Nutrition Month

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Amount of allowed vegetables on Beta HCG diet



 On the Beta HCG diet, the vegetable can be fresh, frozen or canned. You may steam, broil, grill, or eat it raw.
Fortunately, the amount of vegetables allowed is more flexible than the meat, fruit, or carb.
Too much fruit, and you have eaten way too many sugar calories.
Too much meat, and you have eaten too many fat calories.

The vegetables, as long as they are prepared without fat or sugar, leave the most flexibility.

You are allowed up to 500 calories per day in total food.
Let's say for example that you eat shrimp as your 100 gram meat, and strawberries as your fruit for each meal that day. You would have more calories left and would be able to eat way more vegetables than on a day where you ate beef for your 100 grams of meat and apples for your fruit.

If you have my book, the Beta HCG Detox diet, which is available on my website, you will get some ideas of the calorie counts of the different meal combinations.

In most of my recipes I used 100 grams of each vegetable, but in the original protocol, Dr. Simeons was not as precise about the amount of vegetables as he was about everything else.

I would measure 100 grams, unless you see room for extra calories in your meal and want to increase the amount of vegetables to get to your 500 calories.

Here are some calorie estimations to help you with your calculations.


Asparagus (3.5 oz) – 20 calories

Beet Greens

Broccoli (3.5 oz) – 34 calories
Broccoli (1 cup – 88g) – 30 calories

Celery (3.5 oz) – 15 cal
Celery (medium stalk) – 6 calories

Cabbage (3.5 oz) – 24 calories
Cabbage (1 cup shredded) – 17 calories

Cauliflower (3.5 oz) – 22 calories
Cauliflower (1 cup) – 28 calories

Cucumber (3.5 oz) – 12 calories

Fennel

Lettuce, all varieties (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
Lettuce, all varieties (1 cup) – 8 calories

Onions (pickled) - 23 calories per 100 grams

Red Radishes (3.5 oz) – 12 calories
Red Radishes (one medium) – 1 calories

Spinach, raw (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
Spinach, raw (1 cup) – 7 calories
Spinach, frozen (3.5 oz) – 23 calories
Spinach, frozen (1 cup) – 41 calories
Spinach, cooked (3.5 oz) – 31 calories
Spinach, cooked (1 cup) – 48 calories

Tomato (3.5 oz) – 20 calories
Tomato (cherry) – 3 calories

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

HPV herbal options

Cervical dysplasia (pre-cancerous condition of the cervix) and cervical cancer are conditions that cause much distress to the women who are diagnosed with this condition, and prior to the vaccine there were only a few things one could do to influence the expression of the virus. We know that oxidative stress (emotional and physical stress, cigarette smoking, and a depressed immune system) increases the likelihood of HPV expressing itself and causing cervical cell abnormalities. Alternatively, a healthy immune system, decreased stress, and antioxidant vitamins are associated with a decreased risk of HPV expression.

I encourage my patients to look at each test as a messenger bearing information about your overall well-being — once you know what’s going on, you and your practitioner can take steps geared to your unique history. But there are several complementary principles you can follow to care for yourself and more fully support your body’s natural healing abilities.

Good nutrition, a balanced diet, and basic nutritional supplements. A rich multivitamin high in folic acid is one foundation for a healthy immune system and cervix. The role of specific vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids in fighting inflammation is well-documented. In addition, with abnormal Pap’s, supplementing with extra folic acid promotes normal cell division (the virus directs the cell to divide abnormally). If you give your body the tools that it needs, your immune system will be more prepared to keep HPV in check and your cervix healthy.

Accept the facts. If you have been sexually active at any point in your lifetime, consider the possibility that you have been exposed to HPV. One in four women tests positive for some strain of this virus. Know that you are in good company, and don’t let this notion add to your stress. Do take it as call to get regular pelvic exams and Pap tests because doing so will allow any cellular changes to be caught early and treated, long before any cancer can develop.

Avoid cigarette smoke. Many studies have shown a measurable link between smoking and increased cervical cancer risk. Just as importantly, this includes avoiding second-hand smoke whenever possible. Smoking depletes the body of precious nutrients and weakens the immune system. If you do smoke, consider quitting, and be sure to take additional antioxidant support over and above just increasing your fruit and vegetable intake. OPC’s (grape seed extract) is one we often suggest to smokers — and smokers may need 2–3 times more vitamin C daily as well! If your body is busy trying to prevent you from getting lung cancer, it has a more difficult time trying to prevent you from getting cervical cancer.

Help your system detoxify. Good bowel and digestive habits enhanced daily by ample water and fiber intake, along with sleeping well, encourage proper detoxification and elimination, thereby setting the platform for a strong immune system. Consider an Acai Berry Cleanse or Green Cell Therapy for natural gentle remedies.

Minimize stress. Stress can wreak havoc on your immune system — so mastering coping strategies to deal with life’s challenges is a must for everyone living a busy, demanding life. Addressing emotional issues is likewise important. The female reproductive tract is strongly linked to second-chakra issues that begin in childhood and build throughout adulthood. For many women, even visualizing and nurturing the thought of a healthy pink and normal cervix is a very positive and relaxing meditative process to promote healing.

Follow directions. If you do get an atypical Pap reading, follow your doctor’s guidelines and remember to go back for repeat testing. Don’t let your fear get the best of you! It is quite likely that further testing will relieve your anxiety.
Testing for HPV

If you are a woman over 30 (and therefore at higher risk for dysplasia) or your pap smear shows ASC-US, ask your doctor to perform an HPV DNA test in addition to your pap smear. Also, if you are under 30 but had an abnormal pap in the past, and are unsure of the result, let your doctor know so they can see if HPV testing is appropriate.



Prevalence of HPV, incubation period, and triggers

HPV hardly ever causes symptoms. Some experts believe that only 1-2% of the people who are infected with wart-causing HPV, and 3-5% of people infected with dysplasia-causing HPV ever show symptoms. This is why so many people have HPV and don't know it! In fact, HPV is so very normal at this point that if you are sexually active, you have a 75-90% chance of contracting it sometime in your life! So relax, this is not the end of the world. You've merely found out that you're sharing a virus everyone else has, too - they just don't know it yet.

People just keep on spreading the virus because they are inadequately informed, or simply do not think it's a big enough problem to even tell their partners. For this reason, it is very important that you tell any future partners that you have HPV, and also anyone you could have gotten the virus from. Many times, however, it is very difficult to determine who has infected you because HPV has an indefinite incubation time. It can infect the skin and then stay there, dormant, until a change in the body gives it the chance to activate. I have received emails from people who were married for years, faithfully, and suddenly found themselves with HPV because of changes in their health.

Some triggers of HPV are:

Stress
Hormonal changes due to birth control or pregnancy
Immunosuppressant drugs
Other illness
An HIV-positive diagnosis

Keeping tabs on HPV

As you can see, the nasty little virus is just waiting to come out. To keep tabs on it, try to adopt a healthier lifestyle. First of all, get all available STD tests, so you are sure that you only have HPV. Then, practice taking care of your body by eating less junk food, quitting smoking and drinking, and exercising more. It is also helpful to take vitamin supplements. I remember a study where they gave women with dysplasia vitamin C over a period of time, and it helped a lot. So take vitamin C often, and you may also want to try Echinacea, Goji, Acai berry, Maqui berry, Resveratrol, or other powerful antioxidants and immune system modulators. Finally, practice de-stressing yourself! Stress is a big factor in helping your immune system cope with anything, especially viruses. I know that's easy to say, and your stress level is doing anything but falling now that you've been diagnosed. But let me assure you that there are plenty of resources out there to help you deal with HPV, in book form and on the web.

For your male partner

HPV can cause cancer of the penis or anus, but this is extremely rare.
Cancer of the penis is more prevalent in uncircumcised men.
Cancer of the anus is more prevalent in men that receive anal sex.
The HPV virus is very small, so although condoms can prevent most STD’s, the HPV virus may still penetrate.

Herbs for HPV

Astragalus-Increases production of immune-system chemical interleukin-2 (IL -2), which fights cancer and the human papilloma virus (HPV). Activates gene pS3. The generally recommended dose is 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily.

Green tea Catechin Extract- Deactivates plasmin, which helps tumors spread. The generally recommended dose is 250-500 mg daily. It contains polyphenols, catechins and falvonoids, which are protective anti-carcinogens. A study of 51 patients showed 69 percent reduction in cervical dysplasia lesions/HPV in patients who received green tea extracts as either an ointment or capsule (Ahn WS et al 2003).

Plant polyphenols such as resveratrol in tablet/supplement form. Resveratrol is a type of polyphenol called a phytoalexin, a class of compounds produced as part of a plant's defense system against disease which is produced in the plant in response to an invading fungus, stress, injury, infection or ultraviolet irradiation. Resveratrol has been shown to reduce tumor incidence in animals by affecting one or more stages of cancer development, including ovarian cancer. Red wine contains high levels of resveratrol, as do grapes, raspberries, peanuts and other plants.

Ginkgo Biloba: Performs as an anti-oxidant and prevents cellular damage.

Goldenseal: This is antibacterial and helps in the eradication of warts

Garlic: Garlic juice can be applied topically for the elimination of warts.

Supplementation with high doses of vitamin A, B complex, vitamin C, E, zinc, lactobacillus acidophilus and the amino acid L-cysteine have shown to have immune boosting benefits.




Ovarian Cancer risk management

The 5-year survival rate for stage 1 is around 90%, whereas for stage III or IV, which is most often the stage at which the tumor is diagnosed, is less than 30%. Vague symptoms of the disease, such as abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating, nausea and urinary urgency, which may not manifest until the disease is advanced makes early detection a challenge.

While you can't completely do away with the risk of ovarian cancer through diet and exercise you will be able to significantly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer as well as all other types of cancer. Staying healthy and watching your weight is an important personal strategy to help your body stay healthy and avoid all types of cancer and diseases.

Various studies have looked at the relationship of obesity and ovarian cancer. Overall, it seems that obese women (those with a body mass index of at least 30) have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. A study from the American Cancer Society found a higher rate of death from ovarian cancer in obese women. The risk increased by 50% in the heaviest women.

The risk of developing ovarian cancer gets higher with age. Ovarian cancer is rare in women younger than 40. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women over the age of 63.


OVA1 uses a blood sample to test for levels of five proteins that change due to ovarian cancer. The test combines the five separate results into a single numerical score between 0 and 10 to indicate the likelihood that the pelvic mass is benign or malignant.

OVA1 is intended only for women, 18 years and older, who are already selected for surgery because of their pelvic mass. It is not intended for ovarian cancer screening or for a definitive diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Interpreting the test result requires knowledge of whether the woman is pre- or post-menopausal

OVA1 measures serum levels of five proteins whose expression is altered in ovarian cancer—CA-125 II, transthyretin (prealbumin), apolipoprotein A1, b2-microglobulin, and transferrin.

CA 125 is a protein present in normal ovarian tissue and appears in the blood when protective barriers are destroyed, as occurs in cancer or endometriosis. This test is a tumor marker for monitoring disease progression and reoccurrence in ovarian cancer. CA 125 can also be detected in other cancers such as pancreas, liver, colon, breast and lung. This test is not intended as a screening tool for diagnosis of ovarian cancer.Your CA 125 level can be checked with or without fasting.

Transferrin saturation of more than 60% has been identified as a cancer risk factor.

Transthyretin has traditionally been seen as a biomarker for nutritional status, it was previously referred to as prealbumin.

Beta2-Microglobulin is a protein found on the surface of many cells in your body. This test can help determine if you have specific types of cancer affecting white blood cells including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and multiple myeloma or kidney disease.


Some supplement suggestions that include herbs that have been researched for ovarian cancer.

Quercetin is a powerful anti-cancer agent which stops chemical signals that give ovarian cancer cells a growth advantage over healthy cells. Green peppers are full of quercetin. In supplement form, the generally recommended dose is 125-250 mg 3 times daily, between meals. Note: the centerpiece of the oleander extract contains small amounts of quercetin. Do not take quercetin with cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimunne) or nifedipine (Procardia).

Astragalus-Increases production of immune-system chemical interleukin-2 (IL -2), which fights cancer and the human papilloma virus (HPV). Activates gene pS3. The generally recommended dose is 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily.

Milk thistle extracts inhibit growth of ovarian cancer cells and prevent angiogenesis. Also helps protect and regenerate the liver. The generally recommended dose is from 400 to 1000 mg or more per day.

Green tea Catechin Extract- Deactivates plasmin, which helps tumors spread. The generally recommended dose is 250-500 mg daily.

Plant polyphenols such as resveratrol in tablet/supplement form. Resveratrol is a type of polyphenol called a phytoalexin, a class of compounds produced as part of a plant's defense system against disease which is produced in the plant in response to an invading fungus, stress, injury, infection or ultraviolet irradiation. Resveratrol has been shown to reduce tumor incidence in animals by affecting one or more stages of cancer development, including ovarian cancer. Red wine contains high levels of resveratrol, as do grapes, raspberries, peanuts and other plants.

Selenium is a powerful cancer fighter that also protects the liver and is essential for proper iodine utilization. Most women who get ovarian cancer are deficient in selenium, The generally recommended dose without medical supervision is 200 to 400 mcg daily, although nutritionally-oriented physicians may use as much as 900 to 2,000 mcg selenium from methylselenocysteine daily as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment protocol.
Some natural substances (pomegranate, turmeric, resveratrol) compete with estradiol (the most active form of estrogen) at estrogen receptor sites, and can therefore be especially effective for estrogen-dominant conditions including fibroids, ovarian cysts, PMS and hormone related weight gain, among others. It also acts by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme, stopping the conversion of androgens into estrogen. Additionally, PriVita can also induce more interferon in the system, which activates natural killer cells, a major component of the immune system.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Herbal Fatburner

According to experts, the weight loss industry is a multi-million dollar business. Despite what companies would like you to believe, there are no shortcuts to weight loss. Exercise is still the best fat burner known to man, and a good diet can do miracles when it comes to weight loss. Over the last decade, however, scientists have discovered that some herbs can push the body to burn fat faster. None of these herbs alone will act as a fat burner, but adding them to the diet can help curb your appetite so you can adhere to a healthy eating program, or give you extra energy so you burn extra calories.

Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia, also known as Garcinia Cambogia, contains a biologically active compound which is known to inhibit the synthesis of lipids and fatty acids and lower the formation of LDL and triglycerides. Research suggests that this natural extract may also inhibit the conversion of excess calories to body fat. Additionally, appetite is also suppressed by promoting synthesis of glycogen. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose, one of the body's primary sources of energy. Increased glycogen production and storage is the body's normal way of signaling the brain's satiety centre that enough food has been eaten. This has made Garcinia a very effective herbal medicine for controlling obesity and cholesterol. It is a well established fat burning agent all over the world and is currently becoming a rage in America, Japan, Europe and many other western nations. It is recommended as a dieting aid supported by exercise and a balanced nutritional diet.

Chromium
Chromium is part of the GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor) molecule. GTF is an important cofactor for insulin in the regulation of blood sugar, which is necessary for proper metabolism.

Green Tea
Green tea's weight loss benefits include an increased metabolism, a positive effect on blood sugar and insulin regulation, and possibly the inhibiting of the enzyme amylase, which is required for the processing of carbohydrates. It also has been shown to lower LDL levels (that's the "bad" cholesterol) as well as triglyceride levels.

Hoodia
Hoodia gordonii cactus is the plant with the new wonder ingredient that curbs one's appetite and helps one to slim. Hoodia gordonii is actually a succulent plant from the Kalahari Desert. The San People have been using the Hoodia gordonii succulent for centuries to stave off hunger during their long and arduous hunting trips in the harsh South African wild. The discovery of the active ingredient in the Hoodia gordonii plant is proven with clinical research to suppress one's appetite by up to 2000 calories a day.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon can control the insulin and cholesterol of the body at healthy levels. These two are essential in gaining a fit and healthier body. It helps controls how the body metabolizes fats and carbohydrates. As such, it helps control the creation of fat and ultimately its deposit into the body. Furthermore, cinnamon decreases the Low Density Lipoprotein or the “bad cholesterol” while increasing the high density lipoproteins or “good cholesterol” in the body.

L-carnitine
The primary function of carnitine in the body, is to regulate fat oxidation (burning). L-Carnitine is responsible for transporting fat to the fat furnace in our cells called mitochondria. Unless fat makes it to the mitochondria, it cannot be oxidized, no matter how much you exercise or diet. L-Carnitine works best with a diet low in sugars and starches (carbohydrates). Studies show that for carnitine to work effectively, carbohydrate intake should be kept below 50% of total calories consumed daily.
Elevated insulin levels inhibit optimal carnitine activity (the burning of body fat and energy production).
Omega 3 fats (flaxseed and fish oils) improve carnitine activity and function in the body
Adequate protein at each meal is essential for carnitine activity and fat burning.


White willow bark
White willow bark, is a source of salicin and other salicylates compounds which are similar in structure to aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid). Native Americans are thought to have used ground willow bark and bark steeped for tea as a medicinal remedy for everything from pain relief to fevers. White willow is thought to extend or increase the activity of several thermogenic ingredients in elevating energy expenditure and promoting fat metabolism.

Pain reliever (headaches, arthritis, minor injuries)
Fever reducer
Anti-inflammatory
Enhances weight loss (only in combination with other ingredients)


Feedback from my patients include that it diminishes appetite and gives an energy boost.
A net deficit of 500 calories per day (either by burning or decreased consumption) could result in a pound of weight loss per week.

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Those seeking treatment for a specific disease should consult a qualified practitioner prior to using our products if possible.