Alpha Lipoic Acid –
Did you know that an estimated 85% of the oxygen you breathe in is consumed by the mitochondria in your cells? Studies show that the decay of these tiny little energy producing powerhouses are at the core of many aging and age related pathologies, as well as reduced and impaired metabolic function.
The good news however, is that studies have shown that when our cells are provided a healthy nutrition regimen that includes Lipoic Acid, a drastic regeneration occurs, metabolic function improves and there is a reduction in oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress is what causes premature aging in the body as well as many other dis-eases and conditions that are common today.
If you’ve ever heard the term “free radical damage” then you have an idea of how important anti-oxidants are to the body for optimum health. What you may not have heard is that Lipoic Acid has specific properties that slow the mitochondrial aging by preventing the release of damaging oxidants. It also enhances the effects of insulin which benefits glucose metabolism and lowers blood sugar levels which is a key component to weight loss.
When we are “insulin-resistant,” which the vast majority of Americans today are, our body doesn’t respond as quickly to insulin response. This means the body has to release MORE insulin in order to achieve the same effect in lowering our blood sugar. Without getting too scientific on you, this increase in insulin production ultimately results in increased fat storage and weight gain. In addition to increasing our sensitivity to insulin, Lipoic Acid also works on the areas of the brain to reduce appetite, reduce food portions, and stimulate energy expenditure which burn excess calories and reduces fat storage in addition to promoting cancer cell death! I don’t know about you, but sign me up!
So how do we make sure we are taking in this vital nutrient? Well, we need to make sure that we are eating an Alkaline, clean and organic diet rich in lean protein and veggies, and low in inflammatory foods such as high carb/high sugar, artificial and processed food diets. A recent study showed that if you are eating MORE than 1 cup a day of veggies you are doing better than a whopping 85% of Americans. 85%!!!! That is a staggering and horrifying statistic.
To make sure you are getting plenty of fresh vegetables and protein, a good rule of thumb is to eat a minimum of 4 cups of veggies per day, and a MINIMUM of 8-10 ounces of protein per day. Depending on your weight though, you may need more. The standard rule of thumb is half your body weight in grams, is the daily recommended amount of protein. So if you are 150 pounds, then you should be eating about 75 grams of protein per day to keep your body functioning as optimally as possible, and to ensure that you are taking in plenty of Alpha Lipoic Acid.
If you are thinking of simply taking an Alpha Lipoic Acid supplement, you may want to think again. Studies have also shown that the specific metabolic and enzymatic process involved with eating and digesting animal protein has the most beneficial effect, along with vegetable sources that contain less ALA than animal protein but are still vital, such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, and tomatoes.
Of course there are those who may already be following an alkaline, protein and veggie rich lifestyle and may still have trouble with weight loss due to factors that are inhibiting the absorption of ALA. If you suspect you may be one of those people, or if you simply need help switching to an alkaline diet, please feel free to contact us for a health consultation!
Health and Blessings My Friends!
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Published by Janine Hassell
Nutrition and holistic living came into my life at the age of 22 when I was faced with severe adrenal fatigue, an unknown gluten sensitivity, constant headaches, IBS, vitamin deficiency, chronic fatigue and pre-diabetes. Like most of us, I knew nothing about REAL nutrition and healthy eating aside from being shown the old and outdated “food pyramid” model once or twice in grade school. I had no idea that our physical health could be completely restored (depending on the person and their condition) through eating clean, healthy organic foods and removing the toxic choices from our diet. Ayurveda called to me as I researched and dived deeper into the world of health and Ayurveda took the meaning of “health” to a whole other level. It encompasses not only the utilization of food as medicine according to individual needs, but also integrates our emotional and spiritual health as well. My journey to physical health unexpectedly led me to my inner health, and as I explored my own spirituality I learned a lot about a lot of different practices. I inevitably ran into a huge influence of the so called “New Age” community that I came to realize was full of quite a lot of out of balance egos, personal projection and bullshit, to put it bluntly. After a few years on my own spiritual journey of healing and uncovering layers of unhealthy habits, rage, anger, grief, shame, deep emotional wounds and abuses, subconscious beliefs and negative societal influences, I realized that there was just as much (if not more) disconnection and bypassing happening and being promoted by the New Age influence. There was quite a lot of truth, but just as much crap.
There’s so much stigma around “thinking negative thoughts” or not being happy and full of love and light all the time that it’s just as judgmental as any organized religion I’ve ever come across. What’s worse is there’s a LOT of denial about the judgment inherent in saying things like “well you must’ve called that in on a higher level for some reason” when something terrible happens or you’re going through normal ups and downs. I mean come on, are you REALLY going to tell somebody who for instance has been raped, that she must’ve called it in on herself as some sort of soul lesson??? I mean what in the actual fuck is wrong with you to say something like that to someone!? Yes, perhaps on some higher level her soul DID (maybe) plan that out, but do you really think that the reality of that violence and violation are somehow going to be eased by that ignorant statement? Not to mention the judgment just oozing out of that comment? No, really, f*** you!
So, while there are a lot of well meaning, loving and well-intentioned people who are firm believers in “keeping your vibration high,” focusing on only one side of the Law of Attraction (forced positive thinking and repression of real feelings), or shaming anger as if it’s somehow a negative vibration, my practice and continued goal is to educate and help others navigating their own unique journey to health. And the journey to health certainly includes the emotional and spiritual aspects to our health and addressing both our so-called “positive” and “negative.” So, you’ll find a combination of nutrition only oriented articles on here, as well as the more esoteric, and my own personal stories and writing therapy.
As an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Health Coach and Intuitive, while I utilize a combination of science based nutrition, Ayurveda, and energy work for a whole health approach, my particular specialty is helping people transform their health by connecting to their underlying stresses and emotions in order to decipher the messages that the body is communicating through physical ailments and issues. Hence the emotional connotation in the title “The Angry Alchemist” plus I am very “Pitta” (fire element) in Ayurveda terminology 😉 My gift also allows me to tap in to karmic seeds of where an imbalance is rooted in order to address it at the source. I encourage anyone who may be curious or interested in more of what I do, to please feel free to contact me or visit my website at http://www.urban-alchemy.org
Embrace yourselves my friends!
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