Is wheat evil?

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012
by mkent

Up until recently, we were under the impression that it was ok to consume a few servings of wheat or other grains daily. In fact, we were surprised to see minuscule wheat consumption negatively impacting our client’s weight. The food pyramid’s 6 – 11 servings are obviously bogus, but aren’t wheat and other whole grains supposed to be a major players in our diet?

Mounting evidence suggests that any wheat, even one serving, is too much. After all, isn’t just one cigarette per day still too much? It turns out that wheat may have more in common with cigarettes than you could ever imagine. Wheat expert, William Davis, MD says that wheat is addictive and choosing whole wheat over white flour products is pretty much like smoking filtered cigarettes. Filtered or unfiltered, they’re going to kill you eventually.

Lets explore the case against wheat. Here are some of the reported facts:

Wheat and wheat flour are known to raise blood sugar even higher than the sugar that that you put in your morning coffee. That’s right, wheat causes a larger spike in blood sugar than that indulgent candy bar! Did we mention that sugar may be the most dangerous in our diet, causing excess fat, diabetes, cataracts, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and more.
Wheat is a known to contribute to inflammation, cravings, Candida, hair loss, bone issues, ADD, adrenal fatigue, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, leg swelling and numbness trouble thinking, insomnia, emotional problems, joint pain and obesity. The 1000 other proteins in wheat are thought to be responsible. Wheat contains a protein called gliadin that interacts with morphine receptors in the brain. This has been linked to wheat addiction and increased desire for foods containing wheat.
Gluten is like glue in your body and can trigger immune diseases like celiac, rheumatoid arthritis and dementia.
Hybridization of wheat has caused a significant drop in protein and micronutrients over the past few decades.
According to EPA regulations, non-organic wheat can be grown using sewage sludge, increasing risk for heavy metal toxicity and E. coli contamination.

It is probably important to not here that wheat can be found in virtually every kind of processed food. Some experts say it is because of wheat’s addictive properties, while others blame its abundance. Regardless, the average person eats a lot of wheat. Most of these health risks are attributed to the hybridization of wheat over the past 40 or so years. As it turn out, in that short time, the genetic makeup of the worlds wheat has undergone lightyears of change.

So is wheat evil?

We will leave that decision up to you. The good news is that you don’t need to blindly take a side in the great wheat debate. There are plenty of resources on both sides and as always, it is a good idea to test your own body. Try cutting wheat for just a week or two and see how you feel. Then have a piece of bread and pay attention to how your body reacts. Often your body will tell you all that you need to know.

Cosmetics

How do I Know if my Personal Care Products…

April 4, 2012
by mkent

They help us clean, moisturize and care for our bodies. We put them on our hands, feet, faces, hair, arms, legs… well, you get the picture. They are an everyday part of so many people’s lives. Personal care products make us look, smell and feel great, but is the sense of personal security we get from these products worth it? Could this outer cleanliness actually damage our health, leaving us toxic or “dirty” on the inside?

The fact is that a large number of the chemicals used in personal care products are completely untested. In addition, one-third of personal care products contain known carcinogens and other toxic substances proven hazardous to ones health. So how is this legal you ask? The problem is that the personal care industry is largely regulated by the manufactures of personal care products. To be clear, I am not in favor of overly strict regulation, but granting self-regulation privileges to companies that knowingly use toxic substances in products designed for use on our children and ourselves seems to cross the line. These companies jump at the opportunity to highlight how one or two ingredients “promotes healthy skin” or “guarantees healthy looking hair” while the other 15 to 40 ingredients may be toxic to our health.

These companies justify the use of dangerous toxic chemicals by claiming that people are only getting very small doses of any given ingredient. What they don’t tell you is that the low levels of toxic chemicals you get from your shampoo may compound with those found in your lotion, perfume, cologne, face wash, body wash, toothpaste, hairspray, even our food and water. These small toxic doses build up to in your bodily tissues and may cause imbalances linked to host health issues including a wide range of diseases, weight gain and obesity.

What’s worse, there is little research as to the long-term health effects of exposure to the hundreds or even thousands of toxic chemicals that we come in contact with daily though personal care products. The good news is that all hope is not lost yet. We understand that personal care products are vital to your daily routine and have worked hard to find a resource that can solve this issue for you in a healthy way.

We hope you now understand the possible dangers lurking within every personal care product in your house and encourage you to put even your favorite products to the test. Below is a link to the cosmetics database. It is a searchable resource comprising most personal care products available today. It will give you are really solid idea about how toxic products may be and their potential impact you your health. So go ahead, give it a try.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Healthy, non-toxic personal care products can be found by using the dropdown navigation located on the cosmetics database website.

Adrenals

Adrenal Quiz

April 3, 2012March 7, 2013
by mkent

The adrenal glands are the battery of your body. They help you utilize carbohydrates, fats and proteins, cope with stressful situations and regulate sodium. When they adrenal glands are stressed, they do not carry out their functions effectively. This is called adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue can lead to a host of issues including:

Weight gain
Trouble sleeping
Cravings for unhealthy foods
Low energy
Thyroid issues
And more

Needless to say, healthy adrenal glands are key for everyday happiness and prosperity. The Adrenal Quiz tests you on the common symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Take this quiz and see how many of the common adrenal fatigue symptoms you have. Then, take action to balance your body and improve your quality of life. Ready, go!

Adrenal Quiz

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Quizzes

Thyroid Quiz

February 20, 2012April 4, 2012
by mkent

The Thyroid quiz looks for the the major, commonly accepted symptoms of thyroid imbalance (primarily hypothyroidism) and provides you with an idea of just how many of these symptoms you are experiencing. With this information, you are empowered to explore a possible thyroid issue further. Enter your information below to get started.

Thyroid Quiz

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Imbalances

Hypothyroidism vs. Hyperthyroidism

February 19, 2012March 24, 2012
by mkent

When it comes to thyroid issues, one the most important things to understand is hypothyroidism vs. hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism

Thyroid under-activity is known as hypothyroidism. When this happens, the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone. This can cause a person to tire easily, experience low body temperature, weight gain, cold hands and feet, dry skin, trouble focusing and potentially, depression.

Hyperthyroidism

When the thyroid is overactive (hyperthyroidism), it is producing too much thyroid hormone. This can cause difficulty concentrating, fatigue, nervousness, uncontrollable weight loss, sweating goiter, anxiety, shaky hands, profuse sweating, racing heart and bulging eyes.

Current estimates suggest that 27 million Americans suffer from hypo or hyperthyroidism. Many experts view this as just the tip of the iceberg because they have begun to discover that cases of subclinical hypothyroidism vastly outnumber those that have been diagnosed clinically.

Hypothyroidism: The Undiagnosed Epidemic

According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, diagnosed thyroid disorders are 40% more prevalent than diabetes, making thyroid issues the most common endocrine disorder. Consider then, the strong evidence suggesting that the majority of thyroid conditions go undiagnosed and the numbers become staggering. As a result, thyroid disease is viewed by many experts as one of the silent epidemics of our time. As with many of today’s illnesses, the increased incidence of thyroid disease may be linked to an over-burden of toxins caused by pollution through air, water and food.

When comparing hypothyroidism vs. hyperthyroidism, the differences are staggering, but the effects are equally devastating. If you have any of the symptoms listed above, we recommend exploring them further.