Watch out for the 6 biggest diet bloopers

I love to talk to people at conferences and seminars, especially on an individual basis once my group presentation is done.

I've been told I’m very approachable, and judging by the subjects that people feel comfortable enough discussing with me, I have to agree.

Believe me, I've heard it all—I've had people give me detailed descriptions of the sound, pitch and duration of their flatulence, ask me how to tell if they have hemorrhoids (I had to be creative on that one, but it involved a hand mirror) and ask me if I felt burping 25 times a day was OK.

I once had a woman that described her feces in such detail that I’m surprised she didn't give it a name.

But seriously, one theme that comes out repeatedly time and again when I talk to people is:

There’s so much conflicting information out there about what you should and shouldn't eat that people don’t know what to do!

So true.

And the biggest problem over and above the inconsistency here is that many of the allegedly “healthy” dietary suggestions are not only NOT healthy, but they can actually do more harm than good!

Here’s what I mean—let’s take a look at…

The 6 Biggest Diet Bloopers
Here are the six biggest sources of dietary mis-information that have not only not made Americans any healthier, but they've added to our rates of chronic disease and our widening backsides.

Blooper #1: Replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats to help prevent heart disease
Please get this through your head right now: Your body must have saturated fats.

Saturated fats are needed by your body to protect your nerve cells, produce hormones, keep your cell membranes healthy, help your body assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and help your brain and nervous system with transmitting nerve impulses.

And get this--the fat that surrounds your heart and that your heart draws upon in times of stress is...

Saturated fat!

The truth is the average person needs about 30% of their daily calories to come from fats, and about one-third of those should be saturated fats.

Good sources of saturated fats include fats from animal sources (meat, butter, lard, suet, milk, eggs and cheese)--preferably organic, as well as avocados.

What you SHOULD avoid at all cost are trans-fats. They are the fats that will guarantee a trip to the cardiologist for you.

Blooper #2: Having a low-cholesterol diet is a good way to help reduce blood cholesterol levels
Contrary to what most people think, only 25 percent or less of the cholesterol in your body is from your food--your liver and most of your other cells produce the vast majority (at least 75 percent) of it.

And of the cholesterol that you do eat, your body only absorbs about half of it.

The true relationship between your diet and cholesterol level lies in the impact of your LIVER.

You see, your diet has a HUGE impact on the health of your liver and its ability to effectively carry out its many functions—including making proper amounts of cholesterol AND getting rid of old, worn-out cholesterol from your body.

Plus your digestion is key here too--because when you have poor digestion and/or chronic constipation, old cholesterol that your liver is trying to get rid of can instead get reabsorbed through the intestinal wall back into circulation…and that can lead to trouble with too much cholesterol!

And lastly, the health of your arteries plays a role here too. When you have little injuries and inflammation festering in your blood vessels, that triggers your liver to summon cholesterol to the scene as a healing salve.

Chronic inflammation in your blood vessels is frequently caused by high glucose levels resulting from a large intake of refined carbs. Refined carbs turn to sugar upon digestion, and sugar is a very irritating substance—especially to your inner arterial walls.

So if you’re really worried about cholesterol, ditch the refined carbs.

Blooper #3: Artificial sweeteners are good choices
I can't tell you how many times I have seen a very overweight or obese person drinking Diet Coke.

See anything wrong with that picture?

The fact is, the aspartame (aka Equal or NutraSweet) used in sugar-free foods may have zero calories, but your body isn't fooled.

When it gets a tease of a "sweet" taste, it expects calories to follow.

And when this doesn't occur that leads to distortions in your biochemistry that actually lead to weight GAIN as well as increase your cravings for sweets.

Plus you really have to know how aspartame is created to understand why it’s not only not good for you but can be downright dangerous.

Aspartame is made by combining the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine—but that doesn't mean it’s safe and natural.

The phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to bond with methyl (which is a derivative of methane—the main ingredient in natural gas)—this provides most of the sweetness. But the chemical bond between the phenylalanine and the methyl is very weak, which makes it easy for the methyl group to break away and form methanol (aka wood alcohol).

Methanol is a colorless, flammable liquid which is used as the basis for such products as antifreeze, fuel and solvents.

This problem is compounded by the fact that we humans are not biologically equipped to break down and metabolize methanol into its harmless derivative formic acid.

So instead, it can travel through your blood vessels and cause a variety of symptoms including but not limited to:

• Headaches
• Ear buzzing
• Dizziness; vertigo
• Nausea
• GI problems
• Weakness
• Memory lapses
• Numbness
• Shooting pains in the extremities
• Behavioral disturbances
• Neuritis (nerve pain)
• Vision problems including blurred vision, retinal damage and even blindness

Plus the methanol can get into your brain and be converted to formaldehyde—which is used primarily in the textile industry to make fabrics crease-resistant, in the automobile industry to make transmissions, car doors and brakes, and by your local mortician as an embalming fluid.

And by the way, it’s also extremely damaging to your brain and can also cause cancer, retinal damage and birth defects.

Blooper #4: Whole grains are always good for you
Although they are more nutritious than highly refined grains (like white bread and pasta), whole grains are still starches which are converted to sugar upon digestion and can not only contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance, but also put you in trouble for arterial inflammation like I mentioned in #2 above.

Although an occasional plate of whole-grain pasta or soup with whole grain bread is fine, the best go-to choices for carbohydrates are vegetables and legumes.

Blooper #5: Fish is a better choice than red meat
First of all, like I mentioned above, saturated fats in moderation are needed by your body—and by moderation I mean things like butter on your toast or vegetables or a 4-ounce serving of beef (preferably organic).

Now, although fish can be very good for you, much depends on what kind you’re choosing.

Farm-raised fish are given antibiotics to stave off diseases that result from horribly crowded conditions and are also treated with pesticides to combat sea lice. And whatever is in the fish becomes a part of YOU when you eat them.

Plus research has found that farmed fish has fewer usable Omega-3 EFAs than wild-caught fish and a high concentration of Omega-6 EFAs. So it can contribute to an inflammation-causing imbalance of Omega-6: Omega-3 essential fatty acids.

But there’s more—farmed fish has also been found to have a 20 percent lower protein content than wild-caught fish.

In addition, studies by the Environmental Working Group have found that cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exist in farm-raised salmon at 16 times the rate of wild salmon.

There’s no room for interpretation on this one: If you want fish, buy only fresh wild-caught varieties.

Blooper #6: A low-salt diet always helps with high blood pressure
It’s a well-known fact that a high sodium diet can lead to increased water and blood volume and drive up blood pressure. However, this is not consistently true for 100 percent of the population, and appears to be more of an issue with individuals who are considered salt sensitive.

And just as much of a hypertension concern is too little potassium—in other words, a sodium/potassium imbalance.

Sodium and potassium work together as a team in the “sodium-potassium pump” which creates electrical charges in the cells that are the driving force behind your muscles, organs and bodily functions. These electrical charges also regulate calcium levels in your cells.

But when this “pump” is not working properly (due to too little potassium), that results in elevated calcium levels in your cells, which in turn cause the smooth muscle cells in your arteries to contract, thereby driving up your blood pressure.

So most certainly, ditch processed foods (which are the leading cause of excess sodium in most people’s diets) but at the same time, don’t forget about potassium. Dietary sources of potassium include: Greens, spinach, winter squashes, cantaloupe, Brussels sprouts, green beans, tomatoes, broccoli and carrots.

Now for the flip side: Advice you CAN trust!

Real straightforward diet advice
Now that you know the six biggest diet bloopers, let’s take a look at some REAL, sensible diet advice.

If you really want to help reduce your risk of disease, and achieve and maintain a healthy body-weight, here are three effective strategies that can help enhance your level of health from head to toe:

1- Eat real (not processed) foods & encourage good digestion
Having a diet of real (not processed) foods is the single biggest bang for your buck when it comes to great health.

First of all, when your diet is comprised mainly of real foods, the trans-fats and sodium found in processed foods become a non-issue for you.

Secondly, you'll be getting good sources of crucial antioxidants to help fight any existing health-destroying free radicals you may have cruising around.

You'll also get natural sources of crucial nutrients which can help fight and prevent disease and deficiencies, as well as strengthen your precious immune system!

And when you have a healthy diet and good digestion, this helps minimize waste accumulation in your blood, which cuts off a major source of inflammation!

The Great Taste No Pain system will show you exactly what to do, step by simple step.

Great Taste No Pain teaches you the simple principles of smart food pairing which can help improve your digestion and reduce accumulation of acid wastes.

Plus, it explains the difference between good carbs and bad, the truth about all kinds of fats, and the importance of maintaining a healthy acid-alkaline balance.

And you'll get loads of delicious suggestions for enjoying scrumptious real foods which will soon become your family's favorites.

Now, if you’ve got gluten challenges, I’ve got a program for you too—Great Taste No Gluten.

You’ll get the same smart food pairing advice as in Great Taste No Pain, plus guides for living a gluten free lifestyle and a collection of fantastic gluten free recipes.

2- Balance your intestinal flora
The friendly flora in your gut helps your body digest starches and fibers and keeps your gut wall healthy--both of which are essential for proper nutrient absorption and feelings of satiety.

Plus they make up about 70% of your immune system to boot!

Problem is, people who have had a typical diet of fast food, boxed creations, soda and lots of sugary refined carbs have fed the harmful bacteria in their guts while the good guys starve...and are likely looking at a serious imbalance as a result.

And even if you've had a fairly decent diet, other factors like medication use (especially antacids and antibiotics), stress and lack of sleep can make your gut flora topsy-turvy.

In addition to eating nourishing foods that feed your friendly flora, the best way to help restore a proper flora balance is with probiotic supplementation.

And Super Shield's 13 strains of potent beneficial bacteria are up to the challenge!

Super Shield's army of good guys is ready and waiting to take their place along your gut wall, helping to crowd out harmful bacteria, helping to digest your foods AND helping to make sure you absorb precious nutrients your body needs!

3- Get enough of Nature's anti-inflammatory--Omega-3 EFAs
Omega-3 essential fatty acids have shown to be an important tool to help enhance health in these four ways:

1. They've been medically PROVEN to help lower blood pressure. Studies show that daily fish oil supplementation alone can lower your systolic (the top number) pressure by five points or more and your diastolic (the bottom number) pressure by three points or more!
2. Omega-3 EFAs have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help counteract any inflammation you might have building up in your arteries and joints.
3. They also help keep clots from forming by reducing the stickiness in your platelets and curbing the production of the fibrinogens which are part of clogged arteries.
4. Your brain's neurons (the cells that transmit messages) are extremely rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, especially Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). 

Problem is, our food supply doesn't contain a fraction of the Omega-3 EFAs that it used to (thanks to our heavy reliance on processed foods, vegetable oils and grain-fed animals).

So one of the best ways to help prevent heart problems is to take a very high-quality fish oil formula like VitalMega-3.

The suggested 2-capsule daily serving packs a healthy 1,200 mg. of EPA, DHA and other Omega-3 fatty acids, which more than satisfies the levels recommended by many experts for heart and overall health.

Congratulations!

You are now an expert in the real truth behind The 6 Biggest Diet Bloopers as well as some very effective ways you can use diet and supplementation to help create a healthier you!

And if you do see me at a conference and still want to talk about bathroom habits, that’s OK with me too.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

PS: Always be sure to let your doctor or healthcare provider know what supplements you are taking.