The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals
by Don Colbert, M.D.
Vitamins and minerals are vital to our survival and are actually some of the main building blocks of our bodies. In Genesis 2:7 the Bible says, And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (KJV). Man was actually formed out of the dust of the ground. When our life is complete, we are eventually reduced to about 4 or 5 pounds of mineral dust—bringing us back to where we began.
Approximately 97 percent of our body is being replaced each year by the foods we eat. Our bodies need approximately fifty or more nutrients in order to maintain good health. These include thirteen essential vitamins—among which are the eight B vitamins—plus twenty-two essential minerals, eight important amino acids, two essential fatty acids, and five co-factors, which are vitamin-like substances that the body is able to make.
The thirteen essential vitamins include vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, D, E, and K, along with the eight B vitamins—B1, B2, niacin, B6, folic acid, B12, pantothenic acid, and biotin. Vitamins are not pep pills, they are not caffeine, and they are not going to give us instant energy. What they do is function in the body with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to supply energy. In other words, they are part of the process—they are components of an enzyme system that functions to create energy. We only need a small amount of most vitamins to maintain good health. However, they cannot be manufactured by our bodies in the amounts necessary to sustain life. Therefore, we must get them from our foods and multivitamin supplements.
Minerals are very important, too. The seven macro-minerals (which are the major minerals) are calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and sulfur. The fifteen remaining trace minerals include substances such as fluoride and iodine. A number of these are obtained through normal sources. For instance, we get fluoride from brushing our teeth and iodine from using iodized salt. Minerals form bones, assist in energy production, muscle contraction, blood formation, conduction of electrical impulses, and building proteins. They are vital in the prevention of things such as osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer.
Getting the proper nutrients from our foods will make us feel better, give us more energy, and protect our immune system. However, much of the vitamin and mineral content in our foods is often lost through processing, cooking, and storage. Therefore, in order to get the most out of what we eat, I have put together some helpful suggestions.
For starters, I suggest you eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. These items should make up the largest part of your diet. If you cut them up, do it just before eating them. Eating vegetables raw will probably give you the greatest amount of nutrients, but if you do cook them, place them in a minimal amount of water for a short period of time. Lightly steaming or stir-frying is considered two of the best ways to cook vegetables and preserve their vitamin and mineral content.
Next, you should include a moderate amount of grains, cereals, and breads. It’s best to select whole-grain wheat, oats, and barley products that have been through little or no processing. Avoid white flour and other foods that have been highly bleached and processed. I also recommend from this food group nuts such as almonds, unsalted cashews, and organic peanuts. All these foods will provide you with needed nutrients like magnesium, selenium, and manganese.
As for meats, I suggest lean cuts of fish, chicken, and turkey. Dairy products should include skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese. These foods, which should make up about 10 percent of your diet, will provide you with calcium, iron, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
I would also encourage you to reduce your intake of fats, oils, and sweets. These are the most dangerous and least nutritious substances. It will also benefit you greatly to increase the amount of fiber in your diet. This will help prevent colon cancer as well as eliminate many toxins from your body. I recommend 20 grams of fiber per day.
And last, I strongly urge you to take a good comprehensive multivitamin and mineral supplement every day. This will further ensure your body is being replenished with the vital nutrients it needs to maintain optimum health. Next month, we will learn how to find our way through the multivitamin and mineral supplement maze in order to choose a good supplement.
Used with permission. The author of several books, Dr. Don Colbert is in private practice in central Florida, where he lives with his family. A graduate of Oral Roberts School of Medicine, he has also received extensive training in nutritional and preventative medicine. For further information, visit www.drcolbert.com.
Newsletters, Articles, Health Tips and other Web Site Information
Dr. Colbert shares his years of experience and research in nutritional medicine in each article, health tip and newsletter. However, the information contained in each of these reference materials is not intended to replace your current relationship with your physician and should never be construed as medical advice.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Hints on Living and Eating Healthy
Here are some articles that I found online on tips on living healthy (I didn't have much time to write one) but I think that this will more than cover for all the days I didn't update this blog (sorry) anyway I give all credit to the respective authors of this hints. Enjoy!
Healthy Foods
Tomatoes (especially cooked tomatoes such as tomato sauce) contain a potent phytonutrient called lycopene that decreases the risk of developing both colon cancer and prostrate cancer.
Choose low fat dairy products such including skim milk, skim milk cheeses, skim milk yogurt, etc.
Garlic has antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties. It aids in lowering blood pressure and helps to prevent heart disease and even cancer-especially stomach cancer.
Extraordinary Value Of Antioxidants
Free radicals cause damage to your cells. Each cell in your body usually receives between 1,000 and 10,000 free radical hits per day. Excessive free radical damage can eventually lead to cancer. Some of the best-known free-radical fighters are anti-oxidants.
Anti-oxidants-in the form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and plant nutrients-help to neutralize free radicals. I believe it is vitally important for us to take a comprehensive vitamin, mineral, and anti-oxidant supplement, along with eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day.
The anti-oxidant activity of green tea is 200 times more potent than vitamin E and 500 times more potent that vitamin C. I recommend drinking one to three cups of green tea per day. If you dislike the taste of green tea, you may purchase green tea extract capsules at a health food store
Information for Migraine Sufferers
+
Alcohol, especially red wine, is one of the most potent triggers for migraines.
Among medications, birth control pills are common initiators of migraines.
Common foods that trigger migraines include: chocolate, peanuts, and foods that have been marinated, pickled, or fermented, such as pickled herring. Ripened cheeses, such as cheddar and brie, are also common causes. And processed meats, such as sausage, bologna, pepperoni, salami, and hotdogs, can also bring on a migraine.
Two of the most common food additives that trigger migraines include NutraSweet and MSG (monosodium glutamate); the latter is found in many Chinese foods.
Another very common trigger of migraines is withdrawal from caffeine and having low blood sugar.
One of the best ways to prevent migraines is to drink at least two quarts of filtered or bottled water a day, and consume adequate amounts of high fiber foods to assure that you have at least one bowel movement a day.
Water & The Detoxification Process
Ideally, consuming two to three quarts (64-96 ounces) of water per day is recommended to help flush the body of toxins that are taken in through our food, drink, and air.
A good formula for determining the approximate number of ounces of water you should drink daily is to divide your body weight in pounds by two. For example, a 150-pound man would need 75 ounces of water per day since 150 divided by two is 75.
By drinking the recommended amount of two to three quarts of water per day, along with a fiber supplement and a high-chlorophyll drink, you can detoxify your body.
Another excellent method of detoxification is perspiration. One of the best ways to perspire is to exercise regularly through such means as aerobics, brisk walking, or outside yard work. And if you have access to an infrared sauna, it is an additional avenue to initiate perspiration.
Foods That Increase Memory
Fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, and tuna, are rich sources of DHA, which is a fish oil that helps to create healthier brain cells.
The healthiest nuts for the brain are walnuts, which actually look like miniature brains, and almonds.
Foods with the greatest antioxidant capacity are the healthiest for the brain. These include fruits such as prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Vegetables with the highest antioxidant capacity include garlic, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, and broccoli.
Olive oil, avocados, macadamia nuts, and other monounsaturated fats help to prevent memory loss.
Healthy Choices Lead to Life
It is best to choose the leanest cuts of meat like chicken breast and turkey breast, as well as free range meats such as venison, elk, and extra lean beef.
In choosing salad dressings, select a dressing with extra virgin olive oil (or one that is olive oil based) and vinegar.
When selecting a mayonnaise, choose one made with canola oil instead of soybean oil. These can be found at most health food stores.
Choose living foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as opposed to dead foods like cakes, pastries, candies, cookies, and most processed foods. When you choose living foods, you choose life!
The Benefits of Power Foods
Power foods help prevent disease-they contain important phytonutrients which are cancer-fighting chemicals. I recommend you include one or more of these foods in your diet every day:
1. Vegetables in the cabbage family are one kind of power food. They include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, radishes, and turnips.
2. Soybeans and soybean products are also extremely powerful foods. I encourage you to try soy burgers, soy protein, soymilk, and tofu.
3. Strawberries, tangerines, and parsley are other power foods that contain powerful phytonutrients that help fight against disease.
It's best to eat these foods raw or juiced. However, if you would prefer, you can steam them or make soups with them. This will ensure that your body receives the best nutritional value from the foods.
What You Body Needs
On the average, our bodies need at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. This enables them to resist disease, maintain strength and endurance, increase vitality, improve our mood, and slow down the aging process.
You can live about five to seven days without water, about five to seven weeks without food, but only about five minutes without oxygen. Therefore, oxygenate your body throughout the day by taking one-minute deep breathing breaks. In this exercise you breathe in deeply through your nose, then blow the air out through your mouth.
Many Americans are in the process of developing cancer due to stressful lifestyles, lack of exercise, and an excessive intake of sugar, processed foods, hydrogenated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Therefore, in my opinion, healthy dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle habits will help fight against a majority of cancers.
Dealing With Diabetes
Here are some tips I recommend to help fight diabetes:
1. Avoid foods with a high glycemic index, such as white bread, puffed rice, French bread, instant rice, corn flakes, instant potatoes, corn, and most cereals.
2. Lose the necessary weight to reach your ideal body weight.
3. Include about twenty minutes of aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, in your regular routine three to four times a week.
4. Increase the amount of water-soluble fiber in your diet. This can be derived from such sources as oat bran, psyllium seeds, beans, peas, or a soluble-fiber supplement.
5. Take a supplement containing 200 micrograms of chromium and 300 milligrams of lipoic acid twice a day.
Helpful Tips To Lower Blood Pressure
High amounts of starches, such as breads, crackers, bagels, pretzels, pasta, popcorn, corn, rice, beans, chips, potatoes, and french fries will increase insulin levels. This usually leads to obesity, high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and eventually heart disease.
Most of my patients with high blood pressure are able to control it by simply maintaining their ideal body weight and decreasing the amount of stress in their lives.
Nutrients that help lower blood pressure include magnesium (400 mg three times a day), garlic (500 mg three times a day), cayenne pepper capsules (100,000 heat units three times a day with meals), and asparagus tablets (two tablets three times a day).
Help & Healing For Those With Allergies
1. The most common inhalant allergens are: dust mites and molds; tree, grass, and weed pollens; and animal dander-especially cat fur.
2. The first step to eliminate or reduce allergies is to identify the allergen and then reduce or eliminate the exposure to it as much as possible.
3. If you are allergic to dust, remove things that are "dust catchers," such as pictures, artificial flowers, etc. Avoid going into dusty areas, such as attics and storage rooms, and wear a mask when vacuuming or dusting.
4. If you have mold allergies, do your best to prevent dampness inside your house. Make sure bathrooms are well ventilated and are floored with tile instead of carpet. You can also obtain a dehumidifier to lower moisture levels in your entire house.
5. If you are allergic to pollen, then stay inside on windy days. An air purifier, such as a HEPA Filter, will help cut down the amount of dust and pollen in the air.
A Closer Look At Fat
Essential or healthy fats should be consumed on a daily basis to ensure strong, healthy cell membranes as well as to continually repair other body components.
Some of the healthiest fats are mono-unsaturated fats. Foods containing these fats include olives, avocados, almonds, almond butter, olive oil, and canola oil.
I believe that the best fats are the Omega-3 fatty acids. They are found primarily in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, halibut, herring, and cod. If you'd prefer, another option is to take at least one FDA-approved fish oil capsule, one to three times a day.
Another good source of healthy fat is flaxseed oil. I recommend at least one tablespoon once or twice a day. Since it has a short shelf life, it should be stored in the refrigerator and discarded if not used within thirty days. If you desire, you may substitute the flaxseed oil with five to seven flaxseed oil capsules taken once or twice a day.
Build A Better Immune System
1. One teaspoon of white sugar can lower your immune function by up to 50 percent for up to six hours, making you more susceptible to colds, as well as viral and bacterial infections.
2. Sugar from maple syrup, honey, and concentrated juices-such as orange juice, apple juice, and grape juice-may also lower immune function for up to six hours but not to the degree of white sugar.
3. Avoid aspartame or NutraSweet. NutraSweet breaks down in the body into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Methanol is also known as wood alcohol and is broken down in the body into formaldehyde, which is embalming fluid.
4. Overeating suppresses the immune system.
5. Eliminate killer fats, such as fried foods-especially those that are deep-fried. Hydrogenated fats should also be avoided. Check all packaged foods, and if the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated appear, avoid them.
6.
The Vigor Of Vegetables
Do not overcook your vegetables. It is best to eat vegetables raw, lightly steamed, or stir-fried since the heat of excessive cooking destroys the living enzymes in the vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and collard and mustard greens contain powerful phytonutrients. These nutrients protect us from breast, esophageal, stomach, colon, and prostate cancers.
Consume high-chlorophyll foods or drinks such as wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, or blue-green algae. These foods help to increase energy, cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, and detoxify the body.
Helpful Tips for Preventing a Cold
1. Always wash your hands before eating. If you're eating out, use a paper towel to turn off the water after washing your hands, and then use the towel again to open the restroom door.
2. During the flu and cold season, many people cough or sneeze in their hands. Consequently, shaking hands will predispose you to infection if you rub your eyes or touch the inside of your mouth or nose.
3. Use a straw in your beverage when eating out at a restaurant.
4. Take 250 to 500 milligrams of vitamin C three times a day.
5. Sleep at least seven to eight hours each night.
Fiber, Soy Foods & Grape Seed
I recommend taking a fiber supplement, such as oat bran, psyllium, or fresh ground flaxseeds every day. I encourage my patients to drink eight ounces of water with at least one to two teaspoons of psyllium seeds, such as Perdiem fiber or Metamucil (without sugar or Nutrasweet), first thing in the morning and then again at bedtime.
Soy foods, including soy protein, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soy flour, soy meat substitutes, and even roasted soy nuts, contain potent phytonutrients that reduce the risk of developing breast, lung, colon, or stomach cancer.
Grape seed and pine bark extract are twenty times more potent as free radical scavengers than vitamin C and fifty times more potent than vitamin E. These are extremely important in any antioxidant formula and should be taken on a daily basis.
The Healing Quality Of Humor
1. The average man or woman laughs about 4 to 8 times a day. The average child laughs about 150 times a day.
2. Laughter is the best medicine because it causes the release of bodily chemicals called
endorphins. These substances help to relieve pain and create a sense of well-being within us.
3. Laughter is able to raise your energy level and pull you out of the pit of depression. It actually releases tension, anxiety, anger, fear, shame, and guilt and can completely change one's attitude.
4. Like a massage, a good belly laugh is able to stimulate all the major organs.
Guidelines for Healthy Living
1. Choose more fruits and vegetables rather than processed foods. The most commonly eaten processed foods in America are coffee, hotdogs, and white bread.
2. The best cancer prevention recipe that I know of consists of the daily juicing of one apple, 2-4 carrots, ¼ head of cabbage, and a handful of organic spinach.
3. Green tea is a great antioxidant that is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E and 500 times more powerful than vitamin C. Instead of choosing coffee or regular tea, choose green tea.
4. If you cannot afford organic produce, simply purchase some Ivory or pure Castille soap from a health food store, and soak your produce in the mild detergent. Then, gently scrub your fruits and vegetables with a brush and rinse them off. This will remove the majority of pesticides.
Healthy Foods
Tomatoes (especially cooked tomatoes such as tomato sauce) contain a potent phytonutrient called lycopene that decreases the risk of developing both colon cancer and prostrate cancer.
Choose low fat dairy products such including skim milk, skim milk cheeses, skim milk yogurt, etc.
Garlic has antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal properties. It aids in lowering blood pressure and helps to prevent heart disease and even cancer-especially stomach cancer.
Extraordinary Value Of Antioxidants
Free radicals cause damage to your cells. Each cell in your body usually receives between 1,000 and 10,000 free radical hits per day. Excessive free radical damage can eventually lead to cancer. Some of the best-known free-radical fighters are anti-oxidants.
Anti-oxidants-in the form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and plant nutrients-help to neutralize free radicals. I believe it is vitally important for us to take a comprehensive vitamin, mineral, and anti-oxidant supplement, along with eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day.
The anti-oxidant activity of green tea is 200 times more potent than vitamin E and 500 times more potent that vitamin C. I recommend drinking one to three cups of green tea per day. If you dislike the taste of green tea, you may purchase green tea extract capsules at a health food store
Information for Migraine Sufferers
+
Alcohol, especially red wine, is one of the most potent triggers for migraines.
Among medications, birth control pills are common initiators of migraines.
Common foods that trigger migraines include: chocolate, peanuts, and foods that have been marinated, pickled, or fermented, such as pickled herring. Ripened cheeses, such as cheddar and brie, are also common causes. And processed meats, such as sausage, bologna, pepperoni, salami, and hotdogs, can also bring on a migraine.
Two of the most common food additives that trigger migraines include NutraSweet and MSG (monosodium glutamate); the latter is found in many Chinese foods.
Another very common trigger of migraines is withdrawal from caffeine and having low blood sugar.
One of the best ways to prevent migraines is to drink at least two quarts of filtered or bottled water a day, and consume adequate amounts of high fiber foods to assure that you have at least one bowel movement a day.
Water & The Detoxification Process
Ideally, consuming two to three quarts (64-96 ounces) of water per day is recommended to help flush the body of toxins that are taken in through our food, drink, and air.
A good formula for determining the approximate number of ounces of water you should drink daily is to divide your body weight in pounds by two. For example, a 150-pound man would need 75 ounces of water per day since 150 divided by two is 75.
By drinking the recommended amount of two to three quarts of water per day, along with a fiber supplement and a high-chlorophyll drink, you can detoxify your body.
Another excellent method of detoxification is perspiration. One of the best ways to perspire is to exercise regularly through such means as aerobics, brisk walking, or outside yard work. And if you have access to an infrared sauna, it is an additional avenue to initiate perspiration.
Foods That Increase Memory
Fatty fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, and tuna, are rich sources of DHA, which is a fish oil that helps to create healthier brain cells.
The healthiest nuts for the brain are walnuts, which actually look like miniature brains, and almonds.
Foods with the greatest antioxidant capacity are the healthiest for the brain. These include fruits such as prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Vegetables with the highest antioxidant capacity include garlic, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, and broccoli.
Olive oil, avocados, macadamia nuts, and other monounsaturated fats help to prevent memory loss.
Healthy Choices Lead to Life
It is best to choose the leanest cuts of meat like chicken breast and turkey breast, as well as free range meats such as venison, elk, and extra lean beef.
In choosing salad dressings, select a dressing with extra virgin olive oil (or one that is olive oil based) and vinegar.
When selecting a mayonnaise, choose one made with canola oil instead of soybean oil. These can be found at most health food stores.
Choose living foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as opposed to dead foods like cakes, pastries, candies, cookies, and most processed foods. When you choose living foods, you choose life!
The Benefits of Power Foods
Power foods help prevent disease-they contain important phytonutrients which are cancer-fighting chemicals. I recommend you include one or more of these foods in your diet every day:
1. Vegetables in the cabbage family are one kind of power food. They include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, radishes, and turnips.
2. Soybeans and soybean products are also extremely powerful foods. I encourage you to try soy burgers, soy protein, soymilk, and tofu.
3. Strawberries, tangerines, and parsley are other power foods that contain powerful phytonutrients that help fight against disease.
It's best to eat these foods raw or juiced. However, if you would prefer, you can steam them or make soups with them. This will ensure that your body receives the best nutritional value from the foods.
What You Body Needs
On the average, our bodies need at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. This enables them to resist disease, maintain strength and endurance, increase vitality, improve our mood, and slow down the aging process.
You can live about five to seven days without water, about five to seven weeks without food, but only about five minutes without oxygen. Therefore, oxygenate your body throughout the day by taking one-minute deep breathing breaks. In this exercise you breathe in deeply through your nose, then blow the air out through your mouth.
Many Americans are in the process of developing cancer due to stressful lifestyles, lack of exercise, and an excessive intake of sugar, processed foods, hydrogenated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Therefore, in my opinion, healthy dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle habits will help fight against a majority of cancers.
Dealing With Diabetes
Here are some tips I recommend to help fight diabetes:
1. Avoid foods with a high glycemic index, such as white bread, puffed rice, French bread, instant rice, corn flakes, instant potatoes, corn, and most cereals.
2. Lose the necessary weight to reach your ideal body weight.
3. Include about twenty minutes of aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, in your regular routine three to four times a week.
4. Increase the amount of water-soluble fiber in your diet. This can be derived from such sources as oat bran, psyllium seeds, beans, peas, or a soluble-fiber supplement.
5. Take a supplement containing 200 micrograms of chromium and 300 milligrams of lipoic acid twice a day.
Helpful Tips To Lower Blood Pressure
High amounts of starches, such as breads, crackers, bagels, pretzels, pasta, popcorn, corn, rice, beans, chips, potatoes, and french fries will increase insulin levels. This usually leads to obesity, high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and eventually heart disease.
Most of my patients with high blood pressure are able to control it by simply maintaining their ideal body weight and decreasing the amount of stress in their lives.
Nutrients that help lower blood pressure include magnesium (400 mg three times a day), garlic (500 mg three times a day), cayenne pepper capsules (100,000 heat units three times a day with meals), and asparagus tablets (two tablets three times a day).
Help & Healing For Those With Allergies
1. The most common inhalant allergens are: dust mites and molds; tree, grass, and weed pollens; and animal dander-especially cat fur.
2. The first step to eliminate or reduce allergies is to identify the allergen and then reduce or eliminate the exposure to it as much as possible.
3. If you are allergic to dust, remove things that are "dust catchers," such as pictures, artificial flowers, etc. Avoid going into dusty areas, such as attics and storage rooms, and wear a mask when vacuuming or dusting.
4. If you have mold allergies, do your best to prevent dampness inside your house. Make sure bathrooms are well ventilated and are floored with tile instead of carpet. You can also obtain a dehumidifier to lower moisture levels in your entire house.
5. If you are allergic to pollen, then stay inside on windy days. An air purifier, such as a HEPA Filter, will help cut down the amount of dust and pollen in the air.
A Closer Look At Fat
Essential or healthy fats should be consumed on a daily basis to ensure strong, healthy cell membranes as well as to continually repair other body components.
Some of the healthiest fats are mono-unsaturated fats. Foods containing these fats include olives, avocados, almonds, almond butter, olive oil, and canola oil.
I believe that the best fats are the Omega-3 fatty acids. They are found primarily in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, halibut, herring, and cod. If you'd prefer, another option is to take at least one FDA-approved fish oil capsule, one to three times a day.
Another good source of healthy fat is flaxseed oil. I recommend at least one tablespoon once or twice a day. Since it has a short shelf life, it should be stored in the refrigerator and discarded if not used within thirty days. If you desire, you may substitute the flaxseed oil with five to seven flaxseed oil capsules taken once or twice a day.
Build A Better Immune System
1. One teaspoon of white sugar can lower your immune function by up to 50 percent for up to six hours, making you more susceptible to colds, as well as viral and bacterial infections.
2. Sugar from maple syrup, honey, and concentrated juices-such as orange juice, apple juice, and grape juice-may also lower immune function for up to six hours but not to the degree of white sugar.
3. Avoid aspartame or NutraSweet. NutraSweet breaks down in the body into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Methanol is also known as wood alcohol and is broken down in the body into formaldehyde, which is embalming fluid.
4. Overeating suppresses the immune system.
5. Eliminate killer fats, such as fried foods-especially those that are deep-fried. Hydrogenated fats should also be avoided. Check all packaged foods, and if the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated appear, avoid them.
6.
The Vigor Of Vegetables
Do not overcook your vegetables. It is best to eat vegetables raw, lightly steamed, or stir-fried since the heat of excessive cooking destroys the living enzymes in the vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and collard and mustard greens contain powerful phytonutrients. These nutrients protect us from breast, esophageal, stomach, colon, and prostate cancers.
Consume high-chlorophyll foods or drinks such as wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, or blue-green algae. These foods help to increase energy, cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, and detoxify the body.
Helpful Tips for Preventing a Cold
1. Always wash your hands before eating. If you're eating out, use a paper towel to turn off the water after washing your hands, and then use the towel again to open the restroom door.
2. During the flu and cold season, many people cough or sneeze in their hands. Consequently, shaking hands will predispose you to infection if you rub your eyes or touch the inside of your mouth or nose.
3. Use a straw in your beverage when eating out at a restaurant.
4. Take 250 to 500 milligrams of vitamin C three times a day.
5. Sleep at least seven to eight hours each night.
Fiber, Soy Foods & Grape Seed
I recommend taking a fiber supplement, such as oat bran, psyllium, or fresh ground flaxseeds every day. I encourage my patients to drink eight ounces of water with at least one to two teaspoons of psyllium seeds, such as Perdiem fiber or Metamucil (without sugar or Nutrasweet), first thing in the morning and then again at bedtime.
Soy foods, including soy protein, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soy flour, soy meat substitutes, and even roasted soy nuts, contain potent phytonutrients that reduce the risk of developing breast, lung, colon, or stomach cancer.
Grape seed and pine bark extract are twenty times more potent as free radical scavengers than vitamin C and fifty times more potent than vitamin E. These are extremely important in any antioxidant formula and should be taken on a daily basis.
The Healing Quality Of Humor
1. The average man or woman laughs about 4 to 8 times a day. The average child laughs about 150 times a day.
2. Laughter is the best medicine because it causes the release of bodily chemicals called
endorphins. These substances help to relieve pain and create a sense of well-being within us.
3. Laughter is able to raise your energy level and pull you out of the pit of depression. It actually releases tension, anxiety, anger, fear, shame, and guilt and can completely change one's attitude.
4. Like a massage, a good belly laugh is able to stimulate all the major organs.
Guidelines for Healthy Living
1. Choose more fruits and vegetables rather than processed foods. The most commonly eaten processed foods in America are coffee, hotdogs, and white bread.
2. The best cancer prevention recipe that I know of consists of the daily juicing of one apple, 2-4 carrots, ¼ head of cabbage, and a handful of organic spinach.
3. Green tea is a great antioxidant that is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E and 500 times more powerful than vitamin C. Instead of choosing coffee or regular tea, choose green tea.
4. If you cannot afford organic produce, simply purchase some Ivory or pure Castille soap from a health food store, and soak your produce in the mild detergent. Then, gently scrub your fruits and vegetables with a brush and rinse them off. This will remove the majority of pesticides.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Exercise Tips (part 2)
7. Forget the gym. The gym can be horribly convenient, but it can also be intimidating for beginners, and confusing if you don’t know how to use the equipment. Sure, you can get a trainer to teach you, but if the cost or the confusion stops you from exercising … well, skip the gym and do it at home or at the park or somewhere less intimidating. You can do pushups and crunches and dumb bell exercises at home very easily, workout to a DVD, or go walking or jogging in your neighborhood. Cheap and simple is my motto.
8. Reward yourself. Self-explanatory, but rewards are best if they are frequent in the beginning. Be self-indulgent! Even sweets are good rewards — remember, get into the habit of exercise, and you can worry about weight loss later.
9. Do a 30-day Challenge. Challenge yourself, and see if you can rise to the occasion. Do it with a group or your significant other. Put in rewards. Tell everyone you’re doing it. Motivate the hell out of yourself.
10. Join an online group. One of the best motivators is having to report successes and failures to a group of people. Check out some online groups (there are groups for every type of exercise), introduce yourself, see which ones you’re comfortable with. Once you’ve gotten established (after a couple of days) see if you can post your results every day — you won’t go wrong once you start doing that.
11. Post your results on your blog. There’s nothing more motivating than positive public pressure (short of a gun to your head). Step it up by making a promise to your blog readers that you will commit to this goal for a month, and post your results every day. Even if your mom is your only blog reader, it’ll really help.
12. Do a journal. If you don’t post your results on your blog, write it in a journal, either online or on paper. However you set it up, make it a habit to post to your journal or log right away, as soon as you’re done with your log. It will motivate you to see your progress over time, and it’s a good way to see what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong.
13. Make it fun! Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. I love doing a morning run, with the sun coming up, the world so quiet, my mind left to its own devices. Enjoy yourself and you will actually look forward to your workouts.
14. Fuel up. If your workout is more than 30 minutes, you really should have some energy in you. You shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach — but you also shouldn’t eat right before you work out. Eat a banana or some peanut butter toast or a ClifBar an hour or two before your workout, and you’re good to go.
8. Reward yourself. Self-explanatory, but rewards are best if they are frequent in the beginning. Be self-indulgent! Even sweets are good rewards — remember, get into the habit of exercise, and you can worry about weight loss later.
9. Do a 30-day Challenge. Challenge yourself, and see if you can rise to the occasion. Do it with a group or your significant other. Put in rewards. Tell everyone you’re doing it. Motivate the hell out of yourself.
10. Join an online group. One of the best motivators is having to report successes and failures to a group of people. Check out some online groups (there are groups for every type of exercise), introduce yourself, see which ones you’re comfortable with. Once you’ve gotten established (after a couple of days) see if you can post your results every day — you won’t go wrong once you start doing that.
11. Post your results on your blog. There’s nothing more motivating than positive public pressure (short of a gun to your head). Step it up by making a promise to your blog readers that you will commit to this goal for a month, and post your results every day. Even if your mom is your only blog reader, it’ll really help.
12. Do a journal. If you don’t post your results on your blog, write it in a journal, either online or on paper. However you set it up, make it a habit to post to your journal or log right away, as soon as you’re done with your log. It will motivate you to see your progress over time, and it’s a good way to see what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong.
13. Make it fun! Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. I love doing a morning run, with the sun coming up, the world so quiet, my mind left to its own devices. Enjoy yourself and you will actually look forward to your workouts.
14. Fuel up. If your workout is more than 30 minutes, you really should have some energy in you. You shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach — but you also shouldn’t eat right before you work out. Eat a banana or some peanut butter toast or a ClifBar an hour or two before your workout, and you’re good to go.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Exercise Tips
1. Start slow. The biggest mistake that people make when starting an exercise plan is starting too fast or too hard. Trust me, I’ve done it many times. I’ve learned to take it easy, start as small as possible, and worry about endurance or intensity later. The key in the beginning is to make it enjoyable and accomplishable. That’s probably not a word, but it should be. And it is now. Zen Habits are ones that are accomplishable.
2. Increase but gradually. After getting used to a certain level of exercise, you’ll want to increase it. Don’t just run two miles or walk 20 minutes three times a week for a year. Your body adjusts to the stress you’re giving it, so you need to increase the level once you’ve adjusted. But do it gradually, and only every two weeks or so.
3. Crank it up. Once you’ve gotten used to exercise, you’ll want to do some higher intensity ones for better fitness and fat-burning. For example, instead of running slowly and steadily, for a long time, try doing shorter bursts of fast running, with periods of rest in between. You can do this for any exercise. Higher intensity increases the calorie burn, and improves performance. But you can’t do it as long, and you shouldn’t do it every workout. Mix it in with endurance workouts.
4. Schedule workouts. Make appointments with yourself to workout, at a specific time and place, just as you would with any other appointment. And make it the most important appointment on your calendar — more important than a doctor’s visit or even the manicurist.
5. Make it a habit. If you can do exercise at the same time, every single day for a month, you are more likely to make it a habit. Consistency makes habits more ingrained. Once it’s a habit (and start easy in the beginning!), then you can step up the intensity a bit.
6. Forget about weight loss. Yeah, many of us would like to lose some weight. But if you’re motivated solely by weight loss, exercise will be a tough proposition. The reason is that you might not lose weight right away. Oh, it’ll come, if you can keep it up over time, but in the beginning you might be disappointed (especially if you haven’t changed your eating habits). Just get into the habit of exercise, and worry about the weight later. First things first.
To be Continued.....
(If you cant wait to get your hands on all the 42 tips, then send me an email: 30dayslim@gmail.com and I'll forward you the tips and link to a ton of health resources and much more)
2. Increase but gradually. After getting used to a certain level of exercise, you’ll want to increase it. Don’t just run two miles or walk 20 minutes three times a week for a year. Your body adjusts to the stress you’re giving it, so you need to increase the level once you’ve adjusted. But do it gradually, and only every two weeks or so.
3. Crank it up. Once you’ve gotten used to exercise, you’ll want to do some higher intensity ones for better fitness and fat-burning. For example, instead of running slowly and steadily, for a long time, try doing shorter bursts of fast running, with periods of rest in between. You can do this for any exercise. Higher intensity increases the calorie burn, and improves performance. But you can’t do it as long, and you shouldn’t do it every workout. Mix it in with endurance workouts.
4. Schedule workouts. Make appointments with yourself to workout, at a specific time and place, just as you would with any other appointment. And make it the most important appointment on your calendar — more important than a doctor’s visit or even the manicurist.
5. Make it a habit. If you can do exercise at the same time, every single day for a month, you are more likely to make it a habit. Consistency makes habits more ingrained. Once it’s a habit (and start easy in the beginning!), then you can step up the intensity a bit.
6. Forget about weight loss. Yeah, many of us would like to lose some weight. But if you’re motivated solely by weight loss, exercise will be a tough proposition. The reason is that you might not lose weight right away. Oh, it’ll come, if you can keep it up over time, but in the beginning you might be disappointed (especially if you haven’t changed your eating habits). Just get into the habit of exercise, and worry about the weight later. First things first.
To be Continued.....
(If you cant wait to get your hands on all the 42 tips, then send me an email: 30dayslim@gmail.com and I'll forward you the tips and link to a ton of health resources and much more)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
My First Blog
This is the first input into my weight loss journal, as you may already know I am on a 30 day journey to get fit, get lean, get healthy and get sexy while at it. I would have loved to put down a day to day account on how I am faring but I guess that will be boring to you and beside you don’t need all that information so I am going to keep it straight, simple and to the point as much as I can.
From the first day that I started only one thing was certain and that is I was ready to make a change especially when I discovered that obesity is the leading cause of over 100,000 deaths per year in the USA with all the health care that is available to them I couldn’t even imagine what the death toll is in Nigeria, also I wanted to avoid other health problems that comes with being obese and that includes cardio problems, heart issues and not to forget diabetes which is highly preventable.
I realized that if I wanted to start eating right that at first my body is going to react to the changes, by reacting I mean that I was going to get hungry more often and I had to do something, after searching online for safe ways to reduce appetite I found out that a herb by the name glucommanon has the ability to increase over 50 times its size in water, so I searched if there was any apetite reducer in the market that has that herb and luckily I found one.
But I decided to buy their whole weight loss package (although what shocked me was that the package was not meant to make you lose weight in a flash but to help you make a transition to eating right and exercising so you can maintain your weight for as long as you live) but please note that it is not a must that you must buy or use any products to lose weight it is only a matter of personal preference and also something to aid you.
The first day I started with a breakfast consisting of the appetite reducer, thermogenic enhancer and a cup of protein shake(vanilla flavor) at 9am and then exercised a little (30 pushups, 30 sit-ups) and I took my shower. Sometime around noon I took apples, I didn’t take anything in the afternoon (because I couldn’t find wheat bread because it was sold out in my area) I mostly ate fruits though and at night I ate the same thing I had for breakfast.
Other days I would take vegetables in the afternoon or I would take wheat bread only because that is the only low carb foods I could find around, I also ate a lot of carrots.
On the fourth day I had a problem, the problem wasn’t that I was hungry, but that I just wanted to chew on something, the craving was terrible, I couldn’t resist it so in the end I ate a whole loaf of wheat bread in one night and I was feeling terrible, but I decided that it wont happen again.
Anyway the cravings reduced after some days, it still comes once in a while but now I have the ability to control myself. The most difficult thing for me was to sacrifice all the junk food I was used to and resisting all fried foods and all forms of soft drinks and alcohol.
By the end of the first week I lost 2.5 - 3Kg and though I was happy I knew that I could do more.
So that is a brief rundown of the story so far, tomorrow I will weigh myself again and find out if I have been making progress. Below is what my daily routine in relation to keeping fit like
Morning: Thermogenic enhancer, appetite reducer and 1 cup protein shake
Mid morning: apples, carrots or garden eggs
Afternoon: Vegetables (cooked with condiments) or wheat bread or oat meal
Evening: any fruit I can find but I don’t normally eat in the evening.
Night: Same as breakfast
Exercise routine
30 pushups and 30 Sit-ups everyday
Rope skipping (200-400 skips) every other day
Taking a Walk (depends on my program for the day).
So this is what my life is like, it is fun but sometimes I am tempted to slack but by God’s grace I will form a healthy lifestyle in the long run, if you have any comments or questions you can email me on 30dayslim@gmail.com and if you want to contact me just let me know in your email.
Thanks for your patience in reading my blog, I’ll be updating the blog on a daily or at worst every other day with helpful hints on living healthy.
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From the first day that I started only one thing was certain and that is I was ready to make a change especially when I discovered that obesity is the leading cause of over 100,000 deaths per year in the USA with all the health care that is available to them I couldn’t even imagine what the death toll is in Nigeria, also I wanted to avoid other health problems that comes with being obese and that includes cardio problems, heart issues and not to forget diabetes which is highly preventable.
I realized that if I wanted to start eating right that at first my body is going to react to the changes, by reacting I mean that I was going to get hungry more often and I had to do something, after searching online for safe ways to reduce appetite I found out that a herb by the name glucommanon has the ability to increase over 50 times its size in water, so I searched if there was any apetite reducer in the market that has that herb and luckily I found one.
But I decided to buy their whole weight loss package (although what shocked me was that the package was not meant to make you lose weight in a flash but to help you make a transition to eating right and exercising so you can maintain your weight for as long as you live) but please note that it is not a must that you must buy or use any products to lose weight it is only a matter of personal preference and also something to aid you.
The first day I started with a breakfast consisting of the appetite reducer, thermogenic enhancer and a cup of protein shake(vanilla flavor) at 9am and then exercised a little (30 pushups, 30 sit-ups) and I took my shower. Sometime around noon I took apples, I didn’t take anything in the afternoon (because I couldn’t find wheat bread because it was sold out in my area) I mostly ate fruits though and at night I ate the same thing I had for breakfast.
Other days I would take vegetables in the afternoon or I would take wheat bread only because that is the only low carb foods I could find around, I also ate a lot of carrots.
On the fourth day I had a problem, the problem wasn’t that I was hungry, but that I just wanted to chew on something, the craving was terrible, I couldn’t resist it so in the end I ate a whole loaf of wheat bread in one night and I was feeling terrible, but I decided that it wont happen again.
Anyway the cravings reduced after some days, it still comes once in a while but now I have the ability to control myself. The most difficult thing for me was to sacrifice all the junk food I was used to and resisting all fried foods and all forms of soft drinks and alcohol.
By the end of the first week I lost 2.5 - 3Kg and though I was happy I knew that I could do more.
So that is a brief rundown of the story so far, tomorrow I will weigh myself again and find out if I have been making progress. Below is what my daily routine in relation to keeping fit like
Morning: Thermogenic enhancer, appetite reducer and 1 cup protein shake
Mid morning: apples, carrots or garden eggs
Afternoon: Vegetables (cooked with condiments) or wheat bread or oat meal
Evening: any fruit I can find but I don’t normally eat in the evening.
Night: Same as breakfast
Exercise routine
30 pushups and 30 Sit-ups everyday
Rope skipping (200-400 skips) every other day
Taking a Walk (depends on my program for the day).
So this is what my life is like, it is fun but sometimes I am tempted to slack but by God’s grace I will form a healthy lifestyle in the long run, if you have any comments or questions you can email me on 30dayslim@gmail.com and if you want to contact me just let me know in your email.
Thanks for your patience in reading my blog, I’ll be updating the blog on a daily or at worst every other day with helpful hints on living healthy.
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