Healing Foods

Healthy foods rejuvenate the life force by supplying the body with multiple anti-aging nutrients. Staying youthful is synonymous with staying healthy. And staying healthy is controlled, to a large degree, by daily habits of eating, the best foods are those given to us in nature.

Nutrition: Food contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, vitamins, and minerals. Nutrition is the way our bodies take in and use food to maintain proper functioning, and is the foundation of good health. Eating right is critical for the proper growth and functioning of our bodies, and there is strong evidence that eating right can prevent several chronic illnesses or diseases, as well. The first principle to good nutrition is to eat a wide variety of foods, because different foods make different nutritional contributions to our diets. Keep a balance between calorie intake and calorie usage; in other words, do not eat more food than your body can use or you will gain weight. The more active you are, the more you can eat and still maintain the balance. Also, foods high in complex carbohydrates and fiber, low in fat, and cholesterol-free (fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes) should make up more than 50 percent of the calories you eat. The rest should come from lean meats and poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy products. This will ensure that you get the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals and help keep your fat and cholesterol intake relatively low.

Finding Your Way to a Healthier You.

High Fiber:
Goal: 25-35 grams/day

Choose a naturally balanced fiber, here's why. The best way to receive your fiber is the way nature intended, through your diet. Then you consume the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber per day, through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you consume a ratio of 75% insoluble fiber to 25% soluble fiber. This is the NATURAL BALANCE that nature intended. Each type of fiber is important to your health. Soluble fiber, which dissolves in water, helps to absorb intestinal and liver toxins. Insoluble is the roughage that sweeps the colon free and promotes regular bowel movements. When you supplement your diet with a fiber supplement, the easiest way to mimic the natural balance of 75% insoluble to 25% soluble fiber is by taking a flax-based fiber. Flax provides roughly the same natural balance (approximately 65-75% insoluble to 25-35% soluble fiber). Most fiber supplements use psyllium fiber (many think its prevalence is due to it being an inexpensive raw ingredient for manufacturers to use, which provides the opposite of the natural balance). Psyllium has approximately 80% insoluble fiber and 20% soluble fiber. That’s why it swells and gels so significantly. When choosing your fiber supplement, look for a naturally-balanced, flax-based product.

Omega-3 Oils
Goal: 2 grams/day or more

Both Omega-3’s and 6’s are important to your health, but, most people eat too many Omega-6’s and not enough Omega-3’s. The reason for this is that most Americans have a diet rich in Omega-6 source foods (fried foods, margarine, whole-grain bread, baked goods, and other saturated fats), and low in Omega-3 source foods like fish, of which we don’t eat enough. Due to these eating habits, the typical American diet contains as much as 20 times more Omega-6 than Omega-3’s! The consequences of this imbalance may include: dry skin, brittle nails, mood swings, unhealthy inflammatory response and immune weakness. Although, Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), from borage and primrose oil is an Omega-6 fatty acid, it has shown to be an effective supplement for maintaining healthy inflammatory response and healthy hormonal balance. While there is no established recommended daily intake for Omega-3s, eating a diet with significant amounts of foods rich in Omega-3’s can be highly beneficial. By increasing your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, you will naturally bring the ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids back into a healthier, 2:1 or (optimally) 1:1 balance. Reducing your intake of Omega-6-rich foods while you increase your consumption of Omega-3-rich foods will further balance the equation.

Probiotics
Goal: 5 to 50 billion live cultures/day

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in your digestive tract. Your digestive tract is home to more that 500 different species of bacteria; 80% are good bacteria and 20% are bad bacteria. There are literally trillions of individual bacteria residing in the digestive tract, with the majority of the population living in the large intestine. The two most prevalent probiotics are Lactobacillus, which make up the majority of the probiotics living in your small intestine, and Bifidobacteria, the most prevalent probiotic living in your large intestine.

Enzymes
Goal: Live plant enzymes with every meal

Enzymes are protein-based substances that are essential for every function in the human body including eating, digesting, absorbing, seeing, hearing, smelling, breathing, kidney function, liver function, reproduction, elimination, and more. In the digestive system, enzymes break down foods by breaking apart the bonds that hold the nutrients together. Normally, enzymes are also present in raw foods to assist with digestion. However, many foods are depleted of their natural enzymes through cooking and processing. Without the essential enzymes needed for proper digestion, the body may not completely break down those foods to absorb their nutrients. In addition, undigested food in the digestive tract can ferment, causing gas and bloating along with other digestive difficulties.

Fruits and Vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables contain valuable nutrients for anti-aging. Especially noteworthy are the cruciferous vegetables--broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, radishes, and watercress--for their anti-cancer properties.

Melatonin, for immunity-boosting and better sleep, is found in bananas, corn, and tomatoes.

Chromium helps regulate insulin and can be found in apples, broccoli, grapes, raisins, mushrooms, and potatoes.

Magnesium defends against asthma and heart disease, and it is also a memory booster. Good fruit and vegetable sources include avocados, bananas, and dark green vegetables.

Vitamin E’s helper selenium is found in onions, shallots, mushrooms, and garlic. These foods help the heart and keep the skin elastic.

Intense color and flavor indicate health-giving properties. Dark green and orange vegetables, for example, are high in carotene, which protects against cancer. And bitter greens help the liver. Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, help rid the body of free radicals, keep the skin young-looking, and accelerate healing.

Grains and Legumes. These fiber-rich foods keep our digestive tracts healthy. They are high in B vitamins, which work to support the brain, and rich sources of vitamin E, making them good for the heart and skin. In addition, whole grain fibers, such as brown rice, contain zinc, for nourishment of the male reproductive system and repair of the body.

Oils. Contrary to common trends, we all need some fat in our diets. a teaspoon a day of monounsaturated fats are essential for keeping the brain and heart functioning properly, for protecting our appearance, for raising HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, and for keeping our hair and skin from becoming dry. Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil and canola oil.

Avoid saturated fats, those found in potato chips, meats, cheeses, and palm oil.

Polyunsaturated fats, like those found in flaxseed oil, and fish are precursors for Omega 3's, such as DHA and EPA, which prevent clotting of blood and stickiness of platelets. Research shows that these fats can get into the blood vessels and stabilize plaque. People who eat one fish meal a week have a 50 percent reduction of sudden deaths over people who don’t. Healthy sources of fish are deep-water migratory fish, like salmon, halibut, and cod.

Amino Acids - Proteins are made of combination of amino acids and in the process of digestion each protein is split up by the enzymes which act upon it into the several amino-acids of which it is formed, as it is only when in this state that protein can be utilized by the tissues of the body. A great number of amino acids are formed as the result of protein digestion and these form a pool (the amino acid pool) from which the cells of the body draw the protein they need. Actually only 9 of these amino-acids are essential for the growth and repair of body tissues.

Examples : acetyl-l-carnitine , agmatine sulphate , alanine (d,l,dl) , aspartame ,beta-alanine , creatine citrate , creatine monohydrate,creatine phosphate disodium salt, creatine pyruvate, dirnethylglycine, dl-allo-threonine, d-mannose, gaba , lycine, homo-l-cystein, inosine, l-5-hydroxytryptophan, l-asparagine, l-aspartic acid, l-carnitine (base, hci, tartrat, orotate), l-carnosine, l-cystein (base, mono/anhydrous hci),l-cystine, l-glutamine, l-hydroxyproline, l-isoleucine, l-leucine, l-pyroglutamic acid, l-tyrosine, l-valine, n-acetyl-glycine, n-acetyl-l-cysteine, phenylalanine (d,l,dl), proline (d,l,dl), sarcosine, selenomethionine ,s-phenyl-l-cysteine, threonine (d,l,dl), tyramine etc.

Carbohydrates -
Carbohydrates form one of the three macro-nutrient categories; proteins and fats are the other macro-nutrient categories. Carbohydrates come in a variety of forms. The most common and abundant are sugars, fibers, and starches. The basic building block of a carbohydrate is a sugar molecule, a simple union of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Starches and fibers are essentially chains of sugar molecules. Some contain hundreds of sugars. Some chains are straight, whereas others branch wildly.

Carbohydrates were once grouped into two main categories: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates included sugars such as fruit sugar (fructose), corn or grape sugar (dextrose or glucose), and table sugar (sucrose).
Complex carbohydrates included everything made of three or more linked sugars. Simple sugars were considered bad and complex carbohydrates good. However, the picture is much more complicated than that. The digestive system handles all carbohydrates in much the same way - it breaks them down (or tries to break them down) into single sugar molecules, since only these are small enough to cross into the bloodstream. It also converts most digestible carbohydrates into glucose (also known as blood sugar), because cells are designed to use this as a universal energy source.

Fiber is an exception. It is put together in such a way that it can't be broken down into sugar molecules, and so passes through the body undigested.

The Glycemic Index
A new system for classifying carbohydrates calls into question many of the old assumptions about how carbohydrates affect health. This new system, known as the glycemic index, measures how fast and how far blood sugar rises after you eat a food that contains carbohydrates.
For example, white bread is converted almost immediately to blood sugar, causing it to spike rapidly. It's classified as having a high glycemic index. On the other hand, brown rice is digested more slowly, causing a lower and more gentle change in blood sugar. It has a low glycemic index.

Enzymes and Probiotics

Enzymes :Proteolytic enzymes help you digest the proteins in food. Although your body produces these enzymes in the pancreas, certain foods also contain proteolytic enzymes. Papaya and pineapple are two of the richest plant sources, as attested by their traditional use as natural "tenderizers" for meat. Papain and bromelain are the respective names for the proteolytic enzymes found in these fruits. The enzymes made in your body are called trypsin and chymotrypsin. The primary use of proteolytic enzymes is as a digestive aid for people who have trouble digesting proteins. However, proteolytic enzymes also appear to reduce pain and inflammation, which has made them popular in Europe as a treatment for sports injuries and as an aid in recovery from surgery. Many practitioners of alternative medicine believe that proteolytic enzymes can be helpful for food allergies and autoimmunediseases.

Examples : Bromelain, Papain, Trypsin, Chymotrypsin, Pancreatin & Digestive Enzymes.

Probiotics : Beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, are called probiotics. Probiotic bacteria favorably alter the intestinal microflora balance, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, promote good digestion, boost immune function , and increase resistance to infection. Individuals with flourishing intestinal colonies of beneficial bacteria are better equipped to fight the growth of disease-causing bacteria.

Examples : Acidophilus and bifidobacteria maintain a healthy balance of intestinal flora by producing organic compounds-such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid-that increase the acidity of the intestine and inhibit the reproduction of many harmful bacteria. Probiotic bacteria also produce substances called bacteriocins, which act as natural antibiotics to kill undesirable microorganisms. One probiotic, Saccharomyces boulardii, has prevented diarrhea in several human trials. 12 Double blind research studying critically ill patients found this strain of yeast to prevent diarrhea when 500 mg is taken four times per day.

Proteins
This category list products from animal and plants source which are rich in proteins and essential for building or regeneration of body functions. Proteins are made up of combination of amino acids and in the process of digestion each protein is split up by the enzyme which acts upon it into several amino acids of which it is formed , as it is only when in this state that protein can be utilized by the tissues of the body. From 80-100 grams of protein are required in a normal diet per day , 50 grams be from Class A protein.

Examples : Myosin : meat and fish meal, Albumin : egg white & milk , Caseinogen : milk and cheese products, Globulin : blood blobulin and Vitellin , Gluten : wheat (bread) & cereals products, Legumen : peas, beans and lentils, Gelatin : from animal tissues such as bones and ligamentous tissues and also from plant agar-agar .

Vitamin and Minerals Vitamins

Vitamins : They are essential to life, health and growth and concerned with the well-being of body metabolism. Vitamins are classified according to their solubility as Fat-soluble and water soluble vitamins and are normally absorbed in the intestine. Fat soluble vitamin includes A,D, E and K and Water soluble Vitamins include Vitamin B1, the B-complex , Vitamin C and P.

Minerals : There are various salts in the body which form the mineral content of most foods. Calcium, Sulphur, Iron, Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorous and Iodine are the most essential minerals needed by the body.

Hormones: The endocrine organs or ductless glands passes the secretion into the blood . The secretion is called hormones. The endocrine organs are : a. Pituitary gland : Secretes growth hormones b. Thyroid gland : It is intimately concerned with metabolic activities. c. Adrenal gland : It produces hydrocortisone, adrenaline and noradrenaline d. Thymus: It is concerned with production of antibodies.

MACA LIVE™ "The Youth Root™"

This organic sun dried Peruvian Root has been used for Menopause Symptoms, Hot Flashes, (HRT) Hormone Replacement Therapy, Hormone Balancing, Fertility Enhancement, Sexual Stimulation, Fatigue, Stamina, Acne, Athletic Performance and PMS Associated Problems. Good for women, men and teens.

The major importance of Maca, however, comes from the combination of its nutritional elements with other components giving heightened nutritional and medicinal effects. Maca's high nutritional value comes from the fact that it contains about 59% carbohydrates, 14% proteins, 9% fiber and 2% lipids. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, 20 Fatty Acids, 19 Amino Acids. 4 alkaloids, certain sterols and Glucosinolates. All this makes Maca Live an adaptogen, which brings the body into harmony by stimulating the Pituitary and Hypothalamus glands.