Archived News of the Week

Foods and Supplements: Part I
(Plus the Recipe of the Week: Cauli-flied Rice)

I find that some of you look surprised when I say "There is no supplement I can give you that will help you with your problem - that is, unless you change your life style, too." I say this to you because there is no "get well" supplement out there, I don't care what anyone tells you. Supplements are to be taken IN CONJUNCTION with a good diet and exercise because they don't work very well if they are swallowed along with your usual bad diet. I will give you the secret to life now: Eat well, exercise regularly and keep yourself trim. But. And the big BUT is that it's human nature to want the quick fix - to lose weight without eating less, to get fit without exercise, to look younger without eating more vegetables and fruits, to sleep well without Unisom.

Sneaky Satan in the guise of the advertising business is out there to tempt you with quick fix products like Alli and other weight loss pills. Then there are Jenny Craig and Nutri-systems with their inedible and expensive meals. How about HGH shots (steroids!) which will build muscle and smooth some wrinkles, but will break your bank, raise your cholesterol and shrink your manhood. Then there are products like Greens First and Paleo-Reds and TheraSupreme - products which are wonderful and which I continue to sell and take myself but are certainly not a substitute for your lovingly steamed broccoli, carrots and Brussels sprouts. These healthy and largely organic vegetable and fruit powders are energizing and health-giving and I take a scoop or two in addition to my good diet. How about the expensive moisturizers whose price tag would feed all of Chad ? But, nothing will cover the unhealthy look of a face on a bad diet, poor sleep and too much wine.

So, get over yourself, stop being a party animal. Your obfuscated thinking, that you will live forever without developing some sort of long term health issue (diabetes, for one), is imprudent and faulty at best. You will probably - if you are lucky - be in your late forties, fifties or sixties before you have to pay for your indiscretions, but that day will come, my little chickies, and before you know it you are paying the piper big time. Whatever your age, start respecting yourself now and agree that you are worth being happy, healthy and vigorous.

"Diet is the foundation on which you will build your house of health. This foundation must be rock-solid. If not, then the "winds and the rains will come and your house will fall." To continue the metaphor, the winds and rains of modern life are stress, infections, environmental toxins and aging." Russell Blaylock, M.D. Blaylock Wellness Report, 1/09. Here are some tips to start now, regarding your "house of health", or your diet.

Stop all sugar now: And all the bad processed carbohydrates, too. They are addictive and will do you immense harm. But, because sugars and bad carbs are addictive, they are the hardest things in the world to give up. Alcohol (wine, beer, vodka) is sugar; in fact it's processed very fast in your body which makes it even more dangerous and addictive.

You just have to make the decision to eliminate sugar. Keep reminding yourself that you are worthwhile and deserve to be happy, healthy and vigorous.

Stop all trans-fats now: Start reading labels (really, you must) and anything that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, put back on the shelf. Long term exposure to these bad fats is what will cause disease, and is esp. true with cancers.

Practice Hara Hachi Bu: Okinawans are among the most long-lived people in the world and they practice this - or stop eating when you are 80% full. It takes practice and especially it takes being conscious while you are eating, but you can do it. I did. It's kind of fun, actually. The phrase "hara hachi bu" actually pops into my mind, mid-bite sometimes, as a reminder that I am 80% full and that I really should put my fork down. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But at least I have the knowledge of hara hachi bu and that's the important thing that I want you to have.

Stop Snacking: Continuous snacking puts a tremendous strain on our digestive systems and can cause lots of physical symptoms such as reflux, deficiencies in digestive enzymes, malabsorption, constipation, dysbiosis, and increased risk of food sensitivities. So, if you are home just doodying about, be aware of how often your hand snakes into the nut jar or the cracker box. Or, maybe you open the refrigerator door and just stare? Start by being fairly rigid about your between meal snack: Eat at10 am and 3 pm and sit down to eat it. Try a couple of deviled eggs, a few carrots and other veggies dipped in yogurt mixed with organic onion soup, two or three stalks of celery with almond butter or a small bowl of vegetable soup with 4 crackers. The timed healthy snacking is actually good for you but stop the continuous random unconscious snacking.

Blenderize your vegetables: Once a day, make yourself a good smoothie of blenderized veggies and fruits. Start with water or diluted carrot juice and add any of the following: Parsley (my favorite), celery, greens of any kind like collard, kale or chard, cauliflower, green cabbage and spinach. Add a green apple for sweetness. Start slowly: Maybe one cup of the veggies and the apple to 8 oz. or more of liquid. Work up to this: 2 cups of ice cold water or water mixed ½ and ½ with juice and 3 or more cups of mixed raw vegetables and the green apple. You can tweak the taste if you like with protein powder, Greens First, agave or stevia. Some of you may have to get used to the major green taste, so be steadfast and persevere. Drinking this daily feels almost like a transfusion.

Eat crucifers daily: The sulforaphanes are very cancer and heart protective. Brussels spouts, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, collards, broccolini, rabe, mustard greens and kale. I usually chiffonade, blanch in a big pot of salted water then saute in EVOO and garlic.

Next week, I will show how nutritional supplements with specifically targeted nutrition and neutraceuticals can correct deficiencies and lead to a reduction in diseases.

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