Discover the sunny-side of you!
SUNNY-SIDE WELLNESS
Kale, a cruciferous member of the cabbage family, is a wonder food for the human body. It is one of the most nutrient-rich foods you can consume. When looking at daily values - 1 cup of raw kale provides the body with 206% vitamin A, 684% vitamin K, and 143% vitamin C!
Fortunately, it also has a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels. A study examining men with high LDL levels found that taking 3-4 kale shots per day for 3 months resulted in substantially lower cholesterol levels. This decrease was comparable to running 300 miles! What's interesting though - is that this effect was only observed on men who DID NOT SMOKE CIGARETTES. Non-smokers exhibited high antioxidant levels from the kale whereas the smokers did not - thus not reaping the same health benefits.
Long story short - Don't smoke and eat kale - especially if you have high cholesterol.
Kale, Cholesterol....and Smoking?
Did you know that mosquito bites are linked to Vitamin B deficiency?
Studies show that those who are vulnerable to these pesky biters may be lacking one or more of the essential B-vitamins. The Vitamin B family consists of 8 different complex nutriments that all carry a different purpose - mood, digestion, hormone balance, sleep, inflammation, heart health, and most importantly, energy regulation. Taking a Complex Vitamin B supplement is an easy way to fix these issues AND rid the mozzies - but there are also dietary methods that ease the itch as well. Healthy foods that contain high doses of Vitamin B that can be eaten every day are seafood, shellfish, leafy greens, avocados and bananas. Liver, red meat and poultry also contain high levels but should only be eaten in moderation.
Mosquitos & Vitamin B
Did you know that you get more brain activity sleeping than while watching TV? TV is shown to decrease a person's ability to concentrate, increase risk of neurodegenerative diseases, and can even stunt a kids growth! If the kid needs the TV - try educational (not violent) video games - they promote better brain activity.
TV & The Brain
The Ketogenic Diet has become a very popular method of weight loss in recent years with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Lebron James, and Kim Kardashian touting its extraordinary fat-shedding abilities. The way the Keto Diet works relies on reprogramming the body so that it naturally burns fat instead of carbs. A person on this diet would load up on high-fat foods and completely limit carb intake. Without the carbs, and with the high influx of fat, the body becomes confused and actually goes into a fasting-type state. So that sounds good - no carbs, easy enough. No. When the body gets into that state of Ketosis and is not receiving any carbs to burn, the burning process drastically slows down and the body will not burn nearly as much fat as it would under the assumption of a healthy balanced diet. Furthermore, the body is now not receiving some of the essential micro and macronutrients needed from starchy vegetables that promote longevity. In fact, studies have shown that the Keto Diet lacks the intake of 17 requisite micronutrients. Children have gotten scurvy, bone fractures, stunted growth, kidney stones, and some have even died because of the Keto diet. Keto diets have also been shown to reduce the richness and diversity of our gut flora.
In so many words....the Keto Diet is not sustainable for the human body. It will work quickly to burn some fat, but not as quickly as if you were exercising and eating a 90% plant-based diet - which also provides all the essential nutrients our bodies need for survival.
The Truth About Keto
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and is almost completely preventable through proper lifestyle behavior & diet. Heart disease is linked to unhealthy cholesterol levels, which are 30% attributable to genetics and 70% diet. Cholesterol is found in processed foods, meat & dairy. Simply eliminating these foods and sticking to a whole foods diet will not only improve cholesterol levels but decrease the risk of heart disease & even reverse it.
Interestingly, brazil nuts have an extremely beneficial effect on cholesterol levels, both short term & long term. A small serving per day is seen to lower cholesterol levels better, faster & longer than popular statin drugs like Lipitor. This observation was seen even after 30 days of testing. There is a caveat, however. Brazil nuts are pretty high in selenium so don't overdo it.
Brazil Nuts
The Five-to-One Rule is a dietary guideline to help in evaluating whether or not a packaged grain product is actually *whole* grain instead of *refined* whole grain. Refined is just another term for processed, and is commonly done to achieve a finer, more desirable texture, and to improve shelf life. Think of white flour, white bread, and white rice. These food items are extremely unhealthy because when processed, the carb is separated from the fiber and is more easily absorbed by the body, leading to spiked blood sugar levels and the potential for chronic illness like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Many times, products at the grocery store are disguised as a whole grain but are actually more on the refined side. To get the honest truth, examine the nutritional label and if the ratio of carbs to fiber is 5 or less then it is good to go. Anything more than a 5, is too refined for the body. Here's the math... #Carbs/#Fiber = ? (5 or less is whole grain, 6 or more is not)
Five-to-One Rule
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, dark greens, brussels sprouts) have shown to prevent the spread of cancer, detox the liver, and even prevent DNA damage in the body! The incredible agent responsible for this is sulforaphane which is killed off during cooking. But get this! All you have to do is cut/chop your veggies and wait 30 minutes before cooking! Amazingly all the sulforaphane remains on the food!
Cruciferous Vegetables
