Nutrition Tip for Better Health ~ Soaking Almonds

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At some point, you may have heard or read the recommendation to soak your almonds overnight to improve their nutritional benefits, as well as decrease any inherent toxicity.

The practice of soaking nuts, grains and seeds dates back many centuries.

Depending on the length of time you soak the food in question, you can end up with exceptionally healthy sprouted (germinated) nuts, seeds and grains.

This process of germination produces vitamin C, increases the vitamin B content, dramatically increases the carotene content, and – most importantly – neutralizes phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. In addition to off-setting the effects of the enzyme inhibitors, sprouting also produces several enzymes that aid in digestion.  Oh, and sprouting inactivates aflatoxins – known carcinogens found in grains.

Think it’s worth your while to soak your grains, seeds and nuts?! I’d say so!

It’s certainly not a difficult endeavor to sprout grains and seeds. If full germination is the goal, then only the length of time will vary with the size and nature of the seeds in question.

However, even overnight soaking unlocks many nutritional benefits of the nuts and seeds that you wouldn’t otherwise experience.

Let’s talk about almonds since they’re such a powerhouse of nutrition – high in essential fatty acids, protein and vital minerals & vitamins.

To soak almonds, it’s pretty simple. Most recommend doing this overnight. Start with raw nuts. If you can, choose organic and unpasteurized nuts. Rinse the nuts first. Then fill a glass bowl or jar (e.g. mason jar) with 1/3 almonds. Add filtered or distilled water to the top. Cover with a loosely fitting, breathable cloth or mesh screen. Keep at room temperature. Some recommend that you add sea salt, others don’t. I haven’t chosen to use sea salt yet.

In the morning (or 8-10 hours later), rinse the nuts well. You can consume them that day for a nutritionally enhanced and less toxic nut… or you can continue to rinse the nuts every 3 hours or so, and in approximately 3-4 days, you’ll have some sprouted nuts! Yay!

(The sprouts just look like tiny white appendages, about 1/8 inch long.)

No time to fully germinate those nuts? No problem… there are still many benefits of simply soaking overnight.

Almonds are difficult to digest because of the aforementioned enzyme-inhibitors contained in their brown coating. These enzyme inhibitors protect the nut or seed during its growth. Soaking almonds overnight removes these toxic enzyme inhibitors and unlocks massive, highly beneficial enzymatic activity… easing digestion and maximizing nutrient absorption and assimilation.

Soaking breaks down gluten, again making digestion much easier.

As mentioned, phytic acid is reduced. This is a very good thing since phytic acid inhibits the absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.

You can see why many nutrition experts warn you that *not* soaking your almonds before consumption can actually be harmful to your health. As harmful as a meal of fake food and pop from the drive-through? Not likely! But SO easy to correct, in this case. (Nice try, though, McFly!)

Almonds are considered a “brain tonic”. They are rich in essential fats, enhancing memory and mental function. One of the long-held popular benefits of soaking almonds in water overnight is that eating 4-6 soaked almonds every morning helps enhance your memory.

Many health experts and traditional cultures recommend eating approximately one almond per every 10 pounds of body weight each morning. It balances our blood sugar/insulin, sets the hydrochloric acid balance in our stomachs after our nightly fast, and provides a super healthy dose of protein and healthy fats to set our metabolism, mental function, physical performance, energy, and mood regulation in the right direction for the rest of the day.

(Another belief that may or may not interest you is that soaking almonds in MILK overnight – clean sources only, please – enhances libido… even cases of frigidity.)

“Good morning, honey! Let’s have some almonds!!” : )

Whether you simply soak overnight, or fully germinate and sprout your seeds and nuts, this is a simple step that is worth taking the few extra minutes for. Your health is definitely worth it!

Healthy Recipes ~ Spicy Meat Loaf

photo by Suat Eman of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

photo by Suat Eman of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As promised, I wanted to share a healthier version of the traditional family favorite – meat loaf.  This recipe is a modification of the one in my favorite cookbook, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig.

By personal choice, I left out the “1/2 pound of ground heart” and “1 tablespoon fish sauce” optional ingredients… just couldn’t go there. Feel free to include them in YOUR recipe!

Spicy Meat Loaf

serves 8

2 pounds of ground beef, ground bison, ground turkey or chicken or other meat choice (choose free-range, grass-fed meats or wild game for the highest nutritional value and the lowest toxic intake)
{for all the vegetable and spice ingredients, choose organic and fresh whenever possible}
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons of butter (preferably organic and raw, from a happily grass-fed cow)
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 and 1/2 cups of whole grain bread crumbs (choose gluten-free, if you can find it… or make your own)
1 cup of real cream (from the same grass-fed, non-drugged cow that gave you her butter!)
1 whole egg (preferably free-range and organic)
4 tablespoons of tomato paste or naturally sweetened ketchup

Now, for the magic:

Saute the onions, carrots and celery in butter until soft. Add chile flakes, thyme, pepper and salt and stir. In the meantime, soak the bread crumbs in the cream.
Have a 9×13 inch pyrex pan ready. Use your hands to mix the meat with sauteed vegetables, soaked bread and egg.

Form into a loaf and set in the pan. Top with ketchup or tomato paste. Add about 1 cup of water to the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half.

Remember, that left over meat loaf makes a healthy school lunch option for your young ‘uns! Need more ideas for healthy family meals, especially for school? Check out The Healthy School Days Menu! Every choice matters… make sure you know the essentials of building healthy meals for your kids! It doesn’t have to be difficult – in fact, The Healthy School Days Menu makes it simple! : )

Healthier Nutrition… Even on Vacation Road Trips!

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This week, our family has headed out on a little vacation before the end of summer.

Road trip!

I was having a funny conversation with one of my neighbors as I was packing up our car on our departure day. She’s the mom to three kids and the grandma to several little people, so she knew a thing or two about traveling with kids!

She knows that we’re raising our kids in a healthier way, so she was wondering how we manage the issue of fast food restaurants and junk food while on the road. (Is this a trick question? Are there hidden cameras somewhere? lol!)

One word: Cooler.

Not that hard!

This is what I packed for our two days in the car, and our overnight hotel stay, and our first few days at our ‘real’ destination:
Lots of water, hard-boiled free-range eggs, turkey jerky (antibiotic-free, nitrite-free, free-range), carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, grapes, apples, bananas, plums, avocado, sprouted bread… and organic spelt pretzels!

It’s really not a big deal… nothing difficult. Sure, it’s easier and cheaper to stop at fast food joints or convenience stores along the way, but even on road trips, we maintain our ‘theme’ of building health. I know there will be plenty of opportunity for the kids (and their parents) to encounter tasty toxins while we’re on vacation, so I control what I can and then don’t worry about a little ‘indulgence’ later on.

For example, on our first night, we went to a restaurant where the kids had a salad and shared a bison burger… and they had sweet potato fries. Since they had already consumed umpteen servings of fresh veggies and fruit throughout the day, I don’t worry over the ingredients of the burger bun or fries… too much!

The next morning in the hotel, we started with a variety of fresh fruit and some hard-boiled eggs in our room. Then, I agreed that the kids could check out the hotel’s breakfast. Ugh. The hotel does a fabulous job of advertising their “free” breakfast throughout the guest rooms, hallways, stairwells… pretty much everywhere! Parents don’t stand a chance!

A major part of my goal with the kids is to teach them how to make healthIER choices… and still function in the real world… and not be *complete* outcasts in society! Lol! (We might need to relocate in order to accomplish that last one!)
So, I chose to let them have one mini muffin from the breakfast bar. Not bad, considering what the options were!

I was thoroughly saddened and dismayed by the food that other kids were eating at tables around us. Again, it’s not judgement – it’s real sadness. One little boy at the table next to us – he couldn’t have been any older than 3 – was eating a gigantic bowl of fruit loops with conventional cow’s milk, a plate full of various donuts and pastries, a bagel, a tall glass of orange juice… and he was also sharing a waffle twice the size of his head with his dad, loaded with syrup. Toxic, toxic, toxic.

It made my stomach hurt. My heart, too.

“Was he overweight?” you might be wondering. Nope, not at all. That’s just further proof that the issue of “childhood obesity” is NOT the complete issue at hand. “Childhood toxicity” is the bigger issue. Who CARES if this kid was overweight or not?! He’s obviously completely toxic and at risk for every single chronic illness on the planet.

We can’t wait for kids to become obese to start caring about what’s going in their mouths.

Back to the boy in the hotel. I understand his parents’ predicament, though. The breakfast was “free”… so there’s this sense that you *need* to fill up on it while you can. It seems like it’s a good value, right? Kids are expensive animals to feed! Also, you just want to fill those bellies so the kids are happy… satisfied… and perhaps less whiny in the car! (Not that I have ANY personal experience with that!)

BUT, that’s short-sighted thinking. Understandable, but short-sighted.

You can’t have health if you don’t supply the raw ingredients for it! We would be doing our kids an enormous favor if we taught them to FUEL up rather than FILL up.

Go ahead and load up on the free breakfast, if that’s what floats your boat. BUT, at least make sure those kids are getting SOME real food – some ingredients for building healthy bodies, high-performance brains, and happy, balanced emotions for life!

Back to School Nutrition Tips & Recipes ~ The Healthier Sandwich, Part Two

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Let’s continue our conversation about the all-American school lunch box staple – the sandwich.

In the first part of this article, The Healthier Sandwich Part One, I talked about the outside of the sandwich: bread.

Now, let’s take a look at the inside!

Are your kids “meat people” at lunchtime? A great choice then is to use fresh meats and meat that was roasted, baked, braised or slow-cooked… perhaps even left overs from dinner. If your kids love their deli meats, definitely consider upgrading to “clean” meats from free-range or grass-fed livestock that lack the hormones, antibiotics, nitrates/nitrites and other preservatives. Many of these are known carcinogens.

You’ve also got some meat ‘salad’ options like chicken or turkey salad, and tuna salad (although tuna tends to bioaccumulate mercury more than deep, cold water fish, like wild salmon). Opt for homemade mayonnaise or a brand made with real, clean ingredients.

Have you ever tried spreading the bread with mashed avocado? Equally as yum-o-la! Add some sprouts… perfect!

Basic Homemade Mayonnaise:

To make 1 and 1/2 cups…

1 whole egg at room temperature

1 egg yolk at room temperature

1 tsp Dijon or other favorite mustard

1.5 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 – 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (or sunflower oil, if you think the olive oil taste is too strong)

a generous pinch of sea salt

In your food processor or Vitamix, place egg, egg yolk, mustard salt and lemon juice – process until well blended (approx. 30 seconds). Add the oil drop by drop with the motor running. Taste and check seasoning. You might choose to add more salt or lemon juice.

For variations on your mayo, you could add fresh herbs or onions or cayenne pepper… or whatever floats your boat!

The meat loaf sandwich is another fun option for some kids. I’ll post a recipe for “Spicy Meat Loaf” soon.

Don’t feel like you always have to pack meat in the sandwich. You can also use healthy natural nut butters, like almond or cashew butter with naturally sweetened jam, apricot butter or raw honey. Or, skip the sweets altogether and just use something like bananas… like the banana tacos in The Healthy School Days Menu. They’re a hit with our kids… and with me when I’m in a rush to make lunch!

Another idea is to make veggie sandwiches with whatever your kids like – add some homemade cream cheese and, voila! Yummy and a nice change. Raw cheese sandwiches are a good option every so often, too. Spread your healthy bread choice with real butter or your homemade mayonnaise and some raw cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.

Moving beyond bread, you’ve got even more options to add variety… wraps, roll-ups, pita sandwiches… oh my!

One that might make heads turn in your kids’ classroom is the pita bread falafel sandwich: falafel with tahini sauce and thinly sliced cucumber and tomato.

Don’t forget about all the options for spreads, preferably your healthier homemade versions: guacamole/avocado spread, cream cheese and mayo varieties, and traditional condiments that lack high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients.

Serve up those sandwiches with fresh veggies and maybe some fruit. Need more? Homemade trail mix, homemade ‘health’ bars and even the occasional homemade cookies are healthier options than packaged, processed lunch foods, snacks and desserts.

Find more ideas in The Healthy School Days Menu!

Healthy Recipes & Meals ~ The Big Salad!

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Last night’s dinner was “The Big Salad”.

It was one of those days where we really didn’t feel like cooking much, so we made a nice big salad for the 4 of us.

Ingredients & Preparation:

We started with freshly pressed garlic cloves, then added extra virgin olive oil, some balsamic vinegar and a bit of grainy organic mustard for our own salad dressing.

Then we added nearly the entire one pound container of organic baby lettuce mix, some broccoli, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, a few dried cranberries, 4 hard boiled eggs, a few slices of organic ‘clean’ deli turkey and some shredded raw Parmesan cheese.

I think that eating healthy foods leads to our family having healthy conversations, too! A major topic at the dinner table last night was the identification of all the foods in the salad and their health benefits, as well as a recollection of all the healthy foods the kids consumed throughout the day.

For breakfast they had: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and peach slices + eggs, turkey sausage and 1/2 piece of sprouted toast with butter from grass-fed cows.

Snacks (a.m. & p.m.): grapes, banana, apples, carrots w/ almond butter, cucumber slices, and another peach. Goodness gracious, these people eat a lot!

Lunch: ‘clean’ deli turkey sandwich and small salad.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating… these 2 need to get a job! ; )

(Need some help with feeding your kids healthy foods? That’s why I made The Healthy School Days Menu! More HEALTH for kids… less STRESS for parents!)


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Simple, Quick and Healthy Recipe ~ Chicken Tostadas

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(Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market's website)

Do you ever need a last minute idea for a QUICK but healthy dinner?

OK, maybe it’s just me!

This recipe recently caught my eye recently at Whole Foods Market since it sounded yummy AND quick AND kid-friendly. I’ve revised the recipe somewhat to increase the health quotient and decrease any toxicity. The original version can be found at www.WholeFoodsMarket.com

Quick Chicken Tostadas

Serves 4

If you want the “turbo” version of this dinner, I’d recommend picking up an already prepared rotisserie chicken or using your chicken left overs. I’ve picked up some DEE-lish rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods in the past! Oh my! Remember, the healthiest (safest) chicken is from free-range birds that haven’t been drugged or fed drugs. Kinda’ the same way with people.  ; )

When you combine your pre-cooked chicken with fresh items you can create a yummy, healthy meal in minutes. Just assemble these tostadas for a satisfying, crispy and time-saving dinner. Less time in the kitchen means more fun family time!

If you’re not purchasing your tostadas pre-made, You can make your own tostadas by brushing tortillas with a bit of oil first. I typically use coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil. Bake them in a 400°F oven, flipping once, until crisp.

Ingredients

8 tostadas (You can use traditional crispy corn tortillas or choose a sprouted grain version… or whatever your heart desires.)
1 cup refried beans (traditional pinto or refried black beans for variety)
12 ounces shredded chicken
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced into wedges
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese (preferably raw, organic)
1 cup thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes

Method (this is assuming that your tostadas are already made)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange tostadas on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until hot, 3 to 5 minutes. In the meantime, heat beans and chicken separately until hot throughout. I never recommend using a microwave. Instead, heat on stove top or in convection oven.

Spread the beans on top of the tostadas, then top with chicken, avocado slices, cheese, lettuce and salsa and serve immediately.

Not a problem in my house – my people want EVERYTHING served immediately!

Enjoy!

And, as always, call me when it’s ready! ; )

For simple and healthy menu ideas, check out The Healthy School Days Menu. You and your kids will gain a lifelong foundational understanding of what it takes to create healthy meals and snacks.

Simple Nutrition ~ Better Health

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Something about this scene just cracked me up this morning… so I thought I’d share it!

This morning, the kids thought it would be ‘cool’ if mom served them their breakfast on a tray… out on the dock. Nothing like making me feel like even *more* of a servant!! Lol!

I said I’d be happy to ‘serve’ them if I could join them. Deal.

We had a simple breakfast. Generally speaking, “simple” typically means healthier, in my perhaps limited experience!

We started with fresh fruit: berries and pineapple slices.

Then came the “main course”: free range organic eggs cooked in real butter from grass-fed cows, seasoned with fresh basil, freshly ground pepper and sea salt, and topped with shredded raw cheddar cheese, AND 1/2 a sprouted sesame bagel with almond butter.

This morning’s featured beverage? Purified water, of course! Seems fancier when it’s on the dock, however!

If you subtract all the descriptive terms, essentially what we had was: fruit, eggs, 1/2 a bagel and water. Simple. Delicious.

If simple and nutritious is up your alley, then you’ll enjoy our family’s Healthy School Days Menu! Simple strategies and ideas for structuring healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

Back-to-School Nutrition Tips ~ The Healthier Sandwich, Part One

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Sandwiches are a staple in many school lunches. Day in and day out, kids are chowing down on this star of the school lunch box!

Especially since this is such a consistent part of our children’s nutrition, it would benefit them greatly if we could make the sandwich healthier… yes?

Too often, the usual sandwich ingredients consist of preserved, toxic meats, processed cheeses, processed refined breads, and condiments loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, artificial colors, and polyunsaturated oils & trans fats. Ick.

Let’s talk about bread.

It was the introduction of baker’s yeast that propelled the modern sandwich to its current level of popularity. As compared to “old style” breads like sourdough and slow-rise that are generally pretty hard for sandwiches, the baker’s yeast makes bread softer… the way we’ve grown accustomed to.

We’d have a lot of broken teeth otherwise!

As usual, there’s a blessing and a curse with our so-called ‘advances’ in nutrition. The baker’s yeast allows for a a quick-rise bread that’s ready faster. That’s nice. But, this quickness results in the phytates in the whole grains NOT being properly neutralized. That’s the inherent problem with conventionally prepared grains in the first place… whether we’re talking about whole grains or refined grains and flour.

Then, add to that, the other toxic ingredients in conventional breads – preservatives, dough conditioners, artificial ingredients, sugars, high fructose corn syrup. Trouble’s brewin’.

The good news is that there are some alternative bread choices out there that are definitely healthier. Most are still made with brewer’s yeast, but at least the grains are first allowed to sprout. You can usually find these in the freezer section of grocery stores. (The photograph in this post is of a common brand that’s now found even in many mainstream markets: “Food for Life”.) Real sourdough bread is another good option.

We also like to use sprouted wraps even more so than breads. I give several examples of menu options using these wraps in The Healthy School Days Menu. It’s not just a “lunch thing”, either. We use them for breakfast wraps and at dinner time. I even bake them once in awhile for homemade “tortilla chips”.

Pita bread is an acceptable option, since it isn’t made with yeast. But, the dough hasn’t been allowed to sour, so it’s not the choice for those with grain sensitivities.

Now, how about those sandwich fillings and all the extras ? We’ll get to that in Part Two!

(Or, if you can’t wait, you can get your OWN Healthy School Days Menu here!)

Back-to-School Nutrition Tips

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The thought of providing a variety of health-promoting, kid-approved foods throughout the school year can certainly feel overwhelming!

There’s breakfast to consider, then snacks, lunch, more snacks, dinner, maybe another snack… those kids can seem like bottomless pits at times!!

I’d like to chunk this subject of kids’ school days nutrition down into simple tips and strategies so we can feel less overwhelmed.

Let’s consider breakfast.

The average North American breakfast typically revolves around some type of refined, processed grain – like cereal, toast or bread, bagels, quick-cooked oatmeal, and a variety of pastries.

If we were to discuss the negative consequences of this single food choice alone, this would be a very lengthy article! Suffice it to say, there is an ever-increasing number of health professionals who agree that grains are not a requirement for optimal function.

Whoa! What did she just say??

That’s right – we do not ‘need’ grains. Especially cereal-type grains. Amongst other physiological ramifications of consuming grains, inflammation is one of the biggest problems that results. The more refined, the worse it is. It’s a horrible way to start the day!

So, what’s a parent to do? Certainly ‘whole’ grains are an improvement over toxic refined grains. Better yet, choose more ancient grains, sprouted, soaked or fermented grains.

So far, I’m not really making your life any easier, am I?!

Sorry about that – just wanted to make sure you’re aware of the consequences of grain-centered meals… despite the fact that sources like the food pyramid won’t provide this information. Money apparently speaks louder than health.

Let’s get back to breakfast.

Here’s a hierarchy of improvements to consider making:

1) If you can eliminate refined grains, go for it!

2) If elimination isn’t a realistic option right now, at least reduce the consumption of refined, processed grains.

3) Upgrade your choices of grains when possible – at the very least, start with whole grains, and make sure there’s no high fructose corn syrup. Look for high fiber content and low sugar. No artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors.

But, THE most important thing to focus on with breakfast is to create a BALANCED meal.

In order to provide the raw materials for optimal brain function, balanced emotions and mood regulation, and maximized physical performance, we need some healthy protein, natural fats and some fresh fiber.

I discuss these and the 5 basic food groups our kids require for optimal health & performance in The Healthy School Days Menu. It’s simple and clear enough that kids, too, can learn how to make healthy choices and structure health-promoting meals and snacks. I think it’s important that they understand the importance of the choices they’re making. It’s a mom thing!

Speaking of being a mom, I understand the temptation of serving cereal for breakfast. Kids love it. It’s cheap (or can be). It’s quick, easy and convenient. What’s not to love?!

I also understand that it might not be realistic for you to completely eliminate these types of foods from your kitchen. That’s OK – there are still ways we can add better health to this meal.

If you’re serving grains for breakfast, you can dramatically improve the overall health value of that meal by ADDING some fresh fruit, and a REAL food source of protein (that often comes with its own natural source of fat).

Need an example?

Let’s say your kids are still having cereal for breakfast. Without even getting into the quality of the cereal or the quality and source of the milk, an immediate and simple improvement to that meal would be to start them off with fresh fruit first.

Then, give them something with protein and natural fats, like a whole egg or a handful of raw nuts. If you can swing it, there are some excellent clean breakfast meats that lack the toxic chemicals and nitrites/nitrates… or you can just serve a bit of protein left over from last night’s dinner.

I like to think of it as “diluting” the negative effects of the grains!

You know what you’ll notice as you add protein, natural fats and fresh fiber (fruit & veggies)? Your kids will have more (balanced) energy, better focus, more balanced moods, greater performance… and a number of other overall health improvements… just by ADDING some things.

Just imagine what you’d see if you started to reduce some of the toxic things from their diets!

That’s a topic for another discussion! Baby steps! ; )

If you need help in figuring out what to serve your kids, and WHY to add or avoid certain foods, that’s why I created The Healthy School Days Menu for my OWN family! I’d love to see it help YOUR family as well!

Help for Sugar and Junk Food Cravings

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Do you often crave sugar, sweets, chocolate, or even fatty foods?

The first thing to consider is that your body might be trapped in the physiological stress response. The stress response results from chronic stress due to toxicity and/or deficiency in our innate genetic requirements for health: that means toxicity &/or deficiency in nutrition, movement or mindset (emotions).

One of the resulting effects of chronic toxicity and deficiency is that stress hormones are produced in excess – stress hormones like cortisol, insulin and others. While these hormones are essential for health and normal function, like so many other things in the body, they should remain in a state of balance and proper ratio so as not to cause harm.

That’s not the case if the stress, toxicity or deficiency is chronic.

If the cause of the stress response isn’t addressed, the body will continue to pump out more and more stress hormones… thus creating more and more negative health consequences.

Guess what? Two of the substrates (ingredients) of stress hormones are SUGAR and FAT. Well, since your body is guided by innate intelligence and doesn’t make stupid mistakes, it drives you into CRAVINGS in order to meet the demand for more sugar and fat to make those hormones!

Smart, isn’t it?

Eating toxic or deficient foods makes us crave more sugar and fat.

Deficiencies of movement or toxic movement patterns (e.g. poor posture) can lead us to crave more sugar and fat.

Toxic emotions or deficiencies of core human emotional needs can lead us to crave more sugar and fat.

Obviously, it would behoove us to address our health across the board – to begin adding “good” things to our nutrition, movement and mindset. That’s the first step to nipping the stress response cycle.

The other step is to reduce or eliminate the toxicity and avoid deficiencies. (Adding “good” is easier for most people, in my experience.)

As you’re re-building your health overall, a few simple things you can do offset some of those cravings for sweets are:

1) Choose apples or carrots when your sweet tooth is on the prowl. As your body ‘cleans out’, you’ll find that these particular foods hit the spot.

2) Drink ample pure water throughout the day. Add lemon or lime slices for flavor, variety and to help alkalize your body.

3) Eat more greens.

Of course, if you are adamant about have those sweets, you can upgrade your ‘tasty toxin’ choices. Make your own or purchase less TOXIC versions.

Another obvious thing you can do is to give yourself permission to go ahead and HAVE that food you’re craving. If this is the path you choose, I’d recommend two things:

1) Be sure you’re consistently FUELING up with health-promoting foods each day so you know that your body is getting the building blocks it requires for health.

2) Don’t make this a daily habit! There ARE limitations of matter, you know!

The bigger nutritional picture involves creating an overall balanced diet, similar to the type of diets our paleolithic ancestors ate – one that meets our innate genetic requirements. I describe this simple type of diet in a clear outline in The Healthy School Days Menu… as well as providing examples of how we can structure simple meals and snacks that meet our needs.

We need a balance of:

1) protein 2) natural fats 3)veggies 4) fruit and 5) water. Simple.

Those 5 basic food choices should come from:

1) real food sources 2) whole foods and foods closest to their naturally occurring state 3) pure foods/the least toxic 4) fresh, local, seasonal and often raw foods.

The more we stick to these simple guidelines for building better health through common-sense nutrition, the less we’ll encounter cravings for toxic foods… the less we’ll trigger the stress response… and the MORE we’ll experience better health and function!

What do YOU crave? Let me know what YOU do when your cravings make their appearance!

Back-to-School Nutrition Basics for Kids

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Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about children’s nutrition in our practice as families get ready for Back-to-School.

Parents are concerned about providing the best foods for their kids, and avoiding the worst ones, in an effort to maximize health and performance.

Easier said than done, right?

There are some common challenges I consistently hear from parents:

1) They’re not really sure which foods are healthy! Marketing hype tends to cloud the issue.

2) Their kids (and oftentimes, their spouse!) are not on board with this mission to get healthy.

3) They’re concerned that it’s too expensive to ‘eat healthy’.

4) They’re struggling for ideas to add variety to their family’s meals.

5) They already feel like they’re short on time, and don’t know how they can devote any MORE time to food preparation.

So, what’s the solution? Just give up… give in… and feed our kids the easiest, cheapest, most convenient foods that cause no fuss or resistance from our children? Umm… sorry, Charlie. I understand the financial and time constraints that many families face… but I’ve got to focus on HEALTH here. I’ll let the savvy marketers and conventional food manufacturers take care of the “cheap, easy, convenient” elements! They’re SO good at it! ; )

Trust me, I also understand the “resistance” kids can put up. First, I don’t believe in a militant approach to nutrition… contrary to what you may think! I DO allow our kids to have ‘tasty toxins’ often enough… provided they’ve been respectful of their bodies’ innate genetic requirements for health and have provided ample fuel for optimal function already.

A real life example play out like this:  “You’d like to have {fill in this blank with a more toxic food choice}? Ok, let’s make sure you’ve had enough protein, natural fats, fresh fiber (veggies & fruit) and pure water already today.” Simple. Bodies need fuel to perform and function. The better the fuel, the better the performance and function.

So, no nutrition military here… BUT, I DO wear the Nutritional Pants in our family! One of my most important jobs as a parent is to protect my kids and keep them safe. Conventional foods – and conventional thinking about food – is not safe. It does not ensure a healthy future. We can do better for our children… and it’s not as hard as you may think.

I think that improving the nutrition and health of kids is a two-party job. Parents need to acquire up-to-date and accurate nutrition knowledge AND commit to providing healthier options at home (while providing fewer toxic options). Kids, on the other hand, would be more accepting of mom and dad’s efforts to improve their health if THEY TOO had a better understanding of nutrition and health basics. Knowledge is power!

These are some of the major reasons I made The Healthy School Days Menu. In a simple, straightforward manner, it teaches the entire family what the basic requirements are for proper nutrition, as well as how to create healthy meals and snacks that follow the basic ‘rules’ of healthy physiology.

Although recipes are good, I feel that a basic understanding of Nutrition is far more important. It’s like that old saying about ‘teaching a man to fish…’. Once we learn “how to fish” (i.e. what our bodies need for health, and how to create this in simple meals and snacks), we’re good for life!

That’s why I’ve loved teaching our kids with this menu. They’ve gained the tools and keen strategies for making healthIER choices for life… not necessarily perfect, but definitely healthier! They know what their bodies need and how to provide it. Anybody can follow a recipe – but that doesn’t teach us how to make healthy choices for life. Knowledge first, recipes second! (I provide both, by the way!)

As far as the time and money issues, I have some tips that help. It may not make it perfect… but it’ll help!

I admit, many “healthy” foods do seem to ‘cost’ more. I have two major thoughts on that subject:

1) Consider all the money being spent on toxic, harmful garbage food first – there’s SO much money spent on things like junk food, fast food, convenience foods, packaged processed snack foods, desserts, breakfast cereal, pop, juice drinks, sports & energy drinks, coffee drinks, and so on… even just decreasing spending in one or two of these areas would free up some funds to upgrade basic choices, like the quality of meats, eggs and so on, as well as allow us to invest more in health-promoting foods like vegetables and fruit.

2) Healthy “fuel” is an investment in both current and future health. Every choice does matter, good and bad. Although there is not ONE magical key to guarantee excellent health in the future, nutrition is certainly ONE of the keys. We’ve scientifically moved beyond the age of ignorance where anyone could possibly get away with the argument that what we eat doesn’t really matter all that much! It matters.

The other issue is time.

The two major shifts that have helped ME feel better about the time involved in eating healthier are:

1) See #2 above! When I feel overwhelmed with food selection and preparation, I remind myself that it’s one of the most important and loving things I can do for my family… and myself.

2) Meal planning (utilizing the Circle of Health and 4 Golden Rules of Nutrition that I discuss in The Healthy School Days Menu) have saved my sanity!

I’ll write more about how I introduced the Dr. Mom version of Meal Planning to our family in an upcoming post. It has saved us a ton of money, saved me the headaches of scrambling for meal ideas at the last minute and helped with overall stress reduction. I build in some room for spontaneity, too… ‘cuz that’s just how I am! : )

Anyhow, if Back-to-School nutrition is a concern of yours, and/or you’d like to raise your kids with a better understanding of nutrition and health, you can find out more about The Healthy School Days Menu by CLICKING HERE.

Have some healthy family recipes you’d like to share? Great! Leave a comment with your family favorites!

Intolerance to Milk & Dairy? Try Clarified Butter Recipe.

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images butter

In our practice, I hear a lot of confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the issue of milk & dairy.

It’s no wonder! Even the most trustworthy, up-to-date health experts often contradict each other. Some say that there’s no evidence that we genetically require milk products, therefore we should not be consuming them. Others have a little softer approach and caution us to avoid cow’s milk products, instead opting for goat’s milk since we are more physiologically similar to a goat than a cow.

I think I should take offense to that!

Then there’s another rather obvious issue that deserves some respect: What are we doing consuming the milk of another species… long after we’ve been weaned?? Whoever sold us on *that* idea was a genius!

Either way, truth-telling nutrition experts all agree that modern day conventional dairy is a toxic nightmare… and THAT should definitely be avoided.

Some people appear to have a lower tolerance to milk products. Again, some experts would say, “Duh! It’s because NONE of us are supposed to be consuming that stuff! You’re just expressing your symptoms of this obvious rejection more overtly!”

That’s not what we’re told though!

The low tolerance to milk could be because a person lacks the enzyme that digests the sugar in milk – lactose. The enzyme is lactase. All baby mammals make lactase, but the production of the enzyme declines after weaning. (See?!) Sometimes the production stops all together.

Researchers have claimed that it’s actually a mutation or a recessive gene that causes some of us to continue producing lactase into adulthood. In other words, it’s not the “norm”. Approximately 30-40% of the adults on the planet produce lactase.

The other issue many people have with milk products is a sensitivity to (“allergy”) a protein found in milk – casein. Casein is a very difficult protein for the body to assimilate and digest. However, there are certain traditional practices that make the process more tolerable. For example, the practice of souring or fermenting milk is common in all traditional groups who consume much dairy.

The process allows partial breakdown of lactose and helps to predigest the casein. You might recognize some of the end products as yogurt, kefir and clabber. These milk products are typically more tolerable due to the traditional processes they’ve been through – unless they’re the conventional versions sold in supermarkets today… loaded with sugar, artificial colors and sweeteners, and toxic processed milk! Then, although they may not cause you to experience the typical symptoms of lactose or casein intolerance, you’ve got some bigger toxic issues to overcome now!

Butter and cream are usually tolerated well in their natural states even by those who have intolerances, since they contain very little lactose or casein. Better yet, soured or fermented butter and cream are easier on the digestive system.

Clarified butter or ghee is a form of butter in which the milk solids have been removed. This is the most appropriate form for anyone with extreme intolerances. (I’ll talk about how you can make your own clarified butter…)

“What about cheese and yogurt?” I’m often asked.

Keep it REAL and keep it CLEAN. The safest and most nutritious dairy products are raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized and come from naturally grazing animals that aren’t raised on drugs!!

If we’re eating and drinking chemically polluted, nutritionally void milk products from cows, goats or other livestock raised on drugs and fed low quality toxic foods… how could we ever claim that all our “problems” with milk products are due to the milk alone?! It could be a pure lactose issue… or it could be a “modern day conventional food is usually poisonous junk” issue! Or, a combination of the two.

Common sense tells us that, if we’re going to consume dairy, you’ve got to be choosy and pay attention to how your body responds.

Cheeses made from RAW milk are more easily digested than those made from pasteurized milk since they contain a full complement of enzymes. Many imported cheeses are raw and are very good quality compared to the common, conventional processed cheeses. Look for the words “milk” or “fresh milk” on the label if you don’t see “raw”.

Yogurt follows the same rules – when possible, look for WHOLE milk yogurt that’s low in added sugars and artificial garbage, and comes from safe, clean, traditional sources. That’s not always easy to find. Depending on how seriously you take your yogurt (or kefir) consumption, you can always make your own! (I’ve seen instructions on YouTube and various other places.)

Anyhow, since real butter is such a powerhouse of nutrition, supplying critical fat soluble vitamins that aren’t as readily available in our modern day diets, I wanted to make sure you knew how to make your own “Clarified Butter”. If anyone in your family is unable to tolerate milk protein (casein) even in the smallest amounts, you’ll want to know this. Clarifying is the process of removing the small amount of casein contained in the butter fat.

Clarified Butter Recipe
Makes 3/4 cup

Set the oven at 200 degrees.
Start with 1 cup (or 1/2 pound) of real butter.
Place the butter in a small bowl in the oven for 1/2 hour.
As the butter melts, foam will rise to the top and form a crust. Carefully skim off the crust.
In order to remove every trace of milk solids, you can line a strainer with cheese cloth and pour the mixture through.
Store the clarified butter in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator.

Enjoy! You can use the clarified butter for cooking at all temperatures since it’s a stable fat and the milk solids won’t cause the common ‘burn off’, and you can enjoy it for spreads and so on.
By the way, I’m in the middle of the two strong viewpoints regarding the necessity of dairy in our diets. I understand that our healthy hunter/gatherer ancestors apparently didn’t consume dairy… and that our genes have remained essentially unchanged… therefore, we don’t require dairy in order to be healthy. Also, there are still cultures living today that don’t consume much (or any) dairy. Yes… they LIVE to tell about it!

On the other hand, there are many cultures around the world that regularly consume dairy AND are quite healthy. They use the traditional methods I’ve mentioned to keep their dairy products safe and maximize the nutritional value.

I don’t think we “need” milk products, but I still find myself using some. I’m careful of the quality I choose.

We don’t drink milk. Once in awhile, I might purchase some raw milk and use it in recipes. But then I can go for weeks without using it at all. Other times, I’ll purchase raw buttermilk or cream for recipes, too. When I can find an acceptable source for whole milk yogurt, I buy it. We used to consume a lot more yogurt and kefir than we do now.

The dairy product that we consume the most is butter. I love to cook with butter and add it to freshly steamed veggies for additional health benefits.We also eat raw organic cheese in several of our favorite recipes. This is probably because I’m not creative enough in the kitchen to come up with other recipes that don’t have cheese in the ingredients!

So, as a mom, I certainly don’t “push” milk  on my kids at all. Truth be told, they’ve never had a glass of milk. (I’m sure the conventional food police will knock on my door anytime now!) I’m not worried about CALCIUM either. They get plenty from a naturally balanced diet, especially from foods like dark leafy greens, almonds, and particularly from homemade soups when I make my own stock – using bone. (I’ll post a recipe for stock here sometime soon!)

For healthy breakfast, lunch and snack ideas for your kids, check out The Healthy School Days Menu. Kid tested, Dr. Mom approved!

Healthy Recipes ~ Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Copy of 104_0955

Copy of 104_0955

Need some ideas and tasty ways to add protein to your family’s breakfast?

Remember, a nice, clean source of protein at breakfast, along with fresh fiber and natural fats, is an EXCELLENT start to your day. It optimizes your brain chemistry, revs up your metabolism, regulates moods, balances blood insulin levels… and much more!

This recipe is a modified version of one found in “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage
(serves 6… unless my children are there, then it might just be enough for 3!!)

1 pound of ground turkey (preferably free-range and drug-free)
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon each cumin, marjoram, pepper, nutmeg, oregano, cayenne pepper, and ginger
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, thyme, sage
1-2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons whole grain bread crumbs
1 whole egg (free-range, organic), lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter (preferably organic, from grass-fed cows)

Mix all ingredients and chill well. Form into patties and saute in butter.

To store in freezer, form into patties and store in an airtight container, using parchment paper to line the container and separate the patties. (Do NOT use microwave to defrost!)

Remember… call me when breakfast is ready!

Can you imagine just adding something as simple and nutritious as these sausage patties to your family’s breakfast? What a powerful upgrade to make to their nutrition. Add some fresh fruit, too and POW! You’ve got yourself an excellent breakfast!  If there are still grain-based foods or dairy on your breakfast table, do your best to make sure the grains are sprouted and the dairy is raw, unpasteurized and non-homogenized. Less toxic, more nutritious.

Need more ideas for healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks… and a foundational understanding of nutrition? Check out The Healthy School Days Menu.

Healthy Foods & Recipes ~ The Sweet Potato

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images sw pot

Our family LOVES sweet potatoes! The flavor, the nutritional quotient, the color… it all makes me happy!

Here’s an interesting excerpt from “Nourishing Traditions” (one of our family’s nutrition “bibles”!) by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.:

“There’s probably no vegetable with a higher betacarotene content than the sweet potato. This is the betacarotene that protects us against cancer, colds, infections and other diseases. The carotene content of sweet potatoes actually increases as the vegetable is stored throughout the winter.

But remember that our bodies can only convert carotene to vitamin A in the presence of bile salts. That’s why it’s so important to eat sweet potatoes with butter, egg yolks or cream. {How much do you love me NOW for letting you know it’s GOOD to have butter with these!!?? Mind you, we’re talking about REAL butter here… preferably from grass-fed cows.} These fats stimulate the secretion of bile and help the body to convert carotenes to all-important vitamin A. These wonderful fats also make sweet potatoes taste delicious.

The sweet potato is a good source of iron, potassium, niacin and vitamin C. It contains fiber and is very rich in vitamin B6, a vitamin that is highly protective against heart disease. Last but not least, the sweet potato is rich in magnesium, another nutrient that protects against heart disease.”

One of our family’s favorite ways to prepare sweet potatoes is Sweet Potato Dollars. Simple, pretty quick, fun!

For the four of us, I’ll usually use 3 sweet potatoes ~ give or take. I also use real grass-fed butter (approx. 3 or 4 tablespoons melted), sea salt, some freshly ground pepper, and a bit of extra virgin olive oil (a couple tablespoons).

I peel the potatoes and slice them crosswise into “dollars” – each approximately 1/4 inch thick.

I prepare a cookie sheet or two by spreading or brushing the butter along the bottom. Sometimes I’ll use a mix of melted butter with a bit of olive oil… most  times, I just drizzle a little olive oil on the sweet potatoes after they’ve cooked.

Next, arrange the slices in a single layer and brush with the rest of the butter. I sprinkle with the sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I’ll mix it up by adding allspice or cinnamon sometimes, or garlic & chives at other times… pretty much whatever is floating my boat on that particular day!

Then, bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees in a conventional oven, or approximately 20-25 minutes in a convection oven.

Call me when they’re ready!

Oh… and you wouldn’t believe the cheers when you bring out the sweet potato “fries” from the kitchen!!

A Healthy, Nutritious, Active Day for the Kids ~ Not “Hard”, Just Intentional!

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images grill

Last night was one of those nights that made me feel good about my performance level as a mom! (I’ll take it whenever I can get it!)

The kids had a nice variety of health-promoting foods and activities throughout the day:

They started with a nice, healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and eggs with 1/4 sprouted bagel. Then we did some home schooling – a little math and geography without them really realizing we were “doing school”! Hee Hee! Then they had some fresh fruit and nuts for a snack. Then the kids did yoga while mom and dad worked out. Then lunch time – fresh veggies and almond butter wrap. Then it was major play time for the kids ALL afternoon – tons of swimming and trampolining and boating with our neighbors.

We capped it off with a really nice dinner – a BIG healthy salad. It still just makes my heart sing to see my kids sit down and chow on a bowl of salad that’s bigger than their heads!

While hubby grilled the organic free-range chicken breasts for the salad, the kids and I prepped the rest. We started with pressed garlic and extra virgin olive oil in the bowl. Then we added the organic mixed greens (an enormous amount!), then chopped broccoli, tomatoes, chick peas, some sliced almonds, and some grated raw Parmesan cheese. I threw in the chicken, added some balsamic vinegar, freshly ground pepper, a tiny bit of sea salt, tossed it all… and voila!

Yummy and nutritious.

Are you looking for new ideas for healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks for your family? I’ve got a simple solution we’ve been using in our family for years! Check out “The Healthy School Days Menu” for simple menu ideas, nutrition strategies and “guidelines” the entire family can understand.

Better Nutrition Includes Healthier Snacks

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images nuts

Snacks can be a dangerous thing. That is, if we forget or overlook the real purpose of food in the first place. When we remember, snacks can be a powerful ‘tool’ for maximizing your health and performance.

Food is a source of FUEL. It provides energy and the raw materials for every function our bodies and minds need to perform.

I believe that we should be snacking – or re-fueling – at regular intervals throughout the day. This keeps our tanks topped off, so to speak. Every 2-4 hours, depending on activity levels and several other factors, we should supply a high quality, balanced snack in order to maximize all physiologic, mental & emotional functions.

Quality and quantity of fuel is of critical importance. The point of eating is not just to insert enough of a chewable substance in order to feel fullness in our bellies! “Filling up”, with little concern for the source of the filler, is not our primary focus if Health is something we’re interested in!

Cruddy fuel equals cruddy performance… regardless of whether or not we can ‘feel’ this happening. It’s basic physiology.

Unfortunately, we seem to forget this, particularly when it comes to snacks.

Understandably, it somehow seems easier to ‘stray’ from healthy choices when that tummy starts rumbling between meals. Oftentimes, we’re on-the-go, or at work or school… living life between meals. We’re inundated with the marketing of “snack foods” that are quick, easy, convenient, cheap, tasty, and come in handy-dandy little packages, many of them showing off their lovely little calorie count or “low-fat” properties right on the front of the wrapper and tricking us into thinking that *that* must somehow make them healthy!

I found this inaccurate view of “nutrition” especially upsetting when we returned to the school setting this year. I had forgotten how toxic and deficient kids’ snacks could be. I rarely saw fresh, real food. Packaged snacks were the norm. I know parents were simply trying to do their best – provide a snack that the kid likes, that tastes good, that woould curb their hunger ’til the next snack or meal, that’s cost-effective, and that’s as healthy as the label says. We’ve been SO misled.

(That’s why I made the “Healthy School Days Menu” … so our kids would learn to make better choices ‘on their own’! With the help of the menu and their mother, they’ve learned that 1) food is fuel, 2) how to treat their bodies with respect and care, and 3) there are consequences to their choices. Now the menu has become a kitchen essential in many other families’ homes!)

It doesn’t matter how many calories or how much fat a food or drink has if it’s made from toxic, chemical junk. Toxicity drives the stress response, causing our brains to produce a cascade of stress hormones affecting every single function throughout our bodies. Once in awhile and temporarily? Our brains and bodies can more effectively deal with the acute stress of toxicity. Sadly, our addiction to toxic, chemical “food” is not a once in awhile thing!

You may have thought you were doing the right thing, especially for weight loss, by choosing low-calorie, low-fat, diet or sugar-free options. But if the calories, fat and sugar have been decreased via toxic processing, or adding toxic ingredients or removing essential nutrients, you’ve been unknowingly sabotaging your efforts for better health and a better body. One of the stress hormones released is cortisol, which can cause you to GAIN weight and have a tougher time shedding it.

What’s the solution? HealthIER choices, of course!

Instead of reaching for those packaged snacks, stick to the basic “rules” of Nutrition that you probably know you should be following during meal time:

Eat REAL foods – not packaged, synthetic, factory foods.

Your snacks should come from healthy sources of protein, natural fats and fresh fiber (vegetables and fruit). Water is the drink of choice.

Whenever possible, choose CLEAN options that are closest to their naturally occurring state – that might mean organic, or it could mean free-range, grass-fed, free of antibiotics, hormones, steroids, nitrates, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, artificial flavors, MSG, hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed fats, and so on.

Keep it real and keep it clean.

Our health would be greatly enhanced if we’d start looking at snacks as ‘mini meals’… not just that filler I talked about earlier!

On the go and “too busy” to prepare a healthy snack? For a nice balance of protein, natural fats and some fresh fiber, pack some nuts (like almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.) and some fresh veggies or fruit. When possible, choose raw nuts since this reduces the oxidation of those pesky polyunsaturated fats.

Nuts are great for many reasons. Because of their nice mix of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and all their antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, they meet many of our cellular requirements for optimal function. They also help us feel satisfied and ‘full’. They’re  a great choice if you’re looking to shed some pounds of excess fat – they’ll keep your metabolism boosted and control your appetite. Bonus!

I didn’t mention grains or dairy as snack options, did I? I won’t open that can of worms too wide in this article, except to say that leading nutrition experts agree that we require clean sources of protein, naturally occurring fats (ALL types of natural fats), and fiber (especially from fresh sources like vegetables and fruit). Modern day, refined and highly processed toxic cereal grains and dairy don’t make the cut as far as cellular requirements go.

If you’re going to consume grains or dairy, or feed them to your kids, make sure they’re as non-toxic and untainted as possible, as close to their natural source as possible, and limit your intake. Sprouted whole grains and raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized dairy are considered the safest, most nutritionally valuable sources. As part of an overall healthy and balanced diet, and in appropriate quantities, I believe these high quality sources of grains and dairy can be just fine.

In our family, we have some “food agreements”. (I know. You’re shocked!) One of those agreements is that our snacks must include real, “live” foods. That means, even on those days when mom gets lazy and provides an organic, whole grain &/or raw food bar as a snack – in a PACKAGE (!) – they’ve gotta’ have some fresh, live food along with it. And, no “grainy” snacks or “grainy” meals back-to-back. The same goes for dairy.

We don’t snack on junk because I don’t keep it in the house. If I did, I’d snack on junk! Definitely. I’m not *that* strong!! If you’re currently a junk-a-holic at snack time, try leaving it out of your shopping cart. If it doesn’t make it into your cart, the chances are better that you’ll eat less of it overall.

Anyhow, try this for a week or two. Think of snacks the same way you’d think about preparing healthy meals. Snacks are a source of FUEL for you two, three or four times per day. You owe it to yourself to think about them more carefully than food manufacturers and advertisers would like you to!

If shedding excess body fat is your goal, check out the complete plan in “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”. You’ll find simple lifestyle strategies and tips based on REAL science that surpass what the rest of the “weight loss experts” are telling you!

HealthIER, Not Harder ~ Quick, Easy & Healthy Salad Dressing Recipe

oil vin

oil vin

Just thought I’d share… because this was a hit with the kids!

The other night we made a big salad for dinner: grilled organic free-range chicken with lots of greens and various veggies and ‘stuff’.

I don’t really use store-bought dressing much at all – conventional brands are typically full of sneaky toxins in the form of high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, toxic refined vegetable fats (trans-fats, omega 6′s, etc.), excitotoxins/neurotoxins, and sometimes more.

(Here you thought you were doing the “right” thing by eating a healthy salad, but the dressing sabotages your efforts! This is really rotten if you’re trying to shed some excess weight and fat… those toxins trigger the stress response and cause the release of stress hormones that will cause you to gain weight and have a tough time shedding it!!)

Pretty much all of my dressing starts with a base of extra virgin olive oil. Then, depending on the direction I feel like going, I’ll add some freshly pressed garlic or minced garlic, or some lemon or lime, or some fresh herbs, or some real cream if I’m going for a creamier texture… or any combination of the above! I’m no gourmet cook, for sure! I just add what I feel like adding in the moment.

This time around I decided to have the kids help. They weren’t nearly excited enough about the dinner on the menu for the evening, in their mother’s opinion! In fact, I heard some grumbling about “That’s IT? All we’re having is SALAD???” Sometimes I think they forget where they live and who does the cooking! Apparently, they must have anticipated a boring little side dish with lettuce and the ‘restaurant standards’ of a bland tomato and non-crunchy cucumber! I’d be less-than-thrilled too, if I thought *that’s* what was for dinner!

That’s when I called them into the kitchen to take a look at all the ingredients that would be making their way into the salad bowl: several different types of lettuce, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, a few green onions, chives, raw sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, almond slices, a few dried cherries and some shredded raw cheese. Oh, and the marinated chicken that was cooking on the grill. Puh-leeease, children. Give your mother some credit!

Anyhow, they’ve helped with some of the aforementioned dressing concoctions in the past, so I wanted to show them that they could make some interesting dishes in the kitchen with ingredients they may not have thought of … all REAL food, all healthy, and all delicious.

My hubby had just brought home a ginormous container of organic strawberries the day before, so I decided that we’d add some to the dressing. We put a few handfuls in the Vitamix, added a bit of balsamic vinegar and a tiny bit of fresh lime juice… stirred it up… added it to the olive oil I had already poured into the wooden salad bowl… and, voila! Yum-o-la and healthy strawberry dressing.

I get extra “cool” points from the kids when we make something that tastes really good… AND is healthier!

By the way, even if you don’t have time to make your own dressing concoctions, or you’re eating out at a restaurant, just stick with quick and easy oil and vinegar. Even non-organic, non-extra virgin olive oil is better than the toxicity of the conventional dressings!

If you like simple ideas like this to improve your health and therefore your outward appearance (body weight and body fat percentage), check out my book, “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”… you’ll love what you see!

And, if it’s more hints, tips and healthy recipes that your kids will enjoy that you’re looking for, then you’ve got to have The Healthy School Days Menu in YOUR kitchen!

Quick, Easy and Healthy Meals ~ Southwest Chicken Lettuce Wraps

images lettuce wrap

images lettuce wrap

Last night’s dinner was almost a bust.

Somehow, just being away at my dad’s for a couple days threw things off with my awareness of what food I actually had in the house! I thought I had all the fixins’ to make a certain Asian-style chicken lettuce wrap with peanut sauce recipe. Nope. I had less chicken than I thought and some of the key ingredients that were there when I left for dad’s were now gone. (I forgot – hubby likes to eat, too!)

So, I had a last minute scramble that turned out to be a winner, according to the other people I live with!

We ended up with a Southwest chicken fajita-ish lettuce wrap sort of concoction!

I baked organic free-range chicken breasts, chopped/shredded them up, then finished them on the stove top, simmering in chicken soup stock and fajita seasonings. I cooked some organic brown rice (quickly – and the kids liked the little ‘crunch’ of slightly undercooked rice!) and added it to the pan. Then I sliced some red, orange and yellow peppers and added those.

We used nice, fresh, giant Romaine leaves as the wraps. Dee-lish! We had fresh green beans along with the lettuce wraps, too.

I was totally making this up on the fly… hubby was on his way home from a quick (last minute) trip to the grocery store at any moment, so I was trying to hold off… he had some of the missing ingredients on his list! Alas, the little people were FAR too hungry to wait any longer!

It worked out just fine… and I’ll make it again!

Health & Nutrition News You MUST Know ~ From The Weston A. Price Foundation

This was emailed to me last week. It’s TOO important not to share.

USDA has issued draft Dietary Guidelines for 2010.  Rather than correct its anti-saturated fat and anti-cholesterol position, which
has led to an epidemic of disease in this country, the new Guidelines are worse than ever, with more stringent restriction of saturated fat (7 percent of total calories, down from 10 percent) and cholesterol consumption of less than 300 mg per day (less than
200 mg for those with risk factors for heart disease or diabetes– one egg contains about 245 mg cholesterol), and reduction of salt
intake from 2.3 grams to 1.5 grams (about one-fourth teaspoon).

The guidelines sweep the dangers of trans fat under the rug by lumping them with saturated fats, using the term “solid fats” for
both, promote an increase in difficult-to-digest whole grains, and recommend lean meats and lowfat dairy products.  Cheese is
specifically singled out for avoidance because of its high “solid fat” content. Since, as the Committee admits, no one follows earlier
versions of the Guidelines, it is recommending a focus on “actions needed to successfully implement” key recommendations, in other
words on how to force people to eat in this highly deficient and grossly unsatisfying way.

ACTIONS TO TAKE
1. Please take time during this week to post a comment at the USDA website. Go to www.dietaryguidelines.gov and scroll down to “SUBMIT Written Comments.”  It is particularly important to describe any adverse health effects you or family members have suffered by
following earlier versions of the Guidelines. You may also want to use any of the talking points listed below.

2. Please also EMAIL your comments to your Senators and Representative in Congress.  Let them know that USDA’s formulation of dietary guidelines is a complete waste of taxpayer money and has resulted in a health crisis of epidemic proportions, especially in
our children. It would be good also to PHONE your elected officials as well. For congressional contact information, go to www.house.gov
and www.senate.gov.

3. If you live near Washington, DC, consider attending the public hearings at USDA on July 8.  You can sign up to give an oral
presentation (as I will do) or simply attend to show support.  To sign up for attending the meeting, go to www.dietaryguidelines.gov
and scroll down to “Meeting Registration/Oral Testimony.”

4. Please send out the Press Release below to your local newspaper and radio shows.  You may add your own contact information to that
of our publicist Kimberly Hartke.  In addition, you may add a paragraph to the press release about how the USDA dietary guidelines
adversely affected your own health and that of your family.

5.Please broadcast this action alert to other groups. Let’s create a tidal wave of outrage!

TALKING POINTS

1. The proposed 2010 Dietary Guidelines perpetuate the mistakes of previous guidelines in demonizing saturated fats and animal foods
rich in saturated fatty acids such as egg yolks, butter, whole milk, cheese, fatty meats like bacon and animal fats for cooking. The
current obesity epidemic emerged as vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates replaced these healthy, nutrient-dense traditional
fats. Animal fats supply many essential nutrients that are difficult to obtain from other sources.

2. When a healthy food like cheese is singled out as a food to be avoided, there must be something wrong with the premises on which
the guidelines are based.

3. Basic biochemistry shows that the human body has a very high requirement for saturated fats in all cell membranes; if we do not
eat saturated fats, the body will simply make them from carbohydrates.  But excess carbohydrate increases blood levels of
triglyceride and small, dense LDL, and compromises blood vessel function.  Moreover, high-carbohydrate diets do not satisfy the
appetite as well as diets rich in traditional fats, leading to higher caloric intakes and often to bingeing and splurging on empty
foods, resulting in rapid weight gain and chronic disease.

4. The proposed guidelines will perpetuate existing nutrient deficiencies present in all American population groups, including
deficiencies in vitamins A and D found in animal fats, vitamins B12 and B6 found in animal foods, as well as minerals like calcium and
phosphorus, which require vitamins A and D for assimilation. Moreover, low intakes of vitamin K2, are associated with increased
risk of heart disease and cancer. The main sources of vitamin K2 available to Americans are egg yolks and full-fat cheese.

5. By restricting healthy animal fats in school lunches and diets for pregnant women and growing children, the Guidelines will
perpetuate the tragic epidemic of learning and behavior disorders. The nutrients found most abundantly in animal fats and organ meats-
including choline, cholesterol and arachidonic acid-are critical for the development of the brain and the function of receptors that
modulate thinking and behavior.  Studies show that choline helps the brain make critical connections and protects against neurotoxins;
animal studies suggest that if choline is abundant during developmental years, the individual is protected for life from
developmental decline.

6. The National Academy of Sciences recommends 375 mg of choline per day for children nine through thirteen years of age, 450 mg for
pregnant women and 550 mg for lactating women and men aged fourteen and older. These amounts are provided by four or five egg yolks per day-but that would entail consuming 800-1000 mg cholesterol, a crime by USDA standards. The committee referred to this as the “choline problem.” Pregnant women and growing children especially need to eat as many egg yolks as possible-yet the Guidelines demonize this nutrient-dense food.

7. The Guidelines lump trans fats together with saturated fats- calling them Solid Fats-thereby hiding the difference between
unhealthy industrial trans fats and healthy traditional saturated fats.  Trans fats contribute to inflammation, depress the immune
system, interfere with hormone production, and set up pathological conditions leading to cancer and heart disease, whereas saturated
fats fight inflammation, support the immune system, support hormone production and protect against cancer and heart disease.

8. The vitamins and fatty acids carried uniquely in saturated animal fats are critical to reproduction.  The 2010 Guidelines will
increase infertility in this country, already at tragically high rates.

9. The Guidelines are not based on science but are designed to promote the products of commodity agriculture and-through the back
door-encourage the consumption of processed foods.

10. The Guidelines promote the consumption of whole grains, which can contribute to digestive disorders unless properly prepared.

11. The Guidelines completely avoid mentioning blood sugar problems caused by a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat; the diet is
particularly dangerous for those suffering from diabetes or hypoglycemia, since fats help regulate blood sugar levels. Many
people have difficulty concentrating or can even suffer from seizures on a diet too low in fat.

12. The Guidelines urge salt restriction, which will lead to an increased use of artificial flavors like MSG in processed foods.

13. The Guidelines should be scrapped and the committee members should be replaced with individuals who have no ties to the food
processing industry or to universities that accept funding from the food processing industry.

PRESS RELEASE

PROPOSED 2010 USDA DIETARY GUIDELINES –A RECIPE FOR CHRONIC DISEASE
Weston A. Price Foundation Proposes a Return to Four Basic Groups of Nutrient-Dense Foods

WASHINGTON, DC, June 21, 2010: The proposed 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines are a recipe for infertility, learning problems in
children and increased chronic disease in all age groups according to Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

“The proposed 2010 Dietary Guidelines perpetuate the mistakes of previous guidelines in demonizing saturated fats and animal foods
rich in saturated fatty acids such as egg yolks, butter, whole milk, cheese, fatty meats like bacon and animal fats for cooking. The
current obesity epidemic emerged as vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates replaced these healthy, nutrient-dense traditional
fats. Animal fats supply many essential nutrients that are difficult to obtain from other sources,” explains Fallon Morell.

“The revised Guidelines recommend even more stringent reductions in animal fats and cholesterol than previous versions,” says Fallon
Morell, “and are tantamount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. While the ship of state sinks under the weight of a
crippling health care burden, the Committee members are giving us more of the same disastrous advice.  These are unscientific and
grossly deficient dietary recommendations.”

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a non-profit nutrition education foundation with no ties to the government or food processing
industries.  Named for Dr. Weston A. Price, whose  pioneering research discovered the vital importance of animal fats in human
diets, the Foundation has warned against the dangers of lowfat and plant-based diets.

“Basic biochemistry shows that the human body has a very high requirement for saturated fats in all cell membranes; if we do not
eat saturated fats, the body will simply make them from carbohydrates, but excess carbohydrate increases blood levels of
triglyceride and small, dense LDL, and compromises blood vessel function,” says Fallon Morell.  “Moreover, high-carbohydrate diets
do not satisfy the appetite as well as diets rich in traditional fats, leading to higher caloric intakes and often to bingeing and
splurging on empty foods, resulting in rapid weight gain and chronic disease.”

The proposed guidelines will perpetuate existing nutrient deficiencies present in all American population groups, including
deficiencies in vitamins A and D found in animal fats, vitamins B12 and B6 found in animal foods, as well as minerals like calcium and
phosphorus, which require vitamins A and D for assimilation. Moreover, low intakes of vitamin K2, are associated with increased
risk of heart disease and cancer. The main sources of vitamin K2 available to Americans are egg yolks and full-fat cheese.
Incredibly, the Guidelines single out cheese as an unhealthy food!

Fallon Morell notes that by restricting healthy animal fats in school lunches and diets for pregnant women and growing children,
the Guidelines will accelerate the tragic epidemic of learning and behavior disorders.  The nutrients found most abundantly in animal
fats and organ meats-including choline, cholesterol and arachidonic acid-are critical for the development of the brain and the function
of receptors that modulate thinking and behavior.  Studies show that choline helps the brain make critical connections and protects
against neurotoxins; animal studies suggest that if choline is abundant during developmental years, the individual is protected for
life from developmental decline.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends 375 mg per day for children nine through thirteen years of age, 450 mg for pregnant women and 550 mg for lactating women and men aged fourteen and older. These amounts are provided by four or five egg yolks per day-but that would entail consuming 800-1000 mg cholesterol, a crime by USDA standards. In their deliberations, the committee referred to this as the “choline problem.” Pregnant women and growing children especially need to eat as many egg yolks as possible-yet the Guidelines demonize this nutrient-dense food.

The Guidelines lump trans fats together with saturated fats-calling them Solid Fats-thereby hiding the difference between unhealthy
industrial trans fats and healthy traditional saturated fats.  Trans fats contribute to inflammation, depress the immune system,
interfere with hormone production, and set up pathological conditions leading to cancer and heart disease, whereas saturated
fats fight inflammation, support the immune system, support hormone production and protect against cancer and heart disease.

The vitamins and fatty acids carried uniquely in saturated animal fats are critical to reproduction.  The Weston A. Price Foundation
warns that the 2010 Guidelines will increase infertility in this country, already at tragically high rates.

“The 2010 proposed Guidelines represent a national scandal, the triumph of industry clout over good science and common sense,” says
Fallon Morell. “It must be emphasized that the Guidelines are not based on science but are designed to promote the products of
commodity agriculture and-through the back door-encourage the consumption of processed foods. For while the USDA food police pay
lip service to reducing our intake of refined sweeteners, trans fats, white flour and salt, this puritanical low-fat prescription
ultimately leads to cravings for chips, sweets, sodas, breads, desserts and other empty food-and-beverage-like products just loaded
with refined sweeteners, trans fats, white flour and salt.”

The Weston A. Price Foundation proposes alternative Healthy 4 Life Dietary Guidelines, which harkens back to the traditional four basic
food groups, but with a renewed emphasis on quality through a return to pasture-based feeding and organic, pesticide-free production
methods:

Every day, eat high quality, whole foods to provide an abundance of nutrients, chosen from each of the following four groups:

ANIMAL FOODS: meat and organ meats, poultry, and eggs from pastured animals; fish and shellfish; whole raw cheese, milk and other dairy products from pastured animals; and broth made from animal bones.

GRAINS, LEGUMES AND NUTS: whole-grain baked goods, breakfast porridges, whole grain rice; beans and lentils; peanuts, cashews and
nuts, properly prepared to improve digestibility.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: preferably fresh or frozen, preferably locally grown, either raw, cooked or in soups and stews, and also as
lacto-fermented condiments.

FATS AND OILS: unrefined saturated and monounsaturated fats including butter, lard, tallow and other animal fats; palm oil and
coconut oil; olive oil; cod liver oil for vitamins A and D.

AVOID: foods containing refined sweeteners such as candies, sodas, cookies, cakes, etc.; white flour products such as pasta and white
bread; processed foods; modern soy foods; polyunsaturated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and fried foods.

* * * * * * * * *

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a 501C3 nutrition education foundation with the mission of disseminating accurate, science-based
information on diet and health. Named after nutrition pioneer Weston A. Price, DDS, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, the
Washington, DC-based Foundation publishes a quarterly journal for its 13,000 members, supports 450 local chapters worldwide and hosts a yearly International conference. The Foundation headquarters phone number is (202) 363-4394, www.westonaprice.org, info@westonaprice.org.

CONTACT: Kimberly Hartke, Publicist
Home office 703-860-2711 cell 703-675-5557
press@westonaprice.org

Healthy Nutritional Choices for Healthy Kids & Families ~ The Wonderful Egg!

Copy of 104_0850

Copy of 104_0850

We go through a lot of eggs in this household! In fact, I’m wondering how much room hens really need to roam… because that might be on my list of things to do one of these days: raise free-range hens for their eggs!

In all my spare time.

It seems like it wasn’t all that long ago that my daughter wasn’t all that crazy about eggs. When she first started eating solids, she loved eggs and that lasted for a few years. Then we went through a couple of years where it was hit and miss… and I had to sneak eggs into things.

Now, we’ve turned a rather large corner in the egg department: these kids want eggs every single day for breakfast! Well, hot diggity dog! I am thrilled to prepare eggs for these little cherubs in the morning! What a fabulous, nutritious start to their day.

Eggs are a powerful source of healthy protein AND fats, so I know it’s the perfect food to build their bodies and their brains right from the start. Every physiological, mental and emotional function in their bodies is enhanced just by eating a “power food” like the egg.

I usually have eggs for breakfast, too. Unless I’m planning on having them for lunch. I think we’re egg-a-holics! We put raw eggs in our smoothies, we eat hard-boiled eggs as snacks and we quite often put them in salads. I’m not talking about eggs at every meal in the same day! But it’s at least once a day we’re having eggs.

What kind of eggs?

I would NOT be so keen on eggs if I wasn’t buying a high quality variety. That’s extremely important. In fact, I don’t usually order eggs in restaurants if we’re ever out for breakfast (which is rare) because the idea of toxic, chemical eggs from factory chickens is enough to send me running to the nearest bathroom stall! It completely grosses me out!

We buy fresh, free-range, organic eggs.

Not omega-3 eggs – that’s not the best ‘version’ of omega-3, by the time it makes its way into those eggs. I’ll stick to pure fish oil, grass-fed meats and wild salmon (for the rest of the family!) as our source of omega-3′s.

Buying a certain type of egg for the omega-3 label is like buying yogurt for the acidophilus or probiotics! Crafty marketing – not much benefit.

We eat the WHOLE eggs – yolks and all. The yolk has incredible nutrition benefits that I don’t want to miss. Eating only egg whites sets the stage for nutritional deficiencies. Now, if we were professional athletes eating 12 or more eggs per day, well then, I might have yolks in half of them and the whites for the rest! Alas, I’m not yet eating a dozen eggs per day!

In all seriousness, I don’t feel it’s necessary to avoid yolks… EVEN IF you’re trying to shed fat. The yolk and the white work together, providing the greatest nutritional (and metabolism-enhancing) benefits in unison. I feel what’s FAR more important is to FUEL your body up with balanced meals and snacks throughout the day… and to eat CLEAN. If you’re already consistently eating meals and snacks that are primarily composed of clean protein, natural fats, and fresh fiber (veggies or fruit), and you’re NOT eating toxic foods or drinking toxic drinks or living a toxic life, and you’re STILL carrying excess body fat… then we can talk!

(In fact, I talk about creating a fat-burning lifestyle here: “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”.)

When we’re cooking eggs, by the way, we only use pure coconut oil (DEE-licious flavor combination and mega nutritional benefits) or real, grass-fed butter. Both are stable, natural fats to cook with. We do NOT use refined, processed polyunsaturated oils like vegetable oils. They are toxic.

Back to the kids and their healthy breakfasts…

I can’t tell you how GOOD it feels to start my kids’ day with the RIGHT fuel to enhance and protect their health. For me, seeing my kids eat healthy foods has always given me the deepest sense of satisfaction… and relief! It’s one of those moments when I feel like I’ve “gotten it right” as a mom.

Their breakfast always starts with fresh fruit – we mix it up, depending on the season and availability. Then, we move on to the protein – like eggs and “clean” non-toxic chicken or turkey or venison sausages or bacon, for example, or some clean meat left over from dinner the night before – and perhaps some sprouted grains. No refined grains.

If I’m in a rush on a particular morning, and I’m thinking I’m going to get away with some fruit and 1/2 a sprouted bagel with some grass-fed butter and almond butter on top (which is still a nice, balanced meal, mind you!)… I suddenly find myself cornered in the kitchen by two little people who are begging for eggs!

My, how their taste buds change!

It makes me laugh, though! And then, of course, I always oblige and make some eggs!

In the 8 years I’ve been a mom, I’ve found there are 4 things I just can’t say no to with my kids:

1) Can we read together?

2) Let’s say a prayer!

3) Can we cuddle, mommy?

4) May I please have some eggs? (or veggies, or fruit!)

Ahh… makes my mother’s heart happy!

If you’d like more suggestions and recipes for healthy kids meals (that your entire family will enjoy), check out Dr. Mom’s Healthy School Days Menu.