Are you trying to lose weight, get healthier, lower your blood pressure or cholesterol, have more energy, balance your hormones or address some other health condition?
Have you been trying to eat more natural, real foods but are not sure where to begin? Are you interested in what a healthy diet actually looks like with all of the conflicting information out there? If any of these things are true, the RESTART® class will help with all of these questions and provide you with the education and support to actually make it happen!
Why is this so important?
From underweight, tired, and unbalanced to happy, healthy, and PREGNANT!
What we put into our body will either move us toward health or toward sickness. This is my story of the impact food has had on my body.
From 2003 until 2012, the picture on the left was me. Through trying to be healthy, I began eating low calorie, low fat foods (think lean cuisines, fat free yogurt, and 35 calorie bread) and began exercising more. I lost a few pounds at first, fairly easily, so I kept going, ultimately losing 25-30 pounds in only a couple of months. My calorie intake decreased and my exercise duration and intensity increased. During this time I weighed anywhere between 95 and 110 pounds and was running marathons. I knew that this wasn’t the best long term plan but I thought that I felt pretty good and everything was fine. When looking back, I was depressed, tired, and my body was basically on the verge of completely shutting down. My cycles had stopped when this began in 2003 and never returned, my lips would turn purple at the thought of cold, and I stopped wanting to be around people or having fun.
Thankfully in 2012, everything turned around. I was introduced to a program like RESTART® and learned what foods to eat to nourish my body. I replaced my fat free yogurt, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and 35 calorie bread with whole eggs, red meat, and an abundance of vegetables. I knew I wanted to have a family one day so I was pretty desperate to do whatever it took to regain my fertility. I no longer feared foods or counted calories. I was happy. I gained the weight I needed. I had energy. I slept great. My cycles returned. I got pregnant!
This did not happen overnight, but through that initial period of “Restarting” my diet, my life and my health has been forever changed.
Now I know my story is opposite of most. However, I share it to demonstrate the power that food has on our body. If you give your body the nourishment that it needs, it will treat you well. If you don’t, overtime you will get sick. Sick can look like a lot of different things – sleep problems, hormone imbalance, fatigue, anxiety, depression, weight gain, weight loss, high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, the list goes on and on.
For me, changing my diet balanced my mood, hormones, and weight. What can it do for you?
Maybe you are like me, wanting to regain balance and health in your life. Maybe you are more like Sue. Her weight continued to creep up, her doctor was threatening cholesterol medicine, and she didn't want to get into a yo-yo dieting cycle. With a program similar to RESTART®, she lost 25 pounds, has kept it off for 3 years, and her doctor is happy with her cholesterol readings (no medication needed). You can read her story HERE. Maybe you are struggling with something completely different. Where ever you are, I would challenge you to put all excuses aside and consider how incorporating the nutrition that your body needs could help you tackle those problems. Join us for our next RESTART® class beginning either Sept 11th or 14th.
You can learn more and sign up here!
Sign up ends Tuesday, September 8th.
What others say about the RESTART® program?
“This class opened my eyes to the hidden sugar in foods that I previously thought were healthy. Class was interesting and informative.”
–Russ, RESTART® Participant
"Since I did The RESTART® Program I'm off of two medications; one for asthma and the other for acid reflux. I can't tell you how excited I am about this!"
-RESTART® Participant
"Just had my annual physical. Forty...count 'em... forty point drop in my cholesterol!!! My [A1C] sugar level dropped 30% and I'm down 8 pounds, too! I know I couldn't have done it without your support!"
-RESTART® Participant
"I never thought I could do this, but with all the information and support, it went by really fast and I feel great! You have changed my life and I thank you for that!"
-RESTART® Participant
"My husband and I took the class together. This was a great way to change our meals. We both understood what we were changing, why were changing it, and we encouraged each other along the way."
sj, RESTART® Participant
Salt has been under attack in recent years with claims that is causes high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Almost everything that you read promotes low sodium diet with a decrease in salt consumption.
Does salt live up to these undesirable claims or could it actually have properties that promote health and well being?
To preface the importance and roles of salt in the body, let’s begin by looking at the history of salt. Consumption of salt can be traced back to the advancement of people from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to the beginning of agriculture as people began to use salt to make food taste good and preserve dairy and meat. Salt has also been recognized as causing an increase in the production of glial cells in the brain, which are responsible for giving us the ability to think creatively and engage in long term planning. Salt was revered as a gift from God. Plato referred to salt as “especially dear to the gods” while Homer called it a “divine substance.” In the Celtic language, the word for salt meant “sacred” and Roman soldiers were often paid partially in salt, which is why our word for “salary” is derived from the Latin word “Salarium” or salt. Furthermore, salt had a crucial impact on trade routes as well as many social and political implications. (From Sally Fallon’s article)
Clearly, the impact of salt through the ages has been staggering. So, why in the last 50 years has there been a push to ban the substance?
Unfortunately, most research done on salt, has been done with the very refined and processed table salt we find on most kitchen tables these days. Modern table salt has been chemically treated and exposed to very high temperatures which remove any valuable minerals that salt contained. Refiners then add several additives to the dry salt, often including aluminum compounds (which have been connected with Alzheimer’s disease). In order to add back the natural iodine that was removed, potassium iodide is added in potentially dangerously high amounts. In order to stabilize the iodide compound, processors add dextrose, which changes the color of the salt to purple. In order to restore whiteness to the salt, a bleaching agent is added. (Nourishing Traditions 48). When the final product has been chemically and heat treated, it loses the integrity of the sun-dried sea salt that has been highly regarded for generations. If fact, when salt water fish are placed in water with table salt, they die (http://wellnessmama.com/3745/is-salt-healthy/).
Clearly, the growing evidence that salt should be avoided is absolutely true when talking about processed table salt. However, there is a huge need in the body for unrefined, pure sea salt.
From MD Dr. Batmanghelidj’s book, “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,” he includes all of the following as critical roles of sea salt in the body:
- Water, salt and potassium together regulate the water content of the body
- Salt is a natural antihistamine
- Salt is a natural “anti-stress” agent for the body
- Salt is essential for preserving the serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain
- Salt is critical for maintaining muscle tone and strength
- Salt is effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and contrary to the belief that salt causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential to the regulation of blood pressure
- Salt is vital for sleep regulation and is a natural hypnotic
- Salt is a necessary component in the treatment of diabetes and helps in the regulation of blood sugar
- Salt is crucial to the communication and information processing nerves cells from conception to death
- Salt is vital for the absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract
- Salt helps clear the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm
- Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps
- Salt is vital to making the structure of bones firm and can be helpful in those with osteoporosis
- Salt helps maintain sexuality and libido
- Sea salt contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs!
Dr. Batmanghelidj, MD recommends a half teaspoon of salt per every 10 cups consumed in order to get an adequate balance and 1.5 -3.5 teaspoons per day total with more active people on the higher end.
What kind of salt should I eat?
The short answer is, REAL salt. Look for unrefined, sea salt that is full of trace minerals and is not pure white but its natural color. Depending on where the salt is harvested from, it will contain different levels and kinds of minerals. Because of this, it is a good idea to try different kinds of sea salts to get the different benefits that each provides. Some common types of real salts include: Celtic sea salt, Himalayan salt, or black lava salt. My personal favorite is this Celtic sea salt.
It is a good thing that the body was given taste buds specifically meant to taste and enjoy salt. This was not a practical joke by the body but actually to ensure that we would eat our food with salt.
You know those nights when you are staring into your fridge looking at the hodge podge of food trying to figure out how to pu
t them all together to make dinner? This recipe was inspired by one of those nights. You can substitute or add almost any vegetable depending on what you have and what’s in season – shredded carrots, zucchini, mushrooms would be great! My husband commented that this was one of the best things he’d ever had, so I had to share! The peppers reheat really well and make great leftovers. Enjoy!
Yield: 8 half pepper servings
Serves:4
Ingredients:
4 bell peppers – seeded and sliced in half
1 lb ground beef (sustainably raised and grass fed is best)
1 head cauliflower shredded or “riced” in food processor
2 cups tomato sauce
1-2 tbsp of coconut oil, lard, bacon grease or other good cooking fat
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasonings (Basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
Sautee onion and garlic in the fat until soft. Add ground beef and brown with the onions and garlic. Add cauliflower, tomato sauce, and spices to mixture. Let simmer together for 10-15 minutes. While that is cooking is a great time to prep the peppers. Lay your peppers out on in glass dish (9x13 works great) and fill generously with filling. You can top with cheese or extra tomato sauce if desired.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Are You Consuming More Sugar Than You Realize?
After writing the initial post, The Not So Sweet Sugar Reality, there was still more to say about how sugar sneaks into common foods that this topic deserved a follow up.
Before addressing how much sugar sneaks into our everyday foods, let’s put it into context.
How much sugar should we be consuming each day?
According to the American Heart Association and World Health Organization, the recommended amounts of daily sugar consumption are 5 % of total caloric intake or:
Less than 38 grams or 9 tsp per day for men
Less than 25 grams or 6 tsp per day for women
Less than 12-25 grams or 3-6 tsp per day for children depending on size and age
Yet, the average American consumes about 194 grams or 48.5 teaspoons of sugar per day!
How is so much sugar sneaking into our daily plates?
Below is a list of the amounts of sugar found in common foods:
12 oz can of coke = 39 g/9.3 tsp
8 oz cup of apple juice = 26 g/6.2 tsp
Yoplait yogurt = 27 g/6.4 tsp
1 Cups Raisin Bran = 19 g/4.5 tsp
3 Oreos = 13 g /3.1 tsp
AMP Energy Drink = 58 g/13.8 tsp
Starbucks Grande Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino = 65 g/15.6 tsp
Bottled Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee Drink = 46 g/11 tsp
1 Medium 3” Apple = 19 g/4.5 tsp
1 Medium 2.5” Nectarine = 11 g/2.6 tsp
1 Cup Whole Strawberries = 7g/1.7 tsp
Sugar is everywhere!
From this list you can see how common foods, even “health foods” are often loaded with sugar. For example, one Yoplait yogurt cup contains more sugar than an average size woman should eat in the whole day!
In fact, added sugar hides in 74% of processed foods. This is why it is important to get in the habit of reading ingredient labels to spot that extra added sugar. Look for words that end in “ose” (like lactose or sucrose), “tol” (like sorbitol), or ending in malt, juice, or syrup.
It is important to keep in mind that not all sugar is created equal.
The natural sugars found in vegetables and fruits are not as potent. These items also contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and beneficial phytonutrients which moderate the effects of sugar on the body. However, when the natural sugars in these foods, like beets, are separated from their water, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other beneficial components, we are left with refined white crystals that we know as sugar.
What is the big problem with this refined sugar?
Besides all of the negative health affects (i.e. diabetes, heart disease, weight gain) that were addressed in the first post, The Not So Sweet Sugar Reality, sugar can be compared to drugs in the way that it affects the brain and body.
In animal studies, sugar causes cravings, tolerance, and withdrawal, similar to the effects of substance abuse. In one study, given the choice, rats chose sugar over cocaine because the high that they received from sugar was more pleasurable. In humans, sugar has a similar affect in the brain as addictive drugs leading to cravings and addiction.
What Can You Do About a Sugar Addiction?
A 21-day sugar detox can be a great start when you base it on consuming real, whole foods. This helps to eliminate sugar cravings and break that sugar addiction cycle. When we limit our sugar, we limit the blood sugar spikes and crashes that sugar causes. This has a significant impact on our cravings/
For a deeper look into breaking your sugar cravings and establishing healthy eating patterns for a lifetime, check out my 7 Weeks of Real Food program. In it you will receive the practical support to embrace healthy eating and the tools you need to be successful in your attempts.
Dr. Jamie
Freeze individual portions for a quick grab and go breakfast!ave and what you like. It also reheats beautifully for great leftovers and can be frozen in slices for future use (see picture).