Eating to Live Rather than Living to Eat
How to Eat Right
http://www.doctoryourself.com/eatright.html
"Nothing will benefit human health
and increase the chances for survival
of life on Earth as much as the
evolution to a vegetarian diet."
(Albert Einstein)
* One tablespoon of vegetable oil contains enough fat
for you for an entire day. The average American eats
enough fat DAILY to equal a stick of butter. (Jane
Brody, The New York Times)
* Sugar is the #1 cause of tooth decay. The level of
sugar consumption at which most of the population will
not get dental caries is 33 lbs. (15 kg) per person
per year. The average American eats over 120 pounds
annually. (Aubrey Sheiman, "Sugar and Dental Caries"
The Lancet, 8319:282-284, Feb. 5, 1983)
* Americans consume at least twice as much protein as
they need. Worldwide, 30 grams of protein daily is
usually adequate. The US RDA of protein is about 60
grams daily for a man and about 50 g daily for a
woman. We generally eat over 100 grams of protein
daily, mostly from meat (Williams, S. Nutrition and
Diet Therapy, 7th ed, Mosby, 1993). Chronic protein
excess overloads and irreversibly damages the kidneys
by middle age.
One way out of this is to copy Nature. When in
doubt, eat like a gorilla. Gorillas are very strong,
very smart, and very vegetarian. The strongest and
longest lived animals are all vegetarians. You may
think that the lion is "king of the jungle," but lions
get out of the way of passing vegetarian rhinos and
elephants. Vegetarian tortoises live up to 150 years.
To read the full article: http://www.doctoryourself.com/eatright.html
Showing posts with label solution: healthy diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solution: healthy diet. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
South Beach Diet
South Beach Diet
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/south-beach-diet/MY00499/METHOD=print
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/south-beach-diet/MY00499
Definition
The South Beach Diet is a popular weight-loss diet created in 2003 by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and outlined in his best-selling book, "The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss." The South Beach Diet is a commercial weight-loss diet, not a medical diet prescribed by your doctor.
The South Beach Diet, which is named after a glamorous area of Miami, claims that it is neither a low-carbohydrate diet nor a low-fat diet, and it doesn't require carb counting. The South Beach Diet, however, is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and healthy fats than is a typical eating plan. Most low-carb diets are those that limit your carbs to no more than 20 percent of your daily calorie intake. On the South Beach Diet, you can get as much as 28 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Because of this, the South Beach Diet is sometimes called a modified low-carbohydrate diet.
To read the full article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/south-beach-diet/MY00499
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/south-beach-diet/MY00499/METHOD=print
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/south-beach-diet/MY00499
Definition
The South Beach Diet is a popular weight-loss diet created in 2003 by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and outlined in his best-selling book, "The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss." The South Beach Diet is a commercial weight-loss diet, not a medical diet prescribed by your doctor.
The South Beach Diet, which is named after a glamorous area of Miami, claims that it is neither a low-carbohydrate diet nor a low-fat diet, and it doesn't require carb counting. The South Beach Diet, however, is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and healthy fats than is a typical eating plan. Most low-carb diets are those that limit your carbs to no more than 20 percent of your daily calorie intake. On the South Beach Diet, you can get as much as 28 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Because of this, the South Beach Diet is sometimes called a modified low-carbohydrate diet.
To read the full article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/south-beach-diet/MY00499
Friday, March 13, 2009
Vegan Before Dinnertime - re. Mark Bittman's new book, FOOD MATTERS
Vegan Before Dinnertime
by Suzy Allman
The New York Times
February 27, 2009
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/vegan-before-dinnertime/
Many people struggle to improve their eating habits. The Times food writer Mark Bittman, appearing this week on WNYC radio, told listeners about an unusual strategy that has worked for him.
All day long, he eats a vegan diet. But after about 6 p.m., anything goes.
In his newest book, “Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating With More Than 75 Recipes,” Mark explains how increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and reducing dependence on processed foods will lead to better health not only for your body, but also for the planet. He explained his “vegan before dinnertime” strategy recently on the Leonard Lopate show:
My arrangement with myself is that from the time I wake up until dinner I eat only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. I don’t even eat white bread during the day. And then starting at dinner, I do. I have one meal a day when I do pretty much what I want, which is normally quite indulgent.
Mark made the changes after developing high cholesterol, borderline high blood sugar, bad knees and sleep apnea, and realizing he was about 35 pounds overweight. A doctor suggested he adopt a vegan diet, which means no animal products. But for a food writer, Mark said, becoming a full-time vegan was both unrealistic and undesirable. Instead, he came up with a compromise:
I decided to do this sort of “vegan till 6” plan. I didn’t have huge thoughts or plans about it. I just thought it was worth a try. Within three or four months, I lost 35 pounds, my blood sugar was normal, cholesterol levels were again normal … and my sleep apnea indeed went away. All these good things happened, and it wasn’t as if I was suffering so I stayed with it…. I have not eliminated anything completely from my diet. I haven’t had a Coke in a while, but I didn’t drink that much Coke to begin with.
Mark says he’s not trying to promote a particular diet, but does want people to realize that a simple evaluation of your diet can lead to meaningful changes.
I want to make things as simple as possible. This is consistent with everything I’ve ever done. I’m the guy who says, “Don’t sweat it.” I’m trying to once again say, “Let’s figure out how to do this cleanly and easily.” I would just encourage everyone to examine the portion in their own diet between processed foods and animal food and junk food on the one hand and plants on the other. To the extent the first group is much heavier than the second group, I say make some adaptations to change that.
by Suzy Allman
The New York Times
February 27, 2009
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/vegan-before-dinnertime/
Many people struggle to improve their eating habits. The Times food writer Mark Bittman, appearing this week on WNYC radio, told listeners about an unusual strategy that has worked for him.
All day long, he eats a vegan diet. But after about 6 p.m., anything goes.
In his newest book, “Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating With More Than 75 Recipes,” Mark explains how increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and reducing dependence on processed foods will lead to better health not only for your body, but also for the planet. He explained his “vegan before dinnertime” strategy recently on the Leonard Lopate show:
My arrangement with myself is that from the time I wake up until dinner I eat only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. I don’t even eat white bread during the day. And then starting at dinner, I do. I have one meal a day when I do pretty much what I want, which is normally quite indulgent.
Mark made the changes after developing high cholesterol, borderline high blood sugar, bad knees and sleep apnea, and realizing he was about 35 pounds overweight. A doctor suggested he adopt a vegan diet, which means no animal products. But for a food writer, Mark said, becoming a full-time vegan was both unrealistic and undesirable. Instead, he came up with a compromise:
I decided to do this sort of “vegan till 6” plan. I didn’t have huge thoughts or plans about it. I just thought it was worth a try. Within three or four months, I lost 35 pounds, my blood sugar was normal, cholesterol levels were again normal … and my sleep apnea indeed went away. All these good things happened, and it wasn’t as if I was suffering so I stayed with it…. I have not eliminated anything completely from my diet. I haven’t had a Coke in a while, but I didn’t drink that much Coke to begin with.
Mark says he’s not trying to promote a particular diet, but does want people to realize that a simple evaluation of your diet can lead to meaningful changes.
I want to make things as simple as possible. This is consistent with everything I’ve ever done. I’m the guy who says, “Don’t sweat it.” I’m trying to once again say, “Let’s figure out how to do this cleanly and easily.” I would just encourage everyone to examine the portion in their own diet between processed foods and animal food and junk food on the one hand and plants on the other. To the extent the first group is much heavier than the second group, I say make some adaptations to change that.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
How to Slash World Cancer Rates By 90 Percent: Healthy Foods, Exercise and Vitamin D
How to Slash World Cancer Rates By 90 Percent: Healthy Foods, Exercise and Vitamin D
http://www.NaturalNews.com/025730.html
by Mike Adams
(NaturalNews) Although you won't hear this from the cancer industry or the drug companies that profit from cancer, there's an easy, low-cost and remarkably safe way to slash cancer rates around the world by about one-third, says the World Cancer Research Fund: Promote healthy foods and exercise! (http://www.wcrf-uk.org)
According to research just released by the WCRF, simple changes in diet and exercise can prevent nearly 40 percent of breast and pancreatic cancers, 36 percent of lung cancers, over 60 percent of mouth cancers, a quarter of kidney cancers and 45 percent of bowel cancers.
Remarkably, these results were achieved without any mention of vitamin D! By adding vitamin D to the mix, which by itself has been demonstrated to prevent an astonishing 77 percent of all cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html), cancer prevention rates approaching 90 percent overall can be easily achieved.
This report also did not mention eliminating dangerous cancer-causing chemicals from the diet, such as sodium nitrite found in processed meats (hot dogs, sausage, bacon, etc.) and artificial chemical sweeteners. It also did not take into account the health benefits of avoiding cancer-causing chemicals in personal care products such as shampoo, antibacterial soap, common fragrance products, hand lotions and so on (choose 100% natural, USDA-certified organic versions of these products to avoid the toxic chemicals).
Avoiding mammograms, which harm ten women for every one that it helps (http://www.naturalnews.com/020829.html), also greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. A much safer alternative is to use breast thermograms, which offer far more accurate detection without the dangerous radiation.
If you take all lifestyle changes into account, achieving a 90 percent reduction in overall cancer rates is quite readily achievable.
Low cancer rates means low profits for the cancer industry
This is terrible news for the cancer industry, which preys on cancer patients and exploits them for profit. As of today, the cancer industry still refuses to teach women about vitamin D. This includes all the pink ribbon cancer non-profit groups, by the way, who simultaneously claim to be searching for "the cure" even while insisting there is no such thing as a cure. Prevention of cancer isn't even on their radar. After all, if 9 out of 10 women never even got breast cancer, these groups would lose their power (and their jobs).
The success of the cancer industry depends entirely on the population remaining ignorant about cancer prevention strategies that are cheap, safe and remarkably effective.
Mammogram and chemotherapy pushers want women to believe cancer is inevitable -- a genetic defect they have no control over. What they refuse to admit (publicly, at least) is that the expression of so-called "cancer genes" is almost entirely controlled by lifestyle choices. Thus, even a woman whose mother and grandmother had breast cancer can reduce her risk of breast cancer to near zero by simply changing her lifestyle choices, starting with dietary choices and healthy sunlight exposure (for vitamin D).
http://www.NaturalNews.com/025730.html
by Mike Adams
(NaturalNews) Although you won't hear this from the cancer industry or the drug companies that profit from cancer, there's an easy, low-cost and remarkably safe way to slash cancer rates around the world by about one-third, says the World Cancer Research Fund: Promote healthy foods and exercise! (http://www.wcrf-uk.org)
According to research just released by the WCRF, simple changes in diet and exercise can prevent nearly 40 percent of breast and pancreatic cancers, 36 percent of lung cancers, over 60 percent of mouth cancers, a quarter of kidney cancers and 45 percent of bowel cancers.
Remarkably, these results were achieved without any mention of vitamin D! By adding vitamin D to the mix, which by itself has been demonstrated to prevent an astonishing 77 percent of all cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html), cancer prevention rates approaching 90 percent overall can be easily achieved.
This report also did not mention eliminating dangerous cancer-causing chemicals from the diet, such as sodium nitrite found in processed meats (hot dogs, sausage, bacon, etc.) and artificial chemical sweeteners. It also did not take into account the health benefits of avoiding cancer-causing chemicals in personal care products such as shampoo, antibacterial soap, common fragrance products, hand lotions and so on (choose 100% natural, USDA-certified organic versions of these products to avoid the toxic chemicals).
Avoiding mammograms, which harm ten women for every one that it helps (http://www.naturalnews.com/020829.html), also greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. A much safer alternative is to use breast thermograms, which offer far more accurate detection without the dangerous radiation.
If you take all lifestyle changes into account, achieving a 90 percent reduction in overall cancer rates is quite readily achievable.
Low cancer rates means low profits for the cancer industry
This is terrible news for the cancer industry, which preys on cancer patients and exploits them for profit. As of today, the cancer industry still refuses to teach women about vitamin D. This includes all the pink ribbon cancer non-profit groups, by the way, who simultaneously claim to be searching for "the cure" even while insisting there is no such thing as a cure. Prevention of cancer isn't even on their radar. After all, if 9 out of 10 women never even got breast cancer, these groups would lose their power (and their jobs).
The success of the cancer industry depends entirely on the population remaining ignorant about cancer prevention strategies that are cheap, safe and remarkably effective.
Mammogram and chemotherapy pushers want women to believe cancer is inevitable -- a genetic defect they have no control over. What they refuse to admit (publicly, at least) is that the expression of so-called "cancer genes" is almost entirely controlled by lifestyle choices. Thus, even a woman whose mother and grandmother had breast cancer can reduce her risk of breast cancer to near zero by simply changing her lifestyle choices, starting with dietary choices and healthy sunlight exposure (for vitamin D).
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Look and Feel Younger By Avoiding the Top Contributors to Aging
Look and Feel Younger by Avoiding the Top Contributors to Aging
By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Sarah Potts
http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/17/feel_younger.htm
In a general sense, premature aging means that outwardly the way you
appear is older than it should be for your age, and inwardly the way you
feel and the way your brain, bones and the rest of your body functions is
below par to what it should be for your age. Your appearance is
inextricably linked to your “inside” health, of course, as is how long and
how well you live. Therefore, taking the necessary steps to avoid
premature aging is a crucial goal.
While multiple factors can contribute to premature aging, none are so
prevalent in the United States, Canada, Australia, and most of Europe than
the over-consumption of grains and sugars. As detailed below, not only
will avoiding this form of carbs and instead eating the right foods
prevent premature aging but also no matter what your condition today, it
will also actually help you look and feel younger than you currently do.
Insulin Levels
It is vital to understand what insulin actually is. Insulin is something
all humans have, as without it we would go into hyperglycemic coma and
die, but nearly all of us have insulin levels that are too high.
The pancreas releases insulin--produced by beta cells--after you eat
carbohydrates. This causes a rise in blood sugar. Insulin ensures your
cells receive some blood sugar necessary for life, and increases glycogen
storage. However, it also drives your body to use more carbohydrate, and
less fat, as fuel. And, insulin converts almost half of your dietary
carbohydrate to fat for storage. In other words, when we eat too much
carbohydrate, we're essentially sending a hormonal message, via insulin,
to the body (actually, to the adipose cells). The message: "Store fat."
Not only do increased insulin levels tell the body to store carbohydrates
as fat, they also tell it not to release any stored fat. This makes it
impossible for you to use your own stored body fat for energy. So the
excess carbohydrates in your diet not only make you fat, they make sure
you stay fat.
High levels of insulin can cause major damage to your body. The most
recognized of these is diabetes. In addition, hypertension, obesity, high
levels of cholesterol and other lipids, heart disease, kidney disease,
female infertility and neurodegeration are all causes of eating too many
carbohydrates, resulting in high insulin levels.
If you want to use more fats for energy, the insulin response must be
moderated. Diets high in refined sugars release more insulin thereby
allowing less stored fat to be burned.
The #1 Way to Avoid Premature Aging: Avoid Sugars and Grains
If you look and/or feel older than you should, whether the symptoms are
showing themselves in your skin, face, bones, energy, or mind, chances are
that the excess sugars and grains in your diet are the primary culprit. We
all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, of course, but we need the
good carbohydrates that foods like vegetables provide.
In other words, the popular Atkins diet got it partly right--people are
consuming too many carbs, but more particularly, they’re consuming too
many of the carbs found in grains and sugars while most are not consuming
enough of the healthy carbs found in vegetables.
Through the Western addiction to grains, sweets, soft drinks, and
high-starch foods like potatoes, the modern diet virtually guarantees that
not only will a majority of the population become overweight, but they
will also look and feel much older than they should. That’s because any
meal or snack high in the carbohydrates found in grains and sugars
generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rise, the
pancreas secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers
the glucose.
Unfortunately, the body is not designed to accommodate these unnaturally
high levels of insulin spiked by grains and sugars. So not only does this
excess insulin store calories from the carbs in the form of fat (which is
why so many are overweight and obese these days), but the excess insulin
also suppresses essential hormones and the immune system--all absolutely
essential for avoiding premature aging.
Meanwhile, in addition to avoiding grains and sugars to avoid premature
aging, what you should be eating instead also has everything to do with
it. If you really want to look and feel younger, live longer and prevent
disease, and optimize your weight while you are at it, the key to remember
is this:
Eating the right forms of foods--the right forms of carbohydrates,
proteins and fats--is absolutely essential.
Eating the right proportion of these carbohydrates, proteins and fats for
your specific body biochemistry, or “metabolic type,” is also absolutely
essential.
Eat the Right Forms of Foods to Look and Feel Younger
There are healthy forms of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that make all
the difference in the world to whether you will age prematurely or look
and feel as young as you are supposed to (and prevent disease and live
longer). You should not “reduce all carbs” in your diet, as some popular
diets suggest, but instead reduce or completely eliminate the bad carbs
like grains and sugars and instead eat the healthy carbs like
vegetables--particularly vegetables that grow above ground (most root
vegetables are high in starch and would best be limited).
Similarly, you should focus on eating healthy fats and proteins, like
those found in naturally raised meats, toxin-free fish, and healthy oils
like coconut oil.
To delve into all the carbs, fats and proteins you should avoid and those
you should be consuming takes an entire book--and I have written that
book, which I encourage you to consider if you really want to avoid
premature aging--but on the topic of avoiding premature aging by eating
the right foods, here are a few links you can explore right now:
Reduce Grains and Sugars to Improve Health
Increase Intake of Omega-3 Fats to Prevent Disease
Six Foods that Will Give You the Most Health Bang for Your Buck
What Does Europe’s Ban of Most U.S. Meats Mean to You?
Why Do You Need Organic Food?
Trans-fat: What is It, and Why is It So Dangerous?
Eat Clean Poultry If you can’t find it locally we have Free-Range
Certified 100% Organic Chicken: An Exceptionally Clean, Healthy and
Delicious Source of Protein
Eat the Right Proportion of Carbs, Proteins and Fats for Your Metabolic
Type
Just as important as eating the right forms of carbs, proteins and fats
are eating the right proportion of them for your particular body
biochemistry. For some this may be a new concept, but there is a reason
most people fail on those one-size-fits-all diets: just as on the outside
you are unique, on the inside you are unique as well. In other words, your
body biochemistry, or metabolism, is distinct, and therefore you have
distinct nutritional needs.
One of the most important steps you should take right now if you want to
avoid premature aging (and optimize your weight and increase your energy)
is to learn your metabolic type, and then start eating the right
proportion of healthy carbs, proteins and fats for your type.
My book presenting my entire dietary program is a must-have resource if
you do not know your metabolic type or the proportions of nutrients you
should be consuming to ensure you look and feel younger. It provides a
test and the means to help you determine your type, and a full
understanding of how to find the proportions of foods that are ideal for
you.
Beyond proportions, there are certain healthy foods that are ideal for one
metabolic type that are not as ideal for other types. For instance, if you
are a “Protein Type,” there are six types of vegetables that you should
definitely be eating to help you avoid premature aging, optimize weight
and live longer.
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/20/feel_younger.htm
Listed below are several other contributors to premature aging that you
should be aware of.
Cigarettes
Whether you smoke yourself or are around people who do, cigarette smoke
exposes you to damaging free radicals that will accelerate the aging
process by damaging the microcapillaries in the skin. This limits the
skin’s ability to absorb nutrients, which accelerates wrinkling and aging.
Antioxidants, such as those found in fresh vegetables and fruit like
organic blueberries, can help to fight free-radical damage and will
naturally promote healthy, young-looking skin. A diet with plenty of
vegetables will also provide plenty of micronutrients and antioxidants.
Lack of Sleep
Regularly catching only a few hours of sleep can hinder metabolism and
hormone production in a way that is similar to the effects of aging.
I think most of us do not fully appreciate the value of a full night’s
sleep. Getting seven hours is an absolute minimum for most all of us, and
most of us would benefit from closer to nine hours. In the winter months
try and be in bed by 9 p.m., other months, 10 p.m. would be ideal. Read
“Sleep Well to Live Well” for all of my recommendations on how to sleep
for your health.
Distilled Water
Many health conscious people are often surprised to hear me state that
distilled water on a routine basis may actually damage your health. While
the issue of distilled water is somewhat controversial in natural medicine
circles, I believe distilled water is an active absorber and when it comes
into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic. The
more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes.
More importantly the water loses its healthy structure. If you do a search
on Google you will find the many health benefits of properly structured
water. This maybe is the single largest reason why distilled water is not
a wise choice.
The most toxic commercial beverages that people consume (i.e. cola
beverages and other soft drinks) are made from distilled water. Studies
have consistently shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks (with or
without sugar) lose huge amounts of calcium, magnesium and other necessary
trace minerals into their urine.
Additionally, distilled water will tend to leach healthy minerals from
your body, which is very difficult to compensate for in the long run, even
with mineral supplements. The more mineral loss the greater the risk for
osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, coronary artery disease,
high blood pressure and a long list of degenerative diseases generally
associated with premature aging. Read, “Drink More Spring or Filtered
Water to Improve Every Facet of Your Health” for details on drinking
clean, healthy water.
The Sun
Exposing your skin to intense sunlight (UV-A rays) for an extended period
of time may result in sunburn, wrinkling and premature aging. Sunburned
skin is more susceptible to damage and may age more quickly. Also please
read my article, “Sunscreen is a toxic chemical” to learn about the
dangers of sunscreen use.
Remember that sunlight is not something to be avoided. You need sunlight
in order for the body produce vitamin D. The key is to gradually build up
your resistance to the sun by going out slowly in the beginning of the
season, perhaps 10 minutes at a time to start, and always avoid getting
burned.
Certain Diets
A recurrent cycle of gaining and losing weight will cause your skin to
stretch and become less elastic. As you age, this loose skin will be more
prone to sagging and wrinkles simply by the force of gravity. If you need
to lose weight, my book is designed to help you keep the weight off for
good.
Omega-3
The main sources of omega-6 fats are vegetable oils such as corn and soy
oil that contain a high proportion of linoleic acid. Please read my
article “The Great Con-ola” to learn more about the dangers of these oils.
It has become clear that an excess of omega-6 fatty acids can have dire
consequences, and most people are consuming far too much omega-6 while
consuming not nearly enough omega-3.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to healthy skin. Making sure you get
enough omega-3 in your diet, by taking high-quality fish oil or cod liver
oil regularly, will help to keep your skin looking young and healthy.
Dry Skin
Finally, using virgin coconut oil as you would any lotion is an ideal way
to rejuvenate skin. Not only does it prevent the formation of damaging
free radicals and protect against them, but also it can help to keep the
skin from developing liver spots and other blemishes caused by aging and
overexposure to sunlight.
By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Sarah Potts
http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/17/feel_younger.htm
In a general sense, premature aging means that outwardly the way you
appear is older than it should be for your age, and inwardly the way you
feel and the way your brain, bones and the rest of your body functions is
below par to what it should be for your age. Your appearance is
inextricably linked to your “inside” health, of course, as is how long and
how well you live. Therefore, taking the necessary steps to avoid
premature aging is a crucial goal.
While multiple factors can contribute to premature aging, none are so
prevalent in the United States, Canada, Australia, and most of Europe than
the over-consumption of grains and sugars. As detailed below, not only
will avoiding this form of carbs and instead eating the right foods
prevent premature aging but also no matter what your condition today, it
will also actually help you look and feel younger than you currently do.
Insulin Levels
It is vital to understand what insulin actually is. Insulin is something
all humans have, as without it we would go into hyperglycemic coma and
die, but nearly all of us have insulin levels that are too high.
The pancreas releases insulin--produced by beta cells--after you eat
carbohydrates. This causes a rise in blood sugar. Insulin ensures your
cells receive some blood sugar necessary for life, and increases glycogen
storage. However, it also drives your body to use more carbohydrate, and
less fat, as fuel. And, insulin converts almost half of your dietary
carbohydrate to fat for storage. In other words, when we eat too much
carbohydrate, we're essentially sending a hormonal message, via insulin,
to the body (actually, to the adipose cells). The message: "Store fat."
Not only do increased insulin levels tell the body to store carbohydrates
as fat, they also tell it not to release any stored fat. This makes it
impossible for you to use your own stored body fat for energy. So the
excess carbohydrates in your diet not only make you fat, they make sure
you stay fat.
High levels of insulin can cause major damage to your body. The most
recognized of these is diabetes. In addition, hypertension, obesity, high
levels of cholesterol and other lipids, heart disease, kidney disease,
female infertility and neurodegeration are all causes of eating too many
carbohydrates, resulting in high insulin levels.
If you want to use more fats for energy, the insulin response must be
moderated. Diets high in refined sugars release more insulin thereby
allowing less stored fat to be burned.
The #1 Way to Avoid Premature Aging: Avoid Sugars and Grains
If you look and/or feel older than you should, whether the symptoms are
showing themselves in your skin, face, bones, energy, or mind, chances are
that the excess sugars and grains in your diet are the primary culprit. We
all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, of course, but we need the
good carbohydrates that foods like vegetables provide.
In other words, the popular Atkins diet got it partly right--people are
consuming too many carbs, but more particularly, they’re consuming too
many of the carbs found in grains and sugars while most are not consuming
enough of the healthy carbs found in vegetables.
Through the Western addiction to grains, sweets, soft drinks, and
high-starch foods like potatoes, the modern diet virtually guarantees that
not only will a majority of the population become overweight, but they
will also look and feel much older than they should. That’s because any
meal or snack high in the carbohydrates found in grains and sugars
generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rise, the
pancreas secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers
the glucose.
Unfortunately, the body is not designed to accommodate these unnaturally
high levels of insulin spiked by grains and sugars. So not only does this
excess insulin store calories from the carbs in the form of fat (which is
why so many are overweight and obese these days), but the excess insulin
also suppresses essential hormones and the immune system--all absolutely
essential for avoiding premature aging.
Meanwhile, in addition to avoiding grains and sugars to avoid premature
aging, what you should be eating instead also has everything to do with
it. If you really want to look and feel younger, live longer and prevent
disease, and optimize your weight while you are at it, the key to remember
is this:
Eating the right forms of foods--the right forms of carbohydrates,
proteins and fats--is absolutely essential.
Eating the right proportion of these carbohydrates, proteins and fats for
your specific body biochemistry, or “metabolic type,” is also absolutely
essential.
Eat the Right Forms of Foods to Look and Feel Younger
There are healthy forms of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that make all
the difference in the world to whether you will age prematurely or look
and feel as young as you are supposed to (and prevent disease and live
longer). You should not “reduce all carbs” in your diet, as some popular
diets suggest, but instead reduce or completely eliminate the bad carbs
like grains and sugars and instead eat the healthy carbs like
vegetables--particularly vegetables that grow above ground (most root
vegetables are high in starch and would best be limited).
Similarly, you should focus on eating healthy fats and proteins, like
those found in naturally raised meats, toxin-free fish, and healthy oils
like coconut oil.
To delve into all the carbs, fats and proteins you should avoid and those
you should be consuming takes an entire book--and I have written that
book, which I encourage you to consider if you really want to avoid
premature aging--but on the topic of avoiding premature aging by eating
the right foods, here are a few links you can explore right now:
Reduce Grains and Sugars to Improve Health
Increase Intake of Omega-3 Fats to Prevent Disease
Six Foods that Will Give You the Most Health Bang for Your Buck
What Does Europe’s Ban of Most U.S. Meats Mean to You?
Why Do You Need Organic Food?
Trans-fat: What is It, and Why is It So Dangerous?
Eat Clean Poultry If you can’t find it locally we have Free-Range
Certified 100% Organic Chicken: An Exceptionally Clean, Healthy and
Delicious Source of Protein
Eat the Right Proportion of Carbs, Proteins and Fats for Your Metabolic
Type
Just as important as eating the right forms of carbs, proteins and fats
are eating the right proportion of them for your particular body
biochemistry. For some this may be a new concept, but there is a reason
most people fail on those one-size-fits-all diets: just as on the outside
you are unique, on the inside you are unique as well. In other words, your
body biochemistry, or metabolism, is distinct, and therefore you have
distinct nutritional needs.
One of the most important steps you should take right now if you want to
avoid premature aging (and optimize your weight and increase your energy)
is to learn your metabolic type, and then start eating the right
proportion of healthy carbs, proteins and fats for your type.
My book presenting my entire dietary program is a must-have resource if
you do not know your metabolic type or the proportions of nutrients you
should be consuming to ensure you look and feel younger. It provides a
test and the means to help you determine your type, and a full
understanding of how to find the proportions of foods that are ideal for
you.
Beyond proportions, there are certain healthy foods that are ideal for one
metabolic type that are not as ideal for other types. For instance, if you
are a “Protein Type,” there are six types of vegetables that you should
definitely be eating to help you avoid premature aging, optimize weight
and live longer.
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/20/feel_younger.htm
Listed below are several other contributors to premature aging that you
should be aware of.
Cigarettes
Whether you smoke yourself or are around people who do, cigarette smoke
exposes you to damaging free radicals that will accelerate the aging
process by damaging the microcapillaries in the skin. This limits the
skin’s ability to absorb nutrients, which accelerates wrinkling and aging.
Antioxidants, such as those found in fresh vegetables and fruit like
organic blueberries, can help to fight free-radical damage and will
naturally promote healthy, young-looking skin. A diet with plenty of
vegetables will also provide plenty of micronutrients and antioxidants.
Lack of Sleep
Regularly catching only a few hours of sleep can hinder metabolism and
hormone production in a way that is similar to the effects of aging.
I think most of us do not fully appreciate the value of a full night’s
sleep. Getting seven hours is an absolute minimum for most all of us, and
most of us would benefit from closer to nine hours. In the winter months
try and be in bed by 9 p.m., other months, 10 p.m. would be ideal. Read
“Sleep Well to Live Well” for all of my recommendations on how to sleep
for your health.
Distilled Water
Many health conscious people are often surprised to hear me state that
distilled water on a routine basis may actually damage your health. While
the issue of distilled water is somewhat controversial in natural medicine
circles, I believe distilled water is an active absorber and when it comes
into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic. The
more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes.
More importantly the water loses its healthy structure. If you do a search
on Google you will find the many health benefits of properly structured
water. This maybe is the single largest reason why distilled water is not
a wise choice.
The most toxic commercial beverages that people consume (i.e. cola
beverages and other soft drinks) are made from distilled water. Studies
have consistently shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks (with or
without sugar) lose huge amounts of calcium, magnesium and other necessary
trace minerals into their urine.
Additionally, distilled water will tend to leach healthy minerals from
your body, which is very difficult to compensate for in the long run, even
with mineral supplements. The more mineral loss the greater the risk for
osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, coronary artery disease,
high blood pressure and a long list of degenerative diseases generally
associated with premature aging. Read, “Drink More Spring or Filtered
Water to Improve Every Facet of Your Health” for details on drinking
clean, healthy water.
The Sun
Exposing your skin to intense sunlight (UV-A rays) for an extended period
of time may result in sunburn, wrinkling and premature aging. Sunburned
skin is more susceptible to damage and may age more quickly. Also please
read my article, “Sunscreen is a toxic chemical” to learn about the
dangers of sunscreen use.
Remember that sunlight is not something to be avoided. You need sunlight
in order for the body produce vitamin D. The key is to gradually build up
your resistance to the sun by going out slowly in the beginning of the
season, perhaps 10 minutes at a time to start, and always avoid getting
burned.
Certain Diets
A recurrent cycle of gaining and losing weight will cause your skin to
stretch and become less elastic. As you age, this loose skin will be more
prone to sagging and wrinkles simply by the force of gravity. If you need
to lose weight, my book is designed to help you keep the weight off for
good.
Omega-3
The main sources of omega-6 fats are vegetable oils such as corn and soy
oil that contain a high proportion of linoleic acid. Please read my
article “The Great Con-ola” to learn more about the dangers of these oils.
It has become clear that an excess of omega-6 fatty acids can have dire
consequences, and most people are consuming far too much omega-6 while
consuming not nearly enough omega-3.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to healthy skin. Making sure you get
enough omega-3 in your diet, by taking high-quality fish oil or cod liver
oil regularly, will help to keep your skin looking young and healthy.
Dry Skin
Finally, using virgin coconut oil as you would any lotion is an ideal way
to rejuvenate skin. Not only does it prevent the formation of damaging
free radicals and protect against them, but also it can help to keep the
skin from developing liver spots and other blemishes caused by aging and
overexposure to sunlight.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Fruits are Loaded with Nutrients
Fruits are Loaded with Nutrients
by Dr. Phil Domenico
Source: Natural News -
Fruits are Loaded with Nutrients
(NaturalNews) It's hard to beat fruits. They provide an abundance of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, essential oils, antioxidants, fiber, and anti-inflammatory substances. Many are alkaline-forming, so they help counteract the strongly acidic Western diet that eats away at our bones. High levels of potassium in fruit balance high salt diets to help prevent high blood pressure. They also help manage blood sugar, regulate bowel function, and strengthen blood vessels, bones, nails, teeth, skin and hair. Humans could not survive long without healthy fruit.
Antioxidant content may be the most compelling reason for loading up on these wonderful foods. Oxidative stress from eating, illness or injury, produces excess free radicals that damage cells and tissues. Skipping antioxidants, over time, may ultimately lead to heart disease, cancer, allergies, and other inflammatory diseases. However, not all fruits are created equal. Fruits like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, grapefruit and fresh cranberry have the best antioxidant content, followed by apples, peaches, pears, plums, oranges and dates. The exotic juices of pomegranate, mangosteen, ac�i and goji berry are also unbeatable for antioxidant protection. Whole fruit is best, but juices are acceptable, especially if not concentrated and no sugar is added. Unfortunately, people are attracted to the super sweet juices and fruits like bananas, grapes and orange juice. Yet, even these are superior to most of the sweetened junk that we feed our kids.
Choosing organic fruit is another important consideration, especially for children, who are more susceptible to the dangers of pesticides and other toxins. Organic fruit has also been shown to contain more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than conventional fruits. It may cost more, but the cost to health from eating inferior fruit is much greater.
Fruits are best eaten on an empty stomach. Indigestion is on the rise in the U.S., and one reason is from eating fruits with other foods. Fruits pass quickly though the stomach and are rapidly digested in the intestines. If fruit is eaten with other foods, it is kept waiting in the stomach, where it may ferment and produce gases and harmful compounds. Digestive processes are also disrupted and the fruit's nutritive value is compromised. Therefore, it is best to eat fruit as a snack in between meals, especially about 30 minutes before a meal to get the best antioxidant boost. Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service, investigating the effects of antioxidants on after-meal oxidative stress, found that grapes, kiwi and wild blueberries were high performers when it came to raising blood levels of important antioxidants. As a general rule, fruit should not be eaten at the end of a meal. However, most people do not have digestive problems with berries after eating. So, if you insist on dessert after a meal, go with berries.
Our early ancestors would not recognize the fruits available in today's supermarkets. Scientists in the last century have selectively bred fruits to have a long shelf life, few seeds, less fiber and a powerfully sweet taste. Wild fruits are typically less sweet, and much richer in micronutrients than cultivated fruits, particularly in minerals (e.g., copper, iron, calcium) and the vitamins C, E, K, beta-carotene and folic acid. The vitamin C intake of our fruit-eating ape cousins is estimated to be 2-6 grams, compared about 60 mg for humans (one hundred times less!). Wild fruits are also much richer in the millions of "background" nutrients essential to good human health, such as bioflavonoids, terpenes, phenols, carotenes, and many more. For much more information regarding the good foods our ancestors ate, pick up the book "Deadly Harvest" by Dr. Geoff Bond.
The biggest problem with modern fruits has as much to do with what is present in them as what is absent. Starchy and processed fruits are loaded with sugar. Fruits rich in sugar can aggravate pre-existing ailments, such as diabetes, allergies, cancer, and other inflammatory conditions. Dried fruits are nearly as bad, since the sugar is concentrated, and the drying process destroys many of the micronutrients. Frozen fruit retains much of its antioxidant content, but canned fruit should be (garbage) canned.
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can also be obtained through dietary supplements. Obviously, fruits and vegetables provide a greater wealth of nutrients than do supplements, but getting these nutrients in the diet somehow is the most important consideration. Even gummy bear antioxidants are better for kids than no fruit at all. Plus, antioxidant supplements can provide higher quantities of vitamins C, E, zinc, selenium, vitamin A and many plant flavonoids than fruits and vegetables. The content of these nutrients in fruits varies from farm to farm and year to year. And, with the deterioration of our soil, less and less of these nutrients are found in food. Fortunately, many essential antioxidants can be found in a high quality multivitamin, which every man, woman and child should be taking daily.
If you're not interested in the chemistry of all the wonderful things found in fruits and vegetables, just shop for color. The colorful pigments in blueberries, raspberries oranges, pomegranate, purple tomatoes, etc., are chemicals that protect them from the sun. These pigments are antioxidant rich and protect people in the same way they do plants.
So, if you have a little boy or girl at home with a diarrhea problem, or an inflamed bun, the last thing you want to do is stop all fruits (as an ignorant physician recently recommended to a friend). Certainly stop the sugary juices, but not the whole fruit, especially organic, non-starchy varieties. Switch to water, perhaps with a little pomegranate juice for flavor and antioxidant punch. Make your own fresh fruit sauces or smoothies, or find a good organic brand of baby food that contains these antioxidants. Good food means good health. So, when it comes to food, we must take health into our own hands.
Reference: Bond G. Deadly Harvest. 2007. Square One Publishers, Garden City Park, NY.
by Dr. Phil Domenico
Source: Natural News -
Fruits are Loaded with Nutrients
(NaturalNews) It's hard to beat fruits. They provide an abundance of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, essential oils, antioxidants, fiber, and anti-inflammatory substances. Many are alkaline-forming, so they help counteract the strongly acidic Western diet that eats away at our bones. High levels of potassium in fruit balance high salt diets to help prevent high blood pressure. They also help manage blood sugar, regulate bowel function, and strengthen blood vessels, bones, nails, teeth, skin and hair. Humans could not survive long without healthy fruit.
Antioxidant content may be the most compelling reason for loading up on these wonderful foods. Oxidative stress from eating, illness or injury, produces excess free radicals that damage cells and tissues. Skipping antioxidants, over time, may ultimately lead to heart disease, cancer, allergies, and other inflammatory diseases. However, not all fruits are created equal. Fruits like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, grapefruit and fresh cranberry have the best antioxidant content, followed by apples, peaches, pears, plums, oranges and dates. The exotic juices of pomegranate, mangosteen, ac�i and goji berry are also unbeatable for antioxidant protection. Whole fruit is best, but juices are acceptable, especially if not concentrated and no sugar is added. Unfortunately, people are attracted to the super sweet juices and fruits like bananas, grapes and orange juice. Yet, even these are superior to most of the sweetened junk that we feed our kids.
Choosing organic fruit is another important consideration, especially for children, who are more susceptible to the dangers of pesticides and other toxins. Organic fruit has also been shown to contain more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than conventional fruits. It may cost more, but the cost to health from eating inferior fruit is much greater.
Fruits are best eaten on an empty stomach. Indigestion is on the rise in the U.S., and one reason is from eating fruits with other foods. Fruits pass quickly though the stomach and are rapidly digested in the intestines. If fruit is eaten with other foods, it is kept waiting in the stomach, where it may ferment and produce gases and harmful compounds. Digestive processes are also disrupted and the fruit's nutritive value is compromised. Therefore, it is best to eat fruit as a snack in between meals, especially about 30 minutes before a meal to get the best antioxidant boost. Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service, investigating the effects of antioxidants on after-meal oxidative stress, found that grapes, kiwi and wild blueberries were high performers when it came to raising blood levels of important antioxidants. As a general rule, fruit should not be eaten at the end of a meal. However, most people do not have digestive problems with berries after eating. So, if you insist on dessert after a meal, go with berries.
Our early ancestors would not recognize the fruits available in today's supermarkets. Scientists in the last century have selectively bred fruits to have a long shelf life, few seeds, less fiber and a powerfully sweet taste. Wild fruits are typically less sweet, and much richer in micronutrients than cultivated fruits, particularly in minerals (e.g., copper, iron, calcium) and the vitamins C, E, K, beta-carotene and folic acid. The vitamin C intake of our fruit-eating ape cousins is estimated to be 2-6 grams, compared about 60 mg for humans (one hundred times less!). Wild fruits are also much richer in the millions of "background" nutrients essential to good human health, such as bioflavonoids, terpenes, phenols, carotenes, and many more. For much more information regarding the good foods our ancestors ate, pick up the book "Deadly Harvest" by Dr. Geoff Bond.
The biggest problem with modern fruits has as much to do with what is present in them as what is absent. Starchy and processed fruits are loaded with sugar. Fruits rich in sugar can aggravate pre-existing ailments, such as diabetes, allergies, cancer, and other inflammatory conditions. Dried fruits are nearly as bad, since the sugar is concentrated, and the drying process destroys many of the micronutrients. Frozen fruit retains much of its antioxidant content, but canned fruit should be (garbage) canned.
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can also be obtained through dietary supplements. Obviously, fruits and vegetables provide a greater wealth of nutrients than do supplements, but getting these nutrients in the diet somehow is the most important consideration. Even gummy bear antioxidants are better for kids than no fruit at all. Plus, antioxidant supplements can provide higher quantities of vitamins C, E, zinc, selenium, vitamin A and many plant flavonoids than fruits and vegetables. The content of these nutrients in fruits varies from farm to farm and year to year. And, with the deterioration of our soil, less and less of these nutrients are found in food. Fortunately, many essential antioxidants can be found in a high quality multivitamin, which every man, woman and child should be taking daily.
If you're not interested in the chemistry of all the wonderful things found in fruits and vegetables, just shop for color. The colorful pigments in blueberries, raspberries oranges, pomegranate, purple tomatoes, etc., are chemicals that protect them from the sun. These pigments are antioxidant rich and protect people in the same way they do plants.
So, if you have a little boy or girl at home with a diarrhea problem, or an inflamed bun, the last thing you want to do is stop all fruits (as an ignorant physician recently recommended to a friend). Certainly stop the sugary juices, but not the whole fruit, especially organic, non-starchy varieties. Switch to water, perhaps with a little pomegranate juice for flavor and antioxidant punch. Make your own fresh fruit sauces or smoothies, or find a good organic brand of baby food that contains these antioxidants. Good food means good health. So, when it comes to food, we must take health into our own hands.
Reference: Bond G. Deadly Harvest. 2007. Square One Publishers, Garden City Park, NY.
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