A DIET EVOLUTION
NO WHEAT, NO DAIRY, NO SUGAR

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Naturally boost energy and mental concentration


(NaturalNews) The months of August and September frequently bring about an increased work and activity load for many students, adults and parents. Energy levels and mental concentration may lag during this time. People from all walks of life can benefit from the energy boost that various herbs, amino acids and other natural supplements provide. Gingko, ginseng, and rhodiola rosea are three herbs that improve memory and mental concentration. L-ornithine, L-tryptophan and L-arginine are amino acids that have been shown to improve physical performance and stamina. Peppermint essential oil and coenzymeQ are other natural substances that have been shown to improve either mental or physical performance. These results have been demonstrated by various human studies conducted in recent years in various research facilities around the world.

Ginseng is probably the most well-known energy boosting herb. Is has been said to provide wisdom and enlightenment to the mind.. Ginseng is an adaptogen, which simply means that it helps the body return to a normal state after physical or mental stress. Studies have shown that ginseng improves aerobic capacity and work. Gingko is another very well-known herb. It is best known for improving memory. In fact, various studies have shown that gingko extract has a positive effect on memory retention and can help prevent age-related dementia.

A 2003 study showed that Rhodiola rosea can be used therapeutically to treat mental fatigue. Rhodiola rosea is an herb that is native to cold regions of the world. It can be drunk as a tea or taken in supplemental form. In the study, one-hundred and sixty-one cadets between the ages of 19 and 21 were given either a single dose of rhodiola rosea or a placebo and then had their capacity for mental work tested. Rhodiola rosea was shown to have a significant anti-fatigue effect.

Aromatherapy can also be useful for treating mental fatigue. The aroma of peppermint essential oil has the ability to increase mental alertness.

CoenzymeQ is a vitamin-likes substance which is necessary for healthy cell functioning. It is found naturally in high concentration in organic beef, pork and chicken heart, some fish, grapeseed oil and sesame seeds. A 2008 study showed that oral supplementation with CoenzymeQ decreased the subjective feeling of fatigue and increased physical performance during a workload.

Amino acids are also key players in improving both mental and physical capabilities.
L-ornithine is an amino acid that is not found in high concentrations in meat or fish. A 2008 study showed that L-ornithine supplementation lowered the subjective feeling of fatigue after a physical performance test. L-arginine is another amino acid that has been shown to increase a person's capacity for physical work. This amino acid is naturally found in organic raw certified dairy products, organic chicken, several types of seafood, wheat germ, chickpeas, oatmeal and nuts. Finally, L-tryptophan has also been shown to decrease fatigue perception and improve physical performance. Tryptophan is naturally found in organic eggs, pumpkin seeds, cod, various organic meats, salmon, cheese made from raw milk, and perch.

Whether you are looking to increase your physical energy or your mental energy, one of the aforementioned natural products is sure to help. Try adding more coenzymeQ, arginine and tryptophan containing foods to your diet for increased physical energy, and consider supplementing with ginseng, gingko or rhodiola to improve mental sharpness.

Cut out carbs, cut out cancer.

Tumors love junk food!

Sugar is food for tumors: The more you eat, the bigger they get. You'll get bigger too, of course -- but if there's anything worse than a swollen gut, it's a swollen tumor.
Now, a new study confirms that a diet high in carbs is a cancer's best friend. Canadian researchers bred mice with both human and mouse tumors, then put them onto either a high-carb diet (like the one the feds say you should be eating), or a diet of just 15 percent carbs -- like the one I've been telling you to eat.
All I can say is I hope you've been listening to me and not the feds: The mice with the most carbs gained more weight on the same number of calories, and their tumors grew like weeds. Next, the researchers bred mice predisposed to breast cancer and put them on the same choice of diets. And again, the cancers progressed faster on the carb-heavy diet, with nearly half of those mice getting the disease in their first year. Care to guess how many of the low-carb mice got cancer in that year? Remember, these are mice predisposed to the disease... yet NONE of them actually got it in that time! Overall, only 30 percent of the low-carb mice eventually developed cancer before they died versus a whopping 70 percent of mice on the high-carb diet.

If that's not enough to get you to swear off sugar and bread for good, consider this: Only one of the high-carb mice reached the expected two-year lifespan, versus more than half of those in the low-carb group. I don't know why anyone would be stunned by this -- research as far back as the 1920s showed that tumor cells gobble up glucose like an SUV guzzles gas. But no one heeded the warning then... and they're certainly not heeding it now as Americans and Canadians swallow more carbs and suffer more cancers than ever before. And with the feds still relentlessly pushing carbs on the American and Canadian people, you can expect even more cancers in the coming years.
Check out William Douglas MD http://douglassreport.com/

That is why PALEO, SCD and GAPS diets are the way to feed yourself.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

How SCD Helps with Detoxification

An expert in Toxicology is using the SCD diet as form of detoxification.
Kevin S. Merigian, MD, an expert in toxicology who established the Toxicology Center at the University of Tennessee, is using the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as an effective method of detoxification.

SCD differs from other methods of detoxification, which work by removing toxins from the human body. Instead, SCD works by restoring the body's own toxin removal system and its damaged detoxification pathways.

In order to understand why SCD is so effective as a method of detoxification, we need to understand how toxins from pathogenic bacteria impair the ability of the body to detoxify.

Bacterial toxins are amazingly destructive to the body’s detoxification system. They cause harm by:
1 Impairing the production of glutathione.[1]Glutathione is the most important molecule for the detoxification and elimination of environmental toxins.[2]
2 Producing oxidative stress.[3]
3 Impairing the liver in many ways, [4]which is devastating as the liver is the major detoxification organ of the body. It converts food to stored energy and filters toxins from the blood, converting them into harmless water-soluble substances which the body then can eliminate. The liver also processes foods, drugs and medications that have been absorbed from the digestive tract, enabling the body to use them effectively and then finally disposing of them. Additionally, the liver makes substances like bile, cholesterol, triglycerides and albumin for use elsewhere in the body. In summary, the liver functions as the body's "garbage collector and recycler".[5]

One of the liver functions damaged by bacterial toxins is the Hepatic cytochrome P450 (P450),[6] the detoxification system that is used by the body to detoxify medication, heavy metals and other toxins.

Impairing the organs that have a key role in excreting toxins from the body: gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, sweat glands, and lungs (through feces, urine, perspiration and respiration.)[7][8][9][10]glutathione is the most important molecule for the detoxification and elimination of environmental toxins The SCD diet starves pathogenic bacteria by eliminating their food source so that they die.[11] Thus the body’s natural detoxification system is restored. Then the body can return to natural functional detox, which also will reduce excessive metals in the body.
We live today in a toxic minefield: vaccines, pesticides, antibiotic-laden food, and mercury-poisoned fish as well as indoor and outdoor pollution.2 In order for children to live a toxin-free life, it is crucial to repair and restore their bodies' own toxin removal systems and detoxification pathways. The SCD diet accomplishes both.

References
Let us use endotoxin, a very common bacterial toxin, in order to show how destructive bacterial toxins are to the body's detoxification system. Endotoxin is also known as Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS is found in great numbers in the body of people with autism, IBD as well as in other auto immune disorders.
[1]Click here to view how LPS impairs the production of glutathione.
[2] Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians by Bryan Jepson (Author), Katie Wright (Foreword), Jane Johnson (Collaborator) Page 224. The book states that glutathione is the most important molecule for the detoxification and elimination of environmental toxins and provides this reference:Oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease by Ved Chauhan and Abha Chauhana Pathophysiology, 2006
[3]Click for proof that LPS is producing oxidative stress.
[4]Click for proof that LPS is producing liver dysfunction.
[5]http://www.nutrident.com/Pages/Part_V.html
[6] Click here to view how LPS impairs the the Hepatic cytochrome P450 (P450) detoxification system
[7]Click here to view LPS impairs the gut
[8] Click here to view how LPS impairs the the kidney's ability to excrete chemicals
[9] Click here to view how LPS impairs a modified sweat gland.
[10] Click here to view how LPS impairs the lungs
[11]Breaking the Vicious Cycle
http://pecanbread.com/p/intro/detox.html


This is why SCD is important to everyone. In this world there is a variety of toxins so we must go out armed and ready for battle everyday. Eating food that harms you like soda and doughnuts is akin to fighting naked.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Going Paleo

10 Foods To Remove From Your Diet To Regain Your Health


1. Alcohol
2. Soda (diet or regular)
3. All processed food
4. Anything with sugars or high fructose corn syrup
5. Wheat products
6. All grains including rice
7. Potatoes (occasionally I’ll eat sweet potato)
8. Legumes – beans, peanuts, peas
9. Corn
10. Vegetable Oils

Limit:
Dairy products – milk, cheese, yogurt (Ibelieve most dairy products are garbage, not worth our time, cancer causing because they are pasturized)SB
Fruit (low sugar fruit is better, like blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.)
Nuts (nuts are better for you if they are soaked first, drained, rinsed and dried)
Caffeine (1 cup per day of organic coffee is probably good for you)

Eat aplenty:
Meat
Fish
Eggs (unless allergic)
Vegetables
Fats (olive oil, coconut oil and grass fed butter)
Spices

Education is a huge part of this process and I wouldn’t be able to do it without using these resources continuously.

The websites I visit regularly:
Marks Daily AppleThe most popular primal/paleo site on the Web.
Everyday PaleoSarah Fragoso’s site for women raising paleo families.
Being Primal Go see how Dean transformed himself from everyone’s favorite teacher to the paleo movement’s answer to George Clooney…:-)
The Primal ParentPeggy Emch’s site tackles some of the more intriguing and knottier issues relating to women and primal living.

The books I recommend:
Everyday PaleoVery accessible, family friendly book including recipes by Sarah Fragoso.
The Primal BlueprintPopular, comprehensive book discussing the lifestyle and principles behind it by Mark Sisson.
I'll have more books to recommend.

You now have everything you need to go make a change.
But don’t take my word for any of this.
Experiment for yourself with these guidelines.
Because I don’t believe in one size fits all.
We all vary with our different body compositions, different body constitutions.
We can withstand different tolerances.
We seek different goals.
But if you don’t have the life you want.
And your health is letting you down in some way.
Try it.
Go cold turkey or take baby steps. It’s up to you.
Your health is worth it. You are worth it.
Your family are worth it.
Go make one change, just one.
But do it, today, and turn that vicious circle on its’ head.
Once.
And for all.
This in part was taken from http://alisongolden.com/

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Sesame Cookies and Lazy Daisy Cake



This is what I made today. Easy and yummy.




Gluten Free Sesame Cookies



1 ¼ cups blanched almond flour, ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ⅓ cup agave nectar, ⅓ cup tahini (raw or roasted, though roasted will give more flavor) 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup sesame seeds (hulled or unhulled -I used hulled)




In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
In a smaller bowl, blend together agave, tahini, oil and vanilla
Blend the dry ingredients into the wet
Form the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sesame seeds
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown
Cool on baking sheet
Serve
Makes 14 cookies



This is from http://www.elanaspantry.com/sesame-cookies/print/



P.S. Today I didnot roll them in sesame seeds and they turned out so good. It made making them a little faster. I just used a fork and pushed it down a little.



The other recipe for the cake was quite easy also.



SCD Lazy Daisy Cake (SCD)Cake



2 Eggs 1/2 cup Honey 1 teas. Vanilla Extract 2 cups Almond Flour 1 teas. Baking Soda 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt, 1/2 cup Yogurt or Yogurt Cream (yogurt made from half and half), heated just to room temp (I used the top of the can of coconut milk with a little vinegar or you could use Lemon juice) 2 TBSP Butter, melted



Topping:1/3 cup plus, 1 TBSP Honey,1/2 cup Butter, melted1 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8" x 8" baking dish. (I use a pyrex dish)For Cake: In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, honey, and vanilla until combined well and just a bit frothy, about one minute. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Then add to the egg mixture and beat just until combined. Beat in yogurt and melted butter. Pour into buttered baking dish and bake about 30-35 minutes, until cake tests done. Let cake cool for about 20 minutes.



For Topping: In a small saucepan melt butter and stir in honey until combined. Then stir in coconut. Spread over cake. Place under the broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes until browned and bubbly. Watch it closely, once it browns it doesn't take long to burn. Cool and enjoy! It seems like the next day it was even better.



This cake is quite yummy too. The only change I made was to the yogurt. It turned out great.



http://mrsedsresearchandrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/scd-lazy-daisy-cake.html



Thanks again to Elana and Mrs. Ed for their terrific recipes.



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Friday, August 19, 2011

Magnesium

Low Magnesium Levels Increase Risk of Sudden Death

Magnesium is a mineral that is very important for the body. Unfortunately, research has shown that the majority of Americans do not ingest enough magnesium. Some reports state that 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. What is magnesium needed for?In fact, there are over 300 enzymes that are dependent on magnesium. Furthermore, magnesium is needed to maintain optimal bone health, as well as cardiac, neurologic, and immune system functioning. Both the thyroid and adrenal glands depend on adequate magnesium for optimal functioning. I have been checking magnesium levels for nearly 20 years and I am still amazed at how many patients are severely low in magnesium.A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2011;93:253-60) found that, in women, the risk of sudden cardiac death was inversely related to magnesium intake and magnesium blood levels. In fact, there was a 37% increase risk of sudden cardiac death in women who had the lowest magnesium levels compared to women who had the highest levels.Magnesium is an inexpensive mineral. Magnesium is found in unrefined salt, green leafy vegetables such as spinach and nuts. The only side effect with magnesium supplementation is loose stools. This is easily treated by lowering the dose. Average doses of magnesium for supplementation range from 200-600mg/day.
posted by Dr. David Brownstein

I take 750 mgs in the morning and 750 mgs before bed. I don't get cramps in my legs at night and it helps with bowel movements. I back off if my stools get loose.
A good book to read and you can get from the library is The Miracle of Magnesium by Carolyn Dean.

Here is another website that has our health at heart  http://blog.imva.info/medicine/surviving-sepsis-fungal-infections/

Healthy Life
Suzanne

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Natural Deodorant

I made my own natural deodorant. I gently melted some coconut oil and added a few drops each of lavender, tea tree and patchouli. I have also add a bit of Burt's Bees baby powder after I have smoothed on the oil. I haven't noticed any smell and it has been very hot here. I found that the natural deodorants I have bought were not really do the job so what did I have to lose.
http://chemistry.about.com/b/2011/07/02/antiperspirant-health-hazards.htm
These are the reason why I like to use natural deodorants.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Coconut Chia Pudding

Ingredients:
4 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup coconut milk
1 banana
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
pinch celtic sea salt
pinch cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut flakes

Directions:
Blend all ingredients except coconut flakes together until smooth in a food processor. Stir in coconut flakes, and let sit approx 15 minutes or until thick. Enjoy!

This is an easy recipe that you can make at night before bed or in the morning to have for dessert at night.


More on why to eat Paleo


Did you know?

Despite the US dietary recommendation to eat plenty of wholegrains, grains - even wholegrains, are non-essential foods in the human diet. You’re not missing out on anything by not eating grains! Grains do not offer any nutrients that you can’t obtain from other foods in higher quantities! Even fiber is available in large amounts from vegetables, fruit, nuts and nut flours such as almond flour. There is no nutritional requirement for grains in the human diet. Robb Wolf addresses this issue in detail. So, why are we constantly told to eat grains?

A Little-Known Secret:

The message to eat more wholegrains is pushed by the US government because of their financial links with the sugar and grain industries. Politicians fund the grain and sugar industries and in return are elected into office by the them. Talk about hidden agendas.

Did you know that grains are routinely fed to cattle for the specific purpose of fattening them up? By the time these poor animals are 6 months of age their bodies are racked with disease from the grains they are fed and they would die if they weren't slaughtered for meat. This is another reason that large amounts of antibiotics are routinely fed to cattle - to treat the diseases caused by the grain-heavy diet they are fed. In contrast, cattle that are allowed to graze on fresh grass remain lean and relatively disease free. While many humans can digest grains, like the cow's digestive tract, a human's digestive tract is not designed to handle a high-carb, high grain diet over a long period of time. Allergies and auto-immune problems such as celiac disease often appear in middle age as the gut lining becomes damaged and thus more permeable as a result of a diet high in wheat and other grains.

Contrary to the 'politically correct' low-fat dietary doctrine that is still promoted in our society, research throughout history (see Gary Taubes books "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "Why We Get Fat" for an excellent overview of this research) has shown that fats and plenty of animal protein are good for you especially if they're derived from sources such as grass fed, organically-raised meats and butter, nuts and coconut oil. Instead, it is the consumption of refined sugars and high carb starches (yes, excess wholegrains) as well as processed oils that sets us up for for diabetes, heart disease, obesity and auto-immune disorders. Despite the public health message to eat more wholegrains and less fat, the rates of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity and its associated problems are higher than they were decades ago in the US? Clearly something is wrong here.

Loren Cordain's journal article "Grains, society's double edged sword" and Robb Wolf's book "The Paleo Solution" both provide an excellent overview of this topic.

Grain-free for weight loss!

Grains rate high on the Glycemic Index (GI) and their consumption sends blood sugar soaring. Grain-free goods, being low on the GI index allow for stable blood sugar and therefore easy weight loss and weight maintenance. That's good news for dieters who still like to enjoy a tasty treat. A low GI/ low carb diet is also beneficial to epilepsy sufferers and worldwide the ketogenic and low GI diets are now used as a therapy for epilepsy in children and adults with excellent results.

A short biology lesson:

When the bulk of our diet is comprised of grains and sugar (carbohydrates) our bloodstream is constantly flooded with glucose. Glucose in large amounts in our blood is damaging to our body. When our blood is flooded with glucose our body needs to constantly release insulin to redirect the glucose out of the blood and into our body cells where it can be used or stored. When the body's muscle cells and liver have stored all the glucose they need, the rest of the glucose is delivered to the fat cells where it remains stored as fat. Insulin is the fat storage hormone - it delivers glucose to our fat cells where it is stored as fat! Continued insulin stimulation (through continual consumpton of grains and other carbohydrates) also means that insulin locks the door shut so fat can't escape our fat cells and so prevents it from being released in our bodies for fuel. This means we don't lose weight - even with calorie restriction! Eliminating grains and refined sugar from the diet dramatically lowers insulin production allowing for easier fat loss without the severe calorie deprivation and hunger associated with typical high-carb/low-fat diets.

Stable glucose levels are associated with less hunger, fewer mood swings and improved well-being and may be the critical factor preventing sezures in epileptic patients following a low GI and/or ketogenic diet.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Fluoride scam

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/08/bone-fluorides-magnet-new-studies-halflife.aspx?e_cid=20110808_DNL_art_1
Read this. Where ever the cities put fluoride into their water, we are all exposed, especially the children. Don't let dentist put fluoride in your children's mouths. Put a filter on your tap water and your shower.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

1 avocado ripe
2 bananas ripe
Cream of the coconut milk which is the semi-solid top when you open it.
Honey to sweeten about ¼ c.
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of sea salt
½ c. cocoa powder

In food processor cream avocado and bananas, add cream, honey, vanilla, salt, cream some more. Add cocoa powder and taste to see if sweeten enough. Put in fridge till cold. It thickens up and seems like regular pudding.

I fool around with the amounts and adjust sweetener and such till I find what I am looking for.
If you wanted it to be cocoa free, I like it before I add the cocoa. I have chocolate freaks around here so I have no choice.