Healthy Living News & Tips

I just learned about a new documentary film that exposes the truth behind the junk and processed food industry and the effect on our children. It's called 'All Jacked Up' and features interviews with both top health and nutrition experts as well as real teenagers as they share their traumatic experiences with living on junk food. Read the rest of this entry »

Not surprisingly, new research from the University of Minnesota show that consumption of red meat and soda significantly increase the risks of heart disease. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the few purely 'whole food' companies in the market today, WholeFoodFarmacy, has been granted Organic Certification on three of their popular foods, Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi and Coco Cherry Phi.

Organic certification means that all ingredients are sourced from foods that are grown naturally and free of pesticides and chemicals.

WholeFoodFarmacy is a great example of how food companies can encourage healthy living habits and provide products that support their vision. The company believes strongly in the benefits of whole foods and only supplies products that are minimally handled and contain only whole food vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and natural grains. Here's a little more directly from their mission statement:

"The ingredients to health, happiness, vitality, and longevity are no secret. Every major non-profit health organization in the world has been offering the same advice for many years. Eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, exercise on a daily basis, lose weight if you need to, don't smoke, avoid toxins, & reduce stress.

To that end, we have combined delicious, healthy foods, with convenience and affordability. Our salon quality personal care items offer superior results without the toxic chemicals.

Nothing short of a consumer based, grass roots return to healthy choices and lifestyles can steer our children, and future generations, in a healthier direction."

They plan to continue the Organic Certification of the balance of their products and provide only the best foods available.

Personally, my family enjoys the foods and many of the natural personal care products. In fact, one of their 13 day programs, the Tri-Decathlon, helped many family members, friends and readers lose excess weight, regain their health and their tastes for a more natural, whole food diet. I often recommend these programs to those looking to make an improvement in their health, be it losing weight, overcoming a health issue or just wanting to improve their diet.

The reason these foods work is because you eat only whole foods for the 7 or 13 days and your body regains its natural taste for fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and natural grains. They are conveniently packaged and the program is easy to follow (eat as much as you want!). Once you lose the 'addiction' to the Standard American Diet (SAD) of fats, clogging dairy products, heart un-healthy meats and processed and junk foods that a majority of Americans (and now becoming the world) eat, you regain your body's natural taste for what nature intended. You start eating more fresh fruits and vegetables in combination with the WholeFoodFarmacy foods and snacks. In this way, changing your habits is much easier since you are not fighting with the taste addictions (cravings) that cripple many diet efforts and makes it much easier to regain your health, your optimal weight and just feel better all around. The foods are convenient, mostly uncooked, tasty and made from all natural whole foods, nothing else.

And regardless of the fact the New Year is upon us when many of us look to make healthier choices, any time is a great time to take back your health, your body and continue a path to your best health for life. You only have one, why wait?

Visit the WholeFoodFarmacy for more information.

To your best health!

Mark Idzik

New research is now showing that eliminating processed foods from your diet, especially your children's diet, will help avoid liver disease. The disease, normally found in adults, has started to be found in children as young as 5-7 years old.

A research study at Children's Hospital Boston showed that eating processed, high glycemic foods created livers with high fat content (double the normal levels), high blood fat and overall higher body fat.

Examples of processed, high glycemic foods include white rice, foods with white flour as well as processed grains. Most snacks, candy bars, baked goods, pastas... most anything sold in a box or pre-prepared in a restaurant, grocery store or factory is a processed food. Low glycemic unprocessed foods include fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and natural whole grains.

The study results recommend concentrating on a diet of low glycemic foods to avoid liver disease, obesity and all of the side effects.

Since this disease in children is hard to detect, it's considered a 'silent killer' and the effects of liver disease may not show until the children grow up when it may be too late.

Many people consider switching to unprocessed foods an inconvenience. The inconvenience unfortunately will lead to poor health and disease, lower quality of life and eventually a shorter life span... all in the name of convenience. What is your health worth? What do you have in life without your health?

And our children will suffer most. Being a good example is the best way to show them how to eat a proper and healthy diet and can change their lives. Watching shows like "Fat Camp" make me sad, where children have obviously not been taught the benefits of eating mainly whole foods and normally eat snack and processed foods out of habit, convenience, example and the seduction of chemicals found in most processed foods that make you want to eat more and more (and bypassing your natural instinct to stop eating).

Transitioning to an unprocessed, whole food diet is not difficult, or inconvenient. You can prepare most freshly made meals in minutes since no cooking is normally necessary and preparation is minimal. Snacking on fruits, nuts and seeds is easy, just wash (and peel if necessary) the fruits, eat and enjoy!

You can also find healthy minimally processed whole foods from the WholeFoodFarmacy which has a large selection of healthy, delicious and convenient foods for you and your family (check out the great snacks, your kids will love them too!).

To your best health!