When Sugar is Not So Sweet

Do any of you receive Dr. Mercola's email newsletter? I read this one today...

He's picking on sugar again! Ok folks, I have a sweet tooth, I love cookies:) The cravings are getting better with efforts to find alternative snacks and naturally sweet foods and here we have another reminder of why sugar is really not so "sweet!" Ugh! Have any of you read the book Sugar Blues by William Duffy? Someone recommended it to me a while back but I have not checked it out yet.

By the way, I received my copy of Daniel Amen's new book Use Your Brain to Change Your Age mentioned last week, did you order it yet? If not, click here! It's at the top of my list of things to do this weekend! I want to look young:) So I will use my brain and eat less sugar...how am I going to do that?

Well to start with I will read the book, and then will bust out the products I received in another package this week (sounds almost like Christmas, eh?) from a STEVIA distributor!  In case you never heard of it, stevia is a natural, calorie-free sweetener made from a leaf. 

 

The Natural Products Expo is coming up in two weeks so someone sent me a goodie box of stevia products and piles of recipes to check out, woohoo! Stay tuned for upcoming reports! And by all means, if you have any questions or are looking for something healthy, let me know and I'll add it to my mission.

In my next email, you will learn about my secret tool for dealing with sugar cravings, stress, and any other mental challenge life throws my way...don't miss it!

Why do I share this stuff? Because I am a health promoter and I want you to live a long and healthy life! 

Primal Nutrition

Here is a piece of food for thought on nutrition. On Saturday, I went to a lecture presented by Nora Gedgaudas, author of the book, Primal Body, Primal Mind.  Wow! I learned a lot. It took a while to condense 8 hours of information, but here goes... According to Dr. Mark Steinberg, PhD, clinical neuropshychologist and author of ADD: The 20 Hour Solution, Nora's book is a nutritional treasure map leading to optimal wellness, the way nature intended. She provides guidelines for shopping and eating in ways that will eliminate a host of physiological and mental disorders. She began by taking a look at where our dietary requirements originated. Our bodies are 99% genetically similar to those of people from the Paleolithic Era, thousands of years ago. We were designed to be omnivorous, to eat meat, and burn on ketosis. In other words, we need to consume protein and fat...but in today's society, especially as recommended by the US RDA, we consume mostly carbohydrates and way too much sugar! Blood sugar surges are enormously destabilizing! There is nothing more stabilizing to the brain than dietary fat (which is even-burning like putting a large log on a fire) and nothing more de-stabilizing than carbohydrates (which is like putting kindling on a fire and requires constant feeding). Are you hungry all the time? So many people, myself included, scrutinize labels for fat content yet this is not the culprit. We need lipids to synthesize hormones, cell membranes and for other body functions such as nervous system stability. It is critical to brain formation of infants and children, teens, making up almost 80% of the brain's content. Did anyone ever call you a fathead? That's a compliment, sweetie, LOL! You can't have a healthy brain w/o cholesterol. The foods we crave the most are probably causing us the most problems.  She especially emphasized the issue of gluten sensitivity (wheat, semolina, graham, barley, rye, and even in processed oats and many other processed foods). Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease is on the rise up to 400% and go largely undiagnosed,with only about 1% of the population currently identified. Problem is lab testing is quite unreliable. She did, however give us the website of a lab that has reliable results. www.cyrexlabs.com It boils down to this... The best psychological training and counseling, even the best pharmaceuticals (and nobody has a deficiency of Lipitor or Prozac, folks!) will not put a nutrient in your body or brain, WE NEED RAW MATERIALS TO FUNCTION!!! It's no fun being a prisoner in your own nervous system...nutritional deficiencies have been shown to cause numerous issues with cognitive and nervous system function! In fact, most hormonal and glandular issues such as adrenal fatigue and low thyroid have roots in faulty signals and rhythms from the brain, which tells the factory what to do. This is a major shift in thinking folks, but I'm here to tell you there is another way to approach disease...from a holistic perspective! Ok, this is long enough, I must respect your time and attention...so here is a link to Nora's website...www.primalbody-primalmind.com Her background is very similar to mine, her father was a radiologist (I was a CT/MRI tech turned health educator), she studied nutrition, and finally became a neurofeedback practicioner after she found healing which resulted from her own neurofeedback training. I'm not the only one!  I even have her book for sale on my website www.edgeneurofitness.com/suggested-reading I'll conclude with this quote: Emerging findings suggest that dietary factors play major roles in determining whether the brain ages successfully or experiences a neurodegenerative disease. -Mark P. Mattison, Ph.D., "Gene-Diet Interactions in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders," Annals of Internal Medicine, 2003 I'm in the process of compiling a list of supplements to promote good brain health and function, having consulted with Nora, Dr. Michael Murray, and Dr. Daniel Amen. I invite you to send me a reply and let me know if you are interested in this information or have any questions. And don't forget to check in to http://www.facebook.com/OrganicProduceGals for the latest organic nutrition info and http://www.facebook.com/EdgeNeuroFitness for articles on brain health!

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day! For days I've been trying to draft the perfect healthy Valentine...but struggling! Like what is healthy about a big sugar rush? Rather than depressing you all with yet another study linking what we eat to how we think and feel, I took another approach... YES! I found it possible to be healthy and enjoy a Valentine treat or two! Check out this article on NUTRITIOUS FOODS OF LOVE!!!  Strawberries, dark chocolate, seafood, carrots, pineapple, and almonds may get you into the mood for love!     Here's a photo I pulled out of the archives, does anyone remember seeing this?  It's Organic Produce Gal's version of a healthy Valentine platter:)   More food for thought...  According to Discovery Health, the aphrodisiac qualities of exercise are associated with the endorphins that are released in the brain with vigorous activity -- like the runner's high.  Now here's some good news... (taken from his official press release!) Today, Valentine's Day, marked the official release of Dr. Daniel Amen's new book                  Use Your Brain to Change Your Age Secrets to Look, Feel, and Think Younger Every Day Dr. Amen's breakthrough, easy-to-follow anti-aging program shows you how to: ∙ Boost your memory, mood, attention and energy ∙ Decrease your risk for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia ∙ Eat to live long ∙ Reduce the outward signs of aging and make your skin more beautiful ∙ Promote the healing of brain damage due to injury, strokes, substance abuse, and   toxic exposure ∙ Make better, healthier decisions ∙ Dramatically increase your chances of living longer and looking younger And much more. By adopting the brain healthy strategies detailed in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, you can outsmart your genes, put the brakes on aging, and even reverse the aging process. If you change your brain, you can change your life-and your age. I ordered my copy today, click here to get yours at half off the cover price! That was MY VALENTINE, I will share with you, because I LOVE to share about health and fitness...                     HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Finding Joy

Just wanted to share two things with you today...

Been out of touch since I got involved with this awesome project, sharing brain fitness with celebrities and the media at the DPA Gifting Suite for the Golden Globes!

Here's a little glimpse of what we did as seen on the NBC News in LA
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/#!/entertainment/television/Stars-Swag-Bags-and-Goodies/137282968

As you know, I am a health educator on a mission to share wellness and that's what I did!
But it's not about me, it's about YOU!

Here's a little something I found on Facebook this morning...
A short 3 minute clip worth the viewing time to share some joy...
www.findingjoymovie.com


We could all use a little joy each day
It's good for your health!

Stay tuned, I have some important news to share about nutrition coming up...

Getting Our Influence Into Perspective

Thanks for hanging in there with my series, 5 

Keys to getting Your Life in Perspective. 

We have 

covered a lot of ground!

Now for the final episode: Part 2 of Key#5: Getting Our Influences Into Perspective

Are you a FOUNTAIN or a DRAIN?

I love this message from my favorite book, Phil. 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

This looks like a PROMISE! Think about good stuff, put it into practice, and peace will come.

Sign me up!!!

Real quick, here are just a few things we can do to put it into practice, or be a positive INFLUENCE on society:

• Share your gifts and talents with others by volunteering, teaching, or coaching.
• Choose to share your mistakes and lessons learned. I heard a lot of this at AA meetings and it encouraged me tremendously!
• Vote and support your favorite political candidates.
• Conserve and recycle to protect/influence the environment.
• Here's one I say to my kids, "Stay out of trouble!" Like, don't get into it and don't go looking for it!

Just do 100% of your part, having the peace of mind knowing you did what you could!

That, too, is empowering opposed to, "What if?" Yes, sometimes, maybe often, things don't work out, but rest assured, you CAN exercise control of your part and that is really all any of us can or is expected to do.

I bet you can think of things to add to this list, I'd love to hear from you!

To get life in perspective, I can control my:

1. Time
2. Finances
3. Health
4. Myself
5. Input/influence

Is it possible I left something off my list of 5 Keys To Getting Your Life In Perspective?

Well keeping these 5 plates in the air has been quite enough to juggle! Maintaining their balance is a full time effort, yet the rewards are great. Really, if you have anything to add, I'd love to hear from you. If you missed any of these key messages they can be found on my blog http://edgeneurofitness.blogspot.com/ 

Geting Your Input Into Perspective

Recall that old adage, "Garbage in, garbage out" or "GIGO." Likewise, program good things, and good will come. Whatever goes IN to us, physically, mentally, and spiritually, has an EFFECT on us one way or another. For years, as The Organic Produce Gal I looked at food and asked folks, "Do you want to BLESS or STRESS your body?" It's not just food, but everything that goes in through the eyes (watching), ears (listening), mouth and even the nose has an influence on us. All of our senses take in and absorb. What we take in will either BLESS (fortify and strengthen)...or STRESS, forcing us to compensate for something negative. Very little input is neutral, especially if it involves time and energy, which are valuable resources!

So, do you want to be blessed or stressed?

What will you put in, take in, or allow yourself to absorb, albeit purposefully or even passively? What you put or allow in affects you! This is just a challenge to think about it.

I did...and it really helped me to get life into perspective! Oh there will still be tough days...but that is when we need to go back and look at what is pouring in to our lives...AND what is coming out! Input and influence, hmmm...

Whether we see it, or like it, or not, what we do and say has an influence on others (even though it may not seem like it when it comes to parenting!). It all comes back to the control thing...

We can control what comes in and we can control what we put out. We cannot control other people but we CAN do our own part to be a POSITIVE INFLUENCE! That is empowering;)

The late Jim Rohn said it so eloquently, "You can be a FOUNTAIN or a DRAIN"

Getting Ourselves In Perspective

Thanks again, for tuning in to my series, 5 Keys to getting Your Life in Perspective!  

 

Last week I shared how I took charge of my health. The next step was to get my emotions and feelings in check...because as we know,

 "attitude determines our altitude!" 

How did I get control over my emotions and feelings? 

It wasn't just one thing I had to learn...It's tough duty to get life in perspective! As I began to gain control over my time, finances, and health it became evident this would require a lot of self-control!

While on one hand we know what to do, on the other is the discipline to take action and establish new habits! Once again, we cannot or should not try to control other people, but we CAN become empowered by exercising control over our own selves, our feelings, and emotions.

  

Have you ever felt overwhelmed, hopeless, desperate, or frustrated?

That was me! Here's how I got it together and keep it together on a daily basis...

I got a grip on MYSELF!

After reading this quote in my favorite book: 

1 Thes. 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances

During this troubling transitional time of life, I thought, "Where is the joy in this? No way am I feeling thankful!" Uh oh. Once again, let's reiterate, 'If attitude was to determine my altitude, I was going down!' The answer? Look up! Each morning I sat down with a blank journal and forced myself to write any and every little thing that was positive and to be thankful for. It could be any seemingly insignificant thing that brightened my day or brought a smile. I MADE IT SIGNIFICANT. Over time, my focus began to change from negative to positive as I searched for everything good in my life for which to be grateful. Filling my journal and heart with gratefulness began to crowd out any longing, emptiness, loss, or painful feelings. I found control over my emotions and feelings by looking in a new direction! You see, thoughts and feelings lead to emotions. These factors determine the direction of our actions. When you want to get somewhere, you look for and follow directions, right? Look...Follow...Go!

After months of feeling so "stuck", suddenly I was moving FORWARD, amen!

I gained control because I was finding and following new emotions and feelings, whew! What a relief! You can do it, too!

What started as emotional control blossomed into DISCIPLINE with my attitude, habits, time and other areas of life. Doing 100% of my part and leaving the rest to everyone else in covering THEIR part was positively LIBERATING! Get it? I found freedom!

I also took a look at self-control on the outside... as in how I presented myself outwardly in appearance and communication. This becomes real important on a job search! The manner in which we present ourselves personally, in speech, writing, and even internet dialog affects our appearance to the public as well as our own self-esteem. Ah, progress!

Although making forward progress, the rollercoaster of good days and bad days still took me for a ride until I began to consider two things:

INPUT AND INFLUENCE...