Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’

Maple Syrup (Master Cleanse)

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

I have been testing the Master Cleanse diet and thought I would post what it is and also the results during the testing.

Maple Syrup Diet Recipe

So here it is, the Maple Syrup Diet, also known as the Lemon Cleansing Diet, the Lemonade Diet or the Master Cleanse which can supposedly be used for 3-10 days safely. This diet isn’t new. The naturopath, Stanley Borroughs, developed it back in the 1950′s.

Take a clean one-gallon (4 l) jug and pour in the following:

3 Quarts (3.18 l) of Water

1 Cup (250 ml) Lemon Juice – just get yourself bottle of the pure juice from concentrate.
1 Cup (250 ml) Pure Maple Syrup, organic if you can find it and not maple flavored products. The cost of an 8 ounce bottle ranges between 8-12 dollars. Buy the cheaper versions.
1 Teaspoon (5 ml) Cayenne

Shake it all up and drink 8-12 glasses a day. I am drinking one gallon a day which provides over 800 calories which appears to keep blood sugar levels stable and enough fuel to function without exercise.

Warning: You will experience hunger, cravings, aches, pains, mental irritability and fatigue. These are symptoms of your body’s detoxification. Some have reported no hunger but my body has never fasted so it is just plain confused at this time.

This fast should not be used for more than 10 days and you should wait at least four weeks before repeating it. Supposedly this fast dissolves toxins and is great for breaking up mucous. (That much lemon and cayenne will clear anybody’s sinuses!)
Whatever you do, do not go directly back to a rich diet after your time on this fast. In fact, the best thing to do during a fast like this is to start setting your mind to healthy eating so that when you go off the fast you can start fresh on a healthy nutrition plan that will keep you body clean and strong. To ease out of the fast, do the following:

On the first day after your fast, drink unsweetened fruit juices.
On the second day, you can begin to eat soup.
On the third day you may begin to eat light foods. Whatever you do, do not “wake up” your digestive system with high fat foods. It could be a very painful awakening!

My results on the first day were hunger, pains and irritability. Starting weight in morning was 231.5. I spent the day going through a wide range of feelings from tingling to numbness to headaches. Later in the day I was so hungry that I ate a couple plums which instantly took away the cravings and hunger. I am also taking a fiber supplement and colon cleanse fiber from Dr. Natura which I really like.

The second day weigh in is at 225.5 first thing in the morning. When starting to drink the weight went up to 226.5. A lot more pain today with aches and a serious pain in the middle of my back. Not sure if it is just work related or cleanse related at this time. The brain cloud seems better today but the pain the in the arms and upper body is more.

My patience is running lower as well and find that my concentration is harder to keep focus. It will be interesting to see how my body corrects itself to prevent me from harming it with this cleanse or will it interpret this as a good thing and use it to release more toxins and stuff.

This is definitely the most annoying and painful cleanse I have ever tried. I have used many herbal cleanses and the body enjoys the detox but this one seems to be very different and maybe all the other cleanses that I have tried in the past were just sales hype and were not doing their job or maybe this is just a new way of torturing a persons body. It will be interesting to find out which in a couple days.

Day 3: Results: 223.5 this morning but switching scales to the medical scale now that performs a body composition to track results which shows 224.2 with a water weight of 108. Checked blood pressure 95/60 pulse 65, Blood Sugar level 79. Will drink the drink and see how the body responds after. After 1 hour and drink: One hour after drinking 20 ounces of the drink the blood sugar level has increased to 99 which is great feeling better and BP 104/66 pulse 68. Body aches are much less and no headache today so far ;-) . The cleanse is interesting and fasting still is not something I like and I guess I am not really fasting eating a couple fruits a day as well. Working on a plan for after the cleanse now.

Master Cleanse Nutritional Detials in PDF

Master Cleanse Agave Nutritional Details in PDF

Notice that Agave is not the best choice and it appears that Whole Foods could be marketing a product that is not really a great choice for our bodies as well.

Here is a graph to show how the body responded to the cleanse. The dates of the cleanse were 6/30-7/3, notice the body fat percentage as well. Click on picture to enlarge it to better see graph. The numbers on the left represent weight and the numbers on the right represent body fat percentage.

Results of Master Cleanse

Cleanse Dates 6/30-7/03

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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Memory And Your Health

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Want an enviable memory? Start leading a healthy life fused with exercises that boosts blood circulation to that area of brain that is responsible for memory. A sedentary lifestyle causes not only a lethargic body but also a diminishing static brain. While you take a jog make sure that that the exercise regimen also includes cardio vascular exercises. A lapse is memory can often be an indication of start of Alzheimer disease especially in elderlies.

With growing awareness of the disease it is more probable that people suspect disease the moment they identify a small gap in memory. It mostly occurs at the age of 50 or more with ageing and diminishing nutrition. A lot also depend on the stress level for memory to detoriate before time. However, it is perfectly normal to forget a thing or two at later stage in life. Besides stress, people deprived of sleep specially those working odd hours are prone to memory loss. Only a well-rested body and brain can perform well.

There are many over the counter drugs apart from herbal medication to boost memory. Few people believe that taking Gingko Biloba helps in restoring memory others rely on memory formula enriched with vitamin and minerals. These herbs and medication expand blood vessels, fight free radicals, boost immune system and decreases the level of depression and stress. Other naturally occurring substance that helps in ensuring proper blood circulation to brain are rosemary, ginseng and green tea. Green tea contains plethora of benefits that surpasses any her from improving blood circulation to weight maintenance. Their antioxidant helps fight cancer and promotes healing. It is used across skin preparations as it acts as soother and healer. It is also known for its anti-aging benefits. Other medication promises to increase the concentration level and boost brainpower by improving oxygen flow to the brain.

While aging people might want to indulge in the above-mentioned supplements and medication the younger lot can always look for memory building games online or otherwise. There are memory plans on internet such as pmemory.com, Brain age, Big brain academy that promises to build a phenomenal memory. But the first and foremost step toward acquiring a great memory is to squash the laziness syndrome and start feeling active. But surf to these online memory shacks are certainly not as good as visiting your local farmer market and grabbing a broccoli instead. These powerful veggies are sure to get the cognitive clock ticking. According to latest research studies broccoli, cauliflowers and other Cruciferous vegetables improves the memory and reverse the aging process by nothing less than one and half year. Spinach that is high on folate is proved to reduce the risk of Alzheimer by breaking the homocysteine, an amino acid that is toxic to the nerve cell. Usage of unsaturated or hydrogenated fats have also proved to reduce the risk of Alzheimer and memory loss.

However there are other reasons that can be attributed to memory loss called Amnesia its is a symptom that causes complete memory blackout generally caused by head injury, drug toxicity, stroke, paralysis attack, emotional shock, and infection. These memories can be recovered through psychotherapy but it few cases it is observed that the condition prevails for lifetime resulting in subject to live a completely new life.

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Brain Food

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Our brain controls so many functions of our body besides being the powerhouse of information. Few vital functions of our brain are motor control, visual processing, auditory processing, sensation and learning. Considering all the functions of our brain there is no second thought that it is the most vital organ of our body beside our heart. Any kind of brain malfunction can be well understood if related to the current technology that is used in computer. The hard disk contains all the vital information of the computer and without it, the computer is as good as dead. If the hard disk crashes it is tough to recover it back and in most cases it cannot be recovered. Similarly if Amnesia or Alzheimer disease affects our brain it first destroys our brain cells and affects our memory. Loss of memory renders us useless, as we tend to forget all the skills that we have learnt over the period of time including language too. Any such disease can turn a human being into nothing less than vegetable.

All the medications used to regain the memory back are used for brain nourishment. This can only be achieved thru universal nourishment of body and brain. In order to have them work both in tandem with each other we must feed our body properly at the same time keeps it active by participating in physical and mental activities such as jogging and memory games. Children in their early stages should specifically be taken care of. Right nutrition can ensure their physical as well as mental well being. Right from the stage of pregnancy, future mothers are administered the right dosage of multivitamins and folic acid to help the brain of fetus grow. In cases where folic acid and dietary supplements are not taken low or no mental growth is observed. In their growing phases children are feeded with health drinks as they become choosy and eat what they like. This leads to various deficiencies affecting growth. This has given rise to so many health capsules and drink but the best and trusted supplement is Cod liver oil. It is rich in Omega 3 fat that helps in better growth of brain. Research proves that children who have been given cod liver oil on a regular basis display good memory and active body.

Over the period of time we barely make use of such supplements and the drug interference makes it worse along with the day-to-day life stress. This makes us prone to several mental disorders such as confusion, attention problem, foggy brain etc. We must not forget that the core brainpower has been derived from the nutrition given at early age and this would not last lifetime. We need to supplement it on a regular basis. There are many over the counter supplements available that are fortified with zinc, magnesium, folic acid and other essential nutrients for brain. But taking these supplements alone will not work wonder over brain hence we need to put in adequate exercise too. Try to challenge the memory often by engaging in memory games and other mentally challenging activities to ensure adequate supply of blood and oxygen to the brain. Taking care of heart and keeping the cholesterol and blood pressure in check also helps in clearing the arteries of any block to allow good flow of blood. Hormones, specially estrogen level should be kept in check as it affects our brain and leads to various diseases in longer run.

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All About Amnesia

Monday, June 28th, 2010

Amnesia is a disorder of brain that affects the remembering aspect of once memory. It is caused by severe head injury or thru intake of toxic substance that affects the brain. Thought the disease can also impact those who suffer from paralysis or heart stroke. Those who suffer from Amnesia have a tough time remembering previously learnt information such as their name or language.

Amnesia victims never remember their past or anything associated with it such as people, place etc. They are often seemed to be feeling confused or disoriented. This disease unlike Alzheimer can occur at any age. And thus can lead to a partial or full Amnesia disorder. In few cases patients are never left unsupervised too as they may harm themselves. If the person remembers remembers recent events then it is partial amnesia. The recovery process involves remembering the previous or past memory before the most recent memories.

Another factor that is very important to the disease besides partial and full is the term of Amnesia as in whether it is temporary or permanent.

Support of caregiver is very important for person suffering from Amnesia though references from past can help them recover soon But if those references are disturbing to them then one should restrain from discussing them in their presence. Generally such cases are people who have been thru some kind of mental shock or agony. Such as accident victims, trauma patients or those who had to deal with a sudden death of some one close.

Another form of Amnesia is psychological Amnesia where someone takes on a new life for a few months or days and once the anxiety induced amnesia attack is over no memory remains of that period. Most of amnesic patients recover on their own not requiring much medical interference. Change of work and activity can bring along a good change along with family therapy. Hypnosis also acts as a great tool to bring back the memory of the patient. Amnesia patients not only lose their memory but also the ability to generate any memory in the time span of disease.

Stress is a major cause of concern for today’s generation. Life is so fast paced that it calls for a halt to think for oneself. We have so many things to worry about in today’s world and remembering things forms a major part of our life today. Be it electricity bill payment or client appointment. As the value of time has gained importance so have the getting work done on time has. Every day in our life we are faced with so many deadlines that we are stressed out completely by the end of the day. We seldom have time to meditate, exercise, engage ourselves in light activities such as games or clubbing The more our life is technologically influenced the more we are running into the danger of acquiring one or more neurotical disorders. In order to wade thru the stress that we face in our day-to-day life, we must follow a healthy diet pattern along with adequate physical exercise and supplement intake.

In earlier times the work timings were fixed and there were limited resources of available technologies that makes us sit like couch potatoes. People would interact and share their problems and worries that would act as stress buster. Hence fewer people suffered from disease such as Alzheimer and Amnesia. But now all these sufferings are becoming evident as we barely lay emphasis on improving our lifestyle and switching to a more relaxed life.

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High Glycemic Foods

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

In 1981, Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto came up with a ranking system for carbohydrates based upon how long it takes them to break down into the system. Some carbohydrates break down very slowly and those release glucose gradually into the bloodstream and have a low glycemic index. For people who are diabetes, particularly those who are insulin dependent, a low glycemic index is preferable. These foods allow the insulin or medication to respond better to the blood glucose and allows for the sugars to break down more naturally.

Other foods are rated high on the Glycemic Index. These foods currently have high ratings and raise the blood glucose level quickly. High glycemic foods can be beneficial for people who are recovering from high exertion or those suffering from hypoglycemia. People with Type I or Type II Diabetes should avoid high glycemic foods as they can play havoc with the insulin or medication they are taking.

Some examples of foods that considered high glycemic foods include corn flakes, white rices such as jasmine rice, white breads and baked potatoes. People who have diabetes, either Type I or Type II, should avoid these foods as much as possible.

Other foods that are high glycemic foods include those with large amounts of white refined sugar or white flour. One thing a doctor will tell a patient on how to avoid high glycemic foods is to avoid anything white. This includes white bread, pasta made with white flour and even cakes or sweets made with refined white sugar or white flour.

High glycemic foods tend to take a long time to digest in the system of a diabetic. The glucose, or sugar, stays in the blood because the system of a diabetic is unable to process the refine sugars and flours. The glucose stays in the blood and in the urine causing the diabetic to frequently urinate, experience thirst and hunger more than the average person and sweat profusely.

After a while, this takes its toll on the system of a diabetic. The kidneys begin to hurt because they are not functioning properly. This is one symptom that diabetics often present with when seeking a physician. They also get blood in their urine and, in the worst case scenario, they faint or enter into an episode of semi-consciousness, confusion which can even lead to a diabetic coma. In some instances, a diabetic coma can prove fatal.

People who have Type I and Type II diabetes should be very mindful of which foods have a high glycemic index and avoid these foods in their diet. With proper diet, medication or insulin and monitoring of blood sugars, diabetics can lead a normal lifespan.

Diabetes is not a death sentence at all. It is simply a condition that many people possess that does not allow their body to break down sugars and starches through their system so that they digest normally. Diabetes is harmful to an individual who does not follow the advice of their physician, does not consume a proper diet and does not monitor their blood glucose levels. People who adhere to the medical guidelines concerning diabetes have just as much of a chance of living a normal life as anyone else.

Make sure to take our Free Assessment to receive your multi-page report that provides calorie consumption required and calorie burn estimates for your goal.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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Glycemic Index

Monday, April 12th, 2010

The Glycemic Index is a concept developed in the University of Toronto in 1981.  The purpose of the Glycemic Index is to measure the effect carbohydrates have on blood glucose levels.  The Glycemic Index is imperative for anyone who needs to monitor their glucose level due to diabetes or hyperglycemia.  With diabetes reaching epidemic levels in the United States, the development of the Glycemic Index could not have come at a better time.  Each year, more people are diagnosed with this potentially life threatening disease that can cause many serious complications.  It is important for anyone with this condition to familiarize themselves with the Glycemic Index so they can empower themselves and learn which foods should be avoided.

Carbohydrates are a diverse group of foods and all have different ways of breaking down in the system.  People with diabetes have a difficult time breaking down certain foods, particularly those high in carbohydrates, in their system.  Digestion is slow and sugars and starches are absorbed into the blood stream, causing an excess in blood glucose.  Diabetics are often warned to limit their carbohydrate intake because it takes such a long time for most carbohydrates to digest.  However, this is easier said than done and it is difficult, if not impossible, for many diabetics to eliminate carbohydrates from their diet.  This is one of the reasons many diabetics are non-compliant in their treatment.  Because diabetes does not often cause serious complications at onset, many patients refuse to take their medicine and continue eating foods that are high in sugar and starch.

The Glycemic Index is very helpful because it rates different carbohydrates based upon their effect on the different levels of blood glucose.  Those foods that digest rapidly cause the less harm to the system and have a low glycemic index.  The carbohydrates that take a longer time to digest have a higher rate as they cause more harm to the blood glucose level.

The Glycemic Index ranges from one to one hundred.  A low food in the glycemic index has a rating of below 55.  These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and some pastas.    Foods that fall between the 56 to 69 range are considered “medium” in the Glycemic Index.  They include candy bars, croissants and some rices.

Surprisingly, although a candy bar scores in the medium classification of the glycemic index, it is not as harmful as those carbohydrates that score in the high glycemic index range.  These include corn flakes, white rice, white bread and  baked potato.  In other words, it is easier for a diabetic to digest a candy bar than a baked potato.

Knowledge of the glycemic index is imperative for anyone who has diabetes or who has been diagnosed as borderline diabetic.  To be able to understand which foods have the most impact on blood glucose levels is crucial for anyone fighting this potentially life-threatening condition.

If you or a loved one suffers from diabetes, become familiar with the Glycemic Index so that you learn about the different categories of carbohydrates and which groups should be avoided.  There are many substitutes for carbohydrates that rate high in the Glycemic Index and are available at most grocery stores.  While diabetes is currently without a cure, there are many different ways that people with this disease can life long, productive lives.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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Creatine – Enhances Performance

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Do you want to enhance your performance and increase lean muscle? Try Creatine.

This will give you more energy to work out longer and harder that will help you get maximum results. Creatine can also help you recover quickly. This supplement will work for any athlete who does weight lifting and any other quick burst of activity like sprinting. You may be able to do more before you hit fatigue point.

Your body converts this unique powder into adenosine triphosphate, which is the energy of our cells, and stores it into the mitichondria of each muscle cell giving it reserved energy. Every muscle contraction is fueled by atp, so we can do more because of the stored atp. This can enhance your performance and lean muscle gain.

Look for a product is 100% pure pharmaceutical grade creatine monohydrate. You should at least take 1000 grams per dosage. Creatine does not contain any additive and filters. This chemical is found naturally in many foods so it is practically safe. And it will also not affect hormonal levels.

Whether your goal is for maximum athletic performance, increased lean muscle or prolonged endurance, creatine is the answer for you. It also has cardio protective qualities. Creatine is the good way to supplement a healthy diet and active lifestyle.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.

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