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Category: Food - Organic Lifestyle Magazine Category: Food - Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet

If I were allowed only one herbal remedy to treat medical conditions, it would be raw, organic garlic.

Garlic is nature’s antibiotic and more. Garlic kills (removes, eliminates, reduces) bacteria, colds, flus, viruses, parasites, inflammation, warts, fungi, and plagues.

The Benefits of Garlic

garlic infographic

  • Kills kidney infections
  • Kills urinary tract infections
  • Inhibits leukemia
  • Kills and expels worms
  • Increases insulin production
  • Kills athletes foot (apply externally and take internally)
  • Dramatically lowers cholesterol
  • Helps with weight control and weight loss
  • Reduces and regulates blood sugar
  • Reduces high blood pressure
  • Kills cancer cells (has been proven in numerous lab studies)
  • Treats acne (apply externally and take internally)
  • Soothes psoriasis (apply externally)
  • Kills cold sores (apply externally)
  • Removes heavy metals from the body
  • Strengthens the immune system
  • Kills strep throat
  • Kills tooth infections

Things to Know when Using Garlic

Garlic Breath

If you stink when consuming raw garlic this should quit happening when the digestive system gets healthier.  Garlic + toxins = stink.

When the toxins are all gone, so is the stink. It is very beneficial when your eyes water while cooking with garlic or onions. The properties that make your eyes water actually cleanse and help kill eye infections. Garlic is great for just about every health condition.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Chopping Garlic Before Eating

Two components of garlic, a sulfur-based compound called alliin, and the enzyme alliinase, are kept separate within garlic. But when the cells are ruptured these elements are released, allowing them to come in contact and form a powerful new compound called allicin. This compound is responsible for many of the health benefits garlic is known for, along with its pungent smell and bite. The more the garlic is chopped (minced, pressed, etc.), the more allicin is produced. After cutting the garlic, let it sit for a couple of minutes to allow the chemical process to take place.

Personally, I take a different approach to receive the same results. To maximize the effectiveness of garlic, try chewing it for at least one minute while breathing in and out of your mouth. Chew for as long as you can, continuing to let the air in as you go.

How Cooking Affects Nutrients

Heating garlic without letting it sit has been found to deactivate the enzyme that is responsible for the formation of alliicin. However, if you have allowed your garlic to sit for 5-10 minutes, you can cook it on low or medium heat for a short period of time (up to 15 minutes) without destroying the alliicin. This is because letting it sit not only ensures the maximum synthesis of the alliicin, but also makes it more stable and resistant to the heat of cooking. – The Worlds Healthiest Foods

Cooking for:

  • 5-15 minutes — minimal loss of nutrients
  • 15-30 minutes — moderate loss of nutrients
  • 45+ minutes — substantial loss of nutrients

Garlic Burns

Yes, it can actually burn you. When using garlic topically, be cognizant of this and remove garlic when finished with treatment. Don’t leave raw garlic pieces on the skin too long. When using garlic to remove a splinter for instance (see below) you may want to check every 15 to 20 minutes to make sure the skin is not burning.

Garlic left on an open wound can burn within a few minutes.

Personal Story from Michael Edwards

In Los Angeles there was a spider with a bad attitude in our apartment. He bit me nine times over the course of four nights. I do not know what kind of spider it was, but he was nasty, and five of those bites got very infected. I’m not one to get infections easily, but the spider that bit me was a potent little bastard! The bites were on my left arm near my elbow. I couldn’t move my elbow and I was starting to look like an Ebola virus victim. One of the bites was so bad that there was almost a third of a cup of green and greenish yellow, thick, oozing puss that I spent 5 hours carefully extracting, only to have it fill up the next day. I was taking tons of supplements and eating well; I was doing everything I could to ensure I did not get an infection, but this toxin the spider bit me with was unrelenting. I was also using some of the most potent herbs I knew of, putting them directly into the huge hole left behind from the puss extraction. During the third time (seven days after the bite) of removing the puss (I was cutting open my arm and literally digging into the infection, scooping out this nasty pussy junk), I noticed streaking. Blood poisoning. So I decided to take drastic measures. I knew it would burn me badly, but I filled up the hole with garlic. I shoved a total of four large minced cloves into the infection, which gives you an idea of the massive size of the hole that was there on my arm just below my elbow. Then I bandaged the wound.

It itched so badly that night, but my whole arm hurt and itched so much already that the garlic itch didn’t matter to me. I taped my hands in my sleep so my fingers wouldn’t claw off the bandage while scratching in my sleep.

The next day I awoke to a huge purple welt. It was three times the diameter of a quarter, and it looked like something had eaten a huge chunk of my arm. It was ghastly! But it was also uninfected! I had no itch, and very little pain right there, unlike the other bites.

The other bites had to be drained for infection a few times, even well after the wound closed. I did not do the garlic trick with them, as the scar that I thought might be permanent was massive and disturbing to look at. It took a month for the other spider bites to heal, and it took 6 weeks for the garlic wound to completely heal leaving a very large scar.

But here is what I found most interesting: today, one year later, every single spider bite left a scar, except the big one. The one I put the garlic into is less visible than the others. As massive and nasty as it was during the slow healing process, the permanent damage done was less than that of even the relatively insignificant other bites.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Growing Garlic

This amazing herb is easy to grow and is the best organic pest repellent you can have in your garden. Growing it interspersed throughout your yard will keep away unwanted visitors. In the fall, plant cloves with the tips pointing up, four inches deep, and six inches apart in direct sun. Watch them pop up in the spring and harvest when the tops start to turn brown. Hang them in bundles or braids in a dry place. Next year, plant the biggest cloves to keep improving the strain, and then eat the smaller ones.

Companion Planting

Garlic, in close proximity, will benefit cabbage, cane fruit, fruit trees, roses, and tomatoes. Keep away from beans, peas, sage and asparagus.

When planting garlic around vegetable companions, scatter the onion and garlic plants to minimize infestation by onion/garlic pests such as onion maggots.

The Garlic Game

When everybody in the house is sniffling, coughing and blowing their noses constantly, its time to play the garlic game. First you get the game materials together. Every player needs one large glass of water and a handful of peeled garlic cloves. Spin a clove to see who goes first. The first player puts one clove of garlic in their mouth and chews as fast as he or she can, then swallows it down with a sip of water. Player 2 does the same. The first one to refuse garlic loses and has to eat 3 cloves or stay sick as a penalty.

Whoever eats the most garlic wins. Anyone who eats an entire bulb is the ultimate winner. However, I do recommend you have some food in your stomach before playing this game, as raw garlic on an empty stomach can cause nausea and vomiting.

You may think that chewing raw garlic is intense and hard to do, but try it. It’s not as bad as you think, and it’s nowhere near as intense as our chili pepper contest.

Recommended: How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

More Things Garlic Can Do

This miracle herb has a few more tricks up its sleeve:

Treat Alopecia

Thanks to the allicin, garlic (and onions for that matter) have been shown to reduce hair loss and help regrow hair. Slice garlic and let it set for a couple of minutes to maximize the allicin. Take the sliced garlic and rub on the scalp, squeezing as you go for the most benefit. You can also infuse oil with garlic and massage it into your scalp.

Remove a Splinter

Place a slice of garlic over the opening of the splinter entry and cover with a bandage.

Glass Repair

For cracked glass, rub some crushed garlic clove juice on the crack. Wipe away any excess.

Got Any Other Garlic Tricks?

It’s a powerful substance. Be careful, use common sense, and listen to your body when treating ailments and conditions with garlic. It’s an amazing herb and should be treated with the respect it deserves. If you know of anything else we should include in this garlic article, please let us know by leaving a comment.

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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.




How Gluten can Affect Your Brain, Gut, and Skin

Ditch Gluten to Improve Your Brain, Gut and Skin

Most people associate gluten sensitivity issues with digestive problems such as Celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome.  While gluten does have a very negative effect on the digestive system, it also inflames other regions of the body.  The other regions that are often most effected are the brain, joints, and skin.

It is estimated by many researchers, including Dr Kenneth Fine, PhD, that 81% of the population has some level of gluten sensitivity.  This means that the body produces antibodies to some sort of gluten derivative.  This could be to the protein gliadin and its various forms or to a mechanism called molecular mimicry where the body produces antibodies to proteins that are similar to gliadin in its various forms.

Many researchers and health care practitioners believe that everyone on the planet is better off removing gluten from their diets.  When individuals remove gluten they notice significant improvements in brain function, energy levels, breathing, immunity, pain levels, and skin health.

Kicking Gluten Improves your Brain

When we eat foods containing gluten, we increase a protein molecule called Zonulin.  Zonulin works as a gatekeeper in both the intestine and the blood-brain barrier.  The more zonulin in the gut, the more permeable the intestinal cells become and the risk of developing leaky gut syndrome increases.

High levels of zonulin also loosen the tight junctions in the epithelium of our blood cells.  This allows toxins and other molecules to slip through the blood-brain barrier.  When the blood brain barrier is permeable, it activates an inflammatory response in the brain.

Leaky Gut glutenYour Brain Doesn’t Feel Pain but It Still Suffers

The brain itself does not feel pain and chronic inflammation is experienced with symptoms such as brain fog, slow mental processing, anxiety, depression, emotional disturbances, etc.  Over time, a brain that is chronically inflamed leads to neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.

Individuals may also form specific antibodies to gluten molecules that mimic other regions of the body.  One of the most common of these molecular mimicry patterns is Glutamate Decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies.  GAD is an enzyme that helps metabolize glutamate and it is key for energy production in major regions of the brain.

Individuals with GAD antibodies often form cerebellar ataxia where they are unable to maintain balance and have very poor coordination.  GAD antibodies are also implicated in type I diabetes, adult auto-immune diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and stiff-man syndrome.

When we metabolize gluten, we produce the opiates gluteomorphin and prodynorphin as a result. These opiates have an addictive effect and can often lead to food addictions to sugar and gluten containing carbs.  People often struggle to come off of these foods due to the addictions.

Dropping Gluten Gives You More Energy

A gluten sensitive individual will constantly be triggering their adrenals to pump out stress hormones every time they consume gluten.  The immune system has to crank up and go into hyper-inflammatory mode, which utilizes a lot of vital resources as well.  This taxes the body of raw materials and sets it up for adrenal exhaustion and chronic fatigue.

By eating an anti-inflammatory diet that takes out food borne stressors like gluten, genetically modified foods, sugary foods, and pasteurized dairy, you allow the adrenals to come down.  This results in better sleep, more energy, and improved stress and emotional balance.

Cutting Gluten Improves Breathing, Joints, and Skin Health

One of the patterns of molecular mimickry is antibodies to transglutaminase.  Transglutaminases are enzymes found throughout the body that bind proteins together and they are also key to the digestion of wheat.  When the body forms an immune response to the gluten molecule, it often creates sensitivity to transglutaminase molecules as well.

Transglutaminase-2 (TG-2) is found in the intestinal lining and antibodies to TG-2 are a marker for celiac disease.  TG2 is a well-known marker for osteoarthritis as well.  This is one of the reasons why individuals with celiac disease also have advanced degeneration in their spine.  Many individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also have major problems with joint pain, rheumatoidism, and osteoarthritis.

Transglutaminase-3 (TG-3) are found in the skin and antibodies can lead to chronic acne, eczema, and dermatitis.  Transglutaminase-6 (TG-6) is found throughout the central nervous system and antibody formation leads to neurological disorders.  Transglutaminase-7 (TG-7) is found in the lungs and antibody formation leads to asthma and other pulmonary challenges.

Give up Gluten and Look and Feel Better than Ever

When you give up gluten and sugar and minimize grains and other inflammatory agents you will notice that you look and feel significantly better.  Your skin will get clearer, your hair will be shinier, your joints will be stronger and your brain will be sharper . Your memory will improve and you will  feel more emotionally balanced.

The benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet far outweigh the momentary glutinous or social benefits associated with eating gluten, sugar, and other inflammatory foods.  Your greatest asset is the body God gave you, and you have to take proper care of it to live out your full potential in life!

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3 of The Biggest Paleo Diet Mistakes

As a clinician and leading voice in the Paleo/Primal movement, I attract a lot of clients who have started following the Paleo/Primal nutrition plan.  Most of these people have seen significant health benefits by following the traditional Paleo nutrition plan.  However, many continue to struggle with chronic health issues including low energy, digestive issues and hormonal imbalances.

I have been tweaking these real food based nutrition plans to help people find their unique balance for years.  Here are three of the most common mistakes I see many individuals making as they follow the real food nutrition plan.  You will also see a great video I did with Garage Games Media on this very topic.  Enjoy it…it is quite informative and full of humor!

3 Biggest Paleo Nutrition Mistakes

Eating Too Much Natural Sugar

The real food/Paleo nutrition plan eliminates all processed and genetically modified forms of sugar but the general plans allow fruit, honey and coconut nectar.  These are natural sweeteners and have health benefits but they also have drawbacks.  The high fructose content in these sweeteners can put a burden on the liver and hamper its ability to detoxify effectively.  This will result in hormonal challenges and adrenal issues.

These sugars also provide the fuel for unwanted microorganisms such as yeast and parasites.  As these microorganisms take over the locust of control in the gut they will release endotoxins that inflame the body.  They will also create gut inflammation that damages the intestinal membrane setting us up for leaky gut syndrome.  This will both affect the adrenals and sex hormones which can lead to energy problems and hormonal imbalances.

Reducing sugar content by minimizing the use of coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc. is very critical to maximizing energy, liver detoxification, digestive function and hormonal control.  Stay off the high sugar fruit such as bananas, melon and pineapple and stick with small quantities of low-glycemic fruit such as lemons, limes, grapefruit and berries.   Limit yourself with the popular fruit & nut bars as they may be convenient but they contain a lot of fructose that will disturb your hormone balance.

Eating Too Many Nuts:

The paleo/primal nutrition plan eliminates the consumption of grains and reduces starchy carbohydrate consumption.  As we look elsewhere to get our calories, nuts are an easy solution.  We are typically quite familiar with nuts as most Americans consume nuts regularly throughout their lives and they are easy to get in any grocery store in North America.

In many health food stores, bulk nuts and nut butters are so popular that they have their own sections.  Almond flour is also a very popular non-starchy flour alternative for baking.  Many of us crave baked goods and we end up using heavy amounts of almond flour for the various pies, pastries, breads and muffins we make.

Anti-Nutrient Content in Nuts:

Nuts can be quite hazardous when consumed in heavy amounts.  They contain phytic acids that bind to major minerals like zinc, calcium and magnesium.  High amounts of phytates in our diet can lead to mineral deficiencies.  These minerals are important for energy production and hormonal balance.

There are also enzyme inhibitors present in nuts that block normal enzyme activity in the body.  This can cause digestive challenges and energy problems.   Soaking or sprouting nuts and seeds helps to reduce phytate and enzyme inhibitor counts and makes the nuts and seeds more bioavailable.

Many nuts and seeds are also very high in omega 6 fatty acids.  Most people in society are already in a state of omega-6 dominance.  Taking in more omega 6 fatty acids only promotes this imbalance and leads to chronic inflammation.  Taking in less omega-6 rich nuts and seeds such as almonds, cashews, pecans and sunflower seeds would be the right move.  They could focus on higher omega 3 content in walnuts, hemp, chia, flax and pumpkin seeds.

The Bottom Line:

Many individuals with digestive challenges have food sensitivities to many different nuts and seeds.  When they consume these foods they increase inflammatory activity and drive up stress hormones.  This drains the body of vital resources and leads to adrenal burnout over time.  For these individuals they need to completely eliminate these from their diet and heal their gut and immune system before reintroducing them.

For most individuals they can consume nuts and seeds in moderation.  A handful of almonds and cashews two or three times a week should not be a problem.  Eating massive quantities of nuts, consuming a jar of almond butter each week and/or making tons of almond flour bread and pastries each week can cause the problems discussed.

Avoiding Raw, Grass-Fed Dairy:

Many individuals who have been following the paleo/primal nutrition plan have completely taken dairy out of their diet.  I agree that this is a great step for a period of time.  Nobody should be consuming typical processed, grain-fed dairy that is a staple of the Western cuisine.  This form of dairy is highly inflammatory as it is loaded with omega 6 fatty acids, pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.

The only kind of dairy that I recommend is 100% grass-fed dairy that is ideally in the raw form.  I am also very leery of any dairy that is not free of A1 beta Casein.  A1 beta casein is in most cow dairy in the US.  Only special breeds of cattle – Bos Indicus do not produce A1 beta casein.  Beyond Organic is a company that has fantastic grass-fed dairy that is free of A1 beta casein.

Great forms of dairy include Beyond Organic raw cheese, Amasai and fermented whey products.  Grass-fed butter or ghee is naturally free of all casein as it is simply milk fat and has no protein so this is a great food to eat.  Grass-fed goat and sheep dairy is also fantastic.

Some individuals are able to thrive on dairy that contains A1 beta casein but many struggle with it so you will have to experiment for yourself.  Some people cannot handle any dairy including the Beyond Organic due to deep intestinal permeability and hyperactive immunity.  These individuals need to heal their gut and modulate their immune system before reintroducing dairy.

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The Benefits of Grass-Fed Dairy:

Grass-fed dairy tastes amazing and offers a great nutritional option for those who tolerate it well.  It has many extraordinary health benefits as it is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoid anti-oxidants, and major minerals like zinc and magnesium.  Cheese has complete protein and tons of branched chain amino acids and CLA which help promote a lean, fit physique and healthy hormones.

Fermented dairy such as Amasai, kefir and whey can greatly improve the health of the intestinal tract.  These foods contain trillions of healthy microbial organisms, live enzymes and L-glutamine which is the major amino acid that is needed to produce healthy intestinal cells.

I recommend for those who are dairy free without a known dairy sensitivity to try grass-fed fermented dairy and grass-fed butter and see how their body tolerates it.  These are really fun and enjoyable foods to include in your nutrition plan and they offer powerful health benefits to those who can properly digest them.

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The Top 5 Worst Pet Food Ingredients

It should come as no surprise that the cheapest and most widely available pet foods are just as unhealthy as cheap, widely available human foods.  Unfortunately, most mainstream foods for cats and dogs are overly processed and don’t even meet animals’ basic nutritional needs.

When we assess pet food, we look for products that most closely mimic what the animal’s diet would be like in the wild.  Cats and dogs are both carnivores – in nature their daily diet is high on protein and low on carbohydrates.

Despite the fact that this is widely known, many of the most common pet foods feature recipes that are exactly the opposite – low in protein and high in carbs, chemicals, and preservatives, which are just as bad for your pets as they are for you.

No pet owners intentionally feed their pets unhealthy food; if a dog or cat’s diet is lacking in nutrition, it’s almost always because their owner is either uninformed or cannot afford to regularly buy healthier options.  Whichever the case, you should at least avoid buying foods with these 5 harmful ingredients.

Meat “Products”

 In a natural setting, your dogs and cats would be eating fresh prey, like rabbits and mice, which are unadulterated, high quality protein.  That’s why it’s such a shame that so many brands stuff their foods with extremely low quality meat “products.”  Meat by-product and meat and bone meal consist of ingredients that not legally allowed to be put into human food.  However, like most harmful ingredients, these products are much cheaper than the real thing.

Both meat by-product and meat/bone meal are made up of all animal parts, such as bones, lungs, feet, heads, intestines and blood.  The worst part is that these parts can be taken from any and all animals, including the 4 D’s:  dead, dying, diseased, or disabled at the time of slaughter.  This meat is almost entirely unregulated and can be contaminated or diseased.  No pet owner wants to be feeding their beloved pet such polluted food.

Animal Fat 

Animal fat is sometimes known as “tallow” and is derived in a pretty nasty process.  When an ingredient is just listed as “animal fat,” and not as a specific type of animal, it is often a generic mix of animal parts, grease from restaurants, or other oils that wouldn’t be allowed to be used in products for humans. The rendering process that results in this fat involves boiling any and all animal parts available along with used restaurant grease.  The top layer of fat is skimmed off and used in many pet foods.

Beef tallow is also a common ingredient – it’s used to make low-quality pet foods taste better, but offers no nutritional value.   You want to look for pet foods that include specific types of animal fats, such as chicken or poultry fat, which is derived and preserved in a healthy manner.

 Corn

 Corn and grains constitute large amounts of low-quality pet foods, despite the fact that dogs and cats would not be ingesting corn or grains in the wild.  These inexpensive ingredients are used as a cheap filler that helps add substance to the paltry amount of actual protein in the recipe.  The corn or grain products are high in calories, so they make dogs and cats feel full, but don’t give them what they need to stay healthy.  Given too many carbohydrates, dogs and cats can develop obesity and diabetes

There are many excellent brands on the market that don’t contain any corn or grain fillers.  Granted, they are a bit pricier, but that’s because they actually contain high-quality ingredients, which cost more.  These options are much easier on animals’ digestive systems and will not cause allergic reactions the way foods with fillers will.  Though it may be hard to find these at your standard grocery or convenient store, they’re readily available online or in specialty pet stores.

Sugar

 There is absolutely no reason for any type of sweetening agent to be included in your pet’s food.  The only reason it’s used at all is to mask the unpalatable quality of the other ingredients and provide empty, cheap calories.  Keep an eye out for any version of sugar:  cane molasses, corn syrup, sorbitol, fructose, glucose, or propylene glycol.  Be sure to avoid any product that lists sugar in the first several ingredients.

If the food has to include sweeteners, you should ask yourself why the food isn’t appetizing enough as is.  If it contains high-quality proteins, you won’t be able to keep your furry friends away from it.  Also, if pets are regularly fed high-sugar recipes, they can become dependent on sweet foods, making it difficult to transition them to healthier options.  Not to mention that excessive sweeteners can eventually cause serious medical problems such as obesity, hypoglycemia, arthritis, tooth decay, and allergic reactions.

Preservatives

Are you starting to see a pattern here?  Many of the qualities that make pet food unhealthy are the very same ones that make processed human food unhealthy.  Methods of producing food cheaply are very similar across the board, except pets have it even worse.  Most common, inexpensive pet foods on your grocery’s shelves feature chemical preservatives like propyl gallate, ethoxyquin, BHT, and BHA.  The last two, in fact, cannot legally be used in human products in many countries, but are still legal in the U.S.

All of these chemicals have been associated with dangerous illnesses such as cancer and liver disease.  Fortunately, there are some effective preservatives that don’t cause health problems.  Look for foods that include natural preservatives: rosemary oil, vitamin E (tocopherols) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Navigating the pet food aisle can be just as challenging as making sense of the rest of the grocery store.  Organic?  All natural?  Low fat?  Fat free?  Translating food labels is not for the faint of heart.  But, you should invest a bit of time finding a high quality pet food that’s convenient and affordable for you to buy on a regular basis.

The best possible option is a BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet, which consists of raw meats, organs, bones and even raw eggs.  Following this diet takes some commitment but has a huge payoff:  your pets will have far fewer health problems and enjoy their food much more.  You can always start the transition by incorporating some raw foods into what you’re already feeding your pets.  Check out BARF World to learn more about getting started.

Given that your bet is a beloved member of your family, it only makes sense to take special care in deciding what goes in his little body so that he can stay healthy and happy for many years to come




5 Natural Pest Remedies for Your Garden

We all need a chance to wind down and relax after a long day of work or caring for our families. Gardens are a backyard getaway of sorts, allowing us to enjoy nature and take pride in our ability to better the world around us. However, when pests invade, that peaceful little oasis can turn into a battleground. Rather than purchasing costly and potentially dangerous pesticides, give natural pest control a try. It often works just as well as chemical products, and it is better for you and the environment. These five remedies will help you get your garden back.

Prevent Pests from Invading

Don’t wait for pests to become an issue. Keep them from coming to your yard in the first place by ridding your garden of any weeds or debris, two places where insects like to breed. In addition, get rid of infected or failing plants. Finally, focus on building healthy soil so your plants can thrive. Engage in mulching and composting, and use natural fertilizer to top-dress your soil.

Create a Garlic Spray

If you are dealing with aphids, whiteflies or spider mites, a garlic oil spray should take care of the problem. Soak 10 cloves of minced garlic in two teaspoons of mineral oil. Allow it to sit for at least one full day. Using a strainer, separate the garlic and mineral oil. Mix the garlic with two and a half cups of water and one teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Combine and add to a spray bottle. Put the mixture on all of your plants for best results.

Attract “Good” Insects

There are certain insects, like ladybugs and lacewings, which prey on the pests you want to keep out of your garden. There are two ways to get these helpful creatures on your side: you can purchase them and bring them in yourself, or you can add specific plants to your garden to attract the helpful insects that you need.

Ladybugs, for example, eat mites, aphids and whiteflies. They like yarrow, tansy or daisy plants. Lacewings also help control aphid populations, and they are attracted to goldenrod, yarrow, and asters. If you are having a caterpillar problem, plant carrots, Queen Anne’s lace, or even parsley. These plants will draw in chalcids and brachonids, which should eliminate your caterpillar population.

Mix a Soap Solution

If the garlic spray mentioned above requires too much preparation for you, try mixing up a soap solution instead. It will also help with aphids, whiteflies and spider mites and involves just two ingredients: soap flakes and water. Pour eight and a half cups of warm water into a container and allow two tablespoons of soap flakes to dissolve inside. Measure the soap out carefully; too much could damage your plants. Take the solution and apply it to the problem areas once a week.

Set Up Traps and Barriers

Jumbo Single Grow ClocheThere are a number of traps and barriers that can help in your battle against bugs. A cloche protects your young plants from pests; it resembles a small greenhouse. Yellow flypaper works well when it comes to whiteflies and aphids. And, there are pheromone traps available as well, but since they are very effective at attracting insects, you only want to use them along the perimeter of your garden.

Natural pest control is a great alternative to pesticides. With a little bit of work, you can reclaim your garden and get back to doing what you enjoy.

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