Natural Approaches to COVID-19From Dr. Andrew WeilAnd Center For Integrative Medicine

Supplements are part of a regimen to boost your immune system.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook, Pinterest, and IG.

Last Tuesday I listened to a live lecture with Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Randy Horwitz, Dr. Lise Alschuler and Dr. Esther Sternberg on Integrative Approaches to Covid-19. Let me try to summarize some of the knowledge they shared. The key theme was how to build your own immune system and strengthen your body's nature forces to fight off this deadly virus.

Dr. Andrew Weil 
Dr. Weil introduced the speakers and offered several suggestions of his own:

* Good nutrition, plenty of rest and sleep, and a positive mental state all contribute to building a strong immune system.

* Too much stress lowers your immunity and makes you more vulnerable to disease. One way to lower your stress is to do breathing exercises. He recommends the 4-7-8 breath.
Here's a link on how to perform his famous breathing technique. 

* Dr. Weil also highly recommends laughter. I know, it's hard to laugh during times like this but there are plenty of jokes flying around the internet these days so enjoy them!

Dr. Randy Horwitz
Dr. Horwitz explained a bit about the virus and the mechanisms of infection: 

* Although you can fit 700-1000 Covid-19 viruses across a human hair, it is considered rather large for a virus.  It is moderately highly infectious and virulent. The virus has one goal and that is REPRODUCTION and to take over the world. 

* The Achilles heal of the virus is its envelope. Made up of fats and proteins, it can be dissolved by soap. This is why we are being told to wash our hands with soap and water as it is very effective in destroying the virus.

Pre-Infection Stage
* The best thing to do to reduce the chances of being infected is to limit exposure. So sheltering in place and social distancing is very effective. 

* Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also key - get plenty of sleep as sleep deprived people are more susceptible to the virus. Good nutrition, lowering stress, and taking selected supplements are also very important (we will talk more about supplements later.)

Viral Infection Stage
Here's what happens during the infection stage:

* The Covid-19 virus sneaks inside your cell and shoots in the virus's blueprint. Each of your cells has its own blueprint of what it is supposed to be replicating but the virus hijacks your cell's factory to copy its blueprint and now has changed the instructions. 

* The virus infects the cells of the upper respiratory system. The hijacked cells of your upper respiratory system releases new virus and destroys the ciliary cells. This is what causes the cough associated with Covid-19. 

* There are several things that can happen from here: One, your strong immune system could stop it or a weakened immune system may not be able to stop it and the virus could enter the lungs, replicate, and lead to pneumonia.

* Once this happens, the immune cells in the lungs become activated and go into overdrive. Fluid fills the alveoli (the little sacs that that line the lungs that allow the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules to and from the bloodstream) and this prevents adequate gas exchange. 

* Now all hell is breaking lose. The macrophages in the lungs grab the virus and send out help signals to the body to send cytokines to help. 

* When the cytokines that increase immune activity become too abundant, the immune system goes into overdrive and starts to attack heathy cells. This is called a cytokine storm. The blood vessel walls get leaky and the lungs fill with fluid. Blood clots can also form throughout the body, further reducing blood flow. This leads to decreased oxygen and respiratory failure. 

* There is a fine balance to prevent a cytokine storm without inhibiting viral immunity.

Dr. Lise Alschuler
Dr. Alschuler discussed supplements. Although none of these recommendations are proven with respect to Covid-19, she recommended those with the highest likelihood of benefit and the lowest possible risk.

She discussed the 3 components to prevention. 1. Block viral docking, 2. Inhibit viral replications, and 3. Increase innate immunity.

Prevent Viral Entry and Docking
* The Covid-19 virus gets into human cells by targeting a specific receptor called ACE2 found on certain cells. Certain vitamins and supplements may be able to block ACE2 receptor binding:
    - Astragulus may be helpful in decreasing ACE2 receptor activity.
    - Quercetin binds to ACE2 receptors, taking the space that the virus is targeting.
    - Vitamin D3 reduces ACE2 activation
    - Elderberry inhibits viral attachment in a different corona virus and may do the same thing with Covid-19.

Reducing Viral Replication
    - Zinc reduces viral replication.
    - Quercetin acts as a zinc chelator and helps facilitate bringing zinc into the cells.
    - EGCG, found in green tea, also acts as a zinc chelator.
    - Elderberry inhibits replication of a different corona virus and may do the same thing with Covid-19.

Improving Innate Immunity
    - Vitamin D activates innate immune cells but too much can cause an overactive inflammatory response (or a cytokine storm) and cause a damaging response in the lungs. (Test for 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Deficiency is less than 30 nmol/L. Potential deficiency is between 30 and 50 nmol/L and normal levels are between 50 and 100 nmol/L.)
    - Vitamin C regulates pro-inflammatory cytokines.
    - Curcumin can also help surpress a cytokine storm.
    - Melatonin may reduce lung damage during the viral infection.
    - 7 to 10 servings of vegetables a day provides immunity boosting flavonoids.
    - Other supplements that help boost immunity include garlic, ECGC from green tea, quercetin, and mycelium extract.
    
Dr. Esther Sternberg 
Dr. Sternberg discussed the impact of stress and making your home a healing place.

A certain amount of brain stress is necessary and beneficial for peak performance but excess stress can lead to disease. The stress response strongly effects the immune system and chronic stress increases the frequency of viral infections and accelerates aging.

Reducing Stress
Dr. Sternberg's suggestions on reducing stress:
* Take control as best you can even though we are in a situation where many people feel out of control.   

* Focus on your own expertise and take that stress energy and turn it into something to help others. For example, today, instead of freaking myself out watching the news, I'm spending time sharing this good information with you!

*  Have virtual social gatherings. The other night we had a virtual cocktail hour with some friends that we hadn't seen in a while and it was really fun catching up. And we didn't have to drive across town, clean up the house or dress up. This might become a thing!

* Get a good night's sleep. EVERY speaker discussed this so it's super important. Increased activity helps improve your sleep. Circadian lighting where you expose yourself to bright sun light sometime between 8am and noon and reduce exposure to light in the evening, helps the body produce melatonin and enhances good sleep. 

* Exercise is a great stress reducer. So if it's allowed, get out of the house for a walk or run while remaining socially distanced. I myself dance to zumba tapes.

* Do Mind Body activities such as meditation, yoga, and breath exercises like the 4-7-8 breath Dr. Weil suggested above.

* Maintain a healthy diet. I have over 600 posts of healthy recipes in this blog so you can start here.

* Spiritual activities can greatly help stress. These are not always tied to religion - mine involve plants and gardening and appreciating the beauties of the universe and each other.

I hope this summary helps you understand more about Covid-19 and ways to strengthen your body to help prevent and fight this deadly virus.

Millet, Brown Rice, And Quinoa Excellent Gluten-Free Alternatives To Wheat But How Do They Compare Nutritionally?

Millet, rice and quinoa are wonderful alternatives
for those avoiding wheat. Which one is best?

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest.
Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.

Gluten Free Eating
Many people today avoid wheat and other grains that contain gluten. About 1% of Americans have celiac disease and many more suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity. For these people, eating even the slightest amount of gluten can have severe consequences. Others may give up gluten temporarily during a cleanse or food-elimation diet just to see if they feel better. Luckily, there are other wonderful grains (and seeds) available to choose from, making gluten-free eating easier than it's ever been. Here are three easy-to-find alternatives and how they stack up nutritionally.

MILLET

Millet is a grass seed, grown mostly in Asia and Africa. Although it is a staple in these countries and has been grown for 10,000 years in East Asia, it has not been a significant crop in the U.S. In fact, the type of millet grown in the U.S. is sold mostly as bird seed. 

But lately, millet has been popping up on more and more menus as well as food blogs, perhaps driven by the demand for gluten-free cuisine. I must admit, I had never cooked with it before last week so I was excited to try it. 

The first way I prepared it was as a whole-grain side dish. It has a delicious, nutty flavor.

To prepare, mix one cup of dry millet with 2 1/2 cups of water or broth in a 2-quart saucepan with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of Earth Balance buttery spread. Many of the recipes I've seen use only 2 cups of water but I found that to be too dry.

Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, at a low simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for another 10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and it's ready to serve. 

Millet

Fluff up the cooked millet with a fork and serve.

One cup of dry millet yields about 3 1/2 cups of cooked millet.

I used some of the cooked millet in a delicious kale bowl that I will blog later this week. But I had a bunch left over. So the next morning, I put the leftover millet in a small saucepan with almond milk, cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, and some sweetener and cooked it until it turned into a wonderful porridge. With these seasonings, it had the taste and texture of rice pudding and made a delicious breakfast.
If you want to make this from scratch, and not from leftovers, try this:

Creamy Millet 
[makes 2 servings]

1/2 cup millet
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup almond milk plus some for topping
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons raisins
1/2 teaspoon Earth Balance buttery spread
Sweetener to taste (optional)
2 teaspoons cold pressed flax oil 

Combine millet, water, 1 cup of almond milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, raisins, and Earth Balance in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes. After that, start stirring occasionally and cook, covered, until it reaches the desired porridge-like consistency, another 10 minutes. Add additional milk if it gets too dry or cook uncovered if it is too wet. 

Stir in some sweetener to taste (a packet of stevia or xylitol) if desired.

Divide into two bowls. Top each bowl with a touch of almond milk and a teaspoon of flax oil and serve. 

Creamy millet breakfast porridge

Nutrition in Millet

1 cup of cooked millet has 207 calories

Fats

1.7 g total fat

0.3 g saturated, 0.3 monosaturated, and 0.9 polyunsaturated

48.7 mg omega-3 fatty acids, 835 mg omega-6 fatty acids

0 mg cholesterol

Carbohydrates

41.2 g total carbs

2.3 g dietary fiber

0.2 g sugar

Protein

6.1 g protein 

Not a complete protein - low in lysine

Vitamins/Minerals

Source of B vitamins - thiamin and niacin

Source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper

                    *                          *                            *

RICE

Rice is the go-to grain for most people on a gluten-free diet. It's cheap, easy to find, and most of us have eaten it all of our lives. I love the nutty flavor of brown rice and feel much better about eating the more wholesome version of this grain. I must confess, however, I have a weakness for white jasmine or basmati when I'm in a hurry or I'm craving a lighter and creamier texture. 

Brown rice

Nutrition in Brown Rice

1 cup of cooked, long grain brown rice has 216 calories

Fats

1.8 g total fat

0.4 g saturated, 0.6 g monosaturated, and 0.6 g polyunsaturated 

27.3 mg omega-3 and 603 mg omega-6 fatty acids

0 mg cholesterol

Carbohydrates

44.8 g total carbs

3.5 g dietary fiber

0.7 g sugar

Protein

5 g protein 

Not a complete protein - low in lysine but not as low as millet

Vitamins/Minerals

Source of B vitamins - niacin, B6, and thiamin

Source of manganese, selenium, magnesium, and phosphorus

     

Nutrition in White Rice

1 cup of long grain, enriched, white rice has 205 calories

Fats

0.4 g total fat

0.1 g saturated fat, 0.1 monosaturated fat, and 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat

20.5 mg omega-3 and 98 mg omega-6 fatty acids

0 mg cholesterol

Carbohydrates

44.5 g total carbs

0.6 g dietary fiber (compared to 3.5 g in brown rice)

0.1 g sugar 

Protein

4.2 g protein (compared to 5 g in brown rice)

Not a complete protein - low in lysine but not as low as millet

Try my recipe for Brown Rice Sushi with Roasted Eggplant, Peppers, and Shiitake Mushrooms. 

Brown rice sushi

          *                             *                             *

QUINOA  (Pronounced, "keen-wah")

Quinoa is a cereal grain (it's actually a seed) native to South American, that has become extremely popular in U.S. cuisine. It is pretty easy to find and prepare. It comes in white, black, red, or a combination rainbow. 

Quinoa

If you buy "pre-rinsed" quinoa, you can skip the rinsing step. But if you don't, it's important to place the quinoa in a small mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for a few minutes to remove the soapy tasting saponins on the outer coating. 

Stir a cup of rinsed quinoa into 2 cups of salted, boiling water or broth. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes and serve.

1 cup of dry quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked quinoa.

Quinoa - A Nutritional Superstar

Quinoa has some advantages over rice and millet. It contains more protein and the protein is "complete protein" with the proper balance of all essential amino acids. It also contains the most dietary fiber. 

Nutrition in Quinoa

1 cup of cooked quinoa has 222 calories.

Fats

3.6 g total fat

0.4 g saturated fat, 0.9 g monosaturated fat, and 2 g polyunsaturated fat

183 mg omega-3 and 1771 mg omega-6 fatty acids

0 mg cholesterol

Carbohydrates

39.4 g total carbs

5.2 g dietary fiber

0 g sugar

Protein

8.1 g protein complete protein

Vitamins/Minerals

Source of B vitamins - folate, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6

Source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron, and zinc

Try my recipe for Garden Tomatoes Stuffed with Quinoa and Sweet Corn.

Quinoa makes a great stuffing

Although quinoa comes out ahead in certain categories, it's always good to mix it up and eat different grains to get the maximum nutritional benefits. 

For more recipes and nutritional information, download my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen, available on Amazon and iTunes. 

More Bad Press For Vitamin Supplements - One Article Links Daily Vitamin Use With Increased Mortality For Older Women And Another Links Vitamin E To Prostate Cancer!

The sale of supplements is an $11 billion dollar business!

Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK !

More Bad Press
I always have mixed feelings about articles reporting on the risks of vitamin supplements and I've blogged on this topic before. On one hand, I think people really need to be careful about taking unnecessary vitamins and I'll talk more about that in a bit. On the other hand, I always feel as though the pharmaceutical companies are cheering on, and maybe even funding, any study that would disprove the ability to improve health without their drugs. But paranoia aside, let's discuss vitamins.


Recent Articles
The first article, published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, disclosed a higher risk of death among women, ages 55 to 69, who used certain supplements. The highest risk was among those taking iron, especially those exceeding a daily dose of 50 mg per day. This should not be a surprise since women in that age group who are postmenopausal have very little need for supplemental iron. Younger, menstruating women may need to supplement with this mineral as iron is needed to manufacture hemoglobin in red blood cells, but only if they are anemic. 
If iron is not needed, the body stores it (this pertains to everyone - men and women). Stored iron produces destructive free radicals (think "rust") and this can lead to heart disease, cancer and accelerated aging. Even if you avoid taking iron supplements, you may still get more than you need from eating fortified cereals like General Mills Whole Grain Total that provides a whopping 24 mg per serving. The RDA for adult men and post-menopausal women is only 8 mg! For more information of iron, see my post of Best sources of iron - how to help avoid iron deficiency anemia and toxicity.
Other vitamins that were associated with an increase of death were vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc and copper. Their link with increased death was not as statistically meaningful as iron. Only calcium was associated with a reduced risk of death of 3.8% but there was no added benefit of taking more than 900 mg per day. Personally, I think taking calcium in the amounts doctors often recommend (often exceeding 1,000 mg per day) is excessive. Too much calcium (especially if you take calcium carbonate which is not as absorbable as calcium citrate, for example) can increase the risk of kidney stones. I have two friends who pop calcium pills as if they were M & M's. They have both had kidney stones and false positive mammograms that were just "calcifications" in their breast tissue. Hey, it's got to go somewhere!


The second article, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found a follow-up of the participants in a cancer prevention trial who supplemented with vitamin E, had a 17% increase in prostate cancer compared to those who took a placebo. This was unexpected since previous animal studies and other findings demonstrated that vitamin E and selenium showed promise in preventing the disease. I was surprised to find that the form of vitamin E used in this study was alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E is a family of nutrients consisting of alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherols. I think the study would have been far more significant if mixed tocopherols were used. Given their choice of vitamin E used in this study, I would recommend they return to the drawing board. In the meantime, gentlemen, eat sunflower seeds- a safe and healthful source of this vitamin!


About Vitamin Supplements
There's a lot to know about vitamins. Whenever a friend comes to visit or I visit them, I always end up going through their vitamin regimen and making some recommendations. Most people put together a random collection of vitamins, minerals and herbs based on a friend's recommendation, a segment on Dr. Oz, or an advertisement in a magazine. But just as you shouldn't take prescription drugs without rigorous research, you shouldn't start taking supplements without a solid reason and a great deal of knowledge. So before you go down the isle of your favorite health food store tossing various supplements into your cart, remember the following:
* Vitamin supplements can be potent. Vitamins can cause extreme reactions in your body, especially when taken in excess. Vitamins can interact with certain drugs and with each other. For example, vitamin E has blood thinning properties and can be dangerous if you are taking drugs like Coumadin. Calcium can significantly reduce iron absorption. These are things you need to know. 
* Not all supplements are alike. Some vitamins are synthetic and others are derived from real food and provide a more absorbable "whole food complex". Companies like New Chapter make supplements that are made in this manner and can even be taken on an empty stomach. Synthetic vitamins often are so strong, they can give you an upset stomach.
* Are you deficient? Ask your doctor for a vitamin panel and if your blood tests reveal a deficiency in a certain vitamin, then consider supplementing. Certain drugs and conditions can deplete vitamins. For example, taking statins can deplete coenzyme Q10. Drinking alcohol in excess can cause a deficiency in B-complex vitamins. Taking precautionary supplements in certain situations like these may be beneficial. 
* Certain diets require supplementation.  If you avoid all animal food, you will need to supplement with vitamin B12, DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids and most likely vitamin D or eat foods fortified with these nutrients.
* See through the hype. The sale of supplements is an $11 billion dollar business and attracts many unscrupulous people. The industry is not regulated and literally ANYONE can make a supplement, advertise in a magazine and sell their product. So make sure you do your due diligence on the company, read the published literature, work with a competent holistic nutritionist or naturopath and make your decision carefully. 


Let Food be thy Medicine
The bottom line is this - your best bet is to get your vitamins and minerals from food. It's unlikely that you can eat an abundance of fast food, skip your fresh fruits and vegetables, pop a few vitamin supplements and avoid ill health. 
Having said that, there are a few nutrients that I think most people are deficient in - vitamin D, EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike others, the research involving these supplements has shown great promise in preventing many degenerative disorders. But that's a topic for another day!

Raw Tabouli—Full Of Nutrient Rich Herbs

Day 21 of our “One Month Raw Food Cleanse”
When we search for foods rich in vitamins and minerals, we generally focus on basic food groups like fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, etc., but did you know that herbs like parsley and mint are very good sources of vitamins A, C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, copper and potassium? In addition, parsley is loaded with vitamin K.

Nutritionists usually don’t highlight this because most recipes use insignificant amounts of herbs not to overpower the dish. Tabouli, however, is an exception and is known for its generous use of both mint and parsley.

This quick and easy raw recipe uses jicama and pine nuts instead of the traditional cooked bulgar. Each serving will have a generous 4 tablespoons of these nutrient packed herbs!

***

Raw Tabouli [serves 8]
4 cups jicama, diced
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 medium yellow heirloom tomato, diced
1 medium red heirloom tomato, diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, (more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (more or less to taste)

Dice the heirloom tomatoes and put in a colander to drain. Place jicama and pine nuts in a food processor and process briefly until it resembles large grain. Place mixture on paper towels to remove some of the moisture and then place in a large bowl. Add red onion, cucumber, parsley, mint and the drained tomatoes. Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently mix this dressing into the salad and serve.

Per serving: 132 calories, 10 g fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 2.1 g protein, 9.7 g carbohydrates and 3.9 g of fiber.

Menu for Day 21
Breakfast is a bowl of watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries. Lunch is tabouli salad with raw crackers and guacamole. I will make faux “tuna fish salad” stuffed heirloom tomatoes for dinner (see April 25, 2009 post) and some tropical chocolate truffles for dessert (see February 12, 2009 post). I feel like juicing today so I’ll make a big pitcher of fresh vegetable juice and snack on it during the day.

Should I Take Vitamin Supplements?

Day 15 of our “One Month Raw Food Cleanse”
Well, I’m half way through my one month raw food cleanse. Hopefully some of you are doing this journey with me. I must admit, after the first week my stomach was a bit upset from all of the fiber, but I feel great now and I’m ready for the second half of the cleanse.

I have reminded you in previous posts that a total raw food diet will not provide vitamin B12 or vitamin D so if you are going to eat only raw food on a long term basis, you should think about taking supplements for the B12 and either get more sunshine for vitamin D or also take some supplements for that too.

With all of the press given to articles claiming vitamins are useless, many people are confused. Just yesterday the New York Times ran an article, “Vitamins Found to Curb Exercise Benefits”. A research team led by a nutritionist from Germany tested a group of young men who exercised. Some received some vitamin C and E supplements and some did not. Those that received supplements showed a decrease in the ability of their bodies’ natural defense mechanism to clean up free radicals from exercise. Kind of scary – (I’m sure their main intent). Is my body’s natural ability to defend itself getting weakened by me pumping all of these supplements into my body?

Although I have distrust in many of the articles that have appeared over the past few years, I have become somewhat concerned with over supplementing. I probably could fill a swimming pool with the number of vitamins I’ve taken over the past 20 years so why am I concerned now?

First of all, the supplement industry is now a multi-billion dollar industry. Some of the same corrupt and deceitful behavior shown by our medical system and pharmaceutical companies are now being demonstrated by the vitamin industry. Whenever there is this much money involved, unfortunately, you can expect this. So what can you do? Here’s what I’ve done.

• I never take synthetic vitamins.
• I only take organic vitamins that are derived from whole foods.
• I only purchase vitamins from reputable companies that are actually concerned about health. Just go to the NEW CHAPTER website and you will find that kind of company. So when picking a vitamin, look at their website, read their mission statement and how they make their product. Buying discount vitamins from a superstore is counterproductive.
• I find out where my vitamins are made. Ninety percent of all vitamin C is made in China, as is much of vitamin A, B12 and E. I am more than a bit concerned about a country that spikes its baby formula with melamine making my vitamins.
• I have cut down on the amounts and the number of vitamins I take. I do not take iron (I’m not anemic and it’s usually not needed past childbearing age) or vitamin E (I eat plenty of avocado and sunflower seeds). I take one New Chapter stress support multi per day (they recommend 3). I supplement with a little calcium/magnesium citrate (about 1/5 of what is recommended). If you eat an alkaline diet, (fruits and vegetables, little or no meat), your body doesn’t need as much calcium. I also take 1000 mg of vitamin D per day because my blood test showed my level to be low (I should stop blogging and get more sun which is the best source of vitamin D). Your requirements may be different so this regimen may not be optimal for you.
• To get more vitamins and minerals in my body naturally, I juice, make fruit and vegetable smoothies, eat more fresh fruit and salads, and eat raw nuts, seeds and sprouts. I try to always eat organic as it has been shown that organic food has a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals than food that has been grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is a personal decision and one that should be based on need and data. Ask your doctor to take a blood test to see where you may have a nutrient deficiency. You should also see how you feel. Feeling badly is a sign that you may need a change in your daily regimen whether it’s sleep, proper diet, exercise, supplements, water or sunshine.

Menu for Day 15
Breakfast is a mixture of freshly picked organic strawberries and cantaloupe. Lunch will be a spinach salad with avocado, cashews and grape tomatoes with a lemon dressing. Dinner will be a sprouted green lentil curry with fresh pineapple and dessert crumble.