Frances Michaelson's Blog – The Buzz on Health

I know that most people, eager to lose weight, get very taken in by marketing ploys-especially when it come to weight loss products that promise amazing results in little time! Please understand that often this is at the expense of your precious health.There is a product (multi level marketing) that is very popular now ,and the one ingredient that I want you to watch out for is soy. Too many people think that soy is a good thing, but it is actually the opposite. Soy should be avoided at all costs , unless it is fermented like tempeh and miso. Unfermented soy contains trypsin inhibitors which block protein digestion. It also contains phytates that block the uptake of iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. Unfermented soy also increases the body’s need for vitamins B12 and D. Soy is also unhealthy for the thyroid because it inhibits T3 and T4 by binding with iodine, which can lead to hypothyroidism.

It is important that you read your labels carefully and if there is any word that you cannot pronounce or understand , DO NOT EAT IT!!

Although this man has some valid points to make, most of his recommendations are all hype combined with little to no explanation and support. Just yesterday, in our Montreal gazette, he claimed that taking raspberry ketone would melt the fat away! Pllllleeeease! How many claims can this one man make? Sure, as long as you exercise and eat all the right foods, along with taking this and the many other fad foods he mentions, you will definitely lose weight. I decided to spend a few minutes and watch one of his video clips , that reaches  out to his audience with the top 5 supplements all women over 50 should be taking……… ,well here is my opinion. The first one is COENZYME Q10-for energy he says, well how about green vegetables and a little exercise? Can you just picture all these women and their fat asses (sorry about that, a little humour) running out to the closest health food store to buy this and then going back to the couch?  What good will that do? Next, he mentions Chia seeds for revving up the metabolism (which slows down after age  50, he says) NOT TRUE! First of all, I love chia seeds, which are a great way to boost your omega 3s, but NOT to boost your metabolism. If you are looking for fiber to boost metabolism through better elimination, then you must invest in a good quality organic psylium, NOT chia seeds. Here is my formula-exercise, and alkaline forming foods! Moving your body in combination with fruits and raw veggies will set the tone for a faster metabolism for sure.

Next on his list is turmeric for preventing Alzheimer’s-give me a break! If you want to improve your memory, try lecithin, reading more, and exercise! The next supplement women over 50 should not be without is calcium combined with Vitamin D and magnesium so he says,-ok, sure, but there is a ton of calcium in raw green leafy vegetables, and again the source of your supplement is so important. It cannot come from rock dust, which is where MOST of the prescribed calcium comes from today. No wonder we are seeing so much osteoporosis! EXERCISE IS CALCIUM INSTANTLY INJECTED. The last on his list of TOP 5 is a REAL  joke…….a multi vitamin/mineral  supplement, but here is the best part-he encourages you to  take a multi   to avoid chronic disease……A statement like this requires way more explanation and guidance. I have seen more people in my office these days that have become overly acidic from taking too many inorganic supplements. It is very difficult to find a good, safe, effective organic multi/vitamin/mineral supplement without the guidance of a qualified professional. So how do I really feel about Dr. Oz? I guess I am amazed at how, just because you know who, the one and only Oprah , put this guy on the map , so many people are taking what he says LITERALLY , when it actual fact, most of it is all hype and marketing ploys.

I have a true passion for helping people as I have firsthand experienced how the right exercise combined with an alkaline diet can really change the way we feel, leading to a better quality of life. To truly stay committed to health, we must first experience feeling the change, and then being the change will always BE.

I am sitting at the airport in L.A.,having just attended the Ihrsa event .My flight is delayed four hours, so why not share some thoughts with you right here. Ihrsa was wonderful , as always , and I will write about some of the high lites soon, but for the moment would just like to talk about a situation I experienced while attending a great lecture yesterday.
The woman beside me was wearing a translation head set that was so loud , it practically drowned out the voice of the speaker, and of course was very distracting for those around her. She also had two cell phones in her purse that kept vibrating and ringing! Well, this was not bad enough, when to my horror, what suddenly appears in her hand…..one of those miniature boxes of corn flakes…..crunch,crunch, crunch was added to the already full orchestra of noises !
She was totally oblivious to those of us sitting near.It was as if she was the only person in the room, not an ounce of respect for those of us sitting close by, or for the speaker for that matter! Of course she did not hear her phone ringing because she was wearing the head set, so there I was, constantly tapping her on the arm and pointing at her purse.
Finally, in sign language , I made it clear that the phones had to be turned off!
What are some poeple thinking or should I say, not thinking?

On the second page of our Montreal Gazette this morning , we read the headline “Canada facing a troubling childhood obesity epidemic”. hmm, it seems to me, this is far from the first time , we are reading this in the last year. Clearly, there is a problem! For one thing, those of us reading thee articles with some suggestions of change are the wrong people! Those poeple that need to hear this, are not the ones that even open a morning paper. If they do, they probably go straight to the TV  or comic section. It is my opinion that it is the parents that are responsible for the choices their children are making.  I know that when I was raising my children , treats were not sugar ! Soft drinks were never in our house. I see more and more adults in my practice , who are oblivious to the calories in most packaged products! The point also, is that instead of constantly writing articles regarding the negativity of obesity, why not turn it around and talk about the benefits of eating well and what eating well is-what are the nutrients that will transform a fat, weak body , into a strong, lean machine? On page B1 of the same paper, the headline  reads” Fast -food menus should include dietary info………..” hmmmm, once again-I do not agree! Why visit these fast food restaurants in the first place? If you are going there, you are clearly not interested in dietary info!!!! I am sorry , but dieticians and weight loss clinics are also still suggesting their clients eat boxed lifeless cereals. This is another problem. Most of these cereals are loaded with sugar, salt and void of nutrients. They clog the system creating bloated abdomens and lazy behaviour. Living foods in the form of fruits and raw veggies must be emphasized over and over again. To conclude, obesity has been on the rise for the last decade-let’s change these headlines. There are many options out there now for parents to help them make better choices for their children. There is the $500.00 tax credit offered each year for children 16 and under who engage in a fitness program. There are many practitioners, like myself , you are licensed and can offer receipts for insurance. We can educate you properly as to what your child is lacking , and or is absorbing  too much of. You may email me personally for more info . frances@muscleup.ca

I was driving into work this morning (at 5:00 am) and was listening to two talk show hosts, on a very popular morning radio show, ridicule the cost that a woman claimed to pay for an ORGANIC chicken. I write the word organic in large capital letters in an attempt to mimic the way she said that word, with a slight hint of distaste. The other day I was again listening to a talk show in the afternoon (prime time, same station), and they were clearly stating their negative opinion regarding homeopathic/Chinese remedies vs. medical drugs. I actually had a hard time listening without picking up my phone and giving them a piece of my mind. I do have to remember however, that everyone is entitled to an opinion, as I am here in this blog. The problem for me is that the listeners out there take what these talk show hosts say (who really know very little about the topic of health) literally, and live through their opinions. I would love to challenge anyone of them to adopt an alkaline diet, completely organic, and stay away from over-the-counter drugs for one year. I would love to ask them then, how do you feel? Until someone makes that change from acidity to alkalinity, they have no right to judge anything, because they have no idea the difference it makes in the way their bodies function and how they would feel.

Organic food is not a trend. It is a choice that most of us are making now and have been for the last several years. The reason for this is obvious: soil that is depleted of nutrients, and pesticide infested is creating food void of minerals. The excuse that Organic food is expensive is simply that – an excuse. If one stops buying dead food – food in boxes and cans, processed junk and fast food, there would be room financially for slow, whole, nutrient dense food!

Do you know? Do you know what that means? Moat people do not, yet they will say that they have heard this question before and do know that they should be more alkaline than acidic. Yet, when you ask people what acidic means, they do not really know. The pH balance of your body indicates the state of your health. Most people with their condition on the alkaline side feel healthy, full of energy and vitality, while those battling acidity feel sluggish and unhealthy. The trouble is that most people feel comfort in their discomfort . My thoughts on that is that they just used to the way they feel, so that  they have no idea how much better they can feel. Does this make any sense? Those that recognize this lack of energy and balance are the lucky ones because this condition can be corrected through diet before more serious symptoms set in. IF  the state of acidity is not corrected all kinds of ailments will arise. Acid related conditions include rheumatic pain,arthritis, indigestion,constipation,irritable bowel syndrome, Chron,s etc.. There is a saying “cancer loves to live in an acidic environment”.

There are several ways to test your pH -some tests more reliable than others. As a naturopath, I can tell instantly if someone’s pH is off -most people are. You can see the state of anyones health in their skin (the largest channel of elimination), hair, eyes and overall stamina.  The good news is, is that with a change in diet, thinking , and exercise, the shift can be made easily over time.

It is very important to understand that a disease is just the body expressing itself.. ( not at ease). If the body is not given the biochemical nutrients it needs, cells break down and die before  their appointed time. A red blood cell, for example lives approximately 12o days and dies off and is replaced by new ones. As long as we provide the body with the biochemical nutrients that it needs, the various organs and tissues can rejuvenate themselves indefinitely. On the other hand, if  the body is not given the nutrients that it needs, cells break down and die before their appointed time. If  you take in substances that your body cannot digest, these substances remain in your body as toxic waste , reducing the ability of some organs and tissues to do their job.  We must have the right foods to build and sustain high-level wellness. Just today there was an article in the Globe, emphasizing the necessity of the mineral magnesium. It is a fact that many people are lacking this precious mineral , but to go out and buy a supplement in an isolated form can cause more harm than good. The reason for this is that all minerals are dependent on another another for absorption. Our body works as a whole. We need all our organs, glands etc and all our organs , and glands need each other . Taking in supplements is not going to do the trick unless you work with a qualified naturopath , who can identify what you are lacking  according to your symptoms. The best place to get your nutrients is from whole foods in its raw state .When you cook your food, you destroy most enzymes and minerals . Our newspapers are constantly giving you a list of where to get your vitamins and minerals , but most of the time, they are listing cooked foods. I find this confusing to the reader because either they run out and buy supplements without enough information or make an attempt to change their eating habits with too much information missing.

There is certainly a trend towards cleansing the colon the last few years. You hear this on the air ( radio) advertising, on line marketing and your local newspapers. Although it  is  essential that we keep the colon clean, it is not true that buying a one month supply of either a Pro biotic or any other “Cleanse in a box” is going to do the trick. In fact, this product can just add further acidity to your body. Everyone these days seems to be a fan of Dr. Oz. He definitely has some powerful messages , but please understand that  just because Dr is beside his name does not mean that everything he says should be followed. I am bringing this up because he is now supporting a product (fat burning) that is claiming to cleanse your colon and burn body fat! It takes many months of changing your diet to an alkaline one combined with a powerful psyllium to really get rid of bad bacteria that sits in all of us , coming from years of acidic foods, anti biotics, and supplements. The most effective way to clean the colon is really through colonic irrigations or home enemas done properly. To learn more about these procedures , you may read Dr. Bernard Jensens  Guide to Better Bowel Care.

I am asked constantly, what exactly is naturopathy? My answer is simple……….everything health! Disease, allergies, symptoms of fatigue, migraines, inflammation are everywhere! We are bombarded with news of failing health and obesity , and the medical system is just not working anymore. We , as naturopaths teach people how to be preventive, how to lead a healthy life by taking in nutrients that the body needs to perform well. We are trillions and  trillions of cells that if given the opportunity to perform well, will have the integrity to keep regenerating . So what exactly are these nutrients? Alkaline foods are raw veggies , fruits , and seeds. These whole foods (organic) hold the enzymes, minerals, and vitamins that are the key to your health ..If you have not seem the dvd Forks over Knives, I highly suggest you do to further understand what I am talking about.

‘If you make more time for health, you will not have the time to get fat!

Too often people just jump on the band wagon of taking any supplement that they hear is good for them. Sometimes this can result in a good decision, but most of the time, I would say it does not. EFA’s , however, are called essential because they are required for so many important functions in your body and brain. Your body cannot manufacture them, so therefore, you must consume them. They are important for immune function, cell growth, and for healthy skin. A growing number of studies show a strong correlation between the intake of omega 3 oils especially DHA and cognitive function and overall brain development. Allergies, acne, dry skin, dandruff, itchy skin, eczema,psoriasis,asthma, can all be linked to EFA deficiency.All this to say that EPA-DHA is also diminished when you  eat simple carbs (cakes, cookies etc). I strongly suggest taking a supplement in the form of a good quality fish oil in the form of EPA-DHA.