sábado, 28 de julho de 2012

Changing Your Clock: New Research Explores How Your Body Keeps Time

Changing Your Clock: New Research Explores How Your Body Keeps Time



April 24 2008 | 53,323 views | + Add to Favorites




circadian rhythm, sleep, clockResearchers have learned that circadian rhythms -- the 24-hour cycles that keep time for your body -- are involved in sleep, weight gain, mood disorders, and a variety of diseases. They have begun to make remarkable strides in identifying the genes and neural pathways involved in regulating your internal clock.
In one study, it was found that circadian rhythms regulate metabolic processes involved in diet-induced weight gain, while others are exploring the connection between the role of temperature in regulating your daily cycles.

And in one surprising finding, researchers found that a single amino acid change in a protein triggers a chain of genetic events involved in internal timekeeping.
If this single modification is impaired, it could disrupt the cascade and serve as the underpinning of circadian rhythm-related ailments.


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Everything in nature has a rhythm, and that includes your body. The ebb and flow of the ocean’s tide, the rising and setting of the sun, and the transition from one season to another all happen with comforting regularity. Your body, too, strives to keep its 24-hour cycle, or circadian rhythm, steady and even.
This is why most of us naturally feel like waking when the sun comes up, and sleeping when it’s dark. But your internal clock does much more than just help you nod off in the evening. Your body actually has many internal clocks -- in your brain, lungs, liver, heart and even your skeletal muscles -- and they all work to keep your body running smoothly by controlling temperature and the release of hormones.
Your heart rate, body temperature and hormone production vary with your personal internal clock. This, in turn, influences such things as:
  • The easiest time to detect disease in your body
  • The times when you’ll be less sensitive to pain
  • The times when you’ll be more productive at work
Your circadian rhythm has evolved over many years to align your physiology with your environment. However, it is operating under the assumption that you are behaving as your ancestors have for generations: sleeping at night and waking during the day.

If you push these limits by staying up late at night, depriving yourself of sleep, or even eating at strange hours (such as at 2 a.m.), you are sending conflicting signals to your body. As a result, you body doesn’t know whether it should be producing chemicals to tell you to go to sleep, or gearing up for the beginning of your day.

Is Your Body Clock Making You Fat?

A disrupted body clock can wreak havoc on many areas of your health, including your weight.

For instance, losing sleep has been shown to raise levels of two hormones linked with appetite and eating behavior. More specifically, lack of sleep reduces leptin, a hormone that tells your brain there is no need for more food, and increases ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger.

On the other hand, your diet also impacts your internal clock, as what you eat sends your body signals about when to wake up and go to sleep. Your meals, which are typically at relatively consistent times throughout the day, also help to reinforce other time-setting activities.

This is one reason why it’s best not to eat a big meal right before you go to bed; this tells your body to get to work digesting your food during a time when it should be signaling you to go to sleep.
A Disrupted Circadian Rhythm May Cause Cancer

Aside from weight gain, if you throw your internal clock off kilter too much, chronic diseases like cancer can result.

In fact, the World Health Organization recently added overnight shift work to the list of probable carcinogens because it disrupts your biological clock. This disruption may influence cancer progression through shifts in hormones like melatonin, which your brain makes during sleep, and which is known to suppress tumor development.

Melatonin is an antioxidant that helps to suppress harmful free radicals in your body and slows the production of estrogen, which can activate cancer. When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, your body may produce less melatonin and therefore may have less ability to fight cancer.

The Importance of a Dark Night’s Sleep

Getting enough sleep during the night is only one part of the equation to keeping your body’s clock on schedule. You also need to sleep in a pitch-black room, because exposure to light during the night is damaging to your health.

For one thing, exposure to light during the night can reduce your melatonin levels and increase your risk of cancer. Getting exposed to light at varying times during the night also prevents your circadian rhythm from adjusting to a pattern, creating a state of permanent "jet lag."

This also activates your stress response and weakens your immune system, which is why irregular sleep cycles can lead to stress, constipation, stomach ulcers, depression, heart disease, and many other illnesses.

So please be sure to install some blackout drapes or shades in your bedroom, close the door, get rid of any nightlights or clock radio lights, and by all means, if you get up to go to the bathroom during the night, don’t turn the light on.

What Should You do if You’re a Night Owl?

Some of you are probably wondering what to do if you’re a night person, who simply feels best working and staying awake at night, and sleeping during the day.

Well, I would first suggest that you seriously think about whether you truly feel better this way, or if it is more a matter of habit, convenience or other exterior reason why you’ve adjusted your schedule this way.

Keep in mind that people have naturally been sleeping during the nighttime for many years, before the advent of electricity. This has been an important part of Ayurvedic medicine for over 5,000 years.

If you come to the conclusion that you simply must stay up at night, or if you work the night shift and can’t change it, you can somewhat counter the health effects by keeping to a schedule. This way, your body’s clock will eventually adjust to your sleep/wake cycle, and this is less damaging than if you constantly change shifts and expect your body clock to adjust (this is what happens to people who frequently travel long distances, have insomnia, or must change from day shifts to night shifts often).

Ultimately, your body is a phenomenal source of feedback. If it is telling you to stay up during the night, and you feel great afterward, then go for it as it is likely OK for you. The key is to honor the signals your body is giving you no matter what some “expert” tells you. My experience, however, is that it is very rare for most to be honestly and consistently in communication with their body's signals, and that is a powerful reason why so many get sick.

Keeping Your Body Clock Running Smoothly (sem problemas)

The following tips can help to keep your circadian rhythm in its natural cycle:
  • Sleep in total darkness! If there is even the tiniest bit of light in your room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland's production of the hormones melatonin and serotonin.
This is the “hidden” secret that most people tend to ignore. It was recently brought to my attention by my close friend, and highly knowledgeable chiropractor, Dr. Lloyd Fielder who told me that he never fully appreciated the power of this intervention. He recently installed blackout drapes in his bedroom and was shocked at how much better he felt -- it radically improved the quality of his sleep. Personally, I sleep in a room that is so dark, it’s even pitch black at noon.
  • Sleep when it’s dark outside and get up when the sun comes up. This is another largely ignored -- yet vitally important -- health principle. You should at least strive to sleep between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. This means you should be in bed, with the lights out, by 10 p.m. and be up by 6 a.m.
  • Avoid working the night shift. It’s been linked to significantly lower levels of serotonin, which may cause sleep problems, anger, depression and anxiety. If you currently work the night shift, I would strongly suggest trying to switch your hours, or at the very least not keeping the night shift for longer than a couple of months at a time (and giving your body a chance to readjust in between).

Practice Makes Waking Up From a Sound Sleep Easier

Practice Makes Waking Up From a Sound Sleep Easier

Steve Pavlina offers advice to those who have trouble waking up in the morning. Most people try to use their conscious willpower to get themselves out of bed each morning. However, they are hindered by the fogginess( nebulosidade) typical of having just awoken.
Instead, he suggests leaving it to the subconscious mind, by practicing until immediate waking becomes rote. He suggests practicing getting up as soon as your alarm goes off, not in the morning, but during the day, when you're wide awake.
That means setting up your bedroom to match the appropriate conditions, starting with your typical bedtime rituals (wearing pajamas, brushing your teeth), then setting the alarm a few minutes ahead and getting into a comfortable sleep-like position. When the alarm goes off, turn it off immediately and begin your wake-up habits.
From there, Pavlina suggests practicing this wake-up routine over several days until it becomes so automatic, you can do it without thinking about the steps. Once you establish a wake-up ritual, stick to it every day, especially for the first month.
With enough practice, you will train yourself into having a different physiological response to the sound of your alarm. When your alarm goes off, you'll get up automatically without even thinking about it.



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Steve Pavlina has many common-sense solutions for tackling common problems. He has previously written on how to tap into your enormous potential to manifest healing in your life, if you sincerely believe it. If you can focus your intention on a goal -- minus any emotional, self-sabotaging blocks -- you can manifest virtually any result you desire.
You may also find some benefit in his approach for waking up every morning right on time. Even better for your optimal health than relying on an alarm clock, you may want to implement some of the techniques described in my 33 Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep.
One suggestion: instead of using a loud alarm clock, which is very stressful on the body, you can use an alarm with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, simulating a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time -- ideal for anyone who has trouble falling asleep.
The sun alarm is what I used to use for many years and it was FAR better than waking up to a conventional alarm clock. If you can't find them we do have them in our store.
Ideally, though, you will have enough flexibility in your schedule that you will be able to wake up when your body is rested and you will not even need the sun alarm. This is what I now do and about the only time I have to set an alarm is when I am in a different city and have to catch an early morning flight.
If you do have trouble getting out of bed, though, many find that it is ok to fake it until you make it. Just tell yourself in a loud and enthusiastic voice, I feel great, I feel wonderful and I can't wait to start my day. After awhile your brain will catch up with your intentions and your body will actually believe it.
On Vital Votes, Lifestyle Coach Joshua Rubin from San Marcos, California adds some further suggestions:
"Our natural biological clock creates the release of awakening hormones (cortisol, etc) around 6 am. That is why most or should awake around the time the sun comes up. As well, our repair and regeneration hormones (melatonin, DHEA, etc) are released around 6-7pm and start to go up. This is when are other awakening hormones are supposed to come down.
"This should be the case, but because of altered nutritional and lifestyle habit, this is reversed. I find this is why most have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. Our awakening hormones are very stimulating and are used as well under times of stress.
"Our repair and regeneration are used more for repair, during eating, sex and so forth. If you have an adrenal issue and your cortisol levels are never coming down secondary to stress, well, sleep is never going to happen.
"How do you find out if you have altered hormonal levels? You can do testing, but start with some of the recs below that I have found to help with sleep:
"... Large amounts of good quality fats help to sedate the nervous system prior to bed.
"Drinking plenty of water throughout the day (stopping by 7-8pm), will allow the NS to relax ...
"Dim the lights in your house around 8pm. Light stimulates the release of cortisol.
"Stop watching TV or using the computer by 8pm. These appliances use flickering light to create images. This flickering light stimulates a rise in cortisol.
"Try reading, meditating, etc prior to bed. This will stimulate your parasympathetic NS. This is our rest and digest system ...
"There are many more, but hope this helps!"

MANUAL DO KEFIR

para depuração do organismo e restaura rapidamente a micro flora intestinal, o que é ótimo para quem se submeteu a longos tratamentos com antibióticos.lo: irradiações, exposições a monitores de vídeo, na desintoxicaçãode poluentes tóxicos;anabolismo, ou seja a assimilação de nutrientes e por provocar um equilíbrio geraldo organismo, provoca uma sensação agradável de saciedade, que reduz o hábido de comer por compulsão, depressão ou ansiedade. Também já está provado que asmelhores dietas são aquelas em que a pessoa se alimenta várias vezes durante odia, em pequenas quantidades.O kefir, especialmente o de leite, pode ser usado nestes pequenos "lanchinhos",substituindo outros alimentos mais calóricos, mesmo quando batido com frutas ecereais, desde que se evite o uso de açúcar ou mel. Porém, a associaçãosimultânea de kefir com jejum não é recomendada e para os que gostam de jejuaro uso nos dias de jejum pode ser suspenso.Se alimentar só de kefir é uma atitude errada e contra indicada.Muito se tem dito sobre o kefir com apoio científico. Já se comprovou foilimpeza da membrana intestinal, trazendo grande alívio para muitos sintomas queconfundem os diagnósticos médicos.A vitamina D é muito abundante. Os minerais, o cálcio, sob a forma de sais, émelhor absorvido do que no leite cru.O precioso valor do kefir está na alta qualidade e quantidade de aminoácidos e naeliminação de microorganismos patogénicos da flora intestinal e de todo o aparelhodigestivo.Os microorganismos presentes no kefir combatem, especialmente, a
Escherichiacoli
, temida bactéria que pode ter consequências letais nas crianças pequenas. Osseus efeitos derivam, essencialmente, da acção enzimática e anti-tóxica queapresenta. O kefir favorece a regulação da função intestinal.Apresenta, ainda, propriedades antivirais, antifúngicas e antibióticas, estimulando osistema imunológico.Foi utilizado com sucesso em diversas doenças, tais como: problemas devesícula, fígado e rins; hipertrofia prostática, diabetes, artrite reumatóide, enfartedo miocárdio, esclerose múltipla, anemia, asma, bronquite, etc.Está especialmente indicado em doenças do aparelho digestivo, tais como úlceras,colite ulcerosa, intolerância gástrica, etc.É muito útil para uso externo, em patologias dermatológicas (acne, eczemas,psoríase, alergias, etc.), dado que é um poderoso antisséptico, que ajuda a curarferidas. Mostra-se muito eficaz na prevenção e cura de doenças produzidas pelovírus do herpes tipo II. Além de estimular o sistema imunológico, o kefir estimulaoutras funções orgânicas, melhorando o estado da pele e cabelo.Podemos considerar o kefir como um remédio universal e de efeitoimediato. É um grande auxílio para o organismo devido ao seu efeitodesintoxicante, regenerador da flora intestinal benéfica e estimulador das defesasnaturais.
Por experiências de gerações, estão lista-se:
o
Regula o sistema imunitário e aumenta a resistência a doenças;
o
Regula a tensão arterial, o açúcar no sangue e cura a diabetes;
o
Cura bronquites, tuberculoses, asma, alergias e enxaquecas;
o
Tem uma influência positiva ao coração, sangue e sistema circulatório;
o
Cura problemas nos rins, no tracto urinário e protege a próstata;

o
Tem uma influência positiva no colesterol, osteoporose e reumatismo;
o
Suporta a produção de enzimas e recupera o pâncreas;
o
Melhora o funcionamento do fígado, baço, regulariza a produção da bílise influencia positivamente perante a hepatite;
o
Regulariza o metabolismo, digestão e ajuda no funcionamento do cólon;
o
Cura colite, diarreia, catarro, cândida e mais;
o
Reequilibra a flora intestinal e ácidos do estômago, cura o duodeno eúlceras;
o
Produz seu próprio antibiótico, elimina bactérias inimigas, curainflamações internas e externas;
o
Cura intolerância a lactose e capacita a digestão de produtos a base deleite;
o
Produz componentes anti-câncer, previne a metástase e lidera a cura.
o
Reduz o processo de envelhecimento, ajuda a pele, cabelo e músculos;
o
Reduz ansiedade, depressão, aumenta energia e sensação de bem-estar;
o
Produz todas as vitaminas necessárias e bactérias benéficas necessáriaspara a saúde diária.Quase um século de estudo científico e médico confirmam a lista acima disponívelpelo Diário de Pesquisas do Instituto da antiga URSS. Com o aumento do customundial dos cuidados médicos por doenças crónicas, kefir real está não sóganhando a popularidade pelos seus benefícios a saúde, mas também pelo seubaixo custo médico. Com a crescente resistência aos antibióticos, pesquisasintensivas sobre kefir real estão sendo conduzidas em Europa e Japão. Osresultados confirmam a experiência de gerações.

quarta-feira, 25 de julho de 2012

You Can Lose Weight Without Dieting

1. Weight loss is not about depriving yourself of food. It’s about giving your body plenty of healthy foods so that you feel satisfied. To tailor this even further, you can find out your Nutritional Type, and indulge in the foods that are right for yours.
Nutritional typing is without doubt the single most important consideration in effectively losing weight. The exact same food that will cause one person to lose weight will cause someone else to gain. Your optimal foods are determined by your individual genetics and biochemical tendencies.
2. Listen to your body’s internal cues, not external ones. It’s been said that a key reason why the French don’t get fat is because they listen to their bodies and stop eating when they feel full (rather than when their plate is empty or their TV program is over).
3. Your emotions can cause you to overeat or eat foods that are not good for you. Removing these often unconscious emotional blocks can help you to lose weight.
4. Eat slowly, and savor every bite. This will help you to eat less while more thoroughly enjoying your meals.
5. Cook your food from scratch.(tacada que falha) This way, you control the ingredients and the portions, and you eliminate all those unhealthy “extras” like MSG, corn syrup, preservatives and trans fats.
6. Exercise. In some form or another, you need to stay physically active to lose weight. But this doesn’t mean you need to be a slave to the treadmill either. Vary your workouts, incorporating weight training, interval-type workouts, and things you find enjoyable (like yoga or dancing), and you’ll meet your exercise requirements before you know it. Strength training that increases your muscle mass is another powerful way to help burn fat stores more effectively.
7. Use Your Unconscious Mind to Make Being at a Healthy Weight a Lifestyle Choice. Medical hypnosis can help you remove the programming that is causing you to remain at an unhealthy weight and replace it with the eating and exercise behaviors of a thin person. Click here to read about the hypnosis program I recommend.

Exercise Alone Can Be Successful in Weight-Loss


Exercise Alone Can Be Successful in Weight-Loss

July 23 2000 | 12,287 views | + Add to Favorites


Exercising without dieting was shown to be as effective for modest weight loss as dieting without exercising, in this latest study. To summarize:
  • Researchers in Canada studied 52 men with abdominal obesity, in which most of a person's body fat is in the stomach region.
  • The men where divided into four different study groups:
      • weight loss by dieting;
      • exercise intended to produce weight loss;
      • exercise designed not to produce weight loss;
      • no special diet or exercise (the control group).
  • At the beginning and the end of the 12-week study period, investigators measured the men's weight, total body fat, proportion of body fat in the abdomen, body muscle, physical fitness, and early signs of diabetes.
  • On average, men in both the diet and the exercise-weight loss programs lost about 16 pounds. The weight of the men in the other two groups did not change, but all men who exercised, even the ones who did not lose weight, experienced an increase in physical fitness.
  • The researchers point out that obesity is related to many illnesses including:
        • high blood pressure
        • diabetes
        • heart disease.
"Our findings are in stark contrast to previous observations. Although we reaffirm that diet restriction is effective for reducing total and abdominal obesity, our findings also demonstrate that 12 weeks of approximately 60 minutes of daily exercise without caloric restriction is associated with substantial reductions in body weight," the authors report.
Annals of Internal Medicine July, 2000;133:92-103.


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  • Some improvement is probably due to increased metabolic rate from exercise (e.g., improved glucose tolerance, increased hormone sensitivity).
  • Some improvement could also be due to improved mental state (e.g., improved self-esteem, decreased depression, etc) which exercise has the ability to do.
  • It is very important to know that one hour a day seems to be a critical threshold. There are two previous articles that have been posted which describe this quite elegantly. One new concept though is that the one hour does not need to be continuous. It can be split up into two or three slots per day.

terça-feira, 24 de julho de 2012

La alcachofa ¿adelgaza?

La alcachofa ¿adelgaza?




La alcachofa ¿adelgaza?
A la alcachofa se la han atribuido propiedades adelgazantes, de allí que la famosa dieta de la alcachofa se haya vuelto tan popular.

Quizás por sus propiedades diuréticas y por su bajo aporte de grasas y calorías, se le considere un alimento “mágico” para perder peso.

La alcachofa es una antigua hortaliza que ofrece muchos beneficios para la salud, pero sus poderes adelgazantes son ¿falsos o verdaderos?

Para dar respuesta a esta interrogante examinemos primero su composición.

La alcachofa tiene menos de un 1% de grasa y poca cantidad de hidratos y proteínas, por lo que su valor calórico es muy bajo. Aporta alrededor de 22 calorías por cada 100 gramos.

Entre los principales componentes de la alcachofa destacan:

Inulina: es un carbohidrato metabolizado en el organismo lentamente, por ello resulta benéfico en casos de diabetes.
Fibra: su riqueza en fibra, contribuye a reducir la glucosa en sangre y controla los niveles de colesterol, además de proteger contra el estreñimiento.

Minerales: Es rica en minerales, entre los que sobresalen: el fósforo, hierro, magnesio, calcio y potasio.

Vitaminas: Contiene vitamina B1, niacina y vitamina C, con fuerte acción antioxidante.

Cinarina: es una sustancia que estimula la secreción biliar favoreciendo la digestión de las grasas. Además, ejerce un efecto diurético que previene la retención de líquidos.

Fitoesteroles: contribuyen a controlar los niveles de colesterol en sangre

Flavonoides: poseen acción antiinflamatoria, protegiendo contra las enfermedades cardíacas, entre otras.

Aunque la alcachofa tiene un efecto facilitador en la digestión de las grasas, a menudo se confunde con un papel “quema grasas”, lo cual es falso, pues la alcachofa ayuda a digerir las grasas pero no produce lipólisis.

También es cierto que la alcachofa tiene propiedades depurativas, pero si se sigue una alimentación rica en grasas y azúcares, no se ganará en salud, aún comiendo alcachofa en grandes cantidades..

En conclusión, podemos decir que los efectos diuréticos y saciantes de la alcachofa son verdaderos, pero los poderes adelgazantes que se le atribuyen, son más un mito que una realidad.

Debemos tomar en cuenta que un único alimento no puede lograr un descenso de peso eficaz y duradero, para ello es necesario llevar un estilo de vida sano, que combine ejercicio físico con una dieta variada y equilibrada.

Leer mas: La alcachofa ¿adelgaza? http://www.dietas.com/articulos/la-alcachofa-adelgaza.asp#ixzz21ZiDsrm3

quinta-feira, 19 de julho de 2012

Kefir de água

Kefir de água

Dou Kefir de água!!!

Modo de preparar o Kefir de água:

- frasco de vidro ou plástico de 2 litros
- um passador não metálico
- 3 a 4 colheres de sopa de grãos de kefir de água
- 2 a 3 colheres de sopa de açúcar mascavado
- 1 litro de água mineral ou filtrada à temperatura ambiente
- ¼ de limão biológico
- 1 figo seco (ou outra fruta seca)
- 1 vagem de baunilha (opcional)

Preparação:

- Colocar todos os ingredientes no frasco e colocar os grãos de kefir.
- Coloque uma tampa ou papel de cozinha preso com um elástico ou tule mas sem fechar para que os gases provocados pela fermentação possam sair.
- Coar a bebida e repetir todo o processo para a próxima bebida.

Pode colocar o kefir no frigorifico e ir bebendo sempre que quiser! Ideal para os dias quentes de Verão.
Quando viajar por mais de 4 dias coloque os grãos kefir no frigorifico. Eles vão “adormecer” e mais tarde pode voltar a despertá-los!
(Ver mais informações sobre o kefir em http://paginas.terra.com.br/saude/kefir/index.htm)
 


Para quem nunca ouviu falar:

Kefir é uma bebida fermentada, produzida a partir de microrganismos vivos, assim com o yacult e o iogurte, com a diferença de que não são comercializados, e sim disponibilizados pessoa a pessoa, através de amostras.Seu nome varia de acordo com o lugar; na América Latina se chama Tibicos ( no México essa bebida e outras fermentadas são muito utilizadas); na Europa, chamam cristais japoneses; na Ásia e África, Kefir. Podem ser colocados no leite, onde fermentam a lactose ouna água com açúcar, onde fermentam a glicose.O açúcar deve ser o mascavo, por conter menos impurezas e conter mais nutrientes ( principalmente minerais) já que é menos processado.

O uso do Kefir como alimento pode trazer benefícios e auxílio no combate a problemas de:

asma, acne, problemas renais, acidez estomacal, problemas circulatórios, colesterol, reumatismo, osteoporose, hepatite, bronquite, catarro, tuberculose, descontrole da produção de bilis, alergias, enxaqueca, males do cólon, úlceras, problemas digestivos, colites, bactérias hostis,prisão de ventre, diarréia, candidíase, inflamações intestinais, ansiedade, depressão, diversos eczemas.
uso do Kefir como alimento pode também trazer benefícios e auxílio para: Regular pressão sanguínea Sistema imunológico melhorando a resistência contra inúmeras doenças. Regular o açúcar no sangue melhorando o diabetes. Reduzir o processo de envelhecimento. Possui Kefiran um anti-cancerígeno. Beneficia coração, pâncreas, rins, próstata, fígado, músculos, cabelo, pele, sistema nervoso. Kefir é um alimento probiótico.

Os Benefícios

É um alimento facilmente digerível e uma rica fonte de proteínas e cálcio, que pode ser incluído na dieta diária de qualquer pessoa. Em linhas gerais promove uma purificação orgânica que auxilia a saúde e conseqüentemente a longevidade.Kefir também é rico em vitamina B12, B1 e vitamina K. É uma fonte excelente de biotina, a vitamina B que aumenta a assimilação das outras vitaminas do complexo B. Seus grãos têm propriedades antitumorais, antibacterianas e antifúngicas e seu consumo diário produz bons efeitos em convalescença após doenças graves. Quando se têm afecções crônicas, deve-se beber kefir pela manhã, ao meio dia e à noite, ½ litro por vez. Digestivo, dificilmente produz intolerância ou efeitos colaterais. A ingestão diária de 1 litro de kefir tem efeito comprovado no auxílio do tratamento de:

* Distúrbios nervosos (ansiedade, insônia, síndrome de fadiga crônica) * Catarros bronquiais e outros problemas respiratórios * Alergias (em caso de erupções cutâneas, a ingestão de ½ litro por dia basta e recomenda-se o uso externo, friccionando o kefir nas áreas afetadas e deixando secar na pele) * Escleroses * Reumatismo e L.E.R. (lesões por esforços repetitivos) * Tumores * Problemas cardiovasculares (infarte e arteriosclerose) * Problemas de vesícula * Disfunções hepáticas * Problemas renais e icterícia * Doenças do estômago: gastrite, úlceras, regulariza a digestão * Problemas intestinais: diarréias, intestino preguiçoso ou preso, hemorróidas. * Problemas de sangue: anemia, leucemia * Problemas de pele: dermatites, eczemas, lúpus, cândida, psoríase, herpes * Males do Século: irradiações, exposições a monitores de vídeo, na desintoxicação de poluentes tóxicos * Excesso de peso: acentua amplamente a assimilação de nutrientes e equilibra de maneira geral as funções do organismo, provoca uma sensação agradável de saciedade, que reduz o hábito de comer por compulsão, depressão ou ansiedade. O kefir, especialmente o de leite, pode ser usado nos lanches entre as refeições, substituindo outros alimentos mais calóricos, mesmo quando batido com frutas e cereais, desde que se evite o uso de açúcar ou mel. No entanto não é recomendada a associação simultânea de kefir com jejum e para os que gostam de jejuar, o uso nestes dias pode ser suspenso. Se alimentar só de kefir é uma atitude errada e contra-indicada.

Além disso...O kefir previne a prisão de ventre, regularizando o processo digestivo, restaurando a microflora intestinal, o que é ótimo para quem se submeteu a longos tratamentos com antibióticos. O kefir de água, após 12 horas de fermentação, produz efeito laxante e com 40 horas atua como normalizador. Quando fermentado por mais de 48 horas ele não deve ser ingerido.
A preparação do kefirO kefir pode ser preparado com água ou leite (vegetal ou animal). Deve ter-se, no entanto, em conta que o kefir de água não contém a mesma microflora do Kefir Real feito com leite, nem os mesmos efeitos terapêuticos e probióticos.Preparação do Kefir em água- Num recipiente de boca larga de vidro, transparente e incolor, coloca um litro de água mineral à temperatura ambiente; - Adiciona duas colheres de sopa de açúcar mascavado e mexe bem - utiliza apenas colheres de plástico!; - Coloca os grãos de kefir;- Deixa fermentar 24 horas (ou durante o tempo necessário para o efeito pretendido);- Coa através de uma peneira fina para não perder os pequenos grãos que se vão formando - não espremas esses grãos!; - Está pronto a beber, findas as 24 horas. Se preferires, podes conservar no frigorífico até 5 dias, e ires ingerindo conforme prefiras. - Reutiliza os grãos que ficaram na peneira com a nova dose de água e açúcar mascavado puro.- Não tapes o recipiente (os grãos de kefir estão vivos e formam gases na água) – coloca um tecido de tule (ou um tecido perfurado) ou papel-de-cozinha preso com elástico na boca do vidro para protecção contra insectos e impurezas

Observações:-

O açúcar mascavado é húmido e, se não conservado adequadamente, poderá conter fungos que “matarão” o kefir e prejudicarão a saúde. O açúcar mascavado deve ser puro – sem misturas, e dentro do prazo de validade. Não uses açúcar mascavado que está no açucareiro há muito tempo. O açúcar mascavado deve armazenar-se numa embalagem hermeticamente fechada. - É normal os grãos boiarem devido ao gás que se forma.- A cor acastanhada dos grãos deve-se à cor do açúcar mascavado.- Na preparação do kefir, a higiene é fundamental.- Reserva os utensílios que usaste na preparação do kefir apenas para essa finalidade.

Preparação do Kefir em leite vegetal-

Num recipiente de boca larga, de vidro transparente e incolor, com capacidade para ½ litro, coloca 200ml (1 copo) de leite de soja (ou outro à tua escolha) à temperatura ambiente - nunca enchas até cima, deixa pelo menos 1/3 do frasco com espaço para o ar;- Adiciona ao leite uma colher (de sopa rasa - aproximadamente 20 gramas) de grãos de kefir (usa uma colher de plástico);- Não vedes o recipiente (o kefir está vivo e formam-se gases no leite) – cobre com tecido poroso, ou com um guardanapo (limpo e passado), prende-o com um elástico na boca do vidro para protecção contra insectos e impurezas;- Deixa fermentar entre 12 a 24 horas (conforme o clima da região, e o efeito pretendido) - em lugares muito quentes o kefir fermentará muito mais rapidamente;- Mexe suavemente com a colher de plástico para homogeneizar e ser mais fácil de coar; - Ao coar usa um coador de plástico com malha muito fina (não apertes ou espremas os grãozinhos - quando estão novos são muito pequenos);- Toma a bebida como refresco nas próximas 24 horas, se ficar fora do frigorífico. Podes deixar o preparado no frigorífico durante 5 dias - com o passar dos dias vai ficando mais ácido;- Reutiliza os grãos (o conteúdo que ficou no coador) com uma nova dose de leite;- Podes, ainda, bater o líquido (sem os grãos!!!) no liquidificador com as frutas que preferires: morangos, bananas, etc. Se quiseres deixá-lo mais suave, acrescenta leite. Se pretenderes usufruir das suas propriedades terapêuticas, utiliza-o somente em receitas frias, pois as altas temperaturas matam as bactérias benéficas, pelo que se perdem as suas propriedades terapêuticas;- Não deixes o frasco com os grãos de kefir exposto ao sol. Guarda-o num armário da cozinha e longe de qualquer produto químico;- NUNCA LAVES OS GRÃOS!!! Lava apenas o frasco, quando fizeres as trocas de leite. E não uses sabão ou detergente, apenas água.

Receita de kefir de leite de soja (pode ser substituído por outro leite vegetal)Ingredientes:250ml de leite de soja fresco – caseiro de preferência!1 colher de sopa de sumo de limão (ou qualquer sumo de citrinos – laranja, toranja, lima, etc)2 colheres de sopa de grãos de kefir1 jarro de vidro de 500 ml com tampa perfuradaPreparação:Junta o leite de soja, o sumo de citrinos, e os grãos de kefir no jarro de vidro. Coloca a tampa ou um pano fino poroso, preso com um elástico e deixa por 24 horas. Após esse tempo, coa o kefir de soja numa peneira não metálica. Depois, lava o jarro com água e repete o processo para a tua próxima remessa de kefir. Observações:- Quando preparares o kefir com leite de soja, vais observar que em determinado ponto os grãos de kefir poderão parar de crescer, ou fá-lo-ão mais lentamente – não estranhes, é natural que tal aconteça. - Não uses leite fora do prazo ou de fraca qualidade – assim, o teu kefir morrerá e fará mal à saúde. - Se recebeste uma colónia nova, esta passará por um período de adaptação ao novo ambiente. Deves proceder a trocas frequentes de leite, conforme explicado na preparação; mesmo que a fermentação, nos primeiros dias não seja aparente, as bactérias benéficas e os fermentos estarão presentes no leite coado que pode ser consumido normalmente!.Não te esqueças que nos grãos existe vida (bactérias e fermentos), e não adianta a impaciência e a ansiedade! Eles reagirão e multiplicar-se-ão a seu tempo, conforme a natureza os criou! O crescimento e multiplicação dos grãos de kefir de leite são muito lentos

A multiplicação dos grãos

A multiplicação dos grãos do kefir de leite é extremamente lenta, e depende muito de vários factores, como idade da colónia, a temperatura, o tipo e a qualidade do leite utilizado, a frequência das trocas, etc... Geralmente, em condições óptimas, o crescimento dos grãos duplica - em quantidade - após 30 dias. NUNCA DEITES FORA OS TEUS GRÃOS DE KEFIR!No caso dos grãos não estarem a fermentar ou não se multiplicarem, podes experimentar mudar a marca ou o tipo de leite, ou apenas alterar o local onde guardaste o recipiente. Por exemplo, nos dias mais frios os grãos entram num estado de latência.Quando é que o kefir “morreu”?Quando o kefir apresentar um desagradável odor, semelhante a algo apodrecido, e quando já não ocorrer a fermentação, os grãos estão em processo de putrefacção e não devem ser consumidos. Podes tentar recuperá-los fazendo trocas de leite (ou água com açúcar mascavado), uma vez por dia, durante uma semana. Se continuar o cheiro, então deves deitá-los fora.

Eu lavo o kefir todos os dias, o que Você me diz, devo ou não lavá-los?

tenho a perder com isso?

Nancy - Não há necessidade em lavá-los todos os dias.Eu lavo porque sou muito fresca e fico com nojo de tomar sabendo que não foram lavados! Mas isso é coisa minha!Não chega a perder em nutrientes ou benefícios.No caso do Kefir Real (leite), notei que eles se reproduzem um pouco mais rápido quando não são lavados a cada troca.Um outro aspecto é o sabor menos ácido. Eu lavo e deixo de molho em água mineral por uns 30 minutos todos os dias e isso ajuda a não ficar tão azedo.O importante é encontrar a maneira que mais lhe agradar e incluir Kefir na sua dieta diária.

Posso comer os grânulos?

Existe alguma contra indicação ou coisa parecida?alguém já comeu?

É melhor ou pior para alguma coisa a mais? A pergunta se refere aos dois tipos, kefir água e leite.E com relação a beber mais de 1 litro por dia, ruim? bom? tanto faz? Nancy - Quanto a comer os grânulos, os povos antigos das montanhas do Cáucaso, ingeriam os grânulos além do iogurte e percebeu-se uma longevidade com boa qualidade de vida,ou seja, é muito bom engolir os grânulos. Isso recompõem a flora intestinal, aumenta o sistema imunológico e isso se reflete em mais saúde.Quanto a quantidade: o recomendado para início de tratamento é beber 1 litro de Kefir por dia.Se faz mal beber mais? Kefir age de maneira diferente de pessoa para pessoa.Observe os sinais que seu corpo dá e experimente aumentar gradativamente.Bom senso é fundamental! Mais importante que aumentar a quantidade de Kefir ingerido é incluir Kefir na sua dieta diária e não parar.O uso constante trará benefícios ao longo do tempo e isso se reverterá em uma vida saudável!



Estou iniciando no consumo do kefir, fiquei sabendo que dá para ingerir, só queria saber qual a quantidade certa, e o que pode acontecer em caso de super dosagem. Nancy - Como todo e qualquer alimento, quando Você come demais pode fazer mal ou ter uma reação alérgica a um dos nutrientes.Bom senso é fundamental e temos que lembrar que o Kefir não é nenhum remédio milagroso que promete a cura de todos os males.Cada pessoa é única e seu organismo reage de maneira única ao que ela come e vivência.Kefir promove uma desintoxicação no seu organismo e isso se reflete em bem-estar.Já li que em algumas pessoas, ingerir uma quantidade acima de 1 litro por dia faz aparecer pequenas espinhas e abcessos.Ingerir os grânulos de Kefir vai ajudar a recuperar a flora intestinal e aumentar seu sistema imunológico.Quanto a quantidade, Você vai observar qual a quantidade ideal para o seu organismo, ok?Eu engulo 1 colher de sobremesa dia, sem mastigar e junto com o suco fermentado por 24 horas.

Kefir ajuda a Emagrecer?

Nancy - Se Você bebe Kefir pelo simples fato de querer emagrecer, pode se decepcionar.Kefir age como um desintoxicante e faz com que seu intestino funcione todos os dias, mas sem causar diarréia. Se seu intestino funciona todos os dias, Você elimina as toxinas do seu organismo e isso faz com que aconteça uma melhor absorção dos nutrientes que Você come e tudo melhora: pele, cabelos, unhas, bom humor, sono, disposição e Quanto mais tempo Você consumir, mais benefícios irá perceber ao longo do tempo.A proporção que eu uso é:- 01 litro de água mineral ou filtrada- 03 a 04 colheres de Kefir- 02 colheres de mascavoDeixe fermentar por 24 horas, coe e tome o suco fermentado 30 minutos antes das refeições e logo após também, se Você deixar fermentar por 24 horas, sobrará pouca sacarose na água e evitara de engordar com o açúcar mascavo, ok?Não necessariamente precisa guardar o vidro com Kefir na geladeira, pode deixar fora, em ambiente fresco, com pouca luz do sol e protegido de insetos.Uma dica: guarde o açúcar mascavo em um pote plástico bem fechado, com a data de validade escrita e mantenha na geladeira, pois o mascavo não tem conservantes químicos e pode estragar com mais facilidade e isso faz com que os grânulos morram.

Muitos grãos com menos água tem problema?

Pela proporção que Você usa, minha água fica com gosto de nada (ou de água choca), mas se deixo o dobro da dose aí ele fica com gosto de avinagrado, eu gosto com pouco mascavo (e tá dobrando muito de tamanho).Misturei com suco de caju a água fermentada pus na geladeira. O gosto ficou meia boca, e ficou com um cheiro horroroso! E era só a água, sem kefir, isso é normal? Fiz algo errado? Posso deixar a água fermentada fora da geladeira ou não devo? Nancy - Você deve observar os sinais que seu corpo indica, se com essa proporção Você esta percebendo que funciona melhor, ótimo!Em algumas pessoas, muitos grânulos e pouca água, prendem o intestino.

O importante é Você encontrar uma maneira de incluir Kefir na sua dieta diária, de uma maneira que lhe traga bem estar e saúde e principalmente, que não enjoe em beber.O suco fermentado pode ficar fora da geladeira por 2 dias ou até 5 dias na geladeira.Claro que o melhor é consumi-lo sempre recém coado para que seus nutrientes estejam frescos.Talvez o suco de caju contenha alguma nódoa e pode ter sido isso que não deu muito certo.De preferencia a frutas acidas e adocicadas, com mais suco do que polpa, ficam melhores com Kefir.

Quanto tempo é necessário para que o kefir de leite fique pronto para o consumo?

Tem algum problema consumir os dois tipos, porque o de água eu tomo em jejum todos os dias, então em seguida posso tomar o de leite? Nancy - Existem indicações para o tempo de fermentação:12 horas = laxante suave, sem causar cólica ou diarréia24 horas = regula o funcionamento do intestino 36 a 40 horas = prende o intestinoVocê pode tampar ou não e isso depende do seu paladar, se quiser um iogurte mais gasoso, feche bem, se cobrir com um pano e prender com elástico, vai ter um iogurte menos gasoso. Isso não afeta a saúde dos grânulos e nem os nutrientes probióticos.Você pode usar os dois tipos de Kefir sem problemas, algumas pessoas relatam uma "queimação" ao beber Kefir água com mascavo, em jejum. Se Você não sente nenhum incômodo, continue intercalando o uso. É bom que não enjoa, né?! E o de leite Você pode variar bastante!

Percebi que em 48 hs de fermentação os grãos aumentaram muito e alguns, estão boiando, isso é normal? Nancy - Quanto mais tempo deixar fermentando, mais eles irão aumentar. E mais acido também.

Recebi o kefir como cogumelo do sol é a mesma coisa? Estou tomando e senti muita diferença, principalmente no funcionamento do meu intestino e na minha fome. Mas tenho visto muita coisa sobre kefir de leite, como faço para transformá-lo? A quantidade que estou tomando é um copo em jejum e não tomo durante o dia, poderia passá-los para uma garrafa tipo pet e tomar mais durante o dia? Quais seriam os benefícios? E o de leite? Nancy - Existe o Cogumelo do Sol que é usado para fins medicinais, esse é cultivado em estufas, geralmente é desidratado e tomado como chá.Algumas pessoas erroneamente chamam Kefir de Cogumelo do Sol.Kefir ou Tibicos ou Cogumelo Chinês e vários outros nomes, é cultivado em água e mascavo, fermentado, coado e bebe-se o suco fermentado.São completamente diferentes na aparência: Kefir são grânulos soltos, levemente transparentes, parecidos com pequenos cristais.Cogumelo do Sol geralmente é comercializado em forma de um pó seco e escuro, que deve ser colocado na água quente ou em forma de capsulas.Existem dois tipos de grânulos de Kefir, esse da foto é o Kefir Real, cultivado no leite de origem animal ou vegetal.Você pode adaptar o Kefir água para Kefir leite, os benefícios são parecidos! Aconselho Você a conseguir doação de grânulos de Kefir Real pois o resultado final é bem melhor que o adaptado.A quantidade indicada para inicio de tratamento é 01 litro por dia, nos dois tipos de Kefir.Você pode aumentar a quantidade ingerida, sem problemas.De preferência a vidros ou vasilhames esmaltados (Ágata) que não são porosos como o plástico ou madeira.A proporção indicada é:01 litro de água mineral ou filtrada02 colheres de mascavo03 a 04 colheres de KefirLeite:01 litro de leite puro02 a 03 colheres de Kefir Real

Curiosidades: -

O kefir a muito tempo é consumido no Cáucaso uma região da Europa oriental e da Ásia ocidental, entre o Mar Negro e o Mar Cáspio, que inclui a cordilheira do Cáucaso e as planícies adjacentes. Esta região marca uma das fronteiras entre a Europa e a Ásia, fazendo com que alguns dos países do Cáucaso sejam considerados nações transcontinentais, como a Geórgia e o Azerbaijão, cujos territórios dividem-se em uma porção geograficamente européia e outra asiática.- Guarde o açúcar mascavo na geladeira em um pote fechado, pois o mesmo não contém conservantes químicos e é muito úmido, com isso o açúcar mascavo estraga facilmente fora da geladeira. Ao azedar o açúcar mascavo poderá danificar suas colônias de kefir, então é muito importante que o mesmo fique armazenado na geladeira!- Do que se alimentam os grãos de kefir? Sacarose, Frutose ou Lactose.- (ProBiótico) [pro=a favor de, biotic=vida] = promove vida ao invés de Antibiótico - [anti=contra, biotic=vida] = contra-vida. O termo "Probiótico" refere-se a organismos e a produtos de cultura que contribuem para um aumento ou estabilização da microflora intestinal, assim beneficiando o anfitrião, protegendo-o contra doenças e melhorando a sua nutrição.

segunda-feira, 16 de julho de 2012

Protein Type Diet

Characteristics of Your Metabolic Type

Many Protein Types share similar characteristics. However, if you're a Protein Type, that doesn't mean you're like everyone else in your metabolic category in the way you react to foods, your strengths and weaknesses, your energy level, the strength of your appetite, and so on. After all, you're unique on a metabolic level!
Nonetheless, here are some typical tendencies you may have in common with other Protein Types:

Strong Appetites

Protein types tend to have strong appetites to the point of being ravenously hungry a great deal of the time. You may feel the need to eat frequently, though you're also likely to have a hard time feeling satisfied with meals and snacks. In addition, you probably have a tendency to overeat sometimes, perhaps even stuffing yourself to the bursting point, only to find that you're still hungry.

Cravings for Fatty, Salty Foods

Protein types typically gravitate toward rich, fatty, salty foods like sausages, pizza, and roasted and salted nuts. However, if you stray too far from these heavier foods and consume too many carbohydrates, you may quickly find yourself craving sugar. The likelihood is that the more you eat anything sweet, the stronger your cravings become. And sugar most likely causes your energy to drop or makes you feel nervous and jittery.

Failure with Low-Calorie Diets

You may have tried to lose weight by cutting calories, only to find your weight either increased or stayed the same. Or perhaps you've had the willpower to try radical measures like fasting or the "grapefruit diet," but were astonished to find that your weight actually increased despite these severe deprivation approaches.

Fatigue, Anxiety, Nervousness

Characteristically, those with your metabolic type have energy problems of one kind or another-either lethargy or a "hyped-up" kind of superficial energy. In other words, you might have low, "flat" energy, and be prone to feeling apathetic, depressed, listless, and sleepy. Or you might feel "wired" or "on edge" on the surface of things, while feeling exhausted underneath. When you feel anxious, nervous, jittery, or shaky, eating probably makes you feel better.
If any of these situations describes you, it's a clear indication that you're pumping the wrong kind of "body fuel" into your "engine of metabolism."

Dietary Emphasis for Protein Types

As a Protein Type, what you need is a diet comprised of relatively high amounts of protein and fat compared with carbohydrates.
But, all proteins are not created equal. You need to focus on certain kinds of proteins-those high in fat and high in purines. As you'll see in the food list I've prepared for you, there are many type of foods that are rich in purines.
More than any other kinds of foods, purine-containing foods are oxidized (converted to energy) at the proper rate for your metabolic type.
At the opposite end of the spectrum from purine proteins are carbohydrates. People with your metabolic type need to minimize the consumption of carbohydrates, since they're converted to energy to quickly. The heavier proteins and fatty foods effectively slow down the too-fast oxidative rates of most Protein Types.
For many years, popular wisdom has held that red meat and high fat diets are bad for human beings. But this is simply not true. The truth is, any food can be good for you and any food can be bad for you. Everything is dependent on your metabolic type.
If you happen to be a Protein Type, you definitely need a high protein, high-fat diet in order to lose weight, feel energized both physically and mentally, and stay on an even keel emotionally. Over the longer term, this same diet, if properly followed and tailored to your metabolic individuality, can prevent you from developing all kinds of serious degenerative diseases-cardiovascular problems, immune deficiency, blood sugar abnormalities, osteoporosis, arthritis, digestive disorders, and many other chronic illnesses-all of which are rooted in metabolic imbalance.

Important Tips on Your Allowable Foods...

Eat Protein at Every Meal

Eating sufficient protein at every meal will maximize your energy and trim your waistline, and assure peak performance. Failure to do this can lead to chronic fatigue, diminished well-being, and emotional imbalances such as depression, anxiety, and melancholy. Many people make the mistake of eating carbohydrate alone at a meal or snack. This is especially undesirable for your metabolic type. It will only worsen your imbalance, tend to increase your fat stores, and intensify any food cravings, particularly for sugar or other sweets.

Emphasize High-density, High-purine Proteins

Purines are special substances derived from a class of proteins called nucleoproteins, which play an important part in the energy producing processes in body tissues. They have particular benefit for protein-type metabolizers and directly contribute to balancing their body chemistry. Note that any animal, fowl, and seafood protein is permissible in your diet. As higher-density proteins, animal proteins are preferable to the vegetable proteins. But due to the special needs of your metabolic type, you fare better on high- and medium-purine proteins. These are all the foods listed in the meat/fowl and seafood columns in your Allowable Foods Chart. Most people in your metabolic type category require a higher purine protein with every meal. Lower-purine or lower-density proteins like dairy,(leitaria )legumes, and nuts are not a substitute. You should notice that if you eat low-purine, low-density foods as the primary protein source at any meal, you won't feel as satisfied, nor will your performance or energy be optimal. On the other hand, incorporating the higher-purine, higher-density proteins into two or three of your meals on a daily basis will supercharge your diet with the ideal fuel mixture for your engines of metabolism.

Snack as Needed

If you snack, be sure to include a protein food. It's best for your metabolic type to never eat carbohydrate alone. Any protein can be used for a snack, but stick with what works best for you. You may find that nuts or dairy work well for snacks but are not adequate protein sources for main meals. On the other hand, if nuts or dairy snacks leave you hungry or craving something sweet, or cause a drop in energy or mood, you likely will need heavier proteins for snacks as well. Learn to listen to your body!-

Be Cautious with Carbohydrates

Any plant-based food-grains, vegetables, or fruits-are carbohydrates. But there are different kinds of carbohydrates and they don't all affect your metabolism in the same way. For example, some carbohydrates are higher in starchamido  and some carbohydrates are lower in starch. Starchy carbohydrates break down easily into sugar, which means they hit your bloodstream quickly. This can cause a strong insulin response from your pancreas, which can lead to increased fat storage and blood sugar problems like hypoglycemia. Over time, excess insulin secretion can contribute to more severe disorders such as: allergies, asthma, alcoholism, atherosclerosis, cancer, carbohydrate addiction, heart disease, chronic fatigue, depression, diabetes, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypertension, obesity, and peptic ulcers. Carrots, potatoes, squash abóbara, bananas, and all grains tend to be high in starch and must be carefully regulated. Thus, grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits are your "caution carbs." For this reason, Protein Types do best limiting starches and need to emphasize the non-starchy vegetables as their primary source of carbohydrates.

Beware of Bread

Limit bread intake, both in quantity and frequency, as much as possible. If possible, opt for sprouted-grain breads like Ezekiel or Manna brands. Unlike regular breads, sprouted-grain breads won't inhibit calcium absorption, thereby disrupting your calcium balance-a critical consideration for your metabolic type. When you do eat bread, always use butter, as it will minimize any potential adverse blood sugar fluctuations.

Go Easy with Grains

Use only whole-grain products. Do not consume any refined grain products made with white flour or enriched flour. All baked foods should contain only whole grain flours. However, avoid wheat and wheat products as much as possible, since wheat breaks down into sugar faster than any other grain and therefore has a disruptive influence on insulin metabolism. But don't worry-most any other grain is fine for your metabolic type. Here's a tip: Try using spelt instead of wheat, since spelt shares many of wheat's desirable attributes for baking but not wheat's influences on insulin. Keep in mind, though, that all grains are starches, which means they readily break down into sugar, so they should be used sparingly. For this reason, cooked whole grains are preferable to products like breads and crackers. The worst offenders for your metabolism are refined grains of all kinds.

Closely Monitor Fruits

Because Protein Types tend to be fast oxidizers or parasympathetic dominants, they're predisposed to low blood sugar problems. This means you're not likely to do well on fruits, which are high in potassium and sugar. However, most Protein Types do well on avocados and olives, and limited amounts of apples, pears, and bananas that are not fully ripe. But you're likely to run into big problems if you attempt to eat fruit by itself.

Use Juices Judiciously

Vegetable juices, as long as they're freshly made, are allowed in moderation-but don't have more than one glass, three to four times per week. It's best to use a combination of starchy and nonstarchy vegetables such as carrot, celery, and spinach. Use a reduced proportion of starchy vegetables like carrots, since they're too sugary. Do no consume fruit juices at all. Fruit juices, or even excessive amounts of vegetable juice, will strongly imbalance your metabolic type and lead to weight gain, food cravings, blood sugar fluctuations, energy disruptions, and a desire for sugar. Avoid canned juices of any kind.

Freely Use Fats and 0ils

The subject of fats and oils and their effects on human metabolism has been extensively researched and documented. An in-depth discussion of them is beyond the scope of this book (for a complete discussion, see Fats and Oils, an excellent book by Udo Erasmus). In general, what you need to know is that fats and oils in their natural state are not bad for you and eating them will not produce high cholesterol or heart disease any more than any other natural food. Fats contain fatty acids that are essential for good health, efficient immune function, normal hormonal production, cellular respiration (energy production), proper cell membrane permeability-in short, for life itself. Whether a food is good or bad depends both on the quality of the food and on the metabolic type of the person consuming the food. Fats are no exception. Unlike other types, Protein Types need to support their metabolisms by consuming liberal amounts of natural oils and fats. But never consume margarine, hydrogenated oils, or fat substitutes, as research is uncovering the fact that these substances can have a serious negative impact on your health! If you must buy packaged foods, read the labels to make sure they do not contain these substances. Use only real butter (organic if possible) and natural cold pressed oils that have been properly manufactured. Recommended brands are Omega, Flora, or Bio-San, widely available in health food stores. Other good sources from which to derive your quota for fatty acids are from nuts, nut butters, and the animal-based foods listed in your Allowable Foods Chart.
Certain foods really aggravate your metabolic imbalances and should be avoided. You may have strong adverse reactions to these foods, or if your metabolism is less sensitive, the reactions may be slight or even nonexistent. Or your reactions to these problem foods could vary from time to time. All these possibilities are common and reflect yet another facet of metabolic individuality.
Keep in mind that the effects of nutrition are cumulative. The more you ingest a food, the stronger the effect becomes. So even if you don't display any noticeable adverse reactions, it's still best to minimize your intake of the following foods whenever possible.
In short, stick to your allowable foods. But, if you simply must eat something not on that list, be aware that the following foods are particularly undesirable for your metabolism.

Alcohol

In any form (beer, wine, hard liquor), alcohol is a form of poison to your body. When you consume it, your body must detoxify it and neutralize its adverse effects. From this standpoint, it really isn't good for anyone. But as a simple sugar, alcohol is also the worst kind of fuel for Protein Types, particularly if you're a fast oxidizer. Instead of providing a steady and prolonged conversion to energy, ingesting alcohol is akin to throwing gasoline on your metabolic fire-it produces a quick energy burst but is followed by an energy crash. Similarly, if you're a parasympathetic Protein Type, you might experience a temporary lift from drinking alcohol, but the result will be only a worsening of your metabolic type's natural inclination toward low blood sugar, along with excessive insulin secretion and increased fat storage.

Allergenic or Reactive Foods

Your Allowable Foods Chart provides recommendations for foods that will specifically support your metabolic type. This means that they contain the right balance of nutrients for your type. Whether or, not you are currently reactive or allergic to any of these foods is a completely different issue. If you have known reactions to any recommended foods, leave them out of your diet temporarily, but try them from time to time. As your chemistry changes, so too may your food reactivities. This is the experience of many individuals who have, properly customized their diets to match their metabolism.

Caffeine

Avoid caffeine products as much as possible, including coffee, black, teas, caffeine-containing herbs, and soft drinks. If you do insist on drinking coffee, make sure it's organic and limit it to no more than one to two weak cups per day. Also, when drinking caffeinated beverages, make sure to eat some protein, as protein will, to a degree, help combat caffeine's adverse effects on your type. Bottom line: Caffeine is counter-productive for your metabolism, whether you are a fast oxidizer or a parasympathetic dominant. In fast oxidizers, coffee directly worsens the imbalances in their cellular oxidative processes, increasing their oxidation rate even further. In parasympathetics, the caffeine stimulation to the adrenals is akin to whipping a tired horse, as most parasympathetics have weaker adrenal function to begin with. Short term, this stimulation is pleasurable, but long term it only worsens the problem by further exhausting the adrenals.

Fruit Juices/Citrus Fruits

Fruit juices in general, and citrus fruits specifically, are best avoided. Fruit juices are too high in sugar for Protein Types. Devoid of fibre, the concentrated juice has a particularly powerful negative impact on your type. The flooding of sugar into your bloodstream causes a strong insulin surge that rapidly lowers blood sugar and increases fat storage. And next to alcohol, citrus fruit is probably the poorest choice of any food for you-whether you are a fast oxidizer or a parasympathetic dominant. Because citrus fruit is high in potassium, sugar, and citric acid, it directly accelerates fast oxidative processes, worsening the imbalances of fast oxidizers. In parasympathetics, citrus has the most powerful alkalinizing effect of any food and thus dramatically worsens their already too-alkaline body chemistry, leading to increased lethargy, depression, and fatigue.

Sugar

In significant quantities, sugar is not good for anyone. However, sugar is particularly bad for your metabolic type, so avoid or minimize it as much as you can. Be especially watchful for hidden sugars in processed packaged foods. Sugar is added to a great many commercial foods, and it can really add up if you're not careful, secretly sabotaging your best intentions to follow your dietary recommendations. By the way, by 'sugar' I mean all forms of sugar-processed and natural-including beet sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, fructose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, maple syrup, etc.

Foods High in Oxalic Acids

Oxalic acid is a naturally occurring acid in some foods that interferes with the absorption of calcium. Because calcium is particularly important for your metabolic type, you should avoid or minimize foods high in oxalic acid. These include black tea, blackberry, beets, beet greens, chard, chocolate, cocoa, cranberries, currants (red), endive, gooseberries, grapes, green peppers, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes. Apples, asparagus, and spinach are exceptions. The good news is that cooking destroys the oxalic acid, so items such as beets, beet greens, chard, cranberries, green peppers, rhubarb, asparagus, and spinach are all best eaten when cooked.

High-Glycaemic Foods

All carbohydrates-fruits, vegetables, grains-are converted to glucose in the body. Carbohydrates are categorized according to the rate or speed at which they hit the bloodstream as glucose, and are ranked accordingly in what is known as the glycaemic index (GI). High glycaemic foods such as grains and starchy vegetables hit your bloodstream much more rapidly than low-glycaemic foods like proteins and fats. That's why you need to carefully regulate high-glycaemic foods and place much more emphasis on those foods that are lower on the GI. Your metabolic type simply can't handle large amounts of foods that convert rapidly to glucose in your bloodstream. Whenever you do eat high-glycaemic foods, be sure to eat plenty of protein and fat at the same time to help slow down the rate at which high-glycaemic foods are converted to sugar. (Note: Check Chapter 9 for the complete glycaemic index. It's very important for all metabolic types to become familiar with the GI, but it's particularly critical for your type.)

Foods High in Phytates

As Sally Fallon, Pat Connolly, and Mary Enig point out in their wonderful book Nourishing Traditions (Mega Distributing, 1-800-2311776), in every traditional culture in the world, for thousands o years, whole grains have been prepared by soaking or fermenting them prior to cooking. Modern science has revealed the wisdom o these traditions by discovering that all grains and legumes contain substances called phytates. Phytic acid is a chemical found in the bran portion of grains and the skins of legumes. It bindsliga with calcium (and iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and zinc) in the intestinal tract, thereby preventing absorption of these minerals. When consumed excessively, phytates can cause serious mineral deficiencies, allergies, intestinal distress, and bone loss. Since you're a Protein Type, with an increased need for calcium, phytate products are particularly problematic for you. All grains contain phytates, but wheat, oats,trigo, aveia soy, and soymilk have the highest concentration. What to do? Simply soak embeber any grains (such as oat, millet, rye, barley, and quinoa) overnight before you cook them. You can also liberally use miso, soy sauce, and tempeh, since these are fermented products, and fermentation destroys phytates. However, tofu, soymilk, and soy protein powders are not fermented and do contain phytates, so you should limit consumption of these food items. Sprouted-grain breads, and sour dough bread with its long fermentation process, are also almost entirely free of phytates. All other breads are full of phytates and should be limited or avoided.

Foods High in Gluten and Enzyme Inhibitors

Grains contain hard-to-digest proteins like gluten. Insufficient digestion of such proteins has been linked to problems such as allergies, celiac disease (sprue), mental illness, indigestion, and yeast overgrowth (candida albicans). But here again, soaking and fermentation renders such proteins more digestible and their nutrients more readily available. So, sourdough breads and sprouted breads are preferable to other varieties. Soybeans also contain potent enzyme inhibitors that need to be neutralized through fermentation or soaking.

Your Macronutrient Ratio

This diet is easy! There are only two things you need to remember:
  1. Eat the right kinds of foods for your type and avoid the wrong foods for your type-in other words, stick to your allowable foods
  2. Eat the right proportions of macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) at each meal
If you think of your food as fuel, then the proportions of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats can be viewed as your fuel mixture. If you get the right fuel for your type and the right fuel mixture, you'll have a powerful force at work. Your food will be efficiently converted to energy rather than stored as fat.

Here's your general macronutrient ratio:

Stick to your seventy percent/thirty percent food ratio whenever you eat, getting approximately thirty percent of your calories from carbohydrates, and about seventy percent of your calories from proteins and fats. Note that more of your calories should come from protein than from fat.
It's not necessary to be perfectly precise in terms of your percentages. When combining your food, just try to approximate as best you can.
It's unnecessary to measure out by weight everything you eat, or to calculate the number of calories in a meal. When you get the right balance for your metabolism, your appetite will naturally be satisfied, and the calorie issue will eventually take care of itself. So it doesn't matter whether you eat a small meal or a large meal or something in between. What is important is eating the right foods for your type and in the right proportions for your type every time you eat.
If you happen to be especially concerned with weight loss, or if you need to lose a significant amount of weight, I will explain issues regarding calories and food quantities in the chapter on weight management. However, it's very important to realize that:
Your weight will begin to normalize just by eating the right foods in he right combinations. When you balance your macronutrients properly, you'll lose weight if you're overweight and gain weight if you're underweight.
Try to eat at regular intervals and stick to the same mealtimes every day if at all possible. It's also important to eat when you're hungry, preferably before you get hungry, so snack if you need to. This will keep you from overeating and will keep your blood sugar on an even keel.
A helpful way to think about your macronutrient percentages is in terms of a plate of food. The majority of food on your plate should be protein and fat (two thirds) and the rest should be carbohydrate (one third), primarily of the nonstarchy variety.
A lot of people are very confused about how to eat a meal composed of thirty percent fat. But you'll notice that most of the proteins listed in your Allowable Foods Chart are also sources of natural fats and oils. This means that your requirement for fats can easily be met just by eating your protein foods and making liberal use of butter and oils on your foods.
The above was extracted from...
William Wolcott's book "The Metabolic Typing Diet".
This is essential reading if you are serious about overcoming ill health regardless of its manifestations.


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