The food we eat and the physical environment we live in causes us to accumulate toxins, which limits our physical stamina and impairs our immune system. If we are clogged up and holding toxins in our bodies, we can’t absorb nutrients properly and digestion is hindered.

This might lead to constipation, bloating, gas, headaches, bad breath, allergy symptoms, PMS, depression, frequent infections, dull skin, thinning hair, and weight gain. These are all good reasons to detoxify and cleanse ourselves!

There are a few different ways to do this, and one of the best ways is to add more fiber to our diets. The average American diet contains about 10 grams of fiber a day, but in reality, we need to consume about 25 to 35 grams a day. Why is this? Because fiber absorbs toxins and helps move them through and out of our bodies, cleaning us out.

Fifty percent of our immune system is located in and around our digestive system, especially the large intestines. Cleansing these is the first step to obtaining and maintaining good health. In addition, fiber helps our bodies sustain a healthy intestinal flora.

Once your body is cleansed, it can utilize nutrients much more efficiently, thus reducing your cravings for sweets and fatty foods. Furthermore, fiber helps lower blood sugar, which helps manage diabetes, and is linked to the prevention of colon and breast cancer.

Two of the most convenient and consistent ways to add more fiber to your daily routine are first of all, eating more whole, raw organic vegetables and fruits in their natural form, and secondly, by consuming high-quality psyllium husks.

An easy way to add psyllium husks to your daily diet is to add them to your smoothie in the morning. The fiber swells quickly when wet, so you need to drink it quickly or add more liquid after it swells.

Here is a list of the top fiber foods you can add to your diet:

Apple 1 medium 2.2 grams fiber

Avocado 1 medium 11.84 grams fiber

Black beans 1 cup 14.92 grams fiber

Bran flakes 3/4 cup 5.1 grams fiber

Broccoli 1 cup cooked 10.97 grams fiber

Kale 1 cup cooked 7.20 grams fiber

Kidney beans 1 cup cooked 13.33 grams fiber

Lentils 1 cup 5.6 grams fiber

Oat Meal 1 cup 4 grams fiber

Orange 1 medium 3.40 grams fiber

Pear 1 medium 5.1 grams fiber

Raspberries 1 cup 8.34 grams fiber

Rice 1 cup uncooked 7.98 grams fiber

Spinach 1 cup cooked 4.32 grams fiber

Sweet potato 1 cup cooked 6.94 grams fiber

Whole-wheat spaghetti 1 cup 6.3 grams fiber

This year, add some fiber and nutrients to your diet.

Make this a lifestyle choice for a healthier new you!

By Nancy Addison CHC, AADP

copyright@nancyaddison2014

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There is a difference in the way refined carbohydrates and unrefined carbohydrates are converted into glucose by the body. Refined carbohydrates are converted to glucose quickly, which causes blood sugar to spike. This makes the body work hard to get the blood sugar level under control. It puts pressure on the pancreas to make and release insulin, which works “like a key to open the door of the cells so glucose… can come inside and be converted into energy.”

If too many refined carbohydrates are eaten on a continual basis, driving up blood sugar levels, this will stress the pancreas and eventually it will have trouble making insulin. This can result in diabetes.

The body will also turn the excess glucose into fat. This can result in weight gain and obesity. Carrying too much fat can lead to glucose intolerance. The body will start ignoring the signal to take glucose from the blood.

Many nutrient-empty, refined foods have fructose in them. Fructose doesn’t appropriately stimulate insulin production, which means the body fails to suppress its “hunger hormone” leptin. This hormone suppression is what makes us feel satisfied, so fructose is actually making us feel hungrier instead of satisfied.

Then, to process these nutrient-empty, refined foods, the body must pull nutrients from itself. The spiking of blood sugar from refined and empty food results in cravings, because when the body is not getting the nutrients it needs, it will start begging for them. On the other hand, feeding the body with nutrient-dense food gives it what it needs, and there shouldn’t be any cravings.

Because unrefined carbohydrates are fiber-rich, they take longer to digest. This means they do not put additional pressure on the pancreas to produce insulin in an unhealthy way. Unrefined carbohydrates, such as whole grains, should be a major part of a well-balanced diet.

Packaging can be very deceiving and misleading. When looking at a package that says “whole wheat” or “whole grain,” read the ingredient list and make sure it says “whole” before every grain listed. If the ingredient list contains just the name of the grain, then it is not whole-grain.

You also want to make sure any of these products or foods are sprouted, so the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors are removed. Many carbohydrates, as well as proteins, (nuts, seeds, grains, beans, and lentils) are very healthy for you and are full of nutrients. But many people don’t know they contain phytic acid. Phytic acid can prevent the body from absorbing important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, as well as cause acid indigestion.

Phytic acid has powerful anti-nutritional effects because it binds to minerals in your food to form phytates, which makes those minerals unavailable to your digestive system. It also inhibits enzymes in the body that are vitally important for digesting food properly. The high level of phytic acid in nuts, seeds, grains, beans, and lentils is a serious problem in the modern diet, resulting in many health problems including tooth decay, nutrient deficiencies, lack of appetite, and digestive problems.

The phytic acid in nuts, seeds, grains, beans, and lentils can be removed by soaking and sprouting them. Historically, indigenous cultures always did this before consuming them or feeding them to their animals. This is not done in modern day society, to the detriment of human and animal health. This is why my cookbooks Include the steps of preperation, which includes making these foods free of the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors.

If you are buying gluten-free products, make sure they are sprouted and whole-grain, or sprouted beans, sprouted lentils, sprouted rice, sprouted, and check the sugar content. I have found that even in the seemingly healthiest packages at the “healthy grocery stores,” the gluten-free foods are alarmingly high in sugar. It is extremely important to find ones that are low in added sugar.

So, in conclusion, as we get into the holiday season and we are out dining/ partying at places where there may be a lot of carbohydrate choices, try picking the healthiest ones and avoiding the ones that can damage your health and well-being.

copyright@nancyaddison2014

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Highland Hospital’s Chief Of Cardiology Goes Vegan

The chief of cardiology for Highland Hospital decided to change to a vegan lifestyle and lost 57 pounds.

It has been proven over and over again that a plant based diet helps reverse and prevent heart disease and can even help reverse the damage. It has also been proven that it’s very easy on a vegetarian weight loss diet to lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off.

If you have weight or heart problems and you are thinking about trying a more plant based eating plan, you may want to read my cookbook, How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian.  Awarded Winner for “Best Diet and Nutrition Book of the Year, 2017,” in the Beverly Hills Book Awards, Winner for Best Health And Wellness Book Of The Year, 2018 by the Green Book Awards, Winner for Best Specialty Cookbook of the Year, 2017, Book Excellence Awards

Here is the link to view it on Amazon: myBook.to/vegetarianbook

Here is the link to the article about the Chief of Cardiology going Vegan. https://lnkd.in/egDkUM7

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Well, here is a little explanation about the various definitions having to do with eating a more plant-based diet.

The mainstream vegetarian is the ovo-lacto vegetarian, who avoids all animal products that require the slaughtering of an animal. In addition to plants, ovo-lacto vegetarians eat non-fertile eggs and dairy products.

Cheese is allowed in the ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, as long as it doesn’t contain animal rennet, which is composed of enzymes usually taken from calves’ stomachs. Rennet is added to make cheese firm. Vegetarian cheeses are made with vegetable rennet, vegetable enzymes, or figs instead.

A vegan avoids all products that have an animal origin, including dairy and eggs. A vegan may avoid honey because it is made by bees, and collecting honey can deprive the bees of their natural, healthy food source for winter.

In addition to eating a plant-only diet, many vegans choose to not exploit living creatures in any way. So, they will not wear clothes made from wool, leather, silk, or fur, or use products that contain gelatin, lanolin, rennet, whey, casein, beeswax, shellac, carmine, bone, or animal fat.

People who eat chicken and fish are not vegetarians, though many call themselves vegetarian. There is frequent confusion about this point. People who eat fish but no red meat or poultry are pescatarians.

Sometimes, I am invited to dinner and served chicken, shrimp, or fish based on the misconception that a vegetarian eats chicken and seafood. When this happens to you, simply explain what foods you do or do not eat. In my experience, educating people in a kind and informative manner can turn the situation around, creating a setting that can accommodate you and be fun and educational for everyone concerned.

When it comes to choosing the right vegetarian diet, a person should see how his or her body reacts to certain foods and lifestyles. It is all about balance.

The diet that works for me and my O blood type and lifestyle may not be the perfect diet for someone else. Try the various vegetarian diet choices that your heart tells you to try, and see what works. Some people’s diet choices may change over time along with age, environment, lifestyle, and circumstance.

It helps to allow a little flexibility, especially when you travel to foreign countries. Having everything set in stone can make it more difficult to maintain your vegetarian lifestyle when life throws you the unexpected. Balance, flexibility, and the ability to live in the moment can be the difference between success and joy or anger, frustration, and failure.

Find what works for you, and listen to your heart and your own body. They will tell you the best choice of vegetarian food for you. You are the best guide and judge of your body and your health.

For many of us in transition with new food choices or life in general, it takes baby steps. Some people will find that eating a little cheese or eggs now and then makes the transition easier. Later, they may be able to cut something out completely—or not.

Becoming a vegetarian or simply eating more vegetarian or vegan meals is a journey. Eating more organic, fresh, plant-based foods will definitedly help improve your health.

Simply start the journey, and see where it takes you!

Bon Appétit!

Copyright@nancyaddison2015

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Dr. Gabriel Cousens promotes a mostly raw food, vegan diet in his book, There Is A Cure For Diabetes, which he published in 2008. (2)

Researchers have done a meta-analysis (considered the highest level of scientific evidence), in which they compared six significant prior research studies, and they found that a plant-based diet significantly improved blood sugar control in Type-2 diabetes.  The results were that plant-based diets improved a key indicator of blood sugar control.  The blood sugar control indicator is called Hemoglobin A1c.  The results improved as much as 1.2 points, which is much greater than the effect of typical oral diabetes medicines. (3)

The new study focused on combining the results of all of the available studies.  The benefits of excluding meat, cheese, and eggs from the diet was as much as 0.7 points in some studies, and averaged 0.4 points overall. (4) This study also focused on long-term effects.  Participants in most of these studies were not required to reduce their calorie or carbohydrate consumption.  (5)

Diabetics who would like to reduce their medications can now understand that the type of food that they are consuming DOES have a direct impact on their health.

This new study is published in Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy.  It is called “Vegetarian Diets and Glycemic Control in Diabetes:  A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”.

By Nancy Addison CHC, AADP

Source:
1, 3, 4, &5 – Yokoyama Y, Barnard ND, Levin SM, Watanabe M. Vegetarian diets and glycemic control in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther 2014;[4:37]3-382.
2. “There is a Cure For Diabetes” by Gabriel Cousens, MD, published 2008, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, California.

It’s a great place to start for easy, delicious vegetarian food and nutritional advice!

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Why are avocados so healthy for us?

First of all, they contain monounsaturated fat, which is a “good fat.” According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “Unsaturated fats are called good fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles.” (1)

Back when the food and nutrition industry started to promote that fat was bad, they said it caused weight gain and heart disease. They started promoting low fat foods. When they did this, people started getting really fat, and Alzheimer’s skyrocketed.

According to Harvard, in the 1960s, fats and oils supplied Americans with about 45 percent of calories; about 13 percent of adults were obese, and under 1 percent had type 2 diabetes, a serious weight-related condition.

Today, those numbers have more than doubled, Americans take in less fat, getting about 33 percent of calories from fats and oils; yet 34 percent of adults are obese, and 11 percent have diabetes, most with type 2 diabetes. (2)

Fat is critical to our brain health, our energy levels, and our well-being. It also makes our food taste savory. When food companies started taking the savory flavor of natural fat out of food, they had to make it taste good somehow. So, they started adding sugar and refined salt. Sugar and refined salt can harm the body even more than the normal fat levels would.

Also, our body craves those good fats to function properly and give us energy. The bad fats are trans fats, meaning fats that have been changed in their molecular form, and saturated animal fats.

The good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which “do just the opposite of the bad trans fats. They are good for the heart and most other parts of the body.” (3)

Avocados provide good, unsaturated fats, but they also give us so much more. Avocados are a nutritional powerhouse providing many health benefits.

Avocados provide protein, approximately four grams per fruit. They are very low in sugar. Avocados are an excellent source of potassium, and they are rich in vitamins K, B, C, and E.

One avocado has approximately 11 grams of fiber, which is almost half of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) recommended by the FDA.

Studies conducted using people with metabolic syndrome (which is named for a group of people at risk for diabetes, stroke and coronary heart disease), published in The Nutrition Journal, showed that after a week of following the avocado-enriched diet, the patients experienced a 22 percent decrease in bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels and an 11 percent increase in good cholesterol.(4)

The researchers concluded that “avocado consumption is associated with improved overall diet quality, nutrient intake, and reduced risk of metabolic syndrome.”(5)

If that isn’t enough to make you a fan of avocados, they are also high Avocatin B. Avocatin B is reported to help prevent the development of certain cancers.

According to Prof. Paul Spagnuolo, of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, in the journal Cancer Research. “Using a high-throughput cell-based screen to assess the effects of avocati B on human leukemia stem cells, the researchers found the compound selectively targets and destroys them while leaving healthy blood cells unscathed. Not only does avocatin B eliminate the source of AML (Acute myeloid Leukemia), but its targeted, selective effects make it less toxic to the body, too,” Prof. Spagnuolo explains. (6)

In conclusion, healthy fat, like the fat in avocados, is essential for every cell in our body. It can support our brain, boost our immune system, increase our nutrient absorption and create a glowing complexion. So, if you want to have optimum health, eat an avocado once in a while and know you are providing essential nutrients the body needs.

Notes:
1, 2, 3, 4: Harvard School of Public Health. Fats and cholesterol: Out with the bad, in with the good. The Nutrition Source. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/
5: Nordqvist, Joseph. (February 11, 2015). What are the health benefits of avocados? Medical News Today. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270406.php
6: Targeting mitochondria with avocatin B induces selective leukemia cell death, Paul Spagnuolo et al., Cancer Research, doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-14-2676, published online 15 June 2015, abstract. University of Waterloo news release, accessed 16 June 2015.

    Photo above is from an article in Dallas Morning News,

Arts  & Life Section, April 5, 2016

“Smart Foods, Wise Moves” by Leslie Barker,

      quoting Nancy Addison concerning healthy fats.

Recipe

Avocado-Sprout Sandwich

This is a yummy sandwich I have enjoyed since I was a teenager. I grew up eating sprouts and butter sandwiches. Now I add avocado instead of the butter.If you won’t be eating the sandwich right away, stop the avocado from turning dark by wrapping the sandwich tightly to keep out the air, or mash the avocado with a little lemon juice. You may want to put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.

Ingredients:

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

2 slices soft, whole, sprouted-grain bread of choice

unrefined sea salt

½–1 c. sprouts of choice (alfalfa, broccoli, etc.) 

Directions:

1. Mash avocado.
2. Toast bread if desired.
   
3. Spread some avocado on each slice of bread.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Heap sprouts on top of avocado.
6. Cover with the other piece of bread.

Remember, the main ingredient
is always love!

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My book,

“How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian” 2nd edition is the

Winner for “Best Diet And Nutrition Book of the Year!” by

The Beverly Hills Book Awards, 2017

Order your copy today!

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I love to hear what you think! copyright@nancyaddison2015

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I frequently talk to people who think that eating healthier doesn’t always taste delicious. But, the good news is that when we start doing something new, our bodies adapt and our taste buds acclimate. When you change your diet and start eating a different type of food, it may not initially seem quite as delicious as you hoped it would. That’s because you have not been eating that food until now and your taste buds are not used to it. But, if you continue to eat that specific food on a continual basis for about two weeks, your body will adapt and your taste buds will generate and acclimate to these new taste sensations.

Stick with the new, healthier diet and allow your body to grow and evolve with you. Within two weeks, that new food will taste better than it did the first time, and you will be getting tremendous health benefits!
So, let’s get started on a new eating plan for a healthier, happier you! To begin this new dietary journey, get a fresh start with my top seven tips for making healthy eating delicious!

One: Use healthy fat in your recipes. Eating fat does not necessarily make a person fat. In fact, the right kinds of fat can make people skinny, as well as support overall health and increase energy.

The advertising industry would have us believe that fat is bad or fattening. But in reality, good fat can be critical to our health and our weight management. Fat actually tells the body how to utilize protein and carbohydrates. Fat in our food can make it taste rich and satisfying.

Foods that are savory usually have some fat in them, but many low- fat or fat-free products are filled with salt, sugar, chemical additives, and MSG to make up for the lack of savory flavor the fat provides.

Coconut oil and avocado oil are examples of pure, unprocessed healthy fats.

Coconut oil is seen in most parts of the world as the super-food of fats. Coconut oil is a healthy “nut” fat. It is a highly chemically stable fat, meaning it can be heated without negative effects. Very few oils handle heat well, but certain coconut oils handle high heat very well. It is also resistant to lipid peroxidation (which may be a common mechanistic pathway that can lead to increased cancer risk) and rancidity.

 Coconut oil is unique if you are a calorie counter. Coconut oil has 2.6% fewer calories per gram than other fats. Coconut oil nourishes the body, and its medium-chained fatty acids provide a good source of energy.

Coconut oil is also highly effective as an antioxidant. Coconut oil is a safe alternative oil for any cooking recipe. And as a healthy fat, it makes food taste rich and savory!

Avocados are a superfood filled with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat. They are especially high in potassium and fiber, which contribute to weight loss and have been linked to a lower risk of disease.

Two: Use mushrooms in your recipes. Studies show mushrooms aid the immune system because they are rich in potassium, selenium, copper, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and B complex vitamins. Some kinds of mushrooms are one of only two natural food sources of Vitamin D.

Mushrooms are an excellent source of antioxidants polyphenols, selenium, and ergothioneine (known as a master antioxidant, an amino acid containing sulfur. Sulfur is an extremely important nutrient, yet it is highly overlooked.) One medium portobello mushroom has more potassium than a small banana. Five medium cremini mushrooms have more selenium than a large egg or three ounces of lean beef. Plus, the copper in mushrooms helps the body to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.

Mushrooms are low in calories and are about 80–90% water, which makes them a great substitute for meat in recipes when wanting to cut calories. 
Adding mushrooms to dishes is easy.

Thinly slice some mushrooms and put them on salads, pasta dishes, and sandwiches—or serve them as a side dish. Grilling them is always great, and mushrooms make a tasty and healthy alternative to a burger. I love to sauté them with onions and butter in order to bring out the rich flavor of savory mushrooms. Each mushroom has a different flavor, so experiment by trying different varieties.

Three: Eat colorful, fresh, organic food to get antioxidants. Antioxidants are in the color. Avoid white, refined foods and choose the ones with rich color. For example, in the winter, certain seasonal foods like root vegetables can be very comforting, especially potatoes! But instead of white potatoes, give yourself an antioxidant boost by trying red potatoes, purple potatoes, yams, or sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are delicious, and high in fiber and beta-carotene. 
 (Use coconut oil as a healthy fat in potato dishes. Mix it in to mashed potatoes, or use it when you cut potatoes up for baking and frying. If you want a buttery flavor, add a tiny bit of ghee to the coconut oil. Just remember: Never store potatoes in the refrigerator. Doing this will turn the starch in potatoes into sugar.)

Four: Cook with unrefined sea salt to increase your health and well-being. 
When I ask people if they use salt, they usually tell me, “No, I eat a low-salt diet for health reasons.” But unrefined sea salt is not salt that is bad for us. It is the type of salt we eat that dictates whether it is good for you.

The word “electrolyte” is a fancy medical term for salt. We need electrolytes to be healthy. Our immune systems can’t function without them. In fact, low-salt diets promote toxicity, and they have adverse effects on the body. Low-salt diets promote elevated insulin levels and insulin resistance, as well as elevated normal cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Low-salt diets will lead to mineral deficiencies and the development of chronic disease.

Adding unrefined, mineral rich sea salt to your diet can increase the usable oxygen in your blood, detoxify blood, and neutralize radiation. Unrefined, mineral-rich sea salt makes capillaries more elastic and increases blood flow. There are various types of unrefined sea salt, all containing different mineral contents. Try a few different ones and see which you like the best.

Five: Add spices to your food to provide both flavor and incredible health benefits. 
Two spices I most recommend adding are turmeric and cinnamon.

 Turmeric is a common ingredient in Indian cuisine and contains an ingredient called curcumin. Curcumin has more than 150 therapeutic agents to combat viruses, bacterium, diseases, and other chronic conditions.
Turmeric can help curb indigestion and heartburn. It protects brain and cardiovascular health, boosts the immune system and decreases inflammation. Turmeric works better when combined with fat and if you combine it with black pepper, you can increase the rate of absorption.

Cinnamon is another spice you can add to your recipes. It us very effective in lowering blood sugar levels.

Six: Use healthier sweeteners. Sugar is like an addictive drug. It gives the body an artificial energy surge, and the body begins to crave that energy. Dr. Francis Stern states, “A characteristic of sugar ‘binges’ is that the taste for sweets, for some reason, leads to a craving for more of the same, just the way other drugs create cravings.” I encourage you to limit or eliminate sugar from your diet as much as possible. A few suggestions for when you wish to add a sweetener are honey, xylitol, dates or date sugar.

Honey is a natural sweetener that is antifungal and antibacterial. Honey contains a variety of nutrients and minerals, as well as some enzymes. It is known to facilitate muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration after a workout. Substitute honey for sugar in recipes. Always buy raw, unrefined honey so that live enzymes and nutritional properties are still intact.

 Xylitol is a sugar alcohol found in fruits and vegetables. It is made from birch tree bark and other hard wood trees. Xylitol has fewer calories and 75% fewer carbohydrates than sugar. Studies have shown that ingesting xylitol can alkalize your body, reduce sugar cravings, and reduce insulin levels. It was approved by the FDA in 1963.(Like chocolate, egg whites and red grapes, xylitol is toxic to animals.)

Seven: Use delicious probiotic foods in your recipes. Probiotic food is vital to the health and strength of the immune system, and it supports digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Adding garlic, onions, raw, unprocessed apple cider vinegar, raw, unprocessed soy sauce, coconut yogurts, kombucha, and miso to your recipes can make them delicious as well as create a healthier immune system!

 Allium vegetables, like garlic and onions, have been studied extensively in relation to cancer. Their beneficial and preventative effects are likely due in part to their rich organosulfur compounds.

Garlic, in particular, has a wonderful flavor. It’s fragile, so I add it at the end of cooking. Adding onion is a great way to add flavor to a dish without adding extra calories. Onions can be sautéed, roasted, and grilled or caramelized. Use them fresh as a topping for sandwiches or salads, or add them to salsas and dips. They have both probiotic and antifungal properties.

 Fermented foods are foods that have been through a process of lactofermentation, in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar in the food to create lactic acid. This process preserves the food. It creates beneficial enzymes, B vitamins, and probiotics.

So, lighten up, get going, and embrace a new, healthier lifestyle! By incorporating delicious, healthier ingredients into your recipes, you will give your body some necessary tools to help it heal and stay healthier in the future. Now is the time to transition to a healthier lifestyle that you can maintain for the rest of your life! Feel lighter and brighter in your body, mind, and spirit.

It’s time for new adventures with food!

Sources:

1 Gago-Dominguez, Manuela, et. al. (2007). Lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress genes and dietary factors in breast cancer protection: a hypothesis. Breast Cancer Research 2006, [9:20]1. Retrieved from http://www.breast-cancer-research.com/content/9/1/201

2  Cinnamon’s Health Benefits: Wondering how to lower blood sugar? Try some cinnamon, which has double duty benefits.” (2007, November 7.) Women’sHealth. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/cinnamon-benefits-explained
3  Goulart, Frances Sheridan. (1991, March 1). “Are You Sugar Smart? Linked to Heart Attacks, Kidney Disease, Diabetes and Other Diseases, Sugar Is to the ’90s What Cholesterol Was to the ’80s (Includes 9 ways to Cope with Sugar Cravings).” American Fitness. Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-10722552.html

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Here I am today, after 30 years of eating vegetarian

and Raising Healthy Children that way.

I lost weight easily, without even trying.

I got healthy and I feel terrific!

I’m 63 years old now and I feel like I’m 30!

People say I look like I’m in my 40’s!

Why is becoming Vegetarian To Lose Weight a healthy way to live your life and have radiant health?

The vegetarian diet goes way back in time. It was recorded in the sixth century by the Greeks. Today, many people are becoming vegetarian to lose weight, health, environmental, or ethical reasons.

Vegetarianism and Health

Studies show that people on healthy vegetarian diets have lower risks of:

• Heart disease
• Colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)[1]

Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., former president of the medical staff at the Cleveland Clinic, writes that you can reverse heart disease with no drugs and only a plant-based diet. He bases this conclusion on the groundbreaking results of his 20-year nutritional study. Backed by solid scientific evidence, he argues that we can end the heart disease epidemic simply by changing what we eat. Dr. Esselstyn recommends a plant-based, oil-free diet that he says can prevent heart disease, stop its progress, and even reverse its effects.[2]

The late Walter Kempner, MD, founded the Rice Diet. He advocated a diet of rice, fruit, and vegetables on the basis that it has the power to do miraculous things for people and help them gain back their health. He treated hundreds of people at Duke University where he prescribed a diet of rice, vegetables, and fruit that reversed hypertension, diabetic eye changes, heart failure, kidney failure, and obesity.[3]

Dr. T. Colin Campbell, PhD, professor emeritus at Cornell University and co-author of The China Study, the most comprehensive human nutrition study to date, advocates a plant-based diet for optimum health. I was fortunate to be part of Dr. Campbell’s class at Cornell University, where he told us:

Plant-based eating is a superior way of eating. Benefits of eating this way: Live longer, look and feel younger, have more energy, lose weight, lower blood cholesterol, prevent and even reverse heart disease, lower your risk of prostate, breast and other cancers, preserve your eyesight in your later years, prevent and treat diabetes, avoid surgery, vastly decrease need for pharmaceutical drugs, keep bones strong, avoid impotence, avoid stroke, prevent kidney stones, keep your baby from getting type 2 diabetes, alleviate constipation, lower your blood pressure, avoid Alzheimer’s, beat arthritis and more.

Dr. Campbell discussed studies he had done on the diseases that arise in populations when meat protein is introduced into the diet. He continued:

My early research gave me the understanding that animal protein, when tested experimentally, was substantially different from plant protein in its ability to promote tumor development. It turned out that animal protein had its effect by operating through a constellation of integrative mechanisms. The division between animal and plant foods was a signpost of a division of the kinds of foods having an effect on cancer.[4]

In Dr. Campbell’s class on plant-based nutrition, I learned of many studies that prove it is possible to be healthy or overcome illness on a plant-based diet. Recently, one study conducted by a team of American and Japanese researchers showed that people who have diabetes can vastly improve their health by eating an entirely plant-based diet.[5] More than 100 million people today have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

The study’s findings agree with my experience. Working with people who have diabetes, I have found they show remarkable improvement in their health and well-being from consuming a plant-based and almost completely raw food diet.

For that study, the researchers also undertook a new meta-analysis—which is considered the highest level of scientific evidence—in which they compared six significant prior research studies. The researchers found a plant-based diet significantly improved blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, and specifically in a key indicator of blood sugar control called hemoglobin A1c. The participants’ results improved as much as 1.2 points, which was greater than the effect of typical oral diabetes medicines.

The study also combined the results of all of the available studies. It indicated the benefits of excluding dairy (including cheese), eggs, and meat from the diet was as much as 0.7 points in some studies, averaging 0.4 points overall. The participants in most of these studies were not required to reduce their calorie or carbohydrate consumption.

Then, even more compelling is a recent national (US) dietary survey  that was completed with over 6,000 people between the ages of 50 and 65 years old.  It was found that those who reported high protein  intake ( example: eggs, dairy, fowl, pork, cows, lamb, etc.), increased their risk of death by 75 percent.

The study showed a quadruple increase of cancer death during the following 18 years, and a quintuple increase of death from diabetes. The participants with  a moderate intake of protein had  a triple increase in their risk of death due to cancer, when compared with the low protein intake group.

According to Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, with the Cleveland Clinic, “It is important to note that these associations of death by disease were completely eradicated if the ingested proteins were “plant-derived”.  The composition of complex amino acids, (which are the building blocks of protein), that is derived from animals, acts very differently than the amino acids from plant protein. What we need are amino acids, not the proteins themselves.” (6)

I’ve learned everyone needs to find the diet that works best for them, and find balance in their life. I also know that the quality of the food we eat is vital. From my studies, I believe an organic, plant-based diet can benefit your health, and even heal your body.

If you would like to try a plant-based diet, you may like my book: How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian – Second Edition

It is a best-seller and it just won

Best Diet And Nutrition Book by the Beverly Hills Book Awards, 2017-2018

and

Best Specialty Book of the Year by the Book Excellence Awards, 2017-2018.

Buy it today and find out what it’s like to have radiant health!

Half the book is about nutrition and health the other half is recipes and resources.

Click here to view my 6 award-winning books on my Amazon Author page.

What People are saying about my book:

Best Health and Nutrition Book of this Century

By Dr. Gary Massad

“How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian” 2nd edition, is an excellent book. Having had the opportunity to assist and promote health and nutrition with world-class athletes over the last 25 years; it is my opinion that Nancy Addison’s book is a formula for high-level performance in our daily lives. I can’t imagine a more informative book for the person looking to improve their health. The chapter about sugar is the most complete information available. Nancy is an expert in Nutrition. What you put on the end of your fork is more powerful medicine than anything you will find at the bottom of a pill bottle.”
Gary L. Massad M.D.
-First National Corporate Medical Director and founder of Occupational Health Centers in America. Attending physician to the Iron Man Hawaii; Attending Physician, United States Triathlon Association; Attending Physician United States Tae Kwon Do Association, Attending Physician United States Cycling Federation.

How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian

By Michael Hall, DC

“How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian, 2nd edition, is a wonderful book!!
Finally, a book that I can recommend to my patients without reservation. It is concise, well-written, and easy to follow.
Patients and consumers alike are inundated with the number of books, articles, and marketing that surround our eating habits.
This book easily puts the fundamental concepts into one place that anyone can understand and utilize. The recipes are tasty and can be made with relative ease.
For anyone wanting to make a positive and healthy change in their eating habits and their health this is the book for you!”

“I have just finished reading Nancy Addison’s book “How To Become A Healthy Vegetarian.” It is well written, compelling and informative. The health benefits are indisputable. Nancy, being a gourmet chef as well as nutritionist provides some recipes that clearly explain why Nancy’s dinner guests are pleasantly surprised to indulge in a meatless meal. I found Nancy’s book interesting, well researched as well as a fun read that might be very helpful to anyone who would like to be a healthy vegetarian!”

-Louis P. Brady M.D.

 Resources:

[1] Brown University. “Being a Vegetarian: What are the Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet?” Retrieved from  http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition_&_eating_concerns/being_a_vegetarian.php#4

[2] Esselstyn, Caldwell B., Jr. (2008). Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. Avery Trade.

[3] McDougall, John. “Nutrition in the Medical Clinic Part III” lecture. Plant-Based Nutrition. eCornell University.

[4] Campbell, T. Colin. (2010). “Principles of Nutritional Health. Plant-Based Nutrition.” eCornell University and the T. Colin Campbell Foundation.

[5] Yokoyama, Y., Barnard, N.D., Levin, S.M., & Watanabe, M. (2014, October). “Vegetarian Diets and Glycemic Control in Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Cardiovascular Diagnosis & Therapy, 4(5), 373–382.

6, Cleveland Clinic, Benefits of Plant Based Diets,  “Online Health Chat with Mladen Golubic, MD, Ph, Friday, April 4, 2014 https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/transcripts/1602_benefits-of-plant-based-diets

 Order: How To Become A Healthy Vegetarian, 2nd edition, and learn Nancy’s simple strategies for living a more radiant, healthy life.

If you like this article, please like this article and leave a comment! Nancy would love to hear from you!

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Study Reveals That A Plant Based Diet

Is A Powerful Treatment For Diabetics

More than 100 million people today have diabetes or pre-diabetes.  A recent study conducted by a team of American and Japanese researchers shows that people who have diabetes can vastly improve their health by eating an entirely plant-based diet. (1) During my work with people who have diabetes, I have found that they show remarkable improvement in their health and well-being from consuming a plant-based, and almost completely raw food diet.

Researchers have done a meta-analysis (considered the highest level of scientific evidence), in which they compared six significant prior research studies, and they found that a plant-based diet significantly improved blood sugar control in Type-2 diabetes.  The results were that plant-based diets improved a key indicator of blood sugar control.  The blood sugar control indicator is called Hemoglobin A1c.  The results improved as much as 1.2 points, which is much greater than the effect of typical oral diabetes medicines. (2)

The new study focused on combining the results of all of the available studies.  The benefits of excluding meat, cheese, and eggs from the diet was as much as 0.7 points in some studies, and averaged 0.4 points overall. (3) This study also focused on long-term effects.  Participants in most of these studies were not required to reduce their calorie or carbohydrate consumption.  (4)

Diabetics who would like to reduce their medications can now understand that the type of food that they are consuming DOES have a direct impact on their health.

This new study is published in Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy.  It is called “Vegetarian Diets and Glycemic Control in Diabetes:  A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”.

By Nancy Addison CHC, AADP

You may want to check out my diabetes and vegetarian cookbook on Amazon!

It’s a great place to start for easy, delicious vegetarian food and nutritional advice!

Click here to see my books on Amazon!

Source:
1, 2, 3, & 4 – Yokoyama Y, Barnard ND, Levin SM, Watanabe M. Vegetarian diets and glycemic control in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther 2014;[4:37]3-382.

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The post Study Reveals That A Plant Based Diet Is A Powerful Treatment For Diabetics appeared first on Organic Healthy Life - Nancy Addison - Nutrition.

Here is one of my favorite raw, healthy recipes from my cookbook, which has over 115 yummy and easy recipes in it. The book can help you lose weight, boost your immune system, get your libido healthier, make non toxic body care and home care products with organic food and gardening tips.
I thought I would share it with you!

Raw, vegan recipe

SUPER CHOCOLATE POWER SMOOTHIE

Yes, you can have chocolate for breakfast and it will be healthy! Cacao is one of, if not the top anti-oxidant foods in the world. It is nutrient- dense.

Note that if you’re making this drink for someone who is diabetic, sweeten it with stevia instead of dates.

Ingredients:
2 1⁄2 c. coconut or hemp milk
1 or 2 bananas
1 T. cacao powder or cacao nibs ( you can save some to sprinkle on top)
2–3 dates, pitted and soaked in water for an hour or more or if you are diabetic – use a half dropper of toffee flavored stevia
1 T. nut butter of choice (sunflower seed, pumpkin seed,peanut, or almond)
1 tsp. chia seeds
1T. extra-virgin, pure coconut oil
1 scoop protein powder ( I use one from Mike Adam’s store.)

Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients well in a blender and enjoy!

The post Super Chocolate Power Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Organic Healthy Life - Nancy Addison - Nutrition.