Exercise and eating a healthy breakfast are two surefire ways to start the day right. If you do intense exercises in the morning – like cardio, strength training, core training or anaerobic burst interval-type  exercises – you’ll be generating energy to sustain your activities for the day but you’ll also be putting a lot of pressure on your muscles.

In order for your muscles to rebuild, recover and repair themselves, you will need to consume a lot of protein.

For Dr. Mercola, one of the best sources of protein is a high-quality and minimally processed whey protein from grass-fed, hormone-free cows. A premium whey protein powder contains immunoglobins, bovine serum albumin and lactoferrins, which naturally promote your healthy immune function and flora balance. High-quality whey protein should also contain all the essential amino acids, lipolic acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Dr. Mercola puts a large scoop of banana-flavored whey protein powder in a one-quart glass mason jar. He then adds two to four organic, free-range eggs and between one-fourth to one-third cup of coconut milk. Coconut is an excellent source of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are the best low glycemic fuel for your muscles after exercise.

You can increase the fiber content of your protein shake by adding a teaspoon or two of fiber supplement like organic psyllium. To top it all off, Dr. Mercola adds some organic seeds, alternating between seed that contain omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats. For omega-3, Mercola uses chia seeds and flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds for omega-6.

Just grind your choice of seeds in the coffee grinder, add them to the protein mix, fill the rest of the jar with water, stir and you’re all set.

It’s good to plan what you’ll be having for breakfast before you go to bed at night but go you can go a notch higher by also planning what you’re going to eat for lunch, snacks and dinner.

A new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study, however, provides proof that mercury contamination through fish is indeed a cause for concern.

USGS scientists detected mercury contamination in every fish sampled in nearly 300 streams across the country, with more than 25 percent of the sampled fish found to contain mercury levels which exceed the accepted level established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Also, more than two-thirds of the samples exceeded the EPA level of concern for fish-eating mammals.
Mercury is a global pollutant associated with brain, central nervous system (CNS), immune, kidney, lung and psychological damage. It is especially dangerous to the CNS because it binds firmly to the structures in this system and has a half-life of between 15 to 30 years.

Mercury poisoning usually involves a disturbed sensation, impairment of the senses and lack of coordination. It has also been linked to extreme fatigue, fertility problems, memory and vision loss, impaired blood pressure regulation, and neuro-muscular dysfunction.

Babies and women of child-bearing age are the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of consuming mercury-contaminated fish. Mercury exposure can cause blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness and mental retardation to fetuses and infants. In low doses, mercury can still impair a child’s development, resulting to shortened attention span and learning disabilities.

A 2005 report from the Centers for Disease Control showed that one in 17 women of child-bearing age have mercury levels (above 5.8 micrograms per liter) that could harm a developing fetus.

Mercury finds its way into bodies of water through the water cycle. For the most part, mercury in the environment comes from coal-fired power plants. The smoke from the burning coals releases mercury into the air, which is transferred to water once it rains. Cement kilns and some types of mining also release mercury into the atmosphere.

Once it reaches the bodies of water, the inorganic mercury is transformed by bacteria to an organic form called methylmercury. This process is called methylation and it greatly increases the toxicity and bioaccumulation potential of mercury.

The larger the fish, the higher the levels of mercury they are likely to be contaminated with.  According to the National Resources Defense Council, the bodies of predatory fish such as large tuna, mackerel, sharks and swordfish can contain mercury levels that are 10,000 times higher than those of their surrounding environment!

Ideally, fish is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat and is an excellent source of omega-3 fats. But because the threat of mercury contamination is very real, you should be careful with the type of fish you’re consuming and serving your family. Dr. Mercola warns. Aside from the fish mentioned above, you should also avoid halibut, largemouth bass, marlin, pike, sea bass, walleye and white croaker, unless lab tests show that they come from a clean source.

The wild red salmon from the pristine waters of Alaska is one of the few remaining mercury-free choices in the U.S., and is the only fish Mercola eats. Smaller fish, like anchovies and sardines, are also an option because they are less likely to be contaminated.

Less fish consumption may lead to a deficiency of animal-based omega-3 fats but fortunately, this problem is easily remedied by taking safe fish oil or krill oil supplement.

If you can’t avoid eating fish, you can take a mercury chelator, like chlorella, to help minimize the risks. Dr. Mercola is currently working on a deal with the inventor of the newest mercury chelator, which is at least 100 times more effective than any existing ones, so the product can be made available next year. You can also visit GotMercury.org to use the online mercury calculator, which helps you make healthier seafood choices.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), almost 1.5 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2009, and the latest estimates are indicating that by 2030, there would be over 26 million cancer patients, with 17 million deaths.

The good news is, many cancer cases and deaths can be prevented.

The ACS states that about one-third of the more than 562,000 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2009 will be related to obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition, and 169,000 will be attributed to smoking.

So what can you do to avoid cancer?

“Take control of your health,” says Dr. Joseph Mercola. Living an anti-cancer lifestyle means living healthy to avoid the growth of cancer cells in your body.

Here are Dr. Mercola’s top 12 tips to prevent cancer:

1. Optimize your vitamin D levels – Get plenty of sun exposure and consider other sources of vitamin D, like a safe tanning bed or a quality vitamin D supplement, when this is not possible. If you’re a cancer patient, Dr. Mercola urges you to regularly monitor your vitamin D blood levels.
2. Stop eating processed foods and reduce your sugar and grain intake – This is true even for whole unprocessed organic grains because they tend to rapidly break down and cause a spike in your insulin and leptin levels, which is the last thing you’ll want if your goal is to treat or prevent cancer.
3. Manage your fasting insulin and leptin levels – This is the end result, and can be easily monitored by using simple and relatively inexpensive blood tests.
4. Normalize your omega-3 fats to omega-6 fats ratio – You can do this simply by taking a high-quality animal-based omega-3 fat like krill oil and by reducing your intake of most processed vegetable oils.
5. Exercise regularly – Exercise brings your insulin levels down and managing insulin levels is one of the best ways to reduce your cancer risks.
6. Always get enough sleep.
7. Eat according to your Nutritional Type – This is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies recommended to patients in Dr. Mercola’s Natural Health Center.
8. Limit your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemicals, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution.
9. Limit your exposure to electromagnetic radiation, which is produced by cell phones, cell phone towers, base stations and WiFi stations.
10. Cook healthy – Avoid, microwaving, frying or charbroiling your food. Boil, poach or steam your foods instead.
11. Eat at least one-third of your food raw.
12. Consider using a tool to permanently address the neurological issues that can activate cancer genes – The CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones in this list. For Dr. Mercola, one of the best approaches is the Meridian Tapping Technique.

Today, I’m taking my writing one step further as I’ve decided to blog for the first time. I’m writing about Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician and natural health guru. He’s the founder of a great site called Mercola.com. Now, I know I could have written about Kobe Bryant or Cristiano Ronaldo but I decided to blog about Dr. Mercola because he’s really been a big help to my physical fitness. Kobe and other great athletes are successful because they have discipline in training, work harder than the rest of their peers and they all follow a strict health regimen.

I first heard about Dr. Mercola when I watched a Youtube video about the “Most Astonishing Health Disaster of the 20th Century.” There I saw a simple but thought-provoking minute presentation on what’s happening to Americans and their health. And then at the end of the video was an invitation to subscribe to Mercola.com.

…despite my initial skepticism I decided to check out Mercola.com because of a line I remembered in the video - are you ready to stand up and take charge of your health?

Despite my initial skepticism, I decided to check out Mercola.com because of a line I remembered in the video – are you ready to stand up and take charge of your health?

I can say that I’ve been fairly healthy throughout my life because I’ve never been hospitalized for any serious illness. Since I play a lot of basketball and soccer, I make it a point to exercise whenever I can and try to watch what I eat. But sometimes, I lack energy when I’m at work or while playing a basketball game. One night, I was huffing and puffing just 15 minutes into a ball game and realized that I wasn’t as healthy as I thought I was. I said to myself that same night that enough is enough. I decided to follow Dr. Mercola’s advice and started taking control of my own health.

I logged on to his website and browsed articles on how to increase energy. Here are my favorite energy boosting tips:

• Increase the intake of antioxidants and Omega 3 fats.
• Eat according to your Nutritional Type. According to Dr. Mercola, our bodies are like car engines. Because we have unique genetic composition, we need to consume a certain blend of the right food types in the same way that a car was designed to run on certain types of fuel. Because I generally feel better and full after eating a lot of proteins, I started eating more chicken, beef, and fish to get more Omega 3 into my diet. I reduced the meals I ate at fast foods, such as my favorite KFC fried chicken, baby back ribs, burgers and pizzas.
• Eliminate sugar from your diet. I know, I know – it’s a tall order! But hey, even if you fail at eating zero refined sugar, you’re still bound to eat less sugar while trying. So eliminating sugar is still a good goal, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach it. And so with a heavy heart, I said goodbye to my favorite drink (root beer) to drastically lower my sugar intake. Instead, I drank more natural fruit and vegetable juice from my blender. And I just have ice water when I eat out instead of iced tea and sodas.
• Lastly, get more sleep. If it’s past 10 pm and you’re still reading this article, go to sleep! Your body does most of its recharging between 11 pm and 1 am, so give it a break and get those Zzzzs! Visit http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm for a great list of 33 secrets to a good night’s sleep.

After following these simple tips, the results were simply fantastic. In less than a month after modifying my diet, I noticed that I have more energy at work and during ballgames. In about two month’s time, I noticed that my skin got better. I still eat fast food every once in a while but I don’t miss the carbonated drinks and sweets. The cravings still attack sometimes but I’ve learned how to manage them.

I know that I need to do a lot more to be as healthy as I can possibly be but I’m glad I turned over a new leaf. And I have Dr. Mercola to thank for that.

I’ll be writing more about the valuable gems I’ve picked up from Dr. Mercola, who I know consider my health mentor, so I can share them to you and hopefully, help you get healthier.

Feel free to post your reactions and share about your own experiences – the victories and struggles you’ve had in your own journey towards good health. Your valuable insights will go a long way as we try to live healthier and happier lives.

Stay tuned, there’s more to come!

Luke