TOXINS GET IN THROUGH OUR SKIN AND HAIR!!!!

Personal Care

Like the toxic tagalongs  in nutritional products, there are numerous toxic tagalongs in skin care products that need to be avoided to maximize health and wellness.

Great Skin Care without the Toxic Tagalongs

Most of the skin care products on the market contain toxic chemicals (even the so called natural ones). The Premier Line (www.mygreenlady.com) has an advanced charged herbal particle technology instead of the chemical add-ons. These highly charged herbal particles polarize your own skin cells to a much higher electron spin state. This means the uptake of nutrients into the cells is magnified 100 times greater than ordinary creams. What makes skin truly healthy and radiant is great nutrition.

1. Deeply cleans, tones and softens the skin
2. Incredibly better and safer than a facelift or chemical peel
3. Plump, tone, tighten skin and normalizes the pore size
4. Exceptionally effective for sun damaged skin & age spots
5. Stops oily, dry, blemished or loose skin
6. Ideal skin care to achieve the flawless appearance of actors, actresses and models
7. Absolutely NO techno-toxic chemicals.

Eight Chemicals in Skin & Hair Products that You Should NEVER Use!!!

1. 1. Propylene Glycol – This is a cheap petrochemical used as an emulsifying base in creams and lotions to make the skin look smooth, but ultimately it ages the skin faster. The Material Safety Data Sheet tells you to avoid skin contact with it because it is a skin irritant. It can denature the skin’s protein, leading to poor aging skin. It can be absorbed through your skin and potentially cause allergic reactions and liver and kidney damage.
2. 2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - This is a harsh, caustic detergent and is used because it is cheap and suds well. It is used as an engine degreaser and a garage floor cleaner but you’ll also find it in shampoo, soap, facial cleanser, etc. Research shows that SLS has a degenerative effect on the cell membranes and denatures protein such as in hair or skin. This can damage skin or hair, leading to aged skin and poor hair. SLS can corrode hair follicles and inhibit hair growth, continuing a hair loss pattern.

SLS has the potential to cause cataracts (through skin absorption, even without direct contact with the eyes. SLS can denature protein of the eyes and delay the healing time of the eyes. From skin contact, SLS can be absorbed into your circulation system and concentrate in your organs such as your heart, liver or brain. This is potentially dangerous since SLS is a mutagen. (In others words harmfully altering your genetics or DNA)

1. 3. Fragrance – When the word “fragrance” is listed on the label, it means a synthetic fragrance made in a test tube from any of over 200 chemicals. These “fragrance” chemicals, which bio-accumulate in your organs, can cause many symptoms, such as headaches, lung problems, skin irritations, dizziness, memory impairment , rash, hyper-pigmentation, vomiting, even potential brain damage and more. They are cheap, toxic imitations of real herbal scents.
2. 4. Mineral Oil – This cheap petroleum-based oil clogs the skin’s pores and enlarges them, leading to poor, saggy skin. It decreases the ability of the skin cells to exchange nutrients and waste products. Those allergic to petroleum products may develop skin irritations.
3. 5. Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Butyl or Ethyl) – these cheap preservatives are used to inhibit microbial growth in skin care or hair care products even though they are known to be highly toxic. They have caused many allergic reactions and skin reactions.
4. 6. Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl Urea – These are the most commonly used preservatives after the parabens. They are an established cause of contact dermatitis (American Academy of Dermatology) and release formaldehyde which is toxic and a known carcinogen.
5. 7. Synthetic Colors – Synthetic colors are used in skin and hair care products to make them colorful. Avoid them at all costs like a plague, along with hair dyes ( with the exception of some henna products) They can cause allergy, skin and nerve problems. Synthetic colors are labeled as DK&C or D&C followed by a number and color.
6. 8. Triethanolamine (TEA) is often used in the base of a product and to adjust the pH. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and can be toxic if absorbed into the body over time.

It needs to be considered whether just trying to obtain a radiant look or recover and/or maintain health, the wrong type of skin care products can undermine the whole process.




DO YOU WANT TO FEEL BETTER???

                                       ENZYMES

 

~ Enzymes: A Simple Way To Improve Your Health ~

Do you want to feel better?

Do you eat cooked or processed foods?

If the answer is yes, then you need enzymes to feel better and improve your health!

More than 90% of the food eaten by the average American is cooked or processed at temperatures greater than 118 F. The heat involved, whether it comes from micro waving, steaming, broiling, roasting, pasteurizing, sauteing, stir frying or any other source, destroys food enzymes. The result is incomplete digestion, less nutrition, greater stress on your digestive system, which can lead to more digestive problems.

Your digestive tract is not designed to handle
the modern American diet of cooked and processed food.

Nature intended it to take advantage of the enzymes present in all raw foods. Your body uses enzymes to digest food you eat. Two ways you get enzymes to perform this task are externally from the food you eat (food enzymes). To compensate for these lost food enzymes, your body must work harder and create more digestive enzymes to fully digest your food. If you've ever felt sleepy after a meal, it's because your body is working harder than it should to digest the food you've eaten.

Enzyme Supplements: a simple way to improve your health.

By taking an enzyme supplement with each meal or snack, you'll replace some of the enzymes lost when food is cooked or processed. You'll get more nutrition our of your food, allowing your digestive organs to spend less effort on digestion and more energy on keeping your body healthy. If you have problems with indigestion, gas, bloating, constipation or reflux, a digestive enzyme supplement can help your body bread down more thoroughly, fewer digestive complaints occur.

Your practitioner can recommend the right enzyme supplements to help with digestion and meet your specific health needs. 

By taking the proper blend of supplemental enzymes, you will:

• Increase the nutrients you absorb from your diet to improve overall nutrition
• Decrease or eliminate indigestion, gas, bloating and reflux
• Address the underlying cause of digestive complaints rather than temporarily masking the symptoms
• Enhance the body's digestive efficiency, reduce fatigue and increase your energy
• Leaving energy to focus on other functions, like strengthening the immune system and regenerating cells and tissues
• Ease stress on digestive organs, especially the pancreas, by reducing their workload
• Improve general health and quality of life

Enzymes at Work

Bananas arrive in the store green and ripen over time-this is an example of enzymes at work. Natural enzymes turn that bitter green banana into a sweet yellow banana and eventually a soft black banana. When you eat a banana, its enzymes will help digest the banana as it passes through your digestive tract. Every time the food enzymes you ingest break down food, your body has less work to do in the digestive process, unfortunately cooking and processing destroy these naturally occurring enzymes and force our bodies to take on the full burden of digestion.

Count Your Food Enzymes

• Broiled Steak...................ZERO ENZYMES
• Baked Potato...................ZERO ENZYMES
• Steamed Vegetables.......ZERO ENZYMES
• Raw Radish & Parsley.....just enough to digest the radish and parsley

WHAT IS AN ANTIOXIDANT?, WHAT IS A FREE RADICAL? FOODS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS!

WHAT IS AN ANTIOXIDANT? WHAT IS A FREE RADICAL? FOODS HIGHLY ANTIOXIDANT!!
 Protect the Integrity of your Cells, Let thy food be your medicine and antioxidants!

About antioxidants: Protect Yourself from Free Radical Damage! 

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Anyone interested in natural foods these days has almost certainly run across the word "antioxidants". You have no doubt been hearing that antioxidants are good for you and that you should be getting lots of them, right? But what exactly are antioxidants and why are they good for us?

What are Antioxidants?

First let's look at the word. We've got "anti" and "oxi". So does that mean antioxidants are anti oxygen? Well, not quite. The important thing to know is the difference between oxygenation and oxidation. Oxygen is good and being oxygenated is very good. Every organ in our bodies needs oxygen. But oxidation refers to the breakdown of materials by aggressive little atoms and molecules. An iron bumper on a car breaking down and turning to rust is an example of oxidation. So when you think antioxidants, think anti-oxidation. Antioxidants are compounds that help us fight against damage from oxidation. Our bodies are constantly reacting with oxygen as we breathe and as our cells create energy. But this process along with poor quality foods and pollution can create an abundance of highly reactive molecules in our system called free radicals.

 

What are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that are missing electrons. Free radicals bounce around looking to replace the missing electrons and cause our cells oxidative damage. They can damage proteins, cell membranes and even genes. Oxidative damage has been implicated in the cause of many diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's and is also said to accelerate the aging process. Poor quality foods and environmental pollutions have exposed us to more free radicals than ever before. This is where antioxidants come in handy. They are rich in electrons and neutralize free radicals, stopping their oxidative damage in its tracks.

Where can you get antioxidants?

Here comes the fun part. There is a wide variety of foods that are brimming with antioxidants, and they come in all different flavors, textures and colors. In fact you may notice that many antioxidant rich foods are very colorful. That is because in most cases, the color IS the antioxidant. For example the dark purple color of Maqui Berries comes from antioxidant compounds called phycocyanins. The bright orange of carrots and goji berries is from the antioxidant compound called beta-carotene. So whether you're a chocoholic, a berry lover, or a green food fan, you'll be able to find your favorite source of antioxidants.

The ORAC Scale

One of the ways antioxidant power can be measured is by the ORAC scale. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and it measures the power of a substance to neutralize free radicals. The higher the ORAC score, the more powerful the antioxidant power. Here are the ORAC scores of some of our favorite foods: Food                    ORAC Score Mango                   3 Raisins                   21 Goji                        133 Acai Powder           536 Maqui Powder        606 Cacao Powder       908 That's right. You read correctly. Cacao is the richest source of antioxidants of any food. Followed closely by Maqui berries. And you if you take a close look at the people who have traditionally consumed Cacao and Maqui berrries you will find renowned examples of health and longevity.

POWERFUL ANTIAGING, REVITALIZING AND REGENERATOR FOR YOUR BRAIN, MORE ENERGY FOR YOUR MUSCLES: CARNOSINE!

CARNOSINE

Carnosine is a dipeptide formed from two amino acids, beta-alanine and L-histidine, naturally found abundantly in nerve and muscle cells. Carnosine has been shown to rejuvenate cells, supply advanced brain cell and brain chemistry support and provide skin, nerve and muscle cell protection.

Carnosine is one of the best known glycation anti-aging fighters the body naturally produces, as it modulates protein formation of protein carbonyls, the prime maker of protein health. It is a powerful anti-oxidant, able to quench free radicals and prevent cross-linking of proteins. It inhibits damaged proteins from harming healthy proteins.

Supplementing carnosine may be an effective way to slow aging and prevent free radical damage. Add 1/4 teaspoon to a morning breakfast shake (or water or food) daily.

Beta-Alanine (Carnosine); lactic acid buffering agent.

Apparently supplementing beta-alanine is more effective at raising serum carnosine levels than supplementing l-carnosine itself. Carnosine is an effective acid buffering agent, and thus beta-alanine supplementation may prove to be an excellent way to stimulate new muscle fiber recruitment by allowing us to work through our normal lactic acid threshold. There is also word that because beta-alanine buffers lactic acid, combined with the fact that creatine is not effective in an acidic environment, supplementation may support optimal creatine effectiveness.

Functions

o   Carnosine is capable of both enhancing cell function and stopping cell damage from occurring (due to beta amyloid, which is found in the brains of those with Alzheimer's disease). It assists in the chelation of ionic metals and the elimination of toxins from inside of the body. It can boost the immune system. It also can help with the sense of smell.

Glycosylation

o   Carnosine is also capable of preventing glycosylation from happening. Glycosylation is a kind of enzymatic procedure that connects DNA molecules and proteins, due to sugar aldehydes encountering with the amino acids of the protein molecule. Preventing glycosylation is helpful for various medical conditions, including eye cataracts, kidney failure, certain skin conditions, diabetes and neuropathy.

Lactic Acid

o   Carnosine is also capable of obstructing the accumulation of excess lactic acid in the body. Lactic acid triggers muscle pain after sessions of intense exercise. If this nutritional supplement is taken both before and after rigorous exercise sessions, it is possible that carnosine could decrease (and sometimes even entirely eliminate) this pain.

Eye Drops

o   Carnosine is also used to help with senile cataracts. Senile cataracts occur in elderly individuals. They are the most common variety of cataracts, and generally happen with persons over 60 years old. They often cause complete vision loss. Carnosine eye drops work to both deconstruct and inhibit cross-linking of proteins.

Dosage

o   Individuals are generally advised to take between 100mg and 300mg of carnosine every day. No more than 600mg should be taken in one day. Taking more than the recommended dosage amount of this nutritional supplement could lead to the undesirable side effect of muscle twitching.

o   Overall Benefits:

o   * Maintain a balanced pH in muscle when exercise is intense.

o   * Potent Antioxidant

o   * Keeps muscular vitality by increasing strength

o   * Inhibits cell damage caused by alcohol

o   * Heavy Metal chelating agent, specially for copper and zinc

o   * Prevents carboxylation and glycosylation of cell proteins

o   * By preventing molecule modification, it maintains functionality under stress conditions

o   * Protects the proteasomes which take care of uneeded or damaged protein inside the cell

o   * Acts as a neurotransmitter

CARNOSINE can also be benefitial in:

·      Neurologic Degeneration such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, Epilepsy, Depression, Esquizofrenia, Dementia, Apoplexy attacks

·      Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s Syndrome, Asperger Syndrome

·      Overall aging

·      Cataracts

·      Formation of glycosidic radicals (AGE’s)

·      Accumulation of damaged proteins

·      Muscular atrophy

·      Apoplexy

·      Cardiovascular diseases

·      Diabetes and its complications

CELL HEALTH AND A DIFFERENT SOURCE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS!!

 

The Many Benefits of Omega 3s

In the last few years, omega 3 fatty acids have gotten a lot of press for their variety of amazing health benefits. Health advocates have long promoted fish (salmon, sardines and mackerel) or fish oil as a main source of omega 3 fatty acids. However, since many types of fish contain traces of pollution, such as mercury and PCBs, many are searching for plant-based sources of omega 3s.

Sacha inchi (also called the Inca Peanut) has been all over the news lately, and for good reason; it is a great source of omega 3s. Read on to find out more about why omega 3s are absolutely vital to your health and why sacha inchi you could become your favorite new source.

What Is SACHA INCHI (Inca Peanut?)

Sacha inchi (SAH-CHA-EEN-CHEE) is an Amazonian plant that bears a large, star shaped seed pod. This seed pod contains sacha inchi seeds which are also called Inca peanuts. These seeds are an excellent source of highly digestible protein and one of the highest natural sources of essential fatty acids (EFA's) found in nature. Sacha inchi has been used by Amazonian cultures for hundreds of years for its anti-aging and health-giving properties.

Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

1. Research shows that regular daily intake can help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower the levels of bad cholesterol
2. Aids diabetics in maintaining their blood sugar levels
3. Helps reduce cognitive deterioration in older adults
4. Adequate levels can help decrease hyperactivity in children
5. Consuming omega 3 during pregnancy and while breast-feeding is essential for a child's brain development
6. Strengthens and protects our nervous system
7. Can help improve joint health and muscle recovery

Benefit of Sacha Inchi

Our Sacha Inchi oil is an amazing source of the essential fatty acid omega 3, as well as omega 6 and 9. Cold-pressed Sacha Inchi Oil is made up of approximately 45% Omega 3's, 36% Omega 6's, and 9% Omega 9's. It also contains about 27% protein and is a rich in vitamin A, vitamin E and iodine. Also, recent research has shown that the high levels of vitamin A and calcium help support healthy eyes, skin, teeth and bones.

How to Choose the Right Source

Most Sacha Inchi products are roasted, which can damage its delicate oils and nutrients. Choose a Sacha Inchi Oil created using low-temperature, cold-press processes that keep nutrients intact. Find Sacha Inchi Oil that originates on a single plantation in the Junin region of Peru, on the Amazon jungle side of the Andes mountains. There, the Sachi Inchi is sustainably grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers in the soft, mineral rich soils.

Powerful Enzyme Prevents Heart Attack and Stroke: NATTOKINASE

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, each year about 700,000 people suffer a stroke, the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. The American Heart Association estimates that nearly every year, about 1 million Americans will suffer a heart attack.

About 700,000 of these will be first-time heart attack sufferers, while approximately 500,000 will be people who have previously had a heart attack. It all adds up to this: contrary to popular belief, heart attack and stroke account for more deaths than all cancers and injuries combined, and one out of every 2.4 deaths is attributable to cardiovascular disease. How is that possible in the richest, most highly educated country on earth?

Most of us all get too little exercise, accumulate too much stress, and eat a poor diet laden with saturated fat, refined sugar and too little fiber. Add to that list the habit of smoking and the answer is quite clear. (Although there is a considerably higher prevalence of cigarette smoking in Japan than in the U.S., mortality from CVD among men in Japan is still less than half of that in the U.S.3) And to make matters worse, a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (3/6/2002) indicates that exposure to air pollution can cause some 10,000 fatal heart attacks a year in the U.S.!

Mainstream health care has banded together with the pharmaceutical industry to offer a temporary quick fix for the number one killer of our time. Statin drugs reduce cholesterol. Aspirin and warfarin thin the blood. Anti-hypertension medications reduce blood pressure. Bypass surgery, and angioplasty clear the arteries. Essentially, they all help prolong the life of a patient with cardiovascular disease (CVD). But none of these drugs or procedures is without risk or side effects. Well, we've got good news for you!

CVD risk can be greatly reduced by modifying lifestyle and adding nutritional supplements proven to support cardiovascular health. Most of us are aware that eating a lighter, more balanced diet, quitting tobacco and exercising regularly are enough to head off most cases of heart disease before they ever happen. Now there's something else you can do.

Nattokinase has been shown to support normal blood pressure, dissolve blood clots and prevent them from forming in the first place!

What Is Nattokinase?

How is it made?

Natto is produced by a fermentation process by adding the bacteria Bacillus subtilis to boiled soybeans. The resulting Nattokinase enzyme is produced when Bacillus subtilis acts on the soybeans. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the natto preparation that contains the specific Nattokinase enzyme. How was Nattokinase discovered? Japanese researcher Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi had spent many years searching for a natural thrombolytic agent that could successfully dissolve blood clots associated with heart attacks and stroke. Finally in 1980, after testing more than 173 natural foods, Sumi found what he was looking for.

Natto, a traditional Japanese soy cheese, was dropped onto an artificial thrombus (fibrin) in a petri dish and allowed to stand at 37ºC (approximately body temperature). Over the next 18 hours, the thrombus around the natto completely dissolved! Sumi named the newly discovered enzyme Nattokinase, which means "enzyme in natto." Dr. Sumi remarked that Nattokinase showed "a potency matched by no other enzyme." 

Nattokinase:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nattokinase (pronounced nat-oh-KY-nase) is an enzyme extracted and purified from a japanese food called natto. Nattō is a food made from fermented soybeans that has been eaten in Japan for many years. Nattō is produced by fermentation by adding the bacterium  Bacillun natto, a beneficial bacteria, to boiled soybeans. The resulting nattokinase enzyme is produced when the bacterium acts on the soybeans. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the nattō preparation that contains the specific nattokinase enzyme.

Nattokinase is sometimes promoted in the alternative medicine  community as a clot-buster and blood thinner or as a substitute for daily aspirin therapy. However, this substitution is not recommended since there is no evidence that nattokinase is effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. Nattokinase may interact with aspirin to increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage.

Nattokinase has been effectively marketed by Kenrico in a patented product that prevents cell damage or apoptosis. Sold under the trade name Lexirin, it is derived from fermented soybean to address gastrointenstinal disorders, dermatological conditions, and immunodeficiencies.

There is also evidence of nattokinase being effective in catabolism of toxic amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's Disease.

Apoptosis  is the process of programmed cell death (PCD) that may occur in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (morphology) and death. These changes include blebbing, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation,  chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation. (See also Apoptosis DNA fragmentation.) Unlike necrosis, apoptosis produces cell fragments called apoptotic bodies that phagocytic cells are able to engulf and quickly remove before the contents of the cell can spill out onto surrounding cells and cause damage.

In contrast to necrosis, which is a form of traumatic cell death that results from acute cellular injury, apoptosis, in general, confers advantages during an organism's life cycle. For example, the differentiation of fingers and toes in a developing human embryo  occurs because cells between the fingers apoptose; the result is that the digits are separate. Between 50 and 70  billion  cells die each day due to apoptosis in the average human adult. For an average child between the ages of 8 and 14, approximately 20 billion to 30 billion cells die a day. 

Research in and around apoptosis has increased substantially since the early 1990s. In addition to its importance as a biological phenomenon, defective apoptotic processes have been implicated in an extensive variety of diseases. Excessive apoptosis causes atrophy, whereas an insufficient amount results in uncontrolled cell proliferation, such as cancer.

Source: Wikipedia

DAMAGE THE CELLS: INGREDIENTS ON PROCESSED FOODS

      
5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke
Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning. And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five foods that cause the damage that leads to stroke.

1.    Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods

Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration.

Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.

Why it's bad
For years scientists have known trans fats are dangerous artery-blockers, upping the concentrations of lipids and bad cholesterol in the blood and lowering good cholesterol. Now we can add stroke to the list of dangers. This year researchers at the University of North Carolina found that women who ate 7 grams of trans fat each day -- about the amount in two doughnuts or half a serving of French fries -- had 30 percent more strokes (the ischemic type, caused by blocked blood flow to the brain) than women who ate just 1 gram a day. Another recent study, also in women, found that trans fats promoted inflammation and higher levels of C-reactive protein, which have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

What to do
Aim to limit trans fats to no more than 1 or 2 grams a day -- and preferably none. Avoid fast-food French fries and other fried menu items and study packaged food labels closely. Even better, bake your own cookies, cakes, and other snacks. When you can't, search out "health-food" alternative snacks, such as Terra brand potato chips and traditional whole grain crackers such as those made by Finn, Wasa, AkMak, Ryvita, and Lavasch.

2. Smoked and processed meats
Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out, My advise: Vanish this from your life, it´s too much a toxic load for your body.

Why it's bad
Smoked and processed meats are nasty contributors to stroke risk in two ways: The preserving processes leave them packed with sodium, but even worse are the preservatives used to keep processed meats from going bad. Sodium nitrate and nitrite have been shown by researchers to directly damage blood vessels, causing arteries to harden and narrow. And of course damaged, overly narrow blood vessels are exactly what you don't want if you fear stroke. 
Many studies have linked processed meats to coronary artery disease (CAD); one meta-analysis in the journal Circulation calculated a 42-percent increase in coronary heart disease for those who eat one serving of processed meat a day. Stroke is not the only concern for salami fans; cancer journals have reported numerous studies in the past few years showing that consumption of cured and smoked meats is linked with increased risk of diabetes and higher incidences of numerous types of cancer, including leukemia.

What to do
If a smoked turkey or ham sandwich is your lunch of choice, try to vary your diet, switching to tuna, vegetarian sandwich with sprouts and organic avocados, a hummus sandwich, use tapenade (olive pate) or seed spreads instead of mayo, or other choices several days a week. Or cook turkey and chicken yourself and slice it thin for sandwiches, only if its 100% organic and hormone free. The best option is a veggie sandwich, it will save you calories and will spare you from lots of toxins and inflammatory ingredients.

How To Tell if Someone is Having a Stroke

3. Diet soda
Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down -- a heart-healthy goal -- it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.
Why it's bad
People who drink a diet soda a day may up their stroke risk by 48 percent. A Columbia University study presented at the American Stroke Association's 2011 International Stroke Conference followed 2,500 people ages 40 and older and found that daily diet soda drinkers had 60 percent more strokes, heart attacks, and coronary artery disease than those who didn't drink diet soda. Researchers don't know exactly how diet soda ups stroke risk -- and are following up with further studies -- but nutritionists are cautioning anyone concerned about stroke to cut out diet soda pop.
What to do
Substitute more water for soda in your daily diet. It's the healthiest thirst-quencher by far, researchers say. If you don't like water, add some fresh lemon juice.
4. Red meat
This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn't healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn't exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.
Why it's bad
Researchers have long known that the saturated fat in red meat raises the risk of stroke and heart disease by gradually clogging arteries with a buildup of protein plaques. Now it turns out that hemoglobin, the ingredient that gives red meat its high iron content, may pose a specific danger when it comes to stroke. Researchers are investigating whether blood becomes thicker and more viscous as a result of the consumption of so-called heme iron, specifically upping the chance of strokes.
What to do
Reduce your meat consumption significantly which means a reduction in heme iron. Also, choose the heart-healthiest sources of protein whenever you can, especially beans, legumes, nuts, sprouts, and nonfat dairy like nut milks, avocado etc.. I f you are worried about anemia and iron, there are vegetarian iron supplements that does not contain heme iron.
5. Canned soup and prepared foods
Whether it's canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association's recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you'll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years.
Why it's bad
Salt, or sodium as it's called on food labels, directly affects stroke risk. In one recent study, people who consumed more than 4,000 mg of sodium daily had more than double the risk of stroke compared to those who ate 2,000 mg or less. Yet the Centers for Disease Control estimate that most Americans eat close to 3,500 mg of sodium per day. Studies show that sodium raises blood pressure, the primary causative factor for stroke. And be warned: Sodium wears many tricky disguises, which allow it to hide in all sorts of foods that we don't necessarily think of as salty. Some common, safe-sounding ingredients that really mean salt:
•    Baking soda
•    Baking powder
•    MSG (monosodium glutamate) (THIS IS AN EXCITOTOXIN THAT KILLS NEURONS)
•    Disodium phosphate
•    Sodium alginate

What to do
Make your own homemade soups and entrees. Buy low-sodium varieties, but read labels carefully, since not all products marked "low sodium" live up to that promise.
Use celtic salt, pink salt form the Himalaya which are salts that have many other minerals, not just sodium chloride and the plus is that this will help with digestion.

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com /  additions from My Green Lady
Tue, Sep 06, 2011