Karen Warwick RHN
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​questions answered

The Benefits of Sprouts

1/22/2022

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Here's a quote by Dona Bradley, CSNN director in Nanaimo about the power of sprouts:
Sprouts represent the point of greatest vitality in the life cycle of a plant.  During sprouting, vitamin and enzyme content increases dramatically.  The sprouting process predigests the nutrients of the seed, legume or grain, making it easier to assimilate and metabolize.

Here's 10 Things About Sprouts:
  1. Sprouts are easier to digest than beans or seeds.
  2. Sprouts are cooling foods.
  3. Sprouts detoxify the body especially the liver.
  4. Sprouts support the kidneys, large intestine and stomach.
  5. Sprouts are tonifying for the blood.
  6. Broccoli sprouts contain a concentrated source of sulforaphane which is an anti-cancer compound.
  7. 1 once of broccoli sprouts contains more suforaphane than two pounds of broccoli.
  8. In the process of sprouting, seeds attain higher levels of protein, sugar, enzymes, hormones, vitamin C, and some B vitamins.
  9. Sprouts are low in fat and calories.
  10. To ensure the environment is not contaminated it is better to make your own sprouts than to buy them.  It's also much cheaper!

​SOURCE: ​The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, ​Rebecca Wood, Penguin Books, New York, 2010.
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The Wonderful Benefits of Oats

1/16/2022

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You may have noticed that all the second breakfast (or dessert) recipes contain oats.  You may be asking yourself ‘what’s with all these oatmeal recipes?’ There are a few reasons why I have chosen them:

Firstly, you can have your second breakfast ready to go in 5 minutes.  If you are like me, you don’t have much time in the morning to prepare a warm breakfast and on cold days there’s nothing better. 

Also, as the days get warmer, you can change to the overnight method and take a cold second breakfast with you.  Just add the fruit to the jar in the morning and you are ready to go.

Secondly, and most importantly, oats are a nutritional powerhouse food.  Here’s a list of some health benefits to eating oatmeal every day:


  • Reduces Blood Pressure - One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a diet which includes plenty of whole-grains, such as oats, is just as effective as taking anti-hypertensive medication to lower blood pressure!

  • Reduces Cholesterol - Have you ever heard of soluble fiber? Well, compared to other grains, oats actually have the highest portion of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps your intestinal tract trap substances associated with blood cholesterol.  Studies show that people with high blood cholesterol who eat just 3 g of soluble fiber per day can reduce their total cholesterol by 8% to 23% (one cup of oats yields 4 g).   

  • Reduces Blood Sugar - What does this mean? We have all experienced a “sugar crash”/“mid morning slump” after a sugary breakfast; well, with oatmeal, this doesn’t happen. As a result of oatmeal’s high soluble fiber content, its sugar is released more slowly into the blood stream. Another added bonus, is because it takes longer to digest, you will feel full longer.​  Oatmeal’s low glycemic index is one of the best benefits. In fact, one study states that a diet producing a low glycemic response is associated with significantly less insulin resistance and significantly lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, risk of type 2 diabetes, and risk of coronary artery disease, than with a diet producing a high glycemic response.

  • Helps control weight - Let’s face it, we could all use some help, but did you ever think oatmeal could help control your weight? It’s true! According to a research study published in the October 2009 issue of Molecular Nutrition & Food Research a compound in oatmeal known as β-glucan reduces appetite by increasing the hunger-fighting hormone cholecystokinin.

Reference:
10 Benefits of Oatmeal You Probably Never Knew, Sarah Bonham, http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-oatmeal-you-probably-never-knew.html

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How to Support Your Thyroid

1/9/2022

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I remember when I got my bloodwork back and my thyroid was working perfectly. 

My doctor had been threatening to put me on hypothyroid medication for about a year.  My bloodwork had been on the cusp of serious hypothyroidism for some time. I told my doctor that I wanted to try a holistic approach to support my thyroid before starting medication.  Here are the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism that I experienced.
You might be hypothyroid if....
  • You are missing the outer third of your eyebrows.  This happened to me and the eyebrows are just starting to grow back.  It sort of looks like I insulted my esthetician.  Dull dry hair and hair loss in general are also symptoms.

  • You start to get jowls.  That's the fat that accumulates on the jawline.  Not a good look.

  • You develop a 'pooch' below your belly button.  Adipose fat situated on the lower abdomen is a sign of hypothyroidism.​

  • You have trouble finding words, foggy thinking, lethargic tiredness, depression and low motivation. This is common in women during menopause when the endocrine system may be working overtime.  Also if your child has trouble rising in the morning and is labelled lazy, it's a good idea to check their thyroid function.

  • ​You get chills easily.  You can detect possible hypothyroidism if you use the Barnes Basal Metabolism Method.  Take your temperature under your left arm before getting out of bed in the morning for 10 days.  If the average is below 36.56C or 97.8F, you may be hypothyroid.  Note:  If you have a low grade fever or you are ovulating postpone this test as fever and ovulation raise body temperature.

  • Bloodwork!  I always recommend going for a physical including bloodwork and asking your doctor for a copy of the results so you can work on results that are in the abnormal range.  By getting a copy of these results, you can become proactive in working towards optimum health.

  • Please note that if you suffer from hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or Hashimoto's disease (fluctuating thyroid levels), you probably need to address adrenal fatigue and liver support as well in order to improve significantly.
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​What I Did To Support My Thyroid:

1. Drink filtered water - Although our water is awesome and touted as being the best in the world, city water contains chlorine. Chlorine prevents the uptake of iodine which is critical to thyroid health.  So, if you are hypothyroid, don't drink it. Try not to swim in chlorinated pools and if you can afford it get a water filter for your shower. Better still, swim in the ocean or sea water pools. 
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Brita water filters are far from the best on the market but are the cheapest.  This system uses granulated carbon so change your filters often to prevent bacteria from growing in the filter.  Aquasmart systems use a water filter that hooks up to your faucet and you can also get ones that attach to your shower. Santevia water cooler and filtration systems make the most delicious mineral rich water.

​2. 
Use Fluoride-Free Toothpaste - Fluoride also blocks the uptake of iodine in the body. JASON Powersmile
 is one of the many fluoride free toothpastes that you can buy at any supermarket or health food store.  This company is located in Toronto, Canada. The price is comparable to other brands and tastes great.  When you go to your dental hygienist, don't get a fluoride treatment and opt for the free toothbrush over any toothpaste or mouthwash containing fluoride.
  

3. 
Buy salt-free canned goods and if you must use salt add your own sea salt instead of cheap table salt.  This way you are boosting your minerals naturally. But remember salt consumption of any kind discourages weight loss and increases appetite.

4. 
 Add sea weed and sea vegetables to your meals often. Here is my low sodium soup stock that uses both seaweed and kelp powder. RECIPES - Karen Warwick RHN So, the two pots of soup I make with this broth have sufficient iodine and minerals.  It's delicious and your thyroid will thank you.  A few dashes of kelp powder to any soup or salad dressing adds some depth of flavour and nutrition.  Sushi, which is wrapped in nori seaweed, is a good source of iodine.
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​5.  Supplement with iodine if necessary. But clear it with your doctor first.  I added four drops of iodine to a tablespoon of purified water and took it in the morning with my selenium (see below). Iodine is found most commonly, and in the highest concentration, in the ocean. So sea vegetables are the best natural source. Iodine is critical in the production of the thyroid hormone T4.

6. 
Supplement with selenium. Concentrations of selenium are higher in the thyroid gland than almost any other tissues in the body and are important to activate the thyroid hormones in conjunction with iodine. If you are deficient in selenium and iodine, supplement them together, Iodine supplementation is required in conjunction with selenium supplementation in order to prevent thyroid damage from iodine supplementation alone. Good levels of selenium are needed to convert the hormone T4 to T3, the more active form of the hormone. Compliant food sources of selenium are:  chia seeds (use 1 Tbs. to thicken dressings), garlic, barley, rice, seaweed, asparagus, chickpeas, quinoa and lentils.

​7. 
Avoid raw goitrogenic foods - Soy and raw goitrogenic vegetables block the absorption and utilization of iodine.  The goitrogenic vegetables are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.  If these vegetables are cooked in any way they are fine to eat.  Soy in all forms are goitrogenic but the jury is still out in regards to fermented soy such as miso. It is advisable to avoid all forms of soy for hypothyroidism.  That's just as well.  Soy beans are high in fat and processed soy is not compliant in this program.

​8. Consume organic foods as much as possible. - Some pesticides can interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid.  This means the ability of the thyroid to use the iodine is blocked by the pesticides. Shop with a list of the 'dirty dozen'.  These fruits and vegetables should always be purchased organic unless the price is so high that you avoid buying and eating them all together.  In that case make sure you wash your non-organic vegetables thoroughly and cut off and discard parts of the vegetable where you think pesticide water would gather. (like the tops of peppers)

​9. Maintain daily exercise like walking​ - Exercise increases thyroid hormone levels and energy levels and therefore is essential for hypothyroidism.
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Sprouting Mung Beans and Lentils

12/27/2021

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Nothing is better for your body than sprouts.  This is truly live food.  It can be expensive to buy them but they are so cheap to make.  All you need are the beans, water, a sprouting jar and time.

You can make or buy a sprouting jar.  If you are making one, you need a big mason jar and some wire mesh secured to the top with a big elastic.  I found it simpler to buy mine as it has a mesh lid that’s awesome. 

I started sprouting with a sprouting bag but I found it hard to rinse, it would dry out too quickly and there was a lot of wasted seeds in the process so, for me, a sprouting jar is best.

Supplies:
  • ½ cup mung beans, or lentils
  • Purified water
  • Sprouting jar

Method:

  1. Add beans or lentils and about 4 cups of water to your sprouting jar.  Soak the beans/lentils for 8 hours.
  2. After soaking the beans, drain the water and add more water, swirl the beans to rinse and drain well.
  3. Invert the jar, and keep in a warm dark place. (You can cover with a cloth or bag) Sprouting time increases with more light and cooler conditions.  For me, I like to see the action so I leave my jars out on the kitchen counter and watch them grow.
  4. RINSE THE BEANS/LENTILS TWICE DAILY. Ideally rinse in the morning and evening.
  5. After 3 days keep uncovered (like on the counter) in indirect sunlight to encourage chlorophyll.  Continue rinsing twice daily until sprouts are ready.
  6. The sprouts should be ready in 5 days.  Do one final rinse and drain and transfer sprouts to a glass container.  They will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week in a covered glass container.  
​
​Go here to print this page:  sprouting_mung_beans_and_lentils.docx
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How to Use Vinegar to Jazz up Food

10/27/2021

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When I was faced with the prospect of giving up salt, I was scared. I LOVE salty things. It is my biggest weakness. But I learned about using vinegar instead of salt. And my health, weight and waistline has changed for the better.

As you have learned from my book, BREAK THE CYCLE, salt is one of the biggest no-no’s as far as our health is concerned.

If you want inflammation, just add salt. If you want high blood pressure, just add salt. If you want, arteriosclerosis, just add salt.
 
Salt is also bad for weight loss.  Everything tastes better with a little salt on it.  Salt triggers the release of dopamine in our brains and makes us feel good so we eat more food. 
 
Dr. Alan Goldhamer mentioned in his talk on the 2021 Weight Loss Summit that if you conducted an experiment, you could see the difference.  Imagine there are two big bowls of rice in front of you.  One bowl is plain rice and the other has salt in it. 
 
With the plain rice, you would eat until you were satisfied and then stop eating.  But there is something about that delicious salted rice that makes you eat the whole bowl.  It’s the salt that makes you eat more calories than your body needs. So, if you want to lose weight either give up salt or be VERY careful with portion control.

Our taste receptors for salt are right on the tip of the tongue. But guess what is right beside them, our taste buds for acid. So, an easy way to trick our tongues is to add an acid like vinegar or lemon juice.

A great habit to get into is to finish your soups, stews and chilis with a tablespoon or two of vinegar or lemon juice. What I mean by finishing is once the soup or stew is cooked and it is cooling, add some vinegar. It really helps enhance the natural flavours of the dish.

We are so lucky to live when we do. Designer vinegars are available in almost every town and are available online. My town has no less than 3 boutique oil and vinegar shops where I can get lots of experimental flavours.

I like to buy the small sampler sizes to test out new flavours. They are also perfect for putting in your purse to take to restaurants. Then you can order undressed salads, vegetables or potatoes. You will always be prepared with a complaint topper to jazz them up.

The white fruity ones can be quite sweet. Some people like to add them to sparkling water as a refreshing drink. They are also nice to dress salads with. Even the dark flavored balsamic vinegars can be sweet. So, if you are not a fan of sweet, stick to plain vinegars like balsamic, red wine or apple cider.

I find the best deal for Balsamic Vinegar is COSTCO. The recipe I use all the time chef-ajs-barefoot-dressing.html requires over a cup of balsamic vinegar. So, I go through a lot of it to make my dressings.

The vinegars pictured above are from CALIFORNIA BALSAMICS.
Here is the website: California Balsamic. The two flavours that I couldn’t get anywhere else are the curry flavour and the teriyaki. So, I simply had to have them.

Unfortunately, they can’t ship bigger bottles to Canada. So, if you are up here like I am, the solution is to get Chef AJ’s Sampler Set. They are all in plastic bottles and if you mention Chef AJ in the Promo Code you get two more flavours for free.

Shipping is expensive to Canada so I recommend putting this on YOUR Christmas List. It won’t be a surprise as you would want to choose your own flavours. But they are nice to have to jazz up and change the flavour profile of your dishes.
 
I find that this simple trick of using flavoured vinegars has really helped me give up salt.  And I am not scared anymore!

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How to Avoid Diverticulosis

10/19/2021

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My husband recently had a colonoscopy. He had been putting it off for several years. With COVID going on it was super easy for him to do so. The hospital was basically on lock down for all ‘extra’ procedures.

Getting him to go for a colonoscopy got to be like convincing a cat to get in the bathtub. It was a fight. But anyway, it was finally done and I am so happy he had it done as it has changed everything for him as far as food goes. He had good news and bad news.

The good news was that he only had three non-cancerous polyps. As an aside, the two ‘foods’ that you should avoid to prevent colon cancer are red meat and alcohol. This is according to Dr. Alan Desmond in his talk on Plant Summit 2021. 

​The bad news was that he had something called diverticulosis. Now what the hell is that? I had heard of diverticulitis. And I knew with the word ‘itis’ on the end it meant inflammation but that was about all I knew. So, what is diverticulosis?

It turns out that our colons can form these protruding pockets like bubbles. You can be symptom free unless they get inflamed or infected. This is caused by undigested material getting trapped in the pockets.  And this could mean a long stay in the hospital until the inflammation goes down.

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BREAK THE CYCLESo, diverticulosis is the formation of these bubble-like pockets. It’s more common in people over 60 and men tend to be more prone to it than women. The most common contributing factors are:

  • Being extremely overweight
  • Eating too much fat and red meat
  • Smoking cigarettes
  • Using anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen.
  • And, of course, the low-fiber Standard American Diet

For more information check: (Diverticulosis: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention (webmd.com)

So, what can we do about it?

It just so happens that the perfect diet to adopt is a whole food plant-based diet. Your colon and gut microbiome love fiber. Fiber and water bulk up the stool and make it much easier for you to pass the toxins out of your body.
 
So, the way of eating that I promote in my book BREAK THE CYCLE, turns out to be the perfect way of eating for colon and gut health.
GET THE BOOK
​The four food groups I recommend are:

· Vegetables
· Fruit  
· Whole grains
· Legumes

They are all LOADED with fiber and water. The Standard American Diet is loaded with meat, dairy and oils which contain NO FIBER.  Health promoting fiber comes from PLANTS.

By adopting a high fiber diet, you won’t be able to reverse these bubble-like protrusions. But you will be able to vastly improve your colon’s health and also the health of your entire body.

If you don’t want this to happen to you, be proactive. Start flooding your body with nutrient rich, high fiber and water content foods. You can avoid this issue entirely.  And as an added bonus you can lose any excess weight. I am confident that with every day that I eat this way, I am avoiding this type of lifestyle illness.

I alluded to positive changes in my husband’s diet in the beginning. Although the changes we’ve made are small, they are also significant in increasing his fiber intake. These changes are great for me too as there are no longer ‘dangerous’ foods in the house. (By dangerous I mean addictive because they are so highly processed.)

Nice cream (pineapple-banana-nice-cream.html)  has replaced ice cream. It's made with fiber-rich frozen fruit. And cookies are replaced with high fiber baking like Chef AJ’s banana muffins (chef-ajs-banana-muffins.html). 
 
It seems that a lot of people don’t want to improve their diet until there is a legitimate threat to their health and quality of life.

And a lot of the excuses we use are to cover up for our food addictions. It’s like being a smoker unable to quit until they get a cancer diagnosis. The drug-like effects in processed foods can keep you trapped for YEARS.

BREAK THE CYCLE of food addiction before it causes irreversible damage to your health and quality of life. You can do it!

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How to Support Your Liver

10/5/2021

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​This question comes from a friend who had a health scare that landed her in the emergency room in a great deal of pain.  She has had Hepatitis B since birth and she explains it best in this quote:
My HBV viral load was at 15,500. The liver specialist said that drug therapy is prescribed for values over 10,000.

They knew nothing about the affect of diet and I told them that I wanted to give diet a try first and promised to get retested every 90 days. I read Caldwell Esselstyn's book and embarked upon SOS plant-based eating immediately.

After 90 days - my HBV level went down to 1,880!

Out of the danger zone – I started to be a little lax ... potato chips calling my name, eating meat as a condiment, etc. My latest labs results, the level went back up to 6,010. Still under 10,000 but creeping up.

I would love to know what causes the HBV load to increase so that I know specifically what I need to do. While losing weight is a great side benefit, it's the health I'm after. I do not plan to go on any type of drug therapy for anything.
”     B.H.
Once again, a whole food plant-based diet saves the day! She managed to get her HBV levels down to 1880 in 90 days. This is considered in the low range being under 2000 IU/mL.

This is awesome and quite an achievement and just what she said she would do. There is no cure for HBV and to keep off the meds, she would have to stick to a WFPB (whole food plant-based) diet.

So, the question is, what can we all do to support our overworked livers.

Through my experience, it is not what we ADD but what we SUBTRACT has the best benefit for the body. Which she had certainly proven in those 90 days of WFPB compliance (whole food plant-based).

By cleaning up her diet so dramatically, she gave her liver the much-needed break to get back in balance. Once she started to add in 'artificial foods' the recovering liver couldn't keep up.

Chronic HBV is very serious stuff and well out of my scope of practice.  I suggested that she make an appointment with a plant-based doctor who specializes in the liver.

In the meantime, according to my nutritional pathology book here are the recommendations for supporting the liver.

​WHAT TO ADD:
  • Eat a natural whole food diet (I'm not making this up.... that's what it says.)
  • Drink lots of pure water,
  • Increase fiber,
  • Alkalinize the diet (lots of leafy greens),
  • Increase dark green leafy vegetables,
  • Incorporate turmeric/curcumin into the diet (check out my lentil curry recipe)  
 
SPECIFICALLY FOR VIRUSES ADD:

Antiviral foods such as:
 
• Citrus fruits, especially lemons and limes.
• The onion family: onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives which are high in sulfur.
• Green leafy herbs: mint, parsley, coriander, basil, thyme and oregano. • Medicinal mushrooms. • Sea vegetables (seaweeds)
 
For the complete list and article go to: sandracabot.com/anti-viral-foods/
 
Okay.  That's the good news.  No we go on to the lists that you intuitively know are not health promoting and, of course, bad for your liver.

FOODS TO AVOID:
  • Processed food,
  • Shellfish,
  • Chemicals and food additives (all of which increase the liver's workload),
  • Coffee, tea, caffeine, stimulants and carbonated beverages;
  • Sugar,
  • Alcohol,
  • Artificial sweeteners,
  • Trans- and hydrogenated fats,
  • Refined carbohydrates,
  • Pro-inflammatory foods - and here's the list below....
 
THE PRO-INFLAMMATORY FOODS ARE:
  • Sugar
  • Oil
  • Trans-fats (found in deep fried food, commercial baked goods, etc.)
  • Dairy
  • Feedlot Raised Meat
  • Red Meat and Processed Meat
  • Alcohol
  • Refined grains (this means FLOUR)
  • Artificial food additives (e.g., MSG, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, stabilizers and emulsifiers)
  • High salt intake - common in all processed foods.
 
Really look at these lists.  The foods to avoid for liver health are also pro-inflammatory foods.

EVERYTHING on it is EXACTLY what I recommend you add and avoid in my book BREAK THE CYCLE. So, you can lose extra fat, you can reduce inflammation and you can support your liver. All you have to do is follow my book.
BREAK THE CYCLE
​SUPPLEMENTATION FOR LIVER SUPPORT:

Even though lots of Holistic Nutritionists like to push supplementation, I am not one of them. I think it is better to spend your money on organic whole plant foods to heal your body. 
 
However, I will mention two of them for special circumstances.
1. A High Dose Vitamin C Treatment can help clear jaundice.
2. Vitamin B12, given intramuscularly.
3. Folic acid to shorten recovery time.

LIFESTYLE TREATMENT:

The lifestyle treatment for anything about the liver are Castor Oil Packs. I did this a couple of times. It is messy but does seem to help. I used saran wrap and my husband wrapped me up like a mummy. Here's a great article on how to do it: https://wellnessmama.com/35671/castor-oil-packs/

Finally, I don't like to recommend botanicals/adaptogens in an article. I don't know your medical history. I don't know what other meds you are on. These types of herbs can counteract your medication or may give you a negative reaction.

But there is one thing that we all can benefit from and that is dandelion root. It is high in vitamins, minerals and very high in antioxidant carotenoids. It is particularly good at enhancing the flow of bile.

I hope this helps. I am sure there are lots of us who would like to know about the best ways to support our overworked and underappreciated livers. BH was kind enough to offer to help and relate her journey in more detail for anyone who is suffering. If you have more questions for my friend BH, you can contact me and I will pass on your contact information.

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How to Stop Cravings in Their Tracks!

10/3/2021

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Spirulina tablets are my secret weapon. I never go anywhere without them.

They are compressed algae tablets that balance blood sugar among many other things. They are also an awesome appetite suppressant without any side effects or contraindications.

This is how I can manage to start work at 5 am and not eat until 10 or 11 am. I take 8 tablets at 4 a.m. and I don't start to get hungry until about 10 am. If I have to work late or am somehow delayed from eating I will take 2-4 more tablets which will safely hold me over for a few more hours until I can get to my compliant meal.

Before I started eating this way, I had a huge problem with night eating. Now, I don't have any problem eating my dinner and waiting 3 hours before going to bed without snacking. But in the early days of following this way of eating I needed to rely on spirulina before bedtime to ensure that hunger cravings wouldn't keep me awake at night.

I would take 2 at bedtime (either to stave off hunger or to deal with my restless leg syndrome). BTW I no longer suffer from restless leg syndrome. Something that has plagued me since my early 20's and now has magically vanished. (Another benefit of this way of eating.)

Spirulina can be found in your health food store or in the health aisle in some supermarkets.

You can buy it in powdered form and add to water. But I find it takes more motivation do this for something that tastes pretty gross. Or, you can buy the compressed tablets. They aren't that cheap....about $36.00 for 360 tablets (so 10 cents a tablet). But if it keeps your waistline going down and your self esteem going up, it's worth it!

Prairie Naturals is a reputable Canadian brand for supplementation and is my favorite for all of my supplements.  If you are in the US or another country, seek out a reputable national company that uses the cleanest organically-sourced ingredients.
 

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How to Battle Inflammation

9/4/2021

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​One of my friends woke up last week and could hardly move.  Her hip was so sore that it made it difficult to walk, sit or even find a comfortable position to lie down.  She hadn’t fallen and could think of no logical reason for the pain. 
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When we are young it is easy to determine the source of inflammation.  You fall while running and twist your ankle.  It swells up and you learn the RICE technique:
  • Rest
  • Elevate
  • Compress
  • Ice
This works for visible injuries but what about those aches and pains that are coming from the inside?  These unexplained aches and pains are usually the result of consistently poor dietary choices over the years.  Ignorance may be bliss in the short term when you are faced with your favourite snack food or a tempting dessert.  But it is cold comfort when you can not even sleep from the pain of inflammation.
 
The Holistic Short-Term Solution to Inflammation:
 
For any of you suffering from pain due to inflammation (a.k.a. anything ending in -itis), here is my medicine cabinet MUST HAVE instead of painkillers.
Bromelain can be purchased at health food stores for about $16. It's fairly cheap as far as supplements go. Here is a picture of the brand (in Canada) that I buy.

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Bromelain is an enzyme derived from pineapples. You could just eat pineapple but who wants to fight with that spikey fruit every day. If you are using it for any swelling or pain from inflammation, take the capsules away from meals as bromelain attacks the protein in inflamed tissues.

If you take it with food, it helps to break down the proteins in the food. It is a natural blood thinner so it is not recommended for those on blood thinners or with blood disorders or those going into surgery.
 
The Holistic Long-Term Solution to Inflammation:
 

I have a superior anti-inflammatory diet. This anti-inflammatory diet also has a wonderful side effect. It rebalances your body weight to its ideal weight and it improves your overall health. My way of eating cuts out all the pro-inflammatory foods.
 
Here's a list of the top inflammatory foods:
  • Sugar
  • Oil
  • Trans-fats (found in deep fried food, commercial baked goods, etc.)
  • Dairy
  • Feedlot Raised Meat
  • Red Meat and Processed Meat
  • Alcohol
  • Refined grains (this means FLOUR)
  • Artificial food additives (e.g., MSG, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, stabilizers and emulsifiers)
  • High salt intake - common in all processed foods.
 
Do you suffer from a condition made worse by an inflammatory diet?

Do you suffer from diabetes, coronary artery disease, or an autoimmune disease?
​
Please take your health destiny back and adopt a superior health-promoting anti-inflammatory diet. One focused on vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.
​A way of eating like the one in my book BREAK THE CYCLE: Lose Weight and Maintain Your Goal Weight for the Rest of Your Life.  Available on AMAZON in paperback and Kindle. Click the link below to buy your copy and start your own journey.
 
BREAK THE CYCLE: Lose Weight and Maintain Your Weight for the Rest of Your Life - Kindle edition by Warwick, Karen. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
 

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The Importance of Water in Weight Loss

8/27/2021

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Written by: Pamela S.

One of my biggest challenges is drinking enough water throughout my day. I have for two decades started my day with a large glass of water to take my acid reflux medication followed by a cup of warm water with the fresh juice of a half of a lemon. I also drink a large glass of water about an hour or two before bedtime.

But then come lunch and dinner time and I would drink Coke Zero to wash down my meals. It is just a bad habit and with Karen's help, I have weaned myself off pop and drink a glass of water with fresh lemon juice a half hour before my meals which Karen suggested as it helps to provide the necessary acids in your stomach that decline as you age. My goal is to increase my water intake throughout the day & hoping to get off the physician-prescribed acid reflux medication.

I also have a tendency to eat too fast so by not having a beverage to wash down my food I actually have found I have to eat slower and chew my food more before swallowing. With the addition of water before my meals and chewing slower, I have found that my stomach now recognizes how much I am eating and I am pushing my plate away with food still on it which has also lead to my taking smaller portions and am no longer interested in second helpings.

I also never leave the house without a reusable container of filtered tap water and always have a container outside with me when I am working in the yard or exercising.

I hope the following tips are a help to those who do not like to drink water or perhaps not drinking enough water like me.

PS - please be sure to wash & sanitize your reusable water bottle each day. Try to avoid using bottle watered (for a whole lot of reasons) but if you are caught short and need to buy bottled water do not leave the plastic bottle of water in a hot or cold car as the chemicals in the plastic bottle can leach into the water under extreme hot & cold temperatures.

Credit: GAIAM by: E.C. LaMeaux
You’ve probably heard it more than once: drinking more water will help you lose more weight. But does water really help weight loss? The short answer is yes. Drinking water helps boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste, and acts as an appetite suppressant. Also, drinking more water helps your body stop retaining water, leading you to drop those extra pounds of water weight. What can you do to make sure you’re drinking the recommended eight to ten eight-ounce glasses per day to keep yourself hydrated and encourage weight loss?
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STEP 1: DRINK BEFORE YOU EAT
Because water is an appetite suppressant, drinking it before meals can make you feel fuller, therefore reducing the amount of food you eat. Health resource website WebMD states that drinking water before meals results in an average reduction in intake of 75 calories per meal. Drinking water before just one meal per day would cause you to ingest 27,000 fewer calories per year. Do the math: You'd lose about eight pounds per year just from drinking water! Now imagine if you drank it before each meal
STEP 2: REPLACE CALORIE-FILLED DRINKS WITH WATER
Ditch the sodas and juice and replace them with water to help you lose weight. If you think water tastes boring, add a slice of lemon. A glass of water with lemon is a recipe for successful weight loss because the pectin in lemons helps reduce food cravings. Think water doesn’t really help with weight loss? Give up those sugary drinks for just a few weeks and see the difference.
STEP 3: DRINK IT ICE COLD
According to the editorial staff at WebMD, drinking ice cold water helps boost your metabolism because your body has to work harder to warm the water up, therefore burning more calories and helping you to lose weight. Plus, ice cold water is just so much more refreshing than water that’s room temperature.
STEP 4: HIT THE GYM
Because drinking water helps prevent muscle cramps and keeps your joints lubricated, you can work out longer and harder. Just another way that proper hydration helps you lose weight.
STEP 5: MAKE SURE YOU DRINK ENOUGH WATER
If you really want the water you drink to help you lose weight, you should follow the “8x8” rule recommended by most nutritionists: Drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day for weight loss and to maintain an ideal weight. You might need to drink more water if you exercise a lot or sweat heavily, or less water if you drink other beverages like herbal tea (make sure they are decaffeinated).
Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville, says the amount of water you need depends on your size, weight, and activity level. He adds that you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.
How do you know if you’re getting enough water? A general rule is to check the toilet after you’ve gone to the bathroom. You’ll know you’re well-hydrated if your urine is clear or very light yellow in color. The darker your urine, the more water you need to drink, especially if weight loss is your goal.
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    Karen Warwick

    I am not a doctor but I am a RHN.  Here is what I would do, if I were you.

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