Tammra Broughton Call-in Show April 9

I’ll be on Tammra Broughton’s online radio show Living Proof Radio on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 5:00pm in PDT.

Go here for more info: http://a2zen.fm/events/you-are-not-what-you-eat-why-poor-digestion-is-a-serious-threat

And listeners – enter the draw for one of 2 free copies of the book by filling out the form below! (*Sorry – draw ended.)

EAT COLORS FOR HEART HEALTH! (No, not Smarties.)

It’s estimated that 25% of Americans take expensive statin medications for lowering cholesterol to avoid heart disease. But according to Dr. Dwight Lundell, former Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital in Arizona, they might be wasting their money.
Dr. Dwight Lundell
Dr. Lundell performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries during his 25-year career and came to the conclusion that heart disease is not caused by elevated cholesterol, but by inflammation in the arteries. And that inflammation is not related to fat intake, but to spiking blood sugar levels caused by eating processed foods high in simple carbohydrates (sugar and flour) and omega-6 fatty acids (corn, soybean, and sunflower oil). (*We talk about this blood sugar spike in Chapter 7 of the book.)

Like many others, Dr. Lundell recommends eating foods closer to their natural state. And one of the simplest ways to get a sense of that is to look at the range of colors in the food on your plate. What foods have colors? Fruits and vegetables. Everything else is pretty much a shade of brown or white!

So try to get as many colors as possible into your meals. And no – Fruit Loops and Smarties don’t count.

Read more from Dr. Lundell here: http://preventdisease.com/news/12/030112_World-Renown-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease.shtml

ORGANIC FOOD – IS IT REALLY?

ORGANIC FOOD – IS IT REALLY?

Eden_Foods_founder

 

 

 

 

One of the things we do in the Simple Home Detox Program in Chapter 13 of the book is eliminate as many chemical irritants as possible from the diet during the one-week cleanse. And one of the best ways to do that is to eat purely organic if at all possible. But those ‘certified-organic’ labels don’t always mean what we’d hope.

In fact, Michael J. Potter, founder of Eden Foods (a large producer  of organic food products in the US) goes so far as to call the certified-organic label “a fraud and refuses to put it on Eden’s products.”

A fascinating, and disturbing read: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/business/organic-food-purists-worry-about-big-companies-influence.html?_r=2&

WHEN You Eat Important

Late-Night Eating

Interesting to see more studies in the last year corroborating what we talk about in Chapter 9 of the book (and what Ayurvedic medicine from India has been talking about for thousands of years) – eating late at night is not a healthy habit.

Three recent studies focused on the impact of late-eating on weight-loss. But Ayurveda has long said late-eating has a negative impact on all aspects of digestion, and by extension, on every aspect of your health. (Shift workers are at higher risk for a broad range of serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.)

And I suspect we will see more research in the coming years confirming what the ancient Asian physicians have been saying about late-night eating for a long time – avoid it! (Remember Chapter 12 though – get your digestion strong enough and the occasional midnight pizza with a nightcap won’t be a problem! Yippee!)

You can read about the studies here:
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/18/salk-research-shows-you-are-when-you-eat/
http://www.elements-science.co.uk/2012/11/you-are-when-you-eat/
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/bawh-ctt012413.php

Better Digestion And ‘What’ You Eat

One of the questions I’m often asked at presentations is “Are you saying that what I eat doesn’t matter at all?”

And the answer is an emphatic No! I eat the most nutritious foods possible and so should you.

What I am saying is that what you eat is only half the equation. Because it doesn’t matter how nutritious your food is if you don’t digest it. And unfortunately, research indicates many of us are not digesting very well.

How you eat, the 7 steps I talk about in the book, can play a huge role in whether you digest and absorb the nutrients in your food. And also whether you damage your digestive system, which can lead to very serious problems.

So whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a bed-ridden hospital patient, you need to stop focusing solely on what you eat, and start paying attention to how you eat.

Amber Strocel Interviews Van Clayton Powel About Digestive Health

I recently did a podcast interview about digestive health with Amber Strocel.

Amber is a “crunchy granola mom and suburbanite … writer, dreamer, storyteller, social media enthusiast and engineer.” In other words, another Amazing Mom!
About me Amber Strocel

You can listen to the interview and browse Amber’s blog here: http://www.strocel.com/podcast-van-clayton-powel-of-you-are-not-what-you-eat/

CFAX Radio Call-in Show With Terry Moore

Did an hour-long call-in show with Terry Moore on CFAX radio yesterday. (Thanks Terry and Roszan!) Click below to listen to the edited version (no news breaks, etc.) And listen for the amazing Ada (first caller I think) – quite an inspiration!

CFAX 1070 radio

Have been busy on a lot of book fronts lately, hence not many posts. Sorry! But please visit the Facebook page for more frequent updates. (Oh, and please ‘Like’ it if you feel inclined. Thanks! ;-)) )

I’ve also started a bit of DIGESTIVE  TRIVIA on the FB page. Click the image near the top of the FB page to check out the first few questions. I’ll be adding to it continually.

Had to order another print run as I was out of books and the shipment arrived today. (Thanks Houghton-Boston. They look great.) A few minor changes that most of you wouldn’t notice.

If you’re in Victoria, I’ll be there Thursday and Saturday giving free presentations. Would love to meet you and answer any questions you might have. (Emily Carr library Thursday 7-8:30pm; Central Branch library, Saturday, 2-3:30pm.)

Some very nice email testimonials coming in from folks who are feeling much better since they started following the steps in the book. Thanks to all – I love hearing from you and will try to post some asap. (Another thing on the To-Do List ;-))

See you soon.

The Wheat Belly Approach; Is Wheat Really The Enemy?

An estimated 30-50% of us suffer from digestive problems.
After the common cold, it has become the most likely reason
we will seek out a doctor. The most popular approach is to
change what we eat (e.g. The book Wheat Belly). And without
a doubt, that can play an pivotal role.

But we’ve been ignoring the other half of the equation – the impact
of how we eat on our digestive health. And that aspect is as critical
to an Olympic athlete as it is to a bed-ridden hospital patient.

It also offers the hope of once again being able to eat almost
anything without a problem. (Hey, I used to think wheat was the
problem, too. Now it’s back on my menu and I’m lovin it!)

The body truly is amazing.

I’ll write more on Wheat Belly soon.

HOLIDAY DIGESTIVE CHALLENGES – What If Food Is Not The Problem?

“We’re continually told that food is causing our digestive problems,” says Van Clayton Powel, author of You Are NOT What You Eat; Better Digestive Health in 7 Simple Steps, “but in many cases, nothing could be further from the truth – it is our damaged digestive systems that are at fault. So that’s where we need to direct our attention.”

Holiday Digestive Problems

HOLIDAY DIGESTIVE CHALLENGES – What If Food Is Not The Problem?

Whistler, B.C– As the days grow shorter and the evenings more crisp, many of us look upon the fall as a season of transition, and change … and celebration! But the overindulgence of Thanksgiving dinners, the stockpiles of Halloween candy, and the decadent richness of Christmas fare can make the season an absolute nightmare for millions who suffer from digestive problems. And according to the author of a new book, we`re looking for solutions in the wrong place.

“We’re continually told that food is causing our digestive problems,” says Van Clayton Powel, author of You Are NOT What You Eat; Better Digestive Health in 7 Simple Steps, “but in many cases, nothing could be further from the truth – it is our damaged digestive systems that are at fault. So that’s where we need to direct our attention.”

Powel is a former registered psychiatric nurse and the founder of Mind Body Fitness Inc. who has combined his years of experience on the front-lines of patient care along with his own personal battle with digestive illness to pen an easy-to-understand, ‘how-to’ guide for achieving digestive health. And his light-handed, practical focus on how to eat, rather than what to eat, is being praised by professionals and laypeople alike.

The book teaches a series of simple steps meant to enhance and strengthen digestion to the point that “You can eat almost any food without a problem,” says Powel. And his passion comes from first-hand experience. “I had so many food sensitivities I almost dreaded holiday feasts,” he says. “Now all my digestive problems are gone, and I’m back celebrating with everyone else!”

Powel’s energetic, humorous interviews about You Are NOT What You Eat are increasingly popular on TV, radio and blogs, and he`s currently providing a series of free presentations on digestive health. You can learn more at www.youarenotwhatyoueat.com