A discussion of carbs

Reader question: I wanted to let you know that I have started the GAPS book by Dr. Campbell-McBride and I just bought "Primal Body, Primal Mind" which was given 2 thumbs up in the last Wise Traditions. When you are done moving/have had a chance to look at them, I would love to chat with you about them. Both recommend almost no carbs- even oats, brown rice, etc because of their effect on blood sugar. I haven't finished the books yet so I don't know if they mention soaking, but I would assume that soaking the grains first mitigates their deleterious effects. Anyway, would love to know your opinion.

Response: In terms of carbs, yes it is very true that excess carbohydrate consumption is at the root of our modern health crisis (along with mass-consumption of rancid vegetable oils and a few other things as well). And it is particularly the refined carbs and sweeteners that are doing the most damage. The USDA Food Pyramid recommends 300 grams of carbohydrates from grains a day!! This is the amount that a marathon runner would need to run the marathon -- not the amount that a sedentary person needs. So yes, everything we have been taught about cereals, bread, and pasta being the "staff of life" is completely wrong.

However, before you jump on the Atkins bandwagon, it is really incredibly important to keep in mind the findings of Weston A. Price who discovered many "primitive" cultures who ate quite a lot of carbohydrates and were extremely healthy. The Scottish people living in the outer Hebrides are a perfect example: they ate as many as 1000 calories per day from oats, yet had almost no tooth decay (remember, tooth decay is the physical manifestation of recurring imbalances in blood sugar and blood mineral levels). It is my belief - based on everything I have read and observed - that certain carbohydrates work best for certain people based on their ethnic heritage and the way their ancestors evolved specifically. For example, oatmeal works great for me, and I eat it almost every morning, but it makes Hugo want to fall asleep immediately. I have Scottish/Irish and European ancestry (oats were also big in other cooler parts of Europe) and so it is my experience and belief (based on being in tune with my body) that oats properly prepared work well for me. However, Hugo's heritage is entirely Spanish and Mexican (including Indian), and oats were never eaten by his ancestors. He is also blood type O (as are many Mexicans) which means he requires and is able to digest a lot of protein, especially meat -- but this doesn't mean that he needs to avoid carbs. Rather, he also does really well with corn and beans, both very starchy carb-rich foods. I could go on to give you other examples of this, but I'm sure you get the point. If you can look to your genetic heritage and determine roughly what your ancestors would have been eating, this may help you to at least find modern equivalents.

If you are prone to hypoglycemia and adrenal issues, as I was, you will need to completely cut out alcohol (which turns immediately to sugar in the body), white flour (also white rice and white pasta), all refined sweeteners, and all but very small servings of natural sweeteners and fruit. You will also need to be sure to have adequate animal fat and protein intake, coupled with fermented foods and/or beverages at every meal, and bone broth taken before eating meat (as you are blood type A this will help you digest the protein properly). You may also need to strictly limit carbohydrate consumption in the form of bread and flour, even whole-grain, because flour is basically very small particles of carbohydrate and therefore very easily absorbed, which can still cause something of an imbalance in blood sugar (sourdough breads and soaked-flour home-baked items are something of an exception, though they will still need to be used in moderation -- I recommend no more than 1-2 servings daily of flour items of any kind). This will all help with adrenal issues and a tendency to hypoglycemia. You may even notice a difference in your response to oats in various forms -- i.e. steel-cut oats will likely keep you going much longer than Scottish oatmeal which is in a highly crushed/milled form. This is a sign that your body is working harder to break down the more fibrous parts of the oats, thereby releasing glucose into the blood stream more slowly, which is exactly what we want.

It is also worth noting that rice is uniquely starchy in comparison to most other whole grains; it has a much higher starch-to-fiber ratio. It's wise to keep rice consumption to a minimum, even brown rice consumption, because the pancreas of the average Westerner is simply not adapted to produce enough insulin to digest rice on a regular basis. Asian and Japanese people actually have larger pancreases to handle rice! Again, we can take a cue from what's available locally. You can indeed grow oats in our Northeast climate, but not rice!

The key is to 1) find which healthy sources of carbs work for your body, and 2) use them in moderation or in the proper balance that works for you. Signs of blood sugar imbalances may include things like acne, PMS, PCOS (poly-cystic ovary syndome) and breast cysts, reproductive disorders, adrenal stress, thyroid issues, insulin resistance (with its signature weight gain around the belly), hypoglycemia, fatigue after eating, tooth decay, unwanted hair growth, yeast infections, irritability, depression, and susceptibility to infection.

Rotten egg whites, anyone?

Yesterday I came across some notes from Paul Pitchford, who presented on healing foods while I was at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. At one point he talked at some length about eggs and how the white has the effect of gumming up the liver. Some cultures would apparently pack egg whites in ash and bury the whole thing for weeks, then eat it rotten! This would ensure it would break down properly in the liver. A much more palatable alternative is to simply eat something spicy with eggs, such as cayenne pepper, a hot spicy drink (as in Korea), or hot sauce (as in the Southwest and Mexico).

He also said that spicy peppers (such as chili, jalapeno, and habanero) help to cleanse the body, and do the following:
-transform mucoid excesses in lungs, liver, and gall bladder (as well as mucus
build-up from egg whites),
-remove plaque from heart and arteries,
-help with high blood pressure, heart inflammation, and blood clots,
-and remove amyloid plaque in the brain.

As if flavor weren't reason enough, here's another reason to incorporate some spice into your food, and consume your eggs in traditional ways!

In terms of eggs, the other thing to be aware of is cooking time/style. I eat raw egg yolks semi-regularly, as does Oliver, but raw egg whites are another thing entirely; for one, they are very hard to digest. This may not seem like a big deal, but our digestion (and whether it's proceeding properly) can have a big impact on how we feel. I have been noticing lately on a few occasions that I become very irritable after eating undercooked egg whites, specifically in the form of soft-boiled and poached eggs; I couldn't figure out why this would be and thought it had something to do with blood sugar. However, I also have been craving spicy foods with egg breakfasts lately, and looking back at some of the egg breakfasts I've enjoyed in the past, I can see that incorporating a spicy element really makes sense and has made a big difference. Such as in this breakfast, which includes jalapeno sauerkraut from Hawthorne Valley. I wasn't able to get more of this yesterday at the market as HV was not there, but the kim chee I picked up will do the trick for sure. Yet another lesson in the importance of listening to your body!

In response to a question about stress

A reader asked if I have any food and natural remedy suggestions to help in coping with stress. Here are my recommendations:

1) First of all, on a daily basis try to take some time away from the source of stress -- this is harder for us marrieds-with-children when the source of stress is something like a teething child or a tired spouse, but if you can at all get some downtime just for you, be sure to make it a priority.
2) Take high-vitamin cod liver oil. See my other posts about this and just start doing it. When we are under stress our bodies become depleted of vitamin A, and CLO is the best backup source that we can take as a daily supplement. Vitamin A is needed to convert cholesterol into our hormones, and hormones will help keep us calm and on an even keel. Also, the high levels of vitamin D in CLO will support the immune system. Vitamins A and D work synergistically and really do help keep us well even in difficult circumstances or in the face of fatigue, stress, germ exposure, and cold weather.
3) Avoid stimulants as much as you can. These include things like sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods (which contain many additives), and white flour -- easier said than done around the holidays when we are constantly eating cookies, drinking hot chocolate, and having drinks at parties! These foods put stress on the body, deplete us of important nutrients and minerals, and have the effect of jolting the adrenal glands to make them produce extra energy. This can end up making us feel even more stressed out because our adrenaline response is constantly activated. Think of it this way: each time you stimulate your adrenal glands, they continue firing for a full 24 hours. So if you have coffee every morning, guess what? your adrenal glands never get a day off. This spells big trouble when you come under additional stress, because your adrenals are likely fatigued and you will be tempted to stimulate them even more than usual to keep yourself going.
4) Fats from animals raised on grass are an important source of the cholesterol mentioned above which helps our bodies make the appropriate hormones. These fats are also great sources of the all-important vitamins A and D (also mentioned above). Focus on foods like butter, cream, egg yolks, lard, chicken fat (think chicken skin & roasting drippings!), and other meat fats. Fat from oily fish is wonderful as well. [When it comes to dairy, choose raw if you have the option, but if not always get organic, grass-fed & unhomogenized if you can, and never ever ultra-pasteurized.]
5) Treat yourself to something relaxing...like a special caffeine-free tea (try to get something that has only herbs, flowers, and fruits in it -- no natural flavors or other additives), a warm bath, or a massage. If you have a favorite way of relaxing, such as meditation, yoga, stretching, playing an instrument, or taking a walk in the woods, by all means make time for it! We all know that doing these things are important, but it's so easy to do everything else first...and then never have time for relaxation.

These days, we can work through anything!

Have you seen the new commercial for Delsym cough medicine? It shows people struggling to live their lives with the misery of an awful cold -- then they pour down some syrup and suddenly they are filled with energy and relief and are doing things like running marathons, playing in the snow, and cooking dinner for 20. Okay, so maybe I exaggerate a little...but you get the idea. It struck me as funny this time because it was suddenly so apparent how the message about illness is always the same: do whatever it takes to mask the symptoms for a few hours so you can carry on at your usual pace, or perhaps at an even faster rate since now you're all hopped up on medicine! To quote the Electrolux commercial out of context, we must always "be even more amazing" (clearly I watch too much television now!). What about a commercial that shows sick people staying in bed? drinking teas and bone broth? keeping warm? staying away from excessive stimulation and just resting? Even if they still have to be depicted taking some chemical cocktail with a chaser of high-fructose corn syrup and red dye number 3, at least they could be resting at the same time! But no! we must work no matter what happens, no matter how crappy we feel, no matter how sick we are.

In the past couple of months I have had two colds (the 2nd occurred after eating a cupcake, go figure - this is why I eat sugar about twice a year now instead of daily) and I have at last concluded that mainly it's from stress. After a certain point, my body somehow knows that the only way it's going to get me to rest and stop running like a hamster in a wheel is to break down for a little while. I am pretty sure that without these forced rest-holidays I would go full-tilt for years on end. Before the first cold in late October I hadn't been sick in a year, and I was definitely due for some lying-in time. I believe in taking something when you need it (like cough syrup if your cough won't let you sleep), but aside from that I think it's generally best to let your body work things out for itself, with the help of some nourishing bone broths, lots of fluids, and lots of rest. And maybe a break from the cupcakes. :)

The way we eat now

These are traditional nutrient-dense foods that are now always present at our house (with some slight variation by season and appetite). Pictured here more or less from left to right: kale, Celtic sea salt, lamb liver, ruby red sauerkraut (lacto-fermented), lard, cod liver oil, raw milk, whole wheat sourdough bread, eggs, raw milk cheese, chicken broth (in gelatin form), dry black beans, dry pinto beans, sausage links, raw butter, canned Alaskan salmon, raw whey, coconut oil, and whole grains (brown rice and cracked oats). If you've been following along, you know that all the animal products are from local, pastured animals, and everything else is as local and as organic as possible.

Isn't it funny how the foods in this photo would need an explanation for most people? I don't know about you, but I want Oliver (and our future children) to live in a world where everyone can recognize kale, liver, and lard at first glance, rather than chips and soy milk -- even if no packages were provided.

And speaking of packages, think of the landfill waste that is saved by not eating the way we used to. It's really an incredible difference.

Remembering pregnancy cravings

Many of us -- pregnant or not -- try hard to follow diets that we believe are healthy or ideal, all the while denying what we deeply long for. I was following a vegetarian diet for the most part during my pregnancy, but my body drove me on a few occasions to break my own rules.

One day I smelled bacon that was being cooked at a street cart, and I promptly went and purchased a package of bacon, cooked most of it, and ate several strips. I still wasn't satisfied, though, until I realized what I really wanted was the liquid fat in the frying pan! After eating many spoonfuls I felt much better. Several months later I learned about the profound need for vitamin D and fat during pregnancy and realized that what my body really wanted was good old-fashioned bacon fat (also known as lard!) which has traditionally been high in vitamin D (animals raised outside in the sunshine will store lots of vitamin D in their fat). During my pregnancy I ate in a way that I believed was very healthy, but I now see how what I was eating -- and not eating -- was closely linked to the issues I faced, including hypothyroidism, extreme foot swelling, strong cravings for starches and fried foods, and, worst of all, my inability to dilate during labor which resulted in a c-section. (More on this later, but I should just mention that swelling and cravings for processed carbs like white bread and pasta are both signs of protein deficiency. Too many processed foods and sugars, too much soy, and too few high-quality fats in the diet are linked to thyroid dysfunction.)

There was also the occasion where I walked a mile in the dark and cold to buy fast food fried chicken! I shudder as I remember this, but I was absolutely DRIVEN! I only wish that I had known then what I know now, because I would have definitely been able to feed myself and Oliver far better, and would have had a happier time of it.

After the birth, though I still wanted to remain a (sometimes cheating) vegetarian, I asked my mother to make me steak every day for lunch for a week. I found out several days later that I was very anemic, but I really didn't need a blood test to know that I could not deny my need for meat -- I was incredibly weak and utterly exhausted, and the meat definitely helped. The beef that I ate was standard grocery-store fare, which makes me wonder: if I had known how much more satisfying grass-fed meat is at that time, perhaps I would have made sure I got this instead, and maybe the cravings for it would not have lasted as long as they did. It's interesting to consider.

Seasonal Cravings

What to do when you are craving something totally out-of-season? (Assuming you are trying to more or less stick with seasonal produce of course. If you are an asparagus-in-January kind of person then this question probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense.)

Please weigh in here: what do you do when you have a hankering for cucumbers in March or strawberries in December? If you buy these things at the local grocery store (where they have likely been shipped in from California or a South American country) how do they taste? Do they satisfy the craving?

I have found that the more I eat with the seasons the less I can imagine eating something that's out-of-season or not grown locally. Not because I'm trying to be a local-food zealot, but because my cravings for certain foods have totally fallen into line with what's available at the farmers' market. I have found that the out-of-season foods create the wrong temperature in my body, which can lead to feeling imbalanced and, if this persists, a tendency to illness (for example, eating lots of cooling food like raw salads or melons in winter can bring down the body's internal temperature and lead to feeling cold and "catching" cold).

As I have become more sensitive to these things I've observed that certain foods feel really appropriate at certain times, and these times seem to be when they are in season. This is a bit like what happens when you become more sensitive to sugar and it doesn't feel good any more to eat something that's really sweet: you simply don't want it any longer -- it's not even a matter of deprivation. Have you noticed this at all?

Summer appetites

I think some of you were a little surprised when I told you how much protein I usually eat during the cooler months (around 80 grams a day). As I related in that entry, I have found that I need to eat a fair amount of protein on a regular basis to avoid cravings things like French fries, mozzarella sticks, and KFC (shudder). I also get up to 50% of my caloric intake from fat in the winter. However, once the warm weather comes around my needs and cravings change considerably.

In hot weather I want a lot more fruit, for one thing, and also lighter meals in general. The summer has been pretty temperate so far so the change hasn't been as dramatic as usual, but these days light summer lunches like salmon patties, salads, cottage cheese-and-fruit, and toast with pate and a side of veggies are more my style. This was my lunch today: toasted sourdough with raw milk butter, homemade chicken liver pate, sliced cucumber, and a small glass of raw milk kefir.

Have you noticed a difference in your cravings since the weather got warmer? What do you think your body is telling you? A lot of people crave sweet things, like ice cream, popsicles, fruit smoothies, iced coffee with sugar & cream, and energy drinks. I think the craving for sweets is one way our bodies have of telling us we're thirsty. Sometimes I will be just dying for a piece of fruit, but when I drink a glass of water the craving disappears.

Other times we crave salty foods more, like pickles and potato chips, when we're sweating a lot or outside in the sun for long periods. This can be due to the loss of minerals through our sweat. In cases like these it's a great idea to have water with a splash of juice, or a naturally lacto-fermented beverage like ginger ale. Or try incorporating more bone broth or stock into your summer dishes: chilled soups, whole grains (like brown rice), and beans can all be simmered with stock. Stock made from bones and veggies, with a little bit of acid (like wine, lemon juice, or vinegar) supplies many important minerals in the form of easy-absorbed electrolytes. Forget the Gatorade: all you need is a cup of broth!

Protein

The issue of protein is hotly debated these days, with advocates of different diets all claiming that their particular way of eating is best for people and/or for the environment. Some people think they can get all the protein their bodies need entirely from plants (like whole grains, beans, and nuts), others believe you should include eggs and dairy, and others think they must eat a steak a day for optimal health. So what is really the truth?

To begin this discussion, I must first say that everyone is different. As I have reiterated in other posts, we are all different people with unique traits and physiological needs. So I always encourage people to experiment with different types and amounts of protein. With all that said, however, there are some guidelines we need to consider:

1) humans are omnivores. There is no shame in this! Many people experience strong cravings for high-protein animal foods like meat and eggs. This is totally normal. When we deny our need for this type of basic nourishment we open up a whole Pandora's box of problems: weight gain, depression/anxiety, dramatic tooth decay, sugar cravings, lethargy, infertility, chronic hunger (i.e. not being able to get full)...the list goes on. I have noticed that many issues of Vegetarian Times (which I love for the veggie recipes!) tends to include main-dish recipes that are basically carb-on-carb because they are simply replacing the usual meat dish with carbohydrates (worse yet, these are generally "white" carbs like a curry-potato dish on top of white rice!). Because this is the natural tendency of people who "go veg" they can end up gaining weight on a diet that seems quite spartan. It is easy to forget that meat is uniquely filling and energizing for many people, and allows them to eat less of other foods because it fills so many requirements. Think of it this way: if you were to eat a good 4-8 oz. of meat at a dinner out would you also feel the need to fill up on the bread basket?

2) high-quality animal fats (such as those in grass-fat meats, small oily wild fish, pastured egg yolks, fish eggs, butterfat from grass-fed cows, organ meats, lard from pastured pigs, etc.) are essential for proper growth, fertility, strong teeth & bones, resistance to disease, mental health, and many other things because of their high levels of vitamins A, D, and K. They generally come along with plenty of protein (not in the case of fat or lard, though, obviously), so when people are trying to avoid fat they often end up avoiding protein which is bad news.

3) for people recovering from depression and other mental disorders it is sometimes quite effective to eat about 30 grams of animal protein at each meal. This sounds crazy, but it works. Tryptophan is an amino acid required to form serotonin. So a diet low in protein, and therefore low in tryptophan (think: the typical dieter's diet, a high-carb/low-protein diet, or a diet of candy, coffee, and other stimulating junk which many people try to live on) can actually set us up for depression and mental illness.

4) keep in mind that your body needs fat in order to absorb protein! So eating low-fat or fat-free yogurt, for example, is pretty pointless. (Not only will you not absorb the protein, but you also won't absorb the nutrients either.) Fat and protein go hand-in-hand. Also many people need saturated fats to feel full, and since large amounts of saturated fats are found only in animal protein, dairy & eggs (with the exception of coconuts) many people need to eat these foods on a regular basis. Have you ever had the experience of eating a serving of salmon or lean skinless chicken breast and then feeling hungry afterward? This is your body telling you it needs something more. And the "something more" isn't dessert or extra pasta, it's probably fat. Since we need fat to absorb protein and nutrients AND to feel full and satisfied, and since the most satisfying nutritious fats come attached to meat, yogurt, eggs, etc. then it follows that we need to eat these things. Again, not everyone does, but many people do. In traditional "primitive" cultures, people would go far out of their way for the chance to eat fat, and they would even throw away lean meat in times of plenty, and always consume the fattiest parts first. This is a fascinating article that shows the types of fat that Native Americans ate and how it affected their health: http://westonaprice.org/traditional_diets/native_americans.html

5) protein from grains, beans, and nuts/seeds is harder to absorb, and these foods are much harder to digest as well. This is really true. Animals that exist solely on plants have more than one stomach so they can digest them properly and absorb the nutrients. Humans have only one stomach, so we have to be smart about how we prepare our food. If you are getting a lot of your protein from things like whole grains, beans, and nuts it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to prepare them properly. This means soaking or sprouting, or (in the case of bread) eating sourdough whole wheat that has been made the traditional way with a sourdough culture. Also, if you make any type of baked good at home like pancakes or biscuits, it is essential to use whole wheat flour and soak it overnight in an acidic medium. Grains (including flour), beans, and nuts are high in phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors which really must be neutralized or they will have a demineralizing effect on the body (including bones & teeth). This problem is very real. Check out this story by a vegetarian mother -- it's quite illuminating re: the effect of diet on dental health (scroll halfway down the page to "Vegetarianism and Cavities"): http://westonaprice.org/letters/letters-2007fa.html

6) what about protein bars and shakes? Forget them. They are not real food and have no place in your diet.

7) so how much protein to eat? If pregnant you need 80-100 grams of good-quality (easily-absorbed) protein, like that found in meat, eggs, raw dairy, and properly-prepared beans, nuts & whole grains. Otherwise, there is no hard-and-fast rule for the rest of us. Personally, I have found that IN THE WINTER I generally need the equivalent of the following in one day: 2 eggs, 4 oz. yogurt or kefir, 2 oz. cheese or a glass of raw milk, 4-6 oz. meat/chicken/fish, 1-2 servings whole grain (oatmeal, quinoa, etc.). I will also sometimes have crispy nuts (which have simply been soaked overnight in salted water, then dried in a warm oven) on a salad or for a snack, and properly-prepared beans instead of meat maybe 2 times a week. This makes for a rough estimate of about 80 or more grams of protein per day; however, there will be days (maybe 2-3 days a week) when I eat very light and choose beans instead of animal protein. I have found that I need this much to be energetic and have no "bad" cravings, and I am a small person (5'2" 115 lbs.) and getting only moderate daily exercise (though considerably more than the average American as I walk to many of the places I go and run around after a small child all day). I am, however, breastfeeding so this raises my requirements. ALSO the seasons affect my protein needs quite a lot. In the winter I need more meat and heavy foods whereas in the summer I would be satisfied with a meal of raw cottage cheese and lots of fruit, or a big salad with a sliced egg, some nuts, and sourdough croutons. Exercise also affects protein requirements. When experimenting with different kinds of foods and protein keep these things in consideration: pregnant/nursing/menstruating, time of year, daily exercise, stress, cravings. Strong sugar cravings can be a sign that you need more meat (or, if you are already eating a big steak every day and craving sweets then this is a sign you need to cut way back on the meat). For me, if I go several days without red meat I usually begin having very strong cravings for things like cheese fries and fried chicken! Then if I have a small amount (maybe 4 oz.) of pot roast, for example, with accompanying veggies & butter, the cravings disappear.

8) many traditional cultures rely largely on carbohydrates for their nourishment, like beans, corn, or starchy roots. These people also have a way of preparing these foods to maximize their nutritional value (such as soaking). In addition, they use small quantities of high-quality animal fats (like lard) to make the food more nutritious and the nutrients more easily-absorbed. These traditional methods of preparation are used intuitively.

9) soy is a special topic so I will discuss it more in another post. Suffice it to say, for now, that modern soy products should be avoided as they depress thyroid function, harm fertility, and are high in phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors (not destroyed by modern production methods). Use small amounts of traditionally-fermented soy sauce or natto and tempeh if you wish. Soy milks, protein powders, soy "meat" and soy "cheese," and modern tofu are highly processed and not nourishing (in fact, they are quite the opposite!).

10) A little more about grass-fed vs. typical animal foods: Eggs & meat from grass-fed (pastured) animals contain a proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which is extremely important for human health. For example, the typical supermarket egg contains a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats of 20:1 as compared to a pastured egg which is 1.5:1! It's the same deal with grass-fed beef. Since many health problems are due to the extreme imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the Western diet it is wisest, tastiest, and healthiest to choose local meats, dairy, and eggs from small farms that raise animals the right way: on pasture. Grass-fed beef and raw butterfat are also high in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which protects us from cancer, diabetes, immune disorders, and OBESITY. There you go: you truly can eat fat to be thin.

*One final note: it is really best to avoid any types of products from animals who were raised in misery. There are many other options available besides eating factory-farmed dairy, eggs, or poultry/meat/fish. If you are on a limited budget you can eat small amounts of sustainably-raised and harvested meat and fish and emphasize things like eggs & properly-prepared whole grains, beans, and legumes cooked with good-quality animal fats (such as lard from pigs raised on pasture). Cooking your grains and beans with homemade gelatin-rich bone broths is also a great way to stretch a small quantity of meat; these broths are extremely nutritious and "protein-sparing," which means they make a small amount of protein go farther in the body.

For an interesting article on protein & osteoporosis, click here:
http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtbones.html

Lessons in Eating for your Body

This past week I learned an important lesson about eating in tune with what my body needs. As you may know, I have an underactive thyroid which I am trying to heal. One of the main influencing factors, of course, is diet, and I am always trying to gather more information on how I can do better. I ran into someone I knew as a thyroid "expert" at a talk I attended, and began discussing my thyroid condition with her afterward. She asked if I eat raw vegetables and I said yes, I do, mainly in the form of a big seasonal salad which I have a few times a week. She told me I needed to stop eating any raw vegetables because they contain goitrogens which attack thyroid hormone. I am not sure if she meant salad was taboo as well, but I took this to mean that I shouldn't have any type of raw green thing, and since I'm not into cooked lettuce I simply stopped eating salad. For the following week and a half I noticed a strange shift in my mood and energy level: I became very irritable, unmotivated, and fatigued. I wasn't keeping appointments or getting anything done at home which is totally unlike me. Friends heard me complain often about everything from my strange lack of energy to my odd desire to do absolutely nothing. I couldn't seem to stop griping and complaining about things in general! I was starting to have thoughts that maybe I had developed a food allergy or my thyroid medication wasn't working, etc.; I really couldn't figure out what was happening to me. Finally (after feeling pretty bad for a full week), I realized the only thing that had changed in my life was that I had STOPPED EATING SALADS. I spoke with my friend Sharon who reminded me that the woman I had consulted follows macrobiotic principles, which teaches that raw vegetables of any kind are very unhealthy. I realized I had misapplied information and made a drastic change that wasn't right for my body (something I warn other people against!). I began eating salads again as much as I wanted and began to feel better immediately. The change was dramatic. I don't know if somehow the nutrients I was missing are what was making me so miserable, or if it was that I was suppressing myself (I LOVE making --and eating-- beautiful salads of spring greens and to not eat them was to deny a part of myself). I suspect it was a mix of both. I have reached a point where I know what my body needs: it tells me when I need protein and what kind, when to eat fruit, when to have something lacto-fermented. I have to keep listening to that inner knowledge. This is what we all must do. Forget the so-called "experts;" they have their place of course, but the real expert on you is YOU.

Addressing Fat Phobia

I found myself writing a really long response to a comment on my "Shouldn't we be fat by now?" entry, and decided I should just post it here for everyone to read. This reader was saying she is having a hard time accepting the idea that animal fats do not make people fat. My response is this:

This is something most Americans have a really hard time with because we have been so thoroughly brainwashed about fat, cholesterol, obesity, etc. I, too, was a die-hard no-saturated-fat person for a very long time. It took me a while -and some dubious experimenting- to become convinced. Now I have learned some things about this from personal experience and would like to share them with you.

First of all, I think one of the main reasons enjoying animal fats (the right amount for your body) works is that they are SO much more satisfying and filling than the salads and low-fat foods most of us are trying to eat, so it prevents the "cheating" that usually happens, esp. for women. In the past, even when letting myself eat pretty much whatever I wanted (I mainly ate "healthy," though, meaning low-fat foods and small quantities) I would still have a LOT of episodes where I would kind of go a little crazy and splurge on cheese fries or a Boston cream donut (and would inevitably want another one afterward). While I didn't struggle with guilt over these things I knew they weren't doing my body any good, especially since I was facing issues like daily hypoglycemic episodes, mood swings, and acne. I have now learned that generally when we are eating a diet that is in line with what our bodies really need (in terms of the right balance of fats/carbs/protein, and all the requisite vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.) we will feel pretty good, balanced, and energetic with no significant weird cravings. So my cravings were a sign that something was out of balance; for me there was a big deficiency in animal fats in my diet and eating things like greasy fried foods from time to time was not doing the trick (perhaps b/c the frying fats are of vegetable origin -- another very unhealthy modern food, more on that later). Now when I start craving things like French fries, mozzarella sticks, and Popeyes fried chicken I know it is time for me to have some red meat (chicken and fish will not suffice). If I acknowledge this craving and honor it -not by eating the junky foods I think I want, but by digging deeper and finding out what's underneath the craving- then it fixes me up perfectly and I am usually satisfied with one small serving. Case in point: Hugo and I ate mostly vegetarian last week and were a little low on food by the weekend since I hadn't been able to get to the farmers' market. By Saturday night I was dying for a steak but didn't want to eat conventional meat at a local restaurant, so instead we succumbed to the lure of Popeyes (the steak probably would have been a better choice). My stomach didn't feel too great after eating so I drank some kefir which helped a lot, but basically I was unsatisfied because I knew this meal was not deeply nourishing in the way I needed -and in fact pretty gross when you consider how the chickens were raised and everything else surrounding this meal- but I really felt a strong pull to fats and protein and had to give in. The next day I still had a craving for steak so defrosted a small grass-fed pot roast from the Union Square Greenmarket and cooked it with lots of butter, carrots, onions, potatoes, and some fresh thyme. I ravenously ate a plate of the veggies and about a 1/3 lb. serving of the meat and then felt totally satisfied. It's been two days and I still feel great from that one meal - in fact, yesterday I had only oatmeal and a vegetarian dinner and felt really good and energetic. Which leads me to the next point...

I have also noticed I'm not eating as much or nearly as often as I used to, but feeling fuller, more energetic, more balanced (I used to get very irritable very frequently), and healthier; my skin has totally cleared up, my hair is getting thicker again, I don't have hypoglycemic episodes, etc. So I am actually eating more richly but staying slim and feeling less food-obsessed by not restricting my eating...does this make sense? For example, I used to want cheese ALL the time -- mac & cheese, grilled cheese, etc. Now I hardly eat cheese, except for cottage cheese now and then, occasional cheese & crackers, or some fresh mozz on Italian dishes. It's not something I crave anymore because I am getting the whole milk, butter, and occasional red meat I need. Interesting how this works. I also used to crave carbs a lot and would make white pasta and homemade baked goods and things like garlic bread on a regular basis. I would crave decaf coffee with lots of cream and sugar; for a while there I was getting one a few times a week. Now I have totally natural homemade raw milk ice cream maybe once a week, all the butter and whole milk I want (the latter mainly just on my breakfast cereal), and very little pasta or baked items. The main thing to remember with this, though, is that I AM NOT DEPRIVING MYSELF. When I start to want foods that I know are bad for me then I have to re-evaluate my recent diet, level of fatigue, and any stressors, and figure out what I really need to be properly nourished and satisfied. This is a no guilt way of eating, and it is ultimately a healthy and effective way to maintain an appropriate weight. The key is finding what works for your unique physiological makeup and lifestyle. Of course, if you are eating for emotional reasons that is a separate issue -- and a topic for a later post. Please weigh in and tell me what you think about all this!

Recent text conversation

...with a friend who is cutting down on sugar and refined carbs (not real names).

Karen: I have to tell you John and I were like a couple of addicts last night jonesing for our next hit! We wanted dessert after dinner SO BAD! Ended up eating carrots and hummus, apple, orange, and finally a bag of potato chips at midnight.
Me: What did you eat for dinner?
Karen: Ate pork chops, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, and corn. Drank water. Did not have gum.
Me: How did you feel after? Full? Hungry? Satisfied?
Karen: Satisfied but could have eaten more. John wanted more of something right away.
Me: Was it plain apple sauce?
Karen: Yeah, organic no sugar.
Me: Could be a few things. Maybe John needed more meat. Or wild rice w/herbs & butter and a big green saald might have balanced the meal better. Eating all those carb-heavy foods at once can create the desire for more carbs later. Depends on the person.
Karen: Yeah, that's what happened I guess. Really need a safe dessert.
Me: Yes, sometimes fruit doesn't cut it. Another thing is the fat content. Pork is pretty low-fat so maybe you needed another fatty food with it. Sour cream? Guacamole and chips?
Karen: I mixed tons of sour cream in the potatoes.
Me: Hmm, full fat, right? I think less starch might help. You have to eat enough protein, too, though.
Karen: Yes, full fat.

Post-conversation commentary: I forgot to mention that sugar is 4 times more addictive than heroin! Believe it or not, humans trying to give up sugar face a tougher challenge than your average drug addict. Based on what I now know about sugar and all the bad things it does to the human body and psyche (cancer, depression, aggression, diabetes, weight gain, immune suppression, etc.) it is really hard for me to understand why it's still legal! (especially when a life-giving, delicious food like raw milk has practically been banned outright) Chalk this up to industry pressures: the sugar and corn industries (which of course makes high-fructose corn syrup) are incredibly powerful and more or less "own" many government representatives and agencies (USDA, anyone?).

Well, I'll get off my soap box here. Just keep in mind if you're trying to cut down on sugar that there are a few simple rules to follow:
1. substitute (use raw honey, molasses, maple syrup, or dehydrated cane juice instead of sugar or corn syrup products; while these products will still break down into sugar in your body you will at least get the benefit of the enzymes and minerals which are present in natural sweeteners but not present in refined white sugar; oh, and I should mention artificial sweeteners should be avoided like the plague they are)
2. go slow -- cut down gradually on the amount you use (i.e. a little less every day in your baked goods or coffee until you reach a reasonably-low level, or slowly begin substituting white-flour items with whole wheat)
3. resist your cravings -- eating refined carbohydrate foods and sugar in all its forms (soda, muffins/bagels, pretzels, goldfish crackers, juice, etc.) will simply reinforce the desire for more. I have found that having a couple cookies a few days in a row will make my body expect it -and want it- again and again! Even chewing gum will create this desire: every time you taste something really sweet you will want to experience the sweet taste again, whether it be a few hours later or the next day. The more times you can simply avoid giving in to this desire, the faster these chronic cravings will subside.
4. boost your protein intake -- this will really help with refined-carb cravings (think of it this way: your body is starving for nutrients (protein) so it craves calories (sugar))
5. ADD FATS!!! This is probably the most important thing you can do. While we have been taught to avoid most animal fats thinking they are what is causing our mass epidemic of obesity and chronic disease, this advice is totally wrong. We really need high-quality animal fats (pure butter, lard, cream, duck/goose fat, eggs, meat, etc.) in order to meet our nutritional needs and quench sugar cravings. These fats are very useful for treating numerous disorders from infertility to hypoglycemia. Olive oil, nuts/seeds, avocado, and coconut oil & cream are also great, but not quite as satisfying for many people (and among the plant sources of fats, only coconut products provide a lot of the all-important saturated fats ). You can pretty much eat the amount that feels right for your body without worrying about things like cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight gain. Not only will you easily shed a few unnecessary pounds by eating this way, you will also experience a lift in your mood, greater patience and resilience, more energy, better sleep, clearer skin, and fewer colds/flus and infections (remember, all bad bacteria, tumors, cancer, etc. feed on sugar).

*One note on animal fats: go for local grass-raised animal products whenever possible, and balance them out with a good amount of leafy greens. Experiment with quantities and types that feel right for you!

Battling Hypoglycemia -or- "Waffles with Staying Power!"

Today I had two leftover waffles with raw butter and maple syrup, plus a small bowl of raw-milk yogurt sweetened only with the cinnamon-apple juice I saved from baking apples on Saturday morning (this delicious syrup contains only water, cinnamon, and any juice the apples released during baking). I ate this meal very late, around 11:00, and am still not ready for lunch at nearly 3pm! This is not because I am a light eater -- to the contrary I have been known for needing to eat constantly throughout the day because I would get hungry all the time.

In the past, waffles and pancakes would be initially very filling for me but would make me very tired and lethargic, followed by hunger after an hour or two -- this was despite baking with whole wheat flour and using very little sweetener! Since I learned to properly prepare my baked goods from Nourishing Traditions (the cookbook I refer to with all my cooking and nutrition questions), I have been enjoying an excellent energy level for many hours after eating pancakes and waffles. The record for me was 6 hours I think: Hugo and I had a pancake brunch (I could only eat 2.5 pancakes as they were very filling), then went into the city and didn't eat again until dinner. During that whole time I felt quite good, which is an unthinkable accomplishment for me! In the past I have always carried emergency snacks because I would become hypoglycemic at the most inconvenient times and generally frequently throughout the day (despite eating very healthfully).

So by now you're wondering what the secret is, right? It's simply this: use whole wheat flour (I use organic whole wheat pastry flour which is virtually indistinguishable from white, BUT much better for you), and combine it with the liquid (buttermilk, soured milk, etc.) in your recipe, then allow this to sit overnight. This will begin breaking down the indigestible components of the whole grain flour, and will make it able to provide lasting energy. NOTE: the liquid must have an acidic quality - thus you need to use a cultured dairy product like buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, or milk/cream that have soured naturally. And of course the best results will be obtained with raw dairy. Here is the recipe, adapted a little from Nourishing Traditions to make it easier:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat (or other whole grain) flour

2 cups buttermilk, soured milk/cream, or yogurt/kefir (FYI: using this will impart a slightly sour flavor)

-combine these and leave in a warm place overnight, then add the following:

2 eggs

2 tbsp. maple syrup (or other sweetener)

2 tbsp. melted butter or other shortening (I use coconut oil)

1 tsp. sea salt

+ regular or soured milk to thin to desired consistency

Cook as you would normal waffles! These are dense and filling, and very delicious.

Sleep deprivation = cravings

The last three days I have had less than half my usual amount of sleep (due to a large project with an absurd turnaround time). In addition to the usual side effects like mental fuzziness and bumping into things I have begun having strong cravings for foods I never eat anymore: think Ramen noodle soup, Chinese food, white flour. I know cravings are a sign my body needs something. It's possible I'm craving salt because I need extra minerals to deal with this stress. As for the carb cravings usually those signal protein deficiency. I skimped on eating a bit yesterday as I was just too busy so will need to catch up today... It's interesting to me to observe these cravings I haven't had in several months.

Reflections on Sunday dinner

Hugo and I are tired this morning as Oliver was kicking us most of the night. Plus my stomach was a bit gurgly all night -- I think my dinner affected both Ollie and me, thus the kicking (ugh). We had rosemary turkey drumsticks from the Union Square Greenmarket (DePaolo Farms), and organic mashed potatoes, and the garlic string beans which were delicious! Everything was good in fact, but I forgot to enlist the digestive help of some lacto-fermented foods which means I didn't digest my turkey well (I am blood type A, so have less hydrochloric acid in my stomach for digesting meats). [Note: last week I had some turkey at my friend Sharon's house, after which I went home and enjoyed a night of great sleep, complete with peaceful dreams. HOWEVER, I had also consumed a fair amount of goat-milk kefir and a plate of kim chee -- they do wonders for the digestion! Sharon says she is always sure to eat some enzyme-rich foods like these with meat. I will be picking up some of my own kim chee and kefir from a local farmer this Thursday through the buyers' club we belong to.

Back to the turkey. This was a BIG meal - I could only eat about half of my drumstick. However, Hugo (a former vegetarian of more than 15 years) ate everything and was actually full for once. Usually after he finishes he asks me what else there is to eat, and I have gotten pretty tired of hearing this question. I figured it was time to start serving bigger meals. This did the trick!