Slay the Sugar Monster in Four Doable Steps

'I’m happy to say that my sugar addiction days are long behind me and while I do still look longingly at a box of Dunkin Donuts, I pass them by the vast majority of the time when they are available at a party or meeting. While I do give in and eat one bite sized munchkin from time to time, I have found the hard way (refined sugar gives me such a nasty headache!) that choosing to eat none at all is far easier than indulging even just a bite or two!

So, how did I do it? How did I slay the sugar monster and keep it at bay for so many years?

Here’s the protocol. I’m sure there are other approaches that would work just fine too. Here’s what worked for me and has enabled me to stay sugar addiction-free for many years.'


Read more...

Read more »

WORLD’S MOST EXOTIC COOKING OILS

'Often touted as one of the pillars of a “healthy” kitchen, olive oil is the most widely used beneficial cooking oil. However, there are a wealth of other wholesome options that shouldn’t be overlooked. Say farewell to trans-fats, hydrogenated shortenings, and heavily saturated fats like palm oil…and make some room for some flavorful, unsaturated options in your pantry.


More and more exotic oils are popping up every day, making it easy to sample terroirs from around the world. Here, five that topped our taste test.'




Read more...

Read more »

9 Body Hacks to Naturally Increase Testosterone

Obesity, like diabetes, also appears to have a negative effect on testosterone levels, according to a new study. "The fact that almost one-third of the U.S. is obese, these observations have profound . . . public health implications," says Sandeep Dhindsa.

By Dr. Mercola

'Testosterone, a hormone produced primarily by the testicles, is often associated with the epitome of "manhood" (although women have testosterone, too).

Indeed, it does play a large role in male sexuality and reproduction, impacting such factors as sexual and reproductive function, muscle mass, and hair growth, but also has some less "flashy," albeit equally important, roles like maintaining bone density, levels of red blood cells and a sense of well-being.

Beginning around age 30, a man's testosterone levels begin to decline, and continue to do so as he ages.

A wide range of chemical exposures included prescribed drugs like statins, adversely impact testosterone production in men. At the same time, estrogen levels typically increase due to widespread exposures to estrogen-mimicking compounds in food, water and environmental pollutants.'

Read more... 

Read more »

High Fat Healing

'Some researchers speculate that the high fat intake helps repair the myelin sheath around the nerves, a structure that is damaged in such widely disparate conditions as multiple sclerosis and adreno-leuko-dystrophy (the illness shown in the movie "Lorenzo's Oil"). Children with seizures need to remain very strictly on the diet, with not even the slightest deviation towards carbohydrates, for about two years. After that time they can slowly widen their food intake somewhat.


At a time when low fat is the defining factor for "healthy" eating, I find it deliciously ironic that a high-fat diet could help with such a difficult problem as intractable seizures, and that it has been shown to be effective where drugs have failed. As someone once said, all food can be medicine, and all food can be poison; the secret is in using the right food at the right time. And there, my dear friends, lies the rub, and the reason for the many different prescriptions and recommendations in the dietary marketplace. It is essential that we keep an open mind.'




Read more...





span style="font-size: 100%;">

Read more »

Coconut Oil: The one saturated fat you should be eating

'Today, I want to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil, which has been prized as an Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Though ostracized in recent decades due to its “bad-for-you” saturated fat, science is finally convincing skeptical researchers that this ancient oil has unique and essential properties for optimal health.

 Do the tremendous benefits of coconut oil have to come at the price of significant risks to heart health? Read on as I explore the science behind this question. A Functional Food In Ayurveda, the coconut is considered a "functional food," meaning that beyond its many useful vitamins and nutrients, the coconut also functions as a medicine.

Namely, the oil of the coconut was revered, by many Asian cultures, as a “cure-all”. But in the west, with the discovery of cholesterol and its link to heart disease, all saturated fats (solid at room temperature) were deemed bad.

Thus, coconut oil received a bad reputation, even though it has unique health giving properties that rival the Omega 3's. So, how can something with such high saturated fat content be good for you?'

 Read more...

Read more »

Enjoy Saturated Fats, They’re Good for You!

'The medical establishment and government health authorities say that consumption of saturated animal fats is bad for us and causes heart disease. According to the lipid hypothesis – the label used for the diet-cholesterol theory of heart disease – saturated fats raise serum cholesterol levels, and high blood cholesterol causes obstructive plaques to form in arteries, called atherosclerosis. 

This pathologic process causes coronary heart disease and the need for coronary artery bypass surgery, which is what I do. Types and Structure of Fats 'Animals and tropical plants contain saturated fats while plants outside the tropics have mostly unsaturated fats. Saturated animal fats are in milk, meat, eggs, butter, and cheese. And tropical coconut and palm oil contain a lot of saturated fat. 

The food industry makes trans fats. They do this by shooting hydrogen atoms into polyunsaturated vegetable oils. This straightens out the fatty acid molecules and packs them closer together, giving vegetable oil so treated a solid texture like lard. Trans fats are used to make margarine, with yellow bleach added so it looks like butter. They are also used to prolong the shelf life of bakery products, snack chips, imitation cheese, and other processed foods.' 

Read more...

Read more »

Butter Versus Margarine Showdown

'It’s no secret that I’m a fan of butter. I love the way it tastes. I love the way it makes other foods taste. I love the way it melts, the rich creamy texture it imparts to delectable recipes, and I love that it is REAL. If I wanted to, I could put a cow out to lush, green pastures every day, milk it, and use my haul to create fresh butter in my own kitchen. I can’t create margarine in my kitchen.

Butter from grass-fed cows is arguably one of the best kinds of fats we can eat, but when you tell most people this they roll their eyes. Where’s the science to back that claim up? They ask. Everyone knows butter is bad, bad, bad for you. Don’t they?

Ah. Well now you can point them to a recent study which broke down the results of the 20 year Framingham Heart study, specifically comparing butter consumption to margarine consumption. Guess which tasty, spreadable fat wins?'

Read more...

Read more »