Archive for the ‘Healthy Eating’ Category

I don’t believe any mineral has received as much notoriety in recent years as calcium. Walk into any health food store or pharmacy and you will be greeted by an array of calcium supplements, but keep in mind your best source will always be food.

Of all the minerals in the body, calcium is the most important and used by the human body more than any other mineral. Evidence indicates that when the level of calcium changes in a tissue, so do all other mineral levels.

Here are a few important reasons why calcium so vital to your health:

1. Calcium determines the ratio or proportion of all other minerals in our cells.
2. Calcium is essential to the development of peak bone mass and prevention of osteoporosis later in life.
3. Calcium is the best tranquilizer nature ever supplied.
4. Calcium releases the mineral energy of your food during digestion. The less calcium in your food, the less mineral energy you will get out of your food.

Ever wonder why you crave sweets, even after a great meal? The answer is that low calcium foods mean low mineral sugars in those foods, leading to poor energy release during digestion. When you are unable to extract enough energy out of your meal, sweets become much more appealing.

Consider this…….calcium actually helps us keep weight off! The reason has to do with your body’s response to a calcium deficit.

When you are low in calcium, your body thinks you’re starving and enters emergency mode, releasing parathyroid hormone. This hormone stimulates your bones to release calcium into your bloodstream. In addition, your kidneys are delivering a dose of a hormone called calcitriol, a form of vitamin D that increases your ability to absorb calcium.

The problem is that parathyroid hormone and calcitriol also stimulate the production of fat and inhibit its breakdown. As a result, your body not only stores fat but stubbornly holds on to it, even on a low-cal diet!

On the other hand, a high calcium intake suppresses these hormones so your body stores less fat and breaks it down easily.

A  few of my favorite sources that are now in season are: fresh coconut, avocado, pineapple, mango, and papaya. Most of the tropical fruits require lots of calcium in their soil, therefore are rich in this mineral. They are also excellent sources of  potassium and manganese, two minerals I find most women lacking in.

Some great vegetable sources would be: kale, cabbage (but have it lightly steamed or fermented to inactivate the anti-nutrients that can impair thyroid function), broccoli, and spinach

We will explore more about the wonders of calcium in upcoming posts…..so keep reading.

I don’t know about you, but strawberries are definately one of my summertime favorites. Unfortunately, after some revealing research lead me to uncover just how much of a dousing these beauties receive………..I’ll think twice before I purchase the  non-organic variety.

Just how bad does it get?  Well, to the tune of 9,274,453 pounds of pesticides used at an average of 279.44 lbs. per acre on 33,190 acres. This just happens to be the higest average pesticide use on any fruit or veggie! Can you say hormone disruption………cancer………….birth defects!

The most commonly used pesticide was Chloropicrin, but you might know it by it’s more common name of tear gas.

Second most used pesticide was Methyl bromide, that just happens to be a ozone destroyer.

A few more facts to brighten your day……..92.3% of the berries tested had pesticide residues. 69.2% of berries tested had two or more residues. Of the 109 pesticides used on strawberries, 38 were detectable on berry samples.

According to the Enviormental Working Group, strawberries were the second-most pesticide contaminated fruit.

Of course pregmant women, children, and the elderly will be most at risk from eating this fruit, but the truth is we are ALL at risk.

So, shop wisely, buy organic whenever possible and at the very least wash with a good quality organic soap. My favorite Masters Miracle II.

Mark McAfee is the founder of Organic Pastures, one of the largest producers of raw milk in the United States and clearly, one of the leaders in this industry.

In this interview <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/01/mark-mcafee-interview.aspx#> , McAfee details the many health benefits of raw milk, and explains the process of raw milk production.

Sources:

 Mark McAfee Interview Transcript (PDF) <http://mercola.fileburst.com/PDF/ExpertInterviewTranscripts/InterviewMarkMcAfee.pdf>  
 15 Things that Pasteurization Kills (PDF) <http://mercola.fileburst.com/PDF/5%201_addt’l%20McAfee_The%2015Things%20that%20Pasteurization%20Kills%20_2_1.pdf>  

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:
 <http://twitter.com/mercola>   <http://www.facebook.com/doctor.health>  

Did you know there are two types of raw milk’ in America?

As Mark McAfee explains, there’s the raw milk intended to be consumed raw, and then there’s the raw milk intended to be used for pasteurization, and contrary to popular belief, they are NOT the same.

When buying raw milk, it’s very important to make sure you’re buying milk that has been produced with the intention of being consumed raw, and not just raw milk from conventionally-raised cows that hasn’t gone through the pasteurization process yet.

There’s a vast difference between the quality and safety of milk from organically-raised, grass-fed cows, and conventionally-raised, grain-fed livestock.

How Can You Identify High-Quality Sources of Raw Milk?

 

Right now, only six states permit the retail sale of raw milk:

1. California
2. Connecticut
3. Maine
4. Pennsylvania
5. Washington
6. Arizona
   

However, it’s important to realize that each state sets their own standards. California, specifically, has its own special set of standards for raw milk for human consumption, in which farmers must meet or exceed pasteurized milk standards, without pasteurizing.

You can find raw milk retailers in California by using the store locator available at www.OrganicPastures.com <http://www.organicpastures.com/> , and for other areas, check out the Campaign for Real Milk Web site <http://realmilk.com/where.html> .

You can also look here to find out the legal status of raw milk in the U.S. state <http://realmilk.com/happening.html>  or country <http://realmilk.com/happening-other.html>  where you live.

However, since many raw milk producers are very small farms, and the standards that do exist vary from state to state, how do you go about identifying solid, high-quality producers of raw milk if you can’t just buy it in a store nearby?

This is a complex question since the environmental conditions will vary from location to location, and from season to season. However, there are a few general conditions you should look for, including:

• Low pathogenic bacteria count (ie does the farmer test his milk regularly for pathogens?)
• The milk is quickly chilled after milking
• The milk comes from cows raised naturally, in accordance with the seasons
• The cows are mainly grass-fed
• The cows are not given antibiotics and growth hormones <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/01/mark-mcafee-interview.aspx#>  to increase milk production
• Cows are well cared for
  

If you’re thinking about purchasing milk from a small farmer, it would be very wise to visit the farm in person. Look around and ask questions, such as:

1. Does the farmer and his family drink the milk themselves?
2. How long has he been producing raw milk?
3. Are the cows clean?
4. What conditions are the cows raised in?
5. Are there any obvious sanitation questions?
   

If a cow is covered in filth and manure, stinks, is wet and cold and doesn’t look particularly comfortable, that could be a warning sign that her milk is less than ideal for raw consumption.

Only Healthy Grass-Fed Cows Produce Healthy Raw Milk

 

Naturally, fresh grasses for foraging are not available year round in many areas of the US, so it’s also important to take a look at what the cows are being fed during winter months. According to McAfee, acceptable winter feed includes dried alfalfa, timothy grass, and other cut pasture or forage that has been dried.

A key point to remember is that cows that are fed a lot of grain and raised under substandard conditions will likely produce milk that is unhealthy to drink raw because grains, antibiotics, growth hormones, and filthy living conditions change the pH balance and the natural bacteria present in her gut, which in turn affects the natural bacteria and pathogens present in her milk.

This is particularly problematic because so many Americans have depressed immune function, leaving any pathogen introduced into your gut free to wreak havoc.

Says McAfee:

“So, as an American citizen going out and finding raw milk, if you have a depressed immune system there is an exceptional challenge there, whereas somebody who is searching out raw milk in California, who has been on raw milk before and their immune system is in pretty good shape, it’s less of a problem.

But if you got a really depressed immune system and… find some bad milk from somebody who is intending their milk to be pasteurized… that’s kind of a marriage made in hell. That’s not a good thing at all.

And that’s where I think a lot of the outbreaks happen.

You see people doing research on the internet saying, “Oh, I have a really depressed immune system. I have common cold. I get irritable bowel syndrome. I got asthma. I got allergies. I need to fix that and they say raw milk will fix it.”

But they don’t have raw milk in their area that’s safe. [Milk] that is intended for people, so they go out and find a local dairy that takes pity on them, and they buy raw milk that is intended for pasteurization, and that’s where you start seeing real problems.”

Like McAfee says, “when you work with cows to produce raw milk, you can’t cheat!”

The Many Health Benefits of Raw Milk

 

Organically-raised, grass-fed milk naturally contains hundreds of healthy, “good” bacteria, including lactobacillus and acidophilus. There are also several coliform families of bacteria. It’s important to realize that there are over 230 different kinds of E. coli., and only two or three of them are actually pathogenic and will cause you to get sick. The rest are actually beneficial for your gut.

Raw milk also contains vitamins, which are virtually eliminated by the pasteurization process of commercial milk. But it’s the presence of beneficial bacteria are what make raw milk such an outstanding food source to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your intestine, which in turn has a significant, beneficial impact on your overall immune function.

Other health promoting ingredients in raw milk include:

• Valuable enzymes <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/05/22/cooked-food-part-one.aspx> that are destroyed during pasteurization. Without them, milk is very difficult to digest. So if you have lactose intolerance, it may very well disappear once you start consuming raw dairy products.
• It also contains phosphatase, an enzyme that aids and assists in the absorption of calcium in your bones, and lipase enzyme, which helps to hydrolyze and absorb fats.
• Enzymes are deactivated when you get above 120 degrees. By the time you get to 150, 160 degrees, almost all of them are completely inactivated, which is why you will not get ANY of these benefits from pasteurized milk.
• Natural butterfat, which is homogenized or removed in pasteurized milk. Without butterfat, it becomes very difficult for your body to absorb and utilize the vitamins and minerals in the water fraction of the milk. Butterfat is also your best source of preformed vitamin A, and contains re-arranged acids with strong anti-carcinogenic properties.
• Healthy unoxidized cholesterol
• Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/07/17/cla-cancer.aspx?aid=CD38> , which fights cancer and may help reduce your body fat.
• High omega-3 and low omega-6 ratios, which is the beneficial ratio between these two essential fats
  

Pasteurizing milk, on the other hand, destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamins, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria, and actually promotes pathogens.

In my opinion, there’s no reason to drink pasteurized milk <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/03/29/pasteurized-milk-part-two.aspx> , ever.

Unfortunately, the FDA and other health agencies do not acknowledge the inherent differences between pasteurized milk and raw milk.

They claim raw milk and pasteurized milk have precisely the same kind of nutritional values, completely disregarding the value of enzymes, the probiotic value of beneficial bacteria, and the importance of healthy fats.

It truly is imperative to recognize that nutrition is a holistic thing.

You cannot take bits and pieces of nutrients and think you’re going to end up with good health. It is in fact the food as a whole that makes it good for you in terms of nutrition.

Says McAfee:

“When you look at the complete assessment of food, raw milk is a rock star when it comes to dietary meaningfulness.”

I agree with McAfee when he says that hopefully, someday, the FDA will come around and acknowledge the fact that we should look at the whole of the food instead of just pieces of the food. Right now, their assessments on most foods are partial and woefully incomplete, and unfortunately, this is having a major, detrimental impact on your health.

Should Humans Drink Cow’s Milk?

 

Some people believe that cow’s milk is food for calves only, and should not be consumed by humans to begin with.

However, this may be too simplified a view. As McAfee explains:

“Cows have four stomachs, so they can eat grass… They are literally that animal between us and the sun. They are solar sun convertors. They take sunshine expressed as grass on the ground (because the grass obviously grows when the sun hits the ground and [with] water the grass grows).

We can’t eat the grass but the cow can eat the grass, and then we can eat what the cow provides… [which] is very, very nutrient dense and very digestible by humans.”

I believe that’s an important point, and it’s an area of nutrition that few pay any attention to — the area of biophotons.

But biophoton research explains the underlying principles of why it’s so vital to eat a diet of mostly RAW food <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/05/22/cooked-food-part-one.aspx> , including raw milk.

As you know, without the sun it is virtually impossible for most life forms to exist. For example, we now know that without appropriate sun exposure, you will become deficient in vitamin D, which will have very far ranging consequences for your health.

Vitamin D influences at least 2,000-3,000 genes (that we know of), and without sufficient amounts of vitamin D, your body becomes susceptible to a staggering amount of diseases. But you can absorb sun energy via your food as well as through your skin (although this should not be confused with being able to alter your vitamin D status).

Every living organism emits biophotons or low-level luminescence, and the higher the level of light a cell emits, the greater its vitality and the potential for the transfer of that energy to the individual who eats it.

Hence, the more light a food is able to store, the more nutritious it is. Naturally grown fresh vegetables, for example, and sun-ripened fruits, are rich in light energy.

The capacity to store biophotons is therefore a measure of the quality of your food, and a very strong reason for making sure milk producing cows are allowed to forage for the healthiest, freshest grasses.

What about Raw Milk for Vegans?

 

As for vegans and strict vegetarians, unfortunately many of them end up not getting sufficient amounts of healthy fats in their diet, which can have a very detrimental effect on their nervous system.

Yes, the plant kingdom does offer some very important fats, but other fats are entirely animal-based, and they complement each other on a functional level. When all animal-based foods are excluded from your diet, you run the risk of developing a deficiency, which can have both physiological and psychological consequences.

In terms of consuming an animal-based food that is humane, drinking grass-fed milk from an organic dairy farm is perhaps one of your healthiest alternatives for the best of both worlds.

Pasteurized milk, on the other hand, does not offer any of the benefits available from raw milk, such as healthy fats, and a good case can be made that it does not fit the nutritional needs of humans.

I strongly recommend you avoid pasteurized milk entirely.

More Information

 

For more information, I urge you to listen to the interview in its entirety above. The full transcript is also available.

Mark McAfee’s experience and knowledge base on this topic is phenomenal, and the interview covers many of the facets involved in raising healthy cows and producing healthy raw milk, as well as the numerous health benefits, and potential pitfalls, of raw milk.

You can also find lots of valuable information on McAfee’s site www.OrganicPastures.com <http://www.organicpastures.com/> , and www.RawUSA.org <http://www.rawusa.org/> .

Related Links:

 More Dairies Go Raw as Consumers Learn the Benefits of Unpasteurized Milk <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/03/15/more-dairies-go-raw-as-consumers-learn-the-benefits-of-unpasteurized-milk.aspx>  
 The ”Experts” Are Wrong About Raw Milk <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/09/07/the-expert-are-wrong-about-raw-milk.aspx>  
 Choosing Between Raw Milk and a Dead, White Liquid <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/14/Choosing-Between-Raw-Milk-and-a-Dead-White-Liquid.aspx>  

If  you’re  a person, like myself, who enjoys  their food nutrient dense and real then you’re probably aware that as of March 25th, 2010 all Whole Foods markets permanently discontinue all raw dairy products.

Here is the statement from Organic Pastures Dairy, the largest producer of  raw milk in California, with cows that are 100% grass-fed:

OPDC was notified on Thursday afternoon March 25, 2010 that Whole Foods Corporate has decided permanently to discontinue raw dairy products from all stores nationally, as a matter of corporate policy.

We are very disappointed in this decision and believe that it is a move away from “whole food” being sold at Whole Foods. We all know that raw milk is a whole food, whereas pasteurized and ultra pasteurized milk are partial foods. These sterile foods cannot be consumed by many people because a killing heat has compromised their integrity, causing enzyme, digestion and other serious histamine and immune disturbance issues. Delicious living, probiotic raw milk does not create these problems. Sterile foods are not organic foods and never have been. Organic food is whole, bio-diverse, nutrient dense, enzyme and mineral rich by definition.

OPDC would like to warmly thank Walter Robb and Whole Foods for ten great years of market support and the instrumental roll that Whole Foods played in establishing the thriving California Raw Milk Market.

OK folks,  it’s time to get behind both producers of raw milk here in California (Organic Pastures and Claravale Farms) and kick Whole Foods to the curb!

But honestly, I’ve been sorely disappointed with Whole Foods for some time. When I started to see white sugar and flour on both their shelves and in their prepared foods……..I knew they had lost their vision.

I’ve been told that they carry these items “because people want it”. Well, if that is the case, let them do their shopping elsewhere. Stores like Vons, Ralphs, and Albertsons will be more than happy to oblige anyones need for lifeless, denatured food.

Whole Foods, on the other hand, being the world’s largest natural health food chain has not only the ability but the obligation to set the standard. That means being a beacon of light in a world of geneticly altered pre-fabed food.

Just remember that the most powerful vote you cast is not always at the ballot box, but the one you cast everyday with the dollars you spend………..look carefully and spend wisely.

Here in the Santa Clarita Valley you can purchase raw dairy products at Lassens at Bouquet and Seco as well as through our local CSA  Abundant Harvest. Check them out at www.abundantharvestorganics.com.

In this article, fats and oils are used interchangeably but in a strict sense, oil usually means liquid at room temperature and fat usually means solid at room temperature. However, coconut oil is solid at temperatures under 76° F. So if you live at temperatures of 76° F or more, coconut oil is liquid; if less than 76° F, coconut oil is a fat.

• Saturated fat – one that has a small degree of unsaturated or double bonds and tends to be more solid at room temperatures lower than 76° F. Example: butter, coconut oil.
• Monounsaturated oil – contains some saturated fat but is largely oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated oil, which contains only one double bond. Example: olive oil.
• Polyunsaturated oils – poly means many, so this means that the fat has more than one double bond. Example: linoleic (omega-6) acid has two double bonds; alpha-linolenic (omega-3) acid has three double bonds; arachidonic acid has four double bonds.

The following information comes from the research of Ray Peat, Ph.D. and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. References are given where applicable.

I recommend only three types of fats to my clients: extra virgin olive oil, organic or, preferably raw butter, and organic coconut oil. Most people understand the first two but cringe at the thought of eating coconut oil. Here’s why I recommend coconut oil to everyone.

Coconut oil has been used as cooking oils for thousands of years. Popular cookbooks advertised it at the end of the 19th century. Then came the anti-saturated fat campaign and the promotion of poly-unsaturated fats, such as flaxseed, canola, soybean, safflower, corn, and other seed and nut oils plus their partially hydrogenated counterparts (margarine, “I can’t believe it’s not butter,” etc.) as the way to go. Indeed, saturated fats have been supposedly causally linked to high cholesterol and heart disease, multiple sclerosis and other bad health conditions. I don’t know how anyone came to this conclusion since it would be hard to find a person in America who has a high saturated fat diet. Why? Because nearly all commercial foods, including bread, crackers, chips, dips, many candies, zero cholesterol coffee creamers, all mayonnaise and all salad dressings, many pastries and ice creams, most dietetic (for weight loss or diabetes) “foods,” many cereals, and nearly all crunchy snacks contain either polyunsaturated or partially hydrogenated fats (which contain some margarine and some of the unsaturated fat mixed together). These foods are often advertised as healthy “all vegetarian,” “no-cholesterol” foods. Even the so-called saturated fat in commercial meat is partly unsaturated because most cows are fed corn and soybeans, both of which contain unsaturated oils.

Are there any people who live on saturated fats who are healthy? Yes! People who live in tropical climates and who have a diet high in coconut oil are healthier, have less heart disease, cancer, colon problems and so on, than unsaturated fat eaters. Two such groups of people include those from Melanesia and the Yucatan. These people are slightly hyperthyroid because of the thyroid stimulating effects of coconut oil plus a diet which includes protein (fish) and adequate fruit (stimulates thyroid function).

Can you eat unsaturated fats and get away with it? It all depends. The Eskimos ate cold-water fish, high in unsaturated oils BUT they also ate the whole animal, including the animal head, brain, thyroid glands, etc. and got the hormones from these glandulars. This caused them to become hyperthyroid, 25% higher than Americans, and they are classified as “pathologically hyperthyroid” by standard medical definition.

However, this so-called pathological condition allowed them to burn the unsaturated fats in the foods they ate. If you are not an Eskimo and eat mainly an unsaturated fat diet, you may be in trouble.

Now you know why I wonder how anyone can associate high cholesterol or saturated fats with heart disease, multiple sclerosis or any disease. Over the past 40 years, Americans have increased their consumption of unsaturated fats and partially hydrogenated fats and have decreased their consumption of saturated fatty acids and butter. Lauric acid, the major fatty acid in coconut oil and breast milk, is rarely present in the American diet. Yet saturated fats are still being called the health culprits while grocery stores abound with many kinds of seed and nut oils. Many have been told that if the unsaturated oil is unprocessed, it is safe. This is untrue. The harmful effects of unsaturated oil lie in their unsaturation, or the presence of many double bonds, which are very labile and easily peroxidized (become rancid inside the body). Details of this are given in the report on unsaturated oils.

Here is a summary of the health benefit of coconut oil. In general, coconut oil stimulates thyroid function and has wonderful antiseptic properties.

The stability of coconut oil
Unsaturated oils in cooked foods become rancid in just a few hours, even in the refrigerator, one reason for the “stale” taste of leftovers. However, according to Peat, eating fresh unsaturated fats is even worse, because once inside the body, they will oxidize (turn rancid) very rapidly due to being heated and mixed with oxygen. Not so with coconut oil. Even after one year at room temperature, coconut oil shows no evidence of rancidity even though it contains 9% linoleic (omega -6) polyunsaturated acid. Peat theorizes that coconut oil may have antioxidant properties, since the oil doesn’t turn rancid and since it reduces our need for vitamin E, whereas unsaturated oils deplete vitamin E.

Thyroid-stimulating, anti-aging effects of coconut oil
Many researchers have reported that coconut oil lowers cholesterol (Blackburn et al. 1988, Ahrens and colleagues, 1957). In 1981, Prior et al. showed that islanders with a diet high in coconut oil showed no harmful health effects. When these groups migrated to New Zealand and lowered their daily coconut oil intake, their total cholesterol and especially their LDL cholesterol (the so-called evil one) increased. The cholesterol-lowering properties of coconut oil are a direct result of its ability to stimulate thyroid function. In the presence of adequate thyroid hormone; cholesterol (specifically LDL-cholesterol) is converted by enzymatic processes to the vitally necessary anti-aging steroids, pregnenolone, progesterone and DHEA. These substances are required to help prevent heart disease, senility, obesity, cancer and other diseases associated with aging and chronic degenerative diseases.

Weight loss stimulating properties of coconut oil – a direct result of thyroid stimulation
In the 1940’s farmers tried coconut oil to fatten their animals but discovered that it made them lean and active and increased their appetite. Whoops! Then they tried an anti-thyroid drug. It made the livestock fat with less food but was found to be carcinogen (cancer causing drug). In the late 1940’s, it was found that the same anti-thyroid effect could be achieved by simply feeding animals soybeans and corn.

Anti-cancer effects of coconut oil
In 1987 Lim-Sylianco published a 50-year literature review showing the anti-cancer effects of coconut oil. In chemically induced cancers of the colon and breast, coconut oil was by far more protective than unsaturated oils. For example 32% of corn oil eaters got colon cancer whereas only 3% of coconut oil eaters got the cancer. Animals fed unsaturated oils had more tumors. This shows the thyroid-suppressive and hence, immuno-suppressive effect of unsaturated oils (Cohen et al. 1986).

When Albert Schweitzer operated his clinic in tropical Africa, he said that it was many years before he saw a single case of cancer. He believed that the appearance of cancer was caused by introduction of the European diet to the Africans. Many studies since the 1920’s have shown an association between consumption of unsaturated oils and the incidence of cancer.

Antimicrobial (antiseptic) effects of coconut oil
Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids such as lauric (C-12), caprylic (C-10) and myristic (C-14) acids. Of these three, coconut oil contains 40% lauric acid, which has the greatest antiviral activity of these three fatty acids. Lauric acid is so disease-fighting that it is present in breast milk. The body converts lauric acid to a fatty acid derivative (monolaurin), which is the substance that protects infants from viral, bacterial or protozoal infections. This was recognized and reported in 1966 (John Kabara). Work by Hierholzer and Kabara (1982) showed that monolaurin has virucidal effects on RNA and DNA viruses, which are surrounded by lipid membrane. In addition to these RNA and DNA viruses, in 1978, Kabara and others reported that certain medium chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid have adverse effects on other pathogenic microorganism, including bacteria, yeast and fungi. These fatty acids and their derivatives actually disrupt the lipid membranes of the organisms and thus inactivate them (Isaacs and Thormar 1991; Isaacs et al. 1992). This deactivation process also occurs in human and bovine milk when fatty acids are added to them (Isaacs et al. 1991).

Please visit our Recipes page on our website for some delicious coconut oil recipes.

References
Peat, Raymond, Ph.D., From PMS to Menopause: Female Hormones in Context, Chapter 29, page 175. Copyright 1997 by Raymond Peat, P.O. Box 5764, Eugene, OR 97405. Price including S&H is $14.

Fife, Bruce, N.D., The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil, Copyright 2001, Piccadilly Books. Ltd. P.O. Box 25203, Colorado Springs, CO 80936.

©Lita Lee, 2001
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Please feel free to print a copy of this article.

Invest in yourself ~ Women’s Health Advantage is ready to help!

Are you…

• DONE wishing for better health?
• TIRED of just talking about what to do next?
• READY to make positive changes and live a more vibrant life?
• SUFFERING from health symptoms that are unexplained or unrelieved?
• Are you ready to create optimum wellness and vibrant health?! Ready to feel strong and alive? Then it’s time to get in touch with Jill Redfern at Women’s Health Advantage to assist you in creating your best life ever! Jill can guide you in any dietary, digestion, and nutritional issues and help you get going with vibrant health TODAY! After all, if not now… when?

Jill Redfern is a registered nurse in the Valencia area with 30 years of experience in both traditional and alternative medicine and a pioneer in the field of women’s alternative health and enzyme therapy.

Lunch: Smoked turkey, avocado, and tomatoes in pita bread.

Dinner: Baked salmon, spinach salad with raspberry vinaigrette, and a whole bag of Doritos.

Dessert: A huge ice cream sundae topped with extra caramel, chocolate, and whipped cream (before bed you sneak into the kitchen and eat one more)!

Can you relate to this kind of eating?

Do you try and eat healthy sometimes but other times you binge on unhealthy foods? Whether you sometimes binge on unhealthy foods, constantly eat the wrong foods, or just don’t get enough of the foods your body needs, eating badly is a hard habit to kick. But with the right motivation, encouragement, and direction you can do it.

Motivation is the first step to changing your eating habits.
That’s because motivation to do anything comes from having a strong why statement. What motivates you to do anything in life? A good enough reason, right? You work to earn money. You eat to satisfy your hunger and treat your taste buds, etc.

My why statement pertaining to health is:
“I want to grow old gracefully. As I age, I want to be flexible and enjoy physical activity without pain. I want my mind to be sharp for as long as possible. And I want to look fabulous! Since I place exceptional value on these things, my motivation for attaining them is very high. Therefore, I’m avid about eating healthy, exercising, and getting the rest my body requires.”

If you’re having a hard time with healthy eating, chances are you need a stronger why.

Once your why is established, don’t stop there. To be successful, you’ll also need encouragement and direction along the way. That’s where I come in. Using my expertise and your willingness, we can identify problem areas concerning nutrition, and put together the best plan for turning things around. I promise to help, encourage, and keep you accountable so that you can achieve your goals.

Here’s how you start:

Take a self-inventory and find your why; post it on your fridge or bathroom mirror and read it daily; then contact me to take the next step. Caution… no sneaking into that freezer!

It seems I’m always working on my clients in regards to Motivation. What motivates people? The way I see it, the physical process of becoming motivated actually happens in the brain as we imagine, or remember, doing what it is we want to do. If we’ve never done it, we imagine what it will feel like. If we’ve done it before, we remember what it was like, and if it was pleasurable or worthwhile, we’ll be motivated to do it again.

The bottom line on motivation is that the thing we are thinking of doing has to have value to us – when it has value we are more inclined to want to do it. As my coach always says – the higher the value, the higher the motivation.

When I can imagine all the positive benefits of working out, walking and eating my fruits and vegetables, it’s easier for me to do those things. When I lose sight of the why of doing them, I am less motivated to go out of my way for them and more inclined to do what ever feels good in the moment.

People ask me all the time what motivates me to take good care of myself, drink funny tasting “green drinks,” turn down the cookies for a piece of fruit, the latte for the green tea or get a little extra sleep at the expense of keeping up with the latest TV drama – and I must admit, it’s because I have a strong why. I want to grow old gracefully and be really, really healthy. I want to be flexible and smart and able to enjoy physical activity without pain. I know that that kind of robust good health won’t happen tomorrow unless I do something about it today! The higher the value, the higher the motivation. I put a high value on staying able to do what I want to do, with ease.

So when you are feeling a little down or discouraged, and you don’t really want to go out of your way, when you’d rather sleep than get up and exercise, and when you’d rather have that pint of Ben and Jerry’s than something healthy, I want you to stop – just for a moment and think:

• Will your behavior today give you the result you want tomorrow?
• Are your actions today in alignment with what you really want for the future?
• Are you on track with what is in the highest good for YOU?
• Check in with yourself and remember the why of vibrant health.

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Please feel free to print a copy of this article. Invest in yourself ~ Women’s Health Advantage is ready to help!

Are you…

• DONE wishing for better health?
• TIRED of just talking about what to do next?
• READY to make positive changes and live a more vibrant life?
• SUFFERING from health symptoms that are unexplained or unrelieved?
• Are you ready to create optimum wellness and vibrant health?! Ready to feel strong and alive? Then it’s time to get in touch with Jill Redfern at Women’s Health Advantage to assist you in creating your best life ever! Jill can guide you in any dietary, digestion, and nutritional issues and help you get going with vibrant health TODAY! After all, if not now… when?

Jill Redfern is a registered nurse in the Valencia area with 30 years of experience in both traditional and alternative medicine and a pioneer in the field of women’s alternative health and enzyme therapy.

The benefits of serving homemade broth during times of illness are much more than an old wives tale. Studies indicate that concentrated broth, made from the bones of animals, is both a valuable food and a medicine.

Historically broth has served as a cross-cultural remedy for the sick and weak. In addition, it is also recognized as a classic folk treatment for colds and flu, and has been used for ailments that affect a variety of connective tissues including: the GI tract, joints, skin, lungs, muscles and blood.

Broth also continues to be a staple for professional and gourmet cuisine due to its incredible taste and body. The processed versions of broth found in the grocery store are, unfortunately, dilute and void of nutritional value.

Utilizing the standard of herbal formulation, homemade broth actually qualifies as a medicine. The process by which broth is prepared allows nutrients to be immediately available for the body to absorb. These nutrients are as varied as the tissues that broth is made from. Bone, marrow, cartilage, and collagen enrich the broth with nutrients such as: chondroitin sulfate, protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and potassium to name a few.

Many of these may sound like familiar supplements that you find on the shelves of your local drug store. However, those bottles contain synthetic products that aren’t easily absorbed by the body, if absorbed at all. In comparison, broth is easily digested and the nutrients well utilized.

The elements found in finished broth are well known nutrients that are used to support bone health and healthy aging. They are also beneficial in the management of a variety of other conditions: arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, digestion problems, colic, leaky gut, malnutrition, muscle wasting, cancer, calcium deficiency, anemia, poor wound healing, injuries to soft tissues-cartilage-bone, memory loss, depression, joint lubrication, atherosclerosis, cholesterol, asthma, liver support, and the list goes on.

Take some time this week to enjoy another of nature’s most perfect foods! If you’d like a recipe for homemade broth preparation, check out my recipe section. You are also welcome to stop by the office or email me. I always recommend organic free-range chicken and organic grass-fed beef for maximum benefits. These can be found via organic farmers, online at US Wellness Meats or at Whole Foods stores.

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Please feel free to print a copy of this article.

Invest in yourself ~ Women’s Health Advantage is ready to help!

Are you…

• DONE wishing for better health?
• TIRED of just talking about what to do next?
• READY to make positive changes and live a more vibrant life?
• SUFFERING from health symptoms that are unexplained or unrelieved?
• Are you ready to create optimum wellness and vibrant health?! Ready to feel strong and alive? Then it’s time to get in touch with Jill Redfern at Women’s Health Advantage to assist you in creating your best life ever! Jill can guide you in any dietary, digestion, and nutritional issues and help you get going with vibrant health TODAY! After all, if not now… when?

Jill Redfern is a registered nurse in the Valencia area with 30 years of experience in both traditional and alternative medicine and a pioneer in the field of women’s alternative health and enzyme therapy.

“Chia” is the Mayan word for strength. The chia plant is a member of the sage family. There is no commercial growing of chia in the U.S. Chia is imported from Mexico and Central and South America-Ecuador, Argentina, and Bolivia.

Individuals who try chia claim that they can literally feel the energy of the seeds; a strengthening and sustained surge unlike anything resulting from any other food.

What makes them work? Synergy between all their outstanding features is at least part of the answer. Chia seeds are high in:

• easily digestible protein
• essential fatty acids, particularly omega-3
• vitamins
• soluble fiber
• antioxidants
• minerals
• Chia seeds have much in common with flax seeds, which have a deserved reputation as a superfood. If you run down a comparative chart, you see a back and forth, with chia higher in some nutrients, flax higher in others. The clear advantage for chia seeds is that their natural antioxidants make them stable, whereas flax quickly becomes rancid.

Like flax, chia seeds have the ability to hold about twelve times as much water as their own weight. Thus, one of the best uses of chia seeds is to convert them into chia gel. To do this you add 1/3 cups of seeds to 2 cups of water, stir well to break up any clumps, and let sit in your refrigerator for about twelve hours (It will gel in less than an hour, but the additional soaking increases the nutritional impact of the gel.).

Good candidates for chia gel are salad dressings, dips, and spreads. Chia gel can also be used as a fat replacer in many baking recipes.

In any recipe that calls for flax seeds, consider substituting chia seeds. The chia flavor is bland, so they work great in smoothies and can be sprinkled on just about anything. Two to four tablespoons a day will improve your nutrition and encourage intestinal regularity (And, yes, the “hair” on Chia Pets is from chia seeds!).

Nutrition researchers looking at chia have called it an “almost perfect food”. Its many benefits include:

• Providing energy
• Boosting strength
• Bolstering endurance
• Leveling blood sugar
• Inducing weight loss
• Aiding intestinal regularity

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Please feel free to print a copy of this article.

Invest in yourself ~ Women’s Health Advantage is ready to help!

Are you…

• DONE wishing for better health?
• TIRED of just talking about what to do next?
• READY to make positive changes and live a more vibrant life?
• SUFFERING from health symptoms that are unexplained or unrelieved?
• Are you ready to create optimum wellness and vibrant health?! Ready to feel strong and alive? Then it’s time to get in touch with Jill Redfern at Women’s Health Advantage to assist you in creating your best life ever! Jill can guide you in any dietary, digestion, and nutritional issues and help you get going with vibrant health TODAY! After all, if not now… when?

Jill Redfern is a registered nurse in the Valencia area with 30 years of experience in both traditional and alternative medicine and a pioneer in the field of women’s alternative health and enzyme therapy.

With Thanksgiving approaching we can almost taste the flavorful turkey, green beans and sweet pumpkin pie. While enjoying the holiday season, the company of family and friends, and a delicious feast, save some room for something a little different this year. I’m not referring to dessert, but to knowledge. Surely you’ll have room for that!

If you’ve read my article on cholesterol, you’ll recall that cholesterol contributes to our body’s functioning and that hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) is a contrived disease of the 21st century. People with supposed high cholesterol are put on statin drugs. Common brand names are Lipitor, Mevacor and Zocor. They’re used to lower cholesterol and they do this very well. Except they rob the body of essential nutrients resulting in internal body changes that can have dangerous, far reaching effects.

Lowering total cholesterol, in most cases, isn’t justified. Since cholesterol is part of every cell membrane, depletion causes our cells to leak. This is an emergency as far as our bodies are concerned and they go into repair mode sending cholesterol to patch up the leakage. Since statin drugs lower cholesterol our bodies are left without the necessary tools to properly repair themselves.

Coenzyme-Q10 is an essential nutrient that supports muscle function, protects from heart disease, cancer, heart attacks and heart failure. It’s frightening to know statin drugs deplete this nutrient. Side effects as a result of this depletion include: muscle pain or weakness, pain and tingling in the hands, difficulty walking, loss of feeling in the lower extremities, liver failure, cognitive decline and heart failure. Many people never fully recover from these side effects. The damage has already been done.

Awareness about statin drugs and their side effects makes it apparent this treatment is not ideal. I’m not advocating that you dismiss what your doctor may tell you. I’m advocating awareness about these harmful drugs and their alternatives. With the abundance of information available there’s no reason to be uninformed. There are numerous websites and chat rooms with information and first hand accounts from people who have experienced these effects. As you enjoy your Thanksgiving feast, remember to leave room for knowledge about cholesterol and statin drugs. It may save your health.

Let Women’s Health Advantage help you become informed and find the path to true vibrant health.

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Please feel free to download or print a .pdf version of this article. If you need the latest version of the free .pdf viewer, you can click here to easily download and install one.

Invest in yourself ~ Women’s Health Advantage is ready to help!

Are you…
DONE wishing for better health?
TIRED of just talking about what to do next?
READY to make positive changes and live a more vibrant life?
SUFFERING from health symptoms that are unexplained or unrelieved?
Are you ready to create optimum wellness and vibrant health?! Ready to feel strong and alive? Then it’s time to get in touch with Jill Redfern at Women’s Health Advantage to assist you in creating your best life ever! Jill can guide you in any dietary, digestion, and nutritional issues and help you get going with vibrant health TODAY! After all, if not now… when?

Jill Redfern is a registered nurse in the Valencia area with 30 years of experience in both traditional and alternative medicine and a pioneer in the field of women’s alternative health and enzyme therapy.

Vacation time is here … road trips, long flights, and rising gas prices await us. While packing suitcases, booking rooms, and planning itineraries, set aside time to think about what you’ll eat while on the road (or in the air).

Maintaining healthy eating habits while on vacation can be a challenge; so, do your homework, put in some time and effort, and you’ll find it is possible to vacation and eat healthy at the same time.

Here are some quick tips to get you started:

1. Research: Check online for restaurants in the area before you leave home. You may be surprised, as I have been, at what you’ll find.
2. Sugar Overload: Breakfast is your most important meal so avoid highly refined carbohydrates like pancakes, bagels, etc. Stay away from juices and canned fruit as well since they are full of sugar. The last thing you need is a spike in your blood sugar with a subsequent crash leading to fatigue, brain fog, and irritability. You want a happy and memorable vacation, remember?
3. Brain Food: Eat protein and good fats instead; they’ll keep you alert and satisfied. Eggs, steak, even bacon or sausage are better choices. Eggs should be over-easy, or poached in order to avoid packaged egg mixes. Always ask if real butter, fresh fruit and veggies are available.
4. Lunch: Start with a large salad topped with grilled meat or fish; use olive oil, vinegar, or coconut oil as your dressing. Sandwiches are good, just avoid white bread and processed meats. Instead, opt for a wrap with Romaine lettuce.
5. Dinner: Choose meat or fish for your protein (Black Angus beef or un-farmed fish are ideal). Steamed veggies, a large salad, or a baked potato are great too – don’t forget the real butter! If you’re feeling adventurous, try something tasty like lamb, buffalo (my favorite), or venison. Ethnic restaurants can entice the taste buds and many still use traditional foods and cooking methods.

You’ll want to bring your own coconut oil and sea salt as these can be hard to find. If possible, pack a small cooler of your favorite healthy snacks like fresh fruit, raw cheese, nuts etc. Should you come across a roadside stand or farmer’s market, take a look. You may find some healthy tasty treats. Enjoy your vacation!

**************************************************
Please feel free to print a copy of this article.

Invest in yourself ~ Women’s Health Advantage is ready to help!

Are you…
DONE wishing for better health?
TIRED of just talking about what to do next?
READY to make positive changes and live a more vibrant life?
SUFFERING from health symptoms that are unexplained or unrelieved?
Are you ready to create optimum wellness and vibrant health?! Ready to feel strong and alive? Then it’s time to get in touch with Jill Redfern at Women’s Health Advantage to assist you in creating your best life ever! Jill can guide you in any dietary, digestion, and nutritional issues and help you get going with vibrant health TODAY! After all, if not now… when?

Jill Redfern is a registered nurse in the Valencia area with 30 years of experience in both traditional and alternative medicine and a pioneer in the field of women’s alternative health and enzyme therapy.