Self Love: Taking the Pledge

Valentine's Day is two weeks away yet in the pre-holiday retail rush, we're surrounded by chocolates, flowers, sentimental cards, and other momentos expressing L-O-V-E.

Whether or not Cupid has slung his arrow, we sometimes need a reminder that love begins within.

Author Daylle Deanna Schwartz, founder of the Self-Love Movement, is offering a free download of her book, "How Do I Love Me, Let Me Count the Ways" at her website, http://howdoiloveme.com/

On her website, Schwartz encourages women and men to take a  pledge to "do something loving for myself, no matter how big or small, for the next 31 days."  According to the author, "commiting to yourself can open many doors for you, attracting more love into your life."

In her post on the website Beliefnet, Schwartz says self-love provides many benefits, from increasing self-confidence and allowing us to set boundaries to attracting healthy romantic partners and motivating us to take better care of ourselves.  Before we can embrace a healthy lifestyle, we need to make ourselves a priority.

As Al Franken's Stuart Smalley character would share in an early nineties Saturday Night Live skit, "I'm good enough.  I'm smart enough. And doggone, people like me!"

While the skit was tongue and cheek, Franken proclaimed a similar message.  To attract love, romantic or friendship, into our lives, we must first accept ourselves. 

Beth

From the Clean Kitchen: Red Curry

 

 

Red Curry with Tofu and Eggplant

 

This vegetarian curry recipe features phytonutrient champ eggplant, protein from garbanzo beans and tofu, healthy fats from coconut cream, and anti-inflammatory benefits of curry’s tumeric.

1 large eggplant, sliced and cubed

2 blocks extra firm tofu, cubed

1 red pepper, sliced in strips

4 cloves garlic, minced

Extra virgin olive oil

1 (14 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

½ bag frozen green peas

2 (14 oz) cans tomato sauce, organic

1 (14 oz) can coconut cream

1-2 T or to taste curry powder

1 t cumin

1. Sprinkle kosher salt over eggplant. Cover with paper towel and let sit for at least one hour to draw out bitter water.

2. In a large sautee pan, heat 2 T olive oil over low heat. Add garlic, saute until golden.

3. Add eggplant and peppers. Sautee until eggplant begins to soften and brown.

4. Gently stir in tofu and garbanzo beans.

5. In a saucepan, heat 2 cans tomato paste. Mix in coconut cream till blended over medium heat. Add cumin and curry powder to taste. For extra spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

6. Let sauce simmer until blended. Pour over vegetable mix.

7. While mixture is continuing to simmer, stir in peas.

8. Serve over brown rice, quinoa, Israeli couscous or a blend of grains.

Deconstucting the Cereal Box

A bowl of cereal and milk.  America's breakfast food, after school or midnight snack.  "Fortified with 12 vitamins and minerals" and now "whole grain!" 

"Seinfeld" fans will remember Jerry as "an avid Superman and cereal fan," nod to the Wikipedia entry about the anti-sitcom.  And we've all known folks who could shake that box, filling a huge bowl to the rim, downing in minutes, only to repeat.  The bottomless pit.

Somewhere in the seventies, a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs became the anti-Christ.  Atkins followers, excused.  Mikey "liked it."  Our Saturday morning cartoons were interrupted by that technicolor toucan, tricky rabbit, and the Flintstones hawking sugar masquerading as a healthy way to start and maybe finish the day.

Back in 2009, General Mills converted its "Big G" line to contain "at least 8 g of whole grains."  In 2012, the General Mills website boasted its cereal line now "contains more whole grains than any other ingredient."  Sounds good, right?  Well, Big G cereals include Count Chocula, Double Chocolate Cookie Crisp, Frankenberry, and Dora the Explorer.  The site also notes, "Kids or spouses with 'unique' taste preferences can be convinced to try whole grains."  The question remains, "Can you have your cake -- ahem -- Cinnamon Toast Crunch and eat it, too?"

Baseball, reality TV and vilifying foods are America's national pastimes.  While grocery stores devote entire aisles to Kellogg's, Post, General Mills, and some "natural" brands, we read conflicting information about the health risks or benefits of a lowfat, grain-based diet.  Is it better to breakfast on cereal and milk or scrambled eggs and a side of fruit? 

The best way to cut through the marketing fluff is to deconstruct the label, one ingredient at a time. 


Trix:  "Silly Rabbit, Trix are for Kids!"



For starters, Trix cereal lists "whole grains" as the first ingredient. The FDA requires food processors to list ingredients in descending order by weight.  Trix, Froot Loops, Count Chocula, Cheerios, Special K, Cookie Crisps, Golden Grahams are all cereals.  By definition, grain would be the primary ingredient.  The "whole grain" in Trix is corn, the Farm Bill class pet.  Genetically modified corn and soy are the captain of the food processing football team and the head cheerleader, surrounded by a posse of a byproducts like corn meal and corn syrup, the third and fourth ingredients on the list.  The second ingredient? Sugar.

The top six are rounded out by GMO canola oil and/or rice bran oil and trisodium phosphate, a chemical compound that also acts as a cleaning agent and solvent.  Trisodium phosphate was commonly used in consumer grade soaps and detergents until use was discontinued for environmental reasons. 

The remaining ingredients include Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1, and "other colors," natural and artificial flavors, citric acid, malic acid, and BHT.  The colorants that give Trix, Froot Loops, and Lucky Charms their techno-hues are derived from petroleum. Yum yum!  Natural vs artificial flavors? According to U. of Minnesota Professor of Food Sciences and Nutrition Gary Reineccuis in the journal Scientific American, "There is little substative difference between the chemical composition of natural and artificial flavorings.  Both are made in a laboratory by a trained professional, a 'flavorist' who blends appropriate chemicals in the right proportion."  Natural chemicals are used to create natural flavors.  Artificial chemicals are used to create artificial flavors.  Fuzzy line.

In the 1970s, pediatrician Benjamin Feingold, linked artificial colorings and additives such as BHT and BHA to childhood hyperactivity.  Over the years, countless children have followed Feingold's Elimination Diet.  The debate over its effectiveness continues today.

The next time your kids or your spouse cajoles or even begs for that box of whole but processed-within-an-inch-of-its-life grains, sugar, corn syrup, fortified by vitamins, minerals and a bunch of hard to pronounce additives, ask yourself, "Is this really the breakfast of champions?"

Beth

Hips Don't Lie

Self-proclaimed plus-sized model Mikel Ruffinelli holds the record for the world's largest hips.  At least, that's what I read this morning via Yahoo! News.  The 39-year-old mother of four boasts a hip circumference of over eight feet wide.  At 5'4", the Los Angeles woman weighs 420 lbs. and has a "proportionate" waist of 40 inches.  Mikel "sees no reason to diet because I don't have health problems.  Men don't fancy skinny girls; they like an hourglass figure."

Mikel attributes her weight gain to her four pregnancies with a nod to the 3,000 calories she consumes each day. 

Mikel's self-confidence may give those with much lower BMIs reason to pause.  But, excessive body weight, specifically concentrated in the waist and abdomen, places people at risk for a whole host of chronic and deadly diseases.  A waist measurement of 40 or greater in men and 35 or greater in women greatly increases risk for metabolic disorder, heart attacks, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, sudden cardiac death, and cancer of the breast, uterus, prostate, or colon. 

Ms. Ruffinelli's weight/height ratio is associated with a BMI above 40, in the "extremely obese" category.  Morbid obesity isn't as much a cosmetic issue as a substantial medical risk.

Very few of us will ever compete with Ruffinelli's record or weight.  However, even a weight loss of ten percent of body weight for those with a BMI in the overweight through Obese 1, Obese 2, or Extremely Overweight category would benefit from a loss of just ten percent of body weight. 

Where to start?  Focus your diet on clean food, avoiding processed foods and fast food.  As my beloved nutrition guru Michael Pollan says, "Eat food. Not too much.  Mostly plants." 

Of course, this may be easier said than done, especially when time constraints and exhaustion lead us astray to the world of fast food, frozen food, and that tempting bag of chips or box of cookies. 

Just like your favorite Hollywood celeb has an entourage of handlers, those of you on the road to a healthier lifestyle will find goals easier to attain with some helpers in your court.  In the next few months, I will begin seeing clients in my health coaching practice and welcome you to visit my website, http://www.bethckramer.com.  E-mail me at info@bethckramer.com for a complimentary health consultation to get you on the right track!

Beth

Gluten Free: The New Low Fat?

If you peruse the snack or bread aisle of any supermarket, you'll find an assortment of packages advertising "gluten free," the latest darling of the food industry.  An estimated one in 133 Americans suffer from celiac disease.  An estimated 97 percent of these people may not have been diagnosed.  Add in those with gluten sensitivities and allergies or other medical conditions for which a gluten free diet may help.

What is gluten?  What is celiac disease?  Is a gluten free diet the latest golden ticket to dropping a few jeans sizes?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and related grains such as barley, rye, spelt, and triticale.  The protein gives dough elasticity, enables dough to maintain its shape and gives bread or wheat products a chewy texture.  The gluten found in grains is a source of protein for people throughout the world.

But, what happens when that same protein causes symptoms such as intestinal issues, depression, anxiety, headaches, and inflammation?  What exactly is celiac disease and how does it differ from gluten sensitivity or intolerance? 

According to the National Institute of Health, celiac disease is a genetic condition in which a reaction to gluten causes damage to the villi in the intestines.  The damaged small intestines are eventually not able to absorb many essential nutrients which causes additional medical issues.  Celiac disease is more common in Causasians of European ancestry and is often present with other disorders or conditions including Down Syndrome, autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid athritis, thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes and intestinal lymphoma. 

Symptoms of celiac disease include but are not limited to unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, foul smelling fatty stools, vomiting, decreased appetite and nausea.  Resulting mineral and vitamin deficiencies can lead to bruising, anxiety, depression, and short stature in children.  Physicians can diagnose celiac disease with a panel of blood tests followed by endoscopy and biopsy of intestinal villi.  Genetic tests are also used to screen.  For patients diagnosed with celiac, the only treatment is avoidance of gluten-containing ingredients.  For particularly sensitive patients, nondietary exposure can cause symptoms.

What is gluten intolerance or sensitivity?  Gluten intolerance presents as a spectrum of disorders including wheat allergies to celiac disease.  Celiac is a lifelong issue.  Gluten sensitivity or intolerance may be temporary.  Symptoms of gluten sensivity include bloating, adominal discomfort, diarrhea, and headaches. 

Is a gluten free diet an effective weight loss tool?  Well, here's the sticky stuff.

Could trading in the bread basket or afternoon cupcake for crudites and a pear lead to weight control or loss?  Depending on other variables, probably. 

People without diagnosed celiac disease who avoid gluten may experience fewer abdominal symptoms, less fatigue and more energy. These same people may have an unknown wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity.

The "if" factor reminds me of the lowfat craze of the early 90s when those green boxes of Snackwell Devil's Food Cookies and Kraft Fat Free Salad Dressing were on the shopping list of every step class enthusiast.  Fat free diets replete with processed substitutes didn't lead to a population with lower BMIs.

The gluten free explosion is the same old story.  Gluten free bread, pretzels, cookies, and pasta won't lead to the path of svelte any more than pints of Simplesse or potato chips fried in Olestra.  (Does anyone else remembet these dietary faux pas of the era of boy bands and grunge?) 

Avoid processed foods.  Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.  Trade in pasta or white rice for millet, quinoa, and buckwheat.  Allow yourself an occasional indulgence or two.

And step away from the gluten free cookies!






Just like

Christmas Gift from the Kitchen

Christmas.  The Holidays.  Though I was raised in a Jewish household, my connection to the weeks surrounding December 25 goes back to the sixties and seventies.  As Andy Williams sang, "It's the Most Wonderful Tme of the Year."  I love the music, the communual joy in everyone's greetings, from people you recognize from your daily Starbuck's run to strangers holiday shopping in the mall.   And the winter holiday season is about sharing favorite dishes, family traditions or new favorites, with friends and family.

In my last post, I advised "stepping away from the cookie plate."  I've reconsidered. Within reason!

On a recent rainy Sunday afternoon, I got together with some dear friends to play pokeno and toast the holiday season over pretty pink-hued cocktails, caprese-inspired quiche, a tasty pomegranate salsa, and desserts.  These girls nights out are a highlight of my month, a chance to unwind with some great women.  Each month, we coordinate dishes and a cockail to go with our selected theme.

As the resident nutritionista, I generally come up with some sort of dish involving kale or quinoa.  This month, after some consideration, I thought I'd mix it up.  I had planned to make these addictive fruitcake cookies from the Barefoot Contessa.  You know -- a pound or so of unsalted butter, white flour, tubs of those candied emerald green and ruby red fruits.  The caveat?   The candied fruits were nowhere to be found.  And the dough needed to be chilled for an hour and a half. After a long day of work, that wasn't going to happen.

I glanced over at the supermarket holiday baking display, set up front center by the entrance.  You know by now that I am a from scratch kind of girl.  I avoid processed foods even when we're talking tarte tatin.  But, I was exhausted and famished.  That box of Krusteaz shortbread mix was my salvation. 

In addition to my passion for nutrition, I am a bit of an armchair food trivia buff.  I remembered Krusteaz was started by a Seattle area bridge group back in the 1930s who had come up with an easy at home piecrust mix.  Since I'd be baking treats for my game night friends, I relished the nostalgic connection.

Inspired by Ina Garten's recipe, I wandered over to the produce section where I found pomegranate-flavored dried cranberries.  Next stop, baking aisle for some dark chocolate chips and crushed toffee. 

I returned home to whip up two boxes of shortbread mix with 3 sticks of unsalted butter, adding in my extra ingredients.  Dropped by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet and baked for 10 minutes.  Voila!

The cookies have become my go to recipe for the holiday season!

To celebrate the holidays, I share with you two recipes from my game night friends.  A pomegranate/corn/black bean salsa my friend Michelle and a killer Passion X champagne drink from my friend and cocktail master Fran.

Happy Holidays!

Love,

Beth

Michelle's Fruit Salsa

(PS You know I had to tweak to avoid GMO corn, additional sodium and add avocado!)

1 bag frozen organic corn
1 tub pomegranate seeds (Trader Joe's)
1 can low sodium black beans
1 avocado, cubed (optional)

Mix in a bowl.  Serve with organic tortilla chips.

Fran's Pink Passion Cocktail

1 bottle X-Rated Fusion Liquer
1 bottle sparkling wine or champagne
1 bottle club soda or seltzer
quartered limes

Pour one part X-rated Fusion Liquer with one part chanpagne. Top with sparkling water and serve with lime.

Cheers!

Step Away from the Cookie Plate!

We're in the thick of the holiday season.  Radio stations in Southern California and Muzak in stores are playing round the clock "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Feliz Navidad."  Your inbox is likely filled with a gifting special of the day.  Need a sweater for Uncle Bob?  Take 20% off at Banana Republic! What about a festive cocktail dress for the office party?  Drive around the mall parking lot for an hour just to get a spot. Then, come home to wrap all the gifts, surrounding yourself with Scotch Tape, reams of giftwrap and ribbon. Invited to a cookie exchange? You'll need to bake five dozen of your favorite treats. 

Throw in some obligatory holiday gatherings where you'll need a grab bag or white elephant. Your kid's holiday show.  Decorating the tree or frying latkes. As much as I enjoy the festive spirit, I'm inclined to shout, "Bah, Humbug!" and dive under the covers to watch a Hallmark Christmas romantic comedy!

That cookie basket at the office or the dozens of iced sugar cookies in the kitchen are looking more tempting by the moment!  Thinking about dipping your finger into the icing bowl or shoveling clumps of raw cookie dough into your mouth when nobody's looking?

Sugar and Fat.  The homecoming couple of the holiday season.  When they're together, they're an irrestible duo.  Try saying "no" to that iced gingerbread man or holiday cupcake.  And we're not just talking about the white granulated or powdery stuff.  Simple carbs or what we nutritionistas refer to as "high glycemic load" carbohydrates give you that quick energy buzz only to leave you exhausted on the couch listening to Bing Crosby.

Steaming bread and butter.  That order of fries from the drive-through or filched from your son's plate.  Pasta and butter, straight from the pot before you serve to the family.  An assortment of flaky hors d'oeuvres wrapped in filo dough, moments earlier filling someone's freezer.

Instead of surrendering to the inevitability of an extra five or ten pounds along with the crumpled gift wrap, ornaments and decorations to put away till next year, what if you could indulge in some of your favorite yuletide or Hanukkah treats in a balanced way while still fitting into your little black dress or skinny jeans?  What if January magazine cover diet programs offered no more allure than a computer tech manual or how-to guide to changing your car's oil? 

Have you resigned yourself to buying stretch pants to accomodate the extra helpings of the fat/sugar duo for the next few weeks?  Perhaps you've already started the holiday pound stampede with mountains  of buttery mashed potatoes peaked with gravy, leftover stuffing picked apart while you were standing before the alter of the fridge.  Maybe you've already forked your way through the remainders of the pumpkin pie or raided the gift baskets filled with exotic crackers and processed cheeses.  The good news?  It's not too late to dodge the advances of the notorious creeping waistline with these tips!

1. Water.  Thirst vs hunger can be more confusing than a calculus problem to someone who hasn't studied math since high school.  Next time you feel like diving into a plate of mediocre Christmas sugar cookies in the office breakroom, try drinking a tall glass of chilled water. 

2. Picky eater. Parents of toddlers or preschoolers will remember the days when Chloe or Noah survived on Cheerios or buttered pasta.  I'm not suggesting you limit yourself to bland white food but be selective! Choose your indulgences wisely.  Forego that packaged cookie. Indulge in a homemade version or your favorite holiday hors d'ouevre.

3. Eat first. Don't skimp on your eating all day to save calories for hors d'ouevres and cocktails. Instead, start the day with a light meal of egg whites and whole grain toast or oatmeal with a splash of almond milk.  Enjoy a salad with some protein for lunch.  Snack on half an apple with almond butter or a piece of string cheese before you head out the door.  An growling stomach only leads to a path of unwise food choices.

4. Dance! Take an activity break from your hectic holiday schedule.  Invite a friend for a brisk walk instead of meeting for happy hour.  Stop by the yoga studio for some downward dog.  Pop in a workout DVD or dance around the living room to your favorite tunes. 

5. Share the love. Prepare a healthy vegetable-based recipe to bring to a gathering or potluck. Almost everyone will appreciate the option. In the next weeks, I'll be posting some "clean" recipes to add to your repertoire!

Happy Holidays!

Beth