Giulignl’s Weblog

Wednesday we are going out to Cedar Creek Shellfish farms a local fishery.  Mike Sullivan will show us his fields of clams. Living at the beach between the ocean and the intracoastal waterways is an amazing experience. Teeming with life the commitment of the community to maintain the natural beauty and a healthy lifestyle is inspirational.

Everyone one at Go Natural is excited about this latest adventure. Everglades Boats a local award winning fishing boat manufacturer whose commitment to building exceptional in shore boats with the excellence of a yacht is unparalleled. http://www.evergladesboats.com/

Then we are off to a great local restaurant The Garlic where will will cook these fresh treats in a custom built outdoor, wood burning oven.

Nutrition is the net effect of the process by which an organism ingests and uses foods for growth and maintenance of the body. Foods are composed of specific nutrients; protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients serve as the raw material and energy needed for the body to carry out all of its functions.

Nutritional Highlights

Clams (raw), 3 oz. (84.9g)
Calories: 63
Protein: 10.9g
Carbohydrate: 2.2g
Total Fat: 0.8g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin B12 (42mcg), and Iron (11.9mg)

Iron is a mineral that is required for our bodies to function properly.  Most of the iron in our body is found in the blood as hemoglobin, which is a protein used to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.

the aphrodisiac history of clams

In 2005, a study by a group of Italian and American scientists released the findings that amino acids found in bivalves, (oysters, mussels and scallops included), has the potential to raise sexual hormone levels. (The study was conducted on a Mediterranean species of mussels and demonstrated that these aminos, D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid, induced sexual hormone production in rats.) No follow-up studies measured the impact on humans, but the news was certainly encouraging to seafood lovers the world over!

Firm and Bright
You’re probably up to your eyebrows (Botoxed or not) with the mantra “eat more fruits and vegetables.” But if you’ve yet to take that advice to heart, maybe knowing that they prevent wrinkles will do the trick.

The skin doc’s three top picks: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and cantaloupe.

The skin doc’s four top picks oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit.::

Ounce for ounce, oranges are the top citrus source of C, but you can only eat so many, right? For variety, make lemonade; squeeze limes on melon; add grapefruit to salad; and, instead of drinking soda, fizz OJ with sparkling water. It all adds up.

What they do Keep skin’s vitamin C levels high. While C is a nifty antioxidant, that’s not the key reason it’s here. It helps keep collagen — the supportive protein fibers that stop skin from sagging — strong and resilient. (Flimsy collagen means lines and wrinkles.) Since collagen breakdown really picks up in your mid-30s, eat citrus early and often to head off aging.

The skin doc’s #1 pick:green tea.::

While all true teas contain EGCG (by the way, that stands for epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the various types of green tea have the most. Dr. Wechsler’s personal favorite is hojicha green tea (available at http://www.adagio.com/). “The roasting process that turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content,” she says — handy if you’re caffeine sensitive or it’s one of those days when you don’t need another stimulant.

What it does Gives your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multitasker. EGCG puts a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging, it helps prevent skin cancer; and it has a lion-tamer effect on tumor cells. What’s more, green tea contains L-theanine, a de-tensing amino acid — and anything you can do to stanch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibers intact. :

Dark and Green
Certain dark green vegetables, whether they’re fresh, frozen, raw, or steamed, really deliver on vitamin A, one of the most skin-essential vitamins going.

The skin doc’s three top picks: spinach, turnip greens, and broccoli.

Just don’t, uh, go overboard. As good as omega-3s are for skin (and the rest of you, too), worries about the amount of mercury in many fish mean it’s smart to limit seafood or freshwater fish to two meals a week. That’s a must for young children and for women who are pregnant, who may become pregnant, or who are nursing. (Go here for the government’s fish guidelines) :

Another option for mega omega’s in CHIA.

What they do Omega-3s fight inflammation, now considered one of the top skin agers, and they also help protect against sunburn, enhancing the effects of your sunscreen’s SPF. Protein is required to build and repair skin cells and to make enzymes and hormones that help keep it glowing. :

The first step to changing any behavior is desire; what motivates that is based on the an individual.

It takes 22 days of consecutive behavior to change any habit. For me that means I have to plan what I am absolutely willing to commit to daily. Being over committed to time and resources is common, so I usually look at starting with a VERY modest commitment. Like eating one fresh fruit a day and exercising for only two minutes.

This may seem overly simplistic and destined to yield no result, but in truth it is the daily routine and commitment that changes your health over time. Going on a diet that includes simultaneously cutting out most foods you currently eat or joining a gym exercising for an hour for a week and then quitting seems to lead to failure and shame for not being able to stick with it until your goal is achieved.

Just try changing one thing today and commit to that for one month. I am certain that in just one one week you will be so proud of yourself, you will be ready to another another positive health habit.

Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

When I started researched and evolving my food sources I realized there was a correlation between how our food is grown and the ever increasing use of pharmaceuticals as a way to balance our brains chemical imabalances. After if everything we out in our body affects our brain function, it only stands to reason that food sources laden with chemicals needs to be chemically corrected or we are in jeopardy for chronic illnesses, including mental illness such as depression.

This is not to suggest that if you only eat organic food you will be cured, but certainly eating food as close to nature will assist you body to function in a more natural state.

Last year American corporation lost 282 BILLION dollars due to people being out sick. Four of the top sickness heart disease, diabetes, stress, and addiction. WHen I read this I was shocked; by simply adjusting our food intake and moving toward a healthier lifestyle we can SAVE a lot of money. Each one of the illnesses noted can be mitigated by diet and exercise.

Below is the Dept of Agricultures definition of organic.

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

What are SUPERFOODS?

Superfood is a term sometimes used to describe food with high phytonutrient content that some may believe confers health benefits as a result. For example, blueberries are often considered a superfood because they contain significant amounts of antioxidants, anthocyanins, vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibre.

SUPERFOODS:

Chia
Beans
Blueberries 
Oats
Oranges
Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy
Spinach
Tea (green or black)
Tomatoes
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt

Acai
Aloe Vera
Chlorella.
Spirulina
Probiotics
Noni
Yacon
Rosehips
Quinoa
Watercress
Soy
Papaya
Flaxseed
Allium Family
(garlic, leeks, onions)
Barley
Buckwheat
Green foods

Broccoli
Alfalfa Sprouts
Oranges
(orange peel/lemon peel)
Spinach
Tomatoes
Walnuts
Dandelion
Burdock
Kale
Celery
Parsley
Ginger root
Beet Root
Lemon grass
Peppers
Nuts seeds
Sprouts
Yogurt/kefir

Fresh Fruit Salsa

2-Tomato
1/3 Sweet onion
3 cloves Fresh garlic
1T Fresh Ginger
2T Fresh Parsley
1-Mango
1c. Pineapple
1/2 Fresh Lime Juice
1/4c. Orange Juice
1-Cucumber
2T Chia

I develop recipes that add  high density amounts to your diet that taste delicious.

If you were to list the factors that increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, intestinal disorders – just about any illness – the standard American diet has them all:

• High in animal fats
• High in unhealthy fats: saturated, hydrogenated
• Low in fiber
• High in processed foods
• Low in complex carbohydrates
• Low in plant-based foods

The striking fact is that cultures that eat the reverse of the standard American diet – low fat, high in complex carbohydrates, plant-based, and high in fiber – have a lower incidence of cancer and coronary artery disease (CAD). What’s even more sad is that countries whose populations can afford to eat the healthiest disease-preventing foods don’t. The United States has spent more money on cancer research than any country in the world, yet the American diet contributes to the very diseases we are spending money to prevent.

‘Superfoods’ Everyone Needs

Imagine a superfood — not a drug — powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood.  Did we mention that there are no side effects?  You’d surely stock up on a lifetime supply.  Guess what? These life-altering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket. 

“The effect that diet can have on how you feel today and in the future is astounding,” says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for aHealthy Pregnancy, Food & Mood, and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals.

“Even people who are healthy can make a few tweaks and the impact will be amazing,” Somer says.  “I’d say that 50% to 70% of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move:  heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension can all be impacted.” 

You don’t need specific foods for specific ailments.  A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer.  One thing they all have in common:  “Every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food,” Somer points out.  “You don’t find fortified potato chips in the superfood category.” 

Top Superfoods Offering Super Health Protection

• Beans
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Oats
• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Salmon
• Soy
• Spinach
• Tea (green or black)
• Tomatoes
• Turkey
• Walnuts
• Yogurt

A year ago in the frsh section of Whole Foods of Winter Park, Fl. I had the good fortune to meet a person who introduced me to the superfood CHIA. Generously, I was given a sample and that evening I used it in a salsa that I made for grilled fish that I had prepared for dinner.

The salsa (my own recipe) included a tasty collection of fruits and vegetables. Loving avocado I threw in one I had just bought at the farmers market, whose time and taste had come.

After dinner, I put the leftover salsa in the refrigerator and forgot about it; the depths of refrigeration consumed it for four days. When I went to retrieve the leftovers for the semi weekly cleaning, I opened the salsa prepared to toss, only to find the avocado was still bright green. I was shocked, but promptly the scientist in me was evoked and I wanted to know how long food would last with that mysterious, high antioxidant ingredient CHIA.

Two weeks! As a water soluable fiber the chia continued to absorb the excess liquid as the fruits and vegetable broke down and the high antioxidant levels acted as a natural preservative….

My response? I must know more.

Today I use CHIA in recipes that range from soups, sauces, baked goods, and smoothies.

My friends and family call me ‘chia crazy’

Please check regularly for new recipes and ideas for chia use.   HEALTHY is HAPPY……………………Giuli

Are you tired? Out of shape? or looking for a way to stay younger?

 These questions are universal in an over stimulated, stressed out existence. The answers are simple; the tricky part is changing your mind about the way you view yourself.

Go Natural is a process that retrains your brain by developing healthy habits simply and easily by learning what nourishes your body and soul.

After struggling for yeard with weight, I gave up and decided to concentrate on feeding my body. No diets, no scales, no obsessive counting. Just living as close to nature as possible, designed to work in conjunction with original food sources.

Using superfoods integrated in to simple fresh recipes, I was finally able to lose weight, feel amazing and finally get live the life I wanted.

Please joing me in New Smyrna Beach, FL. for one of the Go Natural programs. Starting with an introduction to healthy eating that is a one day, a five day immersion that includes outdoor adventure, health analysis, and shopping excursions, or corporate wellness retreats that teach your most valuable assets (your employees) the benefits to living a proactive, healthy lifestyle.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Peace,

Giuli

 www.GNLiving.com

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