Today’s blog is republished from my friends at PaleoHacks, a leading publisher of daily health tips that I personally read every day.

By Deanna Dorman, PaleoHacks.com

In the Paleo community there has been a lot of buzz about “Bulletproof Coffee” and the almost magical amounts of energy it can provide. But is it really all it’s cracked up to be? Read on to decide for yourself!

What is Bulletproof Coffee?

Bulletproof Coffee (BPC) is a mixture of high-quality coffee, grass-fed butter, and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, blended together in a high-speed blender to emulsify the oils and create a foamy coffee that has been said to provide energy all day long and help you burn fat.

This may sound a little weird, but putting butter in coffee is not that crazy in other parts of the world. The Ethiopians have been enjoying butter in their coffee for centuries, and in Tibet, yak butter tea, or Tibetan Tea, is a favorite traditional drink. (1)

Why is Bulletproof Coffee so Popular?

Proponents of Bulletproof Coffee claim it improves energy, mood, productivity and overall health. They say it’s satisfying and kills hunger much more than regular old coffee.

“Bulletproof Coffee is a great way to get healthy fats first thing in the morning,” says Kerry Bajaj, a Be Well Health Coach at Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City. Having healthy fats first thing in the morning will signal to your body to burn fat for energy during the day. Starting the day with healthy fats also provides energy, is good for cognitive function, and can support your hormonal system. (2)

BPC is also a great way to get calories and rev up your metabolism in the morning if you are someone who doesn’t normally have breakfast. The caffeine and blend of fats may also give you a boost of energy that will last for hours, and BPC drinkers also claim that they don’t get jittery from BPC as some do from normal coffee. This may be because the digestion of fats slows down the absorption of the caffeine.

The fats in BPC are some of the healthiest fats our bodies need, and the fats that most Americans are missing from their diet. Butter from grass-fed cows has long been known to be healthier than conventionally-raised livestock because grass-fed cows supply the proper ratios of omega-3s and omega-6 fatty acids.

Medium chain triglycerides also add to the allure of BPC. MTCs are a special type of fat that is absorbed into our bloodstream and is then sent straight to the liver to be used as energy, instead of being digested, absorbed, and then stored in our cells. MTCs have been linked to helping improve body composition, helping the body burn more calories than other sources of fat, and even helping to regulate cholesterol levels.

But is Bulletproof Coffee Really a Magical Drink that Will Help You Reach Your Health and Fitness Goals?

With all the information about the benefits out there about BPC, there is just as much debate as to how beneficial it really can be. Some experts claim that even with the health benefits of BPC, there are just as many downfalls. So, let’s look some other aspects of the story.

Let’s start with coffee.

Is it good for you, or bad for you? There is a lot of conflicting research about coffee. Most has more to do with how much coffee is actually being consumed than coffee itself, though.

Coffee’s Benefits

Normal coffee consumption, ranging from 1 to 3 cups per day, has been consistently associated with a lower risk of:

• Diabetes
• Alzheimer’s
• Parkinson’s
• Many types of cancers, including breast, prostate, colon, and liver cancers
• Coffee and caffeine are also widely recognized performance and brain boosters.

Coffee’s Disadvantages

The problem with coffee is when we begin to drink too much of it, usually more than 3 cups a day.

Too much coffee consumption is also associated with:

• Higher risk of miscarriage
• Disrupted sleep
• Worsened PMS symptoms
• Increased blood pressure, even in people without hypertension

So, as long as you keep your coffee consumption within a healthy dose, there are clear benefits. That’s a win for BPC drinkers. (3)

Now, Let’s Look at CaloriesThis is where things can get a little trickier. Even with the benefits of the healthy fats in BPC, there are still drawbacks from having too much fat and calories.

So, not surprisingly, when you add butter and MCTs to your coffee, you increase calories. The suggested recipe for 2 cups (470 ml) of coffee, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of grass-fed, unsalted butter, and 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of MCT oil will total around 450 calories, and 52 grams of fat. Quantities of the butter and MCT oil however can be reduced depending on the desired caloric intake, while still providing the health benefits.

As far as fat content goes, we know that a moderate amount of saturated fat  has many benefits, but that doesn’t mean having an entire day’s worth, or more, in one sitting is the best option for most people, especially those looking to lose weight.

If you treat BPC as a “meal replacement” or a “mini-meal” — in other words, if you actually drink this instead of eating breakfast — those extra calories aren’t anything you’ll have to worry about.

BUT, keep in mind: You may want to lower your fat intake at other meals, and make sure you eat a lot more protein, fruits, and vegetables to balance out your nutrients for the rest of the day. (4)

What about Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil?

MCT oil is manufactured by machine to separate the medium chain fatty acids from the rest of the oil (usually a combination of coconut oil and palm kernel oil). The fatty acids are extracted through an industrial process of “fractionation”.

With the benefits of MCTs, it’s no wonder why people would love to get a good dose of it. But are there better ways to get MCTs? Coconut oil is the richest form of natural MCTs, coming in at about 15% of its total fat. Obviously MCT oil is much more concentrated, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it “healthier”.

Coconut oil, and other food sources of MCTs, also have benefits above and beyond their MCT content, such as the antimicrobial properties found in coconut oil.

So it’s really up to the consumer. Some people feel better about getting their nutrition from whole foods, rather than supplements. There’s no right answer here, it’s about what works best for you. (5)

The Best Way to Enjoy Bulletproof Coffee

If you feel that BPC is something you do want to include in your daily routine, or even if you want to try it out, here are some tips to keep things as healthy as possible.

• Keep it under 3 cups a day to enjoy all the benefits of drinking coffee, and avoid the downfalls.
• Treat BPC as a “meal replacement” and not just a drink alongside your breakfast.
• Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods and protein in your other meals throughout the day.
• Consider adding a smaller amount of butter and MCT to lower the overall calories and fat content.
• When first starting BPC, start with less fat and ease into it slowly — as a rapid increase in fats can sometimes cause stomach issues. You may find yourself running to the bathroom quickly if you start off too strong.

Bulletproof Coffee Recipe

Makes 1 serving

• Brew 1 cup high quality, organic coffee
• 1-2 tablespoons MCT oil
• 1-2 tablespoons grass-fed, unsalted butter (like Kerry Gold butter)

Directions:

Combine all three ingredients in a high-speed blender for about 20 seconds, until the drink takes on a frothy, foamy consistency. Enjoy!

If Bulletproof Coffee doesn’t seem like quite your thing, you can always dress up your coffee with a little Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee Creamer instead!

— Casey Thaler
(The original article source is here)

The Death of Black Coffee:

Latest studies have found that 1 tiny tweak to your morning coffee puts your body into fat-burn ing mode for the rest of the day.

This coffee trick takes less than 10 seconds…

Yet, it instantly ignites your metabolism and boosts your health, energy and well-being at the same time!

Here’s to an amazing start to your day 🙂

====> Try This 10 Sec Fat-Burning Coffee Trick!

The post What’s the Deal with Bulletproof Coffee? appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily alternative health tips that I personally read every day…

Many of you may have been using baking soda around your home for years without ever even knowing what it is. We did a little digging to uncover the mystery.

It turns out that sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is a chemical salt that, in its natural form, is the mineral nahcolite. Baking soda can react as both an acid and a base, although in an aqueous solution it is a bit on the alkaline side.

Pure nahcolite is found in abundance in the Green River Basin, which cuts through several states in the central part of our country.

Sodium bicarbonate helps to regulate pH and keep it steady – a process known as buffering. It keeps substances from being too acidic or too alkaline. Its ability to neutralize the pH of any substance it comes in contact with makes it highly effective for so many things.

Now, you may know about all the amazing ways you can use baking soda around your home such as:

– Cleaning coffee makers
– Cleaning drains
– Ridding hair of buildup
– Polishing silver
– Septic care
– Making toothpaste
– Making deodorant
– Cleaning brushes and combs
– Refreshing your fridge
– Easing itching and swelling
– Putting out a grease fire
– Breaking down ice on a sidewalk or driveway

But… did you know that drinking baking soda can be very healthy for you? Yes, it’s true, drinking something as simple as baking soda can drastically improve your health. What is even more amazing is that when you combine baking soda with other powerful ingredients, the healing powers are supercharged.

The only caution we have is that you stick to an aluminum-free brand of baking soda whenever possible.

Here are three of our favorite healthy baking soda tonics:

Ultimate energy booster and electrolyte replacer

Do you know that nagging, dragging feeling you get when you are about halfway through your 5-run, or partway through that spin class? The feeling like you can’t push your body one bit more?

Well, we have great news for you: this ultimate energy booster tonic will not only help motivate you to get moving, it will also help you go harder for longer no matter what physical activity you are doing.

This is because strenuous exercise leads to a buildup of lactic acid – which can cause muscle pain and fatigue. Baking soda has been found to boost performance in athletes due to its ability to neutralize lactic acid buildup.

Ingredients:

– ½ teaspoon unprocessed sea salt
– ¼ teaspoon baking soda
– 7 cups coconut water
– ½ cup lemon juice
– ¼ cup raw honey

Instructions:

1. Heat the coconut water on low and mix in baking soda until it is dissolved.
2. Add other ingredients and pour mixture into glass jar.
3. Shake well before use.
4. This will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Coconut water: Although coconut water has a deceptively light consistency, it has higher levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium and zinc than many fruits, including the famously healthy orange. Additionally, coconut water has high amounts of B-vitamins, such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and pyridoxine.

One of the best benefits of coconut water is that it is extremely high in potassium. As your body sweats during exercise or vigorous physical activity, your level of potassium drops. Coconut water has approximately 250 milligrams of potassium and 105 milligrams of sodium in every 100 milliliter serving.

Raw honey: One of the substantial benefits of choosing raw organic honey from your area is that it contains immune stimulating properties from the area where the bees collected pollen. This means that it can actually help to desensitize you to local allergens, potentially lessening your allergy symptoms.

The supercharged acid reflux reliever

Because acid reflux typically results from having too little acid in your stomach, you can help improve this by mixing 2 tablespoons of raw, unfiltered, apple cider vinegar into a 6 to 8 ounce glass of water.

Adding ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to this mixture will further help neutralize your internal fire. Be prepared, however: this mixture will foam – so wait for it to slow down before you drink it.

Green tea and baking soda metabolism booster

A recent study out of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that drinking green tea regularly can boost the effects of exercise to aid weight loss efforts. The study was conducted on mice that were fed a diet with high amounts of fat, exercised regularly, and given green tea extract. The mice showed an average body mass reduction of 27.1 percent and an average abdominal mass reduction of 36.6 percent.

There are three compounds in green tea that are thought to help promote weight loss: catechins, theanine and caffeine. These substances work together to block enzymes that are responsible for fat storage in the body.

When you combine the super-metabolizing powers of green tea with baking soda, you rev up your fat burning power while encouraging optimal pH ( 7.2) in the body. This is necessary for balance.

A pH factor that is not optimal will cause excess acid to be stored in fat cells. An acidic person can’t burn fat well, because doing so would release the acid that is stored in body fat – and this would throw the blood pH out of whack. If your pH is not balanced, you may also feel fatigued and ill.

Choose organic green tea and add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to an 8 ounce cup before drinking. Enjoy daily.

Speaking of baking soda…

My friend Susan Patterson wrote an entire book called The Baking Soda Secret, and she wants to ship it to you for FREE!

* How to use Baking Soda as a natural replacement for many products currently in your home like deodorant, toothpaste and even cleaning products.

* The exact recipe she uses to make healthy, energy-filled meals.

* How to soothe skin irritated by eczema, bug bites, bee stings and more.

* A powerful flu-fighting tonic that can help banish symptoms in hours.

* Countless beauty hacks including a hair rinse, face mask, and dark spot remover.

All of this and so much more!

But, like I said, you have to hurry because she only has a handful of these left and if you don’t confirm your address your book will be sent to another lucky individual who will immediately start improving their physical, mental and home health with Baking Soda!

Click here to Claim your FREE Book Now (need shipping address)

The post 3 Ways to Drink Baking Soda for Better Health appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

This blog is republished from our good friend Danette May.

You already know that any movement you do gives your mood a big boost and makes a big difference in your weight loss efforts.

There’s no shortage of ways to move your body, but you may be wondering if your time is better spent walking or running?

Either one is good, but which one is better?

When it comes to only how many calories you burn per hour, running is the better workout. Your exact calorie burn depends on how much you weigh and how fast you run, but running expends more energy.

Want an idea of the difference in calorie burn between running and walking?

Consider these statistics for a person who weighs 155 lbs.:

• Running 30 minutes at 5 miles per hour burns 298 calories
• Running 30 minutes at 6 miles per hour burns 372 calories
• Running 30 minutes at 7.5 miles per hour burns 465 calories
• Walking 30 minutes at 3.5 miles per hour burns 149 calories
• Walking 30 minutes at 4 miles per hour burns 167 calories
• Walking 30 minutes at 4.5 miles per hour burns 186 calories

Though running clearly provides a greater impact on how many calories are burned, that doesn’t mean that doing it is easy.

Depending on your physical condition, running for 30 minutes (or longer) may be out of the question.

So, does that mean that you have to walk for more than an hour in order to get the same amount of impact?

The good news is there’s another option.

It’s called High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT.

Studies have shown that by going back and forth between walking and running you can eliminate the need to run long distances and still get a big effect.

How does HIIT work?

A HIIT workout has you doing a hard workout for a very short period of time, then resting while still doing something active. That means that you get your heart rate way up, and then you recover and catch your breath, then do it again.

When you ask your body to push itself you create a brief oxygen shortage. When your body recovers, you take in more oxygen to make up for the loss.

The result is that you burn more fat.

Studies have shown that a HIIT workout can burn more calories in a shorter period of time as a result of the EPOC effect.

There are a lot of other advantages to doing a HIIT workout.

Besides a better fat burn, it also boosts your metabolism for as long as 48 hours after your workout. It takes less time than a regular workout and you don’t need any expensive equipment.

(The Original source article found here)

Did you know that certain exercises can help you slow aging and help you to look younger, but other specific types of exercises can actually age you FASTER.  Not good!

Make sure to AVOID the types of exercises that accelerate aging in your body.  My colleague Steve Holman explains which exercises to avoid at this article:

This exercise accelerates AGING in your body (plus 5 tips to look 10 years younger)

Steve also shows you on that page which specific format of exercise helps reverse aging!

The post Walking VS Running appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

You probably reach for this unconsciously at most every meal. Some people like liberal amounts of it added to most everything—eggs, soups, salads, chicken, steak, burgers, and on and on. I’ve even seen some delicious desserts prepared with this interesting, spicy ingredient.

What is it? Black pepper! This low-key ingredient graces most every table around the world. Like many spices, this common one packs a powerful antioxidant, phytonutrient-heavy punch!

Black pepper’s whole corns are actually berries that grow on the pepper plant. This small woody vine produces white flowers that develop into berries. These berries are harvested and dried and become either the whole peppercorns that you grind or you purchase it already ground into a powder. Black pepper, green pepper, and white pepper are all from the same fruit—it is just harvested at different times.

Black pepper is picked when the fruit is half ripe and just before it turns red. The peppercorns are left to dry and they become darker. The green peppercorns are picked before they ripen and are still green, while the white pepper is picked ripe, soaked and the hulls are removed, making it white. Pink pepper comes from a totally different plant that is actually more related to ragweed.

This zingy, essential ingredient holds some great health benefits. Let’s take a look…

Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Anti-Cancer

Black pepper contains an active ingredient called piperine. Black pepper actually has antioxidant, cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory activity. In some studies, when black pepper was present, human cancer cells were inhibited from growing due to these actions.

And even more interesting is when black pepper is combined with the curcumin in turmeric, it actually enhances the absorption of the curcumin and increases its amazing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory powers.

Improves Digestion

Black pepper or piper nigrum helps to send an alert that starts with the taste buds in your mouth which travels to the stomach. When your stomach receives that signal, it begins to increase the hydrochloric acid production, thereby preparing it to better digest food.

Hydrochloric acid is one of the primary stomach enzymes necessary for proper breakdown of food into absorbable nutrients. It is especially important for protein and fats. Many, many people have weakened digestive systems, leading to heartburn (yes this is due to an inadequate amount of digestive enzymes, not too much) and slow digestion. Hydrochloric acid also helps to speed up transit time through the intestines, help it absorb nutrients better, and also fight many GI diseases.

Black pepper helps to combat constipation, diarrhea and food-borne bacteria as well. This study shows that black pepper helps to stop the growth of dangerous E.coli and Staph aureus bacteria, so if you are eating food from a buffet or picnic, adding lots of black pepper may help stave off any sort of food poisoning.

Eating foods that cause gas? Black pepper is considered an effective carminative, which means it helps to prevent gas in the intestines, leading you to smoother (and quieter!) digestion.

Helps Reduce Weight

Piperine in black pepper also helps to burn fat and lower blood sugar, making it an excellent additive to foods for combating obesity and diabetes.

In another study conducted on animals, a high fat diet combined with black pepper significantly reduced body weight, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and the very harmful VLDL, along with fat mass. It also help to increase the beneficial HDL. So, piperine can help reduce fat and lipids, which can help you lose weight.

Helps You Absorb Valuable Nutrients

We have most likely heard all the amazingly valuable benefits of the super-food of the century, turmeric. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric that has the most powerful benefits on our bodies.

However, one of the problems with curcumin is that it is very hard to absorb into the body in order to get its superpower health benefits. But, when combined with piperine from black pepper, its absorption and benefits are multiplied exponentially!

One study showed that adding 20 mg of piperine to 2 grams of curcumin increased its absorption significantly. Research shows that combining the piperine in black pepper with the curcumin in turmeric can enhance curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%

So, if you want to increase the health benefits of both black pepper and curcumin, combining curcumin with piperine dramatically increases the positive effects of both.

Experts have also looked into the ability of piperine to increase the body’s absorption of resveratrol. Resveratrol is a red wine compound that may slow aging and lower a person’s risks for brain disorders, heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

The addition of piperine significantly improved the bioavailability of resveratrol, according to Nihal Ahmad, a professor of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health who studied the effect piperine has on the body’s absorption of resveratrol.

Piperine apparently blocks a metabolic process in the body, known as glucuronidation, which causes resveratrol to break apart before it gets absorbed into the bloodstream. By slowing down this process, piperine may help the body take up more beneficial resveratrol. So how about a little black pepper with your wine?

Piperine also increases the body’s ability to absorb betacarotenes, selenium and B-vitamins including pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin as well as other nutrients from food.

Prevents Harmful Substances that Form When Grilling Meat

Grilling meat over hot coals or flames produces a carcinogenic substance called “herterocyclic amines”, or HCA’s. These form when meat is cooked or charred over high temperatures. That unfortunately means that char-grilled steak or flame-grilled burger has some cancer-causing ingredients. Studies have shown that just a teaspoon of black pepper per half pound of meat will almost completely eliminate the formation of HCA’s during cooking.

If that’s a bit too much spice in your meat, you can get the same effect from mixing pepper, oregano, rosemary or other herbs in the same spice-to-meat ration to get the same effects. Here is an article I wrote that teaches you the healthiest way to grill your meat.

Helps you Quit Smoking

Some of the sensory cues that are associated with cigarette smoking can actually help to suppress the withdrawal symptoms, including the craving part—which is the worst part, according to one study. A vapor of black pepper essential oil was given to 48 cigarette-smoking participants in a three-hour session, after the subjects were deprived of cigarettes. A second group inhaled from a mint/menthol cartridge device, and a third group from an empty cartridge.

Cigarette craving was significantly reduced in the group given black pepper extract, compared to the other two groups and it alleviated symptoms of anxiety. The conclusion: Black pepper constituents may be useful in developing smoking cessation treatments.

Powerful Spice That Adds Flavor and Zing

Black pepper contains some powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant anti-cancer health benefits. It also helps to boost the nutrient power from other healthy foods. It fights bacteria, aids in digestion, and helps with weight loss. So when the waiter comes around with that big pepper mill asking if you want a little bit on your salad or main course, say, “Pepper up!”

A Note of Caution

If you are taking prescription drugs, it’s possible that swallowing heavy doses of piperine or large amounts of black pepper could interfere with the action of these medicines. Check with your physician first before starting on any type of piperine supplement.

A side note from our friends at Organixx:

Do you sleep poorly? Do you feel sluggish or anxious? Is it difficult for you to lose weight? These are WARNING signs that you’re magnesium-deficient, and it’s going to get worse if you don’t do something about it.

Believe it or not, 80 percent of Americans are suffering from magnesium deficiency—and this includes many who are already taking a magnesium supplement.

Are you taking the wrong type of magnesium?

Up to 80% of adults do not get enough magnesium, even many who already take a supplement. Most formulas only include one or two forms of magnesium, which may not be well absorbed by the body.

Magnesium is involved in more than 300 vital processes that support sleep, energy, metabolism, and a calm mood. But if your supplement only lists magnesium oxide, citrate, or glycinate, it could be incomplete.

A more effective option is a complete magnesium formula that includes all seven essential forms your body needs for maximum benefits.

👉 See the doctor-formulated magnesium now. You can get a free bottle during their limited-time sale.

References
https://draxe.com/peppercorns/
https://foodfacts.mercola.com/black-pepper.html
https://www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com/content/msi/assets/Singeltary%20Nutr%20Today%2045,43,2010.pdf
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-black-pepper.html
http://time.com/5503520/black-pepper-health-benefits/

The post This Common Meal Ingredient has Serious Health Benefits and It’s Right Under Your Nose…aaachoo!! appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

I made this recipe up and has been a huge hit with family and friends. It’s also a fun and different dish to make when having company and sure to be popular! It has a wonderful, slightly spicy curry flavor with lemongrass, lime, and creamy coconut milk. You can use fish, chicken, shrimp or even thinly sliced pork for protein.

While Thai recipes seem to contain a lot of ingredients, the ingredients make all the difference. If you cannot find lemongrass at your local grocery store or health food store, you can just use lemon or lime for seasoning.

Thai recipes generally use coconut milk to give them that smooth creamy taste, and I think it tastes way better than regular dairy milk or cream. Plus, coconut milk contains healthy saturated fats, with plenty of medium chain triglycerides that help you to burn fat, lower your blood sugar, keep your energy blasting and feed your brain with the fats it needs to work well.

Coconut milk also contains lauric acid, which is fights viruses, bacteria, fungus, and other dangerous microbes that can make you sick. The lauric acid is a great immune booster, so perfect for any time of the year when you need that extra boost to fight off colds and flu.

Thai food also contains some powerful spices that make it especially good for you, including garlic, olive oil, ginger, lemon grass and the super-food turmeric. Garlic, ginger and turmeric are powerful anti-inflammatories, immune boosters and have been proven to kill cancer cells.

Shitake mushrooms are also powerful immune boosters and contain polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols and lipids linked to immune boosting cholesterol lowering, and cancer fighting benefits. And the cilantro is detoxifying, helping to remove heavy metals like mercury.

So, you see, this is the perfect dish to power up your immune system, fill your body with massive super-foods and antioxidants, and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2-4 cloves garlic minced
• 3 T grass fed butter or coconut oil
• 1 T minced fresh ginger
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 1 stalk lemon grass out leaves removed, cut down middle and cut in 2″ sections
• 2-4 small carrots sliced thinly
• Sliced fresh shitake mushrooms or baby portabella mushrooms
• 1/2 to 1 lb chicken, or firm flesh fish like salmon, cod, halibut, tuna cut in 1” chunks

Saute the above ingredients in butter over medium heat until slightly tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Then add the following:

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup tamarind sauce
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 tsp minced fresh turmeric root
• Juice of one lime
• Hot pepper flakes to taste
• A handful of chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Directions

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Serve over brown rice, quinoa or zoodles (zucchini noodles). Garnish with generous amount of cilantro. Serves about 4 but watch out–it’s very popular!

Bon Appetit!

Get your FREE copy of the Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Looking for easy, tasty recipes that help you burn fat, then look no further…

This free recipe book is packed with over 80 fat-burning Keto recipes, such has mouth-watering chicken, beef, pork meals and more…

Best yet, every single recipe uses a slow cooker. Spend less than 20 minutes in your kitchen whipping up these delicious meals.

The post Simmering Thai Hot Pot (Immune Boosting) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

A Really different, refreshing way to eat guacamole. The addition of baby peas adds an unusual, fresh, sweeter taste to the guacamole. And the peas add a little more fiber as well as decreasing the calories in the guacamole.

We’d have to be living in a cave to not have heard about the benefits of avocado. The superstar ingredient adds healthy fats, tons of vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Check. But what about the lowly radish that has been around forever? This recipe spikes up the flavor a bit with the addition of radishes.

Radishes are members of the highly esteemed cruciferous vegetable family, along with other star members such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, collards, arugula, cabbage and brussels sprouts. That means radishes carry much of the same powerful nutritional, cancer-fighting punch as their cousins—but radishes have their own attributes as well.

Radishes contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals. They are an effective diuretic, helping the body get rid of bloating, and excess fluids. Radishes are also an excellent detoxifying vegetable, not only helping to get rid of excess fluids, but also helping the liver function better. One of the things radishes do well is to help the liver get rid of excess bilirubin, the substance in the body that causes jaundice.

Because of their bright red color, radishes also contain the same powerful flavonoid you find in blueberries—anthocyanin. These anthocyanins are powerful anti-inflammatories that help to lower the risk of heart disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure and kidney disease. In addition, its anti-inflammatory effect helps fight diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Plus it contains another anti-inflammatory substance, vitamin C, which helps to build collagen to strengthen tissues in the body that fight wrinkles and saggy skin, and strengthen tendons and ligaments.

Top that off with the addition of garlic—one of the most powerful foods in the world, hot pepper to help open up your blood vessels and burn fat, and cilantro—full of heart-healthy magnesium, vitamins, minerals, and detoxifying substances that help to remove dangerous heavy metals like mercury, arsenic and lead. You cannot miss with this yummy snack! Try it with sliced cucumbers, jicama, carrots and celery for a refreshing, fat burning treat. Enjoy and know you are doing your body good!

Ingredients

• 8 ounces frozen baby peas, slightly thawed.
• 1/2 large or 1 whole small avocado
• 4-6 radishes, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and de-ribbed for less hotness)
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice from a half of a lemon or lime
• Sea salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• Handful of chopped cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup minced red onion

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and ‘chop’ until combined. Does not need to be well blended, can be chunky. Enjoy with chips or better yet, slice up some cucumber, zucchini, and red and yellow sweet bell peppers for an awesome, super healthy dip.

Get your FREE copy of the Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Looking for easy, tasty recipes that help you burn fat, then look no further…

This free recipe book is packed with over 80 fat-burning Keto recipes, such has mouth-watering chicken, beef, pork meals and more…

Best yet, every single recipe uses a slow cooker. Spend less than 20 minutes in your kitchen whipping up these delicious meals.

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Most of us think of exercise in terms of how we want to look—losing weight, a carved six pack, the firm fanny, or chiseled arms. Sure, those are great, but exercise has wide-ranging benefits that go far beyond just looking good.

Aside from the health and physical benefits, did you know that exercise–especially weight training and High Intensity Interval Training–can actually slow down the aging process? Yes, it has been scientifically proven to slow aging dramatically! Researchers have discovered a way to actually shave as much as ten years from your age with vigorous exercise. And no, you do not need to start training for an Ironman, you just have to start getting exercise in your life.

Exercise has the ability to not only change the VERY cells in your physical body to slow down aging, and actually change the structure of your brain as well, making you feel stronger, more confident, happier and more focused. Starting an exercise program today, no matter how old you are, will absolutely change your life for the better!

After the age of 35, most adults begin to lose 8-10% of their muscle mass per decade. That means by age 55, you have lost up to 20% or so of your muscle mass—if you aren’t exercising. This sneaky condition means your metabolism—and your ability to burn fat—decreases drastically with loss of muscle, and that worst part is that you probably don’t really notice the muscle loss, until you get to a point where everyday activities become difficult. Muscle is one of the most metabolically active parts of our bodies, so losing muscle means our metabolism drops!

Research from UCLA suggests that the more muscle mass older people have, the longer they can expect to live. These findings add to the growing evidence that overall body composition—how much muscle you have, versus how much body fat you have—not the more commonly used and less specific measurement of body mass index (BMI), is one of the best predictors of all-cause mortality.

Aging can make our joints and bones more subject to arthritis (inflammation) and osteoporosis (weak bones). Obviously, these two things can lead to injuries and immobility as we age. Lifting weights and most kinds of weight-bearing exercise actually help to manage arthritis pain and create more mobility in our joints.

Strengthening the muscles around joints not only helps to support, lubricate, and strengthen your joints, but the tug on your muscles and bones created by resistance exercise (like weight training) actually will help to strengthen bones and counter osteoporosis.

Even people with mild to moderate hip arthritis can avoid the surgeon’s knife and hip replacement surgery by exercising. And exercise helps to improve flexibility, movement and joint range of motion as well.

Have you put on a few pounds as you have gotten older? Muscles and the mitochondria in our cells are strong determinants of our metabolism. Metabolism, as you may know, has to do with how many calories you burn in a day and how much energy you have. As mentioned above, losing muscle mass also creates a drop in your metabolism. Think of muscle mass as our ‘engines’. If you want to boost that metabolism back up, start a weight training program, which revs up our physical engines. Adding muscle to your body, is like adding high octane gas to our body’s engines! More muscle, more ‘horsepower’, more metabolism—and more energy!

Men who are looking to replace their declining levels of testosterone and DHEA will be happy to know—just 12 weeks of strength training significantly increases levels of free testosterone and DHEA. Testosterone and DHEA (a pre-cursor to testosterone) not only helps men in the bedroom, but it also benefits the body’s ability to burn fat, but it helps prevent heart attacks, and helps with feelings of empowerment, confidence and mental clarity as well. And ladies, this is for us too! Women actually need testosterone and DHEA for libido, mental clarity, confidence and ability to burn fat too!

We don’t need to set a goal of looking like fitness models to feel like our workouts are paying off—simply working out consistently will improve your health, your fitness AND your appearance. Strength training, aerobic training or HIIT will not only help you start to burn off some of that body fat, but your muscles will become a bit more defined, you will stand a little taller and walk with a bit more confidence too.

Exercise will help your body to burn off that dreaded belly fat as well. Exercise scientists at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that healthy men who did 20 minutes of daily weight training had less of an age-related increase in abdominal fat compared with men who spent the same amount of time doing aerobic activities.

Exercise also improves your skin tone and helps you avoid the droopy skin look. We women especially hate that droopy skin/fat on the backs of our upper arms, but if you build up and strengthen those arm muscles, you can firm up this area, and have nicely defined arms. And it works for all those other areas of your body prone to drooping too! Because exercise speeds up your circulation and flushes out toxins, your skin begins to glow as well.

A study of almost 6,000 adults in the U.S., showed that those who exercise regularly are younger on a cellular level than those who lead sedentary lifestyles. Researchers can look at the telomeres on your chromosomes to determine how fast or slow your cells are aging. Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of your chromosomes in each of your cells. Telomeres are a little like those plastic ends on shoelaces that keep them from unraveling. Every time our cells divide, the telomeres shorten. When the telomeres become too small, the cells die, which is a big part of how we age. Short telomeres are related to many age-related diseases, including cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and cardiovascular disease.

In the study, an exercise science professor from Brigham Young University compared the telomere lengths in those who did regular vigorous exercise and those who were sedentary. His conclusion was startling: the more physically active we are, the less our biological aging. In other words, exercise truly does slow down our biological aging clock.

In fact, vigorous physical activity can take about ten years off your age, and moderate physical activity can turn back the clock about seven years. Who doesn’t want to be 7-10 years younger??

The best thing is, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to reverse the clock; it only takes a minimum of 30-40 minutes of running or other moderate to vigorous exercise five days a week.

One of the biggest and best new forms of exercise to hit the mainstream is HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. This is a fast-paced, intense form of exercise that creates the biggest effect in the shortest amount of time. HIIT has been known to burn the most calories and increase overall fitness in the shortest period of time. HIIT exercise works like this—it alternates short intervals of maximum effort combined with several short recovery times. Often those intervals are 3-5 minutes or less of hard exercise with a couple minutes of rest. There are many different varieities of HIIT workouts, but they all have the same benefits. HIIT can boost your metabolism for hours, melt off fat, build muscle, and maximize those awesome exercise endorphins that give you that wonderful exercise ‘high’.

Now, the Mayo Clinic also says HIIT can stop the aging clock as well. The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, involved 72 sedentary adults in two age groups—young (18 to 30) and older (65 to 80). The participants were assigned to one of three 12-week workout routines: high-intensity interval cycling, strength training with weights, or a combined strength-training and cycling plan for three months.

The HIIT training plan required three days of cycling with four, 4-minute high-intensity intervals and 3-minute recovery periods), and two days of steady, brisk treadmill walking. The strength-training group performed upper- and lower-body exercises twice a week, while the combined-training group worked out five days a week at a steady state, and for less time.

At the end of the study period, all three groups had gained lean muscle mass and improved their aerobic capacity. But the HIIT group had noticeable changes at the cellular level. Younger volunteers experienced a 49% boost in mitochondrial capacity—the cell’s ability to take in oxygen and produce energy—while the older age group had a dramatic 69% increase!

Mitochondria are our cells’ powerhouses and are important to vitality, oxygen-burning capability metabolism, and energy. In essence, the health of our cells, and our bodies (which are made up of cells) is directly tied to the function of our mitochondria.

The bottom line is that adding short bursts of high intensity exercise is a great way to boost the benefits of exercise even more. Even finding a path where you can run for short bursts or pedaling your bike up hilly sections in a road will work. Obviously, you want to gradually ease into this type of exercise. There are many different types of HIIT workouts online as well.

What if you could do something that would immediately improve your mood, your focus and your memory while protecting your brain from Alzheimer’s, dementia, ADD/ADHD, and banish depression and anxiety? That’s exercise!

According to neuroscientist, Wendy Suzuki, exercise actually helps your prefrontal cortex which is involved in focus, attention, personality and judgement, to improve and grow, improving your capacity for focus and improving your mood. And what’s more, exercise helps to increase your long- and short-term memory.

A single 30-minute workout increases your ‘happy’ brain chemicals of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, improves your focus and attention as well as your reaction times. Exercise actually helps your brain make new brain cells and helps your brain to expand and become stronger. And these benefits stick with you!

Your body changes for the better, your health improves, your metabolism improves, your moods improve, you gain confidence, you move better, you feel stronger, you stand up straighter, and your whole life improves with regular exercise.

Don’t ever feel like it is too late! All of these benefits happen, no matter what your age. We don’t have to become fitness models or superathletes, we just have to start moving and start exercising. It only takes 3-4 times a week of 30-40 minutes to make this work. (Of course, if you want to go longer or harder that’s even better!)

So, start now–whether it’s simply walking, running, cycling, strength training, or High Intensity Interval Training—or any combination of the above exercises. You will feel better–mentally, physically and emotionally–and your body and brain physically change for the better as well.

In the words of neuroscientist, Wendy Suzuki,

“Bringing exercise into your life will change your life for the better making you happier and more productive. You can actually CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY of your life for the better–and those around you.”

Don’t wait, start now. It’s never too late!

If you find this article interesting, our friend Steve Holman shows you what exercises can SLOW the aging process, and which ones actually can accelerate it.

This article shows you how to AVOID the exercises that accelerate aging in your body…

References
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/weight-training-appears-key-to-controlling-belly-fat/
http://www.shrinkinguy.com/blog/5-anti-aging-benefits-of-strength-training
https://www.ted.com/talks/wendy_suzuki_the_brain_changing_benefits_of_exercise?language=en
https://www.newsweek.com/exercise-anti-aging-younger-cellular-level-telomeres-607228
https://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/strength-training-aging-study-100714/
https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fj.13-245480?journalCode=fasebj
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743517301470?via%3Dihub
https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/43/6/748/2812353
https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(17)30099-2

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By: Cat Ebeling 
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

If you’ve been feeling low on energy lately, or you had an over-indulgent weekend, doing some sort of “detox” can be helpful.  But there are so many detoxes and cleanses out there that either a blatant scam, or just have no valid science behind them, how do you know what can do more harm than good?

Well, you can start out by doing a quick 2-3-day detox by doing a little intermittent fasting in the mornings, and breaking your fast with this delicious, detoxifying, fat burning smoothie. It is yummy, satisfying, refreshing, and–it has some great fat-burning, detoxifying, diuretic ingredients. Try it–You’ll feel leaner in just a couple of days!

Be sure and add plenty of fresh parsley or cilantro. Both of these deep green leafy vegetables have tons of magnesium in them, essential to help you burn fat more efficiently, and helping to get rid of excess water, as well as detoxifying your system. Eating foods containing large amounts of magnesium is also very calming and helps to lower blood pressure.

Cilantro is known to detox your body of metals like mercury, arsenic and lead. Cilantro is also known as a diabetes fighter, helping to lower blood sugar, and supporting healthy liver function. Cilantro has been used medicinally to cleanse and detox the liver, stimulate digestive enzymes, help kidney function, soothe the skin, balance blood sugar and increase mental powers. Both parsley and cilantro are loaded with phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory compounds. It is also full of vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.

The cucumber is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Cucumber helps to cleanse the liver, and works as a natural diuretic, helping the body to wash out toxins and fluids that may accumulate and make you feel bloated.  The ginger and turmeric in this recipe are also great for fighting inflammation in your body.

Just note that we do NOT recommend large amounts of spinach or kale in smoothies (so we left those out of this recipe), as you can easily get too much oxalates, which can be harmful for some, as described in this article.

Ingredients

1 large bunch each of fresh parsley and cilantro

1 large thumb fresh ginger, chopped up in smaller pieces

1/2 medium organic cucumber, chopped in chunks

1 tsp or small root of turmeric

1/2 sweet/tart apple, chopped in chunks

2 cups liquid–coconut water, kombucha, or spring or sparkling water

cinnamon if desired

Directions

Blend in blender until smooth. Be sure ginger is well blended. Drink up!

Try this for breakfast or lunch for two days and eat a normal low carb dinner of protein and veggies. You’ll feel amazing!

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By: Cat Ebeling 
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

One of my absolute favorite dinners—it’s delicious anytime!

The marinade for this yummy recipe really adds not only a ton of flavor, but a ton of nutrition as well. It is full of curry powder which contains turmeric, the super powerful anti-inflammatory spice that we have become so familiar with. It’s rich in antioxidants that battle inflammation, prevent Alzheimer’s disease, burn fat, and enhance the immune system. It also helps safeguard against those dangerous chemicals that can come from grilling meat, and exogenous AGE’s that form.

Pile on that yummy cilantro pesto sauce when you serve it! Not only does it taste amazing, but, the health benefits associated with cilantro are pretty extensive. It is also known for its anti-inflammatory compounds and its cholesterol-lowering ability, as well as its ability to remove toxic metals (like mercury and lead) from the body. Cilantro is more than twice as effective as antibiotics against the food-borne salmonella bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Cilantro is a powerful weapon to use in fighting diabetes, along with a low-glycemic diet. In fact, cilantro is so effective at lowering blood sugar, it is known in some places as the “anti-diabetic plant.”

The grass fed beef will give you the full benefit of the plenty of healthy omega 3 and CLA fats in the meat without all the hormones, additives, and antibiotics of conventional meat.

Ingredients

1 bunch of fresh cilantro (2 cups cilantro leaves)

1 small red onion peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small green chili pepper trimmed and halved

1 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

1 ¼ tsp sea salt

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice of one lime)

½ tsp curry powder

1-2 lbs grass fed ribeye or sirloin steak, cut into 24 one-inch chunks

1 medium onion, peeled

Naan bread or rice flour (gluten-free) tortillas

1 cup plain or Greek yogurt

Directions

Place the cilantro, onion, garlic, chili, ginger, and salt with 3 Tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until a paste is formed. Transfer to a large bowl.

Put 2 Tbsp of the paste in a small bowl and stir in the lime juice to make the cilantro sauce. Cover and set aside. Stir the curry powder into the rest of the paste, add the steak and coat well. Cover and marinate at room temp for about 20 min.

Cut the red onion into wedges, separate the wedges and thread beef and onion onto skewers. Brush a grill pan with the oil. Preheat grill.  Grill the kebabs for 8-10 minutes turning the skewers every 2 minutes.

Serve with quinoa, the cilantro sauce, plain yogurt, and a big tossed baby greens salad. Serves 4

You should also know that this recipe is an almost perfect low-glycemic snack for Diabetics, due to it’s blend of fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and a reasonably low amount of sugars and carbs that impact blood sugar.  Speaking of Diabetes, make sure to read this page next:

1 Simple trick to REVERSE your Diabetes (hint: it’s NOT cinnamon or any supplement)

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