A growing body of exciting new research supports the old adage, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper, especially the “dinner like a pauper” part. It seems that human physiology works best when we consume most of our calories early in the day and have a light meal at night. And if you’re trying to lose weight, two studies have shown that when the number of calories consumed, energy spent and sleeping times were kept constant, dieters who ate a big breakfast or lunch lost considerably more weight than those who saved their calories for a big dinner. A Spanish study recruited 420 overweight/obese men and women to follow a 1,400 calorie per day diet for 5 months. However half of the group ate their main meal before 3:00 p.m., while the other half ate theirs after 3:00 p.m.. Those eating early lost an average of 22 pounds; the late eaters lost an average of 17. In a second study, 93 overweight/obese women with metabolic syndrome (a constellation…

Our first article discussed the importance of selenium to immunity. Yet there is still another way in which selenium is required for optimal immune function. Selenium is needed by the thyroid gland, and optimal immunity depends on having a healthy thyroid. Hypothyroidism (an under-performing thyroid) impairs immune cells’ ability to respond to a threat. Hypothyroidism has become epidemic. According to Isaac Eliaz, MD, nearly 60 million Americans, mostly women, have thyroid issues; most often hypothyroidism. Many of these people are unaware they are hypothyroid, and this includes lots of people who have been assured by doctors that test results indicate that their thyroid function is normal. The standard thyroid test measures thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). It is assumed that if not enough thyroid hormone is being produced, TSH will start going up in an attempt to force the thyroid to produce more. But that’s not always the case. If your TSH test is normal and you still hav…

In honor of Heart Health Month, here are 10 fairly easy things you can do today to support your heart’s health. EAT A RIPE PEACH A study done at Texas A&M found that phenolic compounds in stone fruits (peaches, plums and nectarines) have anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties (diabetes is a risk factor for heart disease) and may also reduce the oxidation of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). These compounds are also antioxidants. Fruits with the deepest colors, at peak ripeness, have the most antioxidants. EAT AN OUNCE OR TWO OF NUTS An analysis of data from almost 120,000 men and women followed up to 30 years found that those who ate the most nuts had the least risk of dying from several diseases, including heart disease. DRIZZLE SOME BALSAMIC VINEGAR ON YOUR SALAD Acetic acid in vinegar has been shown to normalize blood pressure in rats and to inhibit oxidation of cholesterol in humans. EAT BREAKFAST In various studie…

An absolutely critical nutrient for the heart and cardiovascular system is vitamin E. When experimental animals are deprived of vitamin E, they die of heart disease. The two principle roles vitamin E plays in heart health are as an antithrombin, preventing clots inside blood vessels, and as an antioxidant, preventing lipid peroxidation, or oxidation of fats. While vitamin C is our body’s major water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin E is its major fat-soluble antioxidant. Maintaining healthy arteries, free of plaque, is key to maintaining a healthy heart. Plaque forms when cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), which is a type of fat, becomes oxidized. Vitamin E plays an essential role in protecting LDL from such oxidation. Cell membranes are composed primarily of fats. As we age our cell membranes tend to become stiffer, primarily due to oxidation. The blood cells themselves become thicker, which increases blood viscosity and impedes circulation. Vitamin E helps blood cell…

Every summer we warn against using sunscreens. First, sunscreens contain toxic ingredients. Some are better than others, but we haven’t found a single one we’d want to use or recommend. Second, sunscreens are designed to block out the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This prevents sunburn, but it also blocks out many of the sun’s benefits. We’ve been sold a bill of goods on sunlight being dangerous. Sunlight is essential to our health and well-being. While too much sun can give you a sunburn, too much of anything can be harmful. Used intelligently, sunlight is nourishing and energizing. Our bodies convert the sun’s rays into vitamin D. Sunlight increases production of the “happy hormones” that prevent anxiety and depression, it enhances immunity, and increases the oxygen content in our blood. It helps to prevent and reverse cancer. Sunlight has even been shown to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, and to heal wounds and any number of skin diseases. So what is “intelli…

Old man winter is right around the corner. That means most of us will likely be hit by a variety of cold or flu viruses. However, just because we’re exposed to them does not mean we are destined to catch them. In fact, by strengthening our immune system, almost anyone can fight off seasonal viruses. What’s the best thing you can do to boost your body’s defenses? It’s no secret that reliable ol’ vitamin C is our perennial favorite for keeping you healthy in this change of seasons. And for good reason. This essential nutrient works nothing short of a miracle as it pumps antioxidant protection into your body’s cells. In fact, during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, scientist discovered antioxidants such as vitamin C held the key to preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs. And, other studies have shown vitamin C particularly effective at fighting both swine and avian flu. Of course, there is significant research including this study showing vitamin C can reduce ordina…

Most people know that diabetes is a serious disease of high blood sugar that can damage the heart and blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. Fewer know that pre-diabetics develop similar problems. But maybe you’re neither diabetic nor pre-diabetic. You don’t have to worry about high blood sugar, right? Well, maybe you do. Diabetes is currently diagnosed if fasting blood sugar (aka blood glucose) levels reach 126 mg/dL, and pre-diabetes if levels reach 100 mg/dL. But many alternative practitioners like to see their patients maintain levels below 90 mg/dL, or even 85 mg/dL, since research shows damage to body organs and tissues can begin when these levels are exceeded. Do you know your blood sugar level? Since it tends to rise with age, it should be measured periodically. Why is high blood sugar so damaging? Excess sugar in the blood gets converted into triglycerides. These either become fat or they stay in the blood and increase your risk of heart disease. But even more d…

All parents want their children to be healthy. The question is: what’s the most important thing can we do to boost the immunity of our little ones so they stay disease-free? Hands down, our best recommendation is to provide the maximum amount of vitamin C in their daily diet. What makes Vitamin C so special? For starters, vitamin C is a powerful reducing agent, meaning it readily donates electrons to recipient molecules, making it a powerful antioxidant that works to keep disease out of cells in the first place. That’s critically important to the most fragile of us, our children. That’s why we recommend kids get plenty of vitamin C in their diet so seasonal viruses like colds and flus don’t put a damper on school and play. In fact, vitamin C ranks as one of the best defenders against cellular malfunction—the only “real” disease—caused by nutritional deficiencies or toxicity. Studies show that vitamin C can reduce the duration of colds up to 14%. In other words, it can boos…

Because high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke, many doctors are quick to prescribe blood pressure-lowering medications. But there isn’t one that doesn’t have disturbing side effects, and most of the time they’re unnecessary. Eating a good diet that’s high in fruits and vegetables and low-to-moderate in carbohydrates; taking heart-healthy supplements like CoQ10, vitamin E, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, garlic, hawthorn, taurine and curcumin; making sure you get 8 glasses of pure water a day; minimizing salt intake; learning to manage stress; losing weight if you’re overweight; and regular exercise will all help to lower your blood pressure if it’s over the ideal 120/80 or below. But scientists are wondering if particular foods may also help. It started when a study done at Queen Mary University in London, England, found that drinking a little over 8 ounces of beet juice decreased systolic blood pressure by about 5 points. Systolic blood pressure is th…

Given the public health crisis sugar is causing, as well as widespread sugar addiction, we’re not big fans of sweet treats. For an unjaded palate, fruits and the sweeter vegetables like red peppers, carrots and beets, eaten in moderation, provide plenty of sweetness, while even the healthier sweets, like raw honey and dried fruits, cause unfavorable blood sugar swings and can all too often easily revive a dormant sugar addiction. Artificial sweeteners are toxic, as we’ve written about before in Newsclips and articles, and of the “natural” sweeteners available, such as agave, Monk fruit and stevia, Raymond Francis has approved only one stevia product: BetterStevia Organic Extract Powder from NOW. (Note: He had previously approved KAL Stevia, but withdrew his approval when they began adding maltodextrin to their product.) However sweets are such a huge part of the holidays, and when prepared in a low-glycemic way and eaten occasionally, they do little harm. Watch how they affect y…

It’s flu season again, but you don’t need to get caught by a cold or the flu. The truth is, healthy people don’t get colds. Many people in traditional healthy cultures live well past a hundred without getting a single cold. Here’s what you need to do: Build your immunity daily with the Beyond Health Wellness Kit appropriate for you (call our office at 800-250-3063 if you don’t know which one to take), 8-10 glasses of pure water, exercise that produces a sweat (and/or take regular saunas), and a good, sugar-free, alkalinizing diet. Get your vitamin D levels tested; if they aren’t in the high-normal range, include 1-2 capsules of Beyond Health vitamin D3 in your daily supplement program and retest every 3 months until they are. Minimize stress, avoid allergens (they tax the immune system), and try to get a good night’s sleep every night. This should keep your immunity in tip-top shape—ready to throw off any viruses that come its way. However, because life isn’t perfect, and neit…

You eat a good diet with no sugar, take your supplements and probiotics, get enough sleep, and avoid toxins, but you’re still getting colds. What gives? Well you may be neglecting a crucial factor: exercise. Exercise is critical to the proper functioning of part of your immune system, the lymphatic system. You probably haven’t given much thought to your lymphatic system. Most people don’t even know exactly what it is. The lymphatic system is a network of vessels similar to the network of veins and arteries that make up the circulatory system, however its vessels carry a fluid called lymph. Like blood, lymph delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues and cells, but the lymph vessels function primarily as the body’s drainage system. Waste products from cells and tissues are drawn into the lymph, which the lymph vessels carry to various “lymph nodes.” Here, immune cells destroy foreign particles, including infectious organisms like bacteria and viruses as well as environmental toxi…

Whether it’s having friends over to watch the Super Bowl or making your sweetheart feel special on Valentine’s Day, there’s a tendency to equate good times and feeling good with unhealthy food choices. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Although we live in an imperfect world and our choices aren’t always going to be ideal, the truth is our health is the result of the sum total of all the choices we make every day. So why not plan healthier choices for these two events? Watching the Super Bowl can be a time when the excitement and aggressive energy of watching two teams compete translates into compulsively and mindlessly chomping through bowls of potato chips and other high-calorie/low-nutrient snacks. But although you may be identifying with the guys battling it out on the field, they’re the ones burning up the calories, not you! If you’re in charge of food for the group, limit the amount given to each guest and make it healthy. A good-sized bowl of cut up raw vegetables wi…

We all know that physical fitness is a good thing. Fitness is associated with heart and lung health, good blood sugar control, and a longer, more productive and enjoyable life. But what does it actually mean, and what do you have to do to get and stay fit? Although some definitions of fitness also include muscle strength, flexibility and body composition, fitness usually refers to cardiovascular fitness, or aerobic capacity—the ability of your heart, lungs and circulatory system to supply oxygen-rich blood to muscles and organs and remove metabolic waste products during exercise. You can assess your own aerobic capacity to some extent by how winded you get climbing stairs, lifting heavy packages or running for a bus. A more scientific home test is given here. You can also go to a clinic or health spa and have it measured by exercising as hard and long as you can on a treadmill while your heart rate and breathing capacity are measured. According to studies done at the Cooper Inst…

Necessary for the function of more than 300 different enzymes, zinc is “essential for virtually all processes in the human body.” But even though Mother Nature wisely put a little zinc into most foods, it’s still easy to come up short. Known as the cold-fighting mineral, zinc is needed for every aspect of immune function. Zinc is also used in the synthesis and function of DNA and RNA, making it essential for reproduction and growth. It’s needed for neurological, eye, and heart health, and for healthy bones and glucose metabolism. Vitamin A can’t function without it. Zinc reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, supports detoxification, and plays roles in digestion, metabolism and protein synthesis. But like other minerals, zinc is significantly depleted in US soils: A carrot today may have 95% less zinc than a carrot grown sixty years ago. Phosphate fertilizers and sewage sludge used in conventional agriculture are also highly contaminated with cadmium, which competes with zin…

High blood pressure is known as a silent killer. You can have it for years without getting any symptoms until you experience a fatal heart attack. But there is another silent killer: kidney disease. Given the many priorities already on your plate, you probably haven’t given much thought to your kidneys. But since March 10 has been named World Kidney Day (and March, National Kidney Month), we’d like to draw your attention to kidney health if only for a couple of minutes. According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), more than 26 million Americans have kidney disease, and most of them don’t know it. By the time you experience clear symptoms, your kidneys may already be shot necessitating dialysis for the rest of your life . . . which may not be that long. Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the US. Even before symptoms of kidney disease are evident, the disease significantly raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis and anemia. A simple urine or…

Nutrition experts at Tufts University say the average American consumes about 30 teaspoons of “added sugar” (that is, sugar not found naturally in food) a day. That’s a heck of a lot if you believe, as we do, that refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are deadly metabolic poisons, and just 2 teaspoons of them throws your body into biochemical chaos for several hours. Or that honey and other natural sweeteners aren’t a whole lot better and should be used sparingly. Although the sugar industry keeps trying to convince the government and consumers that any form of sugar is safe in any amount, they’re fighting a losing battle. The science saying otherwise has become so overwhelming that even the conservative American Heart Association now agrees that added sugar is implicated in obesity, high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. They recommend no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day for women and 9 for men. Last year, government Dietary Guidelin…

Perhaps you’ve been pleased with how you’ve been eating. You’re following Raymond Francis’s book, Never Be Fat Again, eating a nutrient dense diet, taking good supplements, avoiding toxins and exercising. You’ve given up counting calories and diets that made you feel deprived, stressed and irritable, and you’re quite happy losing weight slowly but steadily.  You’re feeling like you’ve finally got a handle on this thing called food. Then it happens. At the Farmers Market you’re hungrier than you anticipated. A baker there sells organic, gluten-free, whole grain muffins.  Although carbohydrates are a problem area for you, you’ve had these particular muffins before without difficulty, so you eat one, and it hits the spot. Back home you get a distressing phone call from a friend that makes you feel anxious. Making lunch, you add wild rice to your chicken-vegetable soup.  You mean to add only half a cup, but end up adding a cup and a half. After finishing the soup you’…