Change your lifestyle, don’t just diet.

Overweight and ill

It’s pretty clear that as a population, we in the developed world are losing the Battle of the Bulge.  Despite promotion of whole foods, organics or healthy food choices, the modern diet of marketed junk is winning. But maybe our past can shed some light (and weight).  The real answer may just be in our pre-urban societies. They appear to hold the key for an easier, more universal way to lose weight and perhaps theirs is the best diet for good health, weight loss and on-going lifestyle.  Or at least we can borrow heavily from traditional eating practices.

A major issue with food today is that we are breeding our cultivated, domesticated foods to be high in sugar – sweet corn, sweet tomatoes, sweet snow peas, sweet potato, and fruits are all sweet from bred in elevated levels of sucrose.

Without bitter principles in foods our digestive enzymes are less stimulated and sugars, fats and proteins are all processed less efficiently. Then, without micro-sugars, beneficial phytonutrients also get absorbed less. Luckily, antioxidants are the cure.

It has been estimated that 70% of visits to the family doctor are for conditions with a nutritional cure. Additionally, the Australian Cancer Council states that most diseases, including most cancers can be avoided with good nutrition. We now suffer from metaflammation or systemic inflammation, brought on by inducers such as consumed and environmental chemicals; internal and external stresses; exercise (too much or too little); poor diet; inadequate sleep; smoking or excessive drinking.

Food grown for profit, not nutrition

Modern foods are 1/20th as nutritionally rich as wild foods (high in many and varied

antioxidants) and most of us eat 1/10th the number of foods as did our ancestors.  What modern foods do provide in abundance is energy which is sometimes called empty calories. It’s like having fuel for your car but no oil to lubricate the moving parts.

Additionally, potatoes, beans and grains (PBGs) are probably the worst foods on which to build a nutritional framework and yet most of us, from villagers to city-dwellers, rely on eight basic foods which nearly all fall within this group.  So going back to our ideal diet, we need to get around 65% of our energy from proteins as did most hunter-gatherers and cut way back on the potatoes, beans and grains. Add back nutritionally dense foods with which we evolved which means sourcing some wild or near-wild fruits, herbs, tubers if possible and certainly game meats and seafood. Research into wild foods is proving their extreme antioxidant richness so these must be part of our optimum diet. The attempt to create a healthy diet exclusively using the foods we can find in supermarkets today is useless in protecting us from obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, chronic fatigue and more. Our nutrition must be supplemented with natural sources of antioxidants from some wild or minimal agriculture foods.

We also know that living a sedentary life is killing us. Fortunately, in regards to exercise, we can also borrow from our ancestors and look to short duration (5 - 10 minute) high intensity exercise 3 times a week. Ideal exercises include rowing (on a machine is easiest and engages the whole body), cycling, swimming or running.  Some weight lifting or resistance training is also recommended to stimulate joints and maintain the calcification of bones.

The Four Horsemen of the Dietitians Apocalypse

There are four things you should avoid/minimise in your diet:

1.       Processed flour – white bread, white pasta, white rice

2.       Trans fats – fried foods, processed

3.       White sugar – replace with natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup.

4.       Soft drinks/sodas – full of sugar

Replacing tablets with Wholesome Foods (just as nature intended)

Vitamin Pills certainly have their place in our modern-day lives, particularly to fight off acute illness and nasties, but wouldn’t it be great if we could get enough nutrients from our food alone so that we didn’t have to take handfuls of vitamin pills each day?  It is possible to reduce your intake & replace some tablets & capsules with alternative high nutrition food.

Unfortunately, due to poor farming habits and over-farming to produce higher yields of crops, the soil is diminished of minerals and nutrients that need time to be replaced, and in turn the produce is less nutritious.  This is why it is best to buy organic produce and even better, local produce from small organic farms, as their farming methods are more sustainable and yield highly nutritious fruit & vegetables, so you get what you pay for.

What you may not be aware of, is that tablets and capsules are often made with binders, fillers, disintegrants, colourants, flavours, sweeteners, preservatives, lubricants, glidants, coating agents & emulsifying Agents! Yikes! These are added for a variety of reasons, and do not necessarily need to be declared on product labels. Not to mention, they are more expensive to make and buy than alternative powdered and liquid supplements.

If that isn’t enough to convince you that liquid, powdered nutrients and foods are our best bet, then take note. Capsules and tablets are not always absorbed in our digestive tracts.  Occasionally hard-pressed pills do not break down and disintegrate properly, especially in a weak or compromised digestive system.  It is best to take nutrients that are broken down into small molecules that can pass easily through our gut lining and be utilised by the body in its metabolic processes.  If you must take capsules, try to choose vegetable caps, made from vegetable cellulose they will break open after about 20 minutes of being in contact with your stomach acid, but will not be absorbed by the body and will be expelled. They are also less likely to contain the binders & fillers that tablets contain. if you are unsure, always ask companies what type of capsules they use. 

Why Superfood smoothies

1. Convenience - they're quick to make
2. Digestive ease
3. After a workout blood needs to be at extremeties, delivering oxygen and cleaning up lactic acid, not
    rushing to your digestive tract to digest heavy food
4. They can provide a lot of hi-quality plant based proteins easily and other foods from one source.
5. You don't crave much because you have received nourishment and are rehydrated.

Dr Pratt's Superfood principles

Principle 1: SuperFoodsRx is the best diet in the world.
Sophisticated computer analysis has enabled researchers to determine which populations are the healthiest and live the longest. Highly respected database studies and sets of recommendations including those of the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the National Cancer Institute have looked at the same information. The data shows the particular foods eaten by these healthiest populations. Superfoods show up over and over again when you look at these diets.

Principle 2: SuperFoods are whole foods.

There will always be some disagreement regarding the term wholefood. But in general, whole foods are those that are unprocessed or are minimally processed in such a way that none of their nutritional characteristics have been intentionally modified. Whole foods are complex. They contain hundreds of unidentified compounds and nutrients. A growing body of research from laboratory and human studies suggests that these nutrients work best in concert with each other. Moreover, just as the nutrients in a particular food team up to work better, nutrients from a wide range of foods also work together to promote good health.

Principle 3: SuperFoodsRx equals synergy.

Food synergy is critical to health. Food synergy refers to the interaction of two or more nutrients and other healthful substances in foods that work together to achieve an effect that each is individually unable to match.
Nutrients work in a precisely calibrated relationship the kind of relationship that nature has provided when the nutrients are obtained from food. There are, after all, thousands of chemicals present in food and researchers have only identified a fraction of this number. Surely with this many chemicals present, interactions are taking place that science doesn¹t fully understand. You simply can¹t shortcut your way to good nutrition; you must rely on a variety of wholefoods.

Principle 4: SuperFoodsRx are simple and positive

A healthy diet is the essential core of a healthy life. We all live busy complicated lives. Nutrition recommendations that are complicated or challenging can't become a regular part of our routine.
The best approach to any health change is one that is positive. Diets that forbid foods or make eating satisfying meals a challenge are counterproductive. Once most people understand the SuperFoodsRx principles, they feel liberated. It¹s not about what you shouldn't do it's about what you should do.

Great health tips from a recent seminar

I attended a seminar hosted by American Tyler Tolman the other night – Live Healthy, Be Happy.  Thought I’d summarise the key points for you:

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients...in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”  Thomas A. Edison

Self-care is the answer to living a life of health and vitality and avoiding disease.

It is certainly possible to cure and regenerate the body, as food enhances bodily functions.

Disease is nutritional deficiency and toxicity.

Nutritional guidelines by the American Cancer Society states to be healthy: drink 6-8 glasses of water, 5-7 servings of fruit and veges, 30 mins walk 5 days per week.

Food additives - no 1 Cacogenic: chemical preservatives, food colouring, artificial sweeteners, partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats), MSG.

Doctrine of signatures: food symbolism – foods appearance affects that particular part of the body – i.e. Walnuts aid the brain.

Some concepts to consider – ‘there is a lot of money in sickness’ and we need ‘a war on drugs’ (synthetic solutions – people become dependent on them – residual income for pharmaceutical companies)

Supplements have little effect on the body.

Diabetes is the world’s fastest growing disease and is curable naturally.

Applying substances to the exterior of the body is absorbed through the skin.  ‘If you can’t eat it, don’t put in on your skin.’  Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is particularly bad.

In an oxygenated and alkaline environment disease cannot survive.

7 areas to consider for your health: Air, water, sunshine, exercise, whole foods, passion and relationships.

Quality of Superfoods

I am passionate about Superfoods and their ability to help heal the body – just watch what happens to your physical energy, strength, mental clarity, and mood when you put natural products in your body that work in synergy with your bodies natural processes and leave without causing a stress on your body.

But not all SuperFoods are Created Equal

There are many different Superfoods out there and of course each of them has different properties, qualities and uses.  You will notice that there are many different supplement companies out there offering a wide variety of Superfood products.  Unfortunately there are some companies using inferior quality raw ingredients and outdated processing methods. There are also some products which use fillers to bulk out the product or have added preservatives, sweeteners or other additives.

Look for a company that prides itself on using only the best quality raw ingredients, grown in a pristine local environment.  You also need to ensure they use the use the latest technologies to extract maximum nutrient value from the ingredients they use and have their products independently tested to ensure they contain the nutrients they say they do.  In this industry cheap usually does mean cheap, buy a decent quality product and you’ll experience significantly better results.  On the other hand some 'tonics' can be rather expensive and have little effect on the body!  You need to be mindful of the quality of the raw ingredients as well as the process used for extracting maximum nutrient value from each product.

Makes me happy to read this...

See this Doco... Fat, sick and nearly dead!

For anyone who thinks drinking green juice and cleaning up your diets is for girls, you need to watch this film.
100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well - with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health.

http://fatsickandnearlydead.com/

 

Japan's 97-year-old physician educator offers advice

Author/Physician Shigeaki Hinohara By JUDIT KAWAGUCHI  

~ Japan Times
At the age of 97 years and 4 months, Shigeaki Hinohara is one of the world's longest-serving physicians and educators. Hinohara's magic touch is legendary: Since 1941 he has been healing patients at St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo and teaching at St. Luke's College of Nursing . After World War II, he envisioned a world-class hospital and college springing from the ruins of Tokyo ; thanks to his pioneering spirit and business savvy, the doctor turned these institutions into the nation's top medical facility and nursing school. Today he serves as chairman of the board of trustees at both organizations. Always willing to try new things, he has published around 150 books since his 75th birthday, including "Living Long, Living Good" that has sold more than 1.2 million copies. As the founder of the New Elderly Movement, Hinohara encourages others to live a long and happy life, a quest in which no role model is better than the doctor himself.

Energy comes from feeling good, not from eating well or sleeping a lot. We all remember how as children, when we were having fun, we often forgot to eat or sleep. I believe that we can keep that attitude as adults, too. It's best not to tire the body with too many rules such as lunchtime and bedtime.All people who live long — regardless of nationality, race or gender — share one thing in common: None are overweight. For breakfast I drink coffee, a glass of milk and some orange juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Olive oil is great for the arteries and keeps my skin healthy. Lunch is milk and a few cookies, or nothing when I am too busy to eat. I never get hungry because I focus on my work. Dinner is veggies, a bit of fish and rice, and, twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat.Always plan ahead. My schedule book is already full until 2014, with lectures and my usual hospital work. In 2016 I'll have some fun, though: I plan to attend the Tokyo Olympics!There is no need to ever retire, but if one must, it should be a lot later than 65. The current retirement age was set at 65 half a century ago, when the average life-expectancy in Japan was 68 years and only 125 Japanese were over 100 years old. Today, Japanese women live to be around 86 and men 80, and we have 36,000 centenarians in our country. In 20 years we will have about 50,000 people over the age of 100.Share what you know. I give 150 lectures a year, some for 100 elementary school children, others for 4,500 business people. I usually speak for 60 to 90 minutes, standing, to stay strong.When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure.Contrary to popular belief, doctors can't cure everyone. So why cause unnecessary pain with surgery? I think music and animal therapy can help more than most doctors imagine.To stay healthy, always take the stairs and carry your own stuff. I take two stairs at a time, to get my muscles moving.My inspiration is Robert Browning's poem "Abt Vogler." My father used to read it to me. It encourages us to make big art, not small scribbles. It says to try to draw a circle so huge that there is no way we can finish it while we are alive. All we see is an arch; the rest is beyond our vision but it is there in the distance.Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Luke's we have music and animal therapies, and art classes.Don't be crazy about amassing material things. Remember: You don't know when your number is up, and you can't take it with you to the next place.Hospitals must be designed and prepared for major disasters, and they must accept every patient who appears at their doors. We designed St. Luke's so we can operate anywhere: in the basement, in the corridors, in the chapel. Most people thought I was crazy to prepare for a catastrophe, but on March 20, 1995, I was unfortunately proven right when members of the Aum Shinrikyu religious cult launched a terrorist attack in the Tokyo subway. We accepted 740 victims and in two hours figured out that it was sarin gas that had hit them. Sadly we lost one person, but we saved 739 lives.Science alone can't cure or help people. Science lumps us all together, but illness is individual. Each person is unique, and diseases are connected to their hearts. To know the illness and help people, we need liberal and visual arts, not just medical ones.Life is filled with incidents. On March 31, 1970, when I was 59 years old, I boarded the Yodogo, a flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka . It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as Mount Fuji came into sight, the plane was hijacked by the Japanese Communist League-Red Army Faction. I spent the next four days handcuffed to my seat in 40-degree heat. As a doctor, I looked at it all as an experiment and was amazed at how the body slowed down in a crisis.Find a role model and aim to achieve even more than they could ever do. My father went to the United States in 1900 to study at Duke University in North Carolina . He was a pioneer and one of my heroes. Later I found a few more life guides, and when I am stuck, I ask myself how they would deal with the problem.It's wonderful to live long. Until one is 60 years old, it is easy to work for one's family and to achieve one's goals. But in our later years, we should strive to contribute to society. Since the age of 65, I have worked as a volunteer. I still put in 18 hours seven days a week and love every minute of it.

Top 10 regular foods :)

http://nutritionundressed.com.au/2011/06/the-top-10-foods-of-all-time/

Fueling your body

I turn 30 this year so set myself a challenge - to run a marathon. 

Yes you need to train but you also need to fuel your body for success... Chia seeds - used by the Mayan's for those that would run messeges.  I made my own Marathon fuel:
2 tablespoons of Chia seeds
1 tablespoon powdered acai
1 tablespoon of cacao and maca powder
- I had it with water - I would recommend a juice to add flavour

Hope you find your Superfood fuel :)

Poor diet leads to many problems...

Very interesting article:

"Orwell was describing something that has become one of the world’s neglected scourges: the bad diet of the poor. When people think of malnutrition, they usually picture its most acute form—listless infants with bloated bellies, the little victims of famine. But there is a chronic manifestation of hunger, too, milder but more widespread. It affects those with enough calories to eat but too few micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and so on). They suffer the diseases of poor nutrition."


http://www.economist.com/node/18440801?fsrc=scn%2Ffb%2Fwl%2Far%2Fqualitynotquantity

Make it at home

Blend your superfoods and fresh foods - experiment at home to produce goodness for your body - Soul Food.

My recent efforts saw me make raw superfood balls using a blender and hand rolling and refrigerating.  Also a baked some slices: oats and flax, goji, cacao, coconut butter, cinnamon, powdered acai, protein powder, oat milk.

Before playing soccer the other day my friend blended an incredible smoothie: mixed berries, raw milk, protein powder, acai pulp with guarana, carrots, green leaves..

Eat well .. don't forget superfoods

Today, although we are consuming more and more food, yet we're getting fewer and fewer of the essential nutrients than ever before.  Eating the right food can give us clear skin and glossy hair, high energy levels, a better body, a happier mind and achieve our highest potential for health, vitality and freedom from disease.  We all know that optimum nutrition intake and health are intamely connected.... so what are you waiting for :)

So what is Acai?

Acai (ah-sigh-ee) is an all natural energy berry from Amazon palm trees. Wild harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, Acai tastes like a unique blend of berries and chocolate.

Considered as the most nutritious food today, the acai berry contains high levels of the essential nutrients and antioxidants that the body needs to be healthy and properly functioning.

The acai berry is harvested from the deep jungles and rainforests found in Brazil. It has been used by many natives of Brazil as their primary food source during long hunting trips. They also used the acai berry for its medicinal benefits such as treating all kinds of illnesses. It has a rich purple pigment which has the essential fatty acids omega 3, 6 and 9, amino acids and antioxidants. Aside from these, the acai berry also has a lot of vitamin A and C. Through all this ingredients, the acai berry is able to rid the body of free radicals and toxins and help in the promotion of new cell regeneration.

Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect food. Acai is packed full of antioxidants, energy, essential omegas 6 & 9 (good-for-you fatty acids), fibre, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, which are known to damage cells in the body. Free radicals are caused by stresses on the body such as pollution, exposure to the sun, exersize, smoking, and poor diet.

Acai has heaps of good stuff that gives you an awesome energetic lift, having an exotic taste that will give your taste buds something to remember.

Some Facts About Acai
* Naturally organic wildharvested – Awesome!
* Low GL – No sugar rushes or sugar lows
* 4-6 times more antioxidants than blueberries
* Carb's for sustained energy
* Dietary fibre will reduce cholesterol absorption
* Essential fatty acids Omegas 6 & 9 and Protein
* Source of Calcium, Iron, Magnesium & Vitamin E

Acai berry - one tasty breakfast or energy snack

Something I love to literally blend together every now and then is a bowl of Acai - the energy antioxidant berry from Brazil - my favourite recipe:

- 200grams frozen acai and guarana pulp

-50ml vanilla soy milk

-4 frozen strawberries

-vanilla protein powder

...blend together until a thick sorbet consistency and pour in bowl and cover with granola and chopped fruit :)

Superfood Warrior Radio Interview

Coconut water

Mangosteen in Bali

Superfood Warrior Ebook

click here for Superfood Warrior ebook!

The Green Food Movement

This is a great terminology to describe the best and biggest recent food related movement. There are many themes and concepts linked to this concept - it is primarily about going back to nature to provide the most nutritious foods and in a sustainable manner. Superfoods fit into this movement nicely being raw, organic and nutritious. The themes are: organic foods, locally produced, in season foods, consuming quality natural over processed quantity, slowing down and enjoying. Another great thing.. sustainably-sourced food tends to be better for you and tastier. Join the movement! Here is a great video related to this movement with a metaphor to the Titanic:

The bonus of eating high nutrient foods!

Not only will you look and feel better and help prevent disease... you also have the privelge of Discretionary Calorie Allowance! This is an allowance of ‘extra’ calories you can consume without gaining weight, because you have met your need for calories.

For instance if your energy requirement is 2000kcal/day, and you meet your nutrient needs from a nutrient-dense diet that only provides 1740kcal you would have a DCA of 260kcal. This would allow you to eat a small slice of cake without gaining weight. However, if you were to consume a diet of low nutrient density you might not have a discretionary calories left....

Cacao - the raw form of chocolate

There’s always some sort of research being conducted on chocolate and every time the findings are always positive. This goes to show that chocolate is indeed good for us, but if you’ve noticed, the findings are always in favor of dark chocolate, a chocolate with very little sugar content. If you travel a little backwards and see, the origin of chocolate, that is, the cacao beans are actually much more than a source of chocolate. These are superfoods in themselves and have some amazing health benefits.

Cacao has a fascinating history with plenty of legends surrounding it, but what can be deduced is that until sugar was added, the drink made from cacao was considered highly potent.

Here are some amazing benefits of using cacao:
-Increases blood flow to the brain and enhances brain function
-Has a high concentration of anti oxidants. Anti oxidants as we all know are the holy grail of youth and a disease free life.
-The magnesium in cacao is good for the heart, helps prevent constipation and even eases menstrual cramps.
-Cacao also has iron, which makes it a great weapon to fight against anemia.
-Cacao contains chromium, a trace mineral which works wonders to maintain the balance of blood sugar.
-Zinc, another mineral that cacao contains is known for its essential role in enhancing our immune system.
-Raw cacao contains essential omega 6 fatty acids. An important thing to note is that cooked and processed chocolate contains rancid omega 6 fatty acids or trans fats which are not healthy for you.

Cacao can be found as cacao beans with or without the skin, cacao nibs, cacao butter, powder or paste and ideally it should all be organic. A great idea would be to buy raw cacao products and include them in your usual drinks such as tea or coffee or even coconut water. You can also use cacao nibs in desserts but ideally if you love dark chocolate, you should be able to adjust to the bitter taste of raw cacao which can do so many wonders for your body.

Visceral fat - solution .....

Exercise and diet. Foods that provide incredible nutrients and a variety of exercise, movement and weight. The biggest concern for the baby-boomers: "Somatopause"—the decline of your body's hormone production as you age, which includes dwindling production of human growth hormone.

Somatopause affects 80 million baby boomers in the U.S. and millions more around the world, causing:

•Weight gain
•Energy loss
•Wrinkling skin
•Muscle loss
•Bone strength loss
•Increased body fat

Visceral fat (aka, belly fat or abdominal fat) is the fat that builds up around your internal organs and may be the most dangerous fat in your body.

Visceral fat, together with elevated blood pressure, unstable blood sugar and unhealthy levels of cholesterol make up what we call "metabolic syndrome," which in turn increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Nearly one in four people in the U.S. have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, and it is my belief that most can be reversed with the appropriate diet and exercise regimen.

Put in the effort and the body will respond to what you put in it and what you do with it.... good luck with your good efforts.

Superfood Warrior on Weekend Sunrise

Quality Nutrition vs Pills

Nutrition should not to be defined by the effects of isolated nutrients.  That's pharmacology, a strategy now known not to work, in spite of the $25 billion or so that Americans annually spend on nutrient supplements.  Unequivocal evidence now exists to show that nutrition, when provided by the use of whole, plant-based foods, can control the expression of our mischievous genes that otherwise would lead to serious ailments such as heart disease, diabetes, certain autoimmune diseases and many lesser ailments.  There is no other strategy in contemporary health science or medical practice that comes close to the breadth and depth of health benefits achievable by nutrition.  We must begin to understand, communicate and apply this knowledge if we ever hope to reduce health care costs by reducing the burden of disease.  We will never do this by depending on outmoded notions of what single (or even a few) genes, single nutrients or single chemicals (i.e. drugs) will do to create health.  That thinking generates wealth for a few at the expense of health for the many.  It is time to recognize the natural and harmonious biological complexity of health processes, and choose the lifestyle strategy that best maintains and restores that harmony.  Nature has had eons of time to work this out.  It's also time to develop a professional science of nutrition that serves the biological health of the population, not the economic health of commerce.

THE SUPERFOOD LIFESTYLE

Look better, feel fabulous, and live longer.  You look after your car – look after your body.



My rule about food is first, eat REAL food.  Second, supplement it with superfoods to increase your nutrient density.  And third, buy organic wherever possible and avoid highly processed foods like the plague.  Anything that's artificially altered (homogenized, hydrogenated, hydrolysed) or contains chemical additives (food colours, MSG, aspartame, etc.) is to be avoided entirely.

It's a simple yet powerful formula for healthy eating. And it's part of the reason why I carry no health insurance and never visit doctors. Why would I? I eat anti-cancer foods every day, I follow a healthy, living foods diet that's rich in nutrients, so my risk of heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, liver disorders and other diseases is also about as close to zero as you can reasonably get in modern society.

I let my food be my medicine, and in doing so, I save about a thousand dollars a month compared to the expenditures of a typical consumer who is buying health insurance and prescriptions.  My health insurance: real food, superfoods and exercise.  

Delicious and nutritious smoothie

A mix I often make - easy and incorporates many Superfoods :)

Simply blend:

Milk/or soy/oat/almond/rice
half a banana
ice cubes
maca powder
cacao powder
vanilla whey protein powder
cinnamon
Mixed supergreens - spirulina, chlorella, barley and wheat grass

Eat greens and fruit - raw foods

A doco well worth watching - Fat Sick and Nearly Dead
http://vodpod.com/watch/5443001-fat-sick-nearly-dead-trailer

Not all foods were created equal...

....some are so packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and other beneficial substances that they've been deemed "superfoods".  Superfoods have incredible health benefits, packing a powerful nutritional punch that helps protect against cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol, protect the organs from toxins and improve digestive health.  Some nutritionists even say superfoods can help you live longer.   Here are 10 superfoods that can supercharge your diet, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, legumes, grains and fish:

Acai: This exotic berry from the Amazon has been the subject of intense hype, but there's a good reason why it's so trendy.  Named by famed nutritionist Nicholas Perricone as his number one superfood and one of the most powerful foods in the world, acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) contains a remarkable concentration of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids.  It's considered one of nature's best offerings to combat premature aging thanks to its high monounsaturated oleic acid content.  Oleic acid helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate cell membranes, making them more supple.

Yogurt: It's alive!  Yogurt contains active cultures known as "friendly bacteria" that restore healthy balance in the digestive system.  Among the most well-known cultures is Lactobacillus acidophilus, which passes through the stomach and populates the intestines, helping the body fight off infection.  One cup contains 50 per cent more calcium than the same size serving of milk, and it's also full of potassium, riboflavin, magnesium and phosphate.

Broccoli: This cruciferous vegetable is loaded with vitamin C, folic acid and carotenoids, which are packed with vitamin A and can protect your cells from the damage of free radicals, enhance immune system function and improve reproductive health. Just one serving (1 medium stalk) provides 175 per cent of the recommended daily value of vitamin K, which helps build strong bones and plays an important role in blood clotting.  Just half a cup of broccoli per day is also said to help prevent a number of cancers, particularly cancers of the lung, colon, rectum and stomach.

Lentils: Among the most nutritious legumes, lentils are a great source of cholesterol-lowering fibre and lean protein. They contain lots of iron and B vitamins and are very filling, yet low in calories.  Folate and magnesium also contribute to heart heath and improve the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

Sweet potatoes: They'll satisfy your craving for starches but are far healthier than their white, nutritionally lacking cousins. Carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium and fibre are just a few of the benefits of eating this savoury-sweet veggie, which is ranked among the highest vegetables on the nutrition scale.  Sweet potatoes can help stabilise blood sugar, making them a great choice for diabetics, and are relatively low in calories.

Blueberries: Hidden within the juicy, deep blue-purple flesh of this tasty fruit is cancer-fighting ellagic acid, an antioxidant that has been proven in laboratory research to slow the growth of some cancerous tumours. Blueberry extracts have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and help prevent infectious bacteria from clinging to the walls of the gut, bladder and urethra.

Wild salmon: Packed with omega-3 fats, wild salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks and contains lots of vitamin D and selenium for healthy hair, skin, nails and bones.  Wild salmon can be eaten with little fear of mercury or excess contaminants and is more nutritionally rich than farmed salmon. Wild salmon also has a smaller environmental impact. Consume two to four four-ounce servings a week for optimal benefits.

Goji berries: They've been called the most nutritionally dense food on Earth, and they taste something like salty raisins.  Lycium barbarum, commonly known as goji berries, contain more vitamin C than oranges, more beta carotene than carrots and more iron than steak.  The dried Himalayan fruit is also a great source of B vitamins and antioxidants and contains 15 amino acids. Goji has been used medicinally in China for centuries to improve blood circulation, strengthen the limbs, improve eyesight, protect the liver, increase libido and boost immune function.

The importance of good health

"When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied." ~Herophilus

Bee Pollen

Bee Pollen

Bee pollen is a fine powdery substance that has been collected from the stamen found within flower blossom and is naturally granulated by the bees.

Called the 'perfect food', bee pollen has an awesome constitution. Around 40% protein of a highly digestible form, these magical grains house 16 vitamins, 28 minerals, a host of enzymes, hormone precursors (that stimulate hormone production), lecithin, fatty acids, nucleic acids and antioxidant phytonutrients.  Studies have revealed antibiotic and cholesterol lowering abilities, immune system enhancement and excellent skin healing traits.  Pollen is also believed to be an anti aging food, discovered by Dr. Tsitsin, chief biologist at the Longevity Institute in Vladivostak, to be eaten daily by over 200 natives of Georgia (formerly the Soviet Union) that were living upwards of 125 years of age!

Bee pollen is the only known food in the world with all essential ingredients necessary to sustain life. Only Bee Pollen contains ........

All 22 elements of the human system.

All essential amino acids and is a complete protein. (Bee pollen contains the eight essential amino acids, which the human body cannot produce.)

Vitamins A, B Complex series C, D, E, K and Rutin.

28 Minerals, including Trace Minerals needed for good health.

Enzymes and Co-Enzymes necessary for good digestion.

Hormones such as the ones found in our bodies to effect normal function.

No cholesterol.

Bee pollen has a history that goes back 5,000 years. Famous in Chinese, Greek, Aztec, Egyptian and American Indian civilisations; a tonic with rejuvenating power.  Known as “Ambrosia” or Food of the Gods, pollen has been used for centuries as a food source and to increase energy and stamina.  Bee pollen has long been used by historic figures including Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder, and Pythagoras. It is widely labelled as a super food. Many historical sporting figures also contributed bee pollen to their success in the sports arena.


The pollen that is most attractive to bees, naturally, is pollen that provides the best nutrients for their health. In this plant competition, reproductive success is driven by the ability to evolve the most nutritious pollen that will attract the most bees. Plants with lower quality pollen are then driven to evolve higher quality pollen in order to become more competitive for the bees attention.  150 million years of this evolutionary pressure has driven bee pollen to become more and more nutritionally superior.