Last Saturday January 11th I spoke at Lakewood Church's Young at Heart Ministry in Houston, TX on the Top 5 Eating Lifestyles to kick off the New Year. Below are my notes from my wellness talk. 

KETOGENIC DIET
The Ketogenic Diet or Keto diet was created by the pediatric epilepsy team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1920s and has used the high fat, low carbohydrate diet to address seizures in children and adults.

The diet causes the break down of fat deposits for fuel and creates substances called ketones through a process called ketosis.

It sounds contrary to common sense, but it allows the body to burn fat as a fuel, rather than carbohydrates. It takes about 3 days to get the body into ketosis. Then the weight will start coming off.

Don’t rely on your scale for encouragement as some people will lose inches before seeing the actual pounds coming off. Weighing once or twice a week is enough.

Keto works best for weight loss and improving overall health when you only eat healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, coconut oil, Brazil nuts, seeds, oily fish such as salmon, anchovies, and olive oil are liberally added to the diet to maintain an overall emphasis on fat. There are many books on Keto.

All of your fats in the diet must be healthy fats. Healthy fats will improve your brain health with better focus and less stress. It can lower the risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, high cholesterol and cancer as good fats promote better health.

It’s only the bad fats from fried foods, most cooking oils, junk food, fast food and processed carbohydrates that will lead to disease.

The Ketogenic Diet is low carb and it was something that taught me to relearn the way I eat. I have a friend of mine who has lost 35lbs on the Keto Diet and feels better than ever. I’ve lost 10lbs during the holidays by following the diet as close as possible.

The only drawback with the Keto Diet is when you stop it you can gain weight back quickly as any type of sugar will flood the system and put you back to square one. It is best  to slowly transition into one of the lifestyles I’m about to explain to maintain a healthy weight.

Ladies, ever wake up in the morning and you go stand on the scale and wonder where the 3-4lbs came from the day before?

Look at your diet the day before. For every 1 gram of bad carbohydrate you eat will cause you to retain 3.5 grams of water weight. So if you eat a piece of cake with 400 grams of sugar in it, you will retain 1400 grams of water weight.

The Risk:
This diet has risks including ketoacidosis for people with Type 1 diabetes, however, it is highly recommended for those with Type 2 Diabetes.


PALEO DIET (referred to as The Caveman Diet)
This is a natural way of eating, one that almost abandons all intake of sugar. The only sugar in a Paleo diet comes from fruit. However, abandoning sugar is not the only stipulation.

• You could say this diet may have been something Adam and Eve ate in the garden, but one piece of fruit ruined it all.
• Processed foods and grains are also eliminated from the Paleo diet. That means no breads or pastries of any kind. So no Olive Garden if you go Paleo and in a Paleo diet, dairy is also eliminated so definitely kiss Tex-Mex goodbye as no cheese is allowed.
• The fewer number of carbohydrates in your system leads to a decreased amount of glucose. So your system will then begin to use fat as its fuel source. Just like it will with Keto.
• So what can be eaten?
• A Paleo diet consists of fish, chicken, vegetables, some fruits such as apples and berries because they are low in sugar and high in fiber, nuts, coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, sweet potatoes, eggs and meat, so long as that meat is grass-fed and not grain-fed.
• If you are diabetic, check with your doctor before trying the Paleo Diet.
• Also, there are many companies who are creating foods for those doing the Keto or Paleo diets. We live in a world of desired convenience and many people are making it happen.

VEGETARIAN DIET
There are various types of vegetarians: The majority of vegetarians are lacto-ovo vegetarians, in other words, they do not eat animal-based foods, except for eggs, dairy, and honey.

Studies over the last few years have shown that vegetarians have a lower body weight, suffer less from diseases, and typically have a longer life expectancy than people who eat meat.

The two risks of being vegetarian is the lack of Vitamin B12, so one must supplement B12 to make sure they do not become anemic. The other risk is the lack of animal based EPA and DHA we get from our omega-3s. There is a major argument about plant based Omega-3s, which have not shown to actually cross over into the brain.

I prefer fish oil over flaxseed oil for brain health. Flaxseed oil is great for your hair, skin and cardiovascular system. Fish oil is great for your brain, cardiovascular system and your eye health.

An acquaintance of mine, guitarist Steve Vai has been vegetarian for over 30 years. He actually credits the vegetarian lifestyle to his creativity in writing music. I would agree with him as eating sugar, bad fats and oils lead to depression, poor mental health and less vitality.

Some of today’s pro athletes are embracing vegetarianism as well as veganism, so now a controversy has erupted as some of them are getting more injuries, especially those in contact sports such as football, basketball and soccer.

If you are eating a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle look into using pea protein and brown rice protein to make sure you muscles are getting what they need.

The biggest no-no in vegetarianism and veganism is using soy products. Soy is a hormonal disrupter and will cause hypothyroidism, lower testosterone levels in men and cause a woman to have a hormonal imbalance.
Vegetarian parents are not aware of the dangers of soy products in children as soy should never be used as a baby formula or food in any child as it can lead to ADD or ADHD and possible increase in allergies.

VEGAN DIET
Veganism is more of a way of life and a philosophy than a diet. A vegan does not eat anything that is animal-based, including eggs, dairy, and honey. Vegans do not usually adopt veganism just for health reasons, but also for environmental, ethical, political and compassionate reasons.

Vegans believe that modern farming methods are bad for our environment and unsustainable in the long-term. If everybody ate plant-based food, the environment would benefit, animals would suffer less, more food would be produced, and people would generally enjoy better physical and mental health, according to vegans.

I interviewed guitarist Phil Collen of the band Def Leppard and he’s been vegetarian for over 20 years and he’s been vegan for the last 7 years. He is now 61 years old and looks like he’s barely in his 40s. He told me his energy levels are so high that he can do a 2 hour concert with the band and walk off stage and come back and do it all over again. Paul McCarthy and other celebs are vegan and still perform into their late 70s.

Eating healthy food and again removing all the bad fats, bad sugars and processed foods from our body will renew our youth at any age. Everyone will see improvements in their overall health, improved brain function, improved cardiovascular health and I’ve seen people healed of cancer by eating healthier and avoiding sugar as it feeds and causes cancer to grow.

At least we know Jesus wasn’t vegan and He wasn’t on the Keto diet as the fishes and loaves proved that point. And he dipped bread at the Last Supper. So He wasn’t against grains or carbohydrates. I’m thinking He was more into the Mediterranean diet since He did turn water into wine. So let me wrap up with the Mediterranean diet, which is considered the healthiest eating lifestyle in the world.

MEDITERRANEAN DIET
The Mediterranean diet is Southern European, and focuses on the nutritional habits of the people of Crete, Greece, southern Italy, southern France and Spain.

The emphasis is on lots of plant foods, fresh fruits as dessert, beans, nuts, whole grains, seeds, olive oil as the main source of dietary fats. Cheese and yogurts are the main dairy foods and these have to be organic and not processed. All store bought yogurt is processed and has sugar in it. I never buy unless it’s the plain White Mountain brand.

The diet also includes moderate amounts of fish and poultry, up to about four eggs per week, small amounts of red meat, and low to moderate amounts of wine. There are some great books on the Mediterranean diet so I encourage you to check them out.

I want to say something about olive oil. Only eat it raw and never fry with olive oil. You are not creating better health by frying with olive oil. It will convert to trans fatty acids which will damage your health. Trans fats are bad for your arteries, your liver and your brain.

Frying is a no-no, but if you must fry use coconut oil or macadamia oil as these are safe at high heat.

Up to one-third of the Mediterranean diet consists of fat, with saturated fats not exceeding 8 percent of calorie intake. The Mediterranean diet is the most extensively studied diet to date, with reliable research supporting its use for improving a person's quality of life and lowering disease risk.

So there you have it. The 5 Top Healthy Eating Lifestyles which are not diets. 

by Ward W. Bond, PhD

The immune system is your body’s main defense against infection. This system consists of the tonsils, thymus gland, lymph nodes, B, T and NK cells, antibodies and cytokines. All of these work together to protect you from bad bacteria, viruses and even cancer. Below is a list of nutrients and herbal compounds to help keep you and your immune system healthy.

Arabinogalactans
Compounds found in various plants, such as the Western Larch tree. Arabinogalactans stimulate the activity of NK cells (decreased NK cell activity is associated with several chronic diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome); appears to enhance response to bacterial infection and has decreased severity and occurrence of ear infections.

Garlic
This smelly herb activates macrophages, cells that destroy microbes, and appears to activate NK cells; has reduced duration of colds and provided relief in a number of studies. It will help to lower high cholesterol as well.

Medicinal Mushrooms
Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake and others stimulate macrophages and have been used extensively in the fight against cancer. These are also used as pain relievers. Maitake is the better choice as it works in reducing cardiovascular disease. See MushroomWisdom.com for the best in medicinal mushrooms

Astragalus
Stimulates many immune-system components, including macrophages, T cells and antibody production; in Chinese studies, use during cold and flu season has reduced number and duration of upper respiratory infections. This herb is safe for those with autoimmune disorders as it does not over stimulate the immune system.

Raw Thymus Extract
This is one of my favorites. Thymus extracts have been important in fighting viral conditions such as Hepatitis C. Thymus extracts work to improve thymus gland function which is the heart of our immune system. This is vitally important for the elderly, because as we get older the thymus gland gets smaller which decreases our immune function.

Zinc
A deficiency reduces functioning of T and B cells, and of immune system chemicals; has reduced length of illness when used at the very first sign of a cold. It is best to take Zinc with Vitamin A, as both are needed for each one to work properly in the human body.

Vitamins A, C & E
These antioxidant vitamins play an important role in many bodily functions; vitamin C is water-soluble, while A and E are both fat-soluble. Vitamin A deficiency causes decreased infection resistance; vitamin C usage has reduced cold severity and duration; vitamin E helps to improve immune response in older people.

The popularity of maitake, reishi, turkey tail, and other mushroom supplements has been steadily increasing as more consumers learn of their potential to protect and improve cardiovascular and immune health, deter aging, boost sexual function, support brain function, and help manage stress. Shoppers have many products to choose from, which may appear to be similar. However, there are distinct differences in types of commercial products that are worth investigation.

Mushroom Anatomy
A mushroom begins its life as mycelia, a network of root-like structures that grow beneath the surface of the growth medium. It then develops a fruiting body, which we know as a mushroom. The mushroom is the reproductive stage just as an apple is the reproductive fruiting body of a tree. Supplements can be produced from either the mycelium or fruiting body (the actual mushroom).

Generally, mushroom fruiting bodies are more complex than mycelia with more medicinal properties. Historically, this is the part that has been used as medicine. Technically, only the fruiting body can be called a mushroom, and, according to FDA, supplements from mycelia cannot be labeled as mushrooms. Poria and chaga are unique in that they only occur as a solid hard mass of mycelium, termed a sclerotium. Also, cultured cordyceps is only available as mycelia.
Cultivation and ProcessingMushroom CultivationThe growth medium for mushroom cultivation can be grain (usually rice) or a natural native wood substrate, such as oak or birch. Mushrooms grown on wood contain precursors to important metabolites, which are lacking in mycelium grown on grain. Mycelia extracts grown on grain are cheaper to produce. However, they are usually mixed with grain since it is nearly impossible to separate mycelia from the grain substrate. As a result, the mixture of mycelia and grain substrate used as an ingredient naturally contains more starch and less medicinal compounds (beta glucans). The lack of medicinal compounds makes it gram for gram the most expensive product on the market.

Mushroom Extracts
Mushroom supplements are available as whole mushroom powders or extracts. Mushroom extracts (liquids, tablets, and capsules) are more concentrated than crude mushroom powders. True mushroom extracts are made from the fruiting body, though as mentioned some products are derived from mycelia.
Mushrooms can be extracted with hot water or alcohol. Hot water extract is the method of extraction in traditional herbal practice. Most of the active compounds of mushrooms are water-soluble, though some compounds are soluble in alcohol. Both water and alcohol extracts contain medicinally important compounds. This is particularly true for reishi and poria, which should be double-extracted with both hot water and alcohol to obtain the maximum range of beneficial constituents.

Check the Label
Even though a product label may say “mushroom,” check the Supplement Facts Panel to see if it is actual mushroom or mycelium on grain. It is a requirement for companies to indicate the material used and whether there are other substances present. Some companies may state that the product is a combination of mushrooms and mycelium but may not disclose percentages of each. Since mushrooms are more expensive, they are more likely to be in smaller quantities. In addition, it is very important to check if the product is made from mushroom extract. An extract usually contains a higher concentration of active compounds compared to mushroom powder.

The Importance of Medicinal Mushrooms
Many people depend on mushrooms to improve and maintain their health. So, it is important to understand the different growing and manufacturing processes. Traditional herbal wisdom and the bulk of scientific research tell us that extracts of mushroom fruiting bodies can be relied on for biologically active constituents and a diverse range of health benefits.

Contributor: Ken Babal, CNKen Babal is a clinical nutritionist with over 35 years of experience. He is a consultant to the natural food and supplement industry and has written over 500 articles that have appeared in many popular and professional publications. Ken is author of Mushrooms for Health and Longevity and The Yin-Yang Diet for Balanced Nutrition, Health and Harmony. Visit his website, NutritionMusician.com.

By Ward W. Bond, PhD


Remember the old wive’s tales that were passed down from generation to generation? They used to tell us what to do and not do using very little science, if any, to back it up. Women looking for ways to stay looking young and have healthy skin were treated to a number of pieces of strange advice up to, and including, to always carry an acorn in your pocket and do facial exercises to prevent wrinkles.


With the advancement of science and the availability to share that information with others across the internet we now know that neither an acorn in your pocket or facial exercises are going to do much at all for the health and appearance of your skin. One of the best ways to try and improve something is to understand it first. So let us take a quick look at the skin you’re in and let knowledge be power.


Human skin has three distinct layers: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin—basically what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror. It provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin tone. The dermis is just beneath that, containing tough connective tissue, hair follicles and sweat glands. The deepest layer of our skin is the hypodermis which is made primarily of fat and connective tissue. Those three layers combined create an incredibly effective physical and chemical barrier against harmful components including one of our biggest enemies, with regards to skin care, UV light.


UV light, or ultraviolet light, also comes in three main types: UVA rays, UVB rays and UVC rays. UVA rays age skin cells and can damage their DNA. These rays have also been linked with long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but may play a role in skin cancers.


UVB rays have slightly more energy than UVA rays and can damage skin cells’ DNA directly. They are the main rays that cause a sunburn.


UVC rays have more energy than the other two types but they don’t get through our atmosphere and are not in sunlight. Both UVA and UVB rays can damage skin and cause skin cancer. UVB rays are a more potent cause of at least some skin cancers, but based on what we now know, there are no safe UV rays. This is the reason why it is mission critical to protect your skin against harmful UV rays.


So what can you do to protect yourself and improve the overall health of your skin? Well, the recent rise in skin care products for maintenance and healthy skin tells us that this is obviously an issue that not only isn’t going away, but becoming more and more important to people all over the world.


There are two answers, a century old, to help improve your skin from damage which has been deemed as photo-aging. And both are backed by science. For example, one is the oldest skin healing secret used centuries ago by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Interestingly, Yang Guifei, a legendary imperial concubine in the Tang Dynasty and known as one of the most beautiful women in the Chinese history, is said to have regularly consumed the Tremella mushroom for maintaining her eternal beauty. So what makes this mushroom so powerful for the healing and beauty of our skin?


Since we’ve brought up the subject of UVA and UVB, the scientific community is playing tug-o-war with sunshine. Too much causes damage and just enough is good for our skin, bones and mood. What makes the Tremella mushroom so special is it contains high levels of natural vitamin D. Vitamin D has been shown recently to have potential effects against skin cancer.


Those who worship the sun a bit too much, looking for that golden god look, will find that their skin becomes dry and damaged from many years of prolonged exposure to sunlight. Tremella is shown to be 25% greater for improving the skin’s ability to absorb water and retaining it longer for healthier and smoother skin than the expensive hyaluronic acid.


Back on the subject of photo-aging though. In one particular animal study Tremella was used in a medium and high dose. The collagen content in the UV-induced animal skin was enhanced by 22 and 26%. The results of the study suggest that Tremella could prevent collagen losses induced by the sun’s powerful UV rays.(1)


The second centuries old skin care secret comes from one of the oldest known gemstones. The pearl is formed in the core of the shell of a ‘live’ oyster. Other gems are found in rock, but the pearl is found in a living creature bringing life to a gem that will truly bring that healthy glow to your skin. Pearls contain something very special called conchiolin. It is a unique protein acting like keratin, a form of collagen found in our skin, bone, cartilage, tendons and your hair. Like the Tremella mushroom, conchiolin from crushed pearls (into a fine powder) has the ability to hydrate the cells, such as those in your skin. This pearl-like protein improves skin cell metabolism, facilitates the repairing of damaged skin cells, and improves circulation.


Both the Tremella mushroom and pearl powder continue to be studied and they are showing remarkable results by improving the health and appearance of the skin. One particular cream called Aquamella has been developed and is available to the consumer right now. This cream contains both Tremella and pearl, but is further enhanced with alpha-lipoid acid and CoQ10. Studies show alpha-lipoid acid restores the radiance we all desire for our skin, tightens up the pores and diminishes those fine lines. CoQ10, a nutrients we all know well for cardiovascular health, can help slow down and reverse the aging process of our skin.


I suggest anyone looking for a powerful and natural way to improve your skin look up Aquamella cream. I’ve been using it on a daily basis and one of the things I’ve noticed is how smooth my skin is becoming in such a short time. Aquamella is available from a company called Mushroom Wisdom who spends quite a bit on research and their Tremella is wildcrafted and not grown in a laboratory.


If you are like me and spent your formative years worshipping the sun, only to get burned by accelerated aging, it’s time to turn back the clock. The fountain of youth has been found! You don’t have to look any further.

1. Wulf, H. C., Sandby-Moller, J., Kobayasi, T., & Gniadecki, R. (2004).  Skin aging and natural photoprotection. Micron (Oxford,  England: 1993), 35(3), 185–191.