Break that Fast!

Breakfast. That life or death, can't live without, grandma told me so, gotta have it breakfast. Breakfast is when you break the fast upon arising in the morning. Your first meal of the day. Breaking the fast. From when you stop eating the evening before, to when you start eating the next day is a fast. Does that mean that first thing in the morning you must eat, or your brain with short-circuit and your muscles won't take you from a to b? NO it is not. Now, there are many, too many people who suffer from sugar addiction and have 'withdrawl' symptoms if they don't get sugar in their bodies every few hours. (This is a whole other and very important issue to address, and not the point I am getting at here.) The oatmeal, cereal, anti-nutrient marketing machine will have you believe that a human body can not function without a big ol' bowl of shreddies in the morning but they are wrong.

Breakfast is the first meal you eat in the day. If your preference is to eat urly in the morning then that is your breakfast. If you're not a morning eater, and don't feel a need to eat until later, then that is your breakfast. Listen to your body, and give it breakfast when it asks. There is no need to force feed. We get too many calories anyway. Saying that, what you feel your body for breakfast is important. For me, breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day. I don't want a sugar rush, to then a crash soon to follow. I want to easily digest, feel energized and full for a good period of time. So, how do we achieve that? Good sources of protein, delicious healthy fat, and uber-nutritious vegetables is a Popeye worthy breakfast of true champions. What does that look like? Here's some ideas for when you have time to prepare, and when you are in a hurry....

-Free range egg scramble, with ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil, bacon grease, or butter, scramble in some chopped up spinach, onion, peppers or tomato, maybe some chopped up bacon or ham.

-Fried egg in  ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil, bacon grease, or butter. served with some bacon, ham or leftover meat from dinner the night before. (Organic is best)

-Poached eggs served on a bed of wilted spinach.
-Bowl of berries, with chopped  up nuts, cinnamon, and fresh cream or whole fat delicious yoghurt (not sweetened) Maybe a little drizzle of honey if you're feeling luxurious.

-Vega smoothie with water or almond milk, straight up is great, or add is a little frozen berries or banana.Vega Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer - Berry Flavor - 36.6 ounces
Vega is a complete meal with all the vitamins and minerals you need. This is what I had this morning, but the Chai flavour. This kicks sbux's chai butt anyday!

-Smoothie with protein powder, frozen berries, a portion of a frozen banana, and almond milk.

-Tomato, avocado, drizzled with olive oil with sea salt and pepper. Perhaps some fresh leaves of basil too. Some meat leftovers for protein too.

In Short: Keep it real... Mother nature made, whole, healthful, body fueling food. Eat when your're hungry, and don't if you're not. Your body knows best, if you fuel it with real food it will tell you accurately what you really need.

cell. u. light.

Cellulite... Women the world over, since the dawn of time have fought tooth and nail to rid their thighs, butts, and arms of this unsightly female horror. Why, you ask? Cellulite is an accumulation of fat. The texture of cellulite is caused by the fat cells pressing through layers of connective tissue. Think: fishnet stockings that are too tight. Pick up just about any magazine, or browse the internet for a moment and you'll  find 101 'cures' for cellulite. Can cellulite be cured? Not really. But, there are things you can do that will help.

Easiest answer, probably not the easiest in execution. Losing fat will shrink the fat cells so they aren't being  pushed through the connective tissue as much. 4 tips for losing fat:
1. Cut back processed carbohydrates. I spoke about carbs a few posts back. Mainly cut back on white things.... Anything with white flour, pasta, rice, sugar, potatoes.
2. Move more. Sweat. Raise your heart rate doing something fun. Run if you like to run, play a sport, hot yoga, take a dance class, hike, get outside and think of something new. If it's not fun, you probably won't keep it up.
3. Drink lots of water. a) it will help you to feel full. b) It helps to flush toxins out of your body and keeps your lymphatic system moving (the lymphatic system is like your body's garborator. it transports toxins and fat out of your system.)
4. Similar to number one. If mother nature didn't make it, don't eat it. In other words, if it comes in a box or a bag and was made in a big factory somewhere, and can sit on your shelf for years it is not your best choice.
5. Thoroughly chew your food. Chewing is the first step in digestion

Tips and tricks:

1. Lymphatic dry brushing. I will talk more about the lymphatic system in a later post, but for now dry brushing is a way to stimulate detoxification providing a gentle internal massage. In short, you take a natural soft bristle brush and brush your skin toward your heart. So, up your legs, from fingers to shoulder, and clockwise on your abdominal. Dry brushing should be done every day before getting in the shower. For an added bonus in the shower, when you are about to get out, rinse off in cold (as cold as you can handle) water.
2. Detox. A trusted Holistic Practitioner friend of mine attributes cellulite to a build up of toxins in the body. detoxing can involve a few days of herbal remedies, dry brushing, there are a number of cleanse or detoxes available. Talk to a knowledgeable professional in a health food store or a naturopath.
3.  Whole Body Vibration Training and LIPOLASER+, have been shown to help.
4. I don't like to recommend creams and lotions as these may help the appearance while you use them, it does not address the underlining problem.
5. Water, water, water. Drink it.

Unfortunately, cellulite doesn't have a quick fix but with a little hard work and dedication it can be conquered!

Vitamin D. yes Yes YES!!!

Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Depression, Migraines, Cystic fibrosis, Asthma, Infertility, Seizures, Pre-eclampsia, Macular degeneration, Osteoporosis, Periodontal disease, Cavities, Muscle pain, Hearing loss, Insomnia, Eczema & Psoriasis, Dementia, Signs of aging, Septicemia, Tuberculosis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Cold & Flu, Crohn’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes 1 and 2, Autism, Obesity, Rheumatoid arthritis, Heart disease, Hypertension, Cancer…


What do all of the above health issues/chronic diseases have in common? They all have links to Vitamin D deficiency.

Now that the sun is getting weary and spending more time snoozing in the clouds, lethargic Vancouverites must look for other options to optimize their Vitamin D levels. According to Health Canada, individual’s age 1-50 should take 200IU’s, 50+ 400 IU’s, and for 70+ 600IU’s. Keeping these numbers in mind the skin which is the best way to obtain our much needed vitamin D can make 10,000 IU’s of in response to 20-30 minutes of midday sun. Dr. Mercola recommends supplementing with 5000IU’s when getting 20-30 minutes of sun is not an option. So, who’s right? When in doubt, trust Mother Nature. Get some sun without chemical laden sunscreen. Just be cautious not to burn, this is key.

It is evident that the farther away from the equator humans reside, the higher the instance of cancers there are. A 2009 study shows that 87% of newborns and 67% of mothers had vit D levels lower than 20mg/ml which is a severe deficiency. Optimal blood level is 60ng/ml. Really, the only way to determine ones vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is not just a vitamin, but a seco-steroid hormone that serves many gene-regulatory functions in the body. One example is that it up-regulates the body’s ability to fight infection, it produces anti-microbial peptides, and your body’s very own antibiotic. Research shows again, and again the importance of this little wonder vitamin. Don’t leave home without it. Rather, leave home and get in the sun!

Here are the top 3 ways to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D

1. Get in to some midday sun, exposing as much of your body as is decent. Leave the sunscreen on the shelf. Make sure you do not burn.

2. Tanning bed. When the sun’s not out, get it indoors a couple times a week. Research shows that in a controlled environment like a tanning bed, you are less likely to burn.

3. Supplement with 5000IU’s of D3 for 1 month and then have your D level’s tested.

Thoughts to Chew On

When I ask my clients if they chew their food they always say yes! Then I realized the question should be, are you a fast or slow eater?

Now we get a very different answer in some cases. Chewing our food is very important. Chewing is the beginning of digestion. Some say the sight and smell of food is actually when digestion begins. For now I will just talk about the importance of chewing our food thoroughly.

We have many reasons for eating fast. Busy, busy and more busy. Have a deadline at work, need to take kids to a practice. Whatever the reason it is time to get back to chewing. I often say that if we were not meant to chew we wouldn't have teeth.

The effects of not chewing are many, here are a few;

The feeling of fullness is delayed because we are eating far too quickly and we miss the signal of fullness until it is too late.

Our digestive system cannot effectively break down large chunks of food that should have been chewed properly by the mouth.

If the food cannot be broken down properly then we can't get the full absorption of nutrients available in the food.

Heartburn, indigestion and bloating can occur.

A weakened digestive system can lead to a weak immune system which could equal more colds

Now, when we slow down and chew our food we will become full quicker

Twenty pounds can be lost in a year just by chewing our food

Chewing our food slowly, particularly if this is something that one is not use to doing can be difficult!

So, no matter at what point during the meal you remember to chew, start chewing!

Your digestion will thank you!

Guest post- Lisa at Insideout Wellness
http://www.colonicbc.com/

A message that needs heard

www.takepart.com/thecove

A few days ago my fiance and I watched The Cove 2010 winner 'best documentary'. This is a brilliantly shot documentary on the massacre of Dolphins in Japan. I was shocked, sickened, and mortified that this is taking place in our world community and nothing is being done about it. The IWC (International whaling comity) protects whales, but not dolphins. Why? Japan gives money to small poorer countries for their votes to keep this travesty alive, and to overturn the ban on whale hunting. Meanwhile dolphin meat is being mislabeled and sold to the population, potentially poisoning their citizens. We know that tuna has high Mercury content, but the bigger the mammal gets the more Mercury is present as well. Dolphin meat has a level of Mercury that is toxic! Mercury poisoning can lead to impairment of vision, hearing, walking, muscle atrophy, neurological symptoms, headaches, tremors, insomnia, changes in nerve response, memory loss, respiratory failure, kidney failure, the list goes on and on.  Why is this allowed to happen???

'The Cove' and it's message should be seen and heard by all world citizens. Knowledge is the first step to change. To find out more go to: www.takepart.com/thecove

The one, the only, the amazing Coconut Oil!

There is a lot of contradicting information regarding coconut oil. I try not to listen to anything big-agra, big-pharma, or big-government shoves down my throat. I do however research topics of interest, and look for independent studies. Coconut oil is an interesting topic because of the controversy that surrounds it. Coconut oil was brought to America after the war and sold as coconut butter and used for many food preparations. In 1954 thanks to the now debunked lipid hypothesis and big-agra's marketing machine somehow coconut oil was demonized as the 'bad oil'. However, coconut oil is truly the miracle oil, and has been documented for 3600 years as food and pharmaceutical. Coconut oil is 66% medium-chain triglycerides. MCT's are digested differently than other fats. The liver converts MCT's to ketone bodies which nourish brain cells, and are used for energy quickly, therefor not stored as fat later on. Coconut oil is natures richest source of MCT's. Here is what a couple Doctors have to say about coconut oil....

"The chemical properties of virgin coconut oil and its biologic actions as a medium chain fatty acid make it superior to other oils for cooking and health use. It's anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory actions as shown by its remarkable control of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer, make virgin coconut oil unique." - Dr. Conrado Dayrit

"Virgin coconut oil can help you avoid obesity, boost your immunity, protect you from bacteria, fungus, and viruses - all while keeping your heart-healthy and moisturizing your skin to a beautiful natural glow, even treating acne and providing beneficial antiseptic, tumor-protecting, and anti-oxidant affects. - Vermen M. Verallo-Rowell, MD

"Never before in the history of man is it so important to emphasize the value of lauric oils. These medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother's milk and have similar nutraceutical effects." - Dr.Kabara (contributed to the successful treatment methods of Herpes simples, Shingles, Lyme disease, fungus....)

Current scientific research shows that coconut oil can:
-boost energy
-assist in weight loss
-alleviate digestive disorders
-decrease inflammation
-assist in healing skin conditions
-Help protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and many other degenerative diseases

Garden of Life - Living Foods -Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - 16oz Oil Have this one shipped right to your door!

For more information on the benefits of coconut oil here is a great place to start:

Tomatoes are delicious right now

Tomatoes have been in season for a while now. Up until a year or two ago, I never used to really be a raw tomato fan. I have recently discovered how tasty they can be. Local, organic heirlooms, or cherry tomatoes are my personal favorite. My favorite way to eat them as an appetizer or side for a locally sourced free range steak. Caprese salad. So simple and so delicious.

I usually just cut cherry tomatoes in half, or slice heirlooms. top with sliced fresh organic bocconcini (fresh mozzarella) and big beautiful leaves of basil (the only plant I successfully grow on my window sill). I like to grind Himalayan rock salt onto the tomatoes. Grind fresh pepper over everything, and drizzle with good quality olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Some Greek marinated pit in olives are a nice addition as well.
      Another option is just chopping everything up, tossing in some lettuce, and grilled chicken and there you have a great low carb meal.

Best bang for your exercising buck?

Go to any gym, and you'll find countless people slaving away on every piece of cardio machinery. I am certain that if you were to ask them, they'd say they are burning calories, burning fat, burning off last nights cheese cake buffet. But are they?

Consider this: Jane cardio slave went to work in the morning, maybe had a muffin for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, a late afternoon snack of some office sugary confection. An hour later Jane is at the gym, on the elliptical machine for an hour maybe, at a steady but not too intense pace (you know, the 'fat burning zone' pace). What has Jane accomplished? Well, all day long Jane has been releasing loads of insulin into her system by eating all those sugars (muffin, bread, office confections are all sugar). Insulin wont let her body release her stored fat, she might have burned off some of the recently ingested food, but that's probably all. Also, her long drawn out cardio session is actually stressing her body, causing cortisol to be released. Cortisol won't let Jane burn off any fat either. How could Jane have better spent her hour?

If Jane needs to work out after work, after she's eaten then she's better off weight training. With fuel for her muscles from eating not too long before her workout, Jane can lift weights with lots of energy. She'll have a productive muscle strengthening workout, with the benefit of burning calories on the way.

If Jane's main concern is burning fat, then Jane should get to the gym first thing in the morning before she eats anything. Cardio in a fasted state is the best way to get to your stored fat. Without any food for fuel, your body quickly uses up the small amount of energy it stores in your muscles and moves on to stored fat. Precisely what we want it to do! If Jane wants to get down and dirty, and out of the gym asap, she should work on her HIIT.

High Intensity Interval Training takes it to the next level. HIIT in a fasted state and Jane is going to see results in no time. HIIT stimulates your body to release growth hormone, which tells your body to use fat for fuel. HIIT can be done on any cardio machine basically, I find the treadmill or the outdoors the easiest and most efficient. What you want to do is warm up for a few minutes, run as fast as you can for 30 seconds, walk for 1 minute, repeat 6-8 times. Following that you can walk, or go on the elliptical for a fairly easy 15-20 minutes. Raising your heart rate, and bringing it back down is what's going to get the growth hormone going. You can play with the timing a bit to best suit your needs. This is a quick and efficient way to burn fat. Stop slaving away on the cardio machines. Go to the gym, get it done, and get out. This will save you time, and give you the biggest bang for your buck.