Photo from: McCulagh

Let’s face it, when you lift heavy and often, you eat heavy and often.  It’s just part of the game. Sometimes, no matter how disciplined you are, you just want to have a snack.  We all get tired of sitting down to a plate of chicken or tuna with a green vegetable and half a sweet potato.  Other times you’re in a huge rush and don’t have the time to sit down for a meal.

What Are Macronutrients?

Photo from: Skinny Bulkup

Of course each individual’s macro breakdown is going to be different depending on your body type, goals, and whether you’re cutting, bulking, or maintaining. If you’re just starting, it’s best to start with one of the suggestions below and tweak as you discover your body’s nutritional needs.

Macronutrients are the three major components of food, consisting of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. When you come across foods that are expressed in macro values, it’s generally written as such: carbs/protein/fat. Some people swap carbs and protein in their ratios, so be sure that you’re clear when you’re looking for advice from others!

When you’re reading nutritional labels, remember that you can eat just about anything you want, so long as it fits into your macro breakdown.  Does that mean you should go out and have a Pop Tart and eat boiled chicken for the rest of the day?  Well, I would hope not.  But if you’re sticking to your macros, you have considerable freedom in your food choices.

Macro Breakdowns

Photo from: Pure Primal

If you’re looking for a clean bulk without adding too much fat, 40/40/20 works well for many people. For maintenance, 50/30/20 is pretty easy to maintain for most omnivores.

Cutting is a different beast. If you’re carb sensitive (as I am), you’ll want to go pretty low, keeping carbs to 20% or less of your total intake. It generally makes people crabby and tired, if not outright mean.  If you have no carb issues, 30% carbs is probably fine for you, keeping your ratio somewhere around 30/50/20.

If you know your body type, you can refine further before even beginning a program. Most people don’t fit cleanly into any of the three categories, but have tendencies toward a type.  For example, I’m an endo-meso.  When I’m lifting heavy at least four days per week, I can pack on some good muscle mass.  When I let my lifting slide a bit, I pack on the pounds like Elvis in the late years.

Ectomorphs (also known as “hard gainers”) who have always been slim will probably want to eat a higher proportion of both protein and fat, with a ratio around 30/40/30.

Mesomorphs are more likely to have slower metabolisms even when exercising heavily and tend to gain weight easily. This type benefits from greater protein and less fat in the diet, with an ideal ratio around 45/40/15.

I’d be willing to bet there aren’t too many true endomorphs reading this article, because you’re already rock solid and made of muscle.  I’m jealous of the fact that you look like a superhero and can still eat burgers and fries.  You’ll want to focus on eating good, clean foods.  You can probably get away with 50/30/20, even in a cutting phase.

Savory Snacks

Photo from: Nicko Beano

1. One ounce of cheese and one ounce of almonds, preferably raw. An ounce of Swiss cheese contains seven grams of protein, zero carbs, and seven grams of fat.  Swiss is lower in sodium that many other cheeses, which is a big benefit when you’re hoping to look as chiseled as possible. You’re also getting a great deal of phosphorus and calcium along with a respectable amount of zinc.

You want raw almonds for a couple of reasons.  First, cheese is salty, and we all know what salt does to muscle definition.  You don’t want to look bloated when you’re working so hard!  Plus, raw almonds retain the enzyme activity that will help your digestive system break down all of that protein you’re shoving down your throat.

This is a pretty big snack in terms of fat, but rest assured that you’re getting some good nutrition.  With 260 calories, 6 grams of carbs, 13 grams of protein, and 21 grams of fat, your macro breakdown is   10/20/70.  If you’re in a low-carb phase, this snack is perfect for you.

2. Onion dip and raw veggies. When you’re absolutely craving junk food, like potato chips and onion dip, hold off!  There’s a better way (and frankly, there are few things less healthy than dip from the store).

Toss one carton of fat-free cottage cheese into a blender and process until smooth. Add one package of Knorr Onion Dip Mix, and one package of frozen spinach, thawed.  You may also blanche fresh spinach, if you prefer. Mix and eat with carrots, celery, and cauliflower florets.

This recipe will yield two cups of dip, which should easily last you four to eight snacking sessions. The dip has a great macro breakdown, with 31 grams of carbs, 66 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fat and 315 total calories, coming in at 40/60/00.

Remember, you’ll want to divide this recipe, plus compensate for whatever veg you eat with it. You may also use cottage cheese that has fat to balance your ratios if you have different goals.

Sweet Snacks

Photo from: My Recipes

1. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Smoothie. If you like those chocolate and peanut butter cups, you’ll probably love this smoothie.  The difference is that you’re getting high-quality nutrition instead of refined sugar and wax.

For chocolate protein, I prefer Nutribiotic because it’s unsweetened.  That gives you the freedom to choose how you want to sweeten, which is nice depending on what diet phase you’re in.

For two tablespoons protein powder, two tablespoons natural peanut butter, 1/2 c. fat-free cottage cheese, and water/ice cubes to desired texture, you’ve got a 390 calorie smoothie.  I’d use stevia to sweeten, but if you use other sweeteners, be sure to account for those calories. As listed, this smoothie has 15 grams of carbs, 48 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat for a breakdown of 15/50/35.

2. Greek yogurt with Walnuts and Berries. Undoubtedly one of my favorite things to eat day or night, this snack is super filling and super fast. I keep single serving plain Greek yogurt in the fridge almost all of the time, usually 2%.  It’s high in protein but smooth and creamy.

Fat equals flavor, and the bit of fat that’s in this yogurt allows you to experience more flavor without adding too much sugar.  If you’d rather not use honey, you may substitute stevia or other sweetener of your choice!

One 7 oz. container of 2% Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. honey, 1/4 c. raspberries (I like to mash them so they’re stirred throughout the yogurt), and half an ounce of walnuts is delicious and simple, with 295 calories. You’re sitting at 40/30/30, which is perfect for a clean bulk.

The best part?  All four of these snacks are extremely portable and easy to have any time of day.  If you’re going to a party, take the dip and veggies along to save yourself from dodging the landmines that are the rest of the party’s offerings.  Forewarned is forearmed!

If you have a favorite snack, be sure to let me know what it is, along with the macro breakdown!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Healthy Low Carb Options
• Beyond Calcium: Building Strong Bones
• Can Anything Good Come from Aspartame?

Source list:

http://build-muscle-gain-weight.com/how-much-of-what-to-eat.html (macros)

http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/swiss-cheese/ (swiss cheese)

http://www.calorie-charts.net/vegetables/1353 spinach

http://www.cassclay.com/ccheese_nut.html cottage cheese

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-compliments-peanut-butter-100-percent-i91703 peanut butter

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/nutribiotic-protien-powder-chocolate-rice-protein-736975 nutribiotic cals

http://www.dietfacts.com/html/nutrition-facts/fage-total-2percent-greek-yogurt-with-2percent-fat-45160.htm greek yogurt

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3138/2 walnuts

Photo from: Run With No Pain

One of the most common physical complaints is back pain. Almost everyone will experience some sort of back pain at one time or another, and it can range from a dull ache to outright agony.

When you don’t want to resort to drugs, you’ve got to do something to assuage the symptoms. Whether the cause is a new muscle strain or an old football injury, there are treatments that don’t require dulling your nerves or undergoing major surgery.

Causes of Back Pain

The back is a complex system of bones, nerves, and muscles. Everything centers around the stack of 30 vertebrae that surround the spinal cord and comprise the spine. Nerves enter the spinal cord through tiny spaces between the vertebrae.

Ligaments, tendons, and muscles hold the spinal column in place. Intervertebral disks keep the bones from crashing into one another when you run and jump, as well as allowing the spine to flex, twist, and extend. In a network as complex as this, it’s easy to see how any little thing can compromise the entire system and cause pain.

The most common causes of back pain are muscle strain and ligament sprains. Anything from incorrect lifting to poor posture can cause these conditions, especially things like poor sleeping position and carrying too much body weight.

Methods of Prevention

Photo from: Vagabondish

Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, let’s talk about some great ways to keep yourself from getting hurt in the first place. While you can injure your back anywhere, you’re probably here because you workout. As such, here are some of the best ways to keep your back healthy as you exercise.

First, be sure that you’re getting some good walking time in. Most of the muscles in the back take turns being activated and deactivated, giving the entire system a good, low-impact workout.  If you’re a bodybuilder, this is great for the low and slow workouts you tend to prefer.

Another option is water work, either swimming or aqua aerobics.  Be aware that water provides significantly more resistance than land-based exercise, so be sure to take it slow to avoid further injury.

Finally, be sure that you’re using proper form as you execute each lift. In general, be sure to use an appropriate weight for your training level, pull the abs in to protect the lower back, and don’t jerk the weights. All of these things will help keep your back healthy.

If you’re taking care of yourself through exercise and good stretching and are still in pain, take a look at your diet and see if you could implement some easy nutritional changes.  They may just stop the aching!

Vitamin D

Photo from: Top News

If you find yourself struggling with chronic back pain, a vitamin D deficiency could be the cause. A study conducted by the University of Minnesota looked at 150 people with chronic musculoskeletal pain.  A stunning 93% of them were deficient in vitamin D! The majority of people who had the deficiency were under 30 years of age, time of year nonwithstanding.

Sun is still your best source of vitamin D.  However, if you’re struggling to get enough of this important nutrient, there are some easy nutrition sources to get your levels up and hopefully decrease your pain.

Cod liver oil is your best bet, as a mere teaspoon per day provides more than 100% of the RDA. Your next best option is fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines. Fortified dairy milk and dry cereals are some supplemental sources, providing from 10-25% of your daily RDA per serving.

Vitamin B12

Photo from: Keith Connects The Dots

If you have lower back pain, take a look at vitamin B12. There are other symptoms of B12 deficiency as well, so take a look at the list and see if any of these apply to you.  If you have both back pain and another of these conditions, talk to your health care provider about your options.

If you have numbness or tingling in your extremities, find yourself particularly irritable or depressed, experience heart palpitations, or are having trouble with your memory, those are indicators of a B12 deficiency. Those most at risk suffer from pernicious anemia, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, or eat a vegan diet.

While injections are the standard course of treatment for a lack of B12, you can also take a sublingual supplement.  In terms of foods, check out liver, sardines, salmon, and beef tenderloin.  You’ll get the benefit of vitamin D if you go with sardines or salmon, an easy way to get both vitamins from a single food source!

Magnesium

Photo from: Zephyrus

Lack of magnesium can create a laundry list of health problems, from asthma to migraine to heart failure in extreme cases. Sadly, more than 60% of the American population is magnesium deficient, making these issues something we’re likely to see more of in the near future.

The RDA for adults is 400 mg per day, which is relatively easy to obtain when you know what foods to consume. Pumpkin seeds are the best known dietary source, with three ounces providing the daily requirement in full. Brazil nuts, cashews, and almonds are great options, as are quinoa, halibut, and spinach.

I also really like a magnesium supplement called Natural Calm. It’s not only great for keeping back pain in check, but often helps people who struggle with insomnia and leg cramps, as well as balancing blood sugar.

Willow Bark

Photo from: Taos Herb

Willow bark is a natural alternative to aspirin.  It has pain-relieving properties, as the salicin it contains is converted to salicylic acid by the body. Salicylic acid is believed to be a compound that helps the body relieve pain and inflammation, so it stands to reason that it would be excellent for back pain.

A study in the American Journal of Medicine divided participants with chronic lower back pain into three groups.  The first received a low dose of willow bark (120 mg), the second received a high dose (240 mg), and the third received a placebo.

After three weeks, 30% of the high dose group were pain free, 21% in the low dose group said the same, and only 6% of the placebo group reported that they were no longer suffering. Willow bark comes in powder, liquid, and capsule form, so you’ve got options to relieve your pain.

While there are many causes of back pain, there are some simple solutions to keep you feeling good and moving well!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Resolve to Keep Going
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Pumpkin
• Beyond Calcium: Building Strong Bones

Photo from: Joe LaPompe.net

When I was a kid, I used to laugh at those commercials for Life Alert. You know the ones, where the woman takes a spill and cries, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” It wasn’t funny then and it’s not funny now, but it does highlight just how serious falls can be.

The statistics regarding osteoporosis may eventually apply to you. There are some easy ways to keep your bones strong and healthy beyond a daily calcium supplement!

What’s the Big Deal?

Photo from: The Hockey Junkies

Osteoporosis is a disease where bones thin and weaken due to calcium depletion. Bones become porous and weak, and therefore more susceptible to breakage.

Generally the sufferers are senior citizens, though the thinning may begin around age 35 and sometimes even earlier. Osteoporosis often goes unrecognized until there’s a fracture.  Around ten million Americans are affected with the disease.

This condition has a nasty track record — it’s responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures per year in the United States. One in nine Americans will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetimes, 80% of them being women.

Osteopenia is a sister disease, often a precursor to full-on osteoporosis. It is characterized by lower than normal bone mineral density and affects approximately 18 million Americans.

It stands to reason that increasing your intake of calcium should help, but that’s only part of the story. Consider chalk.  It’s 100% calcium carbonate, and it is easily snapped in two. Here are some of the best ways to strengthen your bones besides just beefing up your calcium intake.

Synergistic Minerals

Photo from: Heavenly Cascades

Bones are more than just calcium. Beyond the white stuff, they are composed most significantly of magnesium, potassium, manganese, silica, iron, and zinc. Selenium, boron, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium (as well as a few dozen lesser-represented minerals) are helpers, but we’ll focus on the first group today.

Magnesium is required by the body to remove calcium from the soft tissues and deposit it into the bones. There are many ways to get magnesium, but you know by now that I’m into dietary sources. The good news is that you’ve got lots of choices here! Some foods high in magnesium are: nuts, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, whole wheat, and rye, as well as lentils, split peas, black beans.

I’ve talked at length in previous articles about the importance of potassium, and the bones are no exception. Aside from the humble banana, root vegetables are fantastic options for potassium. Prefer the sweet stuff?  Melons, peaches, and molasses are great sources!

Manganese is another critical bone-builder. It’s no surprise that the most nutrient-dense foods on Earth, leafy greens, are chock full of the stuff. Raspberries, pineapple, and real maple syrup are other great options to get your daily dose of manganese.

You’ve probably never thought of the amount of silica in your diet, and there’s a very good reason for that. If you consume adequate amounts of the foods previously listed in this section, you’re already there.  Aside from root veggies, leafy greens, and brown rice, you can kick back with a beer and tell your friends that you’re getting an absolutely necessary mineral!

Besides meat, you’ll find iron in sea vegetables, leafy greens, lima beans, and the ever-wonderful quinoa. Zinc is also abundant in meat, as well as dairy products, brown rice, beans, and pumpkin seeds.

I hope you’re seeing what wonderful benefits come from eating a diet rich in whole foods. Not only will you stem the tide of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, but you’ll have strong bones to carry you through your newly extended life!

Avoid Calcium Antagonists

Photo from: euvs.org

One of the most fascinating things I’ve read of late is that when the diet is too high in acid, the bones are leached of calcium. In the long-term, this can be extremely hazardous!

In the Journal For Nutrition, a publication of the American Society for Nutrition, an article was published supporting the importance of maintaining a proper pH balance for bone health:

The long-term studies of MacDonald and New and their colleagues  support Wachman and Bernstein’s assertion that 15% of skeletal calcium can be lost over a decade to buffer a mild metabolic acidosis as a result of dietary practices.

Be aware that caffeine and alcohol cause magnesium to be excreted in large amounts in the urine. If you’re struggling with a magnesium deficiency, you’ll want to seriously limit both.

Along with those two, eating too much refined salt prevents the body from utilizing calcium. As the body works to flush out the excess sodium, precious calcium goes along for the nephritic ride.  Yep, you just pee it all out!

A Different Kind of Iron

Photo from: Diets in Review

Besides the kind you eat, another kind of iron is extremely important for bone health — the kind you pump!

Certainly an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to osteoporosis, and lifting weights is a great way to do that. Of course, there are plenty of weight-bearing exercises that don’t require hitting the stacks.

In fact, most doctors will recommend starting with things like walking at a fast clip, jumping rope, step aerobics, dancing, stair climbing, and hiking to strengthen the body.

For those whom lifting weights is an option, it’s best to start sooner rather than later. Of course, always consult your health care provider before you embark on a new fitness regimen, especially if you’ve already gotten a diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia.

Final Thoughts

The body requires high-quality fats to most effectively build bones. Be sure that you’re getting adequate amounts of avocados, olive, and coconut oils to break down the fat-soluble vitamins needed to build bones.

Vitamin D is one of those vitamins, so be sure that you’re getting enough time in the sun. Since daylight hours wane as we head into autumn, be sure to increase your intake of fatty fish and/or their oils (salmon, mackarel, and sardines).

Our vegan friends need to be extra diligent about sunshine, but there is a supplement called RAW D3 from Vitamin Code that may fill the bill.

It never ceases to amaze me how getting back to a traditional diet of whole, nourishing foods will alleviate almost all modern ailments. Seeing the same foods recommended time and time again for different health conditions strengthens my resolve to eat well to be well!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Flavor Without Fat or Fad
• Beating Stress Through Diet
• Diet Deception: The Health Food That Isn’t

Photo from: FAQs.org

I was bummed to find out that I missed National Lemonade Day on Friday, but that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate the most popular citrus fruit just a few days late!

Instead of the usual sugar- (or worse, artificial sugar-) laden drink, I’ve celebrated with a beautiful and refreshing cucumber lemonade, and I’ve got a few great ideas to help you live up “When life gives you lemons” day. Actually, I’d be pretty happy for life to give me lemons if it meant I got to make these recipes more often!

Health Benefits

Photo from: Recipe Apart

It’s no secret that I start almost every morning with a pint of lemon water or the Master Cleanse lemonade.  I’m a big believer in the power of the food as medicine, and with lemon, you can experience all-around good health.

What are lemons good for? So glad you asked. They’re great for your digestive system, skin, and home.  They’re cheap, readily available, completely non-toxic, and all around wonderful.  What’s not to love?

Keep in mind that you need to use freshly squeezed juice to see health benefits. The stuff in the bottle is pasteurized and dead, best left for laundry (if anything at all). Perhaps one of the most beneficial reasons to have lemon water in the morning is its effects on the liver.

Drinking water with the juice of 1/4 lemon is great for so many things. First, it helps quell nausea and other kinds of digestive upset.  If you’re suffering from constipation, make that water warm and you should be golden within a couple of hours. It helps your digestion by telling your liver to produce the necessary amount of bile for your digestive system to work at peak function all day.

Lemon is also a diuretic. I woke up all kinds of swollen this morning because I ate restaurant food twice this weekend (all that refined salt). I decided to have a quart of lemon water before breakfast to help, and now my sausage fingers are gone.

Because of its high potassium content, lemon juice is fantastic for people with heart problems and high blood pressure. If you’re getting a cold or the flu, lemon juice helps your fever break because it increases perspiration.

The smell of lemon is a mood lifter for many people, as well as a stress relief. Lemon essential oil also blends well with lavender, rose, sandalwood, and tea tree oils.

Beauty Benefits

Photo from: Shop New Zealand

For clear, soft skin, squeeze fresh lemon juice on a cotton swab with a little bit of brown sugar and rub over your face for 1-2 minutes and rinse. It helps exfoliate the skin and lighten any age spots that may be creeping up.

Want whiter teeth to go with that clear skin? Sprinkle a bit of salt onto half a lemon and rub it over teeth to help whiten naturally.  If you have sensitive teeth, please be careful as lemon can be an irritant.

Help tame dandruff by mixing one egg white with the juice of one lemon.  Leave on for one hour, then rinse. Repeat monthly. I wouldn’t try this on color-treated hair, at least not on shades other than blonde!

To complete the head to toe beauty transformation, you can use lemon to smooth your tootsies. In a basin, combine one cup of lemon juice, two tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup milk with enough water to fill the basin. Soak feet for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and towel dry. Repeat weekly for a fresh pedi year-round.

Household Benefits

Photo from: Herb Companion

When cleaning your kitchen and bathrooms, look no further than your fruit bowl! A quartered lemon microwaved on high for 30 seconds then allowed to cool will help clean stubborn food crust in your machine. Bonus: it’ll smell super fresh (no more leftover salmon smell, blech).

Instead of buying expensive tablets to clean your garbage disposal, just toss the peel of your lemon into the disposal and run. It’ll smell nice and is about as cheap as remedies come!

After cutting meat, garlic, or onions on my wood cutting boards, I rub them with lemon, cut-side down. It not only helps to remove offensive odors, but also disinfects the boards.

If your stainless steel, copper, or brass gets tarnished, you can use a paste of lemon juice and baking soda to remove the stains. Apply, then let stand for five minutes before rinsing.  Be sure to dry by hand

When you workout a lot, you’ll eventually get underarm stains on your clothes. Scrub the pits of your shirts (this works for ring around the collar, too) with equal parts lemon juice and water, they’ll come out stain-free and uberfresh!

Best Uses

Photo from: Prevention

Personally, I use about two lemons per day in my water and smoothies. I like to start my mornings with a Master Cleanse recipe, as it helps to get my digestive system working at its peak for the day.

Next, I toss 1/8 lemon in my green smoothie (peel and all).  I find that the essence of the lemon is found more in the oil that’s in the peel than in the juice itself.  The pith (the white part between the peel and the flesh of the fruit) also contains bioflavinoids. They help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, so be sure to get some pith into your diet!

I buy lemons in 5-pound bags. On the off chance I don’t use them all before they start going bad, I slice them into eight sections and freeze for smoothies. Alternatively, you can squeeze the juice into ice cube trays. If you like to use the zest for cooking, be sure to do that before you squeeze the lemons.

If you’ve got more zest than you need frozen for recipes, it’s a great idea to peel the lemon in large sections.  From here you can make lemon extract for baking by adding a few peels to some vodka.  You can also candy the peel for eating later — whatever floats your boat!

Recipes

Photo from: Diet Recipe

Master Cleanse Lemonade

Recipe from MasterCleanseSecrets.com

• 2 Tablespoons of organic lemon Juice (about 1/2 a Lemon)
• 2 Tablespoons of Organic grade B maple syrup (not the commercial maple flavored syrup you use on pancakes)
• 1/10 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper powder
• Ten ounces of filtered water

Mix well and enjoy!

Lemony Zucchini Fettuccine

Recipe modified slightly from Squeezetheday.com

• zest from 1 lemon
• juice from 2 lemons
• 1 lb. fettuccine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 lb. zucchini, grated
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Zest a lemon using a zester or a fine grater; set aside. Juice two lemons with a citrus reamer or juicer; set aside. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion until soft. Add zucchini, salt and pepper; cook until zucchini begins to soften. Add cream and stir well.  Add fresh lemon zest, lemon juice and oregano.  Taste sauce for salt and add more if necessary.
3. Add pasta and cheese to sauce; toss well. Cook for a few minutes to heat pasta and melt cheese.

Lemonade Granita

Modified slightly from Behindtheburner.com

• 2 cups of water
• 1 1/2 cups sucanat with honey (pulse in blender to make smaller granules), 1 cup palm sugar, or 3/4 cup agave nectar
• 3/4 cups of fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
• 1 tsp. of honey
• Lemon peel for garnishing

1. Combine the water, sugar,honey and lemon juice in a medium bowl.  Stir with a large spoon until the sugar has thoroughly dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a medium shallow baking pan.

2. Put the pan in the freezer and stir every 30 minutes for about three hours. Scrape the ice crystals off the sides and into the middle of the pan, until the mixture is too frozen to stir. Cover the pan with plastic and freeze overnight.

3. When the granita is ready for serving, put a fork at the top of the dish and pull it toward you in rows, moving from left to right as you rotate the pan. Scrape up the shaved ice, garnish with a fresh lemon peel and enjoy.

I hope you’ve found a new use for the humble lemon today. Whether you want to improve your complexion or your reflection in your stainless steel, lemon is for you!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• The Natural Medicine Cabinet: Honey
• The Natural Medicine Cabinet: Cleansing
• The Natural Medicine Cabinet: Cayenne Pepper

Photo from: Bug Bog

Perhaps you’ve heard of the newest reason people “can’t” eat well, known as the food desert. What are they? Where do you find them? Most importantly, how do you survive the food desert to maintain good health?

Digging a bit beneath the surface turns up some serious challenges to adopting a healthy diet in these areas, but also some great possibilities. Come with me as we explore the difficulties and some possible solutions to the dearth of healthy options.

What Is a Food Desert?

Photo from: UNFPA

A food desert is a geographic area that has little to no access to the foods that help maintain a healthy diet. Often the problem is compounded by a proliferation of fast food restaurants in the same area.

Originally, the term referred to rural areas where there the distance from residences to markets was long. These days, at least in the U.S., it is generally recognized as an urban area where food stores have evacuated but fast food chains remain.

Compounding the problem is that many people who live in these areas are of little means. In some cases, the area is depressed with a high population of unemployed and underemployed people. In others, there are lots of elderly people who live on a fixed income and therefore believe they cannot afford fresh, healthy foods.

I became interested in this phenomenon after reading that 80% of African-American women are overweight or obese. Being a problem-solver by nature, I started looking into the complex psychosocial issues that make up a culture.

Certainly there are no easy answers, but there are common threads. Good food just isn’t available locally. Bad calories are cheaper than good. Fast food abounds. Transportation is a problem, and so on and so on.

Economic Factors

Often in a food desert, as an area has declined economically, the grocery stores have pulled out. They close their doors, leaving the population without places to buy groceries, save perhaps fast food joints and convenience stores.

I watched that happen in the area where I grew up. The makeup of the population changed, the wealthier people moved, and everything closed but the IGA supermarket.

My family moved from that town to a slightly more rural area where the distance to the store was even farther. Had we not had a vehicle, and there being no bus service to our part of town, we’d have had to rely on what we could get home on a bike or on foot, plus our garden. This is certainly an example of a rural food desert.

Growing up poor isn’t a sin, and I’m grateful that my family of seven always had enough to eat. What gets my goat is that, had we not had transportation, we could’ve easily been in the statistics of the malnourished.

Bear in mind, malnourished doesn’t necessarily mean underweight. A great many people who are obese are actually undernourished, adding yet another layer to the obesity problem.

Geographic Factors

Photo from: Homeschooling Ideas

The distance from a home to a source of fresh, healthy food constitutes the geography component of the problem.  Economic and geographic factors are most often both seen in a food desert, creating a vicious cycle.

During my high school years, our family moved into a relatively poor part of the city.  Taking the city bus from my home to our downtown high school each day, I saw the decline with each mile.  Once I reached my stop, I stepped over homeless men to walk the last two blocks to school.

My parents picked me up occasionally, and one day we stopped on the way home to get a gallon of milk. We passed through the ramshackle neighborhoods into a poor but clean area of town and stopped at the store, as it was the only one within about six miles.

I will never forget going into the “produce section”  and finding nothing but white potatoes and some limp celery and carrots. That was it. I confess to being a foodie since childhood, begging my mother for starfruit, pomegranates, and kiwi each time she took me to the store. Needless to say, I was appalled at the lack of fresh food in the store, even at age sixteen.

Short-Term Solutions

I was highly inspired by a project in Rhode Island where a group of students went into a Latino area of Providence and did a store makeover. They changed the displays to move healthier foods to eye-level and made signs in both English and Spanish advertising “healthy choices.” This is one fantastic example of people affecting change in their local areas!

In a more rural area, my online friend Robyn mentions a Share the Bounty Shack near her home. People drop off the produce they’re unable to use from their gardens and deposit it in the shack.  Those who need food can take whatever they’d like.  I love this idea!

My church often has baskets of produce at the entrance with handwritten signs that say “Please take.” As the congregants come from all over the metro area, many having less access to fresh food, it’s nice that those who are able to share, do.

Navigating the Supermarket

Photo from: Billboard Mama

If you have no access to better stores, no benefactors dropping off oodles of zucchini, and no fresh produce in your markets, now what? Well, now if the time to put that good ol’ American ingenuity to work.

First and foremost, request what you want from the owner or manager.  If enough people ask, stores will carry products.  It’s a simple law of consumer demand!

Second, shop the perimeter. Even in stores with limited fresh produce, the better foods will be along the outside edges and the middle comprised of mostly processed foods.

Sure people want to get the most for their limited food dollars, but you’re not getting nutrition from processed food!  Maximizing your food dollars means maximizing nutrition, not calories.  Given that more than 60% of the American population is overweight or obese, clearly we don’t need more calories!

Keep in mind that canned and frozen fruits and vegetables (without added sugar) are better than nothing.  Fresh is always best, to be sure.  However, better food choices will crowd out the junk until there just isn’t room for it in your diet.

Look for beans.  Canned will work, but dried is cheaper and healthier.  No time for beans?  Fine.  Go with split peas, lentils, and brown rice. I’ve even got a cooking method that takes mere minutes and will be ready when you get home from work!

Before breakfast, cover your lentils and/or rice with double the water (2 c. water to 1 c. grains) and bring it to a boil on the stove. While they come to a boil, preheat the oven to 350.  When they’ve reached a boil, turn the stove off, and put the pan in the oven (or transfer to a covered dish if your pans aren’t ovenproof).

Turn the oven off, and allow them to cook while you’re gone. The heat inside the oven should cook them completely without it being on, so when you get home all you need to do is add any seasonings you love (we like chili powder and cumin, along with a little salt and cayenne pepper).

A Few Final Ideas

Skip the fast food! If you must eat it occasionally, go with a single burger and a side salad or a bowl of soup. Most fast food outlets offer a side salad or a baked potato for the same price as french fries. Skip the soda and get a water. Is it as pleasurable? Not at first. But when we begin to see food as fuel, we see that these choices are better for our bodies.

If your budget is tight, check out Hillbilly Housewife. She’s got frugal recipes to feed the whole family. The site even gives daily calorie ranges for the meals to ensure that everyone is getting their basic needs met!

Also look into Angel Food Ministries. They offer pickup at many local churches and provide fresh food. They also accept food stamps, which is unusual for a group of this type.  The website offers recipes for how to best use their food.

While there are certainly no easy answers, the food desert is navigable. If we as a nation want to stem the obesity epidemic, there is no other option than to start where we are, and to start now.  Join me in bringing life to the food desert in whatever way you’re able!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• To Russia, With Love
• Healthy Low Carb Options
• Trust Your Gut: Naturally Fermented Foods

The world’s oldest seed bank in St. Petersburg, Russia, is within a month of being destroyed.  If neither the president nor prime minster step in, this vital collection of plants and seeds will be lost forever.

So what?  Why should you care about some strawberries and raspberries?  Let’s look at the reasons that Pavlovsk in particular, and biodiversity in general, are so important to our health and the health of our planet.

Russia’s Proud History

Photo from: Saint Petersburg.com

During the siege of Leningrad during World War II, which lasted nearly 900 days, scientists chose to lose their lives rather than eat the seeds that were entrusted to them.  That’s right, a dozen people starved to death rather than destroy a food collection so valuable, it is literally priceless.

Have you ever seen that illustration of hell as a boiling cauldron of soup with emaciated figures standing around it?  They all have spoons longer than their own arms and, as such, are unable to spoon the broth into their own mouths.  They stare longingly at the food, but wither and die anyway.

I can’t imagine that our scientists, recognized as Russian heroes, had a death any less painful.  Ever stoic and resolved, these proud Russians opted to lose their lives rather than destroy the food they believed to be vital to Mother Russia and the rest of the world.

So what’s Russia doing now? Oh, just  planning to raze the Pavlovsk Research Institute outside of St. Petersburg (nèe Leningrad).  For a housing development.  Insert shock and disgust.

There’s a bumper sticker that I love, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” I’ll be pretty outraged if the Russian government spits in the faces of those Russian scientists who gave their lives to protect a cause they believed in so deeply.

Why Is Pavlovsk Important?

Because seeds are the key. Photo from: Sun Organic Farm

A Russian proverb says, “Every seed knows its time.”  Could it be that the seeds of Pavlovsk will never know their time? Russia is a beautiful country, full of extremely educated, well-spoken people.  I know because I’ve been there.  I love Russia and the Russian people.  And if you’ve read any of the writing I’ve done here on GenXXL, you know that I also love food.

That’s why, when I read the news that the courts upheld a previous decision to allow the federally owned land where the seed bank resides to be given to housing instead, I actually cried. Shed tears. Over food.

Pavlovsk is the the largest seed bank in Europe, and this particular collection of seeds contains over 5,000 species, including over 1,000 unique varieties of strawberries alone. So why not just move the seeds? Unfortunately, it’s largely a field collection, meaning that most of it is planted.

Even if transplanting were an option, the time required to move the whole group would figure well into years. For the next month, only President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minster Vladimir Putin have the power to overrule the court.

If these men do not opt to save the bank, the land will immediately belong to Housing.  That means there’s no opportunity to transplant even the few things that are currently in season.

Just to make it clear what’s at stake, over 90% of the Pavolvsk collection is found in no other collection or seed bank in the world.  That means when it is razed, not only will the world lose its oldest seed bank, but also at least 4,500 varieties of seeds.

Pavlovsk collects plants that are particularly adaptable, which is important to the world food supply going forward.  As current food varieties become unsuitable due to climate change, stripped soil, and disease, the plants here could help feed the planet’s populace.

This isn’t just some worst-case scenario necessity like a nuclear holocaust, so please don’t think I’m being fatalistic.  Besides keeping certain plant varieties from extinction, these seeds could save us from extinction!

What Is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is, most simply, the number and variety of organisms living within a biome.  In this case, we’re referring to the plants we use for food, and our biome is planet Earth.

With every extinction, whether it be of a people group, animal, or food source, our planet becomes less diverse, less adaptable, less educated.  The things that were once widely known as foodstuffs are forgotten.  Take chia, for example.  This incredibly healthy seed is enjoying a resurgence because some living peoples remembered that it is good for them.

Its use nearly snuffed out by the Spanish conquistadors because of its role in native worship, a brave few Aztecs dared to remember, and to tell their children.  Now, we have the opportunity to do the same thing for future generations (and perhaps even ourselves).

Why Is Biodiversity Important?

Photo from: Composting.org

There are many reasons that biodiversity is absolutely critical to the survival of the species, but I’ll give you just a few.  First, more species means a greater variety of crops.  This isn’t just for human consumption, but for animals to eat as well.

When humans run out of food, they eat more animals.  When animals run out of food, we have a problem.  Our sustainability is crippled each time we lose a food crop.

Perhaps the most critical and practical reason we need biodiversity today is that healthy biomes (or ecosystems) recover better from natural disasters.  If you’ve watched the news in the last, oh, five years, you know that we’re reaching critical mass on the disaster front.

Seems you can’t turn on the television without hearing about mudslides, floods, or earthquakes devastating any given part of the world.  What will we do without crops that can withstand previously unheard of conditions?

What Can I Do?

Photo from: Bajan

Did you know that most people in the United States have only ever eaten one variety of banana?  However, there are at least five hundred varieties still in existence, and there were likely many more at one time.

Because we care more about having unblemished fruit than flavor and variety, we’ve settled for just one type type in our diets.  That’s all fine as good as a matter of personal preference, but what do we do when our current species is decimated by a bug or a fungi, and we have no other options?

One of the best ways I’ve found to maintain diversity in our diets is to buy heirloom varieties as much as possible.  They may not look as perfect as the varieties filling the bins of your local supermarket, but having them available in case of emergency is so important.

You can also support the Ark Institute, dedicated to preserving non-GMO seed varieties. Besides the obvious general support of biodiversity, Guardian.co.uk has launched a Twitter campaign to save the seed bank. This is absolutely critical, so please take the time to Tweet with the hashtag Pavlovsk (#Pavlovsk).

President Dmitry Medvedev has opened a formal investigation because of this campaign, so it’s imperative that concerned world citizens continue to show support for the efforts being made here and now.

The time is short.  Until the day of destruction, there’s nothing I can do but Tweet, pray, and hope that another Russian proverb rings true to save the seed bank, “a drop hollows out a stone.”

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Beating Stress Through Diet
• Diet Deception: The Health Food That Isn’t
• Trust Your Gut: Naturally Fermented Foods

Photo from: Southbrook Pumpkin Patch

Ok, I know I said I’d give you my top five favorite seeds, and I did that.  However,  I must have either wanted a round number or flat out forgotten an article on pumpkin seeds.  I blame it on pregnancy brain. I guess the reason doesn’t so much matter; today is a bonus for you seed lovers!

Pumpkin seeds are way up there on my list of favorite foods, especially come autumn.  Perhaps it’s my longing for fall that brought pumpkin seeds to the front of my mind.  This time of year I start craving pumpkin desserts, blue jeans, changing leaves, and cool breezes.  I miss high school football games and sipping warm cider.  Yep, I love fall.

Peter, Peter the Pumpkin Eater

Photo from: Fidgital

That Peter was one smart guy. After all, if you move your wife into a pumpkin, you’ve got not only shelter but food!  That’s right, the glop that comes out of your Halloween Jack-o-lantern is one smart nutritional choice! In Spanish, they’re known as pepitas, and even in the States you’ll often see them sold under this name.

Whatever you call them, these seeds have been around for a long time. Pumpkins and other squash were some of the first foods cultivated in the Americas. In fact, pumpkins are a member of the traditional Native American “three sisters.” Along with maize and beans, they form the foundation of many diets.

Never ones to waste, the native peoples recognized that the seeds of the squash were good for eating.  It is estimated that people ate pumpkin and other squash seeds at least as early as the time of the Atzecs.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

Photo from: Asia.ru

Of all the seeds we’ve talked about in this series, pumpkin seeds are by far the largest. They also pack some serious nutrition, especially the stuff that’s more difficult to get without eating lots of meat and dairy.

A mere quarter cup of the seeds has half your daily requirements of of manganese and magnesium. It also provides more than 20% of the RDA of zinc, phosphorus, copper, and potassium. They also pack a respectable 3 grams of protein per serving.

Besides being solid in the nutrition department, pumpkin seeds have some great health benefits. The oil of the seed has shown promise is treating enlarged prostate, a common problem for men over the age of fifty.

New research shows that pumpkin seeds may reduce the swelling of arthritis. The seed is said to work as well as the NSAID indomethacin. The big difference is that indomethacin increases the level of damaged fats within the joints, which actually speeds the progression of the disease.

Remember when we talked about how well sunflower seeds help lower cholesterol?  Plant sterols, which are responsible for the cholesterol lowering effects, as well as an immune boost and a decrease in the risk of some cancers, are present in pumpkin seeds.  In fact, they’re second in line after sunflower seeds!

Of course, to preserve the greatest amount of nutrition, the seeds should be eaten raw or sprouted.  I’ve got a couple of raw recipes (both of which would be great for sprouted seeds) and a couple of snacks for you.  If you like non-dairy milks, you absolutely owe it to yourself to give pumpkin seed milk a try!

Recipes

Photo from: Hi-Rawkus

Sun Dried Tomato Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Recipe from Rawmazing.com

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 C pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 t lemon juice
• Pinch salt (optional)
• 1/2 C basil, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 C sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped

With food processor running, drop in cloves of garlic. Let process until garlic is chopped. Scrap down sides of the processor. Add pumpkin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Process until very well combined and you have a pesto consistency. Add chopped basil and sun-dried tomatoes and process until combined.

Pumpkin Seed Milk

Recipe from Hi-Rawkus.com

• 3 cups pure water
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, sprouted
• 3 small dates (or 2 medium dates, or 1 very large date), pitted
• 1/16 teaspoon salt

Using a high-speed blender, process all of the ingredients for about two minutes, until the dates and pumpkin seeds have been pulverized. Strain the date and pumpkin seed pulp from the liquid and pour the pumpkin seed milk into your choice of airtight container. The finished milk should be stored in the refrigerator and used within 3 to 5 days.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 2 cups pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 drops hot pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

Stir together the pumpkin seeds and butter in a bowl. Add the salt, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce; stir. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the baking pan.  Bake in preheated oven until crispy, about 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Recipe from Epicurious.com

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (not toasted; 4 ounces)

Put a 24- by 12-inch sheet of parchment on a work surface and anchor corners with pieces of tape. Bring sugar, water, and sea salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Cook mixture, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup registers 238°F (soft-ball stage) on thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes (sugar syrup will be colorless). Remove from heat and stir in seeds with a wooden spoon, then continue stirring until syrup crystallizes, 3 to 4 minutes.

Return pan to moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts completely (sugar will continue to dry and become grainy before melting) and turns a deep caramel color, 4 to 5 minutes more (seeds will be toasted). Carefully pour hot caramel mixture onto parchment and carefully cover with another sheet.

Immediately roll out (between sheets of parchment) as thinly as possible with a rolling pin, pressing firmly. Remove top sheet of parchment and immediately cut brittle into pieces with a heavy knife or pizza wheel. Cool brittle completely, then peel paper from bottom. (Alternately, break brittle into pieces once cool.)

Well, that’s a wrap for the seed series.  I hope you’ve learned something and gotten a few good recipes to help increase your seed consumption!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• What to Eat NOW: Dairy-Free
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Sunflower
• Diet Deception: The Health Food That Isn’t

Photo from: Monsu Caulfield

Low-carb substitutes are often fraught with artificial ingredients, unhealthy substitutes, and just plain junk.  It doesn’t have to be that way, however.  If you’re looking to decrease the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, I’ve got some great natural foods that will help you save carbs and calories to achieve your goal!

Whether you’re a diabetic trying to get his blood sugar under control or a bodybuilder leaning out, there are still ways to achieve the tastes and textures you crave while avoiding artificial ingredients.  Whether it’s pasta, rice, bread or potatoes you miss, I’ve got some great options.  There’s even a dessert recipe!

Rice and Pasta

Shirataki noodles

You may never have heard of this Asian wonder, but shirataki noodles are just about perfect.  They’re made from a few species of plants, one being Amorphophallus Konjac and have almost no calories.

They’re virtually flavorless and come in two varieties.  The first is just the fiber from the yam species they’re harvested from, or they may have some tofu added to reduce the rubbery texture.

One of the most fantastic things about shirataki noodles is that they require no cooking, though some people like to boil them for a few minutes.  You can find them in the refrigerator case of your local Asian market, as well as in some health food stores.

Generally you’d use them in Asian-style noodle dishes, but you can replace any pasta you like with them, so long as you expect the difference in texture.

Of course spaghetti squash is an option, and it’s embarrassingly easy to make.  If you’re pressed for time, you’ll just slice it in half, put it cut side down in a bit of water, and microwave until soft (around 10 minutes for me).  Since I don’t do the microwave thing much, I prefer to bake my squash.  It takes about 45 minutes, but the flavor and texture are better, in my opinion.

Another option is summer squash with a spiralizer.  There are fewer carbs, and you don’t have to cook them at all!  That said, I like to blanche mine for about 60 seconds to soften them up a bit.  Another option is to cover them in a heated sauce pan and let stand for a few minutes, making them nice and pliable.

When they’ve been drained, add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and some freshly grated parmagiano reggiano cheese.  If you’ve got the carbs to spare in a meal, you can always use pasta sauce, as well.  Meat sauces will obviously help to balance your meal.

Bread

Photo from: True Slant

Bread, sigh.  Bread is a tough one to go low carb.  Most of the commercial options are loaded with soy, which I don’t eat.  Dedicated low carb eaters often suggest broiling a couple of thick slices of eggplant or using lettuce in lieu of bread, but really?  That’s not remotely bread-like in my opinion.

I’ve never tried the low carb breads on the market because frankly, none of them sound palatable to me.  There are some raw foods versions that require a dehydrator and aren’t truly low carb, but if you balance the filling to reflect a low percentage of carbohydrates, you may be ok.
Soft n’ Savory Hemp Onion Bread
Recipe by Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com

3/4 cup hemp seeds (lightly ground)
3/4 cup chia seeds
3 pounds red onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup spinach, packed
1/3 cup raw agave nectar (or 1/4 to 1/3 teaspoon stevia powder)
1/3 cup tamari, wheat-free
1/4 cup plain hemp protein powder

Place the ground hemp seeds and whole chia seeds in a large bowl and set aside. Process the onions, tomatoes and spinach in a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, into small pieces – don’t let it get too mushy though.

One thing that might help is to do this processing in two halves (half each of the onions, tomatoes, spinach in one processing, then do it with the other half) so that you can keep it a little on the chunkier side. If you process it too long, it can get too wet.

Add the onion mixture and the remaining ingredients to the bowl of seeds and stir well to mix. Let the batter sit for up to 5 minutes. If you find that the batter is too “wet” then add more chia seeds to soak it up (1 – 2 tablespoons at a time and wait a few minutes).

Use approximately 4 cups per tray and spread the batter onto 2 dehydrator trays, each lined with a Paraflexx sheet. Dehydrate at 130 – 140 degrees for one hour. You can score the bread into the desired size at this time, or you can wait to cut it after it’s done dehydrating.

Lower the temperature to 105 degrees and dehydrate another 8 hours. Flip the bread over onto another dehydrator tray and peel off the Paraflexx sheet. Dehydrate another 6 – 10 hours (until you reach your desired dryness – I like mine a little moist). Cut into 16 squares per tray. These are best stored in the refrigerator.

Potatoes

Photo from: Preparedness Pro

For mashed, your best bet is cauliflower.  Beat the heck out of it in your food processor, add some fat and salt and cook for a bit and viola!  Instantly satisfying potato substitute.

For cubed, such as potatoes you’d use in soups or stews, turnips are a great option. You can even cook them until tender and use them in a mock potato salad!  The taste won’t be exactly the same because turnips tend toward bitterness.  Because of this, you may consider decreasing the amount of acid in the recipe (vinegar and mustard) to compensate.

Celeriac is an option for people who don’t like the flavor of turnips.  If you’re one of those who just can’t get over their bitterness, the root of the celery plant is a good alternative.  It’s got a nice starchy mouth feel, and the flavor is like a cross between a white potato and celery.

Personally, I hate celery.  I really, really hate it.  However, my husband had celeriac last year during a trip to Disney World and absolutely loved the taste and texture of his mashed veggies.  Since celery root is extremely tough, you’ll need to have a good food processor to break down the starches, but it’s worth it if you can’t have potatoes!

Basic Mashed Cauliflower

Recipe from CDKitchen

2 pounds cauliflower, trimmed
sea salt
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cream cheese

Cut the cauliflower, including the core, into 1-inch pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Add the cauliflower and cook over medium heat until completely tender, 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Drain cauliflower in a colander. With a bowl or small plate, press on the cauliflower to remove all water.

Toss the cauliflower and continue pressing out the water. This step is very important to the texture of the dish. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add the cream and puree until completely smooth.

If you like a chunkier texture, mash by hand, adding the cream after cauliflower is mashed. Return to pot. When you are ready to serve, heat over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the butter, parmesan and cream cheese. Stir until incorporated. Season to taste with salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Sweets

Photo from: Wigan Robin Park

Now, you probably know by now how I feel about artificial sugar.  It’s just something I never eat, except for the rare inclusion of a food prepared with stevia.  Because this popular herb is becoming more mainstream, you’ll start seeing it a bit more in the marketplace.

My favorite lower-carb sweet treat is 1 cup of plain, 2% Greek yogurt with 1/2 c. strawberries and a bit of sweetener.  If you use stevia instead of agave nectar or palm sugar, this dessert contains only 13 grams of carbs. Since you’re also indulging in 17 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat, you’ve got an easy dessert for around 150 calories.

Another great choice is peanut butter, since it’s high in fat and protein.  If you’re looking for a sweet dessert, peanut butter fudge hits the spot!

Peanut Butter Fudge

Recipe modified slightly from Linda’s Low Carb
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 to 1 teaspoons stevia powder, or 2 tsp liquid stevia
2/3 cup protein powder, vanilla flavor (I like Living Harvest’s Vanilla Spice Hemp Protein Powder)

Melt the butter and peanut butter together in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes; whisk well. Whisk in the cream cheese until well blended and smooth. Whisk in the stevia and the protein powder and blend well. Line a 7 x 5″ baking dish with wax paper or nonstick foil.

Spread the fudge mixture in the pan and chill or freeze until set. Cut into 20 squares. Store in the refrigerator or freeze. Makes 20 pieces, can be frozen.

See, I told you it could be done!  Low (and lower) carb options without the poison of artificial sugar or the carb load of the real stuff.  I’d love to hear about your favorite low carb recipes!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• How Sweet It Is
• Soy Free Vegan Protein Blends
• Diet Deception: The Health Food That Isn’t

Photo from: The Age

According to a study on NationalMaster.com, the United States has the highest obesity rate among all countries, coming in at 30.6%. It’s no surprise that many of us are trying to burn the fat and drop some weight. You may think cutting fat from your diet is a good way to start, but you couldn’t be more wrong.

Fat is an important part of the human diet. It’s the trans-fats that we need to watch out for. Eating low fat meals is a great way to monitor your fat intake without completely eliminating the fat from your diet.

Unfortunately, not all low-fat meals taste as good as the their full-fat counterparts. So, let’s face it . . . most of us are going to consume a higher fat meal from time to time. If you’re going to splurge, let’s look at what might be the best time of day to do so.

Choose Your Time Wisely

Photo from: All Over Albany

Breakfast is one of the best times of day to eat a little extra fat. Studies conducted at the University of Alabama have concluded that by “eating like a king” in the morning may help prevent metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, insulin resistance and other heart disease risk factors.

According to Dr. Martin Young, associate professor of medicine in the UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease: “The first meal you have appears to program your metabolism for the rest of the day.”

This study suggests that if you ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast it would promote carbohydrate utilization throughout the rest of the day, whereas, if you have a fat-rich breakfast, you have metabolic plasticity to transfer your energy utilization between carbohydrate and fat.

In addition to the body not reacting to the fat in the breakfast meal as it does to a meal in the evening, there are other benefits to eating a fatty meal in the beginning of the day. A fatty meal in the morning can help a person to feel fuller longer.

Like protein, fat is slow to digest, which means that it is in the stomach longer signaling the brain your body is not hungry. This can also lead to less snacking during the day.

Eating a fatty meal in morning also provides the body with ample time to burn that fat as energy. Fat can supply the body with a lot of energy for long periods of time. This can help a person remain active all day long, without the crash that you can get from sugars and caffeine.

Everything Is Fine in Moderation

Balance your fat intake. Photo from: Chesapeake Testing and Balancing

It’s a word we hear constantly—Moderation. There are also quite a few health concerns with eating too much fat in a single sitting.

A quick study done by a couple of ABC’s newsmen found that a single meal of exceptionally high fat can have serious consequences to the body. Yunji de Nies and Jon Garcia went to the University of Maryland to have their blood and arteries examined before and after a meal high in fat and calories. The findings were staggering.

Before the meal they were both considered healthy with the correct amount of fat in their blood systems and healthy arteries and heart function. Immediately after the first test the two gentlemen engaged in a large meal consisting of deep fried macaroni and cheese, quesadilla burgers and deep dish sundaes.

Their calorie count for the single meal was 6,190 and their fat count was 187 grams each. This was over three times what the United States government recommends for an individual in a single day.

Two hours after these men engaged in this huge meal, they went back to the University of Maryland to repeat their previous tests.

Researchers found that their hearts were working much harder to pump blood because of the high amount of fat that was in their bloodstreams. Both de Nies and Garcia reported feeling tired and sluggish, which was unusual for them.

They also felt nauseated due to their binging on food and fat. The blood work proved that there was an excess of fat in their blood system and that a single meal can make a significant difference in the body.

The affects of the high fat meal that the pair consumed did not linger. Tests showed that after six hours, their blood pressure, heart functions and blood chemistry had returned to normal. The two men also reported to have felt better than they had been feeling while the fat was in their system.

What Does this Mean for You?

Photo from: Bajan

So does this mean you should have Scrapple, hash, and bacon to start every day? No. While breakfast would be the best time to consume these foods in moderation, you should try and include healthier fats by adding walnuts or peanut butter to your oatmeal, organic butter to your whole grain toast or flax seeds to your smoothie.  These are all good options, as well as switching to full-fat yogurt.

It is important to remember that some fats are acceptable and even necessary for proper bodily functions. You should try and limit or avoid saturated fats and trans-fats. The following list includes some healthier fats to incorporate into your diet.

Oils — Make small changes like swapping canola oil for butter in recipes and using extra virgin olive oil for stovetop cooking. Both are contain mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, which are healthy fats.

Avocados — Avocados are a high-fat, yet nutritious food loaded with carotenoids, which are great for overall health and can aid in disease prevention.  Use them on sandwiches, or even mashed instead of mayonnaise.

Nuts and seeds – Because of their higher fat content, nuts were once considered a no-no. In reality, it’s the type of heart-healthy fat they have that makes them healthy. Nuts are also a good source of fiber, and are high in vitamins A and zinc.

Fish — Cold water fish, like salmon and tuna, has omega-3 fats in it that are known for their heart healing properties.  Remember this pertains to fresh tuna, not the canned varieties.

Remember

As always, speak to your health care provider before changing your diet. There are certain medications that will require a change in dosage should you begin to lose weight.

There are also some conditions that may be aggravated if a sudden change in the diet should occur, including a change in the time that a person eats. Your doctor may even recommend a nutritionist who can assist you in finding a healthier way to eat and a more satisfactory weight.

Your improved health, both mental and physical, will be well worth the difficulties met while attempting to make these changes.

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Flavor Without Fat or Fad
• Coconut Oil: Friend or Foe?
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Hemp

Photo from: Herbivoracious

On a trip to Russia last year, I tried a sweet dessert called halvah.  Not sure why I’d never had it in the States, as it most certainly isn’t Russian, but rather is believed to be of Turkish origin.  Anyhow, if I didn’t love sesame seeds before trying this little delight, I’d have fallen instantly head-over-heels.

Halvah is a paste of sesame seeds and honey.  The variety I indulged was also dipped in dark chocolate, making it akin to a Reese’s Cup, but less sweet and more grown up.  It was flat out delicious.

Besides halvah, I love tahini (an important ingredient in hummus), sesame oil, and of course those dark, exotic seeds on many Asian rice dishes.   Let’s take a look at the nutrition we’re getting with all that great taste!

Open Sesame

Photo from: Poster's Guide

Scheherazade spun an enchanting tale about sesame in One Thousand and One Nights, giving the magic words for opening the cave in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.  Before total ripening, the pods pf the sesame plant are tough and unyielding.  “Open sesame”, however,  refers to the ease with which the pods burst when they are ripe.

Sesame seeds have been used in the Middle East for almost three thousand years. It’s easy to see why, too, when you’ve come to appreciate their delicate nutty flavor and superb versatility.

However, before they were widely used for eating, the oil was engaged for such varied purposes as fuel for burning in lamps and perfume making.  They were also fermented into wine and brandy.

Health Benefits of Sesame

Photo from: Andrea's Recipes

Sesame seeds are 25% protein, which is high for plant foods.  Especially important is the abundance of the amino acids methionine and tryptophan.  Vegans often lack these two protein components, so adding sesame seeds will help the body create perfect proteins.

Another nutrient often lacking in the vegan diet is zinc.  If you frequently consume tahini, you’ll be sitting pretty, since a mere tablespoon of the paste contains over a milligram.

The seeds also contain lignans (like flax), which help to lower cholesterol.  If that weren’t enough, they’re also high in calcium, copper, and magnesium!

Copper helps reduce inflammation as well as keeping bones and blood vessels healthy.  Magnesium lowers blood pressure, and reduces the frequency of migraines.  Calcium is, of course, great for bone health, and helps keep headaches at bay.  All in all, this tiny seed is mighty powerful for good health!

Best Uses

Photo from: Today's Motherhood

The oil is fantastic for cooking, but you need to know that there are varieties.  The cold-pressed variety is made from raw seeds and is very light in flavor as well as color.  The darker variety is made from roasted seeds.  The flavor is strong, and mostly used in small quantities in Asian cooking.

Sesame oil is super soothing to the skin, as is great way to relieve minor burns and sunburn (as is coconut oil).  It’s also said to preserve the youth of skin, heading off and even reversing wrinkling.  Who doesn’t want that?!  The oil is also widely used in massage because it is super emollient.

Sesame seeds are high in fiber and, being so small, move quickly through the digestive tract.  They help relieve constipation and stimulate the nervous system.  Some say that they remove worms from the digestive tract, as well.  Being high in vitamin E, it’s great for the heart.  Sesame seeds are great all around!

Sesame Recipes

Photo from: Mi Cocina Vegetariana

Isn’t that fun to say, “sesame recipes”?  Yeah, I know I’m a geek.  We’re starting with a traditional humus recipe.  One of the best things about hummus is how versatile it is.  You can add roasted red peppers.  You can use white beans instead of chickpeas.  You can add feta or olives or whatever it is that you love.  Here’s a basic recipe to get you started.

Traditional Hummus

Recipe from MyRecipes.com

• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chopped. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredients; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

Halvah

Recipe from Cooksrecipes.com

• 1 cup sesame seeds (or substitute 1 cup tahini – sesame butter)
• 2 tablespoons honey

In a food processor or blender process sesame seeds past meal stage into a nut butter.  Transfer mixture to a small mixing bowl and drizzle in the honey. Mixture will be very sticky.  Press mixture into a small (about 4 x 3-inch) dish which has been lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until well chilled. Slice into 1-inch cubes to serve.

Makes about one dozen (1-inch) cubes. For More Vanilla Flavor:  Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with the honey.

Sesame Noodle Salad

Recipe modified slightly from Allrecipes.com

• 1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta (preferably whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium and naturally fermented)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hot chili oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, or more if desired
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the angel hair pasta, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, chili oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Toss the pasta in the dressing, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onion, and bell pepper. Serve warm, or cover and refrigerate for a cold salad.

Tahini Salad Dressing

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• black pepper to taste

Blend the tahini, olive oil, water, tamari, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, and black pepper together in a blender until smooth.

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Flax
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Hemp
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Sunflower

Photo from: Space Coast

Naturally fermented foods are some of the best nutrition on the planet. You don’t have to take my word for it though, since the Chinese have eaten these foods for around 6,000 years!

Whether you prefer sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, or miso, fermented foods can give you a huge nutritional boost for very little cost and effort. Check out the process and why it’s so amazingly healthy and simple!

What Is Lacto-Fermentation?

Photo from: Cupcake Project

Most simply, lacto-fermentation is the process of preserving food by exposing it to the bacteria lactobacillus. You’ve probably heard of it, since it’s the active culture in most kinds of yogurt.  Almost all vegetables have this bacteria naturally occurring their surfaces, and it’s present in dairy products.  It can also be added to foods to speed the fermentation process.

When you close up the veggies in an airtight container, the bacteria get to work.  They digest the sugars and starches in the food, turning them into lactic acid and carbon dioxide. This is an ancient and effective form of food preservation.

Lacto-fermentation gives food a unique set of flavors that most people don’t experience. They’re slightly effervescent because of the CO2, and are generally tangy.  This tanginess differs from traditional “pickled” flavors (such as vinegar or citrus), however, and is best experienced rather than described.

Body Benefits

Photo from: Raw Milk Facts

The foremost expert on fermented foods, Sally Fallon, has this to say about the benefits of eating these nutrient-dense foods:

“The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.” Nourishing Traditions, pg. 89

Lactobacillus causes beneficial probiotics to be cultivated in the food it’s preserving. It also produces precious B vitamins as well as vitamin K.  Delicate vitamins like C are often lost during conventional preservation methods, but are well preserved in lacto-fermented foods.

Because the bacteria do much of the digestive work for us, the body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest.  This is particularly important, as many people avoid hard vegetables and dairy products due to the havoc they can wreak on the tummy.  With lacto-fermentation, this is often a non-issue.

Another benefit is the neutralization of phytic acid and oxalates.  If you struggle with thyroid problems, this is especially important, but many people choose to avoid phytates and oxalates in the course of discovering what sort of diet works best for their own bodies.

This type of preservation can even make the dreaded soy reasonable.  Yes, I said it.  You can eat small amounts of fermented soy products, so long as it’s naturally fermented as opposed to most mainstream products.

What to Avoid

Now that I’ve got you all excited for fermented foods, I’ve got to warm you about a few things.  Even though pickles, olives, and sauerkraut are available in lacto-fermented varieties, not all of what’s available in the marketplace is packed with health and nutrition.

For a food to be safe and lacto-fermented, they must be either homemade from a recipe (and a trusted, preferably organic food source) or purchased from the refrigerated section of a store.  The packaging should say “live and active cultures.”  In short, if it doesn’t have cultures on the label, it’s not beneficial!

Another place you’ll sometimes see lacto-fermented foods is on the food bar at places like Whole Foods. You’ll often find Greek olives there, and more rarely, sauerkraut. You can find fresh pickles and sauerkraut in delis and small eateries in ethnic areas of town (especially, in my experience, Jewish and Korean boroughs).  Check them out if you don’t have time to make your own!

Recipes

Photo from: The Skinny Pig

Pickles

Modified slightly from Shanna Ohmes

One of the quickest things to make is pickles, and it only takes three days instead of three weeks like sauerkraut.  These are delicious!

• 4-5 cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon Real Salt
• 4 tablespoons whey
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons dill seed
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 quart canning jar

How to make the whey: I set out a carton of plain yogurt in a cheesecloth lined strainer over a large bowl. Leave this out 12-24 hours or overnight. The liquid that drains off the yogurt is the whey and has lots of health benefits. The resulting yogurt will be nice and thick, so I add some berries and a touch of honey and have it for breakfast!

I slice the cucumbers about 1/4″ thick and put them in the jar. I combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the cucumbers. Make sure the liquid covers the pickles and still leaves about 1″ headroom. Add more water if it still needs liquid. Let set out on your kitchen counter for about 3 days and then transfer to your refrigerator.

Kefir

Recipe from Rebecca Wood

This is perhaps the easiest and most nutritious of the lacto-fermented foods, so be sure to start using kefir if you can tolerate dairy. 

• 1 tablespoon kefir grains
• 1 scant quart milk (goat, cow, pasteurized, raw, reconstituted, skim or full fat)

Place kefir grains and milk in a quart glass jar. Tightly cover and set out at room temperature for 24-48 hours (in hot weather, it ferments faster) but not in direct sun light. Shake the bottle a couple times during fermentation.

After shaking, release any CO2 gas buildup by opening the lid, then tighten the lid once again. (A tight lid produces a lightly effervescent beverage. To eliminate effervescence, just rest the lid on the jar rather than tightly closing the lid.)

The kefir is ready when the grains coagulate at the top of the jar. To separate the newly made kefir and to retrieve the kefir grains, pour through a strainer or colander (stirring as necessary to prevent the grains from clogging the strainer).

You may drink the kefir as is, or you may refrigerate it for up to three weeks. Or, as per below, you may further ripen the kefir. But, and this is important, don’t discard the grains.

To make a new batch of kefir, add these retrieved grains to fresh milk and repeat the process. Or, to refrigerate the grains until next use, place grains with kefir to cover in a tightly closed jar. They’ll hold for several weeks. To hold longer, place grains in quart of fresh milk, refrigerate for up to a month (shake the container several times a week).

Kimchi

Recipe from David Lebovitz

People either love or hate this Korean fermented cabbage.  No self-respecting Korean would ever buy kimchi in the market, and this is pretty simple to make.  Give it a try!

• 1 large Chinese or Napa Cabbage
• 1 gallon (4l) water
• 1/2 cup (100g) coarse salt
• 1 small head of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• one 2-inch (6cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
• 1/3 cup (80ml) chili paste or 1/2 cup Korean chili powder
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch (3cm) lengths (use the dark green part, too, except for the tough ends)
• 1 medium daikon radish, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon honey

1. Slice the cabbage lengthwise in half, then slice each half lengthwise into 3 sections. Cut away the tough stem chunks.

2. Dissolve the salt in the water in a very large container, then submerge the cabbage under the water. Put a plate on top to make sure they stay under water, then let stand for 2 hours. Mix the other ingredients in a very large metal or glass bowl.

3. Drain the cabbage, rinse it, and squeeze it dry.  Here’s the scary part: mix it all up.  Some recipes advise wearing rubber gloves since the chili paste can stain your hands.

4. Pack the kimchi in a clean glass jar large enough to hold it all and cover it tightly. Let stand for one to two days in a cool place, around room temperature.  Check the kimchi after 1-2 days. If it’s bubbling a bit, it’s ready and should be refrigerated. If not, let it stand another day, when it should be ready. Once it’s fermenting, serve or store in the refrigerator. If you want, add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds over the kimchi for serving.

Well there you have it!  Easy, delicious recipes for foods that will improve your health and cost pennies to make.  Can’t beat that!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• The Slow Food Movement
• What to Eat NOW: Summer’s Bounty
• Sweet and Satisfying Summer Treats

Photo from: Flickr

Stress.  It’s inevitable.  Our lives are filled with demands, both internal and external, which impose stress on your system. If we’ve been well trained by our culture, we reach for salt, sugar, and fat when we’re stressed.

Everyone knows that it’s not wise to fill up on chips, ice cream, and doughnuts when things seem to be going south, but do you know what options will actually help your mind and body relax and perform better?  Check out my recommendations for defusing the stress bomb and getting back to your life!

There are several methods of reducing stress, such as herbs, exercise, meditation, and counseling. Today we’re going to focus on foods that will help you stay on top of your game and deal with the daily pressures of life.

What Is Stress?

Photo from: Bajan

Most simply, stress is the physical and emotional strain caused by forces, internal or external, in the world. When the body senses stress, a number of things happen. First, your heart starts pounding. As much blood flow as possible is diverted the brain and muscles, up to 400% of normal. Muscles tense and breathing increases, which allows more oxygenated blood to flow where it’s needed.

Stress hormones flood your system to prepare the body to either fight or take flight.  The problem is that these days, we still experience the response without it being necessary to respond as we would’ve in millennia past.

It is estimated that up to two-thirds of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses. Stress can cause heart disease, strokes, and cancer, but also some less recognized but all too common problems.

How Does It Affect the Body?

Photo from: Interactive Mathematics

At minimum, stress takes its toll on your immune system. It decreases production of key white blood cells that help the body fight infection, leaving us more susceptible to colds and other infections.

When you’re consistently stressed, particularly if you have anger issues, the blood pressure will increase to dangerous levels.  This is one of the reasons that heart attacks are so prevalent among those who are often irascible.

Frequent headaches are common among the stressed, as well as digestive upset, fatigue, and back pain. Sexual dysfunction is also common. None of those things is a marker of vibrant health, and frankly they just plain suck.

Cortisol is a bad mamma jamma. Too much of the stuff causes healthy tissues to become weak over time, making muscles and bones fragile.  It slows down cell regeneration, impairs digestive function, and can cause weight gain.

People who experience chronic pain often have high cortisol levels, because pain is a stressor to the body. It’s a vicious cycle; stress causing pain, which causes more stress, which causes more pain. And round and round we go.

The body requires a break from stress to be able to repair itself. Diet is certainly one of the best ways to combat high cortisol levels, as it’s an everyday commitment. Consistent, dedicated efforts will help the body relax and begin to heal its ailments.

People who don’t manage their stress levels well, through diet, exercise, counseling, or meditation often become ensnared in addictions as a coping mechanism.  Smoking, drug abuse, alcoholism, and binge eating are common. Sexual addiction is also not unheard of in this regard. We’ve talked about ways to increase sex drive with diet, now let’s get to the foods that will help make the rest of your life just as pleasurable!

Best Stress-Busting Foods

Photo from: Gryphon's Cry

Bananas are packed with B vitamins, which keep blood pressure and stress hormones under control when the stress monster is stalking you.  They’re fantastic for keeping at the office before a big meeting, as well as munching in the morning to keep head said monster off at the pass.

Leafy greens are one of my favorite things!  The one-two punch of calcium and magnesium help muscle fibers relax; fantastic news for those of us who get muscle tension when we’re stressed.  The next time your shoulders are up around your ears and you have back spasms, reach for a green smoothie or kale salad!

Tuna and other oily fish are a great help! It’s important to note that only fresh tuna is considered an oily fish, so leave the canned stuff behind when you’re looking for stress relief.  The Omega 3s in these swimmers have the power to boost serotonin while regulating cortisol, making them a fantastic addition to your diet two to three times per week.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, there are some wonderful alternatives to fish. Be sure to look at chia, flax, and hemp seeds to get your daily Omega 3 boost!

Avocados aren’t to be missed if you struggle with stress-related high blood pressure. They’re packed with potassium (like bananas), but can be used in savory applications or even eaten out of hand (I like mine with a little Real Salt).

If you’re not a guacamole fan, why not try this avocado spinach soup?  It should have you relaxed and feeling fine in no time!

Kiwi are brown and fuzzy on the outside, but the inside is absolutely packed with green goodness. Did you know that one kiwi has over 100% of the RDA of vitamin C?

Vitamin C is important in more ways than one. It helps strengthen the immune system to fend off stress-related illnesses, which is fantastic. The backdoor benefit of vitamin C is that it lowers both blood pressure and cortisol.

Dark chocolate rounds out the list because, let’s face it, we all need a treat from time to time.  A daily square of the dark stuff (and the darker, the better) has been shown to reduce the cortisol levels of study participants.

How?  Well, that’s a complex answer. Cocoa has heart-healthy flavinoids. It also contains alkaloids which reduce blood pressure and make the brain happy. Be sure that you don’t overindulge, as chocolate contains caffeine which stresses the system.

I personally prefer around 75% coca for a small treat, but no more than 82%.  If you love really dark chocolate, I like the 75% with cacao nibs inside.  To. Die. For. Be sure to experiment and find a brand that you truly enjoy. Chocolate is complex and, much like wine, contains flavor compounds unique to where it was produced.

There’s nothing fun or glamorous about recognizing the things that stress you out, but it certainly can lead to better health for your body and your relationships. Try just a few foods on this list to replace some of the junk you usually indulge in, and see if you don’t feel better!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• A New Look At Smoothies
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Flax
• Superfoods: Super Nutrition or Super-Sized Hype?

When I think about lazy summer days, I think about sunflower seeds.  We’d swim all day at the pool, then rest for an hour or two before it was time to head to the ball park.  Our snacks of choice were Big League Chew (strawberry, please) and sunflower seeds.  Who doesn’t remember the hulls mixed into the dirt on the base paths?

Besides coming from a pretty fascinating plant, sunflower seeds are packed with nutrition, making them number four on my top five list of seeds to eat for good health. Let’s look at why!

Sunflower Power Facts

We all know sunflowers are beautiful, but the plants themselves have the fascinating habit of heliotropism, that is, turning toward the sun with each new day.  At dawn, the stems face the east, waiting for the sun.  At gloaming, you’ll find them bent westward to soak up every bit of daylight as the plant prepares to bloom.

As with many of nature’s mysteries, the sunflower’s arrangement is one of perfection.  The seeds follow the Fibonacci sequence for spacing for maximum efficiency in the use of space (thereby producing more seeds for us to enjoy).

Sunflower seeds are high in vitamins E and B1 (thiamin), and B5. They’re also great sources of copper, manganese, and magnesium, as well as selenium, phosphorus, and folate.

Because of the presence of B vitamins, they’re great at taming inflammation and stress. Vitamin E is also fantastic for protecting the heart, and a mere quarter cup of sunflower seeds provides more than 90% of the RDA for vitamin E.

We’ve heard a great deal about plant sterols lately; they’re even available in yogurt shots.  These natural protectants help reduce blood cholesterol, boost the immune system, and decrease the risk of some cancers. Other sources are soy (not a food I recommend) and corn.  However, of the nuts and seeds that are typically eaten as snacks, sunflower seeds rank highest.

The seeds are high in linoleic acid and, like hemp seeds, will go rancid quickly.  Freezing the seeds for longer term storage is ideal, preferably in Mason jars or dark glass to protect them from the light.

As if you needed more reasons to eat them, the seeds’ magnesium content helps lower blood pressure, prevent migraines, and reduce heart attack, stroke, and asthma attacks.

Selenium isn’t something we hear much about, but it’s vitally important to the body.  In fact, it is powerful enough to help repair damaged DNA.  It incites in cancer cells their self-destruct sequence, making it absolutely essential to those battling the disease.

Best Uses

Now, I know that we all recognize that David package, but it’s best to go with raw seeds to preserve their nutrition. I’ll also always choose shelled seeds because, well, no one has the time to sit around and shell sunflower seeds all day long, especially when you’re trying to feed yourself and your brood.

One of my favorite things to do with sunflowers is to grind them into sunflower butter in my Blendtec.  It couldn’t be easier, just process the seeds with a little salt and/or sweetener if you like, then use as you would peanut butter.

Be sure to check your seeds if you have a nut allergy.  Bob’s Red Mill, for example, processes their seeds on equipment that also processes tree nuts, creating a possible allergic situation.

I eat sunflower seeds out of hand, just because I like them.  They remind me of all things summer, and when combined with a piece of fruit, make a perfect afternoon snack.

They’re also wonderful on salads and as an addition to your favorite whole wheat bread recipe (1/4 cup should be sufficient).  As with our other polyunsaturated options, sunflower seeds come pressed in oil form.

Whether you choose to eat the oil, use it on your skin, or mix it into homemade fragrance oils, there are tons of uses around the house, making this oil one of the few we’d use in our home (along with flax, hemp, coconut, and olive oils).

Sunflower Seed Recipes

...and don't forget to add the sunflower seeds!

Raw Sunflower Mayonnaise

Recipe from JustEatRaw.com

• 2 1/2 cups distilled water
• 1 1/2 cups raw, hulled, sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon Real Salt (or to taste)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons onion powder (or flakes)
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 clove fresh garlic (minced)

The secret to a fine dressing is letting the above ingredients blend in a strong blender (Vita Mix) for quite awhile until very creamy. Sometimes I substitute fresh basil and dill (or parsley) for the paprika. It then turns out a pale green instead of a pale reddish color.

You can use it to substitute for mayo or sour cream, or as a salad dressing when you blend until just combined.  Because sunflower seeds have such a high fat content, they will emulsify beautifully.

Mostly Raw Sunflower Seed Cheese

Recipe from Food.com

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos or tamari
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

Grind sunflower seeds in a food processor or blender and set aside. In a high-speed blender, combine all of the other ingredients, adding the ground sunflower seeds in last. Blend until smooth!

Thai Chicken Pasta in Sunbutter Sauce

Recipe from SunButter.com

• 3 ½ tablespoons SunButter (can use homemade, as we do)
• 3 tablespoons brewed tea
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated fine)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

• 2/ 3 cup chopped green onion
• 2/ 3 cup shredded carrot
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon grass
• 2 tablespoons sunflower kernels
• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 8 ounces pasta (angel hair recommended)
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• cayenne pepper
• salt

Combine first 8 ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions. In the meantime, season raw chicken pieces with cayenne pepper and salt. Saute seasoned chicken in 2 tablespoon oil until done (about 7 minutes). Remove chicken. Saute lemon grass in 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan for about 30 seconds.

Add pasta, chicken, shredded carrot, green onion, and cilantro. Pour SunButter sauce over all and mix well. Just warm ingredients together as you don’t want to cook it anymore. Right before serving, mix in sunflower kernels. Serve with fresh bean sprouts on top.

Oatmeal Sunflower Seed Cookies

Recipe modified from Food.com

• 1 cup coconut oil or butter
• 1 cup sucanat with honey or palm sugar
• 1 cup sucanat
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick oats
• 1 cup sunflower seeds

Cream butter and both sugars together. Add dry ingredients. Mix well.   Drop by teaspoons onto a well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes.

Four stellar seeds down, one to go.  Be sure to check in next week for the dirt on pumpkin seeds!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Flax
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Chia
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Hemp

Is it healthy or not? Heather's takes the mystery out of healthy foods.

Foods that claim to be healthier than their conventional counterparts are showing up everywhere, but are they really any better for you?  In most cases, no.  In some instances, they’re downright detrimental to your health.  Those are the ones I want to focus on today, the junk masquerading as health food.

I could have called this piece, “Things That Piss Me Off,” because there is so much misinformation out there regarding health and wellness.  Let’s look at the top three offenders on my wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing list.  These choices aren’t going to aid your weight loss or get you healthier, so beware!

Smoothie Love (Handles)

If you read my articles even once in a blue moon, you know that I love smoothies as the cornerstone of a diet high in fruits and vegetables. In fact, I credit green smoothies with my own 90-lb. weight loss over a period of nine months in 2008.

However, there are healthy smoothies, then there are glorified milkshakes. Case in point: McDonald’s new fruit smoothies.  Their tagline is “we’re changing the way you look at fruit.” Yeah, apparently they want me to look at fruit as the reason my hips are expanding and I can no longer button my jeans!

The Golden Arches would have you believe that you’re getting healthy food when you choose a smoothie over a burger, but their large strawberry-banana comes in at 330 calories, more than a cheeseburger.

Now, I realize that not all calories are created equal, so let’s take a look at the ingredients: strawberry puree, banana puree, water, sugar, concentrated apple juice, cellulose powder, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, xanthan gum, citric acid, colored with fruit and vegetable juice, pectin, ascorbic acid (preservative).

So let me get this straight. We need white sugar, juice from concentrate, plant fiber powder, artificial flavors, two thickeners, and manufactured vitamin C to preserve our “healthy food.”  Wow.

To add insult to injury, there are seventy grams of sugar in this smoothie.  That’s nearly six tablespoons of sugar in one smoothie.  If the sugar content isn’t enough to give you pre-diabetic convulsions, consider that there are a mere three grams of protein in our smoothie.

Your blood sugar will skyrocket, and you’ll crash an hour or so later.  You’ll be groggy and believe that “health food” makes you feel worse than the junk you usually wolf down.  This diet deception is worse than the others, because it maligns true healthy eating.  Lest you think McDonald’s is the only culprit, smoothie chains are no improvement!

Cancer in a Veggie Patty

Cancer in a patty?

The soy-as-health-food-myth really gets my goat.  I was a vegetarian for 13 years and happily wolfed down soy-based products for most of them in the name of getting sufficient protein.

People who eat soy regularly have higher rates of esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and stomach cancers than the general population.  This is the same set of cancers that lab rats develop when fed heavy amounts of soy.  Coincidence?  I think not.

The soy thing wouldn’t make me so angry if it weren’t for the fact that soy is in EVERYTHING!  Pick up just about any packaged food and you’ll see soy lecithin (used as an emulsifier) or soy flour. Monsanto and Dow Chemical are no idiots; these products make them a ton of money.  Too bad it’s at the expense of our health and safety.

Add to the list that soy is a top-eight food allergy, and you should quickly see the folly of adding it to so much of the food supply. The good news about soy being such a widespread food allergy is that its inclusion in a product must be listed on food labels by law.

It is my recommendation to skip soy products in almost all forms. Tamari, nama shoyu, and soy sauce are ok in moderation and so long as they are naturally fermented.  Also be aware that upwards of 98% of soy in the United States is genetically modified, so be sure to buy organic.

Some people choose to eat naturally fermented tofu.  Again, I don’t mind that in very limited amounts.  However, it’s difficult to find fermented tofu. You’ll generally find this in Asian markets labeled as “stinky tofu” or “pickled tofu.”  Stinky tofu is a perfect name, as the stuff stinks to high heaven–really.

If you’re a vegan and think that soy protein is the only ethical way to go, au contraire. Check out the your soy-free vegan options to up your protein quotient and stay soy-free.

Is It Really a Healthy Choice?

I have to confess, I love the convenience of frozen meals.  That’s not to say that we eat them in our household, but I love the idea at least.  What I’m not so fond of is the ridiculous amount of sodium, white flour, and tiny servings of vegetables in these meals.

Of course they’re low-calorie.  So low, in fact, that you’ll probably be famished about an hour after you finish this “meal.”  Many of them are high in protein, which is great.  However, they’re so low in fat and fiber that they won’t keep you full for any length of time.

The statistics are misleading, as many of the meals contain potatoes which are counted as a vegetable instead of as a starch (but this is within federal guidelines, of course *eye roll*).

The sodium in these meals has come down significantly, but many still contain more than 25% of the maximum recommended RDA.  Bearing in mind that the upper limit is the point at which people start to demonstrate salt-related disease, 25% is still quite high.

Some of the “healthier entree” frozen food companies have removed preservatives from their meals, but not all, and not across the brand’s offerings. Rather, a small selection is available for those of us who eschew chemicals parading as food products.

Enter the much-debated “yeast extract.” Just know that it’s code for “MSG,” but food companies can get away with calling it yeast extract because technically, that’s what it is.

Frozen entrees often taste like cardboard, so I can’t blame companies for trying to up the taste factor in their offerings.  Too bad they choose to use a product that’s one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man to do it.

So there you have it, my top three offenders in the “health food movement.”  More deception is being perpetrated each day, so be on the lookout for more lies from the food industry!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Flavor Without Fat or Fad
• A New Look At Smoothies
• Soy Free Vegan Protein Blends

Actually, flax is third because it’s a bit better known that either chia or hemp.  However, there is still much to learn about this little seed. Settle in and come along for a ride through history, plus read about the newest research on flax’s fight against breast cancer!

Just the Flax, Ma’am

Just The Flax Ma'am.

The use of flax seeds can be traced back over 5,000 years to the ancient Babylonians, though written records “only” place them in medicinal use around 650 B.C. The ancient Egyptians used it as a laxative, and it’s been popular ever since.

Hippocrates, known as the father of  Western medicine, prescribed flax seeds to combat abdominal pain.  Today we know that these little powerhouses are good for more than just tummy troubles, but the fiber content certainly helps with elimination as Hippocrates suggested!

Flax seeds contain vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6, C, E, and carotene. They also have iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus. That’s quite a lot of nutrition in such a tiny package!

It’s available for purchase in both golden and brown colors, which are nutritionally nearly identical. If you’re new to flax and find that the somewhat fishy flavor is bothersome to you, perhaps try the golden variety. It’s slightly milder, with a buttery-nutty flavor.

If you’re a vegan/ethical eater, you can use flax to replace eggs in much of your cooking in addition to using it for its nutritional properties. It is also gluten-free, making it safe for Celiacs.

Health Benefits of Flax

There are three general ways to use flax, just like with chia and hemp: whole seeds, flax meal, and flax oil.  The whole seed is wonderful for adding fiber to recipes, and when it’s toasted adds a lovely nutty flavor to food.

Of course, one of the biggest benefits of fiber is keeping the colon cleared out and healthy. This may also prevent colon cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States (after lung cancer). More than 56,000 people succumb to colon cancer each year in the United States.

Flax oil is fantastic for the brain and circulatory system because it is so rich in omega 3s and alpha lenolenic acid (ALA). They reduce pain and inflammation (especially in the case of arthritis) and lower bad cholesterol.

For the most nutrition, be sure to buy flax oil in black containers, and buy in small quantities. The oil becomes rancid within three months of being expelled, and you don’t want to waste money on larger quantities. You may choose to use the seed instead, consuming two tablespoons per day of ground flax.

Milled flax (flax meal) is high in protein for a plant source, coming in at 22%. That makes it a wonderful addition to a higher protein diet, especially because it helps the body assimilate other proteins better.

It’s also fantastic for growing strong hair and nails, as well as improving skin. I’ve read of people whose eczema came under control after adding one tablespoon of flax oil or two tablespoons of flax meal to their daily diets.

Another fantastic property is the potential ability to hep control blood sugar in patients with diabetes, similar to chia. Because the seeds contain good amounts of protein, fat, and fiber, they slow the uptake of carbohydrates into the blood stream, thereby resulting in more stable sugar reads.

Best Uses

While many tips will tell you to just sprinkle a tablespoon on your morning oatmeal, that will only serve as fiber to clear out your intestines (and there’s nothing wrong with that).  To get the full benefit of flax seeds, however, you’ve got to grind them.

This is a simple proposition, especially if you have a spice grinder or a blender.  You just toss them in, grind away, and you’ve got usable nutrition. An alternative would be to buy flax meal, but the oils in flax become rancid rather quickly, so freshly ground is always best. If you buy meal, be sure to keep it in the fridge.

Another reason to use the whole (milled) seed in addition to just flax oil is the presence of lignans. Lignans are a super-protective antioxidant, which are abundant in flax seeds. Flax has 100 times the lignan content of any other known food!  These life-saving antioxidants are being studied as a preventative for breast cancer.

I like to toss a bit of flax oil into my daily green smoothie. It’s also fantastic as the base for homemade salad dressing, just use half flax oil in place of your olive oil.  Some people find that to taste too fishy, so you may want to start with one quarter flax oil and work up to half (or more)!

One of the very best ways to use ground flax seed is to sprinkle it onto yogurt or kefir. When foods are rich in sulfated amino acids, they help incorporate the essential fatty acids (EFAs) into the cell membranes, making them more available to the body.

Flax Recipes

Oven Baked Flax Fried Chicken

Recipe from Flaxhealth.com

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
• olive oil, for dredging

Wash and pat dry chicken. Dip chicken in olive oil. To make breading combine the bread crumbs, flax seed, garlic powder, black pepper, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning in a plastic bag, seal and shake to blend.

Coat chicken in the flax breading. Place breaded chicken breasts on a baking sheet and bake, uncovered, in a 375-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is done and a golden brown.

Protein Balls

Recipe from Flaxhealth.com

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk powder
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup crushed flaked cereal, such as corn flakes

One or two of the following:

• 1/3 cup sunflower or hemp seeds
• 1/3 cup chocolate or carob chips
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup chopped dried fruit

Combine peanut butter, milk powder, flaxseed, honey in a bowl and mix well. Stir in your chosen add-ins. Roll mixture into small balls and then roll balls in crushed cereal. Place on waxed paper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes about 16 protein balls.

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Faster Is Better For Weight Loss
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Hemp
• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Chia

Photo from: Tom Terwilliger

No more “moderation” in weight loss—aiming to lose one pound per week. No more giving yourself a long-term goal of 50 pounds in a year. A new study from Stockholm’s International Congress on Obesity says that those who lose three pounds per week are more apt to stick with weight loss and reach their goals.

I love Sweden. They have great meatballs. They gave us Ikea, for heaven’s sake. My daughters look adorable in those Hanna Andersson dresses. Really, what’s not to love?

Now, those same practical, forward-thinking Swedes are telling us to  take the weight loss bull by the horns. To just buck up and get ‘er done. Is it really possible to lose weight quickly, naturally, and safely and keep it off?

The Study’s Findings

Photo from: In Motion

First, the study started with participants who weighed around 220 pounds (100 kilos). The researchers placed participants into a group losing 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kilos) or 1.1 lbs (0.5 kilos) per week. The first group’s goal was to lose the weight in 12 weeks, and the second in 36 weeks.

It found that 78% of the participants in the 3.3 lb. group met the goal of losing 15% of their body weight during the study’s time frame. Only 48% of the longer-term group met the goal.

Katrina Purcell, the study’s presenter, mentioned that the reason for the disparity is quite clear. It’s harder to maintain motivation when the losses are so slow in coming. Given that we’re a quick fix sort of people, this makes perfect sense.

So should we all run out and start trying to create a 1,500 calorie per day deficit (the average needed to lose 3 lbs. per week)? Well, perhaps. There’s one significant caveat to the study, and that’s the long term maintenance of rapid weight loss.

Since the study is new, the long-term effects haven’t been identified. However, Purcell is following the groups and hopes to publish the results in three years.

Going Dutch

Since this study hasn’t yet proved that more rapid weight loss is better maintained in the long run, we turn to the Netherlands’ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.

In a study that was presented at the same conference, they examined the link between the amount of weight loss on a weight loss program and the maintenance of said loss afterward.

The study found that 54% percent of people who lost weight were able to maintain it, no matter how much weight initially came off. It also found that the net weight loss was higher for those who lost more initially after a period of one year.

Breaking Down the Findings

Photo from: The Age

So what does all this mean for you?  First, it means that there’s no reason to adhere to the 0.5-1.0 lb. per week goal if you can safely lose weight more quickly.

The simple fact is that change is required to maintain weight loss. You know the saying, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten?” Spend time losing weight, even rapidly, and return to your old habits and the pounds will pile back on. Enter the yo-yo.

The truth of the matter is that you can lose weight any way you’d like. If you want to do the Master Cleanse or Atkins, or even the cupcake and broccoli diet, you’ll lose so long as you have the motivation.

But maintaining weight loss, especially significant weight loss, is determined by eating reasonable portions of nutritious food and moving your body. Wow, there’s a radical thought.

Say what you will about decreasing fat and sugar content of food and aggressive marketing by junk pushers, uh, “fast food restaurants.”  You can choose to walk away.  A one-man or one -woman protest against the system is all you need to get away from being overweight and the debilitating health conditions that come with it.

My Story

Post-pregnancy Heather

I am currently expecting my fourth child (my laptop barely rests on what’s left of my lap at present). After my third was born, I was obese. Not in the cute-fat sort of way, but in the pre-diabetic, doctor-on-my-ass, fasting blood sugar at 94 kind of way. Fat.

Not one to accept that my life was going to follow the same path of most in my Midwestern, corn-as-a-vegetable family, I made a choice. I chose to shed the pounds I’d carried since childhood, reinvent myself as a slimmer person, and be happy about it.

I tossed everything with junk. I bought a grain mill, a Blendtec, started jogging, and went to town. While it was a financial burden (hubs is a public school teacher), we made it work. Why? Because it mattered.

All those excuses about not having the money or the time flew out the window when I realized that this was a matter of my health, and my health was worth the time and the money. My family was worth the expense and the change. We broke the pattern, after all.

Having been exactly  at 220 lbs. myself (at 5’2″) and losing 88 pounds over nine months, I lost weight more slowly than the study participants. I confess to having stalled because of boredom and overuse injuries after month five, but got back on track after a 6-week maintenance (and sanity) break.

After-working-her-ass-off Heather

That means that I lost an average of 2.6 lbs. per week when I was working at it.  I managed to keep 80 lbs. of it off until I became pregnant again early this year.  This takes some serious work, because a 1,300 calorie per day deficit is no joke. I averaged about 15 hours per week in the gym between cardio, strength, and Pilates and yoga.

It wasn’t always fun. I hurt. I cried. I made some dishes that emphatically were NOT tasty. But in nine months I went from someone who got pitying looks for her weight to someone whose advice others sought for diet and fitness. Heck, you’re reading this now because of that transformation.

I engaged in calorie cycling to “trick” my metabolism into staying high throughout the process, eating an average of 1,700 calories per day (remember that I was nursing).  Even though the work was hard, it was a relatively short amount of time required to drop from a size 20 to a size 6 and was well worth it.

Passion is the most important component of a weight loss program, and passion is the fuel that keeps weight off after the initial loss. I can’t say what the Swiss study will tell when it reemerges in three years, but I know what my own life will show: a passion for health keeps the metabolic fires burning. Don’t let them go out.

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• A New Look At Smoothies
• Warm Weather Exercise Tips
• Orthorexia: Misplaced Fixation

New York Says Goodbye To A Legend

George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, died this morning of  a heart attack at the age of 80.  He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida and passed away at 6:30 am.

Whether you loved him or hated him (and there were plenty of people on both sides), everyone knew that Steinbrenner was in charge.  He managed the team with an iron fist for nearly four decades.

Spending lavish amounts on payroll and never being afraid to make a tough decision, the team flourished under his reign.  “The Boss” brought seven Wold Series titles to the organization that, prior to his ownership, had gone 15 years without winning the championship.

“Few people have had a bigger impact on New York over the past four decades than George Steinbrenner,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement. “George had a deep love for New York, and his steely determination to succeed combined with his deep respect and appreciation for talent and hard work made him a quintessential New Yorker.”

Steinbrenner was born a Yankee, if dates have any bearing on our destinies.  A fourth of July baby, he epitomized the American dream.

“Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing,” Steinbrenner was fond of saying. “Breathing first, winning next.”  Perhaps with that pasky “breathing” problem out of the way, Steinbrenner can focus on winning all the more.

For further reading, please see Yahoo! Sports.

Photo from: Eurotope

Last week we opened our series on the importance of seeds with chia. Today I wanted to introduce you to my runner-up in the favorites department, hemp seed!

Hemp is an amazing plant, good for making rope, jewelry and even diapers. However, this wonder plant isn’t used only for its fibers and mind-altering effects. The seeds, or hearts, are fantastic! Let’s look at the benefits of adding hemp to your diet.

The 411 on THC

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the compound responsible for the state of altered perception most people have when they ingest marijuana. You’ll be glad to know that THC comprises less than 0.3% of the hemp seed, and is indeed harvested from an entirely different species within the genus Cannabis.

What does that mean?  Well, there is some THC in the seed itself, but you’re no more likely to get high from eating the seeds than you are to become an opium addict from that poppyseed muffin you had for breakfast.

Hemp has been used for at least 6,000 years. It was first cultivated from a wild plant in Asia. In fact, Asians used hemp before they used soy! Eventually its use migrated to India and on toward Europe, and today we have plenty of hemp the world around.

I personally buy the 5-lb pail from Manitoba Harvest. They’re popular and are out of stock relatively often, so be sure to check back when you’re running low. You don’t want to run out of these amazing seeds!

Health Benefits of Hemp Products

Photo from: Hemp Basics

Hemp seeds are a complete vegetarian source of amino acids, meaning you don’t have to analog them with rice, beans or anything else to get a complete protein.  They’re also rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs), with a ratio of 3:1 omega 3s to omega 6s. This is important, since the ideal ratio is 4:1 or less.

When the body lacks omega 3s, we see physical weakness, poor concentration and memory loss, visual impairments, and mood swings. A lack of omega 3s is also linked to high triglycerides and high blood pressure, inflammation of tissues and depressed metabolism.

A lack of omega 6s is often the culprit of liver and kidney problems, hair loss, heart and circulatory problems, infertility in both males and females, and a general weakness of the immune system. Suffice it to say, these are two important fats to have in your diet!

There are three main hemp products available. Hemp seeds, which we’re discussing in depth today; hemp oil; and hemp protein powder. Hemp oil is just the oil pressed from the seeds of the plant, and is fantastic in recipes, on salads and in smoothies.

The only difference between most hemp seeds and unflavored hemp protein powder, besides being ground, is the fat content. If you’re cutting, you’ll want to buy a hemp protein powder that’s got a higher protein concentration, like the 70% powder available from Manitoba Harvest.

Hemp’s Best Uses

Photo from: Tri Me!

One of the easiest and sweetest ways to get hemp into your diet is to add hemp milk.  This is a seed milk meant to replace dairy milk in some or all of your consumption. I wrote about the best dairy-free milks a few months ago, and hemp definitely rates as a nutritious, accessible choice!

Protein powder is essential for bodybuilders, and hemp is a great addition to your usual poison. Whether you use whey, egg, or vegan powders, consider adding hemp to the mix. You’ll get great nutty taste, good fats, and moderate amounts of protein to help you reach your goals.

Hemp oil is best used for salad dressing, a drizzle on breads, homemade mayonnaise, and plain on a spoon as a dietary supplement. I can’t hack it alone, but then I can’t even eat coconut oil off of a spoon, delicious as it is. You may also add it to soups once in their serving bowls.

The oil is also fantastic for moisturizing the skin (much like coconut oil). It’s easily absorbed and non-greasy, and you’re getting the benefits of the omega 3s and 6s through the skin.

A fantastic way to use the seeds is to mix them into yogurt or oatmeal with your morning breakfast. One of my favorite things is 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of homemade granola, half a banana, a handful of fresh berries, and 1 tbsp. hemp seeds. You may also add maple syrup if you need it sweeter.

Hemp Seed Recipes

Photo from: My Chef

Hemp Milk

From ManitobaHarvest.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Shelled Hemp Seed
• 5-6 cups Water

Directions:

Combine the water and the Shelled Hemp Seed in a blender. You can create the desired thickness by using more or less water(from coffee creamer consistency to skim).  Blend on high for 2 -3 minutes, or until creamy and smooth.

To sweeten add: banana, dates, figs, raisins, maple syrup, honey or your favorite fruit. Blend again until smooth. You can enjoy it thick or strain it through cheese cloth.

Cheezy Hemp Nacho Sauce

From Kristen’s Raw

• 1/3 cup water
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, roughly chopped (approximately 1 cup)
• 1 cup hemp seeds
• 2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons tamari, wheat-free
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt (I use Real Salt instead)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. This can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Banana Nut Bread

From Hemp-Guide.com

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup Hemp Seed Flour
• 2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1/4 cup Shelled Hemp Seeds
• 1/4 cup chocolate or carob chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix first 3 ingredients with mixer at medium speed until pale yellow. Add dry ingredients alternately with bananas to mixture. Mix at medium speed until well blended.

Pour into greased or sprayed loaf pan (9 x 5 or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2). Bake 45-60 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean and dry. Let cool in pan 20-30 minutes before turning out onto rack.

Hemp Pancakes

From Hemp-Guide-com

• 1 cup of shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
• 3 Tbsp Hemp Seed Oil
• 1 cup organic whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup plain organic yogurt
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• Berries (optional)

Directions

Combine flour, shelled hemp seed, baking powder & soda, and salt in bowl. Combine eggs, yogurt, and water. Whisk in butter. Pour into dry ingredients. Use blender to mix to smooth consistency.

Cook on (buttered) pan / griddle (medium heat). Cook until tops are bubbly – turn and cook until browned.  Makes about 16 pancakes – can be frozen and heated up in toaster.  Optional: add berries while cooking (yes, yes, yes)!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Sowing Seeds of Good Health: Chia
• What to Eat NOW: Summer’s Bounty
• Go Alkaline For Your Body’s Batteries

Photo by: See My Cells

In the previous articles in this series, we looked at how Type As, Type Bs, and Type Os should eat to maintain optimum health. Type AB, you’ll round out the series as the baby of blood types.

The entire theory of eating for your blood type is based on the way each blood type is said to process lectins. Lectins are a kind of protein that bind to a particular kind of carbohydrate in the gut.

A common way to remember how lectins work is to look at the lectin as a protein key which fits into a specific carbohydrate lock. When the right key fits into a lock in the digestive tract, it breaks the cell membrane, which damages the cell.

The goal of the blood type diet is to avoid the lectins that are most attracted to your blood type while eating the foods that nourish the body. Here’s your history and recommendations, Type AB!

History of Type AB

Photo from: Escape from America

You’re a rare breed, type AB! Of course, I’m sure you knew that, but statistically speaking, you comprise less than 5% of the world’s population. Dr. D’Adamo suggests that your blood type has only existed for the last millennium or so, making you the baby of our blood type family.

What’s so cool about you is that your blood type came about as a result of Type As breeding with Type Bs, rather than an environmental adaptation like the other types did.

You’re the chameleon, combining characteristics of both As and Bs. From A, you get the low stomach acid, but from B you get the adaptation to a meat-eating diet. Therefore, the meat you eat is metabolized poorly and gets stored as fat as opposed to being used immediately for fuel.

AB, you’re the enigma. In Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type, Dr. D’Adamo recommends that you combine not only Type A and Type B diet suggestions, but also exercise and stress-management techniques to create a perfect-for-you lifestyle!

Foods to Avoid

Photo from: Gryphon's Aerie

You’re supposed to skip all red meat and pork, without fail. You should also skip chicken, cornish hens, and goose. For you organ meat lovers out there, heart is also on your no-no list.

Exotic seafoods such as beluga and octopus are outlawed, along with bass, flounder, sole, haddock, lox and halibut.  You should avoid all crustaceans, as well.  Aim to eat some form of animal protein zero to two times per week, with a portion size from three to five ounces each time.

You can have most nuts and seeds, hooray!  The ones ones you need to skip are hazelnuts, along with poppy, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds. Otherwise, feel free to go a little nuts on your consumption of these nutrient-loaded foods.

Type ABs tolerate grains better than most types. The only grains you need to avoid are corn, Kamut, and buckwheat. Remember that Japanese soba noodles are made from buckwheat, and some gluten-free pastas are made of corn.

Along with those two pastas, you need to skip artichoke pasta. Artichokes are, sadly, one of the foods that aren’t great for your blood type. Avocado, lima beans, mushrooms, black olives, all peppers, and most sprouts are out for you.

Fruits to skip include bananas, coconut, guava, mango, orange, starfruit (carambola), persimmon, pomegranate, prickly pear and rhubarb.

On the beverage front, you should nix orange juice, soda, black tea, and distilled liquors. Many herbal teas are out, so be sure to check the “foods to indulge” section for the best herbal teas to use for your type.

Because of your low stomach acid, you should skip vinegar (replace it with lemon juice), pickles, pepper, capers, anise and allspice. As for additives, be sure to look for foods that are free of cornstarch, corn syrup, gelatin and almond extract.

Foods to Indulge

Photo from: I'm A Food Blog

Now comes the fun part, foods that you can enjoy to your heart’s content!  The best meats for you are lamb, mutton, rabbit, and liver. You can also have turkey.

When it comes to seafood, be sure to get albacore tuna into your diet. Cod, mahi mahi, mackarel, perch, red snapper, salmon and sardines are all excellent choices as well. Eating an egg a few times per week is encouraged.

You’re clear to have all kinds of dairy, but goat’s milk and kefir are the best for you, according to the diet. Cottage, ricotta, and farmer’s cheeses, feta, mozzarella, along with goat cheese and yogurt are healthful additions for you.

Almost all nuts are fantastic, with the mostly highly recommended being almonds, walnuts, peanuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts, and pistachios. You also get to have tons of lentils, navy and pinto beans, and cannellini.

Millet, one of my personal favorite grains, is high on your list of positive foods. Spelt, amaranth, barley, oats, wheat, rice and quinoa are permissible and positive for Type ABs.

You’ve got tons of choices when it comes to fresh fruits and veggies, so be sure to take advantage of them! Berries, cherries, figs, plums and grapes are wonderful choices from the purple fruits category, and you’ll get lots of antioxidants from them, as well.

Aside from those, be sure to have pineapple and papaya to enhance your digestive system.  Kiwi, grapefruit, and lemon will get you a great vitamin C fix.

In the vegetable category, you can go bananas (not literally, bananas aren’t for you). Beets and spinach will get you plenty of iron on your non-meat-eating days. You can have as many kinds of greens as your little heart desires, but kale, dandelion greens, and mustard greens should be the ones you indulge most frequently.

Cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower are great, as are the alliums (onion, leek, and garlic). Celery and cucumber are great green vegetables for you, as are green, string, and snap beans. Are you getting hungry yet?

Be sure to drink lots of water. In addition to water, you may have coffee, green tea, beer and wine, and many varieties of herbal tea. Chamomile, echinacea, ginger, licorice root, and strawberry leaf tea are the most recommended types.

Tamarind is a cool, exotic flavor perfect for you. You’re welcome to use curry, garlic, horseradish, mayonnaise, mustard, miso, and salad dressing (preferably made from olive oil) to season your foods.

Lifestyle Considerations

Photo from: VTR Editing

You’re passionate, friendly, empathetic, and trusting. You are able to see past rigid social systems which may get you labeled a dreamer (if not a liberal). It’s best for you to work in teams but avoid competitive situations, which are stressful to you.

As you can swing from procrastination to impetuousness rapidly, it’s best to develop a plan and a set of goals for yourself regularly, with some major milestones being weekly, monthly, and annual goals.

On the exercise front, be sure to get 90 minutes to 2 hours of intense exercise per week. You should also be sure to do yoga, Pilates, tai chi, or meditation on the days you’re not exercising vigorously.

Community involvement is important for you, as belonging to a group is part of what allows Type ABs to be at their best. Having alone time in the form of a hobby or solo sport will help you develop more fully as an individual.

Well, that wraps up our series on eating for your blood type. I hope you’ve learned something about your diet and yourself over the last few weeks. I can’t wait to hear how this individualized eating plan changes your health!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Eating Right For Your Blood Type: Type A
• Eating Right For Your Blood Type: Type B
• Eating Right For Your Blood Type: Type O
  

Photo from" Beware of the Blog

Much is made of the importance of nuts in our diet, and with good reason. Seeds are often left off the list, either as an assumption that we know how to use them, or out of sheer ignorance. I think there are five seeds that are essential to a well-rounded diet, and today we’re going to look at the first one.

Paramount in a balanced diet, for me, is chia. Yep, I mean the very same black seed of 80′s clay animal fame (personally, I loved the sheep). The chia seed is absolutely packed with nutrition, and couldn’t be easier to use.

Going to Seed

Photo from: Treasure Lore

Chia was prized by the ancient Aztecs as both a currency and a food. Brings new meaning to the phrase “you are what you eat,” no?  The seed is comprised of more than 60% Omega 3 fatty acids, making it the most Omega 3 dense food on Earth! More importantly, they are a good balance of Omega 3s and 6s.

Besides the (super special) content of essential fatty acids, chia is also rich in boron, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and contains loads of fiber. Chia makes a gentle, natural laxative, too.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil:

“Chia is undergoing something of a renaissance after centuries of neglect. It was a major crop in central Mexico between 1500 and 900 B.C. and was still cultivated well into the 16th century A.D., but after the Spanish conquest, authorities banned it because of its close association with Aztec religion (Indians used the seeds as offerings in rituals).”

If you read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, you probably know all about chia, though you might not know it. He writes about pinole, which the Tarahumara runners carry in their pouches for energy on their ultramarathon-length runs. Turns out, pinole is just roasted and ground chia seed and maize!

Chia for Health Conditions

Photo from: Wild Thyme Kitchen

A fantastic aspect of this plant is that predators stay well away because of the plant’s natural protections which make it poisonous to them. What does this mean for you? Well, it’s almost always grown organically because pesticides aren’t necessary. No herbicides or pesticides in sight, it’s a cheap health food.

As this precious seed is surrounded by liquid, gel-like sacs form around the seed. In fact, chia can absorb up to 10 times its weight in water!  This makes it a fantastic addition to the diabetic diet. It slows the absorption of carbohydrates in the blood stream, giving them more consistent blood sugar readings.

When suffering from nasty heartburn, a teaspoon of chia swallowed straight, followed by as little water possible may help tremendously. Chia seed soaks up whatever liquid it comes into contact with.  In this case, it sucks in gastric acid, providing you with sweet relief on the cheap.

If you’re overweight, chia can help you shed excess pounds. Oh yes, for the same reason they assist in regulating blood sugar and extinguishing heartburn, these little seeds will help your tummy feel fuller, longer, with less food consumption. What’s not to love?

Chia is gluten-free. Don’t let the fact that the plant looks strikingly similar to wheat fool you, even Celiacs can indulge in a gluten-free chia delight!

Doesn’t Matter if You’re Black or White

Photo from: Sun Organic Farm

Chia seed comes in a range of colors, from a soft ivory to jet black. Most individual seeds are a mottled dark gray, but the overarching impression is that they’re black.

You can buy white chia, if you prefer. They’re a bit costlier (as there are less white seeds and have to be carefully sorted), but you may prefer them for aesthetic purposes.

In chia fresca, for example, the white seeds look pretty.  Most experts agree that there’s no nutritional difference between the colors, though some say that the white seeds have a bit less protein. My bags of seeds have white mixed with gray and black, so any way you slice it, you’re getting the nutrition of all of the colors.

Chia Uses

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I confess that once I decided to add chia to our diets, I was a bit stumped as to how to incorporate it. The quick and dirty is that you can use it to top just about anything. Chia has virtually no flavor, so you can add it to smoothies, salads, whatever you normally eat.

However, I’m a concrete example kind of gal, and I needed more information, especially because most of the recipes with chia are for sweets. I’ve had to come up with my own ideas for savory chia applications, but here are my favorite tips:

1. Add chia seed to scrambled eggs. In fact, that’s how I get about half my daily recommended intake (which is two tablespoons). It’s great because I’m getting a nutrition-packed breakfast that keeps me full until lunch time!

2. Toss on top of salads. We use a homemade apple cider vinegar dressing and sprinkle the seeds on after the salad is assembled and dressed.

3. Tell your kids that they’re “chia sprinkles.” I’m not into tricking kids in terms of nutrition, but they do go one really easily, and let’s face it, sprinkles make everything more fun!

4. Use in smoothies and baked goods in place of flax seed. This is especially useful because you have to grind flax to release its mucilaginous properties. This is not so with chia, so it saves you the trouble of washing your blender jar of spice grinder (though you may grind it if you like).

5. If you have something that is finished cooking but not all the water cooked off, such as rice or beans, toss some chia in.  I did this tonight for my lentil “baked beans.” The lentils were perfectly done but still soupy. Instead of cornstarch or flour, or pouring off precious flavor, I just tossed in 1/4 c. chia seed!

Chia Recipes

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Now that we’ve established how to eat chia on the fly, let’s get serious about packing your diet with nutrition.  Enter the formal recipes. I know, dedicated recipes for chia something may not be as much fun as in-the-moment creativity, but it’s certainly useful when you want to bring a healthy treat to your next soiree.

You’ll be the belle of the ball and the talk of the town when you boast that your treat is not only lip-smackingly delightful, but also packed with nutrition and brimming with healthy vitality. Trust me on this one.

Chia pudding isn’t only for the holidays, it’s equally fab in this crazy heat. It’s nice because you don’t need much to feel full and satisfied. I’ve also come across a delightful chocolate chia pudding variety that looks out of this world!

Holiday Chia Pudding

By Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com
Yield 1 1/4 cups

• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup dried coconut, shredded & unsweetened
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked 1 hour, drained and rinsed)
• 4 soft medjool dates, pitted
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon lucuma powder*
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the chia seeds and coconut in a small bowl, briefly stir to mix, and set aside. Blend the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour the blended cashew mixture into the bowl with the chia seeds and coconut and stir. Wait a few minutes and stir again.

You’ll notice the chia seeds beginning to take on a gelatinous texture. Wait another few minutes and stir. Do the “wait and stir” once more, and then place the Holiday Chia Pudding in the refrigerator for about 15 – 20 minutes (or longer, if desired). Then, enjoy.

This recipe will stay fresh when stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days, so feel free to nibble a spoonful here and there – cold or not! It’s all good!  *If you don’t have lucuma, then you can make this recipe without it… still delicious.

Chia Herb Couscous

Recipe modified from  Chiaforhealth.com

• 4 teaspoons butter
• 2 medium green onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons chia seed
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 1/3 cups uncooked couscous
• 1/2 Teaspoon Real salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

Melt butter in a 3 quart nonstick saucepan over medium high heat. Cook the garlic and onions in the margarine until the onions are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the chia seeds and lightly toast for about 30 seconds. Stir in the couscous and salt. Add the broth to the saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes. When ready to serve, take a fork and fluff the couscous. Stir in the fresh basil and the Parmesan cheese.

Banana Muffins

Recipe modified slightly from Foodnetwork.ca

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup ground chia seed
• 1/4 cup Sucanat or palm sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Real Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pureed overripe banana
• 1 cup nut, seed, or rice milk
• 1/4 cup grade B maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Preheat oven to 375°F (176°C). In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, sifting in the baking powder and baking soda. Stir through until well combined.

In another bowl, combine the pureed bananas, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and gently fold and mix through, until combined. Scoop mixture into a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners.

Bake for 23-25 minutes (less time for smaller muffins, longer for larger), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may also add 1/3 c. chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips for more pizzazz!

There you have it, lots of ways to use the small but mighty chia seed. Let me know what you think about the recipes, as well as the creative ways you use them yourself!

Additional Reading on GenXXL:

• Sweet and Satisfying Summer Treats
• How To: Kill Cravings for Cleanses
• Born To Run…Barefoot?