Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

We all know that food has the power to heal.  Specifically, foods high in micronutrients, high in anti-oxidants , foods that are beneficial to your heart and health.  Everything we feed our bodies has a cumulative effect that over time reveals the state of our health.  Do you lack energy?  Do you have a medical condition?  Is your emotional state effected?

I recently watched a documentary film about a man from Australia who was fat, sick and nearly dead!  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.  With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long-term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days.  What happens is an amazing transformation!

My friends, produce is the most important health care your money can buy!  So eliminate where possible junk and processed foods.  Grow a veggie garden! The choice is what proportion to eat dead food (cooked) and living food.(raw)  The best foods to eat are the healthy, nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables. By making these super micronutrient and anti-oxidant foods the major portion of your diet, you can protect yourself against cancer and other serious diseases.

Here are a just a few of the kinds of foods I like to fuel up on. Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Pineapple, Flax Seeds, Green Leafy Vegetables, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Walnuts, Sunflower seeds, Pomegranates, Beets, and Peppers.

Processed foods high in saturated fat and trans fat are consistently associated with high cancer rates and illness. Just ask Joe Cross where he was headed on that kind of diet.  Here are some quick facts about the foods Joe used to regain his health and vitality.

• Apples contain antioxidants that help protect “good” HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
• Avocados are densely packed with anti-inflammatory, healthy fats. Well-known for its vitamin E content, an important antioxidant.
• Beets are potent antioxidants with liver-protective properties.
• Blueberries and blackberries are rich in anthocyanins—these phytonutrients have power. They can reduce inflammation, increase detoxifying enzymes in the liver, and stop cancers from creating their own lifeline-blood supply.
• Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that promotes natural detoxification in the liver. It is high in sulfur and iodine.
• Carrots are the richest plant source of vitamin A, good source of potassium.
• Celery is high in organic sodium, magnesium, and iron. Magnesium is important for the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy; for muscle relaxation and the prevention of cramps; and for nerve conduction and preventing tooth decay.
• Cilantro provides a rich source of carotenoids.
• Cinnamon has been shown to help keep blood sugar in check.
• Cucumbers contain potassium and phytosterols, which help lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Fennel’s active ingredient, anethole, blocks inflammation in the body and can stop cancer cells from multiplying.
• Ginger root reduces nausea, pain and inflammation, and provides heartburn relief. It also aids digestion.
• Grapefruits provide a rich source of vitamin C, and are a good source of lycopene (a carotene with prostate cancer-protective properties).
• Kale is an especially nutrient-dense vegetable with many potent micronutrients. Rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K, kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein, another potent carotene. Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, making it a good source of the phytonutrient indole-3-carbinol. Research shows I3C has many anti-cancer actions, such as promoting estrogen ratios in the blood that are weak, but needed to discourage breast cancer tumor growth. Crucifers are also potent detoxifiers.
• Kiwis offer twice the vitamin C of an orange per serving. They are a good source of vitamin E (a potent antioxidant) and potassium.
• Lemons contain natural anti-nausea and overall digestive-aid properties.
• Mint is rich in plant-based omega-3 fats – an important nutrient for healthy hair, skin, and nails that has powerful anti-inflammatory activity. Omega-3s may also protect against the development of heart disease and certain types of cancers.
• Parsley is a good source of folic acid, which may help lower the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers. It also promotes fresh breath.
• Pineapples are high in the enzyme bromelain, an anti-inflammatory.
• Spinach is high in iron, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach are antioxidants, and may help to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Most dark green leafy veggies are rich in lutein – a phytonutrient shown to help delay age-related macular degeneration of the eyes.
• Sweet potatoes (and carrots for that matter) are rich in – a phytonutrient responsible for giving these veggies their rich orange color. Zeaxanthin has anti-cancer activity: it helps encourage cancer cells to commit suicide (apoptosis), and helps prevent tumors from being able to create their own blood supply (anti-angiogenesis).
• Swiss chard tastes sweeter in juices than spinach. It is rich in vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. Foods rich in potassium have been shown to lower blood pressure and heart disease risk.
• Tomatoes are rich in lycopene – a member of the carotene family famous for its potential to prevent prostate cancer.
• Turmeric has been shown to have multiple forms of anti-cancer activity in prostate, ovarian, colon, uterine, and breast cancer cells. The active ingredient responsible, curcumin, is approximately 1,000 times more bioavailable (absorbable) when combined with black pepper. 

Did you know that the average person eats fewer than two servings of produce a day!  I want to encourage you to add more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet.  I guarantee you'll become healthier, happier and have more vitality.

If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Processed Foods Propaganda

Food advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry. It IS propaganda by food marketers who want you to spend your shrinking food budget on their highly processed foods that have been made to appeal to consumers as exciting, convenient and healthy. If you keep on drinking the kool-aid (literally and figuratively), the food marketers will continue to reap the benefits while you will continue to be plagued with poor health.


Avoiding and eliminating processed foods is one of the first actions I took in my strategy to regain my health and fitness. By staying away from fast food restaurants and store-bought packages that have been altered from their food natural state and loaded with preservatives, you can quickly make a shift to real food. Doing so will give you the boost your body needs to repair itself and benefit you for the long term. There are some processed foods that you could consider are good and some that are clearly bad. For example, frozen veggies are convenient and are not altered to strip the nutrition. Other frozen foods like fish, frozen berries and even oatmeal are nutritious even though they are processed.

The processed foods I avoid specifically are usually canned foods with massive amounts of salt or fat, breads and pastas made with refined flour, high-calories snack foods like chips and candies, frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners high in salt, packaged cakes and cookies, boxed meals that are high in fat and salt, processed breakfast cereals high in sugar and processed meats. Eating these bad foods may increase the risk for disease. Hot dogs, bologna, sausage, ham and other packaged meats that are high in calories, saturated fat and salt with low nutritional value are simply not in their natural state and are altered. If you cannot avoid processed foods, try to balance them out with lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains.

Using a little common sense goes a long ways towards choosing food to improve your health. Every week before heading to the store, we make a grocery list. So for example, instead of buying canned soups, we buy the raw ingredients needed to make the soup at home. It's not as time convenient, so you just plan ahead and prepare enough for several meals and either freeze or store in the refrigerator for later use.

So before you head to the grocery store, here are some tips that start at home!

• Make a grocery list and stick to it
• Eat before you go shopping so you're not hungry
• Add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables or frozen fruits and vegetables
• Choose lean proteins like fish, skinless chicken breasts or turkey
• Stay away from the snack aisle
• Read the nutrition labels and note the salt and fat content and avoid where possible
• Choose low fat soy milk, almond milk or rice milk as a substitute for dairy
• Replace white bread with whole wheat grain bread, read the label
• Buy spices and herbs to flavor food instead of adding table salt for seasoning
• Avoid frozen dinners

If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!