It Doesn’t Get Any Greener

“It could be said that the secret of all life on earth depends on a special process that only the green plants possess. This process is called photosynthesis. All green plants absorb energy from the sun, take water and minerals through their roots and air through through leaves en route to maturity. Using the energy from the sun, plants utilize water, minerals and carbon dioxide to make starches, fats, proteins, vitamins and everything they require to grow.

It was little more than a century ago that chemists isolated a green pigment from the green leaves of plants that they called chlorophyll….The chlorophyll molecule bears a striking resemblance to hemoglobin, the red pigment in human blood. The red blood pigment is a web of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms grouped around a single atom of iron. Nature’s green pigment is a similar web of the same atoms, except that its centerpiece is a single atom of magnesium.” (Read the entire article at: http://proliberty.com/observer/20011010.htm)

Chlorophyll is said to improve various anemic conditions, improve the action of the heart, reduce high blood pressure and improve overall health. The writer of the above mentioned article cites examples of chlorophyll normalizing blood count and platelet levels.

Further benefits attributed to chlorophyll include improvement or healing of:
Hepatitis and other liver diseases, asthma and hayfever, pyorrhea, varicose veins, hemorrhoids,
ulcers - internal and external, high and low blood sugar, offensive body odors, sore throat.

“While we always hear that eating more fruits and vegetables enhances our health, new research shows that eating green foods adds extra power to an anti-aging program.

Two experiments at the University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair, published in the Journal of Neurobiology (7/15/02), show that spirulina and other greens can help shield the brain from the antioxidant damage that accumulates as one ages and may help reverse declines in learning and memory.”

The green power of chlorophyll

Foods containing high concentrations of chlorophyll:

sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, celery, collard greens, green beans, green peas, kale, leeks, green olives, parsley, romaine lettuce, sea vegetables, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip greens are concentrated sources of chlorophyll.

Overcooking decreases the chlorophyll.

The moral of the story in Stefanie’s world. Protect plant life (that means ecosystems, growing practices, etc.).

The importance of timing your water consumption

We all know it is important to drink plenty of water. 8 glasses a day is the popular specification. However did you know that there is a time to drink and a time not to drink?

Most people only remember to drink water when they sit down to a meal. The problem is that this is exactly when you should not over consume your water!

Water should be drunk up to 20 minutes before a meal (iced water - at least 30 minutes; avoid when possible) so that it is absorbed before you start eating, because too much water in the stomach inhibits digestion!

If you think about it it makes a lot of sense: Your stomach senses what is being eaten and puts forth the proper digestive juices for that food.

If you have a lot of water in your stomach, it will inhibit its ability to sense its contents and send out the right stuff to digest it. The digestive fluids get diluted and can’t do their job.

You CAN sip some water (not iced) during meals. As you become more body aware, you will notice what is enough and what is too much.Try not to do more than sip water for up to two hours after meals. Become aware also of your schedule. After breakfast has digested, make sure you get in a few glasses before lunch, etc.

More on this subject when I cover “Correct Food Combining“

About me

Greetings and thank you for coming. My name is Stefanie Naifeh and I am a professional singer and Trapeze artist. I am also now 42 years old. These two professions require very good health. A voice shows any unhealthful lifestyle choices transparently. I started training as a trapeze artist at the age of 27 and began working a year and a half later. I simply can’t live a careless lifestyle and at the same time stay fit and healthy and glowing. I have to take care of myself, and I think I do a pretty good job of it.

Throughout my life I have had difficulties with allergies, digestion, health. I didn’t even notice I had these problems for years because my unhealth just seemed “normal.”

I remember at the age of 20, before I really realized I had any chronic health problems, that I became interested in herbal remedies. This was at a time when big grocery stores had never heard of Echinecea and Goldenseal supplements. I read and read and experimented contstantly, making my own tinctures and even little pills from herbs I would get from the funky old health food store in Santa Monica, California.

Over the years I would try many kinds of cures and approaches to health and healing. (Probably, at times, much to the exasperation of friends and loved ones, whom I encouraged to try everything I was “into.”)

Nowadays I am much more shy about giving advice, but friends and family encourage me to speak of my experiences, my ideas, my ways. I seek and settle on simpler approaches and practices.

The biggest challenge I faced occurred when, at the age of 25, I found out I was allergic to wheat and gluten. This meant no bread, no pasta, no muffins, donuts…you get the picture. Later I also discovered difficulty digesting corn (tortillas, tomales, etc). How can someone live without those things! Then I found out I had a bad case of Candida (the digestive tract kind).

Except for Dr. Gruenn in Santa Monica, I never really got useful help from the medical profession. I had to figure it all out for the most part. It is an ongoing process. Some dietary changes did seem to cure me, but I could not sustain them. I am still seeking.

The purpose of my website it to share what I have found to be important basic information and practices with regard to health, well being, eating, digestion, energy, beauty, living. I try to sift through the barrage of conflicting confusing information that is out there, and pass on some common sense and my own experience trying things in creating simple codified bits of helpful hints.
If you like, you can comment on my thoughts and tell me of your experiences.