#1. Toss The Microwave.
Microwave ovens emit radiation into your food as well as your surroundings. They’ve also been proven to change your food at a molecular level, so in other words, the food you put in the microwave will not be the same food that comes out. I can remember when I was a kid, I would attempt to cook an egg in the microwave, but it just didn’t look the same as when I’d cook it on the stove. It had a rubbery texture and tasted awful.
What’s interesting is that your body may not even be able to digest the food that’s been radiated because it’s not technically a food anymore. This is because the radiation can cause changes in your blood chemistry which can potentially lead to lymphatic and digestive disorders, and an increased rate of cancer cell formation. There is also potential for chemical leakage from the packaging, a decrease in nutritive value and carcinogenic substances can be found in microwaved food.
Microwaves were actually developed by the Nazis who used them for medical research. As a result Russia got a hold of some microwave ovens and did some research of their own. What they found, was that the radiation emitted from the ovens was a major environmental and health hazard. So they banned microwave ovens in their country and issued an international warning on the health hazards. Why has the US ignored this and why do we still sell this product in our country?
#2. Eat Saturated Fats.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Many people still think saturated fats are unhealthy, this is simply not true. If this was true, incidence of disease in this country would have fallen as a result of saturated fat being taken out of our food and substituted with polyunsaturated fatty acids, but this has not happened. Instead, the rate of heart disease and cancer in this country has risen rapidly. Common sense tells me that what we are doing is not working.
I simply do not understand why doctors and dietitians continue to recommend a low saturated fat diet to patients when the evidence is clearly out there. Makes no sense, unless you’re a company who manufactures food. It’s much more cost effective to use polyunsaturated fats in foods and gives the foods a longer shelf life. So it makes sense that these companies would contribute money to Universities to fund nutrition programs based on the food pyramid. Did you know that General Mills created the food pyramid? It’s all about selling food and unfortunately for people who buy food, it’s not about the health of the consumer.
Some saturated fats I highly recommend are organic coconut oil and organic butter. You can also get saturated fat from organic full fat dairy which also provides natural thyroid hormone and calcium carbonate – two nutrients that are great for the metabolism. Coconut oil, specifically, possesses thyroid stimulating effects and therefore, helps to up regulate the metabolism. Coconut oil also has antioxidant properties and reduces our need for vitamin E.
#3. Avoid Foods High In Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.
Unsaturated oils or all liquid oils except olive oil. These include soybean, canola, fish (salmon and cod liver), flaxseed, corn, seed, nut or bean oils, DHA, borage, omega 3 and 6 or “essential fatty acids” and all products containing them. These oils are found in essentially every processed product out there. Also included are margarine, vegetable shortening and veggie juices. The fiber in the vegetable is essential for not taking in too much of the toxic PUFAs. Also, cooking the vegetable can eliminate this too.
According to Dr. Ray Peat and Dr. Lita Lee, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can potentially cause thyroid suppression and lead to hormonal imbalances. This can lead to an increase in estrogen levels which can cause problems with the liver and the metabolism. When your thyroid is suppressed you can no longer make anti-aging hormones like progesterone, pregnenolone and DHEA. This causes your metabolism to slow down and also can lead to high cholesterol because of low thyroid function. PUFA’s can also increase free radicals in the body which can speed up your aging process and increase inflammation. Consuming a diet high in PUFAs can also lead to blood sugar handling issues and inmmunosupression.
#4. Drink Clean Non-Fluoridated Water.
According to the Fluoride Action Network, fluoride is a byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry. When fertilizer plants are producing their product, fluoride emissions tend to occur. These companies are required by law to scrub their smokestacks before emissions are released into the atmosphere. Instead of paying to dispose of the toxic waste that’s left over, they sell this byproduct (fluoride) that they scrub from the smokestacks, to our public water facilities, where it gets added directly to the water supply. According to Dr. Lita Lee, some cities spend between $60,000 and $70,000 of taxpayer’s money to fluoridate the water supply.
Fluoride is a highly toxic substance and is banned in most European countries because of this and is widely known to cause thyroid disease and suppression of the thyroid. Accumulation in the brain can inhibit brain development and cause brain damage over time. It’s surprisingly more toxic than lead and a little less toxic than arsenic, but yet we’re drinking this stuff daily and using it to clean our teeth. Fluoride is a cause of cancer, which has been well known, verified and documented for years. It tends to accumulate in the bones causing bone cancer and osteoporosis.
My suggestion is to filter your entire household water system. Use a company that can remove all of the fluoride from your water, even the water you shower and bathe in. It’s the best investment you’ll ever make and the water will taste so much better. There are not too many water filtration companies who do this. Lita Lee suggests a company called Friends of Water, who claim to be able to remove all of the fluoride from the water. I personally have a whole house filtration system, but I’ve recently found out that the company I use can only filter out 60% of the fluoride in my water. So, my next step is to attach a few of the Friends of Water filters to the sink and shower heads to add an extra layer of filtration.
#5. Eat Organic Foods.
Look for the best organic foods you can get. Whole milk, whole eggs, clean meats, whole fruits and veggies. Organic foods have less toxins than conventional, and are more nutrient dense and better for your hormonal system than conventional. Organic foods are more satiating because they’re more nutrient dense and although they may cost a little more, you do not consume as much because the nutrient content is much greater than a conventional food. Your thyroid and digestive system will thank you.
Choose organic whole foods over processed organic foods. Even if it’s labeled organic this does not mean that it doesn’t have a host of other toxic ingredients added to it.
Learn how to cook. Cooking can be very simple and doesn’t have to be complex. Cooking can also bring you to a certain awareness level with your food. You’ll discover how easy it is to make your own food, there becomes a sense of empowerment from doing it yourself and you’ll realize real quick how you may be over paying for the processed foods you buy. Plus, you can choose what ingredients you want to put in the food you prepare.
#6. Get To Sleep.
This is the only time your body, brain and DNA get to fully regenerate and repair. So, if you’re not sleeping, you stay in a constant state of inflammation and stop producing anti-aging hormones. Disruptions in thyroid function can also lead to problems with sleep and insomnia, so sometimes just healing the thyroid can bring you towards a better nights rest.
#7. Make Exercise A Regular Practice.
Exercise, as long as you are not depleting your energy, is a great way to build energy and stay healthy. If you exercise and it depletes your energy so much that you have no energy for anything else, you may be doing too much. When beginning a new exercise program, build yourself up slowly to it and make sure you’re performing exercises that are functional with proper form. A basic understanding of how to do the exercises as well as what you’re targeting and what your intentions are is extremely important. If you need help with this, I’ll be happy to help you get started. Contact me…
#8. Meditate Weekly or Daily.
Meditation can come in many forms. Some people feel more comfortable starting with a moving meditation others can sit still with themselves in silence for long periods of time. Mediation teaches us how to be still with, love and mother ourselves. It also teaches us how to work within. I can’t stress enough how important it is to journey within yourself first before you journey outside yourself.
Do this any way you feel comfortable, for any length of time. There is no right or wrong way to meditate, everyone is different and you do not have to be a guru to do it. Start small, take a yoga or qi gong class and do the physical work first to help quiet the mind which prepares you to go within. Walk barefoot in the grass, go on a hike, connect with nature, sit with yourself for five minutes a day, there are many different ways you can do it. Find another person or group who are experienced in meditation who can teach you techniques that are of interest to you.
#9. Have A Creative Outlet.
Creativity is what stimulates the right side of the brain. Without this stimulation we stay in the left (logical) side of the brain all the time and there’s no balance of the two sides. Creativity is needed just as much as logical thinking, if not more. Having a creative outlet keeps you young, creates more neuron connections in the brain and makes life fun.
My school of thought, is that we’re not here to work like robots, we’re here to learn and grow through our own individual personal experiences. You can’t do this unless you have a way to be creative. Take a cooking class, learn how to draw or paint, play music, go to a workshop, etc. Do whatever makes you feel good and follow your passion. This is more important than most of us realize.
#10. Be Aware of Your Emotions.
Your emotions are clues to you about the present state your body is in. The definition of emotion is energy in motion, so sometimes emotions need to be moved through the body either though movement, talking, singing, music, crying, laughing, feeling, etc. Becoming aware of where your emotions and beliefs come from is a big step in the direction of personal growth and empowerment. Not just continuing to do things because that’s what you’ve been taught, but instead looking at the emotion and asking yourself where it’s coming from.
Stuffing and powering through emotions, we’re now discovering, can potentially cause disease, if not dealt with. So just start with awareness, talk to a lifestyle coach, friend or therapist. Learn techniques you can use to become more in touch with your feelings and emotions. Once you let go of your own limitations, like certain belief systems, there’s no limit on what you can do.
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