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!
Showing posts with label Nutrients and Anutrients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nutrients and Anutrients. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
The "Sunshine Vitamin"... Are you getting enough?
In today's society, with poor diets high in overly processed foods and low in fresh produce and natural whole grains and legumes, the average American is deficient in many key nutrients that the body requires for optimal health. Add to that too little unprotected sunlight exposure, and by that I mean sun exposure without being covered up by long clothing and sunscreen, has caused a vitamin D (the sunlight vitamin) deficiency in epidemic proportions.
Finally scientific research is revealing what the N.D. Holistic and Natural Healing experts have known for some time, and that is the importance of Vitamin D in regards to our immune system. A recent article "Scientists Find Why Sunshine Vit D is Crucial" touches on this very subject and the main idea of the article is the very point I would like to shed some much needed light on.
Finally scientific research is revealing what the N.D. Holistic and Natural Healing experts have known for some time, and that is the importance of Vitamin D in regards to our immune system. A recent article "Scientists Find Why Sunshine Vit D is Crucial" touches on this very subject and the main idea of the article is the very point I would like to shed some much needed light on.
"Almost half of the world's population has lower than optimal levels of vitamin D and scientists say the problem is getting worse as people spend more time indoors."
Most of the article focuses on the research and its findings...
"The researchers found that immune systems' killer cells, known as T cells, rely on vitamin D to become active and remain dormant and unaware of the possibility of threat from an infection or pathogen if vitamin D is lacking in the blood. "When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or 'antenna' known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D," said Carsten Geisler of Copenhagen University's department of international health, immunology and microbiology, who led the study. "This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won't even begin to mobilize"
I have left out the conclusion of the article because as is the case with most of the essential nutrients that our society is lacking and the RDA set forth by the so called "experts" for which the medical community strictly follows, they consistently falls short on the amounts we truly need. We do not live in a perfect toxic free environment, and even those with the healthiest of diets are exposed to millions of unavoidable environmental toxins. Combine that with a poor diet, lack of sunshine exposure, and the increased exposure of toxins in packaged processed foods and other commonly used products, our body's are in desperate need of these core nutrients.
Don't take my word for it though, I urge you to do your own research; preferably from any of the tons of literature available written by someone following a more natural approach to health and wellness.
Most of the article focuses on the research and its findings...
"The researchers found that immune systems' killer cells, known as T cells, rely on vitamin D to become active and remain dormant and unaware of the possibility of threat from an infection or pathogen if vitamin D is lacking in the blood. "When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or 'antenna' known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D," said Carsten Geisler of Copenhagen University's department of international health, immunology and microbiology, who led the study. "This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won't even begin to mobilize"
I have left out the conclusion of the article because as is the case with most of the essential nutrients that our society is lacking and the RDA set forth by the so called "experts" for which the medical community strictly follows, they consistently falls short on the amounts we truly need. We do not live in a perfect toxic free environment, and even those with the healthiest of diets are exposed to millions of unavoidable environmental toxins. Combine that with a poor diet, lack of sunshine exposure, and the increased exposure of toxins in packaged processed foods and other commonly used products, our body's are in desperate need of these core nutrients.
Don't take my word for it though, I urge you to do your own research; preferably from any of the tons of literature available written by someone following a more natural approach to health and wellness.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Read That Lable On Those prenatals
My wife has a couple of friends who are pregnant and were discussing prenatal vitamins.
They say their doctor insists upon taken them, but are they all they are cracked up to be?
Just because something is prescribed by a doctor don't assume what your taking is truly the best thing for you or your baby. There is no doubt in my mind that expecting mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins and minerals, especially since the majority of Americans are malnourished due to poor diets, but that doesn't mean all prenatal vitamins are created equal.
It is important to really examine the label on these or any multi-vitamin to be sure you are getting the best quality vitamins and minerals that you need, AND NOTHING ELSE! It was very disturbing for me to see that so many of these vitamins that these doctors are prescribing have a laundry list of garbage (in the form of dyes and fillers) listed under "inactive ingredients". A good quality multi contains high quality vitamins and minerals and very minimal "inactive ingredients".
Do pregnant woman really need dyes and food coloring in their vitamins? Does a developing fetus really need vitamins filled with chemicals in the form of fillers and binders? Do expecting mothers really need allergens in the form of whey or the many faces of soy in their vitamins when children and adults alike are becoming more and more allergic to these foods?
I actually saw soy listed 3 times, under 3 different aliases, in one prenatal vitamin... disturbing indeed, but it's not just the inactive ingredients that need to be scrutinized. I actually saw a number of these vitamins that contain vitamin D in the form of D2, when numerous studies have shown that vitamin D3 is the better more essential form for optimal health.
I recall a fact that I read that stated, "a well informed patent knows more about nutrition than the average MD", and the evidence just keeps piling up.
They say their doctor insists upon taken them, but are they all they are cracked up to be?
Just because something is prescribed by a doctor don't assume what your taking is truly the best thing for you or your baby. There is no doubt in my mind that expecting mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins and minerals, especially since the majority of Americans are malnourished due to poor diets, but that doesn't mean all prenatal vitamins are created equal.
It is important to really examine the label on these or any multi-vitamin to be sure you are getting the best quality vitamins and minerals that you need, AND NOTHING ELSE! It was very disturbing for me to see that so many of these vitamins that these doctors are prescribing have a laundry list of garbage (in the form of dyes and fillers) listed under "inactive ingredients". A good quality multi contains high quality vitamins and minerals and very minimal "inactive ingredients".
Do pregnant woman really need dyes and food coloring in their vitamins? Does a developing fetus really need vitamins filled with chemicals in the form of fillers and binders? Do expecting mothers really need allergens in the form of whey or the many faces of soy in their vitamins when children and adults alike are becoming more and more allergic to these foods?
I actually saw soy listed 3 times, under 3 different aliases, in one prenatal vitamin... disturbing indeed, but it's not just the inactive ingredients that need to be scrutinized. I actually saw a number of these vitamins that contain vitamin D in the form of D2, when numerous studies have shown that vitamin D3 is the better more essential form for optimal health.
I recall a fact that I read that stated, "a well informed patent knows more about nutrition than the average MD", and the evidence just keeps piling up.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Eat Healthty for Your Immune System
A healthy diet is important for many reasons, but the most important is to maintain a healthy immune system. The immune system is an amazing yet complex system composed of lymphatic vessels and organs, and specialized cells including white blood cells whose main objective is to protect the body against infection, viruses, and disease.
When healthy it's like Fort Knox... simply impenetrable to all intruders. On the other hand an unhealthy immune system is like, well, this Microsoft operating system that is currently on my computer... a hacker's delight if not for the help of add-on anti-virus and spyware software, and an external firewall.
So where can you find the secret to a healthy immune system?
It's not in that box or bag of precooked pre-prepared and or package of microwavable food... and it's definitely not at the fast food joint you often frequent. No, it's not at any of those places, and as a matter of fact it's those heavily processed high fat high sodium high cholesterol chemical infused foods that are undoubtedly causing the chronic immune deficiency that plagues so many Americans.
The good news is the secret to a healthy immune system isn't a secret at all. In fact you can find it in the produce aisle and organic section of any supermarket, or at your local farmers market, or at your local health food store, or at a local farm stand... it's fresh (organic preferably) fruits and vegetables. It's natural whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and organic grass fed beef and free grazed chicken.
It's nutrient rich foods with vitamins like B, C and D, minerals like selenium and zinc, it's the antioxidants and anutrients like carotenes that enable the body to fight off most anything that comes its way.
Unfortunately it's the nutrient deficient diets of processed foods high in saturated fats, sodium, cholesterol, refined flowers and simple sugars that depress the immune system and have cultivated a civilization of people suffering from chronic illnesses and disease.
Make a healthy new choice for the new year... choose to be healthy!
When healthy it's like Fort Knox... simply impenetrable to all intruders. On the other hand an unhealthy immune system is like, well, this Microsoft operating system that is currently on my computer... a hacker's delight if not for the help of add-on anti-virus and spyware software, and an external firewall.
So where can you find the secret to a healthy immune system?
It's not in that box or bag of precooked pre-prepared and or package of microwavable food... and it's definitely not at the fast food joint you often frequent. No, it's not at any of those places, and as a matter of fact it's those heavily processed high fat high sodium high cholesterol chemical infused foods that are undoubtedly causing the chronic immune deficiency that plagues so many Americans.
The good news is the secret to a healthy immune system isn't a secret at all. In fact you can find it in the produce aisle and organic section of any supermarket, or at your local farmers market, or at your local health food store, or at a local farm stand... it's fresh (organic preferably) fruits and vegetables. It's natural whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and organic grass fed beef and free grazed chicken.
It's nutrient rich foods with vitamins like B, C and D, minerals like selenium and zinc, it's the antioxidants and anutrients like carotenes that enable the body to fight off most anything that comes its way.
Unfortunately it's the nutrient deficient diets of processed foods high in saturated fats, sodium, cholesterol, refined flowers and simple sugars that depress the immune system and have cultivated a civilization of people suffering from chronic illnesses and disease.
Make a healthy new choice for the new year... choose to be healthy!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Kale Over Milk for Calcium
Kale is one of those super healthy foods that we should all be eating a little more of. It is very rich in vitamins, minerals, and anutrients such as pigments carotenes and chlorophyll, giving it many anticancer properties and making it among the most nutritious of all vegetables.
It's the levels of minerals though, particularly Calcium, that I find especially intriguing.
Did you know that a cup of kale actually has more calcium than a cup of milk... An important fact that anyone suffering from a dairy allergy will be delighted to know.
Americans are so brainwashed into thinking the only way we can get our daily allowance of calcium is by drinking milk, but the truth is dairy allergy or not, milk is not the smartest choice. (See 'Milk Allergies on the Rise') We know that nutrients work together and that the consumption ratios of one to another is in some cases more important than the actual quantity consumed, but when these nutrients are consumed in ratios that are not ideal these nutrients will actually work against each other; this is the case with calcium and phosphorous.
Since phosphorous can reduce the utilization and promote the excretion of calcium if consumed in high amounts with respect to calcium, kale becomes a more ideal source than milk since kale contains almost 3 times the amount of calcium than phosphorous (3:1). Milk on the other hand has just about a 1:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorous, and that coupled with the fact that milk has a calcium to magnesium ratio of nearly 6:1 (ideal is 2:1 since magnesium is very important for the absorption of calcium).
So whether you have a dairy allergy, have finally waken up to truth about dairy, or are simply trying to avoid osteoporosis which is very common in woman (and not uncommon in men), then I'm sure you too will find this to be very enlightening.
It's the levels of minerals though, particularly Calcium, that I find especially intriguing.
Did you know that a cup of kale actually has more calcium than a cup of milk... An important fact that anyone suffering from a dairy allergy will be delighted to know.
Americans are so brainwashed into thinking the only way we can get our daily allowance of calcium is by drinking milk, but the truth is dairy allergy or not, milk is not the smartest choice. (See 'Milk Allergies on the Rise') We know that nutrients work together and that the consumption ratios of one to another is in some cases more important than the actual quantity consumed, but when these nutrients are consumed in ratios that are not ideal these nutrients will actually work against each other; this is the case with calcium and phosphorous.
Since phosphorous can reduce the utilization and promote the excretion of calcium if consumed in high amounts with respect to calcium, kale becomes a more ideal source than milk since kale contains almost 3 times the amount of calcium than phosphorous (3:1). Milk on the other hand has just about a 1:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorous, and that coupled with the fact that milk has a calcium to magnesium ratio of nearly 6:1 (ideal is 2:1 since magnesium is very important for the absorption of calcium).
So whether you have a dairy allergy, have finally waken up to truth about dairy, or are simply trying to avoid osteoporosis which is very common in woman (and not uncommon in men), then I'm sure you too will find this to be very enlightening.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Nutrients or Anutrients
We all know that the body requires key nutrients (protein, carbs, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals) to survive, and that diets high in processed foods lack sufficient levels of these nutrients to maintain a healthy state, but did you know that diets high in fresh (ideally organic) fruits and vegetables, natural whole grains, and legumes provide the body with compounds that are equally important.
These compounds are called anutrients, and although they, unlike nutrients, were thought to provide little or no real nutritional value, research is revealing that anutrients offer profound health benefits. And unlike nutrients, where processed foods can be fortified with, anutrients can only be obtained through a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, natural whole grains and legumes.
So what exactly are anutrients?
Some examples are fiber, enzymes, pigments (like carotene), flavonoids, chlorophyll, and other vitamin-like compounds. These compounds not only aid the body in storing and processing basic nutrients, they have shown to have amazing anticancer and anti-tumor properties.
A publishing in the medical journal Cancer Causes and Control went as far as saying that "cancer is viewed by many as a maladaptation to a reduced level of intake of compounds in foods (anutrients)... Cancer is the result of a deficiency of plant foods in the diet. Concluding with the distressing fact that vegetables and fruit contain the anticarcinogenic cocktail to which we are adapted, but have abandoned at our own risk."
As if we needed another excuse to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, with "fresh" being the key word. The content of many of these compounds in cooked processed and commercially packaged foods is at or near zero.
"The Healing Power of Foods" by Michael T. Murray, N.D.
These compounds are called anutrients, and although they, unlike nutrients, were thought to provide little or no real nutritional value, research is revealing that anutrients offer profound health benefits. And unlike nutrients, where processed foods can be fortified with, anutrients can only be obtained through a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, natural whole grains and legumes.
So what exactly are anutrients?
Some examples are fiber, enzymes, pigments (like carotene), flavonoids, chlorophyll, and other vitamin-like compounds. These compounds not only aid the body in storing and processing basic nutrients, they have shown to have amazing anticancer and anti-tumor properties.
A publishing in the medical journal Cancer Causes and Control went as far as saying that "cancer is viewed by many as a maladaptation to a reduced level of intake of compounds in foods (anutrients)... Cancer is the result of a deficiency of plant foods in the diet. Concluding with the distressing fact that vegetables and fruit contain the anticarcinogenic cocktail to which we are adapted, but have abandoned at our own risk."
As if we needed another excuse to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, with "fresh" being the key word. The content of many of these compounds in cooked processed and commercially packaged foods is at or near zero.
"The Healing Power of Foods" by Michael T. Murray, N.D.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Carotenes are the Fountain of Youth
It is well known that the natural pigments in the fresh foods that we eat (the reds, yellows, and greens) have many health benefits, and a diet rich in these foods is important for achieving optimal health, but did you know that Carotenes (the most widespread group of these naturally occurring pigments) may actually be the key to longevity.
In the world of nutrition Carotenes are best known for their capacity for conversion into Vitamin A, but unlike a vitamin A supplement which can be toxic in excess, the body stores unconverted carotenes in fat cells, epithelial cells, and other organs; there is no know toxicity to carotene.
It's this storing of carotene in the cells that makes this pigment so extraordinary. Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between carotene intake and various cancers involving epithelial tissues... the higher the carotene intake, the lower the risk for cancer. So what does this mean?
Since cancer and aging share a number of characteristics (i.e an association with free-radical damage)
it leads to the idea that preventing cancer should promote longevity, and there is great evidence supporting this because it appears that there is a better correlation with the maximal life-span of mammals and tissue carotene levels than with other factors. And since tissue carotenes appear to be the most significant factor in determining a species' maximal life-span potential, it only makes sense that those within a species that have the highest carotene levels in their tissues have the greatest chance of living the longest.
Below are carotene levels (in um) in common foods
Apples (unpeeled)--> 5,500 to 12,600
Carrots-------------> 11,100
Butternut Squash--> 17,700
Kale-----------------> 75,000
Beet Greens--------> 10,000
Collard Greens-----> 20,000
...and yes increased carotene consumption can cause the appearance of slightly yellow-to-orange tinted skin, it's called carotenodermia and it is not harmful; in fact it simply indicates that the body has a good supply of carotenes.
"The Healing Power of Foods" by Michael T. Murray N.D.
In the world of nutrition Carotenes are best known for their capacity for conversion into Vitamin A, but unlike a vitamin A supplement which can be toxic in excess, the body stores unconverted carotenes in fat cells, epithelial cells, and other organs; there is no know toxicity to carotene.
It's this storing of carotene in the cells that makes this pigment so extraordinary. Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between carotene intake and various cancers involving epithelial tissues... the higher the carotene intake, the lower the risk for cancer. So what does this mean?
Since cancer and aging share a number of characteristics (i.e an association with free-radical damage)
it leads to the idea that preventing cancer should promote longevity, and there is great evidence supporting this because it appears that there is a better correlation with the maximal life-span of mammals and tissue carotene levels than with other factors. And since tissue carotenes appear to be the most significant factor in determining a species' maximal life-span potential, it only makes sense that those within a species that have the highest carotene levels in their tissues have the greatest chance of living the longest.
Below are carotene levels (in um) in common foods
Apples (unpeeled)--> 5,500 to 12,600
Carrots-------------> 11,100
Butternut Squash--> 17,700
Kale-----------------> 75,000
Beet Greens--------> 10,000
Collard Greens-----> 20,000
...and yes increased carotene consumption can cause the appearance of slightly yellow-to-orange tinted skin, it's called carotenodermia and it is not harmful; in fact it simply indicates that the body has a good supply of carotenes.
"The Healing Power of Foods" by Michael T. Murray N.D.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
The Multivitamin Dilemma
If you're like most people that blindly shop for supplements down the vitamin aisle of your local food store or drug store, then you're basically allowing the manufacturer of these inferior products to make, what in my opinion is a very important decision for you... to them you either fall into the "Active Man or Woman's" multivitamin, the "over 40 multi", the "50 and up multi", etc.
The question here is, is there really a cookie cutter mold that we fall into when it comes to the nutrients our body's need?
It is true most people, especially those with an American diet full of highly processed foods, are deficient in certain nutrients (Vitamins C, D, B, Omega-3...), but what I've learned from my own research, my own experience, and through my kineliologist is that each of our bodies need different nutrients, not simply based on our age or how active we are but rather by how our bodies deal with toxins.
It is an undeniable fact that we are exposed to an astonishing number of toxins on a daily basis let alone within our lifetime; in the air you breath, the chemical based products you may be using, the non-organic hygiene products you might be using, and if you're not eating organic foods then the foods you eat, just to name a few.
Each of us, for whatever reason, handle these toxins differently and as a result requires different nutrients at different levels and with different levels of urgency. Kineliology gives us the ability to let our bodies tell us what is wrong and what we really need, not what some multivitamin manufacturer says.
Sure we are all human and our bodies need the same core nutrients to survive, and maybe in a perfect world with no outside interference we would all need or not need the same things. The truth is though when it comes to this "outside interference" it is not a perfect world and we each, as individuals are exposed to different toxins at different levels and our bodies handle them differently.
So be smart and listen to what your body tells you!
The question here is, is there really a cookie cutter mold that we fall into when it comes to the nutrients our body's need?
It is true most people, especially those with an American diet full of highly processed foods, are deficient in certain nutrients (Vitamins C, D, B, Omega-3...), but what I've learned from my own research, my own experience, and through my kineliologist is that each of our bodies need different nutrients, not simply based on our age or how active we are but rather by how our bodies deal with toxins.
It is an undeniable fact that we are exposed to an astonishing number of toxins on a daily basis let alone within our lifetime; in the air you breath, the chemical based products you may be using, the non-organic hygiene products you might be using, and if you're not eating organic foods then the foods you eat, just to name a few.
Each of us, for whatever reason, handle these toxins differently and as a result requires different nutrients at different levels and with different levels of urgency. Kineliology gives us the ability to let our bodies tell us what is wrong and what we really need, not what some multivitamin manufacturer says.
Sure we are all human and our bodies need the same core nutrients to survive, and maybe in a perfect world with no outside interference we would all need or not need the same things. The truth is though when it comes to this "outside interference" it is not a perfect world and we each, as individuals are exposed to different toxins at different levels and our bodies handle them differently.
So be smart and listen to what your body tells you!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Omega-3: What They're Not Telling You
We've all heard from one source or another, the importance of Omega-3 fatty acid in the diet, either through supplementation or eating foods rich in Omega-3. Both are viable sources and both should be considered, but what I feel the "experts" fail to mention is that certain foods (when chosen correctly) can actually be a source of Omega-3 within the diet but more importantly when the wrong kinds are eaten are actually high in Omega-6 (the fatty acid that promotes inflammation within the body) .
We've all heard from one source or another the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acid in the diet, primarily it's amazing ability to combat and even inhibit inflammation within the body. Once again though I feel the "experts" have failed to show how the dots have been connected between the dramatic rise in the numbers of those who suffer from chronic inflammation (be it heart disease, arthritis, tendinitis, etc.) and the increasingly lopsided ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 within our diets and as a result within our bodies.
The "experts" will tell you to increase your intake of fish (wild caught of course), nuts, seeds, etc., but when is the last time you had someone tell you that when you eat NONE grass fed beef and NONE free grazed poultry and eggs you are actually increasing the levels of Omega-6 in your diet and in turn causing inflammation; or at least giving it a very hospitable environment.
Feed lot cows fed diets consisting of corn (high in Omega-6) instead of grass as nature intended (and go figure, high in Omega-3) along with mass-produced (or raised) chickens fed you guessed it corn and soy instead of allowing them to be nature's clean-up crew following behind the grass eaters of the animal world, once again promoting an Omega-6 rich diet, are the real cause of this nation-wide Omega-3 shortage.
Choose grass fed free grazed animals, and fix this Omega-3 problem once and for all!
We've all heard from one source or another the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acid in the diet, primarily it's amazing ability to combat and even inhibit inflammation within the body. Once again though I feel the "experts" have failed to show how the dots have been connected between the dramatic rise in the numbers of those who suffer from chronic inflammation (be it heart disease, arthritis, tendinitis, etc.) and the increasingly lopsided ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 within our diets and as a result within our bodies.
The "experts" will tell you to increase your intake of fish (wild caught of course), nuts, seeds, etc., but when is the last time you had someone tell you that when you eat NONE grass fed beef and NONE free grazed poultry and eggs you are actually increasing the levels of Omega-6 in your diet and in turn causing inflammation; or at least giving it a very hospitable environment.
Feed lot cows fed diets consisting of corn (high in Omega-6) instead of grass as nature intended (and go figure, high in Omega-3) along with mass-produced (or raised) chickens fed you guessed it corn and soy instead of allowing them to be nature's clean-up crew following behind the grass eaters of the animal world, once again promoting an Omega-6 rich diet, are the real cause of this nation-wide Omega-3 shortage.
Choose grass fed free grazed animals, and fix this Omega-3 problem once and for all!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Vitamin D Deficiency
So i had a few topics on mind to write about this morning, but a headline in the news made my mind up for me... "Millions of U.S. Kids Lacking Vit D"
It's not the title that took me by surprise, I've read many books and articles written by health and nutrition experts that have been saying this for years, it's the poor research and outdated recommendations that the medical community as well as the FDA base their facts on. The recommended daily allowance as set by "medical experts", or 1 IU (international unit), is about 30ng (nano-grams) with toxicity in levels of about 95um (micro grams) or 3800IU and above, but this is based on flawed incorrect poorly gathered data.
Experts will tell you that Vitamin D deficiency is truly one of the main causes of many diseases in this country with an extensive list provided by the Vitamin D Council. Unfortunately a paper written in 1984 by Narang NK about groups of 6 subjects with hypercalcemia that supposedly consumed levels 3800IU of vitamin D per day, which the author concluded was the cause of the patients disorder, has lead to a massive vitamin deficiency . It's this inaccurate research that has laid the ground work by which our medical community still adheres to. Some have gone as far as to say "Narang, et al's, 1984 paper may have done the most damage to the most people of any paper on vitamin D in the world's literature".
About 10 years ago Dr. Reinhold Vieth (a leading vitamin D expert) challenged the medical community to find any evidence that 10,000IU of vitamin D per day was toxic, and was amazed by the lack of evidence supporting the current LOAEL (Lowest Observed adverse effect levels) of vitamin D; in other words no one could prove this false claim.
So why then do we still adhere to it?
It's no wonder that so many Americas (children and adults alike) are deficient in vitamin D. And if this isn't disturbing enough, I find it very unsettling as to how "they" (the experts) recommend we get our fill. As I read the article this morning, the one that fueled this post, I was further disturbed to hear how they recommend we get our daily dose of D, which as the research above shows, as well as the current state of most Americans health, is far too low of a level. They tell us to get more sunlight (but put the fear of god in us... Cover up or you'll get cancer!), and to consume more foods fortified with vitamin D (processed foods such as cereal, cereal bars, orange juice)... are you kidding me?
Maybe if we actually start eating a healthy diet we won't have to worry whether or not our food was fortified with vitamins (all nutrients have been lost during processing), because they will actually still be in the food, where they were to begin with.
Good natural sources of Vitamin D are fish (some species more than others), eggs, cod liver oil, and the sun, but in order to benefit from these foods you need to choose wisely. For instance wild salmon eat algae which is a good source of vit D for the fish, on the other hand farm raised fish fed corn or grains are a poor choice. Eggs are another source, but once again not from hens that live their entire life packed like sardines in building and fed corn and other grains. You should choose free grazed hens that spend their days eating bugs they find on the ground or in manure. And finally the sun...Humans make at least 10,000 units of vitamin D within 30 minutes of full body exposure to the sun. Vitamin D production in the skin occurs within minutes and is already maximized before your skin turns pink, but fear of skin cancer causes most people to do one of two extremes; either keeps them out of the sun completely or they cover themselves with suntan lotion (which contains toxic chemicals) and then proceed to bake in the sun.
Do yourself a favor and do some research on your own, it may just save your life!
It's not the title that took me by surprise, I've read many books and articles written by health and nutrition experts that have been saying this for years, it's the poor research and outdated recommendations that the medical community as well as the FDA base their facts on. The recommended daily allowance as set by "medical experts", or 1 IU (international unit), is about 30ng (nano-grams) with toxicity in levels of about 95um (micro grams) or 3800IU and above, but this is based on flawed incorrect poorly gathered data.
Experts will tell you that Vitamin D deficiency is truly one of the main causes of many diseases in this country with an extensive list provided by the Vitamin D Council. Unfortunately a paper written in 1984 by Narang NK about groups of 6 subjects with hypercalcemia that supposedly consumed levels 3800IU of vitamin D per day, which the author concluded was the cause of the patients disorder, has lead to a massive vitamin deficiency . It's this inaccurate research that has laid the ground work by which our medical community still adheres to. Some have gone as far as to say "Narang, et al's, 1984 paper may have done the most damage to the most people of any paper on vitamin D in the world's literature".
About 10 years ago Dr. Reinhold Vieth (a leading vitamin D expert) challenged the medical community to find any evidence that 10,000IU of vitamin D per day was toxic, and was amazed by the lack of evidence supporting the current LOAEL (Lowest Observed adverse effect levels) of vitamin D; in other words no one could prove this false claim.
So why then do we still adhere to it?
It's no wonder that so many Americas (children and adults alike) are deficient in vitamin D. And if this isn't disturbing enough, I find it very unsettling as to how "they" (the experts) recommend we get our fill. As I read the article this morning, the one that fueled this post, I was further disturbed to hear how they recommend we get our daily dose of D, which as the research above shows, as well as the current state of most Americans health, is far too low of a level. They tell us to get more sunlight (but put the fear of god in us... Cover up or you'll get cancer!), and to consume more foods fortified with vitamin D (processed foods such as cereal, cereal bars, orange juice)... are you kidding me?
Maybe if we actually start eating a healthy diet we won't have to worry whether or not our food was fortified with vitamins (all nutrients have been lost during processing), because they will actually still be in the food, where they were to begin with.
Good natural sources of Vitamin D are fish (some species more than others), eggs, cod liver oil, and the sun, but in order to benefit from these foods you need to choose wisely. For instance wild salmon eat algae which is a good source of vit D for the fish, on the other hand farm raised fish fed corn or grains are a poor choice. Eggs are another source, but once again not from hens that live their entire life packed like sardines in building and fed corn and other grains. You should choose free grazed hens that spend their days eating bugs they find on the ground or in manure. And finally the sun...Humans make at least 10,000 units of vitamin D within 30 minutes of full body exposure to the sun. Vitamin D production in the skin occurs within minutes and is already maximized before your skin turns pink, but fear of skin cancer causes most people to do one of two extremes; either keeps them out of the sun completely or they cover themselves with suntan lotion (which contains toxic chemicals) and then proceed to bake in the sun.
Do yourself a favor and do some research on your own, it may just save your life!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Polyphenols
I just wanted to share a quick exerpt from a book I'm currently reading "Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.
"The recent discovery of these secondary metabolites in plants has brought our understanding of the biological and chemical complexity of foods to a deeper level of refinement; history suggests we haven't gotten anywhere near the bottom of this question, either. The first level was reached early in the nineteenth century with the identification of the macronutrients-protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Having isolated these compounds, chemists thought they'd unlocked the key to human nutrition. Yet some people (such as sailors) living on diets rich in macronutrients nevertheless got sick. The mystery was solved when scientists discovered the major vitamins-a second key to human nutrion. Now it's the polyphenols in plants that we're learning play a critical role in keeping us healthy. (And wich might explain why diets heavy in processed food fortified with vitamins still aren't as nutritous as fresh foods.) "
"The recent discovery of these secondary metabolites in plants has brought our understanding of the biological and chemical complexity of foods to a deeper level of refinement; history suggests we haven't gotten anywhere near the bottom of this question, either. The first level was reached early in the nineteenth century with the identification of the macronutrients-protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Having isolated these compounds, chemists thought they'd unlocked the key to human nutrition. Yet some people (such as sailors) living on diets rich in macronutrients nevertheless got sick. The mystery was solved when scientists discovered the major vitamins-a second key to human nutrion. Now it's the polyphenols in plants that we're learning play a critical role in keeping us healthy. (And wich might explain why diets heavy in processed food fortified with vitamins still aren't as nutritous as fresh foods.) "
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