Achieve Your Greatest Dreams - one step at a time.

Sociidot is a new app to help you reach your goals step by step.
I designed the roadmaps featured in the app for:

• How To KickStart Health
• How To Reverse Diabetes
• How To Burn Fat.

Downloadable in the app store.

How To Kickstart Health - there's an app for that!

I’ve got some great news today:  Sociidot just launched and I’m in the app as a featured expert!

Sociidot is a tool to help you visualize and achieve your dreams. The Sociidot team built the app with the innate understanding that while many people go after their “big” dreams, they may need some help and motivation to get there. Sociidot is designed to push you to spend time on the things that are really important to you.

As a featured nutrition expert in Sociidot, I provide the roadmap of how to get where you want to go. You simply take one tiny action at a time and move forward. Since I’m a food-as-medicine expert, I know the steps it takes to meet your health goals. So I’ve put together what I know and created a couple of roadmaps for Sociidot’s Health Maven category. The roadmaps outline how to achieve certain health goals, so anyone who really wants to can follow the dots and achieve the goal. Whether it be how to reverse diabetes in 30 steps, how to burn fat or simply kickstart a healthy lifestyle that makes you FEEL great in the skin you are in!

Sociidot is available for download here. Look for my roadmaps in the Health Maven category. It was a lot of fun putting them together, and now I’m looking forward to seeing people follow them!

3 Things That Matter More Than What's On Your Plate.

Christina Santini offers nutrition target therapy + coaching + meditation/yoga .

Your body's biochemical functioning + brain chemical rebalancing takes place ONLY during those deep layers of sleep. If you are not sleeping at 10PM which is where we know from Ayurvedic Medicine that our body's main healing takes place, your body is simply not capable of healing from whatever stressors it has encountered during the day - that means that you can be an overly fanatic health-nut, cutting out this and that and carrying around Spirulina bags and whatnot, and yet you will suffer from a body that is slowly but surely breaking down.

Hormones such as testosterone and insulin are STRONGLY sensitive to sleep and the way you deal with stress.

In other words, if you can't seem to be losing that stubborn fat (particularly abdominal fat is due to an imbalance in testosterone/estrogen), and your energy levels are going down the drain - and especially for any sexual dysfunction - you may want to reconsider your sleep and meditation habits.

And if the word habit is not part of these practices, well, then you don't need to look at what's on your plate to improve your health in these areas - because it's a waste of time before your sleep and stress management tools are in place. Before that happens, your blood labs will be reflecting hormonal imbalances that are all over the map, including borderline diabetic tendencies. And this is true, EVEN if you eat a strict low-carb Paleo diet or whatnot. Doesn't matter - sort out your sleep and take some herbs that will help you calm down your mind. Everything else will fall into place after that.

Managing your nutrition before your sleep habits is like painting a house before the fundament is laid out.

Reference: J Pediatr. 2007 Apr;150(4):364-9. Association between inadequate sleep and insulin resistance in obese children. Flint J et al.

TEDTalk Peter Attia on Understanding weight loss.

CAUSE OR EFFECT?
What if obesity is the coping mechanism for an underlying cell defect that we are not addressing via aiming to "just lose weight" - this is a profound difference in how to target weight issues.
What if this cell-defect is programmed to store fat rather than burn fat - and what we are eating does nothing to disrupt this message regardless of calorie restriction?

ReTHINK BreakFAST

Drink Green Tea To Control Diabetes.

Why the Glycemic Index is a useless tool.

According to the Glycemic Index this is a nono.

Watermelon is one of the few top scores in lycopene.

So, in relations to my previous post on the case for white rice, I want to clarify why the glycemic index is nothing to be concerned about when switching from brown to white rice.

The Glycemic Index is actually a completely useless tool, simply because it is not relevant for how we eat. This is a typical example of something that sounds like a great idea in a lab-setting but it doesn't transfer from the labs into our lives. Rarely do we eat a meal consisting of one sole food, and the moment foods are combined then the GI of the individual foods matter not, but rather the combined LOAD of the meal. So simply by adding some organic butter on top of your long-grain high GI value rice you have a medium GI value for that meal!

Also, without going into any science here, does it make sense that we should avoid foods such as grapes, bananas and cooked carrots simply because they have a high GI value? Does that make them count as junk food? And what about pork rinds, bacon and blue cheese - foods loaded with sodium, nitrites and whatnot, yet they score low on the Glycemic Index. Using this logic, a meal consisting of bacon, pork rinds and drizzled with blue cheese should be healthier than a wholesome ripe banana full of potassium, B-vitamins, and even a bit serotonin?

According to the index you should avoid water melon and cooked carrots – both superfoods with regard to their natural high contents of respectively Lycopene and Beta Carotene. Ultimately, there are a lot of other factors that come into play when determining whether a food is healthy or not. Also, the Glycemic Index does not take into account the amount we eat of the various foods listed; this is where the term Glycemic Load is relevant.

In many of the studies on the Glycemic Index, subjects were forced to eat the same number of calories of various foods - 250 calories of white bread, 250 calories of carrots, 250 calories of potatoes, and so on. Eating 250 calories of carrots equals 1.5 pounds of food! Outside a research lab, it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to eat 250 calories of carrots in one sitting! Studies that take into account real-world eating, such as the one presented in Diabetes Care 2005 vol 28., found so-called high-glycemic foods like carrots and potatoes no longer raise blood sugar or insulin levels any more than many other foods. Nor do they enhance appetite or produce excess calorie intake and obesity.

Furthermore when we combine foods, then the Glycemic index completely loses its value.
Admittedly, there has not been done enough peer reviewed articles on this topic; however, basic common sense will tell you that eating a piece of watermelon which has a high GI is hardly more unhealthy than a lower GI food such as a cheeseburger, which will offset a cascade of chemical reactions in the body due to the contents of trans fats etc. The Glycemic Index is misleading and overly simplified.

That said, if you suffer from diabetes - similar to any other disease - then you do need to match your current health state with a medicinal diet that caters for your symptoms - and that means that you want to avoid certain otherwise healthy foods.

Every disease requires a specific dietary approach as does every genotype - but relying on the GI Index as a universal health tool is quite frankly a disaster.

What we need to focus on is a phytonutrient index, as most Americans are overweight yet micronutrient undernourished.

The Nutrition Doctor's Secrets of Anti-Aging no. 2: Top 10 Super Foods

The Nutrition Doctor either uses medicinal mushrooms
as part of tonics or in savory recipes!

Medicinal mushrooms
High in super immune-enhancing polysaccharides such as beta glucans, medicinal mushrooms are one of the most intelligent adaptogenic herbs on the planet. Reishi mushrooms are the most well studied herb in the history of the world. reishi has antioxidant properties that protect the body from radiation and free radicals. it inhibits bacteria, viruses, treats tumors, and its adaptogenic properties protect the body from stress.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
These types of fats - especially eicosapentaenoic acid - performs a number of functions in the body from balancing hormones to improving skin, hair and nails. In general most diets are deprived of omega-3s and have excessive omega-6. Having an excess of omega-6 fatty acids and rancid trans fatty acids, such as are commonly found in processed foods, leads to inflammatory response in the body, which can develop into a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease, immunity challenges, and neurological problems. The best way to get the right kind of fatty acids is to consume foods containing alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). These are commonly founds in microalgaes such as chlorella, marine phytoplankton, and seeds like hemp, chia and flax in addition to fatty fish, which is an excellent source of EPA and DHA, as long as you choose from the bottom of the food chain to minimize heavy metal intake.

B-Vitamins
B-vitamins such as B6, B9 and B12 are highly correlated with our ability to handle stress. B12 gets used up in our body quickly just by the stresses and toxicity found in our environment on a daily basis. B12 is known to deactivate homocysteine found in our blood. Elevated homocysteine levels correlate directly with our chance s of having a heart attack. the best form to take is methylcobalamin, which has the added benefit of contributing a methyl group that breaks down carcinogenic "bad" estrogen in the system and helps rebalance hormones in women. Vitamin B6 and B9 also contribute methyl groups to our liver, helping to break down "bad" estrogen.

MACA: Increase your stamina
from the bedroom t0 the boardroom!

Maca
A staple of the Peruvian Andes for thousand of years, this adaptogenic superfood increases energy, endurance, strength and libido. Dried maca powder contains 19 amino acids and 7 essential amino acids. it offers incredible hormone regulation from the top down, supporting the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, the thyroid, and the adrenal glands in addition to being rich in B-vitamins. Maca is one of the secrets to the efficacy of The Nutrition Doctor's Natural Hormone Balancing™ program and customized blend series.

Probiotics
A healthy ecosystem in our body starts in the gut - your second brain. After we hit 30 we experience a drastic drop in the secretion of digestive enzymes and our ability to digest and utilize the nutrients no matter how clean a diet we are following. Therefor, supplementing with a high-quality probiotic as well as including 2 servings of fermented foods daily, such as kefir, buttermilk, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, natto etc. is crucial to maintain a healthy gut flora and benefit from whatever other supplements you are taking.

Astragalus
This herb has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Astragalus has antioxidant properties that protects the cell against damage caused by free radicals and is used to protect and support the body's immune system, including improving the power of the lungs. Some astragalus samples contain TA-65, the most powerful anti-aging compound ever discovered! The Nutrition Doctor has included this compound both in Santini Skin Solutions™ as well as our Natural Hormone Balancing™ line.

Goji Berries
Used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years, goji berries are regarded as a longevity, stregth-building and potency food of the highest order. This superfood contains 18 kinds of amino acids, all 8 essential amino acids, 21 trace minerals in addition to being high in antioxidants, iron, polysaccharides, B and E vitamins, and many other nutrients. They are especially high in eyesight improving zeaxanthin. Goji berries have always been associated with longevity and beauty.

The Nutrition Doctor in The Kitchen:
RAW Chocolate-Cashew Cream. LICK IT!

Cacao
This is the highest antioxidant food on the planet! It is the no. 1 source of magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese (important for strong bones), and is also extremely high in PEA. Cacao's theobromine adds cardiovascular support. The Nutrition Doctor eats RAW chocolate every day to keep a strong mind in a strong body, and loves it as it balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, is a natural aphrodisiac, and elevates your mood and energy by increasing serotonin and dopamine brain chemicals. We have added raw cocoa in our Natural Hormone Balancing line, which is delicious blended with a frozen banana and drizzled with raw Manuka honey and chopped nuts. Get the recipe for raw chocolate-cashew ice cream here (will be available when the new web site, kitchen and product line launches in March - so stay tuned).

Aloe Vera
The gel of aloe vera contains vitamin C and E, the minerals sulfur, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and chromium as well as antioxidants, fiber, amino acids, enzymes, sterols, lignans, and most importantly, polysaccharides. the polysaccharides have a particular lubricating effect on the joints, brain, nervous system, and the skin. Aloe Vera is one of the many ingredients that work synergistic in boosting collagen and improving skin tone in Santini Skin Solutions™. Aloe Vera, when taken orally, also has immuno-modulating effect, allowing the body to fight back chronic nanobacterial and fungal infections. Aloe vera is a crucial part of any weight loss regime, as it has been shown that when ingesting aloe, you can lose weight yet gain muscle mass simultaneously!

Love

Eat. Breathe. Love.

This is the last, but most important step to live long and strong: The sweet taste of love.
Love completely and unconditionally. It spikes beta-endorphins, our natural pain-killers, boosts brain-serotonin and enhances the flavors of life on every level. Learning to love yourself and others is the first step towards emotional freedom and healing. When you love life, you need not numb yourself by overeating or drugging yourself.

Christina Santini, The Nutrition Doctor, specializes in herbal medicine along with having a caring and compassionate approach in helping you overcome obstacles in your life and redesigning it the way you want it.

Take back control of your health and get the life you deserve.
You can make an appointment for a coaching session by phone, skype or 1:1 (in person appointments only Los Angeles and New York area) here.