by Ed
We need to drink to stay alive. It’s even more important than eating, at least in terms of how often we need to drink to survive. What you drink really matters though, if you want to be healthy. North Americans are drinking more calories than ever before, which is adding to our weight problem. In general, drinking does not make us less hungry, so when we drink a sugary soft drink, we are just adding calories to our diet, not to mention the negative impact on our blood sugar.
What are the healthful fluids we can be drinking? Here are my top Five:
1. Water. By far the winner. Water is what our body needs, so why not drink it straight? Filtered tap water is the best. In Many communities, water coming out of the tap is not that good for you, but simple carbon filtration is usually good enough. Bottled water is a bad idea for two reasons. One is that you don’t really know where it came from, and the other is that toxic chemicals leach out of the plastic bottles water comes in. For more on plastic bottles, see this post. For most people, six to eight glasses of water a day is optimal.
2. Ginger tea. It is warming and it stimulates digestion. It can ease allergic reactions.
3. Chamomile tea. It is very soothing to the nervous system and stomach.
4. Green tea. In moderation, green tea is very beneficial for its antioxidants. People who are sensitive to caffeine, should avoid it. Be careful of its tendency dehydrate you.
5. Freshly made fruit and vegetable juices. These are a magnificent source of antioxidants and other health promoting phytochemicals. Drink them within a few minutes of juicing them, as they lose their goodness very quickly. These are rather high in calories, but most people don’t have time to overdue them. Besides, the health benefits far outweigh the problems, unless you have serious blood sugar issues.
by Ed
Every Spring is a good time for internal cleansing. I suggest starting with the digestive tract, then doing a Gall Bladder flush. While these cleanses are safe for most people, it is always advisable to seek the advice of a qualified health professional, especially if you have any significant health concerns. After doing a cleanse many people find they have more energy, clearer skin, fewer allergy symptoms, and many other positive effects. It is certainly helpful for anyone with constipation.
One simple and safe way to cleanse the digestive tract is to do a short juice fast. Three days is safe and effective. Only drink juice of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Drink them immediately after juicing them, as they lose their goodness, and start to oxidize very quickly. Besides drinking fresh juice, you can drink herbal teas, ginger is particularly good. Also, first thing every morning, mix one teaspoon of psyllium husk in a glass of water or juice. It does not have a pleasant flavor, so you probably want juice. Psyllium husk is known as intestinal broom because is sweeps out the old debris that lines the intestinal walls. You may want to continue the psyllium for a few days after the fast is over.
While generally regarded as safe, a small minority of individuals do not tolerate psyllium well. Those experiencing discomfort should discontinue use, or start with a very small amount to allow the body to adjust. However a feeling of bloating, especially the first time you take it, is normal.
Use of psyllium can reduce the effectiveness of prescribed lithium.
Use of psyllium can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics.
Do not use psyllium within two hours of any medicinal substances. Use at least 30 minutes prior to eating.
Psyllium is generally safe and helpful for people with irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, and colitis.
by Ed
Yesterday I read a good post on caffeine at stressedout.org
Since I shared the pros of chocolate, then the cons of sugar, last week, it seems appropriate to look into the cons of caffeine. So check it out the post above.
If you keep your chocolate consumption down to 2 ounces or less a day, and eat it early in the day, you should be safe from the bad effects of caffeine, unless you are particularly sensitive to it. Oh, and if you want the benefits of chocolate, it must be dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa is best. Don’t drink milk with it either, milk inhibits the healthful chemicals.
by Ed
After going on about the benefits of chocolate, I thought I should warn you about the dangers of sugar. Actually, not just sugar, but all refined carbohydrates, which include white flour, pasta, white rice, corn syrup, fructose, glucose, etc. There are a few problems with a diet rich in refined carbs, but today I’ll focus on glycemic stress.
What happens when sugar enters the blood stream? First, the body pumps out lots of insulin to deal with the sharp rise in blood sugar, that we never get from eating natural foods. The insulin so quickly deals with the sugar that we end up with low blood sugar, which makes us hungry, grouchy and spacey. It also causes inflammation in the arteries, leading to cardiovascular disease. If we do that several times a day for a long period of time, we develop insulin resistance, a problem on it’s own that will also lead to diabetes.
Other conditions that can arise out of this abuse to our systems are high blood pressure, increased blood clotting and a poor balance of HDL and LDL, the “good and bad Cholesterols”.
A little sweet now and then is not a problem, our bodies are very adaptable. However, if you are consuming sugar every day, especially if you use it as your energy booster, several times a day, you are going to develop serious health problems along the way.
So enjoy life, be sweet, but consume your sweets in moderation.
by Ed
Chocolate has been getting a lot of positive press, lately. It has antioxidants, which have also been gettign a lot of positive press, lately. It is good for your heart and vascular system, and now, they say, good for brain function by improving blood flow to the brain. Check it out here.
It also has chemicals that help us focus and feel good. Of course everyone knows about the feel good chemicals, that’s why we eat it. And you can eat it without guilt if you avoid chocolate with lots of sugar and artificial ingredients. Look for a dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. Or you can buy raw chocolate for maximum benefit. Of course, the bitter taste may take some getting used to. And don’t eat too much. 1.4 ounces has about the same caffeine as a cup of coffee. You don’t even need that much for the health benefits or the joy boost it gives.
