As you apply the Fat Cure Diet, you will be moving towards healthier habits.  One of the key new habits is taking a daily superfood to ensure that your body will get the nutrients it needs.  This will cut down on the cravings we experience and have the effect of decreasing our appetite.  Getting a full complement of nutrients is very difficult, even while consuming organically grown foods.

Most of the commercially grown foods for sale at the supermarket are lacking in the essential vitamins and minerals required for daily vitality.  These commercial foods are grown using toxic pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers.  While this is not good for your long-term health, these commercially grown foods also give your body less nutrition:  in many cases, up to 80% to 280% less nutrients.  This is a key element in weight loss.  When your body is starved for nutrients, you will overeat!

According to Senate Document #264, 99% of Americans are mineral deficient. This document was published in 1936! The situation is even worse today, as minerals continue to disappear from our soils.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were natural appetite suppressants that were cost effective, nutrient rich and free of toxic side effects?  Dr. Greens contains super- mineral and vitamin rich green foods such as wheat grass, spirulina and chlorella.

Wheat grass was originally used by the animal foods industry to feed livestock.  One ounce of wheat grass has the nutritional equivalent of three pounds of fresh vegetables, without the calories.  Wheat grass juice is ground from the grass of young wheat.  It is much more convenient to use wheatgrass juice in a dried form.

Wheat grass is also an effective healing supplement; it retards bacterial growth and contains over 100 nutrients including most known minerals, vitamin A, B complex, C and K.  The dry content of amino acids in wheat grass is 47.5% higher than red meat.  The amino acids in wheat grass have been found to suppress the appetite.

Spirulina is a blue-green algae containing complete, balanced protein and a wide range of valuable nutrients. Spirulina contains approximately 70% easily digestible protein. It contains 18 out of 22 amino acids and all of the essential amino acids, making it a unique source of complete protein

Chlorella is a green algae. The name chlorella derives from two Latin words meaning ‘leaf’ (green) and ’small’, referring to the unusually high content of chlorophyll (the highest of any known plant) which gives chlorella its characteristic deep emerald-green color. Chlorella has 5 to 10 times the chlorophyll content of spirulina, wheat grass and barley grass. It was found that chlorella contains an astonishingly wide variety of vitamins and minerals and other nutrients.

Chlorella is high in protein, contains 18 amino acids, calcium and iron. Its tough cell walls also provide advantages including an outstanding ability to eliminate toxins, pesticides and heavy metals from the body.

Wheat grass juice, spirulina, chlorella and herbs can be found at most health food stores and juice bars around the country.  They are cheap, nutrient rich supplements that are important in any weight loss program.  As usual, Mother Nature has provided safe, effective alternatives to dangerous pharmaceutical drugs.

Weight loss is limited by lack of movement.  Exercise dos not have to be strenuous.  Do what you are able to do but our bodies require movement everyday to stay healthy and to oxygenate the body and burn fat efficiently.  When we exercise, we use oxygen at a faster rate causing the body to increase metabolism and burns fat at a faster rate. Refer to the exercise suggestions in chapter 8 for boosting metabolism.

There are two kinds of exercise, aerobic and anaerobic.  Aerobic exercise is any activity that encourages deep breathing and the flow of oxygen.  Anaerobic exercise is static and performed by tightening muscles with minimal movement.  A good exercise program does not have to be strenuous to be effective, but it must be CONSISTENT.

It’s always a good idea to start slowly and gradually increase aerobic exercise. Take the time to enjoy and relax into exercise.  Try to choose a form of aerobic exercise that is familiar that you enjoy.  Dance, cycling, jogging and even walking are fun aerobic exercises.  Some people find it difficult to exercise in a gym.

Leisurely hikes through the woods are invigorating and stress relieving.  Nature walks are good energy boosters and very private.  They provide a great time for self-reflection, acceptance and release.  While exercising, be selfish.  This is your time.  Focus on your accomplishments and envision well-being.

Yoga is an exercise for the body and the mind.  This ancient art form incorporates long stretches with deep breathing to encourage a release on many levels.  Some poses can be used to tone and strengthen the body.  While others, relieve stress and lighten the mind.

Plant-based foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, sprouts, sea vegetables and any other food that does not come from an animal source. Traditionally, many cultures have relied on plant-based foods, supplemented with small amounts of animal products.  However, in our culture, it is not unusual for the only vegetables in the diet to be French fries and catsup.  Eating more fruits and vegetables is not some “far out” suggestion, as The US Center for Disease Control recommends a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Fruits and vegetables are low-calorie, low fat and very filling. If you eat them fresh and whole, you won’t be filling your body with processed foods.  Whole, unprocessed, plant-based foods, particularly organically grown, are rich in vitamins and minerals, which will control food cravings.

Eat Carbohydrates. Carbohydrate-rich foods such as whole grain pasta, potatoes, whole grain bread and grains are not fattening.  These demonized foods are part of the program for permanent weight control. Fats contain twice the calories of carbohydrates, which means that substituting carbs for fats will reduce your calories.

A recent study in China found that, on the average, Chinese people eat 20% more calories than Americans, but they are also slimmer. (1) Part of this is due to the sedentary American lifestyle, but there is more to it than exercise alone. Earlier studies have shown that obese people do not consume more calories than non-obese people; in many cases they consume less. (2,3)

The body uses carbohydrates differently. The likely hood of fats being converted into body fat is much higher than with carbohydrates. Fats are easier for the body to store and thus can be more fattening.  Most animal products are high in fat.  High fat plant based foods such as coconut, avocado, nuts and olives are less fattening, especially if eaten in their raw state.

Many people these days are on high-protein diets.  Proteins and carbohydrates have about the same amount of calories per gram.  Most of the protein foods also have a high fat content because they are derived from animals. We do need to eat protein, around 40 grams per 100 lbs of body weight.  However, eating a diet with excessive amounts of protein can also lead to many problems such as kidney stones and osteoporosis. We recommend adjusting the amount of protein and healthy fats to fit your needs but the majority of calories will be coming in the form of unrefined plant-based carbohydrates.

Plant-Based Foods Keep Your Blood Alkaline

In order for your blood to carry oxygen to the cells the ph (potential of hydrogen is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.) must be slightly alkaline. Eating a large portion of your diet from plant- based sources will keep the blood alkaline and elevate your overall level of health. Eating a diet predominantly of animal products can generate unhealthy acids laying the foundation for oxygen starvation in your body.  The ph of foods vary according to preparation, growing conditions and other external factors.  The important point is to eat at least 80% of your diet from alkaline sources.

Below is a general breakdown of foods that move the blood chemistry into alkaline, neutral and the acid state.

Alkaline Foods – Plant-Based Source

• Fresh Green vegetables
• Fresh Starchy vegetables
• Fresh Mushrooms
• Fresh Sea Vegetables
• Sprouts
• Sprouted grains and nuts
• Fresh ripe fruits
• Fresh food herbs
• Fresh Beans and legumes
• Wheatgrass
• Fresh squeezed juice
• Chlorella and Spirulina
• Neutral Foods – Plant Based Foods
• Cooked vegetables
• Cooked fruits
• Cooked grains
• Nuts (unsoaked)
• Seeds (unsoaked)
• Pasteurized juices
• Cold-pressed oils

Acid Foods – Processed Foods and Animal Products

• Fried foods
• Seafood
• Pork products
• Beef
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Caffeine
• Processed foods
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Refined sugars
• Vinegar
• Heat-treated oil (non-cold pressed)
• Alcohol
• Carbonated beverages

We need to eat more fruits and vegetables to maintain our health and appropriate weight.  The National Cancer Institute initiated the 5-A-Day for Better Health program to promote healthy eating through fruit and vegetable consumption. The CDC (Center for Disease Control),  USDA Food Guide Pyramid and the American Cancer Society also recommend 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

(CDC. 5 A Day works! Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2005. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/health_professionals/programs/5aday_works.pdf.)

1. China: a living lab for epidemiology. Science 1990;248:553-5.

2. Garrow JS. Energy balance and obesity in man. New York: Elsevier, 1974.

3. Braitman LS, Adlin E, Stanton JL. Obesity and caloric intake: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 1971-75 (HANES 1). J Chronic Dis 1985;38:727-32.

White sugar is a chemical. A man-made chemical.  Its natural color is not white.  Many processors use bleach to make sugar.  Sugar causes diabetes, attention deficit disorder and ulcers.  Soda has a minimum of 12 teaspoons of sugar per can.  Sugar forces the metabolism into overdrive and accelerates the rate of aging.  A candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.

Eating chocolate, cake, candy or any other sweet increases the amount of sugar in the blood stream. This necessitates the hormone insulin to be released, which causes sugar to be stored away and blood sugar levels to be lowered.  Eating sugar can trigger cravings for more sweets in order to stabilize blood sugar balance.  It creates a vicious cycle of over consumption of sweets and weight gain.

Good alternative for white sugar are raw honey, stevia, maple sugar, maple syrup, xylitol and dried fruit sugar such as date sugar.

Artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame, saccharine and sucralose ( i.e. Nutra Sweet, Equal, Sweet and Low and Splenda) should never be consumed.

NutraSweet and Equal contain aspartame. On study concluded that aspartame consumption may constitute a hazard because of its contribution to the formation of formaldehyde adducts.”

[Life Sci. (scientific journal), Vol. 63, No. 5, pp. 337+, 1998]

Sweet n’ Low contains saccharine. In 1972 the FDA removed saccharine from their “Generally Recognized as Safe” list. Products containing saccharin have to post the words “may be hazardous to your health” and “has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals” on their labels and it is classified by the FDA as a “weak carcinogen.”

Splenda research showed that sucralose (the scientific name for Splenda) caused shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) and enlarged liver and kidneys in laboratory animals. (”New Scientist” 23 November 1991, page 13)

Stevia and xylitol are great alternative to artificial sweeteners.  Stevia is an herb that is 100-300 times sweeter than sugar.  It is safe for diabetics, contains no calories or carbohydrates and doesn’t cause tooth decay. Stevia makes up 40% of the Japanese sweetener market. In the USA the sugar and artificial sweeter monopolies have conspired to keep it from the public. You can find both stevia and xylitol on the Internet and in the supplement section of the health food store.

Fast food gives us the illusion of a quick healthy meal. Every day, about one-quarter of American adults eat at fast-food restaurants.* Fast food is high in saturated fat, calories, and low in all nutrients: a great recipe for putting on weight.  Fast food has also been manipulated with artificial flavors including MSG, which has been know to cause people overeat and is addictive.

Thanks in large part to fast food, half of America’s adults and one-quarter of its children are obese, double the rate of a generation ago.  There is no room for an occasional fast food meal; it is not suitable for maintaining long-term health and an ideal weight.

Highly processed foods such as cookies, cakes, ice cream and anything containing white processed sugar or other processed sweeteners are loaded with calories and fat.  These foods along with fast foods are directly responsible for the obesity problem in this country.  Before the industrial age our diets consisted primarily of a variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, whole grains and legumes.

Beware of processed food, drugs and feeble excuses.  These are the fat ambassadors.  They confuse the body and give fat a reason to hang around.  Most fat food traps are set around recreational activities.  Corporations try to sneak into our lives when our guard is down.  When we are relaxed we are more receptive to their tactics.

Alcohol is a triple fat offender.  Alcohol has almost twice the calories of fat and damages the liver.  When alcohol enters the blood stream the liver diverts its attention away from metabolizing fat. Even small amounts of alcohol will cause fat to be stored.

Junk foods are double fat offenders. Cookies, cakes, candies and sodas contain processed sugars and animal fats. The body is confused by these processed foods and holds onto fat fearing that it might never again enjoy real food.

Coffee is a major fat offender.  The caffeine in coffee prematurely speeds up metabolism and creates a rebound effect.  When the effects of caffeine wear off the metabolic rate drops to an even lower level.  This rush and hush effect interrupts the adrenal glands and eventually causes them to fail.  The adrenal glands pace the metabolic rate.  If the adrenals can function without interruption the metabolic rate can be raised to new fat burning levels.

Here are some pointers for processed food  consumption for health and weight loss:

Avoid deep fried foods!

Heating cooking oil above 300 degrees fahrenheit damages the oil causing the formation of toxins including trans fatty acid and other unnatural breakdown products such as polymers (plastics).  Fried foods in high heat are extremely difficult to digest and cause rapid aging. The nutritional value of fried food is poor, causing our bodies to be unsatisfied and crave more foods.

Food can be cooked with a mixture oil and water.  The best oils for frying are coconut and safflower oil.  Avoid canola oil, corn oil and other vegetable oils as these form the most toxins when heated at a high temperature.  Cold-pressed olive oil can be used for light sautÇ at a low temperature.

Eat less canned foods

Canned food is good in an emergency, but for nutritional reasons fresh is a much better option.  Canned foods are always precooked and deficient in enzymes and generally loaded with food additives, preservatives, sodium, coloring and sugar.

Eat less frozen foods

Freezing food causes damage to the cells in the food, which lowers its nutritional value. Frozen foods are a better option than canned, but try and minimize the amount of frozen foods in your diet.  Fresh is always better than frozen.

Avoid microwaved foods

The microwave oven depletes your food of nutrition and can adversely affect your health.  90% of American homes have a microwave oven.  It is a huge business. For obvious reasons no studies on the effects of microwaves are being done in this country.

However, a Swiss scientist by the name of Dr. Hans Hertel published a study in 1992 and found that eating microwaved food produced significant changes in the blood and immune function – changes normally associated with infection and the early stages in the development of cancer.

The Swiss Association of Manufacturers and Suppliers of Household Appliances obtained a gag order from the courts to prevent Dr. Hertel from further publishing his findings.

Microwave ovens have been outlawed in Russia since 1976. According to US researcher William Kopp, Russian forensic teams observed the following key effects: (US researcher William Kopp, who gathered much of the results of Russian and German research – and was apparently prosecuted for doing so (J. Nat. Sci, 1998; 1:42-3)

1. People who ingested microwaved foods showed a statistically higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, plus a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues and a gradual breakdown of the function of the digestive and excretory systems.

2. Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions occurred within the lymphatic system, causing degeneration in the immune system’s ability to protect the body against neoplastic (cancerous) growth.

3. Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritional value of all foods studied, most significantly in the bio-availability of B complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumulation of fat).

4. Heating prepared meats in a microwave sufficiently for human consumption creates the cancer-causing agent d-nitrosodiethanolamine.

5. Cancer-causing free radicals were formed within certain trace-mineral, molecular formations in plant substances, particularly in raw root vegetables.

6. Ingestion of microwaved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells within the blood serum.

7. Micro waving foods alters their elemental food substances, leading to disorders in the digestive system. The studies seem to indicate that microwaving food though convenient may not be a good idea.

Avoid foods with MSG

MSG is a flavor added to fast food, processed foods, and Chinese food.  It is also found in nearly all canned and frozen foods.  MSG has been linked to asthma, headaches, and heart irregularities.

This secret ingredient can transform a boring meal into a taste sensation. Scientists at the University of Miami School of Medicine discovered “that adding monosodium glutamate makes food taste better and makes you want to eat more.” Some people believe MSG to be at the heart of the recent soaring statistics of morbid obesity in the industrialized countries of the world.

Studies have been done showing a causal link as far back as 1969, when Dr. John W. Olney found his lab rats became grotesquely obese when fed MSG. In addition, the rats suffered brain lesions and neuro-endocrine disorders.  Jack Samuel, president of Truth in Labeling, says Olney’s lab rats “looked like hockey pucks, perfectly round.”

The best way to avoid MSG is to eat organic foods. You can also cut down on MSG by eating more whole foods and making food from scratch.

(*Schlosser E. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-  American Meal. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin; 2001.)

(***Schlosser E. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin; 2001.)

The over-consumption of animal products has a detrimental effect on the human body. Commercially-raised animals are injected with steroids with the intent of putting weight on these animals. Steroids are hormones. When we eat these steroid-injected animals, these hormones are passed on to us and then we gain weight as though we were injected with steroids.

Commercially-raised animals are also fed large amounts of grain and synthetic fillers. Animal feed increases bulk by loading cholesterol and saturated fat into muscle tissue, so the cholesterol and saturated fat is passed on to us every time we eat these animals.

When we consume animal products the cholesterol, hormones and chemicals in their tissues disrupt our endocrine system. In women, high-cholesterol diets enriched with steroid residue cause estrogen levels and progesterone levels to fluctuate. This causes a serious metabolic disturbance that forces the body to store fat. In addition, these same women suffer more bone loss, severe premenstrual syndromes (PMS) and higher rates of breast cancer.

We do not need to consume extra cholesterol. Dr. Walter Willet, a Harvard scientist, concurs that every cell in the body makes cholesterol. He and many other well-known researchers believe humans should not ingest large amounts of cholesterol. The research shows that you can limit cholesterol rich food in the human diet and not develop a cholesterol deficiency. Ironically, cholesterol is found only in animal products. Plant-based foods have absolutely no cholesterol, even fat rich foods such as nuts, vegetable oils, avocadoes, olives and coconuts.

The body has severe allergic (inflammatory) reactions when exposed to some animal products. Milk forces the immune system to release prostaglandin 2. Prostaglandin 2, triggers inflammatory reactions throughout the circulatory system causing vessels to constrict and blood flow to decrease. As blood flow dwindles the body is starved of oxygen. This leads to gradual organ damage and inhibits our ability to burn fat. Remember inflammation can cause your leptins to be ineffective and your appetite to be out of control.

Animal products are extremely protein concentrated. Proteins are composed of amino acids. Meat is a block of acid. As meat is broken down in the stomach a large volume of acid is released into the blood stream. This leads to an imbalance that forces the body to dump calcium into the urine as a protective measure, ultimately causing kidney damage and bone loss. Calcium is replaced in the blood stream from the bones. Over-eating animal products literally and figuratively forces us to “pee” our bones away.

Animal products do not contain fiber. In the person lacking fiber in their diet, it can take months for a steak to be completely eliminated. It sits in the intestines and slowly decays releasing benzopyrines and nitrosamines into the cellular tissue. These are proven carcinogens that cause colon cancer. In 1968, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 90% of all cases of colon cancer could be traced to the ingestion of fried meat.

Animal products are very low in the essential enzymes needed to assist in their digestion. Lipase is an enzyme that is vital in the digestion and removal of fats from the body tissue. Animal products do not contain a functional form of lipase requiring the body to use its reserves. When lipase is deficient, in the body, fat is stored. Tufts University researchers found that 90% of obese people were deficient in lipase, an enzyme critical to the breakdown and removal of stored fat.

Non-organic animal products are fatty, hormone laden, chemical-laced blocks of acid. It is clear that these substances disrupt physiologic functions and should be limited. Losing weight and gaining health is an up-hill battle unless animal products are limited or eaten in moderation.

For most, our eating habits were determined by social factors, not by studying health books. Much of the planet eats primarily a plant-based diet. The over consumption of animal products is destroying our health. Sure there are many things that contribute to disease, but few are ingested three times a day.

We recommend consuming more plant-based foods. These are foods from the plant kingdom. There are tasty plant-based alternatives on the market for everything from steak, hotdogs, and ice cream to cheesecake. Check your local health food store. Many of the super market chains also feature a large array of plant-based options.

A gradual transitional towards more plants and less animals will make the process easier. Whenever possible try to eat only animal products from organically-raised animals. It is in your interest as the commercial-raised animals are not fit to eat and can make losing weight more difficult as they have been injected with steroids. Here are some suggestions that may make your transition to less animal products easier.

Limit all red meat, pork and lamb to no more than 4-6 ounces once a day. These are extremely acidic foods. They cause blood chemistry imbalances in every cell of the body. The highest concentration of fat is found in the muscle of the animal. It contains excessive amounts of protein and iron. The sulfur-containing proteins in meat are converted into uric acid producing a caffeine-like rush of energy and the iron overload seems temporarily to relieve anemia. Take note of how meat is prepared fried meats are extremely harmful to the health. Grilling, baking, sautÇing, and boiling are much healthier alternatives. Organic, grass-fed animals are much higher in omega-3 fatty acids.

Limit chicken, fish, turkey, duck, eggs and other forms of poultry to no more than 4-6 ounces once a day. Poultry contains the same concentration of fat and cholesterol as red meat. Eating skinless chicken will not decrease your chances of getting heart disease or cancer. Remember, the poultry and farmed fish populations are often fed or vaccinated with steroids.

Eating fish in moderation still applies, as fish is still a source of concentrated protein, cholesterol and saturated fat. Fish are swimming filters. They cycle the waste that we spill into the oceans through their bodies. They are magnets for toxic chemicals. According to a Consumer Report, fish account for a main source of exposure to PCB’s and mercury poisoning. The EPA estimates that fish concentrate 900 million times the level of chemicals from the water in which they live. There can be more mercury in a can of tuna than is considered acceptable in the work place.

Unfortunately, today, most fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Mercury can cause neurological problems and can be particularly dangerous during pregnancy and for small children.

Here is information on mercury levels in fish from the Natural Resource Defense Council:

LEAST MERCURY

Anchovies, Butterfish, Catfish, Clam, Crab (Domestic), Crawfish/Crayfish, Croaker,_Flounder, Haddock, Hake, Herring, _Mackerel, Mullet, Oyster, Perch, Plaice, Pollock, Salmon (Fresh water), Sardine, Scallop, Shad, Shrimp, Sole (Pacific), Squid, Tilapia, Trout (Freshwater), Whitefish, Whiting

MODERATE MERCURY

Do not eat more than six servings per month:

Bass (Striped, Black), Carp Cod, Halibut, Lobster, Mahi Mahi, Monkfish, Perch (Freshwater), Snapper, Tuna (canned chunk light)

HIGH MERCURY

Do not eat more than three servings per month:

Bluefish Grouper, Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf), _Sea Bass (Chilean), Tuna (Canned Albacore), _Tuna (Yellow fin)

HIGHEST MERCURY

Avoid eating: Mackerel (King), Marlin, Orange Roughy, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish, Tuna_(Big eye, Ahi)

Also eating farmed Salmon should be limited as they may contain PCB’s, chemicals with serious long-term health effects.

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

Eliminate non-organic dairy products. Commercially-raised dairy cows are fed a consistent diet of steroids and antibiotics. They are the main ingredient in most processed foods and are caustic. The body produces mucus as a protective mechanism to limit the harmful effects produced by milk, cheese, butter and eggs.

Mucus blocks the absorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in the gut causing you to overeat. If you are going to continue to have dairy products, try to consume only organic and limit your daily intake to no more than four ounces daily.

Water is essential for all bodily functions. 78% of the body is composed of water. Water keeps away-unwanted fat. Water naturally suppresses the appetite and stimulates the body to metabolize stored fat. The kidneys have great difficulty functioning without water. When a person is dehydrated the kidneys dump toxins into the liver. Metabolizing fat into usable energy is the liver’s most important function. But if the liver is forced to do the kidneys work, fat is stored.

Drinking water helps to alleviate fluid retention. Yes, adding more water to the body encourages it to release fluid. When the body is denied water it holds on to every drop. The best way to beat water retention is to give the body an indication that water is in abundant, only then is retained fluid released.

Water retention may result from eating excess processed sugar or salt. Salt tells the body retains water. Drinking an adequate amount of water releases excess salt through the kidneys. Sugars, on the other hand, require many essential nutrients to be metabolized and this distracts the body from proper elimination.

Water is important in maintaining muscle tone, suppleness in the skin, smoothness in the joints and for cooling the entire body. Water rids the body of waste. Water helps relieve constipation and encourages regular bowel movements. Water is a natural laxative: it keeps everything flowing.

On the average, we should ingest half of our body weight in ounces everyday. For example, a person weighing 200 hundred lbs. should drink 100 ounces of fluid (water, juice and herbal teas) every day. This amount should increase if exercising briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

Tap water is generally unfit to drink. It can contain chlorine, fluoride, fecal bacteria and heavy metals and many other contaminants. It is much better to drink purified water such as artesian well, spring, reverse osmosis and distilled water. Most of these are readily found at supermarkets or a water filtration unit can be added to your house or apartment water supply.

Tap water, soda, coffee, beer, wine and punches are not water substitutes. They may have water as the main ingredient, but are chemically very different from spring or well water. These substitutes contain salts that cause a shift in the body’s metabolic cycle inhibiting fat metabolism. Shaving off inches cannot be accomplished without drinking clean water every day.

We need stress. Stress is normal. Too much stress, however, will turn into distress. Stress is important because it fosters the challenges that are needed to stimulate growth. When a sprout is pushing through the soil, reaching for the sun, it experiences the stress produced by the earth and gravity moving in the opposite direction. Along with the wind, these forces help the sprout create the strength and flexibility to grow. Stress builds the integrity that holds us together.

When stress is out of control it becomes distress. A body that is in distress will produce neuro-chemicals that simulate a state of fright. Fear is a sign that we are fighting with ourselves. This internal battle fills us with the tension or knots that are associated with a stressful life. Stress is a self-perpetuating process. As the tension mounts even positive things can become stressful. Happy and tragic occasions can both cause stress. Weddings rate as the second most stressful event, after the death of a loved one.

As we get all wound up blood flow to the major organs decreases and the body becomes sedentary. Stress initially speeds up the metabolic rate, but then a hormonal rebound forces it to stop to an all time low. This feedback effect is a natural protective mechanism that the body uses to store energy in preparation for the long bouts of depression that usually follows a traumatic stressful event. As a result, stress will lead to and increases in weight.

The good news is that stress can work for us. Stress is a unique personal experience that depends solely on the way we chose to react to the events that make up our lives. We actually set ourselves up for the stress in our lives in order to be forced into seeing the world differently. To reduce stress we must learn new ways to deal with our environment. We can dramatically reduce stress by making some small adjustments in behavior:

Get up 15 minutes early to reduce the rush.

Relax your standards: nothing is perfect.

UN-plug your life. Turn off the TV, radio, computer and telephone for at least one hour everyday.

Realize that everything, including clean food, air and water are privileges.

Watch your body for tension and take a deep breath.

Do a favor for a stranger once a day.

Talk positively about yourself.

Delegate responsibilities. Work at your own pace.

Be your own best friend.

Cast out stress with exercise as an exorcism.

Share your stress with a close friend.

Do not push past your limits.

Take care of yourself, then tend to others.

Have more fun.

Cooperate with others.

Cry out loud. Laugh out loud.

Create an quiet environment.

Take a hot bath before bed.

Stay away from people and situations that cause you stress.

It isn’t necessary to go into long dissertations on the origins of stress. Stress is another part of living. If we can build an alliance with stress and view it as a motivating factor, we score big. Not reacting to stress may be easier said than done. The nature of stress is to surprise us when we least expect it. There is an ancient stress exercise that is proven to reduce reactive behavior patterns.

Meditation relaxes the mind. Meditation is a mind message. It loosens up the mental knots; purges habitual thought patterns and offers a way out of the stress cycle. A meditation program can range form relaxing with the eyes closed for a period of time to gardening. Anything that focuses the mind in the moment to the exclusion of time is a good meditation. The intent of meditation is to teach us that nothing is perfect and everything will change. A regular meditation practice will relieve stress.

The only thing standing between our food and us is two professional tennis courts. When the intestines are spread out flat they cover, at least this much surface area. The body relies on every square inch to absorb nutrients. Even, the best weight loss program is useless if the intestines have difficulty absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste. We tend to eat less when the digestive system is working efficiently. The average person uses 30% of her daily energy for digestion. A clean digestive system leaves us with that much more extra energy to metabolize fat.

A healthy digestive tract is 99.98% efficient at absorbing and eliminating waste. We simply do not eliminate 0.02% of each meal. A person consumes 45,000 pounds of food every 25 years. If the digestive system operated at peak efficiency we can expect to be carrying 10 pounds of undigested matter in the intestines by the time we reach our 25th year.

Regular cleansing is a must. It makes just as much sense to clean the inside of our bodies as the outside. Digestive cleanses have been around for thousands of years, the techniques have been recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Old Testament and even in the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt. In the old days, a cleanse consisted of not much more than an enema and a change in diet. Hospitals use cleanses to prepare patients for surgery everyday. There is nothing mysterious about cleansing.

If you have some health complications it is best to work closely with a qualified health practitioner that is familiar with cleansing. They can advise you on some contra-indications and can customize your cleanse to fit you. If there are any problems a health advisor should be able to make adjustments that will make your experience worth the effort. It is always nice to have a guide on the healing path, especially since you are doing all the work.

A weight loss plan that disregards the need for a serious cleanse may show a gradual loss of weight, but the results are usually not permanent. A cleanse can be an effective way to break an addiction. The use of a cleansing technique can make the difference between a progressive weight loss plan and endless frustration. A cleanse can catalyze healing where supplements, diets, yoga, exercise and meditation often fall short.

Cleansing supports weight loss on many levels. It works to release unwanted toxins at the physical level and trapped emotions at the psychological level. As with any organ of the body, the intestines harbor unexpressed emotions that have been covered up by food. After many years of abusive eating, undigested matters and hardened stools collect in the intestinal walls. Intestinal cleansing assists in the recovery from chronic conditions by accelerating the elimination of unwanted waste and trapped emotions. There are many accounts of diabetes, ulcers, constipation, arthritis and depression that have been relieved during a cleanse.

There are many simple ways to cleanse.

A daily cleanse can be done by eating your last meal of the day before 7:00pm in the evening. For breakfast have vegetable juice, herb tea or water. Your first meal of the day will be at lunch around the middle of the day. This will give your body a rest for 17 hours a day.

A weekly cleanse can be done by taking one day a week off from eating. Try and chose a day during the week where you do not have a busy social schedule. Have blended soups (see recipe section) vegetable juice, herb tea and water. At the end of the year you will have cleansed for 52 days.

A monthly cleanse can be done by taking a weekend off from eating. Eat your last meal of the weekend on Friday night. Have blended soups (see recipe section) vegetable juice, herb tea and water. Abstain from solid food until Monday morning or afternoon. At the end of the year you will have cleansed for 24 days.

A seasonal cleanse can be done with the change of seasons. Try and cleanse for seven days 2 to 4 times a year. Have blended soups (see recipe section) vegetable juice, herb tea and water. At the end of the year you will have cleansed for 14 to 28 days.

When the intestines are cleansed regularly the tissues are enlivened and better able to re-build. Cleansing assists the body in creating healthy cells that are ready to absorb needed nutrients and eliminate waste.

These simple cleansing techniques incorporate some element of balance and flexibility. It is important to select a cleansing technique that is not to extreme, but not too feeble. There must be some degree of challenge built into the technique if it is going to be worth your time. The most powerful life experiences involve a little struggle. Life is a challenge!

Eating raw simply means less cooking.  Eating 50 to 75% of your fruit and vegetables in a raw or uncooked form is certainly achievable and will be the short and long term foundation for permanent weight loss. Much of the cooked food we eat is very difficult to digest and unnatural for the body.  Man, living in a natural setting would most likely have picked and eaten fruits and vegetables right off the vine.  Pots, pans, and fire didn’t exist before the ice age.  All fruits, vegetables and nuts can be eaten raw.  Eating raw will actually prove to be more convenient, cost effective and metabolically stimulating.  On the Fat Cure Diet you will eat raw food at every meal.

Including a large portion of uncooked fruits and vegetables in your diet will help you lose weight. Raw foods are rich in water, which will help you feel full.  It is difficult to overeat raw foods.  When was the last time you ate 5 apples in one sitting.  Raw foods have more active vitamins and minerals so your body will be getting more of the essential nutrients and craving less food.

In our workshops, we have had people lose pounds and pounds in three weeks without calorie counting.  Some have even lost up to 37 lbs in 21 days while elevating their overall level of health. All common fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and grains can be eaten raw with the proper preparation. The grains and beans often require some soaking, but everything else can be eaten raw to receive the maximum nutrient value from the food.

Live whole foods are abundant in the life giving enzymes, vitamins and minerals necessary to optimize healing.  Every single reaction that occurs in the body requires the presence of an enzyme.  These complex proteins build the stage where every bodily function is performed.  Without them, the show won’t go on!  Research has proven that enzyme deficiencies are the most common factor that contributes to accelerated aging and disease.

When food is cooked to a temperature greater than 117 degrees fahrenheit, 50% of the amino acids, 70% of vitamins and minerals and nearly 100% of enzymes are destroyed.  Digesting a plate of food devoid of enzymes becomes a chore.  To compensate the body must expend enzymes from its storage banks.  Enzymatic bankruptcy is usually followed by a long drooling session in front of the television.

Eating raw food may seem foreign, but with little time you will adjust.  Raw foods are filled with water and very high in fiber, nature’s broom.  Fiber and water lubricate and sweep the colon clearing the way for better digestion and more efficient assimilation.  Eating raw is a natural way to exercise the intestines and loose weight.