by Mike Geary – Certified  Nutrition Specialist

You may have heard that blueberries are packed with beneficial phytochemicals (polyphenols), but new research shows that WILD blueberries may also help you fight inflammation and even drop body fat right down at the cellular level.

In a recent published study Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition scientists looked at what actually happens after you eat wild blueberries. Turns out, once your gut microbiome processes the powerful polyphenols in these berries, they transform into potent compounds that directly impact fat storage and inflammation inside your body.

Wild blueberries are particularly more powerful than standard berries at the store (Don’t worry, wild blueberries are easily available frozen at most health food stores)…

Here’s what the study found:

Researchers exposed fat cells to wild blueberry compounds: isoferulic acid (IA) and vanillic acid (VA). These two compounds helped reduce fatty acid synthase, which is an enzyme your body uses to create and store fat.

That’s a direct hit to one of the key drivers of weight gain.

Meanwhile, a third compound called syringic acid ramped up another antioxidant enzyme known as HO-1, which helps defend your cells against oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

And all of this happened at real-life, food-based doses.

This means wild blueberries don’t just taste good or “fight free radicals.” They can actually change how your body manages fat and inflammation, which are two of the biggest culprits behind metabolic problems, fatigue, and chronic disease.

But there’s a catch: your gut bacteria play a massive role in unlocking these benefits.

That’s why gut health is about a lot more than just digestion. A well-balanced microbiome helps convert plant compounds into usable fuel, regulates inflammation, balances hormones, supports immunity, and even affects how your body stores and utilizes fat.

Targeted support, like the unique polyphenols from wild blueberries, cranberries, pomegranate, and even grapes, can help feed your good bacteria and keep this system running smoothly.

The bottom line is that wild blueberries aren’t just another trendy super-food. When your gut is in good balance, they become a metabolic ally, helping your body manage fat and inflammation with real studies to back it up.

And you don’t have to go foraging in the forest to find WILD blueberries, as most health food stores actually carry wild blueberries in the frozen fruit section. Add them to your smoothies, cereal, buckwheat pancakes, salads, yogurt, and possibly even on top of your healthy homemade ice cream.

Now that you know just how powerful wild blueberries are for your health (more powerful than regular blueberries), let’s take a look at a fun little quiz below and a few more foods…

QUIZ: Which of these snacks are terrible for your waistline?

According to leading gut health expert and former heart surgeon Dr. Steven Gundry, there’s a handful of “health snacks” that are terrible for your waistline.

One of these foods is even considered a staple in every healthy diet.

Let’s see if you can guess which one it is:

A. Sourdough Bread
B. Cottage Cheese
C. Olives

This is critical news if your goal is to have a slimmer waistline.

Answer revealed here >>

PS: There’s good news too… There is one simple snack that yields a power punch for your microbiome. This means a healthier digestion, less occasional bloating, and even a slimmer feeling physique. Write this name down.

The post Wild Blueberries Stop Fat Gain, Fight Inflammation, and Improve Gut Health (Better than Regular Blueberries) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

by Mike Geary – Certified  Nutrition Specialist

As you probably know, I am very health-conscious, always digging through the latest research studies, books, and podcasts to keep up on cutting-edge health information.

Lately, I have been researching microplastics, and the amount we actually ingest and that get stuck in our organs is pretty scary.

So much of our food and drinks are packaged in plastic, and we store everything in those handy zip-lock bags that shed plastic into our food. There’s plastic in our kitchen utensils, our pots and pans, our clothing (anything synthetic is basically plastic), our mattresses, bedding, rugs (breathing in microplastics from your carpet that get lodged in your lungs and into blood stream), flooring, furniture, and on and on.

Plastic particles have now been found in studies in most of our organs, blood, lungs, ovaries, testicles, placentas, and brain tissue.

One recent study estimated the average person’s brain now contains the equivalent of a plastic spoon’s worth of plastic fragments. A plastic spoon. In your brain. And these particles are linked to inflammation, hormone disruption, fertility problems, heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.

For years the message has basically been, “sorry, you are full of plastic, there is no real way out, do your best to avoid it.”

But I recently saw this groundbreaking study and wanted to share it with you.

Researchers in South Korea found that a specific strain of healthy bacteria in kimchi can actually grab onto nanoplastic particles in the gut and pull them out of the body through normal digestion.

Scientists isolated the bacteria, called it CBA3656, and tested it in the lab, where it bound to 87% of the nanoplastics they threw at it. Then they fed it to mice, who excreted more than twice as much plastic in their stool compared to the control group. Twice as much. From bacteria in a fermented cabbage dish people have been eating for thousands of years.

Now, I do want to be honest with you. This was a study in mice, not in humans, and eating a jar of kimchi tomorrow is not going to suddenly detox you. But real, living, traditionally fermented foods are doing things in our bodies that modern medicine is only just beginning to measure.

traditionally fermented foods The kind with real “live bacteria” still in them, not the pasteurized supermarket versions sitting on the shelves. You’ll find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Or, you can easily make them yourself.

Here is what I am doing about it.

I have gone through our house and replaced everything synthetic I can find with natural fibers, from clothing and bedding to food storage and cookware. And to clear out the tiny plastic particles that may already be in my body, I am eating traditionally fermented foods every single day.

You can start small. Swap one synthetic thing at a time, and add one real fermented food to your plate this week. The more I learn, the more I realize the health fixes we are looking for have been sitting in our grandmothers’ kitchens the whole time.

For more on plastic found in everyday items… in this case, your food… keep reading:

3 Foods Loading Your Organs, Brain and Blood With Microplastics

According to Dr. Rick Cohen – a renowned Duke University MD – these 3 “micro-plastic foods” are secretly poisoning Americans…

Because they’re packed with tiny pieces of plastic that can…

💔 Spike heart attack risk by 450%
🧠 Build up inside your brain
☢️ Damage every organ in your body

Here’s a quick hint:

– Food #1: This is one of America’s favorite seafood, and everyone orders it at restaurants…
– Food #2: It’s a common veggie you probably have in your fridge right now…
– Food #3: This is something you sprinkle EVERY day on your meals…

Want to know exactly what these 3 foods are?

Get the answer below from Dr. Cohen himself:

>> 3 “micro-plastic foods” to AVOID at all costs.

The post Kimchi: This fermented food removed 87% of microplastics from the gut in a study appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of the best seller:  The Fat Burning Kitchen &  The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

You might have heard before that real sourdough bread is a lot easier to digest and better for your health than regular bread. I’ve even written articles about sourdough before and why it’s a better choice than regular bread.

Most regular bread from the store or restaurants is a disaster for your gut, your blood sugar, and your weight. But sourdough is quite different!

Recently, I decided to do a test on myself and see how my body reacted to eating homemade sourdough bread every single day, 2-3x a day for 60 days.

Luckily, my girlfriend has gotten really good at making homemade sourdough the right way, and uses quality ingredients like organic flour.

And we’ve been LOVING having a piece of homemade sourdough bread every morning with grass-fed butter and organic strawberry jam with our morning coffee… It’s sooooo good!

So how did my gut feel, and how did my body handle eating sourdough bread twice a day?

Well first thing is that I didn’t gain any weight. I know, I was shocked too… bread is notorious for causing weight gain, but that’s low quality grocery store bread made with cheap flours contaminated with glyphosate, containing added inflammatory seed oils, and other additives.

But with eating sourdough 2-3x a day for 60 days, I honestly felt great every day, had a lot of energy, and stayed about the same weight.

But here’s the cool thing… My GUT has felt happier than I can remember in a long time.

The sourdough has seemed to improve my gut health. My daily poops are more regular than ever, and well formed (sorry if that’s TMI, but it’s important to take note of for your gut health).

And I haven’t had any bloating at all surprisingly. I’ve even had 3-4 slices of homemade sourdough on some days, and still no bloating!

When I looked into some of the research on sourdough bread, it makes a lot of sense why I saw an improvement in gut health.

Sourdough contains both prebiotics and postbiotics that are powerful for gut health. While probiotics generally get the most attention (and the probiotics in sourdough are killed during baking), but the PRE and POSTbiotics have their own powerful benefits for your gut.

Some studies even show regular sourdough consumption improves the microbiome diversity of your gut.

I even ran across a study showing that the pre and post-biotics in sourdough can boost your production of natural GLP-1 in your body, which controls your appetite. This might be why I found myself quite satisfied and not craving junk foods, even while enjoying sourdough 2-3x a day.

Also, the fermentation process (24-48 hours) of a good REAL sourdough breaks down both the phytic acid in normal bread and also the FODMAPs, which are what causes bloating when you eat normal bread.

Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient in most bread that blocks mineral absorption, but with sourdough fermentation, the phytic acid has been broken down so that you actually absorb more minerals from your food.

And it’s even shown that a good sourdough fermentation breaks down the gluten in bread to be more digestible too.

I even have a couple close friends that usually can’t eat gluten or they get a terrible reaction, but they’ve been able to eat high quality sourdough bread with no problems at all.

Research also shows a much healthier blood sugar response from eating sourdough compared to regular bread.

Overall, after 60 days of eating high quality homemade sourdough bread 2-3x EVERY DAY, I personally found that my energy was great, I didn’t gain any weight, I’ve had no bloating, and basically perfect poops and a happy gut!

Now that we’ve talked about why sourdough bread crushes regular bread for health benefits and a happy gut… let’s look below at a few more starchy food options, one of which could be damaging your gut and harming your hormones…

Sweet Potato vs Pasta vs Squash (the #1 WORST starch for your gut & energy)

According to the best-selling author and world-renowned heart surgeon, Dr. Steven Gundry, there’s one starch people over 40 should never eat.

This starch can damage your gut and disrupt your hormones… It contains a toxin that damages the lining of your intestines, causes bloating, embarrassing gas, and a bulging belly.

Do you know the starch I’m talking about? Make sure you do by clicking the one below you think it is, and get the answer from Dr. Gundry himself on the next page:

>> Sweet Potato

>> Pasta

>> Corn

>> Squash

The post I Ate Large Amounts of Sourdough Bread for 60 Days and This Happened to my Gut appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s informational blog is republished from our friends at PaleoHacks.

Add these strengthening pelvic floor exercises to your workout routine to improve your sex life and reduce your risk of incontinence.

The pelvic floor is often overlooked, but they’re an important set of muscles to exercise! A strong pelvic floor is responsible for control and pleasure during sex, and they also control the bladder and bowel movements.

What is The Pelvic Floor?

So what exactly is the pelvic floor? These supportive muscles, tendons, and ligaments form a hammock at the base of the pelvis, helping the bladder, uterus, vagina, and rectum to function correctly. (1) They are the foundation for the core, providing stability and support to the organs of the lower abdominal cavity.

Common causes of pelvic floor issues include pregnancy or childbirth, hysterectomy, certain sports, aging, or inactivity of the pelvic floor muscles, just to name a few. Once the pelvic floor has been compromised, problems such as incontinence, diminished sex drive, or even pelvic organ prolapse – when pelvic organs protrude into or outside of the vagina – can arise. The most common sign of a weak pelvic floor – which affects up to 25% of women – is involuntary urine leakage (incontinence).

Luckily, pelvic exercises can help to restore strength and reverse some of these negative effects. These exercises, also known as Kegels, involve squeezing and relaxing muscles in the genital region in order to isometrically train the pelvic floor muscles.

How to Locate Your Pelvic Floor

Before beginning the following exercises, you must first be able to locate your pelvic floor muscles. Here’s how to do it:

1. Begin lying down with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
2. Squeeze and lift the rectal and vaginal areas as if you were trying to stop yourself from urinating. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then release.
3. You should feel a closing feeling in your genital area when you squeeze. Imagine yourself drawing energy from the base of the pelvic bowl all the way up your body and through the crown of your head.
4. Repeat for 5 reps.
5. Use this Kegel sensation throughout the following 7 exercises.

7 Exercises That Strengthen Pelvic Floor

Bridge | 3 reps

This pelvic exercise helps to strengthen the pelvic floor, core, and hamstrings.

1. Start by lying down with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Place your arms down alongside your body with your palms facing down.
2. Engage your pelvic floor. Then, inhale to lift your hips up towards the ceiling. Hold for 20 seconds and then exhale to slowly release your hips back down.
3. Repeat for 3 reps.

Shifting Plank | 15 reps

This exercise strengthens your pelvic floor and the other surrounding core muscles.

1. Start lying on the floor on your belly. Prop yourself up onto your forearms, straighten your legs and tuck your toes under, coming into a forearm plank.
2. Draw your navel up and in and engage your pelvic floor. Your shoulders should be stacked over your elbows and your hips should be in line with your shoulders.
3. Staying in your plank shape, inhale to shift your shoulders in front of your elbows, coming high onto the balls of your feet.
4. Exhale to shift your shoulders back over your elbows, pressing your heels back.
5. Repeat for 15 reps.

Wall Sit | 60 sec

This exercise helps to strengthen the pelvic floor, core, and legs.

1. Stand facing away from a wall.
2. Place your back against the wall and then walk your feet out in front of you so that the wall is supporting you.
3. Bend your knees until they are at 90-degree angles and engage your pelvic floor. Keep your navel drawing up and in towards your spine so that your lower back is pressing into the wall.
4. Reach your arms straight out in front of you hold for 60 seconds, then release.

Split Tabletop | 15 reps

This exercise strengthens the pelvic floor and core muscles.

1. Start by lying down with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Place your arms down alongside your body with your palms facing down.
2. Engage your pelvic floor and lift your feet off the ground. Parallel your shins to the ground so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle.
3. Keeping your knees at 90-degree angles, inhale to separate your thighs into a straddle.
4. Exhale to squeeze your thighs back together and contract your pelvic floor.
5. Repeat for 15 reps.

Tabletop Pelvic Tilts | 15 reps

These pelvic tilts help you to strengthen the pelvic floor.

1. Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
2. Inhale to round your lower back, tilting your tailbone down. Tuck your chin, draw your navel up and in, and contract your pelvic floor muscles.
3. Exhale to come back to center.
4. Repeat for 15 reps.

Bird Dog | 12 reps per side

This exercise strengthens the pelvic floor and the rest of the core muscles, improving balance and coordination.

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Engage your pelvic floor.
2. Shift your weight onto your left hand and your right knee. Then, inhale to reach your right arm forward and your left leg back.
3. Pause for a moment to balance, then exhale to place your right hand and your left knee back down to the starting position.
4. Shift your weight onto your right hand and your left knee. Then, inhale to reach your left arm forward and your right leg back.
5. Pause for a moment, then exhale to place your left hand and right knee back down.
6. Continue alternating for 12 reps.

Dead Bugs Crunch | 15 reps

This exercise strengthens the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.

1. Start by lying down with your knees bent and your heels on the floor. Extend your arms back behind your head and engage your pelvic floor.
2. On an exhale, draw your knees into your chest and crunch your shoulders up off the ground. Reach towards your toes as you contract your pelvic floor.
3. Inhale to lower your arms and heels back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for 15 reps.

Add these strengthening pelvic floor exercises to your workout routine to improve your sex life and reduce your risk of incontinence.

Easy bladder trick to end pee accidents (do this tonight)

Are you always running to the bathroom?

Do you have trouble holding your pee for too long?

Constantly have that “got-to-go” feeling?

Embarrassed about adult diapers and ready to get out of them?

You can actually STRENGTHEN your bladder to “hold back the tides”.

It’s about INFLATING a little-known muscle that seals the bladder shut!

Finally say goodbye to the urges… the accidents… the leaks… the stress…

This 30-second trick you can try tonight puts you back in control!

Can’t hold your pee for long? Check this out NOW!

Original article can be found here:

The post 7 Exercises That Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Pistachios are one of my absolute favorite nuts both in terms of taste AND nutrition.

When I was a kid, my parents always bought these huge bags of pistachios and I loved snacking on them all day long.

Later on, as a Nutritionist, I learned that pistachios are also one of the most beneficial nuts for your health, as they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and even have a better fatty acid profile than many other popular nuts like almonds.

Pistachios are rich in beneficial nutrients like flavanols, selenium, lutein, beta carotene, zeaxanthin, b6, and tocopherols. Studies show that pistachios are one of the best nuts for your heart health too!

Other studies also show that pistachios improve libido, improve blood sugar, and increase fat loss when consumed regularly.

Pistachios also help to feed the good bacteria in your gut and thereby improve gut health.

They really are a super-nut!

One of my favorite ways to snack on pistachios is with some good dark chocolate. And since dark chocolate is also known to improve gut health, lower blood pressure, and improve heart health, in my opinion, pistachios and dark chocolate together are a powerful combo to supercharge your health all while enjoying incredible taste!

But speaking of chocolate, did you know that there’s ONE specific unique form of chocolate that can nearly DOUBLE your GLP-1 levels in a matter of hours?

And this means your metabolism fires up and you slim down faster.

However, most people have never heard of this specific type of chocolate that I’m referring to here, and yet this chocolate is proven to boost your fat loss, lower blood pressure, and improve your gut microbiome.

I have a free gift for my readers!

I get to give away give away FREE copies of “15-Minute Burn Cookbook”

Inside you’ll find 80 delicious recipes that just take 15 minutes to make…

And are perfect to melt 15lbs by next month!

Claim your FREE copy below: 👇

>> The 15-Minute BURN Cookbook <<

And the best part?

This cookbook is completely FREE.

No hidden fees or auto-ship.

The only catch? You have to claim your copy within 24 hours.

Or I’ll just assume you’re not interested and send your copy to someone else.

>> Click here to claim your FREE “15-Minute Burn Cookbook” (24hrs left before it’s gone)

Hope you enjoy!

The post Pistachios & Chocolate: this combo burns fat, lowers blood pressure, feeds a healthy gut appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

When you think about health foods, how often do you consider chocolate?

Fortunately, dark chocolate is a superfood! When you consume the right type of dark chocolate, you can look forward to surprising benefits, like boosting your antioxidants, lowering blood pressure and even reducing your risk of cancer.

Read on to discover the surprising benefits of dark chocolate, as well as what type you should be eating.

Dark Chocolate: A Sacred Food with Healing Benefits

Throughout history, dark chocolate (or cacao, as it’s called before being made into a chocolate bar) has been hailed as a health tonic. This is especially true throughout Mesoamerican cultures, who held the belief that the cacao bean was a sacred food handed down by the gods to provide stamina, heal numerous diseases, and reduce fatigue (1).

In fact, the effects of cacao were thought to be so powerful that consumption was reserved specifically for priests, high government officials, military officers and great warriors. It was considered unsuitable for women, children, and the lower classes due to its potency.

What exactly is it about dark chocolate that makes it such a cherished health food? Let’s dive into the research-backed facts behind its benefits.

8 Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Many of dark chocolate’s surprising benefits stem from its potent antioxidant compounds epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins, along with flavonoids and polyphenols. These antioxidants are responsible for putting a halt to DNA damage, reducing inflammation, regulating glucose levels, slowing aging, and more.

Read on to see just how powerful they are in dark chocolate.

1. Lowers Blood Pressure and Improves Heart Health

Not only does dark chocolate make you feel similar to being in love (okay, maybe not that good), but it has major benefits for your heart and blood pressure levels.

Studies show that the compound prostacyclin in dark chocolate is able to help lower blood pressure by increasing vasodilation, the opening and loosening of your arteries and blood vessels (2). In addition, another study revealed that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events (3).

The Kuna Indians of the San Blas islands of Panama, who drink roughly three cups of a cacao beverage daily and have a very low prevalence of hypertension, myocardial infarction and stroke compared to those on the mainland, are a good example of chocolate’s benefits at work. In addition, studies have found that their blood pressure doesn’t rise with age (4).

2. Fights Aging

As we mentioned earlier, dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidant compounds that help fight the DNA damage that causes aging symptoms like wrinkles, graying hair, and disease. In fact, research shows that just a single serving of cacao contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods and more antioxidants than many Americans get on average per day (5).

Research also shows that the polyphenols and flavonoids in dark chocolate can help protect your skin from UV damage, which is a huge factor in preventing skin aging (6).

3. Reduces Cholesterol

Alongside lowering blood pressure and improving heart health, dark chocolate also has a few cholesterol-lowering tricks up its sleeve. Studies have shown that just one week of dark chocolate consumption was enough to improve lipid profiles and decrease platelet reactivity for both men and women (7). This may be due to the fact that the cocoa butter in dark chocolate contains some of the same heart-healthy fatty acids found in olive oil.

4. Improves Brain Function

Dark chocolate has been studied for its ability to boost cognitive function by improving cerebral blood flow, thanks in part to its high flavanol content. One study showed that the intake of flavonoid-rich foods, including chocolate, wine and tea, results in improved cognitive performance, especially in elderly participants.

Another study out of Italy also found that the flavanols in chocolate could prevent and even reverse age-related memory decline (8).

5. Anti-Diabetic Effects

Research has shown that dark chocolate improves glucose balance, insulin sensitivity and inflammation markers – all symptoms that contribute to the development of diabetes. In one particular study, scientists found these benefits occurred only when participants ate dark chocolate; those who consumed white chocolate received no benefits (9).

Interestingly, a study in Japan found that the risk of developing diabetes was reduced 35 percent among men who consumed “chocolate snack pieces” once per week or more versus those who never or almost never ate chocolate (10).

6. Potentially Reduce Risk of Developing Cancer

To date, studies have confirmed that chronic inflammation contribute to factors that increase your risk of developing cancer, including DNA mutations and cancer cell growth. Research has confirmed that the antioxidants in dark chocolate have a strong ability to fight the DNA damage that could lead to cancer development, as well as reduce certain inflammation enzymes that could encourage its growth (11).

7. Reduces Risk of Developing Neurological Diseases

Flavonoids have been shown to offer significant protection for neurons in your brain and nervous system. Specifically, they reduce neuroinflammation, which has been found to be a major cause of the development of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, their ability to increase cerebral blood flow encourages the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, which processes memory (12).

8. Increases Satiety and Reduces Appetite

Just when you thought chocolate was banned from your diet while trying to lose weight, research shows it may actually help you keep cravings in check, which can help keep the pounds off. Studies have found that the smell of dark chocolate reduces appetite and improves satiety (13).

How to Choose the Best Dark Chocolate

Obviously, not all chocolate is created equal. To get the most benefits associated with dark chocolate, you want to steer clear of any of the candy bar varieties (even if they are “gluten-free” or “Paleo”) and be sure to choose a bar that contains at least a 75 percent cacao content. This will ensure there are minimal added sugars, so you get the bittersweet goodness without the damaging effects of sugar.

How Often Should You Indulge in Dark Chocolate?

While dark chocolate is loaded with benefits, more doesn’t necessarily equal better. Most of these studies used a moderate amount of dark chocolate consumption, which could be comparable to a square of dark chocolate per day, or a tablespoon or two of dark cacao made into a hot chocolate drink (just make sure you don’t add any sugar).

Even if you don’t eat it every day, try to get in a dose of dark chocolate at least three times a week to boost your antioxidant levels and cash in on the many benefits of this true superfood.

Our friends at Earth Echo Foods want to share this weight loss secret with you…

This Costa Rican chocolate known to melt extra LBs

Most Americans think eating sweets for breakfast is unhealthy…

But according to Stanford researchers, there’s one delicious “dessert” food Costa Ricans eat each morning that…

✅ Keeps them lean past 80…
✅ Slows blood sugar spikes…
✅ Even helps them live 7x longer than Japanese people…

So what’s the #1 “dessert” food that helps Costa Ricans live past 100?

Is it:

Click on your guess…

Or click below to discover Costa Rica’s Blue Zone secret:

>>> Eat this “dessert” for breakfast

Here’s the crazy part – while Costa Ricans are living longer with this morning ritual, Americans trying it are losing 7lbs as a “side effect.” Not a bad bonus, right?

>>> Click here to see this breakfast secret

(Original source article can be found here.)

The post 8 Surprising Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Some of these oils are healthy and some are VERY unhealthy — soybean oil, olive oil, coconut oil, corn oil, etc… Let’s take a closer look.

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
Author of best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

Today, I wanted to give you my take on a confusing subject to most people:

Why some oils and fats you may use in cooking, baking, or other food use are actually harmful to your body, and why some are healthful.

Here’s the deal…

A lot of people seem to think that anything labeled as “vegetable oil” is good for you. NOT A SHOT!

Most of what is labeled as “vegetable oil” is simply heavily refined soybean oil (processed under high heat, pressure, and industrial solvents, such as hexane)… sometimes perhaps it may also be heavily refined cottonseed, safflower, corn, grapeseed, or other oils too.

In most instances, almost all of these processed oils are NOT HEALTHY for you. I’ll explain why below…

If you buy processed food or deep fried food, you can usually be certain that these unhealthy oils are used to prepare your foods (or worse, it may use hydrogenated versions of these oils… aka – trans fats).

You may have even bought some of these oils for your own cooking or baking at home.

The problem with soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, safflower oil, and other similar “vegetable oils” is that they are mostly composed of polyunsaturated fats (the most highly reactive type of fat) which leaves them prone to oxidation and free radical production when exposed to heat and light.

Processed polyunsaturated oils are the most inflammatory inside our bodies because of their high reactivity to heat and light. This inflammation is what causes many of our internal problems to develop such as heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative diseases.

Note: It’s ok if a polyunsaturated fat source isn’t processed such as in whole foods like various nuts and seeds… In that case it’s usually not inflammatory (as long as it’s not been exposed to high heat), and nuts are usually a great source of healthy polyunsaturated fats. By the way, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are both polyunsaturates, and a healthy balance of approx 1:1 to 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is considered healthiest.

Your best bet is to choose raw nuts and seeds whenever possible to avoid the oxidation of polyunsaturated fats that can occur during roasting of nuts and seeds. Keep in mind though that some nuts are mostly monounsaturated, (for example, macadamias), so the issue of roasted vs raw nuts is less of an issue for highly monounsaturated nuts.

However, all of the vegetable oils listed above are generally heavily refined during processing, so that makes them already inflammatory before you even cook with them (which does even more damage).

Here’s the actual order of stability of a type of fat under heat and light (from least stable to most stable):

1. polyunsaturated
2. monounsaturated
3. saturated

Here’s something that mainstream health professionals will never tell you…

Saturated fats are actually the healthiest oils to cook with!

Why? Because they are much more stable in cooking conditions and less inflammatory than polyunsaturated oils with cooking.

This is why tropical oils such as palm and coconut oils (and even animal fats such as lard and butter) are best for cooking… they have very little polyunsaturates and are mostly composed of natural saturated fats which are the least reactive to heat/light and therefore the least inflammatory in your body from cooking use.

That’s also why natural butter (NOT margarine) is one of the best fats for cooking. This all goes directly against what you hear in mainstream health talk… because most health professionals don’t truly understand the biochemistry of fats, and falsely believe that saturated fats are bad for you… when in fact, they are actually neutral in most instances… and saturated fats from tropical oils are actually good for you as they contain mostly medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which are lacking in most people’s diets.

In fact, lauric acid is one of the abundant MCTs in tropical oils and is known to strengthen the immune system. Lauric acid is even being studied currently in medical studies for controlling contagious diseases.

To summarize… your best cooking or baking fats are generally butter or tropical oils such as palm or coconut oil.

Olive oil (extra virgin preferably) is okay for lower cooking temps as it’s mostly monounsaturated, so moderately stable. I also like avocado oil and macadamia nut oil for baking as they are mostly monounsaturated and relatively stable for baking, plus add great flavor!

The mostly polyunsaturated oils such as soybean, corn, grapeseed, cottonseed, safflower, etc, are the least healthy for cooking or baking.

My choices for top healthy cooking oils that I use:

• Virgin Coconut Oil (very stable at med-high temps and healthy fats)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (only for low temp cooking)
• Real Butter (grass fed butter is actually healthy and contains important nutrients like vitamin K2, omega-3’s, and CLA. Kerry gold is a popular brand of Irish butter that’s grass-fed and readily available in most grocery stores)

Of course, with all of that said… we should keep in mind that trying minimize our cooking with oils can help to reduce overall calories. Cooking with oils in moderation is okay and can actually help satisfy your appetite more, but be careful not to overdo it as the calories can add up fast.

Also, please don’t be fooled by deceptive marketing claiming that canola oil is healthy for you — it’s NOT!

So enjoy your coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and delicious extra-virgin olive oils knowing that you’re doing your body GOOD! But just make sure to stay FAR AWAY from dangerous inflammatory vegetable oils like soybean oil, corn oil, and cottonseed oils which are used in so many processed foods these days.

Also remember that most salad dressings you find at the store are loaded with unhealthy soybean or canola oils usually, so make your own with healthy olive oil instead.

But BEWARE…

Although using real butter, coconut oil, & extra virgin olive oil can be a super-healthy choice for a lean, healthy, & strong body as well as fighting the aging process, if you follow the tips you just learned…

Did you know THIS Popular Cooking Oil May Erase Brain Cells?

If you cook with this popular oil

You could be ingesting a toxic substance that slips past the brain’s blood barrier…

Clogging blood vessels and starving your brain cells of the fuel it needs.

Day by day… worsening brain fog, slowing down activity in your brain, and completely deleting memory banks…

👉 Click here to see if this brain-killing oil is in your pantry right now

The post Which of these cooking oils are destroying your health? (the truth may surprise you!) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily alternative health tips that I personally read every day.

By Susan Patterson, TheAlternativeDaily.com

Coconut oil has been gaining a lot of popularity in the fast growing community of health conscious people. People in Asia and the Pacific Rim have used coconut products for thousands of years. They drank the milk, ate the flesh, turned the tree sap into sweet syrup, and weaved baskets with the leaves of coconut trees. In the 1950s, coconut oil, which you receive when you press the meat of the coconut, could be found in every household.

With the low-fat craze that swept through the Western world, coconut oil gave way to margarine and vegetable oils. The “experts” demonized saturated fats. People touted highly processed vegetable oils as heart-healthy, but only in very small amounts.

Fortunately, coconut oil is seeing a comeback of epic proportions. From slathering your baby’s bottom to cooking up some fabulous-tasting eggs, coconut oil is making its way to the top of the charts. How about putting some coconut oil into your morning cup of coffee?

Of course, those who have been using coconut oil for years never truly believed the lipid hypothesis that said saturated fat was bad for us. More and more evidence is being uncovered to say just the opposite.

What is coconut oil?

Coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid with a high saturation level. The main fats in coconut oil are caprylic acid, lauric acid and capric acid. Most fats take much more effort from the body to be digested (26 steps), whereas coconut oil is digested much easier (3 steps). Because it is a medium-chain fatty acid, coconut oil is processed by the liver, so it is converted into energy rather than stored as fat.

Coconut oil is a solid at room temperatures and it has an amazing shelf life due its saturation. It is also an ideal oil to cook with because medium-chain fatty acids are much more stable and will not break down during cooking.

Healthy saturated fat is not only good for us, but essential for numerous bodily functions. Did you know that more than half your brain is made up of saturated fat? Coconut oil is described as one of the healthiest saturated fats on the earth.

Coconuts are revered by people all over the world for their amazing medical and nutritional properties. They have been used for ages by diverse cultures and races, all of whom respect the magnificent qualities of this tree-growing nut. Fortunately, the Western world is quickly catching on. Now there are even numerous studies supporting some of the health claims that so many of us already know to be true.

Medicinal uses for coconut

In traditional medicine, people use coconut for a wide number of health problems. These include kidney stones, nausea, rash, scurvy, infections, wounds, asthma, colds, constipation, cough, earaches, fevers, jaundice, kidney stones, lice and ulcers, to name a few.

Modern medicine is finally coming alongside traditional medicine and echoing the amazing health benefits of coconut. Published studies in a number of prominent health journals note the benefits of various forms of coconut.

Several studies have confirmed that coconut oil has the ability to increase the good cholesterol HDL. In other studies, women and men were fed a diet containing coconut oil and butter. Researchers found that coconut oil increased energy in study participants and was able to help with weight maintenance or weight loss.

What is even more amazing are the results of a study of women with stage III and stage IV breast cancer. The 60 women were fed a diet containing virgin coconut oil and experienced an overall improved quality of life. Coconut oil also reduced the side effects of chemotherapy.

Other benefits of coconut oil

As you can see, saturated fat isn’t necessarily the bad guy, when it is from a good source like coconut oil. The lauric acid in coconut oil can actually prevent high blood pressure. Below, find a list of other proven health benefits of coconut oil which will make you want to run to the store and stock up on this amazing fat.

Proven treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

The brain produces its own insulin in healthy people. In people with Alzheimer’s disease, this function is limited or stopped. The ketones produced through coconut oil consumption increase energy for people with Alzheimer’s and can help improve brain function.

Reduces inflammation markers

A study conducted in India found that the antioxidants in coconut oil were able to reduce inflammation in study participants when taken regularly. Researchers have also found coconut oil to be of great value to people with arthritis.

Antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties

It is the lauric acid present in coconut oil that has been credited with helping treat parasites, like candida. It is necessary to use coconut oil on a daily basis and usually several times a day.

Improves endurance

The liver processes coconut oil, so it provides a quick boost of energy and endurance. This makes it extremely valuable for athletes, especially those needing a lot of energy for longer workouts.

Helps slow down aging process

The antioxidants in coconut oil can slow the aging process, as stress on the liver is decreased and detoxification is increased.

Prevents osteoporosis

The antioxidants in coconut oil fight free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, both of which count as the main culprits for osteoporosis. Additionally, coconut oil increases calcium absorption. Researchers have found that bone loss due to osteoporosis decreases in patients who take coconut oil regularly.

Coconut in coffee

Replacing processed coffee creamers with organic coconut oil is a smart move. Although it may sound strange, the result is actually quite delicious and highly nutritious. The combination of caffeine and saturated fat gives the body a lasting energy boost.

Prepare a tropical twisted coffee drink by brewing a high-quality organic cup of coffee and place it in a blender. Add in one tablespoon of organic coconut oil, blend and enjoy.

The resulting coffee drink is frothy and rich, with a wonderfully smooth taste that is very satisfying. If you like your coffee sweetened, add one teaspoon of coconut crystals.

Add coconut oil to your coffee for a great way to supercharge. Give your body a burst of energy to make it through the day, not to mention all of the other amazing health benefits of coconut!

Supercharging your morning can be as simple as adding coconut oil to your coffee—and believe it or not, a unique form of chocolate can regulate blood sugar levels as well as your appetite.

Did you know there’s one form of chocolate that can nearly DOUBLE your GLP-1 levels in a matter of hours?

See if you can guess which one it is:

A) 85% dark chocolate
B) Ceremonial cacao powder
C) Milk chocolate
D) Sugar-free chocolate bar

While Hollywood celebrities pay $1,200/month for injections…

Over 157,423 people are already using this “chocolate trick” to melt fat fast.

I don’t know about you…

But I’d much rather eat chocolate to lose weight than poke myself with needles.

Click your choice above to see if you’re right…

Or click HERE to skip to the answer.

Original article is found here.

The post Coconut Oil In Your Morning Coffee? Absolutely appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of the best sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

I’ve noticed in my travels and with working with clients that a large majority of people in today’s fast-paced stressful world are struggling at least part of the time with falling asleep at night.

Over the years, I’ve also struggled on occasion with insomnia because of the stress placed on me by running a large publishing business. And I’ve researched and learned quite a few tips and tricks over the years to help fight insomnia and fall asleep faster.

Without diving into every single technique I’ve learned over the years, I’ll just touch on a few really simple, but powerful tips, foods, drinks, etc. that I think can help you to fall asleep easier and faster too!

Here goes:

The most important sleep tip to start with:

This one isn’t a specific food or drink, but rather probably THE most important tip I can give you… if you don’t follow this one, your chances of being able to wind down at night and fall asleep fast are unlikely…

You NEED to eliminate use of devices, computers, emails, and any other work related to your job (or other stressful things) at least 3 hours before you plan to go to sleep. Using devices or computers for casual reading at night is fine, but don’t do any work that gets your mind overly activated, such as anything dealing with work or other stressful things in life. Also, even for casual reading, it’s best to turn off devices at least 1 hour before bed as keeping your eyes focused on the light from devices is one thing that some researchers are saying could interfere with getting quality sleep.

An overly active mind late at night is one of the BIGGEST things keeping many people from falling asleep. As a success-driven entrepreneur myself, I used to work really late at night and then I’d find that my mind was always too active to actually be able to fall asleep, so I’d lay there for hours sometimes until I could get my mind to slow down so I could fall asleep.

This may sound weird, but one trick that’s worked for me is to grab a book while I lay in bed on something that I find sort of boring and try to read the book in bed. Because the topic is “boring” to me personally, it keeps my mind away from things that I find more interesting, and it allows me to fall right to sleep. So for example, if you find health and fitness interesting (I hope you do!), but you find economics boring, try reading an economics book as you lay in bed. I bet you’ll get sleepy and fall asleep much faster than if you laid in bed letting all your thoughts about daily life race through your mind.

No caffeine after mid-day:

You’ve probably heard this tip many times, so I’ll keep this one short… It takes about 6 hours for caffeine to be fully processed and eliminated by your body, so make sure your last caffeinated drink of the day (coffee, black tea, mate, etc.) is at LEAST 6 hours or more before your planned bedtime. And if you’ve been showing any adrenal fatigue from lab hormone tests, you should also consider reducing your daily caffeine intake if you currently use it.

Tart cherries or tart cherry juice:

Tart cherries (Montmorency) actually contain a natural form of melatonin that can help you to naturally get sleepy and more easily fall asleep. I’ve found frozen tart cherries a few times in specialty grocery stores and I use them for a late night smoothie occasionally.

I’ve also found a tart cherry concentrate in Whole Foods and other health food stores that you can add to a drink or caffeine-free tea at night to help get you that low dose natural melatonin. I use 1 spoonful of this tart cherry concentrate in a cup of chamomile or mint tea late at night. This helps immensely for calming down and falling asleep at night.

A side benefit is that tart cherry also contains powerful antioxidants that fight joint pain, gout, and other inflammation related problems.

DON’T overdose on melatonin supplements (most contain TOO MUCH)

Did you know that MOST people overdose on melatonin supplements. Most melatonin supplements come in either 3 mg or even 5 mg doses. However, according to some researchers, anything more than 1 mg might be too high of a dose, which can disrupt your sleep cycle the following day, making it hard to wake up in the morning, and harder to fall asleep the following night, disrupting your overall sleep cycle.

The proper dose seems to be something less than 1 mg from most experts on this topic (this was even discussed on the Dr. Oz show too), which is why I choose to NEVER use melatonin supplements, and only get the small natural quantities found in tart cherries or tart cherry juice.

Night time teas:

Try “night time teas” that have relaxing qualities such as chamomile tea, mint tea, lemongrass tea, or all of them mixed. A side benefit of chamomile tea, and another reason that I try to include it in my weekly night tea repertoire is that chamomile tea contains unique phytonutrients that can help fight estrogenic overload from all of the xenoestrogens that we are exposed to from chemicals, pesticides, etc. in today’s chemical laden world.

Also remember that you can add a spoonful of the tart cherry concentrate and you’ll get a double-whammy of sleep aid! This works well about 1-2 hours before bedtime to help your body and mind relax.

One more tip…

If you still have troubles falling asleep even after implementing all of these tips, make sure to pay attention to fixing any hormonal issues you might have, including any possible adrenal fatigue, since being overly stressed out during the day can cause imbalances in your natural cortisol cycle which can make you more awake at night and more tired in the morning (obviously the opposite of what you want).

Eliminate any stressors from your life that you can, and also trying other relaxation techniques including meditation as a way to deal with stress if you still feel that you’re too stressed out each day.

Here’s one more reason to pay attention to this advice and make sure to do everything possible to get better sleep…

Did you know that a lack of sleep can actually make you GAIN weight?

A proper hormone balance is very important not only for losing fat, but keeping it off, and lack of sleep (including restless sleep, going to bed too late, getting up too early, and any other types of sleep deprivation), can throw your body’s hormones out of balance.

This means that regardless of how much you exercise or what type of diet you go on, you will still struggle to lose your unwanted fat, especially from your stomach.

So you can see how important sleep really is, as it touches multiple aspects of your health.

And one more thing to note, if you are still having trouble falling asleep, our friends from YuSleep have this special message for you…

Do You Wake Up At 3 AM Too?

If you fall asleep just fine but you wake up around 3 am almost every night, mind racing and you can’t fall back asleep for hours…

You lie there staring at the ceiling, watching the clock tick toward 5 AM… 6 AM…

Then drag yourself through another zombie day…

You should do this 30-second cherry trick this evening before going to bed.

A sleep expert with 18 years of sleep research says it quiets your racing mind and relaxes your body so your brain can enter deep stages of sleep.

Many people over 50 have already tried it and they sleep through the night like a baby with NO MORE 3 am wake-ups and wake up refreshed!

Here’s the simple cherry trick to try tonight…

👉 Click here to see how to do it!

The post Drink this 2 hours before bed to sleep better (plus 5 tips for insomnia) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

The lifestyle that has helped Bernando achieve a healthy, long life

LaPallo says he has not been sick one day in his life and accredits this to eating all organic fruits and vegetables, walking every morning, and avoiding red meat, fried foods and fast food at all costs. He says his father instructed him at an early age to stay away from red meat and he has always believed this to be best for good health.

So what are the five foods he eats to stay healthy and age well?

Garlic, chocolate, cinnamon, olive oil, and honey. That’s right, LaPallo eats these foods daily in addition to organic fruits and vegetables and accredits these five special foods to his success.

Garlic is a powerful immunity enhancer, cancer fighter and liver detoxifier. Chocolate has been known to help many people live a long life. It has incredible anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and immune-boosting properties. Cinnamon is a fantastic spice for anti-aging, immunity, blood sugar and heart health. Olive oil is another powerful anti-inflammatory food, as well as a great source of Vitamin E, healthy monounsaturated fats for your heart, and contains high levels of cancer-fighting properties. And finally, honey is a powerful miracle food that has been used for hundreds of years for its anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and heart health benefits.

Bernando also loves whole grains, broth and healthy dishes like soups and salads. You can get his recipes on his blog for barley soup, fresh fruit salad and more.

Bernando’s father was a doctor who also lived to 98 years old. Bernando not only took his father’s advice on how to eat well, but also how to live well. Bernando likes to read, do crossword puzzles and other life-enhancing activities daily. He says he has learned and seen so much throughout his life, and always wanted to live healthily so he could age well.

In LaPallo’s words, “As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. And that’s very true.”

Bernando LaPallo lived to 114 years young, his life and vitality maintained through a regiment that he followed for his entire life. He exercised and ate foods that he knew would protect his body and lengthen his life.

Salmon vs Tuna vs Tilapia vs… (The #1 Worst Fish for Your Heart)

Eating wild-caught fish is good for your heart… right? WRONG.

According to Dr. Sam Walters – one of America’s #1 heart specialists – there’s ONE fish you should avoid like the plague.

This so-called “healthy fish” is contaminated with toxic chemicals… that are literally DEADLY for your heart. Yet 97% of Americans eat it at least once a week.

Try to guess which one it is:

1. Tilapia
2. Tuna
3. Atlantic Salmon
4. Sardines

So click on your guess…

Or tap below to get the correct answer from Dr. Sam Walters himself:

>> Never eat THIS fish (it’s DEADLY for your heart).

Original Article by Heather McClees can be found here

Editor’s Note: Bernando LaPallo passed away on December 19, 2015.

The post 114-Year-Old Man Attributed Good Health To These 5 Foods appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.