Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Broccoli Bliss!

Have you ever wondered how to take fresh from the farm broccoli and put it up for the winter?  Have you ever tasted fresh summer broccoli in the cold of late January?  Well, I'm ready to do just that!  Here's how you can put up broccoli for the winter!

STEP 1:
Make friends with your farmer!  I'm super lucky to be friends with a co-worker who helps kids grow during the school year and grows produce in the summer!  So, get your veggies from your farmer.


Box 'O Veggies from J & L Farms
STEP 2:
Cut up your broccoli.  Do you like a lot of stalk on your broccoli?  I sure don't.  So, since I'm cutting it up myself, I discard much of the stalkiness.  I love using my chef's knife for this.

Broccoli crown to yummy bite size pieces.

Pile 'O Broccoli

STEP 3:
Get ready to blanch!  I had never blanched anything until last summer.  It's really a breeze.  Get a pot to boil water in, a large bowl with ice water (lots of ice!), a strainer, and a bed of paper towels for extra draining.  Don't forget a big slotted spoon!

Boil broccoli for about 3 minutes, then immediately cool in ice water for another 3 minutes.  Drain and dry.  That's it!  Then you are ready to package and freeze.









STEP 4:
Package and freeze.  I recently bought a foodsaver, and this was my first time using it.  It was a little temperamental, but I got the hang of it quickly.  If you are using a foodsaver, be sure to prefreeze your broccoli for at least 2 hours before sealing to get out more moisture.



Enjoy your veggies in the winter!  I need more freezer space!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Recipe: Stone-Ground Roasted Pork Tenderloin


The photo just doesn't do this justice!  I tried a new recipe tonight, and it was pretty good!  I found the original recipe (before tweaking) here for Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin.  I was looking for a stellar pork tenderloin recipe since they were recently on sale at the g-store.  And yes, they are not organic.  And yes, they are not grass-fed.  Sometimes, when gasoline is four dollars a gallon, I have to take advantage of a meat sale.  Just sayin'...

Well, I didn't have some of the exact ingredients the original recipe called for, so I happily tweaked and prayed it would turn out okay.  Here's what I did.

Ingredients:
1 cup (Simply Apple) Apple Juice
1/4 cup Stone Ground Mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
1 pound pork tenderloin

Directions:
1.  Combine the apple juice, mustard, rosemary, garlic and pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Withhold 1/3 cup of mixture and put in refrigerator.  Add the rest of the mixture to a plastic bag with the remaining mixture.  Marinade for 2 hours.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3.  In a baking dish (I used a glass dish), place pork (less the marinade in the bag, discard) in the dish.  Pour the remaining 1/3 cup mixture from the refrigerator over the pork.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees and the juices run clear.  (I had to cook mine for 1 hour 10 minutes because my oven is goofy!).


Next time, I would probably make more marinade sauce.  I would also marinade it overnight instead of just after work until cooking time.  I served this up with some sweet corn from my freezer that I froze last summer.  I added just a little butter to the corn and YUM!

*This post was part of Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Recipe: Beef Barley Soup

Beef Barley Soup - Yum!
Since winter made a comeback this weekend (brrrr!), I decided to post this recipe for a hearty, warm winter soup.  My Mom makes this soup at home a lot, but I think she originally got the recipe from Lenten Soup Suppers at church.  It's very easy to adjust for flavor and veggies, and I typically just throw whatever I find in the freezer into the soup pot.  Super easy, yummy, frugal, and satisfying.


Beef Barley Soup
 
1 lb. ground beef (I use grass fed beef from Greenwood Farms!)
1 T olive oil (or your choice cooking fat)
2 c. chunky med. salsa (or whatever level of hotness you want.  Last time, I used 1/2 medium & 1/2 hot, and it was pretty hot!)
2/3 c. quick barley (I usually add extra barley to make it heartier.)
2/3 c. cauliflower and/ or frozen peas (in the picture above, I used peas, green beans, sliced zucchini, and frozen corn)
2 T minced dried onion
5 c. beef broth (add some water if you used extra barley)
1 C julienne strips of carrots (I used whole baby carrots...lazy...)
1 T basil (adjust based on how many veggies or barley you add)
1 (15 to 16 oz.) can red beans, rinsed
 
Brown beef and onion in olive oil, drain grease, if necessary.  Add broth, salsa, carrots, barley, beef, and basil to a large stock pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer, cook uncovered 10 minutes.  Add cauliflower and/ or peas.  Cook 5 minutes.  Then add beans and cook to heat throughout.
 
Very easy!  Basically, you just dump and cook.  I typically double the recipe, let cool to room temperature, portion and freeze for later consumption.  You could definitely double this recipe but only use 1 pound of beef for an extra frugal way to stock your freezer (I LOVE my deep freezer!).

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Meal Planning Saturday

I've been away for a while, but I'm back for now!  Grad school can get crazy along with my regular full time job and blogging goes down the drain.  But here's my meal plan for the upcoming week!
Meal Plan for 3/26/2011

I'm hoping the chicken casserole will turn out okay...it's supposed to be with broccoli, but asparagus was on sale this week so I am going to attempt using it instead (crossing fingers).  I will be trying a new recipe tomorrow:  Persian Lentil Soup.  I'm not sure I've ever cooked with lentils before, but I definitely have some on the pantry shelf!  And, it's a frugal choice!  And, I'm going to try and soak them efficiently.  I'm off to Whole Foods to pick up a few groceries (in the SNOW!), then back home for a domestically packed Saturday!

What are you eating this week?

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Meal Planning

My meal plan last week went differently than I planned...I had WAY more leftovers than I anticipated on having.  Therefore, I ate baked oatmeal and shepherd's pie all week with some variation at lunch.  It was definitely more economical, though, having one pound of ground beef stretch throughout my entire week of dinners.  This week, I'm trying to accommodate for the possibility of having a mega-leftover situation again.

Here is my meal plan for the week of 2/12/2011:

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Recipe: Shepherd's Pie

Simmering in the skillet
The only times I remember eating shepherd's pie were the times when I lived in the college dorm.  Yes, good old college dorm food.  I don't remember it being very tomato-y, but I remember greasy ground meat, and layers of veggies topped with mashed potatoes.

So, when searching for new healthier recipes, I was part excited about trying a shepherd's pie recipe and part uneasy.  I tweaked this recipe with much success!  My only problem is that I ate one small square on Monday night when I made it, and I was totally full.  I had planned my menu this week to have leftovers for a few nights, but now I might need to freeze some single servings so it won't go bad.  It made a LOT!  My advice is to use a deep casserole dish.  Mine was deep, but it still bubbled over the sides a bit when cooking.  Luckily, I put a jelly roll pan underneath it to catch drippings when in the oven.  Go me for thinking ahead. :)

Ingredients:
8 red potatoes
8 carrots
Milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste for mashed potato/carrot mixture

1 lb. grass fed beef
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves
1 - 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (the original recipe called for 20 ounce, but I only had 28 ounce and it turned out fine).
3 tsp basil
2 tbl honey
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground mustard
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
4 c. of frozen vegetables (I used corn, zucchini, and green beans)
1.5 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
First, make the potato mixture.  Chop 8 carrots in small pieces and cut potatoes.  Put in a pot of boiling water and cook until soft.  When soft, drain and mash by hand adding in milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.  **Note: I hand mashed my potatoes and carrots and left the skin on the potatoes for a more rustic sort of mix.  Picture below.

While the potatoes and carrots are cooking...
1.  Add ground beef to skillet and brown.
2.  When beef is about half way brown, add minced garlic and chopped onion to skillet.
3.  When onion starts to look translucent and beef is brown, add spices and tomato.  Taste and add more seasoning if desired.  Simmer for about 25 minutes.
4.  Add frozen veggies and simmer for an additional 10 minutes (or until frozen veggies are hot).
5.  Pour tomato and beef mixture into deep 9x13 casserole dish.
6.  Assemble mashed potato and carrot mixture on top of the tomato and beef mixture.
7.  Top with sharp cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of paprika.
8.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

YUM!  I'll be eating this for days because I'm only cooking for one, but this was good and filling packed with veggies and healthy beef.

Brown the beef with garlic and onion

Simmer the tomatoes, veggies, and spices.

Layer on your potatoes and carrots on the tomato-beef mixture

Cheese, please!

Hot and cheesy out of the oven!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Cultured Food


I'm posting today about a really cool class I'm excited to sign up for...if I can pinch enough pennies together to afford it!  Luckily, there is a giveaway for a free class registration and I want it!

I've bought some fermented foods at the store that haven't been pasteurized, but they are hard to come by and crazy insane expensive.  A small jar of sauerkraut at Whole Foods was $9.99!  That's just not right.

So, I'm curious about making my own concoctions.  I've read part of the book Wild Fermentation, but I still find letting things get icky on my counter a little intimidating.

I'm currently reading about the GAPS diet, and I should probably learn some of these techniques before starting that adventure, if I choose to go that route.  I hate doing things that are trendy or a fad, and I feel like GAPS is turning into a fad.  But, I'm doing my research and will then decide.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Mindful Monday: Captivating

I want this blog to be about more than food and bodily health because I believe that the mind, emotions, and soul can effect your physical health.  So, on Mondays, I'm going to share something that can expand your mind, heal your heart, help with stress relief, etc.

Today, I want to share one of my favorite books:

Captivating by Eldredge
Now, this book isn't exclusively "Catholic," but I like many of the ideas in this book.  It's easy to read, and it's one of the few books that I've read multiple times.  In fact, I wanted to take a picture of all the notes and drawings I have made in my copy, but I think one of my friends *ahem, Kelly* still has the copy I lent to her a while ago.

This book helped me through many difficult situations in my life by reminding me of my purpose as a woman and that I am loved.  It helped lead me in a "Catholic" way to Mary, the Rosary, and the Eucharist.  I invite you to read a bit of this book and see if it help expand your mind, calm your fears, or make your soul sing.



Baked Oatmeal: Smiles and Update

Rolled Oats
I previously posted the recipe for the baked oatmeal I tried yesterday along with my disappointment in how it turned out.  I had this nagging feeling like something important was missing.  Something sweet, but not necessarily sugar.  WHAT was it!?!  Well, this morning, after doctoring up my slice of oatmeal a little more I realized what the problem was.

Raisins!

Yes!  I figured it out, and I'm kicking myself for not figuring it out earlier.  Duh.  This morning, I realized that the baked oatmeal was much better cold and not hot out of the oven.  It was very dense, but filling that way.  I added cinnamon and real maple syrup to it today, which helped some with the sweetness, but raisins would be much, much better.

So, I say go ahead and make this lovely cake-y breakfast, but take my advice and let it cool, add some cinnamon, and get the raisin-y goodness in there!

Finally, I can say...YUM!

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Recipe: Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal
I was really looking forward to this breakfast recipe so I could do something different with my oatmeal.  Let's be honest, a normal bowl of oatmeal most mornings can get old very quickly.  But, I wasn't thrilled with this recipe this morning as is...  I even put a good amount of cinnamon on top, but that didn't seem to really help.  On the site where I found this recipe originally, the blog comments mentioned adding spices and maple syrup.  I think next time I'll try more add ins.  I do think it's worth another attempt with tweaking, but the tweak-factor will require some thought.

Ingredients:
6 c.  rolled oats
3 bananas
3 c. buttermilk (or yogurt)
2 eggs
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 c. coconut oil

Directions:
1. (Optional) Soak oats in buttermilk (or yogurt) on countertop for optimal nutrition.
2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3.  combine all ingredients until well combined.
4.  Pour into greased baking dish (I greased with coconut oil, and it burned! Need a solution...) and bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes.

Like I said before, it was a little bland.  I felt like it needed a spice kick and a bit more sweetness.  I also used more walnuts (because I'm a big nut!).  I will post a follow-up when I try this one again after I figure out the tweak-factor.

Mix 'er up

Put 'er in the dish

Hot out of zee oven!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Recipe: Mac and Cheese (Not from a box)

Yummy Mac & Cheese

Cheesy comfort.  MMM...  This is one of my favorite comfort foods.  A recipe passed down from my Gramma, the taste of this recipe always reminds me of family.  Although this is a simple recipe, it tastes so much better than the famous box mix.  Just my humble opinion...

Ingredients:
1 cup dry macaroni pasta
1 cup milk (I used organic whole milk)
2 Tbl butter (I used pastured butter)
2 Tbl flour (I used organic whole wheat sprouted flour)
Sharp cheddar cheese (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Bring water to boil and cook pasta.  Drain.
2.  While pasta is cooking, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Add milk and flour, stirring frequently.  Continue cooking until sauce has thickened.  Add some cheese and incorporate into sauce.
3.  In your casserole dish, combine cooked pasta and white sauce.  Top with additional cheese.
4.  Melt cheese under broiler.  Or, if your broiler doesn't work like mine, melt cheese in oven at 450 degrees. :)

YUMMY!!!  This is a halved recipe from the original and fits well in a 1-quart casserole dish.  For a family, my Mom always doubled it and used a 2 quart casserole.  I usually serve with salmon croquettes or a ham based dish.

Combine cooked pasta with cream sauce in casserole dish.

Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese.

Mac and Cheese with Salmon Croquettes

Recipe: Salmon Croquettes



Nourishing salmon in a recipe passed down from my Gramma.  My Mom would make this all the time growing up, and it's one of those comforting dishes that feels like home.  I always say that home is where your Mom is (and my Mom loves it!).  :)

I changed a few things from what my Mom does for this recipe (gasp!).  I used whole wheat sprouted flour instead of all purpose flour.  Additionally, I used peanut oil instead of icky rancid vegetable or canola oil.  It was my first experience with peanut oil, and it was nice to know my food didn't taste like peanuts or like it came from a Chinese fast food restaurant!  Double woot!

The worst part about making this recipe is the yuck factor with the canned salmon.  EWWW!  Removing the round bones and skin is not my favorite thing.  Ever.  But it's worth it in the long run.  I promise.

Ingredients:
1 large can of red salmon (I guess pink would work, too)
2 pieces of soft sandwich bread
1 egg
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Tbl. flour (I used whole wheat organic sprouted flour)
Peanut Oil (or preferred oil for frying)

Directions:
1.  Add oil to skillet at low-medium heat.
2.  Drain salmon.  Remove round bones and skin (ick!).  Long thin bones can be left in.  Flake in medium bowl.
3.  Add egg, salt, pepper, and bread (torn in small pieces).  combine with hands until mixed thoroughly.
4.  Make patties of desired size in hands (larger patty = longer cooking time).  Dust with flour on both sides.
5.  Place patties in pan with hot oil.
6.  Cook on each side for approximately 10 minutes or until you reach your desired crispiness (I like crispy edges).
7.  When finished, place on layers of paper towels to drain excess oil.

YUM!  You can always add more bread for a filler to make more patties, but be sure to add more egg or moisture to help bind the patties together.


Friday, February 4, 2011

Meal Planning

Planning a week's worth of meals is one of my least favorite things to do, and therefore, I don't do it very often!  I'm really trying to change that bad habit.  So, I've decided to give myself a deadline and share my tentative meal plan for each week here.  It's a big undertaking!  I don't know about you, but I tend to make meal decisions based on how I feel, how stressed or busy I am, or what I'm "in the mood for."  But, I feel that some of my stress will be reduced if I don't have to worry about what I'm having every meal...it will be all laid out and pretty in a chart for me to reference.  So, without further ado, here is my meal plan:


I'm not sure how well you can see this lovely screen shot of my meal plan (click on it to enlarge), but it's all there, along with references to some new recipes I'm going to try out this week!  I'm still a bit of a loss on the "Snackies!" section, but I have an e-book on healthy snacky foods that I may need to break down and try out this weekend.

Now, I'm curious to see how well I stick to this plan.  I think if I can assemble the Shepherd's Pie this weekend so it's ready to go on Monday night, I should be in pretty good shape.  I may need to do some soup cooking this weekend, as I've been eating a LOT of soup out of my freezer recently, and it's getting a little sparse!  To this plan, I still need to add my prep activities and additional cooking in order to replenish my freezer supply. However, I am way too tired at the moment to get that accomplished!  Happy meal planning to all, and to all a good night! :)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Sally Fallon-Key Principals of Traditional Diet

Sally Fallon-Milk

Sally Fallon-Broths

Sally Fallon- The Queen of Butter

Sally Fallon- Soy Foods

Sally Fallon- Preparing Grains

Sally Fallon- Fermented Foods

Sally Fallon-USDA Food Pyramid

Recipe: White Beans and Greens



I have been searching for new recipes that would be work lunch friendly using ingredients I have in my home.  I've also been trying to look at my grocery bill and determine how many times a week I can eat veggie or cut costs without eating peanut butter for lunch everyday.  I found this soup recipe at The Nourishing Gourmet and decided to give it a go.  I had never really had white beans before, nor had I cooked with spinach besides the frozen block of spinach in a spin dip recipe.  The one thing I didn't like about this recipe is that if you don't eat it all right away, the spinach turns from bright pretty green to dull skunky green.  I took some out today for lunch and no more pretty green spinach.  Oh well, it still tasted fine!  I tweaked the recipe a little from the original because I didn't have any tomato paste.  In the future, I think I will use both fresh tomatoes and tomato paste, and that is reflected in this recipe.  I might also consider tearing up the spinach or chopping into smaller pieces.


White Beans and Greens

1 bag of Great Northern Beans
13 cups of water
9 cloves of garlic
4 tsp Oregano
3 bay leaves
2 tsp Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/3 c. + 2 tbl olive oil
1/2 c. fresh diced tomatoes
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish

1.  Soak dried beans overnight in water.
2.  Rinse and sort beans.
3.  Add water, 2 tbl of olive oil, beans, bay leaves, and 3 garlic cloves (peeled and smushed) to stock pot.  Bring to just a boil, then continue to simmer until beans are tender (it took me about an hour).
4.  When the beans are tender, combine rest of olive oil, oregano, tomato paste, 6 garlic cloves (put through garlic press), fresh tomatoes.  Smush fresh tomatoes with end of spatula while cooking, and continue to cook until the oil begins to turn red and the garlic is soft.
5.  Remove bay leaves.
6.  Add tomato/oil mixture to stock pot with beans.
7.  Add spinach to stock pot with beans, cook about 5 minutes or until the spinach is tender.
8.  Season with salt/pepper to taste.
9.  Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese on top.

Yum!  I was originally apprehensive because of all the olive oil in this recipe, but it is definitely not "oily" in the final presentation.  The taste was different for me because my beans are usually in a taco or chili situation, but with the parm cheese, this was very good and filling!  I ate mine with bread and butter and a glass of whole milk.



Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sugar Free Challenge: The Rest of the Week


Well, even with two snow days from work, I still didn't find the time to blog every day about the sugar free challenge this week.

I must admit, there were three days (less than half!) that I ate a few Hersey's kisses.  Bad, I know.  But I think being snowed in with 9+ inches of snow makes one want to snuggle up in flannel snowflake pajama pants, fuzzy pink slippers, Stargate SG-1 on DVD, and a little bit of chocolate.

Things I learned this week without refined sugars...

Once I got over the initial cravings, headaches, and fatigue, it wasn't so bad.  In fact, I had some major energy bursts and focused work time.

My appetite decreased.  I would guess that this is because I was eating more healthy fats that filled me up quicker and were overall more satisfying to my hunger.  Example:  Tonight, I made potato soup and polish sausage with cheddar on top (like my Mom makes).  It looked so good, but I could barely eat a few bites before feeling full.  Oh well, potato soup for lunch tomorrow at work!  Yum!  Plus, I've been craving liquids (no soda for me!).  The only caffeine I've been drinking is unsweetened iced tea.  Trying to modef keep it that way.  I think it has just enough caffeine to give me a little boost without all the crazy HFCS.  The other weird craving has been cheese!  I have been eating lots of cheese.  I hope to maybe decrease this a little, but for this week's challenge, I thought that cheese was a better choice than a large coke from McDonald's.  Yes?  Yes.

I saved a lot of money.  Yes, hard earned cash money.  Not only did I give up sugar, but this meant no eating out because, let's be honest, sugar is in most fast food and I don't have an ingredient list to look at when I go to the Olive Garden.  Looking at my bank account, I spent more money at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Greenwood Farms, US Wellness Meats, and Dierberg's, but I saved money in the long run from eating out.  I ate a lot out of my freezer and I need to stock up again on homemade soups and meals that I make ahead of time and freeze (beef barley soup, potato soup, spaghetti sauce, beef stew, chicken and quinoa soup).

I'm definitely going to stay conscious of what I'm eating and if refined sugar can be avoided.  I'm still not sure what I'm going to do for family birthdays and the cake dilemma or eating at my parent's house, but I suppose I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

An unexpected thing that happened this week was that I was also free of refined flour - without even really trying!  I have been eating sprouted bread for a while instead of regular whole wheat bread, but the eating out thing kept refined flour in my tummy.  Well, it was out this week.  I have some sprouted flour (wheat, spelt, and rye) and I'd like to start baking my own bread...mainly because buying the sprouted bread from the store is uber expensive, and the bread isn't very soft - more stiff and crunchy.  I'm still searching for a great sprouted flour homemade bread recipe to use with my new Pampered Chef loaf stone.

If I can go sugar free for a week, so can you!  Try it out!

Debunking the Cholesterol Myth

http://blog.grasslandbeef.com/debunking-the-cholesterol-myth/Default.aspx?utm_campaign=DebunkingCholesterolMyth&utm_source=newsletter


DEBUNKING THE CHOLESTEROL MYTH

By: Catherine Ebeling, RN, BSN

I talk to so many well-informed people who are vigilant about their healthy diet, but the one thing that comes up over and over again is the total avoidance of cholesterol and saturated fats. Anyone who pays attention to the news has become absolutely convinced that high cholesterol and saturated fat intake will lead directly to heart disease.

In spite of several research studies that have come out and exonerated cholesterol as the villain in heart disease, the media and mainstream medicine have yet to adopt this fact.

Why? Well statin drugs (cholesterol lowering medications) are one of the top selling medications in the US, and as the drug companies continually seek to lower the cholesterol level guidelines for administration of these drugs, there is no absolutely no motivation to stop this moneymaking practice. The drug companies would like you to stay convinced that you MUST lower your cholesterol in order to live a long and healthy life.

Physicians have been taught for the past four decades that cholesterol is dangerous and that it must be lowered at all costs. The “cholesterol is harmful” hypothesis, although never proven, has come to be accepted as an unquestionable fact by physicians and patients alike. Information about cholesterol actually being beneficial and not harmful tends to fall upon deaf ears.

Physicians have become focused on lowering cholesterol to the lowest possible level that they have lost sight of the primary goal of health care, which is to keep individuals functioning at the highest level possible for as long as possible. Does lowering cholesterol to its lowest possible point help the patient in the long run? The overall health of the patient is often overlooked and ends up declining as a result of the intervention for lowering cholesterol.

Did you know that approximately 75% of the people who suffer heart attacks have cholesterol levels within the ‘normal’ range?

The “cholesterol is harmful” hypothesis is a theory that came about over the past 200 years to explain the atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

An English physician, Caleb Hiller who, way back in 1799, found a gritty, waxy substance in coronary arteries while doing an autopsy, first discovered coronary artery hardening. He discovered that this thick substance was within the arteries themselves.

In 1815 another English physician, Joseph Hodgson, advanced a new theory of atherosclerosis. Hodgson suggested that inflammation was actually the underlying cause of the arterial disease rather that it being a normal part of the aging process. Hodgson’s theory ended up mostly ignored.

In 1841, Carl Von Rokitansk, one of the first pathologists, proposed that deposits observed in the inner layer of arteries were derived from substances circulating in the blood. The primary component of arterial plaque was shown to be from cholesterol.

In 1949 Dr. J.W. Gofman, an American suggested that LDL cholesterol was the cause of this atherosclerotic plaque. The hypothesis gained additional support when autopsies of young soldiers killed in the Korean War revealed that 77.3 % had cholesterol deposits in their coronary arteries.

Following the observation that death rate from heart attacks were much lower in areas where the food supply was low during World War II, a University of Minnesota researcher, Dr. Ansel Keys, conducted studies on dietary fat and heart disease beginning in the 1950s. As a result of his studies Dr. Keys became an advocate of what is now known as the Mediterranean Diet, a diet high in vegetable oils and low in saturated fat.

The “cholesterol is harmful” advocates eagerly endorsed Dr. Keys’ findings, but he did not actually state that he thought cholesterol was the direct cause of heart disease or atherosclerosis. He pointed out that just because cholesterol is present in arterial plaque does not mean that cholesterol is the underlying cause of arterial buildup.

After Dr. Keys’ results came out, dieticians, physicians, and medical researchers all ran to jump on the “cholesterol is harmful” bandwagon. The movement steadily picked up momentum during the 1960s and 1970s.

Despite its popularity, the “cholesterol is harmful” theory remains unproven. Conclusive proof that cholesterol itself is harmful does not exist.

Total cholesterol levels of 250 mg/dL or even 300 mg/dL used to be considered to be within the normal range. As drug therapy to reduce cholesterol became available the “normal” levels were dropped to 240 mg/dL or less and then to 220 mg/dL, and today 180-200 mg/dL are being pushed by the drug manufacturers.

Before lowering the acceptable levels of cholesterol it would have been wise to ask, “Does the benefit of lowering one’s cholesterol outweigh the risks involved in doing so?”

After 50 years of pursuing the “cholesterol is harmful” hypothesis, very few tangible results have resulted from this hypothesis.

Several studies show benefits of cholesterol, although many physicians and drug companies push on to continue to lower overall cholesterol levels.

People with high cholesterol have been shown to live the longest. This statement seems so incredible that it takes a long time to clear one’s brainwashed mind to fully understand the significance of it. However, the fact that people with high cholesterol live the longest shows clearly in many scientific papers.

Consider the findings of Dr. Harlan Krumholz of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University, who reported in 1994 that elderly people with low cholesterol died twice as often from a heart attack as did elderly people with high cholesterol. In fact, most studies of elderly people have shown that high cholesterol is not a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

While some studies purportedly do so, it is very difficult to demonstrate a cholesterol-lowering benefit in women and in either sex over the age of fifty. Rather than showing that high cholesterol levels are dangerous in people over sixty, studies have repeatedly found that senior citizens with high cholesterol levels tend to live longer than their peers with low cholesterol values. As a group, elderly people with higher levels of cholesterol outlive those with low levels of cholesterol.

Almost twenty studies found that high cholesterol was not a risk factor nor did it predict mortality.

If you consider that more than 90% of all cardiovascular disease is seen in people over the age of 60, and that almost all studies have found that high cholesterol is not a risk factor for women, the means that high cholesterol is only a risk factor for less than 5 % of those who die from a heart attack.

And as an additional comfort to those with high overall cholesterol, six of the studies found that total mortality was inversely associated with either total or LDL cholesterol, or both. This means that it is actually much better to have high than to have low cholesterol if you want to live to be very old.

Many studies have found that low cholesterol is in certain respects worse than high cholesterol. For instance, in 19 large studies of more than 68,000 deaths, reviewed by Professor David R. Jacobs and his co-workers from the Division of Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, low cholesterol predicted an increased risk of dying from gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases.

In 1976, one of the most promising theories about the cause of atherosclerosis was the Response-to-Injury Hypothesis, presented by Russell Ross, a professor of pathology, and John Glomset, a professor of biochemistry and medicine at the Medical School, University of Washington in Seattle. They suggested that atherosclerosis is the consequence of an inflammatory process, where the first step is a localized injury to the thin layer of cells lining the inside of the arteries, the intima. The injury causes inflammation and the raised plaques that form are simply healing lesions.

This is not a new theory. In 1911, two American pathologists from the Pathological Laboratories, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Oskar Klotz and M.F. Manning, published a summary of their studies of the human arteries and concluded the same findings.

Researchers have proposed many potential causes of vascular injury, including mechanical stress, exposure to tobacco fumes, high LDL cholesterol, oxidized cholesterol, homocysteine, high blood sugar, iron overload, copper deficiency, deficiencies of vitamins A and D, consumption of trans fatty acids, microorganisms and many more.

In an article published in November 2005, Japanese researcher H. Okuyama concluded, “ . . . reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol and increasing that of polyunsaturated fatty acid are ineffective in reducing total cholesterol in the long run, but rather increase mortality rates from coronary heart disease and all causes . . . high total cholesterol is not positively associated with high coronary heart disease mortality rates among general populations (those without any other risk factor such as smoking, obesity, diabetes, etc.) over 40-50 years of age. More importantly, higher total cholesterol values are associated with lower cancer and all mortality rates among these populations . . . Although the effectiveness of statins in preventing coronary heart disease has been accepted in Western countries, little benefit seems to result from [any] efforts to limit dietary cholesterol intake or to lower TC [total cholesterol] values to less than approximately 260 mg/dl among the general population and the elderly . . . [And, these measures actually] create major risk factors for CHD, cancers, and shorter longevity. Based on the data reviewed here, it is urgent to change the direction of current cholesterol-related medication for the prevention of CHD, cancer, and all-cause mortality.”

These findings were based upon an exhaustive review of the available data:
  • - High cholesterol levels are not directly associated with heart attacks in people over 40 to 50 years of age.
  • - High cholesterol levels are associated with lower cancer and premature death rates.
  • - There is little benefit in lowering cholesterol levels below 260 mg/dL in elderly people.
  • - Efforts to lower cholesterol increase the risk of developing cancer and shorten life span.
The Honolulu Heart Program also revealed a sharp increase in death rates from hemorrhagic stroke, cancer, liver disease, chronic obstructive lung disease (emphysema), and deaths from unknown causes when cholesterol levels dropped below 190 mg/dL. The investigators theorized that lowering cholesterol would not have any substantial impact on total mortality over fifteen years because premature deaths would increase in those individuals with starting cholesterol levels less than 225 mg/dL (approximately 60% of the population).

Researchers at Texas A&M University have also discovered that low cholesterol levels affect muscles and reduce any gains in strength while exercising. These findings were recently published in the Journal of Gerontology.

The team studied 55 men and women ages 60-69, who were healthy non-smokers and were able to perform exercise testing and training.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found that there was a direct association between dietary cholesterol intake and strength. In general, those with higher cholesterol intake and higher cholesterol levels also had the highest muscle strength gain.

“Our findings show…that cholesterol may play a key role in muscle repair and rebuilding. If this is true, then what does this say about heart disease and the overall health of the heart—as the heart, too is a muscle. Lack of muscle function in the elderly predisposes them to infections, lessened cardiac function, mobility and balance—all which affect the health, quality and length of life.

Studies have shown that the level of HDL cholesterol is actually the most important ingredient to good health, and that regardless of the overall cholesterol level, as long as the HDL is high enough in relationship to the overall cholesterol numbers. HDL is the component in cholesterol that actually cleans up the plaque in arteries, so obviously striving to keep that number high is key. How to raise HDL?

  • - Increase your intake of omega 3 rich foods such as grass fed meatswild caught fatty fish, organic free range chickens and eggs, grass fed dairynuts and olive oil.
  • - Reduce your intake of grains, sugar and starchy foods. Reducing starchy grains in the diet, lowers the triglyceride levels-one of the key factors in heart disease. 
  • - Exercise your heart frequently by doing activities that elevate the heart rate to about 80% of its maximum, especially doing exercises that involve intervals. 
  • - Increase your intake of B vitamins. B vitamins are known to lower levels of homocysteine, a key inflammatory component in heart disease. 
  • - Of course, STOP smoking - smoking skews cholesterol levels, raises inflammation in the blood vessels and increases chances of having arterial plaque. 
  • - Avoid sugar and keep blood sugar at a stable level. High blood sugar levels increase inflammation in the blood vessels, and increase the risk of developing diabetes, another risk factor in heart disease. 
  • - Lose weight—following the above suggestions will whittle away your middle and increase your overall health in the long run.




Sources:
Al sears, Jan 19th, 2011
ScienceDaily, Jan. 10, 2008
Barry Groves, PhD, “The Great Cholesterol Lie”
http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/cholesterol_myth_1.html
Peter Libby, “Atherosclerosis: The New View”, Scientific American, November 10, 2008.  

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Sugar Free Challenge Day 2


Day 2



Sugar Free Challenge, Day 2 is about done.  Not so bad today, except for the lingering chocolate craving.  I did, however, experience some shakiness around 2pm today, but it was short lived after downing some water.  I feel like I’m having a hard time staying hydrated which seems weird because I’m pretty sure I’m taking in less caffeine.  Maybe it’s just a transitionary thing.  Here’s what I ate today!

--Scrambled eggs with sharp cheddar cheese; 2 pieces of sprouted bread toast with pastured butter and –ehem—strawberry jam.  YES, AGAIN. 
--Unsweetened ice tea and water throughout the day.
--Homemade beef barley soup
--Mozzarella cheese (snack)
--skipped dinner (not feeling so great, so didn’t want dinner.  Feeling like a bug is coming on…pretty sure it’s unrelated to the sugar thing.)

I have to share my happy little bit of awesomeness today.  Last weekend, I bought a really great thermos to take with me to work.  I have really been wanting to eat homemade soup for my work lunches, but alas, I usually eat in my car (and am usually lucky to have 10 minutes to eat).  So, hot soup was a little elusive since I don’t have a microwave in my car.  However, this thermos from Target stated that it could keep things piping hot for up to 7 hours!  Honestly, I doubted it.  Boy, was I wrong!  This awesome thermos kept my beef barley soup steaming hot until lunchtime, even though it was left in the freezing car.  In fact, it was SO hot that I still had to blow on it so I wouldn’t burn my tongue.  Fantastic.  I’m super excited about taking soup and hot meals for lunch!  I may need to invest in another one for coffee or hot tea to keep with me in the car.  We’ll see…  Check it out:  Thermos at Target.com  

I still need some creative things to eat for snacks.  I’m going to try to make this avocado dip for veggies.  Looks like it might be good…might help with my snacky needs.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Sugar, Sugar




http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1dqt4_the-archies-sugar-sugar_fun

This week I decided to participate in the Sugar Free Challenge over at “The Nourishing Gourmet” blogsite.  I’ve been reading labels for a while now, and I get very frustrated when nearly every product I pick up off of a grocery shelf has some derivative of sugar or corn syrup – most of the time as the first ingredient.  UGH!  Why does everything have sugar in it?  Probably because of it’s highly addictive properties.  Companies continue to sell high quantities of super unhealthy food because these products are crazy addictive.  I really think that if most Americans took an honest look at how sugar affected them, they would admit they are addicted. 

Today was DAY 1 of the Sugar Free Challenge for me.  I tried to follow the advice over at The Nourishing Gourmet to gradually decrease sugar intake over the weekend to lessen the blow.  Saturday:  check.  Sunday?  Wicked cravings for Coca-cola and a chocolate covered strawberry blizzard from Dairy Queen.  I know that I have some hormonal things that have been also affecting my cravings, but I went ahead and indulged.

Today, I have stuck to the rules:  No refined sugar (and trying to do no refined white flour as well).  Natural sugars are okay.  I did accidentally have a cheat at breakfast:  strawberry jam on my toast.  But I honestly didn’t even think about it.  Here is what I ate today:

1.     1. Scrambled eggs with sharp cheddar cheese; sprouted toast with pastured butter and –ehem—strawberry jam.  Apple juice (no added sugar).  Also a small swig of kombucha.
2.     2. Homemade beef barley soup.
3.     3. Frozen strawberries with vanilla whole milk organic yogurt (I love the Brown Cow brand for yogurt).
4.     4. Cheese and walnuts.
5.    5.  Iced tea.
6.     6. A bite of a fermented pickle (didn’t taste as awesome as I thought it would…)
7.    7.  Left over pork chop and quinoa.  ½ tablespoon of raw fermented sauerkraut.
8.     8. Mozzarella cheese snack.

I felt like I was eating ALL . THE . TIME .  And I drank a lot of filtered water.  But at this very moment, I have a wicked nasty chocolate craving.  I think the hardest thing for me when I’m trying to eat differently is my car.  I can go to the g-store and buy smart.  I can meal plan.  I can prepare.  But, I can also walk outside, get in my car, and go to any of the infinite fast food restaurants near my home that will sell me sugar filled and other crap food without me even getting out of my car.  I mean, honestly.  There is a McDonald’s directly across the street from my apartment complex, along with a Golden Corrale.  Additionally, within walking distance is a Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Mexican Place, Stephania’s to go, Hardees, Walgreen's, and two grocery stores.  Right now, I could WALK to Walgreen's and buy as much chocolate as my checking account could handle.

But I haven’t yet.  And honestly, I’m too tired at this moment to walk my butt to the car, let alone to Walgreen's!

Today I was lethargic.  I had crazy chocolate cravings.  I had trouble concentrating on anything but getting a piece (bag) of chocolate.  And I had a lingering headache all day.  I eventually took 2 Aleve this evening…but I’m just realizing that I didn’t check to see if the Aleve had sugar in it.  Wouldn’t that just be a kicker if the ALEVE had sugar in it?  ACK!

I’m a little worried about tomorrow (Tuesday) because of being at work all day.  I need to remember to take a bunch of snacky stuff with me that can survive being in the cold car all day and can be eaten while I drive.