If we aren't taught that then is must not be true......???

So I was reading something interesting recently that really got me thinking. A doctor was saying that while in school, he was never taught about foods that prevent sickness and disease but simply about medicines that fight to cure  these ailments after they have already set in. Since I have been studying the prevention of cancer I found this so unbelievably interesting. I find it very odd that Doctors, people who are so highly recognized as the elite in intelligence and education, who study the internal body to see how our insides work have not been educated on the importance of certain foods that fight off deadly diseases such as cancer. Is a a plot to protect a multi-billion dollar drug industry? Or, could it be the fact that in our busy Westernized world we choose to temporarily mask things by pill form or in the case of cancer, by radioactive waves being sent through our bodies, poisoning us? Why are doctors not  highly trained in the proper form of nutrition and healthy eating, the most important thing we do to our bodies on a DAILY basis. We are taught that when we develop cancer then there are different medications and different treatments we can take to try to fight it off. We never think about the fact that there just might be a natural way to feed our bodies and use foods to fight off the cancerous cells our body has produced. If we go back to where I talk about the Eastern world, their lifespans are longer and cancer is not the threat as it is in our society and many of the foods they eat come from grains and roots of the earth unlike the processed frozen foods and fast foods we eat on the run to fulfill our busy life styles. Call me crazy but I think I would chose to try the preventative method and maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods and avoid having my body exposed to radiation.

Please note that I cannot tell you that this will absolutely prevent you from developing cancer but I think it's a chance that is worth taking;)

Cuban Food~ Continued

Hello to all! I am back after a relaxing, fun-filled and beautiful trip to Cuba. The sun was shinning, the waves were crashing and the food was well...... it was alright. If you are looking for the herbs and spices that I have mentioned in previous blogs well I suggest you move on over to another island because the only spice they use in Cuba is salt, and lots of it. If it is weight loss you are looking for than this is certainly possible in this destination land. Although the food is not inedible it certainly lacks immense flavour. I ate enough to get me through the day, my plate consisting of meat or fish( both actually naturally fresh and tasty ) along with some fresh veggies and fruit. I wish I could tell you their specialty Cuba dish but there wasn't one that was obvious to me or those around me. I heard a few people talk about a dish called Pallella (pronounced pa-ye-ya in Spanish) which I think was supposed to be filled with a mixture of rice, meat or fish along with some type of red sauce and oil. Unfortunately those who did come across this dish were very disappointed as it was dowsed in oil and they were unable to finish the meal.

So there you have it. If heading off to Cuba I will inform you now not to get overly excited about the food. As mentioned, the meat and fish are impressive if you like them just as is, with a little salt but if looking for flavours like those found throughout the Eastern world or even in other Southern countries then you are definitely in the wrong land. If looking for a safe spot to just soak up some rays, relax and enjoy the company you are with then Cuba may be for you. Hasta luego amigos. Until next time.

Cuban food~ To be continued............

So I am off to sunny Cuba for one of my best friends weddings. Congrats Shelley and Derek!!! Although it is known to be one of, if not the finest resorts in all of Veradero, I have not heard of Cuban food in general to be known for it's fine and succulent flavors. But let's face it, the food is not my main priority this week as we all need to sit back, relax and not worry about what we eat otherwise we will drive ourselves completely insane. I will still come home with an update and inform you in Cubans are in deed on track to consuming the proper foods needed for their diets. In the meantime, I have begun to read another book called the " Eat Clean diet." Thus far there are some pretty amazing facts such as "eating more is less." That grabbed my attention as I love to eat!!! I recommend you track one of these books down as it is a straight forward guide to help you get on track to better eating that won't just help you feel good but make you look good! Have a great week!

Breast and Other Anti Cancer foods~Tip #2

I am GUILTY of not writing in a while and will admit that "life" sorta got in the way but assure you that I have not stopped reading and learning new things about the foods we eat. I read something very interesting this morning in " Anti Cancer, A New Way of Life."  Research done at the University College of Medical Science in New Delhi showed that certain combinations of food can act as a synergy to protect the body from carcinogens, toxic substances present in the environment. Tested were selenium( found in organically grown cereals and vegetables as well as in fish and shellfish); magnesium ( found in spinach, nuts, hazelnuts, almonds and whole grain cereals); vitamin C (found in most fruits and vegetable); and Vitamin A (found in bright colored fruits and vegetables and eggs). On it's own, one of these components reduced the risk of breast cancer in female mice exposed to powerful carcinogens by 50% while four of these components combined reduced the risk by 90%. That's enormous!

I found this extremely interesting as they are foods that are easily available to consume on a daily basis and are great tasting! Remember, small changes to your diet can create amazing results. Start now in order to stop the risk of cancer before it even starts.

Anticancer foods~Tip #1

Referring back to Asian diets, I have been reading much about Tumeric, a root that yields a yellow powder that is the principle spice in yellow curry and have found that it is a common ingredient used in medicine for it's anti-inflammatory properties. Damaged immune cells become inflamed due to a number of reasons, one being a poor diet. When cells becomes inflamed they become vulnerable to the cancerous cells which begin to feed off their properties. Curcumin, the principle molecule found in Tumeric has the most powerful anti-inflammatory effect and inhibits the growth of dangerous cells in a large number of cancers: colon, liver, stomach, breast, ovarian, brain and leukemia. It also forces cancer cells to die through a process of cell suicide known as apoptosis. The number of cancer cases in Asian/Indian people of the world is shockingly lower compared to that of Westerners of the same age despite the much higher exposure to carcinogens in their environment.

Have a got you all thinking with Tip #1??? This is not meant to be a lecture, just to share the scary truth and hope that it may in some way open our eyes and perhaps help one or even many fight a disease that is quickly becoming the number 1 killer around the world.

On a happy note, the process is as simple as changing to a diet that is full of flavor. One little change at a time may make a huge difference in your future. Also note that much of my information comes from an amazing book called "Anti-Cancer, A New Way of Life,", by Dr David Servan-Shrieiber. A must read.

How to Eat Healthy Affordably

    During  tough economic times, we all need to find ways to cut back on the things we do in everyday life and often people do this by neglecting what is most important.....Ourselves. It is important to remember that we are what we eat therefore we must make it a priority to eat well. At YourInnerU we have come up with some ways to help you save money while still eating healthy meals:
- Refrain from buying packaged or frozen dinners; you are paying for the packaging as well as plenty of preservatives.
- Check flyers for weekly supermarket specials; you can often catch great deals on fish or chicken.
- Buy value packs of fish/chicken and wrap individually before freezing.
- When buying produce such as broccoli or asparagus, keep in tupperware containers with a little water; this will help the produce stay fresh for much longer.
- Check sale racks for produce; you can turn this into soup or vegetarian chili and won't even know the difference.
- If possible, shop at roadside produce stands; the produce is most often local and therefore less costly.
- Bake your own breads; bread machines make this very simple and there are great recipes for whole wheat bread.
- Grow your own herbs; you can find portable ones that you can set up right on your kitchen window sill.
- Grow your own garden; you need little backyard space to throw in a few bean or tomato plants.
- Invest in a good healthy eating recipe book; it is very easy to follow recipes and they are often very tasty.
- The Web is full of healthy eating recipes that are easy to find and follow; and they are free.
- Last but not least; Make healthy eating a lifestyle!
*Please remember that without your health you have nothing. It is what carries us through life and if taken care of properly will carry us through a long and happy life. Don't put your health on the back burner. Put it above all else and make it your #1 priority. We have given you some great tips to help you accomplish this so no more excuses. Go out and make it happen and start seeing and feeling the results on the inside, on the outside and in your bank account.

Take small steps towards BIG changes

Just finished another amazing morning with Annie, the girls and Pilates. Loved it!
I really want to focus today on taking small steps in your way life which will in turn create Big changes, all for the better, starting with the foods you eat. I have been reading so much in the last few months and everything I read keeps telling me the same thing, the best diets in the world, as far as healthy eating and preventative disease and sickness foods, are Asian/Indian and Mediterranean diets. And if you know any of these dishes at all it makes complete sense. Asian/Indian diets consist of a lot of fresh herbs, spices, veggies, chick peas, lentils and rice. Nothing packaged, nothing frozen just straight from the earth. Mediterranean diets consist of a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit, olive oil, fish, whole grain and regularly consume a glass of red wine while consuming all of these healthy foods, all of which (including the glass of red wine) are good for the heart. Note that there is not any snacking between meals, particularly in Asian/ Indian diets that often leads to a handful of potato chips or a cookie in our Westernized diets. I am currently researching  particular ingredients found in their healthy diets but will save those for another day. Until then I want you to think about the name of my Blog site"Your Inner U", and think about the foods we put into our bodies and how, although we can not see ourselves internally, it is deeply affecting our Inner selves. Start making small changes today by picking up an apple for a snack rather than a granola bar, have a salad as your side dish rather than french fries and bake a piece of chicken in the oven rather than throwing it in the frying pan. Also, anything you can make from scratch rather than buy packaged and frozen from the grocery store is so important. I will fill you in on that one later as well but for now just keep that strongly in mind. There are tons of recipes online so go check em out and start making those small changes today. Until next time!