Friday, January 28, 2011

12 Tips for Stepping into a Healthier Year

Here are some basic steps to get you back on track for good health this year:
1. Go alcohol free for 2 weeks.
2. First thing in the morning, start each day with a glass of room temperature / warm water with either: a) the juice of half a lemon in it or b) 2 teaspoons of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. This is great for boosting liver function. It is very alkalizing!
3. Eat plenty of fresh veggies, especially loads of green ones – a combination raw and lightly cooked is best.
4. Beetroot (roasted, grated into salads, juiced) and beetroot leaves – great for liver support.
5. Good quality meats – organic, grass fed, free range or wild. Beef, chicken, lamb etc. No processed deli meats (high in preservatives, flavors etc.)
6. Wild caught smaller fish (as opposed to contaminated farmed fish. Ask your fish supplier where they get their fish from – Ocean? River? Farm?). Avoid large fish such as tuna, swordfish, ling, marlin as these are startlingly high in mercury.
7. If you’re in a colder climate, now id the perfect time for some warming soups – such as chicken and vegetable. Mmm…
8. In the southern hemisphere, now is the time to get into the very high antioxidant containing, low glycaemic index super fruits of summer: cherries and berries – blue, black, mulberries, raspberries.
9. Drink plenty of clean fresh water – filtered or spring water. 2L per day. Herb teas count. Black, green and white tea don’t count. Herb teas which are particularly detoxifying include: dandelion leaf (for kidney detox) and dandelion root (for liver detox), burdock, calendula, fenugreek.
10. 1 cup of green tea each day
11. Go coffee and dairy free for 1-2 weeks.
12. Go sugar free (use xylitol or stevia instead to sweeten drinks or for cooking). Sugar is our number one ager and cause of all modern degenerative diseases.
Even if you do half of the things on this list you’ll be off to a great start to feeling better and looking better!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
 
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Monday, January 24, 2011

Top 3 Teas for Health

 Greetings....
I just received this newsletter from Isabel de los Rios about Tea.  I highly recommend getting on her newsletter as she is very informative and offers a lot of great healthy recipes too!
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Over the past 2 months I have spent a significant amount of time researching the possible good and bad benefits of drinking different types of teas.

Why?

Because the second I found out I was pregnant, I knew that my 2 cups of coffee a day habit really needed to be reduced so I turned to tea as an alternative.

No, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with drinking your cup of Joe. As a matter of fact, organic coffee is jam packed with tons of antioxidants and has been found to decrease the risk of diseases like type 2 Diabetes and cancer, but it’s also pretty jam packed with caffeine, which is why I decided to research and make the switch over to a variety of different teas.

The good news is that I found a long list of incredible benefits to drinking tea which made my transition very easy. Tea also does contain some caffeine (about a quarter to half as much as coffee) making the switch even easier.

Here are several different varieties of teas and the many healthy benefits I found to each (who knows, you may even consider switching your Java habit as well.)

Black Tea

Before we differentiate between several different teas, it is true that all teas (black, green, oolong and white) come from the same plant, camellia sinensis. What gives each tea it’s particular qualities is in the processing of this particular plant to create different varieties of tea. Black tea is probably the most commonly consumed and most popular of all the teas I researched. It also contains the highest amount of caffeine of most teas (approximately 40 mg), but not nearly as much as 1 – 8 oz cup of coffee (100 mg). The low amounts of caffeine in black tea promotes blood flow in the brain without over stimulating the heart, helping to sharpen mental focus and concentration (oh, we could also use a little of that).

One of black teas greatest benefits is its high number of antioxidants, including quercetin, a substance found to combat inflammation and support healthy immune function. This is probably the best health benefit of drinking black tea…its ability to keep the immune system healthy and strong.

I enjoy a cup of hot black tea most mornings with a bit of squeezed lemon and stevia. It helps me start off my day energized and alert without giving me any of the jittery feelings I would sometimes get with drinking too much coffee. Some people much prefer their black tea cold, which I sometimes make for my husband and relatives when they are visiting. I make 2-3 tea bags with boiling water in a large glass bowl, sweeten with stevia and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. It’s delicious and refreshing served over ice with a little added piece of lemon (careful with how many glasses you drink if you are someone who is sensitive to caffeine).

Green Tea

If you’ve ever done even the slightest research on weight loss, you’ve surely come across tons of information touting the miraculous ability of green tea to burn off body fat.

Is that really true?

Well, before we get to that, what makes green tea so special?

Green tea is extremely rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly EGCG, which is an extremely powerful antioxidant. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it actually has the ability to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. EGCG has also been found to be extremely powerful in the prevention of heart disease and assists in keeping cholesterol levels healthy.

But back to the weight loss theories…

Many doctors and scientific studies have confirmed the incredible power of green tea when it comes to weight loss. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, world renowned doctor and author of 3 bestselling books stated, “…you'd lose up to 10 pounds in 4-6 weeks doing nothing but taking green tea. Green tea increases your daily fat burning rate by 43%”. The fat burning effects of green tea can be attributed to so much more than just its caffeine content (since caffeine has been shown to enhance the metabolism). The catechins in green tea have been found to force the body into thermogenesis, driving your body to burn fat as its energy source. Green tea has also been shown to cause carbohydrates to be released slowly, preventing rises in blood-insulin levels and keeping the body at an ideal blood sugar balance for fat burning.

Can I say for sure that this will happen to absolutely everyone? Definitely not! Every person is individual and many other factors in your diet and exercise program greatly affect what your weight loss results will be. But with all the other wonderful benefits we know about green tea, it is definitely worth including 1-2 cups into your daily routine (Green tea contains approximately 15-30 mg of caffeine per cup. Careful with your intake if you are someone who is sensitive to caffeine).

Like black tea, green tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and you can use stevia, xylitol or raw honey to sweeten a bit.

Last but definitely not least…

Oolong/Wu-long Tea

This was by far the most eye opening research of them all. I had heard of the many benefits of Oolong Tea (also widely referred to as Wu-long) for some time, but had never done this much research and reading about it (little did I know what I was missing).

Even though green tea has been most popularly known as the drink of choice for fat burning, wu-long tea has been shown to burn 220% more fat than green tea. The only difference between green tea and wu-long tea is in the processing of the tea leaves, making the beneficial properties of each just slightly different.

The Chinese have long believed that oolong/wu-long tea is greatly beneficial in reducing and maintaining weight and have conducted several studies proving such. It looks like, from the research, that wu-long tea can actually encourage your body to use more fat for energy, resulting in accelerated fat burning and, of course, weight loss. Many of the same fat burning properties, mentioned above for green tea, have been found in wu-long tea but the effects seem to be more pronounced.

All of the other incredible benefits of tea can also be found with wu-long tea, but, where as increased immune function and antioxidant benefits are black and greet teas claim to fame, it looks like wu-long teas greatest benefit is fat loss.

You can enjoy wu-long tea hot or cold, sweetened or flavored with lemon. I actually really enjoy the rich, flowery taste of wu-long tea all on its own, not really needing any sweetener or anything added to enjoy its delicious taste.

I have found the best quality and tasting wu-long tea from a company called Okuma nutritionals. Since wu-long tea has become a bit of a “hype” tea and supplement these days, I wanted to look for a company that was truly passionate about the quality of their tea and intimately involved in the production of their teas.

Delicious and Powerful Wu-Long Tea

Isabel, which tea is the best for me?

With all the wonderful benefits of these 3 teas, it may be hard to decide which is the best choice for you. I love to do what my good friend Mike Geary taught me is to mix all three varieties together! Many mornings I will put 1 tea bag each of black, green and wu-long tea in a small pot with boiling water. I let that steep for about 5 minutes and remove the tea bags. I sip 1 cup for breakfast and then another with lunch. The different tastes of each blend together really nicely and make for a tasty warm drink (again, it can also be enjoyed like iced tea, which I know is how Mike enjoys it best.)

Black, green or wu-long, whichever you choose, 1-2 teas each day is a wonderful addition to your healthy eating plans. As with anything, be very mindful to your body’s response to the caffeine amount and let your body be your guide.

In health and happiness,



Isabel De Los Rios
Certified Nutritionist

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen

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Saturday, January 08, 2011

What is an Alkaline Diet?

 Back in the 1930's Dr. Warburg won the Nobel Prize proving that disease cannot live in a alkaline body.  So how can we become more alkaline?  You could choose to eat more 'alkaline' foods!


What is an alkaline diet?

In general, an alkaline diet consists of vegetables, low-sugar fruits, along with tubers, nuts, and legumes. The diet avoids grains, dairy, meat, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and fungi. The diet helps to maintain the natural homeostatic pH balance of 7.35-7.45 for the human body. Maintaining a diet that closely matches the natural pH of a healthy human body allows for a minimum of disruption of the acid-alkaline balance.
Alkaline foods and liquids have a pH higher than 7.0, while foods and liquids that have a pH below 7.0 are acidic. Purified or distilled water, which doesn’t occur in nature, has a pH of 7.0 and is neither alkaline or acidic.
Wikipedia does a pretty decent job of defining an alkaline diet in scientific terms:
The Alkaline diet (also known as the alkaline ash diet, alkaline acid diet and the acid alkaline diet) is a dietary protocol based on the consumption of foods which burn to leave an alkaline residue. Minerals containing elements like calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, are the principal components of the ash, as they are incombustible. This burning is compared to the way in which foods are catabolised to produce wastes. Foods are thus classified as alkaline, acid or neutral according to the pH of the solution created with their ash in water. The leading proponent of the alkaline diet is Dr. Robert Young.

Sticking with an Alkaline Diet is very difficult.  That is why many people turn to drinking alkaline water throughout the day to help balance the acidic foods taken in.  To learn more about quality Alkaline water go here-- http://www.thewetterwater.com 

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen


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Wednesday, January 05, 2011

6 Brain Foods

 

Six foods to eat for a better Brain



Feeling a little foggy after all the holiday revelry?
On January 3, health news website MyHealthNewsDaily.com reported on six foods that can boost your brain power, just in time to start the New Year mentally focused.

According to the article, foods high in compounds such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can improve brain health and memory.
1. Walnuts - They look like little brains and are packed with antioxidants, which researchers claim may combat the damage to brain cells' DNA caused by free radicals in our bodies. A 2009 rat study also found that diets in which nuts made up as little as two percent reversed signs of aging.
2. Carrots - They're not only good for your eyes but good for your brain. They contain high levels of a compound known as luteolin. A recent study published in the journal Nutrition found that luteolin reduces age-related memory deficits and inflammation in the brain. Other good sources: olive oil, peppers, and celery.
3. Berries - In a 2009 report in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers examined a group of studies that showed fruits such as blueberries and strawberries can decrease a type of stress in cells associated with aging and increase the signaling capabilities in brains.
4. Fish - Some studies have shown that eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids could help slow typical cognitive decline that comes with age. The report cites a 2005 study that found that people 65 and older who ate two meals of fish a week for six years had a 13 percent decrease in cognitive decline, compared with people who didn't eat any fish regularly.
5. Coffee and tea -  Caffeinated teas and coffees not only perk you up but studies have shown they may prevent Alzheimer's disease and improve cognitive function. In addition, according to a 2010 study, tea drinkers did better on tests on memory and information processing than non-tea drinkers did.
6. Spinach - It's loaded with vitamins C and E that help to improve cognitive abilities, according to the latest research. A 2000 study found that aging rats had some of their age-related memory and motor deficits reversed after eating a diet rich in spinach, strawberries, and blueberries.

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
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Monday, January 03, 2011

Killing Cancer Not People



What is being done to end cancer in our lifetime?
One out of 2 people will get cancer in their lifetime. Will that be YOU?
You need to watch this video....important stuff!


Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
http://www.thewetterwater.net

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Sunday, January 02, 2011

New Years Resolutions--Can they work?


Happy New Year!

What is the one thing most people think of on New Years Day?  
Deciding on a New Year's Resolution!  

 I have learned over the years that it is usually not a great idea to make vague resolutions like-- lose some weight, make more money, exercise more---these are all too vague and chances are, you won't feel successful with them.

It is best to be very clear with your goals for the New Year.  Write them down.  Tell someone else.  This makes the goal become more real and you feel more accountable to it. 

Be concise!  Example:  I will lose 10 pounds by March 1st, 2011.  I will make $1000 more each month. I will exercise 3 times a week.
By setting numbers to your goals you have a better chance of seeing results.  Try it and let me know....
Happy New Year!

Deborah Mumm, The Allergy Queen
Healthy Environments


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