You are what you eat…

An interview with Prof. Mark Naruszewicz PhD, one of the  leading Polish scientists, about a recent study on the effects of our diet on the body.

- What are the scientists from the Institute of Food and Nutrition working on ?
We work in the field of nutrigenomics. It is a knowledge which is very rapidly developing, dealing with the impact of nutrition on gene expression. Today we know that what we eat directly affects our genetic material.

- Can you explain that a bit more?
Each gene is a single protein. Human physiology is based on the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It turns out that the fatty acids regulate gene expression. In other words, the type of fatty acid consumed determines human growth, the development of the central nervous system and other defence mechanisms, including immunological functions. A factor that best stimulates our genetic material to develop properly are unsaturated fatty acids, derived from plants and fish. Hence a lot of pressure from all medical societies, to change our diet and started eating what is compatible with our physiology.

Yoga Outdoors: Embrace the Season

Reblogged from The Sonic Lunch:

Spring is here!  Summer is coming quickly.  What a perfect time to start practicing yoga outdoors!

Practicing yoga outside can bring an added layer of experience to yoga, both physically and mentally. The physical senses pick up the motion of the wind, sounds, air, smells and temperature.  Outdoor environments can be particularly helpful when practicing breathing techniques and meditation.  A good practice when in nature is to focus on the sounds within you (your breath) and around you. 

Read more… 583 more words

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made by the fermentation of apple cider. During the fermentation process, sugar in the apple cider is broken down by bacteria and yeast into alcohol and then into vinegar. Like many types of vinegar, apple cider vinegar contains a substance called acetic acid. It also contains some lactic, citric and malic acids.

Why should we all start using more apple cider vinegar? First of all, apple cider vinegar is a completely natural product.  In integrating this product into our homes, we instantly decrease the consumption of unnatural chemicals in our daily lives.

Apple cider vinegar can help with many health conditions, including:
acne, allergies, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, flu, gout, heartburn, high cholesterol, sore throat

Curing Type II Diabetes by Reducing Chronic Inflammation

Reblogged from Energy Medicine and Health:

"As type 2 diabetes starts to develop, the body becomes less sensitive to insulin and the resulting insulin resistance also leads to inflammation. A vicious cycle can result, with more inflammation causing more insulin resistance and vice versa. Blood sugar levels creep higher and higher, eventually resulting in type 2 diabetes."...Web MD

..."a greater inflammatory score merely reflects greater insulin resistance and resultant greater postprandial glycemia at baseline, and thus a greater predisposition to diabetes."...American Diabetes Association…

Read more… 524 more words

New recipes – Courgette

Courgette/ zucchini is another underrated vegetable (it is actually a fruit from plant-science point of view) which is simply delicious and so versatile. Most of the time they are served cooked or baked, in various pasta or rice dishes, stir-fries or soups, however they can also be eaten raw in salads or raw pasta dishes.

One of the main courgette’s properties (along with other squashes) is cancer prevention, by inhibiting cell mutations, especially effecting in preventing colon and lung cancer.

It is rich in nutrients like magnesium and potassium which help normalise blood pressure and plays an important role in cardiovascular health in general. The vitamin C content along with carotenoids stops the oxidation of bad cholesterol in the blood, therefore prevents the occurrence of strokes and heart attacks. Apart from Vitamin C they contain lutein which can serve as an herbal remedy for people with vision disorders and for sharpening the eyesight.

Raise Your Vibration, Feel Good and Get What You Want

Reblogged from Holistic Words:

What does "Raise your Vibration" mean? Well, it is all about making yourself feel good.

If you feel good, and hold onto that feeling, the chances are you will continue to feel good.

OK, lets put it another way.

You watch the news and its chock full of grief, war, famine, death. You think about a really unhappy time in your life and it makes you sad.

Read more… 1,015 more words

Soak your nuts ;-)

Many raw food recipes call for soaked nuts or seeds. There are several reasons for soaking nuts ranging from flavour to increased nutritional value. Sometimes it is simply to prepare the food to be soft enough that it will blend more smoothly.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Tree nuts and seeds are highly concentrated fat and protein, given by nature to ensure that an actively growing sprout will have all the nourishment it needs. Just like any other raw foods, nuts and seeds contain enzymes. We want the benefit of those enzymes, and that’s one reason we choose to eat food without subjecting it to intense heat. However, till the germination conditions for nuts and seeds are met—like moist soil, or in our case a soaking process — the enzymes in most nuts and seeds stay dormant, held hostage by so called enzyme inhibitors (another brilliant natural mechanism to ensure the proliferation of the species).

Are you ready for the blue pill

Once you start giving your body the proper nutrients it needs, the cleansing process initiates. Your physical body gets rid of the toxins, your brain can de-program itself and your way of thinking start shifting. You begin to finally be able to make some small steps into free-thinking direction.

This is a very good documentary, called ‘Owned and Operated‘, to get you started on your new path. It was able to open a few more eyes and help to uncover the illusion of freedom and democracy we live in…

Ego’s Veil

Ego’s Veil.

New recipes – Celeriac

I’ve just added two new recipes to the Recipes section on Your Instinct:

Celeriac side salad

Celeriac cakes

Celeriac – one of the most underrated vegetables, perhaps just misunderstood…  As the winter this year is extremely and unusually long, I’m sure a lot of us is still using the supplies from last year.

This versatile vegetable can be stored for around 5 months. Underneath the spiny roots and perhaps not the most attractive skin there is a soft, velvety flesh that, when mashed, has the creaminess of potato with the added subtle flavour of celery. Celeriac can be eaten roasted, cooked or raw and can replace parsnips in almost any recipe.