OMGoodness, if I give up the White Refined Table Sugar that spikes insulin, is ruining my immune, heart health and making me FAT, WHICH do I CHOOSE???

This may be one of the most important blog posts you read.  Besides white/wheat based flours, and unhealthy meats and dairy, I TRULY believe, white sucrose/completely refined   and concentrated SUGAR,  is RESPONSIBLE for Americans having SO much illness and obesity!  And it is in EVERYTHING!  You may know from your own ADDICTION/CRAVINGS, that it is not far fetched to read article after article saying that white refined sugar and it's use in candy/pastries/breads/pops is more addictive than cocaine or heroin.  And one of the reasons, we started eating it as a child and deal with it dozens of times a day with no real social stigma like "real" drugs!  I can tell you from experience, it affected my health, my weight, my moods, and I had to go "cold turkey" on refined flours and white sugar, and when reprogrammed, I learned to use less refined, less processed sugars.  Yes, in a PERFECT world, we'd eat no sugars.  But because I want you to feel NO deprivation, nor your family, I will teach you to 1) break the white/refined sugar habit 100%, 2) add in whole foods and juicing to balance your body, and then, you can have PLANNED treats with non gluten/whole flours and your choice of one or several of these alternatives above, and 3) teach others the changes you learn here that will impact your life forever!

Sugar is BIG business.  The United States consumes almost 9 thousand metric tons of sugar a year!  Most people not on a healthy eating regime, consume 6-8 tablespoons of refined sugars a day, just in the processed foods they eat, and soda and other drinks they consume!  They seem to be unaware, just how addicted they are, until they try and stop eating sugar on a regular basis.  And some add the caustic chemical sweeteners (aspartame/nutrasweet/splenda/etc.) to add to the YIKES of the whole sugar health issue!

While we do not have time, nor space here to list the many reasons in detail, why sugar is both an empty high calorie food and a poison, in my opinion, on a grand scale, I can send you to the right sites or books if you request more info.  Let's just summarize it by saying white/refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup, immediately raises blood sugar, triggering huge insulin spikes, that over time not only can lead to diabetes, obesity (remember, FAT is ONLY stored when insulin is at work) inflammation (the core of all disease) being acidic, not alkaline, and lowers the immune system, gradually but so aggressively, it is now actively linked to diseases from migraines to heart disease to cancer!  So, most of us on this post, know we want white/refined sugar OUT of our house, out of our bodies.  So what can we use that is less refined, less disease promoting, and lower on the glycemic index?  Well, if you look at the above pictures, I have tried to sort less refined/healthier sugar sources, starting with the best, and then showing all that I would say are indeed better choices than white/refined sugar!

The first picture is Stevia, derived from a green leafy plant, and usually made white, unfortunately, but scores the BEST on the glycemic index.  In fact it basically doesn't raise blood sugar at all.  It is used by many in their hot drinks, in cooking, etc. Note: You need much less, as it is very naturally sweet.  For some, it has an aftertaste, that took my getting used to.  Fortunately, the third picture next to it, (Sweet Leaf/Sugar Leaf) shows one of my NEW FAVORITE choices for a sweetener, as it incorporates Stevia, with non refined, Evaporated Cane Juice, and makes a great taste. It is 2/3s the calories and carbs of sugar.  Next to Stevia, the second picture, is the rave of all the Sugar Watchers in the country.  It is called Coconut Palm Sugar, and is great for baking and in other uses, but rates very well on not triggering insulin and being therefore low on the glycemic index ( a good thing ;-)  Google it, to find where you can purchase it, or try Whole Foods or you local health food store! 

Then, we go to sweeteners that I use, that do somewhat trigger insulin, but I justify using them in moderation, because they are naturally intact, slowing that process, and have good nutritional value, and having hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) I can tell in small doses, they do not cause the rush that refined sugar does.  Now that does NOT mean you can go full tilt with them.  I use a little honey in my teas/hot lemon water, and Pure Maple Syrup, just drizzled on a non gluten pancake when I splurge on the weekend, and I use the Maple Syrup granules mixed with other sweeteners in baking for that just right sweet taste!  I buy them at Trader Joe's, for so much less than the health food stores!  Ask at TJ's!  NOTE: I only use RAW honey, never processed honey bear type honeys, BUT, babies and small children should NOT have RAW or any honey. Ask me why if you need to know, but it is a risk to them, so NEVER give it to them.  Their immune system has to catch up to not be bothered by tiny,tiny botulism spores naturally in raw honey that never affects older children or adults!

Now, actually, if the glycemic index is correct, and there is some conjecture here, the light, Agave Nectar, should have marginally trumped honey and pure Maple Syrup, for having a better track record in triggering insulin!  It comes from a Mexican succulent plant, and has a unique taste, which I've adjusted to, and I use it w/the Maple granules half and half when baking.  Just mix it up, try em all! I do not like the dark, only the Light Agave.  Find it online, at health food stores or Trader Joe's of course...lol

Next we have Muscovado, a really quite delightful sweetener, and low in calories and totally unrefined.  It is great for baking cookies and carrot cakes, etc. All of the molasses is intact, and it is one of my favorite new finds in the unrefined sweetener arena.  I believe you can see the Seattle company info on the label!  A really nice sweetener!  Similar to it, is Organic Sucanat, (the trade name) which is again, unrefined, and has the molasses still in it.  A good baking ingredient mixed and matched with say Coconut Palm Sugar, etc. which is good, but more expensive!  So you stretch it, by mixing several! You'll get good at this, I promise! 

Lastly, I put Evaporated Cane Juice, or often called Organic sugar, which does not have the molasses intact, and is more attractive to some as closer to "real" sugar without being as refined, and certainly not concentrated like table sugar.  It is a sugar that you don't want to have as your main sugar to replace your white/refined/table sugar, but if you see it on labels, etc. it is going to be a better choice than the stripped/concentrated/totally drug like made, WHITE SUGAR!  Use the Evaporated Cane Juice with other sweeteners, and maybe as a "stepping stone" for your family to even less refined sugars, at first!  And as with ALL of them, just use less, and have treats be just that, TREATS!  Think of Little House on the Prairie, where they had a lg. bag of sugar for the year to do cookies/cakes for real special occasions, not as a daily, huge part of our diet! 

OK, there's a start! In using a non-gluten (wheat free) flour blend, and these less refined sweeteners, you are definitely on the way to better health, less obesity, and yet, you still can enjoy any recipe you used in the past, just "swapping out," the white/dead/processed ones for better choices. It becomes really pleasant, and natural to do. Trust me, as I've had 3 decades of doing it, and I NEVER feel deprived, and it has changed my health dramatically! CHEERS, and just remember.  Rome was not built in a day.  You need to do your best to make a complete break from white/refined sugar.  And then reprogram long enough, that you will NEVER go back.  If I did it, ANYONE can.  I am a recovering Sugaraholic, and proud to be for thirty some years now.  If you have questions, message me through facebook.  If you are not connected as a friend, please send a request to Linda Gran-Daniels.  I am so grateful for each of you and your desire to have more optimal health, more fit bodies, and a positive mind set.  Again, CHEERS!

I want the STRESS HORMONE, CORTISOL to go DOWN DOWN DOWN!

I want the STRESS HORMONE, CORTISOL to go DOWN DOWN DOWN!

LINK BETWEEN CORTISOL, (STRESS HORMONE,) FAT AND 

ILLNESS~

Today's SAD (Standard American Diet) of high fat, processed and sugar filled foods is indeed contributing to the epidemic of mild to more extensive obesity. But researchers have also found that the causes of being overweight are not simply the result of overeating or lack of exercise. Excessive and prolonged STRESS can cause the body to produce too much CORTISOL.  This can play a large role in craving "comfort" foods, in overeating, in feeling up and down in energy levels and mood swings, and in storing of excess fat in very specific areas.

Cortisol is frequently referred to as the "stress hormone" because it's also secreted in higher levels during the body's fight or flight response to stress.Unfortunately, we burn the candle at both ends, and often "grab" poor food choices and many use caffeine in the form of coffee, candies (chocolate) and POP and energy drinks and the adrenals become exhausted from continued stress and lack of proper sleep!  Overuse of caffeine is one of the largest reasons Cortisol is on the rampage in our bodies today, and here are some of the tip offs that you may be having Cortisol, the stress hormone, depleting you in a way that could lead to:
Fatigue: You have an up, and then a down, and a true feeling of sheer tiredness and exhaustion.
Impaired Immune System:  Constant high Cortisol levels shrinks the Thymus gland and results in any illness you are DNA predisposed to. It especially encourages auto immune disorders!
Insulin Resistance, High Cortisol levels interfere with the ability of insulin to manage the glucose in the body, to metabolize it, and therefore, the result is weight begins to creep on, abdomen first, on the back below the shoulder blades, and in the face! And of course it is a diabetic's NO NO!!!
Inhibits the growth of Healthy Flora in the colon! Therefore, you will be more likely to have more colds, allergies, headaches, and digestive problems. High quality probiotics will be needed to build the immune system back to a higher level.
Moodiness and Depression, are common with high Cortisol levels that are chronic. Your serotonin levels rise and fall with this hormone, and leave you emotionally unstable oft times.
Need I go on??? I would say, most of you reading this have some level of TOO HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS due to juggling, juggling, juggling, not eating enough whole live foods, and not getting enough quality, deep sleep!   So what simple things shall we do to reduce it????


FIRST:  Begin to LIMIT caffeine! If you need a cup or shot of coffee in the morning and at times during the day to "pick you up," you may be in a high cortisol range. But remember,if you are drinking pop, using energy drinks, and eating chocolate for that pick me up, it is to be moderated as well. 200 mg. of caffeine (one cup of joe) will elevate your Cortisol levels up  40% and that can last for 18 hours! Can you even imagine why adrenal exhaustion and the symptoms above are becoming more and more common?!!!


SECOND:  Sleep Sound and Deep~  And anyone who personally knows Ms. "HealthAngel" knows this is my waterloo that I work on over and over again~The hours between 9:00 and 11:00 are tied to the Circadian Rhythm cycle, and THAT is when MELATONIN is produced to create great REM sleep, deep sleep, repair sleep, and to reduce CORTISOL Stress levels. For every hour you sleep starting at midnight, just cut it in half, and ramp up your Cortisol levels 50%!  Oh, my, this is the one I totally know is true. When I follow the proper sleep guidelines, I operate like a TOTALLY different person and have much greater stamina  and health. Go ahead and feel free to NAG me on this one ;-)


THIRD:  Exercise regularly to build muscle mass and increase brain output of serotonin and dopamine, brain chemicals that reduce anxiety and depression and yes, CORTISOL levels! Do what ever works for you. It will be the gym for one, biking or hiking or walking for another, it just needs to be routine, consistent and hopefully utilize both cardio and weight resistance.  

FOURTH: Avoid or moderate sugar in the diet and refined carbohydrates to keep from spiking your insulin production. Eat frequent small meals balanced in protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats like olive oil and coconut oil. Diets rich in complex carbohydrates keep cortisol levels lower than low or refined ones~ again, foods less processed, and more in their natural state are the ticket! And keep plenty of pure, clean water hydrating your system. I bolded this one on purpose. It is crucial to optimal health and weight and lowering the culprit, high CORTISOL LEVELS!


FIFTH: Meditate, practice yoga, have a quiet time where you read, whatever you do to take yourself, "out of the world," be it for a moment or an hour! Keep positive thoughts going into the subconscious mind, even in moments of challenge and strife. This is so important~


SIXTH: Consider supplements and herbs. I suggest an excellent multiple vitaminfor a "cover the bases" approach as well as an emphasis on B Complex. And I like two products, Ashwagandha and Rhodiola. You can google these for further info and I suggest consulting your doctor if you wish on these. 


Lowering CORTISOL levels is crucial, longterm. You will not do all of the tips to bring it down, down, down, but why not start with the ones that you CAN do to bring you more energy, less illness, a happier disposition, and MORE OPTIMAL WEIGHT FOREVER!!! CHEERS! Thanks for all those who "wade through" and read my posts. Your comments and support have been so heartwarming. We all seek to be healthy, happy and in the "zone" of where we choose with our weight. Here's one area we can all begin to work on. Now, Linda, GET TO BED ON TIME~~~~ ;-)

The Paleo Diet! soooo easy, a Caveman can do it?  The REAL "skinny" on this rather extreme, latest fad diet that is sweeping the country! 

Well, it was bound to happen! Me commenting on the Paleo Diet that is sweeping the country claiming to be the answer to losing weight, being healthy, and living close to nature!  Hmmmm, so where do I begin?  I think I'd begin in saying,  I wouldn't follow it.  But everyone has to make their own choices.  And I hope to arm you with enough information that you can decide for yourself. The fact that it has the word "diet" in it, already makes me forewarned that it is a diet, and those tend to phase out over time!  So now, let's talk about the pros/cons!  But first, a snapshot of what this "Diet" is about.  Think of the food pyramid.  This back to the caveman type eating, promotes the largest, bottom of the triangle to be devoted to meats/eggs/fish, but LOTS of meat!  And while they "say" they promote "wild meats," like buffalo, deer, elk, etc. which I agree is less fat, grass fed, etc., in truth all of the blogs I see show recipes replete with hamburger, beef, bacon and sausages, you name it. Most every meal!  I have two problems with this. 1) Consuming large amounts of fatty meats has never been shown to be a modern day, healthy way of eating.  I do not promote you to be a vegan, although I am a mostly vegan, because you need PROTEIN, true. And most won't balance it as vegans. But the source of your protein needs to be varied and much of it NOT from meats/dairy/etc. WHY? Because MOST of today's meats are grown/bought/eaten from horrendous conditions. PLEASE watch Forks Over Knives (the documentary) to see I am correct!  The greatest health statistics have shown for ages, that groups like the Seventh Day Adventists, folks who live in the Hunza countries, where they eat mainly high end grains/roots/veggies and fish, have one of the longest and healthiest lifestyles! Folks may think they are screening their meats and dairy, but it is FILLED with hormones and antibiotics, nitrates, and who is really going to pay outrageous prices for grass fed, totally organic meats for every meal.  Meat will just become, "bought at the grocery store, meat.." and that makes me cringe!  Not that you can't eat meat. But when you do, have it be a deck of card size, definitely,hormone/antibiotic/nitrate free!  In Caveman days, the colon was soooo short, and they had incisors galore, (our teeth are flat for grinding) and so meat didn't sit in yards of a maze of a colon!  Where it sits now for up to 12 hours, inflaming and putrifying!  Creating digestion issues, cancer issues, inflammation issues. Nope, I just cannot swallow, after 38 years of studies, that large amounts of meat should be the base foundation for our diet! Yes, it contributes to weight loss when you eat no carbs, but c'mon now, is it healthy?  MEAT is one of the foods that makes you most acidic, NOT alkaline in ph...and you THRIVE in an alkaline ph.  Now for 2) Dairy is part of the meat equation...cheeses, drinking and cooking with milk, etc. etc. And dairy is a liquid, straight to the body source of hormones/antibiotics, etc. And it is the greatest of mucous creators, and clogger of the year, for the lymphatic system, sooooo vital for keeping the body detoxed! So we want to have our base diet be meats/probably farm raised salmon, dairy? NO NO, did I say NO!  Yes, she did...smile!

  

Now while I appreciate Paleo folks saying they are trying to eat whole/real food, I preach that, it does not override the two main parts of their "diet!" Heavy meat intake.  And NO grains! They do allow veggies/some fruits, and do as I said, promote them to be organic, whole, not packaged/canned, and I can appreciate that! And they do allow NUTS, one of the basics of my diet, if not oiled and salted, especially almonds/walnuts/pistachios/cashews and Chia seeds, etc.  And I will agree, wholeheartedly, that MAN, in his desire to make food fast, quick, and easy, refined it, concentrated sugars, made carbs a dirty little name!  And I see processed, wheat/gluten refined carbs as a HUGE problem in the SAD, standard American diet! But, I believe, that the right, complex, gluten free carbs are part of a balanced diet for us, serving as glycogen delivered properly, not in a sugar high, so the brain can function, energy is fueled, and grains like brown rice, quinoa, non-gluten flours can be filled with necessary vitamins and nutrients. AND once the refined sugars/processed white carbs are taken out of the system, the body can adjust and digest these enzyme intact whole/complex/ wheat free carbs, and allow us not to go into a state of deprivation, where we will NOT stick with a healthy eating plan for life! Oh, trust me! And while the Paleo diet tries very hard to make "baked goods, and goodies" out of their own devices, why not just use the real deal in moderation, and break the BAD carb addiction, and slowly learn to like the healthy carbs in moderation. Yes, we know we become addicted to refined sugar, white carbs, but I broke that 37 years ago, and still get to eat red velvet, non gluten cupcakes for a treat, have some pumpkin custard, a piece of cheesecake only once in awhile, and I'm surely not giving up my Kind wheat free granola, or legumes or beans in soup or Mexican food...lol...I want BALANCE and WHOLENESS in my eating, but NOPE, not deprivation. 

So, yep, the choice is yours. To try another "DIET," like this one that is sweeping the blogs, having folks swear by it...like they did the Atkins diet, the Zone Diet, the South Beach Diet, and on and on. Isn't it enough, to just try to have your lifestyle gradually stairstep to less processed in general, healthier meats, less dairy, more veggies and whole fruits, like berries and apples, and to put in exercise, cardio and core development, and to pursue a whole life concept spiritually/mentally as well??!!!   And yes, live to be a 100 and enjoy getting there! Sooooooo, I will teach you correct principles I have learned for now, nearly 4 decades. Nothing faddish. Just common sense, and the tricks to "tweek" what you already do, to make a better version. I'm sorry. I'm not a cave woman. I'm a sixty something, multitasking woman, trying to keep on the journey, eat the best I can to block my genetic time bombs, to avoid degenerative disease and to still enjoy eating while empowering my body! CHEERS to each of you! I LOVE having you follow with me! Be reasonable. Be balanced. Most of all be healthy and happy! Linda: AKA: HealthAngel ;-)

Working Out and Eating! Before and After! Natural Energy Boosters.......

Those of you who want both a more fit, leaner body, AND optimal health, know already that it is a combination of eating less processed and more whole/real foods, AND burning calories and sculpting the body through both cardio and weight resistant training.  If I had to pick ONE part of that lifestyle that would hold more "weight," (bad pun, I know) in being most valuable, while I dearly know many of you love your exercise, like the hubs, ( who almost gets obsessive, ) it would be........the consistent, healthy eating.  Now don't go, WHAT is she saying?   I am endorsing exercise and working out, and MOVING in general, as paramount to health and fitness.  But one of the most renown fitness people recently said that proper eating, (as much as she loves exercise to control her weight) over a lifetime,  will play the greatest role in superior health, and keeping a constant fit size!  Before I expound on that, let me say, that the folks with the greatest health, will be indeed the people who BOTH eat quality whole foods, and do things like walking, treadmill, pilates, zumba, yoga, hitting the gym, and certainly building their core area!  But, if you are exercising, and the size of a minute and eating junky, processed, grab me quick food, not planning and paying attention to quality food, whole food, clean/real food, then being trim, being thinner means little.  You would still be prone to degenerative disease, even heart disease and cancer.  So be balanced!  Be moderate.  Be wise. But DO NOT depend on your exercise to let you under eat, or in other words eat dead, processed foods, too much dairy and meat laced with hormones and antibiotics and to forget the long range benefits of live veggies/fruits and juicing!  

The younger you are, the easier it will be to control your weight with rigorous exercise, and even have some thinking they are able to get away with not paying so much attention to the quality and portion size of your foods.  But as one ages, it requires more and more exercise to keep your body at it's proper weight, due to hormone fluctuation, metabolism slow down, and the natural decline of body mass and muscle.  IF you have slowly reprogrammed to only mainly complex, whole carbs (I hope gluten free) in moderation, (namely quinoa/brown rice/sweet potato, etc.)  healthy protein choices such as nuts, wild seafood, beans/legumes, lean meats if you choose (mainly chix/turkey) hormone/antibiotic/nitrate free of course, and have a routine of salads, steamed or raw veggies and fruit by itself, (and don't forget juicing!) THEN your exercising will continue to work at the level it should. Otherwise, get ready to pound, pound, pound, and possibly look healthy, while your health, longevity, and protection against disease may be compromised!  I hope this is making sense!

About a decade ago, I was painting inside my house by myself, and stepped out onto the back concrete landing with my paint tray, lost my footing and fell 16 concrete stairs to the bottom to the basement landing where I laid unconscious.  Having no cell phone then, and not having close neighbors to hear my cries,  I crawled up (in shock) to a neighbor's.  I had one badly broken right ankle and a small fracture and sprain to my other ankle!  For six months I could only go from the bedroom to the restroom with a walker  w/great difficulty and spent much time rehabbing.  Due to my healthy lifestyle that had been in place for two decades, I healed slowly but amazingly to the doctors surprise. (I had such great bone strength from spinach/kale/dark greens, NOT dairy, smile) Now think of it though!  What if I had depended on my Exercising to keep myself at a certain weight??  I am now able to walk, and do adequate exercise, but if I had not already reprogrammed to whole/live foods, small portions often, I would imagine instead of gaining five pounds during that time, it may have been fifty!  And now being past that big SIX O mark, it is my eating habits that help me not balloon up, even more than the valuable exercise I am still able to do. I tell this story, so you see that the workouts are valuable, exercise rocks, but will you be able to keep up your level you are doing in your 20's/30's/40's without also empowering your body with whole/live/real foods as you age? I think you see, we want to do BOTH.  But it is VITAL you program to the proper foods and portion sizes if you want to ensure a naturally fit, good weight size, for LIFE!

NOW: Food tips and energy boosters while working out!  BEFORE you work out, I find it valuable to use some complex carbs (those not refined, and hopefully NO WHEAT) as they fuel the body slowly, with no insulin spikes, as the body has to break through the outer intact exterior and does a time release type effect of ENERGY RELEASE!  But it is also important to add just a little protein to lock in that energy as well.  You could eat a small bowl of lentil soup,  have a half a sweet potato and just a few almonds as well,  a small slice of udi's raisin bread with a thin layer of butter and then almond butter, a little bowl of leftover brown rice with some rice  milk on it, and some chopped walnuts, (like a cereal) w/a smidge of pure maple syrup and cinnamon....well these are just some ideas!  DURING your workout, consume water, water! And if you are doing RIGOROUS workouts, consider the healthy equivalent of Gatorade, Knudsen's Recharge!  AFTER your workout and cool down, it is then time to consume anywhere from 10-25 grams of protein depending on your size, gender, and amount of workout done.  Perhaps you do your coconut oil and scrambled eggs, or a smoothie made w/rice milk/almond milk and whey or rice or pea protein (not soy isolate, please)  You can add some frozen berries OR that lovely expensive but well worth it, highend cacao powder, for a dark chocolate boost!  And follow in awhile with more water, of course.  Other pick me ups, could be a KIND nut bar, a handful, (about 12) of almonds/cashews/walnuts that may be roasted but NOT oiled or salted!  It is perfectly OK to later, have a few squares or small bar of dark chocolate, if it is at least 62% cacao or more...and a good brand from the health food store!  Ask an employee if you need help in choosing one!   B vitamin supplements also help w/workouts, as well as L-Carnitine, an amino acid and CoQ10.  Avoid the urge to use sports drinks with caffeine/guarana, etc. as they pick you up and drop you later!

So keep up the good work! Slowly follow along to learn how to totally reprogram to more whole life living, allowing and planning for snacks and desserts that are "legal," meaning they are still yummy but have been "tweeked" with different flours/sweeteners, etc. to be less refined, less health zapping and less likely to cause weight fluctuation. I welcome questions, and also comments that give good ideas to all of us who are trying to live to be a 100, and enjoy getting there!  CHEERS all!

Your fat burning.....get rid of your toxins....lose weight....stay healthy   ORGAN....and you "forgot" to take care of it!

Well, blow me down!  We might go on a DETOX...be exercising to yank those toxins out as well....even eating much healthier versions of our foods we used to, and yet we still don't feel quite AWESOME, still struggle to lose some of those fat bulges, and wonder WHAAT??????

Well, I betcha, I know part of the problem!  And you never even thought about it!  I do, because I know about the incredible (no edible in there...lol..) LIVER!  Let's talk quickly about why you should treat this organ like the royalty it is!  And trust me it truly is! Without it.....you cannot live!  And if it is impaired, you can have a faulty immune system, be sluggish, not lose weight, and be full of toxins, even if you follow DETOX programs and exercise.  Yep, that's right!

It's "just" a little reddish brown,  3 pound lil guy on the right side of your stomach!  But boy should you consider the following!  It converts nutrients from the food we eat into essential blood components,  and stores vitamins and minerals,  while producing proteins and enzymes to maintain our hormone balances.  It also helps our immune systems to fight infections,  removes bacteria from the blood, and makes bile,  which helps digest our meals!  Is it a SUPERSTAR??? ohhhhhhh, yeah!

And what happens if it gets fed years of junk food,  from fried fast food to pop to hmmmm, I'm just gonna leave it to your individual imagination....But bottom line, it gets overworked,  decreases ohhhhhhhhhhh so slowly in function, and you have subtle signs that you might even miss!  Weight gain,  white coating on the tongue,  less white white around the eyeballs,  dull and maybe breakout skin,  headaches, and on and on to the BIG STUFF!  Oy Vey!  At which time you realize you're not up to snuff,  hear about all the super duper DETOX programs,  choose one,  and complete it!  Oh oh!  Did I just hear the overcrowded,  much overused human (the liver) GARBAGE COMPACTOR just grind/hiss/and almost come to a halt?!!!!  Well, here you are with herbs/eating regimes/exercise programs that pulled all those nasty toxins out of everywhere in your body, and the LIVER,  the only one who can be the TRASH HAULER OUTTER, is toooooo pooped to do it!  Knowing how resilient it is,  it likely gets some out into water soluable output,  but leaves a lot behind.  After all,  it can only do so much with extra toxins,  cuz it just is barely keeping up with it's regular jobs, anyhow!  Surely, you NOW see the picture!  So WHAT can you do to help this amazing organ do it's job,  so you can have those detox programs work,  so the exercise you are doing is optimal, so that weight just sheds naturally as you integrate more healthful living??? I'm going to lay it out simply,  easily! If you want details, then ask me directly,  and certainly you will have more ideas by continuing to follow this blog!

ONE)  Unload the liver of all these toxins and literally rebuild it with my favorite herb of all herbs, and that would be Milk Thistle, sometimes known as Silymarin.  If you are ill, under a doctor's care,  then ask for guidance.  I personally go to a GOOD health food store, and ask a savvy worker there for a standardized GREAT brand,  and I take it as directed until the bottle is done.  I do this TWICE a year.  You do not want to do it constantly,  only once or twice a year.  I find it amazing.  I had hepatitis as a child, and it helps me stay so healthy!  It may be contained in your "detox kits," milk thistle, but not in near enough quantity to do what it can separately!

TWO) Try for at least 3-4 weeks, while it heals, to refrain from processed foods,  too much red meat and pork,  wheat and wheat products,  refined sugars,  corn and white potatoes,  too much alcohol or over abundance of caffeine,  and deep fried or pan fried foods. Do also limit DAIRY!   DO intake an abundance of clean water,  (this is where fresh lemon and water is a groovy combo)  clean/whole foods, from unoiled/unsalted nuts (can be roasted, walnuts/pistaschios/almonds are best)  wild fish,  berries, (especially blueberries) grapefruit,  and every veggie that will jump into your mouth, (JK!)  salads galore,  (get in lots of broccoli/spinach/kale) and just whole/real foods that you don't need to even read a label on!  Soups will usually be welcomed as well, as long as they are not meat driven, greasy, etc. 

THREE) get in your healthy essential fatty acids/oils.  Coconut oil/olive oil/Barlean's emulsified Fish oils from the refrigerated health section are delicious and liver friendly! You do need plenty fiber,  so go ahead and have some brown rice, all those veggies, a sweet potato, and yes, fresh butter is OK!  Eat beets like they are the new food that everyone loves. If ya don't like em, read the LAST STEP!

FOUR)  The very BEST thing you could do to unload your liver is to JUICE!  Not make a smoothie.  Not use a Vitamix.  Not use a Magic or NutriBullet.  But buy or make RAW VEGGIE juice, with predominantly, a carrot base, add a few beets, pieces of apple, some raw ginger, and kale or spinach. (ya have to shove it in and put the chunky stuff on top, and the PLUNGE AWAY!)  If you do THIS, it will make your LIVER a LOVER!  Wow, will your life, your weight, your everything,  CHANGE!  OK....if you want to keep it simple:  GO easier on the junk food,  take some Milk thistle for a 2-3 weeks,  and JUICE! (or buy it) 

PLEASE LET ME KNOW, SOMEONE WHO LISTENS TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BLOG I'VE SHARED YET....WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU FOLLOW THIS!  YOU SHOULD LOSE SOME HEALTH ISSUES, HAVE YOUR BODY BEGIN TO RESCULPT, AND HAVE THE DETOX YOU DID...... FINALLY DETOX!  And.....your LIVER......thanks you!  (and so do I :-)

Solution to BETCHA CAN'T EAT JUST one: THE SNACK PATROL Answer!

Solution to BETCHA CAN'T EAT JUST one: THE SNACK PATROL Answer!

Tonight isn't a big ole long teaching lesson! It's such a simple trick that I've taught for years and years, I thought everyone knew about it, until a girlfriend said, "Wow, I'm so tired of having to give up my snacky snacks, cuz before ya know it, I've done MINDLESS EATING as usual and eaten the whole bag!"  Happens soooooooo easily. I used to do the same thing, until I learned something that works so well, I taught it to her, and she lost a whole jean size just with this little routine.


It helps with any snack food. Hopefully, you'll start to know that snack foods can still be tasty and satisfy either sweet or salty, but just have higher grade, unprocessed ingredients in them. I like some brands like Barbara's, Bearitos, Pamela's cookies, etc. etc. We'll learn those later. But as you know when you read the back of the bag, it gives the calorie/carb count, and you go, "Oh, that's not too bad," forgetting that it gives those stats for ONE serving. That's a trick they even do with smoothie drinks, etc. You can look at an Odwalla chocolate protein smoothie, and it's not that big a bottle, and look carefully, it isTWO servings. Ya kinda get tricked into thinking the carb/sugar/calorie count, (the only things I really look at besides ingredients, ) is for the entire bottle/sack/etc. It's NOT!
OK, so when I shop, I come home, and say I buy a sack of Barbara's corn puffs (they satisfy my cheddar cheese urge, w/out eating the cheese itself, and  they are GOOD!) I turn the bag over, and you will see it says approximately how many servings are in the bag after it lists the readout of calories etc. for ONE serving. So this particular bag in the picture I've enclosed, says five servings. I get out my five BAGGIES, open the bag of snacks, and before I even start eating them, and have half the bag gone, I CREATE five servings to grab outta the pantry. You can eyeball em, or in the case of cookies, count em!  After baggying them,  we have plastic open containers in the pantry, I baggie them, MAKE sure they are closed tightly to avoid going stale, and VOILA, I throw them in the containers so I can grab one when a snack attack comes on.  Today when I ate my cheddar corn puffs, I was thinking, THIS IS ALOT!!! LOL....because instead of MINDLESS EATING, you are aware and eat each one savoring the taste, but it really seems you get full and have eaten the exact right amount.  ONE SERVING, Yay~!
TRY this on all your snacks. Read how many servings there are, and  baggie em up as SOON  as you get home from the store, and no more guessing, no more empty bags while watching TV and not paying attention, and the calories/carbs saved over time, can culmulatively make a BIG difference in how your clothes fit! OK, that's it! It REALLY works well. 



That's it! I hope you are beginning to see, it just takes awareness, and we can begin to rebuild our health, feel our clothes fit bit by bit a little looser, and realize that we don't have to really ever go on a diet roller coaster again. CHEERS, and I surely appreciate your comments and questions! ;-)

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS: Fattening AND Dangerous??? And DARK CHOC RULES!

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS: Fattening AND Dangerous??? And DARK CHOC RULES!

Soooooooooo, if you are sitting in a restaurant and want to sweeten your drink, etc., which colored packet do you choose? 
I hope we ALL know the answer to this one.  Oh, and you will notice one color packet is missing! White, or refined white sugar!  (that is a brown packet on the end!)
Well, the answer is simple, pick the best choice, which for me would be the brown one, which is raw (not just caramel colored white, highly refined sugar) but more in it's natural state, not chemically made, raw sugar. It is definitely the "lesser of the evils,"  smile!

So why not the "sugar free" ones like the Yellow Splenda packet, or Pink Equal or Blue Nutrasweet??? 
Well, in my opinion, there are TWO reasons to avoid them, not just in these packets, but in ALL foods/POP, that have these ingredients that are in the yellow/pink/blue packets!


Theoretically, you may think, I'm trying to keep my weight in control, I don't want to promote diabetes or other disease, and I still enjoy the sweetness that these products give without the calories of white sugar!  But studies are beginning to show, that folks who eat foods/drink pops etc. with these artificial sweeteners are actually GAINING weight overall. Look at the number of people who drink diet pop only to be mildly to overly obese.  And this may be the reason why.


Use of artificial sweeteners may actually be a TRIGGER and have you craving sweets! You get used to liking SWEET foods/SWEET drinks, and so you give into desserts, candy, etc. in addition to your food choices made with the artificial sweeteners. And also, your mind subconsciously says, oh, I've used artificial sweeteners in some things, so I can splurge on the regular (refined sugary things.) My goal is for you NOT to deprive yourself of treats.  But my treats are planned treats, that are NOT made with refined sugars/flours (and mine are gluten free.)  This is important. The more whole/real foods you use, even in making your treats, such as having some dark chocolate not made w/white sugar, you will grow to DISLIKE the sweet sweet taste of both artificial sweeteners AND refined sugar/white flour treats. I PROMISE!  Since artificial sweeteners are nutritionally empty, but carry toxins due to it's synthetic, chemical makeup,  the body has nothing to process, and can only store the chemicals ingested, and does this in your fat cells!!  YIKES!!   Since the body didn't receive REAL food, the brain says, more, more, more food that I can really break down and use!  And you overeat sweets in the end!  That is why artificially sweetened pop drinkers drink more pop even, than regular pop drinkers! 


Also, there are continued studies that these artificial sweeteners can be involved in making unhealthy changes in the brain, as well as the verdict is not in on their relationship to the growth of some cancers, etc.  Remember saccharin, and how the FDA said it was SAFE for decades, until so many cases of cancer were found related to it's usage, and it was banned!  Why would you want to wait until the Pink/Blue/Yellow packeted artificial sugars may end up with the same evidence, which seems to be widely mounting??  And WHY does it say on products with these artificial sweeteners in them, do not eat when PREGNANT? Hmmmmmmm!!!


So think about whether you could begin to use less sugar,  less refined,  super concentrated sugar (like white sugar or high fructose corn syrup, etc.) BUT if it were a choice to me, I'd rather see you use any type regular/real food than these synthetic chemicals!  Try things like agave, evaporated cane juice, stevia, maple sugar granules, etc.  AND as a side note, ending to today's blog, GO FOR THE DARK CHOCOLATE  in your treats for special occasions.  Most Dark Chocolate is wonderfully high antioxidant, actually helps get rid of free radicals, and  has less SO much LESS refined sugar than milk chocolate.  Sorry, milk chocolate has no redeeming value, and I know the transition is an adjustment for you milk chocolate lovers, but try mixing it up, or just going totally dark chocolate! Find one 55% cacao or above that still is to 2die4~~~~~I'll be posting my favorites!

Everything is about moderation, and better food choices when we DO have treats. Think of the type treats you'd get at a FIVE star restaurant. They use real ingredients. Yes it may be decadent, but enjoy it, and go back to your regular healthier eating habits the next day. Don't feel like you are a failure because you ate a less refined/real ingredient treat. If you are truly addicted to sugar, then perhaps, we'll have to give you instructions on how to break that addiction!  I did it! Broke the addiction, and so can you! I will give your recipes for fabulous treats, made with unrefined sugars and non-gluten whole grain flours. And I'll wager, your family and friends will not have a clue they are eating something healthier if you use the right recipes!  In going on this journey with me, yes, I'm happy your clothes will fit better, and that you like the pounds off. But, this is so much more about obtaining OPTIMAL HEALTH and reversing the aging process!  Cheers! And thanks to all who read my blogs! CHEERS! If you have suggestions for recipes, COMMENT!