We all know at least one or two people who are super fit and never seem to get sick. They always seem to be really happy, too. But how do they do it? Were they born that way?

The short answer is no! Healthy people have some rules they live by, even if they don’t consciously follow them. So what are these rules?

They Enjoy Exercising

Healthy people love to exercise and have exercises or sports that they really enjoy doing. As a result, they keep doing exercises because they like to, not because they have to. When we try to do exercises we don’t like doing, the lifestyle change never lasts long term. Try to find an exercise or sport that you actually enjoy. That way you will look forward to it rather than dread it.

They Eat Bad Foods In Moderation

Many people think healthy people never eat any “bad” food. While this may be true for some, it’s not true for everyone. But healthy people have a different definition of “bad” food. They don’t drink conventional sodas and eat GMO corn chips, but they may have a sweet snack or a dessert once or twice a week, compared to others who eat junk food or sugary snacks once or twice a day. Try to make sure your meals and your snacks are healthy. Over time, you’ll elevate your definition of junk food, too.

They Eat Healthy Snacks

Snacking on junk food can cause all sorts of damage and contributes to weight gain. Healthy people make sure they eat healthy snacks and prepare them ahead of time. They eat snacks such as raw nuts (unsalted and unroasted), fresh fruit, and cut up vegetables (eg. celery and carrots). Try and plan ahead when it comes to snacks, and the next time you are at the grocery store, shop accordingly.

They Drink Plenty Of Water

Water does so many good things for your body. Keeping hydrated helps your skin and hair look great. It’s no wonder healthy people always seem to look great. They drink plenty of water and don’t drink sodas. Sodas are full of sugar, and don’t think diet sodas are any better. Diet sodas are filled with extra chemicals and terrible artificial sweeteners. Don’t be drinking plenty of fruit drinks such as orange juice either. Why? Have you ever thought of eating 30 oranges in a row? No? Well that’s pretty much what you’re doing when you drink a glass or two of orange juice. It’s a lot of sugar! Some fruit drinks are also full of other nasty ingredients. Try drinking water and herbal teas. Or check out this recipe for cranberry lemonade with stevia.

They Go To Bed Early and Are Early Risers

We all know that sleep is an important part of life. But healthy people know just how important it is to get at very least 7 hours of consistent sleep every night. They go to sleep earlier and get up much earlier even on their days off. And then, they tend to exercise first thing in the morning. Exercising in the morning has great benefits and can make us far more productive during the day.

Have you changed anything in your life that has made you healthier? Whether it is your diet or exercise regime, or a sport you love. Post your changes in the comments below.

It’s that time again—books, new clothes, and first-day jitters. That’s right, ready or not, it’s back to school—tests, homework, and flu season included. Parents do their best to keep their children healthy and to excel academically, but adding essential oils to daily life can give students of all ages an added edge. Best of all, it’s easy and enjoyable! Children journey through life through their senses, so it is only logical that aromatherapy can be a friend during their greatest challenges, both in and out of the classroom.

Boosting Academic Performance with Aromatherapy

It has been shown that inhaling essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, and rosemary during study time and before taking exams boosts cognitive function, eliminates “brain fog”, and yields higher grades. Studies have also demonstrated that citrus oil, especially grapefruit, improves focus and mental performance before exams, public speaking, or performances. Let’s take a closer look at the five top brain boosters and how they can help young people excel during the school year:

Peppermint: Peppermint is the premiere essential oil to boost energy levels, especially on Mondays or rainy days when classwork feels like an insurmountable chore. It is also helpful for the apathetic child who is easily discouraged or distracted. Peppermint is highly effective as a study aid to sharpen memory, keep the mind alert, and increase concentration. How to use: Add a drop to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking exams or at intervals while studying. It can also be used in the morning to help wake up sleepyheads. Caution: do not use in cases of asthma unless it is certain that menthol can be tolerated. Substitute with grapefruit.

Lavender: Lavender is well-known for its calming properties, even for promoting sleep, but it also has a great reputation for boosting brain clarity, especially when inhaled before taking a test. Lavender essential oil has been shown to boost test scores up to 50%. How to use: Add a drop or two to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking tests or at intervals while studying. It can also be used to calm pre-exam nerves.

Lemon: Lemon is a “bright” oil that is excellent to clear foggy thinking, improve optimism and self-confidence, and improve test scores. Studies have shown that inhaling lemon essential oil prior to exams produced better grades with 54% fewer mistakes.

Grapefruit: Grapefruit essential oil, like lemon, promotes a “sunny” outlook, brightens the mood, and most of all, sharpens memory and boosts overall brain function—so much so, that this oil has been shown to be a powerful tool in improving symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia by inhibiting cholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is essential for brain health and memory retention. How to use: Add a drop or two to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking exams or at intervals while studying.

Rosemary: “Rosemary for remembrance” is an age-old expression from folk medicine and one that rings true. Rosemary essential oil improves memory in general and is highly useful before taking exams and during study time. It also provides the body and mind with a boost of energy during long school days or afternoon slumps. How to use: Add a drop to a tissue, fold, and inhale for 5 minutes or so before taking exams or at intervals while studying. Caution: Do not use in cases of epilepsy or seizure disorders. Substitute with grapefruit.

Boosting Your Child’s Immune Response with Clinical Aromatherapy

Essential oils can be your child’s best friend, not only for better grades but fewer sick days. These precious, concentrated essences from plants, fruits, and trees kill viruses and bacteria, increase oxygen in the bloodstream, and promote the production of white blood cells. They also balance the pH factor (acid/alkaline balance essential to life) and can increase the electrical frequency of the body. Disease and pathogens cannot thrive or survive in an oxygen-abundant environment, therefore, using essential oils topically throughout the school year can build your child’s defenses from the deepest level possible.

Parents are busy people, and children are not far behind with packed schedules, schoolwork, and extracurricular activities. Rest assured, arming your family and fortifying the immune system is easy to incorporate even in the busiest day. Here’s a closer look at the top three immune boosting essential oil combos and how they can make you and your family fight any bug that comes around this year:

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Organic Lemon (Citrus limonum): Lavender and lemon essential oils, both considered “universal” oils, possess antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties and are heavy hitters when it comes to boosting the immune system and fighting illness. Gentle but powerful, both lavender and organic lemon essential oils are appropriate for all ages. How to use: At bedtime, apply 2 drops of each essential oil to the soles of the feet, 4 drops total. For children under the age of six, use 1 drop of each essential oil, 2 drops total. Allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin and do not shower after application. Use this combination for a week then switch to another combination for another week so the body does not build up a tolerance to the oils and lessen immune response.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) Two more “universal” oils that have powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties are tea tree and lemon eucalyptus. When combined, these essential oils pack a heavy punch to any flu bug, infection, or cold. How to use: At bedtime, apply 2 drops of each essential oil to the soles of the feet, 4 drops total. For children under the age of six, use 1 drop of each essential oil, 2 drops total. Allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin and do not shower after application. Use this combination for a week then switch to another combination for another week so the body does not build up a tolerance to the oils and lessen immune response. Caution: Do not use lemon eucalyptus in cases of asthma unless it is certain that menthol can be tolerated. Substitute with juniper berry essential oil.

Clove Bud (Syzygium aromaticum) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus): Two more “universal” allies for the flu season, clove and eucalyptus can combat the toughest viruses. How to use: At bedtime, apply 2 drops of each essential oil to the soles of the feet, 4 drops total. For children under the age of six, use 1 drop of each essential oil, 2 drops total. Allow the oils to be absorbed into the skin and do not shower after application. Use this combination for a week then switch to another combination for another week so the body does not build up a tolerance to the oils and lessen immune response. Caution: Do not use eucalyptus in cases of asthma unless it is certain that menthol can be tolerated. Substitute with ravensara essential oil.

Aromatherapy can be something the entire family can use and enjoy—from the helpful hints in this article to innumerable other ways. This beautiful and effective healing modality is vast, and children’s needs are addressed differently, so please be sure to gather as much information as possible before diving into the realm of aromatic medicine. There are many good books on the subject, especially those written by Robert Tisserand.

DISCLAIMER

The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the material presented in this article is not intended to treat, prescribe for, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or to replace conventional medical treatments.

Sources:

Donato, Marlaina. Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Ekstasis Multimedia, 2015

Young, Gary. Essential Oil Desk Reference. Essential Science Publishing, 2004

Further Reading:

How To  Correctly Use Essential Oils To Prevent the Flu and Other Illnesses

All too often those of us opposed to vaccines hear a simple, yet tired counterargument, “Well I had my shots as a kid and I’m fine.” The adults who make this claim don’t seem to realize the number of shots they received was far fewer than the number of shots on today’s vaccine schedule. And few of them follow the adult vaccine schedule.

In reality, the very well vaccinated are not a healthy bunch. They get sick regularly. This is particularly evident for those who get regular flu shots.

American children receive far more vaccines now than at any other time in U.S. history, and they receive more vaccines than children living in any other country. If vaccines were in fact so effective, one would think that America would have the healthiest children. This is not the case at all. Aside from starving children in 3^rd world countries, American children are among the sickest children in the world.

Big Pharma purports to have all the answers, except of course, what is causing all of these childhood illnesses. Rising rates of autism and other chronic illnesses are said to be a complete mystery (if you wish to be demystified simply read a vaccine warning insert). Despite their supposed cluelessness about our sudden epidemics of chronic illness, both the pharmaceutical companies and the government claim to “know” that “vaccines are safe and effective”. SIDS, asthma, ADHD, ADD, and autism are all considered to be mysterious diseases with an unknown or a genetic cause. This may sound good, but genetic epidemics are not possible, and there are few environmental toxins that could have such a widespread impact on children of all 50 states, at the same time. The most likely environmental toxins that could have spread to all American children simultaneously are toxins from food and vaccines. We at OLM side with the growing number of scientists who think that vaccines, pesticides, and GMOs are the main causes of our childhood illnesses, with vaccines as the primary cause of our nation’s rapidly declining health.

Below is a look at earlier vaccine schedules compared to the current vaccine schedule “recommended” by the CDC. CDC vaccine recommendations are becoming mandatory across the U.S.

A Historical Look at the Vaccine Schedule

As the number of scheduled vaccines has risen, so have the rates of now common childhood diseases including ADD/ADHD, SIDS, and asthma. Before the 1970s, ADD and ADHD were not even prevalent enough for a diagnosis to exist in the DSM. The first related diagnosis came out in the DSM-II as “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood”. This was later changed to “ADD with or without hyperactivity” in the DSM-III in the 1980s. It was further clarified in later editions. The number of children (and adults) that have been prescribed ADD/ADHD drugs has skyrocketed over the past few decades. And asthma rates have also experienced a sharp rise over the years.

According to Harris Coulter, a medical historian and scientist, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) was not reported in the statistics before the rise of mass vaccinations because of its rarity. As vaccination rates have risen, so have SIDS rates. When Japan put a moratorium on all vaccinations before the age of two, their SIDS rate plummeted to almost nothing. Although they are every bit as scientifically adept as we are and highly technologically advanced, their schedule has less than half the recommended vaccinations as the United States schedule.

Just as not everyone can eat the same foods, not everyone can tolerate the same medications. It is incredibly naive to think that just because your child survived vaccines without severe injury, that no harm was done. As more and more vaccines are added to the schedule, the painful reality is becoming clear. Health does not need to be treated as a disease. How many more must die or become disabled by this practice before we wake up and realize what is happening? If you’ve been vaccinated, be sure to check out How to Detox From Vaccines (adults and children).

Further Reading:

• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• How Plumbing (Not Vaccines) Eradicated Disease

Sources:

• Facts About Autism – Autism Speaks
• Identified Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder – CDC
• Past Immunization Schedules – CDC
• Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 0 Through 18 Years – CDC
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• The Year of Autism Epidemiology – Autism Speaks

An astounding 10% of the American population – 18% of American women and 6% of American men, and 10% of American children suffer from migraines. A migraine is not just a headache, it is a neurological disease with varied and complicated symptoms.

A classic migraine lasts from hours to days. A 72-hour migraine is not uncommon. During this time, the sufferer experiences extreme sensitivity to noise, light, smells, and touch. Nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, and numbness and tingling in the extremities accompany excruciating pain on one or both sides of the head. The headache may present with or without a warning aura.

Although migraines have been studied for years, scientists and doctors still do not definitively know what causes them. They believe there is a genetic link, as they do run in families. Estrogen levels appear to play a major role. Neurotransmitters, inflammation, blood vessel dilation, and food and food additive reactions all appear to contribute as well. So does dehydration. The consensus is that there are likely to be multiple triggers working in conjunction to trigger an attack.

Over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs that are taken regularly for migraines take a toll on the body. Like any other illness, migraines are a body’s cry for help, an indication that the body needs two things: excellent, daily nutrition and ongoing detoxification.

Feverfew has been proven to be beneficial in preventing migraines when taken regularly. Ginger shots or ginger added to other juice can stop a migraine in its tracks if taken at the first sign of an impending attack.

Several essential oils are reported to help migraines; lavender and peppermint are the most popular.

Some migraine sufferers have found relief after chiropractic adjustment. It seems that for some, misalignment in the neck is the only or the primary cause of migraines. (Misalignment of the neck is likely a thyroid issue).

Massage, self-massage, acupressure, acupuncture, and reflexology have all been known to stop and prevent attacks.

The Best and Fastest Cure for Migraines Snort cayenne pepper. If you think this sounds too painful, you probably don’t know the pain of migraines. But this will work very, very quickly for most people.

Prevent Migraines

The best treatment is prevention. Avoid toxic chemicals and toxic food. The best possible diet is a whole food diet consisting of 80% raw, fresh, organic produce- more vegetables than fruits. Eliminate artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, MSG, GMOs, and refined sugars. No trans fats. No high fructose corn syrup. Limit caffeine. Be sure to drink plenty of clean, pure water. Be sure to include healthy fats with omega 3s. Do an elimination diet and remove any triggers you find. Consider eliminating gluten.

Heal your gut if needed. And chances are, if you have any chronic health condition, including migraines, you need to heal your gut. The source of migraines is often an imbalance of gut flora, with an abundance of Candida. To learn more, read Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases and check out Understand Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies if you experience migraines concentrated at, or beginning in, the back of the head where the skull meets the neck.

Further Reading:

• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Understand Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies
• Natural Remedies For Migraines That Work Fast
• Natural Home Remedies For Headaches: 3 Ways To Relieve The Pain
• How to Cure Migraines For Good

Sources:

• What is Migraine? – Migraine Research Foundation

Consumer Reports tested 300 samples (458 pounds) of hamburger from 103 stores from 26 cities for bacterial contamination, comparing “sustainable” meat to conventional meat. (Sustainable, in this study, referred to beef from cattle that was not given antibiotics). What they found was both enlightening and truly disturbing.

Beef samples were tested for 5 types of bacteria:

• Salmonella
• Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• Coli (7 strains)
• Clostridium perfringens (CDC estimates 1 million cases of food poisoning due to this bacteria each year.)
• Enterococcus

Consumer Reports published the following results:

All 458 pounds of beef we examined contained bacteria that signified fecal contamination (enterococcus and/or nontoxin-producing E. coli), which can cause blood or urinary tract infections. Almost 20 percent contained C. perfringens, a bacteria that causes almost 1 million cases of food poisoning annually. Ten percent of the samples had a strain of S. aureus bacteria that can produce a toxin that can make you sick. That toxin can’t be destroyed—even with proper cooking.

Just 1 percent of our samples contained salmonella. … salmonella causes an estimated 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths in the U.S. each year.

Consumer Reports then tested the bacteria they found and discovered that 18 percent of conventional beef samples were contaminated with superbugs—dangerous bacteria that are resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics. While testing out to contain half that amount, 9%, sustainably produced beef also contained superbugs.

A full 97% of the beef sold is obtained from conventionally raised cattle that are crowded into feedlots and left to stand in their own manure. They are fed corn and soy (both of which are usually GMO), candy, slaughtered parts of pigs and chickens and dried chicken manure and litter rather than the grasses and other plants they were meant to eat. They are also fed plastic pellets for roughage and routine antibiotics.

Although sustainable beef is clearly better and cleaner, all of the samples, even organic beef samples, were contaminated. Consumer Reports strongly recommends cooking hamburger to an internal temperature of 160 degrees – medium, rather than rare or medium rare. Rare hamburger, it seems, is much more likely to cause disease than other cuts of beef due to the fact that it is ground up and the bacteria is inside as well as outside. With other cuts of beef, the bacteria would only be found on the surface, where it is more likely to be killed by the heat source. If you’ve been eating conventionally grown meat, consider a GMO detox.

Further Reading:

• The Way We Used To Eat – The Real Paleo Diet
• Food For Naught: 5 Reasons To Kick Factory Farmed Meats Off Your Plate 
• Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources:

• How Safe Is Your Ground Beef? – Consumer Reports

When you shop for produce and see that higher price placed on the organic varieties, chances are you think there probably isn’t that much difference between the two. Surely conventional agriculture doesn’t waste chemicals. They only use them when they need to – when insects or fungus attacks the crops, right? Wrong.

Conventional produce has been through a storm of chemical treatments. The use of chemicals is so insidious, it often begins with treating the dirt and the seeds before planting. Then chemical fertilizers are used in addition to insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides during cultivation. Some fruits have been tested to find 13-15 different pesticides remain after harvesting. Now a new practice is being employed – pre-harvest desiccation. Crops are drenched with an herbicide prior to harvest to hasten and even out ripening and to control weeds for the next crop.

Unfortunately this process results in huge pesticide residues in our food, even in certified non-GMO food. That’s right, your food could be non-GMO Project verified and still have been drenched in glyphosate just prior to harvest. The foods that are approved for Roundup application and/or another pesticide just prior to harvest are as follows:

• Wheat
• Cotton (cottonseed oil)
• Alfalfa
• Oats
• Sugar cane
• Beans
• Mustard
• Oilseed rape
• Rye/Triticale
• Lentils
• Peas
• Flax
• Sunflower
• Pulses
• Soy Bean
• Sugar beet
• Potatoes
• Chick Peas
• Feed barley
• Canola
• Corn

Unfortunately, Roundup is not the only chemical approved for use just prior to harvest. Other approved pre-harvest chemical desiccants include:

• Reglone
• Diquat
• Glufosinate
• Carfentrazone-Ethyl
• Cyanamide
• Paraquat
• Diquat Dibromide
• Carfentrazone
• Cyclanilide
• Diquat
• Endothall
• Thidiazuron
• Tribufos

No one denies that these chemicals are toxic. The argument in favor of desiccation and other synthetic chemical treatments is that the dose of toxin is so low, it isn’t harmful to apply it.

Toxicology is based on the following 500-year-old idea that is fundamentally flawed.

All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy. –Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim Paracelsus

While it is true that even water can kill you if you drink an excessive amount, the idea that small doses of poison can’t hurt you is illogical. In conventional agriculture, everything you eat includes poison. Why would you want to eat any poison with every meal, increasing your toxic load each day?

Recently, we are learning more and more about how toxic glyphosate truly is.

Unfortunately, the other chemical treatments are not any better. A drop of Reglone on your fingernail can cause your nail to shrivel up, fall off, and never grow back. Any exposure to the eyes can blind you, permanently. It doesn’t take very much Reglone to kill you, and in higher amounts it can even be fatal from contact on the skin.

The more we realize how pervasive the chemical treatments are in conventional agriculture, the more we realize the value of voting with our dollars for organic food.

Further Reading:

• Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods
• Scientists Against GMOs

Sources:

• Crops Are Drenched with Roundup Pesticide Right Before Harvest – Washingtons Blog
• Defoliants and Desiccants – University of Florida EDIS
• Desiccation Programmes – AHDB Potatoes
• Direct Harvest: Do you need a desiccant or a pre-harvest glyphosate? – Field Crop news
• Glyphosate Found in Human Urine – GM-Free Cymru
• Herbicide Options to Enhance Harvesting FAQ – Government of Saskatchewan
• Herbicides found in Human Urine – Journal for ecology, winegrowing and climate farming
• Novel desiccant targeted for stale seed-bed clean up – Farmers Weekly
• Pesticide Fact Sheet: Carfentrazone-ethyl – EPA
• Preharvest Staging Guide – Roundup
• The Dose Makes the Poison – Assessing Toxic RiskTips for Pre-Harvest Glyphosate and Desiccation – Real Agriculture

Healthy living is usually based upon the concept of meeting nutritional needs and eating plenty of high protein foods, which balances the equation of other required nutrients.

However, if you’re a vegetarian, it can be quite tough to meet your protein requirements without any meat-based products. Since that’s the case, here are five meat-free options that can help you reach your nutritional goals.

Nutritional Yeast

If you’ve never heard of nutritional yeast, you’ve been missing out. This is one of the best kept vegetarian secrets when it comes to complete plant-based protein sources.

Nutritional yeast is actually harvested from molasses and has a similar texture and consistency to parmesan cheese. At 14 grams per ounce, nutritional yeast is an easy way to add thickness and “cheesy” flavor to pasta sauces or even popcorn.

Brewer’s yeast. This type of yeast is grown from hops (a by-product of brewing beer), and has been around since beer making began. It can be consumed by humans, used to fortify other products, or even given to pets.

Pure nutritional yeast. This is usually grown from sugar cane, beet molasses, or wood pulp. And it’s grown specifically for the purpose of human food consumption.

Nutritional yeast, which is not to be confused with Active Dry Yeast or Brewer’s Yeast, is a deactivated form of the microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The yeast is pasteurized and placed in a dryer to deactivate the yeast and bring out its nutritional properties. The yeast, which is gluten free, has a flavor reminiscent of cheese and is rich in amino acids, B-complex vitamins, niacin, folic acid, zinc, selenium and thiamine. Bob’s Red Mill’s nutritional yeast has been fortified with vitamin B-12, as well. Nutritional yeast is popular with vegetarians and vegans whose diets can be deplete of B-complex vitamins, especially B-12.” – Bob’s Red Mill

Quinoa

A species of the goosefoot grain, quinoa is typically known for its edible seeds and complete amino acid profile. It tips the scales at 24 grams per uncooked cup and also boasts high levels of manganese, copper, and magnesium.

Quinoa can be whipped up in around 15 minutes and contains double the amount of fiber compared to most grains. If you enjoy heartier grains with a nutty texture,  quinoa is the perfect choice for you.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is another rice alternative that actually comes from a fruit seed derivative. If a person does not tolerate gluten well, buckwheat is an excellent alternative.

There is actually research showing that those who consume (on average) 4 ounces of buckwheat a day actually improved their LDL to HDL ratio and reduce their serum cholesterol levels.

Beans

Beans are a vegetarian’s dream food – high in protein and antioxidants, low in cost, and plentiful in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What’s not to love?

Not only that, research has shown that a moderate bean intake can be linked to lower incidences of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain forms of cancer.

Lentils and beans can offer anywhere from 8-22 grams of protein per cup depending on the type of bean consumed.

Just remember to soak beans and lentils prior to cooking to release health damaging enzyme inhibitors.

Plant Based Protein Powders

The plant-based protein market has exploded lately. There are isolate variations ranging from soy, hemp, wheat, rice, and even pea to fulfill any amino acid deficiencies you might have through your nutrition. A few companies offer complete proteins with all of the essential amino acids. Do your research and choose carefully to make sure that your supplementation choice is rightly based upon your current nutritional intake. Protein isolates are more easily digested, and are often used by those who have a hard time assimilating protein, but isolates tend to be acidic and can damage the body for various reasons (especially whey isolates) if taken for long periods of time.

Mastering a Healthy Nutrition

Don’t fall into the trap of believing there’s a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to reaching your goals. When it comes to your health and fitness goals, protein is certainly essential, but you don’t always have to choose a meat-based option. With a little knowledge and personal research, you can easily reach your daily minimums and still eat foods that you enjoy.

Recommended Reading:

• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula (great source of vegan protein!)
• 10 Vegan-Friendly Sources Of Protein
• Buckwheat Granola w/ Stevia – Sketch Free Eating (featured image, see recipe)

Sources:

• Vegetarian Recipes – M & S
• The Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart Disease Link – Today’s Dietitian
• Optimization of bioactive compounds in buckwheat sprouts and their effect on blood cholesterol in hamsters. – NCBI, Pub Med