I Beat My IBD Diagnosis: Ulcerative Colitis

DEAR FRIENDS, I'M BACK!

2022-09-24T22:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your patience with me! I am dedicating more time to my blog because I believe I might be able to help more people if I'm more active. So, I promise to be more active on my site so I can answer any questions you may have. I will also be posting a lot more. Many of you have viewed my Breakfast Menu and I'm going to expand that, as well as provide you links to educational & inspirational books and articles, music, ASMR, meditation, Anti-inflammatory practices and superfoods to heal what ails you.

I want to motivate you to stay the course and tame your own beast gut. I tamed mine, and since 2000, I've been in total remission, symptom free, all without meds. With the newer vegetable protein based products, I can eat almost anything I want. All with comfort.

I want to tell you how I did it and how I've kept it up, what my mind set is, what my daily approach is, and how to stay hopeful. Even if you've already had surgery, a re-sectioning, even a complete colostomy, if you're still not feeling like your old self, I believe you can feel better.

Let's talk and keep the conversation going. I'll be in touch, so you be in touch. And thank you for your support! We'll continue to support each other. Sound good?

Thanks so much,

Graham

I know I've been away from my blog for awhile...But only because my protocol is perfect for me. I continue to be 100% healthy, no symptoms for 20 years, weight is managed, stress is managed, diet is managed. Of course, like many of us, I'd LOVE to consume everything I want: pasta, pizza, wheat, dairy, red meat, sugar and more sugar...but my body says "You had decades to eat like a fast-food sugar addict, and now you have to listen to me, your body, the temple you live in every day. You are now on a journey of total respect for what your body can do for you when it's healthy. Now, stick with it!" So that's my pact with my body. My mind and mouth would like to bathe in processed junk food, but my body now rules the day. My mind and my mouth are tamed, no more of that toxic waste dump going into my digestive system to wreak havoc. My body won the fight because I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Read my story and it was a lot worse than that. I suffered for 20 years until I figured out the key to my own personal health. 20 years I suffered...WITHOUT THE INTERNET! When I tapped into my community of sufferers, I began my journey back to health. They may tell you it's all in your head. It's not. In my case, it was solely diet that I needed to pay attention to. Remove the toxins consumed by our everyday processed meals and that's a good place to start. You have to be open to it, though. If you're simply paralyzed because of your condition, so was I. Until I began to listen to my body and do what it was telling me to do. In short, stop eating garbage and you'll begin to feel less like garbage yourself. Listen to your body and you may be able to turn this around and gain your old health back. Doctors have already told you they don't know the root cause of our gastro-intestinal bleeding. Well, if they don't know, how do they know they're prescribing the right treatment for you? The answer for me was: They simply don't have any answers because they haven't bothered to look at dietary contributions to your condition. You simply can't pay back all those student loans for medical school unless you're sleeping with Big Pharma. So, you're going to get treatment that doesn't work over time. Over time, you'll be bounced from one drug to another...until nothing works, your immune system is compromised by their treatment, and now you're open to get a cold that turns into pneumonia in the hospital. I saw that nightmare and said, "No, not for me, thank you." I wish all my visitors good health and a strong constitution to battle this. As I mentioned, I suffered for 20 years with little to no relief. I hope it's early enough for you to find your healing protocol. I make no claims that my protocol will fit you. I'm not a doctor and I make no claims to be a healer for anyone other than myself. If you're currently being treated for IBD or IBS, I believe your answers exist. Except for foods that may interrupt your doctor's protocol, eating real, preferably organic food, every day, with more of a plant-based diet, will, I believe, improve your digestion and give you back the nutrient support your body craves. Please feel free to leave me a message of any length and I will respond. Thank you for visiting! Wishing you health and wellness, always, Graham Becker

2020-03-04T12:47:00.001-08:00

CROHN'S COLITIS CELIAC DISEASE : ULCERATIVE COLITIS - MY STORY : PART THREE

2014-01-21T00:44:00.001-08:00

A body hungers for attention every day of its life. As the body's owner and guide through this thing called 'Life', if you don't provide these energy sources to your body efficiently - if you're not able to get enough sunshine, your food sources are inadequate in terms of fresh, whole food, you don't drink enough water, or the air you breath isn't clean - your body is going to tell you by having a part break down or you can have a complete system malfunction, like I experienced.

Weight gain and stress can exacerbate internal inflammation. We also consume toxins such as alcohol, caffeine, prescription and recreational drugs, as well as antibiotics and chemicals in our food, water and soft drinks, not to mention cigarette smoke and air and highway driving pollution.

So, how do we maintain this filter known as the human body?

Well, we know that good health is tied to a healthy immune system. A compromised immune system is more vulnerable to dis-ease. So, how do we grow the good bacteria in our gut so that they can crowd out the bad bacteria and more ably lower inflammation and fight infection? Is it even possible after months or years or decades of medication and toxin ingestion?

The wonderful thing about the human body is that it strives to live healthy and with a balanced PH. The immune system wants its host to live long and prosper. That's why, when it shuts down, you need to listen to your body. Because you're the only one it's talking to and you're the only one who can figure out what it's saying. It all starts with LISTENING. Once we listen, we can act.

CROHN'S COLITIS CELIAC DISEASE : ULCERATIVE COLITIS - MY STORY PART ONE

2014-01-15T19:19:00.003-08:00

CROHN'S COLITIS CELIAC DISEASE : ULCERATIVE COLITIS - MY STORY PART TWO

2014-01-15T19:17:00.003-08:00

HI. I AM NOT A DOCTOR. THIS BLOG IS SIMPLY MY STORY, MY OPINIONS, AND MY OBSERVATIONS. I'VE DONE MY OWN SEARCHES FOR INFORMATION AND COME TO MY OWN CONCLUSIONS. NOTHING IN THIS BLOG IS INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT OR PRETEND TO CURE ANYTHING. SUPPLEMENTS AND SOME FOODS CAN AND WILL INTERFERE WITH YOUR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND MAKE THINGS WORSE.ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR, FINISH ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE YOUR DOCTOR PRESCRIBES. NEVER DISCONTINUE YOUR MEDICATION WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR'S PERMISSION, AND ALWAYS TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU TRY OR DO ANYTHING NEW WITH YOUR UNIQUE HEALTH SITUATION.

MY STORY PART 2

My insides were so raw during the initial months of my diagnosis, I would have done anything to have a regular bowel movement. During that first year, in addition to following my doctor's advice, I started seeing a nutritionist who advised me on food choices that might allow my intestinal lining to be less inflamed on the inside. My nutritionist's belief was that it was possible. I had hope.

My nutritionist advised me to eat lots of easy to digest foods. Portions were always measured by the cup, and I learned to eat several times a day as a consequence. I follow that pattern today. Small portions, 5-10 times a day. Chicken or turkey or fish with a little (1/4 cup) steamed white rice and any kinds of steamed vegetables; apple sauce, bananas, papaya, scrambled eggs, cream of rice cereal, dark chocolate (72% or greater cacao content), water and chamomile tea or aloe vera juice with plenty of water throughout the day.

Vegetables and fruit were to be steamed or cooked until soft or liquefied, as in smoothies. I always eat fruit at a separate sitting or as a snack between meals. Fruit sugar or refined sugars when eaten after a protein meal can cause excess gas, heartburn, flatulence. This is due to the fact that sugar digests faster than protein. Protein slows the digestive process, the sugar ferments, voila! Where's my antacid?!? Like a lot of people, I love fruit and little sweet treats; I just can't combine them with protein dominant meals. And I don't want to get

I had to avoid all dairy products, which meant no milk, cream, cottage cheese, cheese, ice cream, yogurt; Also, no red meat, alcohol or caffeine and definitely NO SODA. My nutritionist's immediate goal was to try and remove the stress from my digestive system and, by doing so, bring down my inflammation. The working premise was that my diminished and fragile immune system needed to gain strength and use its energy to heal.

Working with both my doctor and my nutritionist, my symptoms did finally subside.

I credit nutrition as being part of my overall success. Nutrition, imagine that. Today, I've added almondmilk to my food choices. I'm allergic to soy. Plus, most soy in the U.S. is now GMO soy, or Genetically Modified Soy. Search: monsanto gmo soy

You'll recall, when I first saw the doctor, I was told they were unsure of the etiology, or cause and development of, Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), specifically, Ulcerative Colitis. They only knew what some anecdotal, patient-reported exacerbators might be: dairy, red meat, raw vegetables, citrus, alcohol, caffeine and stress. I noted that those were my initial clues to healing from my dis-ease after that that first year and the subsequent flareup about three months later. I felt I was on the right track, but, my goodness, I didn't realize it was going to take 20 years of this to finally figure everything out for myself.

Eventually, I was convinced there was an answer for me beyond my doctor's initial diagnosis. I was simply determined - perhaps naively - that I wasn't going to live with this condition controlling me. Whatever it took, short of going back to my proctologist and his, for me, bandaid prescriptions, I was going to find my answer and control IT, whatever IT turned out to be. My diagnosis was confirmed by my proctologist, and I believe I was diagnosed properly and according to the modern medical book. My doctor took me as far as modern medicine could. I was hoping for another solution for me.

I was praying there was another, non-prescription answer.

For myself, I felt there had to be an answer or answers to my dis-ease and I wasn't going to stop until I found the balance and management I was looking for. As I've said, I believed my symptoms to be systemic, that some mosaic of triggers in my body was causing my immune system to react as it did. It was my initial intuitive hunch. I egan exploring alternative medical approaches.If I could learn how to manage my dis-ease, without drugs, I would consider that a victory and a "cure". Without the internet at the time, I had to rely on the few books and articles available as well as alternative medical professionals, including my nutritionist and eventually my acupuncturist and homeopath.

I looked into holistic, naturopathic, acupuncture and Ayervedic treatments reputed to strengthen my immune system.

Along with the guidance of my nutritionist, I found a treatment that had over 3,000 years of usefulness in the healing arts, and I decided to try it: acupuncture. That was the next big step in my journey. For me, acupuncture provided the relief I was seeking, and I was so grateful. I didn't have to believe in it either. It really worked for me. My acupuncturist educated me about this amazing and fascinating healing art and about supportive herbal supplements and mental approaches to my healing process.

At first, my acupuncture treatments were several times a week, necessary to jump start the harnessing of my own energy (energy, or "chi", prounounced "Chee")in my own healing process. All needles are only used once per patient and then medically waste-disposed after the doctor removes them at the end of treatment.

Acupuncture is bloodless and painless (just a little twinge now and again as the acupuncturist's needles tap into your energy flow, your "chi") and lasts about 45-60 minutes. Eventually, after several months, my acupuncturist tapered me down to maintenance levels, about once a month or so. At that point, it was up to me, really. I had the control.

In the meantime, I learned a lot about the wisdom and history of acupuncture. It fascinated me that some person(s) 3,000 years ago thought to do this, to use needles to tap into a body's energy fields and elicit connective healing. Who the heck thought of this? For me, it was like a miracle gift of genius.

During my acupuncture treatment, I have to tell you, I used a bit of super-focused self-hypnosis. I employed specific visualizations and positive, healing affirmations along with the visual of white light, to relax and focus my entire being on healing. I continually visualized seeing light and sending that energy to be part of the healing my own inflammation.

I focused on my breathing, slowing it down and relaxing into the moment. I felt that by engaging my whole being in the process - mind, body and soul - I was able to better guide and therefore control my own upward healing arc. Internalizing positive, healing affirmations and directing that energy to my
gut healing, I would always rest my thoughts before drifting off to a relaxing sleep, with a personal suggestion that, when I awoke from treatment, I would awaken feeling alert, refreshed, balanced and re-energized.

With my acupuncture, there was never any drug-like hangover feeling, ever. Just calm, relaxed, focused and synergistic healing energy. That's just me. I always left the acupuncturist's office feeling great. Even after the first session, I felt better and more in control. I needed this time for me and I took it. I had to invest in me because I was worth it.

For me, ACUPUNCTURE had wonderful healing benefits. It tapped into my body's own healing forces. So, I followed my acupuncturist's advice and, along with some herbal supplements he suggested, I healed again. I felt I was really on my way toward understanding and managing my ailments. For me, acupuncture was part of the answer. As I felt better, I exercised more with cardio and weights and began to get back the tone I had lost during the illness.

Acupuncture was gradually reduced to just doing a tuneup every month or so. Keeping to the dietary guidelines was still important. And I was good.

Again, for a while.

I was again lulled into thinking I was now managing my IBD, my ULCERATIVE COLITIS. And, again I backslid. The IBDelicious taste of all that processed foodstuff kept tempting me back to the dark side of processed food consumption. I started the backsliding process slowly at first, just treating myself, just testing the waters. Everything seemed ok so I indulged some more. And about 6 weeks later, wouldn't you know it, another flareup...

So, between 1981 and 2001, I bounced around from being mostly in good health to having some flareups. Each time I would have a flare up, I would scold myself for backsliding and thinking I could get away with it. I would be so angry with myself. I knew what to do, didn't I?

Why wasn't I able to stick to the guidelines? Oh, right. That other stuff just tastes so good. All the fat, salt, sugar, creamy, carbonated, carbodelicious treats were so tasteful and alluring (and, I've learned, addictive).

This time, THIS TIME, I was REALLY determined. I had to eliminate my exacerbators once and for all. This time, I would REALLY listen to my body. After all, it was screaming at me again.

In the meantime, because a flareup took a few weeks to heal, I'd have to go through a mini-healing process again of doing my acupuncture, seeing my naturopath, and following the dietary guidelines I knew were part of my regimen. And, having had probably more than a dozen or so flareups in this period of 20 years, I began to really connect the emotional and physical dots.

Ok, so I'm a slow learner. I've been living with this diagnosis since 1980 and I've only been symptom free since 2001. All that I think I know about myself is being put into this blog.

I probably should've done some of this with talk therapy, but I didn't. I would be in it now, though, especially if I was still suffering. Talk therapy can be good. It sometimes helps to see your issues through the eyes of an objective professional, to understand the deeper things going on and help keep you focused on your goals. Consider talk therapy as a possible outlet as we with IBD tend to keep a lot on the inside, too.

Part of the healing process is to let toxic thoughts find their exit relieving you of some of the stress you feel, a natural exacerbator for much of what ails many. Stress is a killer. Talk therapy helps you balance the emotional load and encourages you to take time for yourself.

So, for me, independent of therapy, I realized my pattern of backsliding: After healing, I would be good for a little while, maybe a few months or more, and I would convince myself into thinking I was again invincible, all healed and good to go, and then I'd be tempted again and I'd backslide with the crap. And, after I started up again with the crap, while I was consuming the crap, it took my body about 6 weeks before my next flareup. 6 weeks to break down. Ugh.

So, this time was my second to final epiphany. I was determined more than ever to heal once and for all. There would be no more backsliding into unhealthy choices! In my research online, I looked at what others wrote about the food choices of those who live to be a healthy 100 years of age or more. That became part of the mozaic of my motivation. To live a healthy, long life.

No more breakdowns.

That fickle finger of fate (I hate the word 'finger', by the way. You?) and final fateful flareup occurred in the year 2001.

The culprits? Soda pop, coffee, energy drinks and energy bars, and more caffeine, soda and coffee. I finally put two and two together and stopped insisting the total was 5. Ding, ding, ding! Epiphany!

It took my body less than a week of caffeine withdrawal headaches to flush it from my system. Water and tea and aloe vera juice are what I now drink exclusively. I love Rooibos (pronounced: roy-boss) tea, camomile tea, and hybiscus tea. All are naturally caffeine free. I might have a glass of wine socially.

That said, I sure do miss the combination of sweet bubbly cola and caffeine racing down my throat. I could easily slug a six pack during the day. But, no more. Done. Finit. Finished. Kaput. I've since learned it was like drinking acid; I believe it broke down the natural ph balance of my body and affected my gut's ability to fight off inflammation. For me, it was like drinking fire. I had to put the fire out.

Around that time, the internet became my friend. I searched for information regarding immune system support. I discovered the value of food combining, anit-inflammatory natural supplements, the nature of inflammation in the body and how to manage it. I discovered much about the human body and what an amazing system it is. Overall, it helped me support healthy food and supplement choices.

I've gone (mostly) organic and eliminated a lot of processed foods. I cook more and I'm in control of the kinds of meals I eat. When I eat out, I'm careful to avoid exacerbators.

Even though I've eliminated some tasty processed treats from my buffet, I don't feel limited. Being symptom free for over 10 years, I have learned to eat small portions several times a day. I can eat pretty much whatever I want (except for the processed exacerbators). I have reintroduced red meat into my diet and make a mean organic turkey and grass fed beef chili. Yes, I use chili powder. Yes, I eat jalapenos and I love a little spicey meatball every once in a while. Counterintuitively, spices are my digestive system's friends. Certain spices are plant based SUPERFOODS.

Too, I'm a Dodgers fan, living in LA my whole life, so when I go to a game, I always have a Dodger dog with mustard. I just don't overdue it and on those days I indulge, I make sure I have my digestive enzymes and fish oil capsules with me. The capsules of fish oil help the meat digest and eliminate smoothly with no constipation at all.

Because I now follow the best advice I've been able to discover, I feel that if I'm good 98% of the time, for goodness sakes, I can indulge with a little crappy - yet oh so tasty - meat every once in a while. But, remember, I've been symptom free for over 10 years. I've become knowledgable about my condition.

No more soda, though. The more I read about soda, the more I'm glad I'm away from it. It's one of the worst exacerbators for my Ulcerative Colitis. And these new energy drinks are so full of inflammatory chemicals and caffeine, they're like an atom bomb of ACIDIFICATION. More about ACIDIFICATION on another page of this blog.

So, for me, it's water, chamomile tea, rooibos tea, and hybiscus tea, almondmilk, ricemilk, aloe juice, coconut water, and an occasional glass of wine. I eat tuna, chicken and turkey, organic grass fed beef, wild-caught salmon and fish, and organic eggs. I can have small salads with any combination of thin sliced, raw veggies of any kind with an oil and vinegar dressing, as well as Greek yogurt for its probiotics. Naturally, I continue to steam and soften my veggies in my meal creations, often incorporating mushrooms, kale, baby spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus, artichoke hearts, jalapenos, onions, garlic and other spices into my egg dishes and my beef and turkey chili.

Equally important, I also watch how I combine my foods. There's really only one rule I follow here: I don't combine sugary foods like fruits or sweet treats with protein meals. I always have my sweets and fruits separate from a big protein meal because of this: In the stomach, fruit or refined sugars digest faster than protein. So, if you're wondering why you get indigestion after following that steak and potatoes with chocolate cake or pie ala mode, this is the war going on in your tummy: The sugar is trying to get to the blood steam fast, and the protein is simply slowing that process. When sugar follows the protein, the result is quick fermentation, causing gas, noisy discomfort and odiferous flatulence. Not a socially winning formula, to be sure.

And, no, you can't just eat antacids. In a condition marked by digestive distress, antacids are the wrong answer. They're not even a good bandaid.

I never use antacids because I follow this simple rule: Eat smaller portions and don't eat your sugar after you've had a big protein meal. It's that simple. You're just going to feel sickly bloated and I don't want you to think that by taking an antacid everytime, everything will be fine. It won't.

The next thing you know, you're popping antacids every day (read the label: there's a two week limit on that stuff). Next up: Proton pump inhibitors or surgery anyone? And, don't worry. If you survive this endurance test, they'll have something new for you to try. Real soon.

As a matter of fact, they're looking to recruit people for experimental treatments. I wish for you not to become a cautionary tale.

The next professional I found was a wonderful HOMEOPATH.

HOMEOPATHS and NATUROPATHS are licensed and trained individuals well-versed in the nature of keeping your immune system strong and keeping you on your path to health. They are knowlegeable about supplements and dietary modifications to help with an individual's personal challenges. My homeopath, who I now go to only on occasion, has taught me much and kept me healthy and strong. Their goal is always your health, your immune system and how to strengthen it, and the nutritional balance in your life. Ayervedic medicine, too, has a nutritional based philosophy toward balanced health that is worthy of further personal investigation.

So, accupuncture, following dietary guidelines and supplements, involving myself in my own stress management activities (exercise - hot yoga is my new passion - meditation, self-hypnosis and talk therapy), a good NATUROPATH and the internet are all firmly placed in my arsenal.

I can still get hit by a bus, but I believe I won't have any more flareups.

CROHN'S COLITIS CELIAC DISEASE - 'DEAD FOOD' THEORY

2014-01-11T16:11:00.003-08:00

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS HEALTHY FEELS!

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser:http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Also check out: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/FoodforGoodHealth

There seems to be little serious attention given to environmental factors that, if looked at more carefully, might provide some clues as to why we're so sick as a nation. We're taking more medication and we spend more on healthcare as a nation than other industrialized countries. We're commercially driven toward finding the next super drug to sell, and yet we're sicker than ever and releasing 'superbugs' into a post-antibiotic super soup that will only be getting worse in time. It's part of a cultural mosaic that, once examined, might provide us with answers leading us the way out of this nation-wide epidemic of dis-ease.

I HAVE NO CREDENTIALS OR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE or RESEARCH EXPERIENCE TO BACK ANY OF THIS UP. THE INFO IS SIMPLY THAT: INFORMATION. YOU'VE GOT TO CHECK YOUR OWN SOURCES, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, AND DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK. NO ONE CAN TELL YOU WHAT TO DO OR WHAT TO THINK AND THAT GOES FOR ME, THE STRANGER WRITING THIS BLOG. SO DON'T BE DUPED. KNOWLEDGE IS EMPOWERMENT. ASK QUESTIONS, QUESTION ANSWERS, RESEARCH AND STAY INFORMED, AND ACT WITH THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING YOUR GREATEST EMPOWERMENT: HEALTH.

MY 'DEAD FOOD' THEORY - COMMENTARY BY GRAHAM BECKER

Modern medicine has described Inflammatory Bowel Disease as an immune system attack on its host, an auto(self)-immune disease. For some mysterious reason, the body's immune system views a person's intestines as an invader and begins to attack it.

This is the premise upon which modern medicine addresses their treatment approaches.

Having lived through this dis-ease and suffered for over 20 years before discovering the keys to my complete remission - all through diet - I want to humbly offer a reframe of the diagnosis.

In short, our over-consumption of processed foods - dead food - has left our intestinal cells malnourished. Dead food has little redeeming value except as a treat for the tongue. If we're feeding ourselves dead food, and our digestive system is seeking in vain for nutrients, the chronic deprivation of nutritionally dense real whole foods, leads to a die-off. With mostly dead food as nutritional sources, the digestive system simply stops working efficiently and cells begin to die. Dead food in leads to dead cells inside us.

So, for me, there is not mystery to this at all. There's no mystery as to why modern medicine is slow to embrace the evidence that SOME are being helped by a totally nutrition based approach.

It's not about learning what not to eat.

The rule is simple: Don't eat dead food.

My IBD diagnosis, ULCERATIVE COLITIS, has led me on a journey of self-discovery. Along the way, I've tried to make personal sense of it all.

The human body is an amazing organism. That something so beautifully delicate in its miracle of interconnected cells all knowing what their job is was given to me to care for is the big mystery of my life. My guess is, you've got the same inkling.

I can't fathom the thinking behind asking me to take care of anything, after all I kill houseplants, but some cosmic force has expressed that confidence in me.

On the one hand, it's simply overwhelming to think, with all the processed food choices now available, that I could succeed at taking care of this body of mine.

On the other hand, it's overwhelmingly easy, once you know the secrets which only you can uncover for yourself. That's correct. You have to do all the grunt work. It's your body, your mystery to solve. All I know is that I, after 20 years of suffering, figured myself out. The hardest yet easiest part is to act in your body's own best self interest. Do what your body, and common sense, demand, and you might find the wellness I've discovered.

So, I don't make my body suffer my bad choices any more. Slick marketing campaigns, tasty visuals, attractive talking heads, my weaknesses and my tongue, no longer run to show. I'm not alone on this. There are others finding their own symptom management solutions.

Why Not YOU ?

What do I mean when I talk about Dead Food?

Dead Food covers all processed foods. Anything that comes in a package, box or bottle, is a candidate for the Dead Food Category.

Here's an Incomplete List of Dead Food Processes and Dead Foods

Pasteurization is required for all bottled or packed juices such as orange and apple, and dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese, cheese, butter, and yogurt. Yogurt has the advantage because, after pasteurization, probiotics are added back into the product.

All grain processing resulting in cereals, pastas, breads, donuts, pizzas and pastries, are processed to death, leaving very little except for sugar. That's part of the reason we consume these items in bulk. They're processing acts on our addictive brain resulting in repetitive behavior.

Dead Foods are marketed to us every minute of every day. If we understand they are not meant to be consumed every minute of every day, and that they're to be used as occasional treats or indulgences, then we can better inform our actions.

Like you, I really enjoy being healthy and feeling good. I'm lucky to feel that way much of the time. And grateful.

But there are forces that we humans have created that may result in some of us, many of us, (millions of us?) having our guts rot from the inside out. Inflammation is like a five alarm fire, hidden, inside the pathways of our guts, burning our cells to death, eating up the good bacteria, causing pain and ulceration to the intestinal lining, unnaturally. Dead food leads to this.

Like zombies, we're rotting from the inside. The bad bacteria - the gangster bacteria, the bad, really bad guys - are beating up the good bacteria - and winning. As a matter of fact, this spreading graveyard of dying cells is taking over.

DEAD FOODS = NUTRITIONALLY STARVED/DYING/DEAD CELLS = SPREADING DIS-EASE

So, if we're dying on the inside, where is the sense in killing or suppressing vital system processes? Shouldn't we be addressing how to empower our immune system? Aren't we like flowers that, when we die on the inside, nutrients can bring our systems back into balance? Why would we be any different? Don't the same laws of nature apply to all living things, regardless of form? I believe so...and that belief empowered my healing.

DEAD FOOD IN = DEAD CELLS TAKE OVER

If modern medicine kills or suppresses any sensation of illness just because we can, I can't connect the dots between that and a cure or at least 100% drug-free management. Like many, after seeing my gastroenterologist, my proctologist, for the first time, my doctor convinced me of my illness with a diagnosis that I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life. VERY SCARY. As a result, of course, I believed I NEEDED my doctor's experience, wisdom and guidance and I followed the prescription for almost a year.

I've come to the conclusion that, although I believed my doctor was accurate in my diagnosis and his medication did abate the symptoms (along with diet modification), the long-term treatment options and the goals for that treatment did not compute. Remission may have been what the doctor was offering; I wanted a 'cure', if that was possible (which, apparently, my doctor didn't believe was possible.)

ZOMBIE DEAD FOODS MIGHT ANSWER PART OF THE WHY. MAYBE, BABY.

This inflammation, this rotting of our guts, WHY might it happen?

MY ZOMBIE DEAD FOOD THEORY

Regretfully, my observations begin in the womb. And I ask, 'What was the nutrition and medical treatment of the mother like?'

If you live in the United States, Americans' food choices consist of the following:

62% Processed foods
25% Meat, eggs, dairy and fish
5% Unrefined plant food - fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds
5% White Potatoes as plant food - lowest in phytonutrients of unrefined foods
2% Whole Grains

As you can see, people living and eating in the U.S. have a heavy processed-food balance in their food choices. It's possible that expecting moms may have a similar lifestyle in terms of food choices and that any long-term consequences could begin with the nutritional desires and choices of each mom.

Not necessarily our intention, mind you, but the food products that we have created in our food laboratories may come with unwritten, often ignored or denied, side effects. Much food and marketing research has gone into entertaining our tongues and our taste buds, satisfying our prone-to-addiction and habit-forming brains, and filling our stomachs with empty, dead calories. Great marketing, the best in the world, has a way of convincing us that what they're selling is what we want, need and can't live without. It seems we can't live without our dead food.

Silly Observation, one of many: The edible products we feed ourselves today could be part of the mosaic of why we don't feel so well when we turn 40, 50, 60, and beyond.

For me, I've personally connected the dots: consuming an imbalance of processed foods over decades can and often does lead to a negative cumulative effect on our human ecosystem. Often times, this can begin in the womb and infancy.

A child is a favorite demographic pillar for food producers. All kids, big and small, love what tastes good. If they're encouraged to believe that what tastes good is always good for you, then you have a culture that guarantees the next generation will follow suit. For another lifetime and another generation, and on and on. Loyal product buyers are what keep this economy and our businesses thriving.

So, it's off to the races. Kids see their peers in commercials eating packaged foodstuffs. These foodstuffs are also marketed to give parents a break when the kids come home from school. (Never a carrot or an apple. What kid would eat THAT after a hard day of learning?) Parents see what their kids see, buy what their kids want to try, buy it for convenience (It's microwavable!), and continue on down the road, years down the road, a college dorm and a lifetime of poor food choices down the road. Until you blow a flat.

And much of modern medicine responds by saying it's the natural aging process at work. Here's a prescription. You'll be good as new. Or, at least you won't feel discomfort or pain anymore. That's good as healed, isn't it?

ALL ROADS LEAD TO MEDICATION, METHINKS.

But I've got some good news.

It's a given, Dead Food is a big part of our lives and our lifestyles. It's there, it's fun, it tastes good, it makes gatherings festive. I get it. I've had it, a lot of it, and now I've HAD it. No mas. Nada. Zero. Except on my terms at a ballgame. (Then all bets are off. Being good 99% of the time comes with its privileges. I'm gonna have that Dodger Dog. (I'll take my digestive enzymes and fish oil, of course, just to smooth the digestive process. I may eat a junky piece of meat every once in a while, but I'm smarter about it now.)

When I was sick, however, these were 'No, Thank You' choices. Turns out, Dead Food (much of it sugar), is food for the bad bacteria in my gut. Over time, the bad bacteria took over and began their process of decay. At the same time, my immune system was both my hardest fighter and my most vulnerable victim. I picture my previous symptoms as the writhing last gasps of a dying immune system, wounded from battle, fearing no escape, with no reinforcements in sight. I was at a loss, inflamed and sick, with nowhere to hide.

ZOMBIE DEAD FOOD IN INFANCY?

If a mother's nutrition was compromised during pregnancy by poor food availability, the child upon birth will suffer. After being born, is there evidence that we're feeding 'Dead Food' to the most precious resource in our lives, while not knowing it?

Like I've said, I don't know the answer. But here's an interesting observation.

You may have read about my infancy, that I was adopted as a newborn and bottle-fed infant formula, and not breast fed. And I believe that made a big difference in my developing immune system and its ability to fight off infection, both as a child and as I grew older.

Healthy, rich breast milk (not attached to a drug addict or some other person who has had their health compromised) is usually a superior choice for an infant's early nutrition. It's all natural and comes straight from the source, full of immune enrichment for a fragile little life.

Research that others have spoken about suggests that prematurely born babies, also known as "preemies", who are fed human breast milk can reduce the rate of life-threatening complications, curb mortality rates, and reduce healthcare costs. You can repeat that last sentence if you want.

So, interestingly, I've just come across some information regarding a company that is now mass-producing human breast milk to provide nutrition to premature infants. It appears that, for all these years, since formula became popular in the 1950's I imagine, premature infants have been getting formula with a base of cow's milk. Meant for calves, not humans, methinks. Pasteurized (boiled) to death, GMO corn-fed, hormone injected, antibiotic treated, cow's milk. Dead white cells with only protein left.

Before you read on, know that the company I refer to is a for-profit company whose baby and preemie formulas can cost $5,000-$10,000 per baby per hospital stay.

Know, too, that there is a non-profit alternative called the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, of which Kim Updegrove is President.

Hmmm. A natural, human-based solution for a human problem. Up until now, some of us were convinced that humans need cow's milk or soy protein when they're infants. I guess for the calcium and white teeth. And the vitamin D food scientists add back in (usually the cheaper vitamin D2, not the vitamin D3 which is the more expensive vitamin D.) And protein. As a culture, we're certainly convinced to buy enough cow's milk to have it available everyday while our children are growing up. Drink your milk or you don't get any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't drink your milk?!?

Does a calf drink milk from its mother for 18 years or more? Hmmm. I wonder why WE do. Pasteurized (boiled) to death and refrigerated. Yum.

I know, some of this information is a killer. I am such a party-pooper.

IN-HOSPITAL, PREEMIE CARE COMPLICATIONS

The complications include necrotizing entrocolitis, a bowel inflammation that often requires surgery. Death is possible and necrosis often adds weeks to an infant's hospital stay.

My stupid conclusion: Dead Food in, little infant body (so much smarter than mm) says, 'Theres no nutrition to be found here' (duh), body decays and dies. But only after modern medicine tries to kill the infection with antibiotics or cut it out with surgery.

I'm sure it's something else entirely, but it strikes me as modern medicine striking out until the natural solution is right under their noses.

And so, now, human breast milk (although it too is pasteurized!) is finding its way into preemies little tummies and all those life-threatening symptoms from possibly feeding preemies cow's milk are lessened and in many cases simply disappear. Connection to the kind and quality of nutrition? That's for modern medicine to answer.

"Dead Food Theory."
First of all, they say you are what you eat. So, if what you're eating is mostly what I call Dead Food (most all our processed, boxed, bagged, and canned stuff), what are your insides turning into? That's right: Zombies. The bad bacteria LOVE LOVE LOVE refined sugars and processed Dead Food. The bad bacteria take over your good bacteria in your gut and you've got zombies in your gut. Zombie bacteria, eating Dead Food, multiplying in your gut, with the inflammation of a five-alarm fire and a diagnosis to match, a fire that may take a year or more to put out. Been there, done that, thank you very much.

DEAD FOOD

Current processing methods include growing crops with pesticides, raising GMO corn-fed cows, cows treated with antibiotics and hormones harvesting crops quickly, pulverizing, pasteurizing (boiling) liquids to death, all in the name of good taste. During processing, food scientists squirt chemicals and preservatives back in, and can then add sugar, salt, trans fats (soon to be eliminated by law in the U.S.), and acid to the mix. After a mushy paste or flour is created, processors then form it, bread it, bake it, fry it, and pre-cook it into recognizable fun shapes. For liquids, like fruit juices and milk, food producers are required by law to pasteurize (boil) all the 'bacteria' to death, supposedly making it safer for human consumption.

The next step is when the products are marketed to us as food choices, using whatever buzz words are currently in vogue: Low Fat! 1/2 the sugar! Fat free! Only 100 calories! Antioxidants! Low Salt! Gluten Free! Millions of dollars go into the creation of products by food processors. It really is a miracle of modern food manufacturing that they can do all the research and development, acquiring ingredients, creating a recipe and a name, package design, printing, packaging the product, freezing, transporting and getting the best shelf position in the aisle, all for $2.00. At 5 for $10, some frozen meals are just $2.00 each. How can they do that? And make a profit? The food processing industry is clever like that.

Ever notice, no one advertises for fresh fruits and vegetables? Maybe only markets that are having a sale. And that's usually local print ads. Even the large supermarkets have curtailed their advertising. Modern medicine is always there to remind you to consult your doctor for anything, including food choices. Most of the time, modern medicine will tell you there's no harm in food choices, eat whatever you want.

Remember, too, that modern medicine doesn't mind too much if you're ill. Oh, they might complain as a headline, but, let's face it, it's their business to treat illness. Modern medicine is making a nice living on illnesses of all kinds. Modern medicine relies on illness and promotes treatment options for those illnesses. Some have said modern medicine invents some of these illnesses so they can invent a treatment that pays well in a never-ending-treatment way. There's no money in cures. There's a lot of money in treatments. And all treatments are not created equally. Some are more profitable than others. I don't know about you, but I've got bills to pay.

I've concluded that, for me, my illness was preventable at the front end. Once I had been diagnosed, I was at the mercy of my doctor's treatment options. Then I was in the hands of modern drugs, and, perhaps like you, once I was there, I was THERE. I believe that if I was currently undergoing treatment with an immune suppressant or antibiotic, I would ask my doctor about a probiotic supplement they might recommend. If they don't have a preference, do your homework. A probiotic can potentially balance the killing off of gut bacteria caused by antibiotic/immune suppressant treatment.

Remember, nothing tastes as good as healthy feels! Eat clean. Eat paleo. No processed foods. No crap. Clean, whole foods. No soda, no coffee, no energy drinks, no alcohol, no big meals, eat several times a day, slow everything down, smooth everything down, and continue to heal with whole foods before, during, and after your treatment. Fall in love with real, living food. Be aware of any foods with drug interactions that might apply to your situation. Otherwise, eat clean whole foods from now on. That's the real medicine, in my opinion. My theory is that if you eat totally clean from now on, your body will heal faster and, in the long run, you may extend the time in between treatments. Fewer treatments, good. No treatments, best. All processed foods and refined sugars, bad. Natural prebiotics and probiotics found in fruits, plants and veggies, good.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : pH BALANCE and ACID

2013-11-18T12:01:00.002-08:00

REFERENCES

Please reference the book: Prescription for Natural Cures, by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D. A great resource for exploring natural remedies, including diet and nutrition, nutritional supplements, and body/mind work.

Also reference Wikipedia: pH

According to the Carlsberg Foundation, pH stands for "power of hydrogen". The 'H' in pH refers to the measurement of hydronium ion concentration in liquid solutions, such as bodily fluids.

In chemistry, pH is a measure of acidity of a liquid solution. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline. pH values range from 0.0 to 14.0. Since pH is a logarithmic scale, a difference of just one pH unit is equivalent to a tenfold difference in hydrogen ion concentration. Like earthquakes, a pH of 9.0 on the scale would be 10 times higher than a pH of 8.0.

Measurement of pH can be done with a glass electrode and a pH meter. pH measurements are important in, among many fields, medicine, nutrition, and water purification.

pH VALUES OF SOME COMMON SUBSTANCES

Bleach has a pH of 13.0. Baking soda: 9.0. Sea water: 8.0. Blood: 7.34-7.45. Pure water has a pH very close to 7.0. Urine: 6.0. Human skin: 5.5. Black coffee, 5.0; Tomato juice, 4; Orange juice, 3. Lemons, which contain 5-6% acidic acid, have a pH of 2.2. Gastric (stomach) acid has a pH value of 1.0.
WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE US

The body is very sensitive to its pH level and strong, natural mechanisms exist to maintain it. Homeostasis refers to the proper balance between acids and bases, also called body pH. The pH of different cellular compartments, body fluids, and organs is usually tightly regulated in a process called acid-base homeostasis. By nature, the body is designed to keep everything balanced, healthy and flowing, living strong.

By nature, a body's metabolic processes (eating, digestion, breathing, moving and elimination) are designed to work together with the result being the production and elimination of acids and alkalis. Most of the foods we choose to eat produce an acidic effect in our blood. Most of the acid in our bodies is eliminated by breathing, but acid that is diet-based is expelled through our kidneys. Kidneys need minerals to do their job effectively. Without a large-enough reserve of minerals, acidic toxins can accumulate to a dangerous point. The kidneys can only do so much. If they're overtaxed by acid overload, you're in trouble. Outside the acceptable range of pH, metabolic processes begin to break down to a point where death may occur.

An excess of acid (acidosis) in the blood is called acidemia and an excess of base (alkalosis) is called alkalemia. If blood pH drops too low (acidemia), the body will compensate by increasing breathing, thereby expelling CO2, causing the pH to rise back to normal. For alkalemia, the opposite occurs.

The main issue to be addressed here is dietary in nature. Sugar, meat, dairy products and most refined grains all have acidifying effects on our blood and tissues. The body's acid-base balance (homeostasis) is tightly regulated, keeping arterial blood pH between 7.38 and 7.42. An acidic blood condition adversely affects enzymatic reactions in the body, contributing to a host of problems, particularly inflammation. Where it peeks its head out, only you and I know for sure.

Fruits and especially vegetables contain the kind of organic minerals needed to keep a body's pH level in balance. The organic acid found in fruits easily disintegrates and blows away with respiration (breathing), your body's natural exhaust system.

Green veggies, such as dark green lettuces, broccoli, and zucchini and super green foods such as spirulina, chlorella and wheatgrass as well as sea veggies like dulse, nori, wakame, and hijiki, apparently can neutralize acidic tissues due to their alkalinizing effect.

The thought here: Eat multiple servings of these alkalinizing foods each day.

A NOTE ON SODA AND ENERGY DRINKSACIDIFICATION

No more soda or energy drinks. The more I read about soda, the more I'm glad I'm away from it. It's one of the contributing exacerbators for my Ulcerative Colitis. And these new energy drinks are so full of inflammatory chemicals plus caffeine, they're like an atom bomb of ACIDIFICATION.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : TUFF LUV AFFIRMATIONS

2013-11-05T17:52:00.002-08:00

TUFF LUV INTRO: BROWN APPLES

The visual of a browning slice of apple is what I keep in mind regarding my gut cells. If I want them to be the healthiest they can be, I have to consciously act in their own best interests. I must be their advocate. They are demanding it of me and I can't let them down. I've learned they will scream at me if I don't treat them well. My cells want to do the right thing and I want to give them the best chance to succeed with the greatest army of soothing, anti-inflammatory foods and supplements, and stress-reducing activities. I'm worth it.

And so the goal of this little section is to get from "Why Me?!?' to "Why NOT You!". I know it seems counter-intuitive but let me explain. The "Why Me?" part is the powerless, confused, hopeless self who is suffering from IBD. The "Why NOT You!" is the empowered you. These Tuff Luv Affirmations are simply bootcamp for when you need that kick in the ass. Together, we can get you feeling better. But only if you behave. And, be reminded, there is only Tuff Luv behind the words, accent on the Luv.

TUFF LUV WARM-UP

YOU ARE SUCH A WUSS. YOU WOULD RATHER CONTINUE TO SUFFER THAN TO DO WHAT YOUR BODY IS ASKING YOU TO DO. YOU'VE ALLOWED YOUR TONGUE AND NOT YOUR BRAIN TO TELL YOU WHAT TO EAT. YOUR BRAIN IS A COWARDLY LITTLE BABY THAT NEEDS SOME WUPASS BOOT CAMP. YOUR TONGUE NEEDS TO SHUT UP FOR ONCE! YEAH, FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT YOU'RE EATING. THAT TONGUE NEEDS TAMING! YOUR BRAIN NEEDS EMPOWERMENT!

THAT'S WHY YOU NEED THIS BLOG. BUT JUST FOR A WHILE BECAUSE I CAN'T SUFFER WUSSES FOR LONG. SO I'M GONNA DEWUSSIFY YOU FAST. I'M GONNA HELP YOU PUT YOUR BRAIN BACK IN CONTROL. COS IF YOU DON'T GET CONTROL OF THAT TONGUE...I DON'T WANNA THINK ABOUT IT. BUT YOU ARE SUCH A WUSS, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. YOU BETTER READ THESE AFFIRMATIONS. READ THEM ALL. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. UNTIL YOU GET IT. BUT DON'T TAKE TOO LONG. THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS AND THE SOONER YOU GET YOUR WUPASS ON, THE SOONER YOU CAN CONQUER THIS. AND MAYBE YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WHO NEEDS SOME ASS WUPPIN. SHARE THE LUV, I SAY. BUT NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, IT'S TIME TO OPEN THAT CAN. YEAH, THAT CAN OF WUPASS. YOU READY? WUSS? I SAID, ARE YOU READY? WELL, READY OR NOT.

AFFIRMATION NUMBER ONE

SHUT UP! THIS IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE! YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP MILK, CEREAL, BREAD AND DONUTS? I'M CRYING A RIVER. PUT ON YOUR BIG BOY DRESS, GROW A PAIR, BUCKLE DOWN, PICK UP YOUR BOOTSTRAPS, ADJUST YOUR BRA STRAPS AND YOUR JOCKSTRAPS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND LET'S GET TO BUSINESS. DON'T YOU DARE WUSS OUT ON YOURSELF! BUT, GAWD, YOU ARE SUCH A WUSS!

AFFIRMATION NUMBER TWO

WHAT'S THAT?? YOUR WEAK, LITTLE WILLPOWER MACHINE ISN'T WORKING TODAY? WELL, KICK IT IN ITS ASS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING DANCING! THAT'S RIGHT. WE GOT NEW STEPS TO LEARN AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE TWO LEFT FEET. NO EFFING EXCUSES. GAWD, YOU ARE SUCH A WUSS. YOU GOT TWO FEET, AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT. NOW PUT SOME DAMN SNEAKERS ON AND LET'S GO WALKING!

AFFIRMATION NUMBER THREE

AND I DON'T CARE IF A LEG OR TWO WAS BLOWN OFF SOMEWHERE. YOU'RE ALIVE, AND THAT'S WHAT COUNTS. YOU'RE HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR SPIRIT. STOP FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF AND SHOW SOME SPIRIT. AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE: A WHEEL CHAIR, CRUTCHES, PROSTHETICS, WHATEVER. GET OUT OF MY FACE AND DON'T COME BACK UNTIL YOU'VE BROKEN A SWEAT. DON'T YOU PITY YOURSELF. YOU'RE GETTING NOTHING FROM ME. OF COURSE I'LL COME WITH YOU.

AFFIRMATION NUMBER FOUR

DON'T YOU WUSS OUT ON ME, WUSS. DAMN, YOU'RE A WUSS. GET OUTTA HERE! YEAH, I KNOW ALL YOUR BS EXCUSES. LOOK IN THE MIRROR FOR GOODNESS SAKE! I'M YOU! AND THE LONGEST JOURNEY STARTS WITH THE FIRST STEP. NOW, OUT WITH WITH YOU, DOWN THE STREET WITH YOU. YOU ARE SUCH A WUSS. GO!

AFFIRMATION NUMBER FIVE: THE JOHN BELUSHI LAW

IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL I SAY IT'S OVER!

AFFIRMATION NUMBER SIX: KNOWLEDGE IS EMPOWERMENT

OK. TODAY'S NOT SUCH A GOOD DAY. GET SOME REST. AND WHILE YOU'RE AWAKE, GET TO YOUR COMPUTER AND START DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH, DO YOUR OWN BLOGGING. YOUR VOICE NEEDS TO BE HEARD. A LITTLE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD HAS BEEN SAYING YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR STORY. NOW'S THE TIME. THE TELLING OF YOUR HEALING WILL HELP KEEP YOU FOCUSED ON YOUR HEALTH AND HEALING. WITH YOUR STORY, YOU CAN HELP OTHERS. GO TO BLOGSPOT.COM RIGHT NOW. YOU'LL BE BLOGGING IN MINUTES. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORY. DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF BECAUSE NOBODY LIKES TO FEEL SORRY FOR YOU. YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN TELL YOU OF THEIR CONCERN FOR YOU, BUT, AFTER A WHILE, BECAUSE OF THEIR FEELINGS OF POWERLESSNESS, IT HAS A LONG-TERM EFFECT. OTHERS WILL DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM YOU AS YOU DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM THEM.

SO STOP THE PITY PARTY. NOW IS THE TIME TO STOP USING YOUR ILLNESS AS AN EXCUSE. INSTEAD, YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT TO HELP MOTIVATE YOURSELF, TO EMPOWER YOURSELF, ONE DAY AT A TIME, ONE HOUR AT A TIME, ONE MINUTE AND ONE ELIMINATION AT A TIME. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS, I PROMISE. REMEMBER, IT TOOK YOU A WHILE TO GET HERE AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO GET YOU BACK INTO THE LIGHT. BUT THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THIS TUNNEL (PUN INTENDED, DAMMIT YOU NEED TO LAUGH AGAIN) AND YOU'RE NOT ALONE. DRINK SOME WARM CHAMOMILE TEA WITH ALOE VERA JUICE, HAVE A BANANA, HAVE A SCRAMBLED EGG WITH BROCCOLI FLOWER TOPS AND AVOCADO, MAYBE SOME CREAM OF RICE CEREAL WITH BANANA, CINNAMON AND HONEY. SOOTHE YOURSELF. DO SOME READING. START YOUR BLOG. YOUR STORY OF HEALING NEEDS TO BE TOLD. LOVE YOURSELF. THAT'S A FREAKIN ORDER!

MORE TO COME...

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT

2013-10-26T20:18:00.001-07:00

ALTERNATIVE IBD TREATMENTS

After my diagnosis and year-long treatment, I chose to consider alternative approaches to see if I could remedy my symptoms from another direction. Education drove me. My willpower took me the rest of the way there. OK, I know it took me 20 years. I'm a slow learner. I've been where I am today since 2001 and I feel great, no inflammation, and no symptoms of inflammation whatsoever. And you wouldn't believe the variety of food I can eat. I had no idea there were so many vegetables, fruits, plants, beans, nuts and seeds, other than potatoes, white rice and some peas. Sometimes, in desperation, we do what's right for us because we're afraid not to. Being afraid of my symptoms was a motivator, too.

My world opened up when I was diagnosed with ULCERATIVE COLITIS.

NUTRITIONIST

To learn how to eat to live, I needed to start with a nutritionist. At the time of my suffering, I was all ears to what I could and couldn't eat and how I should prepare my meals. I didn't always like the answers, but I got the point: I had to eat smaller portions, more often, and in the right combinations of nutrients.

The other good news, my food choices cost me nothing more than buying and cooking real food. Going marketing was actually fun and quick. Because all the healthy food is on the perimeter, the outside edges, of the typical market layout, that's where I get most of my food stuffs. If I need a can of soup, tuna, or beans or a jug of water, I know the aisle they're on. I stay away from most of the aisles because that's where all the processed foods are.

Food Shopping Tips: Don't market when you're hungry. Hungry shoppers are often impulse buyers of processed foods. Have a snack before you go so you're not tempted. Many fruits and vegetables can be bought frozen with confidence. They're often flash frozen shortly after being harvested and all the good nutrition is preserved. Great thing about frozen, you don't always have to be in the mood for a particular veggie. They last a good long time in the freezer, too, so fear not. Have your veggies when YOU want them because in the freezer they won't spoil. However, be aware that anything in the freezer will, over time, experience some freezer burn. Try to eat the entire bag of frozen fruit or veggies as soon as you can so they stay flavorful when you cook them. Frozen veggies are also good in smoothies and smoothie soups that you can make yourself.

In my journey, I wanted to know what was right for me and just DO IT. Whatever it took, short of going back on medication. I had to turn my sacrifices into assets that I'd never let go of. Like I said, it took me 20 years without medication after my first year of treatment. ULCERATIVE COLITIS turned my head around. Several times. Good thing, I like green pea soup.

Methinks, regardless of a patient's medical treatment, eating healthy, clean, whole foods and exercising regularly will probably not be in conflict with your treatment. However, always talk to your doctor first, of course, before eating healthy and exercising. There might be conflicts for some patients and only your doctor would know this for sure.

FASTING

Fasting has been used for thousands of years to give the body a rest and help it detoxify and heal. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, extolled the virtues of fasting in his writings. Many world religions have used fasting as a way to focus on both physical and spiritual healing. Fasting is also becoming an accepted method of detoxification for nutritionists and health practitioners.

HOW DOES FASTING WORK?

Digestion is hard work and the body takes a lot of energy to do that job. Fasting gives the body time to slow down, to rest, and to use the body's energy for calming the system. During the first day of a fast, the body burns stored sugar, known as glycogen. After this, the body burns fat for fuel. During the second to third day, the body goes into what is called ketosis. During ketosis, the liver converts stored fat into chemicals called ketones, which can be used by the brain, the heart, and muscles for energy. As fat is burned for fuel, stored toxins (pesticides, preservatives, additives) are released into the bloodstream, to be metabolized by the liver and the kidneys.

How often and for how long one fasts depends on a person's health. Many practitioners recommend fasting 2-3 days at the turn of each season. Others may fast one day a week. For the experienced, the basic fast is a water fast, and practitioners will drink only water for up to 5 days. Juice fasts are not as intense as a water fast because the nutrition prevents ketosis from occurring. Carrot, lemon, apple, beet, celery, wheatgrass, spriulina, barley, grass, and other super green foods. Fasters should consume eight 8 oz glasses a day (64 ounces).

MEDITATION, MINDFULNESS, and SELF-HYPNOSIS

Prior to my diagnosis, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to self-hypnosis and meditation. I found them to be powerful tools in the management of my dis-ease. Currents in those two disciplines inspires the concept behind Mindfulness. These disciplines appealed to me because of their inherent visual nature. I learned to direct my energies inward and visualize healing. Positive thinking, an optimistic outlook, a hopeful disposition, all help send positive, healing energy to affected areas. I used what I learned from these disciplines during every treatment. I used my mind and my body to visualize healing and to tap into my own healing reserves. This Mindfulness, if you will, kept me in the present, kept me focused on the healing process, and with it I helped support my emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. It gave me time for myself, something a lot of us neglect. Because the treatments are close to an hour in duration, it gave me plenty of time to direct my positive healing mental energy to my entire existence there in the acupuncturist's office.

YOGA

Yoga is another option for both exercise and centering ones focus and energy. Taking a yoga class gives me the time I need for myself and my own healing. I really love Hot Yoga, where the room is heated to about 100 degrees. Of course, only if you like to sweat...a lot! I just feel so cleansed and invigorated after my sessions. For you, always consult with your doctor to see if you're healthy enough to indulge.

ACUPUNCTURE - HOW IT WORKS

I know what you might be thinking: NEEDLES! And I really haven't a clue how it works. I just know, for me, acupuncture was a gift. Wheat led me to consider acupuncture was that it has a 3,000 year track record for its healing abilities. I entered into treatment based on that recorded duration of practice.

I was told that the needles were so thin, you barely felt a twinge. They were right. These needles are so thin, they can enter a single pore in your skin. Although a little nervous and tense at first, I quickly learned to relax into the procedure. It's an interesting bodily experience, for sure. There is no pain whatsoever. getting used to what I was supposed to be feeling during the treatment, was a journey unto itself. Very quickly, I was able to give my acupuncturist valuable feedback during each and every needle.

Each treatment lasts about 45-60 minutes. Depending on your ailment, an acupuncturist will determine where needles should be inserted. Once a needle is inserted, the acupuncturist will gently twist and turn the needles, kind of like tuning into a station on the radio. When a needle taps into your individual "chi", or energy, you have a unique sensation in that area of insertion. When all the needles are in place, be open for feeling the flow of energy within your body. The concept is this: The needles connect the energy to the body's natural healing capabilities. Devotees to the treatment will go maybe once a month or every six weeks. Just to stay balanced. When I was sick with UC, I had to go a few times a week for the first month or so, to jumpstart my body's own defenses. I think of the needles as radio relay towers in miniature. The needles tap into, connect and synergize a body's own power until the body's energy is balanced and working like a fine-tuned Ferrari.

That was my experience. I don't see an acupuncturist currently as my health is strong. It's not a life sentence is my point. I go when I need to.

FECAL TRANSPLANT

Hope may have arrived as an ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT for battling a C. diff invasion.

Are you ready?

A Fecal Transplant. That's correct. A FECAL TRANSPLANT.

WHAT IS A FECAL TRANSPLANT ?

I'm glad you assked (pun intended, of course). And when I tell you, you're going to say "Eeewyuck!". Be thankful you don't have to drink it. And if someone ever feels the way I say I was feeling, they'll say, "Eeeew-where do I find out about this?"

A FECAL TRANSPLANT goes like this:

In a doctor's setting, a patient is diagnosed with a C. diff infection, an infection of really bad bacteria. The patient's doctor places a medical order to obtain stool from a healthy donor. Upon receiving the healthy donor stool, the patient returns to the doctor's setting for the procedure. At the time the FECAL TRANSPLANT procedure is to be performed, the doctor mixes the healthy donor stool with saline (salt water). Then, through a tube inserted into the patient's rectum, the patient is administered the dose of healthy stool, bathing the affected areas in good bacteria. The healthy bacteria from the donor stool provides an army of the good guys to once again crowd out the bad bacteria, changing a sick microbiome into a healthy one. The good bacteria, the good flora, now back in gut control, prevents C. difficile from recurring.

A FECAL TRANSPLANT is like an ocean of PROBIOTICS being added to an environment that is woefully lacking. If patients also exchange their processed food choices with more plants, fruits and veggies, patients should continue to see improved management. Adding a quality PROBIOTIC to a patient's daily regimen might be something a patient might consider. After consulting with their doctor, of course.

Interesting stuff if you ask me. It just makes so much sense.

There's a Dr. Colleen Kelly, a gastroenterologist at Brown University, who is doing FECAL TRANSPLANT research.

Naturally, these professionals cost money. However, not surprisingly, they cost less than a visit to an internist or specialist doctor. Check with your insurance company to see if they cover any alternative treatments, including acupuncture and counseling or talk therapy. Counter-balancing the negative with the positive is a strategy worth considering.

Always do your own homework.

HELMINTHIC THERAPY - Information taken from Wikipedia

Also, check out this article online (copy and paste into your browser: http://news.health.com/2010/12/01/worm-therapy-shows-promise-for-ulcerative-colitis/

Current research and pharmaceutical therapy are targeted at the treatment of CROHN'S DISEASE, ULCERATIVE COLITIS, INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, multiple sclerosis, asthma, eczema, dermatitis, hayfever and food allergies.

While it is recognized that there is probably a genetic disposition in certain individuals for the development of autoimmune diseases, the rate of increase in autoimmune disease incidence is not wholly a result of genetic changes in humans; the rise of autoimmune related diseases in the industrialized world has occurred in far too short a time to be explained this way.

There is evidence that one of the primary reasons for the increase in autoimmune diseases in industrialized nations is the significant change in environmental factors over the last century. It is posited that the absence of exposure to certain parasites, bacteria, and viruses is playing a significant role in the development of autoimmune diseases in the more sanitized Western industrialized nations. The development of vaccines, hygienic practices, and effective medical care have diminished or eliminated the prevalence and impact of many parasitic organisms, as well as bacterial and viral infections. While many severe diseases have been eradicated, humans' exposure to benign and apparently beneficial parasites has also been reduce d commensurately. Lack of exposure to sufficient benign antigens, particularly during childhood, is sometimes suggested as a cause of the increase in autoimmune diseases and diseases for which chronic inflammation is a major component in the industrialized world.

Although a complete explanation of how environmental factors play a role in autoimmune diseases has still not been proposed, epidemiological studies have helped to establish the link between parasitic infestation and its protective role in autoimmmune disease development. Environmental factors include exposure to certain artificial chemicals from industrial processes, medicines, farming, and food preparation.

WHAT EXACTLY IS HELMINTHIC THERAPY?

Helminthic therapy is a type of immunotherapy. Helminths are - ready? - parasitic worms, such as hookworms and whipworms. I know. YUCK and EWWWWWW!

Helminthic therapy consists of the inoculation of the patient with specific parasitic intestinal helminths, aka nematodes.

In short, Helminthic therapy is the treatment of autoimmune diseases and immune disorders by means of deliberate infestation via inoculation with a helminth or with the ova of a helminth.

There are currently three closely related Helminthic treatments available.

They include 1) inoculation with Necator americanus (hookworms); 2) inoculation with Trichuris suis ova (TSO), aka pig whipworm eggs; or 3)inoculation with Trichuris trichiura ova, aka human whipworm eggs.

Sounds a bit disgusting and more than just a little unnerving. But wait.

If you're in pain, it might be a natural treatment worth considering. If a doctor is showing me a scalpel in one hand, and Helminthic therapy in the other, I'm with the worms. I think I could live with the worms before I could live without 12-36" or more of my intestines. But that's just me, the little worm, talking. As I've encouraged, you've got to answer this for yourself.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : REMISSION v. CURE

2013-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Also check out: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/FoodforGoodHealth

Ok, so I was diagnosed with an IBD, an inflammatory bowel disease called Ulcerative Colitis, and modern medicine doesn't know the etiology, the cause, or the pathology of the disease. It's a mystery disease. Modern medicine will tell you even today, they don't know how all these people are getting sick. Patients may have a genetic predisposition, or allergies or, who knows? Food? No, maybe, maybe not, we don't know (and we don't care). Eat whatever you want, don't eat certain things, we don't know, it's all a mystery. Maybe go easy on the dairy and red meat. Here's your prescription.

For all us sufferers, modern medicine has figured out how to suppress a patient's immune system responses so a patient can choose, with their doctor's consult and advice, to no longer feel the symptoms, the pain. If the treatment works, and a patient's symptoms subside, a patient can go into what's referred to as 'remission', the term modern medicine uses to describe their idea of disease management.

A patient should know, going into medical treatment, it's the best modern medicine has to offer. And remission usually lasts As long as a patient stays on the prescribed medicine of choice, of course. Modern medicine will also warn each patient to stay on the medication or the side-effects could be even more dire.

Never-ending treatment, symptoms, remission, symptoms, remission, symptoms and remission. The beautiful, colorful, kaleidoscopic goal of modern medicine. The message is, for inflammatory bowel disease, you need medicine for life. If you believe otherwise and want to discontinue treatment, you will be warned by your doctor not to discontinue treatment, that a decision to discontinue treatment at any point is a bad idea. A difficult position for a patient to find themselves in, to be sure.

I'm just a messenger here. Probably a bad one. Remember to do your own research.

THAT IBD REMAINS A MYSTERY, WORKS IN FAVOR OF THE POWERS THAT BE

HOW a patient gets IBD, HAS to be a mystery because the mystery works in favor of the powers that be, in my opinion.

IBD has a diagnosis, has behaviors and biomarkers that medical diagnosticians and gastroenterologists can identify.

The mystery, however, HAS to be part of the story. Modern medicine depends on the mystery. It absolves everyone of responsibility if things don't work out, if treatments don't work out. Remember, doctors are practicing medicine. In some cases, they're practicing on you.

Mystery diseases also make it easier for researchers to appear to work hard to figure out a cure. And it appears they are working hard, of course, and with your donations, they'll be that much closer to the cure. It would be horrible if they were looking in the wrong places. Almost criminal, given the number of fatal side effects documented each year as the result of immune suppressant treatment.

Suppressing your immune system for any duration of time can lead to Superbug infections resistant to all current antibiotics, to surgery, cancer and death. Notice how many people in the obituaries are dying of 'pneumonia?' Superbug infections resulting from immune suppressant treatment, often for years. Just an uneducated guess, of course.

But, after all this time, they have to be looking in the right places for a cure. Right? Right?? Modern medicine wants cures, don't they?

So far, though, modern medicine has only developed treatments that will stop the pain and disease from feeling symptomatic. Remission of disease is the primary goal, not cure. Thinking about it, how could they cure a disease they claim not to know the cause of? Of course they can only come up with a treatment. A cure would require knowing the etiology and pathology of the disease first or at least discovering it along the way to a cure. If the cause is 'forever unknown', then shooting bullets in the dark is all I can expect. If modern medicine doesn't know the cause, we have to trust they're doing the best they can by guessing the answer over and over. How many immune suppressant therapies are there? Let me count the ways.

Why? Why don't we know what causes it? Are we looking hard enough? Is the current culture of overprescription and drug invention stacking the deck against what used to be the 'Healing Arts?' Does a student doctor end up with such debt that they're forced into alliances that preclude long-term treatment? Is treatment all about making money? Why is it that modern medicine can only create substances that suppress the immune system? Why aren't they looking into immune system boosters? Why aren't they figuring out how to harness a body's natural healing power and improve that?

Questions, questions, questions. I've got more silly observations.

Someone else might say, 'Graham, you're so silly. Don't you understand, this is all part of the 'Upside Down World' we now live in?'

Since 1996, when big pharma was given the green light to market their products directly to consumers, some of us have become obsessed with self-diagnosis. Commercials provide images and words in such an interesting way that you're encouraged to discount the side effects and ask your doctor about such and such a drug.

It's become more important to find medication for what ails you. Modern medicine discounts nutrition (who really likes eating broccoli anyway) and leaves consumers with the impression that you need to live your life the way you want. Medicines, the 'magic pill,' will be there to catch your fall. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, heartburn, gerd, IBS, IBD, no worries. We gotta pill or treatment or surgery for that.

There's a belief that medicine production is simply human beings providing what nature accidentally left out. Our modern medical miracles take away the pain. All someone has to do is take their medication. Medication is as good or better than food and you should ask your doctor about each. Because it's medication. And everyone should look forward to being on at least one medication as they grow older. Drug commercials children see today (Hey parents, how about all those ED commercials during televised sports? Those are fun to explain!) are designed for that long-term side-effect: creating the mindset for being open to becoming lifelong prescription drug takers. There is also the perpetuation of the myth that there's a 'magic pill' for everything that ails you. We are a pill-popping, magic pill seeking culture, one that seeks to perpetuate itself. There could be millions of reasons to keep us where we are, in treatment. Maybe even billions of reasons.

With 6 billion people on the planet, that's a lot of diagnosing to do. Everybody's got something, right? If we can diagnose it, we can try to treat it. And if we can treat it, the inventors get treated.

Besides, you can buy healthful food at the market. Modern medicine can't make a living handing out marketing lists. Modern medicine will gladly tell you what medication exists for your ailment, to be sure. Since modern medicine gives only lip service to nutrition, you're on your own when it comes to feeding your face. The latest and greatest drug invention and treatment for whatever, that's what gets their motor runnin'. It's better if the patient sees it that way, too. Then if/when the treatment fails, there's something wrong with you, the patient/your body, not the doctor or the treatment.

The law appears to be: Modern medicine is not responsible for failed or failing treatments. They are doing the best they can. You can't expect miracles.

Jessa Note to mah friendly readahs: I'm jes' speculatin' heyah, mahnd ya. Gots no credentials fer any o' this, y'know. Thank gudness my nonsense probly hazza scientis' that can be refutin' it all. Always consult yoah doctah befoah yah do anything stoopid. And don't be afraid to ask questions. Ahl's I know is, Butt Detective Colonblow's got questions. Lots o' questions. You might make a list yo'sef.

So, methinks, if modern medicine with all its $billion$ in research and development can only come up with immune suppressants and a variety of antibiotics to treat IBD, then suppressing and hiding the symptoms is most of what modern medicine has to offer. After all, the reasoning goes, if you don't feel it, then it's not there. And when symptoms don't appear after treatment, a patient is said to be 'in remission.' And that's the next best thing to being cured. Right?

I'm not privy to the latest figures mind you and cannot be sure of course, but I don't believe antibiotic or immune suppressant treatments have "cured" one person. Not one person. As a matter of fact, I believe if someone had been cured, it would be front page news. So, I've believe modern medicine can only claim victory in the category of 'remission'. But not 'cure.' For patients under care, remission has to be the agreed upon and hoped for goal. And remission means that once the treatment is discontinued, remission could end, too, and symptoms could return.

It's a Ferris wheel merry-go-round for sure. Where it stops, I certainly don't know. I can see it spinning, though.

And, if I say I've managed my IBD diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis without medication, does that mean I've 'cured' one more person than all of modern medicine? Until I'm convinced otherwise, I could certainly be seen as a possible test case for naturopathic management of an IBD diagnosis. It's certainly a bold claim from a nobody on the internet. It might be best to ignore me. You can bet modern medicine is.

Certainly, however, I'm not 'in remission' in a clinical sense. I haven't seen a proctologist for treatment of my diagnosis since early 1982. (I would never advise that to anyone, of course.) I haven't been taking any medication since 1982 and the symptoms of my diagnosis have been totally gone without a single flare-up since 2001.

In summary, modern medicine talks about an IBD patient under successful treatment as being 'in remission'. From modern medicine's point of view, remission of symptoms has to be good enough for both doctor and patient. It's not a cure, but it offers the next best thing: Not feeling your symptoms. Which are there, hiding, most likely only until your medical treatment's effectiveness comes to the end of its efficacy.

I have to believe that doctors really wish to do no harm to their patients, that managing IBD and pain are two of the most difficult challenges modern medicine has. But medical treatment options abound and there's a lot of money to be made by big pharma and the doctors beholden to them and their treatment incentives. Stock holders are betting on it.

Since there's simply no medical livelihood in giving a patient a marketing list as a prescription, it would be silly to look there. I mean, if you're a doctor, that's probably the FIRST place to look. They MUST have already looked there, right? Silly for me, then, to do that for myself. What could I possibly find there that would be relevant to MY situation?

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : SNACKS

2013-10-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS HEALTHY FEELS!

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Also check out: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/FoodforGoodHealth

After breakfast, I graze on healthy snacks throughout the day.

I have eliminated all GMO corn, soy, and wheat products from my food choices.

My favorite grazing is done with a combination
of fruits and nuts and soft and crispy veggies throughout the day.

These just happen to be my favorites.
Mix the nuts any way you like. Unless you have allergies. Then forget the nuts.

I grab a handful of nut mix throughout the day. My good intestinal bacteria - probiotics - love nuts.

It's been said, "You are what you eat." Well, then, I'm nuts!

"COCONUT CAN O'NUTS"

Almonds
Pistacios
Cashews
Sunflower Seeds
Peanuts
Walnut Pieces
Dried coconut (optional)

FRUIT

Bananas - easy to digest, PROBIOTIC-lovin stuff
papaya - digestive enzymes
apples - delicious fiber
pineapple - digestive enzymes
kiwi - great in smoothies or sliced on top of fruit salad
blueberries - great in anything: yogurt, smoothies, and all by themselves.
strawberries (Allergen Alert!) - Not too many at a time...
melon - all kinds are delicious
Apricots - cut up fine, sprinkle divine
Dried Plums aka prunes
Dates
Top your fruit plate combination with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt
Sprinkle with cinnamon and 72% dark chocolate shavings

VEGGIES AND PLANTS

Steamed, baked or broiled for easier digestion.
Sprinkle on your favorite seasonings.
Serve with avocado dip, mixed with Greek yogurt

Fresh Avocado - cut in half, dollop of Greek yogurt, sprinkle sesame seeds
Fresh Carrots
Fresh or Frozen Broccoli
Fresh or Frozen Kale
Fresh or Frozen Baby Spinach
Fresh Celery - sliced in a salad, cut in thirds for dipping
Fresh or Frozen Brussels Sprouts
Frozen Artichoke Hearts
Fresh or Frozen Bell Peppers (Green, Red, Orange, Yellow)
Fresh or Frozen Green Beans
Fresh or Frozen Peas

Top with a dollop of avocado and Greek yogurt dip
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar

AVOCADO AND YOGURT DIP

This is great on veggies and meat dishes.

One Avocado
Cut in half, place pit on a paper towel
Scoop the avocado into a mixing bowl
Discard of or compost the skin
Add the juice of 1/8-1/4 of a lemon
Add a little salt and pepper
Add a little garlic powder
Add a little finely chopped onions
Add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt
Mix it up
Dollop on turkey sandwiches,chicken/turkey/hamburgers,
as a fruit or veggie dip...,

whatever your avocado heart imagines.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : DINNER RECIPES

2013-10-24T12:24:00.004-07:00

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS HEALTHY FEELS!

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Also check out: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/FoodforGoodHealth

DINNER RECIPES

I'm an omnivore. Although I eat a lot of plants, I'm not a vegetarian.
Simple Rule 1: Include plants in at least 2 meals and a snack every day.
Simple Rule 2: Have your fruit or sugar either before or wait an hour after a heavy meat protein meal.

Fruit/Sugar Options: Include Fruit as part of your breakfast and eat soft fruit for snacks.

For Dinner, eat plants and veggies with your meal.
Eat as many and in whatever variety you want.
Eat the rainbow. Eat all the colors of veggies.
Steam them. Saute them. Bake or broil or barbecue them.
Your gut will thank you.

"BAKED ORGANIC CHICKEN BREASTS"

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Start with two boneless organic chicken breasts
1 lemon
Lemon-Herb Salt and Pepper, garlic powder, chopped onions to taste.
Lightly sprinkle spices over the meat. A little goes a long way.
Canola Spray the interior surfaces of a baking pan.
Place chicken in pan.
Place two handfulls your favorite cut and clean veggies around chicken.
Place a couple of thin slices of lemon on each breast. Of chicken, silly.
Squeeze the rest of the lemon onto the veggies. Watch for seeds and remove them.
Add a little pinch of the above seasoning on the veggies.
Place your pan with the chicken and veggies in the 350 degree oven
Cook for about 20-25 minutes or so, until the internal temperature
of the meat is 165 degrees.

Add steamed kale to cooked grains: Quinoa (pronounced: 'keen-wah'), or Amaranth, or Teff and steamed kale.

"BAKED WILD-CAUGHT SALMON"

Ground Organic Turkey

Ground Organic Grass-fed Beef

Green Eggs and Holy Moly!

My (Not Yet) Famous Chili Recipe

Steamed, baked or broiled rainbow of veggies

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : LUNCH RECIPES

2013-10-24T12:24:00.001-07:00

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS HEALTHY FEELS!

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Also check out: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/FoodforGoodHealth

I have breakfast to start the day, but I don't always have a lunch.

I'm what you call a grazer.

However, when I do sit down, here's a little sample of what I eat.

"EASY GREENSY TUNA SALAD"

Prep Time: Maybe 3 minutes?

No, silly, the tuna isn't green. I just like to visualize greens in my meals.

My local market carries wild caught tuna in cans (TUNA: MERCURY and ALLERGEN ALERT!)

The wild caught tuna is chunkier and has a pop-top can.

Open the can of tuna.
With a fork, separate the solid chunk into smaller, chunky pieces
Grab a fistful of your favorite greens and throw them on a plate.
I always choose organic baby spinach or a spring greens salad mix.
Fork the tuna from the can onto the center of your greens.
Whenever possible, add chunks, slices, or a half of an avocado!
Add a dollop of mustard or mayo or plain Greek yogurt anywhere on the plate.
Sprinkle with dill.
As you eat, gently fork a mouthful of deliciousness, dip in the dollops of your choice.
With your fork, stab some tuna and greens, dip in a dollop of mayo/mustard/yogurt...

plants, protein, Omega 3's (EFA's) prebiotics, and micronutrients...delicious!

"AVOCADO TUNA DELIGHT"

Prep time: 3 minutes

Use a medium or large avocado.
Cut avocado in half, keeping the pitted half to eat.
Seal the other half in plastic and place in the fridge.
Add a spoonful of already made tuna to the center of the avocado.
Add a dollop of yogurt, dill on top.
Spoon into your open mouth and enjoy!

"RAINBOW of PEPPERS"

When it comes to fruits and veggies, eat all the colors of the rainbow!

I love fresh bell peppers: Red, Green, Yellow, and Orange

GOOD NEWS: You can find peppers sliced and frozen, too!

Here's how I prepare them:
Wash and slice four medium to large fresh bell peppers, cleaning out the seeds.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees (bake or broil is fine).
Cover a large cookie pan with tin foil.
Spray canola oil or coconut oil onto the tin foil.
Spread the bell peppers evenly on the tin foil.
Place the cookie pan with the fresh sliced bell peppers in the oven.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or so.
Check often and don't worry if the skins burn a little bit.
Remove from oven, let them sit to cool for 5 minutes.
Place all the slices of peppers in a medium size recloseable container.
Place in fridge.
Eat all the peppers within a week for best flavor.
Add peppers to eggs, tuna, chicken dishes.
Come to think of it, they go with breakfast, lunch or dinner.

"VERY, VERY VEGGIE"

Follow the 'Rainbow of Peppers' directions.

Use any combination of your favorite veggies.
Prepare as above.
Add some spices like dill, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chopped onions.
Place in oven at 400 degrees.
Keep your eye on the cooking. Remove after 15-20 minutes.
Allow to cool and plunk them in your favorite recloseable container.
Use throughout the week. Add to eggs, tuna, chicken, fish, beef
Snack on them daily.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : BREAKFAST RECIPES

2013-10-23T13:39:00.221-07:00

IBD & FOOD: WHAT CAN I EAT?

WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW

Eating is the biggest challenge for all IBD sufferers.

You can feel powerless and this can be depressing.

This is a guide to understanding what your body is telling you

and suggestions on how you might best answer it.

EATING DISORDERS and IBD

Eating disorders have strong emotional & psychological roots.

They can be difficult to treat and challenging to overcome.

If you suspect you might have an eating disorder

such as anorexia nervosa,

bulimia, bingeing & purging, overeating,

you're overweight, or have

processed fast food addictions,

and haven't yet seen a doctor,

please see a medical professional asap

to diagnose your particular condition.

Love yourself first.

IT'S A DETECTIVE STORY

Human beings are both simple and very complex.

Eat food, digest, eliminate, repeat. That's the simple equation.

However, it's what happens between the

eating and eliminating that makes IBD complex.

If your digestive system was murdered,

where would you look first?

MY MANTRA
"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired."
"I choose to manage what I have control over."
"I choose mindfulness expression, including
meditation / prayer / spiritual practice / positive affirmations

CALMING INFLAMMATION & FLARE UPS

Flareups. The worst. The ABSOLUTE WORST.

What do you do when you're afraid to eat?

How do you calm the fire?

First, you need to take a little time off,

get plenty of REST, HYDRATION,

and NOURISHMENT.

Empowerment begins with

exercising your choice to stay healthy.

It's not always easy... but you're worth it!

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Objective: To minimize your internal & external stress.

DO NOT

operate heavy machinery, work out,

lift weights or heavy objects,

go jogging, hiking, biking or

engage in any intense physical activity.

Do NOT push your recovery!

Walking, a gentle swim, yoga and stretching are all great,

but always limit to your comfort zone.

WHAT TO DRINK

CONSUME

PURE, CLEAN, ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER.

WARM CHAMOMILE TEA

WARM BLENDED TEAS with TURMERIC

GEORGE'S ALWAYS ACTIVE 100% ALOE VERA

2oz - 4oz/daily

PAPAYA/MANGO FRUIT JUICE BLEND

GREEN DRINK FRUIT & VEGGIE JUICE BLEND

Drink cool, but not ice cold

AVOID drinking ice water or iced tea

during this time of recovery.

Our bodies like warm and gentle.

DYSBIOSIS

Our gut bacteria make up our MICROBIOME.

Our gut is often referred to as our body's second brain.

As our gut goes, so goes the rest of us.

Our gut bacteria, the good ones, keep us healthy

and keep the bad guys moving safely out of your system.

DYSBIOSIS occurs when the bad gut bacteria

overwhelm the good gut bacteria,

creating an imbalance in our MICROBIOME.

LEAKEY GUT SYNDROME

Your gut lining is there to keep bacteria in its place,

bacteria that must not escape into your blood stream.

'LEAKEY GUT SYNDROME is characterized

by fissures or tears in the gut wall.

When this happens, bacteria can escape into your bloodstream.

This can cause SEPSIS, an infection of the blood which can be

antibiotic-resistant and lead to death, often in the hospital.

PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS.

WHAT ARE THESE?

PROBIOTICS are the good bacteria guys.

Think PRO SPORTS.

You always want to work with the PROs if you're going to get better.

These are the armies, the colonies, of good bacteria you need,

working together to help keep your gut healthy.

You have billions maybe trillions of these rich colonies of gut bacteria.

PREBIOTICS are the nutrients, the food, that

PROBIOTICS require to live and keep our gut healthy.

Without PREBIOTIC nutrients,

PROBIOTIC colonies simply will not endure,

compromising your healthy digestive response to food.

DYSBIOSIS occurs when the bad bugs overwhelm our good bugs.

A compromised gut can be a dysfunctional gut.

FOODS RICH IN PREBIOTICS

Note: If you're not a fan of plants...

"I DON'T LIKE EATING PLANTS/VEGGIES.

EATING PLANTS GIVES ME GAS.

I HATE HAVING GAS.

I'M SICK OF HAVING GAS PAINS."

I know.

It's going to take a little time.

I'll bet you've been suffering awhile and just want it to stop.

My suffering slowed to a stop when my healing began.

I believe your suffering can be managed & minimized, too.

So, GO SLOWLY when adding plants into your diet.

I'll try to make it simpler than you think.

It's relatively easy to disguise them in tasty ways.

PLEASE NOTE:

You may experience an uptick in gassiness during this time.

THIS IS NORMAL. THE PLANTS ARE DOING THEIR JOB.

The gassiness will subside over time.

Plants are the sweepers.

They keep things running smoothly.

Kicking out the bad guys means kicking up the dust.

The gas I experience now is normal and doesn't smell, really.

You and I know what noxious, dysbiotic farts smell like.

Like death, sometimes, right?

Mine smell more like life. Normal life.

I want this for you. Sincerely I do.

Nice normal farts.

Think of your gut as an internal flower garden.

It needs the right combination of clean, pure hydration

and nutrients to stay viable and healthy.

So, what foods help nourish our GUT FLORA,

our MICROBIOME?

All edible plants are rich, nutritional sources of PREBIOTICS.

These SUPERFOOD POWERHOUSES

of PREBIOTICS are essential nutrients for PROBIOTICS.

PROBIOTICS ARE A KEY TO HEALING & GUT HEALTH

PLANTS & ROOTS

BENEFITS

Plants & Roots sweep out the DYSBIOTIC gut bacteria and

deliver nutritious PREBIOTICS to your entire gut lining,

promoting protective colonies of PROBIOTICS,

a key to healing.

PREPARE BEFORE EATING

Wash & Clean ALL Plants & Roots Thoroughly!

Bake or Roast Gently Sautée Steam Air Fry

GO ORGANIC WHEN AVAILABLE

Organic Plants & Roots are always my first choice.

Hidden pesticides may be contributing

to your condition and there's really no test for that.

Although there are washes you can purchase,

I use a veggie brush with mild soap and water & then rinse.

White vinegar can also be used as a wash.

Anti-Inflammatory

Cooking Sprays / Oils / Fats:

Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Chia Seed Oil, Hempseed Oil,

Coconut Oil, MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) Oil,

Flaxseed Oil, Organic Ghee & Grass Fed Butter

PLANTS

Fresh - Frozen - Riced

Broccoli Florets Cauliflower

SQUASHES

Fresh - Frozen - Cubed

Zucchini, Yellow, Acorn, Spaghetti,

Butternut & Pumpkin Squashes

SPROUTS

Fresh Only

Alfalfa Broccoli

ROOTS

Fresh / Baked or Frozen / Cubed / Shredded

Sweet Potatoes Yams Purple Potatoes

Parsnips Beets

Plants & Roots work as sweepers and healers.

Let food be your medicine

and medicine be your food.

The bad guys have been having a party.

Party's over.

It's gonna take time to kick them out of their favorite club.

So, expect a little gas as a side effect of kicking the bad guys out.

Endure this part of the process because

calmer seas lie ahead as your body heals itself.

This may be a heavier lift than you anticipated.

That's ok. Please...Stick with me.

Even if you're under a doctor's care, on medication,

taking infusions,

these suggested protocols for a more nutritious lifestyle

may be helpful

as part of your management protocol.

Always check with your doctor and pharmacist about

any foods that may interfere with your medical protocol.

Be patient with yourself.

There's no rushing this process.

One day at a time. One hour at a time.

Rest and stay hydrated.

Meditate. Visualize. Spiritualize.

Healing Affirmations. Deep Breathe.

Whatever it takes.

BREAKFAST LUNCH & DINNER

It's been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

With IBD sufferers, however, any meal could be the worst meal,

especially when symptoms arise, persist, or intensify.

LOVE YOURSELF ALL OVER AGAIN!

Look to the BABY FOOD AISLE in your favorite supermarket.

That's right, Baby Food!

Think about it: Before babies can eat solid food,

they have to get their tummies used to the idea.

Kinda like us at the moment.

QUICK PREP TIME!

Pre-packaged, pre-portioned,

pureed BABY FOOD (organic preferred)

is an easy-on-your-tummy time saver.

Use as part of any recipe

for easy-on-your-tummy

smoothies, soups or a quick snack.

Stick with these winners:

mango, pear, apple sauce, papaya, carrots,

apricot, squashes, sweet potatoes

PLEASE NOTE:

Protein blends (chicken, beef, turkey)

may not play as well on your mature taste buds.

Try them anyway! You might like them!

To minimize/eliminate your exposure to pesticides from the field,

organic fruits/plants/veggies are always preferred.

Thoroughly wash your plants and fruits

in a gentle soap and water, or white vinegar wash,

even if organic.

MAKING SOUP EASY PEASY

Serves 4

In a soup pot, pour 32oz of one of the following:

- Organic / Low Sodium preferred -

- Vegetable Broth -

- Beef Broth - or - Beef Bone Broth -

- Chicken Broth - or - Chicken Bone Broth -

Heat on Low until a low boil appears

Add to chosen broth:

12oz Fresh Onion/Celery/Carrot premixed

(Available in your market's Lettuce section)

-or-

One Medium, Chopped Sweet Onion

Plus Your Choice:

Small Handful of sliced/chopped/mixed:

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery

(Cut off the stems, use flower tops only)

Plus

2 pinches of dill

1 pinch of parsley

1 pinch of salt

(Optional) 1 Tsp. Turmeric

Cover & Heat on low 20-30 minutes

until Veggies are soft

Optional

Add precooked, small pieces of chicken/turkey

Let sit in soup for 5-10 minutes to warm up

and soak up the juices

SMOOTHIES and SOUPS

Remember, our objective is to calm our inflammation.

Smoothies allow our body to work less intensely,

easing our digestive process,

and bringing calm to the storm.

In the beginning of your dietary recovery,

rely on smoothies to take the pressure off.

If you like the recipes, it's ok to have a few a day.

Resting our intestines is a good thing.

They need time to heal. Smoothies can help.

SOOTHING SMOOTHIES

Appliance Needed: A Blender

The one I use:

Ninja Brand Blender

NutriBullet is Another Good Blender

Both Good Values, Long Lasting

1/2 cup broccoli florets

( cut off the stems, use just the green flower tops)

1/4 cup fresh papaya

1/2 banana

1+ cup non-dairy milk: pea/almond/oat/rice or pea protein*

1+ cup pure water (9.5 Alkaline preferred)

2 oz George's 100% Aloe Vera

1+ scoop of pea protein powder**

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tbsp Honey

Blend & Liquify

A NOTE ABOUT NON-DAIRY MILK

*The most nutritionally dense Pea Protein milk brand name:

Ripple / Unsweetened

*The most nutritionally dense Almond Milk brand name:

MYLK / Unsweetened

(Avoid Almond Milk altogether if you have a nut allergy)

A NOTE ABOUT PLANT-BASED PROTEIN POWDER

**I prefer Pea Protein powder as it's easiest to digest.

Orgain (chocolate or vanilla) is a pea protein blend I enjoy.

Available at Costco.com

It comes in powder form and also as a ready-to-drink smoothie shake

Anti-Inflammatory

Ingredients & Recipes

FRUIT: Banana Papaya Mango Avocado Melon

PLANTS: Baby Spinach Baby Kale Riced Cauliflower Riced Broccoli

ROOTS: Sweet Potatoes Yams Purple Potatoes Parsnips Beets

SEEDS/CEREALS: Chia Seeds Hemp Seeds

Grain-free/Gluten-free cereals and breads

PROTEIN: Fish and Poultry preferred

Tuna Salmon Tilapia Sea Bass Chicken Turkey

SPICES: Turmeric Dill Parsley Onion Powder

LIQUID: George's 100% Aloe Vera Pure Alkaline (8.0-9.5) water (preferred)

Bottled/Purified water

TEAS: Chamomile Hybiscus Roibos Any Turmeric Blend

OMEGA 3, 6, & 9 FATTY ACIDS

OMEGA 3 fatty acids are known as

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

because we need them, we must consume them,

and our bodies don't make them.

Think of them as being ESSENTIAL to our health.

The Best Part:

OMEGA 3 fatty acids are

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

and can be found in:

Fish: Salmon, sardines, anchovies,

Tuna, herring, catfish, cod, & mackerel,

& Cold-water Fatty Fish

Seeds/Nuts: Chia Seeds, Walnuts, Flax Seed

Nuts & Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Krill Oil

Walnuts/Walnut Oil, Flax & Flax Seed Oil,

Avocado Oil

Omega 6 Fatty Acids are inflammatory to our gut.

Although GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe),

these Omega-6 dominant oils

& their accompanying fatty acid profile

contribute to our own inflammation

and DYSBIOSIS.

Omega-6 dominant oils are used

in processed, fried, & fast food.

They're cheaper and more profitable.

If you consume processed/fast/fried food regularly,

expect a continued inflammatory response.

GOOD BYE & HELLO

GOOD BYE

Partially hydrogenated & hydrogenated vegetable oil,

which is used to make products like margarine, coffee creamer,

packaged snacks and fried food.

Partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils

contain harmful trans fats which can lead to heart & health problems.

Vegetable Oil, Soybean Oil, Corn Oil, Peanut Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil,

Grapeseed Oil, Canola Oil, Safflower Oil, PAM Vegetable Oil Spray

HELLO

Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Olive Oil, Hempseed Oil

GLUTEN

GLUTEN is a protein found in some grains, especially the ubiquitous WHEAT. GLUTEN can cause severe allergic reactions in those who are sensitive. People with CELIAC DISEASE are GLUTEN SENSITIVE. CELIACS should always avoid GLUTEN in their diet, especially from WHEAT.

THE GROUND RULES OF FOOD

Always read nutritional labels

on boxes, cans, & bottles.

Know what you're putting into your body.

Knowledge is empowerment.

Eat several smaller meals during the day.

Your tummy will thank you.

Keep your nutritional intake uniform in size.

Sip your smoothies, don't guzzle.

Chew, chew, chew your food.

Eating is not a race to dessert.

Pay attention to your food combinations!

Simple rule: Don't follow protein with sugar.

If you follow an animal protein meal with

any sugary dessert, be it fruit, dairy, pastry or cake,

you will have digestive issues. Sugar digests

faster than protein and can't go around the protein

you've consumed, rendering it trapped, stuck &

fermenting the protein, causing gas discomfort.

You'll probably take an acid reducer like you usually do.

Or maybe you've taken one ahead of time to prevent this.

I'm trying to help you understand the digestive

processes so you can eliminate or greatly reduce

your use of acid inhibitors. Let your digestion do its work.

All you may have to do is pay attention to food combining.

You can do this. Whatever it takes.

And don't overdo it. Don't overstuff yourself.

Eat until gently satiated.

Our objective is to ease digestive stress.

Several small "meals" a day will get you there.

Easy on the red meat there, tigers and lionesses.

PAPAYA BOWL OF PARADISE
Anti-inflammatory, probiotic powerhouse

of digestive smoothness.

If I was a doctor, which I am not,

I'd prescribe consuming 1/4-1/2 papaya a day.

Perfect in smoothies, salads, gluten free cereal & oatmeal,

paleo pancakes, on top of frozen yogurt...experiment at will!

You'll feel the calming difference.

For a filling dessert:

One medium papaya, cut in half, lengthwise.
Wrap one half in food plastic and put it back in the fridge for tomorrow.

You can also cut in quarters if half is too big a portion.
Spoon out the seeds and compost them or toss them.

Spoon the papaya in to a cereal/soup bowl.

Discard/compost/place in green bin/ the papaya skin.

Suggested Additions:

Any fruit you find agreeable. Modify at will.

Banana, mango, soft melon, blueberries, blackberries,

raspberries, peaches, ripe purple plums, dark cherries, kiwi
Top with unsweetened frozen or refrigerated yogurt

Drool some honey swirls on top of that.
Sprinkle to taste, Chia Seeds & Hemp Seeds.
Dark (72%+) Chocolate Shavings/Chips on top.
Dust with cinnamon.
Big enough to share a little! Enjoy!

MIXED BERRIES BANANA SPLIT

A plant protein & probiotic powerhouse.

Slice into individual pieces or split lengthwise into a serving bowl
1 tsp chia seed, 1 tsp hemp seed.
Sprinkle a little cinnamon
Drizzle little honey on top of that
Next, crush or grate one or two chunks of 72% Dark Chocolate for the final topping
I recommend dark chocolate with a 72% cacao content or higher
And then as a final final option: A sprinkle of 100% organic cacao powder on top of it all, just enough for taste.

Ready, set, mix it up and spoon! And, just TRY to keep this a secret from the kids ... not !

Banana splits in the morning? I'm getting up early!!

Great for staying sharp in the morning

I'M NUTS ABOUT BANANA PANCAKES! - the absolute easiest way to make pancakes, without a speck of flour!

One medium to large banana
In a bowl, slice and moosh the banana
Thoroughly blend two large eggs in a separate bowl
Add a little vanilla and cinnamon to the egg mixture
Add some hemp seeds or chia seeds or flax seeds to the mix
Add the egg mixture to the mooshed bananas and blend thoroughly
Preheat a griddle to 350 degrees or heat up a medium or large pan on the stove
Land dollops of the egg-banana mixture onto the griddle.
Serve with honey, cinnamon, sliced blueberries, bananas, papaya, or kiwi
Drizzle some pure maple syrup
Add a sprinkle of coconut sugar
Splash your favorite nut mixture, chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp seeds on top

Delish!

"The Perfect 'You're a Genius!' Hard-Boiled Egg"

I make my hard boiled eggs a dozen or more at a time. Always a great snack for me, anytime of day.

Fill a sauce pan about 2/3 with water, enough to cover the eggs.
Add your dozen or so eggs, gently, into the saucepan, making sure you still have enough water to just cover the eggs. Place a cover on your sauce pan.
Turn on your burner and set to LOW. This will ensure the cool water and the cool eggs don't heat up too fast. I the eggs heat up too fast, they crack. Be patient, slow and easy.

Bring the water to a boil and boil the eggs for one minute.
After one minute, turn off the burner.
Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 more minutes
During this time, in a large bowl, prepare an ice bath for the eggs.
After 15 minutes, place the hard boiled eggs in the ice bath for 5-10 minutes, until cooled
Remove the eggs from the ice bath, dry them off and lace eggs in a bowl in the refrigerator

12 automatic snacks.

"Green Eggs" (EGGS: Allergen Alert!)

Whenever I have scrambled eggs or an omelet, I always throw in an overflowing handful of greens or plants first.
In a saucepan, with heat on LOW, melt a dollop of 100% Organic Pure Unrefined, Extra Virgin, Cold Pressed Coconut Oil.
You can substitute the coconut oil with canola spray, if you like.
As the oil is heating, add a handful of your favorite greens:
Spinach and kale and broccoli flower tops are my favorites.
On the side, in another bowl, whisk two eggs and blend them together
When the greens have kind of melted into each other and have turned dark green,
Add the blended eggs and stir gently with a spatula designed for high heat cooking.
When the eggs are firm, sprinkle on a little shredded cheese
Gently fold the egg dish onto your breakfast plate.

And there you have it, "Green Eggs"

Here's a variation on the "Green Eggs" recipe that I also use a lot.

"Green Eggs and Holy GuacaMoly!" Now it becomes an egg, protein, probiotic blast.

In a saucepan, with heat on LOW, melt a dollop of 100% Organic Pure Unrefined, Extra Virgin, Cold Pressed Coconut Oil.
You can substitute the coconut oil with canola spray, if you have that.
As the oil is heating, add a handful of your favorite greens and plants.

This is where you can go a little crazy because there's no limit on the amount of greens or plants you can eat.
Spinach, kale, mushrooms, jalapenos, broccoli flowertops, fine-cut asparagus, shredded brussels sprouts,
artichoke hearts, green/red/yellow peppers, thin sliced/shredded zuchini or banana squash.
Green, white, sweet or red onions and garlic. Throw in whatever you like!

The veggies in your pan will soften and melt together with the oil.
I'll add a tiny bit of salt, pepper and powdered garlic and onion to taste. Add the spices you like.

I will often add a little organic chicken sausage, ground turkey or ground beef.
I cut the sausage into little pieces and I like my ground meat to be in small pieces too.
Gently stir and blend the ingredients so all the flavors are melded together.

When everything has been cooking for a little bit and the sliced sausage is browning
I will add two smoothly beaten eggs. I just pour it in, using my spatula to get every last drop of egg.
With my spatula, I move the mixture around for a few minutes, adding a little more coconut oil if I need to.
When the eggs have cooked, I add some shredded cheese blend on top, letting it melt for a minute
Then I use my spatula to guide the meal onto my breakfast dish.

I will add dollops of guacamole that I've handmade with a little lemon, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of garlic and onion.

I'll add dollops of wasabi mayonaise and mustard on the side of my plate as shmearing condiments.
I like it with a little kick.

"Avocado and Egg Salsa" (EGGS: Allergen Alert)

Use a small avocado or cut a large one in half.
Scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl
Add lemon juice from 1/4-1/3 of a lemon
Add a little salt and pepper
Sprinkle in a tiny pinch of garlic powder (to taste)
With a fork, moosh it all together until it's lumpy-creamy, guacamole-style
Gently fold in some finely chopped tomatoes, green chiles, mangoes, and fine-chopped onions to taste

With a spatula, scrape the guacamole into a soup bowl
In another bowl, take a hard boiled egg, remove the shell, slice it and crumble it up
Add a tiny dollop of mayo, mustard, or organic non-fat, plain (Greek) yogurt, salt and pepper to the hard boiled egg
Gently stir the ingredients so as to preserve the chunky yolk
Fold the hard boiled egg ingredients on top of the guacamole mixture
A little paprika on the top

Eat this with some carrots, celery or gluten-free veggie chips or rice cake

It also makes a great side dish, the perfect complement for fish or poultry or beef

"Cupcake Eggs"

These can be made two ways: Scrambled or sunny-side up.

"Scrambled Cupcake Eggs"

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
12-cup cupcake oven pan
12 paper cupcake liners
6-8 eggs
Scrambled in a large mixing bowl
Finely scissor or chop broccoli flower tops
Blend broccoli flower tops into scrambled eggs
Finely cut or crumble turkey bacon, ham, or chicken
Set the meat protein to the side for the moment
Maybe add a little green onion or garlic powder to taste
Maybe add a little salt and pepper, maybe not
Place paper cupcake liners one per cup in the pan
Pour the scrambled eggs and broccoli mixture into
each cup, filling each cup about half-way or so. The mixture
will rise during cooking and you'll want to make space for that.
If you fill it up too high, it will overflow the
cup and make a bigger mess.

To each cup, add your choice of protein.
As an additional option, I like to top it off with
a little shredded cheese, or feta cheese, or goat cheese.
Bake maybe 15 minutes
or until a toothpick test comes out clean

The first time, just keep checking.

When done, they can be served immediately
on a bed of quinoa and kale
or you can cool them in the fridge for
afternoon snacking. Nuke em for 15 seconds
and you're good to go!

"Sunny-Side Up Cupcake Eggs"

The easier version of the two, I think
Prepare the oven
Prepare the pan
Crack and plop one egg per cup in the pan
Add your veggie and meat, being careful
not to break the yolk if possible
Sprinkle your cheese on top as a final option
Bake for like 15 minutes or until a toothpick
comes out clean

HOT CEREALS - Insane in the Membrane Grains, Supergrains to soothe your soul and colon.

"Fire's Out!! Hot Cereal"

The easiest morning breakfast for me to digest when I had a flare-up would be hot cream of rice cereal with bananas or papaya and honey or blueberry or apricot jam as a sweetener. That's it. Every morning, easy breezy. Along with moderating and cooking everything for lunch and dinner, I would eventually calm down my system. Then I could add things, good things, back into my food choice menu. Like some of the following.

Now that Fall is officially here, a morning hot-shot shooter of whole grains can feed the good bacteria in your gut and keep you going all morning long. Even without coffee!

Here are some grains that may be new to you. These grains are naturally wheat-free and nutrient dense. I've had no digestive issues related to any of these grains. You might. Always consult a doctor before adding any new food choices into your life.

Amen.

I whole-heartedly endorse the Earnest Eats brand of hot cereals. Check out www.earnesteats.com. Their product line can also be found and purchased at www.vitacost.com.

First of all, what I like about the Earnest Eats brand of hot cereal, is they come in individual 2.35 oz, recyclable paper serving cups into which you pour your hot water, let it steep for a few minutes, and voila! It cooks in its own cup and is ready to eat. A hot-shot morning shooter of Supergrains . The only thing you have to get used to is the nutrient-dense mouth-feel of what real food used to feel and taste like to our ancestors. These are ancient grains, unrefined. Know that with every bite of a nutrient dense meal or snack moderates blood sugar spikes and keep the fires burning longer.
The other thing I like about Earnest Eats Asia Blend is that it also works well as a base for an even denser nutrient experience.

I will often add tiny bits (it's not a big cup) of banana or other fruit, chia seeds, hemp seeds, raw honey, 100% organic cacao powder, 72% dark chocolate or cinnamon before I add the hot water. It depends on the mood of my taste buds, but I like to add my own personal touch.

What I'm saying is, eat it right out of the cup, as is, or feel free to amp it up even more. Here's how it comes in the cup:

(Allergen Alert!) Earnest Eats is manufactured in a facility that
produces products that contain wheat, soy, eggs, milk, peanuts and tree nuts.

Earnest Eats Asia Blend (Allergen Alert!)

Instant Hot Cereal in a Cup.

Great for late morning starts
Make 'em in minutes
Great breakfast shot or afternoon snack
Make 'em in the morning and
let the kids eat hearty on the go

Never eat and drive yourself. Never.

Unless you're talking and sexting,
changing the channel, disciplining the
kids with the dog on your lap and a to-go latte
in your other hand. Then it's ok. For you
to get a ticket and arrested for intoxicated
behavior. Really, I'm just seeing if anyone is
paying attention.

Add banana and honey for extra nutrition!
The good gut bacteria LOVE bananas and fruit!

Ingredients:
Superfood Grains (Whole Rolled Oats, Quinoa, Puffed Amaranth)
Dried Cane Syrup, Chopped Almonds, Dried Mango
Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Flax Seeds,
Matcha Green Tea, Korintje Cinnamon, Sea Salt.

Earnest Eats Mayan Blend (Allergen Alert!)

Wheat-free, Vegan blend, Zero sugars, 7g protein
14 oz cannister

5 minutes stove top; 90 seconds, microwave
You provide the cup and sweetener.

Ingredients:
Superfood Grains (Whole Rolled Oats, Quinoa, Puffed Amaranth)
Raw Pepitas, Raw Sunflower Seeds, Cashew pieces,
Raw Chopped Almonds, Raw Flax Seeds, Unsweetened Natural Cocoa
Korintje Cinnamon, Sea Salt

OTHER WHEAT-FREE GRAINS and SEEDS

I always try to buy organic when I can.

Quinoa
Chia Seed - antioxidant power, high in dietary fiber, vegetarian sourced EFA's
Hemp Seed - raw, shelled, high protein, omega 3's
Teff - Porridge recipe with dates and honey, zero sugars, 7g protein
Kamut - Easy to digest whole grain
Amaranth - An ancient Aztec grain, easy to digest

More to come...!

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : C. DIFF INFECTION (CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE)

2013-10-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

Explaining how I got to this place is like a good detective novel with a happy ending for the story's protagonist.

I was under a dermatologist's care as an adolescent. I had very bad acne breakouts. I mean, huge zits like volcanoes on my face and shoulders. Mostly on my face, occasionally on my back. It was bad.

My parents took me to a dermatologist in our area, a good one, recommended by my other zithead friends, and I began treatment. With, of course, ANTIBIOTICS.

And, guess what? My zits cleared up! Of course, they did.

I was on a daily regimen of tetracycline, a broad-spectrum ANTIBIOTIC, until my doctor switched me over to Aureomycin. Naturally, I trusted my parents and my doctor and all of my friends who were seeing the same doctor. It was great to see my pimples disappear.

I was on ANTIBIOTIC treatment for close to two years, until I graduated high school. My zits leveled off and I tried to watch what I was eating. I was only 18 at the time, what did I know?

In hindsight, my immune system was always in a compromised state because of the zit prescription. I didn't feel ill effects because my body was young, perhaps the daily dose of ANTIBIOTICS was mild, but for some reason symptoms didn't emerge until I was 29.

My breakdown was evolutionary and then suddenly I was very ill. My immune system was hit so hard for so long, the good bacteria eventually just couldn't replenish itself back to health (and, remember, I was still eating 'Dead Food', not good). As a result, the good bacteria got crowded out by the bad bacteria, which were now like bacterial zombies running amok up and down Colon Alley. What did I expect? I was feeding my zombies 'Dead Food.' You are what you eat, they say. Turns out, the bad guys love 'Dead Food.'

The bad bacteria has a name: CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFCILE, also referred to as "C. difficile" or "C. diff." or "CDF/cdf". This C diff,, is a really bad bacteria, resulting in an estimated 250,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

C. diff, is known for causing ANTIBIOTIC-ASSOCIATED diarrhea. This happens when the good bacteria is crowded out after a treatment of antibiotics designed to kill the bad guys, leaving some bad guys behind who then go on to become resistant to further treatment. As I mentioned, the good guys just can't reproduce fast enough or in large enough populations to replenish themselves.

It should be noted, it has been said that C. difficile itself is NOT drug-resistant. What happens in a patient's gut is that ANTIBIOTICS kill beneficial bacteria, crating an opportunity for C. difficile to infect a patient.

How bad? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that C. difficile kills 14,000 people each year in the U.S. alone. The standard treatment? You guessed it, rounds of ANTIBIOTICS. The problem: C. diff doesn't respond well to them.

But there's hope on the horizon for an ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT for battling C. diff in the gut.

Are you ready?

A Fecal Transplant. That's correct. As in the word feces, or poop: A FECAL TRANSPLANT.

WHAT IS A FECAL TRANSPLANT ?

I'm glad you assked (pun intended, of course). And when I tell you, you're going to say "Eeeoowyuck!". Be thankful you don't have to drink it. And if anyone feels the way I felt, they might secretly think: "Eeeew-where do I find out about this?"

Here's how a FECAL TRANSPLANT works: First, in a doctor's setting, a patient is clinically diagnosed with a C. diff infection. Upon diagnosis, the patient's doctor places a medical order for healthy stool from a healthy donor. The patient returns for a follow-up visit and the administration of the fecal transplant procedure. Before the procedure begins, the doctor mixes the healthy donor stool with saline (salt water). Finally, with foreplay over, the doctor inserts a tube into the patient's rectum and sends the healthy bacteria from the healthy donor stool through the tube into the C. diff patient's infected areas, bathing them in good, healthy bacteria. The healthy bacteria in the donor stool provides an army of the good guys to once again crowd out the bad bacteria, enabling a healthy microbiome to grow and flourish. The good bacteria, the good flora, are now back in gut control, preventing C. difficile from recurring.

In reverse engineering (visual acknowledged), a FECAL TRANSPLANT is exactly like getting a shot of probiotics, only up the rear. Supplementing with good probiotics taken orally in capsule form have, I believe, helped me keep my immune system strong and healthy. It's part of my daily regimen along with eating more plants, fruits, and veggies, the PREBIOTICS (food for) my PROBIOTICS (the good gut bacteria).

There's a Dr. Colleen Kelly, a gastroenterologist at Brown University, who is doing this FECAL TRANSPLANT RESEARCH.

Be reminded: Do your own homework.

In severe cases, C. difficile can cause PSEUDOMEMBRANOUS COLITIS, a severe inflammation of the colon. It is often, but not always, caused by the bacterium CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE. Because of this, the informal name C. difficile colitis or just C. diff, is also commonly used.

MORE FOOD FOR THE ZOMBIES

Processed, dead food. We consume too much nutritionally vacant, ground and boiled to death, 'Dead Food.' Here are some of those items that I love, love, LOVE: Salt, sugar, fat, processed grains, pasteurized dairy and processed meat delights.

Including all those edible, tasty items exemplified to perfection in our fast food choices: burgers, bread, fried chicken, more bread, french fries, bad oils, more bread, salt, sugar, cookies, cakes, saturated fats, pizza, ice cream, cupcakes, even orange juice, all Dead and nutritionally questionable calories - yum! - and, let's not forget our loss-leader: soda! Only a $1, any size, S M L XL XXL making the consumer... XXXL !

Methinks these are some of the contributing factors to a nutritionally deficient human being as well as one with a compromised immune system. It's just been battered and beaten up for so long, it just has to break down under the weight of having to provide nutrients to a starving body. It's been like sifting the dessert for a carrot or an apple. A lot of energy for nothing. And now, total exhaustion. That was me.

A body's immune system, as well as arterial and venal pathways, by maintaining an unhealthy level of both FREE RADICAL formation and CHRONIC INFLAMMATION which together simply encourage a further accumulation of FREE RADICALS and INFLAMMATION intensification.

After prolonged CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, arterial and venal pathways become overly stressed and venal and arterial walls begin to shred from the inside. If you're experiencing an autoimmune disease, you are, by definition, experiencing CHRONIC INFLAMMATION.

As you can see, CHRONIC INFLAMMATION may feel like a local phenomenon (as the case with me, my brutalized ass), but it has serious systemic consequences.

For example, CHRONIC INFLAMMATION can cause the walls of our arterial and venal pathways, the veins and arteries and capillaries that carry nutrients to all our cells, to shred cellular sheets. And then our good friend cholesterol shows up to help.

Cholesterol, essential for a healthy human brain among many other important functions, collects around the shreds, attempting to patch them up, much like you'd patch a street pothole. Cholesterol is kind of sludgy ends up accumulating in the inflamed pathways, around the shreds, leading to potential blockages.

More fun is in store when CHOLESTEROL LOWERING MEDICATIONS, such as STATINS, are prescribed. By chemically reducing the amount of blood cholesterol, you're not addressing the systemic inflammation. Make sense?

STATINS are taken for a condition in which inflammation is the cause of the cholesterol buildup, not the cholesterol itself. Addressing the source of the problem, INFLAMMATION, is primarily food choices. That's when consistently following an ANTI-INFLAMMATORY food choice sequence will help moderate or eliminate the need for STATIN medication.

Want to see your doctor freak out? If you're on STATINS, ask your doctor how you can wean yourself off of them with food choices and exercise. Watch his reaction. The doctor of a friend of mine said she'd have to be on STATINS for the rest of her life. That her condition was genetic. He scared her, too. Now she's afraid to get off of them. He told her she'd die if she went off of them.

I told her to ALWAYS follow her doctor's advice. And that's exactly what she's doing.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : CELIAC DISEASE, GLUTEN SENSITIVITY & INTOLERANCE

2013-10-17T16:56:00.003-07:00

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS HEALTHY FEELS!

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Remember to always talk to your doctor about any and all health related concerns. Remember to tell your doctor about any and all medications you may be taking.

Our current incarnation as human beings, also known as homo sapiens, arrived on this planet about 200,000 years ago. For about 190,000 of those years or so, humans were mostly nomadic wanderers, hunting and gathering from what their environment provided. All natural foods

Sometime around 10,000 years ago, humans invented farming. Instead of chasing food the way the wind blows, we planted grains, among them wheat, thereby creating a sense of security for our fragile human population. We also domesticated and herded animals. Providing a steady food supply enabled trade and the growth of civilizations. A surplus of food allowed people to have more time to diversify and to develop the skills of artisans, builders, and all sorts of jobs and professions.

As nomads, we hunted and gathered. We ate seeds, nuts, fruits, plants, roots, wild fish and game. When farming was invented, grains were what was planted first. With grains on the menu, we began eating more and more grains. And, then, with flour from these grains, we made other grain products.

"Let them eat cake!" someone said, and you could tell, things were tasting good! They may have been running to the bathroom, but things were tasting good!

WHAT IS CELIAC DISEASE ?

CELIAC DISEASE, along with ULCERATIVE COLITIS, make up the top two diagnoses under the category of INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, also known as IBD.

Scientists and doctors now know CELIAC DISEASE has an environmental precursor: GLUTEN. CELIAC DISEASE is a multi-system disorder affecting primarily the small intestine. A delayed diagnosis increases the risk of developing neurological problems, osteoporosis, infertility and, yes, even cancer.

DIAGNOSING CELIAC DISEASE is done with two tests: 1) Blood and 2) Biopsy.

Blood Test

a blood test is administered to determine the presence of specific antibodies being produced by your immune system. These can be seen as biological markers. If certain antibodies are detected, there's the mandatory biopsy.

Biopsy

A positive blood test must be followed by an intestinal biopsy, in which a thin tube is inserted down the throat of a sedated patient to extract tissue samples. A positive biopsy is the leading indicator of a CELIAC DISEASE diagnosis.

Fortunately for CELIAC DISEASE sufferers, once diagnosed, their solution is easy: Eliminate GLUTEN and symptoms subside.

Unfortunately for CELIAC DISEASE sufferers, like ULCERATIVE COLITIS, THIS IS a lifelong diagnosis. Don't ever believe you're "cured". You stray, you pay. You can never have GLUTEN again if you're to stay well.

WHAT IS GLUTEN AND GLUTEN INTOLERANCE?

GLUTEN is a protein found in certain grains including wheat, rye, barley, and triticale. Gluten is what gives baked goods that wonderful mouthfeel and taste. Soft wheat grain found in flour contains a higher percentage of gluten and helps give pastry and cake that great, springy, creamy mouthfeel. Thanks to modern science and bioengineering, today's wheat reportedly contains almost twice as much gluthen than the wheat just a century ago. For some, especially those diagnosed with Celiac disease (affecting an estimated 3 million Americans), gluten is ANTIGENIC, that is, it elicits inflammation in the small intestine, an adverse immune response, symptoms of an AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, which Celiac Disease is.

Other people may have a NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY that causes digestive unrest. (Maybe just a sensitivity to too much dead food, methinks...I don't know.)

Those diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac Disease, or other inflammatory auto-immune diseases, and you know who you are yes you do, often benefit by eliminating all gluten products.

Some thoughts point specifically to GLIADIN, a substance found in GLUTEN, as the specific culprit. People allergic (gluten intolerant), when they eliminate wheat products in particular, symptoms they previously experienced, subside. It means giving up packaged, processed foods such as cereal, crackers, cookies, pasta, pizza, burritos, hamburger and hotdog buns, tacos, flour tortillas, bread of all kinds, bread sticks, churros, pastries, cupcakes, and, of course, cake.

And ditch all the fast food, of course. No more drive thru for a while. A LOOOONG while. I know. I've been through the drive thru many a time. I finally came to the realization that all I was giving up was the mega-size, mega-fat, mega-sugar, mega-wheat, megamega-salt, mega-carbolicious, corn-fed, antibiotic treated, hormone-injected, heartburn inducing, heart attack in the making, factory farms and slaughter houses. Like I said, it took me 20 years to fully unwind THAT clock. Pavlov's Dog, I was.

Regarding the antibiotic treatment that many farm factory animals undergo, meat producers are supposed to give the treated animal enough time to flush the antibiotics from their systems before they are slaughtered. Methinks that's probably not checked up on as closely as Id like as there are a lot of cattle being harvested and not enough government agricultural inspectors to oversee or even catch the offenders. This leaves open the possibility that the antibiotics are getting into our food supply and we're consuming the prescriptive medication unknowingly. All I know is, I got questions.

But, like I've said, if I'm good and 'eat clean' all of the time, well then when I go to Dodgers Stadium, I'm gonna have a Dodger Dog and slather it with mustard. No soda, though. Never again. Like drinking acid, for me. Bottled water. And two fishoil capsules. The fishoil and the hotdog together make for my smooth elimination later, with no constipation or bearing down intensely, ever. EVER. Smooth as a yogurt machine. I've said that before.

I'm simply not going to deny myself tastes every once in a while. I feel I can only do that because my immune system is no longer fighting me and I'm no longer fighting it. We're intimate partners and I'm going to do my best to protect my best friend, my immune system, from toxins and exacerbators. I'm worth the extra effort to do right for me.

UNLIKELY SOURCES OF WHEAT - REMEMBER TO READ ALL LABELS :

Processed meats, all snack foods, BEER (omg, did I say beer?? I did...!), soups and sauces, salad dressings, supplements, vitamins and - be aware of this one - IN MEDICATIONS! Some of the GLUTEN in medications comes in the form of disintegrating agents. I understand lists of these drugs have been compiled but but be aware that pharma formulas are subject to change. ALWAYS contact your doctor, pharmacist and the pharmaceutical company, if you have questions about GLUTEN SENSITIVITY and your medication.

THE IRONCLAD RULE : READ ALL PACKAGE LABELS

Ever notice a banana doesn't have a bar code? That's because it's naturally unprocessed. Fruits and veggies don't come with bar codes. Only processed foods have bar codes. Like everything that comes in a box or a can or shrink wrapped.

READ THE LABELS OF ALL PROCESSED FOODS ! Before you buy any processed food, any food that comes in a jar, can, plastic container, paper or shrink wrap packaging or a box. I was amazed at how wheat is in most everything I had been consuming outside of fresh, whole foods.

READ THE LABELS because your health depends on knowledge and knowledge is the power that makes change possible. Know the grains that carry gluten and avoid them. Once you discover the sources, it's a real eye-opener.

READ THE LABELS simply because it's what's about to be consumed, by you or someone you love.

GLUTEN FREE GRAINS

NON GMO, organic rice, corn, millet, buckwheat, sorghum, quinoa (pronounced: KEEN-wah), and amaranth.

THE CHALLENGE :

In learning the ingredients of many packaged products, guess what? Wheat is in so many processed foods, it's almost in everything that comes in a box or can. Once I started reading labels, I felt I could make an informed decision that was best for me.

I've come to believe that bread, much of it marketed with the 'whole-grain goodness' and heart-healthy seal, has ingredients (mostly gluten-rich, whole wheat flour) that have simply been over-processed to favor taste over nutrition. I believe our factory food processing ends up killing much of the nutritional value of the original ingredients leaving us with nutritionally shallow ingredients, ingredients that end up starving our cells if not kept in balance by real, whole foods. We cannot live on processed grains, injected with fat, salt and sugar or artificial sweeteners, without having the nutritionally dense counterpart of running the bad bacteria out of town with fresh whole foods. With many Americans getting 62% of their nutrition from processed foods and only 10% of their nutrition from fruits and veggies, the living content of our food is far outweighed by the nutrient shallow or dead nutrition of processed foods.

I believe, for all intents (taste and mouth-feel), a lot of processed food is dead food. Not simply 'junk food,' which leaves open the possibility that it's somehow still food. DEAD food. Food with no value except as taste and mouth-feel. And junk food is also, simply: dead food. I'm just saying it's my belief, you understand. It's because I was a zombie.

No surprise then, I'm not getting any calls to be an agribusiness marketing director. Probably because I have no credentials and I'm not a scientist or doctor and I don't eat their products all that much anymore. I get it. I'm not the mascot, ra ra cheerleader for factory processed food.

However, I AM the RAW RAW cheerleader for REAL food. My philosophy: My food choices should come as close to the earth with as little processing as possible.

So, modern American meals might look like this:

BREAKFAST (If eaten at all):

A $5 Coffee at the drive-thru, maybe an energy shot with a granola or protein bar

A breakfast of champions with milk, a slice of whole wheat buttered toast or maybe a bagel with cream cheese and a glass of orange juice. Add a cup of coffee with cream and sugar. Take some coffee for the road, too.

LUNCH (Ofen grabbed, convenient, fast and tasty):

A sub sandwich, burger, burrito, or pizza and fries and a soda or energy shot

DINNER (rarely the same time each night) :

More bread, breaded chicken or fish, some burger/chicken creation with noodles or meatballs with spaghetti; chips, crackers, tortillas, stuffing, tacos, burritos, ramen noodles, dessert.

DESSERT (If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding, and you can't have any pudding if you don't eat your meat!

Some combination of sugar, more sugar, high-gluten pastry flour, butter or cream, milk chocolate and egg. In my mind, it's a lot of dead food. The bread, spaghetti, pasta, and cookies have been refined to where my body thinks it's just pure sugar; the dairy, ice cream, milk, cream cheese and orange juice has all been boiled to death - using a process called pasteurization - and then has had stuff injected back into the science experiment, like extra calcium and vitamin D.

When I eliminated wheat from my food choices, I eliminated two of my potential exacerbators at the same time: gluten and refined sugar. For me, these two are also two of the offenders in the accumulation of free radicals and oxidative stress.

When I eliminated concentrated fruit juice, coffee, and soda, I eliminated a lot of dead food choices as well as a considerable amount of acid. Concentrated juices, particularly orange juice, has a wallop or both acid and sugar, soda and coffee are also sugary and acidic. And my body runs smoothly without these personal exacerbators of mine.

Not to mention the perpetual confusion my body has had regarding dead food. My living cells continuously tell me, they love real living foods. Would I feed my dog dead food? How about my fish? Would I feed my plants acid? Of course I wouldn't. So, I should treat my body as good or better than my pets or plants. Certainly, it's a goal.

For me, knowledge is power. If the right answer is out there and I find it, I'm going to keep it. My tongue ain't gonna rule alone. My brain, and feeding it good ideas, is how I work best. My journey has allowed me to discover a lot about how our food is made and how it might be a clue to an environmental contributing factor to my dis-ease.

GLUTEN PLUS all the processed sugar PLUS the possibility that it truly is dead food, ADD UP to food choices guaranteed to screw up my digestive system. Like gifts of crap I don't know what do do with, guess what happens? My body reacts to white refined flour as if I was eating a bowl of ice cream. Over-processed, dead food that is mostly recognized as sugar by my body, is no longer welcome in my smorgasbord of real food choices.

I've concluded that, for myself, the substances marketed to me as bread, pasta, pastry, donuts, mac and cheese, and especially those floury confections large and small that have that wonderful mouth feel and deliciousness, are not only possible antigens contributing to my digestive distress, it helps me to view these items as dead food.

Grains pulverized beyond recognition, dairy and juices pasteurized so that anything good is killed by also being boiled to death, it's all, just sayin' now: DOA...Dead On Arrival.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : PREBIOTICS & PROBIOTICS

2013-10-17T03:51:00.001-07:00

PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, AND GUT HEALTH

What do the terms PREBIOTICS and PROBIOTICS refer to?

The term PREBIOTICS refers to the good food for the good bacteria. Good bacteria like to multiply and the love PREBIOTICS (such as fructooligosacharides - pronounced: frookto-ahleego-sakarides) for food. Fortunately for us, we don't have to pronounce it, we just have to provide it. And where are all these fructoligosacharides lurking?

In all the plants we are capable of eating. PREBIOTICS are found in all fruits and vegetables.

PROBIOTICS love to reproduce in an environment loaded with PREBIOTICS and other PROBIOTICS for friends and lovers. Since they're the good bacteria, we want a fit family of friendly flora.

The bacteria that reside in our gut are, in effect, an organ of the body. Each of us has over three pounds of bacteria in our small intesting alone. Our conventianal high-carb diet in America, being heavy on sugars and processed foods, is a formula for digestive dis-ease, also known as DYSBIOSIS, or poor digestive function.

The term PROBIOTICS refers to the good bacteria, or probiotic organisms, that reside in a person's gut. PROBIOTICS help the digestive processes stay smooth and help support efficient overall digestion and utilization of the energy consumed. PROBIOTICS have a reputation of being able to help with one's ability to manage internal stressors and inflammation. Probiotics are happiest when there is more of them and fewer bad guys. When the bad bacteria overruns the good bacteria, that's when there's possible trouble brewing.

Like a volcano sometimes. Been there done that, thank you very much. Had to cool down the hot lava, if you know what I mean.

In addition to eating my fruits and veggies on a daily basis, with each meal, I have found a PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENT that I also take.

I take a PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENT that has been combined with a PREBIOTIC (fructooligosacharides) so as to help the probiotics on their way to the small and large intestine. Remember, they have to get through the bath of stomach acid, survive that, and then colonize in the lower intestines.

A CAUTIONARY NOTE ABOUT PROBIOTICS

Always consult your doctor before introducing any supplements into your food choices.
Supplements can have unpleasant side effects or conflicts with any medication you're now taking.

When I first started with PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION, I didn't know what to expect. What I discovered was that it's a delicate balance of bacteria in my gut. I noticed at first that there was extra activity in my gut. Noises, flatulence, gas. I learned that this is a common reaction in the first phase of PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION.

What I pictured was going on was something like this: There was inflammation and damage and there was a lot of work to do. Things down there had been badly connected. Things were shredded, inflamed and not able to do their job. Well, probiotics were the reinforcements, the cavalry so to speak, coming to the rescue of my poor depleted gut. And for the first week, it was farty party time.

My gut was overrun by bad bacteria. I sent in the good bacteria which went to work immediately at cleaning up the toxins and waste and bringing balance back to my gut. PROBIOTICS are extremely hardy and hard working. But to overcome the advantage that the bad bacteria had, the good bacteria had to both colonize and get rid of the bad bacteria. In the beginning this was a heavy lift.

I learned the extra gas and flatulence I was experiencing was a common reaction that many people have.

Good thing was, when the good bacteria got back into balance and took over ruling my gut, all the gas and flatulence went away. It was like the good guys, the good bacteria, was working in an immune system that had become a sewer of criminal bad bacteria guys. It took a while for the good guys to kick the bad guys out. That noisy gas and flatulence was only temporary, yet a logical consequence. For me, it lasted less than a week. I continue to take them regularly although not every day. Now that my system is built up again, fruits and veggies do a great job without PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING

If I took an extra capsule (say I took two instead of one), it was like I put party hats on all my good bacteria. They worked TOO well to the point that they were causing me to have an extra urgency to go when I had to go. It was like they were so happy, they couldn't wait to get my ass to the bowl to show me.

So, because I'm always listening to my body, I cut my PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION down to just one pill (even though the dosage is for two). When I take my PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENT of one capsule, I found that's just right for me. Presently, because I get most of my pre- and probiotics through the consumption of fermented dairy, fruits, nuts, and veggies, I now supplement with pre- and probiotics 4 days a week, average. It's all about balance. And it's an everyday process.

If you decide with your doctor that PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION is a course for you to take, be aware of these possible reactions. For me, the gas and flatulence was temporary and cleansing in the short run. I wasn't afraid of the gas knowing that it was the result of the PROBIOTICS doing their work.

And now you know why broccoli might give you gas: PROBIOTICS. You just can't stop them from doing their work unless they're overrun by the bad guys. Unless, of course, you followed your steak and broccoli with that hot lava cake ala mode.

FINAL NOTE OF CAUTION REGARDING PROBIOTICS

If you've never taken probiotics before, and your doctor has given you the ok, follow your doctor's orders.

Supplements can have powerful effects and you'll want to ease into them. No two of us respond the same way.

I found that, for myself, I go slowly at first with any new supplement I want to take. Whatever the bottle says, I cut the dose in half. I take this half-dose for about a week to see how my body responds. At that point, I usually know how well my body is tolerating the new addition.

So, for me and only me, a daily multi-strain probiotic is essential to me managing my inflammation and gut health. Doctors are slowly beginning to understand the benefits of taking PROBIOTICS after a dose of ANTIBIOTICS. When you have to take an antibiotic, many doctors are now advising their patients to follow your antibiotic 2 hours later with a quality, multistrain PROBIOTIC. It will help the good bacteria stay strong in spite of the onslaught of antibiotics.

Ask your doctor about all of this nonsense, of course.

REMEMBER, ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ANY AND ALL OF YOUR HEALTH CONCERNS. I AM DEFINITELY NOT A DOCTOR OF ANYTHING. I MAY BE AN ALIEN FROM ANOTHER PLANET. I'VE BEEN ACCUSED.

Dr. John Bergman gives an overview of the prevalence of anti-bacterial agents in our environment and food and how to counteract the effects through avoidance as well as consuming probiotics through the foods we choose. Discusses the benefits of home-fermentation of veggies. Imperative protocol in the search for gut healing.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : SUPER FOODS TO FIGHT INFLAMMATION

2013-10-17T03:30:00.004-07:00

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS HEALTHY FEELS.

For more ideas regarding IBD management, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/IBD/

Also check out: http://www.pinterest.com/graybecker/FoodforGoodHealth

Excellent overview of the power of Spirulina. Add to smoothies!

ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES IN YOUR FOOD CHOICES. MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ALLERGIC TO FISH OR ANY OF THE FOODS MENTIONED IN THIS BLOG. BE AWARE THAT CERTAIN FOODS CAN AND WILL INTERFERE WITH YOUR MEDICAL TREATMENT. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND PHARMACIST ABOUT ALL POSSIBLE DRUG AND FOOD INTERACTIONS AND THEIR SIDE EFFECTS.

WHAT ARE SUPER FOODS?

SUPER FOODS are the foods many nutritionists recognize as having the best reputations for nutrition and ease of digestion. By their nature, SUPER FOODS have a nourishing, calming and soothing effect. SUPER FOODS in the plant family add vital MICRONUTRIENTS to the digestive process, leaving behind a healthy intestinal flora, also known as the good gut bacteria necessary for the immune system to manage inflammation caused by consuming processed foods. The more (organic) Super Foods I include in my daily energy consumption, the better my whole body seems to operate.

And my reward? I'm going to say it... there is nothing like a nice, daily, smooth as a yogurt machine, healthy bowel movement. Remember, it wasn't always like that for me. It took me a long time to learn about my body. I come from a meat and potatoes background: Cereal, eggs, bacon, hamburgers and fries, grilled steaks and potatoes, maybe a green bean or some iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing, Pizza and Pasta, all the tasty stuff. Pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less? I was SO THERE. Change didn't come easy. It took me 20 years...

In the beginning stages after my IBD diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis, I didn't know there was so much more to possible food choices, choices that would be better for my condition. I had to open myself to new taste adventures.

I had to be open to the change so the change could open me. It wasn't easy getting used to having fish and some of these Super Foods on a regular basis. Some of them had a definite 'yuck' factor when I was growing up. Spinach and broccoli and Brussels sprouts? Uh, no thanks. Pass the mashed potatoes and gravy please. Ok, I'll put some peas in there and mix it up.

Here are the Super Foods I try to eat. Maybe not all of them, maybe some on occasion, some not at all. But if I eat from the list, pick and choose what I really like, I feel I'm doing my body good. Making a list of these items makes it a no-brainer when I get to the market.

FISH

I always buy wild caught fish. Farmed fishes are not the same as wild caught. There are lots of fish farms overseas and, quite frankly, I'm not clear about the way farmed fish are fed, how much room they have to swim around, if they've been treated with antibiotics, what kind of feed they're getting, and if they've been exposed to toxins or disease while being raised.

As a consequence, I only go for the wild caught fishes. I always ask my butcher about their recommendations, too.

Here are some of the fish with the best reputations. I got this list from AARP THE MAGAZINE / AARP.ORG. They had an article on nutrition written by Jessica Girdwain.

You can see, there's a lot to choose from.

Wild Caught: Salmon - Copper River Salmon (when in season) - Tuna (canned, dolphin-free label) - Rainbow Trout - Pollock - Catfish - Canned Sardines - Mackerel - and Barramundi.

All these fish are rich in EFA's, essential fatty acids, among them is probably the best known: Omega 3. Remember, we cannot synthesize EFA's on our own, we must consume EFA's from food sources. I take the word to heart: Essential, as in, gotta have.

SUPER FRUITS and VEGGIES -

Blueberries
Broccoli
Bananas
Brussels Sprouts
Dried Plums (prunes)

COOKING WITH SPICES

A COUNT-DOWN OF THE TOP TEN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SPICES - Gourmet Italian Spice, Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Apple Pie Spice and Ginger, Jacaican All-Spice, Cinnamon, Cloves, and, the number one anti-inflammatory spice....Turmeric.

There are abundant choices and variety all season, all year long. I've had to learn to cook a little bit. The great thing about fish is that you can use a similar recipe on each kind of fish you like. Soft, flakey goodness, every mouthful, soft and tender and delicious. Smooth and easy.

As much as possible, I go organic with all food items. Naturally, it's more difficult when eating out as the possibility of cross contamination in a high volume cooking environment, unless it's exclusively organic. I eat more plants than meat, a lot more plants. And I eat plants with my meat proteing. And the meat I buy is either cut, whole or ground free-range organic poultry, ground organic turkey and organic, grass-fed beef. When I buy my meat this way, I feel more confident that antibiotics, hormones, and corn-fed nonsense is not part of the life history of what I'm consuming. Here are the foods I eat, by category. If you see an asterisk after an item ( * ), it has been reported by others as an allergen/exacerbator.

MY ORGANIC PROTEIN SOURCES

ORGANIC EGGS* - I buy organic, large or extra large eggs. I eat the whole egg, one or two at a time, just as our ancestors did. Versatile preparation.

WILD CAUGHT FISH - Salmon (Copper River Salmon, when in season), sodium-free Yellowfin, albacore or chunky Tuna, Dover Sole, and Tilapia. All mild.

LEAN, ORGANIC, GRASS-FED, PASTURE-RAISED BEEF. Taste: Delicious. No more than 4-5 ounces at a sitting. A big dose of quality Omega 3's, too! Figure that!

ORGANIC VEGETARIAN FED FREE-RANGE POULTRY I prefer chicken and turkey. NATURADE SOY-FREE VEG PROTEIN BOOSTER in my Vegetable-Fruit-Nut Smoothies. The product I use is Naturade's Soy Free Veg Protein Booster

NUTS AND SEEDS * My probiotics, my good gut bacteria, love my daily consumption of nuts and seeds. Cholesterol free, good fats, quality plant protein. All in a little nut. And if you are what you eat, then I'm thoroughly nuts about nuts.

I eat the following combinations of nuts throughout the day. A little handful keeps the munchies away. This habit also allows me to control my blood sugar during the whole day. No spiking allowed. I fear not the fat because these nuts provide me with essential fats, fats that my body needs but doesn't produce on its own, fats that all my functions need to function. I am not fat-free. But the fats I consume have a good reputation. Fish provides those good fats, too. We'll get to fish in a moment, but they call fish brain food because the essential fatty acids provided by fish are necessary for healthy brain function. If your body doesn't produce something, like Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) or Vitamin C for example, and yet your body needs this in order to run like a smooth machine, where you gonna go? Of course, you're going to go to the sources so your body is happy. Nuts and fish and organic meat protein can be trusted sources.

Peanuts (really not a nut; technically a legume)(Allergen Alert: You probably already know if you're allergic)
Almonds
Cashews
Pistacios
Sunflower seeds

Other seeds I eat: Hemp seeds (probably the perfect food), Chia Seeds (excellent fiber and health and gut benefits) and Flax Seeds (healthy fat). I add the seeds mentioned to salads, tuna, baked or grilled fish, veggies, greek yogurt, and I add a bunch to my peanut and almond nut butters for additional nutrition.

FRUIT

I eat all my fruit as a meal or snack all by itself itself. I always add a variety of nuts and seeds to sliced bananas. I eat the whole fruit and make my own smoothies with the whole fruit.

Papaya - great for smooth digestion Bananas - probiotics, my good bacteria, love bananas. I will often have one or two a day.
Blueberries - Powerful Antioxidant reputation.
Antioxident Apples - gentle fibre, a sweet treat.
Cherries
Red and Black Berries
Grapes
Guava
Pineapple
Mango
Watermelon and all melons
Lemons and Limes, sparingly

DAIRY - I MAKE ONE EXCEPTION

Fermented foods, like yogurt and kefir, are food choices of mine. They come pre-packed with valuable probiotics, the good bacteria, for my gut. I don't overdo it, but I do enjoy a few dollops of Trader Joe's Organic, plain, Greek or fat-free yogurt as well as their Strawberry Kefir. I'll often place those dollops on bananas along with some nuts, cacao powder

I'll add it to my smoothies and I find it goes great with all fruit. I'll add a sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzle some honey on top of that. I will then top everything off with shavings of Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate. The higher the cacao content, the better. Cacao is pronounced like the word "Kapow!" with the emphasis on the second syllable. I consume maybe an ounce of dark chocolate a day, so it takes me about two weeks to consume the huge, 17oz bar. That's over a pound of dark chocolate, about a half a pound a week. I could never feel deprived of chocolate.

And not only do I get my sweet tooth satisfied, my probiotics love the cacao content in dark chocolate, too. I've tried bars with up to 85% cacao, and I like the Trader Joe's 72% Dark Chocolate the best.

SUGAR DO'S AND DON'T'S

When I have a sugary treat or some fruit, I want to enjoy it. Getting a stomach ache and taking antacids to feel better doesn't make me feel better. As a consequence, I never combine fruit with beef or poultry protein. A little mango salsa might be the exception as a condiment that can be ok because the portion is small. With fish, because fish is a quick protein to digest, you can get away with a fruit condiment and not suffer any consequences. But when you have a big meat protein meal and polish it off with coffee with sugar and cream and a slice of pie with ice cream or some chocolate lava cake, you're asking for the double whammy. And if you've been nursing that fruity alcohol drink that you can drink all night long, well a special treat is in store for you.

Why? Because a meat meal takes longer to digest than (fruit) sugar and when the two are conbined, usually the sweets are last to enter the tummy, the result is fermentation, gas and flatulence. It would actually be better if dessert and all the sugary stuff was eaten first. That way, the quicker digesting sugar would have a headstart and not get plugged up by all that protein.

However, that's not what we like to do. We like to follow a nice, rich, salty, fatty meal, with s sugary dessert and drink. It's so much nicer to have a sweet taste in your mouth at the end of a delicious meal. Over and over, we pay for that in intestinal discomfort.

And don't tell me I can take an antacid or some other OTC (Over the Counter) pill or tablet for that. Why do you think they come with a two-week warning?

Because they're for emergencies only, not for everyday use. They're just an over the counter, stomach acid inhibitor. Antacids are not good for my condition except immediate relief once in a while. Like the ad says, don't get heartburn in the first place. Over time, it would only make me worse.

I tell you though, it does take all the fun out of gorging myself. I once ate like eight slices of cheesecake. I was so full, I nearly exploded. I was driving to Los Angeles from San Diego. My stomach kept honking the horn. My stomach was tight as a drum, it was so full. It was before I was diagnosed with UC.

VEGGIES

These are the real superstars and heroes in my arsenal. The good news, you can eat ALL YOU WANT! Steam or Cook veggies until they are soft for easier digestion. Veggies go with anything so explore and choose from the rainbow of colors and flavors.

In the beginning of my journey, I wouldn't eat the stalks of certain veggies like asparagus or broccoli, only the soft, flowering tops. Easy breezy.

Avocado - Awesome, simply awesome. Cut one in half, scoop into a bowl, smoosh together with a little lemon and powdered garlic. Add a hard boiled egg, lunch. Side of wild salmon, asparagus or broccoli, dinner.

Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Zuchini
Bell Peppers, Green, Red, Yellow, Orange
Celery, great with nut butters Onions Garlic Jalapenos (probiotics love peppers) Peas

ROOTS

I always wash thoroughly and buy organic whenever possible. I also eat the skins.

Sweet Potatoes
Yams
Parsnips
Beets - challenging to cook, but a real superstar

SPICES

Adds the flavor; again, try to go organic whenever you can.

Cinnamon - powerhouse anti-oxidant properties reported. Sprinkle and drizzle with honey on your favorite fruit.

Turmeric
Vegetable salt
Kosher Salt
Black or White Pepper
Chili Powder, for my organic turkey beef chili

SWEETENERS

Think: all natural, organic

Raw Honey
Stevia (no calorie, natural plant-based super sweetener) A couple of drops in a cup of tea is plenty. Experiment, it's potent
Coconut Crystals (a low-glycemic sugar alternative) Looks and satisfies like brown sugar.

Dr. Mercola talks about the benefits of coconut oil

Dr. Mercola talks about the benefits of coconut oil in his diet.

VIDEO - CROHN'S COLITIS CELIAC DISEASE : SUGAR - #1 DEAD FOOD

2013-10-16T22:29:00.003-07:00

HI. THANKS FOR SHOWING INTEREST IN MY BLOG. I AM NOT A DOCTOR NOR DO I PRETEND TO BE. I HAVE NO CREDENTIALS OF ANY KIND RELATED TO THE TOPICS I TALK ABOUT. THIS IS NOT AN ADVICE BLOG, AS I'M NOT DISPENSING ANY ADVICE ABOUT ANYTHING. IF YOU PERCEIVE I'M GIVING ANY ADVICE, THEN PERCEIVE THIS: NEVER TRUST THE PERCEIVED ADVICE OF A STRANGER ON THE INTERNET, IS MY ADVICE. THIS BLOG IS NOT TRYING TO DIAGNOSE ANY DISEASE OR PRESCRIBE ANY COURSE OF ACTION. DON'T ASSUME OR CONCLUDE MY STORY IS YOUR STORY. IT ISN'T. DON'T CONCLUDE THAT WHAT WORKED FOR ME WILL WORK FOR YOU. MOST PROBABLY, IT WON'T WORK FOR YOU. YOU'RE YOU AND I'M ME AND THIS IS JUST A STORY I'VE WRITTEN. ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ANY HEALTH CONCERNS YOU HAVE, USE UP THE ENTIRE PRESCRIPTION YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN, AND NEVER STOP YOUR TREATMENT OR ADD OR TAKE AWAY ANYTHING FROM YOUR FOOD OR SUPPLEMENT CHOICES WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING WITH YOUR DOCTOR. AMEN.

REFERENCES : VIDEOS TO WATCH

"SUGAR: THE BITTER TRUTH" by Dr. Robert Luster is now viewable on YouTube. www.uctv.com Copy and paste to view video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sugar+the+bitter+truth+&sm=1

"IS SUGAR TOXIC?" 60 minutes Investigates TV program. Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews Dr. Robert Luster. Copy and paste to view video on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n29ZIJ-jQA

"FAT CHANCE: FRUCTOSE 2.0" www.uctv.com Copy and paste to view YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceFyF9px20

The Men Who Made Us Fat ''Episode 1/3'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6nGlLUBkOQ

The Men Who Made Us Fat ''Episode 2/3'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owekbSp7wU0

The Men Who Made Us Fat ''Episode 3/3'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlQHXkOUjeI

BOOKS TO READ

"Pure, White and Deadly", by John Yudkin

HOW SWEET IT ISN'T

Thank you to Chris Woolston who wrote an article titled "How sweet it isn't" for the L.A. Times

Dr. Robert Lustig, professor of clinical pediatrics at UC San Francisco, has a recorded lecture from 2009 on YouTube called "Sugar: The Bitter Truth." So far, his lecture has logged more than 2 million views. He personally has called for new taxes on added sugar and age limits for certain sweet treats. Interviewed April 1, 2013, on "60 Minutes", Dr. Lustig posited that added sugar is a "toxic" substance that has "created a public health crisis." He believes people should simply choose more food that doesn't have nutrition labels at all. He suggests we eat more real food.

SUGAR IS KNOWN BY A VARIETY OF NAMES - Thank you Sherry Brescia at www.greattastenopain.com for the following list of sugar's aliases

Agave
Barley malt
Beat sugar
Brown sugar
Cane sugar
Carob syrup
Corn sugar
Corn syrup solids
Corn syrup
Date sugar
Diatase
Diastatic malt
Dextrose
Ethyl Maltol
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice
Fruit sweetener
Galactose
Glucose
Glucose solids
Grape sugar
High Fructose corn syrup
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Malt syrup
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Mannitol
Maple sugar or maple syrup
Moslasses
Pancake syrup
Raw sugar
Refiner's syrup
Rice sugar
Sorbitol
Turbinado sugar
White sugar or sucralose

WHY DO WE CRAVE SWEETS?

Sugar triggers a human brain to release opioids and dopamine, "feel-good" neurochemicals. Some research suggests we can become addicted to sugar and physically crave it. Some have likened sugar's properties to the addictive qualities found in alcohol, cocaine and nicotine. In 2007, psychological researchers at Princeton University reported that when rats are fed sugar, they become dependent on the opioids ("feel good" neurochemicals) that their brains produce. These are interesting results that may also apply to humans. Check your head, I say.

SOME SWEET STATISTICS

- One teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams of sugar. I urge you, Read All Food Labels. And notice that fresh fruits and veggies don't come with labels. Only processed foods in boxes and cans and bottles come with labels. So read labels first to find out what you're considering consuming. Just because it's on the shelf, staring at you, begging you to buy it, doesn't mean it's going to be healthy to ingest over a long period of time. So, be wary of ingredients and know what the long words refer to. Do your own searching, of course. Knowledge is empowerment.

Ingredients are often measured in grams per serving. Most consumers eat the amount they want rather than what the 'per serving size' might be. Try this little experiment: Look on the label of a box of cereal and read the part about how they measure a single serving. It's usually in the range of 2/3 of a cup to 1-1/4 cups a serving. Take a measuring cup and see what they're talking about. Like me, you'll probably be surprised. I mean, I look at an empty bowl, and I fill it. I'm usually doubling or tripling the single serving as the company describes it. So, then I have to double or triple the ingredients and calories I'm consuming. It wouldn't take much to get up to 1,000 calories or more if you add in fruit, juice, a couple of cups of coffee with cream and sugar, and maybe toast with butter, cream cheese or jelly.

Often times, too, a single bottle of liquid refreshment is considered two servings by the company selling it. Don't just look at the calories. It may say 100 calories per serving but if you drink the whole bottle, it's counted at two servings which means you're consuming 200 calories, not 100 calories.

It's a little tricky at first, but once you understand what those labels say, then you can make the most informed choice for yourself.

The consumption of fructose or high-fructose corn syrup has be collated with heart attack risk, risks of cholesterol trouble - such as low levels of good (HDL: High density lipoprotein) cholesterol, raising blood levels of insulin and triglycerides as well as elevating blood pressure, weight gain, and type 2 diabetes

DOES SUGAR CAUSE CANCER?

What cancer researchers have discovered is that some cancers come equipped with insulin receptors. What this enables this type of cancer to do is act like a normal cell. Normal cells use glucose for energy. Cancers with insulin receptors now have that same capability. These cancers are now using glucose for their energy, just like normal cells. How do you fight a cancer that the body thinks is a normal cell?

REDUCING YOUR INTAKE OF SUGAR

To see if a product contains added sugar, you have to look in the ingredients list on the package for words such as “syrup,” “cane,” “sweetener” and “sugar,” as well as anything ending in “-ose.” Look for food products with the fewest grams of sugar listed under “Carbohydrates.”

Boost your natural sugar intake by buying fresh or dried fruits, or opting for frozen and canned varieties with no syrup. Use spices such as cinnamon and ginger and extracts such as almond and vanilla to give dishes natural sweetness.

The American Heart Association reports that you can cut the refined sugar in recipes by one-third to one-half without tasting the difference.

On a label of ingredients, always included on a side panel on all processed foods that come in boxes, cans or bottles, sugar is always listed in grams, often as 'gms'. Counting by four's, every four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon of sugar. 4 gms = 1 tsp. So, if one serving has 8 gms of sugar, then that would equal two teaspoons of sugar per serving.

- For humans, there may be a threshold level in the body below which sugar causes little or no harm... but once you pass it, health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer, are likely to emerge

- In the US, the average American eats 40 or more teaspoons of sugar per day. 40 teaspoons = 160 grams/day

- Added sugars make up 17 percent of the average American's diet.

- Sugar is highly addictive; limiting or eliminating your sugar intake is the most effective way to break free from this disease-causing cycle.

Check out this article by Dr. Mercola at www.mercola.com, "9 Foods with more sugar than a Krispy Kreme donut" by Dr. Mercola.
I also urge you to check out Dr. Mercola's website at www.mercola.com.

Some of the specific information being referred to can be found by copying and pasting the following into your browser: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/16/9-sugary-foods.aspx

According to Dr. Mercola, luna bars, a latte, orange juice, yogurt, and certain restaurant salads and superfood smoothies have much more sugar than a doughnut.

9 Foods With More Sugar Than a Doughnut

While you may consider yourself savvy when it comes to spotting sugar-laden foods, the report revealed some real sugar shockers. Before we get into just how troublesome all of this excess sugar may be, let's first look at how stealthily it is hidden in some seemingly healthful foods.

Although added sugars represent 17 Percent of the Average U.S. Diet, when all forms of sugars are included, the data suggests that sugar makes up 38 percent of the typical US diet. Yikes.

The following nine foods all have more sugar than a Krispy Kreme doughnut:

Note: 1 Teaspoon = 4 grams

Krispy Kreme doughnut: 10 grams of sugar
Luna bar: 11 grams of sugar
Grande Starbucks latte: 17 grams
Subway 6" sweet onion teriyaki chicken sandwich: 17 grams
Tropicana orange juice, 8 ounces: 22 grams
Yoplait original yogurt: 27 grams
A&W Root Beer, 8 ounces, 32 grams
Vitamin Water, 20 ounces: 33 grams
Sprinkles red velvet cupcake: 45 grams
California Pizza Kitchen Thai chicken salad: 45 grams
Odwalla superfood smoothie, 12 ounces: 50 grams

In all, the major sources of added sugars in the typical U.S. diet are as follows:

Regular soft drinks (33 percent)
Sugars and candy (16.1 percent)
Cakes, cookies, pies (12.9 percent)
Fruit drinks (9.7 percent)
Dairy desserts and milk products (ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened milk) (8.6 percent)
Other grain-based products (cinnamon toast and honey-nut waffles) (5.8 percent)

ALL CALORIES ARE NOT THE SAME!

LIQUID BEVERAGE CALORIES vs. SOLID FOOD CALORIES

It's now known that calories in liquid form are processed differently by your body than those consumed in solid form. Among added sugars, 43 percent come from sweetened beverages. Ingesting sugary beverages does not appear to impact the amount of calories ingested during a subsequent meal. In other words, those liquid calories count in terms of ingested calories, but they don't sustain any energy or offer any nutritious value and therefore are "empty calories" in the sense that the body doesn't count them in terms of nutritious value. After consuming a sugary beverage, you won't consume fewer calories the next meal, is the point. They are 'empty calories' because they contain no nutrients the body can recognize as nutrition. Mainly, sugar and caffeine simply rush into the blood stream almost untouched. Your body counts the calories as calories only; there's nothing nutritious there.

In contrast, when a solid food is consumed, the number of calories that were ingested in the following meal and in the following 24-hour period was reduced, suggesting the solid calories were processed in a different way, either in the intestine or in the central nervous system, so that the body appropriately adjusted its subsequent calorie intake.

In brief summation, with liquid beverages, the calories are "added on" to what the person would have ingested anyway.

Indeed, the notion that "a calorie is a calorie" has been firmly debunked by science. Not all calories count equally. And the "calories in, calories out" hypothesis for maintaining weight has equally been shown to be incorrect. It is in fact FAR more important to look at the source of the calories than counting them if you're trying to lose weight.

In short, you do not get fat because you eat too many calories and don't exercise enough. You get fat because you eat the wrong kind of calories. At the end of the day, your consumption of carbohydrates, whether in the form of grains and sugars (especially fructose), will determine whether or not you're able to manage your weight and maintain optimal health. This is because these types of carbs (sugar, fructose and grains) affect the hormone insulin, which is a very potent fat regulator. Fats and proteins affect insulin to a far lesser degree.

Natural vs. Added Sugar Thank you http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/usda-recommended-sugar-intake-8628.html

In different amounts, sugar occurs naturally in all foods containing carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. Since these foods also contain fiber and/or protein, your body digests them more slowly, resulting in a steady supply of glucose, or fuel, to your cells. However, many food manufacturers use added sugars to lend their products flavor and appeal and to extend their shelf life. These simple sugars digest quickly, causing blood glucose spikes and crashes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require manufacturers to distinguish between natural and added sugars on food labels.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: GOVERNMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

The Institute of Medicine sets the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for nutrients. Since sugar isn’t a required nutrient in the diet, the institute has not issued an RDA for it. However, it does suggest that no more than 25 percent of calories come from added sugars – or between 38 and 55 percent of all calories taken from carbohydrates. In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, the USDA’s recommendation is more vague, advising that combined calories from saturated or trans-fats and added sugar be limited to 5 to 15 percent of total daily calories. On a 2,000-calorie diet, this would mean limiting yourself to between 100 and 300 calories from these two types of ingredients, but the USDA offers no separate recommendation for sugar.

SUGAR AND HEALTH

The calories that added sugars contribute to your diet can pack on pounds without your even realizing it, leading to being overweight. This, in turn, becomes a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. In addition, excess sugar consumption has links to high triglycerides, which can put you in danger of developing heart disease.

Given these health implications, the American Heart Association has issued guidelines for added sugar consumption. The association suggests that women get no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar, or about 6 teaspoons. For men, the association recommends limiting consumption to 150 calories daily, or 9 teaspoons.

GLYCATION

Glycation is reported to be a possible by-product of sugar consumption. Glycation refers to the stiffening of certain joint areas, such as those in your hands, fingers, arms, hips, knees, feet, and toes, as well as all along your spinal column, from coccyx (tail bone) to brain stem. Once glycation occurs and collects in these areas, it's very difficult if not impossible to reverse, leading to a stiffening of joints and the ligaments around those joints.

PROCESSED FOODS AND SUGAR

62% of what Americans consume is processed food.

Our western food choices favor processed foods, foods that are often high in sugar. Over the course of a lifetime, sugar consumption has been reported to be the culprit in advanced aging as well as a host of nutritionally related maladies. Hidden sugar can be found almost everywhere. Again, when you can, read product labels.

Maybe it's just me, but look at some of these stores that sell different forms of sugar. Cupcake and yogurt shops come to mind. There's a cupcake place that, I swear, the line is always out the door and down the street. It's a guilty-pleasure social-scene. Generally, we won't wait in lines for many things, but for sugar, we make an exception. Our social networking now depends on us doing that. And the latest sweet confection discovery is what everyone will be talking about tomorrow. I'm putting my money on frosting shots.

Of course, I've waited in those lines. So, I had to reprogram my brain, consciously. I have to be smarter than that part of my brain that is addiction-prone. At least, that's the way I look at it. It's an effort every day, believe me. But I undid it. I undid the damage I was doing to myself.

WHAT IS HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, ALSO KNOWN BY ITS INITIALS, HFCS?

High Fructose Corn Syrup, also abbreviated as HFCS, refers to a sugar that is currently controversial because the sugar industry says it's just sugar while opponents claim it has hidden addictive qualities and is something akin to sugar on steroids. HFCS has a reputation whose jury is still deliberating.

Regardless of the controversy, sugar in all its refined forms when minimized in human consumption seems to be a health benefit. Humans who consume mass quantities of sugar every day of their lives in the forms of cereal in the morning, processed bread or pasta for lunch, rice, white potatoes and more bread for dinner. Plus sweets, cookies, snacks, energy drinks, energy bars, coffee drinks, soda, and 100% apple, orange or grape juice. Over a lifetime, one might make a connection between a lifetime daily consumption of sugar and the stiffening of a joint or two. Melt sugar in a recipe and you can see it crystallize and harden. I use that visualization when I think about the possible effects of sugar on body funtions. It's also been mentioned in type II diabetes as a contributor to pancreatic exhaustion. Just like a heart, if the pancreas is overtaxed, over time it will exhaust itself and at that point a person becomes a candidate for medical treatment.

I came to believe, because I felt the quality of my life depended on it, I had to be smarter than my eyes and mouth, smarter than my nose, ears and emotions, smarter than the average guy with the appetite of a bear. In short, I had to be smarter than my brain. I've come to believe that the amount of sugar in our western diet is tolerated so well because it tingles the same part of the brain that cocaine tingles. It's addictive, in my opinion.

WHAT IS ACIDIFICATION?

Acidification refers to the alkaline/acid balance, the PH balance, of the human body. If a body become too acidic, dis-ease can enter the body and express itself in a variety of ways. In an acidic body, there is almost certain to be chronic inflammation, and that includes the arterial and venal pathways that carry nutrient throughout our body, transfered by blood. And when our arterial and venal pathways, due to chronic inflammation, begin to show wear on the inside and begin to shred and these shreds, still attached to the arterial or venal wall, wave in the blood stream until good old cholesterol comes along and tries to repair the damage by patchwork. Once patched, if inflammation remains chronic, it becomes a little bump on the interior wall of your arterial or venal pathway. Over time, this bump can gather more chosesterol until there's a clot. If the clot can't be removed, it will eventually cause a blockage. That's when you hear about stents and quadruple bypass surgery.

WHAT'S THE SOURCE OF ALL THIS ACIDIFICATION ?

Soda in particular is very acidic. I was drinking a six pack of diet cola, every day. 12 oz cans. And then I'd swap a can of soda for a tall cup of coffee, another highly acidic drink. I loved that stuff. These two drinks coincidentally are exacerbators of mine. When I connect the dots: soda/coffee/acid/inflammation: It just makes sense to me because I've been with the stuff and I've been without it. Without it, I feel no pain. I miss soda and coffee, I really do; but I don't miss the pain.

Other sources of acid include citic acid in citrus fruit, especially the juices, and tomatoes and tomato juice (never mind the sugar content). I always eat just the fruit, never the juice (unless it's lemon juice squeezed on my fish).

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : FREE RADICALS & OXIDATION

2013-10-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

HI. THANKS FOR SHOWING INTEREST IN MY BLOG. I NEED TO BE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WITH YOU AS I'M NOT OUT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN ALREADY FRAGILE SITUATION. I AM NOT A DOCTOR NOT DO I PRETEND TO BE. I HAVE NO CREDENTIALS OF ANY KIND RELATED TO THE TOPICS I TALK ABOUT. I'M JUST ANOTHER PERSON ON THE INTERNET. THIS IS NOT AN ADVICE BLOG IF YOU PERCEIVE I'M GIVING ANY ADVICE, THEN PERCEIVE THIS: THE ONLY ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS TO NEVER TRUST A STRANGER ON THE INTERNET. TO REVEIW: THIS BLOG HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DIAGNOSING OR PRESCRIBING ANY COURSE OF ACTION. DON'T ASSUME MY STORY IS YOUR STORY. IT ISN'T. SO DON'T FOR A MINUTE THINK THAT WHAT WORKED FOR ME WILL WORK FOR YOU. THIS IS JUST MY STORY ACCORDING TO ME, SO TAKE IT LIKE THAT. ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ANY HEALTH CONCERNS YOU HAVE, USE UP THE ENTIRE PRESCRIPTION YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN, AND NEVER STOP YOUR TREATMENT WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. ALRIGHTY THEN.

FREE RADICALS, OXIDATION, AND OXIDATIVE STRESS

Big words, but here's the visual I use: Internal Rust

This visual refers to possible long term effects associated with metabolic activity, that is, (eating, drinking, digesting, breathing, moving and exercising. Like the tin man frozen in place, I might be left the exact same way - compromised or paralyzed by dis-ease - if I didn't feel I understood their sources and how they might affect me. Taken on the surface, the tin man had some serious stiffness in his joints. Until he got some oil.

And then he wanted a heart, for goodness sakes. Sheesh. Some people want everytin (of course, pun intended).

OXIDATION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS

Here's a simple demonstration to show the process of oxidation and also the power of anti-oxidants. I believe that antioxidants are my soldiers in the fight against my cells' premature death due to a more intense oxidative stressors. For this demonstration, I'll need a paper towel, two fresh cut slices of an apple and a slice of lemon or a small amount of lemon juice.

I'm going to place one slice of apple on the paper towel, untreated, open to the air, skin side down, with both sides of the slice exposed to the air. The other slice of apple, I'm going to treat by first squeezing lemon juice on it, making sure to cover the entire slice. I'll set the treated slice right next to the untreated slice for easy comparison. Why Lemon juice? Lemon juice is just one of many natural antioxidants.

A little while later...

Lo and behold, the untreated slice of apple is turning brown. But the slice treated with the lemon juice, still looks freshly cut.

Hmmm, what's happening here?

Well, the untreated slice of apple is experiencing 'oxidation', which in this case occurs when the surface cells of the apple are exposed to the open air. The surface cells on the untreated apple begin to die and decompose, turning brown in the process.

The visual of a browning slice of apple is what I keep in mind regarding my gut cells. If I want them to be the healthiest they can be, I have to consciously act in their own best interests. I must be their advocate. They are demanding it of me and I can't let them down. I've learned they will scream at me if I don't treat them well. My cells want to do the right thing and I want to give them the best chance to succeed with the greatest army of collective soothants and anti-inflammatory supplements, foods and activities.

The treated slice, on the other hand, still looks like it was freshly cut, with hardly any brown at all. Why less brown in the treated slice? The power of the antioxidants in the lemon juice. In effect, the antioxidants in the lemon juice has extended the health and life of the surface cells.

I believe a similar thing occurs in my body. When cells in my body experience oxidation due to my body's natural metabolic processes, they exhaust their energy and die. My oxidated cells then become part of the waste material that my body is designed to eliminate. But when I add antioxidants to the environment of my cells' life cycle, my cells, I believe, live healthier, stronger, longer lives. And over the course of my lifetime, I'm thinking: Less oxidative stress on my internal environment means a healthier longer stronger life for the host of all those cells. Just my thinking, you understand.

My personal hypothesis, then, is this: When my cells are exposed to a steady, consistent environment of antioxidants, my cells live healthier, stronger, AND longer. My filtration system feels supported, and I think my cells metabolize energy more efficiently.

And my bowel movements are perfect. Did I say my bowel movements are perfect? I did? Well, they are. Perfect. Imagine, perfect. Healthy.

And that could be a reason all by itself not to believe a word of this story...it's so atypical, so seemingly unattainable, and really unconvincing, that this story just can't be true. I don't blame you. Really, I don't. And here's another disclaimer so there's no misunderstanding.

I have no credentials and no training. You can trust me on that. Just a man, alone with his thoughts.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU'RE TAKING ANY MEDICINE FOR ANY REASON AND ARE UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE, SOME OF THE FOLLOWING FRUITS OR VEGETABLES COULD INTERFERE WITH THE EFFICACY OF YOUR MEDICAL TREATMENT. CONSULT BOTH YOUR DOCTOR AND YOUR PHARMACIST TO SEE IF ANY OF THESE FOODS INTERFERE WITH OR AFFECT YOUR TREATMENT IN ANY WAY. ALWAYS BE INFORMED ABOUT HOW FOOD INTERACTS WITH YOUR MEDICINE AND ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS. ALWAYS GO OVER THE DETAILS OF YOUR TREATMENT WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ANY AND ALL OF YOUR HEALTH CONCERNS. AMEN.

ANTIOXIDANT POWERHOUSES, NATURAL DETOXIFIERS: PART OF ALL PLANTS, WHOLE FRUITS, ROOTS AND VEGETABLES

Interestingly, Vitamin C, much like EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids), cannot be synthesized or produced by the human body and MUST be acquired through food or supplementation. Funny how nature creates a situation demanding that you eat these items or be sick. Point: Consuming Vitamin C prevents the disease known as scurvy, a challenging and often fatal ailment common among sailors and passengers long ago during their long voyages across the sea. In short, a body must have a consistent and sufficient source of Vitamin C or that body will get ill and maybe die. Turns out that Vitamin C, similar to vitamins in general, is a vital nutrient, a nutrient only available from a food source, and a powerful antioxidant.

Know that there are many antioxidants, fully discoverable, each one doing something different to support human energy metabolism and filtration. Vitamins being only one category, antioxidants are contained in all plants, roots, fruits, and vegetables. By eating primarily a variety of these food items, I feel I'm getting a good dose of the antioxidants I need to keep my living processes running smoothly.

Vitamin C, one of nature's powerful antioxidants and probably best known from orange juice fame, is available through plant tissues. High concentrations can be found in all citrus fruits including lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, mandarins; also, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages and green, yellow, orange, and red peppers.

Ever wonder how the idea of taking Vitamin C to fight a common cold came about? Well, it's similar to what I'm talking about here. The idea is that by me adding antioxidants to my cold treatment arsenal, I can somehow speed up the healing process. More good guys to fight the bad guys add up to eventual victory. It kind of makes sense to me.

Daily sources of antioxidants are included in my food choices in the forms of fruits, veggies, roots, and leafy plants. I believe these food choices keep my cells happier and healthier and living stronger and longer.

I highlight Vitamin C, but it's just one example in a whole universe of antioxidants that can be found is all edible plants, fruits, roots and veggies. I choose a bunch of all those food choices feeling I'm doing my body good. My body certainly doesn't scream at me anymore.

There are many other antioxidants and other great stuff contained within the goodness of all plants, roots, fruits and vegetables. This part is really a no brainer for me. By eating more plants, roots, fruits and vegetables, I feel I've brought down and eliminated my internal inflammation.

Or maybe this is all just a coincidence and I was never really sick at all. Can this really be someone's truth, even for one writer, Graham Becker? If you did your own research about you, that certainly wouldn't be wrong. Because none of this is about you. It's all about me. Or so I claim. Always check with your doctor and check your sources. Don't believe a word I'm laying down. I'm serious.

So, I eat plants, roots, or vegetables with every meal. For me, veggies with my meat or fish protein make for groovy and smooth bowel movements.

I eat all fruit separate from any kind of meat protein. Protein powder in smoothies is the exception for me. I add fruit and protein powder and blend together. The protein fruit combination in a smoothie doesn't disagree with me or cause me any digestive discomfort or distress and digests nicely. The protein works to slow down the digestion of the sugar in the liquid smoothie, helping to moderate blood sugar spikes and excessive stress to the pancreas.

OXIDATIVE STRESS

If my body can't keep up with the amount of internal oxidation occurring, if my body can't filter the toxins efficiently, I believe they build up in my system. Like bad guys, they're cell delinquents with nothing to do but loiter amd then hang around like carcasses in the surrounding, accumulating, cell sludge. That, I believe, is a piece of the mosaic that helps describe my personal internal inflammation. For me, intense oxidative stress occurs when I indulge in exacerbators, especially processed food and soda.

There is always a certain amount of internal stress that I feel. I'm exposed to air,food and water toxins as well as to the toxic effects from stress and worries and concern about life's daily challenges and problems. When oxidants, also known as free radicals, accumulate en masse in my body, the result is oxidative stress. There's too much for my body to filter. I believe they make up part of the mozaic of internal inflammation. Oxidative stress may cause my body to try to work overtime to filter out the toxins. A steady accumulation of oxidants might be a contributor to my body's oxidative stress.

My body is made up of trillions of cells. Each cell has a life-cycle. As long as I'm alive, every minute of every day, cells are born, they live, and they die. When cells OXIDATE, that's pretyy much their final stage of life. When cells die, and they are dying all the time, our body is designed as a giant filter to recognize and flush these dead cells out through our pores - through our breath, our perspiration, our skin, nails, eyes and ears and nose, as well as through our solid and liquid waste elimination. I view my body is a huge energy factory designed to nourish my cells, energize my entire body and mind, and then, finally, to filter and remove toxins, dead cells and metabolic wastes.

All of this, I believe, has enabled me to continue to live because my body is designed to metabolize energy from the air, the sun, plants and animals, as well as other humans. Plus I believe my body is a natural detoxifier with internal defenses designed to attack and eliminate intruders, toxins and infections.

As the miracle organism that it is, the body is asked to filter everything it ingests and to eliminate waste along with toxins. When the body takes in more toxins than it can adequately filter, an accumulation can occur.

This is where a potential increase of FREE RADICALS, primarly dead cells due to the processess of a body's metabolism, may become problematic for some. For some, this inability of their body to efficiently remove waste and toxins can lead to chronic inflammation. The body is simply asked to do too much for too long and can't keep up. After a while, decades maybe, parts start to go bad and break down. Sometimes, earlier on, a complete systemic breakdown.

Here's another way I look at it. The human body is an amazing processor of energy - sunshine, food, air and water. Our body's main purpose is to make sure every cell is nourished and then filtered out upon reaching the end of its lifespan. Its an ongoing process that is occuring in all of us, even as you read this. We don't feel the process so much as experience the results of that process.

A body hungers for attention every day of its life. As the body's owner and guide through this thing called 'Life', if you don't provide these energy sources to your body efficiently - if you're not able to get enough sunshine, your food sources are inadequate in terms of fresh, whole food, you don't drink enough water, or the air you breath isn't clean - your body is going to tell you by having a part break down or you can have a complete system malfunction, like I experienced.

Weight gain and stress can exacerbate internal inflammation. We also consume toxins such as alcohol, caffeine, prescription and recreational drugs, as well as antibiotics and chemicals in our food, water and soft drinks, not to mention cigarette smoke and air and highway driving pollution.

So, how do we maintain this filter known as the human body?

Well, we know that good health is tied to a healthy immune system. A compromised immune system is more vulnerable to dis-ease. So, how do we grow the good bacteria in our gut so that they can crowd out the bad bacteria and more ably lower inflammation and fight infection? Is it even possible after months or years or decades of medication and toxin ingestion?

The wonderful thing about the human body is that it strives to live healthy and with a balanced PH. The immune system wants its host to live long and prosper. That's why, when it shuts down, you need to listen to your body. Because you're the only one it's talking to and you're the only one who can figure out what it's saying. It all starts with LISTENING. Once we listen, we can act.

ULCERATIVE COLITIS : ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

2013-10-14T17:26:00.001-07:00

PLEASE BE REMINDED, I AM NOT A DOCTOR AND I HAVE NO BACKGROUND IN HEALTH OR HEALTHCARE OR TREATMENT OF ANY KIND. THIS BLOG IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. FOR ALL YOU KNOW, I'M A DERANGED LUNATIC CAUGHT IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE. YOU WOULD NEVER LISTEN TO A PERSON LIKE THAT. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER BUT ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SOURCES. DON'T ASSUME OR CONCLUDE FOR A MINUTE THAT WHAT WORKS FOR ME WILL WORK FOR YOU. ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR, CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ALL OF YOUR HEALTH CONCERNS BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR'S ADVICE, USE UP THE ENTIRE DOSAGES OF MEDICINE YOU'RE GIVEN AND CONTINUE TREATMENT AS LONG AS YOUR DOCTOR SAYS YOU SHOULD. FURTHERMORE, NOTHING HERE SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS ME, GRAHAM BECKER, GIVING ANYONE ADVICE ABOUT ANYTHING. I'M NOT. NEVER TAKE THE ADVICE OF A STRANGER ON THE INTERNET IS MY ADVICE. HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH!

MY GIFTS, MY BLESSINGS

I didn't create me. No surprise, I didn't create the earth, the clouds, the sky, my parents, my siblings, or really anything at all. All the big stuff happened before I got here. Somehow, the big stuff along with a lot of little stuff, made my existence possible. The universe was patient and timed my appearance to be right now. I don't know how that was done, but 'I think, therefore I am.' And, according to scientists, the 'Big Bang' was like almost 5 BILLION years ago. And don't forget, too, the 120 million years the world was ruled by dinosaurs. We humans are only about 200,000 years old. There was a lot of time when we weren't here at all.

And, now, after all the kerfuffel, tadaa, I'm here with you and, miracle of miracles, you're here with me. All those millions and billions of years of history by the time I popped my head in, or out as the case may be, and, because the same has happened to you, here we are, together in the ether of the internet.

Honestly, probably just like you, I haven't a clue as to why we're all here together on this little floating stone in space. All I know is that the whole universe and more existed before I got here and I don't remember being here before. And since my current experience lets me believe I am here now, I want to be the smartest I can be about the tiny space I hold.

Of course, sometimes it feels like I'm balancing plates on sticks, while standing on one leg perched on an open air steel beam of a high-rise under construction. And it's starting to rain. UhOhhh...I hear thunder...and LIGHTNING!

None of this is lost on me. Taken simply, creation favors life, as complicated as life can be, and as such has given me a little window of time in which to say 'hi.' In the meantime, I've come to believe that my creation, and all creation really, is somehow rooted in a purposeful trajectory in its cosmic timing.

That also might be my cosmic ego wishing it to be true so as to secure my concept as a singular little purpose in the universe.

And, one might also consider, if creation favors life, then creation also favors love and care. Because there is no life without all creatures caring for their vulnerable newborns. Humans, more than others, seem to have the singular ability to love or not love. Love can be scary because it implies a commitment beyond friendship. It can not be done alone. You can love a movie but that's different than loving another person. Love means being open to pain, and that's scary. For the universe, love is built-in. For humans, love seems to be a choice.

The rest of the living world, however, is simply operating from instinctual love and care. We may choose to show or not show our love, but LOVE appears to be among the trajectories of creation. And because love is already part of the equation, and because my universe begins with me and me alone, I've chosen to love my body, to love myself, and to fight for my best health, every day, just for me. It's the right thing for me to do, I think.

So, I truly believe that creation is loving in its intent. That leads me to try to act in loving, patient ways. I do try. I am human, though.

By choosing to love my body, I've helped myself to focus on a debt of gratitude to that creative power. If life is a gift, I'm not giving this one back. In the meantime, I'm going to take care of it so I can enjoy what's left to my brief existence.

My health has been challenging, but I really feel I'm one of the lucky ones. I count my blessings and stay positive. I truly feel everything I've been given: my life, this beautiful planet, the sunshine, the company of family and friends, are wonderful gifts and make the space we occupy, tolerable. Gifts, too, that can only be appreciated while I'm here. I don't know if or where I'm going after my body wears out, so I only have now. Since I'm pretty sure this existence, my life with this human body, is a one-off, I'm not getting this gift again. I've decided to give my gift the best possible care I can. That way it stays the gift that keeps on giving.

I can honestly say, so far, my IBD diagnosis, specifically my UC diagnosis, opened up an opportunity for me to actually be healthier than I might have been had I never had the diagnosis. My diagnosis changed my life. And, in the end (pun intended), for the better.

My mental and behavioral decisions in response to my diagnosis, my dogged determinism, my willingness to follow wherever my personal investigation took me, led me back to health. I wasn't going to fight the process of healing. I was going to listen to my body's messages, even when it was screaming at me. Admittedly I backslid several times, but I never flagged in my focus to solve the riddle of my body's immune system. It took me 20 years to come to full remission of my symptoms.

I should have known a 100 calorie soda wasn't equivalent to 100 calories of vegetables. But I didn't really make that connection at first. Like all humans, I have to sustain myself everyday. Generally, I like to do that with food. I'll bet you do, too. Besides, eating can be just plain social and fun in its best moments. People share recipes, are remembered for their recipes as well as their ability to be artistic with food. We gather our families and friends around food. Oh, and we LOVE it when food has that perfect combination of mouth-feel and flavoriciousness which results in contented satiety infused with ardor. Food is simply a recipe for love. I love to eat and I know a lot of other people who also love to eat. For me, food is an emotional experience for sure, especially when I'm cooking. I find the whole process of cooking, from idea to creation, therapeutic. And I love being in control of all the ingredients. I eat home a lot so I can do that, be in control. And I'm careful when I go out.

And since I got healthy, I'm not letting go. I have convicted my criminal bacteria and they are no longer welcome to my gut party. This has been part of my story that has resulted in my immune system being symptom-free since 2001. For me, my journey has been like that movie "Sliding Doors". If I hadn't done what I claim I've done, I would be in another place for sure.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Being diagnosed with ULCERATIVE COLITIS and living with that diagnosis since 1980 has underscored and highlighted for me the importance of that adage: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

The mental strategies I use are these:

ASK QUESTIONS. BE OPEN TO ANSWERS. BE OPEN TO SECOND OPINIONS. THE TRUTH FOR YOU IS ALL THAT MATTERS. PURSUE THE TRUTH ALWAYS. MAKE EDUCATED GUESSES. ANALYZE. SELF-TEST. REFINE YOUR APPROACH. STAY OPEN TO NEW INFORMATION. FOLLOW LEADS. KEEP IT POSITIVE. DON'T GIVE UP. PURSUE, PURSUE, PURSUE. THE INTERNET IS YOUR FRIEND, BUT BE WARY AND CONSULT MULTIPLE SOURCES IN YOUR QUEST FOR THE TRUTH. DON'T STOP. DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY OTHERS. BE BRAVE. ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. REMEMBER, THERE ARE SOME WHO DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE ANY ANSWERS. GET THE ANSWERS YOU DESERVE, ANYWAY.

As a child, it started with my dad's weight. He was always a big guy to me. As an adult, I came to believe my Dad had a physical addiction to processed foods, especially sugar and fat washed down with cases of diet soda. Ice cream and pancakes were a particular weakness. He lived to eat and oh how he loved to eat! Not only did he enjoy good tasting food, he ate copious amounts of it. A high-end buffet was his best friend.

I loved my Dad. I saw his bigness as something I wished was smaller because, as a consequence, I was always worried about his health. He had a stroke when he was 66 and died young, of heart failure, at age 71. He gave me unconditional love and supported me even when it was challenging, shared his larger-than-life personality with me, made me laugh, and, being the eternal optimist, gave me my positive outlook on life. I'm always grateful and I miss him a lot.

I miss my Mom, too. She died of cancer when I was just 15. She was an actress and loved to laugh and, like Dad also loved me unconditionally. I learned early that, as big as we might be, our hearts are all about the same size, about the size of a fist. The same size heart can be asked to work in a body with 125 or 175 or 300 lbs. At 5'11", my dad was at the upper end of that scale. His heart was being asked to work too hard for too long.

Hearts can break early under those circumstances. More than one heart, sometimes.

Before my diagnosis, I ate everything. I was young and so I was able to work it off, no problem. After my diagnosis, I couldn't seem to eat anything without feeling like I was eating shards of glass awash with acid. I had to recondition my mind in the face of pop culture marketing forces promoting fast, convenient, tasty, prepared, cooked and attractively packaged, food stuffs.

Without medication, it took me 20 years to accomplish complete health and total remission.

You read that correctly. 20 years of backsliding and flareups.

Thankfully, the flareups were never as bad as I had it when I was initially diagnosed. I would always catch it as soon as I felt the cramping and gurgles and felt that telltale slippery slide of a bloody stool. And then I'd have to heal all over again. Fortunately I never had too far to go, maybe 4 weeks back to full recovery.

Eventually, I turned the negative into a positive. The avoidance of that pain is of paramount importance in my life. I will continue to do everything I can to keep my good health. For me, myself and I, rethinking my food choices was a 20-year process. The allure of processed foods was strong and kept pulling me back. In my rethinking, I've learned to feed my body in such a way that, as a direct result I believe, I am now symptom free, and have been since 2001. For me, a nutritionally-based solution was the answer to my healing.

Today, I thoroughly enjoy my daily, smooth as yogurt, bowel movement. No trace of inflammation anywhere. Never constipated, never any diarrhea. Normal.

Imagine, totally normal. That's right, I'm an atypical freak of nature. I'm not alone though.

My success at controlling my IBD, my Ulcerative Colitis, has reinforced my behavior to the point where my will power has merged with my everyday thought processes. The new behavior is now a good habit. It's not a struggle. It's become a lifestyle choice. And I found flavors and foods I never knew existed.

And I learned to cook for myself. I thought, I can read a recipe, how hard can it be? Well, I found out it's not that easy but it sure is rewarding. And now I really love to cook. Our American culture encourages a love-hate relationship with food. Love to eat; hate the weight. I MADE FRIENDS WITH FOOD.

Fast food commercials rotate with weight loss programs on the telly, the internet, and in print all day, every day. Fast food companies spend billions of dollars every year to sway you to their latest offerings. It's a beautiful marriage, fast food and dieting. They're perfect for one another, don't you think? It's a lot of fun to eat fast food and when I eat it I feel wonderful, happy and content. And really full. I like that feeling and you can get a lot of fast food for $5. I sure miss the kids' toys they used to include in their meals, tying the latest cartoon movie to the fast food experience. Another wonderful marriage. Especially for the kids.

And when I would notice a little weight creeping up on me, I could go on a diet of the same food choices, with strict portion sizes so I didn't have to think, packaged, prepared and frozen meals I could microwave. I loved the convenience of diet food because after a hard day's night, I don't want to have to think about food because it's bad enough I have to deprive myself being on this damn diet, so I want it tasty and hot in 2 mins. And, for sure, I'll pay $2.00 to do just that.

And, really, let's hear it for those frozen dinners! Processing a frozen dinner meal includes the research and development and consumer testing of a patented recipe, cooking, portioning, freezing, designing and printing the packaging, assembling the packaging around the frozen food, keeping the frozen food frozen for transit, marketing and advertising the item, paying truck drivers in wages and benefits, providing transportation in refrigerated trucks, and delivery with a smile... all of this, from field/farm to factory to market basket and microwave, all for the price of $2 when on sale?? And they are still making a profit?? Who cares how they do that!! Hurry, at 5 for $10, we're stocking up!

Microwave Marvels, I call them. At $2, however, you really don't want to look at the ingredients acquisition and formation process and how that stuff got formed to look and taste like food. So we won't. Suffice it to say, it's the perfect confluence of taste and savvy marketing. It's easy to develop a love/hate relationship with food. You can love it when it's plentiful and you're satiated, hate it the next day and then hate it even more when you feel deprived by dieting. Only to love it again after being finished with dieting. After a while, I would ditch those frozen delectables and gain all the weight back. Yo-Yo dieting. Gotta love it. Makes me want to go back for seconds.

My journey led me to love food again. I'm not afraid to eat anymore. I'm not afraid of the reactions my body might have. I have bouncers called antioxidants, phytochemicals, flavanols and polyphenols who will kick any exacerbator's ass.

Remember that sailor man who ate spinach and got muscles? That sailor man was correct about one important thing. It's important to eat more plants.

Although not really clear to me at the beginning of my journey, it became obvious I needed to make friends with better food choices. At first, I really didn't know what that meant. I thought all food was pretty much equal and all I had to do was just watch my caloric intake.

IN SUMMARY

At this stage in my health, I can pretty much eat anything except my exacerbators, which literally gives me unlimited healthful choices of real, living, organic and unprocessed food. I'VE CHOSEN TO USE MY HEAD. IT MAKES GOOD DECISIONS WHEN I LET IT. When it comes to will-power, I have to use my head. My brain is torn between what my tongue would prefer, my heart's desire, and all the images of gumdrops marketers have placed in my head. My head holds my only hope to overcome my powerful emotional connection to processed foods. Processed foods contain ingredients that make me hungry for more soon after I've eaten them. And 6 weeks later I could have another flareup. The combination of fat, salt, sugar and mouth-feel is so hard to resist. But, uh uh, no way. Not on my watch. I'm not chowing down on meds, antacids, or processed food. A wise and healthy person once said to me, "If man made it, don't eat it." Powerful. I've taken it to heart.