have any of you ever wondered why we put baking soda in the refrigerator to prevent odors? it seems so random, and yet, it is obviously working! baking soda is an example of a substance that neutralizes pH. when it comes into contact with an acid in the air (a.k.a. yesterday’s lo mein) its properties immediately balance out the smell and keep everything fresh.
would it surprise you to know that every food and substance that we put into our bodies leaves an ash residue after metabolism? this residue is either alkaline or acidic, depending on the mineral composition of the foods and the way we digest them (our levels of stress and stability influence the action of our digestive system in a major way). the human body needs an alkaline environment in order for the vital organs to function properly, because once the alkaline reserves are depleted, the body simply breaks down. the minerals i talked about last time are all created by alkaline forming foods.
negative emotions, poor food combinations, and acid-forming foods can all produce acidic residues in the body. at the same time, good food combos, chewing food properly, relaxing environments, meditation, love, and exercise generally alkalize the body.
excess acid waste is a cause of inflammation, which many believe is the root of disease. if your diet is high in meat, cheese, white flour, white sugar, processed food, alcohol, and cigarettes, then it is possible you are suffering from ailments such as acne, joint pain, pms, asthma, depression, flus and colds, migraines, food allergies, heartburn, low energy, low libido, insomnia…the list goes on and on. advanced symptoms of over-acidity include cancer, crohn’s disease, schizophrenia, and multiple sclerosis.
alkaline-forming foods are the only answer to combatting over-acidity. the most extremely alkaline-forming foods taste the most fresh, and include fruits and veggies of all kinds (especially lemons and watermelon and dark leafy greens…now do you realize why lemon is such great support for colds and flu? it might be confusing since they are acidic, but they leave an alkaline ash after they are metabolised), and herbs and spices such as ginger, parsley and cayenne. sprouted grains, olive oil, and soy products weigh in at moderately alkaline on the scale, while meat, cigarettes, drugs, and carbonated drinks are at the complete other end of the spectrum. this probably won’t come as a shock, but the most acid-forming substance out there is actually artificial sweetener. stay away from that stuff…i believe it will only do you harm. raw cow’s milk, cream, and butter are all neutral (but they have to be raw in order for that to be true). any food that is cooked, canned, or frozen is slightly more acidic than it would be otherwise. same goes for any chemically grown, processed food. organic is always the best choice, and biodynamic is even better.
the best way to put this information to use is to maintain a diet with approximately an 80%/20% ratio of alkaline-forming foods to acid-forming foods. obviously if you can’t maintain this one day, try to make up for it the next. there are plenty of alkaline alternatives to acidic foods (grains like quinoa and millet over rice and pasta). additionally, if you notice, the most alkaline foods happen to be the ones that contain the most water in them. make sure you are getting 6-8 glasses of clean (preferably ionized) water per day, but try to avoid drinking too much excess liquid at mealtime so it doesn’t get in the way of digestion.
none of this is rocket science. i bet when you hear it, it makes perfect sense. eat more fresh, plant-based foods and limit consumption of toxins. many of the most alkaline foods are the ones used to heal illnesses (ginger, lemon, honey), so it would make sense that using them as a preventative measure might prove to be quite effective. as it happens, the results you yield (including optimal immune system, glowing skin, better mood, and weight loss) can’t really be beat. but just as important as the foods we put in our mouth are the elements of primary food in our life and our behavior at meal times. be flexible and open, and get plenty of rest, laughter, fresh air, love, and physical activity. these are all alkalizers. deep breathing also releases toxins, so it is a great habit to get into. (see my meditation techniques in an earlier post). be peaceful during meals. your metabolism knows when you are fighting with your boyfriend while you eat, or watching something terrible on the news. you are digesting that information and you’ll feel it in your mood and when that heartburn hits! in the same way, your metabolism can also can tell when you are listening to good music and enjoying your conversation at the dinner table. your body wants to hear you laughing! lastly, don’t forget to give thanks for your food for nourishing your mind, body, and soul. i have always found that gratitude is the ultimate alkalizer.
if you’re half the product junkie that I am, then you know what it feels like to scour the aisles of every store from walgreen’s to neiman marcus to whole foods searching for the perfect skincare regimen (not to mention what you get from the dermatologist, often in the form of hideous sounding medications). i, for one, got sick of it all a few years ago, when i realized that i had been torturing myself with chemical after chemical and none of it seemed to make a difference. it’s not that my skin was terrible, but it didn’t seem to have that clear glow that i was promised by all of the packages. i had mild acne and those dreaded t-zone problem areas. i had even purchased all-natural, holistic products in the past, but those didn’t even work!
everything changed for me when i did my first juice cleanse for a week. for the first two days, my skin broke out in a hideous way. i wanted to hide, and i did. what was happening to me? within 5 days, however, i was blemish free and had that healthy glow i had been trying to attain for my entire life. it was a miracle! it turns out, those first two days, the toxins in my body that i was cleansing were finally coming to the surface, and once i had passed them through my pores, my inner health began to shine out. let me tell you, it’s certainly a confidence booster. for someone that’s always had trouble with her skin, nothing feels quite so good.
SO. you must be wondering, “why did a juice cleanse change her skin?” good question. what i realized after that week is NOT that i must survive on liquids for the rest of my life, but that i needed to make a fundamental change in my eating habits if i wanted this to last (not to mention if i wanted my health to improve, to be thin, to feel naturally happy, and to have more energy, but who cares about those, right?). basically, my body had been crying out for help because of the nasty ways i was feeding it toxins in my food and lifestyle choices, and no matter how many chemicals i slathered on top of it, i couldn’t even mask the real problem. additionally, many of those chemicals were very poor quality and probably did a lot more damage than i realized. after months of changing my diet post-cleanse, i saw a dramatic difference in my health and appearance. i only use all natural products now (i love arcona, dr, hauschka, and jurlique), but the real difference is in what i am putting inside my body and all the junk i am leaving out!
here are some of the healthy ways to take care of your skin that have worked for me, and which will definitely give you that healthy glow:
- first of all, DRINK MORE WATER! many of us are so dehydrated that our skin is crying out for help every day by flaking and drying out. drink at least 8 glasses a day, and you will already see a difference.
- vitamins: there are vitamins in all natural, nutrient rich foods, which means you are really on the right track if you are simply eating well. broccoli is great as it contains vitamin C and vitamin A, along with bioflavanoids which has a synergistic effect with the vitamin C, so you get the most bang for your buck.
- fiber: eating whole grains that are filled with fiber promotes healthy digestion, which detoxifies our bodies properly, paving the way for healthy skin. not to get too detailed, but if you lack regularity, you will definitely have a dull complexion.
- garlic: contains sulphur (see mineral section below) and is a natural antibiotic which cleanses the system. making you beautiful from the inside out.
- eat oily fish! sardines, mackerel, and wild salmon contain fatty acids (like omega-3’s) which actually moisturize and reduce inflammation in the skin.
- antioxidants: many of us have heard of these and don’t actually know what they do. most simply, antioxidants repair the damage caused by free radicals (molecules that damage our skin cells). you can find them in carrots and berries, like blueberries and acai.
- parsley! i noticed a huge change in my skin when i started eating more parsley, and i wanted to know why. turns out, parsley is rich in all skin boosting nutrients- beta carotene, chlorophyll, B12, folic acid, vitamin C, and iron.
- olive oil: definitely a major one! have you ever noticed how so many europeans glow? i have to believe a lot of it has to do with the EVOO. it is packed with good fats, antioxidants, vitamins A and E. (good fats are huge for good skin- which means, avocados and raw nuts are great too).
MINERALS: through my raw food journey, i have come to understand that 95% of our bodily functions rely on minerals. it is especially important that we pay attention to them as our environment is so toxic and depletes our immune system. minerals are largely responsible for the detoxification of our bodies and are equally as important as vitamins, resulting in clean, inner health and promoting beautiful skin. minerals also promote a healthy acid/alkaline balance (the importance of which i will get into in my next post). organic produce has many more minerals than regular commercial produce, so always try to buy organic. the best way to get minerals into your body is to eat them through whole foods. here is a breakdown of some of the important ones and where to find them:
- zinc- helps our anti-inflammatory enzymes function, helps the body maintain collagen, which prevents wrinkles. (pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, seaweed, cashews)
- magnesium- aids in digestion, soothes nerves, cramps, and pms, balances hormones, and is vital to our heart muscle (exceptionally high in raw cacao and rich green foods)
- silicon- allows for flexibility/elasticity in our muscle tissues (firm skin!!), and shockingly, our body also has the ability to turn silicon into calcium. pretty amazing. (cucumber, hemp, radishes, bell peppers, romaine, oats)
- sulfur- many believe that this is the foundation for healthy skin. it is responsible for the radiance of our skin and is hugely detoxifying, cleaning out our cells. (aloe vera, blue-green algae, garlic, brussel sprouts, hot chilis, kale, onions, arugula)
- iron- most of our iron is found in our blood, carrying oxygen through our bloodstream. it generates magnetism in our nerves which builds our tissues and makes us strong, energetic, and lively, which you can see in our skin when we are lit up! (spirulina, burdock, parsley, onions, dark leafy greens, cherries)
as you can see, there is a ton of information to learn about how to eat for beauty, but the number one thing to remember is simply that whole, nutrient-dense foods and plenty of water are the keys to good health. once you feel good on the inside, you can see it on the outside. these are not revolutionary ideas, as you well know. additionally, limiting your consumption of cigarettes, coffee, and alcohol (a glass or two of red wine is fine) will almost immediately yield great skin results because these heavily toxic substances will always pollute your body (again, not really a eureka! moment). you have all of the intuition and knowledge to make good choices, it’s just about making the effort and investing in your health. it pays off in so many ways!
while i know i am probably way behind on this one, i had to share that i am reading the most incredible book. animal, vegetable, miracle is novelist barbara kingsolver’s account of the year she and her family moved to their appalachian farm from the tuscon desert and learned to live off of the land. the beauty of this book is that while we learn the details of what it takes to live in harmony with nature and the seasons, we discover that more than sacrifice and discipline, what it really takes is an understanding and appreciation- a LOVE, if you will- for the true value of real food and how that spills over into a love of family and friends and life itself.
i learned so many fascinating tidbits about everything from a five-color silverbeet (swiss chard with amazing rainbow colored stems and leaves), what it really takes to grow asparagus (three years to harvest, but a well-managed asparagus bed can keep producing for thirty years!), and even…turkey sex (let’s put it this way, because of what it takes lethargize them so they dont get rowdy in the coop and to fatten them up for our thanksgiving feasts, they are rendered incapable of reproducing and professionals have to step in- i’ll leave the rest to your imagination).
one of the best things about kingsolver’s book is that she enlisted her family – her brilliant husband, a professor of environmental studies, and her daugther, a college student who knows the value of eating greens on a deep level- to write essays among the meat of the story. these essays are essentially lectures on the true value of the story she is telling us. steven’s writing tackles larger sociologcial, political, ecological, and economic issues such as the price we pay for purchasing food grown in other countries. local food can be seen as snobby and elitist to so many people- i see this all the time. but in reality, beyond sacrificing quality by purchasing soy products from brazil while we are living in kentucky, we are not supporting the farmer in south america that we imagine out there in the fields. in fact, we supporting an international company that has cut down acres of rainforest to grow the soy, destroying indigenous populations.
camille, kingsolver’s daughter, eloquently shares with us anecdotes about growing up in a rather unconventional (although perhaps we have our definition skewed!) 21st century family. she shares recipes with us which exemplify how we can use so few ingredients and create incredible flavor, as long as those ingredients are organic, and humanely and properly raised.
the simplicity of the message of the book- you are what you eat- and how profound it feels to comprehend it (for so many people who i’ve spoken to that have read this), is proof to me that our society is in desperate need of getting back to our roots. of feeling that immense sense of connection to the deepest place inside our own nature. it is an inspiring, self-reflective place, yes. but more than that, it is a motivating place. in realizing our fundamental goodness- the potential we possess and that our natural environment possesses- a chord is struck within us, motivating us to actually use what we have and who we are as healthy, good people and do some actual GOOD in the world. letting go of ego, of our desire for the fastest, biggest, quickest “solution” to our problems, and just learning to think about our place on this earth within the model of a new paradigm (or perhaps ancient…they say everything comes back around again).
it’s time for real change. we are dying, literally. our bodies, our land, our culture…it is dying. every house on the block looks the same. we eat packaged foods that contain ingredients we can’t pronounce, made up by a person in a labcoat and which need extra chemicals just to produce a taste we could easily grow in our own backyards. we are dropping like flies because our bodies are so inflamed and covered in layers of fat, and yet we are still nutritionally starving. we believe in dogma but not in spirituality. we think we are decent people, but we don’t connect with and support one another. we take pills whose side effects result in having to take more pills, and yet we don’t even realize that perhaps the treatment actually lies in eating something green with our dinner, or maybe even in getting a hug from someone we love.
it’s time to start thinking about these things. we are compassionate and good and alive. our bodies deserve better, our earth deserves better, our culture deserves better, and our hearts deserve better. let’s stop starving and start living.
have any of you ever experience one of those periods in life when it feels like all the energy of the universe is against you.? you can’t keep up with the current but you’re too far from the shore to swim to safety? i’d be shocked to hear if anyone answered no.
the universe is a funny place– literally. sometimes i can’t help but laugh out loud at the absurdity of what people are expected to undergo, and yet, i am often equally as struck by the beautiful nature of the world and the gifts we are given. lately, as i have been going through my own metamorphosis of sorts, i have found this this delicate place that lives somewhere in between extreme emotional stress and pain, and this beautiful, balanced sense of hopeful joy. i visit both sides of the spectrum many times a day, but i have found an appreciation for the space between the two, where i am able to step back and learn to be gentle with myself and others and let go of expectations about the way things are “supposed to be.”
pema chödrön, a beautiful, wise Buddhist nun, whose writings were given to me by an angel of a friend, has helped me so much in my process of letting go during this difficult time. chödrön’s teachings are so powerful because they apply to everyone. in her book, “the places that scare you,” chödrön trains us to be compassionate warriors. in doing so, she inspires us to dive into our fear (of uncertainty, loneliness, sickness, loss – any of the places we all have to inevitably face), move beyond it without denying it, and ultimately learn to truly live with purpose in this world of constant change. no one said it was easy, but what has been so eye-opening for me, is that the hard part is often the GOOD part. this is the part where you are able to sink into yourself and let the stress fall away and just feel what you feel with an open heart and a desire to be present, kind, and loving.
i have never been one of those people that could meditate for very long. i would close my eyes and try to find that place of stillness and my mind would start trailing off after a few minutes and that would be it. it is a very uncomfortable place to be. i dont know if i have ever been ready to be that aware and mindful. chödrön has a very effective way of inspiring people to meditate. she describes it as “a method of cultivating unconditional friendliness toward ourselves.” with time and practice, i am beginning to understand how to relax with myself and feel transformed from the process, and i believe it is because i have begun to understand why it is that i am practicing. my goal these days is not to “get”anywhere or to accomplish something i can brag about to my yoga-loving friends. the goal is just to do something loving for myself. and it is working!
the power of meditation and relaxation is transformative, and it is simple and yet not so simple at the same time. you have to be willing to go to those places that scare you and just sit inside them for a while. don’t think, just stay. exercise control, breathe, laugh!
here are some tips i find helpful for meditating:
1. find a relaxing, quiet place- this can be as specific as a certain corner of your favorite room. (dont forget to turn off your blackberry!)
2. stretch for a few minutes before you begin. this will make you more comfortable.
3. start with the breath. breathe in and out slowly to relax your muscles and quiet your mind. once your mind is quiet, try to feel your body parts without thinking about them.
4. focus on your aspiration. meditating is an active practice, and it requires full attention to a single purpose. (for instance, getting past a certain fear). incorporate this purpose into your breath- feel yourself breathing it in and out as if it were a tangible object.
5. feel your frustration and go with it. it is normal for people to feel their thoughts invading what is supposed to be a quiet mind. try to move past it and keep going. just breathe.
6. focus on your heart. think about your open heart and how much you have to be grateful for. naturally, your thoughts will retreat.
7. be patient with yourself and just practice meditation sincerely. you cannot go wrong if you do this.
most of the reason i began this blog was to talk about health and food…topics that are beyond interests for me; they fuel my passion for life. but an important factor that many people forget these days is that there are other types of food that nourish us that are imperative to total health– at my school, the institute for integrative nutrition, we call this primary food. at the end of the day, what we put in our bodies physically doesn’t really matter if our appetites for love and spirituality are not being fulfilled. this does not mean we must be hard on ourselves every time we don’t make time to work out, or are not in a relationship, or can’t seem to find the peace to meditate. the point is learning to go to those scary places, discover where you are lacking nourishment, and give yourself the compassion and love that you deserve to feed that hunger.
it may sound verbose and complex, but really it is not. it is so simple- the hardest part is allowing yourself to unlock the door. once you’re in, you can take that ton of bricks that has hit you– maybe you lost your job, or someone close to you is sick; maybe you had your heart broken and feel lonely, or you are struggling with body image– you can take them and you can rebuild your life, gently. these painful experiences do not have to harden us, and in fact, the more tender and open we are, the more fearless and free we become. step by step, you will begin to see that we are each given choices every day, and the real gift that we come to find through understanding this is that we have the power to choose how we want to treat ourselves and those around us; the power to create a nourished and fulfilling life.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin
can you imagine reading that on your next prescription slip from the doctor?
as some of you know, i am going through a personal battle in my family with cancer. this is part of the reason i have decided to focus so much of my energy towards educating myself and others on wellness and nutrition. althought to many of you it may seem blatantly obvious, it is an uphill battle to convince the mainstream healthcare system to emphasize the importance of proper nutrition as a preventative measure against chronic illness and disease and also as a treatment for it. although everyone “knows” that eating right is important, as i have stated before, these are all subjective terms and clearly open to interpretation, as nutritionists in hospitals are serving sugar substitutes and nutrient-lacking foods like bagels to patients who are in desperate need of positive energy to their cells.
yet another example of a backwards, irrational bureacracy, the healthcare system that is in place just simply does not cater to the essential needs of patients, and it is frustrating and very sad. i believe that everyone truly would like to see a change, and that this is not the fault of the people within the system who dedicate their lives to attempting to make people healthier. but there is a structural issue here that regards implementing another tier to our system in which a more holistic approach can be seriously taken into account for each patient in the country. this is not a replacement for modern medicine in any way, but a supplementation that will benefit everyone and eventually be able to prevent issues such as diabetes and obesity, heart disease, cancer, and strokes. it is all about education, giving people the (simple!) information that they need to bring home with them , changing their lifestyles and improving the quality of their lives.
i was so thrilled to read the l.a. times yesterday and find this article about dr. david servan-schreiber, a brain cancer survivor. in his book “examining anti-cancer: a new way of life,” he explains that before his diagnosis, like most people, he separated medicine from food, but eventually his eyes were opened to the fact that “food is a low-grade pharmacological intervention, three times a day every day, that can profoundly influence your biology.”
i have always wondered why we consider a pill that comes from an orange bottle behind the counter at the pharmacy to be legitimized while we put thousands of other chemicals from food, vitamins, the environment, beauty products, onto and into our bodies that we simply seem to overlook, never taking into account that they might have an effect on our physical and mental chemistry.
the foods that have been studied and found to be strong cancer-prevention candidates include ones rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as fish and fish oil), leafy green vegetables (from the broccoli and onion families), the berry family, the citrus family, spices such as turmeric and ginger, and polyphenols such as resveratrol (found in red wine) and catechins (in green tea).
servan-schreiber also emphasizes the beneficial role of other complementary practices for the spirit and mind, such as yoga and meditation.
but the debate as to whether or not it is ethical for doctors in positions of authority to give patients advice that is not scientifically proven regarding food and spiritual choices is a hot one. on one hand, some doctors think that just because it “makes sense,” they do not have the right to prescribe dosages of recommendations for fruits and vegetables or daily yoga practices, and they would prefer to steer clear of any hot water by stepping outside of the nutrition/lifestyle conversation at all.
on the other hand, servan-schreiber believes it is wrong to wait for absolutes on this subject. “I think it’s medical negligence not to give this information to patients, because people will die without this advice and they will not hurt themselves with it,” he says.
i agree. aside from the guidelines that ARE obvious to many people and which have been proven to be sound (don’t smoke, eat less red meat and sugar, more plant food), doesn’t the public deserve information about exactly what they can do to further promote their health in more detail than that? this is not just a matter of scientifically proven facts- but that is the point. we are constantly getting information on studies that are often not “proven” until too many people have suffered. i believe that most people would prefer to have a healthcare professional at least validate that there are steps they can take that can only be beneficial, whether or not hard science can prove it on a chart or a graph. it would also empower people to know that they have some control over their health. yes, it is a responsibility on the part of healthcare professionals to give out any advice, but with this information people would also be able to, for once, TAKE responsibility for themselves, which would eventually benefit all of the overworked doctors in the longrun as well.
and i find that this whole debate between doctors on this issue to be a microcosm for the institutional inefficiencies that i was discussing earlier. the premise of the system is based on absolutes, in a world where we have proven time and time again that there are no tangible ones. isn’t it time to start making room for a complement to our system that is not considered alternative, but is welcomed inside and invited to stay for good?
