by Wally Bishop | Sep 19, 2023 | Honey
Honey is a powerful food, even medicine from nature. Raw honey is a natural antibacterial. It can knock out and even wipe out just about any type of bacteria you list, including MRSA. Additionally, honey has a long list of healing health properties and has a lot of research backing up these statements.
Would you have ever thought something so simple from nature could be so powerful and actually heal and prevent so many health issues? I knew raw honey was healthy but really didn’t know it was this powerful until I began reading the studies and research on honey. Honey belongs in your kitchen next to every NutriBullet or Vitamix and should be eaten every day, small amounts go a long way!
Honey is an amazing substance. Its use for food goes as far back as 8,500 years ago in murals found in Spain and for medicine as far back as 5,000 years ago in Greece, India, and China.
Honey is literally a gift from the honeybee! The honeybee makes honey as food for baby bees (larvae) and for food for the hive when nectar is in short supply during the winter.
Honey is mostly sugar composed of fructose and sucrose, smaller amounts of other sugars, and other nutrients and antioxidants in a water base. The honeybee transforms nectar into honey through the regurgitation of an enzymatic substance into honeycombs, and then, through evaporation of enough water, you have honey.
Yes, that is how bees make honey!
Now the Good Stuff!
Honey has outstanding health properties. It’s amazing when you see honey is just sugars, water, and a small amount of other nutrients. Fake honey does not offer the health benefits that real raw honey does. (Did you even know fake honey existed?) You always want to look for raw honey.
Research studies tell us many positive things about honey. Let’s look at a few.
- Honey can keep skin supple and can help reduce scarring because it keeps skin hydrated.
- Honey is great for digestive support because it acts as a prebiotic and kills bad bacteria.
- Honey is very effective for sore throats when mixed with lemon juice and green tea and then sipped on.
- Honey mixed with Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and green tea makes a very powerful anti-inflammatory drink. If you use a lot of cinnamon you should only use Ceylon cinnamon. The other type of cinnamon found in most grocery stores is a variety called cassia cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon has coumarin, a toxic compound that can damage your liver if consumed in higher quantities.
While honey isn’t an ingredient in Vive Shake, we do recommend using Organic Raw honey as part of your total nutrition plan. To see how this whole-food, fiber-rich supplement can add to your wellness routine, contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009. Next time, we’ll talk about a special brand of raw honey – Unique Manuka.
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
by Wally Bishop | Sep 12, 2023 | Mushrooms
Last week we introduced the basics of mushrooms. Today we want to talk about their benefits.
Mushrooms as a Superfood
Records show that mushrooms have been studied extensively for their health-promoting properties. The use of mushrooms for medicinal purposes goes back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians called them their plant of immortality.
Almost every mushroom you find in your local store has many health benefits, even the white button mushroom is a powerful promoter of health.
Yes, mushrooms are a superfood and one of the most health-promoting foods on the planet! Likely 50% of edible mushrooms are considered functional foods. Functional food means that they have a potentially positive effect on health beyond the basic nutrition they provide.
They are low in calories and fat and are cholesterol-free. Mushrooms contain a moderate amount of fiber and over a dozen minerals and vitamins, including copper, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and a number of B vitamins such as folate. Mushrooms exposed to sunshine can also contain Vitamin D, and some also contain B12 depending on the soil conditions they grow in.
Types of Mushrooms
Chanterelle Mushrooms
There are around 2,000 edible varieties of mushrooms, but only a handful are available at your local grocery store or market.
They include:
- white, or “button”
- brown cremini
- portobello
- shiitake
- oyster
- wood ear
- enoki
Seasonal varieties available at farmer’s markets and some grocery stores include:
Countless scientific studies have revealed a variety of ways mushrooms can be useful in helping with adverse conditions and in improving overall health.
Potential Health Benefits
Amazingly, research has identified more than 200 conditions that may benefit from the consumption of mushrooms and more than 100 different positive health benefits they can produce for the body.
- Promotes healthy gut flora
- Enhances immune function
- Protects from neurological disease
- Anti-aging
- Aids in weight loss
- Help with diabetes
- Protect the liver
- Detoxes heavy metals
- Anti-cancer
- Heart protective
- Anti-inflammatory
- Make bones stronger
- Enhance digestion
- Anti-viral and antibacterial
- Help with Rheumatoid arthritis
- Anti-mutagenic
Ways to Consume More Mushrooms
There are so many great recipes for mushrooms! One of the things I like best about using mushrooms in recipes is that they can have the same texture as meats. I recently made a Creamy Mushroom Chowder (OMG, so delicious!) We used a combination of shiitake, cremini, and portobello mushrooms.
The portobellos gave it a dense meaty texture, which makes them a great replacement for giving dishes that meaty feel. Each type of mushroom has a unique flavor to add to the meal or recipe. If you would like my recipe for the Creamy Mushroom Chowder send me a message.
Enjoy your mushrooms as burgers, chowders, soups, grilled, sautéed or baked. They are versatile!
Vive Shake includes an extract of Lion’s Mane mushroom. To see how this whole-food, fiber-rich supplement can add to your wellness routine, contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009.
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
by Wally Bishop | Sep 5, 2023 | Mushrooms
I can’t remember when I first discovered mushrooms, but I remember the subtle, earthy flavor made me feel in some unique way connected to nature. It tasted wholesome and nurturing.
I had no clue of the medicinal value of what I was eating at a young age, I just knew I liked it! When they are cooking, I can smell the earthiness and yumminess, be it a stew, sautéed or grilled!
Please don’t eat mushrooms from your yard or forest without the advice of a professional trained in edible mushrooms, not all are edible. Some are very poisonous.
Mushrooms are types of fungi that not only offer great medicinal and nutritional value but also help support the earth, plants, water, air, and us. Mushrooms are not mold or yeast. However, to err on the side of caution, if you have candida overgrowth, discuss mushroom consumption with a qualified health professional.
World Wood Web!
Mycelia are tiny thread-like structures that make up mushrooms and fungi. While mushrooms might be the most familiar part of a fungus, most of their bodies are made up of a mass of thin threads known as mycelia.
We now know that these threads act as a kind of underground internet, linking the roots of different plants. Wow, did you get that? Mycelia acts as an underground communication network between plants of all kinds.
That tree in your garden is probably hooked up to a bush several yards away, thanks to mycelia. Because of this network of communication, each mycelium helps boost the immune system of plants and trees and helps transfer nutrients and water between plants connected to the underground network.
The largest living organism in the world is a 2,000-plus-year-old 2200-acre bed of mycelia in Oregon. It’s the World Wood Web!
Mushrooms Detoxify Soil
Mushrooms are also powerful detoxifiers of the soil in the ground. They can break down hydrocarbons in petrochemicals, turning them into harmless chemicals. Mushroom expert Paul Stamets describes how mycelium and mushrooms do this natural, very beneficial task. They also break down rock over and over, creating soil.
Next time, we’ll get into the health benefits of mushrooms and how you can better incorporate them into your diet. Vive Shake includes an extract of Lion’s Mane mushroom. To see how this whole-food, fiber-rich supplement can add to your wellness routine, contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009.
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
by Wally Bishop | Aug 28, 2023 | Grains
Last week, we talked about some of the benefits of rice bran. Today we want to get into more specific details about the nutrients contained in the rice bran.
Rice Bran is packed with hundreds of health-enhancing vital nutrients!
Protein — Stabilized rice bran contains easily digested, hypoallergenic essential amino acids that are necessary for building human protein.
Complex Carbohydrates — unlike simple carbohydrates, which can add to blood sugar and fat storage problems, healthy complex carbohydrates like those found in stabilized rice bran have a “low glycemic index,” which means that they don’t cause spikes in your blood sugar. In fact, stabilized rice bran has been found to help normalize blood sugar.
Fiber — Stabilized rice bran contains soluble and insoluble fibers necessary for optimum digestive health, blood sugar regulation, lowered cholesterol, and the prevention of diabetes and heart disease.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) — Omegas 3, 6 & 9 help to strengthen cellular membranes (so the bad stays out and the good stays inside cells). They also help with energy production (eliminating fatigue); transporting oxygen to the cells; removing waste from the cells; regulating hormones; reducing inflammation, pain, and stiffness; reducing LDL “bad” cholesterol & increasing HDL “good” cholesterol, not to mention, improving your complexion, mood, memory & concentration!
Enzymes — Enzymes are the catalyst that makes everything happen in our bodies. The enzymes in rice bran also act as powerful cell protectors. They are also some of the most powerful antioxidants we could ever ingest.
Tocotrienol’s & Tocopherols (Complete Vitamin E family known as tocols) — Tocols as a complete group are much more powerful than regular vitamin E. They are great for your cardiovascular system, your immune system, and your complexion!
Phytosterols and Sterolins (phytosterols glucosides) — These are natural phytonutrients with healthful properties that range from helping to fight free radicals, prevent cancer, reduce blood sugar and blood triglyceride levels, lower cholesterol, and ease menopausal symptoms.
Gamma Oryzanol Complex — this amazing group help boost immune response, reduce inflammation, increase energy, metabolize glucose, regulate blood sugar, build muscle, and more!
Polyphenols — including Ferulic acid, α-Lipoic acid, Methyl ferulate, ρ-Coumaric acid, ρ-Sinapic acid, Isovitexin, Proanthocyanidins. These have been shown to assist the immune system and to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Metal Chelators — including Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous, Potassium, and Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6). Getting heavy metals out helps to ensure that antioxidants don’t “turn to the dark side” and become pro-oxidized free radicals.
Carotenoids — Rice bran contains very effective free radical scavengers, including Lutein, α-Carotene, β-Carotene, Lycopene, Zeaxanthine, and Crytocyanthine.
B-Vitamins & Vitamin-like substances — including Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Pyridoxine, Betaine, Dimethyl glycine, Inositol, Biotin, Choline and Folic acid. These help reduce cholesterol buildup, support adrenal function, calm and maintain the nervous system, and assist in key metabolic processes.
Polysaccharides — These are known to help immune function, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and increase coronary artery flexibility and capacity.
Phospholipids — Phospholipids are essential fats that help support the growth and renewal of cellular membranes, forming a barrier to filter toxins out. They also act as cellular antioxidants when free radicals try to penetrate the cell. Phospholipids are also thought to prevent depletion of the neurotransmitter choline, improving mental focus, brain function, and both mental and physical stamina.
Rice bran is a functional food.
Because of rice bran’s large amount of vitamins, minerals, additional phytonutrients, and health benefits, I selected rice bran and germ as the base ingredient in Vive! Additionally, it’s hypoallergenic, gluten-free, and tastes good! Contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009 to give Vive Shake a try. It’s an amazing opportunity to revolutionize your health!
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
by Wally Bishop | Aug 21, 2023 | Grains
Last week, we discussed how the refinement of grains eliminates the best part of rice – the bran and the germ. Today we’ll get into the benefits of this superfood and why you should incorporate it into your meal plan.
Rice bran has an amazing array of nutritional benefits! Stabilized rice bran is the new superfood! It contains a vast array of advanced nutrients and antioxidants, which assist you in maintaining your overall health. The nutritional value of rice bran is superior to other brans and pushes your body for optimal vibrant health.
Amazingly, rice bran contains an astounding quantity of healthy nutrients such as phytosterols, polysaccharides, beta-sitosterol, beta-glucan, natural fiber, Vitamin E complex, plus a large complement of B vitamins, and over 100 antioxidants!
Rice Bran:
- Has compounds that support and boost immune function
- Helps reduce and balance blood sugar levels
- Increases energy
- Lowers cholesterol
- It is heart protective
- Has anti-cancer potential
- It is anti-inflammatory
- It supports healthy digestion
- Is rich in fiber
- Supports better blood pressure
- Protects kidneys
- It is great for the skin and hair
- Supports healthy weight loss
- Builds muscle
Stabilized Rice bran has just about all the essential vitamins and minerals you would ever need for natural health maintenance, weight management, and instant energy. This is why we have rice bran in Vive Shake. If you would like to see how his superfood can help you, contact us today at info@viveshake.com or 877-878-3009. Next week, we’ll talk about the specific nutrients contained in rice bran.
Vive Shake and the recommendations contained on this site and our blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. They are for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
