A MUST Read: Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease

§ March 14th, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , § No Comments

INFLAMMATION!  It is the cornerstone concept of the 28 Days To Health™ nutrition program and is the root of all evil in your body.  Heart surgeon Dr. Dwight Lundell writes a fantastic article explaining how inflammation is the cause of heart disease.  He gives helpful analogies that I plan to use when I educate my clients on the topic.  Lundell has a background and experience that makes a very compelling case for the anti-inflammatory diet.

I strongly encourage you to read the article in its entirety but here are some excerpts that I highlighted:

  • Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.
  • Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped.
  •  The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine.
  • I saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years who all shared one common denominator — inflammation in their arteries.
  • There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state.
  • Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.

If you are interested in learning how to live a healthier lifestyle on the anti-inflammatory diet please contact me.  Armed with grocery shopping lists, recipes and tips & tricks of the trade I can support you through the process. 

 

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My thoughts on the documentary ‘Forks Over Knives’

§ March 5th, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , , , , § No Comments

I was working with a new client recently whose rebuttal against my instructions for adding meat protein in their meals was, “Well, what about Forks Over Knives? Haven’t you seen that?”  Oh boy.  Vegetarian propaganda is circling, I thought.  Luckily the protein supplement we use in 28 Days To Health™ is a vegan protein derived from green pea and rice.  So this client and I settled on him using the protein powder for some meals and eating fish for whole food meals and I figured I would circle back with the meat discussion.

Yesterday I did my due diligence and watched this documentary written and directed by Lee Fulkerson.

First off, I absolutely LOVE that these food documentaries like Food Inc., Food Matters, and now Forks Over Knives are gaining in popularity and the message is getting out to the public.   Vegetarian debate aside, the underlying message in ALL these films is that Americans (especially) need to wake up and pay attention to where our food is coming from, how it comes to our kitchen and how it is affecting our health and well being.  The more people watch these films and research on their own the easier it is for me to coach them on shopping organically, preparing healthy meals and why we need to detoxify our bodies after a lifetime of exposure to dangerous food.

I am going to bullet point my likes and dislikes but if you want a more in depth critique of the film from someone who is scientifically minded then I encourage you to check out this blog from Raw Food SOS.

What I liked about this film:

    1. The case studies of unhealthy individuals who are put on a healthy, plant-based diet and who dramatically change their blood numbers and feel fantastic.  Their lives are saved from cutting out the soda, red bull, fast food, processed food and  . . . meat?
    2. The featured doctors, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.  They are likable, smart, caring and both grew up on farms yet now understand the issues with dairy and promote a dairy-free lifestyle.
    3. The call to action for Americans.  It can never really be said enough times being the ugly statistics we have in this country.  The poverty level citizens in this country are in a catch 22 because what they can afford is what is killing them and our society.
    4. The repetition of “Plant-based food.”  The film avoids the term vegan and vegetarian which I think is smart.  As an organic meat eater myself, I am not offended and instead identify that I too can stand to incorporate more plants into my diet.  The more plants we eat the more nutrient dense calories we take in and the less we crave sweets, breads, and over eat meat.

 

What I dislike, or questions, about the film:
  1. The most glaring issue for me is that you take these unhealthy individuals who are eating all the bad crap they can including sugar, alcohol, processed food, fast food, GMO food AND MEAT and put them on a plant-based diet and OF COURSE they are going to get healthy.  What would be more telling for me is if you had a group on a vegetarian diet AND a group on an organic veggie and meat diet and see what the differences are.
  2. The China Study.  The Raw Food SOS blogger again attacks this issue in full detail.  Without even reading the China Study (but knowing the gist) I question the OTHER factors of disease besides meat consumption like environmental toxins, alcohol consumption, the sources of meat and vegetables and how they were raised/grown, etc.
  3. The inclusion of grains that contain gluten.  There isn’t a single mention of gluten (which is probably good for simplicity sake) but they are definitely plant-based foods.
  4. There isn’t any mention of soy consumption.  It is also a plant food but we know now that soy can increase estrogen, block the absorption of fiber, block of absorption of fiber and destroy your thyroid.  Read more about the dangers of soy.
I encourage you to watch this 90 minute film for a good perspective of diet and health.  For those of you with Netflix on demand it is available to watch right now.
Cheers to your heath!
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Finding health & nutrition OUTSIDE of California

§ March 2nd, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , , § No Comments

All bundled up for a morning beach walk in Long Beach, WA

I was raised in Northern California, lived in the Bay Area for 8 years and then in Southern California for 8 years.  I am a California girl.   There have been times when I couldn’t believe that America was getting fatter because everyone in my view seemed to be catching on to regular workouts, buying organic and eating less packaged, preserved food.  As I settle into my new home for the next month on the Southwest coast of Washington, I realize how spoiled I have been.

Before we landed here I did a little research online to see what kind of activities and grocery stores I might find in Long Beach, WA.  There isn’t a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods within hours of here and the one gym I found online had a website that hadn’t been updated for 2 years and still said “coming soon.”  I also enjoy taking dance classes for a workout but the nearest “big” town of Astoria, Oregon only has two kids studios which I realize might not have an appropriate class.  Sigh . . .

THC Organic Market in Long Beach, WA

Never fear –  the best way to find the healthy folks around town is to get off-line and pound the pavement.   Our first afternoon in town we spotted the THC Organic Market which had all the gluten-free, dairy-free, organic veggies and things we would need.  Slightly more expensive than I am used to but worth the alternative of shopping solely at the IGA grocery store.  The owners, Mark and Tami, are wonderful and in a few short days have become familiar faces that we enjoy chatting with.

Our little gym for the month

Their daughter Lydia owns the Total Health Fitness Center (which has actually been open for two years, NOT coming soon) and is a great little gym that my boyfriend and I joined for the month.   It’s the small room you see in the picture and has everything we need to do cardio and weight lifting workouts.  We have our access code to come and go as we please and so far have had two great workouts with only a couple other friendly locals.

With a short amount of hunting we have stumbled upon what might be the healthiest family in town.  We can get groceries, organic almond milk latte’s, lunch on the go and a workout which is a fantastic start to our month.

As you can see from the photo above you dress quite differently for a morning beach walk in Washington then you do in California.  This morning the sun was out for a couple of hours so we quickly hoped on our bikes and rode down to the Organic Market for our Almond Milk Latte.  I was warmed up when we got there but keep in mind I had on long johns, pants, undershirt with a hood, sweatshirt with a hood, down puffy jacket and mittens.

Todo, we’re not in California anymore!

 

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Article: How Much Protein Do You Need . . .

§ February 17th, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , , § No Comments

I came across this article, How Much Protein Do You Need To Build Muscle & Lose Fat? written by Kevin Richardson who is a natural body building champion. In the 28 Days To Health™ program we talk about the importance of protein and how to plan meals that incorporate more of this vital micronutrient.  I spent 10 years as a personal trainer so I have heard plenty debate on protein and how much is truly needed to maintain a healthy body composition.

Kevin sites in this article that the RDA for protein is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight.   I coach clients to aim for .5 or half your body weight in grams of protein per day.  Body builders can increase this amount to as much as 5 times their weight in grams.  Yikes!   Kevin covers the various angles from too much protein to athletes vs sedentary and so on.

If you are familiar with the topic and know a bit about protein you can skim through the article but definitely check out the last section called, “Increasing Muscle Mass With Relatively Low Protein Intakes.”  He mentions that growing up on a tropical island he regularly saw homeless people with great muscle mass.  They obviously weren’t getting the recommended daily allowance of anything.

In 28 Days To Health we coach clients to pick their protein source first when planning a meal.  You should plan to have “chicken with your rice and veggies” and not “rice and veggies with some chicken.”  For many, having a protein supplement is key because in the reality of life cooking up eggs, chicken or fish three times a day is not possible.

 

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Adding Dry Brush and Detox Spa Products Into Your Cleanse Routine

§ February 2nd, 2012 § Filed under Balance § Tagged , , , , , , , § No Comments

This week most of my January cleansers are wrapping up their program and starting to integrate the principles they learned during 28 Days To Health™ into an improved lifestyle.  With so many topics to cover about inflammatory food and  reducing toxic exposure I forgot to cover one of the great ways to continually detox during your shower routine!

In the cleanse program we talk about the various detoxification pathways in our body.  Taking care of our skin, our largest organ, is vital so it can better remove toxins through sweat.  Using a dry brush is a great way to not only slough dead skin cells and toxins on the surface but also stimulate the lymphatic system.  By helping the lymphatic system you are improving your immune system and circulation. § Read the rest of this entry…

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28 Days To Health™ Client Loses 9 pounds in 13 days!

§ January 19th, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , § No Comments

Even at the half-way mark  I receive feedback from clients that re-affirm the possible results of the 28 Days To Health™ program and that I am indeed in the right career.  Chrissy emailed me a couple of days ago and I thought I would share her thoughts on the experience thus far.

“I started on January 3rd.  I did this to jump start me “behaving better,” making better choices, getting back on track with portion control, etc.  I also have 15-20 pounds I wanted gone (again!) this year.  I turn 40 on January 16th . . . next year.  I vowed to not turn 40 with any extra pounds. 

 To that end, I started Tuesday, January 3rd at 150.8 lbs.  Monday, January 16th (my 39th birthday!), I weighed in at 141.4 lbs.  Nine pounds gone!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  Although, I don’t see/feel them.  I think they are internal JUNK pounds.  It is definitely the jump start and motivation I needed to get things on the right track.  

 My husband is not as eager to make “big changes.”  The cleanse process is not something he thinks he would do.  However, he made me an entirely “cleanse compliant” dinner for my birthday last night.  Grilled salmon, spinach salad with strawberries, apples, red onion, almond slivers, avocado and homemade dressing, and roasted sweet potatoes with garlic and rosemary (from your recipes).   Everyone… EVERYONE (my parents, my father-in-law, the four kids and my husband) ate eagerly and enjoyed EVERYTHING!!!!  Had we not told them, they never would have known it was supposedly a “special menu.”

 I have an aunt doing the 28 day cleanse, too!  She has been an amazing shopping helper and recipe source!  My cousin did the cleanse previously.  He is the one that got us started.  He is a great support system!  And with my family experiencing first hand that it isn’t some horrible “diet,” this is definitely a lifestyle change that is easy to make.

 I am definitely enjoying my journey! 

Thank you!”

Chrissy Clyse

To learn more about the program click here.  I am now taking registrations for my February “Live Course”.


 

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Busy week of cleansing and events

§ January 14th, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , , , , § No Comments

I am really feeling the buzz of the New Year which is amplified for me every January with a large group of cleansers in my 28 Days To Health™ program.  We kicked off the program on Thursday, January 5th and there has been a flurry of text messages, emails and calls as my clients make their way through the first week of the dietary changes.  Last night we had our second call and I absolutely love hearing the feedback of people having more energy, dropping weight and, as one woman noted, increased clarity.

This week has been even busier than normal since my colleague and mentor, Colleen Carney, has been in Newport Beach with me spreading the word about this program.  In my humble opinion we are a fantastic team that is passionate about what we do and how we do it!  Yesterday we were walking Balboa Island getting our fresh air and exercise while we strategized our upcoming year and taking client calls on the move.  Enjoying our freedom and flexibility is definitely part of the design of our business.

On Wednesday of this week we hosted a Healthy Happy Hour at Olive Oil & Beyond on Balboa Island.  It was so much fun to learn about the differences in quality of olive oil and the plethora of health benefits.  We were able to tie in the concept of healthy fats and why it is so important to include them in hormonally balanced meals.  If you have not been in this store you NEED to treat yourself to the tastings of the various olive oils and vinegars.  It’s comparable to wine tasting and definitely more healthy.

Today we are headed up to Beverly Hills to meet with a physical therapist who is starting his own 28 Days To Health™ experience.  Once he figures out how important the anti-inflammatory diet is to his health I hope he will share it with all his patients in his practice.

I am amped up and ready to take on the day!  Enjoy yours and strive for health and well being.

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Join us in Newport Beach for a Healthy Happy Hour

§ January 4th, 2012 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , , , , § 1 Comment

 

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Mentally preparing for your healthy resolutions in 2012

§ December 30th, 2011 § Filed under Balance § Tagged , , , , , § No Comments

Some of you rebel against the term ‘resolutions.’  Especially those of you who HAVE been in the gym in December and are going to start complaining about the crowds in January.  If you can just put the semantics aside I have a feeling we ALL are starting to re-energize and motivate for next week which just so happens to be the start of a new year.

I have had a busy week getting clients prepared for the 28 Days To Health™ weight loss and detox program and have done a lot of talking about preparation.  It’s a big gear shift to go from the chocolate we eagerly pulled out of our stocking to veggies and protein shakes a week later. § Read the rest of this entry…

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Genetic engineering: The world’s greatest scam?

§ December 27th, 2011 § Filed under Health & Nutrition § Tagged , , , , , § No Comments

The buzz is growing around genetically modified foods in the United States.  This is an animated illustration from Greenpeace.org that describes what is happening without our, the consumers, knowledge.  Other countries including Australia, New Zealand and Europe require GMO food to be labeled but the strong food industry in the US has prevented that from happening.

I have been reading Robyn O’Brien’s The Unhealthy Truth that exposes the details of the situation in the United States.  This book has opened my eyes to the subject and further supports what I teach in the 28 Days To Health™ program.

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