Apple cider vinegar is nothing new, though. It’s been used to make pickles, to clean coffee makers, as dressing for salads, as a disinfectant, and even for killing weeds, polishing armor and taking the “ouch” out of jellyfish stings. More recently, however, apple cider vinegar has entered the spotlight as a health tonic.

ACV was literally put on the U.S. map in 1958 when it was highlighted in the D.C. Jarvis, M.D., New York Times best-selling book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health. In his book, Jarvis advocated an apple cider vinegar and honey combo to cleanse the system and to promote good health. He believed ACV was a “cure-all” and “could destroy harmful bacteria in the digestive tract,” which is why Jarvis recommended ACV as a digestive tonic to be consumed with meals.

There was a resurgence of interest in the health benefits of ACV in the 1970s, but researchers are now actively re-visiting Jarvis’ health claims concerning ACV, particularly the ones about blood sugar health, weight management and insulin balance. They may be on to something, too. While more studies need to be done, some recent findings about apple cider vinegar include:

Blood sugar: Several scientific studies indicate that ACV significantly supports healthy glucose levels in those with unhealthy blood sugar levels and in those who have already-healthy blood sugar levels.
Blood pressure and heart health: Animal study findings reveal that ACV may support healthy blood pressure levels and a healthy heart. Although researchers aren’t sure why the effects on blood pressure and heart health are so positive, they think that ACV may increase levels of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels.
Cellular & cholesterol health: Some lab studies say that ACV may support cellular health and fight off those nasty unhealthy and unwanted cells. Additionally, a 2006 animal study suggests that ACV may support healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, mostly through its acetic acid content.
Weight management: D.C. Jarvis was one of the first proponents of ACV for weight management. He believed that people who consumed apple cider vinegar regularly burned fat instead of storing it. Researchers believe that ACV’s acetic acid content may inhibit carb absorption and may help people to feel full and can, therefore, assist with controlling weight.
In addition to these health benefits, ACV is also thought to support alakaline-acid balance in the body and to support healthy digestion.

For those who want to add a little ACV to their diets, be sure to select the least processed apple cider vinegar you can find—the murkier and darker the liquid, the better. And, of course, it’s always wise to choose organic. So try some ACV today. It’s an apple creation you won’t want to miss out on!
(Jordan Rubin)

But the USDA organic beef regulations fall short of many people’s expectations—especially when it comes to cattle. Specifically, the USDA rules allow cattle to be fed a high-grain diet—not their native diet of grass—and permit cattle to be confined much of the time. That expensive, USDA-certified organic steak at your grocery store is likely to come from a cow that spent most of its time in a feedlot eating far too much grain.

These shortcomings matter a great deal, not just to animal and nature lovers, but to all consumers concerned about basic human nutrition and food safety. The problems begin with the grain. When calves are taken off pasture and shipped to a feedlot to be fattened for market, they are switched from grass to a high-energy grain diet to speed their growth and marble their flesh. But grain does not agree with cattle and other ruminants such as bison and sheep. Ruminants are highly specialized animals with multi-compartmented stomachs that allow them to thrive on a diet of high-fiber, bulky grasses—food that we humans cannot digest. Feeding grain to these grass guzzlers is like running a Prius on furnace oil; it fouls up the works. The “fuel” problem for cattle is that grain makes their digestive tract more acid, giving the animals chronic belly aches. Feedlot calves respond to this acid indigestion by pawing at their bellies, hanging their heads, drooling, or eating dirt. Untreated, the calves can develop a more serious condition called “acidosis.” If acidosis goes unchecked, lesions that can be fatal will form in the animals’ livers. Corn-fed beef comes with a cost.

By contrast, when cattle are raised from birth to market on grass, they remain in excellent health. Routine vaccination is the only medication they require. A vet told me that the only time he goes to grass-based ranches is to do pregnancy tests. The rest of his time is spent helping feedlot managers control the many diseases caused by excessive grain-feeding and the stress of shipping and confinement.

What is good for the cattle turns out to be good for our health as well. Dozens of studies now show that meat and dairy products from grass-fed animals have a bounty of added nutrients. Compared with grain-fed cattle—organic or otherwise—the meat and milk of grass-fed cattle have more antioxidants, including vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. The meat is also lower in overall fat and higher in healthy omega-3s and another healthy fat called “conjugated linoleic acid” or CLA (http://www.eatwild.com/cla.html).

Eating products from grass-fed animals also gives you an added measure of food safety. Since the 1990s, we’ve gotten used to meat being recalled for possible E. coli contamination. In 2008, one such recall involved a staggering 135 million pounds of beef. Eating grass-fed meat may reduce your risk of being sickened by these potentially lethal bacteria. The main reason is that grass-fed cattle and other ruminants that live outdoors on pasture arrive at the slaughterhouse with relatively clean hides. Cattle that live in the mud and manure of feedlots tend to arrive coated with feces that may harbor E. coli bacteria. The USDA has determined that the cleaner the hides, the lower the risk that the bacteria will find its way into the meat supply.

Although organic grain-fed meat has advantages over conventional grain-fed meat, it does not measure up to the benefits that come from eating 100-percent grass-fed meat. Raising ruminants on grass is better for animals and consumers. Go grass!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Jo Robinson is an investigative journalist and a New York Times bestselling writer. She is the author/coauthor of 11 nationally published books including Pasture Perfect, an overview of the benefits of choosing products from pasture-raised animals. More than three million copies of her books have been sold. Jo is also the founder and director of www.eatwild.com, the Internet’s most comprehensive site on the benefits of taking animals out of feedlots and raising them on pasture.

Here’s what happens and why those who are sensitive to gluten must stay away from it. When the immune system attacks, it damages the small intestine’s membrane, leaving holes in the membrane that can let in large proteins. Once through the ravaged intestinal membranes, the large gluten molecules enter the bloodstream, which carries the gluten system-wide in the body. Wherever those gluten molecules settle in the body, that’s where the immune system attacks—which is why those with gluten sensitivity can experience unhealthy effects in the intestines and even way beyond the gut.

Being gluten-free necessitates being on the lookout for foods containing gluten—and they’re everywhere, including obvious gluten-packed foods as well as more obscure foods. And remember…there simply is no safe amount for those who are gluten-sensitive. Here are some foods to avoid if you’re on the gluten-free track:

Foods with Gluten
Breads
Rolls
Biscuits
Croissants
Doughnuts
Flour tortillas
Chicken nuggets
Croutons
Breaded fish or other breaded foods
Hamburger buns
Waffles
Bagels
Ice cream cones
Pastas
Fried vegetables
Graham crackers
Crackers
Pretzels
Pita bread
Corn bread
French fries (if frozen or coated)
Toast
Stuffing
Cereals
Pizza
Cookies
Pies
Cakes
Pastries
Cupcakes

Foods with Hidden Gluten
Salad dressings
Cold cuts
Bleu cheese (may be made with bread)
Sauces
Marinades
Conventional yogurt
Meat loaf
Soy burgers
Dry-roasted nuts (processing agents may contain wheat)
Meat and fish pastes
Syrups
Ice cream
Sherbet
Commercial bouillon
Fruit fillings
Custard
Gum
Pudding
Conventional stock
Sour cream
Self-basting turkeys
Soy sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Root beer
Commercial chocolate milk
Licorice
Baked beans
Some soups (may include flour)
Inexpensive chocolate
Instant coffee
Non-dairy creamer
Some lipsticks
Some toothpastes
Some supplements
Some medicines
Some cough drops
White pepper
Chutneys and pickles
Mustard (dry mustard powder contains gluten)
Some potato chips
Powdered gravy and sauce mixes
Alcohol products made from grains
Crumbled toppings
Sausage
Imitation crab meat
Some spice mixtures

The order will change on this challenge every week. We do this to confuse the muscles, keeping them challenged at all times.
If you have questions about the isometrics please watch the 7 tiger moves video that is on this site. We can answer other questions or send pictures to you if you drop us an email. Now let’s get to it!

Monday
15 min. Run (optional)
25 pushups
100 sit ups
25 bench/couch dips
10 pull ups
Repeat 2 x’s
Advanced double your reps! This should only take 20 minutes. So hurry!

Tuesday
10 min jump rope
Isometrics
7 tiger moves (watch the video) do each exercise for 2 minutes.

Wednesday
15 min run (optional)
10lb weights:
10 bicep curls
10 reps wide (or W)
10 reps in front (prison style)
10 reps with twist (start with weights at your side, as you lift towards your shoulders twist them away from
Your body)
10 reps hammer curls

5lbs combo
2 min of frontal to side raises with the weights
Lift your arms straight over your head in front of you. Lower your arms the repeat at your sides.

2 min chest press
Laying on your back either on the floor or on the fitness ball. Press weight above your chest using the 10lbs free weights.

1 min each arm tricep kickbacks with the 5lbs
Bend over and hold the elbow tight against your side; lift weight moving only at the elbow and wrist.

Thursday repeat Tuesdays workout

Friday
15 minute run (optional)

25 weighted squats w/ 10 lbs
15 1 leg squats per leg
X’s 2
Advanced, use heavier weights or double the reps.

2 pushups
2 pull ups
2 hanging leg raises
2 dips
Repeat this in a circuit for 10 minutes.
Move quickly!

Saturday repeat Tuesday Thursday workout.

Let us chart your progress. Send me your name and your results for the week every Saturday and I will post them on our fitness challenge chart. Now get busy!!!

For that reason and others, gluten is quickly becoming a sensitive topic. In fact, an estimated one in 133 Americans has celiac disease, which occurs when ingesting gluten makes the immune system turn on the intestines by damaging the villi—tiny, fingerlike projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food.

“Celiac disease is not just a disease of the gut,” says Shelley Case, R.D., nutrition consultant and author of Gluten Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. “It’s multi-system and multi-symptom—with serious implications.” In fact, it’s linked to malnutrition that can lead to anemia, osteoporosis and mental unhealth, among other things.

It’s prevalent, too. There may be as many as three million Americans who have celiac disease, but most may not even recognize it because it is so difficult to pin down. “It takes most adults about 12 years to get a definitive diagnosis of celiac disease,” says Michelle Pietzak, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist and professor of pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

Diagnosis has had its own challenges, too. In the past celiac disease was diagnosed by blood tests and intestinal biopsies, but these would turn up positive only if there was villi damage. Nowadays, however, there are less invasive tests that are much more expedient.

Celiacs aren’t the only ones dealing with this sensitive topic, though. As many as one in seven folks may have what’s termed Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS. For those with NCGS, celiac testing has turned up negative or inconclusive results, but they know something needs to change.

Obviously, many with NCGS start by changing their diet. They avoid gluten at all costs. The problem, however, is that it’s easier said than done since gluten is in so many products including standard grain products, salad dressings, cold cuts, some potato chips and much more.

While NCGS is not celiac disease, it’s certainly not any lightweight problem. It may cause malabsorption, abdominal pain or distention, weight loss or weight gain, muscle wasting, peeling nails, bone pain, joint pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, nasal discharge and more.

For those with NCGS—and celiacs as well—lifelong, full removal of dietary gluten is important. They will need to keep a watchful eye, too, because studies indicate that amounts of gluten as low as 0.1 grams can lead to relapses and negative changes in intestinal tissue.

Gluten. There simply is no safe amount for those who are gluten-sensitive.

So go ahead and ask, “Got gluten?” It could definitely make a difference in your health.

From: Extraordinary Health

www.mercola.com~
Oh yes, here we have it again.
Big surprise, the number one source of calories in the US and the primary cause of the obesity epidemic is being used to sell this product.
“Vitaminwater is Coke’s attempt to dress up soda in a physician’s white coat. Underneath, it’s still sugar water, albeit sugar water that costs about ten bucks a gallon,” said litigation director Steve Gardner of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Actually I disagree with the “sugar water” part as pure cane sugar water is an order of magnitude healthier than free-floating fructose. When you drink Vitaminwater, what you really get is 33 grams — more than six teaspoons — of sugar, including crystalline fructose.

I recently began warning about this new variety of fructose, which may be even worse for your health than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I recently exposed agave as being worse than HFCS but crystalline fructose is much worse than agave.
While many people mistakenly believe that fructose is an acceptable form of sweetener, it is far from healthy. Refined man-made fructose metabolizes to triglycerides and adipose tissue, not blood glucose. One major downside of this is that fructose does not stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production.

Together, insulin and leptin act as key signals in regulating how much food you eat, and several studies have linked dietary fructose to increased food intake and weight gain.
Additionally, fructose is also known to significantly raise your triglycerides, which puts you at an increased risk of heart disease.
Based on the latest research, crystalline fructose is definitely something you’ll want to avoid as much as possible. Whereas regular HFCS contains 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, crystalline fructose is at minimum 99 percent fructose, which could only mean that all the health problems associated with fructose may be even more pronounced with this product.

If anyone tries to tell you “sugar is sugar,” they are way behind the times. There are major differences in how your body processes each one.
The bottom line is: fructose leads to increased belly fat, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome — not to mention the long list of chronic diseases that directly result. As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day … and this leaves no room for Vitaminwater in your diet.
And if that’s not bad enough, crystalline fructose may also contain arsenic, lead, chloride and heavy metals.

Directions
Heat a heavy-bottom sauté pan over medium heat. Lightly brush salmon with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side.

In a separate saucepan, add wine, vinegar, orange and lemon juices and honey. Bring to a boil and reduce for 4 minutes.

After salmon is finished cooking, remove from pan, return pan to heat and add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add spinach and cook until wilted. Serve salmon over spinach and drizzle with citrus glaze.

Recipes courtesy of Jason Longman of Atlanta

We went over the best types of exercise and discussed the pro’s and cons of all exercise styles. Teaching them about Isometrics and Resistance training was fun and I hope they remember their form. When we went over body weight exercises, they were very interested in knowing that they could achieve such great results with
just their body weight. “You don’t need a gym?” That’s right you can take your workout anywhere!

You can take some great information away from this too! I shared with them that they could work out anywhere and that really opened there eyes. You should know that if you have floor space you have your gym. “But I don’t wanna do pushups!” that is fine, pack one resistance band and get busy! I know it maybe a little more complicated than that but it can be done. If you know a trainer (right here) they can usually give you some ideas for little of nothing when it comes to $$.

Discussing organic foods with them, and going over what raw, easily digestible foods were, the students looked a little puzzled. No worries though, we worked it out. It’s amazing to see these kids so receptive to eating healthy, they just lack the information. Someday I will change that, but for now we can make a conscious effort to share tips for healthy eating with our kids or our nieces and nephews.

Live it!

If you know this stuff please share it. What good is it if you are the healthiest of all? It’s life giving info and it needs to be shared. Just remember you can’t change anyone, I have to remind myself of this all the time. They have to want to change, this desire usually comes after they recognize that they are to blame for where they are. If you get this, then you can help a lot, just don’t be pushy!

Together we can help the world….Or something like that.

Asthmatic children with low blood vitamin D levels may have a greater risk of suffering severe asthma attacks.
A study followed more than 1,000 children with asthma for four years, and found those with vitamin-D insufficiency at the outset were more likely to have an asthma attack that required a trip to the hospital.
Reuters reports:
“When the researchers considered other factors — including the severity of the children’s asthma at the study’s start, their weight and their family income — vitamin D insufficiency itself was linked to a 50 percent increase in the risk of severe asthma attacks.”
Sources:
Reuters June 23, 2010
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology June 8, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]
Eurekalert June 25, 2010
Eurekalert June 23, 2010
Phytotherapy Research June 14, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Vitamin D never ceases to amaze, and research into its impact on non-bone related diseases continues to yield positive results.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a variety of health conditions, from depression to autoimmune disorders, to colds and flu, to cancer, and now asthma, and even cognitive function.
This is good news.
Asthma has increased by more than 300 percent over the last two decades, now affecting some 20 million Americans, and if vitamin D is even partially responsible for this meteoric rise in prevalence, then the answer is literally right outside your door.
Millions of people are needlessly exposing themselves to the dangers inherent with the standard drug treatments for asthma. Advair, for example, contains the long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) salmeterol, which can actually increase the severity of an asthma attack.
Researchers estimate that salmeterol may contribute to as many as 5,000 asthma-related deaths in the United States each year. Conventional asthma treatments can also increase your risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, just to name a few.
This is why it’s so important to start focusing our attention on simple, effective, and infinitely safer methods, such as increasing vitamin D levels, to combat the underlying cause of this growing health problem.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Asthma at All Time Highs
Right now, only 5 to 37 percent of American infants meet the standard for vitamin D set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which will make them prime candidates for a slew of future health problems related to vitamin D deficiency – one of them being asthma.
At the end of 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommended dose of vitamin D for infants, children and adolescents, raising it from 200 to 400 units per day. But research published earlier that same year revealed children may need ten times that amount in order to receive the health benefits that optimal vitamin D levels have to offer.
Many mothers also are vitamin D-deficient, which is another contributor to asthma. A 2007 study showed that poor diet and lack of vitamin D during pregnancy were the determining factors in whether their children suffered from asthma by the age of five.
In addition, this latest study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirms previous findings, showing that asthmatic children with low blood vitamin D levels also have an increased risk of suffering severe asthma attacks.
According to this study, vitamin D insufficiency itself was linked to a 50 percent increase in the risk of severe asthma attacks.
This makes sense, as a number of other studies have confirmed that there’s an inverse association between respiratory infections and vitamin D levels in children. This is likely because vitamin D upregulates a specific gene that produces over 200 anti-microbial peptides, some of which work like a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
In addition, optimizing your overall immune function is an essential part of treating asthma, and vitamin D is proven to be an incredibly powerful immune modulator, which is why optimizing your vitamin D levels is so essential.
Beware: Conventional Vitamin D Recommendations are Still Too Low
Based on the latest research, many experts now agree you need about 35 IU’s of vitamin D per pound of body weight. This recommendation also includes children, the elderly and pregnant women.
This is a far cry from the 200-600 IU’s currently recommended by our health agencies.
Remember, however, that vitamin D requirements are highly individual.
Your vitamin D status is dependent on several factors, such as the color of your skin, your location, and how much sunshine you’re exposed to on a regular basis. So, although these recommendations may put you closer to the level of what most people likely need, it is virtually impossible to make a blanket recommendation that will cover everyone.
The only accurate way to determine your optimal dose is to get your blood tested. Ideally, you’ll want to maintain a vitamin D level of at least 50ng/ml and perhaps as high as 80-90 ng/ml year-round.
For in-depth information about safe sun exposure, dosing and other recommendations to safely and effectively optimize your vitamin D levels, please review this previous article.
Additional Safe and Effective Strategies to Treat Asthma
Although asthma is a serious disease, safely treating your asthma is not complicated.
Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the first step, but there are other simple strategies that can help treat the root of the problem as well.
In my experience, the following strategies are highly effective when treating asthma:
Increase your intake of animal-based omega 3 fats and reduce your intake of processed omega 6 fats
Consider the hygiene hypothesis – There’s a tendency in our modern culture to be obsessive about cleanliness, but this may not be as healthy as initially thought. It appears that being exposed to common bacterial and viral infections as a child can be instrumental in providing the stimulus to your immune system to prevent asthma naturally.
Get regular exercise – Exercise (especially out in fresh air if you’re an asthmatic) is actually crucial, as it helps to moderate insulin levels. It increases your insulin receptor sensitivity, and as a result your body produces less insulin, which tends to optimize it.
Purify your indoor air
Avoid all commercial milk products. They are notorious for making asthma worse. If you consume milk at all, use only raw milk products from grass-fed cows, but even then be careful and take note of whether or not the raw milk is making your asthma better or worse.
Eat foods rich in vitamin E. Much like vitamin D, higher vitamin E intake has also been associated with lower serum IgE concentrations and a lower frequency of allergen sensitization.
Hydrate well. You will want to make sure you drink enough clean pure water to turn your urine a light color of yellow, as dehydration will clearly worsen asthma.
Try some Butterbur (Petasites hybridus). This perennial shrub has been used since ancient times to treat a variety of conditions. As far back as the 17th century, butterbur was used to treat coughs, asthma, and skin wounds. Researchers have since identified the compounds in butterbur that help reduce symptoms in asthma by inhibiting leukotrienes and histamines, which are responsible for symptom aggravation in asthma. In one study, 40 percent of patients taking a butterbur root extract were able to reduce their intake of traditional asthma medications.
Build your immune system with allergy testing. In my experience, conventional testing does not work very effectively and there is a fair amount of risk. A far better intradermal skin test is the provocation neutralization testing. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has a list of physicians who are trained in this highly effective technique.
The Link Between Asthma and Allergies
In addition to the 20 million Americans suffering from asthma, another 60 million are affected by allergic rhinitis, or ‘hay fever.’
The hidden link between asthma and allergies?
Again, vitamin D deficiency!
So whether you’re an asthmatic or suffer from allergies, optimizing your vitamin D levels should be at the top of your list.
For natural allergy relief, another recent study found that Pycnogenol®, an antioxidant plant extract derived from the bark of the French maritime pine tree can offer significant relief.
Although it won’t treat the root cause of the problem, it may be worth a try to get relief from the symptoms, which can be quite debilitating for some, such as itchy rashes, swelling, hives, and excessive mucous.

Vitamin D is Important for Thinking Clearly Too
As I mentioned at the beginning, scientists have also found more evidence linking vitamin D and cognitive function, by studying seniors receiving home care. Cognitive function is the level at which your brain is able to manage and use available information for daily activities.
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, vitamin D receptors have been identified throughout the human body, and scientists have shown that vitamin D influences at least 3,000 different genes. So it is no surprise that metabolic pathways for vitamin D also exist in your brain. In this case, researchers located pathways in the hippocampus and cerebellum of the brain.
These are the areas of your brain that are involved in planning, processing of information, and the formation of new memories.
Of the 1,000 participants, only 35 percent had sufficient vitamin D levels.
Keep in mind that “sufficient levels” in this case are based on the conventional recommendation, which states that 15 ng/ml is sufficient for bone- and overall health.
We now know this is woefully inadequate for most.
Experts now believe the optimal level for general health lies between 50-70 ng/ml.
Still, participants with higher vitamin D levels performed better on cognitive tests than those who were deficient.
Other studies have also provided evidence that vitamin D is involved in brain function by promoting detoxification of damaging heavy metals. One such study showed that vitamin D helps remove mercury by radically increasing intracellular glutathione.
As you can see, there’s plenty of reasons to check your vitamin D levels, if you haven’t done so already, to make sure you’re within the optimal range.

Article found on mercola.com
please visit and do some more research for yourself.