How To Tell if Your Food is Real

Well, of course, your food is real if it is not packaged processed chemicals. Fruits and vegetables are hard to fake. Finding good organic sources might be a bit tougher, but at least you can’t (yet)make cardboard look like a banana.

But how about your fish and meat? How can you be sure that the expensive fish you are eating is really the type you ordered? According to Larry Olmsted, author of, “Real Food, Fake Food”, there are many scams being run on those willing to pay top dollar for highest quality food.

Olmsted claims that there is rarely real lobster in Lobster Bisque. Langostino is substituted, which is a type of crayfish, but not a type of lobster. And he says that there is almost no genuine red snapper, salmon or tuna used in Sushi restaurants.

Although beef labeled “grass-fed” may come from cows raised on grass, much of the time the cows are “finished” on grain to fatten them and increase weight before slaughter. (Note to anyone wanting to lose weight that it is grain that is used to fatten up farm animals.)

So, just when you are trying to do the smart thing nutritionally, and you are willing to pay top dollar, you find out that the gourmet food industry is also corrupt. You need to be educated and aware to weed out the pretenders.

Don’t go to the cheapest sushi restaurants. Real fish is expensive. Talk to the staff and see if they know the menu. Use your eyes and nose. How does the fish look and smell? Are there a lot of sauces and rolls using mayo and cream cheese and other non-traditional ingredients to cover up the fish itself? For more tips on good sushi go to www.thrilllist.com/eat/nation/bad-sushi-crappy-sushi-joints.

For real fish you can buy online from Vital Choice www.vitalchoice.com and Copper River Seafoods for salmon, cod and halibut www.copperriverseafoods.com. Never buy farmed fish, but only wild-caught.  Tilapia is always farmed and salmon is often farmed. These fish are raised in pens, not allowed to swim free. They are fed soy and chicken waste, as well as pesticides and chemicals. http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/10/8-foods-even-the-experts-wont-eat.html

Most shrimp sold in the U.S. is from other countries, and is unregulated. Beware of farmed shrimp, like that sold at Costco. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/4-things-never-to-buy-at-costco/  Trader Joe’s may be a better choice due to their pledge to supply only sustainable seafood.

Farmer’s Markets are good choices for poultry, meat and fish. Knowing the small local vendors and developing a relationship may provide peace of mind and value for your dollar. Burbank Farmer’s Market now sells beef from Autonomy Farms that is either grass or grain “finished”, with the grass-finished at a slightly higher price. This means that the cows are fed grass up until the time they are slaughtered. The steak from Autonomy Farms is some of the best I have ever eaten anywhere. They also offer ground beef with ground beef heart added. Native American Indians fed deer or buffalo heart to the warriors and hunters only so they could stay strong enough to feed and defend the whole tribe. The inferior muscle meat was given to the women and children. Autonomy Farms also offers chicken and lamb, as well as homemade sausage with ground kidney added. These organ meats are super nutrition.

So, now we have a new definition of real food as food that is all it is promoted to be. And even if you are willing to pay a premium for higher quality, you still have to be an educated, savvy consumer. Since nutrition is the major avenue for building and maintaining a sound, healthy body, eating well is the only option for our loved ones and ourselves. The other benefit to eating the “realest” food is that it is the most flavorful. Ground beef mixed with heart is an exotic tease for your taste buds, and just might bring out the hidden warrior you need to be for your own tribe.

Staying Strong For Men

When women age, we can talk about it freely because women are allowed to be concerned about their hormonal changes, their faces, and figures.  For men, the problems of aging may be just as concerning, but not so easily discussed.

Just like women, men have a need for hormone balance. The adrenal glands (those tiny but mighty glands sitting above the kidneys) make the steroid hormones that allow us to run faster in danger, monitor libido, and determine energy levels. Men and women both make hormones out of cholesterol. Then the cascade of hormones proceeds into progesterone, DHEA, testosterone and estrogen. Estrogen is lowest on the hormone chain, and estrogen is formed from testosterone.

An enzyme called aromatase causes the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Aromatase can surge when too much sugar, alcohol or refined carbohydrate is consumed, spiking blood sugar. As more fat accumulates around breasts (man boobs) and belly, the fat can also produce estrogen, adding to the problem. http://blogs.christianpost.com/health/is-your-testosterone-turning-into-estrogen-5890/

All cells in the body have hormone receptors on them. For men, testosterone should be more dominantly parked in the cells. If there is too much estrogen, then the male sexual characteristics diminish. Muscles turn to fat and the prostate can enlarge. Too much circulating estrogen is a risk for prostate cancer. http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/learning/docking-receptor-binding.html

Higher amounts of circulating estrogen increase risk of stroke.  Estrogen dominance, which is the ratio of estrogen to testosterone, is a risk for heart attack and thicker arteries. Low testosterone levels can be associated with depression and anxiety. http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/low-testosterone-8/default.htm

Statin drugs decrease cholesterol, which in turn can decrease testosterone levels. This may lead to Erectile Dysfunction caused by low testosterone. Statin drugs have also been associated with higher risk of Diabetes Type II. Sufficient healthy fats in the blood keep blood sugar levels more balanced.

You can monitor your testosterone levels through blood or Salvia hormone testing. Another simple way is to have a zinc taste test. Adequate zinc is needed for testosterone. We offer all of these tests at Well Body Clinic.

We also have herbal DHEA and testosterone boosters, in cream and tablet form that will encourage the body to make more testosterone. A detox program for weight loss, or a Blood Sugar balance program, will help you kick the carb habit, stop the snack cravings, drop weight and lose the excess belly fat.

Lifestyle choices may influence your testosterone levels. Avoid excess alcohol, sugar and grains. Eat sufficient protein, but make sure it is digested well; so digestive enzymes can be used. Get plenty of cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels Sprouts to help the liver metabolize excess estrogen. Get moderate exercise and sufficient sleep. (Maybe Mom was right all along.)

No matter what kind of a job you have, life itself is an Olympic event and those who train for it usually come out ahead of the crowd. Breaking old habits is never easy until the new habits have replaced them.

For Father’s Day, and every day, stay strong and ready for the next event. Healthy guys are sexier. And out-running your kids is always satisfying.

Happy Father’s Day to all the great men in our lives.

Why You Shouldn’t Exercise

Imagine a health practitioner telling you not to exercise!  I cannot count the number of patients who tell me that they know they should be exercising more, but they just don’t make the time, don’t like it or have a health concern about the exertion. So, exercise becomes another stressor in their lives. They know they should exercise, and they may feel guilty because they don’t.

About half of adult Americans over age 18 exercise three or more times per week. http://www.statisticbrain.com/percent-of-americans-who-exercise-regularly/  In cold weather locations that statistic may drop lower as the temperature drops.  60% of Americans have jobs that require them to sit most of the day.

Some good news is that many people in sedentary jobs are getting more exercise. http://www.askmen.com/news/sports/people-with-sedentary-jobs-get-more-exercise-says-study.html  But if you are hitting the gym after work, you may not be helping your self as much as you think.

Working out, by weight lifting, cardio, biking or other specific types of exercise is only part of the picture. Men, in particular, may be able to lose weight by increasing exercise. But women and older men will find their weight climbing if they rely on exercise alone. Considering the amount of obesity these days, more exercise is not the answer.

Instead of trying to carve out time to fit in a trip to the gym, consider just getting more movement throughout the day. There are a number of movements you can incorporate at your desk. Check these out http://greatist.com/fitness/deskercise-33-ways-exercise-work The point is to get your body moving.

Good health is about blood and nutrients moving through the systems and reaching every cell. Then waste products need to be transferred through the detoxification channels for elimination. Think of your body like a city. Food has to reach distribution locations and garbage must be picked up and disposed of. Stop or inhibit either inflow or outflow channel and protest, riots, revolutions, and deaths will occur.

Symptoms in the body that you may be ignoring daily are protests from your internal “citizens”. Ignore them and they become riots, which is the first line of illness or disability. Revolution occurs when serious disease sets in and will lead to cellular deaths, and eventually may bring down an entire organ, system or the body itself.

So, next time you grab a coffee and head to the gym, stop for fast food, or have a few drinks with friends, think about the needs of your citizen cells. Exercise does provide much-needed training of muscles and improves circulation of blood and lymph (the white blood cell/immune protection system). But if you are not eating enough healthy nutrients, you are placing a greater demand on the body, which may deepen deficiencies. Every single thing your body inhales, digests, or absorbs through the skin is either beneficial, neutral or toxic.

Life is a marathon event, and training for it does involve keeping muscles strong and keeping joints flexible. But concentrate on your daily food first, get up and get moving throughout the day second. Add specific exercises third. Achieve an ideal weight for your body, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you can do that by working out alone. The number of calories burned with exercise is usually not enough to cause significant burning of excess body fat.

What is your ideal weight? The goal to reach for is not numbers on a scale, but a waistline smaller than your hips. If you are holding excess weight at your waist, consider a blood sugar stabilizing program, and adrenal/hormone supplements. The Japanese government has imposed new laws that penalize people who do not meet the guidelines for waist to hip ratio determined to minimize risk for Diabetes Type 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?_r=0  Sugar dis-metabolism in diabetics is also a risk factor for cancer and heart disease and is the real cause of obesity

My dad was often asked what kind of exercise he did to maintain his trim figure throughout his elderly years. His answer, “I push myself away from the table.” Great training advice for all of us. 

Hugs for Health

Last weekend I spent the Memorial Day Holiday in the heartland of America. Far from LA, we drove through golden fields and green forests to arrive at a beautiful lakeside community where families have gathered since the beginning of last century. 

Canoeing through an inlet, we saw fuzzy cygnets being shepherded by Mama Swan while Papa swan swam guard, his feathers ruffling as we glided closer to his family.

The teenagers kayaking or fishing gave courteous nods when we passed. Toddlers frolicked in the shallows at the edge of the lake. Families relaxed on docks or terraces and waved a greeting to passers-by. 

It was a holiday out of my childhood, when good manners and family gatherings seemed to go hand-in-hand. 

Studies show clearly that people with strong families, warm friendships, and community ties, are healthier and live longer. The relationship between our social health and our bodily health is so strong, that close social ties may trump obesity and sedentary lifestyle. http://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20100727/social-ties-can-add-years-your-life

The pleasure and enjoyment of family life was expressed unreservedly at Klinger Lake. What could be finer than plenty of fresh air, Spring scented woods, and outdoor sports creating shared experiences that span generations? Sprinkle liberally with love and laughter, and this is a recipe for solid families and good health.

So, when you assess your life, count how many happy, warm relationships you share with others around you. Even if you don’t enjoy exercise, consider if you are having good times with friends and loved ones and if you feel cared for and connected. Good health may cost you some money, in terms of quality food and natural medicine. But good relationships may only cost you the time it takes to help someone, let someone know you care, or share a good laugh out loud. We are truly social creatures and that is a muscle that cannot be over-flexed, reaping many benefits that are good for the body and food for the soul. 

Wishing you lots of warm friends and daily doses of hugs.