O’ Cheerios!

One of America’s most beloved brands (and notice I said brand, not food!) is getting a long-over due visit from the FDA about its “Cheerios can lower your cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks” claim.

The sticking point isn’t over the 4% cholesterol reduction but about General Mills presenting this information in such a way to position Cheerios as a cholesterol lowering drug/supplement.

Hmmm…could it be in some ironic, dualistic Buddhist way, Big Food is trying to send a message that foods are our medicine??? If so, I’m on board….just not any Big Food Executive Board.

I don’t know what’s the most ridiculous/hysterically funny in a sad kind of way that you have to laugh at because if you don’t, you’ll throw your hands up in surrender piece of this situation: 1. The fact that relatively speaking, Cheerios is one of the least offensive brands the FDA should be losing sleep over or 2. That health claims like these have been legally prohibited since the 1993 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) and the FDA decided 16 years later to enforce the NLEA or 3. Any of us are still counting on food companies or the Corporate Dictatorship citizens frequently refer to as the U.S. government, to look out for our health.

Or, my favorite part that confirms our country is in one giant food coma, comes from Ad Age’s synopsis of the situation. Lynn Dornblaser, director of consumer package goods insight at Mintel, a global consumer, market and product research firm, said it’s not like consumers will change their minds about Cheerios or forget the messages they’ve seen in recent years. And changes to packaging, including specific health claims, may capture consumer interest for awhile, but after that, Ms. Dornblaser said, “it becomes wallpaper.”

This, from the Ad executives. They know if they keep drilling it into our heads, true or untrue, eventually it becomes a truth. Well, at least if you are cracked out on soda, fast food and sugar. In other words, the more people we get to drink the Kool-Aid, the more we sell.

I do have a point to all of this but want to make my own claim before you think I hate America, freedom and our government.

1. I love America. I think the potential here is amazing…we just aren’t living up to it right now.

2. Freedom is wonderful, until you infringe on other people’s freedom. This especially includes making it difficut to access and afford healthy foods (not brands). When you control what people eat, you control their mind/body/soul – which is a three part way of saying their lives.

3. Our government. Much of goverment food and health care policy and subsidies conflict with number 2. I hear Obama is trying to correct much of this but special interest tentacles are deep. We’ll see. In the meantime, I believe in civic responsibility and each of us taking an active role in making the whole better versus just complaining about it.

I’ve gone on long enough. But here’s what I’d like people to take away from another debacle known as our food supply:

1. Food IS medicine, not brands like Cheerios, Lean Cuisine and Snackwells.

2. Stick with whole foods – foods that don’t come in packages.

3. The more a brand needs to be advertised, the less of it you should eat. All the bells and whistles are distracting you from your commonsense.

3. Follow 1, 2 and 3 and you’ll never need to worry about lowering your cholesterol. I’m sure if you are eating well, you’ll have much more fun things to do with your time.

On that note, Cheerio!

Save Your Money and Health

Healthy food (and what is the other food called – disease food?) doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, if you stick to food instead of trendy health products, you’ll save money in so many ways. Here are some tips to get you started.

And remember, in the long-run, food, exercise and fun are your true health insurance.

Gluten-Free Gingerbread

I found one of the best cookbooks this past weekend – Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking by Susan O’Brien. The recipes are easy and super tasty. I’ll probably be posting recipes from this book for weeks to come.

This bread comes out amazingly well and the orange zest adds a refreshing flavor. Try this as soon as you can!

Ingredients

1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts, chopped finely
1/2 cup of agave nectar
1/4 cup of grapeseed oil (this is a change I made rather than use canola oil)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp of orange rind (I used 2 tsps)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of brown rice or sorghum flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
2 tsps of ground ginger
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
1/4 tsp of grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine agave and oil. Mix together thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time. Be sure to mix well between additions. Add the orange rind and vanilla. Blend well together. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350, and grease a 9-inch square pan with oil (I used a standard bread pan and it turned out fine)

3. Sift together dry ingredients, including the nuts.

4. Add some of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a little at a time, blending well. Add 1/4 cup of  the applesauce, blend, then add more of the dry mixture. Continue until you have added all the ingredients.

5. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until the ginger bread is done. Check by inserting a fork or touching lightly on the center. If it springs back, remove to a cooling rack.

The bread freezes well or will last in the fridge for about a week.

5 Quick and Healthy Cooking Tips

Bring on Spring!

February was cold and I’m starting to think my least favorite month of the year. Put a fork in me, I’m done! There were some warming moments: the Steelers 6th, yes, SIXTH Super Bowl win, my third NBC TV appearance and some exciting news I’ll be happy to share in the coming months.

I’ll give you a hint: the American spirit of optimism is being infused into health-care. People are getting the message – radiant health is our natural state. We are in exciting times! I’ll share more details of how this will be affecting my practice in the upcoming months. If you are a Big Food or Big Pharma company, you might want to start shaking in your boots!

I’m hoping March will bring sunnier and warmer weather. I know the last two days of February reminded us Philadelphians Spring is on the way! If you want to be ready, don’t forget to sign-up for the Spring Boot Camp workshop that starts March 11. Deadline to RSVP is today.

You’ll learn how to detox, the cutting-edge science on weight-loss, the mind-set for permanent health and life changes and much, much more. All the details are under “Events” on this blog.

So one thing I’ve learned juggling the roles of a health counselor, business owner and grad student, time is GOLD!  Here are some great tips to help you quick faster and healthier:

1. Soak your whole-grains. This reduces cooking time and eliminates phytic acid, a coating on grains that inhibits nutrient absorption.

2. Water-boil your meat/fish versus frying. I started this because I wanted to avoid the carcinogens that result from grilling and frying. Then I realized, it makes cleaning the pan so easy! This saves at least five minutes and the mental stress of thinking about doing
dishes (which is a great inhibitor for many to even cook at all).

3. Chop onions and store in a glass container. Onions add flavor to everything from eggs to veggies. Chopping them can be time consuming unless you do it all at once. Trying chopping three onions at a time and storing them in a glass container in the fridge. They last for a couple of weeks but you’ll use them before they ever go bad.

4. Raid your hydrator drawer. Take all the root and sweet veggies (carrots, squashes, onions, potatoes) in this drawer, cut them up, throw them together in the oven, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 (oven temps and times vary) for one hour. Add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for extra flavor. No need to run to the store or tend to this recipe. With a little creativity, you’ll have a veggie side dish that will last for days.

5. Crock-pot, crock-pot, crock-pot. No elaboration necessary. This machine makes me believe in miracles.

Cooking is a meditative and grounding process. I hope these tips help make it relaxing, simple and pleasurable too. Remember, the revolution starts in the kitchen!

Chin up,

Ali

5 Tips to Save Your Money & Your Health

Do you feel like you are just hanging on right now?

Between the economic news and the harsh weather, I hear from a lot of people who are ready to throw in the towel. And I’m not talking about the Steeler Terrible Towel I’ll be waving manically today during the Super Bowl.

I can’t give you any advice on dealing with the weather because frankly, I’m over it too. I tried to appreciate the season for the slower pace, sleeping and relaxing more but, at this point, I’d rather relax in the some warm weather.

The sun will come out again and so I’m providing details on a Boot Camp program myself and the talented Dr. Lipkin will host starting Wednesday, March 11th for women in the Philadelphia region who want a head-start on getting their bodies and minds into shape. Space is limited and based upon how quickly our past workshops have filled up, the sooner you sign up, the better. Check out details on my blog here under “Events”.

Now onto five simple and easy ways to save money in terms of your health-care spending. By that I mean your groceries and lifestyle habits:

1. Replace your store bought cereal with whole grains. Boxed cereal can cost upwards of $5.00. It’s more expensive than steel cut oats, quinoa or buckwheat (all economical whole grains that average $2.50 per pound) and you aren’t getting real vitamins and minerals. This leaves you hungry and cranky because you have to eat and spend more to feel satisfied.

2. Add chickpeas to your diet for a protein source. Chickpeas = Cheap. At about 99 cents a can, you can’t lose. They are great to make hummus, add to salads or throw into soups to make them more hearty. You can even grind uncooked chickpeas to use as flour.

3. Buy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, potatoes, carrots and onions. These vegetables last longer in the fridge and won’t spoil as quickly as other foods—although I hear a McDonald’s meal doesn’t decay for six years! And because vegetables contain so many filling nutrients (like fiber), you eat less when they are a staple in your diet.

4. Try a free online yoga class. Stress sends off a flurry of hormones in your body that fuels your appetite and inflammation, which means more money on food and medication. By integrating stress management techniques like yoga into your routine, your body becomes more efficient at using the food you eat and cooling down, thus lowering your grocery and medical bills. Not to mention you are just more fun to be around and then, who knows, maybe someone will even treat you to dinner. Check out yogatoday.com or freeyogaonline.com for classes that range from 20 minutes to an hour.

5. Integrate gentle ways to detox your body. Many people spend uber amounts of money on drastic detoxing or flying off to spas. The spa part I get, but for those of us who don’t have that option, there are great ways to do this at home. Check out my TV clip, posted under “Media Appearances” here on my blog for easy and effective ways to detox daily.

If the Steelers lose today, I may fall of the cliff. If they win, I’ll jump off in excitement. Either way, I’m making a move. I hope you will too…with just one simple change that will get you closer to your best, most healthy self.

Be well,

Ali

Corn-Quinoa Muffins

These muffins are Fabulous! They go great with winter soups and the chili recipe I posted last week. And they don’t come out crumbly like many gluten-free baking goods. I always make the entire recipe and then have them for at least two weeks…if no one else gobbles them up!

A variation I want to try is adding blueberries. I think that would taste delicious. If anyone does, let me know. Or if you have your own ideas on recipe twists, I’m open.

Enjoy!

Quinoa-Corn Muffins
1-1/3 cup quinoa flour (you can grind quinoa in a coffee/seed grinder)
2/3 cup corn meal
2/3 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. Celtic sea salt
1 egg
1 cup milk, buttermilk, almond milk, or unsweetened soy drink
¼ cup grape seed oil

Mix dry ingredients together.
Mix wet ingredients together.
Pour wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until lumps disappear.

Put into greased muffin pan or muffin cups in muffin pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick pushed into muffin comes out dry