Do you drink bottled water?

I stopped buying bottled water a few years back and not only is it better for your health you will save money!

Bottled water found to contain over 24,000 chemicals, including endocrine disruptors!Natural News

Widespread consumer demand for plastic products that are free of the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) has led to some significant positive changes in the way that food, beverage and water containers are manufactured. But a new study out of Germany has found that thousands of other potentially harmful chemicals are still leeching from plastic products into food and beverages, including an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) known as di(2-ethylhexyl) fumarate, or DEHF, that is completely unregulated.

Martin Wagner and his colleague, Jorg Oehlmann, from the Goethe University Frankfurt, in conjunction with a team of researchers from the German Federal Institute of Hydrology, learned this after conducting tests on 18 different bottled water products to look for the presence of EDCs. Using an advanced combination of bioassay work and high-resolution mass spectrometry, the team identified some 24,520 different chemicals present in the tested water.

But of major concern, and the apparent underpinning of the study's findings, was DEHF, a plasticizer chemical that is used to make plastic bottles more flexible. According to reports, DEHF was clearly identified in the tested water as the most consistent and obvious culprit causing anti-estrogenic activity. Despite trace amounts of more than 24,000 other potentially damaging chemicals, DEHF stood out as the only possible EDC capable of inducing this particular observed activity, a highly concerning observation.

The study's published abstract explains that 13 of the 18 bottled water products tested exhibited "significant" anti-estrogenic activity, while 16 of the 18 samples were found to inhibit the body's androgen receptors by an astounding 90 percent. Additionally, the other 24,520 chemical traces besides DEHF were also identified as exhibiting antagonistic activity, which means that they, too, are detrimental to the body's hormonal system.

Many thousands of endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in plastic production prove material unsafe

But DEHF is apparently not alone in causing significant damage to the endocrine system, as the team was unable to identify this chemical as being specifically anti-androgenic. What this suggests is that there is some other chemical, or chemical combination, being leeched into bottled water that is interfering with the body's chemical signaling system, which is, of course, responsible for hormone production and use within the body.

"We confirmed the identity and biological activity of DEHF and additional isomers of dioctyl fumarate and maleate using authentic standards," report the researchers. "Since DEHF is anti-estrogenic but not anti-androgenic we conclude that additional, yet unidentified EDCs must contribute to the antagonistic effect of bottled water."

So while these specific findings concerning DEHF are groundbreaking, the overall conclusion to be drawn from this research is that far more study is needed to determine the types of chemicals that are being leeched from plastic into our food and water, not to mention the extent of this leeching. And since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the rest of the three-letter government agencies will surely never get around to conducting this important research, independent science will simply have to take up the charge.

"This work is a 'tour de force' in identification of endocrine disruptors in packaged materials," says Bruce Blumberg from the University of California, Irvine, as quoted by Chemistry World. This type of analysis, he adds, "will be very important for our future understanding of what chemicals we are routinely exposed to and which of these pose hazards of being endocrine disruptors."

You can read the full study abstract here:
http://www.plosone.org

In the meantime, conscious consumers can avoid plastic containers whenever possible and simply use glass or steel containers instead to avoid these unknown risks.


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Nutrition for Young Athletes

Nutrition for Young Athletes: Fueling Up Before the Game

Nutrition can play a pivotal role in supporting the training and competition demands of any elite athlete.

Food alone will not make you pass the ball faster or knock seconds off your personal best, but the right diet is absolutely central in supporting training to make those achievements possible. Good food choices help ensure fuel needs are met to promote adaptations to training, to aid recovery in order to continue and intensify training and to ensure good health to prevent illness and injury. What you consume before, during and after a game is important for comfort and performance during the game. While eating soon before a game doesn't provide the bulk of the fuel needed for the activity, it can prevent the distracting symptoms of hunger during it. The major source of fuel for active muscles is carbohydrate which gets stored in the muscles as glycogen in the days before the game. This is one reason that the post-game meal is critical to recovery and being ready for the next game.

What Not to Eat

A good diet sometimes starts with not consuming things that you shouldn't. The two biggies for young people are fast food and soda. You can't perform at your peak when you're eating food that is over-processed and made for mass production. Sodas are some of the biggest performance inhibitors out there. The high level of sugar and carbonation forces your body to work harder, and takes energy from you, rather than providing the energy you need to perform. If you simply cut out these two items, you'd be a lot better off nutritionally. You also want to avoid as much processed or packaged food as you can. Examples of this are pre-packaged, or microwave dinners. The more processed the food, the less real nutritional value it has. Any foods with a lot of fat can be very difficult and slow to digest and remain in the stomach a long time. They also will pull blood into the stomach to aid in digestion, which can cause cramping and discomfort. Meats, doughnuts, fries, crisps, and sweets should be avoided in a pre-exercise meal.

Drink Lots of Fluids

You've probably heard this over and over, but you really cannot get enough water and electrolytes. Most young people don't stay hydrated. When you're training intensely, your body depends on good hydration to successfully perform and recover. Find a good electrolyte replacement drink to help with this recovery. Keep a water bottle with you during the day, so you're keeping yourself hydrated all day. If you wait until you're thirsty, it's too late!

When to Eat

Exercising on a full stomach is not ideal. Food that remains in your stomach during an event may cause stomach upset, nausea, and cramping. To make sure you have enough energy, yet reduce stomach discomfort, you should allow a meal to fully digest before the start of the event. This generally takes 1 to 4 hours, depending upon what and how much you've eaten. Everyone is a bit different, and you should experiment prior to training sessions to determine what works best for you.

If you have an early morning game or training session, it's best to get up early enough to eat your pre-exercise meal. If not, you should try to eat or drink something easily digestible about 20 to 30 minutes before the event. The closer you are to the time of your event, the less you should eat. You can have a liquid meal closer to your event than a solid meal because your stomach digests liquids faster.

What to Eat

Because glucose is the preferred energy source for most exercise, a pre-exercise meal should include foods that are high in carbohydrates and easy to digest. This include: foods such as rice or whole wheat pasta, fruits, Choice energy bars and drinks. I use a combination of B vitamins and Vitamin C for my energy drink, works a lot better than the commercial brands with no added chemicals or sweeteners.  

Planning

Planning is essential if you are competing in an all-day event, such as a tournament. Consider the time of your event, the amount of your meal and the energy required. Also, be aware of the amount of fluid you consume. You should plan ahead and prepare meals and snacks that you have tried before and know will sit well with you. Do not experiment with something new on the event day.

Suggested Pre-Training Foods

Eating before training is something only the footballer can determine based upon experience, but some general guidelines include eating a solid meal 4 hours before exercise, a snack or a high carbohydrate energy drink 2 to 3 hours before exercise, and fluid replacement (sports drink) 1 hour before exercise.

1 hour or less before competition

• Fruit or vegetable juice such as orange, tomato, or V-8, and/or
• fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, peaches, grapes, or oranges and/or
• Energy gels
• up to 1 1/2 cups of a sports drink.

2 to 3 hours before competition

• Fresh fruit
• fruit or vegetable juices
• low-fat yogurt
• sports drink

3 to 4 hours before competition

• Fresh fruit
• fruit or vegetable juices
• rice or pasta with tomato sauce
• baked potatoes
• energy bar
• cereal with low-fat milk
• low-fat yogurt
• toast/bread with limited peanut butter, lean meat (chicken or turkey breast), or low-fat cheese
• 30 oz of a sports drink

Sugar and Performance

If you are an endurance athlete, evidence suggests that eating some sugar (like energy bars, some types of fruit, or sports drinks) 35 to 40 minutes before an event may provide energy (glucose) to your exercising muscles when your other energy stores have dropped to low levels

Caffeine and Performance

Caffeine (tea and coffee) acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system. It had been thought to boost endurance by stimulating a greater use of fat for energy, and thereby reserving glycogen in the muscles. Research, however, doesn't support that theory. When caffeine improves endurance, it does so by acting as a stimulant.

Caffeine can have serious side effects for some people. Those who are very sensitive to its effects may experience nausea, muscle tremors, and headaches. Too much caffeine is a diuretic, and can result in dehydration, which decreases performance.

Eating after Exercise

It is also important to consume carbohydrate, such as fruit or juice within 15 minutes post-exercise to help restore glycogen - your muscles' energy store.

Research has shown that eating 100-200 grams of carbohydrate (such as pasta) within two hours of heavy training is essential to building adequate glycogen stores for the next session. Waiting longer than two hours to eat results in 50 percent less glycogen stored in the muscle. The reason for this is that carbohydrate consumption stimulates insulin production, which aids the production of muscle glycogen.

Carbohydrate plus Protein Speeds Recovery

Research shows that combining protein with carbohydrate in the two hours after exercise nearly doubles the insulin response, which results in more stored glycogen. The optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that, however, has a negative impact because it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment.

Protein Needs after Training

Consuming protein has other important uses after exercise. Protein provides the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that is damaged during intense, prolonged exercise. It can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration. The amino acids in protein can also stimulate the immune system, making you more resistant to colds and other infections

Carbohydrates: Athletes need at least 50% of their total calories from carbohydrates, the main energy source for physical activity. Carbohydrates fuel the muscles.

Protein: Ten to 15 percent of total calories should come from protein. Athletes need slightly more protein than those who are less active.

Fats: Athletes need 20 to 25 percent of total calories from fat. Fats are important for allowing the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Some types of fat are 'essential' in and of themselves, meaning that the body cannot produce these types of required fatty acids.

Other nutrients: Most athletes eating a balanced, varied diet with proper choices from all the food groups will meet their needs for vitamins and minerals. If your child is not the type to eat what you suggest, you may supplement with a quality supplement (generic brands are the worse).

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Consumption of apple cider vinegar may accelerate weight loss

From NaturalNews

For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. It is said that taking a few teaspoons of vinegar before meals can reduce appetite and cravings while stimulating metabolism. What about apple cider vinegar? Without healthy eating and enough physical activity, apple cider vinegar can not perform any miracles. But the consumption of apple cider vinegar may help to reduce body weight and fat mass, while giving lots of other health benefits.

Apple cider vinegar and weight loss: is it a myth?

It is believed that apple cider vinegar accelerates weight loss, because it helps control blood sugar levels and suppress appetite.

In a study conducted in 2009, obese Japanese reported a modest decrease in weight and decrease in appetite with intake of 30 ml of vinegar. This study led to the conclusion that vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass and serum triglyceride levels. Acetic acid (AcOH), a main component of vinegar, might help suppress body fat accumulation. However, there are not many studies done on vinegar and weight loss in humans. More research is needed before we can know for sure whether vinegar has any fat-burning benefits.

The vinegar diet claims apple cider vinegar can boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. But no food can rapidly cause weight loss unless changes are made to dietary habits and lifestyle. It also depends on the cause of weight gain for each individual.

Studies show that apple cider vinegar can help balance blood sugar levels by lowering the glycemic index of a meal. It is true that the prevention of blood sugar spikes can support weight loss. In addition, because of its strong anti-fungal properties, apple cider vinegar can help fight candida. Individuals suffering from candida overgrowth often experience cravings for carbohydrates and sugar, which might contribute to weight gain.

Why is Apple Cider Vinegar better to use?

Apple cider vinegar is often chosen over other vinegars for many reasons. Aside from possible weight loss support, apple cider vinegar contains detoxifying qualities and has strong anti-microbial properties. Apple cider vinegar is a helpful health tonic that has shown promise in helping diabetes, cancer, heart health, high cholesterol, free radical damage, digestion and acid reflux. Indeed, even if the evidence about weight loss is lacking, it can't hurt to include apple cider vinegar in a diet.

How to use apple cider vinegar for weight loss?

It is recommended to mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Apple cider vinegar is very acidic and may cause irritation to your throat and stomach. Indeed, it should always be diluted with water or juice. It is best to use organic unpasteurized apple cider vinegar containing the "mother" to get all the good nutrients.

Check with your doctor before taking it long-term, especially if you have health problems. That being said, people have used apple cider vinegar for years with no known side effects being reported.

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Sources for this article include:

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://myhealthbynature.com

http://www.undergroundhealth.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

What's In Your Summer Medicine Chest?

By Dr. Weil

When enjoying the outdoors this season, be prepared to protect yourself against common summer ailments. I have found the following to be naturally effective in preventing and treating a variety of summer afflictions:

1. Ginger: This may prevent motion sickness or nausea from other causes.
2. Stinging Nettles: By far the best remedy I know for hay fever.
3. Arnica: The tincture of this plant when rubbed onto an injured body part can help relieve the pain and tenderness of sprains and sore muscles (do not take arnica internally unless in the form of a homeopathic remedy).
4. Bromelain: Promotes the healing of soft-tissue injuries, such as sprains and bruises.
5. Geraniol: Products made with this oil are an effective way to protect yourself from mosquitoes.
6. Tecnu: Helps prevent rashes from poison oak, ivy and sumac.
7. Aloe Vera: For sunburn, thermal burns and any areas of skin irritation or inflammation.

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Juicing vs. Blending

From Food Matters

 

 

 

This is a question that we get asked all the time. Which is better: juicing or blending? Does one offer more health benefits than the other? Juices and smoothies both play an important role in any wellness program and we discuss the benefits of each in both of our films, Food Matters and Hungry For Change. We believe that both juicing and blending are very beneficial, but in different ways.

Here is a short comparison that explains the differences between the two as well as some of the specific benefits of each.

What’s The Difference?

JUICING

Juicing is a process which extracts water and nutrients from produce  and discards the indigestible fiber.  

Without all the fiber, your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard to break down the food and absorb the nutrients. In fact, it makes the nutrients more readily available to the body in much larger quantities than if you were to eat the fruits and vegetables whole.

This is especially helpful if you have a sensitive digestive system or illness that inhibits your body from processing fiber. The fiber in produce helps slow down the digestive process and provides a steady release of nutrients into the blood stream. Jason Vale calls juicing "A nutrient express!"

Freshly squeezed vegetable juices form part of most healing and detoxification programs because they are so nutrient rich and nourish and restore the body at a cellular level.

A word of caution: When you remove the fiber from the produce, the liquid juice is absorbed into your blood stream quickly. If you are only juicing fruits, this would cause a rapid spike in blood sugar and unstable blood sugar  levels can lead to mood swings, energy loss, memory problems and more!

Fiber is also filling and without fiber in the juice, some people tend to get hungry again quickly.

BLENDING

Unlike juices, smoothies consist  of the entire entire fruit or vegetable, skin and all and contain all of the fiber from the vegetables.
However, the blending process breaks the fibre apart (which makes the fruit and vegetables easier to digest ) but also helps create a slow, even release of nutrients into the blood stream and avoids blood sugar spikes. Smoothies tend to be more filling, because of the fiber, and generally faster to make than juice, so they can be great to drink first thing in the morning as your breakfast, or for snacks throughout the day.

By including the fiber in your smoothie, the volume will increase. Also, you can pack more servings of fruits and veggies into a single serving of juice than you can into a smoothie.

Juicing and Blending Rules

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1. It’s best not to combine fruits and vegetables (unless it’s apple). This can affect how well your digestive enzymes function.

This doesn’t seem to matter too much in green juices and smoothies, but vegetables like carrots, beetroots, broccoli and zucchini don’t combine well with fruit due to their high starch content. In his book Food Combining Made Easy, Dr. Herbert Shelton explains that starchy foods have to be eaten alone because starches are digested with enzymes different from those used for any other food group. Combining starchy foods with fruit may cause fermentation and gas. However, Dr. Shelton found that green leafy veggies combine well with pretty much everything.

2. Try to drink your juice or smoothie straight away. After 15 minutes, light and air will destroy much of the nutrients. If you can’t drink it straight away, transfer to a dark airtight container until you’re ready.

Using The Right Equipment

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To get the most benefit from your juices and smoothies, it’s important to use the right equipment. Invest in a good-quality juicer. Cheaper, centrifugal juicers introduce heat and oxygen and destroy the enzymes and nutrients in your fruits and vegetables. While it may cost you a bit more initially, a premium cold-press juicer will produce a superior-quality juice and allow you to extract more from your fruit and vegetables, saving expense in the long-term.
The machines themselves will also generally last longer. In contrast to the rough extraction of centrifugal juicers, mastication or cold-press juicers compress fruit and vegetables to ‘squeeze’ out their juice.

The same goes for a blender. You want a blender that is gentle on your produce and doesn’t heat up the enzymes as it’s pulling apart the fibres. We spend money on gadgets, clothes, restaurants and other luxuries so, if you can afford it, investing in your health by buying a quality juicer or blender is totally worth it.

Read our Juicer Buying Guide here and learn about the pros and cons of each type of juicer.


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Source Links:
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/juicing-vs-blending-which-one-is-better
http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/08/juicing-versus-blending/.
http://www.drsearswellnessinstitute.org/blog/2012/04/12/juicing-vs-blending/

5 Foods That Can Help Prevent Stroke

By Dr. Weil

Besides minimizing common risk factors such as smoking and unhealthy stress, you can help to prevent a stroke by adding magnesium-rich foods to your grocery cart. Researchers at the Swedish Karolinska Institute found that the risk for ischemic stroke - the most common type of stroke in older people, which occurs when a clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain - was reduced by 9 percent for each additional 100 milligrams of magnesium a person consumed each day. For any type of stroke, adding 100 milligrams of magnesium reduced the risk by 8 percent. It is not known exactly how magnesium reduces the risk of stroke, but the researchers suggest that the mineral's benefits may be related to its ability to lower blood pressure.

Next time you are at the grocery or farmer's market, buy these magnesium-rich foods:

1. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens, as well as broccoli
2. Nuts and seeds. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of magnesium, and peanuts, almonds and cashews are good nut choices
3. Whole grain products such as brown rice, oat bran cereal and whole grain breads
4. Beans. Black beans are a particularly good source, providing 120 mg in one cup
5. Fish. Halibut, oysters and scallops are all good sources of magnesium. Choose sustainably raised when possible

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Stop Being Busy (& Start Getting Things Done)

We live in a society where being really, really busy is the cool thing to do, yet as we continue to sign up our kids for every sport and activity or we waste time on "things" our lives suffer. Our health suffers, our relationships suffer (why is divorce still on the rise) and our wealth suffers! We have to start to think differently, and that starts with learning new skills! This is a great article about making the right choice and learning the new skills to stop the busy madness!




Stop Being Busy (& Start Getting Things Done)
by Dani Johnson

Have you noticed how busy people are today? It’s almost as if busyness is perceived as success… As if being busy was the same as getting things done.

I think in today’s world, we tend to glorify busyness. Just look around you. Think about how many times a day you hear others say, "Gosh, I’m so busy today!" or "Wow, what a busy week!" How many times a day do you feel like you’re running around in circles, jumping from one task to another, all the while, taking phone calls, texting, and answering emails?

We teach our kids to be busy, between homework and soccer and baseball and piano lessons and dance and gymnastics and church and chores. You hand them a Pop Tart and rush them out the door early in the morning to take them to school, and then pick them up after school and race from one activity to the next, and picking up dinner from a drive-thru somewhere in there. By the time you get home in the evening, everyone is wiped out and grouchy, and it’s time for bed. (Sleep, wake up, repeat.)

We are busy at work and busy at home. We are busy in the car while driving, busy at the dinner table, and we’re even busy while we’re on the toilet! We are busy 24/7.

What does it feel like to be busy? Your heart is beating fast, you may be short of breath, and you feel like you just can’t move fast enough. You’re trying to keep up with......... read the rest of the article here

 

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