Nanci

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What is a Raw Food Diet?

The raw foods diet is a nutrition trend that has been picking up steam over the last couple of years. It involves eating a diet made up mostly or entirely of foods that are not cooked or heated past about 110 degrees or so. That doesn’t mean they’re not processed—on the contrary, raw foods may be dried, rolled, juiced, blended, frozen, soaked, sprouted, fermented, or ground. They’re just not heat-processed. Raw foods diets are usually composed primarily of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, and legumes.

What are the Benefits of a Raw Food Diet?

One big advantage of eating foods raw is that they retain more of their nutritional value. When you cook foods, some nutrients—especially water soluble vitamins and antioxidants—are destroyed by heat. Other nutrients, including minerals, may leach out into cooking water. For example, cooking vegetables in water can reduce the amount of certain nutrients by half.

But according to the USDA, freshly harvested vegetables can lose up to half their original nutritional value simply by sitting on your counter for two days—or in your refrigerator for two weeks. Nutrients are also lost when foods are dehydrated, frozen, soaked, or juiced. So, when it comes to nutrient losses, unless you can arrange to eat every meal in the field where it was grown, it’s all sort of relative. And even though nutrients are lost, don’t worry. There are still plenty left!

Cooking actually makes some nutrients more absorbable. For example, the lycopene in cooked tomatoes is up to four times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes.   And, if you want to absorb more of the protein in eggs, you’d be better off cooking them than slurping them raw like Rocky.

Enzymes in Raw Foods

Raw food advocates also frequently bring up the issue of enzymes. Heating foods deactivates any enzymes it may contain, you see. Eating foods raw preserves more of these food-based enzymes and that supposedly helps us digest and absorb our food better. Frankly, I wouldn’t get too excited about this.

What Are Enzymes?

The biggest nutritional advantage of a raw food diet isn’t the enzymes or the extra nutrients you glean by not cooking your vegetables; it’s the fact that a raw food diet is devoid of virtually all junk and processed foods.

Not that enzymes aren’t exciting—they are! Enzymes are a special class of proteins that literally make life possible. Throughout your body, in every cell, there are thousands of different types of enzymes, each with a very specific job to do. There are enzymes that break molecules apart and enzymes that put molecules together. There are enzymes that transfer things from one molecule to another and enzymes that simply rearrange a molecule into a different shape.

Even within those categories, the enzymes are very specific. Got two glucose molecules that need breaking up? There’s an enzyme for that. Got a lactose molecule that needs breaking up? There’s a different enzyme for that. Most of your entire DNA sequence is devoted to storing instructions for making various enzymes.

And it’s a good thing that your cells know how to make all the enzymes you need to function, because enzymes are relatively fragile. Not only are they destroyed by temperatures above 116 degrees, but they can also be destroyed or inactivated by very acidic environments—such as that of your stomach.

The enzymes in raw vegetables no doubt served very important functions when those plants were living—but don’t have much functionality in your digestive tract. In fact, whether they’ve been denatured by cooking or by your stomach acid, the enzymes in your food function primarily as a source of amino acids (protein) that your body can use to produce its own enzymes, as needed.

Is a Raw Foods Diet Healthier?

In my opinion, the biggest nutritional advantage of a raw food diet isn’t the enzymes or the extra nutrients you glean by not cooking your vegetables. Rather, it’s the fact that a raw food diet contains no fried foods and no baked goods. No partially hydrogenated fats, refined flour, Twinkies, or potato chips. A raw food diet is rich in minimally processed fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and devoid of virtually all junk and processed foods.

 Sounds quite healthy to me. But I don’t think it’s necessary to give up cooking to have a healthy diet. If you want to improve the nutritional quality of your diet, start by cutting back on junk foods and eating more fresh vegetables. And, as I’ve said before, I think it’s an excellent idea to eat at least some of your vegetables each day raw.

I’ve got links below to restaurants and websites that specialize in raw food if you’d like to try some out new raw food recipes. A raw food diet can be a fun—and healthy—place to visit…but, personally, I wouldn’t want to live there!

Written by Monica Reinagel of Nutrition Diva

“When you become quiet, you see everything with love.”

Sri Dharma Mittra has dedicated most of his life in service to humanity teaching yoga, the ancient knowledge of how to attain radiant health and develop spiritually. Since 1967,he has been teaching Classical Yoga: advanced postures, Yama and Niyama and how to lead a content, simple and happylife. Here are some of his perspectives on resolutions for the new year. 

Adam Frei: You talk about the fact that you do what has to be done; that you do your practice no matter what. A lot of people come to the New Year and they make resolutions: “This New Year, I’m going to stop smoking.” “This New Year, I’m going to stop drinking coffee.” “This New Year, I’m going to exercise more.” They say that by the end of the first week of the New Year, most people have already broken their New Year’s resolutions. What do you recommend that people do to stick to their resolutions and do what has to be done?

Sri Dharma Mittra: Well, first of all, if you are planning to start something, don’t commit to too much all at once. Commit to very little, but you have to have the will to keep that promise. Let’s say you are resolving to practice meditation only one minute, twice a week. Do it and never skip it. That is better than doing something once for two or three hours one day, and then you forget about it and don’t do it again. Do the same little bit, but be steady and constant. You must make an agreement inside. Sign an agreement with yourself: “I’ll do it, no matter what,” and then you’ll be able to keep it.

Now, when you are doing this, making this promise, do not do it just for yourself. Before you make this commitment, you are standing behind all beings, not just taking this action for yourself alone. “May all beings enjoy the benefits of this promise, of this achievement.” Then mysteriously, you have this inner attitude and you’ll be able to keep up with what you have committed to. But, be careful and don’t commit to doing too much. Just a little. If you commit to just a little, the mind tends to want to do more so that it may embarrass and motivate you.

Fortitude is the ability to remain the same under any condition. If you succeed in keeping your promise, you remain the same. If you do not succeed, remain exactly the same. If you could not succeed, it is because there is a reason, a perfect reason, why you could not. So, remain the same and do your best.

AF: You often say: “Use angry determination.” Is angry determination part of how people keep to the things they say they want to achieve?

SDM: Well, angry determination is a positive attitude. This came from a Buddhist monk who once told me: “Get this angry determination.” It’s like when you go to martial arts, sometimes you have to scream: “YAH!” and do an exercise, but there is really no negative anger, it’s just how you are treating the mind at that moment. The mind is very stubborn – like a wild animal. Sometimes, you have to scream toward it. But, this angry determination takes place for one second, and then it disappears. It is not like the other anger that stays and stays, poisons your system and is no good. Angry determination from a wise man, it lasts only one fraction of a second, and then it disappears.

AF: How does one balance angry determination with surrender, because when you talk about surrender sometimes, I think what people think you mean based on the questions they ask is that you are implying: “Don’t make any effort.”

SDM: It is not like that. Surrender sometimes means: “Surrender the fruit of your action to the Lord no matter what kind of results you get.” The other part of surrender is to let the Higher Self with intelligence and knowledge. Let it make the decision, not your lower self. Listen within to this inner voice, this inner intuition. When you are calm and full of love and devotion, you always surrender. Let this inner “being” inside make the decision – listen to it. The other way is for the Lord. Everything is towards the Supreme Self and Self-realization for all beings everywhere.

We love you Dharma! Learn more about this living legend and his offerings in NYC at www.dharmayogacenter.com/
 
 

My favorite yoga classes are the ones where I lose myself in breath, disconnect from the ego, and feel that the movements are coming from the depths of my soul. It feels elegant, beautiful, and powerful. It is as if I leave this physical world and connect to something much greater. You can label it as god, a higher power, energy from the universe, etc. A powerful tool that I use to reach those moments in yoga and meditation is music.

Music can truly pull at all my heartstrings. It brings me to places that move me to feel a whole range of emotion. Like the type of music that pulls blockages out of your energetic body and forces you to stare darkness down and bring light to those dark corners we all have inside of us.

Teaming up yoga and moving music can heal from the inside out. We store so much emotion in our bodies. It finds a home in our joints and muscles and makes us feel emotion physically through stiffness and aches. By listening to healing music, stretching and moving, and bringing an awareness to not only the physical movements but also the feelings behind them you can create a powerful energy within that can help guide your thoughts and decisions which in turn shape your reality.

Here are some of my favorite medicinal songs that have helped me on my path to feeling my best! They are hyper linked to youtube and other places so the sound quality is not always the best. But, I recommend SPOTIFY.COM for all your music desires.

1. L’Origine Nacosta – Ludovico Einaudi

2. The Last Man – Clint Mansell

3. Aisatsana (102) – Aphex Twin

4. Corn – Nils Frahm

5. Carousel #1 – Federico Albanese

6. The Wait – Olafur Arnalds

7. Skin on Skin – Dirk Maassen

8. Waterways – Ludovico Einaudi

9. Any Other Name – Thomas Newman

10. Shanti (Shavasana dub) Omstrumental – MC Yogi

Written by Breathe in Life Co-Founder Melissa Jol

It is not just plants that absorb and metabolize sunlight. Human beings do it too. However, the relationship between sun exposure and health in humans isn’t as straightforward as we might want it to be. Genes are a factor of how humans metabolize sunlight; as is skin type. For instance, people with pale skin that burns easily in the sun are likely to get skin cancer if exposed to too much sun. The timing and duration of exposure is also a crucial factor when it comes to how our bodies metabolize sunlight.

That being said, a number of scientists suggest that the health benefits of moderate sun exposure may in fact outweigh the risks. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, for example, specifically point out that the heart-health benefits of sun exposure far outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer. Here are ten huge health benefits of moderate sun exposure you absolutely should know about.

1. Sun exposure lowers blood pressure.

In a landmark study, a group of researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that a compound called nitric oxide that helps lower blood pressure is released into the blood vessels as soon as sunlight touches the skin. This finding was important because until then it was thought that sunlight’s only health benefits to humans was to stimulate production of vitamin D. Richard Weller, Senior Lecturer in Dermatology, and colleagues, however, found that sun exposure can not only improve health, but also prolong life. That’s because the benefits of lower blood pressure include cutting risk of heart attacks and strokes. These benefits, says, Weller “far outweigh the risk of getting skin cancer.”

2. Sun exposure improves bone health.

It is a well known fact that vitamin D stimulates the absorption of bone-strengthening calcium and phosphorus in the body. However, emerging research also indicates there is a direct correlation between bone density and vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin formed during the process of Vitamin D manufacture when sunlight hits the skin. It regulates calcium absorption. When you have higher levels of vitamin D3 in your blood, you are at a lower risk of suffering fractures of virtually all types. On the other hand, lower levels of vitamin D3 in the blood are associated with higher rate of all types of fractures. This is why sun exposure is especially important for bone health in older adults.

3. Sun exposure improves brain function.

Aside from promoting bone health and regulating vital calcium levels, scientists have now linked vitamin D with a number of functions throughout the body, including the functioning of the brain. One study led by neuroscientist David Llewellyn of the University of Cambridge, assessed vitamin D levels in more than 1,700 men and women from England, aged 65 or older and found that cognitive function reduced the lower the subjects’ vitamin D levels were. However, more studies have found sunlight could help spur nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for forming, organizing and storing of memories.

4. Sun exposure eases mild depression.

Sunlight deprivation can cause a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression common in the winter months. It is also common in people who work long hours in office buildings and hardly get out for some sun. Moderate sun exposure, however, increases levels of natural antidepressants in the brain that can actually help relieve this and other forms of mild depression. That’s because on sunny days the brain produces more serotonin, a mood-lifting chemical, than on darker days.

5. Sun exposure improves sleep quality.

When sunlight hits our eyes, a message is sent to the pineal gland in the brain and production of melatonin (a hormone that makes us drowsy and helps us sleep) is shut down until the sun goes down again. Your body gets a clear signal that it’s no longer night and this helps to maintain a normal circadian rhythm. When it gets dark outside, your body gets the signal again and you feel tired and drowsy at bedtime. Low levels of melatonin production at night due to overproduction during the day has been linked to poor sleep quality, especially in older adults. Ditch the sunglasses early in the morning when you wake up if possible so your body gets the message that it is day and triggers the pineal gland to stop releasing melatonin.

6. Sun exposure lessens Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Clinical research has shown Alzheimer’s patients who are exposed to the sun throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. followed by darkness at night score better on mental exams and improve some aspects of the disease. For example, one study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Alzheimer’s patients exposed to bright light had fewer symptoms of depression, nighttime wakefulness, agitation and lost less function than those exposed to dim daytime lighting. The researchers attributed these improvements to more regular circadian rhythms.

7. Sun exposure heals some skin disorders.

Sunlight promotes healing of skin disorders, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, jaundice and other fungal skin infections. In one study, for example, a four-week outdoor sunbathing therapy was successfully used to significantly clear symptoms of psoriasis in 84% of subjects. While sun exposure has a therapeutic effect on the skin and sunlight has been successfully used to treat skin disorders, this alternative treatment method should be done under medical supervision to prevent negative side-effects of UV radiation and to ensure the benefits outweigh the risks.

8. Sun exposure boosts growth in children.

This benefit is especially true for infants. Studies reveal the amount of sun exposure in the first few months of a baby’s life has an effect on how tall the child grows. Many cultures around the world recognize this fact and expose children to mild sun to boost growth and height.

9. Sun exposure enhances the immune system.

Sun exposure can help suppress an overactive immune system, which could explain why sunlight is used to treat autoimmune diseases like psoriasis. And since white blood cells increase with sun exposure and they play a key role in fighting diseases and defending the body against infection, moderate sun exposure is very helpful for your immune system.

10. Sun exposure reduces risk of certain cancers.

Vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of many cancers, especially breast and colon cancer. However, eating whole foods and getting some sun can send breast cancer into remission. This connection was first made by Drs. Frank and Cedric Garland from the University of California who observed that the incidence of colon cancer was nearly three times higher in New York than in New Mexico. Subsequent studies have since shown vitamin D supplementation produce a dramatic 60% drop in risk of developing any form of cancer. This confirms the benefits of vitamin D and sun exposure in reducing risk of cancer.

Article written by David K. William of Lifehack.com

A few weeks ago I had an unexpected and challenging shift come into my life, and I needed to find clarity. Nearly every religion in the world promotes fasting in some way or another as a means of coming closer to God, of finding answers or at least peace through the trials that life sometimes offers us. Over time, as we overcome our attachments to eating, our energy begins to settle and we are able to more quietly observe the fluctuations of the mind. I decided to do ten days, taking only water with lemon juice as well as sitting two hours of meditation a day so I would be able to really step into the silence that this fast would create. I had no idea how incredible this experience would turn out to be.

What happened physically?

I lost 22LB. I didn’t poop for 10 days. My skin got clearer and my eyes brighter. I did get dizzy, but only when teaching yoga or any other strong physical activity. Teaching hot classes was especially interesting. If I got behind on the flood of water I had to keep flowing into my body, I got weak quickly and could feel my heart beating from my toenails to my eyelids. This got to an extreme on the 7th night, I didn’t drink enough and got to a point where I was to weak to even get up and slice a lemon. I laid in bed for a few hours slipping bit by bit into delusion. I think this was the only time in the whole thing where my body was in danger. I became convinced that I had eaten and laid there pondering why. Was 7 days long enough? Couldn’t I have made it to 10? Well, I soon realized that this whole time I hadn’t actually moved, never mind eaten anything. It was all a complete trip. I realized I was losing it a bit and got to the kitchen to down a liter of water. Other than that, if I stayed hydrated I generally felt quite good physically. Cravings were very minimal, my body seemed more than happy to be working with the calories from the lemons along with fat and protein stores in my body.

What happened emotionally?

Amazing, beautiful things. The physical benefits were great but I was doing this to align myself with truth and step away from attachment and desires. I feel that if I was eating during this time, it would have played into an emotional roller coaster. Feel something unpleasant, have a snack and soon begin to feel the same stuff again. Even healthy foods are stimulants when we are trying to find stillness and clarity. Being off of food entirely, as well as sitting that much meditation, I was able to really look at and work through these layers as they arose. This was a very honest and at times difficult process. But when I did work through something, some idea or thought, that was it. Sometimes it took half a day but when I found peace with that feeling or that piece of time it was put to bed entirely. I was able to very clearly see which of my feelings were based in desire, and which were based in love. Without the attachment the love began to take over and I stepped into an appreciation for everything exactly as it was.

I have to say, this was one of the best experiences of my life. As the fast went on I began to see a very light and beautiful man in the mirror, and I don’t mean my physical appearance. I loved who I saw, I was proud of what I was doing and I felt deeply connected to this person. The process didn’t come without it’s challenges but as I began to break through them I honestly felt more joy in my heart than I have in years. I was genuinely excited, totally empowered and stoked on life. The radio sounded better, my friends felt closer, and life in general just had a sweetness to it.

I am so grateful to have felt that joy. It gave me a reference point for the way I want my heart to sit, and for the way I want to view and experience life. It also showed me the work I have to do to get there. As I slowly came back to eating over 3 days, from juicing to boiled vegetables to an amazing Thai curry, I noticed some attachments coming along with it. This was interesting to watch happen and made me very aware of what I was putting in my body. Since the fast my diet has gotten more and more clean, my daily meditation is going strong and that light, joyful feeling is coming more and more into my life. If you are interested in doing a fast, check with your doc first. If he/she says go ahead, I highly recommend it!

You’ve heard about the health benefits of red wine before, but you may be wondering about beer nutrition facts as well. For those of you who think that beer is bad for you, you’ll be surprised to find out that many studies suggest that light-to-moderate consumption of beer can boost your heart health, reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, improve lipid metabolism and reduce oxidative stress.

With the craft beer industry growing in popularity for the last few decades, a number of healthier beers are now available. Ever hear of gluten-free beer? What about unpasteurized or cask conditioned beer? Read more to get a crash course on the healthiest beers out there and where to find them.

Is Beer Bad for You? 

The general answer to this question is that drinking too much beer may harm your health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost each year in the United States from 2006–2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years.” In working adults aged 20–64 years, excessive drinking was responsible for 1 in 10 deaths. (1) By too much beer, I mean drinking four or more beers in a single session, which is how the CDC defines excessive drinking.

According to research published in the American Journal of Health Behavior, “heavy drinking has been associated with the development of multiple medical, functional and psychiatric problems to which older adults are especially vulnerable.” (2) For people who continue to drink excessively, they have an increased risk of developing some chronic diseases and serious health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, digestive problems and even cancer (including stomach, liver, lung, breast and esophagus cancers). (3)

Research suggests that drinking too much beer, or any type of alcohol, is also associated with poorer dietary habits. For instance, people who drink excessively are less likely to focus on eating healthy, well-balanced meals throughout the day and they are more likely to smoke cigarettes. Drinking too much is also associated with a greater likelihood of living a sedentary lifestyle, which takes a major toll on your health. (4)

Excess alcohol consumption is also responsible for unintentional and intentional injury, and it can cause social harm to both the drinker and those around him. In fact, alcohol consumption has been associated with many mental disorders, especially for people who have developed an alcohol use disorder. According to research published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, people with an alcohol use disorder are 10 times more likely to have a drug use disorder, four times more likely to have a mood disorder (like depression and seasonal affective disorder) and three times more likely to have an anxiety disorder. (5)

Here’s the bottomline for those of you who are wondering if beer is bad for you: I do my best to live a healthy lifestyle that includes daily physical activity, mindfulness and consuming foods and beverages that will enhance my overall wellness, not negate all of the work I’ve done to better my body and mind. When I do drink, I never go beyond 1–2 beers (and honestly, prefer red wine). In contrast to the health risks of heavy drinking, light or moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with lower mortality than both drinking in excess and not drinking at all. (6)

But What About Gluten-Free Beer? Unfiltered Beer? Unpasteurized Beer? 

Now we’re talking! When I do indulge in a beer, I like to choose the tastiest options that still coincide with my diet, so let’s discuss the different types of beers that may even be considered healthy. Craft beer continues to be overwhelmingly popular, with local breweries throughout the country that offer an array of styles, from gluten-free beer to vegan beer. To have you navigate the many options on the market, here’s an explanation of the healthiest beers out there:

Gluten-Free Beer

Brewers have begun using gluten-free bases in their beer, such as rice, millet, buckwheat and sorghum, instead of the commonly used ingredients barley and wheat. Technically, if a brewer uses ingredients containing gluten in his batches, like barley and rye, he can reduce the level of gluten to below 20 parts per million and still label it as a gluten-free beer.

The standards vary from country to country, with some beers containing very low levels of gluten that they are perceived to be safe for people with gluten allergies and intolerances. Brewers who produce low gluten beers are required to test every batch of beer for gluten to make sure they are within the regulations. (7)

Hard ciders are also almost always gluten-free, as they are made with a variety of apples, pears and other fruits, instead of ingredients that contain gluten. Check the labels on ciders because some brewers add barley for enzymes and flavor.

Unpasteurized Beer

During the brewing process, batches of beer typically undergo pasteurization to ensure a longer shelf life and uniformity. In the pasteurization process, the brewer is able to kill traces of live yeast or other organisms, which preserves the beer so that it can be stored for long periods of time.

But when you pasteurize beer, you destroy the natural yeast and enzymes that are present, thereby reducing the natural probiotics benefits in beer. You also lose most of the B vitamins from the yeast. Unpasteurized beer is “live” beer that contains living microorganisms. Just like fermented vegetables and probiotic yogurt or kefir, unpasteurized beer contains lactobacillus, a type of beneficial bacteria. When you see the term “bottle conditioned” on the label, that means that the beer isn’t pasteurized. (8)

Organic Beer

Just like the USDA standards for all organic foods, ingredients made to make organic beer must be grown without toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, using chemical-free soil and no genetically modified ingredients. When you choose organic beers, you know that you’re not consuming any unknown chemicals and you are helping to sustain agriculture and the environment. You are supporting the organic farming industry, ensuring that these farmlands remain chemical-free.

Unfiltered Beer

When a beer is unfiltered, that means it’s intentionally served with yeast remaining in the cask, keg or bottle. The reason why most brewers filter their beer is because it gives the brew a brighter and clearer appearance, and it reduces the amount of sediment remaining in the beer. As craft brewing has expanded over the last few decades, brewers have begun to realize that filtering beers takes out the color and even the taste, reducing the bitterness of hops, for instance. And unfiltered beer doesn’t alter the vitamin B levels, like filtering a beer would, which is why drinking unfiltered beer may help you to combat the effects of alcohol, such as feeling hungover.

Cask Conditioned Beer

Cask conditioned beer is unfiltered, transferred into casks, carbonated, sealed and fermented while in the cask. As a result of this brewing process, cask conditioned beer is less carbonated than your traditional draught beers and because it’s unfiltered, it has a fuller, more complex flavor. It also has live yeast in the cask, which provides the final fermentation.

Aside from the fact that cask conditioned beer can be viewed as a healthier beer option, because it’s unfiltered, it’s also served at 55 degrees Fahrenheit (warmer than most keg beers that are served around 45–50 degrees), adding to its flavor and unfiltered texture. (9)

Sour Beer

To make sour beer, brewers typically use a combination of microbes or acid-producing bacteria. Brettanomyces is the most common microbe used to make sour beer; Lactobacillus and Pediococcus are bacteria that are used to ferment sugars into alcohol. Lactobacillus is a lactic acid-producing bacteria, which gives beer a sharp, sour and acidic flavor.

6 Potential Benefits of Beer (When Consumed in Moderation)

1. Rich in Antioxidants

The natural antioxidants found in beer, especially polyphenols, are responsible for beer’s cardiovascular benefits. Plus, beer contains beneficial bioflavonoids, which are powerful phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and even anticancer activities. Research published in the American Journal of Medical Science suggests that the antioxidant content of beer is equivalent to that of wine, as the barley and hops used in brewing beer contains flavonoids. (10)

2. Contains a Handful of Vitamins and Minerals

Did you know that beer contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin and B vitamins? You may be surprised by these beer nutrition facts, but it’s true, especially when you are drinking unfiltered beer. In fact, beer contains more protein and B vitamins than wine. (11)

These nutrients are present in beer because of its basic ingredients, including barley, hops and yeast, but some of these vitamins and minerals are destroyed by the alcohol, so thinking of beer as a nutritional beverage may be a stretch.

3. Boosts Heart Health 

According to research published by Harvard School of Public Health, more than 100 prospective studies show an inverse relationship between moderate drinking and heart conditions, including heart attack, ischemic stroke (caused by blood clots), peripheral vascular disease and sudden cardiac death. The research shows that there’s a 25 to 45 percent reduction in risk of developing these heart conditions, compared to non-drinkers. This, of course, only applies to people who drink modestly, which means about 1 drink per day for women and 1–2 drinks for men. (12)

4. Improves Immunity

Moderate beer consumption has shown to improve immunity in both men and women. This is due to the polyphenols present in beer and other alcoholic beverages. Drinking unfiltered, unpasteurized or sour beers may be the healthiest immune-boosting beers because of the live bacteria that’s left in the beers during the brewing process. On the other hand, consuming high doses of alcohol can directly suppress a wide range of immune responses. (13, 14)

5. Aids Digestion

The hops in beer may work to aid digestion by easing the process. Beer possesses a number of digestive properties, like gastric acid, pancreatic enzymes and cholecystokinin, a gut hormone that is released after a meal by neurons in your brain. Research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that low alcohol doses help to accelerate gastric emptying, but high doses delay emptying and result in slow bowel movement. (15)

6. Reduces Risk of Diabetes

According to research published by the American Diabetes Association, moderate drinkers are reducing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes symptoms by about 30 percent. Researchers analyzed 28 publications on the relationship between alcohol consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes. When considering the data that met their study criteria, the researchers found that there’s a U-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes, with the lowest risk being observed in moderate drinkers, and no difference among heavier drinkers and non-drinkers. (16)

An animal study published in Clinical Nutrition backs up this research on beer and diabetes. Researchers found that isohumulones, the bitter component of beer, decrease plasma glucose and lipid levels in diabetic mice. Isohumulones are compounds that are found in hops, which is a common ingredient in beer, including gluten-free beers and organic beers. (17)

How to Choose & Find the Healthiest Beer 

You can find an array of craft beers in your local grocery store or craft beer store. As craft beer becomes more popular around the country, your options expand. To find the healthiest local beers, research the nearest brewery and pay a visit; ask the brewer about unfiltered, unpasteurized or cask conditioned options. You can also take a tour and learn all about the brewing and fermentation process.

To get you started, try some of these healthier beers. You should be able to find these beers locally, especially in stores like Whole Foods, which sells a variety of gluten-free and organic beers.

1. Dogfish Head’s Tweason’ale: This gluten-free beer is made with sorghum syrup as the base and healthy ingredients like strawberries, molasses and buckwheat honey. According to the brewers at Dogfish Head, “health-conscious beer drinkers and the millions of Americans who suffer from Celiac disease can cut back on gluten while relishing the distinction and drinkability of this very special brew.”
2. Samuel Smith’s Pure Brewed Organic Lager: This healthier beer brewed by Samuel Smith is made with organic malted barley, organic hops and bottom-fermenting yeast. The fermentation process improves the beers flavor and purity; plus, this beer is registered with the Vegan Society, making it suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
3. Evil Twin’s Sour Bikini: This sour beer by Evil Twin Brewing in Brooklyn, New York, has a tart flavor with hints of lemon, orange, grapefruit, peach and nectarine. It’s also low in alcohol, at just 3 percent ABV (alcohol by volume). This is considered a mild sour beer, so it’s a great choice if you haven’t experienced sours before.
4. Guinness Draught: Guinness is an iconic beer that is low in ABV and calories, plus it contains powerful antioxidants. Experts at the University of Wisconsin found that Guinness has health-promoting properties. At a meeting of the American Heart Association, researchers explained that about a pint of Guinness at mealtimes helps to slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls, thereby reducing the threat of blood clots. (18)
5. Epic Brewing Company’s Glutenator: Epic Brewing Company uses a combination of brown rice, sweet potatoes, molasses, millet and American hops to make this gluten-free beer. These ingredients give it a sweet grain flavor and a clean finish.
6. Stone’s Delicious IPA: Stone’s Delicious IPA is gluten-reduced beer with a lemon and spice flavor. According to the brewers at Stone, this IPA is fermented in a manner that breaks down and removes gluten, rendering gluten levels so much that the beer qualifies as “gluten-reduced,” which is said to be safe for people with gluten intolerances or allergies. It’s a citrusy India pale ale that’s made with lemondrop and El Dorado hops.
7. Peak Organic’s Evergreen IPA: This is Peak’s flagship IPA, made with organic juniper berries and organic spruce. Brewer Jon Cadoux is passionate about sustainability and using ingredients from local organic farmers and artisan businesses for his brews. All beers made by Peak Organic are, in fact, organic, including their pale ale, The Juice, which is made with tangerine and berry notes.
8. Elysian Brewing Company’s Space Dust IPA: Brewers at Elysian Brewing Company, located in Seattle, do not filter their beers. After the fermented beer is transferred to a cold-conditioning tank for aging and clarification, a centrifuge spins the beer at thousands of revolutions per minute to settle the yeast solids and unwanted protein complexes. By leaving their beers unfiltered, brewers are keeping as much flavor as possible.
9. Cascade Brewing’s Sang Royal: Cascade Brewing, located in Portland, Oregon, is known for its sour beers. Their souring process relies on fermentation by acid-producing bacteria such as lactobacillus, which feeds on the sugar in beer and excretes organic acids, giving beer its sour taste. Cascade brewers label their beer as “northwest sour ales” because they are made with fresh ingredients made exclusively in the Pacific Northwest, including cherries, apricots, berries and grapes.
10. Angry Orchard’s Crisp Apple: This hard cider made by Angry Orchard is gluten-free, made with braeburn, fuji, granny smith and gala apples. It’s pretty low in alcohol, at 5 percent ABV, and you’ll feel like you’re biting into a fresh apple, as it’s a great balance of sweetness and acidity.

Cask conditioned beers are always unfiltered, unpasteurized and served fresh, as they will go flat after about 48 hours. Many bars and breweries around the U.S. are now serving cask conditioned beer, with a variety of choices out there. Check out your local craft beer bar or brewery to partake in the cask conditioned experience.

Precautions

There are some people who should not consume any alcohol, including women who are pregnant, people who are taking certain prescriptions or over-the-counter medications that can interact with alcohol, people who are suffering from certain medical conditions, and anyone who is planning to drive or participating in any activities that require alertness. (19)

Final Thoughts

• If you’re wondering if beer is bad for you, you may be surprised that light or moderate consumption of beer has many potential health benefits, including reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• When I do drink, I stick to 1–2 beers in a day, and I like to choose the healthiest beers out there, like gluten-free beers, unfiltered beers and organic beers.
• You can find these healthy beer options in your local grocery store, brewery or craft beer store.

Blog by Dr. Josh Axe

It is a chaotic month requiring flexibility, adaptability, thinking outside the box, patience and resetting our priorities.

We all yearn for stability and perhaps even reminisce about old times when things were a lot simpler. But this is where we are now and there is no going back. It is not going to get any “easier” but we will get used to it and adapt to this new vibration that is part of our evolution.

Old stable structures are loosening and breaking apart and new ones have not yet been solidified. It can be a very exciting and creative time if you don’t succumb to fear and stubbornness. If your stability has been a job with a structure where you could project a future and suddenly the job is no longer either because you quit or the job quit you, you find yourself in a place of instability. The instability brings with it a variety of possibilities and potential for creating opportunities that would not otherwise be there.

Instability is highly creative because nothing is set or solidified and you can mold and inform what it is that you want to manifest in ways that you can’t when things are stable and well defined. Of course, there is the element of chaos as structures become unstable. This can lead to too many options and much mental obsession and confusion. We are being asked this month to become more comfortable with chaos and to learn to trust the greater order of things. Even if we feel out of control we must trust that everything happens for a reason.

Some of the stable structures that are crumbling are the mental ones. Our belief systems and how we hold our rational thoughts and how we process information is a structure that is becoming unstable as we go through this shift in consciousness. Think of the mind as a 2-dimensional processor that is being rewired to “think” in multi-dimensional concepts. In order for this to happen the mind needs to let go of the 2-dimensional processor, the linear thinking of the “rational” mind and allow this multi-dimensional experience to imprint a new way of “thinking”. It is the realm of the higher intellectual center and gives us a new experience of “truth”.

Needless to say, we all will feel a bit mentally unstable this month and prone to the experience of “losing our minds”. Our memories may be compromised and if we don’t write a list, we may quickly forget why we went to the market and what for. Instead of going into a panic, use this instability to be more creative, to “think” outside the box, to allow for solutions to seemingly unsolvable issues to suddenly appear. Instability can be a wonderful thing as long as you work with it instead of resisting it.

The Chaos Factor

If you decide to clean out your closet or your refrigerator and you want to sort through what you have before putting it back, you will have a temporary experience of the chaos of the pile of all the things being sorted. You will need to decide what stays, what goes, and then how the remainder will be put back into some kind of order.

If you have organized your day around meeting someone for lunch and that person cancels, you suddenly have an opening in your schedule. Any vacancy that is a result of any change in your life introduces possibility. And possibility is potential without structure and stability. And potential without structure and stability is chaos. Chaos in itself is never negative. It is what you do with it and how you navigate it that brings about either a positive or negative result.

A positive result is ending up with a delightful experience of synchronicity and productivity that feels supportive and takes you in the right direction. A negative experience is the feeling of spinning your wheels, not getting anything done and being yanked around by either yours or other people’s obsessive thoughts and emotions. In times like these you have to be very careful not to let the chaos run you but rather to harness the chaos as energy for your own intentions.

In these unstable times, we are learning to deal with Chaos. Chaos is feminine, creative, fertile, unpredictable, exciting and destructive.  Instead of holding on to what feels comfortable, known, rational and safe, seize the opportunity and work the instability and chaos to accelerate your own radical change. These are revolutionary times. What is your personal revolution? Go for it.

Learning to Prioritize

The way we look at priorities is changing. We need to learn to prioritize from our hearts instead of from our minds. The way the mind prioritizes is by rationalizing why we should be doing something instead of simply intuiting that it should be done. The challenge during times of instability is that we have too many choices, too many options, too much on our plate, and too many considerations to sort through. We don’t know what to do first, what to end, what to start, what we can ignore, what is done, what is ours and what is not. So, we revert back to what is known and where we feel safe and confident. But this is never a good permanent solution.

The only way to bring focus and stability into our lives now is to learn to prioritize from the heart. This requires trust and intuition, listening to yourself instead of others and connecting in with your own desires. Making choices from the heart may disappoint others and even bring instability into someone else’s life, but that is the challenge this month and the price you pay for resetting your priorities and it will serve you in the long run. When there are too many options, choices and possibilities to process through the mind, the only way to gain clarity is to turn to the heart and allow it to lead.

How the month shows up:

YOU PERSONALLY

This is the month of personal revolution. What needs to be revolutionized in your life? What kind of chaos can you be proactive with? What can you destabilize that feels stuck and needing change? What can you clean out, get rid of and upgrade? Hairdressers will be busy and thrift stores overflowing as people grab the opportunity to move some energy and make changes. You will want to change something but be practical and not overly impulsive.

Something you may have been thinking about starting or changing but just haven’t gotten around to it or the timing was not right will all of a sudden be an option. Things can happen very fast in this kind of energy. Use the destructive side of chaos to dismantle a structure that no longer serves and make room for something new and creative. Enjoy the potential for spontaneity that instability brings.

Your biggest challenge this month will be to keep some middle ground of neutrality amidst the chaos and to stay out of other people’s drama. Even if it is someone close to you, just because they are having a hard time does not mean you have to be there with them and suffer along. Always embrace any instability as an opportunity to do something or see something in a different way.  The anchor and grounding will come from your connection to the earth and not your connection to others.

RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships will certainly go through a hard time this month as instability always affects them first. This is where the trust of the heart comes in. If you know intuitively to move towards or away from certain relationships, your task is to follow that intuition and intelligence of your heart. Old promises and commitments based on a mental understanding of responsibility may be up for review. Not all relationships will survive.

If you are left hanging due to the choices of another, see it as a huge opportunity to reset some of your own priorities that will inform future relationships in a different way. What did not work? What did? What could be better? What do you need? What are you done with?

If you are the one moving away, do so with compassion and confidence but not guilt. A clean and sudden break is always better than a slow death even though it may be shocking at first. It is better to be in full chaos for a little while than in sort of chaos for a long time.

This is also a great month to complete karma with old relationships, forgive the past, take risks in new relationships and completely destabilize your life in the relationship arena if that is what it takes to move things forward. This is not a month to stagnate. So, get things moving in all relationships: work mates, both intimate and business partners, family members, support people, friends and community.

HEALTH AND THE PHYSICAL BODY

The big issues and challenges this month will be bones, teeth, skin, joints, brain activity, balance and memory. Mental and emotional health will also be challenged as we deal with instability on all levels of the physical, mental and emotional bodies. The task is to stay out of fear and see that many of these symptoms are a result of unstable energy rather than an actual physiological condition.

This is a good month to do a detox of some kind. We are all receptacles of old energy that needs to be cleaned out once in a while. Detoxify your mind by a fast from media and news, negative thoughts and judgments, and too much thinking. Detoxify your emotions by staying away from disturbing situations and toxic people. Fill yourself instead with emotional beauty of music and art. Detoxify your body through a fast of some kind and drink plenty of water. A detox will destabilize your system for a while but give you an opportunity to re-stabilize it with a new and higher vibration of cleaner energy in all forms.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS PROJECTS

This is a great month to restructure, expand or downsize, make changes, eliminate some things and add others, bring in some outside support, and shake things up. Anytime you have gotten too complacent about where things are in your work or business or partnerships, you have fallen asleep.

When you are driving a car down a straight road with no traffic it is easy to pay less attention, let your mind wander and be half asleep. If the weather and the traffic is unstable, you are likely to pay close attention and to be much more present. It is the same in these times. The more unstable, the more you pay attention. We suggest being proactive with change in the business and partnership and project area. If you take the initiative, you take responsibility and then you have more say in how it turns out. If you are at the other end of a restructure, always see it as a positive opportunity for change.

Pay attention, be present, seize opportunities, take risks, be confident not guilty and enjoy the instability and chaos instead of resisting it. If you are let go or lose the structure of a job, have gratitude for the freedom. If you make a commitment or a change that destabilizes your life, step up to the responsibility and embrace the chaos.

ENVIRONMENT

When the environment is unstable, anything goes and anything can happen. You can never be fully prepared so don’t spend your time obsessing about being prepared. Be flexible and adaptable instead. This does not mean never make plans. It just means be prepared to change them, to do something different and to be just as satisfied with the adapted course as with the original plan. Be present with what is so you don’t drive your mind into chaos with all the “what ifs” and projected expectations.

The weather could be unstable and unexpected with heavy winds, unusual storm activity, rain and cold one day and unseasonably warm the next. There is power in instability and less so when things are stable and predictable. You can be lulled into sleep way more easily when the weather is calm and gentle than when you are in the middle of a storm.

In your personal environment, expect and welcome a bit of chaos as it will make room for change. Change is the operative word here. Make sure that you change something, get rid of something or upgrade something in your environment this month. It could be as dramatic as a change of location for home or work.

DATES AND TIME FRAMES

May 1-8: We are fired up this week and rearing to go. It will be necessary to watch impatience and to stay out of judgment, irritability and frustration. Different things will destabilize for different people so have compassion for yourself and others as you witness and experience the challenges of dealing with chaos and trying to prioritize what is not yet clear. Take a few things off your plate if you need to and keep your eye on what is most important. Make sure you build in at least a few minutes every day just to do nothing. When you stop to regroup, you allow things to find their order of flow. Strive for balance between being proactive in pushing the change, and allowing for right timing and rhythm.

It is a good time frame to at least plant the seeds of a new project or to make a commitment to a new partnership.

May 9-15: You may feel overwhelmed with the chaos right about now. If there is a way you can be excited about all the opportunities instead of weary and despairing it would serve you better. Listen to your own heart rather than to others that will be trying to tell you what to do, where to be and what you need. Practice allowing the order to come to you rather than chasing it down the road.

This is a good time frame to be more creative, eccentric and to think a bit outside the box. If you do, new solutions to old problems could manifest out of thin air. It is important to be creative and use yourself and your personal environment during this time frame as a canvas and container for creativity.

May 10: Full Moon is Wednesday, May 10, at 3:42PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). This full moon can bring out stress levels or celebration. Let’s go for celebration. It would be better to have a some fun than to allow yourself to get bogged down with responsibility, pressure and chaos. Work with chaos creatively and be a little eccentric. A good day to do something new and out of the ordinary. Surprise yourself.

May 16-23: We are likely to see the destructive side of chaos during this time. The feminine when faced with injustice and restriction can act out viciously so watch for impulsive behavior and melt-downs. If something needs the element of destruction, it will become clear. This is the time when the mental structures need to surrender to the intelligence and intuition of the heart. So, if you are faced with major decisions and choices that are not clear to you, use the heart as your compass and feel into the choice. Get as comfortable with chaos as you can and trust that if you allow for a higher order to organize the chaos, it will.

It is a revolutionary time and changing how you navigate through your intentions and choices will set you up for a new way of being in the world. The change you make will have a ripple effect and affect all your relations.

May 24-31: Priorities, commitment and boundaries are the themes for this time frame. If you have gotten some clarity about your priorities you need to act on them during this time. Some choices and changes will take courage and inner strength as they won’t meet everyone’s approval. If you still feel overwhelmed and slightly derailed by instability and chaos, find ways to gain some grounding and focus. Engage in small mundane tasks and practice making decisions from your heart.

This time frame comes with a lot of energy and we find ourselves fired up and inspired again by the possibilities. Just make sure you always have an anchor and a priority to guide you in the right direction. The inspiration feels good but you can get overwhelmed if you focus too long on the chaos and not enough on trusting the stability that will come with time.

May 25: New Moon is Thursday, May 25 at 1:44 PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). You can experience this new moon either from a place of despair and suffering over loss, confusion or chaos in your life, or you can be in deep gratitude for the experiences that you have had and the lessons learned. The impermanence of life should be honored and the nostalgia of times past celebrated.

This could be an emotional moon with a sense of wanting some space to be alone. However, community is important as well and it is advised that you get support to be in a space of beauty, love and wonder instead of dark despair. Even though a new moon is a time for going within and resetting priorities and intentions, this moon does have an element of reaching out for community support.

Have a wonderful month!

Blessings,

Lena from powerpath.com

When it comes to the food we eat with respect to weight loss, weight gain and even general health requirements we’ve all been brought up with the caloric approach to nutrition; calories in vs. calories out. Working out enough to “burn off the extra 500 calorie donut,” or restricting ourselves from eating even when hungry after consuming “enough” calories for the day. While the science behind calories may in fact be accurate, there is much more to consider with the way caloric energy of food acts in our bodies.

The way we view what and how much food goes into our mouths is in need of a shift, especially if looking for some positive results in weight loss, physical performance or are seeking to just “eat how much you want” and not have to worry so much about counting calories. Lets get to the bottom of this.

A calorie is a unit of energy. More precisely, it is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1kg of water one degree celcius at 1 atm (atmospheric pressure).  Our food’s caloric value used to be measured in a lab, where they would actually burn the food in a sealed container surrounded by water. Once the food was completely burnt, the amount of rise in temperature of the water was documented. Nowadays, calories are typically just calculated per gram based on energy-containing nutrients of a food as 9kcal/g for fat, 4kcal/g for protein, 4Kcal/g for carbohydrates, and alcohol at 7Kcal/g. But as a common misperception, this energy value does not equate to how the food reacts in our bodies to either gain or lose fat.

We are living, breathing, digesting, metabolizing, complex biological beings with hormones and thyroids and emotions and insulin levels and inflammatory immune responses that all affect how we end up processing our food, retaining and losing weight. A strictly mechanical approach simply won’t do.  Often consuming “lower calories” can lead the body into starvation mode, which causes it to retain fat. This is why the focus needs to be on the right foods, with quality macronutrient balance and less on the caloric value. Luckily, many of the more nutrient dense foods are naturally lower in calories but still leave you feeling satiated and satisfied.

Lets take a 1000 calories of marshmallows vs. 1000 calories of leafy greens for example. Two exact same caloric loads with opposite effects on the body. Consuming 500 calories of marshmallows for example, the intestinal tract quickly absorbs the sugar, spiking the blood sugar in the body, which then releases an overdose of insulin into the bloodstream, leading the body to store excess fat.

The key then is not the quantity of calories, but moreso the QUALITY of those calories; even more specific, the nutrient density of those calories. Take the dark leafy greens now for example. A 1000 calories of dark leafy greens, even kale would be impossible to even consume in a day as a 30 Cup portion. So leafy greens can truly be eaten in abundance leaving you feeling full before you eat “too much” so to speak, unlike nutrient-void food. This goes for most plant based foods. The benefits then also include the reduced risk of cancer, aiding in weight management, stabilizing blood sugar levels, clearer skin, and enhanced energy.  The body utilizes this “caloric energy” in a positive way.

The more educated one becomes as to what those calories contain in nutrients, the easier it becomes to start shifting the mindset from quantity of calories to the much more important element of the quality of those calories and then ultimately stop counting them!

Blog by Kristin Fraser from Inner Glow Nutrition