Monday, April 15, 2013

Don't you get cold in winter? an article by Holly Paige

Answering the perennial question rawfoodists get asked! 



As someone who claims to prefer tropical sunshine somehow I find myself yet again doing winter in the dark and cold of these magical isles. By now I have a strategy and each year I seem to put together more of the pieces. In the process of being raw at a latitude such as that of Britain we can learn much about human needs that we would never need to even think about if we lived in a biologically more suitable climate.
Something I personally noticed the first winter I was completely raw was how much warmer I felt in the colder months. I had always been the kind of person who felt the cold pretty extremely – I like to be very warm. Now I found I could enjoy treading out in the frosty garden with bare feet and that I no longer needed to soak in hot baths to restore my circulation after a trip out. I noticed that eating raw food gave me a kind of summer feeling, leading to the conclusion that much of the apparent effect of winter is to do with stodgy food and disconnection from nature. I know that people vary in the way that a raw diet affects them. There are many ways to do raw food and many different constitutions. Sitting writing this in a sleeveless top on a December evening, I am hoping that some of the suggestions in this article will help you experience some of the same benefits.
As well as stodgy food, potential disconnection from nature and lack of exercise by staying indoors there are of course two major hazards associated with winter – lack of light and lack of warmth. These are real biological concerns for our species. We could be said to de designed for a life in the tropics or sub-tropics where the amount of light, warmth and tropical fruit is ideal for us. However, as a supremely adaptable species we are capable of flourishing in a wide variety of circumstances if we put our minds to it. In this article we will look at how we can happily eat raw food in winter and thereby enjoy that summery feeling inside. Also we will consider how we can boost our metabolisms to help us keep warm and help our immune systems functioning optimally. Then there is the question of how we compensate for reduced sunlight. Last, but not least there is the importance of maintaining connection with the earth and exercising.

Raw does not mean cold! 

When people think of the horrors of eating raw food in winter they are in all likelihood thinking of limp salads straight out of the fridge and missing the rich foods and warming soups and drinks that we find so comforting in winter. Actually there is no reason at all not to have warm foods and liquids as part of a raw food diet. In our natural environment our food would all be slightly warm anyway so it would seem to be an ideal way to consume it. Warm superfood elixirs and vegetable soups can be made by using herbal teas as a base or even heating very carefully over a low heat. The key point is to keep the food at or below 'biological temperature' which is around 40 degrees celsius or the temperature of your body. Above that temperature the actual structure of some of the nutrients can begin to change. Dehydrators are another way of warming food if you like more solid foods. Spices such as cayenne and ginger boost the circulation and help keep us warm.
Coconut butter/oil and creamed coconut are great ingredients because they support the thyroid and therefore boost metabolism, helping us produce more energy and heat. Iodine is important for the function of the thyroid too and most of us lack it. This is largely because of depletion of mineral levels in the soil, the minerals have been effectively swept out to sea, sea vegetables and particularly kelp are some of the best sources. We need to be cautious about habitually eating large amounts of cruciferous vegetables raw because they contain goitrogens, compounds which interfere in the uptake of iodine by the thyroid. However small amounts of goitrogens may have a beneficial health effect if balanced by ample amounts of iodine in the diet. Examples of cruciferous vegetables include kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage. In traditional diets they were often fermented which introduces helpful probiotics. You can watch how to make cultured vegetables here: www.tinyurl.com/rawcultured
Animals who live in cold climates and fish who swim in cold waters have a high percentage of omega 3 fatty acids in their bodies, and in the case of animals, especially in their feet. Many people notice that when the weather gets colder they are drawn to foods that contain these oils. Omega 3's are polyunsaturated fats which stay liquid at low temperatures and it would seem that they help our bodies function in these circumstances. Seed oils such as those of flax and hemp and also fish liver oils are examples. It seems like we need denser foods in general in winter to compensate for the lack of warmth and sunshine in the outside world. If you think about it the energy, nutrients and genetic life information are stored in the seeds of plants during the winter season, ready to sprout forth in the spring. Along similar lines, 'medicinal' mushrooms such as reishi, lion's mane, chaga, tremella and cordyceps feel particularly good in winter and help our immune system. The dried mycellium powders (mycelia are the underground or root-like portions of the mushrooms) are delicious in marinades, dehydrated breads and elixirs. Herbs which boost the immune system also include echinacea, ginseng, garlic, astragalus and cat's claw.
Emotional comfort is important too. There are plenty of raw food snacks we can make and now buy in winter that will help us get through. Green powders such as barley grass, chlorella and spirulina can make up for the reduced availability of salad and wild greens and also help us keep alkalised if we are eating more nuts and seeds than in summer.
Also I have found just imagining being somewhere warm, and putting pictures up of sunny holiday travel destinations radically changes how I feel. They say that you feel the effects of bar of chocolate even when you are thinking about eating it, even taking the first bite, I have found that making plans to visit tropical locations has the same effect on me! Also when we are connected to the nature and the Earth our imaginations are much more connected to reality and therefore more powerful.
Personally I am for keeping ourselves as physically warm enough as we want to be when we are indoors. Below 28 degrees Celsius our bodies go into a mild form of stress maintaining our body temperature. By keeping warm we are allowing our parasympathetic nervous system to operate which means that both our bodies and brains function better. It may be more practical to keep just one part of our dwelling super warm - one of the benefits I have noticed living in a caravan in winter is how much warmer I can keep this small space and there fore how much more relaxed I feel.

Light is a nutrient

Now onto the issue of light. It seems that we assimilate food quite differently when we are in sunshine. Most people notice that they eat differently in summer and when on holiday somewhere hot. There are many clues about this by looking at the traditional diets of people around the world, for example in the work of Dr Weston Price. Basically, the further away you go from the equator, the higher percentage of animal foods including dairy products were traditionally included in the diet. It is as if when we moved away from our biological habitat we had to use the resources of species who could assimilate nutrients from plants that grew there, function successfully in the lower levels of sunlight, and could live unclothed outdoors to make use of the light there is. One of the factors involved is so-called fat soluble vitamins. They are principally vitamins A, D and K, which although found in plants, are in the form we can use them in animal products such as dairy. These vitamins are essential for the body to actually make use of minerals such as calcium. Of course we can get vitamin D from sunshine but the fact is that between about September and March in the British Isles, the sun is too low to shine UVB light on our skins to make vitamin D. So – either we need to eat vitamin D rich foods or use a supplement. Sun-showers (a kind of stand up cubicle version of a sun-bed which emits carefully regulated doses of UVB) are also helpful if there is one in your area. Of course many people find that full-spectrum lighting really helps them maintain a good mood throughout the darker months.

Charge up from the Earth not the mains!

It is tempting in winter to hole up indoors but actually if we can get out for a brisk walk in nature, even the local park, we are going to feel a whole lot better. Of course regular exercise improves our metabolism and makes us feel significantly warmer. It also helps us generate the feel-good brain chemical serotonin out of the amino acid tryptophan, get the lymphatic system moving and boost endorphin levels. We need connection with nature for mental well-being and, hesitant though I am to mention it, barefoot connection with the earth is as beneficial to us in winter as it is in summer. If you have not heard Clint Ober talking about the health benefits of earthing it is well worth listening to this fascinating interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY3w8kDn2Eo With all the preceding suggestions in place maybe a barefoot foray outdoors will seem appealing. Putting in all the components to keep well in winter takes more self-discipline and conscious awareness than in summer but is well worth the effort not least because it gives us a good start in spring.
On this note, I have noticed a strong if subtle difference to my experience in winter through wearing natural fabrics such as hemp, linen, organic cotton, bamboo and wool. They seem to help us keep a connection with the natural life force, the connection we take for granted in summer when we automatically tend to expose bare skin to the elements. Living structure has a pattern based on a ratio named the golden ratio which allows energetic information to flow freely through their material.
Enjoying the magic of winter We are very lucky in the British Isles to experience a kind of roller coaster of light levels which influenced the magical traditions and spirituality of the indigenous peoples for example the Celts. In summer we are very aware of the beauty of nature in the outer world. As the light levels fall in winter our melatonin production increases. This makes us feel more sleepy but also induces a more meditative state and gives us the chance to experience the magic of the inner worlds of our imaginations and psychic awareness. The more natural and nourishing we can keep our diets, the more elevated and relaxed we can keep our brain chemistry, and the stronger we can keep our connection with the Earth, the greater the chance we have to experience this.

Two delicious vegetable soups for winter

 From Kenny Sunshine

Alkalising soup with vegetable juice and cucumber.

16 -20 oz juiced celery, beet, onion, garlic, ginger and lemon

1 avocado

half a red bell pepper

half a cucumber (English)

pinch salt

pinch cayenne

Blend all ingredients and warm gently if desired

Garnish with some tasty dehydrated crackers, cubed raw goats cheese and alfalfa sprouts

Rich and warming soup made with tea

1 sweet potato

1 courgette

1 leek

60g creamed coconut

40g seaweed – wakame or sea spaghetti recommended

yogi or other tea

salt and pepper to taste

soak seaweed in tea

blend everything

serve with garnish of sprouts or yoghurt .

Written by Holly Paige for funky raw magazine                                 
www.foodforconsciousness.co.uk          











Sunday, April 14, 2013

Dr Robert Cassar: Stimulating your Hormones for Women + Men Part 1/2

The art of fermentation

Five Additions to your Raw Diet that could make all the Difference

Written by Kenny Sunshine and Holly Paige 
 Have you reached a point of diminishing returns with your raw diet? If so (and even if not) you might want to consider some of the incredible technological breakthroughs that have occurred and continue to occur in the field of raw food nutrition and herbal supplementation. We are very excited and enthused about some of the discoveries that have been made in this field and the implications they have in regard to increasing our health, well being and our ultimate longevity. Below are a few suggestions we want to make to you so as to hopefully enhance your life and the lives of those you love.

Royal Jelly
All bee products in general have an incredibly vast array of health benefits but royal jelly has been hailed by some authorities as the crown jewel of them all; because so little is produced, the nutrients are concentrated into a very small amount The queen bee's reign of a hive (most of her lifespan) is around four years, generally 20 – 25 times longer than the lifespan that of the infertile worker bees. Why is this? Well one reason that seems pretty obvious is that once she is selected as a baby, she is fed on royal jelly exclusively. The queen is genetically the same as the workers or drones, what happens is that the chemical cocktail present in the royal jelly effectively reinterprets the way the DNA is read to produce a very different bee. Because of the royal jelly the baby queen's body changes significantly in form and becomes 40% larger, longer and noticeably more elegant. Royal Jelly contains a chemical called 10-HDA which is only found in Royal Jelly and cannot be made artificially. It is believed that 10-HDA is responsible for the many health benefits that Royal Jelly promotes. Fresh royal jelly is extremely antibacterial. "The food and drug administration (a US based governing body that regulates the food and pharmaceutical industries) has stated that fresh royal jelly is a more powerful germ killer than most forms of commercial disinfectant for example Formalin which is used for body preservation and also carbolic acid. It is very high in Pantothenic acid or B5 which is proven to increase the life span of animals that are fed it as opposed to those that are not by 18 per cent! If you compared this to the average human lifespan it would be about 13 years longer. Royal jelly also contains a form of gelatin that is a precursor to collagen production. As we get older our ability to produce collagen diminishes hence wrinkles, crows feet and blotchy skin start to turn up on our faces. Royal jelly, because of this can help to maintain the elasticity of our skin and keep us looking young. Other proven and reported benefits from using royal jelly are increased and improved neural transmission, better short term memory, reduction in cholesterol deposits, reduction in risk of heart disease and improved endocrine/glandular function. Our DNA is read, not only when we are developing as babies but all through our lives as our bodies and brains are being regenerated. Because of its ability to enhance bees DNA expression the same may be true for humans.

 TA65
In 1984 at the university of Berkeley, California Carol Greider and Elizabeth Blackburn discovered an enzyme called telomerase. This enzyme plays a vital role in the function of our DNA/RNA make up. At the end of our DNA, separate from the helix, there are single strand repeats of DNA that in the past seemed to have no obvious function and were originally coined by scientists as 'junk DNA' Telomeres are part of this 'junk DNA'. Every time cell division occurs (approximately 1 million cells per second) these single cell repeats become shorter. By the time we get to our later years the telomeres become very short and pave the way for all kinds of physical problems and degenerative diseases to commence. The enzyme telomerase is able to add length to the telomeres. A common denominator of people who live longer than average is that they have longer telomeres. Telomerase contains the instructions on how to add back cell division repeats on the end of the DNA. According to the research if you can keep adding these repeats then the cells can keep dividing indefinitely. So what does this have to do with the supplement TA65? Researchers at the cutting edge of nutritional science some time ago discovered a saponin that exists in a certain strain of the Chinese herb astragalus that has the capacity to turn production of telomerase on. TA-65 is the first well studied and proven substance to add length to these telomeres. It is made by a company called T.A. Sciences (Telomerase Activation Sciences) who have been granted exclusive rights to market it from the originating company Geron Corporation. A massive amount of astragalus is used in order to extract this compound and each capsule contains around 90%. Because of this a years supply could currently cost around £1700 to £5000. Now this may seem bit steep. But the question I would ask myself is “How much is an extra 10 – 30 years of lifespan worth to me? Older people generally have the fastest reaction to this substance as they are the ones with the shortest telomere length. Even better news – there may well be, before too long, much more modestly priced versions available – watch this space for news!

Zeolites 
The emergence of zeolite as a supplement has been a great affirmation that every crisis produces its own miracles. It has come as a wonderful gift to us in these times of seemingly all-pervading pollution. Used in the clean-up after Chernobyl, zeolite began to be sold as a supplement for detoxifying the human body in the 1990's. Simply put, zeolite looks like a honeycomb and carries a charge that allows it to capture toxins. At the same time it is inert and therefore does not react chemically with food or body fluids. Zeolites have many health benefits and uses. They bond with and remove a variety of toxins including heavy metals (e.g. lead, cadmium, aluminium, arsenic and mercury), nitrosamines and radioactive metals such as strontium-90 and caesium. They act as a powerful antioxidant and help buffer body pH to healthy alkalinity. They help remove pesticides, herbicides and dioxins, reduce viral load, help buffer blood sugar levels, improve nutrient absorption, promote healthy gut flora, reduce allergic reactions, enhance immune system and generally help prevent premature ageing. Like many people, I had been feeling amazing benefits with powdered zeolites for years and was looking for a liquid zeolite which had preserved the structure that is so crucial to its action and also was affordable on an everyday lifestyle. To produce 'Pure Body' liquid zeolite the company that make it, Touchstone, have managed to reduce the particles to a small enough size to enter the bloodstream (0.3 microns) without crushing the zeolite cages. The majority of the particles are between 0.1 and 0.5 microns. The particles over 0.3 microns in size proceed to the large intestine where they trap toxins in the colon. Many people on trying this product report clearer thinking and lots more inspiration and ideas,also a resulting detoxification of their lives in general. I can personally testify to the astonishing effects this zeolite has had on my life increasing my work stamina, reducing my need for food and bringing to a head for clearing situations in my inner and outer world that had lingered in my life for years. This nutritional journey is a a spiritual as well as a physical one! There is now available a colloidal version which is faster acting and extra strength and in a league of its own. The particle size has been reduced to under 10 nanometers and suspended inside water molecules to quickly travel throughout the body reaching places other zeolites cannot reach... you can find out more here http://www.foodforconsciousness.mytouchstoneessentials.com/ 

Co Q10 
 Fourthly we come to co-enzyme Q 10, or the form which is more easily utilised by the body, especially as we get older, ubiquinol. Co Q 10 is used by every cell in the body to produce energy and helps convert food to energy. It is anti-oxidant and anti-aging. After the age of 30 production of coQ10 in the body begins to decline and the only substantial dietary sources are really found amongst meats especially organ meats. This may be one of the reasons former vegetarians are drawn to meat as they become older. If we chose not to eat flesh foods then it would be wise to consider supplementation of certain nutrients. In their pristine biological state it is likely that humans were and would be more able to assimilate and/or synthesis nutrients in a way that is difficult for most of us today. Supplementation can certainly be part of our journey back. Fast and phenomenal benefits can happen with ubiquinol, quickly regaining youthful speed and stamina that is such a boon in life. The ubiquinol form has been available since about 2006 and some health food shops stock it; if is not available in your local area you can find it online.

progesterone cream 
 Last but not least and especially for the many women who unnecessarily suffer at the hands of their own hormones, progesterone cream! It's a simple fact that humans today generally have unbalanced sex hormones - we have unbalanced levels of oestrogen and testosterone and this causes us more problems than are generally understood. This has been the case to some degree for thousands of years and is due to the reduction of flavonoids (fruit compounds) in our diets and the reduction of melatonin output by the pineal gland. Flavonoids and melatonin help keep the levels of oestrogen and testosterone in balance with other biochemicals in the body. In women now there is too much oestrogen compared to progesterone. This is an increasing problem even for young women and as women go through the years, this imbalance, or 'oestrogen dominance', gets more extreme eventually producing 'peri-menopausal' and 'menopausal' symptoms. To further compound the situation, in modern times we have the arrival of oestrogen mimicers, xenoestrogens, in chemicals in our environment, including plastics. The unpleasant symptoms of oestrogen dominance/progesterone deficiency can include depression, anxiety, premenstrual syndrome and excessive bleeding, inability to maintain pregnancies, interference with thyroid function and increased risk of reproductive cancers. Fortunately there are some simple things we can do to alleviate these symptoms and a natural progesterone cream is one of them. Wellsprings Serenity cream is probably the best one currently available and is very affordable. http://www.progesterone.co.uk/progesteronecream.htm. By rubbing a tiny amount into the body for half or more the days of the cycle, progesterone levels are gradually restored. The benefits may be noticed very quickly and also increase over a period of time. We sincerely hope you benefit from this information and add just one note, the best results come with consistent use over a long enough duration in time. Persistence with all aspects of nutrition and lifestyle habits can work miracles! You can find more information and links at our websites: www.foodforconsciousness.co.uk 
 Written by Holly paige and kenny sunshine Originally published in funky raw magazine http://www.funkyraw.com