Could Chemical Cuisine be the Cause?

The Eyes Have It
According to global reports such as the World Health Organization (WHO) blindness and visual impairment project, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the primary cause of visual impairment in industrialized countries, accounting for 19 percent to 30 percent of the total cases of low vision in developed regions. Projected data estimates a 50 percent increase of ARMD prevalence between 2000 and 2020. Evidence now shows there is a definite connection related to chemical components of our foods, lifestyle and eye disorders.

An Important Health Process

The simplest way to understand symptoms and disease integrates Western linear thinking, Chinese medicine and its philosophy of yin and yang, and the naturopathic approach to health and illness. In fact this integration I refer to as NEW Medicine with the N-E-W standing for Natural, Eastern, and Western healing approaches and applies to many health conditions; all of this is reviewed in my new book, Staying Healthy with NEW Medicine.

Problems in the body (and mind) often arise from either deficiency, where we are not acquiring sufficient necessary nutrients to meet our needs and body functions; and the other side is congestion, where we are having excessive intake, both from reduced eliminative functions and the over-consumption of foods or non-food substances, such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, refined sugar and food chemicals.

People who are deficient may experience such problems as fatigue, coldness, hair loss or dry skin, and they need to be nourished with wholesome foods to aid healing. Congestive problems, however, are more common in Western, industrialized civilizations. Many of our acute and chronic medical diseases and dilemmas result from the clogging of our tissues and tubes, and the suffocating of our cells and vital energy. Colds and flus to cancer and cardiovascular diseases, arthritis and allergies are all examples of congestive disorders.

These medical problems may be prevented or treated at least in part and often dramatically by embarking on a process of cleansing and detoxification. The incorporation of dietary changes, including consumption of more fresh fruits, vegetables and water while reducing animal fats and proteins and eliminating any damaging substances, especially those overused or abused, helps begin the rejuvenation process for the human body. This was discovered long ago and is still true today even though medical science may make light of it in deference to the quick solution to major diseases.

I consider the cleansing/fasting/detoxification process (they are different degrees of the same process of reduced toxin intake and enhanced toxin elimination) to be the missing link in Western nutrition and a key to the health and vitality of our civilization. In my forty years of medical practice in which I have utilized extensively various detox and healing/rejuvenation practices for both myself and literally thousands of patients, I can tell you that I truly believe that cleansing and detoxification is virtually one of the most powerful healing (real healing of ailments and not just suppression of symptoms) therapies I have seen.

I have written extensively about detoxification, as can be seen in the last section of my 1100-page Staying Healthy With Nutrition book and which is the focus of my book, The Detox Diet: The Complete Guide for Lifelong Vitality with Recipes, Menus, & Detox Plans, wherein I discuss both the medical and health factors of the cleansing process. The basics of the Detox Diet follow here to give you the general ideas of what is involved. In truth, what I attempt to do in my writing and practice is to place your health and that of your family back into your hands, because so much of it is up to you. It really matters how you live—what you do and what you eat, and what you think and feel. Take hold and do what you can to be vital and healthy. It is really worth it!

What are your SNACC Habits?

I use the detox process to help people break habits, and I love the acronym SNACCs to stand for Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine and Chemicals. Most people in our modern societies are not living as naturally as they might for best health. From what I see at speaking events, about 90 percent of people are using substances to either stimulate their energy or sedate them to rest and relax. We use caffeine daily and sugar to push us on, and then alcohol, cannabis, other drugs, or big meals to calm us down. When this is not done in balance or we don’t sleep well or are sick, we may even need more SNACCs, and then we run our body down. I often see this and the common results of Fatigue and Insomnia, Depression and Anxiety.

The idea that I embrace is that we should have a proper relationship to any substances, and even foods, that we ingest regularly, especially the ones that can be affecting our health in not all positive ways. Of course, everything, be it coffee, wine, sugar, or even a cigarette, have some positive effects; otherwise, we wouldn’t use them. Yet, when we become dependent and need them to make it through our day, it’s wise to schedule a break. Typically, it takes two to three weeks to shift habits, and then you can see how you feel without your usual. It’s like any bad relationship; we can’t always see it or appreciate how it affected us until we are away from it. The detox process allows us to have this experience. One of the ways to calm the body down and support it is with a detoxifying diet.

Here’s The Detox Diet Menu from my The Detox Diet book.

SPECIAL GUIDELINES for THE DETOX DIET:

1. Chew your food very well and take enough time when you eat.
2. Relax a few minutes before and after your meal.
3. Eat in a comfortable sitting position.
4. Eat primarily steamed fresh vegetables and some fresh greens.
5. Take only herbal teas after dinner.

THE DETOX DIET MENU PLAN

Morning (upon arising): Two glasses of water (filtered, spring, or reverse osmosis), one glass with half a lemon squeezed into it.

Breakfast: One piece of fresh fruit (at room temp), such as apple, pear, banana, grapes, or citrus. Chew well, mixing each bite with saliva.

15–30 minutes later: One bowl of cooked whole grains–specifically millet, brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, raw buckwheat, or buckwheat.

Flavoring can be two tablespoons of fruit juice for a sweeter breakfast taste, or use the “better butter” mixture mentioned below with a little salt or tamari for a deeper flavor.

Lunch (Noon–1 PM) One–two medium bowls of steamed vegetables; use a variety, including roots, stems, and greens–e.g., potatoes and yams, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, asparagus, kale, chard, and cabbage. CHEW WELL!

Dinner (5–6 PM) Same as lunch

Seasoning—Butter/olive oil mix or flaxseed oil. Make this “better butter” by mixing a half-cup of cold-pressed canola oil (or olive or flaxseed oils) into a soft (room temperature) half-pound of butter; then place in dish and refrigerate. Use about one teaspoon per meal or a maximum of three teaspoons daily.

11 AM and 3 PM—One–two cups veggie water, saved from steamed vegetables. Add a little sea salt or kelp and drink slowly, mixing each mouthful with saliva.

Evening: Herbal teas only— e.g., peppermint, chamomile, pau d’arco, or blends.

This works best doing this diet for 2–3 weeks. It helps calm down inflammation and alkalinize the body. Many symptoms lessen or disappear.

The holiday season is not only a time for merriment and festivities, it’s also when most people are guilty of overindulging themselves with food. Delectable dishes are present and overflowing from each dinner table, which makes it next too impossible for people to resist the urge to eat them. It is a perfect example of a mind over matter scenario: the brain simply overrides the body’s warnings that it is already full, which allows a person to eat continuously.

Actually, the majority of the urges come in the form of pastries and pudding to name but a few. Of course, there are always those who overindulge in turkey and stuffing, but that is mostly because we don’t exactly eat turkey and stuffing every day. In other words, the mind wants what the body doesn’t get freely. Our brains are hardwired for novelty, so anytime something scarce or new comes along, we are all in!¹

Aside from this, we are also hardwired to eat sweet foods when we are stressed and what time of the year stresses us more than the holiday’s—right? Our brain is always competing for the amino acid tryptophan, as tryptophan is essential to the manufacturing of the happy brain chemical, serotonin. Stress causes the body to use tryptophan for other—more important—things and the brain creates cravings for sweet foods to drive the serotonin levels up,² but only temporarily.

The fact remains, holiday binges almost always have repercussions, which are usually felt after the festivities end. People often find that they have gained more pounds and unwanted body fat, which becomes more and more difficult to lose with each passing holiday season.

Unbeknownst to many people, it is very easy to alter one’s metabolic rate. A study showed that indulging yourself with unhealthy fatty foods for just five days can weaken your body’s ability to digest food effectively when you go back to your normal diet again,³ once again making it even harder to lose the extra fat and weight that you gained during the holidays. In addition, the occurrence of heart disease and hypertension spikes during this season⁴ due to the extra amount of fat, oil, sugar and grease that usually accompanies holiday dishes.

To celebrate the holidays guilt-free and maintain the positive vibes whole year round, it is best to eat clean and smart. The following tips will surely allow you to enjoy the holiday festivities and at the same time maintain a healthy diet:

• Be cautious when eating gluten-free dishes since they may actually do more harm than good. Ingredients such as rice, millet and corn, which are usually used for gluten-free recipes, are actually full of quick-releasing carbohydrates that are usually converted into body fat quite easily⁵. They can also cause blood sugar levels to spike, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.⁶ Maintaining a low glycemic and low carb diet is your best ticket to maintaining health this season.
• Fizzy drinks such as soda can make you feel bloated and gassy. Not so attractive when you’re trying to make a good impression at the company Christmas party. Aside from making you swallow excess air, extra gas is produced when the bacteria in your digestive tract tries to break down sugars that these beverages contain. Instead of bloating yourself with these, it makes much more sense to limit yourself to regular water, sparkling mineral water with fresh lemon, hot tea, coffee, or unsweetened iced tea. These can also help you to maintain low insulin levels, which reduces cravings for sweets and allows your body to access fat for energy⁷.
• Baked products are abundant during the holiday season. However, instead of using baking flours to make your goodies, use coconut flour instead. This flour is not only low in carbohydrates but it is naturally laden with fiber and nutrients. In addition, coconuts have properties which have been shown to decrease the chances of diabetes and heart disease⁸.
• For side dishes, replace high-glycemic corn with low-glycemic legumes such as green peas.You may also opt for green vegetables, like broccoli, green beans or asparagus, which are not only low-glycemic but are also low in carbohydrates. Salads are also great dishes to prepare for this season as they have very low levels of carbohydrates and they can barely affect your blood sugar levels even at generous servings.
• Another great way to prevent gaining extra fat during the holidays is by consuming green tea extract. Green tea contains a compound that is called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG for short, which can help the body burn fat⁹. Aside from increasing metabolism and fat excretion, EGCG can also interfere with the body’s ability to absorb carbohydrates and prevent development of fat cells¹⁰. To maximize its effects, green tea extract is best consumed in the same meal as the carbohydrates.
• • Another ingredient that can also block the body’s absorption of carbohydrates and starches is white kidney bean extract. Carbohydrate digestion and absorption is associated with alpha amylase, an enzyme that is found in the intestines. This enzyme is blocked by phaseolamin, a compound found in white kidney bean extract which hinders it from functioning properly¹¹. This makes you feel fuller for longer periods and reduces your food intake.

Eat right, live right. You should maintain this mantra at all times. Do not let the holiday mood get the better of you and control your eating habits. The extra fat gained during the holiday season is just too difficult to keep losing. This season, why not stay ahead of the curve.

References:

1. Kahn BE, Wansink B. The influence of assortment structure on perceived variety and consumption quantities. Journal of Consumer Research. 2004, 30:519–33.
2. Wurtman, R.J., et al. “Brain Serotonin, Carbohydrate-Craving, Obesity and Depression,” Adv Exp Med Biol, 398, 1996: 35-41.
3. Davies, Madlen, et.al. (2015, April 13). Holiday Binge Really Does Hit Your Health: Just Five Days of Extra Fatty Food Affects Metabolism. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3036683/Going-holiday-Just-FIVE-days-eating-fatty-foodsslow-body-s-metabolism.htm.
4. Kam K. The Truth Behind More Holiday Heart Attacks: Why cardiac problems spike during the holidays and how to stay heart healthy. Web MD. Sept., 2011.
5. Miller WC, et al. Dietary fat, sugar, and fiber predict body fat content. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1994;94:612–5
6. Yanase M, et al. Insulin resistance and fasting hyperinsulinemia are risk factors for new cardiovascular events in patients with prior coronary artery disease and normal glucose tolerance. Circ J. 2004 Jan;68(1):47–52.
7. Wiley, T.S. and B. Formby. Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival, New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2000.
8. Nevin KG, Rajamohan T. Beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation. Clinical Biochemistry 37,2004;830–835).
9. Chen IJ, et al. Therapeutic effect of high-dose green tea extract on weight reduction: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Clin Nutr. 2015 May 29. pii: S0261-5614(15)00134-X. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2015.05.003. [Epub ahead of print.]
10. Dulloo AG, et al. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040–5.
11. Celleno L, et al. A Dietary Supplement Containing Standardized Phaseolus vulgaris Extract Influences Body Composition of Overweight Men and Women. International Journal of Medical Science. 2007; 4:45–52.

When I first began looking at the relationship of Nutrition to Health, I was a new doctor way back in 1975. At that time I could find very few medical doctors who would agree with my ideas and interests. Now, 30 years later, you would have to be in blind denial not to know the importance of this basic relationship. Our body, and how we look and feel, is a result of our lives. And what we feed ourselves is the basic building block. Mind you, it may take 20 to 30 years to see the adverse effects of poor dietary choices.

When I did my first Juice Cleanse in 1976, it was a dramatic positive effect on my health and vitality (I wrote about this experience in my first book, Staying Healthy with the Seasons, 1981, 2003). I realized then it mattered what I ate; my food choices became part of me. And since I found this new love for myself and wanted to keep feeling great (and trimmer and non-allergic, or really less congested), I totally changed my food from the basic American diet to the healthy natural foods eating program I still do today. And I believe I continually experience the results from these wiser lifestyle choices.

That’s why I wanted to share the basis and excitement about the field of nutritional medicine and applying diets and nutrients in the healing arts. Therefore, throughout the late 1980s and early 90s, I wrote and published a 1,200 page book, Staying Healthy with Nutrition. It was used by many people, lay public and professionals, as well as a source textbook for nutritional students. I was very pleased that people considered it so useful.

However, over the past 10–15 years, nutritional science and research has advanced incredibly, and I wanted to keep up with the information and update this essential nutrition text. I remembered that Dr. Buck Levin had suggested a decade before as a nutrition educator at Bastyr university in Seattle that he would help me update and reference the text when I was ready. I called him and he put out the incredible effort to work with me the past five years to bring the reader the latest, most updated, and completely new 21st Century Edition of Staying Healthy with Nutrition. And I believe the whole team of people, along with my long-time associate and book developer, Bethany Argisle, and my longtime publisher Celestial Arts/Tenspeed Press, has done a superb job.

It is my intention in this edition of Staying Healthy with Nutrition to investigate and substantiate the significance of food and nutrients as an integral and accepted part of the world of medicine and individual medical practice. I examine the emerging politics of food cultivation and what it takes to maintain healthy elements of clean air and water, rich and nutritious soil, and a sun that keeps shining. Supportive nutrition and our alignment with Nature are basic components of health, and certainly factors in disease when they are not present. A reasonable knowledge of nutritional biochemistry helps in the application of therapies that relieve many symptoms relating to or resulting from improper dietary habits and the resulting inefficient body functions. With the proper construction of a diet and lifestyle plan, we can help rebuild a patient’s health (or our own) before and after illness or surgery.

Medical schools and doctors have typically been oriented to treating disease with drugs and surgery, and many health care practitioners do not yet view foods as “powerful medicine.” Although nutrition plays a more important part in preventive medicine than it does in the treatment of disease, an understanding of the body’s functioning at the nutritional level can indeed help in the treatment of a variety of problems. Clearly, we now realize that diet plays a crucial part in how the body looks and feels and whether it stays healthy. Generally, these effects—both good and bad—come over time, years, and decades. We can change our body and health as well as our energy and vitality with different diets. I explore these concepts in this new edition.

Nutritional medicine is an emerging and fast-growing field; it is also as ancient as medicine and healing itself, however. It is a specialty much like other medical specialties and should be considered as such. Every practitioner should understand and follow the basics of nutritional application in health care. There is still a great deal to learn about nutrition and how it relates to illness and health, and how it relates to each individual’s needs, but this is true of all specialties.

The Breakthrough Detox Diet

For the first time in 25 years, the book that ignited a diet and lifestyle phenomenon has been fully updated–and it’s here just in time for the holidays!

Ann Louise Gittleman, the award winning New York Times bestselling author once again challenges conventional dietary wisdom to rewrite the rules of nutrition. A trendsetter for decades, her Fat Flush Plan revolutionized weight loss by helping tens of thousands of people recognize the critical role the liver plays in the detox/diet connection and overall health. Now, The New Fat Flush Planfollows in that same bold path. With the primary focus still on the liver’s role as the #1 fat burning organ, The New Fat Flush delves deeper into the latest research-based causes of weight loss resistance and expands into the 10 Hidden Weight Gain Factors. Ann Louise presents targeted regimens to correct sneaky saboteurs that are frequently overlooked like missing magnesium, fattening chemicals, a messy microbiome, hidden hitchhikers, and a sluggish or non-existent gallbladder.

Fat Flush stands apart from Paleo, Primal, Ketogenic and Vegan diets by making the case that diet without detox is doomed to failure thanks to the unprecedented amount of current toxins and hormone disruptors we face every day. The book promotes a daily detox eating plan that features surprisingly delicious Fat Flushing fruits, vegetables, oils, quality proteins, cleansing Fat Flush water, Fat Flush bone broth, and healing spices–all showcased in four weeks of easy menus and tasty recipes for the whole family.

Fat Flush has a time-tested and proven track record of success, with thousands of individuals who have lost weight and achieved overall health and relief from autoimmune and degenerative disease as a byproduct. The New Fat Flush Plan builds on this success for even more effortless weight loss.

In addition, the New Fat Flush presents:

• NEW Three-Day Ultra Fat Flush Tune-Up for quicker cleansing and results
• NEW health revelations linking the gallbladder and liver to thyroid health
• NEW hidden weight gain factors that explain why it’s not yourfault you’re fat
• NEW meals, menus, and shopping lists
• NEW tips for managing insulin, hormone, and stress levels
• NEW slimming smart fats and sweeteners
• NEW gluten-free tips for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance

Join the millions who have made Fat Flush one of the top diet programs in the world today. You’ll retrain your metabolism, shed pounds and inches from your waist, hips, and thighs, feel stronger and fitter than ever before–and do it while cleansing your liver and improving your overall health. With more easy recipes and up-to-date nutrition advice, The NEW Fat Flush Plan will:

• Cleanse your system with the THREE-DAY ULTRA FAT FLUSH TUNE-UP. Kick off your weight loss with a quick-start liquid detox and see significant results in just three days. Set the stage for fat loss with a metabolism booster, skinny smoothies, and slimming spices and fats.
• Continue the process with THE TWO-WEEK FAT FLUSH. Cleanse and build quality bile–the key to fat breakdown and removal of built-up waste from the system. Purge “false fat” and watch the pounds slip away.
• Reshape your body with THE METABOLIC RESET. Take your progress to the next level. Reintroduce friendly and glutenfree carbs while still losing weight, but enjoying the foods you love.
• Maintain with THE LIFESTYLE EATING PLAN. Master the new rules of food combining. Learn how to integrate special occasion ingredients for a happier and healthier you.

The NEW Fat Flush Plan eases you gradually into tried and true lifestyle eating. You’ll find meal plans, Fat Flush fitness, brand new lifestyle rituals, and over 75 recipes that are more easy-to-follow and family-friendly, plus an updated brand name shopping list. You’ll finally eliminate those “triggers” that put the weight back on.

Best of all, you won’t have to cut out your favorite foods forever or maintain a strict daily routine permanently. You just need to know the basic principles of The NEW Fat Flush Plan to achieve your dreams of a slimmer, stronger, healthier new you.

The New Fat Flush Plan is available now for pre-order on Amazon and will be available in bookstores nation-wide on December 2, 2016. All pre-order sales with proof of purchase will also receive access to a free bundle of gifts from Ann Louise.

The gift bundle includes:

Gift #1: Secret Weight Loss Factors Bundle
In this series of Summit talks and recordings, Ann Louise will discuss four often overlooked environmental, nutritional, and systemic shortfalls causing weight loss resistance and toxic overload. With over two hours of Ann Louise’s trademark insights and revelations, you will be introduced to some of the key concepts of The NEW Fat Flush Plan, which can ignite healing and weight loss results like no other diet/detox.

Featuring:

• How Parasites Could Be the Cause Of Excess Belly Fat
• Why Low Fat Is NOT Where It’s At
• Detox, Don’t Diet
• How to Bypass a Major Weight Loss Roadblock

Gift #2: Sneak Preview of a 1-Day Fat Flush Meal Plan
Start your Fat Flush journey TODAY with early access to an original meal plan featuring name brands that are Fat Flush “legal.” In the full NEW Fat Flush Plan you will receive four full weeks of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners packed with deliciously easy one-dish meals, soups, stir fries, packable lunches, sinfully tasty desserts including a Fat Flush Bone Broth! You will be so satisfied with over 75 mouth-watering family friendly recipes that are all designed to rest metabolism, tamp down inflammation and heal your body from head to toe.

Don’t wait. Kick-start your Fat Flush to a healthier, happier and stronger YOU right now.

Gift #3: 20% Discount on Fat Flush Kit
The official distributor of everything “Fat Flush” is proud to share in the historic release of the fully updated and revised New Fat Flush Plan with an exclusive discount on the Fat Flush Kit. The three formulas comprising the kit offer advanced detox support with the Dieters’ Multi; fat burning acceleration with the GLA-90; and gentle liver, fat digestion, and appetite control with The Weight Loss Formula.

This title is the perfect gift to give friends and family–and yourself–and follow this life-changing program together.