The Psychology of Grain Addiction by Guest Blogger Allison Gamble

The Psychology of Grain Addiction by Allison Gamble

The psychology of addiction encompasses a variety of variables including genetic predisposition, lifestyle and environmental factors. While most people think of addiction in terms of alcohol and drugs, new research demonstrates a disturbing new trend in food addiction: an addiction to grain. With refined and prepackaged foods a common staple in many American households, it doesn’t take a psychology degree to see that there must be a reason why grain is embedded in almost every aspect of cooking and baking. However, research is beginning to draw a correlation between addictive properties that exist in grain foods and growing obesity levels worldwide.

Recent studies have been able to show more direct links between the composition of food and the links to addiction and obesity. In 2004, Arizona State University did research on obesity and nutrient consumption, to determine whether it was an addiction or not. The study showed that consumers purchase and consume more food than necessary and the majority of the foods have high fat and sodium content.

Following this research, University of Wisconsin did a similar experiment on rats with opiates in early 2011 to determine if the opioid affected the prefrontal cortex. Research done in the past showed the effect of opiates in the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens, but did not conclusively address the prefrontal cortex, where impulse control and cognition is located. Just as drugs and alcohol have a direct effect on these brain areas of activity, the study shows that food creates neurological and biological pathways that foster physical and psychological addiction.

Research has confirmed what has been long suspected: food makes us feel good. Food triggers the body to release neurological chemicals like tryptophan and serotonin. Tryptophan is basically an opioid chemical with very similar interactions with the parts of the brain affected by opiate addiction. Tryptophan is a naturally occurring tranquilizer with a direct relationship to serotonin levels in our brain, similar to pharmaceutical drugs like Valium. With the new science emerging about carbohydrate addiction and food’s interaction with our brain, the question becomes: how can we overcome the addictive urges for comfort food in the interest of maintaining a healthy lifestyle? When we are driven by addictive food cravings, just like with drugs or caffeine, we are more likely to overindulge. This is likely an indicator of why diets tend to unsuccessful with a majority of the population. It would be similar to asking a cocaine addict to scale back their use. The addiction’s interactions with your brain chemicals would not allow this, which is why drug rehabilitation usually operates on a “cold turkey” basis, or with a medical detox protocol.

Of food addiction, grain addiction is a particular area of concern because grains make up a large percentage of our public food choices. This is especially true in restaurant and fast food settings where grain is often added as a filler ingredient or to bulk up meat product. Corn, one of the most prevalent forms of grain used, is also found in many different forms; whether it’s converted into corn syrup, corn oil, or cornmeal, corn and grain addiction have significant negative effects on glucose levels. They are also a primary trigger of the release of neurological chemicals that foster addictive eating patterns. Because grain is cost-effective and the majority of the human population now craves it, research on food addiction is important in determining how we continue to integrate grain into our food choices in the future.

Though food addiction can be a powerful and debilitating illness, like alcohol and drug addiction, grain addiction can be overcome. With obesity and weight-related health concerns on the rise worldwide, it is important to have a plan on how to deal with the urge to eat refined grain products. For people with compromised metabolisms, it is especially important to undertake the drastic steps needed to remove the drug (in this case, grain) from the home.

1. Remove temptation – start by going through the house and pantry, removing the tempting and unhealthy grain-based foods. Even regular pasta can continue to fuel a grain addiction. Replace these food triggers with food that is nutrient-dense or high in protein. Choose sweet potatoes over dried pasta or unsweetened tea instead of soda pop. This can a difficult step, but changing your environment is essential for success.

2. Eat more of the right things – dieting is often ineffective because it leaves us feeling hungry. Choosing foods that you can indulge by eating a lot of can help when you are feeling the need for a “comfort food binge.” Having a bag of baby carrots instead of a bag of Nacho Doritos is going to have a significantly different impact on your blood sugar levels and waistline. Don’t deprive yourself. Choose foods that are dense and are easy to snack on.

3. Eat foods high in fat – But isn’t fat what makes us fat? Not necessarily. Research on insulin levels and blood sugar has demonstrated the introduction of fats help us to feel satiated for longer, and “good” fats are actually essential for good mental health. Having a handful of almonds or a cup of cottage cheese can help curb excessive appetites and decrease insulin spikes.

4. Create a support system – Choosing to eat differently to combat grain addiction is very difficult and just as a drug addict can’t kick drugs alone, kicking food addiction requires the same support system. Whether it’s a sit-down with your family and close friends, or reaching out to support groups such as Overeaters Anonymous, finding people who support the healthy changes you are trying to make in your life can be key in continuing success.

Having a comprehensive plan to deal with food and especially grain addiction can help overcome diet-related health problems and stave off diseases like Diabetes Type 2, hypertension and heart disease. Though the research suggests there is a chemical component to food addiction, just as any addiction can be overcome, food and grain addiction can be resolved. It takes a commitment to changing lifestyle and eating habits, as well as being educated about how food addiction can short circuit our ability to make good decisions about food. Getting a support system in place and utilizing a multifaceted approach to dealing with food and grain addiction can change lives, shrink waistlines, and transform the landscape of American health.

Allison Gamble has been a curious student of psychology since high school. She brings her understanding of the mind to work in the weird world of internet marketing.

Photo by Peter Pearson.

All advice and opinions in the above article are those of the author and not this blog per se.

Beet and Apple Salad and Beet and Walnut Salad recipes

Beets are a misunderstood root vegetable. Most people have only tasted the lackluster canned version. Garden fresh beets are a revelation when properly prepared. Farmer's markets are open this time of year and some farmers offer heirloom varieties of vegetables. Two varieties to look for are Bull's Blood and Golden & Chiogga beets.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Beet and Apple Salad and Beet and Walnut Salad recipes - National Healthy Recipes | Examiner.com

How to make southern style beef soup

Soups are a year round comfort food that fit into all healthy diets. A warming dish in cold weather and a light bite in warm weather, soup plays well with others. Try with a dinner salad in summer or roasted vegetables in winter. This healthy recipe for southern style beef soup is easily customizable for any dieting style. Remember to control portions.

Continue reading on Examiner.com How to make southern style beef soup - National Healthy Recipes | Examiner.com

How to make cheese biscuits

Cheese biscuits sound decadent and oh, so delicious and they are. So, how do they fit into a healthy diet? Simply put, moderation. With a regular and low carb option, this recipe is customizable to your dieting style. Just remember to watch your portions.

Continue reading at Examiner.com Healthy Recipes.

How to make Texas Style Chili

This authentic Texas style chili is easy to maKe and tastes like you're sitting in a Texas cowboy's ranch kitchen. Fairly low carbohydrate and low calorie, it can fit into most dieting styles. Serving with red beans is optional.

Continue reading on Examiner.com How to make Texas Style Chili - National Healthy Recipes | Examiner.com

Duck and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Gumbo is the unoffficial "official" food of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Although most families and restaurants have their own version, this classic is tasty and easy to make. Low carb and healthy, this gumbo is a keeper. Serve it up and please your hungry eaters.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Duck and andouille sausage gumbo - National Healthy Recipes |

How to make tomato chutney

Chutney originated in south Asia and continues to be popular throughout the world. With varied ingredients, chutney can be sweet, savory or a combination of flavors. Both a condiment and a side dish, chutney elevates most dishes. This tomato chutney goes particularly well over toasted sourdough or chicken cutlets.


Continue reading on Examiner.com How to make tomato chutney - National Healthy Recipes | Examiner.com

How to make fish chowder

Chowders are an economical and convenient dish for all dining occasions. A steaming bowl of chowder makes a meal in itself paired with a salad or Heavenly Biscuits. And chowder makes a great starter to a steak dinner whether your steak is beef or salmon.

Continue reading on Examiner.com - National Healthy Recipes

How to make Creole Gumbo

Gumbo is a uniquely southern dish and its origins are found in the Creole culture. Creoles used whatever meats they had on hand to make this stew-like dish. Seafood was always a must, as well as spice. This "mish mash" was a delicious way to use leftovers and make a dish go along way.

Continue reading on Examiner.com - National Healthy Recipes | Examiner.com.

A Cowboy's "Real Chili Got No Beans In It Ma'am" Chili - Version 2

Chili is a healthy main dish any time of the year. While chili is known as a warm dish - or even very hot meal when spiced - it can be eaten any time. Some people enjoy their chili for breakfast alongside or on top of eggs. Others use chili in place of taco meat or inside of burritos.

This version - the second from a real cowboy's kitchen - uses sirloin cubes not ground beef. While more expensive, using real whole sirloin cut into cubes is authentic. Cowboys didn't have ground beef on the trail drive and ranch kitchens rarely ground their beef.

Continue reading on Examiner.com - National Healthy Recipes.

New Orleans Bistro Style Crab Mornay

The Super Bowl is this Sunday. If you're looking for a fast, easy, yet elegant dish this crab mornay is the just ticket. Even football loving men appreciate this rich and creamy dish.

While many people looking for healthy dishes still follow the eroneous low fat model of diet, this dish is healthier because it's low in carbohydrates. Read The Atkins Diet Updated - The Science Supports Low Carb As Healthy, Just make sure to use coconut flour or another low carb substitute in place of wheat flour.

Continue reading on Examiner.com - National Healthy Recipes

Making delicious Brown Stock is key to great home cooking

Brown stock is the base liquid for a wide variety of delicious soups and sauces like demi-glaze. It's also used for stews and gravies. A key to good home cooking is learning to make good basic stocks. This recipe is straightforward although time
consuming. It makes enough stock for use in several other recipes.


Continue reading on Examiner.com.

How to make Cajun style barbecue sauce

If you like your barbecue spicy, this barbecue sauce delivers. A twist on cajun flavors, this sauce has a combination of heat, spice, savory and sweet. Try it with beef, chicken and even as a dipping sauce for vegetables. Served over pulled pork this barbecue sauce makes a sandwich a culinary experience. Try it as a marinade or as a side sauce.

Barbecue civilizes beef. - Jim Coulson

Click here to read more and get the recipe.

Whole foods recipes, Magnolia Princess Garlic Butter

The recent trend toward eating whole foods includes once forbidden foods like butter. Real butter, particularly from grass fed cows, has healthy fats. Read Saturated fat still demonized by mainstream media despite lack of proof. Butter is also rich in Vitamin A and Choline with lesser amounts of Vitamin E, Riboflavin, Folate, Niacin and Pantothenic acid, Vitamin K, and Vitamin B12.

Portion control is key to any successful diet, yes, even a low carbohydrate diet. Eating delicious whole foods like butter is essential to mental and physical well being. Eating is how we get our nutrition for the most part. Just keep the amount you eat in check and don't overeat no matter how healthy your food choices.

Click here to read more, get the recipe and watch the video.

Childhood obesity prevention, parental guidance only goes so far

Check out your BMI with the Reader's Digest CA BMI Calculator.

A few recent articles and blog entries I came across took parents to task for the childhood obesity epidemic. I agree parents have a responsibility to teach wise food choices and provide optimal nutrition at home. I personally don’t allow sodas, fruit juice, baked goods and other junk or snack foods in our house regularly. These are cosidered treats to enjoy occasionally. But it was obvious several of the people taking parents to task had no experience raising children. Talk about clueless.

Educating a child to discern between healthy foods and unhealthy foods only goes so far. Most children over the age of six are away from home the better part of the day. My nine year old catches the bus at 8:10 am and returns home at 4:10 pm. He eats two meals, a snack andlunch, in the school cafeteria every day. Kids are faced with making their own food choices and school cafeterias are as bad as grocery stores. It’s easy to eat a sub-standard diet.

Here's an example directly from my parenting experience: my soon to be ten year old is bright, reads on a 5th grade level and he’s very active. He doesn't have a weight problem and we often grocery shop and cook together. We read nutrition labels, look for bad ingredients (he knows to re-shelve foods with trans-fat, partially hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup). We discuss healthy versus unhealthy choices and what the consequences of these choices are.

He gets occasional treats, and one or two sodas a week. Denying a child all junk food will backfire faster than my 1948 Ford on unleaded gas. Once while standing in the check out line, my Son was perusing the label on a bottle of Coke and shouted out, “High fructose corn syrup! Oh, no!” Everyone in line turned to look at us, eyebrows raised. Most adults don't bother with nutrition labels, let alone know what to look for.

I’d like to think my kid has a better than average knowledge of fitness and nutrition. What with having a sports nutritionist and avid fitness buff as a mother, he can demonstrate the difference between chest butterflies and chest presses. And he can properly pronounce creatine, carnitine and glutamine. He gets excited when the new Winsor Pilates and Core Rhythms DVD club selections show up. And he drinks more water than Crystal light or milk.

Yet we had the following conversation yesterday:

Me: “What did you have for a snack at school?”
Kid: “A super bun and juice.”
Me: “You had that the day before. Couldn’t you make a better selection?”
Kid: “Well, they had a cheese omelet and milk. But the super buns tastes so good.”
Me: “Today try to make a healthier choice, okay?”
Kid: “Okay.”

We’ve had this same conversation over fruit versus ice cream, among other things. He KNOWS which is healthier, which gives him the edge over many kids, but he still WANTS what tastes sweeter. Junk tastes good, especially to a kid’s palate. And those damned super buns are on the menu every day. I can’t walk around with him all day and smack his hands away from super buns, tator tots, and chicken nuggets.

Can you imagine being an average parent with little knowledge in nutrition, being bombarded by conflicting media and scientific news on what’s healthy, while living a busy lifestyle with a minimum of free time, and trying to teach your kids what to eat?

The fact remains, even if your child is well informed, once they’re out in the big junk food filled world and out of your clutches, they will eat some of the fast food and junk food they’re exposed to at every turn. Until schools stop offering sub-standard foods and the government (by way of pressure from voters and legislators) sets stricter school breakfast and lunch standards, a parent’s influence will only go so far.

The model child who has a well informed knowledge of a healthy diet and sticks to optimal foods every time he has a choice between the grilled chicken on greens or the corn dog with French fries has yet to be conceived. I don’t know many adults who can stick to healthy eating all the time, and frankly they can be boring, obsessive, annoying twits.

This is from a recent Real Age newsletter and closer reflects reality:

“Can you name six different fruits your child has eaten in the past week? How about seven different kinds of veggies? No?
Sometimes getting your child to eat even one type of vegetable consistently can be a big accomplishment.”

The sneaky approach works best in our household. All the knowledge in Harvard nor all the wild horses in Nevada could have convinced my husband nor my son to taste an artichoke heart, which I happen to love. But neither will pass up my homemade marinara or lasagna. So I dumped a cup of artichoke hearts in the food processor and pureed them, mixed them well with my marinara and made lasagna. I also laced the lasagna with finely shredded zucchini. They both loved the dish. After they finished stuffing themselves silly, I informed them of the artichoke hearts. Now they’re both artichoke heart lovers.

And then there’s persuasion by example. My son would not touch a grape until six months ago. One day I sat at the table eating one at a time and making noises of culinary delight. Finally he asked for one. Later I caught him sneaking them by the handful.

Of course, this works with potato chips and soda too. And this is just as easily done by peers snacking on junk food in the school lunch room or some clown in a McDonald’s or Jack-In-The-Box commercial. Anyone who believes parents can out influence the multi-billion dollar food advertising industry, or even that cute seven year old with the seductive super bun in her hands, has no clue.

I do believe my son’s becoming more willing in expanding his culinary adventures. Saturday he didn’t refuse a first taste of imported low fat Kasseri cheese from Greece. He actually chewed it up without spitting it out and pronounced it good to eat.

There’s hope for that boy yet, sticky fingers and all.

Now, if the elementary school would just switch out imported low fat cheese and vegetable sticks for super buns I’d have a fighting chance.

Let's Get Physical

Let's Get Physical








Below is another study reinforcing the value of regular exercise. I'd like to point out exercise has value above and beyond aiding in weight loss and weight maintenance. The majority of people view exercise as a necessary evil to reach their weight goals. It's the few who view physical activity as pleasurable or make a sport(rock climbing, skiing, hiking, horseback riding, bodybuilding) an integral and enjoyable part of their lifestyle.

It's a sad fact of our modern society that physical activity is viewed as undesirable, relegated to the status of an inconvenience. We rely on cars, appliances, remote controls, drive-thru windows, elevators and escalators, to avoid moving our bodies any more than we have to. Yet all these conveniences can add up to physical de-conditioning, laziness, lowered metabolism, less calories burned, weight gain, and illnesses.

Studies continue to uncover the myriad benefits of regular exercise, be it walking, jogging, working out at home or in a gym, individual and team sports, or simply doing more daily activities like household chores and walking instead of taking the elevator. People who are physically active enjoy healthier lives,sleep better, enjoy improved sex lives, cope better with stress, have brighter outlooks, experience less depression, have faster metabolisms, experience less illness, and have an easier time controlling their weight.

We as individuals have the power to reincorporate physical activity into our lifestyles. We can choose not to follow the couch-potato masses and view activity as a plus, an opportunity to enjoy movement that our bodies are designed for and require for optimal health. We can transform our lives by transforming physical exercise into a desirable and enjoyable endeavor by changing our views toward simply moving our bodies as intended.

Regular Exercise Can Stave Off Degenerative Eye Disease

7 Benefits of Regular Exercise

13 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits Of Exercise

Busy Morning Eggs Verde and Red-eye Sweet Potato Fritters

We want to eat healthy at breakfast and that usually means avoiding fast food and restaurants that serve huge plates of food. Cooking at home may be daunting, but these recipes are easy and take very little time. The sweet potato fritters can be made ahead of time and reheated.

Busy Morning Eggs Verde

8 large eggs
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 - 5 ounce can diced green chilies, drained
¼ cup scallions, diced
1/4 cup yellow bell peppers, sliced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Pour all into a greased skillet and cook or scramble to desired doneness. Feeds 1 or 2 cowpokes or 3 or for slowpokes.

Ginger's Red-eye Sweet Potato Fritters

4 pounds sweet potato
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
4 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (low carb option - coconut or almond flour)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
Coconut or vegetable oil

Peel sweet potatoes and grate in a food processor with ginger root. Combine with eggs, flour, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and salt until well blended. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 360 degrees. Form small balls out of sweet potato mixture batter, drop into oil in batches and fry about 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Transfer fritters to paper towels and drain. Serves 8 starving strangers or 4 starving wranglers.

Recipes courtesy of 'Authentic Cowboy Cookery Then and Now' by Carol Bardelli.

A Cowboy’s Southern Style Crab Dip

Dip is a popular party food and football games demand great party food. This dip is delicious, easy to prepare and fit into both low calorie and low carbohydrate lifestyles. Hearty and excellent served warm, this southern delight is also decadent.

Portion control is a necessary partner to any successful diet. Yet eating enjoyable and delicious food is essential to mental and physical well being. Eating anything is fine, just keep the amount you eat in check and don't overdue.

A Cowboy’s Southern Style Crab Dip

1½ tablespoons flour or almond flour (low carb option)
1½ tablespoons melted butter
½ cup milk
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
4 scallions, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
¼ cup butter
1 pound fresh crab meat, picked over
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Salt and white pepper to taste
½ cup heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons sherry
1 ½ teaspoons brandy

Combine flour and melted butter in sauce pan. Stir in milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese until blended. Sauté scallions and garlic in butter until softened. Add crab meat, lemon juice, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, salt and pepper to taste and heat until warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in cheese sauce, cream, sherry and brandy. Serve warm with vegetable crudités, or over fresh baked bread, biscuits or crackers.

Recipe courtesy of 'A Cowboy Cookin' Every Night Southern Style' by Carol Bardelli.

5 foods and supplements that prevent urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections, also known as UTI or cystitis, is common in women. Although men are less prone, they can get a urinary tract infection also.

Cranberry juice has solid research behind it proving it's not just an old wives' remedy for urinary tract infections. The most common cause of UTIs is an ecoli that naturally occurs on the body. When this ecoli manages to sneak into the urethra and makes it way to your bladder it causes UTI. Cranberry juice prevents the ecoli from sticking to the walls of the bladder. If it can't stick, it can't start an infection.

Cranberry extract in pills or tablets work the same way as cranberry juice. The extract is perfect for people who can't handle the tartness of cranberry juice. This inexpensive food supplement, taken on a regular basis, prevents urinary tract infections from ever taking root.

Pomegranate juice is a powerful anti-oxidant, but it's also been shown to have a similar action on ecoli as cranberry juice. POM Wonderful brand comes in many delicious flavors including Pomegranate Blueberry. Blueberries are acidic and can adjust your PH levels, making for an unfriendly invironment for ecoli. HINT Pomegranate-Tangerine essence waters also has benefits for people needing a diluted form of pomegranate juice.

Serrapeptase is a natural anti-inflammatory from silkworms. It comes in pill form and can help control the inflammation of many diseases including UTIs, arthritis, and nearly any illness ending in "itis." Serrapeptase also thins the blood and should not be used in conjunction with other blood thinners.

Acidic foods http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm including blueberries, cranberries, green olives, pickles, artichokes, and vinegar help create an acidic PH level in your body. This wards of bad bacterias that cause UTIs. It's important to aim for an acidic PH only while fighting a UTI as many diseases actually thrive in an acidic environment. Afterwards, eat a variety of foods that achieve a balanced body PH. For more on eating for PH balance read Are You Eating Enough Alkaline Foods to Maintain Vital Health?

Nutrition 101: What is a calorie?

Nutrition 101: What is a calorie?

Simply explained, a calorie is a unit of measurement. A calorie represents the energy in food, or more precisely Macronutrients. Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Two of these, protein and carbohydrates, have four calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram.

This means when your body needs fuel it can burn the calories in food for energy. If you eat more calories than your body needs at any given moment, it doesn't burn those calories but stores them as body fat. When you create a calorie deficit, whether through activity or diet, your body taps into it's energy stores. First, your body burns any glycogen stores in your muscles, which are limited. Then it taps into fat stores, which are nearly unlimited.

In scientific terms, a calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. Calories in food represent how much energy is in that food. This means an apple that has eighty calories provides your body with enough energy equal to raising that gram of water by eighty degrees. Except your body uses the fuel in the apple to do any number of functions.

If you eat a double cheeseburger and fries with a thousand calories, your body could heat that gram of water to one thoousand degrees. But your body rarely needs a thousand calories all at once, unless your competing in an Ironman competition. Your body will convert the extra calories into body fat. Unless you give your body a reason to retrieve that stored fat, like exercising or dieting, it pretty much stays in storage.

Cheeseburger 20 years ago had 333 calories well a modern cheeseburger contains 590 calories.

Nutrition 101: What are carbohydrates?

The government touts a diet high in carbohydrates, while many weight loss experts and low carb advocates swear by low carbohydrate diets. So, what exactly are carbohydrates?

The scientific definition of carbohydrates is that they are biomolecules. Biomolecules are simply molecules produced by living organisms such as plants.

The main function of carbohydrates, or plant based foods, is to transport energy to our cells in the form of starch (the scientific term for starch is glycogen.) When we eat carbohydrates, our bodies produce the hormone insulin. Insulin tells the carbohydrates we eat whether to go to our muscle cells to be used as fuel when we move, or whether to be stored as fat. If our muscles have enough carbs, or glycogen, already then the carbs we eat are stored in our fat cells. If we eat more carbohydrates than our muscles need, the excess is converted to body fat.

There are two types of foods rich in dietary starches. Foods that your mother and grandmother commonly called "starches" and knew were "fattening" are foods high in carbohydrates, low in fiber, and energy dense. Energy dense means they deliver a lot of calories in a small amount of food, versus carbohydrate based foods that deliver very little calories per serving. An example is a cup of lettuce has about 20 calories versus a cup of plain white potatoes that has 170 calories.

The energy dense carbohydrates in foods like white rice, white pasta, white breads, and sugary fruits, fruit juices, and sodas are examples of carbohydrate foods high in calories. Most commercially produced carbohydrate rich foods like breads, baked goods, cakes, cookies, donuts, snack foods like crackers and chips, even those "diet" 100 calorie snack packs, are all high in refined carbohydrates. This means if you don't burn them of through activity right away, they will be stored as body fat.

Refined calories have been processed to removed most of their fiber. Fiber is the part of plant based foods that make them filling and generally low in calories like vegetables and most fruits. Removing the fiber makes carbohydrate based foods less filling, and higher in calories than when they're in their natural state.

The second type of dietary carbohydrates you'll find in grocery stores are unrefined carbohydrates like those found in unprocessed, whole vegetables, beans, legumes, and lower sugar fruits. These carbohydrate foods are rich in fiber. They're more filling and generally lower in calories than refined carbohydrates. This means you can eat more of them without getting a lot of calories. These carbohydrate foods are less likely to be stored as body fat. But research shows carbohydrates, particularly starches, should not be the bulk of your diet as the US government advises.

Next: What are the benefits of a low carbohydrate diet?

FATLOSS 101: How carbs, sugar and grains fatten you up!
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Nutrition 101: What are the benefits of a low carbohydrate diet?

Most people view low carbohydrate diets as weight loss diet. Actually low carb diets promote health as well. Does this mean eating now carbohydrates including fruits and vegetables? No. But following the government's dietary guidelines of a diet of primarily carbohydrates is not healthy, nor is it based on solid science.

The US government's recommendation to eat a diet rich in carbohydrates is based on a 1970s panel on nutrition chaired by then Senator George McGovern. McGovern was a fan of the Pritikin diet and believed vegetarianism was healthy. His aid who wrote up the guidelines was a vegan with no nutrition degree. Although nearly all of the nutrition scientists who testified before this panel disagreed with McGovern's strict dietary guidelines, McGovern prevailed. See video below. We were told as a nation to eat less meat and animal fat, and to eat more carbohydrates. This included eating plenty of government subsidized crops like corn, wheat, beet, and cane sugars. Unfortunately, most Americans eat too many processed, high calorie carbohydrates, and not enough unrefined low calorie carbohydrates.
These two things have driven the current obesity epidemic.

Science has since prevailed on the side of a low carbohydrate diet as a healthier option over the government's recommendation of approximately 300 grams of carbohydrates a day depending on body size and caloric needs. This type of low carb diet is hard to achieve on unrefined carbs like whole fruits and vegetables. To achieve the government's recommendations for carbohydrates, you'd have to eat a generous and fattening amount of low density, refined carbohydrates.

While whole fruits and vegetables deliver vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. To manage body weight, limiting refined, processed carbohydrates that are high in calories is key. Most healthy, moderately active adults find they need between 20 to 100 grams of carbohydrates a day (depending on body size) to lose weight. Active people seeking to maintain weight need roughly 75 to 150 grams of carbohydrates per day. (Endurance athletes need more.) Simply put, the average Joe and Jane should swap the white potatoes for sweet potatoes, switch from bread to broccoli, and replace the donuts with oatmeal and berries. And don't be afraid to eat a healthy portion of meat, eggs, nuts, cheese, or other proteins and fats with your unrefined carbs.

The McGovern Report: The official government policy of promoting a lowfat diet had nothing to do with science and everything to do with politics.



For more info: The soft science of dietary fat: low fat diets don't help you live longer by Gary Taube. from "Science" Volume 291.

Health: The Myth of the Low-fat Diet ; For Years, We've Been Advised to Eat a Low-fat Diet in Order to Help Prevent Heart Attacks And Promote Weight Loss. But, Says Jerome Burne, the Latest Research Suggests That Such a Diet May Actually Do More Harm Than Good

The Association of Misleading Studies

Dr. Michael Eades, M.D. on studies showing low carbohydrate diets superior to low fat, and the resistance of the low fat diet advocates to admit the truth is out, Ancel Keyes' Lipid Hypothesis was a lie.

The power of protein may prevent obesity and aid in weight loss

High protein diets have long been used by fitness models and bodybuilders to build beautiful bodies. A sleek and lean physique is not built with workouts alone.
Protein not only aids in building muscle, it also helps these athletes diet successfully by dampening appetite.

Recent studies point to eating more protein as an aid in eating less overall. One editorial in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition goes do far as to ask, "The satiating power of protein—a key to obesity prevention?" While preventing hunger can give dieters an edge, this may not help typical Americans who overeat for reasons other than hunger. See this article.

Fats role

Eat protein at every meal. Protein digests more slowly than carbohydrates and fats. Approximately 25%-30% of the calories in each gram of protein are burned in digestion. In comparison, carbohydrates burn only 6%-8% of their calories in digestion. Protein has also been shown in studies to keep people full longer than fats or carbohydrates.

How many carbohydrates should I eat?

Can you eat too few carbohydrates? Can you eat too many carbohydrates? Ask different people and you get different answers. What are the facts on carbohydrates? Let's look at the science versus the cultural zeitgeist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist

Low carbohydrate diets have been much maligned by the media and many people believe they're unhealthy. The misinformed will readily tell you low carb diets limit fruits and vegetables, lack fiber and vitamins, have too much fat, and that you'll only lose water weight. They warn of harmful side effects like the dangers of ketosis and weakened kidneys and bones. They'll tell you you'll lose only water weight, and you'll starve your brain. All of the above are myths. Read "What is gluconeogenesis?" and why low carb diets don't starve your brain.

So, how many carbohydrates in your diet are too many? How many carbohydrates are too little?

High carbohydrate diets in which you eat up to 60 percent of your calories from carbs per the US government diet pyramid, particularly from refined grain products and starches, didn't exist for most of human existance. We ate mostly animals, berries and other fruits when they were in season, roots, nuts, and some wild plants like herbs until agriculture was developed. The US department of agriculture developed the food pyramid to promote sales of argricultural products. These products like corn, wheat and sugar are high in carbohydrates and eating too many makes us fat.

According to research, pre-agricultural humans were taller and healthier than post agricultural humans. See references below. For an eloquent explanation, see Dr. Mary Dan Eades interview with Tom Naughton in the documentary "Fathead" in which shes says, "After agriculture developed human health devolved." The development of agriculture, meaning the growing of predominantly carbohydrate crops like corn, wheat, sugar, and soy, was a boon to our food supply. But abundance alone doesn't make a food healthy or necessary for survival. Crops like whole grains were not eaten in abundance, if at all, by humans for most of our existance.

This paleolithic dietary approach eventually evolved into our modern low carboydrate diets like Atkins, South Beach, and Protein Power. While these diets are in line with the way humans ate for centuries, the media, the government, and many in the medical world still discourage their use and promote a high carbohydrate diet. One of their last existing arguments against low carbohydrate diets is that eating low carb starves your brain. That's a persuasive arguement but doesn't hold water on closer inspection.

While it's true that the human brain runs on glucose, science has proven the human body doesn't need carbohydrates to make the glucose it needs. Yes, your body can use dietary carbohydrates to make glucose. But the actual physiological demand for glucose and the amount of carbohydrates most of us eat is way off balance. The arguement that we shouldn't limit carbohydrates to keep our brains from running out of fuel is a subterfuge. Modern low carbohydrate diets provide ample glucose even on "induction phases." Only a small minority of us ever need to rely on our body's ability to create glucose through gluconeogenesis.

So can we eat too many carbohydrates? Yes. Americans eat too much of everthing on average. But the real issue in nutrition today is that the average American eats too many carbohydrates. Too much blood sugar from eating too many carbohydrates - particularly refined carbohydrates - leads to medical conditions like metabolic syndrome, insulinemia, diabetes, inflammation linked to heart disease, obesity, and cancer.

Your body doesn't just convert the refined carbohydrates from foods like sodas and bagels into blood sugar. Nearly all carbohydrates including starchy vegetables like potatoes, whole grains, and fruits convert to blood sugar. The real problem with the American diet isn't that we're limiting carbohydrates. Simply, it's that we are eating too many carbohydrates.

People tolerate different dietary levels of carbohydrates. Generally, individuals will have to experiment with their personal carbohydrate intake to get a feel fo how much is too much. If you gain weight easily, it's a good idea too limit your intake of starchy carbs and replace them with proteins, fats, and carbohydrates from higher fiber fruits and vegetables with a lower glycemic index.

References:
How High Carbohydrate Foods Can Raise Risk For Heart Problems

ScienceDaily (June 27, 2009) — Doctors have known for decades that too much carbohydrate-laden foods like white bread and corn flakes can be detrimental to cardiac health. In a landmark study, new research from Tel Aviv University now shows exactly how these high carb foods increase the risk for heart problems.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090625133215.htm

Scientific Proof Carbohydrates Cause Disease. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/01/03/carbohydrates-age.aspx

Read Study: Neanderthals Ate Mostly Meat, June 14, 2000 http://www.spcnetwork.com/mii/2000/000628.htm

Washington - If you ever have a Neanderthal over for a backyard barbecue, forget the salad, the corn on the cob and the baked potato. All he'll want is the meat, and lots of it.

Larsen, Clark Spencer (01 November 2003). "Animal source foods and human health during evolution". Journal of Nutrition 133 (11, Suppl 2): 3893S–3897S. PMID 14672287. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/11/3893S.

Elton, S. (2008). "Environments, adaptations and evolutionary medicine: Should we be eating a ‘stone age’ diet?". in O’Higgins, P. & Elton, S.. Medicine and Evolution: Current Applications, Future Prospects. London: Taylor and Francis. ISBN 1420051342.

Cordain, Loren (1999). "Cereal grains: humanity's double-edged sword" (PDF). World review of nutrition and dietetics 84: 19–73. doi:10.1159/000059677. PMID 10489816. http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/Cereal%20article.pdf.

Living in Nevada, choosing health in a land of temptation, part three

Restaurants, fast food joints and even huge casino buffets don't make Nevadans - or anyone else - fat. Adjusting for genetics and other factors people can't control like health problems or disabilities that limit mobility - both which can affect metabolism and fat storage - lifestyle choices have the biggest affect on individual weight.

Several recent weekend trips to a Carson City McDonald's, and a few Reno McDonald's, provided the following anecdotal evidence: although these restaurants were packed to the rafters, almost no one eating there was even slightly overweight. Nobody was obese. The patrons were of all ages and lifestyles. Little kids played on the indoor playground, preteens in sports uniforms loitered in groups, young parents and grandparents indulged in Big Macs, and a few business people sipping McCafe coffees took advantage of the free WiFi.

Nobody was fat. Nobody was even chubby except one McDonald's employee.

Anecdotally, Reno cannot blame its obesity rate on fast food alone. Apologies to Morgan Spurlock, but McDonald's doesn't appear to be the sole culprit in rising obesity rates. So what about the abundance of buffets in the "Biggest Little City." Is that why Nevada has a chunky obesity rate?

Click here to continue reading.

Living in Nevada, choosing health in a land of temptation, part two

Opportunities to eat out in Northern Nevada are ridiculously plentiful. A local dining guide for Reno / Lake Tahoe had 430 separate restaurants listed and these are family dining, fine dining and upscale restaurants only. They paid to be in this guide. That does not include all the fast food joints and pizza places.

Reno, although dubbed the "Biggest Little City in the World" has a sizable population of 220,500. A Google search reveals Reno sports ten McDonald's, six Burger Kings, eight Taco Bells, seven KFCs, ten Subways, ten Port of Subs, ten Quizno's and four Jimboy’s Tacos. Cheap, tasty and quick food is always a few minutes away.

Nearby Carson City has a population of 57,701 and has more than 15 fast food restaurants alone, four McDonald’s, three Taco Bells, one KFC, two Subways, two Port of Subs, one Quizno’s, two Burger Kings, and one Jimboy’s Tacos. The capital city, though much smaller than sprawling Reno, is no slouch in the fast food game.

Never mind that Reno has a flair for offering exotic cuisine on nearly every block of our main drag, Virginia street. Click here to read more.

Merry Christmas! Here's your free cookbook from your's truly!

Download or read online a FREE .PDF or text copy of my cookbook 'The Best of the Best of JB Ranch Recipe Sampler Cookbook' by Carol Bardelli.

Simply click here to go to Scribd and download or read it.

Recipes included are from A Cowboy Cookin’ Every Night Cookbook By Carol Bardelli, All American Meals Cookbook Compiled by the JB Ranch Staff, Authentic Cowboy Cookery Then & Now by Carol Bardelli and F.E. “Lizzie” Hill, Easy Gourmet For Diabetics Cookbook By Carol Bardelli, SN, The Hooked Cook – A Fisherman’s Cookbook
By Carol Bardelli and John Cuneo Sr., The Protein Edge Cookbook High Protein, Low Fat, Low Calorie Recipes by Carol Bardelli, SN and the Iron Mountain Gym Staff, Wild Man Gourmet Wild Game Cookbook By Carol Bardelli & The JB Ranch Staff, Use Your Noodle! Three Italians Cook By Carol Bardelli, Nikki Diavolo & Dante “Blue” Azzurro.

Living in Nevada, choosing health in a land of temptation, part one

A lot of people who have never traveled to Reno or northern Nevada think it's just like Las Vegas, hot, crowded, all glitter, gambling, and glitz. It's true northern Nevada often has heat waves in July, but it also has snow storms in winter. Our view of the Sierra Nevada mountain range has snowy peaks from late September through early July. And northern Nevada sports some of the highest rated ski resorts in the world like Squaw Valley and Heavenly.

Our climate has distinct seasons while Las Vegas, 450 miles south of Reno, is much like Phoenix, Arizona – unbearably hot three seasons of the year and shirt sleeve warm in the winter. Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Carson City to a lesser degree, have their share of casinos, live shows and glittering neon. But northern Nevada offers a great deal more than Las Vegas in the way of outdoor sports and fitness activities all year round.

Click here to read more.

Spiced Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a holiday staple and new variations pop up every year. This recipe, on the other hand, goes back to grandma's day. Combines with crisp apples and crunchy pecans, sweet potatoes are a delicious treat. For a large crowd, simply double the recipe.

Chuck Wagon Spiced Apples and Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup apple, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 cup milk
1 cup whipped cream
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Cook sweet potatoes at a simmer 20 minutes until tender. Drain. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and simmer 5 minutes until apples are tender. Combine apples, sweet potatoes and milk. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Serve topped with whipped cream and pecans. Serves 2 night herd riders or 4 school marms.

Recipe courtesy of 'Authentic Cowboy Cookery Then and Now' by Carol Bardelli.

Sunset Supper Poached Figs

Figs are a festive and fancy holiday food. Grocery stores sometimes carry fresh figs during the holiday season. If they're not available in your market, figs can be ordered online from fine food sellers like Amazon and iGourmet.

The fruit of the fig tree (botanical name Ficus carica,) is a staple food in its native home of southwest Asia and the Mediterranean region. Fig trees are also found in the warmer regions of the US including California. While dried figs have a distinctly different appearance from fresh figs, either can be used in this recipe.

Click here to get the recipe and watch the video demonstration.

Holiday Cooking Tips, Alton Brown Turkey Tips Video

A delicious turkey dinner is a Christmas tradition for many families. If you've been cooking awhile, you probably have cooking that turkey down pat. But if you're a newlywed, just out of college, or simply on your own for the first time, you probably could use some help.

Who better to take instruction from than Food TV's Alton Brown. Star of 'Good Eats' and host of 'Iron Chef America' Alton Brown brings expert knowledge and wit to cooking how to demonstrations. In the videos below, Alton will walk you through the whole process and make you feel like an expert also.

Click here to watch Alton's Turkey Tips video.