma take care of the rest'... Who needs a working immune system when there is a shot, pill, or elixir just waiting to be had?  Well, if avoiding sickness and disease is your intention then the answer is you do!

I will share with you my secrets but first you should know it really is not a secret at all, and I really can't take any credit for it because much of it (that of which is not common sense or trial and error learned) is based on others research that I've simply picked up along the way.  So without further ado...

1. Maintain a healthy diet.  A rule of thumb should be if it promotes a healthy gut (digestive system) and inhibits inflammation (NOT promotes inflammation) while satisfying your inner carnivorous need for pastured animal protein, animal fat, and animal fat soluble vitamins, then it's a healthy diet. I recommend incorporating unpasteurized fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kefir into your diet, while avoiding gluten and minimizing grains as they are high in omega-6 which promotes inflammation.
2. Get some sun.  I am using sun as a synonym for Vit D, with the understanding that the sun is the healthiest most efficient and most natural source of 'D' available.  Avoid sun screen!
3. Exercise regularly.  My favorite exercise is hiking or running (barefoot) OUTSIDE on NATURAL surfaces.  Not only do you get the basic cardiovascular benefits of exercise as well as fresh air and sunlight, you also get the added benefit of 'grounding' and natural healing from barefoot contact with the earth due to the naturally occurring magnetic fields.  
4. Get sufficient rest.  Sleep is important period; no way around it, and insomnia or any chronic sleeping issues is a sure sign of unhealthier things to come. 
5. Take only good quality supplements.  Your best bet are whole food supplements when possible.  I take a fermented cod liver oil for omega-3 with the added benefit of vitamin D, A and K.  I also take a wild greens powder supplement which is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.
   
6. Eat local sustainably farmed meats, dairy, eggs, and veggies.  Most anything else you buy is a product of factory farming (grain fed, omega-3 deficient, antibiotic/hormone inoculated) animals.
7. Make sure any store bought foods are organic non-GMO.
8. Don't use pharmaceuticals!  Over-the-counter or Rx, and this includes vaccinations.
9. Don't use antibacterial soaps!
10. Avoid hospitals when possible.  For that matter avoid doctors as well...
11. Use only organic or chemical free products for all your hygiene needs.   This means fluoride free, sulfate free toothpaste.  Your dentist may tell you otherwise but if you do the research you will see that fluoridation of all types (drinking water or topical) is toxic not to mention fluoridated water is  byproduct of the phosphate chemical fertilizer industry!
12. Use only plant based chemical free (organic if possible) household cleaning products.
13. Practice some sort of meditation.  A stress free life is a healthy life.

Don't let your pediatrician bully you into unnecessary vaccinations

Vaccinations are always a hot topic especially this time of year when children are back in school.  Unfortunately many parents put way too much blind faith in their pediatrician to make this very personal and very important decision for them.  A decision that could just as easily cause a serious life altering and in some cases fatal reaction; one that would surely leave the parents asking why?   How?

Fortunately there are many parents out there that do the research, understand the risks (often higher than the "reward"), and choose to say no when it comes to vaccinations.  Or at the very least they go into the decision with enough facts to make smart choices as to which vaccination they will allow their child to have.

I often bight my tongue when it comes to topics like this one, because I do not have children of my own, but with all of the testimonials out there and all of the documented cases of "harmless vaccinations" going very very wrong, I see no reason why I can't chime in on the side of these concerned parents. 

Since the very first vaccinations were given (small pox and rabies) severe life altering side-effects have followed, and with the scary and very creditable link between many vaccination and autism, concerned mothers have been fighting tooth and nail for the right to say NO!

I urge you, as a concerned parent, to do the research and don't be afraid to question your child's pediatrician.  It is important to remember that vaccinations, like any drug, are a very profit driven market within the pharmaceutical industry.   The same pharmaceutical companies that are constantly in a vicious competition with one another as they race to get their product on the market first, regardless of the consequences.  They (pharmaceutical companies) have the deep pockets to act first and pay later. 

If you don't believe me, just do a quick online search regarding lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies by the FDA due to a laundry list of illegal and despicable practices.  Trust me a few deaths and a few fines are a drop in the bucket compared to the billions of dollars in profit they get for getting their product out first.

Time to Can!

It's that time of year again, when the tomatoes in your garden or at your local organic farm stand are hanging out just begging to be picked or purchased before they go bad.  So what better to do with all those tomatoes than to can them for use over those long cold winter months when those red tomato looking imposters line the store shelves... they may look like that juicy summertime friend you're yearning for, but trust me they are not!

And if your garden hasn't produced enough worthy of canning, try and find a local farm stand or farmers market where you can purchase the older softer ones for a bit of a price break.  This time of year farmers are usually more than willing to give you a break if you buy them in bulk and help them unload the seasons bounty.

Happy Canning!

Factory farming promotes disease!

In a natural untouched setting you have herbivores, the grazers of the world, tending to our perennial prairie land pastures eating herbs and fertilizing the soil all while miraculously turning cellulose (plant matter) into edible fat and protein for all of the many carnivorous and omnivorous creatures that can't.  You then have nature's cleanup crew, flocks of omnivorous foul, closely tailing the heard scratching through the dung left behind looking for any edible insect that might be on their menu.  And finally you have nature's way of balancing out just the right amount of herbivores per square acre... carnivores.  Without these meat / animal-fat craving creatures of the world (and this includes the omnivorous human), the land would quickly be overrun by plant eaters resulting in a landscape of barren desert waist land due to over grazing, and ultimately leading to many starving animals dependent upon this otherwise healthy fertile soil.

And each individual team (herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore) on this common playing field holds a very important and distinct role dictated by these simple dietary constraints, better yet efficiencies; herbivores eat herbs, carnivores eat herbivorous animal fat and protein, and omnivores consume both.  And despite each players unique role in this game of sustainability, the very thing that sets each apart from the other (their gut) holds one very important commonality spanning them all; a healthy gut dependent upon healthy bacterial environment provides a healthy immune system, and ultimately a healthy relatively disease free existence.  

Despite the resilience of this healthy highly efficient zero-waist system we humans have figured out how to throw a very destructive wrench into this otherwise perfect running machine, and at such a startlingly damaging rate.  Disease is not natural, not at the frequency and efficiency at which it now wreaks havoc on our bodies and our world, and yet we have managed to make life threatening diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases a devastating and regular occurrence in our lives. 

The healthy balanced gut of a mammal is paradise for (healthy) bacteria, trillions of them, and the tasks they perform (braking down our food so we can utilize its nutrients) is probably the most important job within the body.  Without balanced and efficient digestion, inflammation wreaks havoc on the stomach lining and intestinal walls changing the gut environment from 'friendly bacteria' to 'harmful bacteria' severely compromising the immune system allowing disease to follow. 

So who would think that among these three very distinct digestive groups of mammals (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore) that one common food would be poisoning them all, but it's true!  Grains are not naturally on the  menu for any of these groups of mammals, and yet with the advent of factory farming it has become a major food source for all.  In this unnatural unsustainable unhealthy farming model (factory farming) we feed cheap GMO grains to cattle (herbivores) as well as pigs and chickens (omnivores), depriving them of what they naturally need to survive a healthy disease free life.  Hence the heavy use of antibiotics within factory farming.  And we (omnivores) as well as our carnivorous pets (cats and dogs) are not immune to this poisoning. In fact we get it from all sides.  For humans, we make whole grains an important part of our diets because that's what we've been told is healthy, and any animal protein we do eat is from unhealthy omega-6 rich (grain fed) meat, dairy, and eggs. And as for our pets just look at the ingredients on the package of food (poison) that your feeding them... not only are grains on there in one way shape or form, if they're not the first ingredient they're almost always in the top 5.  And even if you feed them "grain-free" food, unless the animal protein listed comes from organic pastured meats they're still getting their share of poisoning just as we are. 

Grains are high in omega-6 which promotes inflammation, they spike insulin levels due to their glucose content, and  are very difficult to digest.

There is a solution to this global problem that is factory farming... local organic non-GMO sustainable farming!  When we allow animals to eat what nature intended, the result is a healthy relatively disease free life.  This goes for herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores alike.

Why you should be using coconut oil...

If you're like most Americans you are probably cooking with some sort of vegetable or seed oil (olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, etc.) as opposed to a saturated fat.  Of the popular cooking oils used today, all but olive oil are high omega-6 polyunsaturated oils, and due to their double bond make up are very unstable causing changes at the molecular level especially when used for frying.  And studies show that there are far more dangerous toxic chemicals produced when frying with these oils then the often more news worthy trans fats that frying creates.  Even the 'heart healthy' leader of the pack, Olive Oil, is not ideal for cooking (especially frying) due to oxidation that occurs.

So what oils should we cook with then?

The only safe oil for cooking is one that is a solid at room temperature (a saturated fat), despite the bad publicity they have gotten over the years.  It turns out that coconut oil contains the most heart healthy saturated fats of any of the edible oils.  And yes in case you haven't figured it out by now, saturated fats not unsaturated fats are the healthiest most beneficial fats for the body to consume.

"Coconut oil is comprised of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and surprisingly enough is nature's richest source of these healthy MCFAs.  While by contrast most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs."  Benefits of Coconut Oil 

I personally buy my coconut oil by the gallon and use it for everything from cooking (frying, baking, etc.), to putting in smoothies, to using it as a soothing topical lotion.

Check your pantry and if you're using harmful vegetable or seed oils for cooking, then I urge you to try coconut oil.  When buying coconut oil as with any food product, you should look for something that is 100% Certified Organic, non-GMO, Unrefined, and free of any additives.

By design we are fat burning machines... Are you?

I read a very interesting article today by Mark Sisson, the author of the bestselling health book The Primal Blueprint, that further supports the argument that the human body, by design, craves and depends upon a diet consisting of healthy saturated fats, not sugar (glucose; high carb diets), in order to run at its most efficient level.

The article, What does it mean to be fat adaptive, points out the differences between those who are sugar burners (sugar adaptive) and those who are fat burners (fat adaptive). 

Those who are more sugar adaptive, which is probably the majority of people living in today's industrialized overly processed food era, have their bodies trained to seek sugar (carbs) as the primary fuel source.  This is unnatural in that sugar compared to fat is not stored within the body at the same levels, ~0.69% of body weight at any given time compared to ~12% of body weight respectively.  Since sugar is burned relatively quickly with more or less no reserves, the body runs out of fuel quickly requiring another hit of sugar (carbs), and because the body is "sugar adaptive" it becomes very inefficient (nearly incapable) of utilizing fat reserves resulting in increased fat storage.  That in combination with the consistent spikes in insulin levels caused by high carb diets, diseases such as diabetes and  those related to obesity become inevitable.

In contrast, those who are fat adaptive have bodies that utilize the body's natural fuel source (fat reserves) in an efficient and effective manner.  This is a result of a diet that is higher in animal protein and saturated fat (animal fat, coconut, etc.) and low in glucose (carbs- especially grains, processed and refined sugars, processed foods). 

I can honestly say from my own experience, I have seen and felt the transition in my body from "sugar burner" to "fat adaptive".  Not so long ago when my diet consisted of high amounts of whole grains as a substantial fuel source (grains for breakfast, grains with lunch and dinner) I was hungry more often with irritability on an empty stomach, while experiencing almost diabetic symptoms (lightheadedness) from the obvious insulin spikes and glucose highs and lows.  In contrast my current diet, high in protein and saturated fat (animal fat, egg yolks, coconut) with minimal grain intake, I have noticed more energy, an ability to go longer between meals without empty stomach irritability (within reason), and no more lightheadedness from insulin spiking.

Don't believe your dentist!

I've posted about this before but a recent article in health news warrants a re-post.

If you want healthy teeth, don't listen to your dentist!

Sounds contradictory?  Most dentists still believe that regular fluoridation via toothpaste, mouthwash, or other topical aid, along with fluoridated water prevents cavities.  Unfortunately "most dentists" are wrong!

Fluoridation, especially that found in drinking water, is actually a waste product of the phosphate fertilizer industry called hydrofluorosilicic acid, and has been described as a neurotoxin at its worst, accumulating in sensitive organ tissue, severely affecting brain function.

This is a very interesting, disturbing, and eye-opening article that I urge you to read...  


"Good oral health and strong, healthy teeth are NOT the result of drinking fluoridated water and brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. Rather it's virtually all about your diet.

Dr. Weston A. Price, who was one of the major nutritional pioneers of all time, completed some of the most extensive research on this topic back in the 1900s, and it is still very much relevant today. What he found, and documented in his classic book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, is that native tribes who were eating their traditional diet had nearly perfect teeth, and were almost 100 percent free of tooth decay -- and they did not have toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, or root canals and fillings.

But when these tribal populations were introduced to sugar and white flour, guess what happened … their health, and their perfect teeth, rapidly deteriorated, just like the kids in El Salvador. By avoiding sugars and processed foods, you prevent the proliferation of the bacteria that cause decay in the first place." When treatment is poison   Mercola.com July 14th 2012

Homemade Kefir

With fermented foods being so important in maintaining a healthy gut... healthy immune system... healthy you... and so easy to make, it's almost foolish not add these immune boosting disease preventing foods to your diet!

When I say they are easy to make, it's truly an understatement.  With bacteria doing 99% of the work, all you need is a little patience. As I've posted before, my wife and I make our own sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), our own pickles (fermented cucumbers and zucchini), and now we've added homemade coconut kefir to the list. 

All you need is a few young coconuts, some kefir starter, and time (about 36-48hrs). 

If you want to read more about the importance of fermented foods, follow this link and watch the video at the bottom of the page (after reading the article of course). 

This food contains 100 times more probiotic than a supplement.

Stay informed and stay healthy!

De-Evolution

We've all heard of evolution; from life in the ocean to life on land; from life on four legs to life on two; it's a subject whose origin and validity has been observed researched and debated to death.  Taking a simplistic view however, we usually relate the "evolutionary process" to one in which an organism or animal changes over many generations in such a way that this change leads to improvement in one way or another.  Darwin stated that through natural selection life on earth has evolved in such a way that only the most dominant or strongest or beneficial traits needed for survival would be passed on to the next generation, slowly but surely paving the way to modern day animals and fish and humans.

Is this the case however when it comes to the evolution of the human diet?

Sure you can say that the human diet has evolved.  Evolved from one driven by a pure basic natural need for nourishment to an industrialized factory driven diet of overly processed foods replacing the basic dietary needs of the body with chemicals and toxins.  And with this dramatic change in our diets over such a short period of time, evolutionarily speaking, we have also seen the evolution of disease and the toll it has taken on this modern industrialized nutrient starved human race, rendering our society one plagued by obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and chronic inflammatory diseases of every kind.

This however seems to contradict ours simplistic view of evolution.  If humans are the most evolved species on the planet than why have we let our diets take such an unnatural and blatantly detrimental path.  Unless of course this is nature's way of weeding out a specie that has proven to be toxic to both nature and themselves alike.

If this is the case then I say its time for the "De-Evolution" of the human diet!

It is time to replace those chemicals (fillers, preservative, GMO's) with pure natural organic nutrient rich un-fooled-around-with ingredients.  It's time to step off this indiscriminately destructive fast moving industrialized food train that our "highly advanced" society is riding full-steam-ahead and get back on track with the basics of our dietary needs.  It's time to stop exploiting this chauvinistic view that the human race sits alone above all other species as are given right to do as we please in the name of food, regardless of the destruction in our wake, and wise up to the fact that when it comes to our health (life) we are not independent but rather dependent.  The truth is there is something like 10 trillion bacteria making up the human body, which is 10 times the number of individual cells that actually make up the human body.  So biologically speaking, at the cellular level, we are not even the dominant organism when it comes to ourselves!  Maybe if we step back and look at our dietary "evolutionary advancement", we will see that from a health perspective we haven't advanced at all. 

I don't mean we must a revert back to our hunter-gatherer ancestors eating nothing but raw meat from fresh kills, but we can take away something very important from our distant past, and that is our basic primal need for animal protein, animal fat, and fat soluble vitamins.  As a hunter gatherer you ate to survive which meant giving your body what it wants and needs!  Once we lay this crucial dietary foundation consisting of healthy pastured meats in place we can move up the timeline to the advent of agriculture.  Agriculture has been around for approximately 10-12k years, and although a mere blip on our evolutionary timeline, when compared to factory farming and industrialized "pharming" which have only been driving our food industry at this pace since around the time of WWII (barely an evolutionary blink of the eye) we can safely say that there is a place in our diets for organic sustainable farming.  But even here we have to travel back in time to the agricultural beginning when we had only one way to preserve our food, lacto fermentation.  It was this basic natural process, not chemical preservatives or genetically modified organisms or even refrigeration for that matter, that not only kept our food from spoiling but fed our bodies with the healthy bacteria that we need to survive.

Lacto fermented foods have been shown to be far more abundant in strands of  healthy bacteria in a single serving than most over the counter pharmaceutical grade probiotics contain per container.  Add this to the enhanced nutrient content and absence of  most toxins and anti-nutrients compared to non-fermented foods, and you can quickly see why fermented foods are so important to the human diet.  Our gut is our immune system, and when we have an unbalanced unhealthy gut we are easy prey for bad bacteria taking over our bodies.  Without the correct healthy ratio of beneficial bacteria to unhealthy bacteria within our bodies, we begin to suffer from the many chronic diseases and disorders that the modern human diet promotes.

So do your body, and the trillions of bacteria living within that make life possible a favor and help De-Evolve when it comes to your diet.

Shake your way to a healthy lifestyle!

I think in today's modern society with its countless unavoidable toxins and pollutants that we are subjected to on a daily basis, a healthy "disease free" diet is more important than ever.  But even when we do our best to eat all the right things; local organic produce, pastured meats, eggs, and dairy, we can still use a nutritional boost of insurance.  And that's where my daily health shakes/smoothies come into play... they are fun to concoct, the ingredients and combinations of are practically endless, and they taste great!

So what's in mine you ask?

It varies depending on the time of year and available ingredients but there is definitely a few common themes...

Inhibit Inflammation, Boost the Immune System, Promote Healthy Digestion.

Here are some of the ingredients I like: (All Organic)

Turmeric powder (~ 4 heaping tsp) As I've mentioned before turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory as well as having both anti-cancer anti-tumor properties.
Ginger Root (~1-2 tsp) Ginger root has many health/medicinal benefits but it is probably most famous for it's ability to aid in digestion.
Wild Greens Supreme.  In today's world where factory farming rules the landscape we do not consume nearly enough variety and of course quantity of greens (herbs), something our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate plenty of.  This particular product is a blend of 5 powerful herbs high in Fiber, vitamins A, C, K, electrolyte minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium & Potassium) as well as Antioxidants, Flavonoids, Chlorophyll.  A powerful product that aids in all 3 of my "healthy diets musts" I listed above.
Raw Cacao - (~3 heaping Tbsp in powder and/or bean form) This antioxidant power packed food.  Don't be fooled though... The benefits of dark chocolate have given this American favorite a lot of air time lately but raw, unadulterated, unprocessed, 'refined-sugar' free cacao is the only true healthy way to go!
Raw Maca Powder - (~1 tsp) This powerful root is a highly nutrient-dense whole food packed with vitamins, plant sterols, essential minerals, amino acids and healthy fats.  Not only beneficial to the immune system, it is a great energy booster!
Raw Chia Seeds- (~4 heaping Tbsp soaked) They are an excellent source of healthy omega oils, easily digestible protein, antioxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. "In fact, chia is so high in essential fatty acids that it contains eight times more omega-3s than salmon, gram for gram".  If you soak them in water (1 part seeds to 5 parts water) they become very gelatinous; you can soak a large batch and store them in the fridge, adding as much to your shake as you want.
Bee Pollen- (~1-2 tsp) Bee pollen is one of nature's nutrient dense power packed super foods, high in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, protein... It's another one of those foods that aid in all 3 of my "healthy diets musts".  
Black Strap Molasses- (1 heaping Tbsp) Another one of nature's super foods! Just 1 tablespoon of this complex sugar contains over 700mg of Potassium and over 100mg of Calcium with zero fat!
Fresh Coconut- (Flesh and Water) These are one of my favorite foods; the flesh is high in fiber, healthy saturated fat, and the liquid has more electrolytes than any sport drink on the market!  When I can't find organic fresh coconuts (from US) at my local health food store I purchase Raw Organic Coconut Butter as a substitute.  

Enjoy!