Anti Aging - Enzymes And Raw Food

Enzymes and Raw Food – Can You Cheat Time and Stay Young for Longer?

I’m going to be a bit radical here, but know that I’m only encouraging you to question and think and ideally do your own research, both theory and practice. I’m pretty confident that you’ll thank me for it.

WHAT IF THE SO-CALLED ‘AGING PROCESS’ WAS A CHOICE?

Clearly, we can’t stop time from moving on. When we have a birthday, we are another year older. That’s a fact that, for the moment at least, we cannot change. But what if the weakening organs, bones and tissues and all the 'usual' signs of old age were not actually a part of the aging process we've come to accept as 'normal'?

Have you ever considered that these conditions are simply symptoms of us mistreating our bodies over the course of our lives to date? Wouldn’t our senior years be a whole lot more fun if we were pain and disease free and could jump around with the energy and vitality of a teenager?

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

That this is a crazy, impossible idea borne out of fantasy? Or are you willing to open your mind and accept that actually, if you treat your body right and nourish it properly, it may in fact be possible? And this is where Enzymes come in...

In his book Intuitive Eating, Dr Humbart Santillo MD writes:

"A human being is not maintained by food intake alone, but rather by what is digested. Every food must be broken down by enzymes to simpler building blocks. Enzymes may be divided into 2 groups, exogenous (found in raw food) and endogenous (produced within our bodies). The more one gets of the exogenous enzymes, the less will have to be borrowed from other metabolic processes and supplied by the pancreas.

The enzymes contained in raw food actually aid in the digestion of that same food when it is chewed. One can live many years on a cooked food diet, but eventually this will cause cellular enzyme exhaustion which lays the foundation for a weak immune system and ultimately disease."

Put simply, we are born with a finite supply of endogenous enzymes. It should be enough to last us a lifetime based on current life expectancy, but if we don’t supply some exogenous enzymes through our diet, we will use up our original supplies and that’s when we become susceptible to the accepted ‘signs of old age’ including premature death! And the fact is that when we cook our food, we kill all enzymes instead of allowing them to boost our immune system, our brain function and our energy levels.

Another doctor, Edward Howell, has written a book called Enzyme Nutrition. In it, he says:

"Humans eating an enzyme-less diet use up a tremendous amount of their enzyme potential in lavish secretions of the pancreas and other digestive organs. The result is a shortened lifespan (65 years or less as compared with 100 or more), illness, and lower resistance to stress of all types, psychological and environmental. By eating foods with their enzymes in tact and by supplementing cooked foods with enzyme capsules we can stop abnormal and pathological aging processes."

THESE SCIENTISTS ARE NOT CRACK-POTS WORKING ALONE

The raw food movement is gathering pace and the practice is becoming more mainstream now. In her book You Are What You Eat, Gillian McKeith places raw or living foods at the top of her list of Good Foods and has a section entitled The Case Against Cooking.

Now don't get me wrong; I'm not suggesting that you switch overnight to a 100% raw food diet. Though plenty do and never look back, it's not always wise. Instead I would give the same advice as Gillian in urging you to eat something raw with every meal.

Just before I sat down to write this, I ate a yummy Quinoa Avocado Salad which other than the cooked quinoa was loaded with raw, enzyme-, EFA- and nutrient- rich foods. I ate it on its own, but you could serve it alongside a piece of grilled chicken or fish instead of dead, heavy, sugar-rush potatoes which do little more than bloat you up. Find the recipe on my Blog at Claires Blog.

by Claire Raikes

Claire Raikes is a Wellbeing Coach, Speaker and Writer who 'cured' herself of a chronic, disabling and potentially life-threatening bowel condition without the use of steroids, surgery or any other traditional medical intervention. She now shares her passion for natural and vibrant health through coaching, speaking and writing about the importance and power of a truly healthy diet.

She publishes a free weekly eZine, In Essence and is compiling an eBook of Healthy Fast Food with 25% of the proceeds going to The Cancer Project, a charity set up by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and nutritionists to educate the public on the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival.

If you have a recipe you would like to submit, visit www.LiveInEssence.com for further details. To book Claire to speak at your event, email her at Claire@LiveInEssence.com.

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Healthy Eating For Weight Loss And A Long Life

Eating is a wonderful thing. It is also necessary for keeping you alive and healthy. But with the hectic pace of life today, it’s hard to keep to a healthy eating schedule.

It seems so much easier to snack and hit up fast food joints, rather than eat a healthy diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, and fish, while cutting down on saturated fats, trying to eat less salt, while getting more active and drinking plenty of water without skipping breakfast. Sounds so difficult even when you say it fast. (GRINS)

But you already know that, don’t you?

Price is a factor as well. The cheap food at the takeouts that tastes the best also happens to be the same food that clogs your arteries, and makes you fat. Oh the irony!

Why does a soy dog cost five bucks, when street meat only costs two bucks? Is the life of a bean curd worth more than that of a pig? Life is just full of mysteries.

However, healthy foods are really more inexpensive in the long run.

If you can’t exercise regularly, and you can’t quit smoking, at least you can try your best to start eating healthier.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Eat a good breakfast.

How many times have you been told it’s the most important meal of the day? The reason: because it is! And by the way, beer for breakfast doesn’t count.

2. Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and veggies.

Eating healthy is all about routine and finding things that are healthy but tasty as well.

3. Eat regular meals.

Snacking has been the downfall of many a healthy person. Try to avoid unhealthy snacking, like deep fried butter and pork rinds, and replace it with a fruit bar or muffin.

4. Eat moderate portions.

If you are going to eat fatty, sugary foods, at least keep the portions small. There is no such thing as good or bad foods, only choices that are right or wrong for you.

5. Quit deep frying everything.

Instead, try baking, broiling, grilling, poaching, roasting, steaming, stir frying etc.

To make things easier, try reducing foods instead of completely eliminating them. Balance your food choices over time and recognize your eating pitfalls.

You should try eating 2-4 servings of fruit, and 3-5 serving of vegetables each day, while basing your meals around complex carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Eating healthy can be so beneficial and so easy. Really, all you have to do is just decide to take the leap and start your life headed in a new, healthy direction. It is so much easier than you think.

For more information on healthy portions, see our program - Portions For Life

Lifestyle Choices - Set Goals for Losing Weight Permanently

Well, the race is on for those of us who want to look great on the beach this summer. Another couple of months and vacation time will be upon us. More than a few of us will be taking some actions to lose weight that we may have gained over the winter. Or, maybe over two winters . . .

The key to weight loss is smaller portions. Always has been. Portion control is necessary in these days of "supersizing". Eat less than you burn up. Sounds easy but hardly no one does it. We are growing into an obese society overall here in North America. (Check out our Portions For Life program.)

Losing weight can be achieved in various ways, but healthy habits are necessary if you want to lose the weight and have high energy permanently. That weight that you gained did not just appear yesterday, it probably built up over months, maybe even years.

Weight gain is in most cases a result of unhealthy lifestyle choices. You can roughly calculate the amount of calories your body needs a day and when you stay close to that number, you will probably have few weight issues. But for the rest of us that indulge in fast foods, candy, other high calorie and high fat foods, the weight accumulates slowly over a longer period of time.

Losing weight, especially losing weight permanently can only be achieved if the right goals are set, and then the goals strategies and results are monitored closely. You can only manage what you can measure so keep an eye on your progress. Build up those daily, habitually healthy actions and you will consistently hit your mark.

First of all, you need to realize that your extra weight has accumulated over months or years and therefore you will not be able to lose it within a few weeks or a few months, especially if we are talking of more than 20 pounds.

Generally physicians all over the world say that a healthy rate of loosing weight is about 6 pounds per month. So when to get started, set an achievable goal, set yourself 5 pounds for every month until you arrive at your goal weight.

Losing weight permanently often means a change in lifestyle and especially bad eating habits. You will most likely not be able to drop poundage when you keep eating what you are eating, even if you cut it down. You need to eat to live, not live to eat. Find out what foods will help you in your weightloss goals.

If you include fruits, vegetables and grains into your daily routine, you will seldom be hungry and you will lose weight. Changing to the new healthier eating habit will not only help you lose weight, you will also live a healthier life, and gain more energy. More vitamins and minerals from nutrient dense foods will enter your system regularly so that your body will thrive and energize.

Also know that the temptation to go back to old habits will be there, but setting goals for permanent weight loss gives you the motivation to resist those temptations.

This does not mean that you should never eat a piece of candy or have dessert. There are first of all very yummy, healthy desserts and every once in a while, when that chocolate is calling your name louder than ever, you can have a piece or two.

Excluding food that you love completely can risk your whole diet. If you indulge in one or two small pieces every once in a while will first, satisfy that sweet tooth and second, prevent you from getting to the point where you will eat a whole bar of chocolate and ruin your diet.

Set a goal to reward yourself. When you have reached one of your long-term goals, go ahead and give you self a reward. Make it commensurate with the size and difficulty of your goal.

Rewards have positive effects on our motivation to keep up certain behaviors and since there is not really anybody else who will reward you, do it yourself. Treat yourself to that new smaller outfit, or maybe a trip to the spa.

One very important goal in your permanent weight loss is certainly more exercise. Eating less food and keeping to those nutrient dense varieties, and exercising on regular basis is the key to keep the weight off.

A more fit you will burn more calories and also you will feel much better about keeping up the routine and the healthy lifestyle. Yes, it can be hard, but if you set reachable goals, you can build the daily habit.

Fit that exercise in your daily routine, no excuses. Start slowly and you will not only see the results, you will also be able to permanently keep that weight off.

If you too are taking action to get down to a healthier weight, check out our Portions For Life program.

Weight Loss Motivation Revisited

4 Effective Ways To Encourage Yourself To Lose Weight

A lot of people quit in the middle of a weight management program because they have lost their weight loss motivation. After a few weeks of dieting and exercising, it is normal for people to start losing some interest in what they are doing.

In fact, during the first few weeks of a weight reduction program, a lot of people would decide that they do not want to continue because they are no longer interested.

If you are one of those people who have lost their enthusiasm about their weight program, you should find a weight loss motivation. Remember that if you quit, you will never be able to shed off that extra weight off your body. Besides, if you have already invested money in your weight reduction program, you investment will simply go to waste!

Setting reasonable expectations
According to weight loss trainers, you should keep your expectations reasonable and realistic so that you will not lose interest easily. Focusing on short-term goals is very effect when it comes to motivating people to continue with their program.

For instance, you set a goal of losing at least two pounds per week. Since losing two pounds in a week is very realistic and easy to attain, you will be motivated to work towards that goal.

Aside from focusing on short-term goals, you should focus more on your activities rather than your weight. If you give your whole attention on the amount of calories that you eat versus the amount of calories that you burn during your daily exercise routine, you would mostly be more motivated to go on with your program.

Having an ideal body image
To keep you in the right track, you should keep an idea body image for yourself. Having that mental picture of yourself looking slim and healthy is a powerful weight loss motivation for you.

If you need some visual image, find somebody whose body you admire and keep a picture of that person in your room. Tell yourself everyday that someday you will look like this person. The power of suggestion always work especially when you repeat it constantly.

Working with a partner
One of the best ways to motivate yourself you continue your program is to have a partner. If you do your diet and exercise all by yourself, you will easily get bored and then stop.

If you have partner who is also into the same weight loss program, dieting and exercising becomes a social affair so you are less likely to lose interest. According to studies, working out with a partner or a team is more effective. Having a support group where you can share your diet and exercise troubles is a good way to keep toy interested.

Rewarding yourself
Rewarding yourself for your achievements is a weight loss motivation. Set a goal for yourself and once you achieve that goal treat yourself to something that you have always wanted to.

For instance, if you have been planning to go to the spa and relax, make that as your reward for yourself. Tell yourself that if you achieve your goal for the month, you will treat yourself to the spa.

by Andy Jefferson

HowToGainMuscleMass provides weight management information and expert articles. To find out how to lose body fat permanently, even in your mushiest spots, without drugs, without supplements and without messing up your metabolism, visit http://www.howtogainmusclemass.com/ for Free Underground Weight Loss Tips.

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