Importance of fats when it comes to injuries

 When you are an athlete you tend to get injured no matter what the sport you are playing.  For endurance athletes it usually tends to be overuse.  Prostaglandin function is when the body inflames and anti inflames in order to maintain homeostasis.  Prostaglandins are hormone like substances the body cannot do without.  They occur in nearly all body tissues and fluids and are made from elongated forms of essential fatty acids and are synthesized in cell membranes.  To control the inflammatory function the body needs to inflame and anti-inflame; the body inflames to heal before it anti-inflames.  This is occurring all of the time when you are training, especially high volume training.  In order for normal prostaglandin function to occur the body needs omega 3-fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and saturated fat.  Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids help the body to anti-inflame and saturated fats help the body inflame.  Both of these processes are crucial to the healing process.  Most Americans are trying to avoid all fats in their diet all together and they are ending up injured all the time, have chronic headaches and migraines, or end up with an anti-inflammatory disease.  It is crucial for endurance athletes especially to consume all three types of fats because when they are training they are using mostly fat as fuel.  Here are examples of all three types of fats:

• Omega-3
• grass-fed beef
• anchovies
• salmon (WILD!)
• blue fish
• lake trout
• sardines
• mackerel
• herring
• flaxseed oil
• wheat germ
• walnut
• hemp
• Omega-6
• Organic avocados 
• soaked and sprouted nuts
• Cold pressed olive oil
• black currant seed oil
• flax seed oil
• evening primrose oil
• Saturated fats
• grass-fed butter
• coconut oil
• grass-fed ghee
• grass-fed beef
• organ meat
• dairy
• shellfish

Some things to consider are:

• Most people tend to overeat omega-6 fatty acids.  It is very important to consume equal amounts of all three in order for proper healing to occur.  
• Industrialization is another contributing factor to fatty acid deficiency.  Grain fed is completely void of omega-3's, whereas grass-fed beef is not.  
• Adultered Fats: hydrogenated fats, highly processed vegetable oils (CANOLA OIL!), partially hydrogenated fats.  Trans fats are the by-products of hydrogenation and are very toxic.  They interfere with proper prostaglandin formation. 
• Supermarket oils: Living fats and oil are very sensitive to light, heat, and oxygen and become rancid very easily.  The more unsaturated it is, the more unstable it is.  Unstable oils are the most important to our health in terms of essential fatty acids. They should not be heath or exposed to any light.  Therefore supermarket oils that are in clear, plastic containers shelved under bright light and not refrigerated are not supporting life.  
• Flax seed is cooked into everything now.  You can find them in crackers, breads, used as oils for cooking, etc.  This is an oil that is not stable under heat.  Avoid all of these products and only consume flax that has not been heated.  
• Cooking is a factor that contributes to essential fatty acid deficiency.  
• For example, cooking fish destroys most of the omega-3 oils.  It is important to incorporate some raw fish in your diet.  

           

            

The Diet for healthy babies

I have had a lot of questions about what to eat to increase your chances of getting pregnant, what to eat when you are pregnant, and what to eat to increase your milk production for breast feeding.  In Sally Fallon's book, The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care,  she explains what foods to eat and what foods to avoid before, during, and throughout the baby's life.

Here is her list of foods to include:

• Cod liver oil  to supply 20,000 IU vitamin A and at least 2000 IU vitamin D per day.
• 4 cups of whole raw milk dairy and/or 5-6 ounces of raw cheese
• At least one egg daily, preferably from pastured chickens, with as many addition yolks as possible added to smoothies, salad dressings, scrambled eggs, custards, homemade ice cream,
  
  etc. 
• 4 tablespoons of ghee or butter daily, preferably from pasture-fed cows
• 2-4 ounces fresh liver (beef, lamb, chicken, duck, turkey, goose) at least two times per week, preferably form pastured animals.
• Fresh seafood, two to four times/week, particularly fish eggs, shellfish, oily fish like sardines, and wild salmon. 
• Fresh beef, pork, or lamb daily, always consumed with fat. 
• Oily fish or lard daily, for vitamin D
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil daily, used in cooking, smoothies, or melted in hot water
• Lacto-fermented condiments and beverages 
• Bone broths used in soups, stews, and sauces
• Properly prepared whole grains, legumes, and nuts
• Fresh vegetables and fruits, preferably organic and in season
• Unrefined salt 

Digestion is a North to South Process

Digestion is a north to south process.  Here is how it works: 

• Digestion starts in the brain with the sight and smell of food.  This signals the body to start producing salivary amylase (digestive enzyme found in the mouth that starts the breakdown of carbohydrates).   
• It then continues in the mouth where the mechanical and chemical breakdown occurs.  The mechanical breakdown is the teeth chewing your food into smaller parts.  The chemical part is the salivary glands moisten the food to help with swallowing.  
• When you swallow, bolus enters the esophagus for passage into the stomach.  The cardiac sphincter at the bottom of esophagus opens to allow bolus to pass into the stomach.  
•  The stomach continues the mechanical  breakdown of food by churning and massaging the bolus along with a  number of chemical activities.  Bolus mixes with hydrochloric acid to disinfect any food that possibly had any pathogens that could have gotten in via food.  When the
  
  bolus reaches its specific pH it becomes chyme and leaves the stomach via the pyloric valve.  
• The chyme enters the duodenum of the small intestine.  If you'v eaten fat the gallbladder will release bile into the duodenum.  The pancreas will release bicarbonate to alkalinize the chyme and will also release digestive enzymes to further breakdown food.  The chyme is now ready to move to a different part of the small intestine, the jejunum and the ilium where it will be absorbed into the blood stream.  
• Whatever is not absorbed into the blood will to through the illiocecal valve into the large intestine.  In the first portion of the large intestine bile and saliva will by recycled in the ascending colon.  Stools and feces will form in transverse colon into sigmoid colon where it will then be excreted from the body.  

What happens when digestion doesn't work properly: 

• As a culture we are tend to be in a stressed out state when we consume food.  In order to properly digest food you have to be in a relaxed state also known as a parasympathetic state.   When you are eating on the run or while you are in the middle of work you are not in a relaxed state, also known as a sympathetic state.  When you are eating in a sympathetic state you do not produce enough stomach acid.  Stomach acid is crucial do digestion in the small intestine.  
• When people eat then tend to be rushed or extremely hungry and do not take the time to thoroughly chew their food.  When food is not chewed all the way through, the amount of saliva produced is hindered.  When the proper amount of saliva is not produced, salvatory amalyse is not produced which starts the breakdown of carbohydrates in your body.   
• Factors such as stress, refined carbohydrates, nutrient deficiencies, allergies, and excess alcohol consumption can all inhibit hydrochloric acid production.  In order for food to continue with digestion, the pH of the stomach should be between 1.5-3.0.  If the chyme is to alkaline, it stays in the stomach longer and begins to degenerate, pancreatic juices are not released and intestinal problems start to occur. 
• In the gallbladder when poor quality fats or no fat is consumed the gallbladder fills up with bile and can cause gallstones.  
• The large intestine deals with the leftover food that is not fully digested, food full of parasites, microorganisms, and undigested fats.  Maldigested food causes dysbiosis and disrupts healthy flora.  Without healthy flora butric acid is not produces which weakens the health of the colon.  This leaves the colon subject to inflammation, diverticula, and loss of tone which can then lead to issues such as IBS, Crohns disease, colitis, and celiac disease .

To avoid any of these issues from occurring, you want to make sure you are properly digesting your food by always eating in a relaxed state, chewing your food all the way through, avoid refined carbohydrates, limit your alcohol intake, and manage your stress.  

Grain Free Apple Banana Bread

So for those of you who cut out grains, but still miss having a YUMMY piece of bread, this recipe is for you.  I made this last night and LOVED it.

Grain Free Apple Banana Bread
2 Apples- I used Pink lady apples
2 ripe bananas (organic so they should be smaller, if not just use 1 big one)
4 eggs
1/2 cup cashew butter
4 Tablespoons of coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In food processer or Vitamix blend apples and bananas.  Add to large mixing bowl.  Beat eggs in small bowl and add to mixing ball with fruit puree.  Add cashew butter, coconut oil, maple syrup to bowl and mix with emersion blender.  With a wooden spoon mix in remaining ingredients.  Place batter in greased (with coconut oil) 9x5" loaf pan.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Let sit for 15 minutes before cutting into it.  Refrigerate the remainder.  I think it tastes better the next day!  ENJOY!

The truth about fat free and low fat milk and yogurt

While I was away in Nicaragua I decided I wanted to start reading Sally Fallon and Mary Enig's book, Eat Fat, Lose Fat.  I am really enjoying it so far and have learned some interesting things.  One of them being about oxidized cholesterol.  Oxidized cholesterol is cholesterol that has been damaged by heat and oxygen during the process of heating. Oxidized cholesterol is what causes plaque build up in
the arteries.  Guess what manufacturers put in fat free and low fat milk and yogurt to give them a more appealing texture?  Powdered milk and powdered eggs which contain oxidized cholesterol! So next time you are at the grocery store I hope you will think twice about grabbing fat free or low fat dairy products and go for the FULL FAT! Now this is not to say that all cholesterol is bad for you.  In fact, naturally occurring cholesterol has the reverse effect and can help heal arterial damage.

The Importance of Water

Everyone has always been told to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.  I find that in order for people to follow dietary advice it is important for them to know WHY.

Facts about water: 

• Water is the most important nutrient in the body.  You can only go days without water, whereas you can go about 8 weeks without food.  
• Water makes up 55-60% of our total body mass, it is found in all tissues, cells and body fluids.  
• Our body can produce 8% of daily water needs, but 92% has to be ingested through food and drinks we consume.  
• Processed foods take moisture out of food and we ended up losing water when consuming them. 
• The slower you drink water, the more you'll retain it.  Don't chug water- you kidneys are overly efficient and will excrete most of it instead of absorbing it.  
• If you drink over a gallon of water without any electrolytes you will become dehydrated.  
• Water cannot be stored, that is why it is very important to have a daily consumption of water.  

How much water should I drink? 

• Body Weight (pounds)/2 = the minimum number of ounces you should drink each day. 

Roles of Water in the body:

• Improves Oxygen delivery to cells
• Transports Nutrients
• Enables cellular hydration
• Moistens oxygen for easier breathing
• Cushions bones and joins
• Absorbs shocks to joins and organs
• Regulates body temperature
• Removes wastes
• Flushes toxins
• Prevents tissues from sticking
• Lubricates joints
• Improves cell-to-cell communications
• Maintains normal electrical properties of cells
• Empowers the body's natural healing process

Easter- Deviled Eggs, homemade mayonaise, kale and artichoke yogurt dip, and chocolate chip cookies

For Easter I had my parents over for an Easter brunch.  I wanted to share with everyone what I made so you too can manage to have healthy items on the table during the holidays. 

For appetizers I made deviled eggs and a veggie plate with a kale and artichoke dip.  

Deviled Eggs:

• 8 organic, cage free eggs (I used the ones from our Farmer's Share, Stillman Farm)
• 1/3 cup Easy Homemade Mayonaise
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of Unrefined Cold Pressed Avocado Oil or Unrefined Cold Pressed Lighter
  
  tasting Olive oil.  (I used avocado oil for this recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt 
• 1.5 teaspoons of fresh organic lemon juice
• Mason Jar
• Immersion blender

1. Start with cracking an egg into a mason jar.  Let it set for about 30 seconds. 
2. Add mustard, salt and lemon.  
3. Add Oil.  Let sit for about 30 seconds, or until the egg goes to the bottom of the jar.  
4. Insert Immersion blender on medium high, starting at the bottom of the jar and then slowly moving it up so everything in the jar turns into Mayonaise.  SO EASY!
• Paprika 
• Pot for cooking eggs

1. Place eggs in pot.  Cover with water and then place a lit on it. Bring to boil.  Once at a boil remove from heat and let stand for 12 minutes.  
2. Remove eggs from pot.  
3. Remove shell by running them under cold water. 
4. Cut all of them in half lengthwise.  
5. Scoop out the yolks and place in bowl with mayonaise, salt and pepper to taste.  
6. Mix well until most of the clumps are removed.  
7. Scoop mixture into eggs and top with a dash of paprika.  

Kale and Artichoke Yogurt Dip

• 8 leaves of kale with stem removed and chopped
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 Tablespoon of Ghee
• I can of artichokes 
• 1 cup of whole fat grass fed yogurt 
• 1/2 of fresh organic lemon juice

1. Heat pan to medium high heat.  Add Ghee, shallot, kale, and artichokes.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic, saute until fragrant.
2. Add Sauteed vegetables, 1 cup of grass-fed yogurt, and lemon juice to Vitamix. Blend on the hot soup setting.  
3. Serve with chopped up organic carrots, yellow and red peppers, and broccoli.  

Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from one of the group leaders, Mary, in my NTA class.  She served them at our first workshop weekend and they were delicious! Click on Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookies for the recipe.  

Mine looked like this, but of course I forgot to take a picture and there are none left!

Homemade Coconut Milk

Have you ever looked at the carton of store bought coconut milk, almond milk, or any other non-dairy milks? Has anyone ever told you if you cannot pronounce it, you probably should not eat it? Here is an coconut milk from The Healthy Foodie.
amazing homemade and cost effective

Alternatively, you can do the following:
4 cups of warm water
2 cups shredded coconut

1. Place in blender for 5 minutes (or 2 rounds of the Vitamix)
2. Strain with cheese cloth as the The Healthy Foodie does.  

Quick and Easy Weeknight dinner

Mustard Steak with Salad 
Serves 2

Mustard Steak

2 Grass-fed steaks (I use beef tenderloin, but any would work)
1 Tablespoon of organic ground mustard
1 Tablespoon of Ghee

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
   
2. Pat steak dry with a paper towel
3. Tenderize with a fork on both sides
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Rub mustard on both sides.  
6. Heat skillet to medium high heat.  Add Ghee.  Sear steak 2 minutes each side.
7. Place in Oven for: (depending on oven) 8 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium rare, 12 minutes for medium, 14 minutes for medium well, 16 minutes for well done.  

Green salad with sprouted seeds, goat cheese, and avocado

2 handfuls of green of choice

1 Tablespoon of sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seeds

3-4 ounces of goat cheese

1/2 avocado

Homemade Salad Dressing

How to eat in order to properly digest your food

 Here are some steps to take in order to properly digest your food:

1. REST AND DIGEST: Our society is always on the go.  When people are eating they are most likely on their tablet or computer or they are doing some type of work or driving. When people are not focusing on what they are eating they are not properly digesting their food because they are in a sympathetic state. In order for food to be properly digested they need to be in a parasympathetic state.  When people are eating in a sympathetic state they are stressed and end up not producing enough stomach acid which helps with digestion.  
2. CHEW YOUR FOOD: When people are in a stressed out state they tend to not chew their food all the way through.  Before they are finished chewing they swallow their food partially chewed and are already stuffing the next bite of food into their mouth. When this happens there is not enough saliva produced to aid in digestion. Try to put your fork down between each bite and chew for your food 30x before swallowing. 
3. DIGESTION STARTS IN YOUR BRAIN: When you see, smell, and hear food being made
   
   that triggers the brain to start producing saliva.  Within the saliva is a complex mixture of electrolytes, hormones, and enzymes.  There is an enzyme in your mouth called salivary amylase that breaks down carbohydrates.  If this enzyme is not secreted, the breakdown of carbohydrates does not begin.  Further down the digestive tract in the small intestine, the enzyme pancreatic amylase cannot complete the breakdown of starch leaving undigested starch to enter the colon leading to potential disease. 
4. LOW STOMACH ACID:  The normal pH of the stomach is between 1.5-3.0.  Factors such as stress, excess refined carbohydrate consumption, nutrient deficiencies, allergies, and excess alcohol consumption all inhibit hydrochloric acid production.  When you have low stomach acid food does not get broken down completely.  These partially undigested food particles cause a reflux, or backwards flow into the esophagus.  Digestion is supposed to go North to South and when food comes back into the esophagus it burns because there is some acid in the food that is coming back up. The esophagus was not made to handle acid.  

Do you have a sugar burning metabolism or a fat burning metabolism?

The majority of American's eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates and fructose.  From my experience, when I ask my clients what they are eating on a typical day, it sounds like this:

• Breakfast

• Bowl of granola with skim milk (C) 
• 8 oz freshly squeezed orange juice (C)
• 1 cup of coffee with skim milk and sugar (C)
• Snack
• Oats and Honey Granola Bar (C)
• Apple (C)
• Lunch
• Whole wheat wrap with deli meat turkey, mayonnaise, lettuce (Wrap, lettuce both C, turkey P, Mayonnaise F)
• 1 small chocolate chip cookie (C)
• Snack
• Carrots with hummus (C- hummus is not a protein it has more carbohydrates than protein, all vegetables are considered a C)
• Coffee with skim milk and sugar (C)
• Dinner 
• 1/2 cup brown rice, steamed chicken breast, 1/2 sweet potato (C,C,P)

Now I wonder how many of you reading this are thinking, wow that doesn't sound so bad! Well the problem is, it is almost all carbohydrates, 2 protein sources throughout the day, and only 1 fat source!  Next to each food I put whether it was a carbohydrate (c), fat (f), or protein (p).  This person is definitely not a fat burner.

  If you go back to basic anatomy and look at the roles of fat in the human body you will find:

Phospholipid

• Your cell membrane is made up of phospholipids (lipid =fat) if you do not have fats in your diet then you have a poor quality cell membrane which will then lead to disease/cancer.   Your body has A LOT of cells. 
• Provide your main source of energy 
• Building blocks for hormones 
• Required for absorption of the fat soluble vitamins, A,D,E, and K. 
• Required for adequate use of proteins- this is why in nature you see fat and proteins coupled together (eggs, grass-fed steak, pork, chicken thighs)
• Protective lining for organs of your body so you don't bruise your organs when you walk into something. 
• Slows the absorption of food for energy regulation. (Think of fat as the log on the fire and carbohydrates at the kindling).
• And MOST importantly- IT MAKES FOOD TASTE DAMN GOOD!

Traits of a Sugar Burning Metabolizer: 

• Awake in the middle of the night because cortisol levels increase.
• Joint inflammation and clogged arteries- proteins bind with glucose and harden 
  
• Insulin Resistance is a primary issue in female hormonal imbalances such as infertility, irregular periods, fluid retention, mood swings, adult acne, and hair loss.
• Impaired immune system- get sick frequently
• Gain weight easily
• High risk of Alzheimer's and dementia 
• Do not have clear thoughts, trouble concentrating, ADD, ADHD
• Cannot effectively access stored fat for energy
• Depend on the kindling wood, quick burning energy, so get very tired during workouts
• Less able to be satiated- ALWAYS HUNGRY
• Crave carbohydrates

Traits of a fat burning metabolizer: 

• Burn stored fat for energy
• Efficiently oxidize dietary fat
• Have plenty of energy on hand
• Rely more on fat for energy than carbohydrates during exercise
• No change in energy after meals
• Sustained energy between meals
• Can burn fat and keynotes while using glycogen and sometime. 
• Burn energy like a big fat log in a fireplace

Here is an example of what a fat burning metabolizer would eat: 

• Breakfast
• 2 free range eggs over easy cooked in butter (F,P) 
• 1/2 cup steamed broccoli (C)
• Snack
• 16 oz filtered water
• Lunch
• Green salad with raw, sprouted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, 4oz steak cooked in Ghee, homemade olive oil and vinegar salad dressing, fermented beets (C,F,P,F,F,C)
• Snack
• 16 oz filtered water
• Dinner 
• Seared chicken thighs with spices, green salad with toasted pine nuts and avocado, tomato, and scallions

There are steps to take to become a fat burning metabolizer and to eat a diet like above without needing a snack between meals.   For each person it will vary. Feel free to contact me if you would like to talk about an individual plan on how to change your diet to become a fat burning metabolizer.  

Homemade GU!

Once you become a fat burner you can start using this as fuel and FINALLY throw out all of your Gu, Shot Blocks, or other chemically engineered products you were using.

Recipe
1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon of honey
Dash of a good quality sea salt
Squeeze Tube

Start using this in your off season or 3-4 months before your "A" race.  You will not have to ingest it as frequently as you did other energy products.  Everyone is different, so play around with it during your longer training workouts.

What is the correct ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and protein I should consume?

      Once you remove refined carbohydrates and start incorporating a balance of all three fats into your diet the amount of total carbohydrates you consume will drop.  The ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and protein you need varies with each individual.  A good ratio to aim for initially is 40, 30, 30; 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 30% protein.  After each meal take note of your energy levels and if you DIETARY FINE TUNING MINI-QUIZ

have any GI distress.  Most of the time people either stay at 40% carbohydrates or they have to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they are consuming and increase their fat intake.  This also may change after a few weeks or months after you body has adjusted or depending on your activity level or where you are in your training.  Here is a

Within one to three hours after a meal, place a check in the box next to any selection that applies to you. 

RIGHT FAT/CARB RATIO

Appetite/Sweet Cravings/Feel Full and Satisfied

• Feel Full and satisfied
• Do not have sweet cravings
• Do not desire more food
• Do not get hungry soon after eating
• Do not need to snack before next meal

Energy Levels

• Energy is restored after eating 
• Have good, Lasting, sense of energy and well being
• Mental/Emotional Well Being
• Improved well-being
• Feel refueled or restored 
• Uplift in emotions
• Improved clarity of mind
• Normalization of thought processes

WRONG FAT/CARB RATIO

Appetite/Sweet Cravings/Feel Full and Satisfied

• Feel physically full, but still hungry
• Don’t feel satisfied; feel like something was missing from meal
• Have desire for sweets 
• Feel hungry again soon after meal 
• Need to snack between meals

Energy Levels

• Too much or too little energy
• Become hyper, jittery shaky,nervous or speedy 
• Feel hyper but exhausted underneath 
• Energy drop, fatigue, exhaustion, sleeplessness, drowsiness, lethargy, or listlessness

Mental/Emotional Well Being

• Mentally slow, sluggish, spacey
• Inability to think clearly, quickly
• Overly rapid thoughts
• Inability to focus
• Hypo-apathy, depression, sadness 
• Hyper-anxiety, obsessive behavior, fearfulness, anger, irritability

Why a low fat diet is detrimental to your health

             A low fat diet is detrimental to health because cells membranes are composed of phospholipids.  When fats are eaten and digested they are broken down into fatty acids that are then used to form fatty acid tails of a cell membrane.  In order for cell walls to sustain their integrity, a healthy balance of good quality omega 3, omega 6, and saturated fats need to be consumed in the diet.   When poor fats are eaten and digested it causes an unhealthy cell membrane, which can then lead to disease.  Low fat diets and poor quality fats can also cause unhealthy glycolipids, which also make up the cell membrane.  Cells make up our entire body, so it is important to keep them as healthy as possible in order to prevent disease and feel and move better everyday. 

             Fats are also required for fat soluble vitamins, A,D,E, and K to be absorbed. They are also required for adequate use of proteins.  This is why many foods in nature tend to contain fat and protein.  Fat also provides a protective lining for the organs of the body, slows absorption of food for energy regulations, and most importantly makes food taste good.  Fat is the preferred source of energy from the body.  They have the ability to break down to glucose.  It actually required more heat to break down a fat into a glucose molecule, so therefore requires more energy to break it down.  When bad fats are consumed in the body they act as a toxin and interfere with the essential roles that fatty acids play in the body.  When a low fat diet is consumed the body essential vitamins and minerals are not absorbed and cell membranes are not strong and therefore ruins the integrity of the cell wall.  Polyunsaturated fats tends to be heated which causes them to become oxidized or rancid which is when they give off free radicals.  Free radicals can lead to bad skin and wrinkles, damage the tissues and organs and lead to cancer, and can damage blood vessels that will lead to the build up of plaque.

Why Stomach Acid is Good for you by Johnathan Write and Lane Lenard

               The big idea of the book, Why Stomach Acid is good for you, by Johnathan Write and Lane Lenard is to teach people how to cure heartburn by increasing and improving the amount of stomach acid that is secreted into the stomach.  They also went on to explain how it can help cure other diseases such an autoimmune diseases, rosacea, depression, asthma, and many more.   The book explains the role of stomach acid in the body and how when the body lacks stomach acid how harmful it can be on your digestive tract.   Without stomach acid the enzyme, pepsin, is not released and proteins are not broken down into amino acids.  The body then ends ups becoming deficient of essential and non-essential amino acids.  When stomach acid becomes too low it also leads to overgrowth of fungi and bacteria and people become more susceptible to food borne illnesses.   Little stomach acid also leads to low iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamin B12.  In order for these minerals and vitamins to be properly absorbed the ph of the stomach has to be acidic.

            Three of the most interesting things I learned in this book were that iron in animal protein is absorbed regardless of the ph of the stomach, low stomach acid can cause depression, and that low stomach acid causes rheumatoid arthritis.   When we eat animal protein that contains iron the ph is the stomach does not have to be a certain ph in order to be absorbed.  When people ingest iron from non-animal protein sources such as vegetables and grains the ph in the stomach has to be less 4.0.   “Neurotransmitters are the molecules that carry messages from one nerve cell to another” (Wright, 2001).  Neurotransmitters are made up of amino acids broken down by proteins we ingest.  If the stomach acid is not low enough pepsin is not released and proteins are not broken down to form amino acids, and neurotransmitters are not made.  The neurotransmitters involved in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine when these are not present the patient becomes depressed.  Low stomach acid can cause rheumatoid arthritis because it begins with leaky gut.  Foreign objects slip through the intestinal lining and enter the blood stream.  Antibodies are then released to kill off the pathogen and this causes inflammation, which then leads to rheumatoid arthritis. 

            Overall I though this book was very informative.  I learned what causes acid reflux and GERD and how a lot of diseases can be reversed with an increase in stomach acid.  I thought it was helpful how they broke the book down into sections explaining what acid reflux was, the importance of acid in your stomach, and what deficiencies and diseases occur when stomach acid is low. 
         The majority of American's suffer from low stomach acid.   I would highly suggest everyone drink warm water with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or one tablespoon of lemon juice before each meal.  The reason you would drink it with warm water is because warm beverages bring blood to the digestive system which helps aid in digestion.  Warm water is also known to be very calming; when you eat food you should always eat in a relaxed state in order to properly digest you food.  

Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson book review

             Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson explains what adrenal fatigue is, helps you figure out if you are suffering from it, and if so how to recover from it.  Adrenal fatigue is one of the most under diagnosed diseases, and it effects about 80% of people.  Doctors look at adrenal fatigue as another fad and tell patients they are fine, they just need to get on with their life.  These patients then go on and end up with other health issues because their more prone to infections and viruses because their cortisol levels are depleted. 

                  I found Adrenal Fatigue to be very informative and I learned a lot from reading it.  First, I learned that low adrenal function occurs in people who have reoccurring respiratory infections.  There were several cases they described in this book of people who had been experiencing adrenal fatigue for months; their bodies eventually broke down enough where they developed bronchitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections.  Second, I learned that reframing can help patients with adrenal fatigue by changing the way they view things.  When patients changed the way they responded to an argument or stressful situation by turning it into something they will benefit from rather than it being an obstacle.   This helps put the patient back in control they avoid a situation that would normally stress them out.  I found this to be very interesting because I find that most people would never think to change the way they respond to situations, they tend to blame it on the other person.  Third, I thought it was very interesting that chewing your food at least thirty times per mouthful and sixty times if you have digestive issues helps with adrenal fatigue.  This occurs by breaking down the food into smaller particles and enhancing the amount of enzymes in your mouth that are mixed with the food to be digested. 

                 I really enjoyed reading this book and I learned a lot of useful information that I can use on my practice client who is suffering from adrenal fatigue and blood sugar dysregulation.  I especially thought it was interesting how much plays a role in adrenal fatigue what needs to be done to help cure it: the food you eat and the way you eat it and when, what exercise works best for adrenal fatigue, different way to reduce the stress in your life, and how much sleep and when you sleep can help you. 

Why eating a low fat diet can make you fat

Eating a low fat diet has contributed to the obesity epidemic because it has lead people to consume more processed foods they are labeled as reduced fat or fat free.  When fat is taken out of food it is also stripped of its nutrients and more sugar and preservatives are added to the food to make it taste better.  Americans end up eating a diet that is very high in sugar and that is what contributes to the obesity epidemic.  A high sugar diet contributes to the obesity epidemic because it causes irregular blood sugar which then disrupts all aspects of physiology including energy, integrity of tissues of every organ and blood vessel, hormonal balance, and brain health.  If liver and muscle stores are full when someone consumes an excessive amount of carbohydrates the liver will convert that glucose to triglycerides and cholesterol that is then stored. 

Foods to avoid!

Fructose is a simple sugar that Americans over consume because there is no fat in it and it is added to a lot of processed foods to make them taste better.  Fructose consumed in high doses can over work the liver and will convert fructose into very low lipoproteins which are the damaging form of cholesterol which then gets stored as fat.  Fatty acids then accumulate in the liver and muscle tissue   Insulin resistance can causes glycation, when sugar sticks to proteins and blocks their receptor sites for insulin.  This leads to people not being able to lose weight because their liver and muscles reject glycogen and everything shifts to fat cells.  Eventually they cannot get into fat cells and people plateau and cannot lose weight.  High sugar and high starch food are quickly converted to glucose and create an overproduction of insulin which can then lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes and obesity.  
causing insulin resistance and fat liver disease.

                  In conclusion, Americans end up over consuming sugar which then leads to irregular blood sugar  and sometimes insulin resistance.  When this occurs excess fat is stored because of excessive glucose in the muscles and liver, and glycation.  Another few important points that contribute to weight  

Butter is good for you! Look for a local grass fed butter.

gain when consuming a high fat diet are people end up never feeling fully satisfied and over eat, they end up craving more sugar and carbohydrates, and they end up feeling sleepy all the time, in which a lot of people associate with hunger or they revert to caffeine.