6 tips to help you avoid diet-related diseases

We all know that our diet is so very important; however, few people actually spend the time and thought on designing a diet that allows for optimal health. With our modern lives being so fast paced, people tend to gravitate towards the comforts of modern life, whether they are detrimental to their health or not.

The six tips that I am going to share with you will help you to avoid the diet-realted diseases that are becoming so prominent in our modern world.

1. Eat a "rainbow" assortment of fruits and vegetables

As many of you already know, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is the best way to prevent almost all chronic diseases. But what do we mean by a "rainbow" assortment? This simply means that you should select fruits and vegetables across the entire spectrum of colours. By doing this, you will be providing your body with the full spectrum of pigments which have powerful antioxidant effects. You will also be giving your body the nutrients it needs to protect against disease.

The substances found in fruits and vegetables that are known to protect you against cancer are called phytochemicals. They include pigments such as chlorophyl, carotenes, and flavonoids; dietary fiber; enzymes; vitaminlike compounds; and other minor dietary constituents. These phytochemicals work with antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium to give greater protection against cancer.

2. Reduce your exposure to pesticides

Unfortunately, we are all exposed to pesticides and other toxins in the air that we breathe, the environment, and the food we eat. It is sad to say, but more than 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides and herbicides are sprayed on our food or added to our food each year. This extreme exposure is not only directly causing cancer, but it also effects our body's natural detoxification mechanisms, which in turn increase your risk of getting cancer and other diseases.

So, how do we reduce our exposure to pesticides?

• Reduce your consumption of animal fats, meats, eggs, cheese, and milk, as these foods tend to concentrate pesticides. 
• Buy organic produce whenever possible, it is grown without the aid of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. 
• Try to buy local produce that is in season. Foreign produce is more likely to have excessive levels of pesticides, and may even have pesticides that have been banned from the United States/Canada.
• Although many of the beneficial nutrients are concentrated in the skin, you may wish to peel away the outer layers to make sure surface pesticides are removed. Also, soak your produce in cold water with a mild additive-free soap. 

3. Reduce your consumption of meat and other animal foods

As the research suggests, the higher your intake of meat and other animal products, the higher your risk of heart disease and cancer. This is because meat does not contain the antioxidants and phytochemicals that help protect us from cancer. Also, meat and animal products contains saturated fats and other carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds. Did you know that the better done your meat is, the higher levels of carcinogenic compounds (amines and hydrocarbons). 

The demand for tender meat has lead to the breeding of cattle whose meat contains 25-30 percent fat, in comparison to free-living animals and wild game whose fat content is less than 4 percent. Domestic beef contains primarily saturated fat and almost no omega-3 fatty acids (good fats). Where as wild animals contain more than five times the amount of polyunsaturated (good) fat and 4 percent omega-3 fatty acid. 

If meat is something that you can not live without, try to make slight changes in your diet such as eliminating cured or smoked meats (hot dogs, ham, bacon, and jerky). These are particularly harmful to your health as they contain sodium nitrates and/or sodium nitrites (compounds that are used to keep foods from spoiling) which dramatically increase the risk of cancer. 

Some food for thought: 

Children who eat hot dogs once a week double their chances of developing brain tumors; eating them twice a week triples the chances. 

Pregnant women who eat two servings a day of any cured meat have more than double the risk of bearing a child with brain cancer. 

4. Eat the right types of fats

A diet that is high in saturated fat and cholesterol increases your risk of cancer. It is recommended by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, that a diet should supply less then 30 percent of its calories from fat. However, you must also understand that the type of fat you consume is equally as important. The goal is to reduce your total fat intake, especially the saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids; and increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats come from nuts, seeds, olive oil, and canola oil; omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish oil and flaxseed oil. 

But what makes a fat "good" or "bad"? Our cells membranes are composed of fatty acids, and the types of fatty acids that make up our cell membranes are determined by the fats we eat. If your diet is full of saturated fats, animal fats, and trans-fatty acids (margarine, shortening, and other hydrogenated vegetable oils), your cell membranes will be less fluid. This eventually leads your cells to be less efficient in holding water, vital nutrients, and electrolytes. Your cells also loose their ability to communicate to other cells and they will no longer be controlled by hormones (e.g, insulin). What does this all mean? Your cells membrane will be altered and no longer function properly, which is the main cause of virtually all diseases.

5. Keep your salt intake low, and your potassium intake high

Electrolytes are mineral salts that can conduct electricity when they are dissolved in water. They include, potassium, sodium, chloride, and magnesium. It is very important that these minerals be consumed in proper balance. Consuming a diet that is high in sodium and low in potassium can not only cause high blood pressure, but also cancer. So, not only should you reduce your sodium intake, but you must also increase your potassium intake. The optimal potassium-to-sodium ratio is 5:1. Here are some potassium-to-sodium ratios of a select group of fruits and vegetables:

Apples     90:1

Bananas    440:1

Carrots    75:1

Oranges    260:1

Potatoes    110:1

6. Drink a lot of water each day

As you know, water is essential for life. In order to replace the water that is lost through urination, breathing, and sweating, we must drink at lease 48 ounces (6-8 glasses) of water every day. Here is a closer look at some of the reasons why water is so important:

• Many metabolic processes take place in water
• Each of your cells is bathed in a watery fluid
• Water carries waste from your cells to your kidneys, so they can be eliminated from the body

All of the information in today's post was obtained from the book "Healing Foods" written by Micheal Murray.

Thanks for reading, healthy eating!

Day 18: African Sweet Potato Soup

Hey everyone, it has been a few days since I have updated you on how the cleanse is going. It has been busy here in our lives, as I am sure it is in yours.

It is day 18 of the cleanse, and I have re-introduced green tea and chicken. I am still feeling great. My mood has been awesome, and my ability to focus and get things accomplished has been great. Usually when read for school I end up reading and re-reading a chapter because I realize that I have spent most of my time thinking about what I will be making for dinner. However, over the last few days I have had great focus. I have not had any after dinner cramps since I have started the cleanse, and I am now totally regular. I do find that I have been snacking a lot throughout the day, more so than before the water fast. I did loose a few pounds during the fruit and vegetable days and the water fast, and perhaps that is why my body is telling me to eat every few hours.

I wanted to share another recipe with you today. It is a delicious soup that I am making for dinner tonight.

African Sweet Potato

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1/4 tsp crushed hot red pepper flakes
1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 quart hot vegetable stock
2-3 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and hot pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the sweet potatoes, pepper, tomatoes, and spices and cook for 2 minutes. Pout the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Remove from heat and process in a blender until smooth. You may need to do this in batches. Stir in the peanut butter or almond butter, use your taste buds to tell you how much. If you want more heat, add some tabasco.

Serve and enjoy!

Day 11: Water Fast

Hey everyone. It is 4:12pm on the day of my water fast. My last meal was 8:00pm last night, so it has been 20 hours since I have eaten. I have honestly felt great for most of the day. My energy levels have been high, my mind has been clear, and I have been quite productive. Just within the last hour or so I have been feeling a little more drained then usual. My energy levels are dropping, but it is nothing that I can not work through. I don't really feel hungry, but I sure am looking forward to eating.

I plan to break my fast tonight at 8 with some fruit and vegetables, in the form of a smoothie. It is important to gradually reintroduce foods back into the diet as to avoid shock to your digestive system.  For this reason, tomorrow I will eat only smoothies and soups made of vegetables and/or fruit and the following day I will start eating raw fruits and vegetables again. It is important to be in tune with your bodies reactions to the foods you reintroduce, you may notice that you get an upset stomach after eating something that you have cut out for the cleanse, that is a big indicator that you may be intolerant to that food. Which in turn means that you may not be absorbing the nutrients from that food.

I am quite proud at how successful this cleanse has been thus far, and from this point on in the cleanse it will be quite easy. The hardest part is definitely the fruit and vegetable days and the fast. But with a little determination and support from those around you, you could easily do it too!

Thanks for reading...healthy eating!

Day 10: Fruits and Vegetables

Hey everyone, it is day 10 of the cleanse, and I am almost halfway there. Up to this point the cleanse has been quite simple. However, yesterday and today have been my fruit and vegetable days and they have proven to be much more trying on my will power. I knew it would be more difficult, but my cravings for something crunchy are getting stronger. With that being said, I know I can do this! So I have been making fruit and vegetable creations that are delicious and satisfying to my cravings.

In order to keep myself away from grains, nuts, seeds and other foods that I am craving, I have made delicious frozen fruit pops, yummy smoothies, and savoury dinners. I think the most difficult part of my day is in the morning and after dinner. The morning is usually a time when I eat cereal, whether it is millet, quinoa, kamut, oatmeal, etc. I love to add hemp seeds, bee pollen, goji berries, and wheat germ to make my cereal even more satisfying and nutritious. With a little bit of almond milk, it makes for a heavenly breakfast. Instead, I have made smoothies, which have been quite delicious, but it still feels like something is missing. Now, after dinner is usually my time to munch on something crunchy, so my solution to this was making frozen fruit pops.

These are so easy to make, and are absolutely delicious. Try this:

1 banana

1 cup strawberries (frozen or fresh)

enough water so that it will blend easily

Blend all ingredients and put in popsicle forms. Freeze for 5-6 hours. Then enjoy.

You can also add agave nectar to sweeten it up a little more. The possibilities are endless. I can't wait to try a chocolate popsicle, using my chocolate mix (1 tbs carob, 1tbs maca, 2 tbs cacao), banana, and some raw honey or agave. 

Thanks for reading, healthy eating!

Day 8

So far this detox has been a piece of cake. I feel great, and love eating as healthy as I can. The approaching water fast has me a little nervous, but I know I can do it. Having the mind set that this is easy, and no matter what, I can get through this detox, makes it that much easier to succeed. I plan on keeping busy that day by helping my mother-in-law with her house renovations. Hopefully I will have enough energy to make it through the day.

Tomorrow is the first of two fruit and vegetable days, and I plan on eating every two hours to make sure I am getting enough energy. I already made my kiwi smoothie for the morning and can't wait to try it.

Kiwi Passion

4 kiwi's
1 ripe banana
4 stalks of celery
2 cups of water

Blend and enjoy!

Day 5

It is day 5 of the detox, and it couldn't be going better. I feel great! My energy levels are high, I feel like a million bucks, and I am having a lot of fun experimenting with recipes. It gets easier and easier to eliminate cravings for unhealthy processed food the more you eat whole foods. Throughout the day I crave a juicy apple, kiwi or a fruit smoothie. When I need that satisfaction of a crunchy snack, I grab my Mary's Gone gluten free crackers and eat them with guacamole, hummus, or even almond butter. The most difficult part about this detox is not eating dairy, but I can't believe how amazing I feel when I cut it out of my daily diet. Most people are intolerant to dairy and they don't even realize it. Your symptoms may include lack of energy, dry skin, congestion, irritable bowels, etc. So giving your body a rest from dairy may make you feel quite good!

Day 2: Dry Skin Brushing

Day 2 of the detox is going great. I started taking the Cleanse Smart and haven't noticed very much of a difference. Bowel movements (BM) have been after every meal. I started the Cleanse Smart at half a dose, I was not sure how intense it would be, and since I was at work most of the day, I wanted to start slow. I will continue the half dose until Friday, and then I will start taking the entire dose. I followed the food plan and only noticed that I was very hungry at about 3:30pm. I had some fruit to help me hold off until dinner.

I am headed for the shower as soon as I am done this update, I will do a quick dry skin brushing that will help me to clear away dead skin cells and the toxins that go along with it. Since the skin is the largest elimination organ, we need to spend time each day cleansing it properly. Check out the helpful video at Joyous Health and you will be dry brushing with ease in no time. It has been suggested that dry brushing take place every day of the detox, as our bodies are working hard to excrete all of the toxins from our body. Help out your body by dry brushing.

Cheers!

Stuffed Quinoa Peppers

I was just cooking up dinner for tonight, and decided to share the amazing recipe with all of you.

Stuffed Quinoa Peppers


4 large bell peppers, seeds removed
3/4 cups quinoa, rinsed
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
3/4 cups diced tomatoes
2 cups spinach
Pesto

Put the peppers skin side up on a lightly oiled cookie tray, and broil on hight for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Simmer quinoa with the vegetable broth and tomatoes in a medium pot for approximately 12 minutes, or until all water is gone. Then stir in spinach. Let sit for 3 minutes. Spoon the quinoa mixture into the peppers.

Top the filled peppers with pesto. Use pre-made pesto, or make your own.

Pesto 


1 clove garlic
6 tbs grated parmesan cheese
1 large bunch basil, about 4 cups
3 tbs extra-vergin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tbs boiling water

Combine the garlic, parmesan, basil, olive oil, pepper, and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not smooth. Stir in boiling water.


Enjoy!

Delicious Hummus

Today is the first day of the cleans. I am so excited that it is finally here. So far I have eaten breakfast, which consisted of a green smoothie. I added 5 tablespoons of hemp seeds to make sure I get enough amino acids, fatty acids, omega 3 and everything else that hemp seeds are good for. I am looking forward to lunch. Yesterday I made some delicious hummus for todays lunch, and for snacks throughout the week. Check out the recipe and try it yourself. You can make it more or less spicy by adding more or less cayenne pepper. 

Delicious Hummus

2 cloves garlic

1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Cayenne pepper to taste

Add all ingredients into the food processor. Blend until creamy and smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour. 

Enjoy with some Mary's crackers, vegetables or on a wrap.

Thanks for reading!

Meal Plan- Days 1-4

I have come up with my meal plan for the first four days of the detox. Be creative, come up with fun new recipes that will make it that much easier to stay on a healthy track. I love to search Whole Foods Market for delicious recipe ideas.

Monday

Breakfast                                           Lunch                                                             Dinner

Green smoothie                               Delicious Hummus,
                                                           1/2 avocado                                                  Stuffed Quinoa Peppers

Spinach, Banana,                             w/ vegetables and                    

Strawberries                                    flax crackers

Tuesday

Breakfast                                          Lunch                                                             Dinner

Millet w/ nuts                                 Salad w/ romaine, 1 boiled egg                Baked salmon w/ pepper

and almond milk                           almonds, hemp seeds, vegetables,           and lemon

                                                         sprouts, oil and vinegar dressing.             Brown rice, and green beans

chocolate smoothie

Wednesday

Breakfast                                        Lunch                                                               Dinner

Flax granola w/                            Left over Quinoa                                            Basmatti rice w/ beans and 

Almond milk                                                                                                           vegetable 

Herbal/ Green/ White 

tea

Thursday

Breakfast                                       Lunch                                                             Dinner

Chocolate Blueberry                   Garbanzo bean salad:                                  Warm millet salad 

smoothie w/                                chickpeas, cucumber,                                  w/ pesto instead of 

hemp seeds                                 tomato, basil, oil &                                       cream sauce

                                                       vinegar

       

                                                       Herbal tea

Snack Foods:

Fruit

Nuts

Chocolate balls

Goji Globs (recipe to come)

home made granola

                           

Cleanse Smart

The detox start date is approaching fast! I am still working on the meal plan, and hope to have it posted on Thursday.

I have been doing some thinking and researching and I have decided to use a herbal colon cleanse and organ detox to supplement the food detox. I want to have an optimal outcome, and I think this will help. What I purchased today is called Cleanse Smart. It comes with 60 colon cleansing capsules, and 60 organ detox capsules. It works out to 30 days. This product and other similar products can be purchased at your local supplement store. Do some research and figure out which one will benefit you best.

I will also be taking fish oil daily, as it provides the essential fatty acids our bodies need but can not synthesize. Therefore we must obtain these essential fatty acids through our diet.

Other things you may want to take throughout the detox include Vitamin D3 (1000ui), probiotics, and multi B complex.

Another thing that I have not yet mentioned is that you should start your day by drinking a glass of room temperature water with freshly squeezed lemon. Lemon enhances your livers detoxifying pathways and it also stimulates your liver to produce bile, which in turn caries toxins out of your body. All you need to do is squeeze the juice of a 1/2 of a lemon into room temperature water and drink it in the morning on an empty stomach. Check out this quick video at Joyous Health and learn more about the benefits of this simple task.

Thanks for reading!

Notes For The Detox

• NO sugar, except natural sugars in fruits.
• DO NOT eat anything that is not on the list, as it means it is no good for this detox.
• NO red meat through the entire detox. The saturated fat in these meats puts too much strain on the liver and intestines.
• NO coffee, however green and white teas are ok for days 1-4/18-21. During days 5-7/15-17 you may drink decaffeinated teas such as herbal teas.
• During days 8-15 drink ONLY water. You may add freshly squeezed lemon.
• During days 1-7 and 15-21, you may eat fish. Wild salmon is the ideal choice.
• DO NOT eat any soy products during this detox. Many people are intolerant to this product.
• Give your body a rest from dairy. Eggs and plain, unsweetened yogurt are allowed during days 1-4 and 18-21.
• NO peanuts during the detox. They have the wrong kind of fats.
• Make sure to exercise throughout the detox. Exercising will promote the flow of your lymphatic fluid and encourage toxins to flow to the liver, and in turn leave the body. 
• DO NOT fast if you are a child, if you are pregnant or nursing, if you have heart disease, diabetes, hypoglycaemia, an eating disorder, kidney disease, gout, epilepsy or colitis.  
• Practice meditation, stress/ tension releasing activities. 

The Plan

Days 1-4

What you CAN eat during these days (green is ideal, black is ok): 

Meat: chicken, cornish hen, duck, goose, pheasant, quail, turkey

Seafood: salmon, herring, sardine, shrimp, trout

Legumes: aduki beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, fava beans, garbanzo beans, green beans, green beans, green peas, lentils, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, white beans, mung beans

Beverages: herbal tea, vegetable juice, water, almond milk, fruit juices, rice milk, tea (green/white)

Dairy: eggs, yogurt

Nuts and Seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, chestnuts, filberts, hickory nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pecans, pistachios, poppy seeds

Grains: Amaranth, Buckwheat, Kamut, Millet, Quinoa, Rice (Basmati, brown, wild), spelt, triticale, oats, rye

Greens: Arugula, cilantro, collard greens, dandelion greens, endive, kale, lettuce(loose leaf, romaine), mustard greens, radicchio, spinach, sprouts (alfalfa), swiss chard, watercress, sprouts (bean)

Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, avocado, beet, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, garlic, ginger root, jerusalem artichoke, kolrabi, leek, mushrooms, okra, olive, onion, parsnip, pepper (bell, hot), pumpkin, radish, squash (summer, winter), sweet potato, tomato, turnip, bamboo shoots, eggplant, potato, water chestnuts, zucchini

Sea Vegetables: agar, dulse, irish moss, kelp, laver, wakame

Fruits: apples, apricot, banana, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloup, cherries, coconut, cranberries, currants, elderberries, figs, gooseberries, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mango, papaya, peaches, pears, persimmon, pineapple, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, dates, nectarines, plums, pomegranate, raisins, rhubarb

Oils and Fats: Black current oil, coconut oil, fish oil, flax oil, olive oil, sesame oil, wheat germ oil, 

Herbs and Spices: anise, basil, caraway, cardamon, cayenne, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry powder, dill weed, fennel seed, garlic, ginger, horseradish, nutmeg, parsley, pepper (ground black), peppermint, rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon, thyme, tumeric, vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, rice, wine), wasabi, bay leaf, carob, chive, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika  

Days 5-7

Continue eating: the foods listed above, emphasizing on foods listed in green

Take away: poultry and green and white teas.

Day 8 

Take away: eggs, yogurt, all teas, and poultry 

Continue eating: brown rice, basmati rice, quinoa, drink only water, nuts and seeds listed above, legumes listed above

Days 9 & 10

Continue eating: raw fruits and veggies (smoothies or soups), drink lots of water

Day 11

Water fast: make sure to drink a lot of water!

Only water on this day, with nothing in it. 

Days 12 & 13

Reintroduce: raw fruits and veggies

Continue drinking lots of water.

Day 14

Reintroduce: nuts and seeds listed above, brown/basmati rice, quinoa, and legumes listed above.

Continue drinking lots of water.

Days 15-17

Reintroduce: fish as listed above, herbal teas

Days 18-21

Reintroduce: chicken or turkey, green and white tea, anything listed in days 1-4.

Information from Dr. Mauro’s 3-week detox plan

21 Day Detox

With the changing of the seasons, you may be feeling a little less vibrant than you did in the summer. Perhaps you have "caught" the bug that has been traveling around, or maybe your energy levels have dropped, and your food choices have been poor. As healthy as I like to think I am, I have been feeling this way and need to get back on track. For this reason, I have decided to do a cleans.

On November 1st, myself, along with my brother, will be starting a 21 day cleans. That leaves me 12 days to prepare. I will be posting information about what I will be doing/eating during these days, and recipes that I will use. I will also post how I am feeling throughout the cleans. There have been multiple people who have mentioned that they are interested in doing a cleans, and I think that this is a great time to gather information and see if it is right for you. I currently have information from my bother who recently visited a Naturopath. I will be visiting him soon to make sure that it is ok for me to follow the same regimen. At this point, I am not sure how much information I can give out about the specific 3-week detox plan. Check out Dr. Mauro's website and see for yourself what this plan entails. I hope to be able to share it with those of you who are interested in doing the cleans as well.

I have been wanting to do a cleans for a while now, and I cannot wait to start and share the experience with anyone who is interested.

Thanks for reading!

Never Be Sick Again- Raymond Francis

The reason I started this blog was to share information about how whole foods and healthy lifestyle choices can lead to an optimal life. For this reason, I wanted to share with you an eye opening book that I have been reading over the past few days. If you have not already read it, I recommend reading the book, "Never Be Sick Again" Written by Raymond Francis.

In this book Raymond Francis discusses a new theory of health and disease. This new theory states that there is one disease, two causes, and six pathways. What does he mean by this?

There is only one disease and that is malfunctioning cells. It doesn't matter what you call the disease, if your cells malfunction, your body will not be able to maintain its homeostasis (balance).

There are only two causes of disease, and they are deficiency and toxicity. In order to keep your cells healthy, you must provide them with the nutrients they need and protect them from things they do not need. Your cells will malfunction with a lack of nutrients (deficiency), with toxic damage (toxicity), or both.

So how do we use this information to "never be sick again?" We need to make good choices along the six pathways which include: nutrition, toxin, psychological, physical, genetic and medical.

So how does this theory work? Raymond Francis puts it like this: If all of your cells are healthy, you cannot be sick; however, if a large number of cells are malfunctioning, it results in disease. Disease begins to take place when a single cell begins to malfunction. As time progresses, more and more cells begin to malfunction and we, at this point begin to "feel sick". Perhaps you feel more tired than usual, or have more headaches, or are feeling some aches and pains. By the time a physician has given a "diagnosis" you many not have any cells in your body that are functioning at an optimal level. Scary? I think so!

What our modern medical society is wrapped up with is the concept of symptomology, where they focus on categorizing and identifying ones symptoms (the effects of a disease). Basically, symptomology is based on the idea that there are thousands of different diseases that all have different causes and treatments. They have come to this understanding, because our cells can malfunction in so many different ways. The major flaw is that the “treatment” of these diseases, really is only a treatment or management of the symptoms. The major problem is that symptomology does not eliminate the cause of the disease. As Raymond Francis puts it, "deficiency and toxicity are always the common denominators of all disease".

All of the symptoms that you may feel are really just different expressions of malfunctioning cells. The possible combinations are endless, and that is why we may feel sick in different ways. But in order to achieve optimal health, you must address the cause and not the symptoms!

So what we should be focusing on is the health of our cells. When our cells begin to malfunction many important cellular chemicals are not produced, cell-to-cell communications are not clear, and our body cannot regulate itself as it should. When these things take place, we begin to notice the symptoms such as allergies, fatigue, aches and pains, colds and flu, depression and a thousand other common symptoms. By simply suppressing these symptoms, as so commonly done in todays society, you cannot explain why the problem has occurred and you cannot prevent the problem from happening again in other regions of the body.

This book goes into detail about what you can do along the six pathways in order to keep your cells in optimal health and in turn “never be sick again.” One of the most important things I have taken from this book thus far is that health is a choice.

“The next major advance in the health of the American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself.”

-John Knowles

I definitely think that everyone should read this amazing book, and take that first step towards optimal health.

Thanks for reading!

Power Packed Chocolate Balls

If you are looking to fill your chocolate craving, but want to eat something that is full of nutrients, try these amazing chocolate balls. They are quick and easy to make. All you need are the ingredients and a food processor.


20 pitted dates
2 tbs coconut oil
a drop of water
2 tsp honey
1/4 cup of almonds
1 tbsp hemp hearts
chocolate mix
1 tsp bee pollen


In your food processor, mix the dates, coconut oil, and honey. Add the almonds, hemp hearts, and bee pollen. In a separate dish, mix the chocolate powders. Add the chocolate to the food processor. 
Blend until the consistency is thick and looks like it will stick together. Create little balls, or bars. Store them in the freezer. 

Since I have covered some of the benefits of cacao, maca, bee pollen, and carob, I will give you a few tidbits about hemp hearts.


Hemp hearts are the most concentrated and best balanced source of proteins, essential fats, and vitamins. Hemp hearts will give you the natural energy you need to be productive throughout the day, without the need for caffeine. You not only will have increased energy, but also have less desire to eat those unhealthy foods you sometimes crave. Hemp hearts help individuals in weight loss as it keeps you full longer. By eating hemp hearts, you are receiving all of the essential fats, proteins and vitamins that are essential for great health. They are easily digested which allows for easy transfer of the nutrients into your body. You can read more about hemp hearts by visiting this website: http://www.healing-source.com/about_HempHearts_b.htm#BENEFITS. These are in fact the hemp hearts that I purchase, they are also available at The Healthy Nuts. 

On their website they include the benefits and people who will benefit from eating 4 tbsp of hemp hearts per day. Everyone could benefit in some way.

• People interested in preventative health and wellness
• Diabetics
• People with obesity
• People with chronic constipation Elderly individuals with chronic health problems
• People with high blood pressure
• Individuals on carb-reduced diets
• Individuals battling high cholesterol
• People with Celiac Disease
• People battling depression
• Pregnant and lactating mothers
• Children with hyperactivity disorders
  
  
  This is definitely one of the tastiest things I have made and I urge you to try it out too! Eating one of these at that 3:00 point of the day when your starting to fade will give you the umph you need to continue on.
  
  
  Thanks for reading! Healthy eating!

The Best Non-Pasta Pasta Dish

My husband could eat pasta every night of the week, I mean, who doesn't love pasta? But eating pasta multiple times a week is not ideal, especially if your are stuck on regular white pasta. If pasta is your food of choice, try whole wheat pasta, as it contains three important parts of the grain: the bran (outer layer), the germ (innermost area), and the endosperm (starchy area in between). White pasta is processed and only contains the starchy endosperm area, and the bran and germ are discarded. Whole wheat pasta, or bread for that matter, not only has high fiber, but it also contains many essential vitamins and minerals.


However, I like to be crafty and try recipes that "taste" like pasta, but are not made with pasta. For instance, Egg Plan/Zucchini Parmesan. This is by far one of our favourite recipes that even the sceptics will love. 


1 large eggplant/Zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces  
2 eggs, beaten with a fork 
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs  
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (25-ounce) jar pasta sauce 
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese


Preheat oven with a baking sheet inside to 375°F. Coat eggplant slices with beaten egg, then bread with panko crumbs. Spread oil on hot baking sheet and place eggplant slices on it in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes, flip and bake another 10 minutes . 

Increase oven temperature to 475°F. In an 8 x 10-inch oven proof dish, layer pasta sauce, then eggplant, and top with cheeses. Repeat, finishing with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden in spots, about 15 minutes.

I like to make this dish with Quinoa, as it adds a whole protein to the meal. Quinoa is a superfood that contains a perfect balance of all eight amino acids, which makes it easy to digest. It is packed with protein and is also gluten free. Quinoa is not only rich in protein, but it also contains fiber, minerals and vitamins. Such vitamins and minerals include, riboflavin, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, folic acid and beta carotene. Get more information at http://quinoa365.com/whyquinoa.html.

 Test out this recipe and see what you think. You can buy quinoa in most Zehrs stores, in the organic section. 

Thanks for reading!