Good Bacteria Part I

The winter season seems to bring out the germaphobe in many of us.  In some situations and for some small percentage of people (immunocompromised), the concern is legitimate. 

 

We are surrounded by cleaning products touting their efficacy in killing all  types of germs and we see antibacterial hand dispensers everywhere - leading us to believe that bacteria is bad and should be avoided entirely.  In our modern world, we have essentially and effectively pasteurized, irradiated and processed out any naturally occurring and beneficial bacteria. But that's not all!  In the same process, we continue to feed harmful bacteria through a smorgasbord of highly processed and refined starches and sugars!

 

From the time a baby is born, we are encouraged to sanitize their immediate surroundings by wiping everything that will come in contact with them; not allowing what should be the natural exposure to bacteria - good or bad - to strengthen their immune system.  Raising our children with antibacterial soap and wipes in hand will probably do more damage to their gut health than you realize.

 

Truth be told, an abundant colony of good bacteria is crucial when we're talking about our health and we need to shift our focus from avoidance to inclusion.

 

There are trillions of bacteria in your gut; making up 1-3% of your total body mass; and about 70-80% immune cells are located in the same place. 

 

With those numbers, you can see how important it is to begin thinking about how to keep the good bacteria happy and prevent it from becoming depleted.

 

 

So what makes the good bacteria in your gut go bad (dysbiosis)?

• A diet lacking in proper nutrients or an imbalanced diet (i.e., too much sugar/refined carbohydrates)
• Digestion problems caused from intestinal permeability (i.e., leaky gut)
• The use of antibiotics - they have a negative effect on not only bad bacteria, but good bacteria
• The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen - they irritate the upper GI

How do I know if I have an imbalance of good/bad bacteria?

• Acne, rashes or other skin issues
• Joint aches
• Constipation, diarrhea, gas and indigestion
• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and IBD (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis)
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Sugar cravings and cravings for refined carbohydrate foods

 

 

What to do to improve and support good bacteria?

• Eat naturally probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, homemade sauerkraut and other lacto-fermented foods (homemade is always best, as commercially prepared tend to be high in sugars and are pasteurized - killing the beneficial bacteria!)
• Significantly reduce or eliminate sugars and refined carbohydrate foods from your diet - these foods will feed the unhealthy bacteria in your gut
• Eat pre-biotic foods like fruits and vegetables - these foods will help your good bacteria grow
• Use natural soap and water instead of antibacterial products - antibacterial products will kill bacteria - good or bad
• Don't overuse antibiotics - there are certainly cases when antibiotics need to be taken, but with more milder illnesses, where it can simply run its course, choose to skip antibiotics - if you do need to take an antibiotic, make certain you replenish the beneficial bacteria by doing the next step:
• Supplement your diet with a quality probiotic (more on this subject in Part II!)

 

 

Stay tuned for Part II -

Probiotic Supplementation

 

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving - Desserts

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Whether you are forced to be gluten-free due to an allergy or sensitivity, or you choose to be gluten-free for improved health, there's absolutely no reason you shouldn't be enjoying incredibly tasty meals and desserts.

I have prepared complete Thanksgiving meals and not one person could tell it was a gluten-free meal, especially the desserts!

Nut Crusted Pumpkin Pie
serves 8-10

Ingredients

Crust:
2 1/2 c nut of choice (walnuts work well as do macadamia nuts or a combination of nuts!)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tblsp organic butter or ghee. melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In food processor, blend nuts, baking soda and salt until finely ground.  Drizzle in butter and pulse until thoroughly mixed.
Dump into a tart pan and press with your fingers until evenly distributed, including up the sides.
Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. (placing the tart pan on a cookie sheets prevents crust from burning)
Remove from oven, fill with pie filling and put back in oven to bake.

Filling:
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 c canned coconut milk (this does NOT impart a coconut flavor, it makes the baked filling velvety smooth!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
pinch of sea salt
3 tblsp pure maple syrup
1 tblsp arrowroot powder (look in the spice section)
3 eggs, whisked

Mix all ingredients until blended, pour into pre-baked crust. 
Do NOT overfill - you could possibly have extra filling.
Bake for 50 minutes (center of pie should be rather firm and wiggle just a little it when moved around.
Let cool completely prior to cutting.




Pecan Pie Bars
makes 24 bars

Crust:
1 3/4 c blanched almond flour (if you can't find almond flour, you can grind raw almonds in your food processor until finely ground)
1 egg
1 tblsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp arrowroot powder (look in spice isle at grocery store)
1/4 tsp sea salt

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until a dough ball forms.  Line a 10x15 inch glass casserole dish with parchment paper (easy clean-up, no sticking!), press dough evenly throughout the dish and bake 15 minutes.

Filling:
10 pitted dates
2 eggs
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c pecans, chopped

In food processor, combine ingredients and process until smooth.
Pour filling mixture over partially baked crust.
Sprinkle with pecans evenly over the top.
Bake another 25-30 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting.




Apple Crisp
serves 6

Ingredients

5 med apples
1 1/2 c almond flour
1 tblsp cinnamon
3 tblsp raw honey, melted
4 tblsp coconut oil, melted
dash of sea salt
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400
Wash, core and thinly slice apples. (apple corer is nice!)
Layer apple slices closely together in 8x8 baking dish
Squeeze lemon juice over top of apples
In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients until you have crumbly mixture
Spread crumble topping on top of apple slices
Bake for 50 minutes

Gluten Free Thanksgiving

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

The holiday season is upon us and many of us are already scrambling; trying to get our Thanksgiving plans figured out and maybe even stressing about hosting a Thanksgiving meal and feeding a large group of friends and/or family.

For some, the menu planning will remain the same as it has always been year after year.

For others, this year marks the start of a healthier and more creative tradition; a tradition rich in uniquely paired ingredients, teeming with incredible flavors that are sure to please the many different palates you will be serving this Thanksgiving.

When you share a meal with loved ones, you want to present the best culinary skills you possess - right?

It's all about how the dish will look and how the dish will taste; true, but it should also go deeper than that, it should also be about how the dish will impact their health!

I thoroughly enjoy sharing meals with family and friends and I care enough to put emphasis on not just the appearance of the meals or the flavor of the meals, but I also want to make sure the food I am sharing will not contribute to or negatively impact their heart disease, high cholesterol or blood pressure, thyroid dysfunction, hormonal dysregulation, body composition and/or any other health issue that so many are struggling with these days.

This Thanksgiving, why not switch gears and decide to include the same emphasis when sharing your Thanksgiving meal with family and friends?

With a few changes that do not require a ton of effort, you'll not only leave your guests with satisfied belly's, but you'll leave them with belly's that do not ache, cramp or feel bloated (unless, of course, it's because your meal was so delicious, they helped themselves to too many portions!).

Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa Salad
6-8 servings

1 lb Brussels sprouts, stems cut and cut in half
1 c quinoa, cooked
1 c nut of choice (walnut or pecan work great!)
1/2 c pomegranate seeds (watch this easy deseed pomegranate video)
1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.
Place brussels sprouts in a rimmed baking sheet, toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 20 minutes until browned lightly, gently tossing around in pan halfway through roasting.
Dump brussels sprouts in large bowl and add remaining ingredients.
Taste - adjust seasoning as desired.
Can be served warm or cold!

Roasted Pumpkin w/ Feta
serves 6

This side dish can be served as a salad (a personal favorite), or as a stand alone dish.  If you can't find a small cooking pumpkin, you can use butternut squash (Costco has them already diced!).  Either way, the combination of the sweet pumpkin and tangy cheese is genius!

1 med cooking pumpkin, cut in half, seeds removed, sliced into thin boats and peeled (or butternut squash cubes - Costco!)
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c pine nuts (or, if you prefer, any other nut of choice)
5 oz feta cheese
1 tblsp raw, unfiltered honey
1 tblsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400.
Place pumpkin slices and pine nuts in rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle olive oil over pumpkin and pine nuts, and mix until thoroughly covered.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until tender.
Drizzle with balsamic, honey and sprinkle with feta.


Mushroom & Bacon Stuffing
12 servings

Just because it's gluten-free, doesn't mean it's taste-free! 

1 small gluten free loaf of bread (shop here) or make your own favorite recipe
1/2 c unsweetened cranberries
1 c apple juice
1 tblsp evoo
6-8 slices free range , uncured bacon, cooked and chopped
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c fresh parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
Break up bread loaf into chunks (1" size) and place on a large baking sheet.
Leave bread out for 24 hours - the bread should no longer be soft and should be a bit tough (this will allow crumbs to hold it's shape during baking!
Combine cranberries in apple juice and set aside.
Heat oil in large pan over med high heat and add onion, celery and garlic; cooking until soft (5-7 min).
Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
In a large bowl, add bread chunks, vegetable mixture and chopped bacon - mix.
Pour apple juice and cranberries over top and toss lightly (do not over mix).
Dump everything into a large casserole, cover and bake for 35 minutes.
Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.

Stay tuned next week for:

Desserts!

Slow Cooker Sun Dried Tomato Chicken

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

This is a favorite go-to recipe for me when my day will be busy and I need to utilize my crockpot and some basic staples that I always have on hand.

It's so easy, it almost feels like you didn't really do anything at all.

The flavors from the slow cooked ingredients, though, are fantastic!

We enjoy this meal not only because of how good it tastes, but also because it can be served several different ways to satisfy different appetites without the need to become a short-order cook.

Serving options include:

• As-is and topped over a warm bed of rice
• Alongside roasted vegetables of choice
• Shredded and dumped over a baked sweet potato
• Shredded and eaten as a wrap, with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced olives

Try it - you'll love it!

Ingredients
serves 6

4 organic, free range chicken breasts
1 cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil (Costco!), processed through blender until the consistency of pesto
1 cup water or organic chicken broth (*optional)

Place chicken in crockpot.
Top each chicken breast with 1/4 c sun dried tomato pesto
*pour water or chicken broth over chicken breasts (optional, not needed)
Cover with lid and cook for 4 hours on high.

Plan To Get Fat!

Plan To Get Fat (This Holiday Season)

Many of us think we are certified professionals when it comes to weight gain during the Holidays. But in case you doubt yourself, here are the Top 3 ways you can plan to get fat this holiday season.

1. Eat every single holiday treat that crosses your path. No really, do it. Eat the cookies your neighbor brings over, the candies offered at work, and test taste every single sugary, syrupy, sweetened snack that meets your eyes. Watch the scale go up every time you step on.

Side note- to those of you who “don’t eat sweets”- you aren’t off the hook. That extra serving of mashed potatoes and egg salad that you didn’t really need can produce the same amount of weight gain.

2. Drink as many holiday cocktails/beverages as you can. This is a GREAT way to gain weight. That “1-2 glass per night” rule you have given yourself? Throw it out the door. Indulge! Drink a cocktail- drink 4 cocktails! Double the calories in your meal through what you drink.

3. Don’t work out. Do what everyone else does. During one of the most stressful, chaotic, times of the year, drop your work out regimen. Stay stressed! Then beat your self up about it in January and make a New Years resolution.

All sarcasm aside, we understand that maintaining weight over the holidays can be difficult. Give yourself a few guidelines that are possible. Try to avoid goals like, “I am not going to eat a single cookie for the next two months.” Those absolute goals tend to lose themselves during the chaos of the holidays. Try something like, “I am only going to have 2 slices of pie this Thanksgiving.” (That includes leftovers the next day!) And if you slip up, don’t go down the screw it crazy road. Know you’re human and start fresh as soon as possible.

Click Here and join Salus for the Maintain Don’t Gain This Holiday Season challenge!

Happy Holidays!