Intermittent Fasting is a diet that promotes having a 16 hour fast from food each day. That looks like finishing dinner by 7 pm and not eating until 11 am the next day. Intermittent fasting has a number of positive benefits on the body. Lets have a look: Brain - improved cognitive function, stress resistance and reduced inflammation, reduce Parkinson's symptoms Heart- lowered heart rate & blood pressure, increased stress resistance Fat Cells- breakdown Muscle Cells- increased insulin sensitivity, efficiency and reduced inflammation Blood- decrease in inflammatory mediators, leptin hormone, increased ketones from ketogensis Liver- increased insulin sensitivity, ketone production, decreased inflammatory mediators Intestines- reduced energy uptake, inflammation and cell proliferation What does all of that mean? - Better memory and ability to think clearly & a reduced risk of age-related dementia - Decreased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure-related issues & diabetes - LOSE WEIGHT, avoid age related health issues, maintain lobido - Reduce gas, bloating and digestive disorders What is a ketone? Ketone bodies are the product of fat metabolism. In the absence of sugar, or the storage form of sugar known as glycogen, the body has to utilize another source of energy to power our bodies, brain and heart. That source is fat. Fat is broken down in the cells to produce ketones which are used as energy currency throughout the body. When we fast, our body goes through a process of using up our stored energy beginning with glucose. Once that is complete, it looks to the liver where glycogen (stored glucose) is kept. Finally, in the absence of glycogen it moves on to fat. Re-teaching the body how to use up its glucose stores is the key behind the benefits of fasting. Large amounts of stored sugars leads to increased fat production, decreased insulin sensitivity, the development of diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Ketogenic diets are used currently by many MDs and hospitals for the treatment and management of seizures in epilepsy. What is Insulin Sensitivity? Each one of our cells has insulin receptors on it. Why? Because sugar powers our cells. That means to run all the necessary functions, our cells have to take in sugar from the blood stream and convert it to energy, especially the brain. Insulin sensitivity is a measurement of how easily our cells are able to bind the circulating sugar and bring it in. In the presence of too much sugar, our cells down regulate the number of insulin receptors to reduce the amount of sugar being brought in. The cells become LESS sensitive to circulating insulin, and blood sugar levels rise as we consume sugar but don't take it up. This is the mechanism behind Type 2 diabetes: too much sugar consumption, fat production, insulin resistance and the oxidation of that fat leading to disease. Excess sugar becomes fat! Excess blood sugar is stored in the liver as glycogen. When there is too much glycogen, it is broken down into its components, one of which is Acetyl-Co A. Acetyl-Co A is subsequently transformed into fatty acids. Too much sugar is therefore converted to fat in the liver. Why would I want to lower my leptin? Leptin is the hormone produced in our fat cells that relays a message to the brain telling it how much fat we have. In a normally functioning system high leptin levels will relay a satiety signal to the brain, decreasing our desire to consume food. Why would we want to lower it? In a malfunctioning system where there are too many fat cells, there is also too much leptin. Too much leptin leads to leptin resistance in the brain. The satiety signal is never released and MORE fat is consumed. Decreasing the amount of leptin promotes leptin sensitivity in the brain and decreases the desire to consume fats in the diet. How Intermittent Fasting works It takes 13 hours for all the glycogen in our livers to be used up. If we eat 3 meals a day, we don't have time to use up our glycogen, and therefore don't enter into fat breakdown. Intermittent fasting allows for the breakdown of fats to Ketone bodies. Why is this a good thing? Profound affects on Brain Health 1. Stimulates neurotropic factors (e.g. BDNF)- promote the growth, connection and strengthening of neurons in your brain. Neurons are our individual brain cells that are connected through electrochemical transmissions using neurotransmitters such as: dopamine, epinepherine, norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, GABA and glutamate. Challenges to the brain in the form of fasting, exercise and learning increases these neurotophic factors. 2. Increases the energy in our cells - Mitochondria are the power houses of the cell. They produce all the energy the cell needs to function. Intermittent fasting increases the number of mitochondria produced in our neurons due to the up-regulation of BDNF produced from the stress of the fast. The increase in mitochondrial energy production increases both the number of neurons formed and the strength in their connection improving our learning and memory abilities. 3. Enhances neuronal ability to repair DNA - fasting produces a small oxidative stress which causes our cells to increase its protection and repair of DNA. Summary Intermittent fasting is a stress on the body that increases memory and the ability of our brain to learn. It reduces the risk of developing serious life-threatening diseases. How do I intermittent Fast? 1. Reducing your eating time to 8 hours per day 2. Taking a break from eating from 7 pm - 11 am the next day 3. The "5:2 Plan" - 2 days a week eat only 500 calories TEDx Below is a presentation by Mark Mattson, Chief of Laboratory Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging and a professor at John's Hopkins University, discussing the benefits of Intermittent Fasting based on the studies he's read and performed. To learn more about how to implement an Intermittent Fasting protocol, the best thing to do is consult a trained professional. Book an appointment with us to discuss how Intermittent Fasting can work for you. References: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2367001/ https://authoritynutrition.com/leptin-101/
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Juicing is awesome. And here is why... 1. Nutrient Absorption- Vegetables and fruit are full of vitamins, minerals and enzyme. Juicing allows these nutrients to diffuse into the blood stream without the slowing or binding effects of fiber. The rapid nutrient absorption helps to heal up our organs and tissues. Juicing can assist with weight loss, decreasing inflammation, immune boosting, intestine repair, eye health and more! 2. Tastes Great- there are so many delicious fruit, vegetable and herb combinations, juice is never boring. Even the colour is enough to brighten your day. 3. Digestion Break- although not a true water fast, juice cleanses take the burden off the digestive system to breakdown and metabolize food. We were all told to eat for energy but it is surprising how much MORE energy you can have on day 7 of a water fast than most days eating a healthy diet. The truth is that metabolizing is energetically expensive, not to mention all the things that we put in our body that do not function to improve health: things that taste good, look good or are fast and easy. Giving the digestive tract a break from metabolizing allows it to rest and repair. 4. Detoxifying- Juicing for detoxification is a great way to give the body what it needs to remove metabolic waste, toxins and toxicants. The liver is our organ of detoxification. To carry out the many metabolic reactions, it needs a lot of vitamins, minerals, proteins and antioxidants. All of these things can be obtained through a juicing detox which not only gives the intestines a break, but tastes great! Start your day with Green Juice Ingredients: 2 leaves cabbage (red or green) 1 head of romaine lettuce handful cilantro 1/2 green pepper 1/2 - 1 green apple Juicer Directions: wash the vegetables very well by soaking them in a basin and making sure you get off all the dirt. Slice the vegetables and spinach into juicer sized pieces. Juice all the ingredients and DRINK WITHIN 15 MINUTES - to prevent the oxidation of the nutrients in the juice. Dose: you can have up to 5 green juices per day! But remember, it can't be stored. For more detailed information about juicing, juicers and recipe check out my article in The Natural Path called Juicing Your Way To Radiant Health. The Lymphatic System Our body is a vessel superhighway. Arteries, veins and lymph vessels run in parallel supplying the tissues with nutrients, removing wastes and transporting blood cells. Lymph vessels are the body's sewer system. It is where toxins and wastes of cellular metabolism are brought back to the heart for distribution and finally excretion. Wastes found in the lymph system are fat soluble. This means that any fat soluble pesticide, hormone or vitamin will be excreted into lymph for removal. Also found in the lymph are fatty acids. Another function of the lymph system is to transport white blood cells (WBCs) and antigen presenting calls (APCs) between the lymph nodes and organs of the lymph system: spleen, adenoids, tonsils and thymus gland. WBCs are the faithful soldiers of infection, while APCs are the cells responsible for the immune system's ability to recognize a foreign invader. The lymph system is a very important component of immunity! Factors that impede the lymph system from moving properly, allowing waste to be excreted are: - heart failure, salty diet, overweight/obesity, tight clothing, sedentary lifestyle, trauma, infection, scar tissue or surgery. SKIN BRUSHING TO THE RESCUEWhat is it? Skin brushing is the art of moving the lymph through the vessels, from the periphery to the heart, to help reduce swelling, improve lymph circulation and remove toxins from the body. Skin brushing greatly enhances a detoxification protocol by sloughing off dead skin cells, opening pores, helping the skin regenerate and eliminate toxins. How does it work? Lymph flows unidirectionally. Just like veins, there are one way valves in lymph vessels that prevent back flow. And also like veins, lymph depends on the contractions of muscles to move it through the vessels. Skin brushing with a rough skin brush moves the lymph through the vessels back towards the heart where it can eventually be excreted into the intestine for removal from the body. Skin brushing is best done with a natural bristle brush that is quite firm but not painful to use. There are different brushes for the face and body to reflect the sensitivity of the skin. The goal of skin brushing is to start at the periphery of the body working your way back to the heart. This means working from the hands and feet inwards. Benefits of skin brushing 1. Healthy Glowing Skin- removes dead skin cells, unclogs pores, reduces ingrown hairs, increases blood flow to skin to regenerate the tissue, stimulates the oil glands which control the pH of the skin, nourish the tissue and deter pathogens. 2. Detoxification- stimulates lymph flow towards the heart, promotes removal of wastes from the body 3. Support the immune system- stimulating the lymph system helps the transport of lymph cells and white blood cells through the body. A properly functioning lymphatic system means the body is ready to fight off pathogens in the form or viruses, bacteria, fungus and parasites. 4. Increase vital energy- stimulating the nerves, lymph and skin supports the movement of qi within the body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the stagnation of qi is felt as pain. Keeping the system moving and functioning properly supports qi flow, decreases pain and increases vitality! What do I need? You can use one or more of the following: - natural bristle skin brush (medium) - loofa sponge (firm) - face cloth for sensitive skin (soft) Bodecare has a beautiful line of skin brushes: Directions
Caring for your brush
A few sprays of antibacterial tea tree oil diluted in water (10 drops per 2 cups water) is all you need to keep your brush clean and avoid bacterial and fungal growth. Skin brushes should not be shared, and can be stored in a dry place to avoid mould and mildew. Brushes can be washed with natural shampoo every few weeks and placed in a warm dry place to dry. Its easy, safe, and feels great! Give it a try! DIY GREENS POWDER!This magical and simple creation happened in two steps. First there was the decision of what to do with a bag of greens on its last legs (figure 1). Throw them in the dehydrator and decide later. Step two: decide later that those greens would make an amazing green powder supplement for morning smoothies. It was a dance of improvisation as the makings of a greens powder supplement came into being. 1. First there was the idea to just take the mixed greens off the dehydrator and store them in a glass jar. 2. Then came the idea to add in the left over dried nettles for added nutrition, allergy protection and taste. 3. Suddenly the mortar and pestle yells "Hey!" from its home on the windowsill 4. You know what else you could add... ANYTHING YOU WANT! How about some spirulina since its the best thing in the world? 5. Voilà. Your very own greens powder supplement. Other things to add when you plan in advance: - dried beets and beet greens - to build blood and load up on minerals - dried carrots- for the beta carotene - berries - antioxidants - Powdered vitamins of you want to get crazy!?! If you are looking for some more inspiration, here is my favorite greens powder by Douglas Labs called Organic Greens and Reds. Its amazing because it is one of the very few, if only, totally organic greens powder on the market. Secondly, it is also a reds and herbal medicine powder. Its everything, and more. Enjoy the fun of discovering how to make natural health products! It is exciting, empowering and nutritious. Aloha xo
What Are They? Stinging nettles are a spring time plant that pops up in ditches, and areas with moist, nutritious soil. They are covered in tiny bristles that are actually hollow needles which sting when touched. Most people consider them a weed but nettles are actually a wonderfully healing herb with amazing properties. What Can They Do? Nettles are high in minerals. They contain Vitamin K for clotting, Iron for anemia, Silica for healing skin, Beta Carotene for eye health, Vitamins A + B for immune health and metabolization as well as Chlorophyll . Nettles are great for post pregnancy to stop bleeding and to fortify the blood with iron to prevent anemia. They are a great way to get minerals into the body including boron which helps to retain calcium for stronger bones. Nettles reduce pain and increase the efficacy of NSAIDs like aspirin and IBuprophen. Juice of the leaves acts as a diuretic which is helpful for people with BPH (benign prostate hypertrophy) as well as high blood pressure (Hypertension). The juice will also get rid of warts and regenerate hair when applied topically. Nettles have been shown to reduce cancer in patients with prostate cancer. It is an antioxidant which is great for people with heart issues. Nettle supplementation in combination with Saw Palmetto is as effective as taking the pharmaceutical Fenasteride for BPH. Lowering blood sugar is important for people with Diabetes and nettles act to improve the body's glycemic control. What Else Do They Treat? Nettles are used to treat all sorts of conditions: Benign prostate hypertrophy, High Blood Pressure, Pain, Anemia, Arthritis, Bursitis, Rheumatism, Hay Fever, Seasonal Allergies, Asthma, Nose Bleeds, Cancer, Gout, Tendonitis, Fibroids, Dysmenorrhea and Diabetes. Wow... What a list! If you suffer from Seasonal Allergies, nettles are a great way to end the congestion, runny nose and itchy eyes. Nettle tea has been shown to relieve seasonal allergies: 2-3 cups per day. How Can I Harvest Them? Nettles grow all over in the spring. They like damp soil along ditches but can grow in large patches that get sun. Look in the woods, or an area with a stream. They have a serrated leaf, that looks a bit like a mint plant with bigger leaves. The stems have a "fur" on them which is the stinging part, so be careful! To harvest, use only the small young plants, or cut the top 2-6 leaves off of the larger ones. Put them in a bag and bring them home. How Do I Use Them? Nettle Tea: add fresh or dried nettles to a cup and add boiling water to the top. Steep covered for 5 minutes. You can mix nettles with other herbs like mint or even roiboos to create a flavor that you love! Fresh Nettle Juice: if you have a juicer you can make nettle juice. Combine them with other green juice vegetables like: cabbage, romaine, watercress, celery and green apple for a delicious and mineral rich infusion. Dried: Nettles can be dried in a dehydrator or by placing them in a paper bag and sticking them somewhere warm, like the furnace room. After they are dried they can be stored in glass containers and used as tea or added to food as you would any other herb. In Soup: I love to add nettles to soup and then blend it up with a hand blender. In this recipe I added nettles to hippocrates soup with some homemade saurkraut and the outcome was delicious. Enjoy springtime by getting out and gathering some nettles. They are a beautiful and loving plant that has a lot to offer us healthwise when we are open and receptive to their gifts. Enjoy!
Aloha xo Skin Deep...Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Anything that we put on our skin is absorbed directly into the body. Think about that... How many products do you put on, or in your body each day. Here is a list of possible options: Tooth paste Mouthwash Soap Shower gel Shaving cream Moisturizer Shampoo/Conditioner Hair Styling products Deodorant Sun screen Makeup (eye liner, mascara, blush/bronzer, foundation, eye shadow, cover up) Lip balm/Lip stick/gloss Here is a list of chemicals you may come into contact with each day: Dish soap Laundry soap Bathroom cleaner Kitchen cleaner Water contaminants Pesticides Pollution A company called Bionsen did some research and found that the average woman puts about 515 synthetic chemicals on her skin each day. Have a look: Its the job of the liver to detoxify our system. In today's world with all the chemicals we encounter in body products, food and the environment, that is quite a burden. When our liver's detoxification system gets backed up, either from too many toxins going in, or not enough substrates to supply the detox reactions, we can feel it: fatigue, nausea, headaches, skin irritation, body pain, abdominal tenderness, pungent sweat to name a few. An over burdened system can also look like hormone imbalances, since it is the liver that processes and removes old and excess hormones from our bodies: weight gain, acne, painful periods, fibroids and PMS. What can I do to decrease my toxin load1. Eat Organic! Eating organic eliminates all the pesticide toxicity that one would encounter from food. For more information on pesticides check out my article on Glyphosate here. An easy way to start eating organic is to have a look at The Dirty Dozen list. These are the foods that are sprayed most and which should be avoided. There is also a Clean 15, the foods you can buy conventionally which will have a lower pesticide incidence. 2. Use Natural Household Cleaners Products with orange essential oil and vinegar are examples of natural house hold cleaners. They don't use harsh detergents or chemicals to get rid of bacteria but they work just as well. We like to use Frog Wash for our household cleaning needs. 3. Use or Make Your Own Natural Body Products For the last few months I have been using a deodorant that I made myself with a simple recipe. It works REALLY WELL! I have used it in both tropical and North American climates and it stands the test. Best of all it smells great. Regular antiperspirants have aluminum in them, which has been linked to the development of early aging in the brain and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. Deodorant recipeIngredients 2 tbs coconut oil 2 tbs baking soda 2 tbs cornstarch 5-8 drops Essential oil (Rosemary, Tea Tree, Lavender, Sage, its up to you!) - In a saucepan on low, heat the coconut oil up just until it melts. Add in the other ingredients and stir. Pour into a small glass container or an old deodorant container and voilà. If you are using an old deodorant container, keep it in the fridge. It is easier to put on when it is solid. - Remember: to dip your fingers in when they are clean, and do not double dip. There is no preservative in your natural product so you don't want to contaminate it with bacteria. To learn more about having radiantly healthy skin, natural body products and detox send me a message or book an appointment today!
I asked myself this question when I was 19. It was the first home product I had questioned, standing in the oral health aisle of a grocery store. Others were to follow such as, what is deodorant, Windex, tampons, sunscreen, bug spray, makeup, lotion, Tylenol and the list goes on. When I realized that there was an alternative and natural form of toothpaste I decided there must be some things in regular toothpaste that were not "natural" and perhaps even toxic? I had an epiphany at this moment: Was it possible that health was not actually a priority of some health product companies? ALL COMPANIES??! Perhaps. But back to toothpaste... Here are some of the things that are in toothpaste today plus their harmful properties: Triclosan- Has the same chemical composition as some of the most toxic chemicals. Possible contamination with dioxin, a very strong hormone disrupting substance. Classified as a pesticide. BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) - Immunotoxic, reproductive toxicity, allergenic. Fluoride ( Sodium Fluoride)- Developmental-reproductive toxicity. (there is now growing awareness of the necessity of fluoride free toothpaste, but it is one of many chemicals to look out for) PEG-12 Toxic, potential for contamination with Ethylene Oxide, 1.4 Dioxane) FD&C Blue - Bioaccumulation, toxic Sodium Hydroxide- Organ toxic DEA (diethanolamine)- Foaming agent, disrupts hormones and forms cancer precursors. Propylene Glycol- Active ingredient in antifreeze. EPA demands workers handle this substance with protective gloves. Quickly absorbed by mucosa. Ariel's natural toothpaste recipeIngredients: 8 tbs Coconut oil 3 tbs Baking Soda 5 ml Liquid minerals (http://www.kaimanatraceminerals.com/) 1 tbs Colloidal Silver 25 drops Essential oils (Basil, Orange, Peppermint) 3 packets of Stevia ~ 3 tsp Coconut oil- used in oil pulling, works great to dissolve and remove bacteria from the teeth. Contains caprylic acid, an antifungal. Baking soda- removes stains, whitens and polishes teeth, removes plaque. Liquid minerals- help remineralize teeth and bone. Colloidal silver- antimicrobial to kill bacteria and keep product stable. Essential oils- antimicrobial, for taste Stevia- for taste Directions: Gently warm coco oil until liquid. Add in all the other ingredients and mix well. Cover. The toothpaste will harden. After it is solid, take a fork and whip it up! Fluffy toothpaste! Store it with the lid on. Use: Add a glob of toothpaste to toothbrush, rub around your teeth, brush as usual. Spit out! Note: To keep the product stable for longer. Consider keeping it in a cool place and not putting your finger or toothbrush in the jar to take the paste out, but perhaps a clean spoon or wooden stir stick. You can also just portion out the toothpaste into small containers that you can use up before it goes bad. My toothpaste tastes great and feels great. My teeth are whiter and shinier than before. So far so good. We will see if it keeps and how my teeth look over time. Give it a try. And enjoy! Aloha xo Photo credit: http://www.deardoctor.com/articles/toothpaste-whats-in-it/ Eating Organic is so important. When I read about the effects of pesticides and herbicides on mammals I feel so sad for our planet. These pesticides not only disrupt vital processes in our bodies, they destroy the environment as well. Glyphosate is the chemical known as Roundup. It toxicity effects are astounding. Remember that article on "The Real Reason Wheat is Toxic (And Its Not Gluten)? It was an article released from the Healthy Home Economist saying that wheat crops are doused in Roundup prior to harvesting, which is the real reason people are allergic to wheat. The article shows trends in celiac disease being correlated to the increased use of Roundup on wheat prior to harvesting. It says that Roundup residues are routinely found on harvested wheat. It shows the scientific connection between Roundup and autoimmune disease. Jenny Dewey Rohrich wrote an interesting article in response. She and her husband are farmers. She breaks down the uses of Roundup on crops, the prevalence, and the concentration. Her main point is that the amount of Roundup used on the 5% of the wheat crops who do use it is 1.7%. She has a figure that shows acetic acid and salt to be more toxic at lower doses than Roundup showing the LD50 (lethal dose) for these substances on a rabbit. My question is what are the non-lethal effects of Roundup? Just because something isn't lethal doesn't mean that it is safe for consumption. The International Conference/College on Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine Portland Oregon released this video last week. It is a scientific presentation of the effets of glyphosate and Roundup. To summarize, glyphosate: 1. Inhibits cypP450 detoxification- this is our liver's detoxification pathway for everything that comes into our bodies, and for the metabolites of our own biochemical processes. 2. Genotoxic- Causes DNA damage in human cells even when massively diluted. 3. Mitochondriopathic- causes mitochondrial dysfunction linked to nearly all diseases 4. Excellent Tissue Penetration- Easily enters cells 5. Carcinogenic- Activated of estrogen receptors stimulated growth of cancer cells in vitro 6. Estrogenic- As above, plus promotes autoimmunity 7. Promote Autoimmunity- due to points 1, 2,3,4 and 5 8. Unsurpassed Political Protection 9. Widespread Exposure Via Air and Water 10. Unsurpassed Distribution To The Population- found on soy, wheat and corn After reading these articles and watching this video I realize that although Roundup may only be used on 5% of wheat farms in the USA, it is also used on soy and corn, the other largest and most ubiquitous foods in our diet. I realize that in minute quantities, Roundup can have profound affects on our physiology and may be the basis for serious diseases like cancer and autoimmunity. The importance of avoiding pesticides remains a top priority of mine. Here is a list how you can too! 1. Buy organic and rinse with water before eating 2. Vinegar wash - Use a 1:10 ratio of white vinegar to water. Put the fruit or veggies in a basin and make sure they get fully coated, then rinse thoroughly. 3. Peel your veggies - If you are worried about pesticides removing the skin is a helpful option especially for apples, carrots, cucumber, potatoes. I hope you enjoyed this post. Share it with your friends and family and remember to enjoy the foods you are eating for their amazing benefits. Aloha xo The benefits of winterSummer is such a glorious time of year. We feel relaxed, there is an abundance of daylight to play in, our skin has the radiant glow of photon exposure. The days start to get a little cooler, sandals become shoes, shoes become boots. As the daylight slinks away to rest, so do we. Becoming less active, we layer our clothing to protect ourselves from the elements. Craving warm foods and comfort and sleep. The winter brings with her many blessings: stillness, reflection, rejuvenation. I wanted to write a post about the gifts of winter because it has been 2 years since I had one. Spending last year in Hawaii meant that I didn't experience the decrescendo of the seasons. For me, it was always summer and I loved it! But this year the arrival of winter hits me especially hard. I am uninspired to exercise, I feel drawn to stay in my house, drink warm liquids and rest. And sometimes I feel bad about it. I feel confused. Where is my desire to envigorate my body, move my muscles and feel ALIVE? Why don't I want to consume salad like a human vacuum anymore? Somedays I don't even leave the house. Am I depressed... NO! ITS WINTER! Winter Rocks!1. Eating For Sport Of course as a doctor and avid raw food enthusiast I don't generally condone eating tons of food. I think as a population we need to eat LESS food. However, seasonally, winter is the time to eat! There is benefit from storing up nutrients, eating calorie dense meals and giving the body a break. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals and good fats replenishes our tissues which have been on the go since summer. This includes our brain! Although it is important to do weight bearing exercise to have healthy bones, it is also important to relax. Giving our adrenal glands, brain and muscles a chance to rejuvenate is an important part of the seasonal cycle. Brightly coloured foods rich in antioxidants plus good fats, like omega 3's feed our brain and help to decrease inflammation in the body. Dark leafy veggies like kale, spinach and romaine lettuce are mineral dense. Peppers and oranges are high in vitamin C which is highly concentrated in the adrenal glands. Incorporating warming foods like ginger, cinnamon and cayenne will light your digestive fires. Winter is a time to enjoy good food. 2. Refuelling Our Heart Chakra Nothing is better for the heart than being in the company of people you love, who love you in return. When the weather is not so nice, we get permission to stay indoors for hours, talking, laughing, watching movies or youtube clips of regular people trying traditional Jewish food for the first time. It is important to be with the people who reflect back to us the love of the universe. And winter is bursting with abundance of time, warm homes and gentle embraces. 3. Resting "Its hard to get up in the winter" says everyone. So don't. Take your weekend and vacation time to do the opposite. Lay in bed. Sleep, doze or just relax. The comfort of a warm bed is a great place for personal reflection. Tuning into your heart and saying "hey.. what's up?". Gentle stretching can be done in bed. Intuitive stretching and moving feels great. It brings us back in to the present with what is. No thoughts. Just physical sensation. Resting and relaxing takes us down to a baseline energetic level that we forget about when our lives are fast paced, even in a fun way. Reconnecting with this pace takes stress off our physical bodies and puts us back in touch with the quieter and more subtle parts of who we are. 4. Reading For Pleasure Another luxury of diminished daylight and colder temperatures is staying indoors to read. Novels, blog posts, science articles or newpapers. It is a luxury to read for pleasure. “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” – poet Edith Sitwell Winter has many benefits even without the sun and sand. Whatever you do this winter I hope you relax and do it slowly, accompanied by good food and friends or family.
Have a great holiday season, Aloha! The Natural Path is a website resource for patients interested in naturopathic & alternative treatments, aiming to empower individuals to improve their health and wellness through naturopathic medicine. NaturalPath includes clinical protocols, natural treatment options, expert interviews, breaking natural news and more. Each month I have an article about the health benefits of a raw food diet. Check it out here. Don't forget to leave a comment or click the heart if you enjoyed the article :) Enjoy. Aloha xo What Is Raw Food? When people say The Raw Food Diet, what do you think of? Green salads? A vegetable platter with ranch dressing? This is what I thought of the raw food diet before I did an internship with the Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center. As it turns out, raw food can be anything you love: warm soup, pizza or pad thai. It can also be lemon meringue pie, coconut ice cream and brownies. The raw food diet is about eating fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds and oils in delicious and creative ways. It is based on the principle that at temperatures greater than 117 degrees Fahrenheit, enzymes denature, nutrients are lost and toxic chemicals are produced. By keeping the enzymatic and nutritional content of food intact, we are receiving more nutrition to support good health while avoiding the disease producing compounds of cooked food. But what about all the good things cooked food has to offer, like warmth, texture, and taste? Raw food repertoire includes warm food like soups, curries, and pasta while also preserving texture in dishes like noodles, cream sauce and rice. Using kitchen tools like a spiralizer, noodles are made out of zucchini, soaked cashews are blended into a smooth cream sauce and cauliflower is pulverized into rice. And the best part is they are served warm. Dehydrators are used to gently warm and soften food, while maintaining enzymatic activity. Raw food preparation also includes fermentation to make things like kombucha, coconut yogurt, and kimchi. Soaking and sprouting nuts and seeds neutralizes their natural enzyme inhibitors. Raw food is anything but a cold plate of vegetables. But how was it discovered, how does it compare to other diets, and what do I have to gain by eating a raw food diet? Lets have a look… The Downside To Cooking In 1930 a Swiss doctor named Paul Kouchakoff discovered that cooked food induces digestive leukocytosis. The amount of leukocytosis was dependent on the method of cooking with barbecuing and microwaving equal to that of an infection1,2. Heating certain foods creates toxic compounds. Acrolein, acrylamide, furans, nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, benzopyrene and HNE (4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal) are a few of the toxic compounds created by heating oils, proteins or carbohydrates. HEATOX is a research project involving 14 countries, an external panel, 100 scientific papers, and 700 references that looked at the health risks associated with heat-treated food. They found many of these toxins to destabilize DNA, induce neurotoxicity, cancers and kidney toxicity3. Other well known effects of consuming heat produced toxins are Alzehimer’s disease, chronic inflammation and the production of advanced glycosylated end products (AGEs). AGEs underlie the pathogenesis of many conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and cataracts. Not only does heating food produce toxins it also damages proteins. Enzymes catalyze virtually all the biochemical reactions in the cell. One major enzymatic function in the body is to break down proteins in the GI tract. Eating food that lacks its natural enzymatic activity is harder for the body to break down and more energetically expensive to eliminate. Food that sits undigested in the gut is a prime resource for pathogenic gut flora like bacteria and yeast. When undigested food makes it way into the blood stream, food allergies are born. Raw Food: A Nutritional Analysis I was amazed to discover that raw food could be made into meals that were tasty, beautiful and also medicinal. At the retreat center, taco night was used as a tool of detoxification using: red cabbage taco shells, walnut taco meat, cashew sour cream, guacamole and fresh tomato salsa. Thinking about the nutritional benefits of our meal, I scanned through our ingredients: Cabbage- L-glutamine, sulphur, vitamin K, Walnuts- manganese, B vitamins, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, Avocado- saturated fat, fiber, Cilantro- anti-cancer, Onion-quercitin, Tomato-flavenoid antioxidants, vitamin C, and the list went on. No toxic compouds. No waste. This was really using food as medicine. The meal was delicious and afterwards I felt satisfied. For years I had struggled trying to eat a sugar-free, processed food-free, non-wheat, non-dairy diet. I would eat this way for a period of time and then invariably fall off the wagon because there was a meal, flavor or texture that I missed. For the first time I saw the possibility of eating healthy and fulfilling meals while avoiding allergens and processed foods. But how would I meet my protein and B12 needs? The USDA Protein Comparison Chart (2009) has a 4 oz. porterhouse steak weighing in at 26 grams of protein, a 3 oz. serving of fish at 22 grams of protein, 1 cup of kidney beans has 44 grams and lentils 50 grams 4. Per calorie, 100 grams of broccoli has been shown to have the highest amount of protein when compared to 100 calories of steak, kale and romaine lettuce5. Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s website compares the calorie to nutrition ratio. He notes that since 100 calories of steak is only 1 oz., most people are going to be eating 4-6 times that in a single serving which would increase their protein intake. However, for the average person, one serving of meat contains too many calories and not enough life enhancing nutrients such as vitamins A, C + K and minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium5. To manage their B12 levels some raw foodists incorporate raw milk and fish into their diet. The Raw Food Revolution Since Swiss medical doctor Maximilian Bircher-Benner first opened his raw food clinic called “Vital Force” in the late 1800’s, raw food has grown into a revolution6. Chefs have made names for themselves creating and serving gourmet raw meals in cities all over the world. California, Hawaii, New York, Vancouver, Brighton and Glasgow have raw food restaurants, grocery stores and festivals dedicated to raw food. Medical clinics founded on the principles of raw food diet such as The Hippocrates Institute and Ann Wigmore Foundation have been treating dozens of conditions and thousands of patients for more than half a century. Raw food is used as a mechanism for detoxification, platform for lifestyle change, and basis for everyday diet to promote health and longevity. References: 1. http://www.igienenaturale.it/Post-Prandial%20Leucocytosis.pdf 2. http://www.healthbeyondhype.com/leukocytosis-toxic-reactions-to-eating-highly-heated-food-ezp-135.html 3. HEATOX- http://www.slv.se/upload/heatox/documents/D62_final_project_leaflet.pdf 4.http://realfoodsmom.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/protein_comparison_chart_-_dec_2009_op_800x450.jpg 5. https://www.drfuhrman.com/faq/question.aspx?sid=16&qindex=9 6.http://www.zurichdevelopmentcenter.com/aboutzurichdevelopmentcenter/locationhistory/biographybircher.htm |
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