Mercury Found in High-Fructose Corn Syrup

A 2009 study found that many foods sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup contain mercury. The most shocking news of all is that the FDA and the High-Fructose Corn Industry have known about this potential toxin since at least 2005 and have said nothing.

Another group of researchers tested products directly from the supermarket and one in three products contained mercury. These included products like jelly, ketchup and sodas. So even though we thought our greatest threat to mercury poisoning was through fish, it turns out that many of our everyday grocery store items may contain this harmful substance.

Find out more about the mercury contamination.

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) It does take a large amount of mercury to cause any serious health problems, but as a general guideline try to stay away from the processed foods found in the inner aisles of your grocery store and stick with the less processed, fresher foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables for better health.

2) Go through your refrigerator and pantry, read labels and toss foods with high-fructose corn syrup. All of these items have alternatives. Click here for a comprehensive list of products with no high-fructose corn syrup.

3) Dining out? The best rule of thumb is to avoid fast food altogether. High-fructose corn syrup is one of the most common ingredients in fast food restaurants.


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

What’s Up with High-Fructose Corn Syrup?

The Corn Refiners Association claim that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is fine in moderation. They argue that it has no artificial ingredients and has the same calories as sugar and honey.

Yes, it is initially made from corn, but then it’s processed so the cornstarch is broken down into glucose. HFCS is found in most processed foods and contains 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. Many people believe that since it contains fructose, which is naturally found in honey, fruits and vegetables, then it cannot be that bad for you. Think about where HFCS is found: soda, Wonderbread, Cool Whip and other processed junk food. Do you associate health with these products? Several studies have linked the consumption of processed foods to the increasing rates of diabetes and obesity in America.

The Corn Refiners Association has spent $30 million on this ad campaign to boost the reputation of HFCS.

Watch out for public service-type commercials funded by the same companies who profit from the products they are promoting. It’s only natural for consumers to be confused by these statements.

Of course the Corn Refiners Association wants you to believe that high-fructose corn syrup is good for you!

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) Be a media detective and pay attention to who is sponsoring commercials and advertisements.

2) Eliminate high-fructose corn syrup from your diet. Go through your refrigerator and pantry, read labels and toss foods with high-fructose corn syrup. All of these items have alternatives. Click here for a comprehensive list of products with no high-fructose corn syrup.

3) Dining out? The best rule of thumb is to avoid fast food altogether. High-fructose corn syrup is one of the most common ingredients in fast food restaurants.


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Autumnal Recipes

Don’t forget to respect the principles of food combining (Simply put: starches with starches and proteins with proteins) giving the body a break so that your body’s energy is used for healing instead of for digestion. Stay tuned for more details on the principles and benefits of food combining in a future issue of Cathy’s Health tips’ Newsletter. Get your newsletter at CathysHealthTips.com.

FALL SALAD WITH RADISHES

Makes 12 servings (First Course)

(From Alice Waters, Chez Panisse, Berkeley)

Fresh, local greens are the key to this simple salad!

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fine-quality aged red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fine-quality balsamic vinegar
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb mixed fall baby greens or mesclun
½ lb assorted radishes, thinly sliced

Stir together shallot, garlic, vinegars, and sea salt and let stand 20 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon pepper, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking. Toss greens with radishes and just enough dressing to coat. Serve immediately.

SAUTÉED BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND SQUASH WITH SAGE

Makes 8 servings

(Inspired from a recipe in Food & Wine Magazine, October 2007)

The combination of brussels sprouts (savory) and butternut squash (sweet), which generally stand on their own as side dishes, is unusual and super-autumnal.

2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and chopped finely
1 medium butternut squash (1 ½ pounds), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1 tablespoon dried sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the brussels sprouts in the boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer the brussels sprouts to the ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry. Melt butter in large, deep skillet over moderate heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Scatter sage and chives on top and serve.

Cathy’s Tips: To help with the squash, put it in the oven, whole, at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. After letting it cool, peel and cut into cubes. So much easier than cutting it first!

Why butter? Because of their sensitivity to heat, the molecular structure of cooked oils is compromised causing free radical production in the body. Real butter is a much better choice. Use organic butter to avoid hormones and antibiotics. Never cook with oils. You can use them uncooked in your salads. Buy the cold-pressed, extra-virgin variety.

IN THE RAW: PUMPKIN PIE IN A BOWL REVISITED

Makes 4 to 5 cups

(From Natalia Rose’s book: Detox for Women: An All New Approach for a Sleek Body and Radiant Health in 4 Weeks)

In her book, Natalia says: “ This is among the recipes that I’m most excited to share with you.” And I am too! It supports weight loss and vitality, so enjoy as much as you want.

32 ounces fresh carrot juice
1 cup raw sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 to 2 packets stevia or drops Nu Naturals liquid stevia
½ avocado, pitted
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container and enjoy within 36 hours.


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

I Am Investing In Myself. Are You?

(October 22, 2009) I sometimes feel that my life is a tornado of activity, projects, expansion and growth. It's all good (and fun) as long as I am staying centered and grounded. In order to achieve that state of mind, which is necessary in the realization of the life of my dreams, I schedule time for myself: I meditate on a daily basis; I regularly schedule a massage or a facial; I exercise; I take the time to breathe deeply; I set an intention for my day, etc.

Another critical element to my centeredness is a happy, healthy marriage.

When I was at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I learned that the most important vitamin is vitamin L. L stands for love. ☺ Vitamin Love is the most important, nourishing and healing vitamin. It includes attention, touch, hugs and kisses and also support, respect and partnership. Everything one could expect to receive in a marriage.

Recently, I have been struck by the number of encounters and conversations I have had with people who are unhappy in their marriage. Unhappiness in marriage often starts with resentment, blame and anger and then escalates.

For all of you who are not receiving the vitamin L that you need, I have a couple of suggestions.

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) I recommend reading the book  'Getting The Love You Want' by Dr. Harville Hendrix.  I read this book years ago and I was stunned by what I learned in it. In its simplest form, we all unconsciously choose our partners for two basic reasons: (1) they have both the positive and negative qualities of the people who raised us, and (2) they compensate for positive parts of our being that were cut off in childhood. Like I said, I was stunned. It was the beginning of truly taking responsibility for the state of my marriage. Without this book, I would possibly still be in a blaming or resenting mode. I cannot thank Harville Hendrix enough for sharing what he has learned during more than 30 years as a couple therapist.  Click here to know more about 'Getting The Love You Want.' 

2) If you are a woman, you have the power to transform your relationship. I recommend a weekend workshop called  ‘Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women.’  When I participated in that workshop, which can be attended by women only (another way to take time for yourself), I felt like I was learning all the secrets of men. It was awesome information. It taught me how to communicate with men so I could get my needs satisfied. It helped me to understand my husband and appreciate his masculinity. During my workshop, I fell in love all over again for what my husband is and for what he is not.  Click here to know more about ‘Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women.’

By the way, I am taking  'Celebrating Men & Sex' this coming weekend. I am continuously investing in myself. Are you?

I wish you lots of Fun and Joy!
Until next time,

Cathy

P.S.  Follow me on Twitter! 


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Keep Yourself On Track with This Delicious Menu, Perfect for Entertaining

Having Guests? No Worries! Keep Yourself On Track with This Delicious Menu, Perfect for Entertaining.

Besides satisfying your guests, the goal of this menu is to satiate your hunger and your desire for good food without interfering with your cleansing process. It also respects the principles of food combining (Simply put: starches with starches and proteins with proteins) giving the body a break so that your body’s energy is used for healing instead of for digestion.

Menu: Appetizer: Natalia’s Favorite Salad; Entrée: Maple-Glazed Salmon à La Detox Served With Sautéed Broccoli; Dessert: If you really need your dessert, a little dark chocolate (68 percent cocoa content or higher) or some goat’s milk ice cream by Laloo’s will keep you on track with your cleansing. Their Vanilla Snowflake and Dark Chocolate flavors are great.

NATALIA’S FAVORITE SALAD

Makes 2 to 4 servings

(From Natalia Rose’s book: Detox for Women: An All New Approach for a Sleek Body and Radiant Health in 4 Weeks)

In her book, Natalia mentions how she loves the way the fresh lemon juice, stevia and grated cheese come together so decadently, while the greens and tomatoes keep the whole dish fresh from the garden. I totally agree. I love this salad very much and often eat it alone as my meal. With you guests, serve the salad as an appetizer (then the salmon and the broccoli as entrée).

½ pounds baby romaine lettuce or baby spinach (or both)
½ cup of the best local tomatoes you can find, chopped
1 small beet, grated
3 ounces Alta Dena raw cheddar-style cheese, grated
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 packets stevia (or 1 teaspoon Nu Naturals liquid stevia)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced

Keep it as simple as the above list of ingredients if time is constrained or make it really gourmet for your dinner party by adding the following:

2 tablespoons sweet onions, diced
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, rosemary or chives (or all three), chopped

Toss all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl and serve.

MAPLE-GLAZED SALMON A LA DETOX

Makes 4 servings

(From Natalia Rose’s book: Detox for Women: An All New Approach for a Sleek Body and Radiant Health in 4 Weeks)

It’s so quick and easy to prepare while quite possibly the juiciest, most full-flavored dish your friends have ever enjoyed!

1 cup Nama Shoyu (healthy soy sauce)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Splash of toasted sesame oil
1 to 2 packets stevia (natural sweetener)
4 fresh salmon fillets, well rinsed

Mix the nama shoyu, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and stevia in blender. Spread the mixture over the fish and marinate for 1 to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Discard the marinade and bake the fish for 18 minutes.

SAUTEED BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC AND ORGANIC BUTTER

2 bunches broccoli, cut into small florets.
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons organic butter
Celtic sea salt or Himalayan Salt
Fresh pepper

Melt butter over moderate heat, then cook garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli florets tossing in butter to coat. Cook for about 8 minutes adding some water if needed. Season with salt and pepper

Why butter? Because of their sensitivity to heat, the molecular structure of cooked oils is compromised causing free radical production in the body. Real butter is a much better choice. Use organic butter to avoid hormones and antibiotics. Never cook with oils. You can use them uncooked in your salads. Buy the cold-pressed, extra-virgin variety.

Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Raw For 30 Days Trailer

The best-kept secret on the planet to achieve health and beauty? To add raw, living, whole and fresh foods to your diet!

Take 9 minutes and watch this clip to see how you can improve your health, heal disease and take years off your lives:

Raw For 30 Days Trailer


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

So Many Celebrations! So Many Good Things!

(September 24, 2009)  Since I last wrote to you, I’ve been meditating and connecting to good energy. I feel light. I feel good. In fact, I feel pretty amazing!

I came back last Monday from a 10-day stay in Montreal where I had so much to celebrate. I had my BFF Sophie’s 40th awesome birthday party, my nephew Michael’s Bar Mitzvah and I celebrated Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) with my husband’s family. In between those events, I met a lot of my friends, shared nice meals and plenty of good wine.

You might wonder how I can keep up with healthy and balanced eating in the midst of so many celebrations. The truth is that I don’t always keep up and I am not always perfect. During times of celebrations or during a vacation, I usually keep the habit of eating a green salad before my meals and I am also usually pretty good about chewing my food properly (they are well-integrated practices by now) but I also eat more desserts and my meals are not always perfectly combined.

However, there is one thing that I make sure to keep up with during festivities: I surround myself with good energy whatever my food choices.

What I’ve learned through my practice is that healthy food with a lot of rigidity and guilt is not better than less-than-perfect food with a lot of fun and joy. I’m not saying that eating processed or sugary food all the time is OK as long as you do it in a state of joy. Eventually, it would have a negative impact on you. I’m just saying that it is OK to break the routine from time to time if it’s done in good spirit.

After a while, it’s time to get back on track.

There are two things that I make sure to get back to as soon as I am back from a vacation or a long weekend of celebrations: 1) My yoga practice; and 2) My green juice. They have this incredible power to put me back on track with happy, healthy living.

Do you have practices that put you back on track when you fall off the wagon? If not, think about something that could connect you right back to your healthy routine. 

I wish you lots of Fun and Joy!
Until next time,

Cathy

P.S. Follow me on Twitter!


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

What’s going on with me? Breakdown and all!

(September 10, 2009)  While writing these words, I’ll be honest, I am not feeling my best. In the last week, at different times, I suffered from allergies, headaches and digestive problems.

What’s going on with me?!!

On a physical level, I ate too much cooked and dense foods while vacationing with my husband at the Sivananda Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas during the last week of August. Too much rice! Too many beans and lentils! Then, we returned home and celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary with an amazing meal, great champagne and wine. A true indulgence!

But you know what? I believe that my physical challenges are a reflection of my emotional and mental state of mind. As you might already know, I’ve been longing to start a family, to get pregnant, for a long time. I sometimes overly indulge in the moment so I don’t think about what’s missing in my life.

Since our anniversary, I’m back to my routine. I went back to drinking my daily green juice, eating fruit and salads and well-combined meals.

My diet is much lighter and all the buried emotions (and food accumulation) are coming to the surface resulting in a kind of breakdown this morning. I got up early to go to my yoga class, walked to the studio but I couldn’t get upstairs for the class so I left and came back home. I could feel my heart so full with emotions. My husband hung up the phone right away to see what was wrong. His tenderness and gentleness opened my heart and a flow of tears came out. I cried a lot. It felt good and sad at the same time. Then, I went to get ‘Huevos Rancheros’ at the corner restaurant. I realized then that I wanted to stop feeling for a bit, which is not necessarily the answer.

Have there been times when you have felt low and turned to food, alcohol or other unhealthy behaviors to ease your mind or heart?

My experience reminded me of the importance of being in the moment, to face the truth and let go.

I have a lot of hope with regard to starting a family but I also have worries and fear (what if it doesn't work?). In order to process them, I first need to acknowledge and accept them.

The thing is: If I got pregnant 6 years ago, I wouldn’t have learned and grown the way I did and my marriage wouldn’t be as strong a partnership it is now. There’s a reason for everything. I believe in divine order.

I am pretty sure that you and I have engaged in emotional eating at difficult times in our lives. That is no sin. The important thing is not to indulge after indulging! You know what I mean: After we eat or drink badly, or stop exercising, we feel bad about ourselves, which only encourages us to continue this unhealthy activity. I encourage you (and me!) to forgive ourselves for these slips, and get back on track.

I wish you lots of Fun and Joy!
Until next time,

Cathy

P.S. Follow me on Twitter!



Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Corn Recipes

It’s still corn season! Here are two amazingly delicious and cleansing recipes with fresh, organic and raw corn.

Sweet Corn Chowder
Makes 4 servings

(From Ani Phyo’s book: Ani's raw food kitchen)

This recipe doesn’t respect the principles of food combining because it mixes corn (starch) and nuts (protein). However, it is so good that I still wanted to share it with you. I love to make it for my husband. He always asks for a second and third bowl! A great soup to serve to your guests!

For the chowder base:
3 ears sweet corn
¾ cup walnut
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups water

For the chowder topping:
1 cup kernels, set aside from above
1 avocado, diced
1/3 bunch cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Set aside 1 cup of corn kernels to use as chowder topping. Blend remaining corn, walnuts, oil, garlic, salt, and water until smooth. To serve, pour chowder base into four bowls. Top each bowl with some topping.

Note: You can cut the amount of oil in two and replace it by water.

Corn Salad
Makes 3 to 4 servings

(From Matt Amsden’s book: RAWvolution)

For the salad:
3 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob (approximately 4 ears)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped scallions
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed

For the dressing:
½ cup Thai coconut water
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
¼ cup pine nuts (I personally skip the nuts in order to respect the principles of food combining)

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and toss to mix thoroughly. In a high-speed blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour over the salad, toss well to mix the dressing with the corn, and serve.

About corn: After corn season, you can buy frozen corn. Fresh or frozen, I make sure to buy organic corn because I don’t want to eat GMO (genetically modified organisms) corn. We still don’t know the long -term effects of GMO corn on human but we are now aware of the detrimental impact it has on rats. Scary!

Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Always Hungry? Your Body Might Be Hungry for Sunlight!

Hungry?  Again?! Know that food is not the only element to plays a role in your nutrition.  Sunlight, fresh air and pure water are also prime elements for optimum energy, vitality and beauty.  They play a vital role in nourishing your body.

Today, I will focus on the critical importance of sunshine and natural lights.

Sunbathing As A Health Ritual Throughout History

Ancient civilizations knew the power of the sun in strengthening the muscles and the nerves of the body.  Their cities were equipped with sun gardens for the purpose of sunbathing.  The Romans instructed their gladiators to get regular sunbaths as part of their training.  Other civilizations brought their sick to the sunny side of the mountain to get better sun exposure. 

Before the triumph of Christianity, sun worshiping came very close to becoming the universal religion.  At that time, Christians viewed sunbathing as a pagan ritual and condemned it, practically ending the healthy practice of sunbathing.  During that same period, only Jewish and Arabians physicians would recommend sunbath to their sick patients.

Today, sun exposure is still recommended by health practitioners trained in Natural Hygiene for both the sick and the healthy.

Natural Light As A Nutrient For Your Body

The sun has a positive impact on the whole nutritive process and is vital for many biological functions. 

Specifically, it supports the absorption of phosphorus and calcium, important minerals for the health of your bones.

It also activates the production of Vitamin D, which will boost your immune system, fight colds and the flu, and could prevent your risk of cancer, diabetes, depression and osteoporosis.  Recent study on vitamin D suggested a role in brain detoxification, removing mercury safely from your body.

A sufficient amount of sun exposure increases the quality of your blood and improves your circulation.  As a result, the blood’s power to repair and build tissues is intensified.  The energy of sunlight, entering through your eyes, directly arouses them as well as the blood and indirectly all other body functions.  The blood, which gets the oxygen and nutrients to your body’s organs, is impacted by the amount of sun exposure that you get.  Sufficient sun exposure supports efficient digestion and assimilation.  My question to you is: Are you hungry for food or for sunlight?

Finally, sunlight improves glandular activities, which aides in case of ovulatary irregularity, pubertal difficulty, acne and impotency.

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) Plan 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure (without sunscreen) on a regular basis (every day is ideal).  If possible, at least 40 percent of your skin should be exposed.  Your eyes, being the major entry points, shouldn’t be covered with sunglasses during that time.

2) Excessive sunshine is not the goal. Getting sunburned and over-heating your body will result in stress to your entire system causing toxicity.  If you are in the sun for a long time, use large hats, beach umbrellas, non-toxic sunscreens and seek the shade.  It is important to understand that you benefit from sunlight not the sun heat. 

3) Choose sun-rich foods.  Every time that you choose fresh fruits and vegetables, foods that are full of light and come directly from the sun, you take one more step toward light, beauty, energy and vitality.

4) Click here for some tasty sun-rich recipes.

I Would Love to Hear From You!

How do YOU incorporate sunbathing into your life?  Is it working for you?  I am sincerely interested in knowing what is or isn’t working for you and would love to hear from you.  Send me an email to let me know.

To Your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life !

Cathy

Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Feeling Sluggish? Learn How Fruit Can Boost Your Energy!

They say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Hopefully, you are adding more than an apple a day to your diet.

Ask yourself: “Am I eating enough fruit?”

Probably not! Today, fruit often plays a minor role in our diet.

It hasn’t always been the case. Dr. Alan Walker of John Hopkins University examined the fossil remains of early humans and concluded that humans were exclusively fruit eaters. Fruit has always been an important food through history. Pythagoras, ancient sage known as the father of mathematics, ate fruit almost exclusively. Historians report that ancient Greeks, admired for theirs statuesque bodies, were heavy eaters of olives, figs, dates, grapes, apples, and oranges.

We Are Built to Eat Fruits

Physiologically, we are built to be fruitarians. Our saliva is alkaline. In contrast, meat-eating animals have extremely acid saliva, which is required to digest the protein in meat. We don’t produce enough hydrochloric acid to digest meat properly; this contributes to so many people suffering from indigestion, gas, bloating, waste accumulations in their body and ultimately diseases of all kind. We also secrete very little of the enzyme amylase, which digests starch, and our ability to digest fats is also limited, contributing to the problem. We have little of
the enzymes required in the digestion of milk and we do not have the necessary enzymes to break down the gluten in wheat.  But we can easily and properly digest monosaccharides, the simple sugars found in fruits.

Even psychologically, fruits seem to be a natural choice. Think about it for a moment. Take the time to connect to your whole body. What appeals to you most? Is it a bloody piece of meat or a juicy and sweet piece of fruit?

Fruit As “Cleansing Foods”

Your body and its different systems get clogged up from years of eating the wrong food, the wrong combination of foods or simply too much food (to know more about the subject, click here). Fruit, being the easiest of all foods to digest of all food, offers much needed cleansing. By eating more fruit and giving your digestive system a break, your body has more energy for cleansing
accumulated waste and even healing organs that may not be functioning optimally.

More Reasons to Eat More Fruits

Fruits have so much to offer. They contain vitamins, important minerals and trace minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients, healthy and easily digested sugars, fiber and in some of them, high-quality protein. Perfect for good health!

Another reason to eat more fruits is that it is the best, most natural and easiest way (besides fasting) to maintain optimal weight.

Eating fruit will not only support you in preventing disease and obesity, but it will also slow down the aging process and increase your energy level.

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) Don’t treat fruit as a dessert, a decorative accessory, a snack between meals or an addition to your cakes and pies. Fruit doesn’t mix well with other types of foods. Their digestion will be slowed down and result in bloating, gas and even painful indigestion. Eat fruits separate from other foods and eat them as a fruit meal so that they digest easily. The best way to eat fruits is in the morning on an empty stomach.  For example, you can eat half a pineapple or 2 mangos to start your day. It’s an excellent way to break your fast (i.e. breakfast).  When you’re hungry again, eat any other fruit that appeals to you.  Listen to your body.

2) Eat fruit up to lunch without mixing it with any other type of food. The summer season is the perfect time to experiment with that.

3) Think variety: melon, pineapple, mango, banana, kiwi, fig, date, grape, pear, apple, orange, grapefruit, plum, prune, peach, nectarine, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, etc. Remember that tomato, cucumber, bell pepper and avocado are also fruits. Add them to your morning breakfast. Experiment with fruit you’ve never tried before. I ate my first mamey here
in Belize!

4) Eat melons alone. They digest very fast causing fermentation, bloating and gas when mixed with other fruits. Wait ½ hour before to introduce another type of foods.

5) What about a one-day watermelon cleanse? This will contribute to the dissolving of sticky mucus and waste. Your body will thank you for it. You can even plan one-day watermelon cleanse once a week for the whole summer season.

6) A fruit smoothie as breakfast is another great way to add fruit to your diet. Mix a half-cup of water with one cup of blueberries and one fresh or frozen ripe banana, in your blender. You can add a few pitted medjool dates if you prefer it sweeter. Experiment with different fruits and have fun.

7) Fruits should not be eaten cold. Room temperature is ideal.

I Would Love to Hear From You!

How do YOU incorporate fruits in your diet? Is it working for you? I am sincerely interested in knowing what is or isn’t working for you and would love to hear from you. Send me an email to let me know.

To Your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life !

Cathy

Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Cleansing, Resting and Studying in Belize

I am in the Belizean jungle in Central America for the month of June cleansing my body with tropical fruits such as watermelon, mango, pineapple, banana and some other fruits that I didn’t even know existed, like mamey and sapodilla among others.

My first week here, I mainly rested, got to know my environment, and simply took it easy. It’s been wonderful!  My first night, I slept 13 hours and I took two naps the following day. My body
obviously needed that rest.

I am also here to study under the care of Dr. Robert Sniadach about the philosophy, principles and practices of Natural Hygiene, the health system based on specific living practices, fruit cleansing being one of them.

My experience here inspired me to write about the benefits and importance of fruit in everyone’s diet.  I invite you to read “Feeling Sluggish? Learn How Fruits Can Boost Your Energy!” and to follow the Action Health Tips described in the article. Enjoy the results brought on by those simple tweaks in your diet!

I wish you lots of Fun and Joy!
Until next time,

Cathy

P.S. Follow me on Twitter!


Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.

Spiritual Practices and “Ah Hah!” Moment

As a nutrition and holistic health expert, my first recommendation is that you incorporate a spiritual practice into your life in order to fulfill you, quiet your mind, relax your body and bring you a sense of peace.

Without peace, it is difficult to sustain change in our lives. Without a spiritual practice, we often go back to our old ways of being.

Recently, I’ve incorporated two new spiritual practices that can lift my spirit in an instant.

The first one comes as a powerful and spiritual message delivered each day directly in my in-box from the great spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson. With that daily dose of, what Marianne calls, “MiracleThought,” I learn principles and ideas that make a difference in the quality of my life. You can click here if you would like to know more about Marianne Williamson and her daily podcasts.

The second practice amazes me all the time by its synchronicity. When I need some support, I randomly pick any page from a small book called “The Ascension Companion” by Karen Bishop. Each of the 33 topics contains an explanation of why I am having that particular experience. I am always guided to a message that seems to be just for me at that moment in time. Recently, I had, what Oprah calls, an “Ah Hah!” moment when reading a randomly selected subject: Service. In her books, Karen Bishop talks about the emergence of a new consciousness on Earth since the year 2000. Here’s the passage that had such a great impact on me that morning:

…After we reached critical mass on planet Earth in August of 2005, moved into the higher realms as a group in January of 2006, and completed our integration process in May of 2006, we were now ready to create a New and higher vibrating planet Earth. It was around this time that many losses were experienced in regard to our loved ones… They were taking with them all the lower vibrating aspects of our past. But having these experiences of loss, really made us step back and examine our lives. The loved ones knew exactly what they were doing at soul levels, as they knew that their departures would catapult us into a whole New space…a space of compassion and service and a space of being finally ready to create what we really wanted and knew we had to have…a higher vibrating reality. So you see, there is always a perfect plan being played out…

While reading this passage, I connected to the loss of my two aunts: Rollande in April 2006 and Monique a few weeks later. They were too young, 70 and 55 respectively. I also recalled an important experience that happened later that year. I was at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego where I had the chance to meet people who were reversing all kinds of illnesses within a few weeks or few months of participating in a program consisting of green juices, salads, raw dishes, meditation, breathing and other mind-body exercises. I remembered thinking: “If my aunts knew of that information, they might still be alive.” At that moment, I decided that I would make it my mission to make others aware of these amazing possibilities.

My “Ah Hah!” moment: It’s not about my never-ending to-do list. It’s not about writing blog posts or newsletters. Simply said, it’s not about doing. It’s about connecting to my aunts and the powerful energy of compassion and service. It’s about sharing what I’ve learned about healing, within that frame of mind.

I wish you lots of Fun and Joy!
Until next time,

Cathy

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Get Free Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at:CathysHealthTips.com.

How Healthy Are You?

I am always surprised to hear people talking about how healthy someone was just before they dealt with a major health crisis.  Even when mourning what appeared to be a sudden death due to a disease, I sometimes hear people expressing their surprise and wonder at how a person could be so healthy and yet die so soon.

That type of thinking possibly comes from denial, often from false belief or from ignorance.  Have you noticed that we are often more in touch with the conditions of our cars than with the conditions of our own bodies?

In order to get a better understanding about health and healing, let’s ask ourselves how and why we get sick in the first place.

Our body works perfectly when in a state of balance.  What we eat, how we digest, assimilate nutrients and eliminate all play critical roles in keeping the natural balance of all body systems.

But what happens when we don’t make the right choices of food or when we eat too much? What happens when our digestion becomes sluggish?  The result: A clogged-up up system.

Tissues throughout our body, including tissues of the internal organs, are like sponges soaked in its own putrid waste. Sorry to be so direct but the average person, considered “healthy,” carries several pounds of old, hardened feces!

That waste, which includes undigested and un-eliminated foods, mucus, toxins and drugs, throughout the entire body is the source of every disease.  Disease is simply a failed attempt of the body to completely eliminate food waste, mucus, toxins and drugs.

What happens after years of these elements accumulating? All kinds of diseases caused by an unbelievable amount of waste and auto-toxemia (your body producing toxins from the waste).  All that waste slows down the circulation, causing friction and congestion in your body.  At that point, inflammation and pain are likely.  If nothing is done to cleanse the body of its toxic load, serious diseases will eventually develop.

The great unknown is how much do YOU have accumulated in your body?  How healthy are YOU?

The Experimental Diagnosis

Through, what Professor Arnold Ehret called ‘The Experimental Diagnosis,’ you will be able to have a look inside your own body and have a better idea of how much waste accumulation is affecting you.  Moreover, you will understand, at a visceral level, how your discomforts or diseases are simply an accumulation of waste in a specific part of your body.

Cathy’s Action Health Tips:

1) Schedule a 24-to-48-hour water fast.  During that time, plan to rest.  You might be able to maintain some activity during the first day of your fast but during the second day, just stay home and rest.  Remember: A fast is a complete physiological rest. It’s not a time to be running around.

2) Afraid of starving to death during your short fast? :)  I understand: It is in our culture to think that we need food all the time in order to survive but the truth is that most people are overfed, not undernourished.  In order to be reassured about your experimental fast, I recommend that you educate yourself about it first.  There are many books on the subject.  I like "Fasting Can Save Your Life” and The Science and Fine Art of Fasting.”  You can also read about my fasting experience by clicking here.

3) During the fast, look at your tongue, which is the mirror of your entire system, couple times a day.  Is it heavily coated?  After scraping your tongue once or twice a day, how fast does your tongue get coated again?  A coated tongue is the affirmation of a clogged-up system loaded with toxins and sticky mucus. The dissolution of sticky mucus will support the evacuation of the old, hardened feces.

4) During the fast, are you feeling pain anywhere in your body?  This pain indicates a weak point where waste has been accumulating and congestion is occurring.  Your doctor might not be able to diagnose anything for now but this experimental diagnosis tells you clearly what’s happening inside your body.  Note that the weaker you feel during your fast, the greater your system is congested.  Internal cleansing is necessary.  You will learn more about fasting as a way to maintain health and vitality in future issues of Cathy’s Health Tips’ newsletter.  Go to CathysHealthTips.com for your FREE subscription.

4) After your fast, continue to dissolve sticky mucus and waste with lots of fruits and leafy greens. These foods will support the elimination of accumulated waste.  For a start, try the recipes of the springtime menu by clicking here.

5) If you have any questions, please send them to me at Cathy@CathysHealthTips.com.  I’ll answer them in a future issue of Cathy’s Health Tips’ Newsletter.

To Your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life !

Cathy

Get FREE Tips, Articles, Recipes and Resources to Improve Your Health, Raise Your Energy and Be More Beautiful (Both Inside and Out) at CathysHealthTips.com.