Soy - Is it really a health food?

Touted as a health food for years - we have been misled by those who needed to create a market for soybean crops in the U.S. A wonderful book I recommend is called"Soy Deception", by well known thyroid expert Dr. David Brownstein. When I meet a vegetarian often I can spot those who consume a lot of soy, indicated by the puffiness of the face, particularly around the eyes, as Brownstein explains in his book/video series on thyroid dysfunction. This past summer I attended a vegan potluck with my daughter, and I explained why I avoid soy (spotting three likely soy consumers sitting across from me at the table). Lo and behold, after I explained what I had learned, I learn in return that each was on medication for thyroid issues. Obviously, I was not surprised.

Rather than ask all of you to read Brownstein's book, this link to an article by Dr. Joe Mercola, whom many of you are probably familiar, is a great summary of key points covered in the book. My self-appointed mentor, neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, has written extensively on the ill effects of soy. Although many vegan enthusiasts still tout soy as a health food, even organic has its issues.

All soy, even organic, absorbs more glutamates from the ground than any other plant in the plant kingdom - per Blaylock. Glutamates are a form of neurotoxin - that word alone should make one nervous. Neurotoxins, as you may surmise, affect the brain - not only memory loss and function, but as well - behavioral disorders such as ADHD, ADD, bi-polar may experience a change in attitude or concentration after consuming soybean products.

In the June 2004 issue of the Blaylock newsletter, the good doctor reports on Alzheimer prevention, and cautions readers to avoid hydrolyzed soy protein isolates, soy extracts, and soybean oil, the latter of which is in the greatest percentage of processed foods. I truly believe Blaylock is a pioneer in the realm of cause and effect of brain dysfunction.

For vegans who are using protein shakes containing soy isolate, I encourage you to dig deeper, and consider a switch to an easy-to-digest yellow pea/ brown rice based protein powder. I personally use Arbonne Essentials, which not only tastes great, but has the additional benefit of cranberry protein - allowing for a 100% amino acid profile score. You are welcome to contact me for a complete ingredient list. By the way, this product contains NO artificial ingredients or trace heavy metals - as in "zero" ppm.

If you wish to consume soy - it is recommended to limit to 2-3 times weekly, and ONLY fermented soy products (no, this does not include milk). Organic is a critical choice, as explained in Mercola's article regarding U.S. grownGMO soy vs. organic (chart illustration as well). Below are the four soy foods fermented and considered a healthier choice.

• Natto
• Miso
• Tempeh
• Tamari (fermented soy sauce - be careful, you want fermented!)

On the subject of hormones, the estrogenic properties of soy may have a benefit for those suffering from hot flashes, but that is an entirely different subject of which I would be happy to discuss with you privately. A hormone supplement containing soy is much different than consuming main course dishes made with tofu.

In Mercola's article, he is not 100% accurate, from my understanding of estrogen receptors, in regard to soy contributing to cancer. Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) are not the same as estradiol - the cancer-contributing hormone that our body produces. This is an entirely different subject for discussion.

For the purposes of a clean eating or elimination diets to promote healthy living - soy can be inflammatory, is often allergenic and prohibits nutrient uptake.

May you enjoy good health all the days of your life.

Rita Shimniok, Purely Living Wellness, LLC

Healthy Appetizer - Garlicky Greek Potato Dip (Skordalia)

Not long ago,  my daughter and I attended a vegetarian  potluck We both loved a vegetarian, non-dairy dip that was served. The image is not my own, as I have not yet made this. However, I am planning to soon as I work with Eileen Schutte of Unique Nutrition Solutions of DeForest to plan a fun wellness event - save the date for July 17! Details are to come.

Garlicky Greek Potato Dip
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks*
4 garlic cloves
2 T EVOO
3 T lemon juice
2 T slivered and blanched almonds
2 T capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 T water
2 English cucumbers, sliced
2 heads Belgium endive, separated into leaves

Cover potatoes with cold water in pot and bring to boil until tender, about 15 min.
Drain in colander, mash until smooth. (For a lower starch potato, substitute Fingerlings in place of Yukon Golds...I cannot imagine it would make that much difference as far as taste is concerned.)
Saute garlic, puree with olive oil. Pulse. Add lemon juice, capers, almonds, continue to blend/puree, adding water. Stir into potatoes, puree more if smoother dip is desired.
Serve with cucumber slices, endive leaves, carrot sticks. Or serve with gluten free organic lentil chips or quinoa crackers.

May you feel great, look great, and live great!
Rita S.

Elimination Diet - Sesame Sticky Green Beans

On a mission to make HEALTHY DELICIOUS - I found a couple of recipes and made it my own using ingredients I have on hand.

A healthy switch from the traditional holiday gathering green bean casserole swimming in condensed cream of mushroom soup...if you don't already know what's in that canned product you probably don't want to know, unless you are trying to take steps towards getting more healthy.

Sesame Sticky Green Beans
1.5 - 2 lbs. fresh green beans
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted

2 tsp. sesame oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1" fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

1 T. raw, organic Wholesome agave nectar (or honey)
2 tsp. nutritional yeast

Prep ahead of time for a fast dish on a holiday morning.
Green Beans: Trim off the vine end, cut in half. Wash beans and allow to dry in metal mesh colander overnight.
Sesame Seeds: toast the sesame seeds in a dry, small stainless steel pan the night prior and set aside.

30 minutes before serving.

Saute the onion, garlic and ginger in a large, covered skillet until onions are translucent and your kitchen smells heavenly! Stir in agave nectar, honey may be substituted.

Add in the green beans, and pour 2 T. of Bragg's Liquid Aminos over the top. Add nutritional yeast. Stirring to coat the beans with onion mixture and honey. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove lid to allow the liquid to evaporate. Continue to simmer until beans are al dente.  Toss sesame seeds gently with the beans, and transfer to a platter or bowl to serve. Enjoy!

These beans had rave reviews at Easter dinner, and I am sure your famly will enjoy green beans with a taste of the East.

May you feel great, look great, and live great!
Rita S.

EPIC Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

EPIC!  That is how my 10 year old described the gluten free sugar cookies I had made. I shared them with friends, who also gave two thumbs up.  I used an organic raw sugar, which has larger granules than the refined sugar I used to bake with. I wasn't sure if the sugar granules and crunch would appeal - but the feedback was positive, and in fact, people loved the sugar texture.
Because there is sugar in this recipe, this is not a CLEAN EATING or elimination diet friendly, but it is free of inflammatory gluten, dairy and soy. If you need to take a bakery treat to a school function or social event, there will be those who appreciate a gluten free alternative.  Easy to make, I hope you enjoy making and sharing these EPIC sugar cookies with your friends and family.

Gluten Free Almond Sugar Cookies - bakes approx. 24
Cream together:
1 cup of organic butter, softened
1/2 c. almond milk (soy free - we prefer Silk brand)
3 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
2 cups raw, organic sugar
1 tsp. pure almond extract

Lightly blend dry ingredients:

3/4 c. rice flour

3/4 c. almond flour

2/3 c. coconut flour

4 T. potato starch

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until batter becomes fluffy.  Drop by rounded teaspoons (medium scoop) onto a baking stone. Bake at 350" for 12-15 min. or until lightly golden. Do not underbake.

It's important not to use extracts with artificial flavoring as it is in actuality an excitotoxin. Imitation foods and flavors, a form of gluatamate, are not good for our bodies on a cellular level, and our body actually has a hard time excreting these foreign-like substances. Instead, they build up in our body and lead to health issues down the line when they begin to overpower the body.

Always bake with organic ingredients wherever possible. For money savings and ease in locating gluten free baking flowers, I have found amazon.com to be a great resource. I do order a flour by the case, which equates to package of four, and should hold us over for some time since I have little time to bake. The original recipe for the above comes from the package of Bob's Red Mill coconut flour bag. Seeing soy milk in the recipe I immediately removed it as soy contributes to estrogen and is typically from GMO soybeans in the U.S., and is naturally high in glutamate, even if it is organic. Using almond milk iinstead, I also added in pure almond extract, cut back on rice flour and used almond flour.  Next time I bake this I may eliminate rice flour all together and see how the cookies turn out, as I would prefer to have as few flours as possible in my currently, varied gluten free pantry.

Enjoy!

I hope you feel great, look great, and live great!

To your health, 
Rita Shimniok

Choosing A Protein Shake Meal Replacement

So many choices in protein shakes...but which product is truly the best for weight loss? Well, in that regard...I would venture a guess that most will help one lose weight.  But at what cost?

Like so many foods that line the grocery stores, labels promise "good for lowering cholesterol", "low-fat", "with extra virgin olive oil" (so we are lead to believe it is healthy). Protein shake labels also make plenty of claims.

But what are you really buying? This is why becoming an educated label reader makes a difference for long term health.  

Take for instance, soy based protein powder, with organic obviously being a better choice than not.  Most soybean crops are genetically modified. (I believe I read over 90% are GMO.) With what? Herbicide for one.  Herbicides mimic estrogen in the body when consumed, they are nasty endocrine disruptors. Increased estrogen can lead to cancer. (This is one reason I would rather have dandelions in the yard than ChemLawn sprays.)  We have Monsanto to thank for this, in large part - stand up against this giant poisoning our food supply and let your congressman know that you vote no to GMO.
Even if organic, soy is naturally very high in glutamate and excitotoxins. The processing to create soy protein isolate makes it even more toxic, and it is an unfermented soy product.  Per Dr. Russell Blaylock, unfermented soy should be consumed no more than 2x weekly, preferably with a side dish of sea kelp to counter the excitotoxins with anti-oxidants.

When people use a daily protein or meal replacement shake, or TWO, for meal replacement or for weight loss, and it is soy based- they are adding a LOT of excitoxins, glutamate, and acid-based foods to their regimen.  On the outside one cannot see what that is doing to a body on the inside, but from all I have read - I wouldn't want to go there.

Whey can be a better option - but only if it is made from milk from grass fed cows free of anti-biotics, etc. AND only if it is cold processed, as again, heat and processing changes the molecular structure and we end up with FRANKENfood. Like all dairy products, whey protein isolates fall on the acidic side of the pH scale - key is for balance between acid and alkaline based foods. Even organic origin whey is inflammatory - as are all animal food products. Inflammation contributes to  disease, cancer, and general unwell-ness.

No matter what shake you choose, know your source and trust that raw goods are tested for purity. Protein shakes have made news headlines on more than one occasion due to traces of heavy metals, arsenic, and more. You might be surprised to learn that some of your favorite, popular brands do not pass the testing for purity.  With protein shakes you truly get what you pay for.
  Artificial ingredients can be problematic for your body to excrete. They build up inside.  My chiropractor shared with me that he sees an increase in kidney stones come February as many people, wanting to lose weight, hop on board a well advertised weight watching diet plan that includes their brand of canned shakes.  Don't be fooled by "Sucralose" - another name for toxic Splenda.  I looked up ingredients in a very popular whey based shake advocated by a health and wellness company to learn that it contains sucralose. Also, if Stevia is being used make sure it is raw Stevia and not the RebA processed version. Note to those adding Truvia to your coffee - it is not "healthy".

An interview with neurosurgeon, Dr. Russell Blaylock, discusses the adverse affects of artificial ingredients and effects of hydrolyzed soy proteins, and as Blaylock states, you will never learn the truth about milk in the media. Suffice to say is, that although I am the daughter of a dairy farmer, I will not give my children store bought milk. I encourage you to learn much more about this by checking out the Natural News interview with Blaylock here.

If you are going to jump in on a 24, 28 or 30 day program, and you are going to incorporate shakes as a part of the program - do your own diligence and analyze the product.  As I said, I have no doubt you can lose weight from any one brand. The question I am putting forth is, "while you are losing weight for outward appearances, what is happening on the inside on a cellular level?"  Feeling your best begins from within. If your meals are costing you around a buck, it would actually make me question the ingredients and quality. Good health into your senior years requires thinking not of short term, but instead long term effects, of your food choices.

I find it interesting when people state they cannot afford a $2 meal replacement shake.  Years ago I did the math, thinking the same thing - so I can relate.. until I realized I was actually paying more for my breakfast, which either required I cook it (time must be factored in), or I stop enroute to work and get it. I can tell you a latte alone, or a travel mug of organic coffee, costs more than $2. Of course the meals after breakfast become even more expensive.  Three of the four of us drink a pea/brown rice/cranberry based pure and safe protein meal replacement shake for our breakfast - and it has actually been beneficial for our family budget. Not only do we save, but we are getting nutrients, anti-oxidants, minerals, and all essential amino acids as we start off our day.

I hope this day finds you feeling and living great!

To your health,
Rita S.

Clean Eating Breakfast Muffins

Our 15 yr old decided to go the gluten free route, to see if it would help his sinus issues.  Since gluten in inflammatory and sinus issues are a result of inflammed sinus passageways - many have found relief once they either went gluten-free, dairy-free, or both. Now, I will tell you right tnow that he lasted about 10 days going GF.  On the last day of finals week his ride home from school stopped at Culvr's for lunch, and well, gluten free was toast!
Fifteen year olds don't have the the same drive as an adult may have when learning a certain type of food is what ails them. Of course, many adults would rather deal with the pain and disease than give up bread, cheese or ice cream...as examples. It is tough for sure!
During this teenage effort in going gluten free, he asked for recipes so he could have some tasty alternatives. (Did I mention this boy bakes, cooks, and cleans... and reads his bible every day? Just saying...he has no intentions of getting married. He IS fifteen - plenty of time for that 10 years from now.)  Kyle baked up some delicious muffins from a recipe I downloaded from www.nourishingmeals.com - I tweaked the recipe just a little, to make them a bit more clean in regards to sugars.
We absolutely loved the baked results...so much so that I decided to order a silicone muffin pan as our old, and very little used rusty pan should be retired. For the sake of the environment we don't want to buy paper liners each time Kyle wants to make muffins. The recipe is so simple and quick I suspect, and hope!, he will be baking these often.
For your delight...enjoy this recipe. The texture and flavor of these muffins is best once they have completely cooled. Whole LIfe Nutrition recommends serving with a dollop of honey, but I don't find it necessary.  Since we do not have a large food processor, we found that pulsing the ingredients in our Ninja Professional blender worked well.

Paleo Friendly Almond Banana Muffins
1 cup organic roasted almond butter
4 large organic eggs
2 medium ripe bananas
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 tablespoons coconut flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or use a preseasoned silicone muffin pan.

Place all ingredients into a food processor fitted with the "s" blade and process until smooth. Scoop batter into muffin cups.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. 
Source: www.nourishingmeals.com

Eating healthy does not mean you must live a life of food goodness deprevation. It is about learning to make choices that improve your body's movement and physical well being.  And yes, it may require a few experiments in the kitchen ....as an example, as I finish up this post I am enjoying a piece of almond cake made with almond flour (my very favorite gluten free flour), eggs and raw stevia.  It's good, but not perfected. I will be tweaking and sharing that as well in the future. 

My wish for you is that you feel great, look great and live great!
Rita

Amazing "CLEAN" & Detox Friendly Pancakes!!

Can you believe it? Pancakes that are actually GOOD for you, do not contribute to inflammation, insulin spikes, and even taste good?  It doesn't seem plausible, but these moist and flavorful pancakes were an absolute HIT with my family this weekend.  I found Teff  and tapioca flour at Willy Street Co-op.  Probably at Woodmans and Whole Foods as well. I think I need to start petitioning Costco to carry these items - actually, I would love for Costco to have an entire section of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free products. I met someone tonight at the WWE meeting that might be able to help with that.
I made two changes to the original recipe, which originates from my favorite detox friendly recipe site: www.NourishingMeals.com   I used plain almond milk and we didn't have applesauce.  I don;t recall that I substituted additional moisture for the missing applesauce, but perhaps I did add a squirt of water.  I will pay more attention next time.  I also used agave nectar - 1T. in place of the high glycemic maple syrup.

Instead of syrup I pureed raspberries and strawberries to use as a topping, however, the pancakes were SO moist and cinnamon-ee that they could have stood alone as a delicious breakfast roll up.  Had I had the applesauce I know they would have not needed anything else for certain. I cut the recipe in half which made 7 pancakes total.

Because Teff is a grass (originates in northern Africa) and the flour is made from the grass seed - I feel this could be considered a Paleo recipe. Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are allowed for Paleo diets, right?  Same with qunioa - considered a seed and not a grain, from what I have read, although I hear Paleo enthusiasts debate this topic.  Teff flour and quinoa are both gluten free, of course, and staples in our pantry.

The following is direct from Nourshing Meals. If you are vegan and want to make the pancakes egg free, explore the website for Teff Banana Pancakes - on our list to try soon as well. You can get a great cookbook from the authors of Nourishing Meals, too.

Apple-Cinnamon Teff Pancakes

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups dark brown Teff flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2 teaspoons baking powder*

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

2 cups non-dairy milk (we used plain unsweetened almond)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 large organic eggs

3 tablespoons melted virgin coconut oil

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (Grade B) (we used 1 T. agave nectar)

Begin to heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. (You may need to adjust the temp for cooking). Melt the coconut oil in skillet while mixing the dry ingredients. Measure it after it as melted.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients. Whisk together well.

Make sure your pan still has a little coconut oil on the bottom (just a little). Use a 1/2 cup measure to pour the batter into the pan. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds on one side, then flip and cook for 30 to 60 seconds on the second side. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of oil in between pancakes. Adjust the cooking temp as needed.

I am looking forward to making these pancakes again soon, and I hope to have the unsweetened applesauce in our pantry. Quite honestly, if  my children had not been sleeping I would have simply processed some applesauce from scratch real quick using Granny Smith apples on hand. Then I would have the freshest, most yummy minimal ingredient sauce, and have some set aside for a topping as well.  Doesn't that sound mouth watering to you? It does to me!

I encourage you to give these pancakes a try and let me know what you think. I was asked about my pantry and the types of flours and such that I have in it. At some point I will write about that topic, but I am still learning and stocking.  I know I don't want to have 20 types of exotic flours so I am playing with recipes and substituting, so that I can bake and cook gluten free from ten or less basic ingredients.

Oh...and I have to share... I came home from my meeting tonight to an amazing smell in the kitchen. Our 15 yr old son had baked some gluten-free muffins while I was gone using another recipe I had found.  It uses almond butter as a base. I snitched a bit off the top of one (they raised beautifully!) and all I can say is YUMMY!!!  I should get to bed so I can get up early enough to photograph a muffin before I eat it. (LOL)  When I remake the Teff pancakes I will photograph them as well and add it to this post. 

May you feel great, look great, live great!

Rita S.

Turn Up the Heat for Turnips!

Edible Madison magazine, a freebie I find at the local coffeehouse, is usually good for an interesting new recipe or two using sustainably grown ingredients.  I found one recently using turnips that I thought would be worth trying on the 30 day clean eating challenge.  I tweaked it a little, basically increasing portions as 5 turnips came in my package vs. the two the recipe called for.
The original recipe called for butter vs. EVOO and if I were not going dairy free this month I certainly would have used butter! Next time....

I admit, I had never had turnips before. We all agreed that they reminded us of kolarabi, which we have only eaten raw. I will tell you right now the family opinion of this recipe. I thought they were good. My husband said it was VERY good. Our 15 year old son, who eats more healthy than any teenage boy I know, said they were alright, but he wouldn't beg me to make them again. Our 10 year, more picky child, gave the turnips 2 thumbs down and would not any more after one bite. I will say that she says this about a lot of things first time through, and as we give her the same thing to try another day - in all likelihood she will eat it.  When we first gave her the children's AB chewable vitamins she didn't want anything to do with them. Afterall, she had been accustomed to the toxic gummy vitamins - made with real juice (of course), and a whole lotta other things I would never serve my children now.  I offered the all natural kid's chew again - flavored with real cherries, nothing artificial and not loaded with sugar or fructose or high fructose corn syrup, and she decided they were okay. Months later she commented that the vitamins were the best vitamins ever. It is all a matter of tastebuds adapting to new flavors - and it is especially difficult if our tastebuds are addicted to sugar. Maybe one day she will not turn up her nose at my glazed turnips!

Ginger & Orange Glazed Turnips

5 medium turnips peeled andcut into wedges or slice semi-thin

2 T EVOO sprinkled with turmeric spice, or use coconut oil

1 inch piece of ginger, grated

5 large cloves garlic, minced
Celtic sea salt, medium coarse grind
Freshly ground black pepper

4 Mandarin oranges, juiced plus save a little zest

Directions
In a medium cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet, warm oil over medium heat and sprinkle with turmeric spice to prevent the EVOO from oxidizing. This also releases the anti-oxidant cumin and makes the cumin bio-available for your body. Add turnips and season with salt and pepper. Saute over medium low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occassionally until turnips just start to caramelize. Add ginger and garlic, and saute for another cuople of minutes, stirring frequently. 

Meanwhile use a lemon juicer to sqeeze your mandarin oranges!  The original recipe called for oranges, but seeing as we had a bag of mandarins I discovered how easily they juiced in my lemon press - walah!!!!  Juice in seconds!  Add orange juice and increase heat to medium. Cook until liquid is evaporated to a glaze, another 3-4 minutes. Stir in orange zest, test for salt and pepper, and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Original recipe from Edible Madison Magazine -Winter 2012

Turnips are loaded with vitamin C with cancer-fighting phytonutrients. Chinese medicine maintains that turnips help to cleanse the blood and increase energy flow.  They can help break up mucus and treat bronchitis - wish I had known that when our son had bronchitis in November. The greens from turnips are a nutritional powerhouse, rivaling that of kale, chard and watercress in levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants phytonurients.

I just learned in the article that there are gold and scarlet varieties that are more mild in flavor than the more common white/purple.

.
From a dietary standpoint, turnips turn out less starch than a potato, and I found they have a lower glycemic index than many root vegetables. On that note - not all potatoes are alike, with fingerling potatoes having less starch and a less GI than their Yukon Gold cousins.  Who knew?!

So if you are looking for an alternative to potatoes or you want to try a new vegetable - give turnips a try! If you can find them with the greens still on you can juice the greens for a nutritious dose of energy.

To your health,
Rita S.

Heated Protein Dangers and Colon Cancer

An article on Dr. Joe Mercola's website today is QUITE the eye opener - and I feel very important, possibly life saving and a must to share.  It almost makes me want to become completely vegetarian, and never eat cooked meat again. I am glad we have reduced our meat consumption, and I now realize the importance of COLD-PROCESSED protein powders as well as consuming the required daily minimum of fiber each day. We're told 25 mg., but for colon cancer prevention 30-50 is a greater preventative measure. A year or so ago I created a post specifically geared towards colon cancer prevention and need for much fiber in the diet, of which most Americans do not intake.
The main focus of the article below talks about what happens to proteins when exposed to heat. My particular interest was regarding protein isolates found in protein shakes - as the majority of brands found in the market are heat processed. Proteins that are already an acidic base become even more so when exposed to heat in processing.

Article: The Innocent Cooking Mistake that Could Cause Cancer
Excerpted conclusions from the article are below (link is below the points for the entire article)

-Avoid eating roasted or fried proteins and melted cheese – yes, this includes grilled meat or fish, fried chicken, roast beef, barbeque, and pizza. To be on the safe side, avoid all kinds of carmelized sugar, toasted starch and roasted nuts.

-If you still choose to eat grilled, roasted or fried food, try cutting off the burned or browned outer layer part.

-Time under heat is a crucial factor. Short pasteurization is safer than long pasteurization – the longer a protein is heated the more degraded and toxic it gets.

-Make sure your protein product does not include thermolyzed casein – which has shown to be the most carcinogenic among all other thermolyzed food.

-You can still enjoy eating most of your protein foods warm if you cook them in a broth. This will limit the cooking temperature to a 100º Celsius threshold, which has shown to be quite safe and presents minimum health risk. Cooking, stewing or poaching fish, meat or eggs in a broth can be your alternative to frying, grilling or roasting. But note that cheese must be eaten raw. Heating destroys fragile peptides and amino acids in cheese so to be on the safe side, avoid all kinds of pizzas and melted cheese treats.

-Avoid protein powders which are exposed to ultra heat or heat/acid treatment. These often include protein isolates such as casein and whey isolates as well as soy, hemp and rice protein isolates.

-Avoid whey proteins derived from ultra pasteurized milk. If the whey manufacturer fails to provide you with a certificate of conformity (CoC) which clearly declares that their whey is manufactured from raw milk, then most likely the product is ultra pasteurized.

-Increase your fiber consumption particularly in your protein meals. Note that protein supplements formulated with digestive resistant fiber are more digestible, and safer.

This entire article can be found here. If colon cancer in particular is of concern in your family - it is very important to read. I feel strongly that we can only make better choices for our health when we read and educate ourselves, as this is not information the "meat industry", for example, is going to publicize.
I have to admit, for quite some time, having friends who are paleo eaters, I have wondered how much meat is comprised in the paleo diet versus vegetables and fruits.  Is it 20% protein, 75% produce and 5% fats (random figures thrown out), or is the meat protein to vegetables and fruit ratio more like 50/50?
I wonder about this primarily out of concern, since it is becoming well known that cancer thrives in an acidic body, and cannot survive in a body that is properly pH balanced.  Meat is low on the pH scale, meaning it is acidic. Whereas vegetables are alkaline based, with a pH higher than the neutral point of +/-7.
Processed meats, in particular, are unhealthy. Certainly a steak from a grass-fed beef animal or free-range chickens should be the meat of choice if one is concerned for cancer prevention or wish for aging in good health.
Dr. Russel Blaylock devoted two consecutive newsletters to the link between "iron toxicity" and cancer - which is becoming more evident.  As Americans, in particular, he states we eat too much meat. As an example, we should consume no more than 8 OUNCES of red meat per week. The week I read that two days later we were out for dinner, and I was having a 12 oz organic rib-eye. Glad for it to be from grass-fed animal, but it was more than my entire week's allowance at one setting, per Blaylock. Of course, I split it and took home a box of food as I always split my meals when we eat out at the start of the meal, so I am not tempted to overeat.  Ever since learning of iron toxicity it has caused me to be concerned about those important to me, that seem to really enjoy an abundance of meat consumption.
Vegetable protein is much easier to digest than animal meat, and therefore does not tax our body's proper functioning in the same manner.  As I alluded to at the start of today's post - I am not a vegetarian, although my lifestyle food choices probably includes about 15% meat, 50% vegetables, 10% fruits, 15%  gluten-free grains such as brown rice and quinoa, and the balance in good fats such as coconut oil and Extra Virgin Olive oil and nuts.
I'm not going to invest in a paleo cookbook - so for those of you who have and are - please do comment and clue me in on your diet and the meat to vegetable/fruit ratio.  I have concern, but perhaps it is unfounded. My perception may be more of what I feel I am seeing at a gathering vs. what the true paleo enthusiast consumes on a daily basis.

To your health, 
Rita S.

Clean Cowboy Caviar & Gluten Reaction

We just returned from our annual family reunion. It is January 5 and day 4 of our 30 Day Clean/Healthy eating challenge.  Typically the reunion has always been held January 1, which would have worked very well for us. However, a vote moved it to the first Saturday in January. I would like to go back to January 1 as I know that come January 2 we will probably be ringing in the new year with healthy eating to detox from not so good choices for the holiday season.

Fortunately my two sisters are detoxing with my husband and I, so we had a couple of healthy choices from which to choose, although it was hard to resist the holiday fudge, cookies, cakes and pies. My husband asked if he could skip this day, and I said "what? no way!" Gosh, am I a touch team coach or what? Sorry, honey.

I had taken my Asian slaw (recipe found in this blog), one sister brought turkey/quinoa chili, and another brought baked beans - of which I hope were detox friendly, I should have asked what was in it! We did well, and held fast to our cleanse.

On the way to our reunion I was inspired by another member on my team. It is day 4 and she has lost 5 lbs. and  her pants are already loose.  She has been eliminating all the allergenic foods, and was doing very well until last night...when they went to a fish fry. (It is Wisconsin on a Friday night for many.)  The fish was lightly breaded, and she thought a little wouldn't hurt, right?  So she at it.

This morning she awoke with swollen fingers, ankles that could barely bend, and stomach bloating. Have you figured it out? She was having a gluten reaction. Her body became immediately inflamed - gluten is not her friend and as a sufferer of fibromyalgia, it is one ingredient I have repeatedly urged her to give up for good. She had been feeling great for several days, but not this day as she awoke to pain. 

Her reaction to gluten has reaffirmed her resolve to folllow the 30 Day Arbonne Healthy Living plan for the entire 30 days. She also has a wedding coming up this year - and she is looking forward to looking great and feeling great as the mother of the bride.

As we noticed the limited foods on the buffet table, I was inspired by my friend's pretty immediate results, and decided to come home and make a detox friendly salad often served as a party dip or appetizer. I had all the ingredients from last weekend.  A tip on keeping your fresh herbs, such as cilantro, fresh - place them in your refrigerator in a glass with water.  I pulled my week old cilantro from the refrigerator and it was perfectly fresh - love this!

CLEAN COWBOY CAVIAR
(Use organic/fresh ingredients when available.)
Ingredients
2 (14.5 ounce) cans organic black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup organic white corn (can be frozen, thawed)
4 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
1 bunch green onions, greens only (use scissors to snip 1/8-1/4" pieces

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped finely

1 red sweet bell pepper

1 lime, juiced
Chipotle Seasoning by Pampered Chef

2 ripe, but firm avocados, diced (add just before serving)

1 cup detox friendly Italian homemade seasoning

Detox Friendly Italian Dressing

1/4 cup organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

3 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp. Hermamare seasoning

1/4 tsp. celery seed

Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Rinse and drain the black beans, and corn if needed. Add to a large bowl. Dice the tomatoes, pepper, making sure the seeds and insides are removed. You want to do this to make sure that there isn’t too much liquid. Add the diced tomatoes and cilantro to the bowl. Slice the green onions finely (or use purple onion as a substitute) and add to the bowl. Tip: use a scissors.

Sprinkle generously with Chipotle seasoning to taste for a little zip, or use a diced jalapeno pepper if desired.

Add the Italian dressing and stir to coat all the ingredients. Add pepper to taste. (Herbamare seasoning contains sea salt.) Chill in the refrigerator until cold and flavors have marinated together. This is best served the same day as prepared. 

Before serving....dice the avocados and squeeze a little of the lime juice over the avocados so they don’t brown as quickly. Squeeze the rest of the lime juice into the bowl. 

Serve with homemade sweet potato chips or organic, GMO free corn chips, such as Xochitl brand.

This gluten free salad or appetizer is certain to become a favorite. It is great as a side salad along with grilled chicken breast and brown rice, or on top a bed of greens with diced, grilled chicken - very filling and satisfying - a delight for the tastebuds!

To your health!

Rita S.

Grocery Shopping for a Healthy Lifestyle

Today was shopping day to prepare for the January 2 start of the ARBONNE HEALTHY LIVING 30 DAY CHALLENGE.  My friend Stacy and I went together, starting at Costco and getting a few more items at Copps in Middleton, where they have a great selection of organic product, bulk nuts, and some items best purchased in smaller quantities.  Now, I will say - if you shop with a friend and split the bulk sized food purchases at Costco - you can save a ton on your grocery bill.
I am often told, "I can't afford to shop organic", which I completely understand. If one is wanting to make a serious lifestyle change - start small and work your way to making smarter choices. Purchasing non-organic vegetables is a whole lot better than buying a box of Cream of Wheat...if you get my drift.  Make COLORFUL foods a minimum of 50% of your diet, and by diet - I am not referring to a temporary choice of foods chosen for short term weight loss, but a long term lifestyle of food choice.
Eating HEALTHY is about making exchanges.  Processed foods cost A LOT of money - don't kid yourself. As I recall, a family sized bag of Ruffles potato chips cost $5.99.  What kind of dense nutrition comes from a bag of chips? Be honest.  NONE. Sorry, you can't get away with calling potato chips a vegetable. I won't even go into all the ingredients that make chips a none pro-active health choice. As a comparison, for $4.29 you can get a bag of about 36+ mini bell peppers (red, orange, yellow). Consider that bell peppers are "a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta  carotene, and folic acid.  Bell  peppers also contain a large  amount of phytochemicals that  have exceptional antioxidant activity." To learn more about the benefits of bell peppers and other foods, check out EveryNutrient.com

For the 30 Day challenge, those participating in the "ALL IN" level are cutting out GLUTEN/WHEAT, DAIRY, SOY, SUGAR, ALCOHOL, VINEGAR (unless Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar containing "the mother"), CAFFEINE (coffee/soda/tea).  Gluten-free products are becoming easier to find, in large part due to many people developing gluten intolerance and/or Celiac's disease later in life - which often comes from a lifetime of gluten build-up in the gut. The majority of the population have no idea that their aches, pains, and symptoms chalked up to "getting old" are 100% diet related.  Which is why so many of us, including my husband and I, are eating clean for 30 days to learn and be tuned in to our bodies and how they feel without such foods.
So what can we eat when all of that "stuff" is removed from one's diet, you may ask? Plenty - as you can see - we certainly don't starve! It is simply about exchanging a habit of buying foods that don't serve you to those that do.  At one of the Arbonne detox classes a quote I love is "food is either fuel for your body or toxic for your body". If you are new to the challenge perhaps you should put that quote on your refrigerator so when you are tempted you are reminded that you are either going to choose a low octane fuel that makes "your engine" sluggish, or you are going to choose a high octane, clean fuel that is going to make you perform at and feel your best. Aches and pains are NOT a part of growing old, but are a part of poor nutrition choices.  
Let me share some GOOD and not so good choices on my shopping receipt today. First, the not so good. To help illustrate - I circled in RED foods that are not a part of the 30 Day clean eating program, but they are foods that our children eat. On the list that include gluten are the biscotti, 8 grain whole grain bread, and possibly the Aussie Bites. Aussie Bites are great little snacks made from whole grains such as oats, rolled oats, dried fruits, flax seed and such. Our 10 yr. old is nuts about Aussie Bites. They are not labeled as gluten-free and I suspect that comes from the whole grain and rolled oats. Also, you may notice a few "toxic" foods - a bottle of German Riesling for New Year's Eve - alcohol is a triple strike in that it is not only alcohol, but it's high in sugar and something else that is not allowed in the clean eating program.  I also succumbed to the taste testing of Smoked Gouda Cheese today at Costco - which is THE cheese of choice for special occasions, and I figured we could ring in the new year with a bit of dairy before we go bovine by-product free.
In blue on my receipt are non-food items, to help you differentiate. Bulk paper goods cost a bit up front, and make my grocery bill look deceptively large. All said and done - my healthy living grocery spree cost under $125 and this will feed our family of four for 1-2 weeks, plus three of us will enjoy an Arbonne protein shake once a day as a meal replacement.

First timers to my Costco grocery cart today is a gluten free quinoa based pasta! I do plan to contact the manufacturer as it does contain corn flour, and I am concerned that it might be GMO grown corn. To the right you can see a meal (or two) I plan to make - gluten free pasta with mushroom and chicken marinara sauce - which I will post when I create in the kitchen.  
I was THRILLED that Costco listened to my, and many others I am sure, suggestion to carry organic coconut oil in the store. I was SO EXCITED when this appeared right before Christmas. I "sold" a couple of containers to others today who asked me what to do with it. (That could be another post in of itself.) And bricks of SEAWEED! Yep, you heard right. Stacy and I saw that and wondered what in the world.... Dehydrated and salted with sea salt. The box shows that you can add it as garnish to soup and a few other things, but we tracked down some folks who had it in their cart and asked.  (We met up by the coconut oil.)  When I asked how it tasted this couple apparently loves to snack on the seaweed as one would chips - and it is very similar to the kale chips one can make at home pretty easily with olive oil and sea salt. I know that seaweed has many nutritional benefits, so into my cart it went. I will let you know what I think! Come on over for New Year's Eve for games. German Riesling and seaweed chips! We know how to live it up in our household! (LOL)
Staples in my clean eating shopping cart include organic quinoa pasta $6.69, Crunchmaster gluten-free crackers (safflower oil is my only concern with this product as it is probably a hydrogenated omega 6 oil) $7.49,  vinegar free marinara sauce $8.24 (less 2.25 coupon for a 2 pk), black beans $5.59 (8 cans), organic agave nectar $9/99/2, gluten-free and hormone-free chicken tenderloins 18.96/6 pkgs, AmyLu brand gluten free chicken sausages $13.99/3 pks of 6, and a variety from the produce section. Today I found pre-cooked grilled chicken strips under the Kirkland brand, offered by Foster Farms.  Foster Farms used to offer a large bag of pre-cooked chicken in the freezer section and I was crushed when the item was discontinued. I could not beat the convenience of grabbing a little pre-cooked chicken for my daily spinach salad. I am happy to report I found it in a two-pack for $9.99, which is super convenient for those of you who live alone.
The large tub of organic mixed baby greens will last my family about one week. This is something we need to purchase weekly for $4.49 a container.  I plan to eat a salad for lunch each day with a homemade dressing. We had quite a bit of produce already at home and I held off on buying too much more as our frig is not that empty. 
After Costco Stacy and I went over to Copp's for a few limes, green onions and smaller amounts of produce for the Cowboy Caviar I plan to make for New Year's Eve. I also needed some turnips for a ginger-glazed turnip recipe I found, which I will be sure to share as well.  You can see the mushrooms in the photo above - baby portabellas.  Stacy and I split a container of these from her grocery bill as mushrooms have a short shelf life. It is best to store them in a container that allows air movement and do not rinse or wash before storing. In addition to the marinara sauce I am looking forward to making my superb dairy free Mushroom Bisque that I made last year, and it truly rivaled anything I have ever enjoyed before. For the gentleman I met at Copps, should you visit my blog here is a link to my Mushroom Soup recipe. Enjoy!

To your health,
Rita S.