The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine,

or the slowest form of poison.

-Dr. Ann Wigmore

Fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction

Fatty foods may cause cocaine-like addiction

By Sarah Klein, Health.com

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Brains of rats that gorged themselves on human fatty foods changed

Dopamine appears to be responsible for the behavior of the overeating rats

Findings could lead to new treatments for obesity

(Health.com) — Scientists have finally confirmed what the rest of us have suspected for years: Bacon, cheesecake, and other delicious yet fattening foods may be addictive.

A new study in rats suggests that high-fat, high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin. When rats consume these foods in great enough quantities, it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, the study found.

Doing drugs such as cocaine and eating too much junk food both gradually overload the so-called pleasure centers in the brain, according to Paul J. Kenny, Ph.D., an associate professor of molecular therapeutics at the Scripps Research Institute, in Jupiter, Florida. Eventually the pleasure centers “crash,” and achieving the same pleasure–or even just feeling normal–requires increasing amounts of the drug or food, says Kenny, the lead author of the study.

“People know intuitively that there’s more to [overeating] than just willpower,” he says. “There’s a system in the brain that’s been turned on or over-activated, and that’s driving [overeating] at some subconscious level.”

In the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Kenny and his co-author studied three groups of lab rats for 40 days. One of the groups was fed regular rat food. A second was fed bacon, sausage, cheesecake, frosting, and other fattening, high-calorie foods–but only for one hour each day. The third group was allowed to pig out on the unhealthy foods for up to 23 hours a day.

Not surprisingly, the rats that gorged themselves on the human food quickly became obese. But their brains also changed. By monitoring implanted brain electrodes, the researchers found that the rats in the third group gradually developed a tolerance to the pleasure the food gave them and had to eat more to experience a high.They began to eat compulsively, to the point where they continued to do so in the face of pain. When the researchers applied an electric shock to the rats’ feet in the presence of the food, the rats in the first two groups were frightened away from eating. But the obese rats were not. “Their attention was solely focused on consuming food,” says Kenny.

In previous studies, rats have exhibited similar brain changes when given unlimited access to cocaine or heroin. And rats have similarly ignored punishment to continue consuming cocaine, the researchers note.

The fact that junk food could provoke this response isn’t entirely surprising, says Dr.Gene-Jack Wang, M.D., the chair of the medical department at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton, New York.

“We make our food very similar to cocaine now,” he says.

Coca leaves have been used since ancient times, he points out, but people learned to purify or alter cocaine to deliver it more efficiently to their brains (by injecting or smoking it, for instance). This made the drug more addictive.

According to Wang, food has evolved in a similar way. “We purify our food,” he says. “Our ancestors ate whole grains, but we’re eating white bread. American Indians ate corn; we eat corn syrup.”

The ingredients in purified modern food cause people to “eat unconsciously and unnecessarily,” and will also prompt an animal to “eat like a drug abuser [uses drugs],” says Wang.

The neurotransmitter dopamine appears to be responsible for the behavior of the overeating rats, according to the study. Dopamine is involved in the brain’s pleasure (or reward) centers, and it also plays a role in reinforcing behavior. “It tells the brain something has happened and you should learn from what just happened,” says Kenny.

Overeating caused the levels of a certain dopamine receptor in the brains of the obese rats to drop, the study found. In humans, low levels of the same receptors have been associated with drug addiction and obesity, and may be genetic, Kenny says.

However, that doesn’t mean that everyone born with lower dopamine receptor levels is destined to become an addict or to overeat. As Wang points out, environmental factors, and not just genes, are involved in both behaviors.

Wang also cautions that applying the results of animal studies to humans can be tricky. For instance, he says, in studies of weight-loss drugs, rats have lost as much as 30 percent of their weight, but humans on the same drug have lost less than 5 percent of their weight. “You can’t mimic completely human behavior, but [animal studies] can give you a clue about what can happen in humans,” Wang says.

Although he acknowledges that his research may not directly translate to humans, Kenny says the findings shed light on the brain mechanisms that drive overeating and could even lead to new treatments for obesity.

“If we could develop therapeutics for drug addiction, those same drugs may be good for obesity as well,” he says.

Carrot & Kale Soup

CARROT AND KALE SOUP

2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups of roughly chopped kale
3 cups of organic chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup of water
1 1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbs of chopped coriander (cilantro)
5 cm piece of ginger, grated
1 1/2 tbs of olive oil
1 cup of rice
Lemon wedges for serving

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over a medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
2. Add the carrot and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and ginger and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the salt and stir.
3. Add the stock and water to the pot and stir well. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Next, add the rice to the pot and stir. Cover again and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Add the chopped coriander and stir well. Add the kale, stir and then simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Serve in soup bowls with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Coconut Oil

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL-

"The Healthiest Oil on Earth"

Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are classified as a "functional food" because they provide many health benefits beyond its nutritional content. Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties.

Coconut Oil Is:

· Anti-inflammatory
· Antimicrobial
· Antifungal
· Antiviral
· Improves nutrient absorption

Daily Dosage:

Here is a chart outlining the recommended daily dosage of virgin coconut oil for persons over the age of 12. Coconut oil may be consumed by children under 12 but it is advisable to check with a healthcare practitioner on the proper dosage.

Weight in pounds/kilograms	Number of tablespoons of coconut oil daily
175+/79+	4
150+ /68+	3 1/2
125+ / 57+	3
100+/ 45+	2 1/2
75+ / 34+	2
50+ / 23+	1 1/2
25+ / 11+	1

HOW TO USE:

(Orally and topically)

I found the following info on another blog... Looks like good stuff.

1. Skin Care: Wanna look like you just came back from an hour of yoga? Coconut oil works wonders as a moisturizer for all skin types, especially dry skin and aging skin, leaving you refreshed and looking wide-awake. No headstand required! The fat in the oil helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles without any irritation. Coconut oil can also help with skin problems like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin conditions. In fact, the oil is frequently used in expensive skin care products. Try our easy, inexpensive recipe for a great honey and coconut oil moisturizer.

2. Stress Relief: Long day at the office, kids won’t stop screaming and your dog left a little “present” on your vintage bedspread? Relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.

3. Digestion: The saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around. Try this delicious vegan, creamed spinach recipe.

4. Fitness: Coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle. Because of this, coconut oil has shot to popularity by being the world’s only natural low-calorie fat. Sign me up!

5. Healing: When applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.

6. Hair Care: $20 hair conditioners? I don’t think so! Coconut oil is one of the most nutritious products you can put on your hair. Massage a bit of the oil onto your scalp and presto – no more dandruff. Since it provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair, it’s used in a ton of over-the-counter hair products anyway. Why not cut to the chase and skip all the unnecessary chemicals? Check out our easy conditioning recipe.

(Found on: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-healthy-uses-for-coconut-oil.html)

Lemon Water

Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

1. Good for stomach
   

   Can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.

2. Excellent for Skin Care
   

   Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads.

3. Aids in Dental Care
   

   Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums.

4. Cures Throat Infections
   

   Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently.

5. Good for Weight Loss
   

   One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well.

6. Controls High Blood Pressure
   

   Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression.

7. Assist in curing Respiratory Disorders
   

   Lemon water assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma.

8. Good for treating Rheumatism
   

   Lemon is also a diuretic and hence lemon water can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body.

9. Reduces Fever
   

   Lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.

10. Acts as a blood purifier
    

    The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.

Read more: http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/top-10-health-benefits-of-lemon-water-1422542#ixzz1iVTK8QkC

Alternative Sources of Calcium

Since most dairy is not allowed for the alkaline diet, below is a list of other food sources for calcium.

Almonds - 234 mg

Artichokes - 51 mg

Beans (can of pinto, black) - 135 mg

Black-eyed peas - 99 mg

Broccoli - 48 mg

Brussel Sprouts - 36 mg

Cabbage - 49 mg

Carrot (raw) - 37 mg

Cashew Nuts - 38 mg

Cauliflower (cooked) - 42 mg

Chickpeas (garbanzos) - 150 mg

Dandelion Greens - 187 mg

Figs - 126 mg

Hazelnuts - 209 mg

Kale (raw) - 249 mg

Kale (cooked) - 187 mg

Leeks - 52 mg

Lettuce (light green) - 35 mg

Lettuce (dark green) - 68 mg

Molasses (dark) - 684 mg

Okra (raw or cooked) - 92 mg

Olives - 61 mg

Oranges (Florida) - 43 mg

Parsley - 203 mg

Peanuts (roasted or salted) - 74 mg

Peas (boiled) - 56 mg

Pistachio Nuts - 131 mg

Raisins - 62 mg

Rhubarb (cooked) - 78 mg

Sesame Seeds - 1,160 mg

Soybeans - 60 mg

Tofu - 128 mg

Spinach (raw) - 93 mg

Sunflower Seeds - 120 mg

Turnips (cooked) - 35 mg

Turnip Greens (raw) - 246 mg

Turnip Greens (cooked) - 184 mg

Juicing

JUICEMAN JR.

(purchased on craigslist)

It's a lot of work and money for not a lot of juice, but I'm not giving up yet.

As you can see from the pictures, it can be a bit messy but also there's quite a bit of veggies that go into the "waste" container. I tried re-feeding it into the juicer, but didn't really get much more juice out.

Below are some thoughts on the things I've juiced. (Although almost all fruit would make these juices taste better, most are pretty acidic so I've been avoiding them for now.)

I also put Agave Sweetener in every juice to help sweeten.

Kale- Very small amount of juice came out. Seemed like it worked better to combine kale with another veggie when juicing. Smells very earthy and similar to grass.
Spinach- Even smaller amount of juice comes out with this.
Celery- Disgusting. Very strong flavor, so if you like celery, maybe you won't mind. So so so gross to me though.
Carrot- Surpisingly good. Made the juice much sweeter.
Apples- Makes every juice taste better. Add to everything.

Lemon- Also makes things much better. A lot of juice is provided with lemons and limes, but they're hard to peel.

Broccoli- Not much juice either. I hate broccoli and couldnt taste this, but maybe because I wasn't drinking much haha.

Sprouts- Gross

Coconut water helps make the juices less thick and mentally helps me think it will taste better.

Chugging these juices is really the best way to go. I spend more time getting other people to smell and taste the juices than I do drinking them myself haha.

Health Benefits of Juiced Veggies

See below for some of the health benefits from these veggies when juiced.

Celery - two stalks. Celery gives the body a natural diuretic effect and aids in the elimination of carbon dioxide from the body. The sodium content will neutralize acid ash (residue of acidic foods) in the body,

Parsley - 1/2 bunch. Extremely high in nutrients. An excellent cleanser and potentiator of all bodily functions.

Carrots - Two med. size. Because most of the phytochemicals are located at the top part of the carrot, don't cut the top off, instead leave the hat part, but discard the green shoots.

Cilantro - 1/4 bunch. Has the ability to remove mercury, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals from the body.

Kale - 2 to 3 leaves. A very nutrient rich vegetable. One of the best cancer fighting vegetables found on our planet. Kale is the richest of all leafy greens in carotenoids (powerful anti-cancer agents). Kale's calcium content is easily assimilated, making it a wonder food for arthritis, osteoporosis, bone loss disorders and skin health.

Cucumber - 1/2 cucumber. A great diuretic (helps remove excess fluids from the body because it promotes urination). Excellent as a blood cleanser. (If you burn your skin, cut a cucumber open and apply it for relief from pain.)

An apple to sweeten your juice.

5 Easy Steps to an Alkaline Diet

5 EASY STEPS TO AN ALKALINE DIET

I just found this site which is really helpful for the 5 "easy" steps to an alkaline diet.

http://crazysexylife.com/2011/5-easy-steps-to-an-alkaline-diet/

1. Hydrate: Drink 6-18 cups of water a day. Drink lemon water. Although lemons are acidic, lemon water is actually alkaline. Lemon water helps speed up metabolism, cleanse the digestive system, and buffer excess acid cells.

2. Go Green: Basically, eat everything green. Avoid processed foods, fast foods, dairy, caffeine, etc.

3. Transition: This one is my favorite. Take it slowly, don't change overnight or you will fail (according to this website, so i will obviously listen :) ) Take time to find recipes you like so you're not starving.

4. Oxygen: This is a step I'm very confident that I will forget regularly (unless sighs count). Breathe deeply once or twice a day to help rid the body of excess acids.

5. Supplements: Take supplements with this diet to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need. I'm taking something called "Happy something" I forgot the name. And the veggie part of JuicePlus. (www.juiceplus.com)

Other suggested supplements:

A. Green powder: This is a combination of powdered grasses, fruits, vegetables and sprouts with a focus on wheatgrass and barley grass.

B. Alkaline water: You can make alkaline water in a number of ways including using a water ionizer, pH drops or adding freshly squeezed lemon.

C. Alkaline minerals: The primary way that your body buffers acids is through the alkaline minerals: sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium.

D. Omega oils: Taking an omega 3 supplement or an omega oil blend including omega-3, -6 and -9 is really beneficial. I recommend Udo’s Choice Omega Oil Blend. Udo is a world-leading researcher in omega oils for nutrition and he has made a fantastic product.