All posts tagged: weight loss

Why wheat can destroy you.

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Do you have migraines?  Try to lose weight and can’t? Have you been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis?  Chronic Fatigue?  Do you or someone in your family have ADHD or Aspergers?  Wheat may be your worst enemy — and it may be the reason some of us die young.  Yes, it is that bad.  And you still need to watch this if you’ve been told you don’t have Celiac Disease, that is only part of the puzzle. There are a few topics that are best left to the people doing the research. This is one. This interview is concise and based on the most current research.  Tom O’Bryan is a chiropractor who became interested in this when he saw a Florida neurologist’s work with migraines.  He hosted the Gluten Free Summit last week, an online course with experts from across the world, including the physician who discovered celiac disease in the 1950s. This is 25 minutes long, and worth every second of your time.  If this doesn’t ring a bell with you, it will with someone …

Are you “on fire” and don’t know it?

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I can’t tell you how under-diagnosed inflammation is.  And it is one of the main keys to staying healthy.  If your body has chronic inflammation going on, you can not function at your peak and you’re at risk for cancer, heart disease and stroke.  And getting older doesn’t mean you have to deal with this or “put up with it”.  You can reverse it!  The common myth is that as we age, we are certain to ache and be stiff in the morning.  NO!   One of my favorite authors Kris Carr put it succinctly: …There’s a silent (yet violent) kind of inflammation that can take place without you even knowing it. What you eat, drink, and think (stress!), environmental toxins, smokin’, booz- in’, and even a couch-potato lifestyle can create a fiery cascade of inflammation in your body. When your body hits an inflammatory overload, your defense system gets so overwhelmed and confused that it literally doesn’t know the difference between the invader and you. As a result, your well-meaning immune system turns on …

No Pop. No Soda. Ever.

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So, I went to the dentist this week, and there was a great display on their waiting room coffee table!  It showed various common sodas and in front of it in a beaker was the actual amount of sugar in the drink.  They had soda, vitamin water, gatorade, etc.  Great visual.  And so I’m taking that a step further and explaining why YOU SHOULDN’T DRINK DIET SODA EITHER. The WI Dental Association has a pamphlet, and here are some interesting facts: a bottle of soda pop in the 50’s was 6.5 oz.  Today 12 oz and 20 oz are common. a 64 oz. “Big Cup” has more than FIVE CANS of soda in it. there are NO nutritional value in soft drinks soda = cavities 20% of all 1 and 2 year old children drink soda! (yikes) teens drink 300% more soda than they did 20 years ago soft drink companies PAY high schools big bucks to offer their products sealants only protect tooth chewing surfaces, pop decay tends to occur where sealants can’t reach …

(Almost) Dairy Free Lasagna

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I wanted to make some lasagna last week, but I just can’t eat ricotta, mozarella or any dairy to speak of.  I decided to set out and try to adapt a recipe using cashew cream as my “ricotta” replacement.  I used pasta that was fresh (no, I didn’t make it, I got it in the refrigerated section at my local organic store), made my own sauce, and added veggies to make it really healthy.  Yes, this is not carb free, but for when you want something with pasta, this is pretty awesome!  You can get really strict and leave out the parmesan, and then it would be totally dairy free. My husband, Doubting Thomas that he is (he should trust me by now, we rarely throw anything I concoct out!) said (insert skeptical and unhappy tone of voice here) “Cashew cream in lasagna?  ewwwww, uck”.  Needless to say, he was not only amazed, but gobbled this up.  And pronounced me a genius.  So, I guess that is praise enough to post it on this blog! …

Middle Eastern “Sliders” with Sumac Onions

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This is a really fun and very healthy “take” on the American slider – a tiny fat and carb heavy cheesburger that many restaurants have.  I’ve adapted this recipe from the cookbook “Orient Express” by Silvena Rowe.  She used veal, I use only grass fed ground beef and made some modifications. Middle Eastern Sliders These mini burgers are cooked and placed atop rounds of pita or naan bread. If you’re gluten free, use rounds of GF bread.  Topped with sumac onions, they are a fabulous taste variation on our old hamburger.  Make them healthy by using grass fed beef.  (why?  read why here)  Yes, it is more expensive, but the health benefits are worth it –  you are worth it! Ingredients Sumac Onion Topping 1-2 large sweet yellow onions sliced (if very large, use 1 onion) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon ground sumac* Burger Filling 1 lb. grass fed ground beef (if you aren’t using grass fed, be sure it is lean) 1 egg 1 heaping teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I buy it in …

Do you judge yourself or others who are overweight?

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Don’t…  you may have it ALL WRONG. I have long been a fan of the TED talks.  Often enlightening, and usually entertaining, these videos should be standard in many college level programs.  It’s a way to educate yourself, entertain yourself and empower yourself.  There is one that is SO important, I’m embedding it here.  It is 15 minutes long. Peter Attia, M.D., trained as a surgeon.  He realized he judged his overweight patients, but had an epiphany when he himself gained weight and developed metabolic syndrome. What he has to say is so important, everyone needs to hear it.   Anyone who has been overweight knows only too well the psychic pain, the emotional pain of being judged.  My entire hypothesis and the reason I do this blog is that I believe IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.  Peter Attia, you are my hero today because of your courage to question the status quo, and your commitment to address this issue by finding an answer to your questions.   For more on Dr. Attia’s work, see:  eatingacademy.com

Cashew Cream

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What the heck is cashew cream?  It’s a great dairy free alternative to cream in recipes, and it can take on many flavors, making it versatile for both savory and sweet recipes.  Yes, it has fat, but it is the good kind of fat.  I’ll put the recipe to make it below, and then give you some serving suggestions for using it in cooking.  It requires NO cooking and all you need is a good blender. To make Cashew Cream: Cashew cream is an amazing “Blank Slate” that makes whatever you add to it creamier and richer.  I use it as a base to convert many recipes to  dairy-free.  It’s much richer and thicker than soy or almond milk. Here’s how to make a homemade vegan cashew cream. As long as you use raw cashews, this even looks similar to sour cream. (Just a bit more beige).  If you want to replicate cream cheese, use less water when you “blenderize” the soaked nuts. Now, if you’re reading this fast, I will say it again: “If …

A calorie is not just a calorie…

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Scientific research concludes there are real health benefits to low Glycemic Index/Load (GI/GL) diets.  After reviewing all the latest research on glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response, an international committee of leading nutrition scientists have released a Scientific Consensus Statement that concludes that carbohydrate quality (Glycemic Index = GI) matters and that the carbohydrates present in different foods affect post-meal blood glucose (sugar) differently, with important health implications.  A calorie isn’t just a calorie.  They also confirmed that there is convincing evidence from a large body of research that low GI/GL diets reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, help control blood glucose in people with diabetes, and may also help with weight management. They recommend including GI and GL in national dietary guidelines and food composition tables, and that packaging labels and symbols on low-GI foods should be considered. They also confirmed low GI measurements complement other ways of characterising carbohydrate foods (such as fiber and whole grain content), and should be considered in the context of an overall …

Glycemic what?

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Unless you live in a cave, I’m sure by now you’ve heard the words glycemic load and glycemic index.  But, what do they mean?  I’ll try and explain.  These are REALLY IMPORTANT numbers if you are someone who has trouble losing weight, loses it but it comes right back, or your doctor has told you that your triglycerides, cholesterol and blood sugar are high.  This combination of lab abnormalities is known as metabolic syndrome.  It is the precursor to Type 2 Diabetes, and our diet is why most of us have this syndrome.  So, let’s talk about how EATING DIFFERENTLY CAN REVERSE THIS PROCESS. Why should you pay attention to Glycemic Index and Load? The higher the rise in glucose in the blood stream, the more insulin your body cranks out to store it. Over time this can lead to higher circulating insulin levels that can result in inflammation, weight gain and resistance to insulin’s ability to store sugar. The end result can be the progression to type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other …