Raw milk

A wonderful interview can be found here on the benefits of real, raw milk. It's long, I have to warn you. 50+ minutes long. I chose to watch it in about 5 sittings to make it doable.

According to Mark McAfee, there are two kinds of milk here in the USA: milk for pasteurization and real, raw milk fit for human consumption.

My family and I choose real, raw milk.

Vitamin D

I recently read the book The Vitamin D Solution by Michael F. Holick MD, PhD. This is a particularly important book for all to read because almost everyone is deficient in vitamin D (really a hormone). Please visit his website for a synopsis of the book and then go get the book.

There are a couple of recent articles supporting the importance of vitamin D. One shows how important it is for the immune system particularly during the flu season. Another features Dr. Holick and describes how important it is to get Vitamin D from the sun during the summer months so that you have enough during the winter.

Processed carbs are the problem

Scientific American published an article this month about the lack of evidence vilifying saturated fats and how carbs (particularly processed ones) should be the main target for creating health issues.

In March the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a meta-analysis—which combines data from several studies—that compared the reported daily food intake of nearly 350,000 people against their risk of developing cardiovascular disease over a period of five to 23 years. The analysis, overseen by Ronald M. Krauss, director of atherosclerosis research at the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, found no association between the amount of saturated fat consumed and the risk of heart disease.

Bold emphasis added by me. Yes, there is no evidence because cholesterol has nothing to do with heart disease (this is the lipid hypothesis - a wrong theory that became mainstream) so while saturated fats in the diets may raise it, who cares!

Sadly the USDA did not take this study (or any of the others) into consideration when they posted their new 2010 nutritional guidelines earlier this year. I'm pretty sure they think we're too stupid, although I'm sure the sugar and agricultural industry may have had a teency weency bit to do with it.

Right now, Post explains, the agency’s main message to Americans is to limit overall calorie intake, irrespective of the source. “We’re finding that messages to consumers need to be short and simple and to the point,” he says.

Right, who cares where the calories come from as long as you don't overeat. Geez. This is what we are teaching our kids...or I should say, this is what the schools are teaching and some (ok, most?) parents are teaching the next generation. I'm not teaching it, thankfully, because I've done my own research into what is really, truly healthy for the human body. The body needs fats, cholesterols, vitamins, minerals, etc. that are not found in most carb-rich foods.

And the highlight of the article comes at the end:

“If you reduce saturated fat and replace it with high glycemic-index carbohydrates, you may not only not get benefits—you might actually produce harm,” Ludwig argues. The next time you eat a piece of buttered toast, he says, consider that “butter is actually the more healthful component.”

Beautiful butter. Of course the source of it matters (grain-fed vs. grass-fed) which is why we have switched brands very recently from Challenge to Kerrygold. Yummy.

Thank you to my mother-in-law for sending the article my way.

How little we know about the role of cholesterol in the human body

I was just discussing cholesterol levels with my husband the other day. He had his levels checked when they drew blood for his A1C test. They had all risen, particularly the HDL. It should be noted that his diet has changed dramatically recently, much more meat, especially red meat and fish.

I question whether cholesterol levels, particularly those for HDL, are at a correct range for the body to run optimally. Coming across this study on cholestrol levels and dementia adds to my curiosity.

RESULTS: Cholesterol levels in men with dementia and, in particular, those with Alzheimer disease had declined at least 15 years before the diagnosis and remained lower than cholesterol levels in men without dementia throughout that period. The difference in slopes was robust to adjustment for potential confounding factors, including vascular risk factors, weight change, alcohol intake, and use of lipid-lowering agents. CONCLUSION: A decline in serum total cholesterol levels may be associated with early stages in the development of dementia.

Conventional Wisdom would tell you that any decrease in cholesterol levels is good. Maybe it's not.

Easter Dinner

We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner so much that we have decided to do it again for Easter dinner this Sunday. A few changes have been made (would any less be expected?). The theme of sugar-free will stand but we will now be grain-free as well.

The menu:

Turkey (organic free-range from Whole Foods, 8.25 lbs.)
Gravy
Mashed sweet potatoes
Roasted mixed vegetables (asparagus, broccoli and carrots)
Steamed Brussels sprouts
Grain-free bread with Kerrygold butter

I may or may not do a dessert. Roscoe and I have enjoyed a delightful dessert recently that I will call Primal Pudding. I don't know if my mom will enjoy it as much as we do.

Appetizers are also on my mind. Perhaps some deviled eggs (is this a no-no for Easter?) and/or soaked and roasted seeds and nuts.

We will have to see about wine as well. For Thanksgiving I found a truly wonderful Pinot Gris and would love to indulge again. Would the gravy be as good if I were to exclude it? Probably not...

I purchased some white eggs (recently I've only bought brown ones - the yolks are almost always darker, a sign of more nutrition) for decorating with Roscoe and Rooster. It's been a long time since I've decorated Easter eggs. This will be one tradition to continue along with attending mass (the Easter bunny on the other hand - probably not).

What are your plans for celebrating Easter?

Grain-Free Bread

1 banana
6 eggs
1/2 cup yogurt
4 TBSP buckwheat flour
4 TBSP coconut flour
1 scoop whey powder
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 packet stevia powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2-3 TBSP coconut oil, gently melted

1. Mash banana in a medium bowl. Beat in all eggs. Stir in yogurt.

2. In a separate bowl thoroughly mix together buckwheat, coconut flour, whey, coconut flakes, stevia, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir very well. Try to work out any clumps.

4. Stir in coconut oil.

5. Butter a 7 x 9 baking dish or similar. Pour in mixture.

6. Bake at 280 degree F for 55 minutes.

Best kept in fridge. I always double the recipe so Rooster and Roscoe have plenty to snack on for a week or two.

This is a recipe I have been working on since last summer. It works as a nice replacement for the buckwheat muffins (see picture on top of blog - I miss 'em!) I used to make using grain flour, oats, etc. These are especially good right out of the oven with a little butter or almond butter spread on top!

The skinny on saturated fat

All my life I have heard bad things about fats, and in particular, about saturated fats. Whether it was stories in the news, information from school, literature from the American Heart Association (AHA), it was always to have a diet low in fat, especially saturated fat.

What I have learned recently has put a 180 degree spin on that position.

First, let's look at what saturated fat does in the body:

Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes. They give cells their necessary stiffness and integrity. (This helps with wrinkles - less integrity within a skin cell, more floppiness means more wrinkles.)

Saturated fats play a vital role in the health of bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of dietary fats should be saturated.

Saturated fats lower lipoprotein (a) – A substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease.

Saturated fats protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins.

Saturated fats enhance the immune system.

Saturated fats are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids. Specifically, omega-3 essential fatty acids are better retained in the tissue when the diet is rich in saturated fats.

One of the healthiest ways to consume saturated fat is from coconut; it comes in different forms: oil, milk, meat. I use all 3, although the milk only sparingly. Coconut oil is absolutely wonderful to cook with in place of any current oil you may use. Scrambled eggs are particularly yummy when cooked in it and baked goods turn out wonderfully. I add coconut meat (shredded coconut) to yogurt, baked goods (recipe for a grain-free bread soon to come), cheddar biscuits, primal pancakes, etc. I've used the milk in soups and as a replacement for cow milk a couple times.

There are tons of resources already out there for additional info on why saturated fat needs to be put back into the diet. Here is a quick reference:

The Definitive Guide to Saturated Fats by Mark Sisson at MDA

Does Saturated Fat Cause Heart Disease? by Food Renegade (hint: no)

Get Saturated: 4 Reasons Saturated Fat is Healthy by Elizabeth of Nourished Life

7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat by Dr. Joseph Mecola

Cheddar Biscuits

I adapted a recipe from this wonderful cookbook, Pecans: From soup to nuts. The very first time I made them I stuck fairly close to the recipe, just altered the type of flour I used. The next couple times I went wild with experimentation and came up this recipe:

8 oz. finely shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, room temperature

1 cup finely grated zucchini and/or yellow squash

2 carrots, finely grated

3 eggs, beaten

4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

4 TBSP virgin coconut oil, melted

splash hot sauce

2 tsp low-sodium wheat-free soy sauce

4 TBSP coconut flour

1/2 cup flax seed meal

5 TBSP unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tsp onion powder

sprinkle of cayenne pepper

salt, optional

pecans, optional

1. In a medium bowl combine cheese, carrots, zucchini and squash thoroughly.

2. Separately, mix together eggs, butter, coconut oil, hot sauce and soy sauce.

3. Separately, mix together all dry ingredients.

4. Add egg mixture to cheese mixture and combine thoroughly. Add in dry mixture and combine thoroughly.

5. Oil hands with coconut oil. Take ~1 TBSP of dough and roll in hands to form a ball. Place on cookie sheet about 1.5-2 inches apart from each other. Depress with a fork twice(like you would with a peanut butter cookie; see pic above). If you want to add pecans to the tops, do so now. I actually never added them.

6. Bake at 280 degrees F for 30 - 35 minutes. Let sit a couple minutes, then remove from sheet and place on rack to finish cooling. Keep in airtight container in fridge. Yields ~46.

An alternative to hand mixing is to place all ingredients in a food processor. If you choose this option the butter and coconut oil can be room temperature, not melted.

Rooster loves these - well, we all do. I'm thinking there are many other vegetables that can be added or substituted for carrots, zucchini, etc. Next up is to try spinach, kale, and bell peppers (though not all together).

Sugar

Really, there is no place for it in your diet. Here is a good article to read about how to cut back on sugar.

I cut it out of my diet back in October and then proceeded to have some every once in awhile over Christmastime. Every time I had it I could tell - bloating, mild headache, cravings for more, fatigue, etc. If I had a bunch of sugar in the evening I woke up the next morning feeling like I had a hangover - yes, that bad.

Since the end of December I have switched back to no sugar, and even took it a step further - no grains. Why no grains? First, I get plenty of carbohydrates from vegetables, some fruits (apples, berries, bananas), and some dairy products (yogurt, heavy cream). Second, even complex carbohydrates turn to simple sugars once your body digests them, sure it takes longer but the end product is the same whether you are ingesting simple sugar, refined grains or whole grains. Last, but not least, the body doesn't need grains for any nutrients; I can get everything I need from vegetables, fruits, meat, fat, fish, nuts, seeds, and dairy.

I have been reading a lot recently about grains, sugar, etc., and their response in the body. I will be posting more on this but to touch briefly on the negative reactions within the body:

1. Sugar is toxic within the bloodstream
2. Sugar, when in excess, gets turned into triglycerides (fats in blood)
3. Insulin in high levels (a response to high sugar consumption) causes inflammation in the body
4. Sugar ruins your teeth (internally not just by it's physical presence on your teeth)
5. Sugar interferes with absorption/utilization of nutrients

A list of books I have read/currently reading:

Diabetes Solution by Dr. Richard Bernstein
Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
Living Low Carb by Jonny Bowden, MD
Suicide by Sugar by Nancy Appleton, PhD
Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
*I like to link to amazon; I don't receive any compensation from them

Please don't try substitutions for sugar, either. They are just as toxic to the body.

I am so amazed at what I have learned in the past year about health (particularly my health or lack thereof). Conventional wisdom has it's place but so much of it is wrong. I look forward to learning so much more and sharing it with you here. Thanks for reading!

Primal Pancakes

This is where I found the inspiration.

1 banana
1/2 packet stevia (optional)
2 TBSP almond butter
6 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 scoop unsweetened, unflavored whey powder
3 TBSP flax seed meal (or 2 TBSP + 1 TBSP coconut flour)

2 tsp cinnamon
sprinkle salt

In a medium bowl mash banana. Add almond butter and mix well. Add stevia. Add eggs and mix well. In separate bowl combine remaining ingredients (do this step so coconut flour gets mixed well with other dry ingredients - it clumps!). Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir well.

Start off with the griddle on low - you want these to cook slowly. Place a couple teaspoons of coconut oil in and spoon ~2 TBSP of batter for each pancake. They are ready to turn when you notice the edges are coming up just slightly. They need less time to cook on the second side. Repeat with coconut oil for each batch of pancakes.

Eat them warm - with some butter if you wish. They are also very good straight out of the fridge (if you are controlled enough to have any leftovers - haha).

yields ~16 pancakes