Most people do not realize the importance of probiotics. I know that I have blogged about this before. In fact I have probably said the same thing over and over. That is because it is important.

The quality and ratio of good to bad bacteria are extremely important in the gut. Not only does it aid in digestion of the foods that you eat to be used by the body but it also helps to fend off disease caused by bad bacteria and thereby malfunctioning digestive systems.

Some people discount the idea of good bacteria and state how they would much rather have an empty or clean gut. While you may be able to achieve this temporarily, as long as you are eating you will be ingesting bacteria and it is crucial to allow the good to overcrowd the bad.

One way to get probiotics, especially for those severely lacking is to take a supplement. An excellent one that I recommend is Primal Defense by Garden of Life or Complete Probiotics by Mercola.

Another way to get your probiotics (good bacteria) is by eating foods that have lots of good bacteria, foods like naturally fermented pickles (the old school way, not the jar in your grocery aisle… they would have to be refrigerated), naturally fermented sauerkraut (old school way), or cultured dairy products. All of these products should be lacto-fermented or naturally cultured… and, if you have read this blog at all then you know what types of dairy products I recommend… whole, raw, preferably organic from grass-fed sources.

Most Americans are terribly deficient in healthy bacteria. The gut is a vital part of the body and too many people ignore it. 60-80% of your lymphatic system is in your small intestine. See. Your gut associated lymphoid tissue helps to discriminate between nutritious and dangerous substances passing through your bowel. Defense system to alert your immune system. Your lymphatic system literally goes through the length of your body and cancers of the lymphatic system can spread rapidly.

Also, did you know that you have a “second brain” in your gut. Half of our nerve cells are located within our gut. Take care of it. Follow your gut.

What is soy? What are soybeans? Well. Soybeans are legumes grown under the ground. They are not readily digested unless fermented or sprouted and the vast majority of soybeans harvested are genetically modified.

One of my biggest problems with soybeans is that they are so heavily processed. Soy milk, tofu, soy protein, soy lecithin, soybean oil… all products which are processed to an unhealthy level… so much so, that is more like a waste product. In fact that is what soy milk and tofu are… waste products.  They do not promote health in the body and they are not extraordinary foods.

Another problem that I have with soy is that it stimulates estrogen production in both men and women which can lead to breast cancer or fibroid tumors in women, infertility in men, and decreased sex drive in both men and women.  

Soybeans are high in phytates (like many grains are as well, such as wheat, spelt, and oats), which can inhibit the absorption minerals…. therefore they should be fermented or sprouted to remove the phytates. Also, due to the great percentage of genetically modified soybeans, one should look for organic soybeans which are not genetically modified and free of pesticides. 

Soy is in so many products these days that it is difficult to avoid. If you are going to eat it, as I said it is best fermented or sprouted… so miso, tempeh, natto… or like in Food For Life’s sprouted cereal which contains organic sprouted soybeans. Or if you want to eat whole soybeans (edamame) then soak them and sprout them before eating. 

Soybean oil also goes rancid easily. It oxidizes and promotes free radicals and you must then have anti-oxidants to reduce the oxidative stress on your body.

As far as soy protein goes. It really is not that high quality of a source. It is heavily processed unless taken in whole food form and there are much better sources. For example, goats milk protein… one of the best sources of protein for the body.

Soy lecithin is found in all sorts of products… products like chocolate. I am a big fan of chocolate so I of course had to research soy lecithin. Soy lecithin is an emulsifier… that means it stabilizes an emulsion… or a mixture of suspended ingredients. So for example, in mayonnaise to mix the oil you must use eggs to create the emulsion that is mayonnaise. Guess where the main source of lecithin was before soy lecithin? Eggs. Yep. So it would be nice to have the lecithin from eggs for my chocolate… and occasionally you can find it, but most of the time it is soy lecithin. My advice here would be to consume in small amounts and look for products that do not have soy lecithin as the emulsifier (when possible).

Having said the above, there is more, much more. Do not take my word from it. Do research on both sides. Read all of the terrible things said about soy and then read the glowing things. I have come to the conclusion that I will avoid it for the most part. I do not like it or the way it makes me feel in the long term. There are times when I have organic sprouted soy and if I used soy sauce or soy condiments I would use naturally fermented.

It is ironic that living in the United States how there is so much an abundance and yet much of it is blah, bleh, ugh, and yuck. Don’t get me wrong, we are incredibly blessed for the excellent food that anyone living in the USA has access to. It’s just that, well, I go into Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Harris Teeter, Meijer, Cubs, Costco, Harry’s, Albert’s, and on and on… and there is so much fake, processed, refined, and adulterated products and ‘foods’ that people are supposed to buy and put in their body without even knowing what it is.

I was in a store the other night and was walking down the aisles thinking how I wouldn’t buy anything in that aisle or the next or the next. Sure, many of the stores now have natural sections and have produce sections where you can find good stuff, but just thinking about all of the chips where the are frying loads of potatoes in rancid vegetable oil or pouring gallons of high fructose corn syrup which has been heavily processed and extracted from corn to dump into sodas, peanut butter, breads, tv dinners, candy, and almost any thing you can think of. Then all of the fake sweetener’s and chemicals that are added to give a certain consistency and taste and texture…. who cares if it is any good for you.. does it taste good? or feel good?

No wonder there is so much cancer and sickness.

People put whatever anyone tells them is good into their body. There is no personal responsibility. People then look to a quick fix, fad diet, or magic pill to solve all of their medical or weight problems. They are too shortsighted to see that our bodies create new cells with the fuel we provide them. We are what we eat. 

I know the mentality because I grew up with it. Sometimes things have to happen that awaken our understanding to correct our ways. Things like death and sickness. Eating better foods (well just eating real foods in general… that have not been over processed or manufactured) does not guarantee that you will never have sickness or disease, it does not mean that you will live longer. However there is a direct quality of life increase, in the present, in the body. While the body is not near as important as our spirit, there is still a corresponding well-being from understanding and applying the truth to the body. So whether you are going to die next week or next month or next year or next decade or next century… diet and exercise  subjected to their right place in life, help you to live the purposes of your life better, with more productivity, and in a better frame of mind, as God has allowed.

 So I hope you take time to know what you put in your body and to learn. I hope that you do not follow every fad that comes along with regard to food, but instead recognize the understanding of thousands of years of what is food and that you start at a solid foundation, namely, the Bible.

So seek out good meats, vegetables, breads, sweets, and drinks. They are out there, they are just hard to find amidst the plethora of junk our society calls food. That’s what this blog is all about, to help you know about, find, and understand what good food is so you can eat today to live tomorrow, Lord willing.

AND one more thing, as you learn, don’t be judgmental about it when you are around other people eating food that you wouldn’t. Maybe you can start a blog like this so you can vent your frustration… ha.

Cheers.

I had an interesting conversation the other day with a customer at Whole Foods Market. We were talking about detoxification. Most people do not have a very good idea of the process or the problem.

Growing up in the world that we currently live in has put us into contact with all sorts of dangerous things that our fearfully and wonderfully made bodies take in and deal with as best they can… many times to our long term detriment. Substances like PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls), nitrates and nitrites, fake sugars (aspartame, splenda), and heavy metals like mercury, lead, and cadmium have been in products we have eaten, slathered on our bodies, shampooed with, or put on our fingernails (yeah girls… there is some pretty toxic fingernail polish out there).

Our body many times responds by storing these toxins in fat cells in order to minimize their impact on the body. Many people don’t realize that the cellulite that they can’t get rid of or the reason they have certain accentuated body parts with fat is due to the stored toxins. If you ever watch people you were friends with from an early age and watch them get worse and worse in their diets… just watch what happens to their body. Yeah, not pretty…. I know… I have seen it.

So how can we get rid of all of these toxins from all these years? Well, some things are easy and others are not. Due to the nature of our dynamic bodies, everyone is different. However, there are some major things that can be done. Fundamental things that are cornerstone’s of detoxifying. The first being water.

Most people do not realize the power that water has to eliminate toxins and even cellulite. Toxins come out in all sorts of ways, through the pores, through sweat, through urination, through defecation (ok, poop), through the nose, through the eyes, and, well… basically through all sorts of openings on your body. Water, if you haven’t noticed, aids in all of these processes. Ahem.

The type of water is important as well. Water treated through reverse osmosis is good for this cause because it is completely free of, well, everything, and therefore it dissolves toxins, as well as good minerals from your body and helps eliminate them. I do not like reverse osmosis for continued use due to the fact that it is dead water… if you will. I prefer water that has naturally occurring minerals, has naturally reduced ionization (not electrically induced), and increased solubility. Basically a mountain spring. There is a filter that does the same thing which I have mentioned before called the wellness filter. Of course these are optimal solutions in water. A good carbon filter will go a long way for most people. Making it a point to drink more water and to sweat regularly is a good step in detoxifying with water.

The next fundamental may seem obvious, but so many people don’t do it: Stop eating or ingesting or absorbing toxic chemicals… the ones that you can control. Seek out foods and products that do not have toxic, fake, artificial substances in them. It doesn’t matter if you put it on your skin or in your mouth. Pay attention to what is in it. That means READ the label and know what it is. If you don’t know what it is then don’t buy it… go find out what it is first and then make a more informed purchase.

The next fundamental is to consume healthy foods. Of course this is very broad. In fact this whole blog is about eating healthy foods. So everything from healthy fats and oils to healthy dairy to healthy meats to healthy grains to healthy fruits and vegetables. In addition, seek foods that have specific detoxifying abilities such as chlorella, spirulina, and cilantro.

The next fundamental is to realize the importance of digestion and your gut. It would be an excellent practice to make sure you are taking some sort of probiotics every day. Yes, every day. Everyday. Every day. Ok, I am done messing. Whether it be a supplement probiotic or you get them through naturally fermented foods like kefir, kombucha, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger ale, new wine, and on and on… you can even get probiotics from gardening. I just thought of yogurt… and yes you can get good bacteria from yogurt, but most yogurt in the store is not very good because the milk is not high enough quality and it is pasteurized… not to mention the sugar.

So those are some food based things outside of exercise that you can do, which will not only aid your body in detoxing, but will also help you lose weight, inches, cup sizes, rolls, your big butt, your triple chin, and years of potentially life threatening, cancer causing substances… now who wouldn’t want to detox? Me me… sign me up!

Out. For now.

Why Do People Not Care What They Put In Their Bodies?

Reuters had an interesting article talking about another recent study detailing how a Mediterranean diet can help to protect, not only against heart disease, but also against diabetes. The study showed that people who followed the diet were 83% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. 83%… wow.

Numerous studies and books have come out talking about the benefits of a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. The reason that a Mediterranean diet is healthy is because it is comprised of whole foods. It does not contain the typical refined ingredients found in western diets.

The study lists that the diet was low in red meat, dairy, and alcohol. The problem does not really lie in red meat and dairy but in the quality of the red meat and dairy (just like anything else). As I mentioned before grass-fed beef and lamb are excellent sources of cla. Also, real milk is an excellent food when a high quality source is obtained, that is unadulterated.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. The name of this blog is EAT today to live tomorrow. AND I know we all love food… however it is important to discuss not only what we eat but also how much… this where fasting comes in.

I feel like this post could go on forever before I even start. Much can be said about fasting but I will keep this as short as I can. Fasting is beneficial to your body, soul, and spirit. I mainly want to talk about the physical right now although I personally mainly fast for the spiritual reasons.

Eating, in and of itself, promotes the aging process. There are numerous studies (it’s so well known that I don’t think there is the need to cite… but look them up) that show eating less promotes longer life and slows down aging. Of course there are numerous things that play into the aging process but fasting is a definite cornerstone.

Also, fasting helps to rid your body of toxins. Digesting food is one of the most (if not the most) energy consuming activities of the body. That is why so many times I talk about improving the digestive ability of your body with regard to certain foods (like sprouting your grains, etc). Fasting frees up energy for the body to heal and rest from the constant influx of foods that need digestion. So you ask, isn’t that what happens during sleep? Yes it is, and our bodies benefit greatly from the extended period of fasting beyond our sleep time.

When fasting your body uses up stored fat for energy. This is beneficial not only if you are trying to lose weight, but the body also stores toxins and previously undigested foods. Fasting helps to rid the body of both. Think of all the fake, artificial, toxic ‘food’ that most Americans put in their mouth and that go through the intestines. This toxic food does not always make it through. Fasting regularly over time helps to bring you back to a state of cleanness and gives you a foundation upon which you can build with much better food choices.

Whenever I have fasted for an extended period of time I definitely see a difference. I have had times where I felt bad for a while and could tell that my body was getting rid of the ‘old stuff’. I have also had fasts where I feel amazing. One time I was surprised because I thought I would be miserable and although I did have a couple moments of extreme hunger I felt great the whole day.

So how often? Well, I think it’s different for everyone. I have heard of several people fasting one day a week every week. Others do a partial day fast. I personally fast at random times throughout the year as it is not mainly for physical benefit as I mentioned earlier.

So how to fast? Well, there are a couple things to remember. I would like to note that I just said “Well,” for both of those last two questions and for some reason I find that amusing. Onward now. It is good to start fasting slowly and come out of it slowly till you know how your body will react.

If you have never fasted before it might be good to try an all liquid fast first, then maybe an all water fast before going to a completely dry fast. Also, when coming out of a fast go slowly. Broths are an excellent way to come out of a fast. Vegetables juices are also good but you are rare if you do that. On that same note, be careful the liquids that you have when fasting. As you know I like high quality food and would tell you that all of your juices should be raw… especially if they are sugary (which you should limit anyway).

Typically when I fast I will do an all water fast and come out of it with some soup or broth. Then after that has sat for a while I have some vegetables then bread then meat. In a slow progression. An extra tip is to chew more than you normally would and that really helps as well. I have only come out of a fast too quickly one time that I can recall. All I remember is eating a bunch and my stomach really hurting and I haven’t made the same mistake again.

Again, I feel like I could keep going but I will end it here. There is a lot of common sense involved in fasting. Of course there are people who distort and pervert something like fasting and they become anorexic. People distort and pervert just about anything good these days. So use some common sense.

Now I feel like writing more on food and common sense… but I won’t… not now anyway.

Have great day.