As If Vitamin D Didn't Do Enough Already

If you don’t live anywhere near the equator (think Eau Claire, WI for example) chances are that in the colder months of the fall and winter you are not getting enough Vitamin D.  This crucial vitamin is formed by the body when exposed to sunlight.  Typically during the summer months we make plenty but when the air turns crisp and the coats come out Vitamin D levels plummet.  That is why I recommend to everyone to take a Vitamin D supplement during the winter months.  Vitamin D does many, many things but it has a major role in immune function.  Ever notice colds are rare during the summer and common during the winter? Do you think there are more bacteria and viruses hanging around in the warm summer or freezing winter?  No matter how you cut it Vitamin D is important stuff and this link discusses some recent research linking Vitamin D deficiency  to heart disease.

 

As reported at naturalnews.com

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/038463_vitamin_D_deficiency_heart_health_studies.html

We All Knew Broccoli was Powerful but COME ON!!

Broccoli actually belongs to a group of extremely healthy veggies called cruciferous plants.  This group also includes other kid favorites such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale (was I a weird kid?). 

Researchers from the Baylor School of Medicine recently tested a highly concentrated compound found in these vegetables on human and mouse cells being affected by leukemia.  Yes, that is leukemia as in CANCER!!  Upon observation they found the compounds in the veggies eradicated the cancer cells!  To read an excellent and more in-depth overview of the research check out this link… 

 http://www.naturalnews.com/038397_broccoli_sulforaphane_leukemia.html

 

You know, of all the types of veggies cruciferous veggies are the ones most people I meet say they just can’t eat.  The only competitor that is even close is onions!  And yet here we are looking at yet more highly credible research suggesting that FOOD is more powerful than drugs and you can be darn sure it’s a ton safer to eat some cabbage than take ANY drug out there.  One of my favorite supplements is actually a blend of concentrated Brussels sprouts and kale. I guess I’ll be ordering an extra bottle of those this month!  There are actually tasty ways to eat these veggies too.  My most recent post at   http://cookingchiropractor.blogspot.com/ is a seasoning recipe for greens.  It’s good enough that kids eat it and some super picky grown-ups I know who usually won’t think twice before skipping the vegetable at dinner will eat it and actually take seconds so check it out and make sure to eat your veggies, especially the broccoli!  

Versatile Seasoning for Steamed Veggies

This mixture can be used on a variety of lightly steamed veggies including kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli or many others.  You can also spice it up with curry or cayenne pepper, add onion or any other additional seasoning of topping you can think of!

 

4 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of pink Himalayan salt

Juice of half a lemon

Pepper to taste

 

Add all ingredients and toss to coat veggies

Enjoy Spicy Food? Good News for You!

If you enjoy a little zip to your food, some pretty good heat or an all-out near-crying blast of fire on your tongue there is a good chance the spices used to give your meal that little something extra are doing good things for your health.  Let’s look at a few of my personal favorites…

 

Curcumin- is the main curcuminoid found in turmeric, an Indian spice commonly used on its own or in curry powder.  Turmeric is great as a powder sprinkled on a variety of foods including meats, veggies, stir frys and eggs.  The whole root can also be juiced to add some zip to fresh made juices.  It mixes especially well with green apple and cucumber.  It sounds gross but it’s actually pretty good!  Making a sauce?  Curry powder makes great sauces that can range from mild to HOT depending on the amount of cayenne pepper found in the mix (curry is a mixture of several spices).   Want to read more on curcumin?  See this article… 

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/038184_curcumin_cancer_stem_cells_research.html

 

Speaking of Cayenne Pepper- This brilliant red pepper or powder depending on how you are using it has a very special property of essentially driving nutrients from other foods into the body.  It also packs a lot of heat so use carefully!

 

Black Pepper- Say what!?  That’s right.  Common old black pepper is a nutrient power house.  Granted the stuff that’s been in the pepper shaker for over a year may not be that great any more but get some whole black pepper corns and grind them yourself!  Not only will it enhance the flavor of many foods but it has numerous compounds found to fight cancer and do other great thing for your body.  For more on black pepper read on at

 http://www.naturalnews.com/026419_black_pepper_food_piperine.html

Control Blood Sugar Levels With Green Tea

Green tea is one of the best things you can sip on this winter for your health.  The leaves contain many different compounds found to promote health. Probably the most well-known benefit is from EGCG which is an anti-cancer substance.  Green tea is also packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, catechines and other phytonutrients. 

 

The good news is there is even more good news about green tea!

The rapid increase in blood sugar associated with high carbohydrate meals has been associated with many chronic diseases ranging from arthritis to heart disease.  Several substances have been found to slow blood sugar absorption and green tea is one of them.  The main benefit is derived from EGCG and it works to reduce the rate at which sugar is absorbed across the intestinal lining thus resulting in a lower blood sugar spike.  Just another good reason to enjoy a cup of green tea.  Personally, I love the green tea with ginger variety.

The Health Benefits of Red Wine (Just in time for the Holidays!)

Red wine has been a staple food of humans for centuries.  In ancient Greece it was commonly recommended to help fight off infections.  It shows up in the Bible.  Its health giving properties are well documented throughout human history and modern research has continued to give us more reasons that moderate (1-2 glasses of red wine a day) consumption is good for human health.  While this is certainly good news for those of us who choose to enjoy a glass of red wine it is important to note the word moderation.  Drinking more than 1-2 glasses a day of any alcoholic beverage is likely to cause damage over the long run.  So, what is so great about red wine?

                                                                                                                                    

Red wine has been shown too…

-increase good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol, thereby decreasing the rates of heart disease

-Inhibit the development of fat cells

-decrease the rate of colds by 44% in a Spanish study

-has a protective effect on the liver

-protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

-prevent muscle wasting and improve recovery from strenuous physical activity

 

It appears that most of the benefits of red wine consumption come from its high levels of antioxidants, flavonoids and resveratrol.  These compounds found in the skins of the grapes used to make the wines have a protective effect on the body and help reduce inflammation and limit free radical damage to cells.  This might explain the numerous benefits listed above as well as the exploding body of research showing the health benefits of red wine. 

 

Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon tend to have the highest nutrient levels.  This is because the thin skins of these grapes react quickly when the grapes experience environmental stress such as invading fungi or other organisms that trigger the grapes to produce resveratrol and other compounds that act as nutrients in the human body.  Don’t worry the fungi and other organisms are killed before the wine is made!  While no single food or drink can replace the health benefits of daily exercise, a balanced diet and a generally healthy life style moderate red wine consumption can certainly be a positive addition to you diet if you consume alcoholic beverages.

The US Has a Drug Problem

The United States has a drug problem.  No, I don’t mean the recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado and Washington.  This one hits much close to home and is much more widespread.  The problem is prescription drug caused “accidental deaths.”  Taking medication has become so second nature here in the United States that most people just consider it normal to be on several different medications.  The problem is that Americans are dying off in record numbers because of the drugs they are taking.  This does not mean illegal prescriptions bought off some guy on the street either… these are legally prescribed and properly taken medications.  How bad is the problem? The CDC reported that in 2009 as many as 37,000 people died from legally taken drug overdoses.  That’s 1 person every 19 minutes all year long.  It is so bad in fact that deaths from properly taken medication is now the leading cause of accidental death in the US.

 

DIABETES

 It is no secret diabetes is exploding in this country.  Recent data suggests the problem is only getting worse too.  Think some companies don’t want to cash in on this?  GlaxoSmithKline, the giant drug producer just agreed to pay a $90 million dollar fine to resolve criminal allegations that its diabetes drug was known to the company to cause a significant increase in heart attack rates.  The charge was that they knew for years that their drug caused the increase in heart attack and did nothing to protect the public.  How much more did the risk of heart attack increase with use of this drug? A whopping 47% according to one study done in hospital and nationally the drug was linked to TENS OF THOUSANDS of heart attacks!

PAIN PILLS

 Of the thousands of deaths in the US annually from prescription medication about 50% involve pain medications.  When you consider that the number of pain pill prescriptions have increased 600% from 1997-2007 (I wonder what it is at now) and that 80% of the world’s pain pills are ingested in the US it’s really no surprise these numbers are growing.  In addition to the problem of people dying there is also the fact that many of these drugs are extremely addictive.  As is common with many recreational drugs, over time a tolerance to the effects of these drugs builds up and soon what was once able to take away chronic pain won’t even reduce it so the person takes more pills.  Sooner or later there is a limit to how much the body can take and it simply stops working, usually when the person is asleep. 

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

 More people are dying from prescription drugs than ever before.  If people are not aware of this problem it won’t change and it is clearly a health hazard for United States citizens.

Winter Health Supplements

The winter months can be a challenging time to stay healthy.  A number of factors contribute to this. First of all it’s cold out so we do not have as much access to fresh, local produce.  This can lead to nutrient deficiencies that are not common in the spring, summer or fall.  We tend not to exercise as much or as often when it’s cold out which some research suggests, slows down our immune system.  Lastly, Vitamin D, which is produced by our skin during the warmer months is not produced during the winter. This is important because Vitamin D plays a role in numerous body systems so a deficiency can contribute to a number of health problems. So with the winter months approaching what are the most efficient and cost effective way to safe guard your health? 

 

If you take only 3 things this winter take these…

 

Multivitamin-  A high quality multivitamin will supply an array of nutrients your body needs.  The best sources of vitamins are food based multivitamins which are typically available through health care professionals.  This should be taken year round, but is especially important during the winter.

 

Vitamin D- supplementation of  D3 helps the body maintain its vitamin D levels during the winter. During the spring, summer and early fall Vitamin D supplementation is typically unnecessary. 

 

Fish Oil- fish oils have been linked to numerous health benefits in recent months.  They have been shown to protect mental function, reduce the risk of numerous diseases and to help protect the heart and circulatory system. They also help reduce inflammation in the body which can be an underlying factor in chronic health conditions and illnesses.  These too should be taken year round but are especially important in the winter.

 

In addition certain “super foods” can be of great value in the winter time because of their extremely high nutrient density. 

 

My personal favorites are (in no particular order)

 

Camu Camu

Mangosteen

Acai Berry

Goji Berry

Cocoa (chocolate)

 

Aspartame Linked to Leukemia and Lymphoma

Recent research has linked aspartame, an ingredient in diet soda, to increases in leukemia and lymphoma.  As little as 1 can a day triggered the increase, which is scary since most Americans drink several times that amount per day.  Overall all the data showed these startling numbers from just 1 can of diet soda a day…

 

- 42 percent higher leukemia risk in men and women (pooled analysis)

- 102 percent higher multiple myeloma risk (in men only)

- 31 percent higher non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk (in men only)

 

No matter how much you love your diet cola it may be time to give it up considering these numbers.

Daily Health Tip

It’s that time of year again when the sun starts setting so early it seems like it is night before you’re even done with work.  Maintaining adequate Vitamin D levels requires supplementation this time of year.  Making sure you have enough Vitamin D ensures your immune system is ready for the inevitable wave of colds, flues and other cold weather illnesses.  Once the warmer weather and longer hours of sunlight hit you can consider backing off the supplementation but for now it’s pretty much essential if you want to maintain optimal levels over the late fall and winter.

Remember the “Stanford Study”?

About a month ago a study came out of Stanford University which proclaimed organic foods are not more nutritious than conventional foods.  This article has been a source of quite a bit of controversy because of its conclusions, which are at odds with numerous other studies that have come out over the years.  It is also curious that they point out several factors such as the obvious fact that organic produce will not have synthetic pesticides on them, at times say how good organics are and then turn around and claim that essentially there is no difference.  The New York Times recently published a piece sounding off on this study.  This is a link to a discussion about the piece that I found very interesting.

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/037625_Stanford_organics_junk_science.html

Sea Food Raised on Animal Feces?

Farmed sea food may not be so great for you after all... why?  How it is raised.

See this link from naturalnews.com for more informtion

http://www.naturalnews.com/037576_farmed_seafood_animal_feces_China.html

Come on Over To Natural News for a Bit

Ever wonder what all that High Fructose Corn Syrup can do to a human body?  How about young people?  Do you care about your liver? If so please follow the link below.

http://www.naturalnews.com/037558_teenagers_liver_disease_toxic_foods.html

Spinach Turkey Wraps

4 slices deli turkey (nitrate and filler free)
4 slices swiss cheese
Hummus
Spinach
Curry Powder

Spread turkey with hummus and sprinkle with curry powder.  Layer of cheese.  Add another layer of hummus and cover with spinach leaves.  Roll the turkey and cheese up around the spinach. 

Herbs for Stress Relief

http://www.naturalnews.com/037521_medicinal_herbs_chronic_stress_spices.html

This is a link to an article about reducing stress with certain herbs.  It's a good place to start if your looking for natural ways to reduce stress.

Daily Health Tip

Hi there and I apologize for the few days without the daily health tip... that being said todays is a very pertinent one for todays American citizen.

Recent research suggest that the blood sugar levels currently thought of as normal may actually still be high enough to cause significant damage to organs over time.  An article I read today summed up the research, which was done in Australia, which demonstrated that when blood glucose was over 100mg/dl in a 4-year study areas of the participant’s brains actually shrunk by 6-10%.  This striking number demonstrates that even if your blood sugar level does not make you diabetic or pre-diabetic keeping the amount of sugar in your blood low should still provide generous health benefits.  In addition, the areas of the brain that are primarily affected, the hippocampus and amygdala, are areas that increase in size with regular meditation.

Daily Health Tip

When you have had a long, stressful day, Bon Iver is good bedtime music.

Daily Health Tip

Need another reason to find ways to reduce the amount of sugar you eat? In addition to contributing to insulin resistance, diabetes and a host of other problems, through a process called glucotoxicity eating excess sugar actually contributes to premature aging as the metabolic byproducts of glucose metabolism pile up in the body.  This is perhaps why eliminating wheat products (which SPIKE blood sugar) often leads to reduced arthritis pain, body aches, headaches, acid reflux, etc…  Sugar in small amounts is ok provided it comes from a natural source such as fruit.  Sugar in large amounts is TOXIC to human bodies.

Daily Health Tip

Omega 3 fatty acids are nutrients that are anti-inflammatory and may help protect the brain from degenerative changes which can lead to Alzheimer’s, dementia and other cognitive decline issues.  Salmon and sardines are excellent sources.  Flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts are also good plant sources.  Fish oil and black currant seed oil are also available in supplement form if you find it difficult to add these foods to your diet.

 

*a word of caution when selecting  fish oil supplement: buy from a practicing doctor of some kind since the products they carry are more likely to be 3^rd party tested for heavy metals and other contaminants than a general store bought product.

Daily Health Tip

Remember a few posts ago I said taking a Packer game off here and there is good for lowering blood pressure…?  Ok just kidding.  Not going there again although it’s tough, it’s tough!

 

So todays real health tip… stress is a big part of most of our lives.  More and more research is starting to show that a simple meditation practice can significantly lower stress.  A basic meditation technique is to sit still and breathe.  While breathing, follow the breath and nothing else.  This shifts the body into parasympathetic mode (wind and dine) and lessens the effects of stress!

Daily Health Tip

Green Tea was said to originally be discovered by a Chinese emperor who noticed that his boiled water gave him extra vigor and mental clarity after some tea leaves had landed in his cup.  Green Tea has numerous health benefits (and a bit of caffeine) that can be attributed to the extra high antioxidant count.  It also has documented anti-cancer properties.  Adding a cup or 3 to your day might not be a bad idea, especially in the fall and winter when a nice warm cup of tea can help ward of the chill on those brisk days.

Daily Health Tip

Call up a good friend today.  It’s amazing how good you will feel after catching up.

Daily Health Tip

True or False:  Coke (the soft drink) can eat the rust off battery connector jacks.   I just saw this on Yahoo the other day as an “alternate use” for soda.  Another time another soda giant claimed there was no way a man found a dead rat in his can of dew because “the acid would have liquidized the body.” You sure you want to put that in your body every day? 

Daily Health Tip

Start your day off with protein and fat in your breakfast.  This type of meal will cause only a small rise in your blood sugar which will help prevent hunger and sweet cravings in the early to middle morning.  The Standard American Diet, or S.A.D. is typically 65% carbohydrate.  An example of a S.A.D. breakfast would be a bowl of cereal, slice of toast and orange juice.  This meal would produce a spike in blood sugar followed by a crash in 90-120 minutes (1 ½ to 2 hours) that results in food cravings and increased hunger.  A good way to start your day?  Try a 2 egg omelet with cheese, onion, green pepper and mushroom.  This meal will typically have around 30% carbohydrates which will result in more even energy throughout the day!

Dailey Health Tip

If you live in Wisconsin, take an occasional Sunday off from watching Packer games to help lower your blood pressure. (just kidding)

Daily Health Tip

Not all vitamins are created equal!  In fact many of the cheap “mega dose” vitamins for sale over the counter in drugstores and other outlets are downright bad for you due to use of dyes, fillers and other ingredients.  A whole food vitamin, even small amounts, is the best way to supplement the diet.  When in comes to supplements you are always better off getting a medium amount of the good stuff than 8000% of some vitamin your body only needs a small amount of at a time.  For an excellent extended version of this health tip check out this link…

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/037192_junk_vitamins_artificial_ingredients_additives.html

Daily Health Tip

Several research papers have come out lately confirming that a few cups of coffee a day is actually good for you!  The primary benefits seem to be to the heart, likely due to the high antioxidant levels in coffee, and the mind.  Coffee consumption is being linked to Alzheimer’s resistance and it seems that caffeine in small to moderate amounts may be responsible for this and keeping the mind sharp.  Keep in mind that while some is good, a pot or two is likely still not the best thing for your health (and you would be horribly unproductive from all the bathroom breaks). 

Daily Health Tip

Take a brisk 10-25 minute walk every day.  Even this short period of exercise boosts your mood, increases circulation and improves your heart function.  Gather up a group at work or in your neighborhood and challenge each other to walk every day. 

 

FYI: if you walked even 10 minutes a day for a year you would have spent almost 61 hours exercising more than you would if you skipped the walk : )

Introducing the Dailey Health Tip!!

In addition to the tasty recipes and information provided here we are also going to add a daily health tip.  These are little things you can do each day to improve your health.  Too often we try to change a lot of things at once (think New Year’s Resolutions) only to have it all come crashing down several weeks later.  Look at it this way, if you made even a 1% change in your health a week for a whole year how much healthier would you be in a year?  That small stuff adds up.  So with no further ado the first “Daily Health Tip”!

Almond Flour Breading

This versatile recipe is a way to replace flour breading when cooking chicken, frying fish or making anything that requires a breading.  Try adding various spices and seasonings to mix it up a bit.

 

1 cup ground almonds or almond meal
1 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon parmesan cheese

 

Mix all ingredients together and use as a breading… a recipe with chicken that is totally awesome and uses this breading is coming soon!

Organic Vs. Conventional

A new report summarizing numerous studies done over the past several years came out yesterday with headlines saying that, in effect, organic food is no better than conventional food.  This argument is not new although the premise is a little misguided.  I want people to know that regardless of how a food is produced there are 2 main considerations that need to be made.  The first is the quality of the soil the food is grown in.  Health soil will make for healthy plants regardless if the seed used is “certified organic” or not.  Healthy soil is the key to nutritious produce and always will be.  I prefer organic seeds and produce because you are then guaranteed that the plant is not GMO but all things being equal soil quality, not the source of the seed will determine most of all if the plant that grows contains many of the nutrients the human body needs.

 

The second element that needs to be addressed is if synthetic pesticides/herbicides have been used and if so how much?  There is no argument that putting poisons in our bodies is bad for us.  I wouldn’t take a sip of something designed to kill mass numbers of bugs and that is what is sprayed on your food with conventional produce.  Organic produce will almost always have significantly less pesticide and herbicide residues on them and they should be of the non-synthetic and less toxic variety or they will have none at all.   To me that means it’s healthier just because it is less toxic. 

 

It is important to remember with our health, as with all things in life, it is the little choices made day in and day out that matter.  Selecting organic vs conventional produce may not make or break your health today. It may not even matter in a year but over time those residues combined with the other stresses put on your system add up.  If I have the choice I take the organic because I know it is more likely to have higher levels of nutrients because it was raised on healthier soil and has less toxicity from pesticide residues.

Tuna over greens with a little heat

I love this recipe because it blends so many nutrient dense foods into a quick and easy to make salad.  There are very few carbohydrates and the healthy fat and protein content are wonderful.  This is just a general recipe that I often use.  Feel free to add other ingredients and if you find something you really like post it on the blog!

 

2 cups mixed greens
1 can tuna
¼ cup bread and butter pickles
1 tbs dulce flakes
1 tbs capers
2 tbs olive oil
Splash of raw apple cider vinegar
Cayenne pepper to taste

 

Mix first 7 ingredients and toss to coat with oil and vinegar.  Sprinkle on the cayenne pepper and toss again.  See, this is sooooo easy!

Avocado Part 3: The Final Chapter (just kidding)

This is an easy salad to make that is filling and very tasty.  You can add as much avocado as you want but I put only1in the recipe.

Avocado Salad

1 small red cabbage, chopped
1 ripe avocado, scooped from peel and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 orange, peeled and sliced into small pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon
1 tbs raw apple cider vinegar
1 tbs dulse flakes (seaweed)-dont worry, you can't taste them!
salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat fruit and veggies with oil and vinegar.  Enjoy!
Hint: add chicken or salmon to this, its amazing!

Avocados Part 2: Burgers

One of the easiest (and tastiest) things to do with an avocado is to slice it up and layer it onto a grass fed meat hamburger.  Beef, venison or turkey all work equally well although my personal favorite when it comes to burgers is turkey burger seasoned with sage, salt and pepper.  Then I layer half an avocado, some tomato slices and some thin sliced red onion on top.  I skip the bun because of the health problems with wheat and I think it tastes better with no bread anyways. 

Avocado... Super Food

Avocados are one of the healthiest foods you can eat.  They provide many vitamins and minerals as well as healthy fats and other nutrients.  They also happen to taste great and are a very versatile food.  I’m going to be posting a 3 day mini-series of avocado based recipes.  Today’s recipe is guacamole.  You can dip veggies in it, spread it on things or just eat it like it is. 

 Guacamole

 2 ripe avocadoes

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Dash of cumin

 

In a bowl, mash avocados with a fork until mixture is mostly smooth.  Add all other ingredients and continue to mix with a fork until well blended.  Enjoy!

Wheat Belly Blog

For anyone looking for good information on the health concerns of eating wheat, head on over to wheatbellyblog.com

You will find information about the effects it has on the mind as well as the body. For example, 2 slices of whole wheat toast will elevate your blood sugar higher than most candy bars. Lots of good stuff in the archive section of this site!

Sea Weed

Ok, quick name a food with iodine in it.  You said sea weed right? 

Contrary to popular belief, iodized salt does not do much in terms of supplying you with iodine, a nutrient NECESSARY for thyroid health.  The el-cheapo salt also does not contain the numerous other nutrients found in sea weed products. Please note I am talking about the processed salts enriched with iodine, not Himalayan or natural mineral salts which supply an array of naturally occurring minerals including iodine.  Even with these salts in your diet you still need a richer source of iodine to get anywhere near enough of this important nutrient.  Sea weed is it!  A serving generally contains more than enough, which is good because most Americans need more than just a little.  Here are two easy ways to make sure you are eating this super food and getting your daily iodine.

Cabbage Slices: you slice some cabbage, spread on some mayo and sprinkle with Dulse flakes.  So easy and so good for you!

Turkey Roll Up: Take a slice of a high quality deli meat, such as Boars Head or Applegate Farms, spread mustard on the slice.  Sprinkle on the Dulse flakes and put a thin slice of Swiss cheese over the whole think.  Roll it up and eat it.  Viola, you have gotten some of an important nutrient that most people rarely get enough of.

Venison Stir-Fry

This savory recipe also works with grass-fed and finished beef, which usually has a similar amount of fat.  Why grass fed you ask?  Grass fed and finished beef has considerably more omega-3 fatty acids (the anti-inflammatory ones) than regular beef.  Normally produced cows are fed corn or other grains which cause them to gain lots of tasty saturated fat.  This fat is also inflammatory to people when we eat it and thus all the studies showing regular red meat consumption is bad for you.  Ok, that got a little long but that is why you want grass fed beef or good old wild crafted meat, venison.

1lb venison

2 green peppers, chopped or thin sliced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small yellow squash, sliced thin

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of raw extra virgin coconut oil or grass fed butter

Sage, lemon pepper, salt (Himalayan sea salt)

In a large pan add oil or butter and melt.  Add meat and cook until all pink is gone. Add veggies and cook until onion is slightly softened.  Add vinegar and sprinkle on sage and lemon pepper to taste (I like tons of both!).  Stir in seasonings and cook for 2-3 more minutes.  Turn off heat, add salt to taste (not too much now) enjoy!

Basic Blueberry Smoothie

This delicious recipe is loaded with protein and healthy Omega-3 fatty acids... oh yeah, it tastes good too!

1/2 cup blueberries
2 table spoons ground golden flax seeds
1/2 ripe banana
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup plain yogurt (not fat free!)
1 cup water
add coconut milk to the level that it covers all other ingredients by about 1/2 inch
sprinkle on cinnamon to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Easy 2 Egg Omelet

2 whole eggs                                
1/4 green pepper chopped
1/2 small onion chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1/2 slice deli Swiss cheese
1 tbs butter

In a small sauce pan or omelet pan melt butter. In a small bowl mix eggs until smooth and then pour in pan.  Sprinkle veggies over 1/2 of eggs and lay cheese over veggies.  Cook for 3 minutes or until bottom of eggs is firm.  With a spatula flip the half of the eggs without the veggies over the half with veggies.  Cook for 30 seconds, then flip entire omelet over and cook for additional 2 minutes

Your Health is Your Wealth

Everyone knows the economy stinks right now.  Sure huge corporations are making a buck but most people will tell you they don’t feel things are doing that great.  In these times of relative uncertainty it helps to remember that your health is your wealth.  If you are healthy you can enjoy more of your life even if things are less than ideal around you.  Our diets are central to our good health and mixing in a few key supplements can significantly boost our health.  The recipes and advice you find here are supporting you in getting to that next level.  The American diet is likely the single largest contributor to poor health and causes numerous chronic issues that frankly, could be avoided if we ate better.  To your health, to your wealth…

The Cooking Chiropractor

Welcome to the Cooking Chiropractor Blog

Well we are up and running.  Look for recipes, conversation, etc...  enjoy the future posts!