Part 2: Choices
It is the choices we make that make us.
You have to want it bad enough.
You have to listen and hear what is working - fruits, vegetables, lean foods, whole foods and exercise. No, it's not easy. But it works!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
New HBO Series - The Weight of the Nation: Part 1
I would like to share each of the episodes on my blog and invite your feedback. It is time we do something about this trend.
The Weight of the Nation
Part 1: Consequences
Some interesting facts I picked up from this film:
Ideal cardiovascular health is defined by 7 factors & health behaviors. Less than 1% of the population meets these 7 criteria.
- Optimal cholesterol levels
- Normal blood pressure
- Not having diabetes
- Lean body mass index
- Not being a smoker
- Physical activity
- Healthy diet
Friday, May 25, 2012
Soy? Dangerous?
When my family began our journey to better health back in 1998, we removed all animal products from our diets, began juicing, eating more raw fruits and veggies, whole grains, and started substituting meat products with soy products. For so long soy has been tauted as a marvelous health food. Recent studies have found the opposite to be true for multiple reasons. We have probably done more harm to our bodies than good thanks to faulty science and simple ignorance. I will do my best to provide you the facts and the data to back it up so this doesn't become a post of opinion and blind faith. I hope you find this helpful and educational. So let's start at the top....
Did you know that in 2011, 94% of planted soy crops were GM (genetically modified) crops?
From http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/biotechcrops/
Why are GMOs harmful?
See links below for more informative documentaries on GMOs.
BACK TO SOY!...
Source: www.westonprice.org#1. High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking, but only with long fermentation. High-phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
#2. Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals, soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
#3. Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
#4. Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
#5. Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
#6. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for Vitamin D. Toxic synthetic Vitamin D2 is added to soy milk.
#7. Fragile proteins are over-denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
#8. Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
#9. Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods to mask soy's unpleasant taste.
#10. Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum, which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.
Soy - The Deadly Poison with Dr. Kaayla T. Daniel
- Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN). Board certified by the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN), Dallas, TX
- BA and MS degrees, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
- Ph.D in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences with a Concentration in Nutritional Sciences and Anti-Aging Therapies. Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, OH, March 2004
- Board Member of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Washington, DC
Myths and Truths About Soy
source: www.mercola.comMyth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.
Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soybeans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.
Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.
Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.
Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.
Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.
Truth: Like all legumes, soybeans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.
Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.
Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body: in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12
Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.
Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth.
Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc, which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system.
Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.
Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.
Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.
Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.
Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.
Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.
Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol with soy protein improves one's risk of having heart disease.
Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.
Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.
Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.
Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.
Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.
Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in later life.
Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.
Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.
Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.
Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels.
Myth: Soybeans are good for the environment.Truth: Most soybeans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.
Myth: Soybeans are good for developing nations.
Truth: In third-world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.
MORE ON GMOs
This is an extremely informative documentary on the nature of GMO crops on health and agriculuture in the U.S., Canada and India. You deserve to know...Unnatural Selection Part 1
Unnatural Selection Part 2
Unnatural Selection Part 3
Unnatural Selection Part 4
Unnatural Selection Part 5
Unnatural Selection Part 6
Unnatural Selection Part 7
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
I'm Back!
It has been quite a while since I have visited this blog. I tried a new format on a publisher that was only so-so and now it's back on track where I began!
SOOOO much has happened since my last blog posting.
#1 We are pregnant! I am currently 27 weeks pregnant and getting ready to finished up the last 2 weeks of school for the year. It is going to be an exciting summer with Baby Magness due on July 28th. My how the time flies.
#2 I have resigned from fitness coaching through Beachbody to focus on what is most important to me right now - being the best cleanse coach I can be with Isagenix. This is where my passion for health and fitness began and I am working to make this as successful as possible before starting any new ventures. I may return to BB at some point later on because I am in LOVE with their workout programs but for now it's ALL ISA BABY!
I will be reposting some of my old entries because I've made many new friends lately and would like to re-introduce myself to many of my old friends. So here is my story :)
My name is Mickale and in 2010 I was diagnosed with a severe bladder condition that was tearing my life apart. I could not enjoy my life because the foods I loved were causing me to end up in extreme discomfort that could last for days, interrupting both my work and personal lives. The doctors were clueless and had no cures or even an explanation for what was causing this. The only things they could offer were expensive experimental drugs that could take years to work and medication that might help control the symptoms I was feeling. I reached out for others who had had success in fighting this and only found stories of lives torn apart, jobs lost and husbands leaving their wives due to the severity of this problem. I was terrified. How could this be happening at 27 years old and what kind of life did I have to look forward to? Would I end up like everyone else?
Growing up we were taught about how nutrition from my mother and how when you put junk in the body, you GET a junk body. I knew there had to be a natural way to undo what I had done to myself through poor eating habits and neglect to my own health. I did my own research and everything I found pointed to toxic overload and acidity as the source of the problem.
Immediately I began a 30-day cleansing program. Within weeks I felt relief and even lost a couple pounds. After 6 months I was back to eating my favorite foods and enjoying life in a whole new way and with no discomfort at all! In addition, I had released a total of 20lbs! I no longer am a slave to pills and experimental treatments. I don’t have to be scared of leaving home in case the symptoms return, my husband leaving me or losing my job. I have my health back and a new life to go with it.
Many women who have the same condition I was diagnosed with report very little discomfort until they became pregnant. Then suddenly all they did was live in agony because the medications that might help are not safe for the unborn baby. I can happily say I haven't had even the smallest bit of discomfort related to this condition. This is just another triumph in my book!
After learning that the possible causes of the problem were toxicity and acidity, a coworker asked me to watch a video entitled, "Are You Toxic?" According to my research I was. It was as if the Lord had placed this coworker and his wife in my life "for such a time as this." I am eternally grateful that they had the courage to open their mouths and introduce me to the answer I had been searching for. And for that same reason, I am passionate about sharing this program with as many people as will listen. There are people out there crying themselves to sleep in physical and emotional pain and praying for what we have to offer them. I pray I can be that person that brings hope and healing into their lives.
With that I'll end this post with one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Our first wealth is health." Without our health... all the wealth in the world is worthless. What are you doing to ensure your health today?
