Happy New Year!!!
Wishing you and your family a Happy and Healthy 2013!!
Upcoming Event
Restoring Digestive Health
A healthy digestive system is essential for good health and vitality. Many people suffer with digestive issues such as gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea and constipation. Dr. Melina Roberts, Naturopathic Doctor and Digestion Specialist will be discussing the causes of common digestive disorders, ways to improve digestion naturally and solutions to repair, restore and heal digestive problems.
WHERE: Planet Organic Market – Calgary Shaganappi North
WHEN: Thursday, January 31, 2013
TIME: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
If you are interested in attending, call 403-288-6700 or go into the store location to register.
KEY TO SUCCESS Article
CONSISTENCY is the Key to Achieving your Health Goals
When it comes to health, consistency is probably one of the biggest challenges. Being consistent with a health program is how you will achieve the best results. My analogy that most people can understand is following an exercise program. You can’t do that exercise program for 1 day or 1 week or even 1 month, then go back to a sedentary lifestyle and think that’s enough to reap all the health benefits of an exercise program. It’s the same with a diet plan, you can’t just follow it for 1 meal or 1 week or even 1 month, and go back to what you were eating before and expect to reap the benefits of these changes. If you want to get in better shape you need to exercise on a consistent basis, and the better you stick with it, the better your results will be. It is the same with diet and a treatment plan for health, you need to stick with it on a consistent basis, and the better you can do this, the better your results will be. Consistency is the key to better health!
Featured Article
Why are PROBIOTICS essential to good health?
Our body’s digestive tracts house about 100 trillion bacteria, that is more than 10 times the number of cells that we have in our entire body. Probiotics are the good, healthy bacteria that line your digestive tract. The type and quantity of these micro-organisms in our digestive tracts interact within our body and can directly influence the development of many diseases by either preventing or promoting them. Maintaining an optimal ratio between the “good” and “bad” bacteria in the digestive tract is essential for good health.
Probiotics are essential for optimal digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Probiotics help our body to produce vitamins, absorb minerals and aid in the elimination of toxins.
Our healthy gut bacteria can easily be pushed out of balance. Taking antibiotics will kill off problematic bacteria but will also kill off the healthy bacteria. Consuming sugar, refined grains, processed foods, livestock given antibiotics, chemical-laden agriculture, chlorinated/fluorinated water can all throw off your natural bacterial balance.
Signs that your bacterial flora is out of balance include: gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, sugar cravings, nausea, headaches, fatigue, lowered immunity and depression.
Eighty percent of your immune system is housed in your digestive tract, therefore by supporting digestive health, you will be improving immunity.
Within the cells that line the digestive tract, serotonin is made. Serotonin travels into the bloodstream and passes the blood brain barrier and directly effects neurotransmitter balance in the brain. Therefore by supporting digestive health, you will be supporting mood balance.
Therefore, supplementing with high-quality and high-efficacy probiotics are essential for maintaining good health.
Your Health Questions Answered
What are the effects of microwaving our foods on our health?
The first domestic microwave oven came onto the market in the 1950s. It was sold as a quick and easy way to defrost or heat up food. It is now a common household kitchen appliance is most homes in the western world. Unfortunately, no reliable research was done on the effects of microwaved foods on human health prior to release of this highly-used appliance. In 1975 a histological study was published in the Journal of Food Science, revealed when broccoli and carrots were microwaved there was deformed molecular structures of nutrients to the point of destroying cell walls, in comparison to conventional cooking where the cell structure remained intact.
When proteins are microwaved, a high percentage of the proteins configuration is altered, and this makes it difficult for our bodies to properly metabolize these foods.
Lubec et al conducted a study on microwave-heated infant milk formulas and published in the Lancet in 1989 found that a high percentage of proteins configuration was altered from a trans to cis formation. Lubec et al stated that “the conversion of trans to cis forms could be hazardous because when cis-amino acids are incorporated into peptides and proteins instead of their trans-isomers, this can lead to structural, functional and immunological changes.”
Therefore, microwaved foods can have a negative impact on our health and is it recommended that you do not microwave foods for human consumption.
Featured Recipe
Cream of Carrot Soup with Leek and Fresh Ginger (gluten-free)
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