The Importance of Water

Everyone has always been told to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.  I find that in order for people to follow dietary advice it is important for them to know WHY.

Facts about water: 

• Water is the most important nutrient in the body.  You can only go days without water, whereas you can go about 8 weeks without food.  
• Water makes up 55-60% of our total body mass, it is found in all tissues, cells and body fluids.  
• Our body can produce 8% of daily water needs, but 92% has to be ingested through food and drinks we consume.  
• Processed foods take moisture out of food and we ended up losing water when consuming them. 
• The slower you drink water, the more you'll retain it.  Don't chug water- you kidneys are overly efficient and will excrete most of it instead of absorbing it.  
• If you drink over a gallon of water without any electrolytes you will become dehydrated.  
• Water cannot be stored, that is why it is very important to have a daily consumption of water.  

How much water should I drink? 

• Body Weight (pounds)/2 = the minimum number of ounces you should drink each day. 

Roles of Water in the body:

• Improves Oxygen delivery to cells
• Transports Nutrients
• Enables cellular hydration
• Moistens oxygen for easier breathing
• Cushions bones and joins
• Absorbs shocks to joins and organs
• Regulates body temperature
• Removes wastes
• Flushes toxins
• Prevents tissues from sticking
• Lubricates joints
• Improves cell-to-cell communications
• Maintains normal electrical properties of cells
• Empowers the body's natural healing process

Easter- Deviled Eggs, homemade mayonaise, kale and artichoke yogurt dip, and chocolate chip cookies

For Easter I had my parents over for an Easter brunch.  I wanted to share with everyone what I made so you too can manage to have healthy items on the table during the holidays. 

For appetizers I made deviled eggs and a veggie plate with a kale and artichoke dip.  

Deviled Eggs:

• 8 organic, cage free eggs (I used the ones from our Farmer's Share, Stillman Farm)
• 1/3 cup Easy Homemade Mayonaise
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of Unrefined Cold Pressed Avocado Oil or Unrefined Cold Pressed Lighter
  
  tasting Olive oil.  (I used avocado oil for this recipe)
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt 
• 1.5 teaspoons of fresh organic lemon juice
• Mason Jar
• Immersion blender

1. Start with cracking an egg into a mason jar.  Let it set for about 30 seconds. 
2. Add mustard, salt and lemon.  
3. Add Oil.  Let sit for about 30 seconds, or until the egg goes to the bottom of the jar.  
4. Insert Immersion blender on medium high, starting at the bottom of the jar and then slowly moving it up so everything in the jar turns into Mayonaise.  SO EASY!
• Paprika 
• Pot for cooking eggs

1. Place eggs in pot.  Cover with water and then place a lit on it. Bring to boil.  Once at a boil remove from heat and let stand for 12 minutes.  
2. Remove eggs from pot.  
3. Remove shell by running them under cold water. 
4. Cut all of them in half lengthwise.  
5. Scoop out the yolks and place in bowl with mayonaise, salt and pepper to taste.  
6. Mix well until most of the clumps are removed.  
7. Scoop mixture into eggs and top with a dash of paprika.  

Kale and Artichoke Yogurt Dip

• 8 leaves of kale with stem removed and chopped
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 Tablespoon of Ghee
• I can of artichokes 
• 1 cup of whole fat grass fed yogurt 
• 1/2 of fresh organic lemon juice

1. Heat pan to medium high heat.  Add Ghee, shallot, kale, and artichokes.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Add minced garlic, saute until fragrant.
2. Add Sauteed vegetables, 1 cup of grass-fed yogurt, and lemon juice to Vitamix. Blend on the hot soup setting.  
3. Serve with chopped up organic carrots, yellow and red peppers, and broccoli.  

Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from one of the group leaders, Mary, in my NTA class.  She served them at our first workshop weekend and they were delicious! Click on Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookies for the recipe.  

Mine looked like this, but of course I forgot to take a picture and there are none left!

Homemade Coconut Milk

Have you ever looked at the carton of store bought coconut milk, almond milk, or any other non-dairy milks? Has anyone ever told you if you cannot pronounce it, you probably should not eat it? Here is an coconut milk from The Healthy Foodie.
amazing homemade and cost effective

Alternatively, you can do the following:
4 cups of warm water
2 cups shredded coconut

1. Place in blender for 5 minutes (or 2 rounds of the Vitamix)
2. Strain with cheese cloth as the The Healthy Foodie does.  

Quick and Easy Weeknight dinner

Mustard Steak with Salad 
Serves 2

Mustard Steak

2 Grass-fed steaks (I use beef tenderloin, but any would work)
1 Tablespoon of organic ground mustard
1 Tablespoon of Ghee

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
   
2. Pat steak dry with a paper towel
3. Tenderize with a fork on both sides
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Rub mustard on both sides.  
6. Heat skillet to medium high heat.  Add Ghee.  Sear steak 2 minutes each side.
7. Place in Oven for: (depending on oven) 8 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium rare, 12 minutes for medium, 14 minutes for medium well, 16 minutes for well done.  

Green salad with sprouted seeds, goat cheese, and avocado

2 handfuls of green of choice

1 Tablespoon of sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seeds

3-4 ounces of goat cheese

1/2 avocado

Homemade Salad Dressing

How to eat in order to properly digest your food

 Here are some steps to take in order to properly digest your food:

1. REST AND DIGEST: Our society is always on the go.  When people are eating they are most likely on their tablet or computer or they are doing some type of work or driving. When people are not focusing on what they are eating they are not properly digesting their food because they are in a sympathetic state. In order for food to be properly digested they need to be in a parasympathetic state.  When people are eating in a sympathetic state they are stressed and end up not producing enough stomach acid which helps with digestion.  
2. CHEW YOUR FOOD: When people are in a stressed out state they tend to not chew their food all the way through.  Before they are finished chewing they swallow their food partially chewed and are already stuffing the next bite of food into their mouth. When this happens there is not enough saliva produced to aid in digestion. Try to put your fork down between each bite and chew for your food 30x before swallowing. 
3. DIGESTION STARTS IN YOUR BRAIN: When you see, smell, and hear food being made
   
   that triggers the brain to start producing saliva.  Within the saliva is a complex mixture of electrolytes, hormones, and enzymes.  There is an enzyme in your mouth called salivary amylase that breaks down carbohydrates.  If this enzyme is not secreted, the breakdown of carbohydrates does not begin.  Further down the digestive tract in the small intestine, the enzyme pancreatic amylase cannot complete the breakdown of starch leaving undigested starch to enter the colon leading to potential disease. 
4. LOW STOMACH ACID:  The normal pH of the stomach is between 1.5-3.0.  Factors such as stress, excess refined carbohydrate consumption, nutrient deficiencies, allergies, and excess alcohol consumption all inhibit hydrochloric acid production.  When you have low stomach acid food does not get broken down completely.  These partially undigested food particles cause a reflux, or backwards flow into the esophagus.  Digestion is supposed to go North to South and when food comes back into the esophagus it burns because there is some acid in the food that is coming back up. The esophagus was not made to handle acid.  

Do you have a sugar burning metabolism or a fat burning metabolism?

The majority of American's eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates and fructose.  From my experience, when I ask my clients what they are eating on a typical day, it sounds like this:

• Breakfast

• Bowl of granola with skim milk (C) 
• 8 oz freshly squeezed orange juice (C)
• 1 cup of coffee with skim milk and sugar (C)
• Snack
• Oats and Honey Granola Bar (C)
• Apple (C)
• Lunch
• Whole wheat wrap with deli meat turkey, mayonnaise, lettuce (Wrap, lettuce both C, turkey P, Mayonnaise F)
• 1 small chocolate chip cookie (C)
• Snack
• Carrots with hummus (C- hummus is not a protein it has more carbohydrates than protein, all vegetables are considered a C)
• Coffee with skim milk and sugar (C)
• Dinner 
• 1/2 cup brown rice, steamed chicken breast, 1/2 sweet potato (C,C,P)

Now I wonder how many of you reading this are thinking, wow that doesn't sound so bad! Well the problem is, it is almost all carbohydrates, 2 protein sources throughout the day, and only 1 fat source!  Next to each food I put whether it was a carbohydrate (c), fat (f), or protein (p).  This person is definitely not a fat burner.

  If you go back to basic anatomy and look at the roles of fat in the human body you will find:

Phospholipid

• Your cell membrane is made up of phospholipids (lipid =fat) if you do not have fats in your diet then you have a poor quality cell membrane which will then lead to disease/cancer.   Your body has A LOT of cells. 
• Provide your main source of energy 
• Building blocks for hormones 
• Required for absorption of the fat soluble vitamins, A,D,E, and K. 
• Required for adequate use of proteins- this is why in nature you see fat and proteins coupled together (eggs, grass-fed steak, pork, chicken thighs)
• Protective lining for organs of your body so you don't bruise your organs when you walk into something. 
• Slows the absorption of food for energy regulation. (Think of fat as the log on the fire and carbohydrates at the kindling).
• And MOST importantly- IT MAKES FOOD TASTE DAMN GOOD!

Traits of a Sugar Burning Metabolizer: 

• Awake in the middle of the night because cortisol levels increase.
• Joint inflammation and clogged arteries- proteins bind with glucose and harden 
  
• Insulin Resistance is a primary issue in female hormonal imbalances such as infertility, irregular periods, fluid retention, mood swings, adult acne, and hair loss.
• Impaired immune system- get sick frequently
• Gain weight easily
• High risk of Alzheimer's and dementia 
• Do not have clear thoughts, trouble concentrating, ADD, ADHD
• Cannot effectively access stored fat for energy
• Depend on the kindling wood, quick burning energy, so get very tired during workouts
• Less able to be satiated- ALWAYS HUNGRY
• Crave carbohydrates

Traits of a fat burning metabolizer: 

• Burn stored fat for energy
• Efficiently oxidize dietary fat
• Have plenty of energy on hand
• Rely more on fat for energy than carbohydrates during exercise
• No change in energy after meals
• Sustained energy between meals
• Can burn fat and keynotes while using glycogen and sometime. 
• Burn energy like a big fat log in a fireplace

Here is an example of what a fat burning metabolizer would eat: 

• Breakfast
• 2 free range eggs over easy cooked in butter (F,P) 
• 1/2 cup steamed broccoli (C)
• Snack
• 16 oz filtered water
• Lunch
• Green salad with raw, sprouted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, 4oz steak cooked in Ghee, homemade olive oil and vinegar salad dressing, fermented beets (C,F,P,F,F,C)
• Snack
• 16 oz filtered water
• Dinner 
• Seared chicken thighs with spices, green salad with toasted pine nuts and avocado, tomato, and scallions

There are steps to take to become a fat burning metabolizer and to eat a diet like above without needing a snack between meals.   For each person it will vary. Feel free to contact me if you would like to talk about an individual plan on how to change your diet to become a fat burning metabolizer.  

Homemade GU!

Once you become a fat burner you can start using this as fuel and FINALLY throw out all of your Gu, Shot Blocks, or other chemically engineered products you were using.

Recipe
1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon of honey
Dash of a good quality sea salt
Squeeze Tube

Start using this in your off season or 3-4 months before your "A" race.  You will not have to ingest it as frequently as you did other energy products.  Everyone is different, so play around with it during your longer training workouts.

What is the correct ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and protein I should consume?

      Once you remove refined carbohydrates and start incorporating a balance of all three fats into your diet the amount of total carbohydrates you consume will drop.  The ratio of carbohydrates, fat, and protein you need varies with each individual.  A good ratio to aim for initially is 40, 30, 30; 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 30% protein.  After each meal take note of your energy levels and if you DIETARY FINE TUNING MINI-QUIZ

have any GI distress.  Most of the time people either stay at 40% carbohydrates or they have to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they are consuming and increase their fat intake.  This also may change after a few weeks or months after you body has adjusted or depending on your activity level or where you are in your training.  Here is a

Within one to three hours after a meal, place a check in the box next to any selection that applies to you. 

RIGHT FAT/CARB RATIO

Appetite/Sweet Cravings/Feel Full and Satisfied

• Feel Full and satisfied
• Do not have sweet cravings
• Do not desire more food
• Do not get hungry soon after eating
• Do not need to snack before next meal

Energy Levels

• Energy is restored after eating 
• Have good, Lasting, sense of energy and well being
• Mental/Emotional Well Being
• Improved well-being
• Feel refueled or restored 
• Uplift in emotions
• Improved clarity of mind
• Normalization of thought processes

WRONG FAT/CARB RATIO

Appetite/Sweet Cravings/Feel Full and Satisfied

• Feel physically full, but still hungry
• Don’t feel satisfied; feel like something was missing from meal
• Have desire for sweets 
• Feel hungry again soon after meal 
• Need to snack between meals

Energy Levels

• Too much or too little energy
• Become hyper, jittery shaky,nervous or speedy 
• Feel hyper but exhausted underneath 
• Energy drop, fatigue, exhaustion, sleeplessness, drowsiness, lethargy, or listlessness

Mental/Emotional Well Being

• Mentally slow, sluggish, spacey
• Inability to think clearly, quickly
• Overly rapid thoughts
• Inability to focus
• Hypo-apathy, depression, sadness 
• Hyper-anxiety, obsessive behavior, fearfulness, anger, irritability

Why a low fat diet is detrimental to your health

             A low fat diet is detrimental to health because cells membranes are composed of phospholipids.  When fats are eaten and digested they are broken down into fatty acids that are then used to form fatty acid tails of a cell membrane.  In order for cell walls to sustain their integrity, a healthy balance of good quality omega 3, omega 6, and saturated fats need to be consumed in the diet.   When poor fats are eaten and digested it causes an unhealthy cell membrane, which can then lead to disease.  Low fat diets and poor quality fats can also cause unhealthy glycolipids, which also make up the cell membrane.  Cells make up our entire body, so it is important to keep them as healthy as possible in order to prevent disease and feel and move better everyday. 

             Fats are also required for fat soluble vitamins, A,D,E, and K to be absorbed. They are also required for adequate use of proteins.  This is why many foods in nature tend to contain fat and protein.  Fat also provides a protective lining for the organs of the body, slows absorption of food for energy regulations, and most importantly makes food taste good.  Fat is the preferred source of energy from the body.  They have the ability to break down to glucose.  It actually required more heat to break down a fat into a glucose molecule, so therefore requires more energy to break it down.  When bad fats are consumed in the body they act as a toxin and interfere with the essential roles that fatty acids play in the body.  When a low fat diet is consumed the body essential vitamins and minerals are not absorbed and cell membranes are not strong and therefore ruins the integrity of the cell wall.  Polyunsaturated fats tends to be heated which causes them to become oxidized or rancid which is when they give off free radicals.  Free radicals can lead to bad skin and wrinkles, damage the tissues and organs and lead to cancer, and can damage blood vessels that will lead to the build up of plaque.

Why Stomach Acid is Good for you by Johnathan Write and Lane Lenard

               The big idea of the book, Why Stomach Acid is good for you, by Johnathan Write and Lane Lenard is to teach people how to cure heartburn by increasing and improving the amount of stomach acid that is secreted into the stomach.  They also went on to explain how it can help cure other diseases such an autoimmune diseases, rosacea, depression, asthma, and many more.   The book explains the role of stomach acid in the body and how when the body lacks stomach acid how harmful it can be on your digestive tract.   Without stomach acid the enzyme, pepsin, is not released and proteins are not broken down into amino acids.  The body then ends ups becoming deficient of essential and non-essential amino acids.  When stomach acid becomes too low it also leads to overgrowth of fungi and bacteria and people become more susceptible to food borne illnesses.   Little stomach acid also leads to low iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamin B12.  In order for these minerals and vitamins to be properly absorbed the ph of the stomach has to be acidic.

            Three of the most interesting things I learned in this book were that iron in animal protein is absorbed regardless of the ph of the stomach, low stomach acid can cause depression, and that low stomach acid causes rheumatoid arthritis.   When we eat animal protein that contains iron the ph is the stomach does not have to be a certain ph in order to be absorbed.  When people ingest iron from non-animal protein sources such as vegetables and grains the ph in the stomach has to be less 4.0.   “Neurotransmitters are the molecules that carry messages from one nerve cell to another” (Wright, 2001).  Neurotransmitters are made up of amino acids broken down by proteins we ingest.  If the stomach acid is not low enough pepsin is not released and proteins are not broken down to form amino acids, and neurotransmitters are not made.  The neurotransmitters involved in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine when these are not present the patient becomes depressed.  Low stomach acid can cause rheumatoid arthritis because it begins with leaky gut.  Foreign objects slip through the intestinal lining and enter the blood stream.  Antibodies are then released to kill off the pathogen and this causes inflammation, which then leads to rheumatoid arthritis. 

            Overall I though this book was very informative.  I learned what causes acid reflux and GERD and how a lot of diseases can be reversed with an increase in stomach acid.  I thought it was helpful how they broke the book down into sections explaining what acid reflux was, the importance of acid in your stomach, and what deficiencies and diseases occur when stomach acid is low. 
         The majority of American's suffer from low stomach acid.   I would highly suggest everyone drink warm water with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or one tablespoon of lemon juice before each meal.  The reason you would drink it with warm water is because warm beverages bring blood to the digestive system which helps aid in digestion.  Warm water is also known to be very calming; when you eat food you should always eat in a relaxed state in order to properly digest you food.  

Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson book review

             Adrenal Fatigue by James L. Wilson explains what adrenal fatigue is, helps you figure out if you are suffering from it, and if so how to recover from it.  Adrenal fatigue is one of the most under diagnosed diseases, and it effects about 80% of people.  Doctors look at adrenal fatigue as another fad and tell patients they are fine, they just need to get on with their life.  These patients then go on and end up with other health issues because their more prone to infections and viruses because their cortisol levels are depleted. 

                  I found Adrenal Fatigue to be very informative and I learned a lot from reading it.  First, I learned that low adrenal function occurs in people who have reoccurring respiratory infections.  There were several cases they described in this book of people who had been experiencing adrenal fatigue for months; their bodies eventually broke down enough where they developed bronchitis, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections.  Second, I learned that reframing can help patients with adrenal fatigue by changing the way they view things.  When patients changed the way they responded to an argument or stressful situation by turning it into something they will benefit from rather than it being an obstacle.   This helps put the patient back in control they avoid a situation that would normally stress them out.  I found this to be very interesting because I find that most people would never think to change the way they respond to situations, they tend to blame it on the other person.  Third, I thought it was very interesting that chewing your food at least thirty times per mouthful and sixty times if you have digestive issues helps with adrenal fatigue.  This occurs by breaking down the food into smaller particles and enhancing the amount of enzymes in your mouth that are mixed with the food to be digested. 

                 I really enjoyed reading this book and I learned a lot of useful information that I can use on my practice client who is suffering from adrenal fatigue and blood sugar dysregulation.  I especially thought it was interesting how much plays a role in adrenal fatigue what needs to be done to help cure it: the food you eat and the way you eat it and when, what exercise works best for adrenal fatigue, different way to reduce the stress in your life, and how much sleep and when you sleep can help you. 

Why eating a low fat diet can make you fat

Eating a low fat diet has contributed to the obesity epidemic because it has lead people to consume more processed foods they are labeled as reduced fat or fat free.  When fat is taken out of food it is also stripped of its nutrients and more sugar and preservatives are added to the food to make it taste better.  Americans end up eating a diet that is very high in sugar and that is what contributes to the obesity epidemic.  A high sugar diet contributes to the obesity epidemic because it causes irregular blood sugar which then disrupts all aspects of physiology including energy, integrity of tissues of every organ and blood vessel, hormonal balance, and brain health.  If liver and muscle stores are full when someone consumes an excessive amount of carbohydrates the liver will convert that glucose to triglycerides and cholesterol that is then stored. 

Foods to avoid!

Fructose is a simple sugar that Americans over consume because there is no fat in it and it is added to a lot of processed foods to make them taste better.  Fructose consumed in high doses can over work the liver and will convert fructose into very low lipoproteins which are the damaging form of cholesterol which then gets stored as fat.  Fatty acids then accumulate in the liver and muscle tissue   Insulin resistance can causes glycation, when sugar sticks to proteins and blocks their receptor sites for insulin.  This leads to people not being able to lose weight because their liver and muscles reject glycogen and everything shifts to fat cells.  Eventually they cannot get into fat cells and people plateau and cannot lose weight.  High sugar and high starch food are quickly converted to glucose and create an overproduction of insulin which can then lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes and obesity.  
causing insulin resistance and fat liver disease.

                  In conclusion, Americans end up over consuming sugar which then leads to irregular blood sugar  and sometimes insulin resistance.  When this occurs excess fat is stored because of excessive glucose in the muscles and liver, and glycation.  Another few important points that contribute to weight  

Butter is good for you! Look for a local grass fed butter.

gain when consuming a high fat diet are people end up never feeling fully satisfied and over eat, they end up craving more sugar and carbohydrates, and they end up feeling sleepy all the time, in which a lot of people associate with hunger or they revert to caffeine.