Saturday, February 28, 2015
Vegan And Gluten Free Low Sugar Cranberry Sauce With Pomegranate And Pear A Great Dish For The Holidays!
 |
| We added fresh pears and pomegranate arils to our popular low-sugar cranberry sauce. Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest. |
Get Them While You Can
I cant get enough of fresh cranberries and pomegranates. Just knowing they will soon be gone makes me appreciate them even more.
Heres a variation of our popular low-sugar cranberry sauce recipe with the addition of pears and cranberries. It was a big hit at Thanksgiving and it could be a great addition to your Christmas menu too!
Serve it with roasted root vegetables, stuffed acorn squash, rice casserole, on top of a baked sweet potato, with vegan stuffing, or just eat it with a spoon. It keeps well so you can make it early in the day or even the night before.
* * *
Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce with Pomegranate and Pear
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 10 to 12 servings]
1 large pomegranate
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Juice from one large organic orange
Water
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
12 ounce bag fresh cranberries, stems removed
1 pear, peeled and diced
8 drops stevia, or to taste (optional)
To remove the arils, see my post on how to neatly clean a pomegranate and set aside the pomegranate arils.
After grating what you need from the orange peel, cut the orange in half. Squeeze the juice from both of the orange halves into a 1-cup measuring cup. Fill the rest of the measuring cup up with water. Place in a small saucepan with the orange peel and sugar.
Heat on medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cranberries and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the pear and cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.
Remove from the heat and add a few drops of stevia at a time until the sauce reaches the desired sweetness. Be careful because too much stevia will actually make it bitter.
Stir in the pomegranate arils. Place in a serving bowl, cool to room temperature and serve.
Store in the refrigerator.
Per serving (10) 81 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 9 mg omega-3 and 42 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 2 mg sodium.
Per serving (12) 67 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 7 mg omega-3 and 35 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 2 mg sodium.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Weight Loss Innovation targets body temperature
Want to lose weight? Install a hot tub in our office, right next to your desk so you can work from it.
If the boss thinks that’s taking casual Friday a bit too far, then consider bioengineer Kenneth McLeod’s alternative.
McLeod, director of the Clinical Science and Engineering Research Center at Binghamton University, is developing a carbon-dioxide, laser-based heater that will keep you hot tub-warm for about 15 watts – a much cheaper alternative to the 1,500-watt space heaters populating the underside of desks all over corporate America.
Furthermore, such a device will make you up to 50 percent more productive at work. That’s because you won’t be getting up to get warm every few minutes.
How does it work? Well, first it’s important to know why it works, McLeod says. You’re gaining weight not because you’re eating too much or not exercising enough, but because your body is too cold, and temperature regulation accounts for two-thirds of the calories you burn.
“Your body has adapted to its environment,” McLeod says. And your environment today is largely air-conditioned: cars, offices, homes, you name it.
Your core body temperature in a typical 68- to 70-degree room is about 98 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, your body produces almost no growth hormone, which regulates whether you burn calories at a higher metabolic rate or store calories in body fat to keep you warm.
But if you rais your core temperature to 100 degrees, your body produces enough growth hormone that you burn fat at a prodigious reate. To reach that body temperature, you’d have to keep your living or working space at 78 or 80 degrees.
How does McLeod know this? He put test subjects in a hot tub for 30 minutes. Those who did it a couple of times per week lost weight. In fact, they lost more weight than people with the same diet who exercised – 1.2 pounds a week for young women and 0.8 pounds for middle-aged men.
But because an office hot tub isn’t practical, and a 1,500 –watt space heater is a huge wast of energy, McLeod is developing a laser-based body heater. Here’s how it works:
Carbon dioxide lasers are already common and relatively cheap. They produce electromagnetic radiation in the 10-micron range – the very lowest end of the infrared spectrum. That wavelength of radiation heats animal flesh, but not the air or items around it.
McLeod mounted a diffuser to a 15- or 30-watt laser-based heater – about as much energy as a compact fluorescent light bulb. The result is something that heats you, but not your desk, computer, air or anything else. The project, is funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. McLeod also received an investment from the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF) to test a prototype.
The first devices will operate much like a space heater tthat you can regulate via remote control. Later devices might monitor skin temperature and regulate themselves to stay within you comfort range.
You could lose weight, increase productivity and save money. “It’s a passive diet plan,” McLeod says. “You don’t have to do a thing.”
Source: http://www.rfsuny.org/RF-News/Archive/Weight-Loss/Name-15837-en.html
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Practical Implications of Recent Studies Sour Bitter Curb Cravings for Sweet Salty 30min 3x Week Min Training Masturbation Abstinence Boost Testosterone by 50
 |
| The "Curb the cravings w/ sour and bitter foods"-implication is just one out of three science-based hypothesis on potential practical implications of recent studies. |
I can already tell you that not all of them will eventually work - thats how hypothesis work: You formulate them based on the existing evidence, only to realize that you were completely missing the boat, when you argued that eating sour and bitter foods will help you shut down your junk food cravings... which reminds me: Lets not lose additional time and get right to implication numero uno which is, ...
- Implication 1: If you are always ravenous, eat bitter or sour to stop the cravings -- As with all the tips in this first installment of what could become a regular if you signal me that you like the idea of hypothesizing about potential practical applications of the results of recent studies, you got to be careful about the real world effects of the "sour" and "bitter" taste ligand induced production of the "satiety hormone" cholecystokinin (CCK) researchers from the Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology in Japan observed in isolated gut cells (Miyata. 2014).
In view of the fact that neither sucrose (sweet taste) nor NaCl (salty) or MSG (umami) had similar effects it does not appear totally unlikely that this tip will actually work... I mean, sweet, salty and umami? Thats exactly the "taste" of the SAD diet - the same diet that has spread the obesity epidemic right from its US epicenter all around the world over the past decades.
Scheme of the regional gustatory preferences nested within the 10,000 taste buds distributed on the human tongue (Slavkin. 1999)
And before I forget to mention it: There are "tastebuds" all over your body. The tongue is just one of them | learn more.
- Implication 2: You dont have to move mountains, but 30 minutes x three times a week is the minimal volume x frequency prescription to see significant health benefits from structured physical activity aka "exercise" -- To come to this conclusion I did not even have to come up with extra hypotheses. Actually Heather J. A. Foulds and colleagues, who have recently reviewed the existing literature to elucidate "the relationship between exercise volume and intensity and health benefits" and the results,... well, the results are actually what the tip already said:
"In healthy active individuals, a physical activity program of at least 30 min in duration for three sessions/per week is associated with consistent improvements in health status." (Foulds. 2014).
The scientists also found that upping the intensity from brisk waling to jogging is associated with an additional increase in cardiovascular health benefits. If thats exactly the best thing for your knees is anyones guess, though.
- Implication 3: If you believe in the power of testosterone and want to perform your best at a meet next week, masturbate today! -- According to researchers from the Department of Life Science, at the Hangzhou Normal College in China, the serum testosterone concentrations of their 28 volunteers changed significantly in response to ejaculation at the end of a period of abstinence. While, the fluctuations of testosterone levels from the 2nd to 5th day of abstinence were minimal, a clear peak of serum testosterone appeared, reaching 145.7% of the baseline ( P < 0.01) on day 7 (Jiang. 2003).
The scientists are careful to point out that "[e]jaculation is the precondition and beginning of the special periodic serum testosterone level variations", though. In other words: Years of abstinence are not going to have a similar effect, as a 7-14 day rhythm would have... what? You willingly pass on maxing out your testosterone levels by cyclic abstinence? Well, I can understand that ;-)
 |
| Table 1: Methodological issues in sexuality research with testosterone and other androgens in humans, and suggested practices for addressing them (van Anders. 2014) - just in case you plan to test, whether implication #3 works ;-) |
Unfortunately, thats something of which I am not sure that you can say it about the satiating effects of sour and bitter foods. Ok, you probably wont overeat on bitter green tea leaves, but it still requires more self-control than many people apparently have, not to put away the green tea leaves you may be snacking on in front of your TV and replace them with a mix of chocolate, and chips: sweet, salty, and 100% non-satiating - just the way we like it.
- Foulds, Heather JA, et al. "Exercise volume and intensity: a dose–response relationship with health benefits." European Journal of Applied Physiology (2014): 1-9.
- Jiang, Ming, et al. "A research on the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men." Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A 4.2 (2003): 236-240.
- Miyata, Mutsuki, et al. "Effect of five taste ligands on the release of CCK from an enteroendocrinecell line, STC-1." Biomedical Research 35.2 (2014): 171-176.
- Slavkin, Harold C. "Towardmolecular gastronomy,or whats in a taste?." Journal of the American Dental Association 130 (1999): 1497-1500.
- van Anders, Sari M., Katherine L. Goldey, and Sarah N. Bell. "Measurement of testosterone in human sexuality research: Methodological considerations." Archives of sexual behavior 43.2 (2014): 231-250.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Calorie Shifting 45 Beats Calorie Reduction 55 Four Meals Spaced 4h Apart Induce Greater Hunger ! Body Weight Reduction Than More Restrictive Regular Dieting
 |
| 4x4 are those the optimal numbers? |
Lets further assume this "someone" was an obese and overweight (BMI ≥ 25), nonsmoking adult (age 26-50 years) woman who has been selected from two clinics related to Weight Loss and Weight Gain Unit, Shohaday Tajrish Hospital and Private Clinic in Esfahan between April 2010 and September 2012.
You can learn more about meal frequency at the SuppVersity
Grazin Bad For the Obese!
Breakfast Keeps You Lean?!
Frequent Protein Consumption
Myth: Few Meals More Bodyfat
8 Meals = Stable, But High Insulin
Int. Fasting & Exercise
But what if there was another twist to the study? A twist that says: "Eat 4 times per day for eleven days and make sure you leave at least 4h of time to digest between those four meals. Then, eat regular for three days and repeat!" Ha? What would happen?
 |
| Figure 1: Relative weight and fat loss after 12 weeks of dieting and after 4 week follow up (Davoodi. 2014) |
 |
| Figure 2: Reduced hunger and no drop in resting metabolic rate - still asking for the reasons? |
- their "resting metabolic rate tended to remain unchanged" during the CSD phases,
- their plasmaglucose, total cholesterol, and triacylglycerol reductions were greater, and
- their geeling of hunger actually decreased over the course of the 4-week study
 |
| No, no and no! Dont be stupid! Eat to satiety and fast or stay fat forever! Frequent meals will hamper not improve dietary T2DM treatment. Eating four times a day with 4h+ between the meals, on the other hand, is a promising approach to dieting. |
So how can we conciliate the results of the study and hand with those of the "Many Small Meals Suck" (read it) study from a couple of weeks ago? Well, easy! Were dealing with four, not 6 meals and they were spaced 4h, not just 2h apart. This + the fact that the women were obese or overweight, but not diabetic could easily explain the difference.
- Davoodi, Sayed Hossein, et al. "Calorie Shifting Diet Versus Calorie Restriction Diet: A Comparative Clinical Trial Study." International journal of preventive medicine 5.4 (2014): 447.
The Healthy Taste of Olive Oil Would the Flavor Be Enough to Induce At Least Some of Its Health Satiety Effects Plus Cholesterol Control Pomace vs Refined Olive Oil
 |
| What about an EVOO perfume, then? |
I guess, Sabine Frank and almost a dozen of other scientists from Germany and Austria must have had a similar idea, when they came up with the research question of their most recent study.
Olive oil flavored yoghurt?! Really?
I suppose, olive oil flavored, or, more specifically, low-fat yogurt mixed with a fat-free aroma extract from olive oil may not sound appealing to the average Western customer, but it would certainly deserve the label "functional food":
 |
| Figure 1: Only the olive oil enhanced yogurt will also enhance the activity of the frontal operculum (Frank. 2013) |
"What is the "frontal opercular" and why would I care about its blood supply?"
If the subheading to this paragraphs describes what you are thinking right now, its about time to take a look at the little information we have about the frontal operculum:
We know from previous studies that the frontal operculum (FP) is sensitive to food intake.Suggested read: "Pimp My Olive Oil! When Virgin is not Phenol-Rich Enough: The Pharmacokinetics of Phenol-Enriched Virgin Olive Oil." | read more - The study at hand shows that the FP does not care about caloric values (the yogurts were isocaloric).
- In task-related studies, the frontal operculum as part of the primary taste cortex, has shown pronounced activation to visual food cues and anticipation of food intake.
- The activation of the frontal operculum appears to control the "this smells good" or "this looks good, I must have it" response that makes weight loss so difficult.
- There is a telling relation between the sensitivity of the frontal operculum and the BMI of a person (Batterink. 2010; Yokum. 2011)
- Earlier fMRI studies showed that oral delivery of a drop of fat leads to an immediate increase in insular and frontal opercular activity, which suggests that there are "fat taste receptors" somewhere in the oral cavity or digestive tract that are wired to the the frontal perculum (Small. 2012).
 |
| Figure 2: Modulating effect of the minor components of pomace olive oil (POMACE) on lipid composition in 10 healthy young men (Cabello-Moruno. 2013) - severs as illustration for the importance of the "non-fat" components for our health. |
 |
| Per capita consumption of vegetable oils and fats in selected European countries in 2009 (Eurostat. 2011) |
In fact, the "ideal" diet, with the perfect macros and 100% adherence could in the end turn out to produce inferior results to a "sub-optimal", but tasty diet with olive oil and other aromas triggering all-sorts of still to be elucidated beneficial downstream effects on our physiology and psychology.
- Batterink L, Yokum S, Stice E. Body mass correlates inversely with inhibitory control in response to food among adolescent girls: an fMRI study. Neuroimage 2010;52:1696–703.
- Cabello-Moruno R, Martinez-Force E, Montero E, Perona JS. Minor components of olive oil facilitate the triglyceride clearance from postprandial lipoproteins in a polarity-dependent manner in healthy men. Nutrition Research. Oct. 2013 [accepted manuscript]
- Small DM, Green BG. A proposed model of a flavor modality. In: Murray MM, Wallace MT, eds. The neural bases of multisensory processes. Boca Raton, FL: 2012
- Yokum S, Ng J, Stice E. Attentional bias to food images associated with elevated weight and future weight gain: an FMRI study. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2011;19:1775–83.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Lose baby weight the healthy way
A womans body goes tremendous change when she becomes a mother. From gaining weight to hormonal changes, she goes through a number changes.
And one of the toughest things that new mothers have to face is losing all that baby weight. Not only is dealing with a newborn challenging — you have to adjust to their sleep and feeding routines, you also need to make sure that your partner doesnt feel neglected. Here are some effective ways to lose your baby weight...
- In the first few months (say till your tot crosses four months), your baby is mostly sleeping. Once youre adjusted to your babys routine (more or less), try and take some time out to exercise. It could mean 45 minutes of yoga, 20 minutes on the treadmill or a 30 minute brisk walk in your building compound. Make sure that you allow yourself some time (without feeling guilty) to do what you like. This way you wont feel like youre neglecting yourself and lose weight too.
- Remember your body has just gone through a big challenge. Dont expect miracles when it comes to losing weight but dont lose heart either when those pounds take ages to come off. If you had a natural delivery, you can start exercising after a couple of weeks. And if you had a C-section, you need to wait at least six to eight weeks to allow your body to heal. Either way, check with your doctor first.
- Start slowly. Dont jump headlong into a strenuous exercise regime after panicking about losing weight. Begin with a few basic stretches so that your body gets used to exercising again. A gradual start will ensure you build your stamina.
- Sometimes take your baby along in a pram for a walk. Start by walking slowly and gradually increase your speed.
- Dont forget to do pelvic exercises, which are affected by childbirth.
- Breastfeeding is also an excellent way to lose weight. Make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet.
And one of the toughest things that new mothers have to face is losing all that baby weight. Not only is dealing with a newborn challenging — you have to adjust to their sleep and feeding routines, you also need to make sure that your partner doesnt feel neglected. Here are some effective ways to lose your baby weight...
- In the first few months (say till your tot crosses four months), your baby is mostly sleeping. Once youre adjusted to your babys routine (more or less), try and take some time out to exercise. It could mean 45 minutes of yoga, 20 minutes on the treadmill or a 30 minute brisk walk in your building compound. Make sure that you allow yourself some time (without feeling guilty) to do what you like. This way you wont feel like youre neglecting yourself and lose weight too.
- Remember your body has just gone through a big challenge. Dont expect miracles when it comes to losing weight but dont lose heart either when those pounds take ages to come off. If you had a natural delivery, you can start exercising after a couple of weeks. And if you had a C-section, you need to wait at least six to eight weeks to allow your body to heal. Either way, check with your doctor first.
- Start slowly. Dont jump headlong into a strenuous exercise regime after panicking about losing weight. Begin with a few basic stretches so that your body gets used to exercising again. A gradual start will ensure you build your stamina.
- Sometimes take your baby along in a pram for a walk. Start by walking slowly and gradually increase your speed.
- Dont forget to do pelvic exercises, which are affected by childbirth.
- Breastfeeding is also an excellent way to lose weight. Make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Achieving optimum health – ignore all advice!
This topic could be very straightforward. Eat your 5-a-day, have some healthy fats, say no to processed foods, reduce your sugar intake and do some exercise! I could finish this article here as I don’t want to bore you with facts you are already familiar with.
After all, if achieving optimal health could be summarised in one sentence, our GPs (and me, for that matter) would be out of work and we all would be bouncing around with endless energy and vitality. A little more thought has to go into the matter of living to your full health potential and this short guide will, hopefully, be more useful to you than the leaflets you can pick up at your local supermarket.
Ditch the breakfast cereal
Processed grains, smothered in sugary syrup are still a staple feature of our breakfast table. Rice Krispies, corn flakes and even popular ‘healthier’ options such as shredded wheat (neatly compressed into brick-like structures), are devoid of all nutrients and provide a generous helping of gut-wrenching gluten and fibre, so rough it acts like a metal brush against your intestinal lining.
Most breakfast cereals are full of sugar and salt and completely devoid of essential nutrients.
Even gluten-free muesli from the local health shop is not an ideal alternative because starting your day on a purely grain-based meal will eventually wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels, deprive you of essential nutrients and irritate your tum. These are not great attributes for ‘the most important meal of the day’. Instead, embrace your savoury side and whip up some scrambled eggs with mushrooms and beans or generously fill an omelette with spinach and tomatoes. This way, you will start your day with a hit of protein energy, sprinkled with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants!
Brew your own
Arthritis seems to be an inevitable reality for many. Creaking joints and painful limbs often severely compromise quality of life, even if we are otherwise healthy. Looking after your joints on a daily basis can greatly reduce your risk of ever having to deal with this painful condition but there is no need to stock up on joint supplements. We can obtain natural glucosamine and chondroitin from bone broths, like we used to many moons ago. Slow stewing large knuckle and marrow bones with herbs, carrots and onions makes a fantastic stock that can be consumed just on its own or in homemade gravies and soups. Aim to cook at least one pot a week and put your mind at rest that your joint support is bubbling away on the stove while you watch Sunday soaps!
99.9% (anti) bacterial!
Try to include a daily portion of fermented foods such as yoghurt and sauerkraut to help maintain your levels of ‘good’ bacteria.
We are a generation obsessed with disinfecting our environment. A germ-free environment is not a safe haven but a breeding ground for fatal disease, allergies and atopic disease. Without naturally occurring micro organisms, the immune system never has an opportunity to learn how to defend itself from harmful invaders. Wiping out the population of friendly bacteria who set up camp in our intestines with antibiotics and medication does not help the situation. Many modern diseases such as IBS, asthma and even diabetes and heart disease are linked to a lack of beneficial bacteria in our food, in our environment and in our digestive systems. Our diet used to be brimming with health-giving organisms in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, soured milk and cream, yoghurt, kefir and a form of fermented soy beans called tempeh. Such foods should feature plentifully in our diet, at least on a weekly basis. Alternatively, a good probiotic supplement can save you from the misery of digestive disease and keep your immune system in tip top condition.
Get herb savvy
Our herb garden used to be our medicine cupboard. Rubbing a bit of onion on a bee sting or chewing sage leaves for inflamed gums, we used to know and recognise our common herbs for their health potential; today, instead, we have become increasingly reliant on a chemical concoction from the pharmacy. Herbs play an essential role in preventative medicine and buying a well-referenced herbal medicine book can be a wise investment for the future. I am not suggesting you cure yourself of every disease with a bit of shrub but that you include easily accessible herbs in your daily diet. Plant some fresh herbs to pick from your window sill and use dried spices such as turmeric and cinnamon liberally in your food.
Embrace the fat
Fat is not the enemy! Be sure to include healthy fats in every meal; nuts, olive oil, grass-fed butter & oily fish are all great sources of nutrients.
If you have read any of my previous articles you will be familiar with the fact that I am a fat lover. I cannot speak highly enough of this often misunderstood and neglected food. Never go about cooking a meal without having a bottle of olive or coconut oil at the ready. Never let a salad leaf pass your lips without a slathering of cold pressed seed or nut oil. But never ever be tempted by processed and artificial fats such as margarines, spreads and hardened vegetable fats. Above all, essential fats found in oily fish should stand elevated on a plinth with a golden halo right at the top of your daily food pyramid. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘essential’ with the following: Absolutely necessary; extremely important or Fundamental or central to the nature of something or someone. Therefore, eating oily fish is not an option, it is a must! It should be chiselled in stone like the Ten Commandments and plastered over every available advertising space: If you want to have a shot at achieving not just optimum health but any kind of health, eat oily fish three to four times a week, no discussion. Or take a high quality fish oil supplement on a daily basis if the thought of fish makes your tummy turn!
How red are your apples?
Eat the rainbow! Brightly-coloured fruit and veg are teaming with antioxidants.
Colour is nature’s way of telling you that she has provided a ripe and ready meal for you. Fruit and vegetables that are brimming with all colours of the rainbow while emitting a tantalisingly appetising smell are the best way of obtaining natural antioxidants. These chemical compounds protect every cell of your body against damage and ageing. A deep blue, red or purple colour means a ready supply of resveratrol and other flavonoids that protect your heart and skin. Dark green leafy vegetables contain an ocean of chlorophyll, a life giving substance that is purifying as well as nourishing. The more colours you have on your plate, the better protected you are against all sorts of onslaughts!
Don’t watch TV
This rule is very simple to follow. Don’t eat or buy anything that you see advertised on TV. If a happy family or a celebrity is trying to sell you something then it is manmade, most likely processed and comes in some sort of packaging. The beauty about natural foods is that you do not have to wrap them in plastic, cardboard or aluminium foil. How many times have you seen a commercial for fresh strawberries (not the frozen kind out of a pack) or a humble onion?
Ignore all advice!
If you can dig it, pick it, forage for it or hunt it, it is probably ok to eat!
Sometimes the best advice I can give you about how to achieve optimum health is to ignore all advice and follow your instincts. Some of us have lost the ability to judge which foods are naturally part of the human menu and which ones are not. It might just take a little time to tune yourself back into your natural environment and imagine life as a cave man. If you can dig it up, collect it, forage for it or climb a tree to reach it, it is probably ok to eat. This would include roots, leaves, vegetables, nuts , seeds, berries and the odd bit of fruit when in season. I should add at this point that it is still common practice for monkeys to consume over-ripe, fermenting fruit in the autumn only to stumble around drunk out of their eyeballs! Some might interpret this fact as perfect justification to indulge in the odd glass of wine or beer (myself included). Furthermore, if you are able to hunt it, catch it and kill it, it should also be on your dining table. This would include all cuts of meat – including offal, game, fish, seafood and insects. Yes you read that right, insects are still a delicacy in some countries and an excellent source of protein and collagen. Cooking up a dinner of ants and spiders might be a step too far even for me but you would be surprised how delicious deep-fried grasshoppers are!
By Lola Renton
Source: http://igennus.com/nutrition-blog/achieving-optimum-health-ignore-advice/
What You Need to Know About Diet Soda and Weight Loss
You probably heard about a new study published in the journal Obesity, which says diet drinks can help people lose more weight than drinking plain water. But you’ve probably also read time and time again that diet soda drinkers are more likely to be obese.
One report found that two-can-a-day diet drinkers had a 54 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese, compared to 32 percent for those who drank the same amount of regular soda. You may have also heard about research linking artificial sweeteners to increased sugar cravings.
So if this latest study has left you confused, that’s understandable. Here’s the gist of the study, my take on how to put the results in perspective, and why I believe you should keep reaching for water.
10 Reasons to Give Up Diet Soda
In a nutshell, two groups of men and women were introduced to the same diet and exercise program, with one exception. One group drank water, and the other downed diet soda. After 12 weeks, the diet soda drinkers lost 5.95 kg (about 13 pounds) compared to 4.09 kg (just under 9 pounds) for those who drank water. The study authors speculate that the water group may have lost less weight because they indulged their sweet cravings with foods that, unlike diet soda, contained calories—including yogurt, cookies, and ice cream.
The study’s co-author, Dr. Jim Hill of the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, told CNN, “It makes sense that it would have been harder for the water group to adhere to the overall diet than the (artificially-sweetened beverage) group.” In other words, you have to satisfy your sweet tooth somehow.
Despite the four extra pounds diet-soda drinkers lost in this study, I just can’t recommend drinking diet OR regular soda. We’ve all heard about the dangers of excess sugar, and regular soda is the top source in the American diet.
And artificial sweeteners are well, artificial. As a proponent of clean eating, I believe that everything we consume should serve a natural purpose—either to fuel our activity, help our cells perform their vital functions, or provide the building blocks for healing, repair, and cell maintenance. Artificial sweeteners don’t do any of this, and I have concerns regarding other studies about their potential unwanted effects, including a study out last year linking diet soda to depression, and one from 2011 about diet soda and stroke risk.
16 Ways to Lose Fat Fast
But this study does bring up an important point: many people may need to eat something sweet on a regular basis. In my private practice, I find that clients with sweet cravings can’t completely nix treats—trying to do so often leads to overeating other savory foods, or breaking down and binging on “forbidden” sugary foods. But there are ways to incorporate goodies made with natural sweeteners into an overall healthy diet, while still minimizing your intake of added sugar—and getting your fix from foods that contain beneficial nutrients.
I’m talking about options like dark chocolate, baked goods made with whole grain or nut flours, ice cream made with plant based “milk” like coconut or almond, and desserts that incorporate antioxidant and nutrient-rich fruits, like cobbler. Yes, they contain calories, but you can prevent calorie overkill—and weight gain—by making room for occasional sweet treats within a nutritious meal.
For example, if you’re really craving an oatmeal-dark-chocolate-chip cookie, ditch the bread on a sandwich and opt for a garden salad topped with lean protein instead. Or, if you’re out to dinner and you want to split a dessert, forgo the bread basket and starchy side dish and order an entree of steamed or grilled veggies and lean protein. In my experience, this kind of give and take is not only doable socially and emotionally, it’s also balanced and sustainable, which results in successful long-term weight management.
24 Food Swaps That Slash Calories
So if you’re trying to lose weight, I say stick with good old H2O; and if you have a sweet tooth, manage it in savvy ways that involve enjoying real, natural foods. And remember that your weight is a side effect of your relationship with food. Finding balance and eating in ways that make you feel nourished, energized, and well are the real keys to a healthy body and a healthy weight.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/diet-soda-weight-loss/story?id=24089121
How To Make Healthy Low Fat Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes Also A Recipe For Mushroom Gravy And A Delicious Vegan Substitute For Sliced Turkey
Soy curls are a great substitute for chicken or turkey.
You wont believe these creamy mashed potatoes are dairy free!
Getting Ready for Thanksgiving
Im dedicating the entire month of November to developing more raw and cooked vegan recipes and menus for my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving. Last year I posted A Complete Raw Vegan Thanksgiving menu as well as a Healthy Cooked Vegan menu so do check those out.
Best Ever Vegan Mashed Potatoes
I had some silken tofu left over from the Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe I posted on Monday. (By the way, this could also make a good side dish on Thanksgiving or just use the cheese sauce for your side dish of broccoli). Anyway, I thought that this light and fluffy tofu would make a great dairy substitute in mashed potatoes - a mandatory Thanksgiving dish. Together with Yukon gold potatoes, a touch of vegan buttery spread and seasoned with salt and pepper, these were simply the best mashed potatoes ever! And healthy too. Without the addition of heavy butter or cream, each serving is just over 100 calories with less than a half gram of saturated fat and no cholesterol! Whether you are a vegan, lactose intolerant, cooking for guests who avoid dairy or just love mashed potatoes, you need to try this recipe. For best results, use the silken tofu in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, not the kind they sell in boxes. I also love using thin skinned Yukon gold potatoes. After boiling, the skin peels off very easily.
Soy Curls Make a Great Meat Free Substitute for Sliced Turkey
You can host a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with nothing but side dishes but if you want something that looks and tastes like poultry, give these Soy Curls a try. Made from whole soy beans, these are far less processed than other fake meat products made from processed vegetable protein or wheat gluten.They take on the flavor of the spices with which they are seasoned. For this dish, I sprinkle them with poultry seasoning.
***
Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
[makes 8 servings]
2 pounds Yukon gold (or other) potatoes, cleaned and quartered with skin
Water for cooking
1/2 teaspoon sea salt for cooking
1 cup silken tofu, warmed (8 ounces)
1 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
Reserved cooking water, if needed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until soft. Drain and peel off skin.
In a deep bowl, combine potatoes, silken tofu, buttery spread, salt and pepper and beat with a hand beater until smooth. Add a tablespoon of hot reserved cooking water if needed. Do not over process. Yukon gold potatoes can get pasty.
Serve immediately with mushroom gravy.
Per serving: 109.3 calories, 2.4 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.4 g protein, 4.3 g carbohydrates and 2.5 g dietary fiber.
Mushroom Gravy
[makes about 1 1/2 cups]
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
8 ounces organic white button mushrooms, thinly sliced (or other mushrooms)
1 cup veggie broth, room temperature
4 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
2 shakes garlic powder
ground pepper to taste
On medium low heat, in a saucepan, sauté the onion in olive oil until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook until they soften and release liquid, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix broth with corn starch until smooth. Add to mushrooms and onions and stir until it thickens.
Stir in salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.
Per tablespoon: 8.9 calories, 0.6 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0.3 g protein, 0.8 g carbohydrates and 0 g dietary fiber.
Vegan Turkey Slices
[makes 8 servings]
One 8 ounce package of soy curls
Hot water to cover
4 tablespoons Red Star nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Place the soy curls in a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes.
After they rehydrate, drain and squeeze out excess water. Return them to a clean and dry bowl.
In a small bowl, combine nutritional yeast, poultry seasoning, black pepper, salt and garlic powder.
Sprinkle the mixture over the soy curls evenly and toss well.
Heat oil and sauté the soy curls until golden (about 5 minutes) and remove from heat.
Serve immediately with mushroom gravy.
Per serving: 149.8 calories, 8.3 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12.6 g protein, 7.3 g carbohydrates and 4.3 g dietary fiber.
Now on FACEBOOK!
Garden Tomatoes Stuffed With Quinoa And Sweet Corn Vegan And Gluten Free !
 |
| Baked tomatoes stuffed with quinoa and corn. Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK . |
And Here Come the Tomatoes
Although many parts of the country have already been enjoying garden tomatoes, here in Northern California they are just beginning to ripen. But it was worth the wait!
Besides making salads, sauces, tomato sandwiches and canning for winter, I am always looking for something to do with these beautiful fresh tomatoes. This year Im growing some rather large varieties that lend themselves to stuffing so today Im going to fill some with a lovely combination of quinoa and fresh corn and bake them. Corn is at its peak of freshness right now too!
 |
| Tomatoes are rich in the carotenoid, lycopene. The antioxidant nutrients in tomatoes are associated with heart health and cancer prevention. |
Stuffed Tomatoes with Quinoa and Sweet Corn
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
4 large tomatoes
1 tablespoon Earth Balance or other vegan buttery spread
1/2 cup finely diced red or yellow onions
Kernels from 1 medium ear of corn
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish.
Prepare the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water for several minutes. Place in a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the tomatoes.
Slice the top off of each tomato.
With a sharp knife, remove the pulp, dice it and set aside.
Scoop out the rest of the pulp and seeds with a spoon.
Set the hollow tomatoes in the baking dish.
 |
| Cut at an angle and remove a large piece of pulp. |
 |
| Chop this pulp and set aside. It should yield about a cup. |
 |
| Scoop out the seeds and enlarge the cavity with a spoon. |
 |
| Place the hollow tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. |
Prepare the filling.
Heat the Earth Balance in a frying pan. Add the onions, corn, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions soften.
Add the tomato pulp and cook another 3 minutes.
Stir in the cooked quinoa.
Stuff the tomatoes and bake for 20 minutes.
Gently remove the stuffed tomatoes from the baking dish and serve.
Per serving: 164.5 calories, 4.3 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g dietary fiber and 330 mg sodium.
Heat the Earth Balance in a frying pan. Add the onions, corn, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions soften.
Add the tomato pulp and cook another 3 minutes.
Stir in the cooked quinoa.
Stuff the tomatoes and bake for 20 minutes.
Gently remove the stuffed tomatoes from the baking dish and serve.
 |
| Cook the red onions and corn in Earth Balance. |
 |
| Add the chopped pulp. |
 |
| Stir in the cooked quinoa. |
 |
| Stuff the tomatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy! |
Per serving: 164.5 calories, 4.3 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g dietary fiber and 330 mg sodium.
Raw Sesame Noodles With Scallions
My goal is to eat raw food for the entire month of May. For me, it’s an easier way to cleanse than doing a fast. So if you want to take a break from cooked foods, lose some weight and cleanse and detoxify your body, please join me. I have already posted a number of raw food recipes that you can use and I will post many more during the month. Here are 14 raw recipes that I have already posted that can help you get started:
• Raw Kale Salad – January 23, 2009
• Good Morning Kale (a raw smoothie) – January 23, 2009
• Tropical Chocolate Truffles – February 12, 2009
• 5 Minute Breakfast Salad - February 20, 2009
• Pear and Papaya Salad – April 1, 2009
• Not – Tuna Roll with Japanese Cucumber and Strawberry Salad – April 3, 2009
• Mango Avocado Salad with Lime Chia Seed Dressing – April 9, 2009
• Chia Pudding – April 11, 2009
• Guacamole and Raw Jalapeno Corn Chips – April 14, 2009
• Vegan Coleslaw with Creamy Cashew Dressing – April 16, 2009
• Vegan Lemon Basil Pesto on Raw Zucchini Spaghetti – April 20, 2009
• Raw Veggie-Seed Crackers - April 23, 2009
• Faux “Tuna Fish Salad” Stuffed Heirloom Tomato – April 25, 2009
• Carrot, Celery, Apple, Beet, Ginger Cocktail – April 28, 2009
Menu for Day 1
A raw smoothie for breakfast, a big green salad for lunch with a scoop of faux “tuna fish salad” and today’s new recipe, “raw sesame noodles with scallions” for dinner. Snacks will include various raw fruits and nuts and several small glasses of freshly juiced carrot, celery, apple, beet, and ginger cocktail.
***
Raw Sesame Noodles With Scallions [serves 4]
8 medium zucchini for about 8 cups of noodles (For a cooked version, use 1 lb angel hair pasta)
1/4 cup unrefined sesame oil
1 tablespoon cold pressed flax seed oil
1/4 cup Nama Shoyu soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup raw tahini
4 scallions, finely sliced
Combine oil, Nama Shoyu, rice vinegar, red pepper and tahini until smooth and set aside. Peel zucchini and prepare “noodles” with a spiral vegetable slicer. Put the noodles on paper towels to dry. Put dried zucchini noodles in a large serving bowl and mix together with the sesame dressing. Gently mix in the sliced scallions saving a few for garnish and serve.
Per serving: 302 calories, 24.5 g fat, 3.3 g saturated fat, zero g cholesterol, 7 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 1.9 g omega 3 and 9.1 g omega 6. This recipe gives an omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of 4.8.
Watch out for Winter Weight Gain
Source: http://troyspro.com.au/brisbane-and-life-in-queensland-australia/watch-out-for-winter-weight-gain-infographic/
TReaTing Diabesity With Testosterone! If You Keep DHT in Check Stay Away From Aromatase Inhibitors It May Work
 |
| It probably wont turn an overweight pre-diabetic into a fitness model, but a getting a TRT script has the potential of changing a mans physical and psychological health for the better. |
TRT w/ or w/out aromatase or 5α-reductase inhibitor?
It goes without saying that the bodybuilding enthusiasts will think very differently about the usefulness of the 10 g testosterone gel (Testim) the fifty-seven 24–51-year old men with free testosterone levels in the lower 25% of normal range (<0.33 nmol/L) and a body mass index of ≥30.0 kg/m² in this recent 98-day randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial from the Universities of California and the Boston University Medical Center (Juang. 2013). In fact, I am pretty sure that, contrary to the scientists who put their subjects on either
- + subjects received a gonadotropin releasing-hormone antagonist to suppress endogenous T production10g Testim per day,
- 10g Testim + 1mg Arimidex (anastrazole) per day, or
- 10g Testim + 2.5 mg Avodart (dustasteride),
 |
| Figure 1: Change in hormone levels (left) and body composition (right) after 98 days on 10g t-gel (Testim) with / without aromatase (Arimidex) or 5α-reductase (Avodart) inhibitor (Juang. 2013) |
Despite a -40% decrease in PSA (vs. +9% in the T-only group), the 5α-reductase inhibitor dustasteride did not prevent the ~10% increase in prostate size that occurred in both the T-only (12%; +9% PSA) and T + Acodart (10%; -40% PSA) group. Other safety markers, such as AST (liver) or haemoglbin (iron overload) did not change.
 |
| The fact that dustasteride does not blunt testosterone induced lean mass gains is something you may have read in a previous article | more |
- TRT can help overweight men with impaired insulin resistance improve their body composition.
- The administration of an aromatase inhibitor blunts the beneficial effects and causes a surprisingly pronounced increase in waist circumference.
- The glucose sensitivity increases only, when the excessive reduction of testosterone to DHT is blocked by dustasteride.
- Juang, P. S., Peng, S., Allehmazedeh, K., Shah, A., Coviello, A. D. and Herbst, K. L. (2013), Testosterone with Dutasteride, but Not Anastrazole, Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Young Obese Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)