Frederic Patenaude's Blog, page 45

Bouncing to Health with Rebounding

Rebounding is not only a great cardiovascular workout, its low impact and fun as well. Rebounding can burn the same number of calories as jogging- and rebounding does it without the huge risk of injury! The small trampoline used in rebounding provides resistance and a soft landing.

Rebounding offers relief from osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. This form of exercise is generally less stressful on the body than most other systems.  Similarly people who experience back pain can benefit from rebounding, without the negative effects of exercising on a hard surface.

NASA research has shown rebounding to be the best form of exercise to rebuild lost bone mass, common for astronauts due to the weightlessness in space. In one study, NASA called rebounding the "miracle exercise." Thus, the possibility of preventing osteoporosis, and reversing bone damage is great.

Noteworthy benefits of rebounding

The nature of rebounding with its flexible surface increases balance.


Exercise of any kind is key to fighting the negative effects of diabetes. Rebounding is an effective and gentle approach to exercise, that can be part of a healthy program to control weight.


With rebounding you can experience higher levels of energy.


Dr. Morton Walker authored a book titled "Jumping for Health" in this book he outlines thirty different anti-stress benefits of rebounding.


Increase endurance by regular rebounding exercise.


Improves muscle tone, especially in the legs, hips and core.

With all the benefits available from such a low impact aerobic work out, it's easy to see why there is a growing trend in rebounding. Any exercise that can be done by people who suffer from joint pain or asthma, as well as provide an intense cardio workout is really well worth giving a try.

I recommend purchasing your rebounder with a stability bar, and using it until you are confident. For some, this takes a day, and others two weeks or more, so go at a pace you are comfortable with. Wearing shoes is a good idea to reduce chances of injuring yourself. Also, look for a trampoline with six legs as this will make for a more stable surface.

Rebounding is so easy to get started. Begin with some light bouncing, when you are ready you can move up to jumping, walking or jogging on the rebounder. You may increase the benefits by adding different arm movements. There are so many possibilities, almost any aerobic exercise can be done on the rebounder. I like to do yoga, pillates, kick boxing and ab workouts on the rebounder. The mini trampoline really lends itself to your creativity.

Albert Carter is founder of AIR Inc. and the pioneer of rebound exercise. As a lecturer and educator, Carter has shared his findings on health and rebound exercise all over the world. He is also the designer of what is arguably the best-built, most innovative rebounders available. Although, I have also seen great reviews of Reeboks version. What ever rebounder you choose your sure to enjoy the fun and the health benefits.

The Key Benefits of Juice Fasting

The secret to a healthy mind and body lies in a consistent method of detoxification that suits your body system. The basic aim of this process of detoxification is to eliminate or neutralize the toxins from the body through the natural detox organs such as the colon, kidneys, liver, lungs, lymph, etc.

Juice Fasting – The Process

In recent years, juice fasting has become one of the most popular and result-oriented methods of detoxification. The key reason for the increasing popularity of juice fasting is the belief that fresh vegetable and fruit juices are a particularly rich source of vitamins and antioxidants. A juice fast is considered a rather extreme form of detoxification since this kind of fasting totally excludes solid food. If you are on a juice fast, you will be on a diet that will comprise only of the following three constituents:

· Raw vegetable juice

· Raw fruit juice

· Water

When on a juice diet, your body will have no access to solid food. As a result, the body will begin to feed on and derive energy from dead cells, fatty deposits and even damaged tissues. This is ultimately a process of cleansing, while the nutrition that is being received from fresh juices leads to the start of a healing process. In fact, a juice fast is one of the most effective methods to allow the various body organs to rest, be cleansed and ultimately become healed and revitalized.

Juice fasting enhances the overall state of health through its two main actions, which include:

1) Facilitating detoxification

2) Facilitating healing and recovery

The 5-Key Benefits of Juice Fasting
1. Elimination of toxins

Once the cleansing process sets in, your body will begin to eliminate a series of wastes and toxins, which you may see as a slimy mucus form. Such toxins will usually include one or more types of waste material listed below:

· Cells that are either dead, dying or simply diseased

· Toxic wastes that might be deposited in the bloodstream, liver, spleen, kidneys or lymphatic system

· Fatty tissues or trans-fatty acids

· Residue of drugs, chemicals or pesticides

· Mucus from sinuses or lungs

· Excessive cholesterol

Moreover, elimination of such toxins also brings about a series of other benefits for your body, such as providing relief from allergies, headaches, acne and joint pain.

2. Facilitate weight loss

The fact that a huge amount of toxins are deposited in the fat cells makes juice fasting an effective method for weight loss. Juice fasting is considered to be one of the quickest ways to lose weight, since your body will use up its own stored substances to obtain nutrition. Experts suggest that if you are new to juice fasting and you intend to lose weight through this method, it is crucial that you start by observing such a fast only for 2 days, once in every 2 weeks. You can increase the frequency later, depending upon your reaction to the diet.

3. Facilitates rapid recovery

Fresh juices contain a wealth of vitamins, carbohydrates, iron, minerals and enzymes that fuel the body's healing activity, strengthen the immune system and keep your body hydrated. This speeds up the recovery process, thereby achieving the key objective of detoxification. You can expect greater results from juice fasting if you ensure that you only consume fresh vegetable and fruit juices. Experts often suggest that it is wise to use only a proper juicer instead of a blender so that no fiber content remains in the juice.

4. Healthier digestive system

Science firmly supports the fact that a clean colon is crucial for an overall healthy state of the human body. Juice fasting is one of the safest and most gentle ways to provide the necessary rest to the digestive system in a natural manner, thereby allowing it to become totally cleansed. Juice fasting is also considered to be particularly useful for healing the damage associated with chronic diseases caused by years of improper lifestyle and poor dietary habits. The change in metabolism that comes with juice fasting gives the bodily functions a better chance to perform, thereby improving the overall functioning of the digestive system.

5. Anti-aging and lifestyle benefits

A juice fast enhances your overall state of health and has an anti-aging effect on the mind as well as the body. People in the middle-age group who have done juice fasting have often reported additional benefits such as enhanced concentration, better mental clarity, higher energy levels, sound sleep, clearer mind and regulated bowel movements. In addition, juice fasting also adds radiance to the skin tone and gives an overall healthier appearance to the body.

Your Cure for Candida – Low Fat, High Fruit Approach

Candida – An Introduction

When we speak of Candida, we are referencing a group of yeast-like microorganisms that thrive in the human body in parts such as mouth, throat, intestines and the genitourinary tract. In at least 80 percent of normal and healthy individuals, these microorganisms live in the mouth, throat, intestines and urinary or genital tract, without any apparent harmful effects. It begins to become a problem when this natural Candida yeast population gets out of control and an uncurbed multiplication of the yeast cells occurs. This eventually results in a condition known as Candidiasis. The most common reasons that can make this growth go beyond the average levels include:

· Poor nutrition, a high fat diet

· Stress

· Improper lifestyle

· Antibiotics

· Contraceptive use

· Pregnancy

· Diabetes

· Allergies

How does fat feed Candida?

Candida is a form of natural yeast that the human body creates to eliminate any surplus sugar levels in the body. As you attempt to find dietary cures for Candida, it is first critical to understand what the main-food ingredients of your diet, do to your body. An excessive fat level in the body is the first and most critical ingredient that contributes to the growth of Candida. When you consume exceedingly fatty foods, the fat levels in your blood begin to increase along with the blood sugar level. This superfluous fat will then line the walls of the blood vessels, damage the structure of sugar molecules and eventually coat the insulin with fat, affecting the overall metabolic activity. Consequently, the excessive fat prevents insulin from discharging sugar out from the bloodstream. Consistent high levels of fat will keep the sugar levels perpetually elevated. This increased amount of sugar will then proceed to support the large Candida colonies instead of supplying nutrition to your cells, which is its original purpose. Experts suggest that if you are vulnerable to suffer from Candida often, you should avoid fats and oils, the following list is not exhaustive:

· Cottonseed oil

· Corn oil

· Peanut oil

· Avocados

· Soy oil

· Nuts/Seeds

If you are keen on handling your Candida through a low fat diet approach, it is essential that you keep the percentage of calories contained in fatty foods below 10 percent for an extended period of time. Please bear in mind, that you will receive more than enough fat from fruit, vegetables and leafy greens.

A high-fruit diet – Your way to cure Candida

Fruits are considered beneficial to control Candida. As we have already highlighted, sugar is not the cause of Candida, rather it is the excess consumption of fats. If you maintain a high fruit low fat diet for a number of weeks your Candida issues will be resolved. Candida exists to serve an essential function, it is trying to bring your body back to a state of homeostasis. If you stop putting in the excess oils and fats, the Candida will no longer have a purpose and will dissipate as it is intended. Unfortunately the majority of advice is to steer clear of fruits when suffering from an influx of Candida. As a result many people go on for extended periods of discomfort and disease with this problem, when the solution is simple. Any easily digestible fruit is recommended:

Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries


Watermelon


Peaches


Pears


Apples


Apricots

I have seen people who have suffered long term, or on a highly reoccurring basis from Candida, cure this problem within weeks, if not days, on this low fat high fruit approach.

Savory Raw Food Recipes for Lunch!

Raw food?

The culinary world is now interested with what they see as an "all-new" trend. Food experts and fitness advisors are now vouching for the wonders of raw foods and the benefits it offers.

While I love fruit salad and simple plates of raw, season fresh sliced fruit as a meal, it is equally impressive to feast on yummy soups, smoothies, salads and dips. The possibilities for creating delicious, healthful combinations, that will impress even the biggest "foodie" are virtually endless.

If you are new to this diet, read on for some excellent and easy recipes that will highlight the versatility of raw foods. Before venturing into this new-found health secret, make sure you understand what is implied by this category of food. Raw food is not simply food that is uncooked or untreated. By its definition, raw foods are food items that have not been cooked beyond 118°F which ensures that the nutrients and enzymes that otherwise would be destroyed by cooking are retained in their original state.

Raw food lunch – A power packed meal

The lunch-time meal has the ability to pack the maximum amount of energy at a much needed time of the day. A raw food lunch loads in just the right amount of essential nutrients to ensure that we get the utmost energy from our food and at the same time, restrict the intake of empty calories or unhealthy fats. Opposite of the heavy, fatty lunches, a raw food lunch leaves you soaring with energy and mental clarity. So while your colleagues are looking for a sugar or caffeine fix in the afternoon, you will be brimming with natural energy.

Below we have briefly listed some advantages of consuming raw food:

1. Better energy levels

2. Improved mental clarity

3. Improved quality of sleep

4. Better appetite

5. Smooth functioning of the digestive system

6. Richer and more natural flavor of foods

7. Environment-friendly

Top raw food lunch recipes!

New to the world of raw food lunches? Just try your hand at a few of these well-known raw food recipes for your next lunch time:

1. Olive and tomato salad

What you will need

· 1 part olives

· 4 parts cherry tomatoes

· 2 tbsp lemon juice

· Cold pressed virgin olive oil

· Basil

· Pepper

· Arugula

How to make

Break open the tomatoes in a bowl, add the olives, olive oil, lemon juice and pepper, and toss around for a few seconds. Add basil and arugula just before meal time and add salt to taste, if required.

2. Green Smoothie

What you will need

· ½ avocado

· 5 leaves – red leaf lettuce

· Celery – 2 stalks

· Juice – 1/2 lemon

· Parsley or Cilantro – 5 stalks

· 2 cups water

How to make

The ingredients just have to be blended in a blender and the smoothie is ready.

3. Gazpacho

What you will need

· Finely chopped tomatoes – 4

· ½ medium white onion, finely chopped

· 1 clove garlic, minced

· 1 cucumber, finely chopped

· Cilantro – 4 tbsp, finely chopped

· 1 scallion, finely chopped

· 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and chopped

· ¼ cup mango, chopped

· Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil – 1 tbsp

· Lemon juice, to taste

How to make

Puree the tomatoes, garlic, onion and cucumber in a blender and strain to remove skins, seeds and other sediment.

Refrigerate overnight and then garnish with the finely chopped scallions, mango, red bell pepper, cilantro and olive oil. Add lemon juice for taste.

4. Kale and avocado salad

What you will need

· 1 head curly kale, shredded

· 1 cup chopped tomato or fresh salsa

· 1/2 avocado

· 1-2 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil

· Juice from 1/2 lemon

· Celtic or Himalayan sea salt, to taste (1/4 – 1/2 t)

· 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

· Add 1-2 sheets untoasted nori, snip with scissors into small pieces

· Optional toppings: raisins, pine nuts, hemp seed nuts, sesame seeds

How to make

In mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together. Mash everything together with hands to created marinated/wilted effect on kale. This makes it much tastier and easier to digest.

Combining Western Medicine and Raw Foods

There's a story I never told, about something very strange that happened to me back in 1999.

I was in a suburb of San Diego, riding my bicycle late at night after going to a yoga class. At the time, I was a strict raw foodist and I was trying to get in better shape by doing Ashtanga Yoga.

I was in the city of Del Mar, going downhill on my bike to get back home. I was going pretty fast downhill, and suddenly I hit a very dark car that was parked slightly off the side of the road.

In one instant, I found myself on the other side of the car completely, with blood everywhere. At that moment I thought I was going to die, and my first thought was "I never thought it was going to happen this way."

Then I realized that the "blood" I saw was actually a bottle of fresh grapefruit juice from Trader Joe's that exploded upon impact.

My legs were hurting, but I could walk. Fortunately I was only slightly bruised, but the bike was completely wrecked — bent in half.

My first thought was: I need to get back home!

My first thought was not: I need to go to a hospital.

Why? Because at the time I had read so much natural hygiene information, and being young and impressionable, I was convinced that as a raw foodist, ending up in the hospital was the worst thing that could ever happen to me.

They would probably shoot me up with drugs and because I was so "sensitive" to drugs on my pure diet, I could end up in a coma and die. At least, that's what I thought from what my raw food friends had told me.

I didn't think my injuries were too bad, because I could still walk, although with difficulty. I didn't realize that my body had produced so much adrenaline that I actually didn't feel my legs.

Now your question might be… how did I manage to ride my bike into a car?

That's another story that relates to my disdain of modern medicine and science. Being a raw foodist, I didn't think my wearing glasses fit with the lifestyle.

I had been shortsighted ever since the age of 12, and had worn glasses ever since (I was in my early twenties at the time of the story).

Raw foods or fasting did nothing to cure my myopia. So I read books on how to use natural methods and they all came to the same conclusion. Don't use glasses and let your eyes heal themselves! According to these books, glasses made vision worse. Dr. Shelton even recommended to "get rid of your glasses" or "break them." I am not kidding!

For over a while, I only used my glasses when absolutely necessary. Then one day I broke them (accidentally), and saw that as a sign to get rid of them completely.

For the most part, things went smoothly and I adjusted well, without actually improving my vision significantly.

During the daytime, I had no problem riding my bike, but as you may know, vision drops at night and in that micro-second, I did not see the car in front of me because it was black and it was late at night, the street was poorly lit, and I was freakin' short-sighted wearing no glasses!

I needed to get back home, but this was in the "pre-iPhone" days, when you actually needed to talk to human beings to get things done.

I started knocking on people's doors, trying to explain that I just had an accident. I wanted to find the owner of the car to explain the situation, but also get back home.

To my surprise, everybody who answered the door seemed afraid of me. They perhaps suspected some kind of scam, after all, who would pretend to have been in an accident when they smelled like grapefruit juice and still could walk?

People would say: "just hold on, I'll call you a taxi." Then they closed the door on me. I waited and waited, but when I rang their bell again, they did not answer.

Finally I was fed up and because I couldn't find the owner of the car, I left a note on the windshield explaining the situation and leaving my home number.

I decided to walk to the nearest phone booth and call myself a taxi. The problem is… I don't know if you've been in some American cities, but they are not exactly designed to be pedestrian-friendly.

I walked for blocks and blocks on my injured leg, but could not find a phone booth or even a gas station. Finally I arrived at a community center that seemed opened, and found someone inside, a man who listened to my story.

After a long discussion, he decided to take me back home in his own car.

The next day, I woke up and found that my left knee now looked like a big balloon, filled with water!

Although I was tempted to get it checked, my irrational fear of doctors kept me from doing anything.

Now you might think… that's stupid! And you're right. But keep in mind the context. I was literally convinced that going to the doctor was the absolute last resort! If I could avoid it, I would.

Over the next weeks, I decided to fast on my own, but the water in my knee still did not go away. Some natural health people I saw told me I "needed" to get that water out, but I thought that was a bad idea. If my body had produced that fluid, that was probably to protect my knee, I guessed.

In the end, it took about two months for my knee to look normal again. But that's not the end of the story.

For years after that, I could not run for more than 10 or 15 minutes without feeling pain in my knee. Over the years, my knee got better and better on its own, and now I can run without any pain.

But, I often feel discomfort in my left leg, especially at night or when there's a change of pressure in the weather, for example during damp, cold weather.

The bottom line is that I was so afraid of doctors that this irrational fear prevented me from taking action, even if it was just a simple evaluation.

Let me tell you that my attitude has changed a lot over the years.

Although you may think my story is funny, don't laugh too quickly because it could have been a lot worse. I actually know people who died because they were careless and thought they knew more than doctors.

Can We Combine Western Medicine With Raw Foods?

The reason why so many raw foodists are afraid of doctors is this concept of "sensitivity."

Even Fred Bisci, who's been a raw foodist for many years, warned people against drugs that are commonly given to "normal people," claiming that if raw foodists were to receive such doses, they could die.

Although part of that is true, it's not a concept that can be blindly applied.

When a person has weakened their body through fasting, for example, then yes, this is absolutely true… a visit to the hospital can be fatal because 99% of doctors don't have experience with people on long water fasts or understand why people choose to do this for health reasons.

They will treat you as a regular patient, and whatever drugs they give you can actually kill you if your body is in a weakened state.

According to Dr. X, the amazing doctor I'm interviewing this month for a new program to be released shortly, probably under the name of the "Beyond Raw Health Program," a very small percentage of people who undergo surgery… never wake up from the anesthesia that is given to induce sleep. And nobody knows why. Fortunately, if you've ever been put under before, then you are not in that category of unlucky people and should not be concerned.

There are also a few more things to be aware of, for example that eating a lot of greens can bring an excess of Vitamin K that are perfectly healthy, but that can interfere with certain drugs and become dangerous to your health. For more information, read my book Raw Food Controversies (http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/rawfoodcontroversies)

Beyond this concept of "sensitivity," which I actually addressed in my new book, coming to the conclusion that one should not attempt to become "too pure," I think a big reason raw foodists are afraid of doctors and avoid them completely is because they think that doctors don't know a thing about health.

This brings me to an important point.

"People attribute certain powers to doctors that they don't have."

A lot of people complain that doctors are only trained to act when something goes wrong and are not trained about things like nutrition and prevention.

That's absolutely true for the most part!

But the reality is that you don't go to your doctor for nutrition advice. Most of them don't know a thing about it and couldn't care less. That's not what they went to school for!

You go to your doctor:

1) To evaluate your state of health using unbiased data such as blood tests, physical exams, etc.

2) To save your life when your situation is beyond the possibility of "preventable"

3) To "fix you up" either through surgery, setting, bandaging, stitches or other interventions.

This is what you should use doctors for. But many people don't realize that doctors are experts in what they need to be experts in, and knowing about alternative therapies and raw food nutrition is alien to them for good reason.

How secure would you feel if you got in an accident and were rushed to the hospital and needed surgery, but your surgeon was more concerned with natural therapies and wanted to see if your open wounds would heal with some herb compacts instead of assessing your problems and seeing if you needed bone resetting or stitches?

This is kind of ridiculous, but of course you wouldn't want this. When you need to see a specialist, you want them to BE an EXPERT in their field. That's their job. So don't get angry at them for things that are not their expertise that they do not know about. They are trained to treat people based on fact and science without bias for their gender, sexual orientation or lifestyle choices. They will not treat you based on pseudo-science, opinion, or wishy washy beliefs and ideology, and this is a GOOD THING.

So back to drugs.

Are all drugs absolutely bad?

The basic concept of raw foodism and natural hygiene is absolutely correct.

"Health through healthful living."

You can't lead an unhealthy life and expect health.

However, sometimes things are beyond our control.

- You could get into an accident

- You could have a genetic weakness

- You may not be able to live a healthful life 100% of the time due to outside factors

Although I agree that modern medicine is very flawed with prescribing lots of drugs to treat symptoms only and that most drugs are absolutely unnecessary most of the time, it would be foolish to deny some of the progress that have been done by modern medicine and go back to pre-industrial days!

In some cases, certain drugs can save your life, like antibiotics if you got a serious infection, although most of the time they are not necessary.

In many cases, surgery can save your life, and nobody can actually deny that, not even the most extreme natural health nut.

In order to achieve the best health possible, it's important to find out where natural health, raw foods and other therapies can also complement some use of modern medicine.

Now most doctors have actually no clue about natural health or nutrition, and unfortunately most raw foodist have no clue how they should be using modern medicine, and what they should and shouldn't expect from doctors.

I know you have important questions about your health, and I know that you're not satisfied with the answer you are getting from both doctors and raw foodists.

Now it's time to combine the best of each approach in a true "holistic" way.

This is why I'm putting together a new course called "The Beyond Raw Health Program — Natural Solutions for Your Unique Body" which is an interview series with an amazing expert that currently goes by the name of Dr. X (to protect her privacy and because of her medical studies, she can't be associated with alternative health methods).

As part of this course, I'll be organizing a completely free webinar where you'll be able to ask Dr. X your own questions about health.

If you're not satisfied with the "One Size Fits All" solution, then you'll want to listen to this webinar! To sign up for free, just go to:

http://MyOptInPage2.com/?pid=6421102

By the way, what do you think of the name "The Beyond Raw Health Program"…? Still working on it, and would welcome your suggestions! Please post comments below.

Is Being a Health Expert Bad for Your Health? Why Health Gurus Die Young

It's a rather shocking observation that health gurus, who write diet books and give advice on how to live long, tend to live shorter lives than the average person.

They seem to be beaten only by rock stars (who have an average life expectancy of 42 years old for American rock stars, and 35 for Europeans!)

Some examples of health experts who died young:

Michel Montignac, a very famous Frenchman who promoted a healthy diet based on the concept of the glycemic index, died at 66 of cancer. He was the inspiration behind the "South Beach Diet."

Dr. Atkins, probably the most famous diet guru in the world (who weighed 258 lbs at 6 feet tall), died after spending 9 days in a coma at the age of 72 from a slip on the ice. The medical examiner noted that in his health files that he had previously had suffered a heart attack, congestive heart failure and hypertension. As no autopsy was performed, it cannot be confirmed if any of these previous ailments affected his inability to recover from his injuries.

Paavo Airola, author of "How to Get Well" and led the Juice Fasting and natural health movement in the 70s and 80s, died of a stroke at the age of 64.

Roy Waldorf who was a longevity expert and wrote the book "The 120-Year Diet" died in 2004 at age 79. Not that bad, but nowhere close to the target age he projected.

Nathan Pritikin, one of the most prolific authors on the low fat diet, committed suicide as his body was overtaken by leukemia at age 69.

Ross Horne, his student, claimed that Mr. Pritikin would have lived longer if he had embraced the fruitarian diet that Ross promoted, but he himself died of cancer, although well into his 80s.

T.C. Fry, leader of the Natural Hygiene and fruitarian movement, died of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 70.

Recently Robert E. Kwalski, who wrote the famous book "The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure," died at the age of 65 of a pulmonary aneurysm.

George Oshawa, who literally invented the macrobiotic diet (which actually means "the way of long life") passed of lung cancer at the age of 73.

Adele Davis, who pioneered the concept of healthy eating, which unfortunately involved drinking a lot of milk, died at the age of 70 of cancer.

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—

Of course, it would be wrong to say that ALL diet gurus die young. That's not true, but a lot of them did.

Paul Bragg died at 81. Although it was widely claimed by his family that he died from a surfing accident, apparently cause of death was a heart attack, a fact which has since been removed from his Wikipedia page.

Norman Walker, juicing and raw food guru, died at 99 (and not at 118 years old as was previously claimed).

Jack Lalanne, who was more a fitness than a diet guru, diet recently at the age of 96 from pneumonia.

What Does It All Mean?

The fact that a good majority of health gurus don't live significantly longer than the average life expectancy, and in most cases live shorter lives, doesn't in itself mean anything revolutionary.

People are fallible. Health gurus can be mistaken. More importantly… health gurus are human just like you and me!

Some health gurus promoted a low fat diet. Others promoted a high fat diet.

Some health gurus practiced what they preached most of the time, some did part of the time, and others didn't practice their teachings at all.

In some cases these inconsistencies didn't prevent them from living a long life, like Paul Bragg who used to enjoy an occasional burger in his favorite Honolulu restaurant.

Others, like T.C. Fry, struggled to apply their strict teachings in their own lives, but yet lived longer than what their doctors had predicted (T.C. Fry was desperately sick and ready to die in his forties based on his doctor's opinion).

Some gurus tried to give immortality a shot, like Roy Waldorf, and practiced calorie restriction, only to live slightly longer than the average male life expectancy.

Some diet gurus pretended to have the solution to weight loss, but were themselves overweight when they died (let's not name names here).

Who knows, maybe it's too much pressure to be a high-profile health guru, that people expect you to be perfect all the time. Maybe some health gurus would have changed their minds about a few things they got wrong, but to maintain their image they refused to admit to others and themselves that their program did not work and that they needed to try something else.

Maybe the type of person who writes diet books — mostly men — tend to be a certain overachiever type, bringing to their lives a certain stress that would not have occurred otherwise.

Or it could be that many diet gurus start with poor health in the first place, and then get motivated to find a solution and write a book about it.

The fact that some diet gurus die young should not lead us to the conclusion that all diet advice is bad.

But it should lead one to question the quality of the advice they are getting from these people.

I find that 99% of diet books rehash the same BS that is disease-promoting and meant for the masses who are happy to hear good news about their bad habits.

Bad Health Advice Like:

- Eating a ton of cholesterol is actually good for you, so start the day with organic bacon and eggs

- Eating a lot of meat is man's natural design (the last guy who tried to live on an all-meat diet is Vihjalmur Stephanson, and he died of a serious cardiovascular disease at 81).

- Eating a lot of fat is good as long as it's "good" fat, so douse your salad and everything else with olive oil

- Carbohydrates are "bad" but lots of meat protein is okay

- Fruit is "bad," but factory-made protein drinks are great for carbohydrates

It's actually so hard to see through all the confusion in natural health, but I believe it's possible.

Essentially, I think every diet claim falls in one of three categories:

1) Some things are good for everybody, and there's science to support it

2) Some things are downright bad for everybody, and there's science to support it

3) Some things are more complicated, and depend on individual situations.

Good Health Advice Examples:

- Fruits and vegetables are GOOD for everybody, yet most diet books don't promote a diet based on fruits and vegetables.

All science out there supports a diet based on fruits and vegetables, yet very few people actually do it.

- A plant-based is GOOD for everybody, and so is taking proven steps to improve your health such as exercising, keeping your fat intake low and eating fresh instead of packaged food.

- Refined fats and oils are BAD for everybody, because they are concentrated calories with no nutrients. The four tablespoons of olive oil some diet gurus recommend that you eat every day contain more saturate fat than a McDonald's Big Mac.

- The Standard American Diet (SAD) without exception, is BAD for everybody. Any diet book is a step above that, except Atkins, which is SAD on steroids and not recommended!

- Other things are not black and white. For example, there's a debate as to whether a completely vegan diet is better than one that contains a small percentage of animal products. I prefer to avoid animal products completely (except on very rare occasions), but others think they can get certain nutrients by eating some animal products.

- Some people feel best on an all-raw diet, although there's not definite science to say that it's absolutely the best diet for everybody. Most people seem to do great on a mostly-raw diet because they get enough variety and calories to thrive.

- Some people can't eat certain foods due to allergies or sensitivities

Ultimately, it's up to YOU to become your own diet guru.

But it's important not to fall into cynicism and start to believe that nobody is right and that all diet advice is bad. Of course, no one is absolutely right but it's logical to believe that certain people should be closer to the truth than others.

Ultimately, if you have a deep knowledge of the human body and how it ACTUALLY works, it will help you sort through a lot of the diet information available today.

Discover the Truth About:

- Is the liver flush good and does it flush out gallstones?

- Why taking ANY kind of oil in liquid form as a supplement is dangerous for your health

- Which supplements are beneficial to take?

- What to think of eating a 100% fruitarian diet?

- Which superfoods actually work?

- Which natural health procedures and cleanses are a useless and dangerous?

If you'd like to speak to a real medical professional and doctor who knows more about the human body than ANYBODY I have ever met in my 14 years involved in this movement, then I invite you to join us for our upcoming free teleseminar with Dr. X.

I have to call this friend Dr. X because she wants to remain anonymous due to pressures from the medical community. She's a real person, and soon you will get to talk to her and ask YOUR questions that need real answers.

To find out more about this exclusive free webinar, go to:

Dr. X Free Webinar Sign Up List

The Story of Dr. X

Today I have a story to tell you that is both stunning and

intriguing. In fact, it's a story I've never told before.

About a year ago, I had the chance to meet an extraordinary

person that I will call Dr. X (for now).

Read more below to find out about my first experience with

her.

In just a few weeks I will be releasing a unique series of

interviews with Dr. X… interviews that will turn you into

a health expert!

What if you could sit down with a highly trained doctor, the

"nobel prize" type, who also understands natural health

and raw foods?

And what if you could ask that doctor all of the questions

that have been troubling you about your health and the

healthiest diet to consume?

And what if all the answers you would get are the types of

answers you could never find through a Google search, and

knowing these answers will arm you with knowledge that will

remove any doubt or fear you may have about your own health

and that of your loved ones?

But first, let's start with the obvious question: "Who is

Dr. X?"

This mysterious doctor wants as little publicity as possible

- as a condition of doing these interviews with us.

Dr. X was actually referred to me by my wife Veronica, who

has known her for years.

Dr. X is a woman, and she's about 30 years old. She has been

in post secondary for 13 years, has a Bachelors of Science

(majoring in physiology), a Masters in Science in physiology

and is pursuing the completion of her MD/PhD in Medicine.

She's published research in several medical journals and

has worked with a team that is being evaluated for a Nobel

Prize in medicine (and might actually win it).

The reason Dr. X doesn't want her real name to be known is

because in about a year, she's going to start a very

important career, working on ground-breaking research and

as you might imagine, the field of medicine is extremely

wary of natural therapies. She's afraid that involvement

with naturopathic and raw food info could jeopardize the

research project she has as well as her place within the

medical community.

Most trained doctors don't know anything about health and

nutrition, and the ones that have incredible knowledge are

too busy with their careers to share diet tips or natural

therapies.

And most raw food leaders can only talk about what they

know, and sometimes they don't know a lot! So they use

scare tactics to make it sound like they know what they're

talking about, and sell their products.

What's amazing about Dr. X is that she's not concerned

about becoming rich and famous. That's not why she became

involved in medicine in the first place.

She's truly passionate about how the human body works and

knows more on the topic than ANYbody I've met. Her quest for

truth and answers is what motivates her.

More incredibly, since we met her she became quite

interested in the topics of raw food nutrition and natural

health. She has seen first hand the misinformation out

there and is outraged at the lies people are being told.

She knows that the truth is best when it comes to the body

and science and wants to help us all be healthier. What

more could you expect from a doctor?

In one year, Dr. X will be way too busy with her work and

her career. She's already told us that when she starts her

practice, she'll be working over 90 hours a week — and a

lot of that will be on research projects that are worth more

than you can even imagine.

Yet amazingly, she's available in the next few months,

because she needs to finish her studies. She'd rather get a

job doing interviews with us than teaching grad students!

How valuable is her information she wants to share?

People like Dr. X are used and abused by their older peers

until they graduate.

For example, Dr. X has already published important research

about a very popular drug that most of you know for

sexual dysfunction.

During her research, she actually found a new side-effect

that *nobody* had ever discovered before! Her research will

be worth around forty million dollars to a company that

competes against the drug in question, because it does

not have the same side effects.

And guess how much Dr. X is being paid?

Zero. Nada. Zilch.

What?

That's because she's still a student and like I said, her

talent is truly extraordinary so older peers love to take

advantage of it and get her to work on ground breaking

research for free while she's finishing her last studies.

So this is a rare opportunity that is only available for a

limited time.

Register now for the webinar announcement list…

Free Webinar Announcement List

*The Story of How I Met Dr. X*

The first time I met Dr. X, I didn't know what to expect.

The woman is tiny but as soon as she opens her mouth and

talks about her favorite topic — medicine or health — she

can't stop and anyone listening to her becomes instantly

fascinated.

That's because she has the unique talent of taking very

complex things and explaining them in a way that most people

will understand. Some experts will use lay-man's terms but

lose the meaning and the science, but not Dr. X, she is

skilled at explaining even tough concepts without anything

being lost in translation.

I was fascinated too, because with every conversation with

her, I was able to finally clear out some confusion I had

for years about certain aspects of health relating to physiology.

What if you could sit down with Dr. X and ask the questions

that keep you up at night, staring at the ceiling?

What if you could become your own health expert and in fact

know more about the human body than most self-proclaimed

health gurus?

This is very important information that you need to know!

You'll be able to learn who is hyping stuff up, making stuff up

or spreading only half truths. And believe me, most of the raw

food gurus do this regularly, because they don't really know

how the body works, they've never been to medical school or

done any nutritional studies.

We're going to clear this all up and set things straight on how

raw foods really work, how they affect the body, specific

types of raw food diets, supplements, superfoods,

dangerous pseudo-science and specific medical conditions that

interact differently with certain kinds of raw food diets.

That's what's going to happen, very soon, as we'll be

launching a series of interviews with Dr. X.

But to give you a taste of it, I'll have a sample audio to

give you soon, and you'll even be invited to a FREE "Evening

webinar with Dr. X"

Although Dr. X doesn't want her real name to be known,

she's not going to hide behind a voice distortion software,

don't worry! You'll hear her real voice and be able to ask

your own questions to her — live.

If that interests you, make sure you sign up for the webinar

announcement list at:

Free Webinar With Dr. X Announcement List

Can You Change Your Body PH? The Alkaline Diet Scam

I recently received the following question from a reader:

Fred,

A few years back my mom was following pretty much Dr Robert Young alkalarian diet – with NO fruit at all, where he considers fruits – high sugar content ones specially – to be acidic, as a perfect and only greatest discovery diet ever.

I would like you to say something about this 'insanity' of not eating any fruits. What do you think about high content sugar fruits to be acidic to the body?

To be more specific, I have been eating much more fruits than greens nowadays, and my family is pretty much concerned about my eating choices, so I want to be able to show them a consistent answer about this choice and why it has nothing to do with Dr Young's Alkalarian diet.

Hope to hearing from you soon.

ANSWER BY FREDERIC:

I'm familiar with Dr. Young's approach, and as I've always said, every diet has something to offer usually because of the bad things they *remove* rather than what they add in. The Alkalarian diet by Dr. Young does a good job at removing some of the most unhealthy foods most people eat, but is completely misguided when it comes to its recommendation on avoiding fruit.

First of all, Dr. Young is wrong in implying that what you eat or drink has any effect on your body's PH. It's actually pretty embarrassing that he would even say something like that, given that he pretends to be a scientist.

Your body and your blood maintain a stable PH that *never changes significantly* no matter what you eat or drink! Therefore you cannot make your body "acidic" or "alkaline" by eating a certain food or avoiding certain foods. In fact, if your blood's PH changed significantly it would mean *very bad news* for your health, it would mean your body did not have enough mineral reserves to buffer the change and bring yourself back to neutral.

The body always wants to be at homeostasis, if it changed constantly one way or the other you would likely not be alive, the body is very intelligent and has evolved in a way that it can handle almost anything you drink or eat and yet remain at the same PH.

That being said, the foods you eat can become acidic or alkaline *after they are digested.* This means that certain foods, after they are digested, will produce acidity in the digestive tract, and others will produce alkaline base materials. But remember that technically speaking, the digestive system is *outside* the human body! F

rom your mouth to your colon is a complete system that is not actually part of the rest of your body, nothing goes directly into your blood without being processed, and filtered. Picture a date and its stone pit, the stone being the digestive track and the date itself being the body. One is inside and one is outside.

Some people test the PH of their urine and think it means anything, but it doesn't since urine, again, is outside of the body and bloodstream. The only way to test the PH of your body would be to test the blood.

Your digestive system and organs only use what it needs and not everything you eat or drink "hits" your bloodstream. You cannot make your blood acidic or alkaline, it always stays the same PH. The body uses what it needs from the digestive tract and discards what it doesn't through waste products and those never "enter" the body or affect your PH.

Whether a food produces an alkaline or acidic reaction after digestion is measured by a chart known in medical science as the "Renal Acid Load Chart."

If you study this chart, you'll discover that *all* fruits and *all* vegetables are alkaline-forming. On the other hand, animal products are quite acid-forming while grains and beans are slightly acid forming.

The acidity created from the digestion of certain "acid-forming foods" must be buffered by the alkaline mineral reserves of the body. That's why it's important to eat diet composed mainly of alkaline foods such as fruits and vegetables.

What this means to you, is that you need to eat more fruits and vegetables to have more alkaline mineral reserves generally in your bones. If you eat only meat and grains, your body will take alkaline minerals from your bones to buffer any extra acid produced in digestion and that can lead to problems like osteoporosis where you have weak or brittle bones from a lack of certain minerals like calcium which is alkaline.

Please note that I said it's important to eat "fruits and vegetables" and not just "vegetables."

Also keep in mind that the body and the blood themselves are not getting more alkaline or acidic by the foods you eat. Anyone who says the contrary is just making stuff up, and claiming that fruits are acid-forming because of their fruit "acids" and somehow harm the body is even more ludicrous.

Ask any medical practitioner or even med student and they will tell you that it's impossible and that the blood or body cannot change PH based on what you eat. It just doesn't work that way.

This also goes for alkaline or acidic water, water is buffered by the body just like food, so don't be duped into thinking the PH of your drinking water means anything, especially when you're eating a high mineral diet of fruits and vegetables. Your body is getting more than enough to maintain it's reserves to buffer any slight change from what is produced by digestion.

Eat your fruits, eat your vegetables, and you'll be healthy!

What I Learned When My Old Man Died

I just learned the terrible news that my dad passed away at the age of 63 in his apartment in Montreal.

It was from a heart attack. He'd never had one before.

I was just in Montreal a few days ago but I came back to Vancouver where I now live. I had just seen my dad on Sunday, and we had a great time as usual. It was a sort of tradition to get together on Sunday to go out for a breakfast/brunch at the restaurant.

We went to the same restaurant we usually go to, because the restaurant features a lot of healthy options, fruit and smoothies. That made me happy, although my dad generally chose either the Eggs Benedict or the French Crêpe with ham.

About 5 years ago, my dad collapsed in his apartment as he experienced a sudden blood pressure change.

He was okay then, and agreed to follow a diet of fruits and vegetables for a month, which seemed to completely put him back on his feet. He also gave up smoking and coffee.

However, just a few months after, my dad stopped the diet, and started smoking again. He's always smoked since the age of 18, and although I tried many times to discourage him, he was never able to give up the habit.

He seemed to think that drinking red wine every day in generous quantities would keep his heart healthy. He distrusted doctors and I suspect it had been a while since he had a checkup.

When I saw my dad for the last time on Sunday, he seemed as happy and jovial as ever. Although it often crossed my mind that I should speak to him more about his health and how to take care of it, I had given up on it many years ago, when I realized that he was not the kind of person that could take that sort of advice.

He's always been very happy to see what I do for a living, but never read any of my books or fully understood what I teach about health. I was happy that he accepted it and never tried to encourage me to eat meat, or asked me where I got my protein, and that sort of thing.

I'm kind of shocked that my dad passed away so quickly and suddenly. I expected him to get sick first and maybe be in a hospital before he died.

I know I could have done so much more to convey to him the importance of quitting smoking, or taking care of his health. But you know sometimes you feel that certain people won't change no matter what you try to say to them. That's how I felt with my dad.

He always wanted to pass on in his sleep and without pain, and I thank God that his wish was granted.

I am reminded that we can never take anything for granted, and that health on the *inside* is so much more important than health on the *outside.* Someone may appear really healthy, but could be falling apart on the inside.

Although I regret not trying harder to keep my dad healthier longer, I know that it's possible that nothing that I could have said or done would have changed his mind.

It's fair to say that I feel stronger than ever that we must live our lives to the fullest and to live our dreams before it's too late. I'm glad that my dad's wish of leaving this world without too much pain and without seeing the slow decline of old age has been granted, but I also know that not everyone has the same fate.

I will take a bit of time off to visit my family but try nonetheless to keep writing and continuing my work.

I will probably not send ezines for a short while and will be a bit late in delivering the monthly Raw Vegan Mentor Club newsletter.

If you'd like to support me, do the right thing and introduce the message of health to someone you know. Maybe they would like some our our books on a healthy lifestyle at http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/blog/?page_id=1067.

We all know how hard it is to convince those closest to us that we know a lot about health and nutrition and can help them. But quite often it takes someone else's advice, someone they don't know, a perceived expert to get them to open up their mind and listen to the message.

If someone close to you is seeing his or her health decline, maybe just one thing you say one day can help them turn their lives around. Changing minds doesn't always work, but it's always worth a try. That's what I would have done differently if I could have seen my dad one more time.

I know I could not have forced him to do anything, but maybe if we were a little more open about speaking of touchy subjects he may have seen it from my perspective and understood that I just wanted to keep him around for longer.

Sometimes the best way to help someone you care about is to lead by example and only offer advice when they ask, other times they need a little help and guidance from a notable source and want to learn on their own.

So please spread the message of healthful living to those around you by living a long and healthy life and those you hold most dear to you will appreciate your efforts and value your presence for years to come.

Is My Diet Different than 80/10/10? Is 80/10/10 Ever Dangerous?

I often get questions about the amount of fat we should eat daily. Many people who have read my books are trying to eat less fat. However, the question of *exactly* how much fat is healthy is often debated.

Someone asked me recently what are some differences between my approach and the 80/10/10 Diet, by Dr. Doug Graham.

In case you don't know, the 80/10/10 Diet is composed of at least 80% carbohydrates, and a maximum of 10% of fat and protein by calories. That's where the name comes from.

Although I've been aware of the dangers of high-fat raw food diets since 2002 when I wrote my book "The Raw Secrets," it was not until 2005 that I truly gave the 80/10/10 approach a try.

Dr. Graham's information is truly top-notch in the raw food world, and more people thrive on an 80/10/10 diet, or something along those lines, than any other form of 100% raw diet.

Ever since 2005, I have learned a lot about the 80/10/10 Diet and met a lot of people who have followed it. I also worked with Dr. Graham on a number of projects, the main one being the Perfect Health Program, that is still considered today by many low-fat raw-foodists as one of the most complete courses on the topic.

However, because I do not follow a strict 80/10/10 Diet as taught by Dr. Graham, many people have been asking me what I think of it and what I would do differently.

Everybody who experiments with the raw food diet eventually either gives up or finds their own approach that works for them. In my experience, a low-fat raw food diet with a LOT of fruit and a LOT of greens works for the greatest number of people.

However, through my own research and experience, I've come to slightly different conclusions.

My teachings are still very close to the 80/10/10 diet in many key areas, such as:

- The importance of the low fat diet

- Eat enough fruit, and don't be afraid to do it

- Eat lots of greens

- Fitness is just as important as nutrition for overall health.

Here are the few areas where I'm different.

1- No obsession about 100% raw. I recommend a diet based on fruits and vegetables, but I'm not as strict about the 100% raw part as I used to be in the past. In fact, I say that low-fat cooked items such as yams or vegetables are healthier than large amounts of raw fats found in most gourmet raw recipes (although the 80/10/10 Diet probably agrees with that too).

2- Fat. I allow more than 10% fat, over the course of a month. Although I have done the "less than 10%" thing for a while, I prefer to stay in the 12-18% range, with 15% being a good target for most people.

Many 80/10/10ers have such a fear of fat that they'll avoid all nuts and seeds. Thus they end up eating only fruit, or only fruit and little greens. However, there are important nutrients in nuts and seeds, such as essential fatty acids and minerals, that are hard to get from just fruits and vegetables. Therefore, if your fat is coming from healthy sources, especially certain high-omega 3 seeds such as hemp, chia or flax then it's okay to go above 10%.

I find that it's actually easier to follow the diet that way, while keeping the overall fat content fairly low compared to most people. But, if you need to cleanse or heal, or have extra weight to release, then by all means go for a while without overt fats.

3- Supplements. I am no supplement whore. In fact, I'm one of the few raw food promoters to never have launched a line of supplements. That's because I find that 99% of what's on the market is useless in comparison to fresh foods.

But, certain supplements can be intelligently used, and it would be hard to argue that they don't have their place.

For example, as I explained in my new book <p>The most important thing is to eat a lot of greens and vegetables. If you find it easy to eat them plain, then by all means go for it. But if you're like me and find your salads and raw soups more palatable and enjoyable with a bit of spice, then don't feel guilty for not being "perfect." It's far better to eat salads and soups more frequently with a little seasoning than rarely and stay 100% natural hygiene.</p>
<p>To be honest I have noticed that a lot of people who are so strict about staying 80/10/10 don't eat the right balance of nutrients. Many even get rid of all sources of fat in the diet, including nuts and seeds, even though Dr. Graham never advised to do that. They like to call this the 90/5/5 plan (less than 5% fat and protein) or the "no fat raw food diet".</p>
<p>Even though nuts and seeds should be limited, let's not forget that they contain important nutrients that cannot easily be found in fruits and vegetables.</p>
<p>It's also noteworthy to consider that the 80/10/10 Diet is rather new, and almost no one in the history of mankind has actually eaten that way for more than a couple of decades.</p>
<p>Therefore, it's quite obvious that not *all* answers have been found and that although I think that 80/10/10 has so much to offer, there's still room for improvements (such as food quality and variety) and individualization.</p>
<p>A lot of people trying to follow a low fat diet have trouble eating enough greens. They know what's recommended, but fall short and simply don't get all the nutrients their body needs.</p>
<p>And just eating mono meals of lettuce or celery in massive quantities is not something most people are willing to do.</p>
<p>One way to get all your greens in a truly enjoyable way is to try out Roger Haeske's "Savory Veggie Stews". Check it out at:</p>
<p><a href=" />