People could realistically cut their cancer death rate in half by:

• Quitting smoking
• Exercising more
• Getting cancer screenings from their doctors

Here are some other tips to help you battle cancer:

• Control Your Insulin Levels – Make certain to limit intake of processed foods and sugars as much as possible.
• Normalize Your Vitamin D Levels – with safe amounts of sun exposure. When not enough sun, take fish oil as a daily supplement.
• Reduce Stress – It is important to let go of emotional stress as 85% of disease is caused by imbalanced emotions. Best stress release is a nice relaxing massage.
• Eat Your Vegetables – Only 25% of people eat enough vegetables. Eat as many vegetables as you are comfortable with and try to keep them raw, fresh and organic if possible.
• Maintain an Ideal Body Weight – Two-thirds of the population are overweight and which is a known contributor to disease.
• Get Enough High Quality Sleep – Sleep is where are bodies re-charge and repair itself. Not enough sleep puts your body in a high risk category for disease and fatigue.
• Reduce Exposure to Environmental Toxins – Pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution are but a few.
• Boil, Poach or Steam Your Foods – rather then frying or charbroiling them.

Follow these health tips and you’ll keep your body’s immune system working at an optimal level.  And remember – have fun!

Here are a few tips that will help you get rid of that bulge:

• Drink 2 or more litres of purified water daily.

• Consume 4 -6 cups of vegetables daily, preferably raw or lightly steamed. At least 2 -3 cups of these should be green vegetables.

• Eliminate all refined sugars, refined flours, alcohol, chocolate, candy, crisps, and processed foods.

• Consume high quality, low fat protein at most meals.

• Make food tastier by adding seasonings such as garlic, herbs and spices rather than excess butter or oil.

Follow these guidelines daily and you’ll be on the road to a healthier and leaner body.
And remember to have fun!

Following are my top 5 tips to keep your immune system strong:

Eat a minimum of 3 well-balanced meals per day including natural sources of proteins, healthy fats, low glycemic load carbohydrates and fresh fruits and vegetables. The colder the weather the more energy we burn up to keep our bodies warm and insulated. If there’s no coal in the fireplace there can be no heat. So eat regular nutritious meals daily to ensure you’re feeding your body its required nutrients.
Supplement with a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, omega 3 fish oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin D-3 and pro-biotics.
Exercise! – Keeping our bodies moving and circulation pumping helps deliver vital nutrients and oxygen to our bodies systems and eliminate any germs or viruses more rapidly.
Keep your house warm and dry. By keeping your home warm and dry your body doesn’t have to constantly work so hard to keep itself warm. And by keeping your home warm and dry you reduce any mold or fungus which can accumulate in the damp season.
Have Fun! – Studies indicate that happy people are much healthier people. Invite friends over for a fun and games or watch a funny movie or see a live stand up comedy show. These are just a few ways to add some fun into your life.

Follow these 5 tips and you’ll keep yourself healthy and strong and beat that cold and flu bug.

However, not all fats are bad. The good ones include the fats in the polyunsaturated fatty acid family, and these are known as ‘essential fats’, or more properly ‘essential fatty acids’ (EFA’s). Essential because, like vitamins, they are vital to health and cannot be made by the human body – they must be obtained from your diet. Unfortunately, as a result of changes in Western eating habits, levels of some of these valuable EFA’s are dangerously low, while in many people levels of the bad saturated fats are too high.

There are two types of EFA’s that are important to human health – the omega-6 type and the omega-3 type. The names arise from their chemical structure. Although they are similar, the two types are distinct. Since one type cannot be converted into the other, both must be present in the diet in a proper balance, for good health.
A healthy diet and supplementation program should provide a 1:2 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids. The ratio for individuals in most Western civilizations is around 1:20. This means that consumption is upwards of 20 times more Omega 6 then Omega 3 fatty acids.

Remember, it’s virtually impossible to get adequate amounts of unprocessed EFA’s (especially Omega 3 fatty acids) from today’s heavily processed foods. If we get the proper kinds of fats in the correct amount and balances, and prepare them using the correct methods, (heat and light destroy EFA’s) they keep our bodies strong and healthy. All fats are not created equal. Some harm and others heal. Major damage occurs to our health when we depart from fresh whole foods, and the fresh unaltered fats and oils, that nature created for us.

Here are some of the beneficial effects of the regular use of EFA supplements:
Facilitates fat loss                Enhanced immune function
Improved insulin action                               Decreased inflammation response
Improved metabolism                                   Improved energy production of cells
Improved condition of hair and nails        Increased nitrogen retention
Better calcium function                                Improved nerve function
Improved blood pressure                             Increased growth hormone secretion
Improved cholesterol profile                       Liver support and protection

• Stay Flexible – lack of mobility is the most common cause of back pain. If you work in a sedentary job, get up every 20 – 30 minutes and stretch out for a few seconds or grab a drink of water to loosen up. See a qualified fitness or yoga instructor for some safe stretching routines.

• Stay Strong-  Go swimming or try rowing or get an exercise rountine at your local gym to strengthen and tone those back muscles. Don’t forget to work your abdominal muscles as well as they provide support for the back.

• Watch your Weight – Putting on a lot of (fat) weight over a short period of time can place stress on the body by tilting the pelvis forwards and overloading the spine.

• Have a deep tissue massage. Tight muscles eventually lead into a state of fibrosis and scar tissue which cause knots in the muscle. When this happens the muscles are dysfunctional and immobile which then creates back pain. Deep tissue vs a lighter aromatherapy or spa massage will bring much better results.

• Stay Hydrated- The discs in your spine are fluid filled and provide protection between your spinal vertebrae. When properly hydrated you will find less back discomfort.

• Watch your posture and bend your knees. – Some of the biggest problems of back pain are because of a slouched posture and not bending your knees when picking up items. Bend first, then rotate after, and make sure you stand close to the load you are lifting.

Follow these 6 healthy back tips and you’ll have a much stronger and pain free back!!

While people paying attention to their body composition is, of course, a very good thing, BMI, as it turns out, can be frighteningly inaccurate in certain circumstances.  Because BMI is calculated by an equation only containing the variables height and weight, other variables that may affect the results are not considered.  For example, someone with high bone density may have a BMI number that suggests they are overweight even though their body composition may be very healthy indeed.  This can also happen for someone who has a very high amount of lean muscle.  Similarly, someone with abnormally low lean muscle mass can show up in the healthy range, even though the makeup of their body is not that of a healthy person.

There are also other factors of a person’s body composition that need to be considered when measuring his or her overall health and fitness level.  For example, someone whose overall weight is within a normal range may still have an unhealthy or altered body composition.  This could be a high fat-to-lean ratio or they may have body fat that gravitates to specific areas of the body suggesting the presence of a hormonal imbalance.  These factors are not taken into account by the Body Mass Index.

All of this is not to say that the Body Mass Index does not have its uses – for some people, it can be a reasonable tool to obtain a (very) generalized idea of their health.  To get a more accurate and useful picture that can be acted on in a real and targeted way that can yield real results, it is important to get measurements not only of one’s weight, but also accurate measurements of overall body fat percentage and, specifically, where on the body that fat is stored. 

For more information on this, you can visit the Fat Loss And Health Optimization section of our website, or feel free to contact me directly.

This need for clean, safe water has fueled the invention of manufacturing of dozens of products designed to remove impurities from our drinking water.  Unfortunately, some water purification devices, such as reverse osmosis systems, take things a little too far.  Reverse osmosis, like distillation, is extremely effective at removing substances from our water – the trouble is, it doesn’t discriminate between harmful substances and the vital minerals and trace elements our bodies need.  In its bid to achieve 100% pure H2O, reverse osmosis systems leave water stripped of virtually all vitality.

Two of the most important minerals that are stripped from water by reverse osmosis are calcium and magnesium.  According to a study comparing mineral content of tap and bottled waters, “Although many foods are now fortified with calcium (e.g., orange juice), naturally bioavailable Ca²⁺ is found almost exclusively in milk, milk products, and water. Drinking water may be a significant source of Ca²⁺, and Ca²⁺-rich mineral water may provide over one-third of the recommended dietary intake of this mineral in adults.”[1] While this is clearly important information for anyone, it is particularly vital for those who do not or cannot consume dairy products.

On magnesium, The United States Office of Dietary Supplements says, “Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis … There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.”[2]  According to another study, “regular consumption of magnesium-rich mineral water could make a valuable contribution to magnesium requirements.”[3]

As many people who choose to drink purified water do so for health reasons, this is startling information.  While it is important to remove harmful substances from our drinking water, this must not be done at the expense of important minerals that our bodies need to function healthily.  If you are considering purchasing a water purification unit, make sure you are purchase one that ensures highly mineralized water.

Irish readers should take a look at our Santevia Water Purification System.

The health benefits of regular exercise are:

• Heart Disease and stroke prevention – Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart and raising your good cholesterol levels and lowering your bad cholesterol levels and improving blood flow throughout the body to provide a steady course of nutrients and oxygen.
• Reducing Blood Pressure – Regular exercise reduces blood pressure in people with high blood pressure and hypertension.
• Diabetes – By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control type 2 diabetes.
• Back Pain – By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise provides balance and stability throughout the body.
• Osteoporosis – Regular weight bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of breaks and falls from weakened bone structures.

On top of these great health benefits regular exercise may also help with:

• Reducing depression and anxiety
• Building and maintaining muscles, bones and joints.
• Reduce risk of developing various types of Cancer
• Enhancing work, recreation and sporting performance

As you can see, there are many benefits to exercise which will help you live a more balanced and energetic life. So get out there and move. Take a walk, play actively with your kids, walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, walk or bike instead of driving, get to the gym, take a yoga class join a hiking club. Do whatever it takes to move your body and I promise you that you will have a lot more energy and feel great! And Remember to have fun!

Some of us become fat by over eating but most of us become fat by incorrect eating habits and choices. So what’s the first thing we do? Should I cut back on the amount of food that I eat in order to lose fat? Important: Unfortunately, when you restrict your calories below your required amount (like most diets or irregular meals accomplish), your body begins to produce an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase. This enzyme actually increases your ability to store fat (not want you want!). By starving yourself to lose weight, you are actually deteriorating lean muscle tissue on your body. The reason for this lies in our ‘evolution’. Our bodies were designed to store fat during the summer time when food was plentiful, so that we could live off our accumulated fat cells during the long harsh winters and during other bouts of famine. This is not a particularly effective system these days considering how plentiful our food supplies are at all times.

The other complicated variable is “ how can I exercise to burn the most amount of fat and build a reasonable amount of lean muscle tissue”?

You may not initially have a goal to build muscle tissue but here is the reality: one pound of muscle tissue can burn up to 70 calories a day. Since fat is burned inside the muscle cell, increasing the amount of muscle tissue on your body will ultimately increase the size of your fat burning furnace (your metabolism).

So by losing lean muscle tissue (by starving yourself), you can see how devastating this is to your bodies physiology if you are concerned about losing fat. Losing lean muscle tissue causes the fat burning furnace to slow down (your metabolism) and you are being detrimental to the cause. There is no other way around it: the key to long-term fat loss is to build lean muscle tissue.

You cannot build quality muscle without engaging in weight bearing (resistant) exercise. Muscle fibers must be stressed so that they increase in size and strength. In order for a muscle to recover and rebuild itself it must be in a positive nitrogen state (this means you have to eat properly post-exercise and during the day; this means you must be receiving the recommended daily amount (RDA) of protein). Having a steady flow of amino acids  to the muscle creates this state of recovery and development. Muscle tissue is comprised of amino acids, and amino acids contain about 16% nitrogen. Amino acids are the ‘building blocks of protein’ and are the absolute essentials of life. Muscle tissue is best serviced by a constant trickle down of amino acids. Think of it this way; when you were a baby your mother fed you every 2 to 3 hours (6 feedings per day). If you applied these eating habits now you would enable your body’s metabolism to be at its optimal level.

In summation, exercise regularly (resistance and aerobic training) and eat well-portioned frequent meals. Other factors you will want to research are the amount of fat/ carbohydrates / proteins that you will want to intake during a day and at what times. Also, what are ‘smart or essential fats’; the best time to eat carbohydrates (relating to the glycemic index); and how much protein should I take during the course of a day for my type of training and body weight.

Exercise + Proper Nutrition = Maximum Results

A recent study investigated how people grow old. While the researchers acknowledged that genetics plays a role, the study pinpoints three actions you can take to increase your chances of a vital old age: 1) Exercise regularly 2) Stay connected to other people 3) Get proper nutrition.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Drink plenty of fresh, clean water. It’s recommended you drink about 8 glasses per day.
• Include Good Fats in your diet. Your body can process all parts of a fat molecule except for the polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is why you need to include these fats in your diet. Fish oils, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds are good sources of unsaturated fat.
• Avoid too much salt. Rather than using salt on your food to add flavour, try using herbs instead.
• Choose healthy snacks. Before reaching for the potato crisps or cookies to snack on, try satisfying your hunger with something more healthy like fresh fruits or raw vegetables. You’ll get more nutrients this way, and you’ll avoid unhealthy fat, refined sugar, and food additives.
• Get plenty of fiber. A diet high in fiber will lower blood cholesterol, promote bowel health and reduce the risk of diabetes. The best way to get fiber is through unprocessed high fiber foods, such as whole grain rice, bran cereals, vegetables and fresh fruits especially apples, pears, apricots and blueberries.
• Eat a well-balanced diet with lots of variety. Your body requires many different nutrients, including 8 essential amino acids it can’t produce on its own. Make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need by including a variety of fruits and vegetables, a little bit of meat or other protein source, whole grains, various types of fresh fish and poultry.

The typical Western diet could be making people age faster than they should. By following the suggested guidelines, you’ll give your body the proper nutrition to help you looking and feeling youthful….and remember to have Fun!