Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, and I wanted to share it on our blog here because it combines a few different amazing “tonics” you should add to your regular routine.  You don’t need to do all of them daily, but should definitely figure out how to add them to your regular routine…

By Liivi Hess, TheAlternativeDaily.com

As a nation, we’re fascinated with the concept of miraculous healing. Presumably, this miracle can come in the form of a pill, tea or a fantastically labeled elixir of health. Every day, millions of dollars are spent as people search for cures in the form of mystical pharmaceutical remedies that can banish all ailments and protect from disease.

Sadly, no one ever finds it. It seems that fancy packaging and slick marketing aren’t directly proportional to healing abilities. At best, these mass-produced, semi-synthetic, meticulously labeled products have but a minor placebo effect. At worst, they can actually make our health decrease, unbalance hormones and offset vital bodily functions.

It may come as a surprise to learn the mystical health tonic you’ve been searching for is much closer to home. As with many things in the health world, taking a step back and observing how our predecessors did things can be invaluable. The solution lies in simple, minimally processed, raw ingredients — ones that are selected for their natural health benefits, not as a small cog in a great machine comprised of many altered, unnatural ingredients.

Here are two three-ingredient concoctions that may just provide that miracle of health and healing you’ve been searching for.

Apple cider vinegar, honey and cinnamon super syrup

While very simple to make and with no rare or hard-to-find ingredients, this health tonic is wide-ranging in the benefits it bestows upon those who drink it. It can relieve constipation, reduce inflammation, support kidney function, promote heart health, prevent or fight urinary tract infections, protect against bacterial, fungal or viral attack and keep the common cold at bay. As you can see, it is a heavy-hitter in the realm of health care, helping to boost your immune system and support strong heart and organ function.

The key to success with this health tonic is to source only the highest quality ingredients. Now is not the time to worry about your wallet at the supermarket or health-food store. It’s absolutely a worthwhile health investment to buy high-caliber ingredients.

With this in mind, here are the qualifications for each ingredient:

• The apple cider vinegar must be raw and organic. Raw means it still contains the active cultures that support your gut biome and bolster your immune system. Organic means the apples from which it was made are not coated in pesticides, heavy metals and toxins, which would then pass into your system and offset all your hard work.
• The honey must be raw, preferably organic. Organic just implies the bees have not pollinated flowers or plants which are treated with pesticides, herbicides or other nasty applications. This ensures you get only the highest quality honey from known sources. Raw means that the honey has not been pasteurized, a process to increase its shelf life but can render it biologically inactive by killing off the active enzymes in the honey — the reason it’s such a potent ingredient.
• And of course, your cinnamon should also be organic. As with our other ingredients, buying non-organic cinnamon means you’re at greater risk of ingesting harmful toxins and heavy metals, which can negatively impact your health.

Combine two cups of the apple cider vinegar, one cup of honey and two teaspoons of cinnamon in a jar and stir/shake well. Store your super syrup in a cool dry area, keeping in mind that placing it in the fridge will cause the honey to harden and settle to the bottom. A couple of sips in the morning, and again at night are enough to ensure you enjoy all of the nurturing benefits of this tonic.

Warm water, lemon and apple cider vinegar health-aide

That’s right, we’re once again employing the health properties of our friend apple cider vinegar — it’s just that good! This time it’s a simple concoction you can make in seconds if you have the ingredients ready; all you need is some warm or room temperature filtered or mineral water, raw organic apple cider vinegar and half an organic lemon. Simple as that.

Drinking this each morning, as soon as you wake up and before you put anything else in your stomach, is an excellent way to start your day. It stimulates digestion, expels toxins from the liver and supports your digestive enzymes for a busy day ahead.

Once again, the ingredient requirements are strict: your water should preferably be spring water from glass bottles, but if this isn’t available then filtered water will do. This ensures the base for your tonic isn’t introducing new toxins into your body as you drink it — that would be a bit counterproductive. Next, as above, your apple cider vinegar should be raw, organic and unfiltered. When apple cider vinegar is filtered, the health-giving SCOBY or “mother” (an accumulation of beneficial bacteria and yeast that turns the apples into vinegar) is removed, and we definitely don’t want that.

Finally, the lemon should be organic, to ensure its skin isn’t riddled with nasty pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

Fill a glass with warm water, squeeze in half a lemon, and pour in a rough teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Sip it slowly and let it work its magic!

These health tonics work best if you keep at it — make sure you drink them as directed for at least a week to begin experiencing the myriad of health benefits they offer.

—Liivi Hess

Liivi is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and is training to become a doula. She inspires women to find peace and personal power by taking control of health and fertility naturally. Liivi‘s passion is ancestral nutrition and primal lifestyle design. She and her partner Will live between Toronto, Canada and Queenstown, New Zealand.

(Original article source here)

Some red wines are more powerful at fat-burning than others and help boost your metabolism. Take this short quiz to find out.

Quiz: Which Red Wine Boosts Metabolism?

Although hard alcohol like vodka, whisky, gin and tequila can increase belly fat…

Prominent scientists from Greece have found that one of the following red wines actually increases fat-burning when you drink it a certain way.

But which one? Is it…

Sources:
http://www.thealternativedaily.com/natural-health-benefits-of-cinnamon
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168160504002053
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814605003262
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf104912h

The post 3 Ingredient Daily Drink Tonics for Your Best Health appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s blog, republished from my friend Danette May, is going to give you some great information on one of nature’s perfect foods…

by Danette May, Fitness Expert DanetteMay.com

If you’re not heeding the old adage of an ‘apple a day’, you need to read this.

Many studies point to the beneficial effects of apples. This includes their antioxidant effects, and positive impact on heart health.

As if that wasn’t enough, they regulate blood sugar too!

This is good news, because it is the single biggest factor that helps keep body weight healthy. Interesting!

How exactly do apples help fight obesity?

It is all because of two factors in apples – fiber and phenolic compounds.
Studies show that both fiber and phenolic compounds in apple protect against many diseases.

Especially, the non-digestible fiber part of the apple resists digestion by stomach juices. They dodge the digestive acids and enzymes too, and reach the colon. This is where the gut bacteria thrive.

Gut bacteria feed on these non-digestible fiber and produce short chain fatty acids. Otherwise called SCFA’s, these are the result of the fermentation by gut bacteria.

Short chain fats have many benefits like:

• Sustained energy
• Stable blood sugar
• Improving satiety and keeping you full

BUT…It’s important to choose the right variety

Granny Smith apples are what you should reach for to get the best weight loss effect. Studies show that Granny Smith varieties have more non-digestible compounds than other types.

They found that when obese mice were fed the Granny smith variety their gut flora changed to that of lean mice. A gut flora that is the same as lean mice, helps lower the risk of disorders accompanying obesity.

Choose clean apples

Beware of pesticide residue and wax coating:

The Environmental Working Group reports that apples are high in pesticide residues. Another thing to note is the petroleum-based waxes used as a coating on apples.

So, keep it clean, choose an organic apple over conventional ones.

Here are 4 easy ways to eat more of this variety:

1. Freeze for a quick snack: Wash, cut and slice them up. Freeze them in ziploc snack bags so it is easy to grab and go as a healthy snack.

2. Bake: Granny smith apples are tart and firm. This makes it great for baking recipes like apple cobbler, apple crisp (healthy apple crisp recipe here), and pie.

3. Make apple sauce: Homemade chunky apple sauce makes a great topping for pancakes too!

4. Enjoy with probiotics: Eat cubed granny smith apples with a probiotic like Greek yogurt. You will be able to boost your healthy gut bacteria in few delicious scoops a day.

Not to forget, eating whole fruit is always beneficial and helps to promote weight loss.

Yours in Health,

Danette May
(The original article source is here)

Other notes on apples nutrition:

The average apple contains about 3-5 grams of fiber, and about 20-26 grams of total carbs depending on size.  I like to look at not only glycemic index of certain carb sources, but also ratio of fiber to total carbs as a good indicator of how they will affect your blood sugar.  Apples are a good choice for a healthy carbohydrate source when kept in moderation.

Apples are also a good source of polyphenols that help to prevent heart disease, protect your brain health, and lower blood pressure.  In addition, although type 2 diabetics can do a lot better on a higher fat, lower carbohydrate diet overall, apples are one of the better sources of carbohydrates for diabetics since they have a slow effect on blood sugar instead of abrupt.

Now that you know apples can help fight obesity these powerful fruits are almost in a class of their own. Apples along with grapes (especially when made into red wine) are some of the most healthiest and fat-fighting fruits in the world.

Some red wines are more powerful at fat-burning than others and help boost your metabolism. Take this short quiz to find out.

Quiz: Which Red Wine Boosts Metabolism?

Although hard alcohol like vodka, whisky, gin and tequila can increase belly fat…

Prominent scientists from Greece have found that one of the following red wines actually increases fat-burning when you drink it a certain way.

But which one? Is it…

The post Is there one type of apple that helps you lose more weight than others? 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 Stephen Seifert, TheAlternativeDaily.com

Research published this month in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that having balanced baking soda, or bicarbonate, levels in your body could reduce your chances of an early death.

The study examined data compiled in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study for 2,287 participants. Participants were healthy adults who, at the onset of the study in 1997, were between the ages of 70 and 79, and were followed for approximately 10 years. Survival data were gathered through February 2014.

What did they find?

Study author Dr. Kalani Raphael, associate professor and nephrology and hypertension specialist at the University of Utah, and colleagues investigated pH, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate in association with long-term survival. According to the University of Utah press release, “Critically ill patients with severe acid-base abnormalities have a very low likelihood of surviving their illness, but it’s unclear whether more subtle changes in the body’s acid-base status have an effect on the longevity of relatively healthy older people.”

The study’s findings may assist clinicians in better assessing a patient’s risk of premature death by analyzing their blood bicarbonate concentrations more closely. Clinicians can recommend dietary adjustments to patients with low bicarbonate concentrations to optimize health.

What does it mean for me?

How do you get more baking soda in your life? Surprisingly, the answer has nothing to do with that yellow box in your fridge fighting odors. If you want to balance your pH levels by getting more sodium bicarbonate in your diet, eating more fruits and vegetables is the key.

Fruits and vegetables high in potassium and bicarbonate will have a negative potential renal acid load (PRAL) score. This represents the amount of acid produced by the kidneys after metabolism. The higher the negative, the more potassium and bicarbonate they will provide, potentially reducing your risk of premature death, according to the study. Apples, raisins, spinach, bananas, carrots, broccoli, lemons and even coffee are a few sources that will boost your potassium and bicarbonate levels.

Note from The Watchdog…

Baking Soda and Exercise Performance:

One last thing to mention here about the benefits of baking soda… There are many recent studies that reveal that taking baking soda mixed with water about 60-90 minutes before exercise shows significant improvements in exercise performance, which can equate to the results you get from exercise.

The dosages in the studies were generally about 90-135 mg per lb of body weight, which would basically equate to about 2-3 teaspoons mixed in water for most people.  However, it was noted that this quantity caused stomach upset for some people.  If this is the case, you could test smaller amounts spaced out over time, such as 1 teaspoon 2 hrs before exercise and another teaspoon 1 hr before exercise.

The theory as to why baking soda helps exercise performance is that it helps reduce the effects of lactic acid on the muscles and allows you to do more reps before fatigue sets in.

Speaking of baking soda…

My friend Susan Patterson wrote an entire book called The Baking Soda Secret, and she wants to ship it to you for FREE!

* How to use Baking Soda as a natural replacement for many products currently in your home like deodorant, toothpaste and even cleaning products.

* The exact recipe she uses to make healthy, energy-filled meals.

* How to soothe skin irritated by eczema, bug bites, bee stings and more.

* A powerful flu-fighting tonic that can help banish symptoms in hours.

* Countless beauty hacks including a hair rinse, face mask, and dark spot remover.

All of this and so much more!

But, like I said, you have to hurry because she only has a handful of these left and if you don’t confirm your address your book will be sent to another lucky individual who will immediately start improving their physical, mental and home health with Baking Soda!

Click here to Claim your FREE Book Now (need shipping address)

The Death of Black Coffee:

Latest studies have found that 1 tiny tweak to your morning coffee puts your body into fat-burn ing mode for the rest of the day.

This coffee trick takes less than 10 seconds…

Yet, it instantly ignites your metabolism and boosts your health, energy and well-being at the same time!

Here’s to an amazing start to your day 🙂

====> Try This 10 Sec Fat-Burning Coffee Trick!

Sources:

http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/13/CJN.06200615
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-01/ason-lbl010816.php
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/acid-base-foods-pral.pdf

The post Baking Soda May Reduce Premature Death Risk appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.