Nancy Addison's Blog, page 12

Make Healthy Eating Delicious This New Year!

 

Make Healthy Eating Delicious

This New Year!

As we emerge from the holidays with joy and peace in our hearts, let’s start off the New Year with thoughts of making the coming year even better and healthier.

        I frequently talk to people who think that eating healthier doesn’t always taste delicious. But, the good news is that when we start doing something new, our bodies adapt and our taste buds acclimate. When you change your diet and start eating a different type of food, it may not initially seem quite as delicious as you hoped it would. That’s because you have not been eating that food until now and your taste buds are not used to it. But, if you continue to eat that specific food on a continual basis for about two weeks, your body will adapt and your taste buds will generate and acclimate to these new taste sensations.
Stick with the new, healthier diet and allow your body to grow and evolve with you. Within two weeks, that new food will taste better than it did the first time, and you will be getting tremendous health benefits!

So, let’s get started on a new eating plan for a healthier, happier you! To begin this new dietary journey, get a fresh start with my top seven tips for making healthy eating delicious!
One: Use healthy fat in your recipes. Eating fat does not necessarily make a person fat. In fact, the right kinds of fat can make people skinny, as well as support overall health and increase energy.
        The advertising industry would have us believe that fat is bad or fattening. But in reality, good fat can be critical to our health and our weight management. Fat actually tells the body how to utilize protein and carbohydrates. Fat in our food can make it taste rich and satisfying.

Foods that are savory usually have some fat in them, but many low- fat or fat-free products are filled with salt, sugar, chemical additives, and MSG to make up for the lack of savory flavor the fat provides.
        Coconut oil and avocado oil are examples of pure, unprocessed healthy fats.
        Coconut oil is seen in most parts of the world as the super-food of fats. Coconut oil is a healthy “nut” fat. It is a highly chemically stable fat, meaning it can be heated without negative effects. Very few oils handle heat well, but certain coconut oils handle high heat very well. It is also resistant to lipid peroxidation (which may be a common mechanistic pathway that can lead to increased cancer risk) and rancidity.
        Coconut oil is unique if you are a calorie counter. Coconut oil has 2.6% fewer calories per gram than other fats. Coconut oil nourishes the body, and its medium-chained fatty acids provide a good source of energy.
Coconut oil is also highly effective as an antioxidant. Coconut oil is a safe alternative oil for any cooking recipe. And as a healthy fat, it makes food taste rich and savory!
        Avocados are a superfood filled with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat. They are especially high in potassium and fiber, which contribute to weight loss and have been linked to a lower risk of disease.
Two: Use mushrooms in your recipes. Studies show mushrooms aid the immune system because they are rich in potassium, selenium, copper, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and B complex vitamins. Some kinds of mushrooms are one of only two natural food sources of Vitamin D.
Mushrooms are an excellent source of antioxidants polyphenols, selenium, and ergothioneine (known as a master antioxidant, an amino acid containing sulfur. Sulfur is an extremely important nutrient, yet it is highly overlooked.) One medium portobello mushroom has more potassium than a small banana. Five medium cremini mushrooms have more selenium than a large egg or three ounces of lean beef. Plus, the copper in mushrooms helps the body to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.
Mushrooms are low in calories and are about 80–90% water, which makes them a great substitute for meat in recipes when wanting to cut calories. 
Adding mushrooms to dishes is easy.
Thinly slice some mushrooms and put them on salads, pasta dishes, and sandwiches—or serve them as a side dish. Grilling them is always great, and mushrooms make a tasty and healthy alternative to a burger. I love to sauté them with onions and butter in order to bring out the rich flavor of savory mushrooms. Each mushroom has a different flavor, so experiment by trying different varieties.
Three: Eat colorful, fresh, organic food to get antioxidants. Antioxidants are in the color. Avoid white, refined foods and choose the ones with rich color. For example, in the winter, certain seasonal foods like root vegetables can be very comforting, especially potatoes! But instead of white potatoes, give yourself an antioxidant boost by trying red potatoes, purple potatoes, yams, or sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are delicious, and high in fiber and beta-carotene. 
 (Use coconut oil as a healthy fat in potato dishes. Mix it in to mashed potatoes, or use it when you cut potatoes up for baking and frying. If you want a buttery flavor, add a tiny bit of ghee to the coconut oil. Just remember: Never store potatoes in the refrigerator. Doing this will turn the starch in potatoes into sugar.)
Four: Cook with unrefined sea salt to increase your health and well-being. 
When I ask people if they use salt, they usually tell me, “No, I eat a low-salt diet for health reasons.” But unrefined sea salt is not salt that is bad for us. It is the type of salt we eat that dictates whether it is good for you.
        The word “electrolyte” is a fancy medical term for salt. We need electrolytes to be healthy. Our immune systems can’t function without them. In fact, low-salt diets promote toxicity, and they have adverse effects on the body. Low-salt diets promote elevated insulin levels and insulin resistance, as well as elevated normal cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Low-salt diets will lead to mineral deficiencies and the development of chronic disease.
        Adding unrefined, mineral rich sea salt to your diet can increase the usable oxygen in your blood, detoxify blood, and neutralize radiation. Unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt makes capillaries more elastic and increases blood flow. There are various types of unrefined sea salt, all containing different mineral contents. Try a few different ones and see which you like the best.
Five: Add spices to your food to provide both flavor and incredible health benefits. 
Two spices I most recommend adding are turmeric and cinnamon.
        Turmeric is a common ingredient in Indian cuisine and contains an ingredient called curcumin. Curcumin has more than 150 therapeutic agents to combat viruses, bacterium, diseases, and other chronic conditions.

Turmeric can help curb indigestion and heartburn. It protects brain and cardiovascular health, boosts the immune system and decreases inflammation. Turmeric works better when combined with fat and if you combine it with black pepper, you can increase the rate of absorption.
       Cinnamon is another spice you can add to your recipes. It us very effective in lowering blood sugar levels.
Six: Use healthier sweeteners. Sugar is like an addictive drug. It gives the body an artificial energy surge, and the body begins to crave that energy. Dr. Francis Stern states, “A characteristic of sugar ‘binges’ is that the taste for sweets, for some reason, leads to a craving for more of the same, just the way other drugs create cravings.” I encourage you to limit or eliminate sugar from your diet as much as possible. A few suggestions for when you wish to add a sweetener are honey, xylitol, dates or date sugar.
        Honey is a natural sweetener that is antifungal and antibacterial. Honey contains a variety of nutrients and minerals, as well as some enzymes. It is known to facilitate muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration after a workout. Substitute honey for sugar in recipes. Always buy raw, unrefined honey so that live enzymes and nutritional properties are still intact.
         Xylitol is a sugar alcohol found in fruits and vegetables. It is made from birch tree bark and other hard wood trees. Xylitol has fewer calories and 75% fewer carbohydrates than sugar. Studies have shown that ingesting xylitol can alkalize your body, reduce sugar cravings, and reduce insulin levels. It was approved by the FDA in 1963.(Like chocolate, egg whites and red grapes, xylitol is toxic to animals.)
Seven: Use delicious probiotic foods in your recipes. Probiotic food is vital to the health and strength of the immune system, and it supports digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Adding garlic, onions, raw, unprocessed apple cider vinegar, raw, unprocessed soy sauce, coconut yogurts, kombucha, and miso to your recipes can make them delicious as well as create a healthier immune system!
        Allium vegetables, like garlic and onions, have been studied extensively in relation to cancer. Their beneficial and preventative effects are likely due in part to their rich organosulfur compounds.
Garlic, in particular, has a wonderful flavor. It’s fragile, so I add it at the end of cooking. Adding onion is a great way to add flavor to a dish without adding extra calories. Onions can be sautéed, roasted, and grilled or caramelized. Use them fresh as a topping for sandwiches or salads, or add them to salsas and dips. They have both probiotic and antifungal properties.
        Fermented foods are foods that have been through a process of lactofermentation, in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar in the food to create lactic acid. This process preserves the food. It creates beneficial enzymes, B vitamins, and probiotics.
So, lighten up, get going, and embrace a new, healthier lifestyle! By incorporating delicious, healthier ingredients into your recipes, you will give your body some necessary tools to help it heal and stay healthier in the future. Now is the time to transition to a healthier lifestyle that you can maintain for the rest of your life! Feel lighter and brighter in your body, mind, and spirit.
It’s time for new adventures with food!

 If you like this information, you may like my books! Click here to view my books on Amazon.

1 Gago-Dominguez, Manuela, et. al. (2007). Lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress genes and dietary factors in breast cancer protection: a hypothesis. Breast Cancer Research 2006, 9:201. Retrieved from http://www.breast-cancer-research.com...

2  Cinnamon’s Health Benefits: Wondering how to lower blood sugar? Try some cinnamon, which has double duty benefits.” (2007, November 7.) Women’sHealth. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/c...

3  Goulart, Frances Sheridan. (1991, March 1). “Are You Sugar Smart? Linked to Heart Attacks, Kidney Disease, Diabetes and Other Diseases, Sugar Is to the ’90s What Cholesterol Was to the ’80s (Includes 9 ways to Cope with Sugar Cravings).” American Fitness. Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-10722...

For more information go to: www.organichealthylifestyle.com

copyright@nancyaddison2015

Detox Salad

Detox Salad

          I hope you have had a fabulous and magical holiday with your family and friends!

This is one of our favorite salads to eat,  especially after holidays of rich, heavy meals. Many of my clients have made it and loved it. Now, I’m documenting it here so you can refer back to this recipe over and over again! If you haven’t tried it, it is a must!

I call it a detox salad because it contains a very detoxifying green leafy herb called cilantro and the spice turmeric.

Cilantro can help the body rid itself of heavy metals. We get metal toxins in our bodies from a variety of places including dental fillings, aluminum deodorant, the aluminum foil we use in food preparation and storage, vaccinations, cadmium from secondhand smoke, and polluted air. Metal toxins are harder to rid our bodies of than other toxins, but cilantro is highly effective in helping the body detox them. Cilantro is also a good source of dietary fiber and iron, magnesium and manganese. I love the light flavor it adds to my salad mix and this is a great way to add it to your food!

This salad also contains the spice turmeric, which is anti-inflammatory, increases liver function, is detoxifying, and can help regulate blood sugar.

My daughter, Amanda, and I like to add greens to almost all of our recipes. It makes them healthier and lighter. If we are having a rice or pasta dish, when it’s warm and ready to serve, just combine it with salad greens. It is so easy and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

1 c. romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 c. cilantro, chopped

¼ cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 c. chopped tomato

1 ½ or 2 c. warm, sprouted and cooked green lentils

1 tsp. minced red onion

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped into chunks

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. curry powder

¼ tsp. turmeric

unrefined sea salt to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients well and enjoy!

Note: This is also a salad you can enjoy warm or make ahead of time and store in the fridge for a few days, I love it when the flavors have a chance to meld together. Just remember to chop the avocado later right before serving.

Variation: You can substitute beans for the lentils.

This recipe makes one to two servings.

If you like these recipes, you may like my cookbooks about healthy eating.

I would love to hear how you like it!

Safe Body Care Products For You And Your Baby

 

Safe Skin Care
One day when my children were small, I read about how the innocent Minnie Mouse Bubble Bath I’d just bathed my children in could cause blindness. I was so alarmed. So I started researching and reading ingredients on everything. How could the U.S. government allow toxin and carcinogenic ingredients in our toothpaste, bubble bath, shampoos, and more?
What you put on your skin goes directly to your bloodstream and every organ in your body in less than a minute. It bypasses your protective systems of the liver and kidneys, making the chemicals that are on your skin more dangerous than what you put in your mouth. It matters what is in the bottle.
The US does NOT regulate skincare, even USDA certified organic. USDA Organic only regulates the small portion of a product that is made from an organically grown plant. The rest can be any chemical sludge.

The UK bans more than 1400 chemicals from skincare products because they cannot prove them to be safe.

The US only bans 8 chemicals and does not require carcinogens to be taken out even after admitting their dangers.

 

 

Here are just a few ingredients to Look Out for In Your Body Care Products:
DEA or Diethanolamine –  This ingredient is used in many household and personal products such as shampoo, bubble bath, lotions, and detergents for laundry or dishwashing. DEA is a known toxin in industrial applications, now proven to cause cancer when applied to the skin of rats. Dr. Samuel Epstein, author of The Safe Shopper’s Bible and founder of The American Coalition to Prevent Cancer, is a leading authority on toxicology. He issued a strong warning about the use of cocamide DEA or lauramide DEA. Many products contain these ingredients and simply don’t have warnings on them.
Propylene Glycol – This main ingredient in antifreeze and hydraulic fluids is used as a solvent. It’s also found in pet food, lotions, shampoos, toothpastes, deodorants, processed foods, and more. A colorless, hygroscopic liquid, it has been tested by the American Academy of Dermatologists and found to cause skin irritation at low levels. It can be harmful if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed into the skin. It can also cause nausea, headaches, central nervous system depression, eye irritation, skin irritation, and gastrointestinal disturbances.
SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – This is found in detergents, concrete cleaners, engine degreasers, and more. It’s used in clinical studies to irritate skin tissue. It corrodes hair follicles and impairs the ability to grow hair. When combined with other nitrogen-bearing ingredients, carcinogenic nitrates can form. SLS enters (and maintains residual levels) in the heart, liver, lungs, and brain from skin contact.
Also, did you ever notice that on your toothpaste box, it says to call the poison control immediately if swallowed?

It’s not on the tube, it’s on the box.

How many children are using that toothpaste?

Do you ever swallow any of your toothpaste?

I now use and carry a line of certified organic body care, make up, essential oils, etc. products out of England that are non-toxic and wonderful.


I’m having an event tonight at 7 PM on Facebook, where you can learn more about them. If you are looking for safe and non-toxic baby and body care products, this company is having a sale and you can order some at my event. There will also be free prizes just for showing up.
Here is the link for the event tonight at 7 PM: https://www.facebook.com/groups/951813744856346/
Come join the fun!
copyright@nancyaddison2015
For more information contact Nancy (at ) nancyaddison.com

If you like Nancy’s Information you can find her books on Amazon

 

Healthy Tips For Surviving The Holidays

Healthy Tips For Surviving The Holidays
 


        The Holidays are upon us and we can get caught up in a whirlwind of activities, dinners and cocktail parties. You may encounter holiday treats at work or at home, brought to you by a kind neighbor or friend. Every event may seem like an excuse to splurge, but the consequences of overindulgence in food and drink can be painful, and can even put your health at risk. Here are my top 6 healthy tips for surviving the holidays!

First: Before going to a cocktail party, I usually take one tsp. of raw, organic green food powder (I like “Perfect Food” powder by Garden of Life, spirulina powder, or chlorella powder), and 1 tsp. of organic psyllium husks, with a little water. I then drink another glass (16 ounces) of water immediately afterwards.
      Doing this makes me feel a bit full and prevents me from showing up to a party hungry, which can lend itself to overeating.  This drink mixture  also contains a lot of fiber, which can be helpful if one overindulges in the liquid spirits at the party.

Second: When I am in a buffet line, or at a party where there is an amazing amount of food, I use an appetizer or salad plate instead of a dinner plate. People who do this, on average, eat 40 percent less! I try to choose cut up fresh veggies, hummus and other truly healthy foods. In addition, I try to avoid sugar.According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, one teaspoon of added sugar shuts down a person’s immune system for up to five hours. (1)
Since I am wanting to feel really great this season, boost my immune system, and avoid being sick, I keep this in mind while I am eyeing the beautiful deserts and goodies.

Third: If overindulgence in spirits is a problem, here are a few natural ways to help relieve a hangover:
•    Remedy #1: Combine 1 tsp. raw, unfiltered honey, 1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice, and ¼ c. kefir or yogurt. Consume.
•    Remedy #2: Soak organic dates
(pitted) in water for a few hours or more. Drink the water and eat the dates.
•    Remedy #3: Eat a banana.
•    Remedy #4: If feeling nauseous, try cutting up a bit of fresh organic, ginger root (you can buy this in the fresh produce section of the grocery store) into little pieces, and steeping it in hot water for about 3 – 5 minutes to make a ginger tea. It is very effective for relieving nausea.

  Four: Make sure to get enough rest. Everyone has experienced the fatigue, lack of focus, and short temperedness that can follow a poor night’s sleep. We don’t want to experience that during the holidays! But even beyond these side effects, research has linked poor sleep with higher risks of heart disease and stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, and depression.(2)
         If you have trouble sleeping, try having a little chamomile tea or warm milk (hemp, coconut or from organic, humanely raised, and grass fed cows or goats) with 1 tiny bit of raw, unfiltered honey.
If you are under a lot of stress and need a little relief, valerian root can help with tension or anxiety.
For thousands of years, the herb valerian has been used in Europe and Asia to aid with sleep or anxiety. For insomnia, it’s suggested you use between 400 milligrams to 500 milligrams of valerian root up to two hours before bed.  
        Also, as we get older, humans don’t produce as much melatonin, which is what helps us sleep.
You can buy melatonin as a supplement at the store. It comes in different strengths (one to three milligrams).
Dr. Gary Massad, who has researched melatonin and sleep problems in depth, states that studies show if you take half a milligram of melatonin around three or four in the afternoon and then another half gram again about an hour before bedtime, it will work most effectively.
        Other hormone imbalances can also disrupt sleep patterns, so have your doctor check you for any hormone imbalance or vitamin deficiencies. I recommend only using a vitamin from a whole food source, and I do not recommend ever taking synthetic vitamins.
        You might also listen to recorded sounds of rain or ocean waves to help with sleep, as they may relax your mind. Experiment to find out what works best for you.

Five: Most people are so busy doing everything for everyone else, that they aren’t making enough time to nurture and take care of themselves. Let’s face it, the better we take care of ourselves, the better we can take care of the ones we love.
Make sure you take some time each day to slow down, calm the mind, get a little exercise, and love yourself. If we don’t take a little time for ourselves, stress can get hold of us.
         Try making an appointment with yourself each day to slow down, rest, exercise, and do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself. Even consider marking it in your calendar or setting a daily timer to keep you on track. Try and keep that appointment like it is with your most important client or friend.
I have exercise down as an appointment, and although I reschedule once in a while, I don’t cancel it because it is a commitment to myself (even if that just means walking around the block briskly).

Six: If you’re feeling blue, pamper yourself and do what feels good. Try to take a walk, or spend time alone if that’s what you want. Remember, this is your holiday too and you can be there for yourself just like you try to be for everyone else.
        I’ve spent many a holiday alone. Sometimes I have felt a little blue. When that happens, I intentionally will shift my focus to something new. Exercise has been shown to help with weight maintenance, health, stress relief and depression. So, make sure you keep it in your schedule. Or, I may turn on a funny movie, take a walk, turn on joyful music and call a friend to come over, or take a supplement called 5 HTP.
5-HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is an essential amino acid that can increase the levels of serotonin in the brain, similar to antidepressants.
Low levels of serotonin can contribute to the development of depression and increased appetite. I have found 5 HTP really helps me when I am feeling low. Studies show it begins working as quickly as 15 to 20 minutes after taking it. You can purchase it at a healthy grocery store.

        Remember, the holidays only come once a year and only last for a short time. So many of us have an idealized idea of what the holidays should be like and can be disappointed when they don’t live up to those expectations.
Try to be realistic and remember, nobody has a perfect holiday or perfect family. If you follow these tips, you might just find this year to be healthier, less stressful and more joyful!

  Sources:

1- Albert Sanchez, J. L. Reeser, H. S. Lau, P. Y. Yahiku, R. E. Willard, P. J. McMillan, S. Y. Cho, A. R. Magie, and U. D. Register. “Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis.” The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc. 1973. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/26/....

2- NHS, Government of United Kingdom, Why lack of sleep is bad for your health
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/tiredness-....

  3- Find a Vitamin or Supplement, 5 – HTP,, Web MD, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplem....

copyright@nancyaddison2015

I’d love to hear your comments.

For more information contact Nancy (at) nancyaddison.com

Making Healthier Holiday Foods This Season!

Making Healthier Holiday Foods This Season!

 

I love the tradition of sharing a meal with family and friends on an annual basis. For this reason, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.

The American Thanksgiving is a traditional meal inspired by the pilgrims. The original feast was probably shared sometime in the fall, possibly in October, with the Wampanoag first nation’s people. Thanksgiving did not become an annual federal holiday until 1941, and what we have come to know as our traditional meal of turkey and fixings has evolved over time.

Thanksgiving often involves a number of rich, savory foods, creamy dips and fried foods. And yet, these foods don’t always make our body feel at it’s best. So, here are a few ingredient or food choice tips that can make our dishes healthier to share with beloved family and friends.

When making or serving snacks, dips can be a healthy high protein hummus or guacamole. Cutting some cucumber, red bell pepper or celery to use as the dipping chips is a great choice! If you want to serve crackers or chips, try using a whole grain, sprouted, organic version.

A potato dish can be made with sweet or purple potatoes in place of white potatoes. Use a high quality, organic butter or use organic ghee or coconut oil as the healthy fat to mix into it when mashing them up to cook or to cut up and bake as fries. Sweet potatoes are delicious and high in fiber and beta-carotene.

When preparing a turkey, try using a little orange juice and coconut oil to add moisture to the turkey, and try baking it instead of frying it. If you are baking, frying or sautéing anything, use organic, pure coconut oil in place of lard, vegetable oil or a trans fat like Crisco. It handles heat well and has fantastic health benefits.

For other types of animal, fish or fowl, you can grill, broil, or sauté them in a little coconut oil. After you remove it from the heat, you can drizzle some pure, organic, extra virgin olive oil on it and serve with lemon juice or a lemon juice vinaigrette. When dining, choose skinless, white meat pieces and then add just a tiny bit of gravy.

For a healthy stuffing, try making one with organic sprouted rice or even wild rice. Then, bake your stuffing in a separate dish instead of cooking it inside the turkey where it can absorb a high amount of high saturated fat from the meat.

When making corn bread stuffing, purchase the non-GMO, organic cornmeal (which is free of the bT toxin). If you are feeling brave, try using blue cornmeal which is about 30 percent higher in protein and has more zinc and iron than white or yellow corn

Now for dessert, try making a pumpkin pie! You can make a whole sprouted grain crust yourself or you can find a whole grain ready-made crust at the store, and make my cashew crème recipe as the whipped cream for the topping.

Try using non-dairy milk in your recipes or for your coffee creamer.

If you want it to be sweeter, blend the milk (like the unsweetened, vanilla coconut or hemp milk) with a little extra added vanilla or maple extract in a blender and add some pitted dates (I soak them in water to make them softer, so they will crème up easier) and voilà! You have a healthier version of a sweet, holiday creamer for your coffee or desserts.

For snacks, try serving combinations of organic, sprouted nuts, sprouted seeds and raisins.

With these ingredient substitutions, you can still eat all the delicious flavors you love while enjoying a number of health benefits.

In this way, you can feel and look your best as holiday activities continue on into December. Instead of regretting what you ate, you will glow with radiant health as you welcome the New Year of 2016!

copyright@nancyaddison2015

High Blood Sugar – Natural Remedies

 

 

High Blood Sugar – Natural Remedies

 

The question this month is:

I am a diabetic.

I was wondering if there is any natural supplement that can help me with my blood sugar levels?

Answer:

A body afflicted with type II diabetes has difficulty using insulin or simply does not make enough.

Insulin is essential to the body’s biological function, because it transports sugar from the blood to the cells where it can be used to ensure healthy cellular function and provide the body with energy.

When insulin isn’t functioning properly glucose accumulates in the blood and leads to high blood sugar levels.

Yes, there are a few things you can do to help with blood sugar and support your health.

One thing I know is that most folks are consuming non organic food. Because of this, the food is devoid of Chromium. 

The mineral chromium is important because it helps transport glucose from blood into muscles.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “Chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin, a hormone critical to the metabolism and storage of carbohydrates, fat, and protein in the body.”[i]

The chemical fertilizers used in industrial farming block the chromium  from being uploaded by the plant.

This means people who eat non-organic foods have a greater likelihood of being deficient in this important trace mineral.

This is one of the reasons why organic is always the best choice at the grocery store.

If you take a chromium supplement, make sure it is in a natural form, not a synthetic one.

Synthetic forms of any nutrient can be harmful to the body.[ii]

Therefore, when buying any kind of dietary supplement, look for whole, organic foods in the ingredients list.

Click here to order one that I recommend. It’s a totally organic, whole food grade supplement.

Secondly, Cinnamon is emerging as a true wonder food.

Research shows that cinnamon can help lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon contains antioxidants that create healthier arteries and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cinnamon can also benefit us with increased alertness and energized senses. Even a teaspoon a day helps tame blood sugar levels.

Ceylon cinnamon is the best cinnamon to use. Cassia, Saigon, and Chinese cinnamon contain five percent coumarin, which is problematic for the liver. Ceylon cinnamon has only .0004 percent coumarin.

A good way to add it to your diet is to sprinkle it on your morning toast, oatmeal, or other dishes.

Third, healthy fats Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids our body must obtain from food, because our body doesn’t make it.

Studies show that adding Omega 3’s to your diet also  help have healthy blood sugar levels.

Try adding some cold pressed, organic flax or hemp seed oil to your smoothie or foods, like oatmeal chia seed pudding in the morning.

Fourth, Vitamin D. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, studied the medical information of 124 subjects with type II diabetes that were between the ages of 36 and 89. Of these subjects, only 6 percent took a vitamin D supplement, and, most telling, those with the lowest levels of vitamin D had the highest levels of blood sugar.

You may want to address any possible vitamin D deficiencies.

I take a whole food, organic, raw vitamin made by Garden Of Life, It’s a multi vitamin with Vitamin D.

They are an excellent vitamin supplement and they have different types for men and women.

I hope this helps you!

For more information like this read Nancy’s best selling book on health and the plant based diet:

How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian is in Kindle and paperback today.

Great vegetarian nutrition, vegetarian diet, vegetarian recipes and much, much more!

ii Berkeley Wellness Magazine noted that studies on vitamins are usually conducted on only the synthetic forms of vitamins, not on both synthetic and whole-food forms. In my opinion, all studies should use both types to be complete and accurate.
[i] National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements.  Chromium: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Chro...
[ii] Hendler, SS, & Rorvik, D. (2008). PDR for Nutritional Supplements. (2008). Montvale, NJ: Physicians’ Desk Reference Inc.
Includes the following relevant articles:
Hendler SS, Rorvik D, eds. “PDR for Nutritional Supplements.” Medical Economics. Montvale (NJ), 2001; Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 9th ed. Williams & Wilkins, Balt., 1999;


Thiel. “Natural vitamins may be superior to synthetic ones.” Med Hypo, 2000;55(6):461-469.


For more information contact Nancy (at) organic healthy lifestyle.com
Let me know what you think!
I’d love some comments or questions!

 

 

High Blood Sugar – Natural Help

 

 

High Blood Sugar – Natural Help


Thiel. “Natural vitamins may be superior to synthetic ones.” Med Hypo, 2000;55(6):461-469.


For more information contact Nancy (at) organic healthy lifestyle.com
Let me know what you think!
I’d love some comments or questions!

 

 

Aspartame – Is It Good Or Bad?

 

 

Aspartame

 

With Halloween coming up, sugar is inevitably a part of most people’s October month.

Sugar is also a key ingredient in numerous traditional holiday foods, and the holidays are just around the corner!

 

Many of us want to keep the sugar down to a minimum and also keep our waistlines at a manageable size.

As a result,  many folks are using synthetic sweeteners to sweeten their drinks due to the impression it can help with weight and health.

 

To help clarify some of the confusing and contradictory information we hear in the media about artificial sweeteners,  I’m going to address one of the artificial sweeteners used in many items on the market today.

 

Aspartame is the chemical in the artificial sweeteners NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure, and it is found in more than 6000 products. It is composed of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. It gets converted to formaldehyde in the body.

 

According to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), formaldehyde is a carcinogen that can seriously harm your “liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, brain, and central nervous systems.

 

The occupational health hazards of formaldehyde are primarily due to its toxic effects after inhalation, after direct contact with the skin or eyes in liquid or vapor form, and after ingestion.”[1] Formaldehyde can also cause allergic sensitization.

 

Aspartame can cause many problems, including neurological ones. According to one study:

When the temperature of aspartame exceeds 86°F, the wood alcohol in aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis.

 

The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis; thus, people may be misdiagnosed with having multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis does not lead to death, whereas methanol toxicity does.[2]

According to a report from the National Institutes of Health: Methanol is extremely poisonous. As little as two tablespoons can be deadly to a child. About 2–8 ounces can be deadly for an adult. Blindness is common and often permanent, despite medical care. How well the person recovers depends on how much poison is swallowed and how soon treatment is received.[3]

 

Mark Gold of the Aspartame Toxicity Information Center writes:

Both the US Air Force’s magazine Flying Safety and the US Navy’s magazine Navy Physiology published articles warning about the many dangers of aspartame. They included the cumulative, deleterious effects of methanol, and the greater likelihood of birth defects. The articles note that the ingestion of aspartame may make pilots more susceptible to seizures and vertigo (US Air Force 1992).

 

Countless other toxicity effects have been reported to the FDA (DHHS 1995), other independent organizations (Mission Possible 1996, Stoddard 1995), and independent scientists (e.g., 80 cases of seizures were reported to Dr. Richard Wurtman, Food in 1986).

 

Frequently, aspartame toxicity is misdiagnosed as a specific disease. This hasn’t been reported in scientific literature, yet it has been reported countless times to independent organizations and scientists.

 

In other cases, it has been reported that chronic aspartame ingestion has triggered or worsened certain chronic illnesses. Nearly 100 percent of the time, the patient and physician assume these worsening conditions are a normal progression of the illness. Sometimes that may be true, but many times it is chronic aspartame poisoning.[4]

 

The following is a list of chronic illnesses that may be caused or worsened by the long-term ingestion of aspartame, according to researchers studying its adverse effects. In some cases, such as MS, the symptoms mimic or worsen the disease, but do not cause it.

 

This list shouldn’t be considered definitive, because regular intake of a poison is bad for any chronic illness.

Brain tumors

Multiple sclerosis

Epilepsy

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Parkinson’s disease

Alzheimer’s

Mental retardation

Lymphoma

Birth defects

Fibromyalgia

Diabetes

Arthritis (including rheumatoid)

Chemical sensitivities

Attention Deficit Disorder [5]

 

Sources:

1 – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Regulations (Standards – 29 CFR). Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=standards&p_id=10078

 2 – Tandel, Kirtidia R. (2011, October-December). Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, 2(4), 236-243.

 3 – MedlinePlus. “Methanol Poisoning.” Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002680.htm

4 & 5- Gold, Mark. (January, 2003). Recall aspartame as a neurotoxic drug: file #4: reported aspartame toxicity reactions. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/jan03/012203/02p-0317_emc-000199.txt

 

copyright@nancyaddison2015

excerpt from How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian Second Edition – By Nancy Addison

 

I hope this helps you and your family. Please share this information with the ones you love.

I’d love to hear your comments! The comment box is below!

 

 

The Buzz For Butterflies and Bees

Butterflies and Bees

While I was outdoors walking in the fresh air and sunshine this morning, I was thinking about how much I love all of our wonderful plants, bees, and butterflies.

Then I thought about the roses that people are planting now, (called “knock out roses”) that have NO nectar, and thus are starving our precious pollinators to death.

And I also thought about Monsanto, DuPont, Dow Chemical, Crop Life America and Bayer, who are all making insecticides called neonicotinoids, that are decimating the pollinator populations by poisoning them to death.

Monsanto and Dow also are now producing new milkweed-killing herbicides, and these will destroy our monarch butterfly populations. Milkweed is their favorite food and vital to their survival.  What would a world be without butterflies? Why are they poisoning their food supply? They are such fragile creatures and how much hardship can they take?

Please join in and help stop this annihilation of our precious web of life.

This is very serious.  I appreciate everyone who has signed my  petition to stop these poisonous neonicotinoids.  I am asking for your assistance now to contact everyone you know to please take a moment and sign this petition.  Please help me reach my goal of 250,000 signatures, which I feel we need in order to get the EPA’s attention.  Right now, we are at 137,000 signatures.

It is so important that everything we do each day helps to sustain and heal and nourish the environment, not destroy it.

If you know anyone who has roses, please inform them about the knock-out roses, that are devoid of nectar.  Butterflies are attracted to them, and when they get there, there is no food.   All that is needed is a little research, to find the best roses to plant that will provide food and nectar for our pollinators.

I contacted Texas A & M University (where I studied landscape architecture and where these roses were developed) more than a few times and they said there is no research to show how this is affecting the environment.  But from my own studies, the large bumblebees were becoming extinct over 27 years ago (3- 4 species are now extinct) from the plants with no nectar (many are GMO and some are hybrid like the knock –out roses) causing them to starve to death. These knock-out roses are now planted all over urban environments in enormous quantities and areas.

I think universities and companies also need to do environmental impact studies on all of their new technologies. At this time, there are no requirements for these at any of the schools that I know of.  I think it would be wise for all universities or schools to require courses on environmental impact for all of their engineers, chemists, inventors, etc. as part of their curriculum. I also feel it would be prudent for universities and companies to be required to preform environmental and health impact studies on all of their inventions and chemicals they are proposing to use. We are all so closely intertwined with each other and what we do does impact the earth and all of it’s inhabitants.

Just a thought.

Thank you sincerely for helping to add to our signatures, because by making more people aware, our world will become a healthier place in which to live.

Sign My Petition Today- Click Here

 

Also, look at what is happening with Monsanto!

https://fdn.actionkit.com/donate/Mons...

 

 

Butterflies and Bees

Butterflies and Bees

While I was outdoors walking in the fresh air and sunshine this morning, I was thinking about how much I love all of our wonderful plants, bees, and butterflies.

Then I thought about the roses that people are planting now, (called “knock out roses”) that have NO nectar, and thus are starving our precious pollinators to death.

And I also thought about Monsanto, DuPont, Dow Chemical, Crop Life America and Bayer, who are all making insecticides called neonicotinoids, that are decimating the pollinator populations by poisoning them to death.

Monsanto and Dow also are now producing new milkweed-killing herbicides, and these will destroy our monarch butterfly populations. Milkweed is their favorite food and vital to their survival.  What would a world be without butterflies? Why are they poisoning their food supply? They are such fragile creatures and how much hardship can they take?

Please join in and help stop this annihilation of our precious web of life.

This is very serious.  I appreciate everyone who has signed my  petition to stop these poisonous neonicotinoids.  I am asking for your assistance now to contact everyone you know to please take a moment and sign this petition.  Please help me reach my goal of 250,000 signatures, which I feel we need in order to get the EPA’s attention.  Right now, we are at 137,000 signatures.

It is so important that everything we do each day helps to sustain and heal and nourish the environment, not destroy it.

If you know anyone who has roses, please inform them about the knock-out roses, that are devoid of nectar.  Butterflies are attracted to them, and when they get there, there is no food.   All that is needed is a little research, to find the best roses to plant that will provide food and nectar for our pollinators.

I contacted Texas A & M University (where I studied landscape architecture and where these roses were developed) more than a few times and they said there is no research to show how this is affecting the environment.  But from my own studies, the large bumblebees were becoming extinct over 27 years ago (3- 4 species are now extinct) from the plants with no nectar (many are GMO and some are hybrid like the knock –out roses) causing them to starve to death. These knock-out roses are now planted all over urban environments in enormous quantities and areas.

I think universities and companies also need to do environmental impact studies on all of their new technologies. At this time, there are no requirements for these at any of the schools that I know of.  I think it would be wise for all universities or schools to require courses on environmental impact for all of their engineers, chemists, inventors, etc. as part of their curriculum. I also feel it would be prudent for universities and companies to be required to preform environmental and health impact studies on all of their inventions and chemicals they are proposing to use. We are all so closely intertwined with each other and what we do does impact the earth and all of it’s inhabitants.

Just a thought.

Thank you sincerely for helping to add to our signatures, because by making more people aware, our world will become a healthier place in which to live.

Sign My Petition Today- Click Here