FOR YOUR HEALTH

For the longest time, I have been struggling with a weight control problem and an associated good nutrition plan that would enable me to have a better quality of life. I have tried numerous diets and have not stuck with any of them either because they were boring or too restrictive. However, I must admit that my most successful attempt at controlling my weight was when I was working in Colorado. I was on a high protein, low carb diet, but the added ingredient was I was very, very active.

I belonged to a fitness club which I went to consistently walking about a mile to and from it every day. However, before that at a former residence, I power walked to and from work 6 miles each way 4 times a week. And I walked everywhere else. I even walked 15 miles twice just to see how much I could push myself.

But things changed after I retired and relocated back to New Jersey. I had an accident when I fell down some stairs, due to carelessness, and tore my medial meniscus in my left knee which required surgery. From that point on I didn’t do anymore power walking. I started putting on weight and, after much deliberation, decided to have gastric bypass surgery in 2013. I lost almost 70 lbs. and kept it off for about 6 years.

The next major disabling thing that happened to me that affected my walking was having two back surgeries to correct stenosis in the lumbar region of my lower back. After being discharged from the rehab facility, my new stomach started to stretch and I started putting the weight back on until I gained back almost half the weight I had lost from the surgery. That is what happens when you are not active and stop exercising. And even though I try to eat healthy and watch my portion control, it seemed that I couldn’t shake the weight around my midriff.

I recently read an article about how to address the root problems of wellness by focusing on the proper foods to eat and by eliminating the bad foods we consume.

And this is what I want to share with you in this post. The co-authors of the article called The Nutrition Watchdog were Mike Geary and Catherine Ebeling. The topics they covered were enlightening, educational, and inspirational all in one because it gave me hope, and it was a confirmation of some things I have been saying for years which is that many doctors hardly know anything about nutrition. These co-authors (who I will refer to as the author going forward) stated, that in general, doctors only have from 8 to 25 hours of nutrition training in their entire career. They spend 4 years obtaining their bachelor’s degree and 7 more years in post-graduate studies, and during that time they spend less than 1/10 of 1% learning about nutrition. And the information they learn is outdated. This is a factor that contributes to America being the obesity capital of the world. In addition, 40% of doctors are overweight and 23% of doctors are obese. Now, what does that tell you?

PROBLEM- DOCTORS TREAT THE SYMPTOMS NOT THE PROBLEM  

1. They diagnose the problem.
2. They treat the symptom with medication.
3. They are incentivized by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe drugs.

If they can keep you fat and sick, then you will keep taking their drugs and they will keep making money.

Doctors are misinformed

Western medicine’s expertise is in broken bones, heart attacks, and other life-threatening issues. But when it comes to fat loss and increasing your energy, they are a total failure.

SOLUTION

To increase energy, get rid of pain, and to change how your body looks on the outside. You have to start with what’s inside. What’s going on outside is connected to what’s going on in the inside.

Issues you may be struggling with:

• Stubborn belly fat
• Painful or uncomfortable bloating
• Fat gain in strange places
• Joints that ache and are painful
• Digestive issues
• Dirty, Flaky looking skin
• Energy swings
• Constant craving snack foods
• Frustrating sleep issues
• Moody and irritable if you get too hungry
• Indigestion

BEST OILS TO COOK WITH

Tropical Oils

• Palm Oil
• Coconut Oil

Animal Fat such as lard and butter has very little polyunsaturates.  These have natural saturated fats which are the least reactive to light and heat and the least inflammatory in your body. Natural butter is one of the best fats for cooking. It contains medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Lauric acid a MCT is found in tropical oils and strengthens the immune system and controls contagious diseases.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil-is good for cooking at low temperatures

For Baking

These are mostly monounsaturated and relatively stable

• Avocado Oil
• Macadamia Oil

STAY AWAY FROM THESE OILS

These are least healthy for cooking and baking

• Soy bean
• Corn
• Grapeseed
• Cottonseed

Three Reasons not to use vegetable oils

1. They contain deadly trans fats. Trans-fats damage cell membranes which cause cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and more. Stay away from products that have partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Non-hydrogenated vegetable oils also, contain some trans fats due to the refining process including “expeller pressed” vegetable oil.

High heat and high-pressure processing and the use of hexane solvents forces some of the polyunsaturated content of the vegetable oils to be transformed into trans fats and mega trans.

Government and giant food conglomerates are feeding the public lies and misinformation.

Dr. Catherine Shanahan, M.D. said fats in vegetable oils which she called Mega trans are worse than trans fats. Mega trans from vegetable oils are found in almost all processed package foods and all restaurant fryers. French fries harm your arteries right after you eat them. Free radicals are formed in the refining of vegetable oils. This creates mutant fats that damage cell membranes and chromosomes and create massive inflammation in your body. Free radicals in vegetable oils damage arteries which can lead to a heart attack.

2. Studies show immediate dysfunction in your arteries (Endothelial Function). Dr. Shanahan, MD’s book Deep Nutrition showed how eating french fries from a restaurant displayed immediate harm to their endothelial function of their arteries going from 7% dilation to 0% dilatation after eating french fries. This is the one thing that can cause a heart attack. Dr. Shanahan found that in hundreds of people suffering from a heart attack all had consumed foods made with vegetable oils with their last meal prior to having the heart attack.

3. Vegetable oils cause a massive imbalance with your Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats ratio. Omega 6 has inflammatory fats and Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory fats. A healthy ratio is 2:1 or 1:1 Omega 6 to Omega 3. Vegetable oils raise this ratio to 20:1 and in some instances 30:1.

The best oils to use are coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, and grass-fed butter.

Bad Foods to Eat

• Wheat causes blood sugar disruption, glycation of your cells, aging, weight gain, and increases diabetic risk. High blood sugar over time increases aging, Advanced Glycation End products (AGE). People with Type 2 Diabetes look older than their age.

Wheat has Amylopectin-A which raises your blood sugar higher than pure table sugar. Amylopectin raises blood sugar more than any other carbohydrate. In a comparison study eating 2 slices of wheat bread vs 1 bowl of oatmeal the results were as follows:

After eating 2 slices of bread the blood sugar went from 86 to 155

After eating 1 bowl of oatmeal the blood sugar went from 86 to 112

          Wheat causes blood sugar spikes.

          Wheat makes the body pump out more insulin.

Wheat makes you pack on more body fat which harms the pancreas which leads to insulin resistance which leads to causing Diabetes Type 2.

• Gluten and other gut damaging compounds- Gluten can cause inflammation in your digestive system and cause a leaky gut, digestive issues, and autoimmune problems.
• Antinutrients and mineral blockers (found in wheat) cause undesirable effects when you eat too many of them. These cause phylates which block the absorption of certain minerals like zinc, iron, manganese, and calcium if you eat wheat too often (i.e. 3 times a day). This can cause you to have a mineral deficiency. Lectins can cause gut irritation.

NOTE: If you need fiber, you can get it from fruits, veggies, and nuts.

You Just Can’t Burn Off Sugar

• Sugar causes glycation inside your body.
• Sugar accelerates aging.
• Sugar raises triglycerides to dangerous levels that can lead to heart disease.
• Sugar causes Type 2 Diabetes because you wear out the pancreas and insulin sensitivity.
• Sugar slows down white blood cells making infection more likely, and cancer cells have a better chance of forming in your body.
• Sugar makes you fat.
• Sugar gives you excess calories without any beneficial nutrients
• Damage will not come from 5 grams of sugar or 1 tsp of honey. Damage will be from you consuming 40-50 grams of sugar in one sitting from eating a piece of cake, bag of candy (containing 35 + grams), a soft drink that has 45 grams of sugar, or having a smoothie that has 80 grams of sugar.

Health Foods That Cause Your Body Fat

• Whole grain bread
• Whole grain crackers
• Whole grain cereals
• Soy milk
• Tofu or veggie burgers (non-fermented soy is harmful)
• Orange Juice
• Skim Milk or homogenized milk
• Margarine
• Pre-packaged diet dinners
• Sport drinks
• Protein bars
• Overly processed meal replacements
• Rice cakes
• Pasta
• Low carb processed foods
• Diet ice cream or deserts
• Energy drinks
• Soy bean oil, corn oil, canola oil, etc.

Simple Fat Solution

• Get rid of the foods that are damaging your system
• Add fermentable fibers to your diet such as sweet potatoes, yams, yucca, etc.
• Eat fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut, and certain types of yogurt. You may have to supplement probiotics.
• Manage stress better through better sleep habits, exercise, breathing techniques. Stress damages the gut.
• Add turmeric. This adds liver in flushing out toxic substances that have been building there due to your damaged gut. It also fights dangerous inflammation.
• Consume the actual foods that burn stubborn belly fat.
• Don’t use conventional milk.
• Use grass-fed milk or raw milk

Grass-fed milk has Vitamin K-2, better fats and prevents clogged arteries.

• Use Almond milk. Use a little in cereal; don’t drink in massive amounts
• Drink coconut milk. It has a better taste; low in protein; a decent substitute.
• You can mix a carton of almond milk with one can of coconut milk.
• Can drink cashew milk as it is low in protein
• Rice milk is no good unless you have allergies.
• You can drink hemp milk– if you have nut allergies; it is smooth and has healthy fats and protein.
• Pea protein milk uses 93% less water than dairy milk and it tastes good. It is good for people with nut allergies. It is higher in protein and other nutrients. You can combine pea milk with almond milk, coconut milk, or both.

SUPER FOODS THAT KEEP BLOOD SUGAR LOW, BURN FAT, AND PREVENT DIABETES

• Avocadoes are high in monounsaturated fats, chock full of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and antioxidants. They help stabilize blood sugar and insulin. It is a good source of potassium that regulates blood pressure and electrolytes. They guard against circulatory diseases, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

1 cup of avocado has ¼ of the regular daily amount of folate, folic acid, and a B vitamin that make new cells by helping to produce healthy DNA and RNA. You will have a low risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke.

Avocadoes are a source of carotenoid lutein which is good for eye health. Also, it contains carotenoids zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, beta carotene, and vitamin E which all are cancer-fighting ingredients.

• Coffee– Four cups a day prevents Diabetes Type 2 per a study conducted by UCA in LA. When using coffee, there is a 56% less chance of getting Diabetes Type 2. But you should stop early in the day so it won’t disturb your sleep.

In a 2006 study, 28,812 women who drank 6 cups of decaffeinated coffee had 22% lower risk of developing Diabetes Type 2 than those who did not drink coffee.

Coffee prevents disease connected with free radicals.

Coffee should be drunk black or with coconut oil.

To make coffee super healthy  

1. Avoid refined sugar or harmful artificial sweeteners. Use organic maple syrup or ½ packet of stevia or coconut sugar
2. Avoid artificial creamers. Use full-fat cream (organic grass fed) Organic Valley brand (pasteurized-raised cream). Thick creamy coconut milk is the best. It has healthy saturated fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).
3. Add cinnamon to coffee. This controls blood sugar.
4. You can add organic cocoa powder (non-sweetened).
5. Choose organic coffee beans. Conventional coffee is loaded with pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides which disrupt hormone balance.

Additional healthy food choices

• Garlic and onions have a profound effect on the circulatory, digestive, and immunological systems that lower blood pressure, lower sugar levels, and raise HDL (good cholesterol) levels. They reduce inflammation, fight allergies, heart disease, and cancer.
• Berries and cherries have anthocyanin which is a flavonoid antioxidant that has been shown to reduce insulin resistance and helps control blood sugar. A cup of strawberries has 100 mg of Vitamin C which is better than orange juice. It strengthens the immune system and helps to build strong connective tissue. They have beneficial phytochemicals.
• Dark Chocolate. Good dark chocolate an appetite suppressor lowers blood pressure, improves one’s mood, has a calming effect, prevents weight gain and Diabetes Type 2. Do not eat milk chocolate or white chocolate.
• Seaweed helps lower blood pressure and helps weight loss. Five types have powerful enzymes that slow the metabolism of carbohydrates and reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes.  
• Green tea helps metabolize sugar. If one drinks 6 cups a day there is a 33% chance that he will be less likely to gain weight. It also prevents cancer and has antioxidant qualities.
• Red wine regulates blood sugar, prevents peaks and valleys, and is okay for low glycemic diets.
• Grass-Fed Butter
• Coconut Oil
• Beans
• Dark Green Leafy Vegetables have Vitamins K, C, E, Bs, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and a host of phytochemicals. These include Chard, Spinach, Baby Greens, Kale. They prevent atherosclerosis by reducing buildup in arteries, prevent inflammation, and regulate blood clotting.
• Cruciferous veggies lower inflammation, lowers the risk of Diabetes Type 2. One of these is broccoli. It is rich in potassium and regulates metabolism. Potassium is necessary for the beta cells in the pancreas to sense elevated blood sugar levels and respond by secreting insulin. They counteract xenoestrogens that are hormone disruptors in women. They are rich in indoles and isothiocyanates which protect against many cancers. The broccoli sprouts have ten times more cancer-protective substances than mature broccoli.
• Wild-caught fish is better than farm-raised fish which are often sick or swim around in water polluted by their excretions.
• Grass-fed Meat
• Naturally raised, antibiotic and hormone-free beef, poultry, and fish contain the highest amount of nutrients possible because these animals are eating their natural diet.
• Apple Cider Vinegar taken before meals and at bedtime lowers post meal glucose by 34% per an Arizona State University study. The vinegar slows the absorption of carbs and slows the breakdown of starches into sugars. It increases insulin sensitivity (acts like metformin), reduces fasting blood glucose, and is instrumental in long-term blood sugar stability.
• Nuts and Seeds as a snack keeps blood sugar stable. They are highly nutritious and have healthy fats.

They are chock full of hard to get minerals like copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and selenium which are cancer-fighting minerals and also aids the thyroid in regulating metabolism and fat burning. The nuts are:

Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, pecans, cashews, macadamias, and brazil nuts.

• Potassium is an electrolyte involved in nerve transmission, heart function, and blood pressure. It is also good for heart health, fiber, and protein.
• Olive Oil helps to reduce the risk of diabetes Type 2 by 50%. It improves blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and blood lipid levels. It reduces inflammation. It has a high content of antioxidants, reduces free radicals, and protects the lining of blood vessels. It also works well with medication such as ibuprofen.

The author of this article offers a free book The Fat Burning Kitchen which is an overview of this article. You just pay for the shipping. And you also can purchase 4 books regarding healthy meal preparation at a special discounted rate.

CONCLUSION

What you put into your body is important and impacts your overall well-being-mind, body and spirit. It is important that you take care of your body not just for yourself, but realizing that it is a temple for our Lord.

Was this post enlightening and educational? Let me know if it motivated you to take care of your body more by making healthier food choices. I welcome your feedback