My vegan and vegetarian friends say they are always asked about how they get their protein. However, recent research has pointed to the fact that it is easier than you think to get your protein needs met even without eating meat. Protein, along with fat and carbs, is one of the three macro nutrients that are essential for life. You have protein in every cell in your body. Protein is composed of amino acids. Non- essential amino acids can be made by your body but essential amino acids must be obtained through food or supplementation. Proteins are lumped into two categories- complete and incomplete. A complete protein contains all nine of the essential amino acids in the correct ratios. Incomplete proteins either lack some of the essential amino acids or the amino acids aren’t in the correct ratios the body needs. However, a protein can be made complete by combining more than one incomplete protein. Conventional wisdom use to state that to make a complete proteins the incomplete proteins had to be eaten in the same meal. It is now known that as long as you eat your incomplete proteins within 24 hours, they will combine to make a complete protein. Below is an easy list to help you form complete proteins. Simply eat food from two or more of the different categories in a 24 hour period and you will get all the amino acids needed to form a complete protein.
GRAINS : barley, corn meal, oats, rice pasta, bulgar, wheat, amaranth, spelt, quinoa, millet or other whole grains.
LEGUMES: beans, lentil, peas, peanuts or soy products.
SEEDS & NUTS: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, nut butters or other nuts and seeds.
VEGETABLES: leafy greens, broccoli, corn, mushrooms, carrots, yams or other vegetables.
New information recently released from Italy calls the current suggestion of drinking red wine for heart health into question. Previously, resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, chocolate, and grapes, was thought to provide some protection against heart disease, cancer and to lower cholesterol. However, a study conducted in Italy that followed 783 Tuscan men and women for over ten years found no relationship between the level of resveratrol in urine and death rates from heart disease or cancer. In fact, those subjects with the lowest rate of reserveratol had the least chance of dying from heart disease. Cancer rates did not differ significantly across urinary levels of resveratrol. In fact, most of the previous positive data about resveratrol has come from in vitro or animal studies and some of that data was later found to be falsified. So does this mean we should stop enjoying our red wine? If your are drinking wine solely for the reported health benefits, then you may have to rethink your consumption. However, if you drink wine because you enjoy the taste and the health benefits were just a bonus, then continue enjoying it in moderation. I, for one, plan to continue indulging in a little wine in combination with a healthy whole foods diet and regular exercise not because of the potential health benefits but because I enjoy the taste. Until more high-quality research is available on the benefits of resveratrol, experts say they can’t recommend resveratrol supplements for anti-aging or disease prevention.
For most of the Eighties and Nineties, fat was considered something to be avoided at all costs. People went to great lengths to replace fat in their food, often by adding sugar and other fillers to replace the taste and satiety feeling fat provides. Luckily, however, fat is beginning to make a comeback in our diet. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that fat is necessary to our health, particularly omega 3 fatty acids. Omega -3’s are an essential fatty acid, meaning our body cannot produce them on it’s own. These inflammation fighting fats must be obtained from our diet. Two crucial ones, EPA and DHA, are primarily found in certain fish and pasture raised beef. ALA, another omega-3 fatty acid which can be converted to EPA and DHA in the body, is found in plant sources such as nuts and seeds. The benefits of omega-3s are well documented in the scientific literature.
Fish oil supplements seem to help with rheumatoid arthritis by decreasing stiffness and joint pain.
Omega-3’s may protect against heart disease and stroke.
DHA is important for visual and neurological development in infants.
Fish oil supplements seem to help combat depression and can be important in the fight against postpartum depression. It seems to increase the effectiveness of some antidepressants.
Omega-3’s may also help in the treatment of ADHD and dementia.
Now that the benefits of Omega-3’s are obvious, you may be wondering how to increase this necessary substance in your diet. Scientists recommend trying to get your omega-3’s from your food not through supplementation. Salmon, tuna, anchovies, herring, blue fish, lake trout, grass fed beef, eggs from pasture raised chickens, sturgeon and sardines are all good sources. (However, with the concerns about methyl mercury in fish experts recommend you limit your exposure to large, predatory fish to no more than 7 oz a week- less if you are pregnant or a child.) Vegetarian sources of omega-3’s include flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, cauliflower, purslane, perilla oil and chia seeds. Unfortunately, it is unclear if these vegetarian sources provide as many of the benefits as non-vegetarian sources. Most vegetarian sources contain ALA which our body must then convert into DHA and EPA to reap the benefits. It is estimated that as little as only 5% of ALA actually gets converted by the body. Supplementation may be necessary for vegans and vegetarians to meet all their omega- 3 needs.
With all this compelling information about the amazing benefits of including healthy, tasty fats in your diet, tell me how you plan to ensure you are meeting your need for omega-3’s.
A prescription to eat chocolate? It sounds to good to be true but it may just become a reality in the future given the surprising benefits the medical community is finding about consuming dark chocolate.
A recent German study found that people with mild high blood pressure who ate a daily dose of dark chocolate saw a significant drop in their blood pressure. Their counterparts, who ate a similar amount of white chocolate, saw no drop in blood pressure. Both groups adjusted their total daily calorie consumption to account for the added chocolate calories.
An Italian study divided people into three groups. The first group received 100 grams of dark chocolate, the second group had 100 grams of dark chocolate with a glass of whole milk and the third group received 200 grams of milk chocolate. The study found that the people who ate dark chocolate by itself , showed the highest level of antioxidants in their blood. Dark chocolate is loaded with the anti-oxidants polyphenols, flavanols, catechins, among others. These anti-oxidants are excellent at fighting free radical damage and have also been found to lower oxidized LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Another recent study found that certain “good” bacteria in the stomach called Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria eat dark chocolate, ferment it and then release anti-inflammatory compounds that benefit cardiovascular tissue, reducing the risk of stroke.
Studies show dark chocolate is also loaded with vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. In fact, some view cravings for chocolate as a sign of a possible magnesium deficiency. Dark chocolate also offers a fair amount of fiber.
To reap the benefits of chocolate, not just any old chocolate will do. You must eat dark chocolate which is at least 70-80% cocoa content and even with all these benefits, moderation is key. Chocolate is still a high calorie food with some added sugar. (Although, the higher the cocoa content, the less the sugar.) Look for a good organic brand to get your daily fix. One to two squares of dark chocolate savored each day is all you need to reap these health benefits.
My nutrition class this last month was focused on supplements and folk remedies for helping clients achieve optimal health. While all the new knowledge I gained will be incredibly helpful with my clients, one of the most important pieces of information I gained was how zinc deficient I am. Our whole class participated in a very simple zinc deficiency test which involved holding a solution of zinc in water in our mouths for 30 seconds. Depending on when we began to actually experience the solution as tasting bitter was considered an indication of our zinc status. Some people’s faces almost immediately registered an unpleasant taste. I, on the other hand, went the full 30 seconds with barely detecting any flavor. This lack of bitter flavor detection is considered a sign of my zinc deficiency and lead me to begin researching zinc.
Zinc is an incredibly important nutrient that is involved in the formation of over 300 enzymes in the body. It is part of immune response, protein synthesis and cell division. It aids in the production of testosterone, helps with blood sugar balance and metabolism. It is crucial for growth and development, wound healing, energy level maintenance and mood regulation. I had always heard that zinc can be helpful when fighting a cold, but I had no idea it was involved in so many important processes in the body.
Zinc is an essential nutrient, meaning it must be received from food. Our body does not produce zinc. The recommended dosage of zinc is only 10-20 mgs a day based on your age and health conditions. (Our ability to absorb zinc decreases as we age and those with gut issues may have a difficult time absorbing zinc.) Excellent food sources of zinc include oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, lobster, pork, dark meat chicken, cashews, chickpeas and grains properly prepared with soaking and sprouting to reduce phytic acid. With all these yummy sources of zinc, you have many opportunities to meet your daily zinc needs. EAT UP!
Recent research has offered support to the old adage “Eat breakfast like a king. Lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. ” A study published in Obesity randomly divided 50 overweight and obese woman into two groups. Each woman received a total of 1400 calories divided throughout the day. The first group, the Breakfast group received the majority of their calories in the morning (700 calories for breakfast, 500 for lunch and 200 for dinner). The second group, the Dinner group, received the majority of their calories for dinner (200 calories at breakfast, 500 for lunch and 700 for dinner). The only difference between the two groups was the timing of the bulk of their calories. The results were astounding. While both groups lost a significant amount of weight, the Breakfast group lost twice as much weight and showed a significantly greater reduction in their insulin levels and fasting glucose levels. The Breakfast group also had a 33.6% decrease in their triglyceride levels while the Dinner group’s triglyceride levels increased by almost 15%. The Breakfast group also reported feeling more satiated throughout the day than the Dinner group.
What can we learn from this study? Researchers for years have pointed to the importance of eating breakfast. It is well documented that people who eat breakfast have more energy throughout the day, are better able to stay focused and tend to eat less throughout the day. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes the body is most focused on digestion during the morning hours so consuming the majority of your nutrients during this period means your body will receive optimal nutrition. Of course, the quality of the breakfast is important. Sugary cereals, white bagels with cream cheese or waffles loaded with syrup are going to spike your blood sugar and then lead to a energy crash. Be sure to add some protein and maybe a healthy fat to the start of your day. This fat or protein will help anchor your carbs, slowing digestion and keeping you feeling full longer. Good choices for breakfast include:
A whole wheat bagel with nut butter and banana.
A bowl of oatmeal, quinoa and other grains with ground flax seeds and berries.
Eggs of any kind served with sprouted whole wheat toast and a fresh fruit.
Chia seeds combined with almond milk, chopped nuts and fruit.
If you are going to have a cereal, try to choose one with the fewest grams of sugar possible. Mix it with a full fat organic Greek plain yogurt or whole organic milk, chopped nuts and some fresh berries.
All of these options offer a complex carb combined with a healthy fat and a significant source of protein. These breakfasts will help you have a healthy start to your day and could be one of the first steps to helping you control your eating throughout the day. Controlled, mindful eating can be an important component of weight control.
When I was a girl growing up in the South, sweating was not considered lady like. An old saying I would hear is “Girls don’t sweat, they glow”. Sweating was avoided at all costs. Now for anyone who has spent even a speck of time in the South in the Summer, you know how hard it is not to get your sweat on. Fortunately, as I have grown up, I have realized how much I actually enjoy sweating, especially when it involves strenuous exercise. I know that if I leave a Boot Camp class or come back from a run with my shirt soaked through then I have done my body good.
Here are some reasons why you should love sweating too!
Sweating helps your body to release toxins.
Sweating helps your body to regulate temperature. If you couldn’t sweat while working out, your body could become overheated, leading to anhidrosis, which can cause dizziness and loss of consciousness.
Sweating helps your pores open up, allowing impurities to escape. It is important to shower after a good bout of sweating to wash away these impurities.
People who workout more tend to have a lower incident of kidney stones. One theory is that the increased time sweating leads to increased release of salt from the body. Salt is one of the main contributors to kidney stones.
Sweating also increases circulation.
Sweating can kill viruses and bacteria that cannot survive above 98.6 degrees.
With all these amazing benefits of sweating, we should all be trying to get our sweat on more often. Tell me about your favorite ways to break a sweat.
One of my favorite parts of Spring is when the Farmer’s Markets start to reappear in Portland. When market season is in full swing here in northwest Oregon, you can find at least one different market a day to search out that perfect, just picked ingredient you are looking for. I love shopping at Farmer’s Markets because it helps me get in tune with what is actually growing in my area at the time. I anxiously wait for those first Hood strawberries and know I have to load up because their season is so short.
These days we are spoiled because in a regular grocery store we can find almost any ingredient we want at any time- the season doesn’t matter. Grocery stores import their product from all over the world. While this gives us a wider array of choices, the transportation around the globe can be hard on the environment. Unfortunately, there are some vital ingredients which it would be impossible for me to find here in Oregon if they were not imported from other parts of the world. Lemons, limes, bananas and pineapples are never going to grow here. So I do make some exceptions. However, since starting my program at The Wellspring School for Healing Arts, I have become much more conscious of trying to eat with the seasons.
Eating with the seasons forces me to eat food at the peak of freshness, loaded with vitamins and minerals. Buying that food directly from the farmers who have grown it allows me to ask questions about how it was grown, when it was picked and to ask them questions about their suggestions for preparation. Foods that are in season are generally cheaper, saving your money. Eating with the seasons has also forced me to try new varieties of fruits and vegetables. Once I was searching for fresh chanterelle mushrooms for a yummy Hungarian Mushroom soup I love, only to find they were done for the season. The mushroom harvester was able to suggest an alternative mushroom which worked just as well. If I had been shopping in a grocery store, it is unlikely the clerk would have had such detailed knowledge to steer me to an appropriate alternative.
Every area of the world will have different foods which are appropriate for eating seasonally for that particular part of the globe. Obviously, these foods depend on climate and geographical location. However, here are some overall guidelines for eating seasonally.
In spring, focus on tender, leafy vegetables which are signs of the Earth reawakening after the long months of cold and snow. Make a nettle pesto or stir up some fresh Swiss chard. Be adventuresome. Browse your farmer’s market stalls for greens you have never tried before. All this new growth packs a nutritional punch- ENJOY!
Traditional Chinese medicine advocates eating lighter, cooling foods in summer. One of summer’s great bounties is the abundance of fruits and vegetables. Strawberries, blueberries, plums, watermelon and peaches are just a few of the fruits which make an appearance. Load up on zucchini, summer squash and eggplant. Summer offers the most diversity in the seasonal eating menu. Make a point to try one new food a week.
As summer fades away, fall continues to offer many options to bring to the table. Fresh mushrooms, butternut squash, pumpkin and winter kale all begin to make their appearance. Think about deep nourishment to warm you from the inside. Warming spices like cinnamon, cumin, ginger and mustard seeds will all turn up the warming qualities of these foods.
As winter approaches, depending on where you live, our choices become a little more limited. Keep in mind the principle that foods which take longer to grow are generally more warming than foods that grow quickly. Parsnips, rutabagas, brussel sprouts and winter greens are all good choices for the winter. Serve these beauties in hearty stews or slow roasted in the oven. The longer the cook time, the more warmth they will impart to the body. Continue your use of warming spices.
With summer quickly approaching, the easiest time to give seasonal eating a try is upon us. What new, local foods are you interested in exploring?
We have all had the experience of sitting down with a bowl of chips and salsa while watching the big game or sat down to eat breakfast with the morning paper only to look down a few minutes later and realize we have consumed the whole bowl of chips or eaten all of our breakfast with no memory of putting anything in our mouth. Not only have we missed the pleasure of savoring the tasty food we have prepared for our self but we also run the risk of eating past the point of being full. When we overstuff our stomachs, not only can it be extremely uncomfortable but it also makes it more difficult for our digestive system to function properly.
Mindful eating offers us a solution to this problem. Mindful eating is eating with attention to what is going into your mouth. It allows you to be fully present in the experience of eating. It requires you to pay attention to the sight, sound, texture, flavors and taste of your food. When you are eating mindfully, you can listen to the cues your body is providing about satiety, making it more likely you will stop eating before you become over full.
Here are a couple of tips to make it easier to start eating mindfully.
Make sure you are actually hungry before you start to eat. If you are only eating because you are bored or anxious then even if you fill yourself with a piece of delicious chocolate cake, you will still be bored or anxious when you finish.
Choose food you are actually interested in eating. If you are only eating something because it is “good” for you, it will be difficult for you to actually feel satisfied when you are finished. This dissatisfaction could send you hunting in the fridge for something to fill you up.
Create a pleasant environment for your meal. Sit down at the table. Don’t eat while driving or talking on the phone. Choose a spot that is only for eating and have all of your meals in this space.
Eat without distractions. This means no reading the newspaper, watching tv or surfing the web.
Take a few deep breaths before you start eating to center yourself and get focused on the meal.
Allow yourself the luxury of time. Put your fork down between bites and focus on chewing your food completely. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to recognize satiety clues.
Pay attention to your food. Notice the taste, texture, smell and appearance of every bite.
Stop eating when you feel about 80% full. Step away from the table as soon as you are done eating.
Notice how you feel when you finish eating. If you feel over full, don’t beat yourself up. Remember you have another chance to make a different choice at your next meal.
For most of us, eating mindfully represents a shift in our relationship to food. As with all new habits, eating with focus and attention will take some time to develop. However, I am confident that if you keep working on this skill, you will notice a real change in your experience with food.
Everyone knows the pleasure and joy they receive when they are fortunate enough to share a meal with people they love and enjoy. Conversely, most of us have also suffered through a tension filled meal and experienced the dissatisfaction and indigestion that can be a result. But how is it possible we walk away from the table after a relaxing meal feeling satisfied and step away from a stress filled meal with a stomach ache? The answer lies in our age old survival instincts.
Our body’s autonomic nervous system has two divisions- the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic system is responsible for digestion, fuel storage, rest and recuperation, and circulation to non-vital organs. This is the system in control when you are relaxed and have time to enjoy your life.
The sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is responsible for your flight or fight response. When your body perceives a danger or is stressed, your sympathetic nervous system diverts blood and energy away from your non essential organs and speeds up your heart rate. It also increases adrenaline and blood pressure. While your body is in a heighten state of arousal, it is unable to focus on non- essential tasks like digestion. It has to focus on helping you escape the danger. Consider this. If it is a question of being eaten by a bear or digesting you food, where do you think your body will put the most energy?
Most of us are not running from bears on a regular basis. However, our body doesn’t recognize the difference between the stress of eating in a tense business lunch meeting and the need to escape a charging bear. In both cases, our sympathetic nervous system takes over, diverting blood from the non-essential task of digestion to focus on safety. I know we don’t always have the luxury of controlling who shares our meals- sometimes, we have to join drunk uncle Tom for Thanksgiving dinner or we are stuck trying to explain those disappointing fourth quarter numbers to the boss. However, we can try to control how we respond to the stress. Sometimes just naming for yourself that this meal is going to be stressful, taking five deep breaths before starting and focusing on chewing your food well can make a big difference in how you feel when you step away from the table.
