Food For Fitness

Celiac Disease

2010-02-24T07:39:00.001-08:00

Why Haven't Infertile Couples Been Told These Facts?
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
February 23 2010 | 106,819 views

Millions of people have celiac disease, but most don’t know they have it, in part because symptoms can be so varied. It is an often overlooked digestive disorder that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is eaten.
Infertility seems to be more common in women with untreated celiac disease. Other gynecological and obstetrical problems may also be more common, including miscarriages and preterm births.
For men, problems can include abnormal sperm -- such as lower sperm numbers, altered shape, and reduced function. Men with untreated celiac disease may also have lower testosterone levels.
The good news is that with proper treatment with a gluten-free diet and correction of nutritional deficiencies, the prognosis for future pregnancies is much improved.

Sources:

New York Times February 3, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments
Celiac disease -- which prevents your body from properly digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley – may be far more common than previously thought. A decade ago, it was believed that celiac disease affected just one in 10,000 Americans.
But a 2004 report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that as many as one in every 133 Americans have it. That equates to roughly 2 million people suffering from gluten intolerance in the US alone.
There are many millions more that suffer from sub-clinical gluten intolerance – some estimate as many as 30 million Americans -- so there is a very real possibility that you or someone you know is affected by this.
Unfortunately, celiac disease can manifest in so many ways, it’s frequently misdiagnosed and/or mistreated. One study showed it takes an average of 11 years for patients to receive a correct diagnosis!
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease, much like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. To get the disease, you must have both a genetic predisposition plus an environmental factor that triggers the disease.
In this case, the environmental trigger is gluten.
If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an autoimmune response, provoking your body to attack itself and destroy healthy tissues, especially the villi in your small intestine. This can also have a detrimental effect on your body’s ability to absorb and process nutrients.
Some of the most common symptoms of this disease process include:
• Chronic diarrhea
• Gas
• Bloating
• Acid reflux
• Constipation
Even a small amount of gluten can trigger a response.
How Celiac Disease Can Affect Your Fertility
In the New York Times article above, Dr. Sheila Crowe, a professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Virginia, provides information about a slightly lesser known side effect of celiac disease, namely infertility, which can affect both men and women with the disease.
Studies from various countries indicate that fertility problems are indeed more common in women with untreated celiac disease, compared to women who do not have it.
The risk of suffering other gynecological and obstetrical problems like miscarriage or preterm birth is also higher for those with celiac disease.
In addition, other common menstrual disorders that frequently affect women with celiac disease include:
• Later onset of menstruation
• Earlier menopause
• Secondary amenorrhea (a condition in which menses starts but then stops)
These menstrual abnormalities, along with other hormonal disruptions they cause, can lead to fewer ovulations, which in turn results in a reduced chance of pregnancy.
Men with the disease, especially if it’s undiagnosed, can also face fertility problems due to:
• Abnormal sperm (reduced sperm count, altered shape, and reduced function)
• Reduced testosterone levels
How to Diagnose Celiac Disease
As Dr. Crowe recommends, it might be wise to get screened for celiac disease if you suffer from repeated miscarriages or are unable to conceive for unknown reasons – especially if you suffer any of the most common symptoms.
Just remember that symptoms can vary widely, and symptoms are easily confused with those of other diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, iron-deficiency anemia, or even chronic fatigue syndrome.
Fortunately, there are now more reliable blood tests that can screen for the disease, so that you’re not left guessing and wondering.
People with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of certain autoantibodies in their blood. So to diagnose celiac disease, your doctor will need to test your blood for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA).
Please keep in mind that you need to continue eating a diet containing gluten, such as breads and pastas, in order to obtain an accurate test result! If you go on a gluten-free diet prior to being tested, the results may come up negative for celiac even though you might in fact have the disease.
If the test is positive for celiac disease, a biopsy of your small intestine may be performed to confirm your diagnosis. The biopsy checks for damage to the villi, which is a sign that celiac disease is damaging your intestines.
The Case for a Low- or No-Grain Diet – Whether You Have Celiac Disease or Not
The prevalence of celiac disease is yet more evidence that contemporary humans simply aren’t equipped to consume mass quantities of starch and sugar rich foods many modern diets consists of.
Most people simply consume far too much bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain, not a vegetable), rice, potatoes, snacks and junk foods, with grave consequences to their health.
A diet high in grains causes insulin resistance which causes far more problems than this dangerous autoimmune response. It’s also a leading factor of obesity, which now affects a whopping two-thirds of all Americans.
Many of you are still focused on fat intake, but it’s really not the fat in the foods you eat but rather the excess carbohydrates from your processed food diet that is making you overweight and unhealthy, and contributing to epidemic levels of other diseases such as diabetes.
How to Treat Celiac Disease
In my experience, gluten intolerance can be treated quite easily by eliminating gluten and most grains from your daily diet.
It’s important to realize that gluten can be hidden in many foods including soups, soy sauce, candies, cold cuts, and various low- and no-fat products, so check the labels before you eat it.
Also watch out for malt, starches, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and natural flavoring.
Some pharmaceuticals, vinegars and alcohol can also contain gluten.
If you have celiac disease, it’s imperative that you do not eat gluten in order to avoid further damage to your health. But it’s not only people with gluten intolerance who would benefit from avoiding grains--in my estimation over 85 percent of the population would benefit from avoiding them, and this includes even whole, organic grains.
Remember, if you stick to a diet consisting mainly of whole foods, preferably locally-grown organics, you’ll reap all the other beneficial side effects as well, such as increased energy, an enhanced mood, and a lower risk of other chronic illnesses.
Once you realize how good you can feel on a gluten-free diet, you’ll probably have no problem avoiding it and living a full, healthy life!

Probiotics:The untold truth

2010-02-22T07:27:00.000-08:00

About 80% of your immune system lives in the pit of your gut.

To get on the track toward building a solid foundation for your best health, I believe the best place to start is where good health begins – in your digestive tract.*

And the best way I’ve found is by introducing billions of tiny microflora (good bacteria) into your digestive system through the use of high quality probiotics.*But some probiotics don’t survive your stomach’s acidity and
others get damaged in the manufacturing process.*What happens is that the good bacteria go to work keeping your entire digestive system working at its peak while boosting the health of your immune system in the process.*
How do I know? Because scientific research shows that 80% of your immune system actually lives right in your digestive tract.

Amazing, isn’t it?
But that’s not all…
A healthy and happy digestive system may also help regulate your weight, keeping your waistline slim and trim.*
That’s where high quality probiotics come in.
Recent scientific studies† also show that supplementing with probiotics may help reduce fat.*
In fact, if you’re pregnant or just had a baby, taking a probiotic supplement during your pregnancy – or starting soon after giving birth – may help you drop that extra weight you might have gained.†*

Coconut Almond Fudge recipe

2010-02-18T06:13:00.001-08:00

My wife made a new recipe this week from The Maker's Diet and I wanted to share it with you because it turned out really well and I enjoyed it.

Coconut Almond Fudge

1 cup extra-virgin coconut oil
3/4 cup carob powder (or non alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder)
1/4 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup unheated honey
1 tbsp vanilla

Place all ingredients in small saucepan and stir until melted. Spread paste on buttered parchment paper or small dish; allow to cool in refrigerator. remove and serve immediately.

What You Eat After Exercise Matters

2010-02-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

What You Eat After Exercise Matters

Raw What?

2010-02-15T09:16:00.001-08:00

I have always been a fan of protein shakes and fruit smoothies. As you may know we enjoy a berry smoothy packed with Perfect Food green powder made from some of the best sprouted greens available. Aside from that I enjoy a goat, almond milk or raw milk kefir protein shake about twice daily. These shakes depending on what I am feeling, as to what I put in it, but it always has raw eggs, and cocoa.

I have recently been introduced to Raw Meal shakes! I follow and distribute products for Garden Of Life so when I saw the new Raw Meal I was curious as to what it was like. I purchased some and have been using it in between my meals, as I believe strongly in "flirting" with your metabolism to keep it at optimum levels. I place this shake with my already delicious protein shake, but not at first. When I got it and read the instructions I saw that they company (GOL) recommends that you place it in water. This was not the best flavor, I mean I could have got used to it. I also knew that it would be way better for me in the protein shake, so together they went.

My first reaction was "this is like drinking mud" but the benefits and the feelings afterward were far better than I expected. My energy levels are probably as high as ever, this is because of the rate of digestion is faster. Given it's raw state, my body was able to move and digest it quite fast. That plus the great nutrients in the Raw Meal leave me feeling pretty awesome!

Here is what the break down is for protein:
Regular protein shake- 24 grams of protein
Raw Meal mixed with my protein shake - 57 grams of raw protein!

This is just protein alone, not to mention the other great raw nutrients in the shake. For those go here
Read More Here!

My conclusion is: though it may be hard to get used to, the benefits are worth the price both financially and taste wise. You just can't get a better full meal replacement anywhere.
I still feel full over an hour after having it.
Try and let me know what you think!

We have it for just $55 plus shipping.
Call or email for your today!!
615-562-2633
lifefitnessacademy@gmail.com

Drop That Bagel!!

2010-02-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

Food labels can tell you a lot. For instance, they can indicate how many calories, carbs, proteins and fats are found in foods. What they don’t tell you, however, is how your inflammation levels may be affected by that food.

Inflammation? You may be wondering what inflammation has to do with the foods we eat.

The answer? Plenty.

The truth is that some foods—such as foods high in omega-3s, antioxidants and other important nutrients—are better for your inflammation levels than others are. One expert in the area of foods and their inflammation-influencing abilities is Monica Reinagel, a well-known nutritional researcher.

Reinagel’s book The Inflammation Free Diet Plan provides helpful dietary guidelines for selecting foods that can support healthy inflammation levels in the body. In fact, Reinagel created the IF Rating™ system that is utilized to give an inflammation factor for various foods.

Simply put, foods with a positive rating can support healthy inflammation levels, while foods with a negative rating can foster unhealthy inflammation levels.

The foods we eat influence inflammation through chemicals called prostaglandins from the foods’ nutrients. Foods like wild fish, cruciferous vegetables, green, leafy vegetables and some spices like ginger and garlic may be especially healthy for supporting normal inflammation.

Other foods may not be particularly healthy for inflammation levels. Let’s say, for example, that a typical American breakfast includes a plain bagel (-186 on the inflammation scale), a cup of corn flakes cereal (-182), with maybe a glass of low-fat milk (-33)—perish the thought. According to Reinagel’s rating system, a breakfast like that comes in at about a -401.

If a person picks up a Caesar salad from a fast food joint (a -42 rating) and a small soda (ranging from -53 to -58 for a small order), the negative numbers begin to accumulate. Throw in chicken nuggets, french fries (a whopping -336 rating) or some pizza for dinner with a chocolate ice cream dessert and you have negative numbers that go way over the top!

Here’s a surprise. Even many “good inflammation” foods like salmon have ratings that have to do with whether they are farm raised or wild. According to Reinagel’s rating, three ounces of farm-raised Atlantic salmon weighs in at a -180, while three ounces of wild Atlantic salmon comes in at a +493.

Wow.

Other foods that rank positively in supporting healthy inflammation levels include: extra virgin olive oil, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, almonds, chia seeds, walnuts, pecans, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and onions.

So, if you’re looking to support healthy inflammation levels through your diet, then you might want to rethink your food selections, including that bagel for breakfast. Maybe you’d like some fresh berries instead?

Dr. Jordan Rubin

Reasons For Avoiding Wheat Part 4

2010-02-05T04:02:00.000-08:00

Healthy Whole Wheat Products

Ideally, one should buy whole wheat berries and grind them fresh to make homemade breads and other baked goods. Buy whole wheat berries that are grown organically or biodynamically--biodynamic farming involves higher standards than organic.34 Since these forms of farming do not allow synthetic, carcinogenic chemicals and fertilizers, purchasing organic or biodynamic wheat assures that you are getting the cleanest, most nutritious food possible. It also automatically eliminates the possibility of irradiation31 and genetically engineered seed. The second best option is to buy organic 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour at a natural food store. Slow-speed, steel hammer-mills are often used instead of stones, and flours made in this way can list "stone-ground" on the label. This method is equivalent to the stone-ground process and produces a product that is equally nutritious. Any process that renders the entire grain into usable flour without exposing it to high heat is acceptable.

If you do not make your own bread, there are ready-made alternatives available. Look for organic sourdough or sprouted breads freshly baked or in the freezer compartment of your market or health food store. If bread is made entirely with l00 percent stone-ground whole grains, it will state so on the label. When bread is stone ground and then baked, the internal temperature does not usually exceed 170 degrees, so most of the nutrients are preserved.28 As they contain no preservatives, both whole wheat flour and its products should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. Stone-ground flour will keep for several months frozen.28

Sprouting, soaking and genuine sourdough leavening "pre-digests" grains, allowing the nutrients to be more easily assimilated and metabolized. This is an age-old approach practiced in most traditional cultures. Sprouting begins germination, which increases the enzymatic activity in foods and inactivates substances called enzyme inhibitors.1 These enzyme inhibitors prevent the activation of the enzymes present in the food and, therefore, may hinder optimal digestion and absorption. Soaking neutralizes phytic acid, a component of plant fiber found in the bran and hulls of grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that reduces mineral absorption.32 All of these benefits may explain why sprouted foods are less likely to produce allergic reactions in those who are sensitive.1

Sprouting also causes a beneficial modification of various nutritional elements. According to research undertaken at the University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the total nutrient density of a food. For example, sprouted whole wheat was found to have 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent more riboflavin (B2), 66 percent more niacin (B3), 65 percent more pantothenic acid (B5), 111 percent more biotin, 278 percent more folic acid, and 300 percent more vitamin C than non-sprouted whole wheat. This phenomenon is not restricted to wheat. All grains undergo this type of quantitative and qualitative transformation. These studies also confirmed a significant increase in enzymes, which means the nutrients are easier to digest and absorb.33

You have several options for preparing your wheat. You can use a sour leavening method by mixing whey, buttermilk or yogurt with freshly ground wheat or quality pre-ground wheat from the store. Or, soak your berries whole for 8 to 22 hours, then drain and rinse. There are some recipes that use the whole berries while they are wet, such as cracker dough ground right in the food processor. Another option is to dry sprouted wheat berries in a low-temperature oven or dehydrator, and then grind them in your grain mill and then use the flour in a variety or recipes.

Although our modern wheat suffers from a great number of indiscretions, there are steps we can take to find the quality choices that will nourish us today and for the long haul. Go out and make a difference for you and yours and turn your wheaty indiscretions into wheaty indulgences.

The Weston A. Price Foundation

Reasons For Avoiding Wheat Part 3

2010-02-04T04:01:00.000-08:00

Modern Processing

The damage inflicted on wheat does not end with cultivation and storage, but continues into milling and processing. A grain kernel is comprised of three layers: the bran, the germ and the endosperm. The bran is the outside layer where most of the fiber exists. The germ is the inside layer where many nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. The endosperm is the starchy middle layer. The high nutrient density associated with grains exists only when these three are intact. The term whole grain refers to the grain before it has been milled into flour. It was not until the late nineteenth century that white bread, biscuits, and cakes made from white flour and sugars became mainstays in the diets of industrialized nations, and these products were only made possible with the invention of high-speed milling machines.28 Dr. Price observed the unmistakable consequences of these dietary changes during his travels and documented their corresponding health effects. These changes not only resulted in tooth decay, but problems with fertility, mental health and disease progression.30

Flour was originally produced by grinding grains between large stones. The final product, 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour, contained everything that was in the grain, including the germ, fiber, starch and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Without refrigeration or chemical preservatives, fresh stone-ground flour spoils quickly. After wheat has been ground, natural wheat-germ oil becomes rancid at about the same rate that milk becomes sour, so refrigeration of whole grain breads and flours is necessary. Technology’s answer to these issues has been to apply faster, hotter and more aggressive processing.28

Since grinding stones are not fast enough for mass-production, the industry uses high-speed, steel roller mills that eject the germ and the bran. Much of this "waste product"--the most nutritious part of the grain--is sold as "byproducts" for animals. The resulting white flour contains only a fraction of the nutrients of the original grain. Even whole wheat flour is compromised during the modern milling process. High-speed mills reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and this heat destroys vital nutrients and creates rancidity in the bran and the germ. Vitamin E in the germ is destroyed--a real tragedy because whole wheat used to be our most readily available source of vitamin E.

Literally dozens of dough conditioners and preservatives go into modern bread, as well as toxic ingredients like partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and soy flour. Soy flour--loaded with antinutrients--is added to virtually all brand-name breads today to improve rise and prevent sticking. The extrusion process, used to make cold breakfast cereals and puffed grains, adds insult to injury with high temperatures and high pressures that create additional toxic components and further destroy nutrients--even the synthetic vitamins that are added to replace the ones destroyed by refinement and milling.

People have become accustomed to the mass-produced, gooey, devitalized, and nutritionally deficient breads and baked goods and have little recollection of how real bread should taste. Chemical preservatives allow bread to be shipped long distances and to remain on the shelf for many days without spoiling and without refrigeration.

Reasons For Avoiding Wheat Part 2

2010-02-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hormones on Wheat?

Sounds strange, but farmers apply hormone-like substances or "plant growth regulators" that affect wheat characteristics, such as time of germination and strength of stalk.11 These hormones are either "natural," that is, extracted from other plants, or synthetic. Cycocel is a synthetic hormone that is commonly applied to wheat.

Moreover, research is being conducted on how to manipulate the naturally occurring hormones in wheat and other grains to achieve "desirable" changes, such as regulated germination and an increased ability to survive in cold weather.12

No studies exist that isolate the health risks of eating hormone-manipulated wheat or varieties that have been exposed to hormone application. However, there is substantial evidence about the dangers of increasing our intake of hormone-like substances.

Chemicals Used in Storage

Chemical offenses don’t stop after the growing process. The long storage of grains makes them vulnerable to a number of critters. Before commercial grain is even stored, the collection bins are sprayed with insecticide, inside and out. More chemicals are added while the bin is filled. These so-called "protectants" are then added to the upper surface of the grain as well as four inches deep into the grain to protect against damage from moths and other insects entering from the top of the bin. The list of various chemicals used includes chlorpyrifos-methyl, diatomaceous earth, bacillus thuringiensis, cy-fluthrin, malathion and pyrethrins.14

Then there is the threshold test. If there is one live insect per quart of sample, fumigation is initiated. The goal of fumigation is to "maintain a toxic concentration of gas long enough to kill the target pest population." The toxic chemicals penetrate the entire storage facility as well as the grains being treated. Two of the fumigants used include methyl bromide and phosphine-producing materials, such as magnesium phosphide or aluminum phosphide.14

Grain Drying

Heat damage is a serious problem that results from the artificial drying of damp grain at high temperatures. Overheating causes denaturing of the protein26 and can also partially cook the protein, ruining the flour’s baking properties and nutritional value. According to Ed Lysenko, who tests grain by baking it into bread for the Canadian Grain Commission’s grain research laboratory, wheat can be dried without damage by using re-circulating batch dryers, which keep the wheat moving during drying. He suggests an optimal drying temperature of 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).27 Unfortunately, grain processors do not always take these precautions.

Reasons For Avoiding Wheat Part 1

2010-02-02T03:58:00.000-08:00

Wheaty Indiscretions: What Happens to Wheat From Seed to Storage

By Jen Allbritton, Certified Nutritionist

Wheat--America’s grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous consistency makes it practical for a variety of foodstuffs--cakes, breads, pastas, cookies, bagels, pretzels and cereals that have been puffed, shredded and shaped. This ancient grain can actually be very nutritious when it is grown and prepared in the appropriate manner. Unfortunately, the indiscretions inflicted by our modern farming techniques and milling practices have dramatically reduced the quality of the commercial wheat berry and the flour it makes. You might think, "Wheat is wheat--what can they do that makes commercial varieties so bad?" Listen up, because you are in for a surprise!

It was the cultivation of grains--members of the grass family--that made civilization possible.1 Since wheat is one of the oldest known grains, its cultivation is as old as civilization itself. Some accounts suggest that mankind has used this wholesome food since 10,000 to 15,000 years BC.2 Upon opening Egyptian tombs archeologists discovered large earthenware jars full of wheat to "sustain" the Pharaohs in the afterlife. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was said to recommend stone-ground flour for its beneficial effects on the digestive tract. Once humans figured out how to grind wheat, they discovered that when water is added it can be naturally fermented and turned into beer and expandable dough.2

Botonists have identified almost 30,000 varieties of wheat, which are assigned to one of several classifications according to their planting schedule and nutrient composition3--hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, durum, hard white and soft white. Spring wheat is planted in the spring, and winter wheat is planted in the fall and shoots up the next spring to mature that summer. Soft, hard, and durum (even harder) wheats are classified according to the strength of their kernel. This strength is a function of the protein-to-starch ratio in the endosperm (the starchy middle layer of the seed). Hard wheats contain less starch, leaving a stronger protein matrix.3

With the advent of modern farming, the number of varieties of wheat in common use has been drastically reduced. Today, just a few varieties account for 90 percent of the wheat grown in the world.1

When grown in well-nourished, fertile soil, whole wheat is rich in vitamin E and B complex, many minerals, including calcium and iron, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Proper growing and milling methods are necessary to preserve these nutrients and prevent rancidity. Unfortunately, due to the indiscretions inflicted by contemporary farming and processing on modern wheat, many people have become intolerant or even allergic to this nourishing grain. These indiscretions include depletion of the soil through the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, high-heat milling, refining and improper preparation, such as extrusion.1

Rather than focus on soil fertility and careful selection of seed to produce varieties tailored to a particular micro-climate, modern farming practices use high-tech methods to deal with pests and disease, leading to overdependence on chemicals and other substances.

It Starts with the Seed

Even before they are planted in the ground, wheat seeds receive an application of fungicides and insecticides. Fungicides are used to control diseases of seeds and seedlings; insecticides are used to control insect pests, killing them as they feed on the seed or emerging seedling.7 Seed companies often use mixtures of different seed-treatment fungicides or insecticides to control a broader spectrum of seed pests.8

Pesticides and Fertilizers

Some of the main chemicals (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) used on commercial wheat crops are disulfoton (Di-syston), methyl parathion, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, diamba and glyphosate.9

Although all these chemicals are approved for use and considered safe, consumers are wise to reduce their exposure as much as possible. Besides contributing to the overall toxic load in our bodies, these chemicals increase our susceptibility to neurotoxic diseases as well as to conditions like cancer.10

Many of these pesticides function as xenoestrogens, foreign estrogen that can reap havoc with our hormone balance and may be a contributing factor to a number of health conditions. For example, researchers speculate these estrogen-mimicking chemicals are one of the contributing factors to boys and girls entering puberty at earlier and earlier ages. They have also been linked to abnormalities and hormone-related cancers including fibrocystic breast disease, breast cancer and endometriosis.13

The Importance Of Eating Well

2010-01-31T17:40:00.001-08:00

You may ask yourself why I put an emphasis on whole foods or organics. It may well be because these foods promote life, and through that they quite possibly may be responsible for saving life. As far fetched as that may seem to you the truth is in the pudding... or lack there of.

Eating well doesn't mean zero calorie, zero fat, no sugars... It is the exact opposite. Full whole fats, content over calories, raw sugars over artificial sweeteners. It's not just a good idea it IS the start to eating for life. Some other ways that you can promote life is by eating as close to raw fruits and vegetables as possible.

Grass fed free range meat, dairy and eggs are also vital to promoting life in the body. These foods are far better for you when they are in their most natural state. Giving you more nutrients that are easier for the body to use unlike foods that are stripped then re-enhanced with often synthetic vitamins.

Supplements are important because you can never have enough of certain nutrients. Such as but not limited to: probiotics, fish oil and low temp, low pressure super green capsules or powder. These aren't just a good idea, on most occasions they will restore nearly everything your body is lacking.

There is a down side to this style of eating, it's not a quick fix.... You must rebuild your internal organs as well as your digestive tract. It didn't get there over night and it will likely take years to run a full strength. Is it worth working for? Only if you treasure life and count it all as a gift from God.

Analyze these things in your life and please do your research, life is worth more then doing whatever feels good.

Are exercise and cancer linked?

2010-01-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

How Exercise Helps You Fight Cancer

Cancer thrives on sugar.

Regular exercise reduces your insulin levels, which creates a low sugar environment that discourages the growth and spread of cancer cells. Controlling your insulin levels is one of the most powerful steps you can take to reduce your cancer risk.

Physically active adults experience about half the incidence of colon cancer as their sedentary counterparts. Exercise has a beneficial influence on insulin, prostaglandins and bile acids, all of which are thought to encourage the growth and spread of cancer cells in your colon. Exercise also improves bowel transit time, which means your body’s waste is spending less time in contact with the mucosal lining of your colon.

As the Wall Street Journal article points out, women who exercise regularly can reduce their breast cancer risk by 20 to 30 percent over their inactive counterparts. This is likely due to a lowering of estrogen levels.

The article cites a study in which women being treated for breast cancer were 50 percent less likely to die of the disease if they walked at an average pace for three to five hours a week.

Think about it. If just three to five hours of walking per week can so drastically improve your chances of surviving a hormone-responsive breast cancer tumor, imagine what a few more hours a week of exercise could do for you.

If you’re male, be aware that athletes have lower levels of circulating testosterone than non-athletes, and similar to the association between estrogen levels and breast cancer in women, testosterone is known to influence the development of prostate cancer in men.

Physical activity can reduce your risk.

A Cure for Aging?

Have you heard the news about telomeres?

Telomeres are strands of DNA at the ends of your chromosomes which protect them from damage. Gradual erosion of telomeres leads to aging on a cellular level –think of them as a kind of biological clock.

As telomeres shorten more, cell death occurs. These cell deaths are associated with serious disease and premature aging

There is no question that the leading edge of anti aging research is on how to prevent telomere shortening and actually develop therapies to lengthen telomeres. Many experts believe that lengthening telomeres could actually turn the biological clock backwards.

Since exercise has been associated with preventing telomere shortening, it is clearly a very powerful anti aging strategy.

Research indicates physically active people have significantly less erosion of telomeres than even healthy, non-smoking, but sedentary folks. Exercise activates the enzyme telomerase which stabilizes telomeres, producing an anti-aging effect at the cellular level.

Other equally important factors in slowing the aging process include:

A healthy diet based on your individual nutritional type
Reducing or eliminating grains and sugar from your diet
Sufficient, high quality sleep
A method to address your emotional challenges and daily stressors
Exercise Boosts Your Immune System

Exercise improves the circulation of immune cells in your blood. The job of these cells is to neutralize pathogens throughout your body.

The better these cells circulate, the more efficient your immune system is at locating and defending against viruses and diseases trying to attack your body.

Your immune system is your first line of defense against everything from minor illnesses like a cold or the flu right up through devastating, life-threatening diseases like cancer. It’s not possible to be optimally healthy if your immune system is weak or compromised.

Prescribing Exercise

I wasn’t surprised to read in the WSJ article that only four out of 10 medical doctors ever mention the importance of exercise to their patients, despite its proven health benefits.

According to Dr. Robert Sallis, co-director of sports medicine at Fontana Medical Center in California:

"Exercise can be used like a vaccine to prevent disease and a medication to treat disease. If there were a drug with the same benefits as exercise, it would instantly be the standard of care."

Typical of conventional medical thinking, somehow a vaccine or other drug with the same benefits as exercise would be preferable to exercise itself.

No, it would not.

But it’s at least encouraging to see recognition of this type for exercise as both prevention and cure.

If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter and my website, you know I’ve long touted the importance of viewing exercise as a drug.

Actually writing out a prescription for exercise is an excellent way to take a proactive approach to your health. A great tool for creating your own exercise prescription is my Daily Exercise Table.

The Time is Now

No matter your age, exercise can provide enormous benefits for your health.

If you happen to be over 40 it’s especially important to either start or step up your exercise program. This is the time of life when your physical strength, stamina, balance and flexibility start to decline.

I can’t stress enough the importance of using precision to develop your individual workout program. You need to make sure you’re getting enough exercise to achieve all the benefits, but not so much that you injure yourself, and you need variety to condition and build your entire body and prevent boredom.

Your program should include aerobic exercise, anaerobic (interval) training, weight strength training, and core exercises to build, strengthen and improve the flexibility of all the muscles of your body, like yoga, Pilates or active isolated stretching

If you’ve been sedentary for any length of time or you’re out of shape for some other reason, it is vitally important to get started with an exercise program – but start small. One of the main reasons people don’t stick with a workout program is because they go too hard, too fast and wind up with an injury, illness or simple exhaustion.

Write your own exercise prescription based on factors including:

your current physical condition
your fitness goals
your health concerns
activities you enjoy
best time of day for you to workout
Your ultimate goal if you are overweight or have other health concerns should be an hour to 90 minutes of exercise every day.

Once you reach a normal weight, you can drop back to 45 minutes at least four times a week and still reap the incredible health benefits of regular exercise.

Taken from Mercola.com

Heartwarming Breakfast

2010-01-21T04:02:00.000-08:00

Here are a few recipes we enjoy and wanted to share with you:

Easy Oatmeal
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup of rolled oats
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon yogurt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin coconut oil or butter
honey to taste
Directions:
Soak the oats overnight in 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of yogurt added. In the morning, add remaining water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1-2 minutes. Soaked oatmeal cooks very fast. Add the oil or butter and honey.
Source: Nicki Rubin

Garden Herb Omelet
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
4 fresh organically raised eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil or butter
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme or other garden herb
pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Crack eggs into a bowl. Add water and sea salt, and blend with a wire whisk. (Do not over-whisk or the omelet will be tough). Add egg mixture and scatter 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped, and 1 tablespoon thyme or other garden herb, finely chopped, over omelet as it begins to cook. Tip pan to allow egg to cover the entire pan. Cook several minutes over medium heat until underside is lightly browned. Lift up one side with a spatula and fold omelet in half. Add pinch of sea salt.
Source: Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions

Ginger Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
1¼ cups freshly ground or soaked spelt, kamut or whole wheat flour
¾ cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon of yogurt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon fine Celtic sea salt
½ cup extra-virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
Mix flour with water and yogurt and let stand overnight. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour into well-buttered muffin tin about 3/4 full. Place 5-7 blueberries on each muffin. Berries will fall partway into the muffins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Note: 1 cup buckwheat flour or cornmeal may be used in place of 1 cup spelt, kamut or wheat flour.
Source: Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions

Change.org Shares My Disapproval For Fast Food

2010-01-18T06:06:00.000-08:00

I was turned onto this blog by a friend and I like what I see so far. www.change.org/sustainablefoods
Although good, I would love to see more depth to the research. Check this article below and tell me what you think!

If you guessed wilty iceberg lettuce, you're sweet but naive. I'll admit, it is hard to know what you're getting when a hamburger -- a Big Mac, to be specific -- has 67 ingredients. So thank TLC Cooking for the enlightenment you're about to receive:

Citric acid may sound scary, but it's not really. It's a processed form of citrus juice.

Niacin, an added vitamin, is a little weird but not scary.

High-fructose corn syrup is plenty scary, though. But you've heard all about that.

Caramel color -- it's not just for sodas anymore. It's for cheese.

MSG isn't just for Chinese food, either.

Salt -- a lot of salt -- is in your quickie meal. A McDonald's double cheeseburger contains 1,500 mg. Nutritionists say that's as much as we should get in an entire day.

Soybean oil is the most common fat, which isn't surprising since soy is corn's partner in taking over U.S. farmland.

Mono- and diglycerides don't even occur in nature. They are emulsifiers.

Xantham gum is also the product of a laboratory and somehow or other makes things taste "smoother" -- whatever that means.
Wait, you're saying, isn't there any meat in fast food? Yup, but it's chicken that makes the top 10. Sales of chicken at fast food chains are on the rise as people try to, you know, eat healthy. As for how it's raised, I suggest you watch Food Inc.

Genetically Modified foods

2010-01-15T03:50:00.000-08:00

One of the overarching threats to humanity is the willful modification of our food sources, and I believe one of the reasons why people allowed it to occur in the first place is because we’ve become so far removed from the sources of our food.
Many children today do not even realize exactly where the various meats come from, for example. They’ve never set foot on a farm.
No thought is given to how milk and other products consumed every day are produced. Many assume that the food in the frozen food isle is actually real food, not realizing they’re chockfull of unnatural additives; preservatives, colorings, and artificial flavorings.
The distance between our food source and us is, I believe, an alarming problem! And it has allowed giant corporations to essentially hijack your health for profit.
Returning to natural eating habits is a must if you want to thrive in today’s modern world, and banishing genetically modified (GM) food products is an essential step of this process. Man was created to thrive on certain combinations of nutrients, readily available in our natural food sources.
But the rise of modern food manufacturing completely changed man’s relationship to food. Without being told so specifically, you’ve been led to believe you can live on synthetic chemicals. But you can’t! Not to any great degree of success.
Make This Year the Year When You Say NO to GMO
This Weston A Price lecture by GMO expert Jeffrey M. Smith is a must-see for everyone. As always, Smith delivers a compelling picture of the GM problem, and offers practical solutions, many of which I will list below.
As Smith states, we, as individual consumers, have enormous power to change this world for the better by making healthier choices. The market simply cannot afford not to pay attention once the tipping point of consumer demand has been reached. So by switching brands, slowly but surely the rejected brands must follow suit once they realize that using a certain ingredient has become a liability.
Consumers move the market – not the manufacturers. That means YOU!
Smith believes that the tipping point for beginning the shift away from GMO ingredients in the US food supply is about 15 million people.
The problem we face here in the US is the fact that GM products are not labeled. But according to one poll, if GM products WERE labeled, 53 percent of Americans say they would not eat them!
After some 14 years of fighting for GM labeling in the US, it’s time to realize that we can’t wait for government to listen. Instead, we must educate each other, which is exactly what Smith’s organization www.ResponsibleTechnology.org is all about.
Their slogan, “Healthy Eating Starts with NO GMO,” is worthy of being pasted on your refrigerator as a constant reminder.
The Health Hazards of GMO Foods
For an in-depth education on the many dangers of GM foods, I highly recommend reading Jeffrey Smith’s books, Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette.
Smith documents at least 65 serious health risks from GM products of all kinds, including:
• Offspring of rats fed GM soy show a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the inability to reproduce
• Male mice fed GM soy have damaged young sperm cells
• The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice have altered DNA functioning
• Several US farmers have reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties
• Investigators in India have documented fertility problems, abortions, premature births, and other serious health issues, including deaths, among buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products
• Animals fed GM foods have developed bleeding stomachs, potentially precancerous cell growth, damaged organs and immune systems, kidney inflammation, problems with blood and liver cells, and unexplained deaths
• Soy allergies have skyrocketed after the introduction of GM soy
• Genes from GM crops transfer to human gut bacteria, which might transform your intestinal flora into a “living pesticide factory”
No one knows the full extent of what happens to the end product when you splice in new genes, and then eat that product for several generations. The only thing that is guaranteed is that it will create surprise side effects.
However, according to Smith’s research, what we do know is that between 1994 and 2001 -- the same time that GMO’s flooded the market – food related illnesses DOUBLED.
GMO foods can be:
• Allergenic • Toxic • Carcinogenic • Anti-nutritional
It may also create brand new diseases that we’ve never seen before, in addition to spurring on the disease rate of some we already have, such as cancer.
Moratorium Called on GM Foods!
On May 19th, 2009, the The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) sent out a press advisory calling for Immediate Moratorium On Genetically Modified Foods”? and for physicians to “educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible, and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.”
They also advised that physicians should “consider the role of GM foods in their patients' disease processes.”
In their position paper, the AAEM states that several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM foods, including:
• Infertility
• Immune problems
• Accelerated aging
• Insulin regulation
• Changes in major organs
• Gastrointestinal changes and problems
The AAEM concludes,
“There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation, as defined by recognized scientific criteria. The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.”
I’ve recommended this before, but it bears repeating – Educate your doctor!
Many physicians are still completely unaware of this problem, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with handing them a printout of the moratorium, or suggesting they take a look at the research.
The Institute for Responsible Technology also offers two full audio lectures on the dangers of GMO’s, available for download here. They’re free, and you’re even allowed to burn them onto CD’s to give away.
Why not give a copy to the members of your family, friends, and yes, even your doctor?
Playing with Technology We Don’t Fully Comprehend
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho of the Institute of Science in Society (ISIS) explains the heart of why GM foods are so dangerous:
“The genome is remarkably dynamic and ‘fluid’, and constantly in conversation with the environment. This determines which genes are turned on, when, where, by how much and for how long. Moreover, the genetic material itself could also be marked or changed according to experience, and the influence passed on to the next generation.”
But when genetically modified “rogue genes” are inserted into a genome, it cannot possibly mimic the complex processes -- the “dance of life” -- that’s necessary for survival in nature.
“The rogue genes inserted into a genome to make a GMO could land anywhere; typically in a rearranged or defective form, scrambling and mutating the host genome, and have the tendency to move or rearrange further once inserted, basically because they do not know the dance of life.   That’s ultimately why genetic modification doesn’t work and is also dangerous.”
Four Ways to Avoid GM Foods
As stated by Smith, there are four main ways to avoid GM foods:
1. Buy organic
2. Only buy products that carry a Non-GMO label
3. Only buy products listed in the non-GMO shopping guide
4. Avoid products that contain these at-risk ingredients:
1. Soy
2. Corn
3. Cotton
4. Canola
The offspring of these products include items such as maltodextrin, soy lecithin, and high fructose corn syrup.
As for fresh produce, you’ll want to avoid some varieties of zucchini, crookneck squash, and papayas from Hawaii, as these are mainly GM.
Other common GM-containing foods to avoid include:
• Milk containing rbGH
• Rennet (containing genetically modified enzymes) used to make hard cheeses
• Aspartame (NutraSweet)
Avoiding GM products in your diet means avoiding all of the foods and ingredients mentioned above, or choosing organic versions of them.
If your diet consists largely of processed foods, you can be sure you’re eating about 70 percent GM foods, as the ingredients listed above (particularly corn and soy) are in a vast majority of all processed food products!
I highly recommend downloading the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, issued by the Institute for Responsible Technology. They also offer some helpful basic advice for how to avoid GMO’s when eating in restaurants!
Help Others Help Themselves
Last but not least, I also recommend watching The Future of Food to learn more about the food you eat. It is perhaps one of the most important videos on this subject, and one that everyone in America should watch and pass on to others, along with the free audio lectures by Jeffrey Smith.
In conclusion, remember to appreciate the power of your pocketbook! If more of us begin to refuse GM foods, food manufacturers will have no choice but to listen.

Article from Mercola.com

Bike Riding At It's Finest

2010-01-15T03:28:00.000-08:00

BPA'S, Babies, Bum Outs and ...Tomato Sauce

2010-01-13T04:54:00.000-08:00

My good friend and fellow health nut has written an article for you to go read.Eat Today To Live Tomorrow

This article is so true and goes farther than cans and plastic containers and all the way to plastic bottles and even some metal containers. Read Tim's article and then put on your research cap and explore it for yourself.

Bad Breath ?

2010-01-12T05:51:00.000-08:00

Bad breath is often a symptom of dry mouth -- a condition known as “xerostomia.” Other symptoms of this problem include saliva that seems thick, sores or split skin at the corners of your mouth, and difficulty speaking and swallowing,.

Most xerostomia is related to medication. There are around 400-600 drugs that can affect the salivary glands. These include drugs for urinary incontinence, allergies, high blood pressure, depression, diarrhea and Parkinson's disease. Also, some over-the-counter medications often cause dry mouth.

Tobacco, alcohol, drinks with caffeine, snoring and breathing with your mouth open can aggravate dry mouth.

There are ways to improve saliva flow. You can also sip water regularly, try over-the-counter saliva substitutes, avoid breathing through your mouth, and use a humidifier in your bedroom.

If you have dry mouth, you have to pay greater attention to your teeth. Brush your teeth with an extra-soft toothbrush adn all natural organic toothpaste, after every meal and at bedtime. If brushing hurts, soften the bristles in warm water. Floss your teeth gently every day.

Xerostomia is not to be confused with halitosis, or bad breath, which is typically caused by systemic diseases, gastrointestinal and/or upper respiratory tract disorders, and microbial metabolism from your tongue, saliva or dental plaque.

Inspired by an article from Dr. Mercola

Highly suggested

2010-01-11T04:33:00.000-08:00

I would like to go over what I think are my most highly suggested supplements. They are a base for nutrition and a great boost for your everyday life. We like to use the purest ingredients and Garden of Life is what we have found to be the best:
**Oceans 3 Cod liver oil
(http://www.gardenoflife.com/ProductsforLife/OCEANS3/tabid/1677/Default.aspx

**Perfect Food (http://www.gardenoflife.com/ProductsforLife/SUPPLEMENTS/FoundationalNutrition/PerfectFood/tabid/654/Default.aspx)

**Primal defense (http://www.gardenoflife.com/ProductsforLife/SUPPLEMENTS/DigestiveHealth/PrimalDefense/tabid/638/Default.aspx

Please check them out and let me know if you have any questions.

www.nashvillepersonaltrainer.net
lifefitnessacademy@gmail.com

Hazards Of Sugar Part 1

2010-01-07T12:09:00.001-08:00

Foundations Of Nutrition!

2010-01-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

As I deal with more clients and different life styles I find myself constantly telling people some of what I believe are the foundations of nutrition.
These basics are not Ideal for major weight loss, well at least not by themselves. You must continue in a pattern of Strict dietary guidelines provided for your specific needs coupled with proper exercise and rest. These must be practiced for at least 30-60 days so that they become a habit. Make no mistake about it, habits are what got you to where you are and good habits will get you out and back into shape.

That being said some of the first baby steps of any whole health program I suggest and strongly recommend, you must remember these simples rules.

-Remove refined white flour from your diet as an ingredient of foods you make and as an ingredient that you consume in any other way.
-Remove refined white sugar from your diet.
-Remove dairy. This is one that you can phase back in after you have reached your goals. But always be ready to take it back out and never be dependent on it as a source of calcium or protein.
-Stop eating anything that is artificial, not real, born in a lab, zero calorie and fat free.

These basics will take you far and a dietary plan designed for your body to detox as well as intake maximum nutrients will do even more. If you are out there and you think you eat the best you can or have a "pretty good" work out routine I want you to know that you can always do better, and you will never eat 100% healthy.

232 Toxins Found In Babies (mercola.com)

2010-01-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

Laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group have detected bisphenol A (BPA), a plastic component and synthetic estrogen, in umbilical cord blood of American infants.
Nine of 10 randomly selected samples of cord blood tested positive for BPA, an industrial petrochemical.

BPA has been implicated in a lengthening list of serious chronic disorders, including cancer, cognitive and behavioral impairments, endocrine system disruption, reproductive and cardiovascular system abnormalities, diabetes, asthma and obesity.

In all, the tests found as many as 232 chemicals in the 10 newborns, all of minority descent. The cord blood study has produced hard new evidence that American children are being exposed, beginning in the womb, to complex mixtures of dangerous substances that may have lifelong consequences.

And in a separate study, researchers found that complications of pregnancy, such as preterm labor, preterm birth, and infection were lowest in women with the highest vitamin D levels.

Blood levels of activated vitamin D usually rise during very early pregnancy, and some of it crosses the placenta to bathe the fetus, especially the developing fetal brain, in activated vitamin D. But many -- in fact most -- pregnant women do not make as much vitamin D as they need.

4,000 IU of vitamin D per day during pregnancy was found to be safe (not a single adverse event). However, this amount only resulted in a mean vitamin D blood level of 27 ng/ml in the newborn infants, indicating that even 4,000 IU per day during pregnancy is not enough.

Sources:

Mothering December 9, 2009

Environmental Working Group

New Research Findings Two December 3, 2009

National Institutes of Health

Babies are born at considerable risk nowadays due to the toxic load of their mothers. If a baby is exposed to numerous toxic compounds in utero, changes may occur that either directly cause cancer, or lengthen the period of sensitivity to carcinogens, therefore making the child more susceptible to cancer, and other diseases, later in life.

This EWG study is the first to detect BPA in umbilical cord blood, which is a very concerning finding considering this chemical has been linked to endocrine system disruption, reproductive and cardiovascular system abnormalities, diabetes and more at very low levels.

However, it is not the first to show just how extensive a chemical cocktail newborn babies are being exposed to.

Exposure to Nearly 300 Toxic Chemicals … Before Birth

A prior study by EWG found that blood samples from newborns contained an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, and Teflon chemicals.

Of the 287 chemicals EWG detected in umbilical cord blood, it’s known that:

180 cause cancer in humans or animals

217 are toxic to your brain and nervous system

208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests

Children, meanwhile, experience greater exposure to chemicals pound-for-pound than adults, and have an immature and porous blood-brain barrier, which allows greater chemical exposures to reach their developing brain.

Children also have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, according to EWG, which allows more of a chemical to reach their organs, while systems that detoxify and excrete chemicals in adults are not fully developed. These factors, coupled with the fact that a child will be around for 80 years or more, allowing more than enough time for chemicals to do their damage, signals a major challenge for kids born today.

Experts believe rising rates of birth defects, asthma, neuro-developmental disorders and other serious diseases in U.S. children are a result of these early chemical exposures.

BPA: A Toxic Plastic Chemical to Watch Out For

Plastics chemicals are among the most pervasive and potentially damaging toxins for a fetus, so if you’re pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, now is the time to start limiting your exposure.

This includes BPA, which EWG detected in newborn umbilical cord blood. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which means it mimics your body‘s natural hormones and can trigger major changes in your body. Of 115 published animal studies, 81 percent found significant effects from even low-level exposure to BPA.

This toxic chemical first caught researchers’ attention after normal mice began to display uncommon genetic abnormalities. The defects were linked to plastic cages and water bottles that had been cleaned with a harsh detergent, causing BPA to leach out of the plastic. After determining how much BPA the mice had been exposed to, the researchers realized even an extremely small dose of 20 parts per billion daily, for just five to seven days, was enough to produce effects.

Some of the greatest concern surrounds early-life exposure to BPA.

This can lead to chromosomal errors in the developing fetus, which can cause spontaneous miscarriages and genetic damage. And being exposed to just 0.23 parts per billion of BPA is enough to disrupt the effect of estrogen in a baby's developing brain.

Again, for this reason women of childbearing age and those who are pregnant should be especially diligent at avoiding BPA, but practically no one is immune. A study last year found the chemical can lead to heart disease, diabetes and liver problems in adults, and previous research has linked BPA to:

Structural damage to your brain

Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning

Increased fat formation and risk of obesity

Altered immune function

Early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction

Changes in gender-specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior

Stimulation of prostate cancer cells

Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production

Diabetes

Heart disease

Liver damage

As it stands, BPA is one of the world's highest production-volume chemicals and is widely used in the production of:

• Plastic water bottles

• Plastic gallon milk bottles

• Plastic microwavable plates, ovenware, and utensils

• Tooth sealants

• Canned foods and soda cans (most have plastic lining in the cans)

• Baby toys, bottles, pacifiers, and sippy cups

Avoiding these items is an important step to limit your BPA exposure, and you can find even more tips in this past article.

Phthlates: Another Plasticizer Chemical to Avoid

Phthalates, or “plasticizers,” are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and resilient. They’re also one of the most pervasive of the endocrine disrupters.

These chemicals have increasingly become associated with changes in development of the male brain as well as with genital defects, metabolic abnormalities and reduced testosterone in babies and adults.

Phthalates are found in, among other things:

Processed food packaging

Hoses

Raincoats

Shower curtains

Vinyl flooring and wall coverings

Lubricant and adhesives

Detergents

Beauty products like nail polish, hair spray, shampoo, deodorants, and fragrances

Toys

11 Tips to Minimize Your Chemical Exposure

There are about 75,000 chemicals regularly manufactured and imported by U.S. industries. Rather than compile an endless list of what you should avoid, it’s far easier to focus on what you should do to lead a healthy lifestyle with as minimal a chemical exposure as possible:

As much as possible, buy and eat organic produce and free-range, organic foods to reduce your exposure to pesticides and fertilizers.

Rather than eating conventional or farm-raised fish, which are often heavily contaminated with PCBs and mercury, supplement with a high-quality purified krill oil, or eat fish that is wild-caught and lab tested for purity.

Eat mostly raw, fresh foods, steering clear of processed, prepackaged foods of all kinds. This way you automatically avoid artificial food additives of all kinds, including dangerous artificial sweeteners, food coloring and MSG.

Store your food and beverages in glass rather than plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap and canned foods (which are often lined with BPA-containing liners).

Have your tap water tested and, if contaminants are found, install an appropriate water filter on all your faucets (even those in your shower or bath).

Only use natural cleaning products in your home.

Switch over to natural brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group has a great safety guide to help you find personal care products that are free of phthalates and other potentially dangerous chemicals.

Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners or other synthetic fragrances.

Replace your Teflon pots and pans with ceramic or glass cookware.

When redoing your home, look for “green,” toxin-free alternatives in lieu of regular paint and vinyl floor coverings.

Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric.

Vital Information Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know

Just as important as avoiding potentially harmful substances is making sure you’re getting enough of the good ones – and one of the most important is vitamin D.

I am convinced that in the not too distant future it will be mandatory for women to receive regular vitamin D blood test levels.

Why?

There is powerful new evidence emerging that sufficient vitamin D levels can reduce your risk of having a premature delivery. It can also help protect your newborn baby from other health problems.

In what is considered the first scientific trial that meets the most stringent criteria for “evidence-based inquiry,” U.S. researchers Drs. Hollis and Wagner divulged their findings at a recent international vitamin D research conference in Brugge, Belgium.

Their findings included:

Mothers who took 4,000 IU’s (ten times the RDA of 400 IU) of vitamin D during pregnancy had their risk of premature birth reduced by half

Premature babies born to women taking high doses of vitamin D were reduced by half at both 32 and 37 weeks

There were also fewer babies who were born “small for dates”

Women taking high doses of vitamin D had a 25 percent reduction in infections, particularly respiratory infections such as colds and flu as well as fewer infections of the vagina and the gums

The “comorbidities of pregnancy” were reduced by 30 percent in the women who took the high-dose vitamin D. (Including diabetes, high blood pressure, and pre-eclampsia -- a potentially deadly increase in blood pressure and fluid)

Babies getting the highest amounts of vitamin D after birth had fewer colds and less eczema

Another 2009 study on vitamin D deficiency in newborns with acute lower respiratory infection confirmed a strong, positive correlation between newborns' and mothers' vitamin D levels.

That study found that over 87 percent of all newborns and over 67 percent of all mothers had vitamin D levels lower than 20 ng/ml, which is a severe deficiency state. As a result, the researchers recommended that all mothers optimize their vitamin D levels during pregnancy, especially in the winter months, to safeguard their babies' health.

In addition, numerous other studies have found that vitamin D may protect against a number of birth defects and autism.

But many -- in fact most -- pregnant women do not make as much vitamin D as they need.

It is absolutely imperative that pregnant women maintain a blood level of between 50 and 70 ng/ml of 25 hydroxy D. So please watch my free one-hour vitamin D lecture to find out how to get your levels optimized.

Are Deficient? By Jordan Rubin

2009-12-28T05:54:00.000-08:00

Their findings were presented at a recent American Heart Association meeting. Dr. Tami Bair and Dr. Heidi May, of the Intermountain Medical Center in Utah, highlight yet another study that shows that vitamin D deficiency can keep the heart from functioning in optimal health.

And while the researchers aren’t suggesting that inadequate levels of vitamin D cause an unhealthy state of the heart, they do suggest a link between the two—especially in light of vitamin D’s role in supporting healthy blood pressure, inflammation and blood sugar levels. All of those are critical for overall heart health.†

Surprised? Thought so.

Vitamin D has long been known to assist with proper calcium absorption and for supporting bone health, but vitamin D does far more than that.† For instance, there’s increasing evidence that vitamin D is active in many aspects of metabolism.†

Dr. Joseph B. Muhlstein, a researcher with Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, and one of the authors of the study says, “What’s been discovered in the last few years is a significantly greater role for vitamin D. There are perhaps 200 different important metabolic processes that use vitamin D as a co-factor.” That includes heart-related function.

“A growing body of evidence suggests that low levels of vitamin D may adversely affect the cardiovascular system,” says Thomas J. Wang, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. “Vitamin D receptors have a broad tissue distribution that includes vascular smooth muscle and endothelium, the inner lining of the body’s vessels. Our data raise the possibility that treating vitamin D deficiency via supplementation or lifestyle measures could support heart health."†

And the call for increased vitamin D intake continues.

In fact, in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 15 experts from around the world called for international agencies to “reassess as a matter of high priority” dietary recommendations for vitamin D because current advice is out of date and puts people at risk for deficiency. In fact, a review of the science indicated that the tolerable upper intake level for oral vitamin D3—which is 2,000IU in the U.S.—needs to be increased fivefold to 10,000IU per day.

James H. O’Keefe, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Mo., says, “Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized, emerging issue, which should be screened for and responded to. Vitamin D is easy to assess, and supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive.”

So there you have it. Vitamin D…it’s one potent nutrient you don't want to come up short on.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Inevitability of a Fat America?

2009-12-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

Washington Post staff writer Michael Rosenwald, in his article Why America Has to Be Fat, argues the inevitability of a fat America. He cites economic expansion for growing waistlines and says his being 60 pounds overweight is actually good for the economy.

What was he thinking?

In all fairness, his article may have been tongue-in-cheek, but, nevertheless, his assertion that America must be fat is unfounded. The truth is that we don’t have to carry around that extra weight.

Rosenwald did have some good observations on why Americans struggle with their weight, though. He notes, for instance, that our society has fostered industries that can cheaply and efficiently meet the demands of our busy lives via junk food and the fast food industry—which may appear to be good for the economy, but are not good for our health.

Less physical labor involved in work is another point Rosenwald makes. He says we work in easier, better-paying jobs that support our modern lifestyle, but that this “efficient economy produces sluggish, inefficient bodies.” (Incidentally, Rosenwald says he belongs to two gyms in hopes that guilt will motivate him to visit at least one of them.)

In short, Rosenwald suggests that Americans have grown accustomed to a comfy lifestyle—even if the tradeoff is their health and costs that may be high. Ironically, Rosenwald also points out that his being fat makes him a top contender for unhealthy blood sugar levels, cardiovascular unhealth and maybe even knee or hip problems. (That doesn’t sound too comfortable to me.) He also notes that he’s in “familiar company, with about two-thirds of the U.S. population now considered overweight.”

Rosenwald highlights that overweight Americans have fattened the bottom line. Seattle University management professor, William Weis, says that revenue from the “overweight industries” topped $315 billion in 2004, including $133.7 billion from fast food restaurants and $124.7 billion for weight-related medical treatments. The Mintel Group, a consumer-research firm, says we drank $37 billion in carbonated beverages and spent $3.9 billion on cookies in 2004. In 2003, we spent $57.2 billion on restaurant meals and bought $6.2 billion in potato chips.

Our overindulgent lifestyles may feed the economy, but Rosenwald seems to contradict this point when he cites how extra weight can be a double-edged sword to the economy. “The $10,000 of extra medical care that the overweight require over their lifetimes certainly makes a doctor’s wallet fatter, but it could bankrupt the health insurance industry,” he says.

Rosenwald continues, “Much of the long-term financial burden for being overweight will fall on the shoulders of U.S. corporations, which already fork out billions of dollars a year in sick time and insurance costs related to being overweight, and on American taxpayers, through their contributions for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. What's more, shorter life spans will more quickly take millions of educated people out of the workforce.”

Rosenwald’s scenarios don’t sound good for the economy to me, and they also don’t convince me that we have to be fat. We don’t. We’re in control of what and how much we eat, as well as how much exercise we get—and that’s good news for those of us who don’t ascribe to the American “inevitability of fat” principle.

Reason of Christmas

2009-12-22T04:00:00.001-08:00

Mary’s Christmas
READ: Luke 1:26-33; 2:4-7
Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. —Luke 2:19
It was anything but an idyllic, silent night on that cool Bethlehem evening when a scared teenager gave birth to the King of kings. Mary endured the pain of her baby’s arrival without the aid of anything more than the carpentry-roughened hands of Joseph, her betrothed. Shepherds may have been serenaded in nearby fields by angels singing praises to the Baby, but all Mary and Joseph heard were the sounds of animals, birth agony, and the first cries of God in baby form. A high-magnitude star shone in the night sky above the outbuilding, but the manger scene was a dreary place for these two out-of-town visitors.

As Joseph laid the infant in Mary’s arms, a combination of wonder, pain, fear, and joy must have coursed through her heart. She knew, because of an angel’s promise, that this tiny bundle was “the Son of the Highest” (Luke 1:32). As she peered through the semidarkness into His eyes and then into Joseph’s, she must have wondered how she was going to mother this One whose kingdom would never end.

Mary had much to ponder in her heart on that special night. Now, over 2,000 years later, each of us needs to consider the importance of Jesus’ birth and His subsequent death, resurrection, and promise to return. — Dave Branon

Almighty God became a man
By lowly, humble birth;
And Mary treasured in her heart
This Gift of boundless worth. —Sper

God came to live with us so that we could live with Him.

Fast Food!

2009-12-18T05:57:00.001-08:00

New products from Garden of Life

2009-12-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

RAW Meal
Beyond Organic Meal Replacement
Garden of Life® RAW Meal was formulated to be a meal replacement that satisfies hunger, is naturally filling and provides energy, all while providing the protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals that you would find in a healthy meal of raw foods. RAW Meal provides the nutrition of a well-balanced, healthy raw meal in one delicious serving.

Why Choose RAW Meal?
RAW Meal goes beyond organic by providing live probiotics and enzymes, Vitamin Code® raw food-created vitamins and minerals, as well as nutrient Code Factors™ such as beta-glucans, SOD, glutathione and CoQ10, enabling natural recognition by your body

Containing 26 superfoods from RAW organic seeds, sprouts and greens, RAW Meal provides 33 grams of protein, 14 grams of fiber and a healthy 4 grams of fat making it an excellent choice for “weight conscious” individuals. RAW Meal also offers 20 Vitamin Code vitamins and minerals providing at least 100% of the Daily Value of 16 key nutrients.

Just as important is what’s NOT included in RAW Meal. It is gluten-free, dairy-free and lactose-free. It has no soy allergens, no fillers, no isolates, no synthetic nutrients, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives.

RAW Protein
Beyond Organic Protein Formula
Now you can unlock the nutritive power of living seeds and grains with RAW Protein from Garden of Life—a certified organic, raw, vegan protein powder.

Featuring 14 raw and organic sprouts, RAW Protein is an excellent source of complete protein, providing 18 grams, or 35% of the Daily Value, plus all essential amino acids. RAW Protein contains Vitamin Code® fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and supports digestive health and function with live protein-digesting enzymes and powerful probiotics.†

Why Should I Use RAW Protein?
Use low fat RAW Protein to increase the protein content of meals – just add to food or beverages. It mixes instandly and has a neutral taste, making it an excellent foundation for a refreshing, high protein energy shake or smoothie. RAW Protein is suitable for almost anyone, including those on vegetarian or vegan diets, those on low carbohydrate diets or for those with gastrointestinal sensitivities to milk, whey, soy or other protein sources.

More information on these products can be found at www.gardenoflife.com

Tricep Workout!

2009-12-15T03:50:00.000-08:00

Gut microflora and obesity

2009-12-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

Here is a great article on how there are clear link between diet and gut flora or good bacteria. The difference is amazing and this article shed light on the consistency of diet to maintain it. Please read.

US researchers have successfully transferred gut bacteria from obese humans to germ-free mice, a breakthrough that will allow a more detailed study of the link between gut microflora and obesity.
A breakthrough paper published in Nature in December 2006 reported that microbial populations in the gut are different between obese and lean people, and that when the obese people lost weight their microflora reverted back to that observed in a lean person, suggesting that obesity may have a microbial component.

The new study, published in Science Translational Medicine, takes us forward in this exciting area. The study succeeded in showing that the human gut microbiota can successfully be transferred to germ-free mice, and that this can then be passed on from mother to offspring.

The study also shows that “the configuration of the microbiota, its microbiome, and meta transcriptome changes in a rapid, dramatic, and reproducible fashion after switching from a plant polysaccharide-rich, low-fat diet to a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet”, report the researchers led by Peter Turnbaugh from Washington University School of Medicine.

From lean to obese

When Turnbaugh and his co-workers colleagues transplanted microbes from human faeces into mice bred without any microorganisms in their guts (germ-free mice), and fed them a high-fat, high-sugar, Western-style diet, they recorded a rapid change in the population of gut bacteria present, compared to mice fed a low-fat diet.

Furthermore, the mice also showed an increase in body fat.

As further evidence of the important role that the gut microbes play, the researchers also found that simply transplanting the microbiota from the high-fat fed mice into a set of germ-free mice caused the new mice to accumulate more body fat, even though they were fed a low-fat diet.

Implications for prebiotics and probiotics

In an accompanying perspective Jeffrey Flier and John Mekalanos from Harvard Medical School note the implications for food and nutrition.

“As mechanisms for the interrelationship between the microbiota and host metabolism are defined, one can imagine several levels of interventions that might be explored in this model,” they wrote.

“One approach could involve searching for nutritional interventions to modify specific gut microbial species. Dietary components (prebiotics) might be found that alter growth of specific microbial species capable of affecting host physiology, and the Turnbaugh model can be used to pinpoint these elements and decipher the mechanisms of the host-microbe collaboration.

“Dietary ingestion of live microorganisms (probiotics) has been used to alter microbial gut flora with the intention of conferring favorable effects on the host. The germ-free mouse system could be used to explore the actions and efficacy of novel probiotics,” they added.

At a scientific symposium organised by the Beneo Group in April 2008, Dr. Kieran Touhy from the University of Reading noted that obese animals have significantly lower bifidobacteria levels than their lean counterparts, which suggests potential for prebiotic fibres since the growth of these bacteria is selectively promoted by inulin and fructooligosaccharides.

Dr. Nathalie Delzenne from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and Dr. Robert Welch from the University of Ulster presented results from animal and human studies, respectively, which indicated the potential of prebiotic supplementation to regulated food intake.

Source: Science Translational Medicine
Vol 1 Issue 6 6ra14: www.sciencemag.org
"The Effect of Diet on the Human Gut Microbiome: A Metagenomic Analysis in Humanized Gnotobiotic Mice"
Authors: P.J. Turnbaugh; V.K. Ridaura; J.J. Faith; F.E. Rey; J.I. Gordon, R. Knight

Perspective: Science Translational Medicine
11 November 2009
“Gut Check: Testing a Role for the Intestinal Microbiome in Human Obesity”
Authors: J.S. Flier, J.J. Mekalanos
www.nutraingredients.com

Abdominal Leg Lift

2009-12-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Crowd-Pleasing Foods

2009-12-07T07:33:00.001-08:00

Meat Lasagna with Spinach & Goat Cheese
Serves 8

Ingredients:
12 spelt lasagna noodles
1 teaspoon olive oil
1-2 lbs. ground chuck, venison or buffalo
3 cups pasta sauce (or tomato sauce)
3½ cups ricotta cheese
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Herbamare® (or salt and pepper)
4 cups raw baby spinach (or regular chopped spinach)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place lasagna noodles in a large shallow dish and cover with boiling water for 15-20 minutes in order to soften. Cook meat in a large skillet for 10 minutes or until brown, stirring occasionally. Drain fat and return to skillet. Reduce to low heat and add in pasta sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix ricotta, goat cheese, eggs, basil, parmesan and Herbamare to taste. Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of 9x13-inch baking dish. Place one-third of softened noodles on top of sauce. Add half of the spinach, pressing down to make a flat layer. Spread half of the ricotta mixture as the next layer. Top with meat mixture, and then another third of noodles. Add remaining spinach as a layer, and then the remaining ricotta mixture as a layer. Top with remaining noodles and last cup of sauce. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour on the middle rack at 400 degrees. Pour mozzarella cheese over sauce the last 10 minutes of baking.

May be prepared and refrigerated up to 24 hours or frozen.

Recipe from Nicki Rubin

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 lbs. boneless cubed chicken
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
2 cups pineapple, cut into small chunks
1⁄2 cup pineapple juice
6 tablespoons vinegar
6 tablespoons Rapadura (a sweetener found in natural health food stores)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups brown rice

Directions:
Prepare brown rice as directed on package. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet and stir-fry chicken until well browned. Add peppers and cook another 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch and soy sauce. Pour into skillet. Add pineapple and juice, vinegar, Rapadura, ginger and garlic powder. Bring to a full boil. Serve chicken over brown rice.

Recipe from Nicki Rubin

Multi-Dimensional Benefits

2009-12-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here’s the attention-grabbing headline that broke the news to readers: “Three-quarters of U.S. teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D, the so-called sunshine vitamin whose deficits are increasingly blamed for all sorts of medical issues.” Scientific American; Archives of Internal Medicine. March 2009

That’s a shocking statistic—even for those who conducted this recent study. In fact, the study’s co-author, Adit Ginde, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine says, “We were anticipating that there would be some decline in overall vitamin D levels, but the magnitude of the decline in a relatively short time period was surprising.”

Here’s how the decline has progressed. Between 1988 and 1994, almost half of those examined had 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) or more of vitamin D—the blood level a growing number of doctors believe is sufficient for overall health. Just a decade later, not even a quarter of those examined had at least that amount.

And a vitamin D deficiency in that many people may have far-reaching impact. Here’s what one expert has to say about vitamin D’s positive effects:

“Vitamin D supports immune system, pancreas, heart, blood, cellular, muscle, bone and bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach, uterine and brain health—and can [positively] impact 36 bodily organs.”† Anthony Norman, Emeritus, Presidential Chair, and Distinguished Professor Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside

Wow. That’s an impressive list for this essential nutrient. It makes sense, though, because over 900 genes and several areas of the body have vitamin D receptors or proteins that bind to vitamin D.† Studies show positive health effects happen when vitamin D binds to these receptors.†

Not everyone agrees on the number of people believed to be vitamin D deficient, however. Some don’t even concur on how much vitamin D per day a person should have—as that varies with a person’s age, geographical location and other circumstances.

Here’s what some leaders in vitamin D research have to say about intake amounts—although the only way to be sure of your vitamin D levels is through testing, which most agree is a smart choice:

“The consensus among UC [University of California] scientists…is that 2,000IU per day of vitamin D3, a form of vitamin D, is the appropriate intake for most adult Americans.† While more research on this topic is highly desirable, it should not delay recommending a 2,000IU daily intake of vitamin D for most people.”† Anthony Norman, Emeritus, Presidential Chair, and Distinguished Professor Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside

“The average person needs about 4,000 units daily of vitamin D to maintain a healthy level in their bodies.” Dr. Robert Heaney, M.D., FACP, FACN, Member, American Dietetic Association Elected Fellow, American College of Nutrition Emeritus Board Member, National Osteoporosis Foundation, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine Osteoporosis Research Center Creighton University Medical Center

“The current recommendation for vitamin D deficiency in those people who must avoid the sun is 5,000IU of vitamin D per day which costs about five cents a day.”† Jeffrey Dach, M.D., board certified in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology & the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine in Hollywood, Florida

That’s much more than the current recommended vitamin D intake of 400IU to 600IU for children and adults.† Getting too much vitamin D is rarely an issue, though, says one highly regarded expert. Dr. Michael Holick, the leading authority on vitamin D. He says you’d have to take more than 10,000IU daily for many days or weeks to even begin to come close to overdoing it.

Perhaps Ginde sums it up best. (Remember, he’s the co-author of the study that indicated three-quarters of adults and teens in the U.S. are deficient in the sunshine vitamin.) He says, “We’re just starting to scratch the surface of what the health effects of vitamin D are. There’s reason to pay attention for sure.”

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Your Complexion Reveals How Good Your Diet and Health Is

2009-12-01T05:11:00.000-08:00

Researchers have found that your complexion affects how healthy, and therefore how attractive, you appear. What’s more, your diet may be crucial to achieving the most desirable complexion.

Using specialist computer software, study participants were asked to manipulate the skin color of male and female Caucasian faces to make them look as healthy as possible. They chose to increase the rosiness, yellowness and brightness of the skin.

Skin that is slightly flushed with blood and full of oxygen suggests a strong heart and lungs, supporting the study's findings that rosier skin appeared healthy. Smokers and people with diabetes or heart disease have fewer blood vessels in their skin, and so skin would appear less rosy.

But the preference for more golden or 'yellow-toned' skin as healthier might be explained by the 'carotenoid pigments' obtained from vegetables in the diet. These plant pigments are powerful antioxidants that soak up dangerous compounds produced when your body combats disease. They are also important for your immune and reproductive systems and may help prevent cancer.

Sources:

Eurekalert November 16, 2009

This is something I know all to well, as a teen I had horrible skin problems. Acne plagued me up to my early 20's. Even today when I have to eat something with bad oils or bad fats in it I will get a breakout. Your internal health is often visible through your skin.
You can do a lot with a diet rich in whole, raw & organic foods. It's common sense nutrition!

Plank Variations

2009-11-30T07:50:00.001-08:00

Country Music Marathon

2009-11-25T07:41:00.000-08:00

April 24th 2010 Will be here before you know it! Are you training alone this year? Well, that's no fun!
We would love if you trained with us, it will be a great time and you will run with some great people. Not to mention you will have a schedule made up for your running that includes a meal plan to optimize your nutrition. We want you to be in the best shape of your life for this race and we also want to help a local non-profit. We will be having 3 group runs a week and if you cannot make it you can refer to the schedule. No man (or women) behind!

Come&Live!
Is a Music label that is very close to our hearts with their vision and their love for Christ. Check out the website for more information and help us help them out.
Come&Live!
We are trying to raise $5000 to be given to them on May 1st 2010. We cannot do it with out you. Please get behind us and give us the support we need to give support to this great vision.

All you have to do is find a sponsor to cover your training cost $500 for the whole 5 months! We are still looking for sponsors to help cover the cost of Marathon registration. If you know of any sponsors that will get involved in anyway please let us know, there are many things needed to make this happen.

We will start our first run on Wednesday December 2 but you can jump in at any time. If you want to participate and you cannot find a sponsor please let us know. If you cannot afford the full $500 you can pay by week $25. We ask that you please follow through with your commitment to run and support this cause. If you are not a runner or you are not in the Nashville area please find time to pray for us and Come&Live!
as we want to be a light for Christ!

Pull Ups Beginner To Advanced

2009-11-24T05:03:00.001-08:00

Trim for the holidays special

2009-11-23T04:40:00.000-08:00

12 week program (6 wks in the gym 6 wks in boot camp)

This program will offer one-on-one style personal training but in a group setting.
It will give you a chance to compete with each other
or work hard on a specific group goal. This deal is perfect
for couples or college groups in your home or
at our gym.

The first 6 weeks will be an intensive, focused and diligent muscle
dedication workout followed by 6 weeks of boot camp. Switching
in the middle will allow us to get you strong physically and mentally
then moving into some more demanding whole body, cardio work.

Trim for the Holidays will nearly take you straight through to spring
and the body you have always wanted. We will be also offering
2 free cooking classes, comprehensive nutrition plans, how to eat out
guide and recipes for eating for life!

Highlights
-Groups of 4 - Couples or just friends. (must be at least 4)
-One-on-one in your home or gym!
-Takes you through Christmas and into spring
- We will work around your holiday schedule
-Learn comprehensive nutrition
-How to get through the holidays without gorging yourself
-Learn how to eat out and still lose weight
-EFT so you don't have to worry about when money is due

-A great price $30 a person!! For 2 days a week!

Restrictions
-Must pay a deposit by Thanksgiving ($100.00)
-Start on 11/30
-Must be at least 4 in your group

Register your group now and pay in full ($480) by Thanksgiving and receive an
additional discount (15% off).

Insulin's Far-Reaching Effects

2009-11-19T17:35:00.000-08:00

Dr. Ron Rosedale is a medical doctor who is an internationally known expert in nutritional and metabolic medicine as well as a healthy aging expert. He is the author of The Rosedale Diet and has keynoted at various conferences, including the 8th Congressional International Medical Conference on Molecular Medicine and the 1st European Conference on Longevity Medicine and Quality of Life.

Those are just a few of his achievements. He also has some fascinating thoughts on the role of insulin in health. Here’s a recap of some of Rosedale insights:

When asked what the purpose of insulin in humans is, Rosedale says that its main purpose is to store excess nutrients, not just to support healthy blood sugar levels. He gives the example that vitamin C, for instance, has a similar structure as glucose and when sugar levels increase, then vitamin C and glucose compete for entry into cells. If there’s more glucose around, then less vitamin C will be allowed into cells.

The same holds true for other nutrients such as magnesium. Rosedale indicates that a little- known fact is that insulin also stores magnesium. If insulin levels are out of whack, though, the body loses magnesium—with urinary output. It just passes through and is not fully absorbed by the body.

That’s not great news, either, says Rosedale, because magnesium supports muscular and vascular health. A magnesium deficit can also have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.

What’s more is that magnesium is necessary for the manufacture and action of insulin, so this can become a vicious cycle—one that can lead to increased insulin imbalances resulting in devastating health consequences. Areas that can be adversely affected by imbalanced insulin levels include the liver, muscle tissue, fat cells and other cells, as well as the endothelium—the lining of the arteries.

The same holds true for calcium when insulin levels are topsy-turvy. Most calcium can pass right through without going to areas the body needs it, including the bones.

Insulin levels can also directly affect weight. It’s pretty simple why this is true. When more energy in the way of food is ingested than is burned, the body stores it as fat. If you ingest glucose (sugar), then the body will burn that and stop burning fat. One of the effects of insulin on fat, says Rosedale, is that it prevents you from burning it.

Since the standard American diet is high in complex carbs and low in healthy fats, Rosedale comments that this high glucose diet—a high sugar diet—adds to the problem of unstable insulin levels.

In short, every time you have a surge in sugar, there is also a surge in insulin which results in a law of diminishing returns on insulin’s effectiveness. That can translate into nutrient absorption chaos and other anomalies.

Rosedale believes we really don’t need a lot of carbohydrates in our diet—certainly not as many as most Americans consume. According to Rosedale, the building blocks of a healthy diet include quality proteins and fats, but not much in the way of carbs—except for carbs high in fiber, including low-carb vegetables.

The good news, says Rosedale, is that you can help stabilize insulin levels by a diet rich in healthy fats and proteins (but not proteins from grain-fed sources) as well as those healthy carbs just mentioned.

Healthy insulin levels can definitely play a role in your longevity and your state of health. “It determines the rate of aging more so than anything else we know right now,” says Rosedale.

Now those really are some far-reaching effects.

Touch Guy Cardio

2009-11-16T16:02:00.000-08:00

Are You a Sponge, Bob?

2009-11-13T07:16:00.001-08:00

Source:Garden Of Life

The body is a remarkable machine, but humans have become a pretty toxic bunch of folks. Simply put, we serve as filters for toxins in our environment. The good news is that the body has a natural built-in system for dealing with this toxic assault. There’s a caveat to this, though. We may be exposed to more than ever before.

Within the last 20 years, reports have come out that support this theory. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that over 69 million Americans live in areas that exceed smog standards and that some cities’ drinking water contains over 700 chemicals, including excessive levels of lead.

Additionally, one source says that nearly 3,000 chemicals are added to the food supply and that as many as 10,000 chemicals in the form of solvents, emulsifiers, and preservatives are used in food processing and storage. Although used only in trace amounts, they can remain in the body for years and do add up over time.

James Dillard, M.D., assistant clinical professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, remarks, “Certainly, the human body carries huge loads of petrochemicals. We know people usually die with the full burden of PCBs they’ve ever been exposed to stuck in their liver. DDT sticks around, too.”

So, what’s a body to do? Glad you asked.

Our lungs, skin, kidneys, liver and colon function to detoxify our bodies. Here’s how.

The lungs are said to take in pounds of pollutants and eliminate toxic gases each minute. Since our lungs are comprised of muscle tissue, they need to be exercised regularly to remain strong. Most of us don’t use our lungs to their capacity, but exercise requires deep breathing, which can help keep our lungs strong so they can do their work.

The skin is our largest eliminative organ; each skin pore serves as an exit route for waste. Some ways to keep skin healthy is to keep it clean, well-circulated and primed for getting its job done. The kidneys, however, get rid of fluid wastes and purify the bloodstream, so make sure you drink enough pure water.

The liver does the lion’s share of cleaning, though. It’s responsible for functions related to metabolism, filtration, bile production, detoxification and immunity. It takes toxins and neutralizes as many as it can; whatever it can’t neutralize, it stores to protect the body.

Interestingly, the liver is also intricately involved in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism and in the storage of vitamins and minerals. It’s part of bodily mechanisms and physiological processes that control blood sugar and hormone levels, too. Additionally, it synthesizes proteins, lipids, lipoproteins and bile acids excreted in the detoxification process.

The colon gets rid of solid wastes, of course, so it’s important to keep things moving along in order to decrease contact time internally.

Thank goodness we have this built-in detoxifying system. It might be especially important since our world may be growing increasingly toxic.

After all, Bob, you don’t want to be a sponge.

Beating Your Own Perception

2009-11-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

We spend a lot of time wishing and hoping in our society but, we spend little time making hard decisions about our health, fitness and spiritual well being.
Self analyzation is key in every one of these ares but why is it so hard to look deep with in ourselves for answers? Because we forget how, we are lazy, we ignore the existence of God. Fill in the blank. No matter why, we are all more interested in watching someone else do it for us. This is why shows like the "biggest loser" are so famous and things like reading the Bible and spending time feeding ourselves spiritually, mentally and lastly physically.

It is easier to be mind-numb and watch Tv than to engage the mind in growth exercises like researching and learning about your food. They just aren't at top of the list for us, they hoover down on the list close to dental work. If we weren't told so often that our weight was genetic or that we are fine just the way we are and "it's o.k. to be selfish". I know the last one isn't said that way but we are aloud more guilty pleasure than we care to admit and then turn around and tell others we deserve it!

The reality is that we deserve nothing and we should be doing whatever it takes to achieve the will of our God. Maybe that is not weight loss but being a good steward of the things you are given is, and make no mistake about it, we will be held accountable for that. Whether we consider them gifts or not.
-Life
-Our bodies
-Kids
-House
-Friends
-Talents

There are so many things we are accountable for dig deep and stop making excuses for not achieving success in the ones you have control of!

Eating Right Is The Best Way To Optimize Good Bacteria In Your Gut?

2009-11-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

Healthy eating, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy, says a dietitian and researcher. As with vitamins, it's best to get the bacteria you need from healthy food rather than taking often expensive and potentially ineffective supplements, says Gail Cresci, Medical College of Georgia, dietitian and researcher.
She equates the good bacterium in your gastrointestinal tract to another living being inside that helps keeps you healthy.

"If you do good by your bacteria, they will do good by you," Ms. Cresci says.

There is even mounting evidence that a healthy gut microbiota helps maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown, for example, that when bacteria from a genetically fat mouse are placed in a lean germ-free mouse, it gains weight without changing its food intake.

Unfortunately poor diets are hurting the bacteria in many of us and the overuse of antibiotics is taking its toll as well, particularly the common, broad-spectrum antibiotics that wipe out anything in their path, good and bad bacteria included.

Cresci cites inadequate fiber and excess unhealthful fats as contributing to the problem, and states that a good daily diet has adequate high-quality protein, fiber, healthy fats and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sources:

ScienceDaily October 22, 2009

2009 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo, Denver, CO, October 17-20, 2009

Although this is beneficial information, I do not entirely agree. There are some great supplements out there that are really pure and that offer more than just on species or strand of good bacteria.
Primal defense is one of those, the high concentration is great for your gut and will help build the tree of life in your gut. Couple this with the right diet of mostly raw, clean, naturally fermented and organic foods you will encourage growth of the good bacteria and not adding into your gut bad and dead bacteria.

Some of the best food that pack a high good bacteria punch are:
Natto

Miso

Kimchee

Tempeh

Kefir

Yogurt

Olives

Sauerkraut

Pickles

It is important to note that traditionally fermented foods are not the equivalent of the same foods in commercially processed form. The best way to ensure you're consuming the real thing is to prepare your own fermented foods at home, and Sally Fallon’s cookbook Nourishing Traditions is an excellent guide on how to do this.

Eat well and your body will restore itself to it's natural weight with great side effects of feeling more energetic, a super immune system, better skin, etc. The list is longer than I have time to type it.

Leg Up And Overs

2009-11-09T04:06:00.000-08:00

Try this as a part of your workout routine, if you enjoy or have questions let me know.
Please rate this video!

9 Ways to Know the Gospel of Christ Is True

2009-11-07T05:03:00.000-08:00

(Author: John Piper)

1. Jesus Christ, as he is presented to us in the New Testament, and as he stands forth from all its writings, is too single and too great to have been invented so uniformly by all these writers.

The force of Jesus Christ unleashed these writings; the writings did not create the force. Jesus is far bigger and more compelling than any of his witnesses. His reality stands behind these writings as a great, global event stands behind a thousand newscasters. Something stupendous unleashed these diverse witnesses to tell these stunning and varied, yet unified, stories of Jesus Christ.

2. Nobody has ever explained the empty tomb of Jesus in the hostile environment of Jerusalem where the enemies of Jesus would have given anything to produce the corpse, but could not.

The earliest attempts to cover the scandal of resurrection were manifestly contradictory to all human experience—disciples do not steal a body (Matthew 28:13) and then sacrifice their lives to preach a glorious gospel of grace on the basis of the deception. Modern theories that Jesus didn't die but swooned, and then awoke in the tomb and moved the stone and tricked his skeptical disciples into believing he was risen as the Lord of the universe don't persuade.

3. Cynical opponents of Christianity abounded where claims were made that many eyewitnesses were available to consult concerning the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

"After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:6). Such claims would be exposed as immediate falsehood if they could. But we know of no exposure. Eyewitnesses of the risen Lord abounded when the crucial claims were being made.

4. The early church was an indomitable force of faith and love and sacrifice on the basis of the reality of Jesus Christ.

The character of this church, and the nature of the gospel of grace and forgiveness, and the undaunted courage of men and women—even unto death—do not fit the hypothesis of mass hysteria. They simply were not like that. Something utterly real and magnificent had happened in the world and they were close enough to know it, and be assured of it, and be gripped by its power. That something was Jesus Christ, as all of them testified, even as they died singing.

5. The prophesies of the Old Testament find stunning fulfillment in the history of Jesus Christ.

The witness to these fulfillments are too many, too diverse, too subtle and too interwoven into the history of the New Testament church and its many writings to be fabricated by some great conspiracy. Down to the details, Jesus Christ fulfilled dozens of Old Testament prophecies that vindicate his truth.

6. The witnesses to Jesus Christ who wrote the New Testament gospels and letters are not gullible or deceitful or demented.

This is manifest from the writings themselves. The books bear the marks of intelligence and clear-headedness and maturity and a moral vision that is compelling. They win our trust as witnesses, especially when all taken together with one great unifying, but distinctively told, message about Jesus Christ.

7. The worldview that emerges from the writings of the New Testament makes more sense out of more reality than any other worldview.

It not only fits the human heart, but also the cosmos and history and God as he reveals himself in nature and conscience. Some may come to this conclusion after much reflection, others may arrive at this conviction by a pre-reflective, intuitive sense of the deep suitability of Christ and his message to the world that they know.

8. When one sees Christ as he is portrayed truly in the gospel, there shines forth a spiritual light that is a self-authenticating.

This is "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:6), and it is as immediately perceived by the Spirit-awakened heart as light is perceived by the open eye. The eye does not argue that there is light. It sees light.

9. When we see and believe the glory of God in the gospel, the Holy Spirit is given to us so that the love of God might be "poured out in our hearts" (Romans 5:5).

This experience of the love of God known in the heart through the gospel of Him who died for us while we were yet ungodly assures us that the hope awakened by all the evidences we have seen will not disappoint us.

(First posted as a Taste & See Article in 1999)
Get more from John Piper here!

Metabolism-Revving Recipes

2009-11-05T04:31:00.000-08:00

Green Chili
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 oz. green mole
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 jalapenos, seeded
1 lb. ground turkey
1 lb. turkey sausage
1 large can tomatillos, drained
3 bunches green onions
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons dried cilantro
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 cups pinto beans

Directions:
In a small food processor, blend the jalapenos. If you like a hotter chili, leave the seeds in, but you can reduce the number of seeds to suit your taste. Chop green onions and sauté with blended jalapeno and chopped garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add ground turkey and turkey sausage and brown. In a food processor, blend tomatillos. Add tomatillos and all spices, simmer for 45 minutes.

Mix green mole in 1 cup of boiling water until dissolved. Add mole and pinto beans; simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream or crème fraîche.

Source: Jason Longman of Atlanta

Taco Lettuce Wraps (Raw vegetarian)
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

Taco “meat”:
2 cups walnuts, soaked
1/3 cup wheat-free tamari soy sauce
1 bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon cumin powder
½ tablespoon coriander powder

Taco wraps and toppings:
1 head romaine lettuce
3 tomatoes, sliced
3 avocados, sliced
Celtic sea salt to taste

Equipment needed: food processor

Directions:
In the afternoon of the day before, soak walnuts overnight in filtered water. Process taco “meat” ingredients in a food processor until the mixture resembles ground taco meat. Stop to scrape sides. Remove and set aside. Wash and choose from crispy lettuce leaves for taco wraps. Prepare avocados and tomatoes. Fill lettuce cavities with taco “meat” and top with toppings. Serve two tacos on a white salad plate with a favorite Mexican seasoning on top.

Source: Mandilyn Canistelle (www.chefmandy.com)

Herb Baked Salmon with Creamed Style Spinach
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4-6 oz. pieces of salmon
1 tablespoon Trocomare
1 teaspoon tarragon (dry)
1 teaspoon coriander crushed seeds
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons of butter

Directions:
Marinate fish in herbs, spices, and lemon juice for 1-2 hours. Sear in hot butter, 2 minutes on each side. Finish in oven 5 minutes at 385° F.

Creamed Style Spinach

Ingredients:
3 cups spinach, rough chopped
1 cup herbed goat’s cheese sauce
½ cup yogurt
2 tablespoons capers

Directions:
Combine and heat just enough to wilt spinach. Pour over salmon.

Source: Sheila Barcelo of Eden’s Gourmet in Central Florida

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How Important Is Sleep

2009-11-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

Sleep is an area of life we sometimes take for granted.. until we go a couple of days without out proper sleep. Sleep is not a luxury it is a necessity!
It is without a doubt one of the most important aspects of our daily routine as far as the maintenance of health and prevention of disease is concerned.
Our body's regenerate after a fresh nights sleep, making it ready for a whole new day of activity. Depriving the body of sleep will allow your body to be compromised without you even knowing it!
Waking up tired, feeling irritated through your day are just a few ways to know that your sleep is suffering. Combine a lack of sleep with a high stress job, taking care of a sick child or even menopause and you will start to feel like a basket case. You cannot burn the candle at both end without eventually paying the price.

Try some of these things to help you get your rest.
-Melatonin.
Your body produces this natural relaxation aid from the pineal gland. Sleeping in absolute darkness will help your body regenerate Melatonin. Shut off the Tv!
-Make your bedroom a relaxation vacation.
Create a relaxing theme to your room by adding beautiful drapes, aroma therapy, peaceful pictures, and cool climate. Make it so that when you enter you immediately feel relaxed.
-Consider Socks
Warm feet = deep sleep.

There are other things you can do too, focus on these things and make it a habit to get your 7-8.5 hours of sleep.

Protein in the Raw

2009-11-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

Most of us know that brown rice is nutritionally far superior to white rice. Why? Brown rice has only the hull—the outermost layer of the grain—removed, which is the least invasive nutrition-wise.

White rice, by contrast, is highly processed and removes 67% of vitamin B3, 80% of vitamin B1, 90% of vitamin B6, 50% of the manganese, 50% of the phosphorous, 60% of the iron, and all dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. In essence, this strips the rice of a fair amount of its nutritional value.

Perhaps that’s why, in the United States, the law requires white rice to be enriched with vitamins B1, B3 and iron—although these aren’t the same as the indigenous nutrients that were lost in the processing. What’s more is that at least 11 nutrients lost in the white rice processing are not ever replaced.

Brown rice provides an excellent source of manganese. In fact, one cup of brown rice gives you 88% of the Daily Value (DV) for manganese, a trace mineral that helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates and is involved of the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Manganese is also a strong part of an antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase which helps to fight off free radicals.†

Brown rice is also a good source of fiber and selenium. One cup of brown rice supplies 14% of the Daily Value of fiber and over 27% of the Daily Value for selenium—a trace mineral that is at the active site of many proteins and is essential to thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems and immune function.†

Brown rice also provides a rich source of magnesium, a mineral which is a co-factor of over 300 enzymes—including enzymes necessary for healthy blood sugar levels. Magnesium also plays a role in supporting cardiovascular health, already healthy blood pressure levels and strong bones.† One cup of brown rice supplies 21% of the Daily Value for magnesium.

While brown rice packs a nutritional wallop in its plain form, its nutritional value is enhanced when it is sprouted or germinated—that is, soaked for several hours before it’s cooked. Researchers found that germinated brown rice has more fiber, three times the amount of lysine (an essential amino acid) and ten times the amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)—an amino acid that supports healthy kidney function—than regular brown rice.†

Why the increased nutrient levels?

Researchers say the germination process activates enzymes that release additional nutrients. Hiroshi Kayahara, Ph.D., the lead researcher in this brown rice project, explains, “The birth of a sprout activates dormant enzymes in the brown rice all at once to supply the best nutrition to the growing sprout.”

The researchers also note that white rice will not sprout and that the sprouted brown rice has a sweet flavor due to the enzymes breaking down some of the sugar and protein in the grain.

Speaking of protein in the brown rice…those on a plant-based diet often have a difficult time finding a high-quality supplemental protein source, but brown rice protein may prove to be one worthy of trying.

Brown rice protein is nutritionally rich and often has enzymes added to separate the protein from the carbohydrates—resulting in a brown rice protein powder that’s about 70% protein and contains four times more arginine than other protein powders. (Arginine is converted into nitric oxide, which allows better delivery of nutrients.) Brown rice protein is also rich in glutamine, which promotes muscle growth and supports immune health.†

With all the other positive nutritional attributes of brown rice, that’s yet another win for this amazing grain.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
By: jodan Rubin

Strength Training Circuit

2009-11-02T06:58:00.000-08:00

We are now shooting videos for all kinds of workout routines to help you to your goals. If you are a Meal Plan purchaser, you will have these coupled with your fitness plan, for free. If you just like to watch enjoy them as we post them.

Please make some suggestions for workouts you would like to see and please rate our videos!

Email us or post in the comments.

One Of The Most Important Principles In Reading The Bible

2009-10-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes readers of the Bible see the conditions that God lays down for his blessing and they conclude from these conditions that our action is first and decisive, then God responds to bless us.

That is not right.

There are indeed real conditions that God often commands. We must meet them for the promised blessing to come. But that does not mean that we are left to ourselves to meet the conditions or that our action is first and decisive.

Here is one example to show what I mean.

In Jeremiah 29:13 God says to the exiles in Babylon, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” So there is a condition: When you seek me with all your heart, then you will find me. So we must seek the Lord. That is the condition of finding him.

True.

But does that mean that we are left to ourselves to seek the Lord? Does it mean that our action of seeking him is first and decisive? Does it mean that God only acts after our seeking?

No.

Listen to what God says in Jeremiah 24:7 to those same exiles in Babylon: “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.”

So the people will meet the condition of returning to God with their whole heart. God will respond by being their God in the fullest blessing. But the reason they returned with their whole heart is that God gave them a heart to know him. His action was first and decisive.

So now connect that with Jeremiah 29:13. The condition there was that they seek the Lord with their whole heart. Then God will be found by them. But now we see that the promise in Jeremiah 24:7 is that God himself will give them such a heart so that they will return to him with their whole heart.

This is one of the most basic things people need to see about the Bible. It is full of conditions we must meet for God’s blessings. But God does not leave us to meet them on our own. The first and decisive work before and in our willing is God’s prior grace. Without this insight, hundreds of conditional statements in the Bible will lead us astray.

Let this be the key to all Biblical conditions and commands: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13). Yes, we work. But our work is not first or decisive. God’s is. “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
John Piper

How To Survive Halloween

2009-10-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again, the time that most children love and many parents cringe over: Halloween.

Even if you are not a fan of this holiday, you can use Halloween’s usual candy-fest as a "sweet" opportunity to teach your children lessons in health and nutrition.

Children are naturally drawn to salty, sugary, and unhealthy fatty foods, so this time of year is almost irresistible to them with all the free candy, cookies, cakes and other sugary “goodies” that are literally poured into their hands. Research shows that sugar suppresses the body's immune system - particularly problematic as we're now in the much-publicized cold and flu season, with the additional risk of H1N1 swine flu. Sugar can also be destructive to your family's health in a host of other ways.

With a little planning and foresight, you can help your kids control some of those natural cravings, moderate their sugar consumption and impart some terrific nutritional good sense in the process! Here are seven suggestions to help take the trick out of the treats your children bring home this Halloween:

Send your children out with a full stomach. Give them a good wholesome meal making sure it’s low in sugar, starches and bleached white flour. Prepare high protein meals like chicken or beef with veggies like green beans, broccoli, salad and/or carrot sticks. Have them drink lots of water and minimize any sugary drinks including juices, soft drinks, and sports drinks before going out. Remind the kids that since they’ll be eating candies tonight, the deal is that they have to eat a good dinner. They will be motivated to eat up so they can get started.

Offer to buy your children's candy from them. Even if it's 5 or 10 cents per piece, it’s worth not having them consume the unhealthy sugars, dyes and other chemicals in the “treats” for days or weeks on end.

Have your kids trade in their sweets for a better treat. Even if the trade is for one or more of their favorite desserts this is a much better option. Make a special event of it by taking them to their favorite dessert destination.

Offer to trade those bad treats for healthier activities like going to a movie, putt-putt golfing, bowling or some other fun family outing. The few hours you invest in having fun will make a special memory that will last much longer than a lollipop.

Offer to take your children on a trip to the health food store and let them discover healthier alternatives. Discover new treats like healthy CocoChia® Snack Fuel Bars or natural chocolate, carob, yogurt-coated nuts and raisins. The list is endless! Remember treats are fun, not staples in your diet.

Teach your older children to read labels and ingredient lists. Encourage them to avoid “goodies” with hydrogenated oils and artificial colors. Making them an active part of their nutritional choices now will lead them to making healthier lifestyle choices later in life.

Offer the trick-or-treaters who come to your home healthy treats like packets of nuts, seeds, raisins, beef jerky, popcorn or pretzels. Take the dollars you'd spend on the treats and convert them to loose change, passing out the coins to the kids. Take a stand and set a trend!

A safe and healthy Halloween is something all parents want for their children. Teaching children how to enjoy themselves without over-indulging can set the pattern for healthy lives and stop the disturbing increase in obesity that has become a major public health concern.

Great tips from livingfuel.com of whom we are official dealers of please let us know how we can help you.

Motivation, Determination, & Destination

2009-10-29T09:14:00.000-07:00

These are 3 must have components for achieving anything in life that is worth pursuing. The problem is that our default status is one of laziness and contentment. There are times for both but neither one has a place in pursuing a life changing physical, spiritual and mental make overs.

What make over?

The one that helps you loose weight by learning the science behind the food you eat and growing spiritually in a way that you never thought possible. Sounds like a massive undertaking but I assure it is worth it and doable with the 3 things listed above.

Motivation- This will come from a competent personal trainer and spiritual coach but you must come with a level of motivation to see it through.
I cannot give this to you and I will not try, you have to want it. That means you have to get excited about what could be spiritually, physically and mentally. If you can do that then there is a lot we can accomplish.

Determination- Another thing that I cannot give you, having determination will get you through the low times whether they be cravings, pain, injury and time. Determination is that glare in your eye at the end of a growling workout that says "I got 10 more in me". Or "I failed eating right but I WILL do better today".

Destination- Arguably the most important of the 3 but cannot exist without the others and also cannot be given to you. A goal, a place to get to, a destination, is the only way to get to a location without driving in circles. Stopping and starting again and again is a good example of not having something to work towards. Simple or complex big or small whatever they are, you need to set them ahead of you and make them attainable.

Now go to the website and stop making excuses!
Get your butt in gear and in shape before you see your family during the holidays and learn how to survive them.

Sprouted Breads

2009-10-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Sprouted Bread Click Here

This link I found is both informative and accurate about the health benefits of sprouted bread. I have been using Sprouted breads for years and highly recommend the Ezekiel brand of sprouted bread. Their cinnamon raison goes great with my eggs and turkey bacon in the morning and is a way healthier and easily assimilated whole carb and protein source. Not to mention the amino acids and high vitamin content.

If you are trying to loose weight limit your intake of grains and sugars having only one slice a day.

If you are trying to gain weight try having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on sprouted bread before bed.

Get out there and enjoy health foods!

Why Was Zedekiah Roasted In The Fire?

2009-10-27T04:04:00.000-07:00

The horrors of physical suffering correspond to the horrors of moral and spiritual outrage. Sometimes this means that people's suffering is directly correlated with their immorality and belittling of God. This will be the case, for example, with the eternal suffering of hell. It will correspond in perfectly just measure with the outrage of an individual's sin.

But often the correlation is indirect. Everyone suffers physically because of the outrage of Adam's sin, and because of God's subjecting all of creation to futility (Romans 8:20). But these sufferings do not all correspond to an individual's particular sins. All physical suffering corresponds to moral and spiritual outrage, but not all suffering corresponds directly to individual sins.

What is stunning and essential to see is that physical horrors correspond to spiritual horrors. God knows that we do not feel horrible about the spiritual horror of our sin. We take it lightly. But we get very angry and very agitated and very indignant about the horrors of our physical suffering. So God correlates the two in order to make plain to us how horrible sin is. Belittling God feels like a light thing to us. Being burned feels huge.

So hell will be physical, not just spiritual, even though the greatest outrages of life are not physical. The greatest outrages of life are spiritual—the demeaning of God by unbelief and indifference and rebellion is the greatest outrage in the universe. It may produce the holocaust or it may produce self-exalting philanthropy. But the magnitude of the moral horror in both cases is mainly Godward. Belittling God's infinite worth is the ultimate outrage.

Here is a picture of what I mean.

God says to the exiles in Babylon concerning the false prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah:

Because of them this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: "The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire," because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. (Jeremiah 29:22-23).

I am shocked by the term "roasted." Why such a description? It actually happened, that's why. Nebuchadnezzar roasted them. And why did it happen? Why such an outrageous physical horror and why such an outrageous physical word used to describe it?

Because speaking false things about God and committing adultery does not feel outrageous to us. But roasting someone in the fire does. So God correlates the two so we would learn what is really outrageous in the world. Demeaning God and breaking covenants.

The physical suffering of this age is God's warning: This is how horrible and outrageous sin is. Flee it while there is time. Turn to Christ for forgiveness.

The physical suffering of eternity is God's judgment: This is how horrible and outrageous sin was. Now there is no fleeing. It is too late.

New Fitness Plans. Including Food***

2009-10-26T08:38:00.001-07:00

Here at Life Fitness Academy we are always trying to come up with new ideas, workout and food plans for your heath and well being. We have recently become affiliates with Living Fuel. Living Fuel leads the nutrition world in purity, potency, quality and truth. Being the Leader in Superfood Nutrition means producing the healthiest and most complete foods available anywhere in the world. Living Fuel nutritional products are made from organic all-natural, whole, raw and potent ingredients. Living Fuel’s position and purpose is to change lives with leading-edge, high-end superfoods.

Most of your new plans include these products and we are excited to offer them to you. All the plans listed below include
1) One grocery trip with your trainer (we will show you what to look for in good ingredients and explain the good and bad food to you);
2) One cooking class for you and two friends. We (the client and I) will pick out a few items and buy the food and we will come to your house and show you how to prepare the foods.
3) A comprehensive guide for eating out. This will help you in your life long journey for health as you vacation or are just looking to go out for the evening.
4) 24/7 accountability and support through phone, email or text. We are always ready to help you no matter if you are trying to choose the right foods at a family dinner or looking for help to resist a late night craving. We love what we do and love helping people just like you!
5) Our whole sale prices on Garden Of Life products as well as our price on LivingFuel. This alone could save you
$100's a year!

Here are our new monthly (30 day) plans:

Silver $980.00
7 days a week home-cooked organic dinners
A complete list of all our recipes
Breakfast and lunch suggestions
Nutrition Coaching and accountability to ensure your success

Personal training 2x a week
Challenging home workouts
Strength and flexibility instruction

Gold $1599.00
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks from Living Fuel products
Living Fuel SuperBerry, Living Fuel SuperGreens, Living Fuel Living Protein, Living Fuel Omega 3&E, and Living Fuel CocoChia Sustained Energy bars.
A complete list of all our recipes including some savory sweet recipes
Nutrition Coaching and accountability to ensure your success
Education on how to choose the right supplements and medications
$40 additional sessions upgrades

Personal training 2x week
Challenging home workouts
Strength and flexibility instruction

Spiritual accountability and help with growth materials, such as books.
Help with balancing stress as it pertains to different areas of your life

Money back guarantee!

Platinum $1699.00
Breakfast and lunches from Living Fuel
Living Fuel SuperBerry, Living Fuel SuperGreens, Living Fuel Living Protein
5 days a week home-cooked organic dinners
A complete list of all our recipes including some savory sweet recipes
Nutrition Coaching and accountability to ensure your success
Education on how to choose the right supplements and medications
$40 additional sessions upgrades

Personal training 2x week
Challenging home workouts
Strength and flexibility instruction

Spiritual accountability and help with growth materials, such as books.
Help with balancing stress as it pertains to different areas of your life

Money back guarantee!

Why We Love The Doctrines Of Grace

2009-10-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Unconditional election delivers the harshest and the sweetest judgments to my soul.

That it is unconditional destroys all self-exaltation; and that it is election makes me his treasured possession.

This is one of the beauties of the biblical doctrines of grace: their worst devastations prepare us for their greatest delights.

What prigs we would become at the words, “The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6), if this election were in any way dependent on our will. But to protect us from pride, the Lord teaches us that we are unconditionally chosen (7:7-9). “He made a wretch his treasure,” as we so gladly sing.

Only the devastating freeness and unconditionality of electing grace lets us take and taste such gifts for our very own without the exaltation of self.

-John Piper

Flavorful Fall Favorites

2009-10-21T06:20:00.001-07:00

Roasted Pumpkin and Fall Vegetables
Yield: Approximately 6 servings

Ingredients
One 3 lb. sugar pie pumpkin
1 tablespoon each olive oil and melted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 large carrots, sliced
4 small red potatoes, halved and sliced
1 apple, halved, cored and cut in 12 slices
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1/4 tsp dried
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. and have a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch pan ready. Cut top of pumpkin about 2 inches below stem and scrape out seeds and pulp with a spoon. Mix oil and butter in a small cup and lightly brush some inside pumpkin, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the sea salt. Place cut side down at one side of the pan and pile carrots, potatoes, apple, onion and garlic at other end of pan—and drizzle with remaining oil mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, the thyme and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread out.

Roast 30 minutes, turning vegetables over once. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F., turn pumpkin over and continue roasting 15 minutes--turning vegetables once more, until vegetables and pumpkin are tender. Fill pumpkin with vegetables and cut in wedges to serve.

Kale and Yams
Yield: Approximately 4 servings

Ingredients
1 large bunch kale, 4 cups chopped, pressed firm
4 cups Garnet yam, rinsed well, chopped
2 cups red cabbage, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon hot red pepper, minced
¼ teaspoon curry powder

Directions
Rinse and drain kale well. Steam kale and yams. (Kale should still be colorful and yams should still have some firmness.) While kale and yams are steaming, place oil in a large sauté pan and heat on medium high. Add red cabbage, onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and hot red pepper, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding small amounts of water if necessary to prevent sticking. Season with sea salt and soy sauce.

Place these cooked ingredients in a large mixing bowl; add kale and yams and gently mix well. Serve.

Cranberry Ambrosia
Yield: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Slightly less than ¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
5 medium oranges, peeled and cut into small sections

Directions
Combine cranberries, honey and ginger in a small saucepan. Cover and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional three minutes, or until cranberry skins pop, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in orange rind. Cool 15 minutes. Stir in orange sections. Chill 8 hours.

Source: Nicki Rubin

21 Day Thanksgiving Fat Burn Boot Camp

2009-10-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

There is still time to get into our first annual 21 Thanksgiving Fat Burn Boot Camp!

If you can register by midnight 10/25/09 you can still get in but hurry because we are filling up fast. This boot camp will not be repeated again till next year! If you have ever wanted to get into shape fast you can do it now and before the holidays.

$100 gets you 3 weeks of combat style fitness boot camps and a easy to follow meal plan to help you maximize your results. This will be great fun and will also be a great learning experience for you all.

Monday thru Friday 8 am. With special make up classes on Tues. and Thursday 5:45 am and 5:30 pm As well as Saturday at 9 am. If you can make it out please let us know
www.nashvillepersonaltrainer.net

Are You on a Stress Diet?

2009-10-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Stress is part of our lives. It can motivate excellent performance or drive us to the other extreme. Stress can also increase levels of cortisol, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, resulting in adverse effects on your brain, blood sugar, bones, muscles, immunity and appetite—to name just a few. Called “the stress hormone,” cortisol can also cause you to gain weight and increase your risk for an unhealthy heart.

Cortisol is one important hormone. It helps to support normal glucose metabolism, blood pressure levels, insulin release, immune function and inflammation levels—which means it can have some positive effects. When it’s released in small amounts, cortisol can help you quickly tap into energy, memory, immunity, equilibrium and lower your sensitivity to pain.

When you’re under chronic stress, however, increased levels of cortisol can wreak havoc by adversely affecting your brain, thyroid, blood sugar, bones, muscles, blood pressure, immunity and inflammation levels. Too much cortisol in the body, for instance, can result in foggy thinking, feeling run down, altered blood sugar levels and muscle discomfort. That’s not all, though.

Cortisol can also affect your appetite. Elissa Epel, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco (USCF), Department of Psychiatry says, “Cortisol and insulin shift our preferences toward comfort foods.” Epel is a leader in the UCSF Center on Obesity Assessment, Study and Treatment.

Lack of sleep is a stressor, too, and can be catalytic for negative metabolic changes that can lead to weight gain. Not getting enough shut eye can directly affect two important hunger hormones called leptin and ghrelin, says Kristen Knutson, Ph.D., a research associate who specializes in sleep and health at the University of Chicago’s Department of Medicine.

In a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, participants who slept only four hours per night had an 18% decrease in leptin, the hormone that tells your brain you’ve had enough to eat and a 28% increase in ghrelin, the hormone indicating you’re hungry. Results of the study indicated that the sleep-deprived participants had a 24% appetite increase.

To add to the vicious cycle, increased cortisol levels can increase your girth—which is not good news for your heart. But that’s not all. Fat cells also produce cortisol, so if you happen to be stressed and overweight, then you could have double trouble.

Stressors can take on many forms, too. For example, women who were overweight gained weight when they had to deal with common stressors such as job demands, struggling to pay bills or family-relationship strains, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Managing your stress is important. Eating sensibly, getting enough sleep, exercising, journaling, breathing exercises and listening to music are just a few ways you can relax, thereby helping to keep your cortisol levels in balance—and avoiding the stress diet at all costs.

Source: From Jordan's Desk

One Of The Best Raw Milk Farms In The USA.

2009-10-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

2009-10-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

We walk by faith, not by sight…while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. (2 Corinthians 5:7 and 4:18)
The Christian life is a walk. It is comprised of day by day steps from where we are to where the Lord wants us to go (both spiritually and geographically). This walk is undertaken by faith, not by sight. "We walk by faith, not by sight."

Walking by sight is the natural manner by which human beings walk. This is true both for literal walking, as well as for taking the proverbial journey through life. When engaged in physical walking, people rely upon visual data (along with input from other human senses, like sound, smell, and touch). Likewise, as the unredeemed are engaged in their trek through life, they set their course and proceed by that which their natural abilities provide. We who know the Lord Jesus Christ cannot walk in this manner in His kingdom. We must walk by faith, by depending upon our Lord, His word, and the work of grace by His Holy Spirit. Spiritual progress is made "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen."

So often, things are not as they appear to be in the natural. Consider Joseph being sold to slave traders by his jealous and deceitful brothers. It did not look like Joseph was being groomed to be Prime Minister in Egypt. Think of Pharoah and his army closing in on Israel, as they were trapped beside the Red Sea. It did not look like Israel would be delivered and the Egyptian army would be destroyed. Remember young David standing before gigantic Goliath. It did not look like the giant would be defeated and David would enjoy a thorough victory. Only eyes of faith could really appreciate what was actually happening.

The cross of our Lord Jesus is undoubtedly the greatest example of things not always being what they appear to be. As Jesus hung upon the cross, it appeared that godless men had defeated the most godly man that ever lived. "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst…Him…strong>you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death" (Acts 2:22-23). Yet, in fact, God was at work, preparing a resurrection victory over sin and death for all who would believe. "Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it" (Acts 2:24).

Heavenly Father, I want to walk with You by faith. I desire to respond to the circumstances of life by what You have said in Your word and by what You are able to do. Too many times, I have set my course by sight, relying upon the appearance of things. Teach me to trust in You more and more, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Time For a Heart to Heart

2009-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Women are literally the heartbeat of so much in our society. They bring expertise, care, experience, warmth, insight and inspiration to those their lives touch—at home, at work and in their communities.

A woman’s greatest asset, however, may also be her greatest liability: her heart.

The reason? Heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States, with one in four women dying from heart disease. Additionally, 23% of women die within one year of a heart attack, while two-thirds of women who have a heart attack fail to make a full recovery.

The risk gets worse as time goes on. As women approach their mid-life years, risks for heart disease and heart attack can increase. One in eight women between the ages of 45 and 64 has some form of heart disease, increasing to one in four women for those who are over 65. What’s more is that within six years of having a heart attack, 46% of women are disabled with heart failure.

Heart failure, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood as it should. For some, that means that the heart can’t fill with blood as necessary. For others, it could entail blood not getting to the rest of the body with enough force. Some people, however, may experience both of these effects.

Heart failure happens over a period of time, and can affect one or both sides of the heart. If it affects the right side, then the heart is unable to pump blood to the lungs where it gets oxygen. This can result in fluid buildup in the feet, ankles, legs, liver, abdomen and sometimes the veins in the neck.

It heart failure affects the left side, then the heart can’t pump oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. Right-sided and left-sided heart failure leads to shortness of breath and fatigue. Most people with heart failure, unfortunately, have both sides of the heart affected.

Heart disease has serious implications for women’s health and their quality of life, and that’s why it’s essential for women to take care of their hearts. The encouraging news is that women can reduce their risk for heart disease by up to 82% just by leading a healthy lifestyle.

If you want to guard your heart, be sure to eat a heart-healthy diet including foods rich in omega-3s and other healthy fats, whole grains (including oats), as well as plenty of vegetables and fruits. Getting regular exercise, maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, a healthy weight, not smoking and limiting alcohol intake can help, too.

The truth is that women often look after the hearts of others. Maybe it’s time they start caring more for their own as well.
Source:
Jordan Rubin

The Brown Dog Foundation

2009-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Brown Dog Foundation is a non profit organization that works to provide life saving treatment for pets when the pet's owner is facing temporary financial crisis:

"At Brown Dog Foundation it is our mission to offer pet owners in temporary financial crisis an alternative to euthanasia when their pet faces a treatable life-threatening condition in order to restore the quality of life for pet and owner."

Vet bills are extremely expensive, and to a pet owner who is out of work or facing financial crisis, it is nearly impossible to afford the costs of medical procedures and surgeries.

Our pets are often who we turn to when facing hard times, so not only does Brown Dog serve to save the lives of animals, but provides support to pet owners who desperately want to keep their best friend alive.

This spring, I lost my job and was out of work for close to four months. I could barely afford to pay for groceries, let alone pay medical bills if something had happened to my chocolate lab, Gurley Brown. At the same time, I don't know how I would have made it through that difficult time in my life if I didn't have Gurley. Your pets love you unconditionally, even on days when it is hard to love yourself.

Right now, Brown Dog Foundation works to help pet owners throughout Middle Tennessee, but sticking to the Nashville area is not enough. Currently, Brown Dog is raising money for a national fund, to expand Brown Dog's services across the country.

A main portion of the national fund is being developed through the Brown Dog Dublin Marathon campaign. I am part of a group of runners who are fundraising our way to the Dublin Marathon. Each runner has committed to raising $4,000 and training to run 26.2 miles in Dublin Ireland on October 26, 2009. The money we raise will help spread Brown Dog's mission throughout the country.

If you are able, I encourage you to donate to this cause. It is one that is very important to me. If it wasn't, I definitely wouldn't be running 26.2 miles!

Learn more about the animals who have been saved by Brown Dog at http://www.browndogfoundation.org/successes

For more information about Brown Dog and to donate to my campaign online visit
http://www.browndogfoundation.org/eburcham (Please note donations are not updated automatically).

Make checks payable to:
Brown Dog Foundation- Dublin
Erin Burcham
1903 B. Beechwood AVE
Nashville, TN 37212

Please feel free to email me with any questions. e_burcham@hotmail.com.

Thank you for your support!

The Fight Against Breast Cancer

2009-10-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

New research adds to the growing body of knowledge about actions women can take to lower their breast cancer risk. The new report is an update of previous research, adding results of 81 new studies to the findings of more than 800 that have followed women in the United States and around the world to see who develops breast cancer and who doesn't.

The study provides good news for women in the form of steps they can take to protect themselves, such as:
Be as lean as possible without being underweight. A healthy body mass index is defined as being above 18.5 but no greater than 25. Women closer to the lower end of the healthy weight range have the most protection from breast cancer.

Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. If you can't do that, at least do some. Some activity is better than none, but the more, the better.

Limit alcohol consumption. If you drink at all, limit your intake to one serving a day.

Breast-feed. New mothers should breast-feed exclusively for up to six months -- the evidence is convincing that mothers who breast-feed reduce their risk for breast cancer.

Further, increased screenings may not be the best option for women, and men.

Separate studies suggest that some cancer tests can result in false positives. Two studies -- one looking at prostate cancer and the other at breast cancer -- show that increased screening brings false positives and the costs of emotional anguish and sometimes unnecessary treatment.

While the prostate cancer study and the breast cancer study looked at two different cancers in two different populations, both studies came to similar conclusions; a lot of patients are receiving unnecessary treatments.

In the breast cancer screening study, women were given a clinical breast exam in addition to mammography. For every additional cancer found there were 55 false positives. According to the prostate cancer study's authors, between the years 1986 and 2005, 1 million men were incorrectly diagnosed with prostate cancer. If health officials would simply recommend that you get some sensible sun exposure, use a safe tanning bed or supplement with oral vitamin D3 (like Oceans 3 by Garden Of Life) if you can’t get out into the sun, there could be major advances made in the fight against cancer.

In fact, a standard recommendation like that could potentially cut cancer rates in half! I can’t think of ANY other intervention that could possibly come close to that.

Vitamin D has a protective effect against cancer in several ways, including:
Increasing the self-destruction of mutated cells (which, if allowed to replicate, could lead to cancer)

Reducing the spread and reproduction of cancer cells

Causing cells to become differentiated (cancer cells often lack differentiation)

Reducing the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, which is a step in the transition of dormant tumors turning cancerous

There is now overwhelming evidence pointing to the fact that many of the 560,000 cancer deaths expected to occur this year could have been safely prevented with optimal vitamin D levels.

One recent study also points out vitamin D’s potential in treating breast cancer; not just in preventing it. Researchers found that calcitrol (the active form of vitamin D) can induce a tumor-suppressing protein that inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells specifically.
Sources:

U.S. News & World Report September 3, 2009

ABC News September 1, 2009

www.mercola.com
www.gardenoflife.com

Love Handles Are Nothing to Laugh At

2009-10-08T07:03:00.001-07:00

Since we live in a nation where two of every three American adults and more than one in six children and adolescents are overweight, we certainly see our fair share of fat. It goes by many pet names, too, including beer bellies, love handles, pot bellies, thunder thighs or too much junk in the trunk.

No matter what we call it or how much fun we poke at it, the truth is that fat may just have the last laugh on us if we don’t do something about it. It’s really not that funny at all and may even contribute to some serious health implications.

You may be familiar with one form of fat known as subcutaneous fat. It’s the fat that's right under your skin and is the kind of fat measured with body fat calipers to give an estimate of total body fat.

But not all fat is only skin deep. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is buried beneath the muscles and surrounds the vital organs.

These two types of body fat act differently in the body, too, according to experts. Tim Church, medical director of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas says, "If you put visceral fat in a Petri dish and you put subcutaneous fat in a Petri dish and stimulate them, the visceral fat will produce a lot more inflammatory molecules that can raise a person's risk of heart disease and diabetes."

A major contributor to this threatening visceral fat is found in the omentum. It’s a fatty layer of tissue located inside the belly that hangs underneath the muscles in your stomach and drapes over the stomach.

Excess fat and inflammatory chemicals stored in the omentum are harbored as a “beer belly” and can go directly into the liver via the portal vein—causing a toxic dump in the body.

Additionally, a fat-padded omentum may cause bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels to increase and also take insulin out of circulation in the body, contributing to blood sugar imbalances. Since the omentum is near the internal organs, it can subject them to damage, too.

But wait…there’s more. As you store fat, fat cells usually increase in size, not number—at least for most folks. The exceptions may be those who gain a lot of weight and those who have liposuction.

Trim adults have about 40 billion fat cells, but an overweight person may have two to three times that amount. Here’s why: if a person continues to overeat, fat cells continue to grow. When they reach their expansion limit, they don’t divide. Instead, they signal nearby immature cells to start dividing to create more fat cells.

As fat cells get larger, they also produce cytokines, which increase the body’s inflammation levels. If those fat cells increase in size to the point at which they burst open, then even more cytokines are released, causing more inflammation.

In short, excess fat and fat cells are chemical factories that secrete toxic hormones and other harmful substances straight into the bloodstream. This can cause adverse effects on metabolism, weight and overall health—which certainly is no laughing matter.
Source: Jordin Ruben

We Will Be Glorified for the Glory of God

2009-10-06T09:43:00.001-07:00

(Author: John Piper)

Someday, at the coming of the Lord Jesus, all who are in Christ will be glorified.

Those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

That is, we will be glorious.

The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:43)

But our glory will not be our own but the glory of Christ who is the image of God. We will be glorified with his glory.

To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. (Isaiah 60:19)

The result of our being glorious with the glory of God is that in the end God will be glorified by our glorification.

Your people shall all be righteous . . . the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. (Isaiah 60:21)

Therefore, do not let your joy or your hope or your theology or your preaching rest finally on what you are or what you will be. Rejoice finally in this: that what you will be is a joyful reflection of the glory of God. And he will be all in all. Be glad that you are not the final point of it all, but a happy pointer.

Brain Function

2009-10-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

I was reading today at mercola.com about optimal brain function and how eating fresh vegetables will help your brain to perform at peak levels.

You can read the articleClick here!

The article reminded me of something that I know to be true, you can prevent nearly every kind of illness or disease with proper nutrition. Not only is a healthy diet great for helping you lose weight but when you are not on a diet but have changed your way of life to be a preventative diet by making better choices. Like eating whole, raw and organic foods you will not have the problems most Americans suffer from. Aside from that you will lose weight and feel great all in the same process.

Can it be that simple?
Yes!
Try it for 30 days and you will notice the difference, no matter if you suffer from diabetes or you just need to detox, eating right can and will take you far. There is one catch, you must commit to it, this is not a quick fix program but the foundations to life and a healthy one at that.

If you are thinking about making some changes but are unsure if you can do it, email me and we can sit down and talk more about. If you live out of Nashville, Tn. we can set up a phone conversation or I can just email you. If you think you can do this the rewards will be great! Don't just do it for yourself think of your family, the way we eat is often selfish and hedonistic. We eat for pleasure and taste but not for life, because we think eating healthy will taste bad. It won't! Maybe taste different, but not bad.

Stop eating to satisfy cravings and eat for life! You body will soon crave those very foods that give you life, it's an education.

Heart Healthy Recipes

2009-10-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

Easy Oatmeal (Serves 2)
Ingredients
1 cup of rolled oats
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon yogurt
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil or butter
honey to taste

Directions
Soak the oats overnight in 1 cup of water with 1 teaspoon of yogurt added. In the morning, add remaining water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1–2 minutes. (Soaked oatmeal cooks very fast.) Add the oil or butter and honey.

Source: Nicki Rubin

Maple-Crusted Salmon and Mixed Greens (Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 pounds fresh salmon fillets
extra virgin olive oil
butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 cups baby lettuces, or mixed greens such as watercress or Mache
1 red pepper, seeded, cut into a julienne and sautéed in olive oil
1 pound brown mushrooms, washed, dried very well, sliced and sautéed in butter and olive oil
3⁄4 cup basic salad dressing (see recipe below)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush sides and bottom of salmon with olive oil and place on non-stick baking sheet. Brush the top of the salmon with maple syrup and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Place under broiler for another 2 minutes until just lightly browned.

Meanwhile, mix greens with dressing and divide between four plates. Make a mound of red peppers and mushrooms on each plate. Place a portion of salmon on each mound of greens, and pour pan juices over. Serve immediately.

Basic Salad Dressing

Ingredients
1 teaspoon Dijon-type mustard, smooth or grainy
2 ½ tablespoons raw wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

Directions
Place the mustard into a small bowl. Add vinegar and mix. Add olive oil in a thin stream, stirring continually with a fork, until the oil is well-mixed. Add flaxseed oil and use immediately.

Source: Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions

What Wears Me Out

2009-09-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

I love my job but if one more person says "how can I just lose 5, 10 or 15 pounds?" I will go nuts. I mean I understand everybody wants quick weight loss but what about whole health? Does anyone understand that if they could strip down there diets to the best ingredients available that they could have this as a side effect?

The primary thing that gets me is the fact that we are made this way by our culture. We want it all fast, when it takes time, for most of you it could take a year for your body to reset to it's "perfect weight". It is possible and if you are eating the right food like the ones listed on this FREE site you will keep it off without exercise.

Doing exercise is great but you can survive without it as long as you are eating really well. Your exercise is just another way to speed up weight loss. You must focus on your health for the long run and quit subscribing to the "quick fixes" of our culture. This doesn't me that you can't go out to dinner, there are a few of my clients that have perfected this. It's not that hard but it does mean you will have to listen and apply all aspects of the diet to your everyday, every location life.

Throw away some crap!
Get rid of some things for good, like white flour, splenda, and skim or soy milk. These are just a few things that you can do but you must remember one thing "you can Always do more!"

Get educated!
You have the world at your finger tips, it's called the internet. Learn about your food and if you can't trace your food back to the soil, than don't eat it. Only believe half of what you read and listen to your body.

If you need help I am here but make sure you are in this for life and not till you fit into something that you used to wear. It's is about life and eating for it.

Read And Study For The Weekend

2009-09-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hbr 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

Hbr 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Hbr 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

Hbr 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; [fn] for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hbr 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Hbr 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Hbr 11:9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as [in] a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Hbr 11:10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

Hbr 11:11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child [fn] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

Hbr 11:12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born [as many] as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Hbr 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, [fn] embraced [them] and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Hbr 11:14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

Hbr 11:15 And truly if they had called to mind that [country] from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Hbr 11:16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly [country]. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Hbr 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son],

Hbr 11:18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," [fn]

Hbr 11:19 concluding that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Hbr 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

Hbr 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, [leaning] on the top of his staff.

Hbr 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Hbr 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw [he] [was] a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.

Hbr 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

Hbr 11:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

Hbr 11:26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in [fn] Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Hbr 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Hbr 11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Hbr 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry [land], [whereas] the Egyptians, attempting [to do] so, were drowned.

Hbr 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

Hbr 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

Hbr 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also [of] David and Samuel and the prophets:

Hbr 11:33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Hbr 11:34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Hbr 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

Hbr 11:36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

Hbr 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, [fn] were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--

Hbr 11:38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, [in] dens and caves of the earth.

Hbr 11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

Hbr 11:40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Vitamin D From The Sun

2009-09-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Most people should be able to get their vitamin D requirements met through calculated sunlight exposure. The truth is, however, that our world still has nearly one billion people who are vitamin D deficient, so we’re not getting enough of this sunshine vitamin.

There are various reasons for not getting enough vitamin D. A person’s occupation, age, sunscreen use, geographic location, the time of day, a person’s melanin content and even smog can directly affect vitamin D levels.

In fact, when those who are 70+ in age are exposed to the same amount of sunlight as a young adult, they produce 30% less vitamin D than a younger person. Similarly, those with dark skin need 5-10 times longer sun exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D as those with lighter skin do. Sunscreens may be one of the biggest culprits of all, however, because SPF 8 and above sunscreens can reduce vitamin D production by 95%.

Where you live can have a lot to do with how much vitamin D you can get from the sun, too. If you live north of an imaginary line that stretches from the northern border of California and Boston, then the ultraviolet (UV) energy is not enough for vitamin D synthesis from November through February. The more north you live, the worse it gets. Diminished UV energy can last for up to six months for those areas.

Here are some stats that seem to tell the tale of northern living and vitamin D deficiency:

48% of light-skinned girls aged 9-11 in Maine are vitamin D deficient at the close of winter, with 17% of them still vitamin D deficient at the close of the summer.
Boston has its fallout, too, as 42% of adolescents and 32% of young adults are vitamin D deficient.
Of the community-living elderly in Boston and Baltimore, 50% are vitamin D deficient throughout the entire year.
Hospitalized and institutionalized individuals fare even worse: 57% of them are deficient in vitamin D.
If, however, you live south of an imaginary line between Los Angeles and Columbia, South Carolina, then you are among those whose exposure to UV energy allows for vitamin D synthesis throughout the year. But that’s only if you go out in it and if there’s no cloud cover, smog, or any other factor that can inhibit vitamin D absorption.

The truth is that even cloud cover has a hand in how much vitamin D you can get from the sun. Complete cloud cover can reduce UV energy by 50%, while shade—and that includes manufactured shade from pollution, such as smog—slows down UV energy by 60%.

For those who love the sun and want to get their vitamin D levels from it, vitamin D researchers suggest about 5-30 minutes in the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least two times a week to the face, arms, legs or back without sunscreen. This can usually supply sufficient vitamin D synthesis for most people.

Those who don’t get enough sunshine, however, are encouraged to get more dietary sources of vitamin D or to supplement with vitamin D—especially vitamin D3, a preferred form of vitamin D. Vitamin D, as a matter of fact, has two forms especially important to human health: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Be careful what foods you select, too. Some believe they can get adequate vitamin D intake from fortified milk, but milk samples indicate that vitamin D content in milk is highly variable. Less than 50% of sampled milk had at least 50% of the vitamin D content specified on the label, while less than 20% of skim milk had no detectable vitamin D.

And while fatty fish like salmon and mackerel provide natural sources of vitamin D, farmed salmon provides only 10% to 25% of the vitamin D content compared with wild salmon.

So how much vitamin D should we get? Kids from birth to their teen years and adults aged 51 to 70 should get at least 400IU daily, while those 71 and up should get at least 600IU daily. The Institute of Medicine, the government advisory group setting these dietary guidelines, may change recommendations due to emerging research indicating we could require much more—to the tune of 1,000 to 2,000IU daily.

What happens when someone has a vitamin D deficiency?

It often involves getting 50,000IU of vitamin D2 (less for vitamin D3) once a week for eight weeks, followed by 50,000IU of vitamin D2 (less for vitamin D3) twice a month, to compensate for the backlog. That translates into 10,000IU of vitamin D daily for six months to adequately restock the reserves.

The bad news is that many of us aren’t getting enough vitamin D from the sun and other sources.The good news is that we can still get this sunshine vitamin—even on a cloudy day.

Source:Garden Of Life

Healthy Cookies?

2009-09-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

What makes our cookies healthier?

Spelt flour- Spelt is highly water soluble and much easier to digest than wheat. Its vital substances are quickly absorbed by the body with a minimum of digestive work.Spelt is higher in just about any nutrient, Vitamins B1, B2, B3,B6, E, iron, potassium, calcium as well as amino acids.

Raw Cane Sugar-Buying unrefined sugar is better for your health as it retains trace vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar. Refined sugars do not retain theses vitamins and minerals. Also, real sugar is not white. Most people are just used to seeing and buying heavily processed and refined sugar. Really the major thing here is the insulin swings. As I just mentioned, having the minerals remain in the sugar (like chromium) greatly aid in the body’s ability to control and balance blood sugar. Some studies have shown that up to 98% of chromium is removed from refined sugars and flours.

Coconut oil-One of the healthiest fats that you can consume is unrefined extra virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat that is stable even when cooked with high heat. It does not go rancid easily like so many vegetable oils and has an excellent shelf life. It also is burned very easily by the body due to its medium chain fatty acid makeup. It also contains lauric acid which is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial.

These are a few of the ingredients that separate us from the rest. We do sell these amazing pieces of goodness and can even ship them! If interested please contact us at nashvillepersonaltrainermeals@gmail.com

Protein Power For Weight Management

2009-09-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Proteins do a lot.

They are the major building blocks for muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and the internal organs, including the heart and the brain. They’re needed for hormone formation and control bodily functions such as growth and metabolism rate. Proteins also help with the body’s acid/alkaline balance, help to regulate the body’s water balance and make up most of the body’s weight—after water.

When you eat protein, the body breaks it down into amino acids so it can be used by the body. There are many kinds of amino acids, but the body can’t make eight of those and must be obtained through food. Only animal proteins like meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products contain all eight of the essential amino acids, making them the only complete proteins.

If one of these eight essential amino acids is missing, then the body’s ability to synthesize the protein it needs can be severely inhibited. Not receiving the amounts of amino acids and protein necessary can have adverse effects on the body. Proteins called immunoglobulins, for instance, are the substance of your immune system. Without these particular proteins, the immune system can feel the effects.

Then there’s protein and its possible effects on weight management. Protein-rich foods like chicken, beef, fish or beans can slow down digestion from the stomach to the intestines—and that translates into feeling fuller longer and getting hungrier later.

Protein also offers a gentle, yet steady effect on blood sugar levels which allows you to avoid the quick, steep rise in blood sugar that can accompany something like white bread or a baked potato. Additionally, the body is said to work harder to digest protein than it does to digest fat or carbohydrates, and that means the body uses more energy—another plus for protein and for burning off some calories.

You’ll want to balance your protein intake, though, with healthy fats and carbs—and remember that too much protein can even weaken your bones. Some tasty and nutritious protein sources include organically raised cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo or venison.

Grass-fed beef, for example, is leaner and lower in calories than grain-fed beef. Grass-fed beef is also higher in omega-3 fatty acids and important vitamins like B12 and E as well as conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. It’s way better than assembly-line cuts of flank steak from hormone-injected cattle eating pesticide-sprayed feed laced with antibiotics.

Fish with scales and fins caught from oceans and rivers offer lean sources of healthy protein, high amounts of healthy omega-3s, as well as the essential amino acids. You can find these healthy proteins in most supermarkets, natural food stores, fish markets and specialty stores.

So, stock up on these proteins. They’re nutritious and weight-friendly.

Source: Garden Of Life

H1N1 Have You Worried Or Confused?

2009-09-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Information abounds in the media and on the web about the H1N1 or "swine" flu. However, many of the voices we hear or the material we read either ratchet up the panic or dismiss the threat as hyped and overblown. What we know for certain is that the experimental H1N1 vaccine is imminent and it is urgent that you stay informed. Here are the some important questions that you may be asking:
Will you and your family need the vaccination?
Can it be mandated by the government and enforced on your children at schools nationwide?
Should pregnant women and the elderly take this vaccine?
What are the dangers of the vaccination? Is it really safe?
Never before has a vaccine been so quickly fast tracked through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with pressure from the U.S. Congress, who along with a $1 billion grant to pharmaceutical companies, also insulated these companies from product liability claims when people are injured by their fast tracked vaccines. This combination of extreme haste to market without the legally mandated years of testing and regulatory hurdles, combined with no liability for vaccine injury by the makers of the vaccine, is a recipe for disaster.

My concern is for your safety. Could the risk of vaccine injury be greater than the risk of the swine flu itself? Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. In fact, in the flu scare of 1976, more people died of the flu vaccination than from the flu itself (1).

Did You Know?

The Massachusetts state Senate has recently passed the "Pandemic Response Bill" that now awaits approval in the House. This bill includes frightening language that permits authorities to force vaccinations, forcibly quarantine those that choose to not be vaccinated and levy fines of up to $1,000 per day to those who refuse mandatory vaccinations and quarantines.

(2)Former Chief Vaccine Control Officer of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. J. Anthony Morris, is quoted as saying, "There is a great deal of evidence to prove that immunization of children does more harm than good." Dr. Morris is also quoted as saying, "There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza. The producers of these vaccines know that they are worthless, but they go on selling them, anyway."
The World Health Organization (WHO) admits vaccines are not needed for healthy people and that obese people are at higher risk of contracting swine flu

(3). Yet, WHO is on the verge of mandating global mass vaccinations against swine flu, even though it states on its own website that such vaccines have never been proven safe.

(4) Many neurosurgeons have also expressed concern about the potential for increased Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which they say could be triggered by the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) admits that the flu vaccine given in 1976 was associated with people getting GBS, but believes the chance of that happening again with new vaccines should be much lower

I encourage you to do your own research and reach your own conclusions. Your health decisions are just that - YOURS and as such, should be decided by YOU not the government.

Hard To Control, The Content Of Your Calories?

2009-09-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

I am constantly asked the question "what about calories?" this question can have some weight to it, no pun intended. The thought behind just counting calories much like you see in nearly every fitness related article or on the Tv show The Biggest Loser, is just one sided. Yes, it will work but it would be like saying "hey there are two ways to lose weight but here is the hardest one, now go do it". Counting calories is the conventional thought behind losing weight along with exercise of course, but what if I told you that you don't have to count calories?

I know it sounds crazy but this wasn't the case 50 years ago, people weren't counting calories as a matter of fact, fewer people were over weight at all. What I am purposing to you is looking at the content of the calorie and not just the calorie itself. I want you to know and understand the origins of where your food came from, was it from the ground or from the lab? Answering this question when you read your labels is imperative to your health but even more than that you will be able to maintain with diet alone.

That is crazy, right? Well it has worked every time it is tried. It is currently working in rural countries where they grow and eat their own food as well as hunt their own meat. Calories are not the issue, the issue is what is pure? Are you eating and counting chemicals or raw fresh foods? Changing your frame of mind will help you to lose weight a little faster than otherwise but the key is it will NOT come back if you continue to use the right ingredients in your favorite foods.

Exercise and diet go hand and hand, you can really cut the extra weight fast if you do these two together. What I am suggesting is that you work just as hard or harder on reforming your way of eating by choosing cleaner, whole and organic ingredients. If you can do this and make it a habit you will achieve results and will be able to maintain once you get to your goal weight with diet alone!

If you need help with this, well we can help! One of the many services we offer is meal preparation and delivery. We can teach you how to eat and how to shop while supplying you with the right meals to ensure your results too!
It's about changing your habits and refining your tastes, the rest, like exercise, we can work as well. If you would like more information on how this works or on shipping to your state please go here
www.nashvillepersonaltrainer.net
We will contact you shortly!

10 Reasons Why Exercise is Good for Your Weight

2009-09-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

A recent Time magazine article, "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin," is misleading at best. Exercise is critical to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight, especially when paired with healthy eating habits.

Countless studies, numerous experts who study exercise, and the millions of people who have lost weight all attest to the fact that working out works.

Exercise zaps belly fat

Regular moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise has the greatest impact on reducing abdominal fat -- the dangerous fat that increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Exercise controls calories

You need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. Regular exercise uses up excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat.

Exercise keeps lost pounds MIA

Ninety percent of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off for a year do about an hour of physical activity a day.

Exercise boosts metabolism

You'll lose fat when you diet without exercising, but you'll also lose muscle, which means you'll burn fewer calories. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you'll burn.

Exercise does more than the scale shows

If you gain 3 pounds of lean muscle and lose 4 pounds of fat, you've actually experienced a 7-pound improvement in your body condition, despite the scale only showing 1 pound of weight loss.

Exercise curbs emotional eating

Working out has been proven time and time again to help regulate mood, which has a direct effect on people who eat when they're stressed or upset.

Exercise creates a healthy chain reaction

Healthy habits tend to cluster together. When people make positive changes, like getting more exercise, they tend to work on other health improvements as well, such as eating better.

Exercise brings on the fun

Rock-climbing is more exciting than eating a celery stick. That's why it's sometimes easier to be active to stay slim than to maintain a strict diet.

Exercise stops hunger

People who exercise and diet are actually less hungry than those who only diet, according to at least one study.

Exercise increases energy

Regular physical activity increases stamina by boosting your body's production of energy-promoting neurotransmitters. That gives you even more motivation to get moving and shed pounds.

Sources:

Fitness Magazine August 19, 2009

Gut Tree

2009-09-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

What? There is a tree in my gut?
Well yeah, a tree full of good and bad bacteria! The problem is, that the tree is holding more bad than good but you can fix this. If you are taking a probiotic supplement you can that is.

You see a lot of people out there are worried about their belly fat without understanding that there is an internal problem. Probiotics and prebiotics and trying to multiply in you gut to repair it but you keep choking down food that is sterile and killing it's progress. Much like detoxifying the body, when you need to get toxins out you could just eat clean toxin free foods. But we don't, we want a detox kit or a pill that will do it. There are pills that will do it, but you will have to do it again because you keep putting toxins back into the old bacterias place. So is the process of replacing good bacteria with bad, stop eating crap, sterile, and dead foods.

We are good at making foods that will kill all kinds of bacteria but, just think of what we could do if we were good at rebuilding or even thinking about our guts and the good bacteria. There are years of toxins in your system, and if I get another client that says that one day of eating bad isn't going to kill them I will scream! Of course it will, it will kill any progress that you have made to rebuild it. At the very least you won't gain weight after a day or two but you will have trouble getting that bad stuff out.

You didn't put all that weight on for no reason, take a look at the origins of your weight gain. It could take months if not years to get your gut back to running at optimal levels. But once it does it is a thing of beauty! This is when you can maintain with diet alone and not so much exercise.

Rebuild your gut, eat raw foods and take some primal defense and learn how powerful a clean, fast running immune system and gut can really be.

Why Do I Use These Products?

2009-09-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

I like to recommend certain supplements for my clients and friends for that matter. As with anything I use I like to use the purest form of supplements as possible. That being said they must be whole food based as well as cost effective. Most of the time I have to trade the last one for quality, but not for bad quality. You see it's hard to find low cost alternatives to the best stuff out there, but I come pretty close with Garden Of Life products. There are three that I like to suggest for optimal nutrient delivery and increased energy for weight loss.

Oceans 3 cod liver oil is a great one, because it is nearly impossible for us to get the needed omega 3's from our food. But more than that Oceans 3 has two other helpful ingredients Fucoxanthin and Astaxanthin. These two are great at helping the body burn fat naturally, keep the core temp up all the time. All these ingredients plus ALA (essential fatty acid) for optimal assimilation into the body makes this a power product for anybody!

Primal Defense is a product that you can take for nearly any reason the least of which is to help lose weight. This probiotic blend is important for the body and especially your digestive system. Your bodies second brain, the digestive tract is responsible for many functions of the body. One of those is fighting disease and illness in general, which is a great thing to consider when trying to lose weight. The energy that your body uses to digest "bad" foods is amazing, but when you team primal defense up with a great diet your energy levels will go through the roof. This will make your boss, spouse and personal trainer very happy!

Lastly Greens, Greens and more Greens! You can never have enough of these and if you are a vegetarian you still cannot begin to scratch the surface of optimal vegetable delivery. Why? Because you are not tapping into the over 500,00 edible vegetables on this earth! On top of that you cannot assimilate your proteins with out the valuable antioxidants found in leafy greens. So you see Perfect Food-Greens Is one of my favorite things because it is so irreplaceable for all fitness levels and for the kids too!

Some secrets to my success are written here so partake of the wisdom given to you from this site and from your Bible because it's only through Christ that we have any power over our bodies at all! If you need any other help with these product please email me.
terrybarga@gmail.com

Prevent Swine Flu Without Drugs!

2009-09-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

Ayurveda, India’s traditional 'science of life,' has the remedy for swine flu in the form of the basil leaves commonly known as Tulsi.
Tulsi is well known in India for its remarkable healing properties. But the anti-flu property of Tulsi has been discovered by medical experts across the world quite recently. Tulsi improves your body's overall defense mechanism, including its ability to fight viral diseases.

Apart from acting as a preventive medicine, Tulsi can also help a patient recover faster.

Sources:

Yahoo News August 12, 2009

What the good doctor says!
It’s no coincidence that Tulsi is known by the names:

The Queen of Herbs

The Incomparable One

Elixir of Life

The Mother Medicine of Nature

Holy Basil

The stimulating powers of Tulsi have been recognized by ancient healers and sages, and Indians have long worshipped Tulsi as a sacred plant, using its branches, leaves and fragrance for purification purposes and to heighten spiritual awareness.

One of the reasons why I personally drink Tulsi tea, however, aside from the fragrant flavor, is that it is one of the most effective adaptogens (an agent that helps your body adapt more efficiently to stress) ever known.

But Tulsi also has another very beneficial “side effect,” and that is helping to prevent and treat swine flu.

According to the article linked above, Tulsi may:

Improve your body’s overall defense mechanisms, including its ability to fight viral diseases

Help speed up your recovery process if you do get the swine flu

Strengthen your immune system

These benefits may stem from Tulsi’s highly complex, unique chemistry. It contains beneficial compounds called phytochemicals -- naturally occurring compounds that plants produce to protect themselves against bacteria, viruses and fungi -- that interact and have strong antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and immune-enhancing properties that promote general health and maintain your body's natural defense against germs, stress and disease.

If you are concerned about the swine flu, I would highly recommend trying Tulsi over any of the flu drugs or vaccines now being offered.

Putting Swine Flu into Perspective

Even though swine flu appears to be continuing to spread, you need to know that this is typically a MILD illness. Most cases resolve with no medical care needed whatsoever.

If you are still considering taking the swine flu vaccine, please take a few minutes to get informed on the reasons why I don’t recommend it by reading these important articles:

Swine Flu is NOT the Problem -- It is the Vaccine that May Harm or Kill You

Squalene: The Swine Flu Vaccine’s Dirty Little Secret Exposed

Swine Flu Vaccine Makers to Profit $50 Billion a Year!!

Next, stay calm and do not buy into the ensuing paranoia and hysteria. To put this into perspective, look into the past Swine flu epidemic that NEVER materialized … or the Bird Flu Pandemic that never was either.

At the same time, do take care of your health to reduce or eliminate your risk of contracting any strain of influenza.

I am currently consulting with some of the leading experts on a swine flu product that I hope to have by the end of the year that will use completely natural ingredients that build your immune system.

In the meantime, the following 10 steps will typically be all you need to stay healthy, even in the midst of a pandemic:

Optimize your vitamin D levels.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself.

This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng/ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

For those of you in the US we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively, soon. It the meantime, you can also take part in the D*Action Project to have your levels tested as part of a five-year study for public health.

If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

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

Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods.
Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness.

Get Enough Rest.
Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. rest.

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

Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body.
The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

Take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil.
It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are in trans fats and processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

Wash Your Hands.
Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Also be careful not to over-wash your hands, which can damage your skin and allow an entryway for pathogens.

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

Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines.
In the case of swine flu, I recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug. Vaccines, when available, will likely be ineffective and may lead to crippling paralysis like Guillain-Barré Syndrome just as it did in the ‘70s.

Take a High-Quality Probiotic or eat plenty of naturally fermented foods.
Eighty percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, so enhancing your gut health with probiotics is a very effective method to ward off cold and flu viruses.

Stress, Diet and God

2009-08-31T06:29:00.000-07:00

I deal with many parts of life when dealing with a client, some are easy fixes but some are hard. One of the ones that are hard is a client recognizing that stress can play a vital role in blocking weight loss all together. There are multiples types of stress, like for instance: sleep stress, work stress, bitterness, resentment, or loneliness. Some of these things are not necessarily stress but they will have the same affect on the mind and body.

This can happen and stop you dead in your tracks as far as whole health is concerned. One thing that is vital for a positive out look for health is for a right relationship with God. No, not like just knowing Him but giving Him your stresses and finding rest with Him in all you do. This can be a struggle but your faith will grow the more you keep trying at it. The difference is measurable, I see it all the time in my work. People will go through the fitness steps and get really into it and then after about 2 months they can't lose weight anymore and the are upset at me. When I try and tell them that it is their stress they almost laugh at me. Then there are the select few that embrace it and change their lives through counseling or a newly energized walk with their Creator. The ones who embrace it are the people that will find success in whole health for a life time, and that is what it's all about for me.

Whether you believe in God or not you cannot argue with the fact that stress will pull you down and sometimes out of life. So if you think that this is completely inconsistent with anything you know to be true, what I want to say to that is for you to start by understanding what Truth really is. You will only get so far in life with fitness and diet why not try to give your life to Christ and let Him show you. I am not trying to sell you on it, there is no commission for me here, just a pure love for God and my clients!

In all things consider Christ first and you will see He does love you and you can be healthy from the top of your head to the soles of your feet both inside and out!

The Key To Health Care Reform: Take Care Of Yourself

2009-08-28T08:43:00.001-07:00

Scientists are reporting a breakthrough therapy to lower the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases by about 80 percent.

The therapy is called taking care of yourself: not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.

Obesity is costing the American healthcare system more than $100 million annually. Diabetes costs nearly $150 billion, cancer care costs more than $200 billion, and heart disease costs more than $300 billion annually.

The key to affordable healthcare is disease prevention, not treatment.

Sources:

Live Science August 11, 2009

Archives of Internal Medicine August 10/24 2009; 169(15):1355-1362 [Free Full-Text Article]

Recipe Time!

2009-08-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

In my quest for greatness I enjoy some new recipes and I want to share them with you.

Black Bean Summer Salad

Ingredients
2 cups of freshly cooked black beans
1/2 cups of chopped green onions
2 avocados, peeled, seeded and chunked
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
2 fully ripened large tomatoes, chopped
2 cups of frozen corn, thawed and drained
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
Grated mozzarella

Directions
Drain the freshly cooked black beans: set aside and cool. After the beans have cooled, use a large bowl and combine the black beans, green onions, avocados, basil, tomatoes, corn, cilantro, juice of one lime, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Chill. Top with shredded raw milk mozzarella cheese. Serve.

Mocha Swiss Almond Smoothie

Ingredients
10oz. of yogurt, kefir, or coconut milk
1-2 raw omega 3 eggs (optional)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil or hemp seed oil
1-2 tablespoons unheated honey
1 tablespoon of goats milk protein powder or milk
2 tablespoons of cocoa or carob powder
2 tablespoons raw almond butter or 4 tablespoons chocolate almond spread
1-2 fresh or frozen bananas
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Direction
Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until desired texture.

How To Lose 10 Pounds In 7 Days

2009-08-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

Now that I have your attention! Listen, some things in weight loss are complex like having years of toxins in your gut from prescription drugs, air and processed foods that will not come out with out a fight. Then there is some things that will work every time they are tried such as but not limited too:
-Stopping drinking alcohol
-Eliminating Soda
-Adding more water to your day (half your body weight in ounces)
-Greens, greens and more greens!

One of these steps even worked for me will I was away on vacation, I enjoy my share of beer on vacation anywhere from two to four in a day, over a 24 hour time frame. Now I am not a drunk but I enjoy beer and not that light crap either, the darker the better and better for you. My weight was 190 before I left and the day I got home I was 197, 7 days later 184.5. What is the difference? I stopped drinking beer!

This will work for you too and it doesn't have to be beer your drinking, if you are drinking wine, soda or sweet tea stop it! The weight will come off and it will come off quickly if you are eating well. You know I eat to the Maker's Diet phase 3 on a regular basis, so this helped me get back to down to weight really fast.

If you have questions on this or any other weight loss technics please let me know! Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Top 5 RAW Foods

2009-08-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

1- Green Leafy Vegetables
Since I am always face first into a salad this list could be a big one but I will get right to the good one. The darker the green leaves, the more nutritious the salad and unfortunately the less tasty they are.
Kale is the best leafy vegetable because it's so dark and nutritious, but it has a bitter taste. Spinach or lettuce are a little less nutritious, but they have a great flavor to them.

2- Sprouts
I truly think that sprouts are truly on of the most nutritious land vegetables you can eat. Sunflower sprouts and lentil sprouts are excellent, but bean sprouts like mung bean and abzuzi sprouts are good as well.

3- Sea Vegetables
Seaweed is one of the healthiest vegetables a person can eat, but many people just aren't aware of this. Two favorites for the top spots are dulse and nori, which are great in salads. Just a sprinkle of some of the flakes or the leaves cut into stripes on top of the salad are great. If you are turning your nose up at seaweed, then you should know that sushi is wrapped in sheets of nori.

4- Vegetable Fruits and Sweet Fruits
Red peppers, cucumbers and zucchini are examples of vegetable fruits, since thy have seeds inside, and anything with a seed is a fruit. These foods are low glycemic and low in sugar. As for sweet fruits blueberries and mulberries are my favorites! As well as cantaloupes and honeydew melons. These plus watermelon were had by us every summer as I grew up. Thanks MOM!

5- Nuts And Seeds
The best seed are hemp seeds and the best nuts are almonds. Be sure ti purchase them raw and soak them before eating! This will allow the nut to be easier to digest and you can get more protein from them this way.

This article was inspired by reading at www.paulnison.com a raw food expert and a dude with my taste buds apparently.
Enjoy!

How To Eat Great On A Budget

2009-08-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

Where ever you are at with your diet whether on day 1 of the maker's diet or you are just trying to make it work eating the best as you can while on vacation. You can eat great on a budget, actually money should never be an excuse for eating bad. I would much rather hear that you just wanted to eat out and have whatever you want for one night than hear that you didn't eat right because you are low on funds.

The reason I say this is, I have not only done this myself but have had friends in tight money situations eat great with little or no money. If you want the weight loss and the added health benefits of eating an all natural, organic raw diet then you must go out of your way to make better choices. Make a commitment to it and resolve to do so without question whenever possible no matter what. Turn it into a habit and know why you are doing it, if you are challenged on the way you eat you can explain that it's for life not for tastes that you enjoy food.

There are some foods that work great on a budget.
- Leafy greens
- Whole milk yogurt
- Oatmeal (soaked over night)
- Eggs
- Sprouted breads
- Sprouted pastas
- Long grain brown rice
- Lentils
- Black or pinto beans
- Vegetables from a local farmers market

The problem lies in the fact that we think we need to have a serving of meat everyday to survive and that is simply not true. You could live on greens and rice and lose weight as well as be full at the end of the day. Making a sacrifice will separate you from the people that only commit to a diet when it is convenient, but in this world with all of it's sweets and sodas eating right for health is never really convenient.

Be an example to others that you will not be swayed by your friends and family no matter what the situation is. I have had everything from a small discussion to a heated exchange about my diet. This being the case I will never change the way I eat and if I know that I will be forced to eat something I doesn't align with my diet I will eat before I go and take enzymes and probiotics so that I can get a jump on digesting it. Remember it's not your fault that your loved ones entertain with food or that they don't care about your diet. It is your fault if you cave in and do what they do in order to keep peace of to just make it easier on yourself.

Nothing in this world that is worth having will be easily attained.

Mayo Clinic DEAD Wrong on Diabetic Recommendations

2009-08-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

A very important article I ran across this weekend while reading on statins and there risks. Please read the following research followed by some perspective from a trust source.

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the Mayo Clinic have developed a computer model that is intended to determine the best time to begin using statin therapy in diabetes patients to help prevent heart disease and stroke.

According to the lead author, "The research is significant because patients with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease and statins are the single most commonly used treatment for patients at risk of heart disease and/or stroke."

The new model incorporates patient-specific data. An established risk model calculates each patient's probability of heart attack and stroke based on risk factors, such as their cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. This overall risk "score" is used to weigh the medical advantages of beginning statin therapy against the financial cost of the statins.

Sources:

Science Daily July 26, 2009

Medical Decision Making May 2009; 29 (3): 351-367

Dr. Mercola is one of the few doctors I trust and he is going to give his comments on this article, Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Statins, which are a class of drugs used to lower your cholesterol, are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the world, and I believe, one of the most unnecessary drugs there are.

This is one class of drugs that I am dedicated to sound the alarm about. We are actually in the process of seeking to replicate a campaign similar to what was done to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking, to inform the public about the dangers and combat the media fraud, deception and manipulation that causes people to believe otherwise.

They could have saved loads of time and money here by reading this website, because the answer to the question, “When should you begin taking a statin?” is “never.” No computer models required.

Why?

Because it’s safe to say that a drug intended to prevent heart disease which actually causes heart failure is not the right treatment for most people. Statin drugs offer a “cure” that is far worse than the disease.

Why It’s Highly Unlikely You’ll Ever Need a Statin Drug

At least 12 million Americans are already taking statins, and based on new expert recommendations another 23 million “should” be taking them.

Now, there are a small group of people with genetic enzyme defects that have cholesterols levels above 325-350 who seem to benefit from statins. However, in my clinical experience over more than two decades and tens of thousands of patients, there have been a grand total of three patients that required statins to control this relatively uncommon genetic problem.

What This Computer Model Will NOT Tell You

It’s the emergence of these kinds of dangerous diagnostic strategies that make it so important to remain educated on this issue and not simply go along with what the media and professionals claim.. Especially since statin drugs are linked to many, many dangerous side effects. And I can guarantee you this computer model will not evaluate your risk of being harmed by the drug, even though there are over 900 studies showing statin drugs to be dangerous.

For example, Bayer's statin, Baycol, was pulled from the market in 2001 after 31 people died from rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which muscle tissue breaks down resulting in kidney failure.

Other serious and potentially life threatening side effects include, but are not limited to:

Polyneuropathy, also known as peripheral neuropathy, which is characterized by weakness, tingling and pain in the hands and feet, as well as difficulty walking

Heart failure

An increase in cancer risk

Immune system suppression

Potential increase in liver enzymes, so patients must be monitored for normal liver function

Another example is Zetia, a cholesterol-lowering drug prescribed to about 1 million people each week. It was not only found to have no medical benefits, but the trial also discovered that arterial plaque growth increased, growing nearly twice as fast in patients taking Vytorin, a drug that combines Zetia with Zocor (another statin drug).

Despite these disturbing facts, Zetia and Vytorin account for about 20 percent of the cholesterol drugs on the U.S. market.

What You Need to Know About Cholesterol in Order to Understand the Dangers of Statins

Statin drugs work by preventing the formation of cholesterol, and reduce LDL cholesterol, which is considered the "bad" cholesterol.

There is no argument that these drugs do work very well at lowering your cholesterol levels. However, was has not been proven is that they significantly lower your risk of dying from heart disease. In no way, shape or form, do they treat the cause of your problem. They are nothing more than a toxic band-aid.

So just what makes statins so dangerous, and why are they not the answer for managing your cholesterol levels?

First you need to understand the biological workings of cholesterol.

In fact, there is no such thing as “good” or “bad” cholesterol. Both HDL and LDL cholesterol perform vital functions in your body, which is why it’s actually dangerous to bring your LDL levels down too low.

HDL (high density lipoprotein) and LDL (low density lipoprotein) are actually proteins that transport the cholesterol to and from your tissues.

Cholesterol in turn is a precursor to steroid hormones. For example, you can’t make testosterone or estrogen, cortisol, DHEA or pregnenolone, or a multitude of other steroid hormones that are necessary for health, without cholesterol.

Even more importantly, your cells cannot regenerate their membranes without it. The reason you have LDL to begin with is to transport the cholesterol to the tissues in order to make new cells and repair damaged ones.

However, there are different sizes of LDL particles and it’s the LDL particle size that is relevant, and statins do not modulate the size of the particles. Unfortunately, most people don’t know about that part, and very rarely, if ever, get tested for particle size.

The particles are sticky, so very small LDL’s can easily get stuck in different areas, and the build-up eventually causes inflammation and damage.

The only way to make sure your LDL particles are large enough to not cause damage is through your diet. In fact, it’s one of the major functions of insulin.

Conveniently enough, a healthy diet is also the answer for type 2 diabetes, so by focusing on what you eat, you’re treating both your diabetes and your cholesterol levels, and reducing your associated risk of heart disease.

If you eat properly, which is really the only known good way to regulate LDL particle size, then it does the right thing; it takes the cholesterol to your tissues, the HDL takes it back to your liver, and no plaque is formed.

The second thing you need to know is that statins work by reducing the enzyme that causes your liver to make cholesterol when it is stimulated by high insulin levels.

Again, you can achieve the same, or better, result by simply reducing your insulin levels by eliminating sugar and most grains, which is also what you need to do to successfully address type 2 diabetes.

What Most Doctors Fail to Tell You When Prescribing Statins

Another important aspect that most doctors fail to tell you about is that statins are non-specific inhibitors of not just one, but a number of very important liver enzymes, one of of the most important being Coenzyme Q10.

CoQ10 is a vital enzyme that your body needs for energy and cardiovascular health.

It is widely recommended to repair heart damage, boost the function of the heart and acts as a protectant against heart attacks and valve damage. Additionally, CoQ10 has been shown to be beneficial in heart and lung cancer, as well as maintain cognitive function.

Thus, when you take statins your production of this enzyme is dramatically depleted and you do not reap the health benefits associated with it. Unfortunately, few patients are ever told about this fact and their health suffers accordingly.

The Pain Of Suffering

2009-08-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

But He said to them, "why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?
Mark 4:40

As the disciples were in the boat with their God, their Sovereign Lord they were greatly afraid of the weather. They asked Jesus "Do you not care that while you sleep that we are perishing?" God was on their boat!

The days of trials and storms are ever present if you know God, but why? For the purpose of faith building, who can trust in God when they have everything? I know you are going through a storm right now, I know that I am going through a storm right now. It's hard and it hurts but we will win with Christ!

There is no truth out there more than God loves you and He has you and has always has had you. Nothing will ever separate us from our God if we truly trust in Him. I sometimes ask God are you asleep? Do you not care that my family is dyeing? Then I count my blessings and remember that He is on my boat! What does that mean? It means that we have been given the privilege to call upon Him and He will deliver us. But we must hurt and suffer for a season, Gods ways are not our own!

If you are at the end of your rope and looking for work, relationships, clients, groceries, or the salvation of a family member or friend. You cannot do it, the sooner that you take yourself out of the picture and pray to the God of all creation specifically you will have peace. Joy and thankfulness is what He promises us, it can be found if the darkest of trials so long as you seek and rest in Him.

Whole health starts with a right spirit and that right spirit is through Christ, if you would like to know more or you want prayer please let me know.
terrybarga@gmail.com

Please check out this link
http://blog.cck.org.uk/elijah-prayed-for-rain-

Super Foods!!

2009-08-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Plain or raw milk yogurt-
Is higher in calcium than some other dairy products and contains a great package of other nutrients, including protein and potassium. It can also be enhanced with other good-for-you substances. "Yogurt is a vehicle food that can be full of probiotics for a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut, and beneficial, heart-healthy plant stanols". "And lactose sensitive people may tolerate yogurt better than milk." Look for Stoney fields yogurt, and add your own fruit to control sweetness and add to the health benefits. Versatile yogurt can also be used in entree and bakery recipes, in dips for veggies, etc. Don't like yogurt?
Goats milk
Another super dairy food that carries great usable lactose and is easier to digest will help you get one of the recommended three servings of dairy each day. Raw Grass Fed Dairy foods contain practically every nutrient you need for total nutrition -- and in just the right balance, no other food group in the diet is as complete or as economical.
Free Range Eggs- make the list because they are nutritious, versatile, economical, and a great way to fill up on quality perfect protein. "Studies show if you eat eggs at breakfast, you may eat fewer calories during the day and lose weight without significantly affecting cholesterol levels," says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids. Eggs also contain 12 vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is good for brain development and memory. Enjoy them at any meal or hard-cooked as a portable snack.

Nuts have gotten a bad rap because of their high fat content. But their protein, heart-healthy fats, high fiber, and antioxidant content earn them a place on the top 10 list. The key to enjoying nuts, experts say, is portion control. Most nuts are healthful in small doses if they are without salt, and studies show they can help lower cholesterol levels and promote weight loss, I like pistachio nuts because they also contain plant sterols and it takes longer to crack the shell and eat them, making it easier to control the portion. Whether you prefer pistachios, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, or pecans, an ounce a day of nuts help fill you up. Nuts add texture and flavor to salads, side dishes, baked goods, cereals, and entrees. They taste great alone, too.

Kiwis are among the most nutritionally dense fruits, full of antioxidants. One large kiwi supplies your daily requirement for vitamin C. It is also a good source of potassium, fiber, and a decent source of vitamin A and vitamin E, which is one of the missing nutrients, and kiwi is one of the only fruits that provides it. The sweet taste and colorful appearance of kiwis makes it easy to slice in half, scoop out with a spoon and enjoy alone, or slice it into desserts, salads, or side dishes. Kiwifruit can also have a mild laxative effect due to their high fiber content.

Quinoa is now readily available in many supermarkets and is one of the best whole grains you can eat. It is an ancient grain, easy to make, interesting, high in protein (8 grams in 1 cup cooked), fiber (5 grams per cup) and a naturally good source of iron. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) also has plenty of zinc, vitamin E, and selenium to help control your weight and lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Quinoa is as easy to prepare as rice and can be eaten alone or mixed with vegetables, nuts, or lean protein for a whole-grain medley. Try to make at least half your daily grain servings whole grains. In addition to quinoa, try barley, oats, buckwheat, whole wheat, wild rice, and millet.

Beans, beans, good for your heart -- really! Beans are loaded with insoluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, as well as soluble fiber, which fills you up and helps rid your body of waste. They're also a good source of protein, carbohydrates, magnesium, and potassium.

Salmon is a super food because of its omega-3 fatty acid content. Consuming Salmon from fresh water and not from a farm is the only way to eat this pink fish. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids help protect heart health. That's why the American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish like salmon twice weekly. Salmon has lots of protein, is a good source of iron, and is very low in saturated fat. You can simply grill or bake it, top it with salsas, or serve it on top of salad greens. If you don't like salmon, I recommend eating other kinds of fish, like canned tuna. And what about the mercury content? (Mercury is known to accumulate in fish.) This is why I must say again that get your fish from a fresh water source.

Broccoli is one of America's favorite vegetables because it tastes good and is rich in color and fiber. It's a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and bone-building vitamin K, and has plenty of fiber to fill you up and help control your weight. Some people think beta-carotene (vitamin A) is only found in orange and yellow vegetables, but broccoli is an excellent source. You can eat broccoli raw, lightly steamed, stir-fried, roasted, or grilled. Eat it as a side dish, or toss into, egg dishes, soups, and salads.

Sweet potatoes are a delicious member of the dark orange vegetable family, which lead the pack in vitamin A content. Substitute a baked sweet potato (also loaded with vitamin C, calcium, and potassium) for a baked white potato. And before you add butter or sugar, taste the sweetness that develops when a sweet potato is cooked -- and think of all the calories you can save over that loaded baked potato. If we eat more foods like sweet potatoes that are rich sources of potassium, and fewer high-sodium foods, we can blunt the effect of sodium on blood pressure and reduce bone loss. Other dark orange vegetable standouts include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, and orange bell peppers.

Berries pack an incredible amount of nutritional goodness into a small package. They're loaded with antioxidants, phytonutrients, and high in water and fiber to help control blood sugar and keep you full longer. And their flavors satisfy sweets cravings and they are optimal for detoxing the body. Blueberries lead the pack because they are among the best source of antioxidants and are widely available. Cranberries are also widely available fresh, frozen, or dried. All can add flavor and nutrition to numerous dishes, from salads and cereals to baked goods and yogurt.

Coconut products are among my favorites and they nearly trump them all for the simple fact that you can live one a coconut in every stage of its' life. The is pretty super, in most cultures it is called the tree of life. Coconut oil is the only oil to cook with because it does not change or go rancid when heated. The taste coconut products is great as well it's cleaner not too sweet and really good for you!

Vitamin D Rich Recipes

2009-08-10T05:17:00.001-07:00

Salmon Salad
Serves 1-2

Ingredients:
1 can water-packed salmon
1 Tablespoon omega-3 mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil or garlic-chili flax
Chopped onions
Chopped peppers
Chopped celery

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and serve over lettuce or toasted sprouted bread.

Pineapple Creamy Treat
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 cup organic ricotta cheese
1 Tablespooon unheated honey
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pineapple

Directions:
Mix ricotta, honey and vanilla extract. Top with pineapple.

By Jordan Rubin

Eggs Benedict
Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 slices turkey bacon (which is not a pork product)
2 sprouted grain English muffins
2 Tablespoons vinegar
4 eggs
Butter

Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons white vinegar
3 egg yolks, room temperature
8 Tablespoons butter, melted
Herbamare or salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook turkey bacon under the broiler until crisp. Keep warm. Prepare the hollandaise sauce. Pour lemon juice and white vinegar into a small glass or metal bowl. Add egg yolks and whisk until light and frothy. Place bowl over pan of simmering water and whisk until sauce thickens. Gradually add in melted butter while constantly whisking. Season and keep warm. Poach the eggs. Add vinegar to a large pan of boiling water. Lower heat so that water is simmering. Crack eggs and gently slide into water. Discard egg shells. Simmer for about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Toast the muffin halves, butter them and put onto plates. Place 2 slices turkey bacon and an egg on each muffin and top with sauce. Serve immediately.

Variation:
Spinach is another great variation instead of turkey bacon.

Seeing Our Shame: The Fuel of True Love for God

2009-08-08T10:25:00.001-07:00

(Author: Jon Bloom)

He had the Holy One of Israel in his house, reclining at his table. The Prophet that Moses had foretold was sharing dinner with him. The Lord of glory, the Resurrection and the Life, was speaking with him face to face. The great climactic moment of history he claimed to be living for had arrived. It should have been a deliriously wonderful, breathtaking honor for Simon to host the Messiah.

But Simon was not amazed. As he looked at Jesus, all he saw was a dusty Nazarene whose claims could be interpreted as delusional.

And Jesus' feet were still dirty. Offering foot washing to guests had been a deeply ingrained custom for Near Eastern peoples for thousands of years. To not offer it was to dishonor one's guest. It's not likely that Simon simply forgot.

But Jesus showed no sign of offense. And with the meal on the table, superficial pleasantries were exchanged. A few polite questions were asked.

Suddenly all eyes facing Jesus were filled with confused concern, focused toward his feet. Jesus looked back.

A woman was standing near him, clearly not part of the household. She was looking intensely at him, cradling a small jar in her hands. She began to sob and dropped to her knees. And as her tears flowed, she leaned over and let them drop on Jesus' soiled feet and wiped them off, along with the dirt, with her hair. Then she kissed Jesus' feet.

Gasps and mutterings were heard around the table. This woman had a reputation known to all the local guests. It was improper even to speak openly about what had given her this reputation. She was simply called a "sinner." Everyone knew what was packed into that word.

So everyone was mortified by this sinner's actions, except, apparently, Jesus. He did not seem shocked. And he did nothing to stop her. An alarmed servant moved toward the woman but Simon waved him off. This was a revealing moment.

As Simon watched the woman pour fragrant oil from her jar on Jesus' feet, he felt both contempt and pleasure. His appraisal of Jesus was being vindicated before his eyes. Nothing spoke more eloquently of the falseness of this so-called prophet than his stunning lack of discernment regarding this immoral woman. No holy man would have let her pollute him with her touch. He began to rehearse what he would report to the Council.

"Simon, I have something to say to you." Jesus' words snapped Simon's attention back. "Say it, Teacher," he replied.

"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."

And then Jesus spoke to the woman: "Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace" (Luke 7:40-49).

* * *

"He who is forgiven little, loves little." This small statement reveals a mammoth truth for us: we will love God to the degree that we recognize the magnitude of our sins and the immensity of God's grace to forgive them.

As a Pharisee, Simon likely had significant theological learning, memorized extensive portions of Scripture, exercised rigorous self-discipline, tithed meticulously, spent much time "serving" God, and enjoyed a reputation as a godly man. And yet he did not love God.

The woman, however, who had nothing to offer except shameful sin, was described by Jesus as a model for true worship. Why? Simply because she knew how desperately she needed the forgiveness Jesus offered in his gospel, and she believed that he could grant it.

That is what Jesus is looking for. That is the faith that saves.

True worship is a passionate love for God. And, for sinners like us, the fuel of that love is a profound realization, in the words of former slave trader-turned-pastor, John Newton, "that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour."

2009-08-04T11:10:00.001-07:00

Boot camp times and and places have been updated. Email me for the calendar. Tomorrows boot camp sevier park at 6&7am!

Vacation Equipment

2009-08-04T07:50:00.001-07:00

Jalapeño Rib Eye Steaks

2009-08-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped
4 rib eye steaks, about 1/2 lb. each
toothpicks
1 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare grill or broiler. Combine cilantro and jalapeños in a bowl. Cut a pocket in the side of each steak, without cutting all the way through. Stuff pockets with cilantro mixture and secure closed with toothpicks. Combine remaining ingredients and pepper to taste in a bowl and rub over outside of steaks. Grill or broil about 5 inches from heat source 4-5 minutes per side, or longer for more well done meat.
Remove toothpicks before serving.

Crunch Curl Combo

2009-07-31T05:56:00.001-07:00

Soy Protein Why It Is Bad And How To Replace It

2009-07-30T09:34:00.000-07:00

Chlorine in Your Baby Carrots

2009-07-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

The small cocktail or “baby” carrots you buy are made using the larger crooked or deformed carrots which are put through a machine which cuts and shapes them into cocktail carrots. You might have known that already. But what you might not know is that once the carrots are cut and shaped into cocktail carrots, they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine in order to preserve them.

When a baby carrot turns white (“white blushing”), this causes the bags of carrots to be pulled from the shelf and thrown away. To prevent this consumer waste, the carrots are dipped in chlorine to prevent the white blushing from happening.

Chlorine is a very well-known carcinogen. Organic growers instead use a citrus based, nontoxic solution called Citrox.

Sources:

Eco Child’s Play February 19, 2009

World Carrot Museum

Green Daily February 19, 2009

Vacation Season!

2009-07-27T09:49:00.001-07:00

It is vacation season and we all need to get away every once and awhile. Whether you go out of town or out to dinner you should remember to always take "precautions". If you take the proper steps you can minimize the effect of bad foods, lack of water, and no exercise.

Try taking some digestive enzymes before you eat any meal not made to your purity standards. A Primal Defense is good for this as well, giving you beneficial bacteria as well as giving you a jump on digestion.

Take a resistance band with you! Your workout will be intense and you can nearly do everything that you could do with weights. This is good so that you can keep encouraging muscle growth and it will help you burn of some of those calories consumed.

Take your mug with you, no not your beer mug your water mug. Use large glass for water and take it with you and try to get the same amount or more depending on your activity as you would at home.

Helpful tips for staying healthy and keeping up your progress for the very fun vacation season. Have a good one and remember to stay healthy.

6 a.m. Boot Camp Class!

2009-07-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

Video Blog #1

2009-07-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

FDA Changes Tylenol Warnings But Doesn’t Tell You How to Take it Safely

2009-07-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

FDA advisers have recommended lowering the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen -- the key ingredient in Tylenol, Excedrin and many other pain-killing medications.

The advisers' vote followed the release of a report last month, which found that severe liver damage and even death can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen can cause such injury.

Many people may take more than the recommended dose of acetaminophen-based pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will be more effective without posing health risks. And consumers may also not know that acetaminophen is present in many over-the-counter products, including remedies for colds, headaches and fevers, making it possible to exceed the recommended acetaminophen dose accidentally.

Source:
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/06/30/fda-advisers-urge-smaller-doses-of-acetaminophen.html

Text Updates! Stay Informed About Boot Camps And Other Events

2009-07-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

Group text messaging by Tatango.