keto – Daily Bag of Goodness

Why You Are Likely Dehydrated…

April 24, 2021 Jamie

Let’s talk water and hydration! Did you know that most Americans are living in a state of constant dehydration?! Not only do caffeinated beverages, including energy drinks and sodas, make up a disproportionate amount of our fluid intake, they are diuretics. Fun (geeky) fact: I always thought that a diuretic just made you urinate more, and therefore made you less hydrated. While this is true, did you know it’s because it slows the reabsorption of water by the kidneys? So essentially, what would normally be moving back into your bloodstream, is instead excreted (via urine). I found that pretty interesting.

SOFT DRINKS

PSA on soda – remember when we discussed the role of minerals on the last post, and how proper digestion is critical to proper absorption of minerals? Well, the phosphoric acid in soda impedes the production of stomach acid (HCl) which impacts the absorption of calcium! Therefore, chronic soda drinkers could severely impact their long-term bone health. Time to switch to sparkling water!

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION

Given that water makes up 55-60% of our total body mass, I’d say its pretty darn important! And a drop of only 2% can cause early signs of dehydration. Early signs include:

Fatigue (most common symptom)
Thirst
Dry Mouth
Muscle Cramps
Headaches
Anxiety
Cravings
Inability to concentrate
Dark urine

If this deficiency is chronic, it can lead to a host of health issues like:

Heart burn
Joint pain
Constipation
Colitis
Exercise induced asthma

ROLES OF WATER

If you want to feel (and look) your best, water is your BFF! Did you regularly experience aches and pains in your body or just feel tired all of the time? Try increasing your water intake. It really could be just that simple! As related to physical activity, water cushions our bones and joints – its actually like lubricant for your joints, prevents tissues from sticking (dehydration actually makes you less flexible), and even regulates your body temperature. These are all key components to performing at your sport or just generally feeling like a rock star.

HOW MUCH

There are a number of formulas that can be used to determine your necessary water intake. Many people use the ‘drink ½ your body weight (lbs) in ounces of water’. This is a pretty good quick guide. Keep in mind that many conditions affect your water needs. How much you exercise, age, pregnancy and lactation, and medications consumed. Here is one guideline called Adequate Intake or AI:

https://www.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fnic_uploads/water_full_report.pdf

For physically active folks, there are some additional guidelines I’d like to cover. The American College of Sports Medicine has guidelines for intake which I have summarized below. These are for males, so keep in mind that females will need slightly less. Intake will also depend on the length and exertion of the activity. For longer activities, or if you have sweated a great deal, you should add electrolytes to your water because water alone cannot fully hydrate you. Alternatively, you could add a more high quality sea salt to your recovery meal.

WHEN AND HOW TO GET IN YOUR WATER

Start your day with a glass of water.
I like to squeeze ¼ of a lemon and a pinch of sea salt to mine. It’s a great way tostart the day off!
Drink at the first sign of thirst.
Or if your tired, tense, had a headache or can’t concentrate.
Drink more if your urine is dark.
You want it to be light yellow or straw colored. Note that vitamins can often darken urine, this does not mean you are dehydrated.
Drink before, during and after physical activity.
Use the guidelines above as a starting point

IN SUMMARY

Unfortunately, most people are not able to recognize signs of dehydration. Our modern lifestyles are so full of distractions that its easy to forget to drink. Try carrying a nice glass or stainless-steel bottle with you everywhere you go – in the car, in meetings, at your desk. This is a great way to ensure you always have it on hand and it’s a great reminder to sip throughout the day.

For more support in your efforts to improve hydration click here!: Let’s work together!

Resources

Mineral Balance For Performance and Recovery

March 23, 2021March 18, 2021 Jamie

So far, we have discussed a number of topics including digestion, blood sugar regulation, and fatty acids. Today I want to talk all about minerals and why they are so important. They are always important, but as we approach summer, they become crucial to sports performance. Let’s start with the basics – what are minerals?

Minerals are broken up into Major and Minor Minerals, based on their levels in the body. The Major minerals include Calcium, Chloride, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur, and Sodium. Calcium is the most abundant in the body amounting to 40% of the total mineral mass (only 1.5% of total body mass). Having balanced mineral levels are key for everyone, but they are particularly important for physically active adults. Too much or too little can really throw your entire system off!

The simplified mineral interaction chart below shows how some minerals interact with each other. Though this looks complicated, let me explain how to read it. If a mineral has an arrow pointing to another mineral, it means a deficiency of that mineral (or interference with its metabolism) may be caused by an excess of the mineral from where the arrow originates. And some pairs work in both directions – such as magnesium and calcium. If you have too much calcium, you may not be absorbing the magnesium you are consuming and vice versa.

Minerals serve a number of roles including: contracting and relaxing muscles, maintaining proper nerve function, regulating tissue growth and providing functional and structural support (think strong bones here).

An example of a mineral imbalance would be when an athlete gets leg cramps during short high-intensity or endurance type workouts or events. Without the proper balance of calcium and magnesium, this can happen easily since calcium regulates muscle contraction and magnesium regulates the muscle relaxing.

Even the microminerals can have a big impact on how you feel. For example, if you’re looking for peak performance (or just want to feel your best), you need to have proper levels of iodine. Iodine is essential in the production of thyroid hormone, which affects everything from metabolism to sexual hormones. Iodine is also key in nerve and bone formation which affects muscle memory and recovery.

Aside from performance improvements through better mineral balance, minerals directly affect your immune system. For example, most people are aware that zinc can support the immune system, but did you know that zinc is also important in the creation of stomach acid?! Since minerals are essential cofactors in creating enzymes which then convert fatty acids into prostaglandins (inflammatory regulators) – you can better understand why proper digestion is key. Isn’t it amazing how everything is truly connected in our bodies! Psst…If you haven’t been reading along, my last post on fatty acids discussed prostaglandins and how important they are for managing inflammation.

So now you might be wondering, “How do I balance my minerals? Do I take a supplement?” The short answer is – “It depends”. Many Functional Practitioners and some M.D.s will run tests for vitamin and mineral levels. If you have a known deficiency, talk to your Doctor or Practitioner about supplementing. Regardless of your mineral status, the best way to get your minerals is through your food. This is why variety matters! Eat all different colors of veggies, types of meat and seafood, and a variety of leafy greens. This will give you a full spectrum of minerals from your food.

Mineral rich foods include:

Shellfish
Cruciferous veggies (kale, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, bok choy, arugula, etc.)
organ meats (try making a chicken liver pate!)
Eggs ( WITH the yolks!)
Avocados (more potassium than a banana)
Nuts and seeds
Fatty fish (sardines, herring, salmon)

And if you are going to hit a hard workout, you should consider adding electrolytes to your water. A simple pinch of high-quality sea salt is the cheapest method and is just as effective as the $20 sports electrolyte powder without the added sugar or sweeteners. (Note – there are some decent ones on the market now DM me for some recommendations)

Remember though that digestion is Queen in this cascade and if your digestion is not functioning properly, you may not be absorbing the minerals you are eating. It all starts with digestion!

Something else to look at is if any prescription or over the counter medications could be causing deficiencies of some minerals. This is very common, so ask your Pharmacist or Doctor about this when you start any new meds. And finally, times of high stress can also cause depletions, and some minerals are more prone to depletion from stress than others. Magnesium is a big one that is depleted with stress (physical and emotional). This is where supplementation can help support your system. A Nutritional Therapy Practitioner can also help evaluate ways to help you functionally support your body through food and/or supplements. If this is a concern for you, let’s talk. I’m here to help!

For more support in your efforts to improve digestion and mineral balance: Let’s work together!

Clean Eats, Keto Recipes, Paleo Recipes, Recipes

Dairy Free Yogurt Thats Better Than Store-Bought!

March 14, 2021 Jamie

I’ve been meaning to post this one for quite some time! I can’t tolerate cow’s milk yogurt, so about 6 years ago, I started a pursuit to find (or make) the perfect homemade dairy free yogurt! This was mostly due to the store-bought stuff costing WAY too much. And over the years, it has morphed into the recipe below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Its a regular staple in our house!

The easiest way to make it is in an Instant Pot with a yogurt setting. However, if you dont have one, its still possible. Just mix up the ingredients in a large stock pot and then pour it into a container (or multiple small containers) that will fit in your crock pot. You can then add about a cup of water to the bottom of the crock pot, place the lid on and set it to the lowest setting (warm would be best) for 9-10 hrs.

One time saving trick I found was to take the Instant Pot stainless insert out and putting it directly on your stove burner to prepare the yogurt. You can also do this with the “sauté” setting on the InstaPot, but then it takes forever for your Instant Pot to cool to a temperature that will not kill those good bacteria you are trying to grow! But if its your only choice, it also works.

Ill walk you through the prep steps and tricks below, but a recipe summary can also be found at the bottom of this post.

First your going to want to soak your cashews (1 cup). I usually do this the day before or in the morning before work so I can make the yogurt overnight that evening. I have soaked them in hot water for only an hour, or 1- 2 days with cold water. Either works if you have a good blender. Be sure to use filtered water if at all possible as chlorine can inhibit the growth of the bacteria.

Strain the soaked cashews, rise them well, then place them in a blender (I’m a big Vitamix fan). The nice thing about cashews is that you don’t have to strain them with a nut milk bag, so it avoids a messy step! Add water to the blender until it reaches the 4 cup mark (with the nuts and water together). Blend on high for about 30 seconds. You can make this ahead and store in the fridge until you are ready to make the yogurt, or just have it at the ready when prepping the yogurt.

You can really use any nut, but you will have to strain the pulp out of the milk. I suppose you could use oat, rice, etc as well but I have not tried this. You might have to play around with the amount of gelatin and tapioca flour you use.

Put 3 cups of filtered water in the Instant Pot insert on your stove burner and heat to a near boil.

Sprinkle 1.5 Tbsp of a high-quality gelatin (from grass fed or pastured beef or pork) and whisk until dissolved. I love this brand Further Food (not sponsored at all, just a fan). Its women owned and the quality is top notch.

Once the gelatin is all whisked in and dissolved, pour in the homemade nut milk into the pot. Add 2 Tbsp of organic cane sugar and whisk to dissolve. You need the sugar as food for those bacteria you want to grow. You cannot make yogurt without it. During the fermentation process, it will get “eaten up” and very low levels of sugar will actually be left in the batch. Continue heating the mixture.

In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup tapioca flour and about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water and whisk until blended. You will need this prepared BEFORE the milk mixture starts bubbling!

Watch the mixture closely, as soon as it starts bubbling, add the tapioca slurry and quickly whisk into the pot. Whisk and allow to boil for about 15 seconds. No longer. Then turn off the heat and move to a cool burner.

Allow to cool to 110 degrees or less, whisking periodically as it cools if you are able (this is optional but can make for a smoother yogurt and speeds up the cooling). Then add your yogurt starter and whisk it through. I have found that this vegan starter from Cultures For Health to make the best tasting yogurt, but I have also used high quality probiotic capsules well (make sure they don’t contain any prebiotic fibers). In a pinch I have also used 1/2 cup of store-bought plain dairy free yogurt. If using probiotic capsules, you have to experiment a little with your formula. Try adding just one capsule to start and if its not very tangy, add more on the next batch or let it go longer.

A trick is that once you have made a batch, set aside 1 cup (in the fridge) that is off limits for eating, so you can use it to start your next batch! It works great!

Place the stainless insert containing your yogurt mixture into the Instant Pot, put on the lid (vent can remain open or closed), and push the “Yogurt” button and set for 9 hours.

You can open and taste the yogurt after 9 hours and if it isnt tangy enough, put in back on for another 2-3 hours and try again.

The yogurt will be runny coming out of the Instant Pot, but will set up nicely in the fridge. Whisk and then pour the mixture into large glass mason jars (wide mouth is best), seal and place in fridge. It sets up in about 2-3 hours.

I love making parfaits with grain free granola and berries, using it as a topping, or just eating it straight up! You can of course add cinnamon or vanilla to it to flavor it, but I would recommend doing this AFTER fermentation so you dont inhibit the growth of those good guys! However you eat it, I hope you enjoy this. It might sound intimidating, but its really quite simple once you do it a few times.

Cashew Milk:
* 1 cup soaked cashews
* 3 cups filtered water
Blend for 30 sec in high powered blender

Ingredients:
* 3 cups filtered water
* 1.5 Tbsp high quality gelatin
* 4 cups homemade cashew milk
* 2 Tbsp cane sugar
* 1/4 cup tapioca flour + 1/4 – 1/2 filtered water – whisked together
Whisk all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Directions:
1) Put 3 cups of filtered water in the InstaPot insert on your stove burner and heat to a near boil.
2) Sprinkle 1.5 Tbsp of a high quality gelatin (from grass fed or pastured beef or pork) and whisk until dissolved.
3) Once the genatin is dissolved, pour in the homemade nut milk into the pot.
4) Add 2 Tbsp of organic cane sugar and whisk all together.
5) In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup tapioca flour and about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of water and whisk until blended. You will need this prepared BEFORE the milk mixutre starts bubbling!
6) Watch the mixture closely, as soon as it starts bubbling, add the tapioca slurry and quickly whisk into the pot. Whisk and allow to boil for about 15 seconds. No longer. Then turn off the heat and move to a cool burner.
7) Allow to cool to 110 degrees or less, whisking periodically as it cools if you are able (this is optional but can make for a smoother yogurt and speeds up the cooling process).
8) Add your yogurt starter (actual starter, 1 cup from a previous batch, or 1/2 – 1 cup of store-bought yogurt. Whisk through thoroughly.
9) Place the stainless insert with the yogurt mixture into the InstaPot, put on the lid (vent can remain open or closed), and push the “Yogurt” button and set for 9 hours.
10) The yogurt will be runny coming out of the InstaPot, but will set up nicely in the fridge. Whisk and then pour the mixture into large glass mason jars, seal and place in fridge.
11) The yogurt sets up in about 2-3 hours.

Optional Toppings:
* berries
* shredded coconut flakes
* cacao nibs
* nut butter
* granola

Resources

Why Fat is so Crucial to Your Health and Recovery

February 15, 2021March 14, 2021 Jamie

Let’s talk dietary fat, yep the fats we eat. For decades the media has demonized fat, telling us that too much fat would give us a heart attack and make us gain weight. Well, it turns out they based this on limited studies and inaccurate statistics. The truth is that processed carbs are the bigger player here! But this post is not addressing processed carbs (I’ll save that for a later post). In this post I’m going to explain why our body actually needs fat in order to properly recover from hard workouts, optimize our metabolism, hormones, and our overall health.

Fats play a number of roles in the body, but here are three key roles that I think are most applicable to active adults:

Fats provide a source of energy, especially for endurance type (low heart rate) exercise
Fats act as a building block for cell membranes and hormones which help to regulate inflammation
Fats aid in absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K – all which support immune function

There are three types of fatty acids – saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated – and we need all types, yes, even the saturated fats! In fact, saturated fats should be around 30% of total fat intake. Monounsaturated fats (Omega 9’s) should be the highest consumed at ~60%. And Polyunsaturated fats (Omega 3 & 6) should be around 10% of total intake. Saturated fats are those mostly found in animal fats as well as tropical oils. Monounsaturated fats are avocado and extra virgin olive oil as well as nuts like almonds, cashews, and pecans.

Despite (ideally) being the smallest percentage of our total fats, polyunsaturated fats deserve a little more attention. These fats are often identified as Omega-6 or Omega-3 fatty acids and the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should ideally be consumed in a 2:1 ratio. Unfortunately, in today’s world of processed foods and inflammatory oils, we can see ratios as high as 20:1! Read those labels on your crackers, cookies, cereals, and even “healthy” products. So many are using canola, soy, or corn oils – and its actually quite hard to avoid them if not making a conscious effort. Corn oil has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 46:1!!! Remember, your average ratio should be 2:1! Read on to understand why this is so important…

Some Omega 6 & 3 fatty acids are actually good for you. Here are some examples of healthy Omega 3 and 6 oils:

Omega-6: sunflower oil, sesame oil, and safflower oil
Omega-3: fish oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts or oil, pumpkin seeds or oil

These oils should be produced from organic sources and cold pressed; not by using high-heat industrial processing which cause these oils to go rancid before they even hit the grocery store shelves.

Photo by Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash

A balance of all three fatty acids help to control inflammation throughout your body because they are all precursors to the production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. There are two anti-inflammatory and one inflammatory prostaglandin, and you need all three to heal from various stress and injuries since they control inflammatory function.

Its worth noting that in order for fats to be properly converted into these important prostaglandins and to do their job, your digestion, liver, and enzymatic function all need to be working properly. This is why my last post was dedicated to proper digestion.

Inflammation is something that I think most physically active folks understand well. Anyone ever feel sore after a hard workout?! That’s the body inflaming an overworked area to shuttle more blood flow there to allow for healing to happen faster. After the initial inflammation, the anti-inflammatory prostaglandins come in to help calm the system. This is the cycle of healing.

So you are probably wondering where to start? If you are like many who think the low-fat diet is the answer to health, but you are still struggling to lose weight and feel your best, its time to try something old. Yes, I said old, because this is going back to a more ancestral approach to eating which utilizes a mix of fats in the diet!

Here are a few easy ways to incorporate some healthy fats into your meals without following recipes or meal plans:

If you typically steam veggies, rub them with extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or melted tallow and sprinkle with salt – roast them in the oven at 375F until lightly browned and tender
Opt for chicken thighs over chicken breasts (skin-on is even better)
Make your own salad dressings or mayo using avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
Fry your eggs in grass-fed butter or ghee
Snack on nuts and seeds

Try eating this way and see if you feel any different. Do you feel satisfied for longer after a meal? Do you feel like you recover faster after big workouts? How is your mood and digestion?

Speaking of digestion, be sure to start slow. If you eat a very low-fat diet right now, your body will need some time to adjust, so take baby steps. But I think you will find yourself reaching for those frequent snacks less often and will feel more balanced!

Need more support in your efforts to improve digestion and get more fat? Let’s work together!

Clean Eats, Keto Recipes, Paleo Recipes, Recipes

Low Carb & Grain Free Pancakes – keto, paleo, dairy free

February 9, 2021February 15, 2021 Jamie

I think I’m on a continuous pursuit for the perfect low carb pancakes! There aren’t many boxed pancake mixes that I like or that I’m willing to drop $8/box on, especially when its SO easy to mix up pancakes! Therefore, I’m constantly tweaking and trying new ratios of various ingredients…and I think I nailed this one!

This recipe uses a few different flours to give them “fluff”. I find straight almond flour to be a bit heavy, but the tapioca and coconut flour mixed in to this recipe helps a great deal. In regard to flavor profile – I add both vanilla and cinnamon, but if you want a more savory pancake, just leave those out.

As far as toppings go, if you want to keep it super low carb stick to berries, nut butters, coconut flakes, or even whipped cream (milk or non-dairy varieties w/ no added sugars). If you’re going savory, top with avocado and sausage, or make an egg and cheese pancake ‘sandwich’. As all pancake lovers are well aware, the possibilities are endless when it comes to pancake toppings!

Wet Ingredients:
* 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
* 1 egg (pastured is best)
* 6 Tbsp almond milk (can sub any milk or even water)
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Dry Ingredients:
* 1 Tbsp coconut flour
* 2 Tbsp tapioca flour
* 1/2 cup almond flour (fine ground)
* 1 pinch sea salt
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp cinnamon
* 1/8 tsp vanilla powder or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Whisk all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Directions:
Combine the mixed wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully incorporated. If too thick, add another 1 Tbsp of milk until you find a nice consistency.

Drop about 1/4 cup of batter onto a medium-hot griddle and cook approx. 2-3 mins per side (time will depend greatly on temperature of griddle). Makes about 6 medium pancakes.

Optional Toppings:
* berries
* shredded coconut flakes
* cacao nibs
* nut butter
* dairy free plain yogurt
* whipped cream (unsweetened dairy or non-dairy)
* ghee/butter
* real maple syrup (just a drizzle)

Serve up with eggs, bacon or sausage and ENJOY!