Sunday, February 8, 2009

The modern day lifestyle. Is this why we are so sick?

I think that unless you live in a cave you already know the answer. In fact if you lived in a cave you most likely would be much safer then you are now. Instead of editorializing I believe that I can get the point across more effectively if I just state the facts and compare the prehistoric lifestyle to the modern day lifestyle of the 21st century.

The most important thing to remember is that 10,000 years ago the human race live as hunter- gathers and in later times we lived as farmers. Now we live as people that live off of farmers. What does all of this mean? It means the following:

1. Energy expenditure: Most people would call this exercise but it is actually a much deeper level then that. In Prehistoric times Homo Sapiens walked 12 -14 hours a day. Yes you read that right! Hours not miles. We did this without shoes and without a hard paved surface. As farmers we settled down but still worked very hard in the fields and did most of the work by hand, Even when the farm got automated it was still a very physical lifestyle. Now we are lucky if we Get in 30-45 mins. three days a week and most of us don't even get that much.

2. Exposure to sunlight and magnetic fields: We do not get the proper exposure. When we do get some sun we cover our skin with chemicalized sunscreens. There are 5 chemicals that are popular in sunscreen that are known carthagens. In counties where sunscreen is not used the incidence of skin cancer is much lower! The Earth actually had a natural magnetic field that is 10 times stronger then that of today. There are two reasons for this. The 1st is the amount of conducting elements taken out of the ground such as Copper and Zinc actually affected the strength of the earths magnetic field and second, the presence of strange magnetic fields such as that from radio. TV and cell phones. Many experts believe that this magnetic field is crucial to our survival.

3. Stress: Still an often overlooked one. stress back then was much simpler. It was either eat or get eaten. The stress we have today is of a different nature. When we were farmers that began to change drastically but it still paled in comparison to that of today, I don't think we ever had a caveman worry about his checking overdraft fees!

4. Our drinking water: The drinking water in this country is heavily treated with Chlorine and Florine. These chemicals absolutely will harm you. Fluoride in its pure form will eat thru a glass container. Chlorine will damage your arteries leading to heart disease. The link was found back in 1953 but kept from the American public!

5. Smoking: Unknown in prehistoric times early man ran away from smoke. Now many people run toward it! Back in the day of the farmer smoking was an occasional indulgence with pipe cigar or hand rolled cigarette and the tobacco was organic and free of food additives and chemical pesticides. Then around 1916 two inventions, one the pre-rolled cigarette and two, the lighter. Splendid combination!

6. Food:This is much to large and complex of an subject to talk about here. Suffice to say if you could not eat it one-hundred years ago, don't eat it. Also the way it is preserved has drastically changed from fermenting and salting to refrigeration. Oh, by the way it was estimated that prehistoric man eat between 200 -300 hundred grams of fiber a day. Our fruits and vegetables were still wild and natural. We Americans now get about 10 -15 gms! A tip. The closest thing you can still find to a prehistoric vegetable : Dinosaur Kale.

7. Electromagnetic stress: This is an easy one prehistoric man and early farmers had none. we do! From TV, radio, power lines, microwaves, cell phones and now digital and signals designed for high definition TV.

8. Environmental Toxins: This is another very broad topic. Toxins are found everywhere. and in greater number. Some fruits and vegetables for instance have has many as 12 chemical pesticides! Here in order are the ten worse:

1.Peaches 2.Apples 3.Sweet Peppers 4 Celery 5.Nectarines 6.Strawberries 7.Cherries 8.Lettuce 9.Grapes 10.Pears

Why did I include pesticides in this category? Because run-off from these chemicals poison our ground water. Pharmaceutical medications have also been found in our water supply. Vapor trails from airplanes are another source for environmental toxins as residue of these chemicals have been found in human breast milk!!

I could go on but I think that everybody out there gets the point. We are not living a lifestyle that is anywhere near as healthy that it should be. I am not saying that we should go back to what we were ten-thousand years ago. That would not be possible anyway but, there is a great deal that we can do to protect ourselves as much of these health risks are totally preventable. Know what is going on. Read and keep yourselves informed as to what you can do.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Year, Same Old Challenges

First of all I would like to wish a happy and productive 2009 to everybody. Why is it that so many of us feel that we go through life just spinning our wheels never getting anywhere? Maybe because we are! Every year around this time we make resolutions only to fail at them by the middle of March and our desire to live a healther lifestyle is usually our first victim. (That exercise bike makes an expensive clothes rack doesn't it?) It seems that the simplest goals in our lives are the ones that have the most positive benefits and the hardest to keep.

In order to have some success at reaching these goals we have to keep some things in mind. Everybody has challenges. Defeating these challenges takes an on going effort year after year. The trouble is that we get complacent and we let are guard down. Another is that we turn to are past self-defeating patterns of behavior in times of anguish or stress. We decide at that particular moment that it is just not worth the effort and we give up. Still another reason is that we get excited and take on too much at one time and feel overwhelmed. Here are some suggestions on how to live a healthier 2009.

Start off small. Change behavior a couple of steps at a time. When you feel comfortable picking up new habits start on a few more. Remember that achieving your goals is not a sprint, it is more like a marathon! First start with your diet. I would recommend the following. to start. Always eat a high protein breakfast. This will raise your metabolism and give you long term energy. Eat mini meals every 3-4 hours using salad plates to keep portion sizes under control. Stay away from finger foods because they are too easy to over eat and limit your intake of fast food or don't eat it at all. Drink plenty of purified water 3-4 quarts a day is sufficient. I know that these things can be hard to do sometimes. Just do the best that you can.

Second, Get more exercise. Start with simple things like parking your car at the far end of the lot. How about using the stairs. rather then the elevator. Another good thing to do is to not use your car at all a short distance from your house. Resistance training is a great way to fire up your metabolism. 2-3 times a week is good and no more then about 30-45 Minutes at a time. Keep it short and keep it intense.

You might be saying to yourself these ideas are not new. You are right. they are not but most likely you are not doing them anyway. I believe the most important thing to keep in mind is that people should not look at these habits as being special. You must internalize them into your lifestyle. In order to be sucessful you must work at these habits as a life long goal. You are trying to correct habits that are ingrained in you and that is not achievable overnight.

I hope that I have given you something to think about. Good luck and may you be sucessful.

Don (reddog63)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Two products for better health

I would like to share with you a couple of products that I use as part of my attempt at living a healthier life style, Apple Cider vinegar and Coconut Oil.

Since ancient times Apple Cider vinegar has been used to promote good health. The use of this marvelous product was even promoted by Hippocrates in ancient Greece. Among the many benefits attributed to this product are improved digestion which is useful for Acid Reflux Disease and a reduction in insulin resistance making this product useful for Diabetes as well.

It is important that the Apple cider vinegar that you buy is organic. unfiltered and raw. Conventional vinegar is heat pasteurized and filtered which destroys all of the microorganisms that give this great product its health benefits in the first place. It is easy to tell if it is raw. There will be a turbidity to it. Just shake it and use it on salads or where ever you would use vinegar. It is as delicious as it is healthy but be careful. it is strong! I make a drink out of it. I take a glass of water and put in a couple of tablespoons and sweeten it with a two or three packs of Stevia. It is delicious and refreshing.

The other product that I would like share with you is Coconut Oil. This oil is a saturated fat (Don't let that scare you) that is a great source of an omega 9 fat called Lauric Acid. ( I bet you didn't know there was an omega 9, did you?) Omega 9 fatty acids are important to health just like omega 6 but most people are not aware that they exist since they are rarely talked about. Some people claim that this fatty acid is even useful in weight loss! I personally do not know if it is, but I do know that it is delicious with a fresh, fruity flavor and is a recommended oil for sauteing. Just like the Apple cider vinegar it should be unrefined and organic.

There you have it. Two products that I use to promote better health. I encourage you to do your own research and find if these great products are right for you.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Hello to everybody!

My name is Don Reding and this is my new blog devoted to health issues. I have had many health issues due to my having Type 2 Diabetes. So I know that taking care of one's self can be a challenge. I am creating a forum for anybody that is concerned with their health.

Please feel free to send me your comments and concerns. Until then, Peace and Happy Holidays!

Sincerely, Don Reding