Mid-mornings and mid-afternoons are easy times to fall into your favorite delicious snacks or as I like to call, the “Starbucks trap.” That latte tastes and smells so good, and since you’re there already, why not have a biscotti, or even better, a scone?

Yes, sounds delicious. But wait, not so fast. Did you forget about those extra pounds you’ve been trying to get rid of for months? Most importantly, what about your mental health? Both coffee and sugar are stimulants so if the stresses of work are not enough load for you, with these “little snacks” you’ll be putting a lot more stress into your nervous system.

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I get really mad when I see antacid commercials on TV. It’s frustrating to see how much misinformation is put out there for the people to consume and in most cases, assume this information is true.

As I explained in an earlier blog, my years of struggles with a faulty digestion were only conquered through a holistic approach that included a healthy diet and some natural supplements.

Let me say it plain and simple: most of us do not suffer from too much stomach acid. It’s totally the opposite: the majority of the people suffering from common “indigestion” and heartburn are really suffering from low stomach acid.

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Have you ever sprained an ankle, hit your head really bad, or have simply gotten a splinter on a finger? Within a few minutes or hours after the injury, you most likely developed some of the common signs of inflammation: pain, redness, swelling, heat, and sometimes loss of movement or function.

Acute inflammation is a short-term process and believe it or not, it is actually a good sign because it shows that the body has started the healing process.

However, inflammation is not always so obvious. There is something called chronic low grade inflammation, which can silently affect every cell in your body. Among its causes are diet (especially one with excess sugar intake), free radicals, heavy metals and bacteria.

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Headachy, with very low energy levels, bloated, and irritable. That’s how I felt when I did my first detox. It doesn’t sound like fun, I know, but I did it for a great cause: my health.

I didn’t want to lose weight or follow the common fad of a quick cure-it-all tea. I did it because I knew my body needed a break and because I wanted to be able to tell my clients what it felt like to go on a cleanse. Yes, I don’t want to be one of those nutritionists who preaches but doesn’t practice.

The most strict portion of my detox only lasted a week and it consisted on a specific diet and a series of supplements(vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, herbs).  I did prepare for this cleanse for about two months in advance. But don’t get scared or discouraged – I’m a nutritionist, so I did go the long way, but not everybody needs to.

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I have a passion for healthy eating so I can’t deny that I feel a bit disappointed whenever a “sugary holiday” approaches. Easter is one of those holidays and I feel really bad for those kids that will get an overdose of unhealthy treats filled with cheap chocolate, color dyes, high fructose corn syrup and a long list of other health threatening chemicals.

Please, don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate sweet treats. Actually, one of my “dirty little secrets” is that I’m a big (BIG) chocolate lover. I try to eat healthy throughout the whole year but I think that a treat here and there is not going do much harm and will instead make my heart very happy – literally!

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Why holistic? What does that mean? These are very common questions I get from people when I tell them that I am a Holistic Nutritionist.

In Holistic Health, an individual is seen as the integration of physical, emotional, environmental and spiritual aspects. Whenever there is an imbalance among these areas, disease occurs. That’s why in this approach it’s not just about treating symptoms. Finding the root cause of an issue is the most important part because that determines the starting point of any treatment or plan.

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I was very happy when I found this recipe in Ann Louise Gittleman’s book: “The Fat Flush Cookbook” so I thought I’d share it here. I tried it and it was a big hit here at home, plus it was very easy to prepare. It is a great dish to combine with a big raw salad or steamed vegetables. You’ll feel satisfied but mostly happy that you didn’t have to go to KFC for your comfort food craving!

Crispy Non-Fried Chicken

(Original recipe from “The Fat Flush Cookbook” byAnn Louise Gittleman )

4              5-ounce chicken breasts

¾ cup    organic chicken broth

1 Tbsp   olive oil

1 cup     spelt bread crumbs (I recommend ShaSha Co.)

1 tsp      dried tarragon

1 tsp      dried rosemary, crushed

1 tsp      fresh or dried parsley, chopped

1 tsp      garlic powder

1 tsp      mustard

1 tsp      tamari sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350⁰F. In a bowl, place chicken broth and olive oil. In plate, mix together the spelt bread crumbs, tarragon, rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub the chicken breast with mustard and tamari sauce and then dip them, one at a time, in the broth-oil mixture. Then coat with the bread crumb-herb mixture. Bake in the oven until brown and cooked through. Depending on the thickness of the breasts, it can take about 30-45 minutes.

The prospect of living to age 100 sounds like a mixed blessing. Some people think that a long life is good, but many people worry that it means poor health and mental function. However, that is not the case in the “blue zones.”

I will be telling you about the lessons we can learn from four places around the globe that have the largest number of people who have reached the age of 100. They’re called the “Blue Zones” and were selected after seven years of research done by Dan Buettner, National Geographic author and a group of longevity experts.

These blue zones are:

• Nicoya, Costa Rica
• Sardinia, Italy
• Loma Linda, California
• Okinawa, Japan

Four is a key number here. There are four blue zones and four main lessons to learn from them.

The first lesson is: regular physical activity

And what we’re talking about here is constant, moderate, low impact exercise, not physical exhaustion from demanding exercise routines. Sometimes people get the idea that more is better when it comes to exercising, but in the blue zones they show us that it’s not about a fancy gym routine or running a marathon.

In Nicoya Costa Rica they saw a 99 year old man that still looks after his garden. The man squats down and uses a machete to cut the weeds in his corn field. In Loma Linda they are not farmers, sheep herders of fisherman like most of the people from the other three zones. They’re just regular people that have incorporated physical activity into their daily life, work, and hobbies.

The second lesson is: a healthy diet

It’s very simple: the common aspect they all have is that they follow a mostly plant-based diet, with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes where there’s no room for processed and packaged foods. If they eat meat, they do it in small quantities and not as a main dish.

In Sardinia, they have been eating fresh goat and sheep’s milk and cheese for many centuries. And, I know you’re going to like this, they LOVE wine, and they drink a local type that has been found to have three times the level of antioxidants than any other wine. But they drink in moderation and don’t just go binging over the weekend. Okinawans on their part eat plenty of fresh fish besides their plant-based diet. And in Loma Linda most people are strict vegans (no animal derived foods) for religious reasons, as about half of the population are followers of the Seventh Day Adventist church.

Regardless of the reason why they do it, we can agree that they all follow a pretty healthy and wholesome diet that contributes to their good health and longevity.

Lesson number three is: having a sense of purpose in your life.

In the blue zones this comes in the form of spirituality, jobs that they love doing, having enjoyable hobbies, or social engagement in their communities.

A Loma Linda local said: “If God is in charge of my life, why sit around and worry? ” Oh, and by the way, those were the words of a heart surgeon that was still operating at 94 years of age and was not planning on retiring any time soon because he loved his job. There was another Loma Linda local that at age 103 volunteered for seven different organizations. Now tell me about sense of purpose! There is a big sense of community in all of these groups, but most importantly, by finding a sense of purpose in life they get a feeling of security, peace and lots of joy.

The last lesson is: surround yourself and spend lots of time with people you love – your family and friends because they are your support network.

You see, when we talked about Sardinians drinking wine as part of their healthy diet the benefits aren’t really nutritional.  It’s the social part of it. It’s that ritual that happens at night when they get together with their friends and family to enjoy a glass of wine and share stories about their days. Living like a blue zoner means putting family first and celebrating those in your closest social circles. And no, these people don’t live stress-free lives, but they’ve learned how to deal with it. And they use their support network. And they have faith, which helps them to have a positive outlook on life.

I hope this short summary of how life is lived in the blue zones helped you identified four things you can do that can potentially increase your life expectancy: create an environment that encourages physical activity, follow a diet as natural as possible, cultivate a sense of purpose and last but not least surround yourself with the right people: good friends and family.

References:

Buetnner, Dan. “The Blue Zones:  Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest”. National Geographic. 2008.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91285403

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/aging/anti-aging-tips/blue-zone1.htm

http://www.oprah.com/health/The-Secrets-of-the-Blue-Zones

http://www.oprah.com/health/Q-and-A-with-Blue-Zones-Author-Dan-Buettner

http://www.nutritionist-world.com/blue_zone_diet.html

http://www.okicent.org/news/newsday.html

During the summer, we typically consume more liquids as well as more raw, fresh fruits and vegetables. We tend eat a lighter diet (except for those weekend barbecues of course), and we are usually more active. That’s why this is the perfect season to experiment with special diets such us juicing or a raw food diet.

Juicing is a powerful healing tool. Fresh, “live” juices supply the body concentrated nutrients and enzymes needed for the nourishment and regeneration of the body’s cells, tissues, glands, and organs. Juicing is also an easy way to ensure that your diet includes the minimum required servings of raw fruits and vegetables needed to maintain good health.

When you extract juice from fruits and vegetables, the pulp is left behind and fiber is lost, so you need to make sure you include other sources of fiber in your diet. Fiber is essential to proper digestion and detoxification; however, when you are juicing, it is actually a good thing that it is removed. Without the fiber, all of the nutrients, enzymes, and phytochemicals extracted from fresh, raw produce can quickly be digested and absorbed by the body so the healing and regeneration start immediately. Drinking live juices helps the body to rid itself of toxins rapidly while providing needed nutrients.

There is no limit to how much live juice can be consumed safely. Two 8-ounce glasses a day will help maintain good health. When you are fasting and/or speed healing, you should drink at least four 8-ounce glasses a day.

There are a variety of juicing machines on the market and prices range from 80 dollars to more than two thousand dollars. Whatever your budget is, you can rest assured that you will benefit from the wonders of juicing. More expensive machines allow you to use a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, but if you just want experiment and see how you feel when juicing, start with a simple model.

Precautions: Because fresh juice is unpasteurized, it can contain harmful microorganisms, even potentially dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria. Be wary of drinking fresh-squeezed juices that are sold in restaurants or pre-packaged. When juicing at home, wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly to prevent transferring any bacteria or fungi that may be present on the peel or rind to the pulp. Also, keep your knife and cutting board scrupulously clean as they can carry bacteria or pesticide residue. But don’t panic, if you keep a healthy intestinal flora (or “good” bacteria), you have more chances of fighting harmful bacteria (read this post for more information on this subject).

I highly recommend that you only use organic fruits and vegetables for juicing. Here is a quick reference guide to help you get the most out of these wonderful healing drinks:

You can combine these juices together and with other fruits and vegetables in order to get specific results. The options are endless so you definitely have options for taste. One thing to say though: the greener the juice, the more beneficial it is.

My favourite juice is made with kale, carrots, beets and lemon. What’s yours? If you don’t know, I hope you find out soon!

Adapted from: “Juicing: Maximized Nourishment for Healing”. Balch, Phyllis A. “Prescription for Dietary Wellness”. New York: Avery, 2003.  Second Edition. Chapter 3.

Other References:

Haas, Elson M. “Staying Healthy With Nutrition”. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2006.

“Juiced! The Healthy Way” by Kevin and Annmarie Gianni.

Numerous studies have suggested that the cause of many health problems may be associated with prolonged exposure to various toxic agents in our environment. Modern times have proven to be a blessing and a course. On one hand, we live in a world that offers technology, innovation and convenience. On the other hand, this “modern” environment has liberated unprecedented amounts of toxic substances into our air, water, and soil. From common household products to our furniture, clothing, bottled waters and favorite foods that we think are nourishing us, known and unknown poisons are everywhere, sometimes in the most unexpected places

For centuries, different therapies have been used to “cleanse” or detoxify, from simple water fasts to sometimes elaborate regimens of bowel cleansing, steams, and saunas. Western medicine ignored or criticized these techniques for years, but has finally started to recognize detoxification as a vital body process. Research has shown that an individual’s ability to detoxify substances to which they are exposed varies tremendously, and the body’s capacity to detoxify these substances is of critical importance to overall health.

In our industrialized world, we produce more and more potentially toxic compounds that find their way into the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. The body must rid itself of these dangerous substances by transforming them through the longs, skin, kidneys and bowels. Unfortunately, not all of them get excreted efficiently – some are circulated back into the bloodstream and others are stored in various body tissues such as fat tissue. This is in part due to the increasing levels of toxins we are exposed to, and may be exacerbated by a lack of nutrients needed to fuel the detoxification process. Over the years toxins can build up in fat, joints, the brain, and various other tissues, potentially leading to a variety of health concerns.

I invite you to work with a qualified health professional that can design an individual detox program that suits your needs.  Both proper diet and nutritional supplements are needed to maximize the results of a cleanse so I don’t encourage the use of over the counter “detox kits”. Everybody is different so a single program is not suitable for everyone.

References

Metagenics, Inc. (2003). Detoxification Patient Guide. San Clemente, CA.

Watson, B., & Smith, L. (2008). The Detox Strategy. New York: Free Press.