The Mama Edna Project

The Mama Edna Project Newsletter, June 2015, by Miranda Yerrick, Nutritionist

Antioxidants- What are they and how do they affect your body

Walking through the grocery store these days is basically like watching television or passing billboards. There is a constant flow of advertisements on the packaging that you may or may not even notice as you peruse the aisles. One advertisement that I seem to notice a lot is “contains antioxidants!”. So what exactly are antioxidants? Basically antioxidants are a chemical, but a chemical that is good for your body. These chemicals can be naturally occurring or man-made and they have been shown to slow or prevent damage to cells. Antioxidants need something to combat in order to be useful so that is where free radicals come into play. So what exactly are free radicals? Free radicals are kind of confusing to understand, basically they are atoms that have an uneven number of electrons. Normally a “happy” atom has an even number of electrons. These atoms can become “unhappy” when exposed to oxygen causing an uneven number of electrons. Because free radicals are missing an electron they are always looking to steal an electron from healthy atoms therefore causing a chain reaction of free radicals spreading through your body. So why are free radicals harmful? Free radicals can potentially get as crazy as to alter our DNA. DNA gets involved when a free radical is looking for an electron to steal and finds an atom to snag one from and that atom contains DNA. Once DNA atoms are being altered things get dangerous; these altered atoms can cause diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune diseases and many more.
Luckily there have been studies conducted that show increasing your consumption of antioxidants can prevent the development of free radical damage that has been associated with causing cancer.
As far as antioxidants go; they are best used as a prevention tool. Consuming foods with antioxidants while dealing with cancer and cancer treatment is completely fine to do. However, there are antioxidant supplements now which provide a large dose at one time. There have been studies done as to how this affects those during chemotherapy and radiation and the results are mixed. Some studies say it may be harmful and some say that it may be helpful. I advise speaking with your doctor if you are at all interested in antioxidant supplements. So where can you find antioxidants in order to prevent cancer and overall better your health? As with any nutrients that are good for you, think of whole naturally occurring foods! Fruits that are high in antioxidants are; blueberries, grapes, raspberries, apples, strawberries, cranberries and many more. Vegetables include; orange vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans (black eye peas, black beans, lentils, red beans), and dark green vegetables. Other sources for antioxidants include whole grains, make easy swaps such as using whole grain bread, corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas and brown rice rather than white. Tea is high in antioxidants as well, specifically green tea. Lastly, fish is also a great source of antioxidants! When shopping for fish try to look for salmon, oysters, mackerel, tuna steaks and rainbow trout.

In conclusion we should all think of antioxidants as a great thing. As mentioned in the first paragraph, the grocery store may be filled with products that promise “antioxidant power” when in reality it contains minimal ingredients that actually contain these amazing chemicals. As with anything, always stick with real whole foods! Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Those of you that are clients of The Mama Edna Project or that just enjoy juicing should always try to incorporate antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables into your juices. Remember to always speak with your doctor if you ever consider taking an antioxidant supplement during treatment but antioxidant rich foods are absolutely fine to consume!

Here’s a great link to a blog with lots of information on antioxidants: http://ayurskin.org/antioxidants/antioxidants-good-skin/

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Understanding pH and the Benefits of Keeping Your pH in Balance

Written by Miranda Yerrick, Nutritionist

Most of us know something about the pH scale if we think back to grade school science classes. The pH scale, or power of Hydrogen scale, runs from 1-14. The smaller the number the more acidic and the larger the number more basic or alkaline. Something that contains a pH of 7 is thought to be neutral. The human body likes to remain between 7.30-7.45, this means that our bodies are relatively neutral but a bit more alkaline than acidic. A lot of times people have issues with their body not being able to maintain the 7.30-7.45 and we tend to become acidic. An imbalance of pH can basically come down to one thing; our diet.
It is pretty safe to say that most Americans are consuming a diet that is entirely too high in salt and fat and way too low in whole foods such as fruits and vegetables. Meat and dairy can actually cause your body to become more acidic than it likes to be. Research has shown that having an imbalance of pH levels, specifically with increasing the acidity in your blood, could potentially damage your kidney and liver, two vital organs in our body. You may be thinking, but fruits and vegetables are surely acidic! Yes, for the most part they are. This isn’t the concern; the concern is the nutrients that are found in these fruits and vegetables and in meat and dairy. Fruits and vegetables tend to have higher levels of calcium, magnesium, and especially potassium. These three nutrients are the best at alkalizing your body or keeping you right where you need to be. Foods that contain high levels of chloride, phosphate, or sulfates are going to generally thrown your pH balance out of balance and increase the acidity in your body.
Many of us have heard that cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment and have a harder time surviving in a neutral or more basic environment. Not only do they thrive in acidic environments, but they also produce lactic acid which can make our bodies even more acidic. The theory is that if cancer cells thrive in acidic environments and you are able to balance out your pH levels, cancer cells would have a harder time doing damage to your body and possibly surviving. Not only is a pH balanced body something to strive for when diagnosed with cancer, it is something that you should really strive for at all times. A pH balanced body or alkaline forming diet can preserve and reserve enzymes in your body which can keep your digestive system working properly. Keeping your digestive system in top notch shape ensures that your body can break down foods properly and absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from those foods. Along with an improved digestive system, it also oxygenates your body more efficiently which can improve energy level and athletic performance.
So how do you manage your pH levels in an effort to make your body healthier? As stated above, diet is the most important thing. The Standard American Diet, or SAD, is crazy high in meats, grains (not typically whole), and sodas and unfortunately low in fruits and vegetables. Raw fruits and vegetables are specifically important when it comes to alkalizing the body. Those of you that are clients of The Mama Edna Project should be doing great when it comes to consuming high amounts of raw fruits and vegetables and should be well on your way to alkalizing your body. Make sure to always be drinking the correct amount of water for your body. Water is an alkaline promoting liquid and can help with pH imbalance as well as overall health. Keeping our bodies in pH balance really isn’t that hard to do! Be more conscious as to what you are eating, continue with your juices that are abundant in raw fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water and reserve acid forming foods such as meats and sodas for an occasional treat.

15 Alkalizing Foods to Include in Your Diet
1. Almonds
2. Avocado
3. Leafy Greens (kale, collards, chard)
4. Root Vegetables (beets, turnips, carrots)
5. Broccoli
6. Water
7. Olive Oil/Coconut Oil
8. Lemon
9. Cucumber
10. Celery
11. Sweet Potatoes
12. Garlic
13. Coconut Water
14. Bell Peppers
15. Wheatgrass Juice

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FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER from The Mama Edna Project, written by Miranda Yerrick

February 12,  2015

Juicing and Blending: What are differences and how do they affect you?

Juicing and blending, or making smoothies as it is more commonly referred to, are two very common nutrition practices today. It seems that everyone is obsessing over green smoothies and green juices. I personally think that this is a great thing to be obsessing over! Kris Carr, a wellness activist living with an incurable form of cancer, is one of the many public figures that endorse and believe in the power of green juices. In this month’s newsletter I would like to cover the differences between the two since there are many benefits to both. Since we are a juicing community I would like to focus on why juicing specifically is a great choice.

The main difference between juicing and blending is simply the consistency of the product. The consistency is determined by the contents of the juice or smoothie. When a fruit or vegetable is juiced it extracts all of the water and nutrients out of that specific produce. The byproduct of juicing is the pulp or the insoluble fiber in the fruits and vegetable. You may be wondering why juicing comes so highly recommended when all of the fiber is removed? Well, removing the insoluble fiber from the fruits and vegetables makes consuming the juice easier on your gut. This is particularly important for anyone that may be suffering from any type of stomach or intestinal cancer. While this can be especially beneficial to these specific types of cancer it is also beneficial to those with any types of cancer because it gives your body a chance to relax or take a break. Your gut is a very sensitive part of your body. While undergoing treatment for any type of serious illness it has a tendency to be affected. Many times the good bacteria, or probiotics, are depleted by treatment causing diarrhea and stress on the gut. When the fiber is removed from the produce your body does not have to work so hard to digest what you are consuming. The juice comes into your stomach and gut as a thin fiber-less liquid allowing for immediate absorption, or a “shot” of nutrients if you will. Your body is then able to soak up all of the vitamins and minerals in the juice rather than getting stuck in the fibrous mixture that would be consumed in the form of a smoothie. Juicing also allows the recently discovered phytonutrients, micronutrients, and enzymes to quickly absorb into the system without the heating effects of digestion.

Another difference between juicing and blending is bulk. Bulk again, comes back to fiber. When you blend fruits and vegetables together the fiber adds bulk to it allowing for only a few servings to be blended at one time. A major benefit of juicing is that removing the fiber allows for several servings of fruits and vegetables to be consumed at one time. Often one could consume their daily recommended amount of fruits (1-2 cups per day) and vegetables (2-3 cups per day) in a single juice. Juicing is such an easy way for folks that may be experiencing nausea from chemotherapy to consume their recommended amounts of produce without feeling as though they have to force themselves to eat.

Some may be wondering what the difference is in the nutrient content of a juice and a smoothie. The answer is, there can be a huge difference or there could be little difference. It really depends on what is being put into your specific drink. One main reason that I think juicing is so amazing is that you don’t need “fillers” to make it taste delicious. I think of a “filler” as yogurt, milk, peanut butter, etc., anything that would be added to a smoothie to make it taste better (especially if purchased rather than made at home). I personally believe that there is nothing better than an amazing vegetable juice with say an apple for a little sweetness and ginger or lemon for added flavor and nutrient benefits. In sticking with juice instead of the smoothie you are receiving all the benefits of the fruits and vegetables without the added sugars, fat, and calories that would be in a typical smoothie. Also, smoothies may be too filling for a cancer patient who needs on average 9-13 juice drinks per day, according to The Gerson Institute.

To answer the question, what are the differences and how do they affect you, just be aware that there are differences but both are great options. Juicing is perfect for a shot of nutrients that your body can easily absorb and smoothies are great for filling meal replacements. Neither is better nor worse than the other, just stick to what your body is needing and you can never go wrong with an amazing juice or smoothie. Here at The Mama Edna Project we like to treat smoothies as an addition to your juicing regimen as either a snack or meal replacement later in the day after enjoying your morning and afternoon juices.

Here are our favorite green recipes. Please use organic produce whenever possible to avoid toxins from pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Miranda’s Green Smoothie Recipe (for meal replacement)

Omega-3 Rich Green Smoothie

1 cup kale or spinach

1 ripe banana

½ cup strawberries

½ cup unsweetened almond milk(or other dairy milk alternative)

1 T chia seeds

1 T coconut oil

A dash of cinnamon

Process all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Drink and enjoy.

Andrew’s Green Juice Recipe (for breakfast and afternoon snack)

Breakfast Green Juice

1 large cucumber, unpeeled if organic

4 medium carrots

4 stalks celery

1 ½ inches peeled ginger root

2-3 slices of lemon (I usually leave the peel on lemons in small amounts)

2 apples, either Granny Smith for a more tart juice or any organic red apples other than Red Delicious which  are too high in sugar and have been so over bred that there is little nutrition left in them

1 container pre-washed boxed green, rotate between spinach, kale, other greens to get a balanced nutrition

1 container wheatgrass, clipped into 2 inch pieces in a separate bowl wheatgrass does not work well in a fast juicer, just don’t use it if you are using a centrifugal juicer)

Cut produce into appropriate sizes for the juicer you are using. The Mama Edna Project usually uses a slow, masticating juicer for the most nutritional impact and best yield of juice to produce used. Process through the juicer. Drink half immediately and save the other half to enjoy 2 to 6 hours later in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid with little to no air gap at the top to prevent oxidation.

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