Friday, October 31, 2008

The "Healthy" Oils Controversy

There is quite a controversy among experts in the field of health about whether or not cold-pressed, unheated oils are healthy.

Most of us now know that canola oil, or rapeseed oil (from the rapeseed plant), is unhealthy for us.

But what about those "good" oils?

Extra virgin olive oil is the first one that typically comes to mind.

Proponents say that because it is cold-pressed, and from the first pressing, it contains valuable nutrients and is healthy for us. Lots and lots of gourmet raw recipes are loaded with it.

There are also the pure sunflower, sesame seed, and safflower oils that are recommended and touted as the best and healthiest to use.

It's true that when a person is trying to become more healthy and get away from the SAD (Standard American Diet) of canned, processed, deep-fried, loaded with fats and sugars - anything is better! That's why so many new raw fooders make those elaborate raw dishes that are substitutes for the cooked version.

And nearly all of them require a good amount of oil.

However, there are other experts who maintain that fat is fat, and no oil is healthy for us in that form. First of all, it is a highly refined product, which is something we are trying to get away from in the SAD.

Also it is 100% fat! Dr. Doug Graham, author of several books, including "The 80/10/10 Diet", recommends taking the oil in the whole food, not separated out. When the oil is extracted, it's missing all the fiber, the nutrients, all the good things that we are intended to get from the whole food.

The Rave Diet also recommends taking no oil. Mike Anderson, author of "The Rave Diet" book, says, "There are other problems with vegetables oils, however.

These oils contain high levels of saturated fat, which is essentially "cholesterol in disguise" because it stimulates your liver to make more cholesterol than your body needs and ends up clogging arteries.

In fact, adding any oil to your food will raise your cholesterol level, even more than eating cholesterol itself."

It only makes sense it is healthiest to eat the whole food - have the whole avocado, or olive, or sunflower, or sesame seed. And much tastier than drinking a cup of oil!

Phyllis Towse

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Comfort for the Grieving

If you haven't yet gone through a tragedy in your life - just wait, it's coming. Tragedy and grief are a part of life, unfortunately. It can come in many ways:

Unfaithfulness by a spouse
Divorce
Death of a loved one

They are all death, in a way. Isn't unfaithfulness, and divorce, the death of a dream? The death of a way of life, the death of trust. Terribly painful to go through, and difficult to get beyond.

When we're in the midst of tragedy, it feels as if the grieving will never end. But it does. Psalm 31:5 says, "... weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

It may not be the very next sunrise, but take heart: joy will come back into your heart and your life.

The Psalms are a favorite book to read for comfort. And no wonder - they remind us that we are not all alone in our desperate situation. David certainly knew about pain, rejection, sadness, loss.

"Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate." Psalm 143:4

"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee." Psalm 143:8

"The Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart..." Psalm 34:18a

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear..." Psalm 46:1

When we're in the midst of a painful situation, it helps tremendously to have a Godly and wise friend (or friends) to be with as much as you can. God doesn't intend for us to go through these things all by ourselves.

He comforts us best of all, but sometimes we need a friend's hug, or gentle touch, to remind us that we matter, that we are loved, that we are special and very valuable.

Also know that God is in control, even when your life seems completely out of control. If He wasn't, He wouldn't be God, would He?

"Fear you not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10

He wants us to tell Him what is hurting, not because He doesn't already know, but because He wants that intimate relationship with us.

"Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

With God, there is always hope to get us through whatever trial we are in, because if we are His in Christ Jesus, He promises to go through them with us.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you....." Isaiah 43:2a

Phyllis Towse

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Harmful and Healthy Sugars - Part 1

God gave every one of us a sweet tooth - we all crave sweets, and there is absolutely nothing harmful about that. How we choose to satisfy that sweet tooth determines whether it becomes detrimental to our health, or actually beneficial.

Let's talk about some of the the harmful sugars first.

Most people know by now that white sugar is bad for you. Refined sugar comes in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup. Even honey is a refined sugar, as well as molasses, brown sugar, and raw (turbenado) sugar.

It depresses the immune system, making us more susceptible to disease. The immune system is our body's first line of defense against disease.
  • It harms our endocrine system
  • It upsets the body's mineral balance
  • It leads to chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, arthritis, osteoperosis, allergies, and cardiovascular
  • It contributes to hyperactivity, anxiety, mood swings, depression
  • It can cause kidney damage
  • It can cause headaches
  • It contributes to weight gain and obesity
  • It leads to decreased glucose tolerance
  • It can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and gray hair
At the turn of the 20th century, the intake of refined sugar per person per year was about 5 pounds. A hundred years later the figure has skyrocketed to 170 pounds! Think about it - that comes to over 50 teaspoons per day!!

That figure might seem impossible until you realize that sugar is in practically every processed food that you purchase. A 12 ounce can of soda contains about 11 teaspoons of sugar.

Ice cream is 37% sugar, and many breakfast cereals contain over 50% sugar.

There are absolutely zero nutrients in sugar, and zero fiber. Of course sugar substitutes are just as deadly, but that's for another article.

Tomorrow we'll talk about how to satisfy a sweet tooth in a healthy, and guilt-free way!

Phyllis Towse

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

It's Time for Your Flu Shot - Or Is It? Part 2

In Part 1 I talked about just some of the dangers of the flu vaccination, and what are some of the deadly ingredients that are put into it.

Yesterday I listed formaldehyde as one of the ingredients in the flu shot.

According to the National Cancer Institute, "Formaldehyde is a chemical used in manufacturing and chemical industries, and as a preservative by anatomists, embalmers, and pathologists. Being exposed to formaldehyde may increase the risk of developing leukemia and brain cancer."

We were always told that the mercury in thermometers was dangerous if they were to break open and we were exposed to it. And yet we're supposed to believe it's safer when it's injected into our bodies? What kind of logic does that follow?

Dr. James R. Shannon, former director of the National Institute of Health said, "The only safe vaccine is one that is never used."

Dr. Mercola says that "Vaccines, like mega-billion drugs, actually do little to protect you from the flu. Most people have been led to believe--by the pharmaceutical powers that dominate conventional medicine and really like your money--that viruses like the flu bug are the problem, but they aren't.

The real problem: Most people have weakened and impaired immune systems that are unable to function as they're designed to because of horrendous dietary habits ......"

Dr. Ben Kim says that he never recommends flu shots. He also says, "Based on everything that I know about flu shots, I think it's pretty clear that their main effect is to tax and possibly weaken one's immune system." (Check out the link on Dr. Kim's name to see a short humorous (and scary) video on what's in vaccines.)

There are many good sources of information available if you would like to become further informed on the very real dangers of flu and other vaccines. Here are some:

Why You Should Avoid Taking Vaccines an article by Dr. Jim Howenstine, MD
Why I Never Get Flu Shots or Snorts, an article by Chet Day
Vaccines: What CDC Documents and Science Reveal a DVD starring DO Sherri J. Tenpenny
Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective? a book by Neil Z. Miller

In conclusion: The flu shot, at best, is useless, and at worst you are likely to "catch" something far worse than the flu you were trying to avoid in the first place.

Is it worth the risk?

Your best chance of not getting the flu this season is to make sure your immune system is strong enough to resist it. How? By eating right, getting enough rest and sleep, fresh air, exercise and sunlight.

It really is that simple.

Phyllis Towse

Monday, October 27, 2008

It's Time for Your Flu Shot - Or Is It? Part 1

Now is the time of year that many people start talking about getting their yearly flu shot, and we hear of concerned pharmacies and stores offering flu clinics. Doctors recommend it, so it must be safe and beneficial, right?

We tend to think of and treat our doctors as if they were gods, as if they knew everything about how to make us well when we are sick. The sad truth is that most of them were schooled in disease management, not health creation.

The flu shot is another example of how listening to your doctor can harm you!

Here's what's most likely in the flu shot you or someone dear to you will be getting when they dutifully go for their shot:

Thimerosal (which is mercury, for heaven's sake!). There is an established a link between thimerosal presence in vaccines and autism.

Because of this link, New York recently passed a law banning the use of thimerosal in vaccines or flu shots to be given to young children and pregnant women.

But that doesn't mean it's safe for everyone else.

It can also contain anything from aluminum, formaldehyde, dangerous microorganisms, ethyle glycol, and other toxic substances! In addition, the flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chicken embryos inoculated with the specific type(s) of influenza virus that supposedly protects against the strains federal health officials believe (maybe they have a crystal ball) will be the most prevalent during the flu season.

In truth, the flu shot actually weakens the immune system in the long run. Nobody knows for sure exactly what negative effects all those poisons will have on the immune system. Some of them are known to interfere with your DNA.

Guillain-Barre syndrome is another danger from flu shots.

Author Tim O'Shea said in "The Sanctity of Human Blood: Vaccination is Not Immunization":
"A vaccine supposedly contains some version of the causative agent, in a weakened form. With influenza, by the time the virus is isolated, cultured for manufacture, and distributed to the population, the virus that is causing the current incidence of influenza has usually changed to a form completely unaffected by the vaccine.

Michael Decker, MD of Aventis, the flu vaccine manufacturer, admits, 'By the time you know what's the right strain, you can't do anything about it.'"

Guillain-Barre syndrome may be one of the dangers of flu shots. This is a disease in which the body damages it's own nerve cells resulting in muscle weakness, paralysis and sometimes permanent nerve damage. The syndrome was first associated with the swine flu shots of 1976, but a subsequent study concluded that Guillain-Barre syndrome was one of the possible flu shot risks.

And the list goes on.

Look for more information in Part 2 - more dangers and ways to stay healthy without getting a flu shot.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Is Decaffeinated Coffee Better than Regular?

Many people are switching over to decaffeinated coffee from their super-charged "regular" coffee, feeling much better and safer now about drinking coffee.

Unfortunately, there are still problems with drinking even decaf, including the fact that by law up to 2.5% of the caffeine is allowed to remain in order for a product to be labeled "decaffeinated".

Let's start with the 4 methods of decaffeination that are used.
  1. Chemical removal using methylene chloride
  2. Chemical removal using ethyl acetate
  3. The Swiss Method (Water extraction)
  4. The use of carbon dioxide
Most decaffeinated coffee is created by using one of the first two methods.

Chemical removal of the caffeine from unroasted beans begins warming the beans in steam or even hot water which opens the pores of the beans. They are rinsed in methylene chloride (said to be a carcinogen) to bind the caffeine only to then be flushed away.

­Ethyl acetate processed products are referred to as "naturally decaffeinated" because ethyl acetate is a chemical found naturally in many fruits. Caffeine is extracted in the same way as with methylene chloride processing, except that ethyl acetate is the solvent.

The Swiss method is a completely different process, and more expensive. It soaks the beans in hot water for several hours, and then filters the water through activated charcoal to remove the caffeine.

To decaffeinate using carbon dioxide (CO2), water-softened materials are "pressure cooked" with the gas. This method retains the flavor of the coffee better.

So far so good; except, of course, for the potential health consequence of using these solvents.

Here's an interesting fact, according to an ezinearticle: "...the taste difference is less likely to come from the presence or absence of caffeine as from any remaining processing chemicals and whether they removed flavor-producing elements."

Let's just hope they do a really good job of rinsing those chemicals off!

According to a 3 month study presented at the American Heart Association, Scientific Sessions, "Decaffeinated coffee increased fatty acids in the blood that fuel production of LDL (bad cholesterol)." This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the first non-industry funded study of its kind.

Why is this important? Because there is a much better chance for honest objectivity when the funding doesn't come from a company that makes money from the product being evaluated!

Decaffeinated coffee beans contain the same acidic level as regular coffee beans. This overstimulates the digestive tract and causes laxative-like responses. It also prevents the body from absorbing various minerals, such as iron, calcium and magnesium.

Decaf coffee can still induce heartburn and acid reflux, and still poses the threat of developing diseases like osteoporosis and glaucoma.

It is so much healthier for your body to drink pure water or a healthy smoothie!

Phyllis Towse

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Caffeine, a Legal Drug


When someone says "caffeine", we immediately think of coffee, don't we?

Certainly it is in coffee, but it is also in caffeinated soft drinks, energy drinks, tea, weight loss pills, and over the counter pills to help people stay awake. There's even a little in decaffeinated coffee.

Ever wonder exactly what that "buzz" is that you get from drinking a really good cuppa joe?

It's actually the body's defense mechanism, desperately trying to rid the body of poison! And poison is not too strong a word for caffeine.

Some people have so compromised their health that the body has put down layers of protection so that the caffeine isn't absorbed as quickly into their system. This is why there are people who can drink strong coffee, or a caffeinated soda like Mountain Dew, in the evening and still go to sleep.

Caffeine affects the central nervous system. It can cause insomnia, migraines, skin disorders, irritability and anxiety. And the results of getting less sleep than our bodies require means more disease and faster aging.
It also overworks the adrenals and reduces sports performance.

According to the International Food Administration Council, a daily intake of caffeine can increase your risk of, or worsen the following ailments:
  • Allergies
  • Heart arrhyhmia
  • Insomnia or disrupted sleep
  • Infertility problems
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Miscarriage
  • Panic, anxiety, and overall stress
  • Headaches
  • Thyroid disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Birth defects
  • Miscarriages
  • Infertility
  • Cancers
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • Ulcers and heartburn
  • Fibrocystic breast disease

Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of "Eat to Live", says on page 241 in his book that "Caffeine addicts are at higher risk of cardiac arrhythmias that could precipitate sudden death. Coffee raises blood pressure and raises both cholesterol and homocysteine, two risk factors for heart disease."

He attributes these problems to anything over one cup per day.

We frequently hear studies that conclude that a cup of regular coffee a day is good for us. Just what we wanted to hear! Of course, the people who fund those particular studies are none other than the Coffee Industry.

Yep, it's all about money, sad to say.

It is also addicting, as any regular drinker who has tried giving it up can attest to. Then there are those terrible headaches that accompany withdrawal.

Yes, caffeine is a legal drug, one that smells wonderful, is socially acceptable and is offered everywhere these days. But we drink it at our own peril.

Phyllis Towse

Friday, October 24, 2008

Green Smoothies vs Juicing

In my article yesterday on Green Smoothies, I talked about what a green smoothie is, and listed some of its benefits. I also gave some suggestions for ingredients.

Today I'd like to talk about some of the differences between green smoothies and juicing.

So what is the difference between juicing and a green smoothie, and how do you know which is better?

First of all, let me point out that they are very different. Both juicing and smoothies seem to have their own advantages. Each certainly has its own following and supporters!

When you juice vegetables or fruits, you are extracting the liquid and leaving behind all the fiber and some vitamins and minerals. It is certainly no longer a whole food.

There are many, many people who were extremely sick from many kinds of diseases, including terminal stages of cancer, who have juiced aggressively and found healing for their bodies. Dr. Norman Walker (inventor of the Norwalk Juicer), Dr. Lorraine Day, and Rev. George Malkmus are three examples that come immediately to mind.

Proponents of juicing claim that when the body is in a compromised state due to disease, the juice will get into the bloodstream much quicker than a whole food, and thereby nourish the cells and begin the healing process faster.

Certainly this has worked for many people, although in fairness I would also point out that along with the juicing they eliminated unhealthy foods from their diet.

Dr. Doug Graham, however, author of the 80/10/10 Diet, claims that our bodies need the whole food, that juicing refines the food and therefore is not as nourishing.

Victoria Boutenka claims in her book, Green For Life, that even when people simply added a quart of smoothie to their daily diets, without changing anything else in their diets, they experienced dramatic results.

I did not personally find that, but that is probably because my diet was already cleaned up.

Green smoothies are much easier and quicker to prepare, with less clean-up after.

They are best made with a high speed blender, but can be done with a regular blender.

The taste of a green smoothie is more appealing to many people.

Unfortunately, most people who recommend green smoothies claim they are good for us because they are what our nearest relatives, gorillas/apes/monkeys eat.

I believe their conclusion is sound, and agree that we are genetically similar to primates. That is not in dispute. And certainly green smoothies are extremely healthy for us, but the basis for their conclusion is fatally flawed.

We did not descend from the ape - evolution is technically not even a theory, it's so poorly contrived. However, we do share the same Creator. We ate nothing but plant food back in the Garden of Eden and thrived.

We are simply re-discovering an old truth, and it is God who deserves the glory.

Phyllis Towse

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Green Smoothies!


Green Smoothies!

A super easy and delicious way to get the bulk of your vitamins and nutrients for the day is to start adding a green smoothie into your daily diet.

Green smoothies have been around for a long time, but they have recently been popularized by and generally given credit to raw foodist Victoria Boutenka.

So what exactly is a green smoothie?

Basically it's 1/3 bananas, 1/3 leafy green vegetables, and 1/3 juicy, sweet fruit and water.

One of the best things about this is that you can design them to suit your own particular tastes!

Suggestions for the leafy green vegetable portion are:
kale
Romaine lettuce
parsley
spinach
swiss chard


Suggestions for fruits include:
peaches
nectarines
mango
kiwi
strawberries
blueberries
apples
raspberries
pineapple

The benefits to adding a quart of green smoothie to your daily diet are many.

To start with, you can get all the nutrients from all the individual fruits and vegetables without having to sit and chew for an hour.

Your body can process all the vitamins and minerals much faster than if you were to sit and chew everything individually.

You can easily bring a quart of green smothie with you to work or while traveling, and know that you are getting your nourishment.

It will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time.

As far as quantity to put in, go by the size of whatever your blender will safely hold, and divide that into thirds. Then add maybe a quart of distilled water, depending on the size of your blender, again, and also how thick or thin you want it to be.

To get you started, use any kind of a blender from Wal-mart or wherever. You will most likely find that it will not stand up to daily use, though, for very long. Hopefully that will not be the case!

I recommend the Vita-Mix very highly, as it is the very best and most powerful blender around. I have had mine for over 10 years, and I use it nearly every day. It can handle frozen bananas, frozen fruits, even ice cubes with ease.

The Vita-Mix breaks down the foods better than any other blender, into a form even smaller than how our own teeth can chew it, so your body will assimilate more of the nutrients. Click here for more information on that.

I recently purchased a K-Tec blender just to compare, and to me there was just no comparison. I didn't even want the K-tec as a back-up! That said, however, there are many people that are satisfied with a K-Tec, but I cannot personally recommend them.

My favorite combination is bananas, peaches, kale and parsley. Yum!

Anyway, experiment with your own favorite combinations of green, leafy vegetables and sweet, juicy fruits and find your own favorite!

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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Our Body's Need for Water - Part 2

In Part 1 of Our Body's Need for Water, we talked about some of the reasons why we need to drink pure water, and lots of it.

Today I'd like to get a little more specific about what happens when we don't get enough water, and why fruits and vegetables are truly the very best source.

Dehydration

By the time you feel really thirsty, it is too late - you are already dehydrated.


Many people are dehydrated and don't know it because it can show up in many ways, including many diseases such as asthma, allergies, cancer, and kidney stones.

Here are some of the milder symptoms:

. Infrequent urination
. Dark yellow urine
. Dry skin
. Loss of appetite
. Feeling tired and/or weak
. Irritability
. Cravings
. Headache
. Cramps
. Constipation

Water is needed to lubricate every cell and joint in the body, so it should come as no surprise that joint and back problems occur when there is insufficient intake.

Severe dehydration causes many diseases, and eventually death. If our bodies lose just 10% fluid, emergency medical intervention is necessary.

More about well water.

Many people think that they are getting lots of good minerals if they are drinking water from their own well. As I mentioned last time, the minerals in this form are insoluble.

They are inorganic, and as such our bodies cannot utilize them. In fact, they are harmful to us! When the body encounters these inorganic minerals, it tries to protect by tucking them away somewhere.

But what happens when they are stored in the joints is arthritis, in the intestinal walls we get constipation, and along the arteries, causing them to harden.

The kidneys and liver roll up the mineral deposits into little stones until they get too large for the ducts, becoming stones.

However, plants are designed to utilize inorganic minerals and in turn convert the inorganic to organic minerals, which our bodies can now use.

So we, in all our wisdom and intelligence, have it exactly backwards. God had it right.... in the beginning.

If you'd like to read further on this subject, here are some good places to get started:

. Your Body's Many Cries for Water: You are Not Sick, You are Thirsty, by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj

. Water Can Undermine Your Health, by Dr. Norman Walker

. The Choice is Clear, by Dr. Allen E. Banik

. Water, the Ultimate Cure, by Steve Meyerowitz

. Water: the Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life, by Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg

By the way, salt and alcohol are very dehydrating substances. I'll be writing more on salt very soon.

Phyllis Towse

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Our Body's Need for Water - Part 1


Water helps stabilize and cool the body; it transports nutrients; it dilutes and carries away wastes; it bathes every cell and hydrates our skin; it works intimately with air and sunshine to promote life and growth.

Just as it cleans and refreshes us on the outside, so it does on the inside.

Back in school we learned that our bodies contain approximately 70% water. But most of us never made the connection that therefore we need to make sure we injest sufficient water to maintain that balance.

And so we grew up drinking milk, soda, tea and coffee. Water seldom figured in our diets. But those liquids are simply not appropriate substitutes for water.

Our water supply needs to be replenished on a daily basis because we lose water every day through physical activity, eating, while sleeping - simply breathing removes moisture from our bodies. It's been said that we lose up to 10 glasses of water per day with normal activity.

We now know that many diseases are actually a deficiency of water, the result of ignoring our body's desperate need for water over a lifetime.

So how much water do we need?

A general rule of thumb for a healthy individual is 1/2 of your body weight in ounces. So, for example, if you weigh 100 pounds, you should drink approximately 50 ounces daily.

If you are ill or suffering from any disease, your body requires a lot more.

What is the best kind of drinking water? It is generally agreed by experts that distilled water is the best.

Certainly not the fluoridated and chlorinated water that comes into our houses from municipal supplies, nor well water that may be contaminated or contains insoluble minerals.

If you purchase distilled water from the store, be sure when you open it that it doesn't smell like plastic. If it does, that means that the plastic has leached into the water and you don't want to drink it.

You can purchase a water distiller for the home at reasonable prices (from $100 to $200) that should last you several years, and actually save you money over purchasing bottles at the store.

But: The very best and purest water that we can drink comes from whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic fruits and vegetables.

These foods contain the best water on the planet!

Water that contains the nutrients, minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, etc., all in a form that our bodies can assimilate and utilize.

Click here for Part 2 of "Our Body's Need for Water".

pH in the Body - What's That?

We need to begin any serious discussion of diet with an explanation of the body's pH balance. The "p" stands for "potenz" (this means the potential to be) and the "H" stands for Hydrogen.

But what it means for us isn't really complicated.

Your body, all on its own, is constantly adjusting its pH balance to stabilize it (homeostasis). Normal blood pH should be slightly alkaline, or 7.365, according to Robert O. Young, PhD, DSc, author of The pH Miracle.

Anything above the pH scale of 7 is alkaline, below it is acidic. Below 6.8 or above 7.8 and cells stop functioning, and the body dies.

So as you can see, our bodies take its job of neutralizing the pH balance very seriously.

As long ago as 1931, Otto Warburg received the Nobel Prize for discovering that cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment. He stated clearly then that nobody could say we do not know the primary cause of cancer! Hmm. Oh well, I'll go after that one another time.

Processed foods (anything in a jar or a can, basically), high protein foods (all animal products, even otherwise healthy seeds and nuts), drugs (prescription and illegal), coffee, soft drinks, even air pollution, all contribute to the acidity level in our bodies.

How does the body achieve the balance it continually strives for, in the absence of proper diet, rest, a calm emotional state, etc.?

It pulls (or leaches) important alkaline minerals from the body itself, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Calcium is taken from the bones and teeth, to neutralize the excess acid. So as a result of having safely removed the danger that we ourselves caused, osteoporosis occurs.

Dr. Theodore Baroody, author of Alkalize or Die, says that an acidic environment in the body is also conducive to the growth of health-destroying microorganisms. He says that as acidic wastes attack the joints, arthritis results (p. 20). As they attack the muscles, they cause muscle aches. As they attack glands and organs, they cause disease in those organs.

It's clear that we need to stop putting harmful, disease-causing foods into our bodies and start putting more healthful foods in, such as raw, whole, organic fruits and vegetables.

Phyllis Towse

Monday, October 20, 2008

Not By Diet Alone....

In yesterday's article, Will a Good Diet Alone Make You Healthy? we concluded that the answer was "No".

The individual components of Exercise, Diet, Sunshine, Fresh Air, Rest/Sleep, a good Attitude - are all necessary to achieve true Health.

We like to work on the parts we are strong in, where we are comfortable, rather than the part that needs strengthening. Sort of like with a piece of music - it's much more fun to play the parts we know, than to go back and break apart the difficult passages to get them up to speed.

It takes work, but the results and the satisfaction that comes with it always make it worthwhile.

Rev. George A. Malkmus, founder of Hallelujah Acres, teaches a "Get Healthy, Stay Balanced" program, where "balanced" means that all these components are necessary.

Dr. Douglas Graham, author of the 80/10/10 Diet and a 30 year living example and teacher of the raw food diet and lifestyle, says we are only as strong as our weakest link. How true that is!

He also says that if we have one spoke in the wheel that is either too short or too long, the ride will be very bumpy. I like that analogy because it is an accurate description of what happens when we either ignore one facet, or over-emphasize another.

A lot of people in the raw food movement have found such wonderful results from radically changing their diets from the SAD (Standard American Diet) to a raw or mostly raw fruits and vegetable diet, that they tend to stay there for a really long time.

I did, too, for a few years. Then I started adding in exercise, which wasn't hard for me because I have always loved being physically active, and since my health improved so dramatically with the diet change it was even easier.

After a few more years, when my diet wasn't something I had to work so hard at anymore, I started to take seriously the importance of getting enough fresh air and sunshine. Lately I've really been paying attention to my attitude, rest and sleep.

It's an exciting journey!

We are not fragmented creatures. God created each of us with a physical body, a spirit, and emotions that encompass one very unique and special person, of infinite value.

We should treat ourselves as such.

Phyllis Towse

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Will a Good Diet Alone Make You Healthy?


Will a Good Diet Alone Make You Healthy?

Many raw fooders, vegans and vegetarians seem to think that diet is the only thing that matters as a factor in having good health.

Nothing could be farther from the truth!

Yes, diet is extremely important since it's the stuff that we put into our bodies that will either feed and nourish our cells, or harm them and cause disease . And diet alone will go a long way towards helping your body to heal itself and grow strong again.

But there are other factors, too, that are often overlooked.

We've talked a little about most of them already, but they bear repeating because each of them is vital to our good health:
  • Exercise
  • Sunshine
  • Fresh Air
  • Pure Water
  • Proper Rest/Sleep
  • Managing Stress/Attitude
I remember being so inspired many years ago by James F. Fixx, the author of The complete Book of Running, that I began running myself. I hadn't been doing it for long when I was shocked to hear that he died while running.

Did that mean running was dangerous? My enthusiasm for running greatly diminished.

I really didn't know much about good health at the time, but since then I have wondered if there were other factors involved. I wondered what he ate, and if he got enough rest and sleep.

We now know that his cholesterol levels were above 250, and an autopsy revealed blockage in Fixx's three main arteries of 95%, 85% and 50%.

Clearly exercise alone isn't enough for good health.

On the other hand, many old farmers I've known lived a nice long time and were fairly healthy. They sure got lots of exercise with all their hard work, and while they ate animal products, apparently the exercise worked off a lot of it.

Of course, the animal products from 50 years ago and longer were not nearly as deadly as they are now. (More on this in another article.)

If you go for any length of time without proper rest and sleep, it will affect your desire and ability to exercise, you may make decisions, get sick more easily, and so on.

If you don't get enough sunshine, you will begin to feel depressed, which will of course affect every area of your life.

It's like the spokes of a wheel - all of the spokes are important to make that wheel go around smoothly.

I'll go into this more next time. Just remember that anywhere you start changing things for the better is a step in the right direction!

Our Incredible, Self-Healing Bodies

Our bodies were designed to heal themselves. Is that a new concept to you?

Think about it. When you cut yourself, what happens? Your body instinctively knows exactly what to do to begin healing, without your doing a thing for it.

Blood comes out to help cleanse the wound and other things happen from within, and as the skin knits together a scab forms and even knows just when to drop off to reveal tender, new skin underneath.

That's God's design in our DNA.

Now, what would happen if someone had a cut on their arm and every time it tried to heal, they kept cutting it again? (creepy thought, I know) Would it ever heal?

No, of course not! It would never get a chance to.

Question: Is the self-healing still in our body? Yes, but it can't take place until we stop interfering with what our body is trying so desperately to do for us.

The inside of our body are just the same - it is constantly rebuilding itself IF we give it the right building materials and stop putting in the interfering and harmful substances.

Here is a list of the 5 most deadly foods, and I am trusting that you know that alcohol, tobacco, and drugs - legal (prescription) or illegal - are also deadly and will just kill you quicker:

#1 Anything of Animal Origin - that includes meat, chicken, fish and dairy products

#2 Sugar

#3 Sodium Chloride - also known as Table Salt

#4 White Flour

#5 Caffeine

Right about now you may be wondering what in the world you can eat!

We need to start thinking for ourselves - thinking out of the box. Just like your mother told you long ago, "Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right!". How true that is!

Most everyone I know does eat all of the 5 deadly foods - including myself for most of my life - and every single one of them has health problems to one degree or another.

We have all heard about the "health care crisis" in this country. I submit that "health care" would be better termed "disease management" - and very poor management, at that.

Prescription drugs do absolutely nothing to cure the disease - remember, only our bodies can do that. They may seem to help, but they are only masking the problem temporarily, plus giving entirely new symptoms.

Changing one's diet is an excellent first step, a little at a time, remembering that our goal towards good health is a process to be enjoyed along the way.

Start with eliminating just one deadly food from your diet per week and see how you feel.

Phyllis Towse

Health is a Matter of Choice!

Disease is not a normal part of life, nor is it a necessary part of aging. Did you know that?

It takes a lot of hard work on our part for our bodies to get sick. By the time we are diagnosed with an actual disease, years of poor health habits have been working on our bodies to break them down to the point where we are in serious condition.

There are very few true genetic diseases. All of us, however, are born with certain areas of potential physical weakness, an inherited weak genetic predisposition, a tendency toward certain physical distresses. Note that these are only possibilities, not certainties.

All that means is that if we continue to eat poorly, put off exercising, etc., when we get sick we will typically suffer in pre-determined areas. You may say, “But breast cancer runs in my family.” Does that mean that you are necessarily doomed to get breast cancer?

Thankfully, the answer is a resounding “NO!”

Unless, that is, you continue the poor health patterns that caused the other members of your family to get breast cancer.

If you really, really don’t want to get it, then you will be willing to make some radical changes in your diet, start exercising, get plenty of rest and sleep, fresh air, sunshine, and the like.

The proof of what I am saying is in the lives of many people who have done just that, and were able to beat their cancer and eliminate other diseases and ailments.

There are many people, including professional people who have discovered this truth for themselves, including Dr. Lorraine Day, who was able to heal from terminal stages of cancer by doing these things.

There are countless others with anecdotal evidence (personal testimonies) who experienced complete healing from all manner of diseases, that are a great encouragement.

There are reportedly over 3,000 studies done to date that validate the benefits of a plant-based diet, and link disease to an animal-based diet.

There are more and more medical doctors today who are standing up and speaking out for the importance of a plant-based diet. Among them are Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Doug Graham, Dr. Joseph Mercola, and many other leaders in the natural health movement.

Next time I’ll talk about specific things to eliminate from your diet.

Til then, be encouraged and take whatever steps you can today toward good health!

Phyllis Towse

Saturday, October 18, 2008

More Tips for Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Last time we learned some hints for getting to sleep on those nights when you have trouble dropping off.

Let's review:

  • Always sleep in a dark room
  • Keep writing tools by your bed to write down those worrying thoughts, or plans for tomorrow or sudden brainstorms.
  • Don't eat or drink anything 3 hours prior to bedtime, to eliminate heavy digestion and trips to the bathroom
  • Try different relaxation techniques while lying in bed
  • Exercise about 2 hours before bedtime
  • Take a bath
  • Trust in God.

Here are a few more.

7. Establish a regular bedtime, and be consistent.

Your body will eventually get used to when you expect to go to sleep. They say habits take 21 days to become established, so be sure to give it at least that long.

8. Get up at a regular time. Do not try to sleep in every day to make up for lost sleep. It just doesn't work.

But if you get up at your usual time, you will be that much more tired in the evening. You can make it through the day being tired, and it will help you go to sleep more easily later that night.

9. Try eating foods or taking a supplement temporarily containing Tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that must be present in the brain for sleep to occur. This may be because it is a precursor for Seratonin, which can be converted to Melatonin.

Good food sources of Tryptophan include:

Apricots
Bananas
Cucumbers
Celery
Onions
Sesame seeds (among the highest levels)
Walnuts
Almonds
Tomatoes
Kelp
Dried pumpkin seeds
Raw mushrooms

and there are others.

10. There are many herbal remedies and teas that you can try; some people find them effective, some don't. Try different ones and see what might work for you.

Melatonin supplements should only be taken for a short period of time, as there is concern that if taken for too long (over a month at a time), the body will stop producing it on its own, and you will be worse off than when you started.

11. Try rubbing a good quality lavender oil into your temples, or better yet ask your spouse to do it for you! This may not put you to sleep, but it certainly will relax you.

Daub some of the oil onto your pillow (be sure it won't stain, first) or a handkerchief that you put next to your pillow.

12. Instead of the old hot chocolate made with cow's milk, try this recipe:

Make some raw sesame seed and almond milk. After straining the nut milk, put the liquid back into the VitaMix blender.

Add raw carob powder, half a vanilla bean, a little cinnamon, and either a couple of pitted dates or a little stevia for sweetness.

Now blend on high until the mixture warms up. This is delicious and comforting, and may even help!

Well, I hope these tips have been helpful to you. I would love to hear from you if they have. And let me know if you have some of your own!

Sweet dreams!

Phyllis Towse

Friday, October 17, 2008

Trouble Sleeping? Here are Some Tips

As I mentioned in yesterday's article about Sleep, a good night's sleep is essential to our well being in every aspect.

Here are some tips for helping to get a good night's sleep:

1. Make sure the room is dark. I mean dark!

No moonlight or streetlights coming in through the windows, no lights from the alarm clock or extension cord. No lights!

Our bodies instinctively know that when it is dark, it is time for the mind and body to relax and shut down.

2. Keep your day planner or a pad and pen by your bed, and write down what you need to do tomorrow.

Thoughts are the enemy of sleep! If you lie down with all kinds of thoughts about what you want to do tomorrow, of course you can't get to sleep because you're worrying that you will forget them.

And if you happen to wake up and think of some great idea or something to add to the list, it is right there for you to write in and then forget it and go back to sleep.

3. Don't eat or drink anything 3 hours prior to bedtime. Otherwise:

a. Your body will be busy digesting the food instead of relaxing.

b. When you do get to sleep, your body will still be working on the digestion process instead of being about the business of healing itself during the night.

c. Obviously if you drink liquids shortly before bedtime you will have to keep getting up to go to the bathroom throughout the night!

4. There are different relaxation techniques that you can use and find in many other places, from counting sheep to focusing on and then relaxing a specific portion of your body, one at a time. Different techniques work for different people, so they are definitely worth trying.

5. Exercise about 2 hours before bedtime.

Then take a relaxing bath, get into bed and maybe read something light for a few minutes. By this time, those relaxing endorphins will have kicked in and you will be relaxed and physically tired.

Perfect conditions for sleeping!

6. Trust in God! He will keep you safe during the night, and awaken you in the morning. Give over control of things to Him. Most things aren't really under our control anyway, but we spend so much time worrying and trying to figure things out, really just spinning our wheels.

The Bible says, " Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Isn't that the truth!

I hope these ideas help. I'll offer some more suggestions next time.

Til then, sleep well!

Phyllis Towse

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sleep, Sweet Sleep

Most of us take our sleep for granted. But actually, what happens when we sleep is pretty amazing!

While we are asleep, the body:

  • Gets rid of waste products
  • Circulates minerals, vitamins, hormones
  • Produces most of the infection-fighting substances that help you recover from illness and injury
  • Produces natural human growth hormone (HGH) that maintains and repairs muscles

A good night's sleep is not a luxury: it is absolutely essential to our well-being, in every single area of our lives.

Anyone who has gone without a good night's sleep knows how it negatively affects the next day, from waking up tired to dragging tired all day. When we're younger, it doesn't seem to affect us that much. In reality, though, it still does - the effects will just take longer to show.

Lack of sleep increases incidences of all kinds of illness. A San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center study found that just one bad night of sleep deprivation can reduce the activity of immune cells, leaving us more susceptible to colds, infections and disease.

This is why we need to give ourselves extra rest and sleep when we are ill, so that the body can heal itself.

"Sleep deprivation has effects on the body much like stress, including weight gain, increased cortisol levels, distorted thyroid hormone levels, and elevations in glucose and insulin that increase the risk for insulin resistance and diabetes," says Robert Sach, Ph.D., of Oregon Health Science University in Portland.

A recent study from the University of Chicago reportedly shows that a sleep deprived body:

  • Is less efficient at metabolizing sugar
  • Has elevated glucose levels
  • Can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity
  • Tired people often turn to food as an aid for staying awake; therefore, sleep deprivation could be related to weight gain.

Sometimes, too, when we are really tired, we will eat, instead of recognizing that what we really need is sleep.

God designed our bodies to be active during the day, and to heal themselves when we sleep at night. When we follow His plan, thehealing takes place, and we have fresh energy in the morning. Too often, though, we ignore this basic principle and suffer the consequences.

We've all experienced an occasional sleepless night. But what do you do when it begins to happen on a regular basis? I'll write about that next time.

Phyllis Towse

What Exactly is a Healthy Diet?

Everywhere you look these days, someone is coming out with a new diet. You can pick one according to your blood type, eye color, age, high carb, low carb, weight loss, all raw, 85% raw, high protein, etc.

Most seem to work for a short time, but what really works, and why?

Most people, when asked if they eat healthy, will reply “Yes”, because most people think they are. What would your answer be? Is there an objective standard?

The answer is a qualified Yes!

Virtually all of the truly healthy diets, past and present, recommend raw fruits and vegetables in abundance. There is disagreement about how much of each, which should predominate, all raw or a little cooked, and what else can or cannot be added along with fruits and vegetables, but at least there is a solid foundation – eat your fruits and vegetables!

Even the American Cancer Society acknowledged this on September 28, 2006:

“The American Cancer Society recommends eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day to help prevent cancer. These foods contain important vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants and are usually low in calories.”

So why are there no studies showing this? One of the problems of scientifically validating the benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables is that there is no money in it, nor can fruits or veggies be regulated or patented in the way prescription drugs are.

The studies that you typically read about cost millions of dollars, and most of the time they are slanted to come up with a desired result anyway, frankly. There is too much money in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, as well as in time invested, for most within their ranks to be honest or objective.

One glorious exception was “The China Study” by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a research project that culminated in a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, a survey of diseases and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan.

Here is what he had to say as a result of their findings:

“After a long career in research and policy-making, I have decided to step ‘out of the system.’ I have decided to disclose why Americans are so confused,” said Dr. Campbell. “As a taxpayer who foots the bill for research and health policy in America, you deserve to know that many of the common notions you have been told about food, health and disease are wrong.”

“I propose to do nothing less than redefine what we think of as good nutrition. You need to know the truth about food, and why eating the right way can save your life.”

He found that: “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease … People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease. These results could not be ignored,” said Dr. Campbell.

You can read more about the study for yourself at: http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html

Until next time, enjoy those delicious fruits and veggies!

Phyllis Towse

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

How to Choose a Moisturizer

I happened to read an article this morning on the internet from a skin care website. It said this:

"Petroleum jelly is one of the best and most inexpensive products, especially when used right after bathing to seal in moisture."

Ugh - do they really think we want a petroleum product anywhere on our bodies? So what if it's cheap? And is it really cheap in the long run?

Our skin is our largest organ, and one of its critical functions is to eliminate toxins. Do you think it can do this while the pores are clogged up with petroleum jelly? It seals in moisture, all right, but all the toxins along with it.

What is in your favorite moisturizer?

Check out the first ingredient, because that's what the product contains the most of. By law, the greatest concentration of an ingredient in that product must be listed first.

Most often the first ingredient is water, which is also cheap, with maybe a few healthy ingredients thrown in somewhere later down the list. But then you have to use more of the product, because it doesn't go as far.

And when you have to buy it more frequently, it turns out that's not any cheaper, either. And who has money to throw around these days?

So what is a healthier and cost-effective alternative?

L'Bri makes a wonderful skin care product line for the face and body. The first ingredient in their products is Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract.

This particular type of aloe is extracted and processed in a way that does not harm the aloe itself. All the original nutrients and benefits in the aloe go right into the skin.

If you're interested, see my article entitled: Skin Care Basics and This Woman's Answer for more about L'Bri.

I was told to expect to get at least 3 months out of each skin care product. After two months of faithfully using all of them at least twice daily (sometimes more after a hard workout), I have barely made a dent in them!

Talk about a win-win situation:

  • It is good for my skin
  • It feels so luxurious going on, like I spent a million bucks for it!
  • It leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth
  • The scent is heavenly!
  • It is cost-effective
What more could anyone want in a product?

Yes, I do sell the L'Bri product line. How could I not, when I have seen for myself what an excellent product it is? :-)

If you would like more information on L'Bri, or free samples (pay only for postage), please email me and I will be delighted to help you.

And remember, the products are guaranteed. There is a product for any type of skin, but if for some reason you find that they do not work for you, I want to know, and I will be happy to refund your money.

So, what's in your favorite moisturizer?

Phyllis Towse

Our Environment - Indoor Concerns

What’s in the air indoors definitely has an effect on our overall health and because health (good or bad) begins inside our bodies, it affects the quality of our skin.

We know that many floor coverings contain formaldehyde, a naturally occurring and man-made substance, such as carpet, padding and adhesives.

But did you know that formaldehyde is also used in furniture, paper products, cosmetics, deodorants, shampoos, fabric dyes and permanent-press fabrics, inks, disinfectants, air deodorizers and carpet deodorizers?

Then there are the effects of cell phones and electrical appliances, chemicals in our water supply, poison in commercial brands of toothpaste, and the list goes on and on.

That is why so many products have the word “natural” in them, in a determined effort to get away, as much as possible, from harmful chemicals. Although I do need to point out that adding the word “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthy for you. (More on that in another article.)

An indoor-air purifier will help, and there are many things we can do to eliminate much of this indoor poison, such as replacing whatever harmful products we can, a little at a time, as we can afford it

There will never be a time that you can say your home is “perfectly natural”, but as in most of life, what counts is the direction we are moving in, and we always want to be moving in the direction of good health.

Winter is fast approaching here in upstate New York, and our indoor heating , whether from gas, propane, or wood will dry out our skin, unless we add a humidifier to help combat it.

We need to make sure we are taking in enough pure water, preferably through organic fruits and vegetables, since our bodies are made up of mostly water.

And you want to make sure you have a really good quality skin care product line that is effective in helping protect your delicate facial skin.

If you are interested in learning about L'Bri, a wonderful and highly effective, natural skin care product that will help protect your skin, or would like some samples, please feel free to email me and I’ll be happy to help you.

Phyllis Towse

"Green" or just Goofy?

Every day we hear something to do with the “green” movement.

A lot of what is said under that broad umbrella is sincere and helpful.

Some (such as replacing all our lightbulbs with low wattage - read "useless" - compact fluorescent light bulbs that contain small amounts of mercury, a neurotoxin, for heaven’s sake) is just ridiculous, downright harmful, and one of my pet peeves.

Here’s what John Skinner, executive director of the Solid Waste Association of North America, the trade group for the people who handle trash and recycling, had to say about these light bulbs in a February 15, 2007 article in “All Things Considered” on the NPR website:

“… the companies and federal government haven't come up with effective ways to get Americans to recycle them.

"The problem with the bulbs is that they'll break before they get to the landfill. They'll break in containers, or they'll break in a dumpster or they'll break in the trucks. Workers may be exposed to very high levels of mercury when that happens."

Skinner says when bulbs break near homes, they can contaminate the soil.

“Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, and it's especially dangerous for children and fetuses. Most exposure to mercury comes from eating fish contaminated with mercury, (sic)

Some states, cities and counties have outlawed putting CFL bulbs in the trash, but in most states the practice is legal.”

Some people insist that they pose no danger. If that is true, why the strict instructions on handling and disposal of said compact fluorescent light bulbs?

I don’t know about you, but I plan on sticking with regular light bulbs for as long as I can!

Next time we’ll look at more threats to our health from our environment.

Have a great and illuminating day!

Phyllis Towse

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

But Where Do You Get Your Protein?

This is, invariably, the first question I get when I tell people I don't eat animal products.

It always makes me smile, because 10 years ago I would have asked the same thing. So I never tire of telling people that I get absolutely all the protein I need from raw fruits and vegetables.

Actually, you can get enough protein from eating raw fruits alone, but I wouldn't recommend that because we need the minerals and variety of so many nutrients that we get from vegetables.

This also begs the question, How much protein do we really need?

The truth is, not very much. Anywhere from 5-10% of our total calories need to come from protein, in order to replace the protein we routinely use.

T. Colin Campbell, in his landmark work entitled, "The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health", says that we only require 5-6%. He also says that "About 9-10% protein has been recommended for the past 50 years to be assured that most people at least get their 5-6% protein." (pp 30-31)

Actually, if you were to eat only potatoes you would also get enough protein (again, definitely not something I would recommend!). In fact, it is extremely difficult in this country to not get enough protein in your diet!

It is the meat industry with their lobbying and their advertising over the years that has convinced us to worry about getting enough protein. In actuality, the typical American eats about 16% protein.

What happens when our bodies are fed this surplus of protein?

Diseases and health problems of all kinds.

Protein is, in general, very acid forming in the body. This throws off the body's pH balance and so it must work very hard to maintain homeostasis by pulling an alkaline mineral, calcium, from the bloodstream. The body replaces the calcium in the bloodstream by removing it from our bones and teeth.

This is why when you drink milk, you actually lose calcium! Just the opposite of why most people drink milk! How sad that the milk and dairy industry continues to perpetrate this fraud on the American people.

So if you are on a raw, low fat vegan diet, just make sure that you eat enough fruits and vegetables, with a good variety.

I highly recommend Dr. Douglas N. Graham's book called "The 80/10/10 Diet" if you want to learn more.

Phyllis Towse

Monday, October 13, 2008

Our Body's Need for Sunshine


Sunshine is usually talked about from the viewpoint of how to protect ourselves from it.

People seem to forget that our bodies actually require a certain amount of sunshine, daily.

How much? Maybe 15 minutes to start, until you get used to it. Then you can work up to half an hour or more, once you get used to it.

And never in the hottest part of the day!

Worried about skin cancer? Recent research from Baylor College of Medicine has shown that a diet high in cooked fats (free radicals) and chemicals, and low in leafy greens greatly increases the risk of skin cancer.

This is because free radicals and toxins in the unprotected skin are baked and mutated by the sun's rays.

But, a living foods diet can protect us from skin cancer.

So why exactly do we need the sunlight's exposure on our skin?

Sunshine:
  • Balances our hormone production (including metabolization of Vitamin D)
  • Reduces our resting heart rate
  • Lowers cholesterol
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Destroys fungus and candida
  • Triggers an increase in the chemical serotonin. (Serotonin is the feel-good chemical that controls sleep patterns, body temperature and your sex drive, and also lifts your mood and alleviates depression and fatigue.)
  • Helps to offset weakening of melatonin production.
Depression is a serious problem in areas where they see little sunlight - during the long winter nights of Alaska, for example. Washington state used to have the highest suicide rate in the country, quite possibly due to the amount of rain there and lack of sunshine.

Some people recommend special lamps in the wintertime to help alleviate this very real problem. It would be much better if we could make a trip to a warm climate for at least a week or two during the winter, but of course that is not possible for everyone.

Skiing and snow shoeing are good for getting sunlight, as well as fresh air and exercise.

But for now, in mid-October with the beautiful fall colors in the leaves all around us here in upstate New York, enjoy every bit of the warm sunshine that we get from now on!

What Qualifies as Exercise? Part 2

Last time we talked about a few ideas for getting exercise in less formal settings that are easier on the pocketbook but just as effective, and if they are done outdoors, there is the added benefit of getting necessary fresh air.

Here are some more:

Get out your old bike that’s been collecting dust in the garage, or get a new one (or used) and go for a scenic ride around your neighborhood or local bike trail. This is great fun, especially if you do it with a friend or your spouse. You will find yourself getting to know your neighborhood better, and making new friends.

If you’re a mom with young children, trust me, you are already doing exercise daily! But if you want more, set aside a little time during your day or evening for a special time of working out.

It can become a fun time, a great way to release stress, and then there are those great endorphins that kick in for that wonderfully relaxed feeling after you are all done. It can help you sleep much better, too.

We tend to think that doing exercise gives us more energy, but strictly speaking that is not true. Exercise takes energy - that’s a fact.

What does happen is that we gain strength and endurance, so that our activities take less energy than before, and so it feels like we have more energy. We still have the same amount as before, but we have more available, or left over.

Swimming in a pool (hopefully one with very little or no chlorine in it) is great, and so much better on your joint than running orjogging.

If your knees are in good shape, you can make a routine of running up and down the stairs either in your office building at lunchtime or in your home – that’s a tough one but it’s great for those legs!

Lots of people start out intending to exercise faithfully, but don’t keep it up, whether through lack of real commitment or from a change in circumstances, whatever.

Don’t be too hard on yourself, but do keep trying! Always keep in mind the reason you are doing it – to be healthy, and to feel and look great.

Keep at it and reap the benefits for years to come, both for you and your loved ones.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

What Qualifies as Exercise? Part 1


You may be thinking that you have to go to a gym and work out on the machines, or do an exercise class to get “qualified” exercise. That is certainly one way, but just as certainly not the only way.

You can get your workouts at home and save some money – first in the club sign-up fee and monthly dues, then in driving costs, and in that perhaps most precious of all commodities, time.

Dumbbells are cheap and easily found at Walmart, Target, sports stores – even garage sales.

How to know what to do with your dumbells, or what routine to do at home? There is a plethora of dvds and videos available, made by incredible fitness gurus.

Jillian Michaels of The Biggest Loser tv series has great dvd’s, and there are many others that you can check out at Amazon.com. Read the reviews to see if a certain workout will be a good match for you.

Garage sales are again a great source, as are Amazon, eBay, overstock.com, half.com, craigslist, etc. Utube has free videos of workouts online, and of course many magazines have exercises in some of their articles.

So, if you are disciplined you can get a full workout at home, suited to your schedule and your personal preferences.

But, consider this: Walking in your neighborhood is free and one of the very best exercises you can do. Take your dog for a walk if you’re not already, even if he or she is older and can’t go as fast or as far as you would go by yourself. It’s healthy for her, too.
Link
More on this next time…..

In the meantime, go take a walk! :-)

Exercise - It Does a Body Good! Part 2

Last time we talked about the three main types of exercise:

. Aerobic
. Flexibility
. Anaerobic

Now we'll go into each a little more fully.

Aerobic or Cardiovascular

Aerobic means “with oxygen”, and Cardiovascular means “involving or relating to the human heart and blood vessels”.

The cardiovascular system is composed of the heart and blood vessels, and is responsible for circulating oxygen-rich blood throughout the body and removing waste products.

Examples of this type of exercise include walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, rebounding, snow shoveling, any sustained activity that gets your heart rate up and keeps it up for a minimum of 20-30 minutes.

Flexibility. Daily stretching lengthens muscles, increases range of motion and mobility, and can relax you. Remember to breathe deeply!

This can be part of your cool-down after your aerobic exercise. For years we were told to do our stretching prior to a workout, but now we know that the muscles first have to be warmed up in order to prevent injury.

Anaerobic exercise refers to strength or weight training. You can use the obvious tools such as dumbells, or you can use your own body weight and do push-up or sit-ups, etc.

This type of exercise will strengthen muscles and bones, increase bone density, normalize hormonal levels, and reduce your biological age. If you want to prevent weakening of your bones as you age, this is a far more effective way than taking calcium supplements or drinking milk of any type.

A word of caution: Remember to not overdo at first. Just start from wherever you are and increase gradually from there.

Do not get discouraged, but keep at it, and you WILL see improvement! Your body will thank you for it.

Now go and have a great workout! :-)

Friday, October 10, 2008

Exercise - It Does a Body Good! Part 1


Exercise - It Does a Body Good! Part 1

Exercise
.

When you hear that word, do you cringe? It is either something you love or you hate.

Some of us will go to practically any length to avoid it, and some of us (including this author!) actually look forward to their workouts.

Regardless of where we stand on the subject, it is a fact of life that our bodies were made to exercise, and if we do not, we suffer the consequences in the form of premature aging, aches and pains, and actual disease.

Let’s talk about some of the benefits of exercise.

When we exercise, impurities leave our bodies through our skin. It is one of the body’s methods of detoxifying, a term you hear quite often these days.

We look and feel younger (and who doesn’t want that?), our skin is healthier, it becomes easier to do physical tasks, our heart and lungs are strengthened, we get improved circulation, improved quality of sleep, weight loss (along with diet) - we are healthier in every way!

There are three main categories or types of exercise.

. Aerobic or Cardiovascular

. Flexibility

. Anaerobic

All three are absolutely necessary to our health. Next time we'll look at each one a little more closely.

4 Steps to Healthy Skin

There are 4 things your skin needs in order to be healthy and look its best. They are cleansing, exfoliating, freshening and moisturizing.

Step 1 – Cleanser

You want a water-soluble, detergent-free, gentle and natural cleanser that is right for your skin type. The first ingredient should not be water but something natural with healing properties, like cold-processed aloe.

As you know, the first ingredient listed on any label indicates the item that the product contains the most of. So an otherwise good quality product will not be cost-effective, and will not last nearly as long as a product whose first ingredient is aloe.

Soaps are too harsh for our delicate facial skin.

Step 2 – Exfoliater, mask or peel

Not something you want to do every day, but maybe 2-3 times per week, depending on your skin and the strength of the product itself. Depending on your skin type, either a gentle scrub, mask or peel will do wonders for drawing out impurities and to remove the dead cells lying on the surface of our skin.

Step 3 – Freshener

Fresheners work to restore the natural pH balance of your skin, and to prepare your skin to absorb needed moisture.

Step 4 – Moisturizer

This is the final step in your skin care program.

It is so important to stick with one product line for all these steps. This is because an integrated product line is designed to work together for maximum results, and you simply cannot get the results you desire from mixing and matching a cleanser from one company with a freshener from another, and a moisturizer from yet another.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more about a great Skin Care Product line that will nourish your skin from the inside out!

Have a great day!

Phyllis Towse

Thursday, October 9, 2008

A New Respect for Our Skin

Ever think about what all your skin does, or do you just take it for granted?

Here are some interesting facts about this fascinating and vital part of our body:

. It is one of the largest organs of the body

. It is almost waterproof

. It grows faster than any other organ

. It makes up about 16% of our total body weight

. The average adult has 21 square feet of skin and weighs 7-11 pounds

. Every 24 hours, the surface of the skin sheds a layer of dead cells, constantly renewing about every 28 days. So if you are not satisfied with the quality of your skin, there is hope of change with the right diet, lifestyle and beauty care regime!

. Facial skin is 5 times thinner than the rest of the body’s skin (about 0.12 mm versus .6 mm). It is even thinner on the lips and around the eyes, which is why those areas need special protection.

. Its main function is protection – it insulates and protects the body against bacterial invasion, heat, cold, and too much sunlight.

. It can sense 5 different kinds of stimulation: touch, pressure, heat, cold, and pain.

. It helps your body detox itself through perspiration

. It regulates your body’s temperature.

There is so much more to our incredible, wonderful skin, but are you beginning to get the picture? It is an incredibly complicated system, is vital to our well being, and requires our help to keep it working at its best.

Doesn’t it make sense, then, to take the very best care of your skin that you possibly can?

Next time we’ll talk about what steps are necessary to have truly healthy skin.

Have a great day!

Phyllis Towse