TEN BASIC TO DO'S FOR HEALTH SUPPORT

My dear friend asked me for a super easy-to-follow list of things she could do for daily support for her busy body. Here is the list that I believe are the very basics to support your self care. Try it... KNOW and FEEL the difference!

1. ENZYMES-

WHAT KIND? Two brands of enzymes that get my stamp of approval are Wholezymes from Whole foods or Complete Enzyme Systems from Rainbow Light. There are numerous different kinds of enzymes, but these two happen to have a good array of enzymes to digest fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

HOW MUCH? Take one every time you eat a cooked meal or snack and two if you're eating a heavy, or greasy, or animal protein laden meal. Keep them in your purse or pocket. Don't leave home without them!

WHEN? If you can remember, take them 15 minutes before your meal. If you forget, take them with your meal. If you have forgotten, take them after your meal. JUST TAKE THEM!

WHY?

Food enzymes are the living proteins that are in all raw foods. Once foods are heated above 118 degrees, those enzymes are rendered inactive. Enzymes help us to digest our food and are a part of every single activity in every single cell of our bodies. We have been issued a standard fortune of enzymes in our metaphorical enzyme bank account to help our own digestion and transformation in each cell of our bodies. Our bodies "digestive" enzymes were intended to work with our "food" enzymes to break down and transform our food into our fuel and to continue the tireless work of cellular activity. When we're young, our bank account of "digestive" enzymes is so abundant that we can take constant withdrawals, eating dead and processed foods without feeling its effects. Over time, most of us are really feeling the consequences of our enzyme deficit. We are tired, sluggish, have reflux and stomach aches, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, foggy brain, colitis, IBS, diverticulitis, food allergies and a host of other symptoms due to enzyme deficiency. So, take those "food" enzymes with your cooked food and help yourself digest and transform your food and your life!

2. PROBIOTICS-

WHAT KIND? One brand I like is JARRODOHPHOLIS. It comes either in a dairy base or a vegetarian base. They have a good reputation for having integrity with billions of living strains of good bacteria and for a very good price. They are found in a special refrigerator section at whole foods or a health food store. Store them in the refrigerator. Also, I like GARDEN OF LIFE brands PRIMAL DEFENSE, and RENEW LIFE brand ULTIMATE FLORA.

HOW MUCH? Start with 1 in the morning and 1 at night. After a week take 2 in the morning and 2 at night.

WHEN? They are fine to take on an empty stomach. So first thing in the morning with a big glass of water and then at night before bed time. If you've eaten, take them anyway!

WHY?

Probiotics help to rebuild good bacteria in our digestive tract, 1. to help fight off the bad ones, 2. to help digest food, 3. to help keep the intestines clean, 4. to sweep out toxins and 5. to protect you from behaviors that kill off good bacteria like drinking coffee, pollution, chlorine in our water when we shower, alcohol and other environmental and food toxins. They are INVALUABLE!

3. A WHOLE FOODS BASED MULTI VITAMIN

WHAT KIND? I like the RAINBOW LIGHT BRAND called COMPLETE NUTRITIONAL SYSTEM- because they are made from whole foods...yay! Also, Nature's Way brand ALIVE multivitamins and Garden of Life Brand LIVING MULTI, and Dr. Mercola's Premium Supplements. You can find them on his website, click here. Steer clear of factory made, synthetic vitamins. You're body isn't a factory.

HOW MUCH? Follow the instructions on the label, and don't be surprised if it says to take numerous pills. Squishing whole food nutrition into a tiny pill isn't a simple task.

WHEN? Always take with food. Preferably in the morning and no later than lunch.

WHY? Vitamins are meant to be catalysts and helpers, not replacements for food. So, give your food a boost by taking them together. Also, since the industrial age, we have over farmed our soils, lost nutrients, become too cheap to fertilize with natural methods and we have used inefficient replacements. The result? We have depleted soils which make depleted foods. Even organic vegetables and fruits are lacking the luster, taste and quality they had from years ago when crops were rotated and land was allowed to rest and rejuvenate after having given so much of itself. Frankly my dear, we need help.

4. KRILL OIL

WHAT KIND? Source Naturals Arctic Pure Krill Oil or Source Naturals NKO Krill oil or Neptune Krill Oil.

HOW MUCH? At least 1000 mg. a day. If you are fighting any kind of disease, increase to 3000 mg a day in divided doses.

WHEN? Always take with food. Any meal is fine.

WHY? 1. Krill oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids and

2. It contains the powerful antioxidant, astaxanthin which is exclusive to Krill oil in comparison to regular fish oil.

3. The phospholipids, DHA and EPA are omega-3's that are in a highly absorptive form. Every cell of our bodies are built from fat. The type of fats we consume are the materials that each and every cell in our bodies are built from. Saturated fats and trans-fats are hard and inflexible. Omega-3 fatty acids are fluid and soft. A soft, fluid cell wall allows nutrients to flow easily into the cell and toxins can freely flow out.

4. Heart healthy fats raise healthy HDL cholesterol, lower the bad LDL cholesterol as well as lowering dangerous triglycerides.

5. Omega-3's are a natural anti-inflammatory, reducing arthritis pain, pre-menstrual symptoms, joint pain and other inflammatory diseases.

6. Krill oil helps the brain focus, reducing ADD and ADHD symptoms as well as Alzheimer's, dementia and depression.

7. Enjoy the help Krill oil gives to keeping skin soft, supple, and cleansed of blocked hard debris, it feeds the nerves to the eyes, reduces some symptoms of diabetes and more...

The health benefits are so huge, that you'll never want to be without this amazing insurance.

EXTRA CREDIT

5. Chew your food.. Don't wait until you are starving to eat because it will increase the speed of swallowing due to scarcity and hunger. If this is the only thing you do, it is surprising how many great benefits you will receive. You will eat less, because chewing takes longer, your body will register fullness before you can consume too much food. You will digest your food better, because you will be doing the work of breaking down food in your mouth with the help of digestive enzymes in your saliva. You will balance your weight by reducing quantity and increasing absorption. The best side benefit, is that if you are chewing your food consciously, then you are more present, both to life and to the taste of your food. This will increase satisfaction and reduce the need to eat more.

6. Eat more raw foods, blend them, chew them, bathe with them, (ha ha) it increases alkalinity in the blood, it makes a nice environment for healthy living and keeps away the low lying bugs, viruses and bacterias that like to thrive in the sludge of an acidic blood stream.

They also contain live enzymes and protein! Yes, protein. Think of a long necked dinosaur and its massive musculature, a cow, a giraffe or a horse. These amazing animals are made up of green leafy vegetables. Wow!

7. DECREASE STRESS HORMONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plan lots of buffer time into your life. Meditate! Rest! Take Breaks! Walk barefoot on the earth! Don't' get your adrenaline pumping because of poor planning or arguments. Fear and stress causes cortisol and other stress hormones to flood your blood stream, telling your body that you are in danger. It steals energy from the digestive system and the reproductive system (We don't' need to eat or have sex if we are running from a bear). Those hormones block our bodies ability to convert our stored fat into energy. It's a double threat. Bad stress hormones and excess fat storage. Being calm is vital to our health!

8. Decrease or eliminate sugar and white flour...... these are very acidic causing, nutrient deficient sub-foods. They throw off insulin, force us to store more dangerous fats and triglycerides in our bellies and knock our hormones out of whack leading to obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Eat whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and seeds as a hearty base to your diet.

9. Eat no more than 4 to 5 hours apart.

When you eat, try to have enough fats, carbohydrates and protein in one meal to keep your blood sugar even and calm throughout the day.

Eat a medium meal in the morning, a big meal in the afternoon, and a small meal at night.

Eat breakfast like a Prince/Princess, lunch like a King/Queen and dinner like a pauper!

10. Increase SELF LOVE and PLEASURE!

Increase happy hormones.... what a fantastic hormone regulating homework assignment... have more sex for fun... do some of your walks as strolls... drop the drive and cruise a bit...

Enjoy friend time, cooking, good food, sleep, plenty of water, meditation and relaxation... tell yourself you are safe, you have arrived, no more proving, no more running. YOU DID IT! You are good enough!

Take small bites! Chew Well! Enjoy!

Know Yourself! Be Yourself! Love Yourself!

HIGH PROTEIN, HIGH FAT DIETS?

COSTS AND BENEFITS?

There is so much controversy around protein these days, A lot of people want to know, what the benefits are of eating high protein, high fat low carb diets, at least once in a while.

First of all, there is no one diet for each person. Our nutritional needs change numerous times throughout our lives, years and months based on our age, activity, environment, the growing season and climate of the year, the season of one's life, whether we are recovering from illness or injury, our weight, ancestry, personal beliefs and desire.

That being said, let us focus on just a few of the benefits and costs of a high protein/high fat diet and when it is worth the risk.

Sometimes, eating a high protein and high fat diet, can be beneficial. (I strongly believe that it is vital that if you are consuming animal proteins that they are from the highest quality sources. Protein's are technically chains of smaller building blocks called Amino Acids. Many people believe that in order to get enough protein they MUST eat animal flesh. This is untrue. It is not hard to get all the protein you need by consuming a combination of nuts, seeds, legumes and grains, as they contain varying amounts of each of the ESSENTIAL amino acids. There are 8 essential amino acids that must be consumed by eating food as our body's cannot manufacture them. However, this article is intended to discuss the occasions when eating a larger quantity of low carbohydrate, high fat, high proteins are considered. For this discussion, protein includes complete, organic vegetarian proteins, pasture raised, organic and humanely treated animal proteins, wild caught, small fish, or in the case of soy, organic, fermented and preferably sprouted.

Included in this diet, could be organic (raw) butters, organic (raw) cheeses, organic yogurts. (Preferably from goats, as the amino acid ratio is more similar to human milk than cow.) Also, included in this diet would be a smaller percentage of low glycemic carbohydrates such as; green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus; bean sprouts; beet greens; cabbage; cauliflower; celery; cucumber; endive, lettuce, radicchio, etc... and even less of the lower glycemic fruits, such as; grapefruit , cherries, plums, peaches, apples, pears, strawberries, other berries and green apple.

A high fat/ high protein diet deprives the body of more readily available energy in the form of carbohydrates that are converted to easy to burn glucose. When the body is forced to burn fat and muscle to get it's energy, then it goes into a state of Ketosis. Ketosis is a more complicated energy conversion process. It requires more energy to create energy and thereby forces the body to increase calorie consumption and fat burning.

KETOSIS

Ketosis is the process of converting fat to energy. One of the benefits is that the by- products of ketosis, (ketones)can feed the brain more efficiently than glucose, (which is the simple sugar that our bodies convert from carbohydrates.) A ketogenic diet is often suggested to reduce seizures in Epilepsy patients. It is not clear why this diet works best, or why it uses ketones more effectively in the brain than glucose, but continual studies, as well as current effectiveness leads physicians to recommend it to seizure patients.

The process of ketosis causes fat to burn efficiently, helping to lower body fat and increase muscle mass. Body builders often use this type of diet along with their weight training to increase metabolism, maximize muscle mass and decrease body fat. This is usually done for specific purposes and goals, however and is not used as a diet over long periods of time.

PROTEIN DEFICIENCY

If a person has been protein deficient, a high protein diet acts as water on a drought, providing nutrients that have been long needed and yet avoided due to confusing and controversial nutritional discrepancies, lack of knowledge and poverty conditions. Vitamin B-12 is a vital nutrient that is most abundantly found in animal protein. Animal protein containa all 8 essential amino acids and don't require food combining to obtain them. Animal products also contain vitamin B-12, which is more difficult to obtain in high enough quantity from the animal kingdom. Though consuming edible algae, such as dulse, raw nori, Chlorella, Blue-Green algae (aphanizomenon flos-aquae), spirulina and tempeh, provide vitamin B-12. Supplements are highly recommended for vegetarians and vegans as one of the only other sources if you are not consuming regular amounts of these alternatives.

RISKS AND CONDITIONS

Prolonged use of high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diets, may have some serious risks. More often than not, people are consuming industrialized, highly processed, mistreated animals who are deprived of their natural habitat, forced to eat genetically modified, herbicided, fungicided, antibacterialized, genetically modified and unnatural foods. (Pardon the need for made up words here, as they serve my purpose.) Animals are commonly injected with growth hormones to hasten their harvest, increase yield and thus finance.

These animals are often quite sick because of the unnatural setting in which they were raised and require medications, usually a full life-time of antibiotics. Presently, there are no laws stating that cloned animals must be reported on the labels of the meats we buy, so we are also now subjects of the era where we are experimentally consuming cloned meats without our knowledge or consent.

Industrialized animals are packed together in warehouses, deprived of the decency of motion, cleanliness, sunshine or a moment of joy. Every drop of food, medication, and product of industrialization including the constant stream of stress hormones flooding their bodies, ends up in their flesh and mostly their fat, which we then consume and becomes the building blocks of each and every cell of our body's. For more information on these practices, read, “Diet For a New America,” by John Robbins and see the movie, “Fast Food Nation.”

HEALTHY LIVES WITH ANIMAL PROTEIN

Animal proteins have not always been factually terrible for us. There are numerous studies of indigenous tribes from around the world whose main source of nutrition was animal protein, fat, bones, hooves, organs, milk as well as warmth used by their coats, every single part used, without waste. Very little grain or vegetable or fruit was available to some of them. The overall health of these entire tribes revealed astonishingly healthy, consistent, well balanced, physical, emotional and mental wellness.

Another amazing indicator was the broad, strong, straight teeth and jaws of most all the members of the tribes with little to no dental decay or disease. These are pretty radical findings and considerations, since our American society has demonized animal protein as the main source of heart disease. For a deeper look at these studies, contact the Pottinger Price foundation. http://www.ppnf.org/catalog/ppnf/

Many of those studies also highlight the importance of consuming foods with live enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts for every function in the body and for these purposes, proper digestion. There are enzymes in foods that are raw or have not been heated over 108 degrees. When foods are cooked above 108 degrees, the enzymes are rendered inactive, leaving the body to do twice as much work as it was intended. There are a finite store of enzymes allotted to all human beings. Enzymes increase the efficacy of digestion and function exponentially. It is easier to see they're benefit, through contrast. The lack of enzymes, life and nutrition in over processed foods leave a culture of lethargic, unaware, unconscious, desensitized humans. The healthier environment that foods are produced in, the more alive they are consumed, the more life is transferred from their origin, to you.

GOOD OR BAD?

All that being said, it is hard to lump any natural food source into a black or white statement saying that it is good or bad for you. I fear that the context of the food is more important to look at than the food itself. It is our responsibility as consumers to find the best, cleanest, most natural, honest sources of protein for our consumption. If it is animal protein, then just because it is sold at one of our popular health food stores, unfortunately, does not assure it's integrity. We have to dig deeper into the farms that raise our foods and learn about the ones that have the best reputations for raising their animals naturally, and if possible, a very personal visit at best. Another great reference is the book "Omnivores Dilemma."

PROLONGED KETOSIS

On the other side of the coin, prolonged ketosis, can wreck havoc on the body, taxing the liver and kidneys, leaving a person lethargic and overly acidic. Excessive fat and animal protein can cause the blood to become acidic, inviting low level virus', bacteria and fungus to sludge up the blood stream. Some lethargy may be the body adjusting to a new way of converting energy. Some symptoms may be the body feeling deprived of other nutrients and expressing its either, withdrawal symptoms of its usual faire or starvation. The process of ketosis is a type of starvation. Starving the body of it's basic fuel so that it will use back up fuel in the form of fat may be shocking if not done with care, purpose and guidance.

SEASONAL EATING

I believe after studying some Ayurvedic diet theory and lifestyle, the ideal time to practice eating a higher percentage of protein and fat, is during the winter when we need to pad the body with extra insulation during the cold winter months.

During the spring, nature produces roots, rhizomes, and sprouts which are natural detergents that emulsify the excess accumulated fats from the winter storage time. The springtime diet of these bright new greens, alkalizes the blood and sweeps clean the intestines. Virus’, bacteria and other low living parasites of nature do not fair well in alkaline conditions, so this yearly cleansing process is like hitting the restart button each year. It flushes out the sludge, so to speak, and prepares the soil to be clean and rich.

The summer time is the best time to switch to a higher carbohydrate diet. Nature provides plenty of fruits and vegetables, the sun is high and out longer, we use more energy and burn more energy and we can handle the higher sugar content nutrients that grow so abundantly during this season.

OMEGA 3, 6 and 9 FATTY ACIDS

A higher protein and fat diet can throw off the balance between the omega 3 fats, omega 6 fats and omega 9 fats. Omega 6 fats come mostly in the form of common refined oils such as corn, safflower, sunflower and cottonseed oils. Omega 3 and 6 fats are called EFA’s, or Essential Fatty Acids, because the body cannot produce them, so they must be consumed. The body can and does convert it’s own omega 9 fatty acids so they are not considered essential.

Omega 3 fatty acid deficiency is common amongst most of us who eat from the industrialized, processed food nation which is mostly loaded with Omega 6’s. To supplement omega 3’s one of the easiest sources is to include one tablespoon of ground flax meal, a day. It will provide your whole day's requirements of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s are superior antioxidants, catching and dismantling the dangers of free radicals as they hurl through the blood stream, acting like enemy asteroids. Omega 3's are like catcher's mits to these asteroids, preventing the crash and burning of fragile cellular structures. Omega 3's also act as protectors of the blood and heart to help balance the thick, stickiness of omegas 6 and 9 when they are out of balance.

GOOD OMEGA-3 SOURCES

Ground flaxseed and hemp seeds; unrefined oils- flaxseed oil, linseed oil, walnut oil, grapeseed oil, wheat germ oil , fish oils and soybean oil (soy needs to be organic.)

Green leafy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli, kale, spinach and purslane. Legumes like mung beans, kidney, navy, pinto, lima, peas and split peas.

Citrus fruits, melons, cherries

CORTISOL AND STRESS

I believe that if we are getting enough cholesterol in our diet, we may lower our overall serum cholesterol so that our body doesn't have to create so much of it naturally. High cholesterol numbers surprise many vegetarians when they are not eating the accused culprit of high fat animal proteins.

In our modern lives filled with the rapidness of the internet, fast food, travel, instant messaging and instant gratification, stress has become a part of our daily faire. Stress causes the hormone cortisol to release into our blood streams as a form of protection. Cholesterol is the precursor to cortisol. Over production of cortisol can lead to adrenal fatigue and send our other hormones flying out of balance.

Cortisol is used in fight or flight situations, giving us a natural jolt of adrenaline to focus us on survival. It shuts off energy to our reproductive system and our digestive system so that it can draw more energy and blood into the arms and legs for a quick get away. Cortisol directs the body to store its carbohydrates as fats in the form of triglycerides and its favorite storage facility is belly fat, the most dangerous fat of all. It presses against our organs, stresses our insulin response, disallows our bodies to burn fat, throws off our blood sugar and is a leading culprit for diabetes.

If you were being chased by a bear, you wouldn’t be thinking about sex or food, so you probably wouldn’t mind the borrowed energy from those systems, but, a daily life of stress and deprivation of balance to all these systems leads to a domino effect of disease and imbalance. The more stressed we are, the more cortisol we have to produce and the more cortisol we produce, the more cholesterol we need to produce it. Hence, our stress is more dangerous to our cholesterol levels than eating moderate amounts of healthy animal proteins, if that is our choice.

PREVENTION

Some of the best defenses we have in the area of prevention are the behaviors that cost less than pills and medical bills, but they cost our attention and change in habit and ritual. Here are a few basic suggestions for additions and subtractions to our lifestyles that can really add up.

· Meditation and yoga

· Getting to bed by 10 pm

· Drinking enough pure water

· Eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes

· Avoid refined sugar and excessive stimulants such as caffeine, salt, processed or fried foods

· Daily exercise, (just 30 minutes a day of brisk walking can make a big difference)

· Eating lightly at night and not past 8pm.

· Reducing electronic stimulation in the evening before bed

· Doing joyful activities and taking breaks and rests from constant activity

· Massages increase oxytocin, the natural happy chemicals released in our brains, leaving us with joy and a sense of overall well being.

· Having a relationship with a higher power so that you can surrender the results of your will and relax.

QUALITY FUEL EQUALS QUALITY CELLS!

Most importantly, food is our fuel. The higher quality fuel we use, the higher quality raw materials will be building all the cells of our body's as well as influencing the thoughts that we think. If each bite we eat, and thought we think makes up the very tissues and systems of our body, then what would you like your body to be formed from?

Think naturally, think, pre-industry, think kindness and common sense.

Think Love!

copyright- Jo Sutton 2011

Certified holistic health coach

IS THERE A BENEFIT TO JUICING VERSUS BLENDING?

Juicing is one way for the body to absorb carbohydrates, in the form of sugars, while giving the intestines a much needed vacation. Historically speaking, nature has provided times of famine, which have forced fasting upon our species in, what I suspect, is not entirely a terrible or random or idea.

Our industrialized culture has allowed us the luxury (and detriment) of a constant flow of an unseasonably abundant food supply. Human's are built more for famine than feast.... and we could probably use a little more fasting in our society to balance out the feast.

The obesity epidemic has tipped the scales of disease, creating the diabetes epidemic and record high numbers of preventable heart diseases. This is voluntary mass murder for the residents of our planet.

Cleansing is a great idea in the form of fasting or juicing, especially if it used to reset the body with high quality fuels and building materials. After all, every morsel of food that enters the mouth are the raw building materials that replaces every cell of our bodies. You can have a whole new body remodel in seven years. The quality of its health is dependent upon the foods and thoughts and environmental stimulation that you put into it.

Fasting or juicing gives the intestines a break while providing carbohydrates to the body for metabolic fuel, but it is not enough, not for long.

Eventually, the body needs to eat food, and the intestines need to get back to work. The body is composed of macro-nutrients consisting of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and it needs those macronutrients in the form of food, to sustain proper body function.

Keeping the intestines cleaned out with fiber and water, are the two most important ingredients to sweep the halls clean, so to speak.

Blending, instead of juicing provides water and fiber, in droves, along with all the living carbohydrates, amino acids, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, juices usually contain more calories in the form of sugar, as it takes larger quantities of fruits and veggies to get its juice out, than blending the whole produce.

A blended beverage contains less fruit or vegetable because it is whole, and therefore takes up more room en mass. This provides a more filling drink with less calories, as well as the cleansing fibrous qualities and water to move waste out effectively.

I think that Vegan diets are the optimal, target diet as far as eating without side effects is concerned. If a food has a side effect, then it is suspect to me, as to whether or not it is worth consuming.

Think of it! Animal and dairy protein has the possible side effect of cancer and causes an overly acidic environment in the blood, leaving the body vulnerable to opportunistic bacteria and virus'. Colon cancer is strongly linked with animal protein. The heating of animal proteins is known to give off carcinogens and should be labeled as cancer causing.

Dairy contains the protein Casein, which has extensive studies indicating it as a cancer causing culprit, even more than the flesh of the same animal.

The side effects of these foods make me think that even though it is easier to get your protein this way, the question is, at what cost?

Being a healthy vegan is not easy.

Being a vegetarian for a lot of people means eating quesadillas made from white flour tortillas and non organic, factory farmed animal cheeses.

So, the title vegan or vegetarian is less important than the quantity of real, whole, quality vegan food choices. Eating more and more, raw, whole, organic, unprocessed, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, increases life giving materials. Adding more of these foods, eventually can lead to eating less and less processed, dead, foods.

Veganism is a healthy, ethical lifestyle and thought system that can be taken on, one bite at time.

GERD- Reflux disease... priceless tips

G.E.R.D.

Gastro Esophageal REFLUX Disease

Gastroesophageal Reflux disease is a condition in which your esophagus becomes irritated or inflamed due to acid backing up from your stomach. Some people have a leaky or weak valve that closes your esophagus off from the stomach to protect the sensitive esophageal lining from stomach acid. Reflux affects more and more people every day and is exacerbated due to an increase of processed and refined foods, fast food restaurants, time crunches depriving us of the luxury of chewing, digesting, enjoying and socializing. Stress causes excessive adrenaline production that signals an emergency to the body, increasing blood flow to the limbs, (fight or flight) and decreases it from systems that wouldn't ordinarily be working if you were, say, running from a bear. So, the digestive and the reproductive systems are the first to go.

We over eat, searching for nutrition in nutritionally deficient foods and we have now created an adaptive habit of stuffing as much food on a plate, in a cup and in our mouths as possible, hoping beyond hope for sustenance and satisfaction. Our stomachs are over filled and that puts a physical pressure on the flap that closes our stomach off from the sensitive mucus membranes of our esophagus.

Also, due to over processing and the consumption of large quantities of cooked foods as well as most of us not getting our minimum requirements of the fruits and vegetables that are deficient in nutrients as well, due to conventional growing methods... we are sorely missing many of our vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Enzymes exist in foods that are raw or not heated above 118 degrees. Our very own limited store of digestive enzymes and stomach acids are now doing the job of three men instead of two.... as the cooked foods that once contained enzymes, are now dead, leaving the bulk of the digesting, up to us. Guess what? Our bodies are tired, spent, and enzyme deficient. We are becoming less and less efficient when we need it the most. So, what to do with all this bad news? Lets start by eating more cleanly... back to the basics of organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and high quality, proteins. Read on for more specifics.

BEHAVIORAL CHANGES

1. EAT SMALLER MEALS, EVERY FEW HOURS.

Why? Smaller meals will not fill up the stomach and push the stomach contents up and out of the sphincter (flap) that closes the stomach off from the esophagus and up into the throat. It will reduce acid damage to the vulnerable lining of the esophagus and help to prevent esophageal cancer.

2. TAKE SMALLER BITES! CHEW EACH BITE TO A PASTE!

Why? Because people with reflux disease either have too much stomach acid or not enough stomach acid.

People that have too much stomach acid can cause a large volcanic sloshing around of food with particles that are too big. It requires a lot more work for the acids to break it down and that activity will send acid up through the esophagus.

Most people have a deficiency of stomach acid and have a hard time with large, un-chewed chunks landing in their stomachs. The weak, acid-deficient stomach works really hard on breaking up food that was supposed to be chewed, and it may do an insufficient job. This can leave foods lingering in the stomach and cause reflux.

The stomach also has an “emptying time.” By the time it is ready to empty into the small intestine to absorb the proteins and fats, the food has not been broken down enough to be absorbed into the blood stream in its tiny bits. So, the food itself gets absorbed into the blood stream. Here’s the interesting part, food is not supposed to be in the blood stream, it's broken down particles are. So, now our white blood cells respond to the food like a foreign invader and launch an attack against them. This is one of the causes of food allergies and it exhausts the immune system. Also, white blood cells that would normally be reserved for fighting off the real foreign invaders are now using major artillery power on a bagel, leaving the viruses alone to wreak havoc. Now, are you inspired to chew your food?

3. DRINK WATER BETWEEN MEALS AND ONLY SIP DURING MEALS.

Why? So that you don’t dilute the strength of whatever stomach acid you may have... let it do its job and break down foods with full strength. If you do drink with your meals, sip hot water or green tea. The heat will help keep any saturated fats that you may consume during a meal, soft so as not to harden in your intestinal lining or in your arteries.

4. WHEN YOU WORK OUT...STOP DRINKING LARGE AMOUNTS OR EATING 2 TO 3 HOURS BEFORE YOU WORK OUT.

Keep your stomach as empty as you can a couple of hours before you work out and only sip water in the hour before you work out. Do not guzzle.

Why? Big body movement before the stomach contents have had a chance to empty themselves will result in a sloshing of contents up and out of the stomach and into the esophagus.

5. MAKE SURE TO HAVE A CARB/PROTEIN SNACK OR MEAL WAITING FOR YOU WITHIN 20 – 30 MINUTES OF YOUR WORK OUT.

Why? Well, if you listened to the above suggestion, you are going to be very hungry when your work out is over. Hunger can cause stomach acid production that signals hunger. You don’t want to feel sick as a way to listen to your bodies needs. Feed it automatically. Also, you will the best time to rebuild muscles and replenish lost nutrients after a work out is in the first 30 minutes.

Excellent quick meals or snacks could be Peanut butter and jelly on sprouted grain bread. Whole grain pasta with lots of veggies and chicken or steak. Egg or tuna salad sandwich. Almond milk with peanut butter and hemp protein. Almonds and cranberries. Banana and peanut butter. A bean and rice burrito.

6. DON’T LIE DOWN TO NAP OR SLEEP UNTIL 2 OR 3 HOURS AFTER YOU HAVE EATEN.

Why? If you do lie down, then be in a propped up position as long as you can until about 3 hours have passed. Lying down after eating tips the stomach on its side bringing the acid right up to the opening that connects the esophagus to the stomach. Reflux patients often have leaky vales so it can slip through with gravity.

FOOD SUGGESTIONS

7. EAT LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES

Why? They are the opposite of acidic. Alkalinity puts the fire out and stops creating excessive acidity that can burn the lining of the stomach or cause reflux. They are filled with fiber and chlorophyll, sunlight, vitamins and living enzymes. They are some of the most healing, amazing, sun filled, reparative, oxygenating, antioxidant filled foods a person can eat. Try it! Steam them, chop them, blend them, drink them, chew them and fall in love with them. They are the fountain of youth.

8. EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Why? Okay, I separated out green leafy vegetables from the rest, but the fruits and vegetables are amazing. Eat a rainbow! Colors in fruits and vegetables contain different vitamins and phytonutrients. Experiment with eating a rainbow and get all your vitamins. Nature is smart huh? Blueberry’s, blackberry’s, boysenberries, Red cabbage, (is purple) it turns blue when it’s steamed, green beans, broccoli, chard, collard greens, spinach, beet greens, parsley, watercress, lettuce, zucchini, asparagus, are green, lemons, (they seem acidic but they alkalinize the blood and muscles) loquats, yellow berries, pineapple, yellow squash, yellow wax beans, are yellow, oranges, papaya, butternut squash, yams, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, are orange, strawberries, watermelon, beets, pomegranate, raspberries, beets, radishes are red.... How delicious is that rainbow?

9. EAT BERRIES

Why? Berries are some of the least sugary, least acidic fruit. Also, they are high in antioxidants. Why do we need antioxidants? Because the byproducts of refined foods and prepared foods are called free radicals which are like small burning meteors in your blood stream. They crash along the delicate walls of the blood vessels and delicate red blood cells and other important constituents of blood and burn holes in them. It ruins their ability to function and causes more waste products for white blood cells to sweep out of the blood. Using white blood cells to sweep out all these multitudes of deactivated free radicals is like asking our US army to sweep the jungles instead of watching out for real intruders. Chew your berries well, as the little seeds need to be broken down in your mouth, leaving less work for your tired stomach.

10. EAT SMALL AMOUNTS OF WHOLE GRAINS

Why? They are not stripped of the fibrous casing that wraps around the starchy center. So, they are not as acidic as if you were to consume refined grains like white flour or white rice that is a quick sugar rush and acid producer. Sugar is acidic and causes not only stomach acid, but an acidic environment in the blood and muscle tissues. Low lying viruses and bacteria love to hang out in the swampy acidic blood and muscle tissue because they thrive there. They hate alkalinity. Grains are full of fiber and help sweep clean the sludge that accumulates in the intestines and it pulls excess cholesterol out of the blood stream as well. So, consider the importance of eating some WHOLE GRAINS, especially if you are an animal protein eater... Steel cut oats, 5, 7, and 10 grain cereal, oatmeal, teff, sprouted grain bread, hulled barley, quinoa, etc. Grains, however, are still a carbohydrate whose partial intent is to be transformed into a useable form of sugar, (glucose, glycogen), so small amounts will provide energy, minerals, and fiber as well as satisfaction. Eating too many may cause more acid, so use them in moderation. Incidentally, before refined sugar made its way on the scene, people ate fruits, sweet vegetables and grains to get their sweet tooth fix, which was originally a craving for energy and some sweetness in life.

11. EAT FISH AND MEATS IN SMALLER QUANTITIES, CHEW WELL AND EAT SMALL BITES.

Why? For those who like animal protein, it is usually acidic, so eat it in small amounts so that you can satisfy your craving for animal protein. It is good for building muscle and replacing muscle tissue after working out. But, eat it with LOTS of vegetables, especially greens.... greens will have fabulous alkalinizing qualities to help combat the acid nature of animal protein. Also, if greens are eaten raw, then the living enzymes in those vegetables will help to digest the meats, ensuring better use and absorption.

12. DO NOT EAT DAIRY PRODUCTS-

Why? Well, first of all, we are the only species that continues to nurse beyond nursing age. That may be one of the major reasons that most people are lactose intolerant. Lactose is a milk sugar and lactase is the enzyme that most of us had in our bodies when we were babies to digest the milk. It’s no wonder that it’s not there in most of our bodies anymore. We’re not babies anymore. Also, milk products, especially if they are pasteurized, (and you’d have to go out of your way to find raw products, you can find them if you are going to eat dairy,) are highly mucus forming and highly acidic. The mucus is like a sticky swamp that low lying viruses and bacteria love to stick to... think of gooey nasal passages collecting cold viruses. That is a good metaphor for how it is in the alimentary canal. (the alimentary canal is the tubing that goes from your mucusy mouth, through your esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines then out your rear.) That is a long passageway for nasty creatures to make a home in and then their byproducts end up in your blood stream, because that is where nutrients are absorbed. If you are going to eat dairy, find a good quality raw dairy, yogurt is the safest choice in my opinion. They contain probiotics, (see suggestion # 13), and the fermentation process eats up much of the lactase. I’d suggest plain, not the sugar filled kind. Preferably goat yogurt... plain, and add your own sweetener and fruits to avoid the cheap, genetically modified versions. The amino acid ratio in goat milk is more similar to a human ratio than cow.

13. TAKE PROBIOTICS?

What are they? Probiotics are the good bacteria that make up the cultures in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, fresh sauerkraut, tempeh and miso. Our bodies are supposed to contain at least 5 pounds of bacteria or more, lining our alimentary canal. They act as enzymes, aiding in digestion and healthy absorption of the nutrients that are passing through, they sweep sludge out of our intestines and eat up the unfriendlys. Caffeine, alcohol, sugar, pollution, chlorine in our drinking water and in our baths and showers kill off many of our good bacteria. I

14. TAKE ENZYMES!

What are they? Enzymes are protein catalysts that cause chemical changes. Enzymatic activities happen in every single function in our body. The ones that happen in the digestive tract are necessary for proper break down of food into small, digestible particles. Foods that are raw contain their own living enzymes. Foods that are cooked above 118 degrees kill their enzymes. The body contains a finite store of their own digestive enzymes. Due to cooking and processing of foods, the body has had to take over the responsible for almost all our enzyme activity. It has exhausted its stores early and has taxed the organs with so much waste production that people feel sick and tired. We are more susceptible to illness and our lower immunity has made us a host for many exhausting viruses. Animal products, some grains and legumes are particularly difficult to digest and are all usually cooked. They really need to be chewed extra well, and using food enzymes each time you eat is a great way to give your body the help it needs.

Why? Well, goodness gracious, if your enzyme stores are low, your body is tired and you need some real help digesting. The stomach aches, ulcers and reflux are the bodies way of saying, “I’m overworked and stressed and I just can’t do it all alone any more. Please give me food that is living and food that I can use that has real nutrients and if, for goodness sake, you give me junk or hard to digest food, please give me help.” That help comes in the form of ENZYMES.

15. DRINK ALOE VERA JUICE.- Raw, cold pressed, hand filleted and organic.

Why? This miracle plant soothes, alkalinizes, and repairs the lining of the alimentary canal... from top to bottom, it is like putting the fire out.... Add it to juice, drink it straight, put it in a shake, just drink if for goodness sake. About 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time.

16. DRINK FRESH PRESSED JUICES

Why? Well, this may be last on the least, but not least in importance. Sometimes, we just need to give the old gut a break. Drinking fresh pressed vegetable juices with maybe a little fruit, like green apple, can give the body a concentration of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are easy to assimilate, while giving the digestive system a break. Consider a juice fast for a few days. It may be just the way to hit your reset button.

copyright Jo Sutton 2009

GOD IN THE DRIVER SEAT

My car approaches the intersection and it seems like there are no cars looming in danger. So, I put my hand in my purse and feel by Braille to the side pocket where I can feel the texture and size of my mahogany lip liner. I glance up at the road again, and I'm maybe 200 yards from a traffic light. I pull down my vanity mirror and peek up into it and at the road simultaneously while I draw an outline on my lips. I made it across the intersection without an accident. Thank God I didn't crash. I really shouldn't multi task in the car. But, then I want to hear some music and I must respond to my desires, NOW, like Veruca Salt from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory... "but daddy... I want it NOW!!!"

I reach behind my seat and feel for my CD case, pull out the EAGLES greatest hits and pop it in. The cell phone rings and its a client who wants to make an appointment to have her hair done. I reach into the back seat again, grabbing my calendar, I open it onto the passenger seat and calibrate the division of my attention between the road and a single point on my schedule that is listed in 15 minute increments. While the phone is in my hand, (this is before the 'hands free' law) I hear a voice in my head, "Are you crazy? I keep telling you to just concentrate on the road. What are you waiting for, an accident to inspire you to listen? Put the phone down." I know this voice is right and I have ignored it way too many times. I may have a death wish I don't listen, I think.

"Ahh, Lois, can I call you when I get to work? Great, thanks."

I put the phone down.

In the driver seat, sits my little self, who has run amuck, believing that she can handle every detail and event in my life if only there were more time. She's stressed and acting like an ego inflated executive who's got the world balancing on its axis with her very own fingers or whose every minute costs billions of dollars.

We hit some traffic and this little me starts to squirm that we are going to be late, her heart beats faster, her breath becomes intense and labored, her forehead squints and she doesn't allow a car that was waiting to turn in front of her, even though a red light was up ahead. That's not like her....

My higher self doesn't rush. She is an elegant, graceful, wise, luminescent being who knows that the only place to be, is exactly where she is.

I surrender to her and decide to let her drive and I metaphorically put the little, scared, over extended 'me' into the passenger seat. "I" then proceed to drive the car... at the speed limit, whether or not the time says that I am late or not. There is no such thing as late when you can only be exactly where you are. I park my car and walk intentionally, yet gracefully, to my destination..

Consciously, I breathe and stay aware of my feet, not allowing my mind to extend any further than my toes. I arrived at work safe and void of adrenaline. My client happened to be 5 minutes late. What a surprise.

* * *

Today, I will drive my car and proceed throughout my day with my highest self in the driver seat of my life. I breathe in the moment and remain calmly here, no matter what the circumstances.