Fat Kills You

#1 Use Antibiotic Soap

Antibiotic soap helps to clear up and prevent the infections caused by ingrown hairs. There are a number you can purchase on-line or at the drugstore, two are PanOxyl (with 10% hydrogen peroxide) and Reviva (which makes a whole line of hydrogen peroxide products).

#2 Exfoliate, But Be Gentle

Exfoliation with a wash cloth or a loofah can be a great way to get rid of dead skin cell, and can help prevent ingrown hairs. However, if you already have a number of ingrown hairs (especially if they are infected) clean them up before you begin exfoliating. Otherwise, you may further irritate your skin and make your condition worse.

#3 Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

Since hard, bristly hairs more easily penetrate the skin than soft hairs, make sure you use a lotion to keep skin and hairs soft. Moisturizer is also good for providing a barrier against the outside world, whether it is clothing (legs, pubic area) or the face (beards, scruff).

For the legs, I like lotion with tea tree oil (which is a natural antiseptic). If you are adding your own to your lotion, don’t use more than two or three drops at a time, as tea tree oil can be very drying. Tea tree can now be found at a number of drugstores now, or you can look for it on-line at Amazon (there’s several sizes you can buy, click here) or at any store selling essential oils.

For the men, the only beard/scrubble lotion I know is made by Bluebeards Original. It is made to soften bristles and help prevent ingrown hairs (this is what my husband uses, you can get it online or at some natural food stores).

#4. If Your Condition Doesn’t Improve, See a Doctor

As always, see an expert if your condition does not improve or worsens. Doctors can evaluate your individual needs and prescribe medication, if necessary.

Alice Kay is the product tester and expert at Ingrown Hair Relief (http://www.ingrownhairrelief.com), a hub for ingrown hair sufferers who are looking for product information and articles about their specific skin condition.

First of all we need to find out a reason for this growing mountain of fat that is killing us.

We know now that the traditional explanation - that of overeating - is wrong. People eat when they’re hungry, and they stop when they’re full. The problem lies in hormonal imbalance inside our bodies, an imbalance that deprives us of the energy to live life to the full, and instead stores the energy as fat.

What influences human hormonal balance? The three biggest factors are: genetics, diet, and stress.

There are no prizes for guessing which one of those three is the easiest to control.

The number one nutrient that negatively affects human hormonal balance is well known - it’s sugar. The health and beauty of nations is directly related to its consumption. The per capita consumption of sugar has increased fifteenfold over the last 100 years.

Ever wondered why the French remain slim despite eating far more calories than we do, with their rich, fatty cuisine? That’s right, it’s because they drink wine instead of soft drinks!

It’s very sad that this information - backed by genuine science - cannot realistically compete with advertising budgets of big sugar and soft drink producers.

Our only hope is the free press.

For more information on how to control hormones through diet, visit http://www.dietofnature.com.

Darius Mikolajewski is an Australian author of nutrition books and natural weight loss programs. For more information visit http://www.dietofnature.com

Have you ever suffered from shoulder discomfort after working out? I am referring to aching or sharp pain experienced in the front of the shoulder or lateral upper arm that is felt with overhead activities, reaching behind the back or even laying on the shoulder. These symptoms are often indicative of rotator cuff inflammation. This is a common problem for many people who perform resistance training on a regular basis. It is also a problem that can easily be prevented by modifying the following "dangerous shoulder exercises."

Bench Press ? This is a popular exercise chosen to build the chest, along with the anterior deltoid and triceps. Most teach taking the bar down until it lightly touches the chest. However, I believe this is unsafe because it exposes the anterior shoulder capsule to excessive load, in addition to compressing the soft tissue of the rotator cuff between the humerus and the acromion. Over time, with repeated bouts and heavy loads, the rotator cuff becomes inflamed.

Individuals with any anterior shoulder laxity (loose joints) or history of subluxation/dislocation are also at increase risk for rotator cuff injury or labral (shoulder cartilage) damage. Furthermore, you also have the potential to rupture the pectoralis tendon with full range pressing during heavy loads. The safe answer is to lower the bar until the upper arm is parallel to the floor (elbow bent to 90 degrees). This prevents the shoulder joint from moving into the unsafe range. The same advice applies to push-ups.

Lat Pull Downs ? This is a good exercise to strengthen the back, but when done behind the head it can cause problems. Like the bench press, pulling the bar down behind the head positions the humerus in such a way that the rotator cuff can be pinched. This may depend on other factors, including the shape of a person’s acromion and degree of any present arthritis, but I still believe the risk outweighs any benefit. Not to mention that keeping the bar in front of the head still accomplishes the same movement for the target muscle, while eliminating the risk of shoulder injury. Remember not to sway during the movement, and position the body in a slightly reclined position, pulling the bar toward the sternum. Another unrelated reason not to do behind the neck pull downs is that it places undue stress on the cervical spine.

Military Press ? This exercise when performed behind the neck with a bar, positions the shoulder in the aforementioned unfavorable position. Done repeatedly, the rotator cuff can become inflamed. Similar to behind the neck pull downs, you also expose your neck to unnecessary stress. It is safer to perform the exercise in front of the head or utilize dumbbells and work in the scapular plane. You must watch to avoid arching the low back and it is best to use a bench with back support to prevent this.

Dips/Upright Row ? As before, the key mistake made with these exercises is allowing the shoulder to move beyond 90 degrees relative to a position parallel to the floor or perpendicular to the body. I always recommend stopping at 90 degrees to protect the shoulder capsule and the rotator cuff.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise ? In my opinion, this exercise is often done incorrectly. The mistakes include lifting too much weight, keeping the arms straight, and raising the arms out away from the body in the plane of the body. The force on the rotator cuff reaches 90% of your body weight when the arms are raised to 90 degrees with the arms straight and in the plane of the body. That is a lot of force on four relatively small rotator cuff muscles. The target muscle is the lateral deltoid, but the rotator cuff is extremely active, and it functions to allow you to raise the arm by depressing the humerus so that it passes under the acromion during active elevation. When heavy loads are introduced in the wrong plane of motion, disaster usually occurs. I am fanatical about performing this exercise correctly.

The proper way to execute a lateral raise is to keep the elbows comfortably flexed (20-30 degrees) and raise the arm to no higher than parallel to the floor. The arm should be in the scapular plane of motion (approximately 30-45 degrees from being perpendicular to the body) and the weight should be relatively light. Once you feel you have to shrug or use momentum to raise the weight, you need to rest or lower the weight. In my opinion, this is one of the worst exercises for the shoulder if done incorrectly.

In summary, I want to emphasize that good intentions may spell bad results for the shoulder if proper form is lacking. The rotator cuff and shoulder joint is extremely vulnerable to heavy loads and repetitive bouts of exercise. Gradually, it may become inflamed and hinder or limit your workout altogether. Be sure to master form before increasing weight, and do not attempt to work through pain, as this often perpetuates the problem. Remember to assess risk and reward at all times, and rest assured that these modifications will not hinder your gains. Instead, they will prevent missed time in the gym and produce happier, healthier shoulders!

Copyright © 2004 Brian Schiff.

Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS, is a respected author, physical therapist and fitness expert. To learn more about preventing shoulder injuries or resolving rotator cuff pain, visit http://www.rotatorcufftraining.com.

As consumers, we are faced daily with choices about what to eat. As a bodybuilder, we are bombarded with protein bars that promise everything from tons of protein, low carbs, less fat, and the cheapest bar on the market. But rarely do any of the bars meet the most necessary requirement of them all. If the bar doesn’t taste great, then I don’t want to eat it.

Regardless of how much protein might exist in a particular bar, if Bar A has more but tastes worse then than Bar B, I’m still more likely to choose Bar B. As a consumer of protein bars, I don’t feel like forcing myself to eat something two or more times a day just because it has the best whey-protein on the market. And while some bars can claim to be great tasting, they never do the definitive real taste test.

The real taste test is a bar that not only health conscious adults will enjoy but one that you can give your child and it won’t come home in his/her backpack. If your child (if you are childless, get a bar and test it out on a niece/nephew) won’t eat the bar, chances are there’s a reason for that. Because it doesn’t taste good.

Over the last few years, low sugar, low carbs has become such a big deal. So now we have some of the healthiest bars on the market. But nobody wants (I didn’t say won’t) to eat them. Because it’s like going to the dentist. Who wants to go? We go because we know the consequences of not going are worse. But is that really how you want to feel about something that you eat two or more times a day?

How about eating a bar that tastes good, has enough of the good stuff in it, and eating it two times a day is a treat? Okay, so you might get more sugar. Again, you might get a few more carbs. But statistics prove that you will be more likely to consume all that good stuff more often if you like doing it. Most of us don’t daily do something that we don’t like doing unless there is a compelling reason to do so. The lure of money comes to mind when I think of work.

Choose a bar that has enough protein in it and enough carbs. And sugar isn’t all that bad. When you workout, your body needs instant fuel. Sugar is a better source of immediate fuel then protein. Having some sugar before your intense bodybuilding workout is not a bad thing. Forget all the science of the bar. Taste is most often overlooked in choosing a good protein bar. Give the bar to your child and see if they eat it. If they do, chances are, you will too.

Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book “The Beginner’s Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding” (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn’t. Marc has written over 20 articles and has been featured in several health and fitness websites. Marc’s opinionated and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and training are featured regularly on: http://www.freedomfly.net

To subscribe to Marc’s free b-weekly e-zine, visit the Freedomfly website here: http://www.freedomfly.net/fitnessnewsletter.htm

Breathing, yes of course we do it, if not we’d be dead, obvious isn’t it. But in the far east Breathing techniques have been used for thousands of years. Not only as a means of improving the health and vitality of both the body and mind, but also as a means of connecting to the Higher Spiritual Realms. In the far east the practice is called Pranayama and is an integral part of Hatha Yoga.

There must be a word of warning, to the uninitiated, using Pranayama techniques too vigorously or forcibly can cause damage to the heart, lungs or even mind. It is always best to practice these techniques gently, don’t be in a rush, the benefits can last the whole of your life. And for your purposes, it is only the basic techniques that are needed to accumulate Qi (chee or chi) in the body for use by your Inner-Self to help manifest your desired reality. If over time you feel the benefit of these gentle exercises, then that is the time to explore this area in greater detail and to seek adequate instruction.

A Brief History of Pranayama and Qi Qong:

The Indians developed the idea of Prana, a semi-mystical life force that pervades the body, which is responsible for life, health and transcendence. The Chinese developed the idea of life force being Qi, a force that helps maintain end extend life. The Chinese concept is not as mystical as the Indian, but both arrived at a system that could benefit the body and mind using similar techniques.

Pranayama is a ‘Sanskrit’ word meaning ‘control of breath’. Its essence lies in the modification of our normal process of breathing. Breathing is an act in which we take air from the atmosphere into our lungs, absorb the oxygen from it into our blood, and expel the air again into the atmosphere together with carbon dioxide and water vapor. Pranayama consists of modifications of the breathing process, which we bring about deliberately and consciously. We can modify breathing in three different ways:

1. By inhaling and exhaling rapidly, taking shallow breaths.

2. By inhaling and exhaling slowly, taking long or deep breaths.

3. By stopping the act of breathing altogether.

We are primarily concerned with No 2. This type of breath control will allow us to create the necessary extra Qi(chee) our bodies need to increase fitness levels and a clearer mind.

The original Prana breathing methods were part of the ancient Indian Vedas some 1200 to 1500 BC. The most sacred Indian text of the second century BC the ‘Bhagavadgita’ mentions Pranayama as a means of spiritual enlightenment. Although the process of spiritual enlightenment is far less easy to quantify, the use of Pranayama as a means of strengthening the health is well documented.

Pranayama breathing techniques are often used as a precursor to meditation.

Qi Qong, is similar to Pranayama in that Qi (chee) means breath or breath of life and ‘Qong’ means mental control over the body. It is believed that Qi Qong is even older than Pranayama and early breath control practices became an important part of Chinese medicine. When you next yawn, which might be now, seeing how we have mentioned it. Observe how you feel when the yawn has finished, your body will be relaxed, if you had any pain or discomfort, this would be alleviated for a few seconds. This is an example of how the changing of your normal breathing pattern can bring a change to your body conditions. The Chinese believe it is the disruption of the flow of Qi within the body that causes many diseases and the re-establishment of the Qi (energy) flows that can bring about an upturn in our well being. Using these practices on a daily basis can give us a good platform for strengthening our immune systems.

A word of caution, be very mindful when performing this Pranayama (Yoga Breathing Exercise), and return to normal breathing if you feel light-headed, dizzy, or faint. Remember we only need the basic breath control here, if you think Pranayama can bring you more benefits then look for one of the many good books available or better still join a class.

Posture:

There are several postures recommended for Pranayama breathing exercises, most include the type of sitting with crossed legs that can be seen in many books or TV programs. Not many people have the time to spend learning how to achieve these postures, although they can prove beneficial. But to start your basic breathing exercise there is only one rule, ‘NO slouching’. If you prefer to sit, keep a straight back, this will allow for the free passage of air between the throat, lungs and abdomen. Keeping a straight back will also keep your mind more alert. Although you can lie down if necessary, it is more difficult to do deep breathing while on your back, initially anyway. If you wish to learn about the other postures recommended, there are many good books available on Hatha Yoga.

Breathing:

Unless stated all inhalations and exhalations should be through your nostrils, this allows the body greater control over respiration.

Belly Breathing:

To do yoga belly breathing properly you should allow your lungs to fill from the bottom up, this will assure you of maximum air penetration and absorption. The lungs lay just behind the rib cage and are attached to the ribs, they are therefore pulled open and closed by them. If you are breathing only with the top half of the chest, the top of your lungs will open first so that the air fills them only up at the very top. If on the other hand you push your belly out as you inhale you will expand your diaphragm first. The lower ribs will then push out and open the lower portion of the lung first. The air will then rush down into them to fill the vacuum there and so fills your whole lung chamber from the bottom to the top. When you exhale, you are in effect reversing the process, by pulling the belly in at the end of the exhalation. This last movement pushes the air complexly out of the lower portion of your lungs and so pushes all the toxins of the used air out of your lungs.

Don’t worry if takes you a little time to practice and feel right when using this breathing method.

Re-Cap.

Deeper, steady breathing can increase the amount of oxygen the body can use to burn out disease.

The use of Pranayama increase the amount of ‘chi’ the body can use, for health and spiritual matters.

‘Chi’ can be used by the Inner and Higher-Self to help manifest your desires.

Start to breathe deeper when relaxing during the day and see what a difference it can make to how you feel.

Gerard Bulger is an IT Consultant who has been studying the Esoteric Sciences for many years, his latest ebook is http://www.magic-mind-method.co.uk.

He also sponsors Empowerism the Internet Mentoring System at http://www.empowerism101.com

There are currently over 100 billion dollars sold in weight-loss and energy products each year. Weight-loss is a very serious and emotional issue. In fact, it’s so big that doctors and scientists are referring to it as “catastrophic” in nature. Despite the efforts of researchers world over, North America is facing a “fat epidemic.”

With that good news said, keep in mind the cause of all disorder and disease: toxemia and malnutrition. With those two factors addressed, one cannot but improve their health and lose unwanted fat and inches; as obesity is definitely indicative of health issues.

How does one detoxify and nourish their bodies? Lots of ways. Let’s focus on diet.

Of course you’ve heard to drink lots of purified water a day. That was good advice, as water helps cleanse all sorts of impurities from our systems. Impurities that impede good thyroid function and metabolism.

Enzymes are also crucial and they can only be found in raw foods. Did you know that farmers years ago (and probably still) used to feed their pigs cooked potatoes to encourage weight gain? It’s true. And if they wanted their pigs to trim down they would feed them raw potatoes. The difference was in the enzyme content of the live, raw potato.

While we wouldn’t want to binge on raw potatoes, the above is a good illustration of the need to upgrade our diets to include plenty of fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds in their raw format. When eating cooked foods, ingesting plant-based enzymes also ensures complete digestion.

When digestion is not complete, residues remain, leading to more toxins and poorer metabolism. Our favorite plant based enzyme formula can be found here: digestive enzymes

So, with more water and more raw foods in our diet, another good idea would be to cleanse the system with gentle oxygen colon cleansing. These colon cleansers help remove the built-up poisons from possibly years of neglect. And though there’s lots of material about colon cleansing and psyllium, we prefer a less aggressive method using oxygen and magnesium. Oxygen Colon Cleansers

And we would be amiss if we didn’t encourage you to as your physician their opinion regarding any diet if you are pregnant, nursing or have any medical condition.

See if you can’t be the next living example of the benefits pure diet for weight loss and natural cleansing.

Article by Rita Lambros-Segur, M.H. of Electrical Body, Inc. Rita has helped thousands of regular folks improve their health-restoring strategies. Visit Diet Candy

In a study review conducted by David A. Geier, B.A. President, MedCon, Inc., and Mark R. Geier, M.D., Ph.D. President, The Genetic Centers of America, the authors present a clear correlation between Thimerosal (a mercury based preservative used in vaccines) and spectral autism and possibly ADHD.

Thimerosal is an organic mercury compound that is metabolized to ethylmercury and thiosalicylate and has been present since the 1930s as a preservative in some vaccines and pharmaceutical products to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination.

One cited study showed that there are distinct similarities between autism and mercury exposure in their effects upon biochemistry, the immune system, the central nervous system structure, neuro-chemistry and neurophysiology

The National Toxicology Program (NTP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Statement on Thimerosal states that symptoms of Thimerosal exposure include mental retardation in children, loss of coordination in speech, writing, gait, stupor, irritability, and bad temper progressing to mania.

The FDA in 1999, under the recommended childhood immunization schedule, determined infants might be exposed to cumulative doses of ethylmercury that exceed some federal safety guidelines established for exposure to methylmercury, another form of organic mercury. Additionally it was noted that routine administration of childhood vaccines expose children to more than 100 times the Federal Safety Guidelines for orally ingested methylmercury.

In another study, mice were injected with ethylmercuri-S-cysteine (EMC) and found that the extent and distribution of cell damage was highly predictable, and selective necrosis of the small granular neurons was a constant finding. Thimerosal crosses the blood-brain and placental barriers and results in appreciable mercury content in brain tissue.

In another report the authors concluded that the elimination of methyl- and ethylmercury is very slow, especially in man and primates, and consequently there is a considerable risk of mercury accumulation.

The authors also found that the glutathione system is involved in the metabolism of Thimerosal or its decomposition products. And that certain individuals are genetically more sensitive to Thimerosal due to genetic factors in their glutathione system.

Brain scans of children with autistic spectrum disorders show damage in areas similar to areas damaged by mercury. These areas tend to be areas that have minimal glutathione levels. In addition, these areas typically have higher testosterone concentrations. Testosterone has been shown to increase Thimerosal neuronal toxicity whereas estrogen has been shown to reduce Thimerosal neuronal toxicity.

According to John Hopkins University the increased incidence of ADHD could represent an alternative manifestation of vaccine-associated neuro-developmental toxicity as ADHD.

In a closed meeting where the findings of the Vaccine Safety Datalink analysis were discussed a participant, Dr. Johnston, stated: “This association leads me to favor a recommendation that infants up to two years old not be immunized with Thimerosal containing vaccines if suitable alternative preparations are available.” “Forgive this personal comment, but I got called out at eight o’clock on an emergency call and my daughter-in-law delivered a son by C-Section. Our first male in the line of the next generation, and I do not want that grandson to get a Thimerosal containing vaccine until we know better what is going on.”

Recent other studies report no correlation between vaccines containing mercury and autism. At least one of these studies was lead by Thomas Verstraeten, who failed to disclose to “Pediatrics” as per the journal’s requirements that he is employed by GlaxoSmithKline a vaccine manufacturer that produced Thimerosal containing vaccines.

In conclusion parents taking their child for immunization should insist on vaccines that do not contain mercury preservatives, such as Thimerosal. In addition chelation and other natural detoxification programs are known to remove heavy metals from the body. Once heavy metals are removed from a child’s body it may be possible for them to recover from the affects of the poisoning.

For more information on heavy metal poisoning and detoxification visit the author’s website at Whole Earth Health.

Have a conversation about gastric bypass surgery with just about anyone and you will hear, "Yeah, I know someone who had that done and within a year they stretched out their stomach and regained all that weight ? plus some."

Unfortunately it is true that some weight loss surgery (WLS) patients do regain their weight after losing it. What isn’t true is that they stretch their stomachs back to pre-surgical size. At best, a post gastric bypass stomach will expand from a capacity of 2 tablespoons to one-cup capacity. This is expected and part of the reason gastric bypass is successful. In the phase of rapid weight loss the patient cannot eat more than once ounce of food at a time. As the stomach heals and the weight loss stabilizes the stomach can eventually hold up to a cup of food at a time.

The reason that some patients regain their weight after surgery is they return to snacking which is contradictory to the directions given by their bariatric center. Snacking is forbidden by most centers. Eating little quantities of the wrong foods throughout the day causes WLS patients to stop losing weight, or worse, this behavior results in weight gain. Snacking is one of the behaviors that caused morbid obesity in the first place.

Snacking is the downfall of the WLS patient who regains weight, not stretching the stomach. For example, at five years out of surgery, I can eat one piece of pizza at dinner. If I eat a second piece at dinner I WILL get sick. Guaranteed. However, If I nibble on the leftovers an hour later, I can add another piece, and an hour later, another piece, and so-on. See the pattern? Snacking is the problem, not stretching the stomach.

The fact is, patients who live by the four rules do not regain their weight. The four rules for long-term success after gastric bypass surgery are: Eat protein first; No snacking, Drink lots of water and Exercise daily. The four rules are in place to ensure successful weight loss and long-term weight maintenance.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.LivingAfterWLS.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com - Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

What turns out to be a small, yet annoying pain in your joint, can quickly turn into something much more debilitating. At first, you just think it might be a pulled muscle. Maybe I did a bit too much weight? But the intermediate to advanced bodybuilder knows what muscle soreness feels like after a workout. This isn’t it. But there is a potential solution.

My biceps routine, which was progressing quite nicely, turned into a non-existent routine (curling a 30lb dumbbell was impossible) after I was “officially” diagnosed with acute Tendonitis in my right arm (just below the elbow joint). The doctor said that this particular Tendonitis doesn’t heal. It can get less painful but the micro tears and damage are permanent. As usual, the recommendation was to 1) quit whatever aggravates it 2) use a cream that gives some heat to the area.

Rather the follow rule #1, because if you are a hardcore bodybuilder, just quitting the exercise isn’t how this injury happened in the first place. I found something that worked. I didn’t want to quit doing bicep curls. Bicep curls are one of the most recommended exercises for building mass. It’s a simple, basic movement that works.

I did stop doing biceps movements until the pain subsided. Once the pain was significantly less, I decided to adjust my form, have a spotter assist on certain bicep exercises and used a topical cream (Biofreeze by AST). I changed the movement to go strict on any and all bicep exercises. My arms are now tight to the sides with constant tension on the muscle. Using a spotter for dumbbell bicep curls helped me eliminate the natural tendency to flare out the arms to get that weight to the completion phase of the exercise. Heavy weight with the arms slightly out tends to put a lot of pressure on that tendon.

Taking a break from the exercises allowed me to heal enough to think rationally about the adjustments I needed to make in my routine. Going back to strict form, using a topical (heat) cream and having a spotter assist with a few of the bicep movements has all but eliminated (in a medical sense) my Tendonitis . I suffer no more pain from bicep movements because of these modifications.

About The Author

Marc David has a degree in Criminal Justice from Sacramento State, a 16 year history of non-competitive bodybuilding and is the owner of Freedomfly -the fitness network! For free fitness tools, discount supplements, fitness consultation, and workout routines, visit http://www.freedomfly.net

mrcd@freedomfly.net

Your body’s secret wisdom is as ancient as humankind and encoded in every cell. It knows the perfect food for you to eat at any point in time. Yet we have lost touch with that perfect knowledge in this industrial society. We have lost touch with our birthright of absolute health.

It doesn’t matter how old or how young you are. Your body can heal and rejuvenate itself from the inside out, and does so throughout your lifetime. If that is true, why is there such an epidemic of obesity and chronic illness plaguing the wealthiest society in the world?

We wear our suffering and lost connection to that secret wisdom in the form of excess fat, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. We no longer appreciate the sacred quality of every food we eat, or the myriad life forms that compose our physical nature, our cells.

This Do in Remembrance of Me

One way to reconnect is to take a little time to reflect on the food you are about to eat. What does my heart want or need today for its health, and pleasure; my lungs, liver, pancreas, blood, skin, teeth and hair, etc? Meditate and ask these questions within before you put something in your mouth.

What does the food you eat say to you? Does it say, "I’m ready to become a beautiful part of you– to sacrifice myself to nourish and energize this human being, because this human being has seen me as a sacred gift of energy?" Or does it say, "I will insist on being recognized," by causing this too-busy-to-care person indigestion, elevated cholesterol, or diabetes?

The sacred approach to food will change your perceptions and your tastes. In centuries past, every food that humans consumed carried with it a sacred symbolic meaning which modern civilization has forgotten. And in that forgetfulness, we find that we have also lost the ability to successfully utilize the gifts which the Deity has given us.

What was the Sacred Fruit of Eve?

Eating food is a sacred experience. Consider the spiritual and sacred qualities which ancient man attributed to his food.

Christian lore made the apple a symbol of original sin, even though the Bible never mentions an "apple." The tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil bore fruit, but not necessarily apples. The little apple was vilified by the patriarchal system because it displays a pentacle in its center, when cut sideways.

The pentacle is one of the most ancient and magical of symbols. It has been associated in Christianity with the star of Bethlehem, and three kings’ star; in Paganism, as the Star of Lorges, the devil’s sign, the witch’s cross, and the goblin’s foot. Even before these interpretations, the pentacle meant good health, or life.

Healthy to the Core

This earlier interpretation was attributed to the apple core pentacle of the earth mother goddess Demeter, and represented her unborn daughter, Kore. To this day, we still call the center of the apple the "core." The torso, or center of the human body, is also called the core. And lately, scientists have begun to discuss the health significance of the "apple-shaped" body, which holds more fat around the organs, or belly area.

In Romanian Myth, the goddess appeared as the fairy Magdalina, sitting in a cosmic apple tree, whose branches reached to heaven and whose roots reached into the ocean’s abyss. It was believed that a holy name written on an apple, and eaten for three consecutive days, would cure a fever.

Today, science is proving the miraculous curative powers of certain phytochemicals in the humble apple. Perhaps the apple is the fruit of the other tree that grew in Paradise: the Tree of Immortal Life.

In Russian labs, apple polyphenols extended the life span of mice by 56%– the human equivalent of 35 or 40 years. "It is quite possible," said one of the Russian biochemists, "to extend people’s lifespan by 20-30 years without even having to invent anything.” Nature, it seems, already has the answer.

Researchers in the U.S., Finland, and Sweden have shown positive results in 8 different types of cancer, when treated with apple phytochemicals. Like the scriptures, the old religions and myths hold secret truths which we are only beginning to decipher.

Sacred Cows

Cheese is another food with ancient spiritual connections. The Egyptians believed the body was created from mother’s milk, which curdled into solid form as children put on weight and developed. This same idea is expressed in the Bible: "Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?" (Job 10:10)

Cheese also served as a surrogate mother in the British countryside. A newborn child would be passed through a hole in the center of a large ring of cheese, called the "groaning cheese," as part of an old christening rite. This passage through cheese was done to protect the child from unseen dangers, and to bestow good fortune through life. Rich in calcium and protein, it is no wonder that our ancestors revered cheese as a gift from the Goddess.

In ancient Rome, the horn of plenty or cornucopia was originally a cow’s horn, overflowing with all the fruits of the earth. The cow was considered the caretaker of humanity. We still use the expressions "holy cow," or negatively, "sacred cow."

In some of the earliest creation stories, the great Goddess, mother of all the Gods, was the cow. The Great Lady of the South gave birth to the sun, and created the essence of Gods and men. We now know that the complete proteins and overall nutrient content of beef and dairy products make them some of the most nutritious substances on the planet.

Paradise Lost

It is sad that the modern industrialized society treats its food supply with so little reverence. Our apples are never fresh from the arms of a generous tree. They are gassed, irradiated, fumigated, refrigerated, and stored for weeks or months before arriving at your grocery store. The beautiful apples you see in the produce aisle are no longer the purveyors of healing that nature intended.

Your body knows you should eat more apples, and other fresh fruit. But buy certified organic produce, grown the way the Goddess intended. Non organically-grown apples have some of the highest pesticide levels of all fruits.

Our own government found 36 different pesticides on apples tested from 1992 to 2001. The apples were washed before testing. Many of these pesticides permeated the entire fruit or vegetable, and could not be removed by washing or peeling.

From Sacred Foods to Superfoods

In addition, many of the nutrients which our ancestors received from this most sacred fruit have faded before it gets to your table. Supplement your fruits and vegetables with the green tea polyphenols, apple polyphenols, and pharmaceutical grade phytonutrients, available in capsule form. These supplements can help your body to detoxify some of the harmful pesticides and ingredients added to our food.

Apple polyphenols are six times more potent than vitamin C in protecting against environmental toxins and disease. Green tea polyphenols have been shown more effective in the treatment of cancer than some forms of chemotherapy.

Our cheeses, unless labeled organic, are created with additional chemical processes which leave toxic residue in the final product. The milk, which our children also drink, may contain radioactive elements and bovine growth hormones. And we wonder why our precious youth, suffer from various learning disabilities, hyperactivity, chronic illness, and obesity.

Cannibals and Cows

Even our wonderful cows are pressured into maturity and sacrifice prematurely with growth hormones, and cannibalism. Mad Cow disease is caused by supplying cows with processed cows as feed. This generates a very dangerous protein called a prion. The prion acts like a virus, replicating itself slowly. This causes a disease in cows which is quite similar to Crutchfield-Jacobs Disease in humans. This same disease was originally seen in tribal peoples who had the custom of eating their dead relatives.

It can take years for the prion to cause the symptoms of Mad Cow disease. Perhaps this is why we slaughter our cows before they are 3 or 4 years old. We are assured by the USDA that our beef supply is safe. Yet non-organically fed cows eat the same thing as the cows in other countries, infected with Mad Cow disease.

Only nerve tissue is affected by these prions. Stay away from ground beef, which could be processed on the same equipment which processed brain or spinal tissue from cows, unless you know for certain how the ground beef was processed.

Re-experience the sacred mystery of beef. Find out how it was fed and treated before slaughter, and then how it is handled on the way to your table. Or raise your own.

Give Me Health and a Day

If you think the world has gone mad, reconsider this axiom: you are what you eat. And remember the creation myth of the cow whose milk curdled the Universe into existence. Mad Cow disease, obesity, and chronic illness in young children may be like the canary in the coal mine– signs and omens within our own homes and families, which may all begin with the food we eat.

Insist on food which is grown organically, with care and love. Treat it as a divine blessing. Cultivate a renewed sacred connection to everything you eat. The secret wisdom of your body can guide you back to the blessing of your birthright- absolute, radiant health.

Katrina Kern is an author, women’s health counselor and former practicing nurse. Read the latest breaking news on apple phytochemicals at http://www.applepoly.com/.

You can download her new free e-book, “How to Absolutely, Positively Know When Your Body is Burning Fat,” at http://www.applepoly.com/report