We have an awesome opportunity to take responsibility of something that we are in total control of, OUR HEALTH!!! In a world where choices seem to be evaporating quickly, our health is still ours to be in control of but you have to turn off the tv. Nothing you read below will be found or heard on any tv set. Why? It doesn't fit the narrative of keeping people sick and unhealthy.
I am providing a wealth of information on this page that hopefully my patients or anyone else that wants to make serious health changes will take advantage of. This is going to be overwhelming to most people so take it one step at a time. It took time to get unhealthy and it takes time to reach optimal health. It takes discipline and it takes a little extra time out of your day to plan lunches and snacks. Being truly healthy in a world that wants us to be sick is a challenge. Try adding 1-2 of these recommendations a day until you reach a goal of 15-20 of these recommendations daily. I guarantee you a better, happier, more energetic fulfilled life that you may have never enjoyed up to this point in your life. I also guarantee you a 75-100% reduction in visits to the MD or hospital for ANYTHING (trauma aside) if you implement most of these changes.
The importance of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acid ratios. Excessive amounts of omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a very high omega 6/3 ratio as is found in todays western diets, promote the pathogenesis of many diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. An ideal ratio of 1/4 was associated with a 70% decrease in all causes of mortality. The average ratio in todays diet is right around 25/1 which is why our food is making us sick and unhealthy. Not enough Omega 3 healthy animal fats from grass fed animals and healthy fat from fish and seafood is the main culprit. In the last 50 years Omega 6 fatty acids in our body fat stores mainly from grains and vegetable oils has increased by 200%
In a study from the Mayo Clinic, people who ate a fat-based diet had a 42% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; those who ate a protein-based diet had a 21% percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s; but those who ate a simple carbohydrate-based diet (think bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and sugar) had a 400% percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s. It’s the sugar, and foods that turn to sugar, not the fat, that’s the problem. Just remember the above paragraph... the Omega 3 sources of fats are what we are after here which I list in detail below.
Here is a great easy to understand article on the importance of our essential fatty acids if you want more detail
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/omega-3-6-9-overview#omega-6
Bottom line on this subject, Start with 3 of the foods on this list daily. These are all rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.
Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil for cooking. Coconut oil is also awesome on popcorn. Lard is also a great choice for cooking. Grass fed beef, Pasture fed butter, olives, cheese, almonds, walnuts, eggs, Wild salmon, shellfish, clams, chicken and pork, wild game, lamb, turkey, duck, Avocados, flax seed, chia seeds.
So in conclusion what people have been historically told by thier MDs that cholesterol is the enemy in heart disease has been fundamentally flawed for 40 plus years. LDL has no direct correlation to heart disease, in fact in the BJM {British journal of medicine} a recent study showed high LDL levels in the elderly actually lived longer than those with lower levels!!! Sugars and Triglycerides are the real enemy that cause LDLs to stick to the artery and cause blood vessel inflammation and damage. These studies are widespread yet they still keep pushing statin drugs. Link below to study.
https://www.universitypositions.eu/article/high-cholesterol-does-not-cause-heart-disease
Nearly twenty years ago two landmark randomized clinical trials appeared in The Lancet which forever changed the course of medicine for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The 4S study employed a cholesterol-lowering statin drug and reported a 30% mortality reduction[1]. The Lyon Diet Heart Study utilized the Mediterranean diet and reported a 70% mortality reduction[2]. Subsequent studies of the Mediterranean diet have confirmed these findings and also shown a reduced risk of cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease[3-6]. Subsequent statin studies have led the United States Food and Drug Administration to issue warnings regarding the increased risk of diabetes and decreased cognition with statin drugs. Paradoxically, statins have gone on to become a multi-billion dollar industry and the foundation of many cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines while the Mediterranean diet has often been ignored. We believe this statin-centric cholesterol-lowering approach to preventing CHD may be misguided.
I understand the challenges of taking responsibility for your health in a nation that is constantly encouraging bad health choices and we can help with this. Food was never supposed to taste good it was meant for survivability. When fat was taken out of food back in the late 70's and replaced with sugar and high fructose corn syrup our whole health culture started to change. This shift caused the billion dollar problem we have today called diabetes. Our nations addiction to sugar was caused by the void that was left by taking fats out of our foods. Fat is one of the most important nutrients in our bodies. Essential Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are in every cell of our bodies called a phospholipid bilayer. It also surrounds every nerve in our central and peripheral nervous system which is very important for proper nerve transmission. In fact cholesterol lowering medication actually robs this cholesterol in very critical areas of our bodies and is now linked to dementia. The fat as shown in very recent studies is not the cause of plaque buildup in the arteries but actually inflammation caused by sugar and homocysteine caused by stress.
Human s tudies confirm the link between added sugar and higher inflammatory markers. A study of 29 healthy people found that consuming only 40 grams of added sugar from just one 375-ml can of soda per day led to an increase in inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and LDL cholesterol.
Omega 6 fatty acids are found in all grains so they are easy to get and we usually dont have to go out of our normal diet to find them. So what does this look like on a day to day eating schedule?
Morning : Bacon and Eggs limited bread or oatmeal. Ice tea (unsweetened) or water to drink with every meal.
Mid morning snack: Avocado with salt or raw or smoked almonds.
Lunch: Turkey sandwich with swiss or cheddar cheese light Bakery bread and full fat mayo (with olive oil instead of canola) mustard or siracha.
Mid afternoon snack: Almonds, walnuts, Fermented foods greek unflavored yogurt and add your own cinnamon honey and fruit. ( less sugar)
Dinner: 6-8 oz grass fed steak, sweet potato w/ butter , vegetable of choice.
Alternate the above choices for variety. Its not the end of the world to have a cheat food 1 night a week ie pizza or plate of pasta but it has to be limited. I like to keep a bag of 70% cacao dark chocolate chips handy and have an ounce of them after dinner 1-2X a week to get my chocolate fix.
Weight loss begins with counting calories. You must have a 500 calorie deficit in order to lose 1-2 lbs a week which is realistic and sustainable weight loss. What is a 500 calorie deficit? Simply put if you consume 3000 calories a day you must burn 3500 calories daily for a week to lose 1-2 lbs depending on body type and fat content on the body. The less body fat you have the harder it is to lose. This can be calculated by BMI calculators which tell you how many calories you burn daily at rest based on your age and body type. Lifestyle changes do not have to be complicated diets. Output has to be more than input is the take home message here. To maintain after you have reached your goal weight your input and output have to equal one another. we must remember not all calories are created equal, a can of soda is roughly the same calories as a handful of almonds . Back to the sugar and carb content as you count calories. 40 grams of sugar a day is the max which is roughly the amount in one soda. On the contrary 6 oz of almonds contain about 6 grams of sugar mainly in the form of complex carbohydrates which your body has to metabolize to break down which actually expends calories ie fiber.
Sugar (simple carbs) is the root of all evil when it comes to most health disorders. Cancer, CVD, Diabetes and Alzheimer's are all caused by excess sugar intake. When I see these coffee houses with cars lined up in both directions to get a sugared drink it really confirms the problem. These drinks are liquid sugar most of them packing 40-50 grams of sugar in one drink. That is double of what your daily intake for sugar should be for the day and this is before your day is even starting. Then for most of us that is followed up by a day of sitting at a desk. This is a recipe for disaster when it comes to optimal health, and actually we are going down the road to optimal sickness and disease. Most our complex carbs should be coming from preferably more vegetables than fruit depending on the fruit.
My list of good carbs.... Broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens, Mushrooms, cauliflower, green beans, radish, turnips, asparagus, Garlic, sweet potatoes, Avocados, bell peppers, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Zucchini squash.
All of the following things I mention on the list below are all ways to minimize you and your families exposure to disease. We cant all live off the grid where the air and soil is free from all the toxins that we are exposed to in the more populated areas but here is what we can do.
Toothpaste- SLS and Flouride free. We use Jasons from Natural grocers
Stop using chemical cleaners use baking soda, vinegar, Thieves from Young Living, hydrogen peroxide.. The vinegar recipe is 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 4 drops each lemon and lime essential oil.
Don't use air fresheners.... Water with essential oils in a diffuser works great.
Use dye and perfume free laundry soap.
Eat non GMO and organic as much as possible
RBST free dairy. Raw milk is the best and is now sold in most stores at 7-8 a gallon. Yes, it costs money to eat healthy but there are huge costs to being sick .
Dont use store bought lotion or soap. Full of chemicals and fragrances. Anything that goes on the skin ends up directly in the bloodstream. Our homemade lotion and deodorant recipe is attached. Its fun and easy!!!
1. 4 Tablespoons grated beeswax
2. 1/2 cup almond oil
3. 2 Tablespoons of vegetable glycerin
4. 3/4 cup water
Melt 1,2, &4 in a double boiler, then add 3 (I used a large glass measuring cup in a large saucepan with some water in it and heat on a burner.
When oil mix starts to cool it will thicken slightly, at that point thats when you slowly add water to oil mix and use a stick blender to mix until water is completely blended and mixture thickens. Dont worry the consistency takes practice, sometimes it will be thicker and sometimes thinner.
Deodorant recipe coming soon!!!
Shampoo and conditioner is harder, look for the smallest list of ingredients. Natural Grocers has some good ones.
Change out your shower curtain for cloth if you dont have glass.
Dont use plastic containers and NEVER microwave your food in plastic.
Use the microwave sparingly
Only use plastics that have the numbers 5,4,1 or 2 on the bottom.
The two biggest things you can do right now to make the largest impact in your life is to stop eating fast food and quit drinking pop or lattes. If you can do just these 2 things it will change your life. Time to get on board with eating responsibly, getting good Vitamin C, Zinc , Sunlight, D3 with K2 and getting your body moving!!! COVID should have been NOTHING!!!! It shouldnt have killed ONE person!! The food we eat and the environment we provide for us and our children should be where safety starts. Health does not come from a pill or a vaccine bottle. It works from the inside and then outward into your environment.
I love educating people on how to get the most out of their immune systems!!! By the way chiropractic care boosts immunity 200%. Why? because activating mechanoreceptors has a direct influence on the immune system!! WE are not "popping bones"
Change our food supply and disease is a thing of the past.
Add 5G to the list of things that are going to be an assault on our immune systems. What is Panhandle health doing about 5G. I can guarantee you NOTHING!!!
A couple things about joint health. Everyone over the age of 40 should be supplementing with collagen. It is the major component of our ligaments, tendons, cartilage and bone. As we age our tendons lose their elasticity because the collagen content is getting depleted. I like Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin or Collegen Peptides. these are powders that you mix in a drink. If you did capsules you would need to take 10-20 to get the same amount as 1-2 scoops of powder collagen. Essentially 10-20 grams depending on your weight.
I mentioned this about Omega 3s earlier but cod liver oil is also essential for joint health as well as overall health. It is an anti inflammatory for joints. I like Carlsons Cod Liver Oil.
This is just the tip of the iceberg adding more soon!!!