At any given moment, our bodies are exposed to countless molecules, particles and frequencies. We inhale, consume, absorb and even manufacture substances such as vitamins, minerals, pollen, enzymes, proteins, chemicals and hormones. Incredibly, we are able to recognize and process everything to which we are exposed. The body simply knows to absorb vital minerals, and eliminate harmful substances. But what is the mechanism by which we are able to instantly determine what substances are good and which are bad, and what to do with all of these things? Modern science now shows us that when we view any matter at a microscopic level, the sub-atomic particles which make up that matter literally emit an energetic frequency. When a substance is introduced to the body, we ‘read’ and interpret the frequency of that item. If the body recognizes the frequency, it will respond accordingly. However, if the frequency is unrecognizable, the body could have an adverse reaction.

Although modern technology is now allowing us to witness and understand these concepts of energy and frequencies, it could simultaneously be contributing to issues with the bodies ability to distinguish between safe and harmful substances. Cell phones are a perfect example. We know that cell phones emit powerful electro-magnetic frequecies (EMF’s) allowing data to be invisibly transported from one location to another. These frequencies travel through windows, walls, cars and even people. As EMF’s penetrate the body, these frequencies will manipulate and distort the frequencies of all other items inside us. When an EMF from a cell phones bounces into a specific food, protein, mineral, etc., the frequency of that item is skewed and becomes something which the body may struggle to recognize. And thus, a sensitivity or allergy may be born. Since we are not able to interpret this new frequency to which we have just been exposed, the body will store this memory so when it is presented again, we will see this substance as dangerous and an adverse reaction could result.

Fortunately there are some things we can do to reduce our exposure to EMF’s and help rebalance to a state of natural health.

Avoid using cordless phones. Believe it or not, cordless phones give off almost as much EMF as a cell phone.
Invest in EMF Protection technology. EarthCalm is a company that makes devices that can be used in the home, on the body, and now even attached to your cell phone to help dissipate the dangerous flood of electro-magnetic frequencies in which we are walking around everyday.
Refrain from using a microwave. If you must use one, try to be at least 30-40 feet away from it when in use
Never sleep with a cell phone near your bed
If you live in an apartment, avoid putting your bed against a shared wall with the neighbour. You never know what electronics may be plugged in on the other side.
Turn off all electronics in the bedroom during sleeping hours.
Invest in Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination. This amazing technique helps the body by clearing incorrect frequency information being stored in the cells and reintroduces the proper frequencies so the body can begin to recognize substances of which it was previously confused.
Allergies and sensitivities are growing at an alarming rate around the globe. But we don’t have to sit idly and become victims to old ways of thinking. Gone are the days of “just live with it”. As our understanding of the full potential of human health continues to evolve, we are starting to see more people taking an active approach to their well-being. People are turning their health around and overcoming that which others have told them would be permanent.

What allergy would you eliminate if you could?

It’s no big surprise that junk food is not good for us. Why else would it be called ‘junk’? We know sugar and refined foods can make us fat. Have you ever wondered about the mechanism inside us that makes this happen? Hopefully this post will shed some light on what our bodies are doing when we eat those sweets and encourage you to cut back or eliminate refined foods completely.

Refined carbohydrates are essentially no different than pouring pure sugar down our throats. When refined, the vast majority of the fiber is removed, which means the carbohydrate is broken down to simple sugars and assimilated much quicker than unrefined complex carbs. Since the simple sugars are assimilated so quickly, our blood sugar levels experiences a rapid spike. It’s this spike that gives us a false sense of energy.

When our body senses this spike, it immediately responds with an attempt to re-establish homeostasis (i.e. bring the blood sugar back down). Insulin is the hormone released by our pancreas which stimulates our liver to increase its uptake and conversion of glucose in our blood to glycogen. Basically, this means the liver is triggered to remove sugar from our blood.

Although this process occurs whenever we eat, a problem arises with refined foods. The spike in blood sugar I mentioned before will trigger such a dramatic release of insulin that our bodies essentially over-compensate. Our blood sugar level plummets below a normal level. This may make you feel tried, shaky, and worst of all hungry. So the natural reaction is to grab something to eat that will spike your blood sugar again. You can see how the cycle perpetuates itself.

Unfortunately, lowering blood sugar is not the only effect insulin has on our body. An elevated insulin level tells our body to store the sugar as fat and burn muscle for energy instead. So our body will keep and increase the amount of fat, even if the number of calories are lowered.

If that’s not bad enough, insulin also inhibits various other hormones in the body, such as glucagon and HGH (Human Growth hormone). Gucagon is another hormone normally released by the pancreas, but has the opposite effect to insulin. It triggers the body to burn fat and raise blood sugar. HGH not only tells our body to burn fat, but it also stimulates lean muscle mass growth, which in turn creates higher metabolism and additional fat burning.

Now that you have a basic understanding of what goes on inside us when we eat sugar and refined foods, what’s the next step? Breaking this vicious sugar cycle I just described can be difficult. There are a few things you can do make it easier to eliminate refined foods from your diet:

Include some healthy fats with your food – Consuming a bit of good fat with your food will help slow down digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels. Some great sources include organic butter from grass-fed animals, unrefined virgin coconut oil and organic raw milk cheese. We also need fat for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Increase your fiber intake – Fiber slows the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates into the blood stream. This means you will get a more gradual release of sugar so your body can process it effectively. It also helps by increasing insulin sensitivity. This means your pancreas will not need to secrete as much insulin, thereby reducing your chances of having the crash afterward.

Include protein in your meals – Protein will also help to slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels. Whether you’re looking for a snack, or a full meal, there are plenty of excellent protein sources, such as almonds, whole grains like quinoa and millet, pasture-raised organic chicken eggs, and of course organic, grass-fed meats.

Eat unrefined, whole complex carbohydrates – unrefined, whole foods will not only contain the fiber and benefits as mentioned above, but complex carbs require more steps to be broken down into simple sugars. This slower process means your energy will be more gradual and sustainable.

Vitamins and Minerals – Although I believe you can get the proper vitamins and minerals from dietary sources, it may be necessary to temporarily supplement your diet with various nutrients that are known to help regulate blood sugar levels. Some of the key nutrients include chromium, Vitamin C & E, potassium and zinc.

So if you’re looking to shed some pounds, don’t focus so much attention on your caloric intake. Work on cutting out the refined, simple sugars and boosting your energy naturally. Healthy, sustainable weight loss is a gradual process.

Do you need support breaking this cycle? Call me.

Chances are you’ve heard the term “Genetic Engineering” or “Genetically Modified”. And chances are also that you’ve heard the many ways this incredible technology can benefit our society. But have you ever stopped to consider how this technology really works, what it is actually doing, and the potential dangers involved in tampering with the genetics of our food?

I agree that the concepts and intentions behind genetic engineering are noble. But even the most noble ideas and causes must be closely examined in order to determine the risks and consequences.

To understand the catastrophic possibilities of genetic modification, we must first understand the process. Many people argue that hybridization and cross-breeding of plants has been common practice since the beginning of time. This is true. However, hybrid plants are not comparable to those which are genetically engineered. Hybridization is the act or process of mating organisms of different varieties or species to create a hybrid. The key here is ‘mating’. This is a natural process by which the offspring receives entire strands of DNA (chromosomes) from the parents. The method in which the chromosomes combine is incredibly complex. In situations where the parents may have differing numbers of chromosomes, it is often the case that the offspring will become sterile. This is basically natures way of ensuring that only viable hybridization can occur. Species which should not breed are left sterile and cannot reproduce further.

Genetic Engineering, on the other hand, is the process by which scientists are extracting a specific gene from a chromosome and attempting to ‘glue’ this gene to the chromosome of a different strand. This technology is so advanced that scientists are now able to muck about with genes of living organisms which may not even be within the same kingdom. For example, certain species of fish are able to survive in frigid waters at subzero temperatures. Scientists have taken the gene which allows these fish to survive and have inserted it into tomatoes in a effort to produce a plant that can withstand frost. It’s a great idea, but the repercussions are frightening. In another attempt to improve Mother Nature’s design, scientists again took tomatoes and have attempted introducing a gene from a cockroach in hopes they will produce a subspecies of tomato with a harder skin to protect it during transportation.

As I mentioned, these concepts sound appealing. But we must consider all aspects of genetic modification. Here are only a few concerns and fundamental weaknesses:

Imprecise methods
Gene can be removed precisely from a strand of DNA. However, inserting this gene into the DNA of the target organism is essentially random. Consequently, disrupting the function of other genes critical to the life of that organism is far more likely to occur. (Bergelson 1998)
Side Effects
“Scientists do not yet understand living systems completely enough to perform DNA surgery without creating mutations which could be harmful to the environment and our health. They are experimenting with very delicate, yet powerful forces of nature, without full knowledge of the repercussions”. (Washington Times 1997, The Village Voice 1998)
Widespread Crop Failure
Genetic engineering is already creating massive monocultures (producing or growing only one single crop over a wide area). Should a fungus, virus, or a pest develop which can attack this crop, there could be widespread crop failure. (Robinson 1996)
Threatens Our Entire Food Supply
“Insects, birds, and wind can carry genetically altered seeds into neighboring fields and beyond. Pollen from transgenic plants can cross-pollinate with genetically natural crops and wild relatives. All crops, organic and non-organic, are vulnerable to contamination from cross-pollinatation.” (Emberlin et al 1999)

Health Hazards

Absence of Long-Term Safety Testing
With genetic engineering, scientists are using material from living organisms that have historically never been part of our food supply. They are making changes to the fundamental nature of the food we eat. There are currently no regulations requiring mandatory testing on genetically modified foods. Without long-term testing no one can be completely certain of the safety of these foods.

Toxins
Unexpected mutations in organisms have been seen in genetically engineered products. This can lead to the creation of new and higher levels of toxins in foods. Our bodies have not evolved and cannot evolve fast enough to be able to consume these types of toxins without serious consequences.

Allergic Reactions
Studies have now shown that genetic modification can produce unpredictable and unidentifiable allergens in foods. (Nordlee 1996)

Nutritional Value Depletion
Foods begin loosing nutritional value the moment they are picked or harvested. Food that is transported great distances have far less nutrient content than that food which we can get nearest where we live. Genetic engineering can create products that mislead consumers with a false sense of freshness. The food may look and feel fresh, but have in fact be weeks old and completely nutrient depleted. As a result, our own bodies can become nutrient deficient which can lead to illness and disease.

Bacteria Resistant to Antibiotics
Genetic engineers use antibiotic-resistance genes to mark genetically engineered cells. This means that crops which have been genetically modified contain genes which have a resistance to antibiotics. Some bacteria are able to acquire this gene and may then infect us. (New Scientist 1999)

Untraceable Problems
Since there are no regulations which require proper labeling of genetically modified food, there is now way for us to trace issues and concerns of any kind back to their source. The possibility of ‘unexplainable’ tragedy is shockingly high.

Deadly Side Effects
In one example, 37 people died, 1500 were partially paralyzed, and 5000 more were temporarily disabled by a syndrome that was finally linked to tryptophan made by genetically-engineered bacteria. (Mayeno 1994)

Environmental Hazards

Excessive use of Herbicides
Scientists have created crops which are resistant to herbicides so they may be sprayed in order to kill other plants. Farmers are much more liberal with the amount of herbicides they spray with the knowledge that their crops will not die from the chemicals. This means our food is being subjected to more chemicals than ever before. These chemicals do not necessarily simply remain on the surface of the plant. They can be aborbed into the plant which means we cannot wash it off before eating.

Increased Amounts of Pesticides
As crops are being doused with an increasing amount of pesticides, those pests which these chemical are meant to kill are quickly mutating to become resistant to the pesticides being used. As a result, more genetic modification must be done to allow for more and stronger pesticide use. This issue has quickly gotten out of control and spinning towards disaster. There are serious human and wildlife repercussions associated with the amount of chemicals being put on our food.

Ecology damaged
Local ecology can become damaged as a result of the influence from Genetically engineered organisms in the food chain. Unpredictable changes may occur in the environment as the new organism competes with and eliminates native relatives.

Gene Pollution Cannot Be Cleaned Up
Once genetically modified species, bacteria and viruses are presented into the environment, they cannot be recalled. They will spread with no concern for the outcome. There is no way to contain them to a designated region since their seeds can be distributed with the wind. All negative effects are irreversible.

DNA is actually not well understood. 97% of human DNA is literally called “junk” by scientists because they do not know its function. Does it make sense to you to be manipulating something which you do not fully understand? Genetic modification does not produce bigger, better foods for the benefit of mankind. In fact, the complete opposite is true. We are creating a food system that is unhealthy, unsafe and unsustainable. But scientists will continue on this path until we take a stand. Every voice is powerful and will be heard.

This is a large topic and difficult to cover all areas in one small article. I encourage you to watch the documentary “The Future Of Food” which goes into far greater details regarding the implications of genetically modified organisms. The battle against gmo can be seemingly impossible, but there are many steps and actions we can take to fight back. The Future Of Food provides great resources and information which can help us learn more about the ways in which we can make a difference.

When you tell people that you have a baby on the way, there is no shortage of advice offered, whether you like it or not. And unfortunately, words of wisdom tend to cast a dark shadow on the first few years of parenthood. “Enjoy your sleep now because you won’t get any for the next 5 years”, or “I hope you’ve saved up because kids will break the bank”. These types of remarks, although carrying some truth, really didn’t help when I was preparing for the arrival of my child.

Now that I’m 2 years into the journey of fatherhood, I thought I’d share a few observations I’ve noticed that would have been nice to know beforehand.

1. Your left bicep will become massive! Have you ever seen the film “Lady in the Water”? (It wasn’t exactly a blockbuster hit). If you have, you may remember the character who only worked out one arm. As a Dad, I feel a lot like that guy since I am constantly carrying around a weight that gets perpetually heavier. “Why don’t you just switch arms from time to time?” you may ask. Believe me, the thought is always there. But for some reason, you may find one arm becomes dominant until the other is nearly forgotten.
2. Inhibitions seem to disappear. If you’re like me and prefer to poop behind the comfort of a closed door, you will get over the shyness very quickly. You know you’ve become truly uninhibited when you have a bowel movement with your child resting their chin on your knee, staring up into your eyes saying “Daddy go poop!”
3. You become a speed-reader. Many parents adopt a bedtime routine of reading a story to their little ones. Don’t get me wrong, I think this is great. But the reality of story time is a bit different from what you envision. As your child flips through the pages like a hurricane, you frantically try to spit out the blurred words to make a coherent story. Fret not, though. Before long your speed-reading skills will allow you to process words on a page lightning fast!
4. Hot showers are only for special occasions. With a baby glued to your leg, luke-warm showers are the only possibility. Perhaps on your birthday, or Father’s Day, your partner will keep your child occupied long enough for you to shower alone so you can crank the heat as much as you want.
5. You’ll appreciate the beauty of a sunrise. Or you’ll hate it. Either way, you’ll likely be seeing lots of them. A child’s ability to wake up just minutes before the sun breaks the horizon is uncanny.
6. Pre-chewed food will become a delicacy for you. If you’re like me, you’ll take special care in preparing only the cleanest, healthiest foods for your little one (when they begin eating solids). But this also means you’ll be spending more money on this delicious food, so you won’t want any to go to waste. No waste means eating food your child won’t. And the unfortunate truth is your child will spend plenty of time chewing food and spitting it on the floor over and over again, almost tauntingly. You’ll learn to love the special flavours your child’s saliva and kitchen floor gives your meals.
7. Your nail-biting habit will vanish! After changing a few poopy diapers, you may notice a few stray bits get stuck under your nails (you may laugh, but if you cloth diaper, you know what I mean). It only takes 1 or 2 occurrences of poop from your nails touching your tongue before you break the habit for good.
8. Prepare for a weekly bloody nose. It’s not what you’re thinking. You child is not likely to be able to punch you in the nose hard enough to break the blood vessels until they are a bit older. However, their tiny, razor-sharp finger nails will wander up your nostrils all the time, sometimes accidentally and sometimes with intention, and blood is sure to follow.
9. Buy yourself new underwear before your baby is born. You’ll be so busy and tired that you will inevitably forget to change your tighty-whities from time to time (sometimes for multiple days at a time). If you’re going to be wearing the same underwear for a couple days in a row, they might as well be nice and new!
10. You’ll never be more in love. The love for a child you bring into the world is an indescribable feeling. I promise you will have never experienced anything like it. And all the late nights, early mornings, cold showers, bloody noses, poopy nails, and everything else that will come along, will be quickly forgotten when your baby looks up at you, bats her eyelids and says “Daddy, I love you to Jupiter”.

What are some other things you wish you had know before becoming a parent? I’d love to hear!