Thyroid Health and The Coconut Oil Diet

Presented to you by Diane Frances CNC--
Certified Nutritional Consultant and Member of AANC since 1999
American Association of Nutritional Consultants

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

Thyroid Health and The Coconut Oil Diet---Life Changing!

Many Americans suffer from symptoms such as cold hands and feet, low body temperature, sensitivity to cold, a feeling of always being chilled, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, joint aches, constipation, mental dullness, fatigue, frequent infections, hoarse voice, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido, and weight gain, which is sometimes uncontrollable. Approximately 65 percent of the U. S. population is overweight; 30 percent is clinically obese. Research is pointing to the fact that an under active thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women, in the US today.

Virgin Coconut Oil offers great HOPE for those suffering from hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) today. Once you begin on the Virgin Coconut Oil, (as stated by many of my clients and myself)... suddenly an increase in energy occurs. Like the Energizer Bunny!
Of course you also MUST give up: white toxins like : wheat flour, refined sugar, potatoes, packaged foods, packaged energy bars, energy drinks, and other high-glycemic index foods!) and that, in combination with eating and ONLY cooking with Virgin Coconut Oil consumption should make a tremendous difference in your hormonal balance, mood stability, stamina and overall energy. And, I'm slowly but steadily losing a little bit of weight without effort. Ya gotta love that!

I personally suffered with SEVERELY low thyroid for nearly two years back in 1995... nothing I tried corrected it. Being a naturalist, beginning into my journey of Holistic Healing... I did NOT want to end up taking Synthroid. So....Continuing on with my research day after day it was obvious that I HAD to validate all the positive health testimonies and studies in regards to the Coconut Oil. I was so excited to try the Coconut Oil. I took 3 tablespoons a day, when I did cok, I ONLY used Coconut oil. Within two months, I returned to my physician and she just couldn't believe that EVERYTHING on my tests was once again normal! Of course Western Medicine NEVER seems to believe health can indeed be improved through alternative holistic ways! She was so enthused that she has prescribed your product to three other thyroid patients since then. Your product took me out of the doom and gloom I suffered for so very long! My muscles have returned to normal... The mental fog, depression, hoarse voice, swollen face/eyes and all my other symptoms have disappeared!

Thanks for saving my life, Tropical Traditions!!! AJ Nevada, Las Vegas

We have received many other comments such as these from those using Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil with hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism Reaching Epidemic Proportions

In 1995, researchers studied 25,862 participants at the Colorado statewide health fair. They discovered that among patients not taking thyroid medication, 8.9 percent were hypothyroid (under-active thyroid) and 1.1 percent were hyperthyroid (over-active thyroid). This indicates 9.9 percent of the population had a thyroid problem that had most likely gone unrecognized. These figures suggest that nationally, there may be as many as 13 million Americans with an undiagnosed thyroid problem.1

In her book Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You. . . That You Need to Know, Mary Shomon quotes endocrinologist Kenneth Blanchard, M.D., of Lower Newton Falls, Massachusetts as saying, “The key thing is . . . doctors are always told that TSH is the test that gives us a yes or no answer. And, in fact, I think that's fundamentally wrong. The pituitary TSH is controlled not just by how much T4 and T3 is in circulation, but T4 is getting converted to T3 at the pituitary level. Excess T3 generated at the pituitary level can falsely suppress TSH.”2 Hence, many people who are simply tested for TSH levels and are found to be within “normal” range are, in fact, suffering from thyroid problems that are going undetected.

Ridha Arem, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Baylor College of Medicine, agrees. He says that hypothyroidism may exist despite "normal range" TSH levels. In his book The Thyroid Solution he says:

Many people may be suffering from minute imbalances that have not yet resulted in abnormal blood tests. If we included people with low-grade hypothyroidism whose blood tests are normal, the frequency of hypothyroidism would no doubt exceed 10 percent of the population. What is of special concern, though, is that many people whose test results are dismissed as normal could continue to have symptoms of an under active thyroid. Their moods, emotions, and overall well-being are affected by this imbalance, yet they are not receiving the care they need to get to the root of their problems. Even if the TSH level is in the lower segment of normal range, a person may still be suffering from low-grade hypothyroidism.3

Thus, if we were to include those who may be suffering from “low-grade hypothyroidism,” the number could well be double the 13 million estimate from the Colorado study.

What is Causing This Epidemic?

While more research needs to be done, it is generally accepted that diet plays a major role in thyroid health. For decades we have known that low iodine intake leads to low thyroid function and eventually to goiter. Iodized salt was intended to solve this problem, but it has not been the answer. There are a number of foods known as goitrogens that block iodine. Two goitrogens are quite prevalent in the American diet—peanuts and peanut butter and soybeans used most often in prepared foods as textured vegetable protein (a refined soy food) and soybean oil.

The rise of industrialization, corporate farming, and mass production of food has drastically changed our food supply from what our ancestors ate. Many studies show the detrimental effects of refined sugars and grains on our health. These foods are very taxing on the thyroid gland, and we consume them in large quantities.

Environmental stress such as chemical pollutants, pesticides, mercury, and fluoride are also tough on the thyroid. A growing body of evidence suggests that fluoride, which is prevalent in toothpaste and water treatment, may inhibit the functioning of the thyroid gland. Additionally, mercury may diminish thyroid function because it displaces the trace mineral selenium, and selenium is involved in conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3.

The Truth About Fats and Oils

Many dietary oils can negatively affect thyroid health. We cook with them almost every day and they are plentiful in commercially prepared foods. Expeller-pressed or solvent-extracted oils only became a major part of the American diet in the last century. It is possible they are among the worst offenders when it comes to the thyroid. They are known as vegetable oils or polyunsaturated oils. The most common source of these oils used in commercially prepared foods is the soybean.

Large-scale cultivation of soybeans in the United States began after World War II and quickly increased to 140 billion pounds per year. Most of the crops are produced for animal feed and soy oil for hydrogenated fats such as margarine and shortening. Today, it is nearly impossible to eat at restaurants or buy packaged foods that don’t have soy oil in the ingredients. Often labels simply state “vegetable oil.”

Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone and related hormones since 1968, says that the sudden surge of polyunsaturated oils into the food chain post World War II has caused many changes in hormones. He writes:

Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of estrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything which blocks the thyroid function.4

There is a growing body of research concerning soy’s detrimental affect on the thyroid gland. Much of this research centers on the phytoestrogens ("phyto" means plant) that are found in soy. In the 1960s when soy was introduced into infant formulas, it was shown that soy was goitrogenic and caused goiters in babies. When iodine was supplemented, the incidence of goiter reduced dramatically. However, a retrospective epidemiological study by Fort, et al. showed that teenaged children with a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease were significantly more likely to have received soy formula as infants (18 out of 59 children; 31 percent) when compared to healthy siblings (nine out of 76, 12 percent) or control group children (seven out of 54; 13 percent).5

When healthy individuals without any previous thyroid disease were fed 30 grams of pickled soybeans per day for one month, Ishizuki, et al. reported goiter and elevated individual thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (although still within the normal range) in thirty-seven healthy, iodine-sufficient adults. One month after stopping soybean consumption, individual TSH values decreased to the original levels and goiters were reduced in size.6
*****Another reason why I DO NOT suggest the use of ANY Soy products in our diet! NONE! Read your labels!

Traditionally, polyunsaturated oils such as soybean oil have been used for livestock feed because they cause the animals to gain weight. These oils are made up of what is known as long chain fatty acids—the kind of fatty acids that promote weight gain. In the North Carolina State University's Extension Swine Husbandry 1998-2000 Departmental report, for example, was a study entitled “EFFECT OF DIETARY FAT SOURCE, LEVEL, AND FEEDING INTERVAL ON PORK FATTY ACID COMPOSITION” by M.T. See and J. Odle. Ironically, since the market in its low-fat dogma of recent years is demanding leaner meats, this study showed that one could produce leaner meat and reduce the weight on swine by reducing their intake of soy oil and substituting it with saturated animal fat!7

According to Dr. Ray Peat, the fattening effect of polyunsaturated oils (primarily soy and corn) is due to the presence of Linoleic and linolenic acids, long-chain fatty acids, which have an anti-thyroid effect. Peat says:

Linoleic and linolenic acids, the "essential fatty acids," and other polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are now fed to pigs to fatten them, in the form of corn and soy beans, cause the animals' fat to be chemically equivalent to vegetable oil. In the late 1940s, chemical toxins were used to suppress the thyroid function of pigs, to make them get fatter while consuming less food. When that was found to be carcinogenic, it was then found that corn and soy beans had the same antithyroid effect, causing the animals to be fattened at low cost. The animals' fat becomes chemically similar to the fats in their food, causing it to be equally toxic, and equally fattening.8

Of course in the 1940s the fat from pigs (lard) was highly desirable, as were most saturated fats. Today, saturated fats are fed to pigs to keep them lean, while most people buy polyunsaturated soy and corn oils in the grocery stores as their primary cooking oil! So we have a population now characterized by lean pigs and obese people…

Coconut Oil: A-Healthy Choice for the Thyroid

Coconut oil, on the other hand, is a saturated fat made up primarily of medium chain fatty acids. Also known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), medium chain fatty acids are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil can also raise basal body temperatures while increasing metabolism. This is good news for people who suffer with low thyroid function. We have seen many testimonies to this effect.

The "proof is in the pudding". Try it yourself and then you be the judge. All these people certainly can't "be wrong". Everyone will experience different benefits, some more than others, but definitely something. In my own personal experience, I was suffering with hypothyroidism that even prescription medications couldn't help. After a few short weeks of taking Virgin Coconut Oil, my reading was normal for the first time in a year. I use it on my skin after a shower and no longer struggle with the incredibly dry skin that often goes along with hypothyroidism, and I have used it on my hair as a conditioner. All I can say that the phrase "The world's perfect food" is quite accurate. Try it and see for yourself. Warmly, Melanie (Coconut Diet Forums)

I began taking coconut oil to address a hypothyroid issue. Recently, especially over the last month, thyroid activity plunged and my temperatures would top out for the day somewhere between 97.2 and 97.8. Definitely hypothyroid territory. Now in just a couple of days the coconut oil has boosted my metabolism back toward the normal range (still subnormal but getting there) and my sleep has been incredible. From past experience with thyroid management, I know that--in my case--greatly improved sleep and feelings of rejuvenation after sleep are related to more normal thyroid activity. Whatever the precise mechanism, it's a welcome development. Mike (Coconut Diet Forums)

For more information on how Virgin Coconut Oil works to promote weight loss, see our article on Weight Loss.

Coconut Oil and Oxidative Stress
One of the reasons the long chain fatty acids in vegetable oils are so damaging to the thyroid is that they oxidize quickly and become rancid. Food manufacturers know about this propensity towards rancidity and, therefore, highly refine their vegetable oils. Considerable research has shown that trans fatty acids, present when vegetable oils are highly refined (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated), are especially damaging to cell tissue and can have a negative affect on the thyroid as well as health in general. Because the longer chain fatty acids are deposited in cells more often as rancid and oxidizing fat, impairment of the conversion of thyroid hormone T4 to T3 occurs, which is symptomatic of hypothyroidism. To create the enzymes needed to convert fats to energy, T4 must be converted to T3.

Dr. Ray Peat says:

When the oils are stored in our tissues, they are much warmer, and more directly exposed to oxygen than they would be in the seeds, and so their tendency to oxidize is very great. These oxidative processes can damage enzymes and other parts of cells, and especially their ability to produce energy. The enzymes which break down proteins are inhibited by unsaturated fats; these enzymes are needed not only for digestion, but also for production of thyroid hormones, clot removal, immunity, and the general adaptability of cells. The risks of abnormal blood clotting, inflammation, immune deficiency, shock, aging, obesity, and cancer are increased. Thyroid [hormones] and progesterone are decreased.



Since the unsaturated oils block protein digestion in the stomach, we can be malnourished even while "eating well." There are many changes in hormones caused by unsaturated fats. Their best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. Coconut oil is unique in its ability to prevent weight-gain or cure obesity, by stimulating metabolism. It is quickly metabolized, and functions in some ways as an antioxidant.9

Because coconut oil is saturated and very stable (unrefined coconut oil has a shelf life of about three to five years at room temperature), the body is not burdened with oxidative stress as it is with the vegetable oils. Coconut oil does not require the enzyme stress that vegetable oils do, preventing T4 to T3 hormone conversion, not only because it is a stable oil, but also because it is processed differently in the body and does not need to be broken down by enzyme dependent processes as do long chain fatty acids. Also, since the liver is the main place where damage occurs from oxidized and rancid oils that cause cell membrane damage, and since the liver is where much of the conversion of T4 to T3 takes place, eliminating long chain fatty acids from the diet and replacing them with medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil can, in time, help in rebuilding cell membranes and increasing enzyme production that will assist in promoting the conversion of T4 to T3 hormones.

More research in this area is necessary. In the meantime, those switching from polyunsaturated oils to coconut oil are reporting many positive results. For example, Donna has experienced encouraging improvements in her thyroid health. She writes:

I've been on coconut oil since September, 2002 and, although, that doesn't seem like long, it has changed my life and the lives of my family and friends and clients. My weight actually went UP a very small amount..who cares! I felt so GREAT! Being hypothyroid, I was on Synthroid and Cytomel and had been for years, but with inconsistent results and feeling worse. Other changes besides the addition of coconut oil were the complete removal of soy (and that is a major challenge in itself!), all trans fatty acids, no refined sugar, and organ cleanses seasonally. My thyroid meds were discontinued with my doctor's knowledge as I was getting too energetic and having trouble sleeping! [Imagine], from being a “sleepaholic” couch potato that was cold! My weight stayed steady until the last three weeks and it has now started the downward move. My goal was health and just believed the weight would come off when I found the right diet and exercise routine that my life was comfortable with. I've tried removing the coconut oil but my energy drops and I don't feel as good. Donna (Coconut Diet Forums)

Another coconut oil client of mine writes:

I have experienced thyroid problems . . . body temperature not going above 97 degrees, cold hands and feet, can't lose weight, fatigued, slow heart rate, can't sleep some nights, dry skin, etc..... My doctor did the thyroid test and it came back normal. I am 46 and peri-menopausal. My Naturopath symptomatically diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. She explained the blood tests currently used by allopathic medicine are not sensitive enough. I started on the coconut oil 5 weeks ago. In the first week I noticed my body temperature had risen and my resting heart rate had gone from 49 to 88 beats per minute. This has since settled to 66. My energy is now really high and I am slowly losing the weight - 3 lbs. in the past 5 weeks. I also had been taking flaxseed oil and gamma linoleic acid oil but have stopped eating every other oil but what Dr. Raymond Peat recommends, which is coconut oil, olive oil and butter… I take 3 tablespoons of coconut oil daily. Cindy (Coconut Diet Forums)


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References:

1. Gay J. Canaris, MD, MSPH; Neil R. Manowitz, PhD; Gilbert Mayor, MD; E. Chester Ridgway, MD The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:526-534.
2. Mary Shomon, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You. . . That You Need to Know (New York Harper Collins, 2002)
3. Ridha Arem, The Thyroid Solution : A Mind-Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health, (New York: Ballantine Books,1999)
4. Raymond Peat Newsletter "Unsaturated Vegetable Oils Toxic” 1996

5. P. Fort, N. Moses, M. Fasano, T. Goldberg and F. Lifshitz “Breast and soy –formula feeding in early infancy and the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease in children”’J. Am. Col. Nutr. 1990;(9):164-167.

6. Daniel R. Doerge, Hebron C. Chang, “Inactivation of thyroid peroxidase by soy isoflavones in vitro and in vivo” Journal of Chromatography B Vol. 777 (1, 2); 25; September 2002: 269-79

7. M.T. See and J. Odle, “EFFECT OF DIETARY FAT SOURCE, LEVEL, AND FEEDING INTERVAL ON PORK FATTY ACID COMPOSITION” 1998-2000 Departmental Report, Department of Animal Science, ANS Report No. 248 - North Carolina State University

8. Raymond Peat Newsletter "Unsaturated Vegetable Oils Toxic” 1996

9. Raymond Peat Newsletter "Unsaturated Vegetable Oils Toxic” 1996

3 Herbs to Help with Sugar Cravings!

Many people jokingly call themselves sugar addicts. While we say this primarily in jest, there is some serious and proven truth to the notion that sweet foods are addictive. In fact, one recent study suggested that high-calorie foods
rival cocaine and tobacco in their addictiveness.

It can be hard to kick any addiction, but medicinal herbs can help to curb the strong sugar-cravings that some addicts experience. In general, the following herbs are considered to be safe and associated with few or no side effects. However, it is always wise to consult a health care provider before using any medicinal herb.

Gymnema

Gymnema has been used in India for thousands of years as a treatment for diabetes and obesity. Compounds in this versatile herb in gymnema temporarily fill the mouth with a sweet flavor, then temporarily eliminate the tastebuds' response to sweetness. If you chew gymnema before eating, sweets will be decidedly less satisfying; soda will taste like carbonated water. The effect persists for roughly two hours. Gymnema has the added benefit of reducing spikes in blood-glucose levels.

Stevia

Stevia, also known as sweetleaf, contains no calories but imparts a taste that is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. Stevia increases insulin production and lowers blood-glucose levels, unlike most sweeteners which impart an opposite effect. Use stevia in place of sugar or artificial sweeteners in your recipes and beverages.

Ginseng

American and Asian ginseng both help to reduce blood-glucose levels while curbing sugar cravings. Ginseng supplements enable the body to adapt to stress with fewer fluctuations in appetite, mood or sleep patterns. Because of this, it is an ideal herbal treatment for people who overeat because of emotional stress. Herbs with similar effects include ashwagandha, rhodiola and eleuthero.

To Your Health............Diane Frances CNC

The Candida Cleansing DIet--pH is Everything here!

The Recommended Candida Diet or Yeast Infection Diet
The candida diet, or what is known as the yeast infection diet, is pretty straight forward in that you want to eliminate the foods that yeast thrives on which are primarily sugars. In effect you are going to starve it to death. This will help your yeast infection supplements kill it faster and restore your digestive system and your immune system to how it was originally designed to function. The health implications of this are far ranging since you will be able to absorb the nutrients in your foods, greatly enhancing your over all health after the yeast infection has been eradicated.


Keep in mind when evaluating any candida diet or yeast infection diet, that in the 1970's the CDC decided that yeast and fungi were not that big of a health problem, so a candida diet has never been developed. This diet is simply made up of known foods that will starve the fungus and has been used by hundreds of people with great success. I must warn you that the first few days you may have flu like symptoms as the candida parasite begins to die. Fungi are living things and of course do not like to die. They may emit toxins into your body, making your symptoms get worse instead of better at first for the first few days.


Make sure you eat plenty of fresh vegetables preferably raw or steamed on this yeast infection diet. This is very important on the candida diet because vegetables absorb fungal poisons (mycotoxins) and carry them out of the body.



A Word of Warning. This Candida Diet May Cause You to Lose Weight

This diet has also been updated. Please see the bottom of the page for more information.


Of course losing weight is easy if the truth where to be told, all you have to do is cut down on the simple processed grains, eliminate refined foods, sugar, trans fats and get some exercise, it is that simple. They are really just junk foods and the human body was never designed to eat them. Vegetables are much better for you and are a complex carbohydrate, not a simple carb that quickly turns to sugar in the body. As far as simple carbs go fruit is far superior to any grain. If you can't lose weight but want too, you suffer from inflammation and that has to be reduced at the same time.

I get emails all the time from people that are worried they are losing to much weight on the candida diet. They have nothing to worry about because your body will stabilize at its ideal weight. Our ideal weight suggestions have also changed to the upside because so many of us are to heavy. The best way to figure out your ideal weight is by % of body fat. The ideal is 12 to 15% for men and 18 to 20% for women. If you are over that, you are not too skinny. Please realize that if you do not exercise, you will lose 1/2 lb of muscle per year and this gradual ongoing loss of muscle will make you look too skinny.

A common question that is asked is do I have to stay on this candida diet forever? No, you don't. But chances are that you will in some form or another because after the yeast infection is gone you are going to feel so good that you will not want to go back. At least that is how I feel about it. Your diet should be 30% protein, 30 to 35% carbs from produce, 30% good fats and 5% from nuts and seeds. The fats found in those foods should be mostly polyunsaturated or omega 3 fats.

Do not starve yourself! If you are hungry eat! But eat the right foods and it will help maintain your weight.

When your yeast infection has been eradicated by the candida diet and the natural treatments listed on the treatment page, you can then start reintroducing foods back into your diet. But I would keep a record of how they make you feel, then you must decide if they are worth it or not. Keep in mind what I have said about foods in the Cause report, Sugar report, and the Candida diet.

If you have kidney disease, you should consult a physician before you go on the candida diet. The kidneys can have a problem with the protein load of this yeast infection diet. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding you may not be suitable for this candida diet either because of reduced simple carbohydrates, please consult a doctor before proceeding.




The Candida Diet No No's

Here is a list of foods to avoid while you are trying to treat yourself for yeast infection. These are known foods which usually contain fungi in one form or another and when digested break down into simple sugars, which yeast, feeds on. There are also over 400 known fungi that can affect the health of the human body, so it is best to not introduce any of these other fungi into your body when fighting candida or yeast, give yourself the best chance you can.



•Stevia and Stevia Plus ok as a sugar substitute. However, Xylitol is even better because it is a proven antifungal and inhibits candida yeast. It has also been proven to reduce tooth decay in children and adults by reducing bad bacteria. It is very heat stable and makes a great cooking and baking substitute for real sugar. It tastes good too.


•The yeast infection diet calls for NO fruit juices because of the sugar they contain.



•NO Breaded Meats...All others ok .


•NO Egg substitutes...Eggs themselves are ok...organic is best since they contain the correct omega fatty acids ratio...with fertile if you can find them being the ideal.


•NO Margarine and butter substitutes.


•On the yeast infection diet, low-fat yogurt (especially made from goats or organic), cream cheese, sour cream made from real cream, unsweetened whipping cream, and butter are all ok. With yogurt, get the lowest sugar content as possible.


•NO Potatoes and legumes on the yeast infection diet for the first two weeks. After two weeks sweet potatoes may be eaten in moderation if they do not cause a problem for you.


•Fresh vegetables and freshly made vegetable juice ok.


•NO Coffee or tea (regular or decaf), NO Diet or regular sodas, Organic coffee or tea and herbal teas are ok in moderation.


•Bottled and reverse osmosis filtered water; distilled water is the best for removing toxins but should only be half of the water you drink, herb teas, freshly squeezed lemonade or lime-ade ok.


•On the yeast infection diet NO Grains are allowed...this includes pasta, rice, corn, wheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, oats, and barley.



•Absolutely NO Yeasts allowed...this includes bread, pastries and alcohol, hydrolyzed yeasts...Read your labels.


•NO Pickles, salad dressings, green olives or soy sauce...

Salad dressings made of olive oil, Braggs apple cider vinegar, water, and lemon juice are ok.


•Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and black olives not aged in vinegar are ok.


•NO Partially hydrogenated oils including corn and peanuts.

•Coconut oil , olive, grape seed, and flax seed oils in a cold pressed formula when available are ok.


•NO Peanuts on the yeast infection diet and all peanut products and pistachio nuts. I would avoid cashews too.

Raw nuts including pecans, almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds are ok.


•NO VINEGARS These include ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, pickles, pickled peppers, hot sauce, salad dressings, green olives, horseradish, dips, mayonnaise.



•It is best to avoid tuna, swordfish, shark, and shellfish because of high mercury content.


You are probably thinking, wow, what am I going to eat on this candida diet?? I thought the same thing until I really checked it out. So here is a list of Good foods although not complete.




The Candida Diet and Good Vegetables


Good candida yeast diet vegetables are alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, brussel sprouts, all the cabbages are good for the candida diet including broccoli. Carrots are a very controversial food on the candida diet, I have seen one yeast infection diet say yes and the next say no. Now they are a simple sugar when digested, but they are also an antifungal and keep the yeast infection from spreading. I just had to go on what the Mycologists said on this one, which is to eat them, raw. If you cook carrots it raises the glycemic index to double that of a raw carrot.

Other good candida yeast diet vegetables are okra, summer squash, turnip, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini, celery, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, string beans, lettuce, arugula, beet greens, bok choy, cabbage, chard, cucumber, endive, mesclun, purslane, radichio, radish, vegetable sprouts, watercress, bell pepper, broccoli, brussel sprouts, collard greens, dandelion greens, egg plant, garlic, kale, leek, mustard greens, onion, scallion, shallot, tomato and turnip greens.



The Candida Diet and Good Fruits

I am going to go out on a limb here and I'm sure I will get called some very nasty things for allowing these. But all these fruits are low carb, under 15 grams a serving, and I feel would be ok every now and then while on the candida diet. You have to stay healthy and some fruit does have its place. However, if any of these fruits cause a problem for you, stop eating them.

Plum, peach, nectarine, apricot, kiwi, lemon, lime, orange, tangerine and persimmons. Now grapefruits and green apples are higher carb fruits but the acid does help kill yeast, so occasionally it would be of benefit to eat them.



The Candida Diet and Meats


Good meats for the candida yeast diet are beef, liver, sausage, buffalo, goat, lamb, pork, poultry and all other fowl both wild and domestic.

Good candida yeast diet seafood’s are shrimp, octopus, snail, squid, anchovy, cod, halibut, flounder, Mahi-Mahi, red snapper, and wild salmon. Fresh water fish include catfish, caviar, crappie, pickerel, sturgeon, perch, white fish, bass, and all trout species are good on the candida diet.


I recommend grass fed or organic meats with no antibiotic exposure from grains or injections, seafood, wild fish-not farm raised, wild meats, goat, lamb, and organic free range poultry .

Bologna, frankfurters, sausage, and salami can be eaten occasionally, read the labels looking for the addition of starches and sugars. Pork is not recommended because it is usually irradiated, but occasionally it won't kill you! Even I eat bacon and eggs on the weekends.

Most herbs are also ok, and be sure to use natural salt. I also should let you know that most fish these days are contaminated with mercury. Substitute with goat, lamb, poultry, or sardines since they are high in omega fatty acids if able on this diet, or eat mercury free wild fish.


Natural peppermint teas will also be very soothing on your digestive system while on the candida yeast diet since it helps manage yeast die off, as well as nausea, abdominal fullness, or pain. Try to drink four 8-ounce glasses of distilled water a day, and 4 glasses of bottled or spring water to keep the body flushed of toxins.

As you can see there is actually quite a lot you can eat. There is no reason to go hungry since you can eat all you want of these foods and not only kill the yeast infection, but the excess weight, if you have any, will flat disappear. I lost 25 pounds in two months, didn't even try, and never went hungry.





Candida Diet Breakfast Ideas

Good candida yeast diet foods for breakfast are eggs cooked any style with bacon on occasion, ham, steak, or chicken (Not breaded). Grapefruit and vegetable juices are good, especially fresh carrot juice with a clove of garlic. A person could get tired of eating eggs I must admit on the yeast diet so just treat breakfast as any other meal. Have chicken salad, raw nuts or yogurt, just use a little imagination. A few times a week you could have a bowel of all bran cereal with almond milk if it does not cause a problem for you.




Candida Diet Lunch Ideas

For lunch have chicken salad or chicken, fish, beef patties with a vegetable basted in butter. Don't worry about fats on the anti-yeast diet since you need them for energy production for the body. That is how the body was originally designed to get its energy from. The body was never designed to use sugar from processed grains for fuel and this is what makes most people fat as well as feed candida and yeast.


Candida Diet Dinner Ideas
Just about anything goes on the candida diet for dinner as long as it is an allowed food. Steak, fish, poultry, wild game, and pork are all ok as the main dish. Raw or lightly steamed vegetables are the best, not over done, but still crisp so you don't kill all the available enzymes in these foods. Herbal teas or water are ok to drink.

After two weeks you can add yams, legumes meaning beans and peas. Oats can be added along with brown rice, basmati rice, oatmeal, quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, barley, flour tortillas, and sour dough bread in moderation on the candida diet.


Candida Diet Foods to Raise PH in The Body

There are two kinds of alkaline and acid forming foods. One of course is the acids or alkaline substances the foods themselves contain. The other is the acid or alkaline forming ability of a food after it is digested. Take for instance a lemon which is very acidic, but once digested it has an alkalizing effect in the body. The absolute best foods for the alkaline diet and to raise body ph are not surprisingly green.


I have tried to edit this list to give you more acceptable diet options while treating yourself for candida. However, if you eat something from this list and it causes a problem, stop eating it!

High Alkaline Foods for The Candida Diet
Sea salt, mineral water, baking soda, seaweed, onion, pumpkin seeds, taro root, lotus root, sea vegetables, limes, lemons, raspberry, and pineapple, kale, brocolli,

Moderately Alkaline Foods for The Candida Diet
Green apples, spices, alfalfa sprouts, avocados, currants, chestnuts, pepper, garlic, kohlrabi, asparagus, kale, grapefruit, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, peas, broccoli, lettuce, raw carrots, strawberries, squash, loganberry, olive dewberry, and Braggs apple cider vinegar.

Low Alkaline Foods for The Candida Diet
Most herbs, almonds, green tea, mu tea, jerusalem artichokes, brussel sprouts, fresh coconut, quail eggs, cucumbers, eggplant, primrose oil, sesame seed, leeks, cod liver oil, almonds, okra, sprouts, bell pepper, cauliflower, olives, onions, cabbage, rutabaga, radishes, ginseng, eggplant, collard green, egg yolks, raw goats milk and whey, olive oil, whole sesame seeds, blackberry, and sprouted grains.


Very Low Alkaline Foods for The Candida Diet (
Oats, duck eggs, ginger tea, ghee, quinoa, wild rice, coconut oil, flax oil, olive oil, chive, celery, most other seeds, turnip greens, cilantro, lettuce, and blue berries.

Neutral Foods Foods for The Candida Diet
Butter, most expeller pressed oils, and plain yogurt.

Very Low Acid Foods for The Candida Diet
Pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, spinach, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, organs, venison, fish, wild duck and pine nuts.

Low Acid Foods for The Candida Diet
Almond oil, lima beans, chard, tomatoes, black tea, wild game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, goose, turkey, and mollusks.

Moderately Acid Foods for The Candida Diet
Nutmeg, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, green peas, snow peas, garbanzo beans, cranberry, pomegranate, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, and palm kernel oil.

Highly Acid Foods for The Candida Diet
Beef, pheasant, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, cocoa.


Always, always Try to eat from the alkaline side 70% of the time if possible.

Other Acid Forming Compounds Remember---Stay away from Acid Forming Foods! CANDIDA THRIVES ON ACIDIC pH FOODS. :-(

Most ALL prescription medicines and over the counter drugs are highly acidic as well. Recreational drugs and alcohol are also acid forming. Chemicals and toxins that we use and are exposed to every day at home which number upwards of 250 also cause acidity, overloading the immune system and the liver. Disease and the growth of microforms result, which can create even more acidity. Eventually, life threatening diseases can develop and can result in death.

Digestive Cleansing MATTERS!

Presented to you by Diane Frances CNC at Simply Younger-InsideOUT.
Where Self Care IS Health Care and Knowledge is Power!

Recycling, green bags, park and river clean-up’s are great ways to help the environment and connect with Mother Earth. Agree? But, if your internal environment is polluted you may not be feeling the kind of serene spiritual connection you so desire, or remember years ago.

Toxic matter stored in the body bogs down energy and fogs the mind, making it difficult to really “feel” the beauty in a perfect spring day. An overburdened liver impedes emotional chi from flowing freely in the body and can manifest as quick temper, negativity and a sense of hopelessness. If the colon is impacted with decaying fecal matter, toxins are leaching out into the blood stream leading to allergies, irregular bowels, unexplained pain and lethargy, muddled thinking as well as the inability to lose weight. Cleansing is an ideal way to improve your energy at its source and connect to your spiritual center.

We all have heard the saying “Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” and while that saying can be associated with cleaning your kitchen, it also relates to cleaning your personal “house,” the body you live in. Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, and other spiritual examples of the past, used fasting as a way to cleanse the body. Two thousand years ago, Jesus found it important to fast to cleanse his body and spirit and at that time fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified foods were not a factor in his world. We are involuntarily exposed to pollutants and toxins daily just by way of living. So, it makes sense that during these times of spiritual re-awakening and reconnecting to natural cycles of life, that fasting and cleansing would be an important part of achieving that spiritual growth. If you’re not receiving the spiritual gratification and positive energy you are striving for, the problem could be internal pollution.

Depending upon your particular symptoms, bowel, Candida and liver cleanses can be of great, great benefit. Removing toxins from an overburdened body can improve skin conditions, bloat, gas and relieve headaches, as well as establish a healthier immune system. DID YOU KNOW? More than 85% of your Immune System is in your gut? Yes you heard me right.

Since approximately 70 percent of the immune system resides in the gut, cleansing can improve a person’s immunity, and we know that when we are feeling strong and healthy it is much easier to have a positive outlook on life and sail through the day with good, sustained energy.

Other forms of cleansing toxins from the body include ionic foot baths, which promote the release of toxins through the pores in the feet and balance “Chi.” Skin brushing and lymphatic massage keep lymph matter flowing freely throughout the body, and improve the skins ability to release toxins. Using a Neti pot to wash nasal passageways helps to reduce allergies and keep sinuses free of excess mucous. Ear candling removes built up wax and pollutants from the ear.

Buddha said “To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind sound and clear.” With a clear mind, we are better able to connect with ourselves and to the beauty of Mother Earth that surrounds us. Cleansing helps with all of that.

References AND Recommended Digestive Cleansing Products are from AdvancedNaturals.com
NOT ALL PRODUCTS ARE CREATED EQUAL...Advanced Naturals Digestive Care is Simply the Best...and the ONLY Digestive Products I will refer to my client/patients.

1. Watson, Brenda, C.N.C. The Detox Strategy. Free Press; 1 edition. March, 2008

2. Rose, Natalie. The Raw Food Detox Diet. Harper Paperbacks. December, 2006

3. www.brainyquote.com

Your Body pH Effects Everything!!!

Balancing the pH is a major step toward well-being and greater health.

The pH scale is from 0 - 14
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 healthy 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 - 7.45 ). Below or above this range means symptoms and disease. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. A pH below 7.0 is acidic. A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.
An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals. If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.
An acidic balance will: decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it's ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it's ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.
The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical American diet, which is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables. Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks. We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweetners like NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet 'N Low and Equal. One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.
To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.
Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.
Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.
Shifting Your pH Toward Alkaline...
These charts below are a general guide to alkalizing and acidifying foods for those trying to shift their body pH toward Better Health!
The pH scale is from 0 to 14, with numbers below 7 acidic ( low on oxygen ) and numbers above 7 are alkaline. An acidic body is a sickness magnet!!!!!. What you eat and drink will impact where your body's pH level falls.
Balance is Key To Every Aspect of Your Health...InsideOUT !!!
This charts below are a Great Shopping guide to alkalizing and acidifying foods to buy and EAT.


A list of Acid / Alkaline Forming Foods

Alkaline Forming Foods
We must consume MORE than 50% of these foods below in their RAW NATURAL STATE to heal us and promote optimum health.

EATING RAW FOODS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE IS VITAL IN HEALING CHRONIC DIGESTIVE ISSUES AND PROMOTING BRAIN HEALTH!


VEGETABLES
Garlic
Asparagus
Fermented Veggies
Watercress
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Dulce
Dandelions
Edible Flowers
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spirulina
Sprouts
Squashes
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens
Nightshade Veggies
FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Currants
Dates/Figs
Grapes
Grapefruit
Lime
Honeydew Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Lemon
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
All Berries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Watermelon

PROTEIN
Eggs (poached)
Whey Protein Powder
Cottage Cheese
Chicken Breast
Yogurt
Almonds
Chestnuts
Tofu (fermented)
Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Tempeh (fermented)
Squash Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Millet
Sprouted Seeds
Nuts
OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Lecithin Granules
Probiotic Cultures
Green Juices
Veggies Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Organic Milk
(unpasteurized)
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Green Tea
Herbal Tea
Dandelion Tea
Ginseng Tea
Banchi Tea
Kombucha

SWEETENERS
Stevia
Ki Sweet

SPICES/SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs

ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Shitake
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame
Sea Veggies


Acid Forming Foods

FATS & OILS
Avocado Oil
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil

FRUITS
Cranberries

GRAINS
Rice Cakes
Wheat Cakes
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Corn
Oats (rolled)
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rye
Spelt
Kamut
Wheat
Hemp Seed Flour

DAIRY
Cheese, Cow
Cheese, Goat
Cheese, Processed
Cheese, Sheep
Milk
Butter
NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Brazil Nuts
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

ANIMAL PROTEIN
Beef
Carp
Clams
Fish
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Oyster
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Shrimp
Scallops
Tuna
Turkey
Venison

PASTA (WHITE)
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti

OTHER
Distilled Vinegar
Wheat Germ
Potatoes
DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspartame
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Pesticides
Herbicides

ALCOHOL
Beer
Spirits
Hard Liquor
Wine

BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk
Almond Milk





More Ranked Foods: Alkaline (pH) to Acidic (pH)




Alkaline: Meditation, Prayer, Peace, Kindness & Love
Acid: Overwork, Anger, Fear, Jealousy & Stress

Extremely Alkaline Forming Foods - pH 8.5 to 9.0
Extremely Acid Forming Foods - pH 5.0 to 5.5

9.0 Lemons 1, Watermelon 2
8.5 Agar Agar 3, Cantaloupe, Cayenne (Capsicum) 4,
Dried dates & figs, Kelp, Karengo, Kudzu root, Limes,
Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley 5, Seedless grapes
(sweet), Watercress, Seaweeds
Asparagus 6, Endive, Kiwifruit, Fruit juices 7, Grapes
(sweet), Passion fruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple,
Raisins, Umeboshi plum, Vegetable juices 8
5.0 Artificial sweeteners
5.5 Beef, Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks 38,
Cigarettes (tailor made), Drugs, Flour (white, wheat)
39, Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes from white flour,
Pork, Sugar (white) 40
Beer 34, Brown sugar 35, Chicken, Deer, Chocolate,
Coffee 36, Custard with white sugar, Jams, Jellies,
Liquor 37, Pasta (white), Rabbit, Semolina, Table
salt refined and iodized, Tea black, Turkey, Wheat
bread, White rice, White vinegar (processed).

Moderate Alkaline - pH 7.5 to 8.0
Moderate Acid - pH 6.0 to 6.5

8.0 Apples (sweet), Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts 9,
Arrowroot, Flour 10, Avocados, Bananas (ripe),
Berries, Carrots, Celery, Currants, Dates & figs
(fresh), Garlic 11, Gooseberry, Grapes (less sweet),
Grapefruit, Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce
(leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears
(less sweet), Peas (fresh sweet), Persimmon,
Pumpkin (sweet), Sea salt (vegetable) 12, Spinach
7.5 Apples (sour), Bamboo shoots, Beans (fresh green),
Beets, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage;Cauli, Carob
13, Daikon, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Kale,
Kohlrabi, Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Parsnip,
Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes
& skin, Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberry, Sapote,
Strawberry, Squash 14, Sweet corn (fresh), Tamari
15, Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider) 16
6.0 Cigarette tobacco (roll your own), Cream of Wheat
(unrefined), Fish, Fruit juices with sugar, Maple
syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pickles
(commercial), Breads (refined) of corn, oats, rice &
rye, Cereals (refined) eg weetbix, corn flakes,
Shellfish, Wheat germ, Whole Wheat foods 32,
Wine 33, Yogurt (sweetened)
6.5 Bananas (green), Buckwheat, Cheeses (sharp),
Corn & rice breads, Egg whole (cooked hard),
Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Oats, Pasta (whole grain),
Pastry (wholegrain & honey), Peanuts, Potatoes
(with no skins), Popcorn (with salt & butter), Rice
(basmati), Rice (brown), Soy sauce (commercial),
Tapioca, Wheat bread (sprouted organic)

Slightly Alkaline to Neutral pH 7.0
Slightly Acid to Neutral pH 7.0

7.0 Almonds 17, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Barley-Malt
(sweetener-Bronner), Brown Rice Syrup, Brussel
Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Egg
plant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Miso, Mushrooms, Okra,
Olives ripe 18, Onions, Pickles 19, (home made),
Radish, Sea salt 20, Spices 21, Taro, Tomatoes
(sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice), Water Chestnut
Amaranth, Artichoke (globe), Chestnuts (dry
roasted), Egg yolks (soft cooked), Essene bread 22,
Goat's milk and whey (raw) 23, Horseradish,
Mayonnaise (home made), Millet, Olive oil, Quinoa,
Rhubarb, Sesame seeds (whole) 24, Soy beans
(dry), Soy cheese, Soy milk, Sprouted grains 25,
Tempeh, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast
(nutritional flakes)
7.0 Barley malt syrup, Barley, Bran, Cashews, Cereals
(unrefined with honey-fruit-maple syrup), Cornmeal,
Cranberries 30, Fructose, Honey (pasteurized),
Lentils, Macadamias, Maple syrup (unprocessed),
Milk (homogenized) and most processed dairy
products, Molasses (unsulphered organic) 31,
Nutmeg, Mustard, Pistachios, Popcorn & butter
(plain), Rice or wheat crackers (unrefined), Rye
(grain), Rye bread (organic sprouted), Seeds
(pumpkin & sunflower), Walnuts
Blueberries, Brazil nuts, Butter (salted), Cheeses
(mild & crumbly) 28, Crackers (unrefined rye),
Dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney,
garbanzo) 29, Dry coconut, Egg whites, Goats
milk (homogenized), Olives (pickled), Pecans,
Plums 30, Prunes 30, Spelt




Neutral pH 7.0 ‹ Healthy Body Saliva pH Range is between 6.4 to 6.8 (on your pH test strips)

Butter (fresh unsalted), Cream (fresh and raw), Margarine 26, Milk (raw cow's) 27, Oils (except olive),
Whey (cow's), Yogurt (plain)






NOTE: Match with the numbers above.

1. Excellent for EMERGENCY SUPPORT for colds, coughs, sore throats, heartburn, and gastro upsets.
2. Good for a yearly fast. For several days eat whole melon, chew pips well and eat also. Super alkalizing food.
3. Substitute for gelatin, more nourishing.
4. Stimulating, non-irritating body healer. Good for endocrine system.
5. Purifies kidneys.
6. Powerful acid reducer detoxing to produce acid urine temporarily, causing alkalinity for the long term.
7. Natural sugars give alkalinity. Added sugar causes juice to become acid forming.
8. Depends on vege's content and sweetness.
9. Enzyme rich, superior digestibility.
10. High calcium content. Cornflour substitute.
11. Elevates acid food 5.0 in alkaline direction.
12. Vegetable content raises alkalinity.
13. Substitute for coca; mineral rich.
14. Winter squash rates 7.5. Butternut and sweeter squash rates 8.0.
15. Genuine fermented for 11Ž2 years otherwise 6.0.
16. Raw unpasteurized is a digestive aid to increase HCL in the stomach. 1 tablespoon, + honey & water before meals.
17. Soak 12 hours, peel skin to eat.
18. Sundried, tree ripened, otherwise 6.0.
19. Using sea salt and apple cider vinegar.
20. Contains sea minerals. Dried at low temperatures.
21. Range from 7.0 to 8.0.
22. Sprouted grains are more alkaline. Grains chewed well become more alkaline.
23. High sodium to aid digestion.
24. High levels of utilizable calcium. Grind before eating.
25. Alkalinity and digestibility higher.
26. Heating causes fats to harden and become indigestible.
27. High mucus production.
28. Mucus forming and hard to digest.
29. When sprouted dry beans rate 7.0.
30. Contain acid-forming benzoic and quinic acids.
31. Full of iron.
32. Unrefined wheat is more alkaline.
33. High quality red wine, no more than 4 oz. daily to build blood.
34. Good quality, well brewed - up to 5.5. Fast brewed beers drop to 5.0.
35. Most are white sugars with golden syrup added.
36. Organic, fresh ground-up to 5.5.
37. Cheaper brands drop to 5.0, as does over-indulgence.
38. Leaches minerals.
39. Bleached - has no goodness.
40. Poison! Avoid it.
41. Potential cancer agent. Over-indulgence may cause partial blindness.

Why We MUST Take Supplementation Daily!

Supplementation 101
by L. Lee Coyne, Ph.D.
Responsible supplementation is no longer an option if your objective is optimal health. Our Health Protection Branch (HPB) publishes, on a regular basis, a table of Recommended Nutrient Intake values to help guide us to appropriate levels for fat and protein intake along with many of the known or recognized vitamins and minerals. (Notice - there is no RNI for carbohydrates) Many health advisors try to tell their clients that they only need a “well balanced” diet to meet these recommendations.

However if you do some careful arithmetic you will find the task very difficult. Then if you read Dr. Shari Leiberman’s book “The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book” in which she uses a term “Optimal Daily Intake” (ODI), you will find the task even more difficult. The ODI is based on the latest research and reflects what our industrialized world has done to the air, water and food; in terms of quality and pollutants. This column will be in defense of the dogmatic opening statement “supplementation is no longer an option”.

Nutritional supplementation is one of the fastest growing industries in North America. Estimates of size range from $7 to $10 billion annually, compared to just $3 billion in 1990. Like all rapidly growing industries, the market place can become a consumer’s night mare with a myriad of choices, a range of quality and some over zealous misleading marketing claims.

Although the HPB attempts to provide some standards and controls, there are still many unregulated areas. These include many herbal products which are relatively unregulated and don’t even require DIN (drug identification number) registration like all vitamin and mineral supplements. The HPB also has difficulty in maintaining recognition of supplementation for therapeutic reasons. Then there are numerous products that do not require registration, are harmless but useless and some that have proven to be both harmful and useless. So the market place is still a “consumer beware” environment.

WHY SUPPLEMENT?
In the early 1900’s, all produce (100%) was organic. Rutgers University has published several papers comparing the nutrient density of organic produce and commercially grown produce. Organic always wins.
According to a US Department of Agriculture paper the average Calories intake in the early 1900’s was 3800 Calories but today the average intake is only 1800 Calories. Less than half - and most is not organic. So we tend to eat less than half the nutrients each and every day.
Risk of “free radical” damage is much higher today as the industrial world contaminates our food, water and air. We also produce free radicals during physical and psychological stress. Free radicals are biochemical units that, in excess, will destroy healthy cells unless we protect ourselves with adequate nutrition.
With average fat intake falling to 32% of Calories (compared to 48% in 1900), it becomes more difficult to get the essential fatty acids (EFA’s) from our diet. EFA’s are responsible for encouraging fat metabolism and the creation of some “super hormones” that lead to the production of anti-inflammatory hormones. Processed food tends to alter or eliminate the EFA’s.
Wide use of antibiotics has lead to the destruction of “friendly bacteria” in the intestine. Friendly bacteria, like acidophilus and bifidus play a big role in digestion and in maintaining the health of the colon.
A low Calorie intake is associated with a reduced fiber intake. The American Cancer Society recommends a daily fiber intake of 30 grams but average North American eats only 12 – 15 grams per day. Such a low intake increases the risk of colon cancer and other toxic side effects.
Most people do not consume enough complete, high quality protein, particularly at breakfast and lunch. (There is a tendency to eat more protein than can be absorbed during the evening meal). Therefore I have become a big fan of Soy Protein Isolate supplementation at breakfast, lunch, during snacks and just before exercise. A modern solution to a modern problem.
WHAT TO USE:
In my nutritional coaching practice, I divide supplementation into the following categories:

Nutritional Supplements – basic nutrients found in the RNI tables.
Herbal Supplements - which are really nature’s medicine, designed to prevent and/or solve certain health problems. Few are designed for long term consumption.
Fiber Supplements – fibre is indigestible but necessary for detoxification and regularity. It is not really a nutrient.
Protein Supplements – self-explanatory.
Friendly Bacteria – some now refer to these tiny organisms as “pro-biotics”.
Considering the Why Supplement list and the above categories, the following is a responsible supplement program that would benefit the heath of all people. This is basic, minimal and designed primarily for prevention of ailments and maintenance of good health.

High Quality Multiple Vitamin/Mineral. Should include all 8 recognized B vitamins including biotin. Balanced in proportion to the RNI. This multi should also contain high levels of Calcium and Magnesium.
Anti-Oxidants – Vitamin in the form of mixed carotenoids like alpha, beta and gamma carotene; Vitamin C, at least 1,000 mg in a sustained release format; Vitamin E in the mixed tocopherol format supported with selenium and grape seed extract.
Fiber Supplement containing a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibres.
Protein Supplement – preferably a Soy Protein isolate - not only to obtain extra protein but to also take advantage of the phytonutrients known as isoflavones.
Friendly bacteria – acidophilus and bifidus .
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Responsible nutrition consultants such as Diane Frances CNC-co-founder of Simply Younger.... may recommend other supplements for therapeutic reasons. The key word is “responsible”. Their recommendations will include the use of products from reputable companies. The best products are from companies that conduct true, publishable clinical research. They would be proud of such research and be prepared to share it with you upon request.

Antioxidant Vitamins Block Acute Toxic Effects!

Antioxidant Vitamins Block
Homocysteine's Acute Toxic Effects


Thanks to the December 2000 Nutrition Science News for the use of this article!


Diane Frances C.N.C.


About one-fourth of all American adults have excessively high blood levels of homocysteine. This amino acid is formed from methionine, which is taken into the body via animal-derived foods. High levels of homocysteine translate into a significant increase in hardening of the arteries known as arteriosclerosis. In that way, homocysteine is similar to cholesterol because prolonged, elevated levels of it gradually damage the inner linings of blood vessels, causing atherosclerotic plaque and narrowing of the arteries. However, for a catastrophic end result of this process to occur — a heart attack or a stroke — it typically takes more than just narrow arteries: It requires the blood within the artery to congeal into a clot, suddenly causing an obstruction.

What generally triggers clot formation are things like smoking a cigarette, acute emotional stress, physical overexertion, a virus or even just getting out of the bed too quickly in the morning. Each of these factors, in their own way, can act within minutes to recast arterial blood into a hyper-coagulable state. Then, for the next minutes, hours or days the blood remains prone to clotting. Recently, researchers discovered that high homocysteine levels also function as such a trigger, producing a double whammy in that it creates the problem, then induces the final outcome. However, certain nutritional supplements seem to be effective at overcoming this danger.

After the body experiences a trigger, the critical period of high vulnerability to clotting is extremely influential. The body immediately works to return the blood's stickiness to normal. Therefore, if one can get through this high-risk period, within hours or days, blood viscosity can revert to normal. Progression to a heart attack or stroke usually is not inevitable; in fact, it can be avoided for years or even decades.

This month I examine a study that demonstrates how high homocysteine levels can cause dangerous, "sticky" blood and how a timely dose of vitamins C and E can almost completely prevent such effects.

Researchers at the Department of Geriatrics, Second University in Naples, Italy, examined homocysteine's effects on 10 healthy young men and 10 healthy young women. The subjects were each given three loads in random order at one-week intervals of 100 mg/kg oral methionine in fruit juice, the same methionine dose immediately after taking 1,000 mg ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and 800 IU vitamin E, and a methionine-free fruit juice placebo. Since the body normally converts methionine into homocysteine and vice versa, loading up on methionine was expected to cause homocysteine levels to rise. In this case, the methionine-only group experienced a homocysteine increase nearly three-fold — from an average of 10.5 umol/L at baseline to 27.1 umol/L — all within four hours.

At the same time, there was a marked increase in the blood levels of several biochemicals that increase blood's tendency to clot. This showed that using a loading dose of homocysteine precursor (i.e., methionine) caused a major increase in blood stickiness. For a high-risk person who has been walking around with moderate or severe arteriosclerosis, this increase in homocysteine could be enough to trigger a heart attack.

The good news is that when researchers added the 1,000 mg of vitamin C and 800 IU of vitamin E along with the methionine load, homocysteine's pro-blood-clot effects were almost completely prevented. That is, the blood clotting parameters remained normal despite a drastic increase in blood homocysteine levels.

It appears that the combination of vitamins C and E may be an antidote to homocysteine, and one that works more quickly than traditional treatments such as vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. These vitamins can lower homocysteine levels over the course of a few weeks. In contrast, vitamins C and E can act within hours. While they don't actually reduce homocysteine, these vitamins appear to protect the blood from clotting.

This study has a few important practical implications for people at risk for heart disease or stroke, although additional studies must be done to further support these findings.

First, increasing homocysteine by overloading on protein foods or methionine-containing high-protein supplements can be dangerous.

Second, adding the antioxidant vitamins C and E as well as homocysteine-lowering B6, B12 and folate should help keep blood thin. By thinning the blood, it appears as though vitamins C and E might reduce the threat of other acute proclotting triggers such as smoking, exertion, a high-fat meal or emotional distress. However, while these two nutrients may protect against high homocysteine levels for a few hours, the duration of their protective effect is unknown. Considering vitamin E is stored in fat, a single dose should be available in the body for days, depending on how fast the vitamin is metabolized. However, vitamin C dissolves in water and is excreted in the urine. Thus, for those at risk, I'd urge a 1 to 2 g twice daily vitamin C dose.



Richard N. Podell, M.D., M.P.H., is director of the Podell Medical Center in New Providence, N.J.



Reference



1. Nappo F. Impairment of endothelial functions by acute hyperhomocysteinemia and reversal by antioxidant vitamins. JAMA 1999;281:2113-8.