Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous lifestyle,
Or to take nutrition against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them.
Okay, I know I’ve taken liberties with the bard, but only to poetically make a point. And the point boils down to this: the quality of our life is directly related to our health, well-being and emotional states. The fact is, none of us are getting out of here alive; but surely it’s worth enjoying our allotted time on this amazing planet with optimal health and happiness as far as possible?
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We can only live life to the full and reach our potential when we have the vim, vigour and vitality to pursue the work, past-times and relationships that give us fulfilment, meaning and enjoyment.
There is a traditional wisdom which tells us, a person with health has many goals, but the person without health has only one.
I also love these Chinese sayings about health: ‘If you wish to live long, take a walk after the meal’, and ‘the disease comes through the mouth. We have to pay attention to what we eat. To be healthy, we have to eat healthy and clean food’.
This may sound like a strange question, but if your body was a car, what car would it be? Would you want it to have sleek bodywork, shiny chrome and a finely tuned engine?
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How often would you service it?
Just like a car our body requires fuel, and the quality of the fuel, (our nutrition), and general care, (our lifestyle), determines to a large extent how long it will last and how well it performs. But unlike a car, our body cannot be replaced, only certain ‘parts’.
Your body is a miracle, a one of a kind factory original with unique specifications, never to be repeated. It is the sacred vehicle that powers the soul through physical experience.
Many of us would not think twice about regularly servicing our vehicle to make sure it is legal and safe to drive. We risk our own lives and others if we don’t. We give it an overhaul when it has seen a few miles to combat wear and tear and clear out stale spark plugs and change the oil.
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How about clearing your arteries? How about reviving, replenishing and resetting your gut microbiome? If you clean an engine why not lift brain fog, why not put a bounce back in your step?
Would you let your car sit in the driveway gathering dust, or leave the lights on permanently to run the battery down? Perhaps you’d just ignore a puncture or faulty circuit?
Yet that is exactly what many of us do with our health!
We can struggle to take the time to recharge batteries, put in the best oil to lubricate the engine and keep it running in tip-top condition. We forget to top up water levels. We assume that swollen achy joints and stiffening limbs, digestive issues and the like can fixed by a few pills from the doctor. From what I’ve seen, the majority of drugs supress the body’s natural healing ability and produce unwanted side effects.
Remember Hippocrates, who stated: “Whenever a doctor cannot do good, he must be kept from doing harm.” He also said that natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.
And when the body has enough potent nutrition it’s remarkable what it can do. We underestimate the power of the mind, but the placebo effect proves our mind can be a great ally in our overall wellbeing.
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There is much we can do to avoid such scenarios, and in the process lessen the burden on the NHS, which is in a politically induced crisis. Our beloved NHS spends a million pounds per hour in the fight against Type 2 Diabetes, a largely preventable disease.
If you have diabetes you are four times more likely to develop Alzheimers according to Dr. David Perlmutter. Many of these issues were highlighted in his Broken Brain series.
Western diets are designed for taste buds, convenience and profit, not for health.
You’ve likely heard the phrase you are what you eat, but you are what you assimilate or absorb. If you have leaky gut or are in insulin resistance, the chances are you won’t be absorbing anything like the nutrients your body could from fruit and vegetables.
Just like a dimmer switch, certain foods can switch genes on or off, down regulate or up regulate.
Metabolic dysfunction, the process behind obesity, diabetes, immune disorders, heart disease, and digestive issues, is surely the biggest threat to global health other than climate change.
Refined carbohydrates and processed/packaged foods contain excess sugar, additives, salt and trans-fats.
Typical Western diets mean we are overfed yet undernourished, literally digging an early grave with our teeth. Food companies (much like the tobacco industry) engineer their processed products to be addictive. They don’t care about whether their ‘products’ are made from real, nourishing food, only that it makes them a profit.
When the wrong foods upset the delicate balance of our gut microbiome and cause dysbiosis, the bad bacteria get a foothold and we find ourselves craving refined carbs; breads, pasta, cakes, cookies, milk chocolate, sugar and salt.
In my not too distant past when I worked in the corporate world, I often worked late and was tired, and many a night couldn’t be bothered to cook fresh ingredients just for myself.
A typical day for a professional might be:
Corn flakes or croissant for breakfast, or maybe just a coffee, followed by a sandwich, crisps, muffin, maybe an apple and sugary drink for lunch, and if tired after a long day at work (probably sitting for long periods), cook an oven ready meal with 1 or 2 vegetables. Some might be also adding alcohol with every evening meal.
It’s not a recipe for long term health and wellbeing.
WHY SUPPLEMENT?
Supermarkets irradiate their fruit and veg so that it lasts longer. An organic carrot purchased from a farm shop will probably go droopy quicker than one bought in a supermarket, but it will likely contain more nutrition. Food is picked too early before ripening and kept in cold storage for months at a time for commercial considerations.
An apple in cold storage will lose 50% of its nutrients for every month that it’s stored. Fruits are treated with hormones to make them bigger. Our food chain is being altered for the worse; more sugar is added, fibre is removed, and there are less polyphenols. There is no concern for nutrient density. How corn was grown in the wild one thousand years ago is very different from today.
Image by Christophe Maartens on Unsplash
Nowadays we have to contend with extra starch. Don’t even get me started on HFCS (high fructose corn syrup)!!
Farming methods have changed radically in just a hundred years in line with population growth. Fallow fields are a thing of the past, and over-farming, soil depletion, decline in bio-diversity and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is robbing our food of vital minerals and vitamins.
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In 2014 a study by Sheffield University predicted that, on average, UK farm soils were capable of only 100 more harvests. This is sobering news.
Even healthy diets are less effective than they were just a decade ago due to intensive agriculture. You might have to eat 5-10 carrots to get the same nutrition that you would have got from one a decade ago.
It’s hardly surprising that illness is so prevalent with statistics like these: an average of 34.4% of the population aged 15 years and over do not consume any fruits or vegetables in a day. Only 51.4% of the general population eat 1-4 portions of fruit and vegetables in a day.
Five portions of fruit and veg a day is good for you, but 10 is much better and could prevent up to 7.8 million premature deaths worldwide every year, say scientists.
The findings of the study led by Imperial College London may dismay the two in three adults who struggle to manage three or four portions – perhaps some tomatoes in a sandwich at lunchtime, an apple and a few spoonfuls of peas at dinner.
However, a daily intake of even 200g, or two and a half standard 80g portions, is associated with a 16% reduced risk of heart disease, an 18% reduced risk of stroke, a 13% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, 4% reduced risk of cancer and a 15% reduction in the risk of premature death.
But the study suggests we should be piling up platefuls of vegetables and raiding the fruit bowl every day if we want the best chance of avoiding chronic diseases or an early death.
Epigenetics: The science of Human Empowerment
Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. Our genetic blueprint is fixed for life, but how our blueprint manifests is not.
The body’s superstructure is constantly under revision based on how you live your life; what’s known as gene expression.
Epi comes from the Greek meaning above, and according to Dr. Bruce Lipton, this fits the scientific discovery that there is control above the genes. We may have inherited certain genes from our parents, but epigenetics shows us that it’s environmental signals that control biology.
This means that we are not victims, we can influence the way our genes express themselves.
Our genes are physical blueprints to make proteins, the primal element of life, and there are around 150,000 proteins in the human body. ‘Protein’ hails from the Latin for ‘primary particle’.
When we are born our metabolic systems are in perfect balance, but diet, lifestyle and environment affect our genes on a daily basis. Dr. Bruce Lipton asserts that our genes do not control our biology, but that WE control our genes with consciousness and life experiences.
Image by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash
This is good news, as it means we can affect what signals reach our genes by our mindset and lifestyle.
Genetics loads the gun – a person’s inherited predisposition to specific diseases or conditions – but diet and lifestyle determines if the trigger is pulled.
What we eat and drink, how we exercise, the air we breathe, the stress we endure are all things within our control to a large degree.
I explained about the Human Genome Project and the Human Microbiome Project in my post: What You Need to Know about the Most Influential Organ in Your Body.
Earth’s 3 billion year old genetic legacy is present inside each of us, here and now. Much of the original ‘genetic stuff’ is still propagating inside the cells of your body. DNA is responsive to everything that happens in our lives.
The Hadza Tribe of Tanzania are the last known hunter gatherer society left on earth, and because their diet is varied and natural they have incredibly diverse and healthy microbiomes. A hunter gatherer lifestyle is not possible in western society, but we can aim to consume more diverse unprocessed foods and consider lifestyle factors.
Each of us is incredibly fortunate that our bodies can run automatically with almost total perfection for decades at a time. But unless we participate in our own well-being, sending conscious messages to our own genes, by our intentions and actions, running on automatic isn’t enough.
Radical well-being requires conscious choices. When you make the right choices your genes will co-operate with whatever you want. We are the captain of the ship of our own genetic expression.
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Let’s face it, none of us are getting out of here alive, but the goal is to live as old and young as possible. It’s about quality of life.
Elite Health can be achieved by being proactive in our attitude and habits relating to our well-being. As an elite health coach my aim to help people reach their optimal health; where age does not dictate ability.
Nutrition is a major aspect of epigenetics. As we age our nutritional needs change, our bodies don’t absorb vitamin B12 as well, we are often deficient in Magnesium, dubbed the ‘Master Mineral’ because it is required in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body.
Our cardiovascular system starts to deteriorate at around age 25, stiffening by 1% cumulatively every year, and over the years our blood vessels produce less and less Nitric Oxide so our arteries gather plaque. Then our circulation gets sluggish and we don’t get all the oxygen and nutrients we should.
Gut health has been little understood until recently, and it’s all about eating to feed the microbiome, your constantly changing gut garden.
A wonderful interview with Dr. David Perlmutter that discusses how diet affects your DNA:
Advanced nutraceuticals by Synergy Worldwide
I was fortunate to learn about Synergy’s supplements a few years ago, and they have had a massively positive impact on my life. I say that without a hint of hyperbole – they have been literally life changing.
I have never come across a company that is so dedicated to efficacy, quality, sustainability and research on the most pressing health challenges of our time. They display integrity at every level of their operation. Synergy Worldwide are the only nutritional company on the Forbes 100 list of America’s most trustworthy companies.
Synergy and their parent company, Nature’s Sunshine Products, have garnered quite a few accolades:
- Forbes: “Top 100 Best Companies” where the company is described as being a ‘model of openness and integrity’. (It is the only supplement company to be listed).
- Nutritional Outlook: “Number 1 Nutraceutical Manufacturer in the U.S.”
- Business Ethics: “4th Most Ethical Company”
- Wall Street Journal: “6th Best Direct Selling Opportunity”
- Dunn & Bradstreet: 8th in “Top 100 Hottest Growing Businesses”
- Named as one of the healthiest companies by Interactive health and given The Healthiest Company Award for 8 years in a row. (A USA reward).
- Proargi9+ for the 4th year running has been listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference where it states that it is ‘the highest quality l’arginine supplement in the world’
Synergy produce their nutraceuticals at the multi-million dollar facility The Hughes Center for Research and Innovation, one of the most advanced manufacturing, testing and nutritional science laboratories in the world, staffed by a full-time team of 33 doctors, scientists and microbiologists.
They are the only nutritional company that I know of who regularly conduct human clinical trials. Their supplements are 100 percent botanical: pure, potent and proven.
I decided that my health was worth the investment in efficacious supplementation with products I can trust.
The 21 Day Purify Programme
An informative webinar by Kim Bradley about the gut microbiome and the Purify Programme:
The purify programme was featured on Channel 4’s How Healthy is Your Gut? documentary and also in The Guardian’s Lifestyle Supplement.
The Purify Programme can be purchased in the UK and from 27 countries around the world. Here is the Purify website link.
The power of greens!
Synergy’s latest launch is a green powerhouse – PRO 360 Wholefood Performance Greens.
I’ve been taking the new PRO 360 Wholefood Performance Greens for a few weeks weeks. I’ve noticed my fatigue has reduced, and my levels of concentration and productivity feel noticeably improved. My mood feels calmer and more centred, and my tendency to overeat has been significantly curbed. I’m pleased about this as although I eat well I do tend to eat quickly and therefore discover that I’ve eaten too much too late…
I find for me, the best time to take my PRO 360 Wholefood Performance Greens is half an hour before lunch. It sets me up for the afternoon.
A single scoop mixed with 300-500 ml of water (according to taste) provides two full servings of vegetables. The impressive ingredient list in PRO 360 is for health not taste, but to my surprise it’s the best tasting green drink I’ve ever consumed.
PRO 360 contains wholefood fibre, insoluble fibre to aid digestion, upcycled fruit fibre and polyphenols. Traditional changes in diet can take 30-60 days to make a difference in how you feel, but Synergy wanted people to feel immediate results.
They have therefore also added clinically evaluated levels of 4 different adaptogens and nootropics. The doses in PRO 360 are equivalent to those in clinical trials: 400mg of Schisandra to have a mood boosting effect, as well as reducing fatigue and a feeling of satiety. The effect of the adaptogens lasts for up to eight hours.
It has half the daily serving of Choline, which is critically important for nerve function and energy. Overall PRO 360 Wholefood Performance Greens has been formulated to improve metabolic health, help with weight management and to make you feel more relaxed and balanced. The effect of taking the drink regularly has cumulative benefits.
This is easy and convenient nutrition that will will the gaps in your nutritional intake. It can also be blended into a smoothie to ensure nutrition for younger, fussy eaters.
It can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start with your diet, so I would recommend taking my online health check questionnaire, which will give you a snapshot of your health and highlight the most important areas to focus on.
The main factors involved in wellbeing are diet, exercise, sleep and emotional/mental states. Mind, body and spirit are inseparable when it comes to our health…
Image by David Clode on Unsplash
Diet is a good place to start, and as Dr David R Hawkins used to say, it is the higher Self with a capital S that reminds us to take our vitamins!
“The road to health is paved with good intestines!”
Sherry A. Rogers
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