10 Ways to Kick Start a Change

10 Ways to Kick-Start a Change

Take a positive attitude and try to ingrain some short and simple habits into your daily routine:

1. Buy the ‘healthiest’ foods at the grocery store

I don’t mean buy the most expensive food. Buy the healthiest.

Don’t look at the price. You won’t notice at the check-out counter. All the stress happens at the point of decision. Know that your body will feel better in the long run.

2. Try a healthy smoothie for breakfast

Kick the day off right with healthy raw veggies, quality proteins, and natural fats. In 20 minutes, every cell in the body will have benefited from the good-for-you energy.

Try shifting the habit from coffee first thing in the morning for a liquid drink made with fiber and vitamin rich smoothie. Save your black coffee for pre-workout.

3. Earn your indulgences

If you plan on going ‘off the rails’ with your diet (which I don’t recommend), then at least earn it by doing some moderate physical activity.

4. Gather all your artificial air fresheners and through them out: ALL OF THEM!

Better yet, look for these toxic products from your home and seek natural replacements to them. These toxins are poisoning you and your family.

1. Non-Stick Cookware

2. Flea and Tick Products

3. Mothballs

4. Air Fresheners

5. Oven Cleaner

6. Furniture Polish and Stain

7. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

8. Gas Space Heaters

9. Cleaning Solutions

10. Extension Cords

11. Antibacterial Soaps

12. Flaking Paint

13. Flame Retardants

5. Black out your bedroom

Even minimal light can sabotage your sleep. Rejuvenate this weekend. Your body needs it!

6. Slow down and breathe

Our generation is arguably the most stressed in history. Stress will catch up to us. Put things in perspective, stop and breath. Make it an event. Cut the pattern of stress.

7. Guilty until proven innocent

Until GMO foods are proven safe in the long term, avoid them! Why the hell would you put something in your mouth if it could possibly be a time-bomb?

8. Toss those synthetic creams

How many times have you put on a cream to deal with pain and swelling?

This is obvious proof that our skin absorbs certain chemicals. So, in general, only put organic and preferably food grade products on your body.

9. Stop rationalizing inaction

Make a definitive decision to stop the pattern of ignorance! You’re only fooling yourself.

The average Canadian will spend the last 10 years of their lives with the disease. Don’t be THAT statistic. Ten years of feeling like you have the flu is a shitty way to embrace aging.

10. Get involved and BE the movement!

Big things are coming for Ikkuma and our primary motivation is to transform a generation – to effectively change a generation’s health trajectory forever.

Stay tuned. We’ll show you how – in 8 weeks – you can rewrite your future!

Life is a game of numbers. Put the numbers in your favor and kick some ass! Start this weekend.
By: The Ikkuma Guru, Gary LeBlanc

Gary LeBlanc is the co-founder of the company Ikkuma Inc. – specializing in holistically oriented consumer products – a certified coach practitioner, personal trainer and most recently a published author, with his book titled “Ikkuma: Evolution of Vitality”.  A previous Vice President for a top tier company and perpetual health & fitness advocate, Gary has spent the better part of 20 years researching the latest diet, health and fitness trends. When a close friend got diagnosed with cancer 6 years ago, Gary realized health & wellness was more than an interest, so it became his passion.  He now divides his time between running Ikkuma Inc., coaching at Innate Wellness, consulting and practicing what he preaches with abundant VITALITY!!

They also just came up with an incredible drink that helps to cancel out noise.

https://drinkzerodb.com/

For more information, please visit: www.ikkuma.com

Most Alkalizing Foods You Should Be Eating Daily

When the body eats foods, the digestive and metabolic processes transforms the eaten matter into residue that is left behind that is either acidic or alkaline. Using science to explain this phenomenon (and the laws of modern biochemistry), it is not the organic matter of foods (whether the food itself is acidic or alkaline), but their inorganic matter (such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorous; that is, how they break down in our bodies), that determines either the acidity or alkalinity of this ashy residue. Being too acidic promotes disease, chronic ailments, cancer and other health complications. Intentional alkalizing of the body blood and other fluids optimizes healthy organ and system functioning, free of ailments. Factors that leave our bodies acidic include environmental pollutants, acid-forming foods like processed sugars and foods, artificial sweeteners, refined grains, conventionally produced meats and dairy, hidden genetically modified organisms (GMOs), psychological and emotional stress, synthetic and pharmaceutical drugs and physical body stress. Consider the following lists to be the nutrition bible of top alkalizing and acidic foods to eat and avoid for optimum health functioning, free of chronic disease.

Most Alkalizing (Eat Most)

Himalayan salt, grasses, cucumber, kale, spinach, parsley, sea kelp, sprouts (soy, alfalfa), sea vegetables, green drinks without sweet fruits, all sprouted beans, ph 9.5 alkaline water (less than 8 hours old).

Moderately Alkaline

Avocado, beetroot, basil, capsicum/pepper, cabbage, celery, chives, collard greens, spring greens, coriander, endive, garlic, ginger, green beans, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onion, radish, red onion, rocket/arugula, tomato, lemon, lime, butter beans, soy beans, white haricot beans, chia/sabja seeds, quinoa.

Mildly Alkaline

Artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, leeks, new baby potatoes, peas, pumpkin, swede, squash (butternut/summer), watercress, grapefruit, coconut, pomegranate, rhubarb, buckwheat, lentils, tofu, goat milk, almond milk, herbs and spices (thyme, mint, ginger, cumin), avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, flax oil, udo’s oil.

Neutral/Mildly Acidic (Eat Moderately)

Black beans, chickpeas, garbanzos beans, kidney beans, seitan, cantaloupe, fresh dates, nectarine, plum, sweet cherries, watermelon, millet, oats, oatmeal, spelt, soybeans, buckwheat pasta, couscous, brown rice, freshwater wild fish, rice and soy milk, rice/soy/hemp protein, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, brazil nuts, pecan nuts, hazel nuts.

Moderately Acid (Eat Less)

Fresh and natural fruit juices, ketchup, mayonnaise, butter, apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, grapes, guava, mango, mangosteen, orange, peach, papaya, strawberry, goat’s cheese, vegan cheese, rye bread, wheat, whole meal bread, wild rice, wholemeal pasta, ocean fish.

Highly Acid (Avoid or Eat Sparingly)

Alcohol, coffee, black tea, fruit juice (sweetened), cocoa, honey, jam, jelly, mustard, miso, rice syrup, soy sauce, vinegar, yeast, dried fruit, beef, chicken, eggs, farmed fish, pork, shellfish, cheese, dairy, artificial sweeteners, syrup, mushroom. ” (Source: Energise For Life.com- great website that has a lot of information on how to eat, what to eat when living an alkaline lifestyle. They have this list downloadable for free!)

Additional Explanations:

Lemons and Warm Water

I start every morning with a cup of warm alkaline water and 1 lemon, taken on an empty stomach with my probiotic and 2 colostrum capsules. Lemons (of all the non-dark leafy greens)- just like pineapple- leave a highly alkalizing residue in the body once it is digested. It is also a natural disinfectant, can heal wounds, and provides potent and immediate relief for hyperacidity and virus-related conditions, as well as coughs, colds, flu and heartburn. Lemon also works to energize the liver and promote detoxification (source: Natural News).

Juice and Drink Your Greens

Next I juice greens taken from the “Highly Alkaline” list. Most of these greens are dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard, celery, cucumber, parsley) with ginger and lemon. Consumed about 1 hour after the lemon water and probiotics, this will reset your system and put your body in an alkaline state.

Eat Raw or Lightly Steamed Greens

I eat raw or lightly steamed cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or other leafy greens and eat that (2 times per day) with sea vegetables and sea weed and extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil. I sprout quinoa and have that on the side with sauerkraut if I need additional carbohydrates.

The dark leafy greens are known for its rich vitamin K and folate content. They are packed with phytochemicals and micronutrients, essential vitamins, minerals, and powerhouses to key antioxidants that boost immunity and fiber for colon health and for optimal digestion health.

Add Garlic and Cayenne Peppers

If you are feeling a little taxed and need additional pick-me-up and immunity boosting, add garlic (it promotes cardiovascular and immune health by lowering blood pressure, cleansing the liver and fighting off disease) and cayenne peppers (capsicum), a great endocrine normalizing food. It has great antibacterial properties, is rich in vitamin A and is a helpful agent in fighting off the harmful free radicals that lead to stress and illness.

Optimal Nutrition and Healing Habits: What to Eat Post Surgery or Hospital Stay

An article from the Human Nutrition, Applied Nutrition Journal and US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reported that individuals/patients on a surgical, a medical, an accident service and an elective orthopedic ward were...

...given foods that reflected a very low daily intake of iron and vitamins as compared to those recommended for healthy adults.

When I worked in hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Florida and in California, I noticed that people recovering from major surgery, those battling cancer, patients that were recovering from pneumonia and those in hospital beds for chronic illnesses were given white bread, canned (saturated with sodium) soups and canned (marinated in sugar water) fruits, and Jell-O.

I questioned many times to myself and to the dietary staff, as well as hospital/rehabilitation management how people (most of them seniors) were supposed to recuperate when we are feeding them junk food that was essentially “dead”?

I was never given more of an answer except, “these foods are easiest to digest” and “the patients chose them.”

After working many years in the healthcare industry, I did discover a spin to the marketing aspect of what management would tell to family members thinking about placing their loved ones in centers or a hospital of their choice.

They would use fancier words to dress up regular old dishes. Menus would be written in fancier fonts. And now patients, re-labeled “guests” would have options to what they were given to eat.

I had many opportunities to visit the kitchens of hospitals and rehabilitation centers and look at the ingredients of these upgraded foods. Just as I thought, however.

Even in the private pay, best of the best centers, most foods were still chock full of hydrogenated oils, trans fats, high fructose syrups, MSG and sodium.

Even the simple crackers and jam fruit spreads had these ingredients.

Forget even asking for organic and seasonally fresh produce. I found it sad that the most important ingredient in our functional and overall health, nutrition, was still lacking in so many aspects and no one questions it enough to make true change.

I later found out that when budgets are cut from hospitals and rehabilitation centers, be it public and insurance accepted or private/self-pay, the dietary department suffers.

✧ Prime cuts of meat are no longer available.
✧ Margarine will substitute for real butter.
✧ Herb and mixed green salads will now be iceberg lettuce.

Here’s to your health! Eat up.

I am not the only one that feels this way, even though my opinions and experience are voiced in this article.

Chef Marcus Guiliano, a “chef on a mission” talks about how unhealthy hospital foods really are. You can access his YouTube video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR1plZZpNSw.

Three characteristics best determined the satisfaction of the hospital/rehabilitation consumer/patient when it came to food

According to an article published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association (1990)

1. taste
2. the temperature of the food at the time of consumption
3. presentation

There is very little regarding the nutrition of the food and how certain foods will aid in body recovery.

Is food nutrition not elementary enough for people to realize that we are exactly what we eat and that eating processed white foods with corn syrup and Trans fats will not optimize the well being of the not-so-well?

Though many resources suggest eating whole foods, whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables and lean, high-quality animal protein (which I disagree with) and drink clear liquids following surgery and cancer surgery recovery, most of these resources fail to mention the supplements to such “clean” eating.

The following are my suggestions for people in the hospital and recovering from most types of illness or hospital procedure that does not involve feeding tubes and stomach shrinking of re-routing.

Certainly, there are innumerable types of medical procedures that one could have experienced, so to be meticulous and name them all would be difficult. Take this list as a general guideline and get the flavor and gist of what I am suggesting.

While this list is not for everyone (every person should analyze and know their own tolerance, allergies, and list of current medications), following this list will aid in the body to best recover and get people on their feet again, feeling strong and whole.

Many nutritionists agree that certain amino acids seem to help wounds heal faster, and will suggest —especially after surgery, meals and snacks that include lean animal meats and proteins such as fish, chicken, eggs (especially the whites), and other great foods such as brown rice, walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

I suggest more, if not all plant based recovery foods, including blue green algae and sea vegetables. Studies suggest that vitamin C and zinc can also help you mend; drinking Emergen-c powder is a great and delicious way for our bodies to absorb the vitamin c. Stay away from commercial orange juice as your form of vitamin c. Eat the daily recommended amount of fruit and produce (5-7) per day, especially kiwi, and the assorted berries, plus don’t forget about those dark leafy greens chock full of vitamin c. As a last resort, many of the fortified breakfast cereal will contain vitamins, too (so read the labels). I suggest a trusted brand of a daily multivitamin (such as Usana, Life Extension and Premiere Labs), but choose one that delivers B12 and iron, both of which aid bone marrow in forming new blood cells and take a Vitamin D3 tablet. I suggest taking a daily dose of 2000 mcg vitamin K (blood and bone builder) and black cumin seed oil—500 mg. Finally, consider supplements of one amino acid in particular: glutamine. A Harvard Medical School review of research on glutamine indicates that people who got the amino acid intravenously after surgery spent, on average, four fewer days in the hospital. Dosages on these supplements will vary depending on your health needs. Seek out your nutritional health professional for proper intake.

There are also some nutrients that have been recommended for a speedy recovery after surgery. These include Omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel) and avocados, Omega-6 (hemp seed products, chia seeds and flax seeds), L-arginine (found in dairy products, meat, poultry and fish, as well as nuts, rice, whole-wheat, soy and raisins), L-glutamine (found in meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables), branched chain amino acids (found in meat, whey protein, egg protein and other dairy products), and nucleotides (found in organ meats such as liver and kidney, legumes and seafood). These nutrients have been found to boost the immune system, and allow for a faster recovery (Source: Oprah.com). Include a pure protein drink (iso pure is a great choice).

Here are additional tips to help with the nutritional process of healing well after your stay at the hospital or rehabilitation center:

Aside from what type of foods you are consuming during your recovery, pay attention to your food consumption by eating smaller meals. Your body needs the extra energy to heal, not expel energy digesting bid meals. Try to stay away from heavy animal protein focused meals, as well. Animal protein is difficult to digest and causes inflammation, slowing down the healing process. At most, following surgery, drink clear organic, low sodium chicken or beef broth (Vietnamese pho broth is a good example).

Add iron and mineral rich foods to your daily diet, which will assist in blood and immunity building. Examples include: green juicing green vegetables as a smoothie (kale, cucumber, parsley, spinach, mustard greens, celery lemon), spinach, blue green algae, black strap molasses, cherries, walnuts, pine nuts, red dates, sea weed, sea vegetables, black eyed peas, asparagus and chestnuts.

If you have had antibiotics in your system or are currently taking antibiotics, take a daily dose of acidophilus (probiotics), as this will help build a strong and flourishing intentional gut. Antibiotics tend to destroy the digestive and intestinal gut, and people who have had surgery tend to suffer from frequent yeast infections and have digestive problems.

Get regular sessions of acupuncture and massage. Research has shown that patients that have acupuncture and massage report less pain, more relaxation and faster healing. Try meditation and restorative yoga (once you are cleared by your medical professional to begin body moving and gentle exercise).  Take it easy and ease back into your daily routine. Don’t hesitate to ask for health and change your mind set to an optimistic and healing one. Your mind is a very strong tool that can help you heal. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

(Additional Sources: Get Living.CA)