http://pinkandbluebaby.com/2013/01/the-killer-beast/

Give me less then 90 and follow these 3 instructions.

As promised, I will discuss the Ascenta Health product line.  I recently became an Ascenta Health ambassador and with good reason.  First off lets get one thing straight, I’m not working on any sort of commission and I’m writing this article all in good will, with zero bias.  I am confident in their brand and only recommend the highest quality of supplements to my clients. I have seen first hand the power of Ascenta in promoting, healing and maintaining good health. As a vegan, NutraVege is one of very few vegan EFA supplements and has been a part of my diet for the last two years. After a short time I was able to notice improved cognitive function and skin and a decrease of inflammation.

The reasons I choose the Ascenta line is simple, I can trust them. Why?

1.  Their products are ultra-pure, and the highest quality guaranteed. Ascenta uses a third party program called Pure Check. Pure check http://www.ascentahealth.com/reports/sample, ensuring that all their products our pure and match their label claims, based on science not marketing!

2. With a full range of products, there is something for everyone, including, kids, vegans and pets.  The majority of their products come in a liquid or capsule options and all products are flavoured and taste great!

The Line Up:

NutraVege – High potency DHA, GLA & SDA vegetarian supplement: NutraVege is a vegetarian source of omega-3 beneficial for the maintenance of good health Check out Ascentas compariason of Nutra Veg to Flax Oil http://www.ascentahealth.com/products/human/nutravege/

NutraSea – balanced EPA & DHA omega-3 supplement: This supplement is well balanced  EPA & DHA and recommended for maintance:  Beneficial for the maintenance of good health, and in support of cardiovascular health and brain function.

NutraSea+D – EPA & DHA omega-3 supplement with vitamin D: is beneficial for cardiovascular health, brain function and healthy bones and teeth. Also beneficial in the development of the brain, eyes and nerves in children and adolescents.

NutraSea hp – Concentrated high EPA omega-3 supplement: This product has a higher EPA ratio, which will be extremely beneficial for those who want to improve cognitive function and help lower blood pressure. This is one product that I find myself recommending to my clients.

NutraSea DHA – High DHA omega-3 supplementt: NutraSea DHA is beneficial for cardiovascular health and brain function. It is also beneficial in the development of the brain, eyes and nerves in children and adolescents

NutraSea Kids – omega-3 supplement with EPA, DHA, GLA and vitamin D: Specially formulated for kids!! This is an essential supplement that I belive every child should be taking daily!

*Refer back to yesterdays article to see the difference in EPA and DHA

3. Ascenta Health is a genuine company and they pride themselves on their product, and good science. “In everything we do, we are guided by our belief in honesty, transparency, integrity and respect.”

First off EFA stands for Essential Fatty Acid, no surprise an ESSENTIAL element to our diets, one that too many of us our lacking in.  Our bodies’ can’t produced EFA’s so we must rely on food and supplementation to ensure we are getting enough.

Why are EFA’s Essential?

They are the good fats that we want in our diets, the fats that promote health.  More than 50 years of medical research has proven without a doubt that EFAs can influence the human body in a number of ways, including cardiovascular health, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, brain function, infant development, immune function and cancer prevention.

General Health

• Improved mood and memory
• Healthy metabolism
• Bone strength
• Healthy skin
• Decreased inflammation
• Better management of pain associated with arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and back pain

Cardiovascular Health

• Reduced triglycerides
• Reduced blood pressure
• Decrease inflammation in the heart and blood vessels
• Decreased risk of angina, heart attack and stroke

Cognitive Health

DHA is important for development of the brain and nervous system in infants, and in the repair and protection of the nervous system from age-related damage.  DHA plays an important role in:

• Development of fetal nervous system in utero
• Improved cognitive function in infants, toddlers and children
• Preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s in the elderly
• Improving cognitive performance in the elderly

EPA (combined with DHA) has the greatest benefit for conditions of altered mood and behaviour including:

• ADHD
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia

Pregnancy, Infancy and Breast Feeding

DHA is necessary for the proper development and functioning of the nervous system, brain, and eyes.  The fetus is dependent on the mother for DHA intake – which must be high enough to meet both the requirements of the fetus and the mother.  Improved DHA levels in mothers and their breast milk is associated with:

• Improved fertility
• Decreased risk of premature birth
• Decreased risk of post-partum depression
• Improved attention, focus, learning, intelligence and behaviour in children
• Decreased risk of allergies in children
• Improved immune development
• Improved visual acuity

Eye Health

• Decreased dryness
• Decreased redness
• Improved tear production
• Decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration
• Decreased risk of cataracts
• Protection against age-related damage to the eye

Unfortunately I don’t believe that anyone truly gets enough EFA’s directly from diet, for one the quality of food and the nutritional profile of food is nowhere near accurate. Today’s soil and waters do not contain the right nutrients necessary for an optimal nutrient profile in our foods. An apple 40 years ago had more nutrients then an apple does today.  It is so important to use supplementation when talking about EFA’s. The market is saturated with tons of companies claiming their product is the best… not the case…. Check back tomorrow when I talk about Ascenta Health, truly the leaders in  EFA’s  products.

PART 2 Tomorrow!

So the school bell has rung and the kids are back at school in full force.  The change from summer to school can be a daunting task for both parents and students, so let me share some brain boosting / concentration nutrients to ensure optimal learning!

OOOOOOOOOOOOO OMEGA 3

Omega 3 is crucial for healthy brain development and brain function.  Most kids are demanding and craving fish, so it’s important to supplement your kids with fish oil.  The market has many fish oils that our flavored and kid approved.  You can hid it in a morning smoothie and your child won’t even know.

Power Protein

Protein is essential in your child’s diet! Protein triggers the production of brain chemicals necessary for positive behavior and concentration. Children should have at least 20 g of protein in the morning. 2 eggs will provide that, or you can make protein infused pancakes, or add a non whey protein powered to a super breakfast smoothie.

The Sunshine Vitamin D

Our brains have a wide distribution of vitamin D receptors and several studies show that vitamin D may improve cognitive function, as well as improve memory, learning and motor control. Both children and adults alike are likely lackingt in the Sunshine Vitamin.  It is important to supplement with vitamin D in a liquid form for best absorption.  Minimum of 2,000 IU

Don’t Forget about the B’s

The entire B family of vitamins including B9 folic acid is so important for the function and health of the brain cells. The B vitamins improve memory, control mood swings, fatigue, and insomnia. Our food is loaded with B vitamins, Whole grains ( Steel Cut Oats) , dark leafy green veggie and meat.

Phosphatidyl serine or (PS):

A major component of the outer membrane of brain cells, PS has been shown to improve learning, short-term memory and concentration. Pilot studies suggest that it might offer some benefit to children with ADHD. PS is available from foods and supplements.  PS helps to improve mood, symptoms of depression, stress management, and energy levels.

Children rely on you to pack them their lunches. Be sure to stay away from processed foods in their lunches. Pack with nutrition in mind.

Meal Ideas

• Make tuna sandwiches on whole grain bread . Instead of mayo mash up an avocado with some mustard. Cut up pickles and celery and mix everything together.
• Stay away from deli meats they are loaded with chemicals, even the organic ones.
• Home made pizza on gluten free crust. Top with loads of veggies
• Quinoa Salads ( options are endless)
• Chicken fingers breaded with oat bran instead of breadcrumbs.

Snack Ideas

• Send fresh made hummus and veggies as a day time snack
• Make fresh trail mix using different seeds and throw in some dark chocolate chips and dried cranberries
• Celery with sunflower seed butter and rasins
• Fresh cut fruit
• Make sweet potato chips

Make sure you make time to prepare lunch, you don’t need more then 20 minutes. The befits of  fueling  your child will come back with endless rewards

So the hype of the summer/year are these pop up frozen yogurt shops, appearing literally everywhere. The concept is they give you one massive cup and you fill it and top it up. Flavours and toppings galore, celebrity faces endorsing the shops and claims of a healthy treat. Sugar free, low-fat, no fat, no sugar, no gluten, low carb, kosher, dairy free, all the key marketing words to sucker you all in. My dear friends what you are all shoveling your faces with is the biggest chemical shit storm I have ever seen in my life!!!!!  Not only that but your “FRO YO” starts in a bag as powder!!! If you walk in and ask to see an ingredient list, you will see SOME of the following:

• Liquid sugar
• Liquid stabilizer
• Corn Syrup
• High Fructose Corn Syrup,
• Dextrose
• Glucose
• FD&C Yellow #5
• FD&C Blue #1
• Citric Acid
• Maltodextrin,
• Sorbitol
• Polydextrose
•  Mono & Diglycerides
•  Aspartame
• Acesulfame Potassium
• Carrageenan
• Dioxide (Anticaking Agent)
• Propylene Glycol

The chemical list is endless!!! Check out your  fro yo spots web sites for additional shit storm additives!  If you’re going to have ice cream you may as well indulge in the real cream and milk (not that I encourage this).

I have said this before and I will say it again, if a company must market how amazing and healthy their product is, you are just being fooled. Find me a bag of chia seeds with a long list of its benefits!!! Be aware people be aware!!!!

Stop filling up that cup!!!  The problem is our taste buds have been ruined by garbage food. If you only ate wholesome foods, and then went back to something such as DYS “FRO YO” you would be able to taste the chemicals.

Alternatively try making your own ice creams at home, all you need is a food processor or blender, some fruit and a non-dairy milk. Use honey and maple syrup for sweeteners. Coconut milk also helps to make these home made ice creams creamy.  Squeeze fruit and freeze their juices in popsicle trays and shove them in the freezer and suck on that!!! Look under my “Yummie” section for all kind of frozen treat recipes.

Thinking of chowing down on china tonight? Think again! Many dishes in Chinese restaurants have more calories, fat, or sodium than one person should consume in a day. First of all the cycle involved in eating western society china food goes something like this….. Craving/starving… so full you could puke…….. starving again.  The culprit of this awful cycle used to be MSG, however, most places have stopped using MSG. So what’s causing this cycle? Carbohydrates!  The white rice and the noodles used in the cuisine have a high glycemic index (GI), which means the body needs to produce extra insulin to digest them.  Certain diet doctors believe consuming these carbohydrates can cause overeating, since excess insulin causes the blood sugar to plummet, creating a hungry feeling. The carbs aren’t the only bad guys here, a lot of the sauces are loaded with sugar and other harmful additives. Diabetics especially should pay close attention!!!  Besides lacking in nutrients, Chinese food is loaded with sodium…. Hellllllllo high blood pressure! Some Chinese food items contain more than two days’ worth of sodium. Szechuan string beans, contain 2,700 mg of sodium. Other Chinese dishes with high sodium counts include: chicken with black bean sauce, 3,800 mg; orange crispy beef, 3,100 mg; beef with broccoli, 3,200 mg and shrimp with garlic sauce, 3,000 mg.: http://www.livestrong.com/article/402455-is-chinese-food-bad-for-high-blood-pressure/#ixzz20vibBbQe

Last year, the Center for Science in the Public Interest analyzed a few dozen popular dishes from a typical Chinese restaurant menu. The top offenders, at 1,500 calories each, were Orange Crispy Beef and Fried Rice. While Chow Mein drops to 1,200 calories and Combination Lo Mein 1,000 Calories. Chicken Chow Foon, made with wide rice noodles, weighs in at 1,200; General Tso’s Chicken, usually made with fattier chicken thigh meat, comes in at 1,300. Lemon Chicken gets its 1,400 calories from the usual suspect — battered and deep-fried meat, while Kung Pao Chicken, also at 1,400 calories.

Although the Chinese culture is loaded with nutrient packed foods and super foods, which I obviously encourage, these aren’t the ones the delivery boy is showing up to your front door with.  Think twice before chowing down!!!   My fortune cookie reads… Be smart, make good choices!

Day 7: All good things must come to an end! The cleanse is officially over, I just put back my last green juice.  Overall what an amazing experience, but more so a challenge, mentally and physically, it takes a lot of will power and determination not to eat a single ounce of food. However, the results and feeling is spectacular.  Looking back on my originally hypothesis of what was to be expected: All were %100 valid

• Increased energy My energy is better then it has ever been my whole life.
• Light I feel extremely light
• Elimination of bloating and gas- No gas or bloating, flat tummy
• Glowing skin My skin is impeccable
• Boosted immune system I assume my immune system loves me
• Amazing transit time and well-formed stools- lack of bowel movements were my fault, I did not drink enough water, however this morning I took back about 1 liter and my bowels started running!! So if you cleanse ensure you start each morning with water and drink tons of it through out the cleanse. My first movement was perfect at the start of the cleanse.
• Weight Loss- I dropped about 12 pounds (remember a cleanse is not for weight loss) Most people will gain that weight back if they don’t really tailor their diet post cleanse.

I have learnt a lot about myself during this week, which felt like a month! As I mentioned before, I will transition out of this cleanse tomorrow morning slowly. I intend to eat very light, I will not be adding grains back into my diet as this experienced showed me that my body does not react well to the. I will be limiting my nuts and seeds but not eliminating, I will be loading up with veggies, salads, cold soups, good quality protein like temphe, and sprouted mung and adzuki beans and Vega one protein powder.  I am excited to return to my raw life, I know I feel my best when I follow this lifestyle.  I also plan to include at least two fresh juices daily and have 1 or 2 complete juice days every week.

I thank total cleanse for providing me with my juices.  I encourage you to check them out!!!  For a special discount use nosugarcoating and receive a 10% discount!

Thanks’ for following my journey. Check back next week for a post cleanse update!!!

http://www.totalcleanse.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/totalcleanse

@totalcleanseca

Almost at the end : (

Day 6: Not going to lie, sort of sad that tomorrow will be my last official day on the cleanse. I’m super content with how the whole experience has gone.  My energy seems to be increasing every single day, no mid day crash at all and still sleeping like a bear. I do find the I get cold at night, especially after the last drink, but it dissipates within 30 minutes. Still n0 sing of a bowel movement, which still has me concerned. I have never been constipated in my life!  I still feel light and can notice at least a 10 lb weight loss.   I’m also a proud new owner of The Super Angel 5500 Stainless Steel Living Juice Extractor!!! I saw it on Dealticker today and knew god was screaming at me! So I clicked and purchased! Talk about a stellar deal this product sells for $1,000 and is on there for $389 taxes and shipping included. The deal is on until tomorrow so get it while you can! http://www.dealticker.com/product.php?product_id=18507&city=Toronto. I’m sad to be coming to the end of this journey tomorrow, but I will begin my raw summer journey.  I look forward to it! I promise myself I will also do 2 juice days a week! Till tomorrow!

Don’t forget to check out Total Cleanse.

http://www.totalcleanse.ca

https://www.facebook.com/totalcleanse

@Totalcleanseca

Day 5:  Out the window! I’m truly loving this juice journey, and will continue juicing once this is over. I’m kind of sad at the thought that my juice fast is coming to an end, just two days left  Everything is still the same. Good energy, no hungry, no headaches, no blotting and feeling as light as a feather! I powered through my workout today and was probably one of the strongest ones I have had in a long time. Still concerned as to why my bowel movements are nil.  I do know that I am now on the hunt for a quality juicer and will make two days a week juice days and will drink at least one juice a day!  Today and the next 3 days all end with the cashew milk and have an added green juice. So 4 greens1 lemon and a cashew milk.  Have you considered your own juice cleanse yet? Check out total cleanse.

http://www.totalcleanse.ca

https://www.facebook.com/totalcleanse

@Totalcleanseca