When did you drink a big glass of raw vegetable juice?

We all grow up with the fear to end up with calcium deficiency since that would mean rotten teeth, brittle  and broken bones (osteoporosis). 
Beautiful looking Hollywood stars tell us to keep up our dairy intake, so we don't end up with rotten teeth and brittle or broken bones. 

People in general know little about minerals  but every one is familiar about the importance of calcium, thanks to the FOR-PROFIT-DAIRY companies. (check out my article about dairy from January!!)

Well, I am hear today to tell you that calcium deficiency is not the main reason for brittle bones.
The number one factor of bone loss is actually inactivity!!  Astronauts in space have shown the highest amount of bone loss by just being a few weeks in space. Being in space means no resistance, no gravity pulling against our bones. All astronauts in space developed severe osteoporosis despite the fact of high intake of calcium supplements.

Having some form of weight (resistance) training daily, can keep your bones healthy and strong.
Our ancestors never had problems with brittle bones since they were physical active from morning 'til late night.
Another example would be the women in Africa. African women have the lowest intake on calcium less than 200mg, but still no osteoporosis since women are used to carry heavy jugs of water on their head for miles and miles.
When did you carry gallons of water? Let's just face it, we are a nation of sedentary people. We love to sit in our cozy warm cars instead of walking, we love to shop online, so we don't even need to walk through the aisles  of stores anymore!

As you can see there is no need to increase your calcium intake in fear of bone loss.
Our bodies work in synergy with lots of other minerals to build a strong and healthy bone mass.
Vitamin C, Vitamin D, magnesium are all important for bone health. 
Over years and years doctors have prescribed high dosages of Calcium which causes muscle spasm, muscle cramps, eyelid twitch, constipation, kidney and gallbladder stones.
Next time you take a calcium supplement, take it together with a mineral supplement and a Vitamin D3 supplement.
And never take more than 800 mg calcium since a research team in Finland found out that women who take less than 700mg calcium daily had the highest amount of bone mass compared to the group of women who took 1200mg daily. 

Here are some vegetable options with high magnesium-calcium content: seaweed, spinach, kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, almond, sesame seeds, apricots, wild herbs and molasses. 

I am sure no horse is drinking milk, instead they are feeding on nettle, oatstraw, dandelions and chickweed. Eat your wild herbs and look as strong as a horse :)) Check out my tea "Everyday" perfect blend for iron, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin K!!

Happy Holidays, stay Healthy and Happy!!
Your Herbalist Birgit 

We all grew up hearing from our moms to eat our vegetables, but you know what, our moms were right. 
Nothing has changed in the last hundreds of years. Vegetables are still the most important food on our plates. 
With today's blog I like to remind you about a few vegetables, so next time you don't know what to cook you remember my blog!!

Kale is one of my favorite greens and here is why:
 Kale is absolutely rich and abundant in CALCIUM, LUTEIN, IRON, VITMAIN A, C and K.

Lutein is one of the carotenoids, yellow and orange pigments found in many fruits and vegetables. Known to prevent eye disease!  Vitamin K is considered the blood clotting vitamin.  It helps to attract and bind calcium to the protein in the body.

Kale has seven times more beta-carotene than broccoli and ten times more lutein!  Kale is rich in Vitamin C and high in fibers which we are all lacking especially in a diet high of processed food. Kale is a great liver cleanser. The naturally rich sulfur content of kale triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals. My favorite way to eat Kale is sautéed with onions, garlic and olive oil.  You can also add fresh kale leaves into a salad or a vegetable fruit juice daily!

MUSHROOMS:

There are over 14000 types of mushrooms in the world, about 3000 are edible, over seven hundred have known medicinal properties and 1400 have been recognized as poisonous!

Pharaohs ate mushrooms as a delicacy, Greeks believed them to be a source of strength and Chinese regarded them as a health food.
  
Mushrooms are a great food source for people on a restricted calorie diet. Mushrooms are high in lean protein, zero fats and cholesterol and high amount of fiber.  Besides being low in calories, mushrooms are rich in calcium, iron, potassium, copper and selenium (very good for health of bones, teeth, nails, hair). The best source of selenium is animal protein, so mushrooms can be the best choice for vegetarians to obtain selenium. Mushrooms are the only vegetable and the second known source (after cod liver oil) to contain vitamin-D in edible form.  A medium mushrooms has more potassium than a glass of orange juice or a banana. (Potassium helps lower blood pressure and prevents strokes)

So next time you are in the supermarket pick up some shiitake, portabellas and white button mushrooms and make yourself a big bowl of soup but please omit DAIRY!!

Parsley (Italian flat parsley)

Parsley is the world’s most popular herb. The word parsley comes from the Greek word meaning “rock celery”.

Parsley contains more vitamin C than any other vegetable, app. three times as much as oranges and about the same as blackcurrants. The iron content is twice as much as spinach and the plant is a good source of manganese, calcium and potassium.

Raw parsley juice cleanses the blood, dissolves sticky deposits in veins, maintains elasticity of blood vessels, helps remove kidney and gallstones, treats ear infections and is a good remedy for bruises.

Many people use parsley root tea to make stiff joints work again.

So next time you feel tired in the afternoon make yourself a juice and you will be amazed how much more energy you will have for the rest of the day.

AVOCADOS

Here are just a few reasons to convince you to eat more avocados!

Avocados are the best source of vitamin E, an essential vitamin!

Vitamin E plays a role in the anti-aging of skin. It helps skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin E intake that is higher than the daily minimum requirements have shown to treat or prevent: low sperm count, cataracts, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis cardiovascular disease and inflammation of eye tissues.

Research has found that certain nutrients are absorbed better when eaten with avocado. In one study, when participants ate a salad containing avocados, they absorbed five times the amount of carotenoids (lycopene and beta carotene) than those who didn’t include avocados.

Avocados are packed with the carotenoid lutein that protects against macular degeneration and cataracts.

Avocados are high in beta-sitosterol, a compound that has shown to lower cholesterol levels. In one study, 45 volunteers experienced an average drop in cholesterol of 17% after eating avocados for only one week.

Avocados have high levels of folate which lowers the risk of stroke.

 A lot of times my clients are worried about eating avocados because of its fat content but avocados don’t have saturated fat instead it is a healthy blend of omega 3s and omega6s which are essential for our health.

As you can see there are lots of benefits of eating an avocado but remember one avocado has 322 calories, so don’t eat it as a snack rather eat it as your main ingredient for your lunch. I sometimes eat one half of avocado a day and keep the other avocado safe in the refrigerator in a special avocado holder to prevent it from getting brown and bruised looking.

 Next time you grab a hot dog for lunch, remember my blog and treat your body with something nutritious. Remember every time you eat you have a chance to nourish your body, so you stay energized, healthy and slim.

Happy Living your Herbalist and Wellness Coach
Birgit 

September is getting a little bit colder and off I go in my crazy surge for carbohydrates. On rainy days I love to stay inside and order a big Pizza with garlic bread sticks for the family. 
Did you ever experience the feeling that you can't stop eating the bread sticks. How many times did you tell yourself of only eating a small piece and then ending up eating the whole bag ?

Today I like to talk about our uncontrollable wheat addiction!!
Wheat addiction is not in our head it is not the lack of  willpower, numerous research has shown that wheat contains "opioid peptides". These peptides are physically addictive, causing dependence, asthma and obesity. 
Peptides influence endorphine receptors in the brain.  No WONDER WE CAN'T STOP EATING cookies, pizza, cakes, breads, pretzels, donuts......

Once our body gets flooded with food enhanced endorphines our brain gets in a state of euphoria, happiness, and sleepiness. Remember Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner, after the final last piece of pumpkin or apple pie you fall into a deep sleepiness. This is where the practice of ordering dessert with coffee comes hand in hand, lol!

But we don't only have to remember our big feasts, how about our morning CEREAL. We get up in the morning eat our cereal and an hour later we are tired, and hungry for more! 
Cereal has been touted as a health food for decades but it actually is far from healthy. 
Most of our cereals have wheat and sugar as their prime ingredients. Wheat and sugar causes blood sugar rise too quickly, which can cause havoc on our pancreas. Once there is a lot of sugar in our blood stream the pancreas has to produce enough insulin to get rid of the excess, which can cause a drop in blood sugar and the feeling of hunger and tiredness settle in again. But that wouldn't be everything excess glucose (wheat sugar) get stored in fat cells and increases our triglycerides and cholesterol levels. I know, I just busted your bubble of thinking the only thing that can raise your cholesterol and triglycerides would be meat. Well think again!!

I know we all have heard the health claims of "eat your WHOLE GRAINS"! But next time you eat your grains aim for better choices like quinoa, millet,  amaranth, kamut, brown rice and buckwheat. All of these grains are very high in minerals, vitamins without effecting our blood sugar or hormones.

If you read  the whole article, you probably now wondering what you could eat for breakfast in the morning
Here are some ideas:  Buckwheat cream, Oatmeal, Gluten-free Bread with coconut oil and jelly, Gluten free Pancakes or, Fruit Smoothies. 
If you are interested to read more about the hidden dangers of wheat, I would suggest to read "Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health", from Davis, William. 

Happy living your Herbalist and Wellness Coach
Birgit

Being a Holistic Nutritionist and Herbalist I get a lot of questions about what I am eating.
So here is a little glimpse into one of my weekdays:

I usually get up around 7.00am I start my day with a cup of green tea made with Matcha Green Powder.
Around 7.30am I have a  WHOLE-GRAIN muesli which is filled with flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, dates.....an I use organic, unsweetened soy milk.

We have a wonderful summer here in Philadelphia and every year around this time I am starting up running again.

I have not been running for at least a year due to time commitment and lack of interest. 
I started with a short run of 20 min. once a week. Once I felt stronger I increased the running time to 30 min. every other day. Now I am running almost every day for at least 35 min. and I feel tired, moody, exhausted and I actually gained few pounds.

Today I like to talk about weight gain due to extreme cardio training.
We all know people who lost weight due to starting up a running program. But what happened to them after years of keeping up an extreme running schedule. They all started to plateau and actually age faster. 

Let's just assume that each person who follows an extreme running schedule eats a strict diet, no junk food and no overeating. How can a person gain weight by following a program like this. 
Here is my answer "STRESS HORMONES".  High cortisol levels make it impossible for the body to burn fat!
Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are permanently increased if you happen to have a very stressful job, an extreme daily workout routine, and a diet that is low in vitamins and minerals. 
Once your stress hormones are increased your body goes into a survival mode, which means that from now on the body will slow down its metabolism to be able to survive its extreme situation. A slow metabolism means all our body's chemical enzyme functions slow down like nutrient absorption, combating free radicals, digestion, liver detoxification.

I have had numerous clients who come and ask me for advice to help them loose that extra 4 pounds by adjusting their diets and exercise programs.
Instead of adding more cardiovascular training I advice them to stop their cardio training  and  have them focus on Mind-Body exercises like meditation or yang yoga (breathing, chanting).
I also have them start juicing.  By drinking at least 16oz of raw vegetable/fruit juice daily, their bodies get flooded by pure vitamins and minerals and hydration.  After 2 weeks I have them go back to their cardiovascular training but with the information of only doing short intense intervals no longer than 20 min. a day.


There have been numerous studies that our bodies are actually not meant to run continuously for hours instead our bodies are made for short, intense runs going back to our ancestors hunting and gathering times.
All of my clients have lost at least 5 pounds and gained back their life without feeling hijacked to their workout routine. 

As you can see the believe of more is better, is not always true. There are lots of new books out there, that can confirm my own experiences, that hours of running, biking and swimming can actually harm us, make us more vulnerable to disease and weight gain. Here is one  book that I like to recommend The Cardio-free Diet from Jim Karas.

Enjoy your summer and remember don't wast your summer evenings with long exhausting and non-productive Cardio routines :)!!

Birgit your Herbalist


 

Summer means bikini time or at least bathing suit! If you are like my clients most of them are threatened by the thought of having to wear a bathing suit at the shore, despite  the fact that lots of them have lost a few pounds.

Most people are not happy with their weight. Their has been a research at colleges where they found out that 8 out of 10 girls in college want to weigh less.

I don't think we should chase the ideal weight any more. We are better off to throw out the scale and start measuring  success on the way our cloths fit. 

The first thing that I tell my clients at my wellness coaching is too stop counting calories and worry about their weight. Weight will come off, if they will follow my big NO list. I give them a list of things that they no longer can eat. Of course that is strictly individual since I personalize each clients nutrition plan by their health questionnaire. 
Through the questions I can see if somebody has tendency towards a sluggish thyroid, or if somebody is just completely burned out with their adrenal glands due too excess stress in their lives. 

Weight loss is actually more complicated as just eating less!    That's why it is sometimes very important to have a network of people who will support you in your effort to loose weight. If you are constantly surrounded with people who talk you in to eating a second helping of ice cream, you are already programmed to failure. 

I have been a Vegan, Vegetarian for years with that occasional sardines, cheese and coffee creamer in my occasional decaf coffee!
In the RAW VEGAN WORLD people structure the raw vegan followers into percentages like 60 or 80% Raw Vegan. 
If I would take this concept  I would say I am a 90% Vegan throughout the year! 
By choosing being a VEGAN I have a higher chance of eating more fruits and vegetables, but does that still guarantee longevity?

There is no such thing as the perfect Diet for EVERYBODY. I know there are lots of webpages out there they tell you otherwise. Meat Eaters, Raw Vegans or Vegetarians everyone believes that their diet can make everyone healthy happy and THIN! But I think there is no such thing as One Size fits all!! I am a true believer in moderation.
Take it from the people who live the longest. All of them who have made it to a true healthy 100 years without any medication or any physical limitations will tell you, that they prefer a  vegan diet with that occasional sweets, cheese and meat in times of celebrations. ( If you are interested to learn more about the people who lived the longest, check out the book The Blue Zone) Please take in notice "OCCASIONAL", which does not mean daily or weekly.

We are living in a time of abundance, we can eat like a King every single day of our life if we choose, too.
 Disease like diabetes, heart attacks, cancer were only known between  Kings and Queens in the late 17th and 18th century, nobody from the lay people had ever experienced indigestion or weight gain. 
Still nobody around this time had to call themselves Vegans or Meat Eaters. Today we are given names to identify our eating habits publicly out of necessity. 

 I love to tell people that I am a Vegan because I don't want to be known of eating a cow/chicken/turkey that has been abused from the day it was born until it was slaughtered. But I do not believe that being a person who rejects meat will guarantee a longer healthier life.   Too many other factors influence our overall health, like exercise,  relationships, stress spirituality. I will never forget the story from a man who's wife died when he was 80 years old and in perfect health. 
He was so upset that he died few weeks later. It turns out that he has had a big tumor in his stomach for almost 30 years but he never once experienced any ailment until his beloved wife of 60 years died. 

So is there a diet that guarantees longevity, not right now. But as long as you follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low in sugar and organic 80% of the time, I am sure you are on the right track. 
What you do in the 20% will be characterized by your individuality! 

Birgit your Herbalist

I just came back from a Fitness Conference in Philadelphia. Every year I participate as a staff member at an annual
fitness convention. Hundreds of fitness and yoga instructors from the Eastcoast meet to learn about the newest hottest fitness trends and moves. 

I have been an instructor for almost 25 years now (yes that's true I started to teach Jane Fonda style at the age of 15)!
I consider myself as a veteran in the fitness world. I have seen it all, classes with steps, balls, slides, tubes, minibars, kettleballs, boxing gloves, hand weights, ankle weights, spinning bikes, jumping ropes, gliders.
You probably don't know half of the equipment but regardless of that,  there is more to come from the Fitness Experts like   "Bad Kitty Sassy Fitness, Flirty Girl Fitness, Piloxing (Pilates and Boxing), Real Rider (spinning bike that can move from side to side), muscle bars (bar with attached tubing), Exercise Ball with sand .... and each one promises to get you in the best shape of your life!!!

 Nothing really has changed in that perspective except that nowadays if somebody promotes a new product, it has to be advertised with a nutritional diet plan! That makes me questioning the need for the new products, do we really need more stuff or should we just try to educate ourselves about nutrition?

Since I work as a stuff at this event I had plenty of time to observe the body's and shapes from all the instructors and what struck me most was the realization that the instructors are not getting any fitter, actually more the opposite compared to 10 years ago. Yes, they are more physical fit, some girls could exercise for 6 hours straight through without showing any signs of fatigue, but they do not look any more in shape as a person who goes to the gym maybe once or twice a week.  
I know what you are thinking now, oh well I might as well stop my membership at the club if the instructors can't even get in shape. But wait before you do so, I want to talk about something like too much exercise.  Lots of instructors make there living by teaching classes, they need to teach at least 15 classes (somebody told me at the convention that she teaches 30 classes a week) Once you are exercising too much, you have to be very accurate with your nutritional intake. The body gets very acidic during excessive exercising, to balance a too high acidic environment, you need to nourish the body with the right amount of minerals and vitamins or you end up with a higher body fat percentage.

 Postexercise nutrition is as important as the workout itself. If the body does not get adequate amount of food within the first hour after an intense workout like Bootcamp the body will cannibalise its own muscle tissue to convert glycogen into glucose. The only fuel for the brain is glucose! The end result will be a slower metabolism. You probably wondering now, why the body would not use its own fat storages, but here is the thing, the body can only burn fat with the help of glucose. If one of the instructors would immediately drink a Smoothie made with almond milk, some blueberries, a little bit flaxseed for some Omega 3s, and Hemp seed Protein Powder (or any other protein powder except soy and wheat) this process of cannibalism (eating up your own muscle mass) would not happen. 

Moderation is the big thing. You do not need to run a marathon, or teach 3 classes back to back to stay healthy and slim.
Instead of running everyday, run 3-4 times a week and use your spare time to educate yourself about nutrition. 
If you want to know more about a holistic lifestyle, follow my blog or email me. I am always happy to give you my scoop about it.

Have fun exercising but don't overdue it. Use your food as your primary guidance to stay slim and trim. 


Birgit your Herbalist

New Year Resolution, No More DAIRY!

Since I am a Holistic Health Coach people just assume I am always eating right. For the most part I do, but I also have my  list of weakness, here it is: "coffee, cheese,  croissants, European chocolate, Manner Schnitten (hazelnut wafles), cream cheese",as you see my list is as long as yours.
For the last several years I have replaced  my addiction with a better version for example I  replaced coffee with decaf coffee, after 4 months I replaced decaf coffee with green tea, yerba mate. I  replaced white bread croissants with a whole grain croissant version which has instead of sugar agave nectar as sweetener.
I have replaced cream cheese with coconut oil. I replaced European Chocolate with dark chocolate covered almonds, no sugar and by the way almonds are high in omega 3s which keep our nerves calm and our waist line thin. 

Our New Years Resolutions should be more specific so we are not overwhelmed with change. Too many people have resolutions like " I will lose 10 pounds this year and never touch a chocolate again!"
 Nobody likes to change all their habits overnight. We need small goals, small goals are easier to achieve and we don't fill overwhelmed before we even start. This year's resolution could sound like this " 2011-- I will go dairy free during the week!"

here is a link to the DAIRY LOVERS OUT THERE, why you should not drink your milk and eat your cheese ever again!!!www.vegsource.com/julieanna-hever-ms-rd/10-reasons-to-ditch-dairy.html

  If you wake up every day and you have to clear your throat, you are allergic to milk. I am not talking about lactose intolerant, I am talking about an allergy to the protein called casein which you can find in animal products and milk.

 Losing weight does happen automatically once you change your eating habits a little bit.
 Dairy has the highest amount of fat and sugar, the perfect combination to fatten a little cow.  
We do not have to count portions and count points, the moment you get an understanding of good nutrition you will keep off those pounds that you try to loose every year over and over again.  Losing weight is only the by-product of a healthy diet!!

 Happy DAIRY FREE NEW YEAR from 
Birgit your Herbalist

P.S.
You probably already wonder by now how I replaced my MANNER SCHNITTEN, I moved away from Austria!!
Yes, that's the only way I can stay away from the Hazwlnut Wafers but I still get the occasionally box from my mom but 5-6 packages a year should not make a difference to my weight and health.