The Lady I Met In The Bulk Aisle

All of the recent discussions in the vegan / vegetarian / omnivore debate caused me to recall an incident that happened to me nearly 15 years ago.

Newly married and transplanted to Dallas, my husband and I were determined to make a new way for ourselves which included breaking away from many of the attitudes and habits that we had grown up with. This included paying attention to our health and we experimented with many new foods and ways of eating.

These included vegetarian / vegan and macrobiotics (to name a few).

I was also not a well woman at the time, I was struggling with Chronic Fatigue, depression and Fibromyalgia and was searching for an answer.

I spent a great deal of time at the Whole Foods Market which was, at the time, a tiny store in a strip mall on Coit Road. I pored over books and attempted to educate myself.

On one of these trips, I was standing in the bulk foods aisle loading up on lentils, mung beans, rices and some other whole grains when this lady just kind of wandered over to me.

She was probably in her 40's, but looked much older. Her blonde hair was disheveled and loosely arranged on the top of her head. Her face was heavily lined and very pale. It was clear that she had attempted to apply some makeup, but her mascara ended up mostly on her cheeks and eyelids, her lipstick was quite far outside of the lines, and her rouge made it as far as her jawline and stopped there.

Her clothing was of good quality, but it was clear that she had picked up what she could find in order to cover herself.

She rather shuffled when she walked and looked incredibly lost. Her eyes were completely "blank", if that makes any sense.

She approached me with a complete look of puzzlement on her face, so I asked her if she needed help.

She stammered out that she needed to buy food and proceeded to take wads of cash out of her purse to show me that she had the means to purchase it. It was falling all over the place, so I picked it all up, handed it back to her & told her not to take her money out. This was Dallas, after all.

She then said something about needing to eat other things. Of course, my next question to her was what had she been eating?

She straightened up and as proudly as she could muster, stated that she had been a vegan for 20 years. I nodded & smiled and asked her again what she had been eating.

Her answer? "Mostly lettuce".

I struggled to keep my jaw off of the floor.

I told her in the simplest terms I could that she needed protein. Her eyes glazed over again at that point, so I simplified my strategy.

I took her over to the book aisle and placed a copy of "Cooking The Whole Foods Way" by Christina Pirello in her hands. I asked her then if she would be open at all to eating at least a little fish or some eggs to boost her protein levels. She nodded vehemently "no".

Based on my reading up to that point, I knew that a grain and a bean combined generally provides a fairly complete protein. I asked her if she knew how to cook lentils and rice. She nodded "yes". I then proceeded to take her back to the bulk aisle and poured out 2 baggies. One of long-grain whole rice and one of brown lentils. I handed them to her. She looked as if she had been handed two bags of gold.

I told her that she needed to visit her doctor and have some blood tests done. I told her to read that book and that she would do well to make sure she ate lots of different things.

She nodded in what I assumed was semi-coherency and shuffled off.

I often think about that lady and wonder what happened to her.

That experience solidified in me the desire to gain as much knowledge as I could with regard to nutrition as it is clear that action without knowledge can be very dangerous.

It also taught me that none of us can possibly know everything and that it is much better to share information and help one another than to judge and criticize others' choices.

I hope she got the help she needed and just maybe, I was a stepping stone to helping her regain her health.

Is That Donut Holding You Hostage? The Role Of Exorphins in Food Addiction

B-b-b-b-But ...waitadarnsecond... My Mama and my Teevee say "Whole Grains" and my daily milk are good for me!!!

Are you trying to tell me they are NOT? Oooooh...the humanity...

Yes, Mikey...I'm telling you that your Life Cereal and your milk function like a drug. 

There is some really good research out now that indicates the "staffs of life" may, in fact, contribute to many chronic illnesses as well as mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and autism. This is as a result of what are termed "Exorphins". These are substances that function like opioids when ingested and create a "high", a subsequent alteration occurs in the normal functioning state of the body thus requiring more of the substance, ultimately ending in an addictive feedback loop.

Allow me to explain.

Definition of Exorphin from medilexicon.com:

            exorphin

            Type: Term

            Pronunciation: eks-ōr′fin

            Definitions:

            1. Food-derived opioid peptide, found in wheat gluten.

These peptides are also found in milk proteins, called caseins. They are in especially high concentrations in cheese.

So, opioid peptides are well known to the medical community. Heroin is an opioid. Morphine is an opioid.

The fine folks over at Nutramed.com say it best:

         "Heroin Addicts often report they first felt well when they had their first drink or injected the initial dose of heroin. Opiates, like other molecules, are effective but temporary remedies for dysfunctional body- mind states. The drive to maintain an opiate level is less to "get high" and more to feel "normal" and mostly to avoid the terrible experience of withdrawal."

Now for the Nitty-Gritty scientific stuff. This is a portion of a published study by these folks:

(PDF Download of complete study HERE)

THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 

Vol. 254. No. 7, Issue of April 10, pp. 2446-2449, 1979 

Printed in U. S. A.

Opioid Peptides Derived from Food Proteins THE EXORPHINS*

Christine Zioudrou, Richard A. Streaty, and Werner A. Klee

(Received for publication, October 20, 1978)

From the Laboratory of General and Comparative Biochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014

Peptides with opioid activity are found in pepsin hydrolysates of wheat gluten and a-casein. The opioid activity of these peptides was demonstrated by use of the following bioassays: 1) naloxone-reversible inhibi-tion of adenylate cyclase in homogenates of neuroblas- toma X-glioma hybrid cells; 2) naloxone-reversible in-hibition of electrically stimulated contractions of the mouse vas deferens; 3) displacement of [3H]dihydro- morphine and [3H-Tyr, DAla2]met-enkephalin amide from rat brain membranes. Substances which stimulate adenylate cyclase and increase the contractions of the mouse vas deferens but do not bind to opiate receptors are also isolated from gluten hydrolysates. It is sug- gested that peptides derived from some food proteins may be of physiological importance.

...Thus, in all likelihood, exorphins will be pro- duced normally in the stomach. The exorphins which we have studied are resistant to the intestinal proteinases trypsin and chymotrypsin. Thus, the exorphins may be expected to survive extensive degradation in the intestine. Some peptides are now known to be absorbed, without prior degradation, from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. Perhaps, most pertinent to the present studies is the work of Hemmings et al. (18, 19) which showed that, after feeding of ‘“‘I-labeled gliadin to rats, labeled peptides, which retain the ability to react with anti-gliadin antibodies, are found in appreciable amounts both in the blood and the tissues of the animals. Significantly, such peptide material was found in the brain as well. Thus, some peptide fragments of gluten do indeed reach the brain. Direct evidence that the exorphins will do so is not yet available, although some peptides have been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier (20). Finally, we have presented evidence that the exorphins will bind to brain opiate receptors as well as to those of peripheral organs. In summary, exorphins may normally reach opiate receptors in the central nervous system and trigger their function. (Emphasis mine)

We have also found substances in pepsin hydrolysates of wheat gluten which stimulate NG108-15 adenylated cyclase and the mouse vas deferens. These stimulatory materials do not interact directly with opiate receptors but may neverthe- less be considered to be functional antagonists of the opiates since their stimulatory actions oppose the inhibitory actions of the exorphins. Stimulation of the adenylate cyclase of intestinal mucosa cells would lead to diarrhea and could therefore play a role in the gluten enteropathy, celiac disease. Wheat gluten has been implicated by Dohan (7, 8) and his colleagues in the etiology of schizophrenia and supporting evidence has been provided by others (9). Our experiments provide a plausible biochemical mechanism for such a role, in the demonstration of the conversion of gluten into peptides with potential central nervous system actions.

As intelligent creatures, it is a short leap to see that that donut has a hold on our brains far beyond it's sweet, deep-fried deliciousness. That donut is a drug. That donut will not allow you to eat just one donut.

It is not a stretch now to understand why over 30% of the U.S. Population is obese.

It is not a stretch to understand why the rates of mental illness continue to climb in this country. I am NOT saying that this is the CAUSE, but there seems to be a strong CORRELATIONAL relationship here.

So kids...there's the science. 

Drugs are bad, mmmmkay?

Recipe: Slap Yo Mama Easy Pan Pork Chops

I'm not a complicated gal, really. Give me a good meal that's easy to prepare and I'm happy. OK... I require more than that from life, but anyway, you get my point.

That said, I like to make food that is easy, doesn't make an enormous mess and, of course, tastes good.

My boys and I love pork chops! We prefer the thin ones as they cook up faster & take on flavors more readily.

I made these tonight & the guys loved them!

Ingredients:

Thin-sliced pork chops (1-2 for each person)
Organic Cold-Pressed Olive Oil
Steak Dance (tm) Meat Seasoning or seasonings to taste

Process

Warm enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Take one pork chop, place in the warm oil and turn over once to coat. Repeat for as many pork chops as will comfortably fit in the pan.

Sprinkle with your spices of choice. I like this particular brand, but just salt & pepper, or maybe a little lemongrass or savory is your style. Go for it!

Cook on one side for about 5 or so minutes, then turn over. Sprinkle browned side with your spices & cook until done. Usually thin pork chops only need about 10-15 minutes in the pan until done.

Serve with applesauce & steamed veggies.

Enjoy!

My Favorite Paleo Snack: Chocolate Almond Butter With Apple Slices

I know many wonder: So, exactly what can I snack on while eating this way?

Or: Wait, what? No potato chips?

Yes, yes, I know...you can't eat just one...blah, blah, blah...

Once you decide to tell Mr. Lay to take a hike, try this snack on for size. I mean, come on, you didn't think I was going to give up CHOCOLATE did you?

(Chocolate or cocoa is actually a wonderful food.)

As usual, I go for what's easy & boy is this!

You'll need:

Plain cocoa, no sugar or fillers. Just cocoa.
Almond Butter (Smooth works best).
Honey.
An Apple, sliced.

Take 2 tsp. cocoa and put it in a small bowl. Add about a Tbs. of the honey and approximately 3 Tbs. of almond butter. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.

Once blended, lick the spoon and use the rest to dip your apple slices in.

This is a FANTASTIC alternative to a candy bar when you just need something sweet or chocolatey.

So Good!

Enjoy!

So Just What Is The Paleo Diet Anyway?

Since I get asked this question all the time, I decided I would write a post to explain it simply. I will do some follow-up posts that go deeper into the science of exactly how and why this way of eating works.

First of all, I really hate the word "diet". It has been so diluted and misused in our society that it is now a useless word. So, for the remainder of my posts, I will use the term "Paleo Lifestyle". I realize this is fairly inaccurate, but bear with me.

Now, back to it.

So, what exactly IS the "Paleo Lifestyle"?

Frankly, it is so easy, my 5 year old grasps it in it's entirety.

Simply put:

NO Grains (This includes rice)
NO Beans
NO Dairy
NO Potatoes
NO Processed Foods
NO White Sugar
NO Peanuts or Soy (These are legumes, not nuts)

I know what you are thinking...

OMG WHAT AM I GONNA EAT????

Well that's easy...

Plenty of lean beef, fish, chicken, etc. (Yes, bacon is OK)
Plenty of fresh vegetables
Plenty of fresh fruit
Plenty of tree nuts

Do you have to be creative? Yes.
Do you have to be committed? Yes.
Do you have to be mindful of what you are putting in your body? Yes.

The point is to understand how the Standard American Diet (SAD) is slowly killing us. The "foods" that are generally available are so modified through centuries of hybridization and genetic fiddling, they are practically unrecognizable. Humans have not altered their genetic makeup to adapt to the rapidly changing food landscape. We are still, in many ways...cavemen.

So, if we tailor our eating habits to be more in tune with how our body *actually* uses and processes our food, we can give our bodies the tools necessary to return to homeostasis. Each cell yearns to be in balance. The best we can do is to stop fighting with ourselves.

Officially Gobsmacked

When I started this crazy paleo journey, I was feeling terrible, was in a size 12 jean and was just flat miserable with my body.

Now, just over 2 months later, I fit in a size 4 jean. That is 5 inches off my waist... let me repeat:


5 INCHES.


In 10 WEEKS.


Now understand this... I am a 38 year old female that has had a baby. I was certain I would never see a 4 again. EVER.

But it happened today.

Gobsmacked.

Recipe: Onion Smothered Pork Loin

After a full day of cleaning and shopping, we got home tired and hungry. I needed to put together something fast for dinner. I'd bought a pork loin at the store, so I decided to roast that up quickly.

I am ALL ABOUT short prep time and this was so easy & fast, it's almost a sin.

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Pork loin
Organic virgin cold-pressed Olive oil
1 small white onion
Himalayan pink salt
Fresh ground pepper
Steak seasoning (I like the Steak Dance brand - no msg or other fillers)
1 C. Mushroom broth

Process:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Coat the bottom of an oblong baking pan with the olive oil. Place the pork loin in the pan and turn over once to coat with oil.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the steak seasoning. Set aside.

Peel and slice the onion into rings. Place the rings on top of the pork loin in the dish.

Pour the mushroom broth in the baking dish with the pork loin.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes / Lb. or until internal temp is 180 degrees.

This recipe can EASILY be doubled or tripled if you have a large crowd.

My husband nearly wet himself when he tasted it... it was that good. It was juicy, flavorful & the onions added just a hint of sweet.

Pair this with some fresh steamed Sugar Snap peas and a paleo-friendly Apple-Walnut salad. It is one tasty meal!

Recipe: Stupid Easy Paleo Lemon Creole Rock Cornish Game Hens

I thawed some rock cornish game hens last night, so I had to do something with them today.

I had some lemons that I needed to use & some Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning sitting on my counter so I thought... yeah, that'll work.

Boy was I right. The hens came out moist and lemony with a hint of creole spice. Even my 5 year old loved it.

The prep time is about 10 minutes & slap it in the oven. Done.

So here it is:

Ingredients:

Rock Cornish Game Hens - Usually 1 for each person is recommended (they are small)
1 small lemon for each hen, washed and quartered
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Organic Cold-pressed Olive oil

Process:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

Coat a baking dish or roaster with olive oil.

Take one hen and coat the inside of the cavity with olive oil. Sprinkle the Tony's inside and stuff 4 lemon quarters in the cavity.

Coat the outside of the hen with olive oil (I like to leave the skin on so the meat does not dry out, but it can be removed).

Sprinkle the Tony's liberally all over the outside of the hen and place breast down in the pan.

Repeat for as many hens as you have.

Cover with foil (or the lid of the roaster) and bake for 50-60 minutes (or until done). Remove foil the last 10 minutes so the hen(s) can brown.

Let them rest for a few minutes while you finish up your sides. Serve with veggies or a nice tomato soup. YUM!

Enjoy!

Recipe: Brian's Bacon-Wrapped Pesto Chicken Breasts

So my hubs came up with this one all by himself. Haha. It is SO tasty.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded flat
1 C. (or more to suit your taste) Basil pesto (recipe below)
Olive oil
Himalayan pink salt
Fresh ground pepper
16 strips Organic bacon
Toothpicks

Basil pesto:

In a food processor combine 1 C. raw pine nuts, olive oil and fresh basil. Process until it becomes a paste. Add oil as necessary so that it is not dry.


Process:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat the inside of a large baking dish with olive oil and arrange the strips of bacon side-by-side crosswise (the end of the bacon will hang over the edges...this is OK).

Arrange the pounded chicken breasts so that each rests on top of 4 bacon strips.

Sprinkle the breasts with salt & pepper.

Divide the pesto into 4 portions, one for each breast. Spread the pesto out in a layer, covering the entire inside of the chicken.

Roll the chicken up jelly roll style. Pick up the ends of the bacon and wrap them around the chicken and secure with a toothpick. Continue until all breasts are rolled and secured.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until inside of chicken is done.

The bacon prevents the chicken from drying out and adds a wonderful smoky flavor. The pesto gives a similar "feel" to cordon bleu and keeps the chicken moist and lovely on the inside.

We have made this several times. It is SO GOOD with some steamed veggies.

Enjoy!

Recipe: KILLER Paleo Beef Stew

My husband calls me the soup whisperer... I LOVE to make soup.

I came up with this stew recipe last week and it turned out to be pretty amazing. The depth of flavor was very rich and the texture satisfying and filling even without the use of potatoes.

Here it is:

Ingredients:

2 Lb. lean stew beef
2 small white onions, peeled & chopped
3 T. minced garlic
3 T. organic virgin olive oil
1 t. Himalayan pink salt
Fresh ground pepper
Bay leaf
3 C. Fresh white mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 Qt. Organic Mushroom Broth (I like Pacific Brand)
1 Qt. Organic Beef Broth (I like Pacific Brand)
1 T. Organic Worcestershire sauce (can be omitted)
3 T. Organic brewed Soy Sauce (can be omitted)
6 stalks celery, washed and sliced thin
3 cups baby carrots, sliced

Process:

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add the stew beef. Brown as much of the stew beef in the oil / onion / garlic mix as possible. Sprinkle with the salt as you stir and pepper to taste.

Add the mushrooms and stir to coat with oil, softening them a bit. Do the same with the celery.

Once the mushrooms and celery are softened a bit, add both the mushroom broth and the beef broth. Add more if necessary to make sure the meat is covered.

Add the worcestershire and the soy sauce at this time. Add the bay leaf. Add the carrots.

Cover. Bring the stew to a boil over medium high heat.

Reduce heat to med / low and simmer for several hours or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily. Add water or broth as necessary to avoid any scorching and to keep the meat covered.

I use a food processor to do most of my slicing / dicing. It's easier and the pieces are of consistent size.

Pair this with a nice, fresh salad and this is a fantastic meal perfect for cold weather nights.

Enjoy!

So We're 2 Months In...

Well, where to start?

I guess I'll begin at the beginning. Right around the start of school around here, we  - or -  I -  rather decided that it was time to change our diet.

My hubs and I had just been constantly tired, sluggish, brain fogged and generally BLAH. I am active on social media and was following the progress of my friend Simon Salt who had adopted the Paleo lifestyle. He looked strong, vigorous and was losing weight like crazy. I was intrigued.

We have tried many ways of eating in the past. You name it, we did it: macrobiotic, vegetarian, vegan, etc. None of it "stuck" and we never really felt any better.

So, we decided to switch. After the initial eyeroll from my husband, I had him start reading about it. The more he read, the more excited he became. Since we can eat meat on this diet AND it made intuitive sense, we started right away.

Within the first three days, we BOTH lost about 3 pounds, the brain fog lifted and we were sleeping better. Stunned and in disbelief, we persisted.

I won't lie to you, the carb cravings and withdrawal were HARD. There were times I would have KILLED for a dinner roll. However, as quickly as the pounds and inches were shedding, I just ate some scrambled eggs and moved on.

One of the most interesting aspects of this diet is that it creates a positive feedback loop. Your body recognizes when it has ingested something that is "wrong". I immediately feel dizzy or foggy or just "bad". It is almost "instant karma" for making a poor choice. This feedback loop is what helps keep me in line with making good food choices.

So, two months in:

I have lost 15 pounds. I went from a size 12 pant to a size 6. My adult acne has cleared, my thyroid condition is improving and I feel immensely better.

My husband has also lost 15 pounds. He has lost 2" off his waist. His workouts are more productive & he actually has what is beginning to be six-pack abs (yowza). His allergies have improved and he feels a LOT better.