Diet Science Blogger

Real Butter is Best

2009-04-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Are you afraid to eat butter? You shouldn’t be, but you need to be aware of which type of butter is the best.

I am often asked whether the new trans-fat free margarines should be eaten instead of real butter. My question back is, “why do you want to avoid butter?” Butter is a time honored traditional food that has been consumed for thousands of years in cultures all over the world. Butter got a bad rap when it became a victim of something I call the Big Fat Lies (you can read more about the Big Fat Lies in my new book Plan-D: The Amazing Anti-Diet That Will Change Your Life Forever). Along with its close cousin coconut oil, butter was labeled as an “artery clogging” saturated fat, and we were told to avoid it like the plague. However, real butter made from the cream of grass-fed cows is an extremely healthy food brimming with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fatty acids that are essential for maintaining good health.

When the Big Fat Lies started flying in the U.S. many people stopped using butter and switched to a man-made substance called margarine, which was supposed to be better for us than butter. Because we love the taste of butter so much (of course we do, it’s a good food), the processed food companies came up with concoctions of highly processed vegetable oils. To make margarine, manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils—soy, corn, cottonseed or canola—and mix them with tiny particles of nickel oxide. Hydrogen gas is then bubbled through the nickel-oil mixture in a high pressure, high temperature reactor. Next, soap-like substances, called emulsifiers, and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor. At this point the color of the oil is an unappetizing gray (unbecoming of anything you’d want to spread on your toast), so the gray color is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong artificial flavors must then be added to the oil to make it look and taste like butter (they do such a good job of it that manufacturers were able to come up with gimmicky names like “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter”). Finally the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and for many years was sold as a healthy alternative to real butter!

Fortunately, we now know that margarine is bad for us and butter is back in style, as it should be. However, in order for the butter we eat to be healthy, it must be made from the milkfat (cream) of healthy cows that are fed their natural diet—grass. Because living grass is richer in vitamins E, A, and beta-carotene than stored hay or standard dairy diets, butter from dairy cows grazing on fresh pasture is also richer in these important nutrients. The naturally golden color of grass-fed butter is a clear indication of its superior nutritional value.

The butter that comes from grain fed cows is not necessarily good for us, which may be why butter got a bad a rap in the first place. 85–95% of dairy cows today are raised in confinement on a diet of grain, particularly corn, because it is cheaper and allows for mass produced cows. This grain-based diet changes the body chemistry of cows, which increases the need for the use antibiotics. Many of these dairy cows are fed a variety of growth hormones to increase milk production. And guess what, those antibiotics and hormones end up in the milkfat (cream) of the cows, which is then used to make the butter that is found in most grocery stores.

Furthermore, the changes in the cows’ body chemistry also change the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in the butter from grain-fed cows. Grain-fed butter is very high in the omega-6 fatty acids, which most people consume too much of (due to the fact that too many of our processed foods are loaded with them), and very low in omega-3 fatty acids (the type that most people are dangerously deficient in). A diet high in omega-6 fatty acids can lead to many diseases including cancer and heart disease. Milk from grass-fed cows has a much higher content of omega-3 fatty acids and a lower content of omega-6. The combination of more vitamins, trace minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids helps lower the risk of heart disease, and many types of cancers.

And you don’t have to be afraid of the cholesterol in butter. It’s actually an antioxidant responsible for maintaining the health of many of our bodily systems. It is also especially necessary in terms of a child’s development. Because real butter is completely natural and untampered with, the cholesterol it supplies comes in the exact proportion that the body needs.

But this doesn’t mean that you should go crazy with the butter and start slathering it on everything you eat. As it has throughout the ages, it should be treated as a premium food. A small pat on a baked potato, a dab melted onto vegetables, or spread on sprouted grain bread. That is how butter was meant to be enjoyed.

Butter from grass-fed cows is hard to come by these days, but there are some good sources available. Your local natural food market may carry Organic Valley (get a downloadable $1.00 off coupon from their website), and Tropical Traditions carries Anchor Pure New Zealand Butter and Pastureland Butter.

How to Decode Food Labels

2009-03-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

In my upcoming book, Plan-D, I detail the importance of reading ingredient lists and help you navigate the grocery store to learn how to live processed-free in a processed-food world.

When you shop for food, you should not be particularly interested in whether or not the product is labeled “low-fat”, “low-cholesterol,” or “sugar-free.” And don’t give those wholesome claims of “Heart Healthy,” and “Trans-Fat Free,” on the front of packages a second glance. Bypass the Nutrition Fact Panel also. Instead, you should be scanning the package for only one thing: the ingredient list.

If the ingredients themselves don’t meet the mark of nutritional excellence, then there is really no point in checking out the calories or the fat grams. And if the ingredients are acceptable, meaning there aren’t too many of them and they are all whole food ingredients with names you can pronounce, then the numbers are probably going to be within a reasonable range.

Developing this kind of straightforward ingredient list reading savvy is essential for navigating even the natural food markets these days. There are more than 45,000 products seducing you with healthy claims on the packaging. Most of them are false or misleading. Margarines now claim to be “heart healthy” because they contain tiny amounts of vitamin E. Drinks fortified with vitamin A, antioxidants and other nutrients claim they support the immune system, even though they are loaded with sugar (a substance known to interfere with immune response). Cereals and breads boasting “Whole Grain” goodness actually contain more refined enriched flours than they do whole grains. This is why you have to know what to look for on ingredient lists.

When you read an ingredient list, you should only see real whole foods listed. For example, “beans,” “tomatoes,” or “chicken.” You should look for short lists too. Unless it’s sprouted grain bread with lots of different whole grains, there should only be five or six ingredients. More than that and you should put it back on the shelf.

One good way to cut to the chase: If it’s a lengthy list, look at the top first, then do a detailed read at the very bottom. If you don’t see any deal-breakers, in either of these places, it’s worth reading on to see whether you’ve found a truly healthy product—or if something nasty like hydrogenated oil (trans fats) has been sandwiched in the middle.

Here are some of the worst food additives that show up on processed food ingredient lists, and the ones you should be avoiding:

Sodium Benzoate – has been shown to damage mitochondrial DNA leading to Parkinson’s disease and cancers. Used in sodas, pickles, and sauces.

Potassium Bromate – causes cancer and has been banned in many countries but is still legal to use in the U.S. Usually shows up as “bromated flour” or “bromated vegetable oil.”

Partially Hydrogenated Oil or Hydrogenated Oil – also known as trans fats, these deadly oils destroy cell membranes and have been linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. They usually show up as partially hydrogenated soybean oil or cottonseed oil. Canola oil also contains trans fats, even if it doesn’t say partially hydrogenated canola oil. Just because a package claims that it is zero grams trans fat does not mean that it is free of hydrogenated oils. If the product contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, then the package can claim zero grams. However, only tiny amounts of trans fat can do a lot of damage, so you need to avoid it at all costs.

Mono and Diglycerides – these are similar to trans fats. They’re unhealthy forms of chemically produced oils that should not be ingested by humans.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – this is a chemically altered form of fructose that does not exist anywhere in nature. It has been linked to fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, and is likely responsible for the worldwide obesity epidemic. It’s just another form of sugar and you should avoid it at all costs. Beware, HFCS shows up in whole wheat bread, yogurt, cereals, crackers, soups, ketchup and other so called healthy foods. Read ingredient lists carefully.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)- this is used as an addictive flavor enhancer that affects the mechanism in our brains that tells us to stop eating. As a result of eating MSG, we eat more and we eat faster. Scientists use MSG to induce obesity in laboratory animals. Doesn’t it make sense that it would also induce obesity in humans? MSG can be hidden in other food additives, so even if you don’t see MSG listed, it may be contained in any other these following names: autolyzed yeast extract, natural flavorings, spices, soy extract, protein isolate, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate.

My new book Plan-D, has an extensive list of other food additives you need to beware of. The bottom line is that you need to become your own best advocate when it comes to packaged foods. Not all packaged foods are unhealthy or bad, but you have to know how to choose the good ones. There are some good sprouted grain bread products, canned beans, frozen organic meals, and nut butters that are truly healthy. But to pick the winners, you have to be prepared to read some fine print—and ignore a lot of fancy packaging claims.

The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15

2009-03-16T10:17:00.001-07:00

According to the latest government data, the peaches in most American supermarkets have the highest amount of pesticide contamination of any other fruit or vegetable. And there are 11 other highly contaminated produce on the list. Since you can’t tell just by looking at it, how do you know when it’s OK to eat conventionally grown produce and when it’s important to go organic? Read on and find out which fruits and veggies are the most contaminated with pesticides and how to still eat organic while staying within your budget.

The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit advocacy group, just released the new updated 5th Edition of their classic Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This handy guide shows you the fruits and veggies with the most and least pesticides, so you know which to always buy organic and which are pretty clean even when conventionally grown.

Based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2007, the EWG developed their guide to help consumers reduce their exposure to pesticides. According to the EWG, eating their designated Dirty Dozen—the 12 most contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables—will expose us to about 10 different pesticides per day! For those of us who have limited access to organic options or who are on a tight budget, the organization also identifies The Clean 15—the 15 least contaminated conventionally grown fruits and veggies, which will expose us to fewer than 2 pesticides per day.

The new 2009 Dirty Dozen are (listed from most to least contaminated): peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes (imported), carrots, and pears. These you should definitely eat organic. The Clean 15 are (listed from least to most contaminated): onions, avocadoes, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato and sweet potatoes. These are OK to eat conventionally grown if you are on a budget and cannot afford to buy all organic.

Reducing your exposure to pesticides is vital. Research has shown that even small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially to unborn fetuses and young children. Pesticides have been linked to various disorders and diseases, including cancers of the reproductive, endocrine and immune systems.

The specific effects of many pesticides are still unknown. Pesticide manufacturers claim their products are safe, but the studies on these products are usually done with high doses, rather than testing the chronic low doses that people typically experience.

You may be wondering if washing and peeling your produce will help reduce your exposure. Maybe a little, but nearly all of the studies used to create the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists were performed on produce that had been rinsed and peeled the same way you would do at home. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the disposal with the skin. The best approach is to eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible. Organic foods have fewer pesticides and the people who eat them have fewer pesticides in their bodies. There’s no evidence that pesticides are good for you, why take a chance if you don’t have to?

You can download a colorful printable version of the wallet-sized guide of The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15 at www.foodnews.org. Carry it with you in your purse or pocket when you go shopping.

Calcium Deficiency: The Leaching of America

2009-02-26T08:36:00.000-08:00

Americans are facing a serious health threat. More than 75% of Americans are calcium deficient, and more than one in 10 Americans either has, or is at risk of developing, osteoporosis or other bone diseases. Worse than that, calcium deficiency is responsible for nearly 150 different degenerative diseases, including obesity, arthritis, fibromyalgia, acid reflux, high cholesterol, hypertension, allergies, cancer, and others.

As an organic chemist for over 17 years and now a Diet Counselor, I am convinced the reason Americans are struggling with obesity and other health conditions is because they have no idea that consuming processed foods, including today’s sugar and flour, upsets body chemistry thereby depleting the most essential mineral necessary for maintaining long-term health.

I tell my clients that it is important to understand the role of calcium in the body, how it is absorbed, what conditions lead to its depletion, and how to ensure that they’re getting enough calcium for proper metabolism, weight loss, and good health. After my own lifelong struggle with obesity and obesity-related conditions, I lost 100 pounds and have kept it off for 17 years by staying away from processed foods including sugar, flour, and sodas (including diet sodas).

The most important use of calcium in the body is its role as the main buffer used to neutralize acids in order to maintain proper body chemistry. However, calcium is one of the more difficult minerals for the body to digest and absorb because it depends on several other conditions to be in place.

First, calcium needs an acid environment in the stomach to fully digest and dissolve (ionize) calcium from food or supplements. Drinking liquids with meals dilutes the enzymes and stomach acids that are crucial for maintaining this environment. Another unfortunate challenge is that people over the age of 60 produce only one fourth of the stomach acid they did when they were 20. Additionally, 40 percent of postmenopausal women lack sufficient stomach acid for proper ionization of calcium.

Once ionized, calcium absorption is totally dependent on the presence of vitamin D in the intestine. Without vitamin D, most of what calcium was ionized in the stomach will pass through the body unused. Vitamin D is not present in most food, so the body needs sunlight on the skin to create its own vitamin D. Staying indoors and out of the sun, or lathering up with sunscreen when out in the sun, prevents the calcium in our diets from being absorbed. Furthermore, vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, which means that it can only be absorbed into the body in the presence of enough good fat in the diet. This is why I do not recommend low-fat diets.

Calcium absorption also depends on the presence of the amino acid lysine, and many other trace minerals, including magnesium and boron. The necessary ratios of these trace minerals are not present in most calcium supplements and are severely lacking in processed foods.

Inability to absorb enough calcium is only part of our problem. Consumption of processed foods—refined sugars and grains, sodas, fried foods and trans-fats, chemical preservatives, artificial sweeteners—and prescription drugs create a huge imbalance in body chemistry. As a result, a significant amount of stored calcium is leached from the bones to restore balance.

Sodas, especially diet sodas, may be the largest contributor to calcium loss due to their high phosphoric acid content. Diet sodas actually cause you to gain weight—not lose weight—because they leach calcium, which leads to slowing of the metabolism.

What can we do to replenish our bodies with calcium and maintain proper body chemistry? The simplest thing we can do is stop eating processed foods, drink plenty of water, and begin to eat more calcium containing foods. This means that we need to eat 6-8 servings of vegetables and 2-3 servings of fruit each day. It is important to eat real foods that contain calcium, because they have the other trace minerals needed for absorption. Vegetable choices should consist of dark green leafy types such as collard greens, kale, cabbage, and broccoli, for their high calcium content. Other food sources for calcium are almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, buttermilk, carob, cheese, figs, filberts, goat's milk, kelp, mustard greens, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, tofu, turnip greens, watercress, whey, and yogurt. Food sources of lysine include cheese, eggs, fish, lima beans, milk, potatoes, organic meats, and protein powders.

For those with diminished stomach acid, add 2 teaspoons of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink it 30 minutes before meals. The acetic acid in the vinegar acts like stomach acid and improves digestion. Apple cider vinegar can also be sprinkled on vegetables or combined with olive oil to make a tangy vinaigrette.

You can take control of your own health by staying away from processed foods including sodas and today’s flour and sugar. If you do, you will prevent and even reverse calcium deficiency. As an added benefit, like myself, you will enjoy a permanently healthier and lighter you.

More Bad News About Vitamins

2009-02-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

Newsflash: the largest study ever performed on the efficacy of multivitamin use in older women showed a dismal failure rate when it comes to preventing common cancers or heart disease. The results echo recent disappointing vitamin studies in men.

The study, which appeared in the February 9th, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, was conducted over eight years involving 161,808 postmenopausal women. The study focused on the effects of vitamin supplements on cancer and heart disease in particular because evidence that diets full of vitamin-rich foods may protect against those illnesses. The results of the study showed that vitamin use did nothing to prevent them.

The study's lead author, Marian Neuhouser of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, urges people to "Get nutrients from food. Whole foods are better than dietary supplements."

A synthetic vitamin supplement can never have the same preventative effects as the foods which contain those vitamins for one simple reason. The vitamins and minerals in real foods need the co-factors also contained in the foods--enzymes and phytonutrients--to activate, metabolize, transport, and bind them to the places in the body where they are needed. Taking a synthetic vitamin without all the necessary co-factors is like having two pieces of wood, but no spark to start the fire. The co-factors are the sparks that allow vitamins and minerals to be active and do their jobs.

Other studies have been done on whole food vitamin supplements, which are dehydrated real foods containing all of the necessary co-factors. Results from those studies show that, in addition to a healthful diet, taking whole food vitamins can ensure disease prevention, just as the foods themselves do. The final word on this topic is that there is no vitamin pill or supplement that can make up for a poor diet.

Read more on this topic below in my previous post called Are Your Vitamins Working?

Are Your Vitamins Working?

2009-02-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

To supplement or not to supplement, that is the question. In our chemically polluted and stress-filled world, our nutritional requirements have been increasing, but the number of calories we require has been decreasing, as our activity level as a society has declined. This means we are faced with the need to get more nutrients from less food. At the same time, due to the cooking and processing of foods, which destroy most nutrients, getting even the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals from our modern diet has become difficult, if not impossible to achieve.

Additionally, because the nutrients in the soil that our food is grown in have been depleted over time, the food itself does not contain the amount of nutrients that it used to. For example, the apple your great grandfather ate had more nutrients in it than the apple you eat today, even if the apple comes from the same tree. That is because the soil that the tree is growing in has been depleted over time and the apple that it bears contains less nutrients as a result. And although the food itself has fewer nutrients in it in today's world, our bodies still have the same requirements for nutrients that our great grandfathers did in order to be optimally healthy. Consequently, in order to obtain the optimal amount of many nutrients, it is necessary to take them in supplement form.

The question then arises as to whether vitamin and mineral supplements in pill form are as effective as the natural vitamins and minerals that exist in apples, asparagus, broccoli, and other real whole foods. Moreover, is it possible that your vitamin supplement is more toxic than it is healthful?

Synthetic versus Natural Whole Food Supplements

The answer is—it depends. Vitamin supplements can be divided into two groups: synthetic and natural (also called whole food supplements). Most over-the-counter vitamin supplements like One-A-Day, Centrum, Kirkland, and many others are synthetic—meaning they are made in a laboratory from isolated chemicals that mirror their counterparts found in nature but are not from real food. Natural vitamin and mineral supplements are derived from real food sources, specifically vegetables, fruits, herbs, seaweeds and marine algae.

What is the difference between synthetic and natural vitamins and minerals? There is a world of difference between synthetic vitamins that are in pill form versus natural vitamins that are contained within nature’s foods. Although the chemical differences between a vitamin found in food and one created in a laboratory is slight, synthetic supplements contain the isolated vitamins only, while natural supplements also contain all of the other nutrients in foods not yet discovered, such as antioxidants and phytochemicals that help the vitamins do their jobs. Natural vitamins also retain the necessary enzymes that are specific to the foods they are derived from, which assist the body in utilizing the vitamins and minerals properly.
Another difference is that synthetic vitamins may also include coal tars, artificial coloring, preservatives and stabilizers such as maltodextrin, stearates and dioxides, sugars, and starch, as well as other additives. You should beware of such harmful elements.

Natural whole food supplements are made by condensing or compressing real whole foods and then evaporating off the water. The actual process is achieved by placing vegetables and fruits in a large blender and then dehydrating the mixture to evaporate the water at very low temperatures. The low temperature is crucial so as not to destroy the enzymes and cofactors contained in the foods. The enzymes are very important synergists that are required for digesting and assimilating vitamins and minerals. The remaining dried “powders” are then placed in capsules or combined with vegetable cellulose to form solid tablets.

If you are deficient in a particular nutrient, the synthetic chemical source will work to an extent, but you will not get the benefits of the vitamin as found in whole foods. Synthetic vitamins just do not work like foods, and foods are what our bodies were designed to use for healing, prevention and energy. There is no substitute, and no matter how you look at it, synthetic vitamins are an invention of scientists, so they are prone to cause side effects, be incomplete and lack what we need to overcome or prevent health problems.

For years synthetic vitamins have been sold and marketed as the “magic bullet” for all health conditions. The problem is that vitamins, when not still contained in their original food (oranges, bananas, spinach, broccoli, etc.) are merely chemicals. Our bodies do not recognize synthetic vitamins as nutrients, because they don’t work the same way as whole foods for these simple reasons:

1. Foods contain not just vitamins, but the co-factors (synergists) and helper nutrients that allow vitamins to work.

2. Foods are never found in high potency, so you won't suffer any toxic side effects that have been proven to exist with synthetic vitamin pills. The most recent example of vitamin toxicity was the report about vitamin E being toxic. Real foods never deliver toxic doses of vitamins.

3. Vitamins are just a small part of what our bodies require for health and healing. It is very
often that it is the other food properties that help us while the vitamins are secondary.

For these reasons, and more, synthetic vitamin pills, despite their use and overuse, are lacking the properties of real nutrition, which can only come from eating nature’s real, whole, raw foods. The ONLY supplement that someone should take, therefore, is a whole food formula WITHOUT any isolated (singular vitamin). In order to know whether your vitamin and mineral supplement comes from whole foods, you have to carefully read the labels. Instead of just names of vitamins and minerals on a label, you should be looking for the names of foods and herbs on the label, such as kale, dandelion, kelp, ginger, cinnamon, apples, carrots and broccoli.

It is a very common misconception that we need to take high dosages of vitamins to keep us healthy. Remember, real whole foods are never found in high potency, so don’t be fooled by high milligrams, high potency, standardization or any other such terms that just do not apply to real foods from nature.

Vitamin supplements are supposed to be just that—supplements. They are not intended to replace what you would get from eating the actual food. There is no vitamin pill or supplement that can make up for a diet that is lacking in variety and nutrients.

Sources:
Balch, James and Balch, Phyllis, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 2nd Ed., Avery Publishing Group, New York, 1997.
Shayne, PhD, Vic, Symtpoms of Vitamin B Deficiency and Why Vitamin Pills Are Not Enough, 2005.

Dee's Tips for Staying Healthy Through the Holidays!

2008-11-15T08:23:00.000-08:00

The holidays are a time for rejoicing, celebrating, visiting, and renewing. They are not a time to sabotage weight loss and healthy habits.

1. Anticipate slips.

2. Routine. Have a plan and follow it.

3. Think of things you are grateful for. Make a gratitude list for Thanksgiving.

4. Choose healthy foods. Bring healthy foods to parties,

5. Make healthier versions of some of your favorite holiday foods.

6. Realize that you don’t have to be perfect. Perfection can make you perfectly insane.

7. Enjoy walks by yourself, with friends and visiting family.

8. Enjoy the party, not the food. Eat healthy before going to parties so you won’t be too hungry.

9. Allow quiet time for yourself.

10. Create new memories.

11. Spend time with family and friends.

12. Buy yourself a gift, wrap it up nice and pretty, and open it at a special time.

13. Have lots of fun.

14. Take the opportunity to make it a truly spiritual time.

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

2008-11-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that much of what we traditionally have for Thanksgiving is filled with white flour, white sugar and processed ingredients.

Here are some healthy alternative recipes that I created so you and your family can have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Flourless Herbed Croutons
Makes 3-4 cups

2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, oregano, basil, or thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried herbs)
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups Flourless bread (Ezekiel bread or similar), cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil, herbs, and sea salt; tilt the bowl to cover sides with oil mixture.

Step 2. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on ungreased baking sheet.

Step 3. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Flourless Herbed Stuffing
Makes 6 cups

4 cups Flourless Herbed Croutons
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup hot vegetable, chicken, or turkey stock
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
coconut oil, for greasing the pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish lightly oiled with coconut oil.

Step 2. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

This recipe may also be used for stuffing for turkey, chicken, or Cornish game hens.

Sugar Free Whole Cranberry Sauce
Makes 2 cups

12-oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon agar agar flakes
1 teaspoon liquid Stevia, or to taste (use orange flavored Stevia if available)

Step 1. Add the agar agar to the water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add cranberries.
Step 2. Return to a boil until cranberries start to “pop”, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Step 3. Remove from heat and add Stevia. Stir to mix.
Cool completely at room temperature and refrigerate.

Dairy Free Low Fat Pumpkin Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie

1 ½ packages Extra Firm Silken Tofu (Mori Nu brand preferred)
2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin
½ teaspoon liquid Stevia extract, or to taste
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or next 4 ingredients:
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 unbaked 9 inch whole wheat pastry crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. Blend tofu in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Step 2. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.

Step 3. Pour into a 9-inch unbaked deep dish whole wheat pie crust.

Step 4. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm up as it chills. Chill and serve. Top with Real Deal Whipped Cream.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust
Makes one 9-inch pie crust

7 Tablespoons VERY COLD organic butter
1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2-3 tablespoons ice water
Step 1. Cut the butter into tablespoons and then each tablespoon into quarters. Put cut butter in the freezer while mixing flour and salt.
Step 2. Mix the whole wheat pastry flour with the salt in a medium bowl or a food processor.
Step 3. Add the cold butter pieces and cut in using a pastry blender or by pulsing in the food processor.
Step 4. Add ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time until dough forms into a ball. Gather up and pat into a disk. If possible, refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before rolling out.
Step 5. When ready to use, roll dough out on a lightly floured board. Gently fold into quarters using a little flour as needed to prevent sticking. Place dough in pie plate and carefully unfold, fitting loosely and then pressing into place. Trim the edges and crimp for a decorative crust.
This dough can also be frozen for later use.

Real Deal Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups

1 pint whipping cream, preferably organic
1 teaspoon liquid Stevia, or more to taste

Step 1. Chill a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the freezer and pour the whipping cream into it.

Step 2. Beat with an electric mixer until the cream begins to thicken.

Step 3. Add the Stevia slowly, ensuring that it gets mixed in. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Use immediately or chill. Remainder can be saved in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Perfection of the Pumpkin

2008-11-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health. Vitamin A plays a key role in the health of our eyes, skin, hair and teeth.

Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging. In addition to cancer and heart disease, diets rich in beta carotene also appear to offer protection against developing type 2 diabetes, with pumpkin consumption being the most effective.

Although the pumpkin is botanically classified as a fruit (the ripened ovary of a flowering plant), it is widely regarded as a vegetable. The pumpkin's insides are commonly eaten, cooked and served in dishes such as pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin soup; the seeds may also be roasted for consumption. Pumpkin seeds have also been shown to be helpful in reducing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP).

Nutritional Highlights

Pumpkin, like other richly colored vegetables, is an excellent source of carotenes—the richer the color, the richer the concentration. They are also a very good source of vitamin C and B1, folic acid, pantothenic acid, potassium, and dietary fiber. In addition, pumpkin is a good source of vitamin B6 and niacin.

Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe

Great for winter mornings!

½ cup coconut milk

½ cup water

½ cup canned cooked pumpkin, preferably organic

1 tablespoon of vanilla flavored protein powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3-4 drops of liquid Stevia, or to taste

1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseeds

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. This is a great way to get a daily dose of pumpkin and its many nutritional powers! Drink immediately.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts

(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)

Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

The Case for Fenugreek Seed

2008-10-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

Once again, modern science is showing how a traditional folk remedy has merit.

In recent studies, an herb called Fenugreek Seed has shown to lower blood glucose levels for Type-2 diabetes sufferers, and some insulin-dependent diabetics in one study in India, who were on low doses of insulin, took Fenugreek, and it reduced blood sugar and other harmful fats like triglycerides. Furthermore, an amino acid in Fenugreek (hydroxyisoleucine) is said to stimulate the pancreas to secret insulin, another way the herb may help diabetics.

Fenugreek is a tall annual herb native to the Mediterranean, Ukraine, India and China. The plant bears pods filled with numerous light brown, diamond-shaped seeds which possess a sweet maple aroma.

3500 years ago it was used in cookery and flavoring, but also has a long history of folk use throughout Asia and the Middle east as an anti-diabetic, to soothe stomach ulcers, to eliminate built up mucus in the upper respiratory tract, to promote lactation, and as a poultice for treating various skin conditions.

Much science on fenugreek has focused on the cholesterol-lowering, blood lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic activities of the seed. These activities appear directly linked to the presence of soluble fibers, most notably galactomannans. The galactomannans have additionally been shown to possess fat-sequestering properties, thereby binding directly to dietary fat and reducing its absorption into the body. Furthermore, anti-diabetic properties of fenugreek seed are linked to the presence of a novel free amino acid, 4 hydroxyisoleucine.

4-hydroxyisoleucine is an amino acid derivative that assists the pancreas in production of insulin. Studies have shown that adding fenugreek to your diet reduces fasting blood sugars and improves after-meal glucose tolerance significantly. 4-hydroxyisoleucine works by two separate mechanisms: It has a direct, stimulating effect on insulin production for those who wish to increase their glucose metabolism and helps to reduce glucose resistance and the uptake of glucose, thereby reducing overall blood glucose levels. Several studies with animals and with human cell cultures demonstrate this extract’s positive effect on reducing postmeal glucose levels—with little or no increase in blood insulin concentrations— a clear indictor of improved insulin sensitivity.

Several studies show that the free amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine plays a valuable role in insulin-promotion and glucose regulation. 4-hydroxyisoleucine stimulates insulin secretion, thereby limiting the extent to which blood glucose (the glycemic index) is elevated. Elevated blood glucose after meals leads to increased production of body fat. 4 hydroxyisoleucine promotes insulin secretion and inhibits the rise of blood glucose, thus helping to reduce body fat production. 4 -hydroxyisoleucine exhibits a specific effect on the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. These cells are directly responsible for insulin production. Most significantly, the effect of 4-hydroxyisoleucine is glucose dependent. The higher the level of blood glucose, the greater the insulin-promoting response elicited by 4 hydroxyisoleucine. Thus 4-hydroxyisoleucine exhibits a significant regulating effect, which corresponds with the insulin needs of the body at any given time. This makes this compound “adaptogenic,” responding to the particular needs of the body at any given time.

Today Fenugreek can be purchased at a natural food market in the spice or herb section, or as a supplement in capsule form.

A normal dose for non-diabetic people is 50mg of 4-hydroxy-isoleucine daily. In insulin-dependent diabetics, take 2.75 grams of 4-hydroxy-isoleucine daily for lowering insulin needs.

Research from NIH on Fenugreek:

Supplementation of fenugreek leaves lower lipid profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Annida B, Stanely Mainzen Prince P. Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608 002, Tamil Nadu, India, 2004.

Total phenolics and antioxidant activities of fenugreek, green tea, black tea, grape seed, ginger, rosemary, gotu kola, and ginkgo extracts, vitamin E, and tert-butylhydroquinone. Rababah TM, Hettiarachchy NS, Horax R. Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, 2650 North Young Avenue, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Aug 2004.

Role of selected Indian plants in management of type 2 diabetes: a review. Saxena A, Vikram NK. Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Apr 2004.

Supplementation of fenugreek leaves to diabetic rats. Effect on carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in diabetic liver and kidney. Devi BA, Kamalakkannan N, Prince PS. Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608002, Tamil Nadu, India. Dec 2003.

Herbs for serum cholesterol reduction: a systematic view. Thompson Coon JS, Ernst E. Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter EX2 4NT, United Kingdom, Jun 2003.

The Pros of Probiotics

2008-08-27T03:12:00.000-07:00

The bacterial cultures that are traditionally used to make yogurt are called probiotics, meaning "for life." Although they may have funny sounding names--Lactobacillus bulgarius, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Streptcoccus thermophilus--it is these "good bacteria" that are also responsible for many of yogurt's health benefits.

Probiotics are necessary for the body to function at its best. The following are some of the health benefits of "live and active" cultures:

Improved Intestinal Health - Yogurt containing "live and active" cultures helps maintain the balance of good bacteria vs. bad bacteria in the intestine. Yogurt can aid in the treatment and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, traveler's diarrhea, and diarrhea in children. Lactobacillus acidophilus has been shown to protect against stomach ulcers by suppressing the growth of ulcer-causing bacterium.

Lowering Cholesterol - In a study of older adults, intake of about 1 cup of yogurt with live cultures per day for one year prevented an increase in total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL - the bad cholesterol) levels.

Cancer Prevention and Immune-Enhancing Effects - Several studies show that the consumption of high levels yogurt may reduce the risk of colon cancer. Probiotics also enhance the immune system by increasing white blood cell count and prevent the formation of tumors.

Selecting the Best Yogurt

When buying yogurt, the more natural the product is, the more beneficial it will be to your health. Plain Organic yogurt is best, as it will have the lowest amount of naturally occurring sugars (from lactose) and the highest amount of live and active cultures.

Yogurt-lovers should take notice: there are products in the marketplace that can take advantage of yogurt's healthful image. Beware of yogurts containing artificial colors, flavorings, or sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose (Splenda), modified food starch, gelatins, and added sugars such as high fructose corn syrup.

Vanilla or other flavored yogurts and yogurts with fruit pre-mixed in are usually inferior yogurts in terms of nutritional value and levels of live and active cultures.

Some yogurt manufacturers pasteurize their milk before the culturing process, while others pasteurize after the yogurt is made. Although the aim of pasteurization is to kill any harmful bacteria, any pasteurizing done after the culturing process can kill the active live cultures and keep you from reaping their benefits.

To dispel consumer confusion about yogurts, the National Yogurt Association (NYA) developed the Live and Active Cultures seal to help consumers readily identify those yogurts containing significant levels of live and active cultures.

Look for this seal on your yogurt container

In order to meet the NYA criteria, live and active culture yogurt must satisfy these requirements:

The product must be fermented with both L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus.
For refrigerated yogurt, the total viable count must be at least 100 million (10⁸) CFU (colony forming units) per gram at the time of manufacture. In the case of frozen yogurt, the total viable count at the time of manufacture must be 10 million (10⁷) CFU per gram.
The cultures must still be active at the end of the stated shelf life.

Since the seal program is voluntary, some yogurt products may contain live cultures but not carry the Live & Active Cultures seal. Consumers should check the label for indications that the yogurt contains live cultures. But without the seal, there is no unbiased validation of the level of live cultures present in the product.

Eat Yogurt Every Day

Yogurt can be incorporated into your diet in a variety of ways. By adding cut up fruit, berries, granola, wheat germ, oat bran, nuts, or freshly ground flaxseeds to your yogurt, you can turn it into a delicious replacement for your usual dessert. You can also substitute yogurt for milk in many recipes for foods like pancakes, waffles, and even pumpkin pie. Here's my favorite recipe for turning plain organic yogurt into a yummy sugar-free treat!

Easy Vanilla Yogurt

If plain yogurt is too sour for your palate, try this lightly sweet variety. Using plain organic yogurt ensures that it will not contain added sweeteners or chemical additives.

Makes 1 serving

1-cup plain fat-free organic yogurt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract*

3 drops liquid Stevia or to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir until vanilla extract has been thoroughly mixed in and you no longer see its color. Enjoy immediately!

*All vanilla extracts are not created equal. Beware of vanilla extracts that contain sugar or corn syrup.

A Hot Dog and Popcorn at the Movies Could Take Your Breath Away

2007-10-04T01:14:00.000-07:00

Taking a breather from cured meats and popcorn could save your lungs and your life. A recent study conducted by Columbia University Medical Center suggests that eating cured meats such as hot dogs, smoked turkey, ham, bologna, bacon or salami may double your risk for lung disease. Concurrently, recent news has shown that the pervasive lingering aroma of artificially butter-flavored popcorn can literally kill you.

Researchers found that people who ate cured meat products at least 14 times a month were 78 percent more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than people who did not eat these meats, even after the researchers sought to account for many other risk factors including smoking, overall diet and age.

COPD is a medical condition that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which interfere with normal breathing. COPD is also the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States.

In food preparation, curing refers to various preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, sugar and either "nitrate" or "nitrite." Many curing processes also involve smoking. Nitrates not only help kill bacteria, but also produce a characteristic flavor, and give meat a pink or red color. Nitrate (chemical formula NO3), in the form of either “sodium nitrate” or “potassium nitrate”, is used as a source for nitrite (chemical formula NO2). Herein the problem lies: the nitrite further breaks down in the meat into another compound called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide binds to iron in the blood, preventing the iron from being utilized in the body.

Iron is a key component in substances that carry oxygen to the cells and hold it there, such as hemoglobin and myoglobin. This is especially important for the cells in lung tissue. Without adequate hemoglobin and myoglobin, the lungs are deprived of adequate oxygen, which damages lung tissue by cracking elastin and stiffening collagen.

Another toxic chemical has been linked to a rare and life-threatening form of fixed obstructive lung disease, medically termed as bronchiolitis obliterans. Also known as “popcorn workers lung”, because many workers at microwave-popcorn factories who are exposed to the chemical have developed the disease, which destroys the lungs. A transplant is the only cure.

Since 2001, academic studies have shown links between the disease and a chemical used in artificial butter flavor called Diacetyl. Repeatedly inhaling significant doses of heated diacetyl, a vapor that, if inhaled over a long period of time, can cause the small airways in the lungs to become swollen and scarred. Eventually, the scarring of airways can create a condition where it is possible to inhale deeply, but very difficult to exhale without extreme discomfort.

Even less is known about the health effects of eating diacetyl in butter-flavored popcorn, or breathing the fumes after the bag is microwaved. Last month, the New York Times ran a story about a 53-year old Colorado man whose fondness for microwave buttered popcorn may have caused him to develop the disease. Initially diagnosed with generalized lung inflammation, the Colorado man's doctor eventually discovered that he ate at least two bags of microwave buttered popcorn per day for more than a decade. He often made it a point to inhale the butter-flavored steam that came out of the bags when he first opened them.

Diacetyl is used to add a buttery flavor to many brands of microwave popcorn, including Orville Redenbacher and Act II. Chronic exposure to heated diacetyl in food production and flavoring plants that utilize synthetic butter has been linked with hundreds of cases of lung damage. Flavoring manufacturers have paid out more than $100 million as a result of lawsuits by people sick with popcorn workers lung over the past five years. One death from the disease has been confirmed.

As usual, the evidence continues to mount that processed foods and additives create health hazards. Real whole foods do not.

You may think twice the next time you are tempted to indulge in the typical movie fare of a hot dog and popcorn. If popcorn is your fancy, try this healthy recipe:

Dee’s Healthy Popcorn Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2-cup organic popcorn kernels

1-2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

dash of sea salt

Directions:
Cover the bottom of a medium stockpot with coconut oil. Place the pot on the stovetop (without the lid) over medium heat.
Add one popcorn kernel to the oil and allow it to “pop”.
Once the kernel has popped, add the rest of the corn kernels, stir to coat them with the oil, and then place the lid on the pot.
Within a minute or two, the corn will begin popping into popcorn. Shake the pot over the heat to prevent burning. When the popping starts to taper off, take the pot off of the heat and turn the burner off.
Quickly transfer the popcorn to a large bowl or paper grocery bag and season with a dash of sea salt. If desired, add some omega-3’s by drizzling with flax seed oil.

Sources:

Dunham, Will. Study Ties Cured Meats to Higher Lung Disease Risk. http://www.reuters.com/, April 17, 2007.

Geis, Sonya. Flavoring Suspected in Illness: California Considers Banning Chemical Used in Microwave Popcorn. http://www.washingtonpost.com/, May 7, 2007; Page A03.

Harris, Gardiner. Doctor Links a Man’s Illness to Microwave Popcorn Habit. http://www.nytimes.com/, September 5, 2007.

Could Your Diet Be Keeping You Awake?

2007-07-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

If you suffer from insomnia or interrupted sleep, perhaps a few dietary changes could help you snooze through the night.

Did you know that certain nutrients, foods, and eating patterns can have a great effect on your ability to get a good night’s sleep?

For instance, a lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium can cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep. Calcium has a calming effect and magnesium is needed to balance the calcium and relax muscles. A calcium/magnesium supplement can be helpful, however it is important to eat real foods that contain calcium, because they also have magnesium and the other trace minerals needed for its absorption. Vegetable choices should consist of dark green leafy types such as collard greens, kale, cabbage, and broccoli, for their high calcium content. Other food sources for calcium are almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, buttermilk, carob, cheese, figs, filberts, goat's milk, kelp, mustard greens, oats, prunes, sesame seeds, tofu, turnip greens, watercress, whey, and yogurt.

Which foods you eat and when you eat them can also affect restful sleep.

You should avoid caffeine-containing foods after lunchtime. Coffee, as well as less obvious caffeine sources such as soft drinks, chocolate, coffee-flavored ice cream, hot cocoa, and tea, should not be consumed after lunchtime. Even small amounts of caffeine such as those found in decaffeinated coffee or chocolate, may be enough to cause insomnia in some people. If you suffer from extreme chronic insomnia, caffeine should be completely eliminated from your diet.

For dinner or as an evening snack, choose foods high in the amino acid tryptophan. These include turkey, milk, cottage cheese, chicken, tuna, eggs, almonds, bananas, figs, dates, yogurt, and whole grain crackers or nut butter. In the brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin and melatonin, which are natural sleep-inducing compounds. Also, did you notice that many of these foods also contain calcium?

Those late-night bacon-cheesburgers or sugary snacks can actually be keeping you awake. Avoid eating bacon, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, spinach, tomatoes, and wine close to bedtime. These foods contain tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine, which is a brain stimulant.

Drinking chamomile tea several times throughout the day and especially before bedtime, helps calm and tone the nervous system, promoting restful sleep.

Getting a good's night sleep is imperative to good health. It not only helps your energy levels and alertness, but is also important for weight loss. Making these simple dietary changes can greatly improve your overall health.

News Flash: Chocolate is Healthier Than Broccoli!

2007-07-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years, you've probably heard about the health benefits of chocolate. However, before you go making conventional chocolates a staple of your diet, it's important to understand that the health benefits are mainly due to special compounds called flavonoids that are found most abundantly in organic, raw chocolate.

Flavonoids are natural nutrients with antioxidant properties. In fact, raw, organic chocolate is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods in the world. Ounce for ounce, it has five times more antioxidants than blueberries, ten times more antioxidants than spinach, and close to fifteen times more antioxidants than broccoli!

The flavonoids in raw chocolate play some key roles in optimally supporting health:

They prevent premature aging by protecting your cells against free-radical damage

They help prevent stickiness of platelets, which are cells that play an important role in blood clotting

They help your body produce nitric oxide, a compound that promotes a healthy cardiovascular system

Unfortunately the majority of chocolates on the market are not the best choices for optimally supporting health because most of them have been processed. The more chocolate is processed, the fewer flavonoids it retains. Fewer flavonoids translates to less antioxidant content and less potential health benefits. Processed chocolate becomes even less healthful due to the addition of refined sugar, milk, and oils.

Your best choice is raw, organic chocolate that has no added ingredients. Your next best choice is dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa content, but this ranks a distant second to raw chocolate, since conventional dark chocolate is exposed to significant heat and processing. The worst choices are milk chocolate and white chocolate. Most varieties of milk chocolate have only about 25% to 50% the flavonoid content of dark chocolate, and white chocolate has no flavonoids.

Raw chocolate is chocolate in its purest form; it's nothing but pure cocoa (cacao) beans which are dried, then cracked to remove the "nibs" (the center of the cacoa bean). To make raw cocoa powder, the nibs are pressed to extract the cocoa butter, leaving a dense, rich, and bitter substance called chocolate liquor. Despite the name, this substance does not contain any alcohol. After drying, the chocolate liquor is ground into powder form. Raw cacoa nibs and raw cocoa powder are sold in natural food markets, or can be purchased on-line.

Dee's Inside Scoop on Natural Products Expo West

2007-03-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

My husband and I recently returned from the Natural Products Expo West held in Anaheim, California, where I learned that my idea of "natural food" is quite different than the industry standard. I want to first say that overall the experience was magical and quite exhilarating. However, I was noticing a dangerous trend toward packaged and convenience food that is being "developed" and touted as healthy. There was so much to see and taste over the weekend, that I am going to be blogging about it over several days. Just to give you a preview, at the end of the first day I returned to my hotel room with aching bruised shoulders from the heavy tote bags loaded with free samples of every imaginable "health bar" and snack food the "natural" food product world can come up with. It was like the over sized Halloween trick or treat bag filled with glorified candy bars. And I cannot forget to mention the numerous vendors pushing organic chocolate bars, luring attendees to their booths by placing heaping bowls filled with little squares of each variety of chocolate, which if I had tasted every sample on the show floor I would have consumed the equivalent of several large bars of chocolate in one day. More commentary on this later.

Even though it would have been a great opportunity to showcase my flourless Dee's Mighty Muffins ™ (http://www.deesmightymuffins.com/), we decided not to tie ourselves down to a booth so we could roam the show floor checking out the newest offerings in the natural food world and attend the educational seminars offered by leaders in the fields of nutrition. I was in great anticipation of getting to hear four of my most revered heroes and mentors: Udo Erasmus, Ph.D., creator of Udo's Oil and international authority on fats and oil; Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., the First Lady of Nutrition in the U.S. and pioneer in dietary health matters; Michael Murray, ND, one of the world's leading authorities on natural medicine; and Eric Schlosser, author of the bestselling book, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All American Meal.

Friday morning began with a complimentary breakfast sponsored by Kashi, Horizon Organic, and Silk. I don't know what I was expecting, but it fell below my expectations. Kashi was offering all of their new cereals (all of which contain evaporated cane sugar), Horizon had milk, yogurt (the yogurt was not as creamy as some other brands that I like, and it was sweetened with organic sugar), eggs, and cheese, and of course Silk had their new flavors of soy milk and soy yogurt. There was not a piece of fruit or a vegetable to be found among the rows and rows of cereal and milk.

A conversation at the breakfast table begat a rumor that Kashi has just been purchased by Nestle. I have no first-hand knowledge of this, like I said it is apparently a rumor. The gentleman who told me this said that "we can now expect that Kashi's products will not be as credible and pure as they used to be." Looking at the sugary evidence on the ingredient lists of their newest offerings-- especially the little cereal bars that were scattered on all of the breakfast tables--I would have to agree. In fact, perhaps one of the reasons Kashi's cereals have become more sugary since 200 is because that is the year they were bought by Kellogg. I remember the first Kashi product I was happy to include in my diet back in 1992, Puffed Kashi, one of the few truly sugar-free cereals available at the time. I sure hope they keep it in their repertoire of offerings. Kashi bought by Nestle--that would certainly be more of a sellout than Kellog. Buyers beware!!!

One of the best parts of being at this event was getting to hear the experts talk about some of the latest research in nutrition and health. If you want to get the real hardcore health information, the hidden treasures of the holistic nutrition community, you have to get face to face with the innovative supplement companies, the pioneering doctors and researchers, and others who are pushing the envelope of health and nutrition. These are people whose work and beliefs have inspired me and influenced my own philosophies toward health, eating, and weight loss. Dr. Udo Erasmus is one such person. I finally got to see him in action espousing all of the wonderful information contained in his revolutionary book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill. The title of his talk, Why Fish Oil is Not Enough, confirmed that we need to include a variety of oils in our diets, mainly from unadulterated sources like raw nuts (he advocates keeping nuts in their shells to protect the fragile oils, and cracking them open just before eating them), seeds, and even animal fat. Udo's research and expertise has convinced me that unadulterated fats and oils are absolutely essential to good health, that low fat diets are not only unnecessary but dangerous, and that the only oils that are safe to eat are those that are not heated and processed.

Vegetarian Times, You Disappoint Me

2007-02-25T22:24:00.000-08:00

I read health magazines and nutrition journals every day. Each month, I look forward to one of my favorites, Vegetarian Times, for the yummy recipes and information on food. The magazine doesn't necessarily eliminate white sugar and flour from its recipes, but overall they are usually healthy and loaded with colorful vegetables. However, I was thoroughly disappointed by the article titled "What's the Latest on Sugar Substitutes?" in the February 2007 issue.

They reported that Splenda (patented name Sucralose) has never been shown to cause any biological or pathological problems in studies. Furthermore they quoted a Drexel University weight control specialist as saying that sucralose is "completely unmetabolized in the body, which means nothing is broken down, added, or taken away. If something goes in and comes out unchanged, it's much less likely to cause problems." They basically gave the thumbs up for Splenda use, which in my opinion is the same as misleading their readers.

Shortly thereafter, I read that Dr. Mehmet Oz, the revered surgeon who regularly appears on the Oprah show recommends the use of Splenda in his new book You On A Diet. He says that Splenda has not been proven to be dangerous.

This normally would not bother me except that both of these recent proponents of Splenda do not give the whole picture. First let me say that I love what Dr. Oz is doing on the Oprah show. I commend him for educating the public on some serious health issues and expounding on the dangers of processed foods, but I must disagree with his stance on Splenda.

Splenda is an artificial sweetener that is created in a laboratory using a complex process involving many caustic chemicals. Although the starting substance is sugar (sucrose), it undergoes a chemical process which selectively substitutes three atoms of chlorine for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sucrose molecule. This chemical reaction essentially forces chlorine atoms to form an unnatural bond with the sugar, resulting in a “polychlorinated compound”, also known as an organochlorine compound. Splenda shares many similar molecular characteristics to other polychlorinated compounds like pesticides that can accumulate in your body fat and tissues. It is impossible to predict the long-term consequences of ingesting Splenda over many years, however polychlorinated compounds have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage.

Sucralose research on lab rats showed up to forty percent shrinkage of the thymus gland, a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Animal studies also showed sucralose can cause many other problems such as:

Inflammation and swelling of the liver and kidneys
Calcification of the kidneys (kidney stones)
Atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus
Reduced growth rate
Decreased red blood cell count
Extension of the pregnancy period
Aborted pregnancy
Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights
Diarrhea

As a chemist and a concerned citizen, I am very dubious about the safety of Splenda. With so many problems associated with the studies, I find it hard to believe that Splenda can be safe. More than that though, sucralose is patented as a manmade “chlorinated sucrose sweetener” and it is registered as “chlorinated sucrose.” Chlorinated sucrose does not exist anywhere in nature. It is foreign to our human DNA and our bodies do not recognize laboratory-synthesized, artificially-made compounds. Our bodies are designed to eat real foods that derive from the natural world. Splenda does not fit into that category.

I Was a Green Tea Study Reject

2007-02-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

Last week I read in the Arizona Republic newspaper an article calling for cigarette smokers or ex-cigarette smokers to volunteer to participate in a study to investigate the impact of drinking green tea on the cell damage caused by smoking. I was very interested in participating since I am an ex-smoker. I also love green tea, and since I drink a cup or two of it every day anyway, I figured following the protocol would have little impact on my daily routine.

The article said that "the doctors conducting the study are testing whether green tea consumption by ex-smokers can be associated with decreased damage to fat, protein or genetic material to prevent lung cancer." Participants would be asked to drink green tea for six months, provide monthly urine samples and keep a daily log of their tea drinking and smoking througout the study. Even better, participants would gain the benefits of free health care, including dietary analyses, breathing tests and blood analyis reports. Wow, free health care, who can beat that? Sign me up today!

I quickly sent an e-mail to the study contact expressing my interest. I provided information I figured they would want: I am a former smoker. I quit smoking in November 1992. Prior to that I smoked for 13 years about 1 pack per day. I figured I was a pretty heavy smoker back then and would surely be eligible for the study.

The reply I recieved went something like this: Your smoking history indicates that you smoked
for less than 20 years; we are recruiting subjects who are or were heavy smokers. For example: smoking 1 1/2 pack per day for 14 years or more or 1 pack per day for 20 years or more. They asked me to provide more info. I did. The reply back said, "Based on your smoking history you are not eligible, we are looking for people who smoked 20 or more cigarettes per day with 30 or more years of smoking. Thanks for responding."

In other words, thanks but no thanks! Oh well, I am going to take comfort in the fact that the researchers already theorize that the antioxidant qualities in green tea may reduce the damage caused by smoking. I drink green tea every day, several times a day and have done so for many years. Perhaps by this point, I have already reversed a lot of the damage caused by my former habit. I will eagerly await the results of the study to confirm my healthful habit.

2006-07-10T01:36:00.000-07:00

This evening as I was preparing my client files for tomorrow, I was channel surfing for something to peripherally watch. I tuned in to a show on TLC channel called "The 750 Pound Man" which was already in progress. It was quite clear what the show was about. A morbidly, grotesquely obese man weighing 750 pounds was undergoing treatment at a center for people who have reached this point of seemingly no return. The first thing that always painfully strikes me when I see a person who has gained so much weight-- who has literally buried themselves in food--is "what happened to you that was so painful that you had to escape into a world of oblivion?"

It was difficult watching this man's journey. He was so huge that his knees had given out on him years before, and he was literally an invalid. He could not get out of bed. He spent nearly his entire existence on his back because his skeletal frame could not support his body. The show's narrator said that in order to remove him from his house, they had to borrow a whale net from a local aquarium to lift him out of bed because it was the only thing big enough to hold him. How tragically humiliating and demoralizing to have that documented for airing on national televsion. But the man said he was determined to change his life, so he was going along with whatever was required of him.

The first scene they showed of him in the hospital, his wife was pouring him a glass of diet Pepsi. Oh great, I thought, that's really going to help. This is where I get really frustrated with weight loss treatment centers and mainstream nutritionists. Where was the healthy food? Where was the water? The first meal they brought him was a salad made with iceburg lettuce, a few sprinkles of tomato and a bunch of shreddded cheese. How in the world will the man be nourished? A diet like that is sure to be deficient.

I know that someone who is that overweight has many more issues to contend with than just the food. However, without some foundational nutritional education, the man will never heal his body. The first thing I would do is get rid of those diet sodas and get the man on a detoxification diet. He and his wife would have to be re-educated on how to eat. They both needed education, because the second thing that came to my mind was "how does a man who cannot walk or get out of bed stay so fat unless someone else is providing the mass quantities of food?"

Whenever I see a person so huge, my heart breaks. Although I was never physically handicapped by my obesity like this man was, our "inner" stories are likely the same. There is no "cure" for a person who is a slave to food, there is only "reprieve". Simultaneous to dietary changes, the man needs support and healing. There are so many factors that lead a person to this point of self-destruction that can't be resolved by a simple dietary change. It's a huge onion that has to be peeled layer by layer, uncovering years of emotional and spiritual blockage. The man literally has 500+ pounds of pain to heal and release, whether or not he his aware of it.

I hope that this show has a purpose other than just shock value and reality TV entertainment. I hope that the people whose stories are aired are supported for years and years to come. Reaching a goal weight is only the miniscule beginning. Each day after reaching the goal weight is unchartered territory, and is therefore the greatest challenge and joy of anyone who overcomes a battle with obesity.

2006-05-31T22:45:00.000-07:00

I spent the holiday weekend camping in the mountains above Sedona. It used to be easy to get quiet inside and relax. With all of the busyness of late I observed that peace did not come without first wading through the clutter in my head and letting go of the temptation to be "on".
Tranquility seeped through me slowly as I took off on Sunday afternoon for a walk by myself in the woods. Walking has always been my mode of transportation to another state of concsiousness. It lifts me out of the day to day, and into a magical world of tranquility. As has always been with me, I sang songs to entertain myself as I walked along the dirt path far into the woods. For two hours I walked without ever coming upon another soul. To me this was nirvana. I had no choice but to connect with myself, and connect I did.
When all is quiet within one's own world, there is time to think about how life is going and whether or not it is working. I realized that my world needs an overhaul, and that the delicate balance that I strive to teach to others must also be demonstrated in my own life.
The peace that came over me was long overdue and came to an end much more quickly than I would have preferred. But while I experienced it, it was joyous. This joy is what every soul needs to feel to live a balanced and healthy life. Joyousness must be the underlying emotion that pushes us to greatness and service. Keeping the joy in times of great spiritual, emotional, and physical demand is the key to a balanced and healthy life.

2006-05-23T01:10:00.000-07:00

This is my first entry in my blog. I am getting up to speed with all of the available forms of communication on the internet. My husband, Michael, just finished creating a message board for me on my website and now, at my request, he created this blog. We will also be recording weekly podcasts that can be downloaded and listened to on your IPOD.
It is my intention to reach as many people as possible with my message of health and weight loss through holistic nutrition. Last night I was up quite late writing an article for a local magazine and I was reminded how discouraged I am at the deep denial our country is in regarding obesity and its related illnesses. The weight loss surgery industry's pockets are getting as fat as the people it claims to help, meanwhile no one is addressing the real problem. Each day in the news there is another story about the tainted food supply. The other day there was a story about benzene formation in soft drinks from a chemical reaction that occurs in the can. Benzene! We should be outraged! Benzene is on the EPA's list of highly carcinogenic chemicals. It is one of the most stable compounds and can hang around in the environment and in our bodies for years.
From the sound of the article, it was as if the whole thing was being shoved into a corner without much cause for alarm. When are people going to wake up and smell the benzene? Haven't we had enough "chemicalization" of our food?