Too Restrictive? or The Key to Unlocking Your Potential?

In a recent Sunday Night story that documented Reporter Mike Willesee on a 10 week Paleo challenge, the gentleman representing the Dietician's Association of Australia (DAA) said that Paleo was too restrictive.

"I have a big beef with Paleo because you don't need to go that far."

Based on my personal experience, I actually think that the perceived public health message doesn't go far enough. What I mean is that I thought that my diet was pretty good, but it wasn't until I took a restrictive approach that change began to happen.

When I embarked on the eating plan that kick-started my journey I had never done any kind of diet before. I was getting a bit desperate to find a way to deal with progressively worsening menstrual migraines and, as I had a gut feeling that diet could have something to do with it, I was determined to follow the program closely to give myself the best chance of success. It was quite a restrictive program and it actually took me a few weeks to prepare for it. I wanted to do it right. I didn't want to be left wondering. 

It was challenging and took a considerable effort on my part because I was also cooking "normal" meals for the rest of the family while I did it. The point I'm getting to here is that it did work - I experienced a noticeable improvement just in the first week - and looking back, that process of restrictive eating was very much a retraining process that I needed to do. Without those guidelines I might never have discovered that I could free myself from those migraines!

I now understand that the changes I made reset, and continues to support, my body's natural detoxification processes, because I've added in a lot more nutrients and improved my body's ability to use those nutrients by removing the things that were inhibiting that process.

In my opinion we are being done a disservice by a public health message that uses words and phrases like "sometimes foods", "eat less", "limit" and "cut back on".  The advice falls short of just saying "No".

If we are honest with ourselves, if you think that you only need to "eat less" refined sugar and flour and that its OK to eat sugary sweets and fast food "sometimes" you are probably eating these more than you realise.

If you look closely at the DAA's dietary advice it does advise to restrict these things quite considerably, but in my experience, the public perception seems to be an "everything in moderation" attitude and I think that this is what is getting us into trouble. At the end of the 10 week challenge Mike Willesee admitted, "For the first time in my life, I've stopped to think about the food I'm eating."

I found that when I completely cut refined sugar and other processed foods from my diet I began to develop more of a palate for less sweet foods and began to appreciate more, and even crave, the flavours of whole fresh foods.

The diet I now choose to eat is not exactly Paleo, but it is similar. I never set out to eat Paleo and didn't even know what that was when I started my journey. I have arrived here on a different path and approach it from quite a different perspective. Essentially I'm about removing all processed foods and just eating the wonderful nutrient-rich natural foods that God gave us to nourish our amazing bodies. In other words, providing my body with the raw materials it needs to function the way it was designed to.

Yes, it takes more effort but I have formed new habits and adjusted to the lifestyle. When you see results it's not so hard. I really am enjoying the way I eat. I don't feel deprived.  I'm my own experiment and I'm in a better place. I don't regret it one bit.

What is Paleo?
The Paleo Diet is based on what our "Paleolithic ancestors" apparently did or did not eat. At its beginnings I understand that the Paleo Diet had quite a heavy emphasis on meat, but the Paleo Way diet trialled by Mike Willesee is described by Chef Pete Evans as moderate amounts of protein from organically raised meats/fish on a natural diet. Lots of fibrous non-starchy vegetables, and some fermented vegetables, good quality fats from natural sources like nuts & seeds, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, and a small amount of seasonal fruit. No dairy, no legumes, no grains, no processed foods, no sugar, and no alcohol.

Sources/Links:  
Sunday Night Stories:

https://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/features/a/29270243/the-first-five-weeks-willesee-road-tests-the-paleo-diet/

https://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/features/a/29329726/mike-willesees-paleo-challenge-the-results/

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/health-crisis-turns-mike-willesee-into-latest-celebrity-lab-rat-for-paleo-pete-evans/story-e6frfmyi-1227484176367

Australian Dietary Guidlines 2013:

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_131014.pdf

DAA advice on takeaway:

http://daa.asn.au/?page_id=798

Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating

Discretionary Food and Drink Choices:

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices

Better Health Channel - Foods to Have Sometimes:

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Homemade Deodorant

One of the key factors I feel helped to eliminate the migraines I suffered from was adopting a diet that supports my body in its natural detoxification processes.  So by drinking a good amount of water every day throughout the day, eating lots of plant foods, especially leafy greens.  Generally eating a nutrient-dense diet to give my body the tools it needs to do its job, and eliminating the things that will inhibit that process - refined sugars and flours, chemically and heat processed oils and other processed foods.

I also feel it's important to reduce where I can the 'toxic load' that my body needs to deal with.  So becoming more aware of what's in the products I use everyday and switching to products made from natural ingredients.  I use coconut oil, or olive oil to moisturise my skin and I've been experimenting with more natural cosmetics and hair-care products from my local health food store.

This homemade deodorant is simple and it works!  It won't stop you sweating but you don't want to do that because sweating is one of the body's pathways of detoxification.  I've been using this for about nine months now and on hot humid days when I get a bit wet under the arms I just wipe the moisture away with a tissue, but even then, there's no smell!

This recipe comes from twenty8.com

Equipment/Ingredients

Clean dry empty spice jar

Aluminium-free bicarbonate soda

Essential oils of your choice.  I used jasmine and sandalwood.

Method

Fill the spice jar about one third full of bicarbonate soda, add a few drops of essential oils, replace the lid and shake to mix.  Add another third of bicarbonate soda, a few more drops of essential oils, cap and shake again. Finish with some more bicarbonate soda and a few more drops of essential oils but make sure you leave a bit of space so you can still shake to mix it through.

To use 

Wet your fingers on one hand and sprinkle on a little of the deodorant.  Wet the fingers on your other hand and rub your hands together to form a thin paste.  Smooth this paste under each arm and allow to dry before getting dressed so you don't get white powdery marks on your clothes. You actually don't need to use much. That's it.

I actually think that straight bicarbonate soda would work just fine.  The essential oils just give it a nice subtle perfume that's pleasant for the user.

Source: http://www.twenty8.com/twenty8-blog/the-best-natural-deodorant-ever

Suggested further reading on this topic:  

http://chriskresser.com/toxic-skincare-products-soap-shampoo-and-lotion/

http://chriskresser.com/are-your-skincare-products-toxic-makeup-and-cosmetics/

http://chriskresser.com/are-your-skincare-products-toxic-deodorant-and-antiperspirant/

http://chriskresser.com/are-your-skincare-products-toxic-sunscreen/

More homemade ideas:

http://hellonatural.co/category/diy-natural-beauty/-skincare/

http://hellonatural.co/category/diy-natural-beauty/diy-bath-body/

http://hellonatural.co/category/natural-home/green-living

                   

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Nutrition For The Soul

"The most wasted of all days is that during which one has not laughed."

I love this quote.  This is the front of a birthday card I was given some years ago.  I have it pinned up on a notice board in my office at work.  I love the picture too because I just can't look at it without at least cracking a smirk!

Did you know that a positive outlook on life, always looking for the best in situations, promotes health but negative thoughts can promote disease?

I listened to an interview with Dr Jillian Teta.  The topic of the interview was actually about the Dr's book, "Natural Solutions for Digestive Health" but during the interview Dr Teta said some interesting things about how thoughts effect health.  The interviewer read a quote from her book:

"It is often your own narrative, the story you attach to a situation, person or event, that causes you to experience the greatest amount of stress rather than the actual situation or person."

Think about that for a moment.  Read it again.

Dr Teta went on to discuss how thoughts can create disease:

"Thoughts create emotions and strong negative emotions generate physiologic changes.  What happens is that stress hormones are released, and cortisol is released,  and adrenal and nor-adrenal hormones are pumped out.  The consequence of these is sympathetic nervous system stimulation,  heart rate increases and blood vessels constrict.  These physiologic changes have biological effects and if those changes last long enough these things become chronic and you can essentially create a disease state. "

Dr Teta also mentions something a friend if hers once said:

"You may not control the events that happen in your life but you can decide not to be reduced by them."

She explains that we always have a choice about how we react to a situation.  "Our reactions are typically learned but we can train ourselves to have a different reaction. "

Eggs and Breakfast On the Go!

Another favourite quick breakfast is leftover rissoles, boiled eggs and avocado.  I simply make some extra rissoles when having these for dinner, boil up a few days' supply of free range eggs and make sure I have some avocado on hand.  I pack everything into an insulated bag with an ice pack to take to work where I can heat the meat in a microwave, add the boiled eggs, a little sea salt and cracked pepper, avocado and enjoy!

Fee range eggs are pretty awesome!  According to "The Happiness Diet - A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brian, Balanced Mood, and Lean Energized Body" by Tyler Graham & Drew Ramsey MD, when a hen lives a normal life foraging around a farm her eggs contain the following:

B6 - crucial for most all your cognitive functions.
B12 - crucial for avoiding agitation and loss of focus.

These two vitamins together go a long way towards boosting memory and treating nervousness and depression.

B9, also known as folate - helps to protect your brain and lowers homocysteine levels in the blood - high levels are one of the best predictors of cognitive decline.

Iodine - central to your metabolism's master switch, the thyroid.

Magnesium - will loosen up your muscles and relax your circulatory systems, helping you focus on tasks of daily life.

Zinc - a mineral that improves brain function and helps B9 regulate our gene expression so that we stay healthy.

Iron - this trace metal boosts your body's ability to transport oxygen around your bloodstream and further increases energy and focus.

Tryptophan - a complete protein for mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Vitamin D - needed to help your body to absorb calcium.  This is a fat-soluable vitamin, so we actually need fat in our diet to absorb it.  Low levels of vitamin D is linked to depression.

Cholesterol - what your body uses to manufacture vitamin D from the sun.  Also the main component of bile, which is what your gut will use to absorb nutrients.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids - makes us smarter and protects us from heart disease.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Flavour, Toxins and Nutritional Wisdom

In this post, Food for Thought on Food Choices, I wrote about learning to listen to my body.  In the past couple of years since I have purged processed foods from my diet there have been times when I have craved a particular food and I felt like my body was telling me that I needed something that's in that particular food.

I'm talking about cravings for real foods like scrambled eggs and fresh parsley, or a big salad or a juicy steak, not fake foods like chips and ice cream.   I've heard this referred to as "intuitive eating", a concept I initially considered a bit "airy fairy" and "new age" or something, but I really do feel like I've experienced it.

After listening to this podcast which is an interview with Mark Schatzker, author of the book "The Dorito Effect" it made sense. 

This was a really interesting interview.  The "Dorito Effect" is about flavour and nutritional wisdom.  It's about how we can know what our body needs to meet our changing nutritional requirements and how toxins, chemicals naturally occurring in foods, talk to our body to tell us when to stop eating - an inbuilt dieting mechanism you might say.  Most of all it's about how artificial flavours in processed foods, even those labelled "natural flavours" which incidentally are not natural at all, trick our brains, confusing our innate nutritional wisdom.

It's also about how modern commercial production of meats and produce, which focuses on higher, faster yields, is occurring at the expense of flavour and nutritional content, also affecting our nutritional wisdom.

Mark says:

"The good stuff is getting blander and the wrong stuff is getting more flavourful."

"The food crisis we're spending so much time and money on might better be thought of as a large-scale flavour disorder.  Our problem isn't calories and what our bodies do with them.  Our problem is that we want to eat the wrong food.  The longer we ignore flavour, the longer we are bound to be victims of it"

In his show notes the interviewer, Sean Croxton, says:

"Fruits and vegetables, once bursting with flavour, are now plump with water and bred with yield in mind, to the detriment of taste and nutrition.  And it's making us fat (and hungry).  Flavour dilution is the new normal.  Meanwhile, the food flavouring industry has made a science out of covering it all up while engineering addiction at the same time."

The interview discusses some very interesting research done in this area.  To me it highlights yet more incentive to avoid processed foods and seek out real whole foods, but it is also evidence of God's great engineering!

Im definitely putting this book on my reading list.

Source:  www.undergroundwellness.com
"The Dorito Effect" is available as a ebook from Amazon and ITunes.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

The Importance of Blood Sugar Balance

Homeostasis - the tendency to maintain, or the maintenance of, normal, internal stability in an organism by coordinated responses of the organ systems that automatically compensate for environmental changes. 

Our blood sugar is one of the areas in which our body works hard to achieve homeostasis.  However, our dietary choices can overwhelm our body's ability to do this.

In a previous post "Heart Surgeon Speaks Out on What Really Causes Heart Disease"  the author, Dr Dwight Lundell, highlighted that keeping blood sugar levels in check is one way to reduce inflammation in the body and therefore one of the most important things you can do for your for health.

"Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels."

In a lecture given by Dr Lundell in 2013 he explains this concept in a lot more detail.  In fact he gets very technical and I admit that the fist time I listened to this lecture I was a bit like "....yawn . . . where's he going with all this...", but I recommend that you listen and hang in there as he brings all the information together and paints a very clear picture (even if you don't understand some of the big words he uses) of how and why keeping your blood sugar levels in check is so important.

WARNING:  This will change the way you look at a burger and fries!  Listen, or watch (includes slides), the presentation here.


Source:  Livinlavidalowcarb.com - 2013 Low-Carb Cruise Lecture - Dr Dwight Lundell (Episode 754)
Definition of homeostasis from www.yourdictionary.com

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

10 Good Reasons to Cook Your Own Food at Home

Struggling to give up fast food?  Watch this video "10 Disgusting Fast Food Secrets".

Source: YouTube.com

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Heart Surgeon Speaks Out on What Really causes Heart Disease

This article is by Dr Dwight Lundell, a heart surgeon of 25 years experience who has performed over 5000 open-heart surgeries.  Do read the entire article, but here's a summary:

"I freely admit to being wrong" says Dr Lundell.

Dr Lundell explains to us that it is inflammation in the artery wall, and not simply high cholesterol from a high fat diet, that is the real cause of heart disease.

"Without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes.  Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended.  It is inflammation, that causes cholesterol to become trapped."

Inflammation is "quite simply your body's natural defence to a foreign invader such as bacteria, toxin or virus."

So what causes inflammation?

"The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine".

The biggest culprits of chronic inflammation are "the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods."

Dr Lundell explains that it's this type of diet over time which does the damage.

"I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries.  A diseased artery look as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall.  Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation."

Consuming simple carbohydrates raises blood sugar rapidly and in turn your pancreas secretes insulin to drive the sugar into your cells for energy, but once the cells are full, excess sugar is stored as fat.  The body aims to control blood sugar in a narrow range.  Excess sugar injures the blood vessel wall.  

"This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation."

"When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels."

"There is no escaping the fact that the more that we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day.  The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils."

So what should we do?

"There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state.  To build muscle, eat more protein.  Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colourful fruits and vegetables.  Cut down on or eliminate inflammation-causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them."

"The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation.  Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favour of foods high in omega-6 fats.  We now have an epidemic of arterial inflamation leading to heart disease and other silent killers."

"By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage to your arteries."

Source article: http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-surgeon-speaks-out-on-what-really-causes-heart-disease If you Google Dr Lundell you will find a page called "Quackwatch" which says some disparaging things about him.  In this online interview (towards the end) Dr Lundell addresses this criticism.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Five Minute Salad

Think you don't have time to pack a healthy lunch for work?  With a little forward planning at your weekly shop to always have a few things on hand it's not that hard.  I like to try plan my weekly menus to have some dinner leftovers to turn into a salad for work but when I'm really pressed for time or things just don't go according to plan, this is my plan "B" basic healthy lunch that provides good fats, fibre and protein, and is packed in five minutes flat!

You need to keep in your pantry:

Small tins of wild-caught* salmon

Olive oil

And in your fridge:

Bag of pre-washed mixed lettuce/greens

Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Avocado

Throw two handfuls of pre-washed mixed lettuce/greens in a lunchbox.  Wash and chop the tomato and throw that in too.  If you have cherry tomatoes this step is even quicker - no chopping!  Then slice an avocado like you would a mango and squeeze the avocado pieces on top.

Pour a little olive oil in a small jar or container and pop this in the lunchbox also then refrigerate.  I always pack my lunches in the evening and don't have any issues with the avocado turning brown.  I do use air-tight lunchboxes which probably helps with that.

In the morning grab your lunchbox from the fridge, the salmon from the cupboard and pack these in an insulated bag with an ice pack.  At lunch time add the salmon to your salad, drizzle over olive oil and enjoy!

* wild-caught fish is the best option.  For information about the dangers of farmed fish read this article by Dr Axe.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

How I Ended Up on a Low Carb, High Fat Diet and Stuff I've Learned Along the Way [Part II]

When writing last week's post it was getting a bit long so here is Part II . . .


Here is some stuff I've learned in my journey so far:

• There's not an exact "one-size-fits-all" diet that is going to suit everybody's needs.
• With our modern Western Diet most of us are not getting adequate supplies of the nutrients our bodies need to function the way that they were designed to.  Often we are blocking our body's ability to absorb and use some of the nutrients that we are consuming because of the refined and processed foods we are also eating, medications we are taking or other lifestyle factors like smoking or over-consumption of caffeine and alcohol.  [The Science of Skinny by Dee McCaffrey and Drug Muggers by Suzy Cohen RPh]
• Getting nutrients from unprocessed whole foods is better and safer than taking supplements because there is still so much that scientists don't yet understand about what's in real whole foods, so manufactured supplements are just not the same.  Eating a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods is the best way to avoid over-dosing or getting nutrients in the wrong balance.  [The Wahls Protocol by Dr Terry Wahls]
• Grains, nuts and seeds contain phytic acid, also know as "anti-nutrients" which bind to minerals in the gut preventing mineral absorption.  They also contain enzyme inhibitors which suppress the proper function of digestive enzymes leading to poor digestion and digestive discomfort.  Preparation methods that include soaking and/or fermenting before cooking help to neutralise the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors making the grains, nuts and seeds more digestible and their nutrients more available. [Sourdough ebook by Wardeh Harmon and the GNOWFGLINS Team and the Western A Price Foundation]

How I Ended Up on a Low Carb, High Fat Diet and Stuff I've LearnedAlong the Way [Part I]

Recently I saw the ABC's Catalyst program about the low carb, high fat diet,  "Low Carb Diet, Fat or Fiction".  It is an informative and well-rounded report.  You can watch or download it here.  It runs for about 29 minutes.

I didn't set out to go on a low carb, high fat diet, but in my pursuit of a processed-free, nutrient-dense diet, I realise that's actually where I have ended up.

Initially when doing the detox program that kick-started my journey and healing process, I went gluten-free for two months.  I chose to reintroduced gluten into my diet after that, but on a greatly reduced scale.

I thought that my diet wasn't too bad but I decided that I would stop eating all refined carbohydrates; so nothing that contained any refined sugar or flour. I used to mostly eat wholemeal bread but I made a decision to only eat wholemeal bread, pasta and rice.  

I stopped eating sandwiches because I wanted to lower my gluten intake and increase my intake of plant foods.

Breakfast in a Jar

I like to leave for work early to beat the traffic and get a good parking space. So I prepare and drink a lemon water from a travel mug on my way to work and I pack my breakfast to eat at the office.

This is a favourite that I can prepare at night and store in the fridge for a quick grab on the way out the door in the morning.  I pop it in an insulated bag with an ice pack.

Packed in this jar are raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, a tablespoon of LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds), 4 dessert spoonfuls of full cream natural yoghurt (I like B.d. Farm Paris Creek organic Natural Yoghurt with probiotic cultures),  a handful of raw macadamia halves, a sprinkle of dried goji berries, a little pure maple syrup and a good dash of cinnamon.

Berries because they are a great source of antioxidants, and they're delicious!

Yoghurt for protein and probiotics.

Nuts and Seeds also for protein, minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin E and good fats.

Pure maple syrup - a natural sweetener that is a source of manganese and zinc.

Cinnamon - an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial spice that is also a digestive aid and a source of calcium.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Food for Thought on Food Choices

From my experience the past couple of years, eating the way that I have, I have really learned to listen to my body.

I believe that when I'm hungry it's my body's way of asking for fuel.  That is probably no great revelation to anybody but by fuel I mean nutrients.  The nutrients that my body needs to function the way it was designed to.  By nourishing my body with nutrient-dense foods I am meeting that need, enabling my body to do its job with ease, and I am satisfied.

When we fill up on foods of empty, or limited nutrition, the body continues to signal that it is hungry because it hasn't received what it needs.  This results in:

• over-eating;
• the body working harder, prioritising and compensating(*); and
• stores of "fat" from foods of little nutrition because the body cannot use it and doesn't know what to do with it.

It makes sense.

Nutrient-dense eating = all round better function = a healthier, leaner and happier body!

(*) When we consume refined foods such as refined sugar which has been stripped of nutrients and essential digestive enzymes in the refinement process, the body pulls stored minerals (especially calcium) from the bones, tissues, and teeth in order to digest it.  This is called "leaching".

Source:  "The Science of Skinny" by Dee McCaffrey - chapter 4 "A Scientist's View of Sugar and Flour".

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.