Healthy Food Bytes: Kick Your Immune System Into Gear
The first thing you need to address is your diet. Make sure you are getting 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It’s not impossible. Read previous archived posts of this blog, I share plenty of ideas and recipes to help you achieve this goal.
Quick tips:
-Add salad to your lunch and or dinner
-Make more than one veggie at dinner time
-Snack on veggies or fruit (carrots, sugar snap peas, radishes, cucumbers, apple, pear, banana etc.) instead of pretzels, cookies, popcorn etc.
-Compliment your lunch with veggies or fruit instead of chips. Add veggies to your sandwich – tomato, lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper etc.
-Start Juicing (see archive on juicing) – get more veggies in this way
Get your 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is a vital time when your body has time to repair.
Drink plenty of water: 8 glasses a day. Bigger folks may need more. If you work out, you may also need more.
Follow my top rules for health listed at the bottom of my blog entry.
Wash your hands, wash your hands, and wash your hands….often. And keep your hands away from your face.
One of the most important things you can do when you have a cold is stay home and steam. I have a Clairol facial steamer w/ nasal attachment, I add Eucalyptus oil (antiviral/antibacterial) and get all the mucus free flowing to get it out. This is much better than nasal decongestants which make your heart race (really bad for kids) and doesn't really get the mucous out.
Supplement your diet with immune powerhouse herbs and vitamins. Take a full spectrum, high potency multiple-vitamin.
Here are some of my favorite supplements that keep my immune system strong (I only buy standardized supplements to ensure potency – in other words, don’t buy your supplements at Walmart or Target):
Buried Treasure Liquid Vitamins
Buried Treasure Acai Blend and Mangosteen Blend Super Fruit Liquid
Olive Leaf Extract
Grape Seed Extract
Extra Vitamin C 1,000 mg
Extra Vitamin D3 2,000 mg
Drinks:
Ginger Tea every day
Green Tea and White tea every day
If your immune system is compromised, at the first sign of a feeling sick, try the following:
Buried Treasure ACF – this is an amazing blend of nutrients that will jumpstart your immune system.
Added Grapeseed Extract and Olive Leaf Extract (3x-4x per day)
Kick Ass Immune by Wish Garden
Oreganol Oil P73
Pressed garlic cloves (2-3 per day with meals – mix with applesauce or mashed potatoes)
Ginger capsules or ginger tea works great for nausea.
Depending on the severity of your illness, you can take these herbs every two hours, three hours or four hours. I knocked out colds in 6 -8 hours.
My favorite place to buy supplements is www.vitacost.com
Yeah, I know, it’s a lot. But it works. And you’ll get used to the routine. I like to spread out my supplements throughout the day.
My entire family is living proof that it works. My mom use to get many colds and flu and several times got pneumonia. Her flu shot didn’t protect her much. Since her lifestyle change under my supervision, she rarely gets a cold - maybe once a year and it’s very mild. She’ll get over it in two days.
My kids have not been on antibiotics for almost five years. They have not had the flu during that time either. Before our lifestyle change, they got many colds and have had the flu.
My husband is on an airplane very often and has had great success staying healthy over the last several years as well. Need I say, before my plan, he was in the doctors office for antibiotics more than he wished to be. As for me, I am amazed at how this works so well.
It takes time for you body to start reaping the benefits of eating well, sleeping well, drinking well. So be patient and be consistent.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: Kick Your Immune System Into Gear
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Good Salt, Bad Salt
Healthy Food Bytes: Good Salt, Bad Salt
Salt used to be a healthful, whole food, but has been stripped and processed into junk food, much like refined sugar and refined flour. Because of its processing and overuse, it is detrimental to our health. Commercial table salt is refined and incomplete.
Salt is needed for good health. Yes, that’s right, you heard correctly. The body requires salt to function properly. It is needed for blood sugar regulation, bone density, and circulatory health. We lose salt during the day so it’s important we replenish it. Sea salt is the only way to go. Use high-quality, unrefined sea salt.
The high heat drying process in commercial salt destroys its beneficial substances. The heat also alters the salt to make sodium chloride which is not good for the body. It also contains additives, fluoride (toxic), anti-caking agents and excessive amounts of potassium iodide. These are all harmful to the body. Many include aluminum derivatives and are highly toxic and tint the salt so then bleaching is used to make it white again.
Naturally harvested, unrefined sea salt dried in the sun, contains minerals and electrolytes. These nutrients are vital for enzyme production which is needed to digest food and utilize nutrients from foods. And sea salt enhanced the immune system, adrenal and thyroid function. Table salt on the other hand causes imbalances of fluid in the body and causes constipation. Natural sea salt does the opposite; it allows the body to achieve water balance, therefore aids in reducing problems like muscle cramps, water retention and edema.
Packaged and processed foods are loaded with fake salt. So, be aware and read your labels. Also, this is not a ticket to eat as much natural sea salt as possible. Use your judgment and use in moderation.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: Good Salt, Bad Salt
Salt used to be a healthful, whole food, but has been stripped and processed into junk food, much like refined sugar and refined flour. Because of its processing and overuse, it is detrimental to our health. Commercial table salt is refined and incomplete.
Salt is needed for good health. Yes, that’s right, you heard correctly. The body requires salt to function properly. It is needed for blood sugar regulation, bone density, and circulatory health. We lose salt during the day so it’s important we replenish it. Sea salt is the only way to go. Use high-quality, unrefined sea salt.
The high heat drying process in commercial salt destroys its beneficial substances. The heat also alters the salt to make sodium chloride which is not good for the body. It also contains additives, fluoride (toxic), anti-caking agents and excessive amounts of potassium iodide. These are all harmful to the body. Many include aluminum derivatives and are highly toxic and tint the salt so then bleaching is used to make it white again.
Naturally harvested, unrefined sea salt dried in the sun, contains minerals and electrolytes. These nutrients are vital for enzyme production which is needed to digest food and utilize nutrients from foods. And sea salt enhanced the immune system, adrenal and thyroid function. Table salt on the other hand causes imbalances of fluid in the body and causes constipation. Natural sea salt does the opposite; it allows the body to achieve water balance, therefore aids in reducing problems like muscle cramps, water retention and edema.
Packaged and processed foods are loaded with fake salt. So, be aware and read your labels. Also, this is not a ticket to eat as much natural sea salt as possible. Use your judgment and use in moderation.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: Good Salt, Bad Salt
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Milk Does a Body Good or Bad?
Healthy Food Bytes: Milk does a body Good or Bad?
OK, I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell you how I feel about milk – however politically incorrect it is.
Good nutrition can help lower your risk greatly of all sorts of diseases.
However, I am not convinced that milk is the great source of nutrition that it claims to be.
We live in a country that spends a fortune on “sick care” and we are one of the sickest nations in the world. I gave up trusting the government on getting this nation healthy. I threw out their suggested food pyramids and RDA suggestions a long time ago. What are we doing wrong? Well, one of the things is when the government and powerful dairy industry tell people to drink a lot of milk for a healthy body. Is that not what all the stars are doing as they show off their milk mustaches?
One in four females in America has osteoporosis. That’s a huge problem. So, is milk the best source of calcium?
First of all, studies have shown that the calcium from dairy products that you buy from the grocery store is not usable by the human body. When a cow is milked, the milk contains organic usable calcium. But, when it goes through the process of Pasteurization - heated at 160 degrees - the calcium is destroyed – it is destroyed at 125 degrees. The heat process changes the usable calcium into non-absorbable inorganic calcium.
Then there is the homogenized process. This is even worse. When a product is homogenized, it makes it much harder for your body to process the protein in milk, then you have protein particles floating around in your blood stream – this causes havoc on your immune system as it goes into overdrive on a regular basis – putting you at higher risk of autoimmune diseases.
Is getting more calcium the answer to preventing osteoporosis?
There's controversy on this issue.
Studies show woman who drink more than 1 glass of milk per day had more 45% more hip fractures than woman that drink a lower amount. Also, cultures around the world that drink little milk, have lower incidence of osteoporosis.
On the other hand, Eskimos have the highest calcium intake in the world, and have the highest osteoporosis. They have a large animal protein intake and have the highest osteoporosis incidences.
Think about it this way: we are the only species on earth that drinks milk from another animal. Animals by nature do not drink milk from another species and do not drink milk for the rest of their lives.
It is very difficult for the enzymes of a child to break down the larger protein molecules of milk. Cow’s milk was designed for a baby calf that is 20x the size of a human child - cow’s milk was best suitedfor an animal that weighs ½ ton.
The body forms excess mucus to help break down the protein molecules in cow’s milk. And we know that excess mucous causes all sorts of health issues – a prime breeding ground for bacteria and Bronchitis, allergies, ear infections, and digestive problems. Also, many people have bloated intestines or an abdomen that pooches out and don’t even realize that milk may be the cause. A friend of mine went down a whole pant size once she gave up milk. Her abdomen area was no longer bloated, she no longer suffers from constipation and her migraines disappeared.
If you do drink milk, buy it as minimally processed as possible. Raw is best - but very hard to find. Avoid ultra-pasteurized or homogenized. It shouldn't’t have an expiration date two months later.
Also, buy organic - avoid added growth hormones and antibiotics. If you don’t think this translates into increased hormones and antibiotics in your body, think again. We see the effects of added growth hormones and huge consumption of processed milk and animal products mostly in young girls. Did you know, before the 1940’s, girls got their menses around age 16? Now it’s more like age 11. This puts them at much higher risk of getting hormone related cancers. We see that the overuse of antibiotics also comes from ingesting it on a regular basis with the all animal protein people consume.
So what do I pour on my low sugar, whole grain cereal in the morning? Well since soy milk has many controversies as well, I drink very little of it. I stick mostly with organic rice milk and almond milk. These translate very well into any recipe - except mashed potatoes. Not that I eat mashed potatoes often.
So how do I get my calcium? Mostly from green leafy vegetables - I eat a large green salad almost every day. I also drink chamomile tea in the evenings, which is a good source as well. Google "calcium plant based foods" to find more.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: Milk does a body good or bad?
OK, I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell you how I feel about milk – however politically incorrect it is.
Good nutrition can help lower your risk greatly of all sorts of diseases.
However, I am not convinced that milk is the great source of nutrition that it claims to be.
We live in a country that spends a fortune on “sick care” and we are one of the sickest nations in the world. I gave up trusting the government on getting this nation healthy. I threw out their suggested food pyramids and RDA suggestions a long time ago. What are we doing wrong? Well, one of the things is when the government and powerful dairy industry tell people to drink a lot of milk for a healthy body. Is that not what all the stars are doing as they show off their milk mustaches?
One in four females in America has osteoporosis. That’s a huge problem. So, is milk the best source of calcium?
First of all, studies have shown that the calcium from dairy products that you buy from the grocery store is not usable by the human body. When a cow is milked, the milk contains organic usable calcium. But, when it goes through the process of Pasteurization - heated at 160 degrees - the calcium is destroyed – it is destroyed at 125 degrees. The heat process changes the usable calcium into non-absorbable inorganic calcium.
Then there is the homogenized process. This is even worse. When a product is homogenized, it makes it much harder for your body to process the protein in milk, then you have protein particles floating around in your blood stream – this causes havoc on your immune system as it goes into overdrive on a regular basis – putting you at higher risk of autoimmune diseases.
Is getting more calcium the answer to preventing osteoporosis?
There's controversy on this issue.
Studies show woman who drink more than 1 glass of milk per day had more 45% more hip fractures than woman that drink a lower amount. Also, cultures around the world that drink little milk, have lower incidence of osteoporosis.
On the other hand, Eskimos have the highest calcium intake in the world, and have the highest osteoporosis. They have a large animal protein intake and have the highest osteoporosis incidences.
Think about it this way: we are the only species on earth that drinks milk from another animal. Animals by nature do not drink milk from another species and do not drink milk for the rest of their lives.
It is very difficult for the enzymes of a child to break down the larger protein molecules of milk. Cow’s milk was designed for a baby calf that is 20x the size of a human child - cow’s milk was best suitedfor an animal that weighs ½ ton.
The body forms excess mucus to help break down the protein molecules in cow’s milk. And we know that excess mucous causes all sorts of health issues – a prime breeding ground for bacteria and Bronchitis, allergies, ear infections, and digestive problems. Also, many people have bloated intestines or an abdomen that pooches out and don’t even realize that milk may be the cause. A friend of mine went down a whole pant size once she gave up milk. Her abdomen area was no longer bloated, she no longer suffers from constipation and her migraines disappeared.
If you do drink milk, buy it as minimally processed as possible. Raw is best - but very hard to find. Avoid ultra-pasteurized or homogenized. It shouldn't’t have an expiration date two months later.
Also, buy organic - avoid added growth hormones and antibiotics. If you don’t think this translates into increased hormones and antibiotics in your body, think again. We see the effects of added growth hormones and huge consumption of processed milk and animal products mostly in young girls. Did you know, before the 1940’s, girls got their menses around age 16? Now it’s more like age 11. This puts them at much higher risk of getting hormone related cancers. We see that the overuse of antibiotics also comes from ingesting it on a regular basis with the all animal protein people consume.
So what do I pour on my low sugar, whole grain cereal in the morning? Well since soy milk has many controversies as well, I drink very little of it. I stick mostly with organic rice milk and almond milk. These translate very well into any recipe - except mashed potatoes. Not that I eat mashed potatoes often.
So how do I get my calcium? Mostly from green leafy vegetables - I eat a large green salad almost every day. I also drink chamomile tea in the evenings, which is a good source as well. Google "calcium plant based foods" to find more.
Thanks for reading Healthy Food Bytes: Milk does a body good or bad?
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