the truth about supplements

It's been kind of interesting for me to map my journey with supplements upon considering writing this post. I remembered when I studied herbal medicine, a good 13 years ago, that we were taught very little about supplements. Back then my cupboards were full of herbal extracts and mixing bottles...the end!

The extent of my supplementing was making sure I had specific foods in my diet to cover all of my nutrient requirements.

Somewhere in those 13 years an imbalance occurred, with the herbs diminishing and the countless bottles of supplements growing. Pill popping became part of my daily regime, seeing me sometimes taking anywhere up to 20 different supplements in a day!

Things have started to gradually shift again for me over the last 3 years. As I discovered the raw food world I kept hearing about plant based supplement options, and often heard the words synthetic, chemical and toxic attached to conversations about supplements...it got me thinking.

 I remembered what I had learnt about the healing qualities of herbs and real foods....that it was all about the nutrient profile of the whole food and plant that made them powerful medicines not just any one part being taken, copied and turned into a tablet.

The sad truth is is that majority of supplements today are made of synthetic compounds produced in laboratories to mimic only the effective compound identified in medicinal plants.

Aside from the fact that these synthetic nutrients are just another mixed bag of chemicals to add to the thousands we are already exposed to daily, they are completely separated from all the other synergistic nutrients that magical plants and herbs contain. Natures purpose is ignored and long term our bodies are left to cope with a foreign compound that is found nowhere in nature.

Not only are the nutrients themselves synthetic and not from a living source but the rest of the ingredients that help make up the tablet, powder or capsule are also far from clean and pure. A lot of these fillers and binders are the same as those used to manufacture pharmaceutical medications. 

The huge difference here being that pharmaceuticals were originally designed to be taken short term, today so many vitamin supplements are being taken daily, long term by millions of people all over the world. These extra chemicals, coupled with the synthetic nutrient, then build up in the body doing way more harm than the original good intention you took them with. 

Such supplements never grew in the ground, never saw the light of day were never alive or a part of anything living. They really differ very little to other forms of laboratory made drugs. 

Natural vitamins and minerals are not simply the solitary molecular compounds they are manufactured to become. Vitamins, minerals and enzymes among other natural compounds are meant to come as a package working closely together to achieve optimum nutrition in your body. If one part of this package is missing your body does not process this as it should. Instead entire metabolic processes don't proceed normally and your cells are starved of the essential nutrient they require. 

Bottom line being that nutrients can not be isolated from their natural complexes and still perform the specific functions they ideally should in your body.

A conscious clear out of the cupboard is needed and the search begins for whole food supplements. They do exist but are sadly made by very few companies. Our diets often do need supplementing even when eating a pure and clean, plant based organic diet. With our soils being stripped of essential nutrients by decades of large scale commercial farming and the ever increasing onslaught of environmental toxins our bodies often become incredibly deficient in nutrients. There may be times when you need to supplement. 

Make sure your products are derived from whole food sources, ie plants and herbs, are free from synthetic fillers and are encased in a vegetable cellulose capsule or come in pure powder form. 

Luckily in the USA these options are far more accessible with on line stores like 

longevity warehouse and the raw food world.

In Australia we are getting there slowly with some products available if you search for them.

fats

which

I think I've been holding out on this post for a while, actually any post for that matter...I've been really quite sick this week with a flu. I haven't been sick for quite a long time and forgot how fascinated I am by my body when I'm ill. It's like the bug gets in and demands I eat NO healthy food and I revert back to craving my childhood food crushes. 

So I found myself at one point eating nothing on Tuesday.....not so bad when you are very sick!

But I then found myself eating fries and mayo on Wednesday

 Deep fried til you're dried schnitzel on Thursday...it needed mayo!

Potato cakes (...just one big huge deep fried potato thing) and tartare on Friday

and hunting around for some old left overs from lolly bags in the cupboard last night... OMG!!

Common theme, aside from the lollies which was just weird, a huge, long time soft spot for hot fried, cold fried....really just fry up any food, add some mayo and I'm pretty much eating until the end. It's a true shame that the deep fried items are so grossly bad for you, even the tricky posh ones fried up in olive oil are thumbs down on the vitality list and its all down to the fats.

Not all fats are bad. Our bodies need fats, having no fat in your diet is a disaster for your body. So lets sort out the good from the bad.

THE BAD FATS

To start with the initial problem with fats is rancidity. The method used to extract oils from nuts and seeds leads them to turn rancid. Nut and seed oils are incredibly volatile and sensitive to light and heat. Unfortunately commercial oil extraction processes involve heat, light and pressure thus destroying the integrity of the oils rendering them off, nutrient free and harmful to the body.

Next comes the word hydrogenated.

Basically hydrogenation means that the oils have hydrogen molecules added to their chemical structure at really high temperatures and pressure in the presence of heavy metals like aluminium and nickel. These oils are often then steam cleaned and bleached to get rid of their foul odour and colour. Oils are hydrogenated to increase their shelf life and change their texture from liquid to solid i.e. margarine. Hydrogenated oils are known as trans fats and are even worse for you than the highly refined and already damaged vegetable oils they are made from.

Hydrogenated oils or trans fats are found widely in packaged processed foods like chocolates, cakes, breads, crackers margarine, spreadable butters and yes my beloved hot chips!

The problem with trans fats, aside from the fact that they are toxic to the body, is that the body misinterprets them as good fats and they occupy the place of essential fats in the body without being able to perform an essential fats job, in a way making the cells dysfunctional and un healthy.

Many health problems have been linked to hydrogenated and rancid oils.

THE GOOD FATS

Saturated fats, with a controversial past saturated animal and tropical fats are making a come back. These fats, in the form of butter, ghee, lard and coconut oil are stable, solid at room temperature and do not go rancid easily. They are therefore preferred for cooking purposes. As with any oil the coconut oil should extra virgin cold pressed and pure. The lard should be pure and the butter organic, raw if possible and from grass fed animals. 

Saturated fats have numerous health benefits, they aid in proper growth, healthy bone formation, brain and nervous system development, protect joints, help the body utilise and absorb minerals, are integral for healthy cell membranes, supply quick energy, support the immune system, they also help metabolise cholesterol, protect against heart disease and mental illness.

Coconut oil is highly anti viral, anti bacterial and anti fungal

Essential fats called essential because our bodies can't make them and needs to get them from food. These essential fats are known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

The richest sources of Omega-3 are flax seed oil, hemp oil, candle nut, sacha inchi oil and chia. It is from Alpha-Linoleic Acid (LNA) present in these foods that omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are formed. It is vital that the body has a good supply of Vitamin C, B3, B6, magnesium, zinc and some enzymes to convert the vegetable source LNA into EPA and DHA. It can be quite lengthy and difficult for the body to do this. Fish oils from salmon, sardines and mackerel are a direct source of EPA and DHA if you are not vegetarian/vegan. Algae and marine phytoplankton are sources of omega-3's too.

Omega-3's are vital for brain and eye development for nervous system health. They are anti inflammatory, reduce triglycerides and prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure and can assist triglyceride levels in diabetics.

The richest source of Omega-6 are evening primrose oil, safflower, sunflower, walnut, hemp oil and most seeds and nuts. 

Omega-6's are important for the immune system, hormone metabolism, inflammation, blood clotting and many other functions.

The body needs both Omega-3 and Omega-6 in a ratio of 2:1. The problem with our modern diet is that this ratio is in a mess. We consume way too many Omega-6's from vegetable oils and processed foods containing them. 

You can buy seed and nut oil blends that have a perfect  2:1 ratio balance of Omega-3's and 6's just check the integrity of the brand and make sure the oils are cold pressed and unprocessed. UDO's Oil is a great option.

Find a good quality fish oil supplement. As with nut and seed oils, fish oils are incredibly volatile they need to be stored in the refrigerator in amber glass to avoid rancidity. 

Olive oil has many health benefits again however it needs to be the highest quality cold pressed extra virgin only and preferably organic. 

It has anti inflammatory qualities, lowers risk of heart disease, is antioxidant, stimulates bile flow, liver enzymes and pancreatic enzymes. Improves cell membrane development and cell formation. Olive oil is best not used for cooking at high temperatures but is stable enough to be left out of the fridge.

Basically bad fats are another reason to avoid packaged and processed foods, margarines and cooking oils. Go back to eating butter, start using coconut oil. Cook with animal fats, ghee and coconut oil only. Make sure you have daily sources of Omega-3' and 6's in the correct ratio 2:1.  Make sure you have nut, seed and marine sources of Omega-3's. Use olive oil in dressings but don't cook with it and always make sure your oils are not refined and heat treated, that they are stored in the fridge and never leave oil or nuts and seeds in the sun .

taking time out.....

I've spent some much needed time away from my computer and the whirlpool that is cyber space over the last two weeks. As school holidays approached in late June I did my usual anxiety ridden mental script... How will I cope without my days to myself? How will I get anything done? Where am I going to send my kids so I can steal all that lost time back?....funnily the universe delivered me a few fabulously relative messages that made me realise it actually might be quite lovely to just hang out with my little people. So I decided to ditch the chronic email checking, study, blog, facebook, instagram vortex I'd been living in and get back to real life a little...and plus I actually really do like hanging out with my kids, I just forgot how much.

my turning point messages came when

firstly I was asked, as a part of the course I am studying, to start a gratitude list
......so I started 

then I stumbled across a girl who had blogged her days of gratitude for a whole year and totally changed her life at 365 grateful
.....so I kept the gratitude list going

then this wonderful post by Connie at a life of perfect days arrived in my in box

STRIVING TO BE SUPERWOMAN? : 5 TIPS TO LIGHTEN THE...

so I woke up in the middle of the night after reading it and realised that, while I wanted to spend some amazing time with my kids, I also really needed a break. I was desperate to go and sit and be quiet for a few days (hard to achieve when you are doing the mum thing). 

I was craving silence and hiding under my covers at night just wasn't cutting it...... by morning I had figured out a way I could have that little get away, soon....like next week!

(a very grateful moment)

then this wonderful post by Kimberly at dream delight inspire arrived in my in box shortly after

 HOW TO CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE

so my gratitude list got longer and I spent the next 2 weeks exploring new things and places with my kids, being present and not setting them up with a screen so I could stare at mine. I stopped checking my phone every 3 minutes and stopped looking for fuzzy photo op's at every turn to post on instagram....we just had fun....relief!

By laying right off the whole social media scene I actually felt remarkably calm, happy and free. I caught up with lots of friends and am now starting to feel a sense of inspiration returning again. 

As a result I realised I have a lot to be grateful for, even though my life is in an insanely tricky place right now, things could be a hell of a lot worse.


So I'm heading off on my get away today.... as this post floats away and lands here...I will be landing 2 hours south for 3 days of tech free, family free, duty free time with just me and me.


1000 gratitude acknowledgments..thanks ladies for your inspiring and insightful words
and thanks to my lovely girlfriend for letting me stay at her holiday house while she's away xx

eat what you wear

Yesterday morning I discovered my 8 year old daughter tucking into a bit of my coconut and sugar body scrub we had made together....I totally cracked up and when she realised I was watching her, she did to. Funnier was the explanation she offered up..."oh mum it's just that you never let me eat those sugar sachets on the table at the cafe"  I stopped and thought, you are right I don't and "I would rather you ate that body scrub to be honest than the refined white sugar that is usually in the sachets, so if that's what's going to rock your world today then crunch away" She smiled, did a double take, almost in disbelief, then went for another mouthful.....bless that little chick.

Thankfully I had made the scrub and knew exactly what was in it.... there are not many beauty products I would be so OK about my lady eating.

I had a bit of a run in, recently with my new and much adored Moroccan hair oil. I was (and still am) in love with the smell.  Spraying followed by a lot more spraying, I spent weeks with my hair lushed up in it's beautiful smell but what I had to eventually and very reluctantly admit was that it was causing eczema on my eyelids...not a great, good or even slightly OK look at all.

Of course I left my beautiful oil last in the line up of suspect products, willing the culprit to be anything else but. Sadly it was not to be...I stopped using it and after 2 weeks re-tested it but the crazy looking eye lids soon returned. That short little moment with my hair oil magically became the perfect catalyst for me returning to the most basic skin care regime I've had in years. My goal has become make edible whatever I am putting on my skin because essentially my skin is eating it for me anyway.

I stripped the cupboards of all of my already apparent "natural" creams and made a deal with myself.....If I have no idea what the ingredient is I'm not using it...so I'm back to basics big time.

Most days I use aloe gel straight from the leaf, I have a beautiful plant in my kitchen, they are hardy and grow anywhere...I barely water it....it's a hard one to kill!!!

I mix extra virgin coconut oil with the aloe gel and that is about it...every few days I use my sugar scrub....and I'm playing around with making my own cream...that smells as good as the hair oil!

BASIC SUGAR SCRUB RECIPE:

1/2 cup of organic raw sugar or coconut sugar

1 cup of coconut oil 

(best when it is a liquid consistency, place jar in a pot of hot water to melt)

20 drops of essential oil...I use lavender

Combine ingredients and store in an air tight jar.

image and recipe idea via deliciously organised blog
(my scrub is not looking half as attractive right now)

Visit Nourished Life or EWG for a list of the most toxic ingredients you may find in your skin care and bath products. Both are super informative sites dedicated to helping you avoid dangerous and toxic chemicals in your everyday life.
Nourished Life also lists a toxin free Moroccan hair oil option...joy!

My other favourite non toxic body products to use are Tinderbox and Dr Bronner's

I did a post a couple of weeks ago on Dr Bronner's products @ eco by design which I have re-posted below

sauna or steam

I headed off to my fav health spa today for a bit of TLC. I've been desperately missing my steam room moments since I cancelled my gym membership recently.... in fact I really need to import a home with private steam room and plunge pool into my life ASAP! I definitely am a hot room, with any slight spa vibe attached, fan. 

I have been known to spend way to many moments on humid tropical holidays in saunas or steams...strange I know but I do love it.

 Despite being a beautiful way to relax and unwind, regular visits to your preferred form of hot room can be filled with added health benefits. Steam over sauna? Traditional sauna over far infra red sauna? Here are the main differences between them all...

steam

 

this cute little cave conceals a re-created Turkish steam room at the completely amazing Peninsula Hot Springs an hour out of Melbourne

Steam rooms have been used for centuries in conjunction with ancient bath houses in Roman, Greek, Russian, Hungarian and Turkish history. 

I was lucky enough to have the full Turkish bath experience when I visited Istanbul years ago....my first steam experience...and probably where my obsession began.

Very different to the tiled steam room planted in the gym bathroom, the real deal was grand and quite fantastical. Beautiful marble rooms that gradually progressed from cool, to warm, to hot, followed by an intense body scrub and massage on the marble beds, a plunge pool and authentic turkish apple tea to finish.....love, love, love

While the traditional experiences are worlds apart from the gym/day spa vibe the health benefits are exactly the same.

 Steam rooms generally operate at lower temperatures than saunas, around 40 degrees celsius (104 fahrenheit) but at 100% humidity.

A steam bath or a steam room uses heated water vapor.....moisture to heat the body.

The unique health benefits of a steam room are that   

• as a result of the 100% humidity it can be incredibly beneficial to anyone suffering respiratory conditions including sinus problems, congestion and croup. Often people with respiratory conditions cannot tolerate the dry heat of a traditional sauna but find much relief in a steam room

Benefits of both steam rooms and saunas

• can alleviate skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema
• relieves arthritis
• alleviates joint and muscle pain and injury
• aids in detoxification from heavy metals and environmental pollutants
• through sweating circualtion is increased to the skin, hands and feet
• moistens the skin

Some draw backs of the steam room are 

• because of the moist environment mold and bacteria can breed if the steam room is not disinfected properly (this can be counter productive for some respiratory conditions)
• you can not stay in a steam room as long as a sauna because the air is so moist there is no cooling of the body via evaporation. You actually sweat more in a sauna and this helps to keep your body temperature down.
• detoxification is not as deep because of this... you cant stay in the steam room the length required for deep detoxing 

  sauna

 

Originally a Finnish tradition, saunas were wooden out houses heated by stones on a fire.
Also used in North and Central American Indian tribes…and later by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, Russians, Turks, East Indians, Thais and Japanese! Today sauna use is even wider spread and most are now powered by electricity not fire. They run at a far higher temperature than steam rooms, usually around 90 degrees celsius (194 degrees fahrenheit) and have far lower humidity levels, somewhere between 10-30% supplying a far dryer environment.

The unique health benefits of the sauna are

•  it aids in deep detoxification, in a sauna your body can regulate its own temperature more effectively because of heavy sweating. This means you can stay longer in a sauna than a steam room, enhancing your bodies detoxification processes.

   

Benefits of both saunas and steam rooms 

• can alleviate skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema
• relieves arthritis
• alleviates joint and muscle pain and injury
• aids in detoxification from heavy metals and environmental pollutants
• through sweating circulation is increased to the skin, hands and feet
• moistens the skin 
• aids in weight loss

Some draw backs of the sauna are

• The only real draw backs of the traditional sauna are the intensity of the dry heat. For some this dry heat is not comfortable at such high temperatures, they prefer the moist and misty air of the steam room.This is the reason why in some saunas there is a pot of water, by throwing water over the hot stones steam is produced adding moisture to the air. 

If this intense dry heat is an issue but you still want the deeper detoxifcation benefits of a sauna then an Infra Red Sauna could be your answer

Infra Red Sauna 

A far infra red (FIR) sauna uses a special type of heater – called an infrared radiant heater – to promote body heating and sweating instead of a regular electrical heater or heated stones.

  FIR's work at a lower heat, 40-60 degrees celsius (100-140 F) The heat generated does not work to heat the room making you sweat, like a traditional sauna, it produces heat waves that travel throught he air until they meet an object (you) these waves penetrate and heat your tissues inducing sweat.

The overall benefits of an Infra Red Sauna 

• all the other benefits listed above for steams and saunas 
• FIR heat reaches deeper into the tissues than the heat from a traditional sauna, and causes more toxins to be released with the sweat. 
• The heat penetrates deeper, so the effects reach deeper. 
• You sweat much more heavily and at a lower temperature. 
• The composition of your sweat is different than that produced in a traditional (Finnish-style) sauna....your sweat will be loaded down more with toxins, including unwanted chemicals and heavy metals. 
• You achieve huge benefits for the short times you spend in the infrared sauna 
• People can safely and comfortably use FIR sauna's who can't tolerate a regular sauna because of the high temperatures
• You use up more calories while you’re sweating
• and the best one of all because it's not wet in the sauna you can take in all your favorite mags....double joy!
  
  
  Which ever option you choose health benefits abound, even if you are using a hot room just to relax and unwind. Unless you are really wanting to max out on the detoxing benefits, I would try all options and stick with the one you really prefer, do it often and enjoy xx

Chicken and barley salad and a curiously yum aloe smoothie

CHICKEN AND BARLEY SALAD
I made this salad a couple of weeks back and have been craving revisiting it ever since.
I used barley because it's a warm wintery grain but you could also use quinoa or brown rice.
It's super quick to throw together once you have down all of your chopping!


INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
1 cup barley soaked over night
50gms pine nuts toasted
1 handful of basil
2 handfuls of spinach or silver beet shredded
1 organic roasted chicken 
3 tablespoons natural full fat yogurt
1/2 spanish onion diced finely
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
olive oil and lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

where I am at with the whole sugar thing

The 8 essential sugars our bodies need...and why the white stuff isn't one of them....


There has been a lot of talk in the media about sugar lately and how it is the drug of the nation, making us all fat and killing us slowly.


Recently both 60 Minutes USA and 60 Minutes Australia have featured segments on the dangers of sugar, thankfully the message is out and for the most part it is good.


Sugar is harmful and it does way more damage than just make us fat. I have been on an anti-sugar mission since discovering I suffered from hypoglycemia about 12 years ago.
Funnily no one was really listening nor was much attention given to the ill effects of sugar back then. 
My mum recently came to visit me and after years of sigh filled "you and bloody sugar comments" I was a little humoured but impressed to see that she was armed with her own copy of Sweet Poison, how sugar is making us fat!!! go mum 
Back then I was unable to maintain a good mood and long lasting energy, I was also completely overwhelmed by both sitting still and rapid movement and could not bare bright lights....I found myself incapacitated and with no answers. Doctor after doctor and still not an answer in the house.
I can't remember exactly how I came across the book Get a Life by Katherine Alexander  but within it I found the answer to my problem... I had low blood sugar or hypoglycemia.

Here's how refined and high glycemic foods are making us fat and at the same time messing with our blood sugar levels (these are just the very obvious, tangible effects sugar is having on us.... not to mention all the damage it is doing to your body on the inside)

• you eat a food high in sugar, it is quick to digest and this inflicts a strong surge in blood sugar
• the pancreas releases an exaggerated amount of insulin in response
• this sugar is then quickly stripped from the blood stream and stored as fat to keep the blood sugar levels even.
• you derived no energy from this type of food and still feel hungry and all the energy from this food is now stored as fat
• then you will crave some more of the exact same food and the cycle continues

• eating more complex forms of carbohydrates allows the blood sugar levels to rise less dramatically as this type of food is slower to digest
• insulin then responds accordingly and the food has a chance to be broken down and taken up by the body tissues to be used or stored as energy

If you suffer from the following it could be your blood sugar levels playing havoc with your body

• cravings for tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes, sugary foods
• are the cravings worse around 3-4pm
• (for women) if you suffer from cravings particularly prior to menstruation
• if you skip breakfast or lunch then rely on quick pick me up's to get you through to dinner
• if you become really moody, irritable and headachy when you are hungry
• if you suffer from heart palpitations, hot and cold sweats, panic attacks and shaking
• if you suffer from fatigue and sudden loss of energy

Following is a handy table which demonstrates the low and high GI sources of foods.
If you are not familiar with this terminology the idea is to avoid the high GI foods




Glycemic index of foods via The Kitchen Hotline
LOW GI    55 or less:   

FRUITS: apples, berries, cucumbers, and tomatos (yes, they are both fruits!) 

VEGETABLES: asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, kale.

GRAINS: wild rice, quinoa, whole grain, high fiber(4gms+per serving) hot cereals, i.e: whole or steel-cut oats or groats and whole barley

LEZGUMES: adzuki beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, soybean

DAIRY:  full fat milk, (unflavoured) full fat yogurt, cheese (most)

NUTS/SEEDS: almonds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts

SWEETNERS: green or white stevia, lo han, xylitol

 
MEDIUM GI   56–69:
Grains: bran (all types), buckwheat grouts, whole grain medium or long brown rice, millet, teff (from Africa)
Grain Products: whole grain pasta, rye bread, pumpernickel bread
Vegetables: sweet potatoes, yams,

 
HIGH GI   70 and above:   
Fruit: bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, melons, grapes dried fruits, i.e: dates, raisins, fruit juices
Vegetables & Vegetable juices: beet juice, carrot juice (I always add either chia seeds and/or avocado when I use these for juicing to slow the blood sugar down) white potatoes
Grain products: rice cakes, corn flakes, Rice Krispies, other refined cereals, croissants, wheat bread (was considered lower, before new findings), white bread, white rice, other (low or no fiber)refined grain products
Sweeteners: straight glucose (100), high fructose corn syrup, honey, white sugar, brown sugar (see list below for more)
 
Choosing low GI carbs and possibly medium GI carbs are the ones that produce only small to moderate fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - may be the secret to long-term health – possibly reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and may be the key to sustainable weight loss. 
Choosing high GI carbs may have the opposite effect.


What I have learnt, recently, is that there are 8 essential sugars our bodies need, just like essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, and they are:

Interestingly I forgot, over the years, a lot of what I ever read in my book and I started to become interested in detox protocols. After feeling initially good on a sugar free, grain free extreme liquid detox diet I then started to feel enraged by the madness of hypoglycemia (and lack of glucose) all over again. 
What people don't realise is that after a while your body cannot maintain healthy blood sugar levels if you are surviving, long term, on fruit and veggie juices and skimpy salads, even though it seems very healthy, and that our brains need glucose to function properly. 
This is also the reason why diets that require you to eat very little also don't work. Your blood sugar levels will plummet due to lack of food and the craving cycle begins. Low blood sugar not only causes cravings but also sees hormones released that actively breakdown the body tissue for energy supply. The body literally begins to eat itself to fulfil basic energy requirements.....in basic terms it is a very destructive cycle. This concludes that too little of certain essential sugars is as damaging as too much.

The above mentioned sugars are essential because when combined they:

• heal us 
• contain pure trace minerals we actually need
• heal body tissues
• restore immunity
• are anti viral
• are anti bacterial
• are anti fungal
• fight candida, chronic infections and cancer (all except glucose)
• increase brain power
• boost long term memory
• keep us slim
• help us have beautiful youthful skin
• fight allergies
• help us absorb good forms of calcium 
• repair cartilage
• repair mucosal linings 

 The best sources of theses essential sugars are:  

• FUCOSE: kelp, medicinal mushrooms, seeds and wakame sea weed
• GALACTOSE: the easiest of these sugars to source as it is in most raw fruits and vegetables, raw dairy products which is sadly illegal in some places.....aust being one of them:( 
• GLUCOSE: best sources are bee pollen, royal jelly and raw honey (in MODERATION), whole grains and vegetables
• XYLOSE: (comes from the birch tree) xylitol, aloe vera, kelp, birch syrup, blackberries, brocolli, cabbage, peas, raspberries and spinach among others
• MANNOSE: aloe vera, medicinal mushrooms, kelp, green beans
• N-ACETYL-GLUCOSAMINE: shiitake mushrooms
• N-ACETYL-GALACTOSAMINE: red algae, marine phytoplankton
• N-ACETYL-NEUROMINIC ACID: raw dairy, lions mane mushroom, marine phytoplankton

It is really important to note that while glucose is essential for healthy neurological function, ie: a healthy brain, it is a double edged sword. Too much and you can have the wild blood sugar swings and you will start to feel moody and crazy, and too little, usually around the 3 month mark of no glucose, and you will also start to feel moody and crazy....your brain needs it!!
It is essential if you are suffering from candida, chronic infections and cancer to avoid it for around 3 months and then you are better sticking to the sources mentioned above in moderation.
Click on the superfood images below to read more about them and where to buy them 

Unfortunately in Australia we have strict custom laws which stop us from purchasing  products containing mushrooms from overseas. You can purchase Metagenics 5 mushroom extract or visit Extreme Superfoods' on line store to purchase some of the products mentioned above for delivery within Australia.


Watch out for sugar disguised in your food labelled as:


Agave Nectar (not a good sugar substitute, high in fructose)
Barley Malt Syrup
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
Dehydrated Cane Juice
Dextrin
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate
Glucose
High-fructose corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Maltodextrin
Malt syrup
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses
Raw sugar
Rice Syrup
Saccharose
Sorghum or sorghum syrup
Sucrose
Syrup
Treacle
Turbinado Sugar



My conclusions are 

• that we are, world wide, addicted to the sweet poison sugar
• that even in health food industries packaged foods are still riddled with sugars disguised by many of the terms listed above...then labelled organic and we are fooled in to thinking they must be healthy
• while I think green smoothies are an amazing step forward for many people who are moving away from a high sugar, heavily processed diet, they, at the same time,  usually rely on a heavy fruit component to make the smoothie palatable. Fructose, fruit sugar, bypasses the liver and is therefore not converted into glucose (energy source) it is stored as fat and directly spikes blood sugar.
• again many raw food healthy desserts claim to be "sugar free" but use dried fruit, namely dates to sweeten them. Dried fruits have a very high GI rating and essentially are sugars. These can be just as devastating to blood sugar levels as any of the other sugars. They are however far better options than a dodgy old chocolate bar as they are usually made with beautiful and nutrient dense ingredients. It is just really important to realise that they are not sugar free if they contain dried fruit or agave.
• the best sweeteners to use are xylitol and stevia, both plant sources and have no effect on either blood sugar or candida. 
• it seems we are really fighting to give up the sweet cravings, even in the health food industry....
• don't be fooled that only sweets contain sugar, start reading all your food labels you will be very surprised
• if you focus on getting your essential sugars and keep your blood sugar levels under control by eating no refined and processed foods, you can, every now and then, really enjoy a delicious treat without the terrible effects it has when consumed daily.

If you think sugar is an issue for you and you desire to do something about it I would advise you to find a natural health practitioner that will work with you to help design an eating program tailored to your bodies specific needs.

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Why dry body brushing is so good for you

Did you know that your body’s largest organ, the skin, is responsible for about one fourth of the daily detoxification needs that are required by your entire body? One of the easiest ways you can help your skin do exactly what it was designed to do by nature, is in learning how to dry brush your skin.

Dry skin brushing has been used for many years across many different cultures as a way to

• stimulate the circulation and lymphatic systems
• remove dead skin cells through exfoliating 
• increasing oxygen and nutrients to the skin
• help with the removal of toxins from the body
• can help improve immune system function
• can help with diminishing the appearance of cellulite
• improve overall skin tone and appearance
• can reduce in grown hairs

It's really easy to begin skin brushing, all you need to do is

• Buy yourself a body brush that is made from natural fibres. For one it will be chemical free, which makes sense as one benefit from skin brushing is to remove toxins not add more in. Also natural fibred brushes will have an uneven surface which will increase it's exfoliation powers

• Your skin should be dry before you start brushing, this is how dead skin cells and toxins are effectively removed. I always skin brush before a shower so the dead dry skin can be washed away easily afterwards.

• When starting the dry skin brushing technique, begin with your feet. I have quite a hard brush so I love the feet, start on the soles (this actually tickles) and work over the top of your feet, brushing them in a circular motion, then moving upward to the ankles, calves, thighs, bottom, tummy (clockwise direction to aid digestion) and arms (starting with your hands and moving upwards). Do all of this brushing in sweeping movements brushing towards the heart. Once you move to your chest area it is a good idea to switch to quite a soft brush because this skin is delicate. I use a very gentle brush here and on my face. I don't brush my face everyday, usually every 3rd. I then switch back to a firm brush and do my scalp as best I can without creating a large hair tangle situation....it feels amazing!

• Then hop into the shower to rinse away all of the dead skin cells with warm water. Use cold water rinse at the end of your shower to further stimulate blood circulation. Finish off the process with a chemical free natural moisturiser such as coconut or olive oil. 

I love to skin brush after I use my rebounder in the morning (also a fantastic lymphatic system stimulant) you can read more about rebounding benefits here. Your skin brushing routine can take up to 10 minutes, however I am usually a little rushed in the morning but even 5 minutes feels great. Be aware your skin will be quite red afterwards, but this is a great sign that you have increased blood flow to the skin....exactly what you want to achieve.
Skin brushing daily is optimal but whenever you have time before a shower will be beneficial.
Don't forget to wash your brush weekly with warm soapy water to avoid dead skin building up on the bristles....yucko!


To find out where you can purchase natural, chemical free skin brushes visit my new site, eco by design, here.