Could This Be The END OF WOMEN'S ISSUES?

Some Women Have Improved Their Lifestyle! Ladies Say I Can 2 and Be There! In association with The Tessa Sanderson Foundation & Ankh Rah Limited   This special ticket only event should certainly be a date for your diary, offering Women  a treasure trove of leading health & wellness technology, products and demonstrations. The day offers organic nutrition and body – care information products to sample and purchase, along with a scheduled professional workout, followed by a total head – to – toe pamper, along with overnight accommodation, meals, networking and music entertainment**. FOR THE OVERNIGHT STAYERS SPECIAL OFFER PLS CALL ANKH RAH ON  020 8314 0551 OR EMAIL CALVIN@TSFA.CO.UK

QUERCETIN FOR SPORT: WHY NO ATHLETE SHOULD GO WITHOUT IT

Over the years, thousands of sports supplements have been created and marketed to athletes, but more recently compounds found in plants called phytochemicals are showing great potential in exercise performance.

One of these, quercetin, has risen in prominence for its antioxidant and immune-supportive properties in athletes (1). Quercetin comes from the family of flavonoids, which provide many of the colors in fruits and vegetables where they serve as defenders against invading microbes, radiation from the sun, and other environmental dangers (2). Quercetin itself is found in a variety of foods including apples and green tea.

Scientists have long studied flavonoids for their possible health benefits. However, there is a growing realization that single types of flavonoids increase their benefit when mixed with other flavonoids and compounds. When taken together, they may build upon each other, improving absorption, bioavailability, and overall immunity in the body.

Often neglected but important to athletes is the capacity to protect from negative effects on the immune system due to hard training. Athletes who train hard are more prone to stress in muscle from free radicals and impaired immune function (3). Using nutrients and bioactives to aid immune function, or “immunonutrition,” is highly relevant to athletes who wish to avoid time off from training.

In fact, just one heavy training session can lead to physiological stress and significant changes in immunity and elevations in stress hormones (4;5). During this “open window” of impaired immunity, which can last between three and 72 hours, there’s an increased risk of illness and injury (6). Epidemiological and exercise immunology studies already support the viewpoint that heavy exercise workloads increase health risk through altered immune function (4).

A recent study investigated the effects of quercetin supplementation on exercise-induced changes in immune function using 40 trained male cyclists who were randomly placed into two groups: one taking quercetin and the other taking a placebo over a period of three weeks (7). The group that received quercetin significantly bolstered immune support during two weeks after intensified exercise.

Moreover, when quercetin supplementation is combined with other polyphenols and food components such as green tea extract and fish oil, athletes can achieve even greater benefits. Other studies have found that two weeks of quercetin supplementation combined with green tea extract and fish oil caused a sizable reduction in exercise-induced oxidative stress (5;6;8). The research suggests that a combination of healthy eating and supplementation with this quercetin-based cocktail functioned as a safe method for athletes to stay well.

Athletes should not solely rely on supplements to get all their dietary intake of phytochemicals and bioflavonoids. Proper intake of fruits and vegetables not only offers great nutritional variety, but also high levels of bioflavonoids. Look to kale, onions, sweet potato, blueberries, and apples to name a few with flavonoids like quercetin.

References

1. Bischoff SC. Quercetin: potentials in the prevention and therapy of disease. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care 2008;11:733-40.
2. Lila MA. From Beans to Berries and Beyond. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2007;1114:372-80.
3. Williams MH. Sports supplements: quercetin. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal 2011;15:17-20.
4. Nieman DC. Is infection risk linked to exercise workload? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2000;32:S406-S411.
5. Nieman DC, Henson DA, Maxwell KR et al. Effects of quercetin and EGCG on mitochondrial biogenesis and immunity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41:1467-75.
6. Nieman DC, Henson DA, Maxwell KR et al. Effects of quercetin and EGCG on mitochondrial biogenesis and immunity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009;41:1467-75.
7. Nieman DC, Henson DA, Gross SJ et al. Quercetin reduces illness but not immune perturbations after intensive exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2007;39:1561.
8. McAnulty SR, Nieman DC, McAnulty LS, Lynch WS, Jin F, Henson DA. Effect of mixed flavonoids, n-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C on oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity before and after intense cycling. International Journal of Sport Nutrition andExercise Metabolism 2011;21:328.

 http://team-isagenix.isagenixhealth.net/quercetin-sport-athlete-go-without/

Be Fit London: Women's Health and Fitness Festival

Be Fit London: Women's Health and Fitness Festival

An event you wont want to miss!!! Get whipped into shape, Learn from Wellness experts, Free Nutritional checks, Live Cookery Demos, Restorative sports Massages and a Performance and Recovery Clinic.

We would like to give our viewers the chance to attend this prestigious event for women the likes of which have never been done before, bringing together high quality brands that together provide the overall health and fitness solution you need.

The UK's best-kept fitness secret

Imagine beating the stop watch. Imagine strength. Imagine confidence. Imagine 15,000 women becoming healthier and happier. Join the movement.

The likes of Ankh Rah Ltd high quality food supplements will be teaming up with Ex-Olympic champion and Ambassador for the 2012 Olympic Games Tessa Sanderson and Kangen Water in London.

For 3 days, Be:Fit London will take over the Business Design Centre to equip women with the tools to ditch the fads and become healthier and happier.

With everything you need to upgrade your lifestyle under one roof, you’ll train with the UK’s master trainers in our bespoke fitness studio, learn from the capital’s top wellness, nutrition and health experts, meet Olympic icons and discover over 125 hand picked premium brands.

Ankh Rah Ltd will exhibiting at the event, providing you with the Highest Quality in natural nutritional supplements including our Award Winning High Quality Moringa Leaf Powder, amongst others.

Ankh Rah Ltd will be attending this event. We will be at the Tessa Sanderson Foundation Stand #F91, come and meet us.

The UK's only Health and Fitness Festival for Women, tickets starting at £18 for more info or to book your ticket now visit;

http://befitlondon.com/

Nuns grow spirulina for malnourished children - You can grow this superfood at home

Many people believe the word "superfood" is a term used for click bait and nothing more, but superfoods not only exist, they are the superheroes of the food world. Spirulina is one such food.

In the Central African Republic, Catholic nuns are using the blue-green algae to fight malnutrition at the St. Joseph Health Center. Bangui, where the nuns are located, has been dealing with the effects of a conflict that has made resources scarce. The lack of food has had an especially pronounced effect on children in the region.

After a meeting with a French pharmacist who advised them on how to grow spirulina, the nuns at St Joseph Health Center were able to successfully harvest the algae to combat malnutrition.

Spirulina is a remarkable source of nutrients, containing the highest natural source of complete proteins, omega fatty acids, iron, and antioxidants. The health applications of a superfood like spirulina can translate across countless circumstances, from saving lives in the Central African Republic to providing everyday nutrients to anyone around the world.

Working Smarter - and Making a Difference

The number of children who suffer from severe malnutrition in the Central African Republic is on the rise. Compared to last year, reported cases of acute malnutrition have tripled as conflicts in the region leave families unable to plant crops, to earn a living, or to access sanitation, clean water, and health care. Provisions from aid organizations are an inconsistent food source, as security issues often keep the protein supplements from reaching their intended targets. These are the struggles facing the nuns at St Joseph as they care for vulnerable children and mothers.

Spirulina has given them an inexpensive, effective, and reliable way to feed the people who come to the health center. Once a solution to the malnutrition problem presented itself, the nuns obtained the materials to build the algae tanks from the community through begging and borrowing. People are paying attention to St Joseph Health Center because of how effective the spirulina has been and the inspiring initiative shown by the nuns who work there.

The sisters at St. Joseph are proud of how many children they are able to help. After such great results, others in the Central African Republic and areas beyond who suffer from malnutrition see the sisters as both an inspiration and a source of practical knowledge.

Why Spirulina is Awesome

Most people are familiar with algae. It's the murky, clingy, dingy green stuff in ponds and dirty aquariums. Unappetizing as it sounds, spirulina is among the most nutritious foods on the planet with 18 vitamins and minerals, 8 amino acids, chlorophyll, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. The stuff is loaded. In addition to that goodness, its soft cell walls make it easy to digest. It also absorbs heavy metals and toxins. Eating algae plain might not be for the squeamish, but a quality green nutrition powder can give you the benefits of spirulina without the slime.

Spirulina is incredibly eco-friendly; it yields 25% more nutrition per square foot than any other plant. If you find yourself inspired by the nuns at St Joseph and want to try some DIY spirulina at home, the Internet is here to help. Great DIY tutorials like the one here can get you started on a window aquarium filled with spirulina. It may take more than one try to get it to work, but, in time, you'll be able to guarantee a quality supply of homegrown spirulina, perfect for survival and prepping, too! The use of spirulina in the Central African Republic has shown the great impact it can have on health. This Total Nutrition Formula is the perfect recipe for your spirulina, and it's the best multi-vitamin/mineral/protein supplement I know of. Even if building an algae farm isn't a viable option, finding a quality source of it can give you access to even better health.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/049275_nuns_spirulina_malnourished_children.html#ixzz3XTFE7izv

Scientists Work Out How To Make Chocolate Healthier And More Flavorful

by Justine Alford

Good news, chocoholics: Scientists have found a way to not only make chocolate more nutritious, but also to enhance its taste. Praise science!

By making a couple of simple adjustments to the earliest processing steps, researchers found that they could boost the content of health-promoting compounds in cocoa beans and also improve the resulting chocolate's flavor, making it sweeter. The work waspresented at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society and published in African Journals Online.

Humans have been gobbling cocoa for thousands of years, but it is only relatively recently that scientists have demonstrated that dark chocolate and cocoa could actually be beneficial to our health due to the fact that they are rich in biologically active compounds known as polyphenols. These chemicals are known to have a variety of desirable properties, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and their consumption has been linked to various positive health effects, such as a reduction in blood pressure and reduced incidence of stroke and cardiovascular diseases.

Unfortunately, some of the steps required to transform raw cocoa beans into a form that can be used in the production of delicious candy bars are known to alter the content of these compounds. After the pods are cut down from cocoa trees, they are split open and the beans are removed. These are then fermented for several days in banana-lined baskets before being dried in the sun and finally roasted. This roasting stage is critical to the flavor outcome of chocolate, but it also causes the beans to lose some of their polyphenols.

Armed with this knowledge, scientists from the University of Ghana set out to find a way of retaining these important compounds without negatively affecting its taste. They decided to start off by adding in another stage to the process, which involved storing the pods prior to fermentation. After testing out a range of conditions, the researchers found that storing them for 7 days prior to processing as normal resulted in the highest antioxidant content.

Next, the team decided to examine whether they could optimize the roasting process so that more polyphenols could be retained without sacrificing flavor. Traditionally, beans are roasted for between 10-20 minutes at 120-130oC, but they found that roasting at a lower temperature for 45 minutes improved the antioxidant activity of the beans. Furthermore, when this roasting technique was combined with the storage step, the beans had both increased antioxidant activity and a higher polyphenol content. Not only that, but the chocolate produced using this method was also sweeter.

The researchers believe that these positive effects are due to the fact that the storage stage allowed the beans to have more contact with the sweet surrounding pulp, which can alter the biochemical and physical properties of the beans. “This aided the fermentation process and enhanced antioxidant capacity of the beans, as well as the flavor,” notes lead researcher Emmanuel Afoakwa, adding that this technique could be particularly useful in countries where cocoa beans have a less intense flavor and lower antioxidant activity, such as in Latin America. Afoawka now plans to continue this work by further scrutinizing different storage and roasting techniques in order to optimize the process.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/scientists-work-out-how-make-chocolate-healthier-and-more-flavorful

Health Benefits Moringa

Check out twenty medical uses and benefits of the latest food trend, Moringa as the health benefits are tantalizing and every part of the Moringa tree can be used in medical science.

Moringa oleifera has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value and medicinal benefits as different parts of Moringa contain a profile of important minerals and are a good source of protein, vitamins, beta-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics.

Moringa provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol.

It may act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine.

Traditional cultures in various parts of the world have long used Moringa in their herbal medicine repertoire for ailments ranging from gout to various inflammations and fevers.

Here are some of the traditional, medical uses of moringa:

1. Normalizes blood sugar.
2. Appetite supplement.
3. Heal wounds and injuries- There is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effect when applied to wounds, thereby aiding the fast healing of wounds.
4. Detoxification.
5. Eliminate constipation.
6. Reduce risk of ulcer- Moringa tea treats gastric ulcers and prevents.
7. Improves digestion.
8. Serves as nutrition for infants- six months and older, pregnant and nursing mothers, flower juice improves the quality and flow of mothers’ milk when breast feeding.
9. Increases mental clarity.
10. Stimulates hair growth.
11. Enhances skin health.
12. Reduces wrinkles and age lines.
13. Prevents tumor.
14. Increases energy and endurance.
15. Improves eyesight.
16. Normalizes blood pressure.
17. Acts as anti- depressant.
18. Strengthens immune system- In Haiti, villagers boil Moringa flowers in water and drink the tea as a powerful cold remedy.
19. Can be used as an aphrodisiac and promoter of libido- The drumstick seeds are used as a sexual virility drug for treating erectile dysfunction in men and also in women for prolonging sexual activity.
20. Prevents fungal diseases.
21. Moringa leaves treat fevers, bronchitis, eye and ear infections, inflammation of the mucus membrane
22. The powder ground from the seeds is also used in the treatment of scurvy skin diseases (common bacterial infections of the skin).

Every single part of the Moringa Tree is useful, this is why it is considered one of the most valuable and useful plants.

http://pulse.ng/wellness/health-benefits-moringa-id3604124.html

8 Things People Get Wrong About Veganism

BY LUKE JONES 

The vegan movement is growing. Many people are ditching animal products and picking up plants. However, not everyone is convinced, partly because there's so much conflicting information going around. One nutrition expert declares you need meat to be strong, while another with equal credibility says the complete opposite. But who to trust?

I can't make that decision for you, but I can share my experience with a vegan diet, and attempt to clear up some of the myths. Hopefully I can reduce the confusion and allow you to make an informed decision that resonates with you.

1. A vegan diet is always healthy, or always unhealthy.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that replacing animal products and processed foods with whole, plant foods reduces your risk of developing various chronic diseases. Personally, this way of eating has improved my health issues, and I know others who have experienced similar success.

But let's not get it twisted: being vegan doesn't guarantee health. You can eat fries and candy all day and still be vegan, but you won't be healthy. Even if you do stick to whole foods, diet isn't everything. Health is made from many interacting components. Regardless of nutrition, you won't thrive if you're constantly stressed, or if you don't exercise regularly.

2. Vegans don't get enough protein.

While protein is important for growth and repair, the amount we need is often exaggerated. In reality, if you eat a variety of plant foods, a protein deficiency is almost impossible to achieve. Quinoa, beans, lentils, seeds, and even broccoli contain adequate amounts. After being vegan for over a year, blood work showed my serum protein levels were higher than the normal range. No animal products, no powders — just plants.

3. Vegans always get vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

If you choose nutrient dense, plant foods, you're unlikely to run into deficiencies. Greens are packed with calcium, legumes are filled with foliate, seeds contain omega-3's — the list goes on. From my experience, there's nothing beneficial in animal products that you can't get from plants.

One exception is vitamin B-12. There are many arguments as to why it's not found in vegan foods (such as soil degradation) but the details don't really matter. It's safer to take a supplement.

4. Becoming vegan is difficult.

Making changes can be daunting, especially dietary ones. Most of us have habits that are ingrained from years of repetition. If you attempt to change everything at once and go vegan 'cold turkey', you'll probably struggle.

But if you let go of the idea of a perfect plant-based diet, and instead focus on making small, gradual changes, suddenly it isn't so hard. Perhaps begin with a green smoothie for breakfast, and when you're comfortable, adjust your lunchtime meal. If you take it at your own pace, it soon becomes second nature.

5. There's nothing to eat but salad.

Pre-plant-powered, I thought it wasn't a meal unless it contained meat. Becoming vegan changed my relationship with food. I realised there are so many delicious flavours to experience. If you're stuck for ideas, there are thousands of great recipe books and blogs out there with tasty, healthy meals to try.

6. It's not for athletes.

I was initially nervous to see how the vegan diet would affect my athletic performance, but was pleasantly surprised with faster recovery times, less inflammation, and more energy.

I'm not alone in that regard. An increasing number of vegan athletes are thriving in their sports, and it's not just the long distance guys like Rich Roll and Brendan Brazier. Take a look at free-running extraordinaire Tim Shieff, strongmanPatrik Baboumian, and MMA fighter Mac Danzig.

7. It's expensive.

It can be expensive if you only buy organic, gourmet foods and pseudo-grains. But with a little planning and shopping around, a vegan diet can be very affordable. Bulk buying lentils, pulses and whole-grains works out cheap, and you can often get deals at markets on fresh produce. You'll also save money in the long run, with less being spent on medical bills.

8. Veganism is not scalable.

An idea I've heard thrown about quite frequently is that there's not enough land available to grow the crops needed to sustain a world full of vegans. It's nice that people are thinking of the big picture, but what they fail to realise is that most of the food we currently grow goes to feeding the animals we consume. If we ate less animals, we would have more food for ourselves, using less land, water and energy.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17304/8-things-people-get-wrong-about-veganism.html

Correct poor eyesight naturally with these tips

 

by: Carolanne Wright
More often than not in our daily lives, we find ourselves staring at tiny type on computer screens and cell phones for long periods of time, leading to increased incidence of eye strain and fatigue. Add to this the natural deterioration of vision as we age -- along with the more serious problems of glaucoma and cataracts -- and sharp eyesight can seem like a distant dream. Despite these seemingly inevitable obstacles, we can, in fact, enjoy healthy vision to a ripe old age. Using contemporary techniques, and trusted remedies, healthy eyesight is possible without unpleasant procedures or excessive effort.

Eating for healthy eyes

For bright vision -- and to avoid potential problems down the road -- food is a powerful ally. Consuming a nutrient-rich diet helps protect not only health but also vision. The following edibles are a good place to start:

Dark leafy greens, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers and egg yolks contain potent antioxidants like beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein -- which defend against age-related blindness resulting from macular degeneration. Drinking freshly pressed carrot juice, at least twice per day, is an excellent habit that keeps eye problems at bay.

Foods high in sulfur, lecithin and cysteine are another helpful addition to the diet. Examples include garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, tree nuts, dairy, coconut and legumes. These edibles fortify the lens of your eye, thereby reducing the risk of cataracts.

Blueberries, black currant, acai and goji berries are chock-full of anthocyanin -- a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that substantially improves eye health.

Coldwater fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel provide abundant essential fatty acids that help support cell membranes, which in turn, encourages sharp vision.

Additionally, vitamins C and E, along with the minerals zinc and copper, are useful in maintaining healthy eyesight. Citrus fruits, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are good sources of vitamin C, while tree nuts (especially almonds) are high in vitamin E and copper. Pastured beef, wild game and eggs are rich in zinc.

Exercises to improve vision

To support optimal eyesight, Mao Shing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., PhD, recommends the following routine:

• Warm your eyes. Rub your palms together to create heat, and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this three times.

• Roll your eyes. Start by looking up and then slowly circle 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.
  

• Focus. Hold a pen at arm's length, focus your eyes on it, and slowly bring the pen closer until it's about 6 inches away from your nose. Then slowly move it back, keeping your eyes focused on the pen, 10 times in all.
  

• Massage your temples. Using your thumb knuckles, massage your temples in small circles, 20 times in one direction and 20 in the other. Repeat the same actions above the mid-point of the eyebrows at the forehead, then below the eyes on both sides of the bridge of the nose.

Also, make sure to get enough sleep, a minimum of eight hours each night in a sufficiently dark room. Giving your eyes a break each hour of the workday is helpful too. Moreover, Trayner pinhole glasses assist in correcting problems such as computer strain, far/near sightedness, eye strain and headaches. Patrick Holford, BSc, DipION, FBANT, NTCRP, notes:

"Regular use builds up eye muscles and reshapes the eyes. Most people are amazed when they put pinhole glasses on for the first time and find they can instantly read small print and see sharply without their glasses."

Sources:

https://www.patrickholford.com

http://wakeup-world.com

http://www.doctoroz.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/047987_eye_health_poor_vision_nutritious_food.html#ixzz3QlI8pzR4

SUNY Cobleskill Researching an "Amazing" Tree

It's a tree with the power to save lives of those suffering from hunger, and it's being grown in the greenhouses of SUNY Cobleskill. Time Warner Cable News reporter Barry Wygel visited the campus to learn more. 

COBLESKILL, N.Y. -- For a plant, this tree has a pretty impressive resume.

"They have more vitamin C than an orange, they have more potassium than a banana, more iron than spinach and more protein than yogurt and more calcium than milk," said George Crosby, a professor of plant science at SUNY Cobleskill.

"In parts of the world where folks have a problem with malnutrition, and there are a lot of folks that are in that situation, moringa becomes a part of the puzzle."

Moringa is ideal in places like Africa, where the plant can thrive in humid hot conditions.

"You have a tree that can survive three to four months without a drop of water. It just drops its leaves and waits for it to rain," said Crosby.

Work and research is underway in the greenhouses of SUNY Cobleskill to bring the tree to a wider audience.

"My work is primarily looked at growing moringa as a crop, like we would a lot of other crops," said Crosby.

While moringa isn't a fix-all solution to world hunger, it certainly can play a role in saving lives and improving the health of the world's poorest populations.

- See more at: http://albany.twcnews.com/content/news/793826/suny-cobleskill-researching-an--amazing--tree/#sthash.4BOV4Mh5.dpuf

Moringa Seeds For Extreme Nourishment

Moringa Seeds For Extreme Nourishment

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IS YOUR BRAIN STARVING? (MIND-BLOWING Q&A)

Just when you think you've learned everything there is to know about nutrition, you unearth information that gives you an "Ah-Hah!" moment. Today, we're sharing with you an amazing Q&A with Delia McCabe, a once Psychologist turned Nutritional Neuroscience Researcher, who delves into the link between nutrition and your brain.

Delia McCabe lost her enthusiasm for the “talking cure” after completing her Master's degree in Psychology. She had discovered that what you eat affects your brain function and that until the brain is properly nourished, no amount of talking will get it working properly. For nearly two decades, she's immersed herself in the fascinating world of nutrition and the brain and offers a focused and insightful approach - based on solid science - into how specific foods can improve your mood, concentration, memory and learning ability, as well as reduce stress.

Food Matters: What made you realize the connection between nutrition and mental health?

While I was completing my master's degree in psychology, I was working with a group of very smart school children. They were very capable of getting great grades, but were all doing very poorly at school. They were also suffering from other psychological challenges, like anxiety and even depression. My research was based on which psychological variables could be used to motivate them and help them achieve according to their potential. I had an extra space on one of the questionnaires that I’d designed for them and I threw in the question: "What is your favorite food?" The answers astonished me, and when compared to the control group, (a group of children who were smart and doing well at school), it was even more amazing. All the children who were underachieving loved junk food, while the other group did not. This changed the course of my research, and gave me a passion that wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t asked that simple question.

Food Matters: Are people surprised and curious when they find out what your area of research is?

I’m amazed at how many times people tell me that when they eat certain foods they feel anxious, jittery or even depressed. It’s as if by realizing that this is a valid area of scientific research, they can speak out about how they actually feel. And they are very curious about which foods would help them to feel calm, more focused, and prevent them experiencing cognitive decline. Many people are also surprised that the information that I have given them isn’t provided by their doctors. Some actually get angry about not having known about it earlier. I’ve seen many reactions that used to surprise me, but now I expect them.

Food Matters: What is one of the most important insights you have learned in life at this point in your health discovery?

It was a real epiphany for me to realize that the brain, being our greediest organ, when well nourished, will allow the rest of the body to flourish too. As the primary "survival" organ, it will take nutrients first, in a sense, and then leave the rest of our body battling to stay well if there are not enough nutrients to go around. It made perfect sense to me then that by feeding the brain optimally, the rest of the body would be able to benefit too. And, if you take into account that a malnourished brain will make poor decisions all round, it is quite sobering to realize that a hungry brain will lead to a poor quality of life on many different levels.

Food Matters: What is the biggest misconception you would like to clear up concerning mental health?

This is a good question, and I’ll have to choose from a few. But the winning one is that most people are completely oblivious to the fact that what they eat every day, has a short- and long-term impact on their brain functioning, mood, memory, learning and capacity to be alert and focused. Each day, the brain requires raw materials for both functioning and structure maintenance. People take it for granted that they are getting the right nutrients for those amazingly complex and super-important tasks. But over time, the brain not only becomes less and less efficient at performing the tasks that we take for granted, it also becomes less and less capable of keeping itself structurally sound. What we eat affects our brain in a real, profound way.

A further point is that so many people are still confused about fats and oils, and this is another huge misconception that I’m passionate about clearing up. The right fats are critical for optimal health, and without them, nothing you do can make up for their absence. When people start consuming the right fats and oils, AND remove the bad ones from their diet, their health can improve so quickly and profoundly, that it sometimes seems like magic to them!

Food Matters: What are some of the most important nutrients that people need to consume for a healthy brain?
 
The brain, being made up of 60% fat at its dry weight, needs the right kinds of fat to operate optimally. A large percentage of this fat is made up of specialized omega-3 and -6 fats. Unfortunately, these fats are also very delicate. This means that many of these fats that people consume today are damaged. Organic nuts and seeds, and undamaged oils, as well as lots of green leafy greens, supply both omega-3 and omega-6. Most people get enough omega-6, although in a damaged form. So if you focus on omega-3 found in ground flax seeds and chia seeds, as well as undamaged essential fatty acid oil blends, you will be supplying great, undamaged fats to your brain. In addition, unrefined carbohydrates provide steady blood glucose for a greedy brain, and clean protein provides for  enzyme and hormone production and the foundation for the brain messengers – the neurotransmitters.

Food Matters: What role does stress play in causing damage to the brain?

We all live in an overwhelming world, and the brain takes a huge "hit" with the stress we experience in ever-increasing amounts. Why? Our brain evolved to respond quickly and efficiently to any threat to our survival. We could run very quickly away from our threat, we could stay and fight for survival or we could stand very, very still, and hope to be bypassed. Today, we very seldom do any of those things. We sit and worry in traffic, wait for ages for resolutions to problems that we have no control over, or engage in meaningless but stressful interactions online.

Our brain cannot tell the difference between a real, physical threat and a perceived, psychological one. And so we don’t get rid of the naturally produced compounds like adrenaline that the brain uses to spur us on to physical activity, because it’s all going on in our brain and there’s nothing physical to do about it. Unfortunately, cortisol, which is produced when adrenaline has been circulating for a while, is very damaging to the brain, because it stops brain cells – neurons – from communicating effectively with each other, and disrupts the process of energy production within the cell. Over time, excess cortisol production leads to neuronal death, which is not a positive thing, as well as stopping the growth of new neurons.
http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/is-your-brain-starving-mind-blowing-q-a

5 Reasons Eating Organic Is Cheaper Than Non-Organic

Written by Steven Bancarz
  We all desire to become the healthiest individuals we can be.  Giving love to your body is crucial if you wish to experience the highest levels of physical health, and the best way you can show love to your body is by feeding it the food it deserves.  After all, you only have one body.  Where else do you have to live?

People say it’s too expensive to eat organically. When we think about how much money we spend on useless items, on cable television, on large finance purchases we can’t afford, on drinking/smoking, and on “designer” clothing, it becomes hard not to justify choosing organic bananas over non-organic bananas for an extra 20 cents per pound.

It can be expensive if you don’t source your food right, but it doesn’t have to be.  Buy in bulk at local farmers markets and you’ll save 10-20% right away.  If you feel inspired by this article, I would really recommend going to a local farmers market and seeing if you can get bulk deals.  The grocery stores buy off of the farmers and then mark up the price to make profit.  But going directly to the source, you will literally cut your grocery bill into a fraction of what it is now.

I recently just bought 40 pounds of organic non-GMO concord grapes from a local farmer for 20 dollars.  When was the last time you saw the highest quality grapes possible for only 50 cents per pound?  This is actually cheaper than buying non-organic from a grocery store.  Still not convinced? Here is a list of 5 ways that eating organic is actually cheaper than not eating organic:

1) You Save Money On Medical Bills

The medical bills and medications that come with illness and organ damage that could have been prevented with a healthier diet cost far more than eating organic.  I had a UTI in the US several month ago as a Canadian citizen, and my diet was garbage at the time. I went to a hospital to get diagnosed. They took a urine sample and did some basic tests, and the bill came to $800.  The price of sickness in our day and age is ridiculous, and anyone with a medical history can testify to this.

Cancer is one of the number one killers right now.  The price of chemotherapy drugs varies widely, depending on the drug. For example, according to research from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, one course of a drug for chemotherapy for breast cancer can cost about $900-$15,000, depending on the drug(s); and, if growth factor support is added to lessen side effects, that increases costs from more than $4,000 to more than $30,000 (1). According to an article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, combination chemotherapy regimens typically used for advanced colorectal cancer can range from almost $12,000 to over $30,000 for an eight-week course, depending on the drugs (2). But new drugs usually cost more: for example, Adcetris, a recently approved drug that treats recurrences of some types of lymphoma, can cost more than $120,000 for a course of treatment (3).

Here is regular man who cured his diabetes, cured his colon cancer, and was able to get off of 24 of 25 prescription medicines all in just 6 months on a raw plant-based diet.  Stories like these are literally all over YouTube:

We can only imagine how much money this guy saved after only 1 year of cleaning up his diet.  Eating an organic plant-based diet gets the body out of acidosis and into an alkalized state.  Disease literally cannot exist in an alkalized oxygen-rich environment.  Sure the price of organic produce may be a bit higher, but it’s nowhere near the price of cancer, heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes.  This is how the world system is designed. They feed you food that slowly poisons you under the guise of affordability, and then you spend the last 20 years of your life eyeballs deep in illnesses and medical bills.

How come when you leave a hospital, nobody tells you  “start juicing organic fruits and vegetables” or “make sure you are staying away from junk foods and processed foods”?  The cancer industry and the medical industry in general are businesses that only profit and sustain themselves off of our sickness.  They want patients, not cures.  Cures get suppressed, and you get sent home with a bill.  It costs a hell of a lot more to treat a disease than it does to prevent it, and you can start preventing it right now.  You’ll actually save money by eating organic in the long run because you are actually giving your body the nutrition it requires.  

Here is a chart showing the nutritional comparison between organic and conventional foods.  You actually have to spend way more money on conventional foods to get the same amount of nutrients and health benefits that organic foods have. 

When you are getting the proper amount of vitamins and mineral, you are giving your cells and DNA everything they need to repair themselves which prevents them from reaching a state of disease in the first place.  A recent meta-analysis was done of over 300 studies comparing organic vs non-organic foods, and they found that “organic crops, on average, have higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower concentrations of Cd and a lower incidence of pesticide residues than the non-organic comparators across regions and production seasons.”  In other words, organic foods have more to offer you and don’t poison you like non-organic foods.  The original study found here, and here is a summary of the study done by Washington State University.

 2) You Live Longer

The 5-30 years of your life that you will be missing out has got to be worth something.  If it doesn’t mean much to you now, it certainly will when physical death is around the corner and you want to have more time here. 60% of all deaths are diet related. Every time you put fastfoods, processed refined foods, and pesticide ridden foods into your body, you are literally shortening your stay here on earth.  We normally don’t think about our food choices costing us days, months, and years of our life, but this is what happens in reality.  

Let’s say you make the choice right now to make healthier choices every chance you get, to stop drinking coke and eating fast foods, and to treat your body to the fuel it requires within the range of your budget.  Maybe you’ll even feel inspired after this article and will alter your budget to make more room for your physical health. You could literally be extending your life by 15 years if you start today. That’s 15 more years worth of memories, laughs, experience, and evolution.  That could also be up to 15 years more of income, which would in itself pay multiple times over for your new organic diet.  Choosing to rid your diet from poisonous foods and replacing them with organic foods could literally be the difference between getting to meet your grandchildren or not.

3) You Aren’t Supporting Bad Businesses

Supporting companies that are exploiting/raping the planet and have no concern for your health or well-being.  You think Kraft, Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Lays actually care about you or the planet? All they care about is increasing their profit margins, and if that means they have to destroy the planet and your health in the process, then so be it. If it means paying workers the lowest wage possible and decreasing value, then it is encouraged.

I don’t mean to sound like a conspiracy nut here, but after years of research, here are my conclusions.  Monsanto wants to own the worlds food supply and slowly poison you as a means of depopulation so they can initiate a New World Order and have perfect control over what we eat.  If you want to control the world, all you have to do is control the worlds food supply.  I saw a news story recently of a woman who got charged for growing vegetables on her own property, and community gardens get shut down all the time.  They can’t profit or control what goes in to your body if you are growing your own food, and that’s a problem for them.

This is also a means to keep us sick and needing to rely on the pharmaceutical industry (which is in itself a business, which we will talk about more in a bit).  GMO corn has been modified to actually produce it’s own pesticide.  This pesticide containing corn is what we eat whenever we eat foods with GMO corn in them.

Every time you buy a box of Corn Flakes from Walmart, you aren’t just harming your health. You’re giving your money to power hungry psychopaths who literally want to wipe you out, or at least want to keep you sick and under their control spending money on medications. Buying your food from a local organic source always feels so much better because you know the people actually care about you, your family, and about their practice. 

4) Your Quality Of Life Improves Dramatically

Missing out on a higher quality of life is something which is also costly. Spending your life feeling fresh and clean, both inside and out, is worth something. When you feel like your body is properly fueled, you’re more creative, you’re more productive, and you’re more attentive to whatever life throws at you.   You’re more mentally sharp and alert, your problem solving improves, and your vessel begins to function like a well-oiled machine.  I don’t think it’s false to say that a healthy diet could be what makes or breaks your personal business, or what allows you to do such a high quality of work that you get promoted.  Seriously though.  Imagine working on a project after eating a Big-Mac combo with a coke.  Now imagine working on that same project after an all organic avocado, tomato, and lettuce sandwich with a glass of organic juice.  You are allowing yourself to operate at your highest level.

You simply extract more experience from life. Imagine eating one week fully organic with a diet mostly of fruits and vegetables without putting any bad stuff into your body. Compare the quality of the week and the weeks to follow with one where your diet consists of a daily intake of fast-food and soda. You literally get more out of your limited time you have here, and you get to live healthier and more fit in the process.  It’s hard to quantify “quality of life” into something that can be measured, but we all know the different between feeling alive and feeling like we are just breathing.  Health, vitality, and happiness should be worth something to all of us.  Life is so amazing. Why pinch pennies when it comes to maximizing our experience here?

5) You Are Saving The Environment

The destruction of nature is pretty costly too. Air pollution, soil contamination , the seepage of chemicals and pesticides into underground water supplies, and the killing of birds and bees. Pesticides are toxic to bees, and if the bees were to go extinct tomorrow, we would literally all be screwed.

The ecosystem of the entire world would suffer dramatically. They pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops. We are not only harming our own bodies when eat pesticide-ridden foods. We are also harming the very species that allowed our species to evolve in the first place. Not only bees, but other insects, birds, and earthworms which are all essential to the global ecosystem. 

In the United States, pesticides were found to pollute every stream and over 90% of wells sampled in a study by the US Geological Survey. Pesticide residues have also been found in rain and groundwater. Studies by the UK government showed that pesticide concentrations exceeded those allowable for drinking water in some samples of river water and groundwater.   Pesticides can enter the body through inhalation of aerosols, dust and vapor that contain pesticides.  By eating foods that have been sprayed with pesticides, you are not only contaminating your own body.  You are also contributing to the contamination the air you breathe and the water you drink (4).

I’m not trying to encourage you to hop on the organic hippie bandwagon. I’m encouraging you to do what you know is going to be best for your body, now and long term. Personally, I hope to have about 70 years left here. Eating organically (and non-GMO whenever possible) will pay for itself 10 times over by saving me on medications and treatments. It will extend my life by at least a decade, if not more. More memories, more experience, more fun.

I don’t know about you, but when I am on my deathbed prematurely and am looking back on life, I don’t think I will say, “Man, I could have really used those extra 10 years on earth to evolve and spend time experiencing life, but at least I saved 20 cents on bananas each time I hit up a Metro”.

I personally like the feeling of supporting local organic farmers who I can interact with face to face. I have a friendship with the farmer I buy my vegetables from. It’s allows me to appreciate my food more. Furthermore, it allows me to be the greatest version of myself that I can be while I’m here.  If living longer, living better, living healthier (and not wasting money on medications), saving the environment, and supporting local farmers isn’t worth an extra 20 dollars a week, then what is?

http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/5-reasons-eating-organic-is-cheaper-than-non-organic/