Category — Food and Nutrition

Healthy Sports Drink

• 3 C spring water or filtered water
• 1 C orange Juice
• Juice from 1 lemon or lime
• 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt or sea salt
• 1 T organic apple cider vinegar (optional)
• 1 tsp agave nectar or raw organic honey (optional)

1. Mix well and chill

This drink provides a great way to beat the heat and stay hydrated especially while exercising. I’ve been using this recipe for years. It’s simple and tastes great. One 8 oz serving has around 40 calories and 75 mg of sodium, as well as a variety of other nutrients.

This drink provides a well-balanced and all-natural alternative to the typical sports drink. By using this recipe you can avoid refined sugars and artificial colors found in most marketed sports drinks. The optional apple cider vinegar and agave nectar or honey give additional health benefits and adds a nice sweet and tangy flavor. Try different kinds and combinations of juice. I like grape and apple juices mixed. For a fresh twist, try mango and passion juices.

Be creative and enjoy!

Chocolate “Mousse” Dessert

• 1 C soy milk beverage
• 1 C pitted dates
• 2 T cocoa powder
• 2 T carob powder
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1/2 C raw, unsalted cashews or macadamia nuts

1. Mix all ingredients in Vitamix or other food processor and blend until creamy.
2. If your blender has difficulty with the nuts or dates, soak them in water or soy milk for several hours prior to processing.
3. Chill for at least an hour prior to serving.

This is an absolutely delicious dessert that will have people begging for more and kids fighting over who can lick out the bowl. People won’t believe this desser has all wholesome ingredients, with no processed sugar and no dairy.

It is good solo or topped with fresh fruit. Try peanuts, almonds or walnuts for a different twist. If you want a vanilla “mousse”, simply eliminate the cocoa and carob, double the vanilla extract, and use vanilla soy milk.

Be creative and enjoy!

Creamy Apricot Cashew Salad Dressing

• 1 C Water
• 1/4 C Vinegar, apple cider or white wine
• 1/2 C Cashews, raw unsalted
• 3/4 C Apricots, dried
• Salt to taste

1. Mix all ingredients in Vitamix or other food processor and blend until creamy.
2. If your blender has difficulty with the cashews or the apricots, soak them in water for several hours prior to processing.

This makes a creamy dressing that is sweet, tangy and delicious. Our family loves it mixed into a green leafy salad and tossed with sunflower seeds. Do you want to see your kids go back for seconds on salad? Give it a try! Also good on steamed veggies of all sorts.

Be creative and enjoy!

Looking at my life, I try to live balanced (maybe seen as moderate). I balance time with my wife, my kids, my family and my friends. Balanced doesn’t mean even. At this time in my life, our kids need (and demand) more attention and time. So I give them more time to them than to others. I try to balance exercise and recreation. I try to balance the use of my money, my investments and my giving.

In some ways moderation may be seen to work well. But does it really? In the examples I gave above, I am balancing things that are all good. I try to carefully consider the things that are beneficial, helpful, and healthy for me and for others. What if I decide to “balance” the things in my life with other things that are bad. Would that be wise?

Let’s say I decide to balance my time spent with family, and begin hanging out with drug-dealing terrorists? Is that good use of my time? By no means. What if I choose to use some of my money to support a organization that preaches hate and violence. That would be horrible! Some things are not good in moderation… Is cocaine okay in moderation? How about smoking cigarettes? What about coffee? How about doughnuts? Would you allow your own child even a small bit of something you know would harm him?

As you can see, the concept of “everything in moderation” can fail miserably. It fails if you don’t understand what is good and what is bad. This can be especially true in regard to foods. And on the flip side of the coin, you can even overindulge in things that are good if you’re not careful. So what can you do?

The strategy I use and recommend is fairly simple. It’s called Temperance… abstain from the things you know are bad, and use moderation in the things that are good.

A good, consistent, and balanced life can come about as you learn what things are good and what are bad. In regard to health, you need to learn what things promote superior health. Superior health can only be achieved when superior ideas are applied… and they become superior behaviors.

The wellness strategy of Temperance may seem extreme in our society, but it works.

What’s Protein Anyway?

Protein is an essential nutrient along with carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Proteins are large molecules that are composed of smaller units called amino acids. Proteins are found in every part of your body… skin, muscles, hair, blood, internal organs, bone, fingernails, nerves etc.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 0.8 mg/kg body weight. This means that a 120-pound woman needs about 44 grams per day, and a 150-pound male needs about 55 grams per day. It may surprise you that even on a purely vegetarian diet, you can get enough protein easily.

Just look at the mighty elephant, the horse, or the gorilla. They eat virtually no animal protein and are healthy with incredibly strong muscles and bones. Can you get an adequate amount of protein from vegetable sources? Let’s see…

Protein Content In Common Plant-Based Food

• One banana = 1.2 g
• One cup cooked brown rice = 4.7 g
• One corn on the cob = 4.2 g
• One baked potato = 3.9 g
• One cup of pasta = 7.3 g
• Two slices of whole-wheat bread = 4.8 g
• One cup of frozen peas = 9.0 g
• One cup of cooked lentils = 16.0 g
• One cup of tofu = 18.0 g
• One cup frozen broccoli = 5.8 g
• One cup of cooked spinach = 5.4 g

From the above list, it would be easy to come up with a menu that would easily reach the RDA of protein and be low in calories. This way of eating promotes superior health, while keeping you fit and trim.

Meat vs. Veggie - Comparing Sources of Protein

So if you look at the comparison, the broccoli wins the contest. By far. If you do the comparison based on calories, green veggies always win! Incredibly, the veggie also has tons more vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants! On the other hand, the sirloin has more fat.

If you want superior health, you need to make veggies the main part of your food intake. If you want to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight go for the veggies. For a healthy source of protein, I’d recommend veggies over meat any day.

Now, if you were struggling for survival on a deserted island it would be a different story. You would benefit from the high concentration of calories, fat and protein in a lump of meat. I’d advise going for the steak. It just may take some work catching the cow.

For more information, I highly recommend reading Eat to Live, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman to all my patients.

Cheesy Garlic Sauce

• 1 C Water
• 1/2 C Raw, Unsalted Cashews or Macadamia Nuts
• 1-2 Raw Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 C Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Put all ingredients in Vitamix (or equivalent blender)
2. Blend until creamy

This is a delicious and versatile sauce. Our kids love our veggie dishes made using it. They couldn’t get enough of our “Cheesy Broccoli & Spinach Pasta” dinner we made using steamed vegetables and whole-wheat pasta covered in this sauce.

You can experiment with different kinds of nuts. You can try using more garlic, if your family and friends don’t mind! Also, using a touch of mustard gives it a nice twist. Try it on potatoes, cauliflower or green beans.

Be creative, and enjoy

Basic Bean Burgers

• 2 cans of low-salt beans (we favor black & kidney beans)
• 1 C rolled oats (or oat groats soaked overnight)
• 2 T Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• 1/2 C sunflower seeds
• 1 C peas (or other green veggie)
• 2 T Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• spices to taste (we enjoy garlic, onion, and oregano)

1. Thaw the frozen peas by rinsing or soaking in water.
2. Put beans, sunflower seeds and peas in food processor. Process until a paste is made.
3. Scoop onto lightly oiled baking dish and form patties.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (flip after 15 minutes).

This recipe is simple, delicious and very adaptable. The only unusual ingredients are the Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and the nutritional yeast flakes. These can usually be found at the local health food store.

Our family typically serves them on small whole-wheat pitas, which are only 80 calories each. We top the burger with lettuce, tomato, sweet onion and a touch of condiments. They’re also good served on a plate and smothered in sauteed mushrooms and onions.

We enjoy experimenting with different variations of ingredients… you can too. Instead of peas, you can try substituting other green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli. Try substituting white or sweet potato for the oats. Spice it up by using red beans and a variety of Mexican spices to make a “South of the Border” burger. You can also vary the flavor by adding a small amount of nuts (we enjoy walnuts, pecans or almonds), which can be quite delicious… but it increases the fat content.

Be creative, and enjoy!

Breakfast Meuslix

• 2 C dry rolled oats
• 1/4 C raw, no-salt nuts (we prefer almonds and walnuts)
• 2 T sunflower seeds
• 1 T ground flax seed
• 1/2 C dried fruit (we enjoy raisins, cranberries, and apricots)

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl (we get our kids involved by mixing up a large batch; larger amounts can be mixed using the ratios listed in the recipe and then kept in the freezer for future use).
2. Cinnamon or other spices can be added to taste.
3. When served, add a generous amount of fresh fruit (we really enjoy bananas and blueberries).
4. I recommend using nut milk(s), soy milk or rice milk instead of cow milk. If you prefer a softer feel, use more liquid and let the mueslix soak for 10-15 minutes.

This is a delicious, healthier (whole-food) and less expensive choice as compared to traditional boxed cereals. The nuts are the most expensive ingredient, but you are only using a small amount. The bulk of the mueslix are the oats and the fresh fruit. At this time organic oats can be purchased for only around $0.79 per pound. Compare this to boxed cereals, which cost around $4.00 per pound and up.

You can experiment with a variety of nuts and seeds. Pumpkin seeds and pecans add a rich flavor. Try using different kinds of dried fruits and fresh fruits for a new twist.

Be creative and enjoy!

A lot of patients ask me what foods they should avoid to be healthy. They ask me which are the really bad ones? They want me to tell them they’re doing fine because they avoid red meat and eat only poultry and fish. But there’s an inherent problem with this way of thinking.

If you’ve heard the news lately, there’s been reports listing America’s worst foods. Of course everyone wants to know the #1 worst food. It happens to be a side dish that may have well been served by the Grim Reaper himself…

Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing

2,900 calories
182 g fat
240 g carbs

This weapon of mass construction is the caloric equivalent of eating 14 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, before your dinner arrives. Even if you split this “starter” with 3 friends, you’ll have downed a meal’s worth of calories.

(If interested: do a search on Google for “America’s worst foods“.)

Oh how we love to point the finger at people doing things worse than us. Don’t we? We love to compare. It makes us feel good. We think somehow that people indulging in Aussie Fries justifies my eating fried chicken, because the chicken isn’t rated as bad as the fries. The problem is, you can always find something worse.

Take the Aussie Fries for instance. I could make them even less healthy by coating them with an extra layer of lard just for kicks. That would probably make them the equivalent of 16-17 Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Does that make the original version of the Aussie Fries okay now?

Isn’t it better to just focus on the good stuff? You can spend a little time reading and quickly learn what foods truly promote superior health. Then clean house.

Cleaning House Action Step for Promoting Superior Health

• Learn what “junk” food is and get all of it out of your house.
• Stock your refrigerator with a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. Go for different colors and flavors.
• Keep your freezer filled with frozen fruits, vegetables, ground flax seed, whole grain pita bread and whole grain wraps. These are handy to have for quick meal preparation.
• Keep your cabinets filled with a variety of beans, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. You can make different varieties of “snacks” with different combinations of nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Be creative and experiment.
• Keep a supply of fresh and clean water for drinking.
• Supplement with a natural, safe and powerful product like Intra-Max.

From time to time our family has to repeat this action step because we accumulate “junk foods” in our house. It’s best to simply get it out of your home.

So it’s not a good strategy to just avoid eating the “bad” foods because this doesn’t ensure that you’ll be eating the best foods for promoting superior health. But if you follow the simple plan I’ve outlined above, you’ll be far more successful in your health journey.

Yesterday at the office we received a circular advertisement for a local pizza restaurant. It was jammed into our storm door handle. The ad caught my eye, as it was an attractively designed menu with lots of full color pictures. It proudly displayed the restaurant’s wide variety of selections, ranging from “Gourmet White Pizza” to “Bacon Cheese Steaks”, and from “Cheese Fries” to “Double Cheese Burgers”.

The other thing that caught my eye was something different on the back cover. It was actually another ad placed on the back of the menu. The ad was for a medical team consisting of internists, cardiovascular specialists and cosmetic surgeons!

Right on the back of the pizza menu!

Now that’s what I call targeted marketing! I guess these doctors have it really figured out. After all, who’s going to need their services more than a bunch of pizza gluttons!

From now on you don’t need to worry about overindulging on high fat, low calorie, and disease-causing foods!

Clogged coronary arteries?… Not a problem. Unsightly riccotta-cheese thighs?… Not a problem. Stomach ulcer?… Not a problem. Just call the doctors on the back of the menu. They’ve got you covered.