The plane that crashed into the Hudson river today drifted south down the river heading out to sea. It floated by my gym in the west village and I thought I would share what the experience meant to me and how it applies to health and wellness.

I have seen and lived through a few large scale tragic or near death events like this…

It reminds me of how precious life is…

And how important it is to count my blessings and be responsible in the way I treat others.

I have found that living with an attitude of gratitude is one of the most important and most overlooked components of true health and wellness.

‘Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.’ Cicero

A pilot had to make life or death decisions and stay ultra-focused on the best possible solution despite the difficulties and distractions….

How does that relate to your life?

‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Are you focused on what’s most important to you? Or are you easily distracted?

Are you productive in your life and looking for solutions when you have challenges?

Do love what you do?

Do you do what you love?

It reminded me of how much I love New York…so many people, once again, came together to help people in need…

How do you think your attitude about life affects your mental and physical health?

‘Our mental and emotional diets determine our overall energy levels, health and well-being more than we realize. Every thought and feeling, no matter how big or small, impacts our inner energy reserves.’  Doc Childre, The HeartMath Solution

We are blessed to be surrounded by the people we know and love…and everyone else around us offers us a gift…we simply have to look for it…life goes by pretty fast once you hit 30 years old and it can be gone in one second.

‘Unconditional love dissolves the emotional charges that create sickness and disease.’ Dr John Demartini

Thank you for reading my blog…feel free to comment

Antonio

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Here are 2 more food allergens that may be ‘hidden’ causes of stress, weight gain, digestive problems or mood swings.

Eggs
- This is definitely one of the least common food allergens I have seen, but is a
problem for many people, including children. If you don’t know about
possible food allergies you might have, remember what I told you
before: use a food journal and record your response to eating eggs. If
you feel great, energized and don’t show any reaction, then you should
be good to go.

The best way to cook eggs are soft boiled,
poached of fried in butter or coconut oil. I suggest only eating
scrambled eggs or omelets once in awhile.

Soy -
If you have been reading my blog for awhile then you should be familiar
with certain myths and misconceptions about food & Nutrition. Soy
is probably the biggest ‘health food’ myth today. Soy is linked to
infertility, breast cancer, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer and many
other disorders.

Not only is it the 2nd most common food
allergen, but its a nasty little bean that has been shown, in hundreds
of epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies that it is linked
to:

Malnutrition
Digestive distress
Thyroid dysfunction
Cognitive decline
Reproductive disorders
Infertility
Birth defects
Immune system breakdown
Heart disease
Cancer

And NO, Asians don’t eat nearly as much as Americans are – not even close.

Here are some myths & facts about soy you might not know about:

Men
who eat soy-based foods may be harming their fertility after a study
found a link between soy-rich diets and lower sperm counts.

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth:
Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246
BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods
like tempeh, natto and tamari.

Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth:
Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about
2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a
condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth:
Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in
soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and
increases levels of carcinogens.

Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth:
Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino
acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures
fragile lysine.

Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth:
The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the
human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12

Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth:
Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and
affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin
inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods
increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones
and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced
bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and
development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks
cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and
nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been
implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual
development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth:
Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed
for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood,
lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy
foods.

Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth:
A British government report concluded that there is little evidence
that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of
cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth:
In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but
there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one’s risk of
having heart disease.

Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth:
Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they
can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating
as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result
in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain
and fatigue.

Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth:
Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and
cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with
difficulties in menopause.

Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth:
A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in
their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese
Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the
occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.

Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth:
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the
FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of
protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS
status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the
presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.

Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth:
Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in
animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men,
indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu
to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.

Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth:
In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and
transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to
multinational corporations.

Taken from http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz

Soy Dangers Summarized
taken from http://www.westonaprice.org

High
levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium,
copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by
ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow
cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.

Trypsin
inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause
pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors
caused stunted growth.

Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine
function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote
breast cancer in adult women.

Soy phytoestrogens are potent
antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid
cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to
autoimmune thyroid disease.

Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement for B12.

Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D.

Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.

Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Free
glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food
processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.

Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

Until next time – have a great week and PAY ATTENTION to how you react to food!

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Ok, so there are more than 10 on this list so I will post shorter blogs and
give you great info so you can LEARN and see if you have any problems
with any of these foods.

Also, everything on the list is not
really a food, but, the point is this: there are foods that trigger
serious health issues in many people and these may be ‘hidden’ sources
of stress or weight gain.

If you have been working out and
‘eating right’ (whatever that means) and you’re still not getting
results, simply use a food journal and see what’s going on after you
eat and this will clue you in to possible problematic or allergenic
foods.

What’s next on the list?

Caffeine -
similar to alcohol, there are a lot of false teachings in the media
about this stimulant. Caffeine is a stimulant that disrupts your
metabolism and triggers your ‘fight or flight’ (which is an emergency
response system, not a daily lifestyle system) into FULL EFFECT.

Personally,
I have never seen anyone in NYC who drinks coffee that isn’t
experiencing some type of negative consequence of drinking coffee.

Typically,
people argue that there is some health benefit or they read some
article that touted the benefits of coffee. What they fail to realize
is that, like alcohol, even if there were some benefits, the negatives
FAR OUTWEIGH any of these mythical benefits.

Caffeine is a
stimulant that triggers the release of cortisol (stress hormone) that
is associated with practically every disease known to mankind.

The
primary reason people drink it in NYC is because they are sleep-deprived and exhausted. Sleep deficiency, although popular, is not
cool, nor healthy and makes you age prematurely. Whenever you drink
coffee to ‘get you going’ – you continue a cycle of exhaustion that
gets harder and harder to break as you age.

And for my friends
who are drinking coffee to help with ‘number 2′ (going pottie)….the
caffeine is one of the main reasons why you cant go in the first place,
fyi.

The other reason is because it dehydrates the human body, despite what the NY Times coffee-addicted ‘health reporter’ says.

Coffee
beans are also the most heavily sprayed crop on the planet and the
acids in the beans are damaging to your digestive tract.

Enough said?

If you really want to drink coffee, at least find some good organic stuff and dont drink it on an empty stomach.

Seriously
though, caffeine addiction is a widespread problem and a MASSIVE factor
in hormonal imbalance (depression), burnout and weight gain.

Want to improve your health, look good and not age prematurely???? Ditch the drug addiction.

Oh,
and for the hundreds of people that may say something like ‘I got
headaches last time I tried to quit’ –> Getting headaches is not a
reason for continuing your caffeine addiction. Headaches are a symptom
of drug withdrawal and there are many things you can do to alleviate
this. But any addiction comes with a price and if getting headaches is
a minor consequence, than thats something you will have to deal with.

Peanuts -
I am aware that most Men’s Health and Shape magazines tell you that
peanut butter is a good source of protein and when I was a teenager I
thought the same thing. I have since discovered that not only is it a
common food allergen, but its also a very low quality food source and
loaded with mold. That’s right. Even the healthy versions are full of
nasty little critters that can make you sick.

Peanuts are also
difficult to digest for many people. Want a better alternative? Try
almond butter. You can also find cashew nut butter or macadamia nut
butter and they are absolutely fantastic! Unless of course you can
tolerate tree nuts…

Tree Nuts
- as long as you dont have a nut allergy, most other nut butters are
better than peanuts. However, another common food allergens are tree
nuts.

Here is a list of common tree nuts and foods or products that may contain them:

Cashews
Pecans
Macadamia nuts
Almonds
Pistachios
Brazil nuts
Pine nuts
Hazelnuts
Walnuts
hickory nuts
Beech nut*
Butternut*
Chestnut*
Coconut*
Ginko nut*
Lichee nut*
Pili nut*
Sheanut*

natural nut extract
artificial nuts
nut meal
caponatanut meat
nut oil
nut paste (such as almond paste)
gianduja (a nut mixture in some chocolate)
nut pieces
pesto
mandelonas
marzipan/almond paste
nan-gai nuts
nougat
pralines
nut butters

Other names for tree nuts
Anacardium nuts
Mandelonas (e.g. peanuts that have been altered to look and taste like tree nuts)
Marzipan (almond paste)
Nu-Nuts ™ (e.g. peanuts that have been altered to look and taste like tree nuts)
Nut meats
Pinon

Common Sources/Foods Containing Tree Nuts
Artificial nuts (peanuts altered to look and taste like almonds, pecans and walnuts)
Baked goods (cakes, cereal bars, cookies, doughnuts, energy/granola bars, muffins, pastries)
Baking mixes, cereals, crackers, muesli
Coffee grinders
Dressings/gravies
Chinese food
Gianduja (chocolate and chopped nuts mixture found in premium or imported chocolate and ice cream)
Ice cream/frozen desserts/frozen yogurts/sundae toppings
Natural flavorings and extracts
Nut butter
Nut-flavored coffee/liqueurs
Sauces (barbecue, pesto, Worcestershire)
Salads (Waldorf salad, curried chicken)
Spreads (almond paste, cheese, chocolate nut, nougat, Nutella)
Trail mixes

Non-food sources of tree nuts
Hacky sacks
Bird seed
Cosmetics, hair care products, lotions
Pet food

As always, use extra precaution when eating out at restaurants or eating foods prepared by others.

*As
of 10/2006, the FDA has added these as tree nuts for the purposes of
FALCPA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act).

Here is a great resource, provided you DONT HAVE ANY NUT ALLERGIES and CAN DIGEST THEM WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com
www.sweetwatermarket.net
www.bluemountainorganics.com

These are great websites with awesome products – check them out.

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Are you ready to discover the 11 most allergenic foods and see if any of these
are causing you to be fat, bloated or fatigued?

Why is it important to know about food allergens??? Just ask yourself these questions…

Are you sick of getting bloated?

Have you struggled with anxiety or depression and can’t figure out WHY?

Have you struggled with skin issues and acne?

Are you trying to lose weight but nothing seems to be working?

The answers to these and many other similar questions have EVERYTHING to do with what you are eating.

More often than not, most people are eating crappy foods to begin with.

What also happens quite often is people who are trying to be healthy and lose weight are eating foods that trigger all sorts of health problems as a result of food allergies, sensitivities and intolerance.

I’ll give you the list of foods and I suggest you pay attention over the next
couple of weeks and see how you react after you eat these foods.

This is one of the many reasons why Food Journals work so well.

Not for counting calories or obsessing over what you eat. But for paying
attention and noticing how you react to certain foods.

You might be surprised to find that some of these common ‘health’ foods are
anything but healthy.

The most common allergenic foods are:

Gluten - a protein found in wheat and most grains. Gluten is implicated
in every single digestive disorder I have seen. Gluten is found everywhere, from BBQ sauce to
‘whole grain’ energy bars and everything in between. It is also responsible for all kinds of
neurological dysfunctions and mood imbalances.

Pasteurized Dairy – this is a HOT topic! I will cover more of what you need to
know in the next few newsletters…you may want to hold off on your low fat yogurt
(which is nothing more than glorified junk food) and get ready for this one!

Sugar - not just white table sugar, sugars come in many shapes and sizes.
Did you know that ALL Carbs are sugars? And
not everyone tolerates the carbs the same way?
Did you know that sugar acts the same on the brain as cocaine? Imagine
mixing it with caffeine and other synthetic ingredients and feeding it to
children? Actually, you don’t have to imagine. It’s happening right now.

I wrote a controversial article on the topic of marketing sports drinks to kids
that was immediately BANNED by some major corporations…wait till you hear
about this one!

The dramatic results people experience when they finally realize these issues and stop eating problematic foods are absolutely amazing.

I am going to save the rest of the list for the next newsletter, but don’t
worry. It will come much sooner than the last two.

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