Nutrition Frenzy

“You: On A Diet,” by Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz offers cutting-edge information about the biological reasons we gain weight, and the secret to losing it and keeping it off for good. In “You: On A Diet”, Roizen and Oz-ster list five commonly found ingredients that we should ALWAYS avoid:

These food pitfalls bear repeating, and repeating and repeating. So, over the next few days I’ll tell you ways to avoid these bad guys and how to make substitutions so that you don’t mourn their passing out of your diet.

Let’s start with this one:

DO NOT EAT FOODS CONTAINING HYDROGENTATED OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS (TRANS FATS)

I KEEP FORGETTING, WHAT ARE HYDROGENATED & PARTIALLY HYDROGENTED OILS?

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils (aka Trans Fats) are unnatural forms of oil, created by manufacturers.

When oils are heated and hydrogen bubbles are passed through it, the fatty acids become denser. If you fully hydrogenate an oil it becomes solid at room temperature. If you stop part-way, you create a partially hydrogenated oil, which has a consistency like margarine.

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You: On A Diet, Dr. Michael Roizen

The other night I went to dinner at a very elegant establishment. I was psyched for a beautifully prepared fish dinner (anything prepared by someone other than me is always beautiful as far as I’m concerned).

Enlightened consumer that I am, I inquired as to whether the broiled salmon entrée was wild or farmed. The rest of the exchange with my waitress went like this:

WAITRESS WITH A BLANK LOOK: “Wild or what???”

PAIN IN-THE-ASS CUSTOMER: “The fish . . . Any idea where it came from?”

PATIENT WAITRESS WITH JUSTIFIED HINT OF ANNOYANCE: “ Well, it came from the kitchen, but I’ll run and ask the chef.”

Five minutes later:

WAITRESS WHO NOW HATES MY GUTS: “Ma’m, all of our salmon is freshly farmed!”

EXCEEDINGLY RUDE CUSTOMER: “What the hell does freshly farmed mean ???” “Oh, just forget it, I’ll have the chicken.”

Honestly, I didn’t intend to be a nightmare customer, and I certainly don’t mean to demean wait-staff. I mean, how could I expect her to know the difference between types of salmon when confusion is perpetuated by marketing with labels like “Atlantic”, “Ocean-Raised,” “Farm-Raised” and what I guess is the newly coined, “Freshly-Farmed.”

Bottom line - what you want to eat is called “Wild Alaskan Salmon”, all other terms are almost always synonymous with “farmed”.

What’s the diff?, you ask.

Farmed salmon looks the same as Wild and it’s less expensive. Just cook ‘er up and don’t worry about it, right? But in order to be sure you are eating the type of fish that offers the most health benefits it’s important to understand a very real difference does exist between Wild Alaskan and Farmed Salmon.

World renowned health experts like Dr. Nicholas Perricone, Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Mercola all highly recommend Wild Alaskan Salmon for a variety of reasons.

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fish dinner, salmon, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Mercola

Chances are you haven’t seen any celebrities sporting raw milk moustaches in any slick advertisements lately.

But does raw milk deserve the bad rap that it has gotten?

Misconception and confusion surround the subject of raw milk, and it is a darn shame because if you follow society’s conventions and kowtow (no pun intended) to the unfortunate influence of “Big Dairy”, you’ll miss out on one of the greatest, and least expensive sources of nutrients that you and your family can enjoy.

Why Pasteurized Milk Is Problematic

- Heat treatment during pasteurization alters the configuration of its protein configuration, stripping it of most of its protein , nutrients, enzymes and antibodies

- Pasteurization leads to a loss of up to 66% of Vitamins A, D, E and F

- Vitamin C loss exceeds 50%

- Calcium loss of 50% or more depending on pasteurization temperature (makes you wonder about why you pay more for Horizon Dairy’s “ultra-pasteurization” process)

- Less than 10% of original enzymes remain after pasteurization

- Pasteurized milk can actually PROMOTE allergies and autoimmune dysfunction

- Pasteurized milk is completely stripped of phosphate, essential for absorption of calcium and development of a strong skeletal system

- Essential fatty acids are reduced by pasteurization

Health Benefits Of Raw Milk

- 100% of milk protein remains available

- 100% of minerals remain metabolically available

- Rich in enzymes and contains all 22 essential amino acids

- Rich in phosphate, essential for absorption of calcium

- Rich source of B12, a vitamin rare in non-meat sources

- 33% higher in Vitamin C than pasteurized milk

- Contains enzyme-based pathogen killers (i.e., prevents growth of e-coli and listeria among others)

- 2½ times higher in enzyme IgG, which inhibits rotavirus organisms that cause diarrhea in infants

Raw Milk Tastes Heavenly

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Victoria Beckham and The Spice Girls are launching a comeback! If tickets are cheap maybe I’ll check out a concert… Maybe.

Even if The Spice Girls aren’t your cup of tea, here’s a nutritious way to add some spice to your life: Good, old-fashioned, great-tasting cinnamon! Yes, you can get great health benefits just by sprinkling on the same spice that made mom’s kitchen smell so homey and delish.

Awesome Cinnamon Stats

One Teaspoon cinnamon provides

- 28 mg of calcium
- Over 1g fiber
- Almost 1mg iron
- A good amount of Vitamins C, K as well as manganese

Cinnamon Also Offers:

- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Favorable effects on brain and memory function
- Soothes stomach upset and helps prevent ulcers
- Reduces bacteria that causes urinary tract infections and fungus that can cause nasty yeast infections

Cinnamon For Diabetes

Studies show cinnamon may prevent and help treat Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. As little as ½ tsp of cinnamon per day can improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control. Cinnamon’s active ingredient, proanthocyanidin works to activate insulin receptors allowing cells to use energy from sugar- biochemically the same reaction as insulin!

Because cinnamon can intensify the effect of insulin medication, talk to your doctor before using cinnamon if you are already being treated for Type 2 diabetes.

Cinnamon For Weight Loss and to Decrease Risk of Heart Disease

Heart Disease: Studies document improvement in blood sugar, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol with consumption of only ½ tspn of cinnamon a day.

Weight Control Cinnamon can fight obesity by helping prevent the blood sugar highs (and subsequent lows), which often lead to binges on sugary food. What’s more, by preventing the insulin resistance that often accompanies obesity, cinnamon can help prevent “Metabolic Syndrome” also known as pre-diabetes.

Use Caution With Supplements

Unless you are allergic, it’s unlikely that you’ll have an adverse reaction to cinnamon if you are simply adding a few dashes to your cooking. But be aware that cinnamon supplements can cause negative reactions such as skin rash or mouth or stomach irritation.
Also, high doses of cinnamon can have a blood-thinning effect, especially when combined with other medications.

Winning Cinnamon Combos

Cinnamon is extremely versatile and the taste appeals to adults and kids alike. Here are some of my favorite ways to get my daily ½ tspn:

- Add to oatmeal along with stevia and some plump raisins ( imagine a bowlful of oatmeal cookie taste!), a dash in a strawberry smoothie or protein shake, sprinkle on apple slices and dip in a tablespoon of almond butter, top yogurt or cottage cheese, in muffin batter, on toast along with a dash of stevia (just like mom’s cinnamon toast), add to warm milk or coffee. Of course, there are also many wonderful ethnic meat and tofu dishes that incorporate cinnamon. Yum!

A Sexy Side Note

I must digress from nutritional observations for just a moment.

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I’ve always had a bit of a crush on Lance Armstrong.

I mean, not even so much with his physical being, but with his great spirit. Most of us mere mortals have a tough time just waking up at 5am to get to the gym.

Lance had his body ravaged by cancer, battled through and went on to win the most grueling bike race in the world. And then win it five more times after that. I know some people may think Lance is arrogant (yeah, like you wouldn’t be if you’d kicked everyone’s ass), but I still admire his tenacity and his balls.

His lean physique also fills me with wonder and awe. How can a guy that LEAN be so POWERFUL??? Personally, I dig guys with a little more meat on their bones (hence my brawny Neanderthal), but the idea that you can be both lean AND extremely strong is intriguing.

When I see Lance’s legs firing like pistons as he propels up Mount Saint Escargot Du Croissant, I find myself wondering: what does that guy eat?

Short anwer: more calories than any of us can afford to. But the real answers can be found in Chris Carmichael’s Fitness Cookbook.

In his latest book Carmichael, Lance’s coach and trainer offers a glimpse into how athletes train and eat for lean physiques and stamina.

Carmichael is also the best selling author of “Food For Fitness,” where he examines reasons why some foods are better fuel than others. “Fitness Cookbook” goes one step farther and provides new, delicious recipes that can help in your quest for a healthy, high-energy life. You don’t need to be a competitive athlete to still get the benefit of all the research that prescribes what top athletes should eat to keep in top condition.

“Fitness Cookbook” delivers innovative recipes that someone like me (a non-gourmand) can easily put together. These are completely do-able yet still elegant enough to serve with pride.

Recipes run the gamut: from breakfast items you can make ahead and take on the run (or bike) like Homemade Health Bars, to Hearty Chicken Soup with Spinach and Rice, to beautiful dinner entrees like Pasta Salad with Chicken and Black Olive Pesto.

Don’t worry, athletes DO eat dessert, so you get recipes for elegant and delicious treats that still have nutritional benefit. One of my favorites is Grilled Figs with Lemon Ice Cream and Mint. I KNOW it sounds hard but it most definitely is not. I also KNOW it might not sound as good as Betty Crocker Double Decker Death Pie, but the sweetness of figs along with vanilla ice cream flavored with lemon and honey is actually quite outrageous.

I’ll also give a shout out about The Frozen Orange Yogurt: A clever mix of low fat yogurt, honey marmalade and juice give this dessert a refreshing zest that still satisfies a sweet tooth.

Chris Carmichael’s Fitness Cookbook also gives great insight into patterning nutrition to match your training. Basically, teaching you how to eliminate periods where your training (calorie expenditure) and eating (calorie intake) are mismatched to = blubber butt. And no, you won’t have to gnaw on celery stalks during periods where you aren’t able to make it to the gym as regularly, or after you are coming off training for a marathon. You’ll just learn what foods work best for your body during those recovery periods. I love “recovery.” Much nicer than “lazy.”

Bottom line: Carmichaels’ nutritional program launched Lance onto the podium. It’s sure to teach you and I a thing or two. Another valuable lesson gleaned from the book: Pear and Pecan Salad is really yummy.

Hi Ho! Up the Mountain You Go!

Lance Armstrong, bike race, Chris Carmichael’s Fitness Cookbook., athletes, Fitness Cookbook, nutritional program

For all concerned about the death of the true, raw almond come September 1st, here is some great news.

After making a few inquiries at my lovely Farmer’s Market this weekend, I learned that the California Almond Board’s bad decision to heat treat ALL almonds will apply only to those sold commercially. Private vendors (like the awesome guys at the Farmie’s Market), will still be able to sell the real thing - raw and unheated - in all their nutritional glory. Yippee!

I am thinking I’ll just have to start making my own raw almond butter at home once September rolls around (now the “S” word in my home). Could be quite messy, but worth it!

Long Live The Real Raw Almond!

Real Raw Almond

“Bring on the holistic horsecrap, break out the Bible bread!”, exclaims my husband the Neanderthal as he stands in front of the barbeque grill wielding a pair of tongs.

Please don’t take offense at this outburst. I know I no longer do. He can’t help it, he was raised on Oscar Meyer Weiners paired with “Wonder” Bread White-Flour Death Buns.

My Neanderthal’s insensitive reference is to the Food For Life line of “Ezekiel” sprouted grain products. The packaging of these all natural treasures is covered in scripture verses. Like the hot dog buns we use whenever we grill, all the Food For Life Ezekiel products are organic, whole sprouted grains.

The religious zealots who created these products are actually on to something. My husband and I enjoy several of their products on a daily basis. You’ll definitely want to try the hot dog and hamburger buns, English muffins (my favorite) cereal (think grape nuts minus the high fructose corn syrup) and pasta.

I know for a fact that most of the “Processing Pavilions” (as I call the major chain groceries) carry Ezekial bread. So, take the plunge and switch to a bread that is organic, sprouted 100% whole grains. Its stats also really rock: low calorie (80 a slice) low fat (5 grams a slice) high fiber and also a complete protein.

If you don’t regularly buy 100% natural bread products here is a heads up. To avoid funkiness, refrigerate Food For Life breads and muffins. Because these products have no artificial ingredients, they can start to look a little too natural a little too quickly if you know what I mean . . . .

This Sunday, dip some Ezekial bread in a mixture of egg white with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla to create a healthy French toast breakfast in bed for your lova. Or, serve your famous marinara over a bed of Ezekial sprouted grain pasta.

Sometimes love means giving a gentle push in a positive direction. Despite his teasing, my husband is secretly pleased that I care enough to find him a delicious and healthy new place to put his weenie.

grain products, natural bread products

DEMI MOORE IS GONNA BE SO MAD

Raw foodist Demi Moore attributes her glowing, youthful appearance and rockin’ body to a raw foods diet.

That’s why I have a feeling she’s gonna throw a major diva-esque tantrum when she hears the news about the imminent demise of raw almonds in the United States. Hopefully, some pissed off celebrities will help challenge this tragic measure.

Come on Demi, give us a hand – it’s time to put some serious A-list pressure on the California Almond Board.

RAW ALMONDS R.I.P.

I am saddened to tell you that due to a rash decision of the California Almond Board, come September 1st, 2007 you’ll no longer be able to buy untreated raw almonds. And yes, that means raw almond butter, a most delectable and nutritious treat, will become a distant memory as well.

What is going on?!?

In 2001 and 2004 there were two salmonella outbreaks stemming from conventional almonds. The Almond Board’s decision to heat treat ALL almonds is based on these outbreaks yet it ignores the important differences in how organic and conventional almonds are processed and stored.

In fact, conventionally grown raw almonds are stored in warehouses at room temperature which a makes them more susceptible to contracting disease-causing organisms, while organic raw almonds are kept refrigerated.

The other factor the Board ignores is the fact that heat treatment/pasteurization may in fact INCREASE the risk of almonds that become contaminated with salmonella. Studies show that eliminating bacteria from the surface of foods (heat treatment), can actually create a sterile surface MORE likely to foster the growth of bacteria like salmonella. Thus, a pasteurized almond that comes in contact with salmonella has a higher likelihood of spreading salmonella to a consumer than a raw almond would. Dumb Board.

Don’t be Fooled

You’ll probably continue seeing labeling of “Raw Almonds”. But be aware that these labels are misleading and there will probably be some small print somewhere on the package stating (heat treated). Unbelievably, even organic “raw” almonds will be subjected to a high-temperature, moist heat treatment. Bye-bye life-sustaining enzymes and so long to the health benefits of alive, raw almonds. Makes me so mad!

You REALLY Need To Go Organic Now

All conventional almonds will be treated not only with high-temp heat, but also fumigated with Propylene Oxide which is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Uh-oh. I don’t like the sound of that. Add to that the fact that Propylene Oxide is banned in the European Union as well as other countries. Not a likely to be a contender for Healthy Chemical Of The Year, right?

Take A Stand

If you are as p.o.’d as I am by the Board’s decision, take a few minutes to contact the media in your area. Most people out there are still happily munching almond butter and apple slices, completely unaware that in just a few short months their favorite, healthiest snack will be a distant memory. Together we can use the time we have left to campaign and help prevent the almond crisis.

Help keep real almonds alive!

Sign the petition here: Online petition - Mandatory Almond Pasteurization is WRONG!!!

Last Sunday, yoga class started with Shivasana.

For those of you not yet fluent in “yoga-ese,” Shivasana is a reclining pose of total relaxation and restoration typically done at the end of yoga practice, after completing the more challenging poses.

But on this particular Sunday, my lovely instructor said something that really resonated with me: “Today, let’s have our dessert first!”

What this meant was that we all took Shivasana BEFORE we got started on the balancing and twisty-turny stuff. Result? I was invigorated throughout my practice and this tremendous feeling permeated the rest of my day.

More importantly, I created a new approach to my entire week as I wondered: What would it feel like to have Dessert First every day?

When I was growing up my mom had a t-shirt that said, “Life is Short - Eat Dessert First”. Now, my mom, a bona fide chocoholic, took this dictate quite literally - a virtual mandate to order the Snickers Sundae before the salad. Understandably then, I never considered that “Dessert First” could possibly relate to anything more than a junk food orgy.

These days I realize “Have Dessert First” is more than just justification for Rocky Road après broccoli. In fact, Dessert First” is a poignant mantra that we can use to get more pleasure out of each and every day.

How To Order Dessert

Think about anything you tend to “save” for special occasions only. For me, this is often a certain items of clothing or my good perfume.

I’m not saying I’ve started wearing my prom dress to the dry cleaners or dousing myself with Chanel No 5 before unloading the dishwasher, but I am wearing more of my “cute stuff” and spritzing myself, even if I am the only one who may get a whiff of my French cologne “just because”.

For you, it may be using linen napkins or the nice wineglasses that you usually “save” for company. Do fresh flowers tend to be something you splurge on only when you planning a family get-together?

This week, try buying a small, fragrant bouquet for your desk. What about that walk you rush to squeeze in at the end of your day? Tonight, prep the kids’ cereal bowls in advance so you can wake for a sunrise stroll and start your day off like you would at Canyon Ranch Spa.

You get the idea! “Dessert First” simply reminds us to go ahead and do a little bit of whatever it is that we usually reserve for “special occasions”.

Consider EVERY day special! Remember that every day you deserve to treat yourself to a bit of “Life Candy”.

No doubt about it - there will always be yucky stuff out there that we have to deal with. All the more reason to take advantage of the little, daily joys we can give to ourselves!

Be Sweet to Yourself!

yoga class, Shivasana, dessert

Recently on Oprah, self-proclaimed health guru Bob Green put his “Best Life Diet” stamp of approval on 8th Continent Brand soymilk.

Personally, I get the feeling ol’ Bob is just out to make a buck by endorsing products that may taste o.k., but are not the best option for the health conscious consumer. I also think we should take a second look at anything, endorsed by anyone, who associates his image with McDonalds, home of the heart attack.

Instead of using 8th Continent for your smoothies or cereal, I recommend WestSoy Organic Soymilk.

WestSoy is Organic, whereas 8th Continent is labeled “premium”. Huh? Until there are FDA standards for what “premium” is, I’ll choose organic products.

Here are the ingredients in Westsoy Unsweetened Plain Soymilk: filtered water and organic soybeans. Period. This is aligned with a great rule of thumb - the shorter the ingredient list, the more nutritious and less processed the product.

Plain Westsoy has 90 calories per cup, 4,5 g fat, 5 g carbs and a big 4g of fiber. Fiber count is especially important since it effectively “cancels out” the 5g of carbs leaving you with a net 1g of impact carbs. It also boasts only 1 g sugar, and 9 g protein. For you sodium watchers -only 30g per delicious serving.

Chocoholic? Go for West Soy Unsweetened Chocolate, made with pure cocoa. At 100 calories per cup, 4.5 g fat , 6g carbohydrate and 5 g fiber (again, net carbs come in at 1 g!), it is an outstanding way to make luscious smoothies without added sugar.

For an even sweeter sensation, I recommend adding a packet of all-natural Stevia extract (I like Sunlabel by Complete Earth Products) to make the perfect sugar-free chocolate smoothie.

Now the info on 8th Continent Plain Soymilk: 80 calories per cup with 3g of fat. Now be careful - although the fat content is lower than WestSoy, a serving of 8th Continent has 8g carbohydrate, ZERO fiber (no “cancellation” of those carbs), and 7g of sugar.

People, anything with more than 4g of sugar (we’re talking sugar sugar here, not just fructose which is sugar from fruit) per serving is bad news.

The sodium content of 160g is more than double WestSoy as well.

8th Continent Chocolate Soymilk is even worse ; 90cal, 13g carbs, ( again, zero fiber), 11g sugar and 190g sodium. Besides these not –so- hot stats, the thing that really weirds me out about 8th Soy is that the second ingredient listed on its label, righ after “soymilk”, is sugar. Sugar is followed by fructose, modified corn starch , sucralose( care for a tumor anyone?) and a substantial string of preservatives.

Another dietary landmine endorsed by Bobby Green ( I am wondering just how much of cut must he gets from this crap?) is the “Limited Edition” 8th Continent Smoothie. The jingle on this one is, “lose the blender”. A more accurate description would be, “lose the blender, keep the weight”.

I mean, come on Bob, for those of us battling the bulge the Chocolate- Strawberry Banana smoothie is positively gruesome choice and you know it! It contains – 100 cals, 18 g carbs, no fiber, 12g of sugar and 180mg sodium. Blech.
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Oprah, Bob Green, Best Life Diet, soymilk

Trista and Ryan are gonna have a baby!

You remember Trista, the cute little bachelorette who scored the hot fireman (and former football player) Ryan? And you must recall that garish PINK wedding?

Well, it appears that the couple forged on the highly moronic show “The Bachelorette” (of which I missed not a single episode), have managed not only to stay together but to get pregnant! Apparently, Trista spent a few years struggling to conceive. According to an interview in Fertility Times magazine, she actually worked her way through at least a HUNDRED at-home pregnancy tests (and I thought I was the pee–on-a-stick world record holder). Happily, the girl is finally preggers! I bet the baby will be cute. Maybe not so brilliant, but cute.

Good luck Trista and Ryan!

As all my friends and some strangers are now aware (I shamelessly discuss my uterus with any breathing life form), I am deeply involved in the journey towards getting pregnant.

I’ll admit, I am now officially, legitimately obsessed with all things BABY. Yes, I spend hours perusing that adorable children’s wear at Neiman Marcus (Fantasy Baby wears only the finest). And those Bugaboo strollers! And the diaper bags! Oooh, I cannot wait! Yet, even in this state of baby–brain-freeze, I realize that the issue of greatest importance both pre- pregnancy and during pregnancy is proper nutrition.

Imagine just how much is riding on what you eat – what you put in your body is going to shape the life of your child! An exciting and huge responsibility!

You would never knowingly put your little Burberry-clad prince or princess in a room filled with toxins, right? But have you thought about the fact that what you put in YOUR body could be contaminating your baby in the same way? Numerous studies show that blood contaminants pass easily from mother to fetus and that the delicate, developing organs and tissues are extremely susceptible to damage.

A Great Book

Check out “The Complete Organic Pregnancy”, by Dolan and Zissu for additional, more in-depth information on how to make your pregnancy as naturally healthful as possible. For all of you still working on the conceiving the next Rembrandt, America’s Next Top Model, or Michael Jordan, this book is also a great way to start preparing your body for 9 months as a five-star Mommy Hotel.

Here are four of the basic steps Dolan and Zissu offer to get you started:
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Trista and Ryan

Unlock a wealth of health and beauty benefits with Acai (ah-sigh-ee).

This small, deep purple Amazonian berry is being hailed by health and beauty gurus such as Dr. Nicholas Perricone as a premier source of anti-aging antioxidants - more potent than other conventional fruits, such as blueberries and even the mighty pomegranate.

While you won’t find the berry sold at your local grocery store, you can pick up a jar of Sambazon Pure Acai powder at Whole Foods Market.

At only 19 calories a scoop, acai also contains a healthy dose of Omega 3, 6 and 9 plus amino acids and fiber. And, unlike blueberries, grapes or pomegranates, a serving of acai has 0 grams of sugar. Add a scoop to smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt.

Taste? There really is none to speak of, maybe just a hint of chocolate flavor (never a bad thing).

Or, give Sambazon “pulp packs” a try. In the frozen foods section (again, at the glorious Whole Foods), these individually portioned packs are perfect for slipping into a blender. Add milk, and some protein powder, hit blend and voila, a perfect breakfast or post-workout delight.

Do beware that lurking in close vicinity to the 100% acai pulpy packs are Sambazon and other acai products that have been blended with other juices. While these products still contain antioxidants, they have a higher sugar content and less of the coveted acai.

If you are among the truly nutritionally lazy (no shame, no shame) go for Sambazon’s Powercapsule. Your daily dose of the Amazon in an easy to swallow capsule.

People, there is a reason those Brazilians look so damn good in those teeny bikinis. Acai??? Maybe . . . But what I do know, is that Acai can help you look and feel your best, and that makes it one supplement that is truly hot.

Acai, Nicholas Perricone, anti-aging, antioxidants, Sambazon

Since it’s Friday, and since I know we’ve all got hot dates planned for this evening, I thought I’d tell you a little love story.

Once upon a time, I ate a spoonful of luscious Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter. I ate very happily ever after. As a beautiful princess of course.

Artisana, which also goes under the name Living Tree Community Foods, is a small company based in Berkeley CA, I highly recommend checking out their groovy website for a peek at their unique array of organic and absolutely delicious delicacies. Whole Foods (at least in California) also carries several items.

Here are just a few of my faves:

RAW ORGANIC COCONUT BUTTER (also called Coconut Dream on the website)

Why I love it:

Besides the out-of-this world taste, coconut is a powerful source of anti-viral lauric acid. Although it contains saturated fat, the fat in coconut is medium-chain, completely unlike the harmful saturated fat found in animal meat or vegetable oil. In fact, coconut oil has a similar fat profile to one of the healthiest substances people ever consume-human breast milk (I know this is kind of Grapes of Wrath”ish”, but it’s true!)

Coconut has been proven to prevent heart disease, stroke and hardened arteries, and its medium chain fatty acids actually BOOST metabolism, facilitating weight loss. If you’re interested in learning more about the health benefits of coconut check out Bruce Fife’s book, The Healing Properties of Coconut Oil.

Unlike most coconut products on the market, Artisana’s Coconut Butter is made from whole coconut flesh, not just the oil. This gives you a creamy, decadent taste, plus the benefits of a whole food rich in fiber, oil, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Some fun ways to use coconut butter:
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Organic, Living Tree Community Foods, weight loss, Coconut Butter, whole food

I have a sneaking suspicion you are guilty of consuming one of the most sinful simple carbohydrates sins: white rice. For your information, white rice cannot be considered “brown” just because it is soaked in teriyaki sauce. And, although brown rice is a better choice because the unpolished grains have more fiber, it tastes like crap.

Here is an alternative: bulgar wheat. Bulgar is a whole grain that cooks up with some water in minutes (about 10, considerably less than stovetop rice) and comes out soft and moist.

You can use bulgar in any recipe that calls for rice or risotto and feel good about eating it since you are getting a significant source of fiber. You’ll also feel good about serving it since it won’t get the same groans induced by brown rice pebbles.

Try this:
–1 baked chicken or turkey breast seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic
–½ C garbanzo beans
–½ C feta cheese
–2 C steamed broccoli
–1 C cooked bulgar wheat
–A few sliced Kalamata Olives
–Sprinke the whole she-bang with a few tablespoons of parmesean cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
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carbohydrates, bulgar wheat, whole grain

You may not realize it, but salt is addictive.

Think back to those unpleasant occasions when you’ve found yourself wracked with guilt, staring at an empty Pringles can, or the oily bottom of a jumbo tub of theatre popcorn. You get the point - the saltier a food, the more you tend to eat.

Unfortunately, this feeding-frenzy phenomenon is exploited by food manufacturers. Almost all the processed foods we buy have a substantial amount of added salt. Even “healthy” items like canned spinach, beans and soup (”low sodium” versions included), are loaded with it.

Don’t kid yourself - food manufacturers don’t give a damn about your waistline - their primary concern is profit. Sure, they label foods like almonds “heart healthy,” because, in their unadulterated state, almonds are good for you. But when they are smoked and crusted in salt, even almonds can contribute to high blood pressure and cause you to keep eating well past the point of a full stomach.

How come I know so much about salt? Well, I too, overindulge in salted foods. I usually realize the extent of it when I hear my husband’s early morning query, “BABE! What happened to your face?!?!” How rude!

Because of the nasty side effects salt can have, I do try to keep sodium to a minimum in my diet. For instance, I always rinse canned beans and compare labels on things like salsa and mustard to see which brands have less of the salty stuff. Every little bit you can cut out helps.

This is not to say that I don’t still enjoy stir-fry or a big bowl of salty air-popped popcorn.

My solution? All natural Braggs Liquid Aminos.

Before I launch into a description of this great product I have to ask an important question: How come healthy products always have such crappy-ass names? I mean, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos is a sensational product, but the name doesn’t exactly get the old salivary glands going. I mean, think about a product like, uh-Krispy Kremes! - Now there is a name! Too bad KK’s are artery bombs. Sigh.

Ok, so Braggs Liquid Aminos is an exceptional, soy sauce alternative (if they’d bothered to ask me I would have suggested “Soysational”) that is extremely versatile. As the boring name suggests, Bragg’s contains 16 amino acids, is made from non-GMO (pure) soybeans and filtered water, has no alcohol, is not fermented, and is remarkably low in sodium.
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