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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, also known as GERD, is one of our society’s most common health complaints with one in ten Americans having daily episodes of heartburn.  Researchers estimate that GERD is experienced by 25%-35% of the population, which makes Proton Pump Inhibitors, a popular medication used to treat GERD, the third best-selling class of drug in the United States.

There is mounting evidence that drug treatment for GERD does not come without potentially serious risk. Such studies suggest that these drugs increase the risk of osteoporosis, depression, serious digestive tract infection, flu, irritable bowel disease and nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin B12 as well as important minerals. Although research has demonstrated these potential consequences, it does not take a multi-million dollar study to be able to reason that medications that interfere with acid secretion in the stomach will also interrupt nutrient absorption while making it easier for harmful organisms such as C. difficile to grow and cause havoc in our digestive tracts.

GERD occurs when the digestive juices back up into the esophagus, which results in an irritation to the fragile lining of the esophagus. The chronic irritation to the esophagus potentially results in a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus and then, left unchecked, to esophageal cancer. This process of progression sounds horrible and, drug companies would have you believe, imminent if left untreated.  Research, however, does not support this seemingly rational and unquestionable connection. In fact, a recent review of the data suggests that the connection between GERD and Barrett’s esophagus is so weak that the reviewing scientists felt that the widespread practice of screening patients with GERD, using endoscopy, was not warranted. Other researchers found that patients who were suffering with nighttime symptoms, as well as obese patients, were at a higher likelihood of having GERD progress to Barrett’s and ultimately to cancer. These patients may be the ones who require endoscopy as a screening tool.

What causes GERD?

A common characteristic of GERD is what is known as a relaxed lower esophageal sphincter (LES Valve). This sphincter acts as a door between the esophagus and the stomach. In a healthy person, the door slams tightly shut after food enters the stomach; however, in someone with GERD, this door may not shut snuggly, which can lead to reflux of stomach contents and ultimately irritation of the esophagus. The better question is, “what causes this doorway to remain slightly ajar?”  There are number of reasons for this:

1. Portion size – People who eat large quantities of food can cause the stomach to expand well beyond the normal stretched size. Regular exposure to this degree of stretch can cause a deformity in the doorframe so that a gap remains, even when the door is shut. Portion size of food can have an immediate and a more long-term effect. If you eat a large meal right now, the stretching of the stomach can immediately cause symptoms; long-term exposure to such large portion sizes can result in a deformity in the doorframe even when the stomach is empty. Both of these situations can be remedied by eating smaller quantities.
2. Mint – Mint has a relaxing effect on the esophageal sphincter, you may want to avoid using mint candies and gum if you suffer with GERD.
3. Deep fried food – These foods slow the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines, this increases the likelihood of contents moving into the esophagus.
4. Late night eating – This increases the likelihood that food will be in the stomach while your body is in a horizontal position.
5. Medications – There are many medications that can cause problems with GERD: Calcium channel blockers, beta blockers (metoprolol, Toprol XL, etc.), NSAIDs (Ibuprophen, Naproxen, Advil, Aleve) , aspirin, nitrates, anti-depressant medications, bisphophonates (Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, etc.) and progesterone.
6. Excess weight, especially central obesity.
7. Food allergies and sensitivities. Although this is an underappreciated cause of reflux disease, it is important to note and it may be worthwhile to look for offending foods and precede with eliminating these foods from the diet.  These food sensitivities can be worsened by acid suppression through the use of medications like Nexium, Prevacid, Tums, etc.
8. Stress is a major cause of GERD. When you are stressed, the digestive tract does not function properly. This can result in a poorly functioning LES valve and more reflux.
9. Other factors – There are other factors that have been linked to GERD such as: Smoking, spicy food, citrus, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate.

Isn’t GERD Caused by Too Much Acid in the Stomach?

Although there is a condition, called Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, where the stomach produces excess acid, this condition is quite rare. In fact, many doctors have discovered that 9 out of 10 people, who suffer with reflux, actually do not produce enough acid to trigger the closure of the LES valve. In addition, when stomach juices do not reach a particular acid level, the food contents sit stagnant and the food begins to putrefy and rot. As the food sits, it ferments and causes excess gas to form. This bubbling action can further worsen reflux by pushing the contents of the stomach into the esophagus.

So what do we do about it?

1. Have a careful assessment of medications and request your doctor remove or alter any medication listed above that may be linked to reflux. Please note, most doctors and pharmacists do not know about the link between these medications and reflux.
2. Learn about and implement a food elimination diet to try and pinpoint certain food triggers. Wheat, gluten and dairy are common culprits.
3. Replace acid in the stomach. It is a little known fact that a lack of acid in the stomach may be responsible for the reflux. This goes contrary to the conventional belief about what causes GERD; excess acid and poor sphincter tone. See our article about Betaine HCl Therapy for GERD. Taking an enzyme along with the Betaine HCl could result in further improvements.
4. Take an Enzyme – Plant enzymes work throughout the entire digestive tract to break down the food that we consume. Through the use of enzymes, we can decrease the time it takes to move the contents of the stomach from the stomach to the intestines. A potent enzyme that we commonly recommend is OrthoDigestzyme V. What makes these enzymes so powerful is the fact that they work through a broad range of acid levels. If the pH within your digestive tract is off, these enzymes will still work. This will often improve transit times and decrease gas and bloating.
5. DGL Ultra – This is a chewable form of licorice that helps to coat, soothe and stimulate healing in the esophagus and stomach. Chew 1 tablet before each meal and at bedtime.
6. Acid Assist – For symptomatic relief and/or in serious cases of GERD, Acid Assist is a chewable tablet that forms buffered foam on top of the stomach acid. This allows normal digestion to occur beneath the foam while preventing acid from jumping into the esophagus. This is to be used as needed to control symptoms while you are working to rebalance the body.

The Breakthrough Discovery

Back in the early nineteen sixties, a navy surgeon, by the name of Dr. Judah Folkman, happened upon a discovery that would revolutionize the way that we view cancer development in the human body. While testing the impact of preserved blood on fast growing tumor cells (a model used to mimic fast growing tissues of wounds) he noticed that cancer cells that would normally ravage the body of a living mouse, could only seem to grow to the size of the tip of a ball point pen in a Petri dish. He wondered why the same tumor cells didn’t replicate with the same level of aggression in a Petri dish as they did in a living creature. After all, he had taken great care to mimic the conditions of living tissue.

After dissecting the large tumors from the living creatures and comparing them to the tiny tumors from his Petri dish experiment, he noticed only one difference between the two tumors; the large tumors from the mice were filled with thousands of tiny networks of blood vessels while the tumor cells from the Petri dish experiment had no such blood supply. From this experiment, he hypothesized that the cancer cells could not develop into a large tumor mass unless and until it had developed a network of small blood vessels called capillaries to feed the cells.  This process of blood vessel development was named “angiogenesis”.  Said another way, if we could prevent cancer cells from developing a blood supply of their own, we could stop cancer growth in its tracks and even cause existing tumors to regress! Furthermore, if tumor cells could not develop a blood supply, they would not be able to metastasize.

Dr. Folkman’s hypothesis and experiment was met with ridicule and rejection from the medical community. In fact, after discussing with a colleague his worry that his research would get picked up and stolen by other researchers, his colleague replied, “You are totally protected against intellectual theft. Nobody will believe you!”

Dr. Folkman continued his experiments, and over the years, his hypothesis went on to be accepted.  His research led to the development of a new class of medication called anti-angiogenesis drugs. Since then, other anti-angiogenesis medications had come to market. Unfortunately, the clinical results were somewhat disappointing; some tumors responded quite well, while others responded partially or not at all.

William Li, founder of The Angiogenesis Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of anti-angiogenesis therapies and lifestyles, believes that the main reason that the medications are not living up to their potential is because we are getting to people too late in the game, after the cancer is fully developed and situated.  He believes that if we can use non-toxic tactics to prevent the small cluster of cancerous cells from forming a blood flow in the first place, we can prevent tumors from developing altogether. This would be what Dr. Folkman calls, “Cancer without disease”.

We All Have Cancer

It is a well-known fact that we all have these microscopic cancer cells throughout our bodies. In fact, research that looked at healthy men and women who had died in car accidents, discovered that 40% of women between the ages of 40-50 have these microscopic tumors within their breasts and 50% of men, between the ages of 50-60, have these micro-tumors in their prostates. It is even more disturbing that virtually 100% of men and women in their 70s have micro-tumors in their thyroid! The only thing preventing these people from developing the disease of cancer is the fact that the tumor cells had not developed a blood flow yet. The question is, “what can we do to prevent those harmless micro-tumors from ever developing a blood flow?” Dr. William Li believes that he has the answer…

Eat to Starve Cancer

The anti-angiogenesis medications, used to treat existing tumors, do not come without side effects. These side effects, although fewer than conventional chemotherapy, would make them inappropriate tools for preventing angiogenesis in micro-tumors. There is good news, however, researchers discovered that nature offers an abundance of natural compounds with potent anti-angiogenesis activity. Best of all, rather than blocking angiogenesis altogether, they normalize it. Disease begins when the growth of blood vessels occur unimpeded by the natural systems of checks and balances within the body. These natural anti-angiogenesis compounds appear to regulate and normalize the angiogenic balance within the body.

Angiogenesis is Essential to Health

Once we reach adulthood, it is generally accepted that blood vessels stop growing. There are three situations, however, that seem to defy this rule: menstruation, pregnancy and injury/wounds. During menstruation, pregnancy, and injury, the body produces protein chemicals that act as fertilizer for blood vessels; this stimulates the growth of new capillaries. When we injure ourselves, blood vessels grow beneath the scab to bring nutrients and oxygen to the damaged area in order to repair the damage. After the wound has healed, the body produces anti-angiogenesis compounds that stop the growth and prune back the blood vessels if needed. This process is tightly controlled; when angiogenesis is not well controlled, many diseases can arise.

Angiogenesis Gone Haywire

There are two ways that angiogenesis can become problematic; you can either have too few or too many blood vessels growing in a particular area of the body. In the case where there is too little angiogenesis, you see diseases such as:

• Wounds that won’t heal
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Neuropathy
• Hair loss
• Erectile Dysfunction

In cases where there is too much angiogenesis, you see diseases such as:

• Cancer
• Blindness
• Psoriasis
• Endometriosis
• Obesity
• Rosacea
• Alzheimers

Cancer – The Ultimate Disease of Excess Angiogenesis

Although there are many diseases that can be connected to angiogenesis, abnormal blood vessel growth is a hallmark of all solid tumors. It is an accepted theory that one key to controlling cancer growth, especially metastatic and aggressive cancer, is to shut down the process of angiogenesis within the diseased tissue without affecting the healthy tissue.

Cancer’s Weakness

Generally speaking, blood vessels are stable and resilient tissues. Blood vessels found in tumors, however, appear to be built in a hurry. Their structure and architecture is disorganized and fragile, which makes them more susceptible to anti-angiogenesis therapies than normal tissues. This weakness may prove to be one of the greatest advantages that we have over this deadly foe.

Nature’s Advantage

When the scientists discovered the presence of proteins that promote angiogenesis, they realized that nature, with all of its systems of checks and balances, must also make proteins that inhibit angiogenesis. They first discovered these compounds in the urine of mice, which were resistant to cancer; they named this compound angiostatin. They then began to find compounds with similar activity in the foods that we eat, such as fruits, vegetables and tealeaves. Researchers have made great strides in defining which foods appear to have the most potent anti-angiogenesis activity. A non-exaustive list is provide below:

1. Green Tea
2. Strawberries
3. Blackberries
4. Blueberries
5. Raspberries
6. Oranges
7. Grapefruits
8. Lemons
9. Apples
10. Pineapples
11. Cherries
12. Red grapes
13. Red wine
14. Bok Choy
15. Soybean
16. Ginseng
17. Maitake
18. Licorice
19. Turmeric
20. Nutmeg
21. Artichoke
22. Lavender
23. Pumpkin
24. Sea Cucumber
25. Tuna
26. Parsley
27. Garlic
28. Tomato
29. Olive Oil
30. Grape Seed
31. Dark Chocolate

Of these foods, the ones that appear to have the most potent anti-angiogenesis activity include (in order of potency):

1. Soy extract
2. Artichoke
3. Parsley
4. Berries
5. Soy
6. Garlic
7. Red grapes
8. Brassica
9. Citrus
10. Lavender
11. Green tea
12. Glucosamine
13. Turmeric
14. Tea

(Lists taken from a lecture by Dr. Li during a TED conference)

Power Resides in the Synergy

According to Dictionary.com, “Synergy” is defined as “The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.” In a study on the anti-angiogenesis activity of tea, researchers tested the ability of three different types of tea to inhibit blood vessel growth. In this study, they determined that they all had anti-angiogenesis activity, however, of the three, Earl Grey appeared to be the most potent. The researchers then decided to combine the two weaker teas and test the anti-angiogenesis activity of the mixture. They discovered that the combination of the two weaker teas resulted in more inhibition of blood vessel growth than the stronger Earl Grey tea. According to Dr. Li, this shows the presence of what is called “Nutritional Synergy” meaning, smaller quantities of many different nutrients and phytochemicals is likely superior to high quantities of fewer nutrients.

Future of Anti-Angiogenesis Studies

Currently, there is mounting laboratory and animal research that is confirming the anti-angiogenesis activity of foods. Using a special test tube model of blood vessel growth, Dr. Li and his organization is working to map the anti-angiogenic activity of common fruits, vegetables, herbs and teas. The ultimate goal is to form a menu of foods that are likely to inhibit this key step in the growth of abnormal cells into metastatic tumor masses.

One study, published by Harvard Medical School, tested the effect of dietary lycopene (a red pigment found in foods such as tomatoes, berries, etc) on the risk of prostate cancer. They determined that men, who consumed the most lycopene-containing foods, enjoyed the lowest incidence of prostate cancer. The researchers then tested the tumor biopsies for the presence of blood vessels. They discovered that of the men who went on to develop prostate cancer, the more lycopene they consumed, the lower the density of blood vessels in the tumor. This finding suggests that even when lycopene fails to completely inhibit angiogenesis, is appears to slow the growth and potentially decrease the virility of the existing tumor mass.

Obviously, more research needs to be performed to confirm the legitimacy of the laboratory and animal findings. I believe that there is sufficient data, in combination with epidemiological research showing an inverse relationship between fruit/vegetable intake and cancer risk, to start to incorporate larger quantities of the foods, which have anti-angiogenesis activity.

Using These Findings

The rules are simple:

1. Consume many servings of vegetables, fruits, and spices
2. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables; choose them based on color and spectrum
3. Choose fruits that are lower on the glycemic index (lower sugar content)
4. Drink a variety of teas including: green tea, Earl Grey, jasmine and white tea.

Supplements for Prevention of Angiogenesis

Many people have been asking me about herbs and nutritional supplements that may give them a leg up on this issue. Although we do not have research on specific supplements, as they pertain to angiogenesis, I suspect that whole-food, freeze-dried extracts of fruits, vegetables and herbs will provide a spectrum of concentrated anti-angiogenesis compounds. I personally use a variety of whole food fruit, vegetable, mushroom and nutritional extracts for their broad benefits. This research has solidified these products as part of my long-term supplement plan. Below I list the supplements that I feel would provide the greatest anti-angiogenic activity; it should be noted that every one of these food-products offer multiple health benefits, in addition to being great means of protecting against angiogenesis:

1. Berry Greens by New Chapter – There are many whole food formulas on the market, I chose this formula because it is highly concentrated, has a good number of plants with certified anti-angiogenic activity, can be found in either capsules or powder and is readily available. I recommend 6 capsules per day or one tablespoon per day as a supplement to a healthy diet. If you get few fruits and vegetables in the diet, or you have a history or high risk of cancer, I would recommend doubling this dose.
2. PolyResveratrol-SR by Thorne Research – This formula combines resveratrol, pterostilbene, a highly absorbed curcumin, a highly absorbed green tea extract and quercetin. These compounds have anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic activity. The recommended dose is one capsule twice daily (although higher doses may be even more effective).
3. Vitamin D – Aside from vitamin Ds other anti-cancer qualities, it also appears to inhibit angiogenesis. Recommended doses are 2,000-4,000 iu per day.

Conclusion:

Normalizing angiogenesis within the body appears to be a critical step in the maintenance of healthy cells. After listening to a 20-minute lecture by Dr. William Li of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and researching the topic in depth, I am convinced that this may be one of the most important findings in medical history. I look forward to the results of Dr. Li’s research on the anti-angiogenesis activity of various foods and will continue to keep you updated as new research is published on the subject. 

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What You Will Learn in Cleansing 101:

1. Why Constipation Hurts Your Health
2. What Nature Wants As It Pertains To Bowel Movements
3. How To Stay Regular
4. How Much Fiber You Need And Which Fiber Supplement To Choose

Bowel movements are something that we are not really allowed to talk about in our society. It is something that many people are uncomfortable discussing other than in the confines of the doctor’s office or in very private settings. Somehow, it has become lost in us that this is a very normal, vital part of our body functioning properly, and should be as fully understood and open to discussion as our blood pressure or cholesterol. So, here is to making the topic of bowel movements and proper bowel function an acceptable part of any health care discussion.

Do you have a constipation problem? How do you define constipation? I have seen reports from doctors say that for some people it is perfectly normal, just their particular rhythm, to have one bowel movement every 3 days. In my opinion, this is not what nature wants. It is not normal, although it may be typical (but so are high blood pressure and diabetes), to have one bowel movement every 3 days.

This is what nature wants: FOOD IN, FOOD OUT. If you eat 2 to 3 meals a day then you should be having 2 to 3 bowel movements a day. Food in, food out, get it? Do you doubt me? Here’s an example: people who have dogs as pets usually feed their dogs twice a day and the dogs have 2 bowel movements a day. And if a dog went 3 days without having a bowel movement then the owner would have him to the veterinarian immediately. So why would we assume that we are any different from other animals in the animal kingdom?

So, now the issue is, what happens in our body when we are not as regular as we should be? Let’s assume that you eat 3 meals a day and have a bowel movement every other day, and let’s look at a week at a time. That is 21 meals and only 4 bowel movements. What happens to those other 17 meals? I’ll tell you, they hang around, they ferment, they turn into toxins, and those toxins reabsorb into your system. And those toxins can be responsible for all sorts of conditions, like: acne, bad breath, bloating, indigestion, brain fog, arthritis symptoms, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, cancer, etc.
What kinds of things are important to help keep you regular?
Diet & Fiber. The government recommendation for dietary fiber intake is 25 – 30 grams a day, which means you actually need more like 50 – 60 grams. Getting that from diet alone takes some dedication, including plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, grains & beans, with the emphasis on legumes, grains and beans (a banana has only 1 gram of fiber). There are many fiber supplements on the market,however, not all are good. There are three main guidelines for choosing a good fiber supplements:

1. Fiber should be full of nutrients – Many fiber products on the market are made od psyllium or some other nutrient poor fiber. Unfortunately, these fibers are constantly wanting to hold onto nutrition and thus can bind important vitamins and minerals. I recommend fiber supplements that contain ground seeds and vegetables such as flax seed, chia seeds,  rice bran, carrot, hemp seed, beet fibe, etc. One such fiber is called 4Fiber by Genesis Today. This formula is nutrient dense and thus mimics what nature intended.
2. Fiber supplements should contain a good blend of soluble and insoluble fiber.
3. Fiber should not contain harsh or abrasive irritants such as psyllium or senna.

Exercise. Getting exercise is one of the things that signals your bowels to keep moving along. My best recommendation is to walk, jog or run on a regular basis. And that means getting out and taking a walk for a minimum of 30 minutes at a healthy pace at least 3 times a week. And please don’t tell me that you get plenty of exercise at work. That is activity, not exercise. You need to walk just for the sake of walking, not walking from the parking garage to the office building.

Water Intake. One of the major reasons for irregularity is lack of fluids. And the best fluid to drink is water. It should be either filtered or bottled water, never from the tap. And here is a formula to figure out how much water you need. Take your body weight and multiply by 0.7. This is the number of ounces you need on a daily basis. So a 200 pound man needs 140 ounces, or 14 ten ounce glasses of water a day. A 140 pound woman needs about 100 ounces. This is much more than the 8 glasses a day that we have been told.

Probiotics. Probiotics are the bacteria in the gut which play very important roles in supporting immune function, vitamin and mineral absorption, fiber metabolism and control of negative organisms growth. Many things in our lifestyle impact these very important organisms such as stress, antibiotic use and chlorine in the water. There are many on the market, the formula that we use in our practice is called Enteropro and generally only requires one capsule daily for maintanence.

And what do you do about the accumulated toxins that have built up over the years? I recommend taking on an internal cleansing program consisting of herbs and fibers that will cleanse all of the organs of elimination in your body, including the lungs, kidney, liver, skin, and lymph. See the special below if you are interested in a powerful way to give your body a clean slate.

Digestion, the Key to Health

Simply put, your body must be able to take something from the outside world, break it down into its smallest parts, and absorb those parts to be able to build and repair. If digestion can’t get those building blocks to areas in need of repair, then those tissues can become diseased.

Why is Our Digestion So Dysfunctional?

1. Lack of raw fruits and vegetables. In his book, The Enzyme Factor, world renowned physician and inventor of the colonoscopy writes about his experience in exploring the colons of thousands of patients (healthy and sick). During his “explorations”, he discovered that the health of the colon was almost always a good indicator for the health of the body in general. He discovered that fruit and vegetable intake was a strong indicator of colon and overall health. He started placing his sick patients on a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables. Soon his sick patients began to feel better and better. When he re-explored the colons of his previously sick patients, he noticed that their digestive tracts were far healthier as well! He hypothesized that fruits and vegetables contain an enzyme building block, he deemed the Enzyme Factor which improves digestion and catalyzes the regeneration of the body’s 100 trillion cells.
2. Overcooking our food. Processing and heat damage or destroy the fragile enzymes that are naturally found in raw foods. This will ultimately lead to a deficiency of enzymes, vitamins and proteins.
3. Too much fluid intake at meals. By drinking large quantities of fluid with meals, we dilute the digestive juices. This results in a stomach environment that does not permit optimal digestion.
4. Eating on the run or in a stressed state. Stress of any kind can virtually paralyze the digestive tract. When we eat in a stressed state, the body diverts blood flow to the extremities and brain and away from the digestive tract.
5. Excess weight. Being overweight can cause numerous digestive problems from heartburn to gall bladder dysfunction.
6. Lack of exercise. Exercise and activity is a well-known stimulant to the digestive tract. Sedentary people commonly suffer with constipation, gall bladder problems and reflux. Activity is the catalyst of growth and repair in the body, it makes sense that the body will kick up digestion in response to exercise in order to get and deliver building blocks to the cells of the body.
7. Antibiotic use. When we take antibiotics to kill off an infection, the trillions of healthy bacteria in the gut, that are a critical component of digestion and elimination, are also impacted.
8. Chronic use of antacids. Antacid medications are used judiciously in our society. These medications were designed for short-term use while the patient recovered from a digestive event, such as an ulcer or digestive injury. Today, these medications are prescribed as a lifetime treatment for heartburn. In our opinion, this is having a catastrophic effect on the health and vitality of our population due to the fact that it prevents proper digestion and assimilation of the nutrients that we consume.

7 Steps to Good Digestion

There are a number of steps that one can take to improve digestion. So here are my tips for proper digestion:

1. Sit down while you eat.
2. Take 10 long, deep breathes before eating. This will reset the nervous system so that blood flow is diverted from the extremities to the digestive tract where you need it most.
3. Do not “preload” your fork with your next bite of food until you are done with the current mouthful.
4. Limit fluid intake at meal time. Drink fluids in between meals.
5. Concentrate on your food with appreciation while you are eating instead of the television or newspaper.
6. Consider taking a digestive enzyme with each meal. The plant based digestive enzyme that we use with great success is called Tyler Similase. This enzyme works throughout the entire digestive tract to help the body break down and assimilate the nutrients within your food.
7. Eat raw fruits and vegetables with each meal.

What You Will Learn:

1. When Good Fruits Go Bad
2. When Refined Carbohydrates Are Ok to Eat
3. Where Dr. Atkins Went Wrong
4. How Many Meals to Eat per Day

Diet is perhaps one of the most confusing areas of health because there are so many people claiming so many different diets are the “best”. There are more different diets on the market today than ever before. Which has the best formula? Well, this question does not have a cut and dry answer because there is a lot of metabolic variance in our population. Let me give you an example. Fruit is considered very good for you as long as you eat it in the package that nature provides. Generally speaking people do not develop diabetes or get fat from eating fruits. However, if you are diabetic or heavily insulin resistant then it would be in your best interest to limit your fruit intake until your insulin resistance is improved. Not to confuse you further but many diabetics can eat fruit freely without any negative consequences to their blood sugar. The simple point is the diet that works best for you is the diet that works best for you! We can make general statements about what is most likely to be healthy but in the end you must put it to the test for yourself. So let’s start with a review of the tried-and-true principles that appear to apply to most people, we will then speak to the possible exceptions. Remember, as we move into intermediate and advanced principles, we are moving away from cookie cutter suggestions into more fluid and customizable principles:

1. Eat your food in the package nature provides. Simply put, oranges are good, orange juice is not so good. Eat fresh veggies over canned veggies. High fiber grain products generally are healthier than low fiber grain products. Simple enough…le’s move on.

2. Refined carbohydrates are generally bad…most of the time. For most people refined carbohydrates are not useful unless food is scarce. In a world of culinary abundance refined carbs are the most common cause of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. However, there is a place for refined carbohydrates amidst people who workout heavily or take part in competitive sports. When you workout heavily you can quickly deplete your carbohydrate stores in your muscles. During heavy activity, muscle is damaged and requires repair. This repair can not take place until the sugar stores have been replaced and can then fuel the repair process. By taking your refined carbohydrates directly after weight training, when your muscles are most sensitive to insulin, you can enhance recovery from activity, speed muscle repair and decrease soreness. Here is the golden nugget for people who are not competitive athletes, when you intend to have a pasta meal or some other high carb meal, try timing the meal soon after your workout. This will help with recovery and keep your blood sugar from spiking. This is especially helpful if you are lifting weights. So, this means that if you simply refuse to give up your pasta then the second best option is to make a pact with yourself that you will exercise vigorously before having your meal.

3. Eat lean protein. One area where me and the late Dr. Atkins part ways in our protein philosophies is in the quality of the protein in question and the quantity. I do not ascribe to the philosophy that you can eat bacon, butter, high fat beef, etc for every meal and still be healthy. Great sources of protein include lean beef, chicken, eggs and fish. I believe that people should lean towards a raw, vegetable and fruit rich diet. If you eat meat, you must make sure that you make an effort to enhance your intake of living plant foods to help balance your body. I also suggest eating free range meat and eggs whenever possible. So how much meat should you eat? The answer is…it depends. When you look at our closest mammal relatives you see that the apes are primarily vegetarian, although, if a lizard happens to scurry by they may pick it up and toss it in their mouth. They are what is called opportunistic carnivores. I declare myself the same. I try to eat most of my food as raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, however, if a filet mignon falls on my plate I will eat that too. I suggest limiting meat intake to one serving or less per day and making sure that we eat lots of fruits, vegetables and healthy nuts. If you are a bodybuilder or on a heavy weight lifting program then you may want to increase this intake. Athletes and fitness buffs should get extra protein from egg whites and whey protein shakes and smoothies to account for their extra needs.

4. Meal Frequency, how often should we eat? This is a common questions, so let’s answer it. From my research I have come to the following conclusion. Generally, most people will be healthiest with small, frequent meals. This is especially the case with people who are working out on a regular basis. If you eat meals with refined carbohydrates then make sure that you limit the portion size and only three of the five or six meals contain refined carbs. You should allow a 4-5 hour period between those refined carb containing meals. This will allow time for the body to process the carbohydrates, metabolize out the insulin and will allow the body time to burn some of those carbs away between main meals.

1. H1N1 vaccine
2. Food allergies
   
3. Lack of mental focus
   
4. New Chapter Wholmega
5. Gluten
6. Vitamin D
   
7. Infected wound
8. Michelle Herling – Mind Interrupted
9. Albuterol
10. Allergies and asthma
11. Tick bite and Lyme disease
12. Light sensitivity
13. Safety of dietary supplements – media coverage

Agave syrup or nectar can be up to three times as sweet as sugar and is touted as a low glycemic sweetener. But is it a suitable sweetener for those who want to lose weight?

Unfortunately, if fat loss is your goal, you should likely avoid agave nectar as a sweetener. There are many problems with this syrup that is marketed as a healthy sweetener for diabetics and those looking to lose weight:

Most commercial agave is processed. The processing involves heating the product to break the carbohydrates down into simple carbohydrates, most of which is fructose.
Fructose, the primary sugar in agave, has been linked to diabetes, weight gain and elevated triglycerides.
Fructose appears to enter the cell without stimulating insulin. This appears to be beneficial on the surface, however, science has shown that excessive levels of processed fructose can cause biochemical imbalance that can set the stage for diabetes and fat accumulation in the blood and fat cells.
As the agave plant gets more rare, some manufacturers may be cutting their agave syrup with plain old corn syrup. There is little control over this as many manufacturers are located in Mexico.
The body appears to lack the ability to sense that energy from fructose has entered the body. This means that if you are getting calories from processed fructose products, such as agave, the calories may not register in the brain and thus you may eat more calories throughout the day.
Dr. Ray’s Notes:

I really, REALLY wish I had better news as it pertains to agave because it is SO good! The truth is, our tongues are completely desensitized to sweetness due to the abundance of sugar and artificial sweeteners in our diets. We need to retrain our taste buds to taste again by removing unnecessary sweeteners in our diet so that we can start tasting food again! The smartest minds in food science have been unable to produce a sweetener that is 100% safe and tastes like sugar and I have little hope that they will succeed. If you need to sweeten your coffee in the morning, you can add a bit of honey or try a bit of xylitol or erythritol. These sugar alcohols can be used sparingly but remember, our goal is to try to eat foods in the package that nature provides! All of nature’s foods come with a sticker that reads “No ADDED sugar!”