Diane Sanfilippo's Blog, page 76

Holiday Recipe Round-Up

I’m reposting this for 2012, updated with a bunch of new additions! Enjoy!

I’ve had a few requests for some holiday recipes and while I haven’t made new ones this year, I have a bunch on the blog already that could use some highlighting. If you haven’t already planned out everything you’re making and still need a few ideas, here you go!

NEW! Thanksgiving Stuffing Meatballs – these little gems from Practical Paleo are sure to be a crowd pleaser as an appetizer, part of the main meal, or anytime of year. I’ll probably make these for the annual “Dip Party” my friends hold where everything must come with a dipping sauce!

Butternut Squash Soup - this soup won over my grandpa last year, which is no small feat. While he’s not picky, he’s not quick to comment on things tasting fantastic. He loved this one and I know many of you have made it and loved it as well. This is a great way to begin your holiday meal.

Grain-Free Sausage & Apple Stuffing - AMAZING stuffing/dressing/whatever you want to call it. I make mine outside of the bird to avoid any possible contamination or undercooking… I LOVE this stuffing.

4 Easy Holiday Sides & Desserts

(download all 4 recipes in one PDF!)

Easy, healthy spins on some traditional favorites: Chunky Cranberry Sauce

Carrot Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Grain-Free Apple Crumble

Pumpkin Pie Custard

Pumpkin Custard - a delicious dessert alternative to pumpkin pie, especially nice for those who can’t eat the nut crusts typically included in a grain-free or Paleo pumpkin pie.

Roasted Winter Squash with Coconut Butter – this one will surely please their palates and surprise them when it’s not sweet potatoes and marshmallow but squash topped with a healthier, whole food alternative. Topping baked or whipped sweet potatoes with coconut butter is also amazing.

Grain Free Pumpkin Muffins - a great treat for dessert or for breakfast if you find yourself with an extra can or partial can of pumpkin!

NEW! Carrot Pumpkin Spice Muffins

NEW! Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins from “Practical Paleo.”

Sweet Potato Pancakes - perfect as a side or to use up the extra sweet potatoes you didn’t mash or bake, or for breakfast the next morning.

NEW! Pumpkin Pancakes – perfect for a breakfast with leftover pumpkin.

And, some of my favorites from other bloggers:

The Food Lovers’ Thanksgiving Recipes (a LOT of them!)

Nom Nom Paleo Turkey Day Menu Ideas

Everyday Paleo: Pumpkin Pie - I made this last year but I used only 1/4 cup of sweetener. I think I used maple syrup or 2 Tbsp of maple and 2 Tbsp of honey. This pie was delicious with it’s nutty crust!

Podcast Episode #62: Vampire hands, thyroid, binge eating recovery, ex vegan, not menstruating?

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #62: Vampire hands, thyroid, binge eating recovery, ex vegan, not menstruating?

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Balanced Bites Workshops:

SAT., November 17, Tacoma, WA - guest co-teacher Anthony DiSarro will be joining Diane at this event!

2013 workshop dates will be announced in the coming weeks! Stay tuned!

FREE Practical Paleo book signing events with Q&A:

SUN., November 18, Lake Forest Park, WA (Seattle Area) - at Third Place Books

SAT., December 1, Summit, NJ - at Lululemon Athletica on Springfield Ave.

Remember that all events are open to the public, you do not need to belong to the hosting gym to attend!

Opening chat: Quick thoughts about the Western A. Price Foundation Wise Traditions  Conference 

Topics:

1. Vampire hands [10:45]

2. Thyroid support [19:47]

3. Life long binge eating and drinking, can I recover while going through menopause? [33:10]

4. Ex raw vegan, Female MMA Fighter wants less body fat, more muscle, can’t poop, and is wary of cooked veggies. Help! [41:31]

5. I’m not menstruating [51:35]

Links:

Julia Ross’ The Diet Cure & The Mood Cure

Click here to download this episode as an MP3.

The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

1. Vampire hands

Lauren says,

What are your recommendations (if any) for diet and Raynaud’s syndrome (aka my hands turn white and numb in the cold)?

I am easing my way into the Paleo diet. I was vegetarian (with occasional seafood) for many years, but I have started eating more seafood, as well as plenty of eggs. The meat is coming (it’s more of a mental block for me, but I’ve tried bites here and there recently). Other than that, I have cut out all grains, beans, legumes, and limit nuts.

When it is cold (or even just chilly like in the fall) out, my fingertips and sometimes my whole fingers turn white and lose circulation. It’s obviously worse in the winter (aka 6 months of the year in New England), but if I’m cold other times of the year, it happens as well. When it gets really bad, I have to run my hands under hot water for several minutes. Otherwise, I just wear gloves (which doesn’t always help). The one time it doesn’t happen is when I go running in the cold – my hands stay perfectly normal. If there are any supplements or diet recommendations, that would be great, so my hands don’t look like weird, white, vampire hands all winter long.

2. Thyroid support

Mary says,

Hey gals, LOVE your podcast! So engaging, informative and fun!

On to the serious stuff, I had a thyroid nodule biopsied and the pathology results came back as “inconclusive, but suspicious as cancer.” Of course I am stunned, frightened and in total denial. My endo recommended a partial or full thyroidectomy dependent upon the ENT doc. My TSH and free T-3 are in normal ranges, according to what Chris Kresser indicates as normal, so that’s why this is all the more baffling, but I suppose one is not necessarily related to the other…?

I will obviously have to take some kind of thyroid medication for the rest of my (hopefully very long) life, and would love to get your advice on nutrition support as well. I am considering taking a dessicated thyroid as I’m not jazzed about taking synthetic hormone, but will do whatever I need to in order to maintain proper thyroid levels once the thyroid gland is no more. What kinds of foods should I avoid, add and what kind of supplements will best support my thyroid?

Any thoughts on thyroid meds would be helpful as well!

Bedtime: 9pm, Wake: 5am to exercise which includes walking, 30-minute interval sessions on an elliptical or spin bike, weight training, sometimes weight training with cardio bursts (1 min of jump rope, spin bike or elliptical), core work and stretching. I typically exercise 60 minutes 5 days/week and change up the routine regularly. I take a week every few weeks to recover (light walking, yoga).

Supplements: 1 T Lewis Labs brewers yeast, 2 Green Pastures Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil blend capsules, 6 Enerprime capsules by IMPaX, 4000 IU Bioletics Vitamin D NonoSpray, 4 Jigsaw Magnesium w/SRT tablets, 500 mg Rainbow Light Food-based Calcium, ginkgo biloba, taurine, methionine and N-Acetyl Cysteine for liver detox, 1 packet of Tianchi (Chinese adaptagentic herbs) and finally DIM. I also take 25 mg of Sprionolactone per day for acne. Whew!

Food: All fruits (limited) and veggies are organic and all meats are organic and/or grass-fed. I do eat a lot of organic, full-fat dairy which I intend to drop after surgery: 2 cups of coffee/day with raw milk, breakfast is eggs and some kind of organic grass-fed meat or liver on the weekends, but during the week I tend to eat either Kefir or cottage cheese. Lunch is chicken breast, sardines or tuna with carrots, jicama, guacamole or hummus (I know) and mixed greens. I eat a lot of seaweed (use it as a wrap for tuna or salmon salads) and dinner is more of the same. I do eat night shades and sweet potatoes and use coconut oil to cook with and snack on organic peanut butter, almond butter or coconut manna (heaven in a jar) in limited amounts. I have a glass of red wine 2-4 times per week. I don’t do any gluten and the only grains I have are the occasional rice crackers.

Thank you so much for your words of wisdom!!!

3. Life long binge eating and drinking, can I recover while going through menopause?

Trisha says,

Your podcast is an inspiration and has helped me tremendously in getting through the 21 DSD. Your work is helping so many. Where were you when I was struggling as a young woman? Oh. You were in diapers. Anyway, I am currently doing the 21 DSD and have had an epiphany that I am very sugar addicted and a long time over-drinker. Once off the wagon with these 2 substances it’s hard to control my intake. I would love to continue to live without these substances after the 21 DSD. SO, my question is this; what nutritional/supplement advice would you give to repair the damage done from years of disordered binge eating as well as years of over-drinking and to control the cravings for them? I am 50 years old and going through menopause too so I’ve got THAT going for me, which is nice. Main problem with that; hot flashes and brain fog. I was bulimic as a teenager/young adult. Also binge eater, with weight as high as 220. Currently 155 and feel best at 140. Finally not so worried about my body composition for vanity purposes but rather to be fit and strong and healthy as I age.

Currently paleo for a couple of months and currently half way through the 21 DSD. Prior to that, diet was ok albeit uninformed and I always struggled with refined carbs, sugar binges, alcohol. I’m somewhat an all-or-nothing person but getting better. For exercise I hike in the hills and do yoga and want to add some weight lifting at some point. I have recently started fermented cod liver oil but no real supplements. Sleep is not ideal. I work 3 night shifts per week at a stressful job but can sleep at work approx 50% of the time. The other 50% is interrupted sleep with the occasional up all night. On my days off I sleep well, 8 hours a night.

 5. I’m not menstruating

Michelle says,

My question is about how to safely regain a regular menstruation cycle and how concerned I should be that I’m not menstruating.

I’m 30 years old, almost 31, and weigh about 118 lbs. I lost my period in Jan 2012, which is also when I adopted a paleo diet (following the template provided by the Whole30). [Sidenote - I actually had light spotting in January for 1 day, which was 2.5 weeks after the previous cycle ended in Dec 2011.] At that point, I’d been crossfitting 3-5x per week for about 7 months and weighed 125lbs. I was generally happy with my health and wanted to give paleo a try which I’d learned about via the Crossfit community. My goals were to improve my overall health and see how my body would feel after cutting out gluten and sugar. So after the holidays, I started eating paleo and cut out dairy, sugar, gluten, and grains and ate a lot more meat, fats, and nuts. In about 1-2 months, I’d lost weight, with a low of around 115lbs. Over a few months, I dropped my pant size from 4 to 0. I certainly felt like I was eating more food, especially meat and weight loss was totally unexpected. I now hover around 118lbs, plus a few when I’m traveling and have less control over my food choices. I never try to limit how much I eat and basically eat when hungry and until I’m full.

I saw a gynecologist in June and she did some labs (I think just blood work and a pregnancy test), which all came out normal. She gave me a prescription for medroxyprogesterone and after 10 pills, I had my period. However, after nearly 4 months it’s not come back again. I don’t think the doctor ran any thyroid panels or tested hormone levels. I’ve never been on birth control. I think my loss of my period came with my weight loss. Even though I lost maybe 7 lbs, it was probably a significant amount given my starting weight.

Now that I haven’t had my period for a few months, what should I do to get it back? Should I adjust my diet or my workout routine? Should I get another Rx to medroxyprogesterone? How concerned should I be? definitely want to stay away from birth control. Anything else I should stay clear of? Should I get a thyroid panel? If I were anywhere near a paleo physicial, I’d go see him/her because I really don’t want to just take drugs to relieve symptoms and I feel like they’d understand and work with my lifestyle rather than look for a standard quick fix solution.

Click here to submit questions.

Cheers!

Diane & Liz

Keep “Practical Paleo” in Costco stores

First off, let me thank you all for the amazing support of Practical Paleo via Amazon and in stores all over the country – and world!

After making the New York Times Bestseller list 4x already, Practical Paleo has surely gained traction and some more mainstream exposure to those who may not previously have heard of this whole movement.

I recently received word that, while sales in Costco stores have been strong overall, there is a chance the chain will stop selling the book in a couple of weeks to make room for other books for the holidays and may not bring it back until the new year hits.

I know for a fact that a ton of you were planning on gifting Practical Paleo to friends and loved ones over the holiday season!

Get this… if sales stay strong over the coming weeks, the book will most likely remain available, but if they slip, you won’t be able to get the book from Costco again until after the holidays are over!

If you have a Coscto membership and were planning on grabbing some books as holiday gifts, or simply haven’t gotten your own copy yet (what?!), go on out and show them how powerful this movement is!

Let’s keep Practical Paleo in Costco stores!

Where to buy Practical Paleo book in Coscto stores:
PRACTICAL PALEO SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN ALL US COSTCO STORES.

If you have been unable find it in your local store within the US, please comment below and note the city and state so we can investigate!

The book is also currently in some test stores in Canada – locations listed below. If you want to see it in all stores, please support the ones who are currently carrying it!

COSTCO CANADA CURRENT TEST STORES:









99 Heritage Gate SE
Calgary
AB
T2H 3A7


11588 SARCEE TRAIL NW
Calgary
AB
T3R 0A1


2616-91 ST NW
Edmonton
AB
T6N 1N2


12450 149th St.
Edmonton
AB
T5V 1G9


1675 Versatile Dr.
Kamloops
AB
V1S 1W7


3200 Mayor Magrath Dr. South
Lethbridge
AB
T1K 6Y6


1127 Sumas Way
Abbotsford
BC
V2S 8H2


4500 Still Creek Drive
Burnaby
BC
V5C 0E5


588 Crown Isle BLVD
Courtenay
BC
V9N 0A6


799 McCallum Rd.
Langford
BC
V9B 6A2


20499 64th Avenue
Langley
BC
V2Y 1N5


2370 Ottawa St.
Port Coquitlam
BC
V3B 7Z1


9151 Bridgeport Rd.
Richmond
BC
V6X 3L9


7423 King George Hwy.
Surrey
BC
V3W 5A8


230 Chain Lake Dr.
Halifax
NS
B3S 1C5


1225 Brant St.
Burlington
Ont
L7P 1X7


50 Queen Elizabeth Blvd.
Etobicoke
Ont
M8Z 1M1


770 Silver Seven Rd
Kanata
Ont
K2V 1A5


4438 King St. E.
Kitchener
Ont
N2P 2G4


693 Wonderland Road North
London
Ont
N6H 4L1


3180 Laird Road
Mississauga
Ont
L5L 6A5


1849 Merivale Rd
Nepean
Ont
K2G 1E3


18182 Yonge St.
Newmarket
Ont
L3Y 4V8


100 Billy Bishop Way
Toronto
Ont
M3K 1E2


665 University Park Dr.
Regina
SK
S4V 2V8


115 Marquis Dr.
Saskatoon
SK
S7R 1C7

Wondering what’s good to buy at Costco while eating Paleo? Check out this post I found.

Easy Recipe: Thanksgiving Stuffing Meatballs – from Practical Paleo

If you’ve ever wished you could eat something that tastes like Thanksgiving any  time of the year without cooking a whole feast, here’s your chance! These tiny  pork meatballs pack all the flavor of the season and are perfect with the Simple  Cranberry Sauce for dipping.

thanksgiving stuffing meatballs 

grain-free • gluten-free • dairy-free • sugar-free • nightshade-free

from Practical Paleo (page 334)

*the sausage spice blend recipe has been corrected since the original printing of Practical Paleo 

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOKING TIME: 25-30 minutes

YIELD: 24-1oz meatballs

NUTRITION INFO: here.

ingredients:

2 lb ground pork
2 tablespoons Italian Sausage Spice Blend (recipe here – and on page 233)
2 teaspoons butter, bacon fat, or coconut oil
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrot, grated or shredded
1/4 cup chestnuts, finely chopped (use walnuts or pecans if chestnuts are not available)

preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the pork and Italian Sausage Spice Blend until the spices are well incorporated evenly throughout the meat.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, bacon fat, or coconut oil. Place the onions, celery, and carrots in the pan, and sauté until the onions and celery appear translucent. Add the chestnuts, and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
Set the onion, celery, carrot, and chestnut mixture aside to cool until you can touch it comfortably. Then, combine the mixture with the meat, and form the pork into 24 meatballs.
Place the meatballs in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet, and bake approximately 25-30 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Yes, you can enjoy this recipe while on the 21-Day Sugar Detox (without the Simple Cranberry Sauce).

simple cranberry sauce

grain-free • gluten-free • dairy-free • sugar-free • nut-free • nightshade-free

from Practical Paleo (page 388)

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

COOKING TIME: 15 minutes

YIELD: 2 cups

NUTRITION INFO: here.

ingredients:

15-16 ounces fresh cranberries
Organic honey or maple syrup to taste (about 1-4 tablespoons)
Juice + zest of one orange

preparation:

In a medium-sized sauce pot, simmer the cranberries with the water/juice until all berries have “popped” open, and the texture is gelatinous. Add the honey or maple syrup to taste.
Remove the mixture from the heat, and allow it to come to room temperature before refrigerating for later use.

change it up: 

To make a chunky cranberry sauce, add 1 cup mandarin orange segments, drained; 1 cup pineapple (fresh is ideal; check canned for additives, and get one without added sugar); 1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped (soaked/ dehydrated raw nuts are ideal).

For more holiday recipe ideas, check out this post!

Note: I earn a small commission if you use the links in this post to purchase the products mentioned. I only recommend products I would use myself or that I recommend for clients in my practice or at workshops. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you real information about nutrition and health.

Podcast Episode #61: Tattoos, “chicken skin,” raw foods & blood sugar

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #6: Tattoos, “chicken skin,” raw foods & blood sugar

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Balanced Bites Workshops:

SAT., November 17, Tacoma, WA – guest co-teacher Anthony DiSarro will be joining Diane at this event!

FREE Practical Paleo book signing events with Q&A:

SUN., November 18, Lake Forest Park, WA (Seattle Area) - at Third Place Books

SAT., December 1, Summit, NJ - at Lululemon Athletica on Springfield Ave.

Remember that all events are open to the public, you do not need to belong to the hosting gym to attend!

Opening chat:

How do we measure health?

Topics:

1. Brewers Yeast? [13:52]

2. Coconut oil for Tattoos? [22:13]

3. Gaining weight to help fatigue? [26:05]

4. Keratosis Pilaris, what foods to add what food to avoid? [34:35]

5. Paleo vs. Raw Foods [44:00]

6. Small meals vs large meals and controlling blood sugar [48:23]

Click here to download this episode as an MP3.

The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

Show notes:

MSG information website.

Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

Take Charge of Your Fertility

Dr. Mercola’s video on UVA/UVB rays & Vitamin D (YouTube).

Dr. Mercola’s article on UVA/UVB rays & Vitamin D.

1. Brewers yeast?

Lucia Says,

What are your opinions on Lewis Labs brewer’s yeast? Necessary? Any risk of MSG? Dare I consume? Totes paleo! Curious about supplementation, having issues with acne due to falling off paleo wagon for two weeks and stress (life changes, yadda yadda!).

2. Coconut oil for tattoos?

Lindsay says,

Hi ladies, first of all, love your podcast, you inspire me on a regular basis and I have so much to thank you for!

I actually have two questions, one of which is short, I promise! First, I am hoping to get your thoughts on coconut oil and tattoos. I have a bit of an ink addiction and following my last one, I actually paid attention to the extensive list of crap that is in the lotion the artist recommends for aftercare. I did find a more natural option with things like comfrey, olive oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, aloe and a few other oils, and got to thinking about coconut oil as a much cheaper option. Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated!

3. Gaining weight to help fatigue?

Sarah says,

Would gaining weight help me be healthier? I am wondering if I had more fat and/or muscle if my body would have more resources to burn to give me more energy and help me finish healing… I a 5’4 and weigh about 108 pounds–this is up from when I was at my sickest about a year ago I weighed about 102. Most of the body fat I do have tends to hang out on my hips and thighs–my waist is like 26 inches or so and my arms have pretty much no fat on them. I have been considering trying the autoimmune protocol to help with my (chronic?) fatigue, but I’m worried about getting enough calories. To maintain my current weight I feel like I have to pay a lot of attention to eating enough, and even though I sometimes eat more than I feel hungry for I’ve been stable at this weight for a couple of months. I have been eating pretty strict paleo (plus some raw dairy yogurt and cheese) for about 10 months now. It’s helped a lot wit h IBS symptoms, endometriosis symptoms, controlling my hypoglycemia, etc. I’m still not at 100% though–some residual stomach pain and quite a bit of fatigue. I am not able to work full time because of my fatigue.

4. Keratosis Pilaris, what foods to add what food to avoid?

Aylia says,

I have a question regarding keratosis pilaris. I have had severe keratosis pilaris (all over arms and legs, as well as butt and parts of stomach) ever since I can remember, and I have been trying to do some research about it and the paleo diet together. I have not found much, and was wondering if you could help! I started the paleo diet a week ago, and I listened to one of your first podcasts and heard something about fermented cod liver oil and the positive effects it has on your skin. Didn’t know if this would be beneficial to take to help rid myself of the keratosis pilaris, and if so, how much i should be taking. Also, I didn’t know if there were any other supplements or specific foods I can eat (or steer clear from entirely) to help my skin to clear up. Thanks for your time!!

Since I have just started eating Paleo, I am still getting the swing of everything. I usually eat eggs and some type of meat and veggies sauteed in coconut oil for breakfast, leafy greens/steamed veggies and some more protein for lunch, again sauteed in coconut oil or drizzled with olive oil, and (because I am pretty active), I have some type of carb (sweet potato, spag squash, etc) after my workout, along with some more veggies, fat and protein for dinner. If I snack, usually its raw veggies, a few nuts (mainly sprouted almonds and raw cashews), some avocado or guacamole or a little beef jerky. I workout 3 days a week, mainly strength training with a little cardio here and there. Once a week I do some sort of crossfit type exercise for about 20 minutes. I work 2 jobs (morning and night) averaging around 60 to 70 hours a week. I get as much sleep as I can, but mainly its around 4-6 hours a night. I take naps when I can. Limit my caffeine in take. I drink licorice tea in the morning and/or some green tea depending on if I need a boost of caffeine or not. I am taking a vitamin D3 supplement, as I have seasonal depression, and a complete B vitamin supplement as well.

 5. Paleo vs. Raw Foods

Aubrey says,

I have been raw for many years what are the benefits of paleo over alkaline raw foods? Why would that switch be good?

6. Small meals vs large meals and controlling blood sugar

Rhonda says,

Hi there, thank you for the service that you provide with your podcast! I learn a lot from them.

My question is about trying to move from eating 5 times a day to eating 3 bigger meals. I have adrenal fatigue with low cortisol levels especially in the morning. I have subclinical hypothyroid so I take .5 grain dose of naturthyroid. I also have low progesterone and have been trying to get pregnant for a while. Most of the natural practitioners that I have consulted with have stressed that it is important for me to eat small meals throughout the day to keep my blood sugar stable and not disrupt my adrenals and hormones further. My acupuncturist who is very primal/paleo minded urges me to move away from being dependent on small meals throughout the day because in his opinion it’s only keeping me on the blood sugar roller coaster. When I have tried to eat bigger meals based around fats. protein and vegetables I feel very light headed and spacey and worry that I am stressing my adrenals further. I also have a sensitive digestive system and feel bloated and gassy when I eat bigger meals. I would like to become more of a fat burner rather than sugar burner but I’m not sure how to without stressing my system out. I have a hard determining how many carbohydrates to eat to keep an even blood sugar. I am gluten free but I go back and forth with eating gluten free grains and being grain-free because of experimenting with the Body Ecology diet. I also don’t notice much of a difference when I go off of grains and I actually think that sweet potatoes and fruit affect my blood sugar more than grains. Thank you in advance.

Click here to submit questions.

Cheers!

Diane & Liz

Podcast Episode #60: Omega 6 fats, quitting caffeine, hypoglycemia, sardines & more

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #60: Omega 6 fats, quitting caffeine, hypoglycemia, sardines

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Balanced Bites Workshops:
SAT., November 17, Tacoma, WA – special guest co-teacher Anthony DiSarro will be joining Diane at this event!
FREE Practical Paleo book signing events with Q&A:
THURS., November 1, 2012: 6pm, Houston, TX

FRI., November 2, 2012: 7pm, San Antonio, TX

SAT., November 3, 2012: 11am, Austin, TX

Remember that all events are open to the public, you do not need to belong to the hosting gym to attend!

Topics:

1. Omega 6 in sunflower butter [9:47]

2. Help me to love sardines! [19:26]

3. Hypoglycemia & food changes [23:05]

4. How/when to eat fermented foods – and do I REALLY need FCLO? [32:03]

5. Cold Turkey Headaches & quitting coffee: strategies and side effects? [43:30]

6. Eating intuitively and intermittent fasting [54:51]

Show notes:

Special discount for podcast listeners on Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil! Save 25% on orders now through Thanksgiving Day 2012 with code “BBTURKEY” – you will LOVE This olive oil!

Click here to download this episode as an MP3.

The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

1. Omega 6 in sunflower butter.

Ari says,

I was surprised to hear Liz endorse sunflower seed butter on the most recent podcast. According the USDA food database, it has 1.56g/Tbsp. of O-6 fats. Following Chris Kresser’s guidelines of getting a max. of 4% of calories from O6 fats, just 3T of sunflower seed butter gives you half of that allowance. I don’t know what your stance is on the issue of eating O6 fats, so would you please address this in a future podcast?

2.  Help me to love sardines!

Christina says,

I just can’t like ‘em.

Sardines. My heart wants to love them but I just can’t. My husband (who is not even close to Paleo) eats them a couple of times a month and each time he does, I ask him for a few bites in hopes that I would eventually develop a taste for them. I have had them in Olive Oil, Hot Sauce, and some kind of strange Mustard but No bueno.

Any tips on possible pairings or ideas on how to get them down without making my husband laugh at my facial expressions?

3. Hypoglycemia on Paleo

Tinna says,

I’m on day 3 of eating paleo and for the past two days, I’ve experienced hypoglycemia symptoms twice each day (shaky, light-headed, sweats). I ate a couple of medjool dates to help me feel better. Also for what it’s worth, I am jet lagged from an overseas vacation. I’m a “self-diagnosed” hypoglycemic. I used to eat 300ish calorie meals 5x a day before starting Paleo. Now I am eating 3 hearty meals a day. Are the hypoglycemic symptoms normal due to a transition period into the paleo lifestyle? What can I do to prevent the symptoms or help them without the sugar in the medjool dates?

4. How/when to eat fermented foods – and do I REALLY need FCLO?

Amy says,

Hi Ladies! First, let me add myself to the list of people who heap praise and thanks at your feet. You offer so much wonderful information and make this stuff entirely accessible and less intimidating to so many people. Now, on to my questions. I have two of them, both related to “superfoods.”

1. What is the best way to eat homemade fermented vegetables? I’ve been making my own sauerkraut, kimchi, beets, etc., for a while now and LOVE them. I’ve heard conflicting information on whether it’s best to eat these alone/on an empty stomach vs with a meal. Obviously, traditional food cultures eat them with meals (Koreans eat kimchi with *everything,* Europeans eating kraut or other fermented/pickled veg with things like charcuterie to “cut the richness” of the fat, etc. Not that I think anyone needs to cut the richness of the fat!) Both ways are probably fine, but I’m just wondering if there’s a preferred way. (I’m asking specifically in regard to helping constipation. Don’t know if eating ferments with meals is better for helping digestion of that specific meal, and maybe eating them separately is better for overall re-population of gut flora…)

2. I was taking Green Pasture’s FCLO/BO a while back and really liked it. (Seemed to do good things for my mood/outlook. I tend to be a gloomy gus but I definitely noticed a big improvement in that.) The thing is, it is quite the pricey item and while I know it’s worth the $$, I find it hard to justify the expense. Do you think I would get a similar benefit from taking regular CLO along with a “hit” of good, pastured butter? I’m thinking the CLO would cover vitamins A&D and the butter would give me the K2. (Obviously making *certain* the butter is from grass-fed cows is key, since that’s where the K2 comes from. The butter oil is more concentrated, of course, but I have to think straight butter would still have some benefit.) I realize I might not get as much bang for the buck from this, but it’s difficult to justify upwards of $50 for one bottle of the “real deal,” plus about $10 shipping.

Thanks so much! Diane, congratulations on the success of your tour-de-force…um, I mean book! It is not only a work of art but a GREAT source of easily understandable info across such a wide range of conditions. Be proud of yourself — what a fantastic accomplishment. (And I’m sure I’ll be saying this to Liz next year when her book comes out!)

5. Cold Turkey Headaches, Help! Caffeine withdrawal.

Christie says,

Hi. Love your book, and your podcast!! You really inspire me to be a nutrient seeker, and focus on health rather than aesthetics. Thank you! I have a quick question about how to mitigate withdrawal symptoms after cutting back on caffeine and sugar. My husband (who eats paleo at home, but whatever he likes at work) has a dependency on coffee-flavoured milk for breakfast. He has a bottle every day, and if he doesn’t he gets headaches. However, he has the next 3 weeks off work, and has agreed to try eating a more nutritious breakfast if I cook for him (despite claiming he finds food offputting first thing in the morning). I’m really excited to try to help him move towards healthier habits, but I’m worried that if he goes cold turkey on the coffee milk he will get bad headaches, and either give up or self-medicate (with Coke, probably). I was wondering if you had any ideas on how I might be able to wean him off the stuff slowly enough that he won’t suffer too much. Should I allow him to continue drinking the milk but slowly reduce the amount? Or could I try to provide caffeine in a more paleo-friendly manner (paleo cookies made with cocoa, perhaps)? Are there any supplements that would help? I should also have mentioned that he has an odd distaste for hot drinks, so regular coffee with heavy cream is not an option…Thanks so much for listening! Cheers, Christie

6. Eating intuitively  and intermittent fasting.

Lauren says,

Hey Liz and Diane!

So I’m having this MAJOR dilemma with meal timing vs. intuitive eating while working an 8 hour day. I feel like intuitively I tend to eat light during the day and then a nice size dinner at night. I have tried IF but sometimes going too long without a meal throws me off and I end up overeating at night. The weekends aren’t so bad because I can kind of follow my own rhythm but when I work its much harder because I have to maintain energy all day until 6 pm. I have definitely experimented around and based my conclusion solely on energy levels. I have eaten every 3 hours starting right after my early morning workout and realized I could NEVER get full and was constantly thinking about my next meal it was horrible.

Then I went to eating 3 larger meals plus one dessert. Breakfast was before work and a big salad was lunch then my big normal dinner and dessert. (all meals protein, fat and veggies only) I felt sooo tired as soon as I ate lunch but by eating breakfast early I was hungry by 1 or 2. I ate more fat like avocado, eggs, salmon and olive/coconut oil thinking that would hold me over till dinner and possibly minimize my appetite at night… didn’t work at all and I still ate the same amount at night just felt worse for eating too much food. BTW—I’m 5’1, 120. I also have struggled with hormonal imbalance, PCOS, insulin resistance and constant weight fluctuations.

Now I’ve been sort of fasting in the morning till about 10 or 11 and eating a light snack in the afternoon and come to find out I’m not overly hungry at night and eat the exact same amount as I did with the big lunch. It’s hard to determine how long this will last because, of course, my hunger changes daily and the problem is packing the right amount of food to satisfy my hunger without eating too much just because its there. I’m currently eating very little to no sugar which has helped with blood sugar throughout the day. Just curious what your thoughts are and if either of you deal with this while traveling and not really living by “your time.”  Also any suggestions for super light lunch/snack… jerky maybe? Or do I douse myself with coconut oil? Thanks so much and LOVE your podcast. 

Click here to submit questions.

Cheers!

Diane & Liz

This week: FREE Practical Paleo book signing / Q&A events in Texas!

Just a quick note to remind everyone of the five, FREE book signing / Q&A events happening this week in the great state of Texas!

Remember that all events are open to the public – you do not need to be a member of the hosting gym/location or any gym at all to attend! A 60-minute Q&A begins at the event start-time and I sign books towards the end of the event.

MONDAY, October 29, 2012: 7:30-9pm • Dallas, TX

Practical Paleo Book Signing/Q&A

FREE event 




TUESDAY, October 30, 2012: 6-8pm • Fort Worth, TX

Practical Paleo Book Signing/Q&A with food from Yes! Taco

FREE event 




THURSDAY, November 1, 2012: 6-8pm • Houston, TX

Practical Paleo Book Signing/Q&A

FREE event




FRIDAY, November 2, 2012: 7-9pm • San Antonio, TX

Practical PaleoBook Signing/Q&A with food from Caveman Cuisine!

FREE event




SATURDAY, November 3, 2012: 11am-1pm • Austin, TX

Practical PaleoBook Signing/Q&A with food from Caveman Cuisine!

FREE event

Note: If you’re interesting in hosting a Balanced Bites Nutrition Workshop in early 2013, we are now working on finalizing our schedule, so please get in touch.

Podcast Episode #59: BIG news, weight loss time, non-paleo family, cold care & more!

Remember – If you’re enjoying these podcasts, please leave us a review in iTunes. Thanks!

Episode #59: BIG news, weight loss time, non-paleo family, cold care & more!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Balanced Bites Workshops:

SAT., November 17, Tacoma, WA – guest co-teacher Anthony DiSarro will be joining Diane at this event!

FREE Practical Paleo book signing events with Q&A:

FRI., October 26, 2012: 7pm, San Diego, CA

SAT., October 27, 2012: 3pm, Los Angeles, CA (Culver City)

TUES., October 30, 2012: 6pm, Fort Worth, TX

THURS., November 1, 2012: 6pm, Houston, TX

FRI., November 2, 2012: 7pm, San Antonio, TX

SAT., November 3, 2012: 11am, Austin, TX

Remember that all events are open to the public, you do not need to belong to the hosting gym to attend!

Topics:

Opening chat:

Practical Paleo is now a 2x New York Times Best-Seller! Look for it in the Sunday October 28 & November 4th issues!

Liz’s covered wagon road-trip drama.

1. Weight loss – how long will it take?

2. Sugar detox & vegetarianism

3. Living with a family that eats differently

4. Eating on the go

5. Symptoms of gluten exposure

6. What we do when we’re sick/natural cold care

Click here to download this episode as an MP3.

The episodes are currently available in iTunes, Stitcher & Blog Talk Radio.

1. Weight loss – how long will it take?

Andrea Says,

First off ladies, let me tell you how much I’m enjoying your podcast! I listen to it almost daily and I’m dreading the day when I run out of past episodes and have to wait like a shmuck for the new weekly one Diane, I also have your book and I’m devouring it. So far the stuffed peppers and lemon artichoke chicken are our favorites.

My question is, how long will it take me to see some weight loss. I KNOW, I KNOW… be patient! Trust me, I’ve been listening. And I KNOW, I KNOW, I’m not losing weight, my body is letting go of it. Trust me, I hear all of that and I’m not looking for a quick fix. But I would like some hope.

I’m 35 and have been paleo for almost 3 months. I started the diet because my son has been diagnosed with food sensitivities (dairy, gluten, soy, some nuts, eggs and some others) and I wanted to make meals our whole family could eat. At first I was eating some non-glutenous grains and rice but my research eventually led me to Mark Sisson’s site and I’ve been ‘clean’ ever since. I get so excited to read all the success stories of people who have adopted this way of eating and have had massive physical transformations. However, I have seen none of it. I’m 5’6″ and 220 lbs. I’ve lost a whopping 2lbs and 2 inches and I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll EVER be healthy.

Mind you, I FEEL great! No more symptoms of hypoglycemia, no more constantly thinking of my next feed, way more energy, great outlook etc. I’m not thinking of going back to my old diet ever, I’d just like some help so that I can look as good as I feel.

I should mention that I’m not eating ideal meat at the moment. I’ve got a 1/4  grass-fed cow on order and I’m searching for natural pork, chicken and eggs, but it is not as easy in Canada to find this stuff as it seems to be in the states. Unpasteurized dairy is even illegal. Even if it was abundant, financial constraints are a huge consideration.

I also want to say that when I have logged my calories to see where I’m at, I am still consuming 2,000 or more calories on a normal day. About 70% from fat 20% from protein and the rest from veggie carbs. This really bothers me. I keep reading how a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet will help you curb your hunger so that you’re naturally eating less calories. I’m eating less often, and I would have sworn that I was eating less calories, but amazingly I still manage to eat a ton! I only eat when I’m hungry, so I’m not sure what to do. I’m pretty boring and most of my days are the same.

Breakfast: 3 eggs and butter or coconut oil, usually a coffee with coconut milk and sometimes heavy cream (I’m doing some self-experimentation to go totally dairy free, though cream in my coffee is the only dairy I ever have.

Lunch: a whopping salad with avocado and some sort of protein usually leftover from dinner

Dinner: meat and veg

Snacks: sometimes a coffee with coconut milk, sometimes 1/4 c of nuts, sometimes a couple of tablespoons of natural peanut butter (I’m working on almond butter but I’m only human!), sometimes some leftover meat from dinner. Some days I don’t snack at all.

Exercise: I’m so proud! When I first started, going for a 20 min walk seemed a huge deal. I have 2 young boys and didn’t feel like I had the time to take care of me. Now, I get mad if I can’t get out for my 45 min hoof everyday. I am also doing more and more strength exercises. I do kettlebell swings, push ups, rows, squats etc. 2-3 times a week. I’m adding more strength weekly because I’m enjoying seeing my numbers go up. Sleep: I get about 8 hours a night (WOOT for a good sleeper baby!). I sometimes still feel that 3 o’clock slump though, hence the coffee for a snack.

Supplements: I take cranberry pills to help me stave off the UTIs that I’m prone to (haven’t had one in months though), a multi and probiotics in capsule form. All of these are just from Costco. Again, budget is a big concern. I’m on mat leave and my husband is just starting his own business. We don’t have cable, we live very frugally, there is just not much money to go around currently.

I will have a glass of wine 2-3 times a month. I have a couple squares non-dairy dark chocolate maybe 1-2/week. I sometimes steal a bite of potato or some watermelon from my husband’s plate (my family does not eat pure paleo at the moment… we’re getting there though!) I don’t ‘cheat’ often because it brings back some of the old feelings of craving and obsession with food, not to mention the hypoglycemia symptoms. I have only had one day in the past 3 months where I had a whole meal that was non-paleo (though it did include a huge steak!) and I didn’t enjoy the aftermath.Thanks for reading the small novel! I’m excited to hopefully hear me on your podcast. It’ll be my claim to fame

2. Sugar detox & vegetarianism

Vicky says,

How can a vegetarian complete the 21 day detox? It looks like level 2 would work for vegetarians, but does it work for a good sugar detox?

THANK YOU!

3. Living with a non-Paleo family.

Monica says,

I’m a 22 year old university student living at home with a non-paleo family. My father’s health views differ drastically from my own. He suffers from depression, anxiety and alcoholism, so you can imagine his eating and exercise habits. For this reason, it would be very difficult for me to adapt my diet right now. I have control over my breakfast, lunch and snack, but dinners range from pasta and meatballs, chicken soup, hot dogs, burgers, pizza… not always horrible, but not the greatest either.

I often find myself bloated and feeling too full. I also seem heavier in my stomach area, although I’m not sure how much of that is due to bloat. I’m 5’5” and 115 pounds. I have never gotten my period naturally and know in my heart that I should probably put weight on but am unsure how much or how to do so in a healthy manner. I’m also hoping to heal my digestive issues as much as possible while under my current living constraints. I hope to move out in January, which will coincide with the completion of my undergrad (wooo! stress relief), but was wondering what advice you might have for me in the meantime, or for putting on the weight/solving digestive problems once living on my own

I’m trying to limit gluten to one or two meals a day, have tried to add more animal protein, and incorporated full fat yogurt (plain, greek-style) into my diet and have begun to take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar after my dinner.

A typical day: steel cut oats, almond butter, banana, salmon, sweet potato, broccoli, yogurt and fruit for snacking, pasta and meatballs. I don’t take any supplements. I sleep quite poorly.

Exercise: 5 times a week of strength and cardio (1 hour alltogether), walks 7 days a week for 1 hour, with light stretching or the odd bike ride thrown in.

4. Eating on the go.

Anthony says,

Can you tell me how to eat Paleo when on the go and you are faced with either Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, etc sometimes I just have time for a quick meal and I am on the road.

5. Symptoms of gluten exposure.

Dave says,

I’ve been recently diagnosed with celiac and a leaky gut. I just finished the elimination diet and I am now reintroducing foods on a weekly basis. On occasion, the rigors of modern life force me to eat out. About half the time I come away feeling some pain and/or discomfort which I chalk up to some gluten getting into my food either through cross contamination, something in the food (like a sausage). I am loath to go back on the elimination diet, so I‘m worried that these instances might again to a leaky gut. How much exposure does it take and over what time period? What kind of symptoms should I be on the watch for should I suspect something?

My wife and I love your book so much we bought 4. One for ourselves, one for each of our exes and another for our mother in law. All so our kids can eat as healthy with them as they do with us. Keep up the great work!

6. What we do when we’re sick/natural cold care

Brittany says,

What can I take when I’m sick? I always turned to the traditional nyquil/dayquil combo but now that I’ve become more aware of the things I’m putting in my body I feel slightly guilty taking those. I know there has to be a better option. Do you have a natural alternative to help with the common cold?

Click here to submit questions.

Cheers!

Diane & Liz

Introducing “PCOS Unlocked: The Manual” by Stefani Ruper

Many of you may remember Stefani from the podcast interview Liz & I did with her a while back, or from the chat she and I had on The Underground Wellness show. Today, we caught up with Stefani to ask her some questions about her awesome new eBook extensively covering the topic of Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), “PCOS Unlocked.” Enjoy!

What started you on a path to heal yourself and what made you decide to share your discoveries with other women through PCOS unlocked?

I was diagnosed with PCOS in the fall of 2009. I didn’t know a thing about ovaries, about nutrition, or about hormones.  I tried finding out about hormones on the internet, and I listend to my doctor, but neither of those things cured me.  How could I become fertile again?  Have a sex drive again?  Regain radiant skin?

At the time, working for NASA in a Dartmouth astrobiology lab, I knew that I had to apply my rigorously-honed scientific brain to the problem of PCOS.  Who else was going to fix me?  Who else was going to unearth exactly what was happening in my body?

What followed was several years of research in hundreds of journals, more experimentation on my own body with diets, clenses, fasts, and exercise routines than I would ever wish on anybody, and dialog with hundreds of women on overcoming their condition.

What I discovered were two facts that I thought were urgently needing to be addressed.

First: doctors very often treat symptoms rather than cure PCOS, which leaves many women not just infertile but also suffering a wide array of symptoms such as acne and being overweight. Secondly, and most importantly, however, I discovered that not just standard medical professionals but also alternative health practitioners suffer from a lack of understanding of the various causes of PCOS. Lots of people think just insulin resistance causes PCOS, but that’s far from the case.

Personally, three years of agonized searching in my life would have been saved by this manual. I required a perspective that emphasized healing rather than symptom-alleviation, and I required better science and more nuance for my cure. PCOS Unlocked provides those things, and I feel enormously passionately about spreading them to women as broadly as I can.

Can you give a brief overview of the three different types of PCOS and how you see women using your guide?

In PCOS Unlocked, I break PCOS down into three different types. The reason I do this is to guide women in their treatment. If your primary cause of PCOS is insulin resistance, for example, which I categorize as type I PCOS, then you have specific strategies you should be implementing in order to heal. The same thing applies for the broad categories of type II and type III PCOS.

The breakdown goes like this:

Type I PCOS is that caused by insulin resistance, and usually being overweight. This category comprises the largest group of the PCOS population, and it gets the most attention from health practitioners.

Type II PCOS is that caused by metabolic and/or psychological stress. Women in this category are the ones that receive the least attention from the medical community. Their problem instead lies in the body’s stressed out and starvation responses. Both starvation – which is triggered by a wide array of diet and lifestyle choices – as well as psychological stress are interpreted by the body as signals that it’s not an ideal time to reproduce.  Some women who have these problems become infertile without developing cysts on their ovaries, but women with type II PCOS have these problems and DO develop cysts. There are plenty of reasons why, and I discuss them in depth in the manual.

Type III PCOS is that caused by hypothyroidism.  90 percent of hypothyroid cases are caused by the autoimmune condition Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, so I discuss strategies for mitigating that in the guide.  the other 10 percent are caused by some other phenomena such as very low carbohydrate diets and require specific attention.

Each woman falls predominantly into one of these three types of PCOS, in my opinion.  Certainly, however, a woman can be a combination of two.  It’s common for type I and type III patients to struggle with stress, for example.  What’s unique about type II however is that stress– in whichever form– is the most important factor in this woman’s PCOS.

In PCOS Unlocked, I walk each woman through discerning what her blood tests mean and her primary PCOS causes are, so she can then go on and pay specific attention to each one.

Sleep, eat well, maintain healthy body weight and stress less. We hear these things all the time but yet in today’s world it seems almost impossible and even unthinkable for women to take care of these simple needs for herself before taking care of her family and/or career. What would you say to the average super women who has no time but has PCOS?

Good question. The thing about healing from PCOS is that I don’t think it requires all that much time. Yes, you’ll have to read the manual, and it may take a few hours to digest and make a plan for yourself moving forward. But I walk you through it. And asking that you eat well and maintain a healthy body weight is not – very much so it is not -a significant time drain, I don’t think. Perhaps stress reduction is for some women. But the most important thing for healing in this way is a shift in habit, and a shift in perspective. That takes little time, only mental effort, and a desire to love yourself, to heal yourself, and to gently nourish yourself.

As for the time of stress reduction… it’s a question that comes up time and time again. I guess I would ask at this point: what are your priorities? What makes you happy, and what makes the people around you happy? How can you increase the things you do, and the way that you live, to make yourself happier?   When we sit down and really think about these things, I think we find that a lot of the things we fill our days with are not the sorts of priorities that lead to wellness and happiness. Is something that is stressful to us worth it? Perhaps. But also perhaps not. And with a focus on the things that truly matter – the things that lead to safety and joy and love and health – we can not just make our lives more livable, but also provide us with more temporal and mental space in which to breathe.

High stress is a common thread I between the three types of PCOS that you describe in PCOS Unlocked  What stress management tips can you offer our readers?

I do go into a bit of depth on this in the manual.  There are a variety of ways to tackle this. And it varies woman by woman.

First I would break stress reduction down into two categories.

First is mental. What stresses you out?  Why? Is this a problem within your brain that you can work on? Can you change the way you feel about your situation in order to make it less stressful? This is deliberate work we can do on our own. We can also talk through problems with our friends and loved ones, or hire a therapist. I’m a big believer in therapy. Everyone has wounds or weaker links in her psyche that can be strengthened, and doing so does nothing but benefit us. Sometimes enormously.

Second is practical. Bring down your stress level in your life. The more frequently you do it, the lower and lower your average stress levels will be. This is why I recommend taking a few minutes in the morning, a break in the afternoon, and at night for your stress reduction. And what does that entail? Again, it depends on the individual. Do you sit quietly by yourself? Meditate? Listen to a calming song? Stretch? Go for a walk around the block? Lay down on the office floor? Watch a looped video of a panda sneezing? Whatever you do, make sure it gets your mind completely off of your stressors, and gets you completely in touch with positive inner values such as joy, laughter, peace, or union with God/the universe.

Practical change also involves scheduling stress reduction. If you have a hard time keeping to a practice or a schedule by yourself, take classes in yoga or meditation, or other activities that are restful or freeing that you can do on a regular basis. Meet-up groups are another great way to do this without having to spend a lot of money. Adding these sorts of activities to our lives can radically improve their quality, even if we do them just once a week. Find something that makes your soul sing, or at least sit more peacefully in existence. Your ovaries will thank you.

Are you still surprised how the slightest changes can have such a huge impact on our reproductive health?

Enormously! I hear the most amazing stories all of the time. Some women I know have started menstruating again after they became regularly sexually active. Others lost five pounds, or some cut gluten out of their diets.  Many women I know heal once they truly reject restriction and begin eating macronutrients and calories freely. And this is all to re-gain menstruation. Even smaller changes can cause different disturbances, such as acne or libido.  Personally, I feel a significant difference in my libido if I eat phytoestrogens. And I experience significant breakouts at stressful periods of my life (such as meeting the deadline for this manual release!). In all cases, yes, yes, yes! Partly why PCOS Unlocked is, I believe, such a lovely and crucial resource.

Click here to find out more about PCOS Unlocked or download your copy today.

Click here for a free preview excerpt.

Practical Paleo is now a New York Times Bestseller!

I started my Monday morning today much like I usually do: checking my social media outlets, sipping kombucha, reviewing sales rankings of Practical Paleo on Amazon.com and checking out the most current week’s New York Times Bestseller list for paperback books in advice.

And there it was – bam – smack dab in the center of the page at #7…

Practical Paleo made the New York Times Bestseller list!

The paperback advice NYT Bestseller list is a tough one to crack! There are books on this list for weeks, months, and even years at a time. It’s not the same type of competition as even hard cover books – it’s tough!

Your continued support has made this possible.

I wrote this book for you, for your families, friends, and loved ones. I knew that it was something that the community at-large needed – something you could pass over to anyone interested in improving their health. I planned for Practical Paleo to serve as an all-in-one guide to doing just that. This is the one book you can hand to just about anyone and say, “here, just do this.”

Thank you for sharing this book with others. I can’t even begin to count how many times people have told me that they’ve given the book away several times already, and plan on buying it for many on their holiday shopping lists as well. If you care about the health of others, Practical Paleo serves as their reference, support guide, and how-to for making it happen.

Once again, I need to say a huge thank you to my amazing friends Bill Staley & Hayley Mason (of The Food Lovers Kitchen), authors of the upcoming book, Gather: The Art of Paleo Entertaining.

Bill & Hayley worked tirelessly with me on creating and shooting photos of recipes for the book, and provided unconditional support throughout the entire process. I was lucky enough to help them out with one of the shoots for Gather, and I can say that even if you only get a copy for the Chinese food recipes alone, it’ll be money well spent! All kidding aside, the sneak preview I had of the book made one of the most popular questions I get – “How can I make Paleo food for (insert holiday or occasion here) that everyone will enjoy?” – the easiest one of all to answer: Gather: The Art of Paleo Entertaining will be your guide!

Thanks again for your continued support of Practical Paleo! I look forward to updating you all more as more news is available and even more good things come from this amazing movement!

You can find Practical Paleo online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, in large chain shops like Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and other chains, in independent book shops and in all Costco stores nationwide!

For more Frequently Asked Questions (and answers!) about Practical Paleo, click here.