A co-worker brought it to my attention the other day that I haven’t talked about coconut water….I totally thought that I had because I LOVE IT!!!  So first of all, it is a low carb beverage, 99% fat free, and low in sugar, and it has, basically, the same electrolyte balance as our body, so it is an excellent choice for rehydration after a long night out of consuming adult beverages, or after a workout.  Also, it is more nutritious for you than drinking a glass of whole milk (for vitamins and electrolytes) but waaay less fat and no cholesterol.

Let me break it down here:  Coconut water contains more potassium (515mg) than most “sports” drinks (117mg), less sugars (5mg) as opposed to 10-25mg of sugar in standard sports drinks, and lower sodium (25-30mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg.  And, the sugars that are contained in coconut water are not added sugars so it is fructose from the coconut itself, a totally natural source.  Also, only 45 calories per serving!!

Because it is isotonic and mimics the bodies natural fluids electrolyte balance, people report feeling much more refreshed after drinking coconut water than they do drinking water or even energy drinks!!  Truly, sometimes when you feel tired or are dragging, the issue can be low blood sugar or dehydration (apart from the obvious stress, lack of sleep, multi-tasking, just really living!!) and that makes coconut water an ideal choice to make you feel better and give you a little hop in your step!

Also, people who have urinary problems, such as kidney stones and urinary frequency, have reported to have fewer stones and less urgency- significant enough to make coconut water a staple of their diets.  Although, it is not really known why, coconut water actually helps to break up kidney stones!!  Another little interesting use of coconut water, is that if it is taken with a teaspoon of olive oil, it can kill intestinal worms (parasites); so remember that on your next trip to a third world country!!  Apparently, during WWII and during various emergencies in 3rd world countries, people have been saved through using intravenous infusions of  coconut water, because it is so much like blood plasma, which I find fascinating!

Coconut water contains monolaurin which is an antibacterial/antiviral which can kill lipid (fat) coated viruses.  Now, whilst an interesting fact, I wouldn’t trust it completely as a cure all for all bacterial infections you may have!  But, I do think it can help with common colds, as a great way to re-hydrate with a fever, etc.  Also, it can help to prevent vomiting, so if you do have a virus that causes nausea and vomiting, it is a helpful beverage because it settles the stomach and helps to replace lost fluids.

Now, all this being said….the only coconut water I can drink is the Vitacoco that is coconut water with pineapple, they also have 100% pure coconut water, and they have it flavored with acai and pomegranate, peach and mango, and tangerine.  It can be hard to find that specific brand, and you all night like other brands, so give them a try, but please read labels! Vitacoco is 100% pure coconut water with other natural fruit juices added, and a brand that I trust.  They sell at Whole Foods, Shaw’s, The Fresh Market, and other places, just check the website out!  And, let me know if you find other brands that are super tasty and natural too!!

Yours in Good Health
B

I got this amazing facial this week, and the best part was that every little bit of the facial smelled so good I wanted to eat it, and basically you can!  (well, I kid, you shouldn’t eat it but…) all of the products used were June Jacobs who creates products free of parabens, preservatives, synthetic dyes, sulfates, and fragrance.  All of her products are teeming with antioxidants to battle free radicals in your skin from red, white, and green tea extracts, pomegranates, grape seed extracts, and goji berries, all the prevent the premature signs of aging.   Her collection is created with botanicals that are hydrosols which basically distills things to their purest forms, and allows for them to be easily absorbed by your skin and it has a very low risk of irritation (for people with sensitive skin, this line is perfect….it is ALL for sensitive skin!!)

I am so bonkers about reading every label of anything that I want to put into my body, and I usually am just as nuts about my face as well, seeing as you absorb the ingredients, but I realized during my facial that I’m not as stringent with my skin care product choices as I have been.  I do use products that are full of green tea, algae, and antioxidants, BUT my skin walking out out that day was AMAZING!  I have never used products that made my face immediately look so good.  I think it took a couple of years off of my skin, I am not kidding you guys, I was amazed….and normally I’m not someone who is easily swayed with products!!

Her website is June Jacobs and check out her current Special Offers, which totally makes it worth a try!  The cranberry cleanser and green tea and cucumber toner were amazing, but the product that was most amazing was the perfect pumpkin peeling enzyme mask; honestly it smelled like fresh pumpkin (like none of those “spices” of pumpkin from a can) and I could feel it tingling, in a good light (not burning way) and when my esthetician washed it off and then toned and moisturized, I am not kidding you….I had a new face!  I am going to buy some new products today, and maybe put up a tent by the mailbox until they come!!

With every order you get a couple of free samples, so give it a try and it will change your skin care regime forever, not just because they smell out of this world (they actually make me hungry!) but because they actually ARE good for you, they have none of the additives that many over the counter products have that have been shown to cause skin mutations in long term use, and the products are all natural; you can’t go wrong.  Also, her SPF is a physical sunblock which means it is a clear zinc oxide; it is light and grease free (truly) and doesn’t feel like you have anything on.  the zinc literally blocks the sun from getting into your skin and causing damage; I have been using it everyday and there have been no clogged pores or break outs (which can happen with sun blocks) and she has a tinted one too!!

Yours in Good Health

B

I was randomly introduced to a product that came out a couple of years ago, while in my local liquor store; it is kind of a cool place because they sell primarily alcohol, wine, beer that is organic, and the proprietor is amazing and gets to know you and what you like so he is always testing new products on you! The other day when I was in there, there was a rep  for a mixer company making different cocktails like bloody mary’s, margaritas, etc. I was all about getting a bottle of wine for dinner and running out of there, but the owner told me that if I missed out on this bloody mary, I would always regret it…so of course I obliged!  And it was amazing!  I bought two bottles and I am not looking back!

I know that I touted the horridness of artificial sweeteners a couple of weeks ago and I suggested stevia and agave nectar as alternatives, but I have received a bunch of emails asking about these alternatives and if they are healthy for you.  So, I wanted to discuss them with you…mostly because stevia was a bit controversial in the past!

Agave nectar is a sweetener mostly produced from the Blue Agave plant which is primarily grown in Mexico.  It is a thinner consistency than honey, but much sweeter!  The nectar is sweet because of its level of fructose, the sugars naturally found in fruits and veg,(usually 98%), and a small amount of glucose too (2%).  Because of the high amount of fructose, and it is sweet, your body secretes a lot of insulin in response to the sweetener, although it has a much lower glycemic index level than standard sugar, diabetics should check their blood sugars frequently after eating this for the first few times to see how your body responds.  The cool thing is that despite it being a liquid, agave can be substituted for honey for sugar in recipes, and it is a great sweetener for iced teas or coffees because it dissolves easily.  Also it is made at a temperature less than 118F so, it is considered a treat for raw foodies AND vegan friendly (some raw foodies claim that is is cooked at a higher temp thus making it not truly a raw food, FYI).   Ancient Aztecs used it as a balm for wounds and healing skin and many holistic healers still use it to this day (I cannot speak to the fact that slathering agave on an open wound will help it heal, seeing as that goes against most modern science beliefs- but if it worked for the ancient people, who am I??) I must say, there is some science behind the fact that it is an effective antibacterial for the bug staph aureus.  So, whist it is a sweetener and a lower glycemic index than table sugar, it is concentrated fructose, so you won’t have a sugar rush, but just be aware that sugars are sugars no matter where they come from!!

Onto Stevia, so stevia is a flowering shrub in the sunflower family that is grown in tropical and subtropical areas in North and South America.  It is also a sugar substitute that has 300 times the sweetness of sugar (in high concentrations it can taste like licorice…I have never experienced that).  It really doesn’t boost blood sugar levels, so it is pretty good for dieters and diabetics (although diabetics, I always suggest frequent monitoring of blood sugars when eating a new food or changing your diet, just to be safe and see how your body reacts).  Actually research is currently being done to look at the use of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure, and the results thus far are promising. There is other research being done to look at its use in prevention for osteoporosis (it makes egg shells stronger, so it is added to chicken feed in many farms) but it is very early in research right now. It has been used widely as a sweetener in Japan for years, but some countries do not allow its use, and the US only accepted stevia as a supplement in the ’90’s despite it being around for ages!   Japanese scientists started studying it as an alternative to saccharin because it is considered a carcinogen there.  Traditionally, in South America, stevia was used by various tribes as a treatment for heartburn.  There was a study in the late 1980’s that stated the breakdown of stevia in the liver was detrimental to health and caused mutagens (something that can cause mutations in DNA/cell structures), but that study was weak and has been disproved by a plethora of other research, thus as of 1994 it was allowed as a supplement in the US and then the FDA gave full approval in 2008 for Truvia (brand name for stevia product).  It can also be used as a substitute for sugar in baking/cooking.

As, I always say, everything in moderation is key BUT both are adequate substitutions for sugar. I tend to use stevia more because there are health benefits from its ingestion, BUT agave, I find, is easier to bake with!  Give them a try, let me know what you think….epsecially if you usually are a chemical sweetener type of person!!

Yours in Good Health
B

I have received a bunch of emails asking about shark cartilage in the prevention of cancer.  In all honesty, before receiving your emails, I had never even heard of this!  Apparently, the popular theory is that sharks don’t get cancer, so eating shark and taking supplements must prevent/cure cancer.  That is the theory, and it has been tested numerous times with pretty poor results.

It has been shown, in a couple of small studies that shark cartilage inhibits angiogenesis, in that it prohibits the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow.  All of the studies that were double blinded (people didn’t know if they were getting shark cartilage or placebo and the scientists leading the tests didn’t know either until after the study was finished) showed basically NO difference in the progression of cancer or patients outcomes.  They studied the effects on all various types of cancer, lung, liver, breast, testicular, etc.  Actually, due to the high amount of calcium in the cartilage, people had really high calcium levels (like to a bad point), abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, constipation, and exceptional weakness when they took these supplements.

So, whilst I appreciate that people are trying to “think outside the box” in the prevention and treatment of cancer, this is one theory that, ironically, doesn’t hold much water!  Keep living healthy, and science will find a way to kick cancers butt….it just unfortunately is taking more time than we would hope!

Yours in Good Health
B

 I have always felt that it is important to have a positive outlook on life and your situation, as it can help you to pull through the tough times, and using humor and positivity can get you really far in life, especially during times of illness and stress.  It will lighten the mood with family and friends who don’t know how to react or what to say, and it helps everyone feel more comfortable.

There was a recent study looking at women undergoing cancer treatments, their outlooks on life, and their outcomes.  Mainly they were dealing with women, of varying ages, with breast cancer, all throughout their courses of treatment.  It was found that patients with low hope, high psychological stress levels, and poor health status was related to lower satisfaction with life.  Even in patients who ended up having better outcomes, their perception of low hope and high stress, was detrimental to their life satisfaction after treatment.  Really it means that people who act like Debbie Downers, and react that way during their entire treatment course, tend to feel that way about their entire life, even after they are cancer free!

On the other hand, they found that people who noted themselves as having moderate to high stress, but high levels of hope, tended to think that their health status was higher than it may have been, and they had better experiences during their treatments, and more positive satisfaction with their lives.  Basically, hope is an important factor for all oncology patients and is so important because it effects their quality of life in a positive way.  

I know that it isn’t easy sometimes to be super positive with people that you know have cancer, and it is even harder if they are really negative (and trust me, I understand that it is hard to be happy about cancer!!) but it is so important to be positive and help others be positive about their lives and their health.  Positivity really can have a long lasting impact on peoples lives and make their treatment and recovery so much better for them, and for you.  What many people forget is that illnesses don’t just effect one person, it touches their friends and families and  has a huge impact on them as well.  I am not telling you all to be unrealistic with family members, but talk about happy memories, go on small adventures, visit new places (on small day trips), cook their favorite meal, make the most of the time when your family member/friend feels well, and make new happy memories that they can think about during the tough times; it will make the tough times easier, and the good times so much more precious.

Not only is making lemonade out of lemons fun, but it can have an amazing effect on peoples recovery.  I know that there are totally appropriate times to cry and be sad, but it isn’t OK to let people stay like that.  Let’s get happy….it’s contagious!!

Yours in Good Health
B

Oysters are one of my most favorite summer eats!  sometimes, and I know this is a bit decadent, but when I am at my mothers beach house, after my morning workout I will go to the fishmonger and get 6 oysters shucked and have them for lunch.  My mom always makes fun of me for doing this, but I find them just so yummy- although I can’t eat them cooked, only raw, and just with a squeeze of lemon.  SO GOOD!

I found out some interesting and healthy facts about my favorite seafood treat that I wanted to share.
No longer do we have to follow the rule that we can’t eat oysters during “R” months (which really opens up a bunch of months for oyster munching!)
 Wild oysters in California are actually under threat because of invasive creatures like Atlantic coast crabs and snails and European green crabs, which means that it is the exception to the rule, but actually farm raised oysters are better to eat than wild!  Oyster farms actually improve the quality of oceans and bays that they are present in; they oysters feed on particulate that would otherwise pollute the water.
Also, it is true that they really ARE an aphrodisiac, for men in particular, because they are really high in zinc (which is a mineral most Americans are deficient in).  Zinc is a key mineral for sexual health in men (a deficiency can lead to impotence)- so ladies, if you want to get your man in the mood, get some raw oysters in him!!
And finally, because the shells are so high in calcium, they are really good for gardens and compost piles.  They help to regulate the pH balance of your soil (for those of you who like hydrangeas, this can help change them from blue to purple)

Nutritional facts:
They are really a one stop shop for food!  They have protein, fat, and carbs in each oyster, and are actually touted by the National Lung and Heart Institute as  a low cholesterol food.  They are also an excellent source of Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C (ascorbic acid), and D (calciferol).  Also eating 5 oysters supply your daily need of iron, zinc,  copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, manganese, and phosphorous.

FYI, if you have liver disease, cancer, or any immune depression you should opt not to eat raw foods, because of the risk of bacteria and infection.  But as long as you eat fresh raw oysters and know the source from a clean place, you should eat up!!

Yours in Good Health
B

We all know that we are supposed to drink roughly 2 liters of water a day, but do you know why and how beneficial it is to your body?  Do you know how much you actually are supposed to take in a day?  Read on, my faithful blog-readers and all your water questions shall be answered!!

Why is water so good for me?
Well, for starters roughly 2/3 of your body consists of water: blood is 83% water, brain is 90%, bones have 20%, and muscles are around 75% water- that is a LOT of water!!  Water helps with various functions in the body: gives moisture to the air in your lungs, transports nutrients and oxygen into the cells, aids in metabolism, protects vital organs, helps to regulate body temperature, and detoxifies the body.

Water can help you lose weight because it flushes the body and allows the body to flush out by-products of fat metabolism and it can be filling with zero calories.

It can help relieve headaches and some muscle pains/strains that are due to dehydration.

Water helps to replenish skin cells of the face and it helps you to actually look younger by increasing elasticity and boosting moisture

It can help you workout better because your body will auto-regulate temperature better so you will sweat out toxins, and feel better while doing it

Water actually helps with digestion and can stave off constipation- we all know that fiber is great for pooping, but it only works when you are adequately hydrated with water, and the water can help to boost the metabolism by giving it something to absorb throughout the day and keep it constantly working

Keeping hydrated helps to prevent a kidney and bladder stones by keeping the kidneys hydrated and constantly working and flushing out calcium and other electrolytes/minerals that can cause stones.  Also, by keeping your body hydrated you keep your immune system in tip top shape!

Because it helps to flush the body and get rid of toxins, drinking your daily amount of water can actually increase your energy level; your body works more efficiently, and that can also boost your mood!

How much should I actually be drinking?
Most MD’s give the general rule, that most people know, is 8 8oz glasses (which is 2 liters).  The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink 3 Liters of water a day (or 13 8oz glasses) and that women should take in 2.2 Liters (or 9 8oz glasses). But you need to remember that we lost water through breathing, sweating, urinating, and bowel movements.  So, on a day of heavy exercise, or when you are sick (vomiting/diarrhea), etc. you will need to replace your body with even more water.  Also, fruits and vegetables have high water content, so you ladies can get away with drinking only two liters if you have a high fruit/veg day!!

What “counts” as water?
Obviously water is best because it is what your body needs and it is calorie free BUT I know that we need to drink other things sometimes (I actually jazz up my water by adding a slice of lemon or I will put a jug of water in the fridge and add a few cucumber slices to give it a little flavor and refreshing!)  You can also drink milk, herbal teas,  fruit juices, soda, coffee/teas, and electrolyte drinks (vitamin water, gatorade, etc.) all “count” towards your daily fluid intake but anything with sugar in it will add to your daily calorie intake.  Vitamin water zero is sweetened with stevia (a natural extract from the sunflower family that has 300 times the sweetness of sugar but no calories).  So, try to mainly take in water as your hydration source but you can drink other beverages as well to keep your body hydrated.  Also, there is no science behind it, but my body feels so much better when I keep super hydrated with water all day (hence why I find ways to flavor it because I drink so much!)

For those of you who are already avid water drinkers, rock on and keep on keepin’ on!  And for those of you who “don’t like the taste” etc of water, try adding lemon, drink sparkling water with lemon- it almost seems like soda! Or add some cucumber slices- it makes me feel like I am in a spa (which I love).  Try different things to start breaking the soda/juice habit and just start slowly but increase your daily water intake and I promise you will feel so much better and you may notice the change around your waistline too!!

Yours in Good Health