Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 86

Sweet and Savory

Sweet as in the flavor experience, not as in added white sugar, that is!

One of the many nice things about cooking is that anything is fair game in the Paleo kitchen, as far as what can  be prepared with what.  

If we view cooking as a playful and fun way to approach providing a meal for our loved ones, a significant other or for a friend’s dinner, it can take a lot of the stress out of the game, especially for anyone feeling kind of shy about this important part of the Paleo lifestyle.

Specifically, I’m talking about pairing sweet with savory.  While visions of the American-ized Chinese Food ‘Sweet and Sour’ corn-syrupy sauce may come to mind, I’m referring more toward a natural version.

Consider foods you might typically think of in a dessert or sweet context, like fruit, for example, and another food you might think of  as being appropriate for a savory dinner such as fresh herbs.

Right now, local, organic peaches are in season.  So is basil.  Grilled peach + basil = amazing.

In California, we’re spoiled with many varieties of organic avocado and many of us think of savory preparations like atop a green salad or in guacamole.   Have you ever tried it as the fat source in a homemade smoothie?  Think chilled herbal tea, raw kale, a chilled soft boiled egg or two, 1/2 a ripe avocado and a cup of blueberries?  To. Die. For.

Don’t forget to look at the flip side, too: the occasional dessert.  If you’ve found that decadent raw chocolate (the closer to 99% cacao, the better), try it with a dash of heat from a sprinkle of cayenne or a far East twist with a hint of ginger.

The more you play around with different flavors, the more you’ll learn what works with what, which bring out the flavors best and what creates the most contrast while still being balanced.

Now, get thee to the kitchen and play!   Cucumber, peach, lime and cayenne sounds good as a starter…

The 5:2 Diet…Does it Work?

“Dieters restrict calorie intake for two days (to 500 calories for women and 600 for men) and eat what they like for the remainder of the week. And the weight just falls off.”

Sound like a gimmick?  It does to me.

The Fast Diet, based on the book by Dr Michael Mosley,” the medical journalist who first alerted the world to the Intermittent Fasting phenomenon, presents the fascinating science behind the 5:2 diet along with Mimi Spencer, award-winning food and fashion writer, explains the practicalities of how to go about it.“

According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, the 5:2 diet offers the following benefits:

“Short fasts lead the body into a metabolic state which triggers repair and recovery at a cellular level which influences hormones,and the body becomes more sensitive to insulin, which is one of the most important aspects of weight loss.
Additionally through regular, short-term fasts, individuals have a better sense of control on ‘non-fast days’, choosing foods that are more healthy and rarely eating out of boredom.
The 5:2 fast diet is different because the calorie restriction only happens on 2 days a week. On the other 5 days of the week, there is no diet, no calorie counting and normal eating. It isn’t a short term solution but rather a long term way of eating.
The fasting also brings about improvements to a range of markers associated with improved health, such as cholesterol“.

So why not try it then?

Where do I begin?

First of all, I don’t see it as being something sustainable in the long term.  It may be helpful as part of someone’s process to losing weight, if we look compare health markers of someone who eats junk all the time versus someone who eats junk for two less days per week, but even then, the diet is only restricting calories (not the source of calories) on the fast days, so theoretically, one could still just 500- 600 calories of junk on the ‘fasting’ days and still be technically adhering to the diet. 

Eating ‘food’ that is completely nutritionally void of anything remotely healthy would be considered fair game on the non fasting days, which would be more than enough of these items to keep the body inflamed, fat and sick.

I’m afraid I’d have to categorize it along with all the other ‘diets’; it may work temporarily in terms of seeing the number on the scale go down, but it doesn’t appear to have longevity or sustainability.

Just go Paleo.

‘Nuff said.

To Fast or Not to Fast?

Wondering about fasted training and whether or not it would be a good fit for you?

Chances are, yes.

Fasted training, or training on an empty stomach, is most easily done first thing in the morning before you’ve had anything to eat.

Why do it?  In simple terms, training on empty allows your body to tap into its fat stores to use as its fuel source.  

Equally, if not more importantly, exercising in a fasted state suppresses insulin levels which is crucial in keeping one the right path to not becoming diabetic

Finally, fasting increases human growth hormone levels, which is a key component in allowing the body to heal, rebuild and refresh not only for the next training session but for day to day energy as well.

If you’ve never tried it before, err on the side of caution and make your first few sessions such that you’re in a controlled environment.  A 30 minute treadmill run at the gym or an easy spin on your bike trainer might be two options so that if for any reason, you’re not comfortable or notice any unfavorable sensations making you think it’s a bad idea, you can stop.

I find with most clients, fasted training is something that is taken to quite easily.

Allow your body time to adjust to this style of training and then you can build in duration and intensity and then decide when and how often to implement this, versus training which would require you to fuel before, during, if you’re doing endurance training and after, as recovery is an integral part of the whole picture.

 

Scared of Scallops?

How many people do you know who say they don’t eat scallops?   It seems like one of the most commonly avoided proteins.   

While there certainly are those who have an allergy and would risk anaphylactic shock if they were to partake, and I’m certainly not suggesting that anyone who falls into this category should give them a try.

However, if your only reason for avoiding them is that you’re scared to try something new or you’re not sure how to prepare them, I’d challenge  you by saying that neither of those two reasons are good enough to eschew the little mollusks without giving them a fair shake.

Aside from having a sweeter taste than the other mollusks, they’re also packed with nutrients. Scallops are rich in vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and potassium.

Keep the following in mind when choosing your fish:

They’re extremely perishable and are usually shelled, washed and frozen, or packed in ice, as soon as they are caught.
Their flesh should be white, firm and have no evidence of browning
Do not buy scallops that smell ‘off’.  Choose scallops that are not pre-packaged so that you can smell them before you buy them and get home before realizing you’ve gotten a spoiled batch.

When it comes time to prepare them, similar to shrimp, they cook very quickly and are easily overdone, so timing is crucial.  Perhaps one of the easiest methods of preparation is to grill them, making them a perfect option for a light meal on a hot summer day.   Click here for my coconut-lime grilled scallop recipe!

Are ‘Baby’ Veggies Healthier Than Their ‘Regular’ Counterpart?

According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, “micro greens (immature greens that are harvested anywhere from a week to two weeks after germination) may contain even more nutrients and vitamins than their more mature versions.”

Another reason to include the baby versions of veggies is that they often have a more delicate texture and more mild taste, both of which might be conducive to getting that veggie-hater in your life to be a little more daring and go ahead and try that raw, baby kale salad or baby spinach smoothie you’ve whipped up.

No need to eschew their grown counterparts, though; as always, the more variety, the better!

Do make sure that if you’re buying baby veggies to go organic.   Their often fragile texture puts them into the category of ‘must buys’ as opposed to heartier produce like fully grown broccoli or bananas, both of which one could get away with buying conventionally.
Also, wash several times and spin dry, even if your baby veggies came in a package and were marked as ready to eat.   No such thing as being too sure that your produce is not only pesticide free, but dirt (and subsequently, bacteria from the soil)-free!  
Store washed baby veggies the refrigerator at 38-40 degrees in a closed container.    Eat soon after washing and spinning as their dainty structure won’t allow them to last as long as a hulking head of red cabbage!

American Foods That Are Banned Elsewhere

If you typically take blog with a side of raw kale and seared grass fed filet, today might be the day to make an exception. It may turn your stomach; it did mine!   

Wake Up Call News, an Alternative Media site that “shares all the big top news from the whole world” and whose mission is to “share The Truth and Wake people Up” had an alarming article about foods that are available to us here in the US but are banned elsewhere.   Citing mercola.com as their source, we see the following horrifying ‘foods’ that are in every day foods, despite being seen as harmful to toxic in other countries.     

Often,when I reference another article, I do my best to edit down to highlight the most significant parts.  It was hard to do so with this piece as I felt nearly all the information provided with each was quite crucial….

From their site:

#1: FARM-RAISED SALMON  Farmed salmon, on the other hand, are raised on a wholly unnatural diet of grains (including genetically engineered varieties), plus a concoction of antibiotics and other drugs and chemicals not shown to be safe for humans

#2: GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PAPAYA 

Most Hawaiian papaya is now genetically engineered to be resistant to ringspot virus. Mounting research now shows that animals fed genetically engineered foods, such as corn and soy, suffer a wide range of maladies, including intestinal damage, multiple-organ damage, massive tumors, birth defects, premature death, and near complete sterility by the third generation of offspring. Unfortunately, the gigantic human lab experiment is only about 10 years old, so we are likely decades away from tabulating the human casualties. 

#3: RACTOPAMINE-TAINTED MEAT

The US does not even test for the presence of this drug in meats sold. In animals, ractopamine is linked to reductions in reproductive function, increase of mastitis in dairy herds, and increased death and disability. It’s also known to affect the human cardiovascular system, and is thought to be responsible for hyperactivity, and may cause chromosomal abnormalities and behavioral changes.

#4: FLAME RETARDANT DRINKS

If you live in the US and drink Mountain Dew and some other citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks, then you are also getting a dose of a synthetic chemical called brominated vegetable oil (BVO), which was originally patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant.
BVO has been shown to bioaccumulate in human tissue and breast milk, and animal studies have found it causes reproductive and behavioral problems in large doses. Bromine is a central nervous system depressant, and a common endocrine disruptor. It’s part of the halide family, a group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine. When ingested, bromine competes for the same receptors that are used to capture iodine. This can lead to iodine deficiency, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health. Bromine toxicity can manifest as skin rashes, acne, loss of appetite, fatigue, and cardiac arrhythmias. According to the featured article:
“The FDA has flip-flopped on BVO’s safety originally classifying it as ‘generally recognized as safe’ but reversing that call now defining it as an ‘interim food additive’ a category reserved for possibly questionable substances used in food.”

#5: PROCESSED FOODS CONTAINING ARTIFICIAL FOOD COLORS AND DYES

“Boxed Mac & Cheese, cheddar flavored crackers, Jell-O and many kids’ cereals contain red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6 and/or blue 2, the most popularly-used dyes in the United States. Research has shown this rainbow of additives can cause behavioral problems as well as cancer, birth defects and other health problems in laboratory animals. Red 40 and yellow 6 are also suspected of causing an allergy-like hypersensitivity reaction in children. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that some dyes are also “contaminated with known carcinogens.”
In countries where these food colors and dyes are banned, food companies like Kraft employ natural colorants instead, such as paprika extract, beetroot, and annatto. 

#6: ARSENIC-LACED CHICKEN

Arsenic-based drugs are approved for use in animal feed in the US because they make animals grow quicker and make the meat appear pinker (i.e. “fresher”). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated these products are safe because they contain organic arsenic, which is less toxic than the other inorganic form, which is a known carcinogen.
The problem is, scientific reports surfaced stating that the organic arsenic could transform into inorganic arsenic, which has been found in elevated levels in supermarket chickens. The inorganic arsenic also contaminates manure where it can eventually migrate into drinking water and may also be causing heightened arsenic levels in US rice.

#7: BREAD WITH POTASSIUM BROMATE

Bromated flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up to bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies manage to use only unbromated flour without any of these so-called “structural problems.” Studies have linked potassium bromate to kidney and nervous system damage, thyroid problems, gastrointestinal discomfort, and cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies potassium bromate as a possible carcinogen.

#8: OLESTRA/OLEAN

Olestra, aka Olean, created by Procter & Gamble, is a calorie- and cholesterol-free fat substitute used in fat-free snacks like chips and French fries. Three years ago, Time Magazine3 named it one of the worst 50 inventions ever, but that hasn’t stopped food companies from using it to satisfy people’s mistaken belief that a fat-free snack is a healthier snack. According to the featured article:
“Not only did a 2011 study from Purdue University conclude rats fed potato chips made with Olean gained weight, there have been several reports of adverse intestinal reactions to the fake fat including diarrhea, cramps and leaky bowels. And because it interferes with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, the FDA requires these vitamins be added to any product made with Olean or olestra.”

#9 BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are commonly used preservatives that can be found in breakfast cereal, nut mixes, chewing gum, butter spread, meat, dehydrated potatoes, and beer, just to name a few. BHA is known to cause cancer in rats, and may be a cancer-causing agent in humans as well. In fact, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program’s 2011 Report on Carcinogens, BHA “is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” It may also trigger allergic reactions and hyperactivity, while BHT can cause organ system toxicity.

Where it’s banned: The UK doesn’t allow BHA in infant foods. BHA and BHT are also banned in parts of the European Union and Japan

#10: MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS LACED WITH RBGH

Despite decades of evidence about the dangers of rBGH, the FDA still maintains it’s safe for human consumption and ignores scientific evidence to the contrary. In 1999, the United Nations Safety Agency ruled unanimously not to endorse or set safety standards for rBGH milk, which has effectively resulted in an international ban on US milk.4 The Cancer Prevention Coalition, trying for years to get the use of rBGH by the dairy industry banned, resubmitted a petition to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, in January 2010.5 Although the FDA stubbornly sticks to its position that milk from rBGH-treated cows is no different than milk from untreated cows, this is just plain false and is not supported by science. The only way to avoid rBGH is to look for products labeled as “rBGH-free” or “No rBGH.”

To me, the most appalling thing is not what these things do to us in terms of poisoning, but that they’re all OK by the FDA.  So what does that tell you about everything else they approve, including prescription drugs?  And how about the ‘approved’ advice that can be doled out in terms of what we should be eating?

Think about where the information is coming from and who benefits and try to adopt the attitude that ‘approved by the FDA’ really doesn’t mean anything in terms of whether something is good for us or might actually make us sick.

Yet one more reason to go Paleo and steer clear from any ‘food’ that is packaged or processed.  Go straight to the source and be confident that you’re procuring clean, safe food for yourself and your family.  Support your local farmers and ranchers who you can get to know on a personal level and develop a trust that their food is actually, truly food.

 

Pfizer Settles A Drug Marketing Case for $491 Million

I’m not about to report on the details of how Pfizer settled criminal and civil charges over the illegal marketing of a kidney transplant drug.

I’m more drawn to the figure of $491 Million.

As well as the last sentence in the article that refers to the fact that ‘Pfizer’s second- quarter revenue fell 7%, down to $12.97 Billion from $13.97 Billion the same time last year‘.

Think about that money.

Imagine if the same amount was spent on a combination of educating people on how to make healthy eating choices as well as actually subsidizing programs allowing for people of all incomes to have access to fresh, healthy, real foods?

But that would be bad business practice.  One needn’t have an MBA to understand the basic principle that the last thing any company would ever want to do is tell its customers that there are other things they might be interested in, instead of what they sell, that would actually be better for them in the long run.

From a money making standpoint, their model is a proven success.  Create a product that people will not only think they want, but will grow to actually chemically need and beyond that, make it dangerous for them to stop taking it on their own accord.   Make it so valuable to the consumer that they rank it at the number one priority, despite what their income may be, and make it the one thing they would not even consider going without.   Don’t tell them that there are other options, and get professionals on board to support what you’re telling them and, why not give them a cut of the profit for their help.

I wish I were describing some corrupt scene from a mob movie.

Alas, I’m talking about our health care system.

What’s the answer?

If only there were a simple and straightforward one.  All I can say is whatever we are doing at the moment, or not doing, for that matter, leaves a huge amount to be desired.

Thoughts?  Ideas?  Please share!  I’d like to believe that if there are enough of us, we can collaborate and come up with something!

No Go With The Giant Soda Ban in NY

“An appeals court on Tuesday unanimously upheld a decision striking down New York City’s restrictions on the sale of large, sugary drinks“, was the opening line in a recent piece in the Times.

Is this a bad thing?

I don’t think so.

No, it’s not because I secretly like to have a Big Gulp when I’m in New York (although apparently the 64-ounce sodas from 7-11 would have been exempt from the law anyway… go figure); rather I don’t think that restricting the availability of gigantic servings of soda is treating the problem.  It’s treating the symptom.

No different from thinking that telling your teenager who has always had access to candy in the house that he or she can no longer have candy would result in them never getting candy one their own.

Or drugs, for that matter.

Heroin is illegal.  So is cocaine.  Does that mean that those who are battling addiction are unable to get it?

I digress.

The path to winning this war against obesity lies within education.   People have to understand exactly what they are doing to their bodies and genuinely want to cease consuming this absolute liquid rubbish.

While I think the concept is great- it’s no more realistic than if I were to start a campaign to make my hometown of Los Angeles 100% Paleo.   I believe the outcome would be better health for everyone but…and this is a big, old ‘butt’- everyone would first want to give it a try and believe in its benefits.

Think of all those skeptics out there that think Paleo is too restrictive/hard/high in protein or fat blah, blah, blah…If we took away all their pastas, bagels, cream, cheeses and tried to force them to follow the Paleo diet, I’m rather certain they’d just go outside of Los Angeles to procure those things to their heart’s desire.

The media’s  messages portraying fit athletes, or beautiful celebrities enjoying a tall, cold glass of soda helps add to the false idea that soda can be a part of anyone’s diet.   While no one ever claims it’s ‘good for you’, at the same time, no one is telling the truth about how just a little corn syrup is too much corn syrup and all those fake sugars are actually not a healthy thing to ingest.

Bottom line?

In my opinion, funds spent on campaigns like this would be far better allocated to educational purposes.

It’s back to the old adage about giving a man a fishing oil, rather than giving him a fish.

Teach! Think about what you’re putting in your body.  And if it’s not food that nourishes you, don’t do it!

Paleo and Weight Loss- Leave Obesity Behind!

With more than 60% of our population being classified as obese, the health of our nation as a whole is declining rapidly.

For many who’ve tried every single diet in the book, it won’t be news to read that unfortunately, most ‘diets’ don’t work.  Whether they’re too restrictive, too low in calories and fat, require the use of suspicious powders or pill, the bottom line is that the majority do not offer sustainable and healthy methods of finally, permanently losing weight.

Being as passionate about educating people as I am, I was excited to see an invitation to participate in a campaign called ‘Leave Obesity Behind’ which is a free virtual event called Leave Obesity Behind, Discover the Secrets to Eating Right into a Healthier and Sexier You!  Hosted and organized by Robyn Bennett who lost over 100 pounds herself, this tele summit is a collective of thirty health experts who are sharing their expertise in helping lose significant amounts of weight.

While this summit is not a Paleo summit, I felt it was important to participate in order to provide information to everyone, regardless of whether Paleo was something they were interested in previously.

For those of you who are regular blog readers, you likely already know the weight-loss benefits of Paleo, but for so many people who are still in the midst of their struggle with weight, it’s a great opportunity to glean some very valuable information about how Paleo can help.

My interview will air on Day 3 of the event, August 3rd.

Click here for the details!

Unraveling Eczema Article Barely Mentions Diet

An article in last Tuesday’s  NY Times focused on 

And there, in the second to last paragraph, were a mere two short sentence suggesting that one might want to also look at their diet, too: “Food allergies show up as eczema in some patients. Eliminating one potential culprit at a time, like dairy products, eggs or nuts, may reveal an eczema-inducer“.

As if to say, oh, by the way, you could also look at what you’re putting in your body if you want to, but really, it’s rather trivial and won’t likely make much of a difference.

Why is this not the first suggestion in the article as well as not the first thing a dermatologist or any doctor for that matter suggests looking into?

Oh, right! I remember!  It’s because really, there is not nearly as much money to be made in health as there is in illness.

The article begins with some statistics: an estimated 15 million Americans are suffering, it’s more common in cities than rural areas and that “the hallmark of eczema is an alteration in the skin that allows essential water to escape and environmental allergens (like those from pollen, dust mites and food) to enter. The result is dry, itchy, inflamed patches that are sometimes misdiagnosed as psoriasis.”

Then, a brief glimmer of hope with the mention of inflammation: “Current treatment focuses on reducing inflammation” but, alas… the follow up brings us back to reality, as we learn that “doctors typically recommend a prescription steroid, used topically in tiny amounts“.

To clarify, I am certainly not making claims outside of my area of expertise in the Paleo diet that all cases of eczema would disappear immediately if we were all Paleo.  

I’m simply stating that if we were to all look at what we are eating as the first step in treating any type of health issue, we may find that a lot of what we suffer from can be lessened and sometimes eliminated if we stop poisoning our bodies by ingesting things we are not meant to be eating and replace them with real, whole, unadulterated food – abundant fresh veggies, wild proteins and healthy fats.

If only we could move toward a place where steroids and topical creams are the first go-to treatments in skin conditions, while the patient continues to eat gluten, dairy, white sugar and so on, and so on simultaneously.  

Not too different from shooting oneself in the foot, sadly.