Saturday, June 15, 2013

Cucumber Kiwi Breakfast

by Mike
(Tampa, Florida)

This juice contains a wide variety of nutrients and has a nice balance between fruits and vegetables.

2 Kiwis

1/2 Cucumber

5 Strawberries

1 Celery Rib

2-3 Kale Leaves

Handful of Dandelion greens or Spinach

1 Apple

1 Carrot


View the original article here

What quantities of each food constitute a healthy recipe?

by Sarie
(Ermelo, Mpumalanga, South Africa )

Q HOW DOES ONE KNOW HOW MANY OF WHAT DO YOU COMBINE IN ORDER TO MAKE YOUR RECIPE HEALTHY?

A In a natural or raw food diet all the ingredients will contain good nutrition and if one eats a wide variety of fruits and vegetables then good nutrition is assured. Of course fats will make up far less percentage wise as will seaweeds, herbs, and spices.

The raw food recipe page gives many examples of healthy recipes, many with exact amounts of each food. Raw Food Recipes

There are of course times when existing health issues or the breaking of natural laws like eating meals on top of meals will compromise even the best diets and can cause poor health. Both the existing health issues and the breaking of natural laws can be corrected, although sometimes a natural health care provider is needed to help a person with this.


View the original article here

Are You Vitamin D Deficient?

vitamin-d-sunlightRecently the importance of the often forgotten vitamin D have come into the spotlight. Study after study reveals that low levels of vitamin D enable disease progression in the body while adequate levels of this sunshine vitamin not only decrease your risk of disease but also helps to fight off diseases already in place.

(There are five known types of vitamin D. D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5. For our purposes here we are speaking of vitamins D2 and D3.)

For a number of reasons, many people aren’t getting enough daily or weekly vitamin D, leading to vitamin D deficiency. You may not get enough vitamin D if:

You don’t get enough sunlight. If your body has regular exposure to the sun, it’s typically able to get the vitamin D it needs. However, many people don’t get enough sunlight simply due to the amount of time they spend indoors, whether it’s due to work, lifestyle or cold weather.You wear sunscreen. If the moisturizer you use has an SPF value, it will block UVB rays and will not allow your body to produce any vitamin D. You can use a moisturizing, safe, NON-SPF cream to moisturize your skin. I personally use organic coconut oil to moisturize my skin, as this provides a host of other benefits as well. After your exposure simply stay in the shade, cover up with light weight clothes or if you still want to be in the open sun, use a non-toxic lotion with SPF15 for uncovered skin, read more about toxic sunscreens here. Be sure to stay on the safe side of burning.You have darker skin. People with darker skin need more exposure to the sun to get the same amount of vitamin D as people with lighter skin.You don’t take supplements. It’s very difficult to get enough vitamin D from the foods you eat alone.Your body needs more vitamin D than usual if you’re obese or pregnant.

stacked-stones-in-sunlightDetecting a vitamin D deficiency from symptoms alone is difficult because the common symptoms are vague, such as tiredness or general aches and pains.

More severe symptoms of vitamin d deficiency are pain in your bones and overall weakness and difficulty getting around. Some people may get frequent infections. It’s important to remember that some people, if not most, may never get these symptoms.

This is why it’s so important to have your blood levels tested to determine your vitamin D levels.If you think you may have vitamin D deficiency, you should see your physician or have a blood test to check your vitamin D levels.

Alzheimer’s diseaseAsthmaAutismCancerCavitiesCold & FluCystic fibrosisDementiaDepressionDiabetes 1 and 2Eczema & PsoriasisHearing lossHeart diseaseHypertensionInfertilityInflammatory Bowel DiseaseInsomniaMacular degenerationMigrainesMultiple Sclerosis Crohn’s diseaseMuscle painObesityOsteoporosisPeriodontal diseasePre eclampsiaRheumatoid arthritisSchizophreniaSeizuresSepticemiaSigns of agingTuberculosis

In a recent study, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that leukemia patients with low levels of vitamin D at their diagnosis were twice as likely to die and progressed at a faster rate than those with adequate vitamin D levels. They also discovered trends revealing that higher levels of vitamin D matched with longer survival times and decreased progression of the disease.

D. Alexander Parker, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Urology at Mayo Clinic in Florida, suggests that one-quarter of Americans suffer from low levels of Vitamin D.

In fact according to data obtained by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 7.6 million children across the USA were vitamin D deficient. This is defined as less than 15ng/ml of blood.

Vitamin D is important for bone health as well as reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer. It is vital for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. In addition it has been found to:

Regulate and support the immune systemMaintain healthy body weightReduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosisMaintaining brain function as you ageReduce severity and frequency of asthma symptomsReduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women

Check out the chart below for the recommended amounts of vitamin d. Again, it’s worth pointing out that the only way to accurately know is to test your blood.

Vitamin-D-Dose-Recomendation

The best source of vitamin D is from the God given sunshine.

couple-on-sunny-beach

It is recommended that you should get ten to fifteen minutes of sun on the face, arms, hands, and back at least two times a week.  Be careful to stay on the safe side of burning.

However, for some people living in areas of the world where it’s not easy to get adequate sunlight, I recommend supplementing with a high quality Vitamin D3 supplement.

If you’re struggling to get the advised amounts of sun exposure try a high quality supplement such as Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code Raw D3 available here.

Wild Caught Salmon (and other fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and sardines. Not Tilapia)Raw Dairy like cheese and yogurtEggsMushrooms

The best time of day to get sunlight exposure for vitamin D is noon. 

It’s essential to know and maintain healthy levels of vitamin d to protect against disease and disability later in life. For this reason, it’s important to get proper testing to know your levels of vitamin D.

As I mentioned earlier, having a blood tests to measure the amount of vitamin D in your blood is the only way to know if you’re getting enough vitamin D or not. The blood test you need is called a 25(OH)D Blood Test. You have a few options for testing, the two below are very easy and straightforward:

1. Order an in-home test. These tests are simple to use. Order online and a test is sent to your home. You prick your finger and put a drop of blood on to blotter paper, then you simply send the paper to a laboratory to be tested. You can order an in-home test at www.zrtlab.com.

2. Order a test online and get blood work done at a lab. Here in the U.S., you can bypass your doctor and go straight to the testing laboratory. There are a few websites that will assist you in this: mymedlab.com, healthcheckusa.com. You can buy a 25(OH)D test from all of these companies and have the test itself done at your nearest LabCorp. These tests do tend to be slightly more expensive than in-home tests.

Interpreting your test results isn’t complicated either. This chart can be used  to determine if you’re severely lacking in vitamin D (deficient), mildly lacking in vitamin D (insufficient) or if you’re already getting enough vitamin D (sufficient). Vitamin D range guidelines from various organizations:

Vitamin D range guidelines from various organizations

It’s suggested that 50-60 ng/ml is the ideal level to aim for. This is why the Vitamin D Council recommends adults take 5,000 IU/day of vitamin D supplement in order to reach and stay at this level.

Vitamin D is essential for bone health but also has been shown to help reduce the risk of numerous diseases.Americans are dangerously deficient in vitamin D levels.The best source of vitamin D is God’s provided sunshine.The second best option is supplementing with Raw Vitamin D3.Your third source is foods like salmon, raw dairy, eggs, and mushrooms.Test your blood to determine accurate levels of vitamin D.

Sources:

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


View the original article here

Weight Loss, Healing, & Detox Smoothie

by Synthia
(New York )

This is my Weight Loss, Healing, & Detox Smoothie. It takes you to the bathroom so you will be regular...and it tastes great too.

1 cup of pineapple

2 celery stalks

Half of a cucumber

1/2 cup leaf parsley (leaves and stems)

A small piece of aloe vera without the skin
(Blend with very little water)

You can add any fruits or veggie that you enjoy too.

No ice, if u want it a lil cold you can put the ingredients in the fridge before blending.

Drink at least twice a day or more, you will loose weight and be prepared to go to the bathroom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Enjoy.


View the original article here

7 Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget

125183558Making the switch from a standard American diet to a whole-foods, Paleo or Primal diet, can initially be a shock at the grocery store checkout line. For folks used to buying cheap grain products like bread and pasta, conventional dairy products, canned beans, or ow quality meats, that first big trip to the grocery store can end up producing a pretty terrifying bill at the end. It might even be enough to deter someone from sticking with their new healthy diet.

Fortunately, with a little planning and some smart shopping techniques, there’s no reason why eating a Paleo diet should cost significantly more than your old way of eating. While there may always be a slightly higher cost associated with eating well (after all, isn’t your health worth it?), there are many ways to reduce your spending on food for you and your family. Here are my top seven tips for eating healthy on a budget.

With a little planning and smart shopping, anyone can eat healthily, even on a budget.Tweet This

It’s cheaper to buy raw ingredients and cook food yourself than buying pre-packaged meals, snacks, and other food items. Many people when first starting a Paleo diet tend to be overwhelmed at the grocery store and look for “Paleo-friendly” products like Larabars, nut milks, kale chips, beef jerky, and other items that can be easily made at home but are tempting to buy when starting from scratch. Also, some of those new to Paleo end up buying one or more of the many pre-made meals, sold online or at Crossfit gyms, that have been designed to be compliant with the Paleo diet and often cost an arm and a leg.

The more food you cook from scratch, the more money you’ll save. There are countless recipes online for snacks and meals that you can make yourself, including Larabar replacements, almond milk, kale chips, beef jerky, and other great on-the-go items. An added bonus – you know what all the ingredients are, and you can avoid mystery additives, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners.

Buying food for one person, or even one family, can be pretty expensive. However, most individuals or families don’t have room in their house to buy fresh food in bulk. This is where sharing food purchases with other families can make a huge difference to your food budget. There are many different ways to share costs with friends. To save money on grass-fed meat, try a cow share, where you and a group of health-minded friends go in together on buying a whole cow worth of meat. If you split it up amongst more people, there will be less cost and less need for extra fridge space. Joining a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm allows you to share the crops grown at a local farm with other members of your community. This allows the cost of produce to be cheaper, since the farmers are guaranteed to sell everything they have. Planning Paleo potlucks with friends rather than going out to eat is a great way to save money on social dining occasions while still eating well. The more food you share with neighbors, friends, and extended family, the more money you’ll save.

Buy ingredients that are versatile and can be used for a wide variety of dishes. Instead of buying tons of spices that you might use once, get the basics like all-season salt, fresh garlic, onion powder, italian/mexican/indian (fill in the ethnicity) seasoning, curry paste, and anything else that can be used for a multitude of dishes. Try to choose a go-to fat like olive oil, coconut oil, or butter, and use that for all your dishes. Don’t be afraid of frozen vegetables, as they’re just as nutritious as fresh, can be used in many different dishes, and have a much longer shelf life than fresh veggies. For those who tolerate starches, white potatoes and sweet potatoes are cheap and filling, and can be used at any meal. Try to avoid buying exotic ingredients like gluten-free flours, excessive amounts of individual spices, multiples of ingredients like cooking fats, or other items that sit in your pantry uneaten for months because you don’t know what to use them for.

Making large batches of meals you can eat as leftovers saves both time and money. As those living on their own know, it gets expensive trying to buy single-serve food items, and food waste can be a huge problem when buying in bulk. That’s why cooking large meals and saving the leftovers can be especially helpful for those cooking for just themselves or perhaps one other person. Try making multiple servings of an all-in-one meal like a soup or stew, and freezing it for use later in the week. Not only will you save time with cooking later, you’ll also be able to use the ingredients you’ve bought in bulk and not have to worry about spoilage when you can’t eat all the meat or vegetables you’ve purchased.

Not everything you buy has to be organic, grass-fed, free-range, and local. There are many food items that are fine to buy from a conventional grocery store on a regular basis. A list called The Dirty Dozen describes the twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables on the market, as well as the twelve least contaminated. While you always want to buy organic celery and strawberries, it might not be so important to look for organic onions or bananas. The same goes for animal products. While you would likely want to avoid conventionally-raised chicken, pork, and organ meats, you may be alright buying lamb, eggs, and some natural cheeses that aren’t from 100% grass-fed and organic sources. Canned fish like salmon, skipjack tuna, sardines, and herring are far less expensive than fresh, wild fish, and are extremely nutrient dense choices. Of course, you should always get the highest quality animal foods you can afford, but not everyone has access to ideal sources of meat. It’s better to eat non-organic eggs than organic cereal for breakfast, and it’s better to have a dinner of a filet of farmed trout and conventional salad than a plate of organic pasta and wild striped bass. (In fact, some wild fish are even more contaminated than farmed ones.) If you’re unable to buy the best quality meats and produce, it’s a good idea to do your homework and figure out which items are worth the splurge, and which might be alright to spend less money on.

Determine if you’re buying anything that is unnecessary – $4 coffees, bottled water, fancy ingredients you use once for an extravagant recipe, protein powders, etc. – and cut it out. There are many people who excessive amounts of money on useless food items and then complain when pastured eggs cost $3 more per dozen than the conventional ones. Go through your food spending and see if you can identify unnecessary splurges that are putting your over budget. Once you’ve determined a few nonessential items, either get rid of them altogether or find a way to make them at home. Buy a good quality reusable mug or water bottle, and fill them up before you leave the house in the morning. Eat real food rather than expensive protein powders and supplements. Don’t waste money on these items that you could easily do without.

A great way to save money on animal foods is choosing cheaper cuts of meat like brisket, chuck roast, etc. and offal (liver, heart, etc.). These are not only nutrient dense, they’re also some of the most tender and delicious cuts of meat (in the case of brisket, chuck roast, etc.) when wet/slow cooking methods are used. Many who can’t otherwise afford pastured-meat can afford these cuts pastured. And it’s especially important to buy organ meats from organic, grass-fed animals. These unpopular cuts are often just a few dollars a pound, and deliver an enormous nutritional benefit that will make a significant difference in your overall health.

Those are my top tips for saving money when eating a healthy Paleo diet. Are there any techniques you use to save money when shopping for you and your family? Share your ideas in the comments!

Tagged as: budget, eating, healthy, paleo, save money, suggestions, techniques, tips

Chris Kresser I hate spam too. Your email is safe with me.

Follow Chris Online:

Personal Paleo Code icon

Discover your own ideal diet & end confusion about what to eat forever.

Learn More healthy Baby Code icon

Boost fertility naturally & promote lifelong health for you & your baby.

Learn More Personal Paleo Launchpad icon

Personalized online portal with easy-to-use tools, expert advice, and the support of a passionate, intelligent community.

Learn More Paleologix icon

Break through the energy swings, digestive upset, and obstacles of adopting a Paleo diet.

Learn More

View the original article here