Mint Chip Gelato and MATCHA BENEFITS

This is a special testimony from a client dealing the depression and anxiety:

As "the skinny girl" my entire life it was a medical condition and the medications necessary for me to take for the rest of my life that packed on more than 50 lbs. in a very short amount of time at the age of 37 that led me places I had never been before. Although the medication was making me feel better, it was a different story when I looked in the mirror. I had never tried to be thin, i just naturally was, and it's not like I wanted to weight 102 lbs on my 5'4" frame, I always had a dream weight of 120. Something my doctor laughed at when I asked him how to keep some of my baby weight after I delivered my first baby, after all, being pregnant was the first time I actually got over 100#, something that had been a goal of mine since I was about 16. I know, poor thin girl ... however, I was about to learn how body image affects so many aspects of a persons being, something I had never even considered. 20 days after starting my medication and I had already gained 27 lbs. I was so shocked every time I looked in the mirror, I still expected to find my former self and seeing my friends visible reactions although they tried to be encouraging. I kept having to purchase larger and larger clothes and eventually peaked at plus 54 pounds. I had tried to "eat better", you know, yogurt, fruit, vegetables, but in all honesty I am a bona fide, all out sweet tooth, always have been. Nothing seemed to help. My doctor and I decided to switch my medication to see if the side effects would alter. Hard to say if it worked, I didn't change anything else, although eating my way across Australia on vacation did non add any weight. I took that as a good sign. Then I ventured back into the work force and was more mobile and managed to lose a bit of weight, about 10 lbs. But I still felt terrible, emotionally, physically, had the 3:00 "I'm so tired I could sleep the rest of the day" thing going on.

I had a couple of friends who started working with a nutritionist who were altering their lifestyles, but it sounded like an impossible plan, no sugar!! No gluten?? How could I live without dessert and bread, my life line? I happened to overhear a session my friend was having with this nutritionist and honestly, it sounded do-able. You could substitute healthy versions of sweeteners, not give them up completely. Might work. There were ways to make/buy breads that I could eat, who knew? I decided to buy the book and check into it. What I learned changed my life. I decided to go "all in". I scheduled a consultation with Maria (said nutritionist) attended her Healthy Metabolism Class and attend her grocery store shopping excursion. I could do this, no, I will do this. My family was in shock. I don't think they gave me a chance, no sweets, no way. But I was determined. I did not eat one thing that wasn't on Maria's approved/recommended list. It definitely didn't happen over night, but little by little, week by week I was losing weight. My clothes were starting to hang, people were taking notice. My goal ... 120 pounds! Ironic right? My goal when thin and chubby was always 120!  I honestly don't know where I found the strength to do it, except by following Maria. Her constant encouragement and knowledge educated me in an area I didn't even know I needed to learn, after all prior to medication I could eat whatever I wanted. I no longer had the 3:00 afternoon energy dip, and generally had a better outlook on life. I'm not saying it was completely easy, there were challenges ... what to order if we went out to eat? I eventually did reach my goal and I owe it all to this book and it's author, Maria Emmerich. Thank you Maria

  -Jennifer Norman

This recipe is in honor of Jennifer! She loves my ice cream!

Baskin Robbin's Mint Chip Ice Cream Ingredients: cream, nonfat milk, sugar, corn syrup, semi-sweet chocolate chips [sugar, chocolate liquor, chocolate liquor processed with alkali, milkfat, cocoa butter, soya lecithin (added as an emulsifier)], whey powder, emulsifier/stabilizer blend (cellulose gum, mono and diglycerides, guar gum, carrageenan, polysorbate 80), natural flavor, artificial color (blue 1, yellow 5).



No thank you! Food dye is what makes this ice cream green! The most common food that American's eat isn't even a food...it is food dye! Americans consume five times as much food dye as they did 30 years ago, according to the Food and Drug Administration. But the trend in other countries may be turning. British arms of General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft, Mars, and McDonald's, for example, use few or no dyes. In Europe, their "FDA" is requiring any food item with dye have a WARNING on them! "May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children."

BUT, The green color of this ice cream comes from one powerful antioxidant...Matcha Powder. Matcha powder are the leaves of green tea! The health benefits of matcha powder exceed those of drinking green tea because when you consume matcha you ingest the whole leaf, not just the brewed water. Antioxidants are one of biggest the buzz words in nutrition; they are naturally occurring chemical compounds that prevent aging and chronic diseases. Most people's minds go to blueberries or fruits when they hear antioxidants, but I'm here to tell you that fruits don't even come close to the benefits of matcha! Tufts University discovered that matcha has an amazing 20 times more antioxidants than blueberries! Not only that, but it is also great for:

1. ACNE: If you’re looking for a free acne home remedy then you cannot beat matcha. Matcha powder has been shown to be as effective as a 4% solution of benzoyl peroxide without doing damage. It also rejuvenates dying skin cells; when exposed to the leaves of green tea, the old cells found in the upper layers of the epidermis appear to start dividing again. They make DNA and produce more energy and they are reactivated. So consuming matcha powder helps cleanse your system from the inside, but you can also rub the teabags over your skin to cure your acne fast without the detrimental side effects of prescription medications which have been found to increase depression and suicide.

2. ENERGY and ENDURANCE: In the past, researchers thought the energy boost from green tea was from the caffeine in matcha, but they found that it was actually the combination of matcha's natural properties. It has been proven to increase physical endurance by 24%. This is most likely because of the natural rise in dopamine (things like aspertame are an excito-toxin which raises dopamine, but not without a cost...it over excites dopamine stores and causes depression; which is why you get addicted to diet soda). To read more on dopamine, check out my book: Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.

3. WEIGHT LOSS: Matcha boosts metabolism and burns fat. It has been found to help burn 4 times more calories! Just by drinking/consuming macha! Even cooler, is that is it doesn't raise blood pressure or heart rate like other scary weight loss products.

4. COLON HEALTH: The green color in matcha comes from chlorophyll; which is a powerful detoxifier and cleanser from the inside out. Chlorophyll eliminates metals and chemicals found in the liver and fat cells.

5. HORMONAL HEALTH: Green tea actually helps LOWER unhealthy estrogen, when black tea can raise it! High unhealthy estrogen leads to severe PMS, inability to lose belly fat, and more severe issues such as fibroids.

6. DIABETES: Green tea has polyphenols and fiber which help control blood sugar levels.

7. CALM ANXIETY: Even though it has caffeine, it also has the amino acid l-theanine, which promotes a state of relaxation and well-being by acting upon the brains functioning. Excess stress increases beta waves, causing an agitated state, where l-theanine creates alpha waves, leading  to a state of relaxed alertness; this naturally increases dopamine without over-exciting them. L-Theanine is found in all tea, BUT matcha has 5 times more than black teas and other green teas. L-Theanine also helps learning and memory.

8. CANCER: Matcha also has a special, unique antioxidant called catechins, which are only found in green tea leaves. The main 'super power' of catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) is that it is a potent cancer-fighter. The catechins basically counteract the damage done by free radicals that form in our bodies due to chemicals, metals, UV rays, pollution, and radiation, which causes DNA and cellular damage.

*NOTE: If you consume alcohol and have a diet with trans-fat and sugar, you can eat all the matcha powder you want and it won't reverse the damage. These benefits are best felt with an addition to a "healthified" way of eating. 

"HEALTHIFIED" GELATO
1 cup organic heavy cream (or 2 cups for a creamier ice cream)
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 TBS matcha powder (green tea powder)
1 cup Swerve (or Just Like Sugar) *keeps ice cream soft
1 tsp stevia glycerite

1 tsp mint extract (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves...I used chocolate mint leaves)
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt (keeps it soft)
OPTIONAL: Nature's Hollow Xylitol Honey and toasted almonds OR ChocoPerfection bar, chopped

In a large blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Freeze mixture in ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream has finished churning, it will be relatively soft. Store the ice cream in an airtight plastic container in the freezer. Allow to freeze for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Top with Nature's Hollow Honey (no substitutes) and toasted almonds or chocoperfection chips, if desired. Makes 6 servings (8 servings if you add 1 extra cup of cream).

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1/2 cup serving)
Baskin Robbin's Gelato = 280 calories, 19g fat, 4g protein, 25 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Gelato = 82 calories, 8g fat, 1g protein, 4.4g carbs, 3.2g fiber (1.2 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Ice Cream (2 cups cream) = 114 calories, 11.8g fat, 1g protein, 4.5g carbs, 3.2g fiber (1.3 effective carbs)

Shamrock Shake and HERB GARDEN

McDonald's SHAMROCK SHAKE INGREDIENTS: (Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream): Milk, sugar, cream, nonfat milk solids, corn syrup solids, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, dextrose, sodium citrate, artificial vanilla flavor, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, disodium phosphate, cellulose gum, vitamin A palmitate. Shamrock Shake Syrup: High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, sugar, natural flavor, xanthan gum, citric acid, sodium benzoate (preservative), yellow 5, blue 1.


One fun family project to do is to grow a small herb garden in the house. Most people think you must eat fruits and veggies to get all your nutrients in for the day, but a hidden food that has A TON of nutrients are herbs! Spices are also a product that should be bought organic since you eat the leaves that are sprayed with chemicals. One way to save money is to keep one of these cute plants in the kitchen!



The chemical compound menthol comes from the oil found in mint. Menthol has many healing properties for our body:
1. STOMACH PAIN: Relieves symptoms of indigestion, heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome by relaxing the muscles in and around the intestine.
2. CANCER: It is an antioxidant that kills free radicals, therefore protects the body against the formation of cancerous cells.
3. ASTHMA: Eases and unblock the breathing and respiratory passages and airways.
3. CANDIDA: Kills many different types of bacteria and fungus.
4. ANXIETY: Act as a mild sedative and has calming properties.
5. COLD/FLU/COUGH/SINUS PRESSURE: Relieves the symptoms of colds and flu. It can relieve congestion, head colds and headaches.
6. ALLERGIES: Mint can help with nasal allergies by relaxing vessels.
7. PAIN (MUSCLES and BURNS): Provides a cooling sensation to the skin and can help to treat minor burns, itching and skin irritations. It is often the smell added to topical pain relievers because it relieves minor pains such as muscle cramps and sprains.
8. SKIN and ACNE: is an awesome skin cleanser and a healthy way to combat acne. Click HERE to find the natural cleansing pads with mint oils.
9. ORAL HEALTH: Kills bad breath.

No food dye in this tasty treat!



"HEALTHIFIED" SHAMROCK SHAKE
1/2 cup avocado
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or full fat coconut milk)
1/4 cup Jay Robb vanilla protein powder
2 TBS cream cheese OR coconut cream, softened
1 cup crushed ice
4 TBS erythritol (or Swerve)
1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using Swerve)
1/4 tsp mint extract or about 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
OPTION: use a different extract to switch up flavors! We loved Mango! 

Place all ingredients in a blender (I use this BlendTec which is on sale now for $100 off!). Puree until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses. Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 16 ounce serving)
McDonald's Shake = 680 calories, 20g fat, 14g protein, 111g carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Shake (coconut milk) = 355 calories, 31g fat, 15 g protein, 8.9g carbs, 4.4g fiber
"Healthified" Shake (almond milk) = 146 calories, 10g fat, 12g protein, 4.9 carbs, 2.8g fiber

VARIATION: Use Strawberry Jay Robb protein powder, omit the mint and add strawberry extract. For the pink color, I added a tsp of natural food coloring. Click HERE to find. 

I get a lot of questions on what to replace for cream cheese. Coconut cream is an amazing product that is smooth and tastes great! If you have a dairy sensitivity or allergy, you can still enjoy this shake. Coconut cream also tastes great spread on "healthified" bagels! I have seen it in grocery stores, but it was very expensive. One trick I do is I buy a lot of things online. This way I save money and TIME! It comes right to my door and I don't have to drag my boys to stores, looking for the best deals...we would rather play outside! Click HERE to find coconut cream for a great price. 

Protein Sandwich Spread AND Hormones-MOOD Connection

Have you noticed you aren't the same person you were when you were
younger? Are you going through menopause? Do you have estrogen dominance or low progesterone? Well, hormones have receptors throughout the brain and effect how our neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, GABA, acetylcholine and norepinephrine) work.

Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is considered part of our "flight or fight" response. It is found mostly in the amygdala, which is a central processing place of our brain responsible for anxiety. There are about 12,000 neurons that are sensitive to norepinephrine. This "anti-anxiety" neurotransmitter helps with stressful events; it raises blood pressure, speeds up the metabolism, raises body temperature, affects the lungs, tells our adrenal (stress) hormones to appear, and makes us more focused and alert. This is a healthy response when we are in danger, BUT, if you have a very stressful life or are dealing with a tragedy and are constantly pushing out norepinephrine, you WILL run out and this is detrimental to our adrenal hormones, thyroid and mental health.

NOREPINEPHRINE
When norepinephrine levels stay high for too long, we become irritable, anxious, and short tempered. This can lead to a panic attack out of the blue...blood pressure and heart rate go up, blood vessels and lungs constrict, shortness of breath and dizziness occurs, and the digestive system shuts down.

Healthy doses of norepinephrine during the day is great to keep us focused and alert. But in a stressful life, this high level at night, disturbs proper REM sleep (which I write a lot about in the book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. The terrible effects of little to no REM sleep can have serious long-term issues on our weight (our leptin receptors become resistant), mood (serotonin will suffer when melatonin suffers) and our cells (which become damaged and can lead to fibromyalgia or other cellular disorders).

Norepinephrine also determines if you suffer from hot flashes or not. The luteinizing hormone signals the ovaries, which are slowing down to a hault during menopause. These signals causes a rise in the hypothalamus which regulates the body's temperature and sleep. Norepinephrine goes into overdrive because the ovaries aren't listening...this is very bad because the signals will cause hot flashes and inhibit the brain to get into REM sleep. You may be passed out, but the act of REM sleep isn't happening; in the morning you feel groggy, depressed and tired.

On the flip side, if norepinephrine levels are low, depression is likely to set in. The main principle of tricyclic antidepressants is to produce proper levels of norepinephrine. Scientists can't study mice when it comes to depression because they can't produce norepinephrine and therefore, don't respond to antidepressants! Interesting, huh!

ESTROGEN
There are 3 types of estrogen. The first one is made only when pregnant, the second one is made from our ovaries and the 3rd source is the unhealthy estrogen that causes belly fat. This comes from external sources(commercial soaps, alcohol, excess insulin, hormones in food...). It is clear that a lack of healthy estrogen that comes from our ovaries, estradiol, has a huge effect on our moods. Six days after ovaries are removed, there is a huge disconnect in the part of the brain that use norepinephrine. The adrenal glands also produce norepinephrine, so taking care of our adrenal system is important. Sleep, yoga and relaxing are a few examples of how we can take care of our adrenal system.

Most people understand me when I bring up serotonin. Serotonin receptors are found in the intestines, blood vessels and the central nervous system. In the intestines, it makes food move through faster; low serotonin = slow bowl movements and often inability to go #2 everyday (probiotics are essential to consume for a healthy serotonin level in the brain, especially after antiobiotics, a colonoscopy, or a cleanse or stress). In the blood vessels, serotonin increases constriction and blood pressure which results in migraines or headaches. The central nervous system actually runs from our intestines to our brain, which again is why probiotics in the intestines help build serotonin.

High serotonin levels lower appetite, which is why I recommend 5-HTP for my dieters who aren't on an antidepressant...it makes dieting so much easier because it keeps cravings at bay while also increasing REM sleep.

Low serotonin levels cause disturbed sleep, lack of pleasure with our lives, high carbohydrate cravings, urinary urgency (low serotonin = increase in bladder contraction), and can lead to more serious issues like depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and suicide.

When I bring up GABA to clients, their face often goes blank. This is a fairly unfamiliar brain neurotransmitter. BUT, when I tell them it is our 'anti-anxiety' and emotional eating brain chemical, they often give me a look like "that is ME!" GABA is "nature's valium" that helps us fall asleep. Anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium, Ativan, and Xanax interact with GABA receptors. If we have enough GABA, we feel calm. But if we lack GABA we start to feel anxious, we often can't stop eating after one serving and we have a hard time falling asleep because our mind is racing about what happened that day or what we need to accomplish the next day.

Estrogen affects all the neurotransmitters but it is most important for serotonin. Estrogen boosts serotonin by both making more of it and keeping it around after it's made. So that's likely to be the reason that estrogen increases mood and enhances healthy sleep patterns. The hippocampus of the brain connects emotions and memory and shrinks when someone is depressed. Estrogen, however, boosts the health of the hippocampus and helps fight depression.

To balance estrogen, I suggest supplementing with a pure progesterone cream (I like Progest by Emerita…no additives, just wild yam). OR, you can take supplements that help the liver metabolize estrogen, such as folic acid, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium glycinate, and my favorite: Estrofactors by Metagenics (click HERE to find).

PROGESTERONE
If you find you are low on progesterone, adding in a pure progesterone cream helps boost moods by increasing dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter). Not only that, progesterone helps increase the essential REM sleep that is needed to balance all of our hormones (leptin, ghrelin, thyroid, adrenal). This is why pregnant women with high progesterone levels are sleepy and they often remember their dreams. Women with adequate progesterone also have more positive emotions than women with low progesterone. Take note that MORE isn’t always better! Don’t go out and rub Progest cream all over your body! Too much can cause water retention and lack of energy. To help with depression, use a lower dose of progesterone cream. For anxiety, use a bit more, or switch from a cream to an oral source.

These suggestions aren’t going to cure everyone. Balancing our hormones will be enough for some, but there are certain situations where that won’t work and one will need more help. If anxiety or depression is showing up after a hysterectomy and never did before, then tinkering with hormone levels are most likely going to fix the issue.

STEPS FOR SUCCESS:
1. Don’t underestimate exercise, yoga and nature! Movement is a natural form of ‘antidepressants!’ My favorite thing to do is to put a book on my iphone and listen to that while I walk my boys around the block after dinner. Don’t just sit after meals…you don’t have to run, but move! It helps lower insulin (excess insulin = excess bad estrogen).

2. Depressed people often have high levels of cortisol, which the stress hormone pumped out by the adrenal glands and is responsible for belly fat in many people. In a healthy body, cortisol is released at 8 am and 4 pm and then levels drop at night. Depressed people don't cycle. Their levels stay high. So lowering stress and cortisol through exercise, meditation, and massage might help depression. Yoga is awesome because it helps with lowering stress. Stress uses up neurotransmitters.

3. Eat Protein multiple times a day: Protein has amino acids which are essential in building serotonin (tryptophan). So eating a healthy diet with enough protein multiple times a day will supply the building for healthy neurotransmitters (you can’t store protein).

4. Supplement your health! There are supplements that might help(particularly if you are taking estrogen). Probiotics are #1 with improving mood! I take THIS one everyday: ULTRA FLORA PLUS. Magnesium glycinate helps with insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, anxiety, and blood pressure. Vitamin B6 is helpful for serotonin, GABA, and dopamine (a balanced B complex is best). People who get panic attacks might be extra sensitive to caffeine, so it's good to avoid it. Anything that will help you relax(except alcohol, which really messes with hormone balance) is probably a good thing. Click HERE to find the supplements I recommend for mood imbalances.





"Healthified" Protein Spread
6 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup organic chicken broth (or veggie broth)
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp Celtic salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

In a blender or a food processor (click HERE to find the one I use on sale for $30!), puree the eggs, broth, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving (it will thicken up as it rests). Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 32 gram serving)
Mayo = 100 calories, 10g fat, 0.2g protein, 2g carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Spread = 34 calories, 2.2g fat, 3g protein, 0.3g carbs, trace fiber

Use it in place of mayo on my CRAB BLT recipe!