The Wonders of Asparagus

Wonderful local organic Asparagus is abundance in the summer months.

A highly prized perennial vegetable considered to as a delicacy in many a country with many health benefits, the high folate content makes it a wonderful food to eating if your pregnant as it will help guard against birth defects & heart disease.

Wonderful served warm with olive oil, lemon juice & salt.

Food Combination

Digestive enzymes are secreted in very specific amounts and at very specific times. Different food types require different digestive secretions. Carbohydrate foods require carbohydrate-splitting enzymes, whereas protein foods require protein splitting enzymes, etc. It is the knowledge of the digestive process that has led many health practitioners to promote efficient food combing, the rules of which are briefly explained below:

1. Carbohydrate foods and acid foods should not be eaten at the same meal. Do not eat bread, rice or potatoes with lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, pineapples, tomatoes or other sour fruits. This is because the enzyme, ptyalin, acts only in an alkaline medium; it is destroyed even by a mild acid! Fruit acids not only prevent carbohydrate digestion, but they also produce a fermentation. Oxalic acid, for example, diluted to one part in 10,000 completely arrests the action of ptyalin. And, there is enough acetic acid in one teaspoon of wine vinegar to completely halt salivary digestion. Dr Percy Howe of Harvard Medical School states:
"Many people who cannot eat oranges at a meal derive great benefit from eating them fifteen to thirty minutes before the meal". Herbert Sheldon, author of 'The science and fine art of food and nutrition' reports: " I have put hundreds of patients , who have told me that they could not eat oranges or grapefruit, upon a diet of these fruits and they found that they could take them. Such people are in the habit of taking these foods with a breakfast of cereal, with cream and sugar, egg on toast, stewed prunes and coffee, or some similar meal."
Tomatoes should also never be combined with starchy food as the combination of the various acids in the tomato, which are intensified on cooking, are very much opposed to the alkaline digestion of starches. They may be eaten with leafy vegetables and fat foods.
What all this tends to mean is that people who say they cannot eat oranges or grapefruit as it gives them gas, could be blaming the fruit, when the problem may lie with the escape of starches and the bodies release of pancreatic juice and intestinal enzymes to break them down.
In cases where there is hyperacidity of the stomach there is great difficulty digesting starches. Fermentation and poisoning of the body occurs along with much discomfort. This is because the digestion of carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and of protein is so different, that when they are mixed in the stomach they interfere with the digestion of each other. An acid process (gastric digestion) and an alkaline process (salivary digestion) can not be carried on at the same time in an ideal way in the stomach. Before long, they cannot proceed at all , as the rising acidity of the stomach soon completely stops carbohydrate digestion. The highest efficiency in digestion demands that we eat in such a way as to offer the least hindrance to the work of digestion.

2. Do not eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal. This means do not eat nuts, meat, eggs, cheese, or other protein foods at the same meal with bread, cereals, potatoes, sweet fruits. Cakes, etc. Candy and sugar greatly inhibit the secretion of gastric juice and markedly delay digestion and if consumed in large quantities can depress the stomach activity.

3. Do not eat two concentrated proteins at the same meal. Avoid nuts and meat, or eggs and meat, cheese and nuts, cheese and eggs, meat and milk, or eggs and milk or nuts at milk at the same meal. Milk, if taken at all, is best taken alone. The reason for avoiding eating these combinations is because each protein requires a specific character and strength of digestive juice to be secreted. Eggs require different timing in stomach secretions than do either meat or milk.

4. Do not eat fats with proteins. This means do not use cream, butter, oil, etc with meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, etc. Fat depresses the action of the gastric glands by delaying the development of appetite juices and inhibiting the pouring out of the proper gastric juices for meats, nuts, eggs or other protein. Fats may lower the entire gastric tone more than fifty per cent.

5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins. This is to say, oranges, tomatoes, lemons, pineapples, etc., should not be eaten with meat, eggs, cheese or nuts. Acid fruits seriously hamper protein digestion and results in putrefaction. Milk and orange juice, while by no means an indigestible combination, is far from a good combination. Orange juice and eggs form an even worse combination.

6. Do not consume starch and sugars together. Jellies, jams, fruit, butter, sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, etc., on bread, cake, or at the same meal with cereals, potatoes, etc., or sugar with cereal, will produce fermentation. The practice of eating starches that have been disguised by sweets is also a bad way to eat carbohydrates. If sugar is taken into the mouth it quickly fills with saliva but no ptyalin is present which we know is essential for starch digestion.

7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal. This rule is more important as a means of overeating than as a means of avoiding a bad combination. While overeating of starches may lead to fermentation, there is no certainty that the combination of two starches will do so.

8. Do not consume melons with any other foods. Watermelon, muskmelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and other melons should always be eaten alone. This is possibly due to the ease and speed in which melons decompose.

9. Milk is best taken alone or let alone. Milk is the natural food of the mammalian young, each species producing milk peculiarly and precisely adapted to the needs of its young. It is the rule that the young take the milk alone, not in combination with other foods. Milk does not digest in the stomach, but in the duodenum, hence in the presence of milk the stomach does not respond with its secretion. The use of acid fruits with milk does not cause any trouble and apparently does not conflict with its digestion.

A suggested combination of meals is included in the following plan of eating three meals a day :
Breakfast Fruit. Any fruit in season may be used. It is suggested that not more than three fruits be used at a meal, as, for example, grapes, well ripened bananas and an apple. It is well to have an acid fruit breakfast one morning and a sweet breakfast the next. In season breakfast may be made of melons. In the winter months, one or two dried fruits such as figs, dates, raisins, prunes, etc., may be substituted for the fresh fruit.

Lunch A large raw vegetable salad of lettuce, celery, and one or two other raw vegetables plus avocado and alfalfa sprouts or nut and seeds. As an alternative, a vegetable salad (omitting tomatoes), one cooked green vegetable and a starch.

Dinner A large raw vegetable salad (if nuts or cottage cheese are to be used as the protein, tomatoes may be used in this salad), two cooked non-starchy vegetables and a protein.
Fat meats, sour apples, beans, peanuts, peas, cereals, bread and jam, or hot cakes and honey or syrup, are notoriously slow in digestion and are frequent sources of discomfort and putrescent poisoning.

http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/DietandLifestyle/Food_combining.htm

GOAT'S CHEESE

Health Benefits
Goat's milk is a very good source of calcium and a good source of protein, phosphorous, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and potassium. Perhaps the greatest benefit of goat's milk, however, is that some people who cannot tolerate cow's milk are able to drink goat's milk without any problems. Allergy to cow's milk has been found in many people with conditions such as recurrent ear infections, asthma, eczema, and even rheumatoid arthritis. Replacing cow's milk with goat's milk may help to reduce some of the symptoms of these conditions.

Goat's milk can sometimes even be used as a replacement for cow's milk-based infant formulas for infants who have difficulties with dairy products. Unfortunately, goat's milk is lacking in several nutrients that are necessary for growing infants, so parents interested in trying goat's milk instead of cow's milk-based formula for their infants should ask their pediatricians or other qualified healthcare practitioners for recipes and ways to add these important and vital nutrients. For older children and adults, however, goat's milk can be an excellent calcium-rich alternative to cow's milk as, in addition to calcium, it contains many of the same nutrients found in cow's milk.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=131

Healthy Eating, the Natural Way!

You might have heard about Juicing, and the trendy juice bars in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other major cities. But for some, juicing has become a way of life. And now Gram understands why. Energy, weight control, restful sleep, no indigestion (not even one bout of acid reflux) - the overt bonanza of juicing, even in the early stages. And this, during a stressful period on the Day Job! "My, my," thought Gram; "Like a natural tranquilizer in a glass."

And is it tasty! Never mind all the health benefits - terms like natural enzymes and phytochemicals purported to fight disease/ dis-ease in the human body. Well, those, too. Who among us wouldn't like to be healthier and feel better, less lethargic and out of sorts?

But having a background in human services, Gram has long known that a client's mood swings and even a teen's unruly behavior can be improved with a sound, nutritious diet. More people have various food allergies than one might suspect. So it stands to reason that what we eat or don't eat can affect the way we feel. If we think of our bodies as efficient machines, then we are more likely to think of food as fuel.

Since the juicer arrived, Gram has assembled a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at least once a day. Scrubbing produce with a stiff vegetable brush, lining up the items to go into the juicer, we've aimed for a quart of juice at each session. Some super vegetable combinations: cucumber, celery, spinach, green pepper, a small apple (nothing peeled, mind you - just core the apple and seed the pepper); carrots, apples, yellow squash, celery, lemon (again, nothing peeled except for removing the lemon rind); tomato, carrot, celery, kale. Fruit juices that are very good: cantaloupe, apple, carrot; watermelon, lemon, celery; blueberry, honeydew; pineapple, orange, lemon. Each juicing experiment has resulted in another "favorite." In the vegetable combinations, we've added a tablespoon or two of wheat germ or brewer's yeast, to add protein. Also, an assortment of sprouts - but keep reading for more about sprouting.

In the meantime, we'll be juicing. Is there really a Fountain of Youth? Our juicer just may be the closest thing.

All you need for a kitchen powerhouse of fresh foods and unparalleled nutrition during the winter months: a few Mason or mayonnaise jars, several 4" x 4" squares from old pantyhose (the top part is best), and some rubber bands. You also need a safe source of seeds and dried beans, most likely your local health or natural foods store -- because whatever you use must be organic, e.g., not treated with chemicals.

It's all about enzymes -- and how freshly sprouted foods are loaded with them. It's about vitamins and fiber, too. Here are some choices: adzuki beans, alfalfa, barley, beans of almost any kind, buckwheat, broccoli, clover, kale, chive, chickpeas (or garbanzos), chia, cress, mung beans, fenugreek, lentil (must be whole to sprout, not halves), radish, soybean, triticale, wheat.

Then you place a 1 to 2" layer of seed or bean in a Mason jar, cover the jar with the nylon square, and secure the square over the mouth of the jar with a rubber band. Fill with water a few inches above your layer, and let soak for 2 to 8 hours or overnight (the larger beans need a lot longer than small seed such as alfalfa or clover). Drain the jar and invert at a 45 degree angle in your dish drainer (or in a large plastic margarine tub in your kitchen sink). Rinse with water and drain several times a day. When sprouted in the next few days (again, depending on the size of the bean or seed), rinse and drain, put a lid on the jar, and refrigerate. Use within 3 to 5 days.
What can you do with these dietary nuggets? Use mung beans in eggs foo yung, and certainly in stir-fries. You can toss into soup during the last few minutes, put alfalfa sprouts into an omlet, even make bread. Incorporate in meatloaf or burgers. Throw the sprouts into your juicer with either fruit or veggie blends, for a beverage so loaded with nutrients it might even add spring to your step! But the quickest, easiest way is to include them in a big green salad.

With fast food and packaged frozen dinners which comprise so much of the American diet, people simply aren't getting enough fiber. Our foods are mostly processed. When was the last time, other than salad or an apple, you enjoyed anything raw?

http://www.articlepedia.net/index.php?CatID=26&ArtID=36030

Quinoa

Its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat Wheat or rice (which are low in lysine , quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete food. This means it takes less quinoa protein to meet one's needs than wheat protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest.

Quinoa is like rice - it loves company. It goes well with spicy vegetarian stews, with potato dishes, or in a veggie pilaf. It loves to be sauted and spiced. It cooks very much like rice, in a variety of dishes, but it's at it's best in savory recipes. Quinoa is similar to couscous when cooked, but is more substantial, tasty and nourishing. It's the ideal grain dish for vegetarians and vegans.

4 - 6 Servings: You'll need a 2 quart stainless steel pot with a tight fitting lid for this quinoa recipe - Judy Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

1. Ingredients:
   1 cup quinoa
   1 1/2 cups cold water
   1/2 tsp salt

Helpful Hints:
Quinoa has high oil content, so should be stored in the fridge or freezer to avoid becoming rancid

Quinoa is coated with saponin, which will give it a bitter taste unless you wash it very thoroughly - those tiny flaky bits iA tight fitting lid is essential for even n the rinse water are the saponin

It's better if you soak if first, but if you don't have much time, try five minutes and an extra rinse. You can actually leave quinoa or any whole grain to soak for several hours, if necessary, with no harm done.

Because of it's high protein and fat content, quinoa is a satisfying meal with a few nuts and veggies added (see recipes below)

Directions: The best way to prepare quinoa to remove all bitter taste
Soak the in the pot, add the watequinoa first for 15 min - 1/2 hour in the pot you plan to cook it in.

Soaking loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which is what gives quinoa a bitter taste.
Stir it with your hand, and carefully pour off the rinsing water, using a seive at the last.
Put the quinoa back in the pot, add more water, and rinse again two or three more times.
Drain well in the seive.

Place quinoa & salt - filtered or spring water are best.
Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid.
Turn the heat down to simmer, cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on.
Fluff gently with a fork and serve.

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/recipes/basic-quinoa.php

Spirulina

Spirulina, a blue-green algae, is the immortal descendent of the earth's original life form. Over 3.5 billion years ago, blue-green algae produced our oxygen atmosphere so life could evolve. Much later on, wild harvests of spirulina nourished peoples in Central America and Africa.
After decades of extensive research and testing, scientists and doctors worldwide are hailing spirulina as the greatest and most important nutritional discovery in history. This blue green algae offers the most powerful concentration of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients ever seen in any food, plant, grain or herb. Because of this high concentration of easily digestible nutrients, spirulina is preferred as a food supplement by athletes, dieters, convalescents, vegetarians, bodybuilders, health practitioners and people of all ages who are attentive to their health.


Medical research has shown that spirulina produces the following results:Energy Enhancement & AnaemiaSpirulina markedly increases available energy - it is very rich in vitamin E and bio-chelated iron (for enriched blood/cellular oxygenation).SlimmingSpirulina normalises weight with effective natural appetite suppressants, by stimulating glandular functions (youth/sex hormones), increasing metabolism; and by satisfying the body's real biochemical needs by optimising nutrition.Stress/PMT ReliefSpirulina is extremely effective for stress reduction and relief restoring and enhancing our normal biological control systems.



It is the world's richest source of antioxidants and GLA (the active ingredient in Evening Primrose Oil).Cholesterol ReductionA recent medical study has shown that spirulina, taken regularly, has the ability to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL undesirable fat) levels in the blood.Antibiotic, Anti-Fungal EffectsSpirulina inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.Cancer suppressantA recent study has shown that daily ingestion of a small amount of spirulina maintains or accelerates normal lymphocyte (immune control cell) function to prevent generation of malignancy, such as cancer, or to inhibit its growth or recurrence.Wound healingStudies have shown that spirulina in creams, ointments, and taken orally, accelerates wound healing, promotes skin metabolism and reduces scarring.



HIV/AIDSExtracts from spirulina have been shown to kill HIV - the virus associated with AIDS - in vitro.Vitamin B12The bioavailability of vitamin B12 in Spirulina is in dispute. Several biological assays have been used to test for the presence of vitamin B12.



The most popular is the US Pharmacopeia method using the Lactobacillus leichmannii assay. Studies using this method have shown Spirulina to be a minimal source of bioavailable vitamin B12. However, this assay does not differentiate between true B12 (cobalamin) and similar compounds (corrinoids) that cannot be used in human metabolism. Cyanotech, a grower of spirulina, claims to have done a more recent assay, which has shown Spirulina to be a significant source of cobalamin. However the assay is not published for scientific review and so the existence of this assay is in doubt.



Spirulina is unsurpassed in its power to help enhance metabolism and normalise weight, makes you feel younger, stronger and sharper, give you a powerful sense of potency and aliveness, and a greater resistance to stress, tiredness and disease. Our spirulina is grown organically and spray dried at very low temperature so valuable nutrients are preserved



http://www.purewellbeing.com/index1.html

Bee Pollen

Professor Nicolai Tsitsin, a biologist and experimental botanist of the Longevity Institute of the former USSR, studied centenarians in the Caucasus mountains of Georgia and discovered many Georgians living past 100 years and up to 150 years were beekeepers who eat raw, unprocessed honey with high concentrations of pollen. He attributed this longevity to the action of pollen, and concluded that, taken regularly, pollen will prolong the human lifespan considerably.

Now, pollen is eaten by millions of health-conscious people worldwide. Many international and Olympic athletes from all over the world also eat pollen.What is pollen? Pollen is the male element of flowers. It has enormous nutritive and medicinal properties and forms the ovules, the starting point of the production of fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables. Bees gather pollens which are mixed with nectar to make pellets that are carried into the beehive. A teaspoonful contains approximately 1,200 pellets, each pellet containing 2Ö billion grains of pollen, each capable of fertilising and creating a fruit, a vegetable, a flower, or a stalk of grain. Pollen is a very nutritionally complete food and has the potential to contribute as a major food source for humans.

Flower pollen possesses 185 known nutritional ingredients, including twenty-two amino acids (and more of all the eight essential ones by weight than the traditional high protein foods), twenty-seven minerals, the full range of known vitamins, plus enzymes, carbohydrates, fats, and plant growth hormones and other trace substances not yet identified.

Medical studies have shown the following benefits of pollen:- Allergies: Pollen has an ability to immunize the body against anemophile (wind and air blown) pollens and relieves allergic symptoms.- Anaemia: Pollen has been shown in studies to provoke a rapid increase in blood haemoglobin.- Cancer: A US Department of Agriculture research project concluded that pollen is useful as a cancer preventative and restrictor of tumour development. - Chelation: Pollen allows more oxygen to reach the body and brain cells by acting as an atherosclerotic flushing agent (a chelator). - Stamina and Vitality: were increased for those using pollen on a regular basis.- Convalescence: Pollen brings about a rapid increase in weight and energy during convalescence.Intestinal: Pollen shows a regulatory action on intestinal functions - both on constipation as well as in cases of diarrhoea resistant to antibiotics.- Menstruation: Pollen has been shown to bring relief in cases of painful and irregular menstruation.Radiation: Laboratory animals exposed to high doses of radiation have been shown to have been protected by including pollen in their diet.- Relaxation: Pollen produces a calming, tranquillising, and sedating effect without any side effects.- Wound-healing: Pollen has been shown to increase the rate of healing, reduce scarring and prevent infection.

The United States Department of Agriculture (1992) tested and compared Bee Pollen with other fruit and vegetables and found that Bee Pollen, on a per calorie basis:- has twice as much iron as any other common food type. Iron is essential for the effective flow of oxygen throughout the body. Bee Pollen contains over seven times more iron than beef.- is higher in protein than most high-protein foods. Bee Pollen contains up to 50% more muscle-building protein than beef does- is a valuable source of calcium. Strong bone development depends on high levels of dietary calcium. Bee Pollen contains twice as much calcium as milk.- contains the strong antioxidant vitamins A (beta carotene), C and E, and was found to contain higher levels of beta carotene than all common foods except tomatoes.- is an excellent source of three B Vitamins: Thiamin, Riboflavin and Niacin.Bee Pollen has the highest natural level of folic acid (folate) of any common food, which may support the prostate gland and cell regeneration.

It also contains natural antioxidants, of which the flavonoid quercetin is useful for helping the body’s natural response to allergens. Bee Pollen has also been shown to assist with energy levels, stamina, and athletic performance.

Pollen is becoming popular for curing cases of acne, obesity, lost appetite, weakness, loss of weight, intestinal disorders, psychosis, neurasthenia, retarded growth, cerebral haemorrhage, memory loss, general debility, minimal brain dysfunction in children, convalescence, and general malaise.A study comparing cracked-shell pollen and natural pollen, such as Comvita Bee Pollen, showed there was no significant difference in terms of the bioavailability of a number of key components (Lister 1999)Our pollen is certified organic harvested in New Zealand from native flowers.

http://www.purewellbeing.com/index1.html

Goji Berry

The Goji berry is a deep-red, dried fruit about the same size as a raisin. It's very sweet and tastes something like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. We love adding them to smoothies, trail-mix, cereals & eating them on just their own or with cacao beans.

Nicknamed the "happy berry" for its ability to restore a person's vitality, Tibet Authentic's goji berry is grown in the wild on the pristine Tibetan Plateau, without pesticides or fertilizers, in earth that is free from pollution, fed by pure snowmelt.

Are you wondering how a tiny red berry can have such a positive effect on your health?

* To start, the goji berry is higher in antioxidants than any other known food.
* The goji berry contains 18 amino acids – the building blocks for protein.
* The goji berry contains over 12 times more protein than apples, oranges, or strawberries.
* The goji berry is a better source of beta-carotene than carrots themselves.
* 21 trace minerals, including Germanium
* 6 essential fatty acids including Linoleic acid, which significantly promotes body fat loss
* Vitamins B1, B2, B6, E
* 500 times more Vitamin C than oranges
* 4 Unique Polysaccharides (Master Molecules) found in no other food source
* 15 times more nutritional iron than spinach
* Beta Sitosterol: An anti-inflammatory agent found to lower cholesterol, and used to treat sexual impotence and prostrate enlargement.
* Zeaxanthin and Lutine: Valued for their role in protecting the eyes.
* Betaine: Used by the liver to produce Choline which assists detoxification reactions in the liver. Betaine is known to protect DNA, enhance memory, promote muscle growth and protects us from fatty liver disease.
* Cyperone: A sesquiterpene used in treatment of cervical cancer.

It is also known to benefit heart and blood pressure problems as well as menstruation problems. * Solavetivone: A powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent. * Physalin: A natural compound that boosts the immune system. Found to be effective in treating leukaemia, hepatitis B and cancer.

Goji Berry Antioxidants Free radicals damage cells and DNA, increase the cancer risk, and accelerate the aging rocess. The more antioxidants, the more effective the neutralizing capacity is in slowing down the aging process. If free radicals go unchecked, they can even attack and damage DNA, possibly causing deformation and mutation of the blueprinted cells.

Immunity Enhancer
Due to aging, the body's immune system often becomes dysfunctional, where in immune cells can have difficulty recognizing the difference between the body's cells and foreign cells. This can lead to auto-immune problems. The polysaccharides found in Goji berries have been known to inhibit three kinds of inflammation. These polysaccharides were also found to stimulate the interleukin-2 and gamma interferon, which are anti-inflammatory and induce immune responses.


http://www.purewellbeing.com/index1.html

Good Oils

Palm Oil
Coconut Oil
Peanut Oil
Olive Oil

Finest Oils on the face of the world.

Guacamole

Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, chopped roughly but thoroughly.
1tsp olive oil
Himalayan rock salt/Celtic sea salt to taste
Finely chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Simply mix everything together. You can also add fresh lemon juice, herbs or chopped garlic if you desire. Serve alongside salad, use with freshly chopped vegetables as a dip, or wrap in lettuce leaves as a filling

Hummus

*200g Chickpeas (for raw version, soak and sprout chickpeas first, then use directly in recipe. For cooked version, either sprout chickpeas or merely soak overnight, then boil for approximately 1½ hours on a low heat). 3tbsp Tahini
*Juice of half a lemon
*2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
*Herb salt to taste
*1tbsp olive oil (optional)
*Water to thin

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor, adjusting quantities as necessary until you reach the desired consistency and flavour. Serve alongside salad, use with freshly chopped vegetables as a dip, or wrap in lettuce leaves as a filling

Big Salads

Try to vary your salads to keep them interesting - here are some ideas:

-use a few types of lettuce/fresh spinach/baby leaves/different greens mixed together.
-try different types of tomato, including sun-dried.
-finely grate down vegetables such as carrot, courgette and beetroot for colour and variety.
-use yellow bell pepper for a flash of colour.
-sprinkle seeds on for a nutritious topping, e.g. sesame, ground linseed, pumpkin.
-slice in olives or avocado for some essential fats.
-add pieces of pre-soaked seaweed or seaweed flakes/powder.
-experiment with salad dressings.
-chop nuts in for flavour and fats, e.g. pistachios, brazils.
-grow your own delicious and nutritious sprouts. Alfalfa´s good for beginners.
-add in fresh herbs and edible flowers for something tasty and appealing

http://www.rawreform.com/content/blogcategory/20/99/

Chocolate Ice Cream

• 
  
  
  Frozen bananas (peeled and sliced into chunks)
• Carob/cacao powder

This is so gorgeously wonderful and simple - just mix the ingredients together in a food processor until smoothly whipped (this can take quite a long time) and eat immediately.

http://www.rawreform.com/content/blogcategory/20/99/

Stop Counting Calories &
Enjoy Your Weight Loss

How many overweight wild antelope have you ever seen? What about morbidly obese zebras waddling around the savannah? Wild animals don’t deal with overweight or obesity issues. Wild animals don’t usually eat cooked or processed foods. They eat raw foods, in their natural state and maintain ideal body weight. The human body is designed to run on the clean fuel of raw foods too, just like all the other animals. Through our experiments with cooking and processing foods however, we have moved ever further away from simplicity, towards the so-called “Franken-foods” and we pay for it with our health. Our addictions to processed starches, refined sugars and greasy foods lead to widespread obesity, which we then try to “fix” with yet more processed, chemical pills, powders and packet foods.

The majority of people in the UK and USA are dealing with overweight or obesity issues. The consequences are enormous from increased illness and medical costs, to lost work days, family tensions and more. The obesity epidemic infiltrates all aspects of life. Not surprisingly then, the weight loss market is one of the largest industries in the world and growing constantly. Bombarded with slimming plans, pills, powders, and pre-packaged, processed diet foods, slimmers fret about calories, fat grams, low-carb, no-carb and all number of issues. There are literally thousands of different diets available and a HUGE amount of conflicting information. It can be very confusing to decide how to lose weight.

In contrast, a raw food lifestyle is all about keeping it simple. No more calorie counting or portion controlling it’s about returning to natural, nutrient-rich foods. Choosing to simply include more raw foods daily, as part of a permanent lifestyle change, can help you lose weight, detox and enjoy much more energy.

Stop counting calories ENJOY your weight loss...
The effects of going raw are well-documented we look younger, hair and nails strengthen, skin gets clearer, pores tighten, eyes brighten, depression lifts, diseases heal and we feel energised. People undergo raw-markable’ transformations ;). In addition to all those benefits, swift, sustainable weight loss is one of the primary effects of beginning a diet rich in raw foods. In my first year raw, for example, I lost around 7.5 stone (105lbs). If this lifestyle’s sustained, the weight loss is also easily maintained. I released around 11.5 stone (160lbs) in total and have kept it off for over three years.

This is a completely different approach to “dieting”. It’s not about how many calories something contains, the fat grams or the endorsements on the packaging. It’s about how it feels in your body - do you enjoy it, are you energised by it, are you feeling better?

The raw lifestyle is extremely cleansing. The body goes through an incredible transformation: toxins, including fats that have accumulated over years are released through massive detox. The body always works towards health, so when it suddenly receives potent enzyme and nutrient rich food with which to clean and cure itself, it seizes the opportunity to become much healthier, very quickly. In my opinion, eating more raw is easily the most natural, simple and rapid path to sustained weight loss available.

Most people however seem to look towards those unsustainable “quick-fix” solutions for weight loss like dieting,”miracle” powders/pills or even bariatric surgery. These solutions rarely provide satisfactory results in the long-run.

Diets Don’t Work
The truth is that diets don’t work. Often, people just lose excess water when dieting. They’re thrilled to see a lower number on the scales and soon revert back to previous habits. They then re-gain weight (and often extra), ending up in a "yo-yo" dieting situation. So, how is going raw different? I don’t see this as a temporary patch-up solution, or a diet we go "on", waiting to come off again at some point; for me, it’s a genuinely effective and loving lifestyle choice. We adjust to a permanent new abundance of fresh, raw food, which cleanses the body, nourishes and sustains us.

This path doesn’t chain you to endless diet club sessions and expenditures, nor is it funded by any multi-national pharmaceutical company. There is no big business behind raw fruits and vegetables - it is just simple, natural and effective. The great news too is that you don’t have to eat 100%, completely raw to feel the benefits just eating more raw than cooked food will begin your healing. If you can simultaneously remove the primary "nasties" in your diet i.e. processed starches, refined sugars, pasteurised dairy - your cleansing and weight loss will progress dramatically.

One definition of madness is to keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Yet people comeoff a diet, revert back to previous eating habits and are surprised to find they re-gain weight and feel the same as before. A KEY aspect to understand is that making committed changes to your lifestyle will bring about complete changes in your body and well-being.

You are what you eat. Did you ever wonder what that really means? The foods you eat literally make up your cells. Consider food as messages to your body cells for a moment. The optimal foods for your body are natural things it can easily recognise. Your body canunderstand the message when you eat fresh watermelon for example much more easily than denatured, pre-packaged low-fat ready-meals. The body has to work much harder to unpack the information in the ready meal. It likely contains any number of preservatives, stabilisers, processed starches, trans-fats and so on things that simply don’t occur in nature. There may be all kinds of claims on the box about how it will help you slim down and gain energy, but those aren’t the messages your body receives. With cooked/processed foods, the body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs, so it keeps asking for more, which ironically often leads to eating huge amounts of empty foods, like pasta, sweets and snack foods. When we eat mainly raw foods, the body gets what it needs - enzymes, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients - in a form that’s easily understandable and useable.

The same principle goes for trying to lose weight permanently and successfully using medicines/pills. The body doesn’t recognise such chemicals they only complicate matters in the long run. In the short term they may raise your metabolism and help you burn some fat, but in the long-term it is hard to even know what damage these chemicals may cause. Making long-term, permanent changes to your FOOD intake is the optimal way to natural weight loss, not ingesting chemical pills alongside a life-less diet. As Hippocrates put it Let food be thy medicine.
How do I eat raw for weight loss?

For most people, “going raw” seems like a huge change. I want to re-emphasise that to see real and effective weight loss, there is no demand that you MUST be 100% raw, now or ever, or indeed do anything that doesn’t feel comfortable to you. Try starting with baby steps. Ultimately, the most important message here is to EAT MORE RAW it doesn’t matter if you begin at 50, 60 or 70% raw, as long as you’re eating more raw than you used to, and more raw foods than dead, cooked foods (or at least equal amounts of each), you will start to see results.
In the beginning especially, if you’re coming from a junk food background, like I was, anything is an improvement as you’re moving away from processed foods towards more natural produce. People usually fear that to eat more raw means it’s all carrot sticks and apples from here on. That need not be the case at all. It’s possible to produce incredibly lavish raw meals, as gourmet as you like. The advantage with raw foods is that even if you eat raw cake all day long in the beginning (not recommended ;), you would still likely lose weight, because you’re NOT eating those other toxic foods anymore and you ARE receiving masses more nutrients. When dieting, people often feel deprived, as they’re calorie counting and weighing foods and these restrictions can feel very un-nurturing. As a result, when the diet ends, they often swing into binge eating. Eating raw can alleviate so much of that pattern.

Just go for it, try it out for a day, a week or even a month and see the difference in your appearance, energy and health. The more raw foods you ingest compared to cooked, the more opportunity you have to release toxins/excess weight and regain health. The choice is yours, but the minimum level I suggest starting at is 50% raw (by weight, not volume of the food) and work up from there. That might mean eating only fruits before lunch, salads with all cooked meals, choosing all raw snacks and so on.

Taking it at YOUR pace
Remember: this is about long-term, realistic changes, not about magic-bullet’ solutions or being perfect at being raw, so take things at a pace that’s comfortable for you. Be aware that making a huge change from a very unhealthy diet to very high raw can be extremely demanding in terms of detox and you may experience a healing crisis’ if you push too far, too fast. Your body stores many toxins in fatty tissue, so the faster the fat breaks down, the faster the toxins are released and too many toxins released too quickly can cause discomfort. Be sure to incorporate colon cleansing to aid the elimination process. Going 100% raw has many health benefits, including a clearer system, increased assimilation and greater energy and I certainly recommend it in the long-run, but in the beginning, it’s usually beneficial to take your transition gently.

You might find at first that you feel like eating nuts constantly, along with three avocadoes a day. It’s ok. Avocadoes won’t make you fat. Fats are an area where people tend to feel confusion and fear. Raw fats are completely different to cooked fats. Whereas cooked fats clog up the body with all kinds of toxins, raw fats such as those from avocadoes, olives, coconuts, nuts, seeds and oils nourish the body, soften the skin and actually promote weight loss. This is mainly because raw fats still have enzymes intact, especially lipase, which helps to break fat down, whereas with cooked/processed fats, the enzymes are mostly destroyed.

It is very likely you will eat more food at the start of going raw than you will further along this path, as your nutrient assimilation slowly improves. As you progress therefore, you will likely want to reduce your fat intake, but in the beginning, nuts and avocadoes are very useful and not to be feared/avoided you can easily eat plenty of them and still lose weight ;)

Taking it to the next level beyond the physical
Something that really excites me about people going raw for weight loss is that it tends to foster exploration of many other aspects of themselves not just the physical. Rather than it all just being a weight issue’, people start to examine the emotional suppression and so on, underlying those excess pounds. They begin to unfold more and connect with hidden parts of themselves, reaching out to others for support. Far from being a shallow’ process of losing some fat/water, then reverting to old habits, this is about positive, real life changes. Working through these shifts may feel tough in the short-term, but overall will leave you clearer and less likely to return to self-destructive patterns.

I see going raw as an incredible path for natural weight loss and healing on all levels. If you want to experience genuine, lasting shifts in your health and vitality, I say go for it EAT MORE RAW - there’s nothing to lose but all that weight ;)

Top Three Tips for Successful Raw Weight Loss:

1. GET YOUR GREENS
Green vegetables alkalise and re-mineralise, which is vital for good health. At least one green drink daily is ideal try fresh vegetable juice, a green smoothie or simply green powder like spirulina/green superfood mixture with water. Eat greens too, but know that having them as liquids means you can ingest larger quantities, with more assimilable nutrients.

2. Avoid eating late at night
Key for losing weight and keeping it off. Try not to eat after around 7-8pm, as digestive power is weaker at night. Avoid going to sleep on a full stomach. Foods eaten late at night stick’ to the body much more.

3. ENJOY YOURSELF
I believe we’re here to enjoy ourselves. Avoid feelings of restriction and deprivation’ by being creative and playful with foods. This is a big lifestyle change for many and if you’re not having fun, it’s not likely you’ll sustain it, so ENJOY ;)

Raw food author and lifestyle consultant Angela Stokes lost an incredible 11.5 stone (160lbs) with a raw lifestyle, reversing morbid obesity. 28-year-old Angela started eating raw in May 2002 and has spent the last five years exploring and promoting raw foods and natural healthcare for weight loss. Her website, rawreform.com shares her own incredible story of recovery, along with guidance and inspiration for others. It includes videos, before/after pictures and she also blogs her raw adventures almost daily. Angela offers e-books, retreats, consultations and lectures internationally on raw foods. She can be contacted at angela@rawreform.com.

link:
http://gliving.tv/bodydesign/stop-counting-calories-–-enjoy-your-weight-loss/

SUGAR

Hidden in your food???

MEDIUM DRY WHITE WINE
200ml glass contains 2 teaspoons of sugar

TOMATO KETCHUP
One tablespoonful contains 1 teaspoon of sugar

STRAWBERRY JAM
One tablespoon contains 3 teaspoons of sugar

BOWL OF MUESLI
A 50g bowl contains 2 teaspoons of sugar

ORANGE JUICE
Just 125ml contains 2 teaspoons of sugar

MISO SOUP

Made from fermented soy bean paste. Makes a great snack. High in protien, minerals & vitamins & low in fat. Contails linolice acid whic reputedly lowers cholesterol & vitamin E which is said to slow aging!

Have a cup when three o'clock munchies hit.

What is Tahini? It is Sesame Seed Butter

Pitango Recipies
http://www.pitango.co.nz/info_our_chefs_suggestions.php

Preservatives

Potentially Harmful Additives

As referred to in the Inside New Zealand documentary screen 13th September

210 Benzoic Acid

211 Sodium Benzoate

220 Sodium Dioxide

221 Sodium Sulphite

225 Potassium Sulphite

226 Calicum Sulphite

249 Potassium Nitrite

250 Sodium Nitrate

251 Sodium Nitrate

252 Potassium Nitrite

Potentially Harmful Additives

Colours

- as referred to in the Inside New Zealand documentary
'What's really in our food' ....screened 13 September 2007

102 Tartazine

110 Sunset Yellow

123 Amaranth

124 Ponceau 4R

127 Erythrosine

129 Allura Red

133 Brillaint Blue

142 Green S

150 Caramels

155 Brown HT

Gluten Free


Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Going gluten-free means avoiding all of these foods, which are commonly found in everyday foods such as bread and pasta, cereals, sauces & processed foods.

A gluten free diet may benefit…

Celiac disease
M.S
Brain fog
Seizures
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
Autism
Diabetes
Ataxia
Joint pain
Auto-immune disorders

Obvious sources of gluten are items made from wheat, rye, oats and barley. Foods can also contain less obvious sources such as soy sauce, thickeners, starches, battered foods, crumbs, pastries, stuffings, canned or frozen vegetables in sauces, flavored tunas, meat pies, frozen dinners, tofu, soups, pasta, pizza, malted milk, ice cream, cheese mixtures, mustards, salad dressings, pickles, and BBQ.

Items that are safe to eat include fresh, frozen or canned vegetables with no sauce, fruit and vegetable juices, dried beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, fresh or smoked meats, fresh fruits, canned and frozen meats without sauce, bacon, ham, eggs, butter, margarine, oil, milk, cream, buttermilk, vinegar, tomato paste, tahini, gelatin, syrup, jam, honey, herbs, spices, water, tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, sherry, whisky, bourbon, vodka, rum, vermouth, tequila, and items labels as gluten free.

http://chronic-illness-treatments.suite101.com/article.cfm/benefits_of_a_glutenfree_diet

http://www.deliciouslivingmag.com/healthnotes/healthnotes.cfm?ContentID=1290001

http://www.happyjuicer.com/diet/gluten-free.asp

Autoimmune Hepatitis of the Liver



The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is found high in the right upper abdomen, behind the ribs. It is a very complex organ and has many functions.

They include:
Storing energy in the form of sugar (glucose)
Storing vitamins, iron, and other minerals
Making proteins, including blood clotting factors, to keep the body healthy and help it grow
Processing worn out red blood cells
Making bile which is needed for food digestion
Metabolizing or breaking down many medications and alcohol
Killing germs that enter the body through the intestine

The liver shoulders a heavy work load for the body, and almost never complains. It even has a remarkable power to regenerate itself. Still, it should not be taken for granted. The liver is subject to illnesses that can lead to permanent damage. One example is autoimmune hepatitis, a condition in which the body fights against its own liver.

What is Autoimmune Hepatitis?

The immune system consists of different types of white blood cells that help to fight infections. Some of these cells produce antibodies. Antibodies act as warriors. They defend the body by destroying bacteria, viruses and other foreign materials. There are different kinds of antibodies, each fighting against a specific foreign substance. Thus, the immune system protects the body against outside invasion by germs. But sometimes, the immune system mistakenly recognizes the body's own organs as foreign. It can develop antibodies against these organs. This can cause various illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. These illnesses are called autoimmune disorders because the body is literally fighting against itself.

When the immune system attacks the liver in this way, it is called autoimmune hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is not caused by a virus or bacteria, so it is not a contagious disease. Exactly what triggers the immune system against the liver is unknown. The inflammation is usually chronic, and without treatment it can cause serious injury to the liver.

Symptoms and Diagnosis Autoimmune hepatitis occurs mainly in adolescent or young adult women (about 70% of the time). However, there have also been cases of older women and men developing the disease. Early symptoms are the same as those for most types of hepatitis: fatigue, abdominal discomfort, and aching joints. These early symptoms are sometimes mild and mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu. So, it is wise for people with these symptoms to consult a physician. When autoimmune hepatitis progresses to severe cirrhosis, there may be jaundice (yellow coloring to the skin and eyes), marked swelling of the abdomen from fluid inside the abdomen, intestinal bleeding, or mental confusion.

The physician often suspects autoimmune hepatitis from the patient's medical history. For example, patients with other autoimmune diseases -- thyroiditis, ulcerative colitis, diabetes mellitus, vitiligo (a patchy loss of pigment in the skin), Sjogren's syndrome (a condition causing dry eyes and mouth) -- are more likely to have autoimmune hepatitis. A definite diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis is obtained with blood testing. Two antibodies that may develop in the blood are the ANA (antinuclear antibody) and the SMA (smooth muscle antibody). Also, a certain type of blood protein called gamma globulin is frequently elevated.

A liver biopsy is always needed to determine how much inflammation and scarring has developed. This exam is performed under local anesthesia. A slender needle is inserted through the right lower chest to extract a small piece of liver tissue. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. This information allows the physician to tailor the treatment to each individual patient.

The treatment of autoimmune hepatitis is aimed at curbing the autoimmune response, and therefore the damage to liver cells. It is most effective when begun at an early stage of the disease. In most cases, the initial treatment is with a cortisone drug, usually prednisone (trade names: Deltasone, Orasone). Sometimes a second drug, such as Imuran, may be added. The medication is taken daily, usually for at least a year. The physician may attempt to taper and stop treatment if the patient is doing well. However, a relapse often occurs, and the medication then must be restarted and taken indefinitely. There may be side effects with prednisone, such as swelling of the face, retention of fluid, and weight gain. Long-term treatment with these drugs may also cause loss of bone. This can lead to osteoporosis, or even severe damage to joints such as the shoulder and knee. Therefore, the physician uses the lowest dosage possible to decrease symptoms, improve liver tests, and slow liver damage.

Unfortunately, a few patients do not respond well to treatment, especially if the disease is diagnosed late and cirrhosis is well advanced. When the patient no longer responds to treatment with medication and liver damage is severe, a liver transplant is considered.

Liver transplantation is now an accepted form of treatment for chronic, severe liver disease. Advances in surgical techniques and the use of new drugs to suppress rejection have dramatically improved the success rate of transplantation. The outcome for patients with autoimmune hepatitis is excellent. Survival rates for this condition at transplant centers are well over 90 percent, with a good quality of life after recovery.

It is not a contagious disease, but it is a serious chronic disease that can lead to irreversible cirrhosis, and eventually to liver failure. However, the outlook for patients with autoimmune hepatitis is generally very favorable. With early diagnosis, drug treatment to prevent serious liver damage is effective in most patients. For those few patients who do not respond to other treatment, successful liver transplantation is now a standard form of therapy when liver damage is severe.

http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdlv33.htm

What's Really In Our Food?

Inside New Zealand



AIR DATE: 13-Sept-2007

New Zealanders eat a cocktail of food additives every day but don't realise that many of these additives are banned overseas, and we could be putting ourselves and our families at risk. Inside New Zealand investigated What’s Really In Our Food?

Take a look at the ingredient list of your favourite snack food and try to pronounce some of those multi-syllabic words. Do you know what soy lecithin, monosodium glutamate and sodium benzoate are?

With such massive chemical adulteration of the food we eat today, we are left asking: how safe is this chemical soup we call our ‘groceries’?

More than 4,000 additives are put in to the food we eat in New Zealand compared with the 3,000 added to foods sold throughout North America.

Even the standard Kiwi breakfast is chemical rich; our cereals, breads and drinks are full of artificial colours, sweeteners, preservatives and flavours, all of which independent experts say are behind an explosion of modern illnesses.

But what is even more worrying is that many of these additives are banned overseas. Like the food colouring amaranth. It has been linked to asthma, skin rashes and hyperactivity and is banned in many foreign countries.

Inside New Zealand dissects a typical Kiwi family’s diet, focusing on the amount of additives they consume and the health risks, while also demonstrating the psychology behind the use of additives and why food manufacturers use them.

Case studies reveal food additives that are responsible for debilitating illnesses or long term suffering, and in each case, people have reduced or eliminated the additives from their diet and experienced a remarkable improvement in their health.

Tune in to the eye opening documentary Inside New Zealand: What’s Really In Our Food?, screening Thursday, September 13 at 8:30pm.

PROGRAMME NOTES:
The book referenced during the show was 'The Chemical Maze – Your guide to food additives and cosmetic ingredients' by author Bill Stratham.

The copy of the book used for the show was sourced from Naturally Organic - http://www.naturallyorganic.co.nz/

Inside New Zealand Website
http://www.tv3.co.nz/Programmes/Reality/InsideNZ/tabid/86/articleID/33600/Default.aspx

"Face Challenge &

Be Disciplined"

It is easy to weaken discipline. Just spend years lying on the couch, watching TV, and eating junk food with no direction, goals or dreams. A lazy lifestyle weakens the discipline muscle to the point that getting out of bed takes effort. Even doing the dishes becomes work and searching for the TV converter is stressful.

Comfort is important. It gives happiness, right? I wish couch potatoes were the happiest people in the world. But, they are not. The couch is a prison cell, the TV a window to the outside world, a secure place that keeps out pain and rejection. The place is agony, for its walls scream you are powerless, hopeless, valueless with nothing to give. And so, couch potatoes live a miserable existence.

To gain discipline, you have to face pain. The more you face it, the more you gain confidence and determination. It is an exhilarating high to run five miles after you're conditioned to running. It hurts to start, but as your training progresses, there is a feeling of freedom and joy.Facing Challenge is exhilarating. We love competition for that reason. It challenges us to give our best.

We need challenge to grow. The greater the challenge, the greater the growth. That is why dreams are important; they bring us to the edge of challenge.

In choosing your goals, choose goals that will challenge you beyond what you believe you are capable of achieving. Usually the things that we don't want to do are the best for us. Morning exercise is arduous, but it is a great way to start the day. When we face pain, our determination becomes stronger. Facing pain develops resolve and shakes off that overly sensitive-to-life feeling. Calisthenics, cycling, running, swimming and weight lifting strengthen discipline because they pit determination against pain.

Controlling food intake is a serious challenge. It is time to pit your determination against pain and face the ugly giant … the feeling of hunger.

Are you up for challenges that will cause growth? Are you up for challenges that will force you to give your best? If you are, it's time to make some decisions, durable decisions that won't weaken during the onslaught of temptation. You may lose a few battles, but with resolute decisions you will win the war because resolute decisions are powered by focused determination that screams, "I won't quit or back down."Decision PowerWhen you ate the donuts, you made a decision. They comforted you and led you down the path of sugar-coated, chocolate-dipped, cream-filled pleasures. When the alarm clock rang and you went back to sleep, you made a decision. When you ate another piece of pie, you made a decision. When you lazed on the couch instead of cutting the grass, you made a decision. Each decision was a path, the easy road where you decided to give into your cravings, urges and laziness.

Most people make New Year's resolutions. They decide to quit smoking, start exercising and lose weight. Four days later, they're drowning in nicotine, pizza and reruns. Their resolution failed the test.

Where is the point where you have finally had enough and you make those resolute, I've-had-enough, never-go-back-again decisions? The ones that endure pain and stand the test of time.

Those are the decisions that change our lives. We don't argue with those decisions because we know the answer is, NO! They are resolute. Gandhi stood resolute and unbending before threats of pain, and freed India. That is the power of an unmovable, unshakable, unbending, uncompromising decision. It is the power that shakes empires and inspires millions.

Life-changing decisions don't pop into our heads while watching TV. They are forged, like swords in the fires of our souls. A sword to cut away useless desires and temptations. To slice habits from our character with deadly precision. Its steel is heated with passion and conviction, then shaped, molded and tempered with wisdom. Its edge glimmers with light, sharpened so that nothing may withstand it. It is the power of decision, a sword in the hands of a conqueror for those willing to endure its sharpness.

You make hundreds of decisions each day. Most are decided by habit. Don't do that. Make your decisions, conscious of the path on which they are taking you. Choose decisions that challenge and cause growth. Make the decisions that force change for the better.

How badly do you want to be free from food addiction? Are you willing to face the ugly giant called hunger? You have the power to form life-changing decisions, but only if you are willing to face the edge that cuts dross from your life.

There are so many things that we believe we need. We hang on to hollow pleasures to soothe our empty soul. But those pleasures chain us. Freedom comes from letting go of those pleasures. Are you willing?

Write out a list of your decisions.

http://www.healthrecipes.com/eat6.htm

Food Addiction

- Don't be a sucker.....

Artificial taste explodes in the mouth to stimulate your 9,000 taste buds into sending pleasure signals to the brain. The intensified pleasure effect is addictive. We don't care about the additives or empty calories. Chocolate & Sweets & Cakes are loaded with salt, sugar, caffeine and fat.

Strawberries and bananas don't cause cravings. You never feel guilty about eating too many cantaloupes. You never hear little voices in the back of your head saying eat, eat, eat cantaloupe. No, because natural foods balance the body and physical cravings are caused by biochemical imbalance. Street drugs, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, salt, saturated fat, refined starch and refined sugars cause cravings because they imbalance the body's chemistry.

Addictive substances cause the body to become dependent on an unnatural substance for homeostatic balance. Removing it will cause withdrawals. During withdrawal, the addict suffers through the painful readjustment as the body cries out for the missing substance. In a desperate attempt to maintain homeostasis, (chemical balance) the body demands the very substance that caused the imbalance.

The body’s homeostatic balance is affected by diet. Consumption of massive amounts of sugar, salt, caffeine or fried foods drastically affects homeostatic balance. Natural hunger becomes distorted as the body craves for the substances necessary for balance. The body reacts as it would to any addiction. Powerful cravings override the body’s natural needs.

Food allergies can also cause an addiction-like dependence due to homeostatic disturbance. Your favorite foods are usually the ones to which you are addicted.
Eating processed food creates cravings for more processed foods. Eat fried foods, and you crave more. Eat cooked food, and you crave it. Eat sugar-filled food, and you will crave it. The Hostess Munchies are nothing more than disguised cravings for salt and fat. They promise satisfaction, but artificial pleasure never satisfies. It is a pleasure that takes by first giving. It steals valuable nutrition from your diet by feeding your body empty calories.

Intense pleasure forms the most powerful triggers. For this reason, sex, drugs and food create the most powerful urges. A syringe, rolling papers, an X-rated video, McDonalds, anything that is associated with the pleasure, becomes a trigger for these powerful urges. Compelled by an urge, we feel pulled toward pleasure like steel to a magnet. The emotions overdrive and our body quivers with adrenaline. An addict may shake and sweat with the anticipation of pleasure.

A tennis player may also experience the same reaction before a championship. The body and mind are being prepared for action.

Urges are powerful at motivating us towards good or evil. Even the most powerful urge cannot negate our responsibility. We can never blame an urge for the action we have formed, built and accepted. We have given it power from the thoughts that we allowed to form.
Stolen RewardsDrugs hijack the natural reward system of humans. Smoking a joint feels like the relaxation similar to two hours in the gym. Heroin gives a pleasure similar to "runners high," the euphoric state experienced during long distance running. But, like all mood-altering drugs, the pleasure is stolen. It has not been gained honestly through effort, achievement or challenge.

Processed food hijacks the taste buds, stealing pleasure without giving nutrition. In nature, foods that taste good are good for us. Sweetness is an indicator of calories. Saltiness is an indicator of mineral content. A bittersweet taste, like lemon, is a sign of cleansing acids and vitamins. We like food with fats and oils because they supply calories and essential fatty acids. Natural oils and fats are high in calories and fat-soluble vitamins. Healthy food has a wholesome taste, a pleasure intended to reinforce healthy behavior.

KEY:

A Security Blanket Food can be used to medicate our feelings. Its pleasure gives a predictable lift. When we feel cranky, tired or lonely, food offers comfort. A comfort on which we can depend. A comfort that brings peace in an emotional storm. However, the reliance on food or any substance to feel better forms dependence.

The pleasure offered by mood-altering drugs and food can easily become a security blanket, insulating us from a harsh world. An emotional crutch that makes us weaker by leaning on it. Each time we use it natural emotional responses deteriorate, and the addict becomes emotionally dependent on the pleasure to control mood.

When we are dependent on a chemical or food to feel good, our self-worth is eroded. We no longer are in control. We are dependent. An addict never feels good about needing a drug. There is a feeling of being powerless that destroys self-esteem.

Every time we are tired, upset or frustrated and use food to feel good, that behavior is being etched deeply into our neuropathways. Whether that be eating potato chips, gambling, sexual perversion, horror movies or healthy activities like exercise or playing an instrument, the pleasure is creating triggers to repeat that behavior. Every time you enjoy a food that is unhealthy, use a mood-altering drug, engage in a perverse fantasy or enjoy being lazy you are creating triggers. Triggers that will activate emotions, becoming powerful urges to repeat that behavior.

After a lifetime's worth of indulgent triggers and twisted behaviors, we are out of control. Tidal waves crash upon the shore of our soul. There is no peace. The storm is relentless and the pain is endless. Hope is darkened. Only a glimmer remains. But it is enough to see.
Place a huge CAUTION sign over your pleasures. Choose your pleasures with great care. The pleasure of dopamine can move us forward towards a healthy, fulfilling life or endless indulgence. Through discipline, we can receive dopamine's pleasure from healthy activities and actions. We can feel good about doing the right thing while enjoying the benefits of a clear conscience and a healthy body.

Through discipline, you can control your neurotransmitters. Imagine being able to create nice, warm feelings … a neurotransmitter high without harsh drugs or side effects. Just warm dopamine fuzzy feelings.

When emotional and physical cravings rise up like a tag team punching from both sides you can hit back with a few uppercuts. No more beatings from Mr. Big. Be the aggressor. Fight back. Chase those cravings away with a scowl. Flex some muscles. Show no mercy. Take no prisoners. This is war!!

Addiction is profitable. It sells. Cravings are good for business.

http://www.healthrecipes.com/eat5.htm

The effects of a diet of highly

processed foods & ugly fats….

SUPERSIZE ME

-Morgan Spurlock

Experiment:
Eat three McDonald's meals per day
Sample every item on the McDonald's menu at least once over the course of the 30 days
Must only ingest items on the menu. This includes bottled water. Any and all outside consumption of food is prohibited.
Every tenth meal needed to be a McDonalds Salad
Needed to Super Size only when the option was offered to him.
Only walk 5,000 steps per day

Results:
After 5 days Spurlock had gained almost 10 pounds (4.5 kg).
He also found that his bouts of depression, lethargy and headaches are relieved by another McDonald's meal! (feeding the cycle!)
Spurlock had gained almost 25 pounds (11 kg) by the end of the 30 days.

Wild Rice and Creamed Spinach

Serves 4

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups Vegetable Stock (Organic)
3 teaspoons Cold Pressed Oil
½ cup Wild Rice
½ cup Chopped Onions
1 cup sliced Celery
1 cup sliced Mushrooms
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup torn spinach
½ cup soy or rice milk
Pinch of salt

Cook the long grain rice in the stock & drain.
Heat the oil & sauté both rice’s with the onions, celery, mushrooms & thyme until the onions are clear. Combine the spinach, soy milk with a pinch of salt & puree in the blender. Pour over the rice mixture.

This is dish has a beautiful herby color & presentation.


- A recipe from the Liver Cleansing Diet

FATTY LIVER - "swollen with fatty deposits"

A relatively common cause in of unexplained liver disease seen in affluent societies today is a diet high in saturated fats & refined sugars. This condition is called fatty liver & may occur where the liver is swollen with fatty deposits. Literally choked to death by globules of fatty substances within them.

http://www.liverdoctor.com/index.php?page=fatty-liver

Organic Meat

No pesticides, antibiotics or hormones.
100% certified organic feed and pasture, which means no genetically modified foods seeds or feeds or and is raised without herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
No nitrates, nitrites or preservatives.
Animals are never fed animal by-products.
Freedom of movement for animals, with full access to the outdoors. Humane treatment of animals (defined by the Humane Society of the United States.)
Farm and farm records are inspected every year by a third party to ensure the standards are being enforced.

http://www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/141

Spicy Rice

• 
  1 onion finely chopped
• ½ cup cashew nuts
• ¾ tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• ½ cup raisins
• ¼ cup vegetable stock or water
  

Sauté the onion, cashews, seeds, cumin and turmeric in the oil until the onions are translucent and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown rice and raisins. Pour over the stock.Cover and simmer for 6 minutes or until the stock is absorbed. Serve immediately

Natural Home Remedies

http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/index.html

Alcohol

How does Alcohol effect the body??

Alcohol puts fat metabolism on hold.

The second most calorie nutrient behind fat containing 9 cal per gram.

If your serious about losing weight & losing weight you should drink alcohol in moderation or NOT AT ALL.

This for me means limiting Alcohol to one or two beverages during the weekend.
Excessive Alcohol consumption will definitely compromise your results that you will get from your training & nutrition program.

What does the Liver do? (http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068925/)
Storing glycogen (fuel for the body) which is made from sugars. When required, glycogen is broken down into glucose which is released into the bloodstream.
Helping to process fats and proteins from digested food.
Making proteins that are essential for blood to clot (clotting factors).
Processing many medicines which you may take.
Helping to remove or process alcohol, poisons and toxins from the body.
Making bile which passes from the liver to the gut and helps to digest fats

What happens when you drink alcohol?
When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines. All blood from the stomach and intestines first goes through the liver before circulating around the whole body. So, the highest concentration of alcohol is in the blood flowing through the liver.Liver cells contain enzymes (chemicals) which process (metabolise) alcohol. The enzymes break down alcohol into other chemicals which in turn are then broken down into water and carbon dioxide. These are then passed out in the urine and from the lungs. The liver cells can metabolise only a certain amount of alcohol per hour. So, if you drink alcohol faster than your liver can deal with it, the level of alcohol in your bloodstream rises

Cirrhosis is a condition where normal liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis). The scarring tends to be a gradual process. The scar tissue affects the normal structure and regrowth of liver cells. Liver cells become damaged and die as scar tissue gradually develops. So, the liver gradually loses its ability to function well. The scar tissue can also affect the blood flow through the liver which can cause 'back pressure' in the blood vessels which bring blood to the liver.

References:
http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068925/ (refer to this website which I have copied the above information from)
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/alcohol.htm

My Easy Fresh Avocado Dressing

1 tsp Olive Oil
Soft Avocado
Large soon of Yoghurt

Peel Avocado & remove stone. Mash Avocado & mix in yoghurt & olive oil.

WHAT IS ORGANIC FOOD?

Food that has been grown without the routine use of agricultural chemicals such as: fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, growth regulators, or colour / flavour enhanchers

It is also food that has been processed from organic produce,without synthetic additives like:stabilisers, emulsifiers, antioxidants, preservatives, colourants, etc

http://www.pikowholefoods.co.nz/organics.html

CHOOSE FOODS IN THEIR....

NATURAL RAW STATE & UNPROCESSED

RAW FOODS

100% WHOLE MEAL

100 % ORGANIC

..with no added sugar or preservatives

Choose foods in their natural state that come from the ground or of a tree.
Do not choose foods that are not processed, preserved, boxed, refined, canned or frozen dinners

Sugar :-(

Americans consume between two to three pounds of sugar every week. The sugar is being processed in so many foods we eat. These foods are not just sweets. Sugar in large quantities can be found in peanut butter, mayonnaise, bread, ketchup and many other categorically “non-sweets” products.
Now let’s get to the question: Why is Refined Sugar bad for you?
Refined Sugar is bad for you because it raises the insulin level in your blood.
Raised blood insulin levels depress the immune system. If your immune system is depressed then your ability to fight disease is weakened.
Raised blood insulin levels can cause weight gain. Insulin promotes the storage of fat; so, when you eat foods high in refined sugar, you increase fat storage. Obviously, the result is rapid weight gain.
Refined Sugar contains no vitamins or minerals so in order for sugar to be metabolized it must draw on the body’s reserve of vitamins and minerals. When these reserves are depleted, metabolization of cholesterol and fatty acid is impeded, contributing to higher blood serum triglycerides, cholesterol, promoting obesity due to higher fatty acid storage around organs.
In summary here are ways that refined sugar can affect your health.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-is-Refined-Sugar---Known-As-White-Sugar---Bad-for-You?&id=119462

Fruit

http://www.5aday.co.nz/5aday.html?mode=display&parent_id=2015&content_id=2214&id=2214&section_id=

Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame is a major contributing factor to the growing obesity problem.

To be safe stay away from anything any artificial sweetener between 950 to 956.

Aspartame has been proven to increase appetite, especially carving for sweets & is also a leading suspect to brain tumors & other health related problems.

Sleep


Getting enough sleep is essential to our bodies functioning properly.
Sleep is both regenerative & restorative. It is an important part of maintaining ones energy levels & in order to achieve this, the average women needs 8 hours of good sleep a night.
If your not wakening up well rested try going to bed an hour earlier & getting an extra hour of restorative sleep.

Symptoms associated with Liver Dysfunction

http://www.liverdoctor.com/Section2/08_symptoms.asp

Digestive Problems Indigestion. Reflux. Haemorrhoids. Gall stones and gall bladder disease. Intolerance to fatty foods. Intolerance to alcohol. Nausea and vomiting attacks. Abdominal bloating. Constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome. Pain over the liver - (upper right corner of abdomen & lower right rib cage).

Blood Sugar Problems Craving for sugar. Hypoglycaemia and unstable blood sugar levels. Mature onset diabetes (TypeII) is common in those with a fatty liver.

Nervous System - Poor concentration and “foggy brain”. Overheating of the body, especially the face and torso. Recurrent headaches (including migraine) associated with nausea.Immune DysfunctionAllergies - sinus, hay fever, dermatitis, hives, etc. Multiple food and chemical sensitivities. Skin rashes and inflammations.

External Signs - Coated tongue. Bad breath. Skin rashes. Dark circles under the eyes. Yellow discolouration of the eyes. Red swollen itchy eyes (allergic eyes). Acne rosacea - (red pimples around the nose, cheeks and chin). Brownish spots and blemishes on the skin (liver spots). Red palms and soles which may also be itchy and inflamed. Flushed facial appearance or excessive facial blood vessels (capillaries/ veins).

Looking after the Liver

The liver is hardest-working organ in the body. I have Auto Immune Hepatitis of the Liver I can not afford to neglect my liver.Dr Sandra Cabot has written a great best book on looking after your liver.

http://www.liverdoctor.com/default.asp

Vitamin K - green leafy vegetables and alfalfa sprouts..
Antioxidants - found in fresh raw juices such as carrot, celery, beetroot, dandelion, apple, pear and green drinks like wheatgrass and barley-grass juice, and fresh fruits, particularly citrus and kiwi fruit.
Selenium - sources of the antioxidant selenium are brazil nuts, brewers yeast, designer yeast powders (very good source), kelp, brown rice, molasses, seafood, wheatgerm, whole-grains, garlic and onions.
Methionine - is essential for detoxification. Is found in legumes, eggs, fish, garlic, onions, seeds and meat.
Essential fatty acids - Seafood, cod liver oil, and fish oil. Seafood may be fresh, canned or frozen such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, trout, mullet, blue mussels, calamari, tailor, herring, blue eye cod, gemfish. Fresh avocado, fresh raw nuts and seeds, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), wholegrain, wheatgerm, green vegetables such as spinach, green peas and green beans, eggplant, cold pressed fresh vegetable and seed oils, freshly ground seeds, especially flaxseeds (linseed), evening primrose oil, black-currant seed oil, star flower oil. Essential fatty acids are required for healthy membranes in every cell of the body and plentiful amounts are required for healthy liver function. This is why strict low fat diets are not beneficial for general health, weight control or liver function.Natural sulphur compounds - are found in eggs (preferably free range), garlic, onions, leeks, shallots and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts