Sunday, July 31, 2011

My Theory

by Sam Suska

My theory, like nearly all theories begins with the acceptance of other theories. I formed my theory upon accepting the basic scientific belief that everything has a cause. I then applied this cause-effect thesis to my investigation of human 'beings'; of which I approached my observation and evaluation from a 'holistic' point of view. My approach is built with a foundational belief that the person is more than just a human organism. I am confident that human 'beings' are composed of mind, matter and spirit which operate together and form our physical entity.

Thus, I theorize that everything occurring within the human organism and the 'being' as a whole has a cause; this includes the mental acuity, physical energy and bodily function experienced day in and day out. I further theorize that human 'beings' have the profound ability to address the causes of what happens within their 'being'; mind, body and spirit. It is within our power to fulfill our physical, mental and emotional potential if we address the underlying causes of these characteristics with a rationally determined and practically structured approach.

Unfortunately it has become commonplace for people to believe that bodily health, mental and physical energy, and even feelings, emotional stability, peace of mind and ability to sustain happiness (I call this 'contentment') are largely out of their control. This means that most people tend to give up responsibility for one, some and sadly in many cases they feel powerless over all of these valuable characteristics; meaningful characteristics which I believe are direct reflections of the degree of harmony between one's mind, body and spirit. Furthermore, many people do not accept that we have a spiritual presence; and if they do, they lack a uniform definition of the spirit. So, I will quickly summarize the spiritual essence as the sub-conscious entity of the mind.

At this point, you are beginning to accept the cause-effect nature within the whole 'being'; not just the human organism and conscious mind but also the spiritual element (after having accepted a spiritual presence that is). Of vital importance is that people accept the power they have over their bodily health and energy, mental sharpness, feelings and emotional stability. Taking the step towards self-empowerment is the process I take readers through in my book; I affectionately call this 'The Stages of Self-Empowerment'.

I believe that promoting the 'ideal states' of mind, body and spirit generates harmony between the aspects of 'being' and gives an individual power over their health, energy, general feeling and emotional stability. The mind, body and spirit when readily holding their 'ideal states' will form a powerful bond and connection which creates the harmonious existence necessary for a person to reach their ultimate potential. The human organism will, in time experience vitality, sustainable mental and physical energy when the 'ideal states' hold equilibrium for a significant time frame. It is the 'holistic equilibrium' which enables emotional stability, peace of mind, contentment and even heightened performance, production and heightened ability to feel and express love while regularly providing meaningful help to others.

This means that I believe the strength of connection and bond between one's mind, body and spirit have profound meaning the result of powerful influence. Harmony or imbalance are the direct reflection of how readily the mind, body and spirit maintain their 'ideal states'. And this management of physical, conscious and subconcious states are ultimately the product of our intentions and choices.

I believe the physical entity, conscious and subconscious operations are not only highly interactive with each other, but they are, in large part one and same. I define and describe the so-called 'ideal state' of each aspect of 'being' because it is easiest to classify and explain in this manner; but the truth is that everything within us isn't just connected, it is all one and same.

I theorize and describe the conscious mind as flowing within blood, physically operated by the brain. I observe the spiritual entity as the electrical forces physically bonding our matter and forming cells, tissues and organs; the spiritual aspect is an 'innate intelligence' I believe. Quite simply, I proclaim that the human organism is constructed by 'innate intelligence' and largely dependent on 'holistic intelligence'.

'Holistic intelligence' is the ability one has to maintain equilibrium within their mind, body and spirit and form harmony within one's whole 'being'. Equilibrium is dependent on the ability to maintain ideal states of mind, body and spirit have a multitude of 'homeostatic mechanisms' designed to promote or restore equilibrium within the whole 'being'. The efficiency of an individual's 'homeostatic mechanisms' plays a great role in the ultimate harmony or imbalance within the whole ultimately expressed by levels of sustainable energy, bodily function, emotional stability, etc. The key here is that the 'homeostatic mechanisms' are dictated by one's lifestyle choices; choices in how they perform and fulfill the 'basic functions'.

'Holistic Intelligence' plays an essential role in assisting the 'homeostatic mechanisms', but it's most prominent role is in the approach one takes to life and makes lifestyle choices. Lifestyle choices made in regards to the 'basic functions' largely determines whether or not 'homeostatic mechanisms' are ever initiated, which of these regulators (mostly taking place specifically within the body, which clearly impacts the states of mind and spirit) is applied and even how abrupt and powerful the impact is. The 'basic functions' are the actions and behaviors which enable and preserve the human organism include breathing, thinking, choosing, moving, eating, drinking, eliminating, sleeping, grooming and socializing.

It is the manners and sources we use to promote and fulfill the 'basic functions' that directly dictate use of 'homeostatic mechanisms' and significantly affect the state of mind, body and spirit (based on strength/efficiency of the 'homeostatic mechanisms'). If a person makes 'poor choices' (I categorize as 'negative stressors' when structuring the suggested lifestyle) this compromises equilibrium in many ways, directly by the efficiency of the 'homeostatic mechanisms'.

The lifestyle choices have potential to form harmony or sadly create imbalance which is expressed by patterns we identify as illness, disease, sickness, unclear thinking, emotional instability, inner conflict, insecurity, depression, anxiety and in genetically strong or younger individuals it will inhibit the ultimate fulfilling of mental, emotional and physical potential.

The choices one makes in how they perform and what they use to fulfill the 'basic functions' is actually the direct expression of intention the person approaches their entire life with. When one approaches their lifestyle with the intention to promote harmony and 'holistic connection' by making choices which promote the 'ideal states' of mind, body and spirit they are displaying self-empowerment. The self-empowered choices are classified in my structured lifestyle as 'optimal choices' with 'holistic intentions' and referred to as 'positive stressors' due to my finding that they have an overall benefit to the whole 'being' (by promoting the 'ideal states').

When a person does not intend to promote their 'holistic connection' by preserving the 'ideal state' of either mind, body or spirit they are simply making 'poor choices'. The approach to life with 'non-holistic intentions' takes power away from the individual by disturbing equilibrium and initiating the 'homeostatic mechanisms', possibly leading to and forming patterns, potentially destructive, debilitating and physically degenerating patterns which can easily get out of hand and form the undesirable expressions like bodily symptoms, chronic diseases or so-called low-grade psychological issues like anxiety or depression.

My theory is that the intention one approaches life with is the deepest underlying factor in physical health and sustainable energy, mental acuity, rationality of feelings (rational!), emotional stability and whether or not one can ultimately experience peace of mind and contentment. I further believe that if one approaches life with the intention to promote their own 'holistic connection' and promote harmony they will tend to make choices which preserve the 'ideal states' of mind, body and spirit which, in time will improve sustainable mental and physical energy, possibly help physical issues and significantly affect emotional management, peace of mind and feeling of contentment.

I have written a book entitled "Holistic Intelligence: The Key to Physical Energy, Emotional Stability and Peace of Mind" which gives the reader a thorough explanation of my theory here complete with a basic guide to begin implementing the practically structured lifestyle I call 'holistic self-care'. I like to believe that my well-formulated approach to life can help anyone regardless of their present condition improve the way they feel in both mind and body by simply applying some 'holistic intentions' to their lifestyle.

My theory is built from my overall web of theories which is/are the result(s) of years of research (here are some of the books I have devoured and determine to be helpful: http://truehealthservices.blogspot.com/2011/06/bibliography-of-true-health-with.html) , personal experimentation (I would never suggest something w/o doing it myself) and professional experience helping others institute 'holistic self-care' in various degrees and manners.

The lifestyle of 'holistic self-care' is rather practical and can even be individualized to put a peson in position for long-term success. On a day-to-day basis this includes making primarily 'optimal choices' in the manners and sources used to perform and fulfill the 'basic functions'. In my book I teach the reader how to evaluate the many options available to satisfy the 'basic functions' with a cost/benefit analysis. This cost/benefit analysis enables one to determine whether or not a choice is a 'positive stressor' or 'negative stressor' on their whole 'being'.

After my years of experience with 'holistic self-care' (both personally and professionally) I have concluded that the deepest underlying factor in whether or not one consistently makes 'optimal choices' is their intentions. This points to the importance of not only understanding my theory but accepting it and initiating the process of applying 'holistic intentions' to your life. 'Holistic intentions' and the 'holistic self-care' lifestyle built from these can and will help you improve yourself in a meaningful way regardless of present condition or reason for consideration. Please e-mail me at truehealthservices@gmail.com with any questions or comments regarding virtually anything related to my theory, my suggested lifestyle or the resulting guidebook I am presently completing.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Meat and Dairy? Are you sure?

by Sam Suska

Meat and dairy consumption take an incredible economic toll on the United States. This occurs directly by the $40 billion in subsidies given to the farmers to keep prices low and then indirectly from a portion of the incredible $2.5+ trillion spent annually on healthcare. Now, not all of the healthcare costs are directly related to meat and dairy consumption, but much of this cost is. Keep in mind that the majority of the healthcare costs are related to the management of chronic disease; chronic disease related to poor diets heavily based on meat and dairy.

Here are 10 reasons to re-think the consumption of meat and dairy............

1. According to a great number of large, well-designed population studies it has become obvious that as meat and dairy consumption increases within a group of people their likelihood of developing chronic diseases increases. That is, if a group of people eats about 10% more meat and dairy they tend to develop about 10% more chronic disease. The China Study is clearly the most notable, but many more have found this general connection between meat and dairy consumption with poor health.

2. By contrast the healthiest groups of people had plant-based diets high in nutrients like Omega-3 fats and fiber while low in overall protein and most of them were low to very low in meat and dairy types of food. There tends to be a direct correlation as well; if a group eats 20% more plants they develop 20% less disease. When a person consumes meat and dairy a person they are also missing out on the chance to consume more plants, more Omega-3 fats and more fiber while eating more protein than healthy populations have been shown to eat.
3. The amount of protein in a groups diet was the focal point of many of these studies, and this makes sense as more protein almost always equaled more chronic disease. Protein composes about 7% of the entire human body, yet tends to make up over 40% of the calories for many misguided Americans. The human body doesn't need protein to operate; the body needs amino acids, which make up proteins, to function adequately. How does one figure out how much protein they need?
There is no rational way to figure out just how much protein a person needs, but by following the design of the human body (which is 7% protein by composition) and researching the healthiest populations (which tend to have about 5-12% protein of total calories) we can get a solid idea of what we need for daily protein intake. Exercise can also be factored in to our computing of just how much protein to consume; as the more active someone is, the more protein they may need.
At most, 20% of one's total calories should calories should come from protein and this can be found in green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts and even fish, which is a much healthier alternative to meat and dairy. Green leafy vegetables are actually 50% protein by composition, meaning they are more protein-dense than any kind of meat. The proteins in these plant foods also tends to be incomplete, which is a GOOD thing as it makes digestion much easier and more suitable to the design of the human body.

4. Digesting meats and dairy are incredibly stressful on the body, which has a digestive system that appears to be designed for eating a plant-based diet. The human digestive system is over 30 feet long, with over 7,000 sq. feet of surface area in the small intestine to absorb the foods we have ingested. No other living creature on earth that consumes a diet with meat and dairy has a digestive system like ours.
Creatures designed to eat mostly animals have short, simple digestive systems. Ours is long, complicated and easily damaged; damage often times occurs from the complete proteins found in meat and dairy. The 7,000 sq. ft. of surface area in the small intestine is made up of tiny finger-like projections that absorb foods; but many of the protein molecules found in meat and dairy are too big for the micro-villi of the small intestine.
These large protein molecules can cause damage which initiates a mucus secretion, inflammation and can even create areas of the gut where it is permeable thus allowing these large protein molecules into the blood supply without proper absorption by the micro-villi. This is known as 'leaky-gut syndrome' and is thought to be wide-spread among the meat and dairy consuming public. 'Leaky gut syndrome' can initiate patterns that are expressed with poor immune system function, persistent allergies and chronic fatigue

5. Within the human body meat and dairy have the potential to initiate many health-damaging patterns. Many of these harmful pattern are from the metabolic acids directly produced from consuming meat and dairy; these include uric acid (think gout) and sulfuric, phosphoric and nitric acids (think osteoporosis) while dairy has lactic acid (think cancer). These acids are powerful and initiate a cascade of events the body must deal with, and as the body wears down with age the person becomes more susceptible to the chronic diseases noted here.
Uric acid has been shown to directly cause gout, while all of these acids from meat and dairy have been shown to initiate osteoclasts in the human body; these signal the break down of bones and lead to the condition of osteoporosis. Lactic acid may be worse, as it is a metabolic waste product of cellular function; we have all felt the effect of lactic acid generating in our own bodies when our muscles fatigue, tire and "burn".
In fact, lactic acid has been observed by nobel prize winner Dr. Otto Warburg as promoting the environment for cancerous cells to maintain and possibly prosper. Cancer cells have the ability to consume their own waste (lactic acid) in order to survive and possibly thrive; the same waste is generated directly in the body from dairy consumption.
Meat and dairy directly generate powerful metabolic acids in the human body which have been shown to cause serious health issues. A young, reasonably active person may not develop these issues for some time because their body has the ability to use homeostatic mechanisms to handle these powerful acids, but these mechanisms are bound to break down when they are constantly employed.

6. The homeostatic mechanisms employed by the body include the aforementioned breakdown of bones in order to obtain calcium for the blood to neutralize the acidity (lowered pH) resulting from meat and dairy consumption. Meat and dairy directly lower the blood pH in the human body, but the blood pH must stay at about 7.365 for the body to function, so a variety of homeostatic mechanisms are designed to maintain this necessary pH.
The kidneys play an important role in maintaining the blood pH by filtering the blood and removing these acids via urination. The kidneys also have the ability to generate ammonia, a powerful chemical the body uses as a 'last resort' to stabilize the blood pH. When the body is constantly given meat and dairy the kidneys become overworked; this is proven by the conventional medical finding that high-protein diets corresponds to a number of kidney disorders and diseases.

7. Dairy has been shown to directly initiate mucus secretion in the small intestine. Mucus is secreted by the body in order to protect the tissues; in this case protection from the acids within dairy. Mucus secretion may also occur within the nasal passages and possibly the lungs as well, depending on the amount of dairy consumed and the sensitivities of the individuals body. Sinus congestion and lung inflammation are often times found to be the direct result of dairy consumption.
Integrated medical physicians like Dr. Joel Furman, Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Noel Gallagher among many more point to dairy consumption as the cause of sinus issues for more than half of the millions suffering from this. They have each found great success by working with patients to remove dairy from their diets and found great success in reducing sinus problems and other health issues as well.

8. Meat and dairy consumption has also been shown to play a role in the development of heart disease within a population. First, there are multiple studies where researchers evaluated the dead bodies of young people, from the early teens to the mid-twenties and found that over 70% of them had significant signs of heart disease. This means that heart disease may develop for 20 years or more until people develop symptoms which signify this potentially deadly (from heart attacks) and life restricting chronic disease.
Secondly, there is the work of notable physicians like Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwyn Esselstyn who have been significantly reversing heart disease in patients by instructing them to remove meat and dairy from their diets. If removing meat and dairy from the diet can reverse damage and patterns that have been taking place for 20-30 years then we must acknowledge that a diet rich in these types of foods is harmful and potentially disease promoting.

9. Free radical damage and inflammation of blood vessels are now conventionally pointed to as the conditions of heart disease. Free radicals promote oxidation of body tissues, which is clearly damaging and inflammation is the body's response to this pattern. Free radicals can be neutralized by substances we know of as 'antioxidants', which have become quite popular in recent years; and for good reason.
Meat and dairy have been shown to leave an acidic ash in the blood vessels upon consumption, and this ash has a low pH which directly oxidizes whatever tissues it comes in contact with (blood vessels). So, the more meat and dairy one eats the more free radicals their body is exposed to and the more antioxidants required by the body to neutralize these harmful substances. Antioxidants are dense in plant foods and even fish, but are low and in some cases completely absent in meat and dairy foods.
Furthermore, the process of inflammation is also initiated in the blood vessels from the meat and dairy which leave the acidic ash within blood vessels. The inflammation process is generated by a fatty acid called arichidonic acid which is a result of consuming meat, dairy and poor types of fat (among others). Meat and dairy consumption generate arachidonic acid in the body which then initiates the hormones that signal the inflammation process.
The inflammation process is like free radicals, this can be neutralized; in this case by Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats can be found in fish and fish oil, organic oils like hemp and flaxseed, nuts like walnuts and even many types of seeds; but they are low to non-existent in the meat and dairy foods consumed by much of the public.
So, meat and dairy consumption causes free radicals (which lead to damage if not neutralized by antioxidants) and leads to inflammation (if not balanced by Omega-3's). Free radical damage and inflammation are shown to be the underlying conditions of heart disease by conventional medical research. So, by eating meat and dairy one is not only promoting heart disease but also likely not consuming enough antioxidants and Omega-3's to neutralize and balance the potentially harmful substances.

10. Meat and dairy probably cause significantly more free radicals and inflammatory effects in the body due to the lives of the animals which make these foods. First off the animals eat diets they are not suited to, rich in soy, wheat and corn that are made possible from the $40 billion in government subsidies used to keep meat and dairy production affordable.
The cows, chickens and pigs developed for thousands of years from eating diets that never included soy, wheat and dairy; so it should come as no surprise that when these animals are only fed these foods they become terribly unhealthy. The poor health of these farm animals is signified by the incredible amount of antibiotics that are used to keep them alive; over 50% of all antibiotics in the U.S are given to farm animals!
In addition to the incredible amount of prescription drugs used on farm animals is the actual hormones given to them in order to 'fatten' them up and make them bigger. Estrogen and estrogen-promoting hormones are given to the farm animals in significant amounts and they have been shown to pass into the human body upon consumption of dairy foods specifically, especially in cheese which is a super-concentrated form (20x) of dairy.
So, if you want nice doses of antibiotics and estrogen then consume meat and dairy in your regular diet. Humans have been eating animals for thousands of years, but we have never consumed this much and from animals living in large-scale farms that ate incompatible diets and used drugs and hormones to stay alive and get fat. Furthermore, dairy is a new thing to humans; after all our ancestors probably never sucked on a cow or goat's nipple.
Would you suck on the nipple of a cow or goat? Humans are the only species who consume the milk from another species; milk that is intended for baby cows and baby goats! We should be drink mother's milk until we are a few years old and our mother no longer produces it, then we stop and grow up; it's that simple.

The next time you make the choice of eating meat and/or dairy keep in mind there is nothing healthy about eating these types of food. You are eating these foods for taste or other seemingly egotistical reasons like promoting musculature (these large-molecule protein do promote muscle growth but at the cost of health!), alleviating stress or satisfying taste buds.

There are also plant foods rich in protein that can replace animal foods and also initiate protein synthesis in muscles to promote muscle building; and with significantly less stress than animal proteins. There are a lot of vegan protein muscle powders, made with brown rice concentrate, hemp seed concentrate, pea concentrate and a few more if you desire more protein. And if you desire milk, go ahead and try almond milk or coconut milk which are dense in 'good' fats and clearly a healthier alternative than cow milk.

There is no rational justification for eating meat and dairy; but when you do just be honest with yourself and do some of the things that can help your body cope with the stress and harm from their consumption. The first thing that can be done is to consume foods rich in antioxidants (like green plants or colorful fruits) or supplement with antioxidants like drink mixes, wheatgrass or some of the pill-forms of specific antioxidants. Next, you can supplement with fish oil or some form of Omega-3 fat in order to initiate anti-inflammation.

But most importantly you should keep the consumption of meat and dairy to special occasions and not make it a part of your regular life. And when you do, be happy and make it worthwhile but keep it in perspective. You can eat these types of foods when you you are at a nice restaurant or someone else prepares a meal for you; just don't make these foods a regular part of your life. You now know the dangers and the truth, you can begin reducing your consumption of these foods today and by doing this you will be empowering yourself and taking control of your health.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

So you want to "detox"?

by Samuel J Suska

First thing we have to do is define "toxin", and follow that by forming a strategy that facilitates the elimination of toxins from our body. A "toxin" is any substance that lowers the pH of our internal body fluids or oxidizes our precious body tissues. Our body is around 70% water, which flows through our tissues in the blood and coats our many of our cells in something called extra-cellular fluid. Our blood is about 90% water and the extra-cellular fluid is nearly all water, therefore the quality of our body fluid (that is the level of "toxins" within this fluid) largely determines our health.

Our body fluids ultimately determine the cellular function and chemical reactions that take place in our body in order to give us energy, think clearly, move around and perform athletically. So, the first step of "detoxing" is to clean up our body fluids! The quality of our body fluids is of ultimate importance within our body, and this is why anything that directly lowers or leads to the lowering of our body fluids is considered a "toxin".

These "toxins" are substances that lower our body fluid pH and actually lead to the oxidation of our body tissues. You have likely heard of antioxidants; they are renowned for their health-promotion because they help balance the tissue damage from the substances that lower the pH of body fluids that flow through the tissues. So, we can see that "detoxing" involves foods and drinks densely packed with antioxidants, but we also have to get those built-up toxins out of your body!

So, a "detox" plan will involve replacing the present consumption of foods and liquids that tend to lower our body fluid pH and oxidize tissues with foods and drinks that increase the pH and antioxidize the tissues........all while promoting the elimination of built-up "toxins"!

"Detoxing" is really just the initial step to a healthier lifestyle which will improve your energy, quality of sleep, clearness of thoughts, ability to manage emotions and perform physically. This first step should never involve fasting or doing anything you don't have confidence in; you NEED a positive outlook and you also NEED food. These are things which have been shown to enable life (in the case of food) and prolong life (people w/ positivity have been shown in studies to live, on average, noticeably longer than "normal" people) so these characteristics have to be a part of your "detox" program.

Your personal "detox" program will involve eating foods, drinking liquids and using nutritional supplements that you are comfortable with and confident will help you reach your goal of "detox". By committing to a "detox" you are taking the first step in improving your health and this all starts with your "root system".

It is already clear that our health is largely determined by the quality of our body fluids; the blood flows through 66,000 miles of vessels to nourish the millions of tissues and trillions of cells while also stimulating the chemical reactions we think of as metabolism. The quality of the blood is of utmost importance, with the red blood cells being a vitally important blood characteristic; as they have the ability to help tissues re-generate (clean up oxidation!!) and even become nearly any type of cell the body needs.

Our blood, or more specifically our red blood cells can be made in a few different ways, first here are the ways that are not intended by the body; made by the bone marrow, the liver or by the body breaking down less important tissues (like muscles and joints). However, the blood is intended to be made by the small intestine from the liquefied, partially digested matter that entered our body as food and drink. Our small intestine has over 7,000 feet of surface area (made possible by little finger-like projections called micro-villi) within its 20-plus feet of length designed to absorb the nutrients, water and electrical energy potential from the foods and drinks we consume. The small intestine is similar to a plant in the soil with it's roots projecting out to absorb what it needs
, this is what prompted microbiologist Dr. Robert Young to name this the digestive "root system".

The "root system" begins with the stomach which itself has the ability to absorb many substances (many of which lower our blood pH!!), water and electrical energy potential. Like plants, our ability to generate chemical reactions which gives us energy and the ability to prosper is heavily dependent upon what is absorbed by the "root system"; poor quality foods and drinks will damage the root system and lead to health issues within the body or mental disorders of the mind. So, "detoxing" starts with nourishing ourselves and taking proper care of our "root system", while also facilitating the elimination of "toxins" from our whole body.

Getting back to the "root system" which isn't the only thing we have similar to plants; so is our blood. The green substance chlorophyll, which is the well known blood of plants, is nearly identical (at the molecular level) to our own hemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells that transports the oxygen we need to maintain life and promote health. Chlorophyll can nourish our root system, build healthy red blood cells, promote oxygen movement in the whole body and even facilitate the elimination of built-up "toxins" in our colon and small intestine.

The best-selling author and world renowned microbiologist Dr. Robert Young has been helping thousands of people take control of their own health by instituting programs which enable patients to build their blood with dietary regimens based on green plants and supplementation with chlorophyll.

Dr. Young runs the pH miracle facility, which has helped thousands of people beat chronic diseases like diabetes, MS, some forms of cancer and many more by simply helping them "detox. He restores his patient's "root system",
builds their blood, raises their fluid pH, gives them additional hydration all while eliminating the "toxins" from the body and supplying their tissues with antioxidants. Dr. Young's program always includes nourishing the root system with green vegetables which are dense in antioxidants, nutrients, electrical energy potential and chlorophyll.

The functional ability of the mind is also heavily dependent upon on the "root system" because the great majority of the brain neurotransmitter receptors located within the "root system". The neurotransmitters play a great role in mood, outlook and overall thought process which means just one deficiency can create or maintain an issue like stress, depression and/or anxiety, which are common in modern society.

Depression, anxiety and many serious disorders are heavily dependent on the functionality of the "root system" and how we nourish or damage the "vital root system". A damaged root system is a common underlying factor, and some may say cause, of virtually every chronic disease and mental disorder known to man.

The stomach can absorb electrical energy potential and pass it directly to the spleen; an important organ which helps form and build the electrical energy needed to operate the body. The "root system" plays a foundational role on determining the level of "toxins", overall blood quality and energy, which is why our food and drink choices are so monumental in our health and vitality.

In addition to fueling the 'energy' system, the digestive root system also absorb nutrients and build those all-important red blood cells in the crypts of the small intestine. Red blood cells can be the foundational cell, like a stem-cell for the entire body, meaning they have the ability to become virtually every type of cell and tissue in the human body.When the root system is operating efficiently in a state of alkaline pH and balanced 'energy' flow the small intestine has the ability to generate healthy red blood cells, which can then build all of the body cells and tissues.

However, when the desired pH of the small intestine (a high pH) is not maintained, the "root system" will not function as intended. The immediate results can be a high amount of circulating "toxins" and poor red blood cells without proper amounts of 'energy' and oxygen; but the long-term results are more serious as patterns can develop.

The "root system" can be damaged to the point where it cannot readily make the red blood cells, and the body goes into a state where it converts it's own tissues and cells back into red blood cells to maintain the needed requirement of approximately 30 trillion red blood cells at all times. This harmful body state coincides with a high level of "toxins", it is for the most part created by the high level of toxins.

There is a homeostatic mechanism designed by the body to maintain the red blood cell count; it is quite essential and influential to the health of the entire body. So why not prevent the body from breaking itself down in order to preserve the needed red blood cell count by feeding the root system alkaline pH foods dense with chlorophyll like green vegetables? At this point the "detox" program is really evolving into an initial step to a healthier lifestyle which has more profound effects than simply lowering the level of circulating "toxins" in your body fluid; this will help you build newer, better tissues and cells free of oxidation!!

The "root system" can perform it's vital tasks of feeding the neurotransmitters (for brain function), absorbing nutrients and electrical energy while building red blood cells, will function best when the pH stays high. Therefore our overall health and ability to prosper physically and mentally absolutely require a high pH with low levels of "toxins" and a properly functioning "root system". Our mind and spirit are operated by the brain and move within the blood and 'energy' systems.

Thankfully our body has the ability to adapt to the "toxins" from low quality foods and drinks, "toxins" which have a multitude of effects:lowering the fluid pH, decreasing red blood cell quality and eventually lead to health issues. We have an alkalizing buffering system to maintain the intended pH of the blood, all body fluids including the extracellular fluid(which surrounds the cells) and the root system as a whole.

Alkalinity is the higher end of the pH scale (from 7.1 to 14), while acidity is on the lower end of the pH scale (from 0.1 to 6.9), divided by neutral pH of 7. Interestingly enough is that the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning it grows exponentially wider as it changes; for example a pH of 6 (acidic) is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 7 (neutral), while a pH of 5 is 100 times more acidic than a pH of 7, meaning that a pH of 4, which is common for soda, vinegars, processed juices, OTC and prescription drugs is 1000 times more acidic than a neutral pH of 7.

This helps explains why seemingly minor, low-calorie drinks like diet soda's, coffee drinks and vinegar's with very low pH in the 3 to 5 range can be so incredibly damaging to many people; they are "toxins"!!! Simply choosing foods and drinks with higher pH will greatly support the intended state of the blood (an alkaline pH of 7.365) and build good red blood cells. But our body has the innate ability to withstand poor choices to varying degrees depending on the genetic, constitutional strength of the individual; and by "detoxing" you can truly improve yourself on so many levels and set yourself up for a long-term healthy lifestyle.

This alkalizing pH buffering system is the ultimate reason why some people can live reasonably healthy lives (meaning free of major disease, not necessarily vital or full of energy) while routinely insulting their root system with nutrition-less foods and drinks. But if one continues to insult their root system for too long, they will develop mind and body issues if they haven't yet.

All it takes some sort of a commitment to nourishing your "root system" and facilitating elimination of built-up "toxins" and the results will be felt within your body and your mind. Digestion and elimination will, in time, regulate and even the perceived stress affecting your mind will decrease and reach levels you are better equipped to handle.

The commitment can begin with supplementation of some baking soda, which funds the processes in our body that seek to balance the "toxins". This can also be assisted by supplementation with aloe vera, which is quite soothing and nourishing to the 7,000 feet of surface area in your small intestine. The aloe vera can get the small intestine tissues and cells to start working better, improve digestion and absorb 'energy' and nutrients at a heightened rate. Using additional fiber will also help facilitate the elimination of built-up "toxins" in the colon.

While using these powerful, nourishing supplements you must also replace some of the low-quality foods you regularly eat now with more green fresh foods, green cooked foods and vegetables in general. Cooked green vegetables are much easier to digest than un-cooked veggies, so please include these regularly and especially at the evening time. You can also use herbs that have been shown to significantly help the root system, like garlic, ginger, cinnamon and cilantro. The herbs can also be taken in tea form; don't be scared to boil some water and use a ginger or cinnamon tea.

Also keep the meals smaller and more consistent; like every few hours. It is much better to supply your "root system" with 5 small, nutritious meals than 2 or 3 big meals. The first step is ready to be taken whenever you are ready for it, please do not put pressure on yourself, be patient and do things as you feel comfortable. This is a fundamental life change, not a fad diet.

Finally, you can also exercise to create and maintain a good sweat for at least a half hour. Heck, you should sit in a sauna for a half hour or so to facilitate the elimination of built-up "toxins" through the skin. There are also some more involved techniques like netti pot's, more extreme supplements, wet socks, Sea Salt drinks and many more.

Hydration is also a key here! Hydrate yourself with unprecedented amounts of water on a daily basis. I'm talking about more than 1 gallon! Ya, that may sound crazy and at first, and you will be peeing way too much, but within a few days your body will regulate and you will begin reaching levels of health and "detox" you desire. Don't forget to use Sea Salt on your green vegetables to help balance your body that's now starting to receive more water than ever before.

You will be instituting a new way of approaching life which will be shown and expressed by how you eat and what you eat and how you handle stress. There is no perfect, one-size-fits-all approach, each and every one of us will use an individualized program to optimize our health and find ultimate happiness!

Whenever you are ready to take a small initial step please let me know and I will show you the proper care and attention with my guidance. Have a great life path and thanks for reading my somewhat organized thoughts.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Fat-Loss Inhibitors

by Sam Suska

Fat loss is a goal for some of us while only a dream for many others, but with the basic advice from this article you can begin the process of making fat-loss a reality. Noticeable and sustainable fat-loss is not as elusive or as difficult as many people tend to think it is. When one begins to adjust our lifestyle by paying close attention to the following factors (factors that I have found to inhibit fat-loss with wide-ranging research and hands-on experience w/ my profession) they can take control of their body composition (one's percentage of bodyfat and muscle). Fat-loss is the product of improving overall bodily health, mental well-being and even reaching the states of inner peace and happiness.

The intentions with which a man or woman approaches and/or uses in their choice-making process for basic lifestyle necessities is the single most important factor in whether or not fat-loss occurs and more importantly, is maintained. When one applies health-minded intentions to his or her entire lifestyle the fat-loss has been easier to reach (much less stressful) and more sustainable once the initial fat-loss took place. The individuals who apply not only health-minded intentions, but use holistic health-minded intentions (this a focus on mind, body and spirit) have a much easier time losing fat (low stress), keeping it off (due to lasting changes)and even greatly changing their body composition (by adding considerable muscle as well).

Noticeable, sustained fat-loss is the desirable side-effect from the lifestyle I have personally designed and am currently completing a book about; I have entitled this approach to life as 'holistic self-care'. Holistic self-care is designed to help a willing individual improve the connection and deep bond between the mind, body and spirit by addressing the intentions one approaches their entire lifestyle with. Holistic self-care is a highly individualized lifestyle and can help people reach many goals, whether physical or mental by focusing on the most influential factors affecting the goal.

Holistic self-care with a fat-loss focus has been designed to help any willing man or woman achieve noticeable, sustained fat-loss. Holistic self-care is guidance for one to apply holistic-minded intentions (promotion of the mind, body and spirit) for one to make the daily choices that support the basic functions of breathing, thinking, moving, eating, drinking, eliminating, sleeping, grooming and socializing. Holistic self-care with a fat-loss focus provides a specific, measurable goal and asks the willing individual to pay close attention to the following factors that influence whether fat-loss is realized and sustained.

Patience and commitment are the only basic prerequisites to successfully implementing and benefiting from holistic self-care with a fat-loss focus. This holistic-minded approach to lifestyle not only seeks to generate noticeable fat-loss, but more importantly seeks to improve body function, overall health, peace of mind, self-security and sustainable happiness. The underlying thesis is that noticeable, sustainable fat-loss is the result of improved bodily health and connection between the mind, body and spirit. Improve your health to lose your unwanted fat!

The first step towards reaching one's fat-loss goal and thoroughly connecting the mind, body and spirit is actually a state of mind; patience. Excess body-fat is nearly always the result of patterns within the mind and body; patterns that have likely been initiated some time ago and subsisting for quite a while. Occasionally fat may appear to be new (this is likely to be water retention), but the underlying pattern that generates body-fat is ongoing and part of a vicious cycle. The vicious cycle promoting fat-storage or inhibiting fat-loss can be addressed in time with patience and a commitment to addressing the following factors with a holistic self-care lifestyle.

The commitment is to the holistic self-care lifestyle with a fat-loss focus. This guided lifestyle presenting practical options for one to make the 'optimal choices' on a daily basis.
By making the 'optimal choices' with holistic-minded intentions and focusing on fat-loss an individual can greatly improve his or her mindset, health and functional ability of their body and reach a solid spiritual state which promotes the specific goal of fat-loss!

The three aspects of the whole person (mind, body and spirit) are directly affected by the intentions one uses to make choices in daily living. The sources and manners one uses to perform and fulfill the aforementioned 'basic functions' have the ability to connect the mind, body and spirit or promote a dis-connect that may generate harmful patterns which cause the body to slow it's chemical reactions, imbalance it's hormones, oxidize body tissues and reguarly store bodyfat or prevent the "burning" of previously stored bodyfat.

Holistic self-care is a deeply meaningful lifestyle designed to ultimately help one connect their whole 'being' which is represented physically by their body, operated by the mind with a profound impact by the sub-conscious entity we refer to as the spirit.

Many people already take guided care of their body (which may not be guided very well!!), but may be overlooking the many practical ways to support their mind and spirit. The properly balanced lifestyle of holistic self-care with a fat-loss focus can help people push through the sticking points and obstacles which arise and create adversity as one seeks to accomplish noticeable, sustainable fat-loss.

The proper holistic-balance is provided by giving loving care and attention to all three aspects of the whole 'being' (mind, body, spirit) with carefully intended choices. My hands-on experience with my own fat-loss (over 40 pounds of actual fat) and many clients lead me to shift my focus from purely the body to the necessary incorporation mind and spirit. Holistic-minded intentions guide the choice-making process and connect the whole 'being' which creates the mindset and body environment for noticeable, sustainable fat-loss.

The following factors have been concluded through my detailed research (200+ books, a BS in Exercise Science, graduate school in Chinese Medicine, certifications) and personal observations in myself and others (clients, family members, friends and associates I worked with and guided). These appear to be the most common inhibitors for generating and maintaining significant fat-loss. This is not the definitive list, and keep in mind that everybody has a different story complete with individualized patterns that emerge, progress and impact each person's mind and body in different ways.

Holistic self-care with a focus on fat-loss can be truly individualized (e-mail me for more info) to maximize it's power and facilitate quicker results; this is just a brief introduction to the most common overall factors which tend to inhibit fat-loss. In my forthcoming text, "True Health with Holistic Self-Care", the reader has the the option to be an active participant and take assessments which add some individualization to their plan by giving them the ability to choose a focus from fat-loss, emotional stability, detoxification, consistent energy, stress management and athletic performance.


Stress
Over-thinking, worry, depression, anxiety and a feeling of being overwhelmed can be grouped together as 'stress' and this has the potential be the most powerful and confounding factor inhibiting fat-loss. These 'stressful' emotions, feelings and thoughts can initiate or be the result of powerful patterns which stem from the process one uses in thinking. These potentially destructive thought processes tend to emerge over time and require a sincere commitment to alter (change the way one goes about thinking) and with patience, one can overcome these and eventually prosper by instituting and committing to a more positive, rational thought process.

Addressing these 'stressful' feelings, thoughts and emotions begins with commitment to using the rational thought process with a positive outlook that is the hallmark of holistic self-care. Rational thinking is an underlying system of evaluating options, making choices and the entire process of going about the way one thinks. All of which gives one control over how things are considered and what is worth thinking about, not what one specifically thinks.

By addressing how one goes about thinking, holistic self-care can ultimately, with time, address what one uses time and energy to think about, feel and experience emotions. This is because the thoughts and feelings which form emotions are actually the end-result of the process one goes about considering, evaluating and ultimately making choices (especially the subtle choices).

The following link is a very brief introduction to the rational thought process with a positive outlook as put together by Dr. Aldo Pucci, a psychiatrist with years of experience helping people overcome the destructive thoughts and feeling we often refer to as stress. Please take this assessment which comes complete with a somewhat individualized analysis of your answers.


Over-thinking, worry, depression and anxiety use energy and affect the metabolism which can leave a significant amount of acids in the blood. Acids which have the ability to magnify the other, to be mentioned fat-loss inhibiting factors on our body. In addition, these harmful thoughts and feelings have the ability to directly generate the powerful (some say most powerful) fat-loss inhibiting hormone of cortisol; which may be the single most prominent factor in preventing of noticeable fat-loss.

Cortisol is the powerful 'stress' hormone with profoundly negative effects on the overall biochemistry of the body. When cortisol reaches excessive levels the mind and body are negatively impacted; the mind is less sensitive to the leptin hormone and the body is unable to unlock fatty tissue and burn it for energy.

The body needs low levels of cortisol to use previously stored bodyfat as energy, and when a person has lowered sensitivity to the Leptin hormone they tend to overeat because this is generated by the gut to signal fullness. When the mind is less sensitive to it we can understand why many people overeat when 'stressed' out. 'Stress' is probably the main causative factor of excessive cortisol (silent inflammation, which will be discussed next, is a close second), so addressing this always a useful step in fat-loss.

In addition, the mind (in sub-consciousness and consciousness) has the profound ability to control the autonomic nervous system which is like the "wiring" between the brain, gut and fatty tissue. The autonomic nervous system has two separate types of "wires"; the sympathetic nervous system that prepares the body for action, which means it is the response to 'stress'.

In contrast to the 'stressful' sympathetic nervous system the body uses the parasympathetic nervous system which promotes the smooth operation of the body during relaxation. The parasympathetic nervous takes over when the mind is calm and opens up blood supply to the stomach and intestines for digestion to take place and greatly promote overall metabolism.

However, when the mind is 'stressed' the parasympathetic nervous system only functions at a small percentage of it's efficiency as the majority of available energy is shifted to the 'stress'-responding sympathetic nervous system. The results are partial digestion and decreased metabolism which directly lead to the inhibiting of fat-loss and even promotiom of fat-storage.

'Stress' begins with the perceptions, thought processes, feelings and eventual emotions set in motion by the all-powerful mind. This points to the utmost importance of addressing 'stress' first in the process of losing fat, as this can seriously affect one's aspirations to lose fat and improve body composition (by adding muscle as well).

So, a useful early step is to recognizing the present flaws in your thought process by taking the aforementioned 'rational thought process test' followed by instituting the basic suggestions from Dr. Aldo Pucci. One can make notes to take with them throughout their day in order to keep the focus on following the basic advice and instituting a basic rational thought process. Adding simple meditation to your regular daily schedule for just a few minutes at a time, a few minutes per day can really help prevent/relieve 'stress'; here is a solid introduction video:


Here is an article on some potentially 'stress' preventing ideas:

Now you are ready to address the following, possibly less influential factors potentially inhibiting noticeable, sustainable fat-loss.

Excess Blood Sugar
Sugar, in any form is an acid (meaning it has a low pH), toxic (it does not belong in the body) and a product of living matter breaking down. Human body tissue, like plant and animal tissue is matter which is anything that has mass and occupies volume. Living matter (including human tissue) is always building up and breaking down at the same time; this is the duality of nature.
Living matter breaks down, in part to Sugar; so why should we include sugar in our nutrition?

Another important factor to consider about all matter is that it is 99% electrical energy; atoms and molecules are bonded by electrical forces called protons and electrons. These are known as sub-atomic particles which have electrical charges; protons have a positive charge and electrons have a negative charge. This means that all matter contains electrical energy, furthermore this means that the human body is composed of electrical energy; mostly in the form of protons or positively charged ions. These positively charged protons desire and require the negatively charged electrons to react with and generate electrical energy.

The human body is clearly an intricate electrical machine that operates by and with electrical energy; electrical energy we can obtain from the sun (by photons), the air, food and drink. The human body seeks to obtain electrons from these sources for chemical reactions which generate real, long term, useful electrical energy in the human body.

However, the human body always has a back-up plan, and the seemingly invaluable back-up plan many people use to operate (with depleting side-effects) is a positive ion-to-positive ion stimulation. This occurs when positively charged ions (like our body tissues) react with other positively charged ions (like sugar, which is breakdown product of other organic tissues) for immediate stimulation to quickly generate electrical energy in the human body. This is how an acidic, toxic substance like sugar appears to "give" us energy.

Sugar is the product of living matter breaking down (catabolism), and this is why many foods have sugar to some degree (though meats have little as they are from muscles and fats), and why the more a banana ripens the more sugar-dense it becomes! Since all matter contains electrical energy, even partially broken living organic matter still has some. Sugar has electrical energy mostly in the form of positively charged ions; which means that sugar may be a breakdown product of matter but still has electrical energy just not the useful, long-term electrical energy the human body prefers (negatively charged ions).

Sugar (and caffeine as well) can give the body short-term stimulation but leaves people with an overall depleted body (think of sugar crashes) which cannot effectively lose fat because of the cascade of hormonal effects. The immediate result from sugar consumption is increased blood glucose levels, which the body can use to stimulate electrical energy with positive ion-to-positive ion stimulation. Keep in mind the body (including the brain) desires negative ions to react with to generate electrical energy; and these valuable ions can be found in blood sugar, but at a very small percentage.

So, the body will use this insignificant amount of negative ions from sugar while primarily using the high amount of positive ions for stimulation; this prevents the body from using it's own fatty tissue for electrical energy. The human body also has the invaluable ability to subsist on the electrical energy found in it's own tissues; preferably fatty tissues, and this will only happen when the blood sugar is low and the food/drink/sun/air provides a less than adequate supply of negative ions to react with.

For generating and maintaining fat loss the body has to be in a state where the blood sugar level is low and the body has the ability to catabolize (break down) it's own fatty tissue to generate electrical energy. The obvious move here is to remove foods dense with Sugars and starches (these quickly increase blood glucose levels as well) like cereals, deserts, soda's, grains, breads, potatoes, processed drinks and even many fruits from your nutrition.

Replace the foods which increase blood glucose levels with "low-glycemic" whole foods. "Low-glycemic" means that the foods have been found (by testing blood sugar levels) to have a small effect on blood sugar levels by not raising this. Whereas the aforementioned foods (grains, breads, pastas, cereals, even wraps) have been found to raise blood sugar levels and are considered "high-glycemic".

The key here though, is not to focus on "low-glycemic" foods in general, as this can lead you to processed foods and over-consumption of animal foods. Eat food (un-processed), mostly plant-based in whole form like fresh and lightly cooked green vegetables, low-sugar fruits, nuts and seeds and feel free to add in some animal foods and wild seafood and more (check my past articles on nutrition). High quality, cold-pressed oils can also be useful in keeping blood sugar low.

Olive oil, coconut oil, hempseed oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil, walnut oil and a few other fatty acids that can be purchased in the form of oil have the ability to "stabilize" blood sugar levels by a few different manners. First, they are "low glycemic", which means they have been tested and shown NOT to spike blood sugar levels. Second, and more importantly (and probably why they are considered "low glycemic") is the ability of many of these fatty acids to circulate in the blood and absorb proton-dense substances, take them to the mitochondria and burn them as fuel; thus playing a complementary role in regulating blood sugar levels.

Lots of fresh whole food, lightly cooked whole food, some animal foods and a good amount of high-quality, cold-pressed oils has the ability to stabilize blood sugar levels and promote fat-loss, almost regardless of number of calories ingested (this has to be somewhat reasonable).

Here is the article on Holistic Nutrition:


Silent Inflammation
Silent inflammation is below the pain level and takes place in the blood vessels and connective tissues that surround internal organs and muscles. Silent inflammation is generally the result of excess insulin and excess cortisol.

Insulin is the hormone generated as the body's homeostatic response (a seek to return to normal) to moderate blood glucose levels. Excess insulin may also be generated to deal with moderate amounts of low quality fats like those over-cooked or from processed meats, low quality oils (soybean, corn, vegetable, etc.), heavily cooked nuts and cheeses. Excess insulin prevents the release of electrical energy from fatty tissue to produce the necessary energy for the whole body. Compounding this is the power of insulin to shuttle sugars and low quality fats out of the blood and into previously existing fatty tissues or worse, initiating the creation of new fatty tissue.

There are insulin receptors in muscle cells as well, but these can and will become desensitized when there is insufficient or imbalanced exercise to use all of this blood glucose, with it's positively charged ions, for electrical energy. The result is that muscle cells become resistant to insulin which creates an excess level of insulin that creates and enables the vicious cycle of silent inflammation taking place throughout much of the body.

Excess insulin has now initiated a vicious cycle which also includes an imbalance between hunger and satiety/fullness signaling hormones. These powerful hormones, Ghrelin and the aforementioned Leptin tell the brain when to eat (Ghrelin) and when to stop eating (Leptin); meaning they have the ability to stimulate appetite and cravings for poor food's that are likely to be processed and loaded with sugar.

The vicious cycle of silent inflammation also signals the body to produce cortisol; which as we already know is also generated by a 'stressed-out' mindset foremost. Cortisol is also the body's response to poorly constructed exercise (over-exercise or imbalanced exercising). Excess cortisol has many potentially disastrous effects on the body including the initiation of breaking down muscle tissue for use of electrical energy (catabolism) because the silent inflammation prevents the use of fatty tissue for the necessary generation of energy.

Silent inflammation as a whole disrupts the entire body and creates a breakdown in communication between the gut, mind and fatty tissues which affects the hormones. In terms of fat-loss silent inflammation prevents the body from efficiently using the electrical energy in fatty tissue to produce energy for the whole body and thus 'burning fat' and ultimately losing fat are impossible; even with low calories and excessive exercise.

The key here is to prevent the formation of this vicious cycle by consuming mostly whole foods like green vegetables, low-sugar fruits and nuts/seeds and especially oils. Oils can not only prevent the initiation of the harmful cycle but can actually help break the cycle. Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, walnuts, wild fish and the revered fish oil should be specifically added to anyone's nutrition plan (by supplements and additional oils) desiring fat-loss.


Low Digestive Power
Low powered digestion is typically the result of the stomach being over-loaded with foods and drinks it does not have the ability to adequately prepare for absorption by the small intestine. When this becomes a pattern it may not matter how much food (even a small amoutn)or drink is put into the stomach because the stomach has become so deficient in necessary nutrients while also having some damage to it's hard-working tissues (which is reversible).

The first step to understanding why digestion power is low is to acknowledge that the primary job of the stomach is to prepare it's contents for absorption by the small intestine. The small intestine requires the food and liquid it receives from the stomach to have a high pH in order to be absorbed by the micro-villi which line it and create 7,000 feet of surface area in this body organ. Once absorbed the liquefied food/drink can be used to generate chemical reactions for electrical energy, nutrients for various body cells and tissues and even give information to the genes for their expressions.

So, we can see how important it for the stomach to raise the pH of the foods and drink inside of it by secreting baking soda (sodium bicarbonate from the cover cells), with it's high pH onto the ingested foods while also churning them to break them down to a liquefied substance. The byproduct of this process is stomach acid which is then intended to be absorbed in the bottom of the stomach (called the gastric pits) and absorbed into the bloodstream so as not to harm the liquefied food with a higher pH.

However when the stomach does not have the ability to raise the pH of it's liquefied contents the small intestine will not be able to appropriately use this for electrical energy, cellular nutrition and genetic expression. So, these foods are stored as bodyfat or worse, they sit in the small intestine or colon; where it is estimated the average American has between 5-12 lbs. of un-digested foodstuff collecting.

The stomach's inability to raise the pH of it's contents is usually the result of a few things; one is over-consumption of foods with extremely low pH (like most processed food and drinks, sodas, coffee, meats, breads, cereals, all dairy, corn and soy oils, etc.) another is a deficiency of pure, organic Salt and the last is damaged tissue in the gastric pits of the stomach (which pulls stomach acid out of the stomach). Pure, organic Salt is from Sea Salt and pure sodium also naturally occurs in many foods, most notably green vegetables. Pure salt cannot be efficiently obtained in the American diet which is full of heavily processed Salt, which is largely in-organic to the human body.

The stomach uses pure salt, along with water and carbon dioxide to form the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) for it's cover cells which then secrete this substance onto it's contents in order to properly prepare them for absorption by the small intestine. When the stomach is over-loaded with food it cannot properly raise the pH of (and this can happen from just a small amount of foods when one is deficient of pure, organic Salt) the digestive power will ultimately suffer and the body will tend to store foods as body-fat if they are absorbed, and if not they may collect in the bowels.

This can be addressed by first consuming less acidic (low pH) food and drinks while adding pure Sea Salt to your meals of fresh green vegetables, low-sugar fruits, nuts, seeds, wild fish and more whole foods. Supplementation with Baking Soda is also useful, as this directly supplies the cover cells with it's needed substance to raise the pH of stomach contents. One can also supplement with Aloe Vera and Chlorophyll which soothe the intestines and promote healing of the tissue in the gastric pits, so as to improve removal of stomach acid.


Cellular Inefficiency
The human body has this wonderful ability to breakdown it's own tissue (catabolism) and use it to meet the daily needs for energy. This is why many people, and specifically diabetics, actually wake up in the morning with higher blood sugar levels than they went to sleep with. However, the human body prefers to break down it's own fatty tissue and use it for energy, and when someone follows the previous advice this becomes possible.

"Fat-burning" occurs at the cellular level in the "powerhouse" of the cell known as the mitochondria. Once an individual takes care of the previously mentioned factors that may inhibit fat-loss he or she has one more potential obstacle to overcome: the number and efficiency of the mitochondria. The mitochondria is where the fatty tissue and circulating fats (from the aforementioned high-quality oils) are "burned" to generate electrical energy for the human body to operate.

People following the American Diet full of processed foods have been found to have significantly less mitochondria than those eating other forms of nutrition plans; and this was with comparable exercise frequency. Furthermore, it has been shown that exercise not only increases the number of mitochondria one has, but also improves the efficiency these 'fat-burners' operate at.

The mitochondria number and efficiency are largely impacted by the surrounding environment of the cell in which they are located. When the surrounding environment is dense with free radicals which create a harmful process that oxidizes cells (partial breakdown), the mitochondria will decrease in overall number and those left will not be able to operate at a very notable level. A lot of oxidation is natural and occurs during general metabolism and operation of the human body; the body can handle this level of free radicals very capably.

But, when one has insufficient levels of exercise, imbalanced exercise (too much of one type of exercising) or more likely consumes the American diet and suffers from high amounts of 'stress' their body will very likely be unable to capably and efficiently handle the oxidation from excessive free radicals. The result of this type of lifestyle are decreased number of mitochondria found in the cells and the one's that are found are likely operating at an inefficient level.

The most profound step we can take at this point is to commit to regular, balanced exercise. Regular exercise is at the very least 3 or 4 times per week for around an hour each time which needs to be properly balanced between cardio, flexibility and resistance forms of training. Cardio training has been found to increase the number of mitochondria more than any other action known to man, so this should take the greatest percentage of one's exercise time.

The absolutely necessary complement to regular cardio exercise is resistance training, which has been shown to increase mitochondria efficiency while building muscles and if properly designed also improve functional ability. Functional ability is anything that promotes the intended posture, muscular balance and regular movements of daily living. Flexibility training is also vital in promoting functional ability and mitochondria efficiency (by helping remove acids in the cellular environment), so it is clear how important regular, balanced exercise is for noticeable, sustainable fat-loss.

Here is the article on Holistic Exercise:


Thyroid Malfunction
The thyroid is the gland which governs our overall metabolism. The thyroid is stimulated by a hormone from the pituitary gland which itself receives a signal from the hypothalamus to generate this thyroid-stimulating-hormone. The chain of thyroid function begins in the brain and appears this level of thyroid function needs adequate amounts of water, omega-3 fats, vitamin B6 and Zinc. So, by consuming these daily you can possibly address this sub-category of fat-loss inhibitor.

The next step of the actual thyroid receiving the stimulating-hormone is crucial and also appears to be heavily dependent on nutrients; pure Salt, Iodine and Selenium being foremost. In addition to these valuable nutrients the thyroid itself has to be free of oxidation (from acidic free radicals which move in our body at various levels depending on health, metabolism, elimination and mitochondrial efficiency) which in this case appears to harm the thyroid most notably from heavy metals like aluminum and mercury.

If the thyroid has low amounts of oxidation with adequate amounts of Iodine, pure Salt and Selenium it will accept the thyroid-stimulating-hormone and generate then secrete it's own hormone known as thyroxin. Thyroxin goes to nearly all of the cells in the human body and must then be converted to a usable form of thyroid hormone in the Liver and at the cellular level; this conversion is vital and requires an alkaline (high) pH of the intra-cellular and extra-cellular fluids that are within and around the cells.

As you can see there are multiple areas where thyroid function can be impaired and the whole body, nearly all of it's cells will suffer from a decreased metabolism. The best approach appears to be naturally by hydrating, eating whole foods and supplementing with the previously mentioned nutrients (pure Salt, B6, Iodine, Selenium, Zinc) that directly impact thyroid function. Furthermore, decreasing intake of poor foods and products with heavy metals (aluminum and mercury) can be vital in addressing thyroid function naturally with lifestyle improvements.

Thyroid malfunction, or "slow" metabolism can be addressed with nutritional supplementation, and the aforementioned 'stress' prevention/relief, whole foods and superfluous amounts of water. This overall approach may take some time to observe and feel as this gland may take a while to regulate and function optimally. But a "slow" thyroid is often times the missing-link to realizing and maintaining fat-loss and can be addressed with commitment to a lifestyle of holistic self-care and additional supplementation.

Holistic Self-Care with Fat-Loss Focus

We are addressing 'stress' by instituting a rational thought process and introducing consistent meditation. We are addressing excess blood sugar and silent inflammation with consistent meals every few hours, "low-glycemic" whole foods and high-quality cold-pressed oils. We are addressing low digestive power and thyroid malfunction with whole foods and effective supplementation. Finally, we are addressing cellular inefficiency with balanced exercise and of course, whole foods. By committing to holistic self-care with a fat-loss focus one is actually beginning their progression through the Stages of Empowerment.


The Stages of Empowerment is the experience one goes through in the process of connecting their mind, body and spirit which improves mental and bodily health and allows one to reach their potential and whatever goal they desire. Happiness, inner peace, self-security and bodily health can be the products of holistic self-care which facilitates noticeable, sustainable fat-loss.

For more information on addressing the fat-loss inhibitors and reaching a state where the mind, body and spirit are happy, balanced and connected please contact me for a copy of my coming text, "True Health with Holistic Self-Care". Or you can contact me for some individualized help in achieving your goal, whether it is fat-loss, happiness, security or peace of mind.

truehealthservices@gmail.com
412-670-8621 Sam Suska

Monday, June 20, 2011

Bibliography of "True Health with Holistic Self-Care"

by Sam Suska

"The Four Agreements" by Miguel Ruiz

"The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer

"In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan

"The pH Miracle: Revised and Updated" by Dr. Robert O. Young

"Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes

"The Biology of Belief" by Bruce Lipton



"Cosmic Karma: Understanding Your Contract with the Universe" by Marguerite Manning


"The UltraMind Solution" by Dr. Mark Hyman
"Ultra Metabolism" by Dr. Mark Hyman

"What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought" by Keith E. Stanovich


"Ignore the Awkward: How the Cholesterol Myths are Kept Alive" by Uffe Ravnskov

"The Hidden Danger of Soy" by Dianne Gregg

"Know Your Fats", by Mary Enig

"Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions" by Stargrove, Treasure, McKee

"The Second Brain" by Michael Gershon

"Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon

"The Untold Story of Milk, Revised and Updated" by Ron Schmid

"Salt Your Way to Health" by David Brownstein

"Our Daily Meds" by Melody Petersen

"Energy Medicine: Balancing Your Body's Energies for....." by Donna Eden

"Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" by Weston A. Price

"Your Body Doesn't Lie" by John Diamond

"Essential Atlas of Physiology" by Barron's

"The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text..." by Giovanni Maciocia

"Healing with Whole Foods", by Paul Pitchford

"Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning" 3rd Edition

"How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" by Paul Chek

"Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program...." by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

"The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell

'The Raw Food Detox Diet" by Natalia Rose

"The Paleo Diet" by Loren Cordain

"Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman

"The No-Grain Diet" by Joseph Mercola

"Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making Us Sicker and Poorer" by Shannon Brownlee

"Critical Thinking: An Applied Approach" by Daniel N. Boone

"Toxic Fat: When Good Fat Turns Bad" by Barry Sears
"The Omega Rx Zone" by Barry Sears

"The Coconut Oil Miracle" by Bruce Fife