How to make warming Chai tea 11/16/2011
 Sensuous, soothing and simply irresistible, chai is the ideal accompaniment for savory scones … a perfect break on a busy afternoon … a satisfying finish to a holiday dinner with family and friends. Derived from the Chinese chá, “chai” means tea in much of the world, including Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of Africa and Brazil. Masala chai is an aromatic blend of black or green tea with warming spices. Sugar and milk often are included, as well. Travel to India, Nepal and Tibet, where masala chai originated, and you’ll likely see vendors peddling the tasty brew on street corners or at train stations. According to Ayurvedic tradition, masala chai boosts the immune system, enhances metabolism, relieves stress, aids digestion and sharpens the mind. You can find hundreds of chai recipes associated with different locales, restaurants and even families. Preparation methods vary, too—some aficionados insist on boiling the tea, spices and milk together, while others take a gentler approach, briefly steeping the tea leaves and spices in hot water, then adding hot milk and sweetener last. The following recipes are a twists on this long-loved delight. Experiment by adding fennel seeds, coriander seeds, nutmeg, star anise, and lemon or orange peel to create your own favorite blend. Enjoy! Serves 2
1. Bring water to a boil in small saucepan. Add cinnamon, tea, and spices; cover. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Steep for 5 minutes. Add honey and coconut cream. 2. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer into a teapot, discarding solids. Garnish with cinnamon sticks. Source: www.herbcompanion.com Add Comment Anti-oxidant Boost Juice Recipe 11/07/2011
 Anti-oxidants have been proven to have a myriad of health benefits and have been shown to prevent the development of a range of chronic illnesses. Try this delicious juice recipe from the Food Matters ‘Detox and Rejuvenation Guide’. This juice is full of powerful antioxidants that can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes-related damage and even slow down the body's natural aging process, it’s a super anti-oxidant boost! Anti-Oxidant Juice Recipe:
yum... source: www.foodmatters.tv Make your own anti-aging face mask 11/04/2011
 Facemasks are a good way to thoroughly cleanse and nourish the skin on a deep level. There are many skin care facemasks on the market, but what if you could easily make your own at home… and you will probably find that it is even more nutrient dense and chemical free than what you can buy in the shops. Follow this powerful facemask recipe to nurture and pamper your skin, making it smooth and vibrant. It is packed full of antioxidants and beautifying properties to ensure radiance. Natural Skin Care Ingredient number 1…Cacoa Cacoa, the raw material for chocolate has recently been rediscovered to be one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Raw cacao in its purest form has the highest amount of cancer fighting, disease busting, premature age destroying antioxidants on the planet. While chocolate used to be known to cause acne, it has since been recognized that the milk in chocolate (or a whole list of other ingredients that make up your average chocolate bar) is the cause of acne. In fact, it has recently been discovered that putting milk in powerful foods such as tea and chocolate keeps the antioxidants from being absorbed. The Mayans and the Aztecs called chocolate the food of the Gods. In addition to its high levels of antioxidants, it contains ingredients that regulate mood, increase libido, and leave us feeling peaceful, relaxed, and full of love. If you can get raw cacoa powder, it is best. If you can't get it, simply use pure, unsweetened cocoa powder. Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 2…Avocado Many anti-aging skin care products use avocado oil for its anti-aging properties that create youthful, glowing skin. It defends against carcinogens and other elements that can cause disharmony in our skin. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is anti-inflammatory (inflammation is one of the biggest causes of aging) and is a potent moisturizer. Avocados increase the elasticity of the skin. Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 3… Green Tea Green tea is consistently being hailed as a powerful antioxidant, and is one of the people of Okinawa Japan's secrets for longevity and vibrant health. Putting it on directly on the skin is equally potent. Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 4…Honey Honey is a great anti-bacterial agent, will open up the pores, and will deeply cleanse and detoxify the skin leaving the skin baby smooth. Raw honey in its purest form is incredibly antiseptic, antibiotic and antifungal. In many cultures it is used to treat ulcers and burns. It is an astounding natural preservative. Unprocessed honey found in ancient tombs was determined to be used to preserve bodies. It keeps foods fresh and moist longer and prevents spoilage. It is great for the consistency of the mask will make it sticky and smooth Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 5…Oatmeal Oatmeal naturally exfoliates the skin to remove dead skin cells, leaving it soft and smooth. Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein. Oatmeal is also well known for its healing properties. In many cultures it is used topically to treat psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema. Mix them all up Mix one mashed avocado, 3 tablespoons of raw cocoa powder or cocoa powder, 2 dessert spoons of raw honey or honey, and 2 tablespoons of oatmeal flakes. Infuse green tea in a small cup of hot water and let it cool. Add a splash to the mixture, or enough to make it into a paste. Treat Your Skin Apply on the face, gently massaging it so that oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layer. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and rinse off with luke warm water. Source – www.naturalnews.com Yours in health, Dr. Ray 6 Ways to Improve Your Sleep 10/27/2011
Essential Oils - Research has shown that essential oils like, chamomile and lavender can have a calming / relaxing effect on both body and mind. Meditation - This is a great way to help let go of stress and tension. Find a comfortable place to close your eyes and breathe deeply. You'll be amazed how relaxed you become. Say Something - Don't let your worries or emotions get the best of you. Many times talking to someone you trust will help you sleep better at night. Write It Down - This can be a helpful strategy to clear your mind before going to sleep. Avoid Stimulants - Eating late at night, drinking alcohol or caffeine too close to bedtime will reduce the quality of your sleep. Up Your Serotonin - This neurotransmitter is essential for a good night's sleep. Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps create serotonin. Try eating foods rich in tryptophan like, bananas or sunflower seeds. Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com Chiropractic Boosts Immunity 10/12/2011
(NaturalNews) The nervous system and immune system are hardwired and work together to create optimal responses for the body to adapt and heal appropriately. Neural dysfunctions due to spinal misalignments are stressful to the body and cause abnormal changes that lead to a poorly coordinated immune response. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to boost the coordinated responses of the nervous system and immune system. The autonomic nervous system is hardwired into the lymphoid organs such as the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow that produce the body's immune response. Growing evidence is showing that immune function is regulated in part by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. Subluxation is the term for misalignments of the spine that cause compression and irritation of nerve pathways affecting organ systems of the body. Subluxations are an example of physical nerve stress that affects neuronal control. According to researchers, such stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function & increased susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Inflammatory based disease is influenced by both the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Nerve stimulation directly affects the growth and function of inflammatory cells. Researchers found that dysfunction in this pathway results in the development of various inflammatory syndromes such as rheumatoid arthritis and behavioral syndromes such as depression. Additionally, this dysfunctional neuro-endo-immune response plays a significant role in immune-compromised conditions such as chronic infections and cancer. Wellness based chiropractors analyze the spine for subluxations and give corrective adjustments to reduce the stress on the nervous system. A 1992 research group found that when a thoracic adjustment was applied to a subluxated area the white blood cell (neutrophil) count collected rose significantly. In 1975, Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and professor in Environmental Health at New York University, began researching the most scientifically valid ways to estimate individual susceptibility to various chronic diseases. He has conducted a tremendous amount of research in this area that includes over 160 published reports in peer reviewed journals. Pero and his colleagues discovered that various DNA-repairing enzymes could be significantly altered following exposure to carcinogenic chemicals. He found strong evidence that an individual's susceptibility to cancer could be determined by these enzymes. Lack of those enzymes, Pero said, 'definitely limits not only your lifespan, but also your ability to resist serious disease consequences.' Pero was fascinated by the relationship cancer-inducing agents had on the endocrine system. Since the nervous system regulates hormone balance, he hypothesized that the nervous system had to also have a strong influence on one's susceptibility to cancer. To support this argument he found a substantial amount of literature linking various kinds of spinal cord injuries and cancer. Pero found that these injuries led to a very high rate of lymphomas and lymphatic leukemias. This understanding led Pero to consider Chiropractic care as a means of reducing the risk of immune breakdown and disease. Pero's team measured 107 individuals who had received long-term Chiropractic care. The chiropractic patients were shown to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care, and a 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer or serious diseases. Interestingly, Pero found no decline with the various age groups in the study demonstrating that the DNA repairing enzymes were just as present in long-term chiropractic senior groups as they were in the younger groups. Pero concluded, 'Chiropractic may optimize whatever genetic abilities you have so that you can fully resist serious disease...I have never seen a group other than this show a 200% increase over normal patients.' http://www.discoverchiropracticnow.... Kent, Christopher. Models of Vertebral Subluxation: A Review. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. August 1996, Vol 1:1. Pg 4-5 Sternberg EM, Chrousos GP, Wilder RL, Gold PW. The stress response and the regulation of inflammatory disease. Ann Intern Med 1992; 117 (10):854 Brennan PC, Triano JJ, McGregor M, et al. Enhanced neutrophil respiratory burst as a biological marker for manipulation forces: duration of the effect and association with substance P and tumor necrosis factor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1992; 15(2):83 Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/031206_chiropractic_immunity.html#ixzz1aa3vI3QF How Broccoli Fights Cancer 09/29/2011
 Just a few additional portions of broccoli each week could protect men from prostate cancer. Researchers believe a substance called isothiocyanate in the broccoli sparks hundreds of genetic changes, activating some genes that fight cancer and switching off others that fuel tumors. Prostate cancer kills more men than any other kind except for lung cancer. Each year, 680,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with the disease and about 220,000 will die from it. The benefit derived from broccoli would likely also be available from other cruciferous vegetables that contain isothiocyanate, including Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, watercress and horseradish. Broccoli (as compared to other cruciferous vegetables) has a particularly powerful type of sulforaphane, which the researchers believe gives broccoli its particular cancer-fighting properties. It appears that broccoli contains the necessary ingredients to switch ON genes that prevent cancer development, and switch OFF other ones that help it spread. The power of food in normalizing chronic disease and helping you achieve optimal health is quite profound and one of the reasons that I chose a career of natural health. How Much Broccoli do You Have to Eat to Reap These Benefits? Previous studies have indicated that people who consume more than one portion of cruciferous vegetables per week are at lower risk of prostate cancer. In the study above, the participants ate four extra servings of broccoli per week for one year. The researchers collected tissue samples over the course of the study and found that the men who ate broccoli showed hundreds of beneficial changes in genes known to play a role in fighting cancer! That’s pretty impressive. What’s even more impressive is the fact that you don’t have to make that drastic of a change to reap the benefits. After all, one serving of broccoli equates to about two spears. So we’re only talking approximately 10 spears a week, folks. That’s it! Is Broccoli the Right Choice for You? While I believe foods, especially vegetables, are a far smarter choice to treat serious health challenges like cancer than using most drugs, all foods may still not be the right choice for you. And even though vegetables are one of the healthiest food categories on the planet, not all vegetables are beneficial for everyone. This is where a deep appreciation of nutritional typing will assist you in selecting the best vegetables for you. One of the most serious mistakes is for a protein type to consume many dark green vegetables. This tends to over-alkaline your system and worsens rather than improves your health if you’re a protein type. This is despite the many beneficial phytonutrients that are present. I am very familiar with this mistake as it’s one that I made prior to understanding nutritional typing. However, other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, which happen to be beneficial for protein types, can also have a similar effect. I want you to be aware of just how important it is to understand your body at a deeper level, because if you are a protein type and were to eat broccoli, the other effects of broccoli might push your metabolic biochemistry in the wrong direction and thus override its benefits. The best way to understand specifically what foods are ideal for your body in particular is to learn your nutritional type. When you eat properly for your particular type, you will experience increased daily energy, improved emotional well-being, a feeling of satiety and satisfaction, and, of course, optimized health and weight so you live longer. However, even if you were a mixed or vegetarian/carb type and broccoli are good for you, there may be an even better way to get these cancer-fighting benefits than eating whole broccoli! What Might be Even Better Than Broccoli? Small quantities of fresh broccoli sprouts contain as much cancer protection as larger amounts of the mature vegetable sold in food markets, according to previous research at Johns Hopkins University. Just 5 grams (0.17 ounces) of sprouts contain concentrations of the compound glucoraphanin (a precursor to sulforaphane) equal to that found in 150 grams (5.2 ounces) of mature broccoli. You can grow broccoli sprouts at home quite easily and inexpensively, and as you can see, a small amount of spouts go a long way. Another major benefit is that the sprouts don't smell since you don't have to cook them. They are eaten raw, usually as an addition to salad. Guidelines to Help Avoid and Treat Prostate (and Breast) Cancer The guidelines for preventing and treating breast cancer are almost identical to those for treating prostate cancer. Below are my recommendations for how to avoid and treat prostate and breast cancer:
The honest food guide! 09/16/2011
 I just learned about this new Honest Food Guide, that presents you with a more simplistic view on the foods you should and should not be eating and the reasons why or why not. It is completely free to download, print and share with friends using this link: www.honestfoodguide.org Yours in health, Dr. Ray The Real Cost of Eating Healthy 09/07/2011
 This week's blog comes compliments of Dr. Spyratos from www.spyratoschiropractic.com in Scotia, NY. I wanted to share it with you! If you've been to the market lately you know that the prices of fresh vegetables and fruits, especially local organic ones can cost you a pretty penny, especially when you are buying for an entire family. Sometimes it's just easier to buy pasta, frozen pizzas, and pre-made dinners. By doing this you lower your food bill and the prep time involved in making a meal, but is it really worth it? Americans today are "over fed and under nourished," meaning that we are getting more than enough calories per day but we are nowhere near the RDA for vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s. With the obesity epidemic growing it is essential that we start to choose foods that support our bodies functions rather than impeding them. Being overweight and obese has so many health risks: heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke (just to name a few). Being overweight essentially increases your chances of a shortened life. You also need to look at the long term effects of consuming foods filled with preservatives, pesticides, and sodium. One point that I stress to family and friends when purchasing food from outside the US is that there aren't always the same regulations on pesticide use when foods are coming in from other countries. This means that pesticides that are limited or banned in the US for use on foods can sometimes still be used by other countries, so make sure to always wash all of your fruits and veggies (even if it says pre-washed!). As for preservatives and sodium research is starting to show a link connecting them to increased rates of cancer. This may be one of the contributing factors to the US's #36 rank in life expectancy. So what should you take away from this blog?, eat fresh fruits and veggies instead of highly preserved and processed foods and whenever possible buy organic, grass fed and local. By doing this you can help ensure that your foods have less preservatives and pesticides in them and at the same time you help your body fight its own personal battle against weight gain (and the many health risks that accompany it). You may end up spending more at the market today, but think of all the medical expenses you will be saving on in the future (ie. medications like insulin and costly hospital visits). Yours in Health, Dr. Ray 4 Steps to Safe Backpack Use 08/29/2011
 Step 1: Choose Right. Choosing the right size backpack is the most important step to safe backpack use. Tip: Bring a friend to help you measure your backpack properly.  Step 2: Pack Right. The maximum weight of the loaded backpack should not exceed 15 % of your body weight, so pack only what is needed. Ie: If you weight 100 pounds, then your backpack should not exceed 15 pounds of weight. Use this formula: Your weight (lb) x .15 = Maximum backpack weight allowed Tip: If the backpack forces the wearer to move forward to carry, it's overloaded.  Step 3: Lift Right. Face the Pack -Bend at the Knees - Use both hands and check the weight of the pack. - Lift with the legs - Apply one shoulder strap and then the other. Tip: Don't sling the backpack onto one shoulder.  Step 4: Wear Right. Use both shoulder straps - snug, but not too tight. Tip: When the backpack has a waist strap - use it. Remember that we do backpack safety checks on all our patients for free. More info can be found at www.backpacksafe.com Yours in Health, Dr. Ray Back to School Health Checklist 08/29/2011
 Packing lunch for school can be hard on parents. I suggest you sit down with your kids and make a list of things they want to eat in their lunches. This can lead to (yet another) discussion of the foods that are nourishing and foods that are not so good for your body. Putting food choices into a context that kids can understand can be helpful. The traffic light model works well. Green light foods are good for you. Eat as much of them as you like. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, nuts, and organic meats and dairy. Red light foods are those kids should not eat, like corn syrup, diet foods with Nutrasweet, caffeine products, and artificial colors and flavors. Yellow light foods are those you should slow down on, like desserts, processed white flour products, and juice. A healthy packed lunch includes fruits such as organic blueberries, strawberries, grapes, or apples, some protein like peanut butter or meat and cheese sandwiches on whole grain bread, yogurt (without corn syrup), nuts or trail mix, organic chips, carrot sticks, seaweed snacks, or cheese sticks. Avoid juice boxes. Beware of lunch boxes. Plastic lunch boxes may contain BPA (bisphenol-A), a synthetic estrogen that contributes to hormone disruption and cancer. The vinyl lining of lunch boxes and lunch bags marketed for children often contains lead. Seek out a BPA and lead-free tag on the bag to ensure that the food in your child's lunch is not exposed to these toxins. Legal action was taken by the FDA and the Center for Environmental Health against lunch box manufacturers, but some of these may still contain toxins. Supplements: Keep your kids healthy by supporting their immune systems. Exposure to other children with viruses is bound to pass colds around the classroom, but you can help to minimize symptoms by giving some specific supplements during the school year. Several types of supplements can help boost immune function. A probiotic formula with lactobacillus and bifidobacteria species will also help to protect children from viruses. Vitamin D3 is an essential supplement in the winter months, and a quality whey protein supplement to supply immunoglobulins and lactoferrin will also boost immune function. A good multivitamin and Omega 3's are also very beneficial. Exercise: Schoolwork can be demanding, and homework time consuming. Many schools have limited the amount of time devoted to PE. Make sure that your kids are getting some form of exercise every day, either in an organized sport or bike riding or just running around at the park. Staying fit is important for mental function as well as physical health! At Motions Chiropractic, we carry high quality supplements that you can only get through doctors. I think a good nutrition is vital to stay healthy, and unfortunately sometimes our busy schedules make us have bad eating habits, so it is important to supplement with quality products backed by research that are actually going to be absorbed and used by our body. Have an awesome school year! Always make sure to ask us or your doctor before starting any type of supplementation. Yours in health, Dr. Ray Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com | ArchivesNovember 2011 Categories |
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