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Author: Derek Henry - Organic Lifestyle Magazine Author: Derek Henry - Organic Lifestyle Magazine

The Most Atrocious, Widely Accepted Human Experiments of All Time

As humans, we have endured plenty of experimentation. Too often we have been unwitting test subjects for disease inducing experiments that were lauded as beneficial, and in some cases, even healthy! However, a few people have started to wake up and realize that they were being swindled by a shrewd and strategic plan that lines the pockets of the elite and keeps the rest of the population sick and under control.

Are you ready to wake up yet? If so, get ready to dive into the rabbit hole and discover four of the core experiments that have created disastrous results for our health, even though they have been heavily promoted by the establishment as healthy.

Dental Amalgams

It’s relatively easy to make a living as a dentist today. With the general population wolfing back hordes of processed and toxic foods, largely devoid of any nutrients and absorbing a variety of toxins introduced into the air, water, household, and personal care products, you have the perfect atmosphere for decaying and rotting teeth. With no one to properly explain how to avoid this fate (brushing is not the answer, but a small part of the solution), people continue to willingly parade into the dentist’s office to have restorative work done to keep the damage to a minimum.

But does it?

Sure, filling the holes in your teeth can stop that particular cavity from becoming heavily infected and creating even more issues down the road, but considering most dentists are still using amalgam fillings (comprised of approximately 50% mercury), the solution may be worse than the original problem.

Related: Mercury Fillings, Root Canals, Cavitations – What You Need to Know

For decades dentists have been using mercury based fillings to repair cavities. No one really cared to explore what the effects of an extremely noxious heavy metal placed directly into the mouth. Unfortunately many are now finding out it’s not good.

For example, following the initial exposure during the actual dental procedure, we now know that mercury fillings slowly leech mercury and mercury vapour, which can cause a multitude of symptoms related to the digestive system, nervous system, circulatory system, and reproductive system. It can damage the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and virtually every other organ in the body. It can also cause severe muscle and joint pain and lead to debilitating conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that this experiment is slowly but surely ruining people’s health, many dental offices still endorse the use of mercury fillings, and worse, many people believe and trust their dentist who says they are safe enough to continue using!

As long as this mentality continues, humans will continue to serve as guinea pigs while we continue to learn how deadly mercury can be, especially when placed directly in the mouth.

Fluoridated Water

Sickeningly enough, water fluoridation began in the mid-1940’s as a solution to fluoride pollution created by the Atomic Bomb Program and the aluminum industry. Since this chemical waste had to be disposed of, it was placed in the water supply to dilute it then “sold” to dentists and the masses as a preventative to tooth decay.

I know! Mind blowing, right?

Related: What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and For Drinking?

Even more ridiculous is the notion that this mass poisoning strategy has been heralded as one of the top 10 greatest public health achievements in the 20th century and is still in effect today despite overwhelming evidence that it not only doesn’t help with tooth decay, but can cause significant health problems.

Most are not even aware that fluoride is a drug that severely damages the brain and thyroid. With it being added to municipal water supplies that reach nearly 211 million Americans, it is quite possibly the most widespread concern of our time. As of 2012, more than 67% of Americans received fluoridated water, while most other countries ban its use.

So how can water authorities be allowed to add a drug that is known to cause health side effects directly into your drinking water?

Add this to the things that make you go “hmmmm”.

Chemotherapy

With toxins permeating our lifestyles at an increasing rate along with consumption of a nutrient and antioxidant deficient diet, diseases like cancer have risen exponentially over the last few decades. Well meaning charity events and researchers have drummed up millions of dollars to find a drug to put an end to this epidemic, but alas, it’s all for naught. We’ll never find a real cure by searching for a drug that uses the same toxic strategy that caused the illness.

Chemotherapy has been used for decades as the premiere cancer killing protocol, but few have fully realized that this “kill all” approach is akin to burning down your house when you find out you have a rat infestation. Certainly, it will get rid of the rats, but then you are left with nothing but rubble. Now you have to try and rebuild –  if you’ve survived the devastation of the fire itself.

To add insult to this widely accepted therapy, research has suggested that when chemotherapy damages healthy cells, they secrete a protein that actually accelerates the growth of cancer tumours! So now, not only have you destroyed your body and severely weakened your immune system, you are left with a new fight with nothing in your arsenal except more of the same poison that ruined your body in the first place.

Related: How to Detoxify From Chemotherapy and Repair the Body 

With this treatment leaving a trail of dead participants and many others who can be akin to “the walking dead”, it is truly baffling that this experiment is still widely accepted and even honoured as the go-to treatment for those with cancer.

Vaccinations

The vaccine debate is one of the most hotly contested issues of our time, and it’s no surprise since it most commonly involves the lives of our precious children. This debate has many points and nuances to consider, and many of them are covered in the articles of Organic Lifestyle Magazine.

However, no matter how deep you want to go into this debate, it is impossible to ignore the fact that diseases such as autism have dramatically increased as the number of  vaccines given at an early age increased. This direct correlation is undeniable to anyone paying attention. The fact that as many as 44 chemicals, excipients, preservatives, and fillers have been identified (such as aluminum, animal tissues and organs, formaldehyde, gelatine, thimerosal, and MSG) as ingredients in vaccines, it makes a person wonder how anyone can believe these injections are risk free. These obnoxious ingredients are very problematic for a grown adult with a mature immune system to detoxify, let alone a newborn baby with a very delicate and developing immune system!

So how does the medical mafia respond to this risky situation? With more vaccines, of course! To the tune of 3-4 times more than we had 30 years ago. All this while we continue to ignore the lack of studies that support the effectiveness of vaccinations and outright refute research that shows that major declines in life-threatening disease we are being vaccinated for were already in major declines before these vaccination efforts.

Related: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Although the debate continues over the safety and efficacy of the current vaccine ingredients and schedule, those who have been directly affected and can read between the lines are seeing that this is the most dangerous experiment of our time because it directly affects the next generation (our children) and their ability to carry on healthy and productive lives. The fate of the human race is at stake here!

I suggest you do more research on all of these areas, and not just from “trusted” government and corporate sources. Use your common sense, open your mind, and dare to let logic infiltrate your brain. It just might save you from any future dangerous experiments planned for our already sickly human race.

Oh, and one last thing. If all these efforts are so brilliant, and these are in actuality beneficial practices, why is the population getting exponentially sicker and not better?

Connect the dots, folks. Connect the dots. Check out Two Ways Dental Work Destroys Your Health and How to Repair the Damage and Signs of Mercury Poisoning – Healing the Body, and be sure to check out the Further Reading below.

Sources and Related Reading:



Do You Have Sick Building Syndrome?

We have become concerned about the outside air we breathe, and legitimately so. With factories, automobiles, heavy machinery, chemtrails, and Fukushima to contend with, we have no shortage of clean air supply problems. But what if our inside air was as bad, or worse, than the pollution outside? It’s a very real question, one that we are about to answer.

The Causes of Sick Building Syndrome and the Increased Dangers

“Indoor air pollution in residences, offices, schools, and other buildings is widely recognized as a serious environmental risk to human health,” explains Michael Hodgson, M.D., M.P.H., of the School of Medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center.

Dr. Hodgson notes that most people in industrialized nations spend more than 90% of their time indoors, that indoor concentrations of pollutants are often substantially higher than those found outdoors, and that small children, the elderly, and the infirm are likely to spend all their time indoors, leading to permanent chronic exposure to low grade toxic factors.

In most cases, problems with a building’s engineering, construction, and ventilation systems are the causes. Studies suggest that symptoms occur 50% more frequently in buildings with mechanical ventilation systems. Among 2,000 office workers in Germany with work related symptoms, there was a 50% higher that average rate of upper respiratory tract infections that were directly traceable to problems with mechanically ventilated buildings. A U.S. study found that 20% of office workers had job-related  SBS (sick building syndrome) symptoms, including a subjective sense of being less productive in their work.

Besides ventilation problems, other sources of indoor toxic pollution include volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) released from particleboard desks, furniture, carpets, glues, paints, office machine toners, and perfumes. All contribute to a complex mixture of very low levels of individual pollutants. Bioaerosols are also indoor contaminants that originate as biological agents from mild spores, allergy producing microbes, mites, or animal dander, and they are distributed through an indoor space by ventilation, heating, or air conditioning systems.

Of buildings classified as sources of SBS, one study showed that 70% have an inadequate flow of fresh outside air. It also found that 50% to 70% of such buildings have poor distribution of air within the occupied space, 60% have poor filtration of outdoor pollutants, 60% have standing water that fosters biological growths, and 20% have malfunctioning humidifiers.

Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms

In the early 1980’s, physicians began using the term sick building syndrome (SBS) to refer to a host of symptoms caused by low-grade toxic environmental conditions found in living, work, or office spaces. SBS symptoms are numerous and include:

  • Mucous membrane irritation (eyes, nose, and throat)
  • Chest tightness
  • Skin complaints (drying, itching, abnormal redness)
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Lethargy
  • Coughing
  • Asthma
  • Chronic nasal stuffiness
  • Temporary weight loss
  • Infections
  • Emotional irritability

All of these depress the immune system, rendering the individual susceptible to long-term chronic illness. Combat SBS by taking more breaks outdoors, investing in plants that filter the air, and by ensuring you support proper liver function to facilitate easier removal of these indoor toxins. Sources for this article include: Trivieri, Larry. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts, 2002. Print.




Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar & How to Make Your Own

Fermented foods are becoming very popular, and for good reason. They are rich in probiotics and enzymes and have highly bioavailable forms of the nutrients contained within the food or beverage being fermented. In this case, the health benefits of apple cider vinegar come from the mighty apple, and the results couldn’t be much more spectacular.

Apple cider vinegar may seem to be a new fad, but it actually has been used for thousands of years. Babylonians used it as a tonic in 5000 B.C., Egyptians used it in 3000 B.C., and Samurai warriors used it 1200 B.C.. Hippocrates also recommended apple cider vinegar over 400 years ago, so this fermented beverage is certainly in good company.

Nutrients Available in Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar contains more than 90 different nutrients and co-factors that make this a truly remarkable beverage for your nutritional needs. Check out this following profile:

  • A good source of potassium and magnesium, and also contains calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, fluorine, and sodium.
  • Contains vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, and E
  • An excellent source of enzymes and probiotics.
  • A good source of acetic, malic, lactic, and various amino acids.
  • A good source of pectin and fibre.
  • A quality source of electrolytes.
  • A source of ash (gives it its alkaline property).

Of course, the level of each of these nutrients will depend on the quality of the product.

Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits

With its rich source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotic, acids, and fibre, it is little wonder why apple cider vinegar has so many health benefits. It balances pH levels in the body and is very antiseptic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal.

With all of these things in mind, take a look at some of its incredible benefits:

  • Balances the inner ecosystem, the gateway to good health.
  • Prevents and relieves indigestion
  • Helps remove acid reflux
  • Promotes bowel regularity
  • Improves blood sugar balance
  • Helps relieve allergies
  • Helps eliminate sinus infections, sore throats, headaches, and flu
  • Clear ups skin problems like acne, eczema, and warts
  • Lowers high cholesterol and high blood pressure
  • Destroys Candida and fungus, and populates the gut with beneficial bacteria
  • Eases inflammation associated with arthritis and gout
  • Increases stomach acid, which facilitates stronger digestion and nutrient absorption
  • Overall detoxifier
  • Facilitates weight loss
  • Cleanses lymph nodes
  • Cleanses the scalp and can help grow hair
  • Soothes sunburn
  • Eases varicose veins
  • Provides energy

With all these benefits, it makes apple cider vinegar hard to ignore as a potential remedy to most of what ails you!

Apple Cider Vinegar Remedies and Practical Uses

So, how do you use apple cider vinegar? Turns out there are plenty of ways to use it so that you can enjoy the benefits without the unpleasant taste or burn that some people may experience. For those who can’t handle apple cider vinegar straight, you can put two ounces in one cup of water. But for those treating a symptom such as a sore throat or acid reflux, the treatment is faster and more effective with straight apple cider vinegar. Here are a few of its uses:

  • Acid Reflux and Heartburn – Imbalanced stomach pH is mostly to blame for this condition, along with a lack of enzymes and probiotics. Apple cider vinegar contains all of these nutrients, and simply adding 2 ounces to a cup of water and drinking it up to 15 minutes before a meal will improve acid reflux. It will also work improve the digestion of your meal. To treat existing heartburn (as opposed to prevention), take a shot of plain apple cider vinegar (2 ounces). It’ll burn for a moment going down, but it does the trick without the side effects of conventional remedies.
  • Colds and Sore Throat – Due to its antibacterial effects and probiotic content, apple cider vinegar is a nice 1-2 punch on colds and sore throats. Put 2 tablespoons in one glass of water, and take up to 3 times daily to help get rid of both. Gargle before swallowing. For a more potent treatment, you can also drink it straight. And for sore throat relief for those who cannot stomach it straight, try gargling with 2 ounces of plain apple cider vinegar and then drink and swallow two ounces mixed with water.
  • Remove Warts – Put directly on wart and cover with a bandage. Leave on overnight and remove in the morning. Repeat for as little as 1 week or until you see results.
  • Fight Seasonal Allergies – Apple cider vinegar breaks up mucous and and supports lymphatic drainage. It can also clear your sinuses. Drink 2 tablespoons in a large glass of water, 3 times daily.
  • Ease Varicose Veins – Apple cider vinegar improves circulation in vein walls and is anti-inflammatory, so it reduces bulging veins. Combine it with witch hazel and apply with a circular motion. Look for improvements in a couple weeks.
  • Sunburn Relief – Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar to a warm bath, along with some coconut oil to ease sunburnt skin.
  • Deodorant – Kills bacteria and yeast which is a major cause of body odour. Simply dab some apple cider vinegar on your fingers and run it through your armpit.
  • Hair Wash – Apple cider vinegar corrects the scalp’s pH, and removes residue from it. Use 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of water in an old shampoo bottle and use as a final rinse, or you can get this excellent hair formulation.
  • Skin Toner – The pH of apple cider vinegar makes it a great remedy for skin issues. Just rub some on the affected area and use coconut oil to moisturize afterwards.
  • Teeth Whitener – Take your finger and rub apple cider vinegar on your teeth for a minute. Rinse with clean water.
  • Household Cleaner – The anti-bacterial qualities of apple cider vinegar and its balanced pH make it a great household cleaner. Simply fill spray bottle with 50% apple cider vinegar and 50% water, then use as you would any liquid cleaner.
  • Flea Repellent for Pets – Prepare a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water solution and spray on your pets in affected areas. You can also prepare a tub and soak your pet in it once a day for a couple weeks to get rid of nastier infestations.

Apple Cider Vinegar Recipes

One of the easiest ways to add apple cider vinegar to your diet is to use it wherever you would normally use white vinegar in a recipe. Some good examples of how to use it as a more integrated part of your diet include:

braggs apple cider vingegarIt can also be used to make a homemade insect repellent and part of a tonic that can help rid your body of bacterial infections.

The list of health benefits for apple cider vinegar seems endless, but it is only 1 part of a healthy lifestyle. So tell us, what are you using apple cider vinegar for that works really well?

When purchasing apple cider vinegar for internal use, be sure to purchase raw, unfiltered, organic vinegar. We love Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar.

You can also make your own!

Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar from Scratch

10 organic apples
Two large glass bowls
Cheesecloth to cover the bowls or large mouth jars

Wash and cut apples into quarters. Leave out and allow apples to brown, and then put them into one of the bowls (or jar). Add distilled water, enough to cover the apples. Cover the bowl with the cheesecloth and leave in a warm, dark place for 6 months. A hot water closet works well. You can also store it in an attic or well house during warm weather months. Leave the bowl/jar to stand, covered for six months, stirring once a week. Retrieve the bowl/jar at the end of the 6-month fermentation period. There will be a layer of scum on top of the liquid. This forms from normal bacteria as alcohol turns to vinegar. Filter the liquid through the cheesecloth slowly into another glass jar. This can be done by holding the cheesecloth securely onto the first jar or using a coffee filter. Then tip it to let liquid through and into the second jar. Do this until all the liquid is filtered and transferred to the second jar and then leave it for another 4-6 weeks, again, covered with the cheesecloth.

Then your apple cider vinegar is ready to consume and/or store.

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Five Reasons Small-scale Gardening Could Save the World

Gardening has been largely a lost art form with plots drying up and being replaced in favour of lawns, parking lots, and other commercial endeavours. People have decided to completely forego the skill of gardening in favour of completely depending on large scale farming operations to produce their food. The implications of this trend are now starting to be seen, and they could be disastrous. It’s time to shift back to our agrarian roots. It’s time to understand how gardening can save us and the world.

Fresh and Organic Food

When one relies on the conventional food system, it is difficult to find food that is both fresh and organic. Organic food is becoming more mainstream in many parts of the world, but it is still a very small percentage of the overall food that is made available. Fresh is a near impossibility for most, as the elapsed time between harvest and consumer availability is often anywhere between 2-4 weeks.

The only way to help solve this problem is to either produce some of your own food, and/or rely on local organic farmers markets to get your food both fresh and organic. With good food management and preservation skills, this seasonal activity could help feed you and your family for several months, and even up to a year.

Once a person gets a taste of organic and fresh food, they will have little to no desire to go back to the conventional system. Not only that, fresh organic food is at the peak of its nutritional value and can deliver multiplied benefits that could literally save someone’s health.

Known Origin of Food

Another issue with the food on most people’s plates today is that they have no idea where that food originated and what has happened to it from the farmer to the fridge.

Is the food you are eating TRULY organic? What type of soil was it grown in? Where has it been stored, and how has it been transported? How long has it been from harvest to your plate? Has there been anything done to preserve it, and if so, what?

These are all questions that are easily answered when someone decides to grow their own food or puts their faith in a farmer that they personally know and trust, and can visit! Anything outside of these methods leaves the consumer in the dark and creates forced faith.

When one knows the origin of their food, they know its wholesomeness with little question, and that can be a game changer in optimizing one’s health.

Gardening is Therapeutic

Anyone who has spent a short time in a garden will quickly realize how therapeutic it can be to the mind, body, and soul. The fresh smells, sights, and sounds that can be picked up around a garden is something to envy.

Simply being at one with nature and its miracle, along with the act of physically connecting to the soil (also known as grounding), is very healing and can provide a gardener with multiple benefits that can never be obtained from picking up your food from the local supermarket.

Get in a garden, get grounded, and express gratitude. This is a simple process that can help you regain your health.

Gardening Develops Survival Skills

One thing that seems to be lacking in today’s society is survival skills. In the last 30 years, we have been taught survival skills such as clipping coupons, looking for sales, and refrigerating food.

Gardening is a core skill that should never be lost. The ability to produce food is something that should never be taken for granted, as it is a skill that may be required in times of financial hardship and supply disruptions. If one doesn’t know how to garden, either situation could be catastrophic.

Gardening is clearly an activity that could save a family, and many like them, should either scenario occur.

Gardening is Sustainable

Industrial farming practices have placed the burden on a very small percentage of people to produce food for the rest of the world. As a result, engineered seeds, chemicals, pollution, resource and soil depletion, as well as farmer burn out has occured.

There is no need to put that amount of pressure on such a small number of producers, and it can’t be continued. The best case scenario is that production doesn’t fall off, but the world ends up with food that is denatured, toxic, and completely malnourishing. This could take a terrible toll on the world and could spell the end of civilization as we know it.

Gardening is much more sustainable. Even the ability to produce up to 10% of our own food needs could dramatically reduce that burden and create more natural agricultural practices that are working with nature, not against it.

This may be one of the most important acts we can do in our lifetime, to save ourselves and the planet.




Animal vs. Plant Protein – What’s Better?

Starting a conversation about protein sources between a vegan and a meat eater is a lot like discussing politics or religion with a stranger. More often than not, it’s not going to end peacefully. However, there are many myths and inaccurate claims made on both sides of the fence with regards to protein intake and the best sources, and it’s time to clear it up.

Calorie Content

One of the first big debates with animal vs. plant protein is calorie content. Meat eaters will argue that you need to eat far more vegetables than you do meat in order to get a beneficial amount of protein. In fact, some will argue that you will basically starve trying to get enough protein while spending your entire day eating.

It’s true that vegetables have a lower caloric density than meat. Yes, you would have to consume more volume to equal the same amount of protein. But this may be a moot point. Unless you are training moderately to heavily, the protein content you require could easily be met by a vegetarian diet. Furthermore, a lower calorie vegetarian diet is easier on the digestive system than a diet with animal protein (largely due to meat being cooked).

If you train intensely, it will be more difficult to meet your caloric needs on plant protein alone. This is where meat can help pick up the slack and provide you with the extra calories you may require. For example, a 3oz serving of steak provides 174 calories and delivers 26 grams of complete protein. A 3oz serving of cooked quinoa provides 34 calories and delivers 3.5 grams of complete protein.

If you feel you require more calories with protein, for whatever reason, animal meat is definitely an easy option. And it is the only way many people are going to get enough protein. Due to the lack of produce and other whole foods in our diet, most people’s vegan protein comes from soy and other unhealthy ingredients in processed foods. Not only are these foods highly processed and toxic, the proteins are difficult for the body to assimilate and they cause a host of health issues.

Complete vs Incomplete

One of the most cited points in an animal vs. plant protein debate is the fact that animals provide a complete protein, whereas plants can’t do the same. This is an erroneous assumption for two reasons:

  • There are plant sources of protein that are complete (for example, chlorella, hemp seeds, bee pollen, chia seeds, and quinoa).
  • You can combine different plant proteins to make a complete protein in any given meal, like lentils and brown rice. The reality is that plant-based diets contain such a wide variety of amino acid profiles that vegans are virtually guaranteed to get all of their amino acids with very little effort.

There are logical and understandable reasons why animal protein may be more desirable to people, besides taste and convenience. While vegans argue that meat causes cancer and other serious health problems, health minded omnivores will state, and correctly so, that improper cooking methods and poor quality meat (factory farmed), are the causes of poor health issues.

Assimilation

One of the least talked about subjects when it comes to the animal vs. plant protein debate is assimilation. Very few people consider the fact that the amount of protein contained in the food source is rarely the amount of protein your body digests and properly assimilates.

For years, soy protein isolate has been used in protein powders and even baby formula to help increase protein intake. However, what many failed to consider is that conventional unfermented soy is a highly indigestible protein, and assimilation is a fraction of what is printed on the label. In addition, most soy is genetically modified, and unfermented soy enzymes inhibitors can cause serious hormone imbalances.

Generally speaking, good forms of plant protein will be more easily digested than good forms of animal protein. In fact, to better digest animal protein it should be paired with fresh non-starchy vegetables in order to provide the enzymes and probiotics required to break it down properly for optimal digestion.

Furthermore, typical cooking methods of animal protein ruin your ability to properly assimilate it. Today, we usually cook food quickly and at high heat by pan-frying, microwaving, deep-frying, and barbecuing. All of these methods form advanced glycated end products, which are difficult to metabolize, and the problem becomes considerably worse with added sugar (which is present in nearly all sauces that may be applied while cooking).

If you want to avoid these glycated end products to improve your assimilation and avoid negative immune system reactions, cook your food on low heat (up to 180F) with water whenever possible, and avoid adding sugar. Glycated end products, other free radicals, and broken damaged acids are all a result of cooking foods, and cooking faster and/or longer creates more of them. They are all toxic to the body.

Amount of Protein Required

 

Of course, a big factor in how much protein you actually need depends on your activity level. These numbers vary between “protein experts”. However, the following numbers can provide a guideline:

  • Sedentary – .8 grams per kg of body weight (160lbs is 72kg which is 57.6 g of protein required daily)
  • Endurance – 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kg of body weight (160 lbs is 72 kg, which is up to 100g of protein required daily)
  • Body builders – 1.4 to 2.0 (some say as much as 2.5) grams per kg of body weight (160 lbs is 72kg, which is up to 130g of protein required daily)

With a fairly sedentary lifestyle (inactive to very light exercise like walking), you can very easily meet your protein requirements through a plant-based diet. An endurance athlete will need to know the higher and more efficient plant-based proteins to be able to do the same, and the body builder will have to consistently consume only the most nutrient and protein dense forms, many times a day, in order to meet the right quota.

In the case of body builders, it will likely be much easier to consume animal meat to get the amount of calories and protein they require, but they should be wary of proper combinations with non-starchy protein rich plant sources in order to actually absorb the high level of protein they take in.

However, there are vegan body builders winning competitions on plant-based protein alone, so those needs can be met.  If you seriously doubt the ability to build muscle mass on a plant protein based diet, I would ask you to consider where cattle and pigs get their protein to build muscle mass (hint: plant-based sources, not other animals).

Eating Protein

If you do choose to eat animal meat as your primary source of protein, choose those that are raised humanely and not injected with antibiotics, hormones, or steroids and are pasture fed or fed organically. Grass fed beef is a great example of a good source of animal protein.

Also consider how the meat is cooked. Beef and fish do not need to be completely cooked and therefore are much easier on the digestive system. Chicken and pork on the other hand, should be cooked completely, which makes the meat more acidic and much more difficult to digest, which compromises your protein assimilation. (We don’t recommend eating pork.)

When looking at good vegetarian and vegan protein sources, consider chlorella/spirulina, hemp, bee pollen, chia, and quinoa, which are all above 25% protein (quinoa, chia, bee pollen,) all the way up to between 40% and 70% (hemp and chlorella).

When preparing a plant-based protein, cook it gently or not at all. A properly made smoothie can easily yield more than 30 grams of protein in a highly digestible format. Combine this with a quinoa and vegetable dish and you have a protein rich meal.

In the end, you can meet your protein needs with either

Our ancient ancestors, in most parts of the world, ate far more plants than animal protein and certainly did not eat animal protein nearly as often as we do in modern times. We could learn a lot from them and limit the animal protein in our diet as we add in more high quality plant protein to increase the absorption and assimilation of our various protein sources.

If you do choose to ingest animal flesh, please buy meat that you know was treated as humanely as possible. These animal products are better for us, better for the environment, and of course better for them.

And if you decide you want to avoid animal sources altogether, you can certainly obtain the complete protein and calories you require through plant-based sources alone. If you have high protein requirements, it just may take a bit more planning and work in the beginning to ensure you meet your needs, depending on your activity levels.

Complete Vegan Sources of Protein

The following are plant-based foods that contain all of the essential amino acids that make up a complete source of protein.

  • Chlorella – 58-75% protein
  • Spirulina – 51-71% protein
  • Hempseed – 47% protein
  • Chia – 21% protein
  • Quinoa – 14% protein
  • Buckwheat – 13% protein
  • Amaranth – 13% protein
  • Soy – 81% protein (look for whole, organic and fermented soybean sources for proper digestion)

Bee pollen, while not vegan, is another plant-based complete protein that is 25% to 40% protein.

vegan

It’s nice to know what your complete sources of plant-based protein are, but with a little variety, it’s easy to get all the essential amino acids in your diet. Also, many traditional dishes offer all of the essential amino acids. For instance, brown rice and beans is a complete source of protein. Vegetables have such a wide variety of amino acids, it’s actually easy to just eat a few vegetables and get all of them. Further, you don’t need all of the essential amino acids in one meal, or even in one day, to build complete protein in your body.

Conclusion

If you’re considering reducing your animal consumption, or cutting it out completely (or you already have), know that there are plenty of choices out there. Being healthy is all about eating well, and eating well is all about whole foods.  Almost everyone could use more fresh, whole, raw and/or home cooked foods in their diet.

Also, the amount of meat we consume is not sustainable. We as a society cannot continue to eat as much meat  as we do unless we turn to lab created flesh or some other scientific answer, which will likely create a whole host of new health problems. But if we reduce our meat consumption drastically, grow some of our own food, start looking at how and where we can grow more food (such as rooftops and stacked gardens), and we buy from local and small scale farmers, not only can we feed everyone well with plenty of land left over, we can also dramatically reduce our impact on our environment (there is nothing more impactful that we could do), radically improve our health, and we could remove a lot of needless suffering, too.

Did we miss any complete protein sources for vegans? Let us know! And if you have any other tips on healthy protein intake, please tell us about them.




Toxins You Touch Daily – Top 12

We are surrounded by toxins. We get it. The thought of how many toxins we encounter every day almost makes us want to vomit (and in some cases, probably does). Although every toxin is something you want to avoid, in many cases, it is simply not possible. However,  you can start to eliminate the more serious toxins you touch daily to significantly lighten your toxic load.

Water

Most people start their day by waking up on their chemically treated mattress, glancing at their EMF emitting cell phone, while considering how many more minutes they can wait before they hit the shower.

This is where the toxin onslaught begins.

More than 2,100 toxic chemicals have been detected in America’s water systems, with fluoride, chlorine, and VOC’s being the main culprits. These chemicals have been linked to behavioral, brain, and thyroid problems as they bio-accumulate in your tissues. These chemicals have also been known to create allergies and increase cancer death rates.

So if you are of the majority who showers in treated water with no filter to remove these contaminants, you are slowly absorbing these toxins through your skin on a daily basis. Don’t be fooled into believing the dose is not harmful; over a period of time these toxins will take their toll.

Personal Care Products

Now that you are all cleaned up (using soap, shampoo, and possibly conditioner in the shower) , it’s time to finish making yourself fit for interaction with other human beings. This process could include any number of personal care products. The typical applications include deodorant, hair products, cologne/perfume, and skin lotions.

The majority of personal care products contain a number of chemicals and preservatives like phthalates, parabens, aluminum, and petroleum distillates, just to name a few. These chemicals are known hormone disruptors and can cause allergies, attention deficit disorder, and breast cancer.

Consult the Environmental Working Group and their skin deep database to determine the safety of your personal care products, and make better choices if necessary. There are many companies producing organic soaps, shampoos, and personal care products.

Coffee

Now it’s time for what we have been looking forward to ever since we woke up – coffee. Nothing seems to make our heart sing more than the anticipation of the sight, smell, and boost that is our morning coffee.

Too bad most coffee drinkers are completely contaminating themselves.

Coffee is one of the most heavily, chemically treated crops and coffee is highly acidic, with a pH often ranging between 4.5 and 6 (alkaline is closer to 7.4). If your non-organic coffee is not toxic enough for you, the refined white sugar (or worse, HFCS flavourings or artificial sweeteners) and dairy you add to it is sure to add another layer of contaminants that gives your gut a serious knockout punch. Oh, and don’t forget the toxic tap water that is the main ingredient.

If you drink coffee, make it organic and consider drinking it black or with better sugar and dairy alternatives to reduce the toxic load.

Corn

Seriously, is there anything on the shelves that doesn’t have corn in it nowadays? This crop really needs to take a rest and remove itself from a lot of our food supply.

Corn is largely GMO, and is difficult to digest for most people, which automatically makes it a toxic choice. But if GMO corn in the produce aisle wasn’t enough, nearly every other aisle contains it.

Corn can be found in pork, beef, bread, sodas, chicken, fries, chips, cereals, and spaghetti sauces. The only way you can really avoid GMO corn is to buy only organic corn and corn products.

To learn more about how GMO corn gets on your plate without you knowing, watch the documentary, King Corn.

Rice

A staple in many people’s diets, rice has also found its way onto our plate and in our cups on a daily basis. The only problem is with the source and the contaminants that cannot be easily cleaned up.

The majority of rice production takes place in China and India (the top 2 rice producing countries in the world), and accounts for up to 40% of production. This isn’t necessarily a problem until you factor in the major pollution problem these two countries are dealing with and the fact that it directly affects soil composition and makes even “organic” a difficult label to apply.

Recent reports have shown that products containing rice sourced from China are riddled with heavy metal contaminants–lead, tungsten, cadmium, and mercury at far beyond acceptable limits. This makes eating rice in any form from these regions very risky, as heavy metal toxicity is a major health compromising factor.

terraced rice fields in chinaCleaning up soil in a heavily polluted environment is a task that takes decades. Until these limits come down to acceptable levels, choose organic rice from reliable producers outside of those regions.

To learn more about the issue with rice, and a supplier that can help you get around it, check in with this report.

Soy

Although soy was once considered the darling of all things healthy, research now suggests otherwise. Soy in its most common forms is actually detrimental to our health.

GMO soy shows up in a variety of packaged foods, most notably soy sauce, soy milk, and soy protein isolate that is found in the majority of protein and meal replacement shakes, as well as protein bars and snacks. These products are difficult to digest and disrupt your hormones to the point that they can cause breast and other cancers related to the hormonal system.

If you choose to consume soy, make it organic (non-GMO) and fermented (like miso and tempeh) to almost completely alleviate the toxic load.

Refined Wheat Flour

Wheat has been the poster child of all things bad, and the gluten free movement has gained more momentum than any other health concern.

Even it its whole form, wheat causes severe toxicity issues. The digestive system is not set up to handle copious amounts. Gluten is very difficult to digest, especially with our deficiency of good gut bacteria. Then you strip it of any remaining nutrients to make it white, and wheat ends up being a better insecticide than food because any bug that tries to live off it eventually dies.

In addition, wheat appears to be making some headway as a fully blown GM crop thanks to Monsanto announcing new research into GM wheat in 2009, with industry groups jumping on board. Thankfully, there has been push back by consumers that has stalled some of their efforts.

Refined wheat is found in nearly every packaged product. If you do choose wheat products (even though it is not recommended), ensure that they are organic and sprouted to limit the toxic load.

Refined Sugar

Sugar is one of the most difficult foods to avoid due to our own cravings and the fact that it is found in nearly every packaged product in the grocery store.

Aside from being largely GMO (sugar from sugar beets), refined sugar is literally feeding the candida outbreak that is silently ruining people’s health through hundreds of different disease labels, from arthritis to cancer. Yet, we can’t seem to keep this food out of our diet as it shows up in a variety of forms in packaged foods, as well as our coffee, tea, and baked goods.

If you choose a sweetener, make sure to reference this chart to make a better decision.

Dairy

Even though dairy has also received widespread attention as a gut menacing food or beverage, it still has a stronghold in people’s diets across the world.

If you aren’t putting it into your coffee, cereal, baking, or sauces, you still have to deal with it in chocolate, yogurt, dressings, cheese, shakes, soups, and many packaged and fried foods (often disguised as whey or casein).

The main issue with dairy is that it is largely pasteurized (making it a “dead” food”), and loaded with hormones and antibiotics. Combine that with natural sugars like lactose that are very hard to digest, and you have a

toxic touch point that makes it into many people’s diets everyday.

Animal Meat

Most of us have grown up eating animal meat in one form or another. This daily habit is now more toxic than ever.

Meat is not as simple as it once was. Meat production has become a huge industry infatuated with pumping out as much product as cheaply and in as little time as possible. The cost to us is tainted meat that introduces a variety of toxins into our physiology.

Most of the animals are raised in horrible, inhumane conditions.  On top of this, they are often fed toxic animal parts and low quality grains laced with elements like arsenic to fatten them up quicker at a reduced cost (this is most prevalent in the chicken industry). In addition to these horrific acts, these animals are injected with or fed hormones and antibiotics, which ends up on your plate, now creating a health issue for you. According to data from 2011, more than 80% of the antibiotics produced were fed to livestock.

If you choose to eat animal meat, look for labels saying organic, free from, grass fed, and free range. Even better, know your farmer and understand their operation so you know they are being treated respectfully, fed well, and naturally maintained.

Alcohol

Another common habit, alcohol use has been perpetuated as a way to really enjoy yourself. Although alcohol may seem to help, beer, wine, whiskey and other spirits have created a host of health problems associated with the gut and liver.

Alcohol does not promote health. Although there may be some useful nutrients associated with wine and beer, they are overshadowed by the toxicity created from the alcohol, grains, sugar, and yeast that are present in them. This combination puts a serious smack down on your gut and your liver, two parts of your body that contribute largely to your livelihood.

If you do choose to drink alcohol, exercise moderation and choose organic.

Prescriptions

Most people have caught on by now that prescription medications are some of the most toxic things you can put in your body. With that being said, it certainly isn’t stopping many as it is now estimated that 70 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two or more. Antibiotics, antidepressants, and painkillers are the most prescribed drugs.

The unfortunate part of this bandaid solution is that it creates a massive array of complications, with the most damage being inflicted to the intestinal system and liver. This creates a wide variety of symptoms. Just listen to a drug commercial; 10-15 seconds is dedicated to listing the side effects, a clear indicator of just how toxic the side effects can be.

Until an individual is able to come off of prescriptions, there will always be an onerous toxic load from this one act alone.

The Rabbit Hole Goes Deep

Although these daily toxic touch points make up a large portion of your daily intake, there are hundreds of others that make their way into our lifestyle. The list is so pervasive, unless you have done hundreds of hours of research, you can’t even begin to imagine the bombardment our bodies are subjected to over a course of a day.

The safest way to avoid these daily toxins is to buy whole, fresh, and organic foods that do not come in a package. For those that do, ensure the ingredients are minimal and clean, and be mindful of the origin of the product. Choose more natural personal care products, and keep your water clean for hygiene and drinking purposes.

If your health and happiness is worth it, why not get started today?




Is Coffee Healthy?

Coffee is big business. Over 1 million cups are served daily in North America alone, and it is the most consumed beverage after water and the second most traded commodity after oil. Coffee is not just a habit, it’s an addiction, and research studies are backing up people’s desire to find nothing but good in the black elixir. It’s very clear that coffee isn’t going away anytime soon, but what isn’t clear is if coffee is actually healthy. It’s time to fully examine all sides of this contentious debate.

Congratulations! If you have made it this far, you actually want to know more about your coffee habit and the health implications (positive and negative). Either that, or you decided to take a peek during your coffee break to validate your coffee habit by browsing through this article to see all the good that pops up, while ignoring the rest.

It’s okay; it’s human nature. We typically don’t like our habits to be questioned in any shape or form, and we often look for evidence to validate them. However, in this article, we are going to explore both sides of the coffee habit, and evaluate whether it is generally a good habit to have, not healthy at all, or if it depends on the individual.

Kudos if you are still with me…

So without further ado lets take a look at one of our greatest addictions, come to a conclusion on our coffee consumption, and explore any alternatives available to help us break the regular habit for good.

Coffee Consumption – The Good

There has been plenty of research of late suggesting coffee consumption (in specific moderation) has several health benefits, which not only make it safe, but beneficial to drink on a consistent basis. Some of these health benefits that are being touted include:

  • Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
  • Protective effect against type 2 diabetes
  • Reduces risk of stroke
  • Enhanced brain function
  • Improved athletic performance

One of the key health components with coffee that helps with these conditions is its high antioxidant content.

Antioxidants are organic compounds such as vitamin A, C, and E, as well as beta carotene, lycopene and selenium, which are found in foods. Antioxidants are beneficial to the human body as they are scavengers of free radicals, which cause many systemic and health debilitating issues, such as chronic inflammation.

Coffee has also been shown to temporarily elevate energy and mood, as well as burn calories. Elson M. Haas M.D., author of The New Detox Diet states:

“A dosage of 50 to 100 mg caffeine, the amount in one cup of coffee, will produce a temporary increase in mental clarity and energy levels while simultaneously reducing drowsiness. It also improves muscular-coordinated work activity, such as typing. Through its CNS stimulation, caffeine increases brain activity; however, it also stimulates the cardiovascular system, raising blood pressure and heart rate. It generally speeds up our body by increasing our basal metabolic rate (BMR), which burns more calories. Caffeine also increases respiratory rates, and for people with tight airways, it can open breathing passages. Caffeine is also a diuretic and a mild laxative.” 

Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D., author of Brain Longevity, states the following about caffeine:

“Caffeine, in fact, is the most widely used cognitive-enhancement product in our society. Numerous tests have proved that, when used in moderate amounts, caffeine boosts concentration and alertness. Because it is a stimulant, it increases output of adrenaline, and can temporarily improve memory and mood.”

This is certainly the good news for coffee drinkers, but now, what about the side effects?

Coffee Consumption – The Bad

There has always been plenty of empirical data that conclusively shows that coffee consumption is generally not a good thing. For years, doctor would tell patients who were experiencing various symptoms that they should ‘cut back on the coffee’. This was just sage advice, and the patient typically knew that this is what they needed to do because their favourite addiction was causing a number of problems, including:

  • Caffeine jitters and crash
  • Inability to sleep properly
  • Kidney and bladder problems (due to the diuretic effects of the caffeine)
  • Adrenal fatigue, which is caused by stimulation and suppression of various hormones, that ultimately leads to severe hormonal imbalance and more serious health issues like prostate and breast cancer

The most significant issue created by coffee is adrenal fatigue due to the triggering of stress hormones in your body. This triggering makes your muscles tense, elevates blood sugar, speeds up pulse and respiration rates, and increases your state of panic and alertness.

To some of you, this may appear to be a good thing, but over a period of time, it is quite detrimental. Consider the following analogy by Stephen Cherniske, author of Caffeine Blues:

“Imagine you lived in a country that was always under threat of attack. No matter where you went, there was a perpetual state of alert. Not only that, but your defenses were constantly being depleted and weakened. Does that sound stressful? Caffeine produces the same effect on your body, like fighting a war on multiple fronts at the same time.”

Cherniske calls your body’s constant state of alert “caffeinism,” which is characterized by fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, irritability, and depression.

Ironically, most people drink coffee due to the energy it provides them on a daily basis. However, over the long term, it actually depletes your energy, which is a seriously ironic kick in the pants. Pat Goudey, author of The Unofficial Guide to Beating Stress, states:

“Caffeine doesn’t add energy to your system, it just burns up your reserves at a faster pace. You get a short-term boost at the expense of long-term jitters and fatigue.”

But that’s not all that coffee negatively effects. Michael Murray, N.D., points out:

“Caffeine depletes the body of B vitamins, which you need for proper brain and nervous system functioning and for converting food to energy, says Michael Murray, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Seattle and author of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Getting Well Naturally. To make matters worse, it also prevents iron absorption, says Dr. Murray, which can lead to anemia, a condition in which you have too few oxygen-carrying red blood cells and which is a major contributor to fatigue.”

Mark Mayell, Author of Off the Shelf Natural Health: How To Use Herbs and Nutrients To Stay Well, piggybacks on Michael Murray’s findings, stating the following:

“Although relatively safe, long-term use (of caffeine) in excess of 250 to 300 mg daily may cause numerous health problems. Caffeine has been known to raise blood-cholesterol levels, deplete B vitamins, irritate the stomach and bladder, exhaust the adrenals, and possibly lead to breast and prostate problems.”

This may not be an issue for those who drink only one cup of coffee a day, or is it? Cherniske writes:

“Careful research conducted by the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine shows that low to moderate caffeine intake (as little as one 14-ounce mug per day) can quickly produce withdrawal symptoms,” writes Cherniske.

With withdrawal symptoms, comes more chronic use. People would simply rather deal with their coffee habit, than try to deal with the headaches and migraines that can come with trying to kick the coffee habit. This roller coaster leads to long term coffee consumption, which continues to deplete the delicate adrenals, which throws hormones out of balance causing energy swings, fatigue, irritability, poor sleep, and breast and prostate issues.

So now that we have seen both sides of the argument, how do you make a logical, unemotional decision (which is difficult in a state of hormonal imbalance) about your coffee intake? You can attempt to examine your particular health situation soberly, and determine whether coffee is a habit you can safely continue.

People Who Can Drink Coffee in Moderation

There are certain people who can enjoy moderate (3-4 cups a week) coffee consumption. They are typically noted by the following characteristics:

  • Emotionally and physically balanced, with little to no hormonal problems (characterized by a constant and healthy level of energy, good sleep, pleasant disposition, and healthy weight)
  • Consume a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables (75% or more), that creates an optimal body pH and provides an abundance of various vitamins and minerals (to offset the acidity of coffee, and vitamin and mineral depletion)
  • Consumes adequate amounts of quality water, that offsets the dehydration caused by the diuretic effects of caffeine

With these characteristics in place, the word moderation is still in effect. From the Textbook of Natural Medicine by Joseph E. Pizzorno and Michael T. Murray:

“Although acute caffeine consumption provides stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for 6 weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed.”

Due to this and many other observations, it’s crucial that your caffeine uptake is limited.

It should be also noted, that adding refined sugars, conventional dairy, or artificial sweeteners puts a serious damper on any benefits you are receiving from your coffee. So go black or use healthier sugars and alternative dairy solutions for flavour.

People Who Should Severely Limit or Eliminate Coffee

There are also certain people who should limit or drop the habit altogether (or look for alternatives that limit the uptake of caffeine). They are typically noted by the following characteristics:

  • Emotionally and physically unbalanced, with more prevalent hormonal (adrenal) problems (characterized by poor energy or swings, inconsistent sleep, crankiness or irritability, anxiety, and an unhealthy weight)
  • Consume a diet rich in grains, dairy, and meat (75% or more), that creates an acidic body pH
  • Consumes inadequate amounts of quality water, exacerbating dehydration
  • Has digestive issues, signalled by stomach pain, flatulence, bloating, and constipation (less than 1 well formed bowel movement a day)

How do you know if you have adrenal problems? Consider the following symptoms:

  • Morning fatigue – you can’t seem to ‘wake up’ for the first couple hours (which is why you need coffee)
  • Mid-to-late afternoon low
  • Sleepy at 9 to 10 p.m., but you often resist going to sleep
  • You get second wind to stay up past 11 p.m., and usually end up going to sleep closer to 1 a.m.
  • Crave foods high in salt and fat (fast food is a common choice)
  • Depression
  • Lack of energy
  • Can’t handle stress
  • Weak muscles
  • Light headed when getting up from sitting or laying down
  • Decreased sex drive
  • Frequent sighing

In addition to that, you can try the pupil dilation exam you can do at home with a flashlight and a mirror. Simply look into the mirror and shine the flashlight into the pupil of one eye. It should contract. If after 30 seconds it stays the same, or even worse, it dilates, you can be reasonably sure you have adrenal fatigue.

Turns Out, Coffee Can Be ALL Good

Enema

Perhaps this is not the orifice you were planning on using for your coffee intake. Coffee enemas can be quite beneficial for your health when done properly. Some of the benefits include:

  • Reducing systemic toxicity up to 700 percent
  • Cleansing and healing the colon and digestive tracts, and improving peristaltic action
  • Boosts energy levels and increases mental clarity and mood
  • Helps eliminate parasites and candida
  • Helps detoxify and repair liver damage
  • Relieves chronic pain, eases die off symptoms related to cleansing and detoxifying regimens
  • Heals and prevents chronic illness

Perhaps they need to offer another service at the coffee shop to offset the effects of caffeine. I can hear it already…”Would you like another cup and an enema bag with that Americano?”

Sources for this article include: