AMAZING Meatballs!

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | January 23, 2013 - 12:10 pm | What We Eat

A little diversion from my usual educational posts. Thanks for the requests on Facebook, Ladies.

So, I’ve been hearing a lot recently about how nourishing lamb is and as usual, I just HAVE to consume nutrient dense foods as I hear of them. But, why lamb? They are cute and fuzzy, and they taste different than other domestic critters. With that last point in mind, I set out to create what I hoped to be a palatable dish I could use as a springboard into the regular consumption of this healthly meat. As I get used to it, I will change the proportions of meat, or not. We’ll see.

Here’s what I came up with:

AWESOME Meatballs (Makes about 18)
1/3 pound ground lamb
1/3 pound ground beef
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
1 cup pumpkin seed flour (more on this in a few minutes) or cracker crumbs
2 eggs
1 nice-sized carrot, chopped finely
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. powdered tumeric
1/4 cup applesauce (more on this, too)
Spices, I used Simply Organic Seasoned Salt and Onion Powder, and Carl’s All Purpose Seasoning
1 T Coconut oil
1 T Gelatin (optional)

Put all the ingredients except the spices in a large bowl. Now shake the spices across the bowl, maybe 4 passes with each. Mix all the ingredients well. You can use a spoon, but it won’t be as easy as washing your hands and getting in there. This will probably take a couple minutes.

Once well mixed, form into 1 1/2 – 2 inch meatballs and place in a low to medium heated skillet which has about 1 T of coconut oil melted in it. You can turn the heat up a little, but you don’t want to scorch your meat. Lightly brown a side, then turn the meatballs a bit every few minutes. Once you have them cooked so they stay together (10-15 minutes), cover them and reduce the heat to low for about 1/2 hour. When I removed the lid, I had an interesting liquid that I knew was loaded with good fats, so I moved the meatballs to a plate, stirred in about a tablespoon of gelatin (sprinkle and stir rather quickly), then put the meatballs back in. This “sauce”, while not exactly pretty, was delicious!

About the “flour”. We have learned, like so many, that wheat products and other grains don’t fare well in our bodies (I experience bloating, for one). I thought about coconut flour, but honestly am tired of using it for everything. I thought I could make nut powder out of something else, then I remembered how my dehydrated pumpkin seeds turned out a little on the chewy side, so I decided to try to grind them up in my Vitamix. Perfect. And high in zinc. I’m on to something now. You, too, can dehydrate pumpkin seeds (after soaking them overnight) and then grind them up in your blender, or you can use bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs. Experiment. It’s fun.

As far as the applesauce is concerned, you can make it yourself if you like, for added nutrition. We use 3 organic apples (washed, ends cut off, then quartered) to 1 small/medium peeled beet – pureed in the blender. No cooking – it’s still raw. Add a touch of organic cinnamon for flavor. Walla!

My recipe does not say that the meat should be grass-fed, but if you can do this, the final entree will be tastier and better for you than using conventionally raised. For this recipe, we used all meat from Crane Dance Farm in Middleville. Creswick Farms also has a terrific bulk sausage.

I hope you will try this recipe, especially if you have reservations about eating lamb. I’d love to hear your comments about how it goes.

As always, I wish you real food, for real health, so you can be real happy.

Kvass – Super Easy Wellness Tonic

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | October 29, 2012 - 5:08 am | What We Eat

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As we learned in my last post, bone broth is an amazing tonic to heal and build the digestive tract, bones and body. Beet kvass is an amazing liquid for digestion (and so much more) as well. And where bone broth requires some attention to make for up to 72 hours, beet kvass can literally be made in less than 10 minutes, minus the time it sits on your counter fermenting. From Nourishing Traditions we learn: “One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.” And unlike medicine from the store – absolutely no harmful side effects.

An Internet search of the benefits of beets will keep you reading for days. A search in PubMed points out the benefits of lowering blood pressure (among other things) as well as increasing exercise performance.

So we have this wondrous root vegetable which we then take and lacto-ferment. The Weston A Price Foundation is a wonderful source for information on lacto-fermented foods like beet kvass.

Every group of people Dr. Price studied consumed some fermented food in their diet. Through the ages they had paid attention to what happened to their foods when trying to store them. They learned to harness the power of nature to preserve food naturally and in the process that food became more nutrient dense with enzymes and healthy bacteria.

Before the days of refrigeration and canning, food was preserved through a process called lacto-fermentation. Lactic acid is nature’s best preservative – it inhibits putrefying bacteria. Starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by lactic-acid producing bacteria that are present on the surface of all plants and animals.

These bacteria synthesize nutrients that are essential to us, enable us to digest nutrients that we otherwise would not be able to digest, make nutrients bioavailable to us, and work with our immune systems to protect us.

The nutritive elements in our food do us no good if our bodies cannot assimilate them. Food preparation and processing should make our foods easier to digest. Unfortunately, most food processing techniques, such as canning, preserving in sugar and chemicals, pasteurizing and irradiation, all make food much more difficult to digest. When we consistently eat foods that are difficult to digest, we compromise our vitality because the body is forced to use a great deal of energy breaking the food down. People who do take the care needed to prepare food in such a way to make it easier to digest report increased energy since the body does not have to work so hard at digestion. Fermenting makes enzymes – enzymes break down our food.

More and more we see probiotics (good bacteria) and enzymes in stores and on commercials. When we ferment, we get these substances naturally.

What do you need to make kvass?
2 large or 3 medium peeled organic beets – chopped in chunks about 1/2 to 1″ (if you cut them smaller, you’ll have too much liquid)
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1/4 cup whey – must not be powdered
A 2 quart canning jar
Clean filtered water

Here is all you do: Put the beets, whey and salt in the jar and fill it to about an inch from the top with filtered water. Stir well and cover with a cloth and rubberband (to keep out fruit flies). That was easy. Now leave the jar at room temperature for 48 hours then put it in the frig. You’re done. Once you’ve consumed most of this batch, you can refill the container with filtered water, set it back on the counter for 2 days and have another slightly less strong batch. After that, your beets are pretty well spent, so just throw them in the compost pile and start over again.

To me, beet kvass is the simplest way to add the benefits of lacto-fermentation to our daily routine. Sauerkraut is also incredibly easy, it just takes a bit more time to prepare the cabbage.

Hopefully this will motivate you to give kvass a try. One more way for you to have real food for real health so you can be real happy.

The Ultimate Make-at-Home Medicine

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | October 15, 2012 - 11:53 am | What We Eat

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This post is dedicated to the outstanding group of health conscious individuals who attend meetings of the newly formed Nourishing the Lakeshore of West Michigan chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

Sally Fallon Morell, the author of Nourishing Traditions and co-founder of the Weston A Price Foundation shares some thoughts about bone broth here.

The reason to use bone broth is 2 fold. One – it is key to good health and two, having it on hand makes preparing delicious meals in the kitchen so much easier.

Bone broth provides electrolyte minerals from bone, marrow, and cartilage (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulphur). Since minerals are extracted from natural living tissues, they are in the ideal balance and form to be easily taken in and used by the body. You could call broth the ultimate mineral supplement. It works to accelerate overall healing and supports our bones, joints, teeth, digestion and immunity. It is an ideal “prescription” for any disease and a wonderful preventative of future illness. As a mental health professional, I am excited about the prospects of better mental/emotional health due to improved digestion and assimilation.

Ramiel Nagel in his book Cure Tooth Decay says broth is one of the most potent medicines for reversing and preventing tooth decay. He recommends 1 -2 cups per day either drank by itself or used in soups, stews or sauces.

Bone broths also provide gelatin which attracts digestive juices to itself and thus helps us utilize proteins and other nutrients more completely. This is helpful for those on a tight budget (who can’t afford to buy a lot of meat)…since it allows the body to make better use of proteins.

Gelatin also prevents bad bacteria from attacking the gut wall neutralizing them so they don’t cause problems for us. There is a significant amount of research proving that gelatin can heal chronic digestive disorders (by balancing stomach acid to normal levels), Crohns Disease, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome – all of which are on the rise, especially in teens and young adults.

Who’s heard of glucosamine and chondroitin? These supplements for joint health have been proven to reduce arthritic pain and swelling…and they’re in bone broth – again in the natural form your body recognizes.

One important note: use bones with integrity, that is from animals who have grazed out in the sun eating grass and non-gmo feeds. The bones from these animals will have more minerals and little or no toxins (like arsenic) than those conventionally raised. The ideal is to know your farmer.

Chicken Stock – any birds – turkey, duck, goose:
Can be made from raw chicken, either whole or cut up into parts, or you can use the bones from a prepared chicken meal. Skin adds flavor and additional nutrients.
Recipe
In a large stockpot place:
1 whole chicken or 2-3 pounds of bones…including neck, back, wings (can be browned for flavor),
About 2T of vinegar – to about 3-4 quarts filtered water,
1 large onion, 2 carrots and 3 celery stalks (with leaves) and/or any other vegetables you have on hand – all coursely chopped,
and let sit for 30-60 minutes – this starts the process of drawing out the minerals. Bring pot to a boil and remove the “floaties” that rise to the top – don’t worry if you don’t do this. Cover and simmer 6-48 hours. 10 minutes before removing from heat, add a bunch of parsley for added minerals. Then remove the bones; you can use the meat in recipes. Throw the veggies in your compost pile.

Strain into glass bowl or jars. Put in the frig until the fat solidifies on top…scrape it off and you can save it for sautéing vegetables. Store 5 days worth of broth in the frig and the rest in pint and quart jars in the freezer. LABEL with date and type. If you want to store in plastic…make sure the broth is cool and the plastic safe. Broth keeps several months in the freezer…you’ll use it up way before that.

Beef recipe is similar…
Beef Stock – same for deer, bison and lamb
Best bones are knuckle, marrow, meaty rib, neck and tail. Again…local and grass fed is best.
Recipe
In a big pot place about 4 pounds of marrow and knuckle bones and 1-2 T Vinegar for every quart of filtered water – let this stand about an hour.
In the meantime, brown about 3 pounds of meaty rib and neck bones (in a shallow casserole pan) in the oven at 350 about 20 minutes per side. Then put them in the water . You can pour out the fat, add water to the pan and scrape it to get those yummy drippings unstuck and then pour that into the stockpot. Add your choice of veggies if you like.
Bring to a boil. Skim off floaties – this is more important with beef than chicken. Turn heat down and simmer for at least 12 and up to 72 hours. The longer it cooks, the richer the flavor. Again, the last 10 minutes, you can add parsley for extra minerals.

Remove bones, strain into glass bowl or jars, cool, remove fat. There are times when I know I’m going to use the stock for a casserole so I just leave the fat in it…as we’ve learned these are healthy for us. It all depends on your taste. Pour into storage containers and LABEL.

How can you use your broth? Anytime you are making soup, sauce or a casserole, it is a delicious healthy addition. You can also start your day with a warm cup of broth, a touch of sea salt, and that wondrous coconut oil we’ve talked about recently.

“Add”itional thoughts.
***For those who don’t want the stove on all night:
– You may use a crockpot (please be sure it is made of safe material)
– Make fish stock
***For added nutrients:
– Add egg shells, chicken feet, or heads (yes, chicken/turkey heads add healing nutrients)
– Add extra gelatin to the finished broth
***For added flavor:
– Add basil or thyme the last hour
– Add garlic
– Add miso
***For economy – re-use your bones, adding new bones with cartilege each time.

It is not advisable to buy most canned and boxed soups and broths as well as boullion cubes and powders even if they are labeled organic – they have all sorts of unwanted substances like MSG, artificial flavors and trace amounts of the material in the container in which they are packaged.

Wishing you REAL food, for REAL health so you can be REAL happy.

More reading from Sally Fallon Morrell – Broth is Beautiful.

What’s with the Coconut Oil #2 – Let’s Get Practical

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | October 5, 2012 - 9:42 am | What We Eat

What’s with the Coconut Oil?

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | September 28, 2012 - 11:54 am | What We Eat

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This is the first in a 2 part series on consuming coconut oil and coconut products. While this article addresses the “why?” the next article will be the “how”.

For balanced energy, blood sugar and health

One of the primary things I suggest for my clients (and family and friends) to consider is adding coconut oil into their lifestyle. The reason is 2-fold. First and foremost we have got to get those toxic vegetable oils out of our diets. We were told they were good for us because of the polyunsaturates, right? However, the truth was skewed to benefit the edible oil industry. The process by which they are made is downright scary. Vegetable oils (i.e. corn, soy, canola, etc) become even more toxic when they are heated. These oils, as well as margarine, were NEVER good for us, but their sale is good for market share. Unfortunately, what is on TV and in the media does not have to be the truth, it just has to make money.

The second reason is the plethora of benefits the human body can gain from consuming coconut oil (orally and through the skin). Read on.

From Sally Fallon’s foundational Nourishing Traditions – The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats we learn how oils like coconut and palm have protected third world tropical communities from fungus and bacteria in their food supply for generations. As more recent generations have switched to poly-unsaturated vegetable oils, the incidence of intestinal disorders has increased. This is because coconut oil is chalked full of medium chain fatty acids (also called medium chain triglycerides) like lauric acid which has strong anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. The only substance that has as much lauric acid is human breast milk – liquid gold to an infant’s developing immune system. The body changes the fatty acid to mono-laurin which can destroy lipid coated viruses like HIV virus, measles virus, herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1).

From Dr. Ray Peat we see: An important function of coconut oil is that it supports mitochondrial respiration, increasing energy production that has been blocked by the unsaturated fatty acids we been told to consume for the last several decades. While these polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit thyroid function on many levels, coconut oil can promote thyroid function by reducing those toxic effects. It allows normal mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, without producing the toxic lipid peroxidation that is promoted by unsaturated fats. This assistance with metabolism helps with weight control, something most of my clients are concerned about.

From Dr. Bruce Fife: Consuming coconut oil slows down sugar being absorbed in the bloodstream and helps with the secretion of insulin by the pancreas. We all depend on our pancreas so whether you’re diabetic or not, this is positive for your body.

So coconut oil increases our immunity, helps our pancreas, blood sugar, thyroid and metabolism. Does it do anything else? According to an article by Dr. Mary Enig it helps improve heart health promoting normal platelet function. The liquid vegetable oils in the grocery store do the opposite – they increase platelet stickiness which can lead to blood clots.

After starting consumption of coconut oil on a regular basis, clients tell me they feel better than they have in years, their skin is more supple, and they don’t get hungry (and subsequently don’t snack too much like they used to). However, the most exciting case study of which I am aware regarding the benefits of coconut oil comes from Dr. Mary Newport whose husband has shown remarkable cognitive and functional gains since he began to consume coconut oil. Dr. Newport, medical director of the NICU (newborn intensive care unit) at Spring Hill Regional Hospital in Florida, watched as her 53 year old husband became incapacitated by early onset Alzheimer’s. When conventional medication failed to help his condition, Dr. Newport (after much research) decided to try using coconut oil because of the medium chain triglycerides. The liver converts MCTs directly to ketone bodies, which are then available for use as energy by the brain. Her husband just celebrated his fourth year of improved functioning, not the regression usually seen in Alzheimer’s patients. We aren’t aware yet what it can do for the “average” brain.

So much to ponder…

Next week we will take a practical look at how to add this wonderful substance to your life everyday. Adding coconut oil to one’s diet is easy on the body since most of the fatty acids in it do not require bile for digestion. And the body turns them directly into energy providing fuel to meet the activity expectations we have for our busy lives.

Until then, wishing you REAL food, for REAL health so you can be REAL happy.

Why Organic?

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | June 18, 2012 - 11:25 am | What We Eat, What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

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In my last article I touched on how what we put on our skin affects our health. Hard for some people to believe. Today we’ll look at the more accepted premise – we are what we eat. Think about it. We consume “stuff” and it becomes our bodies. Shouldn’t we be aware of what is in that “stuff”? What we put in our mouth is the #1 contributor to our wellness (or lack thereof). The way we eat changes our immune system, our muscles and joints, our brain and moods. With the degradation of the food supply, our wellness is running into major trouble.

So let’s take a look at pesticides. Organophophate pesticide poisons were developed during Hitler’s reign as chemical warfare. And we’re using them on our crops?? There are over 180 identified pesticides used in this country that are endocrine disruptors. That means they mess with our hormones (like insulin) which oversee the functioning of all the necessary activities in the body. The average American consumer is exposed to between 5 and 10 pesticides per day on the Standard American Diet (SAD) . Even with a well functioning liver, those toxins are going to build up. Proponents of the chemical industry say the trace amounts in our food are too small to negatively effect health (100 parts per billion). Did you know that the NuvaRing, the birth control vaginal ring, contains .019 parts per billion and it prevents reproduction?! Albuterol, the asthma inhaler, works at 2.1 parts per billion, quite effectively for those in distress. We’re kidding ourselves if we think the pesticide residues in and on our food are inert.

Why aren’t physicians advising everyone to eat organic? Because they are not being educated about the damaging, even life threatening effects of pesticides on living cells/tissues/bodies. They’re treating diseases AFTER they occur. The information is out there, but it has not been considered a priority in med school. Who is going to advocate for including it in the curriculum?

Consider this. Back in the 80′s when I was raising my family, kids just didn’t have the health problems they’re having today. It was rare to see a child or adolescent with high blood sugar or blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides, or a waist size above 40 inches. Now, 2/3 of high school students have at least one of these markers (Dr. Alan Greene, lecture to organic farmers, 2009). During the last 30 years our food supply has experienced MAJOR compromises (pesticides, GMO’s, high fructose corn syrup, additives, preservatives, colorings, and more). The way we are feeding our children is setting them up for a lifetime (often abbreviated) of illness.

So let’s talk about diabetes for a minute. Studies have confirmed a link between diabetes prevalence (and auto-immune diseases) and pesticides. Adult onset diabetes is now called type II diabetes because so many young people are getting it. A diagnosis of diabetes for a child is likely to reduce their lifespan 10-20 years. The cost of caring for them over their lifetime is estimated somewhere between $300,000 and $3 million – per child! Why then, do we continue sourcing our school lunches from conventionally grown and processed foods? Because it’s cheap, “inexpensive” if you will. We can feed a lot of children for very little money. The long term price tag however, is astronomical. And the pain and sadness are priceless. Imagine what we could do if we spent more for organic food and prevented diabetes in thousands (and thousands) of young people.

OK, so pesticides are dangerous. What about the hormones they use to fatten up livestock, make more milk and get those huge chicken breasts we think are good for us? Well, there is NO evidence anywhere to show the safety of the hormones used on animals. There are studies however, that show increased cancer in people who consume conventionally raised meat. That was why in 1989, Europe banned the import of meat raised in this country.

The great thing is, there are farmers with integrity out there that understand the connection between sustainable farming and sustaining human life. Animals raised on smaller farms are roaming the grass in the sunshine and taking in life sustaining nutrients that are passed on to us when we eat them. Organic vegetable and fruit farmers do not use toxic, cancer causing pesticides, AND they add needed minerals back into the soil so plants and trees can bear produce that builds healthy human bodies. Research shows that organically grown foods contain significantly more nutrients and antioxidants AND those nutrients are more bioavailable to your cells. Anyone who consumes organically raised food on a regular basis also knows it tastes great! I encourage you to find local sources for organically raised food. There are more and more every day as we spread the word of true healthy living.

Until next time…Wishing you real food for real health so you can be REAL HAPPY.
Additional recommended reading:
Mounting Evidence Links Pesticides to Parkinson’s Disease
Serum organochlorine pesticide residues and risk of gallstone disease: A case-control study in Xiamen.
Childhood brain tumors, residential insecticide exposure, and pesticide metabolism genes.
New study confirms atrazine’s effects across a range of species (including us)
Organic Foods Contain More Nutrients!
Study links Honey Bee Deaths to Corn Insecticides

The First Step to Better Health – Bacon Fat*

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | April 25, 2012 - 8:28 am | What We Eat, You Don't Know What You Don't Know

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*from grass fed pigs…and organic evco

This post is dedicated to the incredible activist film maker Chris Bedford who introduced me to the sad and insidious world of food politics. He guided me – and thousands of others – to the possibilities for making our world sustainable. Today’s blog is controversial…Chris always loved controversy.

My family's favorite fat

Fats? Seriously? We’re supposed to avoid them, right? They clog our arteries and make us unhealthy. Especially animal fats. NOT!

Many people ask me what the first step toward better health is – I say switch out your fat. In my studies and travels I’ve met a growing number of very healthy people who understand the dire importance of good fats in the diet. But I’ve found the majority of people who live in my beautiful corner of the world, the Lakeshore of West Michigan, don’t have a clue. So I write this for them. The rest of you, nod your head and say “yup”.

Our bodies need fats. And saturated fats, those dreaded rascals that the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society have been warning us against for decades, are in EVERY cell in your body. Our heart, nerves, hormones and brain need them everyday. Has the advice we’ve been getting all these years shown a dramatic decline in cancer and heart disease? Let’s be honest…No.

Lipids and cholesterol = healthy cell membranes

That’s because our cells are starving. Look at any anatomy book and you’ll find that saturated fats and cholesterol form a key part of the outer edge (membrane) of all the cells that make up YOU.

So we have been encouraged to swap out animal fat with vegetable oils that aren’t healthy at the cellular level. Our poor cell membranes don’t get what they need to stay pliable and do their jobs in relation to the cells around them (cell signalling). After years of consumption of these liquid vegetable oils we end up with problems all over the body – immune system disruption, heart disease, memory issues, cancer and more. Yes, other lifestyle factors contribute to these concerns also, but why increase your risk? Dr. Mary Enig, the world renowned expert on the biochemical structure and effect of fats in the body discusses the issue at length in this interview, if you want to know more (and you REALLY should). No, you won’t see this on television or in the mass media because there’s no money in it. At least not for big business. But the truth is coming out, thanks to organizations like the Price Pottenger Foundation and the Weston A Price Foundation and the Internet (as long as we remain uncensored).

Well done Dr. Enig!! How sad that so many young people’s eyes were damaged because the advice we were given was flat out wrong. How long is it going to take to get this truth into the mainstream?

We must be aware of the QUALITY of the fats we eat. The fats from a grassfed cow are going to be healthy and the fats from a feed-lot cow eating GMO grains grown with pesticides and then filled with antibiotics and hormones are going to be VERY different. The organic extra virgin coconut oil that our cells thrive on and that can be safely heated to high temperatures is miles ahead of the rancid refined vegetable oil on the grocery store shelves that gets further damaged when we cook with it.

We’ve been sick long enough. It’s time for a change. The very first step I recommend is get rid of those truly dangerous fats and start adding in the coconut oil and fats that come from critters raised outside naturally. By the way, grass fed bacon grease is one of THE most tasty ways to add flavor to your casseroles and stir-frys.

We’ll talk about the superfood cod liver oil some other day.

Until next time, wishing you Real Food for Real Health so you can be Real Happy

Eat Red Meat!*

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | April 11, 2012 - 9:59 am | What We Eat, What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

2 Comments

* from grass fed cows – local farms if you can

I just got done listening to an interview with Dr. James Carlson about the importance of red meat and saturated fat in the diet and how the recent study that came out from Harvard is fraught with poor research and advice. That report says any level of red meat consumption increases the rate of mortality. I strongly encourage you to take a listen at red-meat-bane-or-boon.

Dr. Carlson is the author of a book entitled Genocide: How Your Doctor’s Dietary Ignorance Will Kill You. Think about that title, please, because it speaks a sad and deadly truth. Dr. Carlson specializes in treating patients with heart disease, diabetes and obesity and does so by encouraging his patients to eat more red meat and animal products and reduce their consumption of whole grains and fruits. He says he sees “wonderful health benefits” when they change their diet in this way.

Because I know how busy everyone is and how inundated we are with SO much information, I felt compelled to note some of the highlights of the interview. This is very very important information that is contrary to the mainstream ill-advice the media is perpetuating.

The above mentioned “study” is based on questionnaires filled out by people from memory. Inferences were then drawn from those results. Lifestyle factors (confounding factors) like smoking, drinking, BMI and being sedentary were not adequately considered. No differentiation in the source of the meat was made. So corn fed, hormone and antibiotic laden factory cows were put in the same catagory as beef from cows raised in the sunshine on pasture. There is a difference. We are what we eat and the cows are what they eat.

Dr. Carlson points out in the interview the importance of cholesterol and saturated fat in the diet for proper nervous and circulatory system function. As a biochemist, he stresses that the danger comes not from eating cholesterol but from when our body creates cholesterol out of glucose and fructose. In the modern U.S. diet, this means processed food – and items like whole grains, pasta, rice and fruit. These products contain an overabundance of carbohydrates that break down to simple sugars which form the cholesterol that causes deadly plaque in the arteries. When his patients back off on carbs, their critical lab numbers (i.e. blood sugar and blood pressure) improve. He also contends that he has seen HDL increase more with the consumption of good saturated fats than with exercise.

Denise Minger’s analysis of the Harvard study was discussed. I encourage you to look further into her critical, well written examination of the faulty research.

Carlson’s “take home” from the interview is to be VERY cautious about the advice from this study. He ends by saying if you’re obese and have issues with diabetes and heart disease, grass fed red meat is the way to go (and back off whole grains and fruit)…based on his clinical practice of over 20 years.

As always, I encourage you to do your own research and come up with your own conclusions.

Until next time, wishing you Real Food for Real Health so you can be Real Happy

What We’ve Learned from Traditional Diets

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | April 6, 2012 - 12:10 pm | What We Eat

Rethinking the Food Pyramid…

By Lisa Middlecamp-Lowder, Ph.D. | April 3, 2012 - 12:48 pm | What We Eat

1 Comment

Did you know that after the USDA released the Food Pyramid in 1992 the rate of obesity skyrocketed? That’s what happens when you encourage people to consume 6-11 servings a day of grain products without mention of product quality. And yes, there was a major link to the grain lobby. At the same time, the tip of the pyramid made the recommendation to use fats sparingly…no regard for the difference between good and bad fats. No mention of the fact that all our hormones are made from cholesterol.

The pyramid evolved and we were encouraged to eat less grains, make them whole, consume more fruits and veggies, but still eat “lowfat” milk and protein sources. We now have a “plate” as a guide – it’s better but does not address the need for high quality fat consumption (so necessary DAILY for cell and brain health) or the processing of grains/nuts/seeds in a manner so our body can better use their nutrients. The issues of pesticide residues, dangers of genetically modified organisms, concern about antibiotics and hormones in our animal products are not mentioned. These issues are real and are negatively effecting our health with every bite.

With so much mis-information out there, are you feeling overwhelmed? Feeling misled? Please don’t despair. The movement to get back to REAL nutrient dense food is growing exponentially. We will get there one step at a time. Pick a place to start this month. How about finding a local market in your area where you can meet the REAL farmer who grows your food. Or pick one vegetable or fruit in your diet and promise yourself you will only buy it if it’s grown organically.

One positive effort by the USDA is the program Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food. This is a step in the right direction to deal with the issues mentioned above. Here in Muskegon County, we are fortunate to have a source for local and organic food called Sweetwater Local Foods Market.

Take that first step.
Just start…

Until next time, wishing you Real Food for Real Health so you can be Real Happy

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Category Archives: What We Eat

AMAZING Meatballs!

Kvass – Super Easy Wellness Tonic

The Ultimate Make-at-Home Medicine

What’s with the Coconut Oil #2 – Let’s Get Practical

What’s with the Coconut Oil?

Why Organic?

The First Step to Better Health – Bacon Fat*

Eat Red Meat!*

What We’ve Learned from Traditional Diets

Rethinking the Food Pyramid…

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