5 Steps to Healthy Grilling

With it being the civic holiday weekend, I thought it would be fitting to talk about grilling as I'm sure many will be grilling this weekend.

It's delightful to grill outdoors when the weather is warm. Unfortunately, grilling meats can lead to the production of carcinogenic (potentially cancer-causing) chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HAs). To reduce HAs, try the following:
1.Limit the quantity of meat you grill, and make grilled vegetables the main course.
2.Pre-cook your foods in the oven or on the stovetop and finish them off outdoors - less grill time means fewer carcinogens.
3.If you do grill meat, cook it thoroughly but avoid charring or blackening it (don't eat any blackened parts).
4.Marinate your meats. Marinade may help reduce HA formation, especially if it's made with spices such as ginger, rosemary and turmeric.
5.Avoid charcoal lighter fluid or self-starting packages of briquettes in a charcoal grill - they will leave residues of toxic chemicals in your food. A healthy alternative is an inexpensive chimney lighter that uses a small amount of newspaper to ignite a mass of charcoal in a large metal cylinder. Gas grills are good alternatives to those that use charcoal.

Have a Healthy and Successful Grilling Day!

The top 20 foods for reversing type-2 diabetes

NaturalNews) The CDC has estimated that by 2050, as much of thirty percent of the American population could suffer with diabetes. New studies show that diabetics, in addition to coping with the effects of their disease, also have nearly double the risk of cancer compared to the rest of the population.

Although much of the mainstream media continues to focus on the latest Big Pharma proposed "magic bullet" drug to cure diabetes (see, for example: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/ju...), increasing evidence shows that the disease can be prevented, curbed, or even cured by choosing the right foods.

"Nature is the best chemist" states University of Rhode Island researcher Navindra Seeram whose team studied the health benefits of maple syrup. Their findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, showed that the substance derived from the sap of maple trees can protect against both diabetes and cancer.

This natural sweetener offers abundant anti-oxidants. It also contains a newly identified substance called Quebecol, formed when the sap is boiled. This study is particularly interesting since the old-fashioned medical advice to diabetics was to steer clear of anything sweet.

Ayurvedic healers have long used natural herbs and spices to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes. Two spices familiar to those who consume Indian food offer some protection against diabetes. The yellowy-orange powder turmeric, made from the rhizomes of a plant native to South Asia.

Research in the past decade has shown that turmeric not only aids against diabetes but also helps cleanse the liver; offers natural anti-inflammatory properties; protects against breast and prostate cancers; counteracts depression; and slows the advance of Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin is the key substance in turmeric which researchers identify as the source of its multitude of healing powers.

Another substance used to spice Indian food, fenugreek, also offers protection against diabetes. Fenugreek has the added benefit of boosting male sex drive, enhancing liver function, and helping to lower cholesterol.

A recent study involving the Yup'ik people of Alaska indicates that consuming the type of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acid can protect against diabetes. This study is particularly interesting because it suggests that the link between obesity and diabetes may be more complex than originally thought.

Although 70% of the Yup'ik population is classified as obese, only 3.3% of them have diabetes. Fish which contain omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, salmon, lake trout, herring, tuna and salmon.

A 2006 Italian study found that dark chocolate reduces the risk of insulin resistance. Don't buy a box of chocolates to celebrate this news, however. Only with raw, unprocessed cocoa without any refined sugars added offers the protective benefits.

Researchers involved in the study suggest that in moderation, dark chocolate made with minimal processing are a healthier form of occasional indulgence than most other sweets, but their calorie content still makes them a potential danger.

Cocoa powder and baking chocolate contain the highest levels of the flavonoids responsible for the positive health effects associated with chocolate. Dark chocolate provides fewer of these flavonoids while white chocolate has none.

Good news for those who crave a cup of morning coffee. UCLA researchers say coffee consumption increases plasma levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) which regulates the biological activity of the body's sex hormones, testosterone and estrogen. These hormones have long been thought to play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

The natural chemicals found in red grape skin and red wine known as polyphenols can help the body regulate glucose levels, preventing potentially dangerous plunges and surges in blood sugar levels. Health experts recommend that people consume wine in moderation and suggest that those already diagnosed with diabetes and/or those with weight concerns, take the calories in a glass of wine into account when considering whether or not to imbibe.

Consuming blueberries might help reduce your risk of diabetes, with the added benefit of helping you lose belly fat. A 2009 University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study found a blueberry-enriched diet significantly improved the health of laboratory rats.

Researchers believe that the high level of phytochemicals - naturally occurring antioxidants -- in blueberries provides the health boost. Other sources of phytochemicals include cranberries and strawberries.

Due to the influence of food advertising, many people have bought into the idea that a healthy diet offers less taste pleasure consuming foods high in cholesterol, triglycerides and refined sugar. The truth is that a diabetes-prevention diet can literally be a bowl of cherries.

A 2004 study at Michigan State University in East Lansing found that chemicals called anthocyanins, which are abundant in cherries, increased insulin production in animal pancreatic cells by 50%. These plant pigments, responsible for food color, are also found in strawberries, red grapes and blueberries. However researchers say cherries provide the best source of anthocyanins.

Beans can help regulate blood glucose and insulin levels. They can help prevent diabetes, or minimize its effects in those diagnosed with the disease. They also help lower cholesterol levels and offer anti-oxidant properties. Red beans offer the highest anti-oxidant levels, followed by black beans.

Coconut oil has a unique molecular structure which makes it a superior health choice compared to most other oils. Olive, safflower and sunflower oil are all built from a long chain of fatty acids. These long chains are either deposited in blood vessels as cholesterol or stored as fat around the waist, thighs and buttocks.

On the other hand, the coconut oil's medium chain fatty acids immediately become available as energy. These smaller, easily absorbed medium chain molecules supply the cells with essential fatty acids without glucose and without inhibiting insulin production.

Coconut oil also has antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Most coconut oils do not impart a coconut flavor to food, so you can use them to replace other oils in most recipes. Try to buy only organic virgin coconut oil in order to obtain the maximum health benefits.

Almonds and walnuts prevent diabetes by regulating blood glucose. Eating almonds before a meal helps regulate blood sugar levels, say researchers who published their study in The Journal of Nutrition. This effect means the nuts help lower the risk of diabetes, as well as help control the disorder.

A 2009 European study found diabetics who included walnuts in their diet had improved their insulin levels. In addition to fighting diabetes, nuts deliver other health benefits. According to an article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, regular consumption of nuts alters blood lipid chemistry, reducing the risk of coronary disease and heart attacks.

Buckwheat -- which is technically a fruit rather than a grain -- helps control blood sugar levels. Although holistic nutritionists have extolled the virtues of buckwheat for years, mainstream medical science -- and the mainstream media -- caught on to its benefits fairly recently. A 2003 Canadian study found that when extracts of buckwheat seed were fed to diabetic rats, the animals' glucose levels went down by twelve to nineteen percent. You can find buckwheat products, including pancake mixes and Japanese soba noodles, at most health food stores.

You might think of cinnamon simply as a flavoring to sprinkle on a bowl of hot oatmeal, but this spice actually has a centuries-old tradition of healing. In addition to providing antioxidants and aiding against arthritis, urinary tract infections, sinus congestion, tooth decay and gum disease, the powdered bark of Cinnamomum trees is also effective against diabetes. It improves blood sugar regulation by significantly increasing your glucose metabolism. In addition, it has insulin-like effects in the body. Plus, proanthocyanidin, a bioflavonoid found in cinnamon, changes the insulin-signaling activity of your fat cells.

Green tea may help prevent the progression of type 1 diabetes, also known as childhood-onset diabetes, or prevent this disorder. Studies show green tea regulates glucose levels in the body, an important function since the pancreas in Type 1 diabetics produces little or no insulin, the hormone responsible for converting glucose (sugar), starches, and other foods into energy. Green tea also lowers blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics, reduces complications associated with diabetes such as cataracts and cardiovascular disease and promotes weight loss.

If you prefer black tea, your beverage choice can still help fight against diabetes. Researchers in China have found that polysaccharides, a type of carbohydrate that includes starch and cellulose, may benefit people with diabetes by slowing glucose absorption. Black tea contains more polysaccharides than either green or oolong teas. Additionally, a Scottish study found that natural chemicals found in black tea may protect against diabetes by mimicking the effects of insulin in the body.

If you have developed a taste for seaweed though visiting Asian restaurants, congratulations: you have one more ally in your crusade to lose weight and avoid diabetes. Wakame, brown seaweed used to flavor Asian soups and salads, helps promote fat-burning proteins. It also helps promote the synthesis in the liver of DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), a fatty acid also found in fish oil.

In addition to its weight loss and anti-diabetes effects, this ocean plant also helps prevent prostate cancer, supports thyroid function, assists in blocking the growth of breast cancer tumors and can help fight radiation sickness. Researchers attribute wakame's healing properties to a carotenoid it contains called fucoxanthin.


Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

3 Reasons to Eat Greens

Whether you're in the best of shape or dealing with a health concern, anyone can reap the benefits of eating dark, leafy greens. Produce stand staples such as kale, collards, beet greens and bok choy are tasty sources of vital nutrients. In addition to containing antioxidants, vitamins A, B and K, iron, lutein and omega-3s, dark leafy greens:
1.Help reduce inflammation.
2.Lower cholesterol levels.
3.Protect the immune system.
It may be tempting to try them raw, but many vegetables such as chard, spinach, collards and mustard greens are actually better for you after they've been cooked. Make sure you don't over cook them.

Have a Healthy and Successful Greens Filled Day!

Omega 3s and ADHD: What You Need to Know

The potential health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids aren’t just limited to adults. More and more, research is finding that children could reap significant benefits from receiving more omega 3 fatty acids – especially EPA and DHA – in their diets. Over the next few weeks, the Isotonix Blog will examine research related to omega 3s and children.

The little kid who won’t sit still. The middle school student who has a hard time concentrating in class. The teenager who acts out.

While some of these characterizations might seem like mere growing pains, more and more researchers look at these as signs to a much larger – and much more preventable – problem: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common developmental and behavioral disorder characterized by poor concentration, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness that are inappropriate for the child’s age.

Children and adults with ADHD are easily distracted by sights and sounds in their environment, cannot concentrate for long periods of time, are restless and impulsive, or have a tendency to daydream and be slow to complete tasks.

While ADHD has long been associated with children’s academic progress, the issues are more far-reaching. Researchers at the University of California, Berkley found that girls dealing with ADHD are “at greater risk” of abusing drugs and alcohol and having emotional problems, in addition to academic difficulties.

“The cumulative picture is that girls with ADHD are at risk for a lot of problems,” said psychologist Stephen P. Hinshaw, lead author of the study and chairman of the psychology department at Berkeley.

Children living with the disorder cope with the stigma of being labeled as hyper, lazy, unmotivated and unfocused by adults who don’t understand the problems these children must deal with. Worse yet, many of these children and their parents are told their only solution – their only chance to regain some normalcy – is to take medication on a daily basis.

The Omega 3 Connection
Research continues to suggest that omega 3 fatty acids – those essential building blocks that doctors have been recommending to adults for years – can help curb the onset and development of this disorder in children.

The connection between omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and ADHD has been confirmed by studies in which youngsters with ADHD, when compared with non-ADHD children, had much lower blood levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid necessary for normal function of the eyes and the cerebral cortex (the brain region that handles higher functions such as reasoning and memory).

One such study, conducted at the University of South Australia, called the use of omega 3s more effective than the commonly-prescribed ADHD drug Ritalin.

“Supplementation with [omega-3 fatty acids] resulted in significant improvements … of core ADHD-related behavioural and cognitive difficulties, namely inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, with medium to large effect sizes, and also in ratings of oppositional behaviour,” the report stated. “There is no known evidence that medication provides any benefits beyond four weeks, whereas in the present trial symptoms continued to improve after 15 weeks of supplementation.”

It is estimated that as many as 10% of U.S. children have attention-deficit problems, which includes ADHD and hyperactivity. Despite this, most people get just one-fifth the amount of omega 3s – either from oily fish or other sources – recommended.

So what should parents do? First, pregnant women should make sure they are receiving enough omega 3s to help with the development of their unborn child. Post-pregnancy, parents should make sure their child receives adequate amounts of omega 3s, whether from natural sources (fish, walnuts, etc.) or from supplementation.
Author: James Moffat

Have a Healthy and Successful Omega-3 Filled Day!

Obesity these numbers are BIG!

A woman shops at Yorkdale Mall in Toronto. (Charla Jones/The Globe and Mail)

Obesity is on the rise and becoming increasingly costly, according to new report.

But the 54-page study from the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Public Health Agency of Canada also notes that some simple measures – at least in theory – like exercising more could avert a lot of weight gain.


Even a little extra weight can shorten your life: study
U.S.-Canadian obesity gap is narrowing
Nearly three-quarters of Ontario adults are obese or overweight
Photo Gallery Canada's Food Guide through the years

“Not surprisingly, this report shows that improving lifestyle behaviours, such as healthy eating and physical activity, can have a significant impact on reducing the waistlines and improving the health of Canadians,” said Jeremy Veillard, vice-president of research and analysis at CIHI.

At the same time, he pointed out that there are many “interconnected factors” – chief among them poverty – that interfere with the ability to make healthy choices.

Here are some highlights of the new report entitled Obesity in Canada:

Obesity cost the Canadian economy somewhere between $4.6-billion and $7.1-billion a year. Those costs are split pretty evenly between direct health-care costs and indirect costs such as lost productivity of people unable to work either because of disability or because they are unable to find employment due to discrimination.
About 15 per cent of women and 17 per cent of men are considered obese, based on their self-reported height and weight. (Obese is defined as having a body mass index over 30, meaning roughly 30 per cent of body weight is composed of fat.)
However, when researchers actually measured and weighed Canadians, they found that more than 1 in 4 adults – 25.4 per cent – were actually obese.

That means there are somewhere between 3.3 million and 5.2 million Canadian adults who are obese, depending on the method of calculation.
There are more obese males than obese females in every age category, except the over-75 group.
More than half of Canadians, 51.1 per cent, report being overweight, meaning they have a BMI of over 25. When they are actually weighed and measured that increases to 62 per cent. That means almost 13 million Canadians are of an unhealthy weight.
In the past 30 years, the percentage of obese adults in the population has doubled.
Obesity is increasing not only in numbers but in severity. The biggest increases have been in the number of morbidly obese –those whose BMI exceeds 40.
About 1 in 11 children – 8.6 per cent – are considered obese.
In children and youth, the prevalence of obesity tripled between 1979 and 2008.
As you move from west to east across the country, obesity rates increase: British Columbia has the lowest prevalence at 12.8 per cent and Newfoundland and Labrador the highest at 25.4 per cent.
There is a six-fold variation in obesity rates between various regions of Canada.
Canada’s “lightest” community is suburban Richmond, B.C., with an obesity rate of 5.3 per cent.
Canada’s “heaviest” community is the Mamawetan/Keewatin/Athabasca region of northern Saskatchewan, with an obesity rate of 35.9 per cent.
Obesity rates are strikingly high among Canada’s aboriginal people: 37.8 per cent of aboriginal adults are obese based on measured height and weight; the self-reported obesity rate is 25.7 per cent among aboriginal adults.
Obesity rates among aboriginal children differ by background: 17 per cent among Métis, 20 per cent among off-reserve First Nations and 25.6 per cent among the Inuit. (There is no good data for on-reserve First Nations children.)
International obesity rates vary greatly, from a low of 3.4 per cent in Japan to 34.3 per cent in the United States.
Socio-economic status is a good predictor of obesity. For example, in Halifax, 11 per cent of those in the highest 20 per cent of income earners are obese, compared with 26 per cent of those in the lowest-income group.
Women in high-income families are significantly less likely to be obese than women in low-income families. However, that does not hold true for men.
Physical inactivity – meaning a person is active less than 15 minutes a day – is the greatest predictor of obesity.
An estimated 646,000 cases of obesity in women and 405,000 cases of obesity in men could be averted if inactive populations became active.
Similarly, getting those who eat virtually no fruits and vegetables to eat the minimally recommended five servings daily could result in 265,000 fewer men being obese and 97,000 fewer women being obese.
If low-income Canadians shifted to a higher-income group, that could result in 158,000 fewer women being obese, but there would be no significant difference in men.
Obesity significantly increases the risk of 18 chronic illnesses, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and some forms of cancer.
Almost 45 per cent of morbidly obese Canadians and 27 per cent of the obese suffer from cardiovascular disease; by comparison, 8 per cent of normal weight and 16 per cent of overweight Canadians have heart trouble.
About 9.3 per cent of all deaths in Canada can be attributed to obesity.
ANDRÉ PICARD,
PULBIC HEALTH REPORTER - Globe and Mail Update
Last updated Monday, Jun. 20, 2011 5:11PM EDT

The best way combat obesity is to follow the Transitions Lifestyle System. It's not a diet and it will be the last system you will EVER need to follow. This program will get you healthy again and the side benefit is that you will take up less room!
Check out this video to learn more.


Contact me today for more information on how to get started on this life changing system.

Have a Healthy and Successful TLS Day!

Hidden Sources of Gluten and Grains

One of the biggest learning curves you'll need to make when embarking on a gluten-free and grain-free lifestyle is working out all the sneaky places grains lurk for the unsuspecting shopper.

Its challenging for a gluten-free person but even more so for the grain-free as refined maize features so prominently as an additive in nearly all processed food. So even if something is clearly labelled "gluten free" in many cases the product can still contain a grain-based additive.

Dextrose, Glucose and Maltodextrin


Dextrose is a refined sweetener made from plant starch, usually corn or rice starch. Sometimes this is tapioca based. Depending on the labeling laws in your country they may state whether it is corn/maize/rice or tapioca, but not always.


Some of the less obvious places you will find this are potato chips / french fries - they are soaked in a dextrose solution to help them fry crispy.

Glucose is another sweetener that is frequently made from wheat or other grain-based ingredients.

Maltodextrin is used as a sweetener, filler and binder and is made from rice, corn (usually) or sometimes tapioca or potato starch.

These three ingredients wipe out a huge range of refined sauces, condiments, ketchup, syrups, icecream, commerical french fries. I would say 90% of what is in the condiment aisle of your supermarket contains some form of these hidden grains.

Soy Milk Additives

Soy Milk is usually made with additives to make it taste "better". Here are a couple of ingredient lists of two popular soy milks on the market in Australia:

Filtered water, soy protein (3.5%), corn maltodextrin, vegetable oils (sunflower, canola) [contains antioxidant (tocopherols) (contains soy)], cane sugar, minerals (phosphates of calcium, potassium and magnesium), acidity regulator (332), antioxidant (ascorbic acid), vitamins (A, B12, B2, B1), natural flavour.

Notice the corn maltodextrin

and another

Whole Soy Bean Milk (95%) [Filtered Water, Milled Whole Organic Soy Beans], Organic Sugar, Wheat Protein (Gluten), Organic Malt Extract, Aquamin (Organic Calcium), Salt, Mineral Salt (Sodium Bicarbonate), Vegetable Gum (Carrageenan)

Notice the Wheat Protein and Malt Extract, both grains.

I also notice alot of soy milks use rice syrup instead of sugar to sweeten.

And other weird places

Grain-based additives have been spotted in flavoured teas, many other kinds of flavoured drinks, spice mixes, baking powder and other food items. It is usually in sausages and mince mixes, hamburger patties (unless stated 100% beef), any caserole, stew or stir fry you haven't made yourself you can usually assume the meat has been dusted with flour as a sauce thickener. Grilled fish and meats are usually dusted with flour so it doesn't stick.

The illustration above shows a very typical "lethal" meal for an unsuspecting eater: meatballs (full of flour and possible spice mixes containing gluten and grains), a lovely sauce (would be full of either glucose, dextrose or maltodextrin and some kind of starch to thicken).


Have a Healthy and Successful Gluten Free Day!

Conventional medicine finally admits MS caused by vitamin D deficiency

Why is MS on the rise after we spend billions dollars a year treating the disease? I have found that there is a better way then traditional western medicine. I have witnessed a woman in a wheel chair walk again after working with a colleague of mine in Toronto. If you know anyone with this nasty disease please contact me for more information on how we can help! It is short of a miracle!

(NaturalNews) Is it true that those who suffer from Multiple sclerosis (MS) just need a little sun? Researchers at the University of Oxford seem to think so. In 2006, a study by the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested higher levels of vitamin D might decrease overall risk of developing MS. Now researchers at the University of Oxford are backing that study with further evidence while also suggesting a link between lack of sunlight and how the body responds when faced with an infection. The research concludes that MS is caused by several factors working in combination but clearly correlates to a lack of vitamin D.

Is it really as simple as soaking up some rays?

While the phenomenon of vitamin D deficiency is seen all over the world, countries in the northern hemisphere have been linked to significantly higher rates of MS. Scotland, for example, has one of the largest populations of MS sufferers, while the disease is "virtually unknown" in Africa. Even in sunny areas of the globe, it's not uncommon for people to become vitamin D deficient during the winter, as the sun's rays aren't often high enough to penetrate atmospheric layers.

The research put forth by the University of Oxford suggests that, while those who already have MS may not benefit exponentially simply by increasing levels of vitamin D, getting more sun could be an effective preventative measure against developing the disease and managing symptoms.

More importantly, MS sufferers may be able to boost immunity to other conditions with an increase in vitamin D. A recent study by Anticancer Research affirms that typical adults need much more than the daily dosage recommended by the U.S. Government. According to that research, 4,000-8,000 IUs of vitamin D every day could not only help prevent MS but also several types of cancer and Type 1 diabetes.

The health care industry, of course, won't promote a natural and safe preventative measure for degenerative diseases. Instead, people are warned about the dangers of UV exposure and the risks of vitamin toxicity. With vitamin D deficiency afflicting 90% of the U.S. population, however, it may be time to get a tan. Here are some interesting facts about the relationship between vitamin D and health:

1. It's free. Five to thirty minutes of sunlight a couple of times a week is usually sufficient for helping the body create enough vitamin D
2. Getting enough vitamin D from food is virtually impossible
3. Sunscreens may block the body's ability to generate vitamin D
4. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium in the body
5. Those who live further from the equator generally require longer periods of sun exposure to generate enough vitamin D
6. A lack of vitamin D can affect bone strength. One theory suggests that women who are deficient in vitamin D can suffer from contracting pelvises, which can result in the death of babies during labor
7. Vitamin D deficiency cannot be reversed quickly. It takes months for the body to increase and regulate vitamin D levels. This is why short periods of sun exposure are not only safe but also necessary for the synthesis of this important substance

For those with MS, increased sun exposure may be an easy and safe preventative measure against further cognitive and physical degeneration. As a direct threat to the medical establishment, however, it remains to be seen whether further government warnings and regulations about vitamin D will eventually ban people from sun bathing.

Contact me today if you are looking for a simple, easy and guaranteed way to help with MS.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!