Just Good Energy

The Right Combination

Rebekah — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:44:42 +0000

To understand the proper combining of foods, it is important to understand digestion. Food breakdown begins in the mouth with our saliva, which is why it is so important to chew our food, including juices, well.

Different types of digestive juices designed to digest specific foods exist in the stomach. Included with these digestive juices are your main digestive enzymes: amylase, for digesting carbohydrates; lipase, for digesting fat and protease, for digesting proteins. Some digestive juices are acidic, such as bile, and aid in breaking down acidic food like meat, dairy, nuts and legumes. Other digestive juices are more alkaline, for breaking down fruits, vegetables and grains. (more…)

What is the Healthiest Compliment to Breast Milk?

Rebekah — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:54:35 +0000

Every nursing mom worries about their baby getting enough to eat. Do I have enough milk supply? Are they gaining enough weight? Are they hungry or satisfied? My son is 4 months old, is growing like a bean stock, and is very healthy. We count our blessings every day, but I still have those worries as all mothers do that he is getting enough of what he needs to develop optimally. The constant challenge is that he has an insatiable appetite and there are times when he gets frustrated because I am not producing milk around the clock. I decided it would be smart to have an alternative to my milk for emergencies, if my husband was watching him, or if I wasn’t able to pump enough milk. I rarely have a chance to pump because he cleans me out every 1-2 hours… (more…)

With Weight Loss, Timing is Everything

Rebekah — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:55:06 +0000

Food seems to have an extra special appeal to Americans when it is late at night. Usually the heavier and greasier the better. Whether we are participating in late-night indulgences to release stress, stay awake, socialize, or enhance our mood, this practice is dangerous in more ways than one. Eating late not only causes havoc on the digestive tract, but it also adds extra pounds, internal stress and emotional instability.

Many have faced that dilemma at one time or another that regardless of what we eat, we seem to keep retaining the extra weight, especially around the mid-section. What and how much you eat, and how active you are from week to week are three primary factors in losing the pounds… (more…)

Maintaining a Healthy Belly

Rebekah — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:22:03 +0000

The stomach is the key to our entire body’s health. If you think about it, almost everything we consume is received, processed and distributed from the stomach. This is where the essential probiotics, commonly known as acidophilus, come in. Probiotics are the friendly flora, or bacteria, that support the normal colon ecology for digestion, absorption, elimination, and prevention of yeasts, bacteria and parasites. Simply put, they are the soldiers which keep our stomach, intestines and colon clean and happy.

Unfortunately, we are constantly surrounded by toxins and stresses, both internally and externally, which can wreak havoc on our bodies. The good bacteria in our GI tract… (more…)

Balance Stress Naturally

Rebekah — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:45:24 +0000

We have had great experience with StressCare by Himalaya and have been impressed with its effectiveness. StressCare is a unique complex of Ayurvedic Herbs with strong adaptogenic actions that help cope with life’s daily stress. Ayurveda is translated as the “knowledge of life”. The central theory of Ayurvedic medicine is based in India and claims that health exists when there is a synergistic balance within the body. Specifically, they believe in three fundamental systems in the body known as Vata (nervous system), Pitta (digestion/metabolism) and Kapha (fluids/lubrication/arterial system).

Adaptogenic herbs work with your body to find the necessary healing and balance…. (more…)

The Superhero Diet

Rebekah — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:35:01 +0000

We all know by now, I hope, that in order to achieve the ideal acid/alkaline balance, at least 50% of our daily diet should consist of plant based vegetables and fruits. That is the ideal superhero diet, but most are probably lucky to get that percentage up to 20% per day. There is a crucial daily substitute that can help you get to that 50% per day goal with one single Super Food blend. Super Food blends typically are whole food products that combine a multitude of green grasses (wheat, barley, alfalfa and oat grasses), vegetables (sea and spirulina), fruits (high anti-oxidant red, yellow, purple and orange fruits), vitamins, proteins, minerals, and various herbs, all which… (more…)

High Energy Meal Planning for the Busy Work Week

Rebekah — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:55:26 +0000

The most important thing in all of our lives is our health. You can have a great family, great job, material wealth, and even what appears to be good looks on the outside, but if you don’t feel good and energetic from the inside, you will never be able to truly enjoy the fruits of your labor. The fast paced world and the polluted environment of today are wreaking havoc on our bodies and minds, and there is never a better time than now to educate and empower yourself to be the gatekeeper to your health. (more…)

The Importance of Probiotics

Rebekah — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:30:38 +0000

The Chinese believe that the stomach is the key to our entire body’s health. If you think about it, almost everything we consume is received, processed and distributed from the stomach. This is where the essential probiotics, commonly known as acidophilus, come in. Probiotics are the friendly flora, or bacteria, that support the normal colon ecology for digestion, absorption, elimination, and prevention of yeasts, bacteria and parasites. Simply put, they are the soldiers which keep our stomach, intestines and colon clean and happy. (more…)

Healthy Holiday Ingredients

Rebekah — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:30:53 +0000

There is something to be said about eating seasonal foods. In every season, nature provides us with nutrient-rich foods and spices that can be very healing and healthful. When we think of Christmas dinners and holiday meals, we automatically picture heavy, fattening foods that make us feel guilty. Let’s explore some of the autumn ingredients in many common holiday meals that are actually healthy, taste amazing and can even be healing. At the end, I have provided you with a couple of family favorite recipes using some of the nutrient-rich ingredients.

Cranberries: Cranberry is good for the entire urinary tract, high in antioxidants, and has more direct health benefits than taking vitamin C or antioxidant in a pill form. (more…)

‘Tis the Season to be Heart Healthy

Rebekah — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:59:53 +0000

Heart Healthy means stress-free. The month of December should not only be focused on friends and family, but ideally on your health. The challenge is to make December a relaxed recovery from a long and busy year, and to use it as a launching pad instead of a set back so that you go purring into ‘08. One of the most overlooked parts of our body during the holidays is our heart. The typical excess of stress and richness in diet during the holidays takes an unnecessary toll on the body, especially the heart, which combine holistically to create wear and tear. Translation: unneeded aging and potential physical break down. I know that stress, chaos and overeating are just as common… (more…)