Guilt Free Eating Tips for Thanksgiving

Everyone enjoys the big Thanksgiving feast and many overindulge to point of practically going face down in their plate! I know ive been there  many times as Thanksgiving is my favorite meal.
Here are a few tips for damage control. So go ahead and feast guilt free!

1. Get a good work out in.  This not only mentally puts you at ease but also boosts the metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day.

2. Start your day with protein.  Helps to boosts metabolism and feed your muscles which are more metabolically active.

3. Drink luke warm water with your meal. This helps keep the digestive fires burning.  Cold drinks dampens digestion.

4. Stay hydrated.  This will help w/ digestion as well as keeping you regular.  Drinking a large glass of water just prior to meal can make you feel full and cut down on how much you eat, maybe!

5.  Take a spoonful of lemon juice before your meal.  This helps blunt the insulin response.

6.  Use a smaller plate and a larger fork.  Actually cuts down on how much you eat.

7.  Chew food thoroughly and take your time!  The turkey is dead and will not fly away! Ha

8. If unable to get full workout in that day, then just prior to eating do 60-90 sec of light exercise ie squats or lunges, wall push up, sit ups.  This activates muscle receptors so the calories consumed are shuttled to the muscles and not the fat cells.

9.  Snack on veggies.  Not only does this provide critical vitamins and minerals, but contains fiber that will help keep you regular.

10.  Take a brisk walk after eating.

11.  Relax and enjoy the day!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Get Strong!  Stay Strong! (and eat hearty!)

Chris

I Strongly Recommend Avoiding These 7 Foods!

Exerpt from Dr Mercola’s website

Food Matters asked seven experts a simple question: “What foods do you avoid?” Here are some of their eye-opening responses:

Canned Tomatoes

An endocrinologist won’t go near canned tomatoes — the cans are lined with a resin containing BPA, and tomatoes are especially dangerous because their acid breaks the BPA down in dangerous amounts.

Conventional Beef

Conventional cattle are fed grain, corn and soy to make them fat, even though studies show that grass-fed beef higher in important vitamins, minerals and heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory fats.

Microwave Popcorn

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) lines microwave popcorn bags, and when they are heated the compound, which has been linked to infertility, leaches onto the food.

Conventional Potatoes

Non-organic potatoes are heavily sprayed with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides — many potato growers don’t eat the potatoes they sell, but instead and grow their own separate plots without all the chemicals.

Farmed Salmon

Farmed salmon are stuffed into pens and fed chicken feathers and pellets. A scientific study on fish contamination showed high levels of carcinogens such as DDT and PCBs.

Conventional Milk

Dairy cows are fed growth hormones to maximize milk production, which results in increased incidence of udder infection and pus in the milk.

Conventional Apples

Apples are heavily and frequently doused with pesticides — pesticides that have been linked to Parkinson’s.

To find out more about these dangerous foods, click on the link below.

Get Strong. Stay Strong!

Chris

How to Protect Yourself Without Dangerous Drugs and Vaccinations

From Dr Mercola’s Website:

Last but not least, let me reiterate the many ways you can protect your health from ANY kind of flu, without a potentially dangerous vaccine.

I have not caught a flu in over two decades, and you can avoid it too by following these simple guidelines, which will keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you’re far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

• Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I’ve previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu — not the flu virus itself.

I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng.ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1,000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

However, most of Dr. Cannell’s work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. Your best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.

• Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Remember that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.

• Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.

• Have Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using a tool such as meridian tapping techniques, which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma. You can check out my free, 25-page manual for some guidelines on how to perform this simple technique.

• Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. You can review my exercise guidelines for some great tips on how to get started.

• Take a good source of animal-based omega-3 fats like krill oil. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like trans fats as it will seriously damage your immune response.

• Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or to other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for this — antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

• Use All-Natural ‘Antibiotics’. Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in your body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don’t enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.

  Other all-natural antibiotics include olive leaf extract, oil of oregano, and high quality colloidal silver.

• Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines In this particular case, I’d also recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you have an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of thelikeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug.

  Get Strong! Stay Strong! ( and healthy!!!!)

  Chris

Natural Sports Medicine: Cherry Juice Reduces Inflammation

By Bob Condor, AHJ Editor — Published: June 23, 2009More runners and exercisers these days are fighting off aches and pains non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that you might more readily recognize as ibuprofen. But that shortcut can have its adverse side effects, including stomach upset and even ulcers.

Cherry juice can save that fallout. A recent study from Oregon Health & Science University reports that runners drank tart cherry juice during long-distance run training experience significantly less pain after exercise than runners not adding cherry juice after a run. Those non-cherry juice drinkers consumed another fruit juice beverage. The study, presented at the annual American College of Sports Medicine Conference in Seattle, evaluated 60 adults 18 to 50 years old.

The volunteer subjects drank 10.5 ounces of tart cherry juice morning and evening for seven days prior to the long-distance running relay that formed part of the experiment. The cherry juice drinkers reported pain totals, on a scale of one to 10, that averaged a couple of points less than the other runners taking a different fruit beverage.

More research is needed, but the early indications are that tart cherry juice has a natural anti-inflammatory effect due to plant substances called anthocyanins and that actually give cherries their deep red pigment.

Other research suggests that cherries and anthocyanins could help protect against heart disease and arthritis. A second study at the same American College of Sports Medicine conference in Seattle pointed to evidence that tart cherry juice might help maintain muscle strength for individuals suffering from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain and fatigue disorder.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

The Hidden Threat in Your Drinking Water: Scare or Hoax?

 

By Sylvia Anderson, AHJ Editor — Published: April 01, 2008

 

In your lifetime, it’s likely that you have taken some type of medicine – whether over-the-counter or prescription. Chances are you were well-aware of the medicine you were taking, the possible side-effects and the reason you were taking it. But what if you were exposed to certain medications without your knowledge – or permission? Sounds kind of scary, doesn’t it? Well, that very thing might be occurring right now.

A recent investigation and subsequent report by the Associated Press reveals that drinking water supplies in 24 major metropolitan areas were found to include a vast array of prescription drugs, including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones, as well as OTC medicines such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Is your water affected? How did this happen? Are you in danger? You’re sure to have many questions regarding this recent discovery. Take a look below for some clarification and information about this possible health scare.

Should you fear for your health?
While your immediate health and well-being is likely not at risk, the threat of long-term consequences is not known at this time. The concentration of drug levels found is quite low (reportedly measured in parts per billion or trillion) and the water utilities insist the water is safe. But representatives from both the government and private organizations claim to be unsure whether the levels are low enough to discount harmful health effects.
The Associated Press reports that recent laboratory research found that small amounts of medication have affected human embryonic kidney cells, human blood cells and human breast cancer cells – specifically, the kidney cells grew too slowly, the blood cells showed activity associated with inflammation and the cancer cells proliferated too quickly.

Another concern is that certain drugs, or a combination of drugs, may be harmful over time because water is often consumed in sizable amounts every day. And while your body may be able to deal with a larger, one-time dose, it may suffer more from smaller amounts ingested over a longer period of time.

How did the water become tainted?

According to the Associated Press’s report, there are a number of ways the drugs could have entered the drinking water supply:

• Unused and unneeded medications flushed down the toilet
• Undigested or unabsorbed medications passed through urine or feces
• Pharmaceuticals resistant to wastewater treatments and cleansing

The issue becomes even more relevant as the number of prescription medications have risen considerably over the past five years.

Some treatment methods, such as adding chlorine, can make certain pharmaceuticals even more toxic than they were to begin with.

Are certain individuals, like babies and the elderly, more susceptible to possible effects?
As with any other environmental or medical threat, fetuses, babies and toddlers are more sensitive because their bodies are still developing. Pregnant women, the elderly and those who are ill may also be more susceptible.

What can you do to make sure your water is safe?

While boiling water usually eliminates harmful substances, it won’t work for this problem. Also, if you think you’re preventing exposure by drinking bottled water – you’re wrong. Twenty five percent of bottled water actually comes from the tap.

Some filtration systems, such as those which perform reverse osmosis, may reduce the levels of pharmaceuticals but not completely eliminate them.

You can be proactive in raising awareness by contacting your local public utilities and asking them what pollutants they test for in drinking water. And of course, you can help prevent further contamination by disposing of unused medications properly – by NOT flushing them down the toilet! Instead, put medications in a sealed container and in the trash – but make sure children or pets can’t get to that container.

So – health scare or health hoax?

Realistically it’s too early to determine what kind of effects the contaminated water can have on human health, as there are so many unknowns at this point. However, you can be sure that the issue is an area of great concern and will be investigated further.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

What Are Probiotics and Why You Need Them – Part 1

 

By Catherine Lewis, AHJ Editor — Published: January 26, 2009

 

Bacteria is a funny thing.  It makes people ill and yet it exists, in less severe amounts, all over the body: the skin, the intestinal and urinary tracts, and a whole host of other places.  Some of it helps to keep the body safe from serious illnesses – yet too much bacteria causes a person to get sick.  Probiotics are the bacteria which naturally occur naturally in food, or are added to it, and can be beneficial to one’s health and overall wellness . . . particularly when it comes to protecting the body against certain illnesses.

Probiotics vs. Antibiotics
Probiotics are not to be confused with antibiotics.  Antibiotics kill germs and they are great at their job.  However, they do not differentiate between the “good” bacteria – probiotics – and the “bad” bacteria – those things which make people sick.  Thus, antibiotics tend to kill off probiotics as well, never recognizing them as beneficial; in fact, they are never recognized as anything other than another type of bacteria.

The downside is that antibiotics can also kill off the naturally occurring probiotics in the body, thus upsetting their delicate balance.  This can cause a number of things, such as yeast infections, irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, urinary tract infections, and even jock itch.

As such, many people believe that taking probiotics when on antibiotics, that balance can be safely maintained.  Presumably, the antibiotics will not be able to kill off the influx of “good” bacteria at the rate it is introduced into the body.  The probiotics replace what the antibiotics have been eliminating, and the natural balance is restored, thus keeping the body safe against illnesses to which it may be vulnerable.

Additionally, taking probiotics can be a proactive approach to great health.

Where can you find probiotics?
There are a number of probiotic foods out there, many of which you might find surprising.  For instance, yogurt is considered an excellent probiotic food.  It is beneficial to both the intestinal tract and the urinary tract; in women, it is even helpful to the vaginal tract.  In order to be truly helpful, the yogurt must contain lactobacillus or certain other types of bacteria.  Generally, the container will include a note which specifies that there are live cultures in the food.  Notably, some antibiotics cause stomach problems; yogurt as a probiotic may be able to offset the yeast infections and stomach problems frequently caused by antibiotics.

There are also many drinks which contain probiotics.  One of them is called kefir.  Kefir is a drink made out of cultures; it is usually flavored with some kind of fruit.  It can be very helpful in offsetting a number of the things to which antibiotics leave the body vulnerable.

Other helpful foods include cottage cheese, and vegetables which have been preserved or fermented.  Probiotics are also readily available in many dietary supplements.

More to come . . . 
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this article in the next issue where I’ll talk about the many specific health benefits you can achieve by taking probiotics.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

Natural Relief for Arthritis Pain

 

By Sylvia Anderson, AHJ Editor — Published: February 19, 2008

 

Do you suffer from painful arthritis, despite prescription or over-the-counter pain medicines?

Perhaps it’s time to try something different. The following herbal ingredients have eased arthritis pain for centuries. While natural remedies such as the following aren’t for everyone, it might be worth a try if other treatments have failed to deliver results.*
ALFALFA’s anti-rheumatic effect is probably due to its extremely high nutritive value. Alfalfa has a proven cholesterol lowering effect and it generally helps to improve overall health, vigor and vitality. Alfalfa, as fiber, is also good for cellular detoxification.
CELERY SEED is a traditional diuretic and blood cleanser, well-suited for treating rheumatism, especially when combined with Damiana. Its inclusion in arthritic blends is a rather modern tradition, but has repeatedly proven itself in clinical trials. A famous Chinese study showed that it lowered blood pressure in 14 of 16 human patients with chronic high blood pressure. In Europe celery seed is a common medicinal treatment for gout and rheumatism.

BURDOCK ROOT is an effective blood purifier and pain killer. This property would partially explain its observed effectiveness in treating rheumatism. American herbalists have testified for the past two hundred years that Burdock can effectively alleviate symptoms of arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
CHAPARRAL, according to modern science and the best American Indian folklore has good anit-rheumatoid properties. The primary constituent of Chaparral, NDGA (nordihydroquaiaretic acid) possesses analgesic (pain-relieving) and vasodepressant (circulatory depressing) properties. NDGA also increases ascorbic acid levels in the adrenals and has antioxidant and anti-cancer activity. Finally, NDGA stimulates the process by which cells utilize foods for energy, a fact that may eventually provide the key to its effectiveness in treating arthritic conditions.
SARSAPARILLA was independently discovered in the United States, as well as other countries around the world, to be an effective treatment for rheumatism. Mode of action may stem from its high content of saponins.
LICORICE ROOT and its derivatives have been found to possess substantial anti-arthritic activity. This property is no doubt due to the herb’s anti-inflammatory effects, although certain enzyme systems have also been implicated. The anti-inflammatory property of Licorice Root has been used in treating dermatological problems as well. In one study, the herb’s derivatives were subjected to four established tests for anti-inflammatory properties. The test results were positive on all counts. Since that time, several studies have been done to verify and extend those initial findings. The advantage in using Licorice Root is that is has none of the side effects associated with the use of glucocorticoid-type drugs such as cortisone and hydrocortisone. Yet Licorice Root and/or its derivatives can be every bit as effective as hydrocortisone.
QUEEN-OF-THE-MEADOW herb has been established clinically as an effective treatment for the rheumatic and gouty conditions caused by uric acid deposit in the joins. Because of the stimulating effects on glands and organs that clear the body of toxins and waste, it is also helpful in most forms of inflammatory distress.

KELP and CAYENNE provide nutritive support as well as improve good circulatory stimulation. They measurably enhance the overall effectiveness and usefulness of the blend. The trace mineral content of Kelp is among the highest of any source known, a fortunate circumstance for arthritic patients who use it.
While it is preferred that the above herbs be used in combination, they can also provide significant benefits if used singly.
* While these remedies have proven results, you should always be careful when choosing a new regimen of treatment. It’s best to ease into the use of herbs and ease out of the use of traditional medications – especially if your health problems are severe. A sudden switch of health regimen can be hazardous.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris