If you think all vegetable oil is created equal, think again.
In fact, if you’re using the wrong oils in your cooking, you could be aging faster than you should, developing serious hormonal problems, “gumming” up your pipes, and even encouraging cancer.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of the healthiest oils you can eat – avocado oil.
Here are four good reasons to stock up on this age-defying ingredient: (more…)
Last week, I was leafing through a natural health publication and couldn’t help but notice that detox foot pads, hydrotherapy, cleansing greens, and detox elixirs filled the majority of the ad spaces.
It’s true that our bodies are exposed to more toxins now than ever. And we do need to be aware of this fact. But drastic, costly methods for detoxing aren’t necessary (or even proven).
Effective detoxification may be as close as your backyard.
Research published in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that vitamin D can help increase intracellular levels of the master antioxidant and detoxifier glutathione. In fact, vitamin D is such a powerful detoxifier that the researchers found it even helped escort mercury out of the body. This is especially impressive because mercury is a dangerous heavy metal that’s notorious for being hard to remove.
Unfortunately, more than 50 percent of us are deficient in this essential “D”-toxifying nutrient. To kick up your natural cleansing system, aim for 15-30 minutes of sunlight, 3-5 days a week, or take 2,000-5,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
[Ed Note: Did you know that there's a hidden ingredient in some carb-rich foods that reduces your body's production of glutathione? Learn where it's found and how to avoid it in Kelley Herring's new book series Your Plate, Your Fate.]
You can boost your performance, improve your stamina, and keep your energy high during your workouts just by having a well-balanced “munch” before you head to the gym.
Last week, I gave you some guidelines for putting together snacks that will make you feel fueled instead of full. But if you aren’t quite sure how to apply those guidelines, here are some of my favorites (more…)
“I greatly appreciate Kelley Herring’s articles in ETR and Total Health Breakthroughs – and her great recipes. (Many are standard fare on my weekly menus.)
“Kelley’s article regarding post-workout fueling was another good reminder of a ‘don’t’ for people working to get fit. My question: What is a good pre-workout ’snack’? I get up early in the morning to work out, and having to eat something immediately before that will likely give me a side ache or stomach ache. What is the best approach? Eating too little leaves me feeling lightheaded and limp. Eating too much and ugh!”
Audry Morell
Pompano Beach, FL
Hello Audry,
Thank you for the compliments – and for a great question!
Eating a little something before exercise is a great way to maximize your workout. It boosts performance and improves stamina, helps prevent low blood sugar (which saps energy and can cause lightheadedness), and fuels muscle and liver carbohydrate stores to provide (more…)
Because blood sugar is one of the most important factors in your overall health, you might think getting tests is a good way to keep it in check. You’d be right on that count. But you might be surprised to know that the best test may not be one you’re familiar with.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions from ETR readers about blood sugar. What most of them are concerned about is this: Which test is better – fasting blood sugar, oral glucose tolerance, or random blood sugar?
The answer is “none of the above.” It’s the glycated hemoglobin or A1C test.
The A1C is far superior to the other tests. Not only can it be used to diagnose diabetes, it also gauges how well a diabetic is managing his or her condition.
And that’s not all. The A1C tells you what percentage of your hemoglobin (a protein found in red blood cells) is sugar coated (glycated). And “sugar coated” is a really bad thing when it comes to your cells. In fact, these glycated compounds are associated with an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cataracts, and many other chronic ailments.
Ask your doctor for an A1C test. Ideally, you’ll want an A1C of less than 5 percent, which corresponds to an average glucose level of 90 mg/dL.
[Ed Note: If you steer clear of sugar, you're doing yourself a big favor. But if you've swapped the "white devil" for artificial sweeteners, there's something you should know. Studies show that people with diabetes who consume sucralose have significant increases in A1C. Find out about the dangers of artificial sweeteners (and the healthy alternatives) in Kelley Herring's revolutionary 7-part health transformation program, Your Plate, Your Fate. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.]
A friend of mine spends hours in the gym each week, but hasn’t been able to get a single pound or inch to budge. Despite her clean diet (I’ve checked her cupboards) and doing the “right” kind of exercise, she can’t seem to reach her fitness goals.
Why not?
Looking for clues, I asked her to tell me a little bit more about her diet. High in protein and fiber, low in carbs, a good balance of healthy fats. It sounded great. Until I heard this: “I even refuel after every workout, like my trainer told me to, with a banana chocolate smoothie.”
Uh oh.
While many trainers encourage consuming a carb- and protein-rich meal or snack after a workout to promote muscle growth and speed recovery, recent research shows this can sabotage weight-loss efforts.
In fact, studies conducted at the University of Massachusetts found that walking on a treadmill for one hour per day improved blood sugar regulation by 40 percent. But that effect was completely wiped out when people noshed on carb-rich foods afterward.
Keeping your blood sugar stable flips your fat-storage hormone (insulin) off. So if you’re trying to drop a few pounds, skip the post-workout carbs. Opt, instead, for a balanced snack before your workout to make your time at the gym count.
[Ed Note: Eating a low-glycemic diet to keep your blood sugar stable is essential for weight loss. But when the pizza craving strikes (and you indulge), you can slash its fat-storing effects by up to 56% with eight foods. Find out what they are in Kelley Herring's revolutionary 7-part health transformation program, Your Plate, Your Fate. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.]
High blood pressure? Drop the mercury a notch by getting more potassium in your diet.
In a recent scientific review published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension, researchers evaluated the literature for blood pressure studies on potassium, calcium, and magnesium. While all three of these nutrients help lower blood pressure, potassium was found to be of special importance. In fact, those getting the most potassium in their diets had the healthiest blood pressure levels.
It isn’t just that Americans consume too little potassium (about half the recommended daily allowance), but also that we get too much sodium (about twice the RDA). Because potassium and sodium have opposing roles in the body, too much sodium and too little potassium is a recipe for high blood pressure.
Here are three ways to help get your blood pressure into a healthy range:
[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.
For advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Nearly 17 million people worldwide suffer from stroke each year. But nearly half of those strokes could be prevented just by eliminating one thing.
The Third National Health and Nutrition Survey found that any level of lead in the blood that exceeds 2 mcg/dL significantly increased the risk for heart attack, stroke, and death. And here’s the really scary part… nearly 40 percent of Americans have lead levels high enough to increase their risk of stroke by 89 percent and their risk of heart attack by 151 percent!
Get your lead levels tested. You can get a do-it-yourself kit for $199 at labsafe.com. And if you’re in the danger zone, consult with a healthcare practitioner trained in chelation therapy who can help you get the lead out.
[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.
For advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Here’s another reason you should be enjoying tea: It can reduce your risk of stroke.
A recent study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association shows that drinking at least three cups of green or black tea daily can slash stroke risk by 21 percent. What’s more, each increase of three cups was associated with an additional 21 percent reduction.
Researchers believe the effect may be due to an amino acid in the tea called theanine.
Because most tea is high in fluoride, choose a safe, fluoride-free alternative (like Body Ecology’s Green Tea Extract) or consider a theanine supplement. There’s approximately 20 mg of theanine in one cup of tea, so 60-120 mg in supplement form would give you as much theanine as the people in the study were getting.
[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Breast cancer is a frightening specter for any woman, but you can take steps to prevent it by making simple lifestyle modifications. Getting enough sun and enough sleep helps. So does limiting the toxins you take in and increasing the antioxidants in your diet.
Another way to keep breast cancer at bay is to kick two bad habits: eating too much and drinking too much alcohol.
• Slim Down
Fat cells don’t just sit there. They release inflammatory compounds called cytokines that can boost cancer risk. Get your weight under control by doing regular, vigorous exercise and eating portion-controlled, nutrient-rich meals.
• Beware of Booze
Excessive alcohol consumption significantly raises your risk of breast cancer, though research indicates that taking 800 mcg of folate daily negates this increased risk factor. If you choose to drink, drink only in moderation. (That means one drink/day for women.) Plus, make sure you’re getting enough folate through a high-quality whole foods vitamin supplement and folate-rich foods like lentils, asparagus, and chickpeas.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Order today and you'll get 3 bonus books to help you clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and find out about the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
The foods you eat can make you overweight and prone to disease. But they can also help you stay lean and trim… and keep serious health problems at bay.
Here are two modifications you can make to your diet to help prevent cancer.
• Balance Your Blood Sugar
One of the most important elements in preventing cancer is keeping your blood sugar stable. High-glycemic foods fuel cancer’s fire by elevating insulin. But that’s not all. Sugar also depresses your immune system, giving cancer cells the opportunity to multiply and divide while the body’s defenses are down.
Protect yourself by sticking with low-glycemic foods.
• Boost Omega-3 Fats
In the U.S., 80 percent of the fats we consume are omega-6s – and omega-6 fats (found in vegetable oils like corn oil and soybean oil) promote inflammation and turn on genes that fuel cancer. Omega-3s, on the other hand, supply the antidote. Not only are these healthy fats (found in coldwater fish like wild salmon and sardines, as well as flaxseed, walnuts, and chia) potent anti-inflammatories, they up-regulate the genes that guard against cancer.
Aim for at least 1 gram of omega-3s daily in the form of a high-quality fish oil supplement (like Carlson’s) or a serving of wild salmon.
[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring is founder of Healing Gourmet, where you can find dozens of healthful recipes that are low-glycemic for optimum wellness. Kelley has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get three bonus books right here .
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range is essential to prevent heart attack and stroke. And while you probably already know that maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly are two ways to keep blood pressure under control, a recent study indicates that eating eggs can help too – especially fried eggs.
When you eat an egg, enzymes in your stomach and small intestine produce blood pressure-lowering peptides. And those peptides act like ACE inhibitors, the widely prescribed blood pressure-lowering medications. But unlike pharmaceuticals, eggs don’t come with a long list of warnings and detrimental side effects.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program, you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
It’s estimated that 300 million people in the world are obese.
While we know that eating too much food (and the wrong kind, at that) and not getting enough exercise are the primary causes of the obesity epidemic, researchers have discovered another factor: obesogens.
Obesogens are endocrine disruptors that affect the way the body uses fat. They also affect the distribution of fat and the development of sexual characteristics.
Here are the top three obesogens:
• Bisphenol-a (BPA) – found in plastics with recycling codes 3 and 7 and in liners of cans
• Organotins – biocides found in conventionally grown produce
• Phthalates – found in personal care products like nail polish, shampoo, lotions, perfumes, etc., as well as plastics
You may get only a small amount of these obesogens, but their effects are cumulative. To protect yourself, follow these rules:
1. Eat only organic foods that are not treated with pesticides.
2. Buy canned foods in BPA-free cans. Vital Choice and Eden Foods are two companies that certify their can liners are safe.
3. Drink spring water in safe BPA-free bottles or filter your water using reverse osmosis and store it in glass containers.
4. Read the labels on personal care products carefully, and choose organics. Better yet, put on your skin only products made with ingredients that you would put in your mouth.
5. Avoid plastics. The “new car smell” is a telltale sign that phthalates are present.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
We’ve long lauded the benefits of choosing organic foods over those that are conventionally grown. Not only do organic foods taste better, they are higher in nutrients and free from metabolism-disrupting chemicals.
And it turns out that “eating organic” is especially important for children. One example: A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that women who were exposed to relatively high levels of DDT prior to mid-adolescence were five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with lower exposures when they were young.
While DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972, unfortunately we’re not safe from its negative effects. DDT is still used in other counties (including Mexico) on crops that are imported into the U.S. and end up on our plates.
Local farmers’ markets and your own backyard offer affordable options to keep the poison off your plate and protect your children’s future health.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease, and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Reducing inflammation in your body is one of the best ways to guard against chronic disease. In fact, inflammation has been linked with everything from Alzheimer’s to cancer.
One way to reduce inflammatory factors (by up to 14 percent) is by eating just two servings of strawberries a week. Getting more fiber helps lower inflammation too.
Here’s another way to put a damper on this cell-damaging process: Get more vitamin C.
A recent study of 400 healthy people found that taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily reduced the best-known inflammatory factor – C-reactive protein (CRP) – by 17 percent after two months. What’s more, the study proved that vitamin C was as effective as statin drugs in reducing inflammation… with none of the harmful side effects.
Here are some good ways to get your 1,000 mg of vitamin C:
Remember: Vitamin C is destroyed by heat. So keep it cool to tame the flames of inflammation.
[Ed. Note: Ed. Note: Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - can created a revolutionary health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn't) to guard your health. Learn more here.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter ]
Omega-3 fats are some of Mother Nature’s most potent medicines. They reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, as well as ease inflammation, asthma, and pain.
As positive research results on these healthy fats continue to mount, fish oil manufacturers and salmon purveyors have benefited from what has turned into a healthy trend. Now pharmaceutical companies are trying to get a slice of the omega pie.
Natural substances aren’t patentable, but GlaxoSmithKline has found a way around that. By chemically manipulating fish oil, they have created Lovaza – an omega-3 ethyl ester that can be prescribed for around $2.75 per pill.
Unlike real fish oil, though, Lovaza comes with a laundry list of “side effects,” the most common being infection, flu symptoms, and upset stomach. But they don’t end there. Enlarged abdomen, fecal incontinence, and suicide are also listed as risk factors in the prescribing literature.
Sound pretty scary? It may get scarier. Long-term side effects of any pharmaceutical are largely unknown when the drug is released to the public, and more often than not go unreported.
If that isn’t enough, here’s the kicker. Lovaza is approved for use in heart disease – as a cholesterol-lowering medication. Can you guess what the carrier of Lovaza’s fish oil might be? It’s partially hydrogenated soybean oil – a known promoter of heart disease.
Instead of “asking your doctor what Lovaza can do for you,” why don’t you ask your doctor what Lovaza actually does? If he is prescribing this poison, chances are he’s in the dark about its harmful side effects.
Find a new physician. And get your omega-3s – side effect free – by enjoying wild salmon, sardines, and taking Carlson’s fish oil.
[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder of Healing Gourmet – the world's leading website on the power of foods to promote health and protect against disease. Her latest work is a revolutionary health transformation program called, Your Plate, Your Fate. In this 7-part program you'll learn how to protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Plus, you'll get 3 bonus books to help clear your kitchen of harmful ingredients, spot the nutritional deficiencies that could be setting you up for disease and the 20 tests your doctor should perform (but probably hasn’t) to guard your health. Learn more here.]
Do you suffer from restless leg syndrome (RLS)? Until 2003, no one had heard of this “common yet under-recognized disorder” that keeps Americans awake at night.
In 2005, the FDA approved Requip, a dopamine agonist used to treat Parkinson’s disease, for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS. In 2006, Mirapex, a similar drug, was released.
But what is the cause of restless leg syndrome? What is your body trying to tell you?
Well, it’s not that you have a Requip or a Mirapex deficiency. It’s that you’re not getting enough calcium, potassium, and magnesium – the three minerals that affect muscle contraction and nerve transmission.
You can calm your legs naturally and get sound rest by ensuring you get enough of all three minerals. Opt for a daily dose of between 800 and 1,000 milligrams of calcium, 300 milligrams of potassium, and 500 milligrams of magnesium at bedtime.
One final note. If you’re taking any pharmaceutical drug, your risk of RLS is higher. That’s because most over-the-counter and prescription medications deplete vital nutrients. Learn more in Dr. James LaValle’s book The Nutritional Cost of Drugs.
[Ed. Note: For more advice about which health breakthroughs are good - and bad - for your health, sign up for ETR's free natural health e-letter.
One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today ]
Sushi has health benefits, but also has some hidden health dangers.
This one may shock you.
With its appetizing hue, sushi tuna (ahi) is hard to resist. The fish must be really fresh to have such a bright shade of red. Right?
Not exactly. It is treated with carbon monoxide – the gas that streams from the tailpipe of your car and is deadly when inhaled. When “applied” to tuna, it reacts with the heme proteins in the fish, imparting the cherry color.
Avoid sushi tuna. While the coloring process may be considered “safe” by industry standards, there’s no long-term evidence that it is. And if carbon monoxide is deadly when you breathe it in, that certainly is enough to raise an eyebrow… if not a red flag.
[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Are you eating genetically modified foods? If so, you’re being exposed to a common herbicide produced by Monsanto called Roundup.
For the very first time, Roundup was tested on human cells. And the outcome was shocking and disturbing – even to the researchers.
The tests were done on three different cell types in concentrations below agricultural recommendations – what would be considered low levels of Roundup residue in food or animal feed. The results, published in Chemical Research in Toxicology, showed that the herbicide caused cell death in all three types of cells.
The scientists say their research “… points to undesirable effects which are currently masked or hidden from scientific study.” Indeed.
If you haven’t yet made the switch to organic foods – free of chemical contaminants and genetic modification – or animal foods that are pasture-raised (not grain fed), this is one more reason to do so.
[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health e-letter]
The next time you’re at the grocery, pick up a conventionally grown apple and an organically grown apple. Smell them. While the organic apple will be more fragrant, there won’t be much difference in the way they look.
But what you can’t see can hurt you.
Pesticides – in “conventionally grown” fruits and veggies – are powerful endocrine disruptors. They affect your delicate hormonal system – which, in turn, affects everything from your weight and mood to your risk of cancer and infertility. And most Americans eat over a gallon of these health-harming chemicals each year.
Pesticides (and other endocrine disruptors) are measured in nanometers (nM). Professor Michael Mackay helps put the miniscule size of these compounds into perspective by using a Post-It note.
Hold a 3 x 3 inch Post-It note out in front of you – at arm’s length. Now imagine how small that Post-It would look if it were halfway around the world from the spot where you are standing. Pretty small, huh? That is 3 nM – the size of one molecule of a pesticide.
In times of economic uncertainty, it’s smart to jettison unnecessary expenditures. But paying a little more for healthy food is not an unnecessary expense. Choose only organic produce, wild fish, and organic pastured meats to stay healthy, strong, and mentally balanced – no matter what the economy does.
[Ed. Note: Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices - like choosing organic, pesticide-free fruits and veggies. For more easy-to-implement expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.
One of the best ways to stay in peak condition is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today. ]
The effect of stress takes a nasty toll on your life. But it doesn’t just damage your psyche. It harms your body too.
Stress increases dangerous inflammatory factors called cytokines… damages the hippocampus, causing memory loss and mood disorders… reduces the brain’s ability to repair itself… increases abdominal fat… interferes with thyroid function… and even increases the stickiness of the blood (which can lead to dangerous clots).
But there’s something very simple you can do to help alleviate the effects of stress. Stimulate your vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve controls the relaxation response through the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. And this anti-stress machine can be turned on in a matter of minutes.
Here is the exercise.
Take a deep breath into your belly to the count of five. Pause. Breathe out slowly to the count of five. Keep your belly soft. Repeat 5 times.
With this simple and effective exercise, you instantly reduce your levels of cortisol and help your body get back to a peaceful state of balance.
In addition to a few minutes a day of soft-belly breathing, you can bolster your body’s defenses against stress by engaging in regular vigorous exercise, eating a clean diet of healing foods, and enjoying fresh air and sunlight.
[Ed. Note: These days, you've got more stressors than ever before. If stress doesn't kill you outright, it most likely WILL plunge you toward all the diseases of aging, much faster than you deserve! Learn how to make your body more resilient to stress, so you can have the health and energy you need to build a brighter future.
Eating right goes a long way toward making you feel better. Pick up a copy of nutrition expert Kelley Herring's collection of recipes for dozens of delicious and guilt-free desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
Coffee is not just a breakfast drink or an afternoon pick-me-up. Recent research shows that coffee can reduce your risk of cancer. And you can make your java even healthier if you use a “Toddy.”
A Toddy is cold-brewing system created four decades ago by Todd Simpson (a chemical engineering graduate of Cornell University). It is based on a method that’s been used for centuries in South America.
Cold-brewing creates coffee with 67 percent less acid than conventional hot-brewing. The result: bold, smooth, sweet flavor. But that’s not all…
Our bodies are already overloaded with acid as a result of the typical American diet. And coffee contributes to the problem. But using a Toddy (which costs around $40) can slash the acid so significantly that even sufferers of chronic acid indigestion and other digestive disorders can enjoy a cup of joe.
[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.
For more advice on which foods you should – and shouldn’t – be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR’s free natural health newsletter
Blasting belly fat may have yet another health benefit: fewer migraines.
Recent research conducted at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia evaluated 22,211 participants between the ages of 20 and 55. The researchers found that those with larger waistlines were more likely to have migraines than people the same age who had smaller waistlines. The results seemed most relevant for women. In those with excess belly fat, the odds of having migraines were 1.3 times higher than in those with trimmer tummies.
Belly fat isn’t the only thing that researchers have connected to migraines. There are many substances in food that can act as triggers, including tyramine (in red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates (in cured bacon, hot dogs, and lunchmeats), alcohol, salt, lactose, and tryptophan.
Migraine triggers are different for everyone. If you suffer from migraines, keep a food journal to help identify your personal triggers and stop the migraine chain reaction before it starts.
[Ed. Note: The first step to keeping slim is to eat healthful food. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring can help. With her e-book Guilt Free Desserts, you'll discover dozens of delicious and healthy recipes that you can easily make at home. Pick up your copy today.
Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple choices. For more easy-to-implement expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter ]
Do you remember using litmus paper in science class to test the pH of a liquid? You’d dip the strip into a solution of lemon juice or baking soda and see if it was acidic or basic.
But a better use for that litmus paper may be to test your pH.
Without the proper acid/alkaline balance, enzymes don’t work, oxygen delivery to cells suffers, and the body struggles to complete vital biochemical processes.
The culprit? Our modern diet.
Our meals are packed with acid-forming foods – especially sugars and refined grains, along with too much meat. And we eat too few alkaline-forming fresh foods – greens, vegetables, and fruits.
Get back to basics by aiming for at least 60 percent of your meals to be fresh and unprocessed, packed with these foods:
• Greens
• Sprouts
• Cruciferous veggies
• Citrus fruits (especially lemons)
• Fermented veggies (like sauerkraut)
[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay healthy and live longer is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
For more advice on which foods you should – and shouldn’t – be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR’s free natural health newsletter.]
Hard to believe, but my father looks as young today – at 60 – as he did at 40. And though he may argue that he’s lost a bit more hair than he’d like, his face, his spirit, and his health seem to have been frozen in time.
While I’d like to think that I got his “good genes,” we all know genetics is only a small part of the equation. He passed on something even more valuable: an understanding of natural health.
I remember asking, when I was about eight years old, “Dad, why don’t we ever have white bread in the house?” Always a man of few words, he replied, “The whiter the bread, the quicker you’re dead.”
When I asked “why,” he explained: “White bread has been stripped of the good stuff. It’s just bad for you.”
As I ate my whole-wheat peanut butter sandwich and apple and drank my carton of whole milk, I watched my friends chow down on marshmallow fluff sandwiches on soft white bread accompanied by cheesy-flavored chips and sodas. And I watched them “grow” much faster than I did – horizontally, not vertically.
My father is no scientist. He can probably tell you a little bit about vitamin C and vitamin E. He loves blueberries (and knows they’re full of antioxidants). And he never overeats.
When I would come home ravenously hungry after skating or biking or dancing ballet for hours and head for the refrigerator, he would say, “Slow down. Your stomach needs time to catch up. If you’re still hungry in 20 minutes, you can eat more then.” I doubt he had any idea that what he was telling me was an ancient Japanese principle called Hara Hachi Bu – meaning “Eat until you’re 80 percent full. Then stop.”
My dad is proof that you don’t need to be a personal trainer or a doctor… nor do you need to have a nutritionist at your beck and call. Simply adhere to a few easy-to-follow guidelines when it comes to what you eat and how you exercise, and you can live a long, full life feeling (and looking!) younger than your years.
My father taught me that health is the ultimate wealth. I hope you will take his lessons to heart and make your own life better… starting today.
[Ed. Note: Ready to start feeling better and living healthier? You can get easy-to-follow guidelines for staying fit, eating better, and taking advantage of the latest breakthroughs. Just sign up for ETR's FREE natural health newsletter right here.
Staying healthy doesn't mean giving up the things you love - like dessert. Kelley Herring has put together a collection of recipes for dozens of delicious and guilt-free desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
Want to live longer… enjoying drippingly-delicious meat?
It may sound too good to be true, but it’s not. You simply need to be aware of three factors – quantity, quality, and preparation.
Quantity (eating too much meat) and quality (eating the wrong kind of meat – i.e., “conventionally” raised meat, packed with hormones and pesticides and rich in inflammatory omega-6 fats) are the first two issues.
These are easy to fix by eating smaller portions and choosing only grass-fed meat.
But there’s a third, much-overlooked, issue you need to address: the way you prepare your meat. Problem is, the most popular ways of cooking meat – grilling and broiling – are recipes for cellular damage and disease.
Here’s why.
Cooking protein-rich foods at high temperatures – even for short periods of time – promotes the formation of cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (HCAs). But you can prevent this… by slow cooking!
Cooking your grass-fed meat in a slow cooker – at or below 212 degrees – creates negligible amounts of HCAs. Cooking “slow and low” also infuses your meat with wonderful flavor, a tender texture, and mouthwatering moisture.
In addition to using a slow cooker, you can make your meat safer by stewing or poaching. And be sure to add antioxidant-rich herbs and spices (especially turmeric and rosemary) to further reduce the risk of HCAs.
[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay in peak condition is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
For more advice on which foods you should – and shouldn’t – be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR’s free natural health newsletter.]
It’s hard to believe, but true. You can “turn off” disease-promoting genes and “turn on” disease-preventing genes simply by changing what you eat and how you live. But that’s not all you can do to make your genes healthier.
In addition to the antioxidants that protect DNA from free-radical damage, there’s a process that is absolutely essential to keep your DNA healthy: methylation.
But methylation doesn’t just protect your DNA. It is, in fact, at the very core of our biochemistry. It is involved with:
• producing neurotransmitters
• cell communication
• reducing the heart-harming amino acid homocysteine
• enhancing detoxification
• reducing inflammation
It’s no wonder that improper methylation increases the risk of almost every chronic illness, including cancer, heart disease, depression, Alzheimer’s, and more.
The good news is that, given the right ingredients, your body is a veritable methylating machine. Those ingredients are vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folate. And here are the delicious foods that provide them:
•Vitamin B6: wild salmon (6 oz = 68% of what you need every day), organic, free-range chicken (1 breast = 64%), chickpeas (1 cup = 57%)
*Vitamin B12: clams (3 oz = 692%), oysters (1 dozen, Eastern wild = 545%), mussels (3 oz, New Zealand Green Lipped = 168%), wild salmon (6 oz = 88%), grass-fed beef (3 oz = 14%)
•Folate: lentils (1 cup = 90%), black beans (1 cup = 64%), endive (3 cups = 53%), spinach (3 cups = 44%)
This is yet another example of how a delicious meal like pan-roasted wild salmon with a spinach and lentil salad can please your palate while preserving your health.
[Ed. Note: One of the best ways to stay in peak condition is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.
Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices. For more easy-to-implement expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.]
Numerous studies have proven the health benefits of coffee – ranging from preventing diabetes to reducing inflammation and enhancing physical endurance. Now new research shows that your cup o’ joe may play a role in protecting against one of the most prevalent cancers in women: breast cancer.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Cancer found that women at high risk for breast cancer significantly reduced that risk by drinking three or more cups of coffee daily.
Why? Researchers are calling it the “drink and shrink” dilemma. The coffee drinkers experienced a significant reduction in breast volume, which reduced the women’s exposure to the cancer-promoting hormone estrogen.
While coffee may offer a number of health benefits, be sure to choose organic coffee to reduce your exposure to cancer-promoting pesticides.
[Ed. Note: Keeping on top of the latest advances in the medical world can help you find new ways to extend your life. To get expert advice on the health breakthroughs that can help you live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.
One of the best ways to stay in peak condition is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
Maybe you’ve been there. You lose 10 pounds in a month, only to gain it back (plus one or two more) over the next 60 days.
Quick weight loss rarely produces sustainable results. That’s because the focus is on “dieting” rather than on adopting a healthier lifestyle.
Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has identified three “tricks” that successful losers use to maintain their weight loss.
1. Exercise Regularly. Successful losers exercise 60 minutes or more per day.
2. Eat More Low-Calorie Density Foods. Fill your plate with organic salad greens, veggies, and fruits. Skip the energy-dense breads, pastas, and unhealthy fats.
3. Count Calories. Research shows that most people tend to underestimate the number of calories they actually eat by approximately 200 per day. That equates to 10 pounds worth of extra calories per year!
Remember, when it comes to weight loss, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Slow, safe weight loss through lifestyle changes is not just healthier, it improves the odds you’ll take it off… and keep it off too.
[Ed. Note: The first step to keeping slim is eating healthful food. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring can help. With her e-book Guilt Free Desserts, you'll discover dozens of delicious and healthy recipes that you can easily make at home. Pick up your copy today.
As Kelley pointed out above, extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices. For more easy-to-implement expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.]
You may think you have a good idea of the number of calories you consume. But research shows that we underestimate our actual intake by approximately 200 calories per day. That equates to 10 pounds of added weight per year!
So forget about estimating the number of calories you eat, and start keeping track.
A recent study of people who were trying to lose weight, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that those who kept a food diary lost an average of 18 pounds in six months. That’s compared to an average loss of nine pounds for those who didn’t keep a diary.
Hold yourself accountable in 2009, and don’t let those added calories take a toll on your health. There are many free food diaries available, as well as online programs to help you meet your goal of making this year your happiest and healthiest so far.
[Ed. Note: The first step to keeping slim is eating healthful food. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring can help. With her e-book Guilt Free Desserts, you'll discover dozens of delicious and healthy recipes that you can easily make at home. Pick up your copy today.
And for more expert advice on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.]