All posts tagged healthy diet

November 18, 2012 · Recipes

Coconut Honey Candy

1/2 cup honey
1 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream (pureed meat of coconut)
1/4 cup cocoa powder(could omit for a non-cocoa candy)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut(omit if you prefer smooth candy)
optional:3/4 cup broken up raw walnuts

Heat the honey in a saucepan over medium heat until it boils. Boil for 2 minutes while stirring
constantly. Remove from heat and add coconut cream, cocoa powder and vanilla. Stir to blend well.
Coconut cream will melt from hot honey. Add coconut and walnuts. Stir until well combined.

Press into a parchment paper lined 8″ square pyrex. Refrigerate for a half hour and cut into squares.
Store in refrigerator.

November 18, 2012 · Recipes

Rosemary Crackers

1 ¾ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon himalayan salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
1 egg
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and rosemary
In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut oil and egg
Stir wet ingredients into almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined
Roll the dough into a ball and press between 2 sheets of parchment paper to ⅛ inch thickness
Remove top piece of parchment paper
Transfer the bottom piece with rolled out dough onto baking sheet
Cut dough into 2-inch squares with a knife or pizza cutter
Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden
Let crackers cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes, then serve
Yield 24 cracker cookies

tested by Rosy Shamah, thanks Rosy!!
*Note: Rosy substituted italian spices for rosemary and they were delicious!

**I recently got a great idea from one of my awesome clients to make cinnamon(sweet) cookies from this recipe. Just add cinnamon and stevia and cut the salt, they are so delicious!

November 14, 2012 · Blog

A Very Personal Story

“Waaaa, waaa, waaa” said the baby. Cute, you think? I don’t think my mom thought so. I did not sleep through the night for a full year after I was born. So… neither did my mom.

 

I had severe stomach pain that was not just “colic”.   I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. As my mom told me, she took me to a doctor in New York City who specialized in gastro-pediatrics. I don’t know how she found him, but leave it to my mother to find the best.  I do remember his wood paneled office and his big desk that I could barely see over.

 

Back in the day, doctors didn’t only use pharmaceuticals. They healed people. They used nutrition.  This wonderful doctor put me on a Specific Carbohydrate Diet or the SCD for short. It is basically a diet that omits any type of grains, beans, and legumes, and is mostly made up of animal protein, vegetables and some fruits.  My mom thankfully, strictly adhered to the diet.  I was kept on it until I was four years old.

For me, it wasn’t so bad. I actually felt special.  My mom made me special meals, and frozen juice pops to eat when those ice-cream truck bells began to ring. I had never tasted sugar so I had no idea what the fuss was about.

 

At age 4 I was pronounced, “healed” and I was back to a regular diet that I was then able to tolerate.  In a family that had our share of learning disabilities, I had none. In fact I was always an honor student. What does that have to do with anything, you ask?  Read on…

 

Years later as my interest in nutrition became strong; I thanked God that I was spared from 4 years of eating sugar, but I questioned the diagnosis I was given for Celiac. Everything I read assured me that Celiac was incurable.  I recently discovered I was wrong as could be! It was curable, and I was cured!

I have come to believe, very strongly I might add, that everything can be cured with food and other natural modalities.  I have seen it all.  Proper nutrition can do miracles and more.

With a lot of experience and all my studies, I came up with a very specific diet that was truly healing a lot of my clients.  It helped people who suffered from constipation as well as others who had stomach issues and severe depression. I developed it by focusing on controlling insulin levels and getting a good ecology going in the digestive tract with the very best quality foods. Yessiree I was on to something good!

It was then that I started connecting the dots. If I had not been on that SCD diet when I was a baby, would I have learning disabilities? What else did it save me from?

 

I happened to have a copy of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBrides’ book “Natural Treatment for Gut and Psychology Syndrome” (GAPS) that I just received from Amazon. It was sitting on my coffee table just waiting to be read!

The GAPS Diet, based on the SCD, is the one people are using to cure all psychological problems: Autism, Dyspraxia, ADD, Dyslexia, ADHD, Depression, Bi-polar, Schizophrenia, and more. The research and studies that are highlighted in the book, show a very distinct connection to all those problems with the condition of the digestive tract. It is truly amazing!!

 

Ready for the clincher? The Doctor who cured me, Dr. Sidney V. Haas, was the inventor of the original diet, the SCD!  I discovered this at 11:30 at night when my whole household was asleep.  I did a low squeal as I flipped-out from the news in the GAPS book!

Dr. Haas developed this revolutionary approach in 1951, and cured me in the early 60’s. All later variations such as the GAPS Diet, are based on his work. I had no idea he was “the man”.

Well that is the craziest, most destined thing I ever saw!  He cured me, got my gut and brain working, and now I hope to carry on doing his work?  Mind blower don’t you think?

And so it goes. I am dedicating my life to helping people heal their guts and minds in the way mine were healed; in a natural, painless, healthy way. I have so much gratitude to God, my mother, and Dr. Haas for healing my body and mind, what better way to show it?

 

 

 

November 7, 2012 · Recipes

kefir Parfait

This kefir parfait makes a delicious, fresh tasting dessert or a nice breakfast idea.

  • 2 cups of organic milk kefir
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons of raw honey, grade B maple syrup or liquid stevia
  • 2 cups of grain-free granola (see recipe)
  • 2 peaches (diced)
  • 1 cup of strawberries  (diced)
  • 1 cup blue berries

In a wine flute or dessert cup layer 1/4 cup kefir (mixed with sweetener and cinnamon), some granola and then some of the fruit mixed together. Repeat. Makes 4 servings

October 29, 2012 · Blog

Arsenic in Rice?!

 

 

There’s been a lot of talk lately about arsenic in rice!  Oh, of course! The gluten-free wonder!

Is nothing sacred?  Recently Consumer Reports Magazine released their analysis

of arsenic levels in rice products including;

  •  white rice
  •  brown rice
  •  organic baby rice cereal
  •  rice breakfast cereals

which were all found to contain arsenic.

Arsenic can be harmful to a child’s developing brain and is a potent known carcinogen.

 

The study found arsenic levels in the blood directly increase with greater rice consumption. Many products tested had more arsenic in each serving than the 5 parts per billion (ppb) limit for adults set by the EPA as safe.

 

So many rice products are marketed to children and infants as health food. Kids are very susceptible to the dangerous impacts of arsenic exposure.

It is associated with neurobehavioral problems as well as cancer and lung disease.

This means parents should be especially careful to avoid serving their kids food with a lot of arsenic.

 

Even though we should not serve rice and rice products to pregnant women and children, for an adult a few servings a week of white rice (which was found to have much lower arsenic levels than brown rice) would probably not be an issue.

 

If you choose to purchase white rice, buy a brand from California like Lundburg

(their white Basmati Rice has well below the safe limit of arsenic).

Also, rinsing the rice before cooking and boiling it in a high water to rice ratio can help to reduce the arsenic content.

 

Brown Rice is NOT a Health food!

 

Brown rice and brown rice products should be avoided. Avoid;

  •  brown rice syrup
  •  brown rice pasta
  •  rice cakes
  •  brown rice crisps

 

In my opinion, aside from arsenic, brown rice is not the health food it has been said to be.

 

  • It has phytates that are hard to digest and are anti-nutrients.
  • These phytates reduce the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals present.
  • Brown rice also reduces dietary protein and fat digestibility compared to white rice.

 

Having said all that, no food is completely safe or without some level of contamination risk.  So while rice may contribute an unsafe level of arsenic, we need to be cautious about demonizing an entire class of food.  While I don’t think rice is an essential part of a healthy diet, I do think it can be eaten occasionally, if we pay attention to the brand and method of preparation.

October 23, 2012 · Recipes

Eden Crusted Wild Salmon

4 slices Wild Salmon fillet

Eden Shake (a seaweed, sesame condiment)

Braggs Amino Acids or traditional soy sauce

Heat up the broiler. Line up the slices of Salmon on a baking tray. Spoon on about a tablespoon of Braggs or Soy Sauce on each piece. Put Eden shake generously on top to make a nice crust (About 2-3 tbsp). Broil until done throughout.

This is my personal favorite Salmon dish.

October 23, 2012 · Blog

The Truth About Toxic Mercury in Fish

Hey, guess what I found out.  Most people do not eat enough cold-water, fatty fish, and this is especially true of pregnant women.  Everybody is worried about mercury toxicity.  I was.

Believe it or not these worries are not supported by science the majority of the time.  In fact, it is much safer to eat fish than it is not to eat it!

DHA is a crucial nutrient for the development of the brain and the nervous system and is derived from eating, you guessed it, fish!

Eating plant sources of omega-3 like flax and walnuts doesn’t cut it. Only a very small percentage of the short chain omega-3 fats found in plants (1%) gets converted into the beneficial long-chain omega-3 fat DHA.

How Does Mercury Cause Problems?

You see, mercury binds with selenium and causes a lack of selenium. Without selenium, vitamin C can’t perform its functions, and then oxidative damage (the cause of many serious diseases) is  going to happen fast and furiously!

What I want you to understand is that the ratio of mercury to selenium is the key to the problem. Our soil, here in the U.S. is rich in selenium, this is a very important component. In other countries where selenium is poorly available, mercury exposure is much more dangerous.

Most ocean fish and even most fresh water fish have plenty of selenium, much more selenium than mercury averaging 20:1 (except whale and shark meat which contain an excess of mercury).

Mercury is the only thing we know of that can kill selenoenzymes. (enzymes made from selenium)

Bottom line: As long as you have more selenium than mercury you are in good shape.

Studies have shown that the benefits of eating ocean fish during pregnancy amount to as much as 5 IQ points to the developing fetus!

So the more ocean fish moms eat during pregnancy the more selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D are taken in.  They are known to be hugely important for developing healthy brains as well as contributing to the mother’s health during and post pregnancy.

Eating more fish is actually good advice for women. Too many people have misconceptions. People need to know ocean fish need to be eaten in greater amounts! Dr. Ralston recommends eating fish 2 to 3 times per week.

So here’s a great way to start, with my Eden Crusted Salmon recipe mmmmmm.

 

 

This information was taken from an interview on chriskresser.com, with Dr. Nicholas Ralston.

Dr. Nicholas Ralston is a research scientist at the University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center, EERC, involved in evaluating potential human health effects and risks resulting from environmental exposure to air toxics.  He received his PhD in biomedical research biochemistry from Mayo Medical Center and his bachelor’s of science in biology from Mayville State University.  Dr. Ralston’s principal areas of expertise include the biochemistry and analytical approaches to quantitative assessment of immune research and inflammation at the molecular and cellular level.  His primary interests are in trace element physiology and the pathophysiology of toxic trace element exposures as well as prevention, protection, and remediation strategies.  His current research interests include examinations of the molecular mechanism of methylmercury toxicity, selenium-dependent biochemical processes involved in preventing the neurotoxic effects of mercury, mechanisms of pulmonary particulate pathologies, mercury phytoremediation, and other means of diminishing bioaccumulation of mercury in fish.

Prior to his position at the EERC, Dr. Ralston worked at Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center and Bowman Gray Medical School at Wake Forest University.  He has authored or coauthored over 50 professional publications, research articles, and book chapters and given numerous invited presentations on health issues related to methylmercury-dependent inhibition of brain selenoenzymes and beneficial effects of maternal seafood consumption on child development outcomes.

October 15, 2012 · Videos

Joy TV Interview with Dr. Jason Horowitz

Dr. Jason Horowitz graduated from New York Chiropractic College in 2000. His mission is to provide a unique natural healthcare experience specifically tailored to each individual patient.

He practices kinesiology with a holistic approach, using natural and hands on therapies as well as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and homeopathic remedies.

Dr. Horowitz is a partner in Forster Health Care, and has been working there for 12 and a half years. He treats a wide range of health issues in adults and children, and loves working with babies.

Dr. Horowitz also enjoys working with sports injuries and has a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner degree. 

He has offices in Brooklyn at 265 Avenue U and in Great Neck, Long Island.

You can reach Dr. Horowitz at 917-572-4020

September 12, 2012 · Videos

The saturated fat myth debunked in two minutes and thirty five seconds.

September 10, 2012 · Blog

Shocking News About Veganism

 

Fred and Wilma Flintstone, my favorite Paleo couple.

Could the so-called healthiest diet in the world actually make you SICK and FAT?!

I happen to love the whole moral argument and I mean LOVE!  YUP you heard me right.  I loved my whole grains, my Ezekiel bread and my brown rice pasta. Uh Huh. Who wants to eat animals? Pffff.

However, I’ve recently proven to myself  (remember I am a human science project) that veganism is not best for me…at all!

But never mind me, I have heard that certain celebs i.e. Ginnifer Goodwin and Megan Fox , recently defected and (presumably) went back to some meat eatin’.

Now really which Ginnifer looks better? Top is when she was vegan, bottom was when she started eating meat again……….just kidding!! But it very well could be ;).

So I’ve been asking around, to some of my fellow Health Coaches to see what they think. The word around town is PALEO baby, thats right . Some meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, good fats and fruit.The finest quality you can find, organic and fresh.

Most people do great for a while on a vegan diet. 6 months to a year and then it all starts breaking down. Mineral deficiency, low energy, inflammation and what happened to me…dum dum dum…hypothyroidism.

In my quest to heal my body of this hypo-craziness I have uncovered my truth. Soy, grains, beans and legumes as well as polyunsaturated oils do not support good health.

I know its not politically correct, and its not the popular way right now, but as people’s thyroids and bones crash down around them, they will have no choice but to change their tune.

Take a look at Dr. Terry Wahls who healed herself of debilitating Muscular Sclerosis by eating a hunter-gatherer diet. It’s truly amazing.

I was a vegan for 10 years before I completely fell apart. A macrobiotic consultant forced me back on animal protein, I was so weak and mineral deficient.

Years later I found out about phytic acid and soaking grains and beans. I figured I never did that correctly back in the day, and I could be vegan once again (see my post “soak soak soak your grains”) Wrong! As long as I was eating grains and beans, my weight and cholesterol levels could not be contained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I am grain-free and eating a hunter-gatherer diet.

For the first time in my life, my weight dropped and stayed down! Does. Not. Budge. Yay!

My blood-work looks awesome, my thyroid is actually healing, joints in my thumbs were inflamed and now look and feel so much better.

Stay tuned, I will give you the whole low down.  In the coming weeks we will explore all the problems with soy,  grains and other “vegan” foods and see what our healthiest options are.

Big Fat Lie #1 is next.………

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