I Choose Real Food

What is real food?  Food that we have eaten for most of human history. One way to cut through all the confusion is to think of foods that come from nature. Foods that people were eating before the twentieth century when laboratories and machines started making food products, stripping out natural nutrients and in their place inserting artificial flavors, chemicals and other additives.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Nina Planck” source_title=”Real Food, What to Eat and Why” full_quote=”Real foods are old. These are foods we’ve been eating for a long time – in the case of meat, fish and eggs, for millions of years. We’ve been eating butterfat for at least ten thousand years. By contrast, margarine – hydrogenated vegetable oil made solid and dyed yellow to resemble traditional butter – is a modern invention, about a century old. Real foods are traditional. Fruits and vegetables are best when they’re local and seasonal; grains should be whole, fats and oils unrefined. From the farm to the kitchen, real food is produced and prepared the old-fashioned way. The traditional methods of farming, processing, preparing and cooking enhance nutrition and flavor, while the industrial method diminishes both.” short_quote=”Real foods are old. These are foods we’ve been eating for a long time”]

The marketing of this industrialized food has created tremendous noise and confusion about food consumption. It’s become not just necessary, but vitally important to learn where our food comes from and to make educated choices about what we eat.

Chronic disease – diabetes, cancer, heart illness and neurological disorders – are increasingly linked to fast food, junk food and processed food, and sadly have become norm in the US.  I don’t want a chronic or life-threatening illness, not for me nor for those I love. So I steer away from processed foods and seek out real foods.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”center” source_author=”Kris Carr” source_title=”Crazy, Sexy Cancer” full_quote=”But of course I eat food, you say. Do you? Food isn’t made in a laboratory. Today we’re infusing our food with chemicals, hormones, pesticides and countless other toxic substances. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is tap dancing on the last nerve of our health. When we make the connection between what we consume and how we feel, a great transformational shift can occur. Most people live to eat and don’t eat to live. We wake up sick and tired on a daily basis. Allergies, high cholesterol, low-level depression and chronic diseases are just accepted parts of aging.” short_quote=”But of course I eat food, you say. Do you? Food isn’t made in a laboratory”]

After a huge amount of research, I’m convinced that the simplest way to make food choices is to go back to real foods; foods that are more a product of nature “than a product of industry”

  • Foods that don’t need ingredient labels: fruits, vegetables!
  • Whole foods that typically only have 1-ingredient like “brown rice”
  • Packaged foods generally made with no more than 5 unrefined ingredients
  • Organic dairy products like whole milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese
  • Breads and crackers that are 100% whole-grain
  • Sustainably wild caught seafood
  • Humanely raised meat: chicken, pork, beef, and lamb
  • Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds (nuts and seeds are better raw)
  • Natural sweeteners: honey and maple syrup

A fantastic resource if the idea of real food is new for you, is 100DaysofRealFood.com

I choose to eat the way people did for thousands of years. My goal is that 70-80% of the time I cook/eat a variety of fresh whole foods provided by nature:

  • Vegetables and fruits– preferably seasonal and local. To minimize pesticides in our food, I use the Environmental Working Group: Dirty Dozen as a guide. If I can’t buy organic, I buy the foods on the “Dirty Dozen” list only occasionally and always wash them well, using a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
  • Beans – Dried beans are one of the most cost-effective, nutrient-rich foods we can enjoy. Once a week I cook a big pot of beans and, once cooled, put them in mason jars and freeze whatever won’t be used that week. Canned organic beans (garbanzo and either white or black bean) are pantry staple. I can always make a quick last minute dinner with canned beans, or a hummus/bean dip when friends drop in for happy hour.
  • Whole grains – quinoa and brown rice are pantry staples. Buying in bulk at the grocery store is usually most cost-effective. I add an alternate another grain for variety, usually buckwheat or bulgur.
  • Sustainably wild caught or responsibly farmed fish
  • Responsibly raised meats: Pastured pork and poultry. Grass-fed beef. It’s more expensive, but we eat meat just a couple times a week.
  • Organic dairy (milk and yogurt)
  • Unrefined fats: butter, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil (when I can find it) and expeller-pressed canola oil
  • Nuts and seeds rather than cheese, and I buy them raw. Roasted nuts generally are salted, and apt to go rancid.

I believe eating healthfully is all about moderation and variety. I’ve found that the best way to stay the course (eating healthfully 70% of the time) is to be flexible. Birthday parties and special celebrations are meant to be enjoyed. And yes, I think it’s okay to occasionally indulge (guilt-free!) – some of my favorite indulgences: buffalo wings, Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche ice cream (actually ANY Haagen Dazs ice cream!), croissants, and anything chocolate. The key word being occasionally.

Organic and sustainable real food is more expensive, but the more of us who choose this path, the more accessible such food will become, and the greater the impact will be on the health of our planet, but that’s another story for another day.

New to Real Food?

100 Days of Real Food

100daysofrealfood: Answers To Your Real Food Questions

 

Budget Tips for Real Food

100daysofrealfood: Real Food Tips, 12 Ways to Keep it Cheap

100 Days of Real Food: How to Afford Real Food on a Budget

Dr. Hyman: Eat Healthy on a Budget

Environmental Working Group: Good Food on a Tight Budget

 

Improve Health by Reducing Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation is part of  our body’s natural defense system; it can help protect our bodies and heal.

But chronic inflammation causes disease. When our bodies are constantly bombarded with processed food and sugar, too much animal products, stress and no exercise, our immune system shifts out of balance and an unseen inflammation rages in our cells and tissues.

[su_expanding_quote_book source_author=”Mark Hyman, MD” source_title=”The Blood Sugar Solution” full_quote=”We are seeing an epidemic of inflammatory diseases.  In fact nearly every modern disease — everything from autoimmune diseases, heart disease, and cancer to obesity, diabetes, and dementia — is caused by inflammation! These chronic diseases affect 125 million Americans. That means in the average family of three, at least one person has a chronic disease caused by inflammation.” short_quote=”Nearly every modern disease — from autoimmune diseases, heart disease, and cancer to obesity, diabetes, and dementia — is caused by inflammation.”]

The Standard American Diet – processed foods, trans fats, sugar, minimal fresh produce – creates inflammation. Too many sugary foods and white flour.

Changing what we eat can reduce inflammation in our bodies which reduces disease risks. Add exercise and stress management, and we can feel and even look better.

[su_expanding_quote_book source_author=”Mark Hyman, MD” source_title=”Blood Sugar Solution” full_quote=”Sugar causes pre-diabetes and diabetes, which often lead to significant memory loss. In fact, Alzheimer’s is now being called type 3 diabetes. So, get rid of sugar and flour products.” short_quote=”Sugar causes pre-diabetes and diabetes, which often lead to significant “]

So what to do?

Eliminating, or reducing to a minimum, processed sugar and white flour can improve memory and reduce risk of diabetes and other diseases.

I choose to eat a plant-based whole foods diet, not a vegetarian diet but one high in plant foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts) supplemented by animal products as nature intended (grass-fed, hormone free, humanely raised). My guidelines are:

  1. Reduce processed and fast food as much as possible. There are times for indulgence, birthday parties certainly or occasional treats. But these are exceptions not the norm. The key to success here is planning ahead to avoid that I’m-too-hungry-to-eat-healthy drive through the fast food lane.
  1. Replace those processed foods with real food. Fruits and vegetables with the highest antioxidant levels seem to reduce inflammation the most.
[su_expanding_quote_web alignment=”right” source_site=”Nutrition Facts” source_url=”http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/inflammation” full_quote=”Specific plant foods identified as being anti-inflammatory include apples; black pepper; broccoli; broccoli sprouts; Ceylon cinnamon; cilantro; citrus fruits; ginger; cloves; rosemary; chamomile; dragon’s blood; dried apples and dried plums; berries; crimini, oyster, maitake, and white button mushrooms; nutritional yeast,  flaxseed oil or flaxseed; green leafy vegetables; turmeric, which may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, treat knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and reduce post-surgical pain; tomato juice, legumes, purple potatoes, nuts in general.” short_quote=”Specific plant foods identified as being anti-inflammatory include apples; black pepper; broccoli”]
  1. Reduce consumption of animal products. And pay attention to their origin. I opt for grass-fed, hormone-free meats, dairy and eggs. These are more expensive but become affordable by consuming less of them. I alternate “normal” days and vegetarian days. And rather than a full portion of steak, chicken breast or pork tenderloin, I use meat as an additional ingredient along vegetables and whole grains.
  1. Change of oils; “vegetable” oils are highly processed and even carcinogenic. I rely mostly on extra-virgin olive oil and when I can find it, I use avocado oil for cooking. Trusting Dr. Andrew Weil, I sometimes use expeller-pressed canola oil. Yes, I use butter but it is in moderation, and sometimes I use unrefined virgin coconut oil for pancakes, waffles and baking.
  1. Bring in the spices. Ginger, tumeric, cloves, cinnamon and rosemary have anti-inflammatory properties. I add them liberally into most of the food I make.

Meal planning and regularly making real food choices can decrease inflammation and improve our health. By incorporating regular exercise and reducing stress (through prayer, meditations, reading… whatever works best for each of us)  on a consistent basis we can eliminate chronic inflammation from our bodies to feel and look better!

 

For more empowerment

Nutrition Facts: Inflammation

Inflammation: How to Cool the Fire Inside You That’s Making You Fat and Diseased

Mind Body Green: 8 Strategies to Reduce Chronic Inflammation

Dr. Mark Hyman: We’re Not Going to Take it Anymore

Nutrition Facts: The Top Four Anti- Inflammatory Spices

 

 

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

Sugar itself is not bad. What is hazardous to our health is the quantity. The recommended amount of sugar is 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men. But Americans are consuming  an average of  30 teaspoons per day, adding up to 3 pounds of sugar per week and 130 pounds of sugar per year. The incidence of obesity, diabetes and many cancers in the US has escalated parallel to the rise in sugar intake. So let’s dial it back to 6 to 9 teaspoons per day.

By reducing the amount of sugar we consume, we could reduce the risk of chronic disease (such as heart, cancer, and diabetes).  Excessive sugar can literally kill us. It damages our heart and may be linked to cancer. It has a similar toxic liver effect to alcohol and it saps brainpower.

Cutting back on sugar also gives us the ability to taste the flavors of food and being to lose the sweetness craving.

Sugar risk is complicated by corn syrup, known by various names (high fructose corn syrup, dextrin, fructose, glucose and more).

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”left” source=”Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food” full_quote=”Thirty years ago the number of ingredients used to sweeten foods and beverages could be counted on one hand. Today, there are 25 ingredients used to replace sugar…lurking in unexpected places including salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, breads and cereals. And since added sugar is now listed under many different names, it’s often tricky to find it on the ingredient label.” short_quote=”Today, there are 25 ingredients used to replace sugar…lurking in unexpected places including salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, breads and cereals.”

When corn is processed into cornmeal, or corn flour, the leftovers are turned into corn syrup. Because it is cheap, it is added to just about all processed foods.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”right” source=”Marion Nestle, What to Eat” full_quote=”The more corn sweeteners in a product, the cheaper the product is to make. If corn sweeteners have any special role in weight gain, it is most likely because they are added to so many food products.” short_quote=”The more corn sweeteners in a product, the cheaper the product is to make.”]

The Standard American Diet is primarily composed of processed foods.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”full” source=”Joel Fuhrman MD, Eat to Live” full_quote=”Since more than 40% of the calories in the American diet are derived from sugar or refined grains, both of which are nutrient-depleted, Americans are severely malnourished. Refined sugars cause us to be malnourished in direct proportion to how much we consume them. They are partially to blame for the high cancer and heart attack rates we see in America. Its not merely dental cavities shat should concern us about sugar. If we allow ourselves and our children to utilize sugar, white flour products and oil to supply the majority of our calories, as most American families do, we shall be condemning them to a lifetime of sickness, medical problems and a premature death” short_quote=”Since more than 40% of the calories in the American diet are derived from sugar or refined grains, both of which are nutrient-depleted, Americans are severely malnourished.”]

What to Do?

Avoid corn syrup. The best way is to eat less processed foods. Try the 10-Day Pledge from 100 Days of Real Food. If the Pledge seems impossible, three places to reduce sugar are breakfast, drinking habit and salad dressing (because we want to eat a salad a day for health)

Replace packaged breakfast cereals or prepackaged oatmeal with homemade. By planning ahead overnight oats or crock-pot oatmeal can become part of your routine. A couple of hours on the weekend can produce delicious, nutrient rich muffins and breakfast breads easy to pull out of the freezer on busy weekday mornings.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”full” source=”Marion Nestle, What to Eat” full_quote=”Breakfast cereals are supposed to be good for you, and the relatively unprocessed ones (short ingredient list, fiber and little or no added sugar) still are, but most are now so thoroughly processed and sugared and filled with additives that they might as well be cookies. You can hardly find a cereal without added vitamins, so let’s call them vitamin-enriched low fat cookies.” short_quote=”Breakfast cereals are supposed to be good for you, but most are now so thoroughly processed and sugared and filled with additives that they might as well be cookies.”]

Replace store-bought salad dressing with your own; it takes 5 minutes to make

Change our drinking habits.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”right” source=”Joel Fuhrman MD, Eat to Live” full_quote=”The bottled and boxed fruit juices that many children drink are a poor food; with no significant nutrient density, they lead to obesity and disease. Processed apple juice, which is not far from sugar water in its nutrient score, accounts for almost 50% of all fruit servings consumed by preschoolers. Juice is not a fruit, and prepackaged juices do not contain even one-tenth of the nutrients present in fresh fruit. They should be used moderately as they contain a high concentration of sugar and no fiber. They do not contain protective nutrients and phytochemicals, so stick with the real thing. ” short_quote=”The bottled and boxed fruit juices that many children drink are a poor food; with no significant nutrient density, they lead to obesity and disease.”]

Instead of sodas, let’s keep a pitcher of “nature-flavored” water  – slices of lime, fresh mint, sliced cucumbers etc – on hand. Iced herbal teas are another a refreshing option. We don’t need to give up juice forever, just reduce the amount – it could be a glass after a full meal. Or a Saturday dinner treat. Find a way to reward your kids, and yourself for changing drinking habits.

Reduce the amount of sugar added to coffee/tea, baking. The quantity of sugar in recipes these days is alarming. I always reduce the amount in recipes by at least one-fourt

Avoid artificial sweeteners; there are serious reasons to question their safety

Get moving. If getting to the gym regularly doesn’t fit in your schedule, parking far from the entrance to work, to the grocery store etc and let’s try to talk 10,000 steps a day.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link alignment=”full” source=”atrick Quillan, Beating Cancer with Nutrition” full_quote=” Our bodies are not built to withstand the constant flood of simple sugars entering our bloodstream. If we were active and burning up the sugar in exercise, then the sugar would be of less consequence. But we sip and munch on sweet food all day long while sitting at our desks or in front of the TV, and then wonder why morbid obesity has increased by 300% since 1982. ” short_quote=”ur bodies are not built to withstand the constant flood of simple sugars entering our bloodstream.”]

For more health empowerment, check out:

What Does Sugar Do To Our Health?

Research from the World Health Organization has found that sugar, particularly in sugar-sweetened beverages can lead to an unhealthy diet, weight gain and an increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Sugar consumption has also been linked to diabetes and heart disease in children. Sugar has also been linked to cancer.

5 Reasons High Fructose Corn Syrup Will Kill You

Sugary drinks linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide

Consumption of added sugars or sugar-sweetened beverages has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancers

 

Should Sugar Be Regulated Like a Drug?

 

Give Me Berries!

Berries are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods. I try to get berries into our meals regularly during the summer months, and store up on frozen berries for the months when they are not in season. Because strawberries are #1 on the EWG Dirty Dozen list,  I don’t use them often. During fall and the winter months, I stock up on cranberries.

Berries provide powerful benefits to our health. Here is what I learned from SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, Steven Pratt MD, and supplemented by other sources.

  • Heart health: Blueberry’s fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and phytonutrient content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol all support heart health. The fiber in blueberries helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease. A recent study, suggests that berries may reduce the risk of heart disease, due to their high content of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are part of a sub-class of flavonoids (natural plant chemicals), which may help counter plaque buildup and improve cardiovascular health. According to the study, women who eat three or more servings a week of blueberries or strawberries may reduce their risk of heart disease
  • Mental health: Population-based studies have shown that consumption of blueberries can reduce the risk of cognitive declineas well as Parkinson’s disease. Blueberries in particular may improve motor skills and  reverse age-related short-term memory loss, and may also protect the brain from stroke damage.
  • Digestive health; rich in pectin (a soluble fiber) blueberries relieve both diarrhea and constipation.
  • Anti-aging benefits: Berries seemed to slow and even reverse many of the degenerative diseases associated with an aging brain.
  • Research suggests berries have anti-cancer properties.   Blueberries provide another antioxidant known as ellagic acid. Research suggests this antioxidant blocks the metabolic pathways that can promote cancer. Various studies demonstrated that people who consume fruits with the most ellagic acid were three times less likely to develop cancer than those who consume little or no dietary ellagic acid. Increased blood levels of antioxidants have been shown to favorably modify incidences of blood cancer

Blueberries combine more powerful disease-fighting antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetables. Just one serving of blueberries provides as many antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli or squash.

The power of blueberries is in their incredibly high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients (plant chemicals). Blueberries, particularly wild blueberries, have at least five different anthocyanins (a plant chemical) giving blueberries powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities. Anthocyanin also works synergistically with vitamin C and other key antioxidants. They strengthen the capillary system by promoting the production of quality collagen – the building block of tissues. This subclass of flavonoids also promotes vasodilatation and has an aspirin-like effect on blood clot formation, making berries important for heart health.

Scientific studies reaffirm the basis for many remedies known from traditional therapeutic use of grapes and berry products in folk medicine.

For more health empowerment:

Dr. Fuhrman: Eating Berries Reduces Your Risk of Heart Attack

Nutrition Facts: Berries Can Improve Memory and Cognitive Function

The consumption of blueberries and strawberries is associated with delayed cognitive aging by as much as 2.5 years

Nutrition Facts: Berries and Cancer

Blueberry consumption may double the population of our cancer fighting immune cells, and the spices cardamom and black pepper may boost their activity

GreenMedInfo: Blueberries Protect Against the Top Two Killer Diseases

 

Some of my “berry” favorite recipes

Berries and Nut Pancakes

Baked Blueberry French Toast

Arugula Salad with Strawberry Dressing

Peach and Blackberry Crisp

 

 

Good Fats for Healthy Living

There’s probably nothing more confusing about food than fat. It’s the most misunderstood macronutrient and can negatively impact our health.

It seems we eat too much of the wrong fats and not enough of the good fats. Added to which, a phobia of fats spawned innumerous “low-fat” products that replace fat with sugar creating more health hazards.

Here’s my take after working through innumerous articles, books and online sources.

  1. Fats are essential for healthy living
  2. There are good fats and bad fats
  3. Moderate use of good fats is best
[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Patrick Quillin” source_title=”Beating Cancer with Nutrition” full_quote=”Human health is highly dependent on the quality and quantity of our fat intake. Most Americans eat too much fat and the wrong kind of fat AND do not get enough of the essential fatty acids that should be in our diet, hence the need for dietary changes and supplements.” short_quote=”Human health is highly dependent on the quality and quantity of our fat intake”]

Good fats are necessary for proper brain function, a strong immune system, hormone production, strengthening cell walls, joint lubrication, organ protection and a healthy nervous system. A high-functioning happy brain is partly a result of the quantity and quality of fat we eat. Healthy fats are clean and sustainable sources of energy. They help us absorb and transport vitamins and phytochemicals, help us detox, and increase metabolism.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Nina Plank” source_title=”Real Food: What to Eat and Why” full_quote=”Fats are necessary for health. Fats in the omega family are called essential because the body cannot make them; we must get them from foods. The brain relies on omega-3 fats; deficiency causes depression. Without fats, the body cannot absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats are key to many other functions including building cell walls, immunity and assimilation of minerals like calcium.Digestion is impossible without fats. The cell membrane controls the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. Fats stimulate the secretion of bile acids, which are essential for digestion. Without fat, digestion literally fails you and you starve—even if you are eating plenty. Today, overeating low-quality food is more often the cause of poor nutrition than starvation.” short_quote=”Fats are necessary for health. Fats in the omega family are called essential because the body cannot make them; we must get them from foods”]

So what are good fats? Essential fatty acids: omega-3s and omega-6s. Essential fatty acids cannot be produced in our body. Ideally, we should get equal amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fats because they have equally important but different effects in the body. But the Standard American Diet provides insufficient omega-3 and too much omega-6. This is what leads to inflammation and disease: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and depression.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Richard Beliveau PhD and Denis Gingras PhD” source_title=”Foods to Fight Cancer” full_quote=”Omega-3s are an essential ingredient in an anticancer diet, and they protect against heart disease too. The ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids obtained through the ancestral diet was probably around one to one, but the ratio has become more like twenty to one! This imbalance may have negative repercussions on the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Increasing the intake of omega-3 may significantly reduce the risk of all inflammatory ailments, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.” short_quote=”Omega-3s are an essential ingredient in an anticancer diet, and they protect against heart disease too”]

Good sources of essential fatty acids are those that come from nature: avocados, nuts, seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, flaxseed, fatty fish, grass-fed beef and butter and pastured eggs. Good fats are healthy in moderation.

Bad fats are man-made industrial fats such as refined vegetable oils processed under high heat, which makes them rancid and carcinogenic. These oils include corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and synthetic trans fats. They have too much omega-6 leading to inflammation, which leads to disease.

Trans fats are the worst for our health. They’re formed by hydrogenation in which unsaturated fats are pelted with hydrogen atoms to make artificially saturated fat. That’s how firm margarine is made from liquid corn oil. Hydrogenated oils are solid at room temperature and shelf-stable, making them useful for processed foods. But trans fats cause heart disease, and other maladies. Fast food and processed foods are loaded with industrial (bad) fats.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Kris Carr” source_title=”Crazy, Sexy Cancer” full_quote=”Vegetable oil is heavily processed under high heat and pressure turning into trans fats, which distorts fat molecules in a way, your body can’t recognize as food. These fat molecules cause inflammation, cardiovascular harm, liver, kidney and bowel stagnation and accelerate the aging process.” short_quote=”Vegetable oil is heavily processed under high heat and pressure turning into trans fats, which distorts fat molecules in a way, your body can’t recognize as food”]

Health problems associated with a high-fat diet come from consuming processed oils and trans fats, and too much animal fat.

What to do?

Moderate use of good fats is beneficial. Essential fatty acids increase the absorption of immune system-supporting micronutrients and phytochemicals. For example, an olive oil or nut-based salad dressing helps the body absorb more of the carotenoids and certain nutrients in raw vegetables. This can help minimize heart disease and diabetes. The key is moderation.

I choose to avoid bad fats: hydrogenated (vegetable) oils (fast food is cooked in it), junk food and processed foods loaded with industrial fats. I don’t buy or cook with corn, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils.

Instead I choose fats close to nature, and try to use them in moderation:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Unrefined coconut oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Butter and milk from grass-fed cows; better ratio of good omega-3, and minus the hormones and antibiotics of factory farmed animals (high in bad omega-6)

I also use expeller-pressed canola oil ocassionally for cooking because I trust Dr. Andrew Weil.

For further health empowerment check out:

The Problem with Refined Oils

How to Find and Avoid Trans Fats

Separating Fat from Fiction

For the Health of Our Children

 

For the health of our children, I believe one of the most important things we can do as parents is to model, motivate and teach them to enjoy a variety of whole foods, particularly fruits and vegetables.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”left” source_author=”Norah O’Donnell” source_title=”Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for your Baby and Toddler” full_quote=”Scientists believe infancy and the toddler years are the best window of opportunity to influence adult health because there is so much rapid growth and cell division in the body. It’s called “metabolic programming,” the idea that foods eaten in childhood can have long-lasting – even permanent – effects on how the body grows and wards off disease.” short_quote=”Scientists believe infancy and the toddler years are the best window of opportunity to influence adult health”]

From my daughter’s first bites of pureed foods, I talked about delicious flavors (lots and lots of “yummy yum yumm”, smiles, belly patting) and the wonderful benefits (strong bones, good eyes in babyesque language) every time we fed her. I tried to eat my meals with her as much as possible, modeling how vegetables, fruits and healthy food can be enjoyed. As she turned two, then three, four, five…we talked about the colors and textures of foods. I took her with me to the local Farmer’s market, pointing out various vegetables. She always got excited (and still does) about the most colorful vegetables (“Purple carrots! Beets!” Bell peppers!”). Yes, there were (and are) times when she doesn’t like something, but we keep re-introducing disliked vegetables and foods. I learned the best tactic from my amazing cousin Michelle. When her daughter said, “I don’t like it,” Michelle responded, “you’re just not in the mood for it today.” This left open the possibility that she might “like it” tomorrow, next week or next month. And eventually she always ends up liking whatever initially had been disliked.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”left” source_author=”Pamela Druckerman” source_title=”Bringing Up Bebé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting” full_quote=”In France, the idea of reintroducing a broad range of vegetables and other foods isn’t just one idea among many. It’s the guiding culinary principle for kids. The ordinary, middle-class French parents I meet are evangelical about the idea that there is a rich world of flavors out there, which their children must be educated to appreciate.” short_quote=”In France, the idea of reintroducing a broad range of vegetables and other foods isn’t just one idea among many. It’s the guiding culinary principle for kids.”]

From early on, my daughter participated in the kitchen. As a one- year old she sat on the counter as I showed her how to put spinach leaves, peas and other toddler friendly vegetables into a salad bowl. Often peas, edamame, cooked beets etc, would go into her mouth rather than the bowl. At age two, she was standing on a stepstool, helping put ingredients into the mixing bowl as we made pancakes or muffins. Gradually, she’s taken on bigger tasks.

Every meal, she generally eats three or more vegetables/fruits. I believe this strengthens her immune system and protects her against disease. Proof that it works is that when she started preschool at age two, she caught a cold only twice in the first six months, neither of which lasted more than a couple of days. By age five, the only visits to the pediatrician were annual wellness exams, and a couple of eye infections that were actually sensitivity to dairy. Considering we spend two months a year in Bolivia, her health is really remarkable.

Increasing evidence demonstrates  that people who eat more plant foods (vegetables fruits, beans and nuts/seeds) are less likely to get sick. They contain a wide range of powerful immune-supporting phytonutrients (plant chemicals) that protect our bodies. To get optimal amounts of these protective micronutrients, we have to eat lots of plant foods.

Today, the average American gets over 60% of their calories from processed foods – factory-made foods with added sweeteners, white flour and oils mixed with additives, coloring agents and preservatives to extend shelf life. Processed foods don’t have significant amounts antioxidants or phytochemicals. People eating this Standard American Diet get less than 10% of their calories from natural plant foods such as fruits, beans, seeds and vegetables (and of that 10% half the vegetable consumption is white potato products). This diet is not just slightly deficient in a few micronutrients; it’s massively deficient in hundreds of important plant-derived immunity-building nutrients necessary for good health. The result: the Standard American Diet (SAD) promotes disease.

Long-term observational studies demonstrate that eating plant foods is the most important factor in preventing chronic disease. Children who eat few vegetables get sick more often.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”left” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman MD” source_title=”Super Immunity” full_quote=”In most cases, a virus when exposed to a healthy well-nourished body would be harmless. A healthy body is highly resistant to viral attack. It’s been demonstrated that when children eat more vegetables, they have fewer infections. The same healthy diet that protects against the flu also protects against many cancers, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma and other diseases…Our vulnerability to the initial virus and our inability to fight it once we’ve become exposed is directly affected by the quality of our diet prior to being exposed. Nutrition makes us more susceptible to viruses and significantly impacts the length and severity of an illness.” short_quote=”It’s been demonstrated that when children eat more vegetables, they have fewer infections. “]

As parents we choose aim to be consistent and firm – eating vegetables and fruits is not optional. The first year or two I worked hard to motivate her and convince her. Now she genuinely takes pleasure in eating fruits and vegetables; it’s usually the first thing she eats on her plate.

I don’t believe in extremes, and generally nothing is banned. A basic rule in our house is no white flour or white sugar during the week. Occasionally she gets Goldfish or Oreos, candy and cookies. Birthday parties are a free-for-all. But the core part of our daily meals consists of natural, whole foods. We give thanks before our meals. We celebrate the pleasure of different flavors, colors and textures, and notice how very lucky we are that we can eat so much fresh, delicious foods.

Some great recipes to help children eat more vegetables:

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Pumpkin Waffles

Weelicious: Kale Pesto

Oh She Glows: Cauli-Power Fettuccine Alfredo

 

For more food empowerment:

Getting Young Children To Eat Healthy

Disease Proof Your Children Through Nutritional Excellence

 

Eat More Beans

Beans are so nutritionally significant, some health champions advocate we should eat beans daily. Beans are protein-rich superfoods, high in antioxidants, phytonutrients (plant chemicals essential to our immune system) and fiber and can help with disease prevention.

Cultivated across the globe for thousands of years, beans (also known as legumes and pulses) are an ancient food, a staple of people around the world. It seems every culture uses beans, peas, and lentils in one way or another, often with grains and vegetables in unique combinations.

[su_expanding_quote_web alignment=”Full” source_site=”Source Site” source_url=”http://nutritionstudies.org/what-are-pulses-and-why-are-they-important/” full_quote=”Throughout history and all over the world the highly nutritious legume, or pulse, has been an essential and affordable staple in the human diet. Those from the Indian subcontinent lived on Dal from lentils and chickpeas; the Chinese and Japanese added mung, aduki and young soy (edamame) beans to meals. Persians ate lentils. Latin Americans ate pinto, black and kidney beans and the Greeks ate great lima beans; Egyptians – fava beans, and sub-Saharan Africans lived on pinto and fava beans.” short_quote=”Throughout history and all over the world the highly nutritious legume, or pulse, has been an essential and affordable staple in the human diet.”]

The health benefits are powerful. Beans are:

  • A rich source of phytonutrients (plant chemicals essential for health) and minerals including magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium and zinc that strengthen our immune system and protect us from disease
  • a good source of water-soluble vitamins, especially thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folacin. Studies (SuperFoods Rx, by Steven Pratt) show that those who ate beans most frequently had lower blood pressure and total cholesterol and were less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. Eating half a cup of beans a day made a significant difference in cholesterol and triglyceride blood levels.
  • one of the best sources of dietary fiber which has been shown to lower cholesterol and help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes as it helps normalize blood sugar and insulin responses. The fiber in beans keeps blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal. Beans and oats are a less expensive way (rather than costly medications) to lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.
  •  can protect against cancer
  • collectively, all the nutrients and fiber in beans have been found to work together to help reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity
[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”Full” source_author=”Steven Pratt M.D. and Kathy Matthews” source_title=”SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods that Will Change Your Life” full_quote=”Beans are a virtual wonder food. A delicious source of vitamin-rich, low-fat, inexpensive, versatile protein, beans deserve a place at the table for those reasons alone. But the full power of beans to lower cholesterol; combat heart disease, stabilize blood sugar; reduce obesity; relieve constipation, hypertension and type II diabetes; and lessen the risk for cancer make this ancient food an extraordinary and important addition to any diet. There is promising evidence beans may help to prevent cancer; beans contain phytoestrogens called “lignins” that may reduce the risk of cancer associated to estrogen levels –particularly breast cancer. Try to eat at least four 1/2 cup servings per week.” short_quote=”Beans are a virtual wonder food. A delicious source of vitamin-rich, low-fat, inexpensive, versatile protein”]

The range of colors, flavors and textures of beans is remarkable. As each bean is unique in nutrients and color, try to eat a wide variety of beans to take advantage of all that beans collectively have to offer to promote optimal health. Beans never need be boring, enjoy all their incredible flavors and textures: chickpeas, black-eyed peas, black beans, lima beans, pinto beans, lentils, red and the health benefits are outstanding.

They can be prepared so many ways. In the warm months I use beans in grain dishes, mixed with whole-wheat pasta or in salads. In the colder months they are in my weekly menus as soups and stews. And I generally have a hummus or bean spread in the refrigerator to use as a spread for wraps or sandwiches or a quick snack with rice cakes, crackers or veggies.

Having canned beans as a pantry staple makes a quick dinner easy; make sure to check labels when purchasing and buy those that contain only beans, water and preferably no added salt.

Dried beans are a very affordable way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It takes thinking ahead to soak them overnight, but with planning this can become routine. Soaking makes them quicker to cook, and it also breaks down their starches and sugars that make them more digestible.

The more regularly beans are consumed, the better the body adjusts to their digestion.

To better empower your lifestyle with beans, check out:

Beans

Beans contain a multitude of nutrients that are known to be health promoting

NutritionFacts: Dr. Michael Greger

 

Beans: The Ideal Carbohydrate

Beans help prevent diabetes and weight gain…Beans protect against colon cancer.

Dr. Fuhrman: Smart Nutrition, Superior Health

 

Beans, Beans Good For Your Heart

Half a cup of beans a day may drop one’s cholesterol 20 points

NutritionFacts: Dr. Michael Greger

 

Plant Foods Make Us Healthy: The China Study

People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic diseases. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest. This is the conclusion of the book The China Study by T. Colin Campbell PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II MD. It is a comprehensive study that surveyed a vast range of diseases and diet and lifestyle, producing more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease pointing.

It’s a very dense book. I share my notes because I believe it is demonstrates food is a path to health. There’s powerful evidence that we can affect our genetic predispositions by giving our bodies the best nutrition; genes are activated by their environment not by fate (i.e. we are not condemned to get cancer). The solution is in what we eat.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”T. Colin Campbell PhD” source_title=”The China Study” full_quote=”Good food and good health is simple: eat a whole foods, plant-based diet, while minimizing the consumption of refined foods, added salt and added fats. In the long term, plant-based eating is cheaper than an animal-based diet Eat well. Eat enough. Whatever you do, don’t go hungry Eat a variety. Mixing it up is important both for getting all the necessary nutrients and for maintaining your interest in the diet. You can eat a plant-based diet with great pleasure and satisfaction.” short_quote=”Good food and good health is simple: eat a whole foods, plant-based diet”]
  • The United States spends more on health care than any country in the world, yet 2/3 of Americans are overweight, 15 million+, have diabetes, 50% have a health problem requiring a prescription drug every week and 100 million+ have high cholesterol. This comes down to three things: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The answer to the American health crisis is the food that we choose to eat every day. It’s about changing the way we eat and live and the health that will result
  • Affluence leads to Western diseases (heart, cancer, diabetes and other autoimmune disorders). Diseases of affluence are tightly linked to eating habits.
  • If nutrition were better understood, if prevention and natural treatments were more accepted in the medical community, we would not pour so many toxic, potentially lethal drugs into our bodies at the last stage of disease
  • Fiber and antioxidants from plants are linked to lower risk of cancer
  • Evidence from researchers around the world shows that a whole foods, plant-based diet that prevents cancer is also good for preventing heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cataracts, Alzheimer’s osteoporosis and other diseases.

The Good Nutrition Guide: a whole foods, plant-based diet

  • In nutrition the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The natural chemicals from foods we eat create a series of reactions working in concert to produce good health. Our bodies evolved this infinitely complex network of reactions to derive maximal benefit from whole foods as they appear in nature.
  • Eating animals is a different nutritional experience from eating plants. Plant foods have more antioxidants, fiber and minerals than animal foods.
  • Genes do not determine disease on their own. They function only by being activated and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are activated. Environment, especially diet, causes some genes to remain dormant, and others to express themselves. Nutrition is the environmental factor that determines the activity of genes.
  • Regardless of our genes, we can affect our genetic health by providing our bodies with the best nutrition.
  • Nutrition can substantially control adverse effects of noxious chemicals. A chronic disease like cancer takes years to develop. Nutrition can influence whether the disease will ever do its damage.
  • The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages (before diagnosis) can also halt or reverse disease in its later stages (after diagnosis). The same good nutrition maximizes health at every stage of a disease.
  • Research shows that a whole foods, plant-based diet reverses advanced heart disease, helps diabetics get off their medication and return to a more normal, pre-diabetes life.

Food and nutrition are of primary importance to the planet’s health

If we eat the way that promotes the best health for ourselves, we promote the best health for the plant. By eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet, we use less water, less land, fewer resources and produce less toxic waste and pollution

Our food choices have an incredible impact on the initiation, promotion, and even reversal of disease, on our energy, our physical activity, our emotional and mental well-being and our world environment.

Dr. Campbell repeatedly points out the wisdom of nature — a wondrous web of health, from molecules to people to other animals to forests to oceans and to the air we breathe. By eating healthy, we directly made a difference to our world.

Visit Dr. Campbell’s website, a powerful resource for food and health

T. Colin Campell: Center for Nutrition Studies

 

 

Meet the Grains

Move over rice and wheat! Whole-grains from around the world are more available than ever before, an easy way to increase plant foods in our day to day given the diversity and excellent health benefits. Many grains (quinoa, whole-wheat couscous, bulgur) can be cooked in less than half an hour, making homemade dinner possible even in a busy lifestyle.

It’s important to highlight that the health benefits are in WHOLE grains. Refined grains (white rice, white flour etc) have been processed to remove the germ or bran – or both). This significantly decreases the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients that are critical for optimal health.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Margaret Wittenberg” source_title=”The Essential Food Guide” full_quote=”What is a whole grain? A whole grain contains all of the components that are naturally present in the seed of a cereal grass plant, and thus contains all its nutrients. Grains are designed to support the growth of the seed when it sprouts, making them a rich source of nutrition for us too.

There are three major components of a whole grain:

  • Bran: the outer covering contains the highest concentration of fiber and is also rich in B vitamins, trace minerals and potent antioxidants, including lignans. Its role is to protect the contents of the seed prior to germination
  • Germ: the life force of the grain, the part of the seed that sprouts to form a new plant. It contains vitamin E, trace minerals, B vitamins, minerals and protein
  • Endosperm: contains starchy carbohydrates, protein and small amounts of vitamins and minerals stored as fuel to nourish the sprouted grain during its early growth

” short_quote=”A whole grain contains all of the components that are naturally present in the seed of a cereal grass plant, and thus contains all its nutrients”]

Whole grains and health

  • Whole grains have a combination of fiber, vitamins, minerals and health-promoting phytonutrients shown to help reduce cholesterol, improve intestinal health, stabilize blood sugar levels an decrease the incidence of heart disease and diabetes
  • Whole grains processed to preserve most or all major components (bran, germ and endosperm) in their intact form are the most nourishing option. These include grains that are cracked, rolled, and ground

How to get more grains into our daily diet?  Have them for breakfast instead of processed cereals. Whole grains provide sustained energy throughout the morning.

  • Hot oatmeal, buckwheat and rice cereals for breakfast in cold weather.
  • Overnight oats, and granola topped with fresh seasonal fruits and sprinkled with nuts
  • Baked oatmeal, whole-grain muffins and breakfast breads for make-ahead breakfasts
  • Granola bars, baked oatmeal bites, overnight oats in a mason jar or breakfast cookies for breakfast-to-go

For dinner or lunch top cooked grains with roasted (or sauteed) vegetables or mix with beans and pesto, make pilafs and risottos, put grains in soups or salads tossed with greens and beans.

My pantry staples are oats, brown rice (brown rice is good source of fiber, vitamin and trace minerals. White rice loses the bran and germ –and most of its nutrition) and quinoa. Then I vary my menu plan and shopping list with barley, or buckwheat, or bulgur, or whole-wheat couscous.

The grains I use most:

  • Barley: has a from of soluble fiber (beta-glucans) that mixes with liquid in the digestive tract and binds fatty substances to remove them from the body, helping reduce cholesterol. Soluble fiber also helps slow the release of sugars into the bloodstream, providing steady, sustained fuel for the body
  • Buckwheat: Not wheat nor even a grain, this is a plant seed that’s almost a complete protein because it contains all essential amino acids. It contains fair amounts of calcium, iron and B vitamins. It makes a great granola and overnight cereal; I also use it in soups and pilafs mixed with other grains
  • Bulgur is made by cracking wheat berries that were first parboiled and dried. Use for pilafs mixed with other grains and for tabbouleh. It’s great for when I’m in a hurry for dinner or breakfast (mix it with fresh juice, topped with nuts, or with pureed fruits)
  • Couscous is actually a pasta of durum wheat flour sprinkled with flour and rolled into small pellets. It can be prepared in a matter of minutes. It’s tasty cooked with fruit juice, aromatic spiced (cinnamon, cardamom etc), mixed with dried fruits (apricots, date, raisins) and nuts and pressed like polenta for breakfast to go. Or tossed in a salad with greens
  • Oats: Because the bran and germ are intact, all forms of oats are considered whole grain, and have extensive nutritional benefits including soluble fiber (beta-glucan) that helps lower cholesterol, and stabilizes blood sugar. Oats contain an essential fatty acid (linoleic acid)) that helps regulate vital body functions including supporting a nervous system and healthy skin.
  • Quinoa, my absolute favorite, is actually a seed and a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids. It’s also a good source of iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamins A and E. Who says it’s only for dinner? Mix last night’s leftover quinoa with applesauce and chopped walnuts for a satisfying breakfast!

Other grains to try are farro (is an ancient type of wheat with a chewy texture rich in fiber, magnesium and vitamins),  millet (a good source of iron, rich in lysine making it higher-quality protein than most grains) and wheat berries (the whole complete wheat grain).

New to whole grains? Check out:

100 Days of Real Food:Understanding Grains

100 Days of Real Food: 6 Ways to Ease the Switch to Whole Grains

The Whole Grains Council: Identifying Whole Grain Products

 

Making A Weekly Menu Plan

There are a couple of things we do every day. I believe cooking nourishing homemade meals can be part those daily habits. As it becomes a habit, it takes less time to cook and clean up.

Daily meals are based on a well-stocked kitchen and become possible with a weekly menu plan.  I find it is as hard, if not harder to think about WHAT to make as it is to actually make it. Knowing ahead of time—and having the ingredients on hand—can make the difference between a homemade dinner and a drive-through dinner.

Here’s my process:

  1. Choose recipes for five dinner meals alternating vegetarian (generally based on grains or beans) and omivore (usually fish and poutlry, every now and again beef or pork)
  2. Choose wholesome breakfast recipes that can be prepared ahead of time, or fairy quickly
  3. Make a weekly shopping list of needed ingredients as each recipe is selected; list items in organized sections: produce, dry goods, fish/poultry/meats. I may be stating the obvious, but having an organized grocery list makes for more efficient shopping.
  4. Plan the cooking process to do a couple of things at a time; this reduces cooking time
  5. Wash up as I go to avoid dirty bowls, pots and measuring cups from piling up
  6. Maximize the cooking effort to jumpstart a meal the next day, and/or prep dinner’s leftovers into tomorrow’s lunch

It can become a ritual rather than an ordeal. With the technological barrage of gadgets and noise, there’s something de-stressing as I chop, shred and stir. It’s an opportunity to be present in the moment. Being mindful of all the wonderful ingredients available to us infuses the food with goodness. Breathe deep and inhale the aromas. Taste a spoonful, rolling flavors around with your tongue.

Cooking can be a labor of love,—for our bodies, our health and people we care about.

The more you cook, the easier it will get. Things that seemed complicated will take less time and become more routine. Making homemade dinner can become a regular habit.

If your schedule—or cooking interest—doesn’t make the homemade meals on my weekly menus seems do-able think about what might work best for you: Slow cooker meals allowing you to put everything in the pot and come home to a cooked dinner? Meals you can make ahead and have in the freezer?

My wish for you is that when you sit down to eat, you and your family will enjoy homemade food so much, you will look forward to making and eating the next meal.

 

Additional Meal Planning Resources

Slow Cooker Meals

56 clean eating recipes from Tiffany at The Gracious Pantry. Clean eating focuses on eating natural, unprocessed food without unhealthy additives or preservatives.

Freezer Meals

Check out Tiffany McCauley’s freezer meal section on The Gracious Pantry. She also has a book The Gracious Pantry Clean Eating Freezer Meals.  This guide includes the basics of clean eating, proper freezing techniques, and budget-friendly shopping tips.

Quick Dinners 31 Meals

One month of simple dinners that are healthy, affordable and delicious from Minimalist Baker; a downloadable ebook for $29

Family Meals from Weelicious

I’m a HUGE proponent of “one family, one meal”, as Catherine McCord so successfully advocates and makes possible. Weelicious is one of my favorite resources for delicious, wholesome recipes. She also has crockpot recipes for quick, healthy food your family will love. Her Weelicious Menus for $8 a month include 5 weekly dinner recipes, tips to get kids involved in the kitchen, monthly freezer meal recipe and one-stop shopping list.

Meal Plan Ideas and Resources

If reducing or cutting out processed foods is new for you, 100 Days of Real Food is an incredible resource. Lisa Leake helps busy families who want to cut out processed foods and eat real food. Check out her very helpful ideas resources for meal plans.

Vegan Meal Planning

I like Kris’ conversational tone and her ability to break things down into easy to follow steps. Her Crazy Sexy Meal Plan has great advice and includes a shopping list.