For the Love of Zucchini

If it looks like coffee and it tastes like coffee….it must be teeccino!!!!

Very few things provide me the pleasure that a good cup of coffee can offer first thing in the morning.  However, after a long and often abusive relationship, coffee and I had to make a split last year.   And as often as my self-loathing forces me back into the arms of  my abusive ex, each time I try to rekindle what we once had, I am slapped down.  It is a harsh reminder of the many reasons I slammed the door in coffee’s face and walked away in the first place.   As amazing as the rich, deep flavor and aromatically pleasing smell can be, coffee can also put the endocrine system into overdrive and create addiction.  Coffee also creates an acidic environment in the body creating a breeding ground for disease.  For me, I respond to the abuse with headaches and deep muscle pain, so as painful as it is, coffee and I are not destined for love.

So, you can only begin to imagine the sheer joy that I experienced when I was introduced to TEECCINO!!!!!  This is a non-coffee that tastes like coffee with NO caffeine!!! Holy smokes, how am I just finding out about this amazing replacement for my long-time vice?  While I was at Gerson, Eric the Awesome, introduced me to this coffee-imposter and so when I got back to Portland I set out on a mission to find my new morning brew.  Not as easy as it may sound, after perusing my normal food venues I ended up at Peoples coop on SE 21^st.  I was so intent on remembering my own jars to fill with dishwashing detergent and almond butter (I do love a coop) that I almost forgot my mission, TEECCINO!  Thankfully, as I rounded the corner to grab a snack for the munchkins, there it was in all of its shiny, coffee-replacing glory priced at a not-so-cheap $9.79 a bag (totally worth it, BTW).

So, now you are wondering, well if it is not coffee but it tastes like coffee…what the hell is it?  Well, my bag of glory which is labeled Vanilla Nut, contains organic carob, organic barley, organic chicory, dates, almonds, organic dates, natural vanilla extract, natural nut flavor and organic figs. Somehow, those nine ingredients work together to trick the taste buds into  an “MMMMMM coffee” response for a reasonable 20 calories.  Hallelujah!

Now, To me, coffee is no fun without half and half.  Sorry, I just can’t do coconut milk in my coffee..it feel like a complete waste of deliciousness.  So, if you have to do dairy, do the good stuff.  Nothing makes me happier (besides coffee) than getting my milk in a jar, so I am pairing my TEECCINO with Straus family organic half and half…how cute is that bottle?  Ahhh, my ritual is back and I am none the more hyper for it.

You can order this online, just google it up (that was my son’s darling BFF suggestion to me after I struggled to answer his inquiry about who made the sand and the ocean…so cute…shout out to Cru)!

Cheers to your new morning love affair!

Off to make Finn a cup of teeccino…yes, this is safe for kids…even better!!!

Bye Bye Gerson

I think so many of us think that we can put health off until after the weekend or next month.  We often think of ourselves and our kids as indestructible as we repeat the mantra, “that won’t happen to me”.  Or, we figure we will deal with disease when it comes.  Well, there is nothing like being surrounded by story after story of parents, siblings and children suffering or dying from cancer to wake a person up.  The last three days I prepared food for healthy people.  I prepared food for doctors trying to learn this therapy food for the staff at Gerson.  There are two full time chefs, Jen and Eric, at Gerson for the sole purpose of making food for staff.  The 20+ staff members drink one green juice, one carrot-apple juice and eat a “Gerson” lunch every day because they believe it is important to stay well.

So, I will be honest, when I pictured Gerson, I thought of a tall white building with tons of glass windows.  I imagined the kitchen, stark white with stainless steel tables and appliances sprawling across massive floors.  I imagined the chef in “chef clothes” with a white hat.  I imagined a commercial kitchen with places for everything.  And then there was reality.  A kitchen the size of my tiny kitchen, approximately 15×12 feet.  An additional 20×20 prep room.  Too many dishes to fit on the shelves, piling one on top of the other.  A dishwasher that can move around to be out of the way, but is always in the way.  A small stove, a smaller sink, a Norwalk juicer (amazing).  Bottles of distilled water to cook the food in, sitting all over the place.  In the prep room I was comforted to see two stainless steel prep tables.  The tables were covered in overflowing boxes of produce waiting to be washed, chopped, juiced, and cooked.  It was like being in a chaotic family kitchen but not because of the mess of utensils and mixing bowls, but the laughing, chatting, eating cauliflower florets dipped in “potatonaise” and bits of chopped apple while we shared stories as though we had been friends for life.  No detail was spared from divorces to lost family members.  From recipes to the whispers of secret crème brule that the chef’s snacked on that weekend, as though they had committed a cardinal sin.  Throughout the three days, volunteers ( each with a huge heart and an equally huge story to share) streamed through the doors and within moments, they were invited into Jen and Eric’s family and their excitement for life.

This amazing energy and excitement for munching on raw kale and steamed beets is the only way that I can explain how the lunches of steamed veggies, salad and soup tasted deep, delicious, nourishing and so so so satisfying with no salt, sugar, sauces or seasoning.  Jen and Eric do wonders with garlic, onion and herbs.   Here is the downside, I feel like crap.  I always forget that you have to pay the price for putting nasty food in your body.  You don’t notice until you take it out and replace it with the good stuff.  So, I am effectively in cleansing mode now.

Last night I drove up to Encinitas along 101 by myself and studied while munching vegan food at Lotus Café so I could breathe the ocean air and soak up the California sun. If I were to relate this moment to the circulatory system, I would say that I feel like the tired old blood that just passed through the lungs being oxygenated and sent back to the heart, rejuvenated and ready to shoot out of the aorta to the rest of the body.  (If this seems really odd, just know that I am studying for an anatomy practical tomorrow) So, this is where my metaphor is going…I am in the Reno airport heading home to Portland after being restored by organic whole foods, incredible people and 20 hours of cooking at the Gerson Institute in San Diego.  I can’t believe how hard it was to say goodbye to my new friends after only three short days.  I still have beet juice and orange staining under my nails and I hope it sticks around for a few days.   Big thanks to Jen and Eric for making me feel at home.  Big hugs to Jules who became my fast and furious friend and hooked me up with a place to rest my weary head! XOXO

Curing Cancer, one head of broccoli at a time!

Curing cancer is a tricky business but if you are well versed in the art of mincing garlic, slicing sweet peppers and milling soup then some of the mystery dissolves.  Don’t roll your eyes…give me a chance to explain.  Beginning in the 1930’s Max Gerson began treating seriously ill people with food.  Beginning in the 1930’s it has been working.  Strangely, as American dietary habits get worse and cancer rates skyrocket, we have disregarded this inexpensive holistic method time and time again for the scientifically “supported” method of poisoning our bodies with chemo just enough to kill the cancer but not quite enough to completely kill us.  Yet, for many people diagnosed with terminal illness and given just months to live, chemo has failed and Gerson has succeeded.  Max passed the torch to his daughter Charlotte who is at the young and prosperous age of 90.  Charlotte recently treated and cured her daughter, who was previously living abroad and eating a healthy European diet, from cancer with the Gerson therapy.

So, what does this have to do with Mother’s day and my blog?  Well, it is Mother’s Day and I am sitting at a café in University Heights, a darling neighborhood in San Diego after an enlightening and joyful day cooking and preparing Gerson Food and the Gerson Institute.  This term, my super awesome bio teacher (shout out to April) forced upon me 20 hours of volunteer work.  Now, I totally dig volunteering but this woman also keeps me pretty busy with homework and exams so I was feeling a little hostile thinking about how I was going to incorporate volunteer hours into my term.  Moments later I dreamed an impossible dream that I was volunteering at the Gerson Treatment Center in Mexico.  Well, that is not an option in reality but the runner up is working at the Institute and after much begging and pleading, my husband and kids let me go for a few days.

I flew in last night and after an hour of run around to get a rental car and a painfully exhausting experience at my hotel involving very drunk young neighbors and paper-thin hotel room walls, I got only a few hours of sleep.  Deliriously I hit a coffee shop at 7 AM and made my way to Gerson.  Following my instructions, I walked up the back steps and was greeted by Eric, the super friendly, produce/yoga-loving chef that I would be working with that day.  I got a quick tour, tied on an apron and began the slicing, dicing, juicing, milling adventure.  This week, the Institute hosts “Module 1” a training session for NDs and MDs around the world that are interested in learning more about Gerson.  Eric and volunteers prepare their breakfast, snacks and lunch from produce and nothing more.  I mean NO seasoning, salt, sugar or oil….this is produce baby…and it tastes good.  More volunteers filed in, lovely ladies all there with their own stories.  Two amazing gals had brothers that are around 30 years old fighting cancer.  Chemo failed them and they are now battling back from impossible prognosis eating the “Gerson Way”.  One young gal had lost both of her parents to cancer within two years.  Another incredible woman decided to volunteer while job-searching to discover more about helping people and enhancing her own health.  This lovely lady and I connected right away, chatting over cutting boards layered with garlic and cauliflower.  When she heard about my nasty hotel experience she called up an angel of a friend who was out of town and arranged for me to stay at her house for the rest of my visit free of charge.  With all of this organic love around me I felt buzzy (well, love and rarely-ingested caffeine).  Then onto lunch, when we fed ourselves.  Broccoli that had been steamed with onions, garlic and red peppers, salad garnished with onions, garlic and dill dressed with lemon and apple cider vinegar, spaghetti squash in marinara, vegetable soup (no seasoning) and carrot/apple juice.  Now, I am a salt and seasoning fiend and I swear I savored every last bite.  It was so clean and delicious. Now for the proverbial cherry on top…I was introduced to my very first loquat for dessert. Lovely loquats picked from the tree outside the back door, OMG, amazing!!!!!

 

It was so hard to go back to work after lunch, partly due to the amazing feeling in my belly and partly due to the engaging conversation with fascinating, like-minded people.  I feel so fortunate to be here, learning and being inspired.  I keep asking myself, why wait until I get sick to eat like this?  Is it worth it to take the risk with my life or my family’s life?  Where is the balance between eating food that we see as “pleasure food” and eating food that keeps us well and energized?  How much to I want to gamble with the pervasive threat of cancer?  I guess that that is a question that we each get to answer for ourselves.  But to know that there is a method to health that is out there that can cure diseases like cancer, arthritis and more is empowering and everyone deserves to know that it is here!  So, more on this tomorrow.  Follow me for two more days through my “Adventures at Gerson” with new friends and new food!  If you want to learn more, check out this incredible documentary   www.snagfilms.com/films/title/the_gerson_miracle

Toss the kid’s menu s’il vous plait!

Two weeks ago I was sitting down at a “New Orleans” style cafe in the center of Disneyland.  I had mentally prepared myself that my kids were going to eat complete crap for three days at a minimum while my husband, mother-in-law and I tried to keep everyone happy in lines, at restaurants and while avoiding eye contact with every souvenir booth vendor.  Meanwhile, I was flipping the pages as quickly as I could through my new favorite parenting book, Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman.  Each restaurant gave my kids another opportunity to order off of the dreaded kid’s menu which we all know by heart.  It consists of macaroni and cheese, spaghetti (sometimes), cheese burger and chicken tenders (deep fried antibiotic filled chicken breasts coated in GMO wheat flakes and oil, dipped in red high-fructose corn syrup which is labeled ketchup….yeah right)

Occasionally my daughter really impressed me by ordering salmon and veggies which is a cool reminder that my kids do like foods that are not standard “kids” food so why the hell do I let them order off of the kids menu?  My feelings are shared by my new pseudo literary pal, Pamela Druckerman.  The pages of her book are filled with hilarious antidotes and self-deprecating stories that compare the parenting methodology of French parents to American parents.  Being the food lover that I am, one of the big points that lodged in my mind was that French parents feed their kids whatever they are eating and they are just as health conscious as me. While my kids eat really healthy meals at home, I never think to give them salad.  That is reserved for the adults.  French kids eat salads before lunch and dinner along with a cooked veggie. They eat meat at lunch and lighter dinners and fruit for dessert.  And they do all of this without throwing a fit, complaining or asking “How many more bites do I have to take” implying that an ice cream sundae is just bites away which is the only reason one would finish their dinner.  Another shocker is that meal times were set.  Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner!  This meant that little French munchkins were actually hungry when they plopped their derrieres down to eat.  Now, Pamela is not claiming that all French kids behave this way but it is the majority.  Compare that to the picture of an American restaurant (I am talking about my family too …we are all in this boat together).  The minute we sit down, my kids need something to do.  We anxiously hand our kids the menu to color on and well as our cell phones in case they need to mix it up by playing plant vs. zombies while they wait.  They beg for juice which we say no to, but promise that if they eat the hamburger and fries, they can have dessert…this makes no damn sense by the way as there are no redeeming nutritional qualities in the chosen dinner.  My kids have never seen the inside of a fast food restaurant (unless we need a potty break) but they have surely eaten the fast food equivalent at many local restaurants in our culinary Mecca of Portland.  So why is it that my husband and I have to down a glass of wine to relax at dinner and why are we munching on delicious varieties of incredible foods while our kids eat reheated crap?

I have figured out the answer thanks to Pamela.  We have had no faith in our little buggers.  When we got home from California 10 days ago I was determined to try this out for our family.  We were going to shift to eating our meals in courses beginning with salad (when they are the most hungry) and then move onto a warm entree with a cooked veggie and for dessert we would try a new cheese each night with some fruit.  We explained to the kids that they only had to try one bite of each thing so we did not have to face the normal arguments of how many more bites.  With cheese and fruit as dessert, I was not worried about a sugar overload.  This experiment has gone incredible well.  Our kids are eating salads ranging from beet and carrot to green salads with vinaigrettes.  They have been eating more interesting dinners that do not require ketchup like paella and fish tacos or pesto pasta.  They have introduced “stinky” sheep cheeses to their palettes and here is the best part….they take the left over’s for lunch with a small salad and do it all over again.  For the first time over, their lunch boxes are coming home empty…..hallelujah!

Are my kids unique?  NO!  We talk about food and why it should be healthy and how good it tastes and how it makes up feel.  My kids are starting to see meal time as an exciting new experience. My husband and I love food and wine so no matter what is happening in our lives, a good meal will bring us together and paint a smile on our faces for at least as long as we are chewing and sipping.  In celebration of our new enjoyable dinners together, I have posted about 6 new salads on pepperclip… (This is pepperclip.com ….username megan….password eloise)  Here are some dishes to try with your family… if you don’t find them on pepperclip, google them.  I try to post most of them but it does not always happen.

Chorizo and chicken paella

Thai green curry veggies over brown rice

Pesto on bow-tie pasta

Fish tacos

I have also found that when I am just low on veggies I can throw balsamic vinaigrette (vinegar, olive oil and some garlic with a little lemon juice) and my kids call it a salad.  The picture above is a tomato and cucumber salad with balsamic vinaigrette and basil on top.

The French say that even if you or your kids don’t like something at first, just keep trying and eventually you will develop a taste for almost everything.  Our taste buds are always morphing so don’t give up.  Why should we do this?  Well, we put a lot of energy into raising kids and keeping them healthy. Starting good life long habits is part of that.  It can be discouraging but just imagine this….your family around the dinner table talking quietly and eating a great meal.  Last night my son ate a green salad with tomatoes cucumbers and garlic stuffed green olives  with honey mustard and paella and exclaimed “MOM, you are the best cook in the world”…who knew?

 

More Smoothie Recipes!!!!!

So a little bit more on Abby’s Table.  If you are looking for an awesome way to learn how to cook delicious gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free cuisine, check out www.abbys-table.com . She offers fun and comfortable cooking classes with tips from how to hold your knife to great gluten-free substitutions.  She is really knowledgable and the food rocks.  You get to cook with Abby and other students and then sit down to a lovely meal courtesy of you!  Here is a pic of our table after Kim and I finished making March Madness appetizers. We made Sweet Potato Fritters with Chive Sour cream, Sweet and Spicy Chicken wings with “sour cream” ranch dip, Avocado stuffed deviled eggs, Daikon Canapes with Lemon Lentil Spread and Baked Kale chips.  So easy and so fun.  We also met some great ladies who we enjoyed sharing a meal with.  You can also find recipes on Abby’s website.

Here is one of the awesome recipes we made:

Lemon Lentil Spread

24 slices of fresh daikon ( 1/4 inch slices)

2 T. chickpea miso

1 c cooked red lentils

2 cloves garlic

1/2 T. olive oil

2 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. lemon zest

1/4 t. ground cumin

seas salt to taste

1. Pulse garlic and ginger in a food processor until well minced

2. Add lentils and remaining ingredients and blend until smooth

3. Season with extra lemon and salt to taste

Place a spoonfull of lentil spread in each daikon slice and garnish with green onion or parsley.  Maybe some ground red pepper for color.

This can be used as a dip for veggies or sandwich spread. It is awesome!

 

Lately, I have had a lot of requests for smoothie recipes.  Now, for those of you that have eaten my food, you know that I never use a recipe so everyday is a surprise, however, I did carefully compile six recipes that I know I like.  Some are my own and some are from Kris Carr or Kimberly Snyder.  Click green smoothie recipes for a copy!  Bon Appetit!

GMO – Super hero or Super villian?

It has been a while.  My nose has been in the books since the end of our cleanse as I try to absorb as much information as possible and pass my classes.  Luckily I have been able to use my classes to  investigate more and more exciting information about food and nutrition.  Today I took a great cooking class at Abby’s Table in SE Portland and learned how to make some delicious gluten, dairy, soy and sugar free appetizers!  More on that in the next post because today I really want to talk about GMO.  Most of us have heard of GMO but we are left with questions like, what does that really mean? what is the big deal? is it really bad for us?  how much food actually has GMO contents?  Well, I decided to do some research for my speech class and found out some pretty interesting stuff.  I have posted my speech below in hopes that it will arm you with useful information.  If you want more info there is a great new book out by PSU professor Dr. Lisa Weasel called Food Fray.  I saw her speak last Monday and was truly enlightened.  Also, check the bottom of the post for a smoothie recipe that has made it’s way to the top of the list for me.  PS This speech took me 8 minutes to give so it should only take you about 4 minutes to read….I know it looks long.

If you want to kill yourself you might think of poison, prescription overdose, a bullet, maybe a noose.  Those are means to a quick and relatively painless end.  But what if you want to kill yourself slowly and painfully? For this, you could just go to your local supermarket and fill your cart with boxes labeled “natural”, “fortified” or “heart healthy”.  However, we don’t think about food as a slow and painful killer that can result in extreme health care costs, devastating diseases and diminished quality of life because we trust that the FDA would not approve a food that would cause such destruction.  We assume that our government takes an oath similar to the one that doctors do like “first, do no harm”. Well, let’s not be naïve.   

Most of the foods in our cupboard do more harm than good because if it is in our cupboard it is probably processed.  Some of the leading ingredients in processed foods are canola oil, soybean oil, corn syrup and sugar from sugar beets.  Coincidentally, 80% of those foods grown in the US are genetically modified. Genetically modified organisms are organisms whose DNA is altered in a lab in a way that would not be possible in nature.  These foods or seeds are modified to resist pests and survive layer upon layer of sprayed herbicides such as Roundup an herbicide manufactured by corporate giant, Monsanto.  These foods are not only genetically different than anything we have evolved to digest but they carry with them the herbicides and pesticides that are sprayed on them during the growing season.  But, if it tastes like corn and it looks like corn then it is corn, right?  Well not exactly and today I am going to tell you why GMOs are so dangerous to our food supply and our ecosystem as well as what you can do to take a stand and protect yourself.

 GMO and Monsanto are two words that go hand in hand. Monsanto is the corporation that produces Roundup as well as the producer of almost all of the genetically modified seeds that American farmers use today. This is a two-fold issue, first we have the dangers of chemically treated foods and second we have the dangers of genetically modified foods. Round up is a commercial herbicide that utilizes glyphosate and polyethoxylated tallow amine to penetrate and kill plants and animals.

Although, Monsanto’s studies show that glyphosate is safe, studies show that when it is combined with other Round up ingredients, the combination is toxic to animals and humans. Studies have shown adverse effects of round-up ranging from birth defects to miscarriage. Studies also show that people that died from Roundup ingestion displayed symptoms of gastrointestinal corrosive effects.  It makes me wonder if the sudden rise in autoimmune disorders that have sprung up over the last 20 years marked by corrosion of the villi in the digestive track as well as the sudden gluten-intolerance epidemic might have some correlation, but now I am just speculating.

According to Forbes Magazine, 2011 “Monsanto is so despised by environmentalists that Google’s first suggested search term for the St. Louis company is ‘Monsanto evil.’  Readers… voted Monsanto the world’s most evil corporation in a January poll, giving the corporation a whopping 51 percent of the vote”. Use of chemical herbicides and pesticides not only poses threats to human and animal health but to the health of our ecosystem as a whole.

Roundup has unintended consequences such as weed resistance in which stronger more toxic weeds, bacteria and other organisms are now popping up in response to crop dusting. Roundup also kills much of the natural bioactivity in soils that provides the nutrients in our food creating a sterile environment leaving food that is lacking in nutrients. Another major concern is that due to resistance, roundup is no longer working well so Monsanto is awaiting the approval process on their heftier and more toxic herbicide and GMO seeds for 2014.

 

So we know Roundup is dangerous but what about GMO? The scariest part of GMO is that Monsanto has patented their seeds and their spray which means that the public sector of scientists is unable to do any testing to check for safety. Monsanto hires their own scientists and then only allows data to be released that supports their product. Due to cross pollination, Monsanto is taking over the agriculture forcefully leaving consumers little decision in what they eat. Dr. Lisa Weasel of PSU has spent over ten years studying GMO and she said in her OMSI Science Pub lecture on Monday that there is reason to be concerned about GMO as a food source and that she feeds her family organic which cannot be certified if GMO is used. Some argue that up to 90% of GMO is used as feed for livestock so it is not in our food chain but I would argue that if we are eating those animals and drinking their milk that it is in fact still part of our food chain.

 

What can we do to stop GMO until more research has been conducted? The big issues here are research and labeling. Scientists need to be given the opportunity to do extensive research on the environmental and health effects of GMO crops and the chemicals that go along with them. Nothing will happen until consumer stand up for their health much like we did with another Monsanto product called rBHT, which was the growth hormone that was given to cows causing our milk supply to be filled with hormones and pus from cancerous cows, yes that is what most of us drank for most of our lives…pus.

 

 

The most effective and easy way to make a stand against GMO is to buy organic. Currently there are no labeling laws for GMO food so the only way to completely avoid GMO is eating organic foods, especially organic processed foods like cookies, crackers, chips and bread. Remember that dairy and meat come from animals that are fed GMO feed unless marked organic. If you want to spread the word, you can visit the website www.saynotogmos.org and order a free bumper sticker and print flyers to pass out.  They can also link you to other ways to get involved on a grass roots level. Stay up to date on GMO bills in your state and in congress and vote for labeling laws.

 

I want you to imagine that in two years when Monsanto’s patent expires on Roundup that scientists find serious and irreversible health effects for humans and livestock.  Except, by then Monsanto already has their new herbicides and seeds approved and in circulation and we are stuck for another 10 years with untested chemicals infiltrating our food supply.  Is this a picture that makes you feel safe at the grocery store or at your dinner table?  Do you feel like you should have to be a detective when you buy food to make sure that you are not being contaminated or do you believe that regulating departments of our government should support a sustainable and healthy food source for its citizens by requiring testing and labeling of GMO?

We should learn something from our friends in Europe, India and even Zambia, a third world country that received food aid from the US.  All of these countries ban the use of GMO due to insufficient research. So, take matters into your own hands.  I encourage you to read labels and avoid all non organic foods that contain soy, corn, wheat, and sugar.  I beg you to choose organic meats from farms and ranches that allow their animals to eat grass and live free of caging.   This is your health and your children’s health.  It may cost you a few dollars more right now, it absolutely will but what price do you put on health?  If you don’t pay for your wellness up from, you will pay it on the back end.  It is our responsibility as consumers and citizens of this country to make a stand against corrupt businesses that selfishly seek to make exorbitant profits at the expense of others. I hope I have left you with some food for thought.

Mango Madness green smoothie

Makes about 32 oz in the vitamix or blender

2 c chard

2 c romaine

1 carrot

1/2 c cucumber

1 orange peeled

1 c frozen mango chunks

1 lime squeezed in

1 c water

You are what you eat…and so are your kids

It has been a week since I last had a chance to write but I am in the thick of the term now so I am all business.  The great news is I am getting a chance to research some really awesome stuff like how food affects our genes.  I am so totally excited about a relatively new field of study called nutrigenomics which basically boils down to how food (nutrients) effect the expression of your genes.

Let’s say that you have the gene for breast cancer.  Nutrigenomics studies why that is turned on in some people and not in others based on many factors, mainly what you eat. Yes, what this means is that your genes are not the end of the story.  You can alter whether or not certain genes express themselves based on what you put on your dinner plate.  Not only that, the way that you choose to eat will affect your children’s gene expression and all generations to follow.

Here is the scary news, processed food became popular after WW II in an effort to find ways to keep food from spoiling.  This means that for many of us, our parents and grandparents were exposed to processed food.  Those of us that are 40ish or under probably have two generations before us that have eaten processed food and by the time we were born we were probably on a diet that was mainly processed.  This is BAD news because processed food is void of real nutrients and filled with manipulated chemicals that are unfamiliar to our body.

Here is the great news, now we know better.  Our genes are not set in stone so even if the last 30 or 40 years have been a bust, you can alter your genes by changing that now.  Great news to all of you parents, you can change your kids gene expression (epigenetics) and their kids just be taking processed food off of the table. Below, you will find a brief paper that I wrote today with some solid science relating to nutrigenomics if you want a little more.  Empower yourself and change the course of your wellness!

 

How does nutrition effect the expression of genes?”

The relatively new field of nutrigenomics is beginning to unravel bits and pieces of information that compose the story of how nutrition effects gene expression. Food is a complex mixture of chemicals. Some of these chemicals provide energy via metabolic pathways and some are bioactive in controlling gene expression or regulatory pathways (Kamut et al., 2007).  While there is still so much that is unknown, researchers have begun to see connections between epidemiological patterns in early childhood nutrition and adult chronic disease which may be explained by the chemical interactions between genes and nutrients (Waterland et al., 2004). However, one study by Jim Kamut, 2007 states that “One of the great challenges facing the field of nutritional genomics is the development of methods that can quantitatively assess nutrient intake in individuals. Coupled with analyses of nutrient intakes are analyses of metabolites (metabolomics) generated through metabolic processes, which could differ because genetic makeups may have different responses to the same diets.”

 

Per a study titled Nutrigenomics: Nutrient-Gene Interactions, by Siddeque et al., scientists have known for some time that prokaryotes respond to changes in nutritional status, however, the control of gene expression in multi-cellular beings involves complex interactions of hormonal, neural, and nutritional factors.  The study also states that there are three main effects of nutrients on gene expression which adds even more dimension to this complex study:

 

1. Direct interactions: Nutrients, sometimes after interacting with a receptor, behave as

transcription factors that can bind to DNA and acutely induce gene expression.

2. Epigenetic interactions: Nutrients can alter the structure of DNA (or of histone

proteins in chromatin) so that gene expression is chronically altered. 328 Siddique et al.

3. Genetic variations: Common genetic variations such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms

(SNPs) can alter the expression or functionality of genes.

 

Siddeque added “All of these mechanisms can result in altered metabolism and altered dietary requirements for nutrients.”

 

One major point of interest surrounding epigenetics and nutrition is the interactions that may effect disease and disease heritability. In his 2004 paper, Early Nutrition, Epigenetic Changes at Transposons and Imprinted Genes, and Enhanced Susceptibility to Adult Chronic Diseases, Robert Waterland, et al. states “Certainly, “nutrient– gene interactions” in humans enable various nutrients to transiently influence the expression of specific subsets of genes. In addition to these phenomena, however, it is becoming increasingly evident that by interacting with epigenetic mechanisms, which regulate chromatin conformation across entire genomic regions, transient nutritional stimuli at critical ontogenic stages can wield lasting influences on the expression of various genes. Moreover, such epigenetic changes, if they occur in the gametes, may be heritable.” He continues “Epigenetic effects are mediated by methylation of DNA or by methylation, acetylation, or biotinylation of histones, or by both means. Such epigenetic modifications can result in changes in gene expression that can last throughout a person’s life and can even persist across generations.” This means that the choices that our grandparents made knowingly r unknowingly may be affecting our likelihood for disease development. Waterland adds “Extensive human epidemiologic data have indicated that prenatal and early postnatal nutrition influence adult susceptibility to diet related chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer. These epidemiologic data are bolstered by numerous studies in animal models clearly showing that subtle nutritional influences during development can influence adult metabolism. Understanding the specific biologic mechanisms underlying such phenomena should enable early life nutritional interventions, or even corrective therapies, aimed at preventing chronic disease in humans.”

 

There is still so much to be discovered about the interactions between nutrients and gene expression.  However, one point is becoming very clear, the choices that we make at the grocery store and in our kitchens have lasting effects on our health and the health of our offspring.  I would guess that over years to come, we will gain a clearer understanding about the depth and importance of those decisions.  The most enlightening aspect of this research to me is that we can control some aspects of our health.  Our wellness is not a destiny that we are handcuffed to but an experience that is constantly adapting to our environment and our choices.

 

Works cited

 

Kaput, J. (2007). Nutrigenomics – 2006 update. Clinical Chemistry & Laboratory Medicine, 45(3), 279-287.

 

Siddique, R., Tandon, M., Ambwani, T., Rai, S., & Atreja, S. (2009). Nutrigenomics: Nutrient-Gene Interactions. Food Reviews International, 25(4), 326-345.

 

Waterland, R. & Jirtle, R. (2004). Early Nutrition, Epigenetic Changes at Transposons and Imprinted Genes, and Enhanced Susceptibility to Adult Chronic Diseases. Nutrition 20(1), 63-68.

 

Chinese New Year recipes

Happy Monday!

Finnley began her adventure in Chinese immersion this month.  To be honest, I was really intimidated.  I know NOTHING about the Chinese culture and I credit my ability to say “hello” in Chinese to the cartoon Ni Hoa Kai Lan.  So, shortly after Finn began school this month I was told we would be celebrating Chinese New Year….what? Well, I have barely dipped my toe in the waters of the Chinese culture but I was inspired by Finn’s New Year performance last week to make a Chinese dish tonight.

Chinese Style Steamed Fish – 15 minute meal

1 1/2 pounds halibut or Cod, cut into 4 pieces

3 green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths

2 fresh mushrooms, sliced

6 leaves napa cabbage, sliced into 4 inch pieces

1 inch fresh ginger root, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup tamari ( gluten free soy sauce )

1/8 cup water

fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Arrange 1/2 of the green onions on the bottom of the steaming bowl (it is important to steam in a container in order to retain the steam and juices around the fish).  Place 1/2 of the mushrooms and Napa cabbage sections on top of the onions. Place fish on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle ginger, garlic, and  red pepper flakes over fish.  Top with the remaining green onions, mushrooms, and napa cabbage. Drizzle tamari and water over everything.

 Place steam bowl in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.  Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

With Asian Broccoli and Carrot stir-fry  

2 cups Broccoli (be sure to use the stalks too peeled and cut in 1 inch segments)

1 cup sliced carrot

2 minced garlic cloves

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp filtered water

1 tsp sesame seeds

Place all ingredients in fry pan except the sesame seed and heat covered on medium low for 10 minutes, until cooked but not mushy. Top with sesame seeds and serve

Lovely Lentil Soup and more about going gluten free

My friend, Angela, sent this mouth watering recipe along to me a few days ago and I am so glad that I tried it today.  It is perfect on a cold winter night!

But before I get to that, a word about gluten in case you are wondering if you or someone you love might be sensitive to gluten and/or casein. I had another gluten flare up after accidentally having gluten on Saturday and now my jaw is completely locked.  In my body, gluten presents itself as an inflammation wherever I am weak or already inflamed.  Since a car accident over a year ago, that seems to be my jaw, neck and back.  My jaw is the worst because I inadvertently clench it at night.  All of this inflammation has me thinking more and more about taking my kids to the gluten-free zone.  They seem to be sooooo sensitive to things like sugar, dairy, soy and corn that I am beginning to wonder if this is a digestion issue that may have to do with gluten.  Of course, this could be a conspiracy theory and I might be making myself mad (as in crazy)…stop nodding your head please.

Anyway, this is my theory, do an elimination diet if you have any constant inflammatory symptoms like pain, digestion issues, bags under your eyes, skin rashes or bumps, asthma and allergies, chronic health problems of any kind really.  If they go away, start to add things back in slowly to see what the problem is.  My kids are already on a pretty healthy diet so we are going to try gluten free for a month or more so I can see if there is an improvement and if not, back to wheat…..maybe.  There are so many great substitutes for gluten now that I sometimes wonder if there isn’t some other benefit to going gluten free, like forcing oneself to access super awesome grains like amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, sorghum, teff, etc.  If you are trying to go gluten free or you feel like our kids may have sensitivity to gluten then a great book to guide you through is Gluten-free kids by Danna Korn, or really any book by Danna Korn.

Alright, onto our lentil soup recipe…which took me 10 minutes and then I slapped in the slow cooker for a few hours!

Morocan Red Lentil Soup

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 large onions, cut into medium dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

 1 tsp. ground turmeric

½ tsp. sweet paprika

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

7 cups vegetable broth

2 ½ cups crushed or chopped tomatoes

2 cups dried red lentils, picked over, washed, and rinsed

OPTIONAL

Pinch of red-pepper flakes

Juice of 1 lemon

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the broth and tomatoes and heat to boiling.
2. Pour the mixture into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the lentils, cover the cooker, and cook for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low, until the lentils are tender. (Mine only took a couple of hours)
3. Stir in the pepper flakes, lemon juice, parsley, and cilantro, cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Day 22….oh wait, the cleanse is over

As you can tell, I have not adjusted to the cleanse finale.   Today I want to say that I have used my Vitamix 8 times since yesterday at 1pm.  My family and I are in love with it.  The kids are having fun throwing in their favorite fruits and veggies and seeing what happens.  Seriously, the coolest gift ever!

Also, many of you have emailed to share your accomplishments with me and I cannot tell you how happy and joyful it makes me feel to know that there are so many of you that have made amazing  and difficult changes in your lives that have made you feel healthier, stronger and maybe even sexier.

Well, this journey lasts a lifetime so keep moving forward and share your secrets with the ones you love so together we can all spread the wellness word.  Here is some useful info that you may want as you continue to feed your bodies whole nutritious grub.  I keep hearing about a place called Abby’s Table in SE Portland. They do a set menu, family style dinner twice a week and offer gluten, dairy and soy free cooking classes on Saturdays.  Looks like a great place to check out if you want some schooling or a good meal!

www.abbys-table.com/

Also, if you have not signed up for Peas and Thank you Blog you are missing some great recipes….not all of them are soy free but I think most of them are gluten and dairy free.  Here is the latest gem from yesterday, I plan on making this Paella later this week…  www.peasandthankyou.com/2012/01/23/cauliflower-rice-paella/

Ok, now don’t think that I have gone out on a quest for my next liquor-fix or that I am recommending that you abuse  your newly cleansed liver but I found out today that there are some awesome parents  from my son’s class that happen to make Hard Apple Cider and that New Seasons and Whole Foods (as well as some other fine establishments) sell their stuff.  How cool is that?  What makes their brew better is that it is ORGANIC, LOCAL, AND GLUTEN-FREE.  Now if you have not thought about “gluten-free” in regards to drinking, you need to.  As far as I know you have the choice of wine, tequila, potato vodka and now FINNEGAN CIDER.  Check out their awesome site,  www.finnegancider.com . See, who said going gluten-free is no fun? Come on, you just have to get a little crazy!

OK friends…carry on.  Until tomorrow!