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Ingredients:
Method:
Put ice cubes into a blender and blend until crushed. Add berries, almondmilk and almond butter and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes on a large parchment-lined sheet tray, cut-sides up. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter 2 tablespoons Parmesan and 2 tablespoons basil evenly over top. Roast until juicy and bubbling, about 20 minutes; set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fusilli and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add zucchini, lemon juice, remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan and 2 tablespoons basil. Toss to combine. Divide pasta among four plates, top with tomatoes and serve.
Enjoy!
What is metabolism? It is the complex physical and chemical processes that occur in living cells necessary for maintaining life. This process breaks substances down to yield energy vital for life. Enzymes play a vital role in the syntheses that occur during metabolism. Enzymes break down polymeric macromolecules into smaller building blocks allowing the body to absorb them for energy. Most of us learned the Kreb cycle at some point in a biology class, and the impression we get is a very linear process. Metabolism is not that simple.
“For an enzyme to be functional, it must fold into a precise three dimensional shape. How such a complex folding can take place remains a mystery. A small chain of 150 amino acids making up an enzyme has an extraordinary number of possible folding configurations: when tested there are 1,012 different configurations every second, it would take about 1,026 years to find the right one. Yet, a denatured enzyme can refold within fractions of a second and then precisely react in a chemical reaction. It demonstrates a stunning complexity and harmony in the universe.”
- From R.L. Lewis, The Unity of the Sciences: Do Proteins Teleport in an RNA World?
This quote is telling the story of a very small molecule in the whole process of metabolism. It speaks to the indescribable complexity of metabolism which has been labeled by scientists as “infinitely networked”.
Now try to google "an expanded chart mapping glucose metabolism / metabolic pathways" and see the dizzying, non-linear map of glucose metabolism. It will give you a headache just looking at it.
What is my point???
It is not my point to say it is fruitless to research and study. But, it is my point to say it is pointless to count calories. It is not fun. It is not a sustainable habit. It is not where one’s time and energy should be focused when it comes to nutrition.
What do we know? We know that real, whole food works. We don’t know the intricacies of how it works, but we know it does work.
Not only is metabolism too complicated to understand but each person has a metabolism that is as unique as one’s finger print.
More than anything eat lots of green veggies. Eat lots of all the other colors of veggies. Eat fruit. Eat nuts, seeds, and beans. Eat some whole grains and potatoes. Eat a little bit of animal products but not every day and not too much. Make this your lifestyle. Don’t sweat special occasions - indulge and enjoy those times.
Real food is self-correcting. Trust it. Man’s years on the planet and our bodies’ design are in a special unity and synergy with real, whole plant foods that sustain the vitality of life and prevent disease.
Ingredients:
Method:
In a medium bowl, combine oats and spice mix, then stir in applesauce. Evenly distribute oat mixture among 6 lidded jars (or other containers) and top each with 1/2 cup water. Cover the jars and place in the refrigerator overnight. (Oatmeal will keep up to 5 days.) When ready to serve, heat the prepared oatmeal or enjoy it cold.
People often share with me how they need to improve their eating habits and eat more healthfully. They know that eating more vegetables and fruits is vital to improving their eating habits. The objection that is most often raised is, “I don’t like broccoli” or “ I don’t like spinach” or “I don’t even know what kale is.”
Eating is a behavior. I will try to prove it to you. What do people in China eat? Chinese food. What do people in Mexico eat? Mexican food. What do people in India eat? Indian food. If a child from Vietnam is adopted and moves to the US does this child refuse to eat American food and demand Vietnamese food? Of course not, although this child would almost certainly be better off. By now you are getting the point. There may be some hard-wired genetic preferences of taste, but simply by observation one could argue that how one is socialized culturally into eating is the most significant factor.
Because eating is a behavior and is learned, one can unlearn bad eating habits and learn new, healthier eating habits. Rather than focusing on what not to eat begin by focusing on what to eat. First, begin to experiment with the diversity of foods. For example, the cruciferous vegetables are some of the healthiest disease fighting plants. You might be thinking, “What is a cruciferous vegetable?” Here is a list and it is not exhaustive: broccoli, broccolini, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, roman cauliflower, Russian kale, black kale, collards, brussel sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, kohlrabi, mustard greens, arugula, radish, and on and on. Simply within the family of kale there are many varieties. The diversity of vegetables and fruits to try is almost endless. Some of the reasons one may not like the taste of a particular vegetable is it is not in season, it was not grown organically, it was not local and therefore harvested too soon, and finally, it was not prepared well.
I remember my wife and I had some good friends over for dinner several years ago. We served as an appetizer, beets on whole wheat artisan bread with goat cheese. The beets were several varieties... the typical dark purple/scarlet beets, beets that are pink and white striped and orange colored beets. The beets were beautiful to look at and as diverse in nutrients as they were in color. The beets were baked in the oven at 350 degrees with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, ground black pepper and fresh rosemary. As one of my friends was eating he commented on how beautiful and tasty the appetizer was and then asked what it was. When I told him they were beets he said, “I hate beets." Well, he didn’t hate beets anymore. He described his childhood of canned beets. They were mushy in consistency and from a can and had the same shape as the can. No wonder he didn’t like beets! I believe this story may too often be the case.
Therefore, begin experimenting with the beautiful diversity of nutrient dense vegetables and fruits. I challenge you to pick out a new vegetable or fruit each week, find a recipe and give it a try. Remember to go local, in season and organic as often as is possible. Will the experiment be 100% positive? Probably not, but no doubt you will find a whole new variety of beautiful, nutrient dense veggies and fruits to enjoy. Taste buds change their preferences in a period of 3 to 8 weeks. One last challenge... try to eat at least 5 different colored veggies and fruits a day.
Ingredients:
Method:
Place halibut in the bottom of a pan or deep skillet just large enough to hold it with only a small amount of space around it; cut fish in 1 or more pieces if necessary. Pour in oil to just submerge fish. Place over medium-low heat and cook until halibut is just barely opaque in the center, about 20 minutes. Lift the fish out and let it cool on a plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, ginger, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil the fish cooked in. Add the celery, cucumber, parsley and green onions, and toss well. Flake the fish into large pieces, add to the bowl and toss again.
How Many Nuts Is The Right Amount For A Snack – Just 200 Calories???
Ingredients:
For serving:
Method:
Cook quinoa and lentils or mung beans separately according to package instructions. Divide quinoa among four bowls. Top with lentils, kale or broccoli and your choice of tofu, chicken or salmon, if using. Garnish with avocado. Serve with liquid aminos, herbs and lemon wedges.
Enjoy!
An old story: Six blind men are asked to describe an elephant. Each feels a different part of the elephant’s body: leg, tusk, trunk, tail, ear, and belly. Predictably, each offers a vastly different assessment: pillar, pipe, tree branch, rope, fan, and wall. They argue vigorously, each sure that their experience alone is the correct one. (taken from Whole – by Dr. Colin Campbell)
In 1962, 13% of the population was obese and in 2008 it is more than 1 out of 3 Americans at 34%. Type 2 diabetes doubled between 1980 and 2008. Hypertension increased by 30% between 1997 and 2009.
Why?
We have more medical advances than anytime in medical history. We know more about the component parts of nutrition than ever before. The supplement industry is making $25 billion dollars a year. We have more prescription drugs than ever before. And guess what? The side effects of these same prescription drugs is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US behind heart disease and cancer. (Again, check out Whole by Dr. Campbell!)
Our modern science breaks it all down into fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and this information is on every package. We have been sold this idea that these reduced parts are the keys to nutrition. We have slowly come to believe that the component parts of an apple, in supplement form, are better than just eating an apple.
Dr. Esselstyn a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic conducted a study beginning in 1985. His findings were published at 5 years and 12 years respectively. In the eight years prior to his study his 18 patients with cardiovascular disease had a total of 49 coronary episodes (heart attacks, angioplasty, bypass surgery). Esselstyn put his patients on a whole foods, plant based diet. During the 12 year period there was only one new cardiac episode, and it was a patient who had veered away from the whole foods, plant based diet. Those who stayed with the whole foods, plant based diet became cardiac-symptom free. According to Dr. Colin Campbell this is the most profound health research ever.
I am not saying researchers should not research. I am not saying that there is not a benefit to researching component parts. We know that vitamin C fights scurvy. We know that female athletes need more iron and a supplement may be beneficial. But, nutrition cannot be reduced to solely an attempt to understand each component part. In fact the whole is more than the sum of its parts because we don’t understand the whole, whole. The apple mentioned previously does a lot more inside our bodies than all the known apple nutrients ingested via supplementing. The whole apple is more than the sum of its parts. Nutrition is really about Wholism.
A diet centered on whole foods that are plant based can literally heal so many diseases and conditions that the most natural conclusion regarding disease is that the most basic cause of disease is poor nutrition. These diseases are manifested in thousands of different symptoms. Sadly our modern nutrition, supplementing, and prescription drug companies focus on symptoms instead of the underlying cause – poor nutrition.
Recently my wife and I began watching a new series that airs on Sunday nights called The Wonder List. Bill Weir the host travels to areas of our planet that are unique and may not be that way for much longer. In the second episode of the series he visited Ikaria, a Greek island and so-called blue zone. Several years ago I read a great book called Blue Zones by Dan Buettner. Blue Zones are areas where the rate of centenarians is substantially greater than the rest of the world. The original book included four blue zones – Sardinia, Okinawa, Nicoya, and Loma Linda. Ikaria is the 5th blue zone.
So, what did they find on the island of Ikaria?
· 1 out of 3 live to 90 years or more
· Cancer rates are 20% lower than the rest of the world
· Heart Disease is 50% lower than the rest of the world
· Dementia is almost non-existant
But, why??? Science cannot pin it down exactly, but these are cultural lessons that may be part of their secret.
· Goats Milk / Cheese – great source of protein, calcium and potassium. High in the stress-relieving hormone tryptophan. Goats pre-homogenize their milk making it more tolerable to human beings.
· Movement is woven into daily living- daily gardening / yard work /walking to visit neighbors
· Mediterranean Diet – meat only on special occasions and lots of vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains all enjoyed with cholesterol lowering olive oil.
· Herbal Tea when visiting with friends and neighbors – these teas lower blood pressure, are high in anti-oxidants and flush the body of sodium
· The Nap! People who nap reduce their risk for heart disease by 35%
· Fasting – the Greek Orthodox has fasting built in and occasional fasting slows the aging process
· Friends and Family – Ikarians make relationships familial and social a priority
Find ways to intentionally weave these habits into your life and become like one of the Ikarian men Bill Weir interviewed who said, “I forgot to die.”
http://www.bluezones.com/2014/03/ikaria-exploration-lessons/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/travel/gallery/the-wonder-list-ikaria/
