06.26.08
Posted in Recipes at 6:01 am by drkristen
So, as I said earlier, I wanted to start posting what I eat now that I’m on some pretty strict dietary restrictions. We’ve been doing a CSA (community-supported agriculture) delivery service for a few months now, and we LOVE it! Whether you get your veggies at the store, get them delivered from a CSA or you grow your own, the easiest way you’ll reach for those instead of something less healthy or more convenient, is if you prepare them as soon as they come into your kitchen. Right now, our fridge is holding bags of washed and shredded greens and washed and cut (if needed) summer veggies. Today was a busy day, so especially for those of you with a busy schedule like me, I’ve decided to post my menu for the day 
Breakfast (about 10 min to prepare, using pre-washed veggies)
Eggs, kale and garlic greens with balsamic vinegar
Put about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of washed kale in a steamer pot with about 1/2 in of water. Bring to a boil and steam for 3-5 minutes to your liking. While those are boiling, heat some coconut oil in a fry pan on medium heat. Once melted, crack 2 eggs into the pan and fry to your liking (I cover and fry until it starts popping, then flip them just for about 20 seconds for and over-easy finish). While the eggs are frying, take the steamed kale out and put it on the plate. Drizzle the kale with a little balsamic vinegar. Once your eggs are done, put them on top of the kale. Sautée the garlic greens in the leftover oil in the fry pan about 1 minute, and place on top of the eggs. I topped this with a little Bragg’s Seasoning mix. Yum.
Lunch (was too busy for a sit-down, but brought plenty of snacks to eat when I could)
celery pieces with pecan or almond butter
3oz piece of smoked salmon
cucumber pieces in balsamic vinegar
Dinner
Wilted spinach salad with bacon, mushrooms and eggs (about 30 minutes)
Wash and stem about 4 cups of spinach. Chop up a package of organic bacon and fry on medium. Once the bacon is done, scoop out with a slotted spoon and sautée the mushrooms in the bacon fat (if you don’t like raw mushrooms). Take out all but about 2 Tbsp of the bacon fat out of the pan. Add 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1/4 tsp dry mustard and stir until boiling. Remove pan from heat and add spinach until wilted. Add bacon and mushrooms and top with some scallions, if desired. Slice up 2 hardboiled eggs to garnish top.
Wow…I didn’t realize how much balsamic vinegar I had today! It’s so different when you actually write it down! Anyway, I hope this inspires some good servings of greens into your diet! It really isn’t a big deal, especially if you eat them with breakfast so you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day (of course, the more the better!).
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06.23.08
Posted in Research, Health News & Tips, Discussion at 8:18 pm by drkristen
I hope everyone is staying safe with all the crazy weather we’ve been having during the transition into the summer months. This has been one of the coolest summer’s so far in Oregon’s recent history…I just hope that doesn’t mean we’ll be sweltering until November!
So, today, I came across an interesting article about folate, or folic acid:
ADIPOSITY, FAT, OBESITY, OVERWEIGHT, MENOPAUSE, NUTRITION - Folate, Folic Acid, Vitamins, Minerals, Nutraceuticals, Nutriceuticals, Supplementation
Reference: “Measures of adiposity and body fat distribution in relation to serum folate levels in postmenopausal women in a feeding study,” Mahabir S, Ettinger S, et al, Eur J Clin Nutr, 2008; 62(5): 644-50. (Address: Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. E-mail: smahabir@mdanderson.org ).
Summary: In a cross-sectional analysis within a larger randomized, controlled, crossover trial involving 51 postmenopausal women, lower serum folate concentrations were found to be associated with adiposity. According to multivariate analysis, obese women had 22% lower serum folate concentrations and overweight women had 12% lower serum folate concentrations than normal weight women. In addition, levels of vitamin B12 were also found to decrease with increasing body mass index. Decreased levels of serum folate were associated with increased BMI, percentage body fat, and absolute amounts of central and peripheral fat. The authors conclude, “With obesity at epidemic proportions, these data, if confirmed by prospective or randomized controlled studies, have important public health implications.”
It makes sense, really - that those people who have larger bodies need a larger amount of nutrients. This is why I thought it would be a great idea to talk about the importance of folate.
Folate is one of the B vitamins that we need for neurological health, dental health, energy, to prevent anemia, and to promote anti-inflammatory pathways. Unfortunately, it tends to be one of the most overlooked vitamins in our medicine cabinet, unless you’re pregnant, in which case, it’s one of the high-dose vitamins in most prenatal vitamins. The question is - are we getting enough?
From one of my favorite websites - World’s Healthiest Foods - the best sources of folate in our diets are:
- calf liver
- lentils
- garbanzo (or chickpeas), black, pinto, kidney or navy beans
- asparagus
- spinach
- collard greens
If you don’t eat enough of these foods, you may need to supplement. One way I highly recommend to supplement folic acid is in liquid form, especially if you have dental problems or gum disease. This way, you can swish around after brushing your teeth so the folate actually comes in contact with your gums before swallowing. In fact, many natural mouthwashes have folate in them, along with some antimicrobial herbs to help keep a healthy mouth. If you eat a lot of the above foods, and very little sugar, you should have a beautiful, healthy smile!
So, if you’re experiencing low energy, periodontal disease, anemia, irritability or depression, make sure you’re getting enough folate as well as the other B vitamins so necessary for both mental and physical health.
I know I’m slow with the postings lately - it’s been a busy few months! But thank you for your patience, and please keep stopping by for more tips on healthy living!
~Dr K
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06.10.08
Posted in Health News & Tips, Discussion at 6:22 am by drkristen
Well, I don’t know about the caffeine of a latte, but it is commonly known in the naturopathic world that full-fat dairy, specifically raw milk, is in fact better for you than that whitish water called non-fat milk. Here is a great article from Dr Mercola on the benefits of raw milk. This article also helps rationalize those crazy myths that low-fat milk actually helps you lose weight…almost as comical to me as those ads for cheese with probiotics that make you regular (even though cheese, or rather “cheese product,” is constipating!).
To find out a raw milk source in your area, check this site.
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06.01.08
Posted in Discussion at 5:26 am by drkristen
So, I was just introduced to a great resource called Green Dimes. They are a website that helps you contact marketing companies and opt out of all the junk we get in the mail. You can do it both electronically or through the regular mail (some require a letter in the mail, but Green Dimes provides you with a form letter to send). This even includes those pre-approved credit card offers…I swear I get at least 2 per day. Anywho, I just thought I’d share and help save a few million trees
I’m having a hard time getting back into the swing of things after my vacation to Maine. I should be back into posting mode soon, but for now, I have a bunch of work to catch up on.
Happy junk-mail slaying!
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