Scallops & Thai "Risotto" and FIBRO FACTS

My heart goes out to all the people suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. This is a life-debilitating disease that some doctors often dismiss. I however believe that there are many causes to this.

INFLAMMATION: One of the reasons so many people are dealing with inflammation is because a rapid rise in blood sugar, which causes biochemical changes in the cell. Choosing low carbohydrate foods is one of the best ways to decrease inflammation. When blood sugar rises, sugar attaches to collagen in a process called “glycosylation,” increasing inflammation (and increases wrinkles!) Athletes also mistakenly eat too many carbohydrates that hinder their healing and recovery time because they are constantly inflaming their joints.

SUGAR/GLUCOSE/FRUIT: Sugar decreases our immune system, which also increases fibro and chronic fatigue. There is something called a "phagocytic index" which tells you how rapidly a particular lymphocyte can gobble up a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell. Glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another when entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl. Sugar is disguised in our foods as sucrose, corn syrup, maltodexterin. Even fruits and fruit juices contain a lot of sugar. Sugar also increases blood sugar which causes inflammation and pain.

HORMONES and LIVER FUNCTION: Some ways we get too much estrogen is exposure to chemicals that mimic estrogen such as many plastics (microwaving food in plastic dishes or using plastic wraps and containers) or eating non-organic food. Beef and chickens are typically given potent estrogenic substances (‘super-estrogens’) to make them more productive. People develop estrogen dominance as a result of a high-carb low-fiber diet, consuming excess fructose, drinking alcohol, having a "Tired-Toxic Liver (see chapter in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism), or environmental factors...all of which we have some power to control. The liver is a filter of sorts. It detoxifies our body, protecting us from the harmful effects of chemicals, elements in food, environmental toxins, and even natural products of our metabolism, including excess estrogen. Anything that impairs liver function or ties up the detoxifying function will result in excess estrogen levels. If your liver is tired and toxic, a special diet plan would be in order to help. Estrofactors is a product by Metagenics that detoxes the liver from excess estrogen (click HERE to find).

CANDIDA: An overgrowth of yeast can cause muscle and joint pain, difficulty concentrating, chronic fatigue, neurological disorders, insomnia, bowel dysfunction, a weakened immune system. These symptoms very similar to fibromyalgia. If you have been on antibiotics, have low moods and you crave carbs and sugar, you could have an overgrowth of yeast. A low carb, low sugar diet along with the correct probiotics help to kill the yeast. Click HERE for a proper probiotic (not all are created equal).

EXCITOTOXINS: Monosodium glutamate (MSG or Accent), aspartame (NutraSweet or Equal), hydrolyzed protein, are exitotoxins to our brain and should be eliminated by everyone. They are found in just about every boxed and packaged food out there. Excitotoxins excite the neurons in the brain, causing them to fire so rapidly that they die. Once these cells are dead, they can't be remade. What is really scary is that when we initially eliminate these food additives, symptoms initially get worse as the body detoxifies.

PHOSPHATES: Most fibrous foods such as seeds, wheat, and oats have phytic acid. Many people with chronic fatigue and fibro have a genetic defect that prevents the kidneys from excreting phosphates. The phosphates build up in the bones, and eventually the muscles, ligaments and the tendons. The high phosphate level damages the cells’ ability to produce ATP (energy) and causes the muscles to spasm. Coconut fiber does not contain phytic acid so it helps improve mineral status when you replace this for wheat flour in your baked goods.

FREE RADICALS: An abundance of oxidative damage to the cells can cause fibro and chronic fatigue. Restoring the cells and eliminating free radicals is essential. Supplements are necessary for this to take place. For suggestions on supplements, click HERE.

MINERAL DEFICIENCIES: Magnesium is a miracle mineral that about 70% of people are deficient in. Insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your muscles will constrict rather than relax, which will increase pain and decrease your energy level. To fix this problem, eat a low carb diet and consume magnesium glycinate (click HERE to find).

FOOD ALLERGIES: Having a food allergy, such as gluten, inhibits your intestines to absorb iron and B-12; both are essential for energy production. When we inhale, we carry oxygen through the hemoglobin to the mitochondria of our cells that burn fat and create energy. If we are deficient in iron, we can't carry the oxygen to the mitochondria.

NIGHT SHADES: Another possible source of pain comes from the “nightshade plants.” Vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine. Solanine can trigger pain in some people. If you are in question, I suggest eliminating these foods for 1 month to see what happens.

OTHERS: Not getting into REM sleep, imbalance of omega 3 to omega 6 ratio, a damaged immune system, parasites (which damage the immune system), lack of exercise.



FYI: Trader Joe's has a great price on scallops!

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 TBS fresh lime juice
4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp minced green chiles
2 TBS cilantro
2 TBS minced green onions, divided
4 cups cauliflower, into "rice"
1 lb of scallops
2 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp butter
Celtic sea salt and pepper

SAUCE: In a medium skillet, combine first 6 ingredients. Add 2 teaspoons green chiles; boil until sauce thickens slightly and is reduced to generous 3/4 cup, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.

RICE: "RICE": Place the cauliflower heads into a food processor (click HERE to find the one I use), pulse until small pieces of 'rice.' Set on a plate and cover with sauce.

Scallops: Rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Add the oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the oil begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately over cauliflower risotto. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Risotto: 449 calories, 20g fat, 23g protein, 45 carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Risotto: 305 calories, 19g fat, 23g protein, 12 carbs, 4g fiber

Reuben Enchiladas and DIGESTIVE HEALTH

Digestive problems? Yeast infections? Chronic Fatigue? Allergies? IBS? Cravings? Eating fermented vegetables daily is a natural cure. If you have a history of using antibiotics, it causes your gut to be more susceptible for parasites and Candida overgrowth.

A healthy large intestine is very acidic and has lots of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. These healthy microorganisms feed on the waste left over from our digestion and create lactic acid. We need lactic acid that they produce to keep our colons healthy and in an acidic state. Without them the colon does not have enough acidity to stop the growth of parasites and yeasts and eventually the environment becomes hostile to acidophilus.

Some of the signs of candida yeast overgrowth are fatigue, poor memory, a "spacey" feeling, intense food cravings, gas, loss of sexual desire, bad breath and indigestion. Candida has also been directly linked to allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity disorders and various cancers. Use of antibiotics, birth control pills, alcohol and refined foods all increase the risk of developing candida.

Theses desired microorganisms that create lactic acid in the colon are naturally found in all vegetables and helps turn cabbage into highly-digestible sauerkraut. The fermentation process increases the amount of microorganisms.

Lactic acid also helps digestion at an earlier stage in our stomach. As we get older, our stomach’s natural secretions of hydrochloric acid decrease. Hydrochloric acid breaks down food so it can be more easily absorbed by the small intestine. It is also the most important defense we have against harmful bacteria and parasites often present in food. Lactic acid can help compensate for reduced hydrochloric acid.

Unpasteurized sauerkraut also benefits digestion in the stomach by assisting the pancreas. The pancreas secretes essential digestive enzymes into the stomach. Sauerkraut is high in enzymes that work just like the ones from the pancreas.

So here is a recipe for our digestion!


8 oz corned beef
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups sauerkraut
2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
1 large head of cabbage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pot, boil water and place large leaves of cabbage in the water. Boil for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

Spray a baking pan with nonstick coconut oil spray and set aside.

Place the corned beef in a bowl and shred using two forks; one to hold the beef in place and the other to scrape across the meat. Add cheese, sauerkraut, and cream cheese. Mix well and set aside.

Lay cabbage tortillas out flat, and evenly distribute corned beef mixture between the centers. Wrap the cabbage tortillas up tightly, and place them in the baking pan with the seam sides down. Bake in the oven until hot, about 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
USING CORN TORTILLA = 482 calories, 27 carbs, 3g fiber
USING CABBAGE TORTILLA = 377 calories, 6.2 carbs, 2.1 g fiber (4.1 effective carbs)

"Faux"tato Chips and TIRED TOXIC LIVER

Your liver plays a major role in weight loss. The liver is a chief organ in the body for metabolism functions. Keeping our liver at optimal health should be a main focus of your weight loss plan. I write a chapter in my book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism, called Tired Toxic Liver...this is my mom's favorite sub-chapter because it all makes sense!

The liver makes and secretes bile for storage in the gallbladder. During digestion, the bile is moved to the intestine to break down fats. But, if the liver is congested, it doesn’t produce enough bile for fat to be broken down. The liver can become congested from chemicals, toxins, drugs and heavy metals. Evidence of a "fatty liver" is often shown by a roll of fat at the waistline, which happens because the liver has stopped breaking down fat and started storing it. Only once you bring your liver back to full function, will you lose this fat. This is why I list specific ingredients like "aluminum free baking powder." All of these steps help the body in little, yet important ways.

Like every American, you're probably totally puzzled on which is the right weight loss plan. You've been flooded with emails of new miracle diets, and wondering if there are any health risks associated with them. Before choosing a weight loss programs, you need to discover if your liver could be to blame for your issues. When the liver is overloaded and toxic, every organ in a person's body is affected and weight loss efforts are stalled. Some signs of a toxic liver are weight gain, cellulite, abdominal bloating, indigestion, fatigue, mood swings, depression, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and skin rashes. Many people struggle with weight gain and a sluggish metabolism most of their lives, and go through lots of yo-yo dieting unsuccessfully. “So why doesn’t anything really work?” we may ask. We have been tackling the symptom when we should be addressing the cause; weight gain is often due to poor liver function.

The liver performs more than 400 different jobs, and is the body's most important metabolism-enhancing organ; it acts as a filter to clear the body of toxins, metabolize protein, control hormonal balance and enhance our immune system. Your liver is a “worker bee” that can even regenerate its own damaged cells! But our liver is not invincible. When it is abused and lacks essential nutrients, or when it is overwhelmed by toxins, it no longer performs as it should. Fat may build up in the liver and just under the skin, hormone imbalances can develop, and toxins increase and get into the blood stream.

The liver metabolizes not only fats, but proteins and carbohydrates for fuel. It breaks down amino acids from proteins into various pieces to help build muscle; which directly impacts your calorie burn. It also transports amino acids through the blood stream for hormone balance; which is critical to avoid water retention, bloating, cravings, as well other undesired weight issues. Amino acids also help move waste, such as damaged cholesterol, and used estrogen and insulin to the liver, for detoxification and elimination through the kidney.

The liver's most important function, and the one that puts it at greatest risk for damages, is to detoxify the numerous toxins that attack our bodies daily. Working together with the lungs, kidneys, skin and intestines, a healthy liver detoxifies many damaging substances and eliminates them without polluting the bloodstream. When we cleanse the liver and eat the right foods, liver metabolism will improve and we start burning fat. As liver function improves, so does energy. With more energy, fitness improves, because we have the ability to exercise more and improve our muscle tone.

The following are the most common symptoms of a toxic liver; being edgy, easily stressed, elevated cholesterol, skin irritation, depression, sleep difficulties, indigestion, kidney damage, heart damage, brain fog, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory, PMS, blood sugar imbalances, allergies, or obesity. The liver also plays a role in migraines. If this vital organ is overloaded with toxic substances, it can cause inflammation that triggers migraine pain. If you have tried many ways to improve your health and energy level and nothing seemed to help, it is possible that your tired liver is triggering your difficulties. Restoring liver function is one of the most essential actions you could ever do for your health. When the liver gets congested it will remain that way and get worse until it gets cleaned and revitalized.

THINGS TO AVOID
1. FRUCTOSE: Are you consuming fruit for a snack or breakfast? Grabbing a banana for breakfast is a bad thing to do for your liver, yet so many people do this thinking it is helpful for weight loss. Fructose, the sugar in fruit is really hard on our liver. Think of fruit (and only the low-sugar berries) as an occasional treat. Agave should also be avoided since it is chemically 90% fructose (sugar is 50% fructose).

2. SUGAR: Sugar is also a terrible and very common liver stressor. You may say you don't consume sugar, but you may be ingesting it from a lot of prepared food quite unknowingly. Always read the labels; it is hidden in marinara sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, the list is scary. In the process of being metabolized, sugar robs your body of important nutrients; for example zinc, is essential for liver function. Sugar also restrains your liver's production of enzymes, needed in the detoxification process.

3. HYDROGENATED OILS: A major liver stressor is trans-fat found in solid fats or semi solid fats like margarine. Trans-fat obstructs your liver's ability to burn fat. Our body will never learn how to process those “plastic-like” man-made fats.

4. Some liver stressors are caffeine, sugars, trans-fats, chocolate, soft drinks, many over the counter medications, cholesterol lowering drugs, anticonvulsants, and an inadequate intake of fiber. Women detoxify caffeine slower than men because of hormonal interactions with caffeine. Birth control pills also increase the time to detox caffeine by twice as much.

5. ALCOHOL: Alcohol is terrible for our liver. Overwhelming evidence has proved that alcohol itself is toxic to the liver, even when nutrition is adequate. Alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to metabolize hormones, which are important for maintaining blood pressure. Having one drink can cause acute liver inflammation. As the liver breaks down alcohol, by-products are formed, such as acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is approximately 30 times more toxic than alcohol, and is a major cause of hangovers. Drinking alcohol depletes a store of a liver peptide called GHS, which helps us detoxify chemicals. Much of the cell damage that occurs in liver degeneration is believed to be caused by free radicals, highly reactive molecular fragments, liberated during alcohol metabolism. The damage caused by free radicals can include the destruction of essential components of cell membranes. Acetaldehyde appears to be the key generator of free radicals. Alcohol also stimulates the liver to make more triglycerides, and even a 2 oz. glass of wine a week can raise triglyceride levels. Stay Away!

If you want more ideas on food to eat for your liver, see the chapter TIRED TOXIC LIVER in my Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism Book.

One "Liver-Healing" Food that I write about in my book is the artichoke. If you wanted other ideas to use artichokes, click HERE for my "Easy Pasta."

Faux-"Potato" Chips
Here is a new vegetable for your family to try...a Jerusalem Artichoke. They are similar to water chestnuts in taste. Jerusalem artichokes resemble potatoes except the carbohydrates composing 75 to 80% of the tubers are in the form of inulin rather than starch, which will keep our insulin from rising. In this recipe, the important step to making them into crispy chips is to slice them very thin.

1 lemon, sliced in half
4 Jerusalem artichokes
Celtic sea salt (to taste)
Coconut Oil or other unrefined oil

In a deep pan, heat about 2 inches oil to medium-high. Wash and peel fresh Jerusalem Artichokes. Using a mandolin, slice into very thin strips (like you would a potato). Once the oil is hot, add a few slices to the pan, fry until they are golden brown. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Once they are golden brown, remove and pat dry. Dust with sea salt and serve with lemon. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1/2 cup serving)
Traditional Chips = 170 calories, 24 carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Chips = 109 calories, 13 carbs, 1.9g fiber

"Faux-Oatmeal" and Facts on ASTHMA

What causes asthma? Inflammation of the lungs. What causes inflammation of the lungs...Sugar, starch, "complex" carbohydrates, food allergies, tran-fats...shall I go on?

One reason I will focus on is food allergies, which can develop when food is not properly digested which causes fermentation activated by yeast in the intestines. One reason for the lack of digestion is the "ROUND UP" ready seeds in Monsanto's corn, soy and GMO foods (click HERE to learn more). This process further increases the amount of yeast in the digestive tract. The increase level of yeast causes the increased penetrability of the wall of the intestine, which can cause "leaky gut syndrome". The undesired micro-organisms (yeast) enter the blood stream and attack different parts of the body (lungs, vagina, kidneys, brain, and other organs). This can create asthma, yeast infections, allergies, sinus infections, chronic fatigue, depression...Yikes!

Eating food high in starch (even "complex carbohydrates") are just glucose molecules hooked together in long chains; which increase blood sugar levels. This in turn rapidly increases the problem; yeast LOVES sugar! Sugar and starchy foods cause the blood sugar to rise fast and then plummet to under the normal healthy level. The drop of blood sugar causes the production of serotonin to go down and cause depression. The decrease of serotonin causes the production of histamine, which causes the expansion of blood vessels. Over expansion of blood vessels causes liquid in the blood vessels to leak out. When liquid leaks out into sinus area it causes nasal drip. When it drips into the bronchi, it causes asthma. When it drips into the brain, it causes headaches and migraines.

Another cause of asthma is a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in rich in omega-3 fatty acids. When that balance is out of whack, inflammation can set in.

Many mineral deficiencies can also cause asthma. One of which is magnesium, which is possibly the single most important nutrient for managing asthma because of its multiple effects on the asthmatic condition. It is extremely powerful in the relaxation of bronchial muscle, resulting in a reduction of bronchospasm and increased airways diameter. Magnesium stimulates the production of AMP and ATP, two important mediators that create relaxation of bronchospasm. Magnesium also reduces the histamine response, which calms inflammation. Patients suffering from asthma often have high histamine release from white blood cells, which causes inflammation and bronchoconstriction. Magnesium will dull this response.

If you would like more information on getting rid of asthma through food and therapeutic supplements, please contact me for a consult. Click HERE for more information.

BUT, for now try this recipe which is filled with omega 3's and magnesium! It is also low in starch and sugar. Enjoy and Happy Breathing!

FAUX OATMEAL
1 cup of warm almond milk (or coconut milk)
2 TBS freshly ground flaxseeds OR Coconut Flour
4 TBS vanilla Jay Robb egg white or whey protein
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 drop stevia glycerite
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
Optional: you can add some nuts or unsweetened coconut flakes to this recipe.

Combine warm milk, flax, whey, stevia, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir well and let sit for a few minutes or overnight until the “oatmeal” thickens (if you grind your flaxseed fresh, it will thicken and it will have tons of Omega 3's). Enjoy! Makes 1 serving.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Oatmeal = 187 calories, 29 carbs, 2.8g fiber
"Healthified" Oatmeal = 169 calories, 5 carbs, 4.5 fiber
(The above chart is from Here)