Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Top Ten Healthy Habits to Cultivate for 2012

Change is the path to health and making our goals reality.

With the new year approaching our focus naturally turns to healing change. At its essence, this is what choosing a healthy lifestyle is all about.

Change requires;
Acceptance – of where you are now
Acknowledgment – of what habits, thoughts and circumstances got you to this point in your life
Realization that change involves healing of mind, body and spirit
Resolution of your own internal conflict with accepting help & support from others

When you have worked through this process you will be ready to make the first steps to healing change.

My top 10 healthy living habits to cultivate:

1) Most people I see are dehydrated. Hunger can mask dehydration. Aim for half you body weight in oz. of water a day and begin your day with a tall glass of water to curb hunger. Replace soda & juice with water and limit coffee to 1 cup per day.
2) Eat a light meal: 30 - :45 min after you wake up. This is literally breaking your fast and vital to giving you brain the source of glucose it depends upon for fuel. Protein with carbohydrates from vegetables or low GI fruit is the best choice to start your day.
3) Most cultures we think of as healthy eat legumes and beans, nuts and seeds. Add legumes, beans, raw nuts and seeds to your daily diet. The high in fiber, complex carbohydrates (found in beans & legumes) and healthy fats (from nuts & seeds) found in these foods are missing in most American’s diets.
4) Take a high quality Omega 3 / DHA (fish oil) combination supplement every day = 2 grams.
5) Eat pro-biotic and enzyme rich foods every day. High quality (Greek style) yogurt, kefir, fermented vegetables, fresh raw fruits & vegetables are the best food sources. Supplementing is also a good idea. A ½ cup of full fat, plain yogurt or kefir with a few berries is a satisfying snack and will help you lose weight.
6) Eat fish. If you don’t know how to cook it at home – learn how! Wild caught fish is one of the best protein sources on the planet.
7) Eat your greens 2 x a day. Not just lettuces but swiss chard, kale, spinach, beet greens, turnip green, mustard greens. These can be lightly sautéed in healthy olive or coconut oil with some fresh garlic or ginger. Juiced greens are an excellent way to start your day. Greens provide an abundance of vitamins ad mineral lacking in most American diets (magnesium, potassium, folic acid, zinc, & vitamin C)
8) Eat at regularly scheduled times and wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. Sleep cycle issues abound in our stressed our culture and contribute to hormonal imbalances of cortisol, DHEA, progesterone and testosterone.
9) Practice relaxation everyday. While therapeutic massage, reflexology and other touch modalities are wonderful they are passive. In order for you to re-connect with what is important you must engage in the mind - body connection. Sign up for a weekly yoga class, tai chi class, or guided meditation. Besides being great exercise, all of these have at their core, deep belly breathing which initiates the relaxation response required for healthy living. Consider this as important as drinking water to your health!
10) Cut way back on grains and replace them with healthier and slimming (low GI) vegetables and fruits. Most people have an easier time increasing fruit intake than they do vegetables, so be creative and include vegetables early in the day and through out the day for snacks and with protein in your larger meals. The more you can eat the better – but limit starchy (root and winter vegetables) to 1 serving a day.

And please remember – to surround yourself with supportive people. It sounds obvious but nay sayers need to be avoided and those who are like-minded need to be sought out. A few sessions with me can really make a big difference in your success.

Supplements that can help rev up your metabolism and curb hunger:
Green tea – increases energy expenditure so more calories are burned. Aids in fat metabolism, and high in polyphenols. Offers neuro protection, cardio protection and protection against mutagenic substances.

CLA - Studies show that supplementation with CLA aids in weight management by promoting fat loss. When weight is gained, or regained after a diet, CLA has been found to promote muscle growth as well as to inhibit the growth of fat cells improving the shape of the body.

Carnitene – may help eliminate cravings; increases metabolic rate; increases fat burning and increases energy. Also helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
Pantethine - helps with weight loss by supporting healthy fat metabolism stimulate fat oxidation in the liver and other cells, increase energy (ATP production) and thermo genesis in the muscle. Also helps lower cholesterol.

Obviously any supplement can be dangerous if not taken properly. This is especially important if you are taking certain medications that interact with some supplements – so I don’t’ advise you rush out and begin any supplementation on your own. I use only pharmaceutical grade products in my practice and have been trained in how to use these products safely. I also know which nutrients work synergistically with each other or require co-factors in order to work effectively.

Recipe(s) of the month – Greens

Greens n Lemon drink – (1 serving)

1 head organic romaine lettuce or 1 head celery
5 -6 stalks kale or 1 cup fresh organic spinach
3 parsley sprigs (small bunch)
1 -2 organic apples
1 whole organic lemon (peeled)
1 -2 inch piece of fresh ginger

Process all vegetables in a juicer and drink immediately. Very alkalizing.

Loaded with digestive enzymes, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins C, E & folate. Very alkalizing. Drink on an empty stomach.

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic & Dried Cherries – (4 servings)

1 bunch swiss chard washed
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons dried cherries
Sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cashews or pine nuts to garnish

Remove ribs from swiss chard and chop finely. In a sauté pan sauté garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add water and stir in the swiss chard. Continue cooking until chard is wilted and add cherries, salt and pepper. Serve with garnish of cashews or pine nuts. (Nourish Holistic Nutrition Therapy)

Swiss chard is a powerhouse of wonderful nutrients! It is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and K, carotene's, chlorophyll, and fiber; minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese all of which are essential to a healthy heart. Swiss chard is a very important co-factor in the regeneration of one of the most important antioxidants in the body, glutathione. A major effect of glutathione is that it defends certain lipids, like cholesterol, from free radical attack. It is only after the lipid has been attacked by the radicals that it poses a threat to blood vessel walls. The magnesium present in swiss chard acts as a natural calcium channel blocker by preventing the rush of calcium into nerve cells and thus, the activation of the nerve as well. This helps keep the nerves relaxed. Over-activation of these cells leads to excessive contraction, resulting in conditions like high blood pressure.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Soy Deception Book Review

Colleague and friend (full disclosure) Sheryl Shenefelt, C.N. and Dr. David Brownstein, M.D. have co-written their latest book on the dangers of soy consumption. I was lucky enough to get one of the first copies to read.

If you are still among the many who believe (incorrectly) that consuming soy products are healthy this book will set you straight. The authors begin by explaining how the beans are grown and harvested to be one of the most lucrative cash crops in the US. In fact the soy industry is nearly a $30 billion industry. The soy industry has masterfully figured out to use virtually every part of the bean so the profit margins are almost 100%.

Unfortunately, most consumers are not aware that soy has found its way into thousands of food products and even health and beauty products. With so many people discovering they are soy intolerant this presents a huge challenge.

Soy is a powerful endocrine disputer and has severe negative consequences on the thyroid. Just consider how many vegans and vegetarians have hypothyroidism - many if not most rely on soy as a main stay for protein. This is a scary scenario. Chapter after chapter provides documented evidence of numerous negative impacts on the body from consuming soy. The chapter on soy based infant formula is particularity concerning.

I should point out that the authors are explaining the dangers of un-fermented soy products. Fermented soy products, such as tempe, miso, natto and tamari.. Soy in it's fermented form is fine in limited amounts and this is in reality what most Asians consume - not soy milk, tofu etc... contrary to what the media has led the public to believe.

The book is easy to read and you don't need a science background to understand it. Each chapter has a Q & A section and a handy review at the end of it. There are also links to other useful books and websites included throughout for continuing your education. A handy recipe section includes gluten, dairy and soy free recipes you can try out.

This would make a great addition to any clinicians reference library and provides good information for the general public. It's especially great for anyone with food in-tolerances and allergies since soy is so frequently reactive.

For more information and how to order visit

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