pH Miracle Diet..Is It Right For You?

By pinky, 15 November, 2009, No Comment

The pH Miracle Diet is one of the most interesting and groundbreaking new eating plans to hit the world of nutrition and dieting. This way of eating proclaims that following the program will help restore your health to natural balance and rid you of a myriad of conditions, including excess weight. While most people are looking to shed a few pounds, this diet also claims to help with fatigue, muscle pain and indigestion, as well as many other problems.

If you’ve tried low carbohydrate diets before and felt terrible after consuming all of that protein, then the pH Miracle diet may be for you. This eating program is based on alkaline foods, which are better for your health and for your body. Since humans have a slightly alkaline pH, eating alkaline foods helps support the bodily pH balance. Most people eat a lot of acidic foods like animal protein, dairy products and wheat. The pH miracle diet consists of certain fruits, vegetables, alternative grains and vegetarian protein sources.

Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH Miracle diet, points out in his book that many people’s health problems are due to excess acidity in the body. Among other things, Young says that chronic fatigue, excess mucous production, nasal congestion, frequent colds and infections, stress, anxiety, weak nails, dry hair, dry skin, headaches, arthritis, muscle pain, hives and leg cramps are all signs of excess acidity.

If you have had any of these symptoms for an extended period of time, your acidic diet may be to blame. Think about how much of your diet relies on high acid foods, like animal protein and dairy products. If these problems have been a bother to your life and your health for some time, you’ll benefit from giving the pH miracle diet a try.

The pH miracle diet will be a welcome relief for those who have tried to do low carb diets with little success. The foods are less harsh on the stomach and digestive system than the heavy protein required on low-carb diets. There is also a better balance of protein to carbohydrates. The proteins that are used on the pH miracle diet are selected carefully for their level of acid. The proteins consist of alkalizing tofu, beans and nuts.

The pH miracle diet is also good for people who enjoy eating a vegetarian diet. If you’ve given up meat for a day or two and felt better, than this diet may be very beneficial for you. There is no meat on the diet and the only alkaline dairy product allowed is goat milk. Tofu, which has long been a mainstay of vegetarian diets, is a major part of the pH miracle diet.

If you have a diet that consists mainly of processed foods and very few vegetables, you will definitely benefit from this diet. A diet that consists of manufactured food has very little natural nutrients. This can cause many detriments to your health and you can suffer from the effects of malnutrition, even when you are eating your fill. The focus on vegetables and fresh foods in this way of eating will help get natural vitamins and minerals back into your diet. Just adding a moderate amount of alkaline foods to your diet can improve your health greatly.

The pH miracle diet is a good diet for many different types of people. If you fit any of the previous criteria, you owe it to your health to give this way of eating a try.

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Dehydrate Those Fruits

By pinky, 9 March, 2010, No Comment
Apple Fruit Leather
Image by Baha’i Views / Flitzy Phoebie via Flickr

One of the problems facing anyone trying to eat healthier, especially for someone trying to move towards eating more raw foods is the convenience factor. Raw and natural foods are so much healthier for you, but it’s not as if there are drive-through raw foods restaurants on every street corner in the country.

And of course, there’s no such thing as a raw foods snack machine, is there? So if you get hungry during the day, you’re going to have a challenge of finding something appropriate to eat if you haven’t  packed any raw fruits and vegetables. And when you’re rushing around in the morning, sometimes it’s next to impossible to find the time to put together a selection of healthy snacks to take with you.

One thing to try so that you have healthy snacks available quickly is to dehydrate your fruits or make fruit leathers. Those fruit roll-ups you see in the grocery store are derived from a pretty good idea – fruit leathers. But it’s better to make your own – commercial fruit leathers are going to be loaded with preservatives and sugars – just the things you want to avoid.

When you’re switching to a raw foods diet, that doesn’t always have to mean fresh off the farm. It means not cooking foods with processes that strip all the essential vitamins, amino acids and enzymes from them. Drying fruit is a great way to add variety to your diet and make yourself tasty snacks of dried fruit or fruit leathers. It’s not hard to do. There are recipes and inexpensive food dehydrators on the Web. These are also great snacks to pack for your kids’ lunches!

You get all the benefit of the raw fruit, just packaged and preserved in a healthy, nutritious way!

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Types of Juicers

By pinky, 8 March, 2010, No Comment

If you’re eating more raw foods and making that important lifestyle change, at some point you’ll need to consider investing in a juicer. A blender is NOT the same thing. To get all the benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables, you need to be able to process every part of the food – seeds, stems, peels and pulp. That’s where all the vitamins are. A blender just can’t do that effectively.  A juicer will extract all the nutrients from fruit or vegetable that not even your stomach can adequately do.

Juicers routinely used to cost $300-$400 and more. The best ones still do, but if you’re just getting into juicing, there are less expensive styles on the market as well. Here are a few you can research to find the best one for you. Natural food stores and cooking catalogues like Williams-Sonoma also carry juicers.

Here are some reasonably priced juicers to consider.

Omega 1000 – Makes good, virtually pulp-free juice. It’s a high-yield juicer but not good for juicing leafy greens. This juicer will not process wheatgrass. Price $150-$200

Commercial Champion – Better juice quality, pulpy with good nutritional value. Also a multi-purpose machine that grates and churns and can make nut butters. A good heavy-duty juicer, high volume, good for families. Does not process wheatgrass. Price $230-$300.

Solo Star – Create a pulpy juice, but very high nutrient value because the motor is a lower RPM. This is a multi-purpose machine that can grate, churn, make nut butters and extrude pasta. It can process wheatgrass. Price $190 – $300.

Green Power – A premium juicer, although a more complicated machine with more parts that need to be cleaned. Creates the least pulp with more nutrients. It is a Twin Screw Press type of juicer that is superior to masticating or centrifugal juicers. It will process wheatgrass. Also a multi-purpose machine. Pricey, but may be well worth it. Price $450 – $650

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10 Inflammation Fighting Foods

By pinky, 8 March, 2010, No Comment

Article by Lisa Turner
Published in Amazing Wellness
January/February 2010 edition

Chronic inflammation has been linked to a wide range of serious illnesses, including heart disease. Inflammation may be fueled by a broad range of lifestyle factors that promote the production of inflammatory chemicals, including smoking, stress, being overweight, lack of exercise and diet.

Here are 10 foods that can help put out the fire.

1. Salmon – Wild caught salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation. (Avoid farm-raised salmon as it is high in arachidnic acid, as well as PCBs and other toxins.)

2. Walnuts – A source of omega-3s, walnuts appear to counter some of the inflammatory processes that lead to heart disease.

3. Onions – Onions are high in quercetin, a type of antioxidant that inhibits enzymes that trigger inflammation.

4. Blueberries – They are loaded with anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol antioxidant that boosts immunity and protects the body from free radical damage (free radical damage triggers inflammation).

5. Sweet Potatoes – They’re rich in carotenoids, antioxidants that boost immunity and minimize inflammation.

6. Spinach – Spinach is rich in inflammation fighting carotenoids, as well as immune boosting vitamin E.

7. Garlic - It’s a potent anti-inflammatory agent, and like onions, is rich in sulfur compounds that stimulate the immune system by boosting the activity of natural killer and T helper cells.

8. Pineapple – Bromelain, found in the pineapple stem, is an enzyme that decreases inflammation and has some immune enhancing effects.

9. Ginger – Fresh ginger root acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting COX-2 enzymes.

10. Turmeric – The key component in curry, turmeric contains curcumin, a compound that has anti-inflammatory effects.

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Juicer vs Blender

By pinky, 2 March, 2010, 1 Comment
Orange, pear, apple
Image by Joe Lencioni via Flickr

We saw an interesting article about starvation in which the comment was made that there are really two types of starvation. One, of course, is caused by too little or no food at all. But there is another type of starvation caused by serious malnutrition, and even though the U.S. is the fattest nation on the planet, our bodies are starved for important nutrients and enzymes. It’s partly why we’re so fat, because we keep eating and eating, but we’re eating highly processed, cooked foods that have the essential components burned out of them. Cooking removes up to 80% of food’s important amino acids, fibers and vitamins.

It’s one reason why switching to a raw foods diet makes such compelling sense. When you start eating raw foods, you’re suddenly getting all the nutrition from food that nature intended you to get. It’s the way our bodies were meant to eat, in balance with the planet. We suddenly become the vibrant, healthy animals we’re supposed to be.

But we still live in the modern world, with all its pressures and time constraints. It’s one reason why getting your whole foods from juicing is a good idea. You can still get all the fiber you need without taking the time to cut, peel or slice the food. Raw foods do take a little more time to chew and swallow and that’s a good thing. But if you don’t have the time for that, then you should consider using juices for at least a portion of your raw foods intake.

You do need to invest in a good juicer though, and that’s different from a blender. A blender can’t process the fruit peels that contain most of a fruit or vegetables vitamins and enzymes. A juicer is a more high-powered appliance that will process everything – seeds and stems, peels and pulp. It’s designed to do it quickly and efficiently. They can be expensive, but there are many more options today than there used to be as this concept has gained in popularity.

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Food Dehydrators

By pinky, 27 February, 2010, No Comment

Making dried fruit and fruit leathers isn’t hard and it doesn’t have to be expensive either. While some food processors and juicers can get really pricey, a dehydrator isn’t going to cost that much and it’s a lifesaver to have fruit leathers, dried fruit or fruit jerky on hand when you can’t get out to the store for fresh food.

When buying a dehydrator, some things to consider are the materials and construction used to manufacture the product, the size, heating elements, fans and guarantees. Make sure you have room for the dehydrator in the space you have planned for it. Choose one that’s multi-purpose, with multiple trays and special trays for fruits and herbs. A side-mounted or horizontal fan is best when choosing a food dehydrator.

Here are some food dehydrators to consider. But do a little research to find just the right one for you!

Nesco American Harvest – A very inexpensive food dehydrator with five trays that don’t have to be rotated. Price is $40-$55.

Excalibur Dehydrator – Has over 12 square feet of drying space. Comes with 9 free sheets and has a horizontal fan for maximum drying efficiency. Fast drying times, no tray rotation needed and fast cleanup. Price approximately $200-$220.

L’Equip Dehydrators – Comes with special mesh for drying sheets, plus special sheets for making fruit leathers and fruit roll-ups. Has a compact design and good, uniform drying. Price is around $150.

TSM Commerical Dehydrator – When you’re really serious about drying foods! Comes with 12 racks, 1600 watts of power, dual 6” fans for strong air flow. Can dry 15-18 pounds of jerky. Priced at $650 and up.

And don’t forget a food slicer for all that fruit drying! The Chef’s Choice 645 food slicer has a powerful 130 watt geared condenser motor for smooth, quiet, fast operation. A large 7″ nonstick stainless steel slicer blade cuts fruit & vegetables. Micrometer control dial selects slices from deli-thin to 9/16″ thick.

Great Foods That Pass Through The Body Quickly

By pinky, 25 February, 2010, No Comment

There are certain types of foods that are eliminated by the body quicker than others. These are unprocessed foods containing adequate fiber in foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains. If these types of food would be consumed more, bodily conditions of diseases, constipation and other bowel complications would be avoided.

When foods types like beans, peas, green vegetables, fresh fruits of all types, whole grain breads, and cereals are eaten, an easily managed mass of residue is easily passed through the intestines. The time frame of 72 hours or less is normal for the remains of the consumed foods to pass through the bowels with elimination of four to six hours for extremely healthy people. This short time span is easier on the gastrointestinal tract than the consumption of white flour and sugar foods that are low fiber residue.

The body becomes more active and alert when the body does not consume food for a period of time. It is believed that three hours or more is adequate between meals before another meal should be eaten. Of course, this varies on the type of meal that is eaten, what types of food, and how much is eaten.

It is also a natural tendency of the human body to rest while it is digesting food: ten minutes before consuming a meal and half-an-hour after consuming the meal is thought to be the most beneficial. The largest meal of the day should be eaten around noon as the body’s physiological capacities are at their peak during this time. This would be a problem in today’s world as after the meal, lying down for about half-an-hour may present a problem. So, many individuals eat their largest meal after work or at the end of the day when they can relax.

Organic Products and Raw Food Diet

By pinky, 23 February, 2010, No Comment
Food for Life distributes food on an internati...
Image via Wikipedia

Fortunately for those of us newly interested in eating organic and raw foods, there are lots of products out there. Natural and organic foods used to be found only in natural food stores, and those could be few and far between. While not as ubiquitous as McDonald’s, there ARE many more stand-alone stores. And the grocery chains are catching on too, with more organic selections than ever before. If you don’t see them in your grocery store, just ask. You’re probably not the only person in your neighborhood who’d like to see more of these options.

Many grocery stores now feature sprouts and other living foods in the produce aisle. Of course, if they don’t, there’s nothing easier to grow yourself than sprouts!

There are also tons of sites on the Web where you can order raw and living foods. Just do a search on raw foods and you’ll come up with a lot of different places to order the foods you’d like to buy. Many of these sites are also full of useful information, to help you learn about eating raw foods, and help educate you on the specific food values.

What else? Experiment with what you like. Take the time to learn a little about what the different nutrients in foods do for you. A few examples:

Cabbage – High in Vitamin C; important for healthy cell function

Shitake mushrooms – contain essential fatty acids and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system

Kale – Rich in fiber and helps reduce calorie intake with less hunger. We like that!

Barley – Loaded with niacin, fiber and iron and is important for healthy blood sugar.

Pumpkin – So rich in fiber and vitamins; helps reduce appetite by filling the stomach with indigestible fibers

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Can you feed your children raw food?

By pinky, 22 February, 2010, No Comment
IMG_9627
Image by tantek via Flickr

Every parent wants the best for her child. You want your child to look healthy, grow proportionately, feel energized and have a great immune system. So, why do most parents in America feed their children junk food by the time they start eating table food? Why do most restaurants serve French fries or macaroni and cheese for side orders and not steamed broccoli? It is really a sad situation to watch young children who are obese. Even schools offer peanut butter and jelly or ice cream for lunch.

To ensure that your child is eating correctly you must feed them plenty of fruits and vegetables. But the trick is to make it delicious and fun. For instance, for breakfast, arrange a platter of fruit, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, they will love it! Make faces out of the fruit. Have them drink only water and no sugar 100% fruit juice that you juice yourself. Get them used to eating vegetables that are uncooked. Whenever they get hungry, offer small baby carrots, or celery, they will grow to love the taste just the way it is. You can introduce a new vegetable each week and learn how to hide it into your food. For instance, chop up Portobello mushrooms in a chopper and add it to your pasta sauce and watch them gobble it up, barely noticing the mushrooms. Make blanched broccoli (plain) and eat that for dinner. If they see you eating healthy, they will learn early on to eat that way. Do not let them eat packaged foods, such as macaroni and cheese, or fried chicken fingers, or anything fried for that matter. Make sure that they eat vegetables at every meal and be careful when you go out to eat.

Offer natural desserts that you have made at home, such as homemade sorbet, or fruit smoothie, or peach cobbler pie (all natural). Stay away from cakes, cookies, etc that have preservatives and other unnatural flavorings. Make it yourself and offer it occasionally. You will find that they watch you and what you eat and if you incorporate a much healthier menu, so will they.

The best part of raising your children to learn to love fruits and vegetables is that you will notice that they will turn down junk food when you are not around. At that point you will know that you have done your part in raising healthy adults.

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Benefits of Juice

By pinky, 22 February, 2010, No Comment
A glass of Orange juice.
Image via Wikipedia

Eating raw foods is a way to give your body some of the nutrition it desperately needs. Many of us are at least slightly overweight, and even the morbidly obese are starving for essential proteins and amino acids. All the processed, cooked foods we eat give us only a small percentage of what we need. Consequently, we eat and eat and yet we’re still not nourished. Psychologists try to tell us we’re eating to make up for an emptiness in our souls. Wrong! Our bodies our empty and trying to tell us so.

Eating raw foods is good for us on so many levels. It’s satisfying to eat them. They take more time to chew and swallow, so we don’t eat as fast. And we’re getting so much more in the way of nutrition by consuming fruits, vegetables, nuts and sprouts.

It can take time to prepare raw foods, however. Which is why a juicer is an important addition to your kitchen once your start to be serious about raw foods. A good juicer can process an entire apple – seeds, stems, peel, pulp and all – and turn all that into a healthy, nutritious juice.

Buying apple juice is NOT the same thing!!! Don’t even look at apple juices or even ciders in the grocery store. Put that $2 or $3 aside and save up for a juicer. Buy bags of apples, orange, bananas, carrots and make your own juices to get everything from the fruit that you’d get by eating it raw. Now you’re getting juice that’s as fresh as the fruit or vegetable you made it from. No preservatives, no processing that strips most of the energy from the fruit. And think of all the delicious combinations you can make with the many tropical fruits that are available now in most grocery stores. You can customize your fruits and add non-typical ingredients like pumpkin to an orange juice. Now that’s a powerhouse of a juice!

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Raw Nourishment

By pinky, 11 February, 2010, No Comment
Food for Life distributes food on an internati...
Image via Wikipedia

You might agree on an intellectual level that eating raw foods is a good idea. But does the thought of abandoning a lifetime of eating habits for the sake of what seems like a good idea seem like more than you can do?

So don’t! That’s silly and the surest way to guarantee you won’t even give a raw foods diet a fighting chance. “Everything in moderation” and we think that applies to even the healthiest notions. It’s not healthy if you won’t do it!

Don’t think of trying a raw foods diet as taking anything AWAY. Try adding them in. We think if you add in things like raw vegetables, sprouts, fruits and juices, you won’t be as hungry and when you’re not hungry, you won’t give into impulsive eating. If you want that steak, or even a McDonald’s hamburger, plan for it and enjoy it. Once you start eating raw foods though, and notice how good you feel on them and how much more energy you have, that hamburger just won’t look as good to you.

You do want to be sure though, that you’re getting enough of the right kinds of nutrition. Eating raw foods doesn’t mean eating only the raw foods you like. Watermelon is good for you, but it’s not enough. The same with most foods. You’ll need to do a little research into which raw foods have the essential proteins, or what combinations of food you need to eat to get enough protein. Raw food eating is intended to nourish your body in a completely different way, but just being raw isn’t enough. You want to do this to be in balance, and you need to balance the raw foods you’re eating for proper nutrition.

One way to ensure that you are getting enough nutrients is to incorporate a new vegetable every week. Buy something you have never heard of, like a “leek”, or “swiss chard.” You will find a whole new world of tastes and textures open up to you. You will feel more and more deterred by fast food. I guarantee it.

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