How dangerous is the swine flu?
Well, it must be pretty dangerous because people are dying from it, right?
Are they? Perhaps we should state it more accurately. People are dying 'with' swine flu.
That is very different.
If we look into the actual cases of swine flu, we find that it is much like a regular flu, only usually less severe. There are many more people who die with flu than die with swine flu.
So why all the media hype and attention about swine flu? Follow the money.
Most people have figured out that the flu is something that is not a really big deal if we just do a few things to boost the immune system. But the swine flu is an unknown to most people, and can therefore be sold as a disaster waiting to happen that must be stopped with a vaccine.
Unfortunately most news today comes from so called 'press releases' by companies trying to sell something.
But hopefully we are learning from history, so that we don't have to keep repeating it. The 'Swine Flu Debacle' of the 70s should have taught us something. Companies trying to sell vaccines hyped up the swine flu back then, and ended up causing much more death and destruction with their vaccine than the flu caused.
Now you would think that we would have learned from that experience, but it appears that we did not. The same thing is happening again. Under the guise of an emergency, safety testing is being put on the back burner. Vaccines are being rushed to market, and the companies creating them are being given immunity against you suing them when the vaccines make you sick.
That is the only real immunity to come out of this deal.
The World Health Organization is even telling doctors to skip testing for swine flu, and just assume it, if symptoms are similar. No wonder the numbers of reported cases have sky rocketed lately. But mind you, they are still far less common than the usually more virulent regular flu.
The best defense against the flu, or any other disease, is to have a healthy immune system. And the best way to have a healthy immune system is to live a healthy life style.
Drink lots of good clean water. Get a variety of minerals and trace minerals. Eat lots of veggies and fruit (raw when over possible). Eat whole grains that you grind and prepare yourself. Eat good fats like raw butter, raw milk, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil. Exercise regularly, working hard enough to make you breath heavy. Get a daily dose of sunshine when possible. Avoid as many toxins as possible (that includes vaccines and drugs, as well as most processed foods).
People always seem to be amazed at the marvelous turn around in health that can occur just from deciding to eat good whole foods in the form that the creator created them in.
Getting back to the title of this post...
In my opinion, the most dangerous thing about the swine flu, is that you might decide to get the vaccine.
Last time this (the hype about swine flu) occurred, back in the 70s, many people who got the shot developed a real nasty side effect that attacks the nerves, called Guillain-Barre syndrome. After watching a friend deal with this disease, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. She has slowly recovered much of the control of her body, but still cannot walk very far without an aid.
Don't believe me? Don't take my word for it. Here it is from a biochemist.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
HCG Diet : What Does It Do?
The hCG diet is being talked about a lot these days, so I thought I would review it.
First off, hCG stands for “Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin”, a substance found only in pregnant women.
After hearing people tell other people that they should try this new diet, I read the book by the guy who created the diet.
He uses injections of hCG and combines this treatment with a very very strict and restricted diet, about 500 calories a day.
He claims that the hCG causes weight loss of only the bad fat, and keeps the good fat.
It was interesting that while reading through this book he acts like this always works and never fails, but at the same time he keeps making remarks about all the little infractions in the diet regimen that can reverse the results, from losing weight to gaining weight.
When a patient doesn't lose weight, he interviews them to see what diet infraction they committed. And if they deny making any diet mistakes, he assumes they are lying, so he can still claim that his protocol always works.
This diet is not for the faint of heart. It involves daily injections and weigh-ins. It ties you to a doctor and a scale. To keep the weight off after the injections have been completed (23 to 40 daily injections depending on how much weight you need to lose) you must continually travel with a scale and weigh and measure your meals.
This diet will teach you how to obsess over your weight like never before.
The doctor's (Dr Simeons) explanations for how and why this diet works is very suspect. He makes a lot of assumptions about a great number of things. He ties all these assumptions together to create this protocol.
After noticing that his assumptions about digestion, evolution, fats, proteins, carbs, etc, were for the most part wrong according to all that I have studied. I must logically assume that his assumptions about hCG are probably also problematic.
He talks about how pregnant ladies don't get fat, and don't have many other health problems. I know at least several mothers who would disagree with him.
Having said all of that, I must admit that there are a number of people on the internet who claim that it worked for them. I suspect that it is the strictness of the diet that made the changes observed by these people. A change of lifestyle is nearly always the key to improving the well being of your body.
But hey, they say it works. So if you are a glutton for punishment here is where to read all about it.
HERE is where to get the guide to give you all the tips and tricks to having a successful experience with it.
And here is the cookbook for it.
First off, hCG stands for “Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin”, a substance found only in pregnant women.
After hearing people tell other people that they should try this new diet, I read the book by the guy who created the diet.
He uses injections of hCG and combines this treatment with a very very strict and restricted diet, about 500 calories a day.
He claims that the hCG causes weight loss of only the bad fat, and keeps the good fat.
It was interesting that while reading through this book he acts like this always works and never fails, but at the same time he keeps making remarks about all the little infractions in the diet regimen that can reverse the results, from losing weight to gaining weight.
When a patient doesn't lose weight, he interviews them to see what diet infraction they committed. And if they deny making any diet mistakes, he assumes they are lying, so he can still claim that his protocol always works.
This diet is not for the faint of heart. It involves daily injections and weigh-ins. It ties you to a doctor and a scale. To keep the weight off after the injections have been completed (23 to 40 daily injections depending on how much weight you need to lose) you must continually travel with a scale and weigh and measure your meals.
This diet will teach you how to obsess over your weight like never before.
The doctor's (Dr Simeons) explanations for how and why this diet works is very suspect. He makes a lot of assumptions about a great number of things. He ties all these assumptions together to create this protocol.
After noticing that his assumptions about digestion, evolution, fats, proteins, carbs, etc, were for the most part wrong according to all that I have studied. I must logically assume that his assumptions about hCG are probably also problematic.
He talks about how pregnant ladies don't get fat, and don't have many other health problems. I know at least several mothers who would disagree with him.
Having said all of that, I must admit that there are a number of people on the internet who claim that it worked for them. I suspect that it is the strictness of the diet that made the changes observed by these people. A change of lifestyle is nearly always the key to improving the well being of your body.
But hey, they say it works. So if you are a glutton for punishment here is where to read all about it.
HERE is where to get the guide to give you all the tips and tricks to having a successful experience with it.
And here is the cookbook for it.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Whole Grain Foods : Corn ???
Americans have a strange view of corn.
Most of the rest of the world calls it 'maize'.
The interesting part is that most Americans would consider corn to be a vegetable. But the word 'corn' actually has the same meaning as the word 'grain'.
If you hear someone in England talk about 'corn', they are most likely talking about wheat. If you hear it in Scotland, they are most likely talking about oats.
Most uses of the term 'corn' in the bible are actually referring to grains in general.
So, why do we think of it as a vegetable, if it is actually a grain?
Well, as researchers look at the history of corn, or maize, it seems that it used to be much more grain like. It grew small kernels in hard husks. Over time it has gradually been crossed with other plants and selectively changed to be what we have today. Large ears with many soft kernels grouped together for easy eating. So, we boil it, or steam it, and think of it as a vegetable.
Maize used to be grown in many different varieties. It was a food staple for some cultures, but not nearly to the extent that some would have you believe. It is not a complete food, and cannot sustain healthy human bodies. No indigenous peoples lived off of it. They used it as a big part of their diets, but ran into health problems when they tried to live off of it.
Today's modern version of corn is still not a complete food. It is high in sugar, and high in polyunsaturated oils. And it can still cause a vitamin B deficiency.
Another major problem with corn these days, is that the tradition of trying to engineer it into being something different has continued. So now we have genetically modified (GM) corn. GM corn can cause many health problems. And the sad part is that more and more of our corn crops are becoming GM.
Many of the natural corn crops are being converted into GM corn, through wind caused cross-pollination. Due to these factors, I don't recommend that people eat a lot of corn.
If you grow your own corn and know for certain that the seeds are not GM, then enjoy your crop. Just be sure to eat a variety of other grains and vegetables, etc., to get a balanced diet.
On the other hand, processed and/or extracted corn oil should be avoided like the plague. It is know to cause all kinds of health problems in both man and beast.
So, yes, corn on the cob can be called a whole grain. But it is not a balanced and complete food.
Most of the rest of the world calls it 'maize'.
The interesting part is that most Americans would consider corn to be a vegetable. But the word 'corn' actually has the same meaning as the word 'grain'.
If you hear someone in England talk about 'corn', they are most likely talking about wheat. If you hear it in Scotland, they are most likely talking about oats.
Most uses of the term 'corn' in the bible are actually referring to grains in general.
So, why do we think of it as a vegetable, if it is actually a grain?
Well, as researchers look at the history of corn, or maize, it seems that it used to be much more grain like. It grew small kernels in hard husks. Over time it has gradually been crossed with other plants and selectively changed to be what we have today. Large ears with many soft kernels grouped together for easy eating. So, we boil it, or steam it, and think of it as a vegetable.
Maize used to be grown in many different varieties. It was a food staple for some cultures, but not nearly to the extent that some would have you believe. It is not a complete food, and cannot sustain healthy human bodies. No indigenous peoples lived off of it. They used it as a big part of their diets, but ran into health problems when they tried to live off of it.
Today's modern version of corn is still not a complete food. It is high in sugar, and high in polyunsaturated oils. And it can still cause a vitamin B deficiency.
Another major problem with corn these days, is that the tradition of trying to engineer it into being something different has continued. So now we have genetically modified (GM) corn. GM corn can cause many health problems. And the sad part is that more and more of our corn crops are becoming GM.
Many of the natural corn crops are being converted into GM corn, through wind caused cross-pollination. Due to these factors, I don't recommend that people eat a lot of corn.
If you grow your own corn and know for certain that the seeds are not GM, then enjoy your crop. Just be sure to eat a variety of other grains and vegetables, etc., to get a balanced diet.
On the other hand, processed and/or extracted corn oil should be avoided like the plague. It is know to cause all kinds of health problems in both man and beast.
So, yes, corn on the cob can be called a whole grain. But it is not a balanced and complete food.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Interesting Facts About Earth
Here are some interesting facts about earth that might surprise you. Hopefully they can also help you to have better health.
Earth was made for mankind.
The earth carries an electrical charge that imparts positive life-giving vibrations to things that are grown in it, as well as to spring waters that come out of it.
People who grow gardens and work in them, have greater health than those who do not. There are actually organisms in the soil that help the human body to thrive. We don't get these when we eat too much processed and/or sterilized foods.
Another reason that working in the earth is healthy for you, is that when you make contact with the earth it electrically grounds your body, and cancels out many of the negative free radicals that can cause you problems. It is a better anti-oxidant than any pill you can take.
A contributing cause to so many of our health problems is that we are shielded from the healthy vibrations of the earth. We wear rubber soled shoes that insulate us from the earth. We hardly ever go barefoot anymore.
Go ahead and walk around barefoot in the grass, or in the sand. Wade in a stream or river. Put your hands down into the soil to work your garden. You are getting healthier by the minute. No wonder those activities make us feel so good!
There are companies that will sell you products you can sleep on or under that will ground your body while you sleep. But if you just get outdoors most days and make skin-to-earth contact, you may be surprised at the boost you will get.
The other consideration is that all of our modern electronic gadgets seem to operate at frequencies that are negative to the health of the human body.
I highly recommend getting something like a Q-Link to help shield your body from the negative effects of using your computer, riding in a car, sleeping next to an electrical alarm clock, or using a cell phone. As well as all the other electrical gadgets we use these days.
Get yours HERE.
Earth was made for mankind.
The earth carries an electrical charge that imparts positive life-giving vibrations to things that are grown in it, as well as to spring waters that come out of it.
People who grow gardens and work in them, have greater health than those who do not. There are actually organisms in the soil that help the human body to thrive. We don't get these when we eat too much processed and/or sterilized foods.
Another reason that working in the earth is healthy for you, is that when you make contact with the earth it electrically grounds your body, and cancels out many of the negative free radicals that can cause you problems. It is a better anti-oxidant than any pill you can take.
A contributing cause to so many of our health problems is that we are shielded from the healthy vibrations of the earth. We wear rubber soled shoes that insulate us from the earth. We hardly ever go barefoot anymore.
Go ahead and walk around barefoot in the grass, or in the sand. Wade in a stream or river. Put your hands down into the soil to work your garden. You are getting healthier by the minute. No wonder those activities make us feel so good!
There are companies that will sell you products you can sleep on or under that will ground your body while you sleep. But if you just get outdoors most days and make skin-to-earth contact, you may be surprised at the boost you will get.
The other consideration is that all of our modern electronic gadgets seem to operate at frequencies that are negative to the health of the human body.
I highly recommend getting something like a Q-Link to help shield your body from the negative effects of using your computer, riding in a car, sleeping next to an electrical alarm clock, or using a cell phone. As well as all the other electrical gadgets we use these days.
Get yours HERE.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Essential Fatty Acids : Essential To What?!
The other day, we talked about protein and the essential amino acids. If you remember, or if you don't, they are essential because the body needs them but can't make them.
Today let's talk about essential fatty acids, or 'essential fats'.
If you follow any media of any kind, you have probably heard that there are essential fatty acids that you need to be sure and get plenty of in order to be healthy. We are told that we need polyunsaturated oils. Omega-6 and Omega-3 oils are talked about right and left. Vegetable oils and fish oils are supposed to be wonderful for maximizing your health. Let's analyze these assumptions.
Essential fatty acids are said to be linoleic and linolenic acids. Interestingly enough our bodies can synthesize these unsaturated acids, so they do not meet the definition of 'essential'.
Essential fatty acids (EFA) are, according to the textbooks, linoleic acid and linolenic acid, and they are supposed to have the status of "vitamins," which must be taken in the diet to make life possible. However, we are able to synthesize our own unsaturated fats when we don't eat the "EFA," so they are not "essential." The term thus appears to be a misnomer. [M. E. Hanke, "Biochemistry," Encycl. Brit. Book of the Year, 1948.]
Secondly these fatty acids, are not health promoting. They are health destroying. Study after study for over fifty years have shown that these oils shut down the immune system, and contribute to cancer. In fact, it appears that a body that doesn't have unsaturated oils in it's diet can not get cancer.
These oils are simply toxins to the body. Here is what the biologist Ray Peat had to say about them.
One of the problems with these oils is that they are made by nature to disrupt digestion. Digestion is the key to getting any and all nutrients from food into the body.
Unsaturated fats are what they use to suppress the immune systems of people who have organ transplants.
These fats also suppress thyroid function. That is why the farmers use them to help make fat pigs. Isn't it interesting that as we have been told more and more how much we need the "essential fatty acids" our population has become more and more obese.
Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer and many other diseases continue to climb. It appears that unsaturated fats play an important role in all these diseases. These diseases can't hardly occur unless there are unsaturated fats in the diet.
To learn more read this article by Ray Peat.
My recommendations are to eliminate all polyunsaturated fats from your diet immediately. This includes corn oil, soy oil, canola oil, cotton seed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, nearly all vegetable oils. Also eliminate fish oils, they are highly oxidated by body temperatures.
The good fats to consume are raw butter and milk, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocados.
No need to worry about the small amounts of natural oils that you will consume eating legumes and vegetables. These are natural, and the body handles them well when they are consumed along with the whole foods that they come from. However I do advise that you eliminate all corn and soy products from your diet.
You will continue to hear in the news, and also from many doctors, the importance of consuming polyunsaturated fats to be healthy. Please do your own research, and recognize that even though these people mean well, they have been led astray by bad research and big money.
Get back to health and vitality by choosing whole natural foods.
Today let's talk about essential fatty acids, or 'essential fats'.
If you follow any media of any kind, you have probably heard that there are essential fatty acids that you need to be sure and get plenty of in order to be healthy. We are told that we need polyunsaturated oils. Omega-6 and Omega-3 oils are talked about right and left. Vegetable oils and fish oils are supposed to be wonderful for maximizing your health. Let's analyze these assumptions.
Essential fatty acids are said to be linoleic and linolenic acids. Interestingly enough our bodies can synthesize these unsaturated acids, so they do not meet the definition of 'essential'.
Essential fatty acids (EFA) are, according to the textbooks, linoleic acid and linolenic acid, and they are supposed to have the status of "vitamins," which must be taken in the diet to make life possible. However, we are able to synthesize our own unsaturated fats when we don't eat the "EFA," so they are not "essential." The term thus appears to be a misnomer. [M. E. Hanke, "Biochemistry," Encycl. Brit. Book of the Year, 1948.]
Secondly these fatty acids, are not health promoting. They are health destroying. Study after study for over fifty years have shown that these oils shut down the immune system, and contribute to cancer. In fact, it appears that a body that doesn't have unsaturated oils in it's diet can not get cancer.
These oils are simply toxins to the body. Here is what the biologist Ray Peat had to say about them.
The suppression of an enzyme system is characteristic of toxins. The "EFA" powerfully, almost absolutely, inhibit the enzyme systems--desaturases and elongases--which make our native unsaturated fatty acids.
After weaning, these native fats gradually disappear from the tissues and are replaced by the EFA and their derivatives. The age-related decline in our ability to use oxygen and to produce energy corresponds closely to the substitution of linoleic acid for the endogenous fats, in cardiolipin, which regulates the crucial respiratory enzyme, cytochrome oxidase.
One of the problems with these oils is that they are made by nature to disrupt digestion. Digestion is the key to getting any and all nutrients from food into the body.
Unsaturated fats are what they use to suppress the immune systems of people who have organ transplants.
These fats also suppress thyroid function. That is why the farmers use them to help make fat pigs. Isn't it interesting that as we have been told more and more how much we need the "essential fatty acids" our population has become more and more obese.
Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer and many other diseases continue to climb. It appears that unsaturated fats play an important role in all these diseases. These diseases can't hardly occur unless there are unsaturated fats in the diet.
To learn more read this article by Ray Peat.
My recommendations are to eliminate all polyunsaturated fats from your diet immediately. This includes corn oil, soy oil, canola oil, cotton seed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, nearly all vegetable oils. Also eliminate fish oils, they are highly oxidated by body temperatures.
The good fats to consume are raw butter and milk, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocados.
No need to worry about the small amounts of natural oils that you will consume eating legumes and vegetables. These are natural, and the body handles them well when they are consumed along with the whole foods that they come from. However I do advise that you eliminate all corn and soy products from your diet.
You will continue to hear in the news, and also from many doctors, the importance of consuming polyunsaturated fats to be healthy. Please do your own research, and recognize that even though these people mean well, they have been led astray by bad research and big money.
Get back to health and vitality by choosing whole natural foods.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
FUNctional Exercises
Exercise is important to a healthy lifestyle. But many people don't like the hassle of getting a gym membership, scheduling a time to go, trying to figure out what exercises to do, etc.
But don't worry, that is not necessary.
Exercising can be done anywhere. It can include all types of sports and many types of work or service projects. I have two rules about exercises. They should be fun and they should be functional.
I think most of you know what fun is, so let's talk about functional. Functional exercises are those that help to build natural abilities to move and have fun and be productive in everyday life.
Let me give you an example. I worked as a foreman in the construction industry for years. It was very interesting to watch young men who would hire on has laborers. Some of them were guys who had just graduated from high school. The interesting ones to watch were the big buff looking young guys, who you could tell worked out in a gym, doing plenty of weight lifting. It was not uncommon for them to grab the handles of a wheelbarrow full of mud and start across the job site, but then half way across they would spill the mud all over the ground. Then some scrawny looking guy would help him clean up the mess and take over the wheelbarrow to get it to it's destination.
Why could the scrawny guy get it to it's destination when the 'strong man' could not? Functional exercise is the answer. You see the guy who had been working out in the gym all the time, had the muscle to lift weights. But the scrawny guy who had always helped out on his father's farm, had trained his muscles to do functional work, for long periods of time. With the wheelbarrow it wasn't just the task of lifting the heavy load, it was to lift, and push, and balance, and adjust to uneven terrain, as you go.
So instead of just working out in a gym, climb a hill, dig a ditch, pick fruit, pull weeds, paint a fence, till the ground. Be conscious of what parts of your body you are exercising and try to make sure that you get your whole body to move and push and pull in all different directions and in full range of motion.
For instance if you are digging a ditch, periodically change the shovel in your hands to work both sides of your body. With anything you do try to make sure that you work the left and right sides of your body at least somewhat equally.
Enjoy your gym work outs too, if that is what your into, but make sure you have days each week where you are doing actual functional things.
If there is nothing functional to do at your house, I bet you have a neighbor that wouldn't mind you doing something for them. That is when exercise gets really fun. Serving your fellow man gives you great feelings of accomplishment that go way beyond just a normal workout. Those feelings of helping your fellow man can actually go along way toward helping your body to be healthy in other important ways, way beyond the building and toning of muscle.
That's why I say, "Be functional and have fun!"
But don't worry, that is not necessary.
Exercising can be done anywhere. It can include all types of sports and many types of work or service projects. I have two rules about exercises. They should be fun and they should be functional.
I think most of you know what fun is, so let's talk about functional. Functional exercises are those that help to build natural abilities to move and have fun and be productive in everyday life.
Let me give you an example. I worked as a foreman in the construction industry for years. It was very interesting to watch young men who would hire on has laborers. Some of them were guys who had just graduated from high school. The interesting ones to watch were the big buff looking young guys, who you could tell worked out in a gym, doing plenty of weight lifting. It was not uncommon for them to grab the handles of a wheelbarrow full of mud and start across the job site, but then half way across they would spill the mud all over the ground. Then some scrawny looking guy would help him clean up the mess and take over the wheelbarrow to get it to it's destination.
Why could the scrawny guy get it to it's destination when the 'strong man' could not? Functional exercise is the answer. You see the guy who had been working out in the gym all the time, had the muscle to lift weights. But the scrawny guy who had always helped out on his father's farm, had trained his muscles to do functional work, for long periods of time. With the wheelbarrow it wasn't just the task of lifting the heavy load, it was to lift, and push, and balance, and adjust to uneven terrain, as you go.
So instead of just working out in a gym, climb a hill, dig a ditch, pick fruit, pull weeds, paint a fence, till the ground. Be conscious of what parts of your body you are exercising and try to make sure that you get your whole body to move and push and pull in all different directions and in full range of motion.
For instance if you are digging a ditch, periodically change the shovel in your hands to work both sides of your body. With anything you do try to make sure that you work the left and right sides of your body at least somewhat equally.
Enjoy your gym work outs too, if that is what your into, but make sure you have days each week where you are doing actual functional things.
If there is nothing functional to do at your house, I bet you have a neighbor that wouldn't mind you doing something for them. That is when exercise gets really fun. Serving your fellow man gives you great feelings of accomplishment that go way beyond just a normal workout. Those feelings of helping your fellow man can actually go along way toward helping your body to be healthy in other important ways, way beyond the building and toning of muscle.
That's why I say, "Be functional and have fun!"
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Protein : Is There A Better Whey?
Everyone has heard of protein. It is one of the major building blocks of life. But what is it?
Proteins come in all shapes and sizes. In fact they change in shape as they perform their various functions. They have a multitude of functions in the human body. They are building blocks for muscle, and the structure of every cell in your body. They are also enzymes and signalers and messengers. They are an active part of every function of every cell. They make your immune system work. Proteins even determine which parts of your genetic code get read.
Proteins can be very complex chains linking up hundreds of amino acids to make a single protein. They are made up of 20 different amino acids. 8 of those amino acids are considered essential (9 for children). That is because if you eat foods that contain those eight, your body can manufacture the rest. So foods that contain at least all 8 of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins.
Interestingly enough, even though they are such a huge part of what goes on in the body, we don't have to eat huge quantities of them to get all we need. According to nutritionists, even the biggest muscle building weight lifters only need to get about 1 gram (1.2g maximum) of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For 160 lb person that comes out to about 73 grams per day. The RDA for adult males is 63 grams. Surveys done by the government indicate that on average, Americans eat nearly double the amount of protein that they need. To get this info from a nutritionist go HERE.
Many athletes use special protein powders or whey powder to get lots of protein to build and maintain muscle. Studies however, show that taking extra protein does not result in extra muscle or strength. In fact eating too much protein can be taxing on the kidneys.
One of the reasons whey caught on as a supplement was because farmers could get pigs very large and healthy with it fairly quickly. So body builders started using it. It is now in the realm of 'body builder facts' that lots of whey will help you to bulk up. Never mind all the people who have taken it for years and still can't bulk up. Studies do not show that whey helps to build extra muscle, though it does seem to make pigs eat more food. Only good balanced nutrition, and exercise can build muscle.
Whey powders, as well as many other protein powders, are not good balanced nutrition. Whey is a highly processed artificial food. Now many of you will balk at that statement because I used the word artificial. Whey is usually made from natural ingredients, so many people call it a natural food. However in my world, anything that is processed from a natural food, with certain things added or other things taken away, has become artificial. Whey does occur in nature, but it isn't powdered.
Now, granted, if you have just been eating junk food, and then you start taking whey powders, you will likely see a health improvement. It is much better than most junk food. It is the elimination of junk food that causes the benefit.
But whey is not the perfect protein portrayed in so many advertisements. For one thing it is usually high in tryptophan. Tryptophan, while being a necessary amino acid for the human body, is toxic to the human body in large amounts and has even been shown to be carcinogenic. Read HERE to learn more about that.
Remember that the key to health is in balance. Not 'laboratory balanced', according to some formula made by man, but balanced by God. Whole foods used with prudence and wisdom can easily give you all the proteins, as well as all the other nutrition, that your body needs.
Another great thing about proteins is that they are found in practically every whole food. Grains, fruit, veggies, animal products, nuts, and legumes, all contain protein.
Some great 'complete protein' foods everyone agrees on are eggs and milk. However I will now go astray from the main stream, by telling you that grains (particularly wheat) are also complete protein foods, if the whole grains are used.
Why do others not call them complete? Because they have been taught that you need a certain prescribed amount of each of the essential amino acids to be called complete. Wheat contains all the essential amino acids, as do some other grains. They just aren't all in the quantities that some people would like to see. So, what I'm saying is, if you make whole grains the foundation of your diet you will get all the protein you need.
Nature (God) balances things much better than mankind knows how to.
Oh, yes, potatoes also contain all the essential amino acids. The point is, if you eat a variety of good wholesome foods you will probably get all the protein you need.
PS. What weight lifters need, more than extra protein, is extra calories. (Preferably from good foods.)
Proteins come in all shapes and sizes. In fact they change in shape as they perform their various functions. They have a multitude of functions in the human body. They are building blocks for muscle, and the structure of every cell in your body. They are also enzymes and signalers and messengers. They are an active part of every function of every cell. They make your immune system work. Proteins even determine which parts of your genetic code get read.
Proteins can be very complex chains linking up hundreds of amino acids to make a single protein. They are made up of 20 different amino acids. 8 of those amino acids are considered essential (9 for children). That is because if you eat foods that contain those eight, your body can manufacture the rest. So foods that contain at least all 8 of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins.
Interestingly enough, even though they are such a huge part of what goes on in the body, we don't have to eat huge quantities of them to get all we need. According to nutritionists, even the biggest muscle building weight lifters only need to get about 1 gram (1.2g maximum) of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For 160 lb person that comes out to about 73 grams per day. The RDA for adult males is 63 grams. Surveys done by the government indicate that on average, Americans eat nearly double the amount of protein that they need. To get this info from a nutritionist go HERE.
Many athletes use special protein powders or whey powder to get lots of protein to build and maintain muscle. Studies however, show that taking extra protein does not result in extra muscle or strength. In fact eating too much protein can be taxing on the kidneys.
One of the reasons whey caught on as a supplement was because farmers could get pigs very large and healthy with it fairly quickly. So body builders started using it. It is now in the realm of 'body builder facts' that lots of whey will help you to bulk up. Never mind all the people who have taken it for years and still can't bulk up. Studies do not show that whey helps to build extra muscle, though it does seem to make pigs eat more food. Only good balanced nutrition, and exercise can build muscle.
Whey powders, as well as many other protein powders, are not good balanced nutrition. Whey is a highly processed artificial food. Now many of you will balk at that statement because I used the word artificial. Whey is usually made from natural ingredients, so many people call it a natural food. However in my world, anything that is processed from a natural food, with certain things added or other things taken away, has become artificial. Whey does occur in nature, but it isn't powdered.
Now, granted, if you have just been eating junk food, and then you start taking whey powders, you will likely see a health improvement. It is much better than most junk food. It is the elimination of junk food that causes the benefit.
But whey is not the perfect protein portrayed in so many advertisements. For one thing it is usually high in tryptophan. Tryptophan, while being a necessary amino acid for the human body, is toxic to the human body in large amounts and has even been shown to be carcinogenic. Read HERE to learn more about that.
Remember that the key to health is in balance. Not 'laboratory balanced', according to some formula made by man, but balanced by God. Whole foods used with prudence and wisdom can easily give you all the proteins, as well as all the other nutrition, that your body needs.
Another great thing about proteins is that they are found in practically every whole food. Grains, fruit, veggies, animal products, nuts, and legumes, all contain protein.
Some great 'complete protein' foods everyone agrees on are eggs and milk. However I will now go astray from the main stream, by telling you that grains (particularly wheat) are also complete protein foods, if the whole grains are used.
Why do others not call them complete? Because they have been taught that you need a certain prescribed amount of each of the essential amino acids to be called complete. Wheat contains all the essential amino acids, as do some other grains. They just aren't all in the quantities that some people would like to see. So, what I'm saying is, if you make whole grains the foundation of your diet you will get all the protein you need.
Nature (God) balances things much better than mankind knows how to.
Oh, yes, potatoes also contain all the essential amino acids. The point is, if you eat a variety of good wholesome foods you will probably get all the protein you need.
PS. What weight lifters need, more than extra protein, is extra calories. (Preferably from good foods.)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Acai Berry Information
You see claims about the wonders of acai berries all over the place these days. Is there any truth to all the claims? Are there acai side effects? Should you try acai? Is there good acai berry research? What are the benefits of acai?
There is so much information being thrown around about Acai, lets talk about what is true.
There has been some good research projects done on acai. Here is a link to some of the abstracts.
Yes, acai berries do contain anti-oxidants. They are also high in fiber. They also have other poly-phenols.
Unfortunately, they also have the common side effect of being over-hyped. Many acai products also have other negative side effects because they are formulated with other less desirable things (like fructose, preservatives, and so called 'essential' oils).
Acai pulp (not juice) has been shown to be very effect against some free radicals, but not so effective against others. In reality acai is just another berry that gets a lot of attention because of press releases, and because it isn't grown in the USA. Exotic things always sell better.
Acai isn't any more effective than a lot of other fresh fruits and berries.
My question is, why pay exorbitant prices for exotic berries when I can get as good, or better, results by eating locally grown grapes and apples (or other readily available fruits, berries, and vegetables)?
Of course some of you will say, "But what about all the weight loss products (with many testimonials) that are being made with acai berries?"
Read the fine print on those articles and ads. You will find that it has the common disclaimer of nearly all diet supplements sold, "Can result in weight loss when combined with exercise and a healthy diet."
That is the key to all weight loss gimmicks. The only people who actually have success with the products are those who change to healthy diets and active lifestyles.
Products like acai are beneficial in that they can be tools to motivate people to make basic lifestyle changes that can help people to have better health. This is their major advantage. The disadvantage to this is that many people do not recognize that it was the lifestyle change that caused the improvement, not just the single product.
My suggestion would be to skip the expensive and unnecessary supplements, like acai, and eat healthy raw foods, exercise, and drink lots of good water.
There is so much information being thrown around about Acai, lets talk about what is true.
There has been some good research projects done on acai. Here is a link to some of the abstracts.
Yes, acai berries do contain anti-oxidants. They are also high in fiber. They also have other poly-phenols.
Unfortunately, they also have the common side effect of being over-hyped. Many acai products also have other negative side effects because they are formulated with other less desirable things (like fructose, preservatives, and so called 'essential' oils).
Acai pulp (not juice) has been shown to be very effect against some free radicals, but not so effective against others. In reality acai is just another berry that gets a lot of attention because of press releases, and because it isn't grown in the USA. Exotic things always sell better.
Acai isn't any more effective than a lot of other fresh fruits and berries.
My question is, why pay exorbitant prices for exotic berries when I can get as good, or better, results by eating locally grown grapes and apples (or other readily available fruits, berries, and vegetables)?
Of course some of you will say, "But what about all the weight loss products (with many testimonials) that are being made with acai berries?"
Read the fine print on those articles and ads. You will find that it has the common disclaimer of nearly all diet supplements sold, "Can result in weight loss when combined with exercise and a healthy diet."
That is the key to all weight loss gimmicks. The only people who actually have success with the products are those who change to healthy diets and active lifestyles.
Products like acai are beneficial in that they can be tools to motivate people to make basic lifestyle changes that can help people to have better health. This is their major advantage. The disadvantage to this is that many people do not recognize that it was the lifestyle change that caused the improvement, not just the single product.
My suggestion would be to skip the expensive and unnecessary supplements, like acai, and eat healthy raw foods, exercise, and drink lots of good water.
Celiac Disease : Do You Have It? Or Is It LGS?
Celiac disease is being blamed for many health problems these days, but chances are you don't have it.
There are groups of people that are claiming if you are low on energy, or have a bowel problem, or are obese, or don't sleep well, then you must have Celiac disease. The real truth is that you probably don't.
Celiac disease is only actually found in less than one percent (1%) of people. Even if you have a close relative that has been diagnosed (by a real doctor with blood tests and intestinal biopsy), your chance of also having the disease is still only 4 or 5 percent.
So why do so many people think they may have Celiac disease?
Well, there are many people who have a much simpler problem. The problem is ... (drum roll) ... bad diet.
The 'standard American diet' (SAD) causes lots of problems for lots of people. Processed and refined foods cause an imbalance in the body that causes the intestinal walls to deteriorate and get very thin. This leads to the inability to digest many foods. This is commonly called 'leaky gut syndrome' (LGS).
LGS in this sense has very similar symptoms to celiac disease which also destroys the body's ability to digest food. However, unlike celiac disease, leaky gut syndrome can be healed.
So, how do you fix a leaky gut?
Well, stop doing the things that make it leak. Some of the major causes are antibiotics, vegetable oils, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like asprin, ibuprofen, and naproxen), bacterial overgrowth (usually caused by too much sugar, and/or other highly processed foods), and other toxins from taking various drugs.
And, of course, you also need to do things that will help the intestinal lining to heal. That includes things like drinking kefir, eating lots of green leafy veggies, eating good fats (raw butter, raw milk, avocados, coconut oil), drinking lots of good water with all the trace minerals in it, and chewing your food very well before swallowing.
If you have a lot of intestinal damage, it could take 6 weeks or more of very close monitoring of your lifestyle to heal it. Even some suspected cases of celiac disease can heal from this type of a lifestyle. But it could take a year or two to heal if it was really far progressed.
To learn more, go HERE.
There are groups of people that are claiming if you are low on energy, or have a bowel problem, or are obese, or don't sleep well, then you must have Celiac disease. The real truth is that you probably don't.
Celiac disease is only actually found in less than one percent (1%) of people. Even if you have a close relative that has been diagnosed (by a real doctor with blood tests and intestinal biopsy), your chance of also having the disease is still only 4 or 5 percent.
So why do so many people think they may have Celiac disease?
Well, there are many people who have a much simpler problem. The problem is ... (drum roll) ... bad diet.
The 'standard American diet' (SAD) causes lots of problems for lots of people. Processed and refined foods cause an imbalance in the body that causes the intestinal walls to deteriorate and get very thin. This leads to the inability to digest many foods. This is commonly called 'leaky gut syndrome' (LGS).
LGS in this sense has very similar symptoms to celiac disease which also destroys the body's ability to digest food. However, unlike celiac disease, leaky gut syndrome can be healed.
So, how do you fix a leaky gut?
Well, stop doing the things that make it leak. Some of the major causes are antibiotics, vegetable oils, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like asprin, ibuprofen, and naproxen), bacterial overgrowth (usually caused by too much sugar, and/or other highly processed foods), and other toxins from taking various drugs.
And, of course, you also need to do things that will help the intestinal lining to heal. That includes things like drinking kefir, eating lots of green leafy veggies, eating good fats (raw butter, raw milk, avocados, coconut oil), drinking lots of good water with all the trace minerals in it, and chewing your food very well before swallowing.
If you have a lot of intestinal damage, it could take 6 weeks or more of very close monitoring of your lifestyle to heal it. Even some suspected cases of celiac disease can heal from this type of a lifestyle. But it could take a year or two to heal if it was really far progressed.
To learn more, go HERE.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Milk : Does It Do A Body Good?
Milk (cows milk) is one of those things that I mention frequently as being good for you.
However, I nearly always preface the word milk with the word raw.
I was recently asked, "Is it better to give children pasteurized, homogenized milk, or no milk at all?"
I firmly believe that if you cannot get raw, un-homogenized milk, then you are better off not having any milk at all.
Let me explain. Milk truly is one of natures most wonderful foods. You could actually live on a milk only diet for years. In fact there is one Doctor who actually uses milk as his main method to treat his patients, no matter what ails them. He puts them on a milk diet until they are better. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes weeks, sometimes years.
You will see different studies suggesting different things about milk, but here is the rule of thumb for you. If you use raw milk it will lead to health and healing, if you use pasteurized, homogenized milk it will lead to disease.
Many of the studies don't even state what kind of milk was used.
When you pasteurize milk, it becomes a non-food. All the goodness that it had, has now become bound up and not usable. The calcium, the protein, etc. Also pasteurization kills most of the good bacteria in the milk which would have been so good for your digestive system.
And, contrary to what you may have heard, nearly all food poisoning that involves milk is caused by pasteurized milk. The good bacteria in raw milk keeps the bad bacteria in check. Pasteurization kills nearly all the good bacteria, but doesn't kill all the bad bacteria. Therefore there is nothing to keep the bad bacteria in check, and they grow profusely.
When milk is homogenized, it becomes even more dangerous to the human body. Homogenized milk has the fat globules broken down so small that they can pass through into the blood stream. Each little fat globule is coated in a resin that is very bad for your heart health. If there are any nicks or scratches in the vessels(caused by free-radicals), that resin attacks it and opens the wounds even more. This causes the body to create cholesterol to patch up the wounds. These patches, if they become extensive enough, can clog the artery.
Beware of the 'Organic' milks out there these days. They are still pasteurized.
That is why I say that pasteurized, homogenized milk should be avoided completely, and raw milk should be consumed when ever possible.
Remember, the fat in raw milk leads to healing in the body.
So, get some raw milk, and drink up!
To find where to get raw milk, go HERE.
However, I nearly always preface the word milk with the word raw.
I was recently asked, "Is it better to give children pasteurized, homogenized milk, or no milk at all?"
I firmly believe that if you cannot get raw, un-homogenized milk, then you are better off not having any milk at all.
Let me explain. Milk truly is one of natures most wonderful foods. You could actually live on a milk only diet for years. In fact there is one Doctor who actually uses milk as his main method to treat his patients, no matter what ails them. He puts them on a milk diet until they are better. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes weeks, sometimes years.
You will see different studies suggesting different things about milk, but here is the rule of thumb for you. If you use raw milk it will lead to health and healing, if you use pasteurized, homogenized milk it will lead to disease.
Many of the studies don't even state what kind of milk was used.
When you pasteurize milk, it becomes a non-food. All the goodness that it had, has now become bound up and not usable. The calcium, the protein, etc. Also pasteurization kills most of the good bacteria in the milk which would have been so good for your digestive system.
And, contrary to what you may have heard, nearly all food poisoning that involves milk is caused by pasteurized milk. The good bacteria in raw milk keeps the bad bacteria in check. Pasteurization kills nearly all the good bacteria, but doesn't kill all the bad bacteria. Therefore there is nothing to keep the bad bacteria in check, and they grow profusely.
When milk is homogenized, it becomes even more dangerous to the human body. Homogenized milk has the fat globules broken down so small that they can pass through into the blood stream. Each little fat globule is coated in a resin that is very bad for your heart health. If there are any nicks or scratches in the vessels(caused by free-radicals), that resin attacks it and opens the wounds even more. This causes the body to create cholesterol to patch up the wounds. These patches, if they become extensive enough, can clog the artery.
Beware of the 'Organic' milks out there these days. They are still pasteurized.
That is why I say that pasteurized, homogenized milk should be avoided completely, and raw milk should be consumed when ever possible.
Remember, the fat in raw milk leads to healing in the body.
So, get some raw milk, and drink up!
To find where to get raw milk, go HERE.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Crutches Can Be Useful... But Beware
Crutches come in many shapes and sizes. They are things designed to help us along when our natural abilities don't quite work the way we would like them to. They come with names like : eye glasses, knee braces, supports, wraps, slings, etc.
They are wonderful inventions that can help us to heal from stress and/or injury. But sometimes we forget that that is what they are. Some times we decide that we will use the crutch for ever more, because it is so wonderful.
Have you ever sprained an ankle so bad that the doctor gave you crutches to use until the ankle could heal and strengthen? If so, how long did you use the crutches? Did you just decide to use them for the rest of your life so you wouldn't have to worry about the ankle any more?
Probably not. You slowly start to use the ankle again, to build it back up to it's former strength. As time goes by, you use the crutches less and less until you don't need them at all.
What would happen if you decided to just use the crutches all the time and never try to use the ankle ever again? Well, ankle and the leg connected to it would eventually atrophy, and you could actually completely lose the ability to use it.
We need to remember that this holds true for all types of crutches. So we need to be careful about becoming too attached and dependent upon our crutches.
I actually knew a man who decided that it would be really neat to use a motorized chair to get around in all the time. He was a little overweight and didn't particularly enjoy walking around. He was doing well enough financially that he could afford to buy a four wheeled, motorized scooter chair, and he did. He thought it was so very cool to ride around on it everywhere he went. Well, as you can probably guess, it wasn't really all that long before his weight nearly doubled and he was unable to get around without the motorized chair. He then began to develop other health problems as well.
The strange thing was that it never really dawned on him that the fun little scooter was the cause of much of his problems. He continued to praise it, for allowing him to get around.
It is important that we recognize our crutches as crutches, and that we need to work on re-strengthening what ever may be weak that caused us to use the crutch in the first place.
For instance, if you are using a knee brace, you should have times where you put the brace aside and do exercises that will help to strengthen and rehabilitate the knee and leg. Of course this needs to be done with patience and wisdom. And, of course, you need to make sure that the body is getting good nutrition, from good whole foods, so that it can heal and rebuild.
Eye glasses are also another type of crutch. If you decide to, and you find the right information, you can exercise your eyes back to health. There are eye doctors out there who correctly use glasses as crutches. They teach you how to exercise your eyes and bring them back to health. They can periodically give you weaker and weaker glasses to wear until your eyes are back to full strength.
The human body is a marvelous machine, endowed by it's creator with the ability to heal and strengthen. Given the right nutrients, and care, and exercise (and avoiding toxins that would interfere with growth) the body can heal itself of almost ailments.
So take a look at your life, and see what 'crutches' you may be using. Figure out what types of things you will need to do to rebuild enough to not need the crutches. It can bring much joy and freedom to your life.
Get knee exercises HERE.
Get eye exercises HERE.
They are wonderful inventions that can help us to heal from stress and/or injury. But sometimes we forget that that is what they are. Some times we decide that we will use the crutch for ever more, because it is so wonderful.
Have you ever sprained an ankle so bad that the doctor gave you crutches to use until the ankle could heal and strengthen? If so, how long did you use the crutches? Did you just decide to use them for the rest of your life so you wouldn't have to worry about the ankle any more?
Probably not. You slowly start to use the ankle again, to build it back up to it's former strength. As time goes by, you use the crutches less and less until you don't need them at all.
What would happen if you decided to just use the crutches all the time and never try to use the ankle ever again? Well, ankle and the leg connected to it would eventually atrophy, and you could actually completely lose the ability to use it.
We need to remember that this holds true for all types of crutches. So we need to be careful about becoming too attached and dependent upon our crutches.
I actually knew a man who decided that it would be really neat to use a motorized chair to get around in all the time. He was a little overweight and didn't particularly enjoy walking around. He was doing well enough financially that he could afford to buy a four wheeled, motorized scooter chair, and he did. He thought it was so very cool to ride around on it everywhere he went. Well, as you can probably guess, it wasn't really all that long before his weight nearly doubled and he was unable to get around without the motorized chair. He then began to develop other health problems as well.
The strange thing was that it never really dawned on him that the fun little scooter was the cause of much of his problems. He continued to praise it, for allowing him to get around.
It is important that we recognize our crutches as crutches, and that we need to work on re-strengthening what ever may be weak that caused us to use the crutch in the first place.
For instance, if you are using a knee brace, you should have times where you put the brace aside and do exercises that will help to strengthen and rehabilitate the knee and leg. Of course this needs to be done with patience and wisdom. And, of course, you need to make sure that the body is getting good nutrition, from good whole foods, so that it can heal and rebuild.
Eye glasses are also another type of crutch. If you decide to, and you find the right information, you can exercise your eyes back to health. There are eye doctors out there who correctly use glasses as crutches. They teach you how to exercise your eyes and bring them back to health. They can periodically give you weaker and weaker glasses to wear until your eyes are back to full strength.
The human body is a marvelous machine, endowed by it's creator with the ability to heal and strengthen. Given the right nutrients, and care, and exercise (and avoiding toxins that would interfere with growth) the body can heal itself of almost ailments.
So take a look at your life, and see what 'crutches' you may be using. Figure out what types of things you will need to do to rebuild enough to not need the crutches. It can bring much joy and freedom to your life.
Get knee exercises HERE.
Get eye exercises HERE.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Health Tip: Don't Panic!
Many parents, especially new mothers, are prone to panic when a child gets sick. There is a lot of bad advice out there that helps to cause that panic.
That is why I was pleased to see this tip listed in the Readers Digest.
“ The University of Michigan Health System rates any fever from 100°F to 104°F as beneficial. Fevers ranging from 105°F to 107°F also are considered beneficial, but should be monitored due to higher risks of bacterial infections. Any fever greater than 107°F should be treated by a medical professional ”
In other words, there is no need to panic at a temperature of 104°F. Even 105°F is OK. Just be more watchful and careful as the temperature rises above that.
Too many people panic at temperatures of 100°F to 104°F. These are not dangerous temperatures. This is just the body going through it’s natural function of fighting off infections. When you are sick, fever is usually a good sign. It proves that your immune system is working.
Many doctors around the world have even learned to help the body warm-up by keeping someone with a fever well covered. This usually helps the body to heal even faster.
Just remember that it is important to keep the body well hydrated with water during these healing times. The water helps to eliminate toxic wastes, as well as helping in the regulation of all of the bodies resources.
Remember that health comes from within. We need to give our bodies the resources that they need to take care of themselves.
Just eat a high quality natural foods diet, exercise, drink plenty of good clean water, make sure you get fiber (whole raw foods), get plenty of sleep, breathe deeply, serve others, and have a gratitude attitude.
Your body will take care of you, if you take care of it.
Coach G.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Is Macadamia Oil Good?
As many of you have probably noticed, I've been talking a lot lately about eating good fats.
That's because it seems to be one of those things that is widely misunderstood.
Well, anyway, I was recently asked, "Is macadamia oil good?"
After doing a little research, my answer is a qualified yes. One of the positives of macadamia oil is that it is comprised mostly of monounsaturated fats, rather than polyunsaturated fats. Therefore it is more akin to olive oil than to corn or soy.
I would still consider olive oil to be superior to macadamia oil, because it contains a larger portion of palmitic acid, which is also found in butter and milk.
However I still consider raw butter and raw milk superior to olive oil as far as overall health is concerned. And if you are fighting a particular health concern coconut oil is probably the best at helping to re-balance an out of balance system.
Remember, fats are an important part of a healthy body. Fats make up much of the structure of every cell in your body. Give your body natural healthy fats to build with. Avocados, raw milk & eggs, raw cheese, raw butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and raw nuts are all great sources of healthy fat.
Anyone telling you to use polyunsaturated oils for health is operating off a report from the 1930's that it is now known was wrong.
So go ahead and use your macadamia oil, just use it sparingly, along with lots of other good fats.
One other note of interest : Not all nut oils are the same. For instance peanut oil is not a good oil to use, since it contains a lot of polyunsaturated oil.
That's because it seems to be one of those things that is widely misunderstood.
Well, anyway, I was recently asked, "Is macadamia oil good?"
After doing a little research, my answer is a qualified yes. One of the positives of macadamia oil is that it is comprised mostly of monounsaturated fats, rather than polyunsaturated fats. Therefore it is more akin to olive oil than to corn or soy.
I would still consider olive oil to be superior to macadamia oil, because it contains a larger portion of palmitic acid, which is also found in butter and milk.
However I still consider raw butter and raw milk superior to olive oil as far as overall health is concerned. And if you are fighting a particular health concern coconut oil is probably the best at helping to re-balance an out of balance system.
Remember, fats are an important part of a healthy body. Fats make up much of the structure of every cell in your body. Give your body natural healthy fats to build with. Avocados, raw milk & eggs, raw cheese, raw butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and raw nuts are all great sources of healthy fat.
Anyone telling you to use polyunsaturated oils for health is operating off a report from the 1930's that it is now known was wrong.
So go ahead and use your macadamia oil, just use it sparingly, along with lots of other good fats.
One other note of interest : Not all nut oils are the same. For instance peanut oil is not a good oil to use, since it contains a lot of polyunsaturated oil.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Stop Micro-Managing!
Micro-managing never works. Why?
Well, because in order to micro-manage, you must be micro-focused. And, of course, if you are micro-focused, you can not see the whole picture.
You could even be looking at the neighboring molecule thinking that it is the likely cause of a problem, that the molecule a little ways over is actually causing. But we suspect the first one because he is in the vicinity and has been accused before.
Another problem with micro-managing is that it leads to trying to treat symptoms, and most symptoms have nothing to do with what originally caused the problem.
For example :
I could have a wet floor, so I will get a towel and dry it off. A moment or two later, it is wet again, so I dry it off again. This could go on for hours, days, or weeks. Then one day I look out the window and realize that the whole yard is flooded, and it keeps seeping in, on to my floor.
I say, "Oh, that is the problem." So I go outside and build a drainage area to drain water away from my house. The drain works beautifully and water starts to drain away from my house, and fill the neighbors yard. But the next day, my floor is wet again. I look out the window and my yard is still flooded. I realize that water is coming into my yard just as fast as the drain is draining it.
I say, "Oh , that is the problem." I go up-stream a little and start to build a dike. When my dike is finished, I go home, content that my floor will now stray dry. The next thing I know, my floor is wet again. So, I go back outside and look around a little more. Then I see the problem. The dam up the road is leaking.
So, now I know what the REAL problem is, and I get a meeting together with all my neighbors to talk about moving the dam to a better location. One neighbors says we should plug up the dam, but there are several different opinions on how to plug it up and with what. One neighbors says that if we just think positively it will stop leaking. Another suggests that a committee should study the dam to see why it decided to stop doing it's job. Others want to look into why the dam was built there in the first place.
Finally we solve the problem, by making a really great wholesale purchase of dry towels.
Now, I know that that was kind of ridiculous, but we see this kind of thing happen all the time in the real world of health care.
You have a headache, so you take a pain pill.
The doctor tells you that your cholesterol levels are too high, so he gives you a prescription.
You are anemic, so you take an iron supplement.
You read in the newspaper that red wine will keep you heart healthy, so you take up drinking red wine.
You hear that eating fat makes you fat, so you stop eating fat.
These things are all very misleading 'solutions' that you have come to believe in, even though the trouble doesn't go away after months of doing them. In fact in many cases the problem seems to subside initially, but then comes back with a vengeance.
It is because these are all ways of trying to micro-manage your health.
So, what is the long term solution?
Stop micro-managing!
The creator of the world made wonderful foods that nourish and rejuvenate the body. Eaten in a whole and natural state they help all the body systems to work in a balanced and optimal way.
Believe it or not, you can get all the nutrients you need by eating whole natural foods. You not only get the nutrients that have been heavily studied, you get the ones we still don't even know about yet.
On the other hand, anytime someone takes apart whole foods, and separates out one particular substance from it, it will cause imbalance in the human body.
Stop micro-managing!
Drink plenty of good clean water. Eat whole grains, and nuts. Eat plenty of veggies and fruits. Use raw milk and eggs from healthy animals that also use natural whole foods. Cut out processed and fractionated foods and supplements. Eliminate all artificial and fake, and/or concentrated foods. Get regular exercise. Get to sleep at a good time each night.
A healthy lifestyle will cure most ills.
Go HERE. Read the book.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
The Oiling of America
Here is an article that everyone needs to read.
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/oiling.html
It is very long, so many people won't want to read all the detail, but I highly recommend it. It will help you to understand a lot of things.
It will give you all the pertinent facts as to why I believe that we will be much better off if we eat lots of saturated fats and eliminate vegetable oils and fish oils.
For even more detail and in depth analysis, read Ray Peat's articles.
It turns out that the things we have been told are "essential fats", are actually contributing to estrogen overload, which in turn contributes to most of our debilitating diseases of the day.
There is nothing natural about concentrating oils out of vegetables and consuming large quantities of them. There is also nothing healthy about it.
Don't believe industry hype or media hype. Look for actual studies with real science.
The other sad news in this arena is that Medical doctors don't have the time or the training to look at actual studies. They fall into the trap of taking the word of the representatives of the drug companies, to teach them about health issues. What are the goals of the drug companies? Well, to sell more drugs, of course.
The more I study, the more I realize that eating whole natural foods is the best way to get all the nutrients and resources that the body needs to create a healthy, balanced body.
P.S. Raw Milk and Eggs are excellent sources of healthy fat. Back when our society used to eat and drink a lot of them, heart disease was practically unheard of (not to mention cancer).
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Exercise & Knee Pain
Everyone seems to agree that exercise is good for you, for the most part.
Some of the benefits to exercise include flexibility, muscle tone, confidence, weight control, immune enhancement, stronger heart and lungs, and stamina.
However, from time to time, I hear people claim that they don't exercise as much as they feel like they should, because they are afraid that it will make their joints go bad.
Osteoarthritis does affect a lot of people these days. But you might find a recent study published in the "Journal of Anatomy" to be interesting. They found, after looking at a number of studies that were done on exercise and joint problems, that there was no extra joint problems connected with regular vigorous exercise by people who have not had previous joint problems.
Exercise does not cause knee problems. It can be a contributing factor for those who are significantly over weight, or those who have already injured their joints.
You should also know that joint pain can be helped and joints rehabilitated through careful exercise and nutrition.
Learn more HERE.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Water : Alkaline, Acid, Kangen, Filtered, Distilled?
Water is the elixir of life!
Nothing in the human body can happen without water.
We all know these kinds of basics about water, but then we hear all kinds of hype about special kinds of water. What really is the truth?
All over the UK and the USA people are advertising machines and potions to make alkaline water.
Why? Because alkaline water will cure whatever ails you (according to them).
All over Asia they are talking about acid water and how important it is.
Why? Because acid water will cure whatever ails you (according to them).
Can both of these things be true? It doesn't seem logical does it.
I'll skip to the bottom line here, so you can get on to other things, then I'll give more detail for those interested.
Bottom line : Water is good for you. Drinking sufficient quantities of it will help tremendously in taking care of many of the things that ail you. Try to get it non-polluted, but get it.
All claims of improved health made by both the 'acid water' people and the 'alkaline water' people, can be seen in anyone who drinks sufficient water. People using these products have increases in health levels because they drink MORE water, not because they drink better water.
Shall we look at a few particulars?
If you decide to drink alkaline water, you will probably be given something to make your water have a pH of 9 or 10. (By the way, you can do this your self with out the special machines by adding real sea salt.) When you drink this water, what happens?
Well, it first goes to the stomach where it encounters an acid environment with a pH of 2. Guess what..., all the water you just drank is now very acidic.
If you decide to drink acid water, when it hits the stomach, it is still very acidic.
So then what? Well the body has a wonderful way of delivering the right things to the right places in a balanced and healthy way, as long as it is given the resources to do so. The body carefully manages the pH of your body through a myriad of complex activities that require water and minerals. Thus we see the importance of getting good minerals.
Some parts of your body are supposed to be acidic (like the stomach with a pH of about 2), and some parts are supposed to be alkaline (like the small intestine with a pH of about 9). The body balances all these things out if we just give it good resources to work with.
One of the advantages of mineral water is that it helps to supply some of these minerals.
One of the advantages of distilled water, or of other filtered waters, is that it cuts down on the pollutants and toxins that the body has to try and deal with.
Acids help to dissolve things that need to be dissolved, as well as helping with some disinfection.
Kangen water has been making a name for it's self all around the world. What is it? It is filtered to get rid of toxins, and it is mineralized. But by far the biggest advantage is that it gets people to drink more water!
You see, it was proven in the prison camps during World War II that sufficient water, even though it wasn't the most hygienic, could help to cure many diseases.
The biggest problem today is that people generally don't drink enough water, and they drink all kinds of other junk instead.
I probably said enough, but let me share one example of how misleading the hype can be. There is a lot of bad research out there, this is an example of it.
There is a doctor who treats people with digestive and colon problems. He has started having his patients drink a quart of alkaline water one half hour before each meal. He is having fantastic success with most of his patients. He uses this information to help sell alkaline water machines.
It is great that he is helping these people get better, but he has never told any of them that they could get the same results by drinking any good clean water. The sad part is that he probably doesn't even know it himself. You see, he never thought to try it, so it isn't a part of his "research".
Look for these kinds of 'research' flaws in all the hype and advertising you see. It can save you lots of wasted money.
It's the same as in vaccine research, they never compare vaccinated people against un-vaccinated people in a controlled study for long term health effects. Go ahead... ask your doctor for a copy of a study that proves that vaccines work.
But that's another issue, we can talk about that later. (Wow, my mind sure can jump around!)
See my previous water discussion for more details.
http://garnerhealth.blogspot.com/2009/07/water-you-need-to-know-this.html
Monday, August 03, 2009
NUUN : Product Review
I was asked to do a product review on NUUN for runners.
Please understand that I have not used this product and do not intend to use it. I also do not sell it.
This is just my perspective after looking through the companies web site.
What is NUUN?
Nuun (pronounced like noon) is an electrolyte replacement tablet product. The tablet is dissolved in water. The makers claim that it will replace all the minerals necessary for an endurance athlete, thereby assisting in hydration, as well as helping to fight fatigue and cramping. Many people claim that it helps them.
The first problem I see for runners is that the product has to be used in a bottle. Many runners do not like to carry bottles, particularly during a race. This would work well for bicycle riders who normally carry a water bottle. However most runners would prefer something they can just take out of a pocket and down quickly with a gulp or two of water from an aid station. This product can not be used that way.
The next thing I noticed is that their literature is a little misleading in that it claims that the reduction that users have noticed in cramping is due to the mineral content. While this is partially true, the bigger effect from this product in reducing cramps would probably be from the bicarbonate in it. Yes, bicarbonate involves minerals, but there is more to it than that.
I might also mention that bicarbonate can be irritating to the digestive tract.
While looking at the ingredient list, I next noticed that it contains sorbitol. Sorbitol can cause some problems for some people, so just be aware that that is part of the mix.
The other ingredient that I would have a problem with is polyethylene glycol. This product can also cause gastrointestinal problems for some people. It is used to help to break down minerals as well as so slow down some body processes. It can slow up the immune system functions as well. It is used as a laxative, and should not be used by pregnant individuals, or people with bowel troubles. It also should not be used without first talking to your doctor if you are on any prescription medications.
Of course, they are just using a very small amount of polyethylene glycol, and it is considered to be safe by the FDA in low doses.
Overall, I would not recommend the use of this product for most runners.
Of course I do recognize that it is important to replace electrolytes that the body uses up during endurance training and events. But it is my belief that there are better products than this one out there.
I would suggest something like eDISCS made by the Medion Corporation.
No, I don't sell those either.
Other questions? Please ask.
Please understand that I have not used this product and do not intend to use it. I also do not sell it.
This is just my perspective after looking through the companies web site.
What is NUUN?
Nuun (pronounced like noon) is an electrolyte replacement tablet product. The tablet is dissolved in water. The makers claim that it will replace all the minerals necessary for an endurance athlete, thereby assisting in hydration, as well as helping to fight fatigue and cramping. Many people claim that it helps them.
The first problem I see for runners is that the product has to be used in a bottle. Many runners do not like to carry bottles, particularly during a race. This would work well for bicycle riders who normally carry a water bottle. However most runners would prefer something they can just take out of a pocket and down quickly with a gulp or two of water from an aid station. This product can not be used that way.
The next thing I noticed is that their literature is a little misleading in that it claims that the reduction that users have noticed in cramping is due to the mineral content. While this is partially true, the bigger effect from this product in reducing cramps would probably be from the bicarbonate in it. Yes, bicarbonate involves minerals, but there is more to it than that.
I might also mention that bicarbonate can be irritating to the digestive tract.
While looking at the ingredient list, I next noticed that it contains sorbitol. Sorbitol can cause some problems for some people, so just be aware that that is part of the mix.
The other ingredient that I would have a problem with is polyethylene glycol. This product can also cause gastrointestinal problems for some people. It is used to help to break down minerals as well as so slow down some body processes. It can slow up the immune system functions as well. It is used as a laxative, and should not be used by pregnant individuals, or people with bowel troubles. It also should not be used without first talking to your doctor if you are on any prescription medications.
Of course, they are just using a very small amount of polyethylene glycol, and it is considered to be safe by the FDA in low doses.
Overall, I would not recommend the use of this product for most runners.
Of course I do recognize that it is important to replace electrolytes that the body uses up during endurance training and events. But it is my belief that there are better products than this one out there.
I would suggest something like eDISCS made by the Medion Corporation.
No, I don't sell those either.
Other questions? Please ask.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Why Cancer Survivor Doesn't Do Walk-A-Thons
As a cancer survivor, I'm often approached about joining a run or a walk to help raise money for cancer research. I don't participate. But I do run marathons. Why?
Let me say that I have great love for the compassionate souls who choose to participate in, and promote these events. I just can't bring myself to do it.
You see, I have done a lot of study about cancer. And I cannot support the whole idea of researching to find more drugs, radiations, and surgeries to fix a problem which can be easily solved by teaching people to live a healthy lifestyle.
Here is what I believe, after all of my research about cancer.
There are simple steps that can be taken by people to avoid getting cancer, that are generally accepted to be very effective.
There are also very effective natural means to treat those already diagnosed with cancer, without having to resort to the awful destructiveness of drugs, radiation, and surgery.
Now, of course, this will depend on the circumstances of each individual case. In some cases, if the cancer has progressed to an advanced stage, or the body has become significantly compromised, drugs and chemotherapy can help to save a life. That's a good thing.
Cancer doctors and cancer institutes are doing the best they can to help people survive. I don't hold any of that against them. I just think that if they would put their resources to use in the direction of better education for the public at large, the epidemic of cancer in our society could be drastically curtailed.
Education about what causes cancer, and what cancer actually is, could easily drop cancer rates substantially. Eating fresh green veggies and avoiding artificial, chemical ingredients in our food would make a huge difference all by it's self. Stopping the use of microwave ovens is also an important step which could solve many problems.
Another big step in the right direction would be to help people understand estrogen overload. Estrogen overload is very closely related to the incidence of cancer. Eliminating excess polyunsaturated oils from our diets will make a huge improvement in that direction.
Read some of Ray Peats articles to understand fats and oils better.
I would support an organization that would use it's resources to shout out the message that we already know how to conquer cancer. We don't need more death and destruction caused by more drugs and radiation.
But every cancer event I've been invited to, is mostly about creating more drugs and radiation protocols to use after someone is already diagnosed with cancer.
Some will say that I am unfair, because I went through traditional cancer treatments and am alive to talk about it. But I survived because, I fought hard to survive. I used many herbs and vitamins and whole foods. I had the mental mind set that I would survive and beat the cancer. This is one of the strongest indicators as to who will survive a bout with cancer.
I also survived because of a loving family and much prayer. God has blessed me in so many ways, and He still blesses me. Every cancer patient needs a great support team.
I was one who needed drastic measures to combat my cancer. I was already fourth stage when it was discovered that I had cancer. Heavy duty chemotherapy helped to break up the cancer in my body so that my body could clear it out. Other drugs were used to help boost my immune system as well.
But chemotherapy and other drugs are very hard on the body. Good hydration, good nutrition, good attitude, body balancing foods, and even some exercise, are needed for the body to rebuild and become healthy after the chemotherapy has caused so much destruction.
Most cancer doctors and cancer institutes do not talk about this very important need. To feed the body the proper resources that it needs to actually heal and rebuild. They act like somehow they are going to cure you by causing all this destruction in your body. Some survive the onslaught, some don't.
The statistical ineffectiveness of the standard medical protocols is obvious to those who want to look. Drugs can not create balance in a human body, only more imbalance. If they work, then why are we asking for so much more money to try to find ones that really will work? Why are cancer rates still increasing? Why is it that 97% of people who survive these standard cancer treatments, are using natural and alternative treatments at the same time. Why are many who die after traditional cancer treatment, found to be cancer free when the autopsy is done? Can it be that the treatment killed them?
Yes, chemotherapy will kill cancer. We know that. But it doesn't only kill cancer. It is by nature destructive to the whole organism. Why not teach people how to build a strong body through healthy lifestyle?
Instead we leave people to try to find their own ways to overcome the destructive drug therapies. So cancer patients end up spending all kinds of money on all kinds of pills and potions, that are peddled by all kinds of people.
So, as you can see, I do believe that we need to have better treatments for those who have cancer, but I do not believe that drug research can get us to that point. The drugs are very helpful in drastic cases to help save human life. But unless we teach people the importance of recovering and rebuilding from the destructiveness of the drugs, we are not really helping them.
Give me an organization that will push for doctors and institutes to vigorously teach people to live healthy lifestyles, and I will march in that walk-a-thon.
Let me know what you think.
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