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by Dr. Kellyann
on Mar 03 2016
Do you have uncontrollable food cravings during the day? In my new post, I’ll tell you how you can get control over them by sleeping more at night!
Would you love an excuse to get a little more shut-eye? Well, luckily, I have one for you: It can make you slimmer by cutting your food cravings down to size.
In a new study, researchers conducted two sleep experiments involving 14 volunteers. In the first experiment, the participants slept eight-and-a-half hours a night for four days. In the second, they slept only four-and-a-half hours a night for four days.
The researchers gave the participants identical meals three times a day. They also measured their blood levels of the satiety hormone leptin, the appetite hormone ghrelin, and a chemical called 2-AG, which plays a role in regulating appetite, eating, and energy levels. They predicted that sleep deprivation would activate 2-AG, making people hungrier—and it turned out they were right.
When participants slept longer, their 2-AG levels were low in the morning, peaked after lunch, and dropped as the day went on. But when the participants slept less, their 2-AG levels increased by 33 percent, spiking at 2 p.m. and staying high until about 9 p.m.
The sleep-deprived participants reported being hungrier around the time their 2-AG levels spiked. In addition, they were more likely to choose tempting high-calorie snacks. They also had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin.
In short, cheating yourself on sleep can give you the munchies—and that translates into extra pounds.
So if you’re battling a weight problem, it’s a good idea to stop burning the candle at both ends. And yes, I know that’s easier said than done! However, here are some tricks that can help you succeed:
Set a specific bedtime for yourself and stick to it as closely as you can.
Meditate before bedtime to relax yourself and make sleep come more easily.
Journal during the day about problems that are stressing you out and how you plan to solve them. This will help prevent you from ruminating over your worries during the night.
Turn off your phone and other devices, and tell your friends not to call you within half an hour of your bedtime.
Create a bedtime ritual. Dimming the lights, playing the same soft music each night, and even rubbing a little lavender on your bed headboard can trigger your brain to be ready for sleep.
Limit how much you eat and drink before bedtime. If you want a drink, chose herbal tea rather than coffee or alcohol.
We all vary in our need for sleep. However, as a general rule, you should aim for at least seven hours a night. That will help you awaken rested and refreshed each day—and as this new study shows, it may also take inches off your waistline. How easy a weight-loss trick is that?
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold
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Try this Surprising Weight-Loss Tool: Journaling!
by Dr. Kellyann
on Feb 10 2016
How’s this for a deal? Keep a journal during your diet, and you may double your weight loss! Today, I’ll tell you why.
A diet of real, clean foods will take extra weight off you quickly. So will bone broth mini-fasts. And you know what else melts off fat? Journaling. Obviously, it’s not because you get much exercise when you’re writing in a journal (unless you have a really heavy pen!). Nope. It’s because journaling helps you take control over your eating.
That’s why research shows that dieters who journal lose twice as much weight as those who don’t. Here’s why journaling during your diet is so powerful:
It keeps your eyes on the prize. When you’re doing a diet, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals. Sure, you’re all excited for the first few days. But after that, you may start to focus on the downsides—like giving up your Friday night pizza, or having to order water instead of whiskey when you’re out with friends. When you journal, it’s much easier to keep your long-term goals in mind. Each day, you can actively reaffirm those goals—and that will help you stick to them.
It makes you aware of what you eat—and how food makes you feel. It’s easy to get in the habit of eating mindlessly. For instance, did you ever scarf down an entire can of Pringles while you were watching TV? (C’mon, you know you did.) When you take time to journal about your food, it makes you more aware of how much you’re eating. You learn to eat more mindfully, paying attention to each mouthful and recognizing the signals that you’re full. In addition, journaling helps you spot foods that make you feel great and foods that don’t work for your body. For instance, you may discover that nuts give you gas, or that eating eggs for dinner helps you sleep better. The more you tailor your diet to your own unique needs, the healthier—and slimmer—you’ll be.
It helps you fight temptation. If you journal about the moments when you’re tempted to eat something carby or sugary, you’re likely to start seeing some patterns. For instance, do you always have cravings in mid-morning—or are you tempted to eat during your “afternoon slump” at work? When you identify tricky times like these, you’ll be better prepared to handle them. (For example, you can quell a mid-morning craving with a handful of unsweetened coconut chips, a little avocado, or some olives—or fight that afternoon slump with a cup of energizing bone broth.)
It helps you deal with the “carb flu.” A few days into your diet, you’re likely to start feeling “tired, cranky, wired, and weird.” This is because your body is learning to burn fat for energy instead of sugar, and it needs time to adjust. The carb flu only lasts a few days, and giving yourself a little pep talk in your journal each day during this time can help you resist the urge to give up. Some of my patients buy fancy journals, many journal on the computer, and at least one journals in her daughter’s old Barbie spiral notebook. It doesn’t matter what kind of journal you pick, as long as you write in it every day. I’d like you to record things like this:
Your diet goals
What you ate that day and when you ate it
How you felt physically and emotionally during the day
How many cravings you had, when you had them, and what worked to stop them
Any symptoms of the carb flu you had
How much exercise you got
How well you slept the night before
Your thoughts about your diet journey It only takes a few minutes each day to journal, and I think you’ll find the process fun and enlightening.
So give it a try—and watch those pounds fall off even faster! My FAVORITE journal to write in is the Moleskin, you can find it here: Moleskine Classic Notebook
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Can You Do the Bone Broth Diet if You’re a Vegetarian or Vegan? You Bet
by Dr. Kellyann
on Dec 03 2015
I’m getting tons of mail from people who are excited about starting the Bone Broth Diet. And here’s one question I’m hearing a lot: “Can I do this diet if I’m a vegetarian, a pescatarian, or a vegan?” The answer is a resounding yes! While proteins like beef, chicken, and fish are part of the Bone Broth Diet, I’m all about personal play. I’ve altered this diet quite a few times to work for patients who choose to avoid many or all animal products, and it still works like a charm. Here’s how to switch things up if you want to go meat-free:
How to make bone broth vegan (or vegetarian, pescatarian)?
Let’s start with the broth. Obviously, you can’t make bone broth without bones! But that’s fine, because you can substitute a rich vegetable broth. If you’re a pescatarian—that is, you eat fish—you can also make a lovely, subtle broth out of fish bones. Just be sure to use a non-oily fish like halibut or tilapia, rather than an oily fish like salmon. Also, cook your broth for only a couple of hours, because fish bones dissolve quickly.
What are the best substitutions for meat?
Eggs -
If you’re a vegetarian, make eggs a big part of your diet. (Remember: Science has shown that eating eggs isn’t bad for your cholesterol.)
Beans & lentils
Edamame
Full-fat pasture-raised kefir and yogurt
Natto
Temph
Protein mixes
High-quality vegetarian protein mixes, such as hemp or pea protein, are also acceptable as part of the vegetarian protocol.
Avoid "frankenfoods"
Avoid veggie chicken wings, soy milk, tofu hot dogs, and related foods. I call these “Frankenfoods” because they’re loaded with unhealthy ingredients.
What results will I get from a vegan bone broth diet?
It may take a little longer to lose your extra pounds when you substitute beans, lentils, and other high-carb foods for animal proteins—but you’ll still see amazing results. And even without the collagen building blocks from bone broth, you’ll blast your wrinkles with skin-smoothing foods like coconut and avocado. At the end of 21 days, you’ll be slimmer, look younger, and feel more energetic, without having to compromise on your dietary principles. So join the Bone Broth Revolution—and fly your vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian flag proudly!
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
EXPLORE MORE DIET OPTIONS
> A Successful Vegan Cleanse and Reset | Detox — Plant-based cleanse modifications that deliver real results.
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Coconut Oil: What Can’t it Do?
by Dr. Kellyann
on Nov 22 2015
I prescribe coconut oil so often that I bet my patients think I own stock in a coconut farm. I don’t—honest! It’s just that this oil is incredibly rich in health benefits. For instance, the lauric acid in coconut oil smooths your skin (that’s why it’s an ingredient in many expensive wrinkle creams) and helps heal skin problems like eczema and psoriasis. Coconut oil also revs up your metabolism, helping you to burn fat faster.
In addition, it can improve your levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. And now scientists report that adding coconut oil to your diet can help fight an overgrowth of candida albicans in your gut. In case you’re not familiar with candida, it’s a common fungus that inhabits your gut. Normally, your body keeps it under control. However, if you have immune problems, candida can run wild.
Candida overgrowth can cause anything from chronic fatigue to bloating and gas—and if candida escapes from your gut to your bloodstream, it can cause serious infections. In short, rampant candida is bad news. In the new study, researchers at Tufts University fed mice beef tallow, soybean oil, and coconut oil. Coconut oil, but not the other two oils, dramatically reduced levels of candida in the gut.
The researchers say coconut oil’s effects are so striking that in patients with serious candida infections, doctors might be able to use it as an alternative to antifungal drugs. So if you needed another reason to add coconut oil to your diet—now you have it! And to get you started, here’s a quick and easy salmon recipe from my new book, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet:
Roasted Salmon Gremolata Prep Time: 5 minutes • Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: Makes 4 servings
1 pound salmon fillet
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
Celtic or pink Himalayan salt
Ground black pepper
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Rub both sides of the salmon with the oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. (If the salmon has skin, place it skin side down.) Lightly salt and pepper the fillet, drizzle with the lemon juice, and sprinkle with the parsley. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the fish is opaque.
If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll also find that coconut oil is fabulous in desserts. For instance, check out Mark Sisson’s coconut macadamia bark here, Marlel Lewis’s Christmas coconut treats here, and my own chocolate chip cookies here.
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Don’t Call It Dieting— Just Call It Eating Healthy!
by Dr. Kellyann
on Nov 06 2015
When overweight patients first arrive in my examining room, they frequently have their sad faces on. Why? Because they figure I’m going to put them on a diet… and they’re sure they won’t like it.
I’m betting that like them, you’re a veteran of doctors who told you that to lose weight you need to live on tasteless foods like dry rice cakes and scrambled egg whites. If so, I have news for you: You’ve been lied to.
In reality, diets that sacrifice taste for calorie or fat reduction almost never work. You’ll take off a few pounds on them, but you’ll be miserable—and your cravings will be so strong that you’ll eat those pounds right back on (and more.) This experience is nearly universal.
As I say in my new book, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet, it’s unacceptable that doctors prescribe diets that fail 90% of the time—and then blame their patients! It’s no wonder the word diet has such a bad connotation.
Although I use the term diet as shorthand myself, I prefer to call my weight loss approach eating healthy. That’s because it bears no relationship to a typical diet. You see, I don’t want my patients to count calories, eat artificial low-fat foods, starve, and be miserable—all for nothing. Instead, I want them to lose weight and keep it off for a lifetime while they’re eating food that tastes fantastic.
How fantastic? On my eating plan, my patients dine on restaurant-quality meals like steak with sautéed mushrooms, lobster with clarified butter, pot roast, and chili omelets with guacamole. And you know what happens? They lose weight like crazy. Typically, they drop as many as 15 pounds in three weeks, and many of them lose dozens or even hundreds of pounds in a year.
Here’s why my plan works. The foods I prescribe do three crucial things:
They cure the chronic, body-wide inflammation that’s the primary reason why you gain weight and age quickly.
They reduce blood sugar swings, lowering your insulin levels and reversing insulin resistance—a condition that packs weight on you.
They’re filled with powerful nutrients that scrub your cells clean, so you fire up your metabolism.
Luckily, these foods also taste amazing! For instance, pastured steak is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which helps reduce body fat. Eggs are loaded with choline, which helps you break down fat and metabolize it. And healthy fats like coconut oil, clarified butter, and avocado rev up your metabolism while they make your skin gorgeous.
So don’t buy into the lie that you need to suffer to get slim and beautiful. (Has that everworked for you in the past?) Instead, try something revolutionary: Eat healthy. Center your meals around high-quality proteins like beef, fish, poultry, and eggs. Add healthy fats like coconut, avocado, and olive oil back into your diet. Quell your inflammation and erase your wrinkles with bone broth. Load up on delicious, nutrient-dense vegetables and berries.
And then sit back—and watch the weight-loss and anti-aging magic happen!
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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by Dr. Kellyann
on Sep 09 2015
Do you dread wearing a swimsuit or a sleeveless dress because it reveals your upper-arm flab? If so, you have lots of company. Even people who are very fit and athletic often develop a jiggle in that pesky tricep area along the back of the arm.
Luckily, there are ways to tighten up this trouble spot. So don’t just cover up… take action! Here are three of my favorite arm workouts for tackling tricep flab.
Tricep Dips
Sit at the edge of a sturdy work bench or coffee table, with your arms beside you, your fingers facing forward, your knees bent, and your feet on the floor. Grasp the edge of the bench or table with your hands. Now lower your butt close to the floor, supporting yourself on your hands. (Be careful not to lock your elbows at any point.) Your back should just graze the bench or table as you lower yourself. Once you’re as low as you can comfortably go, return to your starting position. Do 12 to 15 repetitions.
Tricep Kickbacks
Stand to the left side of a sturdy bench or coffee table. Place your right knee and hand on the bench or table and hold a five- to eight-pound dumbbell in your left hand, with your palm facing toward your body. Starting with your left upper arm parallel to the floor and your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle, slowly move your forearm back until your arm is straight and parallel to the floor. Do 12 reps, then repeat on the opposite side.
Overhead Tricep Extension
You can do this exercise seated or standing. Hold five- to eight-pound dumbbells in your hands, with your arms extended straight above your head and your palms facing in. Keeping your elbows close to your head and your abs pulled in, bend your elbows and lower the weights behind your head. Return to your starting position. Do 12 to 15 reps.
Tricep Pushups
Start in a traditional pushup position—but instead of placing your hands far apart, place them a little less than shoulder-width apart. Do pushups, keeping your elbows close to your body. If doing pushups from your toes is too difficult, you can modify this exercise by keeping your knees on the floor. Do 10 to 12 reps.
Triangle Pushups
This harder version of the pushup is a challenge, but science says it’s the most effective way to tone your triceps. Again, get in a standard pushup position. This time, however, place your thumbs and forefingers together to form a triangle. If doing pushups from your toes is too difficult, keep your knees on the floor. Do 10 to 12 reps.
Before you quit…
When you work one muscle group, it’s always smart to work the opposing muscle group as well. So once you’re done with your triceps, take a few minutes to do some bicep curls. That way, you’ll keep things in balance… and you’ll be building gorgeous arms, front and back!
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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7 Grab-and-Go Easy Lunches You Can Pack Fast
by Dr. Kellyann
on Sep 03 2015
Do you spend an average weekday “running with your hair on fire”? If so, I know just how you feel!
Most mornings, I’m too busy getting kids out the door and searching for a pair of run-free nylons to even think about what I’m going to eat at noon. So over the years, I’ve come up with some simple solutions to the “what’s for lunch?” quandary. Here are my favorites; you can prep some of them ahead of time, while the others are easy to put together on a busy morning.
1. Easy lettuce wraps.
Start with organic, unprocessed lunch meat. (I’m a big fan of Applegate lunch meats, but there are other good brands, too.) Wash one or two large romaine leaves—or, for variety, try radicchio or cabbage leaves—and lay the lettuce out flat.
Place a generous serving of meat on top of the lettuce, and add some slices of avocado and a slice or two of tomato. Finish with your favorite condiments: mustard, a healthy mayo (here’s my favorite), or maybe a dash of olive oil and vinegar dressing. Fold the lettuce around your fillings. This is easier if you do it taco-style, rather than burrito-style—or put one lettuce leaf under and one over the fillings, like a sandwich.
If you want to make these ahead of time, skip the avocado and substitute shredded carrots, sliced olives, or any other ingredients that keep well.
2. Turkey-bacon-apple roll-ups.
When you cook bacon, add a few extra strips to the pan and then freeze them. That way, you’ll be ready to put this lunch together fast.
Spread out several large slices of preservative-free, organic lunch meat. Place a slice of the cooked, thawed bacon on top. Add apple slices and roll up. Use a toothpick or plastic wrap to help keep your roll-up secure.
3. Celery with almond butter.
How simple is this? Add a hard-boiled egg and a handful of berries to your lunchbox, and you’re good to go.
4. Bento box lunches.
Bento boxes are lunch boxes with lots of small compartments. They’re ideal for grab-and-go meals, because you can pack each compartment with a separate yummy treat. Check out these fun ideas from nomnompaleo.com.
5. Hot dogs.
Hot dogs don’t sound healthy at all, do they? But these days, Applegate and several other companies make organic, gluten-free, additive-free dogs that you can feel good about eating.
Cook one or two hot dogs the night before and do a quick microwave re-heat at the office the next day. (Be sure to poke some holes in each hot dog or cut them into slices so they don’t explode in the microwave.) Wrap your dogs in lettuce leaves and top with mustard, chopped onions, some diced jalapenos, or any other healthy toppings of your choice.
6. Meatball poppers.
Okay, these take a little time—but a single batch makes 24 meatballs and you can freeze them in small batches, so you’ll get lots of fast meals for a very small amount of work. Here’s my favorite recipe.
7. Leftovers.
When I make chili, soup, or stew, I frequently double the batch and freeze the leftovers to make quick lunches. Other great grab-and-go leftovers include roast chicken, pot roast, and turkey. Leftover Scotch eggs are a fun finger food, too.
My best lunch tip: Plan ahead!
One of the easiest ways to take the stress out of lunch is to make sure you have lots of ready-to-go ingredients. Here are some of the best things to always have on hand:
Preservative-free, gluten-free lunch meats
Canned tuna and salmon
Meatballs (precooked and frozen)
Bacon (nitrate-free, precooked and frozen)
Lettuce and prewashed salad mixes
Celery, carrots, and tomatoes
Salad dressings
Avocados
Nuts
Berries
Olives
Almond butter
Coconut chips
Bone broth
With these basics on hand, you’ll always have something quick and nutritious to grab as you dash out the door. And that’ll make life much easier on those wild-and-wooly weekday mornings when you have way too little time and way too much to do!
BONUS TIP: For those weeks when you know you won’t be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, get prepared with shakes, bone broth, and more. You can make bone broth ahead of time and freeze in mason jars, or you can grab my Collagen Broth To Go. For shakes, the convenience, taste, quality, and nutrition of my Collagen Shakes in Chocolate Almond and Vanilla Almond or my Collagen Cooler in Orange Cream honestly cannot be beat.
Do your thing, and do it on-the-go!
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Five Quick Ways to Get Toned Abs and Flatten Your Belly
by Dr. Kellyann
on Aug 25 2015
How many sit-ups do you think you’ve done in your life? Hundreds, or maybe even thousands? Personally, I think I did at least two million back in my teen years. And here’s what I learned: While those crunches helped a little, they didn’t help a lot in my pursuit to get toned abs.
Why? While crunches exercise some core muscles, they’re worthless for others. Luckily, there are other effective ways to slim and strengthen your abs. Here are five of my favorite ways to get great abs and a flatter stomach.
1. Stomach vacuuming (for a flatter belly!)
It’s the latest rage… and yes, it actually works! Here’s how to do it.
Pick a time when you haven’t eaten recently. Choose one of these positions:
● On your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
● On your hands and knees.
● Sitting up straight in a chair with no arm rests.
Take a few deep breaths. Then exhale as much air as you can, and pull your belly button in toward your spine. Hold this position for 15 seconds, squeezing your belly button in as far as you can and taking small breaths if needed. Try to work your way up to 60 seconds.
The great thing about this stomach exercise is that in addition to giving your abs a powerful workout while you’re doing it, it trains you to keep your tummy tucked in during the day and INSTANTLY flattens your belly!
2. Bicycles (builds toned abs!)
This exercise is easy to do, but it really works. Do enough repetitions, and I guarantee that you’ll feel your abs the next day! This is a very effective technique to get toned abs fast.
1. Lie face-up on a carpeted floor or mat and put your hands behind your head, gently supporting your head with your fingers. Lift your legs at about a 45-degree angle.
2. Make a bicycling motion with your legs, straightening one leg as you bend the other. As you bend each knee, rotate your body to bring the opposite elbow close to it. Do three sets of 16 bicycles on each side.
3. Planks (sculpts your waistline!)
Yeah, I know. These are a little tough. But as you’re tightening your abs, you’ll also be sculpting your thighs and butt—so you’ll get a lot of reward for a little pain.
Here’s how to do a proper plank pose:
1. Lie face-down on a carpeted floor or mat. Rest your upper body on your forearms, keeping your palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, supporting your body on your toes and forearms. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Don’t let your butt stick up or sag.
3. Hold this position for 20 to 60 seconds. Repeat three to five times.
4. Side planks (trims those love handles!)
This variant of the plank doesn’t just flatten your abs; it strengthens your back as well, giving you beautiful posture and helping to protect you from back injuries.
To do a side plank, lie on your right side, supporting your upper body on your right forearm, with your legs straight and your left hand on your left hip. Tighten your abs and lift your hips, supporting your body weight on your right forearm and the side of your right foot. (Don’t let your hips sag.) Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.
5. Reverse Crunches (tummy tightening for your lower abs!)
This belly flattening exercise really digs into those lower ab muscles. One caution, however: Skip this exercise if you have any back problems.
To do a reverse crunch, lie on a carpeted floor or mat with your arms at your sides. Lift your legs straight up. Now lift your hips off the floor, raising your legs straight up toward the ceiling. Lower your hips and repeat.
Are you ready to get a flatter belly & get toned abs? Keep at it!
To get the best results from these exercises, do them regularly. The fastest way to get toned abs is consistency! Get in the habit of doing the stomach vacuuming exercise first thing every morning before breakfast, and do the bicycles, planks, side planks, and reverse crunches at least every other day.
Here’s just one recommended stomach flattening workout routine you can implement to get quick results:
Daily – Exercise 1 > 5 sets x 60 seconds each rep
Mon, Wed, Friday – Exercises 2-5 > 3 sets of 12 reps each
Along with a healthy eating plan, I bet that within a couple of weeks, your waistline will get slimmer and more sculpted. I also predict that you’ll see changes in your butt and thighs, because these exercises work your entire core. Just imagine how good you’ll look in a few months from now and make all your friends envious during the holiday season!
And here’s something else I predict: You’re not going to miss those crunches one bit!
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Best Paleo Sweeteners: Top 5 Healthy Options
by Dr. Kellyann
on Aug 11 2015
What is the best paleo sweetener?
In the low-carb world, people like to say that sugar is sugar is sugar. That’s why many of them will tell you that eating honey or maple syrup is as bad for you as spooning table sugar into your mouth.
Well, guess what: That’s not exactly true.
It is true, of course, that all sweeteners will cause your blood sugar to spike. That’s why you should use even the good ones very sparingly. And if you need to lose weight or you’re battling any major health conditions, I recommend avoiding sweeteners altogether. I’m all about cutting carbs, especially when you need to heal.
But if you’re slim and healthy and you want a splurge, I can recommend five sweeteners (as long as you only use small amounts of them) with a totally clear conscience. That’s because they make up for their effects on your blood sugar by healing your body in powerful ways. Here’s a quick look at all five, and why they’re waybetter for you than table sugar.
Is honey a good paleo sweetener?
Ancient healers considered honey a medicinal food, and modern science shows that they’re correct. Here are just some of the health benefits of honey:
It inhibits inflammation.
It helps fight cancer.
It has antibacterial properties.
It’s rich in antioxidants.
It can help heal your gut. One study, for instance, found that honey promotes the growth of good gut microflora and helps protect against damage caused by dangerous mycotoxins.
By the way, honey can heal you on the outside as well as the inside. Hospitals are starting to use one type of honey, Manuka honey, to treat everything from diabetic ulcers to the super-bug MRSA.
I do have two cautions about honey:
Never give honey to a baby. It can contain botulinum spores that are harmless to older people but can endanger infants.
Much of what’s labeled as honey isn’t pure honey. To make sure you’re getting the real deal, shop for honey at your local farmers’ markets, contact beekeepers directly, or order raw honey online.
Nutritional benefits of maple syrup as a paleo sweetener
My kids and I love to start a lazy Sunday with almond-flour waffles and maple syrup. It sounds pretty sinful, doesn’t it? But get this: Maple syrup contains 54 different beneficial compounds. What’s more, five of these compounds apparently don’t exist in any other foods!
Researcher Navindra Seeram, whose team discovered the wealth of nutrients in this yummy sweetener, says that the “sheer quantity and variety of identified compounds with documented health benefits qualifies maple syrup as a champion food.” I won’t go that far… but if you’re going to eat a sweetener, this is a good one to reach for.
Standout paleo sweetener: blackstrap molasses
Molasses is the “throwaway” product left over when manufacturers refine sugar cane. But instead of eating the sugar, you should eat the dregs.
Why? Because molasses contains the nutrients stripped out of the sugar cane. For instance, it’s rich in copper, iron, calcium, vitamin B6, and magnesium. In addition, molasses has much less effect on blood glucose levels than sugar.
When you buy molasses, choose blackstrap molasses. This form contains more nutrients than the other forms.
Can fruits be a healthy paleo sweetener?
Prunes, dates, bananas, pumpkin, and unsweetened applesauce are all fabulous sweeteners. Along with a burst of natural sugar, they give you a big dose of fiber and nutrients.
You’ll find hundreds of great recipes online for healthy goodies that use mashed or pureed fruits. You can also experiment with your own recipes; for instance, try replacing half of the sweetener in a recipe with applesauce or pureed dates or bananas and cutting out some of the liquid.
What are the benefits of coconut sugar as a paleo sweetener?
I use this sugar when other sweeteners just can’t do the trick. It contains some important nutrients—including potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and vitamin C—and it has less effect on your blood glucose than table sugar does.
What “healthy” sweeteners are not a good paleo sweetener alternative?
Now that I’ve told you about my favorite paleo sweeteners, let’s take a look at two supposedly healthy ones that didn’t make the cut. I use one of these products occasionally, while I won’t touch the other one—but neither of them earns a “champion” rating from me. Here’s a look at them.
Agave as a natural sweetener
This sweetener has a higher fructose content than high-fructose corn syrup. It’s also heavily processed, making it anything but “natural.” I won’t use it, and you shouldn’t either. If you’re going to eat fructose, eat it in forms that provide powerful nutrition—for instance, fruits, berries, and the healthy sweeteners I talked about earlier.
Is stevia as good of a sweetener as everyone says?
This one gets a “B-“ in my book. There’s some evidence that it can increase insulin sensitivity, which is a good thing. But calorie-free sweeteners confuse your body, which is a bad thing. And if you use lots of stevia because it’s calorie-free, you’re still training your body to expect too much sweetness, and you won’t free yourself from the Sugar Demon. I turn to stevia only when my top-five sweeteners can’t do the job. If you do use it, buy pure stevia rather than brands that contain other additives.
My guess is that you won’t have a problem limiting your stevia use and giving up agave if you add my five top sweeteners to your diet. After all, why settle for less when you can use the best? So experiment with using honey, maple syrup, molasses, mashed fruits, and coconut sugar when your sweet tooth needs a little thrill.
What recipes use paleo sweeteners?
Blueberry pancakes, made with honey and topped with maple syrup, from Mark’s Daily Apple.
Chewy molasses and ginger cookies featuring blackstrap molasses, courtesy of Paleo Parents.
Peach almond crisp, which uses dates to add a little extra sweetness, from The Clothes Make the Girl.
Apple “oat” muffins, sweetened with applesauce, from the Paleo Mom.
Chocolate coconut cookies sweetened with coconut sugar, from Paleo Plan.
Maple syrup souffles with a double punch of sweetness from maple syrup and pumpkin, from Living Paleo.
Enjoy! And if you have recipes you’d like to share, post them in the comments section… I’d love to see what sweet things you’re cooking up in your own kitchen.
Keep Thinking Big and living BOLD!
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6 Foods To Avoid For a Healthier You
by Dr. Kellyann
on Aug 07 2015
Are so-called “health foods” making you sick? In today’s post I single out six foods that bill themselves as nutritious but actually belong in the trash—not in your refrigerator.
Open a typical fridge, and you’ll find stuff like leftover pizza, white bread, and two-liter bottles of soda. Now open the fridge of someone who’s health-conscious, and you’ll see lots of things that look a lot more nutritious.
But here’s something that might surprise you: The “healthy” food in the second refrigerator may be almost as bad as the junk in the first one. For instance, here are six foods billed as nutritious that belong in the trash, not ever in your fridge.
Which "healthy" foods are the worst for you?
Soy Frankenfoods
At my local health food store, there’s a whole refrigerator case filled with soy hotdogs, soy fish sticks, soy bacon, soy-you-name-it. People buy these products like crazy, because they’re convinced that if the label says soy, it’s good for you.
Well, guess what: That’s one of the biggest myths in history. In reality, soy is bad for you because it’s an endocrine disruptor. In particular, it can mess with your thyroid, putting you at higher risk for hypothyroidism. Soy also contains substances that can block your absorption of important nutrients like calcium, zinc, and magnesium. In addition, the processing of soy Frankenfoods can contaminate them with aluminum, a toxic metal you definitely don’t want on your dinner plate.
By the way, many people think that soy is healthy because people in Asia—who tend to be healthier than Americans—eat lots of it. But in reality, soy isn’t a big menu item in Asia. Typically, it’s served as a condiment or accent, not as a main course. Also, most soy products in Asia, unlike those in the U.S., are fermented to remove toxins.
Flavored yogurt
Sure, yogurt contains some healthy probiotics. But that’s hardly a fair trade-off for the fillers, artificial flavors, and sugar or artificial sweeteners that manufacturers shovel into it. Add in the fact that dairy disagrees to some degree with most people—causing everything from bloating and gas to acne and eczema—and flavored yogurt doesn’t look like such a great nutritional deal anymore.
Imitation crab meat
Those fake crab sticks are easy to snack on—and you probably feel virtuous when you’re eating them, because they’re fish, right? Well, sort of. In reality, they’re mashed-up fish mixed with things like wheat, tapioca, corn, sugars, and low-quality vegetable oils. They may also contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is toxic to your brain cells.
Sports drinks and vitamin drinks
Look at the “healthy” drinks on your grocery store shelf, and you’ll see lots of claims: Contains probiotics! Gives you your daily dose of vitamin C! Packed with nutrients!
But here’s what I want you to do: Pick up those bottles and read the ingredient labels. Most of the time, you’ll discover that these drinks are loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners. They’re also likely to contain artificial colors and flavors. So you’re getting a tiny dose of good stuff along with a flood of cell-clogging sludge.
Nutella
I’m always amazed at how many of my clients think Nutella is a health food because it has hazelnuts and chocolate in it. Yes, it has two healthy ingredients—but it’s also loaded with sugar. Basically, it’s a candy bar in a jar.
Whole wheat bread
People think that whole wheat equals healthy. But grains—including whole wheat—elevate your blood sugar levels as much as table sugar does. That can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, and even diabetes.
In addition, wheat contains gluten. Many, many people—not just those with celiac disease—experience symptoms like GI problems, “brain fog,” fatigue, and depression when they eat foods containing gluten.
What are the best foods to have in your refrigerator?
If your fridge is looking a little empty after you toss out these unhealthy “health foods,” it’s easy to find better alternatives.
Real meat
Replace your soy Frankenfoods with real meat—preferably pasture-raised. You can even find healthy, additive-free hot dogs and lunch meats these days.
Dairy products
If you like dairy products and tolerate them well, replace sweetened yogurt with full-fat plain yogurt and stir in fresh fruit. Otherwise, try yogurt made from coconut milk. (If you can’t find it in stores, it’s easy to make it yourself.
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Food for Thought: Going Low-Carb Can Save Your Brain!
by Dr. Kellyann
on Jul 28 2015
My patients want to look and feel good right now, and that’s my first goal for them. However, I also want them to think about the future. Because believe me—that future creeps up on you faster than you think. (Trust me on this. I just hit fifty, and I could swear that a week ago I was thirty.)
This is why a new medical study caught my attention today. The study reveals that reducing your insulin resistance at any age may slash your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. So taking action now—even if you’re only in your twenties, thirties, or forties—might save your life someday.
In case you’re not familiar with insulin resistance, here’s how it occurs. When you eat a diet high in carbs, your blood sugar constantly spikes. As a result, your body has to churn out massive amounts of insulin. Over time, your cells react by becoming insulin-resistant, meaning that they get less responsive to insulin’s message. In effect, they slam the door on insulin and the glucose it’s trying to deliver.
Insulin resistance is a bad thing, because it puts you at risk for obesity and diabetes—and the new study shows that it can harm your brain as well. The study found that insulin resistance reduces the amount of blood sugar in areas of the brain most vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, meaning that these areas get less “fuel.”
“If you don’t have as much fuel, you’re not going to be as adept at remembering something or doing something,” study coauthor Auriel Willette says. “This is important with Alzheimer’s disease, because over the course of the disease there is a progressive decrease in the amount of blood sugar used in certain brain regions. Those regions end up using less and less.”
Moreover, he says, it’s not just diabetics who may be at increased risk for Alzheimer’s. In fact, the researchers found evidence that even people with only mild insulin resistance may be at higher risk. And if that doesn’t get your attention, they say that insulin resistance may harm your ability to think at any age.
How can you protect your brain? Simple: Switch from a high-carb to a low-carb diet. Your blood sugar and insulin levels will quickly drop, and your cells will become more sensitive to insulin and start opening the door to it again.
So minimize (or better yet, eliminate) grains. Cut way down on foods like rice and potatoes, too—and cut out sugar entirely. Instead, center your diet around high-quality meat, fish, and eggs, non-starchy veggies, and healthy fats. Add in a few starchy vegetables (like sweet potatoes and beets) and small servings of fruit, but don’t overdo these foods.
And yes, you may miss all those carbs at first. However, you’ll quickly discover that you can go low-carb and still eat gourmet. (Don’t believe it? Check out my recipes here.) Better yet, you’ll be slimmer and healthier—and your brain will thank you, too.
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Five Reasons to Love Green Tea
by Dr. Kellyann
on Jul 24 2015
For a humble drink, green tea packs a big nutritional punch. In today’s post, I’ll tell you why getting in the green tea habit can slim you down or even help save your life.
It doesn’t pack as big a punch of caffeine as coffee, and it won’t mellow you out like a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. But the humble little mug of green tea still deserves a lot of respect.
Why? Because this delicate little drink packs a big nutritional punch. It’s loaded with powerful cell-protecting antioxidants called catechins, it has about eight to ten timesmore polyphenols than fruits and vegetables, and it contains vitamin C, chromium, and selenium.
So it’s no surprise that green tea, in addition to tasting good, has some remarkable health benefits. Here are some of the top reasons to add it to your diet.
It can help slim you down.
Green tea increases thermogenesis (heat production), helping you burn off fat more quickly. According to a recent review, long-term studies show that “the consumption of tea catechins induces a notable reduction of body weight and body fat.”
It can reduce your risk of cancer.
Studies suggest that drinking green tea can lower the risk of pancreatic, stomach, breast, ovarian, colorectal, esophageal, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancer. Here’s one reason for its cancer-fighting power: It contains EGCG, a catechin that inhibits angiogenesis—the formation of new blood vessels—in cancerous tumors. This slows down tumor growth and helps prevent metastasis.
It can reduce your blood sugar and your risk of diabetes.
A study in Japan found that people who drink six or more cups of green tea a day are 33 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than people who drink less than one cup a week. Another study, this time involving rats, found that both green and black tea can reduce blood sugar levels and prevent diabetic cataracts.
It helps keep your brain healthy.
In addition to protecting you against cancer, EGCG may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that it can help prevent the buildup of the amyloid plaques associated with this disease.
It kills bad bugs.
Want to cut down on icky germs in your mouth? Then swish with a little green tea. One recent study compared rinsing with green tea to rinsing with chlorhexidine—considered the “gold standard” of antibacterial mouthwashes. The result: The tea did just as good a job as the chlorhexidine when it came to killing off Streptococcusmutans bacteria.
Some tea-brewing tips… and a caution
Drinking green tea is good for you. However, concentrated forms of the tea (such as green tea extract) might be dangerous. In some cases, people using these concentrated forms have suffered liver damage.
So here’s my advice: Skip the extract, and get the benefits of green tea the old-fashioned way—by brewing up a nice, warm mug of it. To get the most benefit, use boiling water (which helps release the antioxidants in the tea) and let the tea steep for two to five minutes. For a little extra flavor, try adding a squeeze of lemon or a little honey… yum!
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Indulge in These Desserts—and Lose Weight!
by Dr. Kellyann
on Jul 14 2015
If you have a sweet tooth, the word diet may make automatically make you think of deprivation. After all, dieting means no more dessert…
Or does it?
Actually, one thing I tell my patients is, “You can have dessert on a real-food diet.” In fact, the right sweet treats can help quell inflammation, heal your gut, and keep your sugar cravings at bay—and that can help you melt off the pounds. Dessert as a diet aid… who knew?
The trick, however, is to redefine the concept of dessert in a healthy way. To do this, think back to the very earliest desserts of all.
The sweets you’re designed to eat
Back in hunter-gatherer times, sugar was hard to come by. People could search all day just to find a handful of berries or a few dates. These sweet foods provided a big punch of nutrients, so our genes programmed us to seek them out.
Now, however, it’s a different story. Grocery stores offer rows and rows of nutritional bling that’s packed with sugar and virtually nutrient-free. On a conscious level, you know that this stuff is bad for you. But your cave-person genes are still singing the same siren song:
Yum, yum. Sugar good. Eat more now.
That’s why it’s so easy to give in and reach for the fudge cake—even when you know you shouldn’t.
Retraining your sweet tooth
Luckily, there’s a way to satisfy your sugar cravings without gaining weight and making your body sick. You simply need to retrain your taste buds to appreciate the natural sweetness of the foods your ancestors ate.
If you’ve indulged in sugary treats for years, this will take a little time. At first you may not get as big a “hit” of sweetness as you want, because you’re used to getting a sugar overload and your taste buds are desensitized. But savor each bite slowly, searching out the natural sweetness, and you’ll start to wake those taste buds up.
To help you learn to love the healthy desserts that love you back, here are some of my favorite dessert ideas. They incorporate Mother Nature’s sweet treats—fruits, berries, nuts, and coconut—along with gut-healing gelatin, anti-inflammatory chocolate, and other real foods.
Gummies
Do you love to snack on candy after dinner? If so, go for gummies—not the sugary store-bought kind, but the home-made kind. Gummies are loaded with gelatin, which heals your gut and reduces inflammation—and less inflammation means easier weight loss, better skin, and more energy.
Want more good news? You can make your own gummies in minutes. Here’s a great recipe for lemon-raspberry gummies that I snagged from autoimmune-paleo.com (thanks, guys!), and here’s a take on sweet-and-sour gummies from my good friend Diane Sanfilippo at balancedbites.com.
Berries and whipped coconut cream
Berries are the original dessert food—and while they’re sweet, you may be surprised to learn that they’re low in sugar compared to most fruits. In addition, they absolutely load you up with anti-inflammatory, skin-protecting nutrients.
But I hear you: Berries by themselves just don’t quite seem like dessert. So jazz them up with a big, fluffy mound of whipped cream! Of course, I’m not talking about that stuff in a spray can. I make my own whipped cream using coconut milk, which is filled with anti-inflammatory lauric acid. Coconut milk also is rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are “high-octane” fats that actually help you burn off weight.
Making your own whipped coconut cream is easy. Here are the steps:
Refrigerate a can of coconut milk for at least three hours (overnight is best).
When you’re ready to make your whipped cream, place the can, a metal mixing bowl, and the beaters from your mixer in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Pour the coconut milk into the chilled mixing bowl and add a teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract. Whip on the mixer’s highest setting until the milk is fluffy and resembles the texture of whipped cream, about five to seven minutes.
Apple crisp
Do you love crisps, crumbles, and “betties”—those wonderful combinations of gooey fruit and crunchy topping? Then try making them with almond flour and nuts. Here’s my take on a classic apple crisp, real-food style. For a change of pace, substitute pears for the apples and sliced almonds for the walnuts or pecans. And for extra zing, add half a teaspoon of dried ginger to the pears along with the lemon juice.
To make this sin-free dessert seem even more wicked, top it with whipped coconut cream. Delish.
Gelato
I always get a kick out of store-bought ice creams and gelatos that bill themselves as “natural.” Yeah— They’re naturally full of tons of sugar as well as cream, which is a real problem for many people (including me) who can’t tolerate dairy.
Want a better alternative? Then make your own ice cream or gelato with coconut milk, and sweeten it with honey. You’ll get a big dose of lauric acid from the coconut milk, and the honey has remarkable gut-healing properties.
Here’s one of my favorite gelato recipes. As a bonus, it includes sliced almonds to provide you with still more healthy fats.
Chocolate almond dip
Chocolate. Almonds. Coconut yogurt. It’s a trifecta of good-for-you goodness! Use this as a dip for apples, orange slices, or strawberries, and you’ll add even more nutritional clout. You can make this dip in the microwave in minutes; my recipe is here.
Ready-to-go desserts
Sometimes I’m tired and I just don’t feel like making dessert. Instead, I want to kick off my shoes, flop on the couch, and watch a trashy TV show. That’s when I reach for one of these healthy “instant” desserts:
A slice of watermelon. Talk about a sweet tooth satisfier! And even though watermelon tastes super-sweet, its high water content means that you’re not getting as much sugar as you might think. (Just stick to a small slice.)
A few squares of chocolate. Look for chocolate bars that are rich in cocoa (it’ll say 70% cacao or higher on the package). Buy chocolate that’s sweetened with honey or coconut, or go a little crazy and buy sugar-sweetened bars. The dark-chocolate bars are low enough in sugar that they’re okay for an occasional treat.
A handful of almonds. Yeah, I know—almonds as dessert? It sounds strange, but they give you a nice little pop of sweetness.
Coconut chips. You can buy these at any health food store (and many regular grocery stores), and they’re fabulous. Like coconut milk, they’re loaded with lauric acid. Make sure the brand you choose isn’t sweetened with sugar.
And p.s.—an occasional cheat is okay
Real-food desserts make you stronger, slimmer, and healthier, while junk-filled desserts are bad news. However, we can’t be perfect all the time—and sometimes it’s fine to sprinkle a little “fairy dust” on your diet. (I confess that once in a blue moon, I eat a doughnut.)
So if you’re at your goal weight and you’re not battling any significant health problems, I recommend following the 80-20 rule. This means that 80% of the time, you stick to real, natural foods. But if you occasionally crave a piece of pecan pie or a Starbucks cookie, it’s okay to indulge yourself.
Eighty percent of the time, however, choose healthy desserts. You won’t be depriving yourself, because these desserts taste good. If you love to cook and you want more dessert ideas (including some fancy recipes for company), check out my collection here. Bon apetit!
Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!
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Five Super-Healthy Fats You Need to Eat
by Dr. Kellyann
on Jul 10 2015
Did you hear the news? After decades of demonizing fat, the federal government is changing its mind. And all I have to say is: It’s about time.
Recently, the committee in charge of creating the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans announced that it’s dropping restrictions on total fat consumption. This is the first time since 1980 that the committee didn’t recommend a low-fat diet—the very same diet that led people to load up on grains and sugar and kick-started our current epidemics of obesity and diabetes.
The new decision is a big step in the right direction. However, I’m not doing my happy dance quite yet, because these authorities are still touting the wrong fats.
While they now acknowledge that artificially produced trans fats like margarine are bad for you, I’m sure these “experts” will still be pushing canola, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils—heavily-processed industrial seed oils that are anything but healthy. These oils are heated, bleached, and chemically altered beyond recognition, and they’re usually going rancid by the time you buy them. In addition, seed oils have a high ratio of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids in comparison to anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. If you keep up with health news, you know that inflammation underlies everything from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and cancer.
So when it comes to the government’s expert advice, it’s only half right. Yes, you need to eat fats. But you need to eat the right fats—not heavily processed, unhealthy seed oils, but natural fats that create strong cell membranes, help you lose weight and make your skin and hair gorgeous. Here are my top five choices.
Coconut oil
How do I love this oil? Let me count the ways.
First, coconut oil is packed with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Think of these as the nutritional version of high-octane gas. Unlike other fats, MCTs shoot straight from your digestive tract to your liver, giving you a quick burst of energy and revving up your metabolism. So instead of putting weight on you, they take the weight off.
Second, coconut is the most abundant natural source of lauric acid on the planet. Your body turns lauric acid into monolaurin, which has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Monolaurin also increases your blood levels of “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL) and reduces your levels of “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL).
Third, coconut oil is delicious. It has a light, ever-so-slightly coconutty taste that beautifully accents anything from curries to roasted sweet potatoes.
And finally, coconut oil is the best natural skin healer there is. I use it on my face every day instead of wrinkle cream, and I prescribe it for patients with eczema or psoriasis. It’s also a fabulous lip moisturizer, and it’s great for healing babies’ diaper rashes.
My take? Use this oil everywhere. Cook with it. Bake with it. Slather it all over yourself, from head to toe. You can’t go wrong. Just be sure to get virgin coconut oil, rather than the refined stuff.
Avocado oil
I love the mild, slightly buttery flavor of this oil. It doesn’t overwhelm your food, and you can use it for anything from marinades to mayonnaise. It’s also good for sautéing and pan roasting.
Health-wise, too, avocado oil is a winner. It increases your absorption of carotenoids, those super-healthy pigments in foods like tomatoes, carrots, and leafy veggies. It also lowers inflammation, helps optimize your metabolism, and may help you ward off diabetes and obesity.
Want more? Avocado oil is a great addition to your beauty arsenal. Try using it to clean your face; it’ll whisk makeup off easily while smoothing your crow’s feet at the same time. Also, try using a tiny bit of avocado oil as a hair conditioner.
Tallow from Grass-Fed Cows
Tallow from grass-fed beef is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is anti-inflammatory, has cancer-fighting properties, and helps you burn fat so you can lose weight faster. Grass-fed tallow also gives you a big dose of omega-3 fatty acids—far more than you get from grain-fed beef tallow.
It may take you a while to get used to the taste of tallow because it’s a little “beefy.” After a little adjustment period, however, I think you’ll grow to appreciate the real-food flavor.
One problem with tallow is that it’s a little hard to find. However, these days you can order it in bulk online. Also, if you search on “making your own tallow,” you’ll find tons of do-it-yourself tips.
Butter from Grass-Fed Cows
Like tallow, butter from grass-fed cows is rich in nutrients. The key here, again, is grass-fed. Butter from pastured cows has much higher levels of vitamins and CLA than butter from grain-fed cows. In addition, it has a far better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. And once you discover how amazing pasture-raised butter tastes, you’ll never go back to the inferior stuff.
Here’s another reason to eat butter: It contains a short-chain saturated fatty acid called butyrate, which is a powerful inflammation fighter. Research indicates that butyrate—a word actually derived from the word butter—can help prevent everything from diabetes to inflammatory bowel disease.
If you’re avoiding dairy and can’t eat butter, it’s easy to make ghee, which is butter without the milk solids. Simply heat butter gently, wait until the fat and dairy solids separate, and spoon off the solids. Ghee (also called clarified butter) will keep for three to six months in your refrigerator.
Olive oil
Olive oil is my favorite “drizzle oil.” It’s loaded with healthy monosaturated fat that helps protect your cardiovascular system, fight inflammation, and reduce your risk of cancer.
The most important thing to know about olive oil is that it has a low smoke point. I recommend using it for salad dressings, dips, and other no-cook recipes—not for sautéing or frying.
Get in the Healthy-Fat Habit
No matter which healthy fats you choose to eat, don’t short yourself. Eat about a tablespoon of fat at each meal. (That’s about a thumb-sized portion.)
If you’ve bought into the fat-is-bad myth, I know that eating this much fat may freak you out at first. But try it for six months, and I’m confident that you’ll see a big change for the better in your skin, your hair, your weight, your health, and your energy. That’s because these fats aren’t villains, as the so-called experts told you for so many years—they’re super-heroes.
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Attention, Diabetics and Pre-Diabetics: Let Me Know if this Trick Works for You!
by Dr. Kellyann
on Jun 30 2015
Occasionally, I read a new study that makes me say “hmmm” and wonder if its findings are really true. And this is one of those times.
Today, researchers reported in the journal Diabetes Care that the order in which you eat the foods on your plate might have a big effect on your blood glucose. I say “might” because this was a very small pilot study. But if you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic, or you’re watching your blood sugar carefully for other reasons, you might try out the researchers’ advice and see if it makes a difference. (If not, it’s a harmless test.)
The study involved 11 obese patients with type two diabetes, all taking metformin to help control their blood glucose levels. The volunteers ate the same meal two times, waiting a week in between. The meal consisted of orange juice, bread, chicken, a lettuce-and-tomato salad with low-fat dressing, and steamed broccoli with butter.
At one of the meals, the volunteers ate the high-carb foods (bread and orange juice) first, and then the rest of the meal 15 minutes later. The second time, they ate the protein, vegetables, and fat first, and then waited 15 minutes to eat the carbs.
The researchers checked the participants’ blood glucose levels three times after they ate. Compared to the carbs-first meal, the carbs-last meal resulted in blood sugar levels that were 29%, 37% and 17% lower at the 30-, 60- and 120-minute marks. In addition, the carbs-last meal resulted in lower insulin levels.
What’s my take on this? First, to really tackle your blood sugar levels, you need to start with a healthy diet. Center your diet around high-quality proteins, low-carb veggies, and healthy fats like coconut oil and ghee. Add starchy veggies like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash in moderation, along with a limited amount of fruits. Cut out grains, sugar, soy, industrial seed oils, and artificial flavors and colors (as well as dairy, unless you’re sure it doesn’t’ bother you). These changes will slash your blood glucose levels.
If you’re already doing all of this, experiment and see if it matters whether you eat your carbs before or after the rest of your meal. Try doing just what the study participants did: Eat exactly the same meal twice, starting with the carbs first one time and then leaving them for last the second time.
Let me know the results of your experiment… I’ll be interested to hear what happens!
Keep Thinking Big & Being Bold!
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by Dr. Kellyann
on Jun 26 2015
if you’re experiencing a major case of butt sag, it’s time to fight back with these “buns of steel’ exercises. They look simple, but you’ll definitely feel your glutes the next day.
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What Can I Do to Help My Psoriasis?
by Dr. Kellyann
on May 08 2015
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an itchy skin condition that affects millions. Here’s how to heal the cause of psoriasis so it’s really gone, and you’re healthier than ever…
Psoriasis is a condition in which the skin develops dry, scaly, itchy, red patches. It’s very common—according to the National Psoriasis Foundation about 2-3% of the world’s population has it. Unfortunately, it’s commonly treated in ways that don’t really get to the cause of the problem. I want to tell you how to do that, so you can actually heal from psoriasis and prevent it from coming back. Psoriasis is generally referred to as a “skin disease,” but it’s really an autoimmune disease—a symptom on your skin reflecting that your immune system has gone wonky and forgotten how to behave properly.
Your body has, in essence, developed antibodies against your own cells. Usually, psoriasis is an indicator of “leaky gut,” the condition that leads you to develop an autoimmune issue in the first place. Psoriasis is also a sign of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine. Fortunately, this immune system “confusion” can be reversed. While most conventional treatments, such as applying topical steroids only address the skin—and can have unwanted side effects—the best approach is to build a strong and healthy “internal terrain.”
How to manage psoriasis?
It is important to focus on the interplay between leaky gut, stress, inflammation, and food sensitivities. And that takes a multi-layered approach that includes working with your internal systems, your mind, and your skin. Let’s start with the skin. Topically, you should apply coconut oil directly to the affected areas.
What supplements should I take for my psoriasis?
EPA (omega 3 fatty acid) 1200 mg twice per day: helps calm down the skin
Zinc 20 mg per day: helps with skin healing and repair
Probiotics as needed: major gut healer
D3 5000 mg: helps with a number of things including autoimmune diseases
What is the best diet for psoriasis?
Additionally, there are some dietary changes to make. You’ll need to alkalize your body (to get your cells and surrounding tissues healthy). Coffee is a major acidifier, so you need to eliminate that. If you’re a coffee drinker, switch to green tea. Also, drink bone broth—at least a mug a day (several mugs is better). This will help a great deal in healing the gut.
In addition, cut out dairy—it’s the biggest player in psoriasis in terms of food sensitivities. Allergy testing for food sensitivities is never a bad idea, but often just cutting out dairy makes a huge difference. For more about what to eat and what not to eat when you have an autoimmune disease, see My “Real Food” Autoimmune Protocol.
What are other things I can do to help my psoriasis?
Finally, stress reduction such as meditation can help significantly since stress can be a major factor in autoimmune diseases. The important thing to remember is that psoriasis isn’t something you just have to manage and live with. You can heal it. And in the process, you will make your whole body stronger and healthier.
Keep Living Big & Being Bold!
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Leafy Greens and Blueberries: Keeping You Young and Happy
by Dr. Kellyann
on May 05 2015
Leafy greens dramatically slow brain aging. Blueberries show promise for treating a common mental health condition. Here’s what’s just been discovered…
Don’t you love it when research discovers new, miraculous benefits you can get from eating common foods?
To me there’s nothing more exciting. So let me give you the good news:
Leafy greens can help slow the aging of your brain
Blueberries show promise for treating post-traumatic stress disorder
Okay, do I have your attention?
Let’s start with leafy greens.
A recent study by Rush University evaluated the cognitive abilities of 950 older men and women over a period ranging between two and 10 years. Initially, participants filled out in-depth questionnaires about their daily eating habits. Then they were given a battery of tests annually to measure their cognitive functioning. Incredibly, the results showed that those who ate a serving or two of leafy greens daily had, on average, the cognitive functioning of someone 11 years younger than those who didn’t consume leafy greens.
The leafy greens actually slowed mental decline by an average of 11 years!
Leafy greens are high in nutrients such as beta-carotene, folate, lutein, and vitamin K, and researchers think that’s why they have so much impact on our brains.
And the many nutrients in leafy greens have previously been shown to offer a number of other benefits, including:
Reducing the risk of heart disease and some cancers
Promoting bone health
Contributing to eye health
So the reasons for eating plenty of greens are plentiful. And now that we’re discovering how leafy greens protect the brain, consuming them daily seems smarter than ever.
How about blueberries?
There are many reasons to love them. They’re delicious and give lots of us warm cozy thoughts of bygone summers. But more importantly, blueberries are full of vitamins and nutrients. And studies have shown that these little berries:
Reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, and some cancers
Promote bone health
Contribute to maintaining healthy blood pressure
Assist in the management of diabetes
Reduce age-related cognitive decline while improving short-term memory and motor coordination
Combat wrinkles
And now there’s a surprising new discovery about blueberries.
They may turn out to be an even better way to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than medicines like Paxil or Zoloft.
It’s too early for those being treated for PTSD to throw away their meds in favor of berries. But that time might come. Let me explain.
Right now, the standard treatment for PTSD involves selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and their level of efficacy varies from patient to patient.
One reason SSRIs may not be as reliably effective as we’d like is that they raise levels of both serotonin and the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Researchers think that raising serotonin is helpful for PTSD sufferers, but raising norepinephrine—the stress hormone that makes our heart beat faster and our hands sweat when we have the fight-or-flight response—is not.
In an exciting new development, researchers at Louisiana State University, using an animal model of PTSD, found that animals with PTSD given a blueberry-enriched diet showed a beneficial increase in serotonin with no increase in norepinephrine.
This means blueberries hold potential for being a more effective PTSD treatment than SSRIs. And this could have applications for other disorders and brain issues as well.
Now, as I said, if you’re being treated for PTSD, it’s too early to just ditch your medicine. (If you’re taking a medication that’s not working well for you, talk to your doctor.) But it’s definitely not too early for all of us to incorporate blueberries into our regular diet.
When it comes to blueberries and leafy greens, researchers will probably be discovering new miracle benefits for years to come. But eating them regularly now gives you the best chance of experiencing those coming years with a strong, healthy body and a sharp, youthful mind.
Keep Living Big & Being Bold!
Blog
Newly Discovered: Most Important Times to Avoid Junk Food
by Dr. Kellyann
on Apr 14 2015
Science has identified the two most critical times for warding off junk food addiction and obesity. This knowledge can help us safeguard our kids against future struggles. I’ll explain how.
Scientists have pinpointed the two most critical times for warding off junk food addiction and preventing obesity.
It’s a fascinating new discovery that, like so many other things, brings us back to the parents. But it’s a good development because it will help us do an even better job safeguarding our kids against future struggle.
People have been joking forever about the unusual food cravings some women experience during pregnancy.
But we’re just starting to understand how a pregnant woman’s eating habits can actually affect her baby down the road.
And it’s not the out-of-the-ordinary cravings we should be most concerned about.
It’s the junk food so many Americans—pregnant or not—crave all the time that can cause problems.
Blog
by Dr. Kellyann
on Apr 10 2015
Kelp can supercharge your metabolism, ward off inflammation and disease, and help save our oceans.
Are you vacationing at the beach this year? If so, I hope you’ll take a minute to admire one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts to us. I’m talking about kelp. Yes, kelp—that seaweed that washes up on the beach and makes your kids say, “Eeeeuuw.” Kelp may look like beach trash, but it’s actually one of the planet’s most powerful super-foods. The Japanese have known this all along, which is why it stars in so many of their dishes. Now everyone else is catching on, and that’s a great thing. Here are some of the reasons why kelp deserves a spot on your plate.
Let’s start with iodine.
Many people are trying to avoid overusing table salt these days. In addition, more and more of us are switching to sea salt or pink Himalayan salt because these are rich in trace minerals and free of additives. Both of these are good trends, but they have one downside: We’re not getting as much iodine in our diets. While regular table salt is fortified with iodine, sea salt and pink Himalayan salt aren’t. As a result, many of us are at risk for an iodine deficiency. That’s bad news, because low iodine levels can contribute to obesity, heart disease, psychiatric disorders, and some types of cancer. Fortunately, here’s where kelp can come to the rescue. Since it grows in the ocean, it’s loaded with iodine. As a result, it can keep your thyroid (and, in turn, your metabolism) at peak function. That means a slimmer, healthier you.
And that’s not all…
Kelp is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It provides a good dose of protein along with 46 minerals, 16 amino acids, and 11 micronutrients—all in a low-calorie package. When you add a serving of kelp to your diet, you’ll get a dose of:
Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, and E
Copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc
Folic acid
Calcium
In addition, many types of kelp contain fucoxanthin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cancer-fighting properties. Fucoxanthin and other bioactive compounds in kelp can also help you lose fat faster. Want more? One substance in kelp, called fucoidan, can help keep your bones strong. In addition, it may help lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol.
How clean is kelp—and what form is best?
Some people caution about eating kelp, citing concerns about consuming toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic. However, the kelp that gets sold fresh in stores comes from certified waters that are tested every week. (This is an area where we actually have pretty good regulations.) It’s best, if possible, to eat your kelp in its fresh plant form, rather than as a supplement. It’s most effective that way, and you’ll avoid getting needlessly high doses. Taking too much kelp as a supplement—a mistake that many people make—can send your thyroid into overdrive, causing lots of nasty (and potentially dangerous) problems.
Where can you get kelp—and how can you use it?
The best places to get fresh kelp are Whole Foods, other health food stores, and Asian markets. You can use it in salads, soups, smoothies, and sauces (especially in Asian dishes). You can also get kelp noodles, which are a tasty and fun way to eat kelp. There’s no established amount of fresh kelp you should eat every day. As a rule of thumb, the Japanese diet traditionally includes about 3 tablespoons daily. That’s a good goal, because it’s an easy amount to work into your meals. So the next time you’re shopping, add this superfood from the sea to your grocery list. If you’re serious about staying slim and healthy, kelp can help!
Keep thinking big and living bold!
