Ask any health care provider (allopathic or naturopathic) and they will confirm that inflammation is the leading cause of chronic health conditions such as; CVD, insulin resistance and diabetes; stroke, arthritis and a host of digestive disorders such as IBD, Crohn's disease and intestinal permeability.
You see inflammation is the body's way of responding to a health crisis. So if you can prevent inflammation you can prevent chronic illness.
The really mind blowing thing here is that inflammation is preventable and actually reversible in most instances if you just modify your diet and eat a low glycemic, Mediterranean style diet that is based around plants and good fats, lean protein, legumes, nuts and seeds. And, by the way did I mention that the NIH, ADA, AHA and even the AMA have all issued statements advising doctors to have their patients follow a low - glycemic Mediterranean style diet program along with daily exercise and stress reduction first, before putting them on medications?
The question is why aren't more doctors heeding this advice for there patients?
I just spent four days in NYC at an intensive First Line Therapy training and learned more about how to implement this Therapeutic Lifestyle approach to wellness in my coaching practice. Basically, this is a whole lifestyle approach to wellness that teaches you how to make changes that drastically reduce your risk of developing chronic health conditions that are caused by inflammation. It includes not only diet and exercise but stress reduction too.
Stay tuned (or visit my website for a sneak preview) for more details on my new lifestyle program!!! Did I mention you loose weight on this too?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Moving to a Plant Based Diet - Part II
In Part I of Moving to a Plant based diet I explained what a plant based diet looked like. Now here are a few reasons why eating a plant based diet is a good idea.
A. You’ll save money. Beef cost nearly ten times as much per person than vegetables (veg = .12 cents per serving vs. beef $1.30 per serving). Fish, especially wild caught is a good healthier option but is more expensive than fruits and vegetables.
B. You’ll lower your carbon foot print dramatically.
C. You will reduce intake of saturated fats known to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. OPt for wild caught fish instead and you will be getting the right kind of fats (essential fatty acids).
D. You’ll reduce your toxic load from hormones and GMO grown corn and soy - this is what commercial meat industry feed livestock with and is another reason to eat only grass fed/organic meats when you do eat them.
E. You will increase your fiber intake. Fiber improves digestion and elimination of toxins in the body.
F. You’ll be eating more nutrient dense foods.
G. You’ll be eating more vitamins
H. You’ll improve your transit time – plants are easier and faster for the body to digest and eliminate.
Now that you know some of the reasons to eat more plant based foods and less animal based foods I hope you’ll start making this healthy change. Here are some tips to help you make the transition:
· Start the day with fresh fruit such as those low on the glycemic index such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. Enjoy with some plain, low fat yogurt.
· Think in reverse of what you’re used to - Build each meal around vegetables, beans, legumes and nuts/seeds as the main course and treat animal protein sources as a side dish.
· If your used to consuming animal protein twice a day, say at lunch time and then at dinner, replace one of those meals with a plant based protein source such as beans, nuts, soy products (be sure they are organic!). Try hummus made from chick peas and tahini butter – YUM!
· Remember whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat and oats also contain protein.
· Eat a salad at both lunch and dinner.
· Eat salads first before you dig in to your cooked foods.
· Use fresh herbs to flavor home made salad dressings.
· Commit to eating entirely plant based meals one day a week and work up to three or more days a week.
Give it a try – and let me know how you feel after eating this way for a few weeks!
A. You’ll save money. Beef cost nearly ten times as much per person than vegetables (veg = .12 cents per serving vs. beef $1.30 per serving). Fish, especially wild caught is a good healthier option but is more expensive than fruits and vegetables.
B. You’ll lower your carbon foot print dramatically.
C. You will reduce intake of saturated fats known to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. OPt for wild caught fish instead and you will be getting the right kind of fats (essential fatty acids).
D. You’ll reduce your toxic load from hormones and GMO grown corn and soy - this is what commercial meat industry feed livestock with and is another reason to eat only grass fed/organic meats when you do eat them.
E. You will increase your fiber intake. Fiber improves digestion and elimination of toxins in the body.
F. You’ll be eating more nutrient dense foods.
G. You’ll be eating more vitamins
H. You’ll improve your transit time – plants are easier and faster for the body to digest and eliminate.
Now that you know some of the reasons to eat more plant based foods and less animal based foods I hope you’ll start making this healthy change. Here are some tips to help you make the transition:
· Start the day with fresh fruit such as those low on the glycemic index such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. Enjoy with some plain, low fat yogurt.
· Think in reverse of what you’re used to - Build each meal around vegetables, beans, legumes and nuts/seeds as the main course and treat animal protein sources as a side dish.
· If your used to consuming animal protein twice a day, say at lunch time and then at dinner, replace one of those meals with a plant based protein source such as beans, nuts, soy products (be sure they are organic!). Try hummus made from chick peas and tahini butter – YUM!
· Remember whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat and oats also contain protein.
· Eat a salad at both lunch and dinner.
· Eat salads first before you dig in to your cooked foods.
· Use fresh herbs to flavor home made salad dressings.
· Commit to eating entirely plant based meals one day a week and work up to three or more days a week.
Give it a try – and let me know how you feel after eating this way for a few weeks!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Before you decide if you should get a flu vaccine - READ THIS!
I. Vaccines are toxic! They contain substances known to be toxic like mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum. You can check this by looking at the vaccine packaging - it shows what the ingredients are.
II. Immunization depresses and disables brain function. There are studies showing that diseases like AIDS, SIDS, Epstein Barr, Autism. dyslexia, MS etc are linked to being vaccinated.
III. The rate of adverse reactions to vaccines is being ignored and denied by conventional medicine.
Doctors were not required to report adverse reaction before 1990. Adverse reactions are considered "normal", frequently ignored or diagnosed as other diseases.
IV. Mass vaccination programs endanger the public and disregard our rights. Technically, a vaccine is a surgery since it breaks the skin. All surgeries are required by law to have obtained informed consent by the person it's being performed upon. It's wrong to force someone against their will to be vaccinated.
V. There is no proof that vaccines are either safe or effective. No control group studies are done; those done did not eliminate examiners bias since they are done by the company manufacturing the vaccine or those closely associated with them.
VI. Laws allow drug companies to violate the public trust. In private law suits information has been reveled condemning vaccines as deadly. Vaccine manufacturers use "gag" orders to restrict plaintiff disclosing to the public these facts.
VII. The national childhood vaccine injury act of 1987 is a pacifier. In effect the act lets vaccine manufactures off the hook for any liability as long as they right the wrongs by acknowledging the existence of vaccine damage. The fund is in fact a tax added to the cost of each vaccine, thereby making consumers pay for their own potential injury!
VIII. Private insurance companies - who perform the liability studies have abandoned coverage for damage to life and property due to; Acts of God; Nuclear War & nuclear power plant accidents; AND - VACCINES!
IX. Vaccination is not emergency medicine.
X. There is no law enforcing vaccination for babies or anyone else. Vaccination is linked to school attendance but is NOT compulsory. Exemptions from vaccination are part of every states health law and should be expanded by public pressure.
Remember departments of heath education and the AMA profit form the sale of vaccines!
For much more information go to www.sayingnotovaccines.com
II. Immunization depresses and disables brain function. There are studies showing that diseases like AIDS, SIDS, Epstein Barr, Autism. dyslexia, MS etc are linked to being vaccinated.
III. The rate of adverse reactions to vaccines is being ignored and denied by conventional medicine.
Doctors were not required to report adverse reaction before 1990. Adverse reactions are considered "normal", frequently ignored or diagnosed as other diseases.
IV. Mass vaccination programs endanger the public and disregard our rights. Technically, a vaccine is a surgery since it breaks the skin. All surgeries are required by law to have obtained informed consent by the person it's being performed upon. It's wrong to force someone against their will to be vaccinated.
V. There is no proof that vaccines are either safe or effective. No control group studies are done; those done did not eliminate examiners bias since they are done by the company manufacturing the vaccine or those closely associated with them.
VI. Laws allow drug companies to violate the public trust. In private law suits information has been reveled condemning vaccines as deadly. Vaccine manufacturers use "gag" orders to restrict plaintiff disclosing to the public these facts.
VII. The national childhood vaccine injury act of 1987 is a pacifier. In effect the act lets vaccine manufactures off the hook for any liability as long as they right the wrongs by acknowledging the existence of vaccine damage. The fund is in fact a tax added to the cost of each vaccine, thereby making consumers pay for their own potential injury!
VIII. Private insurance companies - who perform the liability studies have abandoned coverage for damage to life and property due to; Acts of God; Nuclear War & nuclear power plant accidents; AND - VACCINES!
IX. Vaccination is not emergency medicine.
X. There is no law enforcing vaccination for babies or anyone else. Vaccination is linked to school attendance but is NOT compulsory. Exemptions from vaccination are part of every states health law and should be expanded by public pressure.
Remember departments of heath education and the AMA profit form the sale of vaccines!
For much more information go to www.sayingnotovaccines.com
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Moving to a Plant based Diet
You have probably heard a great deal about the health benefits of eating a plant based diet. I'll be addressing some common questions and providing some tips on how to transition to a more plant based diet in this and forthcoming blogposts.
The Mediterranean diet has been mentioned repeatedly as being a healthy plant based diet. Great you say but we are living in the US and as Americans we don't generally shop every day and many of us do not have gardens we can pick from year round.
So what does a healthy plant-based diet look like?
A healthy plant based diet needs to include the following:
- Lots of fresh vegetables and fruits every day
- Low in refined and processed foods and sugar - switch to low glycemic sweeteners such as Agave or Stevia
- Minimal dairy products
- More fish and less red meat - try and eat grass fed when you do eat red meat, and organic or Amish poultry
- No hydrogenated fats, trans-fats (found in many pastries and margarine) - opt for olive, flax seed oil, grape seed oil instead
- Low in both saturated animal fats and vegetable oils such as safflower, corn sunflower and cottonseed oils.
- More filtered water and less bottled juices and more fresh raw vegetable juices, more baked potatoes and not French fries, more whole grains and less products made from refined flour
- More alkaline foods such as lemons and limes
- More brown rice and less white rice
- Incorporate seasonally, organic and locally grown produce as much as possible - good for reducing your Co2 footprint too!
- Eliminate eating foods with msg, artificial preservatives, colors and other chemical additives - read the labels!
- Breast milk for infants vs. infant formulas, but adults should aim to stick to probiotics for your dairy (such as kefir and yogurt) and try to eliminate cows milk.
And for vegans (those who eat no products from animals at all) it is important to include foods with B-12 or supplement the diet. Brewers yeast is a great source of the B 12 as are sea vegetables such as kelp, dulse, kombu and nori and herbs alfalfa (delicious sprouted!). Another important nutrient difficult for vegans to get adequate amounts of is Omega 3 fatty acids. These are found in flax seeds and oil, and fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines. It is also found in walnuts, hemp seeds, green leafy vegetables and canola oil in lesser amounts.
Another misconception is about calcium. Most people do believe that the best source of calcium is dairy products. Most do not realize that many green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and other leafy greens contain calcium. In fact eating two half cup servings of these vegetables provides as much bio-available calcium as one cup of cow’s milk.
Importantly please note that the daily requirement set by the US government for calcium is in fact not being met by 90% of Americans, in large part because it is probably too high.Two other nutrients needed in order to aid absorption of calcium are vitamin D and vitamin K, so be sure to get these into your diet (or supplement) as well
It is also worth mentioning that in 2001 the American Journal of Nutrition published a study that reported a dramatic correlation between the ratio of animal protein in the diets of elderly women and their rate of bone loss. The eleven year study reveled that women who ate more animal protein than vegetable protein were three times more likely to lose bone mass and had four times as many hip fractures as those who ate in reverse proportions.
More on the how to begin making this healthy transition in my next post!
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