Mission For Nutrition

Source From:https://homejarfitness.com/oxygen-highs-and-lows/

BY GUEST BLOGGER:  Lisa Best, MBA, PhD, CCN, RD, LDN

We can go maybe 60-70 days without food and 4-7 days without water, but we can only last about 4 minutes without oxygen before irreversible brain damage occurs. No doubt about it, the one element we must have consistently to live is Oxygen (O2).

But not only do we need oxygen to live, we are also made of it. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body. Since our bodies contain about 70-80% water and oxygen comprises 89% of water by molecular weight – that means we are literally made of 60 -70% oxygen. Have you ever thought of yourself as an oxygen-based being?

Not only that, but 90% of our energy comes from oxygen. We need oxygen for cellular function, energy, mobility, and tissue repair.

The primary reason exercise is so vital to good health is because physical movement facilitates the circulation of oxygen and delivers it throughout the body to needy tissues.  Breathing exercises in Yoga achieve a similar result.

But not only is oxygen necessary to live and move, it is also necessary to heal damaged tissue and overcome disease. Diseases ranging from cancer to viral overload thrive in environments of decreased oxygenation, and consequently may be healed by increasing oxygen absorption.

Nobel Laureate Otto Warburg claimed that a 35% reduction in oxygen to a cell for just 48 hours greatly increases the chance of that cell becoming cancerous. Healing cancer diets consist mostly of organic vegetables that in addition to containing many vital nutrients and enzymes are also rich in oxygen.

And is it any wonder that almost half of us may develop cancer as our environment becomes more and more polluted and depleted of oxygen? Air pollution decreases the amount of oxygen contained within the air we breathe. Chlorine and fluoride in water decrease available oxygen in our water supply.

Processing food (fast food and shelf-stable food in boxes, bags and cans) removes oxygen from food too.

All of these oxygen-reducing factors combined with a sedentary lifestyle generate the perfect storm of reduced oxygen availability that can lead to illness.

So what do we need to do to make sure we are absorbing adequate oxygen to be healthy and prevent disease?

Reduce or eliminate “dead” oxygen-depleted fast foods and processed foods from your diet.
Add as many live, organic, oxygen and antioxidant-rich foods to your diet as possible (Colorful vegetables and fruits).
Exercise consistently to keep lymph and oxygen active in your body.
Drink purified (distilled or reverse osmosis) water free of added chlorine, fluoride and pollutants.
Control stress to minimize sympathetic nervous system “Fight or Flight” responses that reduce oxygen uptake in cells (except muscle cells) in preparation for battle.  Instead develop relaxation techniques that calm and maximize parasympathetic “rest and restore” responses.

If you are already plagued with illness and want to recover quickly, increasing oxygen intake and absorption may be the natural solution you’ve been seeking.

When diet and exercise are not enough, programs like EWOT (Exercising with Oxygen Therapy) or resting in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber can work wonders.

Both therapies require an experienced physician to help administer therapeutic levels of oxygen, but results can be miraculous as diseased cells finally receive the oxygen they have been starving for.

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are especially effective at delivering oxygen under pressure so it can expand into extremities and hard to reach places in the body.

I’ve seen some amazing recoveries by diabetics with terrible leg and foot wounds after receiving hyperbaric oxygen.  And I know professional football players that even sleep in hyperbaric oxygen chambers to speed recovery from their injuries.

And the best part about oxygen therapy is there is no downside risk. Our bodies are designed to use oxygen for energy, so we have built-in enzymes and antioxidants to prevent oxidative damage to our healthy cells while viruses, cancer and other foreign invaders do not.

So whether you increase your oxygen levels by exercising, eating vibrant live foods, deep breathing or with oxygen therapy – keeping your body well oxygenated may be key to optimizing your good health.

Have you had enough oxygen today?

About the author: Lisa Best, MBA, Ph.D Holistic Nutrition, is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN), Registered Dietitian (RD), Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN), and CEO at Healing With Nutrition. She believes that excellent individualized nutrition is the key to longevity and wellness, and that proactive adjustments to diet and lifestyle may mean the difference between sickness and dynamic health.

Source From:https://homejarfitness.com/beautiful-skin-with-the-power-of-plant-based-whole-food/

BY: LANAE AGEE, RN, CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER

It always amazes me the amount of money we, as women, spend on skincare products…me included. We are always looking for the latest and greatest to help combat aging, scarring, eczema, acne, etc. Not only do these products cost a pretty penny, but they may be doing more harm than good.

Our bodies are under constant attack from toxins, which can come from an unhealthy diet, added chemicals, lifestyle choices, the environment and stress. Too many toxins and our liver and kidneys take a beating, unable to fully detoxify our body.  Our biggest organ, the skin, is then affected which can result in unhealthy skin.

Ridding our body of as many toxins as possible is always the first step. By reading labels and refusing to purchase products that are loaded with harmful toxins and chemicals is just the beginning.

Our skin is made up of trillions of cells which require a balance of the right nutrients to promote healthy skin. Nutrients like antioxidant polyphenols help strengthen the skin’s upper layer which can help protect against UV damage from the sun. The phytonutrients in the plants we eat provide us with health promoting properties, including the skin.

Eczema, also referred to as dermatitis can produce­­ red, scaly, dry skin that is inflamed, irritated and sometimes itchy.  There are several causes and kinds of eczema, but an imbalance of good and bad gut bacteria can be a factor, and it is true that dairy and gluten can be a trigger that can exacerbate eczema.

So, while staying free from dairy and gluten may help, there are foods that can nourish the skin and help clear complexion from dry, blemished areas. Foods containing essential fatty acids lubricate the skin and help replenish moisture and help fight acne prone skin. There are two basic types of EFAs: omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, and we need them both. EFAs are anti-inflammatory and can enhance your complexion by improving the skin’s texture and softness. They also help to keep skin cells moist and strong by reducing the amount of water lost through the epidermis.

Sulfur and chlorophyll rich foods help reduce redness and inflammation. Vitamin B’s and antioxidant powerhouses (rich in quercetin, resveratrol and vitamin C) help aid in healthy red blood cells and antibodies, while helping to detoxify the body and make the skin glow.

Examples of great whole food choices for eczema include: flax seeds, avocados, berries, nuts, leafy greens, turmeric, spirulina, buckwheat and pumpkin seeds.

Bruises. I know several people who tend to bruise easily.  This can actually be related to a nourishment deficiency. When the underlying tissue of the skin is injured, tiny blood vessels rupture and blood surfaces, resulting in a black and blue mark. When your body lacks Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which aids in collagen production and blood vessel health, recurrent bruising is possible. Foods rich in zinc and Vitamin K help to strengthen blood vessels and aid in clotting. Smoking and anemia also increase bruising.

Examples of foods to assist with blood vessel support: sunflower seeds, alfalfa sprouts, hazelnuts, spinach and pineapple.

Scars resulting from injury, burn, acne or surgery are caused when collagen builds up over the damaged tissue. Although scars do fade over time, certain foods added to your diet can help speed up the process. Healthy proteins provide essential amino acids to rebuild tissue.  Foods rich in zinc reduce inflammation and Vitamin E helps to fade out unwanted and stubborn acne scars. Vitamin B1, folate, potassium and magnesium are key nutrients to look for. And again, an antioxidant rich diet can help keep skin hydrated, well-nourished and speed the fading of scars.

Suggestion of foods to help fade scars: Peas, broccoli, kale, almonds, black beans, sweet potatoes, oily fish, seeds and oranges.

Source:  https://homejarfitness.com/the-attitude-for-gratitude/

BY: LANAE AGEE, RN, CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER

We have turned the clocks back, loaded the kids up with Halloween candy and we are now being bombarded with Christmas decorations and forced to think about holiday shopping before we ever even get to Thanksgiving.

I don’t know about you, but as much as I love Christmas, I DON’T want to rush it forward. This time of the year can be very stressful…financially burdened, way over scheduled, pressured to fit everything in, buy the perfect gift, stretched way too thin and challenged with maddening traffic and exacerbating crowds.

With Thanksgiving just 2 weeks away, I say we use these 14 days to give thanks and show some gratitude before the snowball rolls us into Christmas.

Most of us associate gratitude with saying “thank you” to someone who has helped us or given us a gift. But gratitude is not an action, it is a positive emotion with purpose. I like this explanation from Harvard Medical School:

“a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives… As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals – whether to other people, nature, or a higher power”

I have heard others explain:

“Gratitude is not what I have in my hand, but rather in my heart.”

The benefits of practicing gratitude are nearly endless. People who regularly reflect upon the things they’re truly grateful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and tend to lead healthier lives with a balance of mind, body and spirit.

Thankfulness, when we really stop and pay attention to what we are grateful for, can be transformative. Thoughts and words of gratitude are powerful triggers of optimism. The practice of gratitude is a way of life and contagious. When someone expresses appreciation toward us, it evokes a deep feeling of blessedness and love that we then want to share with others. We should intentionally make gratitude a habit.

Think of a world where instead of blaring the horn or giving someone a hand gesture out the window, we paused and let the other person lead before us or we thought of others first instead of ourselves. Take it upon yourself to appreciate more, complain less, say yes and embrace the silver lining. This kind of gratitude goes beyond the “thank you note” (which of course is always a nice gesture and should be done more frequently in my opinion).

Unlike other positive emotions like hope and happiness, gratitude is inherently relational. It reaches past the person experiencing it and into the social territory. It is gratitude that inspires people to act in kindness and strengthen bonds with other people.

So, over these next 14 days I challenge you to show gratitude, be thankful, exhibit appreciation and be kind and generous. Make note of your intentions and expound upon them. This will not only be a good example for your kids (of any age) and family, but our community as a whole.

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” ~ Brene Brown

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord.”  ~John MacArthur

Source: https://homejarfitness.com/cereal-grasses-harvested-at-peak-nutritional-level/

For just a few days out of their entire growing cycle, plants like wheat and barley develop an amazing nutrient power, reaching their peak content of chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals. It is during this brief time that the best cereal grasses are harvested for use as a food offering unique nutritional benefits.

Cereal grasses concentrate the healthy-giving properties of the dark green vegetables we need every day and studies oner the last 50 years have suggested important roles for them in promoting overall good health.

Laboratory analyses clearly indicate that the nutrients found in young green cereal plants vary with the stage of growth, rather than with the age or height of the plant. Chlorophyll, protein, and most of the vitamins found in cereal grasses reach their peak concentrations in the period just prior to the jointing stage of the green plant. Although this period lasts for only a few days, cereal grasses which are consumed as food supplements should be harvested precisely during this stage of the wheat or barley plant’s development.

The jointing stage is that point at which the internodal tissue in the grass leaf begins to elongate, forming a stem. This stage represents the peak of the cereal plant’s vegetative development; factors involved in photosynthesis and plant metabolism would be expected to increase up to this stage.

After the jointing stage, the stem forms branches and continues to elongate. The chlorophyll, protein, and vitamin contents of the plant decline sharply as the level of cellulose increases. Cellulose, the indigestible plant fiber, provides structural stability for the growing stem.

Over a period of several months, the green leafy plants are transformed into golden stalks of grain. The mature cereal plant holds the seed grains which contain the nutrients necessary for germination and early growth of the young cereal plant. And so the seed-grass-grain cycle continues.

Seibold, Ronald L. M.S. (1991). Cereal Grass – Nature’s Greatest Health Gift. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing.

Belonging to the same family as the tomato, Ashwagandha is a plump shrub with oval leaves and yellow flowers. It bears red fruit about the size of a raisin.

Ashwaganda is one of the most powerful herbs in Ayurvedic healing, has been used since ancient times for a wide variety of conditions, and is most well-known for its restorative benefits.

Benefits and Healing Effects

Ashwagandha contains many useful medicinal chemicals, including with anolides (steroidal lactones), alkaloids, choline, fatty acids, amino acids, and a variety of sugars. While the leaves and fruit have valuable therapeutic properties, the root of the Ashwagandha plant is the part most commonly used in Western herbal remedies.

Medical researchers have been studying Ashwagandha for years with great interest and have completed more than 200 studies on the healing benefits of this botanical. Some key examples of the healing effects of Ashwagandha are:

Protects the immune system
Helps combat the effects of stress
Improves learning, memory, and reaction time
Reduces anxiety and depression without causing drowsiness
Helps reduce brain-cell degeneration
Stabilizes blood sugar
Helps lower cholesterol
Offers anti-inflammatory benefits
Contains anti-malarial properties
Enhances sexual potency for both men and women

BY: LANAE AGEE, RN, CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER –

Living here in the center part of North Carolina, we are so privileged to be not too far from the beach, and not too far from the mountains…we are blessed with Carolina blue skies.

For me the summer sun is a charge, a reboot so to speak. Many people make New Year’s resolutions. But really, the best time to adopt some health and wellness changes to your lifestyle is in the summer. The weather is great to be outside and there is time in the schedule to enjoy family and friends.

Setting some summer goals is easy. Start by making a list…

DRINK MORE PURE WATER – Not just because it is hot out, but because water can boost metabolism, help lose weight, improve digestion and moisturize skin. Our bodies are 70% water, drinking more PURE water removes toxins, improves joints, builds muscle tone, suppresses appetite and is key to your overall health. If you think water is unpalatable, try adding lemon, lime or even cucumber.

INCREASE DAILY STEP COUNT – Ok, so you are meeting your 10,000 step goal on your fitness tracker. How about bumping it up for the summer months? Why not try 12,000 a day and see how that motivates you to be more active. That is 14,000 more per week! Being more active is great for your heart and mental clarity.

BE ACTIVE WITH YOUR KIDS MORE – I know this sounds a bit obvious, but how many times do we catch ourselves sitting poolside reading a book or on our phones. Why not get out there WITH them. Be present. Your kids will remember it and thank you later. Play a game of corn hole, throw the frisbee, build a sand castle, play paddle ball, or go for a bike ride. Don’t make it complicated. Just get out of the chair.

TAKE UP A NEW SPORT – This might be the perfect summer to try paddle boarding or tennis. How about beach volleyball or dare I say, golf! Trying a new sport can be fun and will keep you from being bored doing the same ole thing. Who knows, you might just be good at it. But you won’t know unless you try.

EAT MORE FRUITS & VEGETABLES – How about adding 2 more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Instead of snacking on chips or ice cream, reach for an orange or bowl of blueberries. With many fruits and vegetables in season, now is the perfect time to maintain great habits. Visit your local farmer’s market and stock up on the local produce in season.

If you notice, 3 out of the 5 things I mention are about being active. WHY? Because physical activity is important to keeping your mind and body healthy. Being active is an excellent way to feel happy, whether you do it on your own or with a group. If you’ve had a tough day at work, a long day with the kids, or feel overwhelmed and stressed out, moving your body can help you relax and feel better.  The brain soaks up 20% of all oxygen in our bodies. So when you breathe deep during exercise, bringing more air into your lungs, your brain loves the extra oxygen. And when you’re active and running around, sometimes it’s hard to think about just what it was that was bothering you.

Set some goals for this summer but remember to keep them simple, attainable and out where you can see them.

Source: https://homejarfitness.com/what-is-a-reducetarian/

BY: Lanae Agee, RN Chief Wellness Officer –

Ok…so there is actually a name for people like me who have chosen a lifestyle to eat less meat. Who knew?

A Reducetarian is someone who is committed to eating less red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy.

So for those who are new to my blog or you are still asking, “Why would you reduce your intake of all animal protein… I thought chicken and fish were healthy choices?”

Let me explain the many benefits of being a Reducetarian.

Eating fewer animal products:

reduces your risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US. [1]
reduces your risk of stroke. [2]
may reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. [3]
may lower your blood pressure.
decreases your risk for diabetes.
may reduce your cholesterol (cholesterol comes from animal fat).
may help you to lose weight.
may decrease inflammation.
can assist with constipation and digestion.
can improve your skin, including reducing blemishes and wrinkles.
may increase your energy level.
can improve your overall mood and mental clarity.

Adopting and sticking to an entirely meatless lifestyle is very difficult for many of us and not a commitment we want to make. That is why for me personally, I like being a Reducetarian. There is flexibility in my choices. I allow myself small portions of select fish or meat at certain meals. I like the variety added to my diet without the over indulgence.  There are however certain meats that you should not eat. Here is an excerpt from mdanderson.org:

“Cancer-causing substances form when processed meats are preserved. And eating these meats can damage your DNA, raising your colon cancer risks.

‘Research shows that eating processed meats like bacon and cold cuts can increase your chances for colorectal cancer,’ says Mary Ellen Phipps, a wellness dietitian at MD Anderson.

Deli meats and bacon aren’t the only processed meats. Any meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing or salting is processed. And meats with added chemical preservatives are also processed.”

Some processed foods include:

Sausage

Hot dogs

Pepperoni

Beef jerky

Roast beef

Eating less meat and cheese allows room on the plate for more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Consuming beans, peas, dark greens, or grains like quinoa results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat.

It’s about balance. Start small. Where can you begin to reduce meat intake? Maybe one dinner a week with no meat? I always like the term: “Meatless Mondays”.

Preis SR, Stampfer MJ, Spiegelman D, Willett WC, Rimm EB. Dietary protein and risk of ischemic heart disease in middle-aged men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;92(5):1265-72.

Stamler J, Brown IJ, Daviglus ML, Chan Q, Kesteloot H, Ueshima H, Zhao L, Elliott P; INTERMAP Research Group. Glutamic acid, the main dietary amino acid, and blood pressure: the INTERMAP Study (International Collaborative Study of Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Blood Pressure). Circulation. 2009 Jul 21;120(3):221-8.

Ornish D, Weidner G, Fair WR, et al. Intensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer. J Urol. 2005;174(3):1065-9.

Barnard RJ, Gonzalez JH, Liva ME, Ngo TH. Effects of a low-fat, high-fiber diet and exercise program on breast cancer risk factors in vivo and tumor cell growth and apoptosis in vitro. Nutr Cancer. 2006;55(1):28-34.

Barnard RJ, Ngo TH, Leung PS, Aronson WJ, Golding LA. A low-fat diet and/or strenuous exercise alters the IGF axis in vivo and reduces prostate tumor cell growth in vitro. Prostate. 2003;56(3):201-6.

Sample, I. (2014). Diets high in meat, eggs and dairy could be as harmful to health as smoking. Retrieved August 22, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/mar/04/animal-protein-diets-smoking-meat-eggs-dairy

Source From: https://homejarfitness.com/do-people-really-live-longer-in-certain-parts-of-the-world-what-is-their-secret/

We all want to live long, full lives that we enjoy, surrounded by the friends and family that we love. It’s this desire that led New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner to begin researching “Blue Zones.” The Blue Zone concept was developed by demographic work done by Gianni Pes and Michael Poulain. They discovered that there are certain areas of the world where there are higher concentrations of male centenarians. From there, Buettner expanded their research, traveled the world and discovered Blue Zones in Japan, Italy, Costa Rica, Greece and among Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California.

But not only did Buettner find where these Blue Zones are, he set out to determine what common characteristics these people had that allowed them to lead longer, healthier lives. In his research, he found several common threads, as we point out in the upcoming issue of Vios Life magazine:

Move naturally: Work around the house, garden, walk and cycle. Even walk when talking on the phone.
Know your purpose: Have a reason for waking up in the morning.
Kick back and relax: Have clearly defined ways to reduce stress, whether it’s praying, napping, meditating, etc.
Eat less: Just like in golf, where pros teach you to swing at 80 percent, try to eat until you’re 80 percent full. Also, eat less processed foods and drinks.
Eat less meat: Focus on more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.
Drink in moderation: A good guideline is to limit your daily intake to one glass a day for women, two for men.
Have faith: A cornerstone of a healthy spirit, denomination doesn’t seem to matter — but attending faith-based services does.
The power of love: Folks who live in Blue Zones put family first, including committing to a partner and keeping relatives, parents and grandparents close by.
Stay social: Build a strong social network of friends that promotes healthy behaviors.

Buettner cautions that if you live the average U.S. lifestyle, with a diet high in processed foods and a busy schedule that leaves you little time for exercising or relaxing, you might never reach your potential maximum life span and could be shortening your life by as much as a decade.

Source From : https://homejarfitness.com/strength-of-branched-chain-amino-acids/

Dr. Gordon Tessler, PhD, Nutritionist

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) have long been used by strength-training and endurance athletes to activate protein synthesis and reduce muscle breakdown caused by intense training. BCAAs refers to 3 amino acids: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine because of their unique branched chemical structure.  As a body becomes leaner, due to dieting, your body will convert muscle into fuel to satisfy its energy needs. Dieting is catabolic, meaning it can lead to muscle breakdown which is bad news for anyone who desires a muscular body. If that is not bad enough, muscle loss is compounded by the fact that levels of protein synthesis will also decrease due to reduced energy intake (restricted calories).

BCAAs are essential, meaning that they must be consumed through the diet, since the human body cannot make them from other compounds. Unfortunately, most body-building and training BCAAs supplements consist of synthetic amino acid blends that include synthetic L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Valine.  Whenever you see in the list of amino acids on a supplement label a capital “L” preceding any amino acid, the “L” tells you that it is synthetic. Matrix is a proprietary blend of whole food, plant-based organic ingredients that have no synthetic amino acids.  Of the 18 naturally occurring amino acids that constitute 21 grams of protein in each 35 gram serving of Matrix, 3.83 grams are naturally occurring Branched Chain Amino Acids.  These plant-based BCAAs in Matrix insure an easy to assimilate, rich source of these important and essential building blocks of protein. Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine help build muscle in your body as well as help to slow the breakdown of protein.  Matrix contains no added sugars like maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, sucralose, cane sugar, or any artificial sugars like mannitol, sorbitol, or xylitol commonly found in other BCAAs supplements.  Matrix provides the natural rather than the synthetic form of Branched Chain Amino Acids your body requires in order to maintain your lean muscle mass while building more muscle even when dieting or on an exercise program.

Source From:https://homejarfitness.com/the-importance-of-folate/

The word folate originates from the Latin word folium, which means LEAF. Folate is also known as B-9.

FACT: Our bodies have to get folate from food. What food? Dark green leafy vegetables.

Folate, being water-soluble, is easily and naturally absorbed and utilized by the body when it’s metabolized in the small intestines. On the other hand, folic acid  requires the presence of a specific enzyme named dihydrofolate reductase, which is relatively rare in the body. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, found in supplements and added to processed, or “fortified,” foods.  Folic Acid was only first introduced in the 1940’s.

Folate deficiency leads to a host of health problems including digestive disorders, anemia, cardiovascular disease, and most famously perhaps, birth defects. Folate helps produce DNA and form healthy new cells, which is why it’s especially important during pregnancy. It also prevents cognitive function and supports nerve and immune functions. We all need folate to help make DNA, repair DNA and create normal red blood cells.