Category Archives: Healthy Eating

Optimise Vitamin D and Reduce Heart Disease

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Another reason to maintain Vitamin D levels in optimum range.

In a study on 375 patients undergoing coronary angiography for heart disease, “vitamin D was the most significant predictor for coronary artery disease” according to the authors of the study.  In another study published in the same journal, low vitamin D levels reduced activity of the gene that works to make vitamin D bioactive, essentially creating a ‘double-whammy’ – low vitamin D stores and less incentive for the body to convert what vitamin D it has to its bioactive form.  In addition, low vitamin D levels increased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, etc), thus exacerbating the coronary artery disease further.

Optimum levels are 50 – 100 IU/ml, in the higher range -70+ – in case of existing illness, and a lower level -50- being acceptable in ‘healthy’ individuals.

Vitamin D can be obtained with 20-30 min of sun exposure daily with arms and legs uncovered, 3-4 times a week, in summer, with direct rays. In case of dark skinned individuals, or northern latitudes where the sun’s rays are not so strong, longer exposure is needed.

In general, supplementation is recommended, 2000-5000IU/day. This is a safe dose.

Simple steps to Stay Healthy.

 

MRI Shows Cancer Cells Thrive On Processed Sugar

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MRI Shows Cancer Cells Thrive On Processed Sugar in5d in 5d in5d.com www.in5d.com http://in5d.com/ body mind soul spirit BodyMindSoulSpirit.com http://bodymindsoulspirit.com/

 Amanda Froelich

Want to improve your health? Change your diet! This message is slowly permeating mainstream society, but has yet to convince fast-food lovers and sugary-treat fanatics. Largely unaware of food consequences, many still dive into high-fat, high-sugar food options without a second thought; but a recent study affirming that Cancer cells grow and thrive on processed sugar may change that.

Nature Medicine recently confirmed that processed sugar is one of the primary driving forces behind the growth and spread of cancer tumors. The results were so conclusive, in fact, that future cancer screening may rely on scanning the body for accumulated sugar for signs of the disease.

The University College London (UCL) in the U.K. made this discovery after experimenting with a new cancer detection method that involves utilizing a unique form of MRI. The scientists sensitized a MRI scanner to look specifically for glucose in the body, and it revealed that cancer tumors – which have been shown to feed off sugar – light up brightly as they contain high amounts of sugar.

Explained by a recent UCL announcement, “The new technique, called ‘glucose chemical exchange saturation transfer’ (glucoCEST), is based on the fact that tumors consume much more glucose (a type of sugar) than normal, healthy tissues in order to sustain their growth.” On the update given by the university, it was noted that tumors appear as “bright images” on the scanner.

What may be most shocking, as reported by the study’s senior author, is that the amount of sugar in “half a standard sized chocolate bar” is all it takes to effectively identify the presence of tumors using the glucoCEST method. This finding is astounding, as it suggests that even relatively low amounts of sugar have the potential to promote cancer proliferation.

UCL is not the first source to connect processed sugar with diseases like cancer. Dr. Robert H. Lustig, M.D. and Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), cites that the bulk of chronic illnesses prevalent today are caused by sugar consumption. Lustig is a famed author of “Sugar: The Bitter Truth”, and speaks openly in videos to describe his findings.

The main culprits contributing to sugar load  include: white sugar and flour, sweetened and processed foods, and fast food. The way these break down in the body (compared to natural sources of fructose from fruit), is that they cause an increase of hormones to be released (specifically insulin), and in effect, signal for cancer cells to feed and continue to grow in size.

Dr. Lewis Cantley, head of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) at Harvard University, shared during a CBS interview the sugar-cancer connection:“What we’re beginning to learn is that insulin can cause adverse effects in various tissues, and a particular concern is cancer.”

He continued, “If you happen to have a tumor that has insulin receptors on it, then it will get stimulated to take up the glucose that’s in the bloodstream. So rather than going to the fat or to the muscle, the glucose now goes into the tumor, and the tumor uses it to grow.”

These sources conclude and relay the importance of choosing wholesome, unprocessed, and predominantly plant-based foods to keep the body healthy, and the mind nourished. Start by adding more greens, vegetables and plant-based proteins, while decreasing the amount of processed foods you consume. The body truly is capable of healing itself, and the necessity to make such changes for it to happen is becoming increasingly evident.

Laakh dukhon ki ek dawa – Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Fish

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Fish is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Omega 3 fatty acids in fish offer multiple benefits:

1. Fish is High in Important Nutrients That Most People Don’t Get Enough of

Some fish are better than others, and the fatty types of fish (like salmon, trout, sardines, tuna and mackerel) are considered the healthiest because they  are higher in fat-based nutrients.This includes the fat-soluble vitamin D, a nutrient that most people are deficient in. Fatty fish are also much higher in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are crucial for your body and brain to function optimally, and are strongly linked to reduced risk of many diseases.

2. Fish May Lower Your Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes

Heart and Stethoscope

Many large studies have shown that people who eat fatty fish regularly seem to have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and death from heart disease, because of their high amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Fish Contains Nutrients That Are Crucial During Fetal Development

Omega-3 fatty acids are absolutely essential for growth and development. The omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is especially important, because it accumulates in the developing brain and eye. For this reason, it is often recommended that expecting and nursing mothers make sure to eat enough  omega-3 fatty acids.

However, there is one caveat with recommending fish to expecting mothers. Some fish is high in mercury, which ironically is linked to brain developmental problems. Therefore it is important to select a trusted source, free of mercury.

4. Fish May Increase Grey Matter in the Brain and Protect it From Age-Related Deterioration

One of the consequences of ageing, is serious neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that people who eat fish every week have more grey matter in the centers of the brain that regulate emotion and memory.

5. Fish May Help Prevent and Treat Depression, Making You a Happier Person

Depression is currently one of the world’s biggest health problems.

Numerous controlled trials have also found that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial against depression, and significantly increase the effectiveness of antidepressant medications. Fish and omega-3 fatty acids may also help with other mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

6. Fish is The Only Good Dietary Source of Vitamin D

Fish and fish products are the best dietary sources of vitamin D, by far. Fatty fish like salmon and herring contain the highest amounts. A single 100 gram serving of cooked salmon contains around 1000 IU of vitamin D.

7. Fish Consumption is Linked to Reduced Risk of Autoimmune Diseases, Including Type 1 Diabetes

Autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissues. A key example is type 1 diabetes, which involves the immune system attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Several studies have found that omega-3 or fish oil consumption is linked to reduced risk of type 1 diabetes in children, as well as a form of autoimmune diabetes in adults.

The results are preliminary, but researchers believe that this may be caused by the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in fish and fish oils. Some believe that fish consumption may also lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

8. Fish May Help Prevent Asthma in Children

Studies show that regular fish consumption is linked to a 24% lower risk of asthma in children).

9. Fish May Protect Your Vision in Old Age

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A disease called macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness, and mostly affects older individuals.

There is some evidence that fish and omega-3 fatty acids may provide protection against this disease.

10. Fish May Improve Sleep Quality

Sleep disorders have become incredibly common worldwide.

In a 6-month study of 95 middle-aged men, a meal with salmon three times per week led to improvements in both sleep and daily functioning. The researchers speculated that this was caused by the vitamin D in the salmon.

11. Fish is Delicious and Easy to Prepare

This last one is not a health benefit, but still very important.

It is the fact that fish is delicious and easy to prepare. For this reason, it should be relatively easy to incorporate it into the diet.

If possible, choose wild-caught fish over farmed. Wild fish tends to have more omega-3s and is less likely to be contaminated with harmful pollutants.

That being said, even if eating farmed fish, the benefits still far outweigh the risks. All types of fish are good for you.

Take Simple Steps and Stay Healthy.

5 Sources of Toxins

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 Here are the top 5 sources of toxins:

1. Food – The biggest culprit for toxic exposure is processed foods, which are full of chemical additives that can create symptoms ranging from cravings and weight gain to poor digestive health and food allergies. This includes packaged food, and also supposedly fresh, local produce which is often heavily sprayed with pesticides, or could be genetically modified, or both.

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To reduce your exposure to food toxins: Choose whole foods instead of processed foods. In addition, choose organic fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is grown without harmful pesticides and, even better, the soil is more mineral-rich. Eating organic, whole foods is a great step you can take toward health and wellness.

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2. Water – Tap water is teeming with toxins. The Environmental Working Group found over 316 chemicals in tap water, based on analysis of 20 million records from state water officials. In addition, over the past few years, studies have shown that pharmaceuticals, like prescription and over-the-counter drugs, are being found in tap water.

Many bottled waters have been shown to be just as bad as tap water in most cases—not to mention the toxins that leach from the plastic bottles themselves.

To reduce your exposure to water toxins: Avoid drinking tap water or showering without a filter.

3. Environment – Whether inside your home or outside your home, the environment is also a major source of toxins. Pollution from manufacturing, cars, and secondhand cigarette smoke can be challenging to avoid.

However, you can minimize many of the toxins inside and around your home. Too many people use harsh household cleaners containing bleach, ammonia, and other toxic chemicals that can cause health problems ranging from nausea to skin destruction, fluid in the lungs, and wheezing.

To reduce your exposure to environmental toxins: Switch your cleaning products to those with all-natural ingredients.

4. Beauty and Personal Care Products – Beauty products like toothpaste, lotion, anti-aging creams, soap, shampoo, conditioner, perfumes, and makeup are full of toxic chemicals.

To reduce your exposure to toxins in beauty and personal care products: Read ingredient labels on your personal care products. Anything you put on your skin is absorbed into your body.

5. Stress and Negative Thinking – Stress can kill the good bacteria and yeast living in your intestines that keep your immunity and digestive health strong.

To reduce your exposure to toxic stress: As the good bacteria and yeast die off, the bad bacteria and yeast are able to take over. Strengthening your inner ecosystem with fermented foods and probiotics can buffer stress and reduce the risk of illness and disease.

Eliminate toxins and Stay Healthy.

Is Cholesterol really the villain?

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Most people and even physicians will have the knee-jerk response that the plaque found in the coronary and carotid arteries is filled with cholesterol.

We now understand that cholesterol is laid down as a Band-Aid to repair damaged blood vessels. Contrary to what many people have been led to believe, cholesterol is not the villain. We have been chasing the wrong suspect! Cholesterol is like the ambulance at the scene of an accident. Consistently being present, it gets blamed for the accident occurring.

The real culprit leading to damage to blood vessels are the environmental pollutants that we silently soak up from the time we are first conceived until the day we die.

Pathologists have proven that at the core of arterial plaque are pesticides, plasticizers, heavy metals, volatile organic hydrocarbons and the many other pollutants that we are all unavoidably exposed to every day.

In fact, thousands of researchers have proven that environmental pollutants may be at the root of every disease from high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancers, Alzheimer’s, lipidemia, heart attacks, arthritis, to glandular failures, colitis, depression, bizarre neurologic and auto-immune diseases, and much more.

If you are suffering with a chronic health issue that has been resistant to conventional medicine treatment you should seriously consider consulting with an Integrative Medicine practitioner and have your toxic environmental load evaluated.