Food Combining

I thought about titling this blog "POOP" but I wasn't sure if you guys would be as interested.

Let me tell you, if there is anything you should obsess about, it should be your poop. Proper digestion and elimination is the KEY to health. If you are looking for a way to get rid of your gas, indigestion, heart burn, lose a little weight, or just wondering why your husband can crap 3 times a day and you are lucky to go number two once...then you might want to consider the lovely little principle of food combining.

Haven't you ever wondered where all your freaking food goes when you eat 3 meals a day but go #2 only once??? Well, it wouldn't surprise you that the average human is carrying around 5-7 lbs of undigested CRAP in their intestines. So next time you want to lose weight...don't try the "super-model" diet of laxatives and candy (which causes a world of problems later in life) give some healthy eating and food combining a try.

This is something that is glossed over in the BE book, so since devouring that book I have read a few books dedicated just to Food Combining.

What is food combining? (Boring, but necessary text book definition)

Food combining' refers to the combination of foods which are compatible with each other in terms of digestive chemistry. Food combining is a basic component of optimal nutrition because it allows the body to digest and utilize the nutrients in our foods to their full extent...Food combining is based on the theory that different food groups require different digestion times. Digestion is helped the most by using foods which have roughly the same digestion time.

Correct food combinations are important for proper digestion, utilization, and assimulation of the nutrients in our diet. The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry. Different foods require different digestive enzymes to aid in the digestive process - some acid, some alkaline. As any student of chemistry will assure you, acids and bases (alkalis) neutralize each other. When acids and alkalines come in contact, they neutralize each other and this retards digestion.

So here is the Cheat Sheet of tips I have gleaned from these books. Some of these are "DUH! You idiot!" type of common sense things, but if you pay attention to them, you will notice a difference. This is a simplified version...

1. Eat, and ONLY eat. I violate this one like everyday. While eating, I love to sit at my computer and read or work, talk on the phone (some of you might have experienced this before when talking to me...sorry), watch TV, plan my day etc...so its a tough habit to break. Ideally, you should eat and DO NOTHING while doing so. This allows for you to:
1) Be present while eating.
2) You can pay attention to exactly how much junk you are putting into your kisser instead of unconsciously shoveling fist-fulls of food in and wondering why you have a stomach ache later...(I might be speaking from experience).
3) Notice how different foods are affecting you as you eat.

2. STOP EATING WHEN YOU ARE 80% FULL. Only super active teenagers and genetic freaks have the capacity to stuff themselves silly and not pay the consequences in weight gain...HOWEVER this doesn't mean that their digestion is great. Your stomach needs room to secrete the hydrochloric acid to break down the food you just gobbled down into small enough particles for your small intestine to absorb the nutrients. If you just ate a huge dinner, odds are, the food in your gut will enter your small intestine 1/2 digested. So you will get 1/2 the nutrients from your food and the rest of the undigested food can either:
A) Start fermenting (ROTTING) in your intestines giving off methane gas (nasty farts)
B) Get stuck and slowly decompose causing overgrowth in bad intestinal flora (yeast, fungus, etc) which can then affect the immune system and the bodies ability absorb nutrients.
C) If it can't be discarded, you might have a hard time...um...getting it out.


3. CHEW!!! Digestion begins the minute you start gleeking on your food. Your salivary glands secrete amalyse which is a chemical that starts breaking your food down. This does a great job preparing the food for the stomach BUT only when you use your pearly whites to break down the bites. 20-30 chews per bite are recommended. This also helps to remind you to EAT YOUR FOOD SLOWER so your stomach doesn't freak out when it goes from empty to full in 30 seconds.

AND NOW FOR THE FOOD COMBINING Perfect Meal Day

1. Wake up Drink 12 oz of water. (You are telling your stomach its time to get to work)

2. If you are going to have juice, now is the time to do it. ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. Juices and fruits digest in 20-30 minutes. A tall glass of vegetable juice is sure to give you a great boost of enzymes and nutrients that can go right into the blood stream.

3. Fruit:
It is important to eat alone because the minute you put your starchy carb waffles drenched with strawberries and maple syrup into your stomach, those berries are likely to sit in your gut for 3 hours. While the starch digests, the fruit sitting on top starts fermenting...and we know the $&it storm that can cause. Best to eat fruits alone, when possible.

3. Eat Sugar alone, or better yet, don't eat sugar at all. Bad yeast love sugar and you can get candida, etc which can then lead into a number of immune and digestive problems down the road...

4. Eat your Starches, Grains, Carbs with only alkaline veggies (i.e. green vegetables) NEVER with Meat Proteins...the reason for this is that Starches need different digestive enzymes than proteins to digest well. This means no more steak and potatoes for you. Ideally you'd eat your Steak, Broccoli and salad. Pass on the bread and potatoes, or wait an hour or two before you have them. This ensures that you will be eating smaller meals which will help you digest better and speed up metabolism.

5. Eat Proteins with Alkaline vegetables.

6. Eat simple foods when possible. Think about the way people ate before we had processed foods and supermarkets. They ate seasonally, and probably fairly simple meals with fewer ingredients. I know it is impossible to eat one food at a time the rest of your life, but when possible stagger your meal ingredients. Eat your salad. Wait 20 minutes, then eat your meat, etc,etc,etc.

7. Dairy. Dairy is pretty much the Devil for your digestive system. This causes an abundance of mucus in the sinuses, throat, intestines which leads to constipation, etc. IF you are going to eat dairy, then have yogurt (preferably goat or soy---which isn't even dairy), or drink Kefir (which you can now get in grocery stores, although the fruity kinds are full of sugar). At least these ingredients are fermented with live bacterial probiotic cultures which can help your digestion. You can eat dairy with nuts and fruit (if you must) according to Body Ecology...no idea why.

Sensible order of INGESTION
1. Water and Juices
2. Fruits, Smooties, Soups
3. Vegetables
4. Beans and Grains
5. Meats, Fish, and Poultry

***NO DRINKING WHILE EATING***
Water can dilute your stomach acid, making it more difficult to digest your food. Ideally you are supposed to be eating smaller bites, chewing your food like crazy, and only eating until you are 70-80 percent full so you shouldn't need to guzzle 2 country-time lemonades with your meal. HOWEVER, I have read some conflicting view points on this. Drinking a modest amount of water with your meal isn't that bad, especially when you are eating primarily fruits, vegetables, legumes, and a modest amount of whole grains, since those foods are 50%-70% water anyway. HOWEVER, if you are eating a steak, eat small bites, chew chew chew, and try to drink as little water as possible since meat proteins are the most difficult thing to digest and you need as much hydrochloric acid as possible.

RESOURCES:
Something I have found among health food books, especially ones geared more to holistic, naturopathic health is that they are cheesier that the mickey mouse club. Great information, but you have to sift through the cheese frosting they drench everything in...

"Food Combining and Digestion," Steve Meyerowitz (easy to understand)
"Fit for Life" Harvey and Marylin Diamond
"Body Ecology Diet" Donna Gates
"Food Combining"--Wikipedia.

"SKINNY BITCH"

Alright, I know that I shouldn't endorse things with swear words, and this book came out like 3 years ago...but I must say that I have found hours of enjoyment (and horror) reading these books. (There is a series of them).

If you are not easily offended you can read the book online for free here

OR I have included a HILARIOUS excerpt I found on the TODAY SHOW website. :) Which I copy and pasted below...

BEWARE: Those skinny bi*ches are vegans...now I think a lot of vegan food is great, but I see no harm eating fish or meat sparingly. HOWEVER...I am beyond complete agreement with them on DAIRY, SUGAR, and ESPECIALLY ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS...ASPARTAME, SACCHARINE, SPLENDA...all powdered cancer as far as I am concerned. Stay away from that crap at all costs.

The difference between Vegans and what I do is Vegans eat NO dairy or meat. They will eat gluten, sugar (good ones will eat that VERY sparingly). I don't eat Gluten, don't eat sugar, and don't eat dairy(hmmm...except for kefir and eggs...so I guess I do eat a little dairy), I will, however occasionally eat meat. You've got to find what is right for you. It was a process for me to figure out the substitutions, but now I cook glorious meals and am compiling a little cookbook for all who care. If you do decide to go vegan, don't be an idiot and just eat salad all day or starve yourself. Be sure to load up on the Tofu, nuts, seeds and simple carbs like Quinoa or Millet.

Enjoy the read. :)
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Excerpt: ‘Skinny Bitch in the Kitch’
Cookbook written with extra salt offers 75 recipes that might surprise you

Today Show Kitchen
Health by the numbers

SPECIAL FEATURE

TODAY
updated 8:49 a.m. PT, Wed., Jan. 9, 2008

The authors of the best-seller “Skinny Bitch” build on their success with “Skinny Bitch in the Kitch,” 75 recipes wrapped with some salty language and in-your-face commentary about the collective wisdom of the fitness world. Here's an excerpt:

Introduction
What’s better than eating? (If you say “sex,” you’re either a liar or a pervert.) The answer is: Nothing! There’s nothing better than eating! We’re total pigs and eating is, without a doubt, our favorite thing to do. We love eating so much, it makes us mad. We have, like, a violent passion for food. When we go out to eat, if something we order is really good, we talk about killing the chef. Or our pets. Or ourselves. Good food makes us want to die ... you know, like that expression, “... to die for.” But ironically, we also care about our health.

It was these two things — our obsessive passion for food and our concern for health — that led us to write “Skinny Bitch.” If you haven’t read “Skinny Bitch” yet, get your head out of your a** and go buy a copy. It will change your life. Seriously. Don’t be fooled by the title; it’s not some dumb, fluffy, weight-loss book. It’s a comprehensive guide on how to eat well and enjoy food. But it’s also a well-researched exposé documenting the shady business surrounding what we eat.

Much of what we learned while researching “Skinny Bitch” blew our minds. So we’ve made it our personal mission to share this information. We wanted to reprint “Skinny Bitch” in its entirety right here in the introduction, but our whore publisher wouldn’t let us. So we’re gonna give you the Cliff Notes ...
Story continues below ↓advertisement

Meat
Hmm ... dead, rotting, decomposing flesh of carcasses. Doesn’t sound like something you’d want to eat, huh? Not to mention the pesticides, hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. Oops! We almost forgot mad cow disease, bird flu, salmonella, E. coli, trichinosis, and mercury. Well, no wonder Americans are suffering from obesity; cancer; liver, kidney, lung, and reproductive disorders; birth defects; miscarriages; and nervous system disorders.

You can call it steak, tuna, bacon, or chicken. No matter how you slice it, it’s a piece of decaying, decomposing carcass. We know you like the taste, but there are other foods out there that mimic the flavor of meat but don’t come with the same side effects. Smarten up, bitches.

Dairy
Got osteoporosis? Researchers at Harvard, Yale, Penn State, and the National Institutes of Health have studied the effects of dairy intake on bones. Not one of these studies found dairy to be a deterrent to osteoporosis. On the contrary, a study funded by the National Dairy Council itself revealed that the high protein content of milk actually leaches calcium from the body. These findings are consistent with many others that blame milk not only for osteoporosis, but also acne, anemia, anxiety, ADD, allergies, asthma, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, and multiple cancers.

Just like human milk is for baby humans, cows’ milk is for baby cows. We’re the only species on the planet that drinks the milk of another species We’re also the only species on the planet that drinks the milk as adults. It’s not only gross, it’s creepy. We’ve been totally duped by the dairy industry and their hundreds of millions of advertising dollars. And now we’re totally addicted to their disease-causing products.

There’s no need for any of them. It’s the new millennium. There are so many awesome alternatives to dairy products. Get with the program, bitches.

Carbs
There is so much bulls*** around carbs now; we’ve got to set the record straight. There are two types of carbs — simple and complex. Complex carbs are not only good for you, but they’re a vital part of your diet. They consist of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and they should be eaten all day, every day. Simple carbs suck and should be avoided: white bread, white flour, white pasta, white rice, and white sugar. Most cookies, cakes, snacks, and processed foods are simple carbs.

So what’s a pig to do? Have her cake and eat it — just make the cake with good ingredients. Duh!

Whenever we do interviews promoting “Skinny Bitch,” we’re always asked the same questions: “What do you do when you get cravings for cookies? Or does that never happen to Skinny Bitches?” Um, we’re Skinny Bitches, not aliens! Of course we get cravings for cookies. And when we do, we eat ’em!

Unfortunately, most people have no idea that they can truly enjoy food without getting fat, sick, or sad. So it’s our pleasure (oink, oink) to educate and feed the masses. We hope you’ll love these recipes as much as we do. If you don’t, go have sex, you pervert.

Bitchclaimer
There’s nothing more annoying than recipes with a million obscure ingredients. So we tried to make all our recipes as “normal” as possible. However, there are a few products we insist on using, despite their potential to peeve you. You may not have whole-wheat flour lying around in your cupboard, but too bad. White flour is crap for your body and should only be used when absolutely necessary. Whenever we can, we use products that are as pure and healthy as possible. And we want the same for you. We want you to replace your old, sh***y ingredients and start eating better.

Now granted, there’s nothing wrong with olive oil. In fact, we love it. But did you know that when you heat most oils at high temperatures, you change their molecular structures, causing free radicals? And that free radicals have been linked to heart disease and cancer? Well, we knew that (we’re really smart), so a lot of our recipes call for coconut oil instead. Yeah, you may have to go to the health food store to buy it, but isn’t a trip to the health food store better than a trip to the Emergency Room?

So if you come across a few ingredients that irritate you: Don’t hate. Appreciate. We love you and we want you to enjoy food and be healthy. We have a glossary in the back to explain some of the funky stuff. So quit your bitching, restock your cabinets, and get cookin’.

(Don’t worry though — there are some naughty, crappy ingredients in here, too.)

Excerpted from "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch," by Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman. Copyright 2007. Reprinted with permission of Running Press paperback.

SMOOOOOOTHIES

Hmmm...did I say I would be neglecting my blog over the 4th? Scratch that...how about the month of July. But now I am back with a vengeance with a list of wonderful topics that have been marinading in my brain for a month now...lets hope this is a worth it...without further ado...

LETS TALK ABOUT SMOOTHIES...
Most people think, "Oh wow, smoothies are healthy, I'll just go to Jamba Juice and get one of those 32 oz raspberry wonderfuls and I'm good for my fruits and veggies for the day." WRONG...My recommendation is to STAY AWAY from Jamba juice all together...you are better off at McDonald's as far as caloric intake is concerned. What people don't realize that that those suckers are FULL of sugar, high in calories and most of them are lucky to have fruit as a main ingredient.

The truth is Smoothies CAN BE healthy; it just depends on HOW and WHAT you grind up. I will give you some great morning smoothie recipes at the end of this post BUT FIRST...let's talk about materials...

SHAMELESS VITA-MIX PROMOTIONAL SEGMENT
Everyone, regardless of your budget, should have one of these things. If you have to lie, steal, cheat or kill...(or just use a budget) get yourself a Vitamix. I use this machine 2-3 times per day. I puree soups, make smoothies, grind grains, makes salsa, make ice cream, etc....What is a VITA MIX?

It is a SUPER powerful blender. 2 horse power engine (go-cart, people). The benefit of the Vitamix blender is that you can put the entire piece of whole fruit, veggie, etc etc in the blender and it can be blended seeds and all. So, you don't lose the fiber that you do when juicing. You can sometimes find these on sale at Costco. Otherwise they run in the high $300's. Expensive, I know. But if you think about it, a cheap blender is like $50, a cheap juicer is like $200, and food processor runs about $100+ so there is your vita-mix. 3 in 1. I hear the Blendtec blenders are fairly comparable.

WHY EAT GREEN VEGGIE SMOOTHIES?
Green vegetables are high in alkaline, which your body needs to neutralize its acidic state. In the morning it great to give your body a big boost of nutrients (as well as lots of water) because it has been starving and dehydrated from the long night without food. Here are some of my favorite smoothies.

GREEN/VEGGIE SMOOTHIES:

EVERYONE should go out and buy some kind of a greens powder right now and add it to every shake. Most people will rave about their greens powder saying "It's the best on the market" but the truth is, how creative can greens combos get? Most greens powders at Whole Foods are fine. I would stay away from Trader Joe's brand supplements, period. They taste totally nasty and you will burp vitamin all morning. Gross. I currently use a greens powder from pHMiracle diet, which I like. I also recommend the Body Ecology Vitality Super Greens, as friends of mine swear by it. Again, I think any number of greens powders will do.

Don't be afraid of the color, just because you are used to bright pinks and yellows in smoothies, doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a great veggie smoothie. And the trick is add Stevia or Xylitol to make the green drink sweet.

Some of my favs:
PH Miracle Green Drink (from the same cookbook I mentioned before) I altered portion size for to my liking:

1 lime
2 handfuls of Spinach
1/2 avocado
1/2 english cucumber
1 scoop of greens powder
1 pckg stevia for sweetness
1 tomatillo (optional)
5-6 ice cubes
1 Tbsp of Flax seed oil

Options: I also add in mint, parsley, or cilantro for a more zingy taste.
Coconut water (not milk) and lemon can be tasty too. But I wouldn't add all the options in with the recipe... it could get a little swampish.

Blend and enjoy. This tastes very limey, you hardly notice the cucumber or spinach, avocado makes it creamy.

Body Ecology Good Morning Greens Smoothie

1 granny smith apple
4-5 stalks of celery
2 cups of romaine lettuce
1/2 large avocado
1/2 bunch of cilantro or parsley
2 cups of water.
1 scoop greens powder
variations: add lemon or lime, sea salt, and/or cayenne pepper.

Butternut Squash morning shake

1 scoop greens powder
package of frozen butternut squash
stevia to taste
cinnamon to taste
tsp vanilla extract (frontier brand..alcohol free)
1/2 cup almond milk
ice

Blend and enjoy!

Here were some suggestions from Chris Prieto, who wrote in to offer up some great healthful hints: These smoothies help him to detoxify, purify and get his daily servings of fruits and vegetables and vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals and digestive enzymes...

These should be made in a Vitamix or high powered blender.

First, there are some basics that you will want to put in to every shake:
Purified water

Flax seed oil and/or Omega-3 oil mixes

Jay Robb's Egg White Protein (or not, I haven't been lately...if you want to add protein)

Green Vibrance or Miracle Greens powder (I prefer Green Vibrance and if you have not been using it YOU NEED TO!) You can get it at Whole Foods.

Beyond that, just throw in any combination of fruits and vegetables that you want. I use some combination of the following: (ALL ORGANIC OF COURSE)

1 apple

1 banana

Fresh ginger root

3 - 5 romaine lettuce leaves

Celery

Whole cucumber (plus skin)

Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries (I purchase frozen at Wild Oats/Whole Foods - cheaper)

Carrots

Every once in a while I get a crazy streak and try some new stuff such as: sprouted nuts, Raw Rolled Oats, melons or pears.

Thanks for the great ideas. Remember if you have any tips just email me at hilshealthblog@gmail.com
Now go forth health junkies and Alkalize!

More Recipes

I am afraid that I might be neglecting the Health Blog over the 4th. Heading out of town, you know...
But this is a great recipe that my awesome step-mom gave me (world's best salad maker) she got it from a Vegetarian Cookbook and it is mighty tasty...enjoy.

Jicama Salad with Cilantro and Chiles (magazine)
Ingredients:
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 pckg Stevia
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp hot pepper sauce
4 oranges (2 grapefruits)
1 large Jicama, peeled and julienned (3 cups)
2 medium sized cucumbers, peeled and sliced into rounds (3 cups)
1 medium-sized red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno chiles (1 red, 1 green-finely chopped)

Whisk together lime juice, oil, stevia, salt, hot pepper sauce in LARGE bowl.
Trim and peel oranges. Cut in half lengthwise the slice into ½ moons
Add orange slices and remaining ingredients to dressing. Toss to coat.
Cover, Chill 1 hour or overnight.
Serve on a bed of Lettuce.
This makes a lot so be prepared to feed a family or enjoy leftovers for a few days...

Here is one for the Dehydrator...These run anywhere from $50-$250...I got mine at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with one of those 20% off coupons for under $50. They are great if you want to incorporate more raw foods in your diet.

This recipe is from the Ph Miracle Alkalarian Diet Cookbook (Something similar to a Vegan). I would recommend the purchase of it if you like these types of recipes. You can get it on amazon and it ranges from $13-$25. The photos are a little cheesy, but the recipes are great. I actually was set up with Dr. Young's son (before I met my husband) and had a chance to visit the Avocado ranch. They are very nice people and have some interesting views on health. I highly recommend the cookbooks.
Click this link. Scroll to the bottom to find the cookbooks...

RAWSOME REDFORD PIZZA (crackers)
By Shelley Redford Young of Ph Miracle Diet
100% raw pizza cracker

Ingredients:
½ cup ground flax seeds
1 cup water to cover ground flax seeds
1 cup soaked raw almonds
2 cups soaked raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw buckwheat ground
½ cup ground deluxe veggie blend (Jaffe Bros blend of dehydrated cubed carrots, onions, tomatoes, celery, parsley, green pas, and green bell peppers--$13 for 2 lbs)
1 lemon, juiced
1 glove garlic
4 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tb of Sea Salt
2 Tbs Spice Hunter Italian Pizza Seasoning
1 Tbs. Spice Hunter Garlic Herb Bread Seasoning
¼-½ cup water to adjust consistency before spreading on dehydrator sheet.

Grind flax seeds to powder and place in bowl with water. Enough to cover over flax powder. Stir ground flax seeds into water and let thicken while you work on the rest of the crust ingredients. Set aside.
Rinse and Drain soaked seeds and nuts and add them to your Cuisinart (food processor) with all the remaining ingredients. Mix well until you have a smooth thick paste.
Pour the mixture out onto plastic sheet-lined trays for the dehydrator and pat or spatula the mix evenly.
Dehydrate for 4-5 hours and 90-95 degrees, and then cut into smaller squares and transfer to the mesh lined trays for continued drying until crisp (4 more hours) or let crackers continue drying through the night and break the finished pieces up into small pieces in the morning. If done right, these can last up to a month in an air-tight container.

NEW RECIPES:

Three recipes for you to test out.
These are two recipes that I got from my Body Ecology Class from the woman who runs the website Healing Movement. Check out her site on my links.

Sauteed Sea Veggies
1 2oz bag of Arame (soak in water for about 20 minutes
1 yellow onion
2 carrots
2 zucchini
1 bunch of kale
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 to 1/2 of wheat-free tamari (I used Nama Shoyu unpasteurized soy sauce)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp curry powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea Salt to taste


This is the kind of Arame I use. It's about $5 at Whole Foods or less at a Chinese market if you have one of those in your area.

This is what it looks like when you take it out of the package. Do not be afraid.

Soak arame in filtered water and set aside for 20 minutes.
Again, do not be afraid. The good news is when they are done soaking, feed the water to your plants, you will see a noticeable difference, especially if the plant looks like it is dying...the minerals are great.


Now that your arame is soaking. Saute Onion and Carrots in coconut oil, soy sauce, and spices. Add Zucchini. (BTW the nasty wall behind to food is stained that way and was like that when we moved into our nasty apt...I swear.)

Now go tend to your soaking arame.

Whoa! Yeah, I know, its kind of like magic...now you have plump reed-like veggie noodles.


Add arame and about an inch of filtered water to your pot.

Add Kale in bite-size pieces. (Just tear off the leaves, tossing out the stem and bulky spine that runs in the middle of the kale leaves. Kale gets much smaller after a few minutes of the hear, so don't worry about it being too much for the pot to handle at first.

Turn up the heat and cook until water evaporates. Don't forget to stir often. Add sea salt to taste. You are done!


Now here's the kicker...you, of course, will eat this because you are a beautiful, health-conscious individual with adventurous tastes...husbands, children, and other family or friends might not so willingly comply. Here is what you do: Cook it without them seeing the process (then they will for sure refuse to try)...present them with the final product and say that it is a type of Chinese noodle. They will not know the difference, once it is cooked it has a mild taste and a consistency like a noodle. Since I am not a huge fan of deception...once they have eaten it and love it (which they will) then reveal the truth. :)


PUMPKIN-QUINOA MUFFINS (No wheat, no dairy (unless you count eggs), no sugar) TOTALLY AMAZING. (all ingredients can be found at Whole Foods)

1/2 cup Quinoa Flakes
1/2 cup Quinoa Flour
1 can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup Lakanto (order online) (very $$$ but lasts a long time) or sub 3-5 packets of stevia.

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Mix together all ingredients. Lightly grease bottom of muffin pan with coconut oil. Bake for 20-25 mins.
*For variation you can add dry unsweetened coconut flakes, flax seeds, or sliced almonds.

One of my Original creations.

Kale-Red pepper Scramble (2 people, smaller portions)
1/2 onion
1/2 red pepper
3 Kale leaves (torn off spine)
3 eggs
1 tbsp ghee
Herbamare and ground pepper to taste

Saute onion and pepper in ghee until onion is soft. Add Kale, saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 3 eggs and scramble. Season with Herbamare (or Celtic sea salt) and pepper to taste.

Let me know if you like these.
Thanks!

DO I SMELL SEA VEGGIES???

Okay, so they might smell like fish and look like they could do some serious damage to small children but if you take a second look you might find yourself obsessed with these mineral-rich little gifts from the Sea.

WHAT IN THE CRAP ARE SEA VEGETABLES?
I only found out a few weeks ago and now these babies are a regular part of my diet. AND my suggestion is that you make them a part of your diet too.

Sea vegetables are different types of seaweed that grow in the ocean. Why would anyone want to eat sea vegetables? Because they offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean-the same minerals that are found in human blood. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of the B-vitamin folate, and magnesium, and a good source of iron and calcium, and the B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid. In addition, sea vegetables contain good amounts of lignans, plant compounds with cancer-protective properties.

FOR HEALTH REASONS:
They are EXTREMELY good for you. Sea VEGGIES are main staple of the macrobiotic diet and body ecology diets (both diets focus on anti-cancer pro-immune system). Sea vegetables are a very good source of the B-vitamin folic acid. Studies have shown that diets high in folate-rich foods are associated with a significantly reduced risk for colon cancer. (AND BABIES!) They promote thyroid function, Help prevent birth defects and cardiovascular disease.

FOR VANITY REASONS:
What is the culture that ages the best? Umm, that would be the Asians. Having lived in California, I have seen first hand how 55 year old Asian women with 3 kids literally look like they are 30. Now some of that is genetics, but many of them give the credit to sea veggies. Apparently it was a greatly kept secret of the wealthy in Japanese society for thousands of years. From Oceanvegetables.com They contain high concentrations of beta carotene, chlorophyll, enzymes, and fiber to help restore your cells’ optimal health – getting rid of harmful toxins, improving the appearance of your skin and hair, and increasing energy. These incredible ocean plants are your best line of defense against aging.

Now you have your sea veggies and coconut oil and your ready for the fountain of youth.

WHAT ARE SEA VEGGIES:
There are several different types:
Here are the Body Ecology book definitions with a little bit of my 2 cents packed in:

DULSE: Can be eaten right from the package as a snack (although, I personally would not recommend it) Dulse makes spinach look like a sissy in the iron department. Its great in soups, salads, or sauteed.


NORI: What you find in Sushi...Nori is used in Japanese restaurants for making sushi. You can also toast it by passing it quickly over a burner until it changes color from black to green then crumble it onto salads



KOMBU: Can be soaked overnight in spring water to create a mineral-rich broth. Use this medicinal stock for making soups of for cooking your grains.

AGAR: Is used to make aspics, puddings, and gelatin desserts. Its in a ton of recipes you find in the supermarket. As a rule of thumb, for every cup of liquid, use a heaping tablespoon of agar flakes.

ARAME: The fine shredded strands have a crisp texture and sweet nutty flavor. It should be soaked about 20 minutes, chopped and tossed into a salad without cooking. If you want to cook it, I am including a great recipe we got from our class. You can mix Arame with onions and carrots with left over grain and form it into patties, then saute it in coconut oil or ghee.

HIJIKI: This stuff quadruples in volume when you soak it. It requires thorough rinsing when you soak it and longer cooking time.

WAKAME: Oh heaven. This one is my favorites. It starts off looking like little black ashy flakes and then you soak it and it turns into this lush green spinach like vegetable. Not a very strong taste and great in soups or salads.

Now that you are familiar with these amazing little creatures, I will not leave you hanging...next post: WONDERFUL and TASTY SEA VEGGIE RECIPES (complete with pics and all).

COCONUT OIL

SO, I had all this great health momentum and then I went to Utah...not that Utah is unhealthy, but it threw a wrench in my groove and its taken me a few days to get back on track...
BUT
Without further ado...

Lets talk about Coconut oil...



I had always thought that coconut oil was just for the skin and hair...but it has amazing health benefits when ingested as well...

FOR THE KITCHEN
I found this excerpt from an article "Health Living"
"Coconut oil is one of the smartest oils you can use in the kitchen today...It is the only oil that can withstand heat without oxidative damage, because of it's medium-chain triglicerides also called MCT's (lauric, caprillic, and capric acids)... These MCT's offer a myriad of health benefits. Lauric acid is the same acid compound found in mother's milk and contains very strong antiviral and antibacterial properties. MCT's are funneled directly to the liver and converted to energy (YAY) much like carbohydrates. THEY ARE NOT STORED AS FAT. Because MCT's are smaller, they permeate cell membranes more easily and METABOLISM INCREASES (YES!) helping you to LOSE weight. Better yet, multiple studies show that populations who consume high levels of coconut oil generally have lower levels of blood cholesterol and heart disease when compared to other cultures."

Great news huh? Whoever heard of an oil that helps you to lose weight?! My recommendation is substitute all cooking oils for coconut oil. You can saute in olive oil or use olive or flax seed oil in your salad dressings but I tell you I cook with Coconut oil now for all my soups, saute veggies or meats, and pop popcorn with the stuff. You can even add a tablespoon to a morning smoothie etc.

Here's one important detail...
YOU NEED TO BY EXTRA VIRGIN UNREFINED OIL...It looks like hard coco butter...but melts instantly with heat. This is the best type for you. I just find the cheapest version at Whole Foods and cook away.


OTHER BENEFITS:

1. Great for damaged hair
2. Great for skin because it is an anti-aging moisturizing wonder. Use it just like lotion. Helps protect your skin from aging effects of oxidation. it penetrates deep into the connective tissue helping to smooth wrinkles, and make the skin strong and supple.
3. Also great make-up remover...

SO...
Coconut oil is a little pricey. Usually ranging from $11-$22, for a 16oz jar...but it will last you a good month with cooking, and hey, we all know how much we spend on freaking moisturizer.

Now go enjoy yourself some Coconut oil. :)

For more info visit these links:
Organic Facts
Marie Claire's article
Cheesy video but very informative.

HUNGRY ANYONE?

Well that's probably because you are dehydrated...

Most people mistake hunger for thirst...you fill your body up with diet soda thinking its healthier (arsenic people)...juice (usually PACKED with sugar and carbs) and alcohol that actually dehydrates you and screws with your blood PH levels...

Here are my water tips for the day:

1. You should be drinking your body weight divided in half in ounces everyday (and that's NOT including days that are 102 degrees with 100% humitity or where you got ambitious and decided to sweat it out at the gym).


That means if I weighed 100 lbs (right...) then I would need to drink 50 oz of water each day just to keep me hydrated.

2. You should have 12oz or more before you eat ANYTHING in the morning. This not only jump-starts your metabolism, but when you wake up your body has been starving all night and needs to hydrate.

3. DO NOT drink with meals...Drink 15 minutes before...CHEW A TON (30 times per mouthful)...water with meals dilutes digestive enzymes causing more stress on the gut. If you wait 20 mintues after your meal you will serve your digestive system SO much more.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE FREAKING WATER BOTTLES LITTERING EVERYWHERE?
"Plastic litter is filling up America’s landfills at an alarming rate. Most plastic drinking water bottles are designed for one time use and then thrown away. Every cheap plastic bottle produced uses up precious oil which is non renewable and sends money out of America and into foreign oil producers’ pockets. New Wave addresses this issue by producing only bottles that can be used again and again. Our products include bottles made from Polycarbonate, Stainless Steel and Revolutionary Corn-Based Bottle."

Here's the answer: GET A FILTER AND A 1 liter WATER BOTTLE...make sure it doesn't release toxic gas...(glass, stainless steel, and REALLY HARD PLASTIC is usually okay). Fill it up twice per day.

www.enviroproductsinc.com This is where I bought some of mine. They are great because they have a wide-mouth and allow me to add ice, etc to them.

WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE WATER?

GREAT, I have a perfect solution for you...



1 liter water bottle with filtered water (I love the pink...)
1 small lemon (or lime) cut into fourths and squeezed into the bottle
5-7 Stevia drops (or 1-2 packets of Stevia)
2 slices of cucumber (optional)
sprig of mint (optional)
5-7 PH drops (I use PH MIRACLE DROPS but you can find any trace minerals from the health food store to infuse your water with some neutralizing PH...)
THis tastes like LEMONADE...


**Notice my little herb garden I've got going on in the background... :)
MORE ON STEVIA AND PH Balancing your water to come...

K is for Kefir...

I love this stuff. I started by drinking 2oz. at night before bed just a few weeks ago. I started sleeping better almost immediately. Kefir is PACKED with probiotics to help pump up the "good bacteria" in your intestinal flora. The more the merrier. It is great if you have been on antibiotics (those kill ALL the bacteria), have a sugar addiction, have been on birth control, suffer from stomach problems, have a wooden leg...etc. It is one of those "miracle drinks" that occurs naturally. Move over Tahitian Noni! You can drink the kefir milk (Helios is the good brand--get plain--the other kefir is packed with sugar--buy at Whole Foods or Wild Oats) it has a strong sour flavor. OR get the Young Green Coconut water Kefir. You can make this at your house.

Here are some informative articles...

Elixer in a Hairy Shell
By Dani Katz
(page 1 of 1)
If the name coconut-water kefir doesn’t sound amazing enough on its own to make you want to just dive in and gulp it down, perhaps a little 411 on the topic, will.

Widely reported benefits of a regular coconut-kefir regimen include better digestion, hormonal balancing, enhanced immunity, relief from joint pain, clearer complexion, improved vision, and increased energy levels. Coconut-water kefir is purported to eliminate sugar cravings and cleanse the endocrine system. But none of this compares to the best thing about it—it’s a great cure for a hangover.

For more...


Why Kefir is Essential to shed pounds...

To order or learn more go to
www.mytonix.com

UPCOMING TOPICS

1. Cooking with Sea Vegetables
2. Kefir and Cultured Veggies
3. The Benefit of Raw Foods
4. Healing Massages
5. Seasoning must-haves in the kitchen
6. Gardening at Home...even if there is no space...

We'll see how much more ambitious I get...

WELCOME!!!

I am so excited about learning new things and cooking great healthfood that I want to share it with all my friends. I want this to a place for young mom's and health conscious individuals to find resources on the web to help them to enrich their lives and the lives of their loved-ones.

I am seeing my own well-being and energy increase from eating great food and discovering a great new way to live life less stressfully. I want to create a place for everyone to be able to share their own health ideas, tips, and wellness information.

The focus is on all things green and healthy. From food to skin care, from the environment to make-up. All ideas welcome! I am going to start with compiling a nice little link list. If you have ideas then please send me your favorite recipes, websites, etc and I will create an entry on my blog for you!

hilshealthblog@gmail.com

Thanks!