Magnesium is an intracellular nutrient and metabolic electrolyte. It’s a very important essential macro-mineral, not only the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, but also involved in several hundred enzymatic reactions, with cardiovascular functions being one of them. Known as the “relaxer” mineral, magnesium is an alkaline earth metal, involved in more the 300 biochemical reactions in the body such as energy production, synthesis of essential molecules, cell signaling and ion transport across cell membranes. This anti-stress mineral is the central component in the “blood” of the plant world just like iron is to our own human blood, because the central atom of the chlorophyll structure is magnesium. I’m in love with it already – aren’t you? Some highlights:

• ✴ Magnesium is needed for heart, muscle  and digestive system function. It has a very positive effect on the mucus membranes, nerves in general, and excretory and secretory nerves specifically.

• ✴ It is alkalizing for the body (raises pH levels), as it neutralizes acids in the system.

• ✴ Cools the brain and nervous system, has a calming effect on nerves, which improves flexibility in muscles, nerves, joints and ligaments.

• ✴ Magnesium has been known to lessen menstrual cramps, irritability, fatigue, depression, and water retention (in combination with calcium and Vitamin B6).

• ✴ More than 80% of the population is magnesium deficient. Depression, adrenal exhaustion, anxiety, fatigue, anorexia, difficulty with menses, insomnia, muscle tremors, twitching, hyperactive nervous system, scatter and erratic personality are all signs of magnesium deficiency. Studies found that a decreased  quantity of magnesium is found in the heart and blood of heart attack victims.

• ✴ Magnesium deficiency increases with the use of alcohol and caffeine, excess of sugar, use of birth control pills and diuretics.

• ✴ Stress increases the excretion of magnesium and this depletion will make the heart more sensitive to electrical abnormalities, which may lead to heart problems.

• ✴ The brain has very high concentrations of magnesium. This element is extremely important for the efficient function and production of neurotransmitters.

• ✴ Magnesium is a natural tranquilizer, relaxing skeletal muscles and blood vessels. While calcium contracts muscles, magnesium relaxes them.

• ✴ It activates cell growth, improves tissue elasticity, and relaxes the nervous system.

• ✴ The Pituitary gland (known as the master gland) uses it to regulate adrenal, thyroid and parathyroid function.

• ✴ Magnesium activates metabolic enzymes important for protein and carbohydrates, and it is needed in DNA synthesis and function.

• ✴ Modulates electrical potential of cell membranes, which allows nutrients to pass back and forth through the cell.

• ✴ Transports a key phosphate molecule to ATP (an energy source), which releases energy.

• ✴ Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. It may influence the release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose (sugar) levels. Low blood levels of magnesium (hypomagnesemia) are frequently seen in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

• ✴ Evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency may be an additional risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may be due to the fact that magnesium deficiency alters calcium metabolism and the hormones that regulate calcium.

• ✴ Magnesium is thought to prevent excitotoxicity because of its ability to sit at the entrance (like a little club bouncer/cellular bodyguard) to nerve cell calcium channels and help prevent over stimulation of the cells due to calcium flooding.

• ✴ In the body, magnesium works closely with calcium, Vitamin D, and phosphorous.

• ✴ Certain emotions such as hate, jealousy, resentment, bitterness, hostility and greed tend to create a magnesium deficiency.

• ✴ 85% of magnesium is lost with the refining and processing of foods (milling of flours). Soaking and boiling foods can also leach magnesium into the water. When boiling produce, be sure to use the water as a broth/soup, as you will have a batch of minerals in the remaining water.

Sources of magnesium: The best way to obtain magnesium is through unprocessed whole foods from the vegetable kingdom. Magnesium is a core component of chlorophyll and makes it a very important mineral for plant photosynthesis. Chlorophyll gives plants their green pigmentation. Dark green algaes and leafs such as chlorella and spinach are great sources of magnesium because of their high chlorophyll content. Foods high in magnesium are frequently high in potassium and dietary fiber as well. Most nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews), seeds and legumes contain high amounts of magnesium. Other high magnesium foods include apples, organic soy, apricots, avocados, beet tops, berries, black walnuts, Brazil nuts, cabbage, coconuts, comfrey leaves, figs, dulse (red algae), dark green leafs (kale, chard, collard), walnuts, and watercress. Also, whole grains such as millet and brown rice.

Remember to look at minerals and nutrients in general as the amazing and loyal employees of your personal enterprise, all working synergistically as a team  to make your human machine (physical body) thrive. Minerals work in concert with other nutrients, which is why it is crucial to get them from whole food sources, where they are paired with their “buddy” nutrients – other minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients that help in absorption and activation of the mineral. It is never one thing that solves or creates problems, it’s a combination of many. We are mind, body, spirit and must address our imbalances on all levels – holistically.

Additional sources: Spiritual Nutrition by Gabriel Cousens, M.D., Staying Healthy with Nutrition  by Elson Hass, M.D., Oregon State University, NIH (National Institutes of Health).

With all this in mind, here are a few tips for staying healthy while traveling internationally:

• - Drink water with lime. I have friends who swear by this while they’re home and others for whom this is a daily morning routine while traveling to foreign countries. For me, it’s pretty much the best line of defense against bacteria. Why? Lime juice (lemon works too) has been found to have an alkalinizing effect on the body, which is a key thing for staying healthy and out of bacterial trouble (bacteria tend to thrive in an acidic environment). By drinking lime juice with our water, we are helping maintain our body’s pH balance, which is the first thing that we need to do if we want to keep viruses, bacteria or any other microbe in check. Unless you’re traveling home and staying at Grandma’s, traveling oftentimes means eating at restaurants for the duration of your trip, and much of the food you’ll be eating is probably acid-forming. Drinking lime water in the morning is great, and before bed at night is also good. You can even drop some lime juice in your water bottle and sip throughout the day. By the way, this is also great if you’re in a very polluted city – lime water will help your body detox from the contamination you’ll be breathing in all day.
• - Opt for greens. When at a restaurant, making sure you’ve got a nice serving of greens can help offset any imbalance in your meals (if they are raw or very lightly cooked, even better, as long as it is safe to do so in the country where you are traveling. Ask around – the locals will tell you.) Greens will help alkalinize your meal and body, and add wonderful minerals and vitamins to help you stay nourished.
• - Go local. You know the saying: “When in Rome…” Eating the local produce is a great way to learn about the culture as well as to stay healthy. Remember that when you travel, your body has to acclimate to a new environment. There is a difference in the quality and density of the air you’re breathing, a difference in the level of dryness and humidity, difference in temperature – all of these are things that can be a bit of a shock to your body initially. Certain fruits have been eaten in certain climates for centuries for a reason (to hydrate, for more Vitamin C, etc…), so take that wisdom and go with it. I find that my body reacts really well to the local fruits and vegetables of whatever country I am in, and, as long as something is not out of my range (meat, for example, is out of the question anywhere), I find that being adventurous with produce usually is a safe bet. There are fruits I enjoy in Peru that I have never seen here in the USA, and vice versa (pepinos and granadillas in Lima, blueberries in Los Angeles) and I am always sure to be flexible enough to adapt my basic routine (morning smoothie with berries and banana) to whatever is local and fresh over there (papaya is a staple of Peruvian breakfasts.)  As long as you’re getting your fresh fruits and vegetables in, it’s great to explore different ways to get your nutrients.
• - Bring your greens. Green powder, that is. If you’re traveling somewhere new and you don’t know what types of veggies will be on hand (and, repeat after me, “veggies are what keep me healthy”, and, no, french fries don’t count) it’s always a good idea to bring along a green powder to drink via smoothie or water. My favorite is Vitamineral Green by HealthForce – it’s got land and sea vegetables and it’s superb quality. A good green powder should have a variety of greens and it’s even better if it has algaes and herbs as well.
• - Down to a tea. Speaking of herbs, herbal teas are fantastic for balancing your system while on the go.  Dandelion root tea will help cleanse your kidneys, which may be working overtime if you’re eating out a lot, eating greasy or heavily condimented food or partying and getting little sleep. Chamomile tea will help you relax and sleep better if you’re stressed while anise and/or mint teas will help with digestion. I usually pack a variety of these in a tiny zip lock bag and use them as needed.
• - Take your chlorella. If you are in the habit of doing so, bring your chlorella along. If you’re not, get in the habit (everybody’s doing it.) This algae is a powerhouse of nutrients and a fantastic immune system booster (and you’ll want all the help you can get while in foreign territory). You can find out all about how chlorella keeps you healthy and happy in this article.
• - Pack probiotics. Probiotics are another way to make sure you keep bad bacteria at bay. These guys – often in yogurt-like form, but available in some brands in pill or capsule form for travel – help maintain the balance of your intestinal flora, which you will need as you introduce new foods with new bacteria into your digestive environment. You can read more about the benefits of probiotics here.
• - Eat grains and beans. Most cultures have some sort of bean-and-grain combo meal (rice and beans in Mexico and Central and South American countries, pasta fagioli soup in Italy, etc..) and this is the case for a reason: Your bean (or legume) and grain combos are a great way to make sure you get complete protein in a meal. And there’s an added benefit: Most places offer this as a small or side place, so it is always the more economical option – and healthiest, imagine that – on the menu. And, of course, go as whole grain (brown over white rice) as possible.

There you have it. Go green, go local, drink lime, herbal tea and chlorella, and get your quality protein from simple and readily available sources. These basic tips should help keep your health and energy up so you can enjoy your trip as well as maintain the sense of balance you have at home. After all, there is no reason you should need a vacation from your vacation if your body was well taken care of while you were at play.

Traveling nationally via car is the most perfect situation when one is a demanding  plant-based foodie like me. I can plan and pack all my meals for the next couple of days to ensure pure nutrition and great taste. It’s a win-win situation: We get real cellular nourishment, quality meals, avoid spending money on restaurants that don’t meet my standards, and my husband doesn’t have to endure my complaining  about how the majority of restaurants suck. Am I a high-maintenance plant-based foodie? No. I just demand quality, great flavor and real nutrition for my physical body wherever I go. To me, that should be standard. I believe that we all deserve at least that. We just have to demand it, and until it becomes the actual standard, we have to provide it for ourselves.

When you live in a busy city like Los Angeles, frequent 2-3 night getaways (nature/up or down the coast/out of the city) are in order. Whether you stay in a hotel, trailer or a camping tent, you can do this meal prep for travel – all u need is a plan and the “I deserve the best“ mentality. Here, I share with you the practical and nutritional plan I have developed for us plant-based foodies to be satisfied and nourished while on the road.

My main three nutritional and dietary “demands” and general non-negotiables are:

1) Produce has to be organic.
2) The food has to taste amazing.
3) Salads need to have loads of dark leafy greens, a variety of antioxidant-rich veggies, and the dressing needs to be freshly made.

Just in case anyone is wondering, although my husband is not as demanding as I am when it comes to meals, he supports my demands 100% because he sees and has experienced the results of good food.  Also, he always says, “happy wife, happy life” – and I agree with him.

Here are some recommendations for a little escape:

• ❉ Bring out the cooler. Always keep a big cooler in your garage or storage area, it’s your “on-call” personal restaurant. My cooler is about 24L x 16W x 18D, and I also have a larger one.
• ❉ Designate a medium-to-large bag (cloth/reusable grocery bag) for your dry foods and other must haves. I use the reusable Ikea frakta medium shopping bag, ’cause it’s the perfect size, and if it gets wet, it can endure it and I can just wipe it clean.
• ❉ Meals should be basic and practical. Breakfast is smoothies, lunch and dinners are huge variations of salads, a whole grain (I bring a Peruvian-style, precooked brown rice and serve cold) and a legume/bean. To fulfill the bean quota (unless you have a kitchenette in your hotel room) the easiest is to bring a batch of marinated baked tofu sticks, which you can chop up and add to the salad mix. Sometimes you can have an open face tartine for lunch, but I usually have to have my salads ’cause they are sooo good!
• ❉ Snacks: Homemade hummus, fruits, veggies (celery, cucumbers, bell peppers), sea algae (my fave), my hubby likes salsa and organic blue corn chips (I might have three chips max), organic olives and avocado. We cut this stuff up, make a medley of snacks, and sip on blueberry Kombucha while relaxing and chatting it up.
• ❉ “Must” produce for me: Two green leaf variations (example: spinach and arugula), heirloom tomatoes, avocados, red onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, radish, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, red apples, pineapple (if it’s in season) and a juicy melon. The best is to bring  your greens already washed (you can buy organic varieties pre-washed) so all you gotta do is chop and season.
• ❉ “Must” nutritional extras: Udo’s oil with DHA, Celtic sea salt, Cylon cinnamon, chlorella, dulse (red algae) and bee pollen. These guys are full of fatty acids, minerals and protein, and they all help keep you healthy.
• ❉ “Must” tools: Big comfortable cutting board, my ceramic knife, Magic Bullet, stainless steel utensils, a drying towel and a large glass bowl (for salad mix).
• ❉ If you stay in a hotel, book one with a mini fridge. That always helps.

With some ice packs, all of this stuff travels well. The more you do this, the easier it gets. To us, it’s the best and only way to travel. You deserve the best and you shouldn’t wait for others to provide it for you. Take control of your health and your life. Have conscious fun – you deserve it.

Dear HLife: What are the different diets or plant-based food styles?

Dear HLifer: There are many plant-based food styles, with various health benefits. Some of them indicate what you should eat, others what you shouldn’t, others when to eat what, and even others what to eat with what. Let’s explore some of the most popular ones.

Plant-Based Diet: The PBD is what we focus on here at HLife. A PBD is exactly that: eating plants.  This means two things: 1. You don’t eat meat, and 2. You eat what the Plant Kingdom naturally has to offer. Dr. T. Colin Campbell put it best when he talked to HLife in an interview – eat some roots, some stems, some leaves and some flowers (and seeds). You can also see it as eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, algaes, and other items that can be classified as plants. Because the Plant Kingdom is so diverse, a PBD implies eating a variety of foods. It also means eating real plants, not some processed franken-flower or quasi-stem.  Processed foods are not a big part of a PBD, as most who adopt it focus on eating what Nature has to offer in its true form.  Because of its focus on natural foods and on diversity, the PBD is very nutritious.

Vegetarian: To be a vegetarian means that you don’t eat meat of any kind (no pork, no beef, no poultry, no fish). Vegetarians include dairy in their diet, and so there are two sub-divisions of this category: ovo-vegetarian (a vegetarian who eats eggs) and lacto-vegetarian (a vegetarian who drinks milk and eats cheese, yogurt or any other milk derivative.) You can be an ovo-latco vegetarian, too. The caveat with the vegetarian diet is that it’s focus is on cutting out meat, and not on incorporating plants. Because of this, you can be an unhealthy vegetarian, who eats only bread, pasta and pizza or processed veggie-meats that are probably more harmful to your body than even real meat.

Vegan: A vegan is a vegetarian that does not consume dairy products (eggs, milk or derivatives). No meat, no dairy. A vegan diet that focuses on eating whole foods is fabulous for health (a Plant-Based Diet is pretty much a nutrient-focused vegan diet)but, just like with a vegetarian diet, vegans can still be called vegans if they eat just bread, pasta, and pizza with soy cheese, so a vegan diet is not necessarily healthy. There is such a thing as a junk food vegetarian and junk food vegan. Veganism sometimes means you also don’t wear leather or consume bee products, depending on why you became vegan (for health or for animal rights) and on how you interpret the philosophy.

Raw: A raw foodist focuses on consuming uncooked foods. For obvious reasons, this mostly includes plants, but it can also include raw meat, raw fish (raw poultry is not very popular but I wouldn’t discount it), and raw milk. This sometimes means eating foods that are dehydrated (“cooked” at a slow rate and temperature) as well as cooked under 105 degrees. These techniques preserve the enzymes in the food, which is a fabulous assistance for digestion, as well as the vitamins, minerals and other excellent phytonutrients. The down side is that some foods, like potatoes must be cooked or they may be poisonous, and unless you know how to sprout legumes and grains, you may be cutting those out of your diet.

Raw vegan: A raw vegan is just that – a person who eats what is available in a vegan diet (plants, no meat or dairy) and eats them uncooked (or slightly cooked or dehydrated under 105 degrees).

Macrobiotic: An Eastern-derived food style, the macrobiotic diet focuses on eating whole foods, preferably locally grown, as naturally as possible (frowns on processed or refined foods), and according to the seasons. Macrobiotic cooking uses mostly grains, beans and vegetables as its staples. No sugar, no dairy, no meat except fish. Many fermented soy products like miso and tempeh are also readily used, and it is said that these are beneficial to immunity, digestion and overall health. One beautiful thing about macrobiotic eating is the awareness of the principles of yin and yang – that foods (cooked or raw, specific foods) have an energy, strong or subtle, masculine or feminine, and that each of us needs a balance of both. Eating according to macrobiotic principles ensures that we get what we’re missing in terms of vitality and nutrition.

Organic: People who eat organic food don’t consume what is called “conventionally grown” food or processed foods made with conventionally grown produce. This means that the food and its seeds are/were in their natural state – they have not been genetically modified (non-GMO), irradiated, treated with synthetic fertilizer, grown in slush water or otherwise unnaturally handled.

Local: Choosing to eat foods that are grown either in your area or in your region. This, like most of these other food styles, is both a philosophical as a nutritional choice – eating locally grown produce benefits your own economy, supports your community and ensure you get the fruits and veggies closer to the date they are picked, which means they have not lost as many nutrients as something that has to be either flown or driven to you from hundreds of miles away. Food grown far away is often picked before it is fully mature, and since most nutrients set in maturity…well, you get my point.

Rainbow Diet: People who adopt a rainbow diet eat according to colors. Based on the chakra system, the basic philosophy is that eating a variety of colorful food will yield a variety of nutrients, and that each color has a frequency vibration that is best suited for a specific meal or time of the day. Your reds, oranges and yellows (think melons, strawberries and bananas) are eaten int he morning, while your greens (think salads) are eaten for lunch and your pinks, purples and whites for dinner (think beans and rice or cabbage).  There is a great range of flexibility here, of course.

All of these food styles can be adopted with a focus on nutrition, for a healthy mind, body and soul.  A combination of these – more raw foods in the spring to cleanse, more of a macrobiotic approach in the fall and winter, for example, can also be beneficial. See what feels right for you, both on a philosophical and on a health level (if nutrition is a focus). Be sure to comment and let us know how it went.

*Above Images from: LifeFood Organics, gourmet.com, bbcgooffood.com, M de Chaya Cafe, and thewitchykitchen.blogspot.com

This is the last of our three-part “free” series exploring potential allergens like soy, gluten and dairy. The first part discussed the pros and cons of including in or cutting soy from the diet, the second one was about going gluten-free, and this last article explains why you should/shouldn’t consider cutting eggs, cheese, milk and other dairy products from your nutritional regime.

Dairy

The problem: First of, dairy products are extremely high in glutamate. Baby formulas, whether made from milk or soy, frequently contain glutamate levels that are equal to those causing brain lesions in experimental animals. Since glutamate is also linked to intense emotions like fear and anger, parents need to be cautious as to how much cow’s milk and high glumate foods they are feeding their children; this might be a eureka moment for some of you.  As Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. author and pioneer in functional medicine says: Dairy is Nature’s perfect food — but only if you’re a calf. Why are humans the only species who drink another mammal’s milk? The truth is humans were never meant to consume cow’s milk.   Elephants who reach a healthy weight of five tons without breaking bones, do so without milk.  So do giraffes and rhinos.  According to board certified neurosurgeon Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. even low-fat dairy products increase incidence of heart disease and prostate cancer in men. He also states that, in fact, milk is very harmful for most of us. Here are some of his points:

Exposing small children to milk is a major cause of juvenile diabetes. The reason: Milk proteins closely resemble the protein used for manufacturing insulin. So the body mistakenly attacks, not just the milk protein, but also the insulin cells – a condition called molecular mimicry. It doesn’t matter whether the milk is low fat, evidence shows that it increases incidence of heart attacks and possibly strokes. In fact heart-attack rate was higher with low-fat milk. Ingestion of milk and milk products has the highest association to the very types of cancer found in cattle. Government regulations actually ALLOW a certain amount of PUS cells (from infection) per cubic centimeter of milk, cells that often contain live bacteria (the bad kind) and viruses. Even if the label says ‘pasteurized’, bacteria still comes in the milk….and we all know bacteria keeps growing and spreading like wild fire. The other closely related problem is that the antibiotics given to cows to offset their infections are also in the milk, which means you would be drinking, not just the bacteria, but also the antibiotic to counter it, and we all know what an increasingly huge problem antibiotic resistance is nowadays.

Cow’s milk is very high in phosphorous as well as protein. Phosphorous in large amounts draws calcium from bones. Too much protein creates a very acidic environment. Between the phosphorous and the protein, naturally alkaline blood will turn acidic. Since the body is very intelligent, loaded with calcium in the bones (and calcium is the most alkaline mineral), it will release the calcium from your bones in order to reinstate its alkaline blood environment. Yes, milk can cause osteoporosis. For those of you with the raw milk argument all this info still applies. Here is an article by Bill Marler, litigation attorney, dealing with a lawsuit on behalf of two children who suffered with severe E.coli infections after consuming raw milk products produced by Organic Pastures.

So, if you haven’t heard all of this before, why isn’t this widely known data? There is little scientific info exposed stating that milk is unfit for humans because of the power and influence of milk producers, who are also the same  individuals and corporations that created the milk-mustache ads. The Got Milk campaign should really be: Got Pus? The USDA’s pyramid recommends drinking three glasses of milk a day. Well, the problem with that is that some of the “experts” who helped  create the pyramid actually work for the dairy industry, which makes the United States Department of Agriculture’s recommendations reflect industry interests, not science or our best interests. It  wasn’t just Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D  who said this, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of the acclaimed 20-year China Study (a huge experiment and also the title of the book) also confirmed it here in our HTalk interview. Dr. Hyman also shares that Walter Willet, M.D., Ph.D — the second-most-cited scientist in all of clinical medicine and the head of nutrition at Harvard’s School of Public Health — is one of the pyramid’s most vocal critics. He has even called its guidelines “utterly ridiculous.” That’s not something a Harvard scientist says lightly.

Here is the blunt truth about eating eggs: You are eating the fetus of another animal….enough said. Eggs seems to be a conscious-less, pleasurable, taste-bud habit, nothing else. All the egg components that would provide any health benefits are components that you can also find in the body of another human being if you would like to kill a human and consume one. OR, you can also find them in the vegetable kingdom. You choose. It’s not the “egg” that is healthy, it’s  its components, and in this case we encourage you to question and look at ALL of the components of the issue, including the conscious/ethical reasons.

The benefit: Although there are some components of eggs like vitamin D, choline, which regulates the nervous system, lutein for the eyes and omega 6, the scientific, conscious and reasonable mind tells us that we can find the same, and even better quality chemicals from other sources like: The sun (15 minutes outdoors gets you your daily dose of Vitamin D – done.), legumes/beans (Omega 6), green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli (lutein), lecithin (the richest source of choline) that we can get from bee pollen and organic soy beans. So, do we need eggs in our diet? The answer is no. I think the little guy in the picture below says it all. And as far as the sooo yesterday myth of needing calcium from milk, we can close that argument with the fact that you can get more calcium from the sea veggie hijiki and sesame seeds (even raw tahini) then from cow’s milk, which also makes your body acidic (setting up a disease promoting environment) and so overwhelmed with protein that it actually leaches calcium AWAY from your bones. Bottom line, benefits of dairy…there are none.

Mark’s Huffington Post article: Dairy: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid It at All Costs or Why Following the USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines is Bad for Your Health and below is his video explaining the myth of dairy being good for you.

This is the second of our ‘free’ series, where we discuss what people are always asking us about: the health safety and allergens of soy, gluten and dairy, and the benefits (or not) of going “free” of them. We covered the pros and cons of eating soy last week, and today, we’re taking a close look at gluten. Next week, we will publish the final part of the series: dairy. Like we said before, there is a lot of information supporting both sides of the coin, and what we have to do is keep in mind how this food will behave in our bodies once we ingest it.

Let’s explore gluten.

Gluten
The problem: Gluten is a major inflammatory. It is defined primarily as a protein. So that you get the scope of what is going into your body, you have to understand that gluten is the “glue” that holds bread and pasta dough together. Its elasticity makes cakes rise. During  digestion, our bodies absorb nutrients through this tiny figer-like parts in our intestines called villi. Our intestinal linings are filled with villi. Unfortunately, gluten damages villi so they are not able to properly do their job of absorbing nutrients. When this happens, food will go to and through the small intestine undigested, causing diarrhea, bloating, irritability, increased appetite and fatigue. Most people hear gluten and think bread but there is much more gluten going around – all items made of wheat or a derivative of wheat (like white flour and fermented drinks) have gluten, including (but not limited to) pizza and pasta, Chinese noodles, American beers and burgers – as well as other foods (see list below). The consumption of gluten is so popular  that there is a gluten intolerance condition called celiac disease. This is a genetic autoimmune disorder, and 1.5 to 2 million people in the U.S. have it – but not every person is gluten-intolerant. Having said that, even if you are not gluten intolerant, it doesn’t mean that problems such as inflammation, bloating and indigestion won’t affect you from time to time. The word celiac comes from the Greek word “koila” meaning belly, which is where the most common symptoms originate. Abdominal cramping, severe gas, bloating, oily stools, weight loss or weight gain, and joint pain are just a few of the potential signs that gluten is wreaking havoc all over your small intestine. Dr. Michael Schuffler, a University of Washington professor of medicine and head of the Gastrointestinal Department at Pacific Medical Centers says, “Intestinal symptoms should raise a red flag. Some people who have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome may have celiac disease.” Besides painful gastrointestinal symptoms, there are cases like that of a woman who had six unnecessary operations, including the removal of her appendix, ovaries and uterus, until a doctor looking for cancer recognized celiac disease. So, you may have it and not even know it. The good news is that the damage to the villi is not permanent, and improvement in health usually begins immediately after adopting a gluten-free diet. No medication is required, just a change in what you eat.

Besides a genetic pre-disposition to gluten intolerance, the problem with gluten grains is that most people eat too much of them, eat them daily, and eat them way too processed. We have to remember that life, food, health and disease never come from just one source, it is the interaction of many things that have an effect or result. This is why a HOLISTIC approach is key in life. We have to analyze all components, go deep in their mechanisms, and understand how they interact with each other. When we are downing four toasts of bread a day or cereal for breakfast + sandwich for lunch + pasta for dinner with a side  of garlic bread + one or two beers, all in one day and repeat a variation of this type of nutrition throughout the week…Not only is this too much gluten, but this diet also lacks major nutrients that we need daily. Also, most people have this type of gluten in a refined state, meaning the nutrients have been taken out, bleached,  it becomes gluten + refined sugar. ON TOP OF THAT, buying bread that has been on the shelf for a while, even if it says organic, is overgrown with yeast, which is something that keeps growing daily and as we ingest it, will go on to produce candida imbalances in our body (whole other monster – check our Dear HLife post about it). Gluten and emotions: It makes you irritable and clingy (it’s a glue, remember?) It’s no surprise that it  would cause stomach aches, affecting the solar plexus, the emotional center of our bodies.

Here is a list of foods with gluten:

- Barley
- Barley Malt
- Beer
- Bouillon Cubes
- Cous Cous
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
- Maltodextrin
- Malt Vinegar
- Wheat Pastas
- Rye, Spelt, Kamut, Triticale, Oats (cross contamination is possible)
- Soy Sauce
- Wheat Germ
- Seitan (it’s PURE gluten. This is pronounced “satan”, and I equate it with such!)

The benefit: Not many, except for its high protein count, but we know that we can get quality protein from a variety of other sources like veggies, algaes, legumes/beans, gluten-free whole grains, even bee pollen. Here is what we suggest as an overall general health recommendation for all those who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease: Drastically lower your intake of gluten foods. Instead of wheat pasta, have quinoa pasta (the only complete protein grain) or brown rice pasta (no, rice does not have gluten. Brown rice is a great grain to include in your diet.) If you have bread: 1) have one piece twice a week, buy it freshly made (maybe even make it yourself) and only keep it for up to 3 days. Use organic and gluten-free soy sauce. Remove all sorts of processed gluten products from your diet.  Replace cous cous with quinoa (the mother grain) and for the love of the gods in all of us: Stay away from seitan…pun intended.

People are always asking questions regarding the health safety and allergens of soy, gluten and dairy. There are lots of information supporting both sides but what we have to pay attention to the details of who said what and why. When it comes to life in general, but specially the foods we choose to put in our bodies, we have to ask ourselves these questions: 1) Do I need this and, if so, for what?  2) Where did it come from and what are its components? 3) What are its benefits (how does it affect me? Will it harm me or benefit me?) And, what happens once its in my body?

Usually, infants that are introduced to products like soy, dairy, and gluten at a young age are the ones that have mayor allergens to these very products later on in life. Let’s explore all three products a bit, in order to make a more conscious decision when it comes to choosing to ingest any one of them – or none at all. Remember: Your health is the result of the choices you make in the lifestyle that you lead daily on all levels – mind, body, and soul.

This will be a three-part series explaining soy, gluten and dairy and the pros and cons of these three potential/sometimes allergens.

Soy

The problem: there are two main problems: 1) Soy beans are the number two GMO (genetically modified organism) crop (corn is number one) and, 2) people are consuming way too much of it. We have to look at labels and concentrate on eating mostly whole foods in large amounts. Soy beans are not bad for you, but genetically engineered soy beans are. One of the reasons for this is that there just isn’t enough experimental data to say that GMO soy beans are safe to consume. In fact, there is some data that says otherwise (as is the case with most if not all GMO foods.) We have to consider the point that soy products’ bad reputation might be coming from stats generated from GMO soy beans and highly processed soy products versus natural (organic) soy.  In that regards, we can say that it is the GMO soy crop that is causing all of these problems. It makes us wonder: When they say that soy significantly inhibits the thyroid gland, which is essential for brain growth, did they test it on GMO soy or organic soy? So, if you consume soy products, you HAVE to buy them certified organic to avoid any potential problems. Also, if you do consume soy products, stick to the simple ones like tofu, tempeh and miso, not the soy hydrolyzed processed products like patties, sausage and soy cheese. Just as is the case with cow’s milk, these processed soy products contain ultra high levels of glutamate. Glutamate is a major neurotransmitter in the hypothalamus that is concerned with more elaborate expressions of emotions, including fear and anger. But, a form of glutamate is also now an industry synthesized component of the dangerously hazardous excitotoxin and neuron killer known as MSG (monosodium glutamate). MSG’s production started by the 1940s in North America from a combo of corn and wheat gluten; the problem is that glutamate can cause early onset puberty and produces free radicals that damage the cells in the body.

Another huge problem with soy is that most vegans and vegetarians rely on it as their main source of protein, and as such, eat too much of it daily and in various forms, especially processed soy products. Since being vegetarian or vegan does not automatically qualify you as healthy, most veggistas (I just invented that word, meaning a vegetarian/vegan that is not fully informed on nutrition, and who is such for trend and not for health) eat mainly processed soy junk, which comes from GMO soy and other harmful ingredients. Word to the wise: If the ingredients you read say “hydro” anything, put it down. Hydrolyzed protein is the worst kind, and it is usually from soy. When soy is hydrolyzed, its glutamate content is freed to do its damage, especially when it comes to soy milk. First of all, who knows how long the soy milk has been in that box you just bought?  (Homemade nut milk is a fantastic alternative. Check the HKitchen reicpe here.) Second, it’s been hydrolyzed, and some have extra hydrolyzed soy added to it, so its glutamate content is not just free to run about and harm you, but is in even higher amounts. And third, almost all soy milks contain an ingredient called “carrageen”. Carrageenan is an inflammatory agent that also increases cell damaging free radicals, and consistent intake of it can cause major long-term damage. Let’s put it this way: When researchers study inflammation, they inject this substance into tissues or directly into poor little lab animals to study the reaction. We’re talking “the” chemical for inflammation – in your food.

Bottom line, when we consume hydrolyzed protein, soy protein extract and isolated proteins, which are added to virtually all processed foods in enormous amounts, our blood vessels are frequently exposed to high levels of free radicals (produced by these soy derivatives) thereby generating disease, deterioration, and chemical imbalances. Again, we must stress, if you’re going to consume soy, be sure it is organic (non-GMO), and it is the less processed stuff: Tofu, tempeh, and miso.

The benefit: Soy contains phytoestrogens that have been shown to reduce bone loss in cases of osteoporosis (phytoestrogens are the reason for the debate of soy influencing hormonal balance in males and females. But the research on positive or negative hormonal effects is conflicting and therefore inconclusive, and I suspect GMO soy will have a different effect than real soy.) It also supplies a high amount of amino acids (especially lysine and methionine) for plant-based foodies, with very little or no saturated fat – but it is not a complete protein (doesn’t have all of the various essential amino acids). Soy also contains natural antioxidants called isoflavones, which reduce the incidence of hot flashes, protect against various cancers (especially breast), heart disease, and osteoporosis.

Soy beans are actually fairly high in calcium, iron, potassium, and phosphorous. Lecithin extracted from organic soy beans is a great form of phosphorous for the brain, which we burn constantly and need to replenish.

As with most things, soy should be eaten in moderate amounts, organic (this is one of those crops with which you cannot compromised on this – too risky to eat it GMO), as least processed as you can.

Next week, we’ll bring you the second in the three-part “free” series: The facts on Gluten-free.

Dear HLife: What are the Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet?

Dear HLifer,

This is a question that many have asked. Although we have written about parts of this in different articles/posts, here’s a brief list to address that all in one, for you to keep or share with those who ask you about why you have chosen to eat a plant-based diet.

Body: When it comes to physical health, a plant-based diet is a perfect form of prevention and natural medicine. Plants provide the body with good things like complex cabs and good fats to make long lasting energy and keep us from being sleepy and unproductive. Only the Plant Kingdom contains a load of antioxidants, a group of compounds that protect us from cell and tissue damage. Antioxidants keep your heart strong, your body youthful, your mind sharp, extend your life, rejuvenate an aging immune system, and even improve your sex life. Vegetables are known to have a variety of foods classified as anti cancer, so many different items with anticancer properties and abilities to reverse the disease without killing the healthy cells around the tumor. Many vegetables, especially sea veggies, are higher quality protein that is easier  for us to digest, absorb and eliminate, and don’t have cholesterol, antibiotics or disease-causing bacteria that form in the presence of the acidity caused by animal protein. A plant-based diet prevents and reverses Type 2 diabetes. We have never heard of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, nuts and seeds giving us deadly diseases or even illnesses that are a big crisis in America, like obesity and diabetes. They are obviously made to be the official food for human beings. Further, from a science point of view, living plant foods in particular are electron-rich foods that act as high power electron donors and also as solar-resonant fields in the body to attract, store, and conduct the sun energy in our body (you can’t get greener then this on all levels, inside and out). Most all diseases/illnesses/imbalances can be linked to mineral deficiencies, but on an unprocessed, whole-foods, plant-based diet, the body is unlikely to be mineral-deficient, especially if you diversify. Real nutrition requires diversity, and variety you will find in this kind of diet because there are so many different options and an abundance of quality vitamins and minerals here – in the form the body is designed to understand.

Mind/Emotions: A plant-based diet maintains the balance of brain chemicals and hormone secretions. According to Gabriel Cousens, flesh food increases the animal frequency in the body and it brings into operation more animal-like tendencies such as the vibrations of anger, lust, fear, aggressiveness and murderous impulses.  He also states that the energy of a flesh food diet adds to the impurities of the minds and the nervous system and it communicates the energy of destruction to the cells, tends to make the mind insensitive, brings the energy of death into our auric fields, reducing the flow of higher life “prana” into the body.  When it comes to disease, genetics actually play a small part. Predisposition to cancer, for example, does not mean you are destined to get cancer. If this were so, all the daughters of a mother with a history of breast cancer would get breast cancer, and we know that this is not the case. So, what happens here? A gene must be activated in order to express that disease. This is the trick. Among the potential activators of a gene are environmental factors like pollution, lifestyle ones like exercise and diet, and more abstract ones like thoughts. Beyond what we know about how animal protein activates cancer on a chemical level, what sort of thoughts do you think are in the subconscious of a person that consumes what others kill? On a very basic level, all of us know that taking another being’s life is wrong. Our minds recognize this, if not consciously, deep down inside. And, deep down, we can’t lie to ourselves. We are bound to reap what we sow.  Not to mention that when we eat animals, we are eating the fear and anxiety that was present at the time of their death. And then we wonder why we are so afraid and anxious. You are what you eat.

Spirit: Spiritual teachings may differ in many things but most concur that a basic respect for life is a good thing. If we stop to make the connection for a minute, and we think about what we are really eating, we will notice that by eating a steak, what we are doing is eating an animal, an animal that someone had to slaughter. Does contributing to the slaughter of a fellow animal-kingdom being sound like basic respect for life to you? We share many of the same genes and systems with these animals. If I say it’s not okay for you to beat or eat my dog, but it’s okay for you to beat, kill and eat another animal with a sophisticated neurological system that allows it to feel pain, one that has offspring just like you, and a defined social structure and behavior just like you and your pet do, does that sound like a bit of a double standard to you?  When it comes to respect for life, is it okay to draw the line where your taste buds tell you to? Or is it a more honest and compassionate answer to say that a basic respect for life translates into a strong effort to not kill other animals (humans being a part of that kingdom), no matter how big or small they are?

On an energy level, a plant-based diet nourishes our spirit with high frequency vibrations. Plants, just like all living organism emanate a vibration frequency that is very elevated.  Through photosynthesis, they are able to absorb and store photon energy from the sun’s rays that comes from the cosmos. This photon energy nourishes our cells on an energy, electrical, and vibrational level, which is essential for the health and survival of our bodies (mind/body/spirit) and especially in helping us connect with our higher Self, which is directly linked to the Source of life and consciousness.

Planet: Burping Bertha is a huge problem for the planet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, livestock contribute more to global warming than transport, producing 18% of all global greenhouse emissions.  The cow that is raised to provide you with milk and then its flesh in the form of a steak actually causes damage to the environment by burping and farting methane. A molecule of methane produces more than 20 times the warming of a molecule of carbon dioxide. Also, methane stays in the atmosphere longer than carbon dioxide, which means its damage lasts longer. This means your milk and steak cause more damage to the planet than cars on the street do. And that means opting for a plant-based diet is one of, if not the single, most responsible thing you can do to combat global warming. Help a planet out.

The basic case for a plant-based diet is this: We weren’t meant to eat other animals. Our bodies are not best-suited to use animal flesh as food. Neither are our minds or spirits.  And now, our planet can’t even handle that habit. Any way you look at it – once you take the time to really think about it and do your homework – a plant-based diet is the best option for human beings alive on this planet at this time.

Everyone is always concerned with how much protein we eat daily. Through knowledge, understanding, and love we will end this ignorance which has lead to useless fear and unnecessary disease.  The frequent question vegans get is: “Are you sure you are getting enough protein?” When we know and understand what protein really is (molecules, not animals), and that quality protein will always reign over quantity protein, then we can then start asking the right questions.  After all, what good does it do you to take in a lot of protein if you can’t digest and absorb it or eliminate its waste products?

First and foremost, let’s clarify: The body does not need much protein. About 60% to 70% of amino acids (protein building blocks) are available and recycled from old tissue proteins already in the body, called endogenous amino acids. The 25% that we are in charge of providing the body from our diets are called exogenous. As we talked about in the Protein Myth Part 2, quality protein is defined by how efficiently it can be digested, absorbed and eliminated. The point of eating is NOURISHMENT, to ingest nutrients to be turned into ENERGY or be used for repair. This vital energy keeps us living with balance and vigor. The most sustainable and efficient way to create energy in our bodies is by having easily broken down, enzyme-containing, non-toxic, high-fiber, nutrient-dense whole foods, and these will all come from a plant-based diet. The amount of energy that the body needs in order to break down a dense piece of animal flesh to get to the actual amino acids that it uses (the body doesn’t use protein, it uses the amino acids that make up the protein macromolecule) is literally a waste of energy.

The process from ingestion to elimination goes something like this:

The first attempt to break down the dense carcass mass takes place in the stomach, through hydrochloric acid – that is, if your body is healthy enough to still make any of it. In the U.S., lack of stomach acid is a common problem and it is linked to chronic stress, poor diet with excessive food intake, and aging. Further, high-protein diets are linked with premature aging, cell tissue and organ degeneration. When the carcass gets to the low-pH, second part of the stomach called the lumen, pepsin (a chief digestive enzyme that breaks down proteins) will be activated by the hydrochloric acid. What? Yes, pepsin needs to be ACTIVATED. Here’s where the problem is: Pepsin is inactive until our friend hydrochloric acid activates it, so if you have the common problem of lack of stomach acid…Its’ not looking so good for you. Pepsin is in charge of breaking the protein down into polypeptides, when it is activated. But that’s just the beginning, because  the bulk of protein digestion occurs through a pancreatic enzyme called protease. The two major pancreatic proteases are trypsin and chymotrypsin, which are inactive (again) until, reaching the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) where trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen are released to convert trypsin and chymotrypsin into their active forms, the forms that allow them to digest polypeptides. But wait, there’s more: The trypsinogen that activates trypsin needs to first be activated too by an enzyme, which is embedded in the intestinal mucosa, which, hopefully, is not blocked by the mucous of dairy products, which coats the intestinal walls and blocks the access to the enzyme and the tiny hairs that absorb nutrients in to the liver in liquid molecule form. You see how complex a process this is.

OK, I’m obviously in love with this information, but aren’t you? Let’s pick back up at the duodenum. Here, the breakdown of polypeptides takes place, from poly (many) to 3 amino acids (tripeptides), to 2 amino acids (dipeptides), and further to single amino acids. At this point, assuming that you actually succeeded in the breakdown of protein, we finally have single amino acid molecules ready for absorption through the intestinal wall, to be carried to the liver. The liver is the principal site of protein metabolism. But all the energy that went into breaking down animal protein in order to get liquid molecules (which is the state in which they are absorbed) is a waste., when we have another option (the vegetable kingdom) that does not require this much energy or as many steps to be broken down and utilized.  In plant protein not only does digestion start at the mouth because saliva comes with enzymes to break carbohydrates down, but also because all living plants come prepared  with their own enzymes to help digestion by breaking down almost everything that needs to be broken down.

It can’t be more simple and logical: Plant protein is more easily broken down, more efficiently absorbed and, because it comes with fiber, its byproducts are more easily eliminated. Let’s compare the two protein sources:

• ☀ Plant source: Lighter in mass, easier to break down/digest, comes with own enzymes, tons of fiber, which makes it perfect for elimination, richer in nutrient content, filled with nothing but the goods (antioxidants, photon energy from sunlight, high vibrational frequency, minerals…etc), is easy to digest and therefore creates more available amino acid molecules ready for absorption (quality), saves and promotes more lasting energy both for the self and for the planet. It is green to be healthy and healthy = green.

• ☢ Animal source: Dense mass, harder to break down (energy exhauster), demands more enzymes to breakdown (if you can even make them, depending on your health state and diet) contains lots of bad fat, bad cholesterol, loaded with toxins (ammonia, nitrogen), rots in your intestines and this creates more bacteria and disease, stimulates bad bacteria growth in the colon, gives off toxins that are absorbed into the blood through the colon, creates an overly acidic system from toxic metabolic waste such as uric acid, purines, and ammonia byproducts, acidifies the blood causing bone loss, most contain hormones and antibiotics, and too much protein for human consumption, creating amyloid build-up that contributes to the aging process. And the worse thing, when you cook it, the protein availability diminishes, that’s if you can even breakdown properly to access those molecules.  It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

Any way you put it, and under our definition of quality, protein from the vegetable kingdom is a far more quality protein than animal protein, which means:  You don’t need as much to begin with.

Each protein has a specific sequence of amino acid used in the genetic code of our DNA. DNA controls and guides protein formation with the assistance of RNA. And guess who controls DNA and RNA?  Antioxidants, phytonutrients, phytochemicals, which can only be found in (drumroll): The vegetable kingdom. Minerals are major key players too and although animals might have some, the vegetable kingdom is a much richer source of various quality minerals and vitamins.

Sources of plant protein:

• ☀ All vegetables have some protein (especially green leafs like spinach) but in order to get all of the essential eight amino acids, you must eat a variety of them.
• ☀ Legume/grain combos. Rice/bean combos are all very rich in protein and together form a complete protein (one source has the amino acids that the other lacks.) They need not be eaten together (though this is best – and yummiest!) but as long as you eat them within 24 hours of each other, this will work.

• ☀ Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans, macadamia, hazels, peanuts, pine nuts, and coconuts.

• ☀ Seeds: Pumpkin, sesame, sunflower.

• ☀ Sea algae: Kombu, laver, wakame, nori, dunaniella salina, spirulina and chlorella.

Superfoods that contain all essential amino acids in one source:

• ☀ Quinoa (grain)

• ☀ Bee Pollen

• ☀ Chlorella (green algae)

• ☀ Spirulina (blue-green algae)

Sources: The New Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford, Concious Eating by Gabriel Cousens M.D., Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson Hass M.D., www.vivo.colostate.edu

Yesterday, Oprah Winfrey had author Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Food Rules), actress and author Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, The Kind Diet) and Chipotle restaurant founder Steve Ells as guests on her show for “Food 101″, an episode dedicated to food. The show focused on the truth about the food we eat – where it comes from, what is added to (or removed from) it, and different diets.  A big shout-out to all the guests and to Oprah, for having the courage to shed a little light on a crucial topic. We watched the show and here is what we each had to say about the subject.

Silvie’s Thoughts

I was a bit surprised that none of the guests, including the radiant Alicia Silverstone, who is a conscious animal lover and a vegan, touched on two important points:

1)  Animal protein is not healthy. Studies have shown that it causes cancer/osteoporosis, is extremely acidic, and too much of our energy is used to break down (digest) such dense carcass.

2)  The Global Warming situation. Even if we have health, that doesn’t really matter if there is no planet to live our healthy lives in. Methane gas emitted by cows is one of the main causes of Global Warming, and since we vote with our wallets, our consumption of meat is destroying the planet!

Also, in the food segment of a show, it would have probably been a good idea for Oprah to have an expert on the science of nutrition, someone like T. Colin Campbell, PhD, author of The China Study, to explain what happens when you take in certain foods and that our current way of seeing health is bonkers. Maybe a neuropsychologist could have told Oprah that her love for the “taste” of fried chicken, a very toxic food because of antibiotics plus deep-fried super-saturated oils, is probably a chemical and psychological addiction like the kind that prevails all over our obese country. Well, I am gonna say it: The human body is not made to eat animals because our intestines are way too long to have  quality, healthy digestion. Sorry, but being a carnivore is a thing of the past. We are evolving beings, no one lives in a cave and hunts for food anymore. Everything else has evolved but our style of eating.  We need to catch up to the rest of our evolution.

OK, so you don’t want to give up eating animal carcass. Well, then, at least cut down to meat just twice a month. But you need to know the TRUTH about what comes with making that choice – on a mind, body, and spirit level – and then, if you still want to consciously go forward, then, you will live your own cause and effect. Your body will tell you if you made the right decision.

The thing is, dairy makes you sick. Milk is for calves, and, many people are either allergic to it (lactose intolerant) or overweight from it. This is also a matter of perception. Humans are not supposed to look like people from a Botero painting (it’s not healthy) – but we do, and we have an obesity epidemic in this country. A nutritionist could have made the point that humans actually do not need that much protein, and that in this country, we are, in fact, mostly over-proteinized. The average woman body only needs like 50 grams a day, not much. A lentils and rice combo contains an average 23 grams of protein. Just in ONE serving, you get have your daily dose. All vegetables have protein, and chlorella (green algae) has 58% protein, (among other amazing nutrients)which is twice as much then a piece of cooked beef. Add nuts and seeds, which are very high in protein, and you easily, as a vegan, (without mucous-making, cancer-causing milk/cheese) can get your daily dose by eating three small meals a day with two snacks. What we need more of is: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Everything the body really needs is available in a plant-based diet.

You care about yourself, your family and our planet. Show it by voting with your dollars, educating yourself by knowing how your body works, what it really needs on a molecular level, and nourish it property with conscious whole food choices.  Actions speak louder then words.

On another note, there is the energy aspect. Spirituality. Living a spiritual life doesn’t mean praying and chanting. Spirituality is not a ritual, it’s a way of being, thinking, living positively and taking responsibility. A part of this is respecting our bodies, loving our cells, and providing the best nutrients they need in order to thrive in your body. It’s being conscious of the reality that our planet is suffering because of our food choices. It’s accepting that everything is ENERGY that we emanate and take in – synergy. It’s understanding that the animals being killed are filled with death energy, the energy of FEAR, and that what you are feeding on when you eat meat is…FEAR and DEATH. It’s thinking: “Wow, am I really eating another sentient being that also has bowel movements?”

WE NEED TO CHANGE.  People talk about change coming – WE ARE THE CHANGE. External change will happen when WE change. Change our habits, starting with the foods we eat, which will eventually change our body chemistry, our minds, our energy and, in that moment, we will have changed the world without even leaving our city.  But it starts with YOU. Every bite, every single person counts.

Oprah is right: We need a food revolution. And that revolution consists of eating mostly plants for our health and for the future existence of our planet. Are we being selfish with future generations? Do we not care of the children of our children and what they will have to face in the direction we are going? BE STRONG. Don’t let your palate, your senses, (which are just programmed electrical impulses) dictate YOUR LIFE and the possible destruction of this beautiful planet. This planet gives us so much, and it’s nice to receive what it offers, but what have we given back to it?

Reminder of some of the benefits of eating a plant-based diet:

• 1) The only source of antioxidants on the planet. Antioxidants keep us young, regenerating and protecting our cells from free radicals that want to damage our cells. Recent studies say that phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables are anti-cancer agents and general preventative aids.

• 2) What is cheaper then rice, beans and a salad? Help your wallet!!!

• 3) Helping the planet stay alive by consuming and putting your dollars in organic produce that doesn’t burp or fart methane gas all day long, on the contrary, plants capture sunlight and photon energy to feed it straight to us! They also purify the air through photosynthesis.

• 4) You skin glowing, and you looking radiant, healthy, and young, because you are being nourished by the quality nutrients inside the plant: minerals, vitamins, proteins, complex carbohydrates, and good fats!

• 5) You eat more quality protein minus the fat, cholesterol, putrefaction, acid-production, and disease-causing bacteria.

• 6) Your cells are receiving photon energy straight from the sun and the plants are your middle man that capture it. Way too amazing. These are not only great for your body – they are high frequency vibrations that will elevate your mind to higher thoughts of creation and raise the vibrational frequency of the planet.

• 7) You become more clean, pure of thought and behavior, and more aware of your internal universe to the point of seeing the amazing divine being that you and we all are, and understand how we create realities…create our lives.

Food 101, an introduction to the reality of our food system and its consequences on our health, was a great start. Let’s act on this information and take charge of our lives.

Maryl’s Thoughts

First of all, I applaud Oprah’s efforts at educating the public about food. But this very sentence brings up a very serious point:  Why weren’t we already educated about food in the first place? In school, in college, by our parents? We have to study and pass tests to get a license to be able to drive. But the most crucial things in life – how to feed ourselves, how to raise our children, how to communicate with our partners, how to find our true calling – none of those things, things that either make or break our health and life in general, are taught to us.  Our parents didn’t require a license or any studying to be our parents – most parenting “just happens”. I was fortunate to be raised by a mother who dedicated her time to raising me and my sisters, and this meant plenty of studying and reading up on psychology, nutrition, spirituality and more, plus plenty of observation and experimentation. But most parents don’t think they need to do that, and many don’t have that kind of time because they are exhausted from working to survive or to keep up with the Joneses.

Well, the truth is, the Joneses didn’t have parents/teachers/organizations who taught them how to eat either. And if you’re spending your time keeping up with society instead of focusing on learning about what you really should be putting in your mind and body to stay healthy, you are headed for where many Americans are already: Obesityville. Diabetes Drive. Cancer City. The corner of Unhappiness St and Depression Ave.  Welcome to reality.

The fact that we have to leave it up to Oprah to tell us a little bit about what many books and other have been saying about food for years is kind of sad, because it goes to show us just how ill-informed we are as a society, in this country and the planet as a whole.

Speaking of the planet: Why didn’t either guests or host mention the effects of diet on the grave problems we have in the environment? Why was there no mention of methane gases from cow farms being a huge contributor to Global Warming?  Are we really afraid to make the connection between all of our behaviors – the way we eat having an effect on our planet’s deterioration or survival, the way we think/perspective having an effect on our health and lifespan, our food choices dictating our moods and our relationships – and so we choose to compartmentalize (“I am an environmentalist not a health-nut”, “I’m spiritual but I grew up eating meat”, “I care about the environment so I own a hybrid. Steak anyone?”) our lives and break our whole system and person into one aspect of who we are?  That’s not the way it works, people.  What you do, affects your entire self.  What I do, affects you.  What you eat, affects me.  What you say (or don’t say while you’re on national television, an incredible opportunity to help people understand health or any other life-changing topic) has a direct effect on this planet, MY planet. Your planet, too.

Maybe you have been eating the same thing all your life and maybe you’re, like Alicia said, ‘flirting’ with the idea of eating healthier.  I love that.  Flirt all you want – then make a move.  You wanna be benched all your life or do you wanna be the protagonist, the hero of your own story? That is what we’re talking about when it comes to food.  Nobody taught you (because nobody knew – our parents did their best, so much of what they know is what they themselves learned from their own parents, and those guys didn’t even have Internet or Barnes & Noble for information!) so it is UP TO YOU to learn how to eat for your own and your planet/children/siblings/parent’s survival.

I understand that television is an entertainment medium, not an informative one (it’s a box, a frame that makes the eye focus on a central visual mostly, which is why you don’t see any ugly newscasters.) But what a beauty life is when you can get your entertainment AND your information all at once. This Food 101 show on Oprah was good – but it is only the first step, the tiny tip of a huge iceberg that, if you don’t wanna see, will continue to melt and tsunami its way over to you. This food crisis is happening in this country, in your city, and in your body.

Don’t let it be too late – get informed and take action when it comes to your health, that of your loved ones, and your planet.  It starts with choosing the cashews over the chips, with that one home-cooked meal instead of the drive-thru, with that conversation about that one book you read on the truth about our food system, that one movie you watched that showed you the crude reality about how animals on farms are raised. And with your desire and ability to choose who you want to be every second of the day.