Category: Blog

Blog for the highly acclaimed new book You Are NOT What You Eat.

POLLUTION IN NORTHERN CHINA CUTS LIFE SPANS BY 5.5 YEARS

We want simple explanations for why we get sick. (Probably because we want simple solutions!) And often we want to attach blame to one particular area. But the

We want simple explanations for why we get sick. (Probably because we want simple solutions!)

And often we want to attach blame to one particular area: “It’s what you eat!” It’s where you live.” “It’s your genes.” “It’s how you think”

But the truth is, they all play a role.

An analogy I heard years ago compares the foundation of good health to a chair with four legs. Each leg of the chair represents a different aspect of health – lifestyle, genetics, environment, and the mind.

And when any one of those is out of balance, the chair wobbles and becomes unstable. The more legs out of balance, the more unstable your health.

So you can be eating the most nutritious food in the world, but if you don’t exercise, or live in an environment filled with toxins (like those folks in northern China), or were born with a genetic disorder, or don’t manage a high-stress job effectively, you’re heading for trouble.

So, how do you keep YOUR chair in balance? Anything special you’ve learned that might help others? (Head to our Facebook page if you’re unable to post here.)

Pollution cuts life spans by 5.5 years in north China, study says
“An examination of 20 years of data from across China finds that heavy air pollution is almost exclusively to blame for the drop in life expectancy in the north.” Read the article here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-china-air-pollution-20130709,0,1377450.story

‘DIGESTION GUY’ RETURNS TO VICTORIA

Van Clayton Powel, author of the digestion book “You Are NOT What You Eat” and being called the ‘Digestion Guy’. returns to Victoria , BC.

‘DIGESTION GUY’ RETURNS TO VICTORIA this week!

  • Wednesday, May 8, 3-4 pm on CFAX 1070 with Terry Moore. Call in with your questions!CFAX 1070 radio
  • Thursday, May 9, 7-8:30 pm, Nellie McLung Library FREE presentation BUT call the library to reserve a spot! (Had to turn people away from both presentations last time in Victoria.)
    3950 Cedar Hill Rd, (250) 477-7111
  • Saturday, May 11, Juan de Fuca Library, 2-3:30 pm (as above)
    1759 Island Highway (West Shore Recreation Centre Complex) (250) 391-0653
  • Two great independent Victoria bookstores that carry the book You Are NOT What You Eat: Bolen Books

and Munro Books

CKNW 980 Interview with Bill Good and a great day in Vancouver

CKNW_980_radioHad a great time with Bill Good and the callers on Monday morning at the CKNW studio in downtown Vancouver. Click the link below to listen to the edited interview. (about 14 minutes.)

And a great day all around in the city:

– an amazing piece of art by Patrick Hughes in the lobby of the Hotel Georgia (“Internity” – stand near the concierge desk and slowly walk back and forth as you look at this 3D painting. Very cool!)…

– an impromptu show by a young break-dancer practicing in the Robson Square oval  …

– a remarkable chalk painting by a street artist … (You see, this is why I need to get a cell phone and start carrying it around with me – photos!)

– lunch with friend Andrew at Eternal Abundance and a leisurely browse around Commercial Drive after …

– and a fantastic turnout at Vancouver central library.  (Man, do I love that building.  Architecture can have soul.) Over 160 folks, standing-room only. I will be back for those you who couldn’t get in. (And will try to get more Vancouver dates set up soon. Or come see me in Burnaby, Victoria, or West Vancouver.)

Vancouver Library Presentation & CKNW Interview

Author of digestion book gives interview on Vancouver radio and free presentation at Vancouver public library.

I’ll be in Vancouver all day tomorrow (Monday April 15th).

In the morning I have an interview with Bill Good on CKNW radio from 10:30 – 11:00 am.
CKNW_980_radio

Then tomorrow night I’ll be giving my first presentation in Vancouver (not sure why it’s taken me so long to get to Vancouver ;-)) at the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch from 7:00-8:30 pm in the Alice MacKay Room, Lower Level, 350 West Georgia St.

The presentation is about an hour, then I’ll open it up for a Q&A. We’ll have some books with us for sale and I’ll be available for questions and signings afterwards.

Would love to see you! Come on out and say Hi.

 

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. 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?

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.