https://www.nutritionist-resource.org.uk/memberarticles/revitalising-drinks

For me, the summer months are so precious that I want to feel my very best every day. That’s why I’ve created these recipes of truly revitalising drinks that are not only refreshing during the hot weather, but energising and good for your health long-term.

Many of the drinks we buy from supermarkets or during our days out will look appealing — colourful labels stating the various health benefits that convince us to buy them. And they may even offer an immediate refreshment, but how often will you feel your energy drop afterwards?

As an alternative, these recipes have your health in mind, helping to support steady blood sugar levels which is crucial for energy and mood. Their tastes may take time to get used to, but they’re worth it!

Cherry lemonade
Serves 3

Ingredients

250g frozen sour cherries
1 litre coconut water
A pinch of sea salt
3 lemons, peeled
3 tbsp olive oil
1.5 litres of water (filtered or spring)
Method

In a blender, combine all the ingredients until smooth.
Pour into a jug and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
This drink is delicious and revitalising, and also very cleansing. Sour cherries are anti-inflammatory, benefit brain cognition, and improve sleep, while coconut water is rich in electrolytes — essential minerals such as sodium, calcium, and potassium — vital for many key functions in the body.

Five-flavour green juice
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cucumber
1 lemon, peeled
1cm chunk of fresh ginger, peeled
4 sticks of celery
3 carrots, peeled
2 apples, cores removed
3 handfuls of salad greens (dandelion leaves are a great addition!)
Method

Chop the fruit and vegetables into chunks.
If you have a juicer, add the ingredients and juice. Depending on your preference, drink immediately or leave to chill in the fridge.
At-home juicing method
If you do not have a juicer, don’t fret! You can either drink this straight from the blender if you don’t mind a thicker texture, or you can juice using some gadgets you likely already have in your kitchen.

You will need:

A blender
A square of cheesecloth
A fine mesh strainer/sieve
A large jug
Add your ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
Once blended, set up your straining station!
Place the mesh strainer on top of your jug, and place the cheesecloth over the sieve. Pour the blended concoction slowly onto the cheesecloth. The juice will run through the cloth, leaving the pulp behind.
To catch every drop of juice, gather the cloth by each end, twist into a ball and gently squeeze (making sure to keep it over the jug).
Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. Raw greens are especially beneficial, containing chlorophyll, essential minerals, and vitamins. Cucumbers are anti-inflammatory and rich in vitamin K (important for blood clotting and helping wounds to heal). Lemon juice is rich in vitamin C, helping to protect and maintain cells, healthy skin, blood vessels, and bones. Lemon juice also stimulates the liver and the body’s production of bile, thus aiding digestion. Finally, ginger, when used in moderation, balances serotonin and dopamine, and supports healthy blood pressure.

Upgrading your water
Many people have an aversion to drinking the volume of water they need to maintain health — from my own observations, this is due to disliking the taste or the volume of water required.

My advice is to drink water in small quantities throughout the day. If possible, buy a water filter to keep in the fridge, and fill up a large bottle to take with you. While plain water is great for hydration, adding one part coconut water can help keep our bodies in balance (thanks to those electrolytes). To boost flavour and get some additional health benefits, add a dash of freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice. A pinch of Himalayan sea salt is another great addition as these contain trace minerals and are very different to refined salt.

These tips are particularly useful if you enjoy fizzy drinks — simply switch out plain water for sparkling, and you have a nutritious, refreshing tipple!

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Thiamin (vitamin B1) is one of the primary defenses against stress in plants, bacteria, fungi, and throughout the animal kingdom. Plants can make their own thiamin, but humans cannot. This is why supplementation can often be so beneficial.

The post Thiamin a universal protector from stress appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

Topics covered include the dangers of high vitamin C, importance of gut health, and sensible eating (we ARE equipped to tolerate a moderate amount of oxalates if our diets are naturally balanced!).

Sally’s website

Markus highlights the dangers of synthetic vitamin C and calcium supplements

Markus’s website

The post Oxalates with Sally Norton and Markus Rothkranz appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

Abram Hoffer, MD, Ph.D. (1917-2009), a founder of Orthomolecular Medicine was a world-renowned Canadian doctor and biochemist that treated over five thousand patients with mental disorders (including schizophrenia, drug/alcohol addiction, and psychosis) through better nutrition, micronutrients, and megavitamin therapy. Dr. Abram Hoffer, a pioneer of holistic nutritional/vitamin therapy, died in May 2009 at the age of 91. For over 50 years, Dr. Abram Hoffer personally took 4,500 mg (4.5 grams) of Niacin (Vitamin B-3) along with other supplements. Dr. Abram Hoffer was a prolific researcher and writer, wrote over 30 books and 600 peer-reviewed medical journal articles (most of which were ignored by mainstream medicine), and was productive until 2 weeks prior to his death (age 91).

The post Vitamin B3 for Mental Health with Abram Hoffer appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

Unexplained weight gain is becoming alarmingly common everywhere. Belly fat has become the norm. This even happens to ‘healthy eaters’. Why could this be?

The post The Real Reason it’s so Hard to Lose Weight appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

Chronic stress can affect every system in the body. Let’s talk about how to lower cortisol and relieve stress.

We’ve been told that our environment is dangerous, which causes a lot of stress and anxiety. But, while our environment may be dangerous, it’s not as dangerous as many are led to believe—and it’s not healthy to keep your attention on this negativity.

It’s vital to change your viewpoint on your environment and see it in a positive light, as well as filter out some of the negativity you’re exposed to.

Chronic stress can potentially lead to various health issues, including:
• A weak microbiome and more pathogenic bacteria
• A poor immune system
• Inflammation
• Fertility problems
• High insulin levels
• High triglycerides and LDL and low HDL
• Poor detoxification
• Slow digestion
• Poor absorption of vitamins and minerals (including vitamin D)
• Tightened fascia
• Cognitive problems
• The activation of bad genes and suppression of good genes

Two of the best ways to deal with stress and cortisol:
1. Change the viewpoint of your environment and filter out various threats of danger
• Get space in nature
• Connect with your environment

2. Physically flush out accumulated adrenaline and cortisol
• Exercise
• Do physical work

You can’t avoid stress. So, you need to understand how to deal with stress naturally. Today, we’re going to cover a new way to relieve stress that has nothing to do with sleep, diet, or exercise.

Oxytocin is a hormone typically associated with reproduction. But, recently, I learned it’s also involved in countering stress.

Oxytocin is actually the most important hormone in counteracting cortisol and the fight or flight mechanism, and it’s a major hormone involved in regulating anxiety and stress. Oxytocin is also involved in social biology and helps prevents atrophy of the hippocampus.

The best ways to trigger oxytocin and reduce stress:
• Bonding with people and pets
• Volunteering
• Donating
• Sharing
• Storytelling
• Hugging

This goes beyond diet and exercise. It’s clear that helping others is something you can do to increase oxytocin and manage stress.

But a few other factors are also at play. Vitamin C, magnesium, and cholesterol support healthy oxytocin levels, and estrogen increases the receptor for oxytocin. Check out my other videos to learn more about the best diet for stress and how to reduce stress naturally.

The post Dr Berg on Stress and Cortisol appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

The original Alkaline Myth video with medical expert James Sloane https://youtu.be/7O6GhVCvVgE
Here are links to studies mentioned in the video
Virtually all pH in the body is regulated through respiration and kidney function
https://medreview.wordpress.com/2013/…

The kidneys produce bicarbonate ions that neutralize acids in your blood, enabling your body to closely manage blood pH
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1…

loss of collagen is strongly linked with low levels of two acids — orthosilicic acid and ascorbic acid, or vitamin C — in your diet
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2…

Clinical trials — which tend to be more accurate — have concluded that acid-forming diets have no impact on calcium levels in your body
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1…
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/f…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2…

Many people argue that cancer only grows in an acidic environment and can be treated or even cured with an alkaline diet. However, comprehensive reviews on the relationship between diet-induced acidosis — or increased blood acidity caused by diet — and cancer conclude that there is no direct link
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti…

cancer grows in normal body tissue, which has a slightly alkaline pH of 7.4. Many experiments have successfully grown cancer cells in an alkaline environment
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8…

while tumors grow faster in acidic environments, the tumors create this acidity themselves. It is not the acidic environment that creates the cancer, but the cancer that creates the acidic environment
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1…

while lemon juice may make the pH of the urine more alkaline, it does not have the same effect on the pH of your blood. Numerous studies show that the foods you eat have a very limited effect on blood pH
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2…

Alkalinity driving cancer cell growth and malignant transformation:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/71e8…

Na+/H+ exchanger-dependent intracellular alkalinization is an early event in malignant transformation and plays an essential role in the development of subsequent transformation-associated phenotypes. FASEBJ 2000 Nov;14(14):2185-97

Tumorigenic 3T3 cells maintain an alkaline intracellular pH under physiological conditions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1990 October; 87(19): 7414–7418

31P NMR analysis of intracellular pH of Swiss Mouse 3T3 cells: effects of extracellular Na+ and K+ and mitogenic stimulation. J Membr Biol 1986;94(1):55-64

Extracellular Na+ and initiation of DNA synthesis: role of intracellular pH and K+. J Cell Biol 1984 Mar;98(3):1082-9

How cancer cells maintain their internal alkalinity and evidence that blocking the proton pumps makes cancer cells acidic killing them:

Vacuolar H(+)-ATPase in Cancer Cells: Structure and Function. Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology Sept. 2011

Vacuolar H+-ATPase in human breast cancer cells with distinct metastatic potential: distribution and functional activity. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 286: C1443–C1452, 2004

Targeting vacuolar H+-ATPases as a new strategy against cancer. Cancer Res 2007 Nov 15;67(22):10627-30

Vacuolar H(+)-ATPase signaling pathway in cancer. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2012 Mar;13(2):152-63

The post The Acidosis Myth appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

The Science of Appetite

4:00 – Dr. Andrew Jenkinson’s background
5:50 – How much of obesity is a ‘genetic’ problem?
8:55 – How bariatric surgery improves satiety (the answer is surprising)
14:15 – Leptin resistance, inflammatory noise and TNF-alpha
20:13 – Is obesity a deficiency disease?
28:15 – Saturated fat intake and longevity – Lessons from Spain
32:00 – Muscle mass, longevity and metabolic health
37:00 – How muscle impacts bodyweight ‘set point
41:40 – The connection between weight gain, poor metabolic health and poor immunity
46:27 – Simple tips to support healthy weight loss

The post Why we eat too much with Dr Andrew Jenkinson appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

Now that the supply of spring wild greens is diminishing I decided to include start this. So far feels great (though not my favourite taste!

https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/heavy-metal-detox-smoothie

Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 bananas
2 cups wild blueberries
1 cup cilantro (coriander)
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp barley grass juice powder
1 tsp spirulina
1 small handful of Atlantic dulse
Optional: water or coconut water or fresh orange juice to blend

Directions:

In a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add up to 1 cup of water. Enjoy

Spirulina: This edible blue-green algae draws out heavy metals from your brain, central nervous system, and liver, and soaks up heavy metals extracted by barley grass juice extract powder. Take 2 teaspoons mixed in water, coconut water, or juice.

Barley grass juice powder: prepares the mercury for complete absorption by the spirulina. This nutritive grass has the ability to draw heavy metals out of your spleen, intestinal tract, pancreas, thyroid, and reproductive system. Drink 1-2 teaspoons mixed into coconut water or juice.

Coriander: Goes deep into hard-to-reach places, extracting metals from yesteryear (so it’s great for that mercury inheritance you’re carrying around!). Blend one cup in a smoothie or juice, or add to salad or guacamole.

Wild blueberries: Draw heavy metals out of your brain tissue, healing and repairing any gaps created by oxidation when the heavy metals are removed. It is important to use wild blueberries, as they possess unique phytonutrients with special detoxifying capabilities. The potent antioxidants in wild blueberries help reverse any oxidative damage left behind by the heavy metal removal. This is especially important for your brain tissue—in fact, wild blueberries are the most powerful food for halting or in some cases reversing Alzheimer’s and dementia. Eat at least one cup daily. Note: while cultivated blueberries are nutritious, they lack the metal-drawing ability of the wild blueberries. Wild blueberries can be found in the freezer section of most supermarkets.

Atlantic dulse: In addition to mercury, this edible seaweed binds to lead, aluminum, copper, cadmium, and nickel. Unlike other seaweeds, Atlantic dulse is a powerful force for removing mercury on its own. Atlantic dulse goes into deep, hidden places of the digestive tract and gut, seeking out mercury, binding to it, and never releasing it until it leaves the body. Eat two tablespoons of flakes daily, or an equal amount of strips if it’s in whole-leaf form. Note: As it comes from the ocean, if you are concerned about the dulse itself having mercury, be aware that Atlantic sea dulse will not release any mercury it might possess into the body. It holds on to the mercury as it works its way through, and even grabs onto other metals along the way and drives them out as well. Atlantic dulse is a critical part of the team because it can hang out near the finish line (i.e., our colon), waiting for the other foods that have been grabbing on to heavy metals along the way. It serves as emergency backup, helping ensure that all the heavy metals that made it as far as the colon actually leave the body.

This smoothie recipe gives you a simple and tasty way to get all of these five foods into your daily diet in just one go. Drink this smoothie daily for optimal benefits.

The post Medical Medium Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie appeared first on Food For Consciousness.

The crucial importance of getting enough iodine is so often overlooked, firstly with regard to how sorely it is needed, and secondly to its deficiency in the foods we eat. The mineral content of food has been reducing over the decades simply because crops are harvested, sold and consumed while their mineral content is not returned to the ground. If food is organic then we are at a reduced risk from artificial fertilisers and pesticides but it is still likely that there is still some degradation in mineral content. In the days before long-distance transport and water flushing toilets, mineral content would have been naturally returned to the ground.

Even in days long gone by there were high rates of mental retardation in areas of the world where iodine levels were naturally low. These areas included the Valais region in Switzerland.

https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/history-of-cretinism/

We tend to romanticise the idea of eating local food. Although there are advantages to eating food fresh from near where we live, there is still a place for foods from further afield and it has to be said that the ability to transport food has benefitted many of us.

I tend to recommend applying either Lugo’s or nascent iodine topically and using it regularly.  Seaweed is a great addition to the diet but as the rest of our food is almost certainly iodine-deficient a relatively small amount of seafood won’t make up for it.

Dr Brownstein’s book gives us the latest research on iodine. It includes topics such as the thyroid gland, the different forms of iodine, autoimmune diseases and breast health. It’s currently very expensive on Amazon but, if you are interested,  you can obtain it from us.

Iodine—Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It. David Brownstein

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