Popcorn

Microwave popcorn is convenient, quick, easy, and generally a tasty snack. It is also filled with perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. This chemical lines the bags to keep the oils from escaping. It is also used in non-stick coatings and stain-resistant carpets. PFOA mimics hormones and has been linked to infertility, thyroid disorders, immune problems, high cholesterol, and cancer. It isn’t the only problem with microwaved popcorn. It also contains diacetyl, a chemical butter flavoring that causes lung damage. 

The good news is that popcorn, when cooked correctly, is a low calorie, healthy snack that is also GMO free. Make it the old fashioned way with coconut oil and movement or an air popper. Toss them with dried herbs and a little olive oil for a better seasoning than a ton of butter and salt. If you are like me and just need that butter, make it organic butter and use less. If you must use the microwave, place some popcorn in a brown paper bag, fold flap and use the popcorn setting. I haven't tried this myself since I don't own a microwave (so many issues with this one we'll leave for another day) so you will have to let me know if it works. 

Note: while the popcorn seed, unlike 90% of the corn crops in America, are not Genetically Modified (GMO), they are heavily sprayed with pesticides. Buy organic popcorn to avoid these chemicals. My family and I can tell a difference between how we feel after eating organic vs. regular popcorn. I call it my guilt free snack.....now if I could just limit it to one bowl!

Double Whammy?

This time of year (October through January) the majority of people add on 3-5 pounds. The sad part is that the majority of those KEEP those 3-5 pounds. It is such a small increase it’s hardly noticed until a few years go by and we have an extra 30-50 pounds hanging on.

Where do these extra pounds come from? Starting with Halloween candy, we add on Thanksgiving meal (which, let’s face it, lasts the whole week!), then from Thanksgiving to Christmas we have candy and delicious goodies in abundance. By the New Year we are just in the habit of eating more!

Also, this time of year we don’t exercise as much as we do when the weather is warmer. So we are moving less. Add that to the extra sweets and food and our bodies take a hit. Our circulation is decreased without exercise and our immune systems are compromised with all that sugar and bad food. The Double Whammy!

Every counter or desk has a bowl of candy...one piece won’t hurt...no, but 5 trips a day to that same bowl will! Replace that bowl of candy with a bouquet of flowers (same price!). You will get satisfaction from looking at the beautiful flowers and feel you are contributing to the holiday feeling. Can’t fit in the exercise? Park at the back of any parking lot and “walk” to the store. Take the long way around the office - avoiding those desks with candy - to get in a few more steps each day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator - sometimes it is even faster. Do squats or leg raises during TV commercials. Be creative, you’ll find a way to exercise.

You have to PLAN to not gain those extra pounds...you have to PLAN to exercise more. Let me know what strategies work for you during the holidays.

For the Chocolate Lover

This is a Christmas present for you Chocolate lovers. Everything in this recipe is good for you. 

1/2 cup Coconut oil offers antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-cancer properties. It improves digestion, nutrient absorption and intestinal health. It provides cardiovascular benefits and helps manage Type 2 Diabetes. Coconut oil promotes kidney and liver health and supports the immune system. It also benefits metabolism, energy, and weight management.

1/2 cup Raw Cacao Powder (not the roasted, processed cousin known as cocoa),  has nutritional benefits, from reducing cataracts to improving heart function to alleviating stress and preventing cancer. I also add a Tablespoon of Cacao Nibs for an extra crunch.

1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter (as in peanuts ground with a little salt) makes a very healthy fat, that is high in nutrients, fiber and protein.

1/4 cup Raw Honey (honey that has not been filtered, strained or heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit), has many health benefits such as: energy boost, excellent source of antioxidants, supports good bacteria, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and slows aging.

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract has a few health benefits with many vitamins in trace amounts. One little known fact is vanilla extract is good for nausea. Add a few drops to a glass of water and sip on it to relieve nausea. Vanilla has also been known to reduce stress and anxiety.

Alternate flavoring: Substitute about 1/2 teaspoon mint extract flavoring (or to taste) instead of the peanut butter for a chocolate mint candy. Or a fun festive thing would be to add crushed candy cane. 

All these ingredients can be found at Whole Foods Market or most health food stores. 

Directions: Prepare a mini muffin pan with liners. Put all ingredients in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse a few times until everything is smooth and nicely combined (it will be very liquid-y). Don't overmix. Pour the liquid fudge into the prepared muffin liners dividing evenly between them. There will be about half an inch of fudge in each muffin liner.  Place the muffin pan in the refrigerator or freezer until the fudge has hardened (10 to 30 minutes). Remove the muffin liners from the pan and enjoy your delicious, healthy fudge! Store in the refrigerator. It will melt quickly at room temp. If you don't have a muffin tin you can pour the whole batch into a shallow tupperware. To remove just place your warm hands on the bottom to release the fudge. Cut into small bites and return to refrigerator.

This recipe comes with a warning: It is VERY habit forming! If you like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, this is a healthy alternative. Remember that anything in excess will cause weight gain, however for that Chocolate "fix" to help you through the holidays, this one is easy to make and even easier to eat! Enjoy!

What environment do you live in?

Have you ever been diagnosed with Heartburn or Acid-Reflux? Both of these problems can be the result of an over-acidic diet. Our nutritional goal for optimum health is maintaining a proper acid/alkaline balance. It is important that the diet is slightly more alkaline than acid for the body to repair itself. Sounds easy; however, in our society the acid food reigns. Your body cannot thrive in an acidic environment. 

The body will always strive to maintain a proper acid/alkaline balance, though the more we help it along by eating the right balance of foods, the less wear and tear on the system. If an acid condition continues, however, the body will draw minerals from other areas to try to neutralize itself. For instance, calcium, an alkaline-forming mineral, may be released from bones. This is a short-term solution which, over time, can lead to osteoporosis. Chronic over-acidity removes oxygen from the blood and can result in lowered immunity and premature aging, kidney stone formation, muscle loss, back pain, gout and other joint diseases. Chronic degenerative conditions, like cancer, tend to develop in an over acid environment. Over acidity also can produce that tired, headachy, fuzzy-headed feeling many people get, especially after eating.

The typical American diet is acidic, consisting of foods that have an acidifying effect on the body - too much meat, processed foods, refined sugars, chemical additives, caffeine, alcohol (yup, all your favorites), as well as most prescription drugs. A plant-based diet of whole, fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, etc., will naturally have a more alkalinizing effect. You will find that the more you eat the alkaline foods the more you will crave them and they will become your favorites.

If you are regaining your health, a diet of 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods is best. For maintaining health, usually 60% alkaline and 40% acid is adequate. Try this: for every 10 foods eaten, 6 should be vegetables, 2 fruits, 1 protein, 1 starch and whole, organic grains. Some foods that we would consider acid, like lemons, are not the problem. In fact if you are experiencing the effects of an over acid diet, try drinking a glass of water with a lemon in it to balance you out.

Remember that it is not the occasional bad eating day; i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, but the day in and day out acid diet that will destroy you. Find your balance!

Beating Anxiety

Overcoming anxiety without medications involves making lifestyle changes, and that includes changing your diet. There are foods that will help cure anxiety, and foods that will contribute to anxiety, and by choosing the right foods, you can drastically cut down on the amount of anxiety you experience – and possibly improve your mood.

Healthy eating is one of the best ways to control anxiety and stress. In fact, one of the best things you can add to your diet is to drink more water. Many studies have found that dehydration affects as many as 25% of those with persistent stress or more, and dehydration is known to cause more anxiety.

As for foods, anything with magnesium, vitamin B12 (and other B vitamins), zinc, and antioxidants can be beneficial for helping you deal with stress. There are also herbal supplements like kava and passionflower that may be valuable for anxiety.

Some of the top foods to relax your mind are:

Cashews - two handfuls a day (works like Prozac!). Blueberries, Acai Berries and Peaches have a calming effect. Almonds are high in zinc (a nutrient for maintaining a balanced mood) and iron (low iron levels have been known to cause brain fatigue, which can contribute to both anxiety and a lack of energy). Chocolate (Cacao especially) reduces cortisol – the stress hormone that causes anxiety symptoms. And one that might not be easy to find, but is loaded with magnesium and iron (more than every other type of fruit and vegetable) Maca Root, found in health food stores. 

All of the above foods are beneficial for dealing with your anxiety. They provide vitamins and nutrients that are known to calm the mind and body while also increasing energy and stabilizing your mood. Combine those foods with a balanced diet that is free of fried foods and harmful ingredients and you should see a marked difference in your anxiety levels.

Sleep Deprivation

Sleep is deeply interconnected with your health in a myriad of ways.

• Recent research shows that your brain has a unique waste management system, similar to the lymphatic system in your body. This system, dubbed the glymphatic system, is activated during sleep.
• Research has found that sleep deprivation has the same effect on your immune system as physical stress or illness.
• By pumping cerebral spinal fluid through your brain’s tissues, the glymphatic system flushes the waste from your brain back into your body’s circulatory system and into your liver, where it’s ultimately eliminated.
• During sleep, your brain cells also shrink by about 60 percent, which allows for more efficient waste removal.
• Amyloid-beta, for example—proteins that form the notorious plaque found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients—is removed in significantly greater quantities during sleep.
• Lack of sleep can impair your ability to lose excess pounds or maintain your ideal weight. When you are sleep deprived, leptin (the hormone that signals satiety) falls, while ghrelin (which signals hunger) rises.
• Accelerate tumor growth, primarily due to disrupted melatonin production. Melatonin inhibits the proliferation of a wide range of cancer cell types, as well as tiggering cancer cell self destruction. The hormone also interferes with the new blood supply tumors require for their rapid growth.
• Contribute to premature aging by interfering with your growth hormone production, normally released by your pituitary gland during deep sleep. And who doesn’t want to slow down aging?             

Can't sleep? There are a few simple things you can do to help. #1 shut off your computer at least one hour before bedtime. Don't have your computer sitting on your lap. The radiation from your laptop will continue to disrupt your sleep long after it is off.  Don't sleep with electronics near your bed (i.e. cell phone) Soak your feet in Epsom salts before bedtime or a whole bath. Take Valerian Root and Magnesium to relax the muscles. Get plenty of exercise during the day. 

Sleep is so important to our health. Make good sleep a priority in your life. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite..........

What's your addiction?

Why can't we give up the diet and lifestyle that is killing us? Because we are addicted to it! We don't usually think of addictions when it comes to food, but it is probably the number one addiction in our lives. The good news is we can get just as addicted to the good foods as we do to the bad foods. It is simple (I said simple, not easy). By simply eating more fresh, plant based foods, we change our addiction. At first you have to consciously choose the healthier foods, but over time, they will become your preference.

Simple? Yes! Eat more plants. You might be surprised to learn that a plant-based diet is the only nutritional protocol known to man that has been shown to prevent—and in many cases, actually reverse, the four major diseases in our society: Heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

Many of the bad foods are specifically devised to activate the pleasure centers in our brain, enslaving us to habitual poor dietary choices—the very essence of addiction. When combined with our preference for excessive meat and dairy intake, blood cholesterol escalates, clogging our arteries; our cells become cancerous; and our immune systems spiral out of control in response, creating a state of chronic inflammation. This creates a persistent condition in which our bodies become disease incubators, sentencing us to an almost certain future of chronic illness.

With each successive step along the path, you'll begin to notice changes. As your energy levels improve, your preferences will shift from empty calories to foods that actually nourish you. The more whole, plant-foods you incorporate into your routine, the more likely those unhealthy cravings will subside. And before you know it, that hankering for cheese might just vanish altogether.

On average, we Americans eat about 6% of our diets as plant food. That means the other 94% is unhealthy fats, chemicals and junk. If we reversed that - 94% healthy plant based foods and sneaked in 6% of our addiction of choice (mine would be chocolate and potato chips....), disease would almost disappear in our society. This is so freeing! You are in control.