Prevention Archives - Page 2 of 2

Nutritional Benefits of the Avocado

By Kyra / February 16, 2013

Basics: The avocado is a fruit (not a vegetable) originally found in the Central Mexico region, which ripens after it is picked. There are more than 500 of varieties of avocado and it has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. It is also known as the alligator pear because of its scaly skin. The outside skin and the pit are inedible, despite millennia of efforts (I mean, they are edible, sort of like gravel is technically edible). Avocados were first introduced to the United States in 1871, when Judge R.B. Ord planted three trees in Santa Barbara, California.
Creamy Deliciousness & Nutritious!: While avocados have a high caloric count (one avocado is 320 calories), the various nutrients and “healthy” fats make it a must-eat. Some call the avocado the alphabet fruit because of all the vitamins it contains. One avocado provides your body with vitamins A, C, E, K and B6, along with an enormous amount of potassium and “healthy” fat. Perhaps the biggest health benefit of avocados is that by adding avocado to certain foods, you can improve your absorption of nutrients. This means that when you combine other fat burning foods with avocado, you can improve your nutrient absorption up to 400%! Avocados can also reduce the signs of aging, regulate blood sugar and improve eye health.
Good for the Heart: The fat content of an avocado provides protection against heart diseases. Studies have shown that oleic acid improves cardiovascular health. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in avocados. Many people now take supplements in order to consume more omega-3 fatty acids to lower their risk of heart disease. Avocados are rich in omega-3, delivering 160 milligrams per cup of alpha-linolenic acid.
Vegetarians and Vegans Rejoice – Protein!: Avocados provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocados also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian or vegan seeking more protein, avocados are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet.
Logistics of your Avocado: Here a couple of choice items to chew over. Once an avocado is picked, it takes between 7 and 10 days to ripen. Keeping it in the refrigerator will slow down the ripening process, while putting it in a paper bag with a ripe apple will speed up the process. Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit. The first Haas avocado tree is still alive and producing fruit. Brazilians add avocados to their ice cream and Indonesians make avocado shakes (see below).

Bet You Didn’t Know:

On average, 53.5 million pounds of guacamole are eaten every Super Bowl Sunday, enough to cover a football field more than 20 feet thick.

To-do:

It’s time to start thinking of avocados as a regular diet supplement rather than a frisky Saturday treat. Get them into your daily diet in salads, on sandwiches or just plain. Start changing the way people view them and you will see more of them around.

Recipes:

Avocado_Kiley_Dumas Simple is Best! No fancy additions. No cilantro or tomatoes (or salsa!) or any of that nonsense – no Sir! – just plain avocado mashed up and eaten with some lovely blue corn chips. And that’s one of my recipes for you today.

Indonesian-style avocado shake

You Haven’t Done This Before:

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Eating, Prevention

Love for your eczema

By Kyra / May 3, 2012

A skin disorder that flies below the wire. Can be irritating. So whats to do?

Understanding why you get it. Good start. Can be triggered by this and that and blahdie blahdie BLAH!

WHY. Because your skin is a reflection of your internal health status. Your gut is upset, you might have acne on your face. Your hormones are out of balance, you might have breakouts under the chin. You don’t drink enough water, your skin might be scaly. Even the wrinkles on your face tell a story!

My middle son Kai has a list of issues that we have been working with. Since birth. So when a new one came around, a patch of skin that turns out to be ECZEMA, I was like…REALLY? Another thing.

We work REAL hard to keep the allergies and asthma/heart stuff in check, so I was thinking, “OK. His nutritional status is exceptional. So the eczema solution might not be in the nutrition department.”

Then I looked in my bathroom cupboard filled with wonderful things. And spied on what I used on my face for acne that helps me a TON.

tea-tree-and-lavender

Tea tree and lavender mixed one to one. These are Young Living Essential Oils, as I value the quality. You might ask why they work?

Food is medicine. Plants are medicine.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca): antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti fungal, antiviral = GOOOOOD Stuff.

Lavender: antiseptic, pain reliever = GOOOOOD Stuff too. And smells wonderful. Very calming.

So for Kai’s spot of eczema. Worked like a charm. Week or so of 2 applications a day. Presto. And STRONG encouragement not to itch. 🙂

If you want to try it. Give me a shout. You can purchase the oils through me or I can make up some to try.

These two together = FIRST AIDE.

Diet, Eating, Prevention

Parkinson’s – Your Diet can have a POSITIVE impact.

By Kyra / December 3, 2011

Here is some information I have put together from various sources and time spent doing research. The information is meant to give you food for thought. Ask your doctor. Do some research. I’m upset at the fact that of all of the people I know with Parkinson’s, their MD’s are telling them that their diet can have an impact. Some of this information isn’t in layman’s terms, so bear with it. Use it as a bouncing off point to go learn more yourself. Information is POWER.

Hear me please: YOUR DIET CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT!

(NaturalNews) Parkinson’s disease is the second most common degenerative disorder of the central nervous system after Alzheimer’s disease. It is estimated that 1% of individuals over the age of 65 are diagnosed with this disorder. Lifestyle can have an impact on Parkinson’s disease.

(bonnie) CHECK THIS OUT:
In general, it is agreed that it is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting adults over the age of 65. Diagnoses of the Disease in adults between the ages of 40 and 65 has increased in the past few decades, though as yet there is no attributable cause. Because of its relatively slow progress, a person diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease may live another 40-50 years, with increasing disability.

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One person in every 200 will be diagnosed with the Disease in their lifetime.

One out of every 100 people over 60 in the United States will be diagnosed with the Disease.

There are over 50,000 new diagnosed cases of the disease in the United States every year.

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(NaturalNews) Parkinson’s particularly affects a region of the basal ganglia called the substantia nigra. The basal ganglia are a group of brain structures that utilize dopamine as their primary neurotransmitter. Neuronal loss in these regions is associated with brain cell inflammation and the formation of cross-linked proteins called Lewy bodies in the remaining nerve cells. Lewy bodies are protein aggregates that form and block normal cellular activity.

The most common symptoms of Parkinson’s include movement related disorders such as shaking, rigidity, difficulty walking and slowness of movement. As the disease progresses, it leads to cognitive and behavioral problems such as dementia, insomnia and irritability.

Type II Diabetes Dramatically Increases Parkinson Disease Risk

Researchers in Finland have found that individuals with type II diabetes have an 83% greater risk of developing Parkinson’s. Elevated blood sugar is known to link with protein structures in a process called glycation. This reaction of reducing sugars connecting to amino acids creates advanced glycolytic enzymes (AGE’s). AGE’s are especially dangerous and create massive amounts of free radicals.

AGE damage in the basal ganglia region is associated with Lewy body formation. These structures are created and aggregate in the basal ganglia due to excessive oxidative stress within the sensitive neuronal tissues. Oxidative stress in the brain is most commonly associated with blood sugar imbalances and environmental toxins (such as heavy metals and organic toxins like pesticides and herbicides).

British studies have linked users of conventional herbicide weed killers and pesticide fly killers to be almost twice as likely to form Parkinson’s disease. Many of these products kill weeds and bugs by affecting protein chemistry within the organism. This seems to clearly have deleterious effects on humans as well. The greatest potential sources of exposure include crop spraying, weed killers, pesticides and insecticides used in the garden, and fly sprays and ant powders used in the home.

The key to preventing and reversing Parkinson’s disease is to begin with an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle. This includes lots of clean water and phytonutrient rich raw and lightly cooked vegetables. Good fats such as avocados, olive oil, nuts/seeds and coconut products should be strongly encouraged. Healthy animal products such as grass-fed beef, bison, lamb, antelope, deer and free-range chicken, turkey and eggs are also good sources.

Sugar and food sources that metabolize into sugar such as grains and fruits should be used minimally. Anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, and rosemary among others should be used at every possible chance.

High quality omega-3 fatty acids with astaxanthin are especially important for stabilizing neuronal cell membranes. Astaxanthin has very strong anti-oxidant effects that are especially good at protecting against lipid peroxidation, which damages cell membranes.

It is very important for individuals, who are suffering from Parkinson’s or are susceptible to the disease, to boost intracellular glutathione levels. Glutathione (GSH) is a very special peptide molecule that provides the greatest anti-oxidant protection and recharges other anti-oxidants within the body. Non-denatured, grass-fed whey protein is the best natural food source for glutathione precursors such as cysteine and glutamic acid.

And it comes full circle. Check out my article on GLUTATHIONE. Check out JUICE PLUS. So many key antioxidants and power ingredients that each and every cell needs to function and protect itself. Make a positive impact. Right now!

The Role of Antioxidants in the Endurance Athlete – By Dr. David Phillips

By Kyra / November 15, 2011

The Role of Antioxidants in the Endurance Athlete

by David Phillips M.D.

Much has been talked about in the sports and science community about the adverse affects of prolonged and strenuous exercise as it relates to the production of free radicals in an athlete’s body. What are these byproducts of aerobic exercise and why are they damaging to the human body? More importantly, what role do antioxidants play in neutralizing these damaging molecules and what can we as athletes do to facilitate this protective process?

The ‘Radical’ Concept

Free radicals are highly reactive species produced during various molecular processes in the human body. While environmental factors such as pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke can spawn free radicals, in this article we will focus on those free radicals produced during endurance exercise.

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd or unpaired number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed, these reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, similar to a domino effect. In other words, these compounds attack the nearest stable molecule, “stealing” its electrons in order to gain stability. When the “attacked” molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started it can cascade, resulting in the disruption of a living cell. Free radical damage not only contributes to accelerated aging, it also causes damage to immune cells. It’s not uncommon for endurance athletes such as triathletes or marathoners to have a higher incidence of colds and upper respiratory infections after competition and intense training. Free radical damage to cellular DNA plays a significant role in the evolution of certain cancers, heart disease and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Exercise and Oxidative Damage

Endurance exercise can increase oxygen utilization from 10 to 20 times over the resting state and up to 100 to 200 times in working muscles. This greatly increases the generation of free radicals via oxidative metabolism in skeletal mitochondria. Fortunately, the body has an elaborate antioxidant defense system that utilizes dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins and minerals as well as our body’s own enzyme systems to decrease concentrations of the most harmful oxidants in tissues. Regular endurance training has been shown to enhance our internal antioxidant defense system, these changes of which occur slowly over time and appear to parallel other adaptations to exercise. When free radical production exceeds the ability of antioxidant enzymes and nutritionally obtained antioxidants to neutralize them, oxidative stress results. So, what can we as endurance athletes do to minimize the damage caused by the inevitable overflow of free radicals during training and competition?

Fruits and Vegetables: The Power of the Pyramid!

A recent change in dietary intake of fruits and vegetables by the USDA has placed a greater emphasis on increasing our daily consumption from the previous 5-7 servings a day to 7-9 servings and up to 13 servings or more for endurance athletes! Vitamins C, E, and beta carotene are the primary vitamin antioxidants. Previous research looking into the effects of supplementing our diets with these isolated nutrients has yielded equivocal results. Once thought to be beneficial to cardiac health, isolated vitamin E supplementation has now been questioned. Beta carotene supplements have been shown to increase lung cancer in smokers as well as contribute to thickening of the lining of arteries.

Recent studies now point to the synergistic role of numerous antioxidants obtained from the consumption of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables. Therefore, a diet rich in naturally occurring antioxidants appears to outweigh the risks inherent to supplementing one’s diet with isolated laboratory made supplements. Furthermore, various key trace minerals such as zinc, selenium and manganese found in naturally occurring foods are needed for the proper functioning of various endogenous antioxidant enzymes.

Training Right, Eating Right: Final Thoughts

The endurance athlete faces a challenge of balancing daily aerobic exercise with preventative measures that minimize the damaging affects of oxidative stress. Clearly, fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants are vital to this balance. Many of us may find it difficult to consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables to achieve this balance. For those who are unable to take in enough daily produce, cryoevaporated fruits and vegetables in capsule form, such as Juice Plus+, make it possible to supplement what we are not able to consume when we visit the salad bar. Antioxidant supplementation helps to bridge the gap between what we eat on a daily basis (what we know we should be eating!) and the optimal amount of phytonutrients needed to combat the damaging effects of oxidative stress.

As endurance athletes, it is important to be aware of not only the benefits of aerobic exercise but the potentially negative aspects training and racing can have on our bodies and long term health. Finding a healthy balance between training and proper nutrition will go a long way in promoting longevity in any endurance athletic activity.

David-Phillips David Phillips, M.D. graduated in 1984 from Harvard University where he earned academic honors and was an All-American swimmer. He received his medical degree from Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio. After practicing as an emergency room physician, Dr. Phillips shifted his focus to sports medicine. He has competed individually in national and international triathlons including the 2005 Ford Ironman World Championships, and qualified as a member of Team USA at the 2008 International Triathlon Union World Championships in Vancouver.

Eating, Education, Prevention

Power Food, A Green Smoothie for a Vibrant Face, kick sugar, detox liver

By Kyra / March 13, 2011

Your Face – Your Health meets the Green Smoothie

Everyone would love love love to have the Vogue model’s skin. Did you know that your skin is a direct reflection of your health status. Your skin and your mouth. Interesting. Toxins and what not, not filtered by the filtration systems in the body try to come out the skin. And sometimes get stuck. Acne. Eczema. Etc. And winkles. Wrinkles are not just caused by the sun. Free radicals, a natural bio-product of living and breathing and blinking and all the other mundane stuff that we do; those bad boys hurt our skin cells and cause wrinkles. And a whole plethora of other things that generally cause us to be ill, unhappy and die. What about those brown spots on your skin. Age spots. Those aren’t just a normal thing to happen to the skin, but an indication that perhaps your liver isn’t filtering out all the toxins and the body and needing to put it somewhere, puts the toxins in the skin. OUCH!

All of this information is from a great book, Do You Have the Guts to Be Beautiful. Written by Jennifer Daniels, MD and Mitra Ray, PH.D. Check them out at www.fromheretolongevity.com. Wonderful stuff. It’s simple stuff that they suggest, down to earth, holistic and generally very accessible for all.

So lets chat about this green smoothie. YUM YUM YUM. My experience with it is that it has taken away my sugar cravings. And that’s a MIRACLE. It will do a ton of good things for you. Get rid of wrinkles, age spots and sags under the eyes. The kale that you use in the smoothie is one of the most nutrient dense veggies around and we generally only find it on our plate as a garnish at the restaurants. And we probably don’t eat it. It’s great great great for you. And in the smoothie, you won’t taste it. 2 out of three of my kids will DOWN the smoothie. Ha ha ha. Mom wins one!!! Or I could probably call that two or three with all the nutrition in it. Not to mention how healthy flax seed is for you. Fiber and a natural source of omega-3. Good stuff for the heart. Freshly ground is best, from the bag is better than nothing.

More from the book, because it’s so very interesting. Get a mirror and see what you see.

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Horizontal Lines above eyebrows – waster accumulation in your intestines
Vertical lines between eyebrows – liver is not removing poisons
Bags under the eyes – Eating bread, sugars, processed juices, pastas
Blue circles under eyes – Bread and diary
Big ears/ nose getting a bulb with age – hormones in animal products

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And the list goes on.

Check the book out. Or look for one of our Facial/Smoothie parties. Fascinating.

Back to the smoothie

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Kale: A Power Food

Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber in the daily diet. The “Icing on the Kale” are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let’s not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion. Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body’s detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation.

So, check this thought out!!! There is a SUPER easy way to get your kids to eat kale. Fantastic! Don’t worry about working too hard on this smoothly. I start with putting some water or good juice in, or a bit of both, turning on the blender and then start adding stuff in while it’s running. Of course I tend to make a big mess so…Point is, just rinse off the kale and then rip off the leafy parts off the big thick stalk. When you leave the blender running long enough, it gets chopped up just fine.

You can play around with what you put in for liquid. Plain water, 1/2 juice. Maybe think about something with less sugar. For the kids, you might be more successful when you add some juice. Motts Light Apple Juice is a great choice.

Flax seed: Another Power Food

Although flaxseed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients:

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Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods
Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.

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Recent studies have suggested that flaxseed may have a protective effect against cancer, particularly breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. At least two of the components in flaxseed seem to contribute, says Kelley C. Fitzpatrick, M.Sc., director of health and nutrition with the Flax Council of Canada. In animal studies, the plant omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed, called ALA, inhibited tumor incidence and growth. Further, the lignans in flaxseed may provide some protection against cancers that are sensitive to hormones. Some studies have suggested that exposure to lignans during adolescence helps reduce the risk of breast cancer, Thompson says.

Lignans may help protect against cancer by:

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Blocking enzymes that are involved in hormone metabolism.
Interfering with the growth and spread of tumor cells.

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Some of the other components in flaxseed also have antioxidant properties, which may contribute to protection against cancer and heart disease.

Concerning getting the flax seed into the smoothie. I bought a cheap walmart coffee bean grinder for a $10 bill and that’s all that I use it for. You can get flaxseed very cheaply at Whole Foods or Green Acres out of the bins, put it in a plastic pour container and presto, ready to go. Flaxseed is nutritionally best when freshly ground, so take a minute, pour some in the grinder, squeeze, release, squeeze, release, turn the grinder upside down, tap tap tap and pour into blender.

milk-thistle Milk Thistle: DON’T SKIP. Powder, pill or liquid. I like the liquid.

Perhaps the most important milk thistle benefits are its effects on the liver. The liver is one of the most important organs in the body, breaking down nutrients and cleaning the body out. Milk thistle detoxifies the liver as well as protects it against damage from toxins, alcohol and other negative effects. Milk thistle benefits the liver in other ways as well: it promotes regeneration and repair of liver cells, reverses liver damage and is very helpful in the treatment of hepatitis and cirrhosis. Some milk thistle clinical trials show that milk thistle benefits may include reducing inflammation, decreasing excessive skin cell growth and helping treat endometriosis. You can buy milk thistle from whole foods or amazon.

Today I’m in need of more fiber, iron and protein, so I’m adding in the most awesome meal/powder stuff around. Totally my opinion. The stuff has nice blend of plant protein, not just soy and an assortment of yummy stuff like wheat grass and spirulina…the list goes on and on. And NO ADDED SUGAR. So for a blender, which is generally two servings, I add a scope or two, depending on if you want a full serving a goodness or not. Two scopes might make it a bit powdery in texture though. More information on this product can be found on the nutrition link of this website. Or you can connect with me.

Ok. Here is the ONLY RULE for making this smoothie. HAVE FUN WITH IT. If you don’t like the taste at first, 1/2 the kale. You might ask what a “fleshy fruit” is. When in doubt, just add something in there. Frozen mix is great. Then you don’t need ice if you like your smoothies cold. Pineapple, mango, strawberries are all great choices. Experiment. Worst thing that can happen is you either pucker when you drink it or you throw it out for the dogs. No biggie. Have fun. Have your kids help you. Do it everyday.

If you try and like, leave a comment on my blog. Or share what you really like in your smoothie. Just another thought…what you eat can have a big big big impact on your face. Think about this, there are a ton of people when they eat chocolate, they break out. So the reverse logic…it’s totally true. And know that when your skin becomes more vibrant, it’s reflecting a body that is more healthy, inside to out!!! Happy drinking!

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