Veganism Is Holistic Medicine

There are quite a few reasons why you should consider eating vegan at this point in time and one of them is that it is a holistic practice. Changing your diet for the better can heal a vast number of medical and psychological ills plus, because it is more ethical, you feel better about yourself because you are not eating meat and you are not leaving a large carbon footprint on the planet when you are gone.

Veganism Is Good Medicine For Some

Our bodies can change vastly for the better after eating a single in even just a few minutes.  That is why food is so important!  We really are what we eat and food really is medicine.  The reaction we have to some foods has an immediate impact on us, and it is so immediate for some people that it is  similar to ingesting a pill. If you are looking to accomplish a drastic change in health then veganism might be for you.  [1]

Most of us have experienced a change in physicality. When we eat a hot chili pepper, an immediate flush, sweating and a feeling of warmth can pervade the body.  In this way, just eating that chili pepper is practically medicine already. It is increasing circulation to parts of your body.

On the other hand eating junk food can put your metabolism under stress. The sugar in junk food can cause your pancreas to secrete high amounts insulin and cause a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels. [2]

According to research presented by Vincent Lee of the University of Calgary at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress the consequences of eating high-fat food can become apparent within a matter of hours. The study fed twenty healthy university students two junk food breakfast sandwiches that included processed cheese, egg and ham on a bun and found that added up to 860 calories, 1,500 milligrams of sodium and 50 grams of fat—roughly as much sodium and fat as an adult is supposed to eat in a day.  The study then calculated the student’s arterial health and concluded that just two hours of eating the sandwiches the student’s blood vessels had shrunk and were fifteen to twenty percent lower than on days when they hadn’t consumed any food at all.[3]

The Benefits of Becoming a Vegan

So what can taking good medicine in the form of good food actually accomplish for you in the long run?

When you eat a healthier diet, quit smoking, exercise, meditate, and have more love in your life, then your brain receives more blood and oxygen.

You also think more clearly, have more energy and need less sleep. Your brain may actually grow more brain cells. In fact if you eat a good diet your brain can actually get bigger in only three months. [4]

Your face will glow and your circulation will improve so that you show less wrinkles. Your heart gets more blood flow so toxins are eliminated from your body faster. You simply have more stamina and resilience against everything that your body must do to fight to stay alive every day.

Eating the right foods can also reverse heart disease and help you drop pounds. Your sexual organs receive more blood flow, so you may become more potent— guys won’t need Cialis or Viagra to function anymore!

For many people, these are choices worth making—not just to live longer, but also to live better.

In contrast, meals high in fat, sugar, and calories cause your arteries to constrict, so blood flow is reduced. The same is true of chronic stress. Nicotine, caffeine, cocaine and amphetamines also hurt your body. So does a lack of exercise.

Your brain receives less oxygen if you eat badly. You and your skin will look older. You will lose fertility and oxygen and seem a lot older than you actually are…

Stay Away From "Dead Food"

This causes your body to enter a state of acidity that leads to inflammation and disease.  Aging is actually matter of oxidization. Your cells receive less oxygen over time which intern leads to free radical damage because they suffocate to death.  That is why it is so important not to eat “dead food” that is over processed, high-carb and lacking in nutrition.

Dead food is the opposite of the raw “live food” you eat on a vegan diet.  If you are eating everything baked, broiled, boiled and fried you are eating “dead food.”  For most of us 70% of what we eat every day is dead food.[5]

Every time you eat processed food you are starving your cells to death. You are clogging your colon, turning your liver into a fatty pate and creating insulin resistance that causes your body’s blood sugar to skyrocket.  Before you know it, you are not feeling very well because you are, unknowingly, starving the cells in your body to death by not eating properly.[6]

Eating a vegan diet is your best defense against disease and aging in general. However it is not for everybody which is why you should consult with a naturopath who can give you a blood analysis to see if this is the absolutely best diet for you.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

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[1] Joseph Stromberg. Even in Healthy Adults, High-Fat Fast Foods Affect Arteries Almost Immediately. October 3, 2014. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2012/10/even-in-healthy-eaters-high-fat-foods-quickly-affect-arteries/.  Retrieved September 2, 2014. 1:20 pm.

[2] Fitday Staff. Fast Food Nutrition: Junk Food’s Effect On Your Body. (No posted date.) Fitday. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/fast-food-nutrition-junk-foods-effect-on-your-body.html. Retrieved September 2, 2014. 4:45 pm.

[3] Stromberg. Retrieved September 29, 2014, 3:15 pm.

[4] Wharton Gossett, 11 Steps to A Better Brain. New Scientist. (date unknown). http://gosset.wharton.upenn.edu/mortality/new_scientist.html. Retrieved September 30, 2014, 2:50 pm.

[5] S.D. Wells, Health Basics: What is dead food and how much are you eating daily? Natural News.  Retrieved October 11, 2012. http://www.naturalnews.com/034770_dead_food_diet_nutrition.html.  Retrieved September 27, 2014, 7 pm.

[6] S.D Wells. Retrieved September 27, 2014, 7:10 pm.

Cooking Fish Without Oil

In order to benefit from the nutrients and Omega-3 acids found in fish, it is recommended by the Canadian Heart Association that you eat at least two to three servings of fish a week.   The best type of fish for you is fresh fish fillets, not the frozen battered ones, just simply because they are not coated in flour, salt, sugar, oils and chemicals that are not the best for your health. To fully reap the health benefits of eating fish try to choose organic items from your grocer’s refrigerator.

Many of us have been raised to believe that fish cannot possibly taste good unless it is fried or battered in some way.  However, there are healthier, quite tasty ways of cooking fish that do not up the calorie and saturated fat content of the meal.

Poaching Fish Without Oil

Poaching fish is one of the easiest ways to cook it without using oils.  You can poach fish in water, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, milk, almond milk, fish stock, vegetable stock or white cooking wine.

Poaching fish in water and
lemon juice

1. Arrange the fish fillets in a shallow frying pan so that thy touch slightly without overlapping
2. Pour in your chosen liquid until the fish is barely covered.
3. Season the fish with salt pepper marjoram, garlic paprika, basil chilli powder, curry powder, chilli powder, lemon zest, dill and sage.
4. Cover the pan and simmer on low heat for 5 to 6 minutes.Be careful not to overcook it. Remove the finished fish from the pan and serve.

Baking Fish Without Oil 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.Cover a baking pan or oven safe dish with aluminum foil. This is an optional step but it makes for an easier clean-up after the fish is done
2. Lay the fish in the pan but with the edges not touching
3. Season the fish to taste and add a small amount of vegetable stock, water, milk or almond milk. or white wine to the pan. 
4. Bake until fish is done, which is approximately 10 to 20 minutes. Make sure you don’t overcook it. 

Microwaving Fish Without Oil

1.      Place the fish in a microwave-safe dish with the edges of any filets not overlapping.
2.       Season the fish with spices.You do not need liquids to cook fish in a microwave, but if you do use them, be sure to use a lot less then you would normally so that you don’t overcook the fish. A teaspoon should do the trick. 
3.       Microwave the fish for a full three minutes and remove.

No matter how you decide to cook your fish make sure that it is completely done before you consume it. It should appear white and opaque when fully cooked. Uncooked flakes of fish will appear translucent.  When you test the flesh with a fork, it should flake apart easily.

These are very healthy and quite quick ways to cook fish, which is an excellent lean protein alternative to eating red meat!  Furthermore, cooking fish without oil is also a good skill to learn if you are planning to lose weight using our HCG program for weight loss.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

More Bad News About How Artificial Sweeteners Are Bad For You!

We have been hearing for quite sometime that artificial sweeteners are bad for you but on September 18, 2014 news about a study done by Eran Elinav MD and Eran Segal PhD of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel spoke at a press conference held by the health magazine Nature.

Artificial Sweeteners Cause Weight Gain and Diabetes

It seems that the scientists have discovered that the very substances that dieters thought were helping them lose weight were doing the opposite.  The research done suggested that artificial sweeteners including saccharin a.k.a. Sweet’N’Low, sucralose a.k.a. Splenda and aspartame a.k.a. Equal and Nutrasweet caused blood sugar levels to skyrocket in studies done in both humans and mice.

When mice were given artificially sweetened water over a period of weeks the ice became almost diabetic and their blood sugar levels were higher regardless of whether or not they were eating a high fat or low fat diet.

The reason human blood sugar rises when ingesting these substances is because these sweeteners have the effect of dramatically changing the microorganisms in the gut that help you absorb nutritional components from food.  In addition, they found out that the suppression of these microorganisms in the human gut could also lead to compromised immune function and more susceptibility to illness in general.  [1]

This is not just a matter of a substance affecting a few cells in the body. The microorganisms in your gut make up for about four pounds of your body weight and even more if you are overweight.

These findings really do beg the question of whether or not any human being should go near a packet of Splenda, Nutrasweet, Equal or Sweet’ N’ Low ever again.

What Is a Healthy Sweetener?

Thankfully people that are on a diet still have two healthy sweeteners to choose from that, like artificial sweeteners, have a zero calorie count.

The first type of sweetener is Stevia that is made from the leaves of a plant that has 300 times the sweetness of sugar but unfortunately is also known for its metallic, bitter or licorice –like aftertaste.  However, there is one brand of Stevia called Truvia, available in most Loblaws stores in Canada that seems to have remedied this problem. There is no aftertaste as is the case with other types of stevia.

Another recommended sweetener that is actually healthy for your gums, tooth enamel, the middle ear and digestive health is xylitol, which is technically a poly aclohol or sugar alcohol. It is roughly as sweet as sugar but has 33% fewer calories.

Both Stevia and Xylitol have been around for over a century and have been used as a safe substitute for sugar for diabetics and individuals with hyperglycemia. Neither Xylitol or Stevia has any known toxicity to human beings and both are considered safe in Europe, the U.S. and Canada.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services

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[1] You can read more in-depth information about this ground-breaking study in an article by Rita Rubin at WebMDHealth News at http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20140917/artificial-sweeteners-blood-sugar