10 Hacks For a Slimmer, Merrier Holiday

1.     Choose your treat before the feast.

Decide which type of treat you want to indulge in before each festivity. Choose breads or desserts, for example, but not both. For most people the starch in bread metabolizes like cake, so choosing one or the other prevents a double helping of sugar.

2.     Load up on the healthy stuff when you first arrive at a party. Take the edge off your appetite with the crudité, vegetable dips, olives and other low calorie snacks. Cheese and nuts, although healthy, quickly pile on calories.

3.     Volunteer to bring a dessert and make it sugar-free by using stevia or xylitol. That way you can enjoy a good helping of something sweet without blowing your diet. And you may be surprised how many people enjoy your dessert and ask for the recipe. Here are some recipes made with stevia. http://www.yummly.com/recipes/stevia-desserts  Another sugar-free suggestion is to serve berries with whipped cream sweetened with Stevia instead of the usual pies or cakes. You can use some English Toffee Stevia to give the cream a more Holiday feel. Sweetleaf carries a dozen flavors of liquid stevia and has many recipes to try.

4.     Try using coconut flour or nut flours instead of wheat for your holiday baking. These grain-free substitutes are higher in protein and lower in carbs. And you may start a new Holiday tradition. Here are other suggestions for making healthier cookies. http://www.cbsnews.com/media/healthier-holiday-cookies/

5.     Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have. Pace yourself, set your drink down, switch to a bubbly water with lemon. Alcohol metabolizes like sugar, and it is toxic for the liver. A clear head and engaged mind makes you a more interesting party guest!  Milk Thistle before and after indulging will help you avoid a hang-over. We have the best in our Livco from MediHerb.

6.     Avoid chocolate when you are enjoying other rich, fatty foods. Chocolate is particularly difficult for the liver/gall bladder to process. If you suffer from any kind of migraines or headaches, try eliminating chocolate and see if the headaches subside. Even the best dark chocolate may cause headaches for some people. Chocolate may be particularly aggravating right before the menstrual period. Try taking extra magnesium at that time.

7.     Get family and friends active with games and walks and activities that keep people away from too much food or alcohol. Americans gain an average of 7 pounds at Christmas and many don’t lose it throughout the year.

8.     Don’t skip meals just because you are busy. Plan ahead so that you keep your blood sugar stable by including protein and fat in every meal and eating every few hours. Decide that you don’t have to sample every cookie that is offered or indulge in the treats around the office. Keep a supply of fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks around so that you aren’t starving when the parties start. You can also make pots of soup to enjoy for a filling treat to take to the office or enjoy when you come home tired.

9.     Indulge yourself in other ways than goodies and food treats during the Holidays. Get a massage. Ask for one for a gift or treat yourself. Enjoy herbal teas. Try Slippery Elm tea to soothe the tummy and Licorice tea to support the adrenals. Indulge your senses with essential oils. Peppermint essential oil is a wonderful pick-me-up in the morning or before a night out. Eucalyptus essential oil eases breathing and congestion. Lavender is a classic for relaxation and sleep. Essential oils can be used simply by putting a few drops on a hanky and breathing the scent. Children love them. You can also mix a few drops with a carrier oil like coconut and rubbing on temples or chest.

10. On the days between celebrations eat a simple diet with lots of salad, protein of choice, and dressings of good oil and lemon or vinegar. Give your digestion and your pancreas a break and stick to a Paleo regime.  Look at your calendar ahead of time and decide which days you will stick to a healthy plan. Write it down so you don’t forget.

Don't forget your supplements during the Holidays, especially if you are traveling. We can mail to you if you don't have time to come to the office. If you are stressed, try our wonderful herbal line that is sure to calm and soothe in just a few minutes. Enjoy this Holiday Season, with all its blessings.

True Stress Relief With Herbal Medicine

Plant medicine is the oldest form of medicine on the planet. Over thousands of years, herbalists have identified the key benefits of various plants, long before they knew why they worked. Thousands of years of research have demonstrated the fact that plants have amazing medicinal ingredients.

Today we know what those ingredients are, and why correct preparation pulls out the active constituents. With modern tableting technology these powerful medicines are readily available. The important thing about herbal medicines is to choose companies that understand how to prepare them. Without regulation, your money will be well spent with companies you can trust.

Here are some other ways that herbal medicine can help you. With the Holidays on us in full stride, stress may be a part of the preparations for the merry making.

If you are experiencing stress and anxiety, herbal medicine offers some of the fastest relief. Licorice, Rehmannia, and Ashwaganda, Rhodiola, Schisandra and Kava are all herbal remedies that can handle stress quickly. Some of my herbal preparations can knock out those frazzled feelings in just a few minutes. Think nutritional medicine for long term handling, and herbal medicine to calm things down when you need it right now, as well as supporting the body’s ability to adapt to stress.

For example, Schisandra with Rhodiola supports lung and adrenal gland function, boosts energy and stamina, helps to cleanse the liver, eases the effects of everyday stress, enhances memory and mental clarity, promotes vitality and stamina, supports physical endurance, maintains feelings of general well-being, supports and maintains the body as it ages. Nothing in the drug world can come close to this.

You may not believe how well these herbal complexes can work, whether it is a matter of stress on the job, physically over-doing it, or experiencing an emotional response. Your body does not know what kind of stress it is; only that it needs to go into high gear to deal with it.

This puts a strain on the systems that can lead to over-indulgence in drugs, alcohol, sugar, salty foods or comfort foods. These herbals remedies can help you curb emotional and stress eating, as well, which will ease the strain on your waistband over the Holidays! For further help with cravings, ask us how Gymnema can magically help you avoid sugar altogether.

Next time you are in, ask for a sample and see how you feel after taking a herbal supplement. Let us know about any medications you take, as that may determine which herbal remedy is right for you.

Enjoy a safer, saner, happier and healthier Holiday season by tapping into the healing power of Nature.

Anne Dunev, PhD, C.N., is a Naturopath/Nutritionist in Los Angeles. With 25 years of clinical experience her Functional Medicine approach has helped thousands of people recover their health by rebalancing hormones, and removing the barriers to the body healing itself.

What's In a Flu Shot?

Nobody wants the flu. But getting a flu shot is like eating last year’s Christmas dinner for this year’s Thanksgiving. The current flu vaccine was made months ago, long before anyone knows what kinds of flu viruses will hit this year. The vaccine manufacturers try to guess what kinds of flu we will have. Based on what? Crystal ball gazing? There is absolutely no scientific way to guess what flu virus will make the rounds. So, you are exposing yourself to a new set of flu viruses that you might never have been exposed to.

Then there are vaccine additives that are highly toxic to human bodies. Ethylene glycol (also known as anti-freeze), Formaldehyde (used on dead bodies as a preservative and a known carcinogen), Aluminum (documented to cause neurological disorders), Mercury (one of the most toxic substances for humans in minute amounts), just to name a few.

Many flu vaccines are grown on eggs, so watch out if you have an egg allergy. I just found out that I have an allergy to egg yolk, which was a big surprise. Ask me about our new food allergy testing.

For more on the documented side-effects of flu vaccine see here. http://vaccineimpact.com/

In fact, the flu vaccine is only considered to be 56% effective across all groups and only 9% effective in seniors over 65. That may explain why you hear such varying reports from people, with some saying that the vaccine works and others complaining they had the worst flu ever after the vaccine. And don’t forget that the most common side-effect is flu-like symptoms. Isn’t that just like getting the flu?

If you choose to skip the vaccine, boost your immune system naturally. Most of my patients tell me that their immune system is much stronger on their supplement program and they can escape the flu even when everyone around them is sick.  A personalized program is best.

Here are some general tips:

Vitamin D is part of a good defense. Take a high quality fish oil supplement. Make sure it contains Vitamins D and A, which is how Nature always packages Vitamin D. Remember that it is not the dose that counts with vitamins, but how much your body can assimilate.

One of the strongest defenses against flu virus is to get enough sleep and eat a healthy diet. Many offices have candy and pastries shared daily, and sugar will lower your immune system for hours after consumption. The white blood cells that patrol for pathogens become lethargic after sugar consumption. Excess coffee and alcohol will also dehydrate you and lower your immune system.

Poor digestion will make you more susceptible to flu or any disease. The stomach acid needs to be strong in order to help you absorb minerals. Minerals help to keep cells walls strong. Viruses are not alive. They need to invade through cell walls and use the cell’s own mechanism to create more viruses. Digestive enzymes that contain Betaine HCL improve stomach acid. Apple Cider Vinegar is an old remedy for increasing stomach acid, as well.

The intestine is where the immune system resides mainly, so Probiotics may help to keep your gut flora stronger. Eating processed foods like white flour and junk foods gunks up the system and creates an environment for candida and other unhelpful organisms to grow out of control and take over. This is like having your garden over-run with weeds. Doing a gut detox before colder weather sets in would be a perfect way to prepare yourself for a healthier winter.

Adrenals are key for the immune system. Those little glands over the kidneys are involved in your stress response, whether stress is physical or emotional. If you have any allergies or asthma, your adrenals need support.

There are several supplements you can take to keep yourself stronger. Immuplex can be taken like a multi-vitamin. Herbal supplements like Echinacea Premium and Astragalus have immune support and anti-aging properties, as well.

We are here to help you stay well, not just in the winter, but all year.  This is a perfect time to do a Detox program, so get 10% off Detox supplements before November 5. That will give you enough time for a Detox by Thanksgiving. Or do a 10 Day Blood Sugar Balance program to get a grip on sugar cravings. You will sleep better and have more energy.

Be well!

Good News About Cancer

I am not writing to tell you about a new drug breakthrough, but about a group of people who are gathering information to help people become informed about preventing and treating the underlying causes of cancer. 

If you consider cancer to be the enemy, then knowing the enemy is your best defense. Understanding helps to lessen fear. 

We all know that the medical establishment owns the territory of cancer treatment. Although there is success in getting tumors to shrink and sending cancer into remission, all too often the cancer reappears in another part of the body, more aggressively than ever. The cancer treatment itself, chemotherapy, is carcinogenic, surgery may spread cancer cells, and radiation damages healthy tissue, as well as burning the cancer. I once asked a Pathologist (doctor who performs autopsies) what is the most damaging toxin he sees when he examines bodies after death. He told me that it is absolutely chemotherapy because “it turns the organs to mush”.  I have never forgotten that conversation.

So, the answer to cancer must lie in a) preventing it and b) addressing and correcting the underlying internal environment of the body that allows the cancer to take hold and take over. The only way to really get rid of cancer is to harness the ability of the immune system to seek out and eradicate the root cancer cells, which are stem cells or parent cells. All cells develop from stem cells. Cancer cells develop from stem cells gone rogue.

 The stem cells go rogue when there is an overload or imbalance or assault in the immune system. Restoring the innate ability of the immune system to regulate the body health is what holistic medicine does, and that is why lifestyle, nutrition and your mental/spiritual strength are the real keys to prevention.

If you would like to tap into this group of people who are sharing cancer prevention and holistic medicine information, and watch some documentaries on the subject click here. https://go.thetruthaboutcancer.com/?ref=27c139e2-d430-4c10-b82d-af3c7ea0db45

Be prepared for some shocks, because much of what you have been taught will be challenged. I thought I knew a lot about the general subject and I was surprised by some of the information presented.

Know that whatever steps you are taking to eat healthy food, maintain an optimum weight, take the right supplements, avoid toxins, and get your body moving are all smart ways to avoid any degenerative disease. The truth is pretty simple. The body needs some basics, and it works well when those basics are provided.

The immune challenges, like virus, fungus, chemicals, heavy metals, parasites, nutritional deficiencies, and parasites that seem to wreak havoc in the system and turn on mutant stem cells, can all be addressed. That is the good news.

If you watch the video, let me know what you think. There are nine parts and each one covers a different aspect of preventing cancer, and improving the immune system. You will need to purchase the video to watch the whole series.

Cancer is such a scary subject that many people just want to bury their heads in the sand, thinking it is a death sentence. This video series will reassure you that is not the case. Yes, you may need to make some changes in your life to prevent or treat cancer. There are many steps you can take today to lower your risk dramatically. I will be blogging more about that in the future. Knowledge is power, so spread the word. We are here to help, so let us know what help you need to have a bullet-proof Immune system.