Universal Living Universal Living Mind, Body, Spiritual & Energec Wellness for the 21st Century March / April 2014 | Vol. 02 Issue 02 eZine Spirit Messages & More! UniversalLivingEzine.com Magical, Mysterious ...WATER? Cut Out Sugar You’re Sweet Enough! Remote Healing Shiſting Lives with Earthing
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Universal Living Universal Living Mind, Body, Spiritual & Energetic Wellness for the 21st Century
Mind, Body, Spiritual & Energetic Wellness for the 21st Century
From the Publisher:
Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for spring. I love a good fluffy snowfall just as much as any 5 year old who’s waiting for Christmas, but c’mon already, it’s almost MARCH! Maybe I’m just a tad impatient….
Once all this snow melts and the ground warms up, my plan is to get outside in my bare feet again and do some honest to goodness Earthing. Feel the grass under my feet. Feel the energy. Oh yeah.
I’ve also decided this is going to be the year I hold some Practical Reiki instruction outside and do the attunements with everyone barefooted (me includ-ed) and making contact with earth energy. Can you imagine the power?
And speaking of barefoot attunements – how about on a beach in the Bahamas! Just an FYI: Goddess Elite is exploring the possibility of a Holistic Cruise in the Spring of 2015 (details coming soon). If you’re interested or would like to be kept in the loop, email Melissa and let her know. (Hint: heal-ers, ghost whisperers, readers and much more!) email Melissa at: [email protected]
Springtime also means the return of the bigger gem and mineral shows in our area and a gentle remind-er of my friend Ken Harsh. His unbelievable knowledge of all things crystal still amazes me to this day. I never see a crystal or gemstone without thinking of him and all he taught me. (Missing you!! xoxo)
necting with the Earth can assist with an improved sense
of safety. By improving sleep architecture, Earthing can
help normalize serotonin levels in the brain as it decreas-
es cortisol (an anxiety-inducing hormone). When cortisol
levels are high, there is a tendency to go into ‘fight-or-
flight’/panic responses to stressful situations and become
more easily angered or irritable. As cortisol levels de-
crease and stabilize, we become more centered, peaceful
and calm. In short, we get more easily into our heart and
have more compassion for our self as well as for others.
● For those with depression, Earthing can assist with sta-
bilizing serotonin levels as noted above. Serotonin assists
with decreasing crying spells, near-tearfulness, and ob-
sessive/repetitive negative thoughts. When depressive
symptoms decrease, energy levels improve and tolerance
to stressful situations, pain, or discomfort improves.
● I have had many chronic pain patients referred to me
from pain management doctors. Many have not re-
sponded well to, or are resistant to, taking medica-
tion. With Earthing, they often have decreased inflam-
matory problems overall. I’ve seen a lot of people with
gluten intolerance and irritable bowel symptoms who
have significantly improved by connecting to the
Earth. While they may not be completely cured, their GI
and stomach issues are better. Their pain is better and so
Shifting Lives with Earthing - A Psychiatrist’s Perspective
By Tracy Latz, M.D.
Mar/Apr 2014 Issue—Page 4
is their anxiety. Some patients, I have found, stop Earth-
ing after their anxiety gets better, and I have to remind
them about what helped them get better.
● I recommend Earthing to anyone with an auto-immune
condition. Two patients with systemic lupus erythemato-
sis are feeling much better after they began Earthing.
Their primary doctors attribute their improvement to “a
calm period” in their disease process. Another patient
developed a rare form of lupus – anticardiolipin antibody
– that can cause a narrowing and irregularity of the blood
vessels, blood clots, and the potential for stroke or heart
attack. Previously, she had experienced symptoms of
fibromyalgia and an assortment of problems that doctors
had a hard time figuring out. She’s been labeled in the
past with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and
bipolar disorder. This obviously is not a woman in good
shape. Although she gets fatigued, she’s doing much
better now after Earthing and her doctors can’t believe
she’s as active as she is. She has five horses and in the
early evening after it cools off, she will go out and feed
her horses barefoot, and then sit or lay for a few hours
on the Earth. Weather permitting, of course. She’s been
doing this for two years and says she feels much better,
calmer, more peaceful, and quiet in regards to her anx-
ious mind chatter. This practice of hers I strongly believe
has prevented her condition from progressing.
● I see many patients with chronic fatigue, people who
have exhausted their adrenal hormones. Most of these
people have a history of intense stress. With Earthing,
they are much less fatigued and calmer. As their sleep
cycle improves, the adrenal issues start improving, and
they start to pick back up in their energy level and feel
better.
One of my friends is a computer systems programmer for
a major bank. He works with multiple computer screens
around him for up to 10 hours a day 6 or 7 days per week
and is always under pressure answering SOS calls and
fixing this or that glitch in the nationwide system. He’s so
busy that he hardly has any time to relax. The pace was
wearing him down and aging him at an alarming
rate. One day I brought him a present – an Earthing
mat. I told him to place it under his bare feet at his desk
since that’s where he spends the biggest chunk of his
time.
He called me the next day.
“I just wanted to tell you that I love my ‘fizzy feet,” he
said.
“Fizzy feet?”
“Yeah, I can feel the fizzies in my feet and coming up my
legs,” he explained. “I really feel good for the first time
in a long time. And I slept so well.”
My friend is sticking with it, and enjoying his ‘fizzies’ and
feeling good.
As far as my own Earthing experience is concerned, I im-
mediately slept more soundly and deeply on the Earthing
sheet that I started using in 2011. I have also experienced
much less pain in my left knee that had been inter-
mittently nagging at me for a dozen years after I chipped
a divot of bone out of my femur in a freak accident. Now
I only get rare slight twinges when the weather gets real
cold suddenly or there are abrupt changes in atmospher-
ic pressure.
I sent my mother an Earthing sheet for her fibromyalgia-
like and chronic pain symptoms. She was able to work in
the garden for the first time in three years. She now
sleeps through the night, which she wasn’t doing before,
and can walk down stairs normally instead of one step at
a time.
My three teenagers each sleep with an Earthing sheet
because they are very active.
My eldest is a musician and had previously complained
about chronic neck and should muscle tension from hold-
ing a trombone or large cymbals at attention out in front
of her during marching band or indoor drumline compe-
titions. My two sons are athletes – playing high school
football and lacrosse. They say they rest better, have less
muscle inflammation, and more rapid recovery from inju-
ries since Earthing.
(Tracy Latz, M.D., M.S., is an integrative psychiatrist in private prac-tice in Mooresville, a suburb of Charlotte, NC. She has worked in state, county, and community psychiatric and mental illness facilities in the past. She specializes in shifting lives that are stuck in relation-ships, circumstances, and illness. Dr. Latz has co-authored several books about how to shift out of “stuck” circumstances in life, includ-ing Entrepreneurial Alignment: How to Overcome Self-Sabotage in Business). Her website is: shiftyourlife.com
W ater - It is one of the most common sub-stances that we know.
We have been drinking, bathing and cooking with water all our lives. Un-doubtedly, we know what water is…..or do we?
We know all living things need water. Humans can live only for about 3 days without consuming water as our bodies are 90% water molecules and must be hydrated in order to func-tion. That is the physical part of the equation. But listen to this.
Researchers are discovering a vast new knowledge about good old wa-ter that is surprisingly mind blowing. Water is intelligent and has memory. Science and spirit unite in Dr. Masaru Emoto’s work, published in his book, “The Hidden Messages in Water”. There you will find how, through his research, he has discovered that mol-ecules of water are affected by our thoughts, words and feelings. Watch this very short video that proves that water is more than H2O. http://tinyurl.com/Water021714 This makes perfect sense when you consider how we as humans are affected by other people’s words and emotions. The water in our cells is able to discern the energy of those words and emotions. This is pro-found and allows us to have a more complete understanding of water’s role in our emotional and spiritual aspects as well as our physiology.
As far as our bodies are concerned, many more mundane but vexing
questions exist about the water we consume. For example, have you ever wondered about the answers to any of these questions? Do we really have to drink eight glasses a day? Is bottled water really better than tap? What is the best water we can drink? What are the health benefits of drinking water? Can we drink other liquid beverages to substitute for wa-ter? Should we install a water filtra-tion system in our homes?
Our bodies are so complex, and, as was mentioned above, we are mainly composed of water. It makes sense that we keep our cells hydrated so they can function properly.
One of the main jobs of the cells is to detoxify and keep the cells free of waste and free radicals. When toxins build up in the cells, inflammation results which then opens the door to many diseases rampant today such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and so on.
Good water has a small cluster size of 6-8 molecules whereas tap and bottled water has clusters of 12 and more. Small clustered water is able to penetrate the cell walls much more easily to perform the necessary functions to keep your cells clean and running smoothly. So, yes, we should be sipping clean, clear water all day so as not to get dehydrated. It is said that we can begin to be dehydrated long before we sense thirst.
Another issue is the question of the pH or alkaline/acid balance of your drinking water. Our bodies are nega-tively charged and slightly alkaline.
The food and beverages we eat are mostly acidic which places a large burden on our cells as they must con-stantly work to maintain the alkaline environment.
Agreeing with many esteemed re-searchers, Theodore Barudy wrote in his book, Alkalize or Die “All disease comes from the same root cause – too much acidity”. An acid environ-ment is devoid of oxygen and is per-fect for parasites and diseases like cancer to flourish. The conclusion is that we should be drinking alkaline water to support our body’s own im-mune system.
Tap water has to be alkaline by law, but the way that is accomplished is anything but natural. Caustic chemi-cals such as lye are added to counter the acidity that comes from chemi-cals, drugs and other toxins that re-main after treatment. These chemi-cals then cause additional burdens to our cells.
What about that negative charge? Wouldn’t positive be better? Actual-ly, no. This is one time when you want to be negative. We are nega-tively charged creatures. Positive charged ions are those dreaded and unwanted free radicals which cause havoc in our physical body by rusting us out and aging us prematurely. If we drink negative ion water, we are actually drinking liquid anti-oxidant which neutralizes free radicals – those tiny bullies that cause so much trouble in our cells.
Is bottled water really all that? Do we really need to spend 1000 times
more on bottled water than what we pay for tap water, and, is it really better for you?
Settle this question once and for all by watching a video by zany social commentators, Penn and Teller to see what they discovered about bottled water? (rated PG for lan-guage!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfPAjUvvnIc Will you be as surprised as the people in the restaurant?
Note that plastic bottles are a scourge to our earth and the plastic leaches from the bottles into the water to con-taminate it. It is intensified in heat so don’t leave bottled water in a hot car in the summer. These plastic compo-nents can mess with your hormones and are known gen-der busters.
If you are drinking water, then you are not drinking all the other heath destroying beverages out there. No other liquid is as good for you as clean, fresh water. No addi-tives, no sugars, no flavors are needed by your body. It craves water.
So, what is the best water we can drink? According to Dr. Mercola, “The finest sources of water in the world are gravity-fed mountain springs accessed directly from where they emerge from the earth. This water is naturally filtered and structured by the earth itself, and even con-
tains beneficial living organisms…” Thanks, Dr. M but most of us do not have access to this ideal source of wa-ter.
What to do? Alkaline, ionized, micro-clustered water is available to us most readily with use of a high quality wa-ter filtering machine. There are even water machines that energize your water like it would be if flowing down the mountain side. The cost may seem prohibitive but when you stack it up against the price of bottled water, it be-comes a huge bargain – not to mention how good the wa-ter tastes. It is the best single thing you can do to pre-serve and safeguard your health and that of your entire family.
And take a tip from Dr. Emoto and remember to bless it for additional and valuable benefits.
affecting the quantum field of an individual. He works on
this as well.
This kind of work is like that of an explorer in uncharted ter-
ritory. Soren’s system is his own system, and there is no
school of thought other than the healer’s own school.
Healing through the energetic process can take time, as ill-
ness is sometimes hard for an individual to let go of. Trust
and receptivity of the person being healed can be a factor,
and Soren is extremely patient with that. If people are not
happy with their healing, he will repeat it.
Well, I hope I’ve given you an idea of how doctors in the re-
newal might be a little different than doctors of today! As to
my own healing, after the first time Soren visited I got up
and looked in the mirror and my face was bright and glow-
ing… it shocked me to be honest. I felt highly energized and
relieved of shoulder & hand pain from rheumatoid arthritis.
After the healing series, Soren prepares an mp3. The reason
we feel so good when listening to it, is that his voice fre-
quencies can be felt in the solar plexus, and they are specifi-
cally aimed to continue the healing process.
The heightened energy from my healing lasted for a full two
weeks, so much so that I’ve stopped taking steroids, which
I’ve wanted to do for 28 years. This disease was a long time
coming, so it may take me some time to release it complete-
ly, but the process is happening.
I know I’m taking you a long distance when talking about
remote healing and self healing, and yet openness to alter-
natives has taken millions in the direction of freedom from
symptom and disease-based medicine. Acknowledging that
we are energy, and disease begins in the etheric and moves
to the physical, gives us a glimpse of that future world where
there is no more disease. Everything is energy and everyone
can heal… so let’s continue to explore the uncharted territo-
ry of remote healing. There’s more to come!
About the Author
Ida Lawrence is an author, blogger, copywriter and editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. She has authored two books on racial jus-tice and human rights, and numerous articles on human rights, self-empowerment and related subjects. Ida is also a certified Tai Chi instructor with a special interest in helping seniors and the disabled with Tai Chi and Chi Kung practices modified for their use. Her goal in life has been to find answers to the ques-tion of ‘why’ and then to explore the question of ‘what is’. More of her work is available at her personal blog, http://talk2momz.com/.
Shop Online: www.PetGemz.com
BECOME A CERTIFIED HYPNOTHERAPIST
Transformational School of
Hypnotherapy
Formerly the Personal Growth School of Hypnotherapy
*IMDHA International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association
I love to share this quote from my favorite Naturopathic doctor, colleague and friend, Dr. Christina Tondora, NMD:
”All sugar is not created ‘Equal’ (pun intended).”
There are major differences in the types of sugar and how our bodies process these sugars. It’s time we look at the types of sugar and sweeteners we consume and start pay attention to the symptoms and side effects.
Sugar consumption and the use of artificial sweeteners have contributed to the long list of chronic diseases and the growing epidemic of obesity.
Facts:
- Diabetes is now the 6th leading cause of death - It is responsible for $92 billion in medical costs - More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese - 16.9 percent of children age 2 to 19 are obese
(Reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2012)
Projection:
- There will be 7.5 million new cases of diabetes a year - We will see an additional $66 billion in annual obesity-
related medical cost. - If we continue on this path by 2030 the obesity rate, in every state, will reach at least 44 percent.
So Here’s the Real Skinny on Sugar
Why do we have all these sugar cravings? Cravings indi-cate that your body is out of balance. An increase in sugar intake, particularly in the consumption of processed foods directly corresponds with the epidemic increase in meta-bolic diseases. According to the US Department of Agri-culture, the average American consumes 142 pounds of caloric sweeteners (actual sugar) per year. That’s 43 tea-spoons for every man, woman and child every day! We may be living longer, but we are not living healthier.
Our bodies are just not equipped to handle large amounts of sugar on a daily basis. Think of it this way, if we just ate fruits and vegetables our sugar consumption would be 15 grams a day. Not too bad for sure… PLUS we would get all the benefits of the nature’s goodness as well!
However, too much processed sugar can trigger head-aches, indigestion, and symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
Cut out the Sugar? Heck yeah … You’re Sweet Enough!
By Roseann Zaft
Mar/Apr 2014 Issue—Page 16
Excess sugar consumption upsets the balance of intestinal flora in your digestive tract and causes bloating, cramping, and gas. Other symptoms of sugar sensitivity are insom-nia, aggression, panic attacks, irritability, mood swings, and depression. Let’s not forget tooth decay caused by sugar.
Five Reasons You Crave Sugar
So just what is the cause of your cravings? Let’s see many of these did you identify with:
1. You aren’t consuming enough good quality calories throughout the day, or you’re using caloric restriction to lose weight. Proper balance between carbohydrates, pro-teins and fats is imperative. Did you know that the pre-ferred fuel for your body is fat, not carbohydrates? Incor-porate more healthy fats from coconut oil, olives, olive oil, avocado, grass fed butter, and nuts.
2. You are emotional eating. See if you can you relate to this: A sugar craving is really a craving for an energy and serotonin surge. Carbohydrates form the building block for serotonin (a neurotransmitter for our brain). As the cravings become habitual we unknowingly reprogram our biochemistry. Ironically, too much sugar depletes our lev-els of serotonin. Depression is linked to a deficiency of serotonin. So, low levels of serotonin actually trigger even more sugar cravings. It’s a vicious cycle!
3. You are totally stressed out. It’s all about “the fight or flight” concept. Think of it this way, when we are under a great deal of stress our body needs immediate energy and serotonin so we reach out for some form of sugar… a ba-gel, crackers, or cookies. The problem is we consume these simple sugars then we go through the binge – crash cycle several times a day. We need more sugar!
4. You have some mineral deficiencies. Minerals are an important part of glucose metabolism. Common mineral deficiencies include chromium, vanadium, magnesium and zinc. So add more minerals in your diet right? Not re-ally. There may be an underlying reason WHY you are not absorbing the minerals you are getting. This also may re-late to the next point.
5. You have Candida overgrowth in your gut. This can be caused from an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract. This develops often with the repeated use of antibiotics and/or not consuming enough probiotic foods on a regular basis. I suggest getting tested by a Na-turopathic Doctor. This is the surest way to know if you do have Candida overgrowth. Plus, a Naturopathic doc will show you how to solve the problem and heal your gut once and for all.
Understanding the Glycemic Index (GI)
Have you heard of the Glycemic Index? The more aware you are of the GI index of foods, the better you can keep a handle on your blood sugar levels. The GI Index is a meas-urement carried out on carbohydrate-containing foods and their impact on our blood sugar. GI is a relatively new way of analyzing foods. It’s a way of looking at the impact of foods on our actual blood sugar, instead of counting the total amount of carbohydrates in foods in their uncon-sumed state. Use this Website to rank the foods you eat: http://www.glycemicindex.com
Here is how the Index is categorized:
Low GI: 0-55 Medium GI: 56-69 High GI: 70 or greater
Strive to eat low GI foods. A great tip I give my clients is to add a small amount of fat when you consume carbohy-drates. A simple (and yummy) example of this is: each time you eat an apple make sure you eat a handful (6-8) of nuts with it to help your blood sugar levels to stay steady.
Here’s a Super Simple REFERENCE GUIDE to Natural and Artificial Sweeteners
You’ve got choices! Learn the pros and cons of sweetener and options that are available. Some healthy… some that are like poison!
TYPES OF SUGAR:
Dextrose
- D-glucose, grape sugar found in plants
- Glycemic index is 100
Sucrose
- White sugar, table sugar – combination of glucose and fructose made from sugar cane and sugar beets; highly refined and striped of all original vitamins, minerals, phy-tonutrients and fiber - Glycemic index is 80 (1 tbsp. = 13 grams of sugar = 57 calories) - No nutritional value; negatively affects the liver
High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Most common form of fructose, highly processed; found in just about every processed food and sweetened bever-age - Glycemic index of 73
Evaporated Cane Juice
- Food grade cane based sweetener, less refined than
- Made by bees using nectar from flowers; nature's energy booster – glucose & fructose - Glycemic index of 55 - Natural remedy that builds immune system; has anti-oxidant & anti-microbial properties
Molasses
- Left over during the process of refining of sugar cane into white sugar - Glycemic index of 55 (1 tbsp. = 11 grams sugar) - Most nutrient rich of all sweeteners, providing a signifi-cant amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and vitamin B6
Maple Syrup
- Sap from the xylem of sugar maple tree; primarily of su-crose and water with small amounts of other sugars - Glycemic index of 54 (1 tsp. = 13 grams sugar = 63 calo-ries) - Main mineral content contains potassium and calcium, nutritionally significant amounts of zinc and manganese; 15 times more calcium than honey
Lactose
- Sugar found in milk made form galactose and glucose - Glycemic index of 46 - Used as a carrier or stabilizers for many aromas and pharmaceutical products
Coconut Nectar and Sugar (Crystals)
- Sourced from coconut trees, considered a “raw” food; naturally sweet and highly nutritious - Glycemic index is 35, also one of the lowest among any “healthy” sweeteners; has about the same amount of cal-ories as white sugar (15 calories/4 grams carbs) - Contains 17 amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, broad-
spectrum B vitamins, and has a nearly neutral pH with short and medium-chain fatty acids, perfect for heart-healthy diets or to reduce cholesterol levels - Compared to brown sugar, coconut nectar has twice as much iron, four times as much magnesium, and ten times as much zinc
Fructose
- Naturally found in fruit and sucrose-containing foods (like cane sugar); present in high-fructose corn syrup, aga-ve, fruit juice and virtually all processed foods - Glycemic index of 19 - Naturally found in veggies and fruits, it’s combined with fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients, all of which mitigate any negative metabolic effects - Processed fructose metabolizes differently than glucose, making it an unhealthy sweetener in its refined, or isolat-ed form; stimulates appetite and encourages overeating and the accumulation of body fat - Fructose does not initiate insulin response. When insulin is released in response to glucose intake, another hor-mone, leptin, is released. Leptin triggers our feeling of "fullness" and signals us to stop eating. Since fructose does not initiate the release of insulin and leptin, fructose might lead to overeating. When too much fructose enters the liver, the liver can't process it all fast enough for the body to use as sugar. Instead, it starts making fats from the fructose and sending them off into the bloodstream as triglycerides. - Major contributor to: insulin resistance and obesity, ele-vated blood pressure, elevated Triglycerides and LDL, de-pletion of vitamins and minerals, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer, arthritis, gout and fuels cancer through aberrant glycosylation
Agave Nectar
- Extracted from the agave plant, 75% fructose; because it’s laboratory-generated it’s just like super-condensed fructose syrup with the same adverse metabolic issues - Glycemic index is 15; without any nutrient value
- Also known as sorbitol – corn syrup, erythritol, mannitol seaweed, maltitol (sugar alcohol); Occurs naturally in some vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and cereal grains and in corncobs; usually extracted from birch tree wood chips or corn - Glycemic index of 13 so does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels - Antimicrobial actions that decrease bacteria associated with tooth decay - Cautions: Although xylitol is recognized by the FDA as a safe food additive, ingesting large amounts (over 30 grams per day) can cause gastrointestinal symptoms be-cause it is not completely absorbed, it can ferment in the intestines and cause bloating, gas, or diarrhea
Stevia
- An actual plant - Glycemic index of 0 and 0 calories; 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar - Decrease blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes and improve insulin resistance, anti-inflammatory and immune supportive actions
Types of stevia - Green powder and a brown liquid extract, the whole leaf is used - White powder form, leaf is more refined and may con-tain isolated compounds - Sweetleaf stevia is my #1 recommendation! It’s made only from stevia plans and insulin, a soluble vegetable fiber. Insulin is a naturally occurring prebiotic that nour-ishes the body’s good intestinal flora, supporting good digestive health and immune function. First brand of ste-via to get FDA approval in 2008
Vegetable Glycerin
- Made from fats derived from plants oils, including from soy, coconut or palm oils; food grade is 99.7% pure (remaining. 03% is water) - A simple polyol (sugar alcohol like sorbet or erythritol) compound; colorless, odorless, syrupy consistency - 27 calories per teaspoon (sugar has 20), but 60% as sweet; ideal for Candida patients and diabetic-safe; no affect on insulin and doesn’t directly affect blood sugar levels; will not cause tooth decay like regular sugar
TYPES OF ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
(Remember, these are not food! They are CHEMICALS!)
Artificial sweeteners have several negative side effects, including tricking the body into desiring more calories. Real sugar allows your body to accurately determine that
it has received enough calories, thereby activating satiety signaling. Without the calories, your appetite is activated by the sweet taste, but as your body keeps waiting for the calories to come, you remain hungry. The research has repeatedly shown that artificial no- or low-calorie sweet-eners can stimulate your appetite, increase cravings for carbohydrates, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain.
May also cause weight gain because phenylalanine and aspartic acid – the two amino acids that make up 90% of aspartame
50% Phenylalanine: Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain cause serotonin levels to decrease, leading to emotional disorders like depression.
40% Aspartic Acid: considered an excito-toxin, it over stimulates certain neurons in the body until they die. Much like nitrates and MSG, aspartic acid can cause ami-no acid imbalances in the body and result in the interrup-tion of normal neurotransmitter metabolism of the brain (ADD, ADHD).
10% Methanol: When ingested, the methanol (wood alco-hol) is distributed throughout the body, (brain, muscle, fat and nervous tissues), and is then metabolized to form formaldehyde (embalming fluid), which enters cells and binds to proteins and genetic material (DNA). Methanol is a dangerous neurotoxin and a known carcinogen.
Rapidly stimulate the release of insulin and leptin; two hormones that are intricately involved with satiety and fat storage. Insulin and leptin are also the primary hormones that regulate metabolism.
Aspartame’s effects can be mistaken for Alzheimer’s dis-ease, chronic fatigue syndrome, epilepsy, Epstein-Barr virus, Huntington’s chorea, hypothyroidism, Lou Gehrig’s disease; Lyme disease, Ménière’s disease, multiple sclero-sis, and post polio syndrome.
Saccharine (Sweet N’ Low) - Benzoic Sulfilimine
700 times sweeter than sugar; no nutritional value; much sweeter than sucrose; has a bitter or metallic aftertaste
Made by combining anthranilic acid (used among other things as a corrosive agent for metal) with nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and ammonia.
First produced in 1878 by a chemist working on coal tar at Johns Hopkins University. After working with his com-pounds all day, he discovered that his hands tasted “sweet.” Later in 1906, the Director of the Bureau of Chemistry for the USDA felt saccharin should not be used in foods. In fact, he is quoted as saying, “[Saccharin is] a
coal tar product totally devoid of food value and extreme-ly injurious to health.”
In 1970, researchers discovered saccharine caused blad-der cancer in rats. Instead of taking off the market, FDA required a warning label; FDA tried to ban saccharine in 1972 but failed.
Sucralose (Splenda)
600 times sweeter than sugar
Additive created by chlorinating sugar.
The chemical structure of the chlorine in sucralose is al-most the same as that in the now-banned pesticide DDT
Not a "zero-calorie" sweetener. It contains dextrose and maltodextrin, which is a sugar, because it is so sweet.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health research reports:
- reduces the amount of good intestinal bacteria by 50 percent
- increases the intestinal pH level
- affects a glycoprotein that can have crucial health effects, particularly if you're on certain medications
Research shows sucralose can cause shrinking of the thy-mus gland, and liver and kidney dysfunction; reduces healthy intestinal bacteria.
Reported side effects: head and muscle aches, stomach cramps and diarrhea, bladder issues, skin irritation, dizzi-ness and inflammation
Used in the food industry for the last 15 years; primarily in baking
Least studied of all artificial sweeteners
May cause many different types of tumors (including lung tumors and breast tumors), various types of leukemia and chronic respiratory disease in the animals.
Contains a known carcinogen, methylene chloride (a liq-uid used to manufacture the sweetener)
Severe side effects when eaten for long periods of time: include headaches, depression, nausea, mental confu-sion, liver damage, kidney damage
7 Steps to Kissing Your Cravings Goodbye
How do we defend ourselves? Follow these SEVEN steps to say NO to your cravings.
Mar/Apr 2014 Issue—Page 20
Step 1: Turn off the TV! - How many of you watch TV… and the commercials? Does your mouth water when you see the hot, gooey, melting cheese pulling off the pizza? It’s okay, you can admit it. Advertising WORKS! It influ-ences your behavior, whether you want it to or not. Our BEST defense against sugar: Turn off the tube!
Step 2: Don’t have it in the house! - If it’s not there, you can’t eat it. Do you ever find yourself looking through the fridge or the pantry in the evening? What are you doing in there? What are you looking for? Don’t buy it and you won’t eat it. This tip ALONE has helped my clients reduce aimless snacking and cravings.
Step 3: Go to Sleep! - Ok, you turned off the TV and stopped looking in the fridge go to sleep, NOW! How many hours of sleep do you get each night? 8, 7, 6? Did you ever notice that you are hungrier when you are tired? Research shows that our appetites increase 25 percent when we’re tired. Why do you think that is? I talked about this earlier in this article. What do you crave when you’re tired? Sugar, caffeine, carbs! So go to sleep. And STAY asleep! Is something keeping you up at night? That’s important. If you wake up or can’t fall asleep -- talk to someone about it.
Step 4: Read the Labels - Manufacturers know this, so you have to be in charge of knowing how much sugar is in your food. Look for these guidelines:
- If sugar is the #1 ingredient - If sugar is listed many times (by different names) - If the product has a long list of ingredients we can’t pro-nounce
See the REFERENCE GUIDE in this article to understand what is on the label
Step 5: Crowd it out - “Crowd it out” means replace the sweets you eat with “real” food -- banana, nuts, berries, carrots. Don’t tell yourself you CAN’T have it… instead say, “I could have it, but first I’m going to eat “real” food and see what happens. You may find that you don’t want or need that cookie or ice cream afterwards – you’ve crowded out the craving.
You want to “crowd out” those simple carbs, refined sug-ars, foods stripped of nutrients, with complex, whole, real, nutrient-dense foods that give our body what it needs. Eat carbohydrates that appear in nature. These whole foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains will sustain you are the foods where we get our sustained energy and long-term health. Eat foods that love you back!
Step 6: Put Primary Food Back in Your Life - We all have cravings that aren’t categorized as food. For example, do
you crave balance in your life? Love? Family? This is what I call our “Primary Food.” Primary Food is NOURISH-MENT that doesn’t come on a plate. Get in touch with what you are “craving” that’s NOT FOOD and learn other ways to NOURISH YOURSELF – ways that don’t include food.
Create a NON-FOOD NOURISHING MENU for yourself. Maybe it includes: a nice warm bath, a massage, a walk or hike, shopping, reading, and playing with the kids or your dog. Take the time to do what do YOU LOVE TO DO.
Step 7: Get Support - It’s not easy to do all of this on your own. Getting support, understanding and guidance helps people succeed. When you understand the connection between what you eat, why you eat, and how you feel, you will be in control of your health and food choices, and on your way to enjoying a happier, healthier, more energetic life – one that is free of cravings and free of “emotional” eating.
You CAN make LASTING CHANGE. There’s so much to learn and so little time! If you’d like to learn more and understand your UNIQUE food connections, talk about your individual goals and concerns, take advantage of a FREE Discovery Session with me. (see contact info above)
So remember… when the sugar cravings hit, take these steps to beat them before the sugar blues get to you! After all, you’re sweet enough!
Jan/Feb 2014 Issue—Page 21
Roseann C. Borucki-Zaft is a Board Certi-fied Holistic Health and Wellness Practi-tioner. She is a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She has been is a Certified Fitness Trainer for over 15 years.
Roseann works with busy women and men that are looking to find more balance in their life. She helps her clients find solutions to fitness and food so they have more energy, manage stress better and learn how to LIVE FIT using her "one day at a time approach". Whether it is going through a 10-day detox, using pure essential oils, learning about food choices or incorporating functional weight training, golf fitness, Pilates, yoga, indoor cycling or water aerobics, Roseann creates an approach specific for her clients. Offering this diverse menu of services enables her to support her clients all the way to find the balance they need. Check out her website: www.livefit2day.com or email her directly: [email protected]
DISCLAIMER OF HEALTH CARE RELATED SERVICES—Roseann Borucki-Zaft, aka LIVEFIT llc, encourages you to continue to visit and to be treated by your healthcare professionals, including, without limitation, a naturopathic or traditional medical physician. LIVEFIT is not acting in the capacity of a doctor, licensed dietician-nutritionist, psychologist or other licensed or registered professional. LIVEFIT is not providing health care, medical or nutrition thera-py services and will not diagnose, treat or cure in any manner whatsoever any disease, condition or other physical or mental ailment of the human body.
Special thanks to Dr. Christian Tondora, NMD for her assistance and research for this article.