Amy Myers's Blog, page 43

Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls

Sunday is Fresh Veggies Day and Father’s Day! Celebrate both and show the men in your life some love with these Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls. The real star of this recipe is the Creamy Soyless Sauce Dressing, which is gluten free, soy free, and so shockingly good that even the “no veggies for me” crowd will be coming back for more. Toss the ingredients in a bowl for a quick dinner, or prep for lunches by dividing the ingredients into glass containers for grab-and-go meals. Don’t miss out on this quick and easy take on traditional Vietnamese Spring Rolls!

Fresh spring rolls make for a great snack, however, they have a few drawbacks. Traditional recipes aren’t Paleo friendly because they include rice ingredients. They also can be time-consuming to put together.

Some may say that choosing to make the deconstructed form of spring rolls is lazy. I disagree. A spring roll in salad form is strategic!

Not only will you save time making your spring rolls in the form of a salad, you can prep this recipe without any of the ingredients getting soggy. I pack up the ingredients in glass containers on Sunday, with the dressing on the side, so they’re ready to take into the office for a quick and healthy lunch throughout the week.

What’s Inside Vegetable Spring Rolls?

Vegetable spring rolls usually include julienned carrots, cucumbers, rice noodles, and fresh herbs such as mint, basil, and cilantro rolled into a rice wrapper.

This recipe has all the same flavors of a traditional vegetable spring roll, without the work of rolling it in a rice paper wrapper. It includes almost all the ingredients you know and love from a traditional spring roll, but uses julienned hearts of palm in place of rice noodles. And, yes, there’s a tasty sauce, too! Unlike the typical peanut sauce that accompanies spring rolls, mine is an incredibly delicious, creamy, soy-free sauce.

What are the Health Benefits to Eating these Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls?

I strongly recommend ditching gluten, which can be inflammatory for everyone. While most vegetable spring rolls themselves are gluten-free as they include noodles and a spring roll wrapper made from rice, gluten is often lurking in the sauce. My sauce is completely free of gluten, dairy, soy, and other inflammatory ingredients.

Traditional Vegetable Spring Rolls also surprisingly are carb- and grain-heavy, due to the noodles and wrapper traditionally included in the recipe. This lighter alternative replaces skips these ingredients and replaces the rice noodles with hearts of palm, which are much lower in carbs and a good source of Vitamin B6 and zinc.

My Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls are a healthier, low carb, gluten-free, and grain-free version of traditional Vegetable Spring Rolls that’s perfect for many diets including paleo, keto, and AIP. It may sound too good to be true, but trust me, you won’t be disappointed! These Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls hit all the marks for flavor, texture, and simplicity.

Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls






Course

Main Dish


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Candida Breakthrough® and SIBO, Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

4

Ingredients

For the Vegetable Spring Rolls4 cups mixed salad greens1 can Palmini Hearts of Palm Pasta1 bunch greens onions diced1/2 cup cucumber julienned or thinly sliced1/2 cup carrot julienned or thinly sliced1/2 cup red cabbage chopped1 avocado sliced (see note)1/4 cup red onion sliced1/2 cup fresh basil leaves1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped1/4 cup fresh mint leaves1 lime optionalFor the Creamy Soyless Sauce2 Tbls gluten-free fish sauce1 Tbls coconut aminos2 Tbls sauerkraut or pickle juice2 Tbls full fat coconut milk

Servings:

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

For the Vegetable Spring RollsToss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl. Drizzles with freshly squeezed lime juice, if using.Pour on Creamy Soyless Sauce and serve.For the Creamy Soyless SauceCombine ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a blender through a wire strainer to eliminate any sauerkraut pieces.Blend until combined. If the coconut milk separates from the rest of the ingredients, heat the mixture over low heat and blend again.
Notes
If you’re making this recipe as a grab-and-go meal, leave the avocado and dressing out of the salad and add just prior to eating. If you need to add the avocado to your salad several hours before eating, squeeze fresh lime juice over the avocado to prevent oxidation.

The post Deconstructed Vegetable Spring Rolls appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Hormone Balance and Your Eyesight

Well, ladies, we’ve thought it all along and now we have proof: women really do see things differently than men do! Yes, I’m having a little fun with this, however, there really is a correlation between hormones — particularly the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone — and sight. Other hormones, including insulin and thyroid hormone, can have an enormous impact on vision and on your overall eye health.

Let’s take a quick look at how your eyes work. Then we’ll tackle vision changes that can be the result of normal hormonal fluctuations over the course of your life. I’ll walk you through the impact of autoimmunity and hormone issues on eye health. Finally, I’ll share how a multivitamin and Estroprotect can make a big impact. With a little knowledge and care, you’ll be looking forward to a healthy future!

How Does Your Eye Work?

In addition to being one of the most beautiful and expressive parts of our bodies, our eyes are truly amazing in the way they function. Think of vision as a multi-step process that involves your eye itself, your optic nerve, and your brain.

The front of your eye is covered by your cornea, a clear, rounded surface. Light enters here and is regulated by the iris, the colored part of your eye. The light that is filtered by the iris then hits the lens, another transparent structure. Its job is to focus light rays onto the retina, a sensitive nerve layer that lines the back of the eye.

The image that lands on your retina appears upside-down. The retina has two types of cells. One is the rods, which rim the retina and are active in dim light. The other is cones, which are mostly in the center of your retina and help you see colors and details.

From the retina, your optic nerve carries signals of light, dark, and colors to the visual cortex area of your brain. Here the signal is assembled into right-side-up images. This is what you actually perceive as vision. Other parts of your brain then process what you are seeing into information you can use, such as “Here’s an animal with big teeth. Run away!”

Female Hormones and Eyesight

Myopia, or nearsightedness, occurs more frequently in girls (7.4%) than boys (5.1%).1 This is believed to be due to the effects of female sex hormones on the eye’s delicate structure. During puberty, the surge in estrogen can affect cornea thickness, leading to permanent changes in the eye.2 During menstruation when estrogen hormone levels elevate, your vision may become blurry. You may also find your lachrymal glands produce more tears during this time, leading to watery eyes.

During pregnancy, your body is flooded with hormones including human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), progesterone, estrogen, oxytocin, prolactin, and relaxin. These

increased hormone levels can cause blurred vision as well as difficulty in focusing. Higher levels of these hormones can also affect your vision by making your eyes more sensitive to light.

You may also find that the rising hormone levels of pregnancy cause you to retain more water. This fluid may build up behind the eye or in the eyeball itself, creating changes to the cornea’s shape. This, too, can also cause blurry vision. These changes are likely to be simply a temporary annoyance.

However, if you experience sudden vision changes during pregnancy, it may be a sign of preeclampsia. Research is ongoing, however, preeclampsia is thought to be an autoimmune or inflammatory condition, in addition to having a hormonal component.3 This serious condition, which affects 2-8% of all pregnancies,4 is marked by high blood pressure and organ damage, usually to the liver or kidneys. Symptoms can include light sensitivity, blurry vision, seeing auras or flashing lights, and even a temporary loss of vision. See your healthcare professional immediately if you experience these symptoms.

On the other side of the spectrum, a drop in estrogen levels, such as those that occur during perimenopause and menopause, can result in reduced tear production. Tears help flush particles from your eye and keep them lubricated. Dry eye, or lack of tears, can result in a number of uncomfortable symptoms, including sensitivity to sun and wind, burning, stinging, and scratchiness. The decreased ability to clear irritants from the eye can lead to scratches on the surface of your eye called corneal abrasions.

Extreme dry eyes can be a symptom of Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system attacks your moisture-producing glands. It usually begins in the salivary and lacrimal (tear-producing) glands, causing painfully dry eyes and mouth. It’s believed to be related to a drop in female sex hormones as it often affects women in or approaching menopause.5

In a strange twist, for some people, the dry eyes caused by reduced estrogen can actually lead to watery eyes. If dry eye persists, your tear ducts may begin to overcompensate by producing a greater quantity of tears than usual, overwhelming your tear drainage system.

A Window on your Health

While poets may call your eyes “the window to your soul,” healthcare professionals can use your eyes as a window into the state of your health. As we discussed earlier, the eye has two transparent structures. This provides an unrestricted view into your blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue, where the impact of hormone imbalances as well as autoimmune conditions and other issues may be seen.

Insulin

The hormone insulin, secreted by your pancreas, enables your body to process the sugar in your blood to be used by your body for energy. When you don’t produce enough insulin, or you can’t access the insulin you create, your blood sugar levels remain unusually high and can result in diabetes.

This can affect your sight in several ways. Chronically high blood sugar from diabetes is associated with damage to the tiny blood vessels in the retina, leading to a condition called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy can cause blood vessels in the retina to bleed, distorting your vision.

It can also cause new, abnormal blood vessels to grow along the inside surface of the retina and into the vitreous gel, the fluid that fills the eye. These new blood vessels are fragile and likely to leak and bleed. The resulting scar tissue can contract and cause your retina to pull away from the surrounding tissue. Retinal detachment can lead to permanent vision loss.6

Another common vision issue that results from insulin deficiencies is called macular edema. The part of your retina that is responsible for the sharp, central vision you need for reading, driving, and recognizing faces, is called the macula. The build-up of fluid in any part of the body is called edema. As a result of diabetes, fluid can build up in the macula causing it to swell and thicken, which distorts vision.

Thyroid Hormone

Thyroid hormone is crucially involved in the development of eyesight, and controls which visual pigment, or opsin, is produced in the cones within your retina.7 Recent research also suggests opsin production in mature cones continues to depend on thyroid hormone level, so color vision may be affected by deficiencies in thyroid hormone.8

In fact, eye problems are often early signs of thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune disease. It can cause dry eyes, watery eyes, red or pink eyes, baggy or puffy eyes, bulging eyes, a fixed stare, double vision, and blurry vision. It is mainly associated with an over-active thyroid such as in Graves’ disease, but it can also occur in people with underactive thyroid function.

Because the eye may be pushed forward, and because the eyelids are pulled open by the muscles, you may have difficulty closing your eyelids. This can lead to corneal ulcers, which causes scarring and permanent loss of vision. Swollen tissues can also compress the optic nerve, affecting color perception, and causing “floaters” and an overall dimming of vision.

What You Can Do for Hormonal Eye Health

Visit an eye care professional annually. He or she can not only test your vision and offer corrective lenses if needed, they will also monitor your overall eye health. They can alert you to other health problems such as high blood pressure, and the signs of insulin and thyroid imbalances that can show up in your eyes.

You can get some relief from dry eye symptoms by preventing your tears from evaporating. Use a humidifier and avoid overly dry, warm rooms, hair dryers, smoke, and wind. Unpreserved saline solution drops can offer relief to irritated, bloodshot eyes. I recommend purchasing sterile, single-use doses.

A diet that eliminates the toxic and inflammatory foods that are the common culprits behind autoimmune disease can help reverse the insulin resistance and thyroid disorders that impact your vision. Gluten and dairy are the top two most inflammatory foods. I recommend completely removing these from your diet and never adding them back in.

I strongly recommend The Myers Way® Multivitamin for general health and particularly for your thyroid. It has optimal levels of thyroid supporting minerals such as zinc, selenium, and iodine, alongside antioxidants like vitamins C and E and other free radical scavengers. No other multi on the market does more to support your thyroid.

Finally, add EstroProtect to your daily regimen. EstroProtect helps your body strike a balance between estrogen and progesterone by supporting the elimination of excess estrogen and healthy estrogen metabolism. It can help minimize vision issues that may arise from imbalances of female sex hormones.

Be alert to vision changes and know that you can impact your vision with some healthy lifestyle changes that will support hormonal balance.

The post Hormone Balance and Your Eyesight appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Lemon Keto Fat Bombs

These are the best keto fat bombs! Lemony and dairy-free, they are a quick and easy no-bake treat that is low carb and compliant for the ketogenic diet, Paleo diet, and AIP.

Fat bombs are subtly sweet treats that work for a variety of dietary protocols including the ketogenic diet, and in some cases, even the autoimmune protocol.

This recipe for Lemon Keto Fat Bombs is full of healthy fats, dietary fiber, and gut healing collagen protein. They’re dairy free, no-bake treats that are low carb, ketogenic, Paleo, AIP, and vegan friendly.

Typical fat bombs feature primary ingredients like peanut butter and cream cheese, which are two ingredients to avoid when following The Autoimmune Solution diet,, the Paleo diet, and The Myers Way®. The primary ingredient in these Lemon Keto Fat Bombs is coconut, which provides healthy medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and a subtle sweetness without any sugar.

Are Keto Fat Bombs healthy?

Yes! These treats are high in heart-healthy fat and gut healing collagen protein. As a bonus to these two healthy features, they’re free of refined carbohydrates and refined sugar.

Additionally, the fat, protein, and fiber combo will help you feel satiated after eating just 1 or 2 bombs, and they will keep you full for hours. This means you won’t find yourself overeating these Fat Bombs like you might if you were indulging in cookies.

Since there is no added sugar, keto fat bombs can be enjoyed any time of the day. You can have a couple as a snack, or include them as a part of your breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I like starting my day with a fat bomb, as the protein, fiber, trace minerals, and fat combination helps support a healthy adrenal function first thing in the morning.

Store these fat bombs covered in an air-tight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can enjoy them cold right out of the fridge, or let them sit out for 1-2 hours at room temperature for more of a truffle texture.

Lemon Keto Fat Bombs






Course

Dessert, Snack


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Candida Breakthrough®, Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

20 fat bombs

Ingredients

Keto Fat Bombs1/2 cup coconut flour3/4 cup The Myers Way® Collagen Protein1/4 cup +2 Tbls coconut butter melted1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)1 tsp lemon zest optional1.5 Tbsp monkfruit sweetener1/4 cup coconut cream1/4 tsp sea saltLemon Icing (optional)3 Tbsp coconut butter melted1 Tbsp coconut oil1/2 tsp lemon zest1/4 tsp turmeric (for color, optional)1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut flakes

Servings:
fat bombs

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Keto Fat BombsMix all ingredients together by hand in a bowl. (It will take a bit of stirring before the dough comes together.)
Place dough in the refrigerator to firm up for about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into 20 equally sized balls. Place the balls in back in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set. You can choose to add the Lemon Icing or enjoy them as is.
Lemon Icing (optional)Meanwhile, stir together the melted coconut butter, coconut oil, lemon zest, and turmeric in a bowl until the icing is golden in color.Set up an assembly line with the Lemon Icing in a shallow bowl, shredded coconut flakes in another shallow bowl, and a wire cooling rack over a cookie sheet.
Once the balls are set, remove them from the refrigerator. Roll one ball in the Lemon Icing until covered, then roll in the shredded coconut flakes until completely covered. Set on the wire cooling rack to harden. Repeat for remainder until all are covered.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. (I like the texture of these Keto Fat Bombs best when they’re at room temperature, so I remove them from the fridge about 30 minutes before eating.!)

The post Lemon Keto Fat Bombs appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Skewers

You’ve probably seen Chicken Bacon Ranch in all kinds of dishes from pizza to pasta—usually using ingredients that just aren’t very healthy. But now you can join in with these Chicken Bacon Ranch Skewers, marinated in a creamy (dairy-free!) sauce that is full of ranch flavor. Be sure to reserve half the marinade for drizzling on your finished skewers! Pair them with cilantro lime cauliflower rice for a main dish, or drizzled with the dipping sauce for a healthy appetizer. Double the recipe when you’ve got a crowd coming for a backyard barbeque and pop them on the grill. They cook in just minutes, so keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.

If you don’t have a grill, don’t fret! These Chicken Bacon Ranch Skewers can be cooked in your oven instead. Here’s how: Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Cover two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil, and place a cooling rack on top of each. Place Bacon Chicken Ranch Skewers on the cooling rack, and place in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then turn each skewer and bake another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is white all the way through and bacon is crisp.

How do I stop wooden skewers from burning on the grill?

To keep wooden skewers from burning, you’ll want to soak them in water. You can add water to a shallow baking dish, and allow the skewers to rest fully submerged in the water for at least 30 minutes. If you can plan ahead, let your skewers rest overnight in the water to get fully saturated.

When you’re grilling your skewers, the exposed ends will become more brittle and run the risk of breaking. So while it may seem natural to use the ends to flip your skewers, you’ll instead want to use tongs to grab each skewer from the center (where the chicken, bacon, and vegetables are), instead of using the ends.

Now that you know everything there is to know about grilling and baking chicken skewers, it’s time to get to the specifics!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Skewers






Course

Main Dish


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

4

Ingredients

Chicken Skewers1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast5 slices nitrate-free bacon1/2 head red cabbage2 zucchini2 yellow squash1/2 red onionRanch Marinade1 cup coconut cream1/4 cup avocado oil (you can substitute olive oil, but it will yield a more distinct flavor than avocado oil)2 Tbls apple cider vinegar1 Tbls dried chives1 Tbls drived parsley1 tsp dried dill1 tsp granulated garlic1 tsp sea salt1/2 tsp onion powder

Servings:

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

PrepIf you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for least 30 minutes or, preferably, overnight to keep them from breaking and burning. To soak them place your skewers into a casserole dish or a rimmed baking sheet, and cover completely with water.For the MarinadeCombine all ingredients for the marinade into a blender. Blend on high until all ingredients have emulsified. Pour half of this mixture into a bowl for drizzling on top of your finished skewers, and reserve. Keep the remainder of the mixture for marinating your chicken. For the SkewersPreheat grill to high. Cut each raw chicken breast into roughly 12 equal pieces (about 1.5” chunks). Place chicken pieces into a large bowl, and pour the reserved marinade on top. Stir with a spoon to evenly coat each piece. Cover and place bowl into the fridge and let sit for 30 minutes.Meanwhile, chop zucchini, squash, onion, and cabbage into equal sized pieces, about 1½” chunks. Cut each piece of bacon into thirds across width.Remove chicken from bowl and discard marinade. Assemble your skewers by threading each pre-soaked skewer with a piece of zucchini or squash as an anchor for the other ingredients. Alternate threading the remaining ingredients, folding the bacon into an “s” shape to thread it onto the skewe. Repeat.Place skewers on grill; close lid. Check and turn after five minutes.When the chicken and bacon are entirely cooked through, remove the skewers from the grill and place on platter. Drizzle with the reserved marinade.

The post Chicken Bacon Ranch Skewers appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Turmeric Ginger Iced Tea and Lemon Spritzer

turmeric ginger iced tea lemon spritzer

Make this one a double! Two (or more!) delicious drinks with a single recipe, that is. These immune system boosting Turmeric Ginger Tea and Lemon Spritzer recipes are simple to make and full of health benefits. It’s so versatile, too! The Turmeric Ginger Tea can be served hot or cold, or chilled and mixed with honey, lemon, and soda water for a refreshing Lemon Spritzer. Whether you’re soothing a sore throat or wanting a refreshing summer BBQ spritzer, this recipe is perfect for you.

While the Turmeric Ginger Tea creates a comforting drink, for me, as we kick off the summer, this recipe shines as a crowd-pleasing mocktail. The Lemon Spritzer version of this tea recipe is subtly sweet, slightly spicy, and refreshingly effervescent. It will dazzle your tastebuds and your BBQ guests.

What is Turmeric Ginger Tea?

A combination of water steeped in fresh turmeric root and ginger root, Turmeric Ginger Tea is a great way to help balance your body’s inflammatory response. Turmeric root gets the majority of its benefits from curcumin, a powerful compound that extremely promising studies have shown to be highly effective at reducing inflammation. Cucurmin in turmeric also helps to maintain optimal blood pressure levels. Ginger root also is effective at reducing inflammation, and improving cholesterol levels.

Does this Tea Have Caffeine?

Absolutely not! Although it is called tea, there aren’t any tea leaves in this drink, which means it is caffeine free. The concentrate is high in antioxidants and contains vitamin c, beta carotene, and flavonoids. It also supports a healthy inflammatory response, promotes a healthy immune system and respiratory function, balances blood pressure, and helps maintain optimal cholesterol levels. It’s a delicious powerhouse you can whip up on the weekend and share with friends or enjoy all week.

Turmeric Ginger Iced Tea and Lemon Spritzer






Course

Beverage


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Candida Breakthrough® and SIBO, Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

5-6 and 8-9

Ingredients

Turmeric Ginger Iced Tea3 quarts filtered water4 inches fresh ginger root4 inches fresh turmeric rootLemon Spritzer6 cups Turmeric Ginger Iced Tea6 cups plain soda water1/3 cup lemon juice1/4 cup honey omit if following a Candida diet or SIBO diet Fresh basil and lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Servings:

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Turmeric Ginger Iced TeaAdd water, peeled ginger root, and peeled turmeric root to a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid is reduced to about 64 ounces, and is a light golden color.Remove from heat. Using a wire mesh strainer, strain water into a 2-quart glass jar with a lid, and refrigerate at least 4 hours to chill.For a single serving of unsweetened Turmeric Ginger Iced Tea, pour 12 ounces over a pint glass filled with ice.Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh basil if desired.Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.Lemon SpritzerFor the Lemon Spritzer option, combine lemon juice, honey, and Turmeric Ginger Tea in a blender carafe or a large pitcher.Use a blender or hand mixer to combine. Pour into a pitcher, add soda water, and serve over ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh basil if desired.

The post Turmeric Ginger Iced Tea and Lemon Spritzer appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Salted Caramel Apple Crisp

A warm and delicious fruit crisp could be just what you need for one of those surprisingly chilly spring nights. This AIP Salted Caramel Apple Crisp is a healthy treat that will fill your home with the fragrant scent of spices.

Apples are tasty sweet and tart fruit that’s available all year round. However, you can switch them out with blueberries or cherries if you prefer, and the fruit will still taste absolutely amazing with the protein-rich topping.

Not only do you get the benefits of fiber and vitamins from fruit; there are also a couple of secret ingredients that will boost the nutrient profile of the crumble topping. Tigernut flour is rich with fiber, potassium, and vitamins C and E, so the flour is an excellent, AIP alternative that provides a rich texture and extra flavor. And it’s mixed with my new Salted Caramel Paleo Protein, which is so delicious, and so good for your digestion and overall health. It has all of the essential amino acids your body can’t produce on its own and 20 grams of paleo protein. Did I mention it makes the whole kitchen smell like mapley, caramel goodness!?

Don’t wait for fall to put this Salted Caramel Apple Crisp in the oven. It’s perfect any time of the year.

Salted Caramel Apple Crisp






Course

Dessert


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Paleo








Ingredients

3 medium apples sliced thin2 Tbls tapioca starch juice of 1/2 lemon1/4 cup coconut sugar1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground nutmegTopping1 cup tigernuts slivered2 scoop The Myers Way® Salted Caramel Paleo Protein1/2 cup coconut sugar4 Tbls palm shortening1 tsp vanilla extract1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Servings:

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375˚FIn a bowl, mix together apples, tapioca starch, lemon juice, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place into the bottom of an 8x8 square baking dish. In a separate bowl, stir together tigernuts, paleo protein, coconut sugar, palm shortening, vanilla, and cinnamon until it forms a crumbly mixture.Sprinkle on top of apple mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

The post Salted Caramel Apple Crisp appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Tigernuts: The Must-Have Superfood You’ll Really Love

Imagine a kitchen where you can reach into the pantry and pull out the perfect food. One that’s ideal for The Myers Way®, AIP approved, paleo friendly, and fun for the whole family. That can be a reality and I’m going to tell you how it’s done: with tigernuts.

You might be thinking, “Wait. A nut? Those aren’t even AIP!” You’re right. Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts are not autoimmune diet approved, nor are they included in the 30-day protocol of The Myers Way®. Despite this, tigernuts are a great addition to your diet because they’re not really nuts! Tigernuts are a tuber that grows below the ground,1 however they resemble a nut in size, shape, and flavor. The grooves on the peel give them a striped appearance, which is how they got their name. Tigernuts are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, paleo, and they are a fantastic tool for maintaining a healthy weight, or even when you want to lose some weight.

People have been eating this sweet and nutty tuber for over 6,000 years.2 The hardy crop was brought to Spain from the Sudan and Egypt during the middle ages. Tigernuts can also be found here in the United States, where their plant is occasionally considered a pesky weed.3 Despite that, the plant, also known as yellow nutsedge, is a very serviceable crop that can be utilized in many diet plans. You may have seen them in my recipes, and now I want to tell you why they are the ideal food for you and your family.

Different Ways to Use Tigernuts

As with nuts and starchy tubers such as cassava, tigernuts can be enjoyed in many ways. Raw, dried tigernuts are a tasty, gluten-free snack on their own. This ancient food can also be made into a delicious beverage or used as an ingredient in AIP baking and cooking.

Raw Tigernut Snack

Tigernuts, available peeled and unpeeled, are great for when you’re craving something crunchy. Although the whole, unpeeled form has more fiber (about 10% more), chewing them can take some serious jaw work. You can soak the raw tigernuts for about four hours to make them softer on the outside and crunchy on the inside. Tigernuts are also an excellent snack when you want to lose some stubborn weight. They reduce blood sugar spikes and keep you full longer than many other snacks. They make a great healthy snack for kids and adults alike.

Tigernut Milk

Spanish horchata, or horchata de chufa, is a delicious drink made with tigernuts and water, lightly sweetened, and spiced up with a dash of cinnamon.4 A popular treat along the Mediterranean coast,5 it’s high in calcium, vitamins C and E, completely dairy-free.6 and easy to make with a few simple ingredients. Additionally, tigernut milk, free of added sugars and artificial sweeteners, contains more iron and magnesium than cow’s milk and can be a quick way to get more of these nutrients in your diet.

Tigernut Flour

Conventional white wheat flour puts stress on your immune system and can result in chronic inflammation from gluten.7 Fortunately, tigernut flour, a gluten-free flour, can replace wheat flours at a 1:1 ratio in the foods you love to make and eat. It’s one of the flours I recommend in the essential foods to swap for AIP-friendly cooking and it’s featured in many recipes in The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook.

Because tigernut flour is naturally sweet, you can reduce the amount of honey, maple syrup, or other natural sweeteners in the recipe. On top of all that, tigernut flour has more protein, vitamins, and minerals than wheat flour because its source, the tigernut, is also rich with these healthy components. So it’s great for baking AIP snacks, paleo snacks, and all your baked goods.

Tigernut Oil

This byproduct of the allergen-free tuber is a flavorful oil that can be compared to olive oil. As an added bonus, the high levels of oleic acid, a monounsaturated healthy fat, make tigernuts a great addition to your skincare routine as a way to increase skin elasticity and promote a smooth, youthful appearance.8 Compared to the price of some natural skin oils, this is an affordable alternative that can be used to nourish your body inside and out.

Packed with Nutrients

Tigernuts are small, however, one serving packs in A LOT of nutrients. They’re not just an allergen-free snack that’s easy to take on the go, they’re also a great energy booster. A 1 oz (30g) serving of about 25 tigernuts contains:9

120 calories
7g of fat (82% of which are unsaturated fats)10
9g of carbohydrates
10g of fiber
2g of protein

Tigernuts outshine tree nuts such as almonds and cashews as a healthy snack for dieters and wellness enthusiasts in more areas than calorie count. Their nutrient profile holds an impressive percentage of the vitamins and minerals necessary to improve your overall health.

Fiber

If you’re not meeting the daily recommendations for dietary fiber, tigernuts could be the food you need. Fiber stimulates your digestion and helps prevent gut-related afflictions such as constipation. Unfortunately, most Americans are not getting enough fiber in their diet.11 a single ounce of tigernuts contains 10 grams of fiber, which is almost 40% of your daily recommended fiber12 (that’s almost as much as my Coconut Joy Fiber Bars!). For those of you who struggle with stubborn weight linked to an underactive thyroid, slower metabolism, or chronic stress-related weight gain, munching on raw tigernuts will keep your blood sugar levels stable, support your digestion, and improve cholesterol levels (in more ways than one!).13

Vitamins C & E

The Vitamin C and E present in tigernuts help support your body’s immune response and protect your cells from damage. The 1.8 mg of vitamin C in one serving of tigernuts is used by our bodies to make skin cells, blood vessels, ligaments, and tendons, as well as support your body’s response to wounds.14 Tigernuts are recommended for healthy skin, weight management, and fertility—all because of vitamin E.15,16,17 Vitamin E is also important for eye and skin health due to its antioxidant properties.18 The incredible 3 mg of vitamin E in one serving of tigernuts is about 278% of the daily recommended value.

Magnesium

Magnesium plays an important role in supporting digestive, heart, and brain health, and the absorption of nutrients such as calcium and potassium. Inflammation from gluten, soy, yeast, and dairy irritate the digestive tract and result in reduced magnesium absorption and then an even greater need for it. Luckily, 100 grams of tigernuts provides 13-17% of the daily recommended dose of magnesium19 to help you get off this merry-go-round of inflammation and magnesium deficiency.

Potassium

Eating 100 grams of tigernuts will provide you with more potassium than 100 grams of banana. Your body needs potassium for proper kidney and heart function, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission.20 Getting ready to head to your next workout and need a quick pick-me-up? Grab a few tigernuts to fuel your body with the nutrients it deserves.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks used to help the body process food and repair tissue.21 Some of the most abundant amino acids found in tigernuts are Glutamic acid and arginine. These amino acids promote cognitive ability, combat fatigue, and stimulate the immune system. Arginine also boosts the production of nitric oxide to increase blood flow and lower blood pressure.22,23 You can drink tigernut milk to get a concentrated amount of amino acids, including the essential amino acids your body cannot produce on its own.24

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA)

Tigernuts are a delicious way to include a satisfying, low-calorie, high-fat food in your diet for smart, allergen-free snacking. Monounsaturated fatty acids are a healthy type of fat, and replacing some of the nasty trans fats from processed oils with MUFAs may offer various health benefits.25 In fact, just one ounce of tigernuts has 16 grams of monounsaturated fats and 2 grams of polyunsaturated fats (both are good!).

So What Are Tigernuts Missing?

That’s easy. Just two items that I advise everyone to avoid: Gluten and dairy.

Gluten

Tigernuts are a gluten-free food that eliminates your risk of an inflammatory response brought on by gluten proteins. Gluten causes your immune system to become overly stressed to the point that it begins attacking your body’s own tissues to try and combat the source of inflammation. This state of chronic inflammation can lead to leaky gut and leave your body open to gastrointestinal distress, seasonal allergies, and autoimmune disease.

Dairy

Sometimes I turn over a bag in the store and see that there is “whey,” “whey powder,” or “casein,” on the list of ingredients. These are names for the proteins found in milk and can result in inflammation. The natural process of tigernut harvesting leaves no room for contamination by dairy.

In fact, tigernuts actually promote a healthy response to the bloating and digestive distress brought on by these inflammatory foods. The tubers contain digestive enzymes such as catalase, lipase and amylase, which help alleviate indigestion and gas.26 It’s hard to believe—a gluten-free and dairy-free food that also combats uncomfortable symptoms associated with constipation, belly bloat, and gut infections such as SIBO and Candida overgrowth.

They’re Not A Common Allergen

In many of my articles, I recommend avoiding grains and legumes, tree nuts, and seeds due to their high lectin content, phytates, and phytic acid. Tree nuts are notorious in the world of food allergies and food sensitivities. One in every 13 children has a food allergy27 that could trigger an allergic reaction, leading to inflammation, swelling, and in extreme cases anaphylactic shock.28,29 Luckily, tigernuts are not actually a nut and tigernut allergies are uncommon, so they can be sent in a lunch bag to your child’s “peanut and tree nut-free” school. Their lectin content is also significantly lower than tree nuts, similar to other tubers such as sweet potato, yucca (cassava), and taro.30,31 For a kid-friendly snack that will not lead to an inflammatory response, make some tigernut butter at home, and double the prebiotic benefits by pairing it with apples, bananas, or celery.

Good Sources

Although your best bet for getting your hands on this superfood is to buy them from reliable online sellers such as Thrive Market, or directly from Organic Gemini, tigernuts are becoming more readily available in health food stores and mainstream markets.

There are so many creative ways to incorporate this versatile tuber into your healthy diet. Give snack time a boost, use the flour to bake one of your family favorites, or whip up a version of the classic beverage, horchata. Food is medicine! I have found that optimal nutrition is your best defense against chronic illness and autoimmune disease. Eating foods like tigernuts helps you maximize your diet, avoid inflammation, and take back your health. Enjoy!

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Dr. Myers On Being A Mom

Like many of you, I chose to be a mother. It was one of the best decisions of my life and out of all my titles—MD, Medical Director, CEO, New York Times best-selling author— the title “mother” is the one that I cherish and value the most. Also like most of you, I celebrate my mom and the many other women in my family who nurtured me, on the second Sunday of every May. Although most of these women—including my beloved mother—are no longer with me physically, their impact on me is on my mind as I celebrate my third Mother’s Day as a mom.

In March 2017, my husband Xavier and I traveled to Wisconsin to finalize the adoption of our daughter, Elle. We spent 3 weeks holed up in a hotel room in the freezing cold and snow. It was a crazy time for us Southerners! Finally, the time came to begin our real lives as a family. Xavier drove the 18 hours all the way home on his own, while Elle and I went to the O’Hare airport to fly to Texas.

I was alone with Elle for the first time. I’m sure many of you also remember this milestone as clearly as the day it happened. I was terrified and excited. Being a doctor doesn’t make you immune to the anxiety that comes with being a mother. I was so frightened that she would get sick in the airport that I had a muslin cover over her baby carrier. However, that made it very difficult to see her. And she was so quiet that I worried she wasn’t breathing.

I had strapped her into the seat next to mine. Still, I couldn’t hear her at all and I didn’t want to raise the muslin. So while Elle (a great traveler right from the start!) slept through the flight, I sat up in my seat with my hand on her chest, so I could feel her breathing. It may not have been the most comfortable flight I have taken, however, I didn’t care! I was totally in love.

What I Learned from my “Moms”

I’ve been fortunate enough to have more than one “Mom” in my life, and they were all incredibly courageous, well-educated women. My mom had two master’s degrees, one of which was in art history. She was also very creative: she was an artist, fashion designer, and an architect. Despite our differences, I’m thankful for all the ways that we are similar—my mom was a force of nature and I like to think I am too!

My extended family of my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and my aunts all played a significant role in my life. They all lived near my mom and me (my great-grandmother even lived in the same apartment building), and we were all very close. My great-grandmother was really something special. She went to college, had a job, and she was brave enough to get a divorce in the early 1900s. She raised my grandmother, who had a master’s degree in English in the mid-1900s. These were the women I was raised with: strong, nurturing women who valued education and making a difference. They were incredible role models.

Passing it Forward

I chose medicine as a profession because caring for people and helping them is a part of my nature. I want to make their lives better. That’s what I want to do for Elle, too. Although I am the CEO and founder of a company that empowers hundreds of thousands of people, and I can’t always spend as much time as I would like with her, I make sure the hours we are together are focused on her alone so that I can help her grow and learn, and become a strong, compassionate young woman when she grows up. I actively make that time to show her how important she is and help her grow into a confident woman. I am trying to parent as my parents taught me, and there are many things I want to share with Elle that my mom shared with me.

Healthy Living

My mom and I gardened together. I remember growing sprouts and all kinds of herbs, fruits, and vegetables. For Elle’s second birthday, I gave her an herb garden kit, watering can and gardening tools. I like to think that this will help her appreciate the good foods that help our bodies grow and thrive. I think it’s working too! Elle eats exactly what Xavier and I eat. It’s great to see her eating vegetables, wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken and eggs, and berries, fruit, and coconut yogurt. On her 2nd birthday, I offered her one of her homemade gluten-free and dairy-free cupcakes however she claimed she did not like and didn’t eat it.

Elle helps me in the kitchen, which reminds me of how I would help my mom make homemade bread and yogurt when I was a child. I love that I’m able to share the experience of cooking and baking with Elle as well. Being in the kitchen, and loving healthy food, and making smoothies together—these are things I want Elle to remember when she grows up.

Learning

I also want to encourage her love of books. Elle loves to read! My mom and dad read to me every night, and nothing makes me smile more than seeing Elle with all of her books. She has so many! She just carries them around, and then we’ll read them together. Our nighttime routine is taking a bath, brushing our teeth, and reading three books. Reading was really big in my family, and I’m glad that’s something Elle can be excited about.

Travel & Dreaming Big

I believe this a big part of her day-to-day upbringing. We’ve been able to travel and see the beautiful world around us. Elle has been to New Zealand and Australia and seen all kinds of animals in the wild. She’s just beginning to understand that there are differences from one place to another. My aim is to create a strong, independent young woman by exposing her to the world at large and letting her see all the amazing places she can go.

Girl Time

We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, so my mom and I were not able to do some of the fun “girly-girl” things that moms and daughters often do. I’m really looking forward to spending time with Elle at the spa or going shopping together. These might sound a little cliché, but I believe they become important memories for mothers and daughters. I can imagine that if my mom were still here, she’d want to be with Elle and me, getting our nails done, and celebrating the amazing women we’ve become.

With Thanks and Gratitude

So much has happened in my life, and a lot has changed since I became a mother. I’m looking forward to all the years of motherhood to come. Right now, I’m happy to have this time with Elle and do all that I can to set a good example for her. This special day really makes me stop and think about all the moms in the world. It’s so much more than biology—it’s all the women who care for their families, for other people’s children, for each other, and for our world.

I’m wishing a fabulous day to all of you who care for others, and sending gratitude to all our mothers near and far, present and departed. Where would we be without our wonderful moms and mom-figures?

Happy Mother’s Day!

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Shaved Radish Cucumber Salad

It’s the time of year for the refreshing and delightful dishes that make the season spring to life! The next time you host a healthy brunch, put this Shaved Radish Cucumber Salad on display. The vibrant color and crisp flavor will lighten up the whole table.

Radishes and cucumbers don’t have to be a garnish in the salad bowl. They have a ton of health benefits from improving digestion, to promoting weight loss. Both of the bright vegetables contain fiber and cucumber’s high water content work to hydrate your body and your digestive tract.

Don’t forget the olive oil! You won’t want to miss out on the addition of this incredibly flavorful, healthy fat. Throw these refreshing vegetables together with my oil-based dressing in this Shaved Radish Cucumber Salad for a beautiful, nutritious dish.

Shaved Radish Cucumber Salad






Course

Appetizer, Side Dish


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Candida Breakthrough® and SIBO, Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection








Ingredients

1 English cucumber2 bunches radishes1/2 red onion1/2 cup olive oil1/2 cup apple cider vinegar1 Tbls frsh thyme1 tsp sea salt1 tsp ground black pepper

Servings:

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Slice cucumber, radish, and onion very finely with a knife or a mandoline. Combine together in a bowl.In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss. To coats. Place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

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Conventional Medicine Failed Me and it is My Mission to Not Have it Fail You Too℠

If you’ve read my books or my blog, participated in a webinar, watched a live event, or listened to one of my podcasts, you’re probably familiar with these words: conventional medicine failed me and it is my mission to not have it fail you too. It truly is my mission to help you avoid the pitfalls of conventional medicine and help you take control of your health. I have a vision of creating a clear path to optimal health and wellness, something that is better than what we all know through conventional physicians and medications.

The Beginning
Paraguay: 1996, Louis

This vision first started in 1996 during the time I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Paraguay. A little boy covered with pustules and with a fever of 105˚ lay on a bed, breathing shallowly. His name was Louis. No one seemed to care about how sick he was. After hours of searching for help, I finally managed to get him to a hospital two hours away by tractor for the treatment that saved his life. Later I realized it wasn’t that no one cared—it was just that the death of a sick child was a normal part of life for them.

I knew there had to be a better way! I would become a doctor.

Bay Saint Louis: 1999, Betty

A few years later, in 1999, my mother, Betty, was having severe back pain. Her doctor wasn’t running a lot of tests because my mom didn’t have much money or health insurance. Finally, we found out she had metastatic pancreatic cancer. Four months to the day that she was diagnosed, I held my mother’s hand as she took her last breath. My mother, much to my dismay, had opted for conventional treatment. I’m convinced to this day that the conventional treatment killed her much quicker than if she had done nothing at all.

I knew there had to be a better way! I would become a researcher.

Instead of sitting at home wallowing in my sorrows, I became a researcher and studied Noni juice, a natural angiogenesis inhibitor for which I hold a US patent.

Learning to Heal
New Orleans: 2002, Amy

In my second year of medical school, I started to experience weight loss, anxiety, and insomnia. I was eventually diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition of the thyroid. Conventional medicine’s solution was to ablate or kill, my thyroid with radioactive iodine. It’s the biggest regret of my life.

I knew there had to be a better way! I would prevent others from going through what I did.

Baltimore: 2005, Jessica

It was the first year of my emergency medicine residency program. While on my ICU rotation, I had a patient named Jessica. She was in her twenties, was newly engaged, and had rheumatoid arthritis. She was also in liver failure from an immunosuppressant drug called Remicade. If she didn’t get a new liver, she was going to die. I stayed up all night checking her labs and updating her family. In the final hours just before her liver completely failed, the transplant team found her a liver. Jessica, who was in the prime of her life, should never have gotten to this point.

I knew there had to be a better way. I had to get back to my Why.

New York: 2009

I went to a conference in New York and heard a physician speak for the first time about functional medicine. Functional medicine looks to find the root causes of disease and reverse, rather than treating symptoms with pills.

I found a better way!

I took all the courses that The Institute for Functional Medicine had to offer. In 2010, I left the ER and opened my own functional medicine clinic, Austin UltraHealth. I developed The Myers Way®; a functional medicine approach that focuses on the individual, finding the root cause for their illness, and treating more than just the symptoms. Patients came to me from all over the world.

The First Successes

I’d like to share with you the stories of a few of those patients, whom I discuss in greater detail in my New York Times bestseller, The Autoimmune Solution.

Jennifer was one of my first patients who was really, really complex. At one point, she had been in a wheelchair; she had something called polymyositis. She was on three immunosuppressive drugs, and they weren’t working for her.

After working with Jennifer for several months, I was able to help get her off all of her medications and all of her lab tests returned to normal. She has been symptom-free, medication free, and living an optimal and happy life since then. I was able to help give Jennifer her life back.

Susan came to my clinic with transverse myelitis, a condition similar to MS. She had two grandchildren who lived in California. She was in so much pain, she couldn’t even play with them.

Susan had a cream that she found worked really well for her, but her body would eventually become immune to it. Despite a sharp-shooting nerve pain, she went two days each week without using the cream in order to curb the immunity. These two days were incredibly painful. She couldn’t even sleep; she was so miserable because she was in so much pain.

Just after her third visit, she called me from California. I could hear her grandkids in the background; she was with them on the playground. She had called to tell me she didn’t even need her cream anymore. She was able to get back to playing with her grandchildren after working with me through only three visits.

And then there’s James—my dad. He told me that I saved his life. He too had polymyositis, and for a long time, he didn’t want to listen to me or use a functional medicine approach. Eventually, he had to go in for surgery. He was on three immunosuppressive drugs just like Jennifer, which he had to stop taking in preparation for his operation.

I said, “Well, why don’t you just give The Myers Way® a try? You have 30 days before your surgery,” and he did. After his surgery, he was able to stay off all of his medications for two years until he had a flare. Within six months of that flare, he passed from pneumonia as a complication of the drugs he was given.

There is a better way, and it’s the Myers Way®.

A Wider World

I set out to help Louis, Jennifer, Jessica, Susan, myself, my mom and my dad, and the millions of others in the world. In 2015, my clinic was growing, and I formed amymyersmd.com with just a few people on staff. In 2017, we launched our first program, The Autoimmune Solution Program. It was a huge hit! That same year, however, my father passed away, and my husband and I adopted our daughter, Elle. So much was happening. After thinking long and hard about how many people I could reach by seeing patients individually, and how many more people I could help through my company, I made the tough decision to close the clinic.

The company has grown exponentially since then and I believe it’s because everyone here focuses on our core values:

SERVE: We go above and beyond to be of service.

EFFECT: We actively look for a way to make a positive impact.

EMPOWER: We empower people and deliver quality results.

This is our mission: We empower people to take back their health by providing them with the tools to understand the root cause of their symptoms, and a solution to live by.

Our vision is: To inspire a healthier, more informed world, where chronic illness is a thing of the past, and our tools are used by millions around the world to achieve optimal health.

Remember, conventional medicine failed me and it is my mission to not have it fail you too℠. You can take control of your health and your life!

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