All posts tagged Health

July 10, 2013 · Blog

Welcome to Holland

A young mother gives birth. She knows this child well. This baby kicked and moved about and the mother understood the child’s special energy. Sometimes, between the 1^st and 4th birthday typically, some children receive a dreaded diagnosis of a spectrum disorder.
The feelings a mother has at a time like this are fear, and worry, maybe panic. The beautiful “Welcome to Holland” story says it like no other.

I love this mom’s analogy. She describes having a child with a disability like planning a trip to Italy but ending up in Holland. It’s not bad, it’s just different. It’s not what you were expecting and now you have to navigate this new place with no itinerary.

A health coach is like your travel agent/ concierge. We help you navigate Holland and help to make it the best trip ever.

(read “Welcome to Holland” HERE)

I am guessing that a lot of parents would like to take back the responsibility and control of their child’s situation. That is where we come in. Those of you who have been reading my blog know I believe very strongly that the brain and gut are totally linked together. We work to help with the challenges of diet change and behavioral issues. The results, healing and behavoiral changes have been astounding. We begin with the following challenges.

Challenge #1– knowing what you can and cannot eat.

What really happens; often when people begin they look at a long laundry list of stuff they can’t eat. So they feel deprived, confused and HUNGRY.

What a Coach does; We help navigate the whole landscape of new foods. We translate old unhealthy choices into healthful ones. We menu plan and answer questions in emails and emergency texts from the grocery store. We help to create substitutes for favorite foods that are delicious, satisfying and easy.

Challenge #2- slowly incorporating different ways to detoxify and change the digestion.

What really happens; people take on these tasks and they start to feel like it’s a full time job.

What a Coach does; We help develop a doable routine that is fun and easy.

Challenge #3-rebuilding gut flora;

What really happens; every member in the family, because of the changes being implemented, feels the resistance.

What a Coach does; We try to meet the emotional needs of all family members and give support with solutions that become part of day-to-day life.

Yes there are challenges, but with the right support a parent can meet them with a smile, and take back control of their child’s health and healing. One of my favorite Client Mom’s recently told me “Had I known how easy my life was going to be, I would have welcomed the challenges with open arms!”

May 8, 2013 · Blog

How Should You Drink Your Water, Hot or Cold or Room Temperature?

For over 20 years I have been drinking water at room temperature, except for a brief period when I was following the Ayurvedic suggestions that had me drinking hot water through out the day. (Truth is, it’s very relaxing.)

Many opinions hold that cold water makes the body work too hard. It has to expend energy to first bring it to body temperature and then digest it. These opinions suggest a loving approach to the body; don’t be too hard on it.

Last week I posted about the leptin reset that I am doing. It’s going real well, thank you. The same Dr. Jack Kruse has another protocol that goes along with it. It is called Cold Thermogenesis (CT). Ever hear about the Polar Bear Club? The people who swim in the ocean in midwinter? That is the ultimate CT.

The protocol starts by exposing the body gradually to cold. First drinking cold water and taking cooler and cooler showers then dunking your face for increased times in ice cold water and finally ice packs and ice baths for the body. The ice baths are an advanced technique to be used under the supervision of a health practitioner. Dr. Kruse claims that this protocol;

Increases metabolism
Is amazing for weight loss
Reverses inflammation
Better sleep
Better recovery from exercise
Boosts thyroid and adrenal function

Athletes, military units, and scientists have used this to increase the limits of human endurance.

Ray Cronise at Thermogenex – Fuel the Burn, says you only need to expose yourself to temps below your body temp to reap the benefits. Cool showers (60-75 deg), swimming in cool water (70-80 deg), and lowering your ambient temperature (house thermostat) to below 60 degrees are all good ways to increase CT.

Dr. Kruse advocates ice baths and extreme cold air temps found in walk-in chillers to be better. He says you should shoot for a skin temp of 55 degrees in your CT session. If this is done, care should be taken to avoid hypothermia and frostbite. He also advises starting by soaking your face in cold water to activate the ‘mammalian dive reflex’. Mammalian diving reflex – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These opinions drive the body and push it to be in better internal shape. It’s kind of like the difference between restorative yoga and hard-core Crossfit training. You choose.

Warm water is definitely more soothing and comfortable. The thought of cold showers makes me cringe. However I know that uncomfortable situations do make us grow in many ways.

I am kind of on the fence on this one. As far as weightloss is concerned, weightloss remedies always have some thing in them that increases heat in the body to speed up metabolism. That is exactly what CT does. I do like the idea and the benefits of Cold Thermogenesis. I may just start with a glass of cold water and give my body a little internal workout!

I would love to hear what you think of this in the comments below. Let’s get this conversation going!!!

April 24, 2013 · Blog

Juicerexia

Each year spring rolls around and I just want to purge; My house gets cleaned in a big ‘vacuum out the dust under the fridge’ kind of way. My clothes get sorted out. The best thing that happens is that I start craving green leafy vegetables and wheatgrass.

Our bodies have an internal clock that knows spring is here. Dr. John Douillard says if you detox in the spring, you won’t get sick the following winter. That word “detox” is loaded these days. My clients will call me and insist I give them a good detox. Every magazine has articles on detoxing. What is goin’ on?!

This is the bottom line; your body knows just how to accomplish this task. It does it on a daily basis. If we consistently eat good quality, fresh, unprocessed foods and drink lots of pure water that detox system will be free to work its magic. Yup that’s all you have to do. No torturous crazy protocols of lemonade only. Eating in season helps too. Fresh young greens come up in spring so eat up! Eating things that are in season is always a good idea.

Getting an enzyme rich veggie juice from one of the beautiful Juice bars that are popping up is always a great idea, but according to Courtney Rubin in Marie Claire Magazine it may be wise to skip the “juice fast”. “One expert calls juice cleanses ‘the perfect pathway to disordered eating”, with an alarming power to seduce otherwise healthy women.”

Juice cleanses have become uber trendy, that’s for sure. “Even Starbucks has expanded into Juices. And as interest in them peaks, public health professionals and doctors are dealing with the fallout; an epidemic of malnourished, run-down young women- Juicerexics- some of whom have stumbled into full-fledged anorexia or bulimia.”

“Of most concern? For women already in the throes of anorexia or bulimia, juice fasts provide a great cover….. People say, ‘oh, good for you. That’s so healthy.’ It’s society’s most accepted form of eating disorder.”

The best situation I have seen is at a beautiful Juice bar called Jus by Julie, which has recently expanded to a second Brooklyn location, and a third location in Cederhurst, NY. Julie Maleh is a Certified Health Coach and is very “Hands on” with her clients. She described to me how she monitors her clients closely when they do a cleanse.

“I do not allow the young teens to do a full juice fast. I insist they incorporate the juices into their lives and have at least 1 meal. None of my clients are permitted to do consecutive cleanses. Three days is the maximum, then they incorporate the juices into their daily life. I like them to wait a month to do another 3 day cleanse, I am very strict! I monitor everyone to avoid these problems. I am 100% on top of it.”

Go Julie!!

Stephanie Zakay the Pure Juice Cleanse proprietor is also totally on it with guiding her clients. Her main goal is to encourage people to get more fruits and vegetables into their daily routine. “People that come to me use the cleanse as a way of making a commitment to a new way of eating and say good-bye to the processed junk foods they were putting into their body.”

With responsible guidance like Stephanie and Julie provide, the safety and benefit of juice is fully realized.

February 27, 2013 · Blog

little sugar addicts

-Does your child ask for sweet foods all the time?

-Does she have meltdowns that end in tantrums or tears?

-Is he impulsive, restless, and wildly dramatic or talk a lot and fast?

– Does your child have a hard time paying attention or lock in on a task and then forget to do anything else?

-Does she cry easily and frequently?

– Is he moody and exhibit low self-esteem?

-Does your child have a lot of allergies, or persistent ear infections? Is he overweight?

All of these things may sound like normal childhood behavior, or everyday life. “Mood swings, inability to concentrate, temper tantrums, and the most significant-low self-esteem are all the affects of too much sugar in your child’s diet.” Says Kathleen DesMaisons author of Little Sugar Addicts.

Knowing how horrible sugar is for us, and especially our children, makes me want to jump up and down and shout “STOP GIVING THEM SUGAR!!!” Also knowing that will not help the situation and that a softer approach is always better, I try to contain myself and help those who are ready to be helped. I know how difficult it can be, so no judgement. Just a little education ;).

Little children don’t handle or process sugar the same way as an adult. You may be surprised at how strong an effect a small amount of sugar has on a child’s body. “ If you have an adult who drinks a 12 ounce can of soda (40 grams of sugar)”, explains DesMaisons “they are having one gram of sugar per four pounds of body weight. But if you give a can of soda to a 40 pound child, the dose relationship is very different. For a child that is the equivalent of four cans or a six pack”!!!

What does sugar do to kids? It effects their brains and bodies, blood sugar, serotonin and beta endorphin levels.

Serotonin is affected by sugar. “ Serotonin is a chemical that quiets the brain,” writes DesMaisons. It makes us have a feeling of well being and peacefulness. “Sugar sensitive children have lower levels of serotonin than other children.” By changing diet, these levels can be raised, creating more self-confident, in-control children with a much happier outlook.

Beta-endorphins, DesMaisons calls “ the brains own pain killer”. Children who are sugar sensitive are much more sensitive towards physical and emotional pain. Children who eat too much sugar tend to feel inadequate and unworthy, even if they are smart”, once the sugar wears off.

From all the research I have read over many years, I can say with confidence that the precursor to all addiction is sugar.

Researcher Dr. Robert Lustig says sugar is as addictive as cocaine according to brain scans.

Kiber Stanhope, a biologist at the State University of California Davis, believes that a calorie is not just a calorie and over consumption of high fructose corn syrup increases the same risks as sugar.

In his article in the Huffington post Dr. Mark Hyman wrote “people can be biologically addicted to sugar in the same way we can be addicted to heroin, cocaine or nicotine. Binging and addictive behaviors are eerily similar in alcoholics and sugar addicts. In fact most recovering alcoholics often switch to another easily available drug: Sugar.”

For those with personal struggles with food addiction, remember it is not a moral failing or lack of will power. There is help available.

In my practice I see many children. I have witnessed the huge change in their self-esteem and confidence when they are taken off sugar. I am here to tell you it’s not impossible!! Many parents are seeking help and the results are astounding!! Teachers are the first to comment. “ He’s a different child, so focused and calm.”

These are results that make my heart sing!! I have clients as young as 6 years of age who proudly proclaim “I don’t eat that, its not healthy!” When they are offered sugar laden treats. They influence their peers and become empowered to make good choices.

DesMaisons has seven steps to fight sugar and its effects:

1.Eat breakfast with protein: and do it within the first hour of waking, to beat a drop in blood sugar.

2.Make connections between food and mood. Never reward a child with food-especially sweets.

3.Change snacks. Children under the age of 18 should eat every 3 hours to avoid a drop in blood sugar. In addition to good, well-balanced meals, your child should get several high-protein snacks throughout the day.

4.Eat protein lunches. Foods like poultry and meats, eggs and nuts are all essentials.

5. Cut any white flour breads and pastas from your diet.

6.Take out the sugar. (“Notice that taking out sugar is not step one. It is step six,”)

7.Take care of life. Relax have fun and spend time with your family.

February 20, 2013 · Recipes

Delicious Paleo Slider Buns

3 organic eggs

1 cup raw almond butter

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 beaten egg to brush tops of buns

sesame seeds

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

-Mix together eggs and lemon juice until whipped and frothy

-add the almond butter and coconut oil. Mix well.

-add baking soda and salt. Mix well

-spoon batter onto parchment lined tray so it makes slider buns, 1-1.5 ” wide.(They get bigger)

-Brush each with egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

-Bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

These buns are so light and delicious!! Enjoy!!

February 20, 2013 · Recipes

Chia seed pudding

This is a delicious pudding that helps curb your appetite. It is a great weight loss aid because Chia seeds help prevent the absorption of some of the calories we eat.

Chia seed are also very nutritious. Read 10 Reasons to Eat Chia Seeds.

I am presenting 2 variations, but change it up and have fun!

1) Chocolate

1/4 cup raw organic chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp raw cacao powder

stevia to sweeten

– Mix almond milk, cacao and stevia.

-stir in chia seeds

-let stand for 10-15 minutes

-mix again

-enjoy!

2) vanilla

1/4 cup raw organic chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract (gluten free)

1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon

stevia to sweeten

-mix all ingredients except chia seeds

-stir in chia seeds

-let stand 10-15 minutes

-mix again

-enjoy!!

January 2, 2013 · Blog

A Day in the Life of Joy Harari

It was requested by one of my readers that I give an example of a day in my life. I chose to write down a full day and share it with you honestly. Here we go:

I woke up at 6:00AM and thanked my Creator for another day, and then hung out in bed for half an hour reading emails and playing words with friends and scramble on my phone. You may think I was wasting time but they say word games are good for the brain :). Anyway it’s fun!

Then into the bathroom where the first thing I do is test my PH with a PH strip (It was just the right color green this morning) yay! I test it under a stream of 1^st morning urine. If it’s ever too yellow, which signifies too acidic. I will try to figure out why. Is it stress, or how I ate? To help remedy that I will have a few of my glasses of water with a spoon or two of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and stevia because it is so alkalizing.

The next thing I did was weigh myself. I am sorry but that is one thing I can’t seem to give up (I have tried) although I don’t believe I allow it to rule my life any longer. I don’t think it’s a good thing for most people to weigh in every day, just sayin’.

I then downed 16 oz. of clear delicious water to rehydrate after my long night. I got my exercise gear on and went downstairs to do my “Brazilian Butt Lift” video. Many days I go for a brisk walk outside, but the 27-degree cold made me choose to skip that today. I also love to do yoga when I can and I am trying to get some ballroom dance lessons going.

Some mornings I do a shoulder stand for 5 minutes on a special chair for inversions, they say it’s like an instant facelift.

I stopped off in the kitchen first and took fermented cod liver oil, a Mega flora probiotic pill and a ½ cup of Homemade fermented cabbage juice (it has so many probiotics, and is my new Obsession! It has been known to bust cravings too!) I also drank 1 tbsp. of Pure Synergy (a super nutritious green powder) in 8 oz. of water, and took a magnesium supplement.

I did my video (it was the sculpt class using weights). Upstairs again to shower and get dressed. Pray and breakfast. Breakfast today was some organic blueberries and a cup of organic goat milk kefir, stevia and Ceylon cinnamon. I recently found out that Ceylon Cinnamon is the one that really helps stabilize blood sugar levels. It’s a bit spicier than regular cinnamon and a bit pricier. I also had a big cup of tea with pastured organic whole milk and stevia.

I did some chores around the house, called in some grocery orders and now to work. E-mails, newsletters, clients and touching base with some family members (we have a lot of birthdays in January J) Happy Birthday Renee!!! Love You!

Drank lots of water in between all of that stuff. I try every day to set my timer for 15 minutes and Tap on something. It’s called my personal peace procedure. As an EFT coach I feel obligated to work on all my issues as well as yours! 🙂

12:30 my stomach calls. Time for lunch, which I like to be my biggest meal. In the middle of the day our digestion is strongest. I had a nice piece of wild salmon topped with mustard, coconut aminos and sesame seeds. I made a salad with fresh organic curly kale, organic cucumbers, organic grape tomatoes, organic avocado, organic alfalfa sprouts, a drizzle of x-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice Himalayan salt and pepper. Fermented sauerkraut to top it off…Hits the spot! MMMMMM. See a picture above. I had a big cup of plain hot water about ½ hour after lunch.

At about 3:00 I did a one-minute meditation (breath in and out hard through the nose for 30 sec and then closed my eyes for 30 sec and feel the buzz, it’s awesome!). After that I had an organic apple with a tbsp. of raw almond butter, and some nori seaweed strips, and another big cup of tea.

Today was a busy day so I wasn’t so munchy, but every day I have a big plate of cut veggies available so that if I feel like I can munch. I always cut jicama, peppers, fennel, celery, carrots and cucumbers. My goal in life is to get my body used to just 3 meals a day and no snacking. Dr. John Doulliard claims it makes your digestive fire very strong. Maybe one day…

Time to cook dinner. Tonight we are having chicken soup, stringbeans with zaatar spice and kalamata olives, organic London broil with sautéed mushrooms and onions, a big mixed salad, and arame seaweed. Every day I have at least one serving of some type of seaweed. Can’t forget about those amazing sea veggies people!! I like to eat small portions of great food at night so I know it will digest well.

I ate in between seeing clients at about 6:30-7:00. Before dinner I had a ½ cup of My fermented cabbage juice again. I like to leave time between my last meal and bed so I just had 2 cups of caffeine free tea with fresh mint, stevia and water.

I like to hit the sack at 10:30-11:00 which works most nights. Before I sleep I do my gratitude thing. Sometimes I journal and sometimes I am too tired, so I mentally go through all my blessings and positive gifts.

So much for a sample day. Just know that I am not big on doing the same exact things every day. I like a big variety of foods, teas and vegetables. My schedule changes every day as well. I just want to say that I really try to be a great example to my clients, my friends and my family, so you know I will keep you posted with any new and exciting additions, just can’t keep it to myself…J

If you have any questions about anything I do or any comments please ask in the “comments section” below this article.

December 26, 2012 · Blog

What Can Make You Younger, Thinner, Healthier and More Energetic?

There is one thing that can make you younger, thinner, healthier, and more energetic it can:

Make your skin smoother
Reduce fatigue
Make your immune system function more efficiently
Help with weight management.
It can help to offset the progression and symptoms of hormone-related health issues such as hot flashes and osteoporosis.
It is the main lubricant in the joint spaces and helps prevent arthritis.
It rids the body of toxins.
It helps prevent the loss of memory as we age and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Lou Gehrig’s disease.

There is only one substance on this planet that has the purifying, reverse-the-clock qualities we are talking about. That substance is water. Yes we like to splash around in it, but the fact is that 60-70 percent of the body and 85 percent of the brain is composed of water.

Dehydration. What does it mean? What does it do? Think grape-raisin, plum-prune…get it?

Most of us don’t realize how much of our physical and mental well being depends on being well hydrated. Water can be a therapy, a healing substance for your body.

Okay people, how many of you are now calculating how much water you drank

so far today? How’d you do? Let me inspire you to drink water. Did you know that chronic dehydration could have severe effects? Some of those include:

Muscle spasms
Shriveled skin
Dim vision
Painful urination
Seizures
Back pain
Fatigue
Constipation
Digestive disorders
Irritability
Depression
Not sleeping well
Increased cravings
Fear of crowds or of leaving the house
Poor circulation and congestion of lymph glands
High or low blood pressure
Gastritis and stomach ulcers
Respiratory troubles
Excess weight/obesity
Eczema
High cholesterol
Headaches
Urinary infections
Rheumatism
Skin aging, including wrinkles and loss of elasticity

Okay, now how many of you are asking yourselves if your headaches, back pain, leg cramps and eczema could be from dehydration?

I don’t think people realize the profound effects of dehydration. I hear things like “Yes, I know I should be drinking more water, but…”

“I don’t like water it’s too plain…”

“ I forget to drink…”

All of the things I listed above are your bodies’ cries for water! This can be a difficult

Habit to learn because most of us didn’t grow up seeing our parents drink water. The trend of carrying around bottled water is a very recent one, and many of us still do not do it.

Dr. Batmanghelidj’s first book, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water testifies to the many health benefits that can be accomplished solely by restoring sufficient hydration levels. In this book he documented the many diseases he was able to reverse with just ordinary water, minerals and sea salt.

Water is the thing that takes the toxins and carbon dioxide out and carries vital nutrients in. The health of our cells depends on it.

So get to it! Here are some important tips to remember:

It’s important to drink throughout the day, don’t depend on a “dry mouth” to remind you. Keep a glass or bottle beside you all the time and drink it!
To keep your body well hydrated, drink at least half your body weight in ounces. If you are physically active or live in a warm climate, drink even more.
Sorry to be so graphic, but a hydrated body produces clear colorless urine. If your urine is yellow, you are dehydrated. If your urine is orange or dark colored, you are severely dehydrated.
Set a timer to drink often, and accomplish your water quota for the day.
When you wake up in the morning immediately drink two glasses of water to rehydrate after loss of fluids during the night.
To keep your body and brain functioning at peak performance, have at least half your water intake before noon.
Drink a large glass of water 15 minutes before a meal to aid digestion.
Do not drink large amounts of water with a meal. It will dilute needed stomach acid.
Drink room temperature or hot water.
Skip the coffee. Take water breaks instead. Coffee is dehydrating and water is the true energy source.
Read Dr. F. Batmanghelidj’s book Water for Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re thirsty! It will definitely convince you to drink more water.
My last tip is for those of you who just can’t get the water down. Flavor your water with a little bit of lemon and stevia, or a flavored stevia, or some fresh fruit sitting on the bottom of the bottle (berries, pineapple, orange), or a shot of passion tea. Some fresh mint and cucumber slices can really make you feel like your having spa water. Reduce the amount of flavorings over time, and try to learn to love the fresh taste of the plain water. If you need the flavor, well, better to have it than not to drink.

Wishing you all a well-hydrated body, youthful beautiful skin, and complete health and happiness. When you are blessing that clear, delicious, amazing water don’t forget how lucky we are to have clean water that is available to us in our homes.

In many parts of the world people have to walk for miles to get clean water, then carry it home in buckets. I am truly grateful for that, just sayin’.

December 19, 2012 · Blog

Missing Long Summer Days?

Got light? Winter blues are getting a lot of us by this point in December. For some, it is as if we have a serious depressive disorder when all we need is a way to get our body clocks back in order. Those body clocks are called circadian rhythms and are set in nature with the rising and setting of the sun.

I have been researching a lot about circadian rhythm enhancement these days. I see clients who are feeling a little bit down, sluggish and out of sorts. What I have found is astounding. Many people are being treated with anti depressants, but there is a great, natural way around it.

When circadian rhythms are disrupted, even if it’s not at the point of being diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), we are at a greater risk of developing cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, hypothyroidism, and a host of other diseases. According to Paul Jaminett, PH.D., infertility and obesity may also be circadian rhythm disorders. Our immune systems are the strongest when our circadian rhythms are on beat. So instead of being sick and fat there is a lot you can do.

The easiest strategy to correct an offbeat circadian rhythm is, you guessed it, light therapy. There are many sunshine-simulating lights available HERE on my website, that when used for ½ hour a day, usually in the early morning, will help tremendously. You can take a test HERE that will determine the best time for you individually to use the light.

Other tips for keeping your circadian rhythm functioning well:

1) Get outdoors in the early morning, and afternoon for a quick walk or bike ride or any other type of moderate exercise you like. 10-20 minutes. Being outside in daylight is key. Even if it’s cold, grey, cloudy or yuck, it’s still daylight. I’ve been dressing warmly, walking outdoors early in the morning and in the afternoon. It really makes me feel good.

2) Restrict computer and TV viewing at night. Ending at least one hour before bedtime. It really makes a difference, try it. There is an app you can download HERE that adjusts the light of your computer, iPad and or iPhone screen for day and nighttime.

3) I just bought a pair of light blocking glasses that filter out stimulating blue light and give everything a yellow or brownish glow. I bought them HERE. I look a little too cool walking around the house in them, but hey, I do what I gotta do!

4) Limit or eliminate reading just before bedtime by a bright incandescent light bulb, which can stimulate your brain and disrupt circadian rhythms, and melatonin production.

5) Begin to turn down or turn off all bright lights in your house about ½ hour before bedtime, leaving a few candles in their place. I love it! It’s so retro! It’s so much fun to buy all shapes, sizes and scented candles.

6) Eliminate ALL light in your bedroom. This includes blue light from LED on alarm clocks, green power light on an electric toothbrush, and streetlights shining in through your bedroom window. If you can’t eliminate all the light, use a sleep mask like Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. Yup, getting your circadian rhythm on can be very glam.

7) Another important “to do” in winter is limit hibernating activities and engage in more social activities. Get friends together for day trips or just to sit by the fireplace.
Find cool Jazz bands, and other indoor musical fun, museums, movie fests, and shows of all kinds.
The local zoo is a fun stop in winter, and usually not very crowded. Book a hayride or bundle up and visit a nearby farm. Those winter nature trips have their own special feeling. Did I get you in the mood? Go for it!

8) Adoption of a bedtime that allows a full night’s rest, and is consistent from
night to night.

9) And you knew I was gonna say it; no daytime carbs. Yes I am a crazy woman about balancing insulin. Unbalanced insulin during the day is really bad for circadian rhythms. If your going to have a potato have it in the evening, puh-lease!!!

Before you know it, you’ll be feeling so happy and full of energy, you might think its summer already! Or maybe you’ll think you woke up on a great vacation in some exotic place. Even when you realize you are home and it’s winter, all those great ‘happy chemicals’ will be hard at work.

Best of all, these things will contribute to a much healthier, happier and productive winter season for everyone who follows these tips. It’s an investment that’s well worth the effort!

Be green, never be blue, eat the rainbow.

with love and many blessings,

Joy

December 5, 2012 · Blog

Against The Grain: 10 Reasons to Give Up Grains

Imagine a world where heart disease, diabetes, autoimmunity and other modern diseases are rare or don’t exist at all. Imagine we are naturally lean and fit and we are fertile throughout our childbearing years. We sleep peacefully and deeply. We age gracefully without degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.

This sounds like pure fantasy today, however, anthropological evidence suggests that this is exactly how human beings lived for the vast majority of our evolutionary history. Today, most people accept diseases like obesity, diabetes, infertility, and Alzheimers as normal. They may be common, but they are anything but normal. What on Earth has caused this?

In a word? The modern lifestyle. And though there are several aspects of our current lifestyle that contribute to disease, the widespread consumption of food toxins is by far the greatest offender. Specifically, the following four dietary toxins are to blame:

▪ Cereal grains (especially refined flour)

▪ Omega-6 industrial seed oils (corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, etc.)

▪ Sugar (especially high-fructose corn syrup)

▪ Processed soy (soy milk, soy protein, soy flour, etc.)

Now I have to admit, I love a big fluffy piece of bread as much as the next person so I will reveal to you 10 reasons that helped me in my decision to give up grains.

1. If you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.

The big heroes of most grains nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins. The truth is if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find it in better quantities in other foods for example:

100 grams of whole-wheat flour – 44mcg of folate

100 grams of lamb liver will give you 400mcg of folate

100 grams of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658mcg of folate!!

Whole grains are often praised as health foods for their fiber content but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient dense foods.

100 grams of cooked brown rice has 1.8 grams of dietary fiber

100 grams of cooked collard greens has 2.8 grams of dietary fiber

Green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving.

2. Grains are not good for your gut. (or your brain)

Intestinal health is critical to your overall health. If your gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. If your intestines can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease.

There is a very strong connection between the gut and the brain, healthy gut=healthy brain.

Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome. Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response. This causes your immune system to be excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out of place particles of grain. It can lead to autoimmune disorders, allergies and generally wreaks havoc in the body.

3. You’re probably gluten-intolerant.

Current research estimates that about 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition related to the ingestion of gluten containing grains like wheat and barley, however some researchers on celiac disease and gluten intolerance estimate that 30% to 40% of people of European descent are gluten intolerant to some degree. That’s a lot of people who are regularly consuming a food that makes them sick.

4. Grains cause inflammation

(You can check inflammatory markers on www.nutritiondata.com)

Grains are inflammatory foods. The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is. Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even Cancer.

5. Grains are fairly new on the scene

While still a traditional food, grains are the new kids on the block. Prior to the advent of agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering for their foods. They gathered wild greens, berries, fruits and other plants. They hunted, and fished. So for the better part of human existence grains did not comprise any portion of the human diet.

6. Grains aren’t good for your joints.

Due to their inflammatory nature, grains are linked to joint pain and arthritis.

Synovial tissue in the joints and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two.

So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joints. That leads to pain and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and more inflammation.

Just let me add here that my joints in my thumbs were swollen and very painful 6 months ago when I was still eating grains, and now are back to normal. My knees really hurt. When I squatted down it hurt to stand up. Now, no grains, no pain!

7. Poorly prepared grains prevent mineral absorption.

When grains are properly soaked and fermented, well at least there is a shot at neutralizing the phytates and making the nutrients in grains more absorbable, but most often they are improperly prepared.

8. Grains are bad for your teeth.

Due to those high levels of phytates in grain, grain is linked to dental decay. Some anthropologists use the presence of tooth decay as an indicator of an agricultural society. Our pre-agricultural ancestors records indicate very little to no tooth decay. I don’t know about you, but I can very happily skip the dental work thank you.

9. Grains aren’t good for your skin either.

Grains have a very high carbohydrate content and while they may be complex they are still broken down into sugars. This causes elevated insulin levels that lead to a cascading hormonal response and these hormones activate the sebum-producing glands in your skin, encouraging them to produce more oil.

This insulin response is also linked with the increased production of keratinocytes, which also contribute to acne.

We all want beautiful skin, no?

10. Eating grain makes you crave grain.

Grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall, you crave more grains and the vicious cycle continues…unless of course you stop it 😉

Of course if you’re not ready to give up grains in their entirety, take care to make sure you eat the best quality grains prepared for optimal nourishment. Choose organic grains and make sure you eat them sprouted, soaked or fermented.

I have a better idea, go on a grain free trial with me for the month of January! See what happens.

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