food Archives - Holistic Christian Life

How to Thrive Like an Athlete During Advent

Cynthia Damaskos — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 21:38:19 +0000

Venus Williams – Multiple Grand Slam and Olympic Gold Medalist Tennis Player

Scott Jurek – Ultra Marathoner – Winner of 16 Titles

Carl Lewis – “Olympian of the Century”

Patrick Neshek – MLB Pitcher

Brendan Brazier – Ironman Triathlete

Heather Mills – Olympic Alpine Racing

Stephanie Davis – Professional Rock Climber

Tony Gonzales – NFL

Barny du Plessis – Mr. Universe

Murray Rose – Olympic Swimmer

Robert Cheeke – Bodybuilder

The truth is, I could have listed many more athletes. What do they have in common? They don’t eat animal products. I noticed a few themes when it came to why these top athletes went vegan. Many did it for health reasons. Venus was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, Scott wanted to prevent and reverse disease for himself and his family, Barny had acid reflux and other physical ailments. A year after cutting animal products out of his diet, he won the title of Mr. Universe. No matter the reasons, all found that it not only improved their health, it improved their athletic ability and mental clarity.

Australian swimmer Murray Rose, “The Seaweed Streak,” grew up vegan, and won multiple Olympic gold medals.

Why am I bringing this up? These athletes had their reasons for not eating animal products, just like we have ours. But ours is for our walk with God during the Nativity Fast, which trumps any other reason in my opinion. Many people are concerned, and ask how they will get their protein. Our culture’s obsession with protein is causing most people with standard meat based diets to be at an increased risk for osteoporosis and kidney disease. And, since most people eat conventionally processed animal products, they are building disease in their body, not health.

The fact is, you can get enough protein from a plant based diet. I like to recall Genesis and how much time went by between God giving His people plants to eat, and then sometime after the flood, giving us animals. A lot of time went by between Genesis 1 and Genesis 9! He wasn’t concerned that Adam and Eve would not get enough protein through plants to thrive. Why? Because He put protein in plants. For instance, many people say that you can only get high quality protein from animal products, but the fact is, quinoa and spinach are also considered high quality proteins. This is due, not because of the protein in them per se, but to their amino acid profile. You see, protein is made up of amino acids, and that is what our body needs. Now, notice above I put can in bold. You won’t be getting enough protein with the standard fasting diet which I’ve noticed consists of empty calorie junk food and bread. You must eat a variety of plants every day to get all the amino acids that you need. Some plants are high in some, and low in others. It’s the variety that determines your health.

Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke’s favorite variety of go-to foods are fruit, rice, beans, avocados, yams, potatoes, quinoa, kale, and artichokes. He also enjoys Mexican, Thai, and Indian food.

If you want numbers, experts say the amount of protein your body needs is, .36 X your body weight = grams. For example, a 150lb person needs 54 grams a day…or 1.90 ounces. This is easy to come by with a variety of plants each day.

Let’s get into vitamin and mineral deficiencies with a vegan or even vegetarian diet. By the way, I know that some people don’t know the difference between the two styles of eating. Vegetarians don’t eat meat, but do eat dairy products and usually eggs. Pescatarians don’t eat meat, but they do eat fish. During the Nativity Fast, we are a cross between vegan and pescatarian since we cut out meat, dairy and eggs, but do eat fish and shellfish.

Due to most people’s state of health, gut dysfunction, and improper diets, nutrient absorption is a constant issue, even when they are not fasting. For my clients who are turning their health around, I do recommend a good multi, especially during fasting seasons. I also encourage the following foods:

For Calcium: Bok choy, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, watercress, broccoli, and chickpeas.

For Iron: Cruciferous vegetables, beans, peas, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

For Iodine: Seaweed or other sea vegetables.

For ALA: Flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.

For Vitamin D: Get outside once a day, even on cloudy days.

For Zinc: Whole grains, wheat germ, sprouted breads, legumes, nuts and seeds.

For B12: Frankly, here’s the dilemma. B12 comes from the intestinal bacteria of animals, and from their diet…and we need it. I know this goes against my Adam and Eve in the garden philosophy. I am also typically against fortified food, because the vitamins added are most often cheap, synthetic versions that don’t do us much good. But, in this case, fortified plant-based milk can be helpful, along with a supplements.

I am an advocate of protein shakes for breakfast all year, but during a fast, they can be especially helpful. A high-quality pea protein powder usually has the vitamins and minerals needed, plus the natural foods listed above added to the blend. Two scoops of the powder I use gives me approximately 30 grams of protein, which a great way to start the day any time of year!

And guess what? There is a great resource to help you eat right, understand your health better, and get inspired to stay the course during the Nativity Fast! It’s all at My Beautiful Advent. It’s not too late to join us!

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What Do These Athletes Have In Common?

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 18:09:43 +0000

Venus Williams – Multiple Grand Slam and Olympic Gold Medalist Tennis Player

Scott Jurek – Ultra Marathoner – Winner of 16 Titles

Carl Lewis – “Olympian of the Century”

Patrick Neshek – MLB Pitcher

Brendan Brazier – Ironman Triathlete

Heather Mills – Olympic Alpine Racing

Stephanie Davis – Professional Rock Climber

Tony Gonzales – NFL

Barny du Plessis – Mr. Universe

Murray Rose – Olympic Swimmer

Robert Cheeke – Bodybuilder

Australian swimmer Murray Rose, “The Seaweed Streak,” grew up vegan, and won multiple Olympic gold medals.

Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke’s favorite variety of go-to foods are fruit, rice, beans, avocados, yams, potatoes, quinoa, kale, and artichokes. He also enjoys Mexican, Thai, and Indian food.

For Calcium: Bok choy, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, watercress, broccoli, and chickpeas.

For Iron: Cruciferous vegetables, beans, peas, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

For Iodine: Seaweed or other sea vegetables.

For ALA: Flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.

For Vitamin D: Get outside once a day, even on cloudy days.

For Zinc: Whole grains, wheat germ, sprouted breads, legumes, nuts and seeds.

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Why You Should Peel and Seed Your Tomatoes

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 19:41:32 +0000

A couple weeks ago, I introduced you to Dr. Steven Gundry, a world renowned heart surgeon, and the patient who turned his world upside down. When he met the patient, he was ready to tell him that he agreed with the other surgeons, and that the desired heart surgery was just too dangerous based on his weight and health issues. But the patient had taken his own health into his hands several months prior, changed his diet, added supplements, and completely re-wrote his own story. Did you miss it? Here you go!

Dr. Gundry realized that the dietary changes his patient made looked a lot like a paper he himself had written in med school. After adopting it himself, (for some reason he hadn’t taken his own advice prior) his health was greatly improved, and now thousands of his patient’s health. Besides adding supplements, he has taken out lectins.

Lectins are the protein molecules found in the skin and seeds of plants. It protects the plant from predators. An animal eats it, doesn’t feel so well, and knows to stay away. Humans eat it, don’t feel so good, take a pill, and go on eating it. Gluten is a perfect example of a lectin. This makes sense then as to one more reason why gluten affects so many people in a negative way.

What else are lectins found in? Legumes, (Beans, Peanuts, Cashews) Grains, Soy, and vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant…also known as nightshades.

I’ve had the pleasure of taking many cooking classes, and whenever they have been based on classic cooking techniques, tomatoes were first plunged into boiling water for 30 seconds, had their skins slipped off, and have been given a good squeeze to get the seeds out. Now I see how that makes the tomato more digestible, and allows better absorption of nutrients. Considering lectins, which are found in the bran and hull of grains, white rice is actually considered better for you than brown…especially if it is cooked in a pressure cooker. How is that for going completely against what we’ve been told for so many years?

There are many diets out there that are based on taking out lectins, but if you don’t want to cut out major food categories right now, skinning and seeding your nightshades vegetables, using a pressure cooker, and sprouting your beans and grains can help with better digestion and improved nutrient absorption. Want to take it a step further? Try a nightshade free diet for a few weeks and see how you feel. Try a Paleo diet, and test the same thing. You will start to see trends as to what your particular body can and cannot handle.

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Step Nine to Increased Energy – Nutrient Deficiencies

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 06:06:15 +0000

Yep, last Monday I was sitting in a chair getting an IV. Actually asking for and paying out of my pocket for one. Yikes! Every time I’ve had surgery or had to go into the hospital for something, it’s the IV I disliked most of all. Surgery? No problem. I’m asleep! It’s the IV that drives me to distraction. So why was I doing this? Let’s talk about the Kreb’s cycle. In really easy terms, it is a sequence of chemical reactions that convert carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy for living cells. Deficiencies in certain nutrients hinder your body’s ability to perform all the chemical reactions in the Kreb’s cycle, ultimately reducing energy production within your cells.

Reasons you may also be nutrient deficient:

You don’t eat a good variety of real food. Organic food the way God created it (no labels needed) is full of bio-available nutrients. But let’s say you read Step Two, and haven’t been able to change your eating habits, or you have, and you are still experiencing fatigue. Let’s look at how your body loves nutrients:

It embraces the food you give it, gives it a big hug, and absorbs it’s love (nutrients),
Can’t identify it, and just kicks it out through the colon. (No love)
In the case of intestinal permeability (leaky gut), food leaks outside of the intestines, the immune system thinks it’s an invader, and attacks it as a threat to the body. (No love)

The first two ways are pretty clear. Real food, Fake food. Did God create it? It’s real. Does it have ingredients that come from a chemistry lab? It’s fake. So let’s zero in on number 3 and what causes gut dysfunction which leads to a lack of nutrient absorption.

Unchecked Food sensitivities – Either you know you have them or you don’t want to know…either way…you’re eating something that your body doesn’t like. (I recommend a food sensitivity test)
Sugar abuse. Sugar is fuel for bad bacteria and throws off your microbiome. This creates allergies, inflammation, weight gain, insulin resistance, skin issues, brain dysfunction, and toxins that lead to disease…not to mention nutrient deficiencies.
Environmental toxins from heavy metals, plus chemicals from water, air, and products that have touched your body.
Genetic Factors
Abnormal Bacterial Growth (It is AMAZING how many people have gut infections and don’t know it!)
Some Prescription Medications
Alcohol Consumption
Smoking
Stress
Past surgeries in the digestive area, including intestines. (Common with gastric bypass/sleeve/etc)
The consumption of cheap, synthetic supplements that pass right through your body and are a waste of money.

The key to knowing if this is one of your issues is to get an Organic Acids Test. It’s a simple blood test that will tell you if you are experiencing deficiencies. This is one of the ways my doctor found out that my Krebs cycle is not working right. Despite taking high quality supplements for years, we found out (many hundreds of dollars later) that my body couldn’t absorb them. One thing led to another which confirmed complications of an environmental exposure to toxic mold that began breaking down my body. Had I known, I would have had an organic acids test done years ago! If you’re not sure where to go for one, and/or your doctor doesn’t understand the need…you can go here to order a test.

Does this sound like a possible issue for you? Let me know! Do you think this could help someone you know? Please pass it on. To quote a doctor I heard from recently…sharing is caring!

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Step Two to Increased Energy – Food

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 22 May 2017 06:44:50 +0000

Continuing in our series, today we will look at food. I think we’ve all heard about how high sugar, processed flours, and other insulin producing products create short term energy right before a crash. However, there are other ingredients that are added to food that also rob your body of energy and set you up for disease by throwing off natural body systems. If you read ingredient labels, you know that the ingredients added to prepared foods can be long and confusing. If you don’t read the ingredient labels, you need to start, as this is where the road to health and energy begins.

Pure, clean, God created food doesn’t come with a label. When we start messing with it however, the FDA gets involved and requires an ingredient list. I’m thankful for that! However, I’m not thankful that the FDA allows a lot of toxic junk in our food that has been connected to disease and even death. If you are reading this outside of the USA, you may be in much better shape than we are, since many of the ingredients in our food may have been banned in your country. Let’s break down the offending categories.

Preservatives. Preservatives kill bacteria. That’s why they are added to food on our grocery store shelves. Their purpose is to extend shelf-life. The problem is, our bodies are made up of more bacteria (good) than cells. We are in fact, walking bacteria! So what happens when we ingest bacteria killing preservatives? Exactly. We are killing our selves. Sounds logical, right? Preservatives are the long words that are hard to pronounce. If you were to try to replicate the recipe in your kitchen, and you don’t have a bottle of it in your kitchen, it’s a “No buy.” An imbalance of good to bad bacteria in your body affects your hormones, which affects your sleep and your energy.
Artificial Anything. Artificial means it’s created with chemicals. In this case, chemicals that don’t belong in a human body. Chemicals that don’t belong in your body are foreign invaders that send your body into high alert. This creates inflammation, and inflammation has been found to be the root of disease. When your body is on attack, it doesn’t want to sleep, and self survival comes before creating sustainable energy.
Glutamates…also known as Excitotoxins. Similar to artificial ingredients, these flavor enhancers are created in chemistry labs to create cravings and addictions to processed foods. The role of these additives is to play with your brain! They are toxic…sometimes even more so than artificial ingredients. However, they are allowed to sound healthy, like “Natural Flavors.” Do you have a jar of “Natural Flavors” in your cupboard? No? It’s a “No Buy.” For a listing, and a deeper explanation, Dr. Russell Blaylock’s article is excellent.
Added Sugar. When the low fat fad began a couple decades ago (funded by the sugar industry) sugar, along with all of the above mentioned fake ingredients, started to be added to virtually everything. The result? An increase in obesity and Diabetes. Know your names of sugar…it goes by many aliases. You cannot count on the numbers listed under Nutrition Facts, because they are typically in-accurate. Make sure you read the ingredient label. Sugar throws off your hormones, causes sleep disruption and shuts down your own energy production. This includes alcohol.
Fats. Related to the low fat fad mentioned above, once traditional fats became the villain, poor quality plant based fats started being produced. These include Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil, Soybean Oil, etc. Remember when people thought that Crisco and Margarine were good healthy alternatives? We know now that this was false. And yet…they are still on grocery store shelves. You want good fats in your diet, such as Olive Oil, Avocados, Walnuts, Coconut Oil, etc. Dr. Mark Hyman speaks to this subject very well, and his information will help guide you deeper. Again, bad fats equal inflammation. Inflammation leads to disease. This means that sleep and energy will be affected.
GMO’s. The purpose behind genetically modified food is to yield larger crops by making the plants hardier. Sounds good, right? Problem is, the way they are made to be hardier is to enable them to be sprayed with toxic chemicals that kill all of the weeds around them, but they keep living. This seems scary doesn’t it? The dandelion is dead, but the corn stock lives on. These products are bred with the toxins in their DNA so to speak. That ends up in you. Whether it’s directly from the plant, or the meat or dairy from the animal that was fed the plant. Despite claims by the chemical companies to the contrary…they are finding these toxins in people during autopsies. This spells our word of the day….INFLAMMATION. Your body is smart. It knows that this stuff doesn’t belong in it. This is a good site for reference. However, here is my rule of thumb. Did God create it that way? No? Then it doesn’t belong in my body.
Organic. Yes, I know it can be expensive, but don’t let this discourage you. First, if you are on a budget, go to the EWG Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list. Make sure you buy the Dirty Dozen in organic, and for the rest, soak or spray with a mixture of 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water. This will get rid of 98% of the pesticides on the outside of the produce. Pesticides and insecticides in your body spell… (I know you’ve got this)

So, here’s the easy solution. Strive to just by products that don’t have labels on them, and are sold as God created them. Add 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of clean, pure, filtered water (which doesn’t leave much time to drink pop, juice, beer and other extracurricular beverages,) and you are well on your way to reducing inflammation, disease, shedding weight, getting a good nights sleep and allowing your body to create it’s own energy.

Dehydration creates fatigue

Stay tuned next week for…

Exercise

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The Energy Series

Cynthia Damaskos — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 20:37:06 +0000

Are you always tired? Do you look around the house, your office, the yard…and think…if only I had the energy…

Do your kids want you to play with them, or read to them, but you just can’t?

Do you have a lot of great ideas in your brain, but you just can’t seem to bring them to fruition?

One of the downfalls of our busy culture is that people are constantly tired. Just look around you the next time you are on a plane. The percentage of people sleeping is a good indication of the state of the general population. There are many reasons for persistent fatigue. Some are easy fixes, others require the help of a good doctor. Most all require lifestyle changes. You CAN have more energy! You just have to want it enough to go after it. First though, you need to know what you’re dealing with.

Over the next few weeks, we will delve deeper into the subject of energy and fatigue, and provide practical solutions that will enable you to take action. There are several components that affect your energy, and just knowing what they are will help you on your way. We will be going over:

Sleep
Food and Water
Exercise
Stress
Genetics
Hormones
Weight
Pharmaceuticals
Nutrient deficiencies

We hope you join us on the road to more energy and a happier, more productive lifestyle!

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A Culture Obsessed With Food

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 13:33:15 +0000

I was so pleased to read this article by Douglas Cramer on the Antiochian Archdiocese website. It melds health and nutrition with fasting…two of my favorite subjects right now. I was even more pleased when he gave me permission to share it with you. Enjoy!

By Douglas Cramer –

I enjoy good food. And our Orthodox Christian faith is a sacramental faith, a faith which teaches us that the earthly joys of this world—including good food—are gifts from God. And certainly, our ancestors—whatever one’s heritage—have known deprivation, and have prayed that their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren would know peace and prosperity, and not go hungry.

But brothers and sisters, we all know that as a people, as a culture, as Americans, our relationship with food has become disordered. “Supersize” has entered our vocabulary. Public health officials warn about our growing obesity epidemic: 80% of Americans over 25 are overweight, and obesity-related illnesses like type II diabetes are out of control.

Our disordered relationship with food can be seen just as clearly at the other end of the spectrum. The diet and weight loss industry – from Jenny Craig to “Oprah’s Acai Berry Diet” – is booming. Desperately underweight models and actresses stare out at us from the grocery store magazine racks. We are a culture that is obsessed with food. And this obsession is literally killing us. Yet, we don’t want to take responsibility for our problem. As a people, we’re like the two young women who a couple of years ago sued McDonald’s because eating there all the time made them fat.

But, the Church teaches us that there is a better way—a healthier way, a saner way. We can learn to bring our relationship with food in to balance. And in the process, we can bring healing to our relationship to not just food, but to other parts of our earthly lives—how we spend our money, how we spend our time, how we care for our loved ones. The fasting days and seasons of the Church are there to teach us how.

We might look at the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, highlighted during the pre-Lenten season. In this parable we see two extremes: one unbalanced and ultimately leading to death, and the other one sensible, healthy, and ultimately leading to the path of life. In this parable, Jesus tells of two men who went to the temple to pray, a Pharisee – one of the spiritual leaders of Israel – and a Publican – a tax collector. What does the Pharisee pray? He prays, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” The Pharisee is full of pride. He is so certain of himself. It never occurs to him that he might need help. That he might need healing. He is like the overweight diabetic who cannot see that he has a health problem, and heads out every morning for the donut shop. Or the eighty-pound teenager who just knows she needs to lose another five pounds. The way of pride is the way of death.

When we are overly certain of ourselves to the point of delusion, we can even make gestures towards health that do not really help. It is good that the Pharisee gives tithes. It is good that he fasts. But while the Scriptures do not tell us, I think the Pharisee was probably the kind of man who fasted twice a week, but was a glutton the other five.

In contrast, Jesus tells us about the Publican. What does the Publican pray? He prays, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” It is a simple prayer, a shorter prayer, and, as Jesus teaches, a humble prayer. The way of humility is the way of life. When we are humble, we can acknowledge our faults. We can come before God, and ask for help, and for healing. We can see how far short of our potential we have fallen. And, keeping our eyes on God, we can lift ourselves up and begin to make the changes we need to make.

If the way of the Pharisee is the way of a glutton oblivious to his own declining health, the way of the Publican is the way of an athlete. It is no surprise that this is the language that the Fathers of the Church often use when they talk about the Great Fast of Lent. They use the language of spiritual athleticism. “Strip yourselves,” wrote St. John Chrysostom, “for it is the season of wrestling.” With fasting days built in to our Church calendar throughout the year, we can apply this exhortation not only to the Lenten season, but to our daily lifestyle.

We must choose to be spiritual athletes, to recognize our failings and our need for healing – not so that we will despair, but so that we will start getting in shape. There are three practical things that we can do to change our relationship with food.

First, we can draw up a realistic plan and stick with it. All of us will struggle and will falter, but when we falter, we should plan to get back on track as soon as possible. This is true perseverance.

Second, we can change our relationship to food by changing the place that it holds in our lives. The disorder in our eating is not just about what we eat, but how we eat. We need to slow down. How many of us eat on the run? In our cars? In front of the television? In front of the computer? How often do we eat, and then realize that we did not even taste what we were eating? How can we be truly grateful for our food when we eat like this? A priest told me the story of how when his son was young, they used to go to lunch together. One day, his son told him, “Dad, I think that every time we eat together, it’s a blow against the devil.” Don’t eat like you are putting gas in your car. Eat more simply, slowly, and make it an occasion to converse and enjoy the company of others. Turn off the TV, and make a meal with your family. Thank God, sit with each other, and share in the joy of the companionship and the taste of the food. Then, go beyond even this. Find someone in the parish who does not have family to eat with, and invite them over for a meal.

Third, we should remember every day that our fasting discipline is about much more than food. It is about God. As mentioned, our faith is a sacramental faith. The earthly bounty of this world is not evil – it is a gift from God that we should partake of in gratitude. The problem is that we do not remember that God must come first. We forget that our first need, our first hunger, is for God. We use things – including food – to try to fill a God-shaped hole in our lives. So we should make our fasting discipline an opportunity to turn towards God. We should not go about with the sense that we are denying ourselves something. Instead, we should feel that we are giving something – giving ourselves God.

The whole purpose of fasting, of spiritual athleticism, is to bring ourselves back to God. To bring our attention back where it belongs. Stop obsessing about food: fast, and draw closer to God. Stop obsessing about money: give alms, and draw closer to God. Stop obsessing about time: go to church for worship, and draw closer to God.

Jesus said:

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. … Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

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Grocery Shopping 201

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 07:37:37 +0000

In Grocery Shopping 101, we talked about The Pawn. As a reformed Pawn, I understand the pain that one feels when they’ve been buying a certain brand of peanut butter their whole life, and come to find out, it is making them sick. Or the spaghetti sauce that is fueling their Diabetes, or the milk that is endangering their life. It’s pretty disconcerting, but I’m hoping that if this describes you, it isn’t too late. In fact, I believe it’s never too late to re-model your shopping cart and make it look like something to be proud of. I like to call this second group of shoppers The Drivers. The Drivers take charge of their life and their health. They don’t look to others (ie: the government, their doctor, food manufacturing companies) to take care of them. They are well informed and not swayed by fancy advertising.

1. Drivers know that fat is good, and that the body needs it for optimal brain function, hormone production and yes…even weight loss and disease prevention. They know that good fat comes in the form of olive oil, avocados, nuts, wild salmon, coconut oil, etc. They buy organic so that their bodies are not burdened with chemical warfare. Good fats also lower inflammation in the body and even fight bad bacteria. Vegetable oils, canola oil, soybean oil and the like are examples of bad fats. Typically GMO, and non organic, they increase inflammation which leads not only to heart disease, but many other diseases as well.

2. Drivers know that animal protein is good, as long as it’s clean. This means that their meat and dairy products come from organic, grass fed, free range animals. The animals have not been given growth hormones or antibiotics, and they have not been fed corn, soy, and other typically chemically tainted feed that they weren’t designed to digest in the first place. God gave us animals to eat. He would have not given us food that would hurt us. In my opinion, it was man’s manipulation of this food source that has caused harm, and has given meat and dairy a bad name. Every study that I have read, that has reached the conclusion that meat and dairy are harmful, was done on commercially raised animals…not the clean animals mentioned here.

3. They have plenty of fiber in their carts from vegetables, nuts, fruit, beans and oats. Not from cereals or breads. Fiber helps prevent memory loss, controls disease and is instrumental in weight loss. Fiber lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Processed and refined grains have a negative effect on blood sugar and contribute to weight gain.

4. There are many spices and herbs in their carts. These often overlooked and undervalued ingredients are among the most important anti-inflammatory substances that we can eat. Oregano, basil, thyme, curry, chiles, garlic, ginger, cinnamon…all are powerful in promoting health and avoiding disease.

5. The very few products the Driver has chosen that require an ingredient label have been read with a fine tooth comb (or magnifying glass in many cases). Not to be hoodwinked by the front of the label, they know that a product that says it contains heart healthy olive oil often has canola oil as its first ingredient. That “low fat” is a sign that there are harmful toxins added to create a “creamy” mouth feel, and that sugar free means that they shouldn’t even bother taking it off the shelf and waste their precious time looking at the back. Life killing preservatives? Excitotoxins…ie: “Natural Flavors”? Artificial food dyes and flavors? Nope. This shopping cart sustains life as opposed to killing it.

Follow these guidelines, and others set forth in depth on this blog, and be in the driver’s seat! Another great resource is by Andrew over at Eating Rules. We are simpatico! I love his “Kitchen Test”. If you can’t make it in your own kitchen, you probably shouldn’t be eating it!

This post, in addition to Grocery Shopping 101, was inspired by the teaching of Dr Mark Hyman, Director of Functional Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr Steven Masley, a Specialist in Heart Disease and Aging, and a Fellow with The American Heart Association

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Grocery Shopping 101

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 07:58:42 +0000

Ok, admit it. You’ve often stood in the check out line and looked in the cart of the person in front of you, or behind you, to see what they are buying. Just me? Hmmm. Well, it has become evident to me that there are a couple ways to shop. Now, I don’t want to alienate anyone, and please don’t take offense if this sounds like you, but the first category is what I call The Pawn. I know them well…I used to be one. My name is Cynthia and I am a reformed Pawn.

Pawns have a general idea of what they need, and go to the local grocery store with an open mind. Hey, open minds are good, right? Well, I’m here to tell you, as with most of life, an open mind can also be referred to as naivety, and can be be a dangerous thing!

Danger, yes…DANGER, is lurking down every aisle, and around every corner just waiting to pounce. Typically it comes in the form of marketing and believing everything you hear.

THE MARKETING PLOY

You need spaghetti sauce…you see a brand…you recall a TV commercial depicting fresh tomatoes being picked off of a vine and a nice Italian family enjoying camaraderie around the table. Yes, I will put that jar in my cart! I want some of that fresh tomato taste, and to be part of a big happy family! Maybe the label even says, “Contains Heart Healthy Olive Oil” and has a pretty red and green, authentically Italian looking label. You’re a goner.

Here is the ingredient list on one of the most popular spaghetti sauces…and keep in mind…this is tame compared to others out there!

INGREDIENTS: TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, SUGAR, DEHYDRATED ONIONS, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SPICES, ROMANO CHEESE (PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), NATURAL FLAVOR.

THE OUTDATED/MISUNDERSTOOD SCIENCE TRAP

The Pawn falls into this trap based on what they’ve been led to believe as a kid, or even now during these years of confusion. “I’ve heard that saturated fat causes heart disease, so I only buy low fat products. I know that sugar is bad for you, so I buy sugar free stuff instead. My kids need calcium for their bones, so I always pick up some milk. Surely all the ads I see touting low fat and sugar free products have my best interest at heart! And, of course, the government wouldn’t allow anything in our food that will hurt us.” I really don’t know where to start here, but I’ll leave the government comment out of it for now. And, come to think of it, getting calcium from milk is also best saved for its own post.

HERE’S WHAT WE NOW KNOW

The saturated fat scare that was perpetuated from the 70’s through the 90’s was based on flawed data. There was never solid evidence linking meat and dairy products to heart disease. In fact, a very large study two years ago confirmed that there is no evidence that saturated fat is linked to heart disease. I know, crazy, right? I’ll get into Smart Fat/Dumb Fat to quote Dr. Steven Masley next week. But to continue…that’s when low fat marketing hype started pushing products that had added sugars and more inflammatory toxins added to them, plus more refined flour products that has eventually led to the demise of our health. This includes diabetes, obesity, cancer, and a whole host of other diseases…not to mention literally taking our lives. The very Diabesity epidemic that Dr. Mark Hyman has coined, was caused by the misunderstanding of science and the following of our famous (now infamous) Food Pyramid.

You may see the chain reaction that links to the sugar free movement. In comes artificial sweeteners, and other disease inducing toxins in order to manipulate food like substances to taste like real food. I think we all know by now that artificial sweeteners are linked to disease, and should be avoided like the plague. Diet this and that, candies, jelly, baked goods…do you see how The Pawn is manipulated? Just turn on the TV or browse through a magazine, and you’ll still see the propaganda. In all fairness to advertisers…for the most part, I don’t think they know that they are also pawns in this game of food wars.

It can be pretty confusing between marketing hype, putting our trust in other people to take care of us, and the well meaning doctors, nutritionists, and dietitians who continue to communicate what they heard in school and still believe to be true. Then, there are the high profile doctors who want to argue the point about fat…which made my nutrition education quite interesting (confusing) at times. In Part Two, I will share what I now know about fat, animal products, and what a good looking shopping cart looks like – one that you don’t have to be nervous about in the check out line.

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The Three Most Dangerous Places to Eat

Cynthia Damaskos — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 14:33:01 +0000

By the title of this post, you are probably guessing that I will be naming off three fast food chains. Nope. I don’t feel as though they are that dangerous. I say this from the perspective that people know that “fast food” is bad for them. They go for convenience and addiction. Yes, addiction…the food is filled with ingredients that have been specifically formulated to create an addictive response in the brain. And, yes, these ingredients are linked to disease, obesity, diabetes…I could go on.

No, I think the average person knows exactly what they’re doing to themselves when they hit up these places. It’s the places that seem innocuous, and are positioned to be trust worthy that I feel are the most dangerous.

1. It all starts in SCHOOL CAFETERIAS

First of all, unless their parents packed a lunch for them, kids are trapped. Not only are they trapped, but there is peer pressure. I don’t know about you, but back in the day, it was a sign of prosperity if your parents could afford the hot lunch option. Taking a little brown bag or Cinderella lunch box when there was a hot lunch option was a sign that your parents could only afford a cold sandwich. I hope that has changed! Have you seen cafeteria food behind the scenes? I have, and it isn’t pretty. Going beyond cooked to death brownish green beans from a can, the additives in the processed foods add up to failure in the classroom. No wonder kids can’t concentrate after lunch! Food dyes and flavors that are linked to Attention Deficit Disorders abound. Sodas are the norm now…taking a kid from a sugar high to a crash by 5th period. The few schools in this country that have rehabbed their lunch programs have shown incredible results in higher test scores. But the majority? They are setting our kids up to fall short of their intellectual potential, and creating a disease profile in their little bodies. Pack a lunch!

2. Drumming up repeat business, and kicking you when you’re down would be HOSPITALS

Just when you thought you were in a safe place, and you are at your most vulnerable, wham! Your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack are filled with ingredients that may have led to your reason for being there in the first place. One would think that a hospital of all places wouldn’t be lobbying for repeat business. This is an example of being trapped again.

I’ve had the unfortunate experience over the last several years of spending a lot of time in hospitals. It’s either starve or eat lettuce…which is sort of like starving. Being sad and scared is not conducive to making good food choices, as I can attest! At one point, I was a patient, and was given margarine and sugar free jelly with white toast. If you have a basic understanding of nutrition, you know that this is basically poison. I asked for eggs, and could only get egg whites, based on old science that just won’t go away. The only “safe” drink offered was water, and it was tap water with fluoride and chlorine added for my enjoyment and to kill off what remained of the good bacteria in my microbiome to really finish me off.

One of the most disturbing hospital experiences I had was at the University of Chicago. I saw big signs promoting healthy eating, next to bins of junk food. It was October, so it was Breast Cancer awareness month, and there were huge cookies and cupcakes in the cafeteria with artificially colored pink frosting and a long list of ingredients which have been connected to cancer. And don’t get me started about all the sugar being passed out to chemo patients on the oncology floor! While being injected with powerful drugs that kill cancer (and non-cancer) cells, they are having cookies and candies offered to them. So many studies linking sugar to feeding and encouraging cancer cell growth, and this is still happening in “top” hospitals. The world has gone mad. Ok, I sort of went on a rant on this one, but what I learned is that you have to take your own food or let your loved ones provide it.

The third place is dear to my heart, and actually an area where we can all make a difference. CHURCH

Yes, church…as in coffee hours and socials. Those donuts they hand out while you walk into a Protestant church, and the full blown “break the fast” celebrations after liturgy can be one of the most innocent, and yet destructive things we can do to break down the very body that God blessed us with. It just doesn’t seem right does it? Worshiping God with all of our heart and soul, and then going immediately into a situation that hurts the body He gave us. My heart aches for those sweet Yia Yias and their cookies made with Crisco, and the men and women who are so generous with their time and food…but they just don’t know! That is my mission. To get Orthodox Christians healthy. I want to clean up the coffee hour, and have a safe place to go. A healthy table. No preservatives, no sugar, no refined flours, no GMOs, no pesticides, no growth hormones, antibiotics, artificial chemicals, excitotoxins, or inflammatory fats.

And that is what I’m working on. It’s called The Healthy Table, (I know, clever) and it’s a program to educate a leader in each church to head up a team that will provide safe options for people. It will be a free certification program, and is designed to bring health and vitality back to the Church. Our Body. A Body that is Glorifying to God. Stay tuned! If you are interested in participating, and haven’t signed up to stay in the loop with me…now is the time!

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