Science Behind Supplements - Post Work Out Recovery

I am staring a new series of posts called "The Science Behind Supplements" because many of you know that before I started eating clean, part of my journey on my road to healing was spent on learning about and taking daily supplements.  Along the way, I was introduced by my good friend, Sherri, to an incredible doctor, named Dr. Maureen Passifiume.  Dr. Maureen has a passion for natural healing methods and is someone who has been very instrumental in getting me on the right path to healing my body with a holistic approach.  What does holistic mean, exactly?  It simply means that she looks at my health in a complete picture (psychologically, physically and socially) instead of just isolating parts, using natural treatments in an effort to maintain a balance between them all.

She used to get on my case and would often remind me that I wouldn't need so many supplements if I would just eat right (cleanly).  I can be a slow learner, but she has the patience of a saint.  According to Dr. Maureen, if I corrected my diet, the only supplement I may need would be one used to help aid in my digestion because doctors removed my gallbladder when I was 23.  Not the best decision I ever made because instead of figuring out "why" I was having gallbladder attacks, I consented to the removal of a vital bodily organ.  And, as Dr. Maureen explained, you need your gallbladder because it helps with the emulsification or breakdown of fats in the meal.

So, for my first "Science Behind Supplements" post, I wanted to discuss the importance of post work out recovery.  More specifically, remembering that your joints need to recover, too.

There are several supplements that can help.  One would be fish oils.  Fish oil is a great supplement to consider because it helps to reduce inflammatory response by blocking the pathways responsible for increased inflammation in joints.

Additionally, glucosamine and chondriton are great supplements because these chemicals are naturally found  present in our cartilage and joint lubrication (the "cushion" in our joints).  These two supplements help reduce inflammation and inhibit the breakdown of cartilage in your joints.

So, keep in mind, post work out recovery shouldn't just be about giving your muscles special attention but also about your joints!  By supplementing your diet, you can help reduce inflammation and keep your joints functioning in order to continue "training" for the long run!  I want to be one of those spry old ladies attending my sister's (Angi) Silver Sneakers class, don't you!?!  (Or, spry old fella if you happen to be a man ;)

And, please remember to always consult your physician before taking any supplements or making changes to your diet.  Especially if you are allergic to shellfish.  Don't take glucosamine unless you have talked to your doctor as some glucosamine is made from shellfish covering.  Glucosamine and chondriton can also interact with certain medications, so check with your physician or pharmacist before you begin supplements or eating glucosamine-fortified foods.

If you would like to reach out to Dr. Maureen, please send an email message to me at thatcleanchef@gmail.com and I will get you in touch with her!  She's truly been a blessing from God.

Take care and Happy Clean Eating (and Clean Health) everyone!

P.S.  In no way shape or form have I been compensated in any way by Dr. Maureen.  I consider her a friend and mentor who truly and simply loves helping others. #loveher

Resources: Lauren Jacobson - Supplement Specialist and University of Maryland Medical Center

Speed Up Your Metabolism - Part 2

FM Serenity Prayer

Author Unknown

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept
The things I cannot change,
The courage to change
The things I can,
And the wisdom to hide
The bodies of Doctors I shot
When they said,
"You're perfectly healthy,
It's All In Your Head."

I thought I'd start today's blog with a little FM humor - thank you, readers, for "humoring" me.  

As promised, this is part two of tips to keep your metabolism moving simply by incorporating certain foods into your "diet".

Ya know, I really hate the word diet.  "Don't eat that!  It's for Mom's diet!"  the kids will lecture to each other when ogling the last "clean muffin".  Then I watch them roll their eyes when I say (in a not-so-great-New-Joisy accent), "It's notta diet, it's a lifestyle change."  

Not to preach, but it really is.  With a diet, I feel the mentality of some people (including my old self) is that it's a temporary change in eating habits that will some day be abandoned in the future. That can't be the case if you want to stay healthy the rest of your life.  I CAN NOT EAT DAIRY.  I CAN NOT EAT GLUTEN.  I CAN NOT EAT CORN.  I CAN NOT EAT SOY.  Before I really got serious about my health, it took me a long time to be settled with this "mantra" because I felt so deprived.  I HAD to make a lifestyle change - and it didn't have to be boring!  There was a whole world of food out there that I COULD eat that had flavor, and personality (yes, food can have personality), and that was healthy for me.

So, before I list the next five metabolism assisting foods, I want to do a quick shout-out to two ladies who inspired me and encouraged me from THE DAY of my diagnosis to today.  Monica Zoener Dominic and Kristin Rensch.

There was a day a stupid foot specialist (after removing the second attempt at foot casts to try to help resolve my plantar fasciitis (a condition of swelling or tearing of tissues in your foot and/or heel which is common in FM sufferers) told me that it was unlikely that I would get full use of my feet again.  Woah!  WHAT?!  Ex-squeeze me?  To make matters worse, that same week I received the results from my visit with the immunologist (allergy specialist) which stated along with soy, I was allergic to all grains except quinoa, brown rice and millet.  I knew I was lactose intolerant due to the casein protein found in dairy (cow's milk - thank you Dr. Tre) and of course preservatives, white flour and sugar flared me up.  What was I sentenced to?  A life full of boring chicken and brown rice or a life full of flare-ups that landed me in bed and in pain because I cheated on my "diet"?  

It was too much for my brain to process.  My husband drove home while I sobbed.  Coincidentally, my wonderful friend Monica had called to check on me and I explained to her what happened. She was at my door in 20 minutes and basically said, "Get your shoes on - we're going to the store.  I'm gonna show you how you can eat and still be satisfied!  You'll feel like you're cheating!"  If you know Monica, you know "the voice" she used, too!  <wink>

By the end of her visit, she had made a meal I have now lovingly dubbed "ABC Chicken".  It's a tasty Almond Butter Chicken recipe with fresh ginger (never even knew it existed) and coconut milk.  A delicious recipe I still make to this day - 5 years later!  I also had a ginormous bowl of "homemade-by-Monica" salsa to put over some chicken or a baked potato!  It was good enough to eat by the spoonful.

Thankfully, that same week, a good friend of mine Kristin, who is a fellow "police wife", had called me and I shared my struggles with her.  She came over and lent me my first Clean Eating book.  I had no clue what clean eating was, what it meant, or who Tosca Reno was!  But, after a couple of hours of reading her book - I knew I was on to something.  Or, that Kristin had found something that I desperately needed in my life and lovingly shared it with me.

Readers, that is what it feels like to be loved.  My heart gets warm thinking about how God placed these two ladies in my life.  Thank you Monica and Kristin for opening the door to a lifestyle change that has allowed me to be free!  I can never repay these two ladies for guiding me onto a path that has helped literally save my life, but I can certainly acknowledge their generous spirits.  I love you both!

Thank you readers for permitting my tangent ;)  It was on my heart and now it's out for the world to read!

And, now <drum roll please> the other five foods to help your body burn some major calories:

6. Garlic and Onions - Garlic actually acts as a diuretic encouraging muscle contractions that loosen fat and help wash it out of your body.  No kidding.  Onions also contain oils that help break down fatty deposits and speed up your metabolism.

7.  Tomatoes - They contain certain acids that help flush more water through your kidneys and prompt them to filter out fatty deposits.  It has Vitamin C and a cancer-fighting antioxidant that stimulates your body's metabolic rate by up to 1/3.  Go Salsa!!

8.  Healthy Fats - Olive oil, canola oil, cashews, peanuts all contain MONOsaturated fats which help blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and work to control diabetes!  Omega-3 fats (flaxseeds, salmon, mackerel, tuna - to name a few) reduce inflammations and tumor growth.  They all also improve immune function and protect against sudden death from heart disease - the number one killer of women!  Listen up, ladies, not all fats are a four-letter-word ;)

9.  Low-Fat Plain Yogurt - Okay, I can't have dairy, but if you can, there are yogurts (Greek) that contain probiotic cultures that are vital to a healthy digestive track and they have a significant effect on metabolism.

10.  Greens - Asparagus contains a chemical that breaks up oxalic acid that glues itself to fat cells so the body can remove that waste.  Cabbage contains sulfur and iodine which breaks up fat in your stomach and intestines.  So, if you have a pot belly or spare tire - eat more cabbage!

So, to sum it all up, diets are not conducive to long-term health - only life style changes AND amazing friends are!  Happy "Clean Eating" Everyone!

Speed Up Your Metabolism

"America is all about speed.  Hot, nasty, bad ass speed."
- Will Ferrell, Talladega Nights

In a world addicted to speed, I thought I'd share with you some helpful, clean ways you, too, can get in on the race.  But, we're not talking about a contest to the finish...more like a contest to the fittest!

According to Tosca Reno, the guru of Clean Eating, below are the top five foods (and liquids) you should eat in order to speed up your metabolism.

Why do you want to speed up your metabolism?  Well, simply because the faster your metabolism runs, the more calories you burn.  The more calories you burn, the more weight you lose - so you really want to do anything you can to help out this internal energy mill!

Keep your metabolism revved up by consuming the following five foods every day:

1. Green Tea:  "It's the closest thing to a metabolism potion," says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., author of Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever.  Along with their high antioxidant content, Green Tea leaves contain a compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning.  Consuming two to four cups of green tea per day may burn an extra 50 calories. That translates into about five pounds per year.

2. Spices:  Spices like jalapeno, habanero, and cayenne can temporarily boost your resting metabolic rate, because they contain a chemical called Capsaicin.  Capsaicin temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, such as adrenaline, speeding up your metabolism and thus increasing your ability to burn calories, says study coauthor Angelo Tremblay, director of the Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods at Laval.  Sprikle some red pepper flakes in your soup or stir-fry and let those calories burn, baby, burn!

3. Fiber: Simple carbs, such as bagels, white bread, and potatoes, create a surge in insulin that in turn promotes storage of fat and may drive down your metabolic rate, says Louis Aronne, M.D., an obesity specialist at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, who recommends high-fiber carbs instead.  Fiber like oatmeal, wheat germ, bran, and flax, also keep you feeling full between meals without the crashes that can accompany the simple carbs mentioned above.  My favorite?  1-2 TABLESPOONS of ground flaxseed in my morning smoothies - ya never even taste it but it's doing it's magic all the same!

4. Lean proteins: Research shows that getting plenty of protein can boost your metabolism, causing you to burn an extra 150 to 200 calories a day, says Jeff Hampl, Ph.D., R.D., a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. "Protein is made up mainly of amino acids, which are harder for your body to break down [than fat and carbs], so you burn more calories getting rid of them," he explains.  Proteins like poultry, fish, bison and egg whites also keep you feeling satisfied longer and there's less of a chance that protein will be stored in your body as excess fat.  

5. Water: H2O, Agua, the miracle liquid...Researchers at the University of Utah found that volunteers who drank eight to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water per day had higher metabolic rates than those who quaffed only four glasses.  Water keeps your body lean by helping nutrients flow through it and by washing away waste and free radicals.  And, remember to drink it COLD - research has shown that 90 minutes after drinking cold water your metabolism will get a 24% boost over your average BMR.  (Base metabolic rate.)

Eating Clean is a great way to stay healthy and speed up your metabolism, but by following these tips you can keep your metabolism on fire all day long!  

Stayed tuned next week and I'll share 5 more foods you can incorporate into your diet to help speed up your metabolism along with why they're good for you!  Until then, Happy [Clean] Eating, friends!

Back to School - Go Cleanly!

Having an “eat-clean” game plan for sending your little ones (or little one, older ones and the tween in between – if you’re like me) back to school is crucial to teaching our kids strategies for lasting health and fitness. 

Maybe you have figured out ways to make clean eating work at home but, what about in the school cafeteria?  In Westerville, our school district has, thankfully, hopped on the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” bandwagon initiated by First Lady, Michelle Obama, but that doesn’t mean our kids will always CHOOSE from the newly accessible healthier, less-processed options. 

After adapting this lifestyle to my diet – I was eager for my kids to follow along.  At first, my girls were worried about being considered “abnormal” if they brown-bagged it.  But, teaching them that it's okay to say no to all the junk and just eat plain old healthy food is actually working.  I discussed how they shouldn’t be ashamed of explaining to their friends that what’s in their lunch sacks is helping with their goal of living a longer, healthier life.  Understanding they may not be perceived as normal, but they definitely would be labeled “healthy”, got them used to the idea fairly quickly.  They now know that by packing their lunches, they are giving their bodies what they need to look and feel healthier than ever. 

Don’t get me wrong - they don’t always pack a complete meal.  A few times per month they indulge in a “treat” of a slice of pizza or sub sandwich but they also bring a healthy beverage and sides from home that they try to fill up on first.  Like crisp baby carrots and hummus or all natural fruit cups with no added sugar or heavy syrup.

To help get your young ones started, here are a few of our other favorite food options you can pack for some back-to-school clean eating:

• Whole-grain wraps with lean grilled chicken or turkey
• Grapes and natural nut butter (almond or peanut) – Sounds odd, by I got them to try it by informing them it’s just like a PB&J, but without the bread!
• Pack leftovers from your clean dinner last night
• Low-fat Greek yogurts (don’t forget the spoon)
• Homemade Clean granola bars or muffins (helps them avoid candy)
• La Croix sparkling water – my older girls are more partial to this because it helps them feel like they aren’t missing out while their peers gulp down a (sugar laden) soda
• Homemade salads and balsamic dressing
• Sunflower seeds or small packets of almonds

What if they're used to a good ole' PBJ?  Below is a recipe you can use to clean up your childhood favorite the clean-eating way!

SQUEAKY CLEAN PB&J
Ingredients
2 slices bread (whole-grain, brown rice or Ezekiel – found in frozen health section of many major grocers)
2 TBSP natural nut butter
5 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
DirectionsToast two slices of your selected bread.  Spread the toasted bread with nut butter.  Place the sliced strawberries on top of nut butter until it’s completely covered with strawberries.  Place the second slice of toast on top of the first.  Cut, wrap and pack!

Tips:
1.       You can mash the strawberries to make a more jam-like consistency
2.       Kids don’t like crusts?  Save time with the THIS

Be prepared - role play - include your child in grocery shopping, menu planning, & meal prep - teach them to read labels and you’ll too be on your way to fulfilling back-to-school lunches the Clean Eating way!