I'm clearly more relaxed in the kitchen during the holidays since I started drinking at least 75 ounces of water a day. What's funny to me about it is how noticeable it was to my family when it started. Although they had never made negative comments about my uptightness before, the first year that I showed obvious improvement, they made comments like, "Wow, you seem so much more relaxed; what's different?"
I had to laugh. I had noticed it too.
Also there were little things that happen at work that used to trigger me. Now, they barely bother me. I don't over react and often am cool as a cucumber.
For someone who doesn't have a lot of the water element in her astrology chart, I've turned in to "grace under pressure" now that I'm hydrated.
It's amazing and so simple.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
First Stages of Dehydration - Part 1: Your Brain
Before I understood what dehydration was like for the common man, I had this idea of dehydration being something unusual. Generally, it conjured up an image of some poor soul stranded in the desert without ANY water as opposed to ENOUGH water. Few of us think that we drink enough water, but beyond that we have no sign posts for distress. Once you learn the symptoms of every-day dehydration and realize how obvious they are, you may be shocked. Over the next few blogs, I am going to share how to know when you need more water. Then, I will start to tie dehydration to the originations of chronic illnesses.
The most important part of understanding dehydration is to understand that it is your brain where your water management starts. Your brain HAS to have water and will take it from anywhere in your body it needs to if you are not drinking enough water. Your brain is over 70%constructed with water-laden tissues and sensors. The water conducts electric impulses. When your brain is low on water, it borrows water randomly from muscles, tissues, organs, and bones. Do you ache? Are you irritable? Are you impatient or restless? Do you have mental fog? Is your body or mind tired?
Guess what! A glass or two of mineral water is going to help you change that immediately! The minerals help transmit messages. Water that is distilled or a product of reverse osmosis (the cheapest bottled waters) does not contain minerals for transmitting. So the type of water you choose can make a big difference too.
Next: Part 2: Dehydration Affects Behavior
The most important part of understanding dehydration is to understand that it is your brain where your water management starts. Your brain HAS to have water and will take it from anywhere in your body it needs to if you are not drinking enough water. Your brain is over 70%constructed with water-laden tissues and sensors. The water conducts electric impulses. When your brain is low on water, it borrows water randomly from muscles, tissues, organs, and bones. Do you ache? Are you irritable? Are you impatient or restless? Do you have mental fog? Is your body or mind tired?
Guess what! A glass or two of mineral water is going to help you change that immediately! The minerals help transmit messages. Water that is distilled or a product of reverse osmosis (the cheapest bottled waters) does not contain minerals for transmitting. So the type of water you choose can make a big difference too.
Next: Part 2: Dehydration Affects Behavior
Friday, December 31, 2010
Diet Sodas Linked to Diabetes
Did you know that in 2009, consumers of diet soda drank over 43 billion cans and bottles?
This total is just for diet drinks; it doesn’t count all the regular sodas that were consumed too. If you’ve been reading my articles for awhile, you already know how toxic I think sodas are whether they are diet or regular versions. Are soda drinkers poisoning themselves?
I just read an article by Dr. Al Sears (www.alsearsmd.com). He’s been researching the latest studies on diabetes. He shared that one recent study says (point blank) that if you drink diet soda every day, you’re 67 percent more likely to develop diabetes.1
Did you know drinking diet soda leads to diabetes? Most of us would probably assume that it is regular coke that is the biggest culprit and that “diet coke” isn’t that lethal.
Not too surprising, the quantity of diet soda you drink impacts your odds also. The study showed that those who drank the most diet soda had a 34 percent greater risk than those who drank the least diet soda.2 That puts us up into the “almost guaranteed” range!
Even the famous Framingham Heart Study (http://www.framinghamheartstudy.org) found that people who drink more than one diet soda a day have a 56 percent increased chance for developing the diabetic metabolic syndrome – that’s the group of risks that give you a greater chance for diabetes, as well as coronary artery disease and stroke.3
For every ONE ounce of soda, it takes 32 times the same amount of 9.5 pH water to neutralize the pH to a healthy range. I have that demo on my Kangen water site at www.501Advantages.com under the video tab. It is shocking to realize how easy it is to undermine a whole day of well-intentioned water drinking with just one or two ounces of soda (yes, any kind of carbonated soda; they were using lemon-lime in the demo).
Sodas make your body acidic-based. Many chronic and life threatening diseases thrive in an acidic environment. Once you decide to find ways to keep your body mildly alkaline, you are much less likely to have incidences of serious illness. Mildly alkaline is 7.2-7.4 pH.
Blood type matters too. I’m a Type O+ and that makes me even more susceptible to acidity because my Type O blood is naturally more acidic than the other types. Drinking soda, coffee or consuming acidic fruits, can potentially take a person’s health down when they don’t realize what they are doing. Another unintentional side effect is in how our body brings it’s pH back up to a healthy level; it borrows calcium to elevate pH from our bones!
Those people you know who are drinking the Big Gulps are turning their bodies into acid-rich petri dishes where illness and disease can grow and wreak havoc on their bodies. Diet coke drinkers can now add to the potential threat of an overly acidic body, the development of life-changing diabetes. This is bad news for our friends who are staunch soda drinkers.
Sources:
1 Nettleton, J.A., Lutsey, P.L., Wang, Y., Lima, J.A., Michos, E.D., Jacobs, D.R. Jr., "Diet soda intake and risk of incident metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA),” Diabetes Care Apr 2009; 32(4): 688-94
2 Lutsey, Pamela L., Steffen, Lyn M., Stevens, June, "Dietary Intake and the Development of the Metabolic Syndrome. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study," CIRCULATION AHA Jan 2008; 107.716159
3 Dhingra R, Sullivan, et al, “Soft drink consumption and risk of developing cardiometabolic risk factors and the metabolic syndrome in middle-aged adults in the community,” Circulation 2007; 116:480–488
4 Gregersen S, Jeppesen PB, Holst JJ, Hermansen K., "Antihyperglycemic effects of stevioside in type 2 diabetic subjects," Metabolism Jan. 2004; 53(1):73-6
This total is just for diet drinks; it doesn’t count all the regular sodas that were consumed too. If you’ve been reading my articles for awhile, you already know how toxic I think sodas are whether they are diet or regular versions. Are soda drinkers poisoning themselves?
I just read an article by Dr. Al Sears (www.alsearsmd.com). He’s been researching the latest studies on diabetes. He shared that one recent study says (point blank) that if you drink diet soda every day, you’re 67 percent more likely to develop diabetes.1
Did you know drinking diet soda leads to diabetes? Most of us would probably assume that it is regular coke that is the biggest culprit and that “diet coke” isn’t that lethal.
Not too surprising, the quantity of diet soda you drink impacts your odds also. The study showed that those who drank the most diet soda had a 34 percent greater risk than those who drank the least diet soda.2 That puts us up into the “almost guaranteed” range!
Even the famous Framingham Heart Study (http://www.framinghamheartstudy.org) found that people who drink more than one diet soda a day have a 56 percent increased chance for developing the diabetic metabolic syndrome – that’s the group of risks that give you a greater chance for diabetes, as well as coronary artery disease and stroke.3
For every ONE ounce of soda, it takes 32 times the same amount of 9.5 pH water to neutralize the pH to a healthy range. I have that demo on my Kangen water site at www.501Advantages.com under the video tab. It is shocking to realize how easy it is to undermine a whole day of well-intentioned water drinking with just one or two ounces of soda (yes, any kind of carbonated soda; they were using lemon-lime in the demo).
Sodas make your body acidic-based. Many chronic and life threatening diseases thrive in an acidic environment. Once you decide to find ways to keep your body mildly alkaline, you are much less likely to have incidences of serious illness. Mildly alkaline is 7.2-7.4 pH.
Blood type matters too. I’m a Type O+ and that makes me even more susceptible to acidity because my Type O blood is naturally more acidic than the other types. Drinking soda, coffee or consuming acidic fruits, can potentially take a person’s health down when they don’t realize what they are doing. Another unintentional side effect is in how our body brings it’s pH back up to a healthy level; it borrows calcium to elevate pH from our bones!
Those people you know who are drinking the Big Gulps are turning their bodies into acid-rich petri dishes where illness and disease can grow and wreak havoc on their bodies. Diet coke drinkers can now add to the potential threat of an overly acidic body, the development of life-changing diabetes. This is bad news for our friends who are staunch soda drinkers.
Sources:
1 Nettleton, J.A., Lutsey, P.L., Wang, Y., Lima, J.A., Michos, E.D., Jacobs, D.R. Jr., "Diet soda intake and risk of incident metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA),” Diabetes Care Apr 2009; 32(4): 688-94
2 Lutsey, Pamela L., Steffen, Lyn M., Stevens, June, "Dietary Intake and the Development of the Metabolic Syndrome. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study," CIRCULATION AHA Jan 2008; 107.716159
3 Dhingra R, Sullivan, et al, “Soft drink consumption and risk of developing cardiometabolic risk factors and the metabolic syndrome in middle-aged adults in the community,” Circulation 2007; 116:480–488
4 Gregersen S, Jeppesen PB, Holst JJ, Hermansen K., "Antihyperglycemic effects of stevioside in type 2 diabetic subjects," Metabolism Jan. 2004; 53(1):73-6
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Your Body Has Two Brains - Your Head vs. Your Gut
I saw this article by Dr. Al Sears, MD, and just had to share it since I have many friends and clients with gluten issues.
Your body has two "Brains".
You know about the one in your head, of course, but there’s also one in your gut. This one decides what’s considered food and what isn’t. It knows what you need for nutrition.
Your “gut brain” processes the antigens (molecules recognized by your system) and has a memory of what it’s supposed to digest, what should just pass through, and what needs to be destroyed.
Problems start when you eat something foreign to your gut. You see, the food industry tells you that processed foods, grain, wheat, and bread are “good” for you. Even the national food pyramid says most of your daily intake should come from grains.
But, what the food industry doesn’t know (or doesn’t tell you) is that your gut doesn’t know what to do with the grain products you eat. And sometimes your body rejects them.
More and more people are showing signs of intolerance to grains and processed foods. And they all have something in common… gluten.
In this month’s Health Confidential, I’m going to tell you how gluten affects your body and what you can do to keep your body strong.
What Is Gluten Anyway?
Gluten is a sticky, gluey protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rice, and rye. This gooey protein is commonly used in baked goods. Gluten holds on to the carbon dioxide made from yeast and expands. It’s what makes dough stretchy, holds cookies together, makes cake rise, and why bagels are doughy.
You can also find gluten in some unlikely places, like pasta, beer, soy sauce, certain medications, toothpaste, and even lipstick.
Who Is Affected by Gluten?
Gluten intolerance was once very rare. But it’s become much more common in modern times.
Where Gluten Can Hide…
Gluten isn’t part of our native diet. So it’s natural that our bodies reject it.
Here’s the thing…
Your “gut brain” thinks gluten is a foreign substance. It doesn’t know that it’s meant to be a source of nutrition. So, when gluten reaches your gut, it panics.
Your gut reacts by sending antibodies to attack the unknown substance. This causes your immune system to become hyper alert with auto-immune components. And it can cause your body to attack its own tissue.
When your immune system attacks, it damages the villi (small “fingers” in your small intestine that absorb nutrients from your food), so they can’t absorb what your body needs to live. This can cause your body to destroy its own tissues and shut down.
Leaky gut syndrome, malabsorption, and malnutrition are some common outcomes.
The longer gluten intolerance is left untreated, the worse the outcome can be. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most misdiagnosed conditions out there. The symptoms are very similar to other digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome and vary from patient to patient.
Common Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance:
Although gluten-free diets are prescribed to people who are gluten intolerant, everyone can benefit from eating less grains and processed food.
When you cut out grains and processed foods, you’re getting back to your native way of eating. This will boost your energy, improve focus, improve digestion, and aid with the absorption of nutrients.
Remember, gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, bran, wheat germ, buckwheat, millet, and other grains. If you see ANY reference to these types of grains on a food label, steer clear. Not only that, but here’s a list of some additives and ingredients you’ll want to stay away from if you’re eating gluten-free:
Source: Al Sears, MD, http://www.alsearsmd.com/gluten-and-how-it-affects-your-body/
___________________________________________
References:
Your body has two "Brains".
You know about the one in your head, of course, but there’s also one in your gut. This one decides what’s considered food and what isn’t. It knows what you need for nutrition.
Your “gut brain” processes the antigens (molecules recognized by your system) and has a memory of what it’s supposed to digest, what should just pass through, and what needs to be destroyed.
Problems start when you eat something foreign to your gut. You see, the food industry tells you that processed foods, grain, wheat, and bread are “good” for you. Even the national food pyramid says most of your daily intake should come from grains.
But, what the food industry doesn’t know (or doesn’t tell you) is that your gut doesn’t know what to do with the grain products you eat. And sometimes your body rejects them.
More and more people are showing signs of intolerance to grains and processed foods. And they all have something in common… gluten.
In this month’s Health Confidential, I’m going to tell you how gluten affects your body and what you can do to keep your body strong.
What Is Gluten Anyway?
Gluten is a sticky, gluey protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rice, and rye. This gooey protein is commonly used in baked goods. Gluten holds on to the carbon dioxide made from yeast and expands. It’s what makes dough stretchy, holds cookies together, makes cake rise, and why bagels are doughy.
You can also find gluten in some unlikely places, like pasta, beer, soy sauce, certain medications, toothpaste, and even lipstick.
Who Is Affected by Gluten?
Gluten intolerance was once very rare. But it’s become much more common in modern times.
Where Gluten Can Hide…
- Sausage: Most brands of sausage use breadcrumbs as fillers.
- Hamburgers: Bread or wheat products are often mixed in for texture.
- Ketchup, Ice Cream, and Mayonnaise: Some brands mix in wheat flour for thickness.
- Prepackaged Grated Cheese: It’s coated in flour to prevent sticking.
- Beer and Whiskey: These alcoholic drinks are made from grains.
Gluten isn’t part of our native diet. So it’s natural that our bodies reject it.
Here’s the thing…
Your “gut brain” thinks gluten is a foreign substance. It doesn’t know that it’s meant to be a source of nutrition. So, when gluten reaches your gut, it panics.
Your gut reacts by sending antibodies to attack the unknown substance. This causes your immune system to become hyper alert with auto-immune components. And it can cause your body to attack its own tissue.
When your immune system attacks, it damages the villi (small “fingers” in your small intestine that absorb nutrients from your food), so they can’t absorb what your body needs to live. This can cause your body to destroy its own tissues and shut down.
Leaky gut syndrome, malabsorption, and malnutrition are some common outcomes.
The longer gluten intolerance is left untreated, the worse the outcome can be. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most misdiagnosed conditions out there. The symptoms are very similar to other digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome and vary from patient to patient.
Common Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Cramping
- Weight Gain or Loss
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea
- Cancer 1
- Reduced blood flow to the brain (cerebral hypo perfusion) 2
- Vitamin D deficiency 3
- Miscarriage 4
- Low birth weight 5
- E.D. 6
- And thyroid disease 7
Although gluten-free diets are prescribed to people who are gluten intolerant, everyone can benefit from eating less grains and processed food.
When you cut out grains and processed foods, you’re getting back to your native way of eating. This will boost your energy, improve focus, improve digestion, and aid with the absorption of nutrients.
Remember, gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, bran, wheat germ, buckwheat, millet, and other grains. If you see ANY reference to these types of grains on a food label, steer clear. Not only that, but here’s a list of some additives and ingredients you’ll want to stay away from if you’re eating gluten-free:
- Distilled grain vinegar
- Malt
- Hydrolyzed protein
- Instant dry yeast or yeast extract
- Food starch
- Maltodextrin
- Grain alcohol
- Rennet
- Semolina
Source: Al Sears, MD, http://www.alsearsmd.com/gluten-and-how-it-affects-your-body/
___________________________________________
References:
- Freeman HJ. “Adult celiac disease and its malignant complications.” Gut Liver 2009. 3(4):237-46.
- Addolorato G, Di Giuda D, De Rossi G, et al. “Regional cerebral hypoperfusion in patients with celiac disease.” Am J Med 2004. 116(5):312-7.
- Eid WE. “Osteodystrophy in celiac disease: ultimate complications and possible treatment.” S D Med 2009. 62(11):429-31.
- Molteni N, Bardella MT, Bianchi PA. “Stetric and gynecological problems in women with untreated celiac sprue.” J Clin Gastroenterol 1990. 12(1):37-9.
- Pellicano R, Astegiano M, Bruno M, Fagoonee S, Rizzetto M. “Men and celiac disease: association with unexplained infertility.” Minerva Med 2007. 98(3):217-9.
- Farthing MJ, Rees LH, Dawson AM. “Male gonadal function in celiac disease: III. Pituitary regulation.” Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 19(6):661-71.
- Sategna-Guidetti C, Volta U, Ciacci C, Usai P, Carlino A, et al. “Prevalence of thyroid disorders in untreated adult celiac disease patients and effect of gluten withdrawal: an Italian multicenter study.” Am J Gastroenterol 2001. 96(3):751-7
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Little Wins - 2.5 Water for Acne Help
Casey is 21 years old and is struggling with acne. She has started using 2.5 pH water and finds that it flushes out white heads and dries them up very quickly now. She is also drinking more water to flush out toxins from inside her body. Acne is often caused by a combination of problems like skin bacteria, glandular imbalances, and internal issues (digestive, hormonal, etc). Casey had cancer in her teens and so is still recovering from the effects upon her sex glands and organs from chemotherapy. Drinking water is an excellent way to flush out destructive toxins and heal damaged body tissue.
Little Wins - Kangen Water
I have a friend who has breast cancer and will be losing one of her breasts later this week. She lives far away and I can’t do much to comfort her. I’m guessing she is about 40 years old. My other friend, Irina and I, have been discussing the success we are having with using 2.5 water under our arms to manage our perspiration!
Little Wins - Alkaline Water
My friend Irina showed me today how drinking a gallon of 9.5 high-alkaline water per day has completely eliminated her dry skin patches on her forehead and all the little wrinkles around her mouth. She says no creams had ever been able to do that. She’s psyched!
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