The aging-inflammation connection at Pharmaca.com

The aging-inflammation connection at Pharmaca.com

Deadly Dozen

DEADLY DOZEN

Some foods hold more pesticides than others. It seems that researchers from a variety of backgrounds agree that the following as the list contains the 12 most pesticide laden foods.  

You do not have to avoid these foods instead you must pay special attention to buy these only as organic.

Apples,Celery,Grapes (imported)Peaches,Potatoes,

Spinach,Bell Peppers,Cherries,Nectarines,Pears,

Red Raspberries,Strawberries,

Organic produce UPC code starts with a number “9” –      Choose organic whenever possible!   

If you are unable to obtain organic foods, the following list includes foods with very little need for chemicals in growing process.  These foods are therefore a better choice if you must buy non-organic foods: 

Asparagus,Bananas, Broccoli,Citrus,Kiwi,Melons,Papaya,  Peas–sweet,Avocados,Blueberries,Cauliflower,Grapes – California, Mangoes,Onions,Pineapples,

Conventional produce UPC code starts with a number “4”

Gerri Kier, CNHP

Complete Nutrition Alliance

303-815-3567

SPRING DETOX!

Spring Detox – Cleanse and Recharge for Radiant Health April 1, 2009 | By Sandy Halliday In Detox,Healthy Eating | Although you can go on a detox diet at any time, Springtime has traditionally been regarded by naturopaths as the most important time of the year to detox. Magazines and newspapers are generally full of detox diet advice every January to combat the excesses of Christmas but practitioners of Chinese medicine also say we should wait until Spring to detox. They say that the body’s energies have cycles and the energies come to the surface at Springtime making it easier to detox. We are certainly more likely to prefer fruit and cold salad foods when we are warmer. New spring vegetables with all their valuable nutrients become available so it makes sense to wait to make use of them. If you want to stay healthy in this increasingly toxic world then it seems essential to detox and cleanse to prevent the build up of toxic chemicals in your body. The body has a very complicated and sophisticated detox system which works on your behalf every day but the sheer amount of toxins you are now exposed to means that it has become overwhelmed. Researchers have shown that we all carry a number of chemicals stored in our tissues that the detox system has been unable to get rid of.  Choosing a detox program that uses specific foods and supplements known to rev up the detox system can help lower this toxic load. You can find out more about this in my Definitive Detox Diet ebook. Your body produces toxins as a result of normal metabolism which can become harmful if allowed to build up but the most damaging toxins are more likely to come from the environment. They come from from your food, the water you drink and bathe in, products you use on your skin and in your home. Others chemicals come from furnishings, furniture and building materials in your home. You absorb them through your skin or breathe them in. These chemicals interfere with how your cells work and are considered to be the root cause of all disease and degenerative conditions. By following a good detox program you can : reduce your exposure to toxins provide the nutrients that support the detox pathways enhancing elimination of toxins provide nutrients that help repair, renew and nourish your body When the quality of the food coming into your body is of high quality the cells begins to discard the garbage that is clogging them up to make room for the superior materials which it uses to make new and healthier tissue. Foods to Lose: Take at least one week to reduce and eventually eliminate regular tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, alcohol, junk food, fatty and fried foods, foods containing hydrogenated and trans fats, sugar and foods containing it, processed foods and foods with additives.  Reduce and then avoid dairy and wheat products. Reduce your exposure to other toxins by using only natural products on your skin and for household cleaning. Filter your drinking water and ideally your shower water too. Avoid exposure to all chemicals in your home and garden as far as possible. Foods to Use: Fresh fruit and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels  sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga (swede); whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds. Flavor with fresh herbs, turmeric and ginger. Drink filtered water and herbal, weak green or white tea. Here is an example of a detox diet that can be followed for 7 – 14 days depending on how experienced you are and the time you have.  You can change the times of meals to suit your own schedule. Make sure you have completed a colon cleanse before attempting the detox diet and ensure you keep your bowels moving throughout the detox. Use 1 – 2 tablespoons flax seeds (linseeds) whole or freshly ground in addition to the mixed seeds if necessary. Spring Detox Diet 7am  – 8 oz glass of pure warm water with juice of half lemon. 7.30 am  – Fresh organic fruit juice, organic vegetable juice or Green Smoothie. Add 1 tsp of your favorite green superfood. 8 – 8.30 am  -  Big bowl fresh fruit with 1 tbs mixed seeds. Eat enough to satisfy your appetite. 9.30  am  -  Glass of pure water, herbal tea such as peppermint, chamomile, dandelion, nettle, Pau D’Arco, echinacea, sage, detox blends, weak green or white tea. 10.30 am –   Fresh vegetable juice or Green Smoothie 12.30am   -  Large green leaf and raw vegetable salad. Or, if very hungry, a bowl of brown or red rice with steamed vegetables, lentils and herbs. Use quinoa or millet in place of rice on other days. 2pm  -  Glass of pure water, herbal or weak green or white tea 3pm  -  Another vegetable juice or smoothie Add 1 tsp Green  Superfood 4 pm  – Herbal Tea + snack, if hungry, of a handful of almonds that have been soaked overnight in pure water. 6pm  – Vegetable soup or large vegetable salad topped with a handful of sprouts 8pm – Drink another vegetable juice if hungry or snack on fruit. Do not eat after 9pm or it will not get digested before you go to sleep. Detox Support To gain most from the detox and to prevent detox symptoms it is best to support your body with specific nutrients that support the detox pathways. Try BodyHealth Complete + Detox Exercise Avoid strenuous exercise during detox but some form of gentle exercise is essential. Yoga, tai chi, brisk walking or rebounding on a mini-trampoline are good. Skin brushing & massage Brush your skin every day towards your heart with a dry skin brush to help circulate the lymph. A good complete body massage during the detox week is good too. Getting the most from the Detox To get the most from this detox it is essential to introduce animal protein foods very slowly and gradually when you have completed your detox and chew it well.  Start by having a little organic yogurt on the first day after the detox. Perhaps try an oat based muesli the next day that has been well soaked in fruit juice overnight to soften the flakes. Meat is more difficult to digest especially after a 7 or 14 day break. Start with a small amount of organic chicken or mercury free fish and chew it well. Don’t imagine that you have fully detoxed your body with a few days following this or any detox plan so try to keep to a very healthy diet and plan another detox next month.

SPRING LIVER FLUSH!

Spring Liver Flush: A Tasty Way to Awaken Your Body Its spring time, a great time to flush the liver. All winter we have been eating our hearty soups, meat, and products with fat in order to keep ourselves warm. Now it is time to clean our blood and renew our energy with an easy, simple Spring Liver Flush. R E C I P E : 1/8th of a Lemon (no peels) 8 cloves of organic garlic 2 TB Apple Cider Vinegar 3 TB Honey In a blender, combine all ingredients until it becomes a mash like consistency. Take 1 spoonful (about 1/2 Tablespoon) and eat it in the morning. Do this for three mornings in a row. Your liver will love you! The mash will go to your liver, and act as a cleansing screen for your blood. The garlic is a key ingredient here, as it is a blood thinner, detoxifier, and viral inhibitor. Honey is an anti-bacterial, helping to eliminate bacteria, the vinegar alkalizes the blood and cleanses, and the lemon also alkalizes, cleanses and offers Vitamin C and alkaloids and bioflavonoids (great for vein health). Watch the bags under your eyes, yellow tones to skin above eyes, and aches and pains fade away. Your liver has a tough job of taking everything you put into your body, and removing anything unhealthy. The liver runs all of your blood through it about 20 times a day! Help your liver do its job by “Cleaning the Screen”. Did you know your liver is the largest organ in your body, after the skin? It weighs about 3 pounds! We encourage the Liver Flush for whole health. You will notice a boost in energy, elimination of nagging symptoms, and increased bodily health. For even more liver cleansing and toning, try a cup of dandelion root and dandelion leaf tea. Milk thistle is also an excellent nourishing herb for assisting the liver in repairing itself. Enjoy!

HOW TO GET OVER A COLD

This is my own tried and true way to get over a cold.
What you will need:-
Bath Tub, Hot Water, Apple Cider Vinegar.

In the evening run a deep bath as hot as your body can stand. Pour 1/2 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar in the full bath. Have 1/4 cup of the Apple Cider Vinegar on the side of the bath. Preferably in a plastic cup.
While soaking in the tub, slowly sip the 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.
It's a good Idea to have drinking water on hand too, and if your body is achy you can add Epsom Salt to the tub.
When it's time to get out, wrap your head in a towel and put your robe on, don't dry off, get straight into bed. Sleep zzzzzzzz
You will sweat, this is good because it helps eliminated the virus.
By morning you will wake up feeling 100% 

Cydney's ART

WHITE ELEPHANT STALL! 

BUG'S BOX!

SPACE CASTLE!

                                                                    

WOMAN IN DISTRESS!

PIRATE!

Why You Got Fat- By Gary Taubes

ANOTHER REASON NOT TO EAT SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES!

HONEY

Buzzz!
Bees may seem to be an annoyance at times, but their gift of honey is truly one of nature's sweetest offerings.
If you haven't heard about the peril's of our honey bees, please take the time to google it. 
I use honey for a variety of uses. Since it's anti bacterial, anti fungal and a humectant which means it's moisturizing; I wash my face with it everyday. 
You'll be surprised at how easy it rinses off. I like to take a small jar, fill it 3/4 of the way with RAW honey and add either finely ground flax seed, finely ground almonds, or oats to make a scrub.
Honey is also a wonderful salve for burns, cold sores, acne, cuts and scrapes.
Cleopatra used to praise the honey pat technique for glowing skin. Simply smear honey on your face and tap your fingers for a few minutes all over your skin. The honey will stick to your fingers and gently pull your skin away from your face. This increases blood flow which in turn stimulates collagen production. After you've tapped for a while, leave it on for a few more minutes before rinsing off. It's a wonderful exfoliant too.
Raw unfiltered honey contains live enzymes that assist your body to regenerate itself. 
One type of honey called Manuka from New Zealand is used in hospitals for serious skin problems such as infections, wound healing and burns. 
Honey is truly a gift! Please do whatever you can to support your local honey bee and don't forget to buy RAW unfiltered honey. Heated honey is no better than sugar water. It's no longer alive.
Let's help our honey bees and also enjoy the healing properties of their honey!

SLEEP

Having trouble sleeping at night?

* put a pillow on your stomach while laying on your back. There is
something magical about the weight of the pillow on your stomach. It
relaxes your whole nervous system. Now here's the silly part but it
works....


* gently press your left nostril closed and breath through your right
nostril. This calms your entire body by accessing the right hemisphere
of your brain which is relaxing. You can do this laying on your right
side too if you're a side sleeper.


*avoid both your computer and your cell phone 90 minutes before
bedtime. It's been proven that these devices are stimulating to your
brain and activate the brain's stress system.
Rather than turning on you computer in the middle of the night.
It's better to read a book for a bit.


* Have a bedtime routine. I do the same each night before bed; take
vitamins, wash my face, brush and floss, prepare my coffee or tea for
the morning, and hang up my clothes before bed every single
night. It's my routine and my body starts to relax into it knowing
that we're heading to sleep.


* Avoid TV in the bedroom. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the
electromagnetics as well as the light, sound and stimulation is the
worst possible thing you can do for your night's sleep. On a side
note...it's not the greatest thing for your love life either. ;-)



*Chamomile, Valerian, Catnip or if it's legal in your state, California Poppy teas are all extremely relaxing.


* Turn your heat down, crack a window and keep your room on the chilly
side. Needing to stay warm under the weight of the blankets often
ensures a sound night's sleep.

*If you are feeling stressed or can't stop thinking, write down what is
on your mind or what you think you need to take care of in the
morning. This simple act of writing something down will let your
thinking mind relax and be assured that nothing will be forgotten in
the morning.



Hopefully, reading this has put you in a sleepy state....

Cleanses! WOW

LEMON CLEANSE!

Do the Springtime Lemon Liver cleanse before bed. Want to try it?

If you don't try it tonight, it's a great thing to do first thing in the morning.

juice of 2 lemons

1 large garlic clove

1 inch of fresh ginger, don't peel

aprox 3 TBS olive oil

aprox 1 TBS raw honey

blend in blender and drink as fast as you can.

I love the taste.

Follow with a big glass of water, brush your teeth and jump in bed, or start your day!

Lemon is alkaline and it helps your body remove toxins. Most people think lemons are acid, but once you take them in, they are alkaline. Sour flavors such as lemon are really good for your liver. Be sure to rinse your teeth after having lemon as the juice can be hard on your enamel.

Talk about waking up clean in the morning or starting your day with a blast! You won't believe how white the white of your eyes will become as you get clean on the inside.... And that is a great indication of a healthy system.

MASTER CLEANSE!

Another wonderful detox tea, keeps you warm and relaxed. Plus it's a great alternative to water while keeping you hydrated as you detox. 

1 cup purified water

Juice of one lemon

Dash of cayenne

Maple Syrup to taste

optional-garnish lemon slices! 

Heat water to a low boil, add lemon juice, dash of cayenne and maple syrup serve warm or over ice!

LEMON GINGER TEA!

2 cups purified water

4 1/2 slices of fresh Ginger, don't peel

1-2 lemons juiced 

1/4 tea-spoon lemon zest

1 tea-spoon raw honey (or to taste)

optional-garnish lemon slices!

Heat water and ginger in pan, simmer 15-20 minutes, remove ginger, add lemon juice, zest and honey. 

Serve warm with lemon slices or cold over ice!

Ice version, don't heat, cut the sugar, chill and serve with sparkling mineral water!

                                                      Pam Vagnieres,MS-MNT-CSCS.

                                                               www.nutriphysique.net

                                                                        303-665-7992

SUPER FOOD:-CATEGORY SEAWEED

More and more experts are agreeing that seaweed can be categorized as a superfood. That claim is being supported by investigations that reveal that seaweed, which is a variety of algae, contains more calcium than cheese, more fibre than you will find in prunes and more iron than a sirloin steak. All these comparisons are weight for weight.

Other important vitamins and minerals contained in seaweed are potassium and iodine and it is the sole plant that is a source of vitamin B12. The most recent studies on seaweed revealed that its bioactive substances aid in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, plus its ability to deal with free radicals that are the cause of cancer.

The American Association for Cancer Research has recently published their initial research that revealed how extracts of seaweed was able to inhibit cancer cell growth that would otherwise lead to lymphoma. They were interested to know the connection between seaweed and cancer reduction on account of the Japanese who eat more seaweed per capita than any other nation and have low cancer rates in their women.

The University of Newcastle conducted research that showed how seaweed fibres (alginates) were responsible for reducing the absorption of fat by the body and could thus be considered a viable weight-loss ingredient.

From Newcastle University, research associate in human nutrition, Dr Iain Brownlee said: “We’ve found that by adding these natural fibers to food products, up to 75 per cent of the fat we consume could simply pass through the body – so in theory it could be used to fight obesity. Alginates could be used in place of the fat that gives food its flavour. In tests, people have actually preferred bread with small levels of alginate in it – so it’s not something you have to force yourself to eat.