The SuperFood Power of Goji Berries

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered superfoods.  These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids. Goji berries contain an extraordinary amount of unique nutrients and anti-oxidants , which give them amazing power as a superfood in our diets.

Goji berries are classically grown from an evergreen shrub found in China, Mongolia, and in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet.  Goji berries are also called wolfberries in many of these countries.  These berries are a member of the Solanaceae family of plants that is also called nightshade veggies.  The relatives include tomato, potato, peppers, eggplant, tomatillo, and tobacco.

Goji Berries are Loaded with Nutrition

Goji berries contain all 18 amino acids as well as mega doses of vitamin A (beta carotene), B1, B2, B6, and vitamin E.  Goji berries also contain more vitamin C by weight than any other food on Earth.  They also contain more iron than spinach as well as 21 other key trace minerals.  Goji’s are extremely rich in the unique phytonutrient anti-oxidants lutein and zeaxanthin ,which are some of the most important nutrients for healthy eyes and a healthy nervous system.

Goji berries are also rich in unique compounds known as Lycium barbarum polysaccharides.  These nutrients have been shown to enhance immunity and have a similar chemical structure to immune stimulating compounds within maitake mushrooms and Echinacea.   These polysaccharides provide immune cells with special sugars that enable them to communicate more effectively.

Key Polysaccarides Enhance Immunity

These polysaccharides are also one of the preferred fuel sources of good intestinal bacteria, bacteria which also helps to orchestrate a healthy immune response . By supporting the immune cells and probiotic cells with their preferred fuel, these polysaccharides present in goji berries modulate immunity and reduce inflammation.   Famous author and pharmacist Earl Mindell believes that these polysaccharides are master molecules because of their influence on many of the body’s biochemical defense systems.

These polysaccharides are very effective at enhancing detoxification within the body.  They aid in the removal of metabolic waste products such as lactic acid that accumulates in muscles during exertion.  They also support the liver and protect it from damage that may occur during intense periods of exercise.

In Asia, goji berries have been used as a cultural medicinal for inflammatory based disorders such as asthma, allergies, chronic pain, and cancer.  The polysaccharides also show promise in blunting auto-immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn’s disease.

Goji Berries Stimulate HGH

Goji berries are also a rich source of sesquiterpenoids which help to stimulate human growth hormone secretion by the pituitary gland.  This is the only known food source that is known to stimulate HGH.  Additionally, goji berries contain L-arginine and L-glutamine along with potassium.  These nutrients further promote growth hormone production.

These key nutrients synergize to have a very powerful effect on the key endocrine glands such as the adrenals, thymus, thyroid, and pituitary.  Goji berries can be classified as an adaptogenic aid in that they enhance the body’s ability to successfully adapt to stress.  This unique array of supernutrients make goji berries one of the world’s premier foods for optimal performance and longevity.

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Fibromyalgia – Natural Remedies

Fibromyalgia is a chronic inflammatory condition consisting of muscular and joint pain and fatigue.  Three to five percent of the population suffers with this condition; more than eighty percent are women.  This is one of the fastest growing disabling conditions in the US. You can beat Fibromyalgia with natural lifestyle strategies.

Fibromyalgia is classically diagnosed with positive reaction to 11 of 18 specific tender point sites on the body.  Other classic findings include chronic fatigue, sleep challenges, normal blood tests, and a history of widespread pain, particularly in the neck and back. It is believed to be a chronic inflammatory condition of the muscle fascia.

Chronic inflammation is a sign of a mal-coordinated hyper responsive immune system.  In order to modulate and stabilize the immune response, it is critical to avoid inflammatory foods and food allergens, repair the gut, optimize vitamin D3 levels, and improve neurological connections.

Chronic Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome

Most individuals with chronic inflammatory based pain have a leaky gut that allows large food particles to pass thru easily and end up in the bloodstream.  These undigested food particles are tagged as foreign invaders by the immune system.  The immune cells then create a massive inflammatory reaction to destroy the food particle.  This results in varying levels of insensitivity and allergenic reactions that damage many systems of the body.

The most common food allergens to avoid include all processed foods, artificial sweeteners/preservatives and foods containing gluten.   Soy, peanuts (and often other nuts), pasteurized dairy, eggs. and other heavy proteins are often not tolerated well.  The nightshade vegetables, eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes are often challenging as well.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Lifestyle

Anti-inflammatory foods help to modulate the immune system and reduce inflammatory activity in the body.  Great anti-inflammatory foods include coconut products, avocados, olive oil, berries and phytonutrient rich vegetables.  Healthy meat sources such as grass-fed beef, wild game, wild salmon, organic poultry, and organic eggs are great if the gut can tolerate them.

Fermented Foods are Key to Rebuild the Gut

It is advisable for anyone with chronic inflammation to include loads of organic vegetable juices, fermented foods, and functional beverages in their diet.   Homemade sauerkraut, kombucha, coconut water kefir, and kimchi are great.  Fermented dairy products from grass-fed cows and goats are highly advisable.  These include amasai, fermented whey drinks, and raw cheese.  Often a probiotic supplement with a bio-diverse range of cultures and over 50 billion colony forming units is advisable.

Non-denatured whey protein from grass-fed cows is also very good for rebuilding the gut.  Whey is loaded with L-glutamine and enhances cellular glutathione stores which are both needed to repair the intestinal wall and de-inflame the body.  Powerful herbs such as turmeric, ginger, garlic, onion, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, and oregano should be used as much as possible to improve immune coordination.

Healthy Vitamin D3 Levels and Specific Chiropractic Care

Healthy vitamin D3 levels are especially important for aiding the body’s ability to recognize foreign and self-proteins.  This improved immune recognition reduces inflammation and auto-immune reactions.  Vitamin D also helps drive immune cells to destroy pathogenic microbes and prevent and destroy infection.  Chronic infection results in hyper-inflammatory levels in the body.  Vitamin D3 (25-OH) levels should be between 70-100ng/ml for optimal immune function.

People with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and  fatigue are highly likely to have neurological dysfunction in their upper neck.  Subluxation, or neurological interference, at the bottom of the skull, C1 and C2 alter endorphin release into the body.  This leads to increased states of pain, fatigue, anxiety, and accelerated stress as well as mal-coordinated immunity.  Well trained chiropractors can analyze these regions of the spine and give specific corrective adjustments to restore balance and optimal neurological expression in these regions.

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Cure Gout Naturally

Gout is a disease in which uric acid levels accumulate and cause massive damage and swelling to various joints of the body.  The uric acid is caused by poor dietary habits and metabolic stress.  Specific lifestyle strategies can help reduce the symptoms of gout and restore proper metabolic function to beat gout naturally.

When uric acid accumulates it forms sharp crystals called urates which penetrate and irritate the joints.  The most common areas to be effected by urates are the big toe, feet, ankles, wrists, knees, and elbows.  Gout is extremely painful and most physicians are unable to treat it effectively without dangerous medications.

For years doctors have been telling us gout is caused by a disruption in purine metabolism.  Purines are molecules that are formed by a grouping of nucleic acids that are prevalent in foods such as red meat, organ meats, seafood, and alcohol.  Organ meats such as kidney and liver contain the most purines by far.

Gout and Fructose Metabolism

Recent research has linked gout formation with elevated fructose consumption.  This second biochemical pathway indicated that fructose triggers the body’s production of uric acid from an important energy molecule, adenosine triphosphate.

In New Zealand, the Maori people rarely encountered gout.  Now, ten to fifteen percent of their population has gout symptoms in their lifetime.  Seafood seems to be the major trigger for these Pacific islanders; however, they have always eaten a lot of seafood.  These people eat fifty times more sugar and fructose (much like typical Americans) than they did 100 years ago.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrated that individuals who drink one fructose-rich beverage a day are 74% more likely of developing gout than those who drink the same beverage once per month.  Individuals who drank two or more fructose sweetened beverages are 97 percent more likely to develop the disease.

Fructose is a form of sugar molecule that is most often found in corn, fruit, and many plant based sweeteners such as agave nectar and honey.  It is important to reduce fructose consumption by avoiding anything with high fructose corn syrup and minimizing the consumption of fruit juices, agave nectar, and honey.  Minimize the use of all fruit other than low fructose fruits such as berries, avocados, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

Anti-Gout Nutrition Plan

The typical diet for individuals with gout should be low in sugar and grains.  Instead, focus on anti-oxidant rich vegetables and healthy fat sources.  The best fat/protein sources include coconut products, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, and sprouted nuts and seeds.  Healthy protein sources include 100% grass-fed beef in moderation, 100% raw grass-fed cheese, organic poultry, and wild fish.

Individuals with gout do much better when they stick to an 80% raw diet.  Any cooked food should be reserved for the evening meal.  The daytime meals should be liquid in the form of shakes, cacao avocado mousse, and vegetable juices.  Salads, guacamole with veggies or raw, sprouted seed crackers are also great.  Before any cooked food is eaten, a digestive enzyme with lipase, protease, and amylase should be used to enhance digestion.  Lots of clean water should be consumed during the day and intermittent fasting for periods of 16-24 hours is encouraged to help detoxify the kidneys, liver, and colon.

Individuals with gout should use apple cider vinegar and fresh squeezed lemon on salads, grains, and meat.  This helps provide organic acids and more enzymes and anti-oxidants to help pre-digest the meal.  Fermented foods such as non-processed sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, amasai, and coconut kefir are also very helpful.

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The SuperFood Power of Blueberries

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond their nutrient value are considered Superfoods.  These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids.    Blueberries contain an extraordinary amount of unique phytonutrients and impressive anti-oxidant scores that make them a superfood.

Blueberries are a native plant to North America.  They grow in shrubs from from 8-10 inches tall  up to 5-6 feet tall.  Maine is considered the largest low bush blueberry producing country.  Michigan produces the most high bush growing blueberries.

This summer superfood is loaded with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins.  These nutrients powerfully neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues.  In addition, anthocyanins have been shown to improve capillary integrity and enhance the effects of Vitamin C.

Blueberries Boost Brain Function

The anti-oxidant power of blueberries has been shown to be particularly useful in stabilizing brain function and protecting the neural tissue from oxidative stress.   Studies have shown improvements in memory and learning while reducing symptoms of depression. Blueberries also contain other major phytonutrients including pterostilbene, resveratrol, flavonols and tannins.  All of these have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer cell growth.

The riper the berries the more anti-oxidant power they contain.  To assess the ripeness of the berries look at the color.  Riper berries are a darker blue.  Blueberry season is mid-late summer, June – August.  Most frozen berries are picked at maximal ripeness and frozen.

Very Important to Buy Organic Blueberries:

Purchase organic blueberries due to the high amount of petrochemical pesticides that are used on conventional varieties.  In June of 2011, the Environmental Working Group labeled non-organic blueberries a significant concern.  Blueberries grown in the US ranked 10 out of 53 of the most pesticide laden fruits and vegetables tested.  They have made the list of  the “Dirty Dozen” with this finding.

The term “wild” is considered a marketing term that producers of low bush blueberries have used to help sell their blueberries.  Wild blueberries may or may not be organic.  One should always check labeling and certifications.

Frozen blueberries are fantastic in shakes and smoothies.  Blueberry seeds are significantly smaller than that of other berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.  The small size makes them less challenging to digest and more palatable in a shake than other berry seeds.

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Health Benefits of Avocados

The Anti-Aging Power of Avocados

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered superfoods.  These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids.  Avocados are one of the best anti-aging superfoods to consume.

Avocados are native to Central America and were a favorite food of the Aztec Indians.  The avocado plant is part of the flowering plant family Lauraceae, which includes camphor, bay laurel ,and cinnamon.  Avocados are considered a fruit.  They are cultivated in tropical climates throughout the world, including southern Florida and California.

Avocado’s Have a Long, Rich History

The oldest known evidence of avocado use as a food was found in a cave in Puebla, Mexico.  The dates of the writings are thought to be from around 10,000 BC.  The two major types of avocados are the Hass Avocado and Florida Avocado.  The Hass avocado was named after Rudolph Hass who developed an avocado farm and obtained a patent for the avocados he was growing.

The Florida avocados are significantly larger than the Hass avocado’s but are lower in overall fat and calories.  The Hass avocado is more dense in monounsaturated fatty acids than the Florida avocado.  The Hass avocado averages between 18-30% fatty acids while the Florida avocado has about 3-5% fats.  This equals out to the Florida avocados being about 25-50% of the total fat content found in the Hass avocados.

Avocados Rich in Healthy Fats & Anti-Oxidants

This amazing fruit is very high in healthy oleic acid.  This is a monounsaturated fat that helps increase fat metabolism.  It is also rich in the powerful carotenoid anti-oxidants lutein and zeaxanthin as well as Vitamin E (tocopherol).

These anti-oxidants decrease oxidative stress and allow for a healthier cellular environment.  Other critical components include ionic potassium and folate.  These elements are alkaline forming in the body, helping to buffer acidic wastes that accumulate within the human tissue and bloodstream.

Avocados Enhance Nutrient Assimilation

Avocados are a terrific complement to a vegetable based meal.  Most vegetables, particularly in their raw state, contain a high amount of carotenoid based anti-oxidants.  Studies have shown that these anti-oxidants are lipophilic (fat-loving) and are absorbed best in the body when combined with a healthy fat such as oleic acid.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in March 2005 showed that adding avocados to salads increased absorption of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein 7.2, 15.3, and 5.1 times higher, respectively, than the average amount of these carotenoids absorbed when avocado-free salad was eaten.

Hass avocados have been found to be the most densely concentrated variety of the avocado fruit.  They contain the highest content of lutein and zeaxanthin and other fat-soluble nutrients.  Both types of avocados are terrific for the digestive system as they contain a good variety of both soluble and insoluble fibers.

Avocados’s Have Anti-Aging Nutrients

Avocados are one of the best anti-aging foods that prevent wrinkles and skin aging. The D-manno-heptulose sugar that is found in avocados has been shown to improve the skin’s epidermis by boosting collagen formation.  Avocados also contain specific amino acids and carotenoid anti-oxidants that reduce age spots, soothe inflammation, and heal scars and burns.

When looking to find a ripe avocado, it is best to feel the consistency rather than judge them off of their color.  Ripe avocados that are still good are typically firm but have slight give to them.  Any sort of mushy consistency is a warning sign that the inside meat is oxidized and rotten.

Refrigerating your avocados will increase their shelf life while putting them in a bag with an old banana peel will make them ripen faster.

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How to Detoxify Bad Estrogens

Aging and high levels of physical, chemical, and emotional stress are associated with the loss of progesterone in women and testosterone in men.  When these key hormones are depleted, it causes a state of estrogen dominance.  This state of estrogen dominance is one of the major factors associated with degenerative disease processes.

“As a species, we`re on a fast track to extinction,” says Ori Hofmekler, author of The Anti-Estrogenic Diet. “In the past few decades, men have lost 50% of their sperm count and within only one generation, the average man’s sperm count and testosterone have dropped by 20%. Women are no better. Staggering figures show that most women today are suffering from female disorders and three out of ten women between the ages of 35 to 60 will develop breast cancer.”

Xenoestrogenic Chemicals

Most conventional food products and modern lifestyle habits are estrogenic in nature. The over reliance on highly processed, chemically-laden industry based goods and products seems to be the major culprit.  Xenoestrogens are artificially made compounds produced by industry. These differ chemically from archiestrogens (naturally occurring) produced by living organisms.

Xenoestrogens mimic the effects of true estrogen and interact with cellular receptor sites. This process contributes to estrogen excess and blocks the effects of true estrogen. To make matters worse, these endocrine disruptors lodge in fat cells where they are resistant to breakdown. Many of these chemicals will act in a synergistic effect when combined with other endocrine disrupters. This synergistic process exponentially enhances their effects within the body causing major problems at the cellular level.

Overburdened Liver

This excessive bombardment of artificial hormones taxes the liver, which desperately tries to break down the excess to effectively eliminate it from the body.  Over time, the hormone is stored in fat cells.  Chronic liver stress causes severe problems with toxicity, digestion, metabolism, and inflammation among other things.  The symptoms of this include high cholesterol as well as lowered energy and immunity.

Poor liver function causes an inadequate breakdown of older hormones, allowing them back into the bloodstream in an even more toxic form than when they originally entered the liver.  The toxic form of estrogen dramatically increases the risk for breast cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, cervical dysplasia, prostate issues, menopause, andropause (male menopause) and thyroiddisorders.

Estrogenic Foods & Environmental Sources

Certain foods are full of estrogenic molecules and chemicals.  These include conventional meat and dairy, which are loaded with hormones and antibiotics from animals that were also fed a diet rich in estrogenic grains.  Soy isoflavinoids are highly estrogenic as are sugars, additives, preservatives, and processed foods and beverages.  Grains and beer (fermented barley) are highly estrogenic as well.

Major environmental sources of estrogenic substances include plastics and canned goods.  Personal care products, oral contraceptives, pharmaceuticals, Styrofoam products, pesticides, and herbicides are highly estrogenic.  Be sure to avoid typical laundry and dishwashing detergents, household cleaners, and air fresheners which are all loaded with estrogenic chemicals.

Anti-Estrogenic Foods

There are many great foods that help the body detoxify estrogen.  Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts , and cabbage contain several powerful nutrients that detoxify bad estrogenic molecules.  These nutrients include Indole-3 Acetate, Indole-3 Carbonyl and Diindolylmethane.  These cruciferous veggies also include sulfur, containing nutrients such as Sulfuraphane and Phenyl Isothiocyanates that enhance liver detoxification processes and destroy cancer cell formation.

Anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in saturated and omega-3 fatty acids such as 100% organic, grass-fed beef and dairy, organic poultry, wild-caught salmon, and wild game are anti-estrogenic.  Plant based fats such as avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil are all powerful anti-estrogenic superfoods.  Raw nuts and seeds such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, chia, and hemp seeds are rich in anti-estrogenic plant sterols.

Anti-Estrogenic Herbs

Onions, garlic, and scallions are rich in sulfur containing amino acids and the powerful anti-oxidant quercetin that both help the liver detoxify at a higher level and reduce the production of estrogen.  Herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and turmeric are loaded with volatile oils that promote liver detoxification.  Turmeric has a potent ability to destroy estrogen receptor positive cancer cells which are the most commonly found cells in breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancer.

Using organic acids is an advanced strategy for liver and gut health that enhances the body’s ability to remove these unwanted estrogenic molecules.  Squeeze fresh lemon, which is rich in citric acid, in water and on salads, veggies, meats, and other dishes.  Apple Cider Vinegar contains acetic acid; fermented raw dairy from grass-fed cows contains lactic acid.  There are other products that contain fermented superherbs in an organic acid base that are extraordinarily powerful for enhancing detoxification processes and neutralizing bad estrogen metabolites.

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Sugar Pearls: Dangers Associated with Excessive Sugar Intake

The largest source of calories for individuals living in industrialized nations is sugar.  Sugar increases insulin levels, promoting fat accumulation and inflammation throughout the body.  Sugar consumption and elevated insulin accelerate the aging process and create an environment conducive to degenerative disease.

The chemistry of sugar is based on the number of carbohydrates and includes monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides.   The most important monosaccarides are glucose, dextrose, and fructose.  The primary difference in these deals with the way they are digested and metabolized.  Glucose and dextrose are basically the same form of sugar.  Many sugars can be identified by their characteristic “ose” ending.

Many of these sugars also combine to form complex sugars such as sucrose.  Sucrose, typical table sugar, is a disaccharide (2 sugar forms) that is half glucose and half fructose.  Meanwhile, high fructose corn syrup is 55% fructose and 45% glucose.

Massive Increase in Sugar Consumption

In the year 1700, the average individual consumed about 4 pounds of sugar each year.  In 1800, it was about 18 pounds of sugar per year.  In 1900, the average person ate 90 pounds of sugar per year.  In 2009, the average individual consumed 150 pounds of sugar per year.  Half of our society consumes ½ pound of sugar per day.   Most of this is in unnatural, man-made forms such as sucrose and high fructose corn syrup.

Most forms of sugar (other than fructose based sources) metabolize quickly in the body into a simple glucose form.  This glucose is then funneled into cells by the hormone insulin.  This process is performed very well in our bodies when the cells are kept sensitive to the circulating insulin.

Lifestyle behaviors that lead to chronically elevated blood sugar and insulin levels cause a cellular resistance to insulin.  These behaviors include excessive sugar intake, processed foods and sedentary lifestyle.  Elevated blood sugar and insulin cause excessive free radical damage and inflammation throughout the body.

The Major Problems with Elevated Sugar & Insulin Include:

  1. Mal-coordinates the immune system and reduces its functional ability.
  2. Dehydrates the cells and depletes the body of critical electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, & sodium, leading to cell death and chronic muscle spasms.
  3. Depletes the body of chromium, copper,and  zinc, and other trace minerals that help sensitize cells to insulin.  This further accelerates cell membrane insulin resistance
  4. Induces cancer cell division and proliferation and inhibits mechanisms that slow down tumor growth and inhibit cancer cell apoptosis (programed cell death)
  5. Creates tissue damaging Advanced Glycolytic Enzymes (AGE’s)
  6. Depletes the body of anti-oxidants such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
  7. Inhibits Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and elevates cortisol levels
  8. Inhibits cellular protein synthesis which results in dysfunctional bone, muscle, and joint chemistry.  This accelerates the risk of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and chronic muscle and joint pain.
  9. Promotes the growth of pathogenic bacteria and parasites such as Candida and other yeast-like organisms.  This also depletes the body of good bacteria and can lead to chronic infections in the gut, respiratory tissue, and sinuses.
  10.  Leads to obesity, elevated triglycerides, abnormal LDL:HDL cholesterol levels, elevated arterial inflammatory risk factors.
  11.  Opens up the blood brain barrier, depletes the brain of trace mineral stores, and allows toxins and other heavy metals to accumulate in brain tissue
  12.  Destroys nerves leading to chronic pain, neuropathies, vision disorders, and accelerated organ dysfunction.

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