Welcome

I hope you enjoy and find my blog useful. Please feel free to link, comment, or give your advice. Make yourself at home and come back daily as I will be updating daily.
Grace and Peace,
Ed
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I'm a 54 year old Husband, Father of Four Daughters, Pastor and Vice Principal of a private K-12 school on Long Island.

Monday, March 31, 2008

REAL WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION IN SECONDS!

Now you can get guaranteed real whole food nutrition in just seconds a day! The Feast saves you time, effort and money! The Feast saves you time and effort! These days it's not an easy chore to go to the produce market and buy fresh produce daily or at least bi-weekly. Then we have to get it home, store it, wash it, prepare it, eat it, and clean up afterwards! The Feast comes directly to your home ready to mix in the handy shaker cup with 4 ounces of water and drink.

With the Feast you know you're getting the widest spectrum of produce, grown in ideal conditions and picked at the peak of perfection. It is then rushed to the processing plant to be dried using Uri's unique and proprietary Insta-Fresh process which seals in all of the live factors of the produce so it comes to you ready to mix and enjoy.

The Feast also saves you money! At about $1 per serving the Feast provides you the equivalent of 4 servings of fruit and vegetables. Half of most people's daily requirement! What can we get for $1 today in the supermarket? In fact each jar of the Feast has the equivalent of 40lbs of fresh organically grown fruits and vegetables!

Picture yourself getting instant, great tasting benefits of fresh, organic and naturally grown, nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, greens, berries, seeds, nuts and sprouts with NO shopping, NO cleaning, NO peeling, NO chopping, NO cooking, NO juicing, NO storing, NO clean-up and NO waste! And, at a fraction of the cost!

Try a NO risk sample of the Feast today! You'll be glad you did!


Grace and Peace,
Ed

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Recalls Continue!

This looks to be a large recall. In yesterday's blog I discussed the large recall of Cantaloupe due to the farmers strike in South America. Today my mail box is FULL with other recalls due to this situation. What a shame! Cantaloupe not only tastes great but is a better source of vitamin C than oranges!

Bounty Fresh, LLC. Recalls Cantaloupe Because of Possible Health Risk (March 27)Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:25:00 -0500
The recalled product was distributed nationwide to wholesalers and grocery stores. Whole cantaloupe fruits subject to this recall are packed three melons in a sleeve under the brand "Chestnut Hill Farms" and one melon per sleeve under the "Perfect Melon" brand. Individual melons are not labeled, but sleeves contain tags that say either "Perfect Melon" (one count) or "Chestnut Hill Farms" (3 count). Whole cantaloupe fruits subject to this recall were sold in boxes marked with the following text: "Cantaloupe, "Chestnut Hill Farms" (3 count) or "Perfect Melon" (one count), Produce of Honduras, Grown, Packed and Shipped by Agropecuaria Montelibano, San Lorenzo, Valle, Honduras". All boxes also contain the Chestnut Hill Farms logo.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. Recalls Whole Cantaloupes Grown by Agropecuaria Montelibano, Honduras, Due to Possible Health Risk (March 27)Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:48:00 -0500
Chiquita Brands International, Inc. today announced a voluntary recall of cantaloupes grown, packed and shipped by an independent third-party grower, Agropecuaria Montelibano in Honduras. The product was distributed to customers nationwide and is being recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Spokane Produce Recalls Cut Cantaloupe Products Because of Possible Product Risk (March 28)Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:06:00 -0500
Spokane Produce, Inc. of Spokane, Washington is recalling Garden Patch, Yokes, and Rosauers Classic labels of various products of fresh cut and cut fruits containing cantaloupe, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Voluntary Recall on Honduran Cantaloupes Due to Potential Health Concerns (March 28)Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:59:00 -0500
Dole Fresh Fruit Company, a subsidiary of Dole Food Company, Inc., has voluntarily recalled all Honduran Cantaloupes grown, packed and shipped by an independent third-party grower, Agropecuaria Montelibano of San Lorenzo Valle, Honduras.

As a country we must diligently keep watch over our food supply! The more dependant we become on imported produce the more we expose our families to the risk of food borne illness. I believe that not only is supporting local farmers good for buisness and our economy, not only is it the most great chef's design and build their recipies but it is the only way of controlling our food supply!

Grow as much as you can personally. I have grown all sorts of produce in pots here in the Northeast and been very successful. Delicious, healthy, fresh organic produce and herbs picked at their perfection. Tasty and safe! What you can't grow, buy locally. All throughout the US local farmers have stands where you can take home something just taken from the garden. You know the land and sometimes the farmer himself.

And to insure you're getting a variety of fresh, organic produce each and every day take "THE FEAST"! It's the only live whole food-based nutritional product on the planet that delivers a full, synergistic spectrum of over 176 all natural organic fruits, berries, vegetables, super greens, seeds, nuts and sprouts! All backed by a 90 day Unconditional Guarantee. For $1 a serving it's the best tasting most convenient way to insure your family the nutrition they need! Try a sample today!

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Friday, March 28, 2008

The Danger in our Food Supply

As a safety precaution for my family I subscribe to the FDA Recall e-mail notification system. It notifies us of any recalls done by the FDA and why they are doing them. You can subscribe for yourself at http://www.fda.gov/ .

This release came in my e-mail yesterday and shows a major problem with our food supply. The safety of our food supply and it's importance to our health cannot be understated. As we continue to outsource our farming to countries with unstable governments and economies we put ourselves in greater risk of outbreaks of food poisoning.

Simply Fresh Fruit Announces Nationwide Recall of Some Fresh Cut Fruit Products Containing Cantaloupe Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
Contact:Simply Fresh Fruit(323) 586-0000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Los Angeles, California -- March 27, 2008 --- Simply Fresh Fruit, of Los Angeles, California is recalling selected fresh cut fruit products which may contain cantaloupe which has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. On March 26, 2008, Simply Fresh was requested by its supplier, Tropifresh, Inc to recall products produced with cantaloupe from Agropecuaria Montelibano. Simply Fresh had begun to recover this product earlier, on March 24, based on a notice published By the U.S. FDA.

The products being recalled include: Simply Fresh Fruit Brand food service Fruit Mix in Syrup products dated “sell by 4 – 18 08” or earlier, food service Cantaloupe Chunks in Syrup products dated “sell by 4 – 08 8” or earlier, and retail and club store Simply Fresh, Fresh Cut Fruit Brand containing cantaloupe dated “sell by 3 – 29 8”or earlier. Retail and club store products involved were removed from sale prior to Monday, March 24. Foodservice distributors who sell their own brand, have been notified, and are recalling the products involved. Foodservice products are packed in plastic pails or jars, and retail products are packed in plastic trays.

Symptoms of food borne Salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.

Ok, Simply Fresh??? From Agropecuaria Montelbano??? This is in Argentina! Do you know what the condition of farming and produce processing and shipping is in Argentina right now? The farmers are striking against the government due to various labor problems. It is the largest agricultural stike there in 30 years. What does that mean to our "fresh produce"? Salmonella. If you'd like further info on the strike in Argentina go to http://www.diarioel9dejulio.com.ar/index.php and if you can't read Spanish Google does translation.

Again unless we begin to value the farmers this will continue to happen! And, unless you know where your food is coming from and how it's grown and processed you put your family at risk of food poisoning. So, grow what you can. Grow it organically. Eat it fresh. Eat it raw. Support the farmers. They are producing the real medicines our body needs. Help them to do it organically by lobbying for subsidizing organic farming practices.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Enjoy "The Feast" daily! Check the label organic and certified organic produce only! No artificial anything! Low temperature processing keeping the integrity of live enzymes and probiotics! Best natural health and energy drink in the world today! Try it for 3 months risk free!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Eat Well On The Run!


Are you always on the run? Do you never seem to have quite enough time in the day? Lack of time can be a major reason why many people give up eating right, but you don't have to. In fact, healthy eating is more important than ever when you're trying to keep up with a hectic schedule!

A good diet helps your body withstand stress better. But as you're hustling through your day, you're probably not thinking about making your next meal a healthy one. The following tips can help you eat well when you're dinning in or out.

In Restaurants:
Tempting menus, large portions, and festive atmospheres make it easy to skip healthy eating. Splurging once in awhile is okay, but you'll begin to pack on pounds if you make it a habit. Be smart when you eat out!

Choose restaurants wisely. Restaurants that offer a variety of foods are a good choice. Try going Asian or vegetarian. They will give you a lot of tasty options. Be careful at the all-you-can-eat buffets! Have a big salad with low fat dressing and a soup first.

Pass on the bread and butter, useless carbs and fat!
Drink water before going to the restaurant not during your meal...fluids may hinder digestion when eating.
Order soup made with broth rather than cream to reduce the fat.
Get your salad dressing, gravies and sauces on the side so you can control the portion.
Opt for raw, steamed, poached, broiled, baked, grilled, roasted, stir-fried, or lightly sauteed foods. The less heat applied to your foods the better!

If the restaurant servings are large, and most are, split it or immediately doggy-bag half your meal for the next day. Eat the same portions out that you do at home.
Opt for fresh fruit for dessert.
Order a la carte. It might cost more, but your portions are likely to be smaller and you have a better chance of getting just what you want, the way you want it, healthy!

Feeling like eating out is no fun? Don't overwhelm yourself by taking on these tips all at once – every time you visit a restaurant pick one or two of the options and enjoy your meal. If you do it often enough, before you know it they will be habits rather than options you feel you have to take.

In Airports
Airports can be stressful places. But don't scrap your diet because of it. Eat because you're hungry, not because you're stressed, bored, or trying to kill time. If you're anxious or have time to spare, take a walk. Airports usually have plenty of room for a brisk jaunt. Bring your own food if you don't want to eat fast food. Some fruit, raw vegetables, healthy granola bar, or cut-up cheese can ward off those unwanted calories while satisfying your hunger. Bring some packets of "THE FEAST" and your URI shaker cup and enjoy a refreshing nutritional boost!

In Fast Food Places
If you find your only option is fast food, check out different menus – some fast food places have healthier choices than others. Most serve high carb, high fat (comfort food...what a phrase!). Don't be afraid to ask the manager for the restaurant's nutritional information sheet – most fast food places have them posted and pamphlets available upon request. Remember, an informed customer is a healthier customer.

Watch portion sizes – no need to supersize.
Seek out deli-style fast food, they make it the way you want it – healthy.
Trade in the fries for healthier options – side salad (dressing on the side), fruit cup or veggies.
Chicken isn't always the healthiest choice – get grilled vs. fried and breaded.
Hold the mayo.
Drink water or diet soda vs. regular soda.
Be careful with salads – the dressing, bacon bits and shells they come in could mean lots of extra calories!
Skip the milk shakes.

In Your Office or Car
I keep a spare shaker cup in my car and office with packets of "The Feast" to feast on when I need a nutritional boost or am feeling hungry. If you only have 15 minutes for lunch between meetings, don't ransack the snack machine. Be ready for a quick meal or snack by stocking your office or car with a few other staples:
Bottled water
Soup or oatmeal if you have a microwave at the office
Raisins, apricots, or other dried fruits
Protein powder
Nuts and healthy trail mix
Healthy granola bars
Pack a nutritious lunch of raw vegetables and chicken or turkey in the morning and bring it with you to work it will save you money, time and provide better nutrition .

In Your Home
Mornings and evenings are especially busy times in many homes today. Making time to eat well can be a real challenge. Don't run out the door without breakfast. I start each day with a delicious shake with soy milk or low fat yogurt, a scoop each of "THE FEAST SUPERCHARGED", "BEYOND BERRIES", and designer protein powder. It satisfies me and gets my day off to a great nutritional start!

Sometimes we slip up. We overeat or pick less healthy foods because they sound good, we're stressed, or we just feel like it. Healthy eating is a lifelong goal. If one meal isn't healthy, make sure the next one is. If you overdo it one day, eat less the following day. And don't forget to work at physical activity. At least 30 minutes, five or more times a week, can help you maintain your weight and health.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Where do you get your energy from?

With the craze of energy drinks, pills and potions these days it seems that we are lacking something in our daily experience that is leaving us drained and tired. Granted the stress level has increased over the years but not to the point where unless we have a cup of coffee or a 5 hour energy drink we won't make it through the day.
I believe that unless there is some kind of health condition you should have sufficient energy to get through the day without the use of stimulants or extra B vitamins. The problem for the average healthy person is not that they NEED an energy supplement but a lifestyle that produces and sustains energy!

The first is diet. Energy is supposed to come from the food we eat. If we eat the right amount of the right foods that will provide a good foundation for nutrition while fueling our bodies with the nutrients that it needs to provide proper energy levels. So watch what, when and how you eat. A diet that is rich in organic whole foods, complex carbohydrates, lean sources of protein and good lipids is the starting place for good health and nutrition. You are what you eat.

Next is a proper exercise regime. Again, nothing fancy, just a regular routine of some aerobic, anaerobic and stretching exercises done 3-5 days a week. This keeps the body functioning at peak levels. It also increases energy levels throughout the day, reduces the effects of stress on the body and even wards off depression a leading cause of fatigue. Use it or lose it.

As I wrote in prior posts, sleep is a critical component to health and fitness. Sleep gives our body and brain the time it needs to repair, restore and rejuvenate. Studies show that you should get 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each day. Sleep deprivation can lead to several health problems like obesity, depression and obviously the lack of energy when you need it.

Stress and competition has increased the load on the body and mind and can drain a person of energy if not properly managed. The goal is not to eliminate stress and competition as they are great motivators and help us achieve our goals. The goal is to monitor and manage them especially if we are feeling tired and weak on a regular basis.
Let's not be so quick to try to find "the answer" to our lack of energy or focus in a pill or drink. Let's look at the factors above first and make sure that we are doing the best we can in these areas and if the problem persists, see a medical professional for testing.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Monday, March 24, 2008

Make Money From Home PT/FT


Uri International provides a unique opportunity to make long lasting income from home. For a $10 investment you can start your own home business. Uri provides great supplements at affordable prices and they even support you with three (3) websites to promote and manage your business.

I've been taking The Feast, The Feast Supercharged and Beyond Berries for 8 months now and can honestly say that it is without a doubt the most nutritionally sound product on the market today. And for about $1 per serving it is the most affordable!

I started sharing the products and the business opportunity about 6 months ago and the results have been phenomenal! I have 18 people buying and selling Uri Products with me and my income is presently covering the cost of the product for my entire family!

Some things to consider with a business like this is that it only costs a one time fee of $10 to become a distributor! That's right! One Time! $10! Next it gives you the opportunity to generate residual income. You get paid over and over for work done once! Next Uri Grows, Prepares, Packages and Ships for you! You don't have to store products in your home or make deliveries. They even have a call center that will periodically contact your customers with special offers and offer them other products in our line and you get the commission!

Also Uri Life is both a direct marketing business meaning that you simply tell those you work with, shop from, hang out with, etc...the what and why of Uri Products, as well as it being a fully support Internet Business. You can, as I have, go to bed and wake up to find that you have another customer, distributor or prospect in your down line! How exciting!

And because Uri is a Network business you make money and achieve your goals by helping others do the same. So you have people like Brett Rademacher developing systems and providing incredible education and support through the entire process of getting Your Business up and running. Check out this great product and opportunity at Http://www.urilife.com/realfoodforlife

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Saturday, March 22, 2008

The Importance of Exercise! 8 Fitness Facts


Fitness Fact 1. Studies have suggested that walking at a brisk pace for three or more hours a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by 65 percent.


Fitness Fact 2. No matter how poor your current level of fitness, you can start an exercise routine and become fitter and healthier. Even 90-year-old women who use walkers have been shown in studies to benefit from light weight training.

Fitness Fact 3. Simply adding movement into your daily routine can increase your level of fitness. For example, if you park in the last row of the parking lot and walk briskly five minutes each way between your office and your car, walk up and down the stairs at your office during your 10-minute afternoon coffee break, and walk the dog for 10 minutes when you get home, you've racked up 30 minutes of exercise for the day.

Fitness Fact 4. Women with heart disease or arthritis actually experience improved daily function from involvement in various modes of physical activity.

Fitness Fact 5. Fitness consists of four components: your body's ability to use oxygen as a source of energy, which translates into cardiovascular fitness; muscular strength and endurance; flexibility; and body composition.

Fitness Fact 6. To address all the components of fitness, an exercise program needs to include aerobic exercise, which is continuous repetitive movement of large muscle groups that raises your heart rate; weight lifting or strength training; and flexibility exercises or stretching.

Fitness Fact 7. Walking at a brisk pace (a 15-minute mile or 4 mph) burns almost as many calories as jogging for the same distance. The benefit of jogging is that it takes less time to cover the same distance and it benefits the bones; however, it may be too strenuous for some.

Fitness Fact 8. It can take about 12 weeks after starting an exercise program to see measurable changes in your body. However, before 12 weeks, you will notice an increase in your strength and endurance.

Exercise improves your mood.
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down. Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.

Exercise combats chronic diseases.
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise might be the ticket. Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.
And there's more. Regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

Exercise helps you manage your weight.
Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities. This one's a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.

Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular exercise can leave you breathing easier.
Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

Exercise promotes better sleep.
Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day. A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And, you guessed it, exercise is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you — but if you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep.

Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.
Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue. Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise, especially as they get older.

Exercise can be — gasp — fun!
Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical! Exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!

Are you convinced? Good. Start reaping the benefits of physical activity today!

Grace and Peace,
Ed


Thursday, March 20, 2008

Diet For Brain Health


Oooops! I said I was going to write on this two days ago and it slipped my mind! :-) Here is a list of interventions that Dr. Amen has found helpful.

Many people with ADD do better on higher protein, lower "simple" carbohydrate diet.

Protein is found in meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, and beans

Decrease the amounts of simple carbohydrates, such as sugar, corn syrup, honey, candy, white bread, white flour, white rice, potatoes without the skin, white pasta

Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as fruits (oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, kiwi, but not grapes, dates or bananas) and vegetables


Increase the amounts of Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the diet and through supplements. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are found in cold water white fish, such as tuna and salmon, walnuts, Brazil nuts, olive and canola oil

Decrease artificial colors (especially red and yellow) and food additives (nitrites, MSG, aspartame, etc.)

Eliminate caffeine, nicotine

Evening carbohydrates help sleep, but increase weight

Intense aerobic exercise for 20-30 minutes 5-7 times a week

Diagphragmatic breathing - deep breaths in and out, for anger and anxiety control

Proper sleep (7-8 hours)

As I research and write this blog it becomes increasingly clear and obvious that there are a few universal truths about good health, proper nutrition, and productive longevity!

Eliminate or learn to release harmful, unnecessary stress! Good stress motivates, Bad stress deteriorates!

Eat a diet rich in Live, Full Spectrum, Organic Produce, Nuts, Seeds and sprouts.

Consume good sources of lean protein.

Get enough Omega 3's, sleep and a balanced exercise routine consisting of aerobics, strength training and stretching.

Breath deeply and drink plenty of pure filtered water.

Boring, old and VERY, VERY, TRUE! Back to the basics! Back to Nature!
Grace and Peace,
Ed

Superfruits, Super Powers?


Excerpts From the Los Angeles Times
by Emily Sohn

Fruits from faraway lands have been showing up in a growing number of products lately: bottled water, granola, powders, energy bars. With labels that evoke jungles and beaches, most promise to fight cancer, boost immunity and extend your life span, among other benefits. But will a mangosteen a day keep the doctor away any better than an apple can? And is it worth the extra price you'll pay to get ingredients that have crossed oceans to get to you?
If you believe the companies that market these ingredients, the answer is a loud yes. "Innumerable people across the world, including health professionals, have reported astonishing and life-changing health improvements as a result of using Noni," claims the Hilo, Hawaii-based Healing Noni company, which markets juice from the fruit of Morinda citrifolia, an Asian shrub.

Or as the San Clemente-based, açaí-focused Sambazon company puts it: "Say hello to açaí, the fruit that's making believers of world-class athletes and health-conscious people everywhere. Grown in the Amazon rain forest, açaí is truly a gift from Mother Nature."

Nutrition researchers and dietitians aren't so sure. So far, they say, there are no gold-standard-type studies to support the idea that exotic superfruits carry special health benefits. Eating a variety of fresh, colorful produce, they add, does far more good than obsessing over whatever the superfruit of the moment happens to be. And some worry that consumers are too quick to believe in whatever's new and different."I hate that term 'superfruit,' like your [fruit] is somehow wearing the cape," says Jeffrey Blumberg, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston. "There's no evidence that one type of fruit is better for you than any other variety. They're all good."

A handful of complaints in recent years filed by consumer advocacy groups have targeted the vague and overstated claims made by some in the dietary supplement industry, some of which have sparked official grievances and lawsuits. Pom Wonderful gained angry attention from the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in 2005 for advertising that its juice could reduce arterial plaques by as much as 30%, a claim based on a small and limited pilot study.

Exotic superfruit products are the latest addition to the booming popularity of "superfoods," a marketing category that includes antioxidant-rich foods and beverages, such as red wine, dark chocolate, tea and blueberries. And for a growing number of Americans, the lure of the exotic is proving too tempting to resist.

In 2007, sales of goji berry-enhanced products were up nearly 75% from 2006 at natural-food supermarkets, according to SPINS, a natural-products market research firm based in Schaumburg, Ill. Sales of açaí (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee) products grew by more than 50% at natural-food supermarkets. And pomegranate-related sales rose more than 60% -- perhaps no wonder, given the recent sharp growth in pomegranate offerings. A startling 350 new pomegranate beverages were introduced in 2006 alone, according to a spokeswoman at the Los Angeles-based Pom Wonderful company. (Numbers for 2007 aren't yet available.)

Superfruit companies are funneling millions of dollars into research aimed at proving that yes, the secret to longevity is a refreshingly exotic sip away. And the scientists they fund, based at major research institutions, are turning up evidence to support the health benefits of their power foods -- showing, for example, that mushed-up açaí can pummel free radicals in test tubes, and that goji berry extracts slow the growth of human cancer cells in Petri dishes. It is only a matter of time, the companies say, before Western science catches up to a long history of traditional medicinal use in remote rain forests and mountain villages.

It's about antioxidants which can now be measured and standardized using a scientific measure called ORAC Value. Most superfoods get their "super" label from antioxidants, molecules that fight free radicals. These cell-damaging chemicals emerge from nearly everything our bodies do that involves oxygen, including digesting and breathing. Our cells make some antioxidant defenses on their own, but plants make far more. The theory is that eating antioxidant-rich plants gives us extra help in battling our own free radicals.

There are many thousands of plant-based antioxidants, called phytochemicals, and these compounds appear in various combinations in different types of produce. Blueberries, red wine and açaí, for example, are high in anthocyanins. Tea has lots of catechins. Mangosteens are rich in xanthones. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids. Plenty of studies now show that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of chronic disease and might even help us live longer. So, companies that market superfruits often tout the high antioxidant concentrations of their star ingredients. Their findings are sometimes at odds with each other.

A recent issue of Consumer Reports pointed out the health benefits of eating a "rainbow of produce." Even on the face of it, this seems more sensible than a monochrome, all-mauve dietary approach, even if it is the latest thing in Hollywood.

Eating the full rainbow assortment of fresh raw fruits and vegetables on a regular basis—in addition to eating whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes while moderating intake of animal fat, refined flour, sugar, and stimulants—is the key to giving your body the nutrients it needs to build cells right and strengthening your immune and detoxification systems so they can do a better job of fighting off disease and aging!

The Feast offers all the benefits of 30 fruits and berries, 30 Greens and Vegetables, 11 Nuts, Seeds and Sprouts in a delicious, affordable, organic, "Instafresh" juice concentrate! Try a sample now! http://www.urilife.net/realfoodforlife

Grace and Peace,
Ed




Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Organic Vitamins vs Synthetic Vitamins


Is there a difference? Today many respectable people insist that synthetic and natural vitamins have identical molecular and chemical structure. Thus, they insist that synthetic vitamins are just as effective as natural vitamins.

When I talk about natural, organic or whole food supplements, I'm speaking of products that contain the total complex family of micro-nutrients (known and unknown) just as they are found in nature, alive! These micro-nutrients, pro-biotics, live enzymes are indispensable for proper vitamin absorption and maximum utilization. That's the only way you can have optimum nutrition. Synthetic vitamins lack this wonderfully marvelous supporting family.

According to http://www.nutriteam.com/natural.htm , "the difference between synthetic and natural vitamins becomes apparent when viewing their response to a beam of polarized light. The light when passing through a natural vitamin will always bend to the right due to it's molecular rotation. Thus the letter "d" (representing "dextro" which means "right") often appears on labels. However, the same light ray when passing through a synthetic vitamin will split into two parts, one part bending to the right and the other to the left. Because the synthetic vitamin is half "dextro" (right) and half "levo" (left), the letters "dl" often appear on labels at the beginning of the synthetic name.

A synthetic vitamin is like the image in a mirror. It looks like the real thing but doesn't function like the real thing. Half of it will work in the body and the other half won't work as well. Dr. Charles Schneider, Ph.D., professor of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati concluded wisely, "Get the vitamins that say natural. There is a difference. The "dl" (synthetic) will be cheaper, but if you could figure it out per energy unit or per use, the natural one will be cheaper."

Can you afford $1 a day? That's right....each serving of "THE FEAST" is about $1. For a dollar you get the best live whole food product on the planet that delivers a full, synergistic spectrum of:

30 Antioxidant Rich Fruits & Berries

30 Powerful Greens & Vegetables

11 Nutrient Dense Seeds, Nuts & Sprouts

83+ Active Enzymes & Fulvic Minerals

22 Strains of Resilient Living Probiotics

The Feast is the only product on the market that provides a synergistic, all natural, nutritionally balanced, combination of Nature’s most beneficial whole food concentrates, including minerals, enzymes, and probiotics. The Feast is a convenient all-in-one concentrated whole food supplement for today’s active and demanding lifestyles! Feed your body the feast it deserves! The Feast is the one and only concentrated, whole food supplement on the planet that delivers a full, synergistic spectrum of over 176 natural ingredients!

The Feast:

Does not contain isolated, synthetic or inorganic vitamins and minerals.

Dried at temperatures below 100°F. Fresh live whole foods to powder concentrate in seconds.

Non-pasteurized. Preservative free.

More variety, quality and quantity than any other concentrated wholefood supplement.

Nutritious and Delicious! Tastes great!

The most powerful, nutrient dense nutritional product on the market today!

Each serving contains naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, antioxidant compounds, amino acids, enzymes, essential fatty acids, fiber & phytonutrients.

The Feast provides a quality, quantity and variety of ingredients that is superior to synthetic, pasteurized or preserved liquid and pill/tablet supplements.

Our alternative is to eat freshly picked, organic foods, grown in soil that has been re-mineralized, then served raw or slightly cooked, in a way that is as close to their natural form as possible. You would also need to eat whole grain breads/pastas made from flour ground fresh daily. However, few of us can spend our entire day hunting, gathering, and carefully preparing our food!

Thanks again to http://www.nutriteam.com/natural.htm another great site for research on Natural Nutrition!

Grace and Peace,
Ed
Get your 24 page Nutrition News free at http://urilife.net/realfoodforlife/realnutrition
Also request a sample of the Feast and try it for yourself! I did!

Brain Health


I saw a show last night with my wife about the book "Change your Brain, Change your Life. Well, this rings true with me because as a Christian I have learned in the Bible that, as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Prov. 23:7. Also, And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; Eph.4:23. The doctor who wrote the book and was doing the show is:


Daniel G. Amen, MD

Credentials…
Board Certified Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist
Helped pioneer the use of brain SPECT imaging in psychiatry
Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human BehaviorUC, Irvine, School of Medicine
Trained at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC
Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association
Award Winning Researcher, Writer and Teacher
Experience…
25 years of clinical experience
CEO and Medical Director, Amen Clinics, Inc.(4 clinics -- Newport Beach and Fairfield, CA, Tacoma, WA and Reston, VA)
Amen Clinics have world's largest database of brain scans (>40,000)and have seen patients from all 50 states and 62 countries.
Experts in the use of both medication and natural supplements to optimize brain function.
Substance and Passion…
Author of over 30 professional papers, and 22 books, including the NY Times bestseller, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, Healing ADD, Healing Anxiety and Depression, Preventing Alzheimer’s, Making A Good Brain Great, Sex on the Brain and Wired for Success (2009)
Dr. Amen’s high school course, Making A Good Brain Great, on “practical brain science health education” is now in 34 states and 7 countries

Continual Outreach…
PBS Special: Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
Appeared The Today Show, The View, The Early Show, Fox News, CNN, CNN International, Behind the Mind, CNN Headline News, 48 Hours, HBO, America Undercover, Small Town Ecstasy, Discovery Channel News: Inside the Mind of a Killer, MSNBC, Emmy Winning Show "The Truth About Drinking"
His work featured in Newsweek, Parade, USA Today, NY Times, NY Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Allure, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek Japan, MIT Technology, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping
Speaker for National Security Agency, National Science Foundation, Harvard's Learning and the Brain Conference, Supreme Courts of Ohio, Delaware and Wyoming, among many others
Most requested presentations include:Change Your Brain, Change Your Life Healing the Hardware of the SoulMaking A Good Brain Great Sex On The Brain Wired for Success Healing ADD

Wow....a pretty busy guy! Anyway, he made some great points on how to stay "brain healthy". I like that he made the distinction that THE BRAIN IS JUST THE HARDWARE. We must pay special attention to the "software" we use to run our brain and in turn our bodies! Paul said in Phillipians (GREAT SOFTWARE!), Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. The Holy Bible : King James Version. Php 4:8-9

Let's get practical! What are 10 things the Doctor says we can do to "exercise our brains healthy"?

1 - Dedicate yourself to new learning.

2 - Take a class about something new and interesting. (Sounds like the first)

3 - Cross train at work.

4 - Improve your skill at things you already do.

5 - Limit television for kids and adults. (That's for Sure!)

6 - Limit video games.

7 - Join a reading group that keeps you accountable to new learning.

8 - Practice well what you are learning.

9 - Break the routine of your life to stimulate new parts of your brain.

10 - Treat learning problems to help kids and adults stay in school.

Dr. Amen says, "Think of mental exercise as important as diet and physical exercise for keeping both you body and brain strong." I agree that mental health is as important if not more important as physical health. Numbers 1-4 seem almost the same principle just applied to different areas. Numbers 5 and 6 are sure to win awards with the 5-30 year old group! While I agree to monitor and perhaps limit the use of TV and Video games where necessary, there are also some studies that show a benefit to the brain by playing video games and I saw the good Doctor on TV! Numbers 6-9 again seem to just be a variation of number 1. And, as an Educator I believe wholeheartedly with number 10.

This is a principal I learned 30 years ago and it has been the best way of me exercising and giving my mind what it needs to stay healthy and alert, Josh 1:8, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Meditation on God's Word renews and refreshes the mind. It brings wisdom and discernment. It brings peace and guards against depression. It should be a daily practice.

Tomorrow we will focus on Dr. Amen's dietary approach for the brain. Brain food if you will. Come back and feel free to give me a holla!

Grace and Peace,
Ed



Monday, March 17, 2008

The Imprtance of Sleep and Weight Management


My wife and I were watching 60 minutes on CBS last night and they had a very interesting show on the effects of sleep deprivation. While anyone who has been awake, or had severely disturbed sleep, for over 48 hours knows first hand that there are some physical and mental changes that take place, the show had some interesting studies regarding the actual physiology involved when our body is deprived of deep restful sleep for prolonged periods of time.

Most interesting to me was the effect that sleep deprivation has on our weight! Here is an excerpt of an article found at http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/ :

Leptin and Grehlin are hormones that help the body control appetite and weight gain and loss. Leptin suppresses appetite, while Grehlin increases appetite and may prevent a person from losing weight.When lack of sleep becomes a chronic problem, levels of Grehlin increases, causing greater appetite, and levels of Leptin decrease. Regardless of diet and exercise, it's possible that some obesity is caused, or made worse, by sleep deprivation.

If you are experiencing problems sleeping and think your sleeping disorders might be causing you to gain weight, you should consider visiting a doctor, who can discuss ways to help restore your normal sleeping pattern. You may even want to consult a sleep lab for evaluation. There, you will spend the night hooked up to electrodes, which will monitor your brain activity during sleep. The process is painless and may be covered by your insurance.

Regular exercise will improve your quality of sleep, as will reducing or eliminating you intake of alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.If enlarged tonsils are obstructing your airway and causing sleep apnea, the doctor might want to surgically remove the organs. He or she also may prescribe sleep medications to help you sleep through the night. While some newer sleep medications may be used for long-term sleep problems, it's important for you and your doctor to weigh their risks and benefits. Remember to ask your doctor about Melatonin! Getting your sleep problems diagnosed and treated may be the first step in accomplishing your weight loss goals. If you've tried everything to lose weight and nothing seems to be working, don't give up. Lack of sleep may be keeping you from achieving weight loss success.

Another area of great concern to my wife and I was the relationship between sleep deprivation and Type II Diabetes. Here's an article I found at http://www.sciencedaily.com/ :

Science Daily (Jan. 2, 2008) — Suppression of slow-wave sleep in healthy young adults significantly decreases their ability to regulate blood-sugar levels and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, report researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

The researchers studied nine lean, healthy volunteers, five men and four women between the ages of 20 and 31. The subjects spent two consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory, where they went to bed at 11 P.M., slept undisturbed but carefully monitored, and got out of bed 8.5 hours later, at 7:30 A.M.

The same subjects were also studied for three consecutive nights during which they followed identical nighttime routines. During this session, however, when their brain waves indicated that they were drifting into slow-wave sleep they were subtly disturbed by sounds administered through speakers beside the bed.

These sounds were loud enough to disrupt deep sleep but not so loud as to cause a full awakening. This technique enabled the researchers to decrease slow-wave sleep by about 90 percent, shifting the subjects from the onset of deep sleep (stage 3 or 4) to a lighter sleep (stage 2) without altering total sleep time.

"Our system proved quite effective," Tasali said. When asked about the sounds the next morning, study subjects vaguely recalled hearing a noise "three or four times," during the night. Some recalled as many as 10 to 15. On average, however, subjects required about 250-300 interventions each night, fewer the first night but more on subsequent nights as "slow-wave pressure," the body's need for deep sleep, accumulated night after night.

"This decrease in slow-wave sleep resembles the changes in sleep patterns caused by 40 years of aging," Tasali said. Young adults spend 80 to 100 minutes per night in slow-wave sleep, while people over age 60 generally have less than 20 minutes. "In this experiment," she said, "we gave people in their 20s the sleep of those in their 60s."

At the end of each study, the researchers gave intravenous glucose (a sugar solution) to each subject, then took blood samples every few minutes to measure the levels of glucose and insulin, the hormone that controls glucose uptake.

They found that when slow-wave sleep was suppressed for only three nights, young healthy subjects became about 25 percent less sensitive to insulin. As insulin sensitivity decreased, subjects needed more insulin to dispose of the same amount of glucose. But for eight of the nine subjects, insulin secretion did not go up to compensate for reduced effects. The result was a 23 percent increase in blood-glucose levels, comparable to older adults with impaired glucose tolerance.

Those with low baseline levels of slow-wave sleep had the lowest levels after having their sleep patterns disrupted and the greatest decrease in insulin sensitivity.

The alarming rise in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is generally attributed to the epidemic of obesity combined with the aging of the population. "Previous studies from our lab have demonstrated many connections between chronic, partial, sleep deprivation, changes in appetite, metabolic abnormalities, obesity, and diabetes risk," said Van Cauter. "These results solidify those links and add a new wrinkle, the role of poor sleep quality, which is also associated with aging."

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Sunday, March 16, 2008

National Nutrition Month


March is National Nutrition Month! The American Dietetic Association (ADA) is encouraging consumers to look beyond the myths of nutrition, focus on the facts and remember the theme for the month, Nutrition: It's a Matter of Fact.

During National Nutrition Month, created in 1973, the American Dietetic Association promotes healthful eating by providing practical nutrition guidance and focusing attention on making informed food choices and developing sound physical habits. According to registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson, Kerry Neville, it may seem difficult to determine the most healthful eating plan because there are many nutritional myths that people tend to follow as the truth. That's why it's important to focus on information that is based on scientific research.
In response to the need for sound scientific nutrition information Uri International and Brett Rademacher have joined together to produce the Magalog "Real Nutrition News!

Real Nutrition News is a good source of clinical information and has a wealth of scientific studies.

The magazine style report includes informative articles on


The Shocking Truth About "Healthy" Foods, Pg 2


10 Dangerous Ingredients Lurking In Our Foods, Pg 6


Why Cooking Kills and/or Destroys Most Nutrients, Pg8


"Natural" Juices and Energy Drinks Are NOT What You Think, Pg 8


Why Most Store Vitamins Are "Junk" Pg 14


The Best Way To Get Your Daily Vitamins and Minerals Pg 14 and


The Great Synthetic Vitamin Hoax Pg 15


How To Get More Real Whole Food-Based Nutrition in just Seconds a Day Pg17!


For a Limited Time You Can Get A Free Copy at http://urilife.net/realfoodforlife/realnutrition


Grace and Peace,
Ed





Saturday, March 15, 2008

Juice Fasting


What is Juice Fasting?
Juice fasting is a form of detoxification diet where only fruit and vegetable juices are consumed for a certain period of time. Usually, A person will embark on a juice fast for 1 to 7 days. The purpose of juice fasting is to help the body eliminate toxins and to help with weight control. Every second of every day your body is bombarded with toxins. There are toxins in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we consume. There are toxins in the products we use to clean our homes, the clothes we wear, and even in the products we use to shower or bathe.

It is believed that environmental toxins accumulate in the body's eliminative glands and organs. Therefore, there are different types of juice fasting programs that target areas such as the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, skin, brain, immune system, etc.

Juice fasting is also used for spiritual purposes. Many people use juice fasting as an aide in eliminating unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or caffeine addiction. Some people use juice fasting as an alternative health regime. Oftentimes, juice fasting is incorporated with other healing modalities to help combat health problems such as depression, arthritis, chronic pain, autoimmune disease, heart disease, and cancer.

The traditional way to embark on a juice fast requires a juicing machine or "juicer". There are many types of juicers available including manual, battery operated, and electrical. They range in price from $30 to $300 or more.

Also, It is recommended to use only organic fruits and vegetables when juice fasting. Unfortunately, most commercially grown fruits and vegetables contain numerous herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. Therefore, it's crucial to purchase organic fruits and vegetables because the whole point of fasting to eliminate toxins, not put more into the body.

An alternative to the above is to use a product like "THE FEAST". It includes the best combination of Fruits, Berries, Greens, Nuts, Seeds and Sprouts in a convenient all-in-one live concentrated whole food "Instafresh Juice". It is non-pasteurized and preservative free. It also is more affordable, more convenient and provides a wider variety of fresh, live whole produce than can be gotten or even grown locally!

Juice fasting is not for everyone, so it's important to consult with a qualified health professional before embarking on a juice fast. Women who are pregnant or nursing should avoid juice fasting altogether. People with chronic health problems such as diabetes, asthma, low blood sugar
or kidney disease, cancer, colitis, or epilepsy should also avoid juice fasting unless under strict supervision from a qualified health professional.

Juice fasting can interfere with prescription drugs. It is crucial for anyone who is taking prescription medications to consult with a skilled professional to determine if juice fasting is appropriate. Grapefruit juice and pomegranate juice should never be used during a fast when a
person is taking prescription medications because they can increase the effect of drugs in the body. Also acidic fruits like orange and lemon should not be used when juice fasting as they have too much acid and can cause problems with indigestion or worse.

Common side effects of juice fasting include headaches, fatigue, constipation, acne, increased body odor and bad breath. Typically, these side effects are temporary and will disappear once juice fasting is completed.

Not only does juice fasting help eliminate toxic waste from the body, it also provides an abundant supply of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. When juicing whole, fresh fruits and vegetables, you are providing your body with a living fuel that requires no digestive energy. In turn, this gives the body a break and allows it to focus on healing and rejuvenation.

The most important thing to remember is that you should always use fresh organic
fruits and vegetables. Commercially grown produce contains high levels of toxins including herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. If you use commercially grown fruits and vegetables for juice fasting, you are defeating the purpose as you will only be adding more toxins to the body.

While most skins of organically grown fruits and vegetables may be left on, you should remove the skins from pineapples, oranges, papaya, melons, and kiwi fruit. Certain parts of fruits and vegetables should not be juiced including the pits in fruits such as apricots, peaches and cherries. Additionally, citrus peels, apple seeds, tops of root vegetables such as carrots or rhubarb, or
the tough outer skin of bananas, plantains, and avocados should not be juiced.

The best ingredients for a juice fast include: apples, beets, cranberries, carrots, celery, cabbage, kale, pineapple, spinach, and leafy green vegetables. Other common fruits and vegetables used in juice fasting include cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. Root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and yams. Greens such as parsley, kale, chard and dandelion leaf. Herbs such as ginger and wheatgrass. All of which and more are included in "THE FEAST".

Individuals who consume high levels of caffeine are likely to experience severe headaches when embarking on a juice fast. Therefore, it is recommended to gradually decrease caffeine consumption one to two weeks prior to starting a juice fast or use "The Feast Supercharged" which incorporates Guarana, Green Tea Extract, Green Coffee Bean and DMAE.

Oftentimes people who embark on a juice fast will experience skin outbreaks. This is because the skin is the most effective way for the body to eliminate toxins. Typically, these side effects are temporary and will disappear once juice fasting is completed and can also be reduced by "Dry Buffing" the skin daily with a loofah.

The Energetic Jay, "The Juiceman" Kordich tells us about the important health benefits of juicing. He should know. He reportedly cured himself of bladder cancer using an all-juice diet.
Not only did Kordich introduce the American public to juicing through his infomercials, he went on to write "The Juiceman's Power of Juicing", which became number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list with more than two millions copies sold.

The type of juice fast you embark on will depend on what you are trying to achieve. It's a good idea to conduct research via the Internet or visit your local library and check out books on the subject.

For a sample of "The Feast" or "The Feast Supercharged" just go to http://www.urilife.net/realfoodforlife


Grace and Peace,
Ed

Friday, March 14, 2008

Juice Fasting or Juice Feasting


There is a lot of information circulating these days about the benefits of Juice Fasting. In fact the newest term is Juice Feasting. While I am no expert on the subject, I have in times past, and again recently, done several Juice Fasts. Back in the day I used my trusty Vita Mix. Buy it, wash it, cut it up, grind it up, drink it down and clean it up. Whew....a lot of work! Quite expensive! It's almost like a part time job without the income.


Then after always being inspired by Jack Lalanne and seeing he and his wife on TV at 70+ looking fit, alert and in shape I decided to buy a Juice Master juicer. A bit easier to clean and great recipes but the same time consuming ordeal to get good fresh organic produce ready for the juicer. The pulp of the carrot juice made a slamming carrot cake by the way. And the residual of the other fruit and vegetables make for great compost!


Now I use THE FEAST by Uri International. By using THE FEAST I get the benefit of 30 of the most healthy fruits and berries, 30 Super Greens, 11 seeds, nuts and sprouts providing 80+ live active enzymes and fulvic minerals and 23 Live Pro-Biotics in each serving! I would never be able to get the variety or quality of the live whole foods in THE FEAST and all without the effort and with much less expense! I just put water in my URI shaker cup, a few ice cubes and a scoop of THE FEAST and I'm ready to go. All of the benefits of Juicing without the cost, mess and work.


If you choose to Juice Fast be aware that you will be placing your body in a detoxification mode. You will be cleaning out your organs and skin while nourishing them with the nutrients from the juice. Variety is important as is the selection of your produce. I believe it is especially important to use only organically grown produce as this is all you will be giving your body. Also it seems strange to detox using potentially toxic produce that may be laden with chemical fertilizers, accelerators and pesticides.


I use Uri's FEAST and BEYOND BERRIES daily as does my wife and several colleagues. Since doing so our energy and vitality is improved and our weight is being regulated. I can honestly feel the difference. I will be JUICE FEASTING next week and thank God for Uri International's great line of organic whole food products. 52 and feelin like 32! Try to incorporate juicing into your daily lifestyle. You'll be glad you did!


Grace and Peace,

Ed




Wednesday, March 12, 2008

The Importance of Sunshine

The sun is a source of energy for all plants, and indirectly, for all animals. The light and heat from the sun are indispensable to all nature. Sunlight is a basic component from which all life originates, develops, and even heals.
Dr. Jacob Liberman, O.D., Ph.D, warns against looking at the sun directly, or exposing ourselves to it between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., while emphasizing that light is a nutrient for the body. He says people need to be outside in natural light, without sunglasses or sun block, for a minimum of one hour a day.
He believes that warm-white and cool-white fluorescents "should absolutely be avoided." People who cannot get outside regularly should equip their work areas with full-spectrum light fixtures. Those of us who live in the North Eastern part of the United States know this only to well. Lack of direct sunlight can cause depression, vitamin deficiency, loss of bone density and a host of other maladies.
The reason for this post was a show about American Eskimos that live near the North Pole. While their diet consists of plenty of fresh fish they lack good sources of fruit and vegetables and as a result they appear overweight and seem to have a less than desirable lifespan. Also, I can't imagine living in 6 months of darkness! I know how my energy level falls off drastically with a lack of sun and conversly picks up in the summer as I spend as much time as possible at the beach.
If vitamin D3 levels among populations worldwide were increased, 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancers could be prevented each year, according to researchers from the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). This study also examined the dose-response relationship between vitamin D and cancer, and is the first to use satellite measurements of sun and cloud cover in countries where blood serum levels of vitamin D3 were also taken possibly showing the neccesity of sunlight in the proper assimilation of Vitamin D.
Overall, people who lived in the highest solar radiation range (in states like Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, and Texas) had less risk of dying of breast, ovarian, prostate, or colon cancer than those who lived in the lowest range (states like Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Washington) according to a recent Naational Institute of Cancer study.
Vitamin D is essential to the body's assimilation of Calcium which can be directly linked to ostoperosis (the loss of bone density). And the body cannot fully assimilate vitamin D without sunlight!
I wonder how we made it thusfar without sunscreen, sunglasses and coverups. What is the instance of skin cancer in Africa, South America, and other Equator lying countries? Is all the news about the ozone layer and global warming scaring us into unhealthy and unnecessary practices? While almost anything in excess can be dangerous, almost anything in proper moderation can be beneficial. I tend to agree with Dr. Liberman's advice. For optimum health stay out of the sun when it is the strongest 10am - 2pm but get some natural sunlight each and every day possible.
According to the Bible, Genesis 1:3-5 says, And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. The Holy Bible : King James Version. electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. Bellingham WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995, S. Ge 1:3-5.
Interesting that light was the first created thing recorded and that evening starts the day. I believe that's because the darkness was there and God created light in preparation for the creation and maintenance of our beautiful planet and those of us on it.
Grace and Peace,
Ed
PS. To get a 25% discount on the Logos Bible Software I use write me at Rjonodde@aol.com.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

URI International FAQ's


Q
How much of each ingredient is in the Feast or Beyond Berries?
A
All our Uri formulas and blends are proprietary so we do not list amounts of individual ingredients. However the ingredients are listed in the order of quantity (from largest to smallest). Our focus is on the quality, variety and total amount of whole food ingredients in our products. However, the very best thing to do is simply sample or order our products risk free. They speak for themselves.
Q
How do I access the ingredient list for each product on your website?
A
Ingredient information can be found in the products section for each specific product.
Q
Are the 4700 acres of URI’s farms in Utah certified organic?
A
Yes they are. Many of the ingredients in the Feast are certified organic. They are noted by the asterisk (*) on the label.
Q
How long is the shelf life for the Feast and Beyond Berries?
A
The standard shelf life is 2 years, although they are shelf stable beyond that. Each bottle has an expiration date and a batch number.
Q
How long has the product been stored before shipping to distributors?
A
Average is less than 30-40 days.
Q
Are any of the ingredients gathered in the wild?
A
Klamath Lake algae is wild crafted and certified organic.
Q
I understand the drying temperatures vary from 60 to 100 degrees. Why the differences?
A
Our proprietary drying process takes newly harvested, fresh-pressed 34 °F liquid juice to powder within 30 seconds. During this process, the product temperature averages 65 °F. And it never exceeds 100°F which makes it much more stable. This is considered unheard of in the drying industry. It is 85% dry in 14 seconds when the temperature reaches 98°F, and therefore has less exposure to deterioration and degradation of nutrients. All of this is accomplished within hours of harvest.
Q
Doesn’t a temperature of 100°F negatively affect the live enzymes and nutrients?
A
The temperature of our products does not get above 65 degrees until it is 80% dry. Therefore the nutritional compositions are more stabilized and are not as susceptible to heat factors. This results in little degradation of nutritional content. As a low-moisture dry powder, they are very shelf stable. Unlike typical drying processes used in the nutritional supplement industry, the proprietary URI International drying process maintains, rather than compromises, the naturally occurring nutritional content in whole foods. Our unique and proprietary process preserves the nutritional integrity and life force of the fresh produce being dried, which is essential to health and well being.
Q
How is the Feast and Beyond Berries better than the Juice Plus products?
A
Our products provide higher quantity, variety and quality of ingredients at a better value. Better yet, our products DO NOT contain added isolated or synthetic vitamins or minerals. Our consumers will get 5 to 10 times more whole food nutritional compositions and value from URI products as compared to Juice Plus.
Q
Will your nutritional products interact with any of the medications that my doctor has prescribed for me?
A
URI International’s nutritional products are dietary supplements only, and are not intended to replace any treatment prescribed by a qualified health care provider. As such, any time you are considering the use of a dietary supplement with an OTC or prescription drug, we suggest you consult with your nutritionally wise health care provider before doing so.
Q
Can you tell me which products to take for a particular illness?
A
Our products are nutritional supplements, not drugs. They are not represented or to be used as a treatment or cure for any disease. They are designed to help promote good health. Health and medical questions should be directed to your healthcare professional. Information provided by URI International is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician and/or other healthcare professional. You should not use this information for diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions or as a prescription for the treatment of any disease or illness.
Grace and Peace,
Ed

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Which Instafresh Juice is best for Me?

I have been discussing the benefits of many of Uri International's "Instafresh" line of live, whole food drinks and I was thinking that I should take this post to discuss the differences between the three major or flagship products. I'm not going to go through all of the details in this post but give some general advice from my own experience with these three great drinks.

The first and at the core of URI International is "The Feast". The Feast has everything you could want in a health drink. It's great for kids and adults alike. There is one very important consideration though before starting the feast and that is that it contains 11 nuts, seeds and sprouts which may cause an allergic reaction to those with allergies to nuts, seeds or sprouts.

For those unable to enjoy "The Feast" due to allergic reactions to nuts, seeds or sprouts URI has made "Beyond Berries" a super juice without the nuts, seeds or sprouts but with additional amounts of the powerful fruits and berries that are in the feast! In fact, for those of you seeking a super juice with gram for gram THE HIGHEST ORAC value on the market, look no further! "Beyond Berries" is simply the best juice you and your family can drink.

For those of us that are looking for help with weight control or just want some extra energy in the morning or before our workout URI has "The Feast Supercharged". The Feast Supercharged has the same great formula as The Feast but with the addition of 6 supercharged berries, seeds and leaves designed to help naturally increase your energy and reduce food cravings. This product is not recommended for folks with caffeine sensitivity or allergies to nuts, seeds or sprouts.

Remember that ALL URI products are 100% natural, organically grown to the strictest standards for optimal results. Free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers! This farm fresh produce is then preserved using a proprietary low temperature, "Instafresh" Drying Process, that preserves the naturally occurring nutrients of the live whole food ingredients.

I enjoy a shake each morning and afternoon that includes a cup of yogurt or soy milk, a cup of cold water, a scoop of a good protein powder, a scoop of "The Feast Supercharged" and a scoop of "Beyond Berries". Before dinner I enjoy 12 ounces of cold water with a scoop each of "The Feast" and "Beyond Berries" in my URI shaker cup with 3 Ice cubes. Delicious and Refreshing! I am rapidly approaching my ideal weight at 52 years old and feeling great. Honestly, these concentrated juice powders are the best supplements I have ever taken!

Grace and Peace,
Ed
http://www.uriinternational.com/realfoodforlife

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These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. This blog is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. You should consult with your medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise program!

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