Archive for the ‘Healthy Eating’ Category

Ever heard of coconut water? If not, it’s about time you did. Known for the multitude of health benefits it provides – there’s nothing on the market quite like it. For years coconut water has been used to successfully combat dehydrating illnesses such as dysentery, influenza, salmonella, and E. coli. Coconut water provides essential fluids and nutrients to properly rehydrate the body and provides the tools it needs to heal successfully.

One of the most remarkable characteristics of coconut water is its chemical profile and mineral content. The primary minerals or electrolytes are essentially the same as those found in human blood. Studies have shown how coconut water can improve blood circulation, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke; impressively, coconut water has FDA approval to carry the specific claim that it may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. But the benefits don’t stop here.

In addition, coconut water is known to be beneficial in many other areas of health. Specifically, it relieves fatigue, constipation and other digestive disturbances, kidney and bladder disorders, glaucoma, and cataracts. It’s also been shown to reverse or slow down the aging process – I’ll toast to that!

Because it’s an ideal drink after rigorous activity, professional and amateur athletes are turning to coconut water to quench their body’s deepest thirst. Many of the sports drinks on the market claim to rehydrate your body when in actuality they’re doing just the opposite. Loaded with high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, artificial colors and flavors, these drinks are actually toxic cocktails. There’s no nutritional value and they can initiate the storage of fat (none for me, thank you). Coconut water, on the other hand, is rich with minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, and provides a natural boost of energy. It enhances and maintains health and is more effective than commercial sports drinks in rehydrating the body.

You’ll find coconut water in health food stores in bottles, cans, or tetra paks. You can also drink it fresh from the coconut; just make sure to purchase young green coconuts, not the brown hairy ones normally seen in stores. Stock up today and let the healing begin!

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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.

Get the new year started right and make this your year for vibrant health! In this article I’m sharing my favorite 4 super foods to get you moving on the right path to build great health and improved digestion, immunity, and vitality that lasts all day…

1. Organic Land and Ocean Vegetables
Low in calories and rich in essential minerals, vitamins, protein and important trace elements that are lacking in non-organic land vegetables due to soil demineralization. Sea vegetables such as Nori, Kombu or Wakame contain more minerals than any other kind of food.

Remember that eating raw cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and radishes can actually suppress thyroid hormone production leading to fatigue and a slowing of your metabolism. Gentle steaming, stir-frying or fermenting will eliminate this problem.

2. Fermented Foods and Drinks
Amazingly enzyme and probiotic-rich they improve digestion, stop sugar cravings, provide essential vitamins and minerals and boost immunity. Populate your gut with beneficial bacteria to build immunity and promote vibrant health.

Try them as the perfect accompaniment to all types of protein such as eggs, beef, chicken or fish. Add sour cream to create a fresh nutrient-dense dip. Vegetable juices can be added to organic olive oil for a tangy salad dressing. At Women’s Health Advantage we carry lacto-fermented vegetables, juices, and coconut kefir by Alive foods.

3. Healthy Proteins
Organic grass-fed meat, poultry and wild fish. An excellent online source is US Wellness Meats. Raw dairy: milk, cream, colostrum, cheese and butter are available at Whole Foods.

Seeds and nuts are also an excellent source of protein. Soak or sprout first to neutralize enzyme inhibitors that can block utilization of nutrients. Almonds, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts and peanuts have a high content of stable oleic acid that prevents them from going rancid easily. Prepare by soaking and dehydrating. Then store for months at room temperature in an airtight container!

4. Healthy Fats
Provide essential fatty acids that give us beautiful skin, brain power, enhanced immunity, and fight depression. Although demonized by the mainstream press, the healthiest forms of fat are the saturated fats. Examples include: raw butter, coconut oil, lard, tallow and small amounts of olive oil. Note that lard and tallow products must come from animals that were raised properly.

7 Principles of the Body Ecology Diet

• The Principle of Acid and Alkaline recommends maintaining a slightly alkaline blood pH of 7.4 by consuming foods and drinks that are alkalizing in your body. Lifestyle changes that reduce stress are also vital for keeping your blood more alkaline because cortisol raises blood sugar (acid-forming) and leaches alkaline-forming minerals from your body.
• The Principle of Uniqueness maintains that everyone is “an experiment of one.” Your body is completely unique, and as you experiment with different ways of eating, honor your body’s wisdom.
• The Principle of Cleansing. As you begin to rejuvenate your body with healthy foods and drinks, your body’s energy will increase causing continual, ongoing cleansing. Embrace these cleansings as they come and go, even if you experience an uncomfortable flare up of negative symptoms. They will pass as you continue on your path to wellness.
• The Principle of Food Combining is essential to proper digestion. By avoiding starches and proteins in the same meal, you create an environment in your digestive tract that promotes optimal digestion. Read more about this principle in Food Combining: The Little-Understood Secret to Optimal Weight & Health Revealed.
• The Principle of 80/20 really has two parts and tells us how much food to take in each meal. Part A: Never consume more than 80% of your stomach’s capacity). Part B: Be mindful of the ratio of vegetables to starches or proteins. An ideal meal is 80% vegetables and only 20% either grains, BED grain-like seeds OR protein.
• The Principle of Step by Step indicates that you can take the slow and steady approach to changing your diet and your lifestyle. Body Ecology is a system of health and healing with many tools for wellness. You can’t pick them all up at once. Choose the tool or tools that appeal to you the most and work on mastering these first. When you are comfortable with that tool, pick up another one. But never stop stepping towards wellness!!

For more on the 7 Principles of the Body Ecology Diet read A Review of the 7 Key Healthy Eating Principles as You Enter 2007.

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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.