In order to return for a second visit and continue treatment with the famous Dr. Richard Schulze you must buy yourself a juicer. At first one might consider this to be a strange requirement. Generally the only necessity before returning to visit your doctor is that you pay your bill! It must be clarified that Dr. Schulze is not your common doctor. He is an herbalist and natural healer of the highest order. Dr. Schulze understands that most of his visitors are there because they are desperate and have come to an alternative healer as a last resort. His patients are generally suffering severely, if not dying, from disease so the first step is to provide their bodies with the elemental nutrients to kick-start the healing process. Hippocrates, the ancient healer, said ¨All diseases begin in the stomach.¨ Wise healers of today interpret Hippocrates’ theory to mean that all disease forms as a result of malnutrition and toxic accumulation in the intestines, leading to a compromised digestive system.

Regardless of the food you choose, if your digestive system cannot properly digest and integrate the food into the systemic biological matrix there is little healing that can take place. Juicing has been proven as an efficient method to introduce nutrients and eliminate toxins. Juicing is also easy and great fun since once you get accustomed to it you can start creating your own blends. When it comes to specific juicers, there is usually debate as to the best brand and the best process used to extract the juice. For example, some juicers completely eliminate all fiber while others include it. I think for someone new to juicing, search for something that makes financial sense for you and that is readily available. Remember that you may have a wider selection of product option if you choose to purchase your juicer via Internet or catalog.

Unfortunately for me, I live in Argentina and can only get my hands on the Oster juicer. Still, this is better than nothing. The idea here is to get juicing, later on you can discuss with others if there is a better product option out there. If available to you, I personally recommend the Solojuice Extractor II. I used to use this extractor over at the Vitamin barn in Malibu and it was a beauty! We used to abuse the poor thing since we had well over 200 customers per day requiring shooters of wheatgrass and ginger. Naturally, it would break down from time to time and require a part to be changed. This product can juice basically any fruit or veggie, extracting up to the last drop without stressing the veggie or fruit through extreme heat or pressure. You can also find this product over at the web page given for the sprout people (www.sproutpeople.org) whom I also mentioned in the last article for their sprouting materials. You can find the Soulojuice Extracter II listed on this website under “Sprouting Supplies” by then clicking on “Juicers.” As a note of caution, if you consume very little fresh fruits and veggies, have digestive complications, are diabetic or suffer from any other glycemic abnormality, or simply are new to juicing, it is highly recommended that you start with small quantities or dilute your juice. This is especially important because most people tend to juice the sweetest fruits and veggies at first since they provide a familiar taste. Apples, beets, carrots, and other sweet fruits and veggies, though potent and extremely healing, lose their fiber when juiced, which effectively eliminates the natural buffer to slow down the glucose uptake, thus not spiking your insulin. When juiced the sugars are then concentrated, particularly the fructose which can be problematic for some people.  As a recommendation, start small, use mostly greens with a small amount of sweet veggies or fruits or dilute with clean water. Also, you can add a teaspoon or more of essential fatty acids (EFAs) to help slow down the intake of the glucose.

Now you can enjoy the power and potency of juice!

Stay tuned for the next indispensable kitchen utensil listed in next month’s issue…

Below Darin explains the significance of hydration and answers your questions:

Q – What is “hydration” and why is it important to health?

A – Hydration is a necessary process required by the body for proper cellular function.  With adequate hydration, the body thrives to transport communicate, deliver, detoxify, illuminate, and electrify.  Without water, life hardens and eventually dies.  With hydration we take on certain properties of the water itself.  We become fluid and flowing.  We are more receptive of change and can comfortably occupy a different space.

Q – How does hydration relate similarly to my personal health and to the planet?

A – All diseases are linked to hydration or lack there of.  Dehydration accelerates fatigue, disease, colds, viruses, flus, decreases detox, decrease vitality, increases inflammation and weight gain, and decreases hormonal balance.  We often attribute these symptoms to other deficiencies or dilemmas, however, even if dehydration is not entirely to blame for these problems, being sufficiently hydrated can help to repress their intensity, duration, or occurrence altogether.  A human being dies after only four days without water.  Living in dehydration is treading water, no pun intended.  Without proper hydration the body finds itself unable to live optimally regardless of any other health practices you might be following.

Q -  How does one improve hydration on a cellular level?  On a whole body level?  On a community level?  On a planet level?

A – Drinking enough clean water will impact the cells first, then the whole body, resulting in a healthier and happier person.  Someone who is strong from good hydration and awareness can and will naturally be attracted to making positive changes in their community and for the planet.  Hydration is essential to all people, regardless of their region, race, ethnicity, religion, or economic class.  If every person on Earth was willing and able to be properly hydrated, think of all that we could accomplish!

Q – Should I not drink water at restaurants because they may use tap or insufficient filtration systems?

A – We have to ask questions when our health and vitality is concerned.  I tend to remain cautious and do not drink water at restaurants.  Drinking water at home before going out to eat may be the best solution.  There are times when we have limited options, however, so being able to improvise is key.  You may choose to order bottled water at restaurants to avoid this problem.

Q – How do I know my water is clean?

A – This is a tough question, though I applaud your interest in educating yourself!  The best way to find out the quality of your water is obviously to test it.  Use a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter or a pH meter.  Ask questions.  Know that distilled water is neutral vacant water.  Technically you can buy distilled water in stores.  Add Himalayan crystal salt, Celtic salt, or sea salt to enrich your water source with essential trace minerals.

Q – What do you think about sea salt?  Is it a “miracle” ingredient as some claim it to be?

A – I do not discriminate amongst healthy clean unprocessed salts.  Himalayan, Celtic, and sea salts all provide essential ingredients.  Unrefined sea salts with 80 plus trace ingredients are certainly a great choice.  It is not always possible to trust the name “sea salt” since not all sources are clean.  I know that Selina Naturally is one good source that has performed adequate testing to ensure the quality of their product.

Q – I spend a lot of time in the ocean during the summer – swimming, surfing, etc.  -  does this affect how my body is hydrated?

A – Yes it does!  In terms of hydration and electromagnetic impact, the ocean is a powerful source for the body, pending its radioactive content.  My experience, like many surfers and sea swimmers, is that I do not need to drink as much water when in the ocean.

Q – How does swimming pool water affect hydration?

A – Unfortunately most pools contain chemicals that are harmful for our bodies.  Pools containing bromine may interfere with iodine, thyroid, and adrenal reception.  Chlorine, commonly found in  pools, affects brain.  By immersing oneself in these chemicals we force the liver to clean these added toxins.  Some people are able to keep a safe, chemical-free pool by using saline or salt water instead of the typical chlorinated cocktail.  Some people pump ozone into their pool which kills unwanted bacteria without harming humans.  Being chemical-free does not mean you have to give up your beloved water recreation and sports!

Don’t like the taste of water? Add an organic slice of lemon, or cucumber, both have an alkalizing effect! Try adding your favorite organic fruit. YUM!

Most slogans have a time and space to impact us, depending on a variety of factors affecting us at any one moment. Usually, however, these catch-phrases pass unperceived through our conscious thought and quickly find their way into our subconscious trash bin. “Make food, not war,”struck a cord with me, partly because it is continuously becoming more apparent that there is little interest in the kitchen. We have become distracted with our daily chores, some of us feeling like we do not have the calling for the kitchen and others simply do not care for it. The result of this estrangement is the near elimination of the kitchen altogether. Though some of us might find it unimportant, I believe the kitchen holds a magical power beyond practical influence on our daily lives. While generally we have come to think of the kitchen just as a room where food is prepared, most of us also have warm memories of the kitchen. Those memories hold a special meaning and have helped to define who we are. If one acknowledges not just the practical uses of the kitchen, but the spiritual moments within the kitchen, it is easy to determine that such a s space is extremely important within the home. Cooking itself has a life of its own. When diaspora brings ethnic groups to new countries or continents, it has been proven that while the language is the first to be lost, food is among the last elements of culture to disappear, if it ever does.

Once I was invited to have dinner at an Italian-American friend’s house. Typically I do not tolerate Italian food well; the starches make me sleepy and overall my body rejects what is served. Though reluctant at first, I agreed to attend. My friend’s father and mother were both fourth generation Italian-Americans, neither of whom spoke Italian. The members of the family long forgot many customs and were not particularly devout followers of the Catholic faith. Yet, to my surprise, I was greeted with an Italian feast! The food was superb and erased all of my assumptions about Italian food as being primarily a redundant simple carbohydrate free-for-all. I did not feel as if Iwas in a fourth generation Italian-American house, as the food seemed to transport us all back in time, especially me. The whole ambiance changed, the food was the nucleus of this gathering and the elements around this nucleus where also just as fascinating. The father took to the head of the table, followed by my friend, the eldest son, to this right, the youngest following him and the mother to the left, when she was not cooking or serving. The way the food was served seemed to have the gallantry and hand coordination of a symphony conductor. Though one was created to feed your ears and the other your stomach, both certainly held the power to feed the soul. Nobody was in a rush to devour the food, as dinner was treated as an experience, not just the consuming of a meal. One moment everyone was carrying on about their own hectic lives and the next everyone was eating in unison, discussing their days with a joke here and there. The father had decided to give me a culture class regarding the magnificence of Italian food. He began by instructing me on the proper pronunciation of the dishes before explaining how they should be prepared and how using fresh ingredients is of the utmost, critical importance. This was how I came to understand Italian food as an exquisite art form. Italians are passionate people. The cultural hand gesturing and patterns of speech are passed from Italian-born parent or grandparent to their children, then to their children’s children, and so forth. American-born generations of Italians carry their ancestor’s passion for all aspects of life, especially food. Through eating a traditional Italian meal, I came to truly understand the power of food and the more than important influence it holds within our social, cultural, and familial structure.
When I was young my my parents provided mostly fresh and homemade ingredients for food. As I grew older, however, my parents worked long hours to raise their four children and we often resorted to fast food as a faster, easier, and more economical choice. Often my siblings and I were received dollars to buy 2 “Whoppers.” To our pre-teen eyes, the Whopper looked like a mountain of a hamburger and we were drawn to the taste and the seductive television commercials that aired during all of our favorite shows. We fell for the propagandist ads and, of course, the collectible toys you could get when you purchased a combo meal.

While eating fast food kept us fed, it did not keep us healthy. My family experienced illness more and more frequently, and although my parents assumed being sick was part of being young and interacting with other kids, our diet would soon come into question. It wasn’t until one Sunday when a small-framed individual walked to the front podium at our church that the answer was made clear. “Don’t you know God does not want you to be sick? You ask for miracles, but then stuff your face with crap, so naturally you are going to feel like crap!” I was very young but even as a kid those words made complete sense. My mother was quick to approach this man whom we learned was named Garavito. She asked for him to come to our home and give us a consultation. He agreed and the first thing Garavito did was head to our kitchen and began tossing things out. I remember the cereal boxes were the first thing to go because, at the time, Frosted Flakes had been my favorite breakfast. He went on until about 80% of our “food” stock was reduced, and though my entire family was somewhat shocked, we simply stood in silent disbelief.
Later in life, as I studied under David Christopher, the son of the famous herbalist Dr. John Christopher, he told us a story of his father. Once he was requested to visit a family which lived deep in the back country, hours away from the nearest town. The family suffered from poor health and given that they were unable to keep up with the farm work in their poor condition, the burden which began as physical was now economical as well. Dr. Christopher made his way to their house to evaluate the situation. He was shocked to discover that despite the fact that he was on a farm, the kitchen was stocked with non-fresh foods. Though Dr. Christopher explained the situation as best he could, the farmer was reluctant to accept diet as a major factor of his ill health. After all, what difference does it make if the corn is fresh or canned? Finally, in a moment of inspiration, Dr. Christopher took a can of food in his hand and looked out the window at a bunch of cows grazing. He asked the farmer how important the cows were to him and his family economy. Needless to say, they were vital and as he looked at these cows mow down the green grass of the prairies he proposed something to the farmer. Dr. Christopher asked for him to eat the grass for 1 week, to which the farmer simply laughed. Additionally, the proposition included that as he and his family ate the grass, they in contrast feed the cows the canned food he and his family typically ate three times per day, every day. The farmer’s facial expression changed and shouted “ ARE YOU CRAZY, IT WILL KILL THEM!” The Dr. looked at him smiling and the farmer understood his earlier point. As my family and I looked at how our kitchen stock was being tossed out. I felt kind of like this farmer, in total disbelief that my favorite ¨food¨ was being scrutinized.

What all these stories have in common is the disassociation all of these characters had with the kitchen. The case of my Italian-American friends was much different in comparison to the farmer’s family and my own. Their constant connection to the kitchen maintained part of their heritage and added a down-shift to their accelerated lifestyles. As Michael Polland explains in his lectures and quite often points out in his book, food and the relationship we have with food presently is being guided by the elites. The elites are the scientists, the FDA, and nutritional gurus who decide what is good for you and then, as an omnipotent dictator, bring down the laws by which all society must abide or else, they say, you are at risk of being malnourished. Culture, however, has guided humans throughout history, before we even knew a vitamin existed or what a makes something a carbohydrate. Culture has always existed and I make strong argument that it should be an important guide in the increasingly complex nutritional landscape. This is where the kitchen can help us reconnect with our roots. I find it intriguing how once you decide to surrender to the experience of cooking, be it for pure need, curiosity, or something else, you tend to gravitate inadvertently, yet almost certainly, to the foods that have been handed down your family lineage for generations. Even Dr. D´adamo tracked down and tested according to your blood type which foods your body recognize as suitable for your specific biochemistry and assimilate better than other foods. These foods would be whatever your ancestors ate in the all the regions of the world they inhabited. This could be a reason why we tend to lean towards what could be considered “comfort foods.”
From a more biochemical perspective, cooking or preparing your own foods assists you in taking full control of your life, after all ¨we are what we eat¨ says the old adage. If we really knew how most of the food we eat was grown, handled, and treated most of us would think twice before eating it. Preparing your own food is the best way to eliminate the middle men who pretend to know what is better for us. When you start doing so, you will find that you reconnect with your body and you begin to understand your body´s needs to custom tailor a proper diet to fit.
Food preparation provides us with the creative tool with which to generate a masterpiece, even if the masterpieces is just a salad. After all, salads are to be ingested by you, so it´s worthwhile to put some love and imagination forth during preparation. Besides the many factors as to why our ancestors and still many people around the world don´t suffer from the chronic obesity epidemic, have you thought of the physical energy that goes into cooking? Food preparation burns plenty of calories. Have you ever tried making a cake by hand? My arm was sore for about two days afterward! There is no doubt that if we implemented preparing our own foods you would burn as many, if not more, calories during the preparation than what we consume, depending on what we eat, of course.
So there are many reasons why food preparation plays a key role in your health. Heribert Watzke talks about the brain in your gut and details how our prehistoric ancestors had to forage for food, many times on the run and not necessarily because they were late picking the kids from soccer practice. Food was scarce so they had to do with whatever they could find. This included foods which, by today’s standards, most of us would not even touch. At the time their digestive system had to be adapted to that unique food landscape. Their stomachs where larger in order to properly digest the rustic foods they encountered. As humans evolved a farming and husbandry system, their digestive systems adapted to not just the foods they domesticated but the ways it was prepared. During their preparation phases, foods usually high in lectins, phytic acid, oxalic acids etc, were transformed to be rendered more easily digestible. Thus the digestive system of our ancient forefathers was reduced in size and became more efficient as a result. Mr. Watzke has transformed an old Latin proverb to say ¨cocos ergo sum¨ which translates to ¨I cook therefore I am.¨

I am certain that nobody will be running to their kitchens ecstatic to start preparing food on solely the basis of reading this article. Most of us have a distant relationship with our kitchens and like with most damaged relationships, healing takes time. Healing also requires a good reason to do it. As humans, we act on the basis of a set of values and what those values permit us to do depends on if we consider something to be important or not. This is the premise by which I would like for each person reading this article to take a moment to consider the following points:

1. Food security – When you delegate food growth, production, and preparation to industries, you will generally find that their greatest interest lay in profit margins. This often results in culture, the environment, and ultimately our health being compromised.
2. Food transparency - When you take the time to purchase, stock, and prepare the foods you and your family consume, you are far more in control of exactly what goes into your mouth (and ultimately your cells). This is something which does not hold true when you purchase pre-made or take out food.

1. Food safety – Once food preparation takes a prominent place on your value list, you will find that the ingredients in your kitchen must be scrutinized. You will begin to realize that not all products are created equally. Quality will promptly be of high regard to you, as such, you will begin to look for the best possible products available within your individual possibilities. The food safety aspects take effect when you consider the options and wisely select locally-grown, seasonal, environmentally-friendly products as a result.
2. Health – The above three points eventually lead to one of the main reasons why over time we have come to consume certain foods and the reason why whole careers such as “nutritionist” have been developed. This reason is that foods are our medicine and healthy foods translate to a healthy individual. The reason I mention this as being one of the possible main reasons, rather than the main reason is because food and food preparation have not always been solely for health reason. Food as health is a more or less new western view of food. In many parts of the world, leisure, fraternizing, negotiating, romance, communion, devotion, even settling disputes are among the various other worthwhile reasons why people prepared and ate the fruits of their labor. Traditionally the emotions that went in to the handling, preparing, and eating of food were also important, often relating to feelings of respect, grace, and love. This influenced the writing of whole food laws which are still practiced in the Islamic and Jewish laws of Halal and Kashrut. It should be noted that when we are driven by proper reasons and with the proper emotion, health is often an imminent result.I make a stand for making food an important part of our daily lives. It all boils down to what we consider important. Our forks are, in truth, the most important tools in helping to shape our mental and geographical landscape. It is in the interest of ourselves that we eat, not in the interest of food manufacturers. The energy we invest in choosing and preparing our food can change our internal and external landscapes. It is your choice to choose wisely!

The idea of friends actually being a positive contribution to health and well being was presented to me via the TED talk presented by Dan Buettner. Buettner is a multi-talented man who traveled the world searching for the common denominators in health promotion.  He traveled to regions in the world he calls ¨blue zones¨ where health, vitality, and longevity, are words which don´t seem to cause awe among society, because they are not the exception, but quite often the norm.  Buettner traveled through about five of these “blue zones” and noted these regions of the world had no similarities to each other in terms of climate, habitat, or environment. In fact, these locations were completely different. Some “blue zones” were in relatively decentralized regions or what most of us would erroneously understand and classify as primitive, mainly because the people do not own Ipads.  Though oddly enough, not all of them were stranded in a time capsule. Some of these ¨blue zones¨ were actually in urban areas in well-populated regions of the world.  Not all healthy societies appear to live in the backwoods. This is intriguing since so often we are nostalgically presented with the idea of communities living in Caucasus mountains, herding goats and sheep, living on raw milk, cheese and yogurt.  Some relatively rural groups do still boast great health, so there is much we can learn from them also.  Still, there is no debate that convincing an American pre-teen to adopt a rural shepherd’s lifestyle would be tricky.

Dan Buettner was able to find several common denominators among the healthy groups in rural and urban spaces. Oddly enough, the one which seemed to make the most sense as to why these communities where able to live to age 100+ and still be functional, physically and mentally, was the social structure. Patterns appear in how these societies organize themselves and how they treated their neighbors, children, elderly and, most importantly, themselves.  Yes, they all ate much better than we do, they were involved in constant physical activity by default, and they had little to no stress. Clearly all of the typical denominators an ¨expert¨ would be quick to point out as the reasons why they live as long and vigorously as they do are also at play.

They all seem to share a fraternizing bond with other members of their communities. In some societies there are even words to define a friendship bond shared among a group. In Okinawa, Japan this word is moai. In reality a moai is not a social friendship group, but rather a cooperative where individuals share a common objective and each member assists each other in achieving this.  We can understand the logic in this, but the moai and what it represents is a world apart, literally and figuratively, of what we can comprehend it to be.  These moai´s quite often are groups of individuals who bond with each other from childhood or adolescence and they maintain this bond, this friendship, for the rest of their lives.  They not only help each other achieve their goals, but are there for them in every aspect, supporting one another emotionally and spiritually, giving meaning to each other’s lives.

Those who have close friends whom they have come to consider as family can understand the degree of importance they have in one’s overall well-being.  They posses a special place in our lives and we share aspects of ourselves with them which we do not share with anyone else. There exists a chemistry which is not physical and yet it is just as important as the way our biochemistry has an affinity for certain foods. We create a different kind of biochemical bond with these foods because they nourish us, similar to how our friends also nourish us.

Now comes the science! I mentioned earlier that independent studies have been carried out to determine the effects of loneliness. Personally I wonder if it is absurd we would have to test and analyze the effects that friends have on us. Yet, I believe it is interesting to have a scientific perspective to validate the effects friends have on our well-being and also to develop a good excuse to make time for our friends.  In any event,

“Social disconnectedness is associated with worse physical health, regardless of whether it prompts feelings of loneliness or a perceived lack of social support,” said study co-author Linda Waite, the Lucy Flower Professor in Sociology at the University of Chicago and a leading expert on aging.

Among the study’s findings:

• The most socially connected older adults are three times as likely to report very good or excellent health compared to those who are least connected, regardless of whether they feel isolated.

• Older adults who feel least isolated are five times as likely to report very good or excellent health as those who feel most isolated, regardless of their actual level of social connectedness.

• Social disconnectedness is not related to mental health unless it brings feelings of loneliness and isolation.

The above cited studies which were done at the University of Chicago, in Illinois, on study participants over the age of 65. Much the same way as when we get older we start feeling all the physical effects of wear and tear from our younger years, this also holds true for our mental and emotional health. In other words, we “reap what we sow.” If we have sowed good friends all along our lives we are likely to reap the benefits of these relationships in our later days.

In a symposium termed “Social Emotion and the Brain,” MRI´s were used to study the connection between perceived social isolation and brain activity.  The research highlighted a response in one part, the ventrum striatum, of the brain which is associated with the reward system and is critical for learning. This was much more active in individuals who did not feel lonely.  The temporoparietal junction—a region associated with taking the perspective of another person—was much less activated among lonely, rather than in the non-lonely participants, when viewing pictures of people in unpleasant settings.  Furthermore, the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center published a study in the February issue of “Archives for General Psychiatry” stating that individuals who are or feel lonely are twice as likely to develop the type of dementia linked to Alzheimer´s.

So why is all this important for most Americans? A study carried out and documented in the 2006 issue of American Sociological Review states that Americans have been losing the quantity and quality of friends since 1985.  Research reveals that 25% of the population have no one to confide in and the number of friends people report to have has shrunk from four to two since 1985.  Science still does not understand to the full extent how friends benefit all aspects of health. Theories have been created to explain this, however, I believe as long as science continues to reduce this study to parts of a whole it will not be able to move beyond speculative theories.  Much the same way we still are light years away from understanding nutrition, health, and food, due to the current reductive practices which do not consider the holistic aspects of food, including how it is grown, handled, transported, prepared, and consumed.

I believe friends are superfoods for our hearts and souls. They are the immune system boost which keeps us going, even when we feel like giving up. They are the best psychologists and when they do not have the proper words to lift you up, they are simply there, and that counts just as much.  In the age of progress, technological advancement, and capitalism, re-humanizing ourselves and taking more time to appreciate that which makes us human should be just as important as making time for cooking, sleeping, or exercising. We can dispute the benefits of certain foods whether they where consumed by proto-humans or not.  We can debate on reverse osmosis or distilled water and question which was drank by a human being 10,000 years ago, yet nobody can debate the existence of friendship throughout history. I leave you with some food for thought from a beautiful song, Ta Moko, from the album 1 Giant Leap:

Ta Moko, One Giant Leap lyric

¨ Some people went around interviewing dying patients,
But not one person said they regretted not making more money or working harder,
They all seemed to say their regrets were not spending more time with the people they loved and not traveling more and relating more to the world and the planet.¨

Resources

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090215151800.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090318113616.htm

http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/jocn.2009.21007

http://pps.sagepub.com/content/4/1/10

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070206095635.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-06-22-friendship_x.htm

http://www.asanet.org/journals/asr/index.cfm

Friendship, social support, and health. 2007 Sias, Patricia M; Bartoo, Heidi. In L’Abate, Luciano (Ed). (2007). Low-cost approaches to promote physical and mental health: Theory, research, and practice. (pp. 455–472). xxii, 526 pp. New York, NY, US: Springer Science + Business Media.

Philippines quickly became a place where we saw much and learned a great deal, yet the significant discovery of the trip would be a three hour flight away. After leaving Philippines, we arrived in the beautiful mystical island of Bali, Indonesia. No member of our team was eager to jump on another plane after the initial long trip across the Pacific Ocean, yet we were all exited at the prospect of what Indonesia might hold. Our contact with our Indonesian friends was quite unusual and a last minute arrangement. Arriving on the island, we were surrounded by a thick air of devotion. As those who have visited this part of the world already know, Balinese people live for ceremonies and this significant part of the culture as well as other aspects of daily life were described to us by our local friend.  We were picked up at the airport at night, still a bit jet lagged, and uncomfortable from the constant movement and lack of rest.  Never-the-less, we were in Bali and we were there to make the most out of it! We were energized by the anticipation of what we might discover and learn in this truly unique location.  At this time all of us where suffering from AC syndrome, which is what happens when one is in a tropical country with 90 plus degree weather and 90% humidity outdoors, yet any car, store, or hotel you enter has the AC turned to the maximum, creating a difference in temperature of about 20 degrees.  This was true in Philippines, as is the norm in many tropical places, and Indonesia was no exception. The temperature extremes resulted in plenty of coughing and stuffed noses, but not enough to drive us off schedule.

The first place we visited was the Cacao fermentation, drying, and storing facilities of our contact.  It was , paradise in every sense of the word. As we were close to arriving at the facility, we could see the beach a couple hundred meters away from the road and Darin was quick to ask “Do they have stand up paddling here?”  We arrived to a group of people greeting us. This contact is sure to treat all employees very well and that positivity shined out from everyone we met, leaving quite an impression on me. A young woman, not older than 30, and a couple males of similar age came close to the vehicles to greet us with the already familiar, “Salamat.” Ben, our contact, and the employees at the cacao facility clearly had more of the relationship of family to one another than simply a boss-employee relationship and we were greeted with similar care as family or friend.

Ben gave an impeccable explanation of all the processes that go on at the facility. One might assume there is not much to it; receive product, sort, ferment, dry, package and store it. In reality there are literally dozens of micro-decisions which must be made and dozens of factors which can alter the processes towards a successful, high-quality end product or a spoiled one.  Ben explained with detail, while Darin and Seth took turns asking questions and we sure had lots of them! The more we asked, the more we learned. The more we realized the various layers of complexity surrounding cacao, the more we came to admire it.  We were each provided with a motorcycle, which was more like a scooter, and we headed up the road to visit a close by cacao plantation.

Once we arrived, Seth smirked and said “We should make a video solely on cacao, since it seems we encounter it wherever we go!¨ These simple words stuck in my mind.  He was right, cacao seems to have taken over any region where it can be cultivated, not to mention it has taken over the palates of billions of people around the world. One funny aspect of life I observe where I live in Argentina is that people often complain about the rise of cost of everything, yet nobody dares to utter a sound against the rise in the price of chocolate.  Such is the impact chocolate has on society, exponentially augmented by studies carried out around the world on its health benefits. In reality it is cacao, not chocolate, which lays claim to those positive effects on health. In fairness to chocolate it depends on the way it is made and the raw materials utilized in its creation which determines the health effects of the product.

Cacao is important not only due to the frequency it can be encountered around the world or its general health benefits, but because of the mystical and historical value of the crop. That is why this article is titled “On the Cacao Trail.” I would like to share some information on the history of cacao, which makes it an even more fascinating superfood, especially for all of you cocoa-holics.

There is still much debate as to whether, cacao, as we know it today, originated in southern Mexico-Central America and made its way down to the Amazon basin or if it traveled in the opposite direction.  In any event, it was the city-state ruled by the civilization we know as the Olmec, which dates back to around 900BC, who started using the product in food and trade and possibly were the first to cultivate it. Even more ancient, there are some documented uses of cacao stretching back a few hundred years before the Olmec empire developed.  Later on, cacao was adopted by the emerging civilizations of the Mayans, Zapotecs, Toltecs, Mixtecs, Totonacs and every other group extending from Meso-America down to the Orinico River and possibly even further down.

Cacao was used primarily as a food, but also as currency and medicine. The leaves were smoked and the white pulp surrounding the bean was used to make an alcoholic beverage.  Allegory tells the story of the plumed serpent God Quetzalcoatl, who decided one day to give wisdom to human beings, by providing them with the food of the Gods known as Cacahuatl (Bitter water).  As a result, he was banned from his land by the God Xpoc for introducing the sacred food of the Gods to men.  We can take this at face value and consider it a fun myth and nothing more, yet recent research has elucidated to the compounds found in cacao which benefit cognitive and emotional well being.  These particular benefits among the many others that Cacao offers to those who consume it and are responsible for why the name “food of the gods” goes beyond your typical botanist’s desire to name their research flora so extravagantly.

The Mayans even had their own deity who governed over kawkaw, as they called it.  His name is Ek Chuah and like the Aztecs,kawkaw was said to be a gift to humanity from the plumed serpent God Kukulkan when it was discovered by the Gods in a mountain along with other foods, worthy for the Mayans to consume. Nearly every household had a cacao tree growing in the back yard, as the fruit had a place in their daily lives as well as in their ceremonial lives.

When Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico around 1519 he was somewhat familiar with the exotic fruit, as his sailor had come across large canoes in the Caribbean which transported cacao pods and other goods.  Upon arriving at the city of Tenochtitlan, he was received as what most believed was the reincarnation and return of their adored god, Quetzalcoatl, by which reason he was offered the same beverage which he brought to mankind, resulting in his expulsion.  This drink was Xcolatl, from where many believe the word “chocolate” is derived. While Cortez was more interested in other sources of wealth, he soon realized the benefits of Xcolatl.  He wrote back to the King of Spain, Charles V describing how drinking a cup of the beverage would give enough energy to his soldiers for them to work all day. So strong was the response and appreciation for the new drink that the Spanish consumed it constantly and it was renowned for it´s aphrodisiac, regenerative, and energetic benefits.  Hernan Cortez urged for European doctors not to come to Mexico since they believed the traditional medicine of the indigenous nations of the Americas to be at par or superior to European treatments.

Another aspect which is of extreme interest to the scientific community is the drink itself, as cacao was rarely consumed alone, it was always blended into foods and, of course, the drink Xcolatl.  There is more to it than simple culinary expression. It is understood that the PEA (Phenylethylamine), one of the many compounds found in cacao which is being revered and exalted by cacao enthusiasts is denatured in the gut by MAO enzymes, meaning the amount that gets into one’s system is minimal and no real effect occurs. The ancients were quite wise, however. They might not have been educated in biochemistry, but they knew of the alchemy that occurred when foods are blended. The blends they used to make Xcolatl as well as other foods and drinks is still found in mainstream dishes, though usually not prepared by the pre-hispanic methods. Of central importance is the compounds found in these other elements which were blended with cacao.  When analyzed they were found to have the MAO-inhibitors required to allow for the proper concentration and uptake of the PEA in to the body, thus allowing for its proper function once consumed.

The beverage gained popularity in Spain where nobles were exclusively consuming the newly discovered beverage, until smuggling and interception of Spanish ships by other European nations brought the knowledge of the cacao bean to these other nations. The cacao beverage began to be consumed in mass, creating a high demand, resulting in these countries growing the tree in their colonies to secure provisions.  This is the reason why the former Portuguese, British, and Dutch colonies we know to be Brazil, Ghana, Indonesia, and the Ivory Coast are among the primary bean producers in the world. At the time cacao was first being cultivated in these colonies, the cacao beverage was still not being consumed in mass by commoners in Spain.  From there it made a quick ascend to prominence and here we are today, enjoying all of the wonderful and some not so wonderful benefits of cacao and its byproducts. Our friend and colleague, Dr. Bernd Neugebauer, told us of a cacao tree he found in the Soconusco region in southern Mexico which probably dates back to pre-hispanic times and it is still giving fruit!

This trip was defined our experience with cacao so far and without a doubt many more stories will follow. Whichever tropical region we explore where there is a wide range of biodiversity, we will most likely find cacao again.  Cacao has become and will continue to be our silent partner around the world as we continue on and find the most amazing, healing, and holistic gifts from nature to share with all of you, our friends.  Blessings.

References

• Beneficial effects of Cocoa in Perivascular Mato Cells of cerebral arterioles in SHR-SP (Izm) Rats. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, vol. 44, p. 142-150, 2009 by T. Mato, M. Kamei, R. Ito, M. Sawano, K. Inokuchi, K. Nakata, A. Yamagushi, T. Kouki, U. Mitsuhashi and M. Mato. [PDF: 1288KB] posted May 4 2009

• Effects of long-term administration of a cocoa polyphenolilc extract (Acticoa powder) on cognitive performances in aged rats. British journal of Nutrition, vol. 100, p.94-101, 2008. by J-F. Bisson, A. Nejdi, P. Rozan, S. Hidalgo, R. Lalonde, and M. Messaoudi. [PDF: 142 KB] posted August 1 2008

• Preventive antioxidant effects of cocoa polyphenolic extract on free radical production and cognitive performances after heat exposure in wistar rats. Journal of food science, vol. 72, p. S203-S206, 2007. by P. Rozan, S. Hidalgo, A. Nejdi, J.F. Bisson, R. Lalonde, and M. Messaoudi. [PDF: 105 KB] posted July 3 2007

• Cacao extracts suppress tryptophan degradation of mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 122, p. 261-267, 2009 by M. Jenny, E. Santer, A. Klein, M. Ledochowski, H. Schennach, F. Ueberall and D. Fuchs. posted May 4 2009

• The medicinal use of chocolate in early North America. Mol. Nutr. Food Res., vol. 52, 13 pp., 2008 by D. Pucciarelli and L. Grivette [PDF: 398] posted September 29 2008

• Repression of cacitonin gene-related peptide expression in trigerminal neurons by a Theobroma cacao extract. Journal of Ethnopharamcology, vol. 115, p. 238-248, 2008 by M.J. Abbey, V.V. Patil, C.V. Vause, P.L. Durham [PDF: 116 KB] posted February 1 2008

• Effect of dark chocolate on plasma epicatechin levels DNA resistance to oxidative stress and total antioxidant activity in healthy subjects. British Journal of Nutrition doi: 10.1017/S0007114509992698, 2009 by A. Spadafranca, C. Martinez Conesa, S. Sirini, G. Testolin. [PDF: 112KB] posted March 1, 2010

• Neuroprotective effect of cocoa flavonoids on in vitro oxidative stress. European Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 48, p. 54-61, 2009 by E. Ramiro-Puig, G. Casadesus, H. Lee, A. McShea, G. Perry, F.J. Perez-Cano, M.A. Smith and M. Castell. [PDF: 340KB] posted February 25 2009

• Brain blood flow and velocity : correlations between magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial doppler. J. Ultrasound Med., vol. 29, p. 1017-1022, 2010 by F. Sorond, N.K. Hollenberg, L.P. Panych, and N.D.L. Fisher. [PDF: 310KB]  posted August 9, 2010

• Theobroma cacao L., the Food of the Gods: A scientific approach beyond myths and claims. Pharmacological Research, vol. 61 (1), pp. 5-13, 2010 by M. Rusconi, A. Conti [PDF: 200KB] posted February 16, 2009

• Flavonoids and brain health: Multiple effects underpinned by common mechanisms. Genes and Nutrition, vol. 4, p. 243-250, 2009 by J.P.E. Spencer [PDF: 574KB] posted February 16, 2010
• http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+hsdb:@term+@rn+64-04-0
• New Chemical Analyses Take Confirmation Back 500 Years and Reveal that the Impetus for Cacao Cultivation was an Alcoholic Beverage”. Penn Museum. Archived from the original on 2007-12-02. http://web.archive.org/web/20071202095415/http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/news/fullrelease.php?which=306. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
• “Chocolate: A Mesoamerican Luxury 250-900 C.E. (A.D.) – Obtaining Cacao”. Field Museum. http://www.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/history_mesoamerican3.html. Retrieved 2 June 2008.

Cacao provides Anandamides an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter, The name is taken from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means “bliss, delight¨  it is important in the regulation of feeding behavior, and the neural generation of motivation and pleasure… read more on the benefits of cacao…

Cacao positive effects on brain, mind, mood and relaxation.

The following points provide information which can serve in determining some of the key points to why cacao is a broad range mood enhancer.  All of the points covered below show independent benefits for each point, while we must consider the synergistic effect that all of them provide together.

• Cacao provides EPA (phenylethylamine) a natural monoamine alkaloid, it is suggested that it can serve as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator.  Similar to amphetamine it releases in the body norephineprine (which underlies the fight-or-flight response, directly increasing heart rate, triggering the release of glucose from energy stores, and increasing blood flow to skeletal muscle. It increases the brain’s oxygen supply) and dopamine (associated with the reward system of the brain, providing feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement to motivate a person proactively to perform certain activities)
• Cacao provides Anandamides an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter, The name is taken from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means “bliss, delight¨  it is important in the regulation of feeding behavior, and the neural generation of motivation and pleasure
• Cacao antioxidant (Resveratrol) helps protect endothelial lignin of the circulatory system while also having Neuroprotective effects: In November 2008, researchers at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University reported that dietary supplementation with resveratrol significantly reduced plaque formation in animal brains In humans it is theorized that oral doses of resveratrol may reduce beta amyloid plaque associated with aging changes in the brain (OPC´s and a broad range of other polyphenols such as catechin, apecatechins, are present and have a positive effect in fighting reactive oxygen species)
• Cacao fatty acid compounds it is a rich source of lipids which can be used by the body for building blocks of elements such as cell membranes, hormones, and neurotransmitters.
• Cacao anti-inflammatory resveratrol also is known to be a potent anti COX2 blocker and decreases arachidonic acid release which is a precursor for pro inflammatory eicosanoids
• Cacao benefits circulation through favoring NO creation, antioxidant benefits, methylxanthines effect on the caridiovascular system and other aspects.
• Cacao benefits gut bacteria biosis, it provides it´s own host of flora which colonized the bean during fermentation.  Flavanol rich foods like cacao have a positive effect on gut bacteria serving as prebiotics as well.
• Cacao provides L-tryptophan a precursor for important neurotransmitter serotonin.

An acidic pH, meaning low in oxygen, is caused by processes which deprive the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  Improper diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions may be responsible for higher pH acidity.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  When not enough electrolyte minerals are found, cells become more acidic.  The effects of having an acidic pH can be extreme.  An acidic balance will decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it’s ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness, creating an environment favorable to fermentation outside the digestive system, causing many extreme and unwanted processes in the body. This favors the overall production of nitric oxide, which is associated to cancer, inflammation and other pathological disturbances.

In American society, diet is typically the culprit for an acidic pH balance.  To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.  As a general rule, one can assume that most fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline-producing, whereas meat, eggs, dairy, artificial sweeteners, and coffee are acid-producing.  It is important to note that the pH of the food and its effect on the body are not necessarily the same.  Some acidic foods, such as lemons, may be acidic before digestion, however they have an alkalinizing affect on the body. This is called pleomorphism. Similarly, meat is alkaline before digestion, but leaves acidic by-products in the body.  Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid in the whole food has an alkalizing effect on the system. For example; lemons are acidic in nature, but when ingested as a whole food, has a very alkalizing effect. This is not the case for isolated vitamin c or ascorbic acid as they are acidic outside as well as inside the body when isolated from the whole food as a supplement.

Adding more alkaline-producing components to a diet and eliminating acid-producing foods is a great idea for those individuals seeking to feel more energized or experience improvement in the strength of their immune system.  Having an understanding of alkalinity and acidity, as well as knowing which foods fall in either category, is one way to start feeling healthier today.  Below is a guideline to help inform your decision to consume or not consume various foods and substances:

Extremely Alkaline

Lemons, watermelon, baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, tangerine, and pineapple.

Alkaline Forming

Cantaloupe, cayenne, celery, dates, figs, kelp, limes, mango, melons, papaya, parsley, seaweeds, seedless grapes (sweet), watercress.

Asparagus, fruit juices, grapes (sweet), kiwifruit, passion fruit, pears (sweet), pineapple, raisins, umeboshi plums, and vegetable juices.

Moderately Alkaline

Apples (sweet), alfalfa sprouts, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), currants, dates, figs (fresh), garlic, grapefruit, grapes (less sweet), guavas, herbs (leafy green), lettuce (leafy green), nectarine, peaches (sweet), pears (less sweet), peas (fresh, sweet), pumpkin (sweet), sea salt (vegetable).

Apples (sour), beans (fresh, green), beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carob, cauliflower, ginger (fresh), grapes (sour), lettuce (pale green), oranges, peaches (less sweet), peas (less sweet), potatoes (with skin), pumpkin (less sweet), raspberries, strawberries, squash, sweet Corn (fresh), turnip, vinegar (apple cider).

Apricots, spices, kambucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.

Slightly Alkaline

Almonds, artichokes (Jerusalem), brussel sprouts, cherries, coconut (fresh), cucumbers, eggplant, honey (raw), leeks, mushrooms, okra, olives (ripe), onions, pickles (homemade), radishes, sea salt, spices, tomatoes (sweet), vinegar (sweet brown rice).

Chestnuts (dry, roasted), egg yolks (soft cooked), essene bread, goat’s milk and whey (raw), mayonnaise (homemade), olive oil, sesame seeds (whole), soy beans (dry), soy cheese, soy milk, sprouted grains, tofu, tomatoes (less sweet), and yeast (nutritional flakes).

Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.

Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods

Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.

Neutral

Butter (fresh, unsalted), cream (fresh, raw), cow’s milk and whey (raw), margarine, oils (except olive), and yogurt (plain).

Very Low Acid Forming Foods

Curry, Kona coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates.

Slightly Acidic

Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, adzuki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.

Moderately Acidic

Bananas (green), barley (rye), blueberries, bran, butter, cereals (unrefined), cheeses, crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), cranberries, dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), dry coconut, egg whites, eggs whole (cooked hard), fructose, goat’s milk (homogenized), honey (pasteurized), ketchup, maple syrup (unprocessed), milk (homogenized).

Molasses (unsulferd and organic), most nuts, mustard, oats (rye, organic), olives (pickled), pasta (whole grain), pastry (whole grain and honey), plums, popcorn (with salt and/or butter), potatoes, prunes, rice (basmati and brown), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), soy sauce, and wheat bread (sprouted organic).

Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.

Extremely Acidic

Artificial sweeteners, beef, beer, breads, brown sugar, carbonated soft drinks, cereals (refined), chocolate, cigarettes and tobacco, coffee, cream of wheat (unrefined), custard (with white sugar), deer, drugs, fish, flour (white, wheat), fruit juices with sugar, jams, jellies, lamb.

Liquor, maple syrup (processed), molasses (sulphured), pasta (white), pastries and cakes from white flour, pickles (commercial), pork, poultry, seafood, sugar (white), table salt (refined and iodized), tea (black), white bread, white vinegar (processed), whole wheat foods, wine, and yogurt (sweetened).

Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.

*Remember that factors other than foods contribute to alkalinity and acidosis.  Drugs and chemicals you may be knowingly or unknowingly exposed to can also influence your pH balance:

Acidifying drugs and chemicals
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Herbicides
Pesticides
Tobacco
**Our minds and emotions also affect our pH balance.  Practices like meditation and prayer are considered alkaline, as are practices of peace, kindness and love.  Alternately, anger, fear, jealousy, stress, and being overworked have an acidifying effect on the body.

Keep this list in mind when making choices in the future.  A healthy pH is vital to healthy life!

We live in a time when trying to be healthy has become a very complex objective.  We are constantly being bombarded by what has become a very lucrative market which is the ¨health food¨ or ¨alternative healing¨ markets, quite often people end up more confused and puzzled, with more questions than answers.  It is no mystery, that we currently in the United States are suffering from an epidemic of preventable diseases which just seem to run rampant.  It is also no mystery that the same patters is starting to become obvious all around the world, primarily in developed countries as they emulate the American way, not just in their living habit but eating as well.    Though it has always been my intent to educate and persuade the general public in taking health in to their own hands and do their own research, the mass media and most concurred sources for information are generally more inclined to be politically or product marketable correct.

Then we are faced with the literally hundredths of techniques, diets, plans and not to mention the ever expanding list of menaces to health, from the already well established stress, environmental hazards, to the new.  The hundredths of new chemicals created for industry´s, all becomes overwhelming and it has been my experience with individuals who are just flustered by all of it.  Needless to say it is also overwhelming to my self when you sit and have to go through all the ever weirder names for diseases and chemicals coupled with plans and techniques from your Atkins diet to your blood type diet and the metabolic diet and so forth.  I could understand the worry emanating from the collective public, given that on the one hand they want to be informed and in the other they don´t want to be lied too and taken for a ride to have them purchase some multi level product, at the same time that they don´t want to be confused even more.

So this is where I decided to make my stance and say what are we do to? There is no space for debating that we are facing a grim future if thing continue the way they are though there is a considerable portion of society making changes to the best of their abilities to change this.  There is no doubt that there are people & organizations who are making an sincere effort to bring about as accurate information as possible with out the need to be financially compensated first and foremost, yet they often get drowned in the pool of multitude of sketchy information.  There is also no debating that we are facing with issues our ancestors even 2 generations ago where not, which could alter our biochemical processes and thus compromise our health.  The real question here is, ¨we have a problem, how do we solve it?¨  When I studied at the School of Natural healing, our teacher David Christopher once stirred our imagination with the following scenario.

¨Imagine the top scientist of the world discovered and created a machine which when you entered it, it could diagnosed with pin point accuracy leaving do doubt what so ever of the diseases or ailment which stricken you.  Imagine this machine also being able to prognosticate exactly what your future holds if left unattended also imagine this machine was able to formulate and concoct the perfect remedy specifically and exclusively for you! Which with out a doubt work every time! Well this machine exists¨

Naturally people would be lined up with bundles of cash wanting to be first or have a try at this miraculous machine right? People would come from all corners of the globe wanting to be blessed by this technology of the Gods.  Well we where all perplexed by the proposition and where surely intrigued at what would follow.  Well we have been thought to think critically but not simply, we have been thought to troubleshoot but to simply look.  Well we had it coming but we where too ¨astute¨ to see it, the answer was simple when David Christopher answered ¨this machine is called THE HUMAN BODY¨ think about it, does it not do these same processes if left to be? Dr. Schulze and David´s father Dr. Christopher said it plain and simple, ¨if you let the body alone simply nourish it and detoxify it, it will do it´s job very efficiently¨ these are men I quote quite often and needless to say they should be not only quoted but emulated as their thoughts resonate with simplicity and a deep understanding of the respect for the wonders of the universe which is compacted in to each one of us.

So it becomes ever so obvious that all of our answers to our questions for the best possible balance of good health, has always been with in us.  The puzzling array of answers of what we should do, eat, think coming from the ¨experts¨ becomes clearer and obvious, when we bring it back to basics using simplicity and observation with nature as our role model and guide.  True that most of our biological sensors have been severely compromised and misdirected when the general food industries don´t play fair by using all sorts of additives which are meant to instigate desire over a realistic biological need.   Never the less we should known better than to eat these kinds of foods, also we should know better than to believe everything they tell us as we are well aware most agencies political or not are really not out to do and say what is in our best interest.  So the objective of this article is to have us start at the beginning, before we jump in to saturating our body with supplements and drinks coming from some unpronounceable mountain range in a even more unpronounceable country, which taken from a broader perspective more individualized perspective might not be such a bad idea depending on the individual and the situation.  However I believe it is wise to assume that most of us did not learn how to swim in the ocean rather we took baby steps clinging to the side of the pool or splashing our feet at the side of the river.  In the same metaphorical way let´s start by splashing our feet on the side of the river, rather than jumping head on with our knowing how to swim, we might hit our head as the water depth might be very shallow if we don´t take precaution first.

So where do we start?  How about the basics? How about by breathing? Mysterious as it might seem, we don´t do enough of it or we don´t do it at all.  Though as elemental and basic as it might seem generally you don´t have any body really talking or discussing about it, we all do it and debatable as it might be we could say it is our primary and most important nutrient, though this debate goes out the window as we all agree with out it we die.  Just as true as the fact that we are all mammals, we are also aerobic organisms, meaning we need oxygen plane and simple, it is fascinating that our body is very efficient in manifesting when we have inhaled more oxygen than required in the form of hyperventilation.  Currently due to the unconscious way we burn up fossil fuel, we have severely depleted the free oxygen levels there are stimates that if nothing changed we would require 2000 years to replenish it at the current rate of photosynthesis.  So what do we do? Well there are many variables, first one is get your self out to a green area such a large park, forest or alike.  If you are smack in the middle of the city and this is not an option, get out to your garden or the garden of a friend better yet create your garden if you don´t have the actual space by having plants in pots, this will surely help the photosynthesis free oxygen contribution.  I heavily recommend practicing yoga, as this is an ancient art form to say the least, which focuses on breathing properly and consciously.  If this is not of your interest, try simply taking 5 minutes a day to consciously inhale deep and exhale all the air out.  Sometimes people claim they exercise and thus oxygenate their body as the routines force them to breath deeply, true enough though it is not the same to as when you are exercising in that moment you are forced to breath deeply in order to oxygenate the muscles faster and eliminate the CO2 residue, thus eliminating fatigue.  When you breath consciously you allow for a more deeper effect to occur, try it find out for your self.  Breathing stimulates lymphatic movement, digestion and elimination of toxins, purifies the blood, stimulates enzyme activity and did I mention it Is required by EVERY cell in your body for oxidative phosphorylation to create ATP (the currency used in the body as energy). When breathing consciously you massage the whole body, breathing also balances the PH in the body as CO2 eliminated if left behind contributes to acidification.  It´s free, it´s easy and it´s vital.

Our second getting back to basis component is water, that good old H2O.  Water is what we are made of and we can say also that after oxygen it is our second most important vital nutrient.  Depending on your age you could be any where from 70-80% water water is vital for Ph balance and enzyme function, you need water to properly metabolize water soluble vitamins.  Culturally, religiously, mythological, traditional over all human history would be un-existent with out water, agriculture for one, among the primary basis for settlement relies exclusively on water in order to obtain a successful yield.  Cities such as Buenos Aires, Chicago, Tokyo, London, Paris, New York, etc. where build next to large bodies of water, which where and are crucial for their development and prosperity.  It seems any other aspect of life we consider besides health we have really done a good job at understanding and more or less managing this precious resource.  Yet in health we are still a couple steps back, it seems to be it is due to the ubiquitousnes and rather simplicity of the product, we just don´t  seem to get it, even though it is right in front of our face.  Usually when people are confronted with the questions of how their life style is going regarding to their health and a health issues is at hand, as you ask how their eating, physical activity they pass with flying colors then when you ask if they are drinking plenty of clean water they usually draw a blank thinking about it.   When we say water, we mean water not fresh fruit, salads, smoothies, juices, coffee, teas, soups, etc. though very worthy and most serve a benign purpose when not abused.  The fact that they are succulent, liquid or watery seems to make the individual think they are consuming enough water, yet even though I don´t have any true basis for saying the following I still think that basic instinct and logic would indicate that even if it was the case of you obtaining enough H2O from consuming these products, still drinking more pure clean water will not hurt you.  It makes sense to me because, if it has ever happen to you that you are sincerely thirsty and you drink a tall glass of pure clean water the feeling is unmatched.  We can go on for ever and books have been written on the true magic and power of water, we need to but think of the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto to appreciate the magic of water.  However as the title to this article states this should be a basic day in and out, it amazes me how people go on almost with out drinking a drop of water, yet they are still alive (barely) this also proves the body´s resiliency.  Now the question would be what water should I drink? Naturally giants like Pepsi and Coca Cola have jumped in to the business of bottle water knowing very well the state of our tap waters, debates have sprung up quite heated ones too, about which water is more alkaline, gets absorbed better, is more charged, detoxified better, and everything from water treated on all sorts of ingenious apparatus from prongs, tubes, pressure to being prayed on by a monk in Japan have come up.  Though I am not against any of these methods and I am sure they offer something unique, at the end of the day they cost more than a month worth of organic food purchasing.  For me personally, a good reverse osmosis filter using a klean kanteen or glass container work just fine, if you truly feel like buying these exotic waters serve their purpose and feel good to you go for it.  How much would the next question usually which comes up, this is not a science simply drink about 1 more glass that what you think you need, it´s water. 

Our next getting back to basic point, is one that usually we never consider and usually I placing my self in front of the line fall to accomplish.  That is proper body posture or alignment, yes you herd correctly, we usually run to the therapist, chiropractor but when it´s too late after have been suffering from pain for a while, all along that while when your body has been begging for you to consciously address the cause.  Well for most people this point might seem like it´s not a basic need, as much as water or oxygen of course not, yet proper alignment/posture is crucial and wise enough you can usually deduct a persons over all well being by observing their body´s alignment and language.  This was something which completely eluded me like most of us, my girlfriend who is a yoga instructor keep on me like a bad cold.  Observing my body´s tendencies to cheat, by re-accommodating it self by leaning, bending, crouching or doing everything possible to do what it was not mend to do, naturally the obvious thing to do after a life of bad posture habits.  Needless to say at 28, I already suffered from scoliosis, knee pain, neck issues, sciatica and so forth, it sound more like the list of an elderly person right? Well most of us have a list as well, though consciously or not, returning to a materialistic unanimated metaphor, imagine a building as time goes on with a bump here and there due to environmental issues.  If this building is in Los Angeles, a couple earthquakes later the structure needs some attending too, other wise well it will collapse, we can all understand this.  Well look at your framework, usually we are all born with a perfect little body, daily life takes a toil on us even from a young age.  Nothing though have really degenerated our framework much like city life has, with yoga, pilates and other methods focusing on various aspects of physical, mental and emotional health on the rise.   Chiropractors, occupational therapists, Kinesiology, and all sorts of other professionals working on the field of body health, reflect the state of the general structural health.  Though most have been cause of unexpected accident, it is not rare to stop the general individual in the street and ask if they suffer from some sort of musculoskeletal issue for the list to start coming out.  Though various aspects could be at play here, usually you can dilute them down to nutrition and alignment, this last one is the day in and out.  How we sit, how we stand, how we walk, when you eat and are crunched up eating as if some one is coming to steal your food you place unnecessary pressure on your gut, thus limiting the digestive process.    Lack of proper alignment also affect another basic aspect of health which is sleeping, faulty alignment also diminishes muscle tone translating to an errant lymphatic flow. Pinched nerves, muscles, errant circulation, joint, tendon aches, the list also can go on here as with the rest of the point of health issues springing up due to the lack of, however with bad alignment, you will find pain is usually the most common symptom.  Observe and be conscious about your posture on every moment, any slack and you will return back to bad habits, the Pilates system was created around creating a state of proper alignment on every waking second, programming the body to accomplish this.  So is yoga, tai chi, chi kung and there are many other methods out there to choose from, yet these classes only last roughly 1 hour after that you are on your own, so be simply aware of your position and make sure to re align as much as possible.  Though this might seem as a daunting task, due to lack of what exactly is right posture, disinterest or simply not caring, I recommend for a good read to purchase the book FRAMEWORK by Dr. Dinubile as he explains in far more detail exactly the do´s and don´t the importance of proper posture.  As mentioned earlier ancestral methods like yoga, tai chi, and not so ancestral like pilates are also great tools to help you along, however at the end of the day it is your true desire to be aware hour to hour to help you achieve in due time the proper posture.

Our next point is one of those, if you lived with your grand parent like I did, they probably drove you crazy over, and that was to chew your food.   Probably memories of long ago or not so long ago come to mind, when we where scrutinized about how we need to chew our food properly.  One might not think much of it and usually we don´t think about it at all with hundredths of other more ¨important¨ things cluttering our heads, when we eat usually we do it as if we are in a race to finish.  Chewing food is the first step towards proper utilization of the myriad of elements found in the food matrix which your body will hopefully use, as an example imagine the first step of any process being compromised or faulty.  The end product as a result, will most likely not be what is expected, it is quite evident that any step in any process is compromised the final product will be compromised, and if the first step starts with the left foot.  Well we can already conclude how things will turn out, there is really not much to discuss here as this is pretty much a no brainer, yet as with the other points one which is usually not applied.   The usually question is how many times do I have to chew my food? Naturally, every one has an opinion and you will ear anything from 10 to 100 and every thing in between, personally I think as many as it takes to liquefy your food just the same way every one is different, the way we walk, talk, etc. Chewing is no different so there is no actual marker which states how many times you should chew your food, let´s all agree we need to chew it, I would say chew it at least 1 more time after you think you had chewed it enough.  This is not a rule, it´s just a recommendation.

Cleansing is to me a basic point, most of us simply deny or elude to which at the end it always cost us dearly.  I again make the comparison, this time on our cars we known if we don´t change the oil, filters in general give it´s maintenance the car will brake down eventually.  Same goes for our bodies, it was odd to me to see my dogs eat grass as most dog owners will attest to, they do so to cleanse themselves.  Most animals have similar behaviors, it is said that the mongoose in India if bitten by a cobra or similar poisonous snake it would run to search for a plant which provides the blood cleansing property to liberate the mongoose from an almost certain death.  Most religions and ancient cultures, promoted fasting, cleanses with herbs, here in the Americas sweat lodges where heavily practices.  Spiritual connection and communion with the great spirit was the main objective, yet they understood also of the biological benefits it brought about, they would usually combined this with jumping in to rivers or in winter rolling on the snow to create a sort of water therapy (hot/cold contrast would heavily stimulate circulation for starters) the same can be said of purifying ceremonies in some culture even prevalent today which go on for weeks.  In the ancient Aztec world, every 52  years cycle of the ceremonial calendar also called a century or ¨calendar round¨ a giant feast would be celebrated yet in this feast purification was the central theme.  Where cakes of tecuitlatl where consumed, this cakes where what we known as spirulina cakes, which where harvested from the local lakes dehydrated and made in to cakes to be consumed around these celebrations with other light, nourishing drinks and foods.  This same story is repeated all around the world, today this is a completely forgotten practice, we pop more pills when in reality we should be pooping more! The body alone creates enough metabolic waste even if you eating the most pristine diet, add to that all the environmental insults especially if you live in a big city.  Our body has it´s elimination routes, yet by today life style standards most are completely plucked or heavily over burden, so a bit of help won´t hurt at all.  There are many ways to go about this, and some will work and suit some individuals and some won´t, yet don´t desists.  The same way you might not like the service they give you at one particular auto shop, you will like the service they give you at another one the point here is you know your car needs the maintenance, exactly the same way your body needs it.

This point is probably one of the most widely discussed, so I won´t go too much in to it, not surprisingly it is whole foods.  Our ancestors where nourished for millennia on them, it is the currency our bodies evolved to know and understand, it is the wisdom of millions of years of evolution or divine wisdom which ever you believe in packed in to those beautiful containers we have come to know as carrots, eggplants, nuts, seeds, etc.  Our digestive systems have evolved responses, mechanisms and methods to properly digest the foods nature has provide us with, in other words it is the carrot not the beta carotene which we should be ingesting.  The symphony of life plays it´s best music when closest to it´s original state meaning, with out any heat, beat or unnecessary treatment.  There is so much literature and so many reasons why to choose whole foods over processed, so no need to expand this point any further, hoping and expecting that we do the right choice as we are what we eat. So are you whole? Or are you heated, beaten, isolated and treated?

I remember when in High school in my English, class as our teacher pointed out the various conflicts which are generally present in novels.  When ¨Man vs Nature¨ was mentioned it some how did not make much sense to me, though there are severe natural disasters, I some how don´t consider nature to be our enemy.  Though today most do, in the way we treat it, would make you think we are out to erase all trace of it, including us along with it.  The next back to basic point is reconnecting with nature, and I don´t mean hugging a tree, though if you must express your self in this manner by all means.  The point here is we used to be in harmony with nature, we can´t say we are today, this would be equivalent as saying we have a relationship with our family and we never contact, talk or assist any family meeting in reality this would be a very strange relationship.  Pretty much this is the same relationship we have with nature, sad as it might be this falling out is what has lead to much of our down fall primarily in health though in many other aspects of our life as well, given that we live in and around nature, realistically speaking we are part of nature.  I guess we can sum up our relationship with nature as it being the reflection of our inner nature, given that our body is made of all the elements we find in the multitude of shapes and forms we see in nature.  So if we mistreat or simply don´t care for a relationship with nature, we pretty much can assume the same is true for our relationship with our own nature.  This is a very personal relationship, so do what comes naturally and what feels good, usually we are selfish and we build relationships only when we get something in return.  So start by planting something, this way you get a flower or a veggie in return, since nature is not selfish and does not care who or to whom, it simply gives, this will start to spark a deeper more sincere will to have a more realistic relationship with nature.  I heavily recommend planting a tree as you see it grow, so will something else grow inside of you, I heavily recommend the writings and teachings of Masanobu Fukuoka.

This is another one of those presumably no brainers, yet again it is one of those the general public has severe issues with.  Various forces are at play either too worried about the next day or having severely disorders which prevents us from have a good night rest.  Yes the next getting back to basic point is sleep, and boy do we need it, most accident either traffic or industrial or simple trip or running in to something are due to lack of sleep and the foggy feeling we have when we are deprived.   There is also not much to discuss here, as we all very well understand and know how important sleep is, though there are also various factors as pointed out previously which can offset the possibility of a good night sleep.  Mattresses are usually blamed on, and opportunistically enough we are lead to believe we need a futuristic thousands of dollar worth one to help us sleep better.  There is no doubt this can be an issue for some people, yet I think again of the fact that not until the last 50 years we have been having chronic sleeping issues and no matter how comfortable of a bed we have.  Before people slept in mats, and still do by the most part around the world yet it seems only westernized countries seem to have the chronic sleeping issues.  Though I am not an expert in the field, I do know that more sleep equals more productive, happier, healthier days.  So let´s try to address this matter to the best of our possibilities.

This next getting back to basic point is one that as kids we probably disliked as much as broccoli and that was hygiene.  I know at least most boys, playing around at least when I was a kid when kids actually played outside with their friends we would run back home for lunch and have our filthy hands with us and where immediately send of to clean them.  This is a point which is pretty strait forward, Garden of Life actually put together a kit directed to hygiene, I was positively surprised since most companies address every other issues regarding life style except this one.  Though I am not recommending you purchase this kit, it is wise to be more loving toward our body the same way we are towards our material possessions and the same way we spend money in caring for them and keeping them neat and clean, do the same for your body.  Most would already do so, and cheers to you for those who don´t a bit of time spend on your body would be days, months even years added to your life that is a fair trade if you ask me.

We can clearly boil this whole next point in to the following well known wise words ¨move it or loose it¨ here the emphasis being on move it! Life it self is in constant movement all around us, our bodies are no different, could you imagine your circulatory system stopping? How about your nervous or digestive systems? Movement is what makes things work, is life at it´s greatest.  Movement lubricates your joints, cleanses your system, stimulates circulation, lymph, immune system, movement stimulates release of neurotransmitters (predominantly those which make you feel good) activates digestion, spark metabolism, burn calories and keeps you alive.  Again being a basic fundamental point of well being and health, there is not much science here simply standing and walking around stressed out your mind does not count as actual health promoting movement.  In the contrary in these situations you should sit down, today we are more sedentary than ever before, a true contradiction considering we are the most effective and productive societies of all time yet the sickest and most unstable.  So again here the key word is consciously end lovingly towards your body, choose something that makes you move, walking is great for starters just don´t bring up your list of excuses to get in the way again returning to the words that define this point ¨move it or loose it!¨

The last point is a simple one and please make a real effort do to so, I think out of all the point this has to be the most important and that is to enjoy life.  There is a proverb that states that a guru walked passed a man mediating, the meditating man asked the guru ¨how long it would take for him to achieve enlightenment?¨.  The guru replied 5 years, next the guru walked passed a man who was attending to his garden, singing, happy and loving life he greeted the guru as he walked passed by.  Years passed and the guru returned to the same place again he found the mediating man, whom asked again why the years have passed and he still had not found peace and joy why he was still troubled and asked again how long it would take for him to achieve enlightenment, this time the guru replied 10 years.  The man was puzzled and asked why now 10 instead of 5, the guru replied ¨you seem to not comprehend that the reason for us to be alive is to live! ¨ he pointed to the man who was older has the years had passed, but still kept attending to his garden smiling and singing.  The guru said, ¨this man has been living in enlightenment with out even knowing it¨ Most of us get flustered by the day to day, yet we forget that life is intended to be lived, most of us survive through life, not really living it.  So do your self a favor live your life and love doing it.

No doubt there are spiritual, mental and emotional aspects as well which are just as important and fundamental pieces of the holistic health puzzle, though these are much more complex realms ones which I don´t deem to know any thing of.  But I am sure when you connect with any of the point above a certain introspective seed will start to sprout with in you which will open doors of possibilities to better address there other invisible aspects.

References

http://www.obesitydiscussion.com/forums/diet-studies/calorie-reduction-chewing-food-slower-4940.html

http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/govt-study-group-advocates-chewing-food-30-times

^ (1.8 grams/min/person)×(60 min/h)×(24 h/day)×(365 days/year)×(6.6 billion people)/1,000,000 g/t=6.24 billion tonnes

^ ^{a b c} Emsley 2001, p.303

^ Dole, Malcolm (1965). “The Natural History of Oxygen” (PDF). The Journal of General Physiology 49 (1): 5–27. doi:10.1085/jgp.49.1.5. PMC 2195461. PMID 5859927. http://www.jgp.org/cgi/reprint/49/1/5.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-16.

http://www.ergocomfort.com/body_alignment.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Posture

http://nursingcrib.com/tag/proper-body-alignment/