High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) entered the market in the 1970s. It is manly produced by the two food processing giants, Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill and is the main sweetener in soft drinks. In addition, it is replacing sugar in bread, cereals, baked goods, canned fruits, jams, jellies, dairy desserts and flavored yoghurts. HFCS is less expensive than sugar and has been quietly introduced by the food industry. More and more consumers are starting to ask questions about this sweetener, as current research indicates that it is not as good as we thought. Is is actually much worse than sugar. Sugar and HFCS have the same number of calories, both are addictive, pure carbohydrates and virtually devoid of vitamins and minerals. For this reason alone HFCS should be strictly avoided.
Since the publication of the 2004 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Bray et al., April 2004) the public is becoming more aware of the dangers of HFCS. HFCS is more likely to cause weight gain than sugar, as the converted corn starch in HFCS is mostly comprised of a refined D-fructose, a refined fructose molecule which can not be used for energy utilization in the body. The refined D-Fructose is converted into triglycerides and adipose tissue (body fat). Chronic high triglyceride levels translate into insulin resistance, inflammation, and heart disease. HFCS is a recipe for obesity, lack of energy, and metabolic syndrome.
The majority of women have not been breast feed by their mothers, they have been exposed to antibiotics and to contraceptives from an early age on and to the new, modern processed foods. As a results these women, and once they get pregnant, also their baby, have deeply abnormal gut floras according to the findings of Dr. Campbell-McBride. She states that autism is related to an abnormal gut flora which is related to a low immunity in the embryo. After the baby is born, vaccinations further attack the already compromised immune system. In addition, children are exposed to antibiotics from an early age on. Antibiotics, wipe out all the beneficial bacteria in the gut, leaving the pathogens behind. These pathogens damage the gut lining which decreases the absorption of vital nutrients from the food. Nutritional deficiencies can occur. The leaking of the gut lining leads to food being digested by pathogens which creates toxic substances that are absorbed by the blood stream and once reaching the brain lead to the development of autism. This shows us how important a healthy gut flora is to prevent autism in our children.
Bisphenol A is found in most plastic food containers today. Not only is it found in plastic containers, but also in the lining of most cans. BPA is essentially a synthetic estrogen that enters the body when one consumes food or beverages out of plastic or plastic-lined containers. This is not only harmful to the male reproductive system, but has been found to also stimulate breast cancer growth in women. Click here to read more and to watch the video on BPA in our daily food.
America’s leading sugar providers are sourcing their sugar from genetically modified (GE) sugar beets since 2008. Like GE corn and soy, GE sugar is not labelled as such. It is another reason to avoid all refined sugar and choose natural sweeteners such as raw honey (do not heat as it becomes toxic), Canadian maple syrup, stevia powder, barley malt or succanat and rapadura (excellent for baking) which are natural forms of cane sugar.
Isolated protein powders made from soy, whey, casein and egg whites are obtained by a high-temperature process that over-denatures the proteins to such an extent that they become virtually useless, while increasing nitrates and other carcinogens. Scientific evidence indicates that protein powders that are often consumed as part of a low fat diet can lead to depletion of vitamin A and D reserves. In addition, protein isolates are high in mineral-blocking phytates, thyroid-depressing phytoestrogens and potent enzyme inhibitors that depress growth and cause cancer. A diet which contains unnatural isolated powdered protein from soy, egg or milk can cause a negative calcium balance, leading to osteoporosis.
PHOTO: WHEAT GRASS
Every day, the majority of people indulge in most of the following foods:
- Stimulants (alcohol, coffee, black tea)
- Breads and refined wheat products
- Dairy
- Breakfast cereals
- Meat
- Sugar, sweets and chocolate
Those are the most acidic foods and when consumed as a staple on a daily basis the body chemistry turns too acidic and disorders and disease will develop.
An overly acidic diet will lead to acid accumulations in your body tissues (such as muscles, joints, bones, connective tissue, kidneys, liver, brain and other organs) triggering migraines, headaches, eczema, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, back pain, and other lifestyle diseases. In addition, high levels of body acid over long life-periods result in high heat fluctuations pre-menopause.
Accumulation of excess acid can also arise from:
- Shallow breathing
- Lack of exercise
- Not enough sleep
- Stimulants – diet pills, pills taken to stay awake
- Not drinking enough water
- Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
- Consumption of excess protein in the diet
Acidic areas in the body will attract very alkaline substances such as calcium which is used as a buffer to neutralize excess acid. Calcium deposits can show up as arthritis, bone spurs, gallstones, kidney stones and calcification of tumors (which are always very acidic areas). The body will pull calcium out of the bones, if needed, to neutralize excess acidity in the blood and tissues. For this reason, too much acidity in the body over a long enough period of time will result in osteoporosis.
The body functions best with a slightly alkaline ph <7. It is therefore important to consume a diet composed of 70% alkaline and 30% acidic foods. Try to consume alkaline foods with every meal:
- Leafy green vegetables (kale, dandelion, etc.)
- Cereal grasses (i.e. Alfalfa grass, Barley grass, Wheat grass, Kamut grass)
- Sprouted seeds (all kinds)
- Algae (spirulina, chlorella, etc.)
- Fresh cucumber
You can for example start your day with 1 teaspoon of barley grass or wheat grass mixed with some pure water. Further, you can start adding those super foods (e.g. barley grass) into your salad dressings pesto. Here is a useful link to an alkaline food list which you can use in your daily life to replace some acidic foods with more alkaline ones. Most people who tried this approach are amazed about the instant results (e.g. eczema cleared in one week, feeling more energetic …)
Here are some helpful tips on how you can approach healthy food and lifestyle habits:
- Eat Whole, Unprocessed Foods (Whole grains, beans, lentils and fermented soy products, nuts and seeds, seaweeds, vegetables and fruits)
- Start Juicing
- Drink Pure (filtered) Water
- Minimize or Eliminate Processed Foods:
- white sugar, enriched flour, white rice, pasteurized and homogenized dairy products, artificial sweeteners, foods that contain artificial colorings and flavorings, monosodium glutamate (MSG), canned foods, and processed foods containing ingredients that can’t be pronounced.
- Limit or Avoid Meat
- Limit or Avoid Dairy Products
- Healthy Lifestyle Makes a Difference (Start Exercising and Meditating)
After brushing your teeth, scarping your tongue and washing your mouth which elimiates all the toxins from the gut, accumulated over night, make your way to the kitchen and enjoy a glass of warm water with a fresh lemon squeezed in. Lemon water supplies you with phosphorus, sodium and calcium. It contains small amounts of vitamin C and aids digestion and is particularly cleansing for the blood. In addition, lemon water aids circulation and benefits the liver and absorption of minerals. It reduces flatulence, calms the nerves and destroys bad bacteria in the mouth and intestines. Further, it encourages the production of bile which improves liver function.
Herbs and spices to not only enhance the taste of our food, they stimulate and increase digestibility, absorption and help counteract any incompatible food combinations. In addition, herbs and spices can be used to treat various illnesses. It is therefore, highly recommended to include them in our daily cooking. Enjoy the wonderful diversity of your garden and kitchen herbs and their medicinal properties.
BASIL
- A native to India
- Comes in more than 50 varieties (green to purple)
- Pungent and warming herb
- Helps restore your balance, especially lung- or stomach-related complaints
- Treats mild-depression, headaches or menstrual pain
- Calms nerves, aids digestion
- Treats fever whooping cough, constipation, nausea, insomnia, fatigue, colds, and the flu
- Effective against bacterial and infectious parasites
CORIANDER / CILANTRO
- Ancient herb from the carrot family
- Pungent, sweet in flavor, astringent and cooling leaves, and neutral seeds
- Supports spleen-pancreas, stomach, bladder, and lung-meridian
- Help regulate energy, are diuretic, and specifically treat urinary tract infections
- Leaves and seeds are support perspiration, treat fever
- Aid digestion, relieve intestinal gas, pain, and support peristalsis
- Treat nausea, soothe inflammation, rheumatic pains, headaches, coughs, and mental stress, and they quench first
CINNAMON
- One of humanity’s oldest spices
- Sweet and pungent, warming
- Supports spleen-pancreas, bladder, kidney, and liver meridians
- Increases digestive fluid secretion and ameliorates intestinal gas
- Raises vitality and stimulates all functions in the body, counteracting congestion
- It aids the peripheral circulation of the blood
- Useful for treating diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, influenza, arthritis, menstrual cramps, rheumatism, and candidiasis
- It is not recommended for pregnant women
CARDAMON
- Old World Spice, member of ginger family
- After saffron and vanilla, it is the third most expensive spice
- Sweet, pungent tonic, warm in its thermal nature
- Acts upon spleen-pancreas, stomach, lung, and kidney meridians
- Aids digestion, relaxes spasm, and cuts mucus
- Eases coughs, breathlessness, burning urination and hemorrhoids
- It acts as an antidote to coffee’s stress on the adrenal glands
PARSLEY
- The world’s most popular herb from Sardinia
- Blood purifier and warming food
- Helps stimulate the bowels, and treat kidney and gallstones, deafness and ear infection
- Ant carcinogen
- Dried parsley tea ameliorates is a diuretic and ameliorates kidney function
- Strengthens the teeth
- Contains vitamin A
- 3 times more vitamin C than oranges
- Twice as much iron as spinach
- Good source of copper and manganese
- It stimulates the uterus but is not used by pregnant women, although after delivery its helps contract the uterus and encourages milk flow
- Do more with parsley than garnish
- Use as a sauce ingredient, base for salad dressings, in vegetables dishes, soups and casseroles
ROSEMARY
- Excellent stimulant and warming herb
- Improves poor circulation, lowers cholesterol, muscle and rheumatism pains
- Treats lung congestion, sore throat, and canker sores
- Stimulates the NS, supports mental functions and memory, helps relieve sluggish gallbladder
- It is not recommended during pregnancy
ROSEMARY TEA:
- Good aspirin alternative for headache, gas and fevers
- Buffer or alkalinize an overly acidic stomach
Method:
-
- Steep 3 tablespoons dried rosemary or 4 sprigs fresh rosemary in a cup just-boiled water for 10 minutes
- Strain, sweeten with raw honey if desired, and drink
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