We now know that the foods we eat can help keep us healthy and beautiful. The key is just to make sure that your body is able to fully absorb all the delicious nutrients in these foods.

On my journey to have a child, I found that my body’s ability to absorb the full potential of the nutrients I was eating in my food was not as robust as it should be. So I chose to supplement my diet with a good prenatal supplement and a probiotic (to boost my nutrient absorption) from Dr. Ohhira’s.

Why take a probiotic supplement?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in your gut. They are also called “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria.” Friendly bacteria are key to a healthy immune system, protection against bacteria causing disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Learn more here. I recommend Dr. Ohhira’s brand. I find iherb.com has the best price for them.

Why take a prenatal vitamin?

Many detox divas argue against taking a prenatal vitamin, if you are eating a diet rich in fruit, veggies, leafy greens, whole grains and quality proteins. But if your body is not fully able to absorb all the nutrients in your food, then I have found they are worth considering. I am taking a probiotic to help strengthen my digestion and absorption ability along with a quality, whole-foods (meaning it contains no artificial fillers) pre-natal vitamin. I like the Garden of Life brand. I also buy these on iherb.com.

Learn more about a healthy diet and supplements

What do the experts say when it comes to a healthy diet and supplements? Learn more here from Dr. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study.

When you’re trying to live a rejuvenating lifestyle, shedding the gunk that may be preventing you from reaching feel good bliss and then replenishing your body with key nutrients is crucial to success. Enter protein. Protein is needed for the growth and maintenance of your vibrant cells and heavenly tissues. Too much of course can lead to some minor troubles, so it’s all about moderation and not going overboard. But what does that mean? Here are 3 tips to remember when it comes to getting just the right amount of protein for your body.

How much protein do you need?

1. Aim for between 5%-10% of your daily calories to come from protein. “Only 5%-6% of your total calorie intake is required to replace the protein regularly excreted by the body” according to Dr. Colin Campbell author of The China Study. He elaborates further noting that currently the recommended daily allowance (RDA) set by the government is “about 9-10% of your daily calorie requirement” a higher range he believes that was set “to ensure that most people get their ‘5%-6%’ requirement.” (*)
2. You can get protein from a variety of sources – not just from animals as you’ve been educated to believe. Rotate a few vegetarian protein sources into your diet such as almonds, lentils and kidney beans. Even avocados and broccoli are good vegetarian sources of protein. Variety is the spice of life.
3. Too much protein today is more common than too little. Most Americans today get almost double the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein, which as noted above already includes a cushion to make sure you are getting an adequate amount. Too much of anything – even a good thing such as protein – can have a toxic effect on your body if you consume too much. Excessive amounts of animal protein consumption is now believed to have an adverse affect on bones by creating an acidic environment in the body which actually leaches calcium from your bones serving only to weaken rather than strengthen them*. Too much protein is also tough on your kidneys and your colon (digestion). No need to get anxious here, simply augment your diet with a few more vegetarian protein sources. Beans, nuts, and all varieties of leafy greens including spinach would be a great start.

Notes:

• * sources: The China Study, T. Colin Campbell PhD
• Image source: Food52.com

It’s starting to feel like everyone and their best friend is switching to almond milk in their cereal and coffee over cow’s milk. Why the fascination you wonder? You don’t like to give up things easily, but you might be up for trying some almond milk occasionally if the benefits were compelling. Here’s the lowdown on the recent popularity in almond milk.

Why is almond milk so popular?

1. Some health-conscious beauties believe it is one great way to help reduce the formation of cellulite. Many beauties today are lactose intolerant which causes bloating and gas (a key contributor to cellulite) and so they opt instead for a dairy-free nut milk.
2. Consuming cows milk may actually weaken your bones. Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s work in The China Study has had a profound impact on many beauties today. These darlings have moved away from cow’s milk for fear that cow’s milk has too much protein for the human body (cows are big boned animals afterall). Dr. Campbell argues that too much protein in our blood stream actually leaches calcium from our bones* weakening them.

What kind of almond milk should you try?

Sure, it would be delightful if we all had the time to make fresh almond milk at home, but the next best thing is a carton of almond milk from your grocery store. After conducting taste tests across multiple brands, I recommend Blue Diamond brand almond milk in the original flavor.


* Notes: For more information refer to The China Study, T. Colin Campbell, PhD

In general, healthy diet first, supplements second. However, if you are not eating much meat anymore, a B12 supplement is the way to go.

“There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants,” according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell author of The China Study.

“There are four nutrients which animal-based foods have that plant based foods, for the most part, do not: cholesterol and vitamins A, D and B12. Three of these are nonessential nutrients” and the body can make Vitamins A (through beta-carotene found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables as well as leafy greens,) and D (through some good sun exposure) readily. “B12 is more problematic” according to Dr. Campbell.

If you are in the market for a B12 supplement a good, whole foods (which means it doesn’t have any artificial fillers), multi-vitamin favored by detox veterans is Vita Synergy. This multi-vitamin also contains Vitamin D – in case you might be lagging during these cold, wintery months.

For those of you interested in reading and learning more about the benefits of eating more whole foods, check out these books. They are some of my favorites.

I would recommend checking out the works of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Michael Pollan, Nina Planck, Arnold Ehret, and Natalia Rose as a solid starting point.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell has adopted a loyal following for his work in promoting a largely veggie-oriented diet through his ground breaking research in The China Study.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman as well as authors Michael Pollan and Nina Planck are upbeat advocates today for helping people return to real, natural eating.

Arnold Ehret and Natalia Rose have written some of my favorite action plan books for cleansing and detoxifying through a balance of raw foods.

Real and Raw Food Diet Recommended Reading:

In the meantime, get started with some quick tips. These articles are a collection of the little insights about today’s contemporary raw food diet that I wish I had in the beginning of my journey to learn more about healthy, whole food eating and cleansing.

1. Cleansing 101
2. Eat More Real Foods, Feel Better
3. Today’s Raw Food Diet – 6 Things You Should Know
4. Why Are Green Smoothies Good For You?
5. Juice Fasting 101

Being healthy doesn’t mean spending money on expensive supplements or superfoods.

We now know that the foods we eat can help keep us healthy and beautiful. And everyone agrees that foods filled with living enzymes are healthy for the body. After all most foods today – packaged foods for sure – can be comforting but are not health generating.

Healthy diet first, supplements second

However, not everyone today agrees on just how big of a role supplements should play.

Today’s growing thinking under the contemporary health food umbrella is that supplements are there if you want them but not required to be healthy.

The thinking here is that a diet filled with fresh, organic (when possible) fruits and vegetables is the best way to get the nutrition we need. The only exception is Vitamin B12 – where a supplement is suggested most often if you are not eating meat for an extended period of time.

“There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants,” according to Dr. T. Colin Campbell author of The China Study.

“There are four nutrients which animal-based foods have that plant based foods, for the most part, do not: cholesterol and vitamins A, D and B12. Three of these are nonessential nutrients” and the body can make Vitamins A (through beta-carotene found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables as well as leafy greens,) and D (through some good sun exposure) readily. “B12 is more problematic” according to Dr. Campbell.

One of the ways B12 is made is by microorganisms found in our soil, and our soil in many cases today is not as nutrient dense as a result of chemical sprays and pesticides. Dr. Campbell suggests that a B12 supplement is recommended if you are not eating any meat for a significant period of time. B12 is also made in the intestines of animals including our own.

If you are in the market for a B12 supplement a good, whole foods (which means it doesn’t have any artificial fillers), multi-vitamin favored by detox veterans is Vita Synergy. This multi-vitamin also contains Vitamin D – in case you might be lagging during these cold, wintery months.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic Is Also Worth Considering

I personally also like to take a good probiotic. The increasing focus on improving digestion and boosting our immunity are a fabulous trend from 2009 that I’m pumped to see more of in 2010.

If you want to start replenishing the healthy bacteria in your digestive system start incorporating more fresh leafy greens, fruits and veggies into your diet and take a probiotic in a gel cap form with a protective coating. Remember the majority of your immune system is located in your digestive tract. And many of us have digestive tracts that are full of imbalances from a few big nights of indulgence over the years. Imbalanced digestive tracts mean yeast and bacteria are running rampant. And if you’ve ever wondered why sometimes you crave a whole loaf of bread, well yeast is your answer…especially for us ladies.

If your digestive health isn’t up to par, chances are your immune system isn’t either. And, having a healthy digestive system means having plenty of healthy bacteria, and that’s where probiotics come in. Why not give those suckers a little extra support?

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics are one of my favorites. I personally have had much success with them.

For those of you interested in learning more about the benefits of a veggie-centric diet and juicing, check out these books. These are all the books I wish I had in the beginning of my journey to learn more about healthy, vibrant eating.

Recommended Reading List

• The China Study – T. Colin Campbell, PhD




• Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual – Michael Pollan




• The Raw Food Detox Diet – Natalia Rose




• Mucusless Diet Healing System – Arnold Ehret




• Eat to Live – Joel Fuhrman, MD




• Clean – Alejandro Junger, MD




• How to Keep Slim Healthy & Young with Juice Fasting – Paavo O. Airola




• Fasting and Eating for Health – Joel Fuhrman and Neal D. Barnard




• Pure and Simple Natural Weight Control – Norman W. Walker, MD




• Rational Fasting – Arnold Ehret




• Definite Cure of Chronic Constipation – Arnold Ehret

Learn more

You might also appreciate these articles on juicing:

1. Juice Fasting 101
2. Best Juice for Fasting
3. Don’t Rush Into A Juice Fast – 5 Things You Should Know
4. Prepare for A Juice Fast: Juice Until Dinner