Gluten-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Focaccia Bread

Today's new recipe? Gluten-free sun-dried tomato bread.

 

A Focaccia To Love

Moving season is upon us. Yes, Los Angeles has a moving season. Southern Californians do not like to move in cold weather- in other words, when the mercury dips below the 60º mark. 58 degrees? It's time for UGGs and cocoa and ordering in. Not for hoisting sofas up or down a flight of stairs. Are you crazy?

And yes. We are moving. Come June 1st or thereabouts we are joining the migrating, apartment swapping masses. We are weeding through the promises that bloom on Craigslist (a veritable bouquet of alluring superlatives). Amazing! Gorgeous! Light and bright! And the ever popular- HUGE! This whole searching (and so far, not finding) process inevitably makes me insanely hungry for bread. Not store bought bread. Freshly baked warm from the oven bread. The kind of rustic, crusty loaf that conjures the word hearth. And home.

Because when you're searching for a place to live, nothing whispers home to your soul like the yeasty sweet aroma of baking bread.


Read more + get the recipe >>

What About: Almond Milk?

What about almond milk?

Is it ok to drink, or not?

It IS ok to drink! Make sure you use unsweetened almond milk.  1 cup is 1 serving.

While it is listed in the book as a C3 probiotic/milk addition, Dr. Mike has told us that we can use it in all cycles!

As for it being a probiotic replacement, use your own judgment on this.  Almond milk isn't milk in the sense that most of us are used to, and it also does NOT have any probiotics in it.

Personally, because of the lack of probiotics in it, when/if I drink it, I just consider it an added food item and I don't go overboard using it.  I would recommend 1 or 2 cups maximum per day -- but as with everything, this diet is about choices and making this work for us, so less or more is really up to you.

Did Someone Say Cocktails & Crafts?

In a perfect world, I would retire to a beach house in Montauk and drink Champagne cocktails all day while doing crafts and designing my home. But mama still needs to pay the bills, so we'll have to table that - for now.

However, it doesn't mean we can't enjoy a night of it! Okay, we won't be at the beach, BUT we will be at the best bookstore in New York City, with the fabulous author and interior designer Janet Lee! You in?

Here are the details and the fancy schmancy press release:

*************************

COCKTAILS AND CRAFTS:
An evening of bubbly cocktail demos and sparkling design DIY’s

With Cara Alwill Leyba,
Founder and Executive Editor of The Champagne Diaries

And Janet Lee,
Small Space Decorator and Author of Living in a Nutshell

Like a match made in heaven, Cara and Janet, who met and clicked in a book writing class, will combine their talent and enthusiasm for living an effervescent life. As a writer and life coach, Cara sees champagne as a metaphor for celebrating every day, flaws and all, reminding us to embrace the little luxuries that life has to offer…no matter the budget. Janet takes the same approach with design in her newly released book, Living in a Nutshell (Harper Design; $25), blog and finding affordable ways to add a little more glamour and dazzle in a small space, flaunting rather than hiding flaws in a room and focusing on what you have…not what you don’t.

Perfect for the season, Cara will demonstrate how to mix, shake and pour the perfect Champagne Mojito, courtesy of Le Grand Courtâge, while she shares her personal stories of trials, breakthroughs and triumphs.

If you ever wondered what to do with those gorgeous champagne corks---Janet will show you how to transform them into decorative paper tassels with pages from vintage books and velvet ribbon.  Everyone will make one while they sip on their bubbly and learn design secrets from the author.  It’s the perfect way to create and craft at the perfect bookstore, The BookMark Shoppe in Brooklyn!

And if that weren’t enough, one lucky winner will bring home an exclusive project designed for the Living in a Nutshell book.

WHERE:         The BookMark Shoppe
                         8415 3rd Avenue
                         Brooklyn, NY 11209
                         (718) 833-5115

WHEN:            May 3rd, 2012   
                         7:00-9:00 pm

GOODIES:      We'll have free gift bags (valued at $25) filled with Command Brand products for everyone  who buys a book on the night of the event. Janet Lee will personally sign all books.   

RSVP:              rsvpcraftsandcocktails@yahoo.com

PRESS:           Please contact Stephanie Scott to schedule any interviews: stephanie@stephscott.com

About Cara Alwill Leyba

Cara Alwill Leyba is a writer, lifestylist and wellness coach from NYC who empowers women to live their most effervescent life and celebrate themselves. Her blog, The Champagne Diaries, has a following of nearly 6,000 loyal readers and has been featured in Glamour, Shape, Cafe Mom, Daily Mail UK, MSN Australia, AOL UK Lifestyle, and a host of other publications worldwide. Cara encourages women to design the lives they desire and deserve, and swears that every woman can live a "Champagne life," no matter how busy she is or how tight her budget. Cara is currently working on her first book based on the popularity and extensive feedback from fans of her blog. She also regularly appears on the “Ask Dr. Fritz” radio show on WWRL New York, where she helps host Dr. Fritz answer questions from callers about love, career, family, relationships and more. When she’s not popping bubbly and penning her Champagne diaries, Cara spends her days leading a digital advertising team at MTV Networks. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

About Janet Lee

An Emmy Award-winning television show producer, Janet has styled and produced for leading home decorators, entrepreneurs, and designers such as Martha Stewart, B. Smith, and Thom Filicia. She spent ten years as a senior producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show, working closely with style legends like Nate Berkus. Since 2008, she has been writing a popular small space design blog, livinginanutshell.com. Named one of the top go-to sites for affordable modern design by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2009, Janet shares her experience from the decorating front lines having lived in a dozen different pocket-sized apartments over the past 20 years: “I’m a serial small space nester with a unique vantage point…Each apartment I’ve lived in—with its laundry list of list of lighting and structural flaws—has become a personal decorating lab where I’ve created and road-tested my ideas.”  Her book, Living in a Nutshell: Posh and Portable Decor with Harper Collins was released March 2012.  She lives in New York City.     

                                                                               
Media Contact:  Stephanie Scott
646.389.5569 /stephanie@stephscott.com

Cholesterol supplementation benefits patients with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome

This study was published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics 1997 Jan 31;68(3):305-10

Study title and authors:
Clinical effects of cholesterol supplementation in six patients with the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS)

Elias ER, Irons MB, Hurley AD, Tint GS, Salen G.
Department of Pediatrics, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9024564

Children with the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome have very low cholesterol levels and most are either stillborn or die early because of serious malformations of the central nervous system. Those that survive have a small head size, learning problems and behavioral problems. They tend to grow more slowly than other infants and many affected individuals have fused second and third toes and some have extra fingers or toes.

The problems that occur in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is because of their very low cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is necessary for normal embryonic development and has important functions both before and after birth. It is a structural component of cell membranes and the protective substance covering nerve cells (myelin). Also, cholesterol plays a role in the production of vitamin D, certain hormones and bile acids.

The study examined the effects of cholesterol supplementation in children with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. The trial included six children, age range from birth to 11 years old.

The study found:
(a) Clinical benefits of the cholesterol therapy were seen in all patients, irrespective of their age at the onset of treatment, or the severity of their cholesterol defect. 
(b) The cholesterol therapy improved growth, gave a more rapid developmental progress, a lessening of problem behaviors, older patients progressed to puberty, they had a better tolerance of infection, improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms, and a reduction in photosensitivity and skin rashes
(c) Patients had no adverse reactions to treatment with cholesterol.

The results of the study suggest that cholesterol supplementation benefits patients with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

Links to other studies:
The link between low cholesterol and autism
Low cholesterol and suicidal behavior

Simmie's Chocolate Muffins (C3)

Simmie's Chocolate Muffins (C3)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

This is a change from my usual oatmeal cookie muffins made with applesauce.  This version uses no applesauce but does use regular lowfat flavored yogurt and a little bit of unsweetened almond milk.

Caution: Do not overbake, even by 1 or 2 minutes -- that can make all the difference in the world!

2 scoops Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 3/4 cups Oatmeal
1 Tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 containers (12 ounces total) CarbMasters Vanilla Yogurt - creamed well
2 Eggs
1 heaping tsp Baking powder
1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp Stevia Extract
1 Tbsp Olive oil

Combine all dry ingredients and mix together well.  Then add the yogurt which you have "creamed" really well with a spoon until it is very smooth.  Add the rest of the "wet" ingredients (almond milk, eggs, oil) and mix well.

Spray either a 12-serving or 6-serving muffin tin with your favorite nonstick spray and put the batter into each muffin tin.  I use an ice cream scoop, as the size that goes into each one is perfect for the 12-serving tins and 2 scoops is perfect for the 6-serving tins.

Bake 18-20 minutes in a 350 oven.  Be sure that you do not over-bake these, as even 1 or 2 minutes will make the difference between good and somewhat dry. (I discovered that with the strawberry muffins this morning!)

Remove from the oven and place on your counter and let them sit for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the baking pan.

These do not need to be frozen, however they do need to be refrigerated.

I usually sit one out on the counter in either a covered plastic container or bag the night before and reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds maximum.  I usually place a damp (almost wet) towel around them to keep the moisture in.

Note:

• If you cannot find CarbMasters yogurts near you (Kroger brand), what they are is a non-greek yogurt that is low fat and low sugar (1.5g fat, 3g sugar) and 60 calories per 6 ounce serving.  Look for something comparable to that or find a plain non-greek yogurt and maybe add some extracts.
• I will be putting up the Strawberry version later today, but basically the only difference is Strawberry Whey Protein Powder and Strawberry yogurt.
• In this next week, I will be working on figuring out how many mini bites this recipe makes; when I'm done with that, I'll update this recipe with that information as well.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Calories: Regular sized: 127; Jumbo: 254
Fat: Regular: 3.6g; Jumbo: 7.2g
Fiber: Regular: 2.1g; Jumbo: 4.3g
Protein: Regular: 8.3g; Jumbo: 16.7g
Carbs: 14.8g; Jumbo: 29.7g
Sugars: 1g; Jumbo: 2.1g

17 Day Diet specifics: 1 natural starch is about 15-20 grams of carbs, so the regular size would be just under 1 natural starch serving and the jumbo would be just under 2.

Jumbo muffins are basically twice the size as the regular muffins.

For those on MyFitnessPal for tracking recipes, these can be found there as:
Simmie's Chocolate Muffins 6 ct
Simmie's Chocolate Muffins 12 ct

Low cholesterol levels are associated with higher death rates from respiratory diseases

This study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology 1997 Dec;26(6):1191-202

Study title and authors:
Serum total cholesterol and risk of hospitalization, and death from respiratory disease.

Iribarren C, Jacobs DR Jr, Sidney S, Claxton AJ, Gross MD, Sadler M, Blackburn H.
Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, CA 94611, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9447398

The study examined the association of cholesterol levels with respiratory diseases. The study included 48,188 men, 55,276 women, age range 25-89, who were followed for 15 years with a total of 976,866 person years of observation.

The study found for patients requiring hospitalisation:
(a) Those with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 41% increased risk of been hospitalised with pneumonia and influenza compared with those with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(b) Those with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 17% increased risk of been hospitalised with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (bronchitis and emphysema) compared with those with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(c) Those with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 13% increased risk of been hospitalised with asthma compared with those with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(d) Those with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 35% increased risk of been hospitalised with other respiratory diseases (rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsilitis, laringitis, asbestosis, pneumuconiosis, empyema, mediastinitis, pleurisy, pulmonary congestion, pulmonary fibrosis, rhumatic pneumonia and lung disease) compared with those with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).

With regard to death from respiratory diseases the study found:
(e) Men with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 87% increased risk of death from pneumonia and influenza compared with men with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(f) Women with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 41% increased risk of death from pneumonia and influenza compared with women with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(g) Men with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 35% increased risk of death from bronchitis, emphysema and asthma compared with men with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(h) Women with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 79% increased risk of death from bronchitis, emphysema and asthma compared with women with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(i) Men with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 96% increased risk of death from other respiratory diseases (rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsilitis, laringitis, asbestosis, pneumuconiosis, empyema, mediastinitis, pleurisy, pulmonary congestion, pulmonary fibrosis, rhumatic pneumonia and lung disease) compared with men with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).
(j) Women with the lowest cholesterol levels, below 4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), had a 126% increased risk of death from other respiratory diseases (rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsilitis, laringitis, asbestosis, pneumuconiosis, empyema, mediastinitis, pleurisy, pulmonary congestion, pulmonary fibrosis, rhumatic pneumonia and lung disease) compared with women with the highest cholesterol levels, above 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL).

The results of the study show that low cholesterol levels are associated with more hospitalisations and higher death rates from respiratory diseases.

Beyond Ötzi: European Evolutionary History and its Relevance to Diet. Part I

In the previous post, I explained that Otzi descended in large part from early adopters of agriculture in the Middle East or nearby.  What I'll explain in further posts is that Otzi was not a genetic anomaly: he was part of a wave of agricultural migrants that washed over Europe thousands of years ago, spreading their genes throughout.  Not only that, Otzi represents a halfway point in the evolutionary process that transformed Paleolithic humans into modern humans.

Did Agriculture in Europe Spread by Cultural Transmission or by Population Replacement?

There's a long-standing debate in the anthropology community over how agriculture spread throughout Europe.  One camp proposes that agriculture spread by a cultural route, and that European hunter-gatherers simply settled down and began planting grains.  The other camp suggests that European hunter-gatherers were replaced (totally or partially) by waves of agriculturalist immigrants from the Middle East that were culturally and genetically better adapted to the agricultural diet and lifestyle.  These are two extreme positions, and I think almost everyone would agree at this point that the truth lies somewhere in between: modern Europeans are a mix of genetic lineages, some of which originate from the earliest Middle Eastern agriculturalists who expanded into Europe, and some of which originate from indigenous hunter-gatherer groups including a small contribution from neanderthals.  We know that modern-day Europeans are not simply Paleolithic mammoth eaters who reluctantly settled down and began farming. 

Read more »

Jen Kao S/S '12 Collection

So this is a little overdue.

But better late than never, right?

If you've been reading LLE for a while now (and thanks, by the way, to everyone who does!) you may remember that there was a super-cool fashion show at Harvard earlier this month. You just know that I was all over that from the very first minute that I heard about it!

Seriously, what's better than fashion shows? No, but really?

Anyway, the featured designer was Jen Kao. If you're fashion-obsessed, like myself, you probably know this young designer and (as must logically ensue) adore her. If you don't, though, here's why you should (I'm going to limit myself to the collection that she showed at the Harvard fashion show, her spring/summer 2012 collection, as this would otherwise become an epic post).

She's not afraid to go for interesting colors, prints, and patterns.

Because it is so easy to make cheap imitations of almost anything today, a lot of people are saying that prints and unique fabrics are going to be the stuff of the next wave of haute couture - it's the only kind of thing that needs to be painstakingly created and so it remains exclusive to the select few that can afford it.

On one hand I wonder if it's really good to create expensive fashion with the goal of appearing expensive. On the other hand, I do think that there's something to be said for maintaining the 'high art' sense of haute couture by keeping the artistry in it and not having it mass-replicated in Chinese sweat shops. Imagine doing that to a Picasso. Do you know what I mean?

She takes risks, but nails it every time. Her collection is light, airy, fashionable, fitted, loose, edgy, modern, retro - all at the same time.

She keeps fashion fun and young, not getting caught up in what others have done and what others are doing. Everything is uniquely her. And even if somethings look a little arts & crafty, they all look AMAZINGLY so.

Yes, it's high fashion - but it's accessible high fashion. I would totally wear this out on the street! I absolutely love the mixing of the school girl style, with the edgier top and the bad*** sneakers.

Seriously, though - what's not to love?

Also, she's just genuinely a sweet person (at least in the half an hour or so that I had with her). Love it!

Currently snacking on:

A blueberry acai Balance Bar.

As I've mentioned before, I tend to prefer chewy protein bars. I really am a bar aficionado, though, and believe in equal opportunity for all bars.

These are great for when that chew granola bar craving hits - with 15g of protein, 4g of fiber, and 7g of whole grains, they sure beat the Chewy bar of my childhood.

The blueberry-acai flavor was interesting (in a good way) with the blueberry featured as the predominant flavor, but the acai adding that subtle something extra that really brought the bar up to awesome. The yogurt coating was the icing on the cake bar.

And for when you want a chewy, chocolaty bar (um, always?):

The Balance Bar is very Snickers like in every way...

Except nutritionally - no sugar crash here. Instead, it kept me energized through the most massive laundry session EVER.

Don't get behind on your laundry. Seriously.

But if you do - have a yummy treat to power you through. :)

Or this one:

Which actually does taste liked a bulked-up-Thin-Mint-meets-Andes.

Am I weird because I like bars better than cake? Y'all know I love bars - sooooo yummy!

What's your favorite look in the Jen Kao collection?


Who's your favorite up-and-coming designer of the moment?

Low fat diets induce unhealthy effects in type two diabetics

This study was published in Diabetes Care 1990 Apr;13(4):446-8

Study title and authors:

Effects of changing amount of carbohydrate in diet on plasma lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in type II diabetic patients.

Rivellese AA, Giacco R, Genovese S, Patti L, Marotta G, Pacioni D, Annuzzi G, Riccardi G.

Institute of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, 2nd Medical School, Naples, Italy.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2318105

This 15 day study investigated the effects of a low fat diet and a high fat diet on eight nonobese, mildly type two diabetic patients, average age 45 years old.

The two diets comprised of:
(i) 60% carbohydrate, 20 % protein, 20% fat (low fat diet).
(ii) 40% carbohydrate, 20% protein. 40% fat (high fat diet).

The study found:
(a) Triglycerides were 24% higher on the low fat diet.
(b) Apolipoprotein CII levels were 15% on the low fat diet. (Apolipoprotein CII (apoCII) is a protein found in large fat particles absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It is also found in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol. High levels of apoCII are associated with angina and heart attacks).
(c) Very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels were 43% higher on the low fat diet. (High VLDL levels are linked to diabetes. See here).

The results from the study show that a low fat diet induces harmful effects on cholesterol values in nonobese, mildly type two diabetic patients.

Tackling Pizza/ Junk Food/ Disordered Thinking

Pizza was the focus of several conversations this morning. And we weren’t discussing ordering lunch. The subject was challenging foods, and pizza was mentioned during more than one patient session. And I didn’t bring up this potentially triggering topic.

One of my favorite pizza places in Bar Harbor, ME

“It’s junk food”, one young woman stated firmly.  “Why’s that?” I probed. Silence, she responded, uncertain. “The grease”, was another’s response, in a different session. Seeing all that grease was problematic. For others, pizza equals fast food, convenient take-out—all of which has to be “bad”. For others, it’s about portioning. I mean, how much is okay to eat for lunch? Or, for dinner? “And how do you stop”, others have asked.

For some, pizza is fine if you’ve made it yourself—at least you know just what went into it. For others, it’s okay if it’s organic or whole wheat. For most everyone it’s fine if it can be eaten in control.

So what is it about pizza?

As I sit down to write this piece I recall how shocked I was at age 9, when I overheard the conversation. The birthday-party hostess, my friend’s mother, related to my mother with shock and horror that I downed 4 slices of pizza! Besides feeling full, I can’t say I thought anything of it at the time—that is until I heard her comment. And I can remember many a comment my mother had made about my appetite—that I eat as much as my 6’1” father, for instance—not exactly stated with pride, I’ll add. Yet she failed to recognize that her baseline for comparison was her chronic dieting and self-denial, and that my father could easily have been described as low body weight. And, I was a preteen, growing to a height at the 95^th%ile. Why should it come as any surprise I had a hefty appetite? I was perhaps expending more calories than my non-growing father! Four slices for me was slightly more than appropriate, I recall.

Okay, okay, now that I processed some of that therapeutic history, let’s talk more about pizza and you.

Lessons about eating pizza

It helps to break it down into smaller pieces. Well, I don’t mean that literally. Rather, that it helps to think about what pizza really is to make it easier to digest. The base has three ingredients: flour, yeast and salt. Period. How bad is that?  Not very at all!

Homemade, grilled pizza. Delicious!

And the way most American large size pizza pies (made from a pound of dough) are cut into eighths, a slice is like two slices of bread. And then there’s the cheese. Less than an ounce per slice, at most places (although there certainly are exceptions). 


And the grease? It's simply what you see when you heat up cheese. If you must, blot it. Otherwise, just recognize it as separated cheese. And then there’s an insignificant amount of sauce (which the US school lunch program would like to count as a vegetable serving but is hardly enough to count!)

How does it fit or compare to other meals you might be having? Well, the protein- rich element is much lower—again, for 2 slices, that’s less than 2 ounces—much less than anyone would need for a dinner meal—that’s for certain. So if the grain or starch component is larger than you’d usually eat, just remember that the protein is way less than you need.

How do I eat it in control?

• Don’t serve it from the table! Pizza, in my opinion, smells yummy, and it’s easy when foods smell good and taste good, to eat them beyond a comfortable level of fullness. Keep it warming in the oven. Or simply get a couple slices to go, when you are first starting out. But really you might need more than just 2 to meet your needs. Maybe even 2 ½ slices. Yes, you can cut slices in half! Ask them to do it at the pizza place. Tell them it’s for your baby sister.

• Serve it with other items—a salad, cooked veggies, a glass of milk, a cut up fruit—to help you add some balance and some modest volume to know when you are full.

• Stop calling it junk food! If you label it junk, you think you have done something wrong. And if you think you’ve done wrong, you’re likely to feel ashamed. You may view it in black and white terms, thinking you must compensate for having eaten it. And that will get you into some real trouble!

And what about things that really are junk? You know, they have no redeeming value from a nutrient stand point? About those foods, I say enjoy them. Not 5 times a day. Not with rigid rules like “only on the 3^rd Friday of the month”! No, make them a part of your regular routine, but include them instead of something you typically eat (but that you don’t necessarily enjoy), when you need the fuel, when you are hungry or need to have a snack on your plan.

Don’t approach pizza or any meals feeling ravenous! It is a recipe for disaster. You’ll eat too fast, and will likely eat beyond a comfortable level of fullness.

Allow yourself to have pizza regularly. You need the practice!

So go ahead and enjoy some pizza. Try it topped with fresh fig, sliced pear or pineapple, or maybe artichoke or roasted peppers. And don’t listen to anyone else’s comments about pizza or about how much you’re allowed to be eating!

Let me know how it goes!

Low cholesterol levels predict death in patients with bacteria in the blood

This study was published in the Archives of Family Medicine 1995 Sep;4(9):785-9

Study title and authors:
Risk factors for the development of bacteremia in nursing home patients.

Richardson JP, Hricz L.
Department of Family Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7647945

The study examined the association between cholesterol levels and death rates in people with bacteremia (bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the blood). The study included 26 patients who were admitted into a nursing home.

The study found that the only admission characteristic of patients that was associated with death caused by bacteremia was low cholesterol of 3.79 mmol/L (147 mg/dL) in patients who died, whereas patients who survived had higher cholesterol of 5.05 mmol/L (195 mg/dL).

Products

This is a placeholder for "Products" until I get some posts put up on this topic.

The purpose of the Products area will be to highlight which products I'd recommend or not recommend -- or, which products those of you use that you've found helpful on this diet.

So far, but by no stretch of the imagination, separate posts with pictures will be done on the following:

• Body Fortress Whey Protein Powders
• Jillian Michaels Whey Protein Powders (NOT recommended, by the way)
• Red Mill Flaxseed Meal and other products
• Walden Farms Products
• Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Fage Greek Yogurt
• CarbMasters Yogurt (including a link to find the store closest to you that carries it)
• DaVinci products (similar to Walden Farms)
• Bell Plantation products (PB2, etc.)

Low fat, low cholesterol diets result in lower cholesterol levels and a higher death rate

This study was published in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 1978;109:317-30

Study title and authors:

Low fat, low cholesterol diet in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.

Woodhill JM, Palmer AJ, Leelarthaepin B, McGilchrist C, Blacket RB.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/727035

The study set out to determine the effects of a low fat, low cholesterol diet on death rates in men with existing heart disease. The study included 458 men, aged 30 to 59, who were followed for up to seven years.

The men were allocated in groups to consume either:

(i) A low fat, low cholesterol diet.

(ii) Their usual diet.

The study found:

(a) The men following the low fat, low cholesterol diet lowered their cholesterol levels 4.5% more than the men following their usual diet.

(b) The men following the low fat, low cholesterol diet had 49% increased death rates compared to the men following their usual diet.

(c) The men following the low fat, low cholesterol diet had 44% increased heart disease death rates compared to the men following their usual diet.

The results of the study show that a low fat, low cholesterol diet results in lower cholesterol levels and a higher death rate.

Becky's Chocolate Cookies (C4)

Becky's Chocolate Cookies (C4)

Recipe Author: Becky Yokeley Love

Yield: 12 cookies

3/4 cup oats
Artificial sweetener equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
2 Tbsp PB2


Bake on a baking sheet at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.  Do not use parchment paper -- this recipe will stick to it!

After baking is done, let the cookies cool for 2 to 5 minutes to set up.

These can also be made without the PB2 and this will reduce your calories even further.

More experimentation to determine how much less applesauce would work will be done on this recipe.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION per cookie for a 12-cookie batch:

WITH PB2:
Calories: 40.8
Fat: 0.7 grams
Fiber: 0.8 grams
Protein: 3.7 grams
Carbs: 5.3 grams (1 Natural Starch=15-20g carbs)
Sugars: 1.3 grams

WithOUT PB2:
Calories: 37.1
Fat: 0.5 grams
Fiber: 0.6 grams
Protein: 3.3 grams
Carbs: 4.9 grams (1 Natural Starch=15-20g carbs)
Sugars: 1.2 grams

WIAW #35

The theme of this WIAW, instead of what I ate in one day, is what new (to me) combinations I've been enjoying.

Amazing Grass Green Reserve and chia pudding - with frozen berries, of course!

Dr. Praeger's California Burgers (yuuuummmmmm) with baby kale. The slight bite of the raw kale really complements the savory burger!

Quest bars with greek yogurt and puffed kamut! Dried fruits thrown in for prettiness, of course. :)

The Peanut Butter Supreme Quest Bar was really peanut buttery! Have you ever had a Payday candy bar? It tasted like that.

Only, as usual, with only 2g of sugar and with a whopping 20g of protein (and more than half of your daily fiber requirement!) as compared with a Payday bar's 40g of sugar, 12g of protein, 4g of fiber, and 440calories in a king sized bar.

I'll take the Quest Bar, thanks.

Kashi Dark Chocolate Oatmeal cookies with Ghiradelli backing chocolate. YUM YUM YUM. I made chocolate chip cookie sandwiches (one cookie, chocolate, a little peanut butter, and then another cookie - NOMNOMNOM).

And the last Dr. Praeger's California Burger - this time with celery. I really liked this combination, too!

My hand and frozen (half-thawed) blueberries. This is after scrubbing it for five minutes. WOWZA. Could you dye your hair with blueberries?

What are some tasty combinations you've had lately?


Which is your favorite of the ones that I listed above?

ADDENDUM: You can buy Quest Bars through LLE!

Analysis of six trials show that as cholesterol levels are lowered the death rate increases

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 1990 Aug 11;301(6747):309-14

Study title and authors:

Lowering cholesterol concentrations and mortality: a quantitative review of primary prevention trials.

Muldoon MF, Manuck SB, Matthews KA.

Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2144195

This study analysed the findings of six cholesterol reduction trials. The participants in the six cholesterol reduction trials received either diet based, drug based, a mixture of diet and drug cholesterol lowering treatment or placebo. The trials lasted for an average of 4.8 years and included 24,847 male participants who were followed for a total of 119,000 person years. The average age of the men was 47.5 years.

The analysis found:
(a) The men receiving cholesterol reduction treatment reduced their cholesterol levels by about 10%.
(b) The men receiving cholesterol reduction treatment had a 7% increase in death rates compared to the men taking a placebo.

The results of this analysis of six trials show that as cholesterol levels are lowered the death rate increases.

Lessons From Ötzi, the Tyrolean Ice Man. Part III

There are two reasons why I chose this time to write about Otzi.  The first is that I've been looking for a good excuse to revisit human evolutionary history, particularly that of Europeans, and what it does and doesn't tell us about the "optimal" human diet.  The second is that Otzi's full genome was sequenced and described in a recent issue of Nature Communications (1).  A "genome" is the full complement of genes an organism carries.  So what that means is that researchers have sequenced almost all of his genes. 

Read more »

Spring Veggie Dip - Gluten-Free and Vegan

Karina's gluten-free vegan veggie dip with carrot sticks.

Living rootless is a mixed gift bag. There are no neighbors who know my history, or my family. Or even my name (unless they happened to glance by accident at the removable punch-label on our mailbox that sports our shared surname, one half of the story). I have no garden to weed. No leaves to rake. No fence to paint. I walk the city block unnoticed (flirting with invisible) in frayed men's Levi's and a four-year old sweatshirt. I do not mind the anonymity. I find it kind. It suits me. Like my faded Converse One Stars.


Read more + get the recipe >>

High-fat, low-carbohydrate diets are a feasible long-term treatment for type 1 diabetes

This study was published in Upsala Journal of Medical Science 2005;110(3):267-73

Study title and authors:

A low carbohydrate diet in type 1 diabetes: clinical experience--a brief report.

Nielsen JV, Jönsson E, Ivarsson A.

Department of Medicine, Blekingesjukhuset, Karlshamn, Sweden. jorgen.vesti-nielsen@ltblekinge.se

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16454166

This study examined the effects of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, diet on 22 patients with type I diabetes who were failing to control fluctuations in their blood sugar levels in higher carbohydrate diets. The diet was limited to around 70-90 grams a day of carbohydrate and excluded potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and cereals. The diet consisted of 20% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 50% fat.

After 12 months on the high-fat, low-carbohydrate, diet, the study found:
(a) Hypoglycaemic episodes (where the blood glucose levels drop to abnormally low dangerous values) decreased from 2.9 episodes per week to 0.5 episodes per week.
(b) Meal insulin requirements decreased from 21.1 Iu per day to 12.4 Iu per day.
(c) Unhealthy high triglyceride levels decreased by 33%.

This study shows that a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, diet is a feasible long-term treatment of type 1 diabetes and leads to improved blood glucose control.

Links to other studies:
Reduced saturated fat consumption has led to vitamin D deficiency
The beneficial effects of a low carbohydrate diet for diabetes
Type I diabetics have better blood sugar control on a high fat diet

Strawberry Muffins (C2)

Strawberry Muffins (C2)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 cups uncooked oats
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce   (probably don’t even need this!)
½ cup Eggbeaters (equivalent of 2 eggs)
1 tsp (rounded) baking powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 ¾ cup CarbMaster Yogurt: Strawberry

Mix all dry ingredients together well.  In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together well (applesauce, eggbeaters, oil, yogurt) and then combine the two bowls of ingredients and mix well.

Note: Be sure and "cream" the CarbMasters yogurt (if that's the kind you're using) well, as it does tend to come out of the container in one piece (much like a piece of lard, though trust me, it tastes nothing like lard!).  Just take a spoon and stir it hard until it is nice and creamy.

The batter will be wet!!! Do not worry about it, it will bake just fine.

Bake in jumbo muffin tins that have been thoroughly sprayed with non-stick spray such as PAM at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Make sure you do not over-bake or you will wind up with rocks!!!

I have only done this recipe with Jumbo muffin pans, so if you are using the regular size, check before the 25 minutes comes around.  Use a toothpick to see when they are done.  In fact, even the Jumbo muffins could probably have been taken out before 25 minutes.

For each Jumbo muffin (Jumbo = 2 standard sized muffins):
Calories: 249
Fat: 5.7 grams
Fiber: 4.8 grams
Protein: 16.3 grams
Carbs: 32.9
Sugars: 3.2

17 Day Diet:
1 1/2 natural starch (30.5g applicable carbs)
negligible fruit
1/6 fat

17DDGal note: 
You are not counting the yogurt towards your probiotic requirement, as when it is heated, it destroys the probiotics in the yogurt.

If you’re refrigerating this and then re-heating, I’d recommend checking them at about 20 minutes and leave them a bit more moist inside than you usually do; then when you re-heat them, they won’t dry out.

CarbMasters Yogurt! Where can I find it?
CarbMasters yogurt is a Kroger store brand name.  Kroger stores go by different names in different areas: Ralph's Market, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, etc.

If you're not sure where the closest Krogers is near you, go to the following link to find out:
http://services.kroger.com/StoreLocator/StoreLocatorAdvanced.aspx

Blackberry Muffins (C2)

Blackberry Muffins (C2)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 cups uncooked oats
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup Eggbeaters (equivalent of 2 eggs)
1 tsp (rounded) baking powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
Artificial sweetener equivalent to 3 Tbsp sugar
1 cup CarbMaster Yogurt: Blackberry

Mix all dry ingredients together well. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together well (applesauce, eggbeaters, oil, yogurt) and then combine the two bowls of ingredients and mix well.

Note: Be sure and "cream" the CarbMasters yogurt (if that's the kind you're using) well, as it does tend to come out of the container in one piece (much like a piece of lard, though trust me, it tastes nothing like lard!).  Just take a spoon and stir it hard until it is nice and creamy.

The batter will be wet!!! Do not worry about it, it will bake just fine.

Bake in jumbo muffin tins that have been thoroughly sprayed with non-stick spray such as PAM at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Make sure you do not over-bake or you will wind up with rocks!!!

I have only done this recipe with Jumbo muffin pans, so if you are using the regular size, check before the 25 minutes comes around. Use a toothpick to see when they are done. In fact, even the Jumbo muffins could probably have been taken out before 25 minutes.

For each Jumbo muffin: 
Calories: 261
Fat: 5.6 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Protein: 16.7 grams
Carbs: 36
Sugars: 6

17 Day Diet:
1 ¾ natural starch
1/3 fruit
1/6 fat

17DDGal notes: 
You are not counting the yogurt towards your probiotic requirement, as when it is heated, it destroys the probiotics in the yogurt.

The next time I try this recipe, I will probably reduce the applesauce to ½ cup and increase the yogurt accordingly.


CarbMasters Yogurt! Where can I find it?
CarbMasters yogurt is a Kroger store brand name.  Kroger stores go by different names in different areas: Ralph's Market, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, etc.

If you're not sure where the closest Krogers is near you, go to the following link to find out:
http://services.kroger.com/StoreLocator/StoreLocatorAdvanced.aspx

Psychological manipulation.

Funnily enough, the above image of Matt Lucas' "Look into my eyes - not around my eyes" character from "Little Britain" was found on 'Look into my eyes': Supermarket robber who hypnotises checkout girls to get the cash is hunted by Italian police.

I've been reading Psychological manipulation on Wikipedia. Fascinating!

Knowledge is power. Don't be manipulated! Watch this video again...

Higher cholesterol levels and higher meat consumption are associated with decreased rates of heart disease deaths

This study was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine 1995 Jan;237(1):49-54

 

Study title and authors:

High serum alpha-tocopherol, albumin, selenium and cholesterol, and low mortality from coronary heart disease in northern Finland.

Luoma PV, Näyhä S, Sikkilä K, Hassi J.

Oulu Regional Institute of Occupational Health, University of Oulu, Finland.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7830030

The study investigated the risk factors for, and the rates of heart disease deaths in northernmost Finland compared with southern areas of Finland. The study lasted for nine years and included 350 participants, average age 46 years.

The study found:
(a) The death rates from heart disease were 17% lower in northernmost Finland compared with southern areas of Finland.
(b) Cholesterol levels were 6.3% higher in northernmost Finland compared with southern areas of Finland.
(c) Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were 7.0%  higher in northernmost Finland compared with southern areas of Finland.
(d) Vitamin E levels were 14.2% higher in northernmost Finland compared with southern areas of Finland.
(e) Vitamin E levels increased with the consumption of reindeer meat.

The results of the study show that higher cholesterol levels and higher meat consumption are associated with decreased rates of heart disease deaths.

Low HDL cholesterol levels are associated with increases in deaths from heart disease and cancer

This study was published in Arteriosclerosis 1988 Nov-Dec;8(6):737-41

Study title and authors:

High density lipoprotein cholesterol and mortality. The Framingham Heart Study.

Wilson PW, Abbott RD, Castelli WP.

Framingham Epidemiology Research Section, NHLBI, Massachusetts.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3196218

This 12 year study examined the association of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels with death rates from heart disease and cancer. The study included 2,748 participants aged 50 to 79.

The study found:
(a) Both men and women with the highest HDL cholesterol levels also had the highest total cholesterol levels.
(b) Men with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels had a 92% increase in death rates compared to the men with the highest HDL cholesterol levels.
(c) Women with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels had a 47% increase in death rates compared to the women with the highest HDL cholesterol levels.
(d) Men with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels had a 309% increase in heart disease death rates compared to the men with the highest HDL cholesterol levels.
(e) Women with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels had a 207% increase in heart disease death rates compared to the women with the highest HDL cholesterol levels.
(f) Men with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels had a 17% increase in cancer death rates compared to the men with the highest HDL cholesterol levels.
(g) Women with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels had an 8% increase in cancer death rates compared to the women with the highest HDL cholesterol levels.

The results of this study show that men and women with the lowest HDL cholesterol levels also had the lowest total cholesterol levels, and that low HDL cholesterol levels are associated with increases in deaths from heart disease and cancer.

Eating a diet rich in saturated fat is the best way to raise HDL cholesterol levels. See here.

Use 'em or lose 'em, Part 2.

I'm talking about your brain(s). Last year, I became depressed for several months for personal reasons that I won't go into. On December 8th 2011, something happened and the depression went away in an instant.

Unfortunately, several months of lying around doing very little had turned my brain to stodge. I tentatively resumed blogging in January 2012.

I find that the more I use my brain, the better it works, the more I can remember and the more I want to use it.

On the minus side, I find that I'm more impatient than I used to be. I'm now quite intolerant of, erm, f***wits on the roads and on the internets. Don't mention Giant Pandas!

The Consequence of Changing your Relationship with Food.

It Doesn't Have to be All or Nothing

I heard on the radio that the odds of winning this lottery, this multi, multi million dollar lottery, are less than the odds of getting struck by lightening.

Imagine if...

Yet in my office Patty talked about how winning this bundle of money would change her life, how she wouldn't be able to stay in the same place she's at. People would expect things from her, and in many ways it would add some stress. She spoke as if this change could happen, as if it were real enough to taste.

What would happen if you had a life-changing relationship with food? If you had fully recovered from your anorexia, your bulimia, your binge eating disorder? If you had healthily lost weight to a normal range? 


In some ways, this is so thrilling, so liberating, so refreshing. Like winning millions, it may certainly change things for better. You're likely to feel better, physically and psychologically. It may resolve some stress, allowing you to feel lighter. And it may open up some options. You may be less preoccupied with food and eating, freeing up your mental energy for more appealing thoughts. You may become less isolated, allowing yourself to socialize, with or without food.

Can you allow yourself to enjoy the benefits of change
without fearing the consequences?

Yet in other ways, it's rather frightening. What will I lose if I let go of food, my best friend, as my means of coping?What will be expected of me—by my friends or family members? Will they support me or be threatened by my progress? Will I have to take steps to move on in life, or can I hover where I'm at?

But you're not obligated to change; the choice remains yours and yours alone. If you don't want to move up professionally, that's your choice. No interest in dating? Again your prerogative. Change can be scary, but you can be selective about what you change; you can enjoy the benefits of  feeling better, while staying put in every other area of your life—if you should choose to.

Here's an update on several of my patients you've read about, to make this point.

Ready to tackle whatever comes his way!

Remember Maggie, with her history of emotional and compulsive overeating, unhappy with her climbing weight, her newly diagnosed diabetes and her chronic knee problems? She had struggled with disordered thoughts and behaviors for several decades.  By changing her relationship with food and without disordered behaviors Maggie's weight is down over 152 lbs. Now she chooses to step out of her house more than she had before. Knee surgery is now an option, but she's not quite ready to deal with surgery.

Always fearful of being in a body of water, she decided to get past her fears with the aid of her therapist, and now goes to water aerobics several times weekly. In the past, she could neither face her fears of the water nor of donning a bathing suit.

She's finally content and able to speak her mind.

How about Erin? She's the one who was subjected to the rudeness of clueless, assuming strangers—one in particular, who had the audacity to comment on her eating while she mindfully sat in her parked car, eating her snack when she was hungry—simply following my recommendation to respect her body's signals. She recently brought a giant grin to my face, as she related this story:

“That’ll teach me to eat while driving”, she told the dry cleaner last week, handing him her  food-splattered jacket. Struggling with a recent GI issue, she had some reflux after she had consumed her meal at home, before heading to my office. And while driving, the food decided to revisit. No fault of hers. And so she made a stop at the cleaners and playfully commented about her “inappropriate” eating.

To even be able to joke, to not feel ashamed of her eating, to have the confidence and to choose to speak up—now that's the result of a shift in thinking.

Like Maggie, she too has lost a large percentage of her weight, a total of 101 lbs as of today, yet she remains overweight. She is still not comfortable traveling in planes (the seats are just not comfortable for her) and she doesn't like the uncomfortable feeling of being in Europe where the cars and most people are smaller. But now she has set her sight on a trip, a chance to visit relatives abroad—when she feels she can better manage it physically.  But she's definitely not waiting to start speaking up and sharing her thoughts!

I heard from Daniel after several years—he had worked with me and successfully recovered from his anorexia. He spoke about finding his passions—currently theater and track—and is now applying to colleges. His life is no longer filled with medical appointments, nor with thoughts about calories, “good” foods versus “bad” foods. He finally chooses  to fully enjoy life.

Laura could have fallen back on her binge eating during this stressful time. Dealing with her recent divorce, and the chronic lack of support from her husband, overeating held a lot of appeal. Yet somehow she hasn't slipped. She's gone through challenges for sure. Yet she's well aware that binge eating is a choice, and the risks and consequences are much greater than any short term benefit. She continues to impress me with her awareness and her ability to put fear aside and face her many challenges.

Change doesn't have to be so scary!

I could go on, really I could. There are many, many clients with similar successes. Why share? Because at some point they were all petrified of change. Because in spite of knowing that where you are at is not a place you want to stay, the fear of change can feel paralyzing.

You have choices. And as long as you're in a safe place, medically stable, you can make change one small step at a time. Maybe it's time to take the first step?


You are safe to share your thoughts here! I'd love to hear from you.