Trouble In The Basement – Digestive Enzymes To The Rescue

DOES YOUR GUT SCREAM NO EVERYTIME YOU LOOK
AT FOOD?

DO YOU NO LONGER EAT THE FOOD YOU LOVED AS
A YOUNGER PERSON?

DO YOU UNDO THE TOP BUTTON OF YOUR PANTS
AFTER EACH MEAL?

DO YOU SKIP SOCIAL EVENTS DUE TO THE
UNKNOWN?

Are these some of the issues that prevent you from enjoying life?  All the over the counter “cures” prove that this epidemic is on the rise and that more and  more people are turning to this type of help to deal with day to day pain and discomfort of their sluggish digestion.  The only issue is that this is simply a band aid solution to what’s really going on in your gut.

If you can relate to any of the above then believe me you’re not alone.

According to the MarketTools, Inc. survey, consumers report that poor digestive health impacts their lifestyles to the point where:

• 34 percent feel uncomfortable in social situations
• 32 percent experienced an embarrassing situation
• 23 percent have been depressed and lacked energy
• Nearly 20 percent avoid work or social situations altogether
• Nearly 20 percent limit physical activities/exercise
• 17 percent experience heartburn or abdominal pain more than five times a
  month

You see, I was one of those people who suffered day in and day out.  Who panicked every time I was in a social situation because I was afraid of the unknown?  Barely able to leave my home at times I thought I would never feel good again. Can you relate?

Take the Quiz and See If You Need Extra Help With Your Sluggish Digestion

 

	Yes	No
I feel bloated after a meal.
I get frequent heartburn.
I occasionally feel indigestion.
I experience gas attacks after I eat.
I use  Antacids to help combat my issues
I feel embarrassed about my situation.
I eat my food quickly or on the run.
I often feel low in energy.

 If you answered “Yes” to most of the above questions, you may need extra help to improve your digestion.

In the U.S alone more than 100 million people suffer from bowel problems or problems with digestion; and every year 15 million people visit their doctors with complaints of heartburn, sore throat, and indigestion or difficulty swallowing…all signs of reflux, a medical condition afflicting a growing number of people every year.

Antacid medications are big business. Huge advertising budgets are spent to convince us that indigestion or bowel problems is caused by too much stomach acid – and that alkalizing drugs are the solution.

This approach does provide temporary relief, but it’s more beneficial to corporate profits than it is to your health. And it’s based on a misconception.

That misconception is that by eliminating the acid in your stomach the problem you’ve been facing will disappear.  Not so!

How do I know?  I’m a sufferer too and for the past 19 years my colleague and I have been working with people who suffer with gut pain, gas and heartburn and we’ve had tremendous results in rebuilding the digestive system.

There’s a hidden reason why your problems with digestion is giving you a run for your money so read on.  If your digestive tract isn’t functioning well, neither are you.  If your body is not absorbing the nutrients from the diet you eat, you will not feel energized enough to do the simplest of things.  Think of it like this, would your car run if you didn’t take care of the engine?

In the U.S alone more than 100 million people suffer from bowel problems or problems with digestion; and every year 15 million people visit their doctors with complaints of heartburn, sore throat, and indigestion or difficulty swallowing…all signs of reflux, a medical condition afflicting a growing number of people every year.

Antacid medications are big business. Huge advertising budgets are spent to convince us that indigestion or bowel problems is caused by too much stomach acid – and that alkalizing drugs are the solution.

This approach does provide temporary relief, but it’s more beneficial to corporate profits than it is to your health. And it’s based on a misconception.

That misconception is that by eliminating the acid in your stomach the problem you’ve been facing will disappear.  Not so!

How do I know?  I’m a sufferer too and for the past 19 years my colleague and I have been working with people who suffer with gut pain, gas and heartburn and we’ve had tremendous results in rebuilding the digestive system.

There’s a hidden reason why your problems with digestion is giving you a run for your money so read on.  If your digestive tract isn’t functioning well, neither are you.  If your body is not absorbing the nutrients from the diet you eat, you will not feel energized enough to do the simplest of things.  Think of it like this, would your car run if you didn’t take care of the engine?

WHY THE NEED FOR ENZYMES SUPPLEMENTS?

Digestion, the second of the Six Stages of Nutrition, is the process by which complex foods are broken down into simpler substances that the body uses for energy and tissue building. Intestinal enzymes are required to complete the digestive process, but poor eating practices–such as eating too much, too fast–can overburden the intestinal enzyme supply.

HERE’S 3 GOOD REASONS TO TAKE ENZYMES:

1.      To support optimal digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

2.      To help maximize nutrient availability and absorption.

3.      To help alleviate distressful symptoms of indigestion at times when irregular or unhealthy eating patterns overburden the body’s enzyme supply.

 ENZYMES “KEYS” UNLOCK NUTRIENTS FROM FOOD

How does a meal get broken down into nutrients small enough to be absorbed and utilized by your cells?

The answer is digestion, the process by which complex foods (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) are broken down into simpler substances (amino acids, simple sugars, and fatty acids, respectively). Digestion, the second step in the six stages of nutrition, begins in the mouth with chewing. It ends in the intestines as enzymes finish preparing nutrients for absorption into the bloodstream and subsequent circulation throughout the body as needed.

Enzymes function as biocatalysts, inducing chemical changes in other substances while remaining unchanged themselves.

Special cells in the pancreas manufacture enzymes intended to act in the intestines and secrete them into chyme (partially digested food from the stomach). These enzymes do their work in the intestines, digesting complex foods into smaller nutritional building blocks.

Just as keys are necessary to unlock doors, intestinal enzymes are required to release nutrients from foods so they can be absorbed and utilized by the body. Three types of enzymes must all be present for complete digestion to occur:

1. Proteases break proteins into amino acids.

2. Amylases break carbohydrates into simple sugars.

3. Lipases break lipids (fats) into fatty acids.

If even one of these enzymes is not present in sufficient quantities, complete digestion cannot take place.

food choices.  In addition, many people experience a natural decline in enzyme production as they age.Irregular or unhealthy eating patterns, such as overeating during holiday meals, rushing through business lunches, or consuming greasy “fast foods,” can cause digestive distress. Eating too much or too fast can overburden the body’s enzyme supply. So, too, can poor food choices.  In addition, many people experience a natural decline in enzyme production as they age.

All of these situations can cause incomplete digestion, which in turn can result in wasted nutrients and painful symptoms of indigestion, such as gas and bloating.

IMPORTANT ENZYMES BECOME PH-ACTIVATED IN THE INTESTINES

Once food enters the intestines, various enzymes become activated at specific pH levels found throughout the intestinal tract. Here the enzymes perform crucial digestive roles to release different nutrients, rather like workers on a “disassembly” line in which all must be present to do the job completely and correctly.

All of these situations can cause incomplete digestion, which in turn can result in wasted nutrients and painful symptoms of indigestion, such as gas and bloating.

IMPORTANT ENZYMES BECOME PH-ACTIVATED IN THE INTESTINES

Once food enters the intestines, various enzymes become activated at specific pH levels found throughout the intestinal tract. Here the enzymes perform crucial digestive roles to release different nutrients, rather like workers on a “disassembly” line in which all must be present to do the job completely and correctly.

SURVIVING THE STOMACH’S ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR ENZYMES

Enzymes are built from amino acids. As such, they are susceptible to many of the same factors that break down proteins.

The acidic environment of the stomach is ideal for protein digestion…and catastrophic for enzyme activity! For this reason, many enzyme supplements intended to work in the intestines are inactive by the time they make it through the stomach.  Only enzyme supplements that take stomach acid into account in their design can deliver enzymes that have retained their potency.

 DON’T DESPAIR! THERE’S HELP FOR YOUR TUMMY WOES

 Tips to help you:

Don’t chew gum.  When you chew gum your body thinks there’s food coming down and starts to get ready to digest it. Only there’s no food coming and all the organs that are responsible in the digestion process do all that work for nothing.

Chew your food.  Chewing your food properly helps in the digestion process.  If you’re a person that eats on the run this is likely to cause you indigestion so take some time to prepare your meals and enjoy your food.

Stay away from ice water.  Drinking really cold water stops the digestive system from working at its optimum. In fact drinking with your meal dilutes the stomach acid and prevents digestion from taking place. 

 Eat your food without any distraction from the TV or phone

 If these things don’t work for you, you could need extra help.

 How can a top quality Enzyme supplement help you?  It’s simple really! 

 An Enzyme supplement should have 3 ingredients:

 1. Proteases break proteins into amino acids.

2. Amylases break carbohydrates into simple sugars.

3. Lipases break lipids (fats) into fatty acids.

If even one of these enzymes is not present in sufficient quantities, complete digestion cannot take place.

Of course the ingredients should all be natural and the product regulated no matter what country you reside in.  If it’s not, don’t buy it.   When a product isn’t government protected you are taking your life into your own hands as there could also be a chance of cross contamination with another product with ingredients that could be considered banned substances.  Put it this way, would you jump out of plane without checking to see if you have a parachute!

The product should also be backed by a group of scientist and go through strict quality control, providing the consumer with a money-back guarantee.

Finally, the product you choose should be enteric coated. This insures that it can withstand the stomach acid, an extremely harsh environment.  By the product being enteric coated it can go directly where it’s needed into the intestine.  Thus, helping with gas and bloating and allowing the enzymes to help digestion.

Don’t worry if this overwhelms you as we’ve done all the homework for you in this very technical area. For the past 20 years there’s only one company and one product that I would trust with my life.  A company that continues to meet and exceed people’s expectations backed by science based in nature.

FOR AS LITTLE AS 27 CENTS A DAY YOU COULD BE EXPERIENCING BETTER DIGESTION.

1.      Imagine the feeling of going out for a night on the town and not worrying whether or not you’ll be faced with the dreaded gurgle in the gut.  Gas rolling around and everyone can hear it.

2.      Imagine not having to undo the top button on your pants after a meal.

3.      Imagine eating all your favourite foods and not paying the gas price later. 

To start rebuilding your digestion system is easy all you do is start by taking one tablet of Digestive Enzymes at the beginning of your largest meal of the day, though you can take up to three with each meal if needed.

The interesting thing about taking digestive enzymes is that some people will experience immediate results but don’t worry if that person is not you.  With others it can take a little longer and the great thing about digestive enzymes is that itcontains only natural ingredients that assist your bodies own enzymes to more easily and completely digest the food you eat.  The ingredients in Digestive Enzymes are considered safe and non habit forming. 

That’s why I’m offering this powerful digestive aid at an introductory low price of just 27 cents a day.  That’s right for just 27 cents a day you could be on the road to better health.  Imagine how relieved you’ll be to have 180 tablets of gut relieving joy! Depending on your situation and how much you require this could be as much as a 6 month supply or a 2 months’ supply.  A steal of a deal!

JUST TO RECAP THE SEVEN REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

1.      For 27 cents a day you could be on the road to better digestion.

2.      We’ve taken all the guess work out and done the research for you.  This company is more than 50 years old with its roots in nature backed by science.

3.      Digestive Enzymes help you digest carbohydrates, fats, and proteins — all three of the major food components.

4.      From the first day you take it, Digestive Enzymes will aid in the natural process of digestion – by eliminating the gas and bloating you’ve been experiencing.

5.      It’s easy to take — only one tablet with your meal in most cases works for people.

6.      Not only is Digestive Enzymes designed to offer relief from occasional bloating, gas, or discomfort, but it also help you derive more nutritional value from the foods you eat.  If you’re not digesting your food you’re not absorbing the nutrients.

7.      This Digestive Enzymes is enteric coated, which means it can withstand the stomach acid and go directly into the intestine where it’s needed to do its very specific job. 

Now you know why this product is so exciting and why I was ecstatic to find it.  To place your order or for more information, call  416-937-7875.  Don’t delay; every day that you waste is a day without better, more enjoyable digestion.  Look better, feel better and live better with Digestive Enzymes.

Want to contact me…go ahead and fill out the info below!

Name(required)

Email(required)

Website

Comment(required)

Submit

Δ

Spread The News:

How do you stop acid reflux?  Is taking an antacid your perfect solution? Find out ways to prevent acid reflux before it hits you.

What triggers acid reflux?
Acid reflux is when there’s a backflow of stomach contents upward into the esophagus which causes a burning sensation. Often so unbearable to live with it can keep you up all night or propped up with multiple pillows just to keep the burning at bay.

Think about some of the things you’ve eaten today or perhaps the things you’re about to eat.  All of these foods contain seven basic components; Carbohydrates, simple/complex, proteins, fats, vitamins, fiber and water.

The body’s goal is to digest food and use it to keep you alive.  It’s the process where simple foods are broken into simpler substances, which the body then uses for energy and tissue building.

So what happens when the food you eat cause you discomfort?  Well, a couple of things can happen, you can get heartburn, feel bloated, sore throat, indigestion or even worse you have to deal with the f word…flatulence!

The lining of the stomach protects it from the effects of its own acids but because the esophagus lacks a similar protective lining, stomach acid that refluxes into it causes pain, inflammation and eventually damage.  It can hit you at any time without warning.

In an article published in the Toronto Star, “Study links cancer to heartburn.”

The article states that sufferers can be 8 times more likely to develop cancer of the esophagus.  “Physicians and patients need to be more aware of this” warns Dr. Norman Marcon, a prominent Toronto gastroenterologist.

Reflux is extremely common, with an estimated one in four adults experiencing heartburn at least once a month.  Having the occasional bout of heartburn carries little threat of cancer.  But doctors in Stockholm found the risk was about eight times higher in people who experienced heartburn once a week.  If reflux occurred at night the risk was 11 times higher. 

These finding are published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

“Cancer of the esophagus remains relatively rare”, says Dr. Marcon, “and the over-all risk of developing the disease remains low.  But the disease is frighteningly deadly.”

Acid reflux facts.

Many people believe that indigestion results from excess stomach acid, an assumption that is understandable given the “burning sensation” which accompanies stomach distress.  As we age our stomach acid depletes and so we don’t digest as well. Therefore, acid insufficiency, is a much more common cause of indigestion.  Without ample acid, food cannot be fully digested, absorbed or utilized. 

The problem doesn’t end there, nutritional deficiencies can result if not enough stomach acid is present to promote the absorption of key nutrients, such as calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin B12.  

Chronic use of antacids makes an already under active stomach even weaker and only address the symptoms of indigestion.  Proteins and minerals become increasingly difficult to break down and absorb.  Bodily tissues can be starving for these vital substances even though one may by consuming them.  The promoters of antacids don’t tell you that their products may actually contribute to degenerative diseases.

Curing acid reflux.

I suffered with heartburn and indigestion for years. Even as a young child I can remember the burning sensation in the back of my throat.  I would even avoid eating certain foods which I knew would make me suffer.  I had dark circles around my eyes and looked lethargic all the time.  After doing some research I realized that it made more sense to strengthen that weakness than it did to stifle its symptoms. 

I was very fortunate and was able to find a natural acid reflux cure a digestive aid which was formulated to address the causes of improper digestion.  It supports the body’s natural digestive processes with hydrochloric acid and enzymes that break down milk and sugar.  It releases hydrochloric acid in the stomach at a controlled rate similar to natural gastric secretion. 

The result…a more effective digestion through a supplement that is safe and well absorbed.  18 years later, I’m still taking these supplements and have never felt better. No more heartburn, indigestion, burping, bloating or gas.  

My years of taking every antacid pill and liquid are long gone!

The Affects Of Stress

What Causes Stress

Stress is the natural response to danger, Fight or flight.  For instance, if we were still cavemen and we were out hunting the body would send a signal to the brain to say we need more energy to run…fight or flight mode.

Today, we go through the same process but unlike the caveman, our stress is constant.  We’re not getting rid of it.

There are different types of stress, for instance physical stress is extreme heat, extreme cold, malnutrition, menopause, exposure to drugs, just to name a few.  Emotional stress is love, anger, tension, grief, anxiety, internal stress, overeating, fatigue and lack of sleep.  When we’re stressed we don’t sleep well and we tend not to eat well either. We also have a new stress called Techno stress.  Cell phones, lap tops, Blackberry’s.  All these things invade our relaxation time and work never ends. We no longer have any down time, we are always connected. However, some stress is needed in our lives as it’s self motivating but too much is detrimental to our health.

Physical symptoms of stress:

Stress causes changes in our bodies, for instance when we’re stressed our digestive system shuts down.  How many times have you heard when people are so stressed that they actually have a gut ache.

Some symptoms of stress are, headaches, lack of concentration, high blood pressure, diahrrea, dizziness, loss of appetite or eat all the time. You use food as a comfort.  Stress can actually cause fertility problems in women as it takes away the ability to ovulate and conceive. High stress affects the nervous system and glandular system.

The intake of proper nutrition are pillars that hold the body together to cope with stress.  How do you handle the stress of life?  Well, you need to supply your body all the nutrients of life.  Carbohydrates, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, lipids and sterols as well as protein.  Because health is only as strong as it’s weakest link, if your missing one of the links you don’t absorb the rest as well.

When under stress you may crave sugar, junk food or you don’t eat at all.   Perhaps, your just trying to get by day by day.

Some of the challenges beyond our control when dealing with stress are food supply challenges.  Vegetables are sprayed with pesticides and chemicals, our grain is processed and no longer has the good oils.  We skip meals and eat junk food.  Too much stress can leave you vulnerable to disease and fatigue.  If your tired all the time your body is telling you there’s something wrong, somethings out of balance, it’s just not happy.

When the body is stressed, the brain fires up and the Pituitary gland secrets a hormone  which sends a signal to the adrenal glands to start secreting homones.  The liver releases glucose and cholesterol. I wonder if the medical community is actually looking at stress levels in individuals with high cholesterol.  Also, blood pressure increases the kidneys release sodium and blood vessels constrict.

The immune system shuts down and your muscles can’t absorb protein. Stress is responsible for 80% of all major illnesses and promotes free radical damage to the cells.

Tips for stress relief:

Identify the negative things happening.  Craving bread, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, watching too much TV, emotional outburst, wallow in self helplessness, shop to fill a void.

Fix it with a positive.  Exercise can help relieve stress and is great for blood sugar levels, even going for a walk is good for you, it doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise.  Meditation, relaxation, daily sunshine 15 minutes a day is great to get some of that Vitamin D.  Pets are wonderful to help relieve stress.  Enjoy a stress management course and ignore your e-mail and phone in the evening.  Take time for yourself, have a massage and clean up your diet.

For information on a natural supplement for stress, simply drop me a line and I will send you some free valuable information.

Heavy Metals Found In Your Favourite Protein Shakes

People often ask me why the protein I use has only 22g of protein in it.  They say it’s too little.  What they fail to realize is that you can only absorb 22g in one sitting and it’s not just about the amount of protein but how much of that will be absorbed.  I always say it’s buyer beware out there.  Folks that work in your neighborhood health food store don’t necessarily know the difference and will only sell you what they feel is the ideal protein.

People will look at the grams instead of the amino acid content and think just because it’s loaded with protein that more is better and this one has to be the best protein powder. 

Well if you use EAS protein powder, Myoplex protein shake is also another name or even Muscle Milk protein powder, this video is for you.  These are just a few protein drinks tested and found to have harmful heavy metals contained in the powders.  It’s time to realize that these things slip through the cracks and you cannot leave your health to these companies and feel they have your best interest at heart.

Because protein shakes are considered food they are not monitored by the government.  Products that are monitored by the government will have a NHP number dislplayed on the label.  Remember, it costs the company more money to go ahead and take the initiative to have these product regulated.

Knowing this information I’ve always purchased my protein from a reputable company whose protein goes through strenuous tests to make sure that there are no heavy metals or things in it that don’t need to be.  If I’m feeding this to my kids it’s of the utmost importance that my products are governed.  We even have a pharmaceutical licence which ensures that these products aren’t sold if they don’t meet the most stringent requirements.

It’s your choice. 

Enjoy the video and if you want information on the best protein supplement simply contact me.

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-ca&from=customplayer_en-ca_lifestyle&fg=ca.msn.com&vid=dd3dce8d-5ca2-4ee8-b043-6e4cea94bb8c

Help! I’ve Eaten Too Much And I Can’t Get Up…

The joys of overeating

With the holiday season approaching how many times will you be saying this?  Will your gut scream Nooooooooooooo!!! every time there’s more turkey, potatoes and stuffing piled on your plate and as you sit on the couch looking like an inflated balloon ready for someone to poke you to let the gas out.

Heartburn, belching, gas or even worse, are simply some of the most embarrassing problems I can think of.

Its a growing epidemic and you know that by all the over the counter stuff there is to try and aid you in your digestion health problems.

Understanding Digestion

There are 6 stages to digestion, diet, digestion, absorption, circulation, assimilation and the big one, elimination. Sorry no pun intended 🙂

I’ve had digestive issues all my life and it’s been so much fun….not!  However, I had parents who did the right thing with the knowledge they had.  I visited doctors and specialists who simply told me, after having all those wonderful tests done, that they couldn’t do anything for me and it’s just the way I would have to live.  I was in my early teens at the time and then went back in my twenties for more of the same. 

It wasn’t until later on in life, at the ripe old age of 26, did I start understanding digestion and what was really going on. I thought by taking all the over the counter stuff that I was really helping myself and the cause of whatever was going on.  The truth was it was simply a band aid solution.  Feeling sick all the time because you never know when your about to have “an episode” is a terrible feeling.   

Antacid medications are big business. Huge advertsing budgets are spent to convince us that indigestion is caused by too much stomach acid – and that alkalizing drugs are the solution.  This approach does provide temporary relief, but it is more beneficial to corporate profits than it is to your health.  And it is based on a misconception.

The most frequent cause of indigestion is too little stomach acid, not, too much. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach serves two main purposes:

1.  It converts the inactive digestive enzyme, pepsinogen, into its active form, pepsin.

2.  It sterilizes bacteria and putrefactive byproducts of digestion.  Without enough of this valuable acid, food cannot be digested properly.  It stays in the stomach for prolonged periods, fermenting away and producing increasing amounts of gas.

Taking an antacid at this point alkalizes the stomach contents, causing them to be dropped into the small intestine.  There they continue to ferment, still producing gas.

Noting has happened to improve digesting.  Quite the contrary.  This drastic measure halts any further digestion and merely relocates the symptom – by exchanging stomach gas for intestinal gas (which is less socially acceptable). Unless, your a group of guys watching the Super Bowl.

Intestinal gas (flatulence) is actually far more than a social problem.  In the passing of wind, some of the breakdown products of putrefaction and rancidity may be absorbed from the intestinal tract into the bloodstream.  There they can circulate throughout the body, adding an extra burden to other organs of excretion (such as kidneys, lungs and skin).

If hydrochloric acid levels are very low, sometimes the emptying time of the stomach is delayed for so long that bile is regurgitated backward from the duodenum into the stomach. 

Bile is very caustic.  It can even irritate the stomach lining to the point of causing ulcers.  Because bile is alkaline, it causes a reflex secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.  This may be experienced as a burning sensation.  Taking and antacid will relieve the burn of course.  The stomach only became overacidic after the bile had been regurgitated into it.

If there had been enough hydrochloric acid when it was needed, no burning sensation would have been experienced.

Chronic use of antacids makes an already uneractive stomach even weaker.  Proteins and minerals become increasingly difficult to break down and absorb.  Bodily tissues can be starving for these vital substances even though one may be consuming copius amounts of them.  The promoters of antacid drugs do not tell you that their products may actually contribute to degenerative diseases.

Fortunately, there is a better way. Indigestion is a symptom of digestive weakness.  It makes more sense to strengthen that weakness than it does to stifle its symptoms.

 Tips To help Banish Burp And Bloat

1.  Never drink with meals.  the worst is ice cold beverages before or after meals.  The stomach lining cells secrete hydrochloric acid (HCL), but when you drink ice cold beverages you freeze the lining so you cannot secrete HCL.  It’s best to drink a half hour before or after a meal.

2.  Don’t eat when stressed.  Try to listen to relaxing music and avoid stressful topics.

3. Chew your food well.  Chewing stimulates the release of enzymes.  It is much harder to digest if not chewed properly.

4.  Food combining is helpful in severe cases.  For instance never eat fruit with a meal.  it should be eaten on its own.  protein and carbohydrates should be kept seperate.

5.  Never overeat!

6.  Minimize spices.  They can be irritants.

7.  Avoid alcohol, vinegar, coffee and tea before during and after a meal for at least 30 minutes as they stop digestion.

Extra Help

These tips really helped me, however, it wasn’t enough and realized that I was in deep need of rebuilding my digestive system.  I was fortunate enough that I was able to find products that really worked for me and have continued to do so for the past 18years.  I’ve rebuilt a tired digestive system to the point where these digestive aids can be taken when needed not all the time as they’re not drugs.  I’m greatful for finding such great products, products that have helped me and counless others.  I’m not sure what I would have done or in what state I’d be in had I not had the sense to research more than what the medical community was telling me. 

Look after your body, after all it’s the only one we have!

Solar Cell Battery Charger To The Rescue!

I love the outdoors and at any given time you can find me on a soccer field watching and enjoying games. At least four times a year the competitive team I coach will travel to tournaments where it’s not uncommon to be there all weekend.

Recently, I went into complete panic mode when I noticed that my cell phone, actually it’s a Crack Berry had run out of battery power during our first game of the tourney.  Of course there’s no where to charge the darn thing and the thought of not being able to be reached gives me a hollow feeling in my gut.  Now, no one could reach me in case of emergency and how in the world could I live without my BB! sigh!

I know what you’re saying…you could have charged it in the car. However, the reality was my car was parked a ways a way from the field and charging in the car would mean turning the car on in order for the phone to receive the power needed to do it’s thing.

After living without my cell phone that day and going through the withdrawals of feeling disconnected, I thought I would check out the benefits of solar energy and never be without power again! lol!

It was time to invest in a solar cell battery charger.  I actually ended up purchasing two of them, one’s an IPod solar charger and the other for my BB.  They come with all the attachments not just BB’s and all you have to do is leave in the sun and let it do the rest.

IPod Charger on Left Cell Charger on Right

I have to admit, I feel a lot better knowing that I’ll never be without cell power again.  If anything it’s peace of mind knowing that if someone want’s to get hold of me I’ll never be switched off again.  One of the other benefits, albeit small, is I’m doing my part to go Green by not draining the earths energy supply.  Hey, it might even be something to put on your hiking gear checklist and great for people that travel a lot as you won’t need an international adapter,  just the sun.

The size of them as you can see from the picture is small and compact and can fit in any glove compartment or purse.

From now on I won’t have to worry about my cell phone dying and I’ll be reachable no matter what the need is. Running out of cell phone power will be a non issue and all because of my new little solar cell battery charger.

Too Tired To Move? – How To Beat Fatigue

How do you beat fatigue?  Fatigue can range from minor to debilitating where functioning through the day can just seem like an uphill battle.

You may already recognize the signs of fatigue and now your just trying to cope and hopefully get through another day feeling a little less tired than you have been.

So, lets start with the symptoms.

Some of the symptoms that may be affecting you are aching muscles and joints, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, fever, headaches, low blood pressure, intestinal problems and pain, irritability, loss of appetite, mood swings, muscle spasms, upper respiratory tract infections, nasal congestion, candida, sensitivity to light and heat, sleep disturbances, night sweats, sore throats, swollen glands (lymph nodes) and extreme fatigue.

Being overweight can also make you feel tired.  Carrying all that extra weight takes a toll on every part of your body, especially the joints.

Losing the weight can help with you feel a sense of rejuvenation not to mention your knees will thank you…ten fold.

Finding out why you are feeling fatigued is the first step.  How to beat fatigue is the next step.

When you decide that your sick and tired of feeling sick and tired that’s the first sign to taking your life into your own hands and taking the first steps to feeling better.  Of course these first steps are often the hardest.  It could be as simple as you making some lifestyle changes to boost your energy level.

Here are some suggestions for you to try:

Get A Good Nights Sleep

I cannot stress how important this is.  Sleeping allows the body to detoxify.  It allows  you to feel refreshed in the morning waking with a clear head to face the day and whatever challenges it may bring you.  The other alternative, not getting a good nights sleep, leaves your feeling cranky, snapping at every little thing that takes place.

Getting into a regular sleep pattern is the answer to better health.  Going to bed at a relatively decent hour every night means routine for your body…something it likes.

Clean Up Your Diet

If your not a fan of eating breakfast now would be a good idea to change.  Eating a well balanced breakfast is a great start to the day and can keep your blood sugar stable for hours giving you energy to get through the morning.

Watch how many empty carbohydrates your consuming.  Look more toward the complex carbs which take longer to break down in the body again giving you sustained energy.  Those cookies and chips will not only add to the waistline but will have you looking for more to eat sooner than later.

Drink plenty of good clean purified water.  This also helps with you feeling satisfied and is a good alternative to coffee or soda which gives you a sense of energy for a short time and then has you hitting rock bottom after the sugar rush has subsided.

Exercise

Yikes, I can almost hear you sigh as soon as you read the heading.

Something as simply as walking vigorously 3 times a week can do wonders for beating fatigue and stress.  Quite often where’s there’s fatigue there’s stress.

Invest In Nutritional Supplements

Boosting your immune system is a great way to beat fatigue. During the summer months people often think that they don’t need to supplement simply because they eat better.

Well the reality is is that because of where our food comes from nowadays and the fact that there’s preservatives in almost everything we eat, we still need to fill the nutritional gap.

Taking a multi-vitamin is a good first step as well as a protein shake.  There’s a lot of “stuff” out there so it’s buyer beware.  If you live in Canada, always look for a DIN number, this will insure that the company you choose to do business with is regulated in Canada.

The guidelines that company’s have to abide by can save you some disappointment in the long run.  Make sure that these supplements don’t come with outrageous claims.  If it looks too good to be true, chances are it’s too good to be true.

I Can Only Tell You What I Know

As for me, well I’ve been taking a great multi-vitamin for the last 18 years made from whole food ingredients.  These whole foods come from our human food chain, not tree bark or pond scum.  And while you may shudder at the thought, those ingredients are really in the supplement on store shelves.

The company I choose to associate myself with have been around for the last 52 years priding themselves in the field of nutrition and making the best quality food supplements.
What’s the difference between my multi-vitamin and yours?  Quite honestly, an ingredient called Lipids and Sterols or essential fatty acids.  These lipids and sterols have been stripped from our food supply simply because it enables any item that’s made from wheat to stay on the shelves a lot longer.  We need these oils for our cells to feel energized and rejuvenated.

I can’t tell you how many great stories I’ve heard with regard to this product.  After 52 years It would have to be great and be able to withstand the test of time.

Top 5 Things To Look For When Choosing Your Supplements!

How do you choose the best supplements for you and your family?

Here are my top 5 things to look for:

1. What are they made from? Is it made from whole foods and not just “natural” sources such as petroleum, tree bark, pond scum, saline gas or oyster shells? Are the products regulated in the country you live in? Most products in health foods stores are not regulated.

2. Does the Company have a Scientific Advisory Board or just a good-looking doctor who endorses the products? Are these scientists involved in research and development of the products? Does the company have their own labs and manufacturing facilities?

3. Is the company involved with organizations around the world such as the World Health Organization, the New York Academy of Sciences, Center of Disease Control, etc?

4. Do they have independent studies published on their products in peer-reviewed scientific journals such as American Journal of Clinical Nutrition? Are there any clinical studies done on humans on what the products do at the cellular level?

5. Do the products work?

If you answered Yes to the above, then you’ve obviously done your research.  Kudos to you for taking the time to do so. If you answered NO then it’s time for you to take action and start taking charge of your health.

Cheap Vitamin Supplements?

Ok, so I have some issues…some may agree! LOL

My beef is cheap vitamin supplements.

Let’s face it, there’s alot to be said about today’s vitamin supplement market.  You can walk into any large department store or pharmacy and be dazzled by the sheer amounts of choices.  Often times it can also leave you scratching your head buying purely by price, not by the value it will bring to you.

Bright color labels, ingredients no one can pronounce, tablets, gel caps, chelated, non chelated are just some of the terms swooshing around in your head and your expected to make a decision based on the fact that regardless of the cost we expect the product to perform and perform well. 

Oh but hold on…I can get that on sale you say!

Being in the health and wellness industry is a struggle at times.  Knowing that there are many brands of cheap vitamin supplements out there my job becomes one of getting folks to see the value in the product that I recommend based on the ones that are in the store. When it comes down to buying a sale item rather than ones that are filled with benefits and people are seeing the benefits of, well it’s a constant pulling of teeth to make other see what I do.

There are some buzz words that have been around lately like resveratrol, antioxidants, leutine, carotenoids, whole food supplements just to name a few.  Of course the “old” ones are still around like vitamin C, D, E but how do you know the amounts to take and does natural really mean just that and is more better.

It can be hard to compete with those store bought brands, however the first thing I normally ask people are, do you feel any different taking those supplements?  Often people will stop and think and say no.  Well in all honesty, if your not feeling some sort of benefits then why would you continue to take the product.

The reality is, people know that they should do something.  People are a lot more savvy then they used to be where prevention is concerned and in some cases it’s a matter of knowing that they should do something but not knowing where to get the correct information from.

I made mention of the natural factor.  There are numerous products that have the label natural on it.  But did you know that in order for a product to be “natural” it just means the ingredients have come from the earth.  Algae (pond scum) is natural and so is petroleum and both these are used in our supplements. Leutine is taken from a weed and used in a well known product that my eye doctor promotes.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t sit down to a bowl of pond scum and I gave up eating weeds a long time ago. 🙂

These items are used because of the cost factor involved.  If and item is on sale for $4.99 how much do you really think they’ve invested in the ingredients…$10.00.  I think not!  Companies are not in the business of losing money for your health.

 If I want supplements that are whole food then I want them to come from things that are from the human food chain.  After all, that’s what I eat.  Fruits, vegetables, fish, wheat, soy, whole foods.

Ask yourself this, if what you’re taking is not doing what you hoped for then how much money are you wasting?  We take for granted that these products are the best and we also have no issues giving our children cheap vitamin supplements and don’t question what’s on the label or if what they say is on the label is genuinely on the label.  We do all that on an honor system.

A few years back there was an article in the newspaper called Blind Trust.  The University of Guelph took well known supplements and tested them.  What they found was astounding.  Ingredients that weren’t there and in some cases ingredients that were in the item and shouldn’t have been or weren’t listed on the label.  Warnings were also missing.

So, when I say I have issues with cheap vitamin supplements I feel I am justified in doing so and take very seriously the fact that we really don’t know what we’re getting when we make a purchase.

Avoid this by doing your homework or find someone like me who can help you make the right choices and guide you in the right direction.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life

Courtesy of Women's Health Magazine

I love to read and in this months issue of Women’s Health Magazine there is a great article titled, “words to eat by”. 

It’s four pages of tid bits of information that we can all digest.  Sometimes the toughtest things to read are articles that seem to drone on forever repeating over and over again what could have been summed up in the first two paragraphs.

Here are some of the things that this article has to offer. 

Squeeze lemon and lemon zest over food for a whole lot of flavor.  I’ve only just started using lemon zest on food and boy does it give food a great taste.  Combine that with some olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and you have yourself a great salad dressing.

Where’s the beef?  Beef gives you considerably more zinc, iron, and B12 than chicken does.  No need to convince me to eat beef, however, I would still limit the amount of servings per week due to the saturated fats.  Of course, vegetables should be the bulk of your meal and no this doesn’t include the potato. 

Not a fan of flaxseed?  Try pumpkin or sunflower seeds-two more great sources of healthy fats and some fiber, says HW contributor Keri Glassman, R.D., author of The O2 Diet.

Look at the nutrition facts and the ingredients list which has more of an explanation than what the front of the box may say.  Low fat can often mean high in sugar.  Remember the ingredients list is written with the highest amounts first.  Example, if sugar is listed first that ingredient is more than anything else in that food which probably means you should stay away from it.

Spice up you life!  Look for spices that add some zing to your food.  Try a spice you haven’t tried before to spice up your food and give your palate a work out.  Adding spices can replace other ingredients in you receipe and they also have many health benefits.  Adding fresh herbs are flavorful and smell great!

When creating snacks for yourself, go for a complex carb and a protein.  The complex carb breaks down at a slower rate in the body and a long with the protein means you’ll be satisfied longer.  Let’s just say you won’t be looking for a rice cake…

Don’t eliminate a whole food group.  Eating a balanced meal that consists of both carbs and protein is the way to go.  Eat in moderation and don’t forget to drink good, clean filtered water to cleanse the body and also help get rid of unwanted fat.  

Relax when you eat.  I often see people that are always rushing around when they eat.  Food is meant to be enjoyed, savoured and appreciated.  Our fast paced lifestyles has given way to actually sitting and enjoying our meals and our families.

Lastly, enjoy everything in moderation.  Eat a diverse diet and try new and exciting things.  I’ve found that my family loves it when the same old becomes something new.  Half the battle is knowing what to cook and there are so many exciting receipes on line that its not hard to find great tasting healthy food to eat.  Remember, if you feel like you’re not getting all the nutrients you need bridge that nutrtional gap with a supplement.

For the entire article pick up the November issue of Women’ Health.  There’s lots of great info in there.