Wheat,Weight Gain, and Mucoid Plaque

If you're like the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people out there with wheat afflictions you might not know this. Even though symptoms don't show up while you're eating wheat, it could be the silent allergen. Here's a quick test to find out if you are allergic. First get a reading of your resting heart rate of beats per 15 seconds before you eat. Then have a slice of bread or some wheat crackers. Wait one hour and test your heart rate again. If your rate is up at least 2 beats every 15 seconds, you have a wheat allergy. You can test this with all foods, but it is time consuming and can't really be done with all foods as you may grow too hungry to wait. Just the main food allergies like wheat, onions/garlic, beef, corn, soy, and dairy products should be tested this way. Others can be tested through blood or by a kinesiologist.

Obvious food allergies are bloating, gassy, cramps, pains in joints, back, neck or head, and skin rashes. Most people don't realize what foods actually do to the human body. Just because it's a fruit, vegetable, grain, or nut, doesn't meant it's the right thing for you to be eating. Allergies and sensitivities are no laughing matter. Simple upset stomachs can lead to more serious symptoms like Chrone's Disease or Celiac's or even asthma (anaphylaxis).

Another huge problem with wheat, if you are allergic or sensitive to it, is it's a leading cause of weight gain. Wheat will slowly, but surely, make you very overweight, if not obese, if consumed when it should be avoided. Some people can process wheat products and suffer no ill effects, while others just look at wheat and gain 5 pounds.

If you are on a healthy weight loss diet full of fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, legumes, and grains and you're still not losing or even gaining weight, consider your grain source. Most people benefit from spelt pastas and breads and suffer no increase in weight. It's a healthy alternative and it's just delicious. Also consider kamut or rye breads instead. You'll have to visit a health food store to get these breads as they aren't sold in most grocery stores in Ireland as of yet.

Sprouted breads are the best alternative. In an earlier post I've linked a recipe for sprouted bread. All grains should be eaten just after they are sprouted. Oats, barley, and even wheat should all be soaked in water and consumed after sprouting. That way they are in their live form and give us the most nourishment with the least toxic response.

There is one last thing I will say about why we shouldn't consume grains in their refined or processed form. Two words: mucoid plaque. This link has pictures that are not for the squeamish. Click on the link for acid/alkalizing foods, and mucoid forming foods . You'll be shocked by the amount of mucous producing foods are in your everyday diet. Foods that seemed harmless, until now.

I highly recommend everyone to slowly change their diets away from the acid over to the alkaline and then do a cleanse. Only cleanse if you are healthy enough to do it. If you are at all sick DO NOT attempt a cleanse. It will make symptoms worse. You can also try to supplement vitamins and minerals before a cleanse to make sure you don't deplete all the good with the bad.

Contact me for more information.

P.S. Most breads on the market contains soya flour. Avoid these breads as well. Soya is a know mucous producer and depletes minerals. Also known to rapidly advance puberty in girls and slow it in boys.

Shocking News About Garlic

Garlic, Allium sativum L, is in the onion family Alliaceae. It's used for cooking and medicinal purposes. Up until recently I thought there were no side effects other than upset stomach from a sulphur sensitivity. This is just not so.

I had a consultation with a 4 year old femle client the other day and through kinesiology found that she has a virus present. Well, being 4 and unable to swallow pills (without testing her) I suggested rubbing fresh garlic on the soles of her feet just before bed. It's an excellent anitbacteria and viral as well as having many other healing/cleansing properties. So her Mother did what I suggested and in less than a minute her daugher was screaming in pain and pleading with her to remove it. Thinking her daughter was just being dramatic as kids can be, I know I've witnessed it loads of times, she removed it and put her to bed.

In the morning she went to her daughters beside and looked at her foot again to see if there really was a problem. Unbelievably she had what appeared to be a red burn mark on her skin the size of the clove of garlic. By the end of the day her cheeks were flushed as well.

Ruling out that she's a vampire, I went and searched for other known cases of garlic sensitivity. Apparently it's a known fact that the allicin (sulphur compound) present in crushed garlic can cause symptoms of 'skin irritation, reddening and even blistering. Low level intolerance or excessive intake can result in heartburn or flatulence.'

I'd recommended it to clients before and even heard of other people doing it for their kids with no ill effects. Garlic is still the number one thing I recommend to small children and infants to relieve colds, flus, fevers, and any bacterial/viral infections because of it's fast healing benefits. Plus it doesn't need to be ingested. Just be careful and heed a word of warning.

If you are going to apply garlic to the feet, please do a patch test if a kinesiologist is not available. If you notice any signs of sensitivity, wash the area immediately and apply aloe. This should counteract any blistering.

Another way we found there was a sulfer allergy was her reaction to her inhaler for asthma. It too contains a sulphite that when ingested causes her to become angry and tempermental. She was described as "being a totally different person" when on the inhaler. I asked the mother to consult her doctor to see if a change could be made. She then told me the doctors told her there were no other alternatives.

Now I don't for one single second believe there is only 1 asthma inhaler drug for acute symptoms on the market. I don't mess with emergency situations as natural health is slow healing over a period of time, so I told her to call other doctors here and even in other countries for their advice on the matter. Remember this: Doctor's are glorified sales people. They will never speak of a drug they are not promoting because they have no knowledge of it. That doesn't mean the drugs don't exist, it simply means they aren't aware of it and don't get a kickback from recommending it. Please go to several sources for information, hit the web, and get yourself educated on matters of health for you and your children. Never hand over full responsibility for the health and welfare of yourself and others to anyone. If something sounds odd or untrue, do the research. Information is there for the taking and no one has more access to information than you.

Chromium and the Quorn Debate

So I'm sitting here next to my box of Cadbury chocolate the boy gave me for Valentine's Day. The box, that held two layers of chocolates, is almost gone. I endulge myself occasionally and gorge a few chocs, nothing wrong with that. Luckily I have the willpower not to go overboard with it. I will admit that around menstrual time I do get the intense craving for all things chocolate. So yes I feel I owe it to myself to allow a treat or two. But again never OVER endulge. I usually can't eat more than one or two anyway, it's just too sweet. Where am I going with this you ask? Chromium. Chromium is a trace mineral in your body that when not present causes a sweet craving from an imbalance of blood sugar levels. Of course eating sugar isn't the correct response, yea I know that but I don't listen to myself, so taking a quick supplement or eating a food high in chromium is a better protocol. The debate continues between me and twitterland about the health benefits of Quorn brand non-meat subsititues. If you go to Quorns website they profess that it's made from mycoprotein (a mushroom). They give a breezy description of how they manufacture this delicious treat, but what they don't tell you is alarming. The fact is, it comes from a fungus called Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684. And is grown in vats, not in nature like you would assume. As stated on wired.com "...Quorn is a kind of fungus, and it's not at all a kind of mushroom." Read the entire wired.com post on Quorn and tell me if you'll be eating it again. I've never had a reaction to it, like 550 have (550 out of millions I might add). But the idea of eating a fungus turns my stomach a little. Plus one thats grown in a vat in England. Mmmm tasty!

More Soy Myths Exposed

Another article giving explicit details about the Deadly Soybeans Lie Promotes Bad Food Roun The World. Had quite the debate on twitter tonight about it. Hard to believe people want to defend all soy products. The research has been done and science has proven the ill affects of soy. It's in black and white people. Ignorance I can understand, get educated. But arrogant ignorance is just uncessary and does more harm than good. P.S. And to answer your question, NO the FDA is not there to protect or help us. They are there to promote money making schemes and products and rub elbows with pharmaceutical companies. Don't trust them EVER!!!

What the Doctor's Couldn't Fix, I Could

After finishing up with my client this afternoon, my fiance and I went to lunch at a nearby cafe. When I went inside to pay I saw one of my coworkers from the health food shop I work at sitting at a table. I got her attention and said my hellos. She called me over and told me of a customer I had helped the other day. She went on to tell me that it was the woman who was complaining of a pain in her lower left side (descending colon area). I remembered vividly the conversation I had with her in reference to the pain. A pain that was so bad it kept her awake at night. I asked the customer what other symptoms she had and what her bowel movements looked like. And yes I do have to know that as gross as it sounds. She informed me that at certain times it was more yellow in color. That told me liver or possibly gall bladder immediately. Other symptoms were puffy eyes and malaise. Just standing there talking to her I could sense that the problem was more liver. I muscle tested her and found it to be so. I recommeded dandelion root for its tonifying and cleansing effects. She had little funds so she couldn't afford the probiotics I recommended as well. I decided dandelion was the better of the two for that particular situation. It would cleanse her liver, gall bladder, kidneys,stomach, pancreas, blood, and intestines. It soothes the digestive tract and absorbs toxins, and is rich in minerals to balance the body and promote healing. Dandelion also acts as a mild diuretic for abnormal water weight gain due to taxed kidneys or lack of minerals. Probiotics taken as a supplement or in foods like yogurt repopulate the friendly flora (bacteria) in the intestinal tract to allow for nutrient digestion and assimilation. It can provide relief from certain food sensitivities, bacterial or fungal/yeast infections, and boost the immune system. Well, come to find out the pain ceased within 36 hours of starting the dandelion and hasn't returned. All other symptoms have reverse as well. This customer had previously gone to the doctor to rule out cancer, cysts or any other major problem. All tests came out normal but the pain persisted. The doctors were perplexed and since all tests came back negative, there was nothing they could do. Thankfully she cared enough about her health not to take pain killers, and sought out natural remedies instead.

Fatal and Vital Foods - Popular Nutrition Myths Exposed

This is an amazing article sent to me by a friend. Fatal and Vital Foods - Popular Nutrition Myths Exposed Read the entire website for great information about topics such as vaccines, preventing Parkinson's disease, and many other great articles focused on keeping you healthy.

Genetics Vs. Learned Behaviour Part Two

Just something I found on Digg that was peaked my interest. Tell me what you think about "Mississippi Law: No Fat People Allowed"

Personally I don't agree with taking a majority of the blame for obesity out of the hands of the obese. If healthy foods are available to them but they choose to eat unhealthy, then it's their own fault for being fat. Not having willpower to eat right is not something I take lightly. You know what you're doing but don't stop yourself from pigging out and I'm supposed to feel bad for you? I don't think so.

I understand that a large number of people need help when choosing the right foods. There are so many conflicting articles about what is and isn't healthy. Like soy for instance. But if you aren't knowledgable about this topic ASK SOMEONE WHO IS!! Buy a book, take a class, go to a heath food store and ask some questions. There are millions of ways to get information on eating right. Go to a gym and ask someone there, surf the internet for blogs (ahem *points to self*). But the one thing you should never ever ever do, is believe what you see on TV. Unless it's a natural health program.

If it's mainstream media, it's bollox!! It's genetically modified information broadcast to you to get money. If a company that's said to have health products advertises on any medium besides word of mouth or pamphlets at a health food store, they've spent too much money on getting the word out and not on the product itself. I sell a pet food in my shop in the States and the day I see it advertised on TV, it's gettting pulled off my shelf. No products I recommend ever hit the airwaves.

Genetics Vs. Learned Behaviour

Science shows genetics may play a part in obesity. Some people are more prone to gain weight than others. Slower metabolism from a depressed thyroid can cause a number of symptoms as well. One of course being weight gain. Putting that aside, could the problem acually be a learned behaviour? How much are we allowing science to mask the real problem?



Looking back on my friends in primary (elementary) school, I'd estimate that 90% of my class were at their ideal weight. In fact, obesity was so rare that the heavier kids were picked on as it wasn't the norm of the times. I went to a friends house, who was on the heavier side, and met her family. Not suprisingly all of her family members were obese. I was invited to stay for dinner. I graciously agreed because upon arriving I was treated to cookies and milk, so I figured dinner would be a treat as well.

I observed her mother making dinner and noticed a few things that, realizing now, shouldn't have been on the menu. Frozen chips (french fries) cooked in a deep fat frier, pork chops loaded with grease, white bread and butter, and frozen peas warmed on the stove with butter. I loved all of it and had seconds for the first time in my life.


Her mother cooked mostly whole foods, but how she cooked them and what she put on them afterwards was the problem. Fats, hard fats that don't metabolise well if at all. Plus she was a caterer so an array of fatty foods were available at all times. Cookies, cakes, crisps (chips), and an array of sweets all in the pantry for our consumption. My friend didn't run around as much as I did or play sports of any kind to burn off these extra calories so she gained weight. I didn't like what I was fed at home because it was either canned, processed, or cooked to a crisp and good fats were never added. So that had a tendency to keep my weight in check.


What people don't seem to understand is what you put in is what you get out. Just because some people have a faster metabolism and can eat whatever they want to keep the weight off doesn't mean they are healthier for it. Foods are medicinal and not eating the right ones will show in an obvious symtom, fat.


My view about genetics vs learned behaviour all boils down to this. Instead of it being written in one's genetic code that one will be fat, maybe it's more of an inherited deficiency dis-ease that's been passed down from the mother because of poor prenatal care. Then perpetuated by what the children are being fed and thusly taught to feed themselves later in life. This could have started several generations ago or become a newer problem with the latest pregnancy. What this means is; if your ancestors never got proper nutrition, like iodine to nourish the thyroid, then maybe that deficiency of low iodine was passed to you through your bloodlines and continued with the foods you're being fed. When breastfeeding, you cannot get nutritients from a person that just doesn't possess them.



So maybe genetics does play a part, just not in the way you would think.


Foods have changed over the years, but how to prepare them in your kichen hasn't. Think about this. Do you have recipes from your grandmother on how to prepare her trade family secrets? How did you learn how to cook? Do you prepare the same things "like mom used to make?"


I grew up in a household where canned vegetables, processed meats, packaged microwavable dinners, and fizzy soda were drinks served daily. I wasn't obese because I never over endulged in these foods and I played sports to burn off the extra calories. The only side effects I noticed looking back were concentration difficulties and depression from a lack of essential nutrients. But my father, on the other hand, was overweight. He ate twice the amount everyone in the family did at dinnertime and loaded his food with black pepper (very acidic, not recommended). This lead to a 'pot belly' or 'beer gut' effect even though he never drank.

Long story short, it was because the foods he ate gave him an enzyme and HCI deficiency that lead to improper digestion. The processed foods he ate were not bioavailable or digestable so they stayed in his intestines causing the look of obesity when in fact it was an impacted bowel. Yes, that's just what it sounds like. He was full of s***.

Over the years the problem became worse, leading to two hernia operations as his intestines broke throug his abdominal muscles. The end result of a lifetime of improper diet causing poor digestion was pancreatic cancer that took his life in September 2003. He was only 61 years old.


Seeing this pattern unfold in front of me lead me to do several things. The biggest one, of course, being reevaluate my entire diet. I replaced all harmful processed foods with whole foods and no ingredients I couldn't pronounce and I'm all the better for it. I take supplement my body needs to thrive and have slowed the aging process by eating healthy, medicinal foods and keeping up on my physical activity.


Obesity will never be a problem for me because I know what causes it, how to prevent it, and even how to reverse it once it's begun. I'm just sorry it took losing my father to teach me that lesson.

Chlorella-The Complete Food Supplement

I started a new job at a health food store and came across a supplement that I'd heard about so many times, but just couldn't remember what it was for. It's called Chlorella and the effects it has on your body is just amazing.

Usually when recommending a supplement program for someone just starting out I always try to build them up (vitamins, minerals, etc..) first. Then I allow for a cleanse. If you don't do it in this order you will most certainly suffer a healing crisis. In other words, you'll feel worse before you feel better.

So when I saw this herb, or should I say algae, I was intrigued because it has building and cleansing capabilities. The cleansing doesn't begin until 3-4 months after being on the supplement, so there's no need to worry about a healing crisis.

I recommend all vegetarians to take this supplement. It's a complete protein with all 8 amino acids, and is more bioavailable than proteins in meat. They are already broken down into separate amino acids allowing for immediate digestion and uptake.

Read the link on Chlorella and learn about all the wonderful benefits of this complete food supplement. You'll wonder how you survived without it.

Work Stress, Hack Your Metabolism, Ashwagandha

Let's attack the work atmosphere. The biggest problem in most work environments is stress.

Stress comes in many forms. A few examples are:

Deadlines-too much to do in too little time.

Office 'Soap Operas"-crabby backstabbing coworkers who will do anything to get to the top a.k.a. 'yes man' or 'brown-noser'. Both equally annoying and almost impossible to ignore.

Office Romance-a no no in my book, but where else are you going to meet someone you can get to know on a daily basis? A pub? No thanks. Just make sure if it gets hot and heavy that you have an exit plan to avoid the uncomfortable atmosphere you're going to create.

Micromanagers-managers that watch and comment on every little thing you do. Can't go to the bathroom without being questioned. This needs to be adressed to the manager causing the offense or possibly upper management who might not be aware that it is going on. Be tacticle though. No one like a whiner.

So where am I going with all this? Relaxation exercises that you can do before, during, or after work.

I recently came across Zenhabits, a blogsite devoted to zenning out. Check out the 17 Unbeatable Ways to Create a Peaceful, Relaxed Workday


Learn how to Hack Your Metabolism with lifehacker.com Their recent post states..."Personal trainer and blogger Lauren proposes that you can bolster your metabolism by eating enough (not too little, like most people who diet), eating more frequently (5-6 small meals a day), and adding more protein and fiber to your diet. Exercise should also be added to your daily regimen. Weight-training, building muscles, and doing more high-intensity cardiovascular exercise are critical."

Herb of the Day-Ashwagandha-A personal favorite of mine

Ashwagandha root is a herb of the ages. It is the 'ginseng' of Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medicine of India and is considered an 'adaptogen', a term used to describe herbs that improve physical energy and athletic ability, increase immunity to colds and infections and increase sexual capacity and fertility.

One reason for ashwagandha's reputation as a general energy-promoting, disease-preventing tonic may be its effect on the immune system. A number of studies have shown significant increases in white blood cell counts and other measures of strengthened immunity in rodents given ashwagandha or certain chemicals extracted from the herb.

Ashwagandha may also have a mild sedative effect on the central nervous system and in animal studies it has been shown to be a muscle relaxant. It is commonly used to increase vitality, particularly when recovering from chronic illnesses and pain management for arthritic conditions. Ashwagandha may also help regulate blood sugar which aids in suppressing sugar cravings.

Research shows ashwagandha may be a promising alternative for cancer treatment and prevention. Ashwagandha seems to show positive effects on the endocrine, cardio, and central nervous systems. It is one herb that could help your body produce it's own thyroid hormones. Ashwagandha is used to restore male libido, cure impotence and increase male fertility. It is widely used in southern Asia as a male sexuality tonic.

Latin Names: Withania somnifera, Physalis flexuosa Common Names: Ashwagandha, Winter Cherry, Ashgandh, Achuvagandi, Amikkira-gadday, Amkulang-kalang, Amukkira-kilzhangu, Amukran-kizhangu, Asagandha, Asana, Asgandh, Asundha, Asvagandhi, Fatarfoda, Hirimaddina-gadday, Hirre-gadday, Penneroo-gadda, Pevette, Sogade-beru

Suggested Properties: Strengthens immune system, antioxidant, rejuventaing. abortifacient, adaptogen, antibiotic, aphrodisiac, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-anxiety, anti-tumor, immuno-modulating, diuretic; narcotic, sedative, tonic.

Uses: Increase immunity to colds & infections, vitality, male fertility and libido. Combats impotence and helps regulate blood sugar.

Indicated for: Insomnia, Slows tumor growth,Anxiety,Reduces Cholesterol

Preliminary studies indicate that the herb helps to reduce the negative effects of stress, slow tumour growth, treat anxiety and insomnia, and reduce cholesterol in addition to increasing sexual performance. Ashwaghanda is generally safe at the doses recommended on the packaging. In high doses it may have steroidal activity similar to Creatine.

Research on ashwagandha has concluded that extracts of the plant has a direct spermatogenic influence on the seminiferous tubules of immature rats presumably by exerting a testosterone-like effect1. It is could also a potential source of hypoglycemic, diuretic and hypocholesterolemic agents2. Because ashwagandha has traditionally been used to treat various diseases associated with nerve tissue damage related to the destructive molecules known as free radicals, some researchers have speculated that the herb may have antioxidant properties. Free-radical damage plays a role in normal ageing and in such neurological conditions as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

50 Ways To Lose Weight, HPV, Arnica

Reader's Digest has just posted '50 Easy Ways to Lose Weight.." Lot's of ideas I completely agree with, except the pedometer. Those things never work right.

HPV increasingly causes oral cancer in men. They're cure? Vaccines. Read the article and decide for yourself what you think is best.

Herb of the Day-Arnica

Arnica grows in mountain woods and pastures of central Europe and Russia, the Pyrenees and in Northern America and Canada. The dried flower heads and rhizome are used herbally and was first used by Swiss mountaineers to help prevent sore and aching limbs. It has seldom been used internally, because of its irritant effect on the stomach. Its action is stimulant and diuretic, and it is chiefly used in low fevers and paralytic affections. As a homoeopathic tincture, Arnica has been used successfully in the treatment of epilepsy and for seasickness. Used on unbroken skin to alleviate sprains, muscle pains and dislocations, it is also said to be helpful when painted on unbroken chilblains. Applied promptly, it helps prevent the formation of bruises by stopping the capillaries from bleeding. It works by stimulating the activity of white blood cells which process congested blood, and by dispersing trapped fluids from joints and muscles and bumped and bruised tissue.
Latin Name: Arnica montana Common Names: Arnica, Leopard's Bane, Mountain Daisy, Mountain Tobacco, Wolf's Bane, Sneezewort Properties: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, discutient, stimulant and diuretic Indicated for: Muscle aches and pains, bruises, dislocations, sprains, chilblains, swelling, soothes tender feet, stimulates hair-growth
It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities and it is these that help to reduce pain and swelling as well as improving wound healing. Recent trials involving a team of rugby players and a group of mothers with young children compared the efficacy of different bruising treatments. A variety of bruising treatments were used including anti-oxidant injections, sports compresses, painkillers and vitamin K, which is thought to speed up healing, as well as Arnica cream and pillules. In virtually all cases, Arnica was the favoured option: while the cream was effective in treating bruises and swelling, the pillules also treat shock and can provide relief faster as there is no need for it to be absorbed through the skin. Other herbs to use to prevent the formation of bruising include calendula that is an all round skin herb. Taking vitamin C with bioflavonoids boosts the capillaries to withstand knocks. Adding 15ml of the tincture to a hot water footbath is said to provide relief for tender feet. Applied to the scalp it is said to stimulate hair growth. Although Arnica may be an historical remedy, modern science has showed that the role it plays doesn't stop at bruises. Increasing evidence suggests that it also may help the body recover from surgery, from toothache to childbirth. Research on dental patients showed that arnica helped to control pain and bleeding after treatment.
Note:
External use only. It has been used internally but is not recommended as some people are particularly sensitive to the plant and many severe cases of poisoning have resulted from its use. Likewise, repeated use externally may cause inflammations or other reactions; at the first signs of anything like this, stop taking it and consult a medical professional. Arnica must never be used on broken or lacerated skin or where blood is seeping.