Pigs in a Blanket and "Complex" Carbohydrates

We all know that sugar is bad, but we mistakenly believe complex carbohydrates are healthy and we need to eat them in abundance. BUT what if I told you that "Complex carbohydrates" and "Whole Grains" are just glucose molecules hooked together in a long chain; the digestive track breaks it down into glucose...also known as sugar. So a "complex carb" diet and a "sugary" diet are pretty much the same...

PB and J Truffles and IMMUNE HEALTH

Have you ever noticed our kids get sick a lot from Halloween until Valentine’s Day? HMMMM, there are a lot of Holidays in between that time that focus on candy. Sugar depresses the immune system. Vitamin C is needed by white blood cells so that they could phagocytize viruses and bacteria. White blood cells require a 50 times higher concentration inside the cell as outside so they have to accumulate...

Protein Sandwich Spread AND Hormones-MOOD Connection

Have you noticed you aren't the same person you were when you wereyounger? 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"...

Lemon Bars and Why We OVER-EAT

I just received this awesome email from a client:"Going to gluten-free/sugar-free was very daunting at first. If someone told me, "You need to go gluten and sugar free" and sent me on my way, I would be completely lost. Your cookbook has made it so so easy to do! I won't lie, I've had days where I ate a piece of pizza or had birthday cake. But they are far and few between and I've found that I...

PALEO Protein Pudding and Baby's 1st Foods

Sadly, parents often think that rice cereal is the first food to introduce to a baby. Avocado and Organic Egg yolks are much healthier for our babies. A recent Swedish study suggests that when infants are given substantial amounts of cereal, they may suffer from low concentrations of zinc and reduced calcium absorption. Dr. David Ludwig of Children's Hospital Boston, a specialist in pediatric nutrition,...

Cinnabon Coffee Cake and Why I Love Cinnamon

What a wonderful email to wake up to!"Hi Maria! I read your book 'Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism' at the first of Feb. After reading the book, I stopped eating wheat/gluten to see if my migraines would lessen or stop. I am 46 years old. I've had migraines since i was a teen. I'm so happy to say that I have had only one migraine in over 2 months. It happened the day after I accidently ate half a wheat...

Cherry Magic Shell and CROHNE'S/COLITIS

I see many clients with a variety of problems. One issue on the rise is Crohn’s and Colitis. If Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are caught before serious damage has been done, both conditions can be treated simply by restricting carbohydrates. This chart clearly shows that when carbohydrates are limited, both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis respond very quickly. Carbohydrates, sugar...

Captain Crunch Berries Cereal and FAT BURNING

What a wonderful testimony to wake up to in my inbox!"I had been taking Crestor for high cholesterol levels, but never felt well while I was taking it. So I decided to give Maria's diet plan a serious try. Within a few weeks on the diet plan I decided to discontinue my Crestor and had my cholesterol levels checked about 6 weeks later. My triglycerides dropped from 274 to 115. My LDL cholesterol was...

Hot BEEF Sundae!

I know a lot of you have tried cauliflower mashed "faux"tatoes and thought the taste was good, but the texture wasn't the same. I'm here to tell you, I found a special trick. I also never really cared for the gritty fake potatoes either until we purchased the Blendtec Blender! We bought it to make pureed baby food and it has been an awesome purchase for so many of my recipes; including making the...