Get Natural

Get Natural!
Drop Your Blood Pressure 1
Get Natural!
Drop Your Blood Pressure
Your easy step-by-step plan to a healthy long life
Published by:
Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide

Heights Hanaoka 201
Ikuno Higashi 2-1-26
Ikuno-ku, Osaka 544-0025
JAPAN
http://www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com
Copyright © 2006 by Kevin Riley. All rights are reserved. No part of this book may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the
author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
ISBN: 1-59971-970-3
Note: This eBook is optimized for viewing on a computer screen, but it is organized
so you can also print it out and assemble it as a book. Since the text is optimized for
screen viewing, the type is larger than that in usual printed books.
© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure 2
A message from the author
Hello! I'm Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide. I

lead people like you to powerful lives ... lives
filled with happiness, health, confidence, and
energy.
A major part of a powerful life is ... health. In this

book I will take you on a journey ... an easy 12-
week, step-by-step move to a life with normal,
healthy blood pressure. A life where the worry of
heart attack and stroke no longer relate to you.
You will be entertained along the way, you will be

educated, and foremost ... you will develop
healthy habits.
To a long and powerful life,
Kevin Riley
Powerful Life Guide

Disclaimer
This book has been written to provide information and a plan to help the reader
attain a healthy lifestyle. It is sold with the understanding that the author and
publisher are not engaged in rendering medical services. If medical assistance is
required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Changing the habits of a lifetime to lower blood pressure requires some effort on
the part of the reader and adherence to a regular plan. To fully benefit from this
book, the reader is advised to follow the steps as laid out in the manual.
The purpose of this book is to educate the reader about the important link between
nutrition, lifestyle, and health. The field of nutrition is continuously changing as
advances in nutrition research broaden our knowledge of this subject. The author
has researched many reliable sources (see References p 229) in an effort to provide
the reader with the best possible information and plan for a healthier lifestyle and
diet. However, diet therapy and nutrition education are continuously being
updated; therefore, the author does not warrant that the information contained in
this book is fully complete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions.
The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any
person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused
directly or indirectly by this book.
If you do not wish to be bound by the above, you may return this book for a full
refund.

Contents
Introduction 5 Week 7 127

Fats 128
Week 1 6 Fish 137
Water 7
Caffeine 15 Week 8 142
Herb tea 20 Sleep 143
Aromatherapy 150
Week 2 26
Supplements 27 Week 9 162
Hawthorn 38 Whole grains 163
Tomatoes 170
Week 3 42 Celery 180
Oatmeal 43
Walking 50 Week 10 183
Sunshine 57 Raw foods 184
Nuts 191
Week 4 69 Apples 196
Alcohol 70
Red wine 75 Week 11 203
Smoking 204
Week 5 80 Breathing 210
Sugar 81
Chocolate 92 Week 12 216
Bananas 97 Laughing 217
Week 6 102 Congrats 223

Salt 103
Onions 110 Appendix 1 – Safe fish 225
Garlic 113
Olive oil 120 Resources 228
References 229

Introduction
"Time and health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate
until they have been depleted" - Denis Waitley
Congratulations! You've taken your first step on the road to better health and long
life. You're going to get your blood pressure under control ... you're going to bring
it to normal.
You've decided to take control. You're going to take back control of your life ...
you're not going to be bullied by high blood pressure. You're going to grab health.
You're going to lead a powerful life!
Just 12 easy weeks

Your road to health will lead you through 12 weeks ... each with a number of
Targets. Each Target is specially designed to adjust your habits ... eating ... lifestyle. It
will be an easy step-by-step process.
I believe in taking baby steps. Don't bite off more than you can chew ... follow the
program as it is laid out.
In each week, you'll find a small number of Targets for you to focus on. Don't
attempt to jump ahead and hit more Targets. This is not a race ... this is no
competition. You want to follow the plan as it is.
Each Target is placed where it is for a reason.
For example: You might wonder why smoking isn't addressed until week 11. If you
are a smoker, quitting is one of the most difficulty things to do. So, first you get
ready for it ... you prepare ... you train your body. The diet and lifestyle
improvements you make in the first 10 weeks ... those get you ready. As your life
gets healthier ... as your system gets cleaned out ... cigarettes will make less and less
sense in your new life.
You see? Every Target has its place ... every week is designed to take you gently
toward a new life. A life where the threat of heart attack and stroke are just a
distant memory. A life where your heart beats freely and you smile every day.
Now, go! Get started on week 1 ... take that first easy step.

Week 1
Quench your body's thirst

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live" - Jim Rohn
To begin your campaign against high blood pressure - and start on the road to a
long and healthy life - you need to clean out your body. In this stage, you'll change
some of the things you drink.
If you drink lots of caffeinated drinks - coffee, tea, some sodas - you will cut down
your caffeine intake. Don't panic... note that I said cut down, not cut out.
But, you will be dumping sodas out of your life.
Instead ... you'll start drinking a lot of healthy, life-giving water and relaxing herb
teas.
Drinking more water will get your body ready for the following weeks ... you'll
need more water when you start eating more fiber and getting more exercise.
Please turn the page and get started on:
Target 1: Drink a lot of cool, clear water

Target 2: Drink just a couple of cups of coffee
Target 3: Sip a calming cup of herb tea

Target 1
Drink a lot of cool, clear water

"Water is the driving force of all nature" - Leonardo da Vinci
Our little blue planet third from the sun is covered in water ... 70% of the surface.
Without water, life would not exist on this planet. Our bodies are in constant need
of water ... we can't live more than a few days without it.
Water is so important, but many of us don't drink enough ... make sure you're
getting your fill.
Action plan
Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day - drink even more

when you're getting lots of exercise ... or it's hot out.
Start your day off with 2 glasses of water - as soon as you get
up - before you do anything else - drink two glasses of water.
This corrects the slight dehydration your body starts to
experience after a long sleep.
Have a glass of water for the road - before leaving the house
drink another glass. Now you've already had three ... a third of
the way to your daily quota.
Look for opportunities to drink water - throughout your day

... before you sit down at your desk, when you crave a junk
food snack, before exercising, waiting in the bank line ...
Drink water not soda - if you get a craving for a soda or juice,
grab some water instead - your bones will thank you for it.

Drink a glass of water about a half hour before eating a meal

- this will get your digestive tract ready. Have another glass a
couple of hours after the meal to complete the digestion
process.
Carry an insulated thermos bottle of fresh water - wherever

you go. Make drinking water a lifelong habit. Toss a few lemon
slices in to give your water a fresh tang. Or freeze some lemon
or lime juice and toss a few cubes in your thermos.
A brief history
"Water, air, and cleanness are the chief articles in my pharmacy."
Napoleon Bonaparte
Healthy human bodies are about 45-75% water. Water is second only to oxygen in
its importance to your living. Human survival is dependent on water.
Life on Earth has evolved around water.
The importance of water to civilization

Civilizations have flourished along major waterways ... Mesopotamia was located
between two important rivers. Even modern metropolises owe their success to their
easy accessibility via water.
In Africa and the Middle East, access to clean drinking water - often scarce - is a
major factor for human development.
Water has always been - and will always be - a most important element for life on
this planet.
The quest for pure water

Sanskrit writings from 2000 BC tell of purifying water by boiling it over fire ...
heating it in the sun ... dipping a hot iron in it ... or filtering it through sand and
coarse gravel. Pictures in an Egyptian tomb from 15th century BC show the earliest
known water clarifying device ... an arrangement of jars and syphoning wicks.

Hippocrates wrote the first known guidelines for purifying water. He instructed
people to strain rain water through a cloth bag after boiling it.
Between 343 BC and 225 AD, Roman engineers built a complex system of aqueducts
that delivered 130 million gallons of water per day.
The religion of water

The Greeks, Romans, Celts prescribed spiritual powers to water ... and worshiped
gods and goddesses of water.
Water is a purifier in most religions. In Christian churches, water is used to baptize

their followers. The five daily prayers in Islam can only be done after washing the
body clean with water. Water is used in Shinto to ritually cleanse a person or an
area.
Cleanses your body too

It is water that dissolves all the nutrients that you eat and - as blood - carries them
to the parts of your body that need them. Water aids in digestion and absorption of
nutrients from food. It regulates your body temperature and your blood circulation.
It removes toxins and other wastes from your body.
Water determines how well your body functions ... how healthy you are.
Your body loses water every day

Your body is always in need of water. You lose water when you breathe ... you lose
water when you sweat ... you lose water each time you go to the restroom ... you
lose up to a cup of water a day just from the soles of your feet.
This lost water has to be constantly replaced.

How water helps fight hypertension

"When the well is dry, they know the worth of water" - Benjamin Franklin
Most people don't drink enough water

Water is all around us. Water is abundant. Water is free. And yet, most people don't
drink enough water.
The average adult should drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day ... more
when you're getting lots of exercise or it's hot out.
When you don't drink enough water, the body goes into a state of dehydration ...
ongoing dehydration can cause many problems as your body struggles to maintain
itself with a lack of water. Your body's systems become stressed as a water
conserving program kicks in ... blood pressure rises ... kidneys work overtime ...
your stomach is hindered in its job ... the brain has communication troubles.
Much illness arises from lack of water ... drink enough every day.
Hypertension and your body's drought plan

When you don't drink enough water your body goes into a state of dehydration ... it
switches to emergency water-conservation mode. It attempts to reduce loss of water
through the skin and lungs. It uses emergency procedures to make sure blood can
still deliver oxygen and nutrients to all the tissues in your body.
To achieve these goals ... your whole vascular system contracts. Veins and arteries
narrow down and blood pressure goes up. Higher blood pressure makes sure that
fresh blood gets delivered everywhere ... to tissues in constant need of new supplies
and waste removal.
Vital cells are kept filled with the water they need. During a drought in the body,
high pressure is needed to squirt water through cell walls into these important cells.
Of course ... blood pressure has to be raised to achieve this.
During all this your heart is working extra hard to keep pushing blood through the
whole system. And, with less water in the system, your blood is thicker ... more
sluggish. The ratio of packed blood cells to total blood volume rises. This puts your
body at a far greater risk for strokes and heart attacks.

Dehydration puts enormous stresses on your body. The only way to get your body
off this water-rationing program is ... start drinking more water!
More benefits
"A little water clears us of this deed" - William Shakespeare
Take a burden of your hard working kidneys

Being even mildly dehydrated for a prolonged time can lead to salt-sensitive
hypertension.
Without enough water your kidneys have a very hard time excreting salt ... and
toxins in your system. This puts a great burden on your kidneys.
Your kidneys work hard every day removing wastes - such as uric acid, urea, lactic
acid - from your blood. These wastes must be dissolved in water. Without enough
water, these wastes can't be effectively removed ... and your taxed kidneys could be
damaged.
Give your kidneys the water they need ... and they'll keep chugging along, keeping
your body clean and healthy.
Controlling your body weight with a glass of water

Water is very helpful for losing weight. Water is fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in
sodium, and has no calories ... yet drinking it can suppress your appetite and stop
you from slamming down that sugary donut - a snack you definitely don't need.
Water also helps your body metabolize fat. Your liver can function better in its job
of turning stored fat into energy ... for your body to burn.
Drinking enough water also avoids uncomfortable water retention. When your
body isn't getting enough water it sees the situation as a threat to survival ... it tries
to hold onto every drop. One way your body does this is to cram water into the
spaces between your cells. This is what causes those puffy, swollen feet, legs, and
hands.

Drinking lots of water can bring back that youthful figure. Also, being overweight
is one of the factors leading to hypertension. So, let's drink to health and shape ...
grab a glass of water.
Keep your digestion flowing like a river

Having a glass of water before eating gets your stomach ready for the coming food.
Your stomach needs a lot of water to liquefy the food you eat. If there isn't enough
water, your poor stomach has a hard time breaking down the food and dissolving it
... your stomach then grabs your attention with a case of heartburn.
Water is also needed to keep the intestines working smoothly - providing nutrients
to the body and eliminating wastes. Constipation is often a symptom of
dehydration ... a problem easily solved by drinking more water and eating fiber.
Your hardworking brain needs lots of water

Your brain is 85% water. When your body is dehydrated, this important organ
suffers. With less water, the brain cells' ability to communicate with each other is
hindered ... memory can be impaired ... you feel fatigued or depressed.
For your brain to operate efficiently, make sure it gets the water it wants.
The beauty drink

Drinking lots of water can also bring back that youthful skin. When your skin cells
have lots of water ... they plump up and smooth out a lot of those small wrinkles
and crow's-feet.
Get lots of water into your body ... enjoy fresh skin, clear eyes, and shining hair.

A simple test
"The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gives more fruit"
Saint Teresa of Avila
Are you drinking enough?

There's an easy way to tell if you are well hydrated, mildly dehydrated, or truly
dehydrated.
If you're drinking enough water, you will produce basically colorless urine. Your
urine should be mainly water ... carrying a small amount of waste and toxins.
When you are mildly dehydrated, you will produce yellow urine. All jokes about
yellow snow aside, yellow urine is not normal - except after taking vitamins or
eating certain foods.
If your urine is orange, you definitely need to make some serious changes in your
drinking habits ... you are truly dehydrated and in danger.
Choose wisely
"The best wine is the oldest, the best water the newest" - William Blake
Does it have to be water?

Coffee, tea, juices, sodas ... they all contain water, so why can't you just drink them?
As far as your body is concerned, water and water containing fluids are two very
different things. Water is natural and healthy ... most other drinks are not.
Caffeinated drinks - coffee, tea, and many sodas - act as a diuretic ... actually
causing your body to urinate more fluid than the amount of water contained in the
beverage. Sodas also contain phosphorus - which can rob you of calcium - and a
heap of sugar and empty calories.
Even seemingly healthy fruit juices are not a good replacement for water. Fruit
juices contain more sugar than your body needs.
Water ... accept no substitutes!

Which is better - bottled or tap?

Tap water is basically free. It is available just about everywhere and, in most
countries, is closely monitored for purity. Also, tap water contains a number of
trace minerals. Unfortunately, it is quite often high in chlorine and may become
contaminated in old pipes.
Another source of contamination is the minute traces of drugs starting to show up

in some recycled drinking water. People routinely flush antibiotics, birth-control
pills, and a host of other drugs. These drugs are finding their way into ground
water ... and into drinking water.
Bottled water comes as spring or mineral water - both of which come from
underground sources. Mineral water usually has some minerals and is naturally
carbonated. But, even some bottled water is actually no more than regular tap water
... only now you're paying for it.
Which is better? Well ... either one is good for you. At home, where you can have a
filter on your line, tap water is best. But on the road, bottled water is convenient
and will make sure you keep drinking.
Best solution ... filter your tap water and fill a thermos for the road.
Put a filter on your tap

Install a water filter on your tap at home ... make sure you're drinking pure, fresh
water. Having the water in your house filtered affords peace of mind ... you know
that bacteria, viruses, and chemicals are removed from the precious water you
drink.
There are a number of methods for filtering water - mainly, activated carbon and
reverse osmosis. Activated carbon filters are effective at removing organic
contaminants and chlorine ... they do not remove bacteria and should only be used
on treated municipal water. Reverse osmosis filters water through a membrane ...
this type of filter will remove most contaminants, but wastes a large amount of
water. (See Resources p 228 for some recommended filters)
Enjoy a glass of cool, fresh water ... at least eight to ten times a day.

Target 2
Drink just a couple of cups of coffee

"The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence
of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce"
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world. It stimulates and gets you going
in the morning. It brings people together ... at cafés, over coffee break. Coffee is a
wonderful part of your day.
The good news is ... you're not going to have to give up coffee. Just a little
moderation is needed. Too much coffee will increase your blood pressure ... but a
little won't hurt. So enjoy a special coffee break.
Action plan
Cut your coffee to 1-2 cups a day - make it a special time when
you can really enjoy your cup of java.
Buy some premium coffee - make your coffee drinking about

quality ... not quantity.
A brief history
"The voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso, cappuccino, and mocha,
which are stronger than all the religions of the world combined, and perhaps stronger than the human soul
itself" - Mark Helprin
Frisky goats found coffee berries

The energizing quality of coffee beans was first discovered in Ethiopia. A young
goat herder noticed that his goats were unusually frisky ... after eating some red
berries from a bush. He tried some himself ... soon he had renewed energy.

When the monks heard the story of this amazing, stimulating berry ... they
harvested a supply for themselves. Back at the monastery, chewing on the coffee
berries gave the monks the lift they needed ... to get through the long prayer
sessions.
Roasting over open fires makes first coffee

Coffee traveled to the Arabian peninsula and was cultivated in Yemen. When the
coffee beans got to Turkey, the beans were roasted ... over open fires ... then
crushed and boiled in water. The first crude version of today's coffee was brewed.
From drink of the devil to talk of the town

Venetian trade merchants brought coffee to Europe. The catholic church was critical
of this new drink ... calling it the drink of the devil. They called on the pope to ban
this evil drink, but the pope was already a happy coffee drinker ... he blessed it as a
truly Christian beverage.
Coffee houses sprang up ... and spread across Europe. They became centers of
intellectual discussion - great minds gathered there and fostered higher thought
and creativity.
The American cuppa

Coffee was brought to Martinique and great coffee plantations were built. Soon
coffee spread across South and Central America. When the British crown levied
excessive taxes on tea ... the angry colonists in Boston dumped tea in the harbor ...
after that it was considered unpatriotic to drink tea.
Coffee became the most popular beverage. From crude "cowboy coffee" to the early
percolators to drip coffee makers ... Americans had found their national beverage.
In fact, it was the Americans who invented the coffee break.

How coffee affects hypertension

"I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because
we have thumbs so we can make coffee" - Flash Rosenberg
Yes, caffeine raises blood pressure, but how much?

Caffeine was first reported to increase blood pressure over 70 years ago. Since then
there have been many studies ... but little agreement.
The latest studies show that moderate caffeine intake - a cup or two of coffee a day -
doesn't have much effect on blood pressure. If you're drinking 5-6 cups a day ...
then it's time to cut back some. That much coffee will pump up your blood
pressure.
Drinking coffee regularly builds up a tolerance to caffeine ... your blood pressure
won't shoot up as much as the person who rarely drinks coffee.
Caffeine has more effect as you get older

As you get older, your blood pressure reacts more to caffeine. So, while drinking a
lot of coffee may not have affected you as much when you where young ... as you
start creeping up over 50 .. 55 .. 60, be sure to cut back on the daily caffeine shots.
Stiff arteries and arrhythmias

Drinking a lot of coffee can have a bad effect on your aorta ... it makes it stiffer over
time. Not only does this increase blood pressure ... it also puts you at more risk for
cardiovascular disease. A good reason to keep the amount of coffee you drink to a
minimum.
Coffee has often been blamed for erratic heart beats - arrhythmias. Although the
stimulation of caffeine can make those with low tolerance quite jittery ... caffeine
does not cause arrhythmias. A recent study showed that coffee drinking had no
effect on the heart beat.
Too much coffee drains your system

Caffeinated drinks are strong diuretics ... they force your kidneys to dump water.
For every cup of coffee that you drink ... your kidneys will get rid of more fluid

than you drank. A lot of coffee can lead to dehydration - a major risk factor for
hypertension (see Target 1)
Coffee and stress put on the pressure

When work demands put extra stress on you ... when problems crop up and put on
the pressure ... your reaction may be to reach for a cup of coffee. But this is not a
good time to add caffeine to the mix.
Caffeine raises blood pressure by increasing resistance in your blood vessels ...
stress is also constricting your arteries. Drinking coffee during periods of stress
increases blood pressure significantly. The combination of coffee and stress together
... causes much higher blood pressure.
When stress rears its ugly head ... forget about coffee ... reach for a soothing cup of
chamomile tea instead.
Coffee and a cigarette - bad combo

While a cup of coffee can raise your blood pressure slightly ... and cigarettes push it
up more ... combining the two gives you a much higher reading. As with the case of
stress ... both substances cause your blood vessels to constrict ... in a multiplying
effect.
Don't drink coffee at the gym

Drinking a coffee before your workout could put a lot of extra load on your heart.
Men with, and without, hypertension ... who drank 2-3 cups of coffee before
exercising ... had excessively high blood pressure during their workout - over 230
mm Hg for some of the participants. The increased blood pressure places a greater
workload on your heart.
Don't drink any coffee before hitting the gym ... much better to drink a lot of
refreshing water.

Choose wisely
"Decaffeinated coffee is kind of like kissing your sister" - Bob Irwin
Buy a really good coffee

Since you're going to be drinking just a cup or two a day ... you can afford to buy a
better coffee. Go ahead ... spoil yourself. Really enjoy that cup.
Buy from a quality coffee retailer - they'll have better coffees than your local
supermarket. Get your coffee in small containers ... oxygen can ruin the taste of
coffee. Also check that the coffee is 100% from the country it boasts on the label ...
not a blend using 90% cheap coffee.
Decaf coffee? Urgh

Decaffeinated coffee has at least 97% of its caffeine removed. A number of different
processes are used ... not one can remove only caffeine - some of the taste and
aroma will suffer.
Since you're only drinking a couple of cups a day ... there is no reason to lower your
taste standards to decaf. In fact, a 1989 test showed that decaffeinated coffee didn't
make that much difference in blood pressure anyways. So why give up taste?
You can also keep your caffeine a bit lower by choosing arabica beans ... they have
about half the caffeine of robusta. Arabica is also considered the superior coffee
bean ... with a range of pleasing flavors. (see Resources p 228 for some great coffee
suggestions)

Target 3
Sip a calming cup of herb tea

"Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary" - Chinese proverb
Gentle herb teas have been a balm to the stresses of the world for thousands of
years. A truly natural beverage that relaxes you and brings a moment of quiet
reflection into your busy day ... herb teas are a lovely way to relax and reduce your
blood pressure.
Action plan
Relax with a cup of herb tea - every couple of hours throughout

your day. Enjoy the calming routine of making and slowly sipping a
gentle herb tea.
Drink chamomile tea regularly - build up the benefits of

chamomile in your body. Two or three cups of chamomile a day
will keep you relaxed and calm.
A brief history
"There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea"
Bernard-Paul Heroux
The ancient use of herbs

The history if herb tea is as old as mankind itself. Prehistoric man is believed to
have used herbal concoctions to treat illnesses from the beginning. Our early
ancestors developed a good working knowledge of plants and their healing
abilities.

Every civilization in the world has used herbs for healing and relief. Ancient
cultures wrote about the uses of herbs ... and many a European village had its
resident herbalist to prescribe remedies from plants and flowers ... to treat physical
ailments and emotional upsets.
Europeans used herb tea long before black tea

Herb teas have been one of the most popular uses of herbs throughout history.
Europeans were drinking herb teas - especially such long-running favorites as
chamomile, rosehip, and peppermint - long before the arrival of black tea from
China.
To this day, European villages have stores selling a variety of herb teas ... labeled
for the ailment that they remedy. Walk into the small Drogerie in my hometown ...
you'll find a rack of herb teas - for headaches, tummy troubles, the sniffles,
whatever ails you.
The soothing relief of chamomile

Chamomile has been used medicinally for thousands of years. It is widely used in
Europe to treat insomnia, soothe digestion, relieve anxiety, clear up skin problems,
and even heal diaper rash.
The Anglo-Saxons believed that chamomile was one of the nine sacred herbs given
to humans by the god Woden. Chamomile is still considered by the Germans to be
alles zutraut ... "capable of anything" ... a cure-all.
The English of past centuries valued chamomile the most of all the plants in their
gardens - they treasured the little flowers ... the herbal remedy that comforted the
soul.
A pure and natural beverage

Many of the herbs used for tea making grow wild in fields, forests, and on high
mountain tops. Plants are picked just as the flowers begin to bud ... when the plant's
juices are the most concentrated.
The herbs are tied in bundles, hung upside down in the shade, and carefully dried
... to retain the natural oils in the plant - vital to a good quality herb tea.

Growing and making herb tea is a completely natural process ... giving you a pure,
natural drink that comforts and soothes you.
A renewed popularity
As people are becoming more health conscious, herb teas are becoming a favored
beverage. Herb tea blends are offering a variety of interesting and exotic flavors ...
and health benefits to match.
The original health drink is making a comeback ... time to join the herbal
bandwagon ... sip a cup of natural goodness.
How herb teas help fight hypertension

"Tea should be taken in solitude" - CS Lewis
A calming routine
For many people, the day is one long hectic rush toward meetings, deadlines,
disasters. Days filled with non-stop stress lead to increased blood pressure. Your
body needs calm moments to get rid of stress ... reduce the stress reaction ... lower
your blood pressure.
The simple act of brewing and slowly sipping a pleasant cup of fragrant herb tea
can have a relaxing effect on your body. The ceremony of preparing the teapot ...
adding the herbs ... pouring boiling water over them ... waiting while the tea steeps
... forces you to slow down, even just for a little while, and take some time out of a
hectic day.
Drinking herb tea becomes a calming routine ... a time for yourself ... a good book ...
a quiet nook. Create a moment of calm in your day.
This tea reduces anxiety and more

Chamomile has a flavone called apigenin ... this component can help reduce anxiety
and calm your nerves. Apigenin acts upon the same part of the brain and nervous
system as antianxiety drugs - but in a safe and natural way. Reducing stress and
anxiety is a good step towards lowering blood pressure ... drink some calming
chamomile and relax.

Another benefit of drinking chamomile tea is a polyphenol called chamaemeloside

... quite a mouthful to say, but it has been shown to lower blood sugar levels.
Keeping your sugar levels from spiking up high is important ... it keeps your body
working properly and helps avoid hypertension.
Relax with a soothing cup of delicate golden chamomile tea ... reduce your anxiety,
calm your nerves, and control your blood sugar. Enjoy an age-old cup of
contentment and wash away the stress of the day.
More benefits
"Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some chamomile tea:
One table-spoonful to be taken at bed-time" - Beatrix Potter
A bedtime cup of chamomile

Get a great sleep ... relax yourself with a soothing cup of chamomile. This delicate
golden tea has been used for ages to wash away the cares of the day ... and bring on
a good night's sleep.
Studies with chamomile have shown that this herb not only brings on a deeper,
more restful sleep ... it also helps you to fall asleep faster. A group of cardiac
patients who were given chamomile tea to drink ... soon fell into a deep sleep.
Drink a cup of double-strength chamomile tea at bedtime to ease you off to the
land of nod.
A gentle relief for tired eyes

If you've been staring at the computer screen for hours, you're eyes are most likely
getting that itchy, burning feeling. Get quick relief with some chamomile tea. No,
not drinking it ... applying it to your tired eyes for an instant refresh.
Make a strong cup of chamomile ... let it cool ... then dip a clean washcloth in the tea
and place the soaking wet cloth over your eyes. Lean your head back to let some of
the tea wash into your eyes. Ahh, soothing relief.

Soothe that sunburn or rash

Whether you played too long in the sun or you got a rash from the heat ...
chamomile can soothe away that uncomfortable sensation. Soak a light cloth in
some cold chamomile tea and apply it to the irritated area. Cool relief from gentle
flowers.
Choose wisely
"Tea does our fancy aid, repress those vapours which the head invade and keeps
that palace of the soul serene" - Edmund Waller in Of Tea
A garden full of flavor and spice

There is a wonderful variety of herb teas to choose from. From the mellow cup
brewed from garden flowers to a lively blend of spices and tropical fruits ... there
are herb teas for relaxing moments in a quiet nook ... there are herb teas for fanciful
escapes to exotic lands.
You can savor the natural goodness of herb teas hot or iced. On a balmy summer
day, let the refreshing spirit of a chilled glass of mint tea carry you off to cool, green
valleys. As fall turns the leaves to fiery reds, celebrate the harvest time with a
steamy cup of cinnamon apple goodness. On a chilly winter's eve, bring back some
of summer's sunshine with an uplifting cup of orange or lemon tea.
Blueberries, rosehips, ginger, strawberries, hibiscus ... bring you invigorating colors
and satisfying flavors. Enjoy a number of different teas to suit your mood.
Ragweed allergy and chamomile

If you are one of the unfortunate people who suffer from ragweed allergy ... you
should be a little cautious about using chamomile at first. Although most people
can use this gentle herb, a rare few have a light reaction to it.
If this is your case, don't despair ... pick another soothing herbal tea ... there are
many other fruit or berry teas for a mild cup of enjoyment.

Use your herbs soon

If you keep herbs too long the essential oils will evaporate ... leaving your herb tea
flavorless and ineffective. Buy fresh herbs and use them soon.
Brew well
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the
ceremony known as afternoon tea" - Henry James
How to brew a perfect cuppa

To make a rich-tasting herb tea ... use loose herbs. Placing your herbs loose in the
teapot allows them to swirl around in the water - releasing their flavorful oils.
Use good water. Only good tasting water can give you a good tasting cup of tea.
Pour cold, fresh, filtered water into your kettle. Heat the water until your kettle is
merrily whistling.
While the water's coming to a boil, get your teapot ready. Let some hot water stand
in your pot for a moment ... to preheat it.
Toss out the water and add the herbs. To release more taste, rub the herbs between
your fingers before dropping them in the pot. Pour the boiling water over the herbs
and let steep for 4-5 minutes. If you desire a stronger cup of tea, add more herbs,
don't steep longer ... steeping too long can ruin the delicate flavor of your herb tea.
Strain into a pre-heated cup ... grab a good book ... enjoy.

Week 2
Starting a supplement habit

"A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools" - Spanish
proverb
This week, you will start your habit of taking supplements. You need to get in the
habit of doing this every day ... giving your body the tools for repair.
Set a meal for your main vitamin and mineral supplements - I always take mine
after breakfast. Hawthorn is something you'll take before every meal. You need to
develop the habit of taking it a little before you start eating.
Work on these habits this week ... next week, we'll be heading outdoors.
Target 4: Take a daily supplement

Target 5: Let Hawthorn protect you from evil

Target 4
Take a daily supplement

"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" - Hippocrates
Fresh fruits and vegetables are Nature's ideal way to provide your body with
vitamins and minerals. But our diets are not always perfect ... plants can't always
get enough minerals from depleted soils ... our digestive system doesn't always
absorb all the nutrients properly.
You can help keep your body's balance of vitamins and minerals ... and keep your
body healthy ... by taking a high-quality supplement. Popping a good supplement
everyday will also make sure your body has all the tools it needs to control your
blood pressure.
Action plan
Take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement - one of high-

quality ... not the cheap generic kind you find in drugstores and
supermarkets (see Resources p 228).
Supplement with individual vitamins and minerals - on top of

your daily multi, take an extra:
500 mg of vitamin C
200 IU of vitamin E
500 mg of calcium
100 mg of vitamin B-12 after you pass your 65th birthday
(even more vitamin B-12 if you're a strict vegan)

A brief history
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good" - Steven Wright
The need for nutrients

Your body needs a full complement of vitamins and minerals to work properly.
Vitamins and minerals work together ... to regulate the countless processes that go
on every day in your body. A lack of these important nutrients can upset your
body's internal balance.
These important vitamins and minerals come from the foods you eat ... as your
system digests food, the nutrients are absorbed into your bloodstream.
Eating in the Stone Age

Humans evolved as hunter-gatherers ... eating a diet of wild fruits, nuts, leaves,
roots, mushrooms, eggs, meat, and fish. Foods were unprocessed and most were
eaten raw ... preserving the valuable nutrients. The simple diet of our ancient
ancestors had far greater amounts of vitamin and mineral ... than our modern diet.
Our bodies evolved to operate best with this full complement of vitamins and
minerals. When one or more is deficient, disease rears its ugly head.
The Egyptians
It was 3500 years ago that the early Egyptians first realized that certain foods could
heal. They successfully treated night blindness by feeding the patient liver. What
they didn't know at the time was that night blindness was caused by a vitamin A
deficiency ... and liver is a good source of vitamin A.
However, in later centuries the healing power of nutrition was largely forgotten.
Many diseases were attributed to witchcraft ... angry gods ... bad air ... or bad blood
which had to be drained.
Minerals are discovered

The English doctor Thomas Sydenham started using iron to treat anemia in the mid
17th century - he steeped iron filings in wine to make his special tonic. But, iron
wasn't recognized as an essential nutrient for another 200 years.

After this, more essential minerals were identified ... but, with the discovery of
vitamins in the early 1900s, minerals were forgotten about for another 50 years.
Finally, attention returned to minerals when it was discovered that they were
necessary for vitamins to work efficiently in the body.
A remedy for scurvy

On the old navy ships scurvy was a serious problem ... causing loose teeth,
bleeding, loss of energy ... even death. More British sailors were lost to this common
and deadly disease than were lost to war. Then, in 1747, a Scot naval surgeon -
James Lind - discovered that citrus fruits helped prevent scurvy.
Unfortunately, his findings were mainly ignored and scurvy continued to plague
the British Navy for another 40 years ... killing over 100,000 sailors. Even in the 19th
century, many ships' captains believed that scurvy could be prevented by good
hygiene, regular exercise, and maintenance of morale.
Not until the 1930s was vitamin C isolated ... it's deficiency in the sailor's diet -
which lacked fresh fruit - was the cause of scurvy. As this disease can be prevented
with as little as 10 mg of vitamin C ... it is now rare in developed countries.
Polished rice and beri-beri

As early as 2600 BC, the Chinese wrote about a debilitating disease ... it caused
weakness and pain in the limbs, emotional disturbance, periods of irregular
heartbeat, swelling of bodily tissues ... and could lead to heart failure and death.
The disease was a common ailment in Asian countries and later got the name beri-
beri ... from the Sri Lankan word for "I cannot, I cannot." Not until 1905 was beri-
beri linked to eating polished rice.
How vitamins got their name

In 1911, Polish scientist Casimir Funk discovered the identity of the substance in
unpolished rice that prevented beri-beri. It was thiamine - a type of amine. Funk
named it "vital amine."
The name was soon shortened to "vitamine" and applied to a number of vital
nutrients that were being identified. Throughout the early 1900s, scientists
identified a number of vitamins ... essential for human life.

How supplements help fight hypertension

"All those vitamins aren't to keep death at bay, they're to keep deterioration at bay"
Jeanne Moreau
Potassium
The important role of dietary potassium in controlling blood pressure has been
known for quite some time now. In a number of studies, taking potassium
supplements significantly lowered blood pressure. Getting enough potassium can
protect you against hypertension ... or, if you already have hypertension, it can
lower your blood pressure.
Among people with hypertension, potassium also gives protection against the
danger of stroke. By taking a potassium supplement ... you will be lowering your
blood pressure and protecting your brain.
Calcium and magnesium

Calcium plays a role in the constriction and relaxation of your blood vessels.
Supplementing with calcium has helped lower blood pressure in a number of
studies. Calcium also can protect you against stroke.
Magnesium is involved in over 300 essential reactions in your body ... including the
control of your blood pressure by ensuring proper function of the lining of your
arteries. Studies have shown the blood pressure lowering effect of supplementing
with magnesium ... in fact, in a six month trial, heart patients had a 12%
improvement in dilation of their arteries. Taking magnesium can also protect you
against dangerous clotting of your blood.
Make sure your body is getting the proper amounts of protective minerals ... eat
well and take your daily supplement.
The antioxidant vitamins

The antioxidant vitamins C and E protect the lining of your arteries from the
oxidative damage that can seriously hinder their dilating performance. When your
arteries' can't dilate properly - your blood pressure goes up. Get the proper amount
of vitamins C and E each day to protect your arteries' lining ... keep hypertension at
bay.

Studies have shown great improvement in hypertension patients ... when taking
500 mg of vitamin C regularly. Taking vitamin C helps your blood vessels to dilate -
allowing for better circulation, relief of angina, and lower blood pressure.
Vitamin E also controls the build-up of plaque on your artery walls - another factor
in hypertension - and can protect you against heart attacks. Take vitamin E to not
only control your blood pressure ... but also to protect your heart and arteries.
The sunshine vitamin

Although your skin will make adequate amounts of vitamin D on sunny summer
days, in winter and when you're spending a lot of time cooped up indoors ... your
vitamin D supply can run low ... and needs a boost from supplements. Vitamin D is
important for proper activation of your renin-angiotensin system - which plays a
major role in controlling your blood pressure (see Target 8).
Supplementing patients with vitamin D helped reduce their blood pressure

significantly. Get a good supply of sunlight and take a vitamin D supplement ... to
ensure your blood pressure control system keeps working in tip-top condition.
The B vitamins
Folic acid, or folate - one of the B-vitamins - lowers the level of dangerous
homocysteine in your blood. Homocysteine increases the risk of cardiovascular
disease ... it can lead to blood clots, thickening of artery walls, and constriction of
your arteries. In a large group of Finnish men, those who consumed the most
dietary folate had a much lower risk of heart attack or stroke.
Of all vitamins, folic acid has the greatest effect in lowering homocysteine.
Vitamins B-6 and B-12 also help lower homocysteine levels. When combined with
folic acid, these two vitamins increase its efficiency at lowering homocysteine levels.

Not enough in your diet

"One's stomach is one's internal environment" - Samuel Butler
Why do you need supplements?

In a perfect world you would be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need
from your food. After all, our early ancestors got all they needed from what they
gathered in the wild ... what they hunted in the forests ... what they caught in the
sea.
But, it's not a perfect world...depleted soils, over-processed foods, a diet of less
fruits and vegetables ... all mean you no longer get a full complement of nutrition
from what you eat. As you get older, you face another problem ... your digestive
system doesn't work as efficiently as it used to - nutrients aren't absorbed well.
And let's face it ... none of us eats a perfect meal. You need supplements to ensure
your body has all the vital nutrients needed to run your system efficiently.
Enough C to prevent scurvy, but ...

Although the RDA for vitamin C has been revised a little higher, it still is based on
the prevention of deficiency diseases - like scurvy. To promote optimal health,
much higher intake of vitamin C is needed.
Vitamin C comes from fresh fruits - especially citrus fruits. To give you protection
against heart disease and hypertension ... you would need to eat a king's ransom of
fruit every day.
Orange juice, grapefruit juice ... both are good sources of vitamin C, but only if
freshly squeezed. Vitamin C breaks down over time. By the time you purchase a
bottle of orange juice, there is - in all likelihood - no natural vitamin C left in the
juice.
To protect yourself against more than just scurvy ... get extra vitamin C in a
supplement.
Not enough vitamin E

Although vitamin E deficiency is rare, most people don't get enough to protect
them from chronic diseases. About 27% of the US population has low

concentrations of vitamin E in their system ... low enough to put them at an

increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
The amount of vitamin E required to protect against heart disease, cancer, stroke ...
and lower blood pressure is much greater than can be obtained from diet. Most of
the vitamin E in your diet comes from nuts and oils ... you can't reasonably eat
enough of these to meet your daily needs.
Folic acid in your breakfast cereal

As of January 1998, the FDA has required folic acid to be added to all refined grain
products ... estimated to increase dietary intake by 100 mcg a day. But, you should
be eating whole grains anyway - which will give you a good source of folates.
A good multivitamin supplement will include folic acid ... this added to your grain
intake will give you a protective amount of folic acid.
Do you need more vitamin B-6?

People over 60 tend to eat less than the daily allowance of vitamin B-6 in their diet.
Although B-6 is present in many foods, the form of vitamin B-6 in some plant foods
is only about half as available to your body as in other foods. If your diet is mainly
vegetarian, you will definitely need to supplement your diet.
Even if you eat more meat, you should supplement ... your body uses some of the
vitamin B-6 to normalize products of protein digestion.
Vitamin B-12 gets harder to absorb

Up to 15% of people over 60 have a vitamin B-12 deficiency ... with a large portion
of them already lacking B-12 after 50. With some people - as they get older - vitamin
B-12 is not as readily absorbed from food ... due to gastritis and decreased acid
production.
If your system isn't absorbing vitamin B-12 efficiently from food ... it can still absorb
it from supplements. In the supplemental form it is not bound as it is in food.
Sunshine or no sunshine, do you get enough D?

Over one third of all people in the US have low levels of vitamin D. Many factors
put you at risk of vitamin D deficiency - not enough sunlight, wearing sunscreen,

age, dark skin, obesity, and some diseases.
You should be getting adequate sunshine for your vitamin D supply (see Target 8)
... and supplementing with a daily multivitamin.
Too little potassium vs salt

Our prehistoric ancestors had a diet quite different from ours. They ate a lot less salt
than we do now ... their salt intake was 7 times lower than their potassium intake ...
our salt intake is 3 times higher than our potassium intake. We all have relative
potassium deficiency in our modern diet. This imbalance is one thing that leads to
hypertension.
A number of things can lead to greater potassium deficiency. Using diuretics or

laxatives flushes a lot of potassium out of your system. Alcoholism, anorexia
nervosa, bulimia, even severe vomiting or diarrhea can leave you deficient in
potassium. Bizarrely enough ... eating too much black licorice can deplete your
potassium - it has a compound which increases excretion of potassium.
Most of your daily potassium should come from food. By eating more fruits and
vegetables you can easily increase your potassium intake. People who eat large
amounts of fruit and vegetables get 8-11 grams of potassium per day. However,
most Americans get only 2-3 grams in their daily diet.
The recommended daily intake of potassium is 4.7 grams - most of this should be
obtained naturally by eating more fruits and vegetables (see Targets 13 and 25).
Magnesium starts to decline in the elderly

As you get older, your digestive system doesn't absorb magnesium as well as it
used to ... also your urinary system starts to lose more magnesium. Caught in this
double whammy, your body could suffer magnesium deficiency - and less efficient
dilation of your blood vessels - without a supplement.
It's not easy to get enough calcium

Although you should get a large portion of your calcium from natural food - milk,
yogurt, cheeses, tofu, and some vegetables and beans - it is hard to get all the
calcium your body needs. Also, eating a lot of protein increases the loss of calcium
... the reason that recommended calcium intake is higher for the US population than
less industrialized countries.

If you're not drinking milk or eating dairy products, it is virtually impossible to get
enough calcium from vegetables alone. Only some plants have absorbable calcium
... and even then the amount you would have to eat is impractical. Best to get as
much calcium as possible from your diet ... and take a daily supplement to top off.
Proper dosage
"Friendship is like vitamins, we supplement each other's minimum daily requirements"
Recommended daily supplement

The following recommendations come from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon
State University. Carrying on the work of the legendary health crusader, Linus
Pauling, the Institute does major research toward achieving healthy lives - free of
the problems of aging and heart disease. The Institute works on Linus Pauling's
premise that a good diet is the key to good health.
Your daily supplement for good health and protection of your cardiovascular
system:
Vitamin C — At least 400 mg

Vitamin E — 200 IU
Vitamin D — 400 IU
Folic Acid — 400 mcg
Vitamin B-6 —A minimum of 2 mg
Vitamin B-12 — 30 mcg ... 100 mcg after 65 (more if you're a strict vegan)
Potassium — 10-50 mg
Calcium — 500-600 mg
Magnesium — 50-100 mg
Some of this daily dose will be supplied by a high-quality multivitamin/mineral

supplement.
You need to add 500 mg vitamin C, 200 IU vitamin E, and 500 mg calcium to your
daily supplement regime. After your 65th birthday, add 100 mg of vitamin B-12
(more if you're a strict vegan)
.
Note: You can take 400 IU of vitamin E every second day ... many come in 400 size.
(See Resources p 228 for some sources of high-quality supplements)

Too much of a good thing

Vitamins and minerals are needed to keep you healthy ... but it isn't a good idea to
overdo it. As in all things, moderation is the key. Follow the above guidelines, and
you'll keep well below the limits.
For vitamin C taken regularly, a daily upper limit of 2000 mg has been set ... to
prevent stomach upset and diarrhea. However, you can still safely take a temporary
mega-dose of vitamin C to fight a cold ... a therapeutic dose of 8000 mg taken at the
beginning of cold symptoms has been proven very effective.
When vitamin E is absorbed, your liver must break it down and eliminate the
compounds not needed . For safety's sake, the Food and Nutrition Board of the
Institute of Medicine has set an upper limit of 1000 IU per day.
For vitamin D, the Board set a very conservative limit of 2000 IU - even though later
studies show that it is safe to use up to 10,000 IU a day.
The Board has also set limits for the B vitamins ... no more than 1000 mcg a day of
folic acid ... a whopping 100 mg for vitamin B-6 ... and no limit for vitamin B-12.
Too much potassium can cause hyperkalemia - when the amount of potassium
intake is greater than the kidneys can get rid of. You should only take the
potassium that is supplied in a good quality multivitamin/mineral supplement ...
no extra is needed. Instead, get your potassium from fruits and vegetables.
It is impossible to have the full daily requirement of calcium in one tablet - it would
be too large to swallow. Also, to maximize absorption, you shouldn't take more
than 500 mg at one time.
Because too much magnesium can cause stomach upset and diarrhea - especially in
people with poor kidney function - the Food and Nutrition Board set the upper
limit of supplementation at 350 mg a day.

Choose wisely
"I will buy any creme, cosmetic, or elixir from a woman with a European accent"
Erma Bombeck
Vitamin C works best with bioflavonoids

In citrus fruits - and other fruits and vegetables containing vitamin C - a group of
plant pigments called bioflavonoids are present. Bioflavonoids also act as
antioxidants and help your body absorb the vitamin C more efficiently. Vitamin C
with bioflavonoids is gradually absorbed and much more bioavailable than ascorbic
acid.
Look for a high-quality vitamin C ... in a natural base of bioflavonoids and fruit ...
no added sweeteners (see Resources p 228).
Vitamin E is not just one compound

Alpha-tocopherol is the type of vitamin E commonly used in supplements. Many
vitamin E supplements use synthetic alpha-tocopherol ... labeled all-rac-aplha-
tocopherol or dl-alpha-tocopherol. Only about 50% of this synthetic alpha-
tocopherol is available to your body.
To get the most from your vitamin E, make sure your supplements are made from
only natural sources ... labeled d-alpha-tocopherol.
Vitamin E is made up of a number of tocopherols. If you can get a mixed

tocopherols supplement - even better. The mixed supplement will have alpha-,
beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocopherols ... these have different biological effects and
having the full mix is believed to be more potent (see Resources p 228)

Target 5
Let Hawthorn protect you from evil

"And every shepherd tells his tale; under the hawthorn in the dale"
John Milton
Hawthorn is an age-old heart tonic with ancient protection for you. It eases the
blood flow through your body ... lowers your blood pressure ... and strengthens
your heart.
If you are experiencing any stress in your life, if you're a type-A personality, if
you're nervous ... if you have anything happening in your life that makes you in the
least bit tense ... you definitely need Hawthorn.
Action plan
Take a Hawthorn tincture before meals - I prefer to use a tincture
from Dr Vogel (see Resources p 228). Take 15 minutes before every
meal. Just add 20-30 drops to a small amount of water, hold it in
your mouth for a few seconds to let your saliva mix with it (this
helps absorption), then swallow.
Keep using Hawthorn regularly - Hawthorn has a cumulative

effect on your cardiovascular system ... that means it may be a few
weeks before actual benefits are felt. But, used regularly, it's effect
will get stronger and stronger.
Who knows? You might even get to dance with the fairies.

A brief history
"Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you."
Irish proverb
A tree for the Celts

The Hawthorn joins the Oak and Ash to form the trilogy of sacred Irish trees.
Actually a tall shrub ... the Hawthorn grows in thickets along rivers and meadows.
It has small, bright green leaves, branches covered with short curved thorns, and
creamy white flowers that turn into red berries in fall.
Home to the fairies

In Celtic folklore ... fairies live in hedges of the spiny Hawthorn. On May Day, it
was an old custom to tie ribbons or rags to the Hawthorn as gifts to the fairies.
Hawthorn, with its spiny thorns, was a symbol of psychic protection. It was planted
around fields, homes, and churchyards. On May Day, a branch was cut from the
Hawthorn tree and used to adorn doorways ... and protect the house from evil
spirits.
Superstition dwells around the Hawthorn

A Hawthorn tree can live 400 years ... and cutting one down is said to bring all
manner of bad luck. Wearing a sprig on your hat protects you from lightning ...
Hawthorn stops milk from souring ... keeps witches away ... pick a piece at
midnight, keep it in your home, and it'll bring you luck.
A berry by any other name

The Hawthorn has been called May Blossom, White Thorn, Tree of Chastity - and a
host of other names. The berries are often called Pixie Pears or Cuckoo's Beads.
Hawthorn is also called the Heart Herb ... for a very good reason.
A herb of the ancient Druids

The ancient Druids used Hawthorn to strengthen the body in old age ... and
Hawthorn has a long history of use in folk medicine as a heart tonic. An infusion

was often made from the berries to calm nerves and relieve stress ... a tea was made
from the blossoms to help the heart and circulation.
How Hawthorn fights hypertension

"I believe in anything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons."
John Lennon
This Swiss knew that natural remedy is the best

The Swiss herbalist Alfred Vogel - a man with a vast knowledge of Nature and the
natural remedies she provides - wrote about the benefits of Hawthorn in his book
The Nature Doctor.
"Hawthorn (Crataegus) is a heart remedy, and is particularly valuable in cases of

weak heart muscles. When arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and especially, a
hardened and constricted coronary are diagnosed, there is no doubt that Crataegus
(Hawthorn) is the best, the most harmless and the most reliable remedy that can be
taken."
Modern science catches up with folklore

Nowadays, the heart tonic properties of Hawthorn are well documented. Clinical
studies have proven that Hawthorn lowers blood pressure ... it also treats minor
arrhythmias, angina, and atherosclerosis.
Hawthorn has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects ... due to a mixture
of phenols (especially flavonoids) that work together to strengthen the heart, lower
cholesterol, reduce resistance in arteries, lower blood pressure, smooth out heart
rhytms, and act as an antioxidant.
Hawthorn strengthens the heart by boosting the heart's oxygen use ... improving its
pumping performance ... increasing metabolism in the heart muscle ... enhancing
the function of the cardiac nerves ... and mildly relaxing the heart muscle.
Modern science has proven that Hawthorn really is the Heart Herb.

Hawthorn relaxes your system

The flavonoids in the Hawthorn berry have been proven to dilate arteries - both the
coronary and peripheral. This relaxing effect lowers blood pressure and relieves
angina.
Hawthorn is especially good for you if you're busy, stressed, nervous ... all
conditions that can have a bad effect on your blood pressure. Hawthorn's gentle
and safe action will gradually relax arteries tightened up by the stress response.
Scientists becoming more interested in Hawthorn

In Turkey - where Hawthorn has long been used as folk medicine - a recent study
investigated the effect on blood pressure and the coronary artery wall. Using
Hawthorn not only prevented hypertension in tests ... it also had a beneficial effect
on the whole cardiovascular system.
An Iranian study, showed a significant decrease in blood pressure over a three-

month period of using Hawthorn. Hawthorn has a cumulative effect ... it must be
used over a period of time. When used regularly, Hawthorn's cardioprotective
effect actually gets stronger.
In a long-term study, patients with congestive heart disease are reporting

significant improvements in symptoms ... such as reduced shortness of breath and
fatigue.
Choose wisely
"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead"
Oscar Wilde
It's the whole package

No single component in Hawthorn ... is the primary agent for strengthening your
heart and cardiovascular system. Research shows that a number of phenols work
together to give you the beneficial effects.
To gain the benefits of Hawthorn ... get a tea or tincture made from whole, fresh
plants. I highly recommend Alfred Vogel's tincture ... the Swiss company takes
great care in making it. All the plants are grown to the strict guidelines of Bio-Suisse
- guaranteeing you 100% organic herbs. (see Resources p 228)

Week 3
Get a good start to your day

"Fresh air impoverishes the doctor" - Danish proverb
Your going to start each day with a hearty bowl of oatmeal ... enjoy a healthy start
to your day and have lots of energy for the whole morning.
Then, it's time to head outside for some fresh air, healing sunshine, and a good
brisk walk.
Target 6: Eat a steaming bowl of oatmeal

Target 7: Walk for your health and happiness
Target 8: Step out in the healthy sunshine

Target 6
Eat a steaming bowl of oatmeal

"I love oatmeal with, like, fruit in it, berries or bananas, you have to get creative with it"
Heidi Klum
The healthy bowl of oatmeal porridge was pushed out of most people's breakfast
routine by the appearance of sugary, multi-colored breakfast cereals ... just pour it
in your bowl and add milk.
But now, oatmeal is making its comeback ... oatmeal has finally been recognized as
a major heart-healthy food. And a much better way to start your day.
Good-bye Tony the Tiger ... good-bye Cap'n Crunch ... good-bye Snap, Crackle, and
Pop ... hello nutrition as Nature meant it to be.
Action plan
Eat at least a bowl of oats a day - especially at breakfast time. You

can eat them as oatmeal, Birchermüesli, in pancakes, or cook up a
bowl of creamy oat bran. Add fruit to your bowl of oatmeal ... chop
in some apples or bananas for even more goodness.
Add oats to your cooking - oats are a great bulker in meatloaf ...
make a delicious dessert with apples, cinnamon, and oats ... and if
you want cookies, make them healthy ones with lots of oats.
Make oat powder - another way to get more of oats' goodness into
your day. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, chop up a
batch of oats to a coarse flour consistency. Put your oat powder into
an airtight jar ... add it to soups and stews as a thickener.

A brief history
"The oat is the Horatio Alger of cereals, which progressed, if not from rags to riches, at least from weed to
health food" - Waverley Root in Food
Weed or horse food?

The oat has a humble origin ... oats were mainly a weed that grew in fields of more
important crops. Even when they were finally cultivated ... probably not long
before the birth of Christ ... oats were mainly a crop for feeding livestock.
The Greeks and Romans regarded oats as nothing more than a diseased version of
wheat ... fit only to be used as lowly horse food. They considered the Germanic
tribes as pesky oat-eating barbarians.
Even today ... less than 5% of all oats grown are eaten by humans.
A staple in Scotland
In Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary, he described oats as "A grain which, in
England, is generally given to horses, but which in Scotland supports the people."
The Scots' reply? "That's why England has such good horses, and Scotland has such
fine men!"
Oatmeal used to be the main part of the Scots' diet - and it still plays a very
important part. It's not just eaten as porridge ... oatmeal is used to stuff meat and
poultry ... it's used in cakes and cookies ... it's even used to make an inexpensive
and filling soup.
Robbie Burns praised porridge in his earthy poem The Cotter's Saturday Night ...
glorifying the rustic simplicity of a Scot peasant's life.
"But now the supper crowns their simple board,

The halesome parritch, chief of Scotia's food"

How oatmeal fights hypertension

"She was perfectly quiet now, but not asleep - only soothed by sweet porridge and warmth into
that wide-gazing calm which makes us older human beings, with our inward turmoil,
feel a certain awe in the presence of a little child..." - George Eliot
Oats are first to get FDA stamp

Oatmeal is the first food that was ever granted the right to make specific health
claims. The FDA, who have usually favored drugs over natural food, finally
recognized oatmeal's well-established benefits in 1996.
The US Food and Drug Administration approved the health claim, "Diets low in
saturated fat and cholesterol that provide 3 g or more per day of soluble fiber from
oat bran, rolled oats (oatmeal), or whole oat flour may reduce the risk of heart
disease"
More than just a comforting meal

A hot bowl of porridge has always been a comforting start to a cold winter day ...
now, you can feel even more comfort.
In the last few years, 37 clinical studies have proven the health benefits of oatmeal
and oat bran. This wonderful grain reduces blood cholesterol levels, lowers blood
pressure, and overall reduces the risk of heart disease.
Studying oatmeal's effects on blood pressure

A study at Johns Hopkins University reported ... people who ate as little as one
ounce of cooked oatmeal daily had lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
A study with 22,000 middle-aged Finnish males showed ... eating as little as 3 grams
of soluble fiber (the kind found in oatmeal) reduced the risk of death from heart
disease significantly.
A study in Chicago found that - in a group of people on hypertension drugs - eating

oat cereal daily for 12 weeks reduced ... or eliminated their need for blood-pressure
medication. Dr Joseph Keenan noted that a diet containing soluble fiber-rich oat
cereals ... greatly improved control of the patients' hypertension.
A diet of whole oats significantly reduces blood pressure and improves the body's

ability to control the pressure.
Why is oatmeal so effective?

Oats' soluble and cellulose fiber, mineral content, and grain antioxidants are all
thought to contribute to the lowering of blood pressure.
But it is the water-soluble fiber - called beta-glucan - that is the main hero in
oatmeal's fight against high blood pressure. When oats or oat bran are eaten ... this
soluble fiber dissolves in water in the stomach and becomes a heavy gel. This gel
envelopes other food particles and slows the rate of digestion and absorption of
nutrients.
Beating the sugar high drops your blood pressure

After you eat a meal ... your blood sugar level takes a jump. Next, insulin is released
to take excess sugar and store it for later use. High levels of insulin cause many
problems in your body ... one being high blood pressure.
When your body's cells are exposed to insulin too much ... they become resistant to
insulin. Now, one of insulin's jobs is to help your body store magnesium. But if
your cells become insulin resistant, your body can't store the magnesium and it's
flushed out in your urine. With low levels of magnesium, your blood vessels start to
constrict ... and you get higher blood pressure.
How can you avoid this chain of events? Oats to the rescue again! Studies have
shown that the beta-glucan in oats blunts the sudden spike in blood sugar levels
usually seen after eating carbohydrates. This also reduces insulin levels in the
blood.
The fiber, mineral content, and grain antioxidants in oats improves insulin
sensitivity ... gets your whole system working properly again. So, by eating oats
you'll be able to keep your blood sugars down ... keep your insulin levels normal ...
and enjoy the resulting lower blood pressure.
Eat a bowl of porridge ... or even better, muesli ... start your day off right with a
breakfast that doesn't shoot up your blood sugar.

Control cholesterol, lower blood pressure

Recent studies have shown that people with higher total cholesterol are much more
likely to develop hypertension.
Again ... oats to the rescue!
For quite some time now ... eating oatmeal has been known to lower the bad
cholesterol - LDL. The soluble fiber acts like tiny sponges, soaking up cholesterol-
based bile in your intestines, preventing it from being absorbed, and carrying it out
of your body. In turn, the liver pulls cholesterol from your blood stream and ...
cholesterol levels drop.
In the Smart Heart Challenge, hundreds of people volunteered to eat one bowl of
oatmeal every day for 30 days. At the end of the challenge, 70% of the volunteers
had lowered their cholesterol.
Oatmeal's goodness easily matches modern medicine

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that beta-glucan
was just as efficient at lowering cholesterol as statin drug treatment ... very good
news for statin sufferers all over the world. No need to suffer the health problems
of statins - muscle pain and weakness, nerve damage, heart failure, memory loss,
depression, cancer, and a number of other dangerous side effects - all you need to
control your cholesterol is a tasty bowl of oatmeal or oat bran.
Lower cholesterol - lower blood pressure. Another way that oats help you to fight
hypertension.
Why oat bran is even better than oatmeal

Oat bran is the edible outer layer of an oat kernel. The bran contains higher
concentrations of the water-soluble fiber - beta-glucan - than the rest of the oat. In a
study done in 1991, eating oat bran reduced LDL ... even better than oatmeal.
Oat bran can be bought in most grocery stores and is easy to cook ... enjoy a
deliciously smooth and creamy hot cereal.

More benefits
"Do you know what breakfast cereal is made of? It's made of all those little curvy wooden shavings
you find in pencil sharpeners!" - Roald Dahl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Oatmeal sticks to your ribs

Remember when you were a kid? On a frosty morning, Mom would set a steaming
bowl of oatmeal in front of you. And as you swirled your spoon through the hearty
porridge and stirred in a bit of milk, she'd say, "That'll stick to your ribs!"
Well ... turns out Mom was right all along. Eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast is
not only comforting, it's also a great way to power up for the morning. The natural
goodness and nutrition of oatmeal "sticks" with you all morning - keeping you
energized.
Oatmeal has a prolonged energy release. Oats have a high content of complex
carbohydrates and soluble fiber, so they release energy slowly ... taking you
through to lunchtime.
In fact, a study done with athletes confirmed that eating a breakfast of oatmeal gave
more stamina and long-term energy than other breakfast foods. Imagine what it can
do for your morning at the office - or a round of golf.
Oats have natural goodness

Oats are food as nature intended it to be. They are naturally low in fat and
cholesterol. They are a rich source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E,
potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium. And all this good nutrition comes
in an easy to digest food.
In fact, a bowl of oatmeal is so easy to digest and comforting that it can even reduce
some of the effects of depression ... you can't help but feel warm and loved when
you're eating oatmeal.

Choose wisely
"Quality is like buying oats - if you want good, clean oats you must pay a fair price.
However, if you are satisfied with oats that have already been through the horse...well,
they are a little bit cheaper." - Anonymous
Different oats, for different folks

The familiar supermarket form is the rolled oat. Grains are heated and rolled flat to
shorten the cooking time. Old-fashioned rolled oats are simply the whole grain
rolled under a large steel roller ... whereas quick-cooking oats are sliced before
rolling and take less time to prepare.
Be careful with instant oatmeals. In this case, the grains are pre-cooked, dried, and
then rolled ... losing some of the healthy nutrients in the process. Also ... instant
oatmeal often has salt, sugar, coloring, and flavorings added to it.
Another great oatmeal is made from steel-cut oats. These are usually imported from
Scotland or Ireland...where the oat grain is sliced thinly. Steel-cut oats take a little
longer to cook, but they have a wonderful chewy, dense texture. Once you try these
delicious oats ... you'll be hooked.
Delicious, creamy, and healthy ... oat bran can be found in most stores and is easy
to cook ... makes a fine breakfast. (see Resources p 228 for fine organic oats)
Eat like the Scots

OK, you don't have to wear a kilt ... you don't have to endure the pipes ... but do
take up the oatmeal habit. The English may have dismissed oats as horse feed, but
the olden days' Scots knew a good thing when they saw it.
In fact, the longest living British man on record was a Scot. David Henderson lived
to be 109 years old ... and credited his age and good health to "A daily bowl of
porridge, prunes, and never going to bed on a full stomach."
According to the Scots ... for best results, you should always use a wooden spoon to
stir your porridge. And never stir your porridge counter-clockwise ... that'll invoke
the devil.
Start your day off right with a steaming bowl of oatmeal ... fill up on some long-
lasting energy... and keep the devil away from your heart.

Target 7
Walk for your health and happiness

"Happy is the man who has acquired the love of walking for its own sake" - WJ Holland
There's no charge for walking, you don't need any special training, and you get to
explore. All you need to start walking is a good pair of shoes. Walking is the most
natural form of exercise ... and it makes you feel good.
What are you waiting for? Get out there and start walking now!
Action plan
Go for a brisk 30 minute walk - five days a week. If you have

a very busy schedule, at the very least walk three days a week.
You can break your 30 minutes up ... go for three 10 minute
walks - during lunch break, going shopping, on the way to
work.
Walk whenever possible - avoid elevators, walk on escalators,

give the bus a miss, take a spin around the park ... and don't
send memos to your colleague down the hall - hand deliver.
A brief history
"Everything is within walking distance if you have the time" - Steven Wright
Homo erectus went for a long walk

It was about 4-5 million years ago that our ancestors first came down out of the
trees and started standing on two legs. When Homo erectus came along - about 1.8
million years ago - he was well adapted for walking and soon our ancestors were
taking the long walk out of Africa ... and spread out all over Asia and Europe.

Less walking with the horseless carriage

When man domesticated horses, he started us on our steady decline to a sedentary
lifestyle. Later came the iron horse ... then the horseless carriage to cut down the
amount of time our forefathers spent walking. Nowadays, cars and trains have been
joined by elevators, escalators, people movers ... all so we can walk less.
But our bodies evolved for walking ... a simple exercise that can keep you healthy,
make you feel good, and allow you the time to enjoy your surroundings.
How walking fights hypertension

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast."
Thomas Jefferson
Get your heart pumping happily

Walking is a safe, comfortable, friendly exercise. Walking increases your fitness
level ... your feeling of well-being ... and fights disease. Britain's Walking the Way to
Health Initiative has started countless people on the path to health ... their
recommendation - walk at a brisk pace for 30 minutes a day, at least five days a
week. Improve your health and reduce the risk of degenerative diseases.
Walking offers a sense of social well-being. While walking, you meet other people
... a friendly wave, a passing hello, a good way to start your day off. Walking with a
friend is a most enjoyable thing.
The healthy mix of physical exercise and stress-busting goodwill has a great effect
on your blood pressure ... get out and get your heart pumping today.
Just 30 minutes a day

Walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, has been linked to a 30-35%
reduced risk of heart attack or stroke. In fact, brisk walking is just as good as any
vigorous exercise for lowering your blood pressure.
The Surgeon General of the US stated quite clearly, "Walking is the biggest bang for
our buck. Thirty minutes a day of walking will prevent many cases of diabetes,
hypertension, and other chronic diseases. Walking is the simplest, easiest way for
most people."

Got little time to spare?

Studies have shown ... that short bursts of walking are as good for you as a longer
walk. If you don't have time to enjoy a 30 minute walk ... break it up into three 10
minute walks throughout your day. It's just as beneficial ... and will lower your
blood pressure.
More benefits
"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Walk off the fat ... tone up the bod

Walking is a great way to maintain a healthy weight. Going for a daily walk will
burn fat and improve muscle tone. Even if you don't need to lose weight, brisk
walking will get rid off abdominal fat ... give you a better body shape ... and make
you feel more toned all over.
Take the first step in a weight-loss program ... step out and walk. The large amount
of overweight and obese people in our present-day society is largely due to a lack of
physical activity. In a California study, a strong relationship was seen between
physical inactivity, long commutes in cars, and obesity.
Hit the trail today for a brisk 30 minute walk ... make those pants fit you better.
Walk now for sunnier golden years

Elderly people who regularly walk for 30 minutes or more per day ... have much
fewer problems with obesity and disability. Start a walking habit now and ensure
that your retirement years will be healthy, happy years ... allowing you to enjoy the
pleasures that you deserve after a lifetime of work.
Get your brain moving

Stuck for an idea? Can't solve a problem? Get away from your desk ... go for a walk.
As soon as you start breathing harder, creativity increases and ideas begin to flow ...
it's like someone flipped a switch in your brain.

Go for a long walk ... carry a mini-recorder or notepad with you. Record your
thoughts as you go. You'll probably find that you get more done in that half hour of
walking ... than you could spending the better half of the afternoon staring at your
computer screen.
Choose wisely
"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the
medicine and psychology in the world" - Roger Miller
Dressing for the road ... or path

Are your shoes old enough to vote? Get a good pair of walking shoes ... with
cushioning and support. They should be lightweight and made of fabric that lets
your feet breathe. While you're at the shoe store, get some good socks too ... ones
that will draw sweat away from your feet.
Wear some comfy clothes ... made of a light fabric that'll let your body breathe.
Better to wear layers of thin clothes ... rather than something heavy.
Carry a water bottle

Take some water with you on your walk. Sip often. Don't wait until you feel thirsty
... by then you're already slightly dehydrated.
Walk well
"How do you live a long life? Take a two-mile walk every morning before breakfast"
Harry S. Truman
Chin up, shoulders back

Walk with good posture. Keep you head up and your back straight. Suck in that
tummy and keep it tight. Swing your arms naturally, keeping your shoulders
relaxed and your elbows bent ... your arms and shoulders will stay comfortable.
Walking is basically a continual act of falling forward - without actually falling.

Your foot should strike the ground heel first, then roll through the ball of your foot
... and that's it, you're walking.

Use a stride that is natural and comfortable for you. Don't overdo the length of your
stride - you'll just strain your muscles and tendons.
Warm up and stretch

For your first five minutes ... walk at a comfortable pace ... warm up your cold, tight
muscles. Then stop and do a few stretches to limber up. Hold each stretch for 10-15
seconds and don't bounce ... nice and easy does it.
Stretch your thighs, hamstrings, calves, and shins. This gets your legs limbered up
and ready for a good walk.
Now, step it out

After five minutes ... pick up the pace. You know you're walking at a good pace... if
you can still talk, but you can't hold a conversation with your walking partner. If
you're chatting away ... step it out ... time to get moving.
You want to be pumping some oxygen into the system ... you want to be getting
your lungs full of fresh air ... you want to be pumping blood energetically through
your body ... you want to energize.
And then, the cool down

Slow down a bit for your last five minutes. Repeat your stretches and take a deep
breath. Now you're ready to face the day!
Warning: don't carry hand weights

Maybe you've seen spandex-clad models ... power walking and swinging colorful
dumbbells. And maybe you've thought, "What a great idea! I can kill two birds with
one stone."
Forget about it!
Carrying hand weights ... may cause injury to your unnaturally tensed upper-body
muscles. Also, the tense grip you maintain throughout your walk could actually up
Save the weights for the gym ... walking is meant to be enjoyed.

Chances to walk
"An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."
Henry David Thoreau
Walking can be one of the most pleasurable things you do each day. Walking brings
you in contact with your neighbourhood, nature, other people. Walking clears your
head and heals your heart.
Look for every opportunity to walk.
In the morning ...

One of the best times to enjoy a long walk is first thing in the morning ... before
your day gets busy. Its a wonderful time of day for exploring your neighbourhood.
Smells of fresh-baked bread ... a cool crispness to the air ... muffled sounds of
people starting their day ... the camaraderie of other early morning walkers.
... at lunch ...

Adding a short walk at lunchtime will clear your head and give you some fresh air
... walking is a terrific stress management tool. Is there a small park near your
office? Or a walkway along a canal? Stretch your legs ... get re-energized for the
afternoon.
... on a beach
Take off your shoes and enjoy feeling sand between your toes. A walk on the beach
is great exercise. The soft surface means your muscles have to work harder ... great
exercise for your calves, thighs, buttocks, and hamstrings. All that ... and you get to
enjoy a great view and good air.
Whenever, wherever
Even if you can't take a full 30 minute walk ... at least clock up a few 10 minute
walks throughout the day. Walk to the post office ... walk down the hall ... forget
the elevator.
In fact avoid elevators and escalators whenever possible. OK, if you're going to the
88th floor, you can ride the elevator. But for just a floor or two - use the stairs.

Asked how he stays so fit and young, Jackie Chan replied, "I never ride escalators -
I always walk up them."
Walk to work ... and home again. Walking just 20 minutes to work has been shown
to decrease the risk of hypertension.
The call of the wild

Get away at least once a month. Hiking in the mountains, on a forest trail, across
alpine meadows ... not only is good for your health ... it's good for your psyche.
Getting out into nature can give you such a great feeling of well-being.
Join a hiking club or go on a walking tour ... find a whole new world of adventure
and friends.
Walking ... just do it

OK, now put down this book and get out there ... walk!

Target 8
Step out in the healthy sunshine

"If I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god"
Napoleon Bonaparte
Vitamin D is very important for the proper function of your body. It is critical for
keeping your bones healthy and strong, activating your immune system,
controlling cell growth ... and regulating your blood pressure.
Throughout history, humans have been getting their dose of vitamin D from the
sun. But, in our modern world, we're spending too much time indoors ... and, when
we're outside, our bodies are slathered with sun block. Vitamin D deficiency is
becoming a common problem.
For your own good ... soak up more sunshine.
Action plan
Bathe your body in sunshine - without sunscreen for 10-15

minutes a day during the spring, summer, and fall months -
between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm ... stock up on vitamin D for the
pale days of winter. If you live in the higher latitudes or you
have darker skin ... you'll need to soak up a lot more sunshine.
Walk in sunshine - whenever possible get out of the shade ...

cross on over to the sunny side of the street.
Don't tan with sunscreen - just soak up your dose of sun

naturally ... get your daily dose ... and then cover up with
clothing.

A brief history
"Behold, my friends, the spring has come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun,
and we shall soon see the results of their love" - Sitting Bull
The sun gods of olden times

The sun was worshiped by most early agrarian societies ... for its life energy.
Farmers were heavily dependent upon the weather and seasonal changes. The sun
was the great force in the sky ... it regulated the weather and controlled the farmers'
way of life.
Sun worship reached its zenith in Egypt...the daily birth, journey, and death of the
sun commanded their lives. Ra, the sun god, was the first king of Egypt ... and the
pharaoh was the sun god's representative on Earth.
Mesopotamia had the sun god Shamash as its major deity. In Greece, Helios and
Apollo were the two sun gods. The sun also played a major part in other religions
around the world ... the Aztecs, the Native Americans, in Africa.
Many ancient sun temples still exist in India ... built in honor of Surya or Aditya.
Age old Hindu writings are filled with poems describing the sun - the storehouse of
inexhaustible power and radiance ... the source and sustainer of all life on Earth.
The massive rocks of Stonehenge are believed to have been erected by Druids ... as
a temple to the sun. Their layout is perfectly aligned with the passages of the sun
across the sky. Even now, large numbers of Druids converge on Stonehenge each
year to celebrate the summer solstice.
The sun has always been - and will always be - the central focus of radiating energy
... a vital force in everybody's life.
Why are we different colors?

Sometime between 4.5 and 2 million years ago, our early ancestors moved out of
the African rainforest ... onto the exposed East African savanna. As early man's
body lost hair - for more efficient cooling - he needed other protection from the
blazing sun.
Early man's skin developed melanin - a dark pigment. A high concentration of

melanin pigment in the skin protected the underlying tissues from the intense UV

radiation. But then, about 2 million years ago, homo erectus started to migrate
north into Asia and Europe.
The intensity of UV striking the Earth falls as one moves away from the
equator...the further early man migrated north, the less UV radiation he received.
Since UV is needed to produce vitamin D, evolution compensated again ...
evolution selected lighter skin.
So, while people living along the equator had developed darker skin to filter out
excess UV ... people living further from the equator developed lighter skin to drink
up enough UV radiation to produce the all-important vitamin D.
But Inuit are dark-skinned

Human bodies get the majority of vitamin D from sunshine. At latitudes greater
than 50 degrees, the minimal amount of UV striking the Earth was a barrier to
human settlement ... the risk of vitamin D deficiency was too great.
It was a barrier ... until man learned to fish. Fish are the other major source of
vitamin D. With access to a food source rich in vitamin D, the last barrier fell. Inuit
could live in these northern climes ... they didn't need to soak up UV rays.
So, the Inuit didn't need to develop lighter skin ... up north it's too cold to sunbathe,
anyway.
Going against natural selection

When dark-skinned people move further away from the equator, they can suffer
from vitamin D deficiencies. A number of studies have shown that many people of
African descent - living in the northern US and in the UK - are deficient in vitamin
D ... they just don't get enough sunshine.
Solar therapy cured many ills

From the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, heliotherapy - a
controlled exposure of patients to daily doses of sunlight - was an accepted medical
practice. Heliotherapy was used to cure a number of illnesses.
Hermann Brehmer started treating tuberculosis patients with sunlight and fresh air
in 1862. Soon a new type of hospital appeared ... the sanatorium, with its open
terraces and Liegehallen - where patients soaked up a daily dose of healing sunshine.

Sunbathing became very popular and sanatoriums sprang up in the fresh mountain
air of Switzerland ... and along the southern coast of England. Dr Auguste Rollier,
the most famous heliotherapist, prescribed nutritious diets and early morning
sunbathing at his 36 clinics in the sun-drenched Swiss Alps.
Healthy and tanned

Many doctors have great difficulty accepting such simple and seemingly
unscientific methods. But, the facts speak for themselves ... Dr Rollier and his
heliotherapy transformed pale, sickly tuberculosis patients into tanned, healthy
individuals - free of the disease.
The fall of heliotherapy ...

With the rise in power of the pharmaceutical industry ... and the loss of sun
champions like Dr Rollier...heliotherapy was forgotten about. Over the last couple
of decades, the public has been bombarded with warnings about the dangers of
sunbathing and the risk of skin cancer. The benefits of getting some sunshine were
overshadowed by irrational fear.
The fear of exposure to the sun is now believed by many to have been overinflated
... and it may be keeping you from one of the healthiest substances on Earth - good
ole sunshine. It may also be leaving you with a serious vitamin D deficiency.
... the rise in vitamin D deficiency

Living at higher latitudes - with decreased sun exposure - has been linked to
increased risk of many common cancers, osteoporosis, decreased immunity ... and
hypertension. And nowadays, we spend less time in the sun.
Working indoors, spending many hours parked in front of a computer, slathering

ourselves with sunscreen every time we step outside ... all have led to even more
problems with vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as an epidemic in the US. The third

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that a large portion of
the general adult population in the US were deficient in vitamin D. Even amongst
Caucasian men - the group with the least chance of vitamin D deficiency - 34% had
low vitamin D levels.

An unreasonable fear of the sun

Remember the 60s and 70s, when many people sported healthy tans. Then tanning
got blamed for all sorts of evil ... from wrinkly skin to cancer. For the last couple of
decades, worried souls have been completely covering their body and hiding from
the sun. The poor sun got a bad rap.
Sure, too much ultraviolet light isn't good for you ... but note the wording, "too
much ultraviolet light". A sensible amount of UV is not going to harm you ... in fact,
your body desperately needs it. Over the last few decades, an unhealthy fear of the
sun has taken hold of many western cultures ... with people almost phobic about
sun exposure.
Michael Holick, who runs the Vitamin D Research Lab at Boston University
Medical Center, says that the current message that all unprotected sun exposure is
bad for you is too extreme. The original warning was that people should limit their
sun exposure ... not avoid the sun entirely. In fact, those who avoid the sun
completely - or always wear sunscreen - are at risk for vitamin D deficiencies.
This expert on vitamin D believes that a little unprotected sun exposure is vitally
important to your health. Time to start sporting a light tan again ... a healthy tan.
Don't you get enough vitamin D in milk?

The Osteoporosis Society of Canada recommends that all adults between the ages
of 19 and 50 receive 400 IU of vitamin D daily - adults over 50 should receive
double that amount.
A 250 ml glass of milk contains 100 IU of vitamin D. It is close to impossible to get

all your vitamin D from diet alone. You still need the age-old source of sunshine ...
it's what humans got their vitamin D from for millions of years.
How sunshine helps fight hypertension

"Where the sun does not go, the doctor does" - Italian proverb
Sunshine produces vitamin D

Vitamin D is produced in your skin when it is exposed to the UVB spectrum of
sunlight. This in turn is metabolized in your liver and kidneys into special forms of

vitamin D ... which interact with receptors in your body. They are responsible for a
number of important physical effects ... promoting proper use of calcium in the
body, controlling cell growth, enhancing immunity, and balancing the renin-
angiotensin system.
Renin-angiotensin and blood pressure

The renin-angiotensin system plays a major role in controlling your blood pressure.
Angiotensin is a protein produced in your liver. Renin is an enzyme that splits a
peptide - called angiotensin I - from the angiotensin protein. Another enzyme then
splits angiotensin I to form angiotensin II - a peptide that is responsible for
increasing your blood pressure. Angiotensin II constricts your arteries and
increases the retention of sodium and water.
Renin is the factor that controls the rate of angiotensin II production. When this
renin-angiotensin system is improperly activated ... it brings about hypertension.
Vitamin D controls renin

Vitamin D controls the production of renin...it suppresses it and keeps it from
raising your blood pressure. A number of studies have now shown that vitamin D
deficiency allows the renin-angiotensin system to be over-activated ... creating a
risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.
Using the sun to lower blood pressure

A study with men and women in the Netherlands found that ... exposing them to
UVB radiation increased their vitamin D levels and ... significantly decreased their
blood pressure.
Get a healthy dose of sunshine ... keep your systems in control, keep your blood
pressure normal, protect your heart.

More benefits
"A cloudy day or a little sunshine have as great an influence on many constitutions
as the most recent blessings or misfortunes" - Joseph Addison
Keep your bones strong

Sunshine and the vitamin D it produces are essential for maintaining a strong,
healthy skeleton ... throughout your life. Vitamin D is required for normal calcium
absorption. When vitamin D in the body is low, you put yourself at risk of
osteoporosis - the loss of bone density associated with aging.
The brittle bones and devastating hip fractures that have often been associated with
getting older ... don't need to be. Getting enough sunlight and calcium can keep
your bones strong throughout your lifetime.
In a test group in Japan, elderly patients exposed to sunlight actually increased their
bone mass density ... while those who lacked sunlight had a significant loss of
density and a much higher rate of fractures.
Get enough sunlight and calcium ... keep your bones young and strong.
Good-bye to muscle weakness and pain

Vitamin D deficiency not only weakens your bones ... it also causes weakness and
pain in your muscles. Receptors in muscles need vitamin D for proper function of
the muscle tissue. Among patients with persistent, unexplained pain in their
muscles and bones ... 93% were vitamin D deficient.
Elderly people with higher levels of vitamin D have better muscle strength ... giving
greater functional ability, mobility, and less risk of falls. A group of elderly women
in Basel, Switzerland had a 49% reduction in falls after increasing their vitamin D
levels.
Soak up the sunshine ... and make sure you keep your muscles strong ... and pain-
free.
TB or not TB - that is sunshine's benefit

Tuberculosis, the oldest infectious disease, still kills more than 3 million people a
year - around the world. It is estimated that a third of the population is infected

with the TB bacteria ... it's vitamin D that activates your immune system to stop the
bacteria from growing. Sunshine strengthens your body to prevent infections - such
as TB.
Over a century ago, Dr Brehmer was using the best possible therapy to fight this
debilitating disease. The sunshine therapy he prescribed strengthened his patients
... and fought off the bacteria that was attacking and destroying their lungs and
other body tissues.
Get enough sunshine today ... never let your immune defenses down.
Sunshine protects against cancer

A lack of sunshine could leave you at the risk of cancer. Contrary to the fears raised
about sunshine and skin cancer ... it appears the dangers of not getting enough sun
are much greater.
As early as 1941, statistics showed that cancer death rates increased with distance
from the equator. Dr Frank Apperley found that people living between the 30 and
40 degree latitude lines - most American cities - had an 85% higher cancer death
rate than those living closer to the equator. By the time he got up to the northern
cities - above the 50 degree line - the risk was 150% higher.
Vitamin D is a powerful inhibitor of abnormal cell growth. Studies have shown that
vitamin D is especially important for protection against the development of breast
cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.
The old therapy town of Davos - high in the clean air of the Swiss alpine world - is
again using the sun ... this time to treat cancer. As more and more researchers are
realizing the critical need for sunshine, the ancient cure of heliotherapy is once
again saving lives.
Quit fussing about skin cancer ... with moderate sunbathing you're totally safe from
it. Get out in the sun a bit and protect against the more dangerous cancers.

Sunbathe well
"Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun" - Noel Coward
The sun is the best source of vitamin D

Even the National Institute of Health is promoting sunshine. In its recent fact sheet,
the NIH stated, "Sun exposure is perhaps the most important source of vitamin D
because exposure to sunlight provides humans with their vitamin D requirement."
Most people get 90 to 95% of their vitamin D from the sun.
Humans have been meeting their vitamin D requirements with sunshine since they
first wandered onto the African savanna. Sunshine cannot be properly replaced by
supplementation ... you still need the natural source of vitamin D.
Get out in the sunshine ... and soak up some health.
What's a good dose of sunshine?

A good daily dose of sunshine is just enough to trigger slight tanning...without
reddening the skin. The amount of time differs. If you're a pale-skinned Caucasian,
10-15 minutes of whole body exposure to sunshine should do it. For darker skin,
you may need a lot more time soaking up rays.
A good dose of sunshine? About a quarter of the amount of time it would take to
cause a sunburn. This time varies, depending on your skin color and your location
... but, you probably have a pretty good idea from past experiences. Not too many
of us have gone through life without at least one sunburn.
Getting enough sunshine every day to trigger a tan will ... produce enough vitamin
D through the sunny months ... and let your body store it for the winter days.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is stored in your body fat. Make good use of
summertime sunshine and your stored vitamin D will get you through the weak
sun of winter.
When's a good time to catch some rays?

While UVA is present throughout the day ... UVB is only available when the sun is
overhead. And your skin needs UVB to make vitamin D. The amount of UVB
available is dependent on the angle of the sun's rays coming through the ozone

layer. In the higher latitudes, only the midday sun can give you vitamin D.
Get out in the sunshine between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. The word of the last two
decades was to avoid the sun during these hours - but new research says exactly the
opposite. Sunning in the earlier morning or later afternoon is ineffective ... during
these hours you will be over-exposed to UVA long before your skin can produce
much vitamin D from the filtered UVB.
UVB is also blocked by clouds, smog, and fog ... and only about 5% can get through
glass.
Get outside on a sunny day ... under the midday sun.
Getting safe sun

You should be getting outside every day anyways ... walking, gardening, being
active. You want to be getting direct sunshine - no sunscreen, arms and legs
exposed, face to the sun - for the first part of your activity. Get the sunshine dose
you determined for yourself (above). But ... no more than that.
You want to avoid sunburn. The idea is to get a good dose of vitamin D ... not cook
the skin. Permanently sun-damaged skin is difficult to treat and is what can cause
skin cancer. The sun is like all things in life ... take it in moderation.
After the initial sun soak, cover up your skin ... long pants, long-sleeve shirt, and a
wide-brimmed hat. Continue your walk or gardening protected from over-
exposure.
Sunscreen can be dangerous

Recent studies have shown that using sunscreen is not reducing the risk of skin
cancer ... if anything, it is increasing it. Slathering on sunscreen has allowed people
to stay out in the sun for longer periods of time ... leading to over-exposure. People
who use sunscreen are getting much more sun exposure than those who don't.
Sunscreens mainly protect against UVB and reduce the chance of sunburn. But,
your body is still being bombarded by UVA. Since sunscreen allows you to spend
more time in the sun without burning, you will get over-exposed to UVA ... which
doesn't help produce vitamin D and penetrates deeper into the skin. Deep in the
skin, UVA activates more melanin production ... but it also can cause melanoma
formation.

Don't smear on sunscreen, lay down on a beach, and broil yourself ... thinking that
you are protected. In fact, you are putting yourself at risk.
According to some studies, the increase in skin cancer has come with the increased
use of sunscreen. The greatest rise in melanoma has been in countries where
chemical sunscreens are heavily promoted. And, evidence has been showing that
many sunscreens contain carcinogens ... not what you want to be slathering all over
your body.
Forget about sunscreen ... just get moderate sunshine. It's much safer.
Time for a vacation in the tropics?

During the winter months, sunlight is strongly filtered as it comes at an angle
through the ozone layer. This sharply decreases the amount of UVB that strikes the
Earth.
Because of this filtering, the higher latitudes don't receive enough UVB radiation to
produce vitamin D in the skin. This "vitamin D winter" was measured by scientists
for three latitudes. During the "vitamin D winter", skin exposed to sunlight - even
on cloudless days - is unable to produce vitamin D.
At a latitude of 53 degrees - a line running through such cities as Edmonton in

Canada, Dublin in Ireland, and Bremen in Germany - the "vitamin D winter" lasted
from October through March. If you live in Canada, the British Isles, northern
Europe ... it is impossible for your body to produce vitamin D - for half of the year.
What a fantastic excuse to take a vacation in a sunny climate. Get away from
winter's chill, leave behind the pale days...head to a warm vacation spot and enjoy
some healthy sunshine. Of course, just a few 10-15 minute sessions a day in the sun
... spend the rest relaxing in the shade. You still want to avoid over-exposure.
Those who live a little closer to the equator, near 42 degrees - a line running
through Boston in the eastern US, Medford in Oregon, and Rome in Italy - have a
"vitamin D winter" from November through February.
Still a good excuse to venture further south for a while in the dead of winter.
At 34 degrees - a line running through Los Angeles, Osaka in Japan, and Atlanta,
Georgia - even winter sunlight can effectively produce vitamin D in the skin. Just
make sure you get out in it often. But, with a lot of cloudy days ... and heavy winter

jackets ... it can be difficult to get your dose of sun. On sunny days ... get outside
and make the most of it.
Too much body fat hinders your vitamin D use

Vitamin D is stored in body fat. When you have too much body fat, the vitamin D
gets locked up inside the fat mass. A large amount of this vitamin D will not be
available to your body when it needs it.
After exposure to UVB rays, obese people's blood levels of vitamin D increase less
than half compared to non-obese individuals. The greater the body fat, the more
likely that your body will fail to reach the optimal levels of vitamin D in the blood -
even in the summer months.
So, get outside ... get exercise ... lose weight ... soak up some sunshine.
You need more sun as you get older

The epidermis - outer layer of your skin - is the major site for vitamin D production.
It produces 80% of the total vitamin D made during sun exposure.
As you get older, the epidermis gets thinner. This reduces the effectiveness of your
vitamin D factory. Aging can cut in half the capacity of your skin to produce
vitamin D. To make matters worse, many elderly don't get out in the sun much.
As you get older, don't shun the sun ... make sure you get more of the healthy rays.
Start working on a healthy old-age, now

Keep young and active, keep your bones and muscles strong, keep cancer away,
keep your blood pressure down ... get outside now and start bathing in sunshine.
Make this summer the one where you start building up your vitamin D levels.
There's no time like the present to build up your health ... with sunshine.

Week 4
Shift your drinking patterns

"Joy and Temperance and Repose, slam the door on the doctor's nose"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
If you have quite a few drinks ... or even go for the occasional binge ... this week
you are going to moderate your drinking. No need to cut it our completely ... in
fact, a few drinks are good for you ... and your heart.
Also this week, you'll be changing your drink preferences ... more towards heart-
healthy red wine.
Target 9: Have just a drink or two

Target 10: Sip a glass of red wine

Target 9
Have just a drink or two

"The light music of whiskey falling into a glass - an agreeable interlude"
James Joyce
Vodka martini - shaken, not stirred ... a pint of pale ale ... a flute of champagne.
Alcoholic drinks are one of life's simple pleasures ... a time to enjoy some quiet
relaxation or boisterous companionship.
Having a drink has been part of human civilization for more than 10,000 years. It
has brought pleasure ... but it has also brought grief. The spirit in the bottle can be a
friendly companion ... or a dangerous rogue. It all depends on how you drink.
Too much alcohol will push your blood pressure up ... and can lead to stroke or
heart attack. But a social drink ... in moderation ... can actually be quite good for
you.
Action plan
Drink in moderation - one drink a day for women, up to two

drinks a day for men.
Drink with dinner - during the meal to slow alcohol

absorption.
Don't binge drink - have just a social drink every day - don't
overindulge. Don't get drunk.
Develop a taste for red wine - drink it more often ... limiting
other alcohols.

A brief history
"Or merry swains, who quaff the nut-brown ale, and sing enamoured of the nut-brown maid"
James Beattie
Rotting fruit and drunk monkeys

The sugars in fruits, vegetables, and grains ferment ... becoming alcohol ... from
contact with yeasts in the air. Chimpanzees have been seen eating rotting fruit - and
enjoying a "high" from the fermenting juices. Most likely ... man first discovered
alcohol in this manner.
In the Middle East, beer and mead have existed for over 10,000 years. Wine
followed shortly after. At the same time, the Chinese were fermenting a mixture of
rice, honey, and fruit.
The Egyptians worshiped the wine god - Osiris - who also brought them beer.
Considered a necessity of life, beer was brewed in the home ... and the straw was
first invented in Egypt, since most of this beer still had the wheat husks in it. Well
over a dozen different varieties of beer were brewed in ancient Egypt.
The Roman orgy

The Romans took drinking to a level of worship ... in a form of drunken orgies.
Until about the 3rd century BC, the Romans had practiced moderation and frugality
... which gradually was replaced by heavy drinking and feasting. As the orgies
gained popularity ... excessive drinking was encouraged and drinking games were
invented.
By the 1st century BC, the Roman Empire had decayed ... alcohol abuse had spread
across the land ... destructive drinking was even a source of pride for some.
Liquid food in the Middle Ages

The beers and ales of medieval Europe were rich in proteins and carbohydrates ... a
healthy liquid lunch. Fermenting was also a great preservative ... the safest way to
keep liquids was to turn them into beer. Hops were added for taste and medicinal
purposes ... and soon became a standard addition in beer making.

By the Middle Ages, monasteries were brewing large amounts of beer ... to nourish
the monks and to sell to an eager public. Inns, taverns, and public houses sprang up
everywhere during the Middle Ages ... and drinking beer became a main part of the
culture. By the end of the Middle Ages, most of Europe ... and a lot of the rest of the
world ... had mastered the art of brewing.
Distilling brings more potent drinks

Distilling the fermented drinks made a more potent brew ... and was started in
China and India about 3000 years ago. This process didn't make its way to Europe
until the 11th century ... and was perfected into a fine art-form during the
Renaissance. Better technology made it possible to produce much purer ... and
stronger alcohol.
Alcohol came under fire

Americans drank a lot of whiskey. At the time of the American Revolution,
"spirituous liquors" became the greatest part of the colonial economy ... and
drunkenness was a common condition. A temperance movement developed in
New England ... to persuade colonials to stop their destructive drinking habits.
In 1785, Benjamin Rush wrote the challenging Inquiry into the Effects of Ardent Spirits
on the Human Mind and Body. He questioned the popular belief that alcohol was
good for health ... and recommended using fermented drinks - rather than distilled
spirits.
How alcohol affects hypertension

"If you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel"
Robert Louis Stevenson
A drink or two - to your health ...

The results of many surveys show ... light to moderate alcohol consumption, means
less risk of death from cardiovascular disease amongst those with hypertension.
Having a "drink to your health" just could stop you from having a heart attack.

... but don't over-do it

Just keep that to one or two "drinks to your health" - you don't want to drown it.
Alcoholic drinks should be taken in moderation ... at all times. Drinking larger
amounts of alcohol puts you at a higher risk for hypertension. Having more than
two drinks a day can more than double your risk of hypertension.
And don't binge drink

Having a few drinks is not going to protect your heart ... if you then go out on
binges. Drinking heavily ... getting drunk - even just once a month - puts you at a
much higher risk of heart attack or stroke. It also increases your blood pressure.
A study in Finland found that men who had frequent hangovers ... had greater
levels of fibrinogen floating around in their bloodstream. This can lead to blood
clots ... a deadly condition that causes strokes and heart failure.
Always keep your drinking in moderation ... after the first or second drink, switch
to something non-alcoholic.
Drink with meals

Drinking alcoholic beverages with your meal ... slows absorption and is better for
your health. People whose drinking pattern is to regularly have a drink without a
meal ... have a 64% greater chance of raising their blood pressure to hypertension
levels.
Controls your cholesterol levels

Having a drink with dinner helps your cholesterol levels ... good HDL levels go up
... bad LDL levels go down. Light to moderate drinking reduces your risk of
atherosclerosis. Have a drink and protect your arteries.
Lowers your insulin

Some light drinking can keep your insulin levels normal ... avoiding diabetes and
the risk of hypertension. Having one drink a day ... has a good effect on insulin
sensitivity - there's less diabetes amongst light drinkers than those who abstain.

Less risk of metabolic syndrome

Drinking alcoholic beverages increases your good HDL cholesterol, keeps your
waist trim, lowers insulin levels - all risk factors for metabolic syndrome. The Third
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that ... those who had
more than 20 drinks a month ... had a 66% lower risk of having metabolic
syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a major risk for hypertension ... keep it away ... keep your
blood pressure down. Have a drink ... cheers!
Drink wisely
"I am more afraid of alcohol than of all the bullets of the enemy" - Thomas J Jackson
A substitute for cocktails

Having a social drink is great ... in moderation it is a safe thing ... a useful social
lubricant. Cocktails bring people together ... get them talking ... smooth the flow of
conversation. But be careful - don't overdo. Even when drinking with friends,
remember to limit your intake ... after that first alcoholic drink, switch to something
without spirits.
Instead of a Pina Colada ... have a smoothie. Replace that Whiskey Sour ... with a
lemon water. Switch the Bloody Mary ... have a spicy tomato juice with a dash of
habanero sauce. Be creative ... there's a lot of healthy drinks you can whip up to
replace those cocktails.
Make mine a red wine

Have a glass of red wine with your dinner ... get in the habit of drinking wine ...
more than beer or liquor. Studies have shown that drinking a little wine is even
better for you than other alcoholic beverages. Get in the wine habit today (see
Target 10).
"Here's to your health!"

Target 10
Sip a glass of red wine

"Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used" - William Shakespeare
Wine is pleasant to drink ... it tastes good and makes you feel good. Wine goes great
with most food - complementing the flavor. And now, wine can lower your blood
pressure, decrease your cholesterol levels, and protect your arteries.
Action plan
Drink a glass or two of red wine - with your lunch and dinner.
A small glass of this delightful gift from grapes will protect
your heart and lower your blood pressure.
Drink your wine red - and the darker, the better. Good dark
wines include merlot, cabernet, zinfandel, shiraz, and pinot
noir.
Make dealcoholized red wine your second choice - if you

can't drink alcohol. These wines can still give you a lot of the
benefits of a true red wine.

A brief history
"Even an atheist may be ready to concede that a good wine is the drink of gods"
Paul Carvel
Drinking wine is an ancient tradition

Fermented beverages have been preferred over water throughout the ages ... and
they were often safer than water.
Wine was being made as far back as 6000 BC. The first people known to grow
grapes were the early Mesopotamians. By 2500 BC, the Egyptians had built a
thriving wine-making industry.
The Greeks and Romans put great importance on cultivating good wines. Wine
producing was spread throughout Europe during the height of the Roman Empire
... vines were carried to Spain, France ... even parts of Britain.
Start of the French wine industry

Christian monasteries kept wine-making alive during the "Dark Ages" and
developed some of the finest vineyards in Europe ... especially in Burgundy. The
French wine industry really began to grow in the 18th century ... and Bourdeaux
wines gained popularity.
How red wine fights hypertension

"In water one sees one's own face; but in wine one beholds the heart of another"
French proverb
The "French paradox"

Although the French eat large amounts of butter, cheese, and fatty meats ... they
have about 50% less risk of heart attacks than other industrialized nations. This
strange phenomenon became known as the "French paradox" ... and was linked to
the French custom of drinking red wine with their meals.
There is an overall lower risk of death from heart disease in Mediterranean

countries ... where the locals regularly drink wine with their meal. A number of
studies have shown that moderate drinking of red wine lowers the blood pressure

through dilation of the arteries ... clears out dangerous free radicals that oxidize
LDLs ... protects the smooth lining of the arteries ... and prevents deadly clumping
of blood platelets ... all via polyphenols.
Having a glass or two of wine every day can protect you against hypertension,
atherosclerosis, and stroke.
The protector in red wine

The protective antioxidant in red wine is a flavonol called resveratrol. This flavonol
gives great protection to your heart.
Resveratrol - like other antioxidants - protects your arteries against the damage of
oxygen free radicals. It helps to prevent hardening of your arteries.
Resveratrol also keeps your blood platelets from clumping together ... this
clumping is the first step in the forming of dangerous blood clots that can cause
heart attack or stroke. Drinking red wine will keep your blood flowing easily.
In recent studies in China, resveratrol was shown to improve the function of blood
vessel lining. When this lining works well, blood vessels can freely dilate and allow
your blood pressure to drop.
Resveratrol also inhibits angiotensin II ... a peptide involved in maintaining blood

pressure and volume ... which unfortunately, can over-react to hypertension and
cause thickening of the heart tissue. One or two glasses of red wine a day can keep
your heart young and healthy, even when your blood pressure is up.
Have a glass with your noon meal

A study with obese, hypertensive men - who are prone to an increase in blood
pressure after eating lunch - showed a marked reduction in blood pressure that
lasted through the afternoon ... after drinking just one glass of red wine with the
noon meal.
More good news ... protects against syndrome

Researchers have recently found ... the ethanol and polyphenols in red wine work
together to enhance nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a compound in your body which is
very important for controlling blood pressure ... it relaxes blood vessels and dilates
them.

The researchers believe that red wine is an important tool for controlling metabolic
syndrome ... a deadly triangle of hypertension, cholesterol, and insulin resistance
that affects anywhere from 10-30% of the world.
Enjoy a heart warming glass of red wine with your meal ... and protect your heart.
Choose wisely
"Go fetch me a pint o' wine, an' fill it in a silver tassie" - Robbie Burns
Why red wine is better than white

Resveratrol is found in all parts of the grape plant, but its highest concentration is in
the skin.
To make white wines ... grapes are crushed ... the skins and seeds are immediately
removed from the juice. But, during the processing of red wine, the skin and seeds
are left in contact with the juice a long time ... from a few hours to a few weeks. This
gives color and tannins to the red wine ... it also allows more of the resveratrol to
enter the wine.
This protective flavonol is especially high in the dark red wines ... merlot, cabernet,
zinfandel, shiraz, and pinot noir.
There are so many good wines available ... it's hard to make a choice. Experiment
with wines and see which you like. Try some full-bodied wines ... these are more
likely to have high levels of resveratrol.
Wine or grape juice

Red grape juice also contains resveratrol ... however, it is believed that red wine
may give you more of this protective flavonol. Resveratrol is not water soluble, but
it is partially soluble in the 12% alcohol found in most wines. Being dissolved in the
red wine's alcohol makes the resveratrol more available to your body.
If you can't drink wine, then a dealcoholized wine may be the ticket for you. The
resveratrol has already been made more available by the alcohol during the
fermentation process.

A recent study in China, showed the resveratrol in dealcoholized red wine was just
as effective at protecting the cardiocvascular system. But - for other benefits -
resveratrol does work more effectively in concert with alcohol.
Enjoy a glass ... cheers!

Final word. If you enjoy a glass of red wine, drink one or two glasses a day. If you
can't drink alcohol, go for a dealcoholized red wine ... enjoy the taste and still get
some benefit.
Cheers! To your health!

Week 5
Moving to healthier sweets

"He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors"
Chinese proverb
Time to get rid of all the added sugar in your life ... chuck the donuts, cut out the
sugary snacks ... and most of all, be aware of all the hidden sugars added to your
food. This week you're going to change to some healthy alternatives to satisfy your
sweet-tooth.
You'll enjoy some heart-healthy dark chocolate ... and the friendly fruit in the
smiling package.
Target 11: Cut out all the added sugar

Target 12: Give some chocolate to your heart
Target 13: Put some smiling bananas in your life

Target 11
Cut out all the added sugar

"I give you bitter pills in sugar coating. The pills are harmless; the poison is in the sugar"
Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
Sugars are always present in our food ... they occur naturally in fruits, vegetables,
milk, and many grains. The natural sugars in foods are no problem - our body
needs them.
It's the large amount of added sugars - with their empty calories - that are the
problem ... sugars added to foods during processing, preparation, and at the table.
Cavities, mood swings from fluctuating blood sugar levels, harmful bacteria in the
bowels ... these are just some of the problems blamed on sugar.
Worse yet ... diabetes, obesity, hypertension ... all have been increasing at an
alarming rate - at the same time as sugar consumption has been increasing.
Cut down on added sugars now ... protect your body from a substance that has
often been called "the white death".
Action plan
Don't add sugar at the table - don't sprinkle sugar on your

cereal, drink unsweetened teas, eat pancakes with fruit instead
of syrup.
Cut out processed foods - stop eating pre-sweetened cereals,

snack foods, ice cream, puddings. Appease your sweet-tooth
with some healthy banana or dark chocolate.
Stay away from the baked goods - avoid the extra sugar in
cookies, cakes, pies, many breads.

Read labels - avoid the hidden sugars in such foods as

ketchup, mayonnaise, soups, canned fruits and vegetables.
Look for such names as ... white sugar, brown sugar, raw
sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup,
malt syrup, fructose sweetener, liquid fructose, anhydrous
dextrose, and crystal dextrose.
Dump the sodas - don't drink anymore soft drinks. They

account for 1/3 of many people's sugar intake.
Choose natural foods - choose plain yogurt over flavored ...

choose real 100% fruit juice over fruit-ades or fruit drinks.
Use honey instead - if you really need a taste of sugar in your

tea, use a wee drop of honey.
Don't use artificial sweeteners - keep these toxic chemicals out

of your body. Don't drink diet soft drinks, don't eat sugar-free
desserts ... stay away from anything containing aspartame.
A brief history
"The sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness and in the taste confounds his appetite"
William Shakespeare
An ancient craving for sweets

Humans have always had a strong desire to eat sweet things. Even a cave painting
from 15,000 to 20,000 years ago shows a Neolithic man breaking into a wild bee's
nest. Pictures in Switzerland and Spain ... show men hanging down cliffs to collect
the sweet golden liquid.
Honey was food of the gods

As early as 4000 BC, the Egyptians were floating boats loaded with bee hives ... up
the Nile to places where flowers were blooming. The Egyptians were very fond of
honey. They saw honey as a powerful healing substance ... and the bee as a symbol
of power and health. The bee is seen in many Egyptian hieroglyphs - one pharaoh
even had a bee stamp next to his signature.

The ancient Egyptians used honey as a sweetener in their cooking. Honey cakes
were baked and used as offerings to please the gods.
The Greeks also were fond of honey ... they called it "ambrosia" - the nectar of the
gods. Honey was used to make a large selection of sweets and cakes ... beekeeping
flourished in ancient Greece. Honey was viewed not only as an important food, but
also as a healing medicine. As early as 350 BC, Aristotle wrote of the antibacterial
properties of this golden liquid.
Indians got honey from reeds

Sugar was being made in India by 500 BC. Sugar cane was pounded to extract the
juice ... which was dried in the sun to make gravely sugar chunks. The name
"sugar" comes from the Sanskrit word for gravel - sharkara.
Alexander the Great's army first saw sugar being made ... they marveled at this
"reed which gives honey without bees". The Arabs learned how to make sugar -
after invading India - and so began the spread of sugar across the world.
Europeans were still using honey. Sugar didn't reach Europe until the Crusades ... it
was brought home by Crusaders who encountered caravans in the Holy Land -
carrying loads of "sweet salt". The English got their first taste of honey near the end
of the 11th century.
Sugar cane took over the Caribbean

Sugar cane was taken to the Caribbean islands during the 1600s and plantations
were established ... the horror of slavery was introduced ... whole sugar economies
were built. Meanwhile, sugar became enormously popular as Europeans' eating
habits changed ... they began consuming greater amounts of jam, candy, tea, cocoa,
coffee, and processed foods.
By the eighteenth century, sugar prices started to fall - as sugar plantations were
built on the larger Caribbean islands. Suddenly, sugar was no longer a luxury ...
and it became popular with all levels of society. Honey was replaced.
Sugar processing - from raw to refined

When sugar was first taken to the Caribbean, it was processed very simply ... the
cane juice was boiled and the crystals left behind were harvested. This was true
"raw" sugar - the crystals still contained protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Although full of calories, they weren't empty calories ... they provided essential

nutrients.
But a few centuries later ... the process of refining sugar was perfected. The crystals
were washed, boiled, centrifuged, filtered, and dried. Most of the fiber and
nutrients were stripped from the crystals. Making sugar became a highly profitable
industry ... but the product became a food of empty calories - high in energy
content with little nutritional value.
The number one food additive

Added sugar was not a main part of our diet ... until the coming of modern food
processing. Since that time, the intake of sugar has increased alarmingly. In 1970,
the average American ate 120 lb of sugar per year ... by 1995, Americans were
packing away 150 lb every year - just about 1/2 lb a day.
Over 3/4 of the refined sugars we eat nowadays ... are used by the food and
beverage industry. Of all the sugars added to your diet ... 45% goes into beverages
... 18% goes into cereals and bakery goods ... 11% goes into sweets.
Sugar is a cheap and plentiful additive ... so, the food industry uses it freely. Added
sugars are found in most processed foods - ketchup, canned goods, soups, flavored
dairy products - and Americans have steadily increased their intake of empty
calories.
Time to cut down

The World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization
teamed together in 2003 to bring out a special report ... aimed at tackling the
problem of increasing deaths from chronic illnesses. Their recommendation - get
less than 10% of your daily calories from added sugar.
The average Americans is getting about 27% of all daily calories from added sugar
... 1/3 of Americans get 45% of their daily energy intake from junk - energy-dense,
nutrient-poor snacks and drinks.
It is time to cut back ... to quit eating so much sugar.

How sugar causes hypertension

"If you poison us, do we not die?" - William Shakespeare
Empty calories and sugar highs

Sugar - or sucrose - is a pure, refined product ... it contains no nutrients. Studies
show that people with a great amount of their total energy intake coming from
added sugars ... have the lowest intake of vitamins and minerals.
Since refined sugar is basically a pre-digested sugar, it quickly passes into the
bloodstream. There is a dramatic rise in blood sugar levels ... the pancreas kick into
high gear ... large amounts of insulin are pumped into the system to take care of the
sudden sugar excess.
Excess sugar leads to high blood pressure

A Russian study in 1986 found ... blood pressure above 160 mm Hg was prevalent
in patients with high blood sugar levels. Diabetics also have a much higher risk of
hypertension ... 50% of diabetics suffer from high blood pressure.
Diets high in sugar bring on the highest blood pressure ... the glucose/insulin
system keeps blood pressure high when you eat too much sugar. A 2005 study
showed that increased insulin levels - brought on by heavy sugar intake - interfered
with complex functions that control blood pressure ... causing the pressure to
increase.
Sugar and salt interplay raises blood pressure

Eating lots of sugar brings on a condition of water and salt retention. With the
kidneys not excreting as much salt ... blood pressure starts rising. Studies done in
the 1990s show that the amount of sugar eaten by the average human ... is enough
to push up the blood pressure.
In a study done in 1997, it was discovered that ... high sugar levels increased the
output of angiotensin II - the peptide that increases blood pressure. Angiotensin II
causes your arteries to constrict and ... it increases sodium and water retention.
Cutting back on sugar can get your kidneys working better again ... doing what
they're supposed to do ... flushing out excess salt and keeping your body's

electrolytes in balance. When all is in balance ... blood pressure can also return to
normal.
Increasing the risk of heart attack

Consuming lots of sugar increases your risk of coronary heart disease ... a high
intake can double your risk. By eating foods with lots of sugar, you increase your
bad LDL cholesterol levels ... and lower the good HDL levels ... setting yourself up
for a heart attack or stroke.
Putting on the pounds

Too many sugar-containing beverages and foods ... lead to an energy imbalance in
your body ... resulting in weight gain. Although sugar doesn't directly lead to fat ...
it is the large amount of empty calories that put on the pounds.
The increasing amount of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages - being

consumed all over the world - is the leading cause of the present epidemic of
obesity. And obesity is one of the main risk factors for ... hypertension.
Get the added sugars out of your diet ... lose weight ... protect your heart ... drop
Choose wisely
"Even if the poisonous snake is fed large amounts of milk, it will still yield only poison"
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Dump the soft drinks

Regular soft drinks - or sodas - are responsible for 1/3 of the total added sugar
intake for Americans. Drinking soft drinks ... is filling your body with a blast of
high-calories with no beneficial nutrients. Each time you open a can of soda, you
are causing more damage to your body ... robbing it of valuable nutrition.
If the danger of too much sugar isn't enough to keep you off soft drinks ... consider
this latest news. Recent tests on soft drinks found traces of benzene - a dangerous
carcinogen - at levels eight times greater than is permitted in drinking water. These
high levels of benzene are believed to be caused by a reaction with the preservative
- sodium benzoate - used in soft drinks. Benzene has been linked to leukemia and
other cancers of the blood.

When you add in the effect of the phosphorus in sodas ... robbing your skeleton of
vital calcium and weakening your bones ... it makes absolutely no sense to keep
drinking these destructive beverages.
Be safe ... enjoy a cool, refreshing glass of water instead. If you crave something
bubbly, get some sparkling mineral water.
Look out for hidden sugars

Even eating something as healthy as yogurt ... you have to be on your toes. If your
eating the popular "fruit on the bottom" variety, you're getting a bunch of sugar you
didn't bargain for ... it's sweetened with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Either
way, it'll spike up your blood sugar levels ... and you don't need the extra calories.
Buy plain, unsweetened yogurt instead. Drop some berries or chopped fruit in ...
you've got a delicious, healthy snack. If you need a little more sweet - drizzle a
small smackerel of honey over top.
Use honey instead

"And then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do,
there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were,
but he didn't know what it was called" - AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh
When you can't go without some sweet addition to your food or drink ... try some
honey. The ancient sweetener has a lot going for it.
Honey's full of goodness

It takes an entire lifetime for a worker bee to make 1/2 teaspoon of honey ... a lot of
work goes into each drop of this golden nectar. Honey isn't just a simple sugar - it is
a very complex mixture that also contains goodness from the original plant. As the
bee visits each flower, it picks up the plant nectar ... rich in phenols from the plant -
an excellent source of antioxidants.
Eating honey raises the level of antioxidants in your blood. Honey also boosts your
white blood cells - especially monocytes - helping your immune system work
better. One antioxidant found in honey - chrysin - has been used in experiments to
lower blood pressure. Chrysin was found to relax arteries ... due to reduced
oxidation.

Also, unlike sugar ... honey doesn't increase LDL cholesterol or lower HDL ... in
fact, it makes a slight improvement on these levels. And it doesn't spike the blood
sugar levels the same way refined sugar does.
The darker the better

The darkest colored honeys have the most antioxidants ... buckwheat honey is a
good source, as is the wonderful manuka honey of New Zealand. Dark honeys have
a stronger flavor and are a tasty substitute for syrup ... over pancakes, on your
porridge. Find a jar of good dark honey ... try some today ... get some antioxidants
with a little sweetness.
Honey keeps well

Honey will last forever ... if kept in a cool, dry place. Keep the cap on tight - honey
can easily absorb moisture from the air. Although honey may darken a little as it
ages ... it still tastes great, if not better.
Use honey in your baking

The ancient sweetener - first used by Egyptians to make honey cakes - is easily
substituted for sugar in your baking recipes. It will also keep your baked goods
fresh longer ... holding moisture in.
To replace a cup of sugar ... use 3/4 of honey and add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- to neutralize the honey's acidity. Reduce the liquid in your mix by about 1/4 cup.
Since honey makes the batter brown quicker, lower your oven temperature 25
degrees.
Using honey in your baking will give a firmer, heavier texture to you goodies. Try
honeys from different flowers in your baking ... each will give your baking its own
flavor.
All in moderation
Remember, honey may be a lot better than sugar ... but it's still a type of sugar. It's
high in calories and you don't want to overdo it. So, use it in moderation ... only a
little at a time.

No artificial sweeteners
"I would much prefer to suffer from the clean incision of an honest lancet than from a sweetened poison"
Mark Twain
As bad as sugar is ... worse are artificial sweeteners - which leave toxins in the
body. Putting chemicals in your body is never a good idea.
Beware of sugar-free
The artificial sweetener used the most is aspartame - aspartyl-phenylalanine-1-methyl
ester. It is marketed under a number of brand names, including NutraSweet and
Equal. Aspartame is found in more than 6000 products ... in diet soft drinks, hot
chocolate, tabletop sweeteners, sugar-free cough drops, drink mixes, instant
breakfasts ... the list goes on and on ... it's even in some vitamins and toothpastes.
Be careful. Don't buy sugar-free. Buy natural instead.
What is aspartame?
Aspartame was first discovered in 1965 ... it was synthesized by a chemist while
looking for an anti-cancer drug. The chemical he produced proved to be very sweet
... about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It could sweeten foods without adding the
high calories of sugar.
Although early testing showed that aspartame could cause cancer, it got FDA
approval in 1981 ... under very controversial and suspicious circumstances. Since
then, the FDA has received more complaints related to aspartame than any other
food additive ... 92 different health problems have been reported.
The dangers of aspartame

Aspartame has been questioned in a number of symptoms ... including seizures,
dizziness, migraines, memory loss, depression, and much worse.
When aspartame is metabolized in the digestive system ... it is broken down into
aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Yes, methanol, the same wood alcohol
that has caused skid row alcoholics to go blind or die.
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in your body.
Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin and carcinogen. A 1998 study showed how

formaldehyde from aspartame bound itself to tissues in the body.
Aspartame intensifies mood swings

People with mood disorders are particularly vulnerable to the effects of aspartame.
A study in 1993 had to be halted ... the reactions in patients using aspartame were
too severe. The phenylalanine in aspartame is a neurotoxin ... it causes strong
behavioral reactions. It also causes neurologic reactions - leading to seizures in
some people.
A factor in fibromyalgia?
The aspartic acid of aspartame ... and the glutamic acid of MSG ... both excite neural
cells in the brain. They are called excitotoxins and they cause neural cell damage ...
they excite the poor cells to death. They also trigger excessive amounts of free
radicals, which also kill the cells - in a vicious cycle.
In a 2001 study, patients suffering from fibromyalgia had aspartame or MSG

eliminated from their diet. The patients had been suffering from fibromyalgia for
many years ... multiple treatments had had little success. Within months of
eliminating excitotoxins from their diet, they got much better ... and their symptoms
came back whenever they used an excitotoxin - aspartame or MSG.
Could aspartame be one of the reasons for the large number of people suffering this
debilitating disorder? It's definitely a suspect.
What about those cancer concerns?

Initial testing of aspartame showed that it could cause brain tumors. But none of the
findings were independently verified. Even in 1980, the FDA's Public Board of
Inquiry had unanswered questions about aspartame and cancer in lab rats.
Finally, a report released in March 2006 gave the results of a mega-experiment. The
results? Aspartame is carcinogenic with potential to start cancer in many areas of
the body ....lymphomas and leukemia ... malignant brain tumors. This experiment
showed ... that aspartame could start cancers at less than half the currently
approved daily dose for humans. The amount of aspartame in many people's diet is
deadly.
The scientist in the study have recommended a serious review of aspartame's use in
food processing and on the table.

You don't want to be putting this dangerous chemical brew in your body. Stay
away from sugar-free ... diet ... weight-loss products. Be vigilant about checking
labels. Be safe ... say "No!" to artificial sweeteners.

Target 12
Give some chocolate to your heart

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolates"
Charles Dickens
Chocolate lovers rejoice. Chocolate has always been the best way to get to your
beloved's heart. Now it seems, chocolate is actually ... good for the heart.
Dark chocolate is a great and tasty way to fight hypertension. Eating a hundred
grams of dark chocolate a day ... can significantly reduce your blood pressure,
lower your cholesterol, and improve your body's insulin response.
Not just any chocolate will do ... make it a bar of the finest dark.
Action plan
Eat some dark chocolate every day - give your whole

cardiovascular system a great benefit ... but don't overdo and
use this as an excuse to wolf down a ton of chocolate. Each 100
grams does contain close to 480 calories ... so eat chocolate only
as a healthy replacement for some other high-calorie snack you
crave.
Don't drink milk with your chocolate - actually, try not to

drink milk anywhere within two hours of eating chocolate.

A brief history
"What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead"
George Bernard Shaw
Food of the gods

The Mayans and Aztecs were drinking chocolate as long as 2600 years ago ... the
Aztecs associated the cacao bean with the goddess of fertility. Cacao beans were
used to make xocoatl ... a frothy, hot drink ... often seasoned with vanilla and chile
peppers.
This stimulating, restorative "drink of the gods" was reserved for the nobility,
priests, and warriors.
Grab a bar of energy

The Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez was introduced to cocoa by
Montezuma, the ruler of the Aztecs. Montezuma drank 50 goblets of xocoatl every
day. When Cortez brought it to Europe in the early 1500s he described it as, "The
divine drink, which builds up resistance and fights fatigue."
He went on to claim that, "A cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a
whole day without food."
Growing up in Switzerland, I always packed a bar of chocolate into the mountains

... for an emergency boost of energy. My old friend and hiking partner in Canada
used to gauge our hikes by how many Mars bars it required. He always carried
ample supplies at the ready in an old ammo pouch.
A mountain of chocolate in Europe

It was the Europeans who first added sugar and milk to counteract the bitterness of
the cocoa ... and vanilla instead of spicy chile peppers. Until the early 1800s,
chocolate was still consumed as a beverage.
It was in Turin, Italy that the first chocolate bar was made ... and in 1819, FL Cailler
opened the first Swiss chocolate factory.
While Americans eat about 5 kg of chocolate a year, the chocolate loving Northern
Europeans eat up to 10 kg in a year. They also have some of the best, melt-in-your-

mouth chocolate in the world.
How chocolate fights hypertension

"Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate"
Sandra Boynton
People who consume lots of dark chocolate can avoid hypertension and other
cardiovascular problems altogether.
The healthy Kuna still drink xocoatl

The Kuna tribe of Panama lives on an isolated island and have kept their ancient
traditions. They still enjoy large quantities of a beverage very similar to the Aztecs'
xocoatl ... three to four cups a day. They also have unbelievably healthy blood
pressure ... even in old age.
However, when Kuna move to the suburbs of Panama City - where they drink less
than four cups a week - they begin to suffer hypertension and other cardiovascular
diseases ... like everybody else.
A bar full of good stuff

Cocoa liquor - the ground, roasted paste of cacao beans that is used to make
chocolate - is nature's richest source of polyphenols ... a class of plant-based
nutrients that have potent antioxidant qualities. And dark chocolate is full of potent
free-radical fighting antioxidants ... having much higher levels than any other food.
One of cocoa's most abundant polyphenols is flavonol, which stimulates the

production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is very important for maintaining normal
blood pressure, as it relaxes arteries and causes them to dilate ... this relieves the
pressure.
A chocolate bar a day lowers blood pressure

In 2005, Italian researchers showed how flavonol-rich dark chocolate reduces blood
pressure, lowers cholesterol, and decreases insulin resistance. Eating 100 grams (a
3.5 ounce bar) of bitter-sweet dark chocolate daily ... lowered systolic pressure by 12
mm Hg and diastolic pressure by 9 mm Hg ... in just 15 days.

In the same study, cholesterol levels dropped by 10%. Chocolate's fat content is a fat
called stearic acid ... unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid has no bad effects on
cholesterol levels. Dark chocolate was also found to have a positive effect on blood
sugar levels and helps the body to have a normal insulin response.
Lower cholesterol levels and and decreased insulin resistance ... will also help
reduce your blood pressure.
More proof of dark chocolate's benefits

A study done in Boston, showed even more benefits of eating dark chocolate. As
you age the peripheral arteries (smaller arteries in toes, fingers, etc.) begin to stiffen
and slow down blood flow in these areas. This restriction can lead to isolated
systolic hypertension as the blood is slowed down. However ... the antioxidants in
cocoa increased blood flow in these arteries by improving the condition of their
lining.
Smoothing out the blood flow has a very positive effect on lowering blood pressure.
Those earlier case studies of the Kuna prompted an experiment with high-flavonol
cocoa, which was reported in the January 2006 issue of Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences. The report confirms the findings in Italy and one of the
researchers went on to say, "We believe it improves the lining of the blood vessels."
But not with milk

A nice mug of hot cocoa goes great on a cold winter's night. But it's not going to do
much to help your blood pressure or your heart.
In a study done by the National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome,
volunteers who ate 100 grams of dark chocolate daily had a whopping 20% increase
in the antioxidants in their blood ... those who ate chocolate with milk had no
increase.
Milk in your stomach interferes with the polyphenols in chocolate ... so drink your
milk some other time.
An honor is bestowed
Dark chocolate was recently named one of the seven heart-healthiest foods ... it now
stands alongside wine, fish, fruits, vegetables, garlic, and almonds ... a strong squad

guarding your heart and making it stronger.
And what a lovely addition ... chocolate's melting point is slightly below human
body temperature, so it melts deliciously on your tongue. Chocolate also releases
serotonin in the brain to give you a good "ahhh" feeling.
Choose wisely
"Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficiant restorer of exhausted power" -
Baron Justus von Liebig
How chocolate is made

Beans from the cacao tree of Central America are fermented, roasted, and ground
up ... to make a bitter, intensely flavored cocoa liquor. To be made into chocolate
bars ... the cocoa is mixed with cocoa butter, sugar, and other ingredients.
Dark chocolate is basically ... chocolate made without milk. By European standards,
dark chocolate must have a minimum of 35% cocoa ... however, most good dark
chocolates nowadays have 70-77% cocoa. The higher the percentage of cocoa ... the
less sweet the chocolate ... the greater the effect on your body.
There is even a bar that contains 99% cocoa ... a very bitter bar indeed. Try it if
you're brave! But, I'd recommend starting off with a rich-tasting 70%.

Target 13
Put some smiling bananas in your life

"No sane person sharpens his machete to cut a banana tree"
Nigerian proverb
Bananas are nature's perfect little snack packages in a happy yellow container. They
appeal to your sweet tooth, they give you a quick boost ... and they bring a smile to
your lips.
This wonderful fruit also does so many good things for your body ... from fighting
depression ... to curing stomach problems ... to controlling blood pressure.
Action plan
Eat two or three bananas every day - lower your blood

pressure, improve your digestive system, and feel good all
over.
Have a banana with breakfast - throw a banana into a

smoothie, cut one up and toss it in a fruit salad, chop it over
your cereal ... banana pancakes are also a delicious way to eat
this sweet fruit.
Snack on a banana - because they come in such a handy

package, bananas can always be by your side ... take one
fishing with you ... have one sitting beside you when you drive
... tuck one in your jacket pocket when you go hiking.
Put a banana in your dinner - either enjoy one for dessert ... or
in your main meal - bananas are great sliced into a curry.
Freeze a banana - peel bananas and put chunks in the freezer

until partly frozen. Throw them in a blender and puree them

for a smooth ice cream-like dessert.
No reason to limit yourself to two or three ... go bananas, have

four or five.
A brief history
"On a traffic light yellow means yield and green means go. On a banana, it's just the opposite, yellow
means go ahead, green means stop, and red means, where'd you get that banana?" - Mitch Hedberg
The little fruit that traveled

Bananas are thought to have originated in Malaysia ... from where they spread
through the Philippines and India. Bananas are mentioned in Buddhist writings
from 6th century BC India.
Alexander the Great had his first taste of bananas in India - in 327 BC. Later,
Arabian traders introduced the banana to Africa. The Arabians also gave the
banana its name ... banan means "finger" in Arabic.
It was in 1482 that bananas first traveled to the Americas - on Portuguese ships.
Nowadays, most of the world's bananas are grown there.
How bananas fight hypertension

"Yeah, I like cars and basketball. But you know what I like more? Bananas."
Frankie Munitz
This bundle of potassium is a hypertension fighter

Just one banana contains over 450 mg of potassium - more than 11% of the Daily
Recommended Allowance. Not just a lot of potassium, but also very absorbable
potassium ... so your body can use it easily.
Bananas are not just high in potassium, but also low in salt - making them the
perfect food for helping to lower blood pressure. In fact, even the FDA has
recognized the smiling fruit and is allowing the banana industry to make claims
about the bananas ability to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

More benefits
"I'm getting so old, I don't even buy green bananas anymore" - Chi Chi Rodriguez
Happy tummy
Dr Egger was right! Over 40 years ago ... our wise old family doctor in the small
town of Klosters, Switzerland knew what scientists are just now proving.
You see, when I was only three years old I drank the tap water in an old hotel in
Italy. What followed was a terrible bout of diarrhea that seemed endless. Dr Egger
put me on a two-week bananas-only diet. Years later I was still called "Banana
Chimmy" in my hometown ... but bananas cured my runny tummy.
Studies have shown what Dr Egger knew all along ... bananas are a good source of
pectin which absorbs fluids and helps normalize the movement through the
digestive tract. Bananas also nourish friendly bacteria in your digestive system and
improve its ability to absorb nutrients. On top of all that ... they also replace the
valuable potassium lost during a bout of diarrhea.
Bananas really are a perfect little package of health ... guaranteed to bring you a
smile.
No more ulcers
Bananas also protect against stomach ulcers. A substance in the banana helps
activate the cells in the stomach lining, so they produce a thicker mucus barrier
against stomach acids. And, other compounds - protease inhibitors - help eliminate
bacteria in the stomach that are a main cause of ulcers.
Good strong bones

Bananas also help keep your bones strong. Just eating one large banana can help
conserve about 60 mg of calcium that would have been excreted from your body.
As another benefit, a substance found in bananas - fructooligosaccharide -

nourishes friendly bacteria in your colon ... these bacteria in turn increase your
calcium absorption from other foods.

On top of all that, the extra potassium from eating bananas also helps to increase
calcium absorption in your body. What a great little fruit!
Eat a banana today - save your bones tomorrow.
Bring on a smile
Feeling a little stressed? Feeling depressed? Feeling unloved?
Eat a friendly banana. It's not just its smiling shape that will lift your spirits. Eating
a banana releases serotonin in your brain ... makes you relax, improves your mood,
and promotes feelings of comfort.
A nutritious and sweet power snack

Bananas are easily digested, full of nutrients, and low in fat. They combine natural
sugars with fiber and ... give you an instant boost of energy that lasts. Bananas are
the number one fruit with most of the world's leading athletes. Just two bananas
provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.
They're also a great pick-me-up after a workout ... replacing the potassium and
vitamin B6 that your body loses during hard exercise.
Choose wisely
"Skipper, should I pick the yellow bananas or the red bananas, because the yellow bananas are green."
Gilligan on Gilligan's Island
Buy organic bananas

A large number of banana plantations in Ecuador - the worlds largest producer of
bananas - and other banana producing countries grow their bananas organically.
They use sustainable farming methods that keep the land in good condition.
Quinta Organica has dedicated itself to sustainable, organic farming. Rich fertile
soil, organic fertilizer, and harvesting at a slightly later stage of development
produce a banana with a superior flavor, creamy texture, and good appearance.
Other banana producers - such as Dole, Organics Unlimited, Sabrosa, Eco Organic -
are making use of good farming practices to produce quality organic bananas.

Organics Unlimited in Mexico, was started by the daughter of the world's first
organic banana grower.
Choose organic bananas when shopping ... you'll eat a delicious treat ... and you'll
support sustainable farming and better working conditions for banana plantation
workers.
A little green is good

Buy bananas that are yellow with a tinge of green ... and firm with no bruises. Let
your bananas ripen at room temperature for a day or two ... until they're a lovely
sunny yellow.
Once bananas are ripe, you can keep them in the refrigerator. Note, the skins will
turn black ... but the fruit stays the same.
Never put bananas in the refrigerator before they are ripe ... cold stops the ripening
process for good.
Have a happy day

Eat the smiling happy treat every day ... not just for hypertension ... but also for an
overall happier, healthier tomorrow. Bananas are truly the little smiling fruit that
could.

Week 6
Some healthy kitchen habits

"Look to your health; if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the
second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing that money cannot buy" - Izaak Walton
This week, we finally tackle the salt issue. You may be in for a pleasant surprise ...
you don't need to cut salt ... at least, not as much as you may have thought. Instead,
you need to change the type of salt.
And cutting down a bit on salt in the kitchen is going to be even easier ... when you
add lots of flavor to your dishes ... with down-to-earth onions and garlic.
You're also going to start using olive oil more in the kitchen ... and make sure you
use the right olive oil.
Target 14: Change your salt ... don't just cut

Target 15: An onion a day keeps the doctor away
Target 16: Eat more healthy garlic
Target 17: Use olive oil in your kitchen

Target 14
Change your salt ... don't just cut

"A civilized life is impossible without salt" - Pliny the Elder
Salt is vital for the survival of all living creatures. The sodium and chloride in salt
play critical roles in a number of life sustaining processes in your body. And ... yes,
salt can also make your food taste a lot better.
The question is, do we eat too much salt? Is salt behind your blood pressure rising?
How much salt do you need ... and how much is too much?
Most of us do eat too much salt - but cutting too much isn't the answer either.
Another problem is that we eat the wrong type of salt ... you need to switch to a
healthier version.
Action plan
Keep you daily salt below 6 grams - or 1 1/4 teaspoons total salt per
day. Remember, you'll be getting lots of salt in your food - so go
lightly on the salt shaker.
Use less salt in your cooking - make good use of herbs and spices.
Stay away from high-salt foods - no hot dogs, dill pickles, salt-added
tomato juice, processed meats, pretzels, canned soups, potato chips,
and most canned vegetables or beans.
Limit dining out - restaurants are notorious for heavily salting their
foods.
Use Celtic sea salt - get rid of your refined table salt. Use the natural
sea salt on the table and in your cooking (see Resources p 228)

A brief history
"Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea" - Pythagoras
Getting salt in the Stone Age

Animals have forged trails to natural salt licks for millions of years. The hunger for
salt is a natural instinct ... filling the need for this essential electrolyte. Over the
millenia, man got his salt from many sources - especially the animals he ate.
As our ancestors discovered salt deposits in marshes and tidal flats ... they would
collect salt and carry it with them - trading with other tribes.
From China to Rome ... salt was important

One of China's earliest writings - written about 4700 years ago - recorded more than
40 types of salt. It went on to describe methods of extracting and processing salt ...
methods that haven't changed much to this day.
Salt was a crucial part of early economies in Europe and Asia. The Greeks used salt
for buying slaves. The early Roman soldiers were paid in salt rations - the salarium
argentum ... forerunner to our English word "salary".
Smuggling salt in France

Salt was a very expensive luxury in pre-revolution France. The royalty developed a
salt monopoly which pushed up the price ... they added a salt tax - the gabelle -
which increased unbelievably over the years. A peasant family could spend a full
eighth of the family income ... just for salt.
Smuggling of salt became rampant ... a special police force was formed ... private
properties were ransacked in search of smuggled salt. In the final year before the
revolution, 3500 French were sentenced to death - for salt smuggling. It was this
unfair and burdensome tax that was one of the main reasons for the French
Revolution.
Salt becomes suspect in hypertension

More than 4500 years ago ... China's Yellow Emperor wrote about salt's effect on the
body. In his classic on internal medicine, he reported that a high intake of salt

hardened the pulse. But the first scientific evidence - showing a link between salt
and hypertension - wasn't published until 1960.
Since that time, salt has been contested in many discussions. Is it a villain, pushing
up your blood pressure? Or is it a vital electrolyte, keeping your body healthy?
Some studies have shown that reducing salt can lower blood pressure ... others
have shown only very slight improvements after big cuts in salt. Some scientists
have shown that not getting enough salt can be more dangerous than too much.
As in most things ... moderation is the key to good health.
How salt affects hypertension

"Too much salt in food endangers the heart, and the pulse hardens, tears make their appearance and the
complexion changes" - The Yellow Emperor in Nei Ching
The life is refined out of your table salt

The common table salt ... used in the salt shaker, added in the kitchen, mixed into
most food products ... is brutally refined. All the minerals and trace elements are
stripped off the crystals. All that's left is sodium and chloride.
It's not just what's missing from your table salt ... its also what's in it.
After the refining process, the salt is mixed with iodine, bleaching agents, and anti-
caking compounds. Salt is something we like pure ... white, with perfectly shaped
crystals, and no moisture to clump it up. Which is quite unfortunately, because that
is not natural. And it's definitely not healthy.
So what's wrong with white and pure?

When table salt is refined ... it loses a wealth of nutrition. All those valuable trace
minerals are gone. All your left with is sodium chloride. When it goes into your
body ... it doesn't have the mineralizing and balancing effect that natural sea salt
has. You're left with a one-sided overload of sodium chloride.
Then - on top of all that - you end up with a bunch of unwanted chemical additives
in your body. No ... pure and white is not good for you. Unrefined sea salt may look
grey or brown ... but it's a package of nutrition that'll keep your body in a happy

electrolyte balance.
Too much salt increases your blood pressure

Most scientists agree that excess salt intake can increase blood pressure ... usually in
those who are salt-sensitive. In Western societies, daily intakes of salt range from 10
to 15 grams per day ... quite a bit more than the mainly agreed upon limit of 6
grams a day.
If you are not salt sensitive ... your body will take care of excess sodium. It increases
production of nitric oxide - which causes the blood vessels to dilate more - as a
compensation for the increase in sodium in the system. Healthy kidneys soon
excrete any salt not needed by the body.
But, if you are salt-sensitive, your body may not react to salt-induced blood
pressure increases ... the production of nitric oxide doesn't occur ... and blood
pressure begins to rise. This salt-sensitivity is present in about 10% of the
population ... more often the elderly and African Americans.
Too much salt in your diet can cause problems with your arteries. With excessive
sodium in the system ... the nitric oxide that is working to keep your blood pressure
down can get interfered with. This can lead to free radicals that cause damage to the
lining of your arteries ... increasing stiffness of the artery wall and reducing it's
ability to dilate ... leading to high blood pressure.
Not enough salt could kill you

In a study of 14,000 people across the US, those who had the lowest salt intake ...
had a 20% greater risk for dying of a heart attack or stroke. Many scientists and
doctors are questioning ... is it safe to drastically lower salt intake. And the answer
seems to be ... no!
Your body needs to get enough salt to work properly. Sodium regulates the amount
of water held around your cells. A salt shortage leads to a devastating water
shortage outside the cells. An immediate emergency call goes out to the renin-
angiotensin system ... push up the blood pressure ... hold onto all sodium. This state
of alarm will continue until you eat some salt ... and drink some more water.
Again, it comes to doing things in moderation ... there's no need to cut out all salt in
your diet. Just keep around the limit of 6 grams a day. More important is to eat the
right salt.

The need for potassium

In your body ... a good balance between sodium and potassium is needed for your
body to work well. Many cases of sodium excess ... are actually a case of not enough
potassium.
Potassium increases the excretion of sodium via your kidneys. Salt-sensitive people
with hypertension ... respond very well to extra potassium in the diet. Make sure
you're eating lots of fruits and vegetables ... get your daily dose of potassium (see
Target 13)
The right salt can really drop your blood pressure

Refined table salt will push up your blood pressure ... when used excessively ... or if
you're salt-sensitive. But what about natural sea salts - with their full complement
of trace minerals?
In a 1999 study, a number of hypertensive elderly patients were put on mineral

salts. Their regular intake of table salt was substituted ... by salt with the potassium
and magnesium still in it. Blood pressure levels fell significantly.
The use of natural, mineral-rich sea salts seems especially beneficial ... for those
who are sensitive to higher levels of sodium chloride.
Choose wisely
"Trust no one unless you have eaten much salt with him" - Cicero
Avoid processed foods

It's estimated that about 3/4 of all the salt in your diet comes from processed foods.
When you cook with natural ingredients - fruit, vegetables, meat - you avoid the
excessive salt that finds its way into canned goods and manufactured products.
Just one glass of canned tomato juice - the kind with salt added - will put over 2
grams of salt into your body ... over 1/3 of your daily limit. One small hot dog's got
over 1 g ... and a 3-ounce chunk of ham will fill you with close to half your daily
limit.

Cut down on eating out

To satisfy everyone's taste for salt ... restaurants tend to be pretty heavy handed
with the stuff. Every meal you eat in a restaurant is going to fill you with lots of
refined salt.
Add some spice to your cooking

The reason we like lots of salt on our food is ... the sensation of taste it brings out in
food. To cut back on salt - but not on flavor - start experimenting with herbs and
spices in the kitchen. Add basil and oregano for an Italian flair ... use some turmeric
and garam masala for an Indian twist ... or shake on the chili powder for a Mexican
night.
Start shopping the spice rack more ... there are a bunch of interesting herbs and
spices to try.
Use other interesting flavors in your cooking. Lemon juice imparts a wonderful
taste to many salads, soups, rice. Red wine is great in stews. Use a little vinegar to
add some zip to things. And don't forget ... garlic and onions add a lot of flavor to
most foods.
Celtic sea salt is completely natural

Celtic sea salt has gained fame in the culinary world ... treasured as one of the finest
condiments. You should be using this wonderful salt in your kitchen ... and on your
table. It is unlike other salts ... much more than just sodium and chloride - it is rich
with minerals and trace elements.
This natural sea salt is harvested from acres and acres of preserved pristine marshes
... off the northwest coast of France. The salt flats are large pans of grey clay, into
which the seawaters of the Atlantic are channeled. There the sun and wind
evaporate the water ... leaving a mineral-rich salty brine.
The salt crystals that form ... pick up a light grey color from the clay mud. The clay
ionizes the salt - making it richer in healthy electrolytes. Celtic sea salt is carefully
harvested using ancient Celtic methods. Only wooden rakes are used to gather the
salt by hand ... no metal ever touches the precious salt.
The final product is a nutritious unrefined sea salt ... with a pleasing light grey color
... slightly moist ... and delicious. This wonderful salt can be used in all your

cooking - it tastes fantastic sprinkled on garden-fresh tomatoes.
Enjoy the healthy salt that was collected by the early Celts ... and keep your body's
electrolytes in balance (see Resources p 228)
Beware of "sea salts"

You may find salt that has been labeled as "sea salt" on the shelves of your local
grocery store ... and even health food store. But be careful - don't be lulled by
misleading labels. Check closely.
These "sea salts" may have come from the sea ... but since then, they've been totally
refined. Harvested with bulldozers from concrete basins ... piped through metal
culverts ...and put through degrading refining processes - these "sea salts" have
been robbed of all their essential minerals ... robbed of all their goodness.
To make things worse ... these salts are further polluted with chemical additives
that bleach the crystals, make them free flowing, and iodize the salt.
So, you see ... the label "sea salt" is quite misleading. Nothing better than common
table salt.
Make sure you get the real thing (see Resources p 228)

Target 15
An onion a day keeps the doctor away

"Happy is said to be the family which can eat onions together. They are, for
the time being, separate, from the world, and have a harmony of aspiration"
Charles Dudley Warner My Summer in a Rose Garden
Where would we be without the lovely onion? It gives such good flavor to our
meals. Just the smell of onions cooking makes our mouths water in anticipation.
And ... onions also lower blood pressure and protect your heart with strong
antioxidants.
Action plan
Eat at least one onion a day - preferably raw. Use thinly sliced
onions in salads ... mash onions with olive oil and herbs for a
tasty salad dressing ... put thin slices in a healthy sandwich.
Add onions to your cooking - onions are great in stews and

curries, adding body and taste. Put onions in soups ... fry some
onions and have them with scrambled eggs ... bake a stuffed
onion for a real treat.

A brief history
"Different men have different opinions; some like apples. some like onions"
Indonesian proverb
The rings of eternity

Onions were worshiped in ancient Egypt as a symbol of eternity. Paintings of
onions appear on the inner walls of tombs and pyramids ... often held in the hands
of priests. Kings were buried with onions packed around their mummies.
The Egyptians saw eternal life in the structure of an onion - circles within circles.
Ancient purifier
The Egyptians also used onions to cure most ailments. Hippocrates prescribed
onions. Throughout history, onions were often eaten to purify the blood. During
World War II, Russian soldiers applied onions to battle wounds ... as an antiseptic.
Onions as folk remedies and amulets

Bunches of onions were hung on doors in the Middle Ages ... to ward off plague,
cholera, and typhoid. A half onion was placed by the bedside of patients to keep
germs away. And putting a sliced onion under your pillow was said to fight off
insomnia.
How onions fight hypertension

"The onion brings to the kitchens of the cities a little of the countryside"
Raymond Dumay
Crying tears of joy

When you cut an onion, you can't help but cry. Cutting into the onion releases a fine
mist of sulphuric chemical ... a tear gas bomb. Your eyes are the most sensitive to
this chemical. Tiny droplets land on the surface of your eye and turn into stinging
acid.
But, you should be crying tears of joy ... while the sulphur compounds in onions act
as a defensive mechanism for the bulb, they also do many good things for your

body. The old belief that eating onions purified the blood was basically correct ...
the compounds in onions not only make your blood flow easier, they also lower
your blood pressure and fight dangerous oxidation.
Eating Mediterranean style

People living along the Mediterranean eat lots of onions and olive oil ... among
other healthy foods. A recent study found that eating onions chopped or ground in
olive oil had fantastic effects on the cardiovascular system. The ratio of red blood
cells to volume of whole blood was lowered ... blood became thinner and more free
flowing. Blood pressure dropped significantly.
Finely mincing up onions in olive oil can make a delicious salad dressing ... and
help your heart.
Onions have quercetin

There's a very helpful flavonoid in onions ... it's called quercetin. This is a strong
antioxidant. Quercetin is found mainly in red wine, apples, tea ... and onions.
Quercetin was recently proven to lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, and
improve the function of the all-important inner lining of your arteries. These
benefits were credited to quercetin's powerful antioxidant activity.
Quercetin also protects your kidneys and heart against the damage done by high
blood pressure ... damage that could lead to failure.
Choose wisely
"It's hard to imagine civilization without onions" - Julia Child
Enjoy slices of raw onion

Studies show that raw onions are much more potent than cooked. Cooking onions
lowers their ability to lower your blood pressure ... it also affects their antioxidant
ability.
It's easy to get raw onions into your diet ... enjoy them in your salad or a sandwich
for lunch today. Give your cardiovascular system a good old purification. Your
friends might object ... but your heart will love you.

Target 16
Eat more healthy garlic

"My final, considered judgment is that the hardy bulb blesses and ennobles everything
it touches - with the possible exception of ice cream and pie"
Angelo Pellegrini writing about garlic in The Unprejudiced Palate
Garlic is the most potent member of the onion family ... and sometimes called the
"stinking rose" because of its strong odor. It was used as a medicine for thousands
of years by virtually every ancient culture.
Now, garlic is turning out to be a major player in preventing and controlling both
heart disease and cancer.
Action plan
Eat one or more cloves of garlic every day - try to eat as many
as possible. Don't worry, you can't overdose on garlic ... well,
you might find people avoid you if you eat a whole head.
Eat some of your garlic raw - crushed into salad dressings or -

if you're brave - chomp one as is. Eat your garlic soon after
crushing it ... to get the most of the heart-friendly allicin.
Add garlic to your cooking - it's especially good in tomato

sauce, curry, soups, stews, mixed with rice ...
Supplement your garlic intake - if you don't eat enough

already ... or if eating a lot of garlic disagrees with your
stomach. Take some aged garlic extract (see Resources p 228)

A brief history
"The air in Provence is impregnated with the aroma of garlic, which makes it very healthful to breathe."
Alexandre Dumas in Grande Dictionnaire de Cuisine
Ring around the rosie ...

Garlic has been used to ward off devils, werewolves, and - of course - vampires.
During the Middle Ages, garlic was believed to protect against the deadly plague
that was sweeping Europe. People ate garlic and hung garlands of the pungent
bulbs around their necks. It was believed that the strong smell of the garlic ...
neutralized "foul air".
A long history in medicine

It has also been used as medicine ... Sanskrit writings show its use 5000 years ago
and the Chinese have been using it for over 3000. Greeks, Romans, Egyptians,
Babylonians...they all used garlic for healing purposes. The Egyptians fed it to their
slaves to give them extra stamina for hauling those huge blocks of rock to build the
pyramids. Roman soldiers ate garlic for courage.
In 1858, Louis Pasteur noted that garlic killed bacteria ... it was used as an antiseptic
to prevent gangrene during both World Wars. Garlic has also been used to treat
hypertension and snakebite ... and some even say to increase sexual performance.
How garlic helps fight hypertension

"Since garlic then hath powers to save from death, bear with it though it makes unsavory breath"
Salerno Regimen of Health
Nowadays, garlic is now being used to lower cholesterol levels and prevent
cardiovascular disease. It is lowering hypertension ... it is fighting plaque ... and it is
just plain healthy for you.
What makes garlic so pungent ... and so good for you?

There are over 200 chemical compounds in garlic. Garlic is especially rich in sulfur-
containing compounds ... these are what give garlic its antibiotic properties and
strong smell.

Garlic's strong odor and sharp taste evolved as a defense against birds and insects.
When a clove is damaged - crushed, chewed, cut - enzymes in the cells break down
some of the sulfur-containing compounds. The result is a hot taste and strong smell.
One compound that is created is called allicin. Allicin is the main active ingredient
in garlic's support of your heart. It lowers bad fats in the blood ... keeps blood from
clotting ... reduces blood pressure ...
Let those arteries relax

Your arteries also get dilated from eating garlic ... they relax. And blood pressure
goes down.
When nitric oxide synthesis is inhibited, blood pressure goes up. Garlic prevents
hypertension by blocking inhibitors ... and helping your body produce more nitric
oxide ... giving good control over blood pressure.
Another factor in constricting your blood vessels is angiotensin II - a peptide that

causes your blood vessels to contract and increase your blood pressure. An
experiment at Georgetown University Medical Center found that garlic greatly
reduced production of angiotensin ... allowing vessels to relax and blood pressure
to drop.
Eating garlic or aged garlic extract dilates your blood vessels and takes a large
strain off your cardiovascular system.
Garlic keeps your blood flowing freely

The compounds from garlic reduce dangerous clumping together of your blood
platelets ... garlic prevents blood clots. Eating garlic greatly reduces your risk of a
stroke or heart attack.
Garlic also gives your body antioxidants ... eating this pungent herb protects your
body from the tiny demons - oxygen-free radicals - roaming around in your blood
stream. Beating these dangerous free radicals can protect your arteries from
dangerous plaque build up.
The effect of aged garlic extract was recently tested at UCLA Medical Center.
Taking an aged garlic supplement ... significantly slowed the build up of plaque
deposits in the subjects' arteries.

Garlic both prevents and cures atherosclerosis. It not only slows the build up of
dangerous plaque on the walls of your arteries ... it can even reverse the process.
Eating garlic can make your arteries young again.
Controlling cholesterol ... folk medicine vs drugs

Eating garlic has long been known to help control cholesterol.
In a European study, garlic lowered bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides ... and it
raised the good HDL levels ... just as well as a commercial lipid-lowering drug. A
safer, healthy alternative to drugs ... garlic can match modern medicine without the
danger of side effects.
Garlic cuts your risk in half

A German study showed that garlic's reduction of plaque in the arteries ... lowering
of LDL cholesterol ... increase of good HDL ... and its lowering of blood pressure by
dilating the arteries ... reduced the risk of stroke and heart attack by a whopping
50%.
Garlic does a lot more than keep the vampires at bay ... start eating more now and
protect yourself against heart disease.
More benefits
"There are many miracles in the world to be celebrated, and for me, garlic is the most deserving"
Leo Buscaglia
One tough little cancer fighter

More and more evidence is showing the strong anti-cancer properties of a number
of sulphur compounds in garlic. Several types of sulphur compounds found in
garlic or aged garlic extracts are effective ... in blocking the cell division that allows
cancer to grow.
In a number of studies garlic has been able to block numerous different types of
cancer. Garlic's ability to prevent cancer in many different areas of your body ...
may be due to a general anti-cancer mechanism of garlic's sulphur compounds.
Garlic has been especially effective at blocking tumors in the colon, lung, breast,
and liver.

Aged garlic extract was recently studied for its ability to prevent colon cancer. This
Japanese study showed how aged garlic extract can protect your colon by
suppressing cell division ... preventing tumor growth.
Cure for the common cold?

When my father was young, his mother used to hang garlic around his neck. She
said it was to ward of colds. My mother thought it was an old wives' tale. She said
that the reason he didn't catch a cold was because ... no could stand to go near him.
Turns out my Swiss grandmother was halfway right - of course, you need to eat the
garlic ... hanging it around your neck will just smell a lot. Eating lots of garlic can
definitely keep the common cold - and the flu - at bay.
Researchers in Japan followed a group of adults over several years. They studied
the effects of taking aged garlic extract. Among the people taking this extract, there
was a significant decrease in the amount of colds or flu ... and those who did catch a
virus had much lighter symptoms.
Eating garlic strengthens the immune system.
Choose wisely
"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat" - New York proverb
Raw garlic is the best for you

Cooking garlic destroys the helpful allicin. In fact, allicin doesn't last long ... even in
raw garlic. After smashing a garlic clove, the allicin will be depleted in about an
hour.
It's best to prep your garlic just before eating it ... get the maximum goodness.
Other sulphides survive cooking

But don't despair ... you can still use garlic in your cooking ... and reap some
benefits.
Garlic also contains diallyl sulphides ... these aren't as powerful as allicin ... but they
have other good points. These compounds don't degrade as quickly and will

survive cooking ... so you can still get healthy compounds ... even in tomato sauce
and on pizza.
As with allicin, the garlic clove has to be crushed or chopped to activate the
sulphides ... before cooking. Diallyl sulphides also protect your cardiovascular
system from high blood pressure, cholesterol, clotting ...
Not all garlic is created equal

Garlic growing in the wild has more of the compounds that make allicin ... and the
greatest blood pressure lowering effect. Alpine wild garlic was judged as superior
to cultivated garlic even by medieval doctors.
However, alpine wild garlic couldn't be cultivated so it never became popular. This
wild cousin contains two to three times the active ingredients of garden variety
garlic ... and double the blood pressure lowering power.
Another plus ... alpine wild garlic is the only garlic that contains chlorophyll ... and
is basically odorless after eating. (see Resources p 228 for this wild garlic)
Aged garlic extract

Garlic is smelly ... and it can give you pretty strong breath. Aged garlic extract is a
way to get more garlic in your life ... without the odor and social isolation.
Thousands of years ago, Chinese herbalists found that steeping garlic in vinegar for
a few years ... upped the herb's potency. Aging garlic extract enhances the
antioxidant properties of garlic. It also prevents the rapid deterioration of important
compounds and removes the strong odor.
Nowadays ... sliced garlic is mixed with ethanol and allowed to steep for up to two
years. This process causes many of the sulfur-containing compounds to break down
... into hundreds of new compounds. This creates strong antioxidant properties that
inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol ... protecting the lining of your arteries from
damage done by oxidized molecules.
One of the new compounds - called S-allyl cysteine - reduced the enzymes that
work with the liver to make cholesterol. Aged garlic extract lowers total cholesterol
and bad LDL ... while raising the good HDL levels.

Lots of evidence proves the benefits of aged garlic extract. It reduces risk of
cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and slows aging ... including the brain cell
damage done by oxidants that leads to Alzheimer's disease.
Aged garlic extract is also totally safe for long-term use ... whereas some people's
stomach's are bothered by eating too much raw garlic or garlic powder. If you find
that eating a lot of garlic bothers your stomach ... switch to aged garlic extract to
safely continue getting the fantastic protection garlic gives you (see Resources p 228
for aged garlic)

Target 17
Use olive oil in your kitchen

"The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou
over us" - Judges 9:8
The Mediterranean diet has gotten lots of attention in recent years ... all evidence
shows that it lowers the risk of heart disease. Although the diet differs from country
to country, one thing remains the same ... all Mediterranean countries use lots of
olive oil.
Olive oil not only protects your heart and arteries ... it lowers your blood pressure,
too.
Action plan
Use at least 2 tbsp. of olive oil daily - use it in salads, drizzle it

over slices of whole grain bread, add it to mashed potatoes.
Get extra virgin olive oil - get the best, most expensive oil - it's
got the most benefit for you.
Use olive oil in your cooking - for light sautéing, use olive oil
and enjoy the aroma coming off your frying pan.
Make lovely Mediterranean dishes - such as a Greek salad

with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, tangy red onions,
crumbly feta cheese, and plump olives ... drizzled with olive oil
and vinegar.

A brief history
"And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil"
Joel 2:24
Athena's gift to Greece

When Athens was first built ... Athena - goddess of peace and wisdom - and
Poseidon - god of the sea - fought over whose name should be given to the new
city. Finally, it was decided that the city would be named after the god who gave it
the most precious gift.
Poseidon struck a rock with his trident ... salt water began to flow. Athena struck
the ground with her spear ... an olive tree sprang up. The olive tree was more
valuable for the citizens and Athens got its name.
To this day, an olive tree stands on the place where legend says Athena struck her
spear. And all the olive trees in Athens are its descendants.
A long history on the Mediterranean

According to Homer, olive trees have been growing in Greece for over 10,000 years.
The olive tree was spread throughout the Mediterranean basin ... reaching to the
southern tip of Italy. The Romans planted olive trees in their occupied territories all
along the Mediterranean coast.
Olive oil was a valuable commodity in ancient Greece and Rome. Special ships were
built just for shipping this wonderful oil ... amphoras of the golden liquid were
traded far and wide. Olive trees dominated the rocky Greek hills - they became a
sacred pillar of Greek culture. Anyone who destroyed an olive tree ... was put to
death.
Source of strength
Olive trees were honored for their toughness ... harsh winters, burning summers,
rocky hills ... the olive tree thrived in these conditions. According to Italian folk
lore, the five ingredients that create the ideal habitat for olive trees are ... sun, stone,
drought, silence, and solitude.

Among the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians ... it was believed that olive oil gave
strength and youth. It was infused with flowers and herbs to make medicines and
cosmetics. Perfumed ointments made from olive oil were very popular.
In ancient Greece, the athletes rubbed olive oil all over their bodies. It gave them a
healthy, glowing shine ... the athletes also believed it protected their muscles.
FDA allows health claim for olive oil

As of November 2004, the FDA has allowed olive oil producers to claim, "Eating
two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart
disease." The label must go on to say, "To benefit you, olive oil must replace a
similar amount of saturated fat - not add more calories."
For good health, use extra virgin olive oil ... instead of butter or vegetable oils.
How olive oil helps fight hypertension

"To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it" - Mother Teresa
Olive oil is the vital ingredient

Eating Mediterranean style lowers your risk of hypertension. A study in Greece
showed ... people who ate a Mediterranean diet had a much lower chance of getting
high blood pressure ... and those who did, had an easier time controlling it.
A high intake of olive oil is seen in the diet of all Mediterranean countries ... 4-5
tablespoons daily among heavier users. In recent studies, olive oil has been singled
out as the single most important part of the Mediterranean diet ... for protecting
against heart disease ... for controlling blood pressure.
Olive oil has a beneficial mix of polyphenols, tocopherols, and oleic acid ... all good
allies in the fight against hypertension.
Oleic acid and phenols improve function

Olive oil is a natural source of oleic acid ... a monounsaturated fatty acid that
significantly lowers blood pressure.

Oleic acid - along with olive oil's polyphenols - improves the function of your
arteries' lining ... increasing the relaxation response and decreasing the contraction
response. By positively controlling your arteries' responses ... extra virgin olive oil
keeps your blood pressure under control.
The polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil also stimulate the production of nitric
oxide ... very important for the proper dilation of your arteries - and the lowering of
Lower cholesterol levels

Using extra virgin olive oil in your meals ... to replace other oils or fats ... lowers
both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. When a test group consumed 2
tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil daily for 6 weeks ... not only did their
cholesterol levels drop, but they had a much better ratio of good HDL to bad LDL.
Extra virgin olive oil has a beneficial effect on the cholesterol levels in your system
... it will protect you against atherosclerosis.
Protects LDL against oxidation

Extra virgin olive oil is rich in antioxidants ... the phenols are potent free radical
scavengers ... and they help LDL cholesterol resist oxidation. By keeping LDL from
being oxidized, olive oil's antioxidants protect your arteries from atherosclerosis.
LDL oxidation is one of the main processes in hardening of your arteries.
In a recent study in Italy, extra virgin olive oil also lowered the levels of
inflammatory markers in the subjects' blood. The protective role of the phenolic
compounds in extra virgin olive oil ... reduces the risk of heart disease.
Eat more extra virgin olive oil ... keep your arteries young. Young, healthy arteries
will keep your blood pressure down.
Using olive oil lowers your blood pressure

Detailed studies on the Mediterranean diet have shown that using extra virgin olive
oil - in daily meals - significantly lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In a
dietary test with hypertensive patients ... a diet with extra virgin olive oil halved
their need for medication.

Start using extra virgin olive oil in all your meals ... get all those healthy benefits
working for you.
Choose wisely
"Good olive oil, good butter, milk - they give food taste and depth and a richness that you can't reproduce
with low-fat ingredients" - Nigella Lawson
Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

Olives are harvested just as they start changing color ... when almost all of the oil
has formed and flavor is at its peak. Long poles knock them from the trees - into
large nets.
The olives are rushed to mills, where grindstones - in a method not much different
from the stone basins used thousands of years ago - crush the olives. The paste is
spun at high speed to separate the oil ... a cold-pressed oil obtained without heat or
chemicals.
Olive oil is the only oil that can be consumed as it is ... raw and direct from the fruit.
Just a gentle filtering is required - to remove sediment - and you have a lovely extra
virgin olive oil.
Extra virgin olive oil is the only olive oil you should use. It isn't refined or heated ...
so, it keeps all its protective antioxidants. Other olive oils may be 100% pure olive
oil, but they have lost a large portion of their goodness.
Make your olive oil truly count in your body ... use only extra virgin olive oil.
Like fine wine

No two olive oils are alike. Olive variety and age, soil, climate, pressing method ...
produce different oils. Some are flowery, some fruity, some nutty ... they can be
delicate or strong ... ranging from clear to golden to deep olive green.
Enjoy a variety of extra virgin olive oils ... savor the aromas and delicate flavors of
the sunny Mediterranean.

Check the label

The best tasting - and most healthy - olive oil is extra virgin olive oil ... made from
the first pressing of the olives, this delightful oil has less than 0.8% acidity and
cannot contain any refined oil. This is the most rewarding olive oil to use in your
kitchen ... as it hits the frying pan, a delightful aroma wafts off the heated oil ... in
salads, it imparts a wonderful Mediterranean flavor.
Next is virgin olive oil ... with an acidity of less than 2%, it still has a good taste and
cannot contain any refined oil.
The regular olive oil - often labeled as "100% pure olive oil" - is the lowest grade
sold in stores. It is a blend of virgin and refined olive oil ... and lacks in flavor - and
healthy goodness.
You get what you pay for

Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is expensive to produce ... and sells for about 5
times the price of other vegetable oils. Cheap olive oil claiming "extra virgin" status
should be extremely suspect ... it's most likely cut with cheaper chemically extracted
olive oil or other vegetable oils.
Only 100% cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is of benefit to you. Extra virgin olive
oil has all the antioxidants that were in the olives ... when olive oil is refined it loses
these valuable antioxidants.
When the FDA first started an olive oil sampling program in the early 1980s, less
than half of the products labeled "virgin olive oil" contained 100% virgin olive oil.
Testing of olive oil imported into the States was increased ... with the help of the
American Olive Oil Association, who wanted to put a stop to this fraud. Since then
things have gotten better, but they are forced to continuously keep one step ahead
of the scammers.
You can make sure you get the real thing. Pay attention to the price ... don't be
scammed by cheap imitations ... you only get what you pay for. Buy the high
quality stuff - your life may depend on it.
Keep your oil in dark glass bottles

Extra virgin olive oil is a complex mix of components - polyphenols, tocopherols,
oleic acid ... the antioxidants in this mix help preserve the olive oil. But light can

destroy this good mix. Olive oil sold in clear bottles, displayed on the top shelf of
your supermarket under bright lights for a long time ... has already lost a large dose
of its flavor and antioxidants. Don't buy olive oil in clear bottles.
Buy your extra virgin olive oil in dark glass bottles ... keep it away from light and
heat.
Don't leave your oil sitting half empty

Keeping your olive oil in a half full bottle ... over a long period of time ... also leads
to oxidation of the beneficial compounds. Alpha-tocopherol is the first to go - after 2
months, 20% is oxidized - after a year, 92% is gone. The alpha-tocopherol protects
the other components at first ... as it is oxidized, the phenols - and then the oleic
acid - are also oxidized.
Keep using olive oil regularly ... and this will never be a problem for you. If you
buy your extra virgin olive oil in the large tin canister - pour it off into smaller, dark
glass bottles.
Now you're cooking with oil

Cooking with extra virgin olive oil is safer than cooking with other oils ... olive oil's
phenols slows oxidation - and the forming of bad compounds - during cooking.
The polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil help stabilize the alpha-tocopherol during
heating ... slowing the loss of important antioxidants. Since not all of the
antioxidants are lost ... foods cooked in extra virgin olive oil will get a lot of the
nutritional goodness.
But, since there is some loss of good antioxidants during cooking ... and the loss
increases with higher temperatures ... make sure to eat a lot of your olive oil raw.
Use it in salads ... on bread. Enjoy a healthy dose of olive oil each and every day ...
make your whole cardiovascular system smile.

Week 7
Out with bad fats ... in with good fats

"I guess I don't so much mind being old, as I mind being fat and old"
Benjamin Franklin
Right, time to do something about the fats you eat. Not just cutting back on fats ...
more like changing the kind of fats. You need to make some definite changes in
your eating habits.
To help you get more good fats ... and less bad fats ... you're going to start eating
more fish, too.
Target 18: Switch good fats for bad

Target 19: Eat fish two or three times a week

Target 18
Switch good fats for bad

"The journey of a thousand pounds begins with a single burger" - Chris O'Brien
Fats are an important part of your diet. Fat is a large source of energy for your body
... and it helps your body absorb essential vitamins. Although most of us eat a little
too much fat ... the biggest problem is too much of the wrong fat.
Too much saturated fat. The deadly trans-fats. These will cause you problems with
atherosclerosis and hypertension. By eating a proper, balanced diet ... you can make
sure your body gets lots of the good fats, less of the bad fats ... and an absolute
minimum of the dangerous fats.
Action plan
Cook with olive oil - other vegetable oils will degrade during
cooking ... butter has too much saturated fat ... and most commercial
lard is partially hydrogenated.
Eat lean meats - chicken without the skin, fish, lean cuts of red meat
with visible fat removed.
Avoid all trans-fats - don't eat anything with partially hydrogenated

fats in it. Stay away from baked goods, fried fast foods, snack foods,
and margarines. Check the new Nutrition Facts labels for the deadly
trans-fats.
Enjoy cheese in moderation - a small piece of cheese everyday will

give you a good helping of your daily calcium ... and may actually
help keep blood pressure down.
Eat well balanced meals - mix your fats with fiber, carbohydrates,
protein. Pizza makes a comeback.

A brief history
"Blessed are the cheesemakers" - Monty Python
Stone Age man ate lean meat

Our ancestors evolved during the Paleolithic period - from 2.6 million years ago to
10,000 years ago. Then started the agricultural revolution ... and our diet began to
change from the one of Stone Age man.
Stone Age man ate a diet of mainly game, fish, and wild plant foods ... the fats he
ate were very different from what we eat today. But ... our bodies haven't evolved
much in the relatively short time since then ... we are still Stone Age man inside.
The meat our Stone Age ancestors ate was from wild game ... a meat that contains
only about 2-4% fat - and has a lot of good mono-unsaturated and omega-3 fatty
acids. Compare that to the meat we eat today ... domesticated grain-fed animals
give us meat with 20-25% fat - most of it saturated.
Cheese was a good way to store milk

Cheese was first made in the Middle East, more than 5000 years ago.
Legend says ... a nomad carrying milk in a bag made from a young goat's stomach
... after hours of riding across the hot desert ... found his milk had separated - into
curds and whey. The whey was was quenching and the curds were filling.
The rennin in the stomach ... the hot sun ... the sloshing about on the ride - all had
combined to form the world's first cheese. Making cheese was a good way to
preserve milk ... and solid cheese was easy to carry.
Cheese eventually was carried to Europe. It became a sophisticated food during the
Roman era ... the ripening process was well developed ... treatments and storage
conditions were developed ... different flavors and characteristics were imparted.
Butter was a northern food

Butter wasn't a common food in ancient Rome or Greece ... it would soon spoil in
the warm Mediterranean climate ... and wasn't a practical way to preserve milk.
Also, the Greeks and Romans considered butter a food more fit for the barbarians to

the north.
In India, butter was clarified ... ghee has been a symbol of purity and an offering to
the gods for more than 3000 years. It has been used for fueling holy lamps ... and as
a staple food.
The cooler climates of northern Europe allowed butter to last longer. After the fall
of the Roman Empire, butter was a common food across Europe ... but eaten mainly
by peasants. Not until the 16th century was butter accepted by the upper class ...
when the Roman church permitted it to be eaten during Lent.
A substitute for butter

By the 1860s, butter was in great demand in France ... Emperor Louis Napoleon III
offered a prize to the person who could develop a cheap substitute for butter. A
French chemist invented margarine in 1869 ... making a butter substitute from
clarified beef fat.
French and German chemists developed the process of hydrogenation in 1905 ...
allowing them to harden vegetable oils that were normally liquid. Margarines were
made from a wide variety of animal and vegetable fats ... often mixed with skim
milk, salt, and emulsifiers.
With the butter rationing during two world wars, margarine became a major part of
the Western diet ... the average American eats nearly 8 lb a year. Before 1980 this
trend of eating more and more hydrogenated fat drew little concern ... but then, in
the early 1980s, studies showed the bad effects of trans-fats in hydrogenated oils. By
the early 1990s, concern was growing over the serious increases in cholesterol levels
... due to trans-fats.
How fats affect hypertension

"It shall be a perpetual statute for your generation throughout all your dwellings,
that ye eat neither fat nor blood" - Leviticus 3:17
You might need to reduce the amount of fats you eat - a little. The Food and
Nutrition Board has estimated the acceptable range of total fat intake ... from 20 to
30 percent of your total calories. However, most people are consuming total fats
between 30 and 35 percent - but, more importantly, you also are quite likely eating
the wrong fats.

Saturated fats are bad ...

Saturated fats come mainly from animal products ... meat and dairy goods. Fatty
meats like pork and beef, butter, cheese, whole milk, cream ... these are all rich
sources of saturated fats. The rest comes from plants ... such as coconut oil and
palm oil. Saturated fats have a higher melting point and are solid at room
temperature.
These fats do have a function in your body ... they are a fuel for energy, they are a
structural component of cell membranes, and they are necessary for the normal
function of proteins. But, you don't need to eat them ... your body can easily
synthesize them.
When you eat saturated fats ... the saturated fatty acids suppress certain receptors
in your body ... raising the bad LDL cholesterol in your blood stream. The more
saturated fats you eat ... the higher your LDL cholesterol levels will be ... and the
higher your risk of heart disease.
Eating more saturated fats also puts you at a higher risk for hypertension. A
number of studies have shown higher blood pressure in those who ate more
saturated fats. Switching to a diet rich in mono-unsaturated fats will drop your
blood pressure.
... but, trans-fats are worse

Trans-fats are solid fats ... made from vegetable oils by heating them in the presence
of hydrogen and metal catalysts. The molecules in the oil are chemically
restructured. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils ... raises the melting point of
the fat ... producing a semi-solid fat, much like butter.
This is great for baking ... and much less expensive than butter or lard. While this
makes the food makers happy, it is killing people. It has been estimated that in the
US alone, over 100,000 people die prematurely every year ... because of trans-fats.
Trans-fats have the worst effect of all fats on your cholesterol levels. They increase
bad LDL cholesterol ... and decrease good HDL cholesterol. The overall effect trans-
fats have on cholesterol levels is ... twice as bad as saturated fats.
Trans-fats are also highly suspected of damaging the lining of your arteries ...
further increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease ... and hypertension.

Stay away from fried foods and baked goods

Although, trans-fats are finally being eliminated from margarine ... they're still in
many baked goods and fried fast foods. Due to cost and convenience ... use of
hydrogenated oils is increasing ... be aware of what foods they are in. Avoid them
like the devil.
Stay away from donuts, French fries, pastries ... anything that contains partially
hydrogenated vegetable oils.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel

As of January 2006, the FDA is requiring food companies to list trans-fat content
separately ... on the Nutrition Facts label of all products. This will make it a lot
easier for you to avoid these deadly fats.
If you've been eating these dangerous fats ... don't despair. It's not too late. The
trans-fats that build up in the fat tissues of your body ... soon disappear ... when
you quit eating this deadly fat.
There are a bunch of good fats

The fats in most vegetable oils, nuts, and fatty fish are not only safe ... they are
essential for your health and well-being. The more of these healthy fats you eat
instead of bad fats ... the better your arteries will perform - keeping away
atherosclerosis and hypertension.
It's easy to make sure you get the right serving of good fats ... just follow the targets
in this program. (Targets 17 and 19 will make sure you are eating the proper fats)
You still have to control your total fats

If your total fat intake is creeping over 30% of your total calories ... you still need to
bring that number down. Too much fat of any kind is going to negate the benefit of
eating good fats ... all things in moderation.
Basically, by cutting out fried foods, fatty meats, and pastries ... you can drop your
total fat intake a considerable amount.

Can fats make you fat

Fats are energy dense ... they supply your body with a lot of calories. If you are
eating more than you're burning, your body will put that extra energy aside as fat.
It's not because you're eating fat ... it's because you're eating too many calories -
same would happen if it was too much of any other high-calorie food.
High fat diets cause a positive fat balance in your body - and increase your weight -
only if you are sedentary. Some people have high metabolic rates and can eat a
high-fat diet ... without weight gain. But, if you are one of the unfortunates who is
susceptible to weight gain ... your body doesn't have as good an ability to burn fat.
There's only one answer to that. Get out and exercise more (see Target 7)
Choose wisely
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six"
Yogi Berra
Choose your meat wisely, cook it properly

It's not the amount of meat ... but the kind of meat and the way it's cooked ... that
affects your health. Meat with lots of fat, chicken with the skin on ... these will give
you too much saturated fat. Cooking over high temperatures produces carcinogenic
compounds ... while cooking in a regular frying pan keeps the meat soaking up its
fats.
Lean meat ... cooked at lower temperatures ... in a pan that allows the fat to drain
away ... is a good source of healthy protein.
A wedge of cheese would do nicely

Yes, cheese has lots of saturated fat. Yes, cheese can raise your cholesterol levels.
But, cheese also has a lot of good things for your body. Eaten in moderation ...
cheese can be a good part of your healthy diet.
Actually, cheese doesn't raise your cholesterol levels as much as butter ... in fact,
butter raises both total cholesterol and the bad LDL cholesterol ... a lot more than
cheese. In a large number of studies ... drinking milk and eating cheese has proved
to actually be protective - slightly lowering the risk of heart disease.

Cheese is also a great supply of calcium ... along with milk and yogurt. To ensure
good health, three servings from the milk group are recommended. A 50 g wedge
of hard cheese will provide ... about 50% of your daily calcium needs ... and about
25% of the protein, too.
Cheese has much less lactose than milk ... making it easier for your stomach to take
if you're lactose intolerant.
A large number of cheeses have peptides that lower blood pressure. These peptides
are released from milk proteins during fermentation ... part of the cheese making
process. When you eat fermented milk products ... these peptides help inhibit the
enzymes that convert angiotensin - ACE. This keeps your blood pressure from
going up ... less angiotensin II to make your arteries constrict.
Wouldn't a wedge of cheese go down nice ... right about now. Go ahead, enjoy
some cheese ... in moderation, of course.
It's OK to enjoy a slice of pizza

Over the years pizza has gotten a bad rep ... loaded with cheese, it's been looked
upon as ... a heart attack waiting to happen. But, you can breathe easy ... and enjoy
pizza again. The delicious wheel of cheese, tomato sauce, and toppings has been
cleared - all charges dropped.
A study of almost 40,000 people ... found that frequent pizza eaters had a lower risk
of cardiovascular disease. A pizza is a balanced meal of fats and carbohydrates ...
and some of the ingredients are very heart friendly - especially tomatoes and olive
oil.
In a special study in Italy ... eating pizza and eating another meal with fats had very
different effects. A high-fat meal makes the lining of your arteries sticky. When the
artery lining gets sticky ... it is much easier for atherosclerosis to build up plaque.
When subjects ate pizza, this did not happen ... keeping the arteries healthier.
Enjoy a slice of pizza with cheese and lots of tomato sauce. Go easy on the meat
toppings - especially, processed meats like salami, pepperoni, ham. Try for more
vegetables on your slice. And, don't binge ... eat your pizza in moderation ... you
can always enjoy some more another day.

What about eggs?

The yolk of eggs has a high concentration of cholesterol. Over the past 40 years,
people started shying away from eggs ... after all high cholesterol is bad, right?
Eggs are definitely a rich source of dietary cholesterol ... and dietary cholesterol
does increase cholesterol levels in the blood ... but - and this is a big but - eating
eggs does not raise your cholesterol levels. And, eating eggs doesn't increase your
risk of heart disease. The most recent American Heart Association guidelines have
changed their recommendations ... no longer do they recommend limiting egg
consumption.
So, if you've been avoiding eggs ... giving up the pleasure of a tasting that golden
treasure as it flows out over the egg white ... spare yourself no more. Eating a few
eggs is not going to kill you. Enjoy them in moderation ... enjoy them forever.
Buy eggs that were laid by free ranging chickens. The chickens in large commercial
egg farms eat an unnatural diet ... pumped full of antibiotics and chemicals ... these
poor birds produce insipid eggs, with little flavor or nutrition. But, the free ranging
chicken ... eating a balanced natural diet ... lays an egg bursting with flavor and
goodness.
Fried chicken is a definite no-no

Oh, I know ... you probably love fried chicken! But ... this is one of the things you
are going to have to give up. First, it's cooked with its skin on - full of saturated fat.
Second, it's deep fried in a vat of trans-fats. With the batter soaking up a deadly mix
of trans-fats and by-products from overheated cooking oils ... fried chicken is too
dangerous.
Same goes for French fries - or freedom fries, if you wish. Although the potato was
healthy for you ... after sizzling in a vat of hydrogenated oil ... it has soaked up a ton
of trans-fats.
Watch those cooking oils

How you cook your food can make a big difference ... on whether or not it's still
good for you. The heavy use of palm oil in many developing countries has put
extra saturated fats into their diet ... upping their risk of heart attack.

Some oils fare better in a frying pan than others. But, even good oils like sunflower
can get in trouble in the pan ... the high heat and exposure to air creates a series of
degrading reactions. One of the products that is created - polar compounds - are
absorbed by the food and eaten. These compounds increase your risk of
hypertension.
Olive oil degrades less during cooking ... protects you from hypertension (see
Target 17)

Target 19
Eat fish two or three times a week

"What law, what reason can deny that gift so sweet, so natural that God has given a stream,
a fish, a beast, a bird?" - Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Decades ago, most Catholics ate no meat - only fish - on Fish Friday. Fish may have
been seen as a good alternative to meat for religious reasons ... but it's also a
fantastic alternative for health reasons. The special oils in fish protect your heart,
clean your arteries, and keep your blood pressure down.
Time to start having two or three Fish Fridays every week ... for your heart.
Action plan
Eating fish two or three times a week - especially, fatty cold-

water fish - enjoy salmon, pollock, fresh-water trout, sardines,
herring. Enjoy fish baked, simmered in stews and soups, or - if
you're lucky enough to have a good Japanese restaurant
nearby - raw.
Stay away from fish products like fish sticks - the danger of
the fats-laden coating is not going to be offset by the goodness
of the fish.
Enjoy your extra Fish Fridays ... and your heart will be saying,
"TGIF!"

A brief history
"Nothing is so clean as a fish" - Welsh proverb
Fish are a very important part of the human diet. Our ancestors ate nutritious fish
and shellfish throughout human history.
Good fishing grounds attracted settlement

Although most North American natives were nomadic, the coastal tribes were able
to live in permanent settlements ... the sea gave them an ample supply of seafood.
Salmon, halibut, and cod were the main catch for these tribes and they developed a
number of fishing techniques - building weirs, drift seining, and trolling from
canoes.
The salmon was the most important source of protein and revered by the coastal
tribes. Some believed that salmon were a race of non-mortal men who lived beneath
the sea ... turned into salmon each spring ... and swam up the rivers to feed the land
dwelling humans. The first salmon caught each year was treated to a special
ceremony.
On the great rivers emptying into the sea ... the prime fishing locations were highly
treasured and handed down from generation to generation.
Going from fish to meat

About 5200 years ago, the early Britons had been living a hunting-fishing-gathering
way of life ... and they had been eating lots of fish. Then suddenly, they settled
down to start farming ... keeping cattle, pigs, sheep, and growing wheat. In a short
time, farm animals, dairy, and cereals became their staple diet ... fish were mainly
abandoned.
'Tis a shame ... fish are very good for your heart and arteries.
How fish fight hypertension

"The sea hath fish for every man" - William Camden
Eating fish is a great way to protect your heart. Fish is the leanest source of protein
and offers another benefit ... omega-3 fatty acids, which have a positive effect on the

cardiovascular system.
Eskimos don't have heart attacks

The effects of omega-3 fatty acids were first noted amongst the Eskimos of
Greenland. Although they eat a rich diet of fatty fish and whale blubber, Eskimos
have a very low rate of heart attacks. The cold water fish they eat is very high in
omega-3 fatty acids ... and protects their cardiovascular system.
Omega-3 fatty acids are good fats ... they are a form of polyunsaturated fats. In fact,
omega-3 fatty acids are called essential fatty acids, because they are critical for good
health.
These heart-friendly fatty acids are found in fatty fish.
Eating fish protects you against heart attack

In a large study over many years, it was seen that men living in America and
Northern Europe were three times more likely to die of a heart attack ... than men
living in Japan and Mediterranean Europe ... even when both groups had
hypertension.
Why was one group so much more susceptible? The study points to diet as the
main factor. Eating a diet high in fish, vegetables, and fruit protects against heart
disease.
What you eat really does make a difference.
Beat hypertension and cholesterol

Eating as little as one serving of fish a week will reduce your risk of heart attack ...
but eating fish two to three times a week will give you even more protection.
Regularly eating fish that have omega-3 fatty acids not only lowers blood pressure
... it also drops your total cholesterol and triglycerides ... and leads to a healthier
resting heart rate.
In a study done with four diet groups, fish eaters had less chance of developing
hypertension than meat eaters. In those with hypertension, a diet that included
several fish meals every week lowered their blood pressure.

Iceland and Japan - the two countries with the highest fish consumption - have
shown a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease due to blocked arteries. The oils in
fish slow the buildup of plaque in your arteries that lead to atherosclerosis.
In another study, fish oils lowered blood pressure the most in people with
atherosclerosis and high cholesterol ... as the fish oil clears up your arteries and
cleans your blood, your blood pressure will come down.
Choose wisely
"I think the fish is nice, but then I think that rain is wet, so who am I to judge?"
Douglas Adams
Which is best, fish or fish oil?

While high doses of fish oil may bring your blood pressure down even more, it is
dangerous to overdo your intake...this won't happen when you eat fish. As in most
foods ... it is better to get your nutrients in the whole food.
Stick with fish ... you'll get the helpful oils and also a serving of delicious, low-fat
protein.
Cold water fish are best

For getting your fill of omega-3 fatty acids and helping your heart ... fish from cold
waters are best. These fish build up an insulation of fat that contains the good oil.
Salmon and herring are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Make sure your fish is fresh ... or was flash-frozen while fresh.
Is there danger from mercury?

After a government advisory warning pregnant women to limit their intake of some
fish (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish) ... because they were likely to
contain more mercury, many people cut back on the amount of fish they ate.
A big mistake according to a recent series of studies from Harvard.
Should you worry about mercury in the fish you eat? No! The Harvard study, done
in late 2005, warns that eating less fish would increase heart health risks ... and the

danger from mercury is insignificant - even in growing fetuses.
Mercury builds up in the top level predator fish...there are many fish species that
are very low in mercury - and safe. Salmon, light canned tuna, haddock, pollock,
trout, cod, sole ... all have low levels and are safe to eat.
If you're worried about mercury, basically stay away from the big sport fish ...
they're over-fished anyways. There are more than enough safe fish to eat ... it makes
good sense to enjoy them. (See Appendix 1 for a full list of safe fish)
Eat fish, live long

If you have hypertension, eating fish is going to protect you from the dangers of
heart attack and stroke. It's also going to help lower your pressure. Start eating fish
today and live a long, healthy life.

Week 8
A good sleep and some pleasant aromas

"Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind and spirit. Inner peace
begins with a relaxed body" - Norman Vincent Peale
Getting a good night's sleep is very important for your health. You're going to work
on improving your sleeping patterns ... and your bedtime routine.
You're also going to get an intro to the soothing world of aromatherapy. The gentle
scents of essential oils are so pleasant ... and relaxing.
Target 20: Get a good night's sleep

Target 21: Treat yourself to soothing aromas

Target 20
Get a good night's sleep

"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise"
Benjamin Franklin
"Sleep is good for the blood." hissed the vampire Count Bloodcount in an old Bugs
Bunny cartoon. He was right! Sleep is good for the blood ... good for the blood
pressure ... good for your heart ... good for your overall health.
And yet, a ton of people don't get enough of it.
Get enough sleep and at a regular bedtime ... you'll not only keep your blood
pressure down ... you'll also keep down your weight, avoid diabetes, and improve
your memory.
Action plan
Sleep 7-8 hours every night - get a proper amount of sleep ... not
too little, not too much.
Sleep from 11pm to 7am - keep your sleep-time in synch with

your primal body clock.
Develop a regular bedtime routine - get relaxed and ready for

bed with a soothing bath, some gentle music, a good book. Get
more routine into your life and sleep well.

A brief history
"And if tonight my soul may find her peace in sleep, and sink in good oblivion, and in the morning wake
like a new-opened flower then I have been dipped again in God, and new-created" - DH Lawrence
Circadian rhythms
We follow a 24-hour cycle controlled by our biological clock ... a portion of the
primitive brain called the hypothalamus. These circadian rhythms control our
ability to sleep or wake. They also raise and lower our body temperature - higher
during the day and lower at night.
Circadian rhythms are affected by a number of outside factors. Light sets our
biological clock ... humans are programmed to sleep when it's dark and be awake
during the light of day. Sunlight is a powerful sleep-regulating cue ... known by the
German word zeitgeber - time giver.
Alarm clocks, timing of your meals, travel ... all affect your biological clock.
Crossing a few time zones disrupts the circadian rhythm and gives you jet lag ...
until your clock re-sets itself.
Confusing your clock

People who stay up late at night or work night shifts cause a great conflict with
their biological clock. Hundreds of thousands of years of evolution want us to go to
sleep at night ... when you upset this natural cycle, you set yourself up for a load of
problems.
I'll sleep when I'm dead

Many people think that sleep is a waste of time. You want to make the most use of
your time ... sleeping seems to be an unprofitable downtime.
Not so! The body needs sleep time to repair physical damage to muscles and
organs. It also needs this down time to maintain your brain ... this is a time for
laying down memories and soothing stress.
If you don't get your regular seven to eight hours of sleep at nighttime ... you
endanger yourself. You put yourself at risk of high blood pressure, heart disease,
obesity, diabetes, and memory losses ... among many things.

How sleep helps fight hypertension

"No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap" - Carrie Snow
Getting a good seven to eight hours of sleep - at a natural bedtime - protects you
against hypertension and other cardiac risks. Sleep is important for maintaining the
condition of your vascular system ... to keep it operating properly.
A good eight hours works wonders

In a study in Italy, subjects slept from 11pm to 7am for a week ... and 3am to 7am
the next week. In the week of little sleep, blood pressure and heart rate were higher
while sleeping than during a normal, eight hour sleep. Also, blood pressure and
heart rate were significantly higher in the mornings ... during the week of short
sleep-time.
Getting a good night's sleep brings down your blood pressure and your heart rate
... gives your cardiovascular system a break.
Your nerves need a good sleep

Your blood pressure is affected by the way your nervous system regulates your
cardiovascular system. A study in Japan showed how lack of sleep reset this system
to increase your blood pressure. The less sleep you get ... the higher your blood
pressure climbs.
Dipping as you sleep

During a normal night's sleep, blood pressure dips during deep sleep. If your sleep
is broken... your blood pressure will not dip as low as it could. Because quality of
sleep affects your nighttime blood pressure dipping ... it also affects your daytime
blood pressure.
With poor sleep your blood pressure will remain higher. Ensure you get a good
deep sleep every night ... bring your blood pressure down to normal.
Falling magnesium levels

Lack of sleep has also been linked to decreased levels of magnesium in the body.
Magnesium is critical for maintaining heart health and controlling blood pressure.

If you are skimping on your sleep ... you could be losing magnesium and gaining
the risk of heart attack.
Sleep well every night ... have a regular bedtime ... keep your blood pressure under
control and your heart healthy.
More benefits
"Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care, the death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, chief nourisher in life's feast"
William Shakespeare
Get a good sleep and control your weight

Getting a good nights sleep may be just as important for weight loss as diet and
exercise. Not getting enough sleep changes hormone balances in your body that
control weight. The less you sleep ... the more likely you are to become obese.
Lack of sleep changes the ratio of two important hormones - leptin and ghrelin.
They are part of a complex survival system that evolved to regulate fuel storage
and energy use in your body. When you don't get enough sleep your levels of
leptin drop ... and ghrelin increases.
Leptin regulates your appetite, body temperature, and energy use. When your
leptin levels are up, your appetite feels satisfied ... your body burns energy ... fat
deposits get used up. But, when your leptin levels drop - due to starvation, lack of
sleep - your body cuts back on energy use and calls up your appetite.
An increase in ghrelin works the opposite. As your ghrelin levels rise, they increase
hunger and slow the use of fat in your body. When lack of sleep ups your ghrelin
levels ... you'll start packing on the pounds.
A recent study showed that people who regularly got less than seven hours of sleep
had higher body mass indexes. People who only got five hours of sleep a night had
a 50% higher risk of obesity ... than those who got a good seven to nine.
Our leptin and ghrelin control system developed to help us survive in ancient
times. During short summer nights, our ancestors got less sleep and their hormones
prompted them to eat more and store it as fat. They built up their energy stores.
This allowed them to survive the long winter months when food was scarce.

Nowadays, we can get food anytime, but our ancient system hasn't cottoned on to
this yet. So get a good seven to eight hours of sleep and quit storing fat ... stay slim.
Sleep off your sugar high

Losing a couple of hours of sleep can cause you problems with insulin resistance
and your body's blood sugar levels. Over a long term, not getting enough sleep can
lead to diabetes ... but so can too much sleep.
Quite a few studies have now shown that sleeping six hours or less every night ...
doubles your chances of developing diabetes. And, sleeping much more than eight
hours every night more than triples your chances.
Diabetes is becoming a major problem in today's society. Help protect yourself

against this disease by getting a good 7-8 hours of sleep ... every night.
Sharpen up your memory

Are you getting a little forgetful? A good night's sleep can help you remember
things a lot better. Sleep is very important for laying down long-term memories in
your brain.
Recent research on brain function shows that your brain may work quite similar to
a computer ... processing memory. It has a short-term memory that is filled with
the things you learned today. At night - while you're sleeping - your brain is active
... writing all this new information into your long-term memory storage.
While you're sleeping, your busy brain is organizing memories ... and re-organizing
memories as your needs change. This fantastic organ can only perform these tasks
well if you regularly get seven to eight hours of sleep.
Studies done with shift workers also showed that it is important to get that sleep at
a regular bedtime. If your sleeping time is out of synch with your biological clock ...
your memory will suffer. Participants in the study found that their ability to learn
deteriorated, they repeated themselves a lot, and they forgot things ... after sleeping
daytime and waking at night.
Getting a good night's sleep may even help in the rehabilitation of stroke victims.
The brain is a plastic organ capable of continual change. During sleep there is a lot
of activity in the brain and new motor skills can be formed ... with a good sleep lost
skills can be re-learned.

Let your brain lay down your memories ... get a good night's sleep every night.
Sleep well
"A well-spent day brings happy sleep" - Leonardo da Vinci
It's getting harder to sleep well

As you get older, it does get harder to get a good night's sleep. Many older people
often spend a full seven to eight hours in bed ... but only get a series of short naps.
This is not good sleep.
But having disturbed sleep is not a natural consequence of aging ... it can usually be
treated. There is no reason that you shouldn't get seven to eight hours of real,
restive sleep.
And now I lay me down to sleep ...

There are a number of things you can do to increase your chances of a better night's
sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, here's a list of 10 sleep-well tips:
1. Keep a regular bedtime and waking schedule. Get up at the same time each day -
even on weekends - to set your body clock and help bring on sleep at night.
2. Make a bedtime routine. Have a soothing, relaxing activity before bedtime to

prepare for anxiety-free sleep. Take a hot bath ... read a good book ... listen to
soothing music ... relax with a cup of chamomile tea. Don't work, discuss problems,
or play competitive games.
3. Have a dark, cool, quiet sleeping place. Make your bedroom a place that is free of
any distractions to a good night's sleep.
4. Sleep on a comfortable bed or futon. If you have an old, sagging mattress or

lumpy pillows ... time to go shopping.
5. Only sleep - or have sex - in your bedroom. Keep TVs, computers, work stuff out
of your bedroom ... only associate this as a place for sleeping.
6. Eat dinner early and avoid bedtime snacks. A herb tea or hot milk before bed is a
nice relaxing routine ... but eating can lead to an uncomfortable, sleepless night.

7. Get regular exercise, but do it at least 3 hours before bedtime. Exercising in the
late afternoon is a perfect way to get a good night's sleep.
8. Stay away from caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime. Don't drink any coffee,
tea, or soda in the late afternoon or evening. Even chocolate has a slight amount of
caffeine.
9. Quit smoking. Well, if you haven't quit yet, at least don't smoke close to bedtime.
Nicotine affects your sleep in many bad ways.
10. Don't drink any alcohol close to bedtime. Having a drink before bed can disrupt
your sleep and wake you in the middle of the night.
Have a good night with a posset

A hot milk drink - called posset - was very popular in the Middle Ages as a remedy
for many illnesses. Now, you can use it to get a good night's sleep.
Possets were usually made of milk and wine or ale, and spiced. As possets became
more elaborate and used for special occasions - like weddings - a whole set of fancy
utensils were developed. Lovely silver posset sets became popular gifts. In 1554, the
Spanish ambassador gave a set made of gold, precious gems, crystal, and enamel to
Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain ... as a wedding gift.
A much simpler and delicious posset can be easily made. Many years ago, I
developed my own posset recipe ... one that could be warmed up in a few minutes
and enjoyed before bed. I've prescribed it to friends who couldn't get to sleep ... it
worked like a charm.
My posset is made with milk and oatmeal ... an idea I got from the Scots. Cooking
the two together brings out tryptothan - an amino acid that helps your brain to
produce serotonin. When your serotonin levels rise ... you become sleepy.
Drink it as you relax before bedtime. Go directly to sleep.
Kevin's oatmeal posset ... for a good night's sleep

Into a small sauce pan, pour a mugful of milk. Add a heaping tablespoon of
oatmeal and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook it for about 5 minutes, then
sieve out the oatmeal. If you wish, you can add a small dribble of honey for taste.
It's also good with a sprinkle of nutmeg on the surface.

Target 21
Treat yourself to soothing aromas

"Flowers have a mysterious and subtle influence upon the feelings, not unlike some
strains of music. They relax the tenseness of the mind. They dissolve its vigor"
Henry Ward Beecher
Mother Nature has given us the aroma of flowers and herbs to relax us, heal us ...
and lower our blood pressure.
Aromatherapy ... is the therapeutic use of essential oils from plants to increase
physical and mental well-being. It has finally broken out of its stereotype as "some
hippie fad" and is joining the mainstream of medical use ... aromatherapy is one of
the fastest growing therapies in the world today. While some have considered
aromatherapy to be magical or mystical ... science is now starting to prove this
ancient therapy is truly medical.
The fragrant essential oils of plants put us back in touch with nature ... a quick and
effective way to combat the stress of living in cities and its side effects - such as
hypertension.
Action plan
Get an aromatic massage - Once a week enjoy a good massage

using massage oil ( recipe on p 159)
Carry some lavender with you - for use in times of stress or

anxiety. Put 4-5 drops of lavender on a handkerchief or carry a
sachet ... when you begin to feel stressful or anxious, take a
calming whiff.

A brief history
"Lavender, sweet lavender, who will buy my sweet blooming lavender? Buy it once, you'll buy it twice,
and make your clothes sweet and nice" - Flowersellers' cry in old London Town
Aromas in ancient medicine

As early as 3000 BC, the Chinese were writing about the benefits of herbal and
aromatic therapies. Pen Ts'ao catalogs over 200 plants in the oldest known herbal
text. Ayurveda - the traditional Indian medicine that dates back over 2500 years -
has always used aromatic herbs in its healing.
The Greeks and Romans made good use of aromatic herbs and flowers. The Greek
surgeon Pedanios Dioscorides wrote a famed herbal text in 60 AD that became the
standard textbook of Western medicine for the next 1500 years. He listed 4740
separate medicinal uses of over 500 plants ... with a whole section devoted entirely
to aromatics.
Essential oils began to be distilled from plants as early as the first century ... but
aromatherapy wasn't introduced to Europe as a medical discipline until 1937. The
first English language book on aromatherapy was finally written in 1977 ... The Art
of Aromatherapy sparked the popularity of massage and aromatherapy in the UK.
Lavender - a scent in the bath houses ...

The fragrant, pale purple flowers of the lavender shrub are found scenting many a
garden ... and the buds and flower petals have been used in potpourris for ages.
Roman baths were commonly scented with lavender ... the scented hot water was
soothing and thought to restore the skin. The pampered Romans paid a fortune for
the luxury of soaking in lavender baths. During the time of the Roman Empire, a
pound of lavender flowers was worth as much as a month's salary.
... old London Town's lavender girls ...

During the Middle Ages, young women walked the streets of London with baskets
of lavender for sale. Bundles of lavender were hung throughout London and
surrounding towns when the Black Plague hit ... their sweet smell masked the odor
of death and cleansed the air.

Lavender was also tucked into linens and stored clothes during the Middle Ages.
The fragrance of lavender repels insects, and wise housewives protected their
families from the lice and fleas that spread the deadly Plague.
Even today, many housewives nestle a sachet of lavender among clothing ... a
natural way to keep moths away.
... a sachet of lavender to calm the heart

Victorian ladies carried a small sachet of lavender ... or a handkerchief perfumed
with the pleasant fragrance. In times of rising excitement, they turned their faces
into the soothing aroma ... to still their fluttering hearts.
To this day, lavender is still associated with the dainty perfumed linens of the
Victorian era.
Ylang-ylang - the flower of flowers

A native of the rainforests of Indonesia and the Philippines ... the highly fragrant
yellow and pink flowers called ylang-ylang grow on the cananga tree. The lovely
aroma of ylang-ylang has seen many uses ... from the perfuming of Muslim harems
to purifying the robes of Chinese mandarins.
Ylang-ylang literally means "flower of flowers" and is often a symbol of sensual

pleasure. An ancient Indonesian tradition - still followed today - is the strewing of
ylang-ylang flowers over the bed of a newlywed couple. And, if you visit Indonesia,
you can enjoy the sensuous pleasure of a ylang-ylang petal bath ... or a massage
with Bali Flowers - the rejuvenating oil made with the essential oil of ylang-ylang.
Marjoram - Aphrodite's favorite herb ...

The ancient Greeks believed that their god Venus created marjoram - along with its
close cousin oregano - and gave these herbs their sweet flavor and scent. Marjoram
was said to be the favorite of Aphrodite - the goddess of love.
The Greeks used marjoram for many remedies and had many beliefs about the
herb. Marjoram growing on a grave was a sign of the happiness of the departed
spirit ... it was also believed that if you anointed yourself with marjoram you would
dream of your future spouse.

... the herb of romance

In the Middle Ages, the bridal couple wore wreaths of marjoram to bring
happiness, love, and honor to the wedding. The sweet herb was also often added to
food to nurture love. Before the introduction of perfumes from the continent ...
English ladies commonly carried marjoram in small "sweet bags".
Chamomile - the apple on the ground ...

The small flowers of the chamomile plant have been used at least since the time of
the ancient Egyptians ... when they were dedicated to the gods as a cure for the
acute fever known as ague. Chamomile got its name from the Greek word for
"ground apple" ... Pliny the Elder described the plant as having the scent of apples
or quinces.
The Anglo Saxons revered chamomile as one of the "Nine Sacred Herbs" ... and in
the Middle Ages, chamomile was strewn on the ground to improve the atmosphere
of festivals and banquets. It was also used in their beer as a bittering agent ... before
hops took over.
... a relaxing tea and cold relief in the Alps

For generations chamomile has been used in Switzerland as a relaxing tea and a
cure for many ills. When steeped in boiling water ... and inhaled with a towel over
one's head ... chamomile flowers have long been a gentle relief from the common
cold. The warm vapors and gentle aroma soothe irritated nasal passages.
Bergamot - in perfume and Earl Grey tea

The small, sour fruit of the bergamot orange was first produced in Italy ... a cross
between the pear lemon and the Seville orange. The aromatic peel produces an
essential oil that has long been used to give the distinctive aroma to Earl Grey tea.
Bergamot orange was also used in the original Eau de Cologne when it was
developed in Germany in the 17th century.

How aromatherapy helps fight hypertension

"Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day - like writing
a poem or saying a prayer" - Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Benefit both the mind and body

The essential oils used in aromatherapy are carefully selected for their medicinal
effects. When these essential oils are absorbed into the system - either through skin
contact or inhalation - their active components trigger a response in your body.
Essential oils release aroma molecules into the air ... they are inhaled into your nasal
cavity. The aromatic components of a herb or flower stimulate your olfactory bulb -
your sense of smell. This activates a response in the limbic system of the brain - the
ancient emotional center of your brain.
The limbic system deals with all those age-old, instinctive drives ... it is in direct
communication with the glands that control many of your body's processes.
Through the limbic system, your thoughts and feelings create reactions that affect
your body physically.
When your limbic system reacts to an aroma ... it can directly influence your body's
response. The proper essential oils can have a fantastic effect on your body's
performance.
Massaged into the skin

Essential oils have a very small molecule size and can easily be absorbed through
the skin. Massaged on your body in a light carrier oil, the essential oils pass through
your skin's pores and enter the bloodstream. This common technique thoroughly
administers the essential oils - and relaxes the body - through massage.
Relax with lavender

Victorian ladies stilled their fluttering hearts with the relaxing aroma of lavender ...
how right they were. Lavender's essential oil has two main components - called
linalool and linalyl acetate - that act as sedatives ... relaxing you and reducing your
stress.
Women who enjoyed a bath with lavender oil in their bath water felt a great
reduction in anger and frustration ... they also felt more positive about the future.

Bathing in lavender-scented water brought on an improved feeling of well-being.
Lavender reduces your anxiety

When facing an anxious situation, try sniffing some lavender. Some situations can
bring on anxiety ... but lavender alters your emotional state ... it reduces your
anxiety ... allows you to relax. A Japanese stress study showed that the aroma of
lavender oil reduced mental stress. A Korean study with nursing students showed
their anxiety and stress levels decreased ... after inhaling lavender oil aroma.
You can use lavender to control your body's response ... anytime you are facing an
anxious or stressful situation ... just take a soothing whiff of lavender.
Lavender reduces blood pressure via nervous system

Linalool - one of the aromatic components of lavender oil - has been shown to lower
blood pressure. The scent of lavender oil has an effect on your nervous system ... it
relaxes the smooth muscles in your arteries automatically through the system that
controls your body's functions - lowering your blood pressure.
Further studies showed that the scent of lavender - when inhaled during stress
exercises - kept the blood pressure from rising as high as usually. By affecting the
central nervous system, lavender reduced the constriction effect of arteries.
The harmony of ylang-ylang

Ylang-ylang has been used for quite some time by aromatherapists to reduce blood
pressure. Recently a scientific study of the tropical essential oil proved it ... ylang-
ylang significantly reduces blood pressure and heart rate. The test showed that
ylang-ylang created a harmony in the subjects ... while their blood pressure
lowered, their alertness increased.
Use this sensual fragrance to pleasantly lower your blood pressure.

More benefits
"How could such sweet and wholesome hours be reckoned, but in herbs and flowers?"
Andrew Marvell
Sleep softly with gentle aromas

A restful, good night's sleep does wonders for your health and sense of well-being.
A few drops of lavender on your pillow ... a sachet hanging from your headboard ...
an aroma lamp filling your room with the comfortable scent - all can help you sleep
better.
A recent study with lavender showed that it is an effective treatment for mild
insomnia. Over a four-week period of aromatherapy, those with mild cases of
insomnia improved their quality of sleep.
In Ireland, the Tullamore Nursing Development Unit has been using aromatherapy
to significantly improve their patients' sleeping patterns ... and reduce the amount
of nighttime sedation needed.
Sleep well with the soothing scent of lavender in your bedroom.
A better environment
Heating lavender oil in an essential oil burner has a positive effect on your home
and workplace. The pleasant scent and the aromatherapy effect of the lavender oil
produce a sense of well-being in you, your family, your co-workers ... providing an
improved environment.
Set up a lavender heater in your office or home ... feel good all the time.
Choose wisely
"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul to"
Henry Ward Beckford
Where do essential oils come from?

Essential oils are extracted from various parts of plants ... they come from flowers,
leaves, citrus fruit rinds, roots, bark, etc. Many different methods of extraction are

used ... depending on the type of plant the oil is being extracted from.
Lavender, chamomile, and sweet marjoram's essential oils are vaporized and
extracted using steam distillation. Cold pressing is used to extract essential oils
from the skin of bergamot oranges.
So many names - how do you choose?

Plants and flowers have a bewildering gaggle of names ... often changing by region.
Chamomile - for example. For your aromatherapy you want to use Roman
chamomile, but it also goes under the names English, sweet, and garden ... then
there's German, blue, Hungarian, and single. The lavender used in aromatherapy is
English lavender, but it is often replaced with the cheaper - and ineffective -
lavendin. And the bergamot used in aromatherapy comes from bergamot oranges -
not the herb bergamot.
So, how are you going to make sure you get the right thing?
Have a look at those Latin names

When you're shopping for your essential oils ... check the scientific names. Essential
oils are normally labeled with the local name and the scientific name.
For lavender you want to get Lavandula angustifolia.
The Roman chamomile you want is called Anthemis nobile - or nobilis.
For sweet marjoram look for Origanum majorana.
The bergamot you want to use comes from Citrus bergamia.
Ylang-ylang is the flower of the conanga tree - often labeled as Conanga odorata.
Why are essential oils so expensive?

There are different levels of quality in essential oils ... basically, you get what you
pay for.
Really good essential oils come from plants grown organically or in the wild. The
best essential oils - with the optimal healing properties - come from plants grown

where Mother Nature intended them to grow ... they need their native soils and
climates.
It also takes a lot of plant material to make a small amount of essential oil.
Lavender, for example, produces a pound of essential oil from over 160 lb. of
flowers. In France - where most of the world's lavender is grown - a whole acre of
flowers will produce only 20 to 25 lb. of oil.
How do you make sure your oil isn't diluted?

Due to the high cost of essential oils, some producers dilute them with a carrier oil.
There is a simple test you can do ... to make sure you are getting a pure, uncut oil.
Essential oils are not really an oil ... not like fatty oils ... and they evaporate without
a trace - except maybe a hint of color. Drop some on a tissue and let it evaporate. If
the essential oil is pure ... it won't leave any oily residue.
Fragrance vs essential oil

Fragrances are a blend of synthetic chemicals that give an odor to products - they
are not natural. Essential oils - according to the International Organization for
Standardization - are "A natural product made by distillation with either water or
steam or by mechanical processing of citrus rinds or by dry distillation of natural
materials."
Fragrances are often used because they are more affordable than pure essential oils
... but they won't do anything for your health ... and can even cause allergic
reactions.
Only pure essential oils - made from 100% organic plants - can give you the true
benefits of aromatherapy.
But ... the nose knows

Educate your nose with the smell of true essential oils. Sniff an expensive essential
oil next to a cheaper fragrance oil ... your nose will never forget the difference.
Synthetic products can't even come close to the fresh plant smell of a true essential
oil.

Store your essential oils properly

Essential oils should be used within the first few years ... to get the most benefit
from their healing powers. Citrus oils - like bergamot - are very sensitive and
should be used as soon as possible.
Keep your essential oils in dark bottles, away from sunlight, and at normal room
temperatures.
For massage you need a carrier oil

For massage, essential oils are too potent to be used "as is" - they need to be diluted
in a carrier oil. A light oil is most easily absorbed by the skin ... one of the best for
massages is sweet almond oil.
If you are one of the few who have a nut allergy, use sunflower oil instead ... no, not
the same one you use for cooking ... get a finer one made especially for massage.
(see Resources p 225 for some great sources of essential oils)
Use well
"No bought pot-pourri is so pleasant as that made from one's own garden, for the petals one has
gathered at home hold the sunshine and memories of summer, and of past summers only the
sunny days should be remembered" - Eleanor Sinclair-Rhode
Mix up a great massage oil

Make yourself a fantastic aromatherapy massage oil ... mix relaxing, stress-
relieving, blood pressure-lowering essential oils in a light carrier oil. Here is the
perfect anti-hypertension blend ... formulated by Annemarie Derrick, Holistic
Aromatherapist.
Into a 30 ml bottle of sweet almond oil ... add 5 drops of lavender (Lavandula
angustifolia), 5 drops sweet marjoram (Origanum marjorana), 3 drops ylang-ylang
(Conanga odorata), plus 5 drops of either Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobile) or
bergamot (Citrus bergamia).

Test before you massage

Essential oils can irritate some people's skin ... check to see if you're sensitive before
you slather oils all over your body. Do a simple patch test.
Apply a small amount of the diluted massage oil to the inside of your wrist ... cover
it with a Bandaid for 12 hours. If you get redness or irritation, dilute the oil with
more sweet almond oil ... and do a second patch test.
Never, ever apply undiluted essential oils directly to your skin.
Enjoy a relaxing massage

Once a week, grab your loved one and give each other a massage ... this can be a
wonderful shared experience. Although anytime is good for a massage, you should
pick a time when you can relax after the soothing therapy. The best time would be
before bed ... have a fantastic sleep after such a relaxing experience.
The massage should be slow and gentle ... spend at least 20 minutes just massaging
the back , shoulders, and neck. Warm the oil a bit in your hands and then rub into
your partner's skin. Give a deep massage, kneading tense muscles and relaxing
your partner.
If you have time for a longer massage ... work massage oil into the legs, arms, back
of the hands, feet ...
After the massage, don't take a bath or shower until the next day ... you want to
leave the essential oils on your skin overnight to fully absorb the benefits.
Take a whiff of relaxation

You can get relaxed anytime if you carry some lavender with you. Take a
handkerchief and scent it with 4-5 drops of lavender oil ... or make a sachet of
lavender flowers to carry with you ... refresh their scent occasionally with a few
drops of lavender oil.
When you are feeling a little tense ... anxious ... stressed ... take a calming whiff of
lavender. The aroma of lavender will reduce your stress response and keep your
blood pressure from shooting up.

Sleep well with a sachet of lavender

You can make your own sachet to hang from your headboard or slip under your
pillow. Use muslin for the inner lining and a pretty material for the outside. Loosely
hand sew one side for easy opening and replacing of the potpourri.
Fill your sachet with a potpourri of lavender flowers, sweet marjoram leaves,
chamomile flowers, and - if you can get them - petals of the ylang-ylang flower. If
the scent becomes too faint ... add a few drops of essential oils.
Want to pamper yourself in a scented bath?

It is not recommended to use essential oils in your bath ... the oils don't mix well
with water. Instead use the flowers and enjoy a bath like the spoiled Romans did.
Fill a muslin bag with lavender flowers. Put it in a pot, pour 2-3 cups of boiling
water over the teabag, and brew a strong lavender tea. Add the tea to your bath ...
soak ... relax ... refresh.
For a soothing bath that leads to a good night's sleep ... try a chamomile bath. Put
half a cup of dried flowers in a muslin bag and make a strong tea to add to the bath
... or tie it under the running water as you fill the bath. The gently fragrant bath will
give you a relaxing soak.
Using an aroma lamp

Essential oil burners, aroma lamps - whatever you use to heat up some essential oils
and give your home a lovely soothing aroma - are great for creating a relaxing,
positive atmosphere.
Add a tablespoon of water to the burners reservoir and add about 5 drops of
essential oil.
Be sure to use different oils ... one day use lavender ... another chamomile ... to
avoid building up a sensitivity to an essential oil.
Back to nature
Get in touch with Mother Nature through her wonderful aromas ... put your life
back in harmony and your body will follow ... less stress, better sleep, and lower
blood pressure.

Week 9
A chunk of rye bread, a juicy tomato, and a

stick of celery
"For all things produced in a garden, whether of salads or fruits, a poor man will eat better that has one of
his own, than a rich man that has none" - JC Loudon
More good eating this week. Healthy whole grain breads and brown rice ... give
you lots of heart-healthy nutrition. Juicy, plump tomatoes and crunchy sticks of
celery ... give your body special nutrients to knock down your blood pressure.
Use this week to ease these good foods into your daily cooking.
Target 22: Eat a lot more whole grains

Target 23: Eat a bushel of ripe, juicy tomatoes
Target 24: Munch a bunch of celery

Target 22
Eat a lot more whole grains

"Their wrestlers and others who trained for great bodily power,
ate only the coarse wheaten bread, to preserve them in their strength of limbs."
Sylvester Graham from the 1837 Treatise on Bread and Bread-Making
The popularity of whole grains has soared in recent years ... as more and more
studies show that they help prevent high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease,
and diabetes. But, many people still aren't eating enough whole grains.
Compared to refined grains, whole grains are richer in nutrients such as folate,
magnesium, and potassium ... all associated with reduced cardiovascular risk. They
also contain a number of antioxidants, vitamins, and - of course - fiber.
The healthy grains that leave the farm are quite different from the commercial
cereal some people pour into their breakfast bowl. Make sure your cereal contains
whole grains and little other ... eat wholesome goodness the way nature intended
you to.
Action plan
Eat 7-8 servings of grains a day - make sure at least half of

those are whole-grain. How much is one serving?
1 muffin, pancake, or slice of bread

1 cup of breakfast cereal
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
2 pieces of rye crispbread
Substitute whole-grain foods - replace servings of refined

grains with whole. Eat whole wheat bread instead of white ...
eat brown rice instead of white rice ... replace your regular
pasta with whole wheat pasta. Remember you are replacing

refined grains - not eating more whole grains on top of refined

grains.
Start your day with whole grains - cook up a bowl of cracked

whole wheat, oatmeal, or a multi-grain cereal made from
whole grains ... have a whole wheat muffin ... use whole wheat
flour in your pancakes.
Get whole grains into your meal - Stuff green peppers or

tomatoes with brown rice ... cook whole-grain barley in soup ...
use bulgur wheat or brown rice in casseroles ... make a whole-
grain pilaf with brown rice, barley, and wild rice.
Have a healthy snack - crunch a couple pieces of healthy

whole grain rye crispbread. My favorite crispbread is Kavli
from Norway.
Bake with whole grains - if you're making muffins, pancakes,

or waffles ... replace at least half of the refined flour in the
recipe with whole wheat flour.
Eat a mixture of different grains - a variety of grain products

will give you a healthy serving of nutrients and fibers. Try
brown rice, barley, oats, whole wheat, millet, corn, bulgur,
wild rice, spelt ...
A brief history
"You can travel fifty thousand miles in America without once tasting a piece of good bread"
Henry Miller
Grasses and seeds fed our ancestors

Our early ancestors hunted and foraged their food. Nuts, fruits, fish, meat, grasses,
leaves, and roots made up their diet. They also ate grass seeds ... and started
grinding them between stones about 160,000 years ago.
About 10,000 years ago, people in the fertile valleys of the Middle East began to
cultivate grasses. This allowed man to settle down and build communities. Whole
grains became a staple of most diets in the world.

Man also began to bake and cook more foods ... and the first unleavened breads
were made.
White flour for the elite

As early as 350 BC, the great civilizations started to "purify" wheat ... milling it to
make it whiter. It soon became a status symbol amongst the Greeks and Romans. By
50 AD, whole wheat bread had become known as panis sordidus (dirty bread)
among the Romans ... it was fit only for peasants and slaves.
White flour's popularity increased and - as technology advanced and milling

became cheaper - became the staple for all people.
The loss of fiber

Each advance in milling technology led to a lower percentage of dietary fiber
intake. But, there have been a few great minds over the last couple of thousand
years ... who have questioned the use of refined grains.
Hippocrates recommended whole wheat flour in the 4th century BC ... he praised
"its salutary effects on the bowels." In 1837, Sylvester Graham wrote in his classic
Treatise on Bread and Bread-Making that whole grain bread was "more conductive to
the general health and vigor of their bodies."
However, most doctors of the 19th century believed that anything not absorbed by
the digestive system was not needed for health ... fiber was thought to be useless. It
was not until 1960 that whole grains began to get attention.
Unfortunately, to this day many people still perceive refined flour to be better ...
both in health and taste.
Sandwich bread?
The first time I visited my grandmother in America, was the first time I saw a
square sandwich loaf. It was white and fluffy ... not at all like the coarse whole-
grain breads I was used to in Switzerland. I couldn't figure what to make of this
bread which - strangely enough - was called Wonder Bread.
Then, I came up with a good use for it. The soft squishy insides were great for
scooping out and rolling into marbles.

When I moved to Japan, I found again the tasteless white loaf. It is called shoku pan
(eating bread) - I wouldn't feed it to my enemy. And yet millions of people eat this
nutritionless, fiberless slab of white pap for breakfast ... what a feeble start to the
day.
Start your day off with a proper boost - eat whole grains only.
How whole grains fight hypertension

"With bread and wine you can walk your road" - Spanish proverb
Whole grains have a lower glycemic index compared to refined grains. This keeps
you from having sudden spikes in your blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels
are another cause of heart disease and hypertension.
Beating metabolic syndrome

Increasing the amount of whole grains you eat can significantly reduce your risk of
metabolic syndrome and death from cardiovascular disease ... according to a recent
study with people aged 60 and over. People who ate the highest amounts of whole
grains were also the most likely to have a lower body mass index.
While eating refined grains is a factor in metabolic syndrome - and can cause
hypertension, high blood sugars, and bad cholesterol - whole grains have the
opposite effect. Eating whole grains protects against all problems associated with
metabolic syndrome. A diet rich in whole-grain foods will control your blood
pressure.
Researchers are finally studying whole grains more ... seeing the effect eating them
can have on your metabolism ... and thus your blood pressure.
Protecting your heart and brain

Eating more whole grains reduces your risk of ischemic stroke - stroke caused by a
blockage in a blood vessel in your brain. A study following more than 75,000
women over 12 years found ... consuming an average of just three servings of whole
grains daily ... lowered their risk of ischemic stroke by more than 30% ... compared
to women who rarely ate grains.

Eating more whole grains also reduces your overall risk of heart disease. 85,000
male doctors were studied over a five year period ... those who at least ate a whole
grain cereal for breakfast lowered their risk of death from cardiovascular disease by
20%.
Slowing atherosclerosis
Getting more fiber from whole grains slows hardening of the arteries. Researchers
from Finland and the US studied women with coronary artery disease and found ...
whole grain's cereal fiber slowed the progression of atherosclerosis as effectively as
the dangerous statin drugs.
Eating more whole wheat bread, brown rice, and barley soup can keep your arteries
clean.
More benefits
"He that prefers the beautiful to the useful in life will, undoubtedly, like children who prefer sweetmeats to
bread, destroy his digestion and acquire a very fretful outlook on the world" - Friedrich Nietzsche
Cut down cancer

Whole grains are rich in compounds that can protect against cancer ... and higher
fiber intakes speed the passage through the colon - reducing the time that potential
carcinogens stay in contact with the lining of your colon.
A Swedish study followed 61,000 women for 15 years ... and found that those who
ate more than 4.5 servings of whole grains daily had a 35% lower risk of colon
cancer than those who had less than 1.5 servings daily.
Eating whole-grain foods can reduce your risk of a number of other cancers, too.
Whole grains have special carbohydrates - resistant starches - that pass through the
small intestine and ferment in your bowel. This produces short-chain fatty acids
that play an important part in a healthy bowel ... and can even give you immune
protection elsewhere.

Preventing diabetes
Eating more whole grains lowers insulin resistance ... and your risk of developing
type 2 diabetes mellitus. Even obese patients have reduced their insulin resistance
significantly on a diet rich in whole grains ... in just six weeks.
When grains are refined, the endosperm becomes easier to digest ... making the
carbohydrates quickly available to be absorbed ... this spikes your blood sugar
levels - creating a demand for more insulin. Over time, increased insulin levels can
lead to type 2 diabetes.
Replacing refined-grain foods with whole-grain foods ... decreases your blood
sugar levels and the risk of diabetes. It also improves control of blood sugar levels if
you already have diabetes.
Losing weight with whole grains

A 12-year study of 74,000 nurses in the US showed how eating whole grains could
help you with weight control. The nurses who ate more whole-grain foods
consistently weighed less than those who didn't.
Nurses with the most fiber in their diet ... had 49% less risk of major weight gain
than those who ate the least. In fact, eating whole-grain products gave good weight
control ... but eating refined-grain foods led to weight gain.
Eating whole-grain foods also gives you a feeling of fullness ... and stops you from
overeating.
Choose wisely
"Anytime a person goes into a delicatessen and orders a pastrami on white bread, somewhere a Jew dies"
Milton Berle
Check the ingredients label

Beware of products labeled "multi grain", "stone ground", "100% wheat", "cracked
wheat", "seven grain", "bran" ... if they don't say "whole", they're not whole grains.
Look for "whole grain", "whole wheat", "whole rye", "brown rice", "wild rice",
"bulgur", "graham flour", "oatmeal", "whole-grain corn" ... these should be the first

item on the ingredients label. Also, check the label for unwanted ingredients like
sugar, salt, and hydrogenated vegetable oils - the more natural, the better.
Check brown breads carefully. Just because they're brown ... doesn't always mean
they're whole grain. Many breads get their brown color from molasses or other
ingredients.
My favorite cracker - the world famous Kavli whole grain crispbreads from Norway
- are made from pure, natural whole grains with just a pinch of salt. They have a
wonderfully crisp texture with a mild nutty flavor.
The FDA's new definition

According to a recent definition published by the FDA, "whole grains are cereal
grains such as barley, corn, rice, oats, or wheat that consist of the intact, ground,
cracked, or flaked fruit of the grain." Products such as bread or pizza crusts can
only be labeled as "whole wheat" or "whole grain" when they are entirely made
from grain or wheat.
The FDA have provided a standard that will help you to choose healthy whole-
grain products.
Refined vs whole
Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ... the bran, germ, and endosperm. The
refined grains used in most breads and cereal products you eat have had the bran
and germ - most of the goodness - removed. A lot of B vitamins , iron, and dietary
fiber are also lost.
Processing reduces the content of nutrients and bioprotective substances in grains

... in the case of many processed breakfast cereals and breads it also adds in too
much salt.
Enriched grains have certain B vitamins and iron added back after processing ... but
these are not the naturally occurring vitamins ... and the fiber is still missing.
And, no, you can't just add back that lost fiber with a fiber supplement. Fiber is best
obtained from whole foods ... natural foods provide many different types of fiber.
(see Resources p 225 for a good source of organic stone-ground whole-grain
products)

Target 23
Eat a bushel of ripe, juicy tomatoes

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins"
Laurie Colwin in Home Cooking
They give a splash of color to summer salads ... they're a must in Italian cooking ...
they bring the wonderful aromas of a garden into your home. And, they also do
great things for your health.
Red, juicy tomatoes have already been hailed for their strong antioxidants that fight
cancer and protect your heart ... now they're being credited with lowering blood
pressure, too.
Action plan
Eat tomatoes every day - eat raw tomatoes with an olive oil-
based dressing or with avocado...to increase the amount of
protective lycopene absorbed into your system.
Cook up tomato sauce - eat tomato sauce with your pasta ...
make pizza ... cook fish in tomato sauce. Put in some tomato
paste for a concentrated source of more lycopene.
Use tomatoes in your cooking - they're great in chili and stew.
Drink tomato juice for breakfast - make sure it's tomato juice
that was heat-processed for best availability of lycopene ... also
choose a low-sodium brand.
Enjoy tomato soup - on cold winter days, it warms your

innards and protects you.

Take a tomato extract supplement - just one 15 mg Lyc-O-

Mato capsule daily is enough to lower your blood pressure 10
mm Hg. (see Resources p 228)
A brief history
"How did the Italians eat spaghetti before the advent of the tomato?"
Elizabeth David in An Omelette and a Glass of Wine
Liked by some ... feared by others

Believed to have originated in South America, the tomato may have been brought
to Europe in the early 1500s by Cortez.
The Italians, French, and Spanish soon embraced the tomato and used it in their
cooking...but Northern Europeans avoided it. Germans associated tomatoes with
the poisonous plants used by witches to call up werewolves. The British thought
them to be poison because of the plant's unique smell.
The tomato in American gardens

The tomato was taken to America by the British ... as a purely ornamental plant -
called "love apple". Even in Colonial America, the tomato was still believed to be
poisonous. It was widely believed that eating tomatoes would give a man brain
fever and turn his blood to acid.
Thomas Jefferson was one of the early pioneer growers of tomatoes. He loved the
taste of the juicy red vegetable ... and his family left behind a treasure of recipes
using tomatoes. By the early 1800s, Creoles in New Orleans started using tomatoes
in gumbos and jambalayas ... the tomato's popularity began to rise.
Is it a fruit or a vegetable?
Technically the tomato is a fruit - it grows on a vine and carries seeds. However,
from a culinary point of view ... the tomato resembles other vegetables. The
question came up in a 1893 Supreme Court case - should the tomato be taxed as a
vegetable or was it exempt as a fruit. The final ruling was ... the tomato is a
vegetable.

Myself, I use the "pizza test". I can't stand fruit on my pizza - no Hawaiian Pizza for
me - but I love tomatoes on my pizza. Therefore, the tomato is a vegetable ... case
closed!
How tomatoes help fight hypertension

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato"
Lewis Grizzard
That red color is good for you

In the late 1990s, tomatoes started getting a lot of notice for the strong antioxidant
that gives the tomato its red color. This antioxidant is called lycopene and was
shown to help in the prevention of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Lycopene has unique features that make it a very powerful fighter ... against
dangerous free radicals. It is believed to be the most efficient antioxidant amongst
the carotenoids - the yellow, orange, and red pigments found in plants such as
carrots, squashes, sweet potatoes, sweet red peppers. We humans cannot synthesize
carotenoids ... we must rely upon our diet for the source of these important
nutrients.
Lycopene is found in red produce - mainly tomatoes, but also in watermelons and
red grapefruit. Now, it seems that eating red can also lower your blood pressure.
Fighting hypertension in Israel

A recent study with hypertension patients in Israel had exciting results. After 8
weeks of taking Lyc-O-Mato tomato extract daily, the patients systolic blood
pressure dropped an average of 10 mm Hg. When the patients stopped taking the
tomato extract ... their blood pressure started rising again.
Dr Engelhard and his colleagues, found that the antioxidant property of lycopene
protected against oxidized LDL cholesterol - a major factor in hardening of the
arteries. They are convinced the patients' blood pressure was lowered by the
lycopene's antioxidant activity.
When oxygen free radicals attack the lining of your blood vessels ... it impairs
dilation of the vessels and leads to hypertension. By neutralizing free radicals,
lycopene - working with other antioxidants in tomatoes - protects your arteries and

lowers your blood pressure.
How many tomatoes is that?

The patients in the Israel experiment were given Lyc-O-Mato tomato extract as a
control. Each day they received 15 mg of lycopene from their extract. How many
tomatoes is that?
To supply the same amount of lycopene, you need to eat three to four tomatoes a
day ... or use half a can of tomato paste in your cooking.
Keeping your arteries healthy

A study of middle-aged men in Finland found thicker artery walls in those with less
lycopene in their blood. Thick artery walls can be an early sign of atherosclerosis.
Others in the study ... who ate a vegetable-rich diet containing tomatoes ...
protected their cardiovascular system from disease.
Middle-aged men and women who drank tomato juice or ate tomato soup ...
significantly protected the cholesterol in their blood ... from being oxidized and
turned into dangerous plaque.
When you eat tomatoes or tomato products, the lycopene and other antioxidants
work hard to stop oxidation of LDL cholesterol - the main factor in hardening of the
arteries. Higher levels of lycopene can also lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in
your blood ... further protecting you against atherosclerosis, high blood pressure,
and heart disease.
A lower level of lycopene in your system will put you at a higher risk of stroke or
heart attack. Eating tomato-rich foods raises your levels of circulating - and
protecting - lycopene.
Start eating more tomatoes today ... keep your arteries young and healthy.

More benefits
"I don't need no fancy foods, like beans with ketchup" - Lennie in Of Mice and Men
The big red cancer fighter

Eating large amounts of tomatoes and tomato products significantly reduces the
risk of prostate, lung, and stomach cancer. The protective antioxidant activity of
lycopene may also lower the risk of other cancers.
The Mediterranean diet - rich in fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes - has long
been believed to be responsible for the lower risk of cancer in Southern Europe. In
1985, a study of the elderly population found that eating lots of tomatoes lowered
the risk of cancer 50%.
Protecting your prostate

The prostate gland - that little walnut-sized gland found only in men and often a
problem in later years - is also protected by eating lots of tomatoes. Men in
Mediterranean countries have less risk of prostate cancer.
A study of 47,365 men from 1986 to 1998 showed that eating tomatoes lowered the
risk of prostate cancer. Tomato sauce - which makes lycopene more easily available
to your system - lowered this risk even more.
To keep your prostate healthy, eat lots of tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup ...
Eat some delicious sunblock

Yes, what you eat can help protect your skin from the sun. The lycopene in
tomatoes gives your skin protection against the damaging UV rays of the sun.
Sunshine is always there, even on cloudy days ... when you drive your car, step
outside to check the mail, take your dog for a walk ... you're skin is being
bombarded by UV rays.
A little sun is good for you, right?
Yes, a few minutes in the sun every day is good for your health. But, there are good
UV rays and there are bad UV rays. Your skin still needs some form of protection
from damaging UV rays ... rays that burn your delicate skin. Your skin needs the

kind of protection that comes from inside.
Tomatoes to the rescue ... lycopene can give your skin that protection.
A study done in Germany found that eating just 40 g of tomato paste - half a small
can - every day reduced the risk of sunburn by 40%. In a later study, the same
protective effect was also achieved with just one 10 mg capsule of Lyc-O-Mato
tomato extract per day.
But, don't wait until summer to start eating more spaghetti sauce ... it takes about 10
weeks for the lycopene levels in your system to build up to the peak level that will
protect you against Old Sol's bad rays. Also, don't think that this is the go-ahead to
lounge by the pool for hours - sizzling like a steak. Tomatoes can protect you, but
only from the daily stuff ... not an irresponsible overdose of UV.
Start eating more tomatoes, tomato products, or tomato extract for a safe summer.
Rejuvenate your skin

Tomatoes even make a good facial. The healing vitamin C and the cleansing acids in
tomatoes can make your skin soft and radiant ... and young again.
Before you do a full facial treatment, make sure your skin isn't sensitive to
tomatoes. Rub some fresh tomato juice on a small spot and leave for about 15
minutes ... then rinse off. If the spot doesn't redden within 24 hours you're go to use
tomatoes on your face.
Slice open a ripe tomato and rub it on your face. Let the juices soak into your skin
for about 15 minutes. Then rub your face again with the tomato slice ... and rinse off
with warm water. Splash on some cold to close up your pores ... pat dry with a soft
towel.
The tomato's mild acidity will loosen dead skin and restore the pH balance of your
skin...leaving you with a soft, smooth face.

Choose wisely
"Only two things that money can't buy, that's true love and home grown tomatoes"
John Denver
The whole tomato

As good as lycopene is for your body, it can't do the job by itself. Lycopene is not
nearly as effective if taken as a lycopene pill. When you munch a tomato, eat some
pasta sauce, or pop a tomato extract capsule ... you're getting the full orchestra of
nutrients in a tomato.
The synergy of tomatoes' nutrients was tested in a study with subjects eating either
tomato powder or just a lycopene supplement. The tomato powder was much more
effective than pure lycopene. The scientists concluded that only by working
together with the other nutrients in tomatoes ... was lycopene effective in protecting
your health.
Carotenoids - such as lycopene - and other nutrients evolved in plants as interacting

compounds. The complexity of these protective mechanisms makes it impossible to
protect your health with just one compound. Supplementing with just lycopene will
not do much for you.
The other nutrients greatly enhance the effectiveness of lycopene. The tomato team
works together in synergy ... the whole is much more than the sum of its parts. Eat
the whole tomato and get this strong team of antioxidants working together in your
body to protect you from disease.
Cook up a batch of lycopene

Unlike other vegetable and fruit nutrients, tomatoes healthy carotenoids are not
destroyed by cooking ... in fact, they are made more available to your body.
Cooking tomatoes with olive oil releases the fat-soluble lycopene from the
vegetable's cells ... more than doubles the amount of lycopene your body can absorb
from them. Tomato paste can provide you with over three times the lycopene of a
fresh tomato.
Enjoy whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce and get your full helping of lycopene
protection.

To juice or not to juice?

Although fresh squeezed juices are often touted as healthful drinks, freshly juiced
tomatoes aren't going to give you the amount of lycopene that processed tomato
juice can. When tomato juice was simmered for an hour with a wee amount of oil ...
the lycopene was much more easily absorbed by humans.
If you like a glass of tomato juice to open your eyes in the morning ... cook some up
the night before or buy a good organic processed tomato juice.
Dress your tomatoes properly

Using fat-free salad dressings could limit the benefits you get from tomatoes.
Lycopene - like all carotenoids - is fat-soluble and needs some fat to be properly
absorbed in your small intestine.
In a study with salads containing tomatoes, carrots, spinach, and lettuce ... the
people eating the salads absorbed hardly any of the beneficial carotenoids -
lycopene, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene - when using fat-free dressings. Those
eating the salads dressed with olive oil absorbed a lot more of these helpful
carotenoids ... much more even than those using low-fat dressings.
When eating raw tomatoes ... use a dressing made with healthy olive oil for a full
serving of goodness.
Enjoy some salsa with guacamole

Avocados are an excellent source of heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats ... along
with a whopping amount of potassium. Ounce for ounce, the avocado has 60%
more potassium than bananas.
The fats in an avocado also help your body to absorb the lycopene in fresh
tomatoes. In a study with people eating a tomato salsa, they had far greater
absorption of lycopene from the tomatoes ... when they ate the salsa with avocado.
Enjoy a Mexican treat and give your body some extra lycopene ... a Mexican siesta
can do a lot for lowering your blood pressure.

Buy them ripe and fresh

Tomatoes have the most flavor if they are allowed to ripen on the vine. Because
tomatoes are so fragile, they are often picked green for shipping long distances ...
but this makes for a rather bland tomato.
Buy local whenever you can. Seek out an organic farm in your area and buy your
tomatoes direct from the field. They may not always be as perfectly shaped and
beautiful as the ones on the supermarket shelf ... but with tomatoes - as with many
other things - beauty is only skin deep.
Smell the good earth

If you're buying tomatoes in a store, take a good whiff of the stem end. A freshly
picked tomato should still have the wonderful garden aroma of the plant ... your
nose should be tingled by the smell.
No such aroma? Don't expect much flavor.
Grow your own

Nothing tastes quite as good as tomatoes direct from your own tomato plants. If
you have a balcony or other area with some sunshine ... why not grow your own.
Spend some stress-relieving quiet time with plants and soil ... get the good feeling
of raising your own vines ... and taste the reward of fresh, succulent tomatoes.
Organic is more potent

When samples of ketchup from US manufacturers were tested for nutrients ...
organic ketchups contained roughly three times as much lycopene. Go organic
whenever you can - ensure you're getting Natures full goodness in every meal.
Canned tomatoes get you through the winter

In the off season - when tomatoes must travel long distances to your supermarket
shelves - taste will suffer. This is a good time to open a can of tasty Italian plum
tomatoes. Since tomatoes can go into the can at the peak of ripeness, the taste is
usually quite good.
Just make sure you look for a low-sodium brand.

Lyc-O-Mato from the Negev Desert

Find it difficult to eat four to five tomatoes a day? There is an easy way to make
sure you get your daily supply of protective tomato antioxidants.
A company in Israel has made it a lot easier to get all the goodness of tomatoes in a
capsule. This is not just the lycopene ... this is an extract of tomatoes that has all the
nutrients ... has all the compounds that work together to protect your heart and
lower your blood pressure.
In the Negev Desert, a variety of lycopene-rich tomatoes are being grown ... these
tomatoes were developed using good farming methods - no genetic modification.
Lyc-O-Mato is extracted from the tomatoes using a special process, overseen by the
Israel Ministry of Health.
This natural tomato extract - used in the Israeli hypertension study - gives you your
daily dose of lycopene and other valuable antioxidants ... all in an easy to take
capsule. (see Resources p 228)
Start getting more tomato goodness today ... lower your blood pressure, keep your
arteries young and healthy, and protect yourself against cancer.

Target 24
Munch a bunch of celery

"Genuineness only lives in the dark. Like celery." - Aldous Huxley
Celery has long been touted as a fine snack for those wanting to lose weight. Now,
we know there's a new benefit you can get from celery ... it lowers blood pressure
too.
Action plan
Eat four stalks of celery a day - this is the ideal amount to

lower your blood pressure. OK, four stalks a day may be a lot
of celery. But do try to eat more celery - every day.
Have a stalk as a snack - a lot better than junk food.
Slice celery into your dishes - salads, soups, stuffings, stews ...
all will benefit from some added celery - it adds great taste
and texture. Stir-fry some into a Chinese dish ... or leave the
stalk as it is and stuff it with healthy fillings.
A brief history
"And a subtle flavour - we're more like celery as a flavour" - Mike Myers
The days when celery wasn't food

Celery was used as a medicine long before anyone ate it in a meal. A 9th century
poem gives the medicinal uses of the plant ... and when it was first grown in
gardens in the 16th century ... it was still a primitive plant and only used for
medicinal purposes.

In 1623, celery was first used as a food in France - mainly in flavorings. The early
celery had a very strong flavor ...up until 50 years ago, it had to be blanched to be
edible.
Celery gets no respect
We've forgotten about the medicinal uses of celery ... nowadays, we mainly use it as
a stir-stick for our Bloody Mary. The poor, neglected vegetable doesn't get much
respect.
But it has long been an Oriental folk remedy for high blood pressure ... and lately,
the Chinese have been proven correct.
How celery fights hypertension
Celery relaxes your arteries ...

There's a flavonoid in celery called apigenin that dilates blood vessels ... and thus,
lowers blood pressure. In the Middle East, hypertensive patients are routinely
given a large amount of celery to control their blood pressure.
... and keeps them relaxed

Celery also contains a unique chemical called 3-n-butyl phthalide. This chemical has
been singled out as the main compound that lowers blood pressure.
When you are subjected to stress, your body produces stress hormones that cause
the smooth muscle lining of your arteries to tighten ... they narrow down and it
becomes more difficult for blood to flow through. This causes high blood pressure.
A specific enzyme is responsible for making the stress hormones. What celery's 3-n-
butyl phthalide does is to prevent the enzyme from forming these hormones - in the
first place. This in turn prevents the chain reaction ... that leads to high blood
pressure.
Four sticks of celery, hold the Bloody Mary

Eating four stalks of celery a day could lower your blood pressure by 12-14%.
Celery also has a great potassium to sodium ratio - there is three times as much
potassium in every stalk. Another reason to eat celery ... it balances your body's

potassium/sodium ratio and brings your blood pressure down to normal.
Celery could also lower your risk of stroke

The chemical in celery is being tested for its ability to keep blood platelets from
clumping together ... the dangerous condition that can lead to stroke. A study done
in 2004 was very promising ... with the chemical protecting test animals from
dangerous blood clots.
Eating celery could well protect you from blood clots ... those silent killers that form
in your blood vessels ... and strike with no warning. Eat some celery today ... keep
yourself safe.
More benefits
A nice, light snack

Need help losing some weight? Grab a stalk of celery.
Celery has often been called the "negative calorie" snack...it's been rumoured that it
takes more energy to chew and digest celery than you get from eating it. While this
may be a slight exaggeration ... celery does have very few calories, high water and
fiber content, and it's crunchy texture makes you feel full.
Anyways ... celery is a nice light snack ... and it can bring down your blood
pressure. So eat some today!

Week 10
Eating foods as Nature intended

"He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything" - Arabian proverb
Take a break from the hot stove this week ... it's time to start eating more of your
food raw. Stock up your body with all-important enzymes ... vital for good health.
You're also going to enjoy nuts a lot more. And sweet, crunchy, juicy apples ...
Nature's storehouse of goodness.
Target 25: Eat more raw foods

Target 26: Eat a handful of nuts
Target 27: Keep the doctor away with apples

Target 25
Eat more raw foods

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well"
Virginia Wolf
The human body evolved before fire was discovered ... the human body evolved
eating raw foods. To keep healthy, your body needs the food enzymes that come
from raw fruits and vegetables. As you get older, you need to help out the
overworked enzymes in your body - by eating more raw foods.
Too much cooked or processed food - having lost all its enzymes - taxes your
system. If too much of your body's vital enzyme stores are needed for digesting
food, your body's health will suffer ... chronic diseases will come ... including high
blood pressure.
Action plan
Eat about half of your food raw - every day, every meal. Eat
most of your fruits and vegetables raw. Make fresh salads,
coleslaw, gazpacho soup, fruit salad, guacamole, hummus. Eat
apples, bananas, oranges, carrot sticks, celery, nuts.
Eat Birchermüesli - have this rich mixture of raw oats, apples,

nuts, and yogurt for breakfast or other meals. Enjoy the healthy
Swiss cereal that has fortified generations of Alp dwellers.
Try a 2000 year-old bread - get the goodness of raw, sprouted

wheat in a loaf of Essene bread. Taste the staff of life.

A brief history
"I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole Earth and every tree that has
fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food" - Genesis 1:29
When man had no fire

In prehistoric time - before man discovered fire - all food was eaten raw. Our early
ancestors ate a raw, mostly vegetarian diet. Our digestive system evolved for this
kind of eating.
A diet of mainly raw and vegetarian food is still eaten by the Hunza - a tribe living
in the Himalayas. The Hunza have been described as very healthy and very happy
... many live to be well over 100 years old ... many of these guys still hire out as
alpine trekkers in their 90s.
Jesus and the Essenes healed many with raw foods

Two thousand years ago a brotherhood of holy men and women - the Essenes - ate
only foods that had not been altered ... had not been cooked. They ate mainly wild
roots, fruits, and bread baked by the sun ... they led pure lives and followed strict
discipline.
The Essenes took an oath to respect the Earth as a living, sacred, and intelligent
being. They had compassion for all living creatures - they were vegetarian. They
were also very healthy ... some old writings show that many Essenes lived to be
over 100 years old.
Jesus of Nazareth was an Essene. He prescribed a peaceful lifestyle, a vegetarian

diet, and eating raw foods. Jesus taught that cooking "takes the life out of foods" ...
he advised his followers to eat only foods "ripened by the fire of life" - heated by the
sun.
Jesus and the Essenes were famed for their talent as healers. The brothers and
sisters in their white robes were respected for their ability to heal illnesses. Since
many illnesses, then and now, are caused by poor nutrition ... the raw diet of the
Essenes was a perfect cure.

Dr Max Bircher-Benner
Dr Maximilian Bircher-Benner introduced a diet of raw vegetables, fruit, and nuts ...
at his clinic in Switzerland at the end of the 19th century. He had noticed the life of
the Swiss shepherd - who lived a simple life and a healthy life - and decided that a
simple diet could cure his patients ... that raw natural foods could bring them
robust health.
The Swiss doctor realized that plants stored the power of the sun. He valued foods
by the amount of sun energy they held ... in raw foods the sun's energy was better
preserved. He started to recommend diets of raw fruits and vegetables to his
patients ... against all medical beliefs at the time.
The Bircher-Benner clinic became one of the most respected healing centers in the
world. Eating raw foods, enjoying physical activity, and going to bed early ... these
were the health regimen at the Bircher-Benner clinic. The raw food diet was a
powerful healer ... it was successfully used to cure many illnesses. Dr Bircher-
Benner's influence on the natural health movement in Europe lasted long after he
passed on.
It was Dr Bircher-Benner who first made Birchermüesli - the dish of raw oats, apple,
nuts, lemon juice, and milk that became a staple breakfast throughout Switzerland.
In other countries, this healthy breakfast cereal is usually known as "muesli" -
coming in many tasty variations.
Muesli is a great way to start your day ... a mix of oats, raw fruit, nuts, milk ... gives
you energy to kick-start your morning, fills you with nutrients, fills you with
health.
How raw food helps fight hypertension

"This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes, these onions ... will soon become me. Such a tasty fact"
Mike Garofalo
The enzymes - a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it

Your body needs three types of enzymes - metabolic enzymes, digestive enzymes,
and food enzymes.

Your body is run by the metabolic enzymes ... they take all the nutrients your body
gets each day and build a healthy body. They keep everything working properly. In
your arteries alone, 98 different enzymes are working around the clock ... each with
a particular job to do. Thousands of enzymes are working to keep your heart, brain,
kidneys...... your whole body healthy.
The digestive enzymes have the tough job of breaking down fats, protein, and
carbohydrate. These guys gets overworked ... in your heavy meals, a lot of enzymes
are needed to break things down.
In Nature, food enzymes help the digestive enzymes. They carry a large part of the
load - helping to break down the foods they arrived in. When a large group of food
enzymes is present, the call for enzymes from the body is relaxed ... metabolic
enzymes can go about their work, keeping you healthy.
How do food enzymes work?

When you chew raw foods, your teeth crush the food - rupturing cell walls and
releasing the food enzymes. Nature has placed enough of the right enzymes in your
food to properly digest the specific amounts of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
The chewed food goes into the upper part of your stomach - where the enzymes
immediately go to work. They start breaking down the food, long before stomach
acid and enzymes join in. With raw foods, the bulk of the work is done.
The more raw food you eat, the less work your own enzymes have to do.
When there's not enough food enzymes

Food enzymes in raw food take care of a large part of digestion - lowering the drain
on your enzyme bank. Your body can make metabolic enzymes instead of digestive
enzymes ... very important for healthy operation.
If all the enzyme action is coming from the ones in your body ... at some point,
something's gotta give. With too many enzymes being called into action in the
digestive system - there's a serious shortage for the rest of the body. Not enough
metabolic enzymes can be made to fight disease and repair organs.
Your good health depends on your enzymes working properly ... you have to make
sure nothing interferes with these guys. If there aren't enough enzymes, your health
can get into serious trouble.

Cooking kills enzymes

Cooking, freezing, processing ... these alter the chemical structure of food. Enzymes
are even more sensitive to destruction by heat or cold than vitamins or minerals.
Cooking kills all the enzymes in your food.
By eating mainly cooked foods, you are wasting digestive enzymes ... you are using
up the enzymes in your body at a dangerous rate. Your body is using up its
potential for making enzymes ... supplying digestive enzymes - when what it needs
desperately are more metabolic enzymes.
Eat more of your foods raw ... get more food enzymes helping to break down your
meal ... spare your body's enzymes for the important functions of metabolism. If
you take good care of your enzymes, they'll take good care of you.
A drop in blood pressure ... and weight

For over half a year, a group of outpatients ate a high-raw food diet - about 2/3 of
their food was uncooked. The average drop in blood pressure was 17.8 mm Hg ...
and the group lost an average of 3.8 kg of excess weight.
Eating more raw food can help you not only lower your blood pressure - it can also
help you control your weight.
Giving you more antioxidants

Eating a variety of raw fruit and vegetables increases the amount of antioxidants
cruising around in your bloodstream. More vitamins are available to your body -
they haven't been destroyed by the heat of cooking.
A group of vegans in Finland who followed a strict "living food diet" - all foods
were eaten raw - had much higher intakes of antioxidants. Antioxidants will protect
your arteries against the kind of damage that can lead to hypertension.
By increasing the amount of raw fruits and vegetables you eat, you will be
protecting your arteries, keeping your cardiovascular system healthy, and lowering

Choose wisely
"Nothing leads to good that is not natural" - Friedrich Schiller
Eat organic and live natural

Whenever possible, buy organic fruits and vegetables. In your local grocery store, at
a farmer's market, or on an organic farm - hunt for organic food.
Organic food is more nutritious ... the soils on organic farms are richer and fill the
plants with vitamins and minerals. Organic produce usually has more flavor. And,
organic fruits and vegetables won't put chemicals on your plate.
By eating organic, you are supporting a safe, sustainable way of farming. You are
protecting yourself and your environment from the billions of tons of chemicals
poured onto commercial farms each year. Eat organic and live natural. Take the
road to good health.
The original staff of life

Essene flat bread - sometimes called Manna bread - was enjoyed by our ancestors
for thousands of years. A simple bread ... it is made from sprouted wheat that is
coarsely ground, patted into a flat loaf, and baked by the sun. It is a dense, coarsely-
textured bread with a subtly sweet and nutty flavor.
A wonderful thing about Essene bread ... you can enjoy it even if you have
difficulty digesting wheat or other breads. When the wheat is sprouted, it becomes
a plant - filled with nutrition.
Look for Essene bread in your local bakery or health food store. Try the staff of life
and taste what your ancient ancestors tasted (see Resources p 228).
Birchermuesli makes a tasty breakfast

Birchermüesli is a healthful breakfast cereal - full of raw food goodness - developed
by Dr Bircher-Benner. Birchermüesli is often just labeled as "muesli". You can make
up a batch of your own or buy it at a health food store (see resources p 228 for a
source of delicious muesli)
Whichever you do, Birchermüesli tastes great.

You can eat Birchermüesli with milk, but for even more goodness ... spoon some
plain yogurt over it. Yogurt is full of healthful bacteria - good for keeping your
intestines healthy, upping your good cholesterol, shutting down allergies, and
protecting you against oxidants. Yogurt is not only really good for you ... it also
adds a nice creamy taste.
Birchermüesli is very simple to make. Put oats and nuts in a bowl. Wet with water or
milk. Chop or grate an apple and add to the Birchermüesli. Spoon plain yogurt over
the mixture. Now, enjoy a crunchy, healthy breakfast.
For more flair ... add bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin segments....
The spark of life

Raw food is often called "living food" - it still contains the life energy of the plant ...
it is a natural store of energy ... it is unchanged by cooking.
Eat raw, living food every day. Get the spark of life into your body ... get healthy.

Target 26
Eat a handful of nuts

"You're never too old for nuts and berries" - Gary Trudeau in Doonesbury
Nuts are the ultimate healthy "fast food" ... easy to carry and a concentrated source
of energy.
The World Health Organization recommends you to eat a 30-gram (1 ounce)

serving of nuts daily - that's a small handful.
Action plan
Eat a handful of nuts daily, including walnuts - one ounce (a

small handful) to two ounces of nuts a day will lower
cholesterol levels.
Substitute for less nutritious snacks - nuts make a great snack

between meals and keep you full longer. Divide some nuts into
one ounce portions. Store them in individual bags - ready to
grab on your way out the door.
Have nuts with breakfast - sprinkle on yogurt, porridge,

muesli.
Take nuts hiking with you - make a nutritious trail mix with
nuts, dried fruits, and chunks of dark chocolate.
Use nuts in your cooking - sprinkle nuts on your salad ...

make nut dipping sauces for satays ... mix nuts into pasta
dishes - walnuts lightly pureed with olive oil, garlic, and basil
makes a delicious pesto.

A brief history
"You must crack the nuts before you can eat the kernel" - Irish proverb
A staple food and a delight

Nuts have been a natural food for humans since the beginning of time. They've
been used as recipe ingredients and travelers snacks ... winter staples and imported
delicacies. The early Romans, Persians, and Arabs thickened their dishes with
ground nuts.
Inscriptions on clay tablets from 2000 BC boast of great walnut groves ... in the
famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon. King Solomon spoke with delight about
visiting his walnut grove in the Old Testament, "I went down into the garden of
nuts to see the fruit of the valley."
Peanuts aren't nuts

Peanuts are actually a legume ... related to beans. They've been called goobers,
ground pea, and monkey nut - among other names. Unlike other nuts, which grow
on trees or shrubs, peanuts grow underground.
But, peanuts are nutritionally similar to other nuts.
Peanuts are believed to have originated on the slopes of the Andes ... they were
shipped to Africa and Spain, and later ended up in the New World. Because they
were cheap and nutritious, they made an excellent food aboard ships.
It was in 1870 that the peanut became famous ... PT Barnum's circus started selling
Hot Roasted Peanuts as their wagons rolled from city to city. Twenty years later
peanut butter was invented - and Dagwood Bumstead was destined to a lifetime of
peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
The cholesterol myth

During the years of low-fat diet, the poor nut came under fire, too. Nuts received a
bad name because of their high fat content - and high calories. But it turns out that
the fat in nuts is ... the good fat.

Back then, a myth sprang up that nuts contained cholesterol ... unfortunately, this is
still believed by many people. But ... nuts do not contain cholesterol ... they are a
plant - and plants do not contain cholesterol.
That is the big difference between animal and plant foods. All food from animals
has cholesterol - all food from plants doesn't. In animals, cholesterol is what makes
up part of the cell wall ... in plants, the cell walls are made of fiber.
So, when you eat nuts ... you're not getting cholesterol ... you're getting fiber.
Actually, daily nut consumption will lower your cholesterol levels.
But nuts make you fat, don't they?

Nuts have often been labeled fattening. But eating nuts instead of other foods of the
same calories ... will actually help you lose weight.
Nuts have suffered a lot of bad press over the last few decades ... as a fatty food to
be avoided if you were trying to lose weight. Not true! Although walnuts are
energy rich, they don't cause weight gain ... when eaten as as replacement for
another food.
And peanuts? Yes, they are energy dense ... but they also make you feel full and
prevent overeating.
How nuts help fight hypertension

"Instructions: Open packet, eat nuts" - American Airlines
Relax your arteries with nuts

Nuts are a great source of proteins - especially the amino acid arginine. Arginine is
a precursor to nitric oxide ... which relaxes and dilates blood vessels ... lowering
blood pressure and reducing the danger of blood clots that can lead to heart attack.
The higher levels of nitric oxide - helped along by the arginine in the nuts you eat -
makes the linings of your arteries healthier. When the linings of your arteries are
working properly ... blood pressure returns to normal.

Nuts lower your bad cholesterol

Nuts contain mainly unsaturated fat - the good fat that helps improve heart health.
Both polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats are found in nuts ... and only a
fraction of saturated fats.
In a study conducted in Asia, patients fed a diet including walnuts and almonds ...
significantly reduced their cholesterol levels and lowered their risk of coronary
artery disease. Walnuts and almonds contain omega-3 fatty acids ... the same heart
healthy fatty acids found in cold-water fish.
In an Australian study, foods containing saturated fats were partially replaced by

nuts. Eating almonds significantly lowered LDL cholesterol, and there was an even
greater reduction when eating walnuts.
It is quite evident that nuts - with their favorable fatty acids - help lower total
cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. This, and their fiber and bioactive contents, make
nuts a great protector of your heart.
Putting a stop to oxidation

Walnuts, almonds, and pecans are rich in vitamin E - an important antioxidant.
Vitamin E increases LDL cholesterol's resistance to oxidation ... it's oxidized LDL
that builds up the dangerous plaque in your arteries.
Reducing inflammation
Inflammation is your body's response to injury ... and a main process in the
development of atherosclerosis. When your cardiovascular system is at risk, a large
number of inflammatory markers ... C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and
fibrinogen ... are swarming around in your blood.
The higher the number of inflammatory markers - the higher your risk of
cardiovascular disease.
In a recent study, eating nuts was found to lower the levels of these risk markers.
Again, the arginine in nuts may be the protective component ... in a separate study,
arginine rich foods - including nuts and fish - reduced the risk by 30%.

Protect your cardiovascular system

In a study of more than 34,000 Seventh Day Adventists in California ... those who
ate nuts regularly - five or more times a week - had a third less risk of heart disease
... over their whole lifetime.
Start eating more nuts and protect your cardiovascular system ... reduce
inflammation, fight oxidation, lower bad cholesterol, drop your blood pressure.
Choose wisely
"No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut"
Channing Pollock
Are you allergic to nuts?

About one percent of the US population is allergic to nuts...the cause of the majority
of severe allergic reactions to food. If you are one of the unfortunate few allergic to
nuts, don't despair, you can still get beneficial omega-3 fatty acids from fish.
Nuts in the shell last longer

Whole nuts - still in their shells - will last up to a year, easily. Just keep them in a
cool, dry place.
Nuts that are chopped or sliced are more convenient ... especially if you're using
them for cooking. Chopped nuts saves you some work, but they will go rancid
faster. Sort out any nuts that look moldy. To get the most nutrition from nuts, be
sure they're fresh.
Crack open some walnuts

Of all the nuts, walnuts have the best mix of fatty acids and they are also rich in
arginine, folate, fiber, tannins, and polyphenols. Put some of these tasty treats in
your daily nut snack.

Target 27
Keep the doctor away with apples

"And walk among long dappled grass, and pluck till time and times are done,
the silver apples of the moon, the golden apples of the sun." - William Butler Yeats
The crunch and juiciness of a fresh apple refreshes you on a sunny day. The
tantalizing smell of apples baking in the oven makes chilly autumn evenings a
pleasure. Apples are a delicious, comforting way to maintain your health ... and
protect your heart.
Apples have always been a crisp, refreshing snack and a symbol of wholesome
goodness. They contain no sodium, no fat, no cholesterol ... and their fiber and
antioxidants are great for your health.
Eat more apples ... put their fibers and antioxidants to work for you.
Action plan
Eat two or three apples a day - eat them as a snack ... apples
are so easy to carry with you.
Add apples to your meals - add a refreshing crunch to fruit

salad, place little burst of sweetness in a coleslaw, eat slices
with oatmeal or muesli.
Have apples for dessert - slices of sweet apple dusted with

cinnamon ... baked apples filled with walnuts, raisins, and
spices.

A brief history
"Art though the topmost apple the gatherers could reach, reddening on the bough? Shall I not take thee?"
William Bliss Carman
A long time favorite snack

The apple tree - actually part of the rose family - originated in Eastern Europe ... it
has since spread to every temperate region of the world. Archaeologists have found
evidence that humans have been snacking on apples since at least 6500 BC.
In the 13th century BC, Ramses II ordered various varieties of apples to be

cultivated in the Nile Delta. By the 7th century BC, the Greeks also were growing
apples ... these were so popular and expensive that a bridal couple were given just
one apple to share ... on their wedding night.
Many centuries later - in America - a man loved apples so much he spread apple
orchards over much of the eastern US. John Chapman's love for apples inspired the
legend of a barefoot Johnny Appleseed ... traveling across America, his pockets full
of seeds, tossing them randomly and creating a country full of apple trees.
A symbol of many meanings

To the Norsemen, apples were a symbol of long life, wisdom, and love. The
goddess Idunn fed apples of immortality to the gods ... keeping them young
forever.
Ancient Greeks and Romans saw the apple as a symbol of love and beauty ... and
believed apples to be aphrodisiacs. In fact, throwing an apple at someone's bed was
the ancient Greek's way of inviting them for a romp in the hay.
In the early Christian religion, pagan symbols were often incorporated ... the apple
found its place as the tree of forbidden knowledge. In Latin, malum has two
meanings - apple and evil. Thus, the innocent apple became the symbol of forbidden
fruit and sin.
On coats of arms, the apple symbolizes liberality, peace, and happiness ... the
reason the Beatles chose it for their record company.

Bobbing for apples

The Romans brought the first apples to the British Isles. The Celts saw the apple -
with its seeds that formed the mystical pentagram - as a symbol of fertility. They
believed the apple could be used during the magical time of Samhain ... to
determine marriages.
During the annual celebration - which later became Halloween - young unmarried
people tried to bite into an apple hanging from a string or floating in water. The
first to bite into an apple would be the next to marry. Marriage and fertility were
very important at that time ... without a good supply of children there wouldn't be
the labor needed to run a farm and to survive.
It wasn't until much later that bobbing for apples became a fun game. And a
healthy game ... if you eat the apple.
Early apple medicine

Hippocrates believed the apple had healing power for many ailments. It was he
who first prescribed eating an apple after dinner - for its digestive qualities. To this
day apples are often served for dessert.
In old folk medicine ... apples were also used to treat the flu, fever, heart problems,
and bronchial complaints. Apples were prescribed to decongest the nose, clear the
chest, and speed recovery from an illness.
An old cookbook found in Slovenia had this to say about apples ... "Anyone with a
heart condition should eat apples as they contain a substance that strengthens the
heart muscle and purifies the blood."
An apple a day keeps the doctor away

This popular saying is thought to be from an old Welsh proverb in the 1800s, "Ate
an apfel avore gwain to bed, makes the doctor beg his bread."
In earlier times, there were no government organizations distributing pamphlets

about the importance of eating fruit and vegetables. There were no health
magazines, no nutritionists. People simply recognized healthy foods ... and apples
were high on their list. Again, this is an example of how old folk tales are being
proved correct.

An apple a day is good for you. Actually, two or three apples a day ... even better.
Unfortunately, the average American eats about one apple a week. With all the
good that apples can do for your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and digestion ...
it's high time to start crunching into more apples.
How apples help fight hypertension

"I know the look of an apple that is roasting and sizzling on the hearth on a winter's evening, and I know
the comfort that comes of eating it hot, along with some sugar and a drench of cream" - Mark Twain
Quercetin helps your arteries dilate

Of all fruits, apples have the second highest level of phenolics and antioxidant
activity ... second only to cranberries. The main antioxidant is quercetin - found also
in onions and green tea.
A recent study in Spain showed how quercetin lowers blood pressure and
improves the function of the lining of the arteries. Quercetin reduces free radicals
and enhances the activity of nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide is required to activate the dilation of your arteries and lower your
blood pressure. Eat lots of apples and keep your arteries' lining healthy and
working properly ... to regulate your blood pressure.
Apple's fiber lowers cholesterol

Two to three apples a day can help you achieve healthy cholesterol levels.
The flesh of the apple contains a large amount of the soluble fiber - pectin. Pectin
forms a gel-like substance when it dissolves in your stomach ... binds with
cholesterol and bile acids that digest fats ... and removes them. In this way apples
help you keep your cholesterol levels low.
Eating apples daily reduces cholesterol in the blood and in the liver. In a French
study, daily apple intake reduced cholesterol levels 16%.

Antioxidants protect the heart and brain

The flavonoids in apples inhibit oxidation of LDL - the bad cholesterol - and reduce
the chance of blood clots. Eating lots of apples will give you greater protection
against coronary heart disease and stroke. In a study in Finland, those who ate lots
of apples and onions - and their beneficial flavonoids - had a much lower risk of
coronary disease.
More benefits
"But I, when I undress me, each night, upon my knees, will ask the lord to bless me,
with apple-pie and cheese" - Eugene Field
Whole apples protect you against diabetes

Whole apples with their full complement of fiber, keep your insulin levels from
rising rapidly ... they also avoid the sudden rebound drop in blood sugar levels
after digestion. This rebound is more noticeable after drinking apple juice or eating
apple puree. With the whole apple, the fiber slows the break down of the apple's
fructose ... keeping blood sugar stable.
Eat the whole apple and protect your body from the peaks in blood sugar that can
lead to diabetes.
The fat fighter snack

Eating apples instead of a snack - like a cookie - keeps your blood sugar levels
down ... and can help you lose weight. The fiber in apples also satisfies your
appetite - it leaves you feeling satiated and cuts your intake.
Apples are also a handy snack to carry with you ... anywhere.
Apples keep your innards happy

The insoluble fiber in apples - roughage, as your grandmother used to say - holds
lots of water and gives bulk to waste material going through the intestinal tract.
Bulky stools move quickly through the digestive system ... cleansing as they go.
Fiber in the digestive tract prevents constipation and the problems associated with
it. Eat lots of apples and other foods high in fiber ... avoid irritable bowel syndrome,

diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids.
Follow the age-old advice of Hippocrates ... eat an apple for dessert.
Choose wisely
"A bad tree does not yield good apples" - Danish proverb
Buy organic apples

Apples are listed in the US governments top seven foods for pesticide residues.
Eating conventionally grown apples could give you an unhealthy cocktail of
different pesticides.
A large number of different chemicals are freely used on a lot of the produce we eat
... you need to minimize your exposure. Find a health food store or organic farmer
in your area ... load up on healthy, natural apples.
Shop for apples by touch ... they should be smooth, unbruised, and hard. Apples
that are in good condition will keep for months in a cold place.
Don't peel the apple ... don't toss the core

Eat the whole apple ... it's a whole package of goodness. Those powerful
antioxidants aren't very concentrated in the sweet flesh ... quercetin and catechin
are found mainly in the peel, chlorogenic acid is mostly in the core, and phloridzin
is in the seeds. The apple peels especially have potent antioxidant activity.
Also, most of the insoluble fiber is in the skin of the apple.
Eating the whole apple will do a lot more for your body. If you peel the apple and
toss the core ... you're throwing away the healthiest parts.
Apple juice won't give your body anywhere near the amount of antioxidants that a
whole apple can. Apple juice only has 3-10% of the antioxidants found in an apple.
Eat the whole fruit ... the way nature intended it to be eaten.

Real apple vs supplements

When you eat an apple whole, the pectin and the polyphenols work well together to
lower cholesterol and tryglicerides. Working in combination, these helpers can do
much more for your cardiovascular system ... then they can do working solo.
Again, we see that getting your nutrients from whole foods is more beneficial than
from individual supplements.
Enjoy sweet, succulent apples everyday ... they really do keep the doctor away.

Week 11
Take care of your breathing

"If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself"
Leon Eldred
If you're a smoker ... this will be the big week for you ... the end of your slavery to
the nicotine master.
And as your lungs clear out ... you'll be able to improve your way of breathing too.
This week your heart will love you ... but so will your lungs.
Target 28: Quit smoking - for good

Target 29: Breathe slowly, breathe deeply

Target 28
Quit smoking - for good

"My smoking might be bothering you, but it's killing me" - Colette
It's no news that smoking is dangerous for you ... we all know the horror stories of
lung cancer. Smoking also vastly increases your risk of heart attack or stroke. In
fact, smoking causes a third of all deaths from cardiovascular disease.
Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death - in the US, it has been estimated
that the number of people killed by smoking ... equals a fully loaded 747 crashing
and killing all passengers - every day.
This addictive killer damages the all-important linings of your arteries ... and
pumps up your blood pressure.
Action plan
Quit smoking - no ands, ifs, or butts ... you must quit this
deadly habit, today!
Make new habits - instead of lighting up ... drink a glass of

water ... munch an apple ... do some relaxing breathing.
Get support - enlist your family, friends, co-workers. Join a

support group.
Look forward to the rewards - of a happy, healthy smoke-free

life.

A brief history
"...'tis a plague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, health, devilish and damned tobacco,
the ruin and overthrow of body and soul" - Robert Burton
A dubious gift from the Great Spirit

The Huron Indians tell a myth ... of a time when the land was barren and the people
were starving. The Great Spirit sent a woman to save the people. She traveled
across the land ... wherever her right hand touched the soil, potatoes grew ...
wherever her left hand touched the soil corn sprang up.
After she had made the land fertile, she sat down for a rest. When she arose,
tobacco grew on the spot.
Smoking religiously
Tobacco grew in much of the Americas. South American Indians smoked tobacco in
pipes or rolled into a crude cigar. A complex system of religious rites was
developed around tobacco.
The North American Indians soon picked up the custom ... they adapted smoking
to their own religion - believing that the almighty Manitou revealed himself in the
smoke.
Worthless smelly leaves

Columbus was the first European to find tobacco ... it was presented to him by
Indians, who suspected he might be a god. The smelly leaves were seen as
worthless by Columbus, who threw them away.
Later European explorers brought tobacco to the Old World ... and doomed a large
portion of mankind to a strong and deadly addiction.
First signs of danger

As early as 1602, an unknown author wrote Worke of Chimney Sweepers ... stating
that tobacco smokers might face the same illnesses that plagued chimney sweeps.
He believed that soot was the cause.

More writings about the dangers of smoking started to appear by the late 1700s.
The first medical reports linking lung cancer to smoking came in the 1920s ... but,
many newspapers refused to publish these reports - they didn't want to offend the
mighty tobacco companies.
How smoking causes hypertension

"I want all hellions to quit puffing that hell fume in God's clean air" - Carry Nation
Nicotine pushes up the blood pressure

When you smoke your first cigarette, it causes an immediate and large increase in
your blood pressure. If you are smoking regularly throughout the day ... your blood
pressure stays up there, never giving your system a break.
Since smoking affects your daytime blood pressure - quitting can soon bring it
down. A study in Italy showed ... those who stopped smoking for a day ... had
much lower blood pressure than usual. By quitting smoking, you immediately cut
the daytime highs brought on by your bad habit. Quit for good ... keep those blood
pressure numbers down.
Damaging your artery walls

Smoking puts a whole batch of dangerous chemicals and oxidants in your system.
Oxygen free radicals - from tobacco smoke - roam around your body, causing
serious damage to the lining of your arteries. The lesions caused by these radicals ...
are the first step in the process of building up plaque on your artery walls. Plaque
that hardens your arteries in the deadly disease ... atherosclerosis.
Cigarette smoking increases the rate of atherosclerosis by 50% or more. And the
impact of smoking is greatest ... if you have hypertension.
Smoking damages your arteries ... causing atherosclerosis and stiffening your
arteries ... increasing blood pressure ... and then, it makes the problem even worse
when you have high blood pressure. Smoking is a vicious cycle ... leading to death.
Get off the cycle today!

Can't dilate, won't dilate

When the lining of your arteries is damaged by smoking ... and the resulting
atherosclerosis ... the ability to dilate is seriously impaired. As the plaque build-up
increases - the normal dilation of your arteries decreases.
When your arteries can't dilate ... blood pressure stays up. The damaged artery
lining - which controls dilation of your arteries when blood flow pushes up the
pressure - can't react properly. Blood pressure rises unchecked ... a dangerous
condition.
There's hope yet

No matter how long you've been smoking, quitting can quickly cut your risk in half.
Year by year, your risk of dying from smoking will disappear ... years from now
you'll be as healthy as the non-smokers.
Quit smoking today ... your risk of dying from coronary heart disease will drop ...
along with your blood pressure. Do it today - don't wait until it's too late.
More dangers
"A custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain,
dangerous to the lungs, and in the black, stinking fume thereof nearest resembling
the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit that is bottomless" - King James I
Smoking constricts your arteries ... combined with high blood pressure, this puts
you at risk for a number of problems - some are deadly, one could ruin your
outlook on life.
A danger to your brain

High blood pressure puts you at a danger of stroke or hemorrhage ... either one is
debilitating, if not deadly. Smoking increases your risk.
In a study of over 60,000 men and women, current smokers had a much higher risk
of blood clots or ruptured arteries in the brain. The risk of stroke or hemorrhage
depends on how many cigarettes you smoke. Obviously, zero is a very good
number - quit now!

Smoking claps out your kidneys

Hypertension can lead to kidney failure in serious cases. Smoking is the most
powerful factor in damaging your kidneys ... especially if you have high blood
pressure. The more you smoke - the greater the risk of kidney disease and kidney
failure.
By constricting the arteries, smoke makes it much harder for your kidneys to do
their daily job ... filtering all your blood and keeping you clean and healthy. Putting
a lot of stress on your kidneys wears them out.
Watch your sex life go up in smoke

Erectile dysfunction affects over 30 million men in the US alone. Smoking has been
pointed out as a risk factor for impotence ... smoking and hypertension together
seriously multiply the risk.
Smoking constricts arteries and reduces blood flow. Since a strong erection is
dependent on good penile blood flow ... the flow problems caused by smoking and
hypertension combined, can have a terrible damping on your sex life. A recent
study showed that smokers were 26 times more likely to have erectile dysfunction
than non-smokers.
Fortunately, there is evidence that quitting can restore or improve erectile function.
Quit your cigarettes now - before your sex life goes up in smoke.
Quit well
"It's easy to quit smoking, I've done it hundreds of times" - Mark Twain
Just do it!
Yes, quitting smoking isn't easy - tobacco is a highly addictive drug. But it can be
done ... you just have to make the decision ... and stick to it. No waffling is allowed.
No putting it off until....
Quitting smoking is going to save your life - with a big reduction of risk for such
nasty diseases as lung cancer, throat cancer, heart disease, hypertension,
emphysema, and many more nasties. It's going to make you feel better ... more
stamina, fewer sore throats, and no more early morning hacking stints. It's going to

make you look better ... no more yellow teeth and fingers, smoother skin. It's going
to make you smell better ... no more people avoiding your stale tobacco breath. It's
going to improve your sense of smell and taste ... start really enjoying life again.
And think of all the neat things you can do ... with all that money you'll save.
Quit smoking! Just do it!
Kick the habit - make new habits

Smoking is an addiction ... but it is also a really bad habit. Think about the things
that trigger your smoking. When do you smoke? What are you doing when you
smoke? Avoid the situations that make you want to light one up.
Do something else. When that urge hits ... it's a perfect time to do your yogic
breathing. Eat an apple ... go for a walk ... drink some water. Swap these good
habits for your deadly habit.
Get support
Enlist the help of your friends ... join a support group ... hang out with non-
smokers. Tell your friends about your milestones ... your successes along the road
to a smoke-free life. (See Resources p 228 for more support help)
Be loud. Be proud. Be smoke-free.
It's only two weeks vs your life

Yes, you may crave cigarettes ... yes, you may feel irritable ... yes, you may even get
headaches. These are the symptoms of withdrawal - weaning your body off the
poisonous nicotine in tobacco.
Withdrawal symptoms occur during the first two weeks of quitting ... be tough ...
stay in control ... see your reward. Remind yourself of all the reasons for quitting.
Remind yourself that the symptoms are merely signs that your body is healing. You
can live without cigarettes ... you can't live with them.
The discomfort of withdrawal is nothing ... compared to the symptoms of heart

disease, stroke, erectile dysfunction, cancer. Two weeks ... only two weeks ... a small
price to pay for freedom - freedom from the deadly leg-irons of tobacco.

Target 29
Breathe slowly, breathe deeply

"He lives most life whoever breathes most air" - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Breathing is a natural process. How can you improve on breathing?
Bad breathing is quite prevalent - shallow breathing that doesn't oxygenate your
blood efficiently. Bad breathing habits have to be cured ... your breathing needs to
be trained - through some easy-to-learn breath awareness.
Your breath is a perfect tool to increase your health. By breathing properly, you can
get vital oxygen into your body's cells ... re-energizing your body functions ... and
lowering blood pressure.
Action plan
Do yogic breathing - breathe in for the count of 4 ... hold for 7

... breathe out for 8. Work your way up from 4 reps to 8 reps in
one set. Don't do more than 8 reps in any one session.
Do yogic breating at least 4-5 times a day - and do one set

during your lunchtime to avoid an afternoon peak in blood
pressure.
Avoid stress with yogic breathing - do a set whenever you are

faced with a stressful situation. Take time out.
Do a full-body relaxation and breathing exercise - as part of

your bedtime routine ... to get fully relaxed before sleeping.
Breathe to slow, rhythmic music - use the cues to slow your

breathing to less than 10 breaths per minute. Do for 15 minutes
a day.

A brief history
"Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness,
which unites your body to your thoughts" - Thich Nhat Hanh
With each inhalation, oxygen-rich air enters your lungs. With each exhalation waste
air is eliminated from the body. The oxygen brought into your lungs is absorbed by
your bloodstream ... to be used throughout your body.
Take a deep breath and relax

Breathing should be a slow and rhythmic process - occurring naturally. However,
in times of stress ... muscles tense, breathing becomes quick and shallow. You tend
to hold your breath. Stale air builds up in the lungs, cells are starved of oxygen -
your whole body is affected. Your heart is beating rapidly ... blood pressure is up.
Then someone tells you, "Take a deep breath and relax!" A slow, deep breath and
you visibly relax. Some of the tension leaves, your heart slows a bit, blood pressure
dips ... you feel more relaxed.
Yogic breathing
The breathing techniques of yoga are called pranayama. Prana is the vital force that
regulates all activities ... ayama is regulation. Yogic breathing is a way of inhaling,
exhaling, and retaining the vital prana.
Pranayama has been practiced for thousands of years in India. The ancient Aryans
felt the close association between breath and soul. Breath and life were one. They
noted that to preserve life one must preserve breath.
In an ancient text it is written, "All the gods including Lord Brahma became
devoted to the practice of pranayama because they were afraid of death. We the
mortals should follow the same path and control the breath."
We the mortals should do at least a few breathing exercises each day ... control
breath, control blood pressure - live long.
The empty vessel

Pranayama puts great emphasis on slow, controlled, and deep breathing. On
cleaning out old air and bringing in new.

Most people put importance on drawing breath ... but, it is the exhalation that is
most important in yogic breathing. All good respiration begins with a slow and
complete exhalation - the vessel is completely emptied. When the vessel is empty, it
can easily be filled.
By focusing on completely exhaling - by forcing out the stale impure air - you can
get more fresh, vitalizing air into your lungs. More pure air brings more vital
oxygen to your bloodstream. The extra oxygen purifies the blood and stimulates
healthy functions throughout your body.
How breathing helps fight hypertension

"Whatever this is that I am, it is a little flesh and breath, and the ruling part"
Marcus Aurelius
The regular breathing rate for a healthy adult is anywhere from 12 to 20 breaths a
minute. As you get older, this rate may increase ... with some people taking more
than 25 shallow breaths a minute. Breathing therapy is the conscious slowing down
of this rate for a short session.
Slowing the breath tunes up the baroreflex ...

Slow, deep breathing reduces blood pressure. Breathing at a rate of less than ten
breaths per minute has been shown to increase the sensitivity of the baroreflex
system - a system of pressure sensors that regulate your short-term blood pressure.
When the baroreflex system is working optimally, your nervous system can react
quickly to changes in blood pressure.
... slows the heart ... improves performance

Deep, slow breathing has many beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. As
you perform the breathing exercises ... the rate of your heart beat slows down,
blood flow in small vessels improves, and resistance from the smaller arteries in
your body decreases.
Guiding breath with music

A number of studies have been done ... using music or sound to guide the patients'
breathing. When patients controlled their breathing to less than 10 breaths per
minute - guided by a special device - their blood pressure dropped as much as 15

mm Hg.
Even a group of resistant hypertensives - patients whose hypertension couldn't be

controlled by conventional medicine - were able to lower their blood pressure with
just 15 minutes of daily slow breathing exercises.
Slow breathing synchronizes your system

Arterial pressure in your body rises and falls in waves at about 6 cycles per minute.
When you breathe at the slow rate that coincides with these Mayer waves ... the
synchronization of cardiovascular and respiratory systems has a beneficial effect -
modulating heart rate and baroreflex.
Slow, deep breathing is an easy, relaxing way to help bring your blood pressure
under control.
Breathe well
"And when I breathed, my breath was lightning" - Black Elk
Exercise 1: yogic breathing

A good breathing exercise to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and lower blood
pressure ... this yogic breathing follows a 4 - 7 - 8 count.
1. Breathing only through your nose, inhale slowly - filling your lungs well - for a
count of four.
2. Hold your breath - holding down with your diaphragm - for a count of seven.
3. Then, pushing up with your diaphragm, slowly exhale - emptying your lungs
completely - for a count of eight.
Repeat this breathing cycle four times. You can slowly increase to sets of eight
cycles ... but don't jump right in at a full eight. If you're not used to it, a full set of
eight can make you dizzy.
Never do more than eight cycles in one set ... yogic breathing is quite powerful.
Don't mess with it!

Yogic breathing can be done anytime in the day - you should try to do this exercise
at least 4-5 times throughout your day.
A little lunchtime breathing

Studies have shown that most people's blood pressure tends to peak in the
afternoon - especially on work days. Deep breathing can knock this blood pressure
back down by 5-6 mm Hg.
During your lunchtime break, take a few minutes to do a set of yogic breathing ...
protect against an afternoon peak in blood pressure. If possible, do another set at
teatime.
Take a stress break

When stress sneaks up on you ... when tension creeps into your shoulders ... when
your breathing is getting rapid and shallow - stop! Stop what you're doing and do a
set of yogic breathing ... take a deep, cleansing breath and put a halt to the stress
response.
Don't let stress push your blood pressure up. It only takes a couple of minutes to
get it under control - with one set of yogic breathing.
Exercise 2: full body relaxation

Another effective yoga exercise involves relaxing the whole body ... a great exercise
to do as part of your bedtime routine. Lying flat on your back, take a deep breath.
Concentrate on slowly relaxing your toes. Talk to yourself - in a slow, gentle voice -
as you do this, "I'm relaxing my toes ...... I can feel them relaxing ...... they're very
relaxed."
Breathing deeply and slowly, work your way up your body ... bottom of the feet,
top of the feet, ankles, calves ... all the way to the top of your head. This is a very
effective relaxation technique.
Don't worry if you fall asleep halfway through the exercise ... you're gonna be so
relaxed, you'll sleep like a baby.

Exercise 3: breathing with music

When you slow your breathing to less than ten breaths per minute ... you enter the
therapeutic zone of breathing. Listening to slow rhythmic stimuli - music, chanting
- and slowing your breathing to it has a good effect on your blood pressure.
There is even a device on the market made especially for controlling your breathing
... for blood pressure control. Musical tones lead you through 15 minutes of
breathing exercises, slowly bringing your breathing rate down - a wonderful,
relaxing break in your day.
Within minutes, your arteries start relaxing ... blood flows freely ... blood pressure
goes down. With regular use of this device, the beneficial effect on your blood
pressure compounds. Within weeks, you'll have a significant improvement in blood
pressure. (see Resources p 228 for more information on this innovative device)
Breathe your way to lower blood pressure

Whether you use all of the breathing exercises here ... or use just one ... breathe
slowly and deeply - reduce stress, promote relaxation, slow your heart rate, and
improve the efficiency of your blood pressure control system.
Breathe well ... your heart will love you for it.

Week 12
Have a laugh
"Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body"
Joseph Addison
Congratulations! You've gone through a lot of changes over the last 11 weeks ... and
your well set on the road to a fit and healthy life. No more worries of high blood
pressure or heart disease for you.
To celebrate, you're going to have some fun this week ... and start laughing more.
Target 30: Laugh away your stress

Target 30
Laugh away your stress

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book"
Irish proverb
Going to see a funny movie ... reading the Sunday comics ... sharing a laugh with
friends ... may just be the best thing for keeping you young and healthy. Laughter
helps reduce stress, improve mood, boost immunity ... and lower blood pressure.
Laughter really may be the best medicine.
Action plan
Laugh many times a day - make laughter a part of your life.

Don't be so serious ... look for the funny side of things ... and
let yourself laugh at them. Open your eyes to the funny things
that happen around you every day. Lighten up!
Rent a funny video - get an old slapstick movie ... a sit-com ...
a taping from a comedy club. Watch funny movies with your
friends - share a laugh. You'll find you laugh more with other
people ... it's like getting permission to laugh.
Listen to comedy on your commute - if you're driving to

work, pop a comedy routine into your car's player. Listen to a
funny story. Driving in rush hour traffic is a big stress inducer
... break the tension and relax with a good laugh.
Read the daily comics - skip the downer news on the front ...
flip directly to the comics page and laugh at your favorite
cartoon character's antics. After reading the comics, use the
newspaper to line Polly's cage ... don't spoil your good mood
by reading it. You can also check out some comics online ... I

laugh with a daily dose of Shoe and Andy Capp on my

homepage.
Go to the monkey house - visit the zoo and take some time to
watch the monkeys. Monkeys make you laugh ... they're like
strange little people that do bizarre things. For an extra laugh,
take some grapes with you ... toss some to the spider monkeys
... watch the fun unroll before your eyes as they go through the
antics of peeling them.
Make a fool of yourself - don't take yourself so serious. Act

silly and make people laugh. Laughter is contagious ... before
you know it, you'll all be laughing and shrugging off some
stress.
A brief history
"With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die"
Abraham Lincoln
A little comic relief

In movies, directors have long used comic relief. A good director builds up the
tension as much as possible ... then breaks it a bit with a funny incident, allowing
the audience a moment of relief, a chance to dump some pent-up emotion ... before
the director builds up the suspense again.
Same in real life. Stresses build and you need a release ... laughter is the way to
cleanse your system of built-up tension.

How laughter helps fight hypertension

"Studying humor is like dissecting a frog - you may know a lot but you end up with a dead frog"
Mark Twain
Stress hurts your arteries' lining

When you're stressed, your body produces stress hormones ... and they cause
changes in the lining of your blood vessels - making them constrict and upping
your blood pressure. The effects of stress last about 45 minutes, but if the stress
doesn't let up it can permanently alter your arteries.
Prolonged stress impairs this protective lining in your arteries and can lead to
inflammation ... which leads to plaque build up in the artery ... and finally a heart
attack. In fact, if you are angry or hostile often ... you have a bigger risk of heart
disease.
Stress, anxiety, depression, anger ... all contribute to heart disease and high blood
pressure. But, it seems you can laugh those troubles away.
Watching comedy relaxes your arteries

Having a good laugh actually decreases the hormones involved in the stress
response ... the same hormones that cause your arteries to tighten up and your
blood pressure to increase.
In a recent study with film viewers, watching a funny movie relaxed blood vessels
and increased blood flow by 22% ... while the same people watching a tense war
movie had their blood flow reduced by 35%.
Watching the ravages of war caused a stress response in 95% of the viewers ...
constricting their blood vessels. Of those who had a good laugh watching comedy
... most had their blood vessels dilate.
Watching a funny movie appears to improve blood vessel function. With a healthy
lining ... blood vessels have better dilation, blood pressure drops, and there's less
likelihood of forming dangerous blood clots.
Relaxed blood vessels put less strain on your heart. Enjoying a good laugh with a
funny movie will lower your blood pressure and let your heart beat easy.

Like a jog in the park

The effect of watching a funny movie is about the same as taking a jog around the
park. Your circulation improves in the same manner as it does during aerobic
exercise. Laughing stimulates the heart and lungs ... increases the oxygen level in
your blood ... it's been called "internal jogging".
But no! This doesn't mean you can forgo exercise and become a channel surfing
couch potato. The benefit of laughter is in addition to exercise - not a replacement.
Want to get the best of both ... pop some comedy into your portable player when
you go for a walk.
More benefits
"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose"
Woody Allen
Laugh down your blood sugar levels

Enjoying some humor with your meal may be a great way to keep diabetes at bay.
A study with people watching a funny video during dinner showed they had lower
blood sugar levels after a meal ... compared with those who watched a lecture.
Laughter helps control the spike in blood sugar levels that often appears after
eating a meal.
Keeping blood sugar levels moderate ... you can avoid the dangers of diabetes.
Better than watching a video, enjoy a meal with family or friends - telling jokes and
laughing together.
Boost your immunity with a good laugh

Instead of sniffling in bed with a head cold ... giggle with a friend.
Laughter not only gives you a feeling of well-being by reducing your stress
hormones ... it also boosts your natural killer T cells. This first line defense against
virus-infected cells and malignant cells is boosted by a laugh. The number of T cells
and their activity increases when you laugh ... your immunity gets stronger.

In a study, people engaged in an amusing pastime had higher levels of natural

killer T cells than those who were engaged in a more serious activity.
So laugh off colds and the flu ... laugh away cancer. In fact, humor is one of the
most frequently used complementary therapies for cancer patients.
Choose wisely
"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face" - Victor Hugo
Catch a funny movie

See one of the old Mel Brooks movies like Blazing Saddles, The Producers, or Young
Frankenstein. A Fish Called Wanda or When Harry Met Sally will have you in stitches.
The famous restaurant scene ... you'll never look at a salad the same again.
If you've never seen the older Nicholas Cage movie called Raising Arizona ... get
your hands on it. His character is an inept petty criminal with a hilarious hang-dog
face. I wept with laughter when he got dragged out from under the truck ... by
Lenny Smalls – the man with no friends. The look on his face ...
For pure slapstick, nothing beats the old Charlie Chaplin and Keystone Kops flicks.
Or, how about the 1960s movie ... It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World?
Nathan Lane's portrayal of a drag queen in Birdcage was such an opposite from his
tough guy role in Mouse Hunt ... my wife and I bust a gut.
If you like the more subtle British humour ... how about something with Hugh
Grant in it ... or Rowan Atkinson ... or, for the truly wacky, an old Monty Python
movie. I recently bought Johnny English ... have already watched it three times ...
while writing this book.
Read a funny book
Any of the Douglas Adams books will have you chortling to yourself insanely ... he
has a fantastically funny style of writing. There's his well-known Hitchhiker's Guide
to the Galaxy series ... and the very strange Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
books.
For a quirky British space adventure ... read Red Dwarf. The last human alive ...

traveling through space with an anal-retentive hologram, a self-absorbed clothes-

horse who evolved from cats, and a barmy sanitation mechanoid with an overactive
guilt chip.
The timeless books of PG Wodehouse ... starring the unflappable Jeeves and the rich
young airhead Bertie Wooster ... will bring a smile to your face and a laugh in your
belly.
For easy Sunday reading ... how about Calvin and Hobbes? Or Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory - a book that I believe was truly written for adult funny bones.
(For a list of suggested movies and books see Resources p 228)

Congrats
Where do you go from here?

"This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow"
Margaret Lindsey
Congratulations! For the past 12 weeks you've been adopting new habits ... healthy
habits that will ensure you a long life – free of chronic disease.
You've beaten high blood pressure ... and along the way, you've also bolted the
door against other demons. Diabetes, heart attack, stroke ... you've locked them out
of your life.
You've created a healthy new lifestyle for yourself. You're feeling better ... looking
better ... and, believe you me, your arteries are looking a lot better ... your heart is
happy.
Make this your lifestyle

Keep up the habits that you've developed. Stick to your Targets. This is your new,
healthy lifestyle.
Stick with this new lifestyle ... you'll live to be a healthy old guy or gal. Others will
envy your vigor ... your zest for life. A spring in your step. A twinkle in your eye.
You can brag about your blood pressure ... "Healthy as a teenager!"
Yep ... now you can look forward to a wonderful, healthy, strong future.
Why not help others? ... Help yourself?

You have a chance to bring this ... this transforming program ... to others. You have
the chance to help others fight high blood pressure ... fight disease ... fight aging.
You hold in your hand the chance to put a smile on their lips.
I'm looking for people like you ...

I need you to spread the word. I need you to help me get this guide into the hands
of ... those who need it.
And you can get paid for it too!
How? Please, go to my website and find out.
Please go to my Powerful Life Guide website:
www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com
All will be revealed

Appendix 1
Fish - which are the safest to eat?

The following information comes from The Natural Resources Defense Council and
uses data supplied by the FDA and EPA agencies. It applies to fish caught and sold
commercially.
Use this as a guide for making good choices when buying fish ... try choosing from
the low-mercury list as much as possible.
But – most importantly – keep eating lots of fish.
The eat-anytime list

All fish on this list contain less than 0.12 part per million of mercury ... they can be
safely enjoyed as a regular part of your diet.
Trout (freshwater) Hake

Sturgeon (farmed) Haddock *
Sardines Flounder *
Oysters Scallops
Tilapia Perch (ocean)
Clams Whitefish
Shrimp * Catfish
Salmon ** Pollock
Crawfish/crayfish Crab (king) *
Sole Caviar (farmed)
Shad Calamari (squid)
Lobster (spiny/rock) Butterfish
Herring Anchovies

The eat-once-in-a-while list

The fish in this list contain between 0.12 and 0.25 parts per million of mercury. For
pregnant women, these fish should be restricted to six servings a month ... other
adults can still quite safely eat these fish more regularly.
Tuna (fresh Pacific albacore) Herring

Tuna (canned, chunk light) Crab (blue)
Cod * Snapper *
Skate Crab (dungeness)
Perch (freshwater) Mahi Mahi
Monkfish * Carp
Crab (snow)
The eat-only-sometimes list

The fish in this list contain from 0.26 to 0.55 parts per million of mercury. Although
they can be enjoyed sometimes, you shouldn't eat these fish regularly - to avoid
building up mercury in your body.
Lobster (American/Maine) Tuna (fresh bluefin, ahi)

Bluefish Halibut *
Sea trout Croacker
Tuna (canned, white albacore) *** Bass (saltwater) *
The forget-about-eating-these list

These fish contain over 0.55 parts per million of mercury and should be avoided.
Mackerel (king) Orange roughy *

Shark * Marlin *
Swordfish Grouper *
Tilefish *
Notes about some fish

* Fish that have been marked with an asterix (*) are either depleted due to
overfishing or the methods used to catch them are especially damaging to their
habitat or other fish. For the sake of our environment ... please avoid or limit eating
these.

** It is best to eat wild salmon whenever possible. Eating farmed salmon runs the
risk of ingesting PCBs - although banned a long time ago, PCBs still remain in the
environment and can show up in farmed salmon. Farmed salmon are also fed an
unnatural diet and antibiotics. Their flesh has less of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids
... and more unhealthy compounds. (see Resources p 228 for wild salmon)
*** There is a small commercial fishery on the West Coast of the US that has been
specializing in low-mercury albacore tuna. Carvalho Fisheries uses only 3-year old
albacore tuna for their Wild Planet "minimal mercury" product - most canned tuna is
from 12-year old fish and has built up a lot more mercury. The 3-year old tuna
contains 25% of the mercury of older fish ... Wild Planet Minimal Mercury Albacore
has tested at an average of 0.15 parts per million. (see Resources p 228 for more
information)

Resources
Just for my "Get Natural! Drop Your Blood Pressure" readers, I've created a special
resource site. It contains up-to-date links to help you find products and services
mentioned in this book.
I've scoured high and low to find you the highest-quality products and the best
prices ... and I continue to do so. The site is regularly updated to keep in step with
the ever-changing marketplace.
Please, feel free to make good use of this valuable resource. Go to:
www.powerfulrecommend.com

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Drop Your Blood Pressure 1

Drop Your Blood Pressure

Your easy step-by-step plan to a healthy long life

Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

A message from the author

Hello! I'm Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide. I

A major part of a powerful life is ... health. In this

You will be entertained along the way, you will be

To a long and powerful life,

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Introduction 5 Week 7 127

Week 6 102 Congrats 223

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Just 12 easy weeks

Each Target is placed where it is for a reason.

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Quench your body's thirst

But, you will be dumping sodas out of your life.

Please turn the page and get started on:

Target 1: Drink a lot of cool, clear water

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Drink a lot of cool, clear water

Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day - drink even more

Look for opportunities to drink water - throughout your day

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Drink a glass of water about a half hour before eating a meal

Carry an insulated thermos bottle of fresh water - wherever

Life on Earth has evolved around water.

The importance of water to civilization

The quest for pure water

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

The religion of water

Water is a purifier in most religions. In Christian churches, water is used to baptize

Cleanses your body too

Your body loses water every day

This lost water has to be constantly replaced.

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

How water helps fight hypertension

Most people don't drink enough water

Hypertension and your body's drought plan

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Take a burden of your hard working kidneys

Controlling your body weight with a glass of water

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Keep your digestion flowing like a river

Your hardworking brain needs lots of water

The beauty drink

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Are you drinking enough?

Does it have to be water?

Water ... accept no substitutes!

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Which is better - bottled or tap?

Another source of contamination is the minute traces of drugs starting to show up

Put a filter on your tap

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com

Drink just a couple of cups of coffee

Buy some premium coffee - make your coffee drinking about

Frisky goats found coffee berries

© 2006 Kevin Riley, the Powerful Life Guide www.PowerfulLifeGuide.com