Nutrition with Nicole

The New Dirty Dozen

2010-07-14T19:37:00.003-04:00

Believe it or not, there is still controversy surrounding whether eating organic food is necessary and more beneficial to health. I would say with a resounding YES, organic food is worth the extra money. All of those chemicals on commercially grown food, do not, in any way, support health.

Since 1995, The Environmental Working Group has taken the government data and identified which type of produce has the most chemicals. They found that this year, celery takes the number one spot and both blueberries and spinach make an appearance (displacing lettuce and pears).

The best way to avoid pesticide residue on foods is to buy organic produce -- USDA rules prohibit the use of pesticides on any crop with the certified organic label. Or even better than buying organic, consider growing your own produce in a garden.

Here's a closer look at the 2010 Dirty Dozen:
1. Celery - It has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals (64 of them!) that are used on crops. Buy organic celery, or choose alternatives like broccoli, radishes, and onions.
2. Peaches - Multiple pesticides (as many as 62 of them) are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.
3. Strawberries - If you buy strawberries, especially out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that have less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. 59 pesticides have been detected in residue on strawberries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and pineapples.
4. Apples - Like peaches, apples are typically grown with poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Tests have found 42 different pesticides as residue on apples. Scrubbing and peeling doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely, so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, bananas, and tangerines.
5. Blueberries - New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010, blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries on the market.
6. Nectarines - With 33 different types of pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches among the dirtiest tree fruit. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include, watermelon, papaya, and mango.
7. Bell peppers - Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed with insecticides. (Tests have found 49 different pesticides on sweet bell peppers.) Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli, and cabbage.
8. Spinach - New on the list for 2010, spinach can be laced with as many as 48 different pesticides, making it one of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable.
9. Kale - Traditionally, kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus, and broccoli.
10. Cherries - Even locally grown cherries are not necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. Government testing has found 42 different pesticides on cherries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include raspberries and cranberries.
11. Potatoes - America's popular spud reappears on the 2010 Dirty Dozen list, after a year hiatus. America's favorite vegetable can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage, and earthy mushrooms.
12. Grapes - Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Only imported grapes make the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin. Remember, wine is made from grapes, which testing shows can harbor as many as 34 different pesticides. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and raspberries.

2010-07-02T14:08:00.002-04:00

There’s a strange phenomenon here in Santa Monica/L.A. called June gloom. The air condenses overnight causing ominous dark skies every morning. Sometimes the marine layer can be so thick that it may drizzle or mist. The cloud layer usually burns off from the heat of the sun around noon. During the last week of June, however, the marine layer didn’t burn off at all. But I am pleased to report that June gloom has vanished and July shine is here! I was so happy to wake up this morning to the radiance of the sunshine and to finally have some light during my morning run.

Some of you may have seen the new dietary guidelines report that was published this week. My friend Liz sent me a link to the L.A. Times that featured commentaries from experts in the field. The report is supposed to give Americans general guidelines for healthy eating. My main thought after reading it was; I am glad I’m not in public health.

I am a believer in individualized nutrition and metabolic typing. We need to eat according to what our bodies actually need. That’s why I abide by the philosophy; test don’t guess. Unless you do a comprehensive nutritional evaluation, you will have no idea where you are deficient or imbalanced. Take my case for instance. I eat an organic healthy diet, well balanced, etc. But I am deficient in some really important nutrients, like B-12 and zinc (among others). Does a healthy diet and basic multivitamin/mineral address this? No. Will this problem resolve itself? No. Until I fix the imbalance, my nutritional status will continue to decline until it impacts my health on a level that causes symptoms. This is why I am in the preventative health field. You don’t have to wait until it’s too late anymore. You can guard your health and vitality and prevent disease through smart nutrition.

Another topic that’s important to discuss is metabolic typing. There is no 1 diet that is suitable for everyone. Think about it, people who live near the equator eat very different than people who live near the North Pole. Your ancestry plays a role in which foods are suitable for you. That’s why I don’t give much credence to the report’s recommendation to eat x % of calories from fat or protein. There are several ways to figure out what diet is best for you. One book to check out on this topic is Metabolic Typing by Wolcott. At our clinic we do serotyping to find out which foods are most compatible for your body’s chemistry.

I realize that not everyone has the money, access, or even desire to pursue individualized nutrition, so in my humble opinion, I think Michael Pollan’s advice is best, “Eat whole foods, mostly plants, and not too much.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/health/la-he-dietary-guidelines-reaction-20100628,0,6063949.story

Stretch, Laugh, and be Merry

2010-06-12T14:49:00.002-04:00

This week I had 2 new non-nutrition experiences that I must share.

The first was a scene straight out of a comedy. On Sunday, I was sitting at a park and I noticed the group of people laughing hysterically. I wondered what on Earth could be so funny. As I continued to observe them, I realized that they were making themselves laugh at will. The leader of the group would demonstrate an activity such as swinging his hips (visualize imaginary hula hooping) and as he would roll his hips round and round he would burst out laughing. And then everyone else would follow suit. My personal favorite was when the leader would turn his head and quack like a duck and then crack himself up. I also liked the one where they crossed their arms and shook hands with a partner and laughed at each other. Honestly, they looked liked lunatics, but boy were they having fun. I thought to myself, most people are far too inhibited and would be embarrassed to engage in this kind of activity (myself included). Why do we take ourselves so seriously? Life sure would be more fun if we all lightened up a bit.

My second experience was on Wednesday when I took a fitness class called YogaHop. So fun!! YogaHop is an athletic yoga done to upbeat/hip hop music. Now that’s my kind of yoga. We did challenging poses infused with pushups and stretching -- incredible workout! The coolest part was after the class, I had the most wonderful sense of wellbeing. The workout hit all aspects of fitness; strength, aerobic, and flexibility. Talk about getting the biggest bang for your buck!

But I can’t conclude without at least one nutrition tidbit. This week at my clinic Dr Read gave a presentation called, Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired? She estimates that 80% of her patients present with fatigue. The sad part is that many people accept fatigue as a natural aspect of aging -- it’s not (unfortunately fatigue could be the banner for a multitude of health problems). She said that at one point in time, a group of experts on anti-aging got together and discussed the top supplements that the general population would benefit from. What are those supplements? Based on scientific research, they came up with the following: multivitamin/mineral, fish oil, vitamin D, CoQ10, and resveratrol.

Stretch, laugh, and be merry! Oh, and take your supplements.

2010-06-07T11:38:00.003-04:00

On Saturday I turned 30 years young. To celebrate I went to one of my favorite restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory, in Brentwood. They have the best salads! I got a low calorie pear and endive salad. You may be wondering why I had a salad instead of splurging on my birthday…well…that’s because I actually did. The cheesecake I had for dessert more than made up for the calories I saved on the salad. But -- it was a carrot cheesecake. See how I squeezed a vegetable into my dessert? Even though it was really good, I would have preferred Susan W’s raw macaroons. Those are the best! The most precious thing happened at dinner. There was a little girl at the table next to me and when she overheard it was my birthday, she came over to me and gave me a big hug – so sweet!

For those of you who are wondering, my new job is going really well. LifeSpan Medicine is cutting edge! One tool I use to formulate dietary recommendations for our clients is something called serotyping. This is a test that measures markers on the red blood cells to determine which foods are most compatible for your metabolic type. All foods have proteins called lectins. Lectins can cause agglutination (clumpy of cells) if they are incompatible with the markers on your red blood cells. This test can tell you which foods are most likely to induce an immune response. Even healthy foods like blueberries or broccoli can cause problems if the lectins in those foods are incompatible with your body’s chemistry. Agglutination causes inflammation and as we now know, inflammation is the root of all disease. Anyone who has a weight problem most certainly has a great deal of inflammation. At our clinic, we believe one of the fundamental aspects of healing, is suppressing inflammation. Check out our website http://www.lifespanmedicine.com There’s a little bio about me on the physician link.

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a big fan of goat’s dairy. I gave milk and cheese a shot when I was living in MI and didn’t really care for it. Today I tried goat’s yogurt, same thing -- just not digging it. It’s not on the same level as olives (black or green) but I am hoping to acquire the taste for it. Goat’s milk is easier than cow’s milk for humans to digest. But until I acquire that taste, I’ll just stick with almond milk (unsweetened/plain). It’s low calorie and delicious too! You can find Blue Diamond Almond Milk at most supermarkets. Usually it’s in the baking aisle or the health food aisle.

Love you all!

p.s. The picture above was not taken on my birthday, but on my dear friend Ms Longcrier's birthday. It was taken right before I left for CA.

Brentwood Farmer's Market

2010-05-25T15:41:00.003-04:00

On Sunday I went to the farmer’s market in Brentwood – absolutely fantastic. I have now come to the realization that if I’m going to the farmer’s market, I probably shouldn’t go by foot or ride my bike. Instead I need to drive my car because I want to fill up bags and bags with beautiful, succulent produce. This particular market had prolific samples of fruit, vegetables, sea food, Mexican cuisine, organic beauty products, gluten free baked goods, cheese, salsa, hummus, tapenade, nuts, and oils (next time I won't eat breakfast first). Based on the fact that I was going hiking after the market and had limited space in my backpack, I could only choose a few items, so I bought some strawberries, cherries, and an Asian pear. These fruits were so ripe and naturally sweet. I remember thinking, why would I ever eat refined sugar when I can eat these foods that not only taste better, but are also health promoting? It has been my experience that when you keep the junk out and bring the nutritious stuff in, you lose your taste for fake food. Real, unadulterated whole foods are sublime. And even though I love complex tastes and flavors, sometimes simple foods are the best. Last night I ate an avocado and I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the exclusivity of one flavor and texture. God was so good when He created foods, it's a shame man had to go and tamper with perfection.

Salads and Dressing

2010-05-23T12:01:00.003-04:00

If you had to choose your last meal, what would it be? I know what mine would be -- a fresh salad prepared by yours truly. Some of you are probably thinking -- yeah, right. But from the bottom of my heart, I swear it's true. For the last 10 years, I’ve eaten a salad nearly every day. It’s such an easy way to meet your required servings for vegetables. There are so many ways to make a salad exciting. And for a person who likes to eat large volumes of food, a salad is definitely the way to go. My goal is to include as many colors and textures as possible. I typically shoot for at least 5 different colors -- green spinach, orange carrots, red tomatoes, white cauliflower (right now I have orange cauliflower), yellow peppers…you get the idea. For variation, you can add beans like garbanzo beans or black beans, lean meat like chicken or turkey, nuts like lightly toasted pecans or walnuts, fruit like chopped apple, citrus, or berries, chopped egg, feta cheese, dried cranberries…the list could go on and on.

Last night my friend Liz and I went to the Daily Grill in Brentwood. I had the most wonderful ahi tuna salad – lightly seared tuna, lots of greens, artichoke, sundried tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, with a ginger sesame dressing. Mmmm…that dressing was delicious. When it comes to salad dressing, you can really get creative. I picked up the Whole Foods coupon book and there was a special feature in the back of the book called Healthy Salad Dressing. “Nuts and fruit can make for creamy, juicy and flavorful salad dressings without adding any extracted oils. Plus you get the health benefits of those nutrient dense nuts and fruit.” To give you an idea of the way you could use fruit and nuts to make dressing, here’s an example:

1/3 cup chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans)
1/2 cup chopped fresh fruit (plums, peaches, berries)
1/4 cup liquid (almond milk, water, juice)
1 TB organic lemon or lime juice or vinegar

You can also add ingredients like Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, sesame seeds, flax seeds, nut butter instead of nuts, applesauce instead of fruit juice, or dried fruit (soaked) in place of fresh fruit.

Put your ingredients into a food processor and process until creamy – enjoy!

I just had to include this picture that was taken of my friend Jennifer and I right before I moved. As you can see, my car is loaded down with all my possessions, bike strapped to the roof, and a missing hubcap. I thought this image was mortifying, my friend Jennifer thought it was rich.

Each Meal Counts

2010-05-21T13:53:00.003-04:00

Today I was reading Dr Kalish's newsletter and he mentioned that he just had his 45th birthday. He said that he feels wonderful and he contributes his good health to eating well and exercising. He said that at the age of 18, he got serious about eating a nutritious diet. Then he did the math; he calculated the number of years he had been eating well, times 3 meals a day, and came up with almost 30,000 healthy meals. I thought that was a neat way of looking at it. It gave me a renewed resolve to make each meal a good one. What a privilege it is to live in a country where we have access to healthy food, and that by making healthy choices, we can control how we feel as we age. Make the next meal a healthy one!

The picture above is outside of my little cottage. Jennifer and Perri -- notice the miniature bird house?

A Food Lover's Dream

2010-05-20T15:58:00.003-04:00

Santa Monica is a perfect place for a food lover like me. Yesterday I ran down to the ocean and on my way back, I stumbled upon the farmer’s market. It nearly took my breath away -- rows and rows of fresh, colorful produce and flowers. There was even some unique items like pistachio oil. My only regret was that I didn’t have any money on me. It’s probably a good thing because it would have been rather cumbersome to run all the way home loaded down with produce. It reminds me of the time my friend Heidi was on a run and someone gave her a 5 pound zucchini. Not only did she run home with a massive zucchini in one hand, but she had her dog on a leash in the other hand -- now there’s a fun mental image. Even better than the farmer's market, are the healthy restaurants. There is a sushi place right around the corner from where I live so naturally I had to check it out. Unfortunately there wasn’t a price list on the menu and I accidently ordered $38 worth of sushi…oops…live and learn. I’ll just say that the prices were nearly double what I’m used to.

Mission for today -- pick up groceries! There is a Whole Foods Market down the street and every time I go there, I feel like a kid in a candy shop. No wonder people call it, “whole paycheck”. But even though it is easy to go overboard there, buying your own groceries, and preparing your own food is the best way to save money and guarantee that you are eating well. And according to the Slow Food Movement, preparing and cooking your own food creates harmony between you and your food. Wouldn't you agree? Eating a home cooked meal is so much more nourishing and satisfing.

Fun little tid bit -- this morning I stopped at City Hall to pick up a parking permit. There was a bike valet awaiting me to park my bike. How cool is that???

Travels, Food, and Other Random Thoughts

2010-05-18T10:12:00.003-04:00

It's hard to believe that I haven't made a post since March. Shame on me -- bad blogger. But I pleased to report that I have a renewed vigor for sharing nutrition tips, facts, and hopefully information that you will find useful.

As most of you know, I moved to Santa Monica, CA. I drove cross country and I am finally here...home. I have more thoughts racing through my mind than I can possibly articulate here, but I just want to share a couple random tid bits.

1) One Radio Network rocks! During my 30 hour drive, I had nothing but time on my hands so I made sure to load my iPhone up with podcasts. One Radio Network has a program called the Patrick Timpone show. Patrick is this positively adorable host who interviews alternative medicine experts about their specialty. This show completely humbles me to the fact that I know very little about all the healing modalities out there. Patrick totally cracks me up -- on one of his programs he mentioned the rebounder (i.e. mini trampoline). He said, "We love it, it's more fun than kissing or chocolate." Some of you may be wondering why you would voluntarily subject yourself to jumping up and down on a tiny trampoline. The main reason you would want to partake in this activity, other than the fact that it's fun, is because it stimulates your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is different than the circulatory system in that it doesn't have an organ (i.e. heart) to pump fluid. This means you have to mechanically move the lymphatic fluid. Activities like rebounding, jump roping, massage, and skin brushing are all good ways to stimulate the lymphatic system.

2) It's all about plants! Have you ever missed the forest for the trees? Over the years I've gotten so reductionistic with pathways, mitochondria, and nuclear receptors that I neglected the big picture -- plants! Plants are life which means that when we ingest them, we are promoting life. Plants survive pests, pathogens, and the elements to produce progeny. The constituents that enable them to do this, affect us in the same way when we consume them. This is why it's so important to eat fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Something tells me it's time to start start studying herbology. Herbs are medicine - plain and simple.

My cousin Sierra was over to my parents house in Tomah for my going away dinner and she identified a seedling as a pepper plant -- I was so impressed! And almost all of my good friends from the Michiana area are into gardening. I am so glad that the gardening movement is burgeoning. It makes me want to jump on the bandwagon too. I'm thinking I will start small, maybe grow some herbs. And this time I won't eat all the herbs before they have a chance to reproduce!

One last thought -- if you're going to travel 2000 miles across the country, PACK A COOLER! There is nothing but gas stations, convenience stores, processed food, and awful coffee along I-80. Definitely no plant foods! Live and learn...

The photo was taken while visiting my friend Heidi in Salt Lake City. We were at restaurant called Squatters. Awesome tempeh salad. And if you're wondering about soy -- fermented soy (tempeh & miso) is okay, just avoid the processed stuff.

Ciao for now...

Super Simple

2010-03-10T06:23:00.004-05:00

When it comes to food, I love complex meals full of color, texture, and flavor. But when it comes to preparing food for myself, I prefer super simple recipes. Today's featured meal on the World's Healthiest Foods website is the Mexican Cheese Salad. I LOVE Mexican cuisine! This meal includes beans, which in my humble opinion, is the perfect food, high in fiber and protein. It also has avocado which contains healthy monounsaturated fat, veggies like romaine, and antioxidant rich tomatoes and salsa. Mmmm...good. It doesn't get much easier than this. And this meal exceeds the RDA for vitamins K, A, and C.

1 head romaine lettuce
1 15-oz can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium avocado, cubed
1 medium tomato, diced
2 oz low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
salsa, to taste
juice from lime wedges, to taste

Directions:
Chop lettuce and place on salad plate. Sprinkle beans, avocado, and tomato over lettuce.
Top with cheddar cheese, your favorite salsa, and the juice of lime wedges.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=recipe&dbid=221

Valentine's Day Chocolate Alternatives

2010-02-10T13:37:00.007-05:00

Believe it or not, there are some really healthy whole foods recipes that incorporate chocolate. My all time favorite is the raw chocolate macaroon. I make several variations on the recipe below:

3 cups dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut butter or oil
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For Blonde Macaroons: Replace the cocoa powder in the recipe with an equal amount of fine almond flour.

Simply mix the ingredients together and scoop out little bite size amounts of dough and place the macaroons in a container to freeze (frozen treats, mmmm!) or you can can put them in a food dehydrator for about 12 hours. I like them both ways!

One of my favorite variations is to use ground walnuts, coconut, dates, cocoa, and sea salt. The amounts below are only a guesstimation because I usually make a much smaller amounts (like a single serving).

2 cups of ground walnuts
2 cups of dates
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup maple syrup (if you prefer a less sweet treat, you can leave out the maple syrup. The dates alone provide adequate sweetness)
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp sea salt

Put all of the ingredients in the food processor and blend until the mixture is a dough-like consistency. I use my melon baller to scoop out bite size portions and put them in a container and freeze. Delicious!

Real raw cocoa is surprisingly healthy. Dare I say a superfood? What makes cocoa so healthy is it's flavonoid content. Flavonoids are a class of antioxidants that raise nitric oxide and help dilate the blood vessels. This contributes to a lowering of blood pressure and a reduction in heart disease. There is even some research that shows cocoa lowers LDL cholesterol.

Keep in mind that it is raw cocoa that's heart healthy, not processed, alkalized cocoa like that found in chocolate bars. If you are going to eat chocolate bars, be sure to get dark chocolate with a cocoa content greater than 70%.

More on Cauliflower

2010-02-08T07:33:00.003-05:00

Today's featured food on the World's Healthiest Foods website is cauliflower...how apropos! The benefits of eating cruciferous vegetables are bountiful. Click the link below for a complete overview of the health enhancing properties in cauliflower. And if you didn't get a chance yet, check out my post on Feb 6th for some fun cauliflower recipes.

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13&utm_source=bulletin_click&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bulletin_email

Sushi

2010-02-07T17:37:00.004-05:00

I'm pretty sure I am meant to live next to an ocean. My love for raw fish is insatiable. Yesterday I was at Whole Foods and I couldn't resist the combo platter -- tuna, salmon, eel, red snapper. No, Chicago is not next to the ocean, but at least a Midwestern hub is more apt to have fresh fish. Even though fish has numerous health properties, it also has a major drawback -- mercury. In our ever increasing toxic world, it's easy to feel exasperated by issues such as this one, but there are a few guidelines you can follow to keep yourself safe.

Eat fish that are on the bottom of the food chain. One example of a type of fish on the very bottom of the food chain is krill. Krill is a tiny fish that is very high in omega 3 fatty acids and carotenoids. I recommend most everyone supplement with fish oil, and krill oil is one of the best. On the other hand, swordfish and tuna are on the top of the food chain. They live longer lives and eat a lot of fish that contain mercury, hence, the mercury load is going to be higher in those fish.
Moderate your fish intake. I recommend keeping it to 2 times per week.
Eat wild NOT farm raised fish. Mercury isn't really the issue with farm raised fish, but there is a whole other set of consequences to eating farm raised fish. One shocking fact worth mentioning is that farm raised salmon do not swim upstream like they are supposed to, therefore, they do not develop a salmon-pink color. In order for these fish to have the appropriate color, fish farmers literally pick a color on the color wheel and inject them with a synthetic dye. Gross.
When you buy fish, look for the Marine Stewardship Council label. The MSC is the world's leading certification and ecolabeling for sustainable seafood. They work with fisheries, sea food companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the the best environmental choice in seafood.

Baked Cauliflower

2010-02-06T09:11:00.005-05:00

Last week I came across an article in Eating Well that featured several cauliflower recipes. Typically I like to eat my vegetables raw, but a little variation can be a welcome change. So I quartered a head of cauliflower and a head of cabbage. I put the quarters on a baking sheet and baked them at 350 for about 15 minutes (when you bake or grill fruits and vegetables, the natural sugars caramelize and enhance the flavor). I took the quartered cauliflower and red cabbage and put them in my food processor and did a quick pulse which created a coleslaw-like concoction. Then I drizzled a ginger-sesame dressing over the vegetables and sprinkled some chopped nuts and shredded raw sharp cheddar on the top. Mmmm....good!

To keep it simple, you could also bake a head of cauliflower and cut it into pieces. Then you could just dip the pieces into a homemade dressing (or ready made organic dressing). You could also put the head of baked cauliflower into the food processor, add milk, olive oil or organic butter, garlic, and sea salt to make mashed cauliflower (which tastes just as good as mashed potatoes without all the starch).

Cauliflower is so healthy! It is a cruciferous vegetable (like cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, arugula, and brussels spouts) that has a potent detoxification compound called sulforaphane. Sulphoraphane also exhibits anti-diabetic and anti-microbial properties. Cauliflower is high in vitamin C, folate, and fiber. It also contains a compound called indole-3-carbinole which works as an anti-estrogen compound and can slow or prevent breast and prostate cancer.

Herbs and Spices and Tea, Oh My!

2010-01-31T06:57:00.006-05:00

In the book Breakthrough, Suzzane Somers interviews Dr Eric Braverman. Dr Braverman is the director of Place for Achieving Health (PATH) Medical centers in NYC and Philadelphia where he has amazing results with reversing blood sugars over 500 and lowering A1Cs of 14 -- without drugs. In fact his method is far superior to drugs. Dr Braverman is also well known for his expertise in brain health. Something that really caught my attention in his interview was his enthusiasm for herbs, spices, and teas. He has his patients using copious amounts with every meal -- cinnamon with yogurt, cayenne pepper with brown rice, turmeric with eggs, etc.

It's easy to forget that herbs and spices are medicine. So often we think of them only as taste enhancers. The magnitude by which herbs and spices can positively impact our health are profound. Dr Braverman says, "Spices improve the density of nutritional foods. The more nutritious the food is, the more nutrients in it, the better. Every time you put 3 or 4 spices in a meal you have just upgraded your food. You have made it a superfood." He actually suggests that his patients go out and spend $50 worth on herbs/spices and $50 worth on teas (there are over four thousand flavonoids that have been discovered in teas that are all anti-inflammatory).

And for people who are trying to lose weight, tea and spice chemicals cut the appetite by providing antioxidant nutrient density. I firmly believe that if you are reducing your calorie content, herbs and spices are a must! A reduced calorie diet can be somewhat lackluster, but a boost in flavor from herbs/spices can assuage the loss of calorie laden condiments, sauces, and other extras. In addition, a reduced calorie diet will undoubtedly be lacking in nutrients so herbs/spices help bridge the gap.

So if you're not currently using herbs, spices, and tea. Start off with at least one good, quality (preferably organic) spice that you know you will use, like cinnamon. From there, add 1 a week until you have an arsenal built up in your cupboard.

CMP

2010-01-29T14:55:00.004-05:00

Below is a 2 part article that I wrote for my wellness center.
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Part 1

"For nearly 3 years I’ve been meaning to write about the comprehensive metabolic profile (CMP), but it’s a good thing that I waited, because it’s only now that I completely grasp the brilliancy of this test. Plus I just had a consultation on the results of my own personal test with an expert in functional laboratory testing.

The CMP is a cutting edge functional lab test that measures your health (not disease) status. Conventional lab tests are design to detect gross abnormalities in physiology. Functional lab tests detect subtle changes in physiology. Functional tests allow you to make changes in your lifestyle before you have overt symptoms. Symptoms are a signal that damage is already occurring. Functional lab tests are the very essence of preventive medicine.

What does the CMP have to do with weight loss? It has EVERYTHING to do weight loss. The media has convinced Americans that the answer to their weight loss is one single thing. Weight loss is obviously complex which is why people have a difficult time losing it and an even harder time maintaining it. The psychological aspects are complicated enough, but to make it more challenging; there are complicated physiological aspects as well.

Weight loss resistance has reached an unprecedented high. There is a constellation of metabolic aberrations that make it very difficult to lose weight, even when calories are restricted. What are some of these factors? Inflammation, decreased cellular energy, poor detoxification, neurotransmitter imbalance, dysbiosis, and food allergies. Guess what the CMP tests?
· Inflammation
· Cellular energy
· Detoxification
· Neurotransmitter balance
· Dysbiosis
· Food Allergies

Over the years, I have written about the way each of these affects weight management, but the next article will be dedicated to pulling it all together and showing you how the CMP can help you achieve your weight loss goals."
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Part 2

"The last article was a brief introduction to the CMP. This article will show how the CMP is useful for aiding in weight management. Please note that this test is useful for determining overall health status, not just weight management.

Inflammation
Symptoms: Abdominal fat, pain
Connection to Weight: Fat cells produce inflammatory cytokines that make cells resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance causes you to gain weight. A feed forward cycle.

Cellular Energy
Symptoms: Fatigue, lethargy, achy
Connection to Weight: Cellular energy turns food into energy (ATP) instead of storing it as fat.

Detoxification
Symptoms: Foggy thinking, sluggish, moody, tired, achy
Connection to Weight: Compounds that are not detoxified become free radicals. Free radicals cause inflammation.

Neurotransmitter Balance
Symptoms: Depression, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, cravings, increased hunger
Connection to Weight: It is virtually impossible to eat a good diet when you are cranky, tired, and have cravings and increased hunger.

Dysbiosis
Symptoms: Gas, bloating, extended fullness after a meal, indigestion, candida, cravings
Connection to Weight: The balance between good bacteria and bad bacteria is imperative to weight control. Studies now show that certain strains of bacteria, like firmicutes, have the ability to extract more calories from food than others.

Food Allergies/Intolerances
Symptoms: Gas, bloating, extended fullness after a meal, indigestion, candida, skin problems, cravings
Connection to Weight: Food allergies cause excess bloating. This leads to “false fat”. I have seen people lose a significant amount of weight and “abdominal fat” just by eliminating food allergies/intolerances.

Benefits of the CMP:

Cost Effective: The test itself is very affordable. 6 areas of lab testing could easily cost thousands of dollars. This test only costs $450. Testing leads to only the nutrient recommendations that are truly needed. You will no longer waste money on supplements your body doesn’t need.

You will no longer hear “there’s nothing wrong”: Identifies areas of imbalances not typically found in traditional lab tests.

Promotes health care, not disease care: A proactive approach to wellness that identifies metabolic imbalances before they become chronic diseases.

Achieve your personal best health: Life is too short to be operating on a suboptimal level. It is entirely possible to maintain your ideal weight, have energy, sleep well, and be in a good mood!"

Eat Good Food

2010-01-24T08:17:00.005-05:00

Yesterday my brother mentioned that he watched Food, Inc. His reaction was like that of most - DISGUSTING! If you believe ignorance is bliss, I don't recommend watching the film. Now if you care anything about your health, which you probably do since you're reading this blog, it would be a good idea to see the film. It is downright scary to learn about America's food sources and farming practices (I won't get into the political stuff). Even though there is appalling and disturbing information, the film ends on a message of hope and empowerment. We as consumers vote with our dollar. The more we demand good, quality, safe food, the more it will be supplied. But in the meantime, it's up to us to take personal responsibility and make sure we know where our food is coming from. So on that heavy note...

Learning to eat good, quality food is a lifestyle. If changing to a whole, organic food diet seems difficult, rest assure, it doesn't happen overnight. Most people I know have a very difficult time spending more than double the price on organic products. But the fact of the matter is that the alternative (cheap, chemical laden food) prevents you from achieving optimal health. It's not like you're going to wake up one day and have a disease from eating poor quality food, it's insidious. It sneaks up on you slowly and subtly -- weight gain, decreased energy, slower cognition, high blood pressure, decreased motivation, moodiness, blah, blah, blah. But once people begin to truly grasp the importance of eating quality food or experience a change in the way they feel, the light bulb goes on. Ah ha! Good food makes me feel good.

There is another very important reason to avoid chemicals. Some people are pathological detoxifiers. Huh??? You might be thinking. This means their bodies have a hard time turning chemicals into harmless compounds that can be excreted. Instead these chemicals float around and cause damage, and if they're not excreted, they get stored in the fat cells. That is BAD! Food contains so many chemicals that must undergo phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification. If you constantly burden your liver, it can't keep up, and your health will undoubtedly suffer. Even if your body is good at detoxification, too many chemicals compromises liver function. And if you care anything about losing weight, you want good liver function!!

How do you know if you're a good detoxifier? Great question! There are functional lab tests that can give you this information. One of these lab tests is called the Comprehensive Metabolic Profile (CMP), which is different from a comprehensive metabolic panel that you might have had at the doctor's office. It measures 6 major health indices and detoxification is one of them. I was happy as a clam when I learned that my detoxification pathways are functioning properly -- this world is toxic! The good news is that even if your detoxification pathways are not working properly, there is much that you can do about it.

I recently wrote an article about the CMP for my wellness center and I will be sure to post it soon. Stay tuned!

GNV2

2010-01-20T19:51:00.006-05:00

I am SO excited! Precision Nutrition has come out with a new cookbook -- Gourmet Nutrition Volume 2 (GNV2). It is full of glossy pages with beautiful pictures! I have yet to order it, but once I do...get ready! I almost never make any of the recipes in a cookbook, but I will use it for ideas.
http://www.gourmetnutrition.com/

Here is a recipe featured on the Precision Nutrition website today. http://www.precisionnutrition.com/

Roasted Squash and Turkey Soup

Roasted Squash and Turkey Soup

Servings: 4 large or 8 small

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Prelude: Squash has recently become known as one of the healthiest veggies and its benefits include high fiber and a good profile of antioxidants. In this soup we pair the butternut variety with a host of spices and turkey to create an awesome flavor blend that you’re sure to enjoy.

Ingredients:
Soup Base
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
5 cups butternut squash (peeled and rough chopped)
1 cup onion (rough chopped)
1 tablespoon ginger root (grated or chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon nutmeg
5 cups vegetable stock

1 cup water

Soup Garnish
1 lb 10 oz (740 g) ground turkey
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
¼ cup cilantro (chopped)

Instructions:
Soup Base
Preheat a large pot on medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and then the squash and sauté until lightly browned.
Add onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of stock, and sauté for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
Add the remaining vegetable stock and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until squash is soft (approximately 30 minutes).

**Tip: You can prep the garnish while the base is cooking.

Let mixture cool for a few minutes. Puree with a blender or food processor until smooth and then pour back into the pot. Remove from heat.

Soup Garnish
Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
Preheat a large nonstick frying pan on medium heat. Lightly coat with spray and sauté turkey until lightly browned and completely cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

** Tip: Sauté in smaller batches and re-spray the pan if needed.

Add the cooked turkey and chopped cilantro to the soup base. Reheat and serve immediately or portion the soup into storage containers.

**Tip: To maintain the tenderness of the meat avoid bringing the soup to a boil after the meat has been added.

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese

2010-01-13T17:46:00.001-05:00

I just flipped on the food network channel and I saw the most delicious and unique recipe for a roasted pear and blue cheese salad. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-pears-with-blue-cheese-recipe/index.html

(I would probably substitute a li'l honey for the brown sugar.)

Ingredients
3 ripe but firm Anjou pears
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
3 ounces coarsely crumbled sharp blue cheese such as Stilton
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons port
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 ounces baby arugula
Kosher salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.

Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.

In the same small bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.

Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Divide the arugula among 6 plates and top each with a pear half. Drizzle each pear with some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

Eggs & Cholesterol

2010-01-13T17:27:00.000-05:00

I positively love this 3 minute video posted on Precision Nutrition (one of my favorite websites).

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/eggs-good-bad

Very interesting facts that are important for anyone who is concerned about cholesterol to know. Enjoy!!

Coconut & Curry

2010-01-11T18:20:00.000-05:00

Some things just go great together...tomato & basil; honey & mustard; sage, rosemary & thyme, and one of my new favorites -- coconut and curry. I was making lentils (yes, again) last night and decided to make them with coconut oil and curry.

Now there are some people who still may believe that coconut oil is bad because it has quite a bit of saturated fat, but oh contraire, coconut oil is actually good for you. Poor coconut, all those years of wrongful vilification:-( Coconut contains lauric acid, which is a MCFA (medium chain fatty acid) that is easily burned for energy (not stored as fat) and it bolsters the immune system. Lauric acid is formed into monolaurin which has antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozan capabilities.

Now for curry -- this combination gets even better! Curry contains a spice known as turmeric. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin which is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. A while back I was studying the metabolic pathways that NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work on to reduce inflammation. Amazingly, I learned that turmeric works on the exact same pathways as these drugs...but without the side effects. In fact, not only are there no side effects, there are only side benefits.

For a health promoting, healing, and tasty dish, cook up some chicken, beans, lentils, vegetables or grains with coconut oil and curry.

You are what you eat -- literally

2010-01-10T08:43:00.000-05:00

A couple days ago, my friend Jonathan commented that he had been feeling so much better since he cleaned up his diet. My reaction was an emphatic -- YES! The foods we eat absolutely affect the way we feel. It makes me sad that some people become so accustom to sub par existence, that they never get the chance to experience the vitality that comes through healthy eating. I am reading a book called, The Biology of Belief. And while I don't agree with everything in the book, the author (who is a cell biologist) discusses the connection between the environment (food, toxins, and emotions) and the impact it has on our physiology. Food gives instructions to our bodies right down to the cellular level.

I recently completed a comprehensive metabolic profile. Everyone on the planet should do this foundational test that determines your basic health (not disease) status. If you would like information about the test, just contact me. Anyway, the test revealed that I had a small amount of trans fat in my cells -- UGH!!! I do my best to avoid hydrogenated oil at all cost, so it was much to my chagrin that I had even a small amount present in my body. You may be wondering what the big deal is. Trans fat makes the cell membranes stiff and it disrupts cell communication. Too much trans fat can lead to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, etc. Trans fat is just one example out of thousands that demonstrates the connection between food and physiology.

My goal for 2010 is to nourish both my spirit and my body. A healthy spirit + a healthy body = Vitality!

Kelp is a Keeper!

2009-12-31T17:11:00.000-05:00

Sea vegetables are a wonderful thing -- great source of minerals, especially iodine. That's a good thing if you want to make thyroid hormones. Sea vegetables are not all that common in American cuisine, and other than nori (think sushi), I've had no experience with them. I decided there is no better time than the present to give them a try, so I bought some kelp. Kelp looks like dehydrated tree bark (describing is not my forte). Since kelp is traditionally used to flavor broths and stew, I decided to add it to lentils. I took a pair of scissors and cut the kelp into pieces. Then I put the pieces in the boiling water with the lentils. Once the hot water softens the kelp, it turns into noodle-like strips of yummy-ness. After the lentils were done cooking (less than 20 minutes), I just added some olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt to the mixture. So simple, so good.

More veggies please!

2009-12-21T14:20:00.000-05:00

For most people it is a challenge to eat the recommended amount of vegetables each day. I think the 2 main reasons are because people don't know what to do with them or they have a narrow view of how to use them.

Today I had a big bowl of brussels sprouts with lunch. I LOVE brussels sprouts...they're like miniature cabbages. Now before I discovered the Mediterranean dressing in the World's Healthiest Foods cookbook, I had no desire whatsoever to eat them, but I've gotta say, that dressing enhances almost any vegetable.

The Mediterranean dressing consists of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and sea salt. You don't even have to mix the ingredients prior to dressing your vegetables. You can just put the vegetables in a bowl (brussels sprouts are best steamed) and then drizzle the ingredients over the top, snap a lid on the bowl, and shake.

Vegetables do not need to be relegated to just salads either. You can add them to pizza, pasta, sandwiches, stir fry, omelets, quiche, meat loaf (or lentil loaf), casserole, burritos, fajitas, etc.

The way I've been successful with including copious amounts of vegetables into my diet is by making them the entree instead of an afterthought. I happen to love salads, so I know that I will have some variation of salad for dinner each night and then I decide what to have with it. I have been doing this for so long that it is now it's as natural as brushing my teeth each morning. Believe it or not, vegetables really can be tasty and exciting. And after your palate has adapted, you will start to crave them!

Banana Corn Fritters

2009-12-12T08:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight I am going to a party…whoo hoo! I was trying to muster up some creative energy to come up with a unique dish to bring, but it seems as though my creative energy has run dry. So I defaulted to an internet search and I found an interesting recipe on eatingwell.com.

Of course I will be making some adaptations to it (probably different type of flour and oil). And I think I will serve this with black bean hummus…YUM!

Banana Corn Fritters
Ingredients
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile, or cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups roughly mashed bananas, (about 3 medium)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk, or buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and chipotle (or cayenne) in a medium bowl. Mix banana, egg and milk (or buttermilk) in another medium bowl. Add the cornmeal mixture to the banana mixture and stir until just incorporated.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; using 2 tablespoons of batter for each, space 5 fritters evenly in the pan. Cook until golden brown, 30 seconds to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cook a second batch with the remaining oil and batter, adjusting heat to prevent burning.

Transfer the fritters to the oven and bake until puffed and firm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/banana_corn_fritters.html

Tap Water Trouble

2009-12-09T08:33:00.000-05:00

Did you know that drinking tap water may expose you to environmental estrogens? According to Marcelle Pick, an obstetrics and gynecology nurse practitioner: "Researchers worldwide have observed that fish in our lakes and rivers are actually switching gender due to the high levels of effluent estrogens. Even though mainstream media has only begun to recognize this as "news," experts have been discussing the problem of pharmaceutical pollution for more than 25 years, and have known about "gender-bent" fish for more than 10 years now! Some surmise these changes to be caused in part by excessive levels of steroids--largely excreted by humans using birth control pills and synthetic hormonal replacement therapy. Our water treatment facilities are not designed to remove hormonal pollutants."

It is best to drink reverse osmosis (RO) water. You can fill water jugs at the supermarket or get a system installed in your home.

I believe environmental estrogens are one of the major contributors causing female related disorders (PMS, debilitating menopausal symptoms, reproductive cancers, etc). Don't be fooled though, men are absolutely affected too! A few of the other sources of xenoestrogens (xeno = foreign) include: pesticides, herbicides, plastics, fuels, car exhaust, drugs, and personal hygiene produces. Industrial solvents are another sources of xenoestrogens. They can be found in fingernail polish, polish remover, glues, paint, varnishes, cleaning products, carpet, fiber board, and other processed wood.

Randolph C.W. Jr, James Genie. From Hormone Hell to Hormone Well. Health Communications, Inc. Deerfield Beach, Florida. 2009.

The Most Versatile Pancake

2009-12-03T14:14:00.000-05:00

Even though I love good healthy food, I don’t like complex or time consuming recipes. In order to keep things simple in my life, I have a few basic staples such as the versatile pancake. Most days of the week I make some variation on this recipe. It’s so simple; the basic concept is eggs combined with a grain (or flour).

For instance, here is a pancake you could make for breakfast:

Apple cinnamon pancake:
1 egg and 1 egg white
¼ cup oats
¼ chopped apple
pinch sea salt
¼ tsp cinnamon (or apple pie spice)
stevia to taste.

Mix all the ingredients together like a batter. Cook like a pancake on medium heat on the stove. Top with peanut butter or a dab of honey (or both). YUM!

It is so easy to modify the recipe.

Instead of apple; use banana, blueberries, or pureed sweet potato (or pumpkin)
Instead of oats: use ground flax seeds, almond or pecan meal, cooked rice, coconut flour, or whole wheat flour.

Now for the best part…you can also make a savory version of this recipe (think pizza).

Instead of apple; use herbs (rosemary or basil), corn, or chopped zucchini
Instead of topping with peanut butter; top with salsa, chopped veggies or chicken, and melt some cheese over the top. You could also use hummus or pesto.

You can give these pancakes a Mexican, Italian, or Thai inspired flavor too.

The best part is that you can use a skillet and make a big batch of pancakes and then freeze them. To reheat them, just pop them in the toaster. These pancakes are easy to bring to work or bring along with you when you travel. Just wrap them in some foil and you’re all set.

Are you zinc deficient?

2009-11-30T16:11:00.000-05:00

One of my friends recently asked me if zinc deficiency can affect your skin. And the answer is yes! Zinc is right up there with magnesium as one of my favorite minerals (the members of my wellness center are probably tired of hearing about Epsom salt baths=). Why is zinc one of my favorites? Like magnesium, zinc is a crucial cofactor. Cofactors are substances that make enzymes work. Zinc is needed in over 100 enzymatic reactions. Outside of its important role in enzymatic reactions, it has other vital roles and therapeutic benefits:

Needed for wound healing
Improves acne, rashes, and dermatitis
Regulates growth and development
Aids in DNA and protein synthesis (very important if you’re trying to build muscle)
Needed for blood sugar control
Improves immune function
Necessary for taste and smell acuity
Maintains antioxidants in the blood

Zinc deficiency is not all that rare and it is especially common in people with diabetes, malabsorption diseases (crohn’s and celiac), growing children, pregnant women, and vegetarians. Zinc is best absorbed from animal sources. Plant sources have certain inhibitors (such as phytates) that decrease absorption.

Males need 11 mg per day and females need 8 mg per day. Check out this link for foods that contain zinc and the amounts available per mg. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/zinc/

If you would like to find out whether you are zinc deficient, you’re in luck. I would be happy to do a zinc challenge test on anyone interested. A zinc challenge test is super simple. It involves putting 2 TBSP of elemental zinc in your mouth. If it leaves a metallic taste in your mouth, your zinc levels are probably fine. If it tastes like water, you are zinc deficient.

Stuffed Like a Turkey

2009-11-25T15:10:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, and people looking for tips to prevent weight gain, I decided to post the weight management article I wrote for Honeywell this week. Enjoy!

Do you get stuffed like a turkey on Thanksgiving? Do you regret it afterward? Do you gain a pound or 2? If you answered yes, and you want this year to be different, I have a couple suggestions.

But first, why do people overeat?

1. It’s socially acceptable – everybody’s overeating
2. Delicious comfort foods – reward center of the brain
3. Foods are available that you only get once a year – deprivation mindset
4. The sheer abundance of food – in sight, in mind
5. Too much variety – gotta try it all
6. Celebration – sharing and bonding with loved ones
7. You’ve always done it – learned behavior
8. You’ve never been successful at moderating – learned failure

The fact of the matter is that the top 6 reasons are probably not going to change. So that leaves us with #7 and #8. People have learned to overeat during the holidays. It’s not like we’re predisposed to overeat. The good news is that anything you’ve learned can be unlearned.

If you’ve ever tried to moderate your eating and you haven’t been successful, you have learned failure. This causes you to lose trust in yourself and to believe that this year won’t be any different. This may occur on a subconscious level, but it strongly affects your future behavior.

Here are some things you can do to make this year successful:

1. Visualize yourself achieving your goal. Form a mental image of yourself making the right choices. This visual process will foreshadow future behavior. You may not know it, but before you choose to do something, you actually “see” yourself doing it. Sometimes it’s so quick that you may not even realize it has occurred.

2. Believe that it is possible. Once you have the belief, you must prove it to yourself by ACTUALLY DOING IT. No this probably won’t be easy, but until you take the first uncomfortable step, you will continue in your old pattern. Using the words “stop” or “no” are helpful. The brain doesn’t negotiate with non-negotiable boundaries. And once you get through it, you will have shown yourself that you have the ability to do it. Exerting self control is tough, but we do it all the time. How many times have you held your tongue when you wanted to scream at somebody or make a scathing remark?

3. Create a plan! If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail. When you have major obstacles in front of you, you can’t just hope for willpower, you need a strategy. I don’t know what strategy will work best for you, but I can tell you what mine is. I pick the foods that I don’t get to eat the rest of the year and I take small portions. I skip the stuff that I can get all the time (or that isn’t all that interesting) such as mashed potatoes or rolls. I don’t go back for seconds on something I’ve already eaten because it doesn’t taste any different the second time around. Am I fanatical about eating perfect on Thanksgiving? No. But I don’t stuff myself silly and regret it afterward.

4. Get away from the food! You would need iron clad willpower to stand around food all day and not nibble. Once you’ve eaten, go do something else. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and focus on conversation, games, or better yet, exercise.

5. Exercise. If you plan to exercise, you’re far less likely to stuff yourself. Food sloshing around your stomach while on a power walk is not exactly a pleasant experience. Plus, after you get done exercising, you’ll feel so much better that it will renew your resolve to stick to your plan.

Holiday meals don’t have to initiate anxiety. They can be a wonderful time to enjoy the provisions that have been bestowed upon us. Make this year memorable by choosing the path of self control and starting a new pattern of healthy holiday eating.

Kombucha Recipe

2009-11-24T06:14:00.000-05:00

By popular request, I am posting the kombucha recipe (compliments of my friend Pat):

3 quarts of filtered water
1 cup sugar (white refined) Don't worry about the sugar, the candida-friendly-yeast break it down and convert it to billions of organic acids, digestive enzymes, B vitamins and minerals during fermentation.
1/2 tsp sea salt
4-5 bags of tea (green, black, herbal)
1/2 cup kombucha tea
1 kombucha mushroom

Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and add tea bags, salt & sugar.
Bring to room temperature.
Remove tea bags if desired and then add 1/2 cup tea fom a a previous culture.
Put in a glass or enamel container and add "mushroom" to the top.
Let sit out (under sink or top of fridge) for about 5 days - taste may need 2 days more.

Lincoln Park

2009-11-22T19:16:00.001-05:00

Lincoln Park in Chicago - I love it! My favorite part about that neighborhood is Whole Foods Market. Now I realize buying groceries there doesn't support the local foods movement, but it is SO fun to shop there. It's like a supermarket wonderland. Today there was a small jazz band playing near the bar...yes, I'm serious. But it's not just the novelty of the store that I enjoy, it's the ability to buy healthy, organic, specialty food all in one stop. I can buy my coconut flour, press my own cashew butter, get raw goat cheese, and have fresh sushi all in the convenience of 1 store. And I love the fact that it's not even a possible to buy things that have ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oil. If you've never been to that particular Whole Foods, it's worth checking out. And if you're in the neighborhood, stop at Karyn's Raw (restaurant and raw foods shop). The shop has the most delectable raw treats. I picked up some "raw carrot muffins" today...mmm.

Photo - My brother and I outside of Whole Foods. Notice - he is holding a kombucha;-)

2009-11-22T07:15:00.000-05:00

Oops, I realized that I forgot to post my favorite use for root vegetables. Hopefully the suspense wasn’t too much:)

Root vegetables make the perfect base for soups. When you puree these vegetables, they give a nice creamy texture without the added fat/calories from cream. Not only is this method lower in calories, but you get all those nutrients.

Last week I made a sweet potato soup. I chopped 2 sweet potatoes and steamed them for about 10 minutes (until soft). Next I put them in my food processor with sea salt, garlic, rosemary, and chicken stock and blended. Then I added a can of black beans. Viola! A simple soup that made 4 servings. You could make a big batch and freeze it too.

There are endless ways to modify this recipe: Here are a few suggestions:

1) Instead of sweet potatoes; use squash, carrots, cauliflower

2) Instead of garlic and rosemary; add onions, ginger, basil (or any other herb or spice), a small jar of roasted red pepper pesto, peanut oil, coconut milk, or your favorite salad dressing (like italian or sun dried tomato)

3) Instead of beans; use lentils, rice, quinoa, vegetables, chicken, turkey, or whole grain noodles

This recipe is a classic example of my style of cooking, just take a method and make variations of it. I will be sure to include my method for the “pancake”, a staple in my diet.

Kombucha

2009-11-20T07:07:00.000-05:00

Kombucha is delicious! It is fermented tea that has medicinal purposes such as improving the immune system. It has been enjoyed by many cultures for thousands of years and it is finally gaining popularity in the U.S.

Up until yesterday, I had been buying bottled kombucha (it is the only good substitution I've found for breaking my addiction to diet soda). The problem is that it is expensive -$3.50 per bottle. I had looked into making it myself once, but it seemed such a daunting a task. So I surrendered to the fact that I would just keep buying it. Oh, but divine intervention took place instead.

My friend Pat and her husband invited me over for dinner last night and Pat offered me a glass of kombucha!! I could hardly believe it. And it was so much better than the kind in the bottle. She showed me how to make it and even gave me the culture to start it! In 7 days I will have my first batch. I can hardly wait!

Fun Fall Foods

2009-11-19T16:12:00.000-05:00

Autumn is my favorite season for many of reasons. One major reason I enjoy it so much is because of the seasonal food. Root vegetables like tubers are wonderful...yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, etc. I also enjoy all types of squash so I thought I would include an easy acorn squash recipe. Enjoy!!

Citrus Chicken-Stuffed Acorn Squash (from Gormet Nutrition)
2 medium acorn squash
1/2 cup water
1 lb chicken breast, cut into cubes
2 medium onions
2 large celery stalks, cut into1/4 inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp freshly grated orange peel

Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds and membrane with a spoon. Place squash, cut-side down, in a baking dish and pour water in bottom of pan to 1/4 inch. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Flip the squash halves over after removing from the oven.

While the squash is cooking, stir-fry all the remaining ingredients except the orange peel. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; until chicken is no longer pink (15-20 minutes). Stir in the orange peel. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through (3-4 minutes).

Fill each squash with the mixture to serve. Yum!!

I will be sure to include my absolute favorite use for root vegetables in the next post. Stay tuned...

It Depends

2009-11-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I feel like a broken record. It seems like every time someone asks me a nutrition question, my answer is the same...it depends. You see, human physiology is complex and we are unique individuals. This is why it is difficult to give general recommendations for specific problems.

Take cholesterol for instance, people have been told for years to eat a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol or to take a statin to lower their cholesterol. That is an oversimplified approach that doesn't address the most important question: why is cholesterol elevated? Is it due to hypothyroidism, a defect in the HMG CoA reductase enzyme, abnormally low levels of hormones, dietary imbalance, etc? As you can see there are many factors that could be contributing to hypercholesterolemia. And there are times when the body is raising cholesterol for a purpose - like in the case of low hormones. Cholesterol is the mother hormone and without it, none of the other hormones can be produced. It's is worth pointing out that cholesterol is so important that only 20% comes from diet, the other 80% is made endogenously (inside the body). In fact, cholesterol is so important, the body actually recycles it. Taking all of this into consideration, you can see how the conventional treatment protocol fails to address root cause.

Here's another example: low thyroid function. Again, the first question should be; why is thyroid function depressed? Is it because the raw ingredients to make thyroid hormones are insufficient (iodine and tyrosine), are cofactors missing that are required to convert the hormones into their active form, is there heavy metal toxicity, are the adrenal glands burned out, etc? In this case, one would want to rule out insufficiencies or confounding factors before going straight to hormone replacement.

The examples are endless but the take away is this - you must take into account your individual biochemistry which requires digging deeper. Until you get to the root of the problem, you will never move towards healing.

Retro Cafe

2009-11-15T05:59:00.001-05:00

The Retro Café in New Buffalo – a hidden gem! I took my friend Jennifer there yesterday for a belated birthday breakfast. The owners of the café are committed to serving only locally grown/raised food. Because Jennifer cares deeply about eating well…according to the seasons, locally grown, and organic if possible, I just knew she would adore the place as much as me.

Judy Gosh, one of the owners, filmed a documentary called Farm Fresh to You, in which she discusses the importance of eating food grown close to home. She also identifies farms in the area where you can get your groceries. Jennifer and I chatted a bit with Judy after our meal and came to the conclusion that there is a major gap between the farm and the dinner table. Judging by the sheer amount of fast food joints, it’s clear that convenience and immediacy are the driving forces when it comes to choosing how to eat. So the question is; how do we get back to the way we were designed to eat? We have become so removed from normal food and food preparation, that it is inconceivable to most people to eat the way our ancestors ate.

At my wellness center, we are running a program that encourages the members to eliminate processed foods past 3pm. Most members don’t know the difference between whole foods and processed and foods. And for those who know the difference, it is still entirely foreign to eat that way. So this clues me in that one of the first steps in getting back to the basics is education. The second step is empowering people to do it. 2 thumbs up for worksite health promotion!

Unfortunately most people don’t have access to worksite health promotion programs and even with solid programs geared toward healthy living, there are still formidable challenges in the pursuit to eat well. Because we are bombarded around every corner with cheap, fake food, it can be difficult to make the right choices. We can use the food manufacturers, retailers, and the government as scapegoats, but ultimately we must take responsibility for our personal choices.

Jennifer’s husband Bruce said something yesterday that stuck with me, “There are too many people paying for foods that make them overweight, then paying for gimmicks to help them lose weight, and ultimately paying to ameliorate the afflictions associated with being overweight.” It doesn’t have to be this way!

Frankly, we are blessed to live in a country where we have unlimited access to healthy food, and it’s up to us to make healthy decisions one meal at a time. There are very few things in this world that we have complete control over, but here in the U.S., choosing your meals is one of them.

Getting Old

2009-11-12T15:57:00.000-05:00

Because of the nature of my work, and the population I work with, I get to hear lots of comments about "getting old". So today I was pondering whether people complain more as they get older, or if complaining was a part of their personality to begin with. My guess is probably a combination of both. When I posed this question to one of the most insightful members of my wellness center, he commented that certain people communicate by complaining. How true! We decided that there is definitely a difference between sharing the experience of growing old and constantly griping about it.

It seems to me that many people fall into one of two camps when it comes to aging. There are the people who take the fatalistic perspective, i.e. growing old sucks and there's nothing you can do about it, and then there are the people who are going to try to defy it at all cost, i.e. the anti-agers. The very term anti-aging drives me crazy! It is ludicrous to think that we can prevent aging. It is possible to strike a balance between these conflicting points of view. We can grow old with grace and dignity, understanding that we change as we get older, and accepting that, YES...physiological function declines with age, but - that doesn't mean we let ourselves go. Taking a preventive approach towards health is the best option. I believe there are a few key factors that are the underlying causes of advanced aging:

1) Gaining too much weight
2) Oxidative damage
3) Chronic inflammation

All three things have something in common...lifestyle. People aren't programmed for accelerated aging. The choices we make each day are what determine the expression of our genetic make-up. Based on research, we know that there are several risk factors that unquestionable advance aging: smoking, excessive alcohol, too much sugar, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, toxins, and stress.

Never underestimate the power of food. Hippocrates, the father of medicine said, "Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine". I plan to get busy posting some healthy aging recipes.

Reducing Pain and Inflammation

2009-11-10T06:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was chatting with my friend Jonathan about reducing inflammation. He made a humorous comment about eating some popcorn with fish oil and cayenne. While this may not seem like the most appetizing snack, it brings up a good point. The foods we eat can either cause our bodies to be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory.

Did you know that inflammation is the underlying cause of nearly every disease? Most people think of inflammation as hot, pain, redness, or swelling, but inflammation is actually a cellular response initiated by the immune system. In the case of weight management, it is actually a feed forward cycle that keeps people from losing weight. Fat cells secrete inflammatory compounds called cytokines and cytokines cause more inflammation causing insulin resistant. This cycle results in the body storing more fat around the abdomen.

I made a fascinating connection a few weeks back in regard to the anti-inflammatory benefits of nutrients. Nutrients work on the same pathways as drugs to reduce inflammation, but whereas drugs have unwanted side effects, nutrients have no side effects. Not only do nutrients have no side effects, they actually have side benefits. Take aspirin for example. Aspirin reduces inflammation, but it also reduces the prostaglandins that protect stomach lining. This is why aspirin can cause ulcers. Now take turmeric (containing curcumin) on the other hand. Turmeric works on the same pathway as aspirin to reduce inflammation but does not suppress the prostaglandins that protect your stomach lining. Seems like a no brainer to me!

Getting back to the basics (whole food) is the key to eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Foods like fish (especially salmon), fruits (especially berries), vegetables, and healthy fats (like nuts), seeds (like flax seeds) and oils (like olive oil) are all anti-inflammatory. Here's a good rule of thumb - the more brightly colored the food is, the more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

As Michael Pollan says, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

Medicine of the 21st Century

2009-11-08T19:01:00.000-05:00

For weeks I have been waiting in eager anticipation for today to arrive. You may be wondering what could possibly be so exciting that would keep me in extended anticipation. Well, I just happened to be attending the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) conference. I know, I know...probably only exciting to me. I'm getting the impression that most people are entirely unaware of functional medicine (FM), because every time I mention it, people look at me like...huh??? Well today is your lucky day because you are on the brink of learning about something revolutionary.

Before I give a little definition, I will describe why we need a new model of medicine. The conventional model of medicine was designed to be used for acute/emergency conditions and by it's very nature is allopathic (based on symptom suppression). This model is NOT effective for diseases of the 21st century. The conditions and diseases plaguing Americans today are chronic and complex (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, IBS, fibromyalgia, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, cancer, autoimmune diseases, autism, etc).

The reason the old model isn't working any longer is because it uses the wrong tools (pharmaceuticals). Anyone who takes drugs knows that they don't cure the disease, they only suppress symptoms. Not only do drugs not cure, they actually cause further complications and in some cases progress the condition (unbeknown to most people). NSAIDS (like ibuprofen) are the best example. Sure ibuprofen takes away pain, but it also progresses deterioration of the joints. Another great example is the class of drugs known as PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) a.k.a. the little purple pill (used for acid reflux). Sure they suppress acid (symptom relief), but the problem is that most people actually need MORE acid not less. To most people (including M.D.s) that seems counter intuitive.

Furthermore, allopathic medicine is reductionistic to a fault. The human body works holistically not as organ systems (e.g. respiratory, digestive, reproductive). The more we compartmentalize and take symptoms out of the context of the whole body, the further we get away from healing.

FM is personalized medicine that deals primarily with prevention as well as the treatment of underlying causes, not merely suppression of symptoms. The classic example that is used to describe FM is rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.). 10 people could present with joint pain, but there may be 10 different causes for achy joints. Instead of diagnosing (which is nothing more than slapping a name on a cluster of symptoms) and prescribing drugs, a FM practitioner would investigate the cause of the joint pain. There are numerous factors that could be causing joint pain, such as; gluten intolerance, klebsiella pneumoniae infection, pro-inflammatory diet, etc. The FM practitioner(s) would then treat the underlying cause of the pain. FM works in an integrative fashion using many different treatment modalities to bring about healing.

In order for us to truly reform health care (or should I say disease management), there must be a complete paradigm change. We can't keep doing what we've always done and expect things to improve. With all of the advancement in medicine and technology, you'd think people would be getting healthier, but all that's happening is people are living longer. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to live longer, I want to enjoy it. Early morbidity is beginning as early as childhood.

It has been SO exciting to be involved in the creation of this new model of medicine and to meet some of the most progressive thinkers in the field. I believe it is my calling to enlighten people and give the message of hope - there is a better way!

I'm dreaming of apples

2009-11-06T17:15:00.000-05:00

So I have a whole bunch of apples that are begging for culinary attention. My friend Kim gave me some apples this week and I was able to use some of them to make salsa, yes, apple salsa. I placed a dollop of the salsa on whole wheat tortillas and wrapped them up. The Tuesday night group seemed enjoy the apple salsa wraps (I know I did). Even after making the salsa, I have so many left. Hmmm what tasty little apple treat will I make tomorrow? Stay tuned.

Yesterday I went apple picking with Kim and Nathan at a lovely little Michigan apple orchard. Did you know that Michiana is one of the most productive food producers in the nation? "In fact, a very impressive scientific soil study done recently concluded that the three counties bordering Lake Michigan contain some of the most fertile productive soil in the world. Combine that with the lake effect on the climate, and it becomes a powerful influence on our area’s ability to grow just about anything. Southwest Michigan leads the world in non-citrus fruit production.70% of the crop diversity represented in the entire country grows in Berrien County, Michigan. This small region is second only to the state of California in providing fresh produce, meats and wines to the rest of the world." **

Apple Salsa (adaptation from 101 cookbooks blog) http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000170.html

8 apples

3 jalapeno peppers

1 onion

Juice from 2 limes

2 cups pecans

1 tsp salt

2 T ginger

1 handful cilantro

**Documentary - Farm Fresh To You

Introduction

2009-11-05T06:09:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE nutrition. Because I LOVE nutrition so much and I want to see people become healthy and feel well, I have decided to blog about it. It's not just the physiology of nutrition that fascinates me, I also LOVE food (can you tell that I LOVE food & nutrition?). It makes my heart heavy that food has become the enemy to so many because of issues like improper digestion, weight problems, food sensitivities, etc. The good news is that nutrition, when used properly, is wholly healing. I believe our Creator designed food to be more than just fuel, it is to be enjoyed, savored, and celebrated. As I move through my epicurean adventure, I plan to share my experiences with you and hope that you will learn to appreciate the art of food and the healing of nutrition along with me. And for those of you who have been requesting my recipes over the years, I plan to actually start measuring ingredients and recording my masterpieces so that I can share the delicous-ness (yes, I know that's not a real word) with you. Get ready for food tips, practical suggestions, recipes, insight (hopefully), and my personal passion - nutritional therapeutics.

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." La Rochefoucauld