Florida Agenda

By Andy Kress

Migraines are a paroxysmal affliction that have plagued the world with painful headaches since recorded medical history.

People who suffer from this disease are stricken with pain on one side of the head, along with radiant eye pain and loss of appetite, making the most menial tasks seem like big jobs. Migraine sufferers will show this defined pattern of events daily, weekly, monthly or periodically throughout the year. Living through the torment of this raging pain leaves many of its victims in a wake of depression and malnutrition. Yet, being under the harsh grip of this painful tension headache does not have to be so for intelligent, methodical, and perfection-minded people who suffer from it.

Ironically, migraine sufferers often unknowingly bring this problem on themselves through their busy daily lifestyles. Most cases are caused by low blood sugar, infection, allergies, over-intake of certain drugs and chemicals, over working, low energy from loss of appetite, improper sleep and over-consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sex. Other outside stimulations like excessive light, eye strain, fear, fright or anger, and resentment after hard work can bring on migraine symptoms. Knowing that most of the conditions that create a migraine are caused by our own actions, it becomes easier to find a cure through behavior modification. Nutrition also plays a part.

Having a balanced diet along with a balanced lifestyle is a sure-fire way to eliminate the unbearable symptoms that migraines can cause.

However, due to the fact that migraines cause a lack of appetite and lower energy levels, this will be no easy task. With any kind of successful treatment plan you need to fix or repair the organism as a whole. Doing this will require you to make a change to get a change. Changing the internal environment of the body to relieve migraine suffering will require an internal cleansing of the body to restore its overall vitality. This part is easy, requiring only a little time and effort. Changing your stressful environment is a different story.

People suffering from migraine tension first need to detox the body with a special cleansing ritual. The cleansing should start with two to three day fasting, consuming only orange juice and water taken every two hours for a 12-hour time period each day.

Alternative juices that are acceptable during this cleaning are celery, carrot and cucumber. After the juice fasting, an all fruit diet should be incorporated for the next five days. Taking in three meals a day of fresh juicy apples, pineapples, melons, grapes, grapefruits, oranges, peaches and pears is the ideal diet. No other foods should be taken at this time or it will compromise the overall effect of the detoxification. After finishing the terms of the five-day all-fruit fasting, a well balanced diet should be instated. This diet should consist of nuts, seeds, grains, fruits and vegetables. In time, the diet should be supplemented with milk and dairy products, vegetable oils and honey. Short periods of the all-fruit diet may be needed for a month or two down the road to eradicate any future migraine from reoccurring.

A well-balanced dietary plan is imperative for keeping any future migraine episodes at bay. The new diet must become a lifestyle choice, and perpetuated. Never, ever go back to eating refined cereals, sugars and sweets, for fatty and refined foods will only offset the body and send it right back into the state from which it came. Please choose wisely. You are what you eat!

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, yoga instructor and nutritional counselor in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For more nutritional tips or inspired
exercise routines, reach him at 954-789-3930 or via email at andyfitnesstrainer@gmail.com

   By ANDY KRESS

For hundreds of years, spices have kindled international trade inspiring man to voyage out and discover new lands. Over these years, they have been used for everything from medicines, dyes and perfumes to the flavorings in your food. Today, spices are still prized for the variety and tastes they can lend to your diet. Without these flavorings, foods would be bland or even tasteless. Using a variety of spices can add new tastes and flavors to humdrum dishes, sparking your appetite for healthier foods.

Characterized by pungent aromas and flavors, spices are the roots, buds, bark, flowers and fruits of plants. Even though spices are rich in minerals, they are usually used in such minimal amounts, making them low in nutritional value–perfect for those who are heavy handed on things, without blowing their diets.

Because spices lose their pungency after being exposed to light and air after a short period of time, proper storage of these precious flavorings is very important. Storage in a dark, dry cupboard or closet kept at room temperature is ideal.

Spices and flavoring can be found just about anywhere, so there is no need to skip out on them. Getting fresh herbs and spices for sprucing up your meal is best, but standard spices usually come in the dried form. They can easily be brought back to life by adding a little water and letting them soak in a small dish for a few minutes to soften.

Buying spices doesn’t have to be expensive. All spices are going to have around the same nutritional value, so save your cash and pick up a deal when you can. Whether you’re shopping at the Dollar Store™ or Whole Foods™, the spices you buy will be identical except for the packaging!

Learning to use spices will not only bring out the better chef in you, but it can also improve your desire for healthier foods. And, improved taste is not a spice’s only contribution.

Every one of them is known to contain medicinal applications. A few examples are listed below:

Allspice and Cardamom are a great way to relieve some everyday digestion problems and flatulence.

In vitro studies on allspice have also demonstrated its antibacterial and antifungal uses as well.

Black Pepper is not only just for the dinner table. Sniffing black pepper may prevent fainting attacks for the more dramatic among us.

Caraway Seeds aid in the production of milk, a major bonus for nursing mothers.

Cayenne Pepper has so many medicinal qualities, it is often called the “king of spices.” It is thought to be a natural mood enhancer, as well as stimulating your metabolism, lowering your cholesterol, healing ulcers, cleansing the circulatory system and relieving arthritis.

Cinnamon is highly versatile and can be used to relieve gas and bloating.

Coriander has been used as a digestion aid for years and in larger quantities is a great source of vitamin C.

Ginger is very useful in calming nausea and motion sickness.

Mustard has been used since Ancient Rome to relieve pain and congestion.

Nutmeg and nutmeg oil, used in larger doses, are great for hallucinations if that’s your thing.

Saffron, the most expensive of all the spices, is touted as an aphrodisiac.

Last but not least is Turmeric, a spice valued for inflammation and digestive problem.

Stocking up on spices can help prevent and cure your body’s most common woes, so add these spices to your arsenal at home and don’t be afraid to shop for the best prices in town!

Andy Kress is a certified fitness trainer, yoga instructor and

nutritional counselor in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

For more nutritional tips or inspired exercise routines,

reach him at 954-789-3930 or  via email at andyfitnesstrainer@ gmail.com

“…Good fats help slow  protein breakdown after a grueling  workout.”

Take the Frustration Out of Shopping for Nutritious Foods

Did you ever get frustrated going into a nutrition store in search of the right blend of supplements that will lean you out and build muscle as well? Well, here’s good news.

There are many foods you’re already familiar with that can do all these things and more. No, I’m not talking Jello-shots and pizza. I’m referring to popular, tasty, affordable products you can get at any grocery store. Here are my top six and why you need them in your nutritional plan.

Where’s the beef? It should be on your plate once a week, at least! Beef is rich in iron and zinc, two important muscle building minerals. Plus, it is a great source of creatine, a substance essential for pumping iron. As if this isn’t enough, lean fresh cuts of beef are rich in selenium. Studies have shown that men with low levels of selenium are as much as five times more likely to develop prostate cancer.

There’s nothing “fishy” about fresh cold water salmon. It’s simply up to the gills in quality protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to keeping your cholesterol levels in check, these good fats help slow protein breakdown after a grueling workout. This is important, because to build muscle you need to store new protein faster than your body breaks down the old protein stores.

Yogurt is not just for breakfast. It is a perfect pre-or-post workout snack because it contains an excellent combination of protein (to build muscle) and carbohydrates (the energy you need to pump up). Yogurt also contains linoleic acid, aspecial good fat that supposedly makes your body store less bad fat!

Don’t be an egghead and believe all the bad press! Eggs are the most perfectprotein available. A few eggs a day will keep you fit and healthy because they are packed with riboflavin, folate, vitamins B12, B6, D and E and iron, phosphorus and zinc. And don’t be afraid to eat the yolk, because it is especially rich in B12, a vitamin which breaks down fats and helps fuel muscle contractions.

Oil up and flex those muscles. Olive oil could be called ‘the elixir of the gods’. The monounsaturated fat in olive oil acts as a sort of free radical fighting against muscle breakdown and wasting which comes with overtraining, illness and other forms of stress. Olive oil is also rich in Vitamin E, a fabulous anti-aging agent all its own. Olive oil and other monounsaturated fats have been associated with everything from lower rates of heart disease and colon cancer to reduced risk of diabetes and osteoporosis.

A couple of handfuls of almonds a day won’t make you nutty or fat. They make a perfect, handy snack at any time. Almonds are rich in Vitamin E, a perfect anti-oxidant that will help workout recovery. This vitamin, when consumed in foods like almonds, eggs and leafy vegetables, has been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in men. Don’t forget it!

Make your list and get to the grocery store today. Any questions? Contact TrainerTomB@aol.com anytime.

Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com