By Ori Hofmekler
Ori's new book Unlock Your Muscle Gene is now available at Amazon.com and bookstores nationwide.
Unlock Your Muscle Gene: Trigger the Biological Mechanisms that Transform Your Body and Extend Your Life
If you're an athlete, a fitness advocate or a dieter who routinely uses protein supplements, there's a good chance your supplement is made with a bad ingredient.
That ingredient is called casein.
So what exactly is casein?
Casein is the main protein in raw milk. It is typically extracted via acid heat processing and used as a common ingredient in protein products - powders, bars and drinks. You may have been told that casein supplementation is highly beneficial for your muscle and body, but I'm here to prove to you that nothing is further from the truth.
What's Wrong With the Typical Casein in Sport Nutrition Supplements?
It's an inferior protein, often drenched with toxic residues. In fact, it's one of the worst proteins for your muscle.
This report reveals some of the dirtiest secrets behind casein manufacturing. If you're serious with your diet and training regimen, you owe it to yourself to know these facts before purchasing another casein-containing protein.
You may have already been noticing some of the side effects involved with casein ingestion - heart burn, bad after taste, indigestion, allergies ... Or you may have been thinking "I'm ok with my protein and I don't even care if it contains casein" …
There are many individuals who honestly want to believe that their protein is okay, but what they may not be aware of is that protein manufacturers have been routinely taking advantage of their trust. And in the case of casein …
They Sell You Nothing More Than Garbage With A Fancy Label
Why garbage? Because it's cheap. They use the least costly methods to extract the casein. They use cheap chemical acids found in fertilizers and household cleaning products.
It all comes down to one word: GREED.
It costs them about 10 times less than what you pay. Their profits are around 10,000% - a huge margin, similar to that of drug companies - and all this on your account. And they don't just rip you off financially, they also jeopardize your health and they rob you of your hard-earned gains.
This report is not the typical fitness article - You won't be able to get this information anywhere else. The reason: the manufacturers of this protein are some of the biggest sponsors of the fitness media-magazines, radio, Internet, etc. One thing's for sure, they're not interested in your education.
They Don't Want You to Know the Truth About Casein
But you can't allow yourself to overlook this. You probably work hard to keep yourself in shape and you certainly need to know what you're putting in your body. Casein has obtained the reputation of a highly nutritious protein with distinct anabolic properties. It has been used as a common ingredient in sport nutrition products to support athletic performance, increase muscle mass, and prevent muscle breakdown.
But is casein as good as claimed?
Can it build your muscle?
And is it worth your money?
There are three types of casein - native whole milk casein, cheese casein and industrial casein. As you'll soon see, there is a huge difference between these three types of protein - both nutritionally and health-wise.
Native Whole Milk Casein - Your Best Bet
Native casein is the primary protein in raw milk, accounting for nearly 80% of the milk's amino acid content. In its native form in raw milk, casein occurs along with whey to yield a most functional protein - naturally designed to nourish and promote healthy growth of the mammalian young. Raw milk casein is made out of a complex group of protein clusters called "micells," which are bound with calcium, phosphate and citrate ions and exist at a neutral pH of about 6.6 - about the same as your body's pH.
Hence, native casein complements your body's acid-base balance and will not cause an overly acidifying effect. That's unlike most industrial caseins, which are highly acidifying and need to be chemically alkalized to be edible. But what's especially unique about native casein is its distinct anabolic properties.
Native Casein is One of the Most Effective Muscle-Building Proteins
It has the ability to form a clot in your stomach, which provides slow, sustained release of amino acids to your circulation for several hours. Note that it's the concentration of circulating amino acids (not cellular amino acid) that has been found to trigger muscle anabolism. This makes raw milk casein one of the most effective proteins for muscle retention and buildup. It can be used to keep your muscle in a sustained anabolic mode for a prolonged period of time - such as during the sleeping hours of the night.
Protein manufacturers have been trying to produce products that mimic native casein. The most notable ones are milk protein concentrate (MPC) and micellar casein.
Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) -- As Close to Native Casein as You Can Get
Milk protein concentrate (MPC) is a whole protein produced by membrane filtration of milk. The ultrafiltration yields a protein end product that contains casein and whey - virtually the same as in the milk that it's derived from. MPC is outstandingly stable.
Milk protein concentrate has virtually the same properties of native casein.
It keeps the original ratio between casein and whey protein and maintains a neutral to alkaline pH in a stable, water-soluble state, which is highly resilient to damage by heat.
The best MPC products are those derived from raw milk of pasture-fed cows.
Raw milk products from pasture-fed cows, such as whey and milk protein concentrate, grant better integrity of the protein matrix as well as lipid composition. Raw milk protein concentrate keeps all fragile immuno-factors and amino acids intact and it's devoid of the enzyme xanthine oxidase (a byproduct of milk homogenization that has been linked to cardiovascular and degenerative diseases).
The other product that attempts to mimic native casein is micellar casein. Micellar casein is a relatively new product and considered to be the highest quality casein available. But is it indeed? We'll cover this product soon along with other types of industrial casein. We're still left with another type of whole milk casein - cheese casein.
Cheese Casein: Great Food for Your Muscle - Almost as Effective as Native Casein
Cheese casein is not the same as raw milk casein. During cheese manufacturing, the casein is enzymatically separated from the whey and cleaved out of important peptides (glycomacropeptides), but the remaining curd is nevertheless a whole, complete protein. And similar to native casein, it has a slow and efficient nutrient delivery and thus can yield a long-lasting nitrogen retention and utilization in your muscle. Given this, cheese can be an ideal food for keeping your muscle in a sustained anabolic state during the sleeping hours of the night.
Next, we'll review industrial casein; there are several kinds of industrial casein that you need to take a look at.
Industrial Casein Overview
Unlike whole milk caseins (native casein and cheese casein), all industrial caseins are protein isolates, most of which are extracted from ultra-pasteurized milk often via extreme acid/heat processing. The typical industrial casein is a deficient protein lacking the essential amino acid methionine and the conditionally essential amino acid cysteine, both of which are lost in processing. These sulfur-containing amino acids play key roles in sustaining your body's immune system.
This indicates from the start that industrial casein is inferior to native casein and cheese casein.
All industrial casein powders are derived from skim milk (a byproduct of cream manufacturing). In the processing, the cream is first separated from the milk by means of centrifuges and the remaining skim milk thus serves as the raw material from which industrial casein products are extracted.
Casein products are typically precipitated by means of acidification using chemical acids (hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) or natural acids (lactic acid). The acid precipitants cause destabilization of the micells in the milk, leading to coagulation of the protein. Some casein products are not precipitated via acid but rather via enzymes or microfiltration. These are called rennet casein and micellar casein, respectively. Let's review the different kinds of industrial casein and see how viable they are in respect to their protein integrity and nourishing potential.
Acid Casein - An Insoluble, Inedible Protein
There are two kinds of acid casein - chemical acid casein and lactic acid casein - both are insoluble in water. Since most applications of casein require them to be water soluble, manufacturers treat acid casein with alkalies to yield a water-soluble product with a higher pH called caseinate.
Chemical Acid Casein - The Cheapest And Worst Casein
Chemical acid casein is precipitated with chemical acids - hydrochloric and sulfuric acid - both are products of the chemical industry and used mainly due to their cheap cost. Even in New Zealand, which has a very small chemical industry, manufacturers extract casein with sulfuric acid - a chemical produced in comparatively large quantities by the fertilizer industry.
Chemical acid casein is probably the "dirtiest" among all commercial proteins.
What casein manufacturers fail to tell you is that the residues of these chemicals remain in the final casein product even after the washing and milling of the curd - which explains the typical acid aftertaste of many casein products.
Note that sulfuric acid is a highly toxic substance found in acid rain and mine drainage.
It's considered an industrial hazard that causes skin burns, erosion of teeth, chronic damage to the respiratory tract, depletion of vitamin B12 and possibly neural damage. The other precipitant, hydrochloric acid, is used as detergent for household cleaning as well as a chemical reagent in the production of vinyl chloride for PVC plastic. The chemical hydrochloric acid has a corrosive effect on human tissues with potential damaging effects on the respiratory organs, eyes, skin and intestines.
These are some of the facts casein manufacturers do not want you to know -- and there are even more reasons for you to be concerned with the processing of this product.
After the casein has been precipitated by acid, the mixture is heated again. This causes the protein to further thermolyze and degrade into smaller components ("a nitrogen soup"), which agglomerate together to form clumps of curd. The curd is then dewatered via pressing or high-sheer centrifuging. At this point, the casein is pretty much "beaten" by acid, heat and high-sheer centrifuging, which literally destroy the integrity of the protein matrix.
What remains is a protein mess contaminated with toxic chemicals that are used to clean toilets or manufacture fertilizers.
This protein then goes through a drying process where it's even more thermolyzed by hot air (via several drying treatments) followed by milling, shifting, blending and bagging. As a protein consumer you need to know this. You need to know what kind of stuff you're putting in your body.
Lactic Acid Casein - A Cleaner Alternative But Nevertheless Inferior
Lactic acid casein is a byproduct of milk fermentation. In this case, the casein is extracted via natural processing. The skim milk goes first through pasteurization and then is cooled and inoculated with several strains of lactic-acid-producing bacteria known as "starters." The milk is fermented for a period of 14-16 hours during which much of the lactose in the milk is converted to lactic acid and the pH is reduced to about 4.6, causing coagulation of the casein.
The problem with this processing is in the fermentation of the milk. It has been commonly assumed that milk fermentation is healthy and beneficial due to the fact that it yields probiotic/digestive-supporting properties. But the fact is that milk fermentation is not as "simple and healthy" as commonly thought.
Milk fermentation damages fragile immuno peptides and amino acids and creates MSG.
And if that's not bad enough, the protein matrix is further "cooked" and thermolyzed by means of heat exchanger and steam injection. Following the heat treatment, the resultant curd is washed, dried and milled in a similar manner to chemical acid casein. Lactic acid casein is not as "contaminated" as chemical acid casein, but it's nevertheless damaged by fermentation and thermolyzation - yielding a deficient protein with MSG.
Caseinate - A Water-Soluble Version of Acid Casein With Even More Defaults
To be commercially viable, all acid caseins must be treated with alkalies. This process yields a water-soluble product - hence, caseinate. The most common caseinates are calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate - treated with the chemicals calcium hydroxide and solium hydroxide, respectively. The problem with chemical alkalies is that they act like "anti-nutrients" - damaging or suppressing nutrient absorption.
In Dutch chocolate for instance, the alkali causes destruction of antioxidant polyphenols rendering the product nutritionally inferior. And there is another problem with this protein -- Caseinates are ultra-thermolyzed by extreme heat.
The processing of caseinates requires the use of extremely high heat of 95ºC, which is near boiling temperatures. The exposure to high heat is a cheap way to decrease the viscosity of the caseinate and improve its solubility.
However cheap processing is often fatal to quality. The extreme heat treatment renders the caseinate an ultra thermolyzed protein drenched with MSG (a byproduct of protein thermolyzation).
Note that ultra thermolyzed casein has been linked to increased risk of colon cancer. Thermolyzed casein is a highly denatured protein that can't be fully digested by your stomach, causing undigested protein residues to "escape" your stomach and reach your colon - where they're fermented by colonic bacteria into highly carcinogenic phenolic compounds that promote colonic tumors and cancer.
Products Containing Caseinates
Following are common caseinate-containing products
Baking goods Coffee whiteners and creamers Yogurts Spreads
Ice creams and frozen desserts Cheese products Infant foods Pasta
Meat products Soups and gravies Whipped toppings Protein powders
Protein bars Sport drinks
Rennet Casein - Less Damaged Than Acid Casein But Still Problematic
Next is a natural casein product that is not precipitated with acid. Called "rennet casein," it's extracted via milk clotting enzymes, also called rennet enzymes.
Rennet casein is generally less damaged than acid casein. It isn't exposed to the low pH as acid casein, but it's nevertheless a protein isolate, typically derived from pasteurized milk. Here is how rennet casein is processed …
Following the pasteurization, the skim milk is cooled to a setting temperature, where calf rennet or microbial rennet enzymes are added and mixed thoroughly until the protein coagulates. This process is virtually the same as that of cheese manufacturing.
And as with cheese manufacturing, the enzymatic precipitation cleaves a most important part of the casein protein called glycomacropeptide. This peptide is a highly beneficial component of native casein - being a great source of immune supportive and satiety-enhancing nutrients.
This is how the protein cleavage technically occurs.
Casein is made out of three kinds of proteins:
α - casein
ß - casein
k - casein
K-casein works like a stabilizing agent, keeping the native casein protein matrix in a stable, water-soluble state. During the first state of renneting, the enzymes specifically cleave one of the bonds in k-casein, releasing part of the protein chain - glycomacropeptide - into the whey liquid. This action destabilizes the casein micells, which then form a clot with some of the calcium ions of the milk.
What's left is a casein curd devoid of its glycomacropeptides, which is then cooked and thermolyzed similar to acid casein. This means that on final evaluation rennet casein is a low-grade protein subjected to protein cleavage and thermolyzation.
And note that the casein's glycomacropeptides are "donated" during the processing to the whey liquid, which ironically increases the biological value and nutritional properties of the whey on the account of the original casein donor.
Next we'll take a look at casein hydrolystate. This product is highly popular these days due to its "easy to digest, fast to assimilate" properties. But is it better than other caseins?
Casein Hydrolystate - Faster to Assimilate but Nutritionally Inferior
Casein hydrolystate, also known as hydrolyzed casein, is a predigested protein treated with proteolytic enzymes. It is generally used in nutritional and pharmaceutical applications as easily digestible, fast-assimilating protein. Unlike other casein products, hydrolyzed casein has a fast assimilation rate similar to whey protein. Nonetheless, this protein has virtually the same problems as the other casein products.
Hydrolyzed Casein is an Inferior Protein Isolate, Drenched With MSG Byproduct of Hydrolyzation
Recent studies have shown that hydrolyzed casein is no match to whey protein. Researchers found that whey protein outperforms all casein products including hydrolyzed casein in the capacity to promote muscle protein accretion after meal ingestion. This means that in spite of being as fast assimilating as whey protein, hydrolyzed casein has a "weaker" anabolic effect - most likely due to an inferior protein content.
Finally, let's take a look at micellar casein. Micellar casein, also referred to as native phosphocasein, has been promoted by the sport nutrition industry as the epitome protein for building muscle and preventing muscle waste. But is it as superior as claimed?
Micellar Casein - Premium Casein with Poor Functionality and Stability
Micellar casein is processed similar to milk protein concentrate, but in this case the casein micells are separated from the whey via microfiltration. The main problem with micellar casein is in its functional properties.
Micellar casein has poor functionality due to poor solubility in water.
Let me explain.
It's important that the functionality of the protein is retained during drying, storage and reconstitution (mixing with fluid). Generally the protein powder needs to be dispersed and dissolved to be fully functional and edible as an ingredient. Micellar casein has poor reconstitution - which means poor capacity to dissolve in water at low temperatures.
The cheapest way to address this problem and increase the casein solubility is the use of high heat or high sheer. This is apparently what manufacturers use in the case of canned protein production. Additional methods include heat treating prior to membrane filtration, and the addition of salt, sodium caseinate or polydextrose - all of which increase the solubility of the powder on the account of the protein integrity.
The other problem with micellar casein is instability, as micellar casein tends to deteriorate with increased storage time.
Microstructural analysis shows that with increased storage time, the casein micells interact with each other and deteriorate. Micells' interactions lead to cross-linking of proteins, migration of fat particles to the surface, and degradation of the casein. This means that though micellar casein is acclaimed to be superior to other industrial caseins, it is yet unstable and thus inferior to native casein and cheese casein. And it may contain undesirable additive residues, such as salts, sodium caseinate, and polydextrose.
Do your own investigation before purchasing a micellar casein product. Ask the product provider for an updated certificate of analysis (CofA) and an independent lab report that proves the product's protein integrity.
Final Notes and Conclusions
Whole casein such as in raw milk, milk protein concentrate and aged cheese, is superior to all casein isolates. Whole casein has a very effective nutrient delivery and can be used to yield a steady, long-lasting anabolic effect on your muscle.
Fresh cheese casein such as in cottage cheese is also a viable whole protein, high in muscle-building BCAA and leucine - albeit with a lower pH and lower nutritional value than native casein and raw aged cheese casein. The main advantage of cottage cheese is its high ratio of protein to fat. Pound for pound, you simply get more protein from cottage cheese than from milk or aged cheese.
The worst casein is chemical acid casein. All products in this category should be avoided as they're degraded and drenched with dangerous chemical residues.
All caseinates are ultra-thermolyzed and thus present a serious health risk. Consumption of thermolyzed casein has been linked to increased incidence of colonic tumors and cancer.
How to Get the Best Out of Casein, Cheese and Whey
To get the best out of casein and whey, incorporate the following protocol: During the day, use quality whey protein for muscle nourishment and post-exercise recovery. At night, use casein such as in quality cheese to keep your muscle in a sustained anabolic mode during the sleeping hours.
The reasons: during the day and after exercise your muscle needs fast-assimilating protein and immuno factors such as in quality whey to counteract the catabolic effect of daily stressors and physical exercise on your muscle and grant protein deposit toward recovery and growth.
Slow proteins such as casein have shown to be less effective than whey protein in supporting your body's immune defenses and promoting muscle protein synthesis after exercise. Nonetheless, cheese casein has the anabolic advantage in the long term, and that's due to its ability to induce a slow steady release of amino acids to your muscle for several hours at a time. Therefore cheese casein can serve as an ideal muscle food during the sleeping hours of the night.
Your quality cheese products should come from premium, preferably raw aged cheese such as cheddar, colby, gouda, swiss and emmanthal, or fresh cheese such as organic cottage cheese from pasture-fed cows.
Avoid dietary products containing casein hydrolystates. Read the labels of sports drinks, ready-made protein drinks, protein powders and protein bars - many of these items are made with casein hydrolystate as a main ingredient and are therefore drenched with MSG.
Beware of the A1-A2 Milk Issue
It has been argued that casein from A1 milk presents a health risk - apparently due to yielding a metabolic byproduct (opioid peptide) called beta casomorphine, which has been linked to brain disorders and disease particularly among babies and infants.
Most U.S. dairy products are from A1 milk unless stated that they're produced from A2 milk such as of Guernsey or Jersey cows. European dairy products, however, (which include French, Swiss and Italian cheeses) are mostly derived from A2 milk. It has been recommended as a precautionary step to choose dairy products from A2 milk.
But let's put things in perspective. There is no conclusive evidence yet to the A1 casein issue, and if there is indeed a proven problem with A1 milk, most likely the same problem will apply to A2 milk as well.
The truth is that even A2 cows like Guernsey produce about 50% A1 milk. So if the A1 milk risk exists, it will apply to all kinds of casein products.
As a final note, be aware that historical epidemiology has been indicating great benefits of dairy products (milk, cheese and whey) on human health, particularly in the areas of weight management, cardiovascular health and muscle conditioning.
Visit www.defensenutrition.com if you would like more info.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Stressed, Irritable, Anxious? What is causing your body to feel that way?
Approximately two-thirds of all office visits are for stress-related complaints. These complaints can range from headaches to anxiety to pain. Stress itself is not an illness; it is simply a fact of life and always has been. The stressors however have changed over the years, but human physiology has remained the same. Many years ago stressors to man were life or death situation like; lack of food, danger from large animals, no shelter and so on. The body’s response has always been the “fight or flight” mode. This “fight or flight” is activated by you’re autonomic nervous system, specifically your sympathic nervous system. But what does that mean? Basically when you are stressed whether emotional stress such as work/relationships or physical stress your body has a set way of handling it. All day, everyday a series of reactions are going on inside of us to sustain “homeostasis”. This means that our body functions best when it stays within a very structured physiological range. This could be anything from your body’s temperature, to acid/alkaline ratio of the blood to regulating your blood water level by your kidneys. Keeping homeostasis is essential for life!
The fact that we know two-thirds of doctor visits are from stress-related complaints, wouldn’t it be great if we knew how to handle stress properly? Guess what? WE DO! It’s called Chiropractic. The problem is that most of us fall into the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” category.
The “wellness revolution” has slowly started to change the outlook of health today. What can we do to PREVENT problems from happening? The first place I would look at is the nervous system! The nervous system controls and influences every reaction that takes place in the human body. If we don’t properly manage stress, this will cause the nervous system to weaken and potentially make it harder for the body to maintain homeostasis.
Chiropractic care is one of the most sought out therapy for prevention and managing stress. The reason is due to the chiropractic principles of removing interference to the nervous system via chiropractic adjustments and focusing on the cause rather than symptoms. Every adjustment fires to the cerebellum, which fires to the hypothalamus, which controls the immune and autonomic function of the body. Those patients who stay well adjusted are more flexible, less stiff and rigid, and able to adapt more efficiently to the stressors of life. If you feel that Chiropractic needs to be part of your wellness plan to decrease stress please give Living with Motion Chiropractic a call – (513) 831-4433.
Visit us at www.livingwithmotion.com
The fact that we know two-thirds of doctor visits are from stress-related complaints, wouldn’t it be great if we knew how to handle stress properly? Guess what? WE DO! It’s called Chiropractic. The problem is that most of us fall into the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” category.
The “wellness revolution” has slowly started to change the outlook of health today. What can we do to PREVENT problems from happening? The first place I would look at is the nervous system! The nervous system controls and influences every reaction that takes place in the human body. If we don’t properly manage stress, this will cause the nervous system to weaken and potentially make it harder for the body to maintain homeostasis.
Chiropractic care is one of the most sought out therapy for prevention and managing stress. The reason is due to the chiropractic principles of removing interference to the nervous system via chiropractic adjustments and focusing on the cause rather than symptoms. Every adjustment fires to the cerebellum, which fires to the hypothalamus, which controls the immune and autonomic function of the body. Those patients who stay well adjusted are more flexible, less stiff and rigid, and able to adapt more efficiently to the stressors of life. If you feel that Chiropractic needs to be part of your wellness plan to decrease stress please give Living with Motion Chiropractic a call – (513) 831-4433.
Visit us at www.livingwithmotion.com
Friday, November 18, 2011
Is your child’s ADHD affected by their diet?
Many families have suspected that food sensitivities may be a contributing factor to their child’s ADHD. There has been a strong rise in the amount of allergies seen in children today, including food sensitivities. It would be hard to overlook how food plays a role in a child diagnosed with ADHD, as this diagnosis has also been on the rise. A recent study conducted at the ADHD Research Centre in Einhoven, Netherlands has proof that the two are related.
Published in the Lancet, researchers gathered 100 children with ADHD ranging from 4-8years old. Participants were assigned a strict “hypoallergenic” elimination diet that consisted of meat, rice, vegetables, and pears in water. This diet was done over a 5-week period and compared to the group of children who continued on their normal diet. Results showed that 64 percent of children on the restricted diet had a clinical improvement of at least 40 percent on ADHD scores. No improvement was seen with the group who stayed on a regular diet.
Children who then responded to the restricted diet entered phase 2 of the research study. Based on the individual IgG blood work (tests for food sensitivities) that was done in the beginning of the study, one group was given 3 foods that tested high. The other group added 3 foods that came back as low sensitivity. After 2 weeks results revealed that IgG blood tests didn’t predict which foods might have an adverse effect on behavior. Both groups showed a 63 percent relapse of ADHD behavior, regardless of whether they were eating high or low IgG foods. Researcher suggested that the elimination diet of allergenic food is a valuable tool to assess if foods are contributing to ADHD symptoms.
Are there alternatives to restricted diets to reduce sensitivities to food?
The answer is YES! At Living with Motion Chiropractic in Milford, OH we offer another option for children with sensitivities. The fact is that more children are becoming more reactive to different environmental, chemical and food substances. This means that their nervous system is constantly in fight or flight mode and creating havoc over time. Using the BAX PTL Clinical Laser Acupuncture system we can re-train the nervous system to have a more positive response to thousands of environmental, chemical or food substances that previously were causing the body to over-react.
If you child is has ADHD and food seems to be a factor read more about how Living with Motion Chiropractic and the BAX PTL Clinical Laser Acupuncture system can reduce your child's sensitivity to foods with no drugs, needles or diets!!! Call 513-831-4433
or
Click
See how Living with Motion can help!
Published in the Lancet, researchers gathered 100 children with ADHD ranging from 4-8years old. Participants were assigned a strict “hypoallergenic” elimination diet that consisted of meat, rice, vegetables, and pears in water. This diet was done over a 5-week period and compared to the group of children who continued on their normal diet. Results showed that 64 percent of children on the restricted diet had a clinical improvement of at least 40 percent on ADHD scores. No improvement was seen with the group who stayed on a regular diet.
Children who then responded to the restricted diet entered phase 2 of the research study. Based on the individual IgG blood work (tests for food sensitivities) that was done in the beginning of the study, one group was given 3 foods that tested high. The other group added 3 foods that came back as low sensitivity. After 2 weeks results revealed that IgG blood tests didn’t predict which foods might have an adverse effect on behavior. Both groups showed a 63 percent relapse of ADHD behavior, regardless of whether they were eating high or low IgG foods. Researcher suggested that the elimination diet of allergenic food is a valuable tool to assess if foods are contributing to ADHD symptoms.
Are there alternatives to restricted diets to reduce sensitivities to food?
The answer is YES! At Living with Motion Chiropractic in Milford, OH we offer another option for children with sensitivities. The fact is that more children are becoming more reactive to different environmental, chemical and food substances. This means that their nervous system is constantly in fight or flight mode and creating havoc over time. Using the BAX PTL Clinical Laser Acupuncture system we can re-train the nervous system to have a more positive response to thousands of environmental, chemical or food substances that previously were causing the body to over-react.
If you child is has ADHD and food seems to be a factor read more about how Living with Motion Chiropractic and the BAX PTL Clinical Laser Acupuncture system can reduce your child's sensitivity to foods with no drugs, needles or diets!!! Call 513-831-4433
or
Click
See how Living with Motion can help!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Why Forward Head Posture is Important to Prevent
Thanks to AZFamily.com and Erik Dalton, Ph.D. for the use of these pictures!
According to Kapandji (Physiology of the Joints, Volume III), for every inch your head moves forwards, it gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, because they have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest. This also forces the suboccipital muscles (they raise the chin) to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the 3 Suboccipital nerves. This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull. Pressure on the suboccipital nerves can also mimic sinus (frontal) headaches.
Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states:
“Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath-related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis, which blocks the action of the hyoid muscles, especially the inferior hyoid responsible for helping lift the first rib during inhalation.”
Persistent forward head posture (a.k.a “hyperkyphotic posture”) puts compressive loads upon the upper thoracic vertebra, and is also associated with the development of Upper Thoracic Hump, which can devolve into Dowager Hump when the vertebra develop compression fractures (anterior wedging). A recent study found this hyperkyphotic posture was associated with a 1.44 greater rate of mortality.
It's not uncommon to observe 2" of anterior head placement in new patients. Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20-pound watermelon hanging around your neck? That's what forward head posture can do to you. Left uncorrected, FHP will continue to decline. Chiropractic can be very corrective, especially in the hands of a chiropractic rehabilitationist. Our specialty is in reversing the joint fixations (what we refer to as “subluxations”) and in re-invigorating the muscles that normally retract the head.
By Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Look at your friends and family and see if the middle of their ear falls directly over the the middle of their shoulder. If it's in front then they could greatly benefit from chiropractic care that we do at Living with Motion Chiropractic. Chances are they suffer with headaches, neck stiffness, even mid back pain. If you would like to schedule online click here - SCHEDULE NOW!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
What you must know about chiropractic and your kids.
This article attempts to answer the questions asked by many parents about their children's spinal health. Just as many concerned parents take their children to the dentist for regular check-ups, so it is that many parents who are already chiropractic patients themselves are bringing their children to chiropractors to have their spinal development checked.
The first question relates to the need for children to have regular spinal checks. Frequently parents may ask, "What could my children have wrong with them that they would need to see a chiropractor?" The answer to that question is the trauma of a child's daily life. The spine consists of 26 vertebral segments which can be jammed or misaligned causing minor spinal problems called spinal subluxations.
How Can a Young Infant's Spine Be Traumatized?
A young spine, with few exceptions, usually develops perfectly by the end of pregnancy. It's what happens around the time of birth and in the months thereafter which can sometimes upset the normal functioning of the spine. Spinal segments can be pushed out of place or jammed by the position of the baby in the womb, or can suffer similar problems during labor from the trauma of the trip through the birth canal, or from the birthing process itself. Medical research has identified the fact that many problems early in a child's life can come from birth trauma (See "'KISS' Syndrome" in Dynamic Chiropractic, 6/3/94).
Spinal problems can also occur as a result of the frequent falls suffered by young infants in the first months of life. A fall from a bed, a sudden stop in an automobile, or any significant unsupported movement of the head and neck in an infant can induce excessive movement in the spine causing vertebral subluxations. At the other end of the spine, the act of learning to walk, and the number of simple falls encountered in this way, can induce trauma to the lower spinal segments and to the large sacroiliac joints of the pelvis. Young children learning to walk also fall and hit their heads. These apparently innocent, frequently occurring events can also create spinal subluxations.
How Can Parents Recognize Childhood Spinal Problems?
Unless a child has an obvious problem, it can be difficult for parents to recognize when a child has spinal subluxations. It is not always easy for someone other than a chiropractor, highly trained in evaluating the spine, to determine if the child has a problem, just as it is difficult for someone other than a dentist to determine if a child has any cavities. Both cases take the skills of a trained specialist to perform a thorough evaluation. There are some signs however which parents may look for which can be an indicator of a child with a spinal problem. Common indicators of spinal problems may include the child's head consistently being tilted to one side; restricted head or neck motion to one side; disturbed sleeping patterns where the child sleeps for only an hour or two at a time; feeding difficulties in the very young infant; the infant may have difficulty nursing at the breast on one particular side. Common childhood disorders can also sometimes indicate a spinal problem. Persistent earaches, sore throats, colic, headaches, bed-wetting, and growing pains are but some of the more common problems for which parents bring their children to the chiropractor.
Can My Child's Pediatrician Find and Treat These Problems?
Unfortunately, when it comes to subtle spinal problems, your child's pediatrician is not a trained specialist. The medical profession does have doctors who specialize in spinal problems, known as orthopedic surgeons, but these doctors generally work on the more serious spinal conditions. Few medical doctors, be they orthopedic specialists or pediatricians, are trained to recognize the subtle spinal problems which can cause the conditions listed above. Take the example of Tiffany, the daughter of Donald Trump and Marla Maples, who was being treated by a chiropractor for colic. Several well respected medical professors from UCLA were reported in a national tabloid as saying that spinal problems could not have anything to do with colic. This is an example of not being aware of the medical research studies which have clearly identified a definite link between colic and problems in an infant's spine. Because the scientific literature identifying the benefits of spinal manipulation for children's problems is not extensive, it is understandable that medical doctors may not be up-to-date in this specialized area.
How Are Children's Spinal Problems Treated?
The first thing your chiropractor will do is to conduct a careful and thorough evaluation of your child's spine. Most chiropractors are trained to evaluate pediatric spinal problems and will use gentle, specific skills to identify, evaluate, and treat any involved spinal areas.
What Does the Treatment Involve?
Spinal adjustments for infants and young children involve very light finger-tip adjustments to correct malfunctioning spinal structures. A light spinal adjustment, using no more than two pounds of pressure, is usually sufficient to restore mobility to spinal joints which have become locked and are causing interference with the normal function of the nervous system. Most adjustments make a "popping" sound when the spinal joints are moved, however this sound is not always heard when children's spines are adjusted.
Does It Hurt?
Generally, no. However, very young infants sometimes take momentary fright at the sudden movement, and may cry for a few seconds.
How Many Treatments Are Required?
Children's spines are a lot more mobile than those of adults and as a result, usually require only a few adjustments to restore normal function. The actual number of adjustments, however, may vary depending on the length of time that the condition has been present.
What Risks Are Involved in Having My Child's Spine Adjusted?
The risk of a child suffering a permanent injury from a spinal manipulation is extremely rare. Chiropractors have been adjusting children's spines for most of the 100 years since chiropractic was first established, and has an excellent safety record. A check of some of the largest insurance carriers, who provide malpractice insurance coverage for chiropractors in the United States, has identified that despite the recent adverse media coverage, not one claim for injury to a child has been filed in the past five years.
Author:
Peter Fysh, DC
San Jose, California
The first question relates to the need for children to have regular spinal checks. Frequently parents may ask, "What could my children have wrong with them that they would need to see a chiropractor?" The answer to that question is the trauma of a child's daily life. The spine consists of 26 vertebral segments which can be jammed or misaligned causing minor spinal problems called spinal subluxations.
How Can a Young Infant's Spine Be Traumatized?
A young spine, with few exceptions, usually develops perfectly by the end of pregnancy. It's what happens around the time of birth and in the months thereafter which can sometimes upset the normal functioning of the spine. Spinal segments can be pushed out of place or jammed by the position of the baby in the womb, or can suffer similar problems during labor from the trauma of the trip through the birth canal, or from the birthing process itself. Medical research has identified the fact that many problems early in a child's life can come from birth trauma (See "'KISS' Syndrome" in Dynamic Chiropractic, 6/3/94).
Spinal problems can also occur as a result of the frequent falls suffered by young infants in the first months of life. A fall from a bed, a sudden stop in an automobile, or any significant unsupported movement of the head and neck in an infant can induce excessive movement in the spine causing vertebral subluxations. At the other end of the spine, the act of learning to walk, and the number of simple falls encountered in this way, can induce trauma to the lower spinal segments and to the large sacroiliac joints of the pelvis. Young children learning to walk also fall and hit their heads. These apparently innocent, frequently occurring events can also create spinal subluxations.
How Can Parents Recognize Childhood Spinal Problems?
Unless a child has an obvious problem, it can be difficult for parents to recognize when a child has spinal subluxations. It is not always easy for someone other than a chiropractor, highly trained in evaluating the spine, to determine if the child has a problem, just as it is difficult for someone other than a dentist to determine if a child has any cavities. Both cases take the skills of a trained specialist to perform a thorough evaluation. There are some signs however which parents may look for which can be an indicator of a child with a spinal problem. Common indicators of spinal problems may include the child's head consistently being tilted to one side; restricted head or neck motion to one side; disturbed sleeping patterns where the child sleeps for only an hour or two at a time; feeding difficulties in the very young infant; the infant may have difficulty nursing at the breast on one particular side. Common childhood disorders can also sometimes indicate a spinal problem. Persistent earaches, sore throats, colic, headaches, bed-wetting, and growing pains are but some of the more common problems for which parents bring their children to the chiropractor.
Can My Child's Pediatrician Find and Treat These Problems?
Unfortunately, when it comes to subtle spinal problems, your child's pediatrician is not a trained specialist. The medical profession does have doctors who specialize in spinal problems, known as orthopedic surgeons, but these doctors generally work on the more serious spinal conditions. Few medical doctors, be they orthopedic specialists or pediatricians, are trained to recognize the subtle spinal problems which can cause the conditions listed above. Take the example of Tiffany, the daughter of Donald Trump and Marla Maples, who was being treated by a chiropractor for colic. Several well respected medical professors from UCLA were reported in a national tabloid as saying that spinal problems could not have anything to do with colic. This is an example of not being aware of the medical research studies which have clearly identified a definite link between colic and problems in an infant's spine. Because the scientific literature identifying the benefits of spinal manipulation for children's problems is not extensive, it is understandable that medical doctors may not be up-to-date in this specialized area.
How Are Children's Spinal Problems Treated?
The first thing your chiropractor will do is to conduct a careful and thorough evaluation of your child's spine. Most chiropractors are trained to evaluate pediatric spinal problems and will use gentle, specific skills to identify, evaluate, and treat any involved spinal areas.
What Does the Treatment Involve?
Spinal adjustments for infants and young children involve very light finger-tip adjustments to correct malfunctioning spinal structures. A light spinal adjustment, using no more than two pounds of pressure, is usually sufficient to restore mobility to spinal joints which have become locked and are causing interference with the normal function of the nervous system. Most adjustments make a "popping" sound when the spinal joints are moved, however this sound is not always heard when children's spines are adjusted.
Does It Hurt?
Generally, no. However, very young infants sometimes take momentary fright at the sudden movement, and may cry for a few seconds.
How Many Treatments Are Required?
Children's spines are a lot more mobile than those of adults and as a result, usually require only a few adjustments to restore normal function. The actual number of adjustments, however, may vary depending on the length of time that the condition has been present.
What Risks Are Involved in Having My Child's Spine Adjusted?
The risk of a child suffering a permanent injury from a spinal manipulation is extremely rare. Chiropractors have been adjusting children's spines for most of the 100 years since chiropractic was first established, and has an excellent safety record. A check of some of the largest insurance carriers, who provide malpractice insurance coverage for chiropractors in the United States, has identified that despite the recent adverse media coverage, not one claim for injury to a child has been filed in the past five years.
Author:
Peter Fysh, DC
San Jose, California
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Fastest and most effective weightloss just in time for the Holidays!
For about five months I have been working with Dr. Luke to use the HCG diet (through two complete cycles) in an effort to solve my major weight problems, and I am absolutely delighted by the results. I have been struggling with my weight for almost two decades, and despite occasional partial success it was always followed by major failure in regaining everything I had lost and much more. Even after I finally solved the underlying health problems that were the majority of the cause, I had spent so long trying and failing that I had pretty much completely despaired of ever getting the weight off by any means except surgery, which I neither truly wanted nor could afford. I had literally gotten to the point I refused to step on a scale because I didn't want to know anymore just how bad things had become. Finally I tried the HCG diet and it has worked better than any other system I have ever tried. I was able to get the maximum allowed weight off in my first cycle, and more importantly I was able to keep it off during the reset phase. I've had more energy and I've found it so much easier to move around that I've been able to return to levels of physical activity I simply could not do previously. And I've now completed a second cycle and lost almost as much, and now that I know how, I know I will be able to keep it off.
Best of all, the diet is fairly easy on a physical level. Anybody can do it if you are willing to put forth the mental discipline to try. Now I'm not going to pretend the diet is as easy as falling off a log, nor is it completely foolproof. It is far easier (and safer and more effective) than almost any other diet plan in existence, but it still requires mental dedication to adhere to the protocols and the effort to watch your weight during the reset cycle. So you can mess up and fail to lose the weight -- or you can fail to keep it off afterward -- if you don't follow those protocols properly. Especially very early in the first and towards the end of the second cycle, I found the adjustments somewhat difficult. But whatever the difficulty, the results are more than worth it. And even though there are limits to how much you can lose in a cycle, I know now from personal experience that you CAN successfully complete multiple cycles of the diet to get more weight off, until you do finally reach your "ideal".
If you have struggled with your weight for years and are despairing of a natural, safe method to get it off, I would highly recommend you seek out more information on the HCG diet as soon as possible.
To learn more visit www.livingwithmotion.com or contact us at 831-4433 for your consultation!
Best of all, the diet is fairly easy on a physical level. Anybody can do it if you are willing to put forth the mental discipline to try. Now I'm not going to pretend the diet is as easy as falling off a log, nor is it completely foolproof. It is far easier (and safer and more effective) than almost any other diet plan in existence, but it still requires mental dedication to adhere to the protocols and the effort to watch your weight during the reset cycle. So you can mess up and fail to lose the weight -- or you can fail to keep it off afterward -- if you don't follow those protocols properly. Especially very early in the first and towards the end of the second cycle, I found the adjustments somewhat difficult. But whatever the difficulty, the results are more than worth it. And even though there are limits to how much you can lose in a cycle, I know now from personal experience that you CAN successfully complete multiple cycles of the diet to get more weight off, until you do finally reach your "ideal".
If you have struggled with your weight for years and are despairing of a natural, safe method to get it off, I would highly recommend you seek out more information on the HCG diet as soon as possible.
To learn more visit www.livingwithmotion.com or contact us at 831-4433 for your consultation!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
If Your Multivitamin Contains These Ingredients - Dump them now..
Both sodium selenite and selenate are classified as dangerous and toxic to the environment. They can be carcinogenic and genotoxic, and may contribute to reproductive and developmental problems in animals and humans. Nonetheless, they are the primary forms of the mineral sold on the mass market today.
Most mass-market vitamins actually contain chemicals that the EPA has banned from public drinking water at levels above 50 parts per billion. That's the equivalent of a tablespoon of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool.
According to Green Med Info:
"... [T]his is not the first time in American history that such a hoax has been perpetuated on the public. The FDA-approved use of fluoride in our drinking water and the use of radioactive cobalt-60 culled from nuclear reactors for the IRRADIATION OF conventional food illustrates how industrial waste products with known toxicity are eventually converted into commodities or technologies 'beneficial to health.' Whereas initially these substances have very high disposal costs for the industries that excrete them into our environment, the liability is converted -- through the right combination of lobbying, miseducation and "checkbook science" -- back into a commodity".
Sources:
Green Med Info August 4, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Just because something is touted as being "natural" or "healthy" doesn't automatically make it true, and such is the case with some multi-vitamins. You really need to check the label and know what's what, because there can be a vast difference between a synthetic or synthesized vitamin or mineral and the real thing. Some products may also contain additives and fillers that can cause problems in large doses.
According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 50 percent of the US population takes some form of nutritional supplement each day, and approximately 40 percent of US adults take a daily multi-vitamin. But despite the fact that the U.S. spends close to $27 billion on supplements each year, the rates of most chronic diseases remain unchanged, while others are still on the rise.
If supplements are so good for us, why aren't we getting healthier?
Part of the reason could be that many people mistakenly believe that a vitamin is a vitamin, and one form of a mineral is equal to any other, failing to understand the inherent differences between synthetic chemicals and whole food nutrients. Many also mistakenly use supplements as a way to avoid having to change their dietary habits. But the proof is in the pudding, as they say, because if you eat a diet consisting primarily of processed junk food, and take cheap synthetic vitamins and minerals, you're not likely to see a major change in your health status...
It has always been my belief that supplements should be used in addition to, NOT in place of, a sound diet. You simply cannot cover your nutritional- or lifestyle "sins" by taking a handful of supplements.
Why Selenium Supplements have Become More Popular
Selenium is an essential trace mineral found primarily in plant foods, and is known to have powerful antioxidant activity. Past studies have shown it can play a beneficial role in:
Cancer Heart disease Cognitive decline
Cataracts and macular degeneration Cold sores and shingles Osteoarthritis
The selenium content in whole plant foods depend on the level of the nutrient in the soil, and, unfortunately, many farming areas around the world are becoming increasingly selenium depleted. Most of the selenium is also lost when the food is processed or refined, so unless you consume lots of whole organic produce, you may be at risk of selenium deficiency.
It is because of these facts that supplements containing selenium have increased in popularity in the United States, to the extent that close to 25 percent of Americans over 40 take a selenium supplement or multivitamin that includes selenium. However, supplementing with sodium selenite and selenate may do more harm than good...
Beware of Inorganic Selenium
As explained in the featured article, sodium selenite and selenate are two potentially problematic ingredients found in many multi-vitamins.
According to PAN, a database for pesticide chemicals, both sodium selenite and sodium selenate are classified as "Highly Toxic," based on oral administration trials using rabbits and rats. And according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the highest allowable level of selenium in public drinking water is 50 parts per billion, which is equivalent to 50 micrograms, dry weight.
Studies have shown that:
•Long-term exposure to selenium, sodium selenite, sodium selenate, or selenium dioxide may cause paleness, coated tongue, stomach disorders, nervousness, metallic taste and a garlic odor of the breath. Damage to the liver and spleen in animals has also been observed, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
•According to the 1986 edition of the Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals, daily intake of about one milligram of selenium as selenite can be toxic.
•In one study, sodium selenite was found to induce substantial DNA damage in human fibroblasts.
•More recent research also indicates that too much selenium may contribute to the onset of diabetes.
It's very important to realize that these potentially toxic chemicals are some of the primary forms of selenium sold as dietary supplements on the market today. As discussed in the featured article, such inorganic minerals cannot replace biologically active trace minerals.
Green Med Info writes:
"The selenium that is found in foods like brazil nuts, mustard seeds, and fresh produce grown in selenium-rich soil is infinitely different from the biologically inert forms being put in some multivitamins. In fact, i.e., sodium selenite/selenate can cause cancer, whereas the selenium found within food, or laboratory chelated forms like selenomethionine have all been shown to prevent and combat cancer.
The basic principle that explains this difference is that when you isolate a nutrient or vitamin out of the food complex within which it is naturally found, and where it is inseparably bound to thousands of known and unknown food factors (e.g., enzymes, protein chaperones, glyconutrients, etc.) it is no longer as beneficial to life. This is especially true in the case of vertebrate mammals who are equipped to get their minerals from the plants they ingest or through the biotransformation of inorganic minerals to organic ones by microflora in their gastrointestinal tracts.
The primary reason that sodium selenite/selenate are preferred by some vitamin manufacturers over safer, more beneficial forms like chelated or yeast-grown selenium is because it is more profitable to use raw materials of lower quality."
Other Problematic Ingredients Found in Many Multi-Vitamins
In the U.S., many supplement makers add so-called 'flowing agents' into their capsules. Two common additives are:
•Magnesium stearate
•Titanium dioxide
Now, neither of these will cause any major harm in small doses. But they do add up over time, and magnesium stearate can cause a biofilm to be created in your intestine, which will prevent the absorption of nutrients. The only purpose of it in the supplement is to help the raw materials become more slippery and easily flow through the machines that create the supplements.
Magnesium stearate is not a supplemental source of magnesium but rather a form of stearic acid. It's essentially chalk, and previous research has shown that it suppresses your natural killer cells, which are a key component of your immune system. Unfortunately, this chalk filler stimulates your gut to form a biofilm – a sort of sludge lining – that acts as an effective barrier to the absorption of not only that particular vitamin but all the nutrients you'd normally get from food sources as well. This is a major reason for focusing on nutritional foods rather than taking handfuls of vitamins each day.
Fortunately, once I became aware of this issue, I was able to get my personal brand multi-vitamins reformulated, so they do not contain magnesium stearate any longer. Titanium dioxide is another absolutely unnecessary color agent you don't want to see in your supplements, as it has been shown to cause autoimmune disorders.
The Problem with Synthetic Vitamins
Most natural health experts agree on one thing: No matter which foods you eat, whole foods are far better for you than refined foods. So why do some people believe the rules of nutrition would suddenly change when it comes to vitamins and other nutritional supplements?
Whole food supplements are what their name suggests: Supplements made from concentrated whole foods. The vitamins found within these supplements are not isolated or synthetic. Rather they are highly complex structures that combine a variety of enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, trace elements, activators and many other unknown or undiscovered factors that work together synergistically, to enable this vitamin complex to do its job in your body.
Synthetic nutrients, on the other hand, are not natural, in that they are never found by themselves in nature. When you take these isolated nutrients regularly, especially at the ultra-high doses found in formulas today, it's more like taking a drug... At best, they will not benefit you as much as high quality food and food-based supplements. And at worst, they may cause problems.
Nature does not produce any nutrient in an isolated form. The nutrients in foods are blended together in a specific way and work best in that format. For an isolated nutrient to work properly in the body, it needs all the other parts that are naturally present in the food too. If the parts are not all there from the start, they are taken from your body's stored supply. This is why isolated nutrients often work for awhile, then seem to stop working.
Once your body's store of the extra nutrients is used up, the isolated nutrient you're taking just doesn't work as well anymore. Worse yet, a deficiency in these extra nutrients can be created in your body.
Studies also show your body treats these isolated and synthetic nutrients like xenobiotics (foreign substances). This is why your urine will oftentimes turn some shade of glow-in-the-dark yellow when you take certain synthetic vitamins, as your body simply flushes these foreign substances out.
How to Identify High Quality Multi-Vitamin Supplements
I do believe that dietary supplements -- including vitamins and minerals -- can help compensate for some of the damage your body incurs through modern living. However, it's not wise to use supplements to justify a poor diet. In my experience no amount of supplements will ever be able to substitute for healthy food choices...
There are times when supplements can be quite useful, and I believe that some supplements, such as a high quality animal-based omega-3 supplement, for example, are essential for nearly everyone. This is because the main source of animal based omega-3 fats in your diet comes from fish – most of which is now so grossly polluted with heavy metals, PCBs and other environmental toxins I can no longer recommend eating fish for optimal omega 3 levels. Another supplement that many people need is vitamin D3, unless you can get sufficient amounts of safe sun exposure year-round, or use a safe tanning bed.
Another incredibly useful supplement is probiotics, which influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner. You can get these healthy bacteria from eating fermented foods, and if you eat them enough you will keep your digestive tract well supplied with good bacteria, but there may still be times when a probiotic supplement is necessary, such as when you stray from your healthy diet and consume excess grains or sugar; if you have to take antibiotics; or when traveling to foreign countries for example.
There are other instances when supplements may be useful as well, such as in the case of CoQ10 if you're taking statin drugs, but their effectiveness depends largely on the quality of the supplement itself.
You may also want to take one or more food-based supplements to ensure you are getting an adequate variety of nutrients. However, I strongly recommend you make whole food supplements your first choice, and steer clear of synthetic vitamins. How do you tell whether or not a supplement you're looking at is a good choice?
For starters, make sure it has the following characteristics:
•It is as close as possible to its natural (whole food) form.
•Use independent third party labs that check the raw materials for contaminants and correct dosage.
•Follows industry standards for quality assurance including ISO 9001, ISO 17025 and NSF Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) certifications.
•The utmost care has been taken in all phases of its production, from growing its ingredients, to manufacturing, testing for potency and quality control.
•It works! I always try to select from companies that have a long track record of providing high quality products that produce good clinical results.
More on Juice Plus - a Whole Food Supplement and to order your Juice Plus
Dr. Mercola is the founder of the world’s most visited natural health web site, Mercola.com. You can learn the hazardous side effects of OTC Remedies by getting a FREE copy of his latest special report The Dangers of Over the Counter Remedies by going to his Report Page.
Most mass-market vitamins actually contain chemicals that the EPA has banned from public drinking water at levels above 50 parts per billion. That's the equivalent of a tablespoon of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool.
According to Green Med Info:
"... [T]his is not the first time in American history that such a hoax has been perpetuated on the public. The FDA-approved use of fluoride in our drinking water and the use of radioactive cobalt-60 culled from nuclear reactors for the IRRADIATION OF conventional food illustrates how industrial waste products with known toxicity are eventually converted into commodities or technologies 'beneficial to health.' Whereas initially these substances have very high disposal costs for the industries that excrete them into our environment, the liability is converted -- through the right combination of lobbying, miseducation and "checkbook science" -- back into a commodity".
Sources:
Green Med Info August 4, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Just because something is touted as being "natural" or "healthy" doesn't automatically make it true, and such is the case with some multi-vitamins. You really need to check the label and know what's what, because there can be a vast difference between a synthetic or synthesized vitamin or mineral and the real thing. Some products may also contain additives and fillers that can cause problems in large doses.
According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 50 percent of the US population takes some form of nutritional supplement each day, and approximately 40 percent of US adults take a daily multi-vitamin. But despite the fact that the U.S. spends close to $27 billion on supplements each year, the rates of most chronic diseases remain unchanged, while others are still on the rise.
If supplements are so good for us, why aren't we getting healthier?
Part of the reason could be that many people mistakenly believe that a vitamin is a vitamin, and one form of a mineral is equal to any other, failing to understand the inherent differences between synthetic chemicals and whole food nutrients. Many also mistakenly use supplements as a way to avoid having to change their dietary habits. But the proof is in the pudding, as they say, because if you eat a diet consisting primarily of processed junk food, and take cheap synthetic vitamins and minerals, you're not likely to see a major change in your health status...
It has always been my belief that supplements should be used in addition to, NOT in place of, a sound diet. You simply cannot cover your nutritional- or lifestyle "sins" by taking a handful of supplements.
Why Selenium Supplements have Become More Popular
Selenium is an essential trace mineral found primarily in plant foods, and is known to have powerful antioxidant activity. Past studies have shown it can play a beneficial role in:
Cancer Heart disease Cognitive decline
Cataracts and macular degeneration Cold sores and shingles Osteoarthritis
The selenium content in whole plant foods depend on the level of the nutrient in the soil, and, unfortunately, many farming areas around the world are becoming increasingly selenium depleted. Most of the selenium is also lost when the food is processed or refined, so unless you consume lots of whole organic produce, you may be at risk of selenium deficiency.
It is because of these facts that supplements containing selenium have increased in popularity in the United States, to the extent that close to 25 percent of Americans over 40 take a selenium supplement or multivitamin that includes selenium. However, supplementing with sodium selenite and selenate may do more harm than good...
Beware of Inorganic Selenium
As explained in the featured article, sodium selenite and selenate are two potentially problematic ingredients found in many multi-vitamins.
According to PAN, a database for pesticide chemicals, both sodium selenite and sodium selenate are classified as "Highly Toxic," based on oral administration trials using rabbits and rats. And according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the highest allowable level of selenium in public drinking water is 50 parts per billion, which is equivalent to 50 micrograms, dry weight.
Studies have shown that:
•Long-term exposure to selenium, sodium selenite, sodium selenate, or selenium dioxide may cause paleness, coated tongue, stomach disorders, nervousness, metallic taste and a garlic odor of the breath. Damage to the liver and spleen in animals has also been observed, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
•According to the 1986 edition of the Handbook of the Toxicology of Metals, daily intake of about one milligram of selenium as selenite can be toxic.
•In one study, sodium selenite was found to induce substantial DNA damage in human fibroblasts.
•More recent research also indicates that too much selenium may contribute to the onset of diabetes.
It's very important to realize that these potentially toxic chemicals are some of the primary forms of selenium sold as dietary supplements on the market today. As discussed in the featured article, such inorganic minerals cannot replace biologically active trace minerals.
Green Med Info writes:
"The selenium that is found in foods like brazil nuts, mustard seeds, and fresh produce grown in selenium-rich soil is infinitely different from the biologically inert forms being put in some multivitamins. In fact, i.e., sodium selenite/selenate can cause cancer, whereas the selenium found within food, or laboratory chelated forms like selenomethionine have all been shown to prevent and combat cancer.
The basic principle that explains this difference is that when you isolate a nutrient or vitamin out of the food complex within which it is naturally found, and where it is inseparably bound to thousands of known and unknown food factors (e.g., enzymes, protein chaperones, glyconutrients, etc.) it is no longer as beneficial to life. This is especially true in the case of vertebrate mammals who are equipped to get their minerals from the plants they ingest or through the biotransformation of inorganic minerals to organic ones by microflora in their gastrointestinal tracts.
The primary reason that sodium selenite/selenate are preferred by some vitamin manufacturers over safer, more beneficial forms like chelated or yeast-grown selenium is because it is more profitable to use raw materials of lower quality."
Other Problematic Ingredients Found in Many Multi-Vitamins
In the U.S., many supplement makers add so-called 'flowing agents' into their capsules. Two common additives are:
•Magnesium stearate
•Titanium dioxide
Now, neither of these will cause any major harm in small doses. But they do add up over time, and magnesium stearate can cause a biofilm to be created in your intestine, which will prevent the absorption of nutrients. The only purpose of it in the supplement is to help the raw materials become more slippery and easily flow through the machines that create the supplements.
Magnesium stearate is not a supplemental source of magnesium but rather a form of stearic acid. It's essentially chalk, and previous research has shown that it suppresses your natural killer cells, which are a key component of your immune system. Unfortunately, this chalk filler stimulates your gut to form a biofilm – a sort of sludge lining – that acts as an effective barrier to the absorption of not only that particular vitamin but all the nutrients you'd normally get from food sources as well. This is a major reason for focusing on nutritional foods rather than taking handfuls of vitamins each day.
Fortunately, once I became aware of this issue, I was able to get my personal brand multi-vitamins reformulated, so they do not contain magnesium stearate any longer. Titanium dioxide is another absolutely unnecessary color agent you don't want to see in your supplements, as it has been shown to cause autoimmune disorders.
The Problem with Synthetic Vitamins
Most natural health experts agree on one thing: No matter which foods you eat, whole foods are far better for you than refined foods. So why do some people believe the rules of nutrition would suddenly change when it comes to vitamins and other nutritional supplements?
Whole food supplements are what their name suggests: Supplements made from concentrated whole foods. The vitamins found within these supplements are not isolated or synthetic. Rather they are highly complex structures that combine a variety of enzymes, coenzymes, antioxidants, trace elements, activators and many other unknown or undiscovered factors that work together synergistically, to enable this vitamin complex to do its job in your body.
Synthetic nutrients, on the other hand, are not natural, in that they are never found by themselves in nature. When you take these isolated nutrients regularly, especially at the ultra-high doses found in formulas today, it's more like taking a drug... At best, they will not benefit you as much as high quality food and food-based supplements. And at worst, they may cause problems.
Nature does not produce any nutrient in an isolated form. The nutrients in foods are blended together in a specific way and work best in that format. For an isolated nutrient to work properly in the body, it needs all the other parts that are naturally present in the food too. If the parts are not all there from the start, they are taken from your body's stored supply. This is why isolated nutrients often work for awhile, then seem to stop working.
Once your body's store of the extra nutrients is used up, the isolated nutrient you're taking just doesn't work as well anymore. Worse yet, a deficiency in these extra nutrients can be created in your body.
Studies also show your body treats these isolated and synthetic nutrients like xenobiotics (foreign substances). This is why your urine will oftentimes turn some shade of glow-in-the-dark yellow when you take certain synthetic vitamins, as your body simply flushes these foreign substances out.
How to Identify High Quality Multi-Vitamin Supplements
I do believe that dietary supplements -- including vitamins and minerals -- can help compensate for some of the damage your body incurs through modern living. However, it's not wise to use supplements to justify a poor diet. In my experience no amount of supplements will ever be able to substitute for healthy food choices...
There are times when supplements can be quite useful, and I believe that some supplements, such as a high quality animal-based omega-3 supplement, for example, are essential for nearly everyone. This is because the main source of animal based omega-3 fats in your diet comes from fish – most of which is now so grossly polluted with heavy metals, PCBs and other environmental toxins I can no longer recommend eating fish for optimal omega 3 levels. Another supplement that many people need is vitamin D3, unless you can get sufficient amounts of safe sun exposure year-round, or use a safe tanning bed.
Another incredibly useful supplement is probiotics, which influence the activity of hundreds of your genes, helping them to express in a positive, disease-fighting manner. You can get these healthy bacteria from eating fermented foods, and if you eat them enough you will keep your digestive tract well supplied with good bacteria, but there may still be times when a probiotic supplement is necessary, such as when you stray from your healthy diet and consume excess grains or sugar; if you have to take antibiotics; or when traveling to foreign countries for example.
There are other instances when supplements may be useful as well, such as in the case of CoQ10 if you're taking statin drugs, but their effectiveness depends largely on the quality of the supplement itself.
You may also want to take one or more food-based supplements to ensure you are getting an adequate variety of nutrients. However, I strongly recommend you make whole food supplements your first choice, and steer clear of synthetic vitamins. How do you tell whether or not a supplement you're looking at is a good choice?
For starters, make sure it has the following characteristics:
•It is as close as possible to its natural (whole food) form.
•Use independent third party labs that check the raw materials for contaminants and correct dosage.
•Follows industry standards for quality assurance including ISO 9001, ISO 17025 and NSF Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) certifications.
•The utmost care has been taken in all phases of its production, from growing its ingredients, to manufacturing, testing for potency and quality control.
•It works! I always try to select from companies that have a long track record of providing high quality products that produce good clinical results.
More on Juice Plus - a Whole Food Supplement and to order your Juice Plus
Dr. Mercola is the founder of the world’s most visited natural health web site, Mercola.com. You can learn the hazardous side effects of OTC Remedies by getting a FREE copy of his latest special report The Dangers of Over the Counter Remedies by going to his Report Page.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Do we need to change our mindset on how we decide what we are going to eat?
Do you think about the food that you and your family eat? Do you consider the consequences of eating processed, nutrient deficient foods? A recent study of almost 2,000 adults was conducted to see what the most important values in choosing lunch were. There were four options to pick from with convenience and taste coming up as the top 2 most important values. The cost of food came in third and lastly was health.
It can be very difficult to steer clear of the fast food joints that are on every street corner. Not to mention over $33 billion per year is spent in advertising to lure people to consume sugar-laden, fast, junk foods. These processed, nutrient deficient foods are also overloaded with hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats.
What will happen if America continues down the path of choosing food because of its convenience? In 2007, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health warned:
if not halted, the ever-increasing obesity crisis will explode by 2015 to 24% of children and adolescents being overweight or obese, and 75% of adults being overweight with 41% being obese. Currently over fifty percent of people with severe weight problems have diabetes alone.
Even the CDC has articles related to nutrition and childhood health and how important nutrition is for kids who are constantly growing and developing into their adolescent years. The CDC states:
Consequences of Unhealthy Eating
Unfortunately, many young people in the United States make poor eating choices that put them at risk for health and social problems.
· Research suggests that not having breakfast can affect children’s intellectual performance.1,2
· Poor eating habits and inactivity are the root causes of overweight and obesity. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6–11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006. The rate among adolescents aged 12–19 more than tripled, increasing from 5.0% to 17.6%.3
· Overweight children have a higher rate of low self-esteem, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, and gall bladder disease.4
· It has been estimated that as many as 7 to 8% of females in the United States suffer from anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa in their lifetime.5
If you would like to read more on nutrition and how certain foods will promote health through their anti-iinflamatory effects, click the highlighted nutrition tab below. Thanks!
Nutrition Info
It can be very difficult to steer clear of the fast food joints that are on every street corner. Not to mention over $33 billion per year is spent in advertising to lure people to consume sugar-laden, fast, junk foods. These processed, nutrient deficient foods are also overloaded with hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats.
What will happen if America continues down the path of choosing food because of its convenience? In 2007, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health warned:
if not halted, the ever-increasing obesity crisis will explode by 2015 to 24% of children and adolescents being overweight or obese, and 75% of adults being overweight with 41% being obese. Currently over fifty percent of people with severe weight problems have diabetes alone.
Even the CDC has articles related to nutrition and childhood health and how important nutrition is for kids who are constantly growing and developing into their adolescent years. The CDC states:
Consequences of Unhealthy Eating
Unfortunately, many young people in the United States make poor eating choices that put them at risk for health and social problems.
· Research suggests that not having breakfast can affect children’s intellectual performance.1,2
· Poor eating habits and inactivity are the root causes of overweight and obesity. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6–11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006. The rate among adolescents aged 12–19 more than tripled, increasing from 5.0% to 17.6%.3
· Overweight children have a higher rate of low self-esteem, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, and gall bladder disease.4
· It has been estimated that as many as 7 to 8% of females in the United States suffer from anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa in their lifetime.5
If you would like to read more on nutrition and how certain foods will promote health through their anti-iinflamatory effects, click the highlighted nutrition tab below. Thanks!
Nutrition Info
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Energy Medicine??? How your health depends on energy!
By Dr. Gary Douglas:
Frequencies of the Human Body in Hz
Georges Lakhovsky discovered that all living cells (plants, people, bacteria, parasites, etc) possess attributes which normally are associated with electronic circuits, Professor Harold Saxton Burr showed that these L-Fields could be used to predict illness by noting variations in them, Dr Reinhold Voll identifie correlations between disease states and changes in the electrical resistance of the various acupuncture points, German biophysicist Fritz-Albert Popp found that diseased cells will radiate a different photonic signature than healthy cells of the same type and Dr Robert O. Becker found the human body has an electrical frequency and that much about a person's health can be determined and influenced by it.
Every object on this planet, still or alive, has an electrical frequency that can be
measured accurately. Electrical frequency is being measured by counting of the number of occurrences of a repeating current flow per second. This unit is called Hertz (Hz).
What Does Hertz Mean?
All atoms in the universe have vibrational motion. Each periodic motion has a “frequency”,(the number of oscillations per second), measured in Hertz:
■1 Hertz (Hz) = 1 oscillation per second
(ops)
■1 Kilo Hertz (KHz) = 1,000 ops
■1 Mega Hertz (MHz) = 1,000,000 ops or 1
million
■1 Giga Hertz (GHz) = 1,000,000,000 ops
or 1 billion
Some people might ask how come a living organism like the human being has measurable frequencies. The definite answer is how is it possible that human beings would NOT radiate in certain frequencies? The human body is a radiant machine. Every living element in our body radiates. Our brain operates on electrical current, our ears absorb sounds vibrations, and we produce voices and temperature.
Biophotons
Living organisms have measurable frequencies on various levels from the entire
body down to the cellular level. That fact has enabled scientist to conduct researches on humans and map their frequencies. It turned out quite clearly that there are frequency differences in healthy humans in comparison to ill ones. Biophoton emissions will vary according to the functional state of the organism. If a disease affects certain cells they will radiate a different photonic signature than healthy cells of the same type.
More over scientists discovered that each illness has different frequency that is always within a definite range. During the first steps of that line of research those results were considered as a new diagnostic discovery, yet as the research progressed and researches started running frequency measures on human cells, it turned out that those cells also reacted to direct external light and sound frequencies. The most incredible discovery was that ill cells reacted to very precise levels of frequencies and were cured or eliminated whilst nearby healthy cells remained intact.
It has also been discovered that the general human healthy frequency is within the range of 62 -72 Hz and when it drops to lower levels it enables the appearance of variety of diseases. For example at the level of 58 Hz, diseases like cold and flu were more likely to appear. Any movementof an object in any frequency can be changed by an external intervention of another frequency and the frequency of the human body and its cells is of no exception. When the body becomes ill or infected, these normal frequency patterns become distorted and either increase in frequency, known as ‘hyper' i.e. inflamed, on fire, irritation type conditions or decrease in frequency, known as ‘hypo' i.e. for cold, damp, degenerative conditions. Of course the unwanted virus, toxin or infection also has its own unique frequency which can be isolated and ‘inverted' so it is 180° out of phase, then by delivering the inverted frequencies back to the body, it will neutralise the toxin or infection allowing the organ to recover and normalize therefore recovering in health.
Frequency & Health
The human body has a normal frequency range of 62 Hz to 68 Hz, as the frequency range lowers due to the constant use of alcohol or drugs, the worse the health condition becomes. When the frequency drops, the immune system is jeopardized. If it drops to 58 Hz, cold and flu symptoms start appearing, 55 Hz trigger diseases like Candida and at 52 Hz Epstein Bar virus, whilst death begins at 20 Hz. All healing interventions must influence the body by somehow altering its frequency resonance. Healing has often been affected by such modalities as sound, light, music therapy and various other energy medicine techniques that alter the frequency patterns of an individual.
All matter, including herbs, pharmaceuticals, and even food with its accompanying vitamins, minerals and other nutrients could be examined from a frequency perspective which may explain their biological effects.
Frequencies of the Human Body in Hz
Georges Lakhovsky discovered that all living cells (plants, people, bacteria, parasites, etc) possess attributes which normally are associated with electronic circuits, Professor Harold Saxton Burr showed that these L-Fields could be used to predict illness by noting variations in them, Dr Reinhold Voll identifie correlations between disease states and changes in the electrical resistance of the various acupuncture points, German biophysicist Fritz-Albert Popp found that diseased cells will radiate a different photonic signature than healthy cells of the same type and Dr Robert O. Becker found the human body has an electrical frequency and that much about a person's health can be determined and influenced by it.
Every object on this planet, still or alive, has an electrical frequency that can be
measured accurately. Electrical frequency is being measured by counting of the number of occurrences of a repeating current flow per second. This unit is called Hertz (Hz).
What Does Hertz Mean?
All atoms in the universe have vibrational motion. Each periodic motion has a “frequency”,(the number of oscillations per second), measured in Hertz:
■1 Hertz (Hz) = 1 oscillation per second
(ops)
■1 Kilo Hertz (KHz) = 1,000 ops
■1 Mega Hertz (MHz) = 1,000,000 ops or 1
million
■1 Giga Hertz (GHz) = 1,000,000,000 ops
or 1 billion
Some people might ask how come a living organism like the human being has measurable frequencies. The definite answer is how is it possible that human beings would NOT radiate in certain frequencies? The human body is a radiant machine. Every living element in our body radiates. Our brain operates on electrical current, our ears absorb sounds vibrations, and we produce voices and temperature.
Biophotons
Living organisms have measurable frequencies on various levels from the entire
body down to the cellular level. That fact has enabled scientist to conduct researches on humans and map their frequencies. It turned out quite clearly that there are frequency differences in healthy humans in comparison to ill ones. Biophoton emissions will vary according to the functional state of the organism. If a disease affects certain cells they will radiate a different photonic signature than healthy cells of the same type.
More over scientists discovered that each illness has different frequency that is always within a definite range. During the first steps of that line of research those results were considered as a new diagnostic discovery, yet as the research progressed and researches started running frequency measures on human cells, it turned out that those cells also reacted to direct external light and sound frequencies. The most incredible discovery was that ill cells reacted to very precise levels of frequencies and were cured or eliminated whilst nearby healthy cells remained intact.
It has also been discovered that the general human healthy frequency is within the range of 62 -72 Hz and when it drops to lower levels it enables the appearance of variety of diseases. For example at the level of 58 Hz, diseases like cold and flu were more likely to appear. Any movementof an object in any frequency can be changed by an external intervention of another frequency and the frequency of the human body and its cells is of no exception. When the body becomes ill or infected, these normal frequency patterns become distorted and either increase in frequency, known as ‘hyper' i.e. inflamed, on fire, irritation type conditions or decrease in frequency, known as ‘hypo' i.e. for cold, damp, degenerative conditions. Of course the unwanted virus, toxin or infection also has its own unique frequency which can be isolated and ‘inverted' so it is 180° out of phase, then by delivering the inverted frequencies back to the body, it will neutralise the toxin or infection allowing the organ to recover and normalize therefore recovering in health.
Frequency & Health
The human body has a normal frequency range of 62 Hz to 68 Hz, as the frequency range lowers due to the constant use of alcohol or drugs, the worse the health condition becomes. When the frequency drops, the immune system is jeopardized. If it drops to 58 Hz, cold and flu symptoms start appearing, 55 Hz trigger diseases like Candida and at 52 Hz Epstein Bar virus, whilst death begins at 20 Hz. All healing interventions must influence the body by somehow altering its frequency resonance. Healing has often been affected by such modalities as sound, light, music therapy and various other energy medicine techniques that alter the frequency patterns of an individual.
All matter, including herbs, pharmaceuticals, and even food with its accompanying vitamins, minerals and other nutrients could be examined from a frequency perspective which may explain their biological effects.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Chiropractic and Energy Medicine - Creating health at the deepest level.
At our office our main goal is to find and eliminate the cause of your problem. We do not treat symptoms or try to help you live with a condition, they have drugs for that. We believe that your symptoms may be there to warn you of a much deeper problem. Like a pain in your foot, we need to find out why your foot is hurting. There are plenty of medications that will stop your foot pain. But maybe we should just take the rock out of your shoe. Also that foot pain could indicate something much more serious than just a pain in your foot, like pain in the left arm indicating something more serious. We will investigate and try to determine why you have symptoms or pain and address the cause. Pain is an attempt to communicate that you are in trouble. Just like the red light on the dash of your car. You would never tape an aspirin over a red light to hide the warning signs from your car. So why would you try to hide or just treat the warning signs from your body. Chiropractic is much deeper than hearing a noise when the spine is manipulated. It's relaxing, energizing, and balancing your body through the nervous system to allow your body to heal itself.
We find that most pain, symptoms or conditions originate from a combination of three main events; Physical, Emotional or Chemical trauma. We have very advanced computerized equipment (The BAX Aura PTL) to access and address the cause of your problem down to the energetic level and we will never try to hide your bodies warning signs. The body is self healing and regenerating at all times 24 hours a day. Your skin, heart, red blood cells, finger nails and even your bones are all being replaced one cell at a time even as we speak. The body needs no help to heal, we just need to locate and remove any physical, emotional or chemical road block to healing and let your body do its job. Achieving this through Chiropractic and the BAX Aura PTL allows the body to respond, adapt, function and repair more efficiently with its surrounding environment. We are dedicated to restoring your health and not just helping you live with your pain or condition. Once your health is restored we are also dedicated to keeping you healthy and not waiting until you are sick or dying to help you again.
Related Post:
How food creates stress and alters the body
We find that most pain, symptoms or conditions originate from a combination of three main events; Physical, Emotional or Chemical trauma. We have very advanced computerized equipment (The BAX Aura PTL) to access and address the cause of your problem down to the energetic level and we will never try to hide your bodies warning signs. The body is self healing and regenerating at all times 24 hours a day. Your skin, heart, red blood cells, finger nails and even your bones are all being replaced one cell at a time even as we speak. The body needs no help to heal, we just need to locate and remove any physical, emotional or chemical road block to healing and let your body do its job. Achieving this through Chiropractic and the BAX Aura PTL allows the body to respond, adapt, function and repair more efficiently with its surrounding environment. We are dedicated to restoring your health and not just helping you live with your pain or condition. Once your health is restored we are also dedicated to keeping you healthy and not waiting until you are sick or dying to help you again.
Related Post:
How food creates stress and alters the body
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The easiest solution for smoking cessation!
Scientific evidence suggests smoking cigarettes is as addictive as using drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Despite its known adverse effects, the severe withdrawal symptoms have probably led you or your loved ones to continued use. Within just 7-10 seconds of inhaling cigarette smoke, nicotine releases the feel good chemicals of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine that provide feelings of pleasure and alertness – this is the “hit which addicts”. Within 30 minutes of your last cigarette, nicotine levels drop and withdrawal symptoms begin which make you tired, depressed and anxious – to name a few. Smoking actually suppresses the natural production of endorphins and serotonin and after a while, the only time these chemicals will be produced is when you are smoking.
If you are a smoker, then surely you are already aware of the danger that you are putting yourself in every time you have a cigarette. Lets focus on the positive changes that will occur the minute you stop smoking once and for all.
- Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years.
- 12 hours after quitting, carbon monoxide levels in your blood drops to normal.
- After 24 hours, your sense of smell and taste begin to improve as nicotine is eliminated from your body.
- After 72 hours, your bronchial tubes begin to relax, making breathing easier and lung capacity increases.
- After 2-12 weeks, circulation improves, making walking and physical activity easier.
- After 2 weeks to 3 months, your heart attack risks begins to drop and your lung function begins to improve.
- After 1 to 9 months, coughing and sinus congestion decreases. Lung function improves, shortness of breath decreases, and energy levels increase.
- One year after quitting, your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of smokers.
- Ten years after quitting, your lung cancer death rate is about half that of smokers. Your risks of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.
- Fiftenn years after quitting, your risks of coronary heart disease and lung cancer is back to that of someone who has never smoked.
Those stats are what you have to look forward to by quitting smoking. There is no time like the present to start a more healthy lifestyle!
So how does the Just Stop! Smoking Cessation Program work?
We start by stimulating specific acupunncture points on the body that are associated with cravings. Laser therapy naturally stimulates endorphin production so you won’t experience the intense withdrawal discomfort or cravings. The laser acts as a carrier of frequencies that can train your nervous system to look at the chemicals from smoking in a different way, like it did when you were a non-smoker. In addition, laser treatments calm, relax and enhance the energy system in the body, providing a quick recovery from tobacco addiction. The program goes a step further by using a herbal supplement that helps to remove harmful toxins known to build in the blood, tissue and cells through habitual use of tobacco products, minimizing the longer-term side effects related to smoking.
Call now to set-up your consultation with Dr. Reineck and see if this program will work for you! Call (513)831-4433.
If you are a smoker, then surely you are already aware of the danger that you are putting yourself in every time you have a cigarette. Lets focus on the positive changes that will occur the minute you stop smoking once and for all.
- Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years.
- 12 hours after quitting, carbon monoxide levels in your blood drops to normal.
- After 24 hours, your sense of smell and taste begin to improve as nicotine is eliminated from your body.
- After 72 hours, your bronchial tubes begin to relax, making breathing easier and lung capacity increases.
- After 2-12 weeks, circulation improves, making walking and physical activity easier.
- After 2 weeks to 3 months, your heart attack risks begins to drop and your lung function begins to improve.
- After 1 to 9 months, coughing and sinus congestion decreases. Lung function improves, shortness of breath decreases, and energy levels increase.
- One year after quitting, your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of smokers.
- Ten years after quitting, your lung cancer death rate is about half that of smokers. Your risks of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.
- Fiftenn years after quitting, your risks of coronary heart disease and lung cancer is back to that of someone who has never smoked.
Those stats are what you have to look forward to by quitting smoking. There is no time like the present to start a more healthy lifestyle!
So how does the Just Stop! Smoking Cessation Program work?
We start by stimulating specific acupunncture points on the body that are associated with cravings. Laser therapy naturally stimulates endorphin production so you won’t experience the intense withdrawal discomfort or cravings. The laser acts as a carrier of frequencies that can train your nervous system to look at the chemicals from smoking in a different way, like it did when you were a non-smoker. In addition, laser treatments calm, relax and enhance the energy system in the body, providing a quick recovery from tobacco addiction. The program goes a step further by using a herbal supplement that helps to remove harmful toxins known to build in the blood, tissue and cells through habitual use of tobacco products, minimizing the longer-term side effects related to smoking.
Call now to set-up your consultation with Dr. Reineck and see if this program will work for you! Call (513)831-4433.
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Cost of Bottled Water
Next to carbonated beverages, bottled water ranks second as America’s favorite drink. But is bottled water the right choice for your hydration? Is it even the right choice for your recession-friendly budget?
Obviously, bottled water is much healthier than sugary, caffeinated sodas, but is it really worth the cost? You may be surprised at what Americans actually spend on bottled water every year. Take a look at how Kangen Water® compares to the cost of staying hydrated with popular bottled water brands:
Copy and paste link to see chart
http://www.enagic.com/blog/2011/03/02/the-cost-of-bottled-water/
When times are tough, don’t rely on expensive bottled water to keep your body healthy when there is a better way! Kangen Water® is exactly what your pocketbook needs to keep your family hydrated on a dime.
The Bottled Water Illusion
Why are so many Americans paying a fortune to stay hydrated with bottled water? Unfortunately, many people are under the misconception that bottled water is the healthiest choice available, and they are willing to pay top dollar for it.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that bottled water is not safer than tap water, and some companies even use tap water for their more expensive bottled product1! The EPA urges all consumers to check with the bottled water company in order to find if any contaminants are contained in their drinking water1.
But you don’t have to accept the fact that your drinking water may contain pollutants or contaminants. You can proactively seek a healthy water that is filtered, ionized, and alkalized!
Change Your Water – Change Your Life™
Kangen Water® is more cost-efficient for your long-term hydration needs, and you can be sure of the quality of this delicious alkaline water. The Enagic® water ionizing machines use cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art patented techniques to ensure that with a touch of a button, you can have the cleanest alkaline water that is perfect for sustaining optimal health and overall wellness.
To read the entire article visit the enagic blog at http://www.enagic.com/blog/
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
How well hydrated are you?
World-renowned water expert Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, in his bestseller, Water and Salt - Your Healers Within, has studied how many conditions we label as disease are truly the body's many cries for water. According to Dr. Batmanghelidj with consistent and long-term intake of fresh, clean water can help the following conditions: Heartburn, arthritis, lupus, asthma, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer formation, obesity, hot flashes, menstrual problems, chronic fatigue, ME, angina, gout, kidney stones, diabetes, skin conditions, allergies, and the list goes on. Whether or not these can all be related to dehydration, we all need to understand more about water nutrition and the importance of water to our health.
Dr. Batmanghelidj has stated, "The report of my having successfully treated with water more than three thousand people with symptoms and clinical signs of peptic ulcer disease was published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in June 1983. I came away from that experience with the understanding that the people I treated were thirsty, and I uncovered the phenomenon that "pain" in the body indicates thirst, even though the condition is classified as a disease."
I found the research that Dr. Batmanghelidj to be very interesting and completely makes sense when you look at the human physiology. We all know how important water is! The earth is comprised of mostly water, our brain is 75-80% water, blood is mostly water, and we would die after a few days without water. So it would make sense that most disease would occur without the appropriate amount of fresh, clean water.
In Chiropractic school we learn how important the nervous system is and how it essential runs and communicates with every part of the human body. This is why the chiropractic philosophy revolves around the spine and making sure the spine functions in a way that minimizes impedance or irritation to the nervous system. An important part to understand is that the human body needs water or a medium to communicate those messages effectively. The human body is essential a bioelectrical water machine. Water is used by the body for digestion, detoxifying cells, watering the lungs, lubricating joints, keeping the body alkaline and many cleaning type duties. Every cell in the body must have an adequate amount of water to properly function. When it doesn't the body will ration what it does have, cutting back on certain functions and prioritizing system like the brain.
The truth is that most people are actually dehydrated to some degree. Instead of drinking water we have decided that flavored drinks taste alot better. "I drink coffee in the morning, tea for lunch, a diet soda at break and usually have a beer with dinner. But they contain water so that should be ok, right?" Everything from coffee, tea, beer, soda, flavored water and sports drinks are all contributing to cellular dehydration. Your body was made to run on pure, fresh, clean water! There is a common misconception about most drinks available today. That is that they DO NOT hydrate but actually act as a diuretic (water-expelling). At some point in time many of us decided its ok to have pop at anytime of day, at any age, just because we are thirsty? The problem with this besides all the sugar and other chemicals in these drinks is how acidic most drinks including pop, flavored water, sport drinks, coffee and tea are. The reason they act as a diuretic is because of how acidic they are to the body. This then causes the body to give up water and alkalizing minerals to combat the acid waste of these liquids we consume everyday. For example diet soda is especially bad, as it requires large amounts of body-water to neutralize the phosphoric acid (pH 2.8) that it contains.
Next time you grab a soda because your thirsty, think about yourself and if your body will become hydrated with that drink or is it going to reject it and use up energy to get rid of it! For more information on super-hydrating water used at Living with Motion Chiropractic please visit www.livingwithmotion.com. Be sure to check out the next presentation on Water Nutrition and see first hand the most effective way to get water into your cells and become hydrated. You cells life depend on it!
Dr. Batmanghelidj has stated, "The report of my having successfully treated with water more than three thousand people with symptoms and clinical signs of peptic ulcer disease was published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in June 1983. I came away from that experience with the understanding that the people I treated were thirsty, and I uncovered the phenomenon that "pain" in the body indicates thirst, even though the condition is classified as a disease."
I found the research that Dr. Batmanghelidj to be very interesting and completely makes sense when you look at the human physiology. We all know how important water is! The earth is comprised of mostly water, our brain is 75-80% water, blood is mostly water, and we would die after a few days without water. So it would make sense that most disease would occur without the appropriate amount of fresh, clean water.
In Chiropractic school we learn how important the nervous system is and how it essential runs and communicates with every part of the human body. This is why the chiropractic philosophy revolves around the spine and making sure the spine functions in a way that minimizes impedance or irritation to the nervous system. An important part to understand is that the human body needs water or a medium to communicate those messages effectively. The human body is essential a bioelectrical water machine. Water is used by the body for digestion, detoxifying cells, watering the lungs, lubricating joints, keeping the body alkaline and many cleaning type duties. Every cell in the body must have an adequate amount of water to properly function. When it doesn't the body will ration what it does have, cutting back on certain functions and prioritizing system like the brain.
The truth is that most people are actually dehydrated to some degree. Instead of drinking water we have decided that flavored drinks taste alot better. "I drink coffee in the morning, tea for lunch, a diet soda at break and usually have a beer with dinner. But they contain water so that should be ok, right?" Everything from coffee, tea, beer, soda, flavored water and sports drinks are all contributing to cellular dehydration. Your body was made to run on pure, fresh, clean water! There is a common misconception about most drinks available today. That is that they DO NOT hydrate but actually act as a diuretic (water-expelling). At some point in time many of us decided its ok to have pop at anytime of day, at any age, just because we are thirsty? The problem with this besides all the sugar and other chemicals in these drinks is how acidic most drinks including pop, flavored water, sport drinks, coffee and tea are. The reason they act as a diuretic is because of how acidic they are to the body. This then causes the body to give up water and alkalizing minerals to combat the acid waste of these liquids we consume everyday. For example diet soda is especially bad, as it requires large amounts of body-water to neutralize the phosphoric acid (pH 2.8) that it contains.
Next time you grab a soda because your thirsty, think about yourself and if your body will become hydrated with that drink or is it going to reject it and use up energy to get rid of it! For more information on super-hydrating water used at Living with Motion Chiropractic please visit www.livingwithmotion.com. Be sure to check out the next presentation on Water Nutrition and see first hand the most effective way to get water into your cells and become hydrated. You cells life depend on it!
Monday, May 23, 2011
The health benefits of phytochemicals
Friday, May 20, 2011 by: Neev M. Arnell
(NaturalNews) Phytonutrients, the chemicals that help plants defend against environmental challenges, such as damage from pests or ultraviolet light, appear to provide humans with protection as well. Mounting research shows their effectiveness in preventing and treating a range of conditions including everything from cancer and heart disease to diabetes and high blood pressure. But current law dictates that if anyone advertises health benefits without FDA approval, it is automatically considered an illegal health claim, even for everyday foods, such as walnuts.
Phytochemicals are thought to be responsible for much of the disease protection granted by diets high in fruits, vegetables, beans, cereals, and plant-based beverages such as tea and wine, according to a University of California, Davis report (http://chnr.ucdavis.edu/content/Fac...).
Although it has become widely accepted that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses, scientists have only recently begun researching the effects of the different phytonutrients those foods contain.
Previous evidence has come from observations of cultures that eat plant-based diets and have lower rates of certain types of cancer and heart disease. The relatively low rates of breast and endometrial cancers in some Asian cultures, for example, are credited partly to dietary habits. These cancers are much more common in the United States, possibly because the typical American diet is higher in fat and lower in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains, according to American Cancer Society.
Many experts suggest that people can reduce their risk of cancer significantly by eating the foods that contain phytonutrients, according to American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/Tre...). Evidence shows that they may work by helping to prevent the formation of potential carcinogens, blocking the action of carcinogens on their target organs or tissue, or acting on cells to suppress cancer development.
Research suggests that flavonoids, the most diverse group of phytochemicals, may be a key phytochemical group that contributes to the reduced mortality rates observed in people consuming high levels of plant-based foods, according to the UC Davis report. In the Zutphen Elderly Study, myocardial infarction was found to decrease as falvonoid intake increased. Similarly, the Seven Countries Study, which compared the diets of men living in various Western countries including the U.S., suggested that consumption of flavonoids was responsible for 25 percent of the observed difference in mortality rates in the different countries.
University of Minnesota Hormel Institute researchers say phytonutrients could be used in effective cancer prevention therapy, so much so that they eventually aim to develop phytochemical-derived anticancer drugs, Dr. Sigang Dong told The Austin Daily Herald (http://www.austindailyherald.com/20...).
"In the future, personalized prevention methods using photochemical could have a crucial role in cancer prevention, especially in high-risk populations," Dong said. "We will continue our rigorous research in identifying molecular targets and aim for conducting human studies with phytocehemicals - this would provide the path for an enhanced approach to personalized cancer prevention."
To read more research on whole food supplementation full of phytonutrients and to place your order go to -
www.livingwithmotionandjuiceplus.com
(NaturalNews) Phytonutrients, the chemicals that help plants defend against environmental challenges, such as damage from pests or ultraviolet light, appear to provide humans with protection as well. Mounting research shows their effectiveness in preventing and treating a range of conditions including everything from cancer and heart disease to diabetes and high blood pressure. But current law dictates that if anyone advertises health benefits without FDA approval, it is automatically considered an illegal health claim, even for everyday foods, such as walnuts.
Phytochemicals are thought to be responsible for much of the disease protection granted by diets high in fruits, vegetables, beans, cereals, and plant-based beverages such as tea and wine, according to a University of California, Davis report (http://chnr.ucdavis.edu/content/Fac...).
Although it has become widely accepted that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses, scientists have only recently begun researching the effects of the different phytonutrients those foods contain.
Previous evidence has come from observations of cultures that eat plant-based diets and have lower rates of certain types of cancer and heart disease. The relatively low rates of breast and endometrial cancers in some Asian cultures, for example, are credited partly to dietary habits. These cancers are much more common in the United States, possibly because the typical American diet is higher in fat and lower in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains, according to American Cancer Society.
Many experts suggest that people can reduce their risk of cancer significantly by eating the foods that contain phytonutrients, according to American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/Tre...). Evidence shows that they may work by helping to prevent the formation of potential carcinogens, blocking the action of carcinogens on their target organs or tissue, or acting on cells to suppress cancer development.
Research suggests that flavonoids, the most diverse group of phytochemicals, may be a key phytochemical group that contributes to the reduced mortality rates observed in people consuming high levels of plant-based foods, according to the UC Davis report. In the Zutphen Elderly Study, myocardial infarction was found to decrease as falvonoid intake increased. Similarly, the Seven Countries Study, which compared the diets of men living in various Western countries including the U.S., suggested that consumption of flavonoids was responsible for 25 percent of the observed difference in mortality rates in the different countries.
University of Minnesota Hormel Institute researchers say phytonutrients could be used in effective cancer prevention therapy, so much so that they eventually aim to develop phytochemical-derived anticancer drugs, Dr. Sigang Dong told The Austin Daily Herald (http://www.austindailyherald.com/20...).
"In the future, personalized prevention methods using photochemical could have a crucial role in cancer prevention, especially in high-risk populations," Dong said. "We will continue our rigorous research in identifying molecular targets and aim for conducting human studies with phytocehemicals - this would provide the path for an enhanced approach to personalized cancer prevention."
To read more research on whole food supplementation full of phytonutrients and to place your order go to -
www.livingwithmotionandjuiceplus.com
Friday, May 13, 2011
I broke free of the 150s!!!!
I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. My size 8 jeans are a little loose on me. I am celebrating tonight by going out to Shadowbox Live (sketch comedy and rock n roll). And, since I weighed in at 148.4 this morning, I don’t even want those nachos anymore. Okay, so I do want them a little. But as of this coming Monday I only have two more weeks of drops left. Yes there are three more low calorie days after I finish the drops, but that means I will be officially done with this super restrictive diet on Wednesday, 2.5 weeks from now. I know I can do this.
Honestly I am shocked by how easy it really is. Especially when I have the support of my family. My husband doesn’t know about the drops, but he knows I am dieting hardcore. He has been great about buying me the healthy foods I ask for and not buying me the sugars and starches I ask for- jokingly of course. He is not the kind of guy to bring up weight, and he says he is happy with me no matter what I weigh. That kind of stuff is just not important to him. I have thanked him for how he has handled me in my crankier days.
I am still feeling a little faint at times, particularly when I jump up from a seated position and go on a mission. I still think it has to do with that time of the month for me (yes i am still on it- it lasts at least two weeks, sometimes more for me) I just think I am still losing too much iron that is not being made up for by anything else. I generally do get very tired, very easily. Right now I am not tired, I just have to stand up slow… right? Yesterday, I had the whole afternoon to myself to lie around and read a book. I could have easily taken a nap but I wasn’t tired enough to fall asleep. I still think my energy stores are doing quite well.
I have a new favorite food: asparagus. I love it grilled on myGeorge Foreman grill with salt and cajun seasoning (which has been carefully reveiwed and is clear of any sugar). It was crunchy and delicious. I also found a soda made with stevia. it is wonderful in the evening when everyone else is snacking on chips and stuff that I can still have something a little sweet. I am probably drinking too much coffee, but I have always loved coffee and so I am okay with that. Because I tend to go for warmer drinks, I am not sure I am getting enough water, though I am putting forth an effort to refill my water cup everytime I get coffee and rotate the drinks.
I am very excited at the prospect of breaking free of the 140s within two weeks. I know if I stick with the protocol it will be no problem. I’ll keeo you posted.
Check out Shell's entire blog for the Finally Fit HCG Diet through Living with Motion Chiropractic. http://shellbella.blog.com/
Honestly I am shocked by how easy it really is. Especially when I have the support of my family. My husband doesn’t know about the drops, but he knows I am dieting hardcore. He has been great about buying me the healthy foods I ask for and not buying me the sugars and starches I ask for- jokingly of course. He is not the kind of guy to bring up weight, and he says he is happy with me no matter what I weigh. That kind of stuff is just not important to him. I have thanked him for how he has handled me in my crankier days.
I am still feeling a little faint at times, particularly when I jump up from a seated position and go on a mission. I still think it has to do with that time of the month for me (yes i am still on it- it lasts at least two weeks, sometimes more for me) I just think I am still losing too much iron that is not being made up for by anything else. I generally do get very tired, very easily. Right now I am not tired, I just have to stand up slow… right? Yesterday, I had the whole afternoon to myself to lie around and read a book. I could have easily taken a nap but I wasn’t tired enough to fall asleep. I still think my energy stores are doing quite well.
I have a new favorite food: asparagus. I love it grilled on myGeorge Foreman grill with salt and cajun seasoning (which has been carefully reveiwed and is clear of any sugar). It was crunchy and delicious. I also found a soda made with stevia. it is wonderful in the evening when everyone else is snacking on chips and stuff that I can still have something a little sweet. I am probably drinking too much coffee, but I have always loved coffee and so I am okay with that. Because I tend to go for warmer drinks, I am not sure I am getting enough water, though I am putting forth an effort to refill my water cup everytime I get coffee and rotate the drinks.
I am very excited at the prospect of breaking free of the 140s within two weeks. I know if I stick with the protocol it will be no problem. I’ll keeo you posted.
Check out Shell's entire blog for the Finally Fit HCG Diet through Living with Motion Chiropractic. http://shellbella.blog.com/
Monday, May 9, 2011
Nearing the end of hCG week 2
It has been a few days. I did suffera mild plateau after eating birthday cake on Monday. It was fascinating to see the immediate result that one peice of cake had on my weight. I went up to 156-157 and stayed there for three days. By Thursday morning the scale started dropping again and today, Friday, I weighed in at 155 even. This is a half pound below my weight on Monday morning. Let me tell you that certainly helped me avoid those cookies at the seminar yesterday. They looked absolutely delicious, but I realized that I wasn’t willing to go through another three days plateau brought on by my own lack of willpower.
I am still not hungry, and I feel better every day. I honestly think my body is loving that everything it gets right now is easy to digest and good for it. I used to be tired and want a nap around 3-4 in the afternoon. Right now I could lie back and cuddle in a quilt, but I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if I tried. I have more energy the longer I stick with it and I am noticing that I am getting more done. I no longer need to sit and relax when I get home from work, instead, I am motivated to get dinner on the table and clean the kitchen. In my mind I am thinking that if I do that stuff first I will be able to enjoy my relaxation time even more.
As far as mental focus and clarity, I am not noticing any down sides. I have noticed that I have been a little more cranky than usual, but this only occurs when I am late in getting my lunch or dinner. I don’t feel hungry at any point, but I do notice that if I don’t have lunch prepared by 12:30 and dinner prepared by 6:30, things stress me out a little more. Of course, I have been stressed lately due to work issues so that also could account for some of it.
This week I have been feeling a little bloated. I am wondering if this is because of all the vegetables. I rarely eat veggies normally so I think my body is still getting used to roughage. I am not having consistent BMs, but that is probably because I am not eating much that I am not using.
As time goes on my cravings are shifting. I know that phase 3 of the diet allows me to add in fats and all kinds of fun stuff that I can’t have now. I really want cheese. I started this diet wanting cereal, swiss cake rolls, and macaroni and cheese… now I would just kill for one slice of American on top of my chicken.
I am finding more and more information and support groups on the web. On Sparkpeople.com there are a few private groups for hCG users and they are incredibly helpful. I even found a huge recipe book for this phase of my diet. What I am allowed to eat is very limited, but a chef who is succeeding on this diet realized that combining foods in different ways would help keep us hCG believers happy and motivated. I am going to find a few recipes to make for next week.
My favorite recipe this week has been a sweet and sour cabbage soup. OMG it is delicious. All that’s in it is chicken broth, cabbage, apple cider vinegar, and stevia. It has a tang to it but it is sweet as well. This is one recipe that will probably follow me even after the diet is over since it is such a great way to get in a serving of veggies, acv and a little extra protein. I just had that for lunch along with some cajun tilapia. That is another new favorite thing; I found a cajun seasoning with no sugar in it and it has been spicing up all of my food lately. The extra spice makes my meal feel a little more special so I really look forward to it rather than wishing I had that darned American cheese.
My finger nails and hair are looking beautiful right now, this hormone must be responsible for making your hair and nails grow during pregnancy.
I have told a couple of people about my diet plan and all of them seem very skeptical, or think I am crazy for eating so little. I have opted to tell most of them that my main reason is to regulate my thyroid. That is partially true since this diet has been known to have that effect, but my real reason is that I do want to be happy in my own skin. I am not entirely comfortable in my body right now and this is a fast, effective, and as far as I can tell, healthy method of reaching that goal. I have decided I will not talk about the diet in person anymore, but I am directing people who have questions to this blog. I will be happy to answer any questions, but I think many people immediately assume it is unhealthy to eat as little as I do, or that I am taking some radical drug that can’t be healthy. I mentioned before that I was ashamed of this diet. I am certain I will feel better about it when I have reached my 40th day and my goal weight, but until then I am pretending I am just trying to eat healthy, or that I had a big breakfast.
It is amazing how much of life revolves around food really. For my birthday a coworker wanted to take me to lunch, and my boss bought me a cake. At the conference yesterday, the first thing they tried to do was hand me a sugar cookie slathered with icing. People look at you funny when you say no thanks to something like that. Everyone loves cookies right? Well sure I do, I love cookies but I also love my size 8 jeans… and I would like to stay in them please. It’s no wonder people get overweight and can’t keep it off when there is so much pressure to eat rich foods.
Anyway, I am nearing the end of week two, which means only four more weeks of this. It is far easier than I ever thought it would be. I would say I am impressed with my will power, but it’s not will power. I want those foods I can’t have, sure, but I feel no motivation to grab them and put them in my mouth. I feed my girls whole eggs and toast, or peanut butter sandwiches all the time. I want one, I do, but my hand never even starts to bring it toward my mouth. I don’t know how to describe this mental disconnect. I am not controlling it, I am just doing it. Maybe that’s what Dr. Simeon meant when he said we are resetting the hypothalmus. Maybe he meant that food just wouldn’t be as important anymore. I’ve got this; I’ll keep you posted.
Related Post
Shell Bella's Full HCG Diet Blog
I am still not hungry, and I feel better every day. I honestly think my body is loving that everything it gets right now is easy to digest and good for it. I used to be tired and want a nap around 3-4 in the afternoon. Right now I could lie back and cuddle in a quilt, but I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if I tried. I have more energy the longer I stick with it and I am noticing that I am getting more done. I no longer need to sit and relax when I get home from work, instead, I am motivated to get dinner on the table and clean the kitchen. In my mind I am thinking that if I do that stuff first I will be able to enjoy my relaxation time even more.
As far as mental focus and clarity, I am not noticing any down sides. I have noticed that I have been a little more cranky than usual, but this only occurs when I am late in getting my lunch or dinner. I don’t feel hungry at any point, but I do notice that if I don’t have lunch prepared by 12:30 and dinner prepared by 6:30, things stress me out a little more. Of course, I have been stressed lately due to work issues so that also could account for some of it.
This week I have been feeling a little bloated. I am wondering if this is because of all the vegetables. I rarely eat veggies normally so I think my body is still getting used to roughage. I am not having consistent BMs, but that is probably because I am not eating much that I am not using.
As time goes on my cravings are shifting. I know that phase 3 of the diet allows me to add in fats and all kinds of fun stuff that I can’t have now. I really want cheese. I started this diet wanting cereal, swiss cake rolls, and macaroni and cheese… now I would just kill for one slice of American on top of my chicken.
I am finding more and more information and support groups on the web. On Sparkpeople.com there are a few private groups for hCG users and they are incredibly helpful. I even found a huge recipe book for this phase of my diet. What I am allowed to eat is very limited, but a chef who is succeeding on this diet realized that combining foods in different ways would help keep us hCG believers happy and motivated. I am going to find a few recipes to make for next week.
My favorite recipe this week has been a sweet and sour cabbage soup. OMG it is delicious. All that’s in it is chicken broth, cabbage, apple cider vinegar, and stevia. It has a tang to it but it is sweet as well. This is one recipe that will probably follow me even after the diet is over since it is such a great way to get in a serving of veggies, acv and a little extra protein. I just had that for lunch along with some cajun tilapia. That is another new favorite thing; I found a cajun seasoning with no sugar in it and it has been spicing up all of my food lately. The extra spice makes my meal feel a little more special so I really look forward to it rather than wishing I had that darned American cheese.
My finger nails and hair are looking beautiful right now, this hormone must be responsible for making your hair and nails grow during pregnancy.
I have told a couple of people about my diet plan and all of them seem very skeptical, or think I am crazy for eating so little. I have opted to tell most of them that my main reason is to regulate my thyroid. That is partially true since this diet has been known to have that effect, but my real reason is that I do want to be happy in my own skin. I am not entirely comfortable in my body right now and this is a fast, effective, and as far as I can tell, healthy method of reaching that goal. I have decided I will not talk about the diet in person anymore, but I am directing people who have questions to this blog. I will be happy to answer any questions, but I think many people immediately assume it is unhealthy to eat as little as I do, or that I am taking some radical drug that can’t be healthy. I mentioned before that I was ashamed of this diet. I am certain I will feel better about it when I have reached my 40th day and my goal weight, but until then I am pretending I am just trying to eat healthy, or that I had a big breakfast.
It is amazing how much of life revolves around food really. For my birthday a coworker wanted to take me to lunch, and my boss bought me a cake. At the conference yesterday, the first thing they tried to do was hand me a sugar cookie slathered with icing. People look at you funny when you say no thanks to something like that. Everyone loves cookies right? Well sure I do, I love cookies but I also love my size 8 jeans… and I would like to stay in them please. It’s no wonder people get overweight and can’t keep it off when there is so much pressure to eat rich foods.
Anyway, I am nearing the end of week two, which means only four more weeks of this. It is far easier than I ever thought it would be. I would say I am impressed with my will power, but it’s not will power. I want those foods I can’t have, sure, but I feel no motivation to grab them and put them in my mouth. I feed my girls whole eggs and toast, or peanut butter sandwiches all the time. I want one, I do, but my hand never even starts to bring it toward my mouth. I don’t know how to describe this mental disconnect. I am not controlling it, I am just doing it. Maybe that’s what Dr. Simeon meant when he said we are resetting the hypothalmus. Maybe he meant that food just wouldn’t be as important anymore. I’ve got this; I’ll keep you posted.
Related Post
Shell Bella's Full HCG Diet Blog
Thursday, April 28, 2011
I know I just posted yesterday, BUT
It is Sunday morning, meaning I started this diet one week ago today. I started my diet at 166 lbs. This morning, I weighed in at 155.6. I can’t argue with those results.
I have been told that losing 1-2 pounds a week is healthiest. This is because you are taking the time to learn new habits and you will then keep the weight off. Another reason for this is so you don’t have loose skin hanging around. If you lose weight slowly, your skin will adjust to fit its new mass. Well, I’ve lost 10 lbs in one week, actually I lost it in 5 days, because the first two days of this diet were all about loading up on fat.
Let’s talk about the side effects. There are a few of them, like the fact that I occasionally feel-well, lazy. If I can chose between getting up or staying seated I used to get up. At this point I don’t want to. I feel like I just want to stay seated as much as possible. This is okay because I do have a couple of good books to read. My three daughters have been taking turns being asked to refill my water or fetch me my phone. On that note I will say that once I am up, I am tending to get more productive work done. I am not the best housekeeper in the world, toys might stay on the floor until the next morning, clean clothes might wait in their basket until I am watching tv at night. Don’t get me started on dishes. Well, last night I stood up to greet my husband and girls when they got home from visiting family. I ended up cleaning the kitchen completely while I was up there. I think this might be because I am bored and don’t know what to do with myself since I can’t snack on anything.
At the same time, I feel restless. I actually feel like I am a little ADD, because I had the opportunity to sit and read a book last night. I not only started two different books, but I also jumped up without noticing my own actions, to take a shower. My brain is on active mode. I feel like I don’t quite know what to do with myself. I have found myself staying busy whenever I can. Like right now, I started writing this at 8am on a Sunday morning, a time when I would usually be snuggled in bed. When I woke up this morning I just didn’t want to lie around, I wanted to do something. This feels like the opposite of lazy I guess. I physically want to take a break, but mentally I want to be doing something.
Another side effect I just noticed last night as I suffered another bout of ADD and got out my nailpolish- I don’t usually paint my nails, because it will just chip off in two days- Was that my nails, which had been brittle and thin are actually thick and getting longer. They are honestly beautiful right now. I have not seen anything in any of the reveiws I read about this symptom. I don’t know if it is localized to me or not, but I do know that it is a change that has happened since last Friday, when I showed the short, broken stubs to my sister in law, the cosmetologist.
This particular side effect makes me happy, because I have heard in people who are depleted of nutrients, such as in anorexia, their hair and nails get worse, not better. I have compared this diet to anorexia, even though I am eating. This is because I am eating so little and abstaining from even healthy snacks not allowed by my diet. I am quickly finding that this comparison isn’t accurate, as apparently the fat I am “consuming” seems to be enough to keep me content.
Another side effect, and my favorite: You know how when you pinch certain parts of your belly or back and you can get quite a bit of fat in between your fingers? Well, I am noticing significantly smaller pinches every day. The me in the mirror is looking great. Since I have been working with a trainer to build muscle, I have been able to feel it under my fat layers but I have bnever been able to see it. This morning as I stood in front of the mirror I saw my abs. Even better, those arms I have been working so hard on are still solid. I was really afraid that with this diet I would lose muscle as my body struggled to find enough protein to survive. The hCG program says that your body will not feed on your muscle, but I didn’t really believe it. I mean, how on earth can this little bottle of drops tell your body to ONLY take the chubbles? I didn’t think it was possible, yet, as I stood in front of the mirror and flexed my bicep I saw it and felt it clearly. Not only is it not gone, but I can actually see it now. I found my muscles!
Finally, I kind of feel ashamed of this diet even now. I felt stupid initially for trying something that sounded “too good to be true,” and even now that I know it is working I have only told my mom and this blog how I am really losing the weight. Even my husband thinks I have just gone very strict on my diet. He wouldn’t notice the difference anyway, and would probably be upset that I paid so much for a miracle drug. That’s what I consider this, a miracle drug. My intention is to share this blog with some of my friends who are currently trying really hard to lose weight. But I don’t want to share it until after I have really been through it, after I have met my goal weigh and made it through six whole weeks. I will not promote something unless I am truly satisfied. For now I am astounded, my whole concept of weightloss and “too good to be true” has been altered.
I have tried hydroxycut, low calorie diets with exercise, the Atkins no carb diet, cleansing and detox, they all have worked for a short amount of time. None of them have worked so fast, and on each of them I regained any weight I lost within a month. The big difference between them and hCG is that the hCG is building a habit. I have heard that it takes 20 days to form or break a habit. That is, I think, why Dr. Simeon says it’s so important to stay on the VLCD for 21 days. The habits I am forming are to find other things to do when I am bored besides eat, to control portion sizes, to plan a well balanced meal with fruit, veggies, and lean proteins, and to view fruit as a dessert that you can look forward to as much as chocolate. yes folks, I am looking forward to my diced apple with cinnamon that I plan on having with lunch. I am looking forward to my cucumber with sea salt too.
This diet is getting easier and easier to stick to every day. Every time I see that scale drop again, every time I put on a smaller pair of pants, every time I pinch that one spot on my stomach that used to fill my hand, I remember why I am doing this. I think to myself, “is my stomach growling? am I really feeling hungry?” the answer is almost always no. Five more weeks to go, I got this.
Ckick here to follow Shell Bella HCG Blog
I have been told that losing 1-2 pounds a week is healthiest. This is because you are taking the time to learn new habits and you will then keep the weight off. Another reason for this is so you don’t have loose skin hanging around. If you lose weight slowly, your skin will adjust to fit its new mass. Well, I’ve lost 10 lbs in one week, actually I lost it in 5 days, because the first two days of this diet were all about loading up on fat.
Let’s talk about the side effects. There are a few of them, like the fact that I occasionally feel-well, lazy. If I can chose between getting up or staying seated I used to get up. At this point I don’t want to. I feel like I just want to stay seated as much as possible. This is okay because I do have a couple of good books to read. My three daughters have been taking turns being asked to refill my water or fetch me my phone. On that note I will say that once I am up, I am tending to get more productive work done. I am not the best housekeeper in the world, toys might stay on the floor until the next morning, clean clothes might wait in their basket until I am watching tv at night. Don’t get me started on dishes. Well, last night I stood up to greet my husband and girls when they got home from visiting family. I ended up cleaning the kitchen completely while I was up there. I think this might be because I am bored and don’t know what to do with myself since I can’t snack on anything.
At the same time, I feel restless. I actually feel like I am a little ADD, because I had the opportunity to sit and read a book last night. I not only started two different books, but I also jumped up without noticing my own actions, to take a shower. My brain is on active mode. I feel like I don’t quite know what to do with myself. I have found myself staying busy whenever I can. Like right now, I started writing this at 8am on a Sunday morning, a time when I would usually be snuggled in bed. When I woke up this morning I just didn’t want to lie around, I wanted to do something. This feels like the opposite of lazy I guess. I physically want to take a break, but mentally I want to be doing something.
Another side effect I just noticed last night as I suffered another bout of ADD and got out my nailpolish- I don’t usually paint my nails, because it will just chip off in two days- Was that my nails, which had been brittle and thin are actually thick and getting longer. They are honestly beautiful right now. I have not seen anything in any of the reveiws I read about this symptom. I don’t know if it is localized to me or not, but I do know that it is a change that has happened since last Friday, when I showed the short, broken stubs to my sister in law, the cosmetologist.
This particular side effect makes me happy, because I have heard in people who are depleted of nutrients, such as in anorexia, their hair and nails get worse, not better. I have compared this diet to anorexia, even though I am eating. This is because I am eating so little and abstaining from even healthy snacks not allowed by my diet. I am quickly finding that this comparison isn’t accurate, as apparently the fat I am “consuming” seems to be enough to keep me content.
Another side effect, and my favorite: You know how when you pinch certain parts of your belly or back and you can get quite a bit of fat in between your fingers? Well, I am noticing significantly smaller pinches every day. The me in the mirror is looking great. Since I have been working with a trainer to build muscle, I have been able to feel it under my fat layers but I have bnever been able to see it. This morning as I stood in front of the mirror I saw my abs. Even better, those arms I have been working so hard on are still solid. I was really afraid that with this diet I would lose muscle as my body struggled to find enough protein to survive. The hCG program says that your body will not feed on your muscle, but I didn’t really believe it. I mean, how on earth can this little bottle of drops tell your body to ONLY take the chubbles? I didn’t think it was possible, yet, as I stood in front of the mirror and flexed my bicep I saw it and felt it clearly. Not only is it not gone, but I can actually see it now. I found my muscles!
Finally, I kind of feel ashamed of this diet even now. I felt stupid initially for trying something that sounded “too good to be true,” and even now that I know it is working I have only told my mom and this blog how I am really losing the weight. Even my husband thinks I have just gone very strict on my diet. He wouldn’t notice the difference anyway, and would probably be upset that I paid so much for a miracle drug. That’s what I consider this, a miracle drug. My intention is to share this blog with some of my friends who are currently trying really hard to lose weight. But I don’t want to share it until after I have really been through it, after I have met my goal weigh and made it through six whole weeks. I will not promote something unless I am truly satisfied. For now I am astounded, my whole concept of weightloss and “too good to be true” has been altered.
I have tried hydroxycut, low calorie diets with exercise, the Atkins no carb diet, cleansing and detox, they all have worked for a short amount of time. None of them have worked so fast, and on each of them I regained any weight I lost within a month. The big difference between them and hCG is that the hCG is building a habit. I have heard that it takes 20 days to form or break a habit. That is, I think, why Dr. Simeon says it’s so important to stay on the VLCD for 21 days. The habits I am forming are to find other things to do when I am bored besides eat, to control portion sizes, to plan a well balanced meal with fruit, veggies, and lean proteins, and to view fruit as a dessert that you can look forward to as much as chocolate. yes folks, I am looking forward to my diced apple with cinnamon that I plan on having with lunch. I am looking forward to my cucumber with sea salt too.
This diet is getting easier and easier to stick to every day. Every time I see that scale drop again, every time I put on a smaller pair of pants, every time I pinch that one spot on my stomach that used to fill my hand, I remember why I am doing this. I think to myself, “is my stomach growling? am I really feeling hungry?” the answer is almost always no. Five more weeks to go, I got this.
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Friday, April 22, 2011
Shell Bella talks about her new diet, and the unfathomable results
I will continue to post the blog from a current patient with her consent on her path to losing weight with our HCG program. I hope this is informative for those currently going through the program or those that are thinking about starting the HCG diet. For more info contact Dr. Reineck at 513-831-4433 or visit www.livingwithmotion.com
So, The real reason I am writing this blog is because I wanted to record my new journey on the HCG diet. The HCG diet is a diet that uses the pregnancy hormone, HCG, to mobilize the fat stores in your body and use them as food.
Let me start by saying that I am NOT looking for the easy way out. I have an underactive thyroid and am being treated with levothyroxin. I have also been going to the gym 2-5 times a week. During the time I was going 5 times a week regularly, I only lost 4 pounds. It took me almost a year to lose 10lbs. My own mommy can attest, I was doing everything right.
I even ate healthy, I cut down portion sizes and chose healthy snacks. Our shopping habits had changed; we now went to Country Fresh Produce and loaded up on fresh veggies every week. I gave up soda and drank more water. Yes, I would indulge of course, but I always watched my calories. Nothing was working- even the hard, healthy way.
I did find a love for zumba, and a tolerance for some other cardio machines, so I will say that I have developed healthy habits. I don’t want to pretend I didn’t at least feel better while making healthy choices. I did. I just lost momentum because I was not seeing any progress. It was alot easier to say yes to a swiss cake roll or a big bowl of cereal, because, well, why the hell not? I mean, staying away from those things wasn’t helping those size 8 jeans fit comfortably. I realized I had to do something when I started drinking soda again. I was on a downward spiral that would lead to a big, fat, unhappy, and most importantly, unhealthy me.
When I first started going to the gym regularly and watching my diet, I weight 171lbs. I was a size 12. I know it’s not horrible, heck, not even above average in America. But you know how some girls look ok, and even pretty with a little fat on their face? I do not. I got down to 161 lbs while going to the gym and eating almost nothing. I then plateaud and even gained a little while still keeping up with the same diet. I did give myself Saturday and Sunday off, but during the week I ate very healthy. When I lost momentum I slowly crept back up to 166.
Back when I was pregnant I had a lot of back problems so I started seeing this chiropractor, Dr. Luke Reineck at Living With Motion. He was a nice guy, really easy to talk to. He also wanted his patients to know the cause of their discomfort and how it would progress with time. He didn’t just crack your back and send you on your way, he also gave you exercises to help build the strength of your spine so you won’t have to keep coming back for life. There’s a point to this. My baby is now 2 years old and I hadn’t seen Dr. Reineck since I had her, because when she left my uterus she took the back pain with her. I read a post he had put on Facebook about his weight loss plan, and since I had some time I went ahead a researched it.
It was the HCG plan. The science behind it is that some doctor guy noticed malnourished pregnant women were producing perfectly healthy babies. He attributed this to the HCG hormone, which activated the emergency fat stores in our body (hips, thighs, belly, back of the arms, ring a bell?) and used those fat stores to feed the baby. Well, this same concept would work with non-pregnant people, like myself, in activating my booty and turning it into food.
This doesn’t come free or easy though, it only works in a severely low calorie diet. 500 calories low. I kept coming across the same negative comments over and over again. “Anyone would lose weight without these drops on such a low amount of food.” I disagree, because I have tried low calorie diets. I had my trainer tell me I was eating too many calories and my doctor tell me I may not be eating enough for my weight. It’s so complicated that I never knew if I was doing it right or not. It was very frustrating. Like, I’m gonna go to McDonald’s and eat a 3 peice chicken selects meal WITH fries WITH ranch dressing AND a coke AND a cherry pie because nothing is working anyway and I might as well be FAAAAATTTT. (break down into sobs)
The HCG drops help in two ways with the low calories- First, if I were to go on a low calorie diet without HCG, my body would go into starvation mode and hold on to every little thing I ate, making it easier to gain weight in the long run. I am no scientist but I feel like this would also be detrimental to my already underactive thyroid. With HCG, your fat is actually food. I think what this means is that your body is tricked. It doesn’t know it’s not being fed so it doesn’t stop processing and flushing out what you are eating. According to the pamphlet I got from Dr. Reineck, the drops push from 2500-4000 extra fat calories into activity every day. Even I know that 3500 calories equals a pound. This makes sense when they say people lose from .5 to 1 lb a day on this plan. Second, because the HCG drops turn your fat into food, you shouldn’t feel like you are starving yourself. You don’t feel hungry because, well, you are “eating” plenty of calories.
So, Let me tell you how my first week went on the plan.
I started on Monday by meeting with Dr. Reineck for a consultation. I already knew I was going on this diet so I came prepared to pay. My goal is to lose 35 lbs. The ideal wieght for my height is 129, and I am aiming for 130. Dr. Reineck told me I could meet that goal in 43 days. He gave me the pamphlet that goes with the program, though I already knew most of the information because, well, I am not paying a ton of money for something I know nothing about. I did my research. We went through the packet together, and he told me to start with two days of fat loading. He actually told me to eat everything I wanted for the next two days and enjoy. He actually told me that it would be harmful to the program if I did not load enough fat. I lit up right away because I was thinking “McDonald’s.”
I spent the next two days eating everything I wanted. I made certain to eat my favorites that I knew I couldn’t have for the next 43 days. It was like preparing the last meal before going to the chair. In my mind, this strict diet woiuld be like death because I love food. I had my chicken selects. I had a lot of coke, even after coke didn’t sound good anymore. I made macaroni and cheese and ate most of it by myself. I had a raw hot dog, because, well, I could. I was already using the drops and honestly by dinner time of that second night I wasn’t hungry, I didn’t want to eat anymore.
My wieght did not go up these two days, but Dr. Reineck assured me that if it did it would be gone in three days. I was 165 on Tuesday night.
Wednesday morning brought fear. The program suggests that you skip breakfast, which I do anyway. It allows for all the coffee, tea, water, unsweetened and un-fake-sweetened drinks you could ask for. This includes freshly squeezed lemonade. The program pamphlet also gives some tasty drink recipes. I just loaded up on coffee that morning. Stevia and Xylitol are a natural calorie free sweeteners and are allowed on this program in moderation. I don’t know how moderate I have been really, because Stevia has been my savior this week. For dinner and lunch, I was to choose from a very short list one vegetable, one fruit, and one protein. The protein must be 3.5 oz pre-cooked. Which is kind of small. For lunch I had an apple, baked tilapia, and three celery stalks. I was not hungry when I was done, that small amount of food had satisfied me. I did have the munchies though. I am used to grabbing a little piece of chocolate or a handful of almonds as an afternoon snack. This is strictly forbidden. If I eat too many calories or the wrong food, the hcg would not work. I had to remind myself that I was not hungry and I did not deserve to be fat. It was easier to remind myself when I thought of the overall cost of the program. I’ll get to that part later though.
For dinner that night, I had half a grapefruit sweetened with truvia, three egg whites, and peppers. The pepper I had wasn’t really included on the plan, but I had to choose a different veggie than I had for lunch, and my choices were limited. That is another aspect of the diet, you should not eat the same fruit, veggie, and protein twice in the same day. This means that lunch and dinner should be totally different. I really wanted to eat a bowl of cereal when I got home that night. Wednesday is my long day at work and I am used to eating when I got home at 10. I tuned into my stomach, which told me it was not hungry. I had a cup of tea instead.
The next morning I weighed myself again. 164.2. I had lost a little over a pound in one day. I have never had results like this before. That was the motivation I needed to stick with the diet one more day to see what would happen. I should mention that I was skeptical. I wondered if the diet would really work without the hormones, or work at all. I was shocked when that number went down so fast, but I held that after two days of fat loading and one day of eating less than 500 calories, of course I would lose weight.
Tuesday and Thursday went much the same. I was ecstatic when I realized I could eat a whole cucumber, or a cup and a half of spinach. That meant I could chew longer, which made me feel more full. I also was really happy with the “dessert” which was my fruit. I had a grapefruit warmed with cinnamon and stevia, a bowl of strawberries- with stevia. I find myself looking forward to these healthy foods. Othe items allowed on this diet are mustard, seasonings, like garlic, one lemon a day- I use mine for lemonade, fat free chicken broth (2 cups a day), and hot peppers.
On Thursday night I made a chicken breast on the stove with chicken broth. I had one whole tomato diced with some hot peppers to make a salsa. I cut my chicken into really small pieces and had that with my salsa. It was the most delicious meal ever, if a little small. In short, if these meals are prepared correctly they really are delicious. Presentation is key here.
I had gone to the gym to work with my personal trainer on Thursday morning, too. This is probably why when I weighed myself on Friday morning I found a 3 lb loss. I was at 161.6. I won’t withhold here though. I didn’t feel hungry and i had no cravings, and I didn’t feel tired. I didn’t even feel tired when it was bedtime. I felt something else… I don’t know how to describe it, but I’ll try. It was a little weak, but not constantly. If I stand up too fast I get ligthheaded. This doesn’t happen all day, mostly at night when I am tired anyway. I think this may be a withdraw symptom of sorts. It is nothing too noticable, but it is there nonetheless.
It is now Saturday morning. I weigh 159.4 This is the lowest I have weighed since before I got pregnant with my third daughter. That is a 2lb loss from yesterday. I have lost 6 lbs in 3 days. I can’t deny that something is working. I am waiting to see if this HCG regulates the hypothalmus as it s supposed to do. Dr. Reineck even told me that it might regulate my thyroid, meaning I won’t have to be on levothyroxin once a day for the rest of my life once this diet is done. I am sitting here with my second cup of coffee, in my size 8 jeans. Yes, size 8. And they fit comfortably.
I still don’t know if I am crazy, or even if I will pass out from hunger on Monday when I have another long day at work. I am particularly concerned with brain function. I am a teacher, so I need to be firing on all four cylinders in order to best serve my students. Hopefully, in writing this blog, I have proven that my brain is working just fine as of now, but I am paying close attention to my focus and clarity.
I promised I would talk about cost, here goes. The 35 lb program (43 days) costs $300. I know this sounds steep, but let me put it this way. I have been paying a personal trainer since November. I have met with her once a week, sometimes twice a week since the second week in November. She costs $25 a session. I love my trainer, she is fun, she has taught me a lot, and I have seen muscles building under my fat layers. You do the math though. She has cost far more than this diet has, and this diet has already yielded the same results in one week that had taken months to produce before. I also am paying a $50 a month gym membership for my family, childcare included. If this one time, $300 plan can get me to my healthy weight in 43 days or less, I feel like I have made a smart choice. I will still be meeting with my trainer during this time because I also want to build new muscle, and on this plan I will actually be able to see those muscles without that layer of fat covering them.
This week has been incredible in so many ways. I am losing so much of that unwanted fat. I feel great (for the most part). I am developing healthier eating habits. And, I think this may be part of the plan, because supposedly this plan keeps you at a healthy weight for life, I am actually craving my healthy fish, spinach and strawberries for lunch. I have never in my life craved healthy food, always carbs and sugars. I will keep you updated.
Shell Bella
Related Video - HCG from Proven Company!
So, The real reason I am writing this blog is because I wanted to record my new journey on the HCG diet. The HCG diet is a diet that uses the pregnancy hormone, HCG, to mobilize the fat stores in your body and use them as food.
Let me start by saying that I am NOT looking for the easy way out. I have an underactive thyroid and am being treated with levothyroxin. I have also been going to the gym 2-5 times a week. During the time I was going 5 times a week regularly, I only lost 4 pounds. It took me almost a year to lose 10lbs. My own mommy can attest, I was doing everything right.
I even ate healthy, I cut down portion sizes and chose healthy snacks. Our shopping habits had changed; we now went to Country Fresh Produce and loaded up on fresh veggies every week. I gave up soda and drank more water. Yes, I would indulge of course, but I always watched my calories. Nothing was working- even the hard, healthy way.
I did find a love for zumba, and a tolerance for some other cardio machines, so I will say that I have developed healthy habits. I don’t want to pretend I didn’t at least feel better while making healthy choices. I did. I just lost momentum because I was not seeing any progress. It was alot easier to say yes to a swiss cake roll or a big bowl of cereal, because, well, why the hell not? I mean, staying away from those things wasn’t helping those size 8 jeans fit comfortably. I realized I had to do something when I started drinking soda again. I was on a downward spiral that would lead to a big, fat, unhappy, and most importantly, unhealthy me.
When I first started going to the gym regularly and watching my diet, I weight 171lbs. I was a size 12. I know it’s not horrible, heck, not even above average in America. But you know how some girls look ok, and even pretty with a little fat on their face? I do not. I got down to 161 lbs while going to the gym and eating almost nothing. I then plateaud and even gained a little while still keeping up with the same diet. I did give myself Saturday and Sunday off, but during the week I ate very healthy. When I lost momentum I slowly crept back up to 166.
Back when I was pregnant I had a lot of back problems so I started seeing this chiropractor, Dr. Luke Reineck at Living With Motion. He was a nice guy, really easy to talk to. He also wanted his patients to know the cause of their discomfort and how it would progress with time. He didn’t just crack your back and send you on your way, he also gave you exercises to help build the strength of your spine so you won’t have to keep coming back for life. There’s a point to this. My baby is now 2 years old and I hadn’t seen Dr. Reineck since I had her, because when she left my uterus she took the back pain with her. I read a post he had put on Facebook about his weight loss plan, and since I had some time I went ahead a researched it.
It was the HCG plan. The science behind it is that some doctor guy noticed malnourished pregnant women were producing perfectly healthy babies. He attributed this to the HCG hormone, which activated the emergency fat stores in our body (hips, thighs, belly, back of the arms, ring a bell?) and used those fat stores to feed the baby. Well, this same concept would work with non-pregnant people, like myself, in activating my booty and turning it into food.
This doesn’t come free or easy though, it only works in a severely low calorie diet. 500 calories low. I kept coming across the same negative comments over and over again. “Anyone would lose weight without these drops on such a low amount of food.” I disagree, because I have tried low calorie diets. I had my trainer tell me I was eating too many calories and my doctor tell me I may not be eating enough for my weight. It’s so complicated that I never knew if I was doing it right or not. It was very frustrating. Like, I’m gonna go to McDonald’s and eat a 3 peice chicken selects meal WITH fries WITH ranch dressing AND a coke AND a cherry pie because nothing is working anyway and I might as well be FAAAAATTTT. (break down into sobs)
The HCG drops help in two ways with the low calories- First, if I were to go on a low calorie diet without HCG, my body would go into starvation mode and hold on to every little thing I ate, making it easier to gain weight in the long run. I am no scientist but I feel like this would also be detrimental to my already underactive thyroid. With HCG, your fat is actually food. I think what this means is that your body is tricked. It doesn’t know it’s not being fed so it doesn’t stop processing and flushing out what you are eating. According to the pamphlet I got from Dr. Reineck, the drops push from 2500-4000 extra fat calories into activity every day. Even I know that 3500 calories equals a pound. This makes sense when they say people lose from .5 to 1 lb a day on this plan. Second, because the HCG drops turn your fat into food, you shouldn’t feel like you are starving yourself. You don’t feel hungry because, well, you are “eating” plenty of calories.
So, Let me tell you how my first week went on the plan.
I started on Monday by meeting with Dr. Reineck for a consultation. I already knew I was going on this diet so I came prepared to pay. My goal is to lose 35 lbs. The ideal wieght for my height is 129, and I am aiming for 130. Dr. Reineck told me I could meet that goal in 43 days. He gave me the pamphlet that goes with the program, though I already knew most of the information because, well, I am not paying a ton of money for something I know nothing about. I did my research. We went through the packet together, and he told me to start with two days of fat loading. He actually told me to eat everything I wanted for the next two days and enjoy. He actually told me that it would be harmful to the program if I did not load enough fat. I lit up right away because I was thinking “McDonald’s.”
I spent the next two days eating everything I wanted. I made certain to eat my favorites that I knew I couldn’t have for the next 43 days. It was like preparing the last meal before going to the chair. In my mind, this strict diet woiuld be like death because I love food. I had my chicken selects. I had a lot of coke, even after coke didn’t sound good anymore. I made macaroni and cheese and ate most of it by myself. I had a raw hot dog, because, well, I could. I was already using the drops and honestly by dinner time of that second night I wasn’t hungry, I didn’t want to eat anymore.
My wieght did not go up these two days, but Dr. Reineck assured me that if it did it would be gone in three days. I was 165 on Tuesday night.
Wednesday morning brought fear. The program suggests that you skip breakfast, which I do anyway. It allows for all the coffee, tea, water, unsweetened and un-fake-sweetened drinks you could ask for. This includes freshly squeezed lemonade. The program pamphlet also gives some tasty drink recipes. I just loaded up on coffee that morning. Stevia and Xylitol are a natural calorie free sweeteners and are allowed on this program in moderation. I don’t know how moderate I have been really, because Stevia has been my savior this week. For dinner and lunch, I was to choose from a very short list one vegetable, one fruit, and one protein. The protein must be 3.5 oz pre-cooked. Which is kind of small. For lunch I had an apple, baked tilapia, and three celery stalks. I was not hungry when I was done, that small amount of food had satisfied me. I did have the munchies though. I am used to grabbing a little piece of chocolate or a handful of almonds as an afternoon snack. This is strictly forbidden. If I eat too many calories or the wrong food, the hcg would not work. I had to remind myself that I was not hungry and I did not deserve to be fat. It was easier to remind myself when I thought of the overall cost of the program. I’ll get to that part later though.
For dinner that night, I had half a grapefruit sweetened with truvia, three egg whites, and peppers. The pepper I had wasn’t really included on the plan, but I had to choose a different veggie than I had for lunch, and my choices were limited. That is another aspect of the diet, you should not eat the same fruit, veggie, and protein twice in the same day. This means that lunch and dinner should be totally different. I really wanted to eat a bowl of cereal when I got home that night. Wednesday is my long day at work and I am used to eating when I got home at 10. I tuned into my stomach, which told me it was not hungry. I had a cup of tea instead.
The next morning I weighed myself again. 164.2. I had lost a little over a pound in one day. I have never had results like this before. That was the motivation I needed to stick with the diet one more day to see what would happen. I should mention that I was skeptical. I wondered if the diet would really work without the hormones, or work at all. I was shocked when that number went down so fast, but I held that after two days of fat loading and one day of eating less than 500 calories, of course I would lose weight.
Tuesday and Thursday went much the same. I was ecstatic when I realized I could eat a whole cucumber, or a cup and a half of spinach. That meant I could chew longer, which made me feel more full. I also was really happy with the “dessert” which was my fruit. I had a grapefruit warmed with cinnamon and stevia, a bowl of strawberries- with stevia. I find myself looking forward to these healthy foods. Othe items allowed on this diet are mustard, seasonings, like garlic, one lemon a day- I use mine for lemonade, fat free chicken broth (2 cups a day), and hot peppers.
On Thursday night I made a chicken breast on the stove with chicken broth. I had one whole tomato diced with some hot peppers to make a salsa. I cut my chicken into really small pieces and had that with my salsa. It was the most delicious meal ever, if a little small. In short, if these meals are prepared correctly they really are delicious. Presentation is key here.
I had gone to the gym to work with my personal trainer on Thursday morning, too. This is probably why when I weighed myself on Friday morning I found a 3 lb loss. I was at 161.6. I won’t withhold here though. I didn’t feel hungry and i had no cravings, and I didn’t feel tired. I didn’t even feel tired when it was bedtime. I felt something else… I don’t know how to describe it, but I’ll try. It was a little weak, but not constantly. If I stand up too fast I get ligthheaded. This doesn’t happen all day, mostly at night when I am tired anyway. I think this may be a withdraw symptom of sorts. It is nothing too noticable, but it is there nonetheless.
It is now Saturday morning. I weigh 159.4 This is the lowest I have weighed since before I got pregnant with my third daughter. That is a 2lb loss from yesterday. I have lost 6 lbs in 3 days. I can’t deny that something is working. I am waiting to see if this HCG regulates the hypothalmus as it s supposed to do. Dr. Reineck even told me that it might regulate my thyroid, meaning I won’t have to be on levothyroxin once a day for the rest of my life once this diet is done. I am sitting here with my second cup of coffee, in my size 8 jeans. Yes, size 8. And they fit comfortably.
I still don’t know if I am crazy, or even if I will pass out from hunger on Monday when I have another long day at work. I am particularly concerned with brain function. I am a teacher, so I need to be firing on all four cylinders in order to best serve my students. Hopefully, in writing this blog, I have proven that my brain is working just fine as of now, but I am paying close attention to my focus and clarity.
I promised I would talk about cost, here goes. The 35 lb program (43 days) costs $300. I know this sounds steep, but let me put it this way. I have been paying a personal trainer since November. I have met with her once a week, sometimes twice a week since the second week in November. She costs $25 a session. I love my trainer, she is fun, she has taught me a lot, and I have seen muscles building under my fat layers. You do the math though. She has cost far more than this diet has, and this diet has already yielded the same results in one week that had taken months to produce before. I also am paying a $50 a month gym membership for my family, childcare included. If this one time, $300 plan can get me to my healthy weight in 43 days or less, I feel like I have made a smart choice. I will still be meeting with my trainer during this time because I also want to build new muscle, and on this plan I will actually be able to see those muscles without that layer of fat covering them.
This week has been incredible in so many ways. I am losing so much of that unwanted fat. I feel great (for the most part). I am developing healthier eating habits. And, I think this may be part of the plan, because supposedly this plan keeps you at a healthy weight for life, I am actually craving my healthy fish, spinach and strawberries for lunch. I have never in my life craved healthy food, always carbs and sugars. I will keep you updated.
Shell Bella
Related Video - HCG from Proven Company!
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