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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The Innate Lifestyle Program ~ A Testimonial from “S”

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If you’re a “regular” here, then you’ve probably read a thing or two about The Innate Lifestyle Program that we offer in our practice.

Tonight, our first group in the program is finishing up their last workshop for the year! They are such an incredible group of people – really, some of my most favorite people on the planet! I’m SO proud of them!

They own the knowledge and the skills to create better health for the rest of their lives AND to prevent ALL diseases of lifestyle (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, etc.).

This is powerful stuff.

I wanted to share the testimonial of one of these individuals. She is a remarkable young lady, wife and mommy. The world is a better place because of her! Here’s what she had to say about the ILP:

“Health has taken on a whole new meaning since meeting Dr. Colleen and Dr. Marc followed by going through the Innate Lifestyle Program. Last summer I had finally decided to seek help for an ongoing lower back pain that I had had for years, enough that my back hurt every time I hugged my husband. What I didn’t realize was that little pain had been a catalyst of change for a healthier life for my family and myself. Through the Innate Lifestyle Program, I have learned to eat much better, move more and think about what’s going on inside my head. Since last August when I began this program with my husband, I have had a complete paradigm shift in how food, exercising and my thoughts directly relate to my overall health, energy and vitality.

“The goal and intention of the Innate Lifestyle Program is to role model, educate, coach, inspire and empower you to implement healthy changes that you will choose to sustain for the rest of your life.”

I have learned so much from Dr. Colleen and Dr. Marc, coaching and teaching me how to implement changes into my family’s life. I have learned the effects of food on my body, both positive and negative. Prior to the Innate Lifestyle Program, I had been interested in learning about food and cooking meals. However, I had a lot of inaccurate information. I thought I was doing a lot of good things for myself and my family, and I was, but not what I am today after being educated about what our cells need to express health.

The problem is that there is a plethora of information that is inaccurate based upon wealthy companies that are highly commercialized placing big money into advertising of toxic foods. Or, that people, including myself, have no idea what toxic food does to our bodies. That’s why I felt like I wanted to begin the Innate Lifestyle Program. I wanted to learn step by step how to change my knowledge and attitude about consuming food. It’s very freeing to choose to eat fruits, vegetables, proteins, water and (the right) supplements when we know that’s really all the food that our cells require to reflect health.

The most amazing part of changing our paradigm about food is that our 3-year-old daughter has learned right along with us. What a blessing it is for her to begin at such a young with a good foundation of foods in the Circle of Health as compared to what I did growing up.

The second component of the Innate Lifestyle Program is learning how to MOVE WELL. I have learned to gradually change my activity habits to reflect my understanding of what my cells requiring daily movement. I have learned to create at least two times in my day to stretch and get my movement into my spine. I will be honest and say that at the beginning of the program I wasn’t a very “athletic” person by doing things like running or using weights, but little by little I have learned how to work out and enjoy what I feel like afterwards. I have learned how exercise not only helps by body look physically better, but I have an increase in energy, I have a much better night’s sleep and have a combatant towards stress each day. The program helped me keep track of my daily movement and Dr. Colleen and Dr. Marc guided me more on my individual progress. To be honest again, I have struggled in this area, but I have learned a lot that I feel will help me to be a better version of myself than I was beginning this program.

Finally, the THINK WELL part of the Innate Lifestyle program was the most surprising to me. Surprising in that I had never realized how much my thought process really affected my overall health. I have learned to begin each day with quiet time to keep myself centered and filled up with positives about myself. I have learned how my positive and negative self-talk effects my behaviors on a daily basis. I have learned strategies to focus on the sources of my emotions and behaviors.

My belief systems and self-talk have changed greatly towards the better. My favorite part of THINK WELL is learning to love myself more and by doing this I can love my husband, daughter, family and friends better. It’s stopping to reflect on the positives in my life and choosing to make the best of each moment. Thinking well is not always easy, and I have as Dr. Colleen calls “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” days, but I am a different person today because of participating the Innate Lifestyle Program.

The first time Dr. Marc mentioned the Innate Lifestyle Program to my husband and I, I was a skeptical of spending the money and had doubts about starting a year-long program. However, I realized that this was a great opportunity and a great way to change my family tree. I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to be healthier. I wanted to move better. I wanted to think better. I wanted to make better choices for my family and I. I felt like I would regret not doing the Innate Lifestyle Program a year from when I started if I didn’t. My husband and I both wanted to make a change in our family.

Having my husband doing the program along side me was vitally important. We have grown so much together over the past year, supported each other when business got the better of us, and encouraged each other when we needed it. As a family, we’ve come away with a greater purpose for being the family God intended us to be, a love for eating healthy food, a desire to include movement into our everyday life, positive thinking and gratefulness for our many blessings.

Thank you Dr. Colleen and Dr. Marc for being amazing coaches and mentors! The Innate Lifestyle Program needs people like you to be understanding, kind, educated and living the Innate Life as your family does. Thank you for sharing all your gifts throughout this program.

“S”

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!

What’s YOUR Strategy for a Healthy Future? What if it’s the WRONG Strategy?

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America on DrugsI went out for a bike ride this afternoon… and my thoughts were laser-focused on the opportunity we have tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the annual summer ‘festival’ in our town – a BIG shin dig with hundreds and hundreds of people strolling through the streets. We’re having an Open House in our practice, with a major focus being the introduction of The Innate Lifestyle Program to the many new folks we’ll meet.

I’ve spent the last month or so venting to my dearest hubby about how frustrating it is to KNOW that you’re holding the key in your hand… the key that could literally save someone’s life… save MANY lives… yet to have people just pass it by. Too many people are doing NOTHING … or equally, if not more, dangerous, they’re doing the WRONG things… following the wrong advice so commonly given in the wrong paradigm.

We see people taking SO much more medication than ever before… being diagnosed with SO much more “stuff” than ever before… doing absolutely CRAZY forms of ‘doctor-recommended’ treatments. It’s just totally insane.

Yet they think WE’RE the loopy ones. I seriously don’t get it.

Evidence-based science fully supports the fact that our environments (internal and external) will determine our gene expression… will determine whether we’re healthy or sick. What shapes your internal environment? Your lifestyle choices.

Doing “nothing” is not an option. Health doesn’t just happen if you wish for it hard enough.

It’s not enough to ‘just’ work out… or to ‘just’ eat healthy… or to ‘just’ manage your stress. You need to tie it ALL together… consistently, for an extended period of time. THAT’S how you’ll create health and avoid illness. It’s not rocket science.

Anyhow, back to the bike ride.

As soon as I walked into the house, I sat down at the computer and typed out some of the thoughts I’d been having on the ride… trying to get them in some logical order. Trying to see if they might finally make sense to someone ELSE other than my husband and I and our current Innate Lifestyle Program members!!

Here’s the string of thoughts…

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you can clearly see that we’ve got BIG problems with our health. Statistics don’t lie. Just look at your own family and friends… we’re not getting any healthier.

What we’re doing clearly isn’t working.

Health doesn’t just ‘happen’. It requires deliberate action.

Are you taking action? Or are you just waiting for a diagnosis of some illness before you get off your duff and DO something? How do you think that’s going to work out for you?

What is your strategy for a healthy future? (Do you have a strategy?) What is your strategy for avoiding chronic illness?

What if your strategy is the WRONG one? What if it’s the same one that’s allowing so many people to get sick NOW?

What are you doing each and every day that is BUILDING your health… and decreasing ALL your risk factors for disease? Does treating the symptoms and popping pills BUILD better health and make you stronger for the future? By the way, do those drug commercials sound remotely SAFE or SANE to you??? Try “watching” them with your EYES CLOSED… just LISTEN… ignore the actors paid to look happy, healthy, and ‘healed’. LISTEN.

Do you think you need to do something BIG and extravagant and difficult in order to achieve better health or to regain the health you’ve already lost?

Guess what? It’s the simple steps… the RIGHT steps… made consistently over time that will create the massive transformation you need to secure your healthy future.

The right steps – based on scientific evidence, not marketing hype. Real people are getting real results… real transformation. They’re figuring out how to keep on building health and avoid sickness for LIFE. They OWN that now – they have the right strategy and the right plan of action.

This is the plan for getting your health back – for getting your LIFE back.

No matter where you are – currently ‘healthy’ or currently sick – you’ve got to keep BUILDING HEALTH in order to create a healthy future. Make sense? Even the ‘sickest’ person has only ONE way back to health – BUILD more health! Make more healthy choices. Do whatever else you feel you need to do… but the ONLY WAY OUT for good is to BUILD health! It’s so simple… but the so-called experts are missing it! Build health – or you don’t get to HAVE health!

Every day that you do NOTHING or do the WRONG thing is another day you’re moving in the WRONG direction.

Maybe you just didn’t know… nobody told you. We’re telling you. Are you listening? Are you ready?

Why on EARTH would you wait any longer?

Your solution is here. Right now. It’s not hard. It’s time. It’s YOUR time.

The Innate Lifestyle Program – give us 12 months – we’ll give you a Lifetime of Better Health!

(If you’re “local”, we’ve got two upcoming free seminars to fill you in… to set you on the right path. Whether you join the program or not, you’ll never see your health the same again. Join us on Thursday August 12th at 6 pm or Tuesday September 14th at 6 pm)

See… my BRAIN gets a work out when I exercise, too!! ; )

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!

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 Foods, Acquired Tastes, and Father’s Day!

Copy of 104_0861

Copy of 104_0861

My mom passed away 2 and 1/2 years ago as a result of breast cancer (and the treatments for it). Ever since then, I look out for my dad… trying to keep him in line! Easier said than done. Parents are very difficult to raise, as I’ve said before!

He tries. He does a lot of things well… but he just hasn’t quite mastered the skill of shopping for and preparing HEALTHY meals for ONE. He eats prepared foods from the grocery store frequently, and eats at restaurants more than he used to. Not the best plan for health, but not the worst I suppose. At least he knows the value of REAL food and fresh food! He eats any vegetable placed in front of him!

Leading up to this Father’s Day, I remembered his reaction a couple years ago – on the first Father’s Day following my mom’s passing – when I gave him a little cooler full of homemade burgers the way he likes them and some homemade soup. He was really, really touched… having someone prepare him home cooked food just the way he likes it. It was a tear-jerking moment, for sure!

So, I decided to do the same type of thing this Father’s Day for his gift. He LOVES bison burgers, so I  bought a few pounds of grass-fed bison and set out to select his favorite ingredients: blue cheese, onions and garlic. (Makes you want to brush your teeth, doesn’t it?!)

While I was preparing the burgers, the kids magically appeared in the kitchen as they normally do when they hear or sense that food is being prepared! My daughter approached the counter… paused… sniffed… said, “ewwww”, and that was it for her! My son, on the other hand, asked if he could try a piece of onion.

I said, “sure, honey… go ahead”. He chewed on it for a few seconds, then got a really funny look on his face and ran to the trash can to spit it out! He said, “I don’t think that was sour… I don’t know what it was… but I’m not havin’ anymore! I need some water.”

Then he noticed the blue cheese. “What’s THAT?” he asked. “Blue cheese”, I replied.

“Why is it called BLUE cheese?”

“Look at the color of it.”

“Oh. That explains it. It smells pretty bad, mom. Are you sure you want to put that in grandpa’s burgers”

“Yes, grandpa LOVES blue cheese in his burgers.”

“That’s weird. Can I try some?”

“Sure… lots of people like it… (as his sister was dramatically enacting a choking and gagging session a few feet away)… you never know ’til you try!”

Then he put a piece in his mouth, started chewing as he confidently walked away from the kitchen saying to his sister, “Seeee? It’s not *that* bad!”

No sooner had he said that when he turned around, spit it out into his hand and handed to ME (ewww), saying, “On second thought, that’s totally gross! Now I think I know what a toot tastes like!!

(At this point, I fell over laughing!)

For the next few minutes, the kids raked me over the coals for making something SO horrible for their grandfather on Father’s Day! They just couldn’t understand why I’d DO something like that to the poor man! I tried to explain “acquired tastes” to them, but they really weren’t buying it!

My father, however, was ecstatic to receive many meals-worth of one of his favorite foods… all individually packaged and ready to go!

Someday maybe they’ll understand the blue cheese thing! Maybe…

The Obesity Epidemic ~ It’s Worse Than I Thought.

IMG00041-20100613-1144

IMG00041-20100613-1144

Last weekend, our family headed out across the state on a quick little adventure. Truth be known, it was a trip to reward our daughter’s Brownies troop for selling so many cookies earlier this year. While I’m proud of the entrepreneurial spirit such an effort requires, I can’t help but cringe about the product they’re selling! I’ve often wondered just how much these famous cookies have contributed to weight gain across America in recent years!

Don’t worry, for the most part, I keep my mouth shut about this to my daughter! I want her to reap the positive benefits of being part of this fantastic organization while I try to minimize the collateral damage!

Anyhow, last weekend was an eye-opener. Not a good one.

Let me start by saying that our town is not one that you’ve seen gracing the top of any “Healthiest Places to Live” list! Nope. When you stroll through town on a summer night, or head out to a restaurant, or shop in the town’s mega store, it’s clear that we’re falling short regarding our health… especially when it comes to body weight.

BUT, nothing could have prepared me for what I saw on our trip.

Although it was only 3 hours from where we live, I was shocked by the dramatic differences in body composition I witnessed in countless people that weekend. Time and time again – at the hotel, the restaurant, walking around town, at the swimming pool and at the amusement park – we saw multiple generations of families who were dangerously obese.

I’ve never seen anything like it.

One night, we took the kids swimming at the hotel pool before bedtime. The pool and pool deck quickly filled up with other guests who were apparently thinking the same thing! Before long, this tiny pool area had 25 or more people of all ages in it.

I watched. I witnessed. I didn’t say anything.

I’ve never, ever seen so much obesity in one place… ever. Maybe it was the fact that there was only one family there who wasn’t considered clinically or morbidly obese that made it seem so obvious and so overwhelming. Babies, children, teenagers, young adults, parents and grandparents…  ALL significantly obese.

Let me be perfectly clear: I don’t judge anyone because of their weight. I wasn’t looking ‘down’ upon these people in any way. I hope you know me better than that.  It simply made me incredibly sad and physically ill.  I wanted to cry. I wanted to throw up. I’ve never felt such a visceral reaction to someone else’s loss of health like this… with the exception of watching my mom die.

I realized how catastrophic our obesity epidemic really is. I realized, especially after witnessing what so many of these families were eating, that they really just don’t know. To a large extent, it’s not their fault. Toxic, garbage food is cheap, readily available, and artificially enhanced so that it tastes too good not to eat. Kids don’t argue about eating it… everyone’s happy. How can we stand a chance?! It’s ‘easier’ to make UNhealthy choices than to proactively make healthy ones. Commercials lead us to believe it’s all good… and that there are always drugs we can take if we get too sick or feel too many symptoms. Perfect.

I realized that I’ve got to work a LOT harder to help more people. I realized how enormous the battle against childhood obesity, adult obesity and chronic illness really is.

It was ironic, being there last weekend “celebrating” the fact that so many cookies were sold. Yes, we had a fantastic time as a family, and yes, the kids had a fantastic time with the other kids. But, it was certainly sobering as well.

It’s not just about our weight, by the way. Being overweight is an indication of a lack of health. That’s what worries me the MOST.

Thankfully, a healthier body weight is the natural by-product of making healthier choices overall. EVERY healthy choice we make adds up over time.  I talk about this extensively in my book and implementation program, “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds… The Last Weight Loss Solution You’ll Ever Need!”

I wish I had a few hundred copies to pass around last weekend. All the diets, work outs and weight loss gimmicks in the world won’t help if you don’t understand the core principles of achieving better health.

No matter how ‘bad’ things may seem right now with your health or your weight, the only way out of this mess is to build better health… one choice at a time! It’s the only hope we’ve got.

HealthIER, Not Harder! Simple Solutions for Making a Meal Healthier.

images pizza

images pizza

A few nights ago, despite the fact that I had already planned our healthy dinner, my hubby and kids ganged up on me and begged for pizza. Not just any pizza… TAKE OUT pizza!!

I guess every once in awhile that urge just takes over!

(In all fairness, hubby had a REALLY long day at work and just wanted an easy, “comfort food” type of dinner. I get that.)

Since I had really wanted to keep things “clean” for dinner that night, I did the next best thing. I ADDED “clean” to the dinner.

While the kids and I were waiting for dad to get home with the pizza, we munched on carrot sticks, peppers and tomatoes. Then, along with pizza, we had salad (with broccoli), steamed asparagus and Brussels sprouts.

It’s how I can mentally overcome the guilt associated with feeding my kids toxic &/or deficient food, apparently! Hey, whatever works!

It works out well, though. They start off with one piece of pizza (actually, 1/2 a slice, because most restaurants serve bigger-than-necessary slices) along with their veggies. With all those veggies, they aren’t loading up with a whole lot of pizza – usually 2 pieces (1/2 slices) at most.

So, to offset some of the toxic &/or deficient effects of a  less-than-healthy meal:

1) add some purity and sufficiency (e.g. all those veggies)

2) serve smaller amounts of the toxic food (e.g. 1/2 slices of pizza)

No, it’s not a “perfect” meal… but it’s definitely healthIER! And, it’s definitely simple! (I think I gave up on “perfect” a long time ago!)

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The Best Strategy for Losing Stubborn Abdominal Fat

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images abs

Here’s another little article I recently wrote for a publication that describes a simple, yet extremely effective, strategy for permanently shedding toxic fat and inches around our mid-sections.

It’s not “hard”, but consistency is definitely the key!

Click Here to read the article.

We can do sit-ups and crunches ’til we’re blue in the face… BUT, if we’re missing parts of this strategy, our chances of permanent success are less likely.

If you’d like more info about this type of fat-burning, health-enhancing strategy, you can find several chapters worth in “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”!!

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Getting Back on Track With Healthy Lifestyle Choices

As you may have noticed, I was feeling a wee bit irked with myself when I wrote yesterday’s post! I know that guilt (as well as worry and anxiety) is a useless, toxic emotion… so I don’t really let myself get to *that* point. However, I was just less-than-impressed with my choice-making recently. It happens!

Anyhow, today is a different story.

First of all, I don’t get TOO far off track to begin with. I tend to keep doing a lot of ‘right’ things, even when I’m “off track”. The difference is, I tend to add more ‘wrong’ things than I normally would… or should.

It helps to not get so far from balance in the first place. It makes getting back on track a relatively simple process!

Yesterday, I chose to do a cleanse day. There’s a certain ‘nutritional’ cleansing and detoxification drink I like to drink when I want to clean things up a bit. So I did that a few times throughout the day. Also, I kept my intake very light throughout the day (less stress to the digestive system), and kept it very pure.

Dinner was a nice mixture of clean protein (organic chicken), organic carrots, organic broccoli and a bit of couscous. Small servings – taking it easy on my systems!

Throughout the day, I also ‘cleansed’ in other ways supportive to overall health, happiness and stress reduction. It’s mostly stuff I do on a regular basis, but yesterday I went about it all with a different mindset – focusing on how my actions and choices are very nurturing and healing.

Now THAT can make you feel a whole lot different about the healthy choices you make!

I started the day on the dock at dawn, doing my gentle stretching & breathing exercises, then some prayer, affirmations and visualizations. After dropping the kids off at school, I was extra careful to ‘chunk down’ my monstrous to-do list for work into realistic and manageable portions… setting myself up to succeed, rather than feeling more frustration.

Again, nothing much new about that – just a renewed focus on the basics. I was intentional and focused on scheduling my priorities.

Finally, before heading in to the office for the afternoon, I did a mini work out and then headed out for a fantastic bike ride. Part of me was saying, “You really don’t have time for this today!” But, thankfully, the part of me that sits on the *other* shoulder, wearing white and adorned with wings and a halo, said “You really should MAKE the time… your health, happiness and stress reduction are more important than the computer right now!!”

I love it when that part of me takes a stand! It was a great ride, full of good thoughts and energy. It was a very good choice!

I capped the day with an earlier-than-usual bedtime. Ahhh… THAT was a much-needed great choice!

So, getting back on track for me is always a matter of ‘hitting the high notes’ when it comes to nutrition, movement and mindset. Just eating better is good… but not enough. Adding a work out is good… but not enough. I need a balance of all three major components of lifestyle in order to feel restored, balanced and at peace with myself.

Imagine that! It comes back to balanced lifestyle… sounds familiar!

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