 Top 12 Best Foods to Reduce Inflammation To prevent, improve, or heal from an autoimmune condition, it is critical to reduce the inflammation in your body. Choosing the right foods to nourish your body is one of the most critical factors for reducing inflammation and preventing or improving autoimmune conditions. The foods you consume every day have the power to heal your body or to harm and inflame your body. To lower inflammation and improve autoimmunity, you should eliminate pro-inflammatory foods that may be triggering an immune response. Replace those foods with the 12 best foods to reduce inflammation. See list below. What is an Autoimmune Condition? Your immune system is your body’s defense mechanism. It is designed to protect you from disease and other potentially harmful foreign invaders. When functioning properly, the immune system identifies and destroys threats such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. An autoimmune condition occurs when the body’s immune system turns on its own cells and tissues. The immune system mistakenly identifies the healthy cells and tissues as foreign invaders and mounts an attack to destroy them. This can happen in almost any part of the body, including the brain, muscles, skin, and other organs. Food Sensitivities and Autoimmunity The gut is critically important with autoimmune conditions because gut bacteria heavily regulate your immune system. In fact, 70% of your immune system resides in your gut. One of the main ways that the factors above lead to autoimmunity is by inflaming and damaging the gut and destroying the beneficial bacteria. When the gut lining is damaged, it can become porous. Foods and other things that you are consuming pass through these holes in the gut lining and into your bloodstream. Your immune system is exposed to these foods and reacts to the foods as a threat, amplifying the immune response. Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Autoimmune Conditions A major contributor to autoimmune conditions is inflammation. One of the leading causes of inflammation is a poor diet such as the Standard American Diet (SAD). The foods included in the Standard American Diet (SAD) diet are extremely inflammatory. They contain high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), or glycotoxins. These compounds cause inflammation and oxidative stress, damaging tissue throughout the body. Top 12 AutoImmune Diet Foods to Reduce Inflammation The autoimmune diet focuses on real whole foods that are the least likely to trigger an immune reaction. Deficiencies in antioxidants, vitamins, and micronutrients can affect the body’s ability to resolve inflammation. Consuming micronutrient rich foods can help to reduce inflammation, support your immune system, and improve autoimmune conditions. It is also important to make sure these foods are organic because pesticides have been linked to autoimmune conditions Here the list of the top 12 foods:
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 Healthy fats are essential for good health. However, some fats can be extremely unhealthy. When using fats, it is important to differentiate between healing fats and toxic fats. Healing fats are nutritious fats that are anti-inflammatory and supply the body with energy and building blocks for different tissues. On the other hand, toxic fats are highly inflammatory and can contribute to a series of health problems. Learning which fats to stay away from and what healthy fats to incorporate in your diet may be one of the most important dietary strategies you implement into your life. Fat research is clear: Two recent studies completely debunked the arguments for a low-fat, high-carb diet. In an August 2017 study published in the Lancet, scientists concluded "a high carbohydrate intake was associated with an adverse impact on total mortality, whereas fats including saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were associated with lower risk of total mortality and stroke. We did not observe any detrimental effect of fat intakes on cardiovascular disease events". And, a September 5, 2017 study agreed, finding that a high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet extends longevity and promotes health.  Now here is the KEY: For fats to provide these health benefits, you must incorporate healing fats, rather than bad fats, into the diet. To do this you must first be able to identify healing fats and bad fats. It is also important to distinguish saturated and unsaturated fats, non-animal fats and animal fats, and fats for hot uses and fats for cold uses. Below is a simple list of some of the best healing fats. Healing non-animal fats:
Healing animal fats:
Healing fats provide building blocks for cell membranes and hormones. They also function as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K and aid in the absorption of minerals. Healing fats are essential for a healthy body and lifestyle. Let’s look more closely at several healing fats. A Few Words About Omega 3 & 6 In short, boost 3 reduce 6! Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines. They are also found in walnuts and some seeds, such as chia seeds. They are liquid at room temperature. They reduce inflammation and lower the risk of chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides and apoproteins (markers of diabetes), and raise HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels. Omega-3 fats are also essential for brain and eye health. When in the correct balance with omega-3 fats, omega-6 fats are healing fats. Like omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. There are healthy and unhealthy sources of omega-6 fats. Healthy sources include sunflower seeds, wheat germ, sesame seeds, and walnuts. When eaten in the ideal ratio with omega-3 fats (between 4:1 and 1:1), these omega-6 fats promote health. NOTE: Unfortunately, most Americans follow the Standard American Diet (SAD) and consume a much larger amount of oxidized omega-6 fatty acids found in corn and soybeans. How To Cook With Oils  Healthy Fat Bonus Another excellent way to add healing fats to your diet is to include them in smoothies. Healing fats that are delicious in smoothies include:
Worst Fats The most common sources of unhealthy fats are man-made saturated fats and highly processed unsaturated fats. Man-made saturated fats, including trans fats, are extremely harmful. Unsaturated processed oils, such as vegetable oil, canola oil and corn oil, oxidize easily and are never healthy.   Want to Balance Your Blood Sugar?
Below are 12 great foods to help you balance your blood sugar levels naturally. Carbs, processed foods, and many sugars throw off our ability to have stable blood sugar levels which can drive up inflammation, throws off hormones, and reduces our health and vitality overall. It is highly suggested to take steps to balance your blood sugar so you can improve your health. For more details regarding these 12 foods, scroll down. Here is the list:
1. Coconut Coconut is an all-around superfood and probably one of the best things to eat regularly. Try coconut oils, coconut butter, coconut flakes, coconut milk and even coconut flour. Coconut is an excellent source of healthy fats, especially MCT (medium chain triglycerides). Coconut also contains healthy fiber which is excellent for stabilizing blood sugar when combined with other sources of carbs. 2. Turmeric The compounds in turmeric have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity which allows the body to deliver glucose to cells more effectively and prevent massive fluctuations in the blood. Try to make Turmeric a stable of your diet. Furthermore, turmeric has been shown to act on the liver to regulate epigenetic (activation of genes) and enzymatic factors that all work together to stabilize blood sugar and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes. 3. Cinnamon Cinnamon is an underrated superfood. Not only is it one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet, but it tastes amazing and is excellent for stabilizing blood sugar. Cinnamon may also be helpful for fighting candida, which can be another consequence of a high sugar intake. Cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity and allows glucose to be transported from the blood and into the cells much more efficiently. There are generally two types of cinnamon that can be found in stores; cassia and Ceylon. Ceylon is considered to be more effective for stabilizing blood sugar. Additionally, Ceylon contains drastically lower amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is suspected to have undesirable effects on the liver when consumed in large amounts on a regular basis. 4. Raw Chocolate Chocolate in its raw form is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. It is packed with antioxidants, minerals like magnesium and chromium, and can even be a decent source of vitamin C. Chromium helps to improve the function of insulin to stabilize blood sugar and can also help reduce sugar cravings. The key here is to only buy raw chocolate or “cacao” as it would be written on the label. We need to ensure the highest nutrient density and therefore greatest potential for beneficial effects. 5. Organic Coffee Coffee contains an impressive array of antioxidant compounds and nutrients that help to boost brain function, increase fat burning, and protect the body from a whole list of chronic diseases from heart disease to cancer. But, it must be high-quality organic coffee in moderate amount, 1-3 cups a day, preferably in the AM. 6. Green Tea Don't like coffee? Try organic green tea. Green tea is loaded with its own array of powerful antioxidants that help to fight inflammation, cancer, and all-cause mortality. The primary active component that is thought to be responsible for these benefits is the compound call Epigallocatechin gallate. It can also improve fat burning and helps to stabilize blood sugar and can protect you from diabetes and heart disease. For the most concentrated benefits from green tea try matcha green tea. 7. Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar is a fairly cheap way of balancing blood sugar that can be used in many ways. It contains acetic acid which helps to control fluctuations in blood sugar when combined with meals. Additionally, using apple cider vinegar may improve fat burning, improve digestion, and reduce carbohydrate cravings. Try consuming a small amount of apple cider vinegar before meals or find ways to incorporate it into meals. 8. Lemons & Limes Lemons and limes provide a blood sugar stabilizing effect due to their naturally occurring citric acid. Citric acid behaves similarly to acetic acid by helping to lower the glycemic load of meals. 9. Avocados They are loaded with minerals, fiber, and healthy fats that all help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Avocados are also a significant source of B vitamins which are important for energy production. They contain a special type of sugar molecule called D-mannoheptulose. In fact, this type of sugar may actually have the ability to lower insulin levels. 10. Olives & Olive Oil Olives and olive oil are an underestimated source of antioxidants that have been shown to protect the body from the damaging effects of diabetes such as neuropathy and heart disease. Additionally, olive oil contains oleocanthal which is a powerful anti-inflammatory that acts on the COX enzyme system that has been associated with helping to reduce cancer risk, heart disease, and many other chronic diseases. 11. Grass-Fed Butter Not only does it provide many fat soluble nutrients and healthy fats, but it also contains powerful metabolism boosting nutrients, namely conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a long-chain fatty acid that is much more concentrated in grass-fed dairy products. CLA has been found to improve insulin sensitivity and balance blood sugar. 12. Pasture-Raised Eggs One of the most complete nutrient-dense foods you can eat. Additionally, eggs are a low-carb food so they have minimal impact on blood sugar. Pasture-raised eggs are also a good source of CLA, making them great for blood sugar control. Note: Some people can have sensitivities to eggs, which could cause a spike in blood sugar due to the release of cortisol. It's important to control your blood sugar. Try to incorporate some of these foods into your daily diet. Article source & references - click here.  Foods that naturally remove toxins from your body
Eliminating or removing toxins from the body is an important thing to do to maintain your body to stay healthy. The body is often conceded toxins as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle or unhealthy food consumed. Or via bad habits such as alcohol consumption and smoking habits. These toxic substances can harm the soft organs in the body if left unchecked. Also, the toxins can weaken the immune system. By removing the toxins the body will become fresher and healthier as well as the immune system will be stronger. 5 great ways to remove toxins from your body naturally:
14 foods that naturally Remove toxins from body
As always, these are just suggestions. Please use your own good judgement when trying these out. Always listen to your body and stop immediately if you don't feel well. Contact us if you have any health related questions.  Do you have constant pain or do you know someone who does? Are you fatigue all over your body for months at a time? Do you lose sleep because of this feeling of exhaustion? Are you developing headaches? Do you suffer from cognitive problems such as forgetting names or mixing them up? These could be symptoms of fibromyalgia. So what is fibromyalgia really? It's a chronic pain condition that is said to be caused by an abnormal response to stress. It's a muscoskeletal pain and tenderness all over the body. The common signs of fibromyalgia are overall pain & tiredness, restless sleep, numbness, higher sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and muscle spasms, not being able of focusing on mental tasks, disorientation and short-term memory loss. Many have difficulty or are completely unable to perform daily tasks. There is no particular test for this condition and symptoms may be similar to other ailments. There is no known cure but there might be ways to reduce the symptoms and manage the flare-ups. And all that without dangerous pharma drugs. Making lifestyle changes to control fibromyalgia is HUGE. Once a person is diagnosed, unfortunately, most conventional doctors will most likely prescribe pain meds, antidepressants and muscle relaxants. But be careful with these drugs as we all know they come with a plethora of side effects. Just to name a few: antidepressants could increase your risk of developing mania and bipolar disorder. Here a few holistic methods to help alleviate fibromyalgia pain:
Diet for Fibromyalgia Remember that fibromyalgia is not a specific illness. It's more like a symptom complex. Everybody is not the same. What works for one person might not work for another. The best thing to do is to keep a food log or diary. Write down everything you eat and how you feel a few hours later. That way you can differentiate foods that have different effects on your body. Some general tips are listed here:
If you need help figuring out what you could do, contact us today.  I don't know about you, but I love a fresh ground organic cup of black coffee in the morning.
Did you know that coffee has multiple potential anti-cancer pathways? Caffeine is one of them, as it has been shown to both stimulate and suppress tumors depending on the cancer and when it is administered. Polyphenols in coffee, such as lignan phytoestrogens, flavonoids, and polyphenols are also known to have anti-cancer properties, as does caffeic acid, which inactivates several pathways involved in the development of tumors – including cell cycle regulation, inflammatory and stress response, and apoptosis. Another reason why coffee may have a positive effect on our health is because it is the number one source of antioxidants (coffee include significant amounts of hydrocinnamic acid and polyphenols). Free radicals are a type of a highly reactive metabolite that is naturally produced by the body as a result of normal metabolism and energy production. They are the natural biological response to environmental toxins like cigarette smoke, sunlight, chemicals, cosmic, and man-made radiation, and are even a key feature of pharmaceutical drugs. Important Notes: Make sure to drink you coffee black, without sugar, without creamer, without flavorings. If any way possible, buy your coffee certified organic as the coffee beans are one of the most heavily pesticides-sprayed crops. Do the smell test: If your coffee doesn't smell and taste fresh, it most likely is rancid. Don't overdo it. Two to four cups of high-quality, organic coffee should do the trick. Enjoy.  Great weekend harvest. All organic and home-grown. Grapefruit is a mouth-wateringly tart tasting citrus fruit with a hint of sweetness, somewhere between a lemon and an orange. A glass of grapefruit juice helps boost your levels of vitamin C and makes the grapefruit one of the most nutritious fruit amongst citrus fruits. Grapefruits are packed with the benefits derived from various nutrients and vitamins. This powerful nutrient combination of fiber, potassium (which is important for the make-up of cell and body fluids and in controlling the heart rate and blood pressure), lycopene, vitamin A & C, choline, folate, thiamin, vitamin B6, calcium, and magnesium, as well as lesser amounts of many more phytonutrients all here to help maintaining a healthy heart.
Some studies show that eating this amazing citrus fruit can lower the risk of developing kidney stones. Limonin, which is another phytonutrient, showed to suppress cancerous cell and tumor growth. The pectin in grapefruits inhibits hardening of the arteries and lowers the LDL or "bad" cholesterol. NOTE: Please consume grapefruit in moderation because they do contain fructose, which may be harmful to your health in excessive amounts. CAUTION: Drinking grapefruit juice together with certain medicines may, in certain cases, increase blood levels of the drug to harmful levels. Please discuss with your doctor if you're on medication. Grapefruit juice inhibits a chemical in the intestine needed to break down many drugs in the body.  Coconut water contains electrolytes, and is often used to re-hydrate after exercising instead of drinking sports drinks, which contain lots of sugar. One cup of coconut water contains about 46 calories. Carbs make up the majority of the calorie content, about 8.9 grams per 1-cup serving, of which 6.26 grams are from sugar. Coconut water is a good source of the electrolyte potassium, and provides 600 milligrams per 1-cup serving. It also contains about 250 milligrams per-serving of sodium, another electrolyte lost during exercise through sweat. The potassium and sodium content found in coconut water is a smart choice when you become dehydrated, whether from physical activity or sickness. One serving of coconut water also provides about 6 milligrams of vitamin C, along with folate, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and vitamin B-6 and key minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.
Enjoy! A good advice is to incorporate lots of antioxidant-containing foods into the daily diet to ensure adequate intake of a vast variety of antioxidants and other nutrients. The chart below lists all the vitamins and their respective functions, including those with antioxidant properties. If you need help contact us for a consultation.  If you would like to know more about where to find which vitamin, please contact us via email, call or the online form below.
Stay healthy, eat real foods.  Super healthy smoothie anybody? Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. This makes for a great quick lunch on the go or a healthy meal when you do not have much time to sit down and eat a regular meal. Here the ingredients for this October 2017 Super Shake. All ingredients are organic. Some are even grown locally:
 A lack of one vitamin could cause a barrage of symptoms. What are these vitamins? There are two types of vitamins:
Water-Soluble Vitamins
A list of all Vitamins and where they can be found will be posted next.  I always feel good and energized after I get some sun exposure. It seems like the sunlight has a powerful affect on me. On the other hand, when I don’t get sun on my skin for a few weeks, I feel down, grumpy and a bit moody. I wouldn’t call it depressed, but it’s just not a happy feeling. There is evidence that sunlight does more than just make you happy! This article – click here – explains how sunlight and vitamin D help your bones and prevents autoimmune diseases, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It states that, “Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risks of deadly cancers, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus.” It further describes how, “Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized epidemic among both children and adults in the United States.” The article is very detailed and offers amazing information.
I also found this amazing research. The “Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health” article explains how “vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by exposure to UVB radiation.” For most Caucasians, about 30 min in the sun can release as much as 50'000 IU of vitamin D. The same amount of exposure yields 20'000 in tanned people and about 8'000 in dark-skinned folks. There is so much more great info - click here to read the entire article. |
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