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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 24: Healing with Food and Eating What You Love with Danielle Walker
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(Listen on iTunes)
No. 24 | Healing with Food and Eating What You Love with Danielle Walker
In episode 24 of the Between Meals Podcast Beth is joined by Danielle Walker of popular website AgainstAllGrain.com Danielle is also the beloved author of three New York Timesbest-selling cookbooks Against All Grain, Meals Made Simple and Celebrations, as well as the recently released Eat What You Love. She is a self-trained cook whose innovative and accessible grain-free recipes appeal to a range of appetites. Her recipes are not only healthy and delicious but also can be credited with saving her life after she received a diagnosis of a serious autoimmune disease.
After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and suffering for many years, Danielle healed herself through dietary changes. With her honest and open nature, Danielle has become a prominent voice in the grain-free and real foods community and she is a true testament to how food can nourish and heal our bodies.
Danielle shares her story of healing with food while also discovering ways to still enjoy the foods that she loves.
In this episode:
- Danielle shares how she first discovered the paleo diet and where her mindset was and what she had tried prior to this, when she decided to implement this approach.
- Danielle shares her tips for getting started on a healing protocol or dietary intervention when you have autoimmune disease and she shares the tough-love advice she wish someone would have shared with her, early on.
- Why “cheat days” with healing interventions may not work
- We talk about shifting your perspective and what to do when you feel like “I can’t have THIS food anymore” or “It’s not fair I have to eat this way”. Getting out of the poor me trap.
- Finding new ways to enjoy the classic foods you grew up with, to still celebrate and not feel left out or deprived.
- Our thoughts on emotional eating and how it sometimes gets a bad rep.
- Tips for finding a sustainable, long-term lifestyle vs. forever feeling restricted or locked into a diet.
You can find Danielle Walker at againstallgrain.com
or follow her on Instagram @DanielleWalker
Check out Danielle’s Best Selling Books:
and her brand new book: Eat What You Love
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
DON’T FORGET:
- Download Keep it Simple Keto – FREE eBook – Your 7 Day Quickstart Guide to Living a Fabulous Fat Fueled Life Without All the B.S.
- Get your spot on the Keto for You Waitlist – sign up now to secure your spot and to save $100 and be the first to be notified when the program launches
************************************************
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS – send in your Qs and Beth will do her best to answer on upcoming episodes
************************************************As always, if you enjoyed this episode, pretty please take the time to rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review, this helps immensely with ranking the show and allowing it to show up in searches, and all the fun algorithms of the iTunes. Plus, I LOVE when you share on your social media accounts, your stories etc, photos or videos of you enjoying the show, all the fun places you are listening, your favorite quotes or takeaways and please be sure to tag me because I love sharing those and I love hearing how much you are loving the show!!LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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How to Calculate Your Own Nutrition Facts on a Recipe (and why I don’t provide these)
A common comment here on Tasty Yummies “I don’t see the carb count” or “where are the calories” or the ever-popular and very profoundly simple in it’s aggressive request – “nutrition facts?”. First of all, my favorite thing about these comments is the ALWAYS demanding nature of them. No ‘please’. No ‘thank you for this amazing FREE recipe and the 1000’s of articles you have written and shared with us’ nope just “can you give me more, for FREE?”.
Yes, you are sensing a slight snarky undertone. Today this question finally got to me. No, I don’t provide nutrition facts here on Tasty Yummies – that is correct! Will I ever? I don’t know. But for right now, there are no nutrition facts listed with my recipes. One of the main reasons being that there are far too many variables involved, from various brands of ingredients offering wildly varying nutrition facts, to slight mis-measurements on your end, portion size discrepancies and so much more. At this point, this isn’t a focus with my clients in my nutrition practice and I am not interested in providing this information with my free recipes.
If you haven’t noticed, MANY of the recipes here on Tasty Yummies offer loads and loads of options for you to customize, that is by design. I do this because you are all very different people, one of the many things I love about you all. Some of you use noncaloric sweeteners, some of you prefer coconut sugar or maple syrup, I like to leave it open to you and your choices with most of my recipes. Even just these subtle differences alone can cause the nutrition facts to vary WILDY. There is no way I could ever account for the dozens of different combinations in one recipe, things being left out, things getting added, garnishes, a extra generous dollop of that cashew cream garnish. Finally, I do also want to say that I know many of my readers have previously struggled (and maybe some still struggle) with disordered eating, I know for many of them, letting go of counting calories and macros has been a HUGE part of their journey, I want to be respectful of ALL eaters and not have that information knocking everyone over the head. If you want it, you can easily get it. For many of us food is so much more than a set of numbers, it goes beyond calories and grams of carbohydrates and fat.
For some of you, I totally understand that tracking is something you do, you enjoy it and it’s important to your path. There is ZERO judgement from me. So, I figured I would share with you here the many VERY simple ways you can calculate this for yourself. Remember, when you plug recipe ingredients into ANY calculator online, this doesn’t AT ALL guarantee that their database is using the same foods you are, cuts of meat can varying WILDLY with the amount of fat (and therefore calories) they contain and I have even seen almond flours, and other such ingredients, vary extremely drastically from brand to brand, for the exact same amount of measurable almond flour. So, please remember to always take the data with a grain of salt. It will never be an exact science.
FREE Resources
First of all, I want you all to know that there are LOADS of free resources on the internet that will allow you to calculate the nutrition facts of any recipe you want EVER – on demand, all it takes is simply about 5 minutes of YOUR time. What is great is that you can plug in your EXACT ingredients. On a quick google search, this free recipe analyzer seems super straight forward. You plug in the ingredients and it will provide the facts. I cannot vouch for it’s accuracy, however.
Of course, Myfitnesspal is a trusty legend many people swear by. I use Cronometer with my clients for food journaling and accountability and you can easily add any recipe using your specific brand of ingredients and get the nutrition facts of any recipe. Very Well Fit also seems to have an easy to navigate FREE nutrition calculator where you can just copy and paste the ingredients in (remember you may want to specifically choose the brand you are using, where applicable). There are hundreds and hundreds more of these calculators, apps and resources. ALL FREE! Do a little searching, experimenting and playing to find one you like.
Empower Yourself with the Knowledge. But YOU Have Got Do the Work!!
What I love about having YOU do the work, is you are taking accountability for your own health – this is all I have ever wanted for ALL of you. You can plug in the exact brand of coconut flour you used. If you ended up with 10 muffins instead of 12, you can adjust for that. Skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts instead of skin-on thighs? Maybe you swapped in reduced fat coconut milk for the full fat, great, with just 5 minutes of your time – you’ve got the answers that are specific for you.
I do a lot for you all and ya’ll, I absolutely love doing it – I am so passionate about my work, but I’m gonna need you to go ahead and step up with this one. I believe in you – YOU’VE GOT THIS!!!
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 23: Blip Days. Bouncing Back When You “Fall Off Track”.
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
No. 23 | Blip Days. Bouncing Back When You Fall “Off Track”.
In today’s shorter format BITES episode we are chatting all about getting up when you fall down, what to do when you have an “off day” and you feel yourself slipping into a downward spiral.
I am sharing some of my favorite tips and tools for how to handle the “misses” and how we can reframe our old narratives and the dangerously ineffective dialogue around this idea that we are either “on-track” or “off-track”.
1) CONSISTENCY DOES NOT REQUIRE PERFECTION
2) Misses are just that – MISSES.
3) How not to attach significance or judgment to a choice, a day, a meal or a miss.
4) CHOOSE YOU!
I also share some incredible research to support my deep belief that mindset matters, with two studies that prove our body hears what our mind says and that we are always the one driver’s seat when it comes to our choices and how we respond, react and “bounce back”.
And finally, I offer two simple questions you can ask yourself, right after a miss or an off choice or in the moment when you are faced with a choice that has previously been known to send you “off the rails”.
I really hope you enjoy this shorter format episode.
Referenced in this episode:
Episode 09 of the Between Meals Podcast with James Clear – How to Make Tiny Changes
James Clear’s book Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Study: Learning one’s genetic risk changes physiology independent of actual genetic risk
Study: Mind-set matters: exercise and the placebo effect
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
DON’T FORGET:
- Download Keep it Simple Keto – FREE eBook – Your 7 Day Quickstart Guide to Living a Fabulous Fat Fueled Life Without All the B.S.
- Get your spot on the Keto for You Waitlist – sign up now to secure your spot and to save $100 and be the first to be notified when the program launches
************************************************
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS – send in your Qs and Beth will do her best to answer on upcoming episodes
************************************************As always, if you enjoyed this episode, pretty please take the time to rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review, this helps immensely with ranking the show and allowing it to show up in searches, and all the fun algorithms of the iTunes. Plus, I LOVE when you share on your social media accounts, your stories etc, photos or videos of you enjoying the show, all the fun places you are listening, your favorite quotes or takeaways and please be sure to tag me because I love sharing those and I love hearing how much you are loving the show!!LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 22: Are Carbs the Devil? Carb Cycling & Carb Ups.
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
Are Carbs the Devil? Carb Cycling & Carb Ups.
In this final episode in the 5-part Keto Conversation series we are chatting ALL about carbs!! Are carbs the devil? Should we fear carbs? Can we never eat them again?
Au contraire – I actually want to share that you CAN actually eat carbs and they may work synergistically with your low glycemic approach to support some important functionality within the body, to reset and rebalance, as needed.
After you’ve given your body the time and space and taught it how to become fat adapted, it’s in that nuanced lifestyle and your personalized approach that you create where the real magic happens, in my opinion.
Topics Covered and Questions Answered in Episode 22:
- disclaimers on who should take care when carb cycling
- possible symptoms that may indicate a need for carb cycling or carb ups
- why imbalance can happen with a ketogenic approach
- first and most major question you need to ask yourself – are you eating enough?
- what is leptin?
- how does leptin signaling get messed up?
- why does leptin depletion happen?
- can we reset leptin synthesis?
- why carbs might be the answer.
- the benefits of carb cycling.
- how-to carb cycle
- is carb cycling with intense workouts necessary?
- AND SO MUCH MORE!!!
Some of my favorite recipes for carb cycling / carb ups:
Shoestring Smoky Sweet Potato Fries
Garam Masala Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges
Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Turmeric Roasted Pepitas
Smoky Sweet Potato and Apple Soup
Baked Plantain Fries with Garlic Avocado Dipping Sauce
Wilted Kale Salad with Warm Mustard Shallot Vinaigrette and Spicy Butternut Squash Croutons
Apple Bites with Pumpkin Spice Coconut Butter
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
Listen to the Other Episodes in the Keto Conversations:
Episode 18 – Why I am Not Keto
Episode 19 – Fatty Fatty Fat Fat – Everything You Need to Know About Fat
Episode 20 – Keto vs. Fat Adapted vs. Low Carb
Episode 21 – Should I Eat More Fat? Am I Eating Enough Protein?
DON’T FORGET:
- Download Keep it Simple Keto – FREE eBook – Your 7 Day Quickstart Guide to Living a Fabulous Fat Fueled Life Without All the B.S.
- Get your spot on the Keto for You Waitlist – sign up now to secure your spot and to save $100 and be the first to be notified when the program launches
Want to Learn More:
Nutrition Tips for More Energy. Avoid the Afternoon Crash
************************************************
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS – send in your Qs and Beth will do her best to answer on upcoming episodes
************************************************As always, if you enjoyed this episode, pretty please take the time to rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review, this helps immensely with ranking the show and allowing it to show up in searches, and all the fun algorithms of the iTunes. Plus, I LOVE when you share on your social media accounts, your stories etc, photos or videos of you enjoying the show, all the fun places you are listening, your favorite quotes or takeaways and please be sure to tag me because I love sharing those and I love hearing how much you are loving the show!!LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 21: Should I Eat More Fat? Am I Eating Enough Protein?
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
Should I Eat More Fat? Am I Eating Enough Protein?
Let’s do some troubleshooting!!! This latest episode of the Between Meals Podcast we are answering some of the questions I hear most often with my clients – especially when they find they aren’t getting the results they are after with their nutrition. With our culture being so extreme, often misconception is, if too many carbs isn’t great and lowering my carb intake is better – I should probably have no carbs ever OR fat is good for me, more fat is helpful for getting into deeper ketosis, so if I am not getting the results I want I should just eat even more fat!! DONE. It doesn’t exactly work like that. These are both over simplifications that really won’t help people who stall in reaching the goals that first set for themselves and honestly, may even cause more problems down the line.
Yes, we have talked about fat alone doesn’t make you fat. The fear of fat is total bullshit and all of the amazing thing that fat can do for us, but we also cannot deny the fact that it is still TOTALLY possible to over-consume it. Additionally, the extreme removal and fear of carbs, can lead to an avoidance of important nutrient-dense, fiber rich vegetables that I think should be include in your diet.
As well, there seems to be some confusion and misconception surrounding protein. There is an unsubstantiated fear surrounding gluconeogenesis that often manifests as an underconsumption of protein, which can have deleterious affects of it’s own.
Topics Covered and Questions Answered in Episode 21:
- Can you have TOO much fat?
- If fat helps to create ketone bodies and ketones are good, can’t we just eat more fat to get higher ketones and get into a deeper state of ketosis?
- If you over eat protein does it get turned into glucose?
- The benefits of protein
- How to calculate the right amount of protein
- Do you need to weigh your meat?
- What are macronutrients and what are micronutrients?
- How does energy production actually work? Is it calories only or is there more too it?
- Which macros does the body prefer in ATP production?
- How protein can be self regulating and why overconsumption isn’t a concern
- Other areas to investigate if you hit a wall, are stalling or not hitting the heath goals you had for yourself
- Are you overreacting or experiencing cravings because you are under-eating fat or protein, having too many carbs or are they related to something else altogether?
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
Listen to the Other Episodes in the Keto Conversations:
Episode 18 – Why I am Not Keto
Episode 19 – Fatty Fatty Fat Fat – Everything You Need to Know About Fat
Episode 20 – Keto vs. Fat Adapted vs. Low Carb
DON’T FORGET:
- Download Keep it Simple Keto – FREE eBook – Your 7 Day Quickstart Guide to Living a Fabulous Fat Fueled Life Without All the B.S.
- Get your spot on the Keto for You Waitlist – sign up now to secure your spot and to save $100 and be the first to be notified when the program launches
Want to Learn More:
Nutrition Tips for More Energy. Avoid the Afternoon Crash
************************************************
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS – send in your Qs and Beth will do her best to answer on upcoming episodes
************************************************As always, if you enjoyed this episode, pretty please take the time to rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review, this helps immensely with ranking the show and allowing it to show up in searches, and all the fun algorithms of the iTunes. Plus, I LOVE when you share on your social media accounts, your stories etc, photos or videos of you enjoying the show, all the fun places you are listening, your favorite quotes or takeaways and please be sure to tag me because I love sharing those and I love hearing how much you are loving the show!!LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 20: Keto vs. Fat Adapted vs. Low Carb
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
Keto vs. Fat Adapted vs. Low Carb
This latest episode of the Between Meals Podcast we are simplifying some of the most common questions I hear. We are breaking down the differences between ketosis or just being fat adapted. It can seem confusing, but it really isn’t that complicated and I want to help simplify it for you, so you can find the approach that is right for you and your goals.
Topics Covered and Questions Answered in Episode 20:
- The differences between being keto and fat adapted?
- Can you be fat adapted and not be in ketosis? How about vice versa?
- How long does it take to become fat adapted?
- How can you tell that you are fat adapted?
- Why does our body produce ketones?
- What does it mean to be keto-adapted?
- What are the benefits of ketones?
- What if you can’t maintain high levels of ketones after eating keto for a while?
- What is “Metabolic Flexibility”?
- What is low-carb? Can you just eat low-carb? Is it bad to eat low carb but not be keto?
- Feeling bad on keto? Did you give it enough time?
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
Listen to the Other Episodes in the Keto Conversations:
Episode 18 – Why I am Not Keto
Episode 19 – Fatty Fatty Fat Fat – Everything You Need to Know About Fat
DON’T FORGET:
- Download Keep it Simple Keto – FREE eBook – Your 7 Day Quickstart Guide to Living a Fabulous Fat Fueled Life Without All the B.S.
- Get your spot on the Keto for You Waitlist – sign up now to secure your spot and to save $100 and be the first to be notified when the program launches
Want to Learn More:
4 Reasons to Avoid Vegetable and Seed Oils
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Understanding these Essential Fats
Nutrition Tips for More Energy. Avoid the Afternoon Crash
************************************************
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS – send in your Qs and Beth will do her best to answer on upcoming episodes
************************************************As always, if you enjoyed this episode, pretty please take the time to rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review, this helps immensely with ranking the show and allowing it to show up in searches, and all the fun algorithms of the iTunes. Plus, I LOVE when you share on your social media accounts, your stories etc, photos or videos of you enjoying the show, all the fun places you are listening, your favorite quotes or takeaways and please be sure to tag me because I love sharing those and I love hearing how much you are loving the show!!LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 19: Fatty Fatty Fat Fat
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
FATTY FATTY FAT FAT – Everything You Need to Know About Fat.
Ooooh this latest episode of the Between Meals Podcast is on quite easily one of my favorite topics!! FAT!! Today as part of the five-part series I am calling Keto Conversations – we are chatting all about fat. From why we need it, how to tell if you aren’t burning fat and more. Whether or not you are keto, keto-adapted, low carb, fat-fueled or not – I urge you to listen to this episode. Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet and it’s often overlooked as a crucial missing piece when our health is struggling.
Topics covered in episode 19:
- The differences between a Fat Burner and a Sugar Burner
- You Might be a Sugar Burner if….
- Why We Need Fat
- Are You Not Getting Enough Fat
- How Can We Get More Fat
- Signs You May Not Be Digesting the Fat you are Eating
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
The Benefits of Eating Liver + My Favorite Liver Supplements
The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat ,and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet by Nina Teicholz
DON’T FORGET:
- Download Keep it Simple Keto – FREE eBook – Your 7 Day Quickstart Guide to Living a Fabulous Fat Fueled Life Without All the B.S.
- Get your spot on the Keto for You Waitlist – sign up now to secure your spot and to save $100 and be the first to be notified when the program launches
Want to Learn More:
4 Reasons to Avoid Vegetable and Seed Oils
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Understanding these Essential Fats
Nutrition Tips for More Energy. Avoid the Afternoon Crash
************************************************
Q & A – SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS – send in your Qs and Beth will do her best to answer on upcoming episodes
************************************************As always, if you enjoyed this episode, pretty please take the time to rate the show with 5 stars and leave a review, this helps immensely with ranking the show and allowing it to show up in searches, and all the fun algorithms of the iTunes. Plus, I LOVE when you share on your social media accounts, your stories etc, photos or videos of you enjoying the show, all the fun places you are listening, your favorite quotes or takeaways and please be sure to tag me because I love sharing those and I love hearing how much you are loving the show!!LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
-
A Guide to Smarter Smoothies {Video}
While smoothies have become a popular meal replacement, snack and all around trendy food, crafted incorrectly you can be consuming a sugar-loaded, blood sugar exploding cocktail. I am excited to share with you A Guide to Smarter Smoothies to hopefully help you understand how to better create the smoothies that are right for you.
If you’ve been reading Tasty Yummies for some time, you probably know that the archives are LOADED with smoothie recipes. Smoothies used to play a much larger role in my daily diet routine, for the longest time it was always my favorite way to start my day. Interestingly at the height of my smoothie consumption, weight loss was definitely a struggle, as were energy crashes and sugar cravings. What I didn’t know back then, but I do know now as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, is that without the proper formulation, smoothies are a blood sugar explosion waiting to happen.
Every time you consume any carbohydrates and sugar containing foods, it causes an increase in blood glucose. How much so is dependent on the food and the individual. Simple sugars more specifically (monosaccharides), those sugars ending in -ose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, galactose, maltose – these are metabolized especially quickly and can often cause a big surge in insulin.
Our body’s innate intelligence continually monitors the amount of glucose in our bloodstream to maintain balance and homeostasis. When blood glucose levels increase, the pancreas releases the hormone insulin. Insulin increases the uptake of glucose by our muscle and fat cells; increases the amount of glycogen in our muscle and liver; increases fatty acid synthesis from excessive carbohydrates; and decreases fat breakdown and mobilization from our fat tissue.
How Bad Can a Fruit-Loaded Smoothie Be?
With a spike in blood sugar, a release of insulin and the impending crash, no matter what food is the initial cause, this can lead to immediate hunger, mid-day cravings, energy crashes, lightheadedness, anxiety, etc. Even worse, if the rest of your day’s eating (and most days) continue on the carb and sugar path, you are absolutely creating a long term problem. Whether you are overweight, struggle with weight loss or notice blood sugar issues or not.
Day in and day out this roller coaster can lead to a slew of health complications beyond obesity, lethargy and cravings. To simplify the worst of it, constant output of insulin is like the boy that cried wolf, your cells stop responding to the insulin that is constantly being produced and they become resistant, meaning without the insulin to transport the excess glucose to your cells for energy production, blood sugar levels remain high and this is can lead to chronic insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and eventually diabetes.
These days, I personally prefer to opt for (and I recommend to my clients) the prioritizing of nutrient-dense whole foods, rather than drinkable meals, like smoothies or juice. Whole foods offer the opportunity for maximum nutrient absorption, which allows our digestion to work as intended, and assuming these whole foods aren’t loaded up with carbohydrates and sugar – it’s much easier on your blood sugar.
That said, in the summer I do find myself with a much different appetite and my cravings differ quite significantly from the cooler months. I am not nearly as ravenous for more robust meals, especially on the hotter days. In the summer months I find myself wanting and craving more smoothies than any other time of the year. Knowing what I know now, my approach to creating them has drastically changed, so today I am going to share with you my Guide to Smarter Smoothies.
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Creative Ways to Use Canned Salmon
Canned salmon doesn’t have to just mean sandwiches. This high-quality protein is loaded up with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and it makes for an incredible pantry staple that is ready whenever you need it. Here are just a few of my favorite Creative Ways to Use Canned Salmon.
To some canned fish, as the leading star of the meal may be an act of desperation or last-minuteness, and while the latter may be true quite often for me – I think regardless, canned salmon and other canned fish, are really easy, grab-and-go, delicious, super nutrient-rich proteins that are perfect pantry staples for any health-minded kitchen. A great thing on hand for those busy times when you just aren’t sure what to make.
Besides your standard sandwich, canned salmon and tuna can be used interchangeably in a variety of different recipes. Canned salmon and tuna both make for wonderful and easy healthy fat-loaded proteins to complete any meal. Add to just about any plate, over top a big green salad, in a wrap, serve over top rice or cauliflower rice, pasta, zucchini noodles, over potatoes or squash. For me, I find that canned salmon is a quality, staple pantry protein, for those busy weeknights when I forget to thaw something out or don’t have the time to fuss with much but I still want a well-rounded nutrient-dense meal. Canned salmon is fantastic source of protein, and it’s also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals.
I find that with quality, properly sourced canned fish, less is more. When it comes to Alaska Gold’s Line-Caught Ivory King Canned Salmon, simply toss in some green or red onions and celery, maybe a little mayo and enjoy on a cracker for an easy snack. It truly doesn’t need much more, the flavor is just perfect.
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Benefits of MCT Oil – Why I Use It, How it Differs from Coconut Oil, Liquid MCT Oil vs Powder + More
The list of health benefits of MCT Oil or medium-chain triglycerides, a type of fat, includes fat loss, appetite suppression, increased energy, improved cognition, improved athletic performance, to name a few. Read on to see why I use it, how it differs from coconut oil, how to take it and more!
A balanced, nutrient-dense diet rich in healthy fats is essential to us being our very best! Every single cell in our body needs fat to function, most especially our brain cells. Our brain is actually the fattiest organ in our body at over 60% fat. You already know my feelings on the importance of healthy fats in a well-balanced, nutrient-dense whole foods diet, but you can read more about the Benefits of Healthy Fats.
At this point I have to imagine you’ve heard the buzz surrounding MCT Oil. One of the quickest sources of clean fuel for both the body and the brain, MCT oil is hands down one of the best ways to power up your performance or kick start a nutrition program.
What is MCT Oil?
“MCTs” are medium-chain triglycerides, a form of saturated fatty acid that has many health benefits, ranging from improved cognitive function to better weight management. MCTs are a type of fat that can be readily used for energy by your body and do not have to be broken down before use. They are precursors to ketones and help your body burn fat instead of burning carbs. Ketones are one of the brain’s two primary fuel sources, and also a vital source of ATP energy for the body. ATP energy is what allows every single muscle in your body to move. While ketones from fat, rather than glycogen from carbohydrates, are the primary source of fuel for those on a ketogenic diet, but you don’t have to fully go keto to benefit from MCT oil and ketones.
MCTs get their name because of the length of their chemical structure. All types of fatty acids are made up of strings of connected carbon and hydrogen. Fats are categorized by how many carbons they have: short-chain fats (like butyric acid) have fewer than six carbons, medium-chain fats have between 6–12 carbons and long-chain fats (like omega-3s) have between 13–21.
Most fats consumed are taken into your body then must be mixed with bile released from your gallbladder and acted on by pancreatic enzymes to break it down in your digestive system. Medium-chain fats are digested easily and once they reach your intestine they are sent via the bloodstream directly to your liver, where they have a thermogenic effect and the ability to positively alter your metabolism. MCTs even pass the blood-brain barrier to supply your brain with an instant boost of energy. MCTs are absorbed more quickly than longer chain fats, as there is less work for the body to do, in breaking down the carbon bonds, meaning they can be used quicker as fuel, rather than being stored as fat.
Medium-chain Fatty Acids May Help With:
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Don’t Fear the Fat // The Basics
Why Are We Talking About Fat?
The reason I write this post, is that even though, for so many us, we have woke to this knowledge and have worked hard to reframe our approach to nutrition and no longer fearing the fat, we still have so much work to do. After many decades of low-fat propaganda, the “fat makes you fat” rhetoric is still so deeply ingrained in the collective psyche. Many people STILL greatly fear fat, even though study after study shows that fat is not only harmless 1http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract but that it is in fact, quite necessary to many important functions in the body. I myself see this fear weekly in my nutrition clients, all over the internet and in my social feeds, at the grocery store, at restaurants, at the gym, etc and of course, all of the many side effects of low fat eating – we HAVE to change this dialogue!!
The Basics
It is beyond challenging to decide where to even start on such a huge, huge topic. Chatting about dietary fat is a big undertaking and we are going to merely just scratch the surface with this initial post, decoding the myths and where the fat fearmongering began, along with the crucial reasons we need fat in our diet. So, let’s get to the basics.
First and foremost you need to know that fat is a necessity in our bodies. This vital macronutrient provides building blocks for the brain, hormone and cellular membranes throughout the body, it is essential for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K and it is deeply hydrating!
By adequately increasing my healthy fat intake, more than any other change I have made in my lifestyle and diet, I have personally seen profound affects on my health, from my digestion to my skin including chronic hormonal and cystic acne, from my moods to my ability to concentrate, hormonal imbalances to libido (YUP!). Fat is a powerful anti-aging food, both internally and externally. Consumed as part of a healthful diet, fatty acids (the building blocks of fat) help stabilize blood sugar – allowing your body to release fat, protect it’s lean muscle, and surge with energy. When our focus is on creating meals that are rich not only in healthy fats, but also quality well-sourced proteins and fibrous green leafy veggies, we can thank especially the healthy fats for keeping us satiated. Staying satisfied for longer means so you won’t find yourself searching for the junky, processed snacks in between these healthy, whole food meals.
References
1. ↑ http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract -
Cooking Fats and Oils: Which to Include and Which to Avoid
Cooking Fats and Oils: Which to Include and Which to Avoid
Fats and oils are a necessary part of cooking, but using the right ones are down right essential to living a healthy and vital life. Just like rest of what we eat, a good rule of thumb with fats and oils is to always opt for organic and you should avoid overly-processed, highly refined fats and basically anything that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as traditional food (i.e. basically ALL highly-refined vegetable and seed oils) – but to be frank, there is a lot more to the story! Not only do the types and quality of fats and oils matter – but so does their proper use. Honoring the various molecular structures of the different fats is the best way to insure that you are using them appropriately, without causing damage to the fats and in turn, negative affects on our health.
Here is a quick resource guide including the various uses for each:
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Chocolate Avocado Shake {Paleo, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Keto-friendly}
By now we’ve all seen and likely enjoyed that that tasty chocolate mousse or pudding, that is actually just avocado, cocoa and a little sweetener. (You can find my recipe for it, terrible photo and all, way back in the TY archives.) That very idea also sparked the creation of these delicious Creamy Chocolate Fudgesicles.
This past week, as I continued to collect the many avocados still available in abundance from the tree in our yard, I was dreaming up creative uses for all the avocados we have. I can never get enough guacamole and my homemade avocado salad dressing is always a favorite, but I was also craving something sweet. I am not sure how or why, but I was instantly inspired to create a creamy, luscious chocolate shake.
I have never been a fan of milkshakes!! Gasp… I know right? There is just something about that much dairy getting sucked through a straw, laced with a year’s worth of sugar that ALWAYS spell disaster for my gut, as it should.
Velvety smooth, rich and sinfully delicious, this Chocolate Shake get it’s creaminess from avocado, rather than ice cream and it’s sweetened only by a few dates (or other sweetener of your choice) and a little melted dark chocolate (your choice of how dark). It brings you some healthy fats from both the avocado and the coconut milk and a load of antioxidants from the raw cacao (read more about the benefits of dark chocolate). Also, shhhh, there’s no dairy in there, so it’s great for all, paleo, vegans, it’s even safe for our nut-free pals. Basically in all it’s delicious glory, it’s like a nutrient-dense chocolate shake, that you can indulge in, without worrying about crappy ice cream or loads of sugar! I promise, it will be love at first sip.
