Do any of these sound familiar to you?

• You used to be able to eat anything you wanted without giving it a second thought — but now you have a mental list of foods you know will give you trouble.
• You occasionally feel bloated after you eat — like you have to unbutton your pants or loosen your belt.
• You avoid certain restaurants or certain types of food.
• You occasionally experience intestinal gas.
• You have irregular bowels — occasional constipation.

If you have occasional digestion problems with your digestive tract, you’re not alone. The discomfort of occasional abdominal bloating affects 10, 20, perhaps even 30% of adults. And if you include other abdominal signs — like occasional stomach discomfort, passing gas, or irregular bowel movements — the percentages shoot up like fireworks. 

I hear from far too many people who are struggling with occasional bloating or stomach discomfort. And social embarrassment too. Oftentimes, you lose out on the pleasure of sitting down to a tasty meal because you know the price you’ll pay later. All because your digestive tract isn’t working optimally. 

Fortunately, if your situation is similar to that of the many others I’ve worked with over the past several years, there’s plenty you can do to improve these occasional digestive issues — and boost your overall health in the meantime.

If you can relate to these stories than please heed your feelings of occasional abdominal discomfort. Take a few minutes with this quiz I’ve prepared. It will help you focus on any digestive issues that might be bothering you.

Take This Quiz to See if You Could Use Extra Help for Your Digestive System*:

I occasionally feel bloated after a meal.

I’m over the age of 30.

I occasionally feel indigestion.

I sometimes have gas attacks after I eat.

I eat one or more large meals each day.

More than 15% of my diet is meat.

I frequently feel low in energy.

NOW , SCORE YOUR RESPONSES …

Of course, no simple online quiz can be tailored to your health, so there is no substitute for checking with your own health practitioner.  

However, here is what your score most closely indicates: 

4+ ‘Yes’ Answers:  It sounds like you might benefit from some extra help to improve your digestion and make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.*

2-3 ‘Yes’ Answers: Continue reading to learn more about the ways your digestive tract functions. Someone with a score in this range is likely to benefit from some extra digestive support.*

0-1 ‘Yes’ Answers: You may not benefit as much as others from extra digestive support.  Still, the information in this article will help you discover how you can continue to keep your digestive system healthy into the future.*

Read on. The occasional bloating, gas, and discomfort you feel is only part of the picture. There’s a hidden cost to sluggish digestion. Discover how a well-functioning digestive tract is important to your total health

You Aren’t What You Eat… But You Are What You Digest and Absorb

If your body does not break down and absorb nutrients optimally, the effects can go far beyond the occasional abdominal discomfort you’re feeling.

In fact, it’s been said that a healthy digestive system is at the root of all health. That’s logical — your digestive tract is the basic source of the nourishment every cell in your body needs.

I want you to eat the healthiest, most nutritious diet possible. But if your stomach and intestines aren’t working efficiently, even the ideal diet won’t do as much for your health. You’re not going to be able to optimally extract and absorb the chemical building blocks your body depends on.

To help your digestive tract do its all-important job, you’ve got to understand some of the chemical wizardry that goes on inside your stomach and small intestine.

All too often, diminished levels of your normal digestive enzymes are the root cause of less-than-optimal digestive function. Here are a few of the many common reasons that your enzymes might be depleted.

• A generally unbalanced diet, without the right mix of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Inadequate vitamin or mineral intake
• Poor eating habits — rushing through meals, not chewing thoroughly
• Exposure to artificial food additives, colorings, and preservatives
• The aging process — as you advance into middle age, a certain degree of enzyme depletion becomes almost inevitable

With all these possible factors contributing to enzyme depletion, it’s no wonder that minor digestive complaints are so common.

Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take today to make sure your digestive tract has maximal support to do its job. It begins when you take your first bite….

To Learn More About Helping Your Digestion … CLICK HERE !

enzymes for digestive support

whole-food-multivitamin

If you’re like most people…

If you have a hectic lifestyle and rely at all on processed or fast foods, chances are you don’t get all the healthy nutrients you need from your diet.

Ideally, it would be best for you to receive all your nutrition from high quality unprocessed foods. Unfortunately, I realize it may not be practical or possible for you to do that 100% the time.

So, if you currently supplement your diet by taking a multivitamin every day, good for you. You’re obviously a forward-thinking person who knows that you need the protection and fortification that a good multivitamin provides.

And if you make sure your spouse takes one every day, then you deserve extra kudos for showing how much you care about your loved one.

Multivitamins help promote your optimal health and strong immune system, providing support for defense against a growing number of health concerns.

Taking pro-active steps, including taking a multivitamin to help maintain and boost good health and wellness, is about the best thing you can do for yourself — and your health.

However, there are important issues for you to consider…

Is Your Vitamin Natural or Synthetic?

How do you know if your synthetic multi is as good as its advertising says it is?

Are you gambling with your health by taking “their” word for it? If you are taking a multivitamin, this is something you definitely want to find out.

Please don’t make the mistake of shopping for supplements at discount stores or large chains like Wal-Mart or Walgreen’s. In my opinion, these are classic examples of companies that primarily use cheap synthetic supplements.

Synthetic alternatives to whole foods are known as “isolates”. Your body will only absorb a small percentage of an isolate form of vitamins and minerals – and utilize even less (Your body absorbs much more of the whole food form.) On top of that, there may be side effects, depending on the quality of the isolate.

Don’t sell yourself short! Many retail outlets and online sellers are primarily interested in your money, not your health. Supplements are not their specialty.

You wouldn’t go to your local burger joint for a nice filet mignon, would you? The same attitude should apply to your health products.

Consider these items when choosing a supplement:

• If the ingredients were all natural, it would say so — very prominently — on their label.
• If the product went through vigorous quality control, you can bet that it would be mentioned — many times.
• If there were no additives or major potential allergens in the product, they would definitely tell you all about it.

Additionally, the ingredients many companies use are not only synthetic, but there is a likelihood they may not have been thoroughly tested for purity and potency confirmation — and may have come from overseas.

The manufacturers will often base their claims solely on the word of their suppliers.

The suppliers’ word may be good enough for them, but is it good enough for you and your family?

I don’t think so!

That is why I chose the manufacturer of my product very carefully. It meets the most stringent standards in the industry today, ensuring that the end product is exactly what it says it is!

Finally, a multivitamin to get excited about…

I’m very pleased to give you a new choice of multivitamin. You’ve trusted me in the past to provide you with supplements that are safe and natural, as well as ‘head and shoulders’ above their synthetic counterparts.

Well, I believe we knocked it out of the park this time.

My team and I have been working for many months to develop the ideal multivitamin — and the best manufacturer to produce it.

Each dose is chock-full of essential vitamins, minerals and ever-important antioxidants*. Everything you expect in a good multivitamin is there, plus everything you’d expect from Dr. Mercola– all natural, free of ALL major potential allergens, and absolutely FREE of ANY additives*.

Unlike many of those other multivitamins you see being sold everywhere, my Whole Food Multivitamin is made from raw foods. That makes them as close to natural as I could get, meaning that they are more readily absorbed and used by your body*.

Just as important as being raw foods-based is the manufacturer I chose to create my multivitamin. This award winning company is not only ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 certified, it’s also NSF certified. A very high standard indeed!

A Quick Look at the Importance of Vitamins and Minerals

Perhaps you wonder why vitamins and certain minerals are so important, and why you need to supplement your daily intake of them…

Each vitamin plays an important role in maintaining your normal bodily functions, repairing cellular and tissue damage, and maintaining your optimal wellness*.

But to explain each one could double the length of this letter, so I’ll give you a brief overview of a few. Plenty of information about them is available on my site and on the internet.

• Coenzyme Forms of Vitamins. I use the amino acid chelate of minerals, which is one of the best possible forms you can use. In a nutshell, this increases their bioavailability, meaning that the important minerals will easily pass through your intestinal walls*. This is unlike many other cheap brands, whose larger mineral size may be blocked altogether.
• Iodine — Necessary for the normal metabolism of your cells*. Metabolism is the process of converting your food into energy. You need iodine for normal thyroid function and for the production of thyroid hormones*.
• Chromium — Important in your ability to metabolize fats and carbohydrates*. Chromium stimulates fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis, which are important for your brain function and other body processes*. It is an activator of several enzymes, which are needed to drive numerous chemical reactions necessary to life*. Chromium is also important in insulin metabolism*.
• Phytonutrients From Whole Food Concentrates. These phytonutrients (or plant nutrients) are loaded with powerful antioxidants that limit free radical production*. Extracts include those from pomegranate, white tea, green tea, grape seed (Activin), apple, blueberry, broccoli, cranberry, kale, orange, prune, raspberry, spinach, and strawberry.

As I mentioned before, chances are pretty high that you’re not getting all these important vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in your daily diet.

That’s why I strongly urge you to consider supplementing with a good multivitamin to support your optimal health and wellness*.

CAUTION: Children should not take this multivitamin. It was designed specifically for adult needs.

Most of the nutrients in this formula can be directly linked to their natural source. For instance — iodine from kelp.

 Where it was impossible or impractical to link them directly, I chose a form that provided the most bioavailability possible — so your body can readily utilize them*.

The importance of whole or raw foods cannot be overstated. In fact, I would encourage you to get at least 50% of your diet from raw foods.

Just as it implies, raw foods are foods that have not been cooked or heated in any way. Look at some of the things heat does to once-healthy foods:

• Essential nutrients are depleted, altered or destroyed altogether
• Toxic substances can be created and may burden the immune system
• Enzymes, which are important to digestion, are destroyed
• Your body metabolizes cooked food much differently

All of that has been avoided, simply by using ingredients derived from healthy raw foods.

See for yourself the foods I’ve chosen for Whole Food Multivitamin, and take a quick look at the benefits you can expect from them:

• Pomegranate extract — to support your healthy circulation*
• White tea extract — support for your immune system*
• Green tea extract — more support for your immune system*
• Grape seed extract (Activin) — support for your healthy circulation and cholesterol level*
• Apple — support your immune system and lungs *
• Blueberry — support for your urinary tract and immune system*
• Broccoli — support for your healthy prostate and immune system*
• Cranberry — support for your urinary tract and cardiovascular system*
• Kale — support for your healthy prostate*
• Orange — support for your immune system*
• Prune — support for your brain and immune system*
• Raspberry — support for those healthy cholesterol levels*
• Spinach — support for your healthy immune and cardiovascular systems*
• Strawberry — more support for your healthy immune and cardiovascular systems*

To get an equal amount of nutrients and antioxidants from your diet, you’d need to eat a boatload of fruit and vegetables. But I don’t recommend it. In my opinion, eating too much fruit can lead to blood sugar concerns.

 This Number 1 Rated Whole Food Multi Vitamin is A Great Source.

Krill oil is the best fish oil for EPA and DHA

Health Benefits of the Best Fish Oil – Krill Oil.

Reposted with permission from Dr. Mercola

Krill oil is made from krill, a small, shrimp-like crustacean that inhabits the cold ocean areas of the world. Despite their small size, krill make up the largest animal biomass on the planet. There are approximately 500 million tons of krill roaming around in northern seas..

Krill oil, like fish oil, contains omega-3 fats such as eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). However, in fish oil, these omega-3 fats are found in the triglyceride form. In krill oil, they are found in a double chain phospholipid structure. The fats in human cell walls are in the phospholipid form.

The phospholipid structure of the EPA and DHA in krill oil makes them much more absorbable. Krill oil also contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D and canthaxanthin, which is a potent anti-oxidant.

The anti-oxidant potency of krill oil is, in terms of ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorptance Capacity) values, 48 times more potent than fish oil.

Sources:

  Alternative Medicine Review September 2007; 12(3):207-27

  Four Hour Work Week July 23, 2008

  Journal of the American College of Nutrition February 2007; 26(1):39-48

Tim Ferriss is the author of the blockbuster New York Times best seller the Four Hour Work Week, which was one of the best books I read last year. I subscribe to his blog and was surprised to find the above article. It was written by Dr. Michael Eades, who wrote another great book Protein Power, which provides some solid insights on how to improve your health.

I was delighted to learn that Dr. Eades is also in agreement with my own conclusion regarding recommendations for omega-3 supplementation.

Although I still recommend both fish oil and cod liver oil in some cases, I believe krill oil is an EVEN BETTER option for most people, for several reasons. Personally, I take krill oil every day. I particularly appreciate the fact that the omega-3 is attached to phospholipids that dramatically increase its absorption, especially into brain tissue.

Its only drawback is that it does not contain more than a trace of vitamin D, which is nearly as important as omega-3 fats. You can remedy this however, by making sure you’re getting plenty of appropriate sun exposure as that is your best source of vitamin D anyway.

Why I Recommend Krill Oil to All New Patients

As you may know, I’m not a major fan of too many supplements as I believe your best source for optimal nutrition is through whole foods. Krill oil, however, is one of my exceptions as most Americans consume far too few omega-3 fats, and way too many omega-6s.

Your ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 1:1. Today, however, most people’s ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 averages from 20:1 to a staggering 50:1.

Those kinds of ratios spell serious danger to your health. So serious, in fact, that even the mainstream health media now reports that lack of omega-3 is one of the most serious health issues plaguing contemporary society.

As far as supplements are concerned, two of the best yet simple ways to improve your overall health include:

Increasing your intake of antioxidants
Increasing your intake of omega-3 oils
And krill oil accomplishes both of those missions.

I used to recommend that you take fish oil to enhance your intake of omega-3 fats. And high-quality fish oils are certainly great products with many important health benefits. However, fish oil is weak in antioxidant content, whereas krill oil contains potent antioxidants.

This is a major drawback for fish oil, because as you increase your intake of omega-3 fats by consuming fish oil, you actually increase your need for even more antioxidant protection.

Why?

This happens because fish oil is quite perishable, and oxidation leads to the formation of those unhealthy free radicals. Therefore, antioxidants are required to ensure that the fish oil doesn’t oxidize and become rancid inside your body. So, you need to consume additional antioxidants both for your health in general, AND for your increased need for antioxidants when using fish oil.

The Antioxidant Potency of Krill Oil is 48 Times Higher than Fish Oil

Antioxidants are your body’s primary way to neutralize free radicals — those harmful metabolic byproducts that damage cells and tissues throughout your body.

Scientific evidence has repeatedly demonstrated that antioxidants are a cornerstone in the promotion of heart health, boosting your immune system, and memory support. They also appear to play a role in helping to slow your signs of aging.

Although many foods contain antioxidants, today’s poor-quality diets are nearly always insufficient in the full range of these beneficial free radical scavengers.

So when you consider that the anti-oxidant potency of krill oil is 48 times more potent than fish oil, well… choosing between the two is easy.

If you’re still not convinced of the antioxidant powers to krill oil, independent ORAC evaluations have also established that genuine krill oil contains:

Over 300 times the antioxidant power of vitamin A and vitamin E
Over 47 times the antioxidant power of lutein
Over 34 times the antioxidant power of coenzyme Q-10
Pretty impressive, wouldn’t you say?

To top it all off, krill oil also contains astaxanthin – a unique marine-source flavonoid – that creates a special bond with the EPA and DHA, which allows direct metabolism of the antioxidants, making them more bioavailable.

Why You Need Omega-3 From Krill Oil,

In a perfect world, you would be able to get all the omega-3s you need by eating fish. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our fish supply is now so heavily contaminated with industrial pollutants and toxins like mercury, PCBs, heavy metals and radioactive poisons that I just can’t recommend it any longer.

Even the slow-to-react FDA and EPA have put out health advisories warning against certain fish and shellfish consumption for young children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and nursing mothers.

I believe krill oil is the perfect substitute for fish consumption as krill is not plagued with the problem of heavy contamination. Being on the bottom of the food chain, krill simply do not have enough time to accumulate dangerous levels of toxins like other marine sources.

Krill has been shown to be beneficial for a really wide range of health issues, including:

Support for concentration, memory and learning
Blood sugar health
Healthy joints, with an increase in joint comfort
Fighting signs of aging
Protection for cell membranes
Cholesterol and other blood lipid health
Healthy liver function
Relief of normal PMS symptoms
Bolstering your immune system
Healthy mood support
Optimal skin health
Krill Oil is a Potent Treatment for Inflammation and Arthritis Symptoms

Several studies have been published on the remarkable effectiveness of krill oil, including a 2007 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, which evaluated the effect of krill oil on patients with chronic inflammation and arthritis.

After just 7 days of treatment, krill oil reduced inflammation by more than 19 percent, while the placebo group had an increase of inflammatory C-reactive protein of nearly 16 percent! It also significantly reduced pain scores, reduced stiffness and reduced functional impairment.

After 14 days of treatment, krill oil further decreased inflammation by almost 30 percent, while the inflammation levels of the placebo group increased more than 32 percent.

The study concluded that krill oil at a daily dose of 300 mg significantly inhibits inflammation and reduces arthritic symptoms in as little as 7 to 14 days!

Krill Oil Can Boost Your Brain Function and Ameliorate Mental Problems

According to another study published in the Alternative Medicine Review last year, double-blind, randomized, controlled trials have found that DHA and EPA in krill oil benefits a variety of brain- and mental disorders, including:

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Autism
Dyslexia
Aggressive behavior
Cognitive impairment and dementia
Huntington disease (a neurological disorder characterized by abnormal body movements)
Meta-analyses also confirm krill’s benefits in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, and show promising results in the treatment of schizophrenia.

A Final Note on Quality of EPA and DHA from Fish Oil

Quality is of the essence when selecting any supplement and krill oil is no exception. The only kind of krill oil I recommend is genuine processed krill.

Krill is collected in pristine deep-water seas far from industrial areas, and is harvested in compliance with international conservation standards. It’s also processed through a cold extraction method that preserves the biological benefits of the krill, and creates an oil that is free of heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins and other contaminants.

So look for a brand of omega 3 that you are certain contains krill oil.

One of the most surprising benefits I’ve discovered for being engaged to a gal from the Middle East, other than the vast cultural exchange, is the cooking.

Oh, yes ladies… my gal COOKS!

Which is good since I am a lousy cook. : )

Hanna enjoys it… and she brings a Middle Eastern flair to some really boring fitness/bodybuilding foods that I want to share with you today.

Here’s just two quick tips from Hanna on making the ultimate in “boring” foods — egg whites and tuna (yuck) — taste incredible.

TIP 1:
Lively Egg White Omelette

Let’s face facts: Egg whites suck. At least that’s what I USED to think until Hanna decided to experiment with my morning omelette.

Now I eat this stuff like it was candy.

Here’s what she does:

1. She cooks the veggies separate from the egg whites. You’d think this would be common sense, but I never did it and I’ve seen a lot of people just toss it all in together.

2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil to the veggies. This alone improved the taste tremendously.

3. Add 1/2 egg yolk to the veggies after cooking for 1 minute. This, again, is primarily for taste.

4. Garlic! If you love garlic, here’s your chance. Garlic ROCKS in egg white omelets.

5. Use Pam or another non-stick spray for the egg whites and cook them like you would a normal omelette. Then pour the almost-cooked veggies in the middle. Do the omelette dance.

6. Here’s the SECRET SAUCE… literally. This will sound nuts until you try it:

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Okay… Hanna’s bright, but this was an accident. She thought it was salsa. But I’ve NEVER gone back to salsa after stumbling on this incredible treat! I have no idea why it tastes so good, but it makes the omelette.

Try these tips and see if your egg white omelette doesn’t become your favorite meal of the day.

TIP 2:
Canned Tuna Extraordinaire

Again, I have the lovely Hanna to thank for this.

Like egg whites, I used to HATE canned tuna. Now, again, I can eat this every night without complaint.

Here’s what she does:

She cooks the veggies the same way as in the omelette above and then pours the tuna from the can into a skillet. That’s IT.

I’ve never had “tuna ala skillet” before… and I have no clue why this tastes so smooth and delicious, but it does.

If you hate canned tuna for being dry or tasteless, try this. You’ll never go back.

If you want 40 pages of recipes like this… very yummy and VERY healthy… then be sure to pick up my EODD “Favorite Foods” Dieplan.

Here’s more about it:

Favorite Foods Diet + Recipes <-- click.here.for.more

Remember:
Don’t Quit. Get Fit!

P.S. Most of the recipes that come with my EODD book can be prepared in 15 minutes or less… so do not let the clock become your enemy when it comes to getting lean!

And remember: You can eat your favorite foods several days per week on my plan and still get rid of excess bodyweight.

Why give up living when you don’t have to, right? : )

Favorite Foods Diet + Recipes <-- click.here.for.more