Nightshades - Harmfully Edible?

By:  Maria

The picture above depicts an incredibly healthy assortment of vegetables...right??

What could possibly be wrong with fresh tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, and potatoes?!

Perhaps nothing...IF you are in pristine health.  On the other hand, if you are personally familiar with or suffer from arthritis, tendinitis, bursitis, periodontitis, allergies, gout, inflammatory bowel disease and any inflammatory condition, these seemingly innocuous vegetables called Nightshades, are probably causing you more problems than you realize.

Nightshades, which include tomatoes, potatoes (not sweet potatoes), peppers (bell, chili, habanero, jalapeno) contain high levels of toxic alkaloids such as solanine (a compound that is known to cause stiffness in muscles and joints) and tomatine (compound similar to solanine, that causes a huge immune response due to damage to cells).  These alkaloids are the major culprit in the immune responses mentioned above - most especially arthritis.

Another unknown fact about Nightshades is the nicotine content (yes, n-i-c-o-t-i-n-e). Tomatoes and eggplants having the highest amount - just under tobacco.  Although there is not a dispute on nicotine content in nightshades, there are differing opinions on the actual levels.  However, for a person that has sensitivities to those alkaloids and, subsequently, dealing with health issues mentioned above, the exact amount makes no difference, since even the slightest amount has an impact on an already affected immune system.  Nicotine compromises our body's ability to heal wounds - if you have an already compromised health issue, exposure to nightshades will keep the immune system chronically deficient.  Here's another thought-provoking bit of info - for folks that are trying to quit smoking, it is suggested that nightshades are eliminated from the diet so as to exclude all nicotine exposure!

Interestingly enough, if nightshades were to be introduced in our food market at present time, those foods would not be allowed or approved due to nicotine levels.


Some other members of the nightshade family include goji berries, gooseberries cayenne and paprika.


Are ALL people affected by nightshades?  Probably not, but I have read enough and seen some rather remarkable changes that lead me to believe that if someone is affected by inflammation and the immune responses mentioned above, it would be wise to eliminate nightshades from the diet completely for 30 days and then re-evaluate your condition and level of symptoms. It is advisable to re-introduce one nightshade at a time in order to keep track of any sensitivity (i.e., re-introduce tomatoes, wait 3-4 days and, if no symptoms arise, move on to the next nightshade.  If you have a reaction/recurrence of symptoms, you will at least know which nightshade to avoid).


At worst, you will miss eating some tasty vegetables (salsa anyone?).  At best, you could have a drastic reduction or elimination of pain/symptoms and living a better quality of life.  In my book, the 30 days would be well worth it.

Read here and here for further information on arthritis and nightshades.

Muffin Mania

By:  Maria

I have to admit, I have been on a "muffin" kick lately. And before you start wondering, I"m not talking about the type of muffins that send your insulin levels through the roof - do you really want to eat 650+ sugar-preservatives-additives-heart-disease-causing calories in one muffin?!

Ok, so I am in no way suggesting you need to count - gasp! - calories when you're eating nutritionally clean and dense, sugar/additive/preservative/industrial oil-free. But when you're eating the opposite...you better realize exactly the amount of empty calories you're consuming.

But I digress....

Why the muffin kick??

Easy!  Because there are SO many variety of muffin-sized meals that pack a huge nutritional punch in a small amount of neatly encapsulated space. Try to think outside the conventional box when it comes to cooking your meals. I have experimented with several meals - some turned out to be mouth-watering marvels that were pleasing to the eye and satisfying to the taste buds, and some were complete and utter failures in terms of aesthetics but since I am fortunate to have an I-don't-care-what-it-looks-like-just-feed-me kinda hubby, it made no difference since it still tasted like meatloaf (yes, meatloaf muffins - brilliant idea, eh?)

This unpretentious bundle is deliciously simple and you can add or delete as many ingredients that suit your taste buds.

Ingredients

3 tblsp ghee or coconut oil (hint: future post...organic, grass fed ghee is outstanding!)

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced

8 oz. baby spinach (rinse, rinse, rinse!)

8 eggs

1/4 cup coconut milk (preferably w/o guar gum)

2 Tbs. coconut flour

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved (fresh out of the garden or farmer's market - you will NOT regret that!)

6 ounces of Prosciutto (di Parma is awesome - get good quality and make sure to have them slice it paper thin!)

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 and prepare 12 large muffin cups by brushing them with coconut oil or ghee. I like to use my stoneware for muffin meals.

Finely dice mushrooms (I poured mine in the food processor, 3-4 pulses did the trick!)

Saute onions (again - finely diced in food processor - fast!) until they are translucent

Add mushrooms and garlic to onions and continue cooking until all moisture from mushrooms is gone - season with salt and pepper to taste

Meanwhile, line your muffin cups with thinly sliced prosciutto, making sure you cover bottoms and sides

For filling; whisk eggs until well beaten, add mushroom mixture, coconut milk, coconut flour, and spinach and gently mix until thoroughly combined. Pour evenly into 12 muffin cups and top with a few slices of cherry tomatoes

Bake for 20 minutes (keep an eye on them towards the end so they don't burn)

Stay tuned for a future muffin recipe that will fuel your endurance workouts/events lasting over 2 hours.

This summer, I completed 3 grueling running/biking events that lasted 2-4 hours with mini muffins for fuel and simply water for hydration that worked beautifully without the all-too-common GI issues one often experiences with GU's and sports drinks.

Salad Dressings

By: Maria

One of my - many - irritations with salad dressing companies that try to sell their so-called "healthy" or "organic" products, is that the ingredients do not live up to their claims.  Some of these brands have ingredients like:

Soybean or Canola Oil (yikes!), Sugar (1st ingredient in some brands!!), Corn Syrup, Xanthan Gum and Guar Gum (don't even go there!), High Fructose Corn Syrup (puhleease!), Defatted Soy Flour (what on earth?!).

If I can't purchase those ingredients from the farmer's market or, at the very least, at a grocery store, I sure as heck do not want to be putting them into my body.

Ok, ok....so we know store-bought salad dressings are SO convenient and we can at least find a dressing that is the best of the worst - right?!

Sure!  You can put your health on the lower list of priority by giving it second or third best option. Really?  Would you do the same when choosing a surgeon or, on the vain side - a hairdresser? Is your health really that frivolous?  I hope the answer is not just "no", but "NO!!".

Fortunately, you have options!

Making your own salad dressing with REAL ingredients you can pronounce and understand is at your fingertips.  You can make one or a couple to have on hand.  Keep them stored in a container or - better yet - a salad dressing dispenser and you're set!  Here's the best part:  the ingredients - especially the oils - can actually make some of the nutrients in your salad, particularly the fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, more accessible to your body. Substitute olive oil with walnut, avocado, almond, or hazelnut oil for a change in flavor.

 Pour it on!

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 crushed clove of garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp Dijon mustard, optional

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pour ingredients in a jar with a tightly fitted lid and shake vigorously until blended.

Lemon Vinaigrette

3 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, optional

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put ingredients in food processor and blend.

Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette

1 Lemon Vinaigrette recipe

4 oz fresh tomatoes (any type)

1 garlic clove - crushed

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add remainder of ingredients to Lemon Vinaigrette in a food processor and blend.

Rosemary Orange Vinaigrette

1 Lemon Vinaigrette recipe

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

1 tsp chopped rosemary

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add remainder of ingredients to Lemon Vinaigrette in a food processor and blend. Allowing this one to sit overnight will only enhance flavors.

Avocado Oil Vinaigrette

3/4 c avocado oil

1/4 c coconut vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp coconut amino's

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Put ingredients in food processor and blend.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

School Lunches - Pass or Fail?

By:  Maria

It's that time again - getting kids up early, fed, organized and off to school before 8am. Perhaps I am in the minority (hopefully not!), but I absolutely cherish the time I have with my kiddos during summer and holiday breaks. We have days and days of leisurely schedules, late-night talks, lazy breakfasts (or brunch, depending just how leisurely we take the morning...hey, it's summer!) and good times.

Now, however, the time is upon us to get serious about life again and serious about feeding our children brain food - the type of food that will nourish their bodies and mind for the rigors of school and after-school sports.

For some of you, this will be a new adventure - eating for your health instead of mindless eating - and you may be filled with lots of questions (contact me with those questions!) and for some of you, it will be a quick reminder that although you have changed the way you eat over the summer, it's now time to think of your children as well! We search for the best for our children when it comes to many of aspects of their lives, but how much time and effort do we put into the most important aspect of their life - the food we provide them for optimal health??

It's easier than you think to provide nourishing and complete lunches for them without needing to resort to the school lunches that are loaded with additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings, trans-fats, excess sodium and sugars that contribute to serious health implications like obesity and diabetes.

They are completely at your mercy!

Some basics/examples for school lunches (or your take-to-work lunches!):

1. Protein -(necessary for muscle/tissue growth and repair and brain nourishing!)

chicken, beef, eggs, salmon, tuna

2. Carbohydrates - (we're not talking about breads, pastas, potatoes that are pro-inflammatory and insulin inducing, these are nutrient-dense carbs in the form of veggies and fruit.  Didn't know that?  Yep, double even triple the amount of nutrients found in these carbs!)

carrot sticks, broccoli, cucumber, tomatoes, apples, bananas, oranges, berries

3. Healthy Fats (disregard the ridiculous low-fat recommendations unless we're talking about unhealthy fats...but we're not. Children need healthy sources of fat for brain growth and function, sustained energy, and nutrient absorption.)

avocado/guacamole, nuts like macadamia, coconut products(unsweetened), olive oil

When packing a lunch, pick one from each macronutrient above and you have a complete and balanced meal that will be building blocks of health for the rest of their lives.

Pack the lunch - or better yet, have THEM pack their lunch, the night before. It will eliminate rushing and choosing convenience foods that are filled with empty calories and do not sustain energy levels.

Pick some cool compartment lunch boxes that the kids will want to fill up like the one here and here. Or, if you are on a budget, you can find compartment containers at Walmart, Target or even your grocery store!

Below are some pictures to give you some lunch ideas from our past lunches.

chicken, broccoli, applesauce, blueberries, broccoli, tomatoes, nuts/seeds

"deviled" eggs, jicama, apples, nutty "cereal"

leftover spaghetti squash with ground beef sauce, snap peas, sweet potato mash w/ raisins and cinnamon

hard boiled eggs, banana, asparagus, shredded coconut pudding

leftover roast beef, carrots, egg/banana bread (gluten/sugar/grain free)

photos - everydaypaleo/primalkitchen

Tap vs Bottle

By:  Maria

Where do you get most of your water - tap or bottled?

Do you remember a time when water was actually, well, FREE??

Nowadays, bottled water is everywhere - schools, offices, airports, restaurants, home.  It's convenient, portable and most definitely healthier than sport drinks as seen in this commercial.

Healthier than sports drinks, yes, but healthier than tap water?

Bottled Water Source:

Most brands of bottled water will portray their water coming from a clean stream of water or a waterfall situated in a pristine, green mountain landscape, making us think that the water is the purest form of drinking water.

Did you know, many of those come directly from a municipal supply that has been treated, purified and sold to us at  an astronomical increase in price?  The same water that you can get - virtually free - from your tap!

Aquafina, Nestle Pure Life and Dasani are a few that have all acknowledged -whether on the bottle or on their website - that their water comes from a public water source (yep....same source that comes out of your tap).

Commercials, labels and other marketing tools can be misleading at best and downright deceptive at worst. For example, in one notorious case, water came from a well in an industrial facility's parking lot,  which was near a hazardous waste dump repeatedly contaminated with industrial chemicals.  This water was sold to many well known bottlers. At least one of these companies labeled its product "spring water." In another case, H2O sold as "pure glacier water" came from a public water system in Alaska.  Unfortunately, bottlers are not required - yet - to reveal the water source on their label.  Essentially, most people are paying for glorified tap water.

Read this for a quick look at cost.

The Problem with Plastic:

By now, we all know at least a little bit about BPA's in our plastics and the dangers that lie therein.  If not, read a little here.

Another little unknown tidbit is the storage issue when it comes to plastics.  When storing your bottled water in a warm or even hot environment, chemicals can leach into the water.  A plastic water bottle sitting in your warm car will change the chemical balance allowing the materials used in the plastic to be absorbed into the water.

Getting your water from an office water cooler? Be wary - if it's made of polycarbonate, it is potentially leaching BPA's.

Can any consumption of chemicals be good for our health?  We all know the answer to that.

As if temperature control isn't enough of a concern when storing your bottled water,

exposure to other things you keep in the storage area are of concern as well.  Storing your bottled water in the garage, near gas fumes, pesticides and other chemicals can - at the very least - affect the taste and smell of your water!

What Can You Do?

Get to know your tap again.  More than likely, if you are drinking bottled water, it's coming from the same source.  If you want to have portability and convenience, purchase and use a stainless steel water bottle.  If you like to throw money away and absolutely refuse to drink anything other than bottled water, do some research on the specific brand and bottling company in order to be informed about what you are actually drinking.

Pizza Muffins

By:  Maria

Questions: 

1.  Is there an easy recipe that I can make for those quick on-the-go meals?

2.  I travel frequently and want to stop eating airport/airline food.  Is there a recipe you have that translates to portability when traveling in airplane/car?

3.  I have teenage athletes that have big appetites and need a quick snack before hitting their tough workouts, do you have a recipe that is quick and will fuel their energy needs?

Answer: 

Pizza Muffins!

Not only is this recipe amazingly portable; it's easy to make, the variety of ingredients you can add to this are plentiful, which means you can customize these muffins to suit different tastes.  If you double or triple this recipe on the weekend, you and your family have easy-access meals or snacks for the week that can be taken anywhere and will not spoil when taken to a hot football/soccer field for practices.  The best part?  These are chock-full of nutrients without the pro-inflammatory ingredients that are typically found in pizza or muffin recipes.  These are incredibly moist and flavorful!

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp ghee**

2 tblsp coconut milk

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 c almond flour

1/4 chopped chorizo, prosciutto or bacon

1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes (in olive oil)

2 tsp finely chopped onion

1 tblsp fresh basil chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tblsp fresh oregano chopped (or 1 tsp)

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees F

Mix together your eggs, oil, milk, salt, and vanilla

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and spices

Add your flour mixture to your egg mixture and mix until there are no lumps left

Fold in your vegetables and chorizo (or desired meat) 

Pour into cupcake pan

Bake for 15 minutes

Optional:

While your muffins are baking, you can make a quick marinara sauce to serve with them.

In a food processor, blend together tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, rosemary (straight from the garden!), 2-3 garlic cloves and some sea salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into sauce pan, heat to boiling and simmer for 15 minutes on low heat.

Pour sauce over muffins and relish the fresh flavors.

Ghee is basically clarified butter that has had the milk proteins removed, which leaves pure golden butterfat. This is best if it comes from an organic, grass-fed source. It can be used for cooking, baking or melted and spreaded on veggies and used as another healthy fat source. I love Ghee as it imparts a smoky, nutty and rich flavor without the added health issues found in dairy butter. If you make my crackers (http://saluslifestyles.blogspot.com/2011/04/sesame-flax-seed-crackers.html) and spread some ghee on them, you'll worship the ground I walk on.

Leaky Gut? Why Your Diet May Be Destroying Your Gut Health

By:  Maria

How often do you feel bloated or "gassy"?  Have you ever come home after work or a party and immediately changed out of your clothes and into loose sweats because you were uncomfortable from gas or bloating?

I have had clients that tell me they have these symptoms EVERY day! 

And just in case you are wondering - no, that is NOT normal and, in fact, is a sign that you have serious digestive issues correlated with leaky gut syndrome.  It will, eventually, cause some detrimental health issues.

Chronic bloating and gas are a sign of gut lining problems that will disrupt digestive function, but there have also been connections with diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn's, IBS, Celiac and even mood disorders.

When we eat, the food passes via the stomach to the small intestine.  This is where our nutrients - vitamins and minerals - are meant to be absorbed.  With leaky gut, however, most of our nutrients are not absorbed due to micro-perforation of the gut lining.

 Take a look at the diagram above.  The intestine is healthy and allows nutrients to be absorbed and prevents toxins from being released into the bloodstream.

Now take a look at the diagram below.

The gut lining has been compromised (from a chronic assault of pro-inflammatory foods and NSAIDS - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, antibiotics and steroids) and now "leaks" the undigested foods that contain vitamins/minerals which we want to absorb, and toxins and waste are also released into the bloodstream.  Once the toxins and waste products are released, the body senses these "invaders" and the immune system responds by going into full alert mode - inflammation!  (Stay tuned to a future post on the health-altering conditions due to chronic inflammation!)

How do you know if you might be victim to leaky gut?

If you are eating a standard American diet that is high in processed foods, high in refined carbohydrates, gluten, additives, preservatives and chemicals and are dependant on NSAID's; I can almost guarantee that you suffer from some form of leaky gut. 

The good news?  Our bodies do an incredible job of healing itself and much of that healing does not require expensive prescriptions (which have a long list of side effects) or visits to a specialist.  Within one week, your gut can be on it's way to being healed and that healing brings immediate relief.

1. Rid your daily nutrition of suspect foods (processed foods, refined carbs).

2.  Slow down and chew your food thoroughly.  Give your body a chance to digest the food.  When you swallow food that has not been chewed up, your body works twice as hard to digest it.

3.  If gluten-containing foods are part of your daily/weekly nutrition, there's a good chance your gut lining is compromised.  Gluten contains a hardy protein that our body cannot digest.  If it is not digested, it sits and ferments and releases toxins that break down the lining of the gut leading to - yep - leaky gut.  Try eliminating gluten for 2 weeks and see how you feel.  You don't have to have an officially diagnosed sensitivity to gluten to create a leaky-gut environment in your intestines.  Try it - for 2 weeks....you'll see.

Happy healing!

Real Nutrition on a Budget

By:  Maria

"Healthy food is so expensive"

I hear this from time to time and have to agree and disagree. I agree that some foods can be more costly than others, but you would be surprised how well you can eat even if you are trying to stretch that dollar.

I disagree with that general statement because I believe you will either pay for quality food and nutrition now or pay for it later when you are plagued with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid problems, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, acne, autoimmune disorders (shall I continue??) and spending money at frequent doctor visits and medical prescriptions.

Follow these tips to help you eat for better health while staying on a budget:

1. All-organic is NOT always necessary - I won't tell you that choosing organic isn't better for you when it comes to some foods - it is. What I'm telling you is that it's not a necessary component to eating right. If you can do it, great, but don't think all is lost if you purchase non-organic tomatoes.

2. Buy produce that is in season - Buying produce that is in season will not only taste better, but the cost is drastically reduced. Here is a list of produce by the month, so you know what fruits and vegetables to purchase when you are at the grocery store (take the list with you!). Along the same lines, purchase items that are on sale. I rarely purchase produce that are not on sale or in season due to the higher cost.

3. Find a co-op to share with family or friends - Here you will find not only the freshest produce, but it will end up costing less in the long run. If you split the cost with a family member or friend, you can still have a decent amount of produce for half the cost!

4. Make casseroles, soups, stews - These types of meals can have plenty of leftovers and are always easy on the wallet. Make plenty!

5. Buy in bulk - This is always smart with meat, since you can spend a pretty penny if you're purchasing meat in small packages. If you look for bone-in meat that still needs prep, you will save some money as well. Buying whole chickens rather than the chicken breasts/thighs/drumsticks will be MUCH cheaper. Fruits and vegetables are also a bargain when purchased in bulk (or even frozen - yes, quality might be a step down, but we're talking budget here)

6. Don't overlook grass-fed beef - Many people think grass-fed beef is simply out of their budget. I have to agree that if you are purchasing grass-fed products each week at a grocery store, it will be PRICEY! However, if you can find a farmer/rancher and some friends that are willing to share the cost of either a whole cow or down to 1/4 of a cow, the price per pound is about the same as what you would pay for grain-fed at the grocery store (but the health benefits are beyond comparison!). There are several farmers in Utah that have quality, affordable grass-fed products (let me know if you are interested in more info)

7. Plan your meals for the week! - I cannot emphasize enough, how much this can save. Plan a menu for the week, make out a list and shop in one trip. The more organized you are, the better prepared you will be and the more you will stick to your budget.

8. Save bones and vegetable bits for homemade broth - Chicken, beef and pork bones can be frozen and saved to make stock. Pieces of veggies (leafy tops, skins) are also a great addition to flavor homemade stock. If you decide to contact a farmer/rancher for grass-fed beef, make sure to tell them you want the bones! These homemade broths have elicited the best flavors in my soups, stews and casseroles!

Follow those tips and you will soon realize that eating quality, nutrient-dense food does not have to mean breaking the bank.

Happy shopping!