Attention ICers: Taking Baby Steps Towards Better Health

Don't know were to start when comes to diet and exercise? Do you need a gentle nudge in the right direction?  Are you afraid of making dietary changes because it means giving up foods you enjoy?

How do we make real lasting changes?  BABY STEPS!

Any changes you can make, no matter how small, can make a difference.

In Japan, it’s called kaizen. It’s a strategy for making change based on tiny, continuous improvements. And, they mean tiny. Want to build a habit of exercise? A kaizen practitioner would recommend you start by marching in place for one minute a day.

The point is to make changes in small, but effective increments. You start with where you’re at, and you look to see what you can change. You make it your goal to change that one thing.

You work on your one thing — and only that — until it’s habitual.

Every diet adjustment, even the most simple, takes time. It may be two, three, or even four weeks before you’re comfortable with your one new eating habit — before they “fit” like an old pair of shoes. But it will happen. And, once it does you can evaluate where you’re at and make another small change.

So, where to begin?

Here are ten ideas. Make one change at a time and do not take on a second until the first change is habit. 

1. Replace conventional veggies with organic. 
2. Replace Cows milk with Goats Milk. 
3. Eat More Fruit. 
4. Drink more water. 
5. Take a daily walk. 
6. Switch to grass fed animal products.  
7. Practice deep diaphragm breathing daily.
8. Learn how to cook.  
9. Give up fast foods. 
10. Journal Writing.


 In Health
Gloria Prater

If you would like more information on diet go to http://www.icanonymous.com 

10 strategies for preventing breast cancer

1. Do not drink alcohol.
More than fifty studies have been conducted on the influence of alcohol on breast cancer risk. Meta-analyses of these studies have concluded that having one alcoholic drink per day increases risk at least 7-10%, and the risk increases further with more alcohol.¹ In breast cancer survivors, drinking 3-4 alcoholic beverages per week increased the risk of recurrence by 34%.²

2. Do not smoke.
Breast carcinogens have been identified in cigarette smoke, and they are known to enter the bloodstream via the lungs and travel to breast tissue, putting smokers at risk.³

3. Do not take estrogen/birth control pills.
Cumulative exposure to estrogen is known to be a risk factor for breast cancer.^4,5 As such, women who have used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are at risk, and that risk increases with increasing duration of HRT.⁶ 

4. Have babies and nurse them for two years each.
Having children before the age of 24 and having multiple children are both protective against breast cancer.⁷ Breastfeeding also contributes to risk reduction, in part by reducing estrogen exposure – longer duration of breastfeeding confers more protection.⁸

5. Reduce consumption of animal products that have been pumped up with antibiotics, sterodis and hormones.  Eat grass fed animal products and choose fish that are wild,  and choose fish that are lower in mercury.
Cooked meat (not just red meat, poultry as well) is known to contain breast carcinogens such as PhiP.^9-11 Consuming more protein and especially dairy products raises blood levels of IGF-1, and elevated IGF-1 levels have been associated with increased in breast cancer risk in many studies.^13-21 Higher fish consumption in women has also been linked to higher rates of breast cancer.¹² Agricultural and industrial carcinogens, such as dioxins, accumulate in fatty tissues. Humans' primary mode of exposure to these dangerous chemicals is from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy fat.²²
The fat is alter when they add chemical such as steroids, antibitoics and hormones. 

6. Eat lots of green vegetables, mushrooms, and onions.
Following a traditional  high-nutrient diet, which protects against many chronic diseases, breast cancer included. Green vegetables and mushrooms are the most powerful anti-breast cancer foods. Take note that a vegetarian diet does not show protection against breast cancer as much as a diet rich in green vegetables, mushrooms, onions, berries, and seeds. It is the phytochemical nutrient density and diversity of the diet that offers the most dramatic protection against cancer, not merely the avoidance of meat or fat.^23-27 Vegetables and fruits have been consistently associated with both reduced risk of breast cancer and improved survival of breast cancer patients.^23,25,28-30 Cruciferous vegetables contain powerful anti-cancer compounds that halt the growth of breast cancer cells and promote excretion of estrogen.^24,31,32 Mushrooms block tumor growth and have anti-estrogenic activity – regular consumption of mushrooms – as little as one mushroom per day – has been shown to decrease breast cancer risk by up to 60-70%.^26,27,33 Organosulfur compounds in onions and garlic also prevent the development of cancers by detoxifying carcinogens, halting cancer cell growth, and preventing tumors from obtaining a blood supply.³⁴

7. Use supplements wisely.
Take a multivitamin that does not contain folic acid, maintain healthy vitamin D levels, and take at least 100 mg of DHA daily. Synthetic folic acid in multivitamins and prenatal vitamins has been associated with increased risk of breast cancer, whereas folate from natural food sources is associated with decreased risk.^35-38 Three-quarters of women who have breast cancer are vitamin D deficient, and maintaining sufficient blood vitamin D levels can decrease risk of breast cancer by up to 45%.^39,40 Omega-3 fatty acid consumption is associated with reduced cancer incidence. The omega-3 DHA has anti-inflammatory effects and also blocks tumor angiogenesis and tumor cell growth.^41-43

8. Use one tablespoon of ground flaxseed daily.
Flaxseed lignans have anti-estrogenic effects and also inhibit cell growth in breast tumors.^44,45

9. Don't grill or fry foods.
Steaming vegetables or making vegetable soups should be the major extent of cooking. High temperature dry cooking produces compounds known to be carcinogenic – acrylamides (formed in starchy foods) and heterocyclic amines (formed in meats).^46-48

10. Exercise at least three hours a week and maintain a lean body with little body fat.
An analysis of 73 different studies concluded that women with high levels of physical activity reduced their risk of breast cancer by 25%.^49,50 Maintaining a healthy weight is also extremely important, since 17% of breast cancer cases can be attributed to obesity alone.⁵¹

Julian Bakery Breads

This is our Amazing Sourdough bread. It is low calorie and low carb, making it ideal for any diet! This amazing 60 calorie per slice bread has only 4 net carbs per slice combined with 5g of protein.
What separates this bread from the rest is that we have added chicory root, which allows carbohydrates to pass through the body without them being digested.

As many of you know, the key to losing weight is simply to take in fewer calories than you burn. This is why we designed this unique bread to curb your appetite, allowing you to take in less calories and carbs without the feeling of being bloated. This soft, delicious bread is absolutely great with any meal!

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The Role of Oxalates in Chronic Disorders like Interstitial Cystitis

Oxalates (the salt form of oxalic acid) are extremely painful when deposited in the body. About eighty percent of kidney stones are caused by oxalates and they are by far the most common factor in kidney stone formation. There is also a large degree of genetic variability in the ability to detoxify the chemicals that produce oxalates. Perhaps twenty percent of the population has a genetic variance that increases their likelihood of producing oxalates, even when not consuming a high-oxalate diet.

Oxalates can form all throughout the kidney and the urinary tract, and can also form in the ureter as well as in the bladder. These star-shaped crystalline stones cause pain as the pressure in the urinary filtrate builds up, and perhaps also by tearing into the walls of the urinary tract itself.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are one of the most common medical ailments—ten to fifteen percent of adults will be diagnosed with a kidney stone in their lifetime. One million Americans develop kidney stones each year and most of these are oxalate related. Seventy-five to ninety percent of kidney stones are made of oxalic acid bound to another compound, usually calcium.

Once you have experienced a kidney stone attack, you have a very high chance of having another unless you change your way. The common symptoms are pain in the side and the back below the ribs. The episodes of pain last between twenty to sixty minutes, and it is common to hear women who have suffered kidney stones claim that they are more painful than childbirth.

The pain radiates from the side and the back to the lower abdomen and groin. There may be bloody, cloudy and foul-smelling urine. If there is infection, there may also be fever and chills. Pain with urination may accompany nausea and vomiting, and the sufferer may have a persistent urge to urinate.

NOT JUST IN THE KIDNEYS

Even though oxalate crystals are most common in the kidney, they also can form in virtually any other tissue in the body, including the brain and the blood-brain barrier. Oxalate crystals resembling pieces of glass can form in the heart muscle. As the heart muscle contracts, these pieces of oxalate crystals actually tear into the tissue. If these crystals are deposited in skeletal muscle, normal movement and exercise can be very painful. I’m convinced this is also one of the factors responsible for fibromyalgia. Oxalates may also cause thyroid disease as they react in thyroid tissue.

Other diseases in which oxalates may play a role include arthritis, joint pain and interstitial cystitis.

A FUNGAL ORIGIN

An unexpected finding is the fact that oxalate crystals are produced in very high amounts by molds and fungus. Aspergillus—a common organism that causes infection in humans and also is found in the black fungi that you see in your bathroom—produces oxalates.

VULVODYNIA

Another condition associated with oxalates is vulvodynia, or pain in and outside the vagina. The oxalate crystals act like tiny pieces of glass, which are deposited in the tissue. The oxalate is extremely acidic so it is corrosive as well. The pain is often described as burning or stinging, with a feeling of rawness or irritation.
One of the published studies on the treatment of this condition states that this is due to a reaction with yeast. There is indeed a connection of vulvodynia with yeast, most often Candida. There are about a dozen different species of Candida yeast normally associated with humans, the most common of which is Candida albicans. It was found that the main way to treat volvodynia was anti-fungal treatment to get rid of Candida, along with a low-oxalate diet. These two approaches have been very effective in correcting this condition.
Children who take oral antibiotics will frequently have much higher amount of oxalates. Antibiotics severely disrupt the balance of normal flora in the gut, with a consequent exponential proliferation in the growth of Candida, which is resistant to antibiotics. Oral antibiotics first appeared in the early 1950s, and the pharmaceutical companies actually included antifungal drugs along with the antibiotics because they knew about this problem. The FDA disallowed the addition, declaring that there was no approval for the prophylactic use of anti-fungals, thereby washing their hands of the whole business. It is significant to note that if individuals are given the same amount of antibiotics intravenously, their oxalate values do not rise because there was no effect on the GI tract. In some ways the old medical treatment—a shot of penicillin—was a lot safer.

CHRONIC FATIGUE AND FIBROMYALGIA

Yeast is a common factor in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, and antifungal therapy is very useful in treating these problems. Jacob Teitelbaum has written several books about the treatment of fibromyalgia and indicates two-thirds of individuals improved their chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia after anti-fungal therapy.
A Dr. Eaton in England found that individuals who had chronic fatigue would actually produce alcohol from their sugar intake. He describes patients who would do a baseline blood-alcohol test, then take some glucose dissolved in a flavored drink, and measure the blood alcohol one or two hours later. The blood alcohol would be substantially higher if the person had a severe Candida problem.

The OH component readily attaches to minerals like calcium, zinc and mercury, forming oxalates. Oxalates in the body come from food, can be formed in the gut by yeasts and fungi, or can result from an interruption in the glycolate pathway. Nutritional deficiencies and inborn errors of metabolism cause the formation of oxalates rather than the protein glycine.

Eaton found that by using this test he could monitor patients undergoing different treatments for chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia and found that 42 percent of patients improved just with sugar restriction alone. If he combined a low-sugar diet together with anti-fungal drugs, he had about a 78 percent success rate.
The most comprehensive study was that of a Dr. Jessop in California, who treated over one thousand people with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia using a single anti-fungal drug, ketoconazole. Eighty-four percent of the patients improved. Of the 1,100 patients, 685 were on disability payments. After the treatment with anti-fungal treatment, only twelve remained on disability. It was an extremely effective treatment!

OXALATES IN FOOD

People who are vegetarians really have to be aware of all the oxalates they take in. The biggest culprit for all vegetarians is soy protein, and the second is spinach. Spinach is so high I would not recommend eating it even cooked, as a main course. Lettuces, by the way, are very low in oxalates. The biggest problem vegetarians face is eating a diet high in soy protein and spinach. (Baby Spinach has not matured enough to contain large amounts of oxalate so please eat it, greens are good for you.)

Dr. Massey at Washington State University found that textured soy protein is very high in oxalates. There are 638 milligrams of oxalate per 85-gram serving, which is about the size of one of these small soy burgers and as much as you would find in a typical serving of spinach. The recommended amount of oxalate for people who have kidney stones is less than 30 mg a day. One soy burger contains twenty times the recommended daily dose in just one single portion.

How much oxalate is in the typical diet? There’s a very large range— from 97 to 930 mg a day. To reduce kidney stones you should consume less than 30 to 50 mg a day.

TREATMENT

Even though we can avoid the worst offenders—soy foods and spinach— if you are enjoying a varied diet, it is difficult to reduce dietary oxalate levels to near zero because they occur in so many foods—grains, nuts, vegetables and fruits.

The most effective way to get rid of oxalates is the use of calcium citrate. This supplement exerts a double potency action in eliminating oxalate. The calcium part of calcium citrate binds to the oxalate and causes it to precipitate out in the stool so it will not be absorbed. But part of the oxalate escapes. The citrate is a second line of defense, which competes directly with the oxalate for absorption.

For the treatment to be effective, the calcium citrate must be taken at the same time as the oxalate-containing food. If you have problems with any of conditions caused by oxalates—kidney stones, autism or vulvodynia— then taking calcium citrate with each meal can be very effective. If there is an adequate amount of calcium in the diet—if supplementing with calcium citrate, for example—it will combine with the oxalate in the GI tract, precipitate out in the stool, and then be eliminated in the stool.

The optimum dosage is approximately 300-350 mg calcium as calcium citrate for a total of 1000 mg (one gram) of calcium a day. If you’re taking this you don’t need additional sources of calcium. An even better approach would be to use magnesium citrate. The adult dosage is about 300-400 mg a day. Some practitioners recommend up to 1000 mg but many people report problems with diarrhea if they exceed 400 mg. Again, a divided dose would be best, taking the magnesium citrate with each meal.

The amino acid arginine helps to prevent the depositing of oxalates in the tissues. The omega-3 fatty acids and cod liver oil are also very effective in preventing oxalate deposition. The omega-6 fatty acids, mostly from commercial vegetable oils, behave in the reverse, and accelerate the deposition of oxalate.
The supplement that is most helpful is vitamin B6. This costs only pennies a day and is extremely safe.

There are a number of medical tests for oxalate status, it is too bad that doctors don't take the extra steps to meausre IC patients oxalates and they seldom test for yeast markers. Typically when the yeast marker is very high, the oxalate marker is also very high.


SUPER HIGH OXALATE FOODS

Spinach	Lime peel	Chocolate
Soy protein	Rhubarb	Instant coffee
Tofu	Swiss chard	Leeks
Peanuts	Parsley	Tea
Peanut butter	Sweet potatoes	Okra
Pecans	Pokeweed	Wheat germ
Lemon peel	Black pepper

Important Nutriets You Need In Your Diet

While we’ve come to expect certain physical and mental changes as an inevitable part of getting older, the fact is that the foods we eat—or don’t—may speed those processes along, aging us before our time. The reason is simple: “We eat too many processed foods,” says David Katz, MD, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “They’re often high in calories and low in nutrients such as vitamin B12 and omega-3s, so we end up with islands of deficiencies in a sea of excess.” These inadequacies can result in symptoms we tend to assume are due to aging, such as the four below. Work with a professional nutritional consultant who believe in the traditional diet to determine whether adjusting your diet or adding a supplement can help you look—and feel—healthier.

"Organic foods and grass fed animal products worth your hard earned money".

Avoiding animal protein ages you.
 
Why it’s aging you: You may lack of vitamin B12. which is essential for energy.
Found only in foods that are derived from animals, this nutrient helps regulate your metabolism and energy production and is key to maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. “Fatigue is a classic sign of B12 deficiency, which usually occurs in people who don’t eat very much animal protein,” says Danine Fruge, MD, associate medical director of the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Miami. Many IC patient are chewing chewing a lot of antacids which can also lead to B12 deficiency because antacids interfere with B12 absorption.

Good sources of B12 include seafood such as fish, clams, oysters, and mussels, as well as grass feed animals products that are free of antibiotics, steroids and hormones.

Supplement Solution
Take 250mg of vitamin B12 in tablet form every day to raise and maintain your B12 levels.
 
 
If you have poor eating habits or your 50 and older you should be taking a supplement that contains manganese and copper. 

 Manganese and copper, which help prevent joint pain.Because manganese and copper are both essential for maintaining joint cartilage and flexibility, “in most cases, supplementing these nutrients reverses the joint deterioration and eliminates the pain,” says Dale Peterson, MD, director of the Comprehensive Wellness Center in Sapulpa, OK. “The body can actually repair a significant amount of damage if it’s given the proper support.”

Food Fix: Nuts, beef, and spinach are good sources of manganese and copper.


Fish and Fat
 
Fish and healthy oils (organic cold pressed olive oil) offer the best source of omega-3 essential fatty acids ,which help prevent memory loss.
“These fatty acids are part of the brain’s building blocks,” explains Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. “If you’re not getting enough in your diet, the architecture of the brain becomes weak, and brain function, including memory, suffers.” But it’s not only the amount of omega-3s that’s important; the balance between omega-3s and omega-6s is equally crucial. “Our diets are flooded with omega-6 fatty acids, mostly from processed foods,” says Dr. Weil. “The more omega-6s you eat, the more omega-3s you need to balance your levels. Most of us aren’t eating enough omega-3s and are eating too many omega-6s which is found in processed food.”

Food Fix: First, reduce your consumption of refined and processed foods much as possible, and cook with olive. Then, eat 3 1⁄2 ounces of wild salmon and 3 1⁄2 ounces of herring, sardines, or halibut each week. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed to oatmeal,  or shakes daily, and garnish salads or hot cereal with 1 tablespoon of walnuts 5 days a week. Finally, enjoy 9 to 12 almonds 4 times a week. Soak your nuts overnight before eating. This release live enzymes and makes nuts digestible.

 Packaged foods are high in blood pressure–spiking sodium—and fresh fruits and veggies contain blood pressure–lowering potassium.

“Having too little potassium in your diet magnifies the toxic effects of excessive salt intake,” Dr. Fruge says. Most processed foods have added sodium but no extra potassium, so if your meals come from boxes, you’re likely at risk. Worsening the situation, when your kidneys try to flush out the salt, you lose even more potassium. “The imbalance damages blood vessels, driving up blood pressure,” Dr. Fruge notes. “Eating better can correct the problem.  Foods high in sodium and using table salt increase IC related pain.  Potassium helps relax tight, tense muscles. It is a shame that IC patients have been made to fear potassium.

Use unrefined sea salt, cut out processed and canned foods, and eat seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Eating well equal less pain and a better quality of life.

In Health

Gloria Prater, ICAF

How to Protect Yourself Against Cancer With Food

Once a rare disease, cancer is now widespread, affecting as much as one-third of the population. The rise in cancer in the West has paralleled the rise in factory farming and the use of processed foods containing vegetable oils and additives.

The best approach to cancer is prevention.

Traditional diets, containing animal and plant foods farmed by nontoxic methods, are rich in factors that protect against cancer. Many of these protective factors are in the animal fats.
Vegetarianism does not protect against cancer. In fact, vegetarians are particularly prone to cancers of the nervous system and reproductive organs.

 

Nutrients in Whole Foods that Protect Against Cancer

Vitamin A: Strengthens the immune system. Essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function. Helps detoxify. True vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil; fish and shellfish; and liver, butter and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.
Vitamin C: An important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. Found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.
Vitamin B₆: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes. Most available from animal foods.
Vitamin B₁₂: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods.
Vitamin B₁₇: Protects against cancer. Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts and berries.
Vitamin D: Required for mineral absorption. Strongly protective against breast and colon cancer. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin D than the typical modern American diet.
Vitamin E: Works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.
Cholesterol: A potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.
Minerals: The body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.
Lactic Acid and Friendly Bacteria: Contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old fashioned lacto-fermented foods.
Saturated Fats: Strengthen the immune system. Needed for proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs cannot function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.
Long-Chain Fatty Acids: Arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil and seafood.
Co-enzyme Q₁₀: Highly protective against cancer. Found only in animal foods.

 

Compounds in Processed Foods that Can Cause Cancer

Trans Fatty Acids: Imitation fats in shortenings, margarines and most commercial baked goods and snack foods. Strongly associated with cancer of the lungs and reproductive organs.
Rancid fats: Industrial processing creates rancidity (free radicals) in commercial vegetable oils.
Omega-6 fatty acids: Although needed in small amounts, an excess can contribute to cancer. Dangerously high levels of omega-6 fatty acids are due to the overuse of vegetable oils in modern diets.
MSG: Associated with brain cancer. Found in almost all processed foods, even when "MSG" does not appear on the label. Flavorings, spice mixes and hydrolyzed protein contain MSG.
Aspartame: Imitation sweetener in diet foods and beverages. Associated with brain cancer.
Pesticides: Associated with many types of cancer. Found in most commercial vegetable oils, fruit juices, vegetables and fruits.
Hormones: Found in animals raised in confinement on soy and grains. Plant-based hormones are plentiful in soy foods.
Artificial Flavorings and Colors: Associated with various types of cancers, especially when consumed in large amounts in a diet of junk food.
Refined Carbohydrates: Sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour are devoid of nutrients. The body uses up nutrients from other foods to process refined carbohydrates. Tumor growth is associated with sugar consumption.

 

The Weston A. Price Foundation A reliable source of accurate nutrition information.

 www.westonaprice.org