Toxins, toxins, everywhere! In the air, earth and water… But we can minimize our exposure. Guest blogger, Laurie Mitchell, tells us what to be on the look out for when we’re choosing products for our skin and hair.

It’s hard to believe that skincare and beauty companies are promising long-term beautifying results with the kind of ingredients they use in their products. In fact, using some skincare products can often be the same as cleansing your skin with formaldehyde, coal and carcinogens!

Most of us are not aware of this all too common danger and in fact, we may be increasing our chances of cancer just by washing our face daily. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the most popular skincare ingredients that are known to cause damage.

Next time you’re shopping for that anti-aging cream or the perfect cleanser take this list with you and avoid all the items listed below.

• Paraben. This harmful ingredient is also known as Methylparaben, Proplyparaben, Butylparaben and Ilsoparaben. Parabens are commonly used in the skincare and beauty industry, as they act as preservatives. Parabens have also been linked to carcinogens, which are directly involved in the cause of cancer. On top of that, the continued use of parabens can create an estrogenic effect, which stimulates breast cancer. These chemicals can be found in face and body moisturizers, cleaners and body wash. There are no tests that claim paraben use is safe.
• Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate. This ingredient goes by both names and can be found in cleansers and shampoos. Sodium Lauryl is found in floor cleaners, car wash detergents, engine degreasers and a wide array of beauty products. In fact, it cleanses your skin the same way it degreases an engine, by removing excess oil. Sodium Lauryl has the potential to change the genetic material found in cells, damage your immune system, separate skin layers, cause skin inflammation and even damage the structural formation of young eyes; something we actually may be looking to correct with certain cleansers.
• Phthalates. This toxic skincare ingredient goes by the following names: dibutylphthalate, diethylphthalate, DBP, DEP and butyl ester and helps lotions and creams absorb quickly into skin. However, this ingredient has been classified as a “probable human carcinogen” by the EPA, as it has the potential to kill our skin cells and release cancer forming substances. This chemical has been banned by certain cosmetic companies in Europe but has yet to be outlawed in the United States.
• Petrochemicals. You have may noticed that many skincare products are petroleum or chemical based and therefore contain synthetic substances such as petrochemicals. However, the utilization of petrochemicals has resulted in anemia, kidney degeneration and nerve damage to the brain and spinal cord within rodent test subjects. Even worse, several rodents died before the test was concluded. Along with skincare products petrochemicals can be found in home furnishing items, household products and even our food. These chemicals have often been linked to the rise of diseases such as cancer in our population.
• Diazolidinyl Urea/Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate. This ingredient is used in skincare and beauty preservatives and is chemically related to formaldehyde releasers. Formaldehyde has long been linked to the cause of nasopharyngeal cancer. Though the label on your skincare product may not list formaldehyde the following ingredients release it: diazolidinyl urea (or 3-diol diazolidinyl urea), 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1 (or bronopol) and DMDM hydantoin. Most of these ingredients have been banned in Europe as they can result in allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, mucous membrane irritability, eye damage, headaches, joint and chest pain, depression, dizziness, fatigue, immune dysfunction and the creation of carcinogen substances. However, they have yet to be banned in the United States.

Yes, it may be hard to fathom but skincare companies the world over are utilizing these products in order to give you the immediate results you may be looking for, avoiding the fact that cancer could be a long-term effect. It’s more important than ever to choose natural, organic products that are free of the above substances when searching for cleaners, moisturizers, shampoos and so on.

Since the Federal Drug Administration is not banning these harmful toxins, it’s important to read your beauty labels and prevent not only yourself but future generations from developing cancer and other fatal diseases directly related to skincare toxins.

About the Author

Laurie Mitchell is an authority on cosmetic industry topics and on the effects of aging on the skin. Laurie writes about Hydrolyze, a leading brand in the anti-aging industry. Additional information about anti-aging products can be found at www.hydrolyzesite.net.

It’s tough to remember all these ingredients when shopping. But a good trick I use is: if I can’t pronounce it, it ain’t natural. Do you have any natural, green product lines that you trust?

Cleaning up the food supply isn’t going to be easy, but thankfully, Robyn O’Brien, is already leading the way! Thank you to brilliant and thoughtful Live Lighter reader, Heather, for passing on this informative and inspiring video of Robyn sharing her story and passion.

A business analyst from Austin, Texas, Robyn says herself she was an unlikely candidate for leading a crusade on clean food. Then one of her four children had an allergic reaction to a “typical” family breakfast: Eggo waffles, blue yogurt and scrambled eggs.

This frightening episode lead Robyn on a quest to discover just how children get allergies and why it’s so prevalent these days while it was rare only a few decades ago. That’s when she found out the shocking truth about the tainted U.S. food supply and how the country makes it almost impossible for the organic food supply to survive.

But this story is better told by food’s Erin Brockovitch herself, so please take 19 minutes of your day to hear her speak at a recent TEDx conference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA

About Robyn O’Brien

Robyn authored “The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It.” A former Wall Street food industry analyst, Robyn brings insight, compassion and detailed analysis to her research into the impact that the global food system is having on the health of our children.

She founded allergykidsfoundation.org and was named by Forbes as one of “20 Inspiring Women to Follow on Twitter.” The New York Times has passionately described her as “Food’s Erin Brockovich.”

http://allergykidsfoundation.org
http://twitter.com/unhealthytruth

The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick – And What We Can Do About It

Mmm… I love coffee. Maybe a little too much. Or maybe it isn’t too much… Let’s find out in today’s guest post by Maxine!

Caffeine is an essential item on almost everyone’s food list. Most people, present company included, are useless without their morning cup (or cups) of coffee. There are many who absolutely need a kitchen fully stocked with their energy drink of choice, and others who consume soda like it is water.

In fact, almost 80% of the world’s population will name a caffeine-laden drink when asked their favorite drink. Its immediate availability from gourmet coffee shops to the gas station on the corner does not help in curing people of their dependence on caffeine.

But exactly how healthy is this wonder of a pick-me-up? Also, how does it affect our diet? As an admitted caffeine addict, I’ve sought the answer to these questions to discover if I’m drinking too much, or if I should add another cup to my morning ritual. Here’s what I found out:

Benefits of Caffeine

• Raises your energy and metabolism. But we already knew this. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be consuming so much of it! Caffeine is a stimulant, increasing your energy and metabolism as soon as 20 minutes after consumption! It has even been proven to improve your mood.
• Helps with some weight loss. Because it is such an energy booster, with the proper exercise and diet, caffeine helps with weight loss. However, most of the initial weight loss will be water weight as it is a mild diuretic, and because of this, it is essential that you keep hydrated while consuming coffee. In addition to that, drinking coffee to lose weight must be done carefully. For all its wonders as a weight-loss supplement, it can pile the pounds back on if you overdo it.
• Keeps your brain sharp. Moderate consumption of coffee boosts the sharpness of brain function. In fact, many studies have found that habitual drinkers are at less risk for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other memory-related diseases than those who don’t make a habit of consuming caffeine.
• It aids in fending off life-threatening diseases. Other studies have linked caffeine consumption with the prevention of life-threatening diseases including Type 2 diabetes, liver diseases and even cancer.
• Recommended as a preventive measure for other illnesses. Caffeine has been found to be a preventive measure and even a cure for a number of other illnesses. It’s effective in lessening the pain of a headache (many aspirin contain up to 120mg of caffeine), a remedy to ease asthma, and is even recommended by some specialists to children with ADD to act as a stimulant to facilitate learning. Because of the antioxidants it contains, caffeine also helps reduce inflammation and a throng of other illnesses.

Drawbacks of Caffeine

• Caffeine raises cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is the hormone that aids our body in fat storage. Anyone who is trying to lose weight knows that fat storage is the reverse of what we want.
• Fluctuates blood sugar levels. The consumption of caffeine initially raises blood sugar to provide you with that energy boost you need. But after a while, the effects wear off and you’re left with a strong craving for sugary, fatty and carb-filled foods.
• Fat burning retardant. As much as it increases metabolism, because caffeine is a mild diuretic, not staying hydrated while consuming it can actually stop the fat burning process. Since the body needs water to burn fat, a dehydrated body will retain the fat instead of burning it.
• It’s addictive. Caffeine makes you feel good. It also makes you dependent on these good effects so that you keep coming back. Each time you drink caffeine, you’ll find you need more and more of it to achieve the same results. And so begins the addiction.
• Caffeine has adverse effects on the heart and on bone density. Caffeine keeps your blood pressure up and also retards the absorption of essential minerals and vitamins. As such, you’re put at risk for various cardio-vascular diseases and even massive bone density loss.

Because of variability in body mass, consumption habits, genetics and medical history, the effects of caffeine differ from person to person. As such, only you can determine if your level of caffeine consumption is good for you, your diet, and your health in general.

If you can honestly say that it’s a true godsend in your life, then by all means, have at that cup of joe. But if you feel the unpleasant effects kicking in, then it might be time to cut caffeine out entirely and detoxify.

About the Author

Maxine is a mother and wife who is dedicated to going green. The more she has learned, the more important she has seen it is for her family’s health and well-being as well as that of the earth. When not with her family, she works for Treetopia, a seller of artificial Christmas trees. They sell a variety of unique and inspired Christmas trees for every style.

What do you think, Readers? Will you be increasing or decreasing your caffeine intake?

Did you catch last month’s, Sure Fire Ways to Improve & Ruin Digestion? The guest blogger, Dr. Snow, shared his controversial and educated opinion on digestive issues. He’s back to explain why there’s only one way to ruin digestion and only one way to `un-ruin’ it.

First of all let me clear up the biggest misconception regarding indigestion and most of the common stomach complaints that people experience. Food has nothing to do with “indigestion” or any of the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases like IBS-Colitis-Leaky Gut Syndrome and Crohn’s Disease.

Stop playing the blame game! It is not the food’s fault. You cannot eat your way into or out of digestion problems. If you are experiencing gastro-intestinal problems such as indigestion, bloating, gas, belching, heartburn or diarrhea, it is not caused by your eating habits or lifestyle. Something else is at work here.

The good news is that once you understand the true cause and effect, it becomes easy to take the proper action and completely cure all gastro-intestinal issues!

In our natural, “unspoiled” state, we should be able to efficiently digest anything that passes as food (except maybe your mother-in-law’s tuna casserole!) In fact with good digestion we should be able to erase most of our dietary mistakes without paying the price.

A few other digestive myths:

1. Cholesterol is “inherited.” High cholesterol is not genetically passed down, we do not “manufacture” it in our bodies and it is not the result of eating “bad” fats. This is the BS-propaganda perpetrated by the people who sell us the cholesterol-lowering drugs and then tell us we will need to take them for the rest of our lives! Cholesterol is nothing but undigested fat. Tuning up your digestion = lowering your cholesterol.
2. Food sensitivities and allergies. Lactose Intolerance: it is not the milk’s fault, it is not genetically inherited nor is it permanent. It is the result of poor digestion and it’s 100% fixable! How about wheat/gluten “sensitivities?” Same thing – don’t blame the food! These are all man-made conditions with the same cause and the same cure.
3. Weight loss. With perfect digestion you dramatically reduce the chances of being overweight! I will explain this in a few minutes… but first, let’s answer how and why most of us suffer from digestive troubles.

How did most everybody in our society ruin their digestion?

You cannot have these conditions – indigestion, gas, bloating, belching, heartburn, diarrhea, out-of-control weight gain – without first having had antibiotics in one form or another. This medication (which most of us have had, hence the epidemic proportions of these symptoms), ruins our digestion but it can be “un-ruined.”

Antibiotics do this by destroying the good bacteria that makes up the mucosal lining in our stomach. This bacteria is very smart and I refer to it as the “software” that runs the “hardware” of your stomach.

When you swallow any food, your smart bacteria identifies the molecular structure of it (protein, fat, carbohydrate). It then sends a signal to the Parietal Cells in our gut to release the exact combination of digestive acids for the foods that you ate. When done properly any food (well maybe not that tuna casserole) will be efficiently “processed” without any unwanted side-effects (gas, bloating, heartburn, etc).

Your beneficial gut bacteria orchestrates an amazing process called digestion and will do so perfectly if left alone. If you do not have this software that is supposed to be “installed” when you are born (by your mother breast feeding you), your stomach cannot identify what foods you have eaten and so cannot efficiently digest them.

Were you breastfed? Even so, did your mother take antibiotics before she had you?

Examples of how having taken antibiotics may be affecting you

Calories, by definition, are units of potential energy. If you digest calories properly you access the energy within them which leads to:

1. more energy instead of dragging yourself around in exhaustion.
2. immediately using calories instead of storing them on your body.

People who were breast fed tend to be thinner as adults than people who weren’t. Conversely, if you have no “software” to digest these calories, they are not used for energy but instead are stored on your body and you will get fat!

Over weight people have a lot of (caloric) potential – energy that they are not using. When you re-install the “software” by taking a probiotic and colostrum, you digest and “burn” those calories. They leave your thighs and give you lots of energy. Kind of a two-for-one deal!

So now that we’ve established how you ruined your digestion (by the ingestion of antibiotics and killing off the software, the intelligent bacteria that runs your digestion), JUST how do we un-ruin our digestion?

How you can un-ruin your digestion

You do the opposite of how you ruined it: you re-install the software. Here’s how:

Get yourself a GOOD probiotic along with some colostrum (simulating what happened if you were breast fed) and take these for approximately 30 days.

That’s it! No more plop-plop-fizz-fizz and unfortunately, no excuse for not eating that tuna casserole! Lastly, if you are trying to lose weight, forget the banana or twinkie or hot dog diet – go on the Probiotic Diet to lose weight and gain energy the natural way!

About the Author

Dr. Albert Snow has been practicing Natural Medicine for 30 years. He holds a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, Herbology and Orthomolecular Biochemistry and is a certified Nutritionist. Learn more about Dr. Snow and his revolutionary Gastro-Enterology Method on his website and holistic gastro-enterology blog.

After reading Dr. Snow’s first Live Lighter article about this, I took his suggestion. I have one more week to go before the month is up and even though it’s been an insanely busy month between work and social engagements (and not-so-healthy eating habits), my digestion does seem to be improving!

After a short break to announce the winners of our latest contest, we continue Live Lighter’s Holistic Spring Cleaning Series with a review on a book about healing. We covered some practical tips and info for cleansing our bodies with food, now let’s look at cleansing our minds, hearts and spirits.

Leigh Fortson was “doing everything right” when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. For decades she learned about and practiced healthy lifestyle habits but even so, by 2008, Leigh was given her third cancer diagnosis. She set out to discover the missing elements of conventional medicine – and found them.

Embrace, Release, Heal illustrates the value and significance of holistic healing and cleansing. It highlights the effectiveness of recognizing humans as multidimensional beings and treating (at it’s basic, this means cleansing) all of our human aspects: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Who will benefit from Embrace, Release, Heal?

As the sub-title suggests, An Empowering Guide to Talking About, Thinking About, and Treating Cancer, this book was written for those whose life has been impacted by cancer. As you’ll find out later in the review, it successfully fulfills this promise through real-life stories, information, practical tools and a litany of resources.

It’s these very aspects which make it just as relevant and powerful to anyone who holds an interest in health and healing. Specifically for people who wish to deal with the real roots of illness to provide potent healing – not just band-aid solutions.

Also just as fascinating are the revelations of modern medicine insufficiencies and a money-hungry, ineffective, multi-billion dollar cancer industry. Thankfully Leigh’s research also indicates positive change is already happening!

About Embrace, Release, Heal

From the book description:

…her doctor offered few treatment options and little hope. Unwilling to believe there was nothing left to do, Fortson set out to learn all she could about how diet impacts cancer, treatment alternatives, and the power of the mind-body relationship. Now cancer free, Fortson shares with us Embrace, Release, Heal, the fruits of her research and spiritual awakening distilled into one empowering book. With insights gleaned from a dozen experts, remarkable stories from people who have lived through cancer, and practical tools, this guide will help anyone whose life has been impacted by a cancer diagnosis. Covering the physical, emotional, and spiritual layers of the journey, this in-depth resource explores:

• The pioneering science on how our mind and emotions can contribute to both the cause and healing of a disease, as understood by Dr. Larry Dossey, Dr. Bruce H. Lipton, and more
• Snapshots of what Fortson considers the most progressive traditional, holistic, or integrative cancer treatment techniques
• How nutrition and supplements can yield surprising results
• Way to access the healing power of your subconscious mind and effectively use your intuition

Whether you’re trying to uncover what it means to have cancer or how to make sense of it, here is an uplifting and informative book to help you reclaim your authority and make empowered choices that are right for your health and well-being.

Any interesting questions raised in the book or debates discussed?

As I alluded to above, this book is chock full of them!

For instance, Leigh reveals the impact that negative thought and emotion have on physical health. Many people resist this idea because it requires taking personal responsibility in creating the illness – triggering negative emotions about oneself. Leigh supplies empowering proof that embracing this belief is actually instrumental in the healing process.

Besides some very interesting and controversial opinions (like there is no such thing as `cancer’), the author also includes research from ground-breaking discoveries (which mainstream medicine ignores) that suggest alternative medicine can be more effective and less harmful than conventional medicine.

Though, I love how the author and her sources never really bash contemporary medicine, and give kudos where it’s due.

Embrace, Release, Heal also contains some disturbing information about the current healthcare system and the powerful, dysfunctional cancer industry. It’s convoluted and far-reaching, beginning with how med students are taught in school to the power of the FDA, insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

Here’s a snippet from just one interview, this one is with Dr. Birdsall of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America:

Most of the large facilities that deal with cancer are academic medical centers. They focus on educating students, and they engage in medical research, but patient care often comes last. Even in the community setting, virtually all hospitals are referral driven. So for example, the doctor admits the patient into the hospital, so the doctor is really the hospital’s client, not the patient. Then the insurance companies pay the bills, so they’re also the client rather than the patient. In fact, the patient frequently isn’t even in the dialogue.”

How topical or important is the book?

Considering the World Health Organization predicts cancer rates could increase by 50% to 15 million by 2020, I’d say this book is very timely. For the millions of people who are and will experience cancer, complete with all its terrifying and horrific facets, this guide book will certainly dispense various levels of relief.

Personally, I also believe it’s an essential resource for everyone `fighting the war on cancer.’ Why? Because of it’s approach. Embrace, Release, Heal focuses on working with the illness to accomplish real, thorough healing rather than disregarding the lessons and growth opportunities that cancer provides.

It’s also topical because more people are recognizing the short-comings of mainstream medicine, the corruptness of the cancer industry and are seeking answers in alternative healing solutions. More people are taking responsibility for their health and discovering their own innate healing abilities.

Any new ideas presented in the book?

As you may have guessed from the review already, yes in spades! For myself, I was well aware of the placebo effect (where a patient heals through the positive suggestion by the doctor) but I had no idea about the nocebo effect which is the exact opposite. There are many cases where the negative opinion of doctors actually contribute to death!

Ok, that might not be new to everyone but what about the idea that cancer is actually a fungus?

In summary, Embrace, Release, Heal is a marvelous, enlightening and inspiring book for all those interested in natural, holistic healing. Although it’s packed with relevant and intriguing information, it’s got an empowering message and many real-life happy endings.

Purchasing info

Embrace, Release, Heal is due to come out May 1, 2011, and will be sold for $16.95 US. (Fill out this form to be notified when it’s available for purchase.)

Disclaimer

The publishers, Sounds True, sent me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Having a tough time actualizing your 2011 health plan (a.k.a. resolutions)? Not a problem. According to our guest blogger today, Tara Miller, studies show you can reap mega health benefits if you decide to simply start walking!

Everyone has that one friend (or more than one) who hits the gym religiously, doing weight training, cardio, maybe a few classes like jazzercise or whatever the latest trend is. Even if they don’t intend it, they make you feel guilty about not being an exercise-aholic like them.

But for many of us who desire a healthy life, we simply don’t have the time to devote to being gym rats. What to do?

The good news is that exercising isn’t an all-or-nothing endeavor. In other words, you don’t have to participate in vigorous exercise in order to get all the benefits.

Many studies suggest that walking may be enough. In fact, walking may have more benefits than other forms of exercise.

According to a recent study, as reported by the BBC, walking regularly can improve your memory. The study, conducted by Professor Krik Erkison and his research team from the University of Pittsburgh, used 120 volunteers in their 60s who were observed over a year-long period.

The researchers found that those who walked at least forty minutes three times a week had increased the size of their hippocampus by 2%. Another group of the volunteers did only stretching and toning exercises, and their hippocampus, a part of the brain that controls memory, decreased by 1.4%, which is about the normal rate of hippocampus atrophy in older individuals.

Another recent study which surveyed 13,000 women, was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. It demonstrated that women who had reached 70 who walked briskly on a regular basis were much more likely to stave off diseases common to those who are aging, like osteoporosis, heart disease and diabetes. The study did note, however, that walking briskly, exerting yourself more than you normally would, was more effective in fighting off aging.

Beyond the aging process, however, walking can be beneficial to weight loss, too. A ThatsFit article details the advantages of walking for people who are looking to shed a few pounds can accrue. Although, of course, walking won’t burn as many calories as high intensity work-outs, walking is a much more sensible and easier-to-stick-to exercise plan. And the more consistent you are, the better your chances of success.

According to this article, a top weight loss strategy for those in the National Weight Control Registry who had lost more than thirty pounds and kept it for year was, you guessed, it walking.

So put on those walking shoes and have a stroll around the block. Every once in a while, pick up the pace. You could even get your walking time in during work when you take breaks, or on your way to an appointment.

Walking is pretty much one of the only exercise methods that is amenable to every age group and can be accomplished anywhere without the need of equipment, so take advantage of it! You don’t have to be a gym fiend to be active and healthy!

About the Author

This guest contribution was submitted by Tara Miller, who particularly enjoys writing about psychology degree. Questions and comments can be sent to: miller.tara23@gmail.com.

For more benefits of walking, check out our past post, A Walk a Day Keeps the Doc Away. Do you think walking is all you need to get healthier?

Sure a little pesticide may not be lethal but low doses of any poison administered over time will do damage – if not kill us outright. So why are they still being used? In today’s video post, Alex Jones, suggests our leaders are purposefully tainting our food and water supply to design a more docile and sterile society.

Chemicals fill our grocery shelves and public water supply – all in the name of `safety’. Governmental regulatory systems approve them and urge scientists to play God, genetically modifying plants and animals without considering the potential, long-term damage it may cause over time and generations.

Although Alex Jones has been called a conspiracy theorist, he’s also a well-known journalist who backs up his claims. In this 15-minute video, Jones names some of the most dangerous chemicals found in our food and water supply, and believes it’s all been orchestrated by our governments as a population control mechanism:

If you read up on the latest health news, most of this information won’t be new to you. (We’ve blogged about several documentaries with this type of information before.) But for your friends and family who aren’t up-to-date, please send them this video to increase awareness and let them know there are options!

Jones ends this piece on a positive note: consumers are demanding poison-free alternatives and industry is responding. If everyone were to buy only products with natural ingredients, those in control would be forced to comply even more thoroughly to increased consumer demand.

Alex Jones is an internationally recognized veteran broadcaster, documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist. He calls himself a dedicated and aggressive Constitutionalist. He runs a news website, infowars.com, where you can catch his radio show and read his educational Prison Planet Forum.

Are governmental agencies really having a threesome with the food and pharmaceutical industries, or are these just conspiracy theories? What do you think will have to happen before the system moves from self-interest to genuine concern for public health and safety?

Editor’s Note: If you suffer from any digestive issues, you’ve got to read today’s guest post by Dr. Snow. He shares some very interesting, possibly controversial information about digestion and, as a bonus, gives us incredibly promising (and tasty) news!

I am constantly asked by my clients, “How do I improve my digestion?” My initial, and somewhat `cryptic’ response is, “By doing the opposite of what you did to ruin it.”

I do this purposely to emphasize a point. For the most part the digestive process is quite hardy and impervious to most things we do to `abuse’ it.

The first thing that you need to know is that food has nothing to do with indigestion. It is not the food’s fault and this also applies to digestive issues such as lactose intolerance and gluten allergies.

Poor digestion, in whatever form it manifests, is always man-made. We are born with a “cast iron” stomach – with the ability to swallow and digest pretty much anything that passes for food these days. (Except maybe your mother in-law’s tuna casserole!)

How Your Digestive System is Supposed to Work (The Basics)

Our whole gastro-intestinal tract, including our stomach, is supposed to be covered with `friendly bacteria’ that I refer to as “software.” It is the brains of the gut and orchestrates the digestive process.

This “software” is supposed to be “installed” into the “hardware” (our stomach) at birth when our mother breastfeeds us. The breast milk is the original source of the probiotic – the good bacterias that we are hearing all about these days. This bacterial “software” is smart stuff and is the key to excellent digestion.

When food enters into your stomach, the “software” identifies the molecular structure of that particular food – protein, carbohydrate, fat, etc. It then sends a signal to the Parietal Cells (little bumps on the stomach wall) to secrete the specific digestive enzyme that is responsible for “processing” that particular food.

When this software is in place, you are able to digest any combination of foods without the slightest hitch. But, on the flip side, if it is not in place that’s when we experience the classic symptoms of indigestion: bloating, gas, heartburn, etc.

Sure Fire Ways to Ruin & Improve Your Digestion

Having described the basics, I know you’re still looking for me to tell you the sure fire ways to ruin and improve your digestion. The answer to these questions are much simpler than you think and are really just different sides of the same coin.

Most of you have done a real good job at the ruining part but are not likely to know just how you did it. The one and only way you can ruin your digestion is by taking antibiotics to kill off some type of (bad) bacterial infection because they also kill off the “software” or `good’ bacteria at the same time.

Good gut bacteria does not grow back on it’s own so now you have no “software” to orchestrate the digestion and you are stuck with taking Pepto-Bismol, Tums, etc. Does this sound like you?

So now to answer the question, “What is the only way to improve your digestion?” My “cryptic” answer is: to do the opposite to what you did to ruin your digestion which is to replace the “software.”

Do you remember how we got this “software” installed in the first place? Well, short of going out and finding a lactating woman, you can do this by getting yourself a bottle of “software,” otherwise known as a probiotic and take it with a bottle of colostrums (ask a mother). Take them for a month and throw away that Pepto-Bismol for good!

Oh, I almost forgot, now you have no excuse to not eat your mother in-law’s tuna casserole. Sorry. (Pssst, you can always do what I do: give it to the dog along with some doggy probiotics.)

About the Author

Dr. Albert Snow has been practicing Natural Medicine for 30 years. He holds a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine, Herbology and Orthomolecular Biochemistry and is a certified Nutritionist. Learn more about Dr. Snow and his revolutionary Gastro-Enterology Method on his website and blog.

Wow, this info is crazy! Just to be clear, if you weren’t breastfed or if your mother was already deficient in “good” bacteria when she had you, you’ve had a compromised digestive system all your life. And, not only can we heal our digestive woes forever, we can get our “cast iron guts” back! What do you think of that?

Between all the candies, chocolate and celebrations for today, the day of Love, set aside some time to love yourself. There are many ways to do this but in today’s post, I share with you a video that will allow you to open your heart to yourself and break free from self-judgement.

Bruce Lipton is a cellular biologist who’s discovered through his studies a wealth of applicable knowledge to the field of personal development. I’ve blogged about Bruce before in The Science of Change and shared with you a video of one of his presentations. Today I’d like to share with you a video of Bruce in an engaging interview format.

In this 38 minute video, Bruce discusses quantum mechanics and how this powerful science explains why many people’s lives don’t reflect what they really want. At the end, he also explains how some techniques (focusing on one) work within this framework to reprogram the subconscious for more desirable outcomes.

So if you’re always beating yourself up because you have the best intentions but poor follow-through, then check out this video:

This video is currently being used to promote the 2011 Tapping World Summit – a free online audio event starting February 21st. For those of you who don’t know, “tapping” is the friendly term used to describe the Emotional Freedom Technique which we blogged about in What is EFT?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this information, and especially if it helps you forgive yourself for (so far) being unable to make all the positive changes you want to in your life.

Two weeks ago Canada revised their physical activity guidelines. Great new, right? Not so much considering they actually lowered their minimum daily requirements. And it’s got a few healthy folks spitting hellfire, like Dr. Ali Zentner, obesity expert on CBCs Village on a Diet.

The same day mainstream media announced Canada’s new activity guidelines (which failed to clearly state daily minimums were reduced in the revisions), I jumped into a conference call with three of the health pros who helped the town of Taylor, BC in reaching their goal of losing a ton of collective weight. (Check out my review of Village on a Diet.)

The call started early and I caught only a fraction of Dr. Ali Zentner’s passionate review of the new guidelines. She’s a physician specializing in obesity and cardiac risk management, and last Friday I had the pleasure of speaking with this vivacious spitfire about the subject.

(She confessed she was especially spirited during our interview with “vinegar in her belly” as she was on-call at the time, activating her “war mode.”)

Who’s Dr. Ali Zentner?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the new guidelines, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Zentner. Besides her impressive medical credentials, there are few facts that make her special. She’s struggled with obesity all her life but when she hit med school, between stress, poor diet and long, irregular hours, she tipped the scales at nearly 330 pounds and became morbidly obese.

Since then, Ali has lost 180 pounds, runs marathons and triathlons, gave up her car in lieu of a bike in order to fit physical activity into her schedule and was recently an Olympic torchbearer! For fun, she’s a fictional novelist, “A Good Life” (described as, “Sex in the City meets ER“), contributes articles, is featured in others offering health advice and writes for her blog, Girlfriend’s Guide to Health.

The Issue with Canada’s New Activity Guidelines

While the Public Health Agency of Canada has taken down the old activity guidelines from their site (actually, they don’t have the new ones posted either, you must now go to the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology for them), GlobalNews.ca mentioned them in their article:

Previous guidelines recommended children and youth work towards getting at least 90 minutes of physical activity a day. The daily target for adults was at least 60 minutes daily, while older adults were recommended to accumulate 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days.

As for the new activity guidelines:

…children and youth aged five to 17 get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity daily. This should include both vigorous-intensity activities and muscle and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week.

Adults aged 18 to 64 and older adults 65 and up are recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

The decrease in minimum daily activity is apparent for kids, but what’s even more disturbing is how they’ve chosen to word their recommendations for adults: 150 minutes per week which works out to be a mere 21.5 minutes per day!

There are some perks to these new guidelines, specifically, informing Canadians that there are different intensities of exercise and muscle-building activities needed to realize health benefits (where’s calisthenics, i.e. stretching?), as well as suggesting “more is better.”

Despite these positive changes, Dr. Ali Zentner is seething about the reductions.

“Since when did we lower the bar to let more people into the club?” Apparently these new guidelines reflect more on what most Canadians are currently doing rather than on science. Ali looks at large population studies, like those published from the American Heart Association, to guide her recommendations:

For most healthy people: For health benefits to the heart, lungs and circulation, perform any moderate-to-vigorous-intensity aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week at 50–85 percent of your maximum heart rate.

To safely exercise, you must slowly increase your heart rate to its maximum and then slowly decrease it to avoid shocking the body. Considering this, with 5-minutes each to warm up and cool down, we’re looking at an effective cardiovascular workout lasting at least 40 minutes per session.

Of course, the following sentence on the American Heart Association’s website concurs with the Canadian recommendations:

You can accumulate 30 minutes in 10 or 15 minute sessions. What’s important is to include physical activity as part of a regular routine.

“We’re dumbing down the argument,” says Ali, and the message Canada [and America] is sending to its citizens is, “Anything is better than nothing.” While that is technically true, Dr. Zentner is concerned that lowering standards is the wrong approach.

“It’s like the government saying, `You can pay your taxes whenever you feel like it.’,” Ali said while half-laughing with barely disguised disgust. “Canada should be encouraging its citizens to be their healthiest and best!”

How Should Canada Approach Healthy Living?

When we’re discussing health, a life and death issue, we can’t afford to worry about hurting people’s feelings, says Dr. Zentner. Being overweight, obese or a cardiac risk (which many skinny-fat people are), is due to lifestyle choices. Telling people this often triggers them to blame themselves for their current situation.

Meanwhile, the truth may hurt but it’s a necessary evil in order for people to wake up and strive to be better. To help Canadians overcome guilt and blame, health professionals can empower people with the right information, tools, attitude and encourage them to take personal responsibility through small changes.

Ali is a strong proponent for a proactive solution. When asked about taxing junk and fast food, suggested by some health professionals treating overweight and obesity, like Dr. Robert Pretlow in Overweight: What Kids Say (read my book review), she vehemently disagreed with a sugar tax. She said it didn’t work in the past, citing England’s sugar tax, and that it was ineffective to punish those who don’t know better or who aren’t ready for a change.

Instead, Dr. Zentner suggests we use a tax relief system for healthy living. For instance, Nova Scotia has provided a Healthy Living Tax Credit for youth to cover the costs of organized sports and activities since 2005, and was about to expand it to adults in 2008 until it was deferred due to reelections and provincial budgetary restraints. (source: thecoast.ca)

Unfortunately, I failed to locate a current evaluation of the impact of Nova Scotia’s healthy living tax credit on its youth. However, I did find an interesting paper published by the Library of Parliament on the subject suggesting multiple economic instruments Canada can use to promote healthy living. By the way, it concluded that more research was needed. Surprise!

Some of Dr. Zentner’s suggestions:

• Make it difficult for industries to bed with government policy-makers.
• Tougher laws on food marketing initiatives/packaging. For instance, Ali says the `heart healthy’ labelling on many foods are a joke.
• Better health standards with fast food outlets, like posting calorie counts on menus.
• Forbid juice and pop machines in schools.
• Include nutrition and calorie information in home economics.
• Tax exemptions on public transit and tax credits for home gym equipment.
• Include obesity training in med school so docs are better equipped for treating patients who struggle with weight issues.

As we wrapped up the interview, Ali had some words of wisdom for Canadian government officials and health professionals, “We all must take a long, hard look at what we’ve been doing and ask if we’re part of the problem. If you find you’re not part of the solution, then you need to change sides.”

As for all of us as Canadian citizens, including policy-makers and health pros alike, Dr. Zentner asks us to reevaluate what we’re doing in regards to healthy living and ask for more.

So do you agree with Ali that Canada’s reduced standards are hindering progress? Or do you think by including more effort (intensity) in our activities as the new guidelines suggest, we would be using our time more effectively thereby reducing the total physical activity time needed to achieve the same results?