-- Simple Smart Nutrition

Immune Boosting Asian Chicken Soup

Try this with any leftover chicken or turkey. Besides the healing properties of chicken soup, this soup contains shiitake mushrooms with powerful healing properties…

This is a great way to use a leftover chicken or turkey. All you have to do is throw the leftover chicken or turkey, bones and all into a pot of water. OR you can use cut up chicken pieces (with bones), or just chicken or turkey meat. I decided to use shiitake mushrooms and give it an Asian twist, and we were all pretty happy with the way it turned out. So, here is the immune boosting Asian Chicken Soup recipe.

Aside from the healing properties of chicken soup, this soup contains shiitake mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms have some powerful healing and immune strengthening properties all on their own.

The Shiitake is featured in many Asian cuisines and has long been considered a delicacy as well as a powerful medicinal mushroom. As far back as the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368–1644), it was known that shiitakes were a remedy for upper respiratory diseases, poor blood circulation, liver trouble, exhaustion and weakness, and to boost qi, or life energy. It was also believed to prevent premature aging.

Scientific studies have shown shiitake’s ability to stimulate the immune system, kill bacteria, reduce platelet aggregation, and possess antiviral properties. One of the substances in shiitake, AHCC (active hexose correlated compound), increases the body’s resistance to pathogens such as the flu virus, West Nile encephalitis, and certain bacterial infections. Another compound is actually used as an intravenous anticancer agent in some countries.

Shiitakes are an excellent source of vitamins B2, B5 and B6, as well as manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, copper and zinc, and a good source of protein, magnesium, and vitamin D. They also provide a wide variety of unique phytonutrients.

One especially interesting area of immune system support involves the impact of shiitake mushrooms on immune cells called macrophages. Among their many important activities, macrophage cells are responsible for identifying and clearing potentially cancerous cells from the body. Shiitake mushrooms help macrophage cells do a better job killing off potential cancer cells.

While shiitakes are known for their immune strengthening properties, they are also known to modulate and prevent excessive immune activity–as in the case of those with auto-immune disease. So, shiitakes are known for overall immune benefits, even for those with overactive immune systems.

Any kind of chicken works for this soup. I used a leftover roasted chicken with some meat left on it, along with a couple of thighs. You can also use a whole cut up chicken, chicken breasts, leftover turkey, etc. Just add enough meat so it’s sufficient for the number of servings you are making.

Ingredients

1 chicken or turkey carcass with some meat on

2 thighs

4 cups water

Sea salt

4-6 cloves garlic chopped roughly

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 cup chopped organic kale

3 carrot slices

1 medium sized baby bok choy chopped

1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 carton of organic chicken stock

1/2 cup of quinoa

chopped green onions

sprinkle of red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp of soy sauce

1-2 Tbsp of miso paste

Fish sauce to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, add in chicken and about 4-6 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about a half hour to an hour, until meat is done and falling off the bones. If you added in large pieces, remove them with a strainer spoon and remove meat from bones, and return meat to stock.

Add in vegetables, and seasoning and simmer for another half hour to an hour. Serve with a tossed green salad and enjoy!! Makes 4-6 servings.

Till next time, stay healthy and lean!

Look for the new 101 Anti-Aging Superfoods and the Anti-Aging Superfoods Recipe book due out next week! (Yes, really–the book did get hung up in production, but it really will be out next week–just in time for Christmas! 😉

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, lose weight, and live their best life ever.

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Swiss Chard and Egg Scramble

In true inspiration borne of necessity, I looked in my (pretty empty) fridge for something I could rustle up for lunch. I had a few nice stalks of Swiss Chard, a part of a red onion, some garlic, and a couple eggs…

I often get requests for a quick, easy and healthy breakfast–and this would make a great healthy breakfast. Today, however, this was my lunch. And in true inspiration borne of necessity, I looked in my (pretty empty) fridge for something I could rustle up for lunch. I had a few nice stalks of Swiss Chard, the superfood greens with a mild taste not too different from spinach; a couple of mushrooms, a part of a red onion, some garlic, and a couple eggs.

[Since I was way too hungry and gobbled mine up so fast, I didn’t get a photo, so I borrowed my friend Sonora’s picture from her website, www.oncemorewithveggies.com. She has a lot of other yummy recipes on her site too! ]

Some of the massive health benefits from Swiss Chard include:

The amazing variety of phytonutrients in chard is quickly recognizable in its vibrant colors, including the rich, dark greens in its leaves and the rainbow of reds, purples, and yellows in its stalks and veins.

Virtually all of these phytonutrients provide antioxidant benefits, anti-inflammatory benefits, or both. In addition, many provide health benefits that are more specific certain systems in the body.

Chard provides some very specific and powerful phytonutrients that regulate our body’s blood sugar, making this a valuable food item to add to meals if you are working on keeping blood sugar low and preventing or managing diabetes.

Alrighty then, it’s going to be a Swiss Chard and Egg Scramble for lunch.

Holy Cow! It was really good!!

Darn it, I meant to take a picture, but ate it too fast!

Here’s what I did…(the only thing I would change if I had it, would be to add bacon!)

Ingredients

2T Extra Virgin Olive Oil or butter

1/4-1/2 red onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 sliced mushrooms

2-3 leaves of fresh Swiss Chard, chopped (include white or red stalks, but chop of tough ends)

Or, use a handful or two of chopped organic spinach (read about the “Dirty Dozen” here)

1 or 2 eggs

Hot pepper flakes

Sea salt, fresh ground pepper

1/2 fresh lemon

Directions

In a pan, melt butter or add olive oil, garlic and onion over medium heat. Saute until until is soft. Add Swiss Chard and stir, about 1-2 minutes, or until it just begins to wilt. Don’t overcook! Push veggies to the sides and add to the center of pan. Scramble lightly and then stir into veggies. Add hot pepper to taste, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. I’m thinking this would have been good with a squeeze of Siracha sauce as well…

Note: if using bacon, chop and cook first until brown. Drain excess grease, and then cook as above.

Enjoy!!

Till next time,

Stay healthy and lean!

P.S. Look for the new 101 Anti-Aging Superfoods and the Anti-Aging Superfoods Recipe book due out this week! (I’m hoping Saturday!)

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

The Fat Burning Kitchen will get you started on the path to a healthy diet, weight loss and vibrant health.You will notice a difference in the first 24 hours! Learn about the so-called ‘health’ foods you may be eating that are actually ruining your health, and causing you to gain weight. And find out the best, fat-burning super-powered nutritious foods to eat to lose fat, gain boundless energy, and feel better than you ever have!

Chicken, Tomatoes and Okra, OH MY!

My favorite local organic farmer recently surprised me and dropped a big grocery bag chock full of vine ripe, red, luscious tomatoes and okra. I don’t cook a lot with okra, so I was kind of at a loss…

Well, last night, I was low on groceries and had two hungry men waiting for dinner. So, hmm…this called for a little creativity.

I had organic chicken thighs, some garlic and an onion, and, all those great tomatoes and okra. Ok then, let’s start throwing things in a pan to see what I can come up with…

Chicken, Tomatoes and Okra Saute

1 lb or so of organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic minced

4 fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped

8-10 small okra, sliced in thick slices

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

1/4 white wine

sprinkle of red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, saute the chopped onions and garlic with the olive oil on medium heat. Add in the chicken and lightly brown on the outside, but don’t overcook. Add chopped tomatoes, okra, wine and seasonings. Cook for about a half hour on low heat with lid. Remove lid the last 10-15 minutes of cooking if you want your sauce to be less juicy. Add chopped parsley and serve over brown rice or quinoa. Serves four. Or Two hungry guys and one lady with a little leftover…

For more easy to fix, gluten free, dairy free, superfood recipes,click here to subscribe to my Simple Smart Newsletter.

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 100,000 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.

Stop Muscle Cramps With This Common Ingredient

Keeping cool in the heat of the triple digit summer temperatures and high humidity is pretty darn difficult. The key thing that helps our bodies adjust and adapt to physical activity in high heat is sweating. And for athletes…

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Keeping cool in the heat of the triple digit summer temperatures and high humidity is pretty darn difficult. One of the key things that helps our bodies adjust and adapt to physical activity and high heat is sweating. And for us athletes, it seems we spend a lot of time working and perspiring out in those sweltering temperatures.

Training outdoors in the heat of the summer can be tricky and downright dangerous. Key is to keep from overheating and avoid dehydration. Read more about that here: “What athletes NEED to know about heat and humidity”.

The other big factor that comes out of working out in the heat is muscle cramps. Muscle cramps generally can come from two things:

Extreme fatigue from overexertion in a particular muscle.
Electrolyte imbalance and/or dehydration, often from sodium loss.

The common solution when someone else complains of muscle cramping or a ‘Charlie horse” is to eat a banana. Bananas are known to be fairly high in potassium, and this always seems to be the ‘go-to’ food for cramps. This may or may not help.

Another common one is that cramping is due to a loss of magnesium and calcium.

Perhaps…

Electrolytes are tricky. It isn’t usually one solution for everyone.

If you have a better understanding of how electrolytes work, you may have a better idea of how to keep them in the right ratios for your optimal performance.

Your body’s electrolytes must be in the correct balance and in the right ratios for the body to function correctly. If you have an excess of one electrolyte, it will throw off the other electrolytes that need to be in the correct balance.

For example, an excess of calcium in the diet or in supplements will throw off magnesium levels, meaning that your body will need more magnesium to balance out the calcium. Low magnesium levels can cause cramping and twitching in muscles.

Potassium and sodium also must maintain the correct balance, so an excess of potassium will throw off the sodium balance and vice versa.

Properly controlled muscle contractions require a very close balance in the interstitial fluid (the fluid surrounding the cells), and an imbalance will lead to excessive muscle contractions, which can manifest as cramping.

Trying to ‘fix’ muscle cramping can be tricky, but since cramps are usually attributed to an imbalance of electrolytes, once you can correct the electrolyte issues, you will find relief.

Fluids lost through sweat contain mostly sodium and chloride, or salt. Muscles tend to hold on to potassium, calcium and magnesium over salt, so your best bet to cure cramps or fatigue from heat and excessive sweating would be to try to replace the salt first.

People lose varying amounts of fluids through sweat, with some folks being very prolific ‘sweaters’, and others who sweat very little.

The amount and concentration of salt in sweat varies from person to person as well. Some people are very salty sweaters and others are not. One athlete might only lose a gram or two of sodium during outdoor activity, and another athlete can lose 20 or more grams of sodium.

Sodium is an important mineral that works with nerve signaling and enabling movements in the muscles, so losing too much salt will make muscles irritable, and can make you dizzy, foggy headed and tired feeling as well.

When you combine a loss of salt and fluids with intense physical effort in the heat, muscles can start contracting uncontrollably, leading to cramping and early fatigue, even bonking. I call it a ‘heat bonk’.

In a case study reported in The International Journal of Sports Nutrition (Bergeron, 1996),

“…an elite tennis player was found to lose more sodium in his sweat during several hours of play than he consumed throughout the entire day. During intense play that resulted in sweat loss of 3 quarts an hour, the player knotted up with the cramps. It was recommended that the player add salt to his diet and sports drink. The addition of sodium reduced subsequent cramping episodes. Whenever the player felt cramps coming on in a game, he drank a sports drink with salt, and the cramps ceased.”

Let’s talk for a minute about salt. For many years, we have been told that salt is BAD for us, that it makes our blood pressure go up and that we should avoid it. However that is NOT true. We need salt. And some of us, depending on our diet, lifestyle and other factors need more than others. Probably way more than you’d think. Check out this most recent article in the New York Times on salt consumption and health issues.

And, Paleo dieters or those on a lower carb diet lose large amounts of salt and fluids through the more efficient filtering of the kidneys. That’s one of the reasons that people who go on a low carb diet immediately lose a lot of water weight. The kidneys are simply more efficient and process out fluids quicker.

That means Paleo and low carb dieters need more salt in general—whether exercising or not. And for those transitioning over to a lower carb diet, salt is very important just for everyday functioning to avoid fatigue and dizziness.

For athletes, the need for salt is even more crucial.

Without enough salt in the body, blood volume will fall short, and during activity in hot weather, your body will not have enough fluides for sweating or to adequately circulate your blood well enough. In essence, your blood becomes thicker, causing your heart to work even harder to pump this thick stuff through the body. This causes dizziness and intense fatigue, and ultimately cramps and dehydration.

Cramping can also be a result of dehydration. That may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many athletes don’t drink enough water during the day and during training/competition. You may be shocked at how much water and fluids you need to replace on a hot day! Yes we need salt and electrolytes, but most of what comes out in sweat is just plain water.

The sodium-potassium balance is an important factor in cramping for athletes. However, remember that too much sodium can cause cramping as well, so if extra sodium does not help, then add in potassium.

Fluids containing sodium and potassium are retained in the body much better than those that don’t.

Ever get dehydrated and drink a ton of water to replace the fluids lost and immediately urinate it all out, but still remain thirsty? Well this is because without sodium and potassium, your body will not retain the needed fluids.

Electrolyte balance can get complicated, but if you remember it’s a balancing act, then a little educated trial and error will help you maintain the right balance.

For salt to be effective it must be added to drinks an hour or so prior to any training or competition, and also during the competition. Too early and it does no good.

So next time you venture out in the heat of the summertime, add in a pinch of sea salt to your pre-training drink, and add some into your drinks during the workout as well. Generally about a 1/3 to a half of a teaspoon (give or take) will help replace the sodium lost in sweat. Experiment with this a bit and see how you feel.

If the salt doesn’t solve the cramping problem, next add in more potassium. Potassium can be found in abundance in many foods including: potatoes, oranges and orang juice, bananas, avocados, cantelope, kiwi, beans, spinach, any dark green leafy vegetable, tomatoes, asparagus, lettuce and mushrooms to name a few.

I am not a huge fan of commercial sports drinks. Generally I think they have way too much sugar or, even worse, corn syrup and citric acid in them, along with artificial colorings and a host of scary chemicals, to even be effective. The citric acid alone has been proven to actually eat away at tooth enamel. And the corn syrup–yuk–don’t get me started!

I often make my own sports drink with about half and half water and orange juice (high in potassium), and a pinch of sea salt. For a great instant sodium-potassium replacement, try a V-8. Coconut juice or coconut water is also an excellent electrolyte replacement drink, but remember you still may need extra sodium. My latest drink concoction was half coconut water, half regular water, the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of sea salt. I felt great!

If these two electrolytes don’t work, or if you find you are waking up in the middle of the night with ‘charley horses’, you may need to supplement with magnesium. Over 80% of the population is deficient in this mineral and if you are an athlete you are even more likely to be deficient, as some of this is lost in sweat.

Besides eating a lot of leafy greens, nuts, and pumpkin seeds, you can take a magnesium supplement before bed to help relax the muscles. Because magnesium takes longer to be absorbed into muscles, supplementing with this mineral should be done several days ahead of any training or competition to be entirely effective. And watch the dose and start out slowly or get a slow, time-release type of magnesium because it can cause diarrhea.

Other health issues like diabetes, neurologic or vascular problems can also play a part in getting cramps. And supplements or over the counter medications like sudafed, creatine and caffeine may bring on muscle cramps as well. If cramps suddenly occur without a prior history, check with your doctor to rule out more serious causes.

So follow these things when outside in the heat to avoid cramps and dehydration:

1. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise

2. Replenish sodium lost from sweat (a half teaspoon, more or less)

3. Eat more healthy carbs to fuel high intensity exercise

Till next time,

Stay Healthy and Hydrated!

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 researching diet, health and nutrition.

Her book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” has sold over 100,000 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:

Bergeron, M., Heat Cramps During Tennis: A Case Report. International Journal of Sport Nutrition 6:62-68, 1996.

Craig Horswell, Ph.D., Gatorade Sports Science Institute

Steve Phinney, “Low-Carb preserves Glycogen better than High Carb”, 4/14/11

Refreshing, Sockeye Salmon Salad

The pigment that helps to make salmon’s flesh pink is astaxanthin. Astaxanthin lowers C-reactive protein (CRP), which measures inflammation in blood vessels, and your risk for heart attacks and strokes. Astaxanthin can actually reduce wrinkles and sun damage…

Most any type of wild caught salmon works in this salad, but sockeye salmon is definitely my favorite. Salmon contains a large amount of antioxidants, and the darker pink the flesh, the more antioxidants–as long as it is wild caught.

Astaxanthin may just be the best antioxidant for DNA protection. It’s 6,000 times more effective than vitamin C, 800 times more effective than CoQ10 and 550 times more effective than vitamin E or green tea.

The effect astaxanthin has on DNA is rather amazing. DNA is damaged by free radicals when you’re exposed to things like pollution, smoke, radiation and processed food. In one study, DNA damage dropped by 43% after subjects took astaxanthin supplements.

Wild caught salmon is especially rich in omega 3’s and the health benefits from this mega nutrient are endless! Salmon is also a great source of easily digestible protein, niacin, B6, B12, selenium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Eating salmon even twice a week may help raise omega 3 levels as effectively as taking daily fish oil supplements. And those healthy fats in salmon help burn body fat, contribute to a healthy heart, protect against strokes, reduce inflammation in the body, fight cancer, improve asthma, protect your eyesight, and more.

Eating a diet high in astaxanthin and omega 3 fats protects skin against sunburn and wrinkles. The omega 3’s in salmon lift your mood and fight depression, improve memory and learning ability, and help with disorders like ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Healthy fats in salmon and other wild caught cold water fish also help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Ingredients

2 cans (6.5 oz each) canned sockeye salmon, drained and chunked

3 Tbsp organic mayo (see recipe below to make your own)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp capers, drained

1/3 cup finely chopped fennel root

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

Pinch of organic black pepper

1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1/2 – 1 teaspoon dried organic dill weed

4-6 large leaves green or red leaf lettuce

Directions

Drain salmon and discard skin and any bones (if desired). In a medium bowl, combine ingredients. Add salmon and stir gently to combine.

Lay out lettuce leaves and place a scoop of salmon salad on each leaf. Serves 2-4.

A Healthier Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1 whole (fresh, organic) egg

2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt to taste
¼ tsp white pepper or black pepper
2/3 cup Udo’s Choice Oil or extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the eggs, mustard, lemon juice, salt and white pepper in your blender or food processor. Then with the blender or food processor running on a low speed, start adding the oils very slowly. Start out with drops and then work up to about a small stream. It takes about 5 minutes to accomplish this, but the end result is worth it! Continue blending until all the oil is incorporated.

Makes about 1½ cups. Refrigerate to thicken. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Stay Healthy and Lean!

Look for my new book, “The Flat Belly Kitchen” Series on Amazon Kindle soon!!

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.

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.

What’s For Breakfast? Primarily Paleo, Gluten and Dairy Free Ideas

Breakfast is truly an important meal.It actually jumpstarts your metabolism, fires up your brain and gives you fuel to start your day full of energy. Don’t miss this opportunity to supercharge your day with some essential nutrients. And, eating a healthy breakfast reduces hunger all day.

Breakfast is truly an important meal.

Breakfast actually jump starts your metabolism, fires up your brain and gives you fuel to start your day full of energy. Don’t miss this opportunity to supercharge your day with some essential nutrients.

Studies show that in comparing breakfast eaters with breakfast skippers, the breakfast eaters lost weight, lost body fat and were less likely to eat high calorie lunches.
And, a University of Missouri study found that eating a healthy breakfast, especially one high in protein, increases satiety and reduces hunger throughout the day.

In one study done comparing a higher protein/fat breakfast with a high carb breakfast, the higher protein/fat breakfast won big time!

Study subjects lost more weight (with the same calorie intake) eating the higher protein/fat breakfast than the ones eating the high carb breakfast.
The protein/fat breakfast eaters had a healthier metabolic profile than the carb eaters as well, and burned more body fat.

What to have for breakfast if you want to eliminate wheat and dairy? What about a Paleo style breakfast? If your sleepy head wants to reach for that easy bowl of cereal, you may have to reprogram your thinking just a little. But truly, it’s not that hard.

If you are thinking of doing an elimination diet, or if you want to go Paleo, breakfast sometimes creates a dilemma, since the mainstay of many people’s breakfast is wheat and dairy. If you are left scratching your head looking for a tasty breakfast, here are some great, tasty, alternative ideas:

For those who just want to be gluten free, the easiest route is to purchase some gluten free bread. Now there are lots of gluten free breads out there taking up shelf space in the grocery store, but many of those GF breads are just as bad as processed wheat flour.

Look for ‘whole grain’ gluten free breads or at least bread made from brown rice flour.

My favorite gluten free bread (that won’t break your foot if you happen to drop it) is a brand called ‘Udi’s’. They offer a whole grain version that is quite good—not heavy or chewy, not too starchy—and it tastes great toasted or untoasted.
Gluten free toast and a pan-fried egg make a great egg sandwich on the run.

I like to add a couple slices of natural bacon (no nitrates/nitrites) on it for a bacon and egg sandwich.

Or try gluten free toast with peanut butter, almond butter or other nut butter and berries, banana, apple or raisins. This is one of my favorite quick and easy, take-it-with-you breakfasts.

Another easy, light breakfast is a bowl of berries, a handful of nuts and maybe a couple slices of cheese. Antioxidants, protein, healthy fat and fiber all in one healthy meal.

Want to make something a little more elaborate? Try gluten free French toast!

Or grab some brown rice flour (Bob’s Red Mill) and whip up some pancakes with a cup or so of brown rice flour, an egg, a teaspoon of baking powder, pinch of sea salt, and just enough milk to make a thick batter. Pour into a pan or waffle iron, add some REAL butter and real maple syrup (not the kind with corn syrup in it), and Viola! A yummy GF version that will start your day off right.

Ok, so what about ‘Primarily Paleo’ people?

Great Paleo breakfasts are truly not that hard, either.

How about a yummy fresh berry smoothie?

Now that strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are in season, throw in a generous cupful of these into a blender; add a banana, a few ice cubes, a cup or so of either hemp milk, coconut milk, almond milk or OJ, an organic or pasture raised clean raw egg (don’t use the regular commercially raised eggs, they are more likely to contain salmonella); and blend.

I like to add any or all of these optional ingredients to supercharge my smoothies:

Cold processed grass fed whey protein, a big spoonful of virgin coconut oil, unsweetened coconut flakes, flax or chia seeds, a handful of raw nuts, or half an avocado.

You can even throw in a couple leaves of kale, swiss chard, parsley, or other dark green leafy vegetable to really up the nutritional punch. (Don’t worry, you can’t really taste the green stuff, it just blends in.)

Make this yummy, high protein breakfast the night before and you will have a delicious breakfast that is full of protein, stays with you, and is a quick and easy way to take your breakfast on the run. Makes a great high protein snack too!

Egg quiche cups

6 eggs, beaten

1 small pkg of frozen spinach, drained or 1 big handful of fresh spinach

¼ cup minced onion

1-2 slices of diced natural ham or crumbled nitrate/nitrite free bacon

dash of Tabasco or hot pepper flakes

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350, spray muffin pan or foil muffin cups with cooking spray. Thaw and drain spinach if using frozen. (You can just squeeze it with your hand to get rid of most of the excess liquid.

Mix all ingredients in with beaten eggs, and pour into muffin pan or foil muffin cups. Bake for 20 minues. Cool and serve.

You can refrigerate and re-warm these in a pan over low heat with a lid if you would like. Try with some fresh salsa and avocados!
And check out this awesome site I found for more great Paleo and gluten free breakfast ideas:

http://wheatfreedairyfreebreakfastrecipes.blogspot.com/

There are some particularly good recipes here for sure!

Gotta go, I am starving and it’s time for breakfast!

Till next time, stay healthy, energetic and lean!

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

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

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:

Eat REAL food. No packaged or processed foods. Make your meals from combinations of one-ingredient foods and spices.
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.
No grain. Not ‘whole grains’, and especially not refined, processed, white flour. No refined starches.
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.
High quality protein is important. Grass fed, pasture raised, or wild caught–meat, fish and poultry, and eggs. No grain fed, commercially raised meat.
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.
Eat organic. Eat them as close to where they grew as possible and in the most natural state.
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.