2022: Update on Fats
The latest research shows adding saturated fats to your diet can actually lower inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Know which are safe!
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Fats Simplified
Since I first posted this in 2013, we’ve had access to even more research, especially about saturated fats, and the news is good: they help decrease heart disease and they truly help inflammation. I updated this in ’17, ’19 and now for 2020. This is the post where I get into the most research. (You can also click on shorter posts at the bottom of this page.)Here is the latest: You need fats. Do NOT try and lose weight by turning to low fat options. Guess what they trade for fat so that the product tastes ok? SUGAR = CARBS. The trade off is that you’re hungry in an hour! Why? Your insulin just spiked. How many times have you eaten a meal only to feel hungry in an hour or two? Fat gives us satiety, the feeling of “I’ve had enough to eat”. So, fat is your FRIEND, especially if you want to lose weight and lower your inflammatory load. Here’s simple guidelines for fat consumption. List of “Good” Fats: Vary where they …
The Skinny on Oils
There is so much information on cooking oil out there, and so much confusion! On my coaching boards we discuss this a LOT, mostly because restaurants STILL think they are smart cooking with VEGETABLE oil. NO! Do NOT use canola, corn or soy! They are: not heart healthy they do NOT help your cholesterol they CAUSE inflammation they are NOT good for high heat cooking! So, with that in mind, what oils SHOULD you use? Here’s the lowdown, and it is pretty simple. The first question you should ask yourself is what are you using it for? If you are heating it to saute or roast, then only certain oils are safe. Many “good oils” degrade when heated, so you need to stay away from them. When I teach my “Food as First Medicine” class, I use this great graphic from The Academy of Culinary Nutrition: One caveat I would add: if you use butter or ghee, use only organic PASTURE RAISED butter or ghee. It is much healthier nutrition wise. For our family, we …
Low Carb Confusion
There is so much confusion about low carb diets. The choice is individual. See how they compare, without the hype.
Sausage, Bean and Kale Soup
We are all doing a lot more home cooking, and that is such a good thing! Eating healthy is important always, but especially now. You can actually boost immunity by providing your body with vitamins and minerals. This soup is easy and spicy sausage, kale and white beans make a hearty, filling and nutritionally packed entree for the chilly nights and days of spring. This soup is GF, DF and slow carb. Prep time 25minsCook time 25minsServes 4-8 depending on entree or side dish Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil1 medium yellow onion, chopped4 medium garlic cloves, minced¾ -1 lb spicy chorizo sausage or hot Italian sausage3 carrots, peeled and diced small¾ C mushrooms, chopped2 celery stalks, finely chopped1 tsp aleppo pepper, optional½ C dry white wine4 C chicken broth plus 1 tsp. “better than bouillon” extract, chicken flavor2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed1 bunch kale, chopped small, stems removedsalt, to tasteBlack pepper, ground, to tasteParmesan, optional, for serving Directions: Heat oil over medium in a large soup pot. (not …
Time2Thrive Egg Roll Soup
This easy soup will satisfy your egg roll craving!
Time, Aging and Sheep
As we rejoice in a new spring of green and flowers after a VERY long winter, I am forced to see the evolution of time passing resulting in changes around me I don’t want, or like. Changes one cannot ignore. In the last year my husband and I have felt loss a bit more personally than in other years. Our last parent lost her battle with dementia, leaving us truly the “oldest generation”, we lost one of our groomsmen from our wedding in a plane crash, another friend my exact age passed away without warning in her sleep; a friend who baked cookies for our family every holiday passed away, leaving a void of both a friend and a cherished tradition, and two friends lost their fifty-something husbands very suddenly the same week a year apart. And that doesn’t count the friends battling chronic illness, sudden health incidents and/or facing their own mortality. For everyone, time marches on, even when you’re desperately trying to anchor it to not move. The immortality of being 20 or …
10 Days, 10 Ways to Lower Carbs, Day 10
Ok, Day 10 of 10! For my “finale” (thank God, this has been hard to post 10 days in a row!), I’ll talk about supplements to add to your regimen and some general guidelines and links to articles that I think have important information about insulin resistance, weight loss, and staying healthy. Here are a few supplements that can help stabilize your insulin levels and lower your blood sugar: It’s important you take a good multi-vitamin, even if you are eating totally healthy. (read why here and more here). I take Multigenics Phyto Multi which contains vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. It is widely available. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin, but plays a very important role in metabolism. Many of us are Vitamin D deficient. As you doctor to check your level. Taking 1,000-5,000 units/day of Vitamin D3 is considered pretty safe in most people. read more here There are a few other things that can help your insulin levels stabilize if you’ve struggled with your weight, or if you want to lose …
10 Days, 10 Ways to Lower Carbs, Day 9
Today is simple. The next time you want to reach for potato chips, try one of these low carb snack alternatives! In general, I’ve avoided cheese because I don’t eat dairy. You can add cheese in small amounts if you can tolerate dairy. The key for a snack is this: you MUST have some protein, some fat and some flavor! Then, you won’t feel deprived! Protein + Good Fat = Good Snack! Olives – high in healthy fats, they’ll keep you feeling full. Celery with Nut Butter Cucumber chips with guacamole Hard Boiled Egg! A little salt and pepper and you’re set A handful of almonds, cashews, pecans or walnuts. High fiber, low carbs, good fats ½ cup berries, and if you can do dairy, ½ cup greek plain yogurt One or two of my strawberry cookies! Half an avocado with tuna or chicken salad (home made if possible) Half an avocado with ½ tomato with salt and pepper Organic lunch meat without fillers (read your label) with asparagus or dill pickles Egg salad in …
10 Days, 10 Ways to Lower Carbs, Day 8
Condiment Caution! It may seem negligible, but ketchup can sabotage you! Hiding behind it’s pretty red “I’m a vegetable” mask is actually a food that has a fair number of carbs. Let’s look at condiments, some of the common ones. Everybody knows jam and jelly have sugar, so I won’t address those. Just the usual common condiments we eat every day with food. I did NOT use the same measurement for each one, for obvious reasons. You would probably not eat 3 TBS. of mustard, but you could easily have that much mayo with tuna salad, or dipping french fries in either ketchup or mayo (yes, some people prefer mayo to ketchup on fries!). So, here they are. Now, the calories are important, but not NEARLY as important as what happens to your blood sugar and insulin levels after you eat anything. Yes, calories matter, but carbs are the driver behind the steering wheel of your insulin response. More carbs, more insulin. More insulin, more fat storage, more hunger. In order to break the cycle, …
10 Days, 10 Ways to Lower Carbs: Day 7
Avoid, or at least be skeptical of anything labeled “non-fat”. This is the biggest scam around. We were taught, since the 1960’s that fat was to be avoided. Now that recent research has cleared that stinkin’ thinkin’ up, we still see recipes calling for low fat cheese, low fat milk, low fat yogurt. WHY?!? Because habits are hard to break! Yes, it is ok to eat low fat cheese and yogurt, but NOT if you choose one that has had carbs added to make up for the taste of taking the fat out! That’s how food companies get low fat/non-fat items to taste better. Additives, carbs and thickeners. (chemicals!) I’m going to pick three common foods and compare them side by side. Full fat is often better, keeps you full longer, and won’t spike insulin. Dr. Atkins had some of it right, and with the exception of avoiding dairy, I basically eat a low carb diet. Example 1: Peanut Butter Low Fat Peanut Butter is a joke, because they add sugar to make it taste …
10 Days, 10 Ways to Lower Carbs, Day 6
T2T Restaurant Carb Hacks. It’s not as hard as you think to go low carb at a restaurant. Here are some of my favorite tricks to stay low carb and still enjoy yourself: I want to say something first. If you eat out once a year, or it’s your birthday, use the 90/10 rule: decide when you’re going to have that 10% “blow my rules” meal, and then ENJOY it! If you order something and then feel guilty about eating it, what’s the point? For the rest of the time, use these hacks: Look for entrees that offer a simple fish, meat, or poultry option. Stay away from pasta and things with sauces that may contain cornstarch, flour, sugar, or other thickening agents. When rice or potatoes are served, ask for two servings of the vegetable instead. Order a salad with dinner, and specify you want a dressing without sugar. Oil and vinegar are usually available, and many restaurants make their own vinaigrettes, you just have to be assertive and ask what is in it. …
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