Lucid Nutrition

How Our Weight Affects Us.

I am going to be doing a number of posts exploring how our eating patterns impact our minds and our lives. The following post was written by a very dear friend of mine, who I am so glad I met online, Christine. She will be joining LucidNutrition.com on her path to health, struggles included. You will get to know more about her as soon as she sends me her bio!! But for now, I will just tell you that she is great!! So, Thanks Christine for sharing such intimate thoughts with us. We love you!

An Intimate Meditation Towards Change. Crossposted from ByFlutter.com

We have a socially acceptable bias against fat people. People with weight problems are made fun of, reviled, rejected and thought less of across the board.

In movies, on television, in our media we are bombarded with the stereotype that women with weight problems curl up and eat french fries and ice cream from a bucket and men with weight problems are the funny guys who play side kick to their more attractive friends.

The assumption is that weight carries with it, pound for pound an inverse relationship to worth. The more you weigh, the less you are worth, as a person. The larger you get, the less you are seen. The bigger your pant size, the less likely to be loved.This is not to say that society is to blame for the weight problems of people, but it certainly helps perpetuate the last great wall of prejudice as I see it.

For me, as I am ever flexing and extending an undulating and fluid mass of numbers on a scale, I see the difference in how the world responds. When I am thinner I get appreciative stares, people pay attention when I speak and ask intelligent questions. Doors are held open for me. I am permitted to linger in nice clothing stores without being derisively stared at by the shop girls. I am congratulated for slimming down and working hard.

As if, when I am heavy, I am lazy and slovenly. It seems absurd to pack on weight in order to hide. It is like balancing an elephant on a teacup. You would think that someone would notice that, but people walk past with not so much as a glance. Where as, the thinner me is rarely left without a word, or a proposition. I realize that this is why, when I start to approach a more socially acceptable weight, a switch flips in my brain. The big, red switch with the word “DANGER!” on it. Danger, I might be expected to be as intelligent as I am. Danger, people may expect more from me. Danger, I may have to ward off advances. Danger, I may no longer have a built in excuse to fail.

That’s it for me, really. I see how people bypass me at this weight and I can point my chubby finger and say, “See? They won’t LET me succeed.” When the truth is, it is fear of fully exposing myself that keeps me in my fat suit.This is a disorder. This is not a normal way of thinking. To obsess over food. To indulge then deny. To fluctuate tens of pounds. To control my body in such a way that is not healthy for it.

It destroys me to feel this way, to feel less than. To know exactly what I am doing in a very logical sense and to do it anyway. I am better than this and it is not good enough.

It just isn’t.

Junk Food Charm Bracelet by Nights Requiem.

We are indeed much more than we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. ~ Adelle Davis

Once a Lucid Eater, Always Lucid.

Best Common Sense Advice From "Top" Diet Plans

 It's 2009. Almost February.  You are still trying to keep up with your new year's resolutions, aren't you? You want to lose serious weight fast, learn to eat healthier, and how to exercise, but don't have time to read every diet book out there. Well, Health.com has saved us time. They have put together a list that encapsulates the best tips from some of the top diet plans out there—for free—so you can start putting the helpful advice into action ASAP. Swimsuit time is just around the corner and so are all the weddings you've been invited to. 

Skinny Bitch: Best Tip: Read the ingredients. Don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce.

 The Biggest Loser Calorie Counter: Best Tip: Try circuit training. The effective, total-body workouts will help you lose weight and inches, as well as boost your metabolism, strengthen your bones, and may even make you more resistant to stress.

French Women Don't Get Fat: Best Tip: Add “petit” and “peu” to your French vocabulary; you can have a little of everything if you stick to small portions.

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person Best Tip: Differentiate between cravings and hunger. If you can tell the difference between wanting to eat and needing to eat, you can cut out unnecessary calories.

The Thrive Diet: Best Tip: Eat less processed food. Sticking to whole, fiber-rich foods will help you lose weight.

You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management : Best Tip: Pick a range for your ideal weight instead of fixating on a particular number. You’ll feel guilt-free when faced with the small fluctuations that occur naturally day-to-day.

Dr. Phil's The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide: Best Tip: Reduce your exposure to unhealthy foods and to the cues that cause you to eat. You can’t eat what isn’t there! (in other words, stop buying junk or fast food when you know it is not worth your money)

The advice above also includes a "Worse Advice from Top Diet Plans" (according to Health.com) but some of those "worse tips"...I actually agree with...with some flexibility. For instance:

The Thrive Diet: Worst Tip???: Eat raw. Didn’t the raw food trend already come and go?

My answer to that question is NO NO NO. I mean does the girl in the picture above look like she is gonna give up that celery stick? The raw food 'trend' should not be labeled as one in my opinion. Every BODY needs whole raw unprocessed foods. I am not saying that one must eat ONLY raw foods, but I think it is so important for us to eat a greater amounts of fruits and veggies in their raw state. Fiber, Nutrients, Detox, Energy. Need I say more? Check out Dr. RitaMarie's Recipe E-books if you are new to raw foods. They will come in handy.

Skinny Bitch: Worst Tip???: You must eat vegan. The dairy- and animal-products-free lifestyle is just too extreme for many dieters.

Well, I don't think anyone must absolutely follow a vegan diet, but being a vegan since 2004 and feeling great makes me a lil' biased. So I will let you decide. I think you should try it for a month at least.  See if it makes a difference in the way you are feeling physically and the way that you think about animals. Here is a link to a great vegetarian starter kit which is always in my sidebar. Also, you should read World Peace Diet by Dr. Will Tuttle and see if that won't turn you into a vegan :)

You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management : Worst Tip???: Eat the exact same thing for lunch—and breakfast too if you can stand it—every day. The lack of variety may bore you to the point of giving up on your diet.

I am not so sure this is a bad idea. If you were to eat the same thing everyday for breakfast and lunch which includes a colorful array of mixed vegetables, fruits, and grains... how could it bore you? You get satisfaction every time you eat. You look forward to your bowl of oats in the morning, your blueberry on mixed greens salad for lunch. And whenever you do have other (healthy) foods, your taste buds will be soooo stoked. You will learn to appreciate your taste buds and the cravings for the unhealthy junk will most likely be obsolete; vanished. Also, you might be just like my guy who actually LOVE's eating the same thing everyday for breakfast: Bowl of oatmeal, slice of HealthNut lightly buttered, with a whole banana and a cup of fresh squeezed juice, sometimes a small apple.

The Biggest Loser Calorie Counter:: Worst Tip??: Start your own competition à la Biggest Loser, complete with group meetings and registration fees. If you’re into the kitsch, go for it, but without producers, camera crew, and a six-figure salary, it’s not worth the trouble.

I think the underlying point here is to create a support system of people who can encourage one another to stick to their healthier diets and lifestyles. Beyond the registration fees and winning a lump sum of money in this silly tip, is the notion that humans are by nature compassionate beings who will oftentimes do a better job of achieving their goals with the help of a community (even if it is only you, your best friend, and your sister on the healthy transformation mission) For the record, I've never seen an episode of The Biggest Loser, so I might be completely off here.

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person Worst Tip??: Just say, “Oh well.” If you’re really dreading going to the gym, or just dying to have a few more fries, are you really going to be able to just say, “Oh well,” and stick to the rules of your diet?

Here's is what I take from this tip. Do NOT get so down on yourself when you give in to a temptation, craving, or the sweet pressure in Grandma's kitchen for pan dulce or homemade buttery tortillas. Just DO NOT let it happen as frequently as you let it before. It's all about finding a comfortable balance for you and staying focused. No person, book, or TV show can tell you exactly what you should be eating and when. A magazine, blog, not even a doctor, can know your body the way you do OR are learning to.

I think it's safe to say that  people can begin to suffer from serious mental illnesses (i.e. depression) all because of their supposed dieting failures. Many people start to feel like they have no control over their bodies and lose touch with the reality that they DO indeed have the will power to switch from bad eating habits to GREAT ones. Many people (men, women, and sadly children) have turned the comfort, joy, & energy food brings us into an addiction. The problems escalates. Pounds & toxins added to the body makes a person less likely to work out, to feel their bodies. I think it is natural for a person to want to lose excess weight gain. Your body can not handle being sick anymore. It wants and needs to be free. You are your body. You want to be free. 

And If you don't feel like exercising today or tomorrow, you may be lacking some key nutrients. Eat more greens. Drink more water. Nothing from a box. Nothing from a bag. Unless of course you picked up some nuts, seeds, or dried fruit (in moderation). Tell me if I am missing something...is there anything else that is TRULY healthy that comes from a bag or a box? I dare you to come up with something

Good food makes us happy. Healthier food makes us happier. Bring awareness to your plate. Be a lucid eater.

This Season, Think & Feel & Think Again Before You Buy

Back in April, Thom Yorke and the rest of his Radiohead bandmates joined forces with MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) to produce a music video for "All I Need," a song from their In Rainbows album.
Anonymous comment:

"How can you complain about this video, this is reality, America gets to live well and buy the consumerists goods they don't need because American companies have subsidiaries in other countries that employee children for low wages".

Some other helpful articles I read today pertaining to consumer awareness:

What would the Buddha buy?

How Marketing Tricks You and How To Beat It

iHealthTube

Hi. I just wanted to tell you about this new site I recently came across. If you ever find yourself looking for straightforward information regarding a wide range of natural health topics, check out IHealthTube.com and follow them on Twitter too. The online video site is supported by Swanson Health Products who carries products such as stevia! (for a reasonable price too). iHealthtube is aiming to be the Internets leader in health videos and conversations. I felt like I was actually sitting in a doctors office as I watched the first video. They are not even trying to do the spunky cyber fame thing. There is nothing flashy about it, which could be a good thing. We need these no-nonsense, 'serious about our health' blips.

Videos I've watched so far:

Thyroid and Weight Gain where Dr. Stephen Langer explains how nutritional imbalances and low thyroid produce symptoms similar to that of fibromyalgia.

How to Know if You're Really Hungry where Ori Hofmekler explains how you can know the difference between real hunger and false hunger and cravings. (Good one) Cookies and cake are false hungers and most processed foods are addicting. (Damn) Also, explains ways to break the vicious cycle of the junk food habit.

Why Sugar is So Bad For You where Frank Murray explains why the sweetness is bad for our health and what to do to prevent diabetes. Also the video provides details on how to prevent diabetes and the best exercise for diabetics.

I could sit and watch these videos all day. Here's their extensive topic list. Maybe one day, they will allow for us to embed videos directly onto our sites.

Anyway, hope you are feeling great!! My mom gave me a box of 88 apples the other day that I have to attend to. I'm thinking of apple butter, apple sauce, apple juice, and apple chips. 

Magic in Eating

excerpt from Bob Makransky’s book Magical Living

We all know that "you are what you eat"; and many of us are becoming aware that this maxim has a spiritual as well as a physical dimension. We know we feel better when we eat well – when our bodies, rather than our minds, dictate what we should or should not eat. Many of us have experienced a complete change in attitudes and outlook on life by simply changing our diets. Whole bodies of thought, such as the Jewish kosher laws and macrobiotics, have evolved to stress the spirituality of food, to emphasize its sacredness.

The "spiritual quality of food" is not a metaphor: food contains a light fiber energy which is as important to our sustenance as vitamins and proteins, but which is not susceptible to chemical analysis. And just as the vitamin and protein content of food can be diminished by processing or overcooking, so too can the light fiber content (energy) of food be diminished by disrespect.

Light fibers can be thought of as good feelings. When we feel good, we can literally glow. When a food plant or animal feels good, it glows.

Love from the Roots

Not all cultures have been so cut off from their true feelings about food as ours is today. Many Native American tribes had a deep awareness that they were a part of what they ate – e.g., the buffalo. They lived with the buffalo, followed the buffalo, prayed to the buffalo. They were one with the buffalo, and thus to them eating was a sacrament. Many modern Native Americans maintain this same attitude of reverence towards maize.

But in America today, we mine food, extract the nutrients out of it, strip it, rape it, and throw it away. What little nourishment for the spirit is left in food, by modern agricultural and processing methods, is completely destroyed by the way we eat it. We use food in a most disrespectful manner – stuffing it in gluttonously whether we are hungry or not, whether it tastes good or not, whether we really want it or not; and then we waste food as if to piss on it. Like sex, we have turned the sacredness of eating from a joyous, spiritual act -- into a source of great shame.

Eat for Nourishment, Gently

An infant doesn’t conceive of his food or his mother as something separate from himself; he doesn’t feel more important than his food, and therefore doesn’t feel disconnected from it. When an infant eats, he mingles with his food: he touches it, he gets to know how it feels. It’s pretty, it satisfies his hunger, it makes him happy. But when an infant first sees adults eat, it makes him feel shame. This is because we adults don’t identify with our food. It’s as if our food is not a part of us, like what we are putting into our mouths is something foreign to ourselves. We attack our food as if it is separate from us, and it is the act of eating which allows us to use it. We bite it off in huge mouthfuls like ravenous hyenas, chew it and swallow it with gulps of contempt. We come together in great rituals like Thanksgiving and Christmas in which we engage in orgies of gluttony and wastefulness to jointly validate our shame, all the while calling it glory. And that lie makes us even more ashamed; so we lie about that one too, and call it glory. And so on. And nobody will look at what they are really feeling, because if being pigs has brought us glory, why look at what pigs we are?

Respect your Food

While it is true that the original light fiber energy in food can be vitiated by disrespect anywhere along the line – in handling, processing, cooking, or eating – it is also true that light fiber energy, being more flexible than vitamins or proteins, can be restored to food by respecting it and treating it as sacred – by sort of ritualizing the activities connected with it.

First of all, it’s important that you try to grow some of your own food, even if it is only a couple of pots of herbs or jars of sprouts grown on a window shelf. Try to throw in at least a pinch of homegrown herbs or sprouts into every meal you cook (not necessarily into every dish, but every meal). Can you visualize yourself casting fibers of light (positive energy) into the food as you add your home-grown herbs or produce? Can you, in your own way, bless your key, staple ingredients – salt, flour, sugar, honey, etc?

Be a Happy Cook

Observe that you should never be in a bad mood when you cook, nor must you eat food cooked by someone who is in a bad mood, or even an indifferent one. A burger from a McDonald’s where the employees are a light, happy bunch can actually be better for you than a plate of organic brown rice from a vegetarian restaurant where the cook is bored or is angry at the manager.

You can easily tell when food has bad vibes. It’s not that it tastes bad per se; rather, it feels wrong or out of place in your mouth – there’s no incentive to chew it and swallow it. Whenever you get a feeling like this about something you are eating, spit it out. Don’t swallow it, not even to be polite. Much processed, convenience food tastes like this – bland, insipid, effete, enervated – but people get so used to this kind of food that they can’t tell the difference any more. They just assume that feeling lousy all the time is how you’re supposed to feel, and they cease to notice that it's their food which is bringing them down.

Finally, talk to your food. Thank it as if it were alive and could understand you. Not a long conversation, just a simple acknowledgment that you are aware you are in the presence of something that is worthy of your respect, and from whom you wish a favor. You wouldn’t ask a human being for a favor in a surly, disrespectful manner. On the contrary, you would ask humbly and respectfully, and feel gratitude for the favor when granted.

And this is how you must address your food: take small bites, chew it slowly and mindfully, eat in silence paying attention to the act of eating, and never eat until you are full.

15+ Tips for Dealing with Rising Food Costs

How will a country with astounding rates of obesity deal with rising food costs? I just read about a woman who can no longer afford milk but has decided to give her children soda to drink instead? I personally do not think either one of those options is good for a child. Can we as a nation (taxpaying) even afford for health to worsen? Of course not.

So why are food prices soaring?

• Ethanol. The ethanol boom has driven corn prices up 70% in a year. Now more land is planted in corn, and soybeans, wheat, oats, and barley are all up from 5% to 35%. Plus, higher corn prices mean higher prices for animals in the food chain that eat it - such as chickens, cows, and hogs. Corn is also a key ingredient in a long list of processed foods like breakfast cereal, and so far, producers have been able to pass these cost increases on - another sign of a fundamentally inflationary environment.

• Higher distribution costs. Energy hits on two fronts: It costs more to process food and it costs more to move it all to market.

• World demand. The "China effect" on energy prices has been well documented. But it also affects food. Food exports have grown as living standards in China, India and other growing economies have risen. That's good for the economy but not for prices.

How to deal with rising food costs: (in any order)

1. Don't be embarrassed to use coupons. Find them, Clip them, Save them, Share them. 

2. Leave the junk food on the shelf. It makes no sense whatsoever to buy food that will not nourish you. Limit your caffeine and muffins, doughnuts and candy.

3. Learn the shelf life of the foods you buy. Pick out the healthier stuff that can last. The shelf-life of food will depend upon the food itself, packaging, temperature, and humidity. Some examples:

Veggies:
Most fresh vegetables may be stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator wrapped or covered in moisture-proof bags. Root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, etc.) and squashes, eggplant should be stored in a cool, well-ventilated place between 50°F and 60°F. Tomatoes continue to ripen after harvesting and should be stored at room temperature. Removing the tops of carrots, radishes, and beets prior to refrigerator storage will reduce loss of moisture and extend shelf-life. Lettuce should be rinsed under cold running water, drained, packaged in plastic bags, and refrigerated. Proper storage of fresh vegetables will maintain quality and nutritive value.

Fruits:
Ripe eating apples should be stored separately from other foods in the refrigerator and eaten within one month. Apples stored at room temperature will soften rapidly within a few days. Remember to remove apples that are bruised or decayed prior to storage in the refrigerator. Do not wash apples prior to storage.

Green pears and apricots should be ripened at room temperature and then stored in the refrigerator. Expect a 5-day refrigerated shelf-life for these fruits. Unripe peaches may be ripened at room temperature and eaten after 2 days. Store ripe peaches in the refrigerator but consume at room temperature. Grapes and plums should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten fresh within 5 days of purchase. Store unwashed grapes separately from other foods in the refrigerator and wash prior to consumption. Ripe strawberries can be stored in the refrigerator separately from other foods for approximately 3 days. Strawberries should be washed and stemmed prior to consumption.

Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and ripened oranges, can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Grapefruit may be stored at a slightly higher temperature of 50°F. Melons, such as the honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and watermelon, may be ripened at room temperature for 2, 3, and 7 days, respectively. Store ripe melons in the refrigerator. Avocados and bananas should be ripened at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Never store unripe bananas in the refrigerator, since cold temperatures will cause the bananas to rapidly darken.

4. Cook the food you purchase. If you don't think you and your family will really eat something before it spoils, don't buy it. Research shows the average family wastes nearly $600 a year on food. Don't buy and cook food for the garbage can.

5. Learn to grow your own fruits and veggies. What a great hobby it could be and also it's good for the body. Learn your Plant Hardiness Zone to know what to plant and when to plant in your area.

6. Find your local farmers market in town. There, you can typically find fresher produce at better prices and you might even be able to negotiate for those apples. Find or add a place to The Eat Well Guide.

 

7. Take turns and share costs. Host Healthy Dinner Night parties with family and friends. Well, maybe its not such a good idea as people tend to eat more food in the relaxed company of others. What do you think?

8. Ditch the alcohol. It lowers your inhibition and makes you eat more, talk funny, and will eventually lead to some serious problems mentally and physically.

9. Quit smoking. Save your money, you might need it.  I'm not trying to wag my finger at anybody here. Just a friendly lil' reminder that we quit and haven't given up on you.

10. Ride a bike. It's liberating and somehow and in someway, it will make a big difference.

11. Forget drive-thrus. Detox from fast food. I remember when Happy Meals used to cost $1.99. Who knows how much they are now? And you've heard the story, it makes you fat.

12. Become a Vegetarian and I guarantee you can save some bucks. Unless of course, you go splurging in the tofujerky, tofuturkey, meal replacement bar industries. Don't fall for it.

(Pictured below is a delicious vegetable medley of sweet potato, black beans, and zuchinni cooked over fresh diced onion and minced garlic and spiced with a bit of cumin, pepper, and curry powder. It was served with warm pita bread and quite delicious. Try it.   

13. Understand the Nutrition Facts Labels and make it a habit to read them.

14. Eat Enough, But Less and live longer. Try using smaller plates. Eat slower. And get your fork into something green. Anything with a high fiber content is a great way to fill up and be sustained throughout your days. Tips: Oatmeal for breakfast. An apple as a snack. Spinach in your salad. A handful of mixed nuts.  Whole grain breads and pastas.

15. Money left over? Not worried about the rising food cost phenomenon. Congrats! Can you please consider chipping into to your local food banks? There are hungry people (and don't forget the children) all over the world. Riots and instability are spreading as food prices skyrocket.

Second Thoughts:
Read Some Good News on Food Prices
Listen to NPR: World Bank Chief says Biofuels are Boosting Food Prices.

The Homely Potato as Part of the Solution
AGFLATION: The Real Cost of Food Prices- MAP

Why you should know the Health Ranger

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, is serious about saving this world from ill health on all fronts. He is a man with a mission of teaching people how to be healthy; a holistic nutritionist who overcame obesity, crippling pain and chronic disease using natural health strategies he freely shares with others.

Generally Mike Adams suggests avoiding the following:

• Sodium nitrite (causes cancer)
• MSG / monosodium glutamate / yeast extract (causes obesity and nerve damage)
• Hydrogenated oils (causes heart disease)
• High-fructose corn syrup / sugar / sucrose (causes diabetes and obesity)
• Artificial colors (causes behavioral disorders)
• Aspartame (causes brain damage, optic nerve damage)
• Homogenized milk fats (cause heart disease and cardiovascular disorders)
• Red meat (absolutely no beef, pork, or other red meat)
• Cows' milk, cheese and dairy products
• Soft drinks, junk foods, snack foods or fast foods
• Processed foods such as cookies, crackers, frozen dinners, etc.
• Fried foods
• White flour and any foods containing white flour
• Refined carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, pastries, pizza dough, etc.
• Fruit juice drinks
• Brand-name laundry detergents (loaded with toxic fragrance chemicals)
• Popular deodorants (contain aluminum)
• Fluoride toothpaste (fluoride is a dangerous ingredient)

And

• Absolutely no prescription drugs or pharmaceuticals whatsoever.
• No visits to M.D.s or western medical doctors (visits naturopathic physicians only)
• No following the USDA's ridiculous Food Guide Pyramid (Download the Honest Food Guide below)
  
• No steroids, andro supplements or other questionable bodybuilding supplements
• No diet pills, stimulants or fat burning pills
• No fad dieting

His recipe for Health Success includes:

• Quinoa (boiled, used as cereal or soup base)
• Tofu, soymilk and soy products
• Healthy oils from: avocados, extra virgin coconut oil, macedamia nuts, cashews, almonds, peanuts, flax oil, olive oil
• Daily breakfast with Jenny Lee Supergreens shake: 2 cups soymilk + 1 scoop supergreens powder + 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel + 1 tablespoon coconut oil + coral calcium powder + stevia + chocolate rice protein + natural peanut butter
• Superfoods such as chlorella, spirulina, sea vegetables, broccoli sprouts, sunflower sprouts, wheat grass, and various greens powders
• Massive quantities of vegetables: salad greens, cilantro, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, snow peas, okra, tomatoes, zucchini, etc.
• Raw, fresh fruits, especially berries (massive quantities of blueberries)
• Healing foods such as garlic, ginger, onions, etc.
• Daily doses of nutritional supplements: whole food supplements, organic vitamins, Standard Process tablets, Alive! supplements, vitamin C
• Daily doses of rainforest herbs: Amazon herbs, chanca piedra, etc.
• One hour of full exposure to intense natural sunlight on a near-daily basis with no sunscreen (important for vibrational nutrition and essential for mental health, bone density, vitamin D production, etc.)
• Other various nutritional and herbal supplements depending on need

Be sure to Download the Honest Food Guide.

At the end of the day, if we were to follow The Health Ranger's lead and guidelines for healthy living, we would see that his work is instrumental and healing (as extreme as it may seem). Mike Adams provides enlightenment in the form of digital books via Truth Publishing, his media company, with titles such as: The 7 Laws of Nutrition,The Five Soft Drink Monsters, Spam Filters for Your Brain, Grocery Warning: Avoid the Groceries that Cause Disease, and How to Halt Diabetes in 25 Days. These information packed titles are to be discovered through his website. There you will also find free e-books available for download such as, How to end Cruelty to Animals, People, and Nature; An Introduction to Cell Foods; Superfoods for Optimum Health: Chlorella and Spirulina; and the Healing Power of Sunlight & Vitamin D. Amazingly, he also has time to provide us with daily emails and 1500+ articles through News Target. Thanks Health Ranger!!

 

The Consumer Wellness Center.

Technorati Tags: Mike Adams, Health Ranger, Lucid Nutrition, sodium nitrite, MSG, chlorella, spirulina, aspartame, naturopathy, andro supplements, Supergreens, Alive!, Honest Food Guide, Truth Publishing, News Target

The Mind Can Change the Brain

The Quest For Happiness
Martin E. P. Seligman, author of the book, Authentic Happiness, has said that we all have a "set point" for happiness, just as we do for weight. He felt that although people can improve or hinder their well-being, they aren't likely to take long leaps in either direction from their set points.

On the contrary, scientists who continue to probe the limits of neuroplasticity, are finding that mind sculpting can occur even without input from the outside world. The brain can change as a result of the thoughts we think!

It was a fairly modest experiment, as these things go, with volunteers trooping into the lab at Harvard Medical School to learn and practice a little five-finger piano exercise. Neuroscientist Alvaro Pascual-Leone instructed the members of one group to play as fluidly as they could, trying to keep to the metronome's 60 beats per minute. Every day for five days, the volunteers practiced for two hours. Then they took a test.

At the end of each day's practice session, they sat beneath a coil of wire that sent a brief magnetic pulse into the motor cortex of their brain, located in a strip running from the crown of the head toward each ear. The so-called transcranial- magnetic-stimulation (TMS) test allows scientists to infer the function of neurons just beneath the coil. In the piano players, the TMS mapped how much of the motor cortex controlled the finger movements needed for the piano exercise. What the scientists found was that after a week of practice, the stretch of motor cortex devoted to these finger movements took over surrounding areas like dandelions on a suburban lawn. The finding was in line with a growing number of discoveries at the time showing that greater use of a particular muscle causes the brain to devote more cortical real estate to it.

But Pascual-Leone did not stop there.
He extended the experiment by having another group of volunteers merely think about practicing the piano exercise. They played the simple piece of music in their head, holding their hands still while imagining how they would move their fingers. Then they too sat beneath the TMS coil. When the scientists compared the TMS data on the two groups--those who actually tickled the ivories (piano keys) and those who only imagined doing so--they glimpsed a revolutionary idea about the brain: the ability of mere thought to alter the physical structure and function of our gray matter.

For what the TMS revealed was that the region of motor cortex that controls the piano-playing fingers also expanded in the brains of volunteers who imagined playing the music--just as it had in those who actually played it. Rewiring article.

Wow. Now this has important implications for health: something as seemingly insubstantial as a thought can affect the very stuff of the brain, altering neuronal connections in a way that can treat mental
illness or, perhaps, lead to a greater capacity for empathy and compassion. It may even dial up the supposedly immovable Happiness Set Point.

In other words, we all write and can rewrite the narratives of our lives. We have the ability to rewire our beautiful machines called the brain. We are in charge. To think of all thoughts as sacred is our goal; to give our brain the right formula, the code, to unlock the gate of our eternal gold; happiness.

David Lykken, a behavioral geneticist and Emeritus Professor at the University of Minnesota, wants people to know that happiness is genetically influenced but it is not fixed. He sees the set point of subjective well-being-a term he uses interchangeably with happiness---as a lake upon which each of us sails our own personal boat. While the standard water level may be determined by genetics, it will rise and fall depending on what's going on in a person's life, always returning to baseline in a fairly short while whether he or she wins the lottery or loses the house to a hurricane.

It just doesn't occur to people to change internally in order to be happy, he says. Instead, they spend their lives searching for an external solution: the constant pursuit of more money, a bigger house, a more luxurious car, a new antidepressant, a new nose, a flatter stomach, and soon, according to recent news headlines, a whole new made-to-order face. And still, happiness seems to lie just out of reach.

If people really want to overcome their "genes" (which they likely blame) and build a happy life, Lykken says, the best thing to do is find something useful and enjoyable to do with their time. "I'd suggest people just sit down now and take an honest, careful inventory of ways they do things that interfere with their happiness," says Lykken. "Then make up their mind that they're going to stop making troughs in their happiness lake and start making waves."

Training the brain to adopt different thinking circuits takes time, dedication, persistence, patience, love, and faith in yourSelf (at the very least). And we already know to:

* Think of our family/friends as mutual missions (respect, LOVE, forgiveness; accept life's lessons)

* Think of our job as our calling (be who we are, do what we love)

* Engage in tasks that are consistent with our values (if it doesn't feel right, it's probably not)

* Take our skills and abilities to the next level (don't settle)

* Make time for some style of Meditation (sitting, walking, painting, reading, yoga)

* And of course, take proper care of the carriage for our souls; our body

So let us not live our lives naively, in denial, disillusioned, and easily manipulated. Let us be clear headed and strong in our quest for joy without blaming others for our circumstances. May we choose not to dwell on our past mistakes and missed opportunities or to resent those who may have transgressed against us. Our aim is not to live in the past at all, but to accept it for what it was and to be free. NOW.

Howard Cutler, author of The Art of Happiness suggests that when negative thoughts or emotions do arise one can directly examine, analyze, and challenge these thoughts, actively neutralizing and replacing them with rational, alternative ways of thinking. For example, when depressed, one might spontaneously have a thought such as, "I'm worthless," but when this thought arises one can actively challenge that thought by objectively listing one's strengths and accomplishments. And to shift an everyday bad mood, we must make a deliberate effort to "count our blessings", to remind ourselves of all the things we have and all the people we love; who love us.

Know that the more challenges and thoughts we master while utilizing our personal strengths, the more the lucid we will become and the feeling of Joy will permeate our lives. Let us remember that the happiest people in the world are not those who have perfect lives, but the people who have learned to enjoy things that are less than perfect. Burnt toast, an unexpected cat, thunderstorms on wedding days, striking out again, flat tires, love handles, withering roses, idle/spastic/backward thoughts, All Other People, LIFE. Accept your experience. Go with it. Just BE...happily!

Any more tips? Feel free to comment:)

Technorati Tags: happiness, well being, psychology, brain matters, thoughts, meditation, neuroplasticity, life, challenges, happy

Hippocrates to Kurzweil on Health

Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food, said Hippocrates, the teacher of anatomy who is regarded as the Father of Medicine. He was known to reject superstitions and beliefs that credited supernatural or divine forces with causing illness. He separated the discipline of medicine from philosophy and religion, believing and arguing that disease was not a punishment inflicted by the gods but rather the product of environmental factors, diet, and living habits. 

Some 2,400 years later, his words still ring true to many ears. For decades the medical community was skeptical about the thought that proper nutrition could prevent and treat ailments such as cancer, heart disease, and even depression. I believe we are on the road to recovery due to the extensive research of scientists worldwide and the widespread availability of information available on health; our greatest wealth.

Meet Ray Kurzweil, the author of Fantastic Voyage-Live Long Enough to Live Forever. He, along with Terry Grossman have developed a program designed to slow aging and disease processes.

Here are a few suggestions from the The Short Guide to a Long Life by the  Authors:

• Drink alkaline water (use an alkaline ionizer machine)
• Replace sugar with Stevia
• Avoid harsh foods (caffeine, sugar, alcohol, chemicals, fried foods, Aspartame, Saccharin)
• Lower carb intake & use a starch blocker
• Chew food thoroughly for better digestion
• Increase fiber intake (25 grams per day)
• Employ aggressive nutritional supplements (B12, B6, Folic Acid, B2, Zinc, Magnesium)
• And of course, adequate amounts of EXERCISE!

My favorite part from the Guide, Ideas for Living More Fully:

• Be aware of the seasons
• Get some sun each day (about 5-10 minutes)
• Practice Lucid Dreaming
• Seek quiet environments
• Seek out beauty
• Don't be unduly attached to things (consider how many wars are fought over rocks and sand)
• Don't be unduly concerned with what other people think about you (except that you may be able to learn something useful about yourself by listening to valid criticism and taking it to heart)
• Give criticism very sparingly (only if you really need to help someone)
• Keep learning
• Keep challenging yourself
• Be optimistic
• Be grateful (and express it)
• Give yourself to someone
• Have integrity
• Take responsibility for your well Being
• Keep a journal (it helps put concerns into perspective)
• Never retire, but do change the perspective of your work from time to time.
• Most importantly, Practice the four C's: Challenge, Commitment, Curioisity, and Creativity.

The Short Guide to a Long Life is available here and will remain on the sidebar indefinitely. Have a Lucid Day!

Technorati Tags: Kurzweil, Hippocrates, stevia, Alkaline, ionizer, h2O, creativity, healthy, lucid nutrition, lucid dreaming, well being, longevity, vitality, vitamins, supplements

Introduction to LN

Hello! My name is Briana Franco, the author of Lucid Nutrition.

I have taken such a long time to begin this blog for good reason. I have been trying to understand what 'Lucid Nutrition' really means and how the content here will be useful not only for myself, family, and friends, but for any person who happens to come across this page. I have been in a research process for quite some time now, online and in books. I was searching for some sort of definition or explanation for LN when it finally hit me; Lucid Nutrition is just what it is. Simple.

Lets take a look at the definition for the word Lucid:

lucid. an adjective. 1 expressed clearly; easy to understand : a lucid account, written in a clear and lucid style. ˚showing ability to think clearly, esp. in the intervals between periods of confusion or insanity: he has a few lucid moments every now and then. ˚Psychology (of a dream) experienced with the dreamer feeling awake, aware of dreaming, and able to control events consciously. 2 poetic/literary bright or luminous : birds dipped their wings in the lucid flow of air.

and now the definition for the word Nutrition:

nutrition. a noun. the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth : a guide to good nutrition. ˚food; nourishment : the substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition.

I plan on explaining more about what it means to become Lucid in our lives throughout the lifeline of this blog. Most importantly, is the notion that nutrition, the substances necessary for growth, are not limited to the physical ingredients which we put down our throats and into the digestive system. It also consist of the thoughts we think, the air we breathe, our daily environment, people surroundings, and how we handle the experiences we meet.

The research done for Lucid Nutrition will strive to help consumers like you and me feel less confused about what to buy, what to eat, and how to find strength and peace for a sound body and mind. Choices we make every day significantly influence our chances of feeling healthy, happy, energetic, and clear-minded.

Sound health is much more than the absence of sickness. It is the conscious pursuit of the highest qualities of the physical, environmental, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of the human experience.

We will delve deep into the past learning about ancient healing techniques like Ayurveda, Yoga, Dance, Reiki, Chakras and venture into the future where bodies will be healed quicker and easier by the rapid advances in technology.

We will test and try various recipes, opening our minds to new vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs and vitamins. We will sip on various teas, nibble on blueberries, and learn stretching routines and exercises great upon rising in the morning. Together we will discover more and more about complementary and alternative healing techniques; holistic and integrative, art therapy, foods we should avoid and eat, plus so much more.

The ultimate mission of Lucid Nutrition is to share what I am learning with you in the hopes that my findings may enliven your life as they do mine. To produce health, prevent and fight dis-ease and to have a greater awareness of our body/mind/heart/soul is what Lucid Nutrition is all about.

See disclaimer.

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