Cholesterol Myths

By:  Maria

The dreaded word: Cholesterol.

It's bad, right? Whenever you hear someone talking of cholesterol, it's typically associated with the words heart disease or atherosclerosis. Bad stuff, which means many people have a negative connotation when it relates to cholesterol.

The truth is cholesterol is vital to normal body function. Produced by the liver, cholesterol exists in the outer layer of every cell in our body. It is crucial in metabolizing fat soluble vitamins and essential in producing important hormones.

Below are some common misconceptions regarding cholesterol that may be surprising to many. But if you do a little digging and a little research, you will learn to look beyond the marketing ploys and become informed on important cholesterol facts.

1. Having high blood cholesterol causes atherosclerosis.

If high cholesterol produces atherosclerosis, then people with high cholesterol should have higher incidences of atherosclerosis than people with low cholesterol, right? Not so. Studies have shown there is no correlation between cholesterol levels in the blood and atherosclerosis in the vessels. Read here and here.

2. Dietary cholesterol impacts blood cholesterol.

If a diet high in animal fat causes a rise in blood cholesterol, why do the Inuit's -Eskimos who eat predominantly seal meat, blubber and fat and almost completely devoid of greens, fruit and fiber - have very low blood cholesterol levels? Or why some tribes in Africa - Samburu & Masai - who eat a couple of pounds of meat and 2 gallons of raw cow's milk daily have lower blood cholesterol than the average American, who consumes halve the amount of animal fat (Samburu's cows are fatter!)? Or shepherds in Somalia, who drink the equivalent of 1 pound of butter fat in camel's milk - about 60% energy from animal fat - still have low blood cholesterol levels.*

3. High cholesterol causes heat attacks.

If that's the case, why is it that most people that have heart attacks, have low cholesterol? Or why do 50% of people that have heart attacks were those that did not fall into the general risk factors for heart attack? Read more here.

Need more? Click here

*Mann GV, Shaffer RD, Sandstead HH. Cardiovascular disease in the Masai. Journal of Atherosclerosis Research

*Bulletin of the World Health Organization

Saba Strawberries and "Cream"

By:  Maria

Nothing is as refreshing as a berry dessert. This one can be made with any berry, but my favorite are strawberries. The secret ingredient, and one that is key to this delectable dessert, is a product called Saba Mitica. Before there was balsamic vinegar, there was Saba. Saba is a grape must reduction, made by cooking grapes and reducing them down to 50%. In the ancient times, Saba was used as a sweetener. These days, Saba is completely versatile and used for salad dressings or even marinades for roasts. However, this one deserves to be used for something tastier - dessert!

Ingredients

Strawberries

Coconut milk

Saba (grape must reduction)**

Cinnamon
Nuts of choice (optional)

Rinse and slice strawberries; place in individual sized bowls. Pour desired amount of coconut milk over strawberries, drizzle with some Saba and sprinkle with some cinnamon and nuts (optional).

**You can purchase Saba Mitica at Caputo's Deli in Salt Lake.

photo courtesy of jensgonepaleo

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

By:  Maria

Pesto.  Who doesn't like the flavors of pesto??  What I don't often like, is the excess of ingredients in the packaged pesto tubs, so I decided to make my own, except I used sun-dried tomatoes rather than letting basil receive all the glory.  Don't get me wrong, I love basil pesto, but since I personally do not consume any dairy, I did not want to use the traditional parmesan that is included in basil pesto.  Without the parmesan, however, the pesto is - to say the least - blah!

I was hoping that using sun-dried tomatoes - which are full of intense flavors - would add a sweetness that would not require unfavorable additions.  This turned out so well, I drop a dollop of this pesto on just about everything I eat - from my scrambled eggs to my roasted chicken.

Ingredients:

1/2 c pine nuts or almonds (I have even used roasted hazelnuts - mmm)

3 cloves garlic

1/2 c sun dried tomatoes (in oil if you can, rehydrate per instructions if dried)

1/4 c fresh parsley

1/2 c fresh basil

1 tsp tomato paste

3/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degree.

Wrap your garlic cloves in a small piece of foil and drizzled some olive oil over them. Wrap tightly and place garlic and pine nuts on baking sheet. Roast for 6-8 minutes or until nicely toasted.  Watch them closely - they will burn easily if not monitored and the flavor will be bitter.

Add roasted pine nuts, garlic and rest of ingredients (except olive oil) into food processor and blend.  As the mixture blends, pour the olive oil slowly, until the mixture is of desired consistency.



Enjoy!

Top 6 Reasons You Haven't Lost Weight

By:  Maria



We've all heard it....

Losing weight equates to simply monitoring "calories in vs calories out". Or, increasing your workout duration and frequency. Right?

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. There are many misconceptions about losing weight and some of the information below may surprise you.

1. Sleep
Probably the most misunderstood cause and effect when dealing with weight loss. Lack of sleep will mess you up in terms of hormones. Specifically cortisol (fat-storing hormone), leptin (the hormone that tells us when to stop eating) and ghrelin (hormone that stimulates appetite). Not enough sleep will cause your body to wake up in a stressed state, leptin and ghrelin receptors will be elevated, triggering an increase in appetite. You will be hungrier, have an increase in cravings and end up snacking needlessly or eating more frequently than necessary.

2. Stress
We're not just talking mental stress; physical stress can be damaging to your health in ways you may not even realize. Chronic levels of stress elevates cortisol (yep - again) which, in turn, creates havoc within our bodies - causing muscle breakdown, insulin resistance and increases in fat deposits. Add on to this the unfortunate fact that many try to fight off stress by increasing exercise, and you set yourself up for a wreaked, broken down system that will, eventually, lead to more serious health issues. We all have stress, learning what works for YOU in terms of  managing that stress, will produce amazing results in your life.


3. Emotional Eating
Just about everyone has been there, done that. You're bored, you're in front of the computer screen or TV, you're stressed, tired, frustrated, upset....I could go on, but the fact is, during most of those times, you really aren't hungry (can you recognize real hunger?), you are simply reacting to a circumstance. When that reaction is a regular part of your life, weight loss is elusive and, as a matter of fact, weight gain is on the doorstep.
Make sure you are getting enough protein and healthy fats in your meals in order to avoid the reaction to circumstance. Keeping those nutrients on the list of priorities in your meals/snacks will balance your hormones and enable you to handle those stresses more efficiently

4. Dairy
For a good number of people, dairy stalls fat loss. Just because you're not "officially" diagnosed as being lactose intolerant or having a dairy allergy, doesn't mean dairy does NOT do your body good. Dairy is insulinogenic, meaning it stimulates insulin secretion in a BIG way. Although many think lactose is the problem, it's not. It's both the protein and carbs combined that cause the insulin load. We're talking milk of all kinds, yogurt, cheese (uh-huh...cottage cheese also), including anything with whey and casein (yep, powders too). Just how bad of an insulin load? Worse than a piece of white bread! In the end, you will have to experiment yourself to see if dairy is causing you problems. Eliminate it for 2-3 weeks and see.

5. You Think You're Eating Healthy, but....
The majority of your food comes from a box, can, bag, package or contains more than 5 ingredients. Your plate is full of carb-loaded, gut irritating noodles, your fridge is full of sugar-ladened yogurts, your cupboards contain processed, 20-ingredient cereals and you eat 1 net-carb "bread" because you think it's healthy. Is this you?  This is not real food and it certainly isn't going to get you any closer to optimal health, as a matter of fact, with each bite of said foods, you are taking steps further from weight loss and taking steps closer to annual weight gain, metabolic syndrome and autoimmune disorders.
Disregard the claims on those packages and boxes - take control of your health and commit yourself to better health.

6. Liquid Calories
Ahhh...the smoothies that are either purchased or made at home, the protein shakes that are consumed every morning because it's the most convenient way to get some protein on the way to work - easy breakfast (right?), or the bottle/mega-jug of soda/fruit juice that sits on your desk at work.  All delicious to sip on and, aside from the soda, seemingly healthy.  Or is it?
If we're talking weight loss and body composition, I have to give a resounding "NO!".
Think about the amount of fruit that goes into a smoothie - some have up to 5-6 servings!  Let's say you make a smoothie at home and put in 1 banana, 1 c berries, 1/2 strawberries and perhaps some juice - would you eat all that fruit in one sitting?? That amount of liquid calories will create a greater insulin load when consumed.  It makes it a heck of a lot easier to over-indulge in fruit when processed into a smoothie.
Protein shakes are essentially a dairy-based liquid protein substitute (remember the talk about dairy??). Now, that's not to say that protein shakes do not have a place in an athlete's diet - it can be very useful - but for most people (especially those that have weight/body composition issues), relying on a daily protein shake in place of real food/real protein will only hinder the weight loss process.
If you have a choice, choose to eat your food rather than drink it.

Kale and Bacon Omelet

By:  Maria

Kale and bacon are a great combination in an omelet.  I prefer using kale over spinach because of the texture - crunchy over soggy - and when paired with the saltiness of bacon, the flavors are delicious. This recipe serves one - double, triple or quadruple as needed!

Ingredients:

a handful of kale leaves, cleaned and cut into small pieces

3 strips of pasture raised, uncured bacon

2 eggs (free range and at room temperature is ideal)

salt and pepper

avocado (optional)

salsa (optional)

Cook bacon, reserving the fat. Once the bacon is cooked and grease is patted off of the meat, crunch bacon into bits. Allow skillet to come back down a little in temperature.

Add kale to bacon fat in skillet (if your bacon comes from a free range pig, your fat source is great), and cook until just tender. you don’t want to over cook this. I also place a lid over kale while cooking - this helps to get it tender without burning. Wait to add salt until kale is finished cooking or it will release too much water.

While kale cooks, beat the eggs and pepper in a small bowl. Heat up large cast iron skillet with a little bacon grease spread on all cooking surfaces of skillet (yep, bacon grease from free range pigs - A-ok). Once skillet is hot, but not smoking, add egg and tilt to coat pan with egg. Allow to cook until center is just cooked and edges are crisped up a little. now is the time to sprinkle with salt if you prefer. Loosen edges, add kale and half the bacon. Top with avocado slices, remainder of bacon and salsa.

What's a Carb?

Most people can give quick examples of what a carb is, right?  Bread, pasta, rice, cereals, potatoes.  It is also quite common to hear talk about avoiding carbs when trying to shed some pounds, right?   What if I told you that I don’t eat bread, pasta, cereal, white potatoes, or any product containing white or whole wheat flour, but eat LOTS of carbs?  Is that possible?

What many people don’t realize is that there are other sources of carbs – the nutrient-dense type that are the powerhouses of carbs.  Fruits and vegetables!

The difference between both groups of carbs, is that the latter (fruits and vegetables) are unprocessed, natural and more nutritionally sound than the starchy, processed forms of carbs.  There is definitely a place for starchy carbs and that’s typically around a tough workout, when your body is more readily willing to use that energy for fuel or recovery (tissue growth and repair) as opposed to stored energy (fat!).   This is especially true for athletes of all ages.  Relying on vegetables and fruits for the bulk of your carb intake, will supply your body with more antioxidants, vitamins, and even fiber (surprise!) than do the breads, pastas, rice, cereals and potatoes.  They are a far superior source of carbohydrate because they do not impact blood sugar to the extent that processed carbs do, they have far fewer calories, they are easier to digest, and they often have more fiber.

Below is an easy recipe to fuel your pre or post workouts.

Sweet Potato Muffins for the Athlete

3 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut oil (you can use olive oil as well)
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 small sweet potato (cooked, or you can used canned, as long as the ingredients are ONLY sweet potatoes…no syrup!)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup coconut or almond flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mix ingredients with whisk or mixer until all ingredients are well mixed. Place equal amount of batter in each cup of a 6-cup muffin pan. (I double this recipe and use a muffin pan with 12 cups)
Preheat oven to 400 and cook for 15 min.

(you can also add some unsweetened dried cranberries!)

Ghee - A Delight for the Tastebuds

What is Ghee?

Ghee is a delicious butter indulgence, without the digestive and health issues that come from regular butter.

Ghee is clarified butter - it is produced by heating butter until the milk solids and water are removed. Separating milk solids from the butterfat, removes lactose and protein (casein) - both being problematic to many. Removing the water translates into a fuller, less-diluted butter flavor. Additionally, removing milk solids and water allows for a higher smoke point, which makes it a great choice for cooking at higher heats (as long as the ghee is of good quality). Ghee contains important fatty acids that can aid in tissue healing and repair and vitamin/mineral absorption.

Ok, so that's the good news, what's the bad news?

Although you can clarify butter yourself at home, the process may seem daunting enough that you probably wouldn't want to try it, which means you should be prepared to pay the price. For those of us more open to adventures in the kitchen, it's an amazing process (look on youtube - try it!). Ghee can be expensive, it's true, but if you treat Ghee as you would...well...a treat, then you will be using it sparingly and enjoying the butter-on-steroids flavor like you wouldn't believe.

Scrambling eggs, sauteing shrimp and even spreading these crackers with delectably nutty-butter-flavored Ghee, is worth it.

Stir-fry veggies anyone?

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

In my opinion, a good quality prosciutto is similar to bacon in that it makes anything taste better.  Wrap it, stuff it, fry it or have it plain - it's delicious.
This one is so easy, it doesn't really require an explanation or even a recipe, but I realize there really are some of you that are meal-planning/cooking challenged and need all the guidance you can get.  No worries.

You can literally do this with any vegetable, trust me, but these are too good to miss.

Ingredients
asparagus spears (tough ends snapped off)
prosciutto (cut each slice into 3 long strips)
salt & pepper (optional)
coconut oil

Take one asparagus spear, wrap tightly with one prosciutto slice.  Repeat with all spears, place on baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt/pepper (prosciutto is salty enough for me that I omit the salt entirely).  Place spears on preheated grill, 5-6 minutes, turning once.

Yea...it's that easy - and if grilling isn't on your easy-as-falling-off-a-log list, then roast them on the baking sheet in a 350 oven for 15 minutes (or broil on high for 5-7 minutes).

These make for great appetizers or side dish.