Posts Tagged ‘cardiovascular’

Minerals are just as important as Water

Monday, June 28th, 2010

My last post I talked about drinking enough water so to follow on with this vein of thought it is important to get minerals as well.

If you are exercising and feel thirsty then you are already dehydrated and your electrolytes are out of balance.

You should always hydrate before and during exercise to maintain a good level throughout to avoid unnecessary stress on the body.

I mentioned in my last post that it was not good to drink more than 3 litres of water a day, the reason for this is you will flush out your minerals and become mineral deficient.

Many health conditions are a result of mineral deficiencies like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Sodium, chloride and potassium are all electrolytes and play a huge role in keeping the fluid of the body balanced.

Salt is a very important mineral in the body we must have salt to live, our tears, sweat and all the fluids in our body are salty including the brain and spinal fluids.

The word electrolyte means they carry a electrical charge in water, they can move in and out of the cell to transport nutrients and remove waste, as well as water to keep the fluid balance.

They also carry electrical impulses along the nerve pathways which helps the muscles to contract and relax. Not only the skeletal muscles but the heart and diaphragm as well.

Electrolytes are also responsible for carrying glucose (blood sugar)into the cell after insulin opens the gate to allow the glucose in.

Our bones are not only calcium but also salt crystals are woven in with the calcium, and this is what makes the bones hard. When the body needs more salt than is present it can borrow some from the bones but unfortunately when the salt is drawn out of the bones it takes the calcium with it. This makes the bones thin and brittle and osteoporosis develops.

Many Dr.’s put there patients on a low-salt diet but in fact they need the opposite, but the type of salt is the most important aspect here.

Table salt is purified by removing the trace mineral [ where this crazy idea came from I don't know] and heating the salt to 1200 degrees F. Now what is left is 40% sodium and 60% chloride, then a anti-caking agent is added.

Salt is sodium chloride and is not assimilated well by the body it helps to raise blood pressure and clogs up the arteries causing heart disease.

Table salt is not a good option, nature provides salt with minerals and trace minerals attached [ it stand to reason that we need these as well as salt] the best way to get them is in an organic salt like sea salt and himalayan salt.

Adding a 1/8 tsp of organic salt to your water will help to get your minerals, you can also add to your food.

But you can also drink a large class of pure water and then put a pinch of sea salt on the tip of the tongue and allow it to dissolve.

Kelp or any sea vegetable is also a good source of minerals and can be added to you diet very easily by sprinkling on you salad.

Concentrated mineral drops are another great option, I use these, you can get them  in a health shop.  Follow the instructions on the bottle.

Green smoothies are a great way to keep you mineral reserve up, dark leafy green vegetables are very high in minerals, which are released when you blend them.

This is a delicious drink that will give you an abundance of energy.

Don’t just take my word for it check out what Dr. Batmanghelidj has to say about water. http://www.watercure.com/

I dare you to try this recipe.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach (or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

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Posted in General Health, Recipes, Self Help | No Comments »

Water! Do we drink enough?

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

I find hard in the colder months is to drink enough water.

I am just not inclined to drink cold water, I’m drawn to the warmer drinks like herbal teas and miso.

Although these are good options I noticed that I was getting

dehydrated and had to force myself to drink more water.

You just don’t get as thirsty in the winter as you do in the summer.

It isn’t difficult to get dehydrated in the winter as the cold can

be very drying to the body as well and the skin. Have you noticed that your skin is

more dry in the winter than in the summer.

A good way to check if you are hydrated enough is to do the test on the back of your

hand.

Just pinch a piece of skin between the thumb and index finger, hold for second and

then let if go. The skin should immediately return to normal, if it doesn’t and the

skin appears to take some time to flatten

out then you are dehydrated and need to drink more water.

Another way to tell is by your urine, it should be almost clear

and have no or very little odor. Our bodies will produce strong urine when

it doesn’t have enough fluid so if you can smell it then you

need to drink more.

Water should stay in our body for 2-3 hours the body will take what it needs and

then the water goes to the kidneys for excretion.

If you find that you are getting tired in the daytime and find it

hard to concentrate then you are dehydrated.

We need a lot more water than we realize, imagine a plump grape hanging on the

vine this is a hydrated cell, then visualize a sultana this is a dehydrated cell.

Some suggestions on how to get the water in are;

Get a 500 ml bottle preferably glass, this makes it easy to

calculate.

Drink a whole bottle first thing in the morning before breakfast.

Also last thing at night.

Try to get another one in during the day.

Squeeze some lemon juice or grate fresh ginger in the water

to flavor it.

Try drinking hot water and lemon and or ginger instead of a

coffee or tea.

Your body is made up of 70 to 80% of water and in order to

maintain that level you need to consume 1.5 to 2 Litres of

water a day.

Coffee or tea are not included in this calculation, they are

diuretics which dehydrate the body.

I can hear you now thinking I will  be on the toilet all day and

night if I drink that much water. Well yes you will go to the

bathroom a bit more initially but this will pass in less than a

week and you will find that you are more alert much clearer

in the head.

90% of headaches are due to dehydration, dry skin is due

to dehydration, constipation is often caused by dehydration,

brain fag is due to dehydration, in fact most health conditions

can be improved by just drinking more water.

Now that is a lot cheaper than a whole lot of supplements.

Who would believe that simple water could make you feel so good, it can lower your

blood pressure hence improving cardiovascular heath.  Help you concentrate, get rid

of that annoying headache and increase the fluid retention in the skin as well as

keep the bowel working well.

If that is not a good enough reason to drink more water then I don’t know what is.

So go on go get a large glass of water and drink it.

PS do not drink more than 3 litres of water a day, too much can flush out  vital

minerals.

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Posted in General Health, Self Help | 2 Comments »

Synthetic Verses Natural Vitamins

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Vitamin C,  we need this nutrient to prevent scurvy, it is abundant in most fruits and vegetables especially citrus fruits, kiwifruit and blackcurrants.

Vitamin C supports the immune system, fights cancer and many other numerous health conditions.

But Vitamin C is not Ascorbic acid.

Not all vitamins are created equal.

Most supplements on the market contain ascorbic acid and they call it vitamin C.

Vitamin C was discovered in the 1930s by Dr Albert Szebt-Gyorgyi, his understanding of the chemical structure of the vitamin C made it possible to reproduce in a laboratory.

Unfortunately only nature can produce vitamin C that our bodies will utilize to the maximum, the synthetic variety doesn’t work the same.

Ascorbic acid is harsh on the gut, is not readily bio-available to the body like a natural vitamin C that comes in a fruit or vegetable. The body will absorb and utilize all of the natural vitamin C

The recommended daily allowance of a synthetic vitamin C is 3000 mg (3 gm) for average person, to be taken 1000 mg  3 times a day, this is because the body can only absorb so much at a time and it dumps the rest.

Some say that you can go up to 9000 mg or until you get diarrhea.

This is a warning sign that has flashing lights so take notice.

Getting diarrhea well this is interesting, the body is trying to tell you something?

Observed under a microscope natural vitamin C  varies greatly from ascorbic acid. The particles are just as different as chalk and cheese.

Our bodies only absorb small amounts of synthetic nutrients and dump the rest. (waste of money in my opinion) Have you ever noticed the yellow/orange colour of your urine after taking a vitamin pill.

Well yes that is the body rejecting the unused vitamins. They just go straight through the system, and down the toilet.

Using synthetic vitamins can show results initially but they then stop working, and the condition worsens. Why  is this?

The best source of vitamin C is to eat lots of fresh raw fruits and vegetables daily.

There are also now natural vitamin c capsules available by Lifestream and Premier Research Laboratories.

Vitamin D is getting a lot of press lately, deficiency in vitamin D is on the rise. It is responsible for aiding the absorption of calcium, a vital nutrient for bones.

Vitamin D a fat-soluble vitamin is found in very few foods, egg yokes, cod liver oil, cold water fish like salmon, mackerel,herring and sardine. Vegetables although are a low source of vitamin D; the best sources are dark green leafy vegetables.

We get Vitamin D  from  sunlight exposure. But this isn’t the end of the story vitamin D obtained from food source and sunlight is biologically inert and must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation.

The liver and kidneys are involved, should these be compromised in any way Vitamin D synthesis doesn’t occur. Get the full story in my monthly newsletter.

Using sunscreen blocks vitamin D  synthesis. I recommend that you don’t apply the sunscreen until you have been in the sun for at least 10 to 15 minutes in this way you will have absorbed some vitamin D.

Also it is not enough to just expose you face, expose the arms and legs as well to get more of a surface cover to get the levels up.

Now should you need to supplement with Vitamin D I suggest that you use a natural sourced product. Not a synthetic form, Cod liver oil, chlorella are good sources of natural form of vitamin D.

Should you need vitamin D to fight chronic disease then I suggest Premier Research Laboratries D3 serum. This is a practitioner product and you will need get it through my clinic.

If you are interested in learning more about Vitamin D and get the full story sign up for my free newsletter, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Through the winter months I suggest that you make green smoothies with spinach and kale or silverbeet.

They are easy to make you only need a blender, they are delicious an even the kids will love them. They are high in minerals and electrolytes not to mention energy.

Basic Green Smoothie (for one)

1 apple

1 kiwifruit

1 banana

200 ml of water

1 ½ cups of fresh well washed spinach (or any other dark leafy green vegetable)

2 pitted dates (optional)

Peel and chop kiwifruit and apple, place with the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

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Posted in General Health, Raw Food, Recipes | 13 Comments »

Is Broccoli a Super Food

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Broccoli is over 2,000 years old, it has been around since the Roman Empire, and is native to the Mediterranean region. Broccoli a relative of the cabbage family, it is believed was engineered from cabbage by the ancient Etruscans, who were considered to be horticultural geniuses.

When broccoli was first introduced into England, it was referred to as “Italian asparagus.” Although commercial cultivation of broccoli dates back to the 1500s, it did not become a popular foodstuff in the United States until the early 1920s.

Broccoli is one of the most nutrient rich foods but it is low in calories.

An excellent nutrient source of;

Vitamin A equiv.31 μg (3%)

- beta-carotene361 μg (3%)

- Lutein and zeaxanthin 1121 μg

Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.071 mg (5%)

Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.117 mg (8%)

Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.639 mg (4%)

Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.573 mg (11%)

Vitamin B6 0.175 mg (13%)

Folate (Vit. B9) 63 μg (16%)

Vitamin C 89.2 mg (149%)

Calcium 47 mg (5%)

Iron 0.73 mg (6%)

Magnesium 21 mg (6%)

Phosphorus 66 mg (9%)

Potassium 316 mg (7%)

Zinc 0.41 mg (4%)

and much much more. These vitamins and minerals aren’t just found in trace amounts either.  Broccoli actually contains more Vitamin C than many citrus fruits and higher protein than a sirloin steak on a gram for gram basis. The calcium is much higher than an entire glass of milk. It’s an even richer source of fibre than whole wheat bread.

Broccoli also contains glucosinolates and phyto-chemicals like diindolylmethane  and isothiocyanates that are considered to have anti viral, antibacterial and anticancer effects.

Broccoli has demonstrated it’s remarkable anticancer effects, especially in breast cancer. Glucosinolates, and sulforaphane, boosts the production of an enzyme known to neutralize carcinogens before they trigger tumor growth especially in breast and prostate cancer cells.

Studies have also shown broccoli to increase the ability of the liver to detoxify toxic compounds and decreases the growth of human papillomavirus (a virus linked to cervical cancer).

Studies conducted at the prestigious John Hopkins University showed that broccoli compounds trigger the body to produce a substance (sulforaphane) that, in turn, manufactures enzymes that are powerful cancer fighters.

These cancer fighting compounds are released during the chewing process and are in the highest concentration when the broccoli is raw.

Cooking broccoli will reduce the benefits by up to 80%.

Broccoli is known to be very beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. It is a low-glycemic  index food which helps to normalize blood sugar.

One of the keys to weight loss is controlling the body’s response to insulin. Broccoli also boosts the enzymes which help to detoxify the body. Detoxification leads to weight loss which helps with certain diseases prevention.

But wait it gets even better that that!

Broccoli sprouts are even better than just eating broccoli alone. Sprouts are exceptionally high in nutrients and proteins, this is due to the changes that happen at germination, amazing things happen to seeds when they start to germinate. At a mere 3 days old, they contain at least 20 times as much of disease-fighting anti cancer sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as the mature plant; SGS has been shown to kill tumors.

Just 28 gm or 1 ounce of sprouts has as much SGS as 600 gm or 1 1/4 pounds of broccoli. That’ll save you lots of chewing.

A Japanese pilot study found people who ate about a half cup a day of sprouts lowered their total cholesterol by an average of 15 points, and women in the study raised their good cholesterol by 8 points–in just 1 week.

Broccoli can save your sight, exposure to UV sunlight over time may lead to an eye condition called macular degeneration, which is the number one cause of blindness in the elderly. Researchers at Johns Hopkins determined that broccoli sprouts can protect retinal cells from ultraviolet light damage.

Conclusion:

It has proved to be very high in nutrients and has disease fighting value of amazing proportion. It can stop the growth of tumors and prevents cancer and heart disease. Broccoli is great for detoxification and weight loss. You don’t have to buy it at the health shop either in plastic container you can get it at your local organic grower. Or it can be grown in your garden or in a sprouting jar on your bench.

So is broccoli a super food, I say yes yes yes!

Get the full story about broccoli and other super foods you can grow in your  garden with lots of yummy raw recipes in my new e-book, coming soon  Sign up now for my newsletter and you will be the first to know when it is out.

Eating broccoli raw is the best way to get all the nutrients check out and try this recipe.

Broccoli Delight

1 small head of broccoli finely chopped

1 small head of cauliflower finely chopped

1 avocado Cubed

100 gm Goats feta cubed (Optional)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 green tomatoes finely chopped

Combine all ingredients and serve. This is really nice wrapped

in a lettuce leaf with some humus as a burrito.

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Posted in Raw Food, Recipes, Super Foods | 16 Comments »

What is best 100% or 80% Raw Diet?

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

This is an interesting question I have been raw for almost 2 years now, but I have only been 100% raw for short periods. I do like to eat some cooked food on the odd occasion and I’m not a vegan although I don’t eat meat. I like to eat eggs, some cheeses, fish and shellfish now and then. Most of the time I am 90 – 95% raw as at times I just eat 100% because that is what I desire to eat.

Many of the purist’s will be saying that 100% is the only way to go. But I say that eating raw is a great way to get your optimum nutrition but 100% doesn’t work for everyone.

I attended a Seminar last weekend on Quantum Reflex Analysis, which had several other raw foodist attending other than myself. One brought all of her food with her and the others including myself brought some food a made the most of what we could. I decided the week before the seminar that I was going to go 100% raw for several weeks and wasn’t thinking about going away at the time. I was staying with my elderly auntie and also was invited to dinner at my nieces to see my brand new grandniece.

But I’m pleased to let you know that I survived the trip with out eating anything but raw food. I consider this a good effort as I am just the same as everyone else I am human. It was a bit difficult to manage especially when my sister made a very large carrot cake of which she is famous for. But I found that I just wasn’t interested in eating it.

I would probably never go 100% raw on a permanent basis as I feel that you are setting yourself up for failure. And it is not about whether you succeed or fail it is about health and well being. Eating raw is about getting the nutrition that the body needs to heal itself of disease.

If you are trying to heal from cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular, diabetes or any other therapeutic diagnostic label of dis-ease, then yes 100% raw for a period of time is definitely going to be a good option. But setting unrealistic limitations on yourself can be very damaging in its self. I recommend flexibility. When you keep yourself flexible and don’t put unrealistic limitations on your self then you will not fail, and success will be your friend.

Fabulous results can be achieved on a 80- 90% Raw Diet.

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Posted in Raw Food | 1 Comment »