Natural Paleo Fixes for Seasonal Allergies

 

Ahh yes, it’s ragweed and hay fever season again.

Every year, it hits me a ton of bricks. I wake up one morning and find I’m in a sleepy fog, my energy is gone, and my head is full, my eyes are irritated and itchy, and I’m sneezing and wheezing. This spring and early summer, we had more than the usual amount of rain, so I’m guessing the ragweed crop is especially bountiful. Oh joy.

About 1 out of 5 of us are allergic to ragweed in some form or another.

And with over 17 species of ragweed out there, that’s plenty out there to cause allergic reactions.

While some of you may head to your local Walgreen’s to load up on antihistamines, decongestants, and Kleenex, I usually start first with my diet.

While I eat a primarily Paleo style diet year ‘round, I find that really sticking to it during allergy season makes a huge difference in my allergic symptoms and how I feel.

There is a way to get some major relief from seasonal allergies with a Paleo style diet. Yep, that’s right. Diet can really make a BIG difference.

Take a close look at your diet. What you ARE eating and NOT eating has a big effect on the how your body reacts to other allergenic substances.

The thinking here is to avoid foods that cause inflammation—even if those foods do not directly cause an allergy.

I found out that totally eliminating grains from my diet, almost totally eliminated my allergy symptoms as well. And it’s not a gradual thing, but almost overnight, allergy symptoms will improve. While I’m not exactly sure why, I have a strong suspicion that it’s linked to the fact that grains cause inflammation, and inflammation is what makes allergies symptomatic.

Cutting out refined, processed foods that contain lots of sugar, chemically altered saturated fats (hydrogenated oils), and omega 6 (vegetable) oils will help your body's inflammatory load.

This includes anything with white flour, high fructose corn syrup, and chemical preservatives. So forego the cookies and candy for now.

And as much as I hate to say, if you drink, it’s best to eliminate alcohol for now, too.

Both red and white wine contain sulfites and histamines that can really make allergy symptoms worsen. And beer is made from grains and yeast, which is often also a problem—at least during allergy season. Ciders can have these same issues as well.

And you will want to avoid foods that are related to the pollen producing plants.  Here’s a tip from one of my favorite health and nutrition bloggers, Mark Sisson:

“If you know the source of your particular allergy,[i.e., ragweed, tree pollen, etc] you can further pinpoint foods that tend to trigger what’s called “oral allergy syndrome,” a reaction to allergen-related foods that affects primarily the lips and mouth. Check out the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia information on cross-reactive foods for those with seasonal allergies.”

 

For instance, if you have a problem with ragweed, you may also want to avoid bananas and cantelope during hayfever season.

Avoid pasteurized, conventional dairy products as much as possible during allergy season as well. You can be sensitive to pasteurized dairy, and not realize it, but it definitely can increase mucous secretions, and contribute to sinus problems.

If you MUST have dairy, find grass fed dairy, especially the raw, unpasteurized kind.

Grass fed dairy is rich in CLA, which is short for conjugated linoleic acid. Among CLA's many benefits is that it strengthens the immune system and lowers allergy reactions. And, grass-fed has about five times the amount found in the conventional dairy products.

Load up on antioxidant plant pigments—like the ones found in berries, peppers, red onions, and other britghtly colored fruits and veggies, to strengthen your mucous membranes and stabilize your immune cells. And these foods contains particiular nutrients like vitamin C and quercetin that are very powerful natural antihistamines.

Dark green leafy veggies like salad greens, parsley, kale, and spinach also contain magnesium, which can help breathing and stop the wheezing.

And speaking of avoiding inflammation, increase your EFA's.

Essential fatty acids  are known and proven to fight inflammation. The EPA and DHA in wild caught fish, fish oils and grass fed meat is one of the best preventative measures you can take for allergy problems.

Tea, especially green tea, red tea, and white tea contain a flavonoid that not only reduces inflammation for offers support for the immune system. And regular black tea isn’t too bad either.

And there is some buzz on eating local honey, but I am not convinced. Because the bees get their pollen from nearby plants and flowers, the honey can be kind of like an allergy shot. Start with a little bit (a half teaspoonful or so) and work your way up to see if it helps.

Some other quick fixes can be implemented right away to bring about some immediate relief.

  • First and most obvious is to close the windows in your home. Yeah, we’ve had our share of hot, humid weather and most of us are into full-on AC, but don’t get excited over that first cool day and open everything back up again. The pollen is still out there.
  • Lots of folks just swear by a neti pot to rinse out the nose and sinuses daily. Neti pots can be found in most natural foods stores. To the uninitiated, it sounds a little crazy, but it can actually be a soothing and cleansing way to clear out the sinuses and help you breathe easier. Basically, it involves using purified water, a touch of sea salt and rinsing the salt water through the nasal passages. Once they try it, most people find Neti to be a soothing and pleasant experience. I guess it’s time for me to dig mine out and start using it again too.

Beyond that, I recommend a couple other nutritional supplements that work as well as or better (without the side effects) as pharmaceutical drugs:

  • Vitamin C- Taking 2000 to 5000 mg a day will act like a natural antihistamine in addition to its other immune strengthening benefits. Build up your dosage gradually as larger doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea.
  • Freeze dried stinging nettle capsules cut down on the itching, and sneezing of allergies as well. Stinging nettle is thought to be as good as, or better than antihistamine hay fever medications. The dose used is usually two 300 mg capsules taken whenever the symptoms were experienced.

 

I have to tell you, I have tried all sorts of allergy remedies.

From over the counter medications, to the newest and latest prescription allergy medications, inhalers and nasal sprays, I've tried them. I even went through the whole process of allergy shots twice a week for several years. None of those things worked worth a darn, until I changed my diet.

Now, my allergy problems are virtually non-existant.

I may not stick with a Paleo style, no grain/no sugar diet 100% of the time, but when allergy season rolls around, I get back on the wagon, and feel great!

Give it a try. It works.

 

Till next time,

Stay healthy, lean and allergy free!

 

 

 

Don't forget to come over and visit, ask questions and interact with others on Facebook!

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.   

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Fountain of Youth Is Right Under Your Nose

 

Our DNA is coded with a life span.

At the ends of each chromosome lies something called a ‘telomere’.

What exactly is a Telomere, and why should I care?

Telomeres protect chromosomes and prevent them from fusing into rings or binding with other DNA. I like to think of telomeres as being kinda like the little hard plastic ends on the ends of shoelaces, to put it simply. They keep the laces from coming undone.

Telomeres do a similar thing with chromosomes.

When a cell divides, as they do thousands of times every day, strands of DNA get snipped to in the process. The places that are snipped are the telomeres. And the telomeres get shorter and shorter each time.

Eventually the telomere gets too short, and the DNA becomes damaged, putting a halt to the cell’s ability to reproduce. This is where aging occurs.

The rate at which this happens varies among individual people and cells. This is why some people are may be more susceptible to age related disease than others.

How does this affect aging in our bodies?

Scientists can actually determine a cell's age and can estimate how many more times it may replicate by studying the length of the telomeres in a person.

As we age, we look for ways to lengthen our lives, slow aging and keep our cells young.

Recent scientific research shows omega 3 fats can actually slow down the rate at which telomeres on chromosomes shorten. This latest study on omega 3’s and their effect on telomeres that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) show that those that had the highest levels of omega 3‘s also had the slowest rates of telomere shortening over 5 years. And the patients with the lowest levels of omega 3’s had fastest rate of telomere shortening.

In other words, those with the highest levels of omega 3 fats, aged the slowest.

This is the first real study that shows a direct connection between a particular nutrient and real anti aging benefits.

Omega 3’s stellar health benefits just keep coming in, including: preventing heart disease, protecting the immune system, weight loss, keeping skin smoother, improving mental health, preventing cancer, and helping fight inflammation.

Telomere length is an important marker of true biological age that accurately predicts illness and lifespan in many areas of health. And, scientists have already shown that rodents live about one-third longer when given a diet enriched with omega 3’s from an animal source.

Obviously you are going to want to load up on omega 3’s.

The best source for well-absorbed omega 3’s fatty acids is from animals, primarily grass fed meat, wild caught fatty fish and pastured eggs. And don’t forget to load up on those antioxidant rich fresh vegetables and fruits.

You can find what foods contain the MOST amounts of quality omega 3 fats in The Fat Burning Kitchen Book.

Till next time,

Stay young, lean and healthy!

 

   

 
Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN,is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.
 
Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.
Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.
 
 

Sources:

Nathan Seppa, “Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids tally up”, Science News, February 13th, 2010; Vol.177 #4 (p. 14).

Julie Steenhuysen, Fish oil protects against cellular aging: study, Reuters, Jan 19, 2010 . Guardian.co.uk

Ramin Farzaneh-Far, MD; Jue Lin, PhD; Elissa S. Epel, PhD; William S. Harris, PhD; Elizabeth H. Blackburn, PhD; Mary A. Whooley, MD, “Association of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels With Telomeric Aging in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease”JAMA. 2010;303(3):250-257.

Should We All go ‘Paleo?’

 

Have you heard the new diet trend? It’s the ‘Paleo’ diet, primal diet or the caveman diet.

I guess it’s not exactly what I would call new and trendy, since it is based on the diet that our ancient ancestors ate. ‘The Paleo Diet’ is actually a term that author Loren Cordain, PhD coined for his book.

There have been several variations on this same type diet, including "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson, Weston Price’s Traditional diet, and my own, “Fat Burning Kitchen Program” diet. And if you like Michael Pollen, his dietary principles follow along the same lines too.

Scientists have finally started to figure out that the diet of our ancient ancestors may possibly be the best diet overall for our modern bodies.

This diet is basically avoids all processed foods, grains, sugar, dairy, and legumes.

Is it any wonder that in today’s world there is so much illness, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other disease?

Today’s diet is a far cry from that of our ancestors.

Interestingly enough, our ancient ancestors were strong, healthy and were far more likely to be killed by a woolly mammoth or saber tooth tiger than a heart attack or diabetes.

If you would like to see a graphic presentation of the differences food makes on people, check out Weston A. Price’s book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration–written in the 1940’s by a dentist who traveled the world studying primitive cultures and their diets.

It’s eye opening, to say the least! 

In a single generation, these natives go from the picture of health to unhealthy, diseased and deformed, and it has nothing to do with saturated fat, but everything to do with sugar and processed grains.

These photographs of Dr. Weston Price illustrate the difference in facial structure between those on native diets and those whose parents had adopted the "civilized" diets of  devitalized  processed foods. This occurred in all different primitive groups all over the world.

The "primitive" Seminole girl (left) has a wide, handsome face with plenty of room for the dental arches. The "modernized" Seminole girl (right) born to parents who had abandoned their traditional diets, has a narrowed face, crowded teeth, and a reduced immunity to disease.

This, and my own dietary evolution, has convinced me.

And I am more convinced the further away I move from processed foods, grains, sugars and more towards this ‘primal’ way of life.

The dramatic health benefits that result from this type of diet, seem virtually endless.

It reduces, prevents or cures: High cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, cancers, heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, inflammatory disease, arthritis, joint problems, allergies, digestive problems, depression, ADD, and so much more.

That alone speaks for itself.

Let me add that my own dietary and health journey can vouch for the fact that this diet really seems to be working. In the past, I had health issues like asthma, allergies, celiac disease, arthritis,  depression, frequent colds and flu, digestive issues, fatigue, foggy-headedness, PMS, rashes, and more.

With each dietary ‘tweak’, I moved closer to THIS diet.

Isn’t it another low carb diet? Well…no.

However, our paleolithic ancestors did eat a pretty low carb diet. Different primitive societies did eat varying combinations of animals, plants and carbs, but generally the human diet was about 2/3 animal foods, and 1/3 from plant foods.

And no one cared about saturated fat and cholesterol either.

Along came the agricultural revolution and the cities, civilizations and manufactured foods. And, a boatload of nutritionally-related diseases that were totally unknown to the hunter-gatherers. These new foods are vastly different in so many ways from the real, healthy foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate.

So, I guess in a sense, we can blame the agricultural revolution for bringing us most of the chronic disease and obesity that we see in this modern world.

These mostly grain-based foods (cereals, dairy products, grain-fed meats, high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars and oils) do not work in bodies that were originally built for a diet of free-ranged meats, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

The paleo diet is high in healthy omega 3 fatty acids, and Conjugated Linoleic Acid, low in omega 6 fatty acids, low on the glycemic index, high in USABLE natural nutrition, high in antioxidants, and no empty calories, no chemicals, or over-processed carbs.

And here is an interesting study: Medical researchers released results of a study that shows just how beneficial a primal diet can be:

A group of non-obese volunteers were fed a paleo diet for 10 days. Only 10 days!

And the conclusion is… Even very short term consumption of a paleo diet improved blood pressure, glucose tolerance, decreased insulin secretion, increased insulin sensitivity and improved lipid profiles in healthy sedentary humans.

I am not surprised. I’ve seen my lipid profile, my blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. All of them, off-the-charts excellent.

Primal Diet Principles:  

  1. Eat REAL food. No packaged or processed foods. Make your meals from combinations of one-ingredient foods and spices.
  2. Avoid most sugar, including: sucrose, fructose, agave (fructose), artificial sweeteners, and corn syrup. You may have small amounts of raw honey, maple syrup, raw cane sugar, and stevia if needed. 
  3. No grain. Not ‘whole grains’, and especially not refined, processed, white flour. No refined starches. 
  4. Eat plenty of healthy fat–from: grass fed meat, grass fed butter, pastured eggs and free range poultry, wild caught fish, raw dairy, avocado and coconut.  Extra virgin olive oil is ok, although I’m guessing a caveman probably didn’t eat this. 
  5. High quality protein is important. Grass fed, pasture raised, or wild caught–meat, fish and poultry, and eggs. No grain fed, commercially raised meat. 
  6. Eat lots of vegetables–locally grown is best, and fresh, raw or barely cooked. Organic if possible. Some fruit is ok, but our modern fruit is very high in sugar. 
  7. Eat organic. Eat them as close to where they grew as possible and in the most natural state. 
  8. Beware of what you are drinking. While I doubt cavemen drank their ‘cuppa joe’ to get going, drinking one cup of organic coffee or tea won’t ruin the diet. An occasional beer or glass of wine is ok, but a sugary, artificially flavored mixed drink is NOT ok. No fruit juice…these are full of sugar. Drink pure water as much as possible. 
And if you follow this diet, even 90% of the time, you WILL see major health benefits. 
 
Many pro and amateur athletes are gravitating towards this type of diet as evidence comes in that it improves athletic performance and endurance, reduces body fat and helps add lean muscle.
 
So, as of this writing, I am going to follow this diet as closely as possibly during the bicycling racing season this summer, and I will report back to you how it goes.      
 
Looking for more info?
 
There is plenty of information on the internet. One of my favorites is Mark Sisson’s site, Mark’s Daily Apple. This guy knows his stuff. Great articles, lots of entertaining and interesting info, and a lot of awesome recipes to help you get a better idea of how truly good food can be even without grains, sugar, or processed food.
 
And I have to put in a plug for my own website, Simple Smart Nutrition which is based on this type of diet, with tons of great information on various health conditions, from weight loss to maximizing your athletic performance and more.
 
And I have some delicious Paleo-style recipes too.
 
The very best way to check out the Paleo diet is to try it yourself. Even if you just follow principle #1 you will improve your health as you remove all of the junk, fast food, and “frankenfood” in the typical American diet.
 
Healthy and feeling good is normal.
 
Feeling tired, getting sick, gaining weight and all those other health issues are not normal. And, if you decide you just can’t commit to a Paleo diet, try following a few of the principles above and I guarantee you will see and feel so much better!
 
 
Sources:
Mark Sisson, The Primal Blueprint, Mark's Daily Apple, 2011.  Jennifer Pinkowski, Should you Eat Like a Caveman? Time magazine, Jan 2011. Dr. Loren Cordain, the Paleo Diet, 2010-2011.  
 
 
Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist.
In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.
 
Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.
Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.
     

Heal and Prevent Sports Injuries

Jim rugby

Injuries, both minor and major, are one of the hardest and most frustrating thing an athlete has to deal with.

Injuries usually seem like they occur  just as you are beginning to ramp up your training for big events. And now that the weather is warming up, amateur and professional athletes are starting to pick up their training for another competitive season in their favorite sport.

Injuries can often be your body’s way of telling you are pushing it too hard, too quickly, or overtraining, and not getting enough rest and recovery in between demanding workouts.

Is there any way to prevent injuries?

Of course–you probably already know some of the things you can include in your training to prevent injury, like rest days, warming up slowly, easing into your training, and stretching.

But, did you know, your diet will also make a HUGE difference in whether you get injured and how quickly you recover?

Think of it this way: your body is a machine. Just as you work out hard to become stronger, feeding and fueling your body well will help to strengthen and maintain the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone in the best and strongest condition possible.

In contrast, a diet high in refined sugars, starches, and poor quality protein will result in weaker muscles, increased inflammation and a higher likelihood of injury.

So, what’s the best diet for a serious athlete or weekend warrior?

First of all, high quality protein is absolutely essential. Good protein sources are VITAL to grow and repair muscle, strengthen bones and tendons, and allow for proper function of cells.

Most training protocols tell you to eat protein right after exercise in order to help rebuild muscles; however, the best time of all may be shortly before a workout as well. It’s been found, that to limit the loss of muscle fiber associated with overuse injuries, eating protein shortly before exercising, and then immediately afterwards is best.

An active teen or adult needs to have at least 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight a day.

To figure this out, one pound of body weight is roughly equivalent to about .45 kilograms. So dividing your weight in half will give you a rough estimate of your weight in kilograms.

For example, an 150 lb male would weight about 70 kilograms and will need 70-100 GRAMS of protein a day, which comes out to about 30 grams per meal, or a decent sized serving of meat, chicken, fish or eggs at every meal.

The very best, most usable protein is grass fed meat, with 5 times the muscle-building Conjugated Linoleic Acid as regular grain fed meat, healthy omega 3 fats, and important muscle-building minerals–zinc and iron.

Other great sources of protein are wild caught fatty fish, free-range poultry, and organic eggs. All of these are higher in the healthy omega 3 fats, and lower in omega 6 (inflammatory) fats, as well as being free of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.

Many athletes rely heavily on protein bars, shakes and powders, which is a big mistake.

The protein in these processed foods is very poor. This protein usually comes from heat-processed whey or soy protein isolate. Both of these protein sources are denatured, weak versions of protein and virtually unusable by the body.

Whey protein can be an excellent protein source, but it must be cool-processed (which keeps the protein intact) and should be from grass fed dairy cows as well, for the maximum amount of CLA and healthy fats.

Healthy fats are absolutely necessary.

Fats also help to lubricate the body, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs and skin, and increase feelings of vitality and energy.

Athletes who switch to a higher fat diet see the results with more energy, less injuries and better recovery times. Be sure to include these fats:

•    Omega 3 fats–Provide plenty of fuel for energy, and anti-inflammatory properties to heal and protect the damage that hard training wreaks on the body. Omega 3 fats are found primarily in wild caught fatty fish, grass fed meat, organic eggs and grass fed butter. Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds also contain healthy doses of omega 3 fats.

•    Conjugated Linoleic Acid–Helps to provide the fuel the body needs to power through a demanding practice. CLA builds muscle, burns fat, raises the metabolism, and helps prevent cancer, heart disease and high cholesterol.

•    Saturated fats and cholesterol--The good saturated fats (like the kind that come from grass fed meat, organic egg yolks, and butter) actually help to strengthen and repair muscle fibers, strengthen the immune system, aid in the proper functioning of the heart, lungs and brain, and boost metabolism. So don’t shy away from these important fats. However, you do want to avoid the grain fed versions of this fat as it is high in inflammatory omega 6 fats.

•    Monosaturated fats like coconut, nuts and olive oil are extremely effective at reducing inflammation and increasing energy, so be sure to include these healthy fats as well. Coconut oil is quickly and easily metabolized for energy as well as being an excellent healing agent, so be sure to include this in your diet.

Antioxidants are extremely important to athletes as well. Intense exercise creates tons of free radicals which can lead to damage and breakdown of tissue–including muscle–within the body.

Be sure to include LOTS of brightly colored fresh, organic vegetables and fruit to supply the body with the necessary antioxidants. The brighter and more colorful, the more antioxidants! Raw organic veggies and fruit contain the highest amounts of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals; they also contain massive amounts of enzymes because they are raw.

Enzymes are proven healers of damaged tissue.

To prevent and heal injuries try to eat at least 50% or more of these raw.

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants and is also very important for the repair of the collagen, connective tissue, and cartilage; it is helpful add extra to your diet when injured.

Aim for five or more sources of foods that are high in vitamin C such as red peppers, papaya, cantaloupe, kale, oranges and broccoli.

And don’t forget about Vitamin A for its rebuilding properties.

Higher amounts of vitamin A also aid in repairing micro-tears that occur after a hard workout, so it is a valuable addition for any runner, cyclist or weight lifter. Best food sources of vitamin A are: grass-fed dairy products such as raw cheese, grass-fed butter, and grass-fed (commercially raised beef liver contains lots of toxins) liver; bright orange or red vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, papaya, winter squash, red peppers, apricots and spinach.

Digestive enzymes also aid in the recovery process.

Look for ones that contain plenty of bromelain and protease, and take with meals. Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapple, and is effective as an anti-inflammatory. Protease is an enzyme that digests  proteins and will travel to the injured sites to dissolve the byproducts of the injury. Other enzymes have similar healing effects.

One of the most important building and repairing nutrients for injuries is zinc.

Zinc works alongside protein and other nutrients in the body synergistically. Zinc is also an immune enhancer which is powerful in the whole healing process. To ensure you are getting enough, include grass-fed beef, liver, oysters and other shellfish, seeds, nuts, chicken and egg yolks in your diet.

So now you know what foods to be sure to include in  your diet, but there are definitely some foods that must be avoided as well.

These foods not only fatigue the body, run down the immune system, and interfere with the processing of important nutrients, but they also contribute to inflammation in the body.

A tough and demanding training plan adds enough inflammation, so why add to that burden?

Inflammatory foods include the obvious junk foods–cookies, candy, excess alcohol, processed foods, and artificial foods with chemicals and preservatives.

Sneaky food additives (even in so-called health foods)  such as transfats, omega 6 oils such as corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, grains of all kinds including wheat, rice, oats, corn, and soy ( a legume) and sugars are also highly inflammatory as well.

Many athletes are switching to a gluten free training diet, even if they do not have gluten issues.

Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley. It has been found that gluten is an inflammatory agent in many people (even those who seemingly do not have issues with gluten sensitivity) to some degree.

Athletes who have adopted a gluten free training diet report that they feel more energetic, less sluggish, lose a little weight, sleep better, have better digestion and generally feel better overall.

Sugar in all forms is highly inflammatory and actually stimulates an inflammatory response, so avoid it at all costs.

Pasteurized, processed dairy foods,  (as opposed to raw dairy) also tend to add to inflammation.

Dairy contains a lot of histamines, which will add to the inflammation already present in the body.

And last of all, be sure to be getting enough water.

Water helps to carry away toxins and keep your metabolism and healing processes working efficiently. There is no excuse not to stay well hydrated as the benefits are really endless.

You will feel better, have better energy and heal quicker!

Eat well, work hard and you will most definitely reap the benefits of a stronger, faster body!

 

Till next time, stay healthy, lean and active!

 

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

               Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

       Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.


 

 

References:

Michelle Schoffro Cook, DNM, DAc, CNC, CITP, The 12 Step Program to Healing Sport Injuries http://hubpages.com/profile/Shannon+Clark Horwitz,

Dr. Steven, Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Inflammation, Prevent Sports Injuries, Jan 21, 2011. http://preventsportsinjuries.blogspot.com    

 

Incredible Lipid Panel-YOU Can Do it Too!

I recently had my blood lipid panel done for a physical. My Physician was absolutely blown away, and the results astounded even me!
Here are my numbers:
  • Total Cholesterol 192 mg/DL (physicians recommend total cholesterol below 200, but this number is subject to drug companies push for statins, and the ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol is most important.)
  • High Density Lipoprotein 158 mg/DL (above 50 is recommended)
  • Low Density Lipoprotein 30mg/DL (ideal is below 130)
  • Triglycerides 18 (ideal is below 150).
Am I some kind of freak of nature? No–YOU can get numbers like this too–without medication!

The “Good” cholesterol HDL actually removes cholesterol from the blood stream and carries it to the liver for processing. This good cholesterol goes up in response to a healthy diet and consistent exercise.

The total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio is a number that is helpful in predicting an individual’s risk of developing atherosclerosis. This number comes from dividing Total Cholesterol by HDL cholesterol.

High total cholesterol and low HDL are undesirable. A high ratio indicates higher risks of heart attacks, low ratios indicate lower risk.
An average ratio would be about 4.5. Of course you should be better than average if you can. So the best ratio would be LOW and about a 2 or 3 or less. Mine was 1.2. That according to my physician is off the charts, and any risk of heart attack is virtually nil.
Another ratio to check is LDL/HDL. The LDL/HDL ratio is actually a purer ratio than total cholesterol/HDL, because LDL is a measure of “bad’ cholesterol and HDL is a measure of “good” cholesterol.
The goal is to keep the ratio above 0.3, with the ideal HDL/LDL ratio being over 0.4. Mine was 5.27.
Both LDL and HDL are important for heart health. Lifestyle factors are key here. Although dietary changes can help lower LDL, raising the HDL numbers can be done with exercise and a healthy diet.
Triglyceride levels are actually one of the most important indicators of heart health–but this is something that can totally be controlled by a healthy lifestyle. Being overweight, physically inactive, smoking cigarettes and diet high in refined carbohydrates or sugar will make this number go up.

A healthy diet consisting of lean, all-natural, heart-healthy grass fed meats and vegetables like you will find in The Fat Burning Kitchen, instead of processed, packaged foods will give you a spectacular lipid panel too.

My diet consists of healthy grass fed meats, wild caught fish, free range chicken and free range eggs (from a nearby farm), whole raw milk, raw grass fed cheese, lots of grass fed butter, and generous amounts of coconut oil, rich in medium chain triglycerides.
So no low-fat diet for me! Does this sound like what your physician would recommend for lowering cholesterol and reducing heart attack risk? Not at all. But it is by far, the healthiest diet, believe me.

I eat very little grain and when I do, it is usually only whole brown rice, or quinoa. No wheat (especially processed wheat!), no corn whatsoever–including and especially high fructose corn syrup, very little sugar, unless it is naturally occurring in foods like fruits.

I love to eat TONS of fresh, raw and mostly locally grown raw produce, like raw fresh dark green salads with many other colorful vegetables added.

I snack on grass fed cheese (no crackers for me, but sometimes an apple or organic grapes with it), all natural beef jerky from USWM, and lots of nuts, especially those that are prepared without added oils.
Even though your doctor may have recommended vegetable oils, avoiding these inflammatory omega 6 rich vegetable oils like safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and canola oils is the best thing you can do for your health. And NO TRANS FATS at all, ever!
Sound extreme? No really it isn’t. And yes, I have been known to actually eat a few French fries once in a great while, or nibble on dark chocolate–and even drink a beer or two.
I never go hungry, yet stay healthy and lean and feel great.
Because of all the propaganda that’s out there about cholesterol and saturated fats, you may think that cholesterol itself and saturated fats are harmful substances that should be avoided at all costs.
Many still do.
In fact, though, quite the opposite is true. Cholesterol is an essential element in our bodies. It is found in all the cells of the body, particularly in the brain and nerve cells.

Cholesterol is also used to make a number of other important substances: hormones (including the sex hormones), bile acids and, in conjunction with sunlight on the skin, vitamin D 3.

Our bodies uses large quantities of cholesterol every day and the substance is so important that, with the exception of brain cells, every body cell has the ability to make it.

So you see, saturated fats, especially those that come from naturally pastured, grass fed meats, cheeses, milk and wild caught fish full of healthy omega 3 fats are not the way to a heart attack, rather they are the way to good health and a healthy heart.

A Votre Sante!

Barry Groves, PhD, “The Great Cholesterol Lie”
http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/cholesterol_myth_1.html
By Peter Libby, “Atherosclerosis: The New View”, Scientific American, November 10, 2008.