Do you crave salads? YOU CAN

Today’s Re-Powering Information – I hope you get to the point where you crave salads. If the thought of eating a salad is about as appealing as poking yourself with a stick, you need to try some new salads that are more flavorful. When I make a salad I usually open the fruit and vegetable bin and pull everything out. I take combinations of what ever may be in there – spinach, zucchini, peppers, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, Clementine oranges, strawberries, grapes, etc. Then I’ll go to the pantry and add in some beans and nuts and then may sprinkle in some cheese for fat and flavor. I like a salad that is colorful and heavily textured with a variety of crunchy foods. I also like simple salads – cucumbers with red onion or Tomato with basil or roasted peppers and root veggies. Sometimes a simple romaine salad with oregano, extra virgin light olive oil and balsamic vinegar hit the spot. Other times a bean salad is in order. Know there are no limits on your salads. Look for ingredients you will like.

The following are some of the salad recipes found in the Adventure Boot Camp Cook which is an electronic cook book available at www.KelliCalabrese.com for 19.95. There are over 100 recipes created by myself, master chef Barb Apt from Lantana as well as some of our most successful Adventure Boot Camp Coaches.

Chapter Six

Revitalizing Salads

Anti Aging Spinach Strawberry Salad

Bright and Hearty Salad

Caesar Style Hearts of Romaine Salad with Garlic Soy Dressing

Chicken Mango Spinach Salad

Cucumber and Onion Salad

Orange and Avocado Salad

Roasted Pear Salad with Mixed Berry Vinaigrette

Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken Salad

Watermelon Salad

Italian Caprese Salad

Savory Chicken Salad

I am also including the recipe of the Spinach Salad – pic is below (shown without the delicious dressing).

Chicken Mango Spinach Salad

Contributed by Sandy Liebman

Yields 5 servings

1 bag (10 ounces) baby spinach leaves

1 medium mango, peeled, sliced

1 medium avocado, peeled, sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 ounces raspberries

1 tablespoon orange juice

4 ounces olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups grilled, sliced chicken breast

Puree raspberries, orange juice and olive oil in blender. Strain out raspberry seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toss spinach with mango, avocado and onion in large bowl. Add dressing; mix lightly.

Spoon onto five plates. Top with chicken. Serve immediately.

End

7 Things You Don't Know About Green Tea

Today’s Re-Powering Information – Speaking of tea . . .

7 Things You Don't Know About Green Tea

By Rona Tison,

By now, we know that drinking green tea is undoubtedly good for our bodies. The antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties of green tea have made it a must-have for the health conscious and numerous studies highlight the potential benefits of green tea including cancer prevention and weight loss.

But green tea isn’t just a delicious and healthful drink; it can also be used as an at-home health and beauty remedy. Read on to find out 7 surprising things you didn’t know about green tea

*1. It can reduce puffy peepers*: Stayed out too late last night? Soaking a cotton pad in green tea and placing it over eyes for 10 minutes can reduce the puffiness of tired eyes, making you look revitalized and refreshed.

*2. It can soothe skin*: Spent a little too much time in the sun? Use the naturally calming properties of green tea to soothe sunburned skin. Place green tea in a spray bottle and mist on sunburned areas for all-natural relief. Because it has anti-bacterial qualities, green tea can also be used as an antiseptic to spray on skin blemishes or irritations.

*3. It’s great for teeth*: Green tea has fluoride in it, making it a superstar for keeping gums and teeth healthy. Green tea can even be used as a mouthwash to maintain breath.

*4. It can soothe sore throats*: The anti-viral effects of green tea make it an excellent remedy to help prevent the effects of a cold or flu. In fact, you can gargle with green tea to soothe a sore throat.

*5. It’s good for the bones*: Naturally high in minerals, green tea aids in strong bone density, which is important for maintaining good posture.

*6. It’s a room deodorizer*: Green tea leaves have traditionally been used to naturally absorb odors in a room. Place tea leaves in a bowl to help absorb unpleasant odors or leave some in the fridge in place of baking soda.

*7. It’s good for the feet*: Soaking tired feet in green tea can prevent unpleasant fungal infections.

End

Enjoy a cool glass of fruity tea today.

Have a thankful day,

Detox your LIFE

Today’s Re-Powering Information – I’ll elaborate on Detoxification a bit more. To detoxify, you first need to be toxic. There is a chance you are not toxic, but given the list above, there is a good chance you have been exposed to something at least in your environment or foods that are foreign to your body. I just hung up the phone with one of my best friends who is in Maryland with a mold specialist. He lives in Florida and after hurricane Wilma, he did not know it, but there was mold in his house, office and health club – where he spent all of his time. He has such a heightened sensitivity now that the smell of cleaning chemicals, perfume, glue or just about anything toxic (especially mold) can give him Parkinson’s like symptoms. He’s had to move 5 time since the hurricane, has trouble staying in hotels or going on elevators with closed in smells and so on. Mold is everywhere. If you have not cleaned your air ducts in a while or cleaned / replaced air conditioner filters, objects foreign to your body can be causing toxicities. Read on to her Dr. Mark Hyman’s idea’s on detoxifying.


Is Your Body Loaded With Harmful Toxins…
Causing You to Be Sick, Sluggish and Mentally Drained Without Knowing It?

Most people begin to experience all or some of the following after only one week of using a detoxifying diet.

· Better digestion and elimination

· Fewer symptoms of chronic illness

· Improved concentration, mental focus, and clarity

· Improved mood and increased equanimity

· Increased energy and sense of well-being

· Less congestion and fewer allergic symptoms

· Less fluid retention

· Less joint pain

· Increased sense of peace and relaxation
It’s Easy to Become Sick and Fat. Simply Overload Your Internal Detoxification System Until It Doesn’t Work Properly…

Mark Hyman, M.D.
Co-Founder & Medical Director
UltraWellness Center, Lenox, MA

Dear Friend,

If you struggle with fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, sinus problems, headaches, bloating, gas, brain fog, hard-to-lose weight, or just about any chronic condition, there may be something you can do about it—without medication.

First, the good news…

Your body’s natural detoxification system is designed to support optimal health by eliminating waste products and environmental toxins from your metabolism.

When you were born, your body came equipped with a wonderfully designed and perfectly operating internal detoxification system. Your liver is the workhorse, transforming harmful toxins into relatively harmless compounds that are eliminated through the bile and the digestive tract. Your kidneys excrete harmful metabolic and environmental toxins. Your skin sweats and sheds, eliminating chemicals and toxins. Your body even uses hair and nails to eliminate such toxins as mercury and lead.

So what happens after 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, or even 70 years of constant exposure and abuse from the following?

· Nutrient-stripped foods

· Environmental toxins

· Stress

· Pollution

· Medications

· Toxic chemicals

· Pesticides

· Negative thinking

· Hurtful relationships

Now the bad news…

With all the toxins we’re exposed to in our environment, it is NOT difficult for your system to become overloaded and stop functioning the way it was meant to.

Every day, your body faces an uphill battle. It has to clean your system from toxins to keep you healthy. Imagine running your car 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for 40–60 years without a break.

What kind of shape would it be in?
It’s Easy to Become Sick and Fat. Simply Overload Your Internal Detoxification System Until It Doesn’t Work Properly…

Like any other hardworking system, your internal detoxification system needs periodic rest and support to continue functioning optimally.

Because of stress, poor food and a toxic environment, our systems face increasing pressure, making the need for such rest and support greater than ever.

Unfortunately, our modern lifestyles expose us to an increasingly complex (and deteriorating) environment, so that our detoxification systems must work overtime (without a break) in order to process the toxins we encounter in everyday life.
Common Symptoms of an Overloaded Detoxification System

* Fatigue
* Muscle aches
* Joint pain
* Sinus congestion and post-nasal drip
* Headaches
* Bloating
* Gas
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Foul-smelling stools
* Heartburn
* Sleep problems

* Brain fog
* Food cravings
* Fluid retention
* Excess weight
* Rashes
* Canker sores
* Dark circles under the eyes
* Bad breath or body odor
* Premenstrual syndrome

In addition to the above, it has been shown that impaired detoxification from exposure to toxins can lead to more serious conditions such as:

· Alzheimer’s/dementia

· Arthritis

· Autoimmune diseases

· Cancer

· Chronic fatigue syndrome

· Fibromyalgia

· Food allergies

· Heart disease

· Parkinson’s

· Menstrual problems
Cancer Causes: Environmental or Genetic?

The environment plays more of a role than genetics in such chronic illnesses as dementia, cancer, and heart disease. This point was driven home in an article by the New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 343:1494–1496) and was a shock to many people.

The article addressed a study designed to separate environmental and genetic causes of cancer. The researchers studied 44,000 pairs of twins, looking for a connection between the environment and cancer or genes and cancer.

What did they find?

Less than 10% of cancers were related to genetics. Inherited genetic factors make a minor contribution to susceptibility to most types of cancer.

As a medical doctor, my practice is focused on lifestyle, nutrition, and preventive medicine. After more than 20 years I’ve treating thousands of patients who did not respond well to conventional therapies but underwent remarkable transformations on a detoxification program.

When you follow a detoxification program carefully you should see a reduction in everyday symptoms such as fatigue, sinusitis, and more…

Let me explain why you may be toxic in the first place.
7 Enemies That Impair Your Body’s Natural Ability to Detoxify

Many people, including the majority of those in the medical establishment, think of toxins as something made up by new age or fringe health care practitioners.

Despite opinions, there are medical, environmental, and scientific reasons to consider a detoxification program.

As stated earlier, our internal detoxification system is overloaded because we expose it to so many external sources that wear it out. So what kinds of toxins are you exposing yourself to? Consider the following…
Enemy # 1: Poor Quality Food

Many of the foods we eat contain anti-nutrients (such as sugar, refined carbohydrates, trans or hydrogenated fats, alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods) that lead not only to obesity, but also impair our internal detoxification system.

Consider a greasy cheeseburger (with trans fats), which interferes with the healthy functions of our cells; or the sugars from a soda, which deplete us of the good nutrients needed for detoxification, including the B vitamins and magnesium.

What can possibly be good by these statistics?
The Average American Consumes (per year)…

· 100 pounds of sugar

· 55 pounds of fats and oils

· 300 cans of soda

· 200 sticks of gum

· 5 pounds of potato chips

· 20 gallons of ice cream

· Dozens of doughnuts
Enemy # 2: Too Many Medications

Medications (even over-the-counter medications) can be a serious source of toxicity. For example, an article in the New York Times reported on a 1992–1995 Parkland Memorial Hospital (Dallas) study that found the overexposure of Tylenol or other medications containing its active ingredient, acetaminophen, were the leading cause of hospitalization for acute liver failure—especially if alcohol was in the system.
Enemy # 3: Overexposure to Antibiotics

The Union of Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org) found that of the 24 million pounds of antibiotics used each year, only 2 million pounds are used to treat sick animals. Three million pounds are used to treat human infections. The rest (19 million pounds) are given to animals to prevent infection.

When we eat these animals we consume those antibiotics. This leads to serious consequences to our health, including life-threatening infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to those antibiotics.
Enemy # 4: Heavy Metal Poisoning

Perhaps the most ignored and prevalent toxins we face are heavy metals: mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and antimony. Everyone knows these metals are dangerous in large amounts, but we now recognize that chronic low-level exposure can have serious adverse consequences.

In what ways are we exposed to heavy metals?

Do you eat tuna, sea bass, or swordfish a few times a week? These may contain unacceptable levels of mercury. Do you have a mouthful of silver fillings that are decades old? Mercury is a huge problem and we are exposed to it in a number of ways.

Most of the ways we are not even aware of, like our water supply. For example, the Waban Reservoir, which supplies most of Boston, Massachusetts’ water, had ten times the safe levels of mercury in its water supply.

Where does mercury it come from? It comes from coal burning power plants, industrial sources like cement plants and medical incinerators that float up in the atmosphere then come back to earth.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 8% of women of child-bearing age had toxic levels of mercury in their blood.
Enemy # 5: Dangerous Chemicals and Pesticides

Chemical toxins are prevalent in our environment (pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals, and even the household cleaning products we use in our homes). We breathe them in and absorb them through our lungs and skin, drink them in our water supply, or we eat them.
Enemy # 6: Food Allergens

Allergens can come from food, mold, dust, pollens, or chemicals. These can trigger inflammation in our bodies and overburden our already overloaded system.

Recent studies have found that 30% of Americans have the gene that may make them allergic to the protein found in wheat, called gluten, and 1 in 100 people have serious reactions to the wheat protein.
Enemy # 7: Hidden Infections

Hidden infections can be a source of toxicity. These toxins may come from bacteria, viruses, or yeast. Common locations include your digestive tract, where bacteria can cause ulcers.

The small intestine can harbor parasites, yeast, and harmful bacteria. The sinuses are often a location of chronic fungal infections and many other sites in our bodies harbor hidden infections.

If you are like most people, you are probably exposed to all seven enemies of our detoxification system and as a result may have a system that is simply worn out.
Why Some Babies of Smoking Mothers Are Born a Normal Weight

Why is it that many—but not all—mothers who are smokers give birth to babies who have low birth weight?

We have never understood why some do and some don’t. But when we looked at the genes that controlled detoxification we found the answer.

Women who had the gene that helped them get rid of the chemical toxins in smoke did not have small babies while the women who couldn’t detoxify the cigarette toxins had smaller babies.

The good news is that we can influence how powerfully our detoxification genes are expressed.

There is something you can do to actually improve the function of these detoxification genes and the enzymes produced from those genes that may prevent chronic illnesses.
A Simple Solution for Detoxifying Your System

While the word “detoxification” may call to mind some extreme behaviors, such as fasting or taking enemas, the approach does not require such drastic measures.

While it does require precise attention to diet and elimination, it should also go beyond these to include exercise, yoga, and contemplative practices.

The process should be accessible, clear, and nourishing—a truly revitalizing experience for your mind and body.

People who complete this program emerge with a renewed sense of vigor, vitality, energy, and a relief from many chronic minor health complaints.
How Does It Work?
Get Rid of Toxins:

Identifying and removing toxic foods and substances from your life will help you get a healthy start.

· Feel energized

· Lose weight

· Sleep better

· Preparing and repairing your digestive system with healthful foods and supplements.

· Enhance circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids throughout the body to refresh, oxygenate, and energize your cells.

End





When your body is free from toxic foods it will have far reaching effects on your sleep, your stress your energy and your results from camp.



Follow the Detox Meal Plan and you’ll feel accomplished tonight and astounding in the morning.

Feed Your Skin

Today’s Re-Powering information – I don’t mention the skin too much, however it’s our largest organ. If you are taking care of your body from the inside, the outside will take care of yourself (unless exposed to things from the external environment like too much sun). If you are having challenges with your skin, breakouts, moles, rashes, etc, more times than not, its from something going on in the inside that surfaces on the skin. The good news is that many skin conditions can be reversed with great nutrition. Not only that, but with exercise and good nutrition. You can appear up to 10 or more years younger. I’m 70 and don’t look too bad!!! (that was a joke). Read the article below for some skin saving and soothing foods that you can both consume for younger looking and feeling skin. You can even use real foods to make your own scrubs and masks..



Feed Your Skin

By Helen Hawkes
Forget plastic surgery. All you have to do is eat your way to great-looking skin.
Can you look younger by stuffing your face? Absolutely! The healthier the foods you consume are, the better your skin looks. No vitamin C and you'll have no collagen.

Too little vitamin A or essential fats and you'll have dry, rough skin, and too little zinc is a recipe for greasy skin and stretch marks.

So forget plastic surgery. For glowing, gorgeous, youthful skin, it makes sense to eat your way to fewer wrinkles, pimples, age spots and other beauty plagues.

Resurfacing your skin

It's no accident that vitamin A is the number one vitamin used topically to improve the texture and appearance of ageing skin.

Vitamin A is a powerful agent for increasing cell turnover, so that skin looks more youthful.

This skin vitamin comes in two forms: retinol, the animal form found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products; and beta-carotene, found in red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables.

Apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin are all good sources of beta-carotene.

Sydney-based naturopath Penelope Sach, author of Natural Woman (Penguin), advises: "Include a raw carrot juice daily for the natural vitamin A content, which helps to regenerate skin cells. "

Foods to tighten and tone

Thanks to New York Times bestselling author Dr Nicholas Perricone, we now know that good skin is a very fishy business.

Fish is not only a good source of the antioxidant co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), but an outstanding source of high-quality protein that helps with cellular repair and essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are responsible for healthy cell membranes, he says.

EFAs hold water, so the stronger they are, the plumper and younger your skin looks.

Fish also contains a powerful antioxidant compound called dimethylaminoethanol or DMAE.

"This chemical stimulates nerve function and the muscles to contract and tighten under the skin," says Dr Perricone in The Perricone Prescription (HarperCollins).

"It is a magic bullet for great skin tone, keeping your face firm and contoured."

Sach says: "For radiant skin, eat cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel or tuna, three times a week."

Other good face firmers are walnuts and flaxseed oil, soya oil, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Flaxseed oil may also be useful in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema.

Natural wrinkle fighters

Perhaps your skin's biggest enemies are free radicals, produced by UV rays as well as pollution, stress and even breathing.

These nasties lead to skin inflammation, as well as the degradation of collagen, the support structure for your skin, according to Leslie Baumann, of the dermatology department at the University of Miami in Florida.

But nature has designed some pretty clever foods that, if eaten regularly, act as natural wrinkle fighters.

Start with apricots and tomatoes, rich in lycopene, nature's sunscreen.

For maximum anti-ageing, add a daily bowlful of berries, a glass of red wine or a freshly brewed pot of tea.

In a 2004 study by the veterinary science faculty at the University of Sydney, a potent free-radical scavenger called pycnogenol was found to reduce the amount of inflammatory sunburn in mice.

Pycnogenol can be found in grape seed, grape skin, cranberry, blackcurrant, green tea, black tea, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, black cherry, red wine and red cabbage.

Still want a stronger defense against free radicals and the surgeon's knife?

Here's a potent free radical-busting combination: vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione and CoQ10.

A 2002 German study published in the Journal Of Pharmacological And Biophysiological Research found that, together, these antioxidants could reduce inflammation caused by UV rays.

You'll find vitamin E in vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy vegetables, and vitamin C in leafy citrus fruit, berries and green leafy vegetables.

Asparagus is high in glutathione and CoQ10 is found in seafood, spinach and nuts.

Other antioxidant-rich foods are prunes, plums, capsicum, beetroot, parsley, figs, raisins and legumes such as red kidney beans.

And don't forget herbs and spices, an often neglected way to boost antioxidants in the body.

"Herbs and spices contain several natural water-soluble phenolic acids and flavonoids that can protect the body against oxidative stress and inflammation," says Dr Michael Fenech, principal research scientist on the CSIRO's Genome Health and Nutrigenomics Project in Adelaide.

Add cinnamon to your cappuccino, drink tea made of fresh mint or ginger, roast lamb with herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme, and indulge in turmeric-rich curries.

Try Gourmet Garden's herb tubes if you can't buy fresh.

Out, darn spot
There are two types of spots that detract from youthful skin: age spots and pimples.

And Australasian soils are notoriously short of a trace element called selenium.

This deficiency, along with sun exposure and sugar in the diet, is believed to be a factor in age spots, says Erica Angyal, an Australian nutritionist now based in Tokyo and author of Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian Books).

To stop spots, you should not only wear an SPF15+, but eat selenium-rich foods, including garlic, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and sesame seeds.

A study published in 2003 in the British Journal Of Dermatology also showed that skin was less likely to suffer oxidative damage when selenium levels were high.

Eating garlic, which also contains vitamin C and sulfur, can help banish blemishes.

Zinc is another natural substance that is necessary for good skin. Rich sources of zinc are oysters, ginger root, lamb, pecan nuts and brazil nuts.

Softening up

Extra-virgin olive oil has a high concentration of a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid, one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory foods in existence, says Dr Perricone.

"Oleic acid is a member of the omega 9 family," he says. "It can make the difference between a complexion that resembles a piece of old shoe leather and one that looks and feels like a rose petal."

For younger-looking skin, aim to eat about 20g - or two tablespoons - of good fats a day, including olive oil.

Avocados contain oleic acid, as well as the antioxidants vitamin C and E.

Try having some on toast with lycopene-rich tomatoes, accompanied by a cup of green tea, for a super skin-boosting meal.

For baby-soft skin, avoid dehydrating drinks too, like alcohol and caffeine.

"Try Campari and soda during summer, as this is less dehydrating than wine and champagne," says Sach. Of course, cool, filtered water is great too.

Debloat and depuff

Your capillaries are the pipelines for your skin cells, says Angyal.

"When they are weak, or not working efficiently, your skin cells don't receive all the oxygen and nutrients they need."

This leads to poor elimination and sallow, puffy, prematurely aged or dull skin.

Bioflavonoids in citrus fruits can help to protect your capillaries, as well as support collagen production. So, next time you're at a juice bar, mix pink grapefruit, orange or lemon into your fruit or vegie blend.



END



If you are following the 30 Day Detox Fat Burning Meal Plan, yesterday was your first detox day. Fruit in the morning, veggies in the afternoon and a regular dinner from the list of foods provided. Continue following the plan for the best results. Below is a recipe I make, but I eat it without the tortilla’s (I do eat them occasionally)

Alternative Medicine... What you need to know

When I landed in California on Monday, I went straight to a place called Health Walk – www.HealthWalk.com. It’s co-owned by Marilyn Tam who has an incredible story as an abandoned girl in China who rose to be the president of Nike, Reebok and Aveda. I met her at The Compass Premier http://TheCompass.tv/iDevAffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=118 . She was one of the 4 story tellers in the movie. Her clinic consists of about 15 unique alternative medicine practices from brain mapping to live blood inspection to heat therapy, light therapy, sound therapy, magnetic therapy, supplementation, cooking school, meteorite therapy, etc.



It was a unique place and I spent almost 5 hours there talking to the scientists and Marilyn. None of what they were doing seemed harmful, in fact I was willing to try most any of it. Lying on a magnetic mattress and having different lights (depending on my mood) glow down on me sounded like the perfect prescription. Lying on an inversion table, in a massage chair or putting my drinking water through a positive ph filter all sounded nourishing to me.



I watched the somewhat busy clinic of people come and go. There was a young autstic boy with ADHD whose mother was raving of his grades improving and his increasing in interaction with adults. There was an aboriginal musician who swears his back pain is gone. A nun said the swelling is gone in her limbs. A couple in their 60’s said their migraines were gone and so on. Again, it all seemed harmless enough.



I am writing to caution you about some of alternative therapies. This particular clinic had expert scientist / doctors running the testing and therapies. I think part of the cure is that you need to believe it’s possible. One of the tests was a brain test that could show trauma that occurred at anytime of your life. I did not do that test, but supposively when they identify the time the trauma happened, they can then go back and do voice, sound, heat, light, etc therapy to remove the trauma from your brain and ultimately rid you of mental and physiological ailments.



I prefer alternative treatments to prescription medications almost at all costs. Speaking of costs, some of these treatments are covered by insurance. Many are less invasive than traditional methods. For example, they use a heat scanner to detect cancer. Not only does it not have the radiation of tests like a mammography, but it can detect abnormal cells, years before a mammography can when there are so few abnormal cells that something can be done about it before cancer spreads. Marilyn testifies that years of mammography radiation will cause cancer.



My point in sharing this is that there are many alternatives out there. I get approached each week with at least a half of a dozen different miracle beverages, supplements and devices. Who ever you are considering working with, investigate it carefully. It’s rare I endorse something other than what I share with you (sleep 7 hours a night, eat real wholesome foods in their most raw natural states, exercise moderately to vigorously most days of the week, drink water (and some teas), minimize stress and if you are toxic, detoxify).



Unfortunately there are some hokey things out there. There are also many things you can do on your own – take a long soak in a hot tub, meditate, find out what supplements your body is lacking and take them, laugh often, give back, go for a walk in the woods or by a lake and so on. We only have one short chance in this body so I want you to be your best every possible moment.



When you need help for something that is ailing you or if you want to take your health to the next level, seek help. The more people I speak to, the more I realize how hard it is to find genuine experts without an agenda who have your best interest at heart.



I am not sure if my short incites were helpful, but if you have something you have been doing, taking or have been presented with that you would like me to evaluate, I would be happy to do so. I know there are only so many dollars to go around so in addition to your valuable resources of time and money, I want to make sure you are getting the best thing for your body. Keep an open mind, but they buyer should also beware. Ask yourself if it is the wisest choice before you make an investment.



Enjoy this fabulous day!

Fasting for Health and Weight Loss

Let me start by saying that I personally have never done a fast. I barely go 3 hours without eating. SO today I thought i would try it. My friends definition of a fast is not chewing, so anything liquid goes. I came home from my 90 minute trail run and had a recovery protein shake and I added some paleo greens to it with water and ice. No problem so far!! A few moments later I figured out that you don't really have to chew yogurt, so down it went. Then I thought if I put a banana in my mouth for long enough it would not really have to be chewed, but would disintegrate and slide down my throat. About an hour later I was back at the refrigerator looking to see what else could be sucked on without really chewing it . . . organic almond butter, chocolate soy pudding, pomegranate juice . . . then there were things I could throw in the blender that were wouldn't have to be chewed . . . Hmmm. When I started contemplating if a meatball could melt in my mouth, I knew I was not long for this fasting thing. For me, the minute I tell my brain I can't have something, the more I want it. Optimally I eat things that are good for me and my body craves them. That does not mean that I don't crave chocolate or ice cream, but when you eat healthy, you crave healthy. When you eat junk, you crave junk. Your body always wants to right itself meaning it wants to maintain homeostasis or balance. If you fast, then it feels deprived and the next chance you give it to eat, you will over eat (hence the binge and purging associate with eating disorders).

Okay now more seriously, the main benefit offered by a fast, to those who wish to lose weight, is the speed of the weight loss. It's possible for a person drop 30-to-40 pounds in a 30-day juice fast. During that time they are losing water, fat and muscle -yes the muscle you worked so hard to earn. For some the fast becomes a catalyst for a total life overhaul by weight loss.

When someone fasts for even 2 days they can drop, 8 lbs. from the colon, 5 lbs. in water and 2 lbs. in body fat. For some the detoxification is powerful and they feel healthier, less ill and have more mental clarity.

AFter a few days of a fast (or very low calorie diet) the colon is empty there is also a reduction in bulk that flattens the stomach. This weight loss from having an empty colon is not permanent.

Fasting Weight Loss Rates Vary According to Metabolism. The slower your metabolism is, the slower the weight loss. Fasting can slow the metabolism as the body begins to shut down with so little energy and when it eats away at your metabolically active muscle.

Initially, weight loss can be as high as three-to-four pounds per day, but as the fast continues, the average loss is less and you are putting your body in a state of ketosis, which is dangerous. If you are going to do a true fast you should consider taking a liquid multi vitamin like Intramax which is providing you with essential nutrients, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. I would at least recommend some nutritious drink that included some greens and protein or berries.

By now you know II encourage everyone to develop life long healthy disciplines including exercise, a diet high in raw fruits and veggies and lean protein, stress management 7+ hours of sleepa night, pampering and so on. If you choose to fast I would recommend a Friday after boot camp where you can sleep in on Saturday and do it with some combination of nutrition.

It does take a tremendous amount of discipline not to eat when it's a natural thing that your body needs and is used to.

When a fast ends, you will naturally regress to your regular patterns of living and if they are unhealthy you lose all the benefits gained by fasting.
Try to stay focused on the healthy things you are doing to improve your life rather than being consumed with the number of pounds lost.

The best motivation to fast is for physical and spiritual health. Toxins will leave your body, but your body has a natural ability to eliminate toxins - assuming you are not overloading it. Do not have unrealistic expectations about fasting. Give your body the time it needs to do the work of cleansing naturally.

Again I am not a fasting expert or necessarily an advocate. There are books and research on very low calorie diets and the benefits to health and especially longevity. If you are considering a fast for health or weight loss reasons, consider a low calorie diet temporally instead. Or a liquid diet for a few days. Boot camp is not really the time for fasting. You can burn up to 700 calories in a boot camp workout. Even if you spend the rest of your day sitting and praying you would still start to eat away at your muscle after the second day.

Here is a study on mice to consider . . .


Study on mice shows fasting improves health as much as cutting calories. Periodic fasting and cutting calories is proven to increase health and lifespan.

Research -Fasting Increases Lifespan and Insulin Sensitivity
Several recent studies have reported a variety of benefits from a sharply restricted diet, including longer life span, increased insulin sensitivity and stress resistance.

In the new report, mice that were fed only every other day - but could gorge on the days they did eat - saw similar health benefits to ones that had their diet reduced by 40%, a team of researchers reports in Tuesday’s online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Research - Fasting and Calorie Reduction Detoxifies the Body
But the new study by Mark P. Mattson and colleagues at the National Institute on Aging found equal benefits for mice that ate only every other day, but didn’t cut total calories because they ate twice as much on days they weren’t fasting.

Mattson said a study is in the planning stages to compare the health of a group of people fed the normal three meals a day with a similar group, eating the same diet and amount of food, but consuming it within four hours and then fasting for 20 hours before eating again.

Research Proves Skipping Meals is Healthy

“Overeating is a big problem now in this country, it’s particularly troublesome that a lot of children are overweight. It’s still unclear the best way to somehow get people to eat less …. One possibility is skipping a meal a day,” Mattson said. “Our study suggests that skipping meals is not bad for you.”

Dr. Carol A. Braunschweig of the University of Illinois at Chicago, who was not part of the study team, said she was intrigued by the suggestion that a drastic change in eating patterns might have benefits.

“With the current epidemic of obesity and physical inactivity facing the U.S. today, identification of a beneficial eating pattern that could address some of the untoward effects of excess weight would be a very significant finding,” she said.

Mattson said an earlier study found that mice that fasted every other day had extended lifespans and the new experiment found the mice also did better in factors involved in diabetes and nerve damage in the brain similar to Alzheimer’s disease.

“We think what happens is going without food imposes a mild stress on cells and cells respond by increasing their ability to cope with more severe stress,” Mattson said. “It’s sort of analogous to physical effects of exercise on muscle cells.”

He said the researchers think this stress occurs throughout the body, and that may be the reason fasting seems to increase lifespan and the animals become more resistant to the diseases of aging.

The dieting mice consumed 40% less food than mice eating normally and lost nearly half their body weight (49 percent) in the experiment, while the fasting mice weighed only a little less than mice eating normally.

In recent years, some nutritionists have recommended eating smaller amounts more often, but this study did not deal with that type of eating pattern.

In the new report, the researchers said both the fasting mice and those on a restricted diet had concentrations of blood sugar and insulin that were significantly lower than mice allowed to eat whenever they wanted. Indeed, insulin levels in the fasting mice were even a bit lower than the dieting ones.

Fasting Increases Resistance to Toxins
At the end of the experiment all three groups of mice were injected with a toxin that damages cells in the part of the brain called the hippocampus. It’s cell damage there that that is involved in Alzheimer’s in humans.

When the mouse brains were later analyzed the scientists found that the brains of the fasting mice were more resistant to damage by the toxin than the brains of either dieting mice or those eating normally.

Note by Tom Coghill: The above research proves that periods of fasting will improve health even if the food intake is doubled the next day. Calorie reduction also causes a detoxification with health benefits similar to fasting. The research was first published in 2005. The photo below is “our” estimation of the results.

End

The bottom line is calories in and out at the end of a 24 hour period. You want the most nutritious calories for each calorie that passes your lips.

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli