Primal Blueprint Shopping List

So what CAN you eat on the Primal/Paleo/Low Carb diet? Check out Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint Shopping List!

Primal Challenge-Day 2

Primal Challenge-Day2
After it about killed me not to snack after dinner last night, I woke up STARVING today. I've already realized that I graze, WAY too much during the day, which does not mean good things for my insulin levels. I am clearly going through "grazing withdrawal" because every time I enter the kitchen I want to eat something but then realize, it's not mealtime yet!  Another thing I've discovered is that I often times mistake hunger for THIRST because a big glass of water seems to satisfy my "craving" to eat.

Breakfast- Scrambled eggs, chopped ham heated in a skillet, 1 cup of coffee.
Snack-Leftover scrambled eggs off kids' plate, small handful of cashews, 1/2 of a pear. I know, big snack!
Lunch-Leftover pesto chicken breast and green beans from last night's dinner.

What I Ate Today

Today was day 1 of the 21 Day Challenge.  I was dreading it because my goal was to only have one cup of coffee and be finished with it by 9am. Lately, I've been drinking one cup with breakfast and then putting the leftover on ice and sipping it all morning!  I hope to wean off completely again at some point, but at 45 years old and 5 kids 12 and under, surviving my day on just one cup would be a huge accomplishment!

Breakfast-3 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon and 1 cup of coffee (I was hungry!)
Snack-pear
Lunch-Artisan Salad at JD's Coffee House, water
Snack-big handful of salted almonds and dried apples
Dinner-baked pesto chicken with parmesan cheese and steamed green beans with butter

Today, whenever I had any sort of craving for sugar, I would grab a few almonds and drink a big glass of water and that seemed to take care of it.

2/16/13-Coffee Update:
I'm thrilled to report that I FINALLY broke free of my caffeine addiction!!  It was not an easy process. Quite frankly, I thought I might die because the headaches were so bad I thought I was surely having an aneurysm! But after about a week it was finally over.  I really never thought I would be able to start my day without caffeine but the high fat, low carb eating has stabilized my blood sugar and improved my energy levels tremendously.  And now that I'm not strung out on caffeine, I don't have to have a glass of wine to help me wind down in the evening.

21 Day Challenge

As part of my efforts to "hit the reset button", I've joined a 21 day challenge offered by Mark Sisson from the popular blog, Mark's Daily Apple.  Whether small or big, it's always better to surround yourself with a support group when making changes in your diet or lifestyle.  I've also recruited a new workout partner who has similar ambitions and physical abilities, AND she's adventurous enough to brave the early morning darkness of the Nebraska countryside with me! The accountability of a workout partner is critical for me to achieve my fitness goals.

Struggling To Give Up Wheat?.....

......or not even sure why anyone would want to? Go to this link and listen to all 6 parts of Dr. William Davis, author of "Wheat Belly:Lose The Wheat, Lose The Weight" and you'll never look at wheat the same again!

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/2012-low-carb-cruise-lecture-dr-william-davis/15010

N=1/Hitting The Reset Button

So after a year of eating pretty strict Paleo, feeling full of energy, getting down to 132 pounds (after 5 children) and receiving fantastic results back on my life insurance blood work, I unknowingly entered into my own personal clinical study to test the effects of the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.).  I didn't set out to intentionally ditch the Paleo/Low Carb lifestyle or anything, but it seemed that with my baby weight off and confirmation that my blood work was great, I began to allow myself some indulgences.  Well the indulgences, coupled with a crazy summer of often dining away from home quickly became a slippery slope.  The next thing I knew I was back to consuming wheat several times a week, drinking wine 3-4 times a week and requiring coffee every morning to get my day going!  At first, I seemed to bounce right back after an occasional high-carb meal but over the course of six weeks, I began noticing the familiar consequences of the S.A.D.

The very first sign was a decrease in energy.  With low energy I began reaching for coffee not only in the morning but late afternoon as well.  Deadlines, big events, long trips.....I was crutching on coffee to get me through.  However being very sensitive to caffeine, I often became TOO wired and sleep began to escape me in the evenings.  A harmless glass of wine to quiet the effects of the caffeine turned into practically a nightly ritual, but due to all the entertaining and family gathering this hardly seemed like a big deal.

So now you add caffeine, alcohol, poor sleep quality, the S.A.D (full of grains and sugar) to an already full and hectic schedule and bad things begin to happen.  My joints started to ache with inflammation and I started getting migraines.  My feet actually hurt when they first hit the floor in the mornings!  Of course with low energy and achy joints I didn't feel much like exercising so I quickly began losing strength and muscle mass.  My digestive system  tormented me with unpredictable bouts of constipation,  followed by untimely episodes of the other extreme. Bad moods and negativity seemed to overshadow more and more of my day. The more I strayed from my usual Paleo/Low Carb choices, the worse I would get.

At first I didn't notice any weight gain but because I wasn't feeling well, I kept telling myself, "Oh , I'll get back on track after this trip", or '"As soon as this happens or that happens, things will settle down and I'll get back on the wagon."  Weekend after weekend, family gathering after horse show after holiday after cook out after short trip after celebration..........suddenly I'm staring at nearly 10 pounds of weight gain on the scale! So now I not only don't feel well, I get to add "feeling uncomfortable in my clothes" to my list of woes!  But honestly and truly, the weight gain is NOTHING compared to having  knees so sore I can't crouch to the ground, sleep-wrecking low- back pain, aching hands, foggy memory and crappy moods!!!

Thanks anyway America for your Standard American (grain-filled, sugar laden) Diet (S.A.D.).  My N=1 experiment, while not full of specifically quantifiable data, was enough to convince ME that I WAS on the right track with the Paleo/Low Carb lifestyle and THAT is where I shall return.  I have far too much going on in my life to be burdened with aches and pains and negative thoughts!........sigh.....It is time to hit the RESET button.

Subscribe to FDA Recalls and Safety Alerts

Would you like to be alerted whenever there is a Recall, Market Withdrawal, or Safety Alert for a product, food or drug?  You can receive safety alerts from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration(FDA) by registering HERE.

Kid Friendly Natural Sweetener

If you have young kids and you're trying to avoid sugar in their diet, Sweet Leaf Liquid Stevia is a  must have for your pantry. Our family favorite is the Vanilla Creme flavor.  I was able to wean the kids off sweetened yogurt by adding a few drops to plain yogurt and topping with blueberries. The kids LOVE it! My other personal favorite is the English Toffee flavor. Perfect if you like a little sweetness in your coffee or tea!  Stevia is simply an herb. It has zero calories, zero carbohydrates, zero glycemic index and is a healthy prebiotic for friendly bacteria in the gut. You can Google hundreds of ways to use it in your cooking.

Fresh Seafood in Nebraska?

YES!  I finally connected with who I believe to be the freshest, most reliable and direct source of fresh, flown-in, wild caught, seafood in Nebraska.  The man’s name is Andrew Vounv and he used to own Midwest Seafood in Lincoln. He knows all of his fisherman personally and the fish arrives fresh on Friday and is delivered to you on Saturday morning. He is a small scale distributor so even if you are only wanting enough fish for one meal each week, he is happy to provide it. He is also willing to vacuum pack for freezing if you won’t be able to eat your fish right away.  Andrew is the salmon provider for a select few specialty stores in Lincoln, so there is some cost savings by buying direct from him. Right now there are 2-3 customers ordering from Seward so if we get this going and there is a large enough customer base out here, he will consider delivering to Seward.  Until then, orders must be picked up on Saturday mornings at the Casey’s gas station on HW34 by the Kawasaki plant.  He delivers all over Lincoln on Saturday so if you can’t meet him at the designated time, you can meet up with him elsewhere in Lincoln.

He sends out an email each week letting you know what he has coming in that week. You simply reply with your order.  If you want to be on his email list, please email him directly at andrewseafood@neb.rr.com.  If you have additional questions, you can call him at 402-310-7781. I will forward a price list as soon as I get it.  I would be interested in taking turns to make the Saturday morning pick-up so please let me know if you are interested.  Also, please forward this message to anyone you know in Seward who may be interested in fresh seafood but is not a member of this yahoo group.

Paleo 101-Doesn't Get Any Simpler Than This!

Mark's Daily Apple has been such a tremendous resource to me.  The site is jammed pack with information on  how to make the transition to a Paleo/Primal lifestyle, including the exciting 30-Day Challenge! Whether you're just stumbling onto this or you're a Primal Pro, Mark's site has resources and support to fit your needs!

Our Food Pyramid

This is a great image that nicely summarizes the way we eat. You can click on the image and learn more.

PlanToEat.com

Had to share this rockin' new website for meal planning.  With 5 kids ages 11 and under and a really hungry husband arriving home every evening, I simply MUST have a nightly dinner plan. ESPECIALLY now that we're eating more Paleo, because ordering pizza simply isn't an option.  I've made several attempts at meal planning in the past but it just never seems to work out.  I am quite the cookbook collector and can't resist all the really cool recipe websites so there is definitely no shortage of recipes in my life.

You see, I'm not the type that can always have fish on Friday and chicken on Monday etc. In fact, to my detriment, I hardly ever make the same meal twice.  So in trying to find some middle ground, I stumbled upon this awesome meal planning website at www.plantoeat.com.  I signed up for the 30 day free trial and started loading my favorite recipes. The coolest thing is being able to import recipes from other websites with the click of a button, or hand enter my own cookbook favorites.  Then with a simple click and drag over to my weekly planner, I've got a meal plan (that will sync with MS Outlook by the way!).  Then one more click and I've got my shopping list for the week.

No matter what your dietary philosophy, you can connect with other members cooking and eating the same way and share recipes.  So now my goal is to create several REALLY good weekly meal plans and rotate them around.  With everything in one place now, I'm looking forward to purging several of my "too many" cookbooks at my next yard sale!  If you decide to sign up, don't forget to friend me!

Folks, This Aint Normal!

Anyone interested in starting a book club with a focus on Health, Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture?? This would be the perfect book to get it started!!

A new book by Joel Salatin, Folks, This Aint Normal will be hitting the bookstores on October 10.  For the first time, Joel's wonderful information and style has been taken up by a major publisher (Hachette Book Group) and will be launched into the mainstream book world.

FOLKS, THIS AINT NORMAL

By Joel Salatin

We live in abnormal times.  Really abnormal times.  Times when most people think Twinkies,  Cocoa-puffs, and Mountain Dew are safe but raw milk, compost grown tomatoes, and Aunt Matilda's homemade pickles are unsafe.  The average morsel of food travels fifteen hundred miles between point of production and point of consumption.  Indeed, the average T-bone steak sees more of America than the farmer that grew the cow.

Never in the history of civilization has a culture eaten foods it can't pronounce, foods that can't be made in a domestic kitchen, or foods that won't rot.  Living foods mold, rot, and decompose.  How long can an M&M remain on your counter without altering its appearance? 

Until extremely recent days, people had to  think about energy, whether it was providing for draft animals for transportation and power, or accumulating firewood to keep the stove burning in the winter. 

We are the first culture to abdicate domestic culinary arts in favor of microwavable boxes of processed, stabilized, extruded, reconstituted, dye-colored, amalgamated, irradiated, nutrient-compromised, transgenic modified, prostituted pseudo-food.    Modern America now has the highest rate in history of chronic, debilitating diseases, and leads the world in unhealthiness. 

We're the first culture to invent supermarkets and to universally equate children's chores with abuse.  We're the first culture to confine animals in factories, use pharmaceuticals on our food, and break the soil-building carbon cycle on a massive scale. 

These themes, discussed in historical context, conventional modern-day thinking, and future response, position Joel Salatin's new book FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL as a must read for Weston A. Price members.  Indeed, he even uses the book to acquaint the world with WAPF as well as the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

"When a major publisher (CenterStreet, an imprint of the Hachette Book Group) decided to put their weight behind this project, I decided that part of my objective would be to let the world know about all these wonderful groups and thinkers who really have all the answers to people's fears.  I get tired of seeing the media wringing their hands as if solutions don't exist, when in fact, they do.   I hope this book draws thousands and thousands into the WAPF camp--just mentioning the organization should drive people to the website."

Never one to allow victimhood excuses, Salatin ends each chapter with a bulleted list of "things you can do."  This broad book addresses issues as varied as food police, soil development, Disneyfication of the culture, and scientific findings proving pasture-based livestock is far more nutrient dense than factory-farmed counterparts.  It will warm your soul.

If you've ever wondered how to articulate how ridiculous many modern assumptions are, this book will give some sound bites.  Filled with stories, satire, and humor, FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL  is due for release Oct. 10 in hardback, Kindle, and audio-book.

American Dietetics Association Conference

Robb Wolf, a Paleo blogger and health and fitness consultant I follow, has enlisted a team of Registered Dietitians in his practice. They recently arrived at the American Dietetics Association Conference and he will be blogging about their experience there. Check out these photos from day #1 of the conference! No, this is not a joke!

http://robbwolf.com/2011/09/25/ada-conference-day-1-in-pictures/

The Healthy Baby Code

One of my favorite bloggers and pod casters is Chris Kresser and he has put together the most amazing guide for anyone even thinking about getting pregnant.  Whether you've been trying to conceive for a long time or just found out you're pregnant with the "bonus baby", Chris' study course on how to build a healthy baby is a gem that I would not want to be without.  This guide is especially useful if you're new to healthy eating or just starting to think about a more healthy lifestyle.  The sooner you begin to apply these principles before conception, the better chance you'll have of creating a vibrantly healthy and intelligent baby!! I had to piece this information together over a ten year period, and although I did better and better with each of my five children, I would've given anything to have this information all in one place!  Check it out HERE

Why You Get Fat

Big Fat Lies!

Interview with Autism Expert, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is a cutting edge autism expert out of the UK. She left a practice in neurosurgery in pursuit of a cure for autism after her first born son was diagnosed with the puzzling disease at the age of 3. If you know anyone with a child diagnosed with Autism, ADD, ADHD, Depression, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia or Schizophrenia, this information could dramatically change their lives. I've heard her speak on two separate occasions and I'm convinced her work is closer to solving the autism epidemic than any other treatment available.....and it DOES NOT involve the use of prescription drugs! This interview is in several parts and the first part is embedded below.  PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6.  Her book is titled "Gut and Psychology Syndrome".

"Interventions to Reduce Sugar Consumption"

If sugar consumption concerns you at all, this lecture just given by Dr. Robert Lustig on July 15th is a must-see! Interventions to Reduce Sugar Consumption Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, in the Division of Endocrinology at UC San Francisco, explores how and why to reduce sugar consumption. Series: "UCSF Center for Obesity, Assessment, Study and Treatment" [7/2011] [Health and Medicine] [Professional Medical Education]

Random Rants

You'll never have optimal health, physical or mental, until you overcome your body's addiction to sugar and grains and let go of your fear of animal fats! The evidence is stacking high and hitting the mainstream daily, but has it reached you? Just start Googling things like The Paleo Solution, low carb diets, The Weston A. Price Foundation, Dr. Joe Mercola, Dr. Jay Wortman, Nora Gedgaudas, high fat diets, Jimmy Moore (Livin' Lavida Low Carb), Dr. Ron Rosedale, Dr. Robert Lustig......the one thing they all have in common?? The elminination of grains and sugars to achieve optimal physical and mental health!