by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
This topic is complex, important and requires much discussion. This will be the first of several installments on the topic. This material is in part excerpted from an article I wrote several years ago for Well Being Journal on the subject of Morgan Spurlock's movie Super Size Me.
A Precursor to Obesity
A groundbreaking study, reported in 2003 by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that between 1977 and 1996, portion sizes for key food groups grew markedly in the United States. This was not only found at fast food restaurants but also in homes and at conventional restaurants. In particular, portion sizes for salty and sugary foods, essentially "comfort foods", experienced the most dramatic portion size increases. For example, the USDA's recommended serving size for a cookie is half and ounce, while the average cook sold in restaurants was found to be 700% larger.
The by-products of our affluent American society, envied by many around the world, have a definite dark side - our obesity rates for starters. In a culture here more is better and disposable income is abundant, when it comes to eating we have developed a "more food, more conveniently and more often" attitude.
Certainly, no one forces us to eat more than our body needs, so what is driving this "hunger" for more? Over the last two decades, almost proportionally to the dramatic increase in food consumption and chronic disease diagnoses, the amount of stress in our society and on each of us individually has increased significantly. Stress the term medical researcher Hans Selye, MD, PhD, gave to the experience our bodies go through when we have to adjust or adapt to various changes in our environment, either externally or internally.
While many of us limit our thinking about stress to emotional states, many other factors can exert an equally detrimental effect on our bodies. When we do not get enough sleep or rest, work or exercise too much, neglect our nutritional needs, have an infection, have allergies, injuries or trauma, undergo dental or surgical procedures, have emotional upsets or deal with any aspect of reproductive function, our bodies must chemically and neurologically adapt in order to survive. Part of this adaption process relies heavily on the nutrition that is available for the kidney's adrenal glands to produce adaptive hormones. It is often this aspect of stress that can lead to overeating, and what's more, over eating the types of foods that cause unhealthy weight gain.
How it Works - the next installment.
With all good wishes,
G
© By NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Eat by Color
by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, Dc, PhD
Have you ever thought about what color the standard American diet is? If it has a color, it is probably pasty beige – including the most popular “vegetables”, which are iceberg lettuce and French fries!
For a vegetable or fruit to have nutritional benefit they need to provide phytonutrients, which means plant nutrients. The vivid colors indicate the presence of these desirable plant chemicals and also act as a “table of contents” for which phytonutrient is contained within the fruit or vegetable.
Here is a quick color guide to choosing your fruits and vegetables:
• Red = lots of lycopene an antioxidant = reduces cancer risk
• Orange = beta-carotene an antioxidant = supports immune function
• Yellow-Orange = vitamin C = detoxifies and inhibits tumor cell growth
• Green = folate and iron = builds healthy cells and genetic material
• Green-light = indoles, lutein = eliminates excess estrogen & carcinogens
• Green-white = allyl sulfides = destroys cancer cells, supports immune system
• Blue (fruits) = anthocyanins = destroy free radicals
• Red-purple (fruits) = reservatrol = plaque reducer, mineral chelator
• Brown (legumes, whole grains) = fiber = carcinogen remover
Eating a colorful diet with many fruits and vegetables is the way to insure you are getting all the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients your body needs to keep your machine running smoothly and support your immune system to protect against disease from invading organisms.
Think RAINBOW the next time you prepare your plate.
With all good wishes,
G
© by NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
Have you ever thought about what color the standard American diet is? If it has a color, it is probably pasty beige – including the most popular “vegetables”, which are iceberg lettuce and French fries!
For a vegetable or fruit to have nutritional benefit they need to provide phytonutrients, which means plant nutrients. The vivid colors indicate the presence of these desirable plant chemicals and also act as a “table of contents” for which phytonutrient is contained within the fruit or vegetable.
Here is a quick color guide to choosing your fruits and vegetables:
• Red = lots of lycopene an antioxidant = reduces cancer risk
• Orange = beta-carotene an antioxidant = supports immune function
• Yellow-Orange = vitamin C = detoxifies and inhibits tumor cell growth
• Green = folate and iron = builds healthy cells and genetic material
• Green-light = indoles, lutein = eliminates excess estrogen & carcinogens
• Green-white = allyl sulfides = destroys cancer cells, supports immune system
• Blue (fruits) = anthocyanins = destroy free radicals
• Red-purple (fruits) = reservatrol = plaque reducer, mineral chelator
• Brown (legumes, whole grains) = fiber = carcinogen remover
Eating a colorful diet with many fruits and vegetables is the way to insure you are getting all the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients your body needs to keep your machine running smoothly and support your immune system to protect against disease from invading organisms.
Think RAINBOW the next time you prepare your plate.
With all good wishes,
G
© by NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Heart of the Matter
by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
There are two books, "Heart and Soul" by Bruno Cortis, MD, and "The Heart's Code", by Paul Pearsall, PhD, which were among the first popular books to explore the subject of the function of the human heart from a perspective other than the heart being simply a pump which moves blood from one part of the body to another. While there is no question that the human heart is a muscular pump of sorts that moves our nutrient rich blood throughout our bodies, this function is just the physical aspect of the heart's function.
Paul Pearsall's book discusses the emotional function of the heart and its "L" energy. Dr. Pearsall beautifully describes and scientifically explains the impact and affect loving has on the heart which loves, as well as the affect that this love has on the recipient of heart's "L" energy. The human heart has its own independent electrical system (the Bundle of His - also known as the AV bundle or atrioventricular bundle) which appears to give the heart muscle an emotional life of its own.
The latest research on heart disease shows that the single greatest factor to whether or not an individual is likely to have a heart attack or die of heart disease is not the factors we might suspect or guess. Not high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high fat and sodium diets, Type A personality, anger or rage - all of which most of us would say is the perfect storm for heart disease and a heart attack.
Statically documented, the single most predictive factor of death by heart malfunction is -
HOPELESSNESS
Broken heartedness is when the "heart's desire" has been thwarted or eliminated and the heart is left without hope of fulfilling its desire. "Where there is life there is hope" - and without hope our dreams perish and our heart "breaks".
To understand that while exercise, a healthy diet, an ideal body weight and having a purpose in life are all part of being heart healthy - it now appears that the number one most important factor is to keep our hopes alive and not give up our dreams, for without them we lose our purpose and the joy for living.
A healthy heart is a HOPEFUL heart ~ When you smile, you cannot be sad or hopeless. Try it - think a horrible thought, the really smile and see if you can think that same thought wile you are smiling. When we smile we tell our heart and our brain that life is good and very worth living. As the saying goes, "be happy be healthy".
With all good wishes,
G
© by NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
There are two books, "Heart and Soul" by Bruno Cortis, MD, and "The Heart's Code", by Paul Pearsall, PhD, which were among the first popular books to explore the subject of the function of the human heart from a perspective other than the heart being simply a pump which moves blood from one part of the body to another. While there is no question that the human heart is a muscular pump of sorts that moves our nutrient rich blood throughout our bodies, this function is just the physical aspect of the heart's function.
Paul Pearsall's book discusses the emotional function of the heart and its "L" energy. Dr. Pearsall beautifully describes and scientifically explains the impact and affect loving has on the heart which loves, as well as the affect that this love has on the recipient of heart's "L" energy. The human heart has its own independent electrical system (the Bundle of His - also known as the AV bundle or atrioventricular bundle) which appears to give the heart muscle an emotional life of its own.
The latest research on heart disease shows that the single greatest factor to whether or not an individual is likely to have a heart attack or die of heart disease is not the factors we might suspect or guess. Not high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high fat and sodium diets, Type A personality, anger or rage - all of which most of us would say is the perfect storm for heart disease and a heart attack.
Statically documented, the single most predictive factor of death by heart malfunction is -
HOPELESSNESS
Broken heartedness is when the "heart's desire" has been thwarted or eliminated and the heart is left without hope of fulfilling its desire. "Where there is life there is hope" - and without hope our dreams perish and our heart "breaks".
To understand that while exercise, a healthy diet, an ideal body weight and having a purpose in life are all part of being heart healthy - it now appears that the number one most important factor is to keep our hopes alive and not give up our dreams, for without them we lose our purpose and the joy for living.
A healthy heart is a HOPEFUL heart ~ When you smile, you cannot be sad or hopeless. Try it - think a horrible thought, the really smile and see if you can think that same thought wile you are smiling. When we smile we tell our heart and our brain that life is good and very worth living. As the saying goes, "be happy be healthy".
With all good wishes,
G
© by NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sweet Mystery of Life ~ the Hormones
by Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
In 2005, an article appeared in the science journal Nature about scientists in both Switzerland and in the United States who similarily found that exposing people to the human hormone Oxytocin through intranasal administration, made them more trusting and more willing to bond with others. Oxytocin is a hormone released by both males and females during sexual intimacy.
"Oxytocin specifically affects an individual's willingness to accept social risks arising through interpersonal interactions," the scientists wrote in the Nature article.
This is not surprising given that Oxytocin has also been referred to as "the cuddle" hormone as it is stimulated with physical affection. It has also been shown to decrease with the memory of a negative emotion and increase again with touch.
In females, Oxytocin is stimulated during romance and intimacy and creates an emotional environment of trust which assists in creating a desire for conception. Apparently, nature has created an amazing process of bio-chemical brain response which sets the stage for and encourages procreation.
May-be falling in love is a series of biochemical reactions that create desire and trust? May-be love is just an illusion of a hormonal kind? Ah, sweet mystery of life ~
With all good wishes,
G
© By NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
In 2005, an article appeared in the science journal Nature about scientists in both Switzerland and in the United States who similarily found that exposing people to the human hormone Oxytocin through intranasal administration, made them more trusting and more willing to bond with others. Oxytocin is a hormone released by both males and females during sexual intimacy.
"Oxytocin specifically affects an individual's willingness to accept social risks arising through interpersonal interactions," the scientists wrote in the Nature article.
This is not surprising given that Oxytocin has also been referred to as "the cuddle" hormone as it is stimulated with physical affection. It has also been shown to decrease with the memory of a negative emotion and increase again with touch.
In females, Oxytocin is stimulated during romance and intimacy and creates an emotional environment of trust which assists in creating a desire for conception. Apparently, nature has created an amazing process of bio-chemical brain response which sets the stage for and encourages procreation.
May-be falling in love is a series of biochemical reactions that create desire and trust? May-be love is just an illusion of a hormonal kind? Ah, sweet mystery of life ~
With all good wishes,
G
© By NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
Monday, May 24, 2010
Our Mighty Muscles and Bones
By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD
We have explored how life begins; the nervous system; brain function; cranial nerves; digestive function; adrenal function and the immune system. This installment looks at the most glamorized, yet under appreciated part of our body – the muscles and bones.
The muscles get a lot of attention with regard to how they can make us look attractive and sexy to others. Our muscle tone communicates how healthy our body is – the strength of the muscles, the lack of water retention or fat in the muscles, how flexible we are, all indicate that we may well be a good reproductive partner and produce strong, healthy off spring. This is one of the functions we all can relate to, but certainly not the most important function.
Try to imagine what your life would be like if your muscle tissue could not form the shape of your body and allow you to physically move in the space you live in. Without locomotion thru muscle strength and movement, we would be a lump of humanity, not moving from the spot we found ourselves in.
Our bones are so amazing(apart from their distinctive and critical role as part of the immune system through bone marrow)in that they are the armature upon which our muscles are draped. They (the bones) allow us, with the cooperation of the muscles, to physically move, play, exercise, work, eat, sleep and achieve any and all mobility we experience throughout our day.
When we look at people stooped over with distorted posture and their musculature not functioning properly, we immediate associate this with either being ill or not being “vital”. Our posture is the number one thing people will notice about us, followed by how we are dressed. Our body language is expressed thru our bone/muscle function, our personality and how we view the world are all communicated in how we move through the space we inhabit.
Our muscles and bones not only share the work load in glucose and immune regulation, body heat production, fat metabolism, mineral storage and ability for “fight or flight” – self preservation, but they also communicate to the world what we think about ourselves, others and the world we live in through the expression of body movement and non-verbal communication. This can be the most attractive or freighting aspects about us – depending on how we express our movement and actions.
Keeping your muscles and bone strong thru exercise and a healthy diet is a wise move. Without them, we are literally “going no where” ~
We’ll mix it up in the next installment – a surprise - related,of course,to our whole health and our whole self!
With all good wishes,
G
© By NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
We have explored how life begins; the nervous system; brain function; cranial nerves; digestive function; adrenal function and the immune system. This installment looks at the most glamorized, yet under appreciated part of our body – the muscles and bones.
The muscles get a lot of attention with regard to how they can make us look attractive and sexy to others. Our muscle tone communicates how healthy our body is – the strength of the muscles, the lack of water retention or fat in the muscles, how flexible we are, all indicate that we may well be a good reproductive partner and produce strong, healthy off spring. This is one of the functions we all can relate to, but certainly not the most important function.
Try to imagine what your life would be like if your muscle tissue could not form the shape of your body and allow you to physically move in the space you live in. Without locomotion thru muscle strength and movement, we would be a lump of humanity, not moving from the spot we found ourselves in.
Our bones are so amazing(apart from their distinctive and critical role as part of the immune system through bone marrow)in that they are the armature upon which our muscles are draped. They (the bones) allow us, with the cooperation of the muscles, to physically move, play, exercise, work, eat, sleep and achieve any and all mobility we experience throughout our day.
When we look at people stooped over with distorted posture and their musculature not functioning properly, we immediate associate this with either being ill or not being “vital”. Our posture is the number one thing people will notice about us, followed by how we are dressed. Our body language is expressed thru our bone/muscle function, our personality and how we view the world are all communicated in how we move through the space we inhabit.
Our muscles and bones not only share the work load in glucose and immune regulation, body heat production, fat metabolism, mineral storage and ability for “fight or flight” – self preservation, but they also communicate to the world what we think about ourselves, others and the world we live in through the expression of body movement and non-verbal communication. This can be the most attractive or freighting aspects about us – depending on how we express our movement and actions.
Keeping your muscles and bone strong thru exercise and a healthy diet is a wise move. Without them, we are literally “going no where” ~
We’ll mix it up in the next installment – a surprise - related,of course,to our whole health and our whole self!
With all good wishes,
G
© By NIWH 2010 all rights reserved
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