Making the transition to a healthy lifestyle is a significant accomplishment. It typically involves sweeping changes in our daily diet and level of a

Some people eat when they are under stress. Others are eaten by it. How can we use food to help us deal with stress better?
Our body’s ability to create the feeling of stress allows us to survive in condition that is less than optimal. If it were not for the adrenal gland’s production and emission of stress hormones, we would not be able to live through temperature changes, minor injuries, physical work, lack of sleep, skipping a meal, mental anguish and worry.
Problems arise when we are afflicted with stress for a prolonged period of time. The same hormones that assist us in times of need can harm our health if they reside in our bodies for longer than needed, or at too high a level. High blood pressure, an abundance of cholesterol in our blood, a rise in sugar levels, a lack of calcium in our bones, depletion of memory and immunity strength - these are only some of the side affects of long- term stress hormones.
An additional long term side effect has to do with the adrenal gland itself. Like every machine when it is overworked, the gland can also reach a state of exhaustion. Due to the fact that modern man is exposed to more long term stress than humanity has every known before, the adrenal gland is designed to support stress for a much shorter time span. The habits of our society require the gland to react to stress for months and years. It is no wonder that middle-aged people begin to experience general weariness.
A large number of people who suffer from stress simply walk around with a shriveled adrenal gland that is no longer able to produce sufficient hormone levels. The fatigue is usually accompanied by a feeling of tension, an increased sensitivity to allergies, and a general difficulty in performing various physical functions. The general ability to function for the fatigued person is reduced to a minimum, and even if they wish to work, travel, meet people, or exercise - their body no longer allows it.
The human body has a great capacity for endurance and can deal with many physical demands on a daily basis. Some people reach a breaking point, as if their body is saying: “Enough! I cannot do it anymore. I have done the best I could over X amount of years, I have no resources for energy left, I am giving up”.
The good news is, it is possible to give the adrenal glands nutritional support that will protect it from depletion, and allow us to function for many years with our desired quality of life. Here are some suggestions that will support the adrenal glands:
1. It is important to engage in aerobic exercise within the first hour of waking. This should last at least 20 minutes, and you must break a sweat. This releases Serotonin, which is responsible for calm. After exercising it is recommended to drink a glass of fresh squeezed seasonal fruit juice. Two hours later it is good to have a mix of nuts, peeled nuts (not roasted), and dried fruit without sulfate.
2. Drink plenty of clean water throughout the day.
3. Potassium is one of the essential minerals needed for a healthy physical balance. During the body’s adjustment to stress over the course of time, potassium is released in urine due to the effect of the stress hormones. The body’s emptying of potassium is a sign of the system’s collapse in a state of exhaustion. Daily consumption of 3-5 grams of potassium is sufficient. You can reach this level of potassium consumption by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts.
4. You must avoid as much as possible the consumption of stimulants to the nervous system such as nicotine (cigarettes), and caffeine (coffee, tea, soda).
5. For people who live a busy life style or endure prolonged states of stress, it is recommended to take supplements regularly to assist with the adrenal gland: vitamin B complex, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium.
6. It is possible to enjoy various soothing herb concoctions such as chamomile, melissa, verbena, and linden. Valerian and passion fruit concoctions before bed time will help soothe and relax, and will allow for a more peaceful sleep, which can help in dealing with the next day.
7.Foods that have sufficient amount of potassium: dried apricot, dried figs, peanuts, beat leaves, soy beans, lima beans, grapefruit juice, potatoes, avocado, beat, mushrooms and squash.
Also:
Don’t forget to take a deep breath....Stop....See life as an onlooker...Wonder...
Ask: “Where are we running too and why?” Smile...Love...Be thankful...Move forward...

Making the Transition to Health

Making the transition to a healthy lifestyle is a significant accomplishment. It typically involves sweeping changes in our daily diet and level of activity. Often we have to overcome seemingly relentless cravings for a variety of food and drink that we know is harmful. We may need to train ourselves to watch less TV, reduce our “couch potato” time and (worst of all) get out of bed early to exercise.
Making the transition involves learning to attend to things we never paid attention to before. I now find myself reading every food product label. I ask waiters for the content of drinks, foods and sauces. I am learning the ill effects of over-processed foods, sugar, hydrogenated oils, etc…I’m changing the way I shop and where I eat out. I’m learning what is essential in my diet, and how my body responds to various amounts of proteins, carbs, fats, supplements, water, sun light, rest, etc…!
When I hear of someone successfully making the transition to healthier ways of being, I tend to become curious about why s/he went through all the effort. I also want to know what the benefits of the transition were.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Nira Schneider, a local consultant in vegan and raw food nutrition, and discovered an interesting story. Whether or not Nira’s transition mirrors in detail the healthy transition you might need to make, I think you will find it inspiring nonetheless. It’s obvious from what Nira has to say that the rewards of a healthy lifestyle go far beyond simply losing weight.

Healthy Times: Nira, what prompted your desire to change your lifestyle?

Nira: Initially, I just wanted to lose weight and thought that following a vegan diet might help. But suddenly - while I was in the program - I noticed that other symptoms society considers “normal” for a person my age, began to improve dramatically. Symptoms like: fatigue, back pain, muscle cramps, stiffness, pre-menstrual symptoms, dry skin, allergies, and gum disease.

I also started feeling more relaxed. I began to take things “in-stride” that previously gave me a lot of anxiety. The quality of my sleep improved. I had much as much energy as I had when I was twenty years old. I began to feel such a deep desire to live a full and happy life.

Healthy Times: What did you do? What are the primary changes you made?

Nira: I followed a holistic program that includes exercise, meditation, techniques for developing positive thoughts, techniques to control food cravings and “social eating” and techniques for personal development.

My diet consists of whole grains, bean, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables and more. This may seem like not much food to choose from, but there are hundreds and thousands of gourmet recipes we can use. I find it easy to follow and rarely lack food choices no matter where I go.

80% of my diet is raw food and fresh juices. I don’t think this percentage is right for everyone, though. Others do better on less raw food. It varies from person to person. But it is very important for most people to increase raw food intake due to the enzymes that cannot be found in cooked foods.

Healthy Times: Where did you get the strength or discipline to stick with this program?

Nira: I found that the program itself gave me the power I needed to be consistent. I found myself wanting to stick with it because of how much better I felt. The strength to succeed comes as part of the process. This is a very important point for anyone contemplating getting started.

Healthy Times: What are the results of your efforts?

Nira: The results are so dramatic! First of all, all of the symptoms I mentioned either completely went away or reduced dramatically without the need of medication. That is a true miracle to me.
Spiritually, my awareness and sense of connection has increased incredibly. I have begun to ask myself questions such as “What is my purpose? Why am I here? Am I in the place I am supposed to be? Am I living in harmony with nature? Where does everything lead?” Searching for the answers to questions like these has added meaning and purpose to my life.
Three years after adopting this new lifestyle, I found myself, at the age of 51, leaving a job that I had spent many years at (which gave me a decent income) and becoming a student again. I have now achieved my Masters Degree in a topic that I love dearly.
I could never have done this without the new confidence in myself that came from the healthy lifestyle. I feel stronger and more capable than ever.
Today, I consider myself more at peace with my life and occupation, more aware of my true needs, more grounded, sensitive, open and thankful for what I have. And it gives me great joy to introduce people to this new way of life.

Healthy Times: What are your plans for the future?

Nira: I just moved into the Temecula Valley from San Diego. My plans are to continue coaching people who are health conscious and desire to live a higher quality, healthy and happy life.

Are You an Environment for Health or Disease

Disease is a natural by product of an unnatural and unhealthy lifestyle. These force the body into such a condition that it loses its ability to maintain a natural, healthy balance. Therefore, disease is a creation, not an accident. We do not acquire disease. We do not get germs or catch cold just because of external forces. We cannot “catch” a germ, a bacteria, yeast, or parasite – until after we have create the right circumstances and environment for its propagation. We must create the disease environment before we can have a disease.
We never see a any species of animal existing outside of its natural environment. Likewise, we will never see pathogenic bacteria, yeast, or parasites in a clean, healthy and balanced body. A wise lifestyle will strengthen our immune system and protect our body from disease causing factors
Here is some advice on how to build a strong immune system in order to protect our body against the development of disease:
• Add regular physical exercise to your routine. It helps to remove congestion and improves immune function.
• Avoid or decrease animal protein, dairy and eggs. They cause mucus, toxins and excess acids.
• Stay away from alcohol, coffee and smoking.
• Ingest whole, natural foods that contain enzymes, life force and vital nutrients like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts.
• Perhaps the most important thing is to develop a positive belief system that is supportive of your health and wellness. Your belief system has a hand to glove relationship with your immune system. Positive belief systems open the channels for creative healing energy to work. Start to believe in yourself - that you are the one that can keep your body strong and healthy. So take charge of it and keep well

The Wisdom of Fasting

There are many reasons to fast, and different methods, depending on one’s purpose. Fasting has been used throughout history to heal the body and to enhance spiritual awareness. The wisdom of fasting, obtained over the last 5,000 years, is largely unknown to mainstream society.

Fasting promotes healing through detoxification. It keeps practitioners free from major health crises, addictions (including to cooked food for aspiring live-foodists), stress and fatigue. Between fasts, a reasonable diet and moderate exercise are necessary. Periodic fasts facilitate a healthful lifestyle by enabling one to engage in physical activities and practices such as meditation more easily, and by increasing the desire for high quality food.
A pro-fasting clue provided by nature comes from animals who stop eating to regain health when they get sick. Humans do not follow suit largely due to an irrational fear of starving to death. Contrary to this misguided belief, it has been determined a person can safely consume only organic raw vegetable juice (known as a juice fast) for at least 100 days. In fact, this juice is so nutrient dense it has been debated whether its use is appropriate in a fast. During a fast the body is freed from the huge energy demands of digestion so it can utilize metabolism for cleansing and reparation. The latter is a process of detoxification known as autolysis, where dead cells and toxins are removed from the body through the eliminative organs (lungs, bowels, kidneys, liver and skin). The definition of a fast is met with juice consumption in that the nutrition provided does not require the release of digestive enzymes and autolysis occurs.
The signal to end a fast is the return of hunger and a clear tongue free of the white mucus that signifies toxicity. Fasts that do not continue until this point still provide benefit due to the rest given to the digestive system and the elimination of some toxins. Fasting should be accompanied by other activities that aid the body in detoxification such as mild exercise, skin brushing, tongue scraping, and enemas.

Addictions may be overcome more easily through fasting since “cellular memory craving” is eliminated when the associated toxins are cleared from the body. Another important physical benefit derived from fasting is weight loss. Lowered caloric intake is associated with longevity, whereas obesity is linked to many chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
The benefits of fasting are cumulative, so periodic fasts are advised. Some experts recommend that those who are able, especially those on a plant-based diet, fast four times a year for seven to ten days at three-month intervals. This period of time has proven safe for unsupervised fasts. Relative fasts, whereby one refrains from a toxic habit such as meat eating or sugar consumption, can be employed at repeated intervals to improve health over time. Those with medical problems, or who wish to engage in longer fasts, should obtain professional supervision so the process of detoxification can be monitored. There are also conditions for which fasting are not advisable, such as some cancers and neurologic diseases.
After the first few days of a fast, hunger dissipates. The appetite is freed from stimulation which, in turn, frees the mind to dwell on higher aspirations. Historically, this has included the object of a social protest. Fasting is a way to use the body to transcend the body. Empirical evidence suggests fasting leads to feelings of tranquility, well being and even bliss. Eventually the goal is to realize one’s true or divine identity, apart from the mind-body complex.
As the body is freed from toxins, the nadis or channels are cleared to allow an enhanced flow of energy via the chakras and auric field. Increasingly more prana, the universal energy, then connects to the pituitary and pineal glands of the endocrine system through the crown chakra. This facilitates the awakening of kundalini energy, located in the first chakra at the base of the spine. When this occurs the body becomes a superconductor of pranic energy, thus accomplishing the goal of the spiritual aspirant.
However, any type of fasting should be done under professional supervision, like a doctor, dietician, or nutritionist.

Take Control Of Your Weight

Many of us are experiencing the cycle of gaining and losing weight. Usually, our tendency is to blame the circumstances. Some of the excuses may be: “this is my body type”, “in my age it's very difficult”, “my schedule is very demanding” etc. However, we all have the ability to understand and to control the fluctuations in gaining and losing weight. With determination, patience and discipline we can control our weight. That will happen when we learn to choose food according to its full nutritional value.
Not all calories are alike. A fat calorie is not the same as calorie from protein or carbohydrate, either in the number of calories or in the way it is metabolized by the body. Fat has over twice as many calories as either protein or carbohydrate. In addition, the body easily converts dietary fat calories into fat. One hundred fat calories can be stored as body fat by expending only 2.5 calories, whereas the body must spend twenty-three calories - almost ten times as much - to convert one hundred calories of dietary protein or carbohydrate into body fat.
Only about 1 percent of dietary protein and carbohydrate end up as body fat, because the body would rather use them up right away than waste energy to store them. So, by keeping fat consumption low, the body would consume fewer calories, and also those calories would be less likely to be converted into body fat.
The body only needs about 4 to 6 percent of calories as fat to synthesize the essential fatty acids. Hence, a diet with 10 percent fat can provide more than enough fat without getting more than the body needs. It is the excessive amounts of fat and cholesterol in the diet that lead to excess weight, heart disease, and other illnesses.
The fat cells grow larger when one keeps overeating. The cells begin forming new fat cells and then the person gains weight. The size of the fat cells may decrease when restricting food intake for a while, but the number does not. That explains why it becomes harder to lose weight each time one goes through a diet cycle (losing weight and regaining it). When a person first loses weight by restricting the amount of food he eats, he loses both muscle and fat tissue. But when he gains weight back, he regains proportionately more fat than he lost.
Because of homeostasis, (the body's tendency for equilibrium) the body tries to maintain its weight even when the person goes on a calorie–restricted diet. As the body starts loosing weight, it tries to compensate on the supply side by increasing the appetite to make the person eat more calories and on the demand side by causing the metabolic rate to drop. When the metabolic rate is lowered, calories are burnt more slowly. Because of this, even when the person stays on a calorie – restricted diet, he may stop losing weight. Eventually, even if the person eats less the weight stays the same. Worse still, since repeated dieting leads to greater and greater lowering of the metabolic rate, when a person gets tired of feeling hungry and goes off the diet, he may gain back even more than he lost- even if he will eat the same amount of food as he did before starting the diet.
Being overweight is primarily due to how much fat the person eats. Most of the fat comes from animals. Foods from animals are very high in fat, cholesterol, and in saturated fat, very low in complex carbohydrate, and very low in fiber.
When the diet includes low fat, high fiber, complex carbohydrate, whole grains and vegetables something new happens. The metabolism stays the same or even increases, so the person burns off calories more quickly. The energy level increases. The person can eat the same amount of food or even more, yet consume fewer calories. In addition to having an increased metabolic rate, the person might feel full before consuming too many calories. This diet is high on fiber, which slows down the absorption of food, so the feeling of fullness stays longer than when eating small portions on a calorie restricted diet. And since these foods are high both in fiber and in complex carbohydrates, the blood sugar level remains more stable, helping to give a greater sense of equanimity and well – being.
Complex carbohydrates are starches in their natural unrefined form, such as potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat bread, vegetables and so on are low in calories, high in fiber, and they are bulky, so the person fills up before eating too much. Also they send a biochemical signal to the brain that the person had enough to eat. When you eat fat on the other hand, it is very easy to consume too many calories before you feel full.