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Monday, February 1, 2010

Great Questions on Nutrition

Q: Other than salmon, what is the best way to get omega 3 fats for our body?
A: Flax is a great way to get omega 3.  The oil is easy to use as a salad dressing.  The seeds can be put into your cereal.  If you have a dehydrator here's a quick and easy recipe for crackers.  Some of you had these at the seminar:

  1. Soak flax seeds for 8 hours minimum
  2. The seeds will produce a bit of oil and they will be pasty after soaking
  3. Add braggs aminos and fresh lemon juice to taste
  4. Place the mixture on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 105 degrees overnight.
This is a super easy recipe for a delicious snack.

Q: Are artificial sweetners such as aspartame worse or better than sugar?
A. Worse.  Our bodies are not meant to digest chemicals such as aspartame which is in artificial sweeteners and diet soda.  The word "artificial" gives the indication that nature did not intend for us to ingest it.  In the case of aspartame, its original use was for chemical warfare.  Some far superior alternatives to sugar are stevia, xylitol and agave nectar; these are all considered superfoods.

Q: Doesn't lack of iodine cause goiters?  So if we shouldn't eat iodized salt then is there a brand of iodized salt, that is good for us? (w/o the chemicals)
A: You are correct, iodine is essential for our health.  In the case of table salt, the problem is what is not in it as much as what is in it.  What is not in it are the vital minerals that are taken from it; what it does have is chlorine, sometimes sugar and other toxins.  Celtic sea salt is rich in minerals, it contains some iodine, but not significant amounts.  If you have a personal concern about getting enough iodine in your diet, you can supplement with liquid iodine or eat seaweed (e.g. kelp) or fish once a week.  We personally like to have raw kelp noodles with a pesto sauce once a week.  You can learn more specifics on iodine here: http://www.healthyeatingclub.com/info/articles/Minerals/iodine.htm


Q: Is sprouted bread good for you?
A: If you absolutely must have bread, sprouted flourless bread is much better than regular wheat bread. The reason why sprouted bread is better is because the sprouted grains and legumes used for the bread contain more minerals and vitamins as they become alive in the sprouting process.  Many sprouted breads are made from organically grown grains which is really the best.  For the purposes of the detox, we recommend that all breads are eliminted; we personally chose to permanently eliminate all breads out of our diet because all the nutrition we get comes from the fruits, vegetables and superfoods we consume.  We sometimes make raw bread which takes care of our need for a heftier meal.

Q: Are steel cut oats good for you?
A: Yes, they are better for you than instant oats or boxed cereal.  Instant oats have their nutrition stripped from them in the processing and flavored instant aotmeal contains lots of sugar and sodium.  Steel cut outs take a little longer to cook, but they are better nutritiously.  They are also very versatile, you can have them with just about any kind of fruit, agave nectar or xylitol for a sweet flavoring, nuts, dates or raisins.

Q: Why no dairy?  If so, what kind?
A: For the purposes of the detox, it is essential that all animal products be eliminated from a diet.  We personally have not found any dairy products that are essential for daily nutrition.  Much of the dairy products available come from animals that have been treated with hormones and antibiotics which in turn end up in the products people consume; those are toxins that the body sometimes holds onto for months or years.  This can lead to serious health problems.

Q:  How effective are liquid iron supplements?
A: Very effective.

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