Friday 23 August 2013

SPROUTED WHEAT GRAIN BREAD

Hi There

Here is some good information from one of my mentors Isabel De Los Rios.  

If you want to eat bread that is far better for you than wheat bread then sprouted wheat bread is the way to go.  Please read what Isabel has to say about sprouted wheat bread below.

You will also find a recipe link below for some yummy french toast!


"If you want bread that won't endanger your weight loss or harm your health if you eat it in moderation - go with sprouted whole grain (SWG) bread. 

The grains in SWG bread are, like the name says, allowed to sprout before they're turned into flour. This unlocks valuable nutrients and proteins that will help your body get more energy and burn more fat.


You can find SWG bread, like the Ezekiel brand, in many grocery stores (it's often in the freezer section), and at almost all health food stores. If you ask around and still can't find it, you can order it online. There are even sprouted grain tortillas, pitas, and cereals available now.


So feel free to have a slice once and a while ... SWG is your ticket to avoiding bread without depriving yourself."



CLICK HERE FOR THE FRENCH TOAST RECIPE


All the Best

Andrea Howard

WHAT DOES WHEAT DO TO OUR BODIES - WATCH THIS VIDEO NOW

Hi There

I have recently been talking about Wheat and the fact that it can zap our energy levels.

Well today I came across an interesting video from Dr William Davis, M.D. who is a cardiologist.  He has written a book called "wheat belly". 

In his interview he is saying that the wheat of today is not like the wheat that our grandma or grandad ate many years ago.  This modern day wheat is genetically modified and is not good for your health or your waistline.  

I have been taking more interest recently on the affects of what wheat does to our bodies.  Cutting down on this grain could help your arthritis, high cholesterol and many more conditions.  

Take a look at what he has to say.

Here is the Link


All the best

Andrea Howard

Thursday 22 August 2013

THESE 3 FOODS THAT CAN ZAP YOUR ENERGY LEVELS!

3 Foods That Can Zap Your Energy Levels!


Do you find yourself having a mid afternoon energy slump? It is tempting to turn to caffeine or sugar in the hope of a quick energy burst, there are better ways to stay awake and productive.

So let us take a look at 3 foods that drain your energy. 

Your digestion is an energy dependent process, any food or process that compromises your digestion will drain your energy.

Your blood carries oxygen to your cells for energy production, if any food you eat interrupts that process, your energy will be zapped.

Your adrenal glands help you deal with stress. Any food or process that weakens your adrenal glands will affect your ability to cope with stress and your energy will be lowered.

Taking into account all the above, you can do your body a favour and limit your intake of the following 3 energy zapping foods.

Wheat and Gluten



Wheat and gluten are pretty much the same when it comes to energy zapping. Gluten is a protein found in many grains like wheat, barley, and rye and it has now been linked to more than 190 auto-immune diseases such as celiac disease which is a condition where your immune system attacks your small intestines.

If the small intestines are continually irritated by eating grains etc, then this could result in a leaky gut where large food particles are able to pass into the bloodstream by pores in the intestinal wall.  Your body identifies these food particles as a threat and mounts an immune response to neutralize them. This is how food sensitivities develop and how your immune system becomes overworked.

Wheat is hard to digest because it is a seed and the biological role of a seed is to propagate.  That’s how plants continue to flourish, they spread their seeds, which will eventually end up in the soil where they develop into grown plants or trees which will bear more fruits and seeds and so the cycle continues.

Wheat and gluten are not fit for human consumption.  We are being told that wheat equals fibre and we need to eat more fibre right!.  You can get all the fibre you need by eating more fruits, vegetables and nuts.  

Sugar and Caffeine



These two go hand in hand and have almost identical effects on your energy levels

The adrenal glands are your “fight or flight” organs – releasing cortisol and adrenaline during periods of stress.  These same hormones are secreted when stimulants like caffeine and sugar enter your bloodstream.

When you become stressed or have sugar or caffeine, your adrenals start up their activity. They release adrenaline and cortisol, which break down your energy reserves for immediate use.  Your body will think it needs to fight so it needs that readily available energy.

Cortisol, when chronically present in your bloodstream, is a detrimental hormone leading to quick stored carbohydrates depletion leading to a rise in blood sugar and in turn will lead to weight gain.

This in turn gives you that feeling of a rush and results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and carbohydrate breakdown into blood sugar. This rush will quickly be followed by a crash and your body will do its best to recover from the stressful situation whether its coffee or sugar.  Having these 2 hormones circulating in your blood is not ideal.

There is another problem with having high levels of both cortisol and adrenaline, they breakdown your stored carbohydrates for energy, releasing glucose (sugar) into the blood for immediate use, your pancreas is then called into action and eventually into overproduction.  Your pancreas produces and secretes the hormone insulin to remove glucose out of the blood to be stored in your muscle, liver, and fat cells.

Your insulin levels will rise as blood sugar does and over a period of time, your body’s cells can become desensitized to too much insulin, leading to a condition called Type 2 Diabetes (insulin resistance).

Insulin removes excess sugar from your blood, high blood sugar levels lead to high levels of removal (via insulin), leading to low blood sugar (or hypoglycemia).

When your blood sugar crashes, all you can think about is - I need sugar and this is when you start feeling jittery, anxious, and in desperate need of a quick sugar or caffeine fix.  Even more bad news, high and low blood sugar levels also drain your adrenal glands and this will result in fatigue.  Eating sugar or refined carbohydrates will increase your blood sugar and adrenal stress almost immediately upon entering your mouth.

Chronic stimulation ie. stress, sugar, coffee of your adrenals wears them down and can eventually lead to adrenal fatigue.  This in turn is why you feel drained almost instantly when dealing with stress, your adrenals can't handle it.

If your blood is sluggish, you will be too.  You have been led to believe that these foods give you energy when in fact they are crippling you inside and out on a daily basis thus zapping your energy levels by slowly wearing away at your blood sugar levels, pancreas, adrenal glands and other systems in your body.

So we all need to reduce the intake of these foods where possible and eat more fruit, vegetables and nuts!

All the Best

Andrea Howard


Friday 16 August 2013

THE LATEST FAD - LOW CARB BREAD!

Hi There

LOW CARB BREAD

Livlife bread (© Livlife)


The latest fad to hit the news stands is low carb bread, which claims to have just 73 calories per slice. Really is this true or is it another fad.  I am not convinced that this is all it seems to be.  

I think that you will find that wheat and gluten play a part in weight gain also.  Its not so much the carbs that are the problem here.  Sprouted grain bread is the best bread to eat but is not widely available in supermarkets.    

Real food does provide nutrition and pleasure when we eat it. The problem is not the food but how we are eating it. We are focusing too much on artificial alternatives.

We are now being told that sugar has been identified as a bigger dietary issue than fat and the answer is not to go for low sugar products or drinks that contain artificial sweeteners which are even worse for your weight loss.  The food industry really has to get to grips with sugar in our food.  I love to eat dried fruit but most of it contains sugar.  Fruit is naturally sweet so why do they add sugar!  There is plenty of choice in the supermarkets now of dried fruit but not much choice that hasn't got added sugar.  Some even have added vegetable oils or preservatives!  Its crazy. I even went to the health food shop Holland and Barrett to have a look at their selection and even they have added sugar.     

Health is about nutrition, balance and moderation mixed in with a little exercise to keep us on track. It is not about stripping our food of its nutritional value, replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners and eating pre-prepared food.

We are so misguided and ill advised when it comes to health and diets. The answer is not low fat milk.  Fat is not bad unless you are eating too much of it, and milk has only 4% to begin with. 

The problem is not only what we eat, it is our lifestyles. We spend too long chained to our desks, eat rushed convenience lunches and by the time we get home in the evening, we are rarely fit for much more than being glued to the TV. We have forgotten that food is a pleasure, a joy to share and to eat.

Its all too easy to buy pre-prepared foods than to create a nutritional meal from scratch with our busy day to day lives.  With a little preparation you can do it.  If you write down what you are going to eat every day for the week ahead and plan it it is possible.  If you have a timer on your oven you can prepare the night before and get it ready to start cooking for when you get home.  Better still you can use a slow cooker and throw every ingredient in there to create a fabulous meal all ready for when you get home.  You could just add some extra veg, rice etc.  

Here is a link to sprouted grain bread from Everfresh you can buy from Goodness Direct.  You can also buy from some Holland and Barrett shops.


Sprouted Grain Bread


Everfresh Organic Sprouted Wheat Bread 400g



All the Best

Andrea Howard

Saturday 10 August 2013

HAVE YOU BEEN EARTHING TODAY?

Hi There

EARTHING





Did you know what earthing means?  It means connecting with the earth by walking barefoot on the ground outside, on grass, on the beach, swimming in the water.  Even being grounded while sitting, sleeping and working indoors.  People who have incorporated earthing into their lives say that they sleep better, have less pain and stress and recover faster from trauma.  There are negatively charged free electrons in abondance on the surface of the earth.  The surface of the earth has natural energies. There is Ongoing scientific research into discovering the details as to why people feel a lot better when they connect with the earths energy fields. 

Why not start implementing earthing into your daily life today and see how good you feel.


Earthing is being talked about more and more these days.  You can buy earthing products online to include earthing flip flops, earthing sheets, earthing mats and many more.  A good website to have a look at is www.bioenergyproducts.co.uk.  

David Wolfe has just made a video on earthing.  Check it out below.



  


CLICK HERE



Thursday 8 August 2013

HOW THIS MORNING DRINK CAN HELP ELIMINATE TOXINS

Hi there

Drink This First Thing In The Morning


You are bombarded with toxins every day in today's modern world.  They are everywhere from the polluted air you breathe, the water you drink, the shampoos and other cosmetics that lather your body with chemicals, and of course, all of the chemical additives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other harmful compounds in the food that you eat.

All of these TOXINS can have harmful effects on your body, harming your metabolism and hormones, affecting your digestive system, and creating havoc with your energy levels.

You can do one thing each morning as soon as you get out of bed and before you eat breakfast and it will help your body eliminate some of these toxins, improve your digestion, stimulate your metabolism, and also to boost your energy.

Ok so the first thing to do is to squeeze about 1/2 to 1 full lemon (depending on size of the lemon) into an 8 oz glass of warm or room temperature purified water.  The warm water is gentler on your body first thing in the morning compared to ice cold water.  You can slice your lemon into quarters before squeezing by hand which makes it a little easier than squeezing halves.  Drink this at least 10 minutes before eating any food for the day.

Try to use fresh organic lemons to make this drink but if you don't have any then don't worry.  Do not use bottled lemon juice.  Organic lemons are best to avoid the pesticides that can accumulate.

There are 3 Major benefits of you drinking this in the morning for your body, health, and energy:


1. Improves your digestion:

Lemon juice helps your body improve digestion and stimulates bile production. Lemon juice can even be an aid for heartburn and indigestion.

2. Boosts your energy for the day:

Even just the scent of lemon juice has been shown to improve your mood and energy levels, and reduce anxiety.  The detoxifying effect and alkalizing effect of fresh organic lemon juice can improve your energy by removing toxins from your body.

3. Helps you to lose fat:

Since lemon juice helps to improve your digestive system, aids in removal of toxins, and increases your energy levels, combine these together and it can help you to lose body fat as well through improving your hormonal balance.

The health promoting benefits of lemons are powerful as lemons contain antibacterial, antiviral and immune boosting components. We know that lemons are a great digestive aid and liver cleanser.  Lemons contain citric acid, magnesium, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, pectin, calcium and limonene, which supercharge our immunity so that the body can fight infection.

Lemons are considered one of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. This may seem untrue as they are acidic on their own but in the body, lemons are alkaline.  The citric acid does not create acidity once it has been metabolized. The minerals in lemons are actually what helps to alkalize the blood.  Most people are too acidic (from eating too much sugar and grains), and drinking warm lemon water helps reduce overall acidity, drawing uric acid from the joints. This reduces the pain and inflammation which many people feel. Drinking warm lemon water can also encourage regular bowel movements.


All the Best and have a great day.

Andrea Howard

Tuesday 6 August 2013

WHAT HAVE YOUR HORMONES GOT TO DO WITH DIETING?

Hi There

Here we have an article from Isabel De Los Rios at Beyond Diet.  I have been a fan of Isabel's for a while now and she is really inspirational.

Beyond Diet offers revolutionary nutrition information, and is a community for everyone to share, learn, and explore. Their intention is to offer a comprehensive gluten-free program that will help people enjoy a healthy state of being while achieving an ideal weight for that individual. Through BeyondDiet.com, members get access to healthy recipes, individualized daily meal plans and exercises, and support each other throughout their journeys.

Their mission is simple: To help over ONE MILLION families live healthier. They are committed to providing the best resources for their members and educating their community as they continue to constantly improve themselves and the company. 


 Click here to read the article


All the Best

Andrea Howard

HOW TO BALANCE YOUR HORMONES!

Hi There


How To Balance Your Hormones!



I want to tell you about one of my favorite mentors on the subject of food and nutrition.  His name is David Wolfe and I think he is amazing!  He certainly knows his stuff. I have learnt so much from him with regard to my health and what I eat.  He eats a raw food diet and he has produced lots of content on the subject of food and nutrition ie videos, audios, books and cds. 


David Wolfe is the rock star of the superfoods and longevity world, America’s TOP CEOs, Global Ambassadors, Hollywood celebrities, busy professionals, and even the most powerful buying influence in the nation—Moms—all look to David for expert advice in health, beauty, herbalism, nutrition and chocolate! David is co-founder of TheBestDayEver.com online health magazine and is President of The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation with a mission to plant 18 billion fruit trees on planet Earth.

With over 16 years of dedicated experience and understanding of the inner workings of the human body, David is a true living master of what it means to “walk the talk” on the road to higher and higher levels of natural beauty, vibrant health, and peak-performance.

David is the author of many best-selling books including Eating for Beauty, The Sunfood Diet Success System, Naked Chocolate, David Wolfe on Raw Foods, Superfoods, and Superherbs, Amazing Grace, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future and The LongevityNOW Program. David empowers and inspires people to take charge of their own health because, after all, Health is Wealth!

A highly sought after health and personal success speaker, David has given over 2000 live lecture events in the past 16 years.

A gourmet chocolatier, David is a passionate proponent of the healing and beautifying power of raw chocolate. By bringing raw cacao beans products into mainstream distribution throughout North America, David has continued to promote the economies of indigenous cultures through ethical business. Raw chocolate is the greatest, most prosperous, nutritious, mood-elevating, highest energizing, and top weight loss aphrodisiac food on the planet! To enjoy David’s exotic chocolate visit: www.sacredchocolate.com.

He has recently put together a video on the subject of hormones.  Did you know that our hormones play a big part in our weight loss.  Check our David's video where he explains a bit about this and what you can do to correct your hormone levels. 


Click Here for his video.

All the best and have a great day!


Andrea Howard