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Category: Nutrition

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  • Breast Implant Illness: Metabolic Tips

    Breast Implant Illness: Metabolic Tips






    Breast Implant Illness: Summary

    In Breast Implant Illness, Michele Scarlet, a board-certified functional medicine practitioner and personal trainer, shares her story about helping women lose stubborn fat through her signature program, Core Fit. She discusses optimizing metabolism through functional lab testing, exercise, nutrition, and self-care practices. Scarlet narrates her personal health struggles, starting from her teenage years, dealing with symptoms including constipation, bloating, hair thinning, leading up to serious conditions like hypothyroidism and SIBO in her thirties. 

    Her journey also involves advocating for breast implant illness awareness, as she experienced significant health improvements after explanting her implants, which were contributing to her health issues. Scarlet emphasizes the importance of looking beyond conventional health advice and exploring functional medicine when traditional methods fail. She attributes much of her recovery to the support and insights obtained through working with an FDN practitioner. 

    Throughout the podcast, she stresses the need to consider multiple potential root causes of health issues rather than focusing solely on one factor. Finally, she calls for awareness on various health factors that women often overlook, such as oxidative stress, proper nutrition, and overall stress management, and wraps up with her advice on the importance of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm for overall wellness.

    Breast Implant Illness: Topics

    00:00 Introduction to Michele Scarlet

    01:10 Michele’s Health Journey Begins

    04:12 Discovering Functional Medicine

    05:45 Transition to Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

    09:53 The Impact of Breast Implants

    15:15 Emotional and Psychological Insights

    19:22 Advice for Women Considering Implants

    27:37 Weight Gain and Digestive Issues Linked to Breast Implants

    29:04 The Role of Functional Labs in Metabolic Health

    30:52 Understanding Oxidative Stress and Its Impact

    32:22 The Importance of Non-Toxic Products

    33:07 Calories In, Calories Out: The Bro Science Debate

    36:03 Functional Lab Testing for Metabolic Health

    37:46 Common Patterns in Fat Loss Resistance

    39:14 Client Success Stories

    43:57 Michele’s Personal Health Journey

    46:42 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

    Where to Find Michele Scarlet

    More About FDN

    Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT US

    Try FDN for FREE! 

    COURSE OVERVIEW

    DRESS WORKSHOP

    STRESS & HORMONE WORKSHOP

    5in5 WORKSHOP

    MEDICAL DIRECTOR PROGRAM

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED (UPCOMING LIVES)

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED – FREE EXPERT LED TRAINING SESSIONS

    FDN METHODOLOGY

    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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  • Link Between H. Pylori and Gastric Cancer

    Link Between H. Pylori and Gastric Cancer






    H. Pylori and Gastric Cancer: Summary

    This H. Pylori and Gastric Cancer episode delves into the connection between gastric cancer and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, emphasizing the significance of recognizing H. pylori’s role in gastric ulcers and cancer. The discussion outlines the advancements in understanding how chronic disruption of mucosal barriers and ulcers can increase the risk of malignant changes, while noting the challenges in getting this recognition in the scientific community. Dr. Aron Gonshor explores recent studies that provide objective scientific evidence of these links, particularly focusing on the oncoprotein produced by H. pylori known as CagA, which disrupts a key cellular pathway, leading to potential gastric cancer development.

    Additionally, the script highlights the importance of testing secretory IgA levels in saliva to assess immune system function. Elevated levels can indicate a strong immune response to a pathogen, while decreased levels suggest weakened mucosal immunity, leaving the body vulnerable to pathogenic invasions. Dr. Gonshor also discusses the need for improved candida testing to differentiate between commensal and pathogenic forms, which is crucial for addressing gut health issues more effectively.

    The key takeaway from this discussion is the need for targeted clinical interventions against H. pylori strains that produce the CagA oncoprotein, which disrupts the Wnt/PCP pathway, a critical component in preventing gastric cancer. The script concludes by emphasizing the importance of scientific inquiry in understanding and addressing such health challenges and invites listeners to stay engaged for future discussions on related topics.

    H. Pylori and Gastric Cancer: Topics

    – Introduction to Gastric Cancer and H. pylori

    – Deep Dive into Recent Research

    – Importance of Secretory IgA in Saliva

    – Candida Testing and Future Developments

    – Mechanistic Link Between Gastric Cancer and H. pylori

    – Study Findings and Key Takeaways

    – Conclusion and Upcoming Topics

    Previous Episodes

    Grab a copy of the studies and catch up on previous episodes by CLICKING HERE

    Scientific Literacy Course

    In a world propelled by science and technology, understanding the fundamental principles of science is no longer just an advantage—it’s a necessity. To thrive in tomorrow’s world, become equipped not just with scientific knowledge, but with the ability to critically engage. Grab the Scientific Literacy Course offered by FDN by CLICKING HERE

    More About FDN

    Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for informative, functional health oriented podcasts.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT US

    Try FDN for FREE! 

    COURSE OVERVIEW

    DRESS WORKSHOP

    STRESS & HORMONE WORKSHOP

    5in5 WORKSHOP

    MEDICAL DIRECTOR PROGRAM

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED (UPCOMING LIVES)

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED – FREE EXPERT LED TRAINING SESSIONS

    FDN METHODOLOGY

    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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  • The Benedict weight loss study (1917) – Diet and Health Today

    The Benedict weight loss study (1917) – Diet and Health Today

    Introduction

    As promised last week, this week’s note reviews a classic study – the Francis Benedict study of metabolism from 1917. Benedict is credited as being the first person to study the impact of a calorie deficit in human beings. I have a photocopied PDF of Benedict’s study, from the University of Toronto library. The study was called “Human Vitality and efficiency under prolonged restricted diet.” The file is 754 pages long (64-bit file size). The study was conducted in 1917 and published in 1919 (Ref 1).

    Interestingly, the study was undertaken in war time (as was the Ancel Keys Minnesota Starvation Experiment, which we reviewed last week (Ref 2)). War focused the minds of researchers on food rationing and the consequences of this. Benedict narrated “It would appear from ration cards and from the computations of the best hygenic and dietetic experts that the German civilian population were securing not more than 1,800 calories per man per day. The German army ration approximated 3,200 calories per day.”

    Zoe

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  • Chocolate Espresso Energy Balls

    Chocolate Espresso Energy Balls

    The next time you have an energy slump, make these Chocolate Espresso Energy Balls!

    Chocolate Espresso Energy Balls are a quick and easy snack to boost your energy levels with a little espresso and healthy fats to keep your hunger at bay.

    They’re made with dates which are rich in fiber and potassium and a source of simple carbohydrates — our bodies primary and preferred energy source is sugar — and a mix of healthy fats, plant-based protein, and minerals.


    Chocolate Espresso Tahini Energy Balls | Nutrition Stripped

    Chocolate Espresso Tahini Energy Balls | Nutrition Stripped

    The post Chocolate Espresso Energy Balls appeared first on Nutrition Stripped.

    McKel (Hill) Kooienga

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  • Does Drinking Water Affect Our Adrenal Hormones?  | NutritionFacts.org

    Does Drinking Water Affect Our Adrenal Hormones?  | NutritionFacts.org

    Drinking water can be a safe, simple, and effective way to prevent yourself from fainting.

    Within three minutes of drinking a few cups of water (12 mL/kg of body weight), the level of the adrenal gland hormone noradrenaline in our bloodstream can shoot up by 60 percent, as you can see in the graph below and at 0:19 in my video The Effect of Drinking Water on Adrenal Hormones

    When researchers had people drink two cups (500 mL) of water with electrodes on their legs, about a 40 percent increase in bursts of fight-or-flight nerve activity within 20 minutes was documented, as shown in the graph below and at 0:25 in my video

    If you drink two or three cups (11 mL/kg of body weight) of water, blood flow squeezes down in your arms and calves, clamping down nearly in half, as the arteries to your limbs and skin constrict to divert blood to your core, as you can see in the graph below and at 0:42 in my video. That’s why drinking water can be such a safe, simple, and effective way to prevent yourself from fainting, which is known medically as syncope. 

    Fainting is “the sudden brief loss of consciousness caused by diminished cerebral blood flow,” that is, to the brain. About one in five people experience this at least once, and about one in ten may have repeated episodes. It’s the cause of millions of emergency room visits and hospitalizations every year. Though fainting can be caused by heart problems, it is most often triggered by prolonged standing (because blood pools in our legs) or strong emotions, which can cause our blood pressure to bottom out. 

    About 1 in 25 people has what’s called blood-injury-injection phobia, where getting a needle stick, for example, can cause you to faint. More than 150,000 people experience fainting or near-fainting spells each year when they donate blood. To help prevent yourself from getting woozy, try drinking two cups of water (500 mL) five minutes before getting stuck with the needle. The secret isn’t in bolstering your overall blood volume. If you drink two cups of water or even a whole quart (500 to 1,000 mL), your blood volume doesn’t change by more than 1 or 2 percent. Rather, it’s due to the shift in the distribution of blood toward your center, caused by the noradrenaline-induced peripheral artery constriction, as you can see in the graph below and at 1:56 in my video. 

    Drinking water stimulates as much noradrenaline release as drinking a couple cups of coffee or smoking a couple unfiltered cigarettes. If the simple act of drinking water causes such a profound fight-or-flight reaction, why doesn’t it cause our heart to pound and shoot our blood pressure through the roof? It’s like the diving reflex I talked about in my previous video. When we drink water, our body simultaneously sends signals to our heart to slow it down, to “still your beating heart.” You can try it at home: Measure your heart rate before and after drinking two cups (500 mL) of water. Within ten minutes, your heart rate should slow by about four beats per minute. By 15 minutes, you should be down by six or seven beats, as you can see in the graph below and at 2:42 in my video

    One of the ways scientists figured this out was by studying heart transplant patients. When you move a heart from one person to another, you have to sever all the attached nerves. Amazingly, some of the nerves grow back. But still, if you give healed heart transplant patients two glasses of water, their blood pressure goes up as much as 29 points. The body is unable to sufficiently quell the effect of that burst of noradrenaline. Some people have a condition known as autonomic failure, in which blood pressure regulation nerves don’t work properly and their pressures can skyrocket dangerously by more than 100 points after drinking about two cups (480 mL) of water. That’s how powerful an effect the simple act of drinking water can be. The only reason that doesn’t happen to all of us is that we have an even more powerful counter-response to keep our hearts in check. (This reminds me of the woman who had a stroke after taking the ice bucket challenge due to an insufficient diving reflex to tamp down all that extra noradrenaline release.)

    This remarkable water effect can be useful for people suffering from milder forms of autonomic failure, such as orthostatic hypotension, which is when people get dizzy after standing up suddenly. Drinking some water before getting out of bed in the morning can be a big help. What about that metabolic boost, though? With so much noradrenaline being released and your adrenal gland hormones in overdrive, might drinking a few glasses of water cause you to burn more body fat? Could tap water be a safe form of ephedra, giving us all the weight loss but with a nice slowing of our heart rate instead? Researchers decided to put it to the test, which we’ll explore next.

    If you missed the previous video, check out How to Get the Weight Loss Benefits of Ephedra Without the Risks.

    Stay tuned for What Is the Safest Metabolism Booster? and Friday Favorites: Optimizing Water Intake to Lose Weight.

    What kind of water is better? Find out in Is it Best to Drink Tap, Filtered, or Bottled Water?.

    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Seasonal Fall Favorites: Cozy Recipes for the Cooler Months

    Seasonal Fall Favorites: Cozy Recipes for the Cooler Months

    As the crisp air rolls in and the leaves begin to turn, it’s the perfect time to embrace the warmth and comfort of fall flavors. From pumpkin spice to cinnamon, the season is all about rich, cozy tastes that bring a sense of home. If you’re looking for allergen-friendly and nutrient-dense recipes to elevate your fall menu, SunButter is a perfect ingredient to add to the mix. This creamy, nut-free sunflower seed spread pairs beautifully with classic autumn flavors, making it a versatile choice for savory dishes and indulgent desserts.

     

    Here are some of my favorite SunButter recipes to celebrate the season!
    *This is a sponsored blog post for SunButter 

    *These recipes were originally published on my Vitacost blog where you can buy ingredients for all of these recipes at a discounted price. Vitacost.com

     

    1. Baked Apples with Granola and Honey 

    Total Time: 55 minutes 

    Servings 6 

    You will need: an apple corer is helpful! 

     

    Ingredients:

    For the Apples: 

     – 6 large organic apples

    For the Granola: 

     – 1/3 cup coconut sugar

     – 3/4 cup gluten-free Bobs Red Mill rolled oats

     – 1/2 cup chopped Rich Nuts pecans

     – 1/4 cup almonds

     – 2 tablespoons honey

     – 2 teaspoons cinnamon

     – 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

     – 1 tablespoon water

     – 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

     – 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

    For the Bottom of the Tray: 

     – Water 

     – 1 teaspoon star anise

     – Whole cloves

     – 1 orange, sliced with rind

     

    Actions: 

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

    2. Slice the top off each apple, keeping the tops for later. Use an apple corer to scoop out the core, making a wider hole for the granola. Use a knife if you don’t have an apple corer – no worries! 

    3. In a bowl, combine all granola ingredients until well mixed. If it’s not moist enough, add a bit more SunButter until the mixture sticks together.

    4. Fill each apple with the cinnamon granola mixture, ensuring it gets into the hollowed core.

    5. Place the stuffed apples in a deep baking dish and pour 1/2 inch of water around them. Add the orange slices, whole cloves, and star anise.

    6. Cover each apple with its top.

    7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, uncovering the apples for the last 5 minutes to let the granola brown nicely.

    8. Serve warm with a drizzle of extra honey on top and enjoy with clean whipped cream or ice cream! 

     

    You can watch me make this recipe here: 

     

     

    2. Carrot-Cashew Curry 

    Total time: 35 minutes 

    Servings 4

     

    Ingredients: 

    1 cup long grain rice 

    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    1 small yellow onion, diced 

    2 teaspoons garlic, crushed 

    1 tablespoon fresh ginger, diced 

    4 large carrots, chopped into 1/4 inch slices 

    2 cups water 

    2 tablespoons pri honey 

    1/2 teaspoon thyme 

    1/2 teaspoon oregano 

    Homemade curry spices: 

    ½ tsp mustard seeds

    ½ tsp cumin seeds

    ½ tsp turmeric

    ½ tsp ground coriander

    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

    1/4 teaspoon cardamon

    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    1/4 teaspoon fennel

    1/4 teaspoon caraway

    1/4 teaspoon dried basil

    1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

    1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

    1/4 teaspoon saffron

    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

    1 teaspoon paprika 

    Alternatively, use 2 tablespoons of curry powder

    1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

    Garnishes: 

    1 handful of fresh mint 

    1/2 cashews (roasted or raw your choice) 

    1/4 purple onion, diced 

     

    Actions:

    1. Cook rice as per packet instructions. Set aside. 

    2. Heat a fry pan on medium with olive oil and add the onion, garlic and ginger for a few minutes until translucent. 

    3. Add the carrots and stir fry for two minutes.

    4. Add the water, Sunbutter, honey and spices and cook for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. 

    5. Serve rice on a plate. Place the curry carrots around the rice. Sprinkle with cashews, purple onion and fresh mint. 

     Vegan Curry on a Round Plate with Carrots, Cashews, Herbs and a Bed of Basmati Rice

     

    3. Thai Cashew Chicken

    Total Time 25 minutes

    Servings 4

     

    Ingredients

    1 lb. organic chicken breast or thighs thinly sliced

    1 cup roasted cashews

    1 Tbsp. sesame oil

    4 cloves garlic minced

    1/4- inch piece ginger diced

    1-2 red chili peppers sliced, adjusted to taste

    1 small red onion sliced

    1 bunch scallions sliced to 1-inch pieces

    Sauce

    1 Tbsp. Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar

    3 Tbsp. Bragg Coconut Liquid Aminos

    1 Tbsp. sesame oil

    2 Tbsp. honey or coconut sugar

    To serve

    1 lime juiced

    Fresh cilantro chopped

     

    Actions

    In small bowl, mix together apple cider vinegar, aminos, honey, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and SunButter. Set aside.

    In skillet over medium high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Add garlic, ginger and chili peppers and stir-fry about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add chicken and stir-fry 5-7 minutes, until cooked through and no longer pink.

    To skillet, add red onion and scallions. Stir-fry another 2-3 minutes, until vegetables are slightly tender but still crisp.

    Into skillet, pour sauce over chicken and vegetables, tossing everything to coat well. Add toasted cashews and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

    To serve, squeeze lime over stir-fry and toss. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

    Serve hot over rice or noodles.

     

    Thai Cashew Chicken in a Metal Serving Bowl Topped With Limes and Cilantro, set Next to a Bowl of Toasted Cashews on Which Rests a Pair of Bamboo Chopsticks

     

    4. Tofu Curry

    Total Time 25 minutes

    Servings 4

     

    Ingredients

    2 cups brown rice

    4 Tbsp. avocado oil divided

    14 oz. organic tofu

    2 carrots chopped into 1-inch pieces

    1 small yellow onion diced

    2 tsp. crushed garlic

    2 cups spinach

    2 Tbsp. yellow curry paste

    1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk

    1/4 tsp. turmeric

    1-2 Tbsp. coconut sugar optional

     

    Actions

    Cook rice per package instructions.

    Place tofu on paper towel; press and dab to remove excess moisture. Slice into bite-sized cubes.

    In saucepan over high heat, heat 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil. Add tofu and ½ teaspoon garlic salt and flash fry 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Set aside.

    In saucepan over medium heat, heat 1-2 tablespoons oil. Add carrots, onion, garlic and ¼ teaspoon garlic salt and stir fry 4 minutes until carrots start to become tender.

    To saucepan with vegetables, add curry paste and stir fry 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, SunButter, turmeric and coconut sugar. Bring to boil; reduce heat to simmer, add spinach and cook until wilted.

    Add rice to serving bowls. Pour curry sauce mixture into each bowl and top with tofu.

     

    Tofu Curry With Spinach Over Brown Rice in Simple Bowl

     

    5. Hanukkah Honey Donut Holes (Gluten-Free)

    Total Time 25 minutes

    Servings 24

     

    Ingredients

    3 large organic eggs

    1 Tbsp. vegan butter softened

    1 tsp. coconut sugar

    2 cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Pancake Mix sifted

    1-1/2 cups refined coconut oil for deep-frying

    Sprinkle cinnamon

     

    Honey caramel sauce

    1/2 cup PRI Manuka Honey

    Dash sea salt

    1 Tbsp. maple syrup

    1/8 tsp. vanilla extract

     

    Actions

    In bowl, whisk together eggs, butter and coconut sugar until foamy.

    Sift pancake mix and stir into egg mixture.

    Using hands, work mixture into soft dough.

    Roll dough into 1-inch balls and set aside.

    In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for sauce and mix until smooth.

    In deep pot, heat coconut oil to 375 degrees F. (Note: There should be just enough oil to cover balls.)

    Fry balls a few handfuls at a time for just a few minutes, until puffed up and golden brown. With slotted spoon, transfer balls to paper towel on plate.

    To a fresh pot, add donut holes, pour on sauce and toss until well combined. To serve, put donuts on serving plate or bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.

     Hanukkah Doughnut Holes (Gluten-Free) Drizzled with Honey on Round White Plate

     

    Fall is the perfect time to experiment with warm, comforting flavors, and SunButter brings a nutty richness to all your seasonal recipes. Whether you’re baking pumpkin muffins, blending up a spiced smoothie, or prepping a delicious curry for the family, SunButter’s versatility and nutritional benefits make it a must-have for your fall pantry. Plus, it’s a safe, allergen-friendly option for those avoiding nuts, gluten, or dairy. You can make all these delicious recipes nut-free!

     

    So grab your SunButter and get cooking! These recipes will keep you cozy and nourished all season long.

     

     

    Love, Liana 

     

     

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  • Can You Replace Running Gels with Halloween Candy?

    Can You Replace Running Gels with Halloween Candy?

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    It’s Halloween, which means there’s an abundance of candy laying around. I have some sitting on my counter right now, in fact, for guests to munch on—only after I ate all the Almond Joys out of the bowl.

    Most people would assume that there’s no Venn diagram where candy and running overlap, but “most people” wouldn’t know that ultrarunning GOAT Courtney Dauwalter occasionally munches on Pear-flavored jelly beans during races. She’s a candy fiend, also vocal about her affection for Mike and Ikes, Dots, and Sour Patch Kids. Leadville Trail 100 champ Clare Gallagher buys her mid-run Sour Patch Kids in bulk. But it’s not just ultrarunners who dip into the candy jar. Two-time Olympian and Boston Marathon champ Des Linden has also been known to snack on sweets before a race—let’s not talk about the time she startled the world when she absolutely mutilated—I mean, ate a Kit-Kat…in a totally…normal…way…

    Suffice it to say, there are those who swear that popping a few gummy bears during a long run gives them the same energy boost as a gel. While I’ve tested how it feels to fuel with whole foods, I’ve never packed candy in my running vest. To me, it seems too far-fetched that sweet treats can help our running practice, but let’s look at the facts.

    This review is based on my own personal taste and experience running on the roads. If Halloween candy is your jam, I highly recommend you test this fueling strategy out for yourself on whatever running surfaces you enjoy

    Is All Sugar Created Equally?

    American College of Sports Medicine recommends runners consume 30-60 grams of carbs per hour for any run lasting longer than 90 minutes. Popular gels Gu and Hüma both contain 100 calories and 22g of carbs, which isn’t too far off from many candies in my Halloween bucket.

    Matthew Kadey, MS, is a Canada-based nutrition registered dietitian and author of Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sports+Adventure. He’s also an avid endurance athlete himself.

    “Certainly the various types of candy can serve as an effective fuel source for exercise,” he says. “The sugar content can provide the same fast energy source as engineered sports products like gels. Besides, candy is typically much more enjoyable to eat and can help deal with palate fatigue. I think most of us will look more forward to stuffing in a fistful of gummy bears than sucking back a gel.”

    Straight from the expert’s mouth. Candy = fuel, right? However, Kadey has some warnings to heed.

    “The sugar content of candy varies widely, so you need to know how much you are getting,” he says. “Some candy will provide fewer carb calories than gels, so you need more to get the amount of simple carbs to have a performance benefit. Some candy may provide a dose of carbs that could be problematic to untrained guts that may lead to gastro issues.”

    RELATED: Our Editors Recount Their Spooky Running Stories

    He adds that many products are also lower in sodium compared to sports nutrition products, so you need to make sure you’re getting those electrolytes somewhere else. And if you are going to eat candy on your run, he recommends feasting on candy that’s mostly pure carbs (sugar) like gummy bears, Twizzlers, and Sour Patch Kids.

    Eric McIntyre, CPT and certified running coach based in Utah, agrees that sometimes gels and candy aren’t all that different.

    “Your body’s preferred energy source is carbohydrates, and when you’re exercising and your body is under that kind of stress, it’s going to be looking for the most easily accessible fuel source, which is going to be simple carbs or sugars,” he says. “I love using candy in training, but in racing, having to eat something like four, five, or six pieces of candy in order to get the same amount of sugar or carbs from one gel is just not going to be convenient and easy.”

    He adds that you’re also taking a risk that the additives in candy might mess with your stomach.

    “In addition, some gels have a glucose and fructose mix which maximizes the amount of carbohydrates that your body can process.”

    Below, I did a nutritional breakdown of a few fan-favorites, as well as my honest thoughts on how they tasted/performed during my long runs.

    *Note: I’m not in an aggressive training block, therefore all “long” runs I tested these candies on ranged from 6-12 miles on the roads.

    Hüma

    • Calories: 100
    • Carbs: 22g
    • Sugars: 13g
    • Sodium: 105mg

    GU Energy Gels

    • 100 calories
    • Carbs: 22g
    • Sugars: 7g
    • Sodium: 60mg

    Swedish Fish

    • 110 calories
    • Servings: 5 pieces
    • Carbs: 27g
    • Sugars: 23g
    • Sodium: 25mg

    Swedish Fish are delicious, but I didn’t love the fact that I had to eat about six pieces to reach 30g of carbs. I want my fuel to be low volume, and it took me a bit to get through this school of snacks. Plus, I found they got stuck in my molars so my tongue was doing backflips for the rest of the run to get stuff unstuck. Maybe most of the candy was left behind in my teeth, because I didn’t feel as energized as I wanted to with these. One bonus: they’re coated in wax, so you can put them directly into your vest pocket without them gumming up and getting melty.

    Twizzlers

    Twizzlers were surprisingly easy to store in my running belt (just had to bend them up a little). (Photo: Mallory Arnold)
    • 120 calories
    • Servings: 3 pieces
    • Carbs: 27g
    • Sugars: 14g
    • Sodium: 70mg

    Twizzlers are another easy, seemingly unmeltable candy I can stick in my running vest. I had no problem chowing down on three strands of these, and they weren’t overly sweet, so I didn’t get that parched feeling after too much sugar. Plus, they have a decent amount of sodium, so a win for Twizzlers! Pro tip: I held all three in my hand and chomped down at the same time like one Twizzler banana.

    Sour Patch Kids

    • 110 calories
    • Servings: 12 pieces
    • Carbs: 27g
    • Sugars: 24g
    • Sodium: 25mg

    Speaking of parched, I should have known Sour Patch Kids were going to be an issue. I’m not a sour-inclined person, so I was puckering up while mowing through 12 pieces. Plus, the little granules of sugar stuck to my sweaty fingers and got me all sticky, which I wasn’t a fan of. I definitely reaped the sugar buzz rewards, though, and felt great on my run.

    Three Musketeers Fun Size

    Three Musketeers Fun Size
    Two (slightly smushed) Three Musketeers Fun Size that didn’t agree with my stomach. (Photo: Mallory Arnold)
    • 130 calories
    • Servings: 2 bars
    • Carbs: 23g
    • Sugars: 20g
    • Sodium: 55mg
    • Fat: 4g

    I was so hoping some kind of chocolate would work for me, but fun size Three Musketeers didn’t provide much fun to my run. While the carb and sugar count line up with a gel, the chocolate itself didn’t sit well with my stomach. I got a cramp shortly after and felt some churning and burning. They were the easiest to eat, however, being perfect bite-sized pieces.

    Starburst

    • 120 calories
    • 6 pieces
    • Carbs: 24g
    • Sugars: 16g
    • Fat: 2.5g

    First and foremost—I only eat pink Starburst. Don’t ask me to trade for your yellow or red, I’m not interested. Secondly, these little squares were not great running fuel. You only have to eat six for 24g of carbs and 16g of sugar, but they’re hard. It took me forever to get through just one because I wanted to chew it really well—hello, eating something hard and running is a recipe for a disaster.

    Mini Twix

    • 150 calories
    • Servings: 3 pieces
    • Carbs: 20g
    • Sugars: 15g
    • Sodium: 60mg
    • Fat: 7g

    Talk about scary—have you ever had Mini Twix bars melt in your running vest? Well, I did. It might’ve been due to the day’s heat, which is a factor out of my control, but each of these Mini Twix bars melted through their wrappers, so chocolate got all over my fingers. If they hadn’t melted, however, they would have been decent fuel. I enjoyed the layers of cookies over the nougat in the Three Musketeers, but still got some digestive distress.

    Branch’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins

    Branch’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins are the best Halloween candy.
    Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! (Photo: Mallory Arnold)
    • 120 calories
    • Servings: 4 pieces
    • Carbs: 30g
    • Sugars: 24g
    • Sodium: 70mg

    Full disclosure, I’m obsessed with this Halloween-specific candy. And I loved it even more out on my long run. Initially, I went to the store looking for Candy Corn, but stumbled upon these classic pumpkins instead. I only needed to eat four pieces to get all the carbs, calories, and sugar I need. And they’re delicious.

    A Bittersweet Conclusion

    There are a lot of reasons to eat Halloween candy, but in my opinion, for the purpose of fueling runs isn’t the best one. There are so many products out there that replicate exactly what we need, while candy just slightly misses the mark. As both experts in this article point out, candy isn’t always easy to consume, the volume isn’t ideal, and depending on the type, you’re not always going to get the right sugar and carb content that digests properly.

    If I was going to continue using candy on my long runs, I’d opt for Mellowcreme Pumpkins (which, you’d be hard-pressed to find during a spring marathon training block) or Twizzlers. Both were easy enough to eat, gentle on my stomach, and gave me a heck of a sugar rush.

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  • Ephedra-Like Weight Loss Minus the Risks  | NutritionFacts.org

    Ephedra-Like Weight Loss Minus the Risks  | NutritionFacts.org

    The diving reflex shows that it’s possible to have selective adrenal hormone effects.

    Thermogenic drugs like DNP can cause people to overheat to death; they can increase resting metabolic rates by 300 percent or more. A more physiological spread would range about ten times less, from a 30 percent slower metabolism in people with an underactive thyroid to a 30 percent higher metabolism when the part of our nervous system that controls our fight-or-flight response is activated. In response to a fright or acute stress, special nerves release a chemical called noradrenaline to ready us for confrontation. We experience this by our skin getting paler, cold, and clammy, as blood is diverted to our more vital organs. Our mouth can get dry as our digestive system is put on hold, and our heart starts to beat faster. What we don’t feel is the extra fat being burned to liberate energy for the fight.

    That’s why people started taking ephedra for weight loss—“to stimulate the release of noradrenaline from nerve endings.”

    Ephedra is an evergreen shrub. It’s been used in China for thousands of years to treat asthma because it causes that same release of noradrenaline that offers relief to people with asthma by dilating their airways. In the United States, it was appropriated for use as a metabolic stimulant, shown to result in about 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of weight loss a month in 19 placebo-controlled trials. By the late 1990s, millions of Americans were taking it. The problem is that it also had all the other noradrenaline effects, like increasing heart rate and blood pressure. So, chronic use resulted in “stroke, cardiac arrhythmia, and death.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned of its risks in 1994, but ephedra wasn’t banned until a decade later after a 23-year-old Major League Baseball pitcher dropped dead. His “autopsy report revealed evidence of ephedra, which the medical examiner said contributed to his death.”

    In the current Wild West of dietary supplement regulation, not only can a supplement be “marketed without any safety data” at all, but the manufacturer is under no obligation to disclose adverse effects that may arise. No surprise, then, that online vendors assured absolute safety: “No negative side effects to date.” “No adverse side-effects, no nervous jitters or underlying anxiety, no moodiness…” “100% safe for long-term use.” “It will not interact with medications and has no harmful side effects.” The president of Metabolife International, a leading seller of ephedra, assured the FDA that the company had never received a single “notice from a consumer that any serious adverse health event has occurred…” In reality, it had received about 13,000 health complaints, including reports of serious injuries, hospitalizations, and even deaths. 

    If only there were a way to get the good without the bad. As I discuss in my video How to Get the Weight Loss Benefits of Ephedra Without the Risks, there is. But to understand it, you first have to grasp a remarkable biological phenomenon known as the diving reflex.

    Imagine walking across a frozen lake and suddenly falling through the ice, plunging into the freezing depths. It’s hard to think of a greater, instantaneous fight-or-flight shock than that. Indeed, noradrenaline would be released, causing the blood vessels in your arms and legs to constrict to bring blood back to your core. You can imagine how fast your heart might start racing, but that would be counterproductive because you’d use up your oxygen faster. Remarkably, what happens instead is your heart rate slows down. That’s the diving reflex, first described in the 1700s. Air-breathing animals are born with this automatic safety feature to help keep us from drowning.

    In medicine, we can exploit this physiological quirk with what’s called a “cold face test.” To determine if a comatose patient has intact neural pathways, you can apply cold compresses to their face to see if their heart immediately starts slowing down. Or, more dramatically, it can be used to treat people who flip into an abnormally rapid heartbeat. Remember that episode of ER where Carter dunked a patient’s face into a tray of ice water? (That show aired on TV when I was in medical school, and a group of us would gather around and count how many times they violated “universal precautions.”)

    What does this have to do with weight loss? The problem with noradrenaline-releasing drugs like ephedra is the accompanying rise in heart rate and blood pressure. What the diving reflex shows is that it’s possible to experience selective noradrenaline effects, raising the possibility that there may be a way to get the metabolic boost without the risk of stroking out. Unbelievably, this intricate physiological feat may be accomplished by the simplest of acts: Instead of drowning in water, simply drink it. Really? Yes, you can boost your metabolism by drinking water. Buckle your safety belts because you are in for a wild ride—one that continues next.

    This is the first in a four-part video series. Stay tuned for:

    You may also be interested in Friday Favorites: The Best Diet for Weight Loss and Disease Prevention.

    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Why Are We Afraid To Create?

    Why Are We Afraid To Create?

    My son, now four years old, loves drawing people with really long necks, long oval eyes, a dot for a nose, a jagged line for a mouth and sometimes there’s a torso, sometimes the arms and legs come straight from the neck. He puts marker to paper, or chalk to sidewalk and just goes for it. There’s no pause. No doubt. No I’m worried this won’t turn out like I imagine or what if no one likes this?

    I can remember a defining moment for me. As a kid, from around the age of seven or eight, I sewed my own clothes. I loved it. They were awful and crooked and usually fell apart by the end of the day. The next day, I’d sew something new. I did get better over time, and was the student designer in my high school fashion shows and loved nothing more than spending hours creating in my basement sewing room.

    Then I spent four years in fashion school and never sewed again. The joy of creation was taken out of the creative process.

    That, I believe, is what plants the first seed of hesitation for our creations. We become too attached to the outcome, the critics, the judgements, the grand finale result, and the resistance becomes so strong that we don’t even start the creative process.

    It applies to our work, too, you know. We have ideas – ideas for the company we work for, ideas for our own business or an idea of a new business, hobby, or initiative we want to do. We’re sparked, we’re excited and then do nothing. We don’t ever take the first step. We’re afraid it’s silly, or will be a lot of work, or won’t succeed and so… nothing.

    taking the leap to create

    One of my most favourite moments in the work that I do is during the first week of the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program when our newest students introduce themselves and share a bit of their personal story and inspiration for joining. There is always a huge majority of students who will include something along the lines of:

    I’ve been looking at this program for years and finally took the leap.

    I am so excited to finally be pursuing a dream of mine.

    I’m retired/my kids are all gone / I quit my job… and I am finally doing something for me.

    There is an energy that comes from finally taking that leap to create. The creative process itself is healing, grounding and resonates in profound ways, and yet, we allow our fear to stop us before we start.

    how can we start the creative process?

    What if creation could be part of our everyday lives? What if every single day we set the goal to do one thing that tapped into that inner creative force we all have to create something? Can you think of what your thing would be?

    Maybe it’s as straightforward as trying a new recipe and making something new for dinner. Maybe it’s writing the first page of a book you want to write. Perhaps it’s putting paintbrush to canvas, or fingers to piano keys or guitar strings. Maybe it involves knitting needles, tap shoes, a garden hoe, or a roll of wallpaper.

    Creation comes in all forms and bringing something new into the world that never existed is a powerful part of the experience of being human. Creativity is built into our make-up – every single one of us. It has nothing to do with left brain or right brain. Creativity is simply how our brains work, and what’s really incredible is like any wiring of the brain – the more you tune into the creative aspects of yourself, the stronger they become. Creative thinking, creative production, creative creating can be strengthened through practice.

    Why Are We Afraid to Create Quote

    how am i tapping into my creativity these days?

    As you may be aware, I’ve been working on two things primarily these days. The first is running the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program (it’s the tenth run!) and connecting with my students and answering their questions (and digging in to find those answers) is one form of the creative work I am doing.

    The other has been digging in deep, in myself and in research to create my new program. What’s been really incredible to experience is that as I do more and more work getting into coherence, calming the mind, nurturing the space in between and learning about the mind, brain, body and our capacity to create, my creative drive is exploding.

    I am back to sewing clothes at long last, doing cross-stitch, getting thrifty and creative in decorating my new house, and pouring my creative energy into this new program. The program isn’t about creativity or the creative process, but as I’m working on it, I realize that one of the ways it will serve those who join is that by doing the work we’re going to do together, creativity is going to blossom.

    I have long since come to trust that whatever experience I have in creating something is the experience others will have as they participate in it. I do believe that one of the greatest gifts for our wellbeing, our development and fulfillment and evolution as humans is taking the leap and creating without fear. And that creative energy, all of us thinking and being in the zone of creation, well that is needed right now more than ever. Go for it. Take it on. Make it happen. Send me a photo!

    Photo Credit: Nikki McKean

    On My Mind Episode 29: Why Are We Afraid to Create?

    Subscribe today on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode.

    Meghan Telpner

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  • What Keys & Danny taught us about metabolism – Diet and Health Today

    What Keys & Danny taught us about metabolism – Diet and Health Today

    In Summary

    * This is the first of a two part note looking at metabolism.

    * A note from July 2024 shared “What the Hadza taught us about metabolism.” This looked at the ‘doing more’ aspect of metabolism. It concluded that our bodies adjust to match the energy burned with the energy we eat and vice versa.

    * There are a number of classic studies that have looked at the other side of the calorie theory – the ‘eating less’ aspect of metabolism. Among the best are the Francis Benedict study from 1917; the Dr Ancel Keys Minnesota Starvation Experiment (1950) and a 2016 academic study of the American TV show, The Biggest Loser.

    * This week’s note summarises the findings from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment and the academic study of The Biggest Loser. Next week’s note looks at the classic Benedict study of forced calorie restriction of 12 young healthy men to achieve a 10% weight loss.

    Zoe

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  • Mastering Autoimmunity Care: Insights from an FDN Expert

    Mastering Autoimmunity Care: Insights from an FDN Expert






    Mastering Autoimmunity: Summary

    In Mastering Autoimmunity, FDN practitioner Ryan Monahan delves into the complexities of autoimmune thyroid disorders, drawing on his personal battle with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. He critiques the limitations of standard medical practices that often misdiagnose or delay the diagnosis of conditions like Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease by relying solely on basic tests. Ryan emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive thyroid panels and a holistic perspective to uncover hidden stressors and address root causes effectively. 

    He aims to provide in-depth knowledge on these topics, offering practical tools for both general audiences and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioners to better manage thyroid and autoimmune health through functional lab testing and lifestyle changes. The discussion underscores the importance of recognizing environmental and physiological triggers, such as Epstein-Barr virus, mold, and heavy metals, to improve overall cellular function and restore body balance.

    Mastering Autoimmunity: Topics

    00:00 Introduction to Ryan Monahan

    00:31 Ryan’s Personal Health Journey

    02:34 Understanding Autoimmune and Hypothyroidism

    06:08 Challenges in Diagnosing Autoimmune Conditions

    15:29 The Role of Thyroid Hormones

    19:58 The Fasano Triad and Autoimmunity

    24:13 The Human Donut Analogy

    24:56 The Breakdown of the Mucosal Barrier

    25:58 Immune System Response and Autoimmunity

    27:10 Molecular Mimicry and Autoimmune Diseases

    28:50 Reevaluating Autoimmune Conditions

    30:15 Genetics and Environmental Sensitivity

    31:35 The Role of Glutathione

    36:10 Functional Lab Testing and Autoimmune Disease

    37:52 Addressing Cellular Dysfunction

    Where to Find Ryan Monahan

    • ONLY for FDN Prospects – to learn more about FDN and what it can do for them
    • For 6 weeks, starting October 22, 2024
    • Hosted by Top Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioners
    • Access 14+ Live Events for FREE
    • Click here to start

    More About FDN

    Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT US

    Try FDN for FREE! 

    COURSE OVERVIEW

    DRESS WORKSHOP

    STRESS & HORMONE WORKSHOP

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    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED (UPCOMING LIVES)

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED – FREE EXPERT LED TRAINING SESSIONS

    FDN METHODOLOGY

    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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  • Galaxy AI Unlocks New Possibilities at the 2024 Red Bull Rampage

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    For more than two decades, the premier freeride mountain bike competition, Red Bull Rampage, has featured the world’s best athletes in the iconic red-rock deserts of southwest Utah. And for the first time, eight of the world’s best female freeride athletes joined the ranks of freeride’s greatest to compete in the inaugural Red Bull Rampage women’s competition. It was a day to be remembered in mountain biking history.

    All the attention was on the finals, held on October 10, when riders flashed down their lines in less than two minutes per run. It was a historic moment, years in the making, and regardless of the results, no one was happier to see it than Casey Brown. The Canadian women’s freeride pioneer has built her career around proving women belong at Rampage. In 2019, Brown even competed in the qualifying competition, Proving Grounds, hoping to earn a spot in the men’s competition. “Being here this year felt surreal,” says Brown. “The whole ten days [building lines at Rampage]. Waking up every morning going, ‘OK I’m going to go dig for my own line at Rampage,’ which is a dream come true. We all wanted this, and we got such an awesome zone to build our lines.”

    Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and Galaxy Ring (Photo: Samsung)

    Brown was referring to one of the things that makes Red Bull Rampage so special: Competitors ride their own custom-built lines. It may look like a one-day event to spectators, but the real competition started more than a week earlier, when athletes and their dig crews spent long days scouting and molding their lines. After creating a line featuring multiple vertical drops, step-downs, and jumps, Brown finished third—an amazing result on its own—and also earned the coveted McGazza Spirit Award, presented to the athlete who best exemplifies the spirit of freeride through camaraderie, sportsmanship, and passion for freeride. “I’m so honored to take the award home,” says Brown.

    In a competition this tight, with so many elite riders, every part of the preparation process makes a difference, and Brown says using Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 was key to her success. Building a line requires a fine balance of calculated risk versus reward, finding that razor’s edge between what’s possible—and what’s not. “It’s really impressive to see the builds going down and seeing what [the riders] create with the terrain that we’ve been given,” Brown says. “There is a lot of visual scoping and taking photos to get the lay of the land. Using the Z Flip6 has been awesome. You can stand it up on its own. You’re not struggling to find a place to set it when you’re trying to take a selfie from a distance with the crew. And all you have to do is show your hand to get it to start the timer, which is really cool. Also, I really like the camcorder-style filming. It feels a lot more natural. I love the FlexWindow. And the phone can fit in my pocket and hooks on so you can kind of have it hanging out if you want to film something on your bike. You can get a lot more content that way.”

    The inaugural women’s competition at the 2024 Red Bull Rampage. (Photo: Samsung)

    Brown also relied heavily on Galaxy Ring to ensure she stayed in peak physical condition in the leadup to competition day. Thanks to Energy Score—a daily reading based on the previous day’s sleep, activity, and heart rate—she could ensure that she optimized recovery and stayed hydrated even after the most grueling days of digging and practicing lines.

    “Samsung’s Galaxy Ring has really helped me map my sleep and gauge my energy for the day and be able to adjust,” Brown says. “It’s definitely full-on out here, and any little tool you can have that gets you a little bit ahead is a huge help. I also like that you can check your stats easily with Z Flip6’s FlexWindow—you don’t even have to open your phone. It’s also cool that you can gesture for a photo with Galaxy Ring by simply pinching your fingers together.”

    Another female athlete, Argentinian Camila Nogueira, also used Galaxy Z Flip6 to refine her line, leveraging FlexCam with Galaxy AI to capture and analyze her run.

    “Galaxy Z Flip6 is really pretty sick,” she says. “I can flip it to 90 degrees, and it’s really cool because I can put it anywhere on my course and just film from there. Also supercool: Galaxy AI lets me rewatch videos in slow-mo, and I can see exactly where I need to go slower and faster. It has so many AI tools that actually help to do [Rampage],” Nogueira adds. “The technology helps because first I can see my speed. If I want to check out something with more details, I can touch the screen and then slow-mo.” Using Instant Slow-Mo with Galaxy AI allowed Nogueira to fine-tune her speed and braking points.*

    Because of the difficulty in designing and building a top-to-bottom run in less than a week, athletes often team up to take advantage of the terrain’s most challenging features. Brown and Nogueira linked up to create one of the most death-defying features of the women’s event, a rock roll nicknamed the Laundry Chute that required harnessing the dig team into ropes to access the terrain. Using Galaxy AI on their Z Flip6 phones, Brown and Nogueira could reimagine what was possible and assess terrain with precision.

    In the aftermath of this historic event, one thing is clear: The future of freeride mountain biking is being reimagined—by not only the athletes but also the technology empowering their ambitions. Whether you’re a professional rider sending it over canyon gaps in the Utah desert or a local hero looking to share your latest ride with friends, Samsung Galaxy devices are helping athletes take their riding to the next level.

    *However, like all the riders, Nogueira is always pushing what’s possible in the sport—she suffered a crash in training that left her unable to compete in the finals.

    elessard

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  • Epigenetics and Obesity  | NutritionFacts.org

    Epigenetics and Obesity  | NutritionFacts.org

    Identical twins don’t just share DNA; they also share a uterus. Might that help account for some of their metabolic similarities? “Fetal overnutrition, evidenced by large infant birth weight for gestational age, is a strong predictor of obesity in childhood and later life.” Could it be that you are what your mom ate?

    A dramatic illustration from the animal world is the crossbreeding of Shetland ponies with massive draft horses. Either way, the offspring are half pony/half horse, but when carried in the pony uterus, they come out much smaller, as you can see below and at 0:47 in my video The Role of Epigenetics in the Obesity Epidemic. (Thank heavens for the pony mother!) This is presumably the same reason why the mule (horse mom and donkey dad) is larger than the hinny (donkey mom and horse dad). The way you test this in people is to study the size of babies from surrogates after in vitro fertilization. 

    Who do you think most determines the birth weight of a test-tube baby? Is it the donor mom who provided all the DNA or the surrogate who provided the intrauterine environment? When it was put to the test, the womb won. Incredibly, a baby who had a thin biological mother but was born to a surrogate with obesity may harbor a greater risk of becoming obese than a baby with a heavier biological mother but born to a slim surrogate. The researchers “concluded that the environment provided by the human mother is more important than her genetic contribution to birth weight.”

    The most compelling data come from comparing obesity rates in siblings born to the same mother, before and after her bariatric surgery. Compared to their brothers and sisters born before the surgery, those born when mom weighed about 100 pounds less had lower rates of inflammation, metabolic derangements, and, most critically, three times less risk of developing severe obesity—35 percent of those born before the weight loss were affected, compared to 11 percent born after. The researchers concluded that “these data emphasize how critical it is to prevent obesity and treat it effectively to prevent further transmission to future generations.”

    Hold on. Mom had the same DNA before and after surgery. She passed down the same genes. How could her weight during pregnancy affect the weight destiny of her children any differently? Darwin himself admitted, “In my opinion, the greatest error which I have committed, has been not allowing sufficient weight to the direct action of the environment, i.e. food…independently of natural selection.” We finally figured out the mechanism by which this can happen—epigenetics.

    Epigenetics, which means “above genetics,” layers an extra level of information on top of the DNA sequence that can be affected by our surroundings, as well as potentially passed on to our children. This is thought to explain the “developmental programming” that can occur in the womb, depending on the weight of the mother—or even the grandmother. Since all the eggs in your infant daughter’s ovaries are already preformed before birth, a mother’s weight status during pregnancy could potentially affect the obesity risk of her grandchildren, too. Either way, you can imagine how this could result in an intergenerational vicious cycle where obesity begets obesity.

    Is there anything we can do about it? Well, breastfed infants may be at lower risk for later obesity, though the benefits may be confined to those who are exclusively breastfed, as the effect may be due to growth factors triggered by exposure to the excess protein in baby formula, as you can see below and at 3:51 in my video. The breastfeeding data are controversial, though, with charges leveled of a “white hat bias.” That’s the concern that public health researchers might disproportionally shelve research results that don’t fit some goal for the greater good. (In this case, preferably publishing breastfeeding studies showing more positive results.) But, of course, that criticism came from someone who works for an infant formula company. Breast is best, regardless. However, its role in the childhood obesity epidemic remains arguably uncertain.

    Prevention may be the key. Given the epigenetic influence of maternal weight during pregnancy, a symposium of experts on pediatric nutrition concluded that “planning of pregnancy, including prior optimization of maternal weight and metabolic condition, offers a safe means to initiate the prevention rather than treatment of pediatric obesity.” Easier said than done, but overweight moms-to-be may take comfort in the fact that after the weight loss in the surgery study, even the moms who gave birth to kids with three times lower risk were still, on average, obese themselves, suggesting weight loss before pregnancy is not an all-or-nothing proposition.

    What triggered the whole obesity epidemic to begin with? There are a multitude of factors, and I covered many of them in my 11-video series on the epidemic in the related posts below.

    We are what our moms ate in other ways, too. Check out: 

    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Treat Type 1 Diabetes with a Plant-Based Diet?  | NutritionFacts.org

    Treat Type 1 Diabetes with a Plant-Based Diet?  | NutritionFacts.org

    Is it possible to reverse type 1 diabetes if caught early enough?

    The International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention has already had its share of miraculous disease reversals with a plant-based diet. For instance, one patient began following a whole food, plant-based diet after having two heart attacks in two months. Within months, he experienced no more chest pain, controlled his cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugars, and also lost 50 pounds as a nice bonus. Yet, the numbers “do not capture the patient’s transformation from feeling like a ‘dead man walking’ to being in command of his health with a new future and life.” 

    I’ve previously discussed cases of reversing the autoimmune inflammatory disease psoriasis and also talked about lupus nephritis (kidney inflammation). What about type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease we didn’t think we could do anything about? In contrast to type 2 diabetes, which is a lifestyle disease that can be prevented and reversed with a healthy enough diet and lifestyle, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which our body attacks our pancreas, killing off our insulin-producing cells and condemning us to a life of insulin injections—unless, perhaps, it’s caught early enough. If a healthy enough diet is started early enough, might we be able to reverse the course of type 1 diabetes by blunting that autoimmune inflammation?

    As I discuss in my video Type 1 Diabetes Treatment: A Plant-Based Diet, we know that patients with type 1 diabetes “may be able to reduce insulin requirements and achieve better glycemic [blood sugar] control” with healthier diets. For example, children and teens were randomized to a nutritional intervention in which they increased the whole plant food density of their diet—meaning they ate more whole grains, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, split peas, chickpeas, and lentils), nuts, and seeds. Researchers found that the more whole plant foods, the better the blood sugar control.

    The fact that more whole fruits were associated “with better glycemic [blood sugar] control has important clinical implications for nutrition education” in those with type 1 diabetes. We should be “educating them on the benefits of fruit intake, and allaying erroneous concerns that fruit may adversely affect blood sugar.”

    The case series in the IJDRP, however, went beyond proposing better control of just their high blood sugars, the symptom of diabetes, but better control of the disease itself, suggesting the anti-inflammatory effects of whole healthy plant foods “may slow or prevent further destruction of the beta cells”—the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas—“if dietary intervention is initiated early enough.” Where did this concept come from?

    A young patient. Immediately following diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at age three, a patient began a vegetable-rich diet and, three years later, “has not yet required insulin therapy…and has experienced a steady decline in autoantibody levels,” which are markers of insulin cell destruction. Another child, who also started eating a healthier diet, but not until several months after diagnosis, maintains a low dose of insulin with good control. And, even if their insulin-producing cells have been utterly destroyed, individuals with type 1 diabetes can still enjoy “dramatically reduced insulin requirements,” reduced inflammation, and reduced cardiovascular risk, which is their number one cause of death over the age of 30. People with type 1 diabetes have 11 to 14 times the risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to the general population, and it’s already the top killer among the public, so it’s closer to 11 to 14 times more important for those with type 1 diabetes to be on the only diet and lifestyle program ever proven to reverse heart disease in the majority of patients—one centered around whole plant foods. The fact it may also help control the disease itself is just sugar-free icing on the cake.

    All this exciting new research was presented in the first issue of The International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention. As a bonus, there’s a companion publication called the Disease Reversal and Prevention Digest. These are for the lay public and are developed with the belief I wholeheartedly share that “everyone has a right to understand the science that could impact their health.” You can go behind the scenes and hear directly from the author of the lupus series, read interviews from luminaries like Dean Ornish, see practical tips from dietitians on making the transition towards a healthier diet, and enjoy recipes. 

    The second issue includes more practical tips, such as how to eat plant-based on a budget, and gives updates on what Dr. Klaper is doing to educate medical students, what Audrey Sanchez from Balanced is doing to help change school lunches, and how Dr. Ostfeld got healthy foods served in a hospital. (What a concept!) And what magazine would be complete without an article to improve your sex life? 

    The journal is free, downloadable at IJDRP.org, and its companion digest, available at diseasereversaldigest.com, carries a subscription fee. I am a proud subscriber.

    Want to learn more about preventing type 1 diabetes in the first place? See the related posts below.

    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Top 17 Healthy Halloween Treats

    Top 17 Healthy Halloween Treats

    Like so many other holidays, Halloween is one of those times when it’s easy to throw caution to the wind and stuff our faces with gobs of sugar. On the one hand, who doesn’t love an excuse to dress up like a cat and play with pumpkins? On the other hand, chowing down on ultra-processed, sugar-packed candy is a one-way ticket to cavities, hormone imbalances and a mean case of the grumps. Conventional candy is loaded with artificial colours, ‘natural’ flavours, refined sugars and hydrogenated oils. The good news? There are plenty of homemade healthy Halloween treat options!

    But What About the Kids?

    We worry about the kids, though, right? We don’t want them missing out. I can hear you now: “But I only buy Halloween candy for the kids!” Right. Despite your good intentions, you know that jumbo pack of mini chocolate bars is going to disappear long before the trick-or-treaters come knocking. Besides, don’t the little ones deserve some superfood-filled, health-promoting goodies, too? YES!!!

    There may have once been a time when Halloween was the one time of year that kids ate junk. Now, treats are everywhere. Birthday parties, school events, chocolate or candy from well-meaning grocery stores or local businesses, sports and activities – the list goes on. Even the ‘healthy snacks‘ are basically treats.

    Excess sugar in our children’s diets is linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease risk, dental cavities and can affect their mental health. This probably isn’t news to you – the dangers of excess sugar have been making headlines for years. It’s time to stop the processed candy cycle and there’s no time like the present!

    Instead of stocking up on store-bought candy, try making these healthy treats for yourself and your family.

    And there are some non-food treat suggestions for you, too!

    Note: Please know I don’t mean for you to hand these out at your door. The intention behind these Halloween treats are for situations where it’s safe to interact with family and friends.

    Kid-Friendly Healthy Halloween Treats

    Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

    Once you try these, you won’t be able to go back to peanut butter cups.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Easy Baked Apples

    Baked Apples

    Bonus: These will make your kitchen smell incredible!

    GET THE RECIPE

    Homemade Fruit Rollups

    Homemade Fruit Roll up - Healthy Halloween

    You will love these easily customizable fruit rollups, with both dehydrator and oven directions.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Spicy Sweet Potato Brownies

    Spicy Sweet Potato Brownies

    If your family is sensitive to cayenne, you can just leave it out.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Grain-Free Fruit Crumble

    Gluten-Free-Fruit-Crumble

    There are so many options for this recipe – make it with any seasonal fruit.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Hazelnut Coconut Fudge

    Hazelnut Fat Bomb Fudge

    This brain-fuelling fudge makes a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack and has very little sugar in it.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Vegan and Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie

    Chocolate cream pie

    This recipe is always a hit at small gatherings!

    GET THE RECIPE

    Chocolate Turtles

    Healthy Halloween Treats

    A delicious gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free alternative to the Turtles chocolates you know and love.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Caramel Fudge Chocolate Bar

    Caramel Fudge Bar - Healthy Halloween Treats

    This extra-special chocolate bar is gluten-free, dairy-free and absolutely divine.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Gluten-Free Strawberry Licorice

    Strawberry Licorice - Healthy Halloween Treats

    Yes, you can make licorice yourself! This is a 3-ingredient recipe that both kids and grownups will adore.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Dairy-Free Maple Cream Custard

    Dairy-Free Maple Cream Custard

    These are packed with protein and nutritious fats, plus if you have any leftovers, this recipe freezes well.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies - Healthy Halloween Treats

    You can’t go wrong with a classic.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Grain-Free Raw Coconut Cookies

    Grain-Free Coconut Cookies - Healthy Halloween Treats

    The best part of these cookies is that they require no cook time so you can enjoy them immediately!

    GET THE RECIPE

    Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

    Vegan Vanilla Macaroon Recipe - Healthy Halloween Treats

    These simple treats are infused with fermented protein powder and have a healthy dose of fat and fibre.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Gluten-Free + Vegan Cinnamon Buns

    Cinnamon roll with icing recipe

    You’ll want to drizzle that coconut butter icing over everything!

    GET THE RECIPE

    Chocolate-Covered Figs

    Chocolate Covered Figs - Healthy Halloween Treats

    Chocolate and figs: two aphrodisiac ingredients for a romantic treat after the kids fall asleep.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins/Cupcakes

    lemon poppyseed muffin icing - Healthy Halloween Treats

    A completely unprocessed and delicious gluten-free, dairy-free lemon poppyseed muffin with lemon cream frosting.

    GET THE RECIPE

    Non-Food Healthy Halloween Treats

    Don’t want to be the hippie parents giving out dried fruit? Consider handing out some of these fun things:

    • Stickers
    • Fun pencils, pens and erasers
    • Crayons
    • Yo-yos
    • Non-toxic removable tattoos

    What are you making this year to have a healthy Halloween?

    Meghan Telpner

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  • A Nutritionist in Italy: What I Learned on My Trip – Healthy Nest Nutrition

    A Nutritionist in Italy: What I Learned on My Trip – Healthy Nest Nutrition

    A couple of weeks ago I went to Italy. It was a bucket trip for me — to travel through Tuscany, biking the rolling hills, nibbling on grapes that were ready to burst, seeing the olives weighing down the trees, and enjoying early fall food, wine and all!

    It was a fantastic trip. The hills were big and I pedaled my legs off. The wine was spectacular (not a red wine drinker and it turns out there is fantastic white wine in Tuscany). The olive oil was divine. The food was as good as I could have expected. As always, I like to reflect food-wise on how it went. As a nutritionist in Italy, here’s what I learned on my trip.

    My Italy Takeaways

    Mediterranean still wins. BUT is not a slam dunk. As I have spoken about before, when I travel, my digestion isn’t as happy as when I am home with my own fridge and routines. When I travel to a Mediterranean country, I normally do well. Tuscany started off OK, and as the trip progressed, perhaps a bit too much pizza and wine threw my digestion off. So let’s say 60% GOOD, 40% COMPROMISED. Note to self (and all of you who travel with digestive issues): stay engaged in good habits, to continue to feel good, even when you go to Italy.

    Farm-to-table meals are great. We had a lot of farm-to-table-style meals. What was on the menu was what was readily available. I LOVE eating seasonally and Italy did not disappoint. Except for the artichokes—weirdly, there were lots and lots of them.

    Slow food + normal portions + walking to dinner is a helpful equation. Meals take time in Tuscany. There is no hurrying, and you really don’t want to. Meals were coursed and well timed. A normal dinner contained at least a few dishes, which were generously portioned, but NOT huge, which was nice. We walked to dinner each night and walked around before heading home. By the time we reached the hotel, I felt like digestion was helped along by the late-night stroll.

    Active vacations for the win. Although I would consider all vacations pretty active, this one was even more so because for 3 days we biked pretty big hills. All of the biking gave me liberty when ordering. I ordered what looked good, knowing I was burning LOTS of energy and needed lots of fuel. That’s a wonderful way to go. And it worked. I came home weighing exactly what I did when I left, even after several bowls of tasty pasta!

    Rest is key. We all know it’s important to rest and recharge. And when you’re used to go-going, that can be hard. But I did find time to slow down and, consequently, found myself more creative and focused upon return. Turns out, vacation is a grand concept and something we all need in our lives.

    Taking time off is part of self-care. Make sure you take care!

    XO

    Robin

    Let us help you eat differently and toward your better health. Reach out for a complimentary consultation to see if Healthy Nest Nutrition is right for you.

    Healthy Nest Nutrition

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  • Mycobiota-Induced IgA Antibodies, the Gut, And Crohn’s Disease

    Mycobiota-Induced IgA Antibodies, the Gut, And Crohn’s Disease


    Antibodies, the Gut, and Crohn’s Disease: Summary

    In Antibodies, the Gut, and Crohn’s Disease, Dr. Gonsor leads an in-depth discussion on the crucial role of microbiota-induced IgA antibodies in maintaining gut health, particularly in the context of Crohn’s disease. IgA antibodies are central to regulating fungal commensalism in the gut, crucial for preventing harmful fungal forms like Candida’s hyphal state from causing intestinal damage. 

    The discussion emphasizes the functions of SigA, including immune exclusion, agglutination, mucus entrapment, and peristaltic clearance, which form the first line of defense against gut infections. This is particularly important in Crohn’s disease patients, where impaired production of SigA heightens susceptibility to pathogenic fungi, underscoring the necessity of maintaining healthy SigA levels for gut health. A detailed exploration of mechanisms and production of SigA antibodies is provided, illustrating their role in balancing gut microbiota and highlighting research that links SigA impairment to increased vulnerability in Crohn’s patients. The potential therapeutic role of antifungal SigA in managing fungal overgrowth in these patients is also discussed, even though this issue may not affect all individuals with inflammatory bowel disease. 

    In addition to the focus on SigA and Crohn’s disease, the podcast addresses the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. These drugs, noted for their efficacy in treating obesity by regulating fat mass set points in the brain, come with side effects including gastrointestinal issues and rare conditions like pancreatitis and kidney problems. The podcast underscores a balanced approach, advocating for the integration of pharmacological interventions with lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction for effective management of obesity and related conditions.

    Antibodies, the Gut, and Crohn’s Disease: Topics

    00:00 Introduction to Microbiota and IgA Antibodies

    00:56 Exploring Secretory IgA and Fungal Pathogens

    01:36 FDN’s Focus on Secretory IgA

    02:05 Discussion on GLP-1 and Weight Loss Medications

    03:04 Side Effects and Considerations of Semaglutides

    04:48 Mechanisms of Obesity Medications

    08:39 New Study on Semaglutides and Heart Failure

    10:25 Balancing Medications and Lifestyle Management

    12:54 Introduction to Lifestyle Medicine

    13:32 Microbiota Induced IgA Antibodies

    15:45 Understanding Secretory IgA

    19:36 Candida and Its Forms

    21:33 Crohn’s Disease and IgA Dysregulation

    24:54 Key Takeaways and Therapeutic Insights

    25:51 Conclusion and Viewer Engagement

    Previous Episodes

    Grab a copy of the studies and catch up on previous episodes by CLICKING HERE

    Scientific Literacy Course

    In a world propelled by science and technology, understanding the fundamental principles of science is no longer just an advantage—it’s a necessity. To thrive in tomorrow’s world, become equipped not just with scientific knowledge, but with the ability to critically engage. Grab the Scientific Literacy Course offered by FDN by CLICKING HERE

    More About FDN

    Go to our Health Detective Podcasts for informative, functional health oriented podcasts.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT US

    Try FDN for FREE! 

    COURSE OVERVIEW

    DRESS WORKSHOP

    STRESS & HORMONE WORKSHOP

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    MEDICAL DIRECTOR PROGRAM

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED (UPCOMING LIVES)

    HEALTH SPACE UNMASKED – FREE EXPERT LED TRAINING SESSIONS

    FDN METHODOLOGY

    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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  • The Keto Brain Health Conference – Diet and Health Today

    The Keto Brain Health Conference – Diet and Health Today

    Introduction

    In July 2024, I was invited by Heather Foley (Ref 1) to speak at a conference that she was organising on October 19th, 2024. The theme was ketogenic diets for brain health. I was introduced to Heather by Dr Georgia Ede, who is one of the superstars in the fields of keto diets for brain health.

    Heather planned to do a one day conference at a fabulous venue – the Monastery in Manchester (Ref 2). I knew a couple of the speakers and was keen to meet the others, so I said yes. I don’t do many conferences anymore because it takes so long to prepare a presentation. People think the commitment is on the day – it’s not – it’s the weeks beforehand.

    The agenda was as follows:

    • 09.00 – Dr. Zoë Harcombe / “Separating Fat from Fiction”
    • 10.15 – Richard Smith / “The Power of Ketosis”
    • 11.30 – Panel / “Fat Heals… Real Success Stories”
    • 12.30 – LUNCH
    • 13.30 – Dr. Rachel Brown / “Mental Health Doesn’t Come From a Pill”
    • 14.45 – Ivor Cummins / “Statins and Neurological Damage: Myth or Reality?”
    • 16.00 – Dr. Anthony Chaffee / “What Actually is Brain Health?”
    • 17.15 – Panel / “Q&A with the Speakers”

    The presentations were not live streamed and Heather said up front that she didn’t plan to put them on line. I was pleased with this, as it means I can use the work done again. Andy recorded my presentation – just for you lovely subscribers. We’ve just driven back from Manchester and Andy has managed to drop my slides into the recording, so that you can watch it below. The rest of this note will share what I hoped people would take away from my presentation. I’ll close with some of my and Andy’s takeaways from the long and lovely weekend.

    Zoe

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  • New Season, New Opportunities for Consistency – Healthy Nest Nutrition

    New Season, New Opportunities for Consistency – Healthy Nest Nutrition

    With the change in season comes an opportunity.

    October is the onramp to the holiday season. Getting clear on your food goals NOW is the key to food success for the next few months. Hopefully, you’ve settled into your fall schedule, planning and prepping for easy and delicious meals and snacks, embracing roasted veggies, colorful soups and heartier salad dinners.

    Still hitting the farmer’s markets and gathering veggies, still making the big, delicious crunchy salads. But now, try adding some heartiness. Maybe a side of veggie soup, a roasted vegetable, toasted nuts, crispy legumes, apples and pears. 

    Colder weather begs for a little heavier meal, all the while maintaining the inspiring Mediterranean-style framework. With a little planning and prepping, it’s easy to be successful. Here’s how.

    Changes in Grocery Lists

    Keeping it seasonal means starting to buy frozen organic berries and fresh apples and pears. Adding a squash to the cart. Picking up broth. Stocking the pantry with white, garbanzo, black beans and red, green and black lentils.

    Two Sessions Per Week

    Are you willing to food prep twice a week? That is the sweet spot. Buy what you need for the next 2-3 days. So, 2-3 breakfasts, lunch, dinners and snacks. That might be buying, chopping or mixing. It might mean making a frittata, a soup, a sheet pan meal, or a slow cooker meal twice a week for main meals. Spend a bit of extra time up front (again 2x/week) so that each mealtime prep is minimal, delicious, real and home cooked.

    Breakfast: Frittata, 4 servings for 2 breakfasts for you and others OR it could be breakfast for 3 days and snack 1 day.

    Lunch: Soup + salad. Eat this 2-4 times. If you’re not a leftover person, soups freeze well. Eat 1 to 2 times and freeze the remaining. 

    Snack: Pick a snack and stick with it for a few days. Then, pick something else for the remainder for the week. Protein and healthy-fat-rich, please. For example, hummus and carrots.

    Dinner: It’s the perfect time of year to start sheet pan + slow cooker dinners. We’ll highlight these for the next several months.

    Make a Date 

    Putting time in your calendar for planning, shopping, pre-cooking each week (in small chunks) is crucial to making mealtimes successful. Consider making a date with yourself and your food.

    Embrace the Creativity

    Here are the comments I hear regularly on cooking:

    • I don’t have time—this is the most common!
    • I don’t like to grocery shop.
    • I buy too much and throw out food every week.
    • I’m not a good cook.
    • I don’t know how to cook.
    • I travel so I don’t cook.

    There are LOTS of reasons NOT to set yourself up for success. The biggest reason TO doing the work to set yourself up for success is… A little bit of up-front work makes easy work later on. And makes it WAY easier to hit your individual food goals. SO, set yourself up! It’s totally worth it.

    Need a little help? Reach out to a holistic nutritionist and see if Healthy Nest is right for you.

    The post New Season, New Opportunities for Consistency appeared first on Healthy Nest Nutrition.

    Healthy Nest Nutrition

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  • Cozy Fall Dinner Recipes – Healthy Nest Nutrition

    Cozy Fall Dinner Recipes – Healthy Nest Nutrition

    We are jazzed about the change in seasons and the opportunity to roast, toast and get hearty with the harvest. 

    Everything at the markets looks fantastic right now. As temps drop and days get shorter, we seem to crave bigger and heartier flavors. Enjoy big fall flavors while still maintaining an ALL whole food baseline with these cozy fall dinner recipes.

    Here are the recipes we’re putting on the dinner table this season.

    A Big Fall Salad

    Kale, Apple and Almond Chicken Salad
    Hannah Kinger, Cooking Light 2016

    A simple yet satisfying dinner. The vinaigrette doubles as a marinade. Pat the chicken dry before searing. Can sub romaine or spinach if you don’t love kale.

    1/4 cup olive oil 
    1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 
    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 
    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 
    12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts
    6 cups baby kale 
    2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally 
    2 celery stalks
    Thinly sliced apple
    1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

    Fast, Easy + Delicious Fish Dinner

    Crab Cakes on Greens
    Kinda fancy without a lot of work!

    A cup of mixed crab meat, white and brown
    1 egg
    a tsp of Dijon mustard
    ⅛ tsp white pepper
    light olive oil or butter (or ghee) for frying
    ½ cup almond flour (can sub regular)
    pinch of salt
    3-4 tbsp ground almonds
    1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
    3 handfuls of baby spinach or baby leaf salad
    quarter of a cucumber, deseeded and sliced
    lemon wedges for serving

    Combine crab, egg, mustard, and parsley, flour and salt. Form into 4 patties. Refrigerate for 30 min. Heat 1 tsp oil in sauté pan. Fry 10 min per side. Place on a bed of lettuce. Top with almonds. 

    Hearty Autumn Soup

    Roasted Red Pepper + Tomato Soup
    Modified from Cookie + Kate

    This soup is a great combo of late-summer harvest veggies. The recipe is big (about 12 cups), so you can ½ it, or freeze some for later.

    8 to 9 medium tomatoes (about 5 pounds), cored and quartered
    3 red bell peppers (about 1 pound), seeded and quartered
    2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges about ¾” wide on the outer edges
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
    6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
    4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth (chicken broth can be subbed)
    ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
    Pinch of cayenne pepper
    salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the quartered tomatoes on one of the prepared baking sheets. Place the quartered bell peppers and onions on the other baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over each baking sheet. Gently toss the tomatoes until lightly coated in oil. Gently toss the onions and red peppers until they are lightly coated in oil. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the sheet. Place the tomatoes on the top rack of the oven and the peppers and onion on the middle rack. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and golden on the edges. 

    When the vegetables are sufficiently softened, bring the broth to boil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Peel your garlic and toss it in. Add the roasted vegetables, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, if using, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.Purée the soup using an immersion blender or transfer the soup to a blender in batches, several cups at a time. Season to taste with salt (I added another ½ teaspoon) and pepper. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple of days and freezes beautifully. 

    Surprisingly Good Veggie Main

    Lentils with Asparagus, Roasted Potatoes, and Lemon Mustard Dressing
    From Angela Liddon, Oh She Glows

    Different and delicious!

    For the salad:
    1 cup uncooked French green lentils/du Puy lentils (about 2½ cups cooked)
    3 medium yellow potatoes, diced (about 3½ cups) (or sub carrots for fewer carbs)
    1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped
    ½ medium red onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
    1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    handful minced fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

    For the dressing (makes 2/3 cup):
    2 tbsp coarse seeded/old fashioned mustard 
    2 tbsp Dijon mustard
    4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
    pinch or two fine grain sea salt or pink salt

    Preheat the oven to 425 F. Use a fine mesh sieve to rinse and drain lentils. Add lentils and 3 cups of water to a pot. Heat until boiling and then simmer until tender, about 18-20 minutes. Drain lentils and add sea salt to taste. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets. Toss chopped potatoes with ½ tbsp oil, salt, and pepper on one of them and place in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes and flip.

    While potatoes cook, toss asparagus, red onion (if you’d like to roast it), ½ tbsp oil, salt, and pepper on the other baking sheet. Place in oven when you flip the potatoes and roast both potatoes and asparagus for 12-15 minutes until potatoes are golden and asparagus is tender. Remove from oven and place in bowl with lentils. In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients. Toss lentils and vegetables with dressing.

    A Colorful Side

    Cauliflower Steaks
    Modified from Mark Hyman, FOOD

    A great alternative to regularly roasted cauliflower.

    Cauli Steaks:
    2 heads of cauliflower
    ¼ cup avocado oil
    1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
    1 ½ tbsp capers, rinsed and minced
    ¾ tsp garlic powder
    ½ tsp paprika
    ¾ tsp sea salt
    ½ tsp pepper

    Remove green leaves, trim and cut in half. Then cut 1 ½ inch steaks. There will be lots of florets that fall off. Save them for later. Arrange the steaks on baking sheets. Mix the avocado oil, lemon juice, capers, and spices in a bowl. Drizzle or brush on mixture on both sides. Bake at 450 degrees for about 12 min. Flip, add remaining mixture and bake another 13 min, until steaks are brown. They are done when you can pierce with a fork.

    Chermoula Sauce:
    ¾ cup slivered almonds
    2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley
    1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
    ½ cup olive oil
    ¼ cup lemon juice
    2 tbsp water
    1 tbsp tamari
    3 tbsp capers
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 tbsp minced jalapeno
    ½ tsp smoked paprika
    ½ tsp salt

    Toast the almonds in a sauté pan til brown. Blend or food process the almonds with the rest of the ingredients. Serve on top of cauli steaks.

    A Smoky Snack

    Roasted Pepitas 
    A great spice combo on these nuts!

    Half tsp each of: salt, smoked paprika, garlic (granulated, if possible, but powder works in a pinch)
    1 tsp olive oil 
    ½ cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds

    Combine spices and garlic. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the pepitas and cook until browned around 4-5 min. Turn off the heat and mix with spices.

    A Decadent Fall Dessert

    Cocoa Walnut Truffles
    Modified from The Clean Plate, Gwyneth Paltrow

    Love these in the fall!

    Half cup each of: Medjool dates, pitted and chopped, raw cashews, raw almonds
    1/8 tsp vanilla extract
    1 tbsp raw cacao powder
    Pinch of sea salt
    2 tbsp water
    2 tbsp chopped walnuts

    Simply combine all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Shape the mixture into 12 tablespoon-sized balls. Store in the fridge until ready to eat. 

    Visit our blog for more seasonal recipes and healthy eating tips. To see if Healthy Nest Nutrition is right for you, reach out for a complimentary consultation.

    Healthy Nest Nutrition

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