Processed Meats, Cancer, & Trying Plant Proteins

The week didn’t start of too well for processed meats. The World Health Organization has put bacon, sausages and hot dogs in the same category as cigarettes. The carcinogenic cancer causing class. Yikes!

We’ve known for a while a diet rich in red meat can lead to clogged arteries and heart problems, but now munching away on bacon regularly can lead to colorectal cancer. Which starts in either the colon or the rectum.

In 2011, the World Cancer Research Fund found a statistically significant, 16 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer associated with each 3.5 ounces of red and processed meat consumed per day. Visually speaking 3.5 is about the size of deck of cards. In its newest evaluation, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has updated the findings. Now eating about 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily will increase the risk of colorectal cancer by about 18 percent.

Pretty shocking in four short years the findings have drastically changed. This scary for yourself or as a parent of a young child. I remember back to when I was kid and Lunchables were just the jam. Parents are rushed in morning trying to get themselves ready. Last thing they want to deal with is a kid who finds lunch gross, and it’s so much easier to give them a prepackaged meal they want.

If your meat has either been modified to extend its shelf life or change the taste through smoking, curing, or adding salt or preservatives, you are officially eating processed meat. The chemicals involved in the processing are what can increase the risk of cancer. High temperature cooking, such as on a barbecue, can also create carcinogenic chemicals. Sad but true. The all American barbecue. 

Processed meat has officially been classified as a ‘definite’ cause of cancer (or Group 1 carcinogen) – the same group that includes smoking and alcohol. Group 1 includes bacon, sausages, hot dogs, salami, corned beef, beef jerky and ham as well as canned meat and meat-based sauces.  

Red meat is a ‘probable’ cause of cancer (or a Group 2a carcinogen). This is pork, beef, and lamb, but does not include chicken or fish. Up until this week, red meat was top list of the list for foods to avoid, but processed meats has now kicked it to the curb. 

You will have those who will say, “I’ve been eating meat for years. My grandfather has been eating meat his whole entire life, and he’s  89!” No one is taking away your processed foods or red meat, but you can’t argue with facts and science. It’s been proven people in the 80’s were skinnier than us eating and exercising the exact same amount. Why? Because of the processed foods we are currently eating.

Life is all about balance. Add some to your life. You don’t have to have meat everyday. There are plenty of simple and easy recipes to replace your lunchtime sandwich, without depriving yourself of nutrients and protein. Meat isn’t the only source of protein out there. Get into a plant based lifestyle, and you’ll be surprised by how much protein you can get. 

Try this simple recipe, and open yourself up the possibilities of not eating meat. Trust, you’ll enjoy it, and you won’t be putting any cancer causing processed meats into your body.

Balela Salad

• 2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh mint 
• 1/2 cup (packed) chopped fresh parsley 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion yellow onions 
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• salt and ground black pepper to taste 

• In a salad bowl, lightly mix together the garbanzo beans, black beans, mint, parsley, onion, and grape tomatoes.
• Place the jalapeno pepper, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar into a blender, and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to mix; sprinkle with salt and black pepper to serve.

Super simple, right? Especially if you have a food processor. Top your balela salad with some  lite kefir cheese. I figure if you want to add a little tang, why not make it probiotic? All these simple things you can do to create healthy alternatives. What your grandpa used to eat back in the day, was organic, there was just no need to label it.  

Detoxify and Fight Aging with Mung Beans

Discovering healthy foods is an adventure sometimes. You hear about them because of study’s findings, sometimes a comedian cracks a joke about angelenos living off mung beans and sprouts. You might not think of jokester as a health news source, but they are on to something observing what healthy foodies eat.

Yes, mung beans are a nutrient dense food. They are a member of the legume family and are a good source of protein for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Mung beans are considered to be a cleansing food. Highly regarded in Ayurvedic cooking, mung beans are a blend of soluble and unsoluble fibers which are super easy to digest, and help cleanse and tonify your colon. 

Having a healthy gut is crucial in this day and age when so many off our foods are overly processed and full of chemicals. Detoxification happens in our gut, and having it working properly well make everything about us healthier. You’ll keep the pounds off, fight the signs of aging, and have loads of energy when everyone else is home with a cold. 

In addition to protein and fiber, mung beans are a great source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Filling up your body with this yummy, goodness will also result in lower cholesterol levels, breast cancer prevention, reducing heart problems, and maintaining healthy vision with this low cal bean.

I’ve brought home a bag or two of mung beans from the grocery store. I’ve used them as a salad topper. I’ve sautéd them, but unless you grew up with them, you’re not really sure what to do with them. Luckily, I’ve found some great ways to make mung beans part of my everyday healthy life, and it’s especially awesome when it can be done in the most of savory ways.

First off, sprout you own magic beans by washing and soaking them overnight in plenty of filtered water. The next day give them good rinse, and leave the damp beans in a bowl on the counter. Make sure they’re out of direct sunlight. Once a day give them a through rinse and drain. By day three your little guys will have sprouted a tail, and they are ready to pack you full of nutrients and health. 

Keep your protein packed sprouts in the fridge for up to a week, and try some of these amazing and delicious recipes. These of course are a small sampling. Mung beans have been part of healthy, and delicious eating for centuries because their health benefits can truly heal the body.

Middle-Eastern Ayurvedic Falafel

• 1 cup of soaked (overnight) Mung Beans
• 1 small Onion chopped
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic
• 1/2 cup of chopped Cilantro and Parsley
• 1-2 tsp each Cumin Seeds and Coriander Seeds
• 1 tsp each Red Pepper flakes and Turmeric
• 3-5 tsp Potato Starch (optional – this helps to bind them into patties and give a crispy texture)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Cook soaked mung beans in pressure cooker or stock pot
• In a food processor, add all the ingredients mentioned above (except potato starch) along with cooked mung beans, and grind into a coarse texture.
• Mix mixture with potato starch to form falafel balls.
• Once you form all the balls keep them in the fridge for about 30-40 mins to set and firm up.
• Flatten these balls and place them in a skillet over low-medium heat with two drops of olive oil
• Flip them after couple of minutes to cook on the other side, and voila.

If you’re feeling energetic, try making one of these Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Black Mung Bean Curry. You’ll be the hit of the party. Blow your friends’ minds with this healthy twist, on the usual not good for you dish.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza With Black Mung Bean Curry

Crust

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds mixed with 4 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping

• 1 cup black mung beans, soaked 2 hours
• 1 inch piece kombu
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil or 1/4 cup veggie broth
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Water

Spiced Cauliflower

• Remaining cauliflower, in small florets
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 5 dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

Crust

• Take 3/4ths of the head of cauliflower and grate it into a large bowl. Save the remaining 1/4th for the topping by cutting it up into small florets and placing in a bowl. Or save yourself time and pulse the 3/4th amount in a food processor until grated but not a paste.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place grated cauliflower in a large bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients until well combined. Make sure that the gelled chia is mixed thoroughly into the cauliflower. Use your hands to knead it all together. Spread out cauliflower onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Carefully form a rectangle about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Bake for 30 minutes.

Topping

• Heat up oil or broth in saucepan and saute onion with spices for a few minutes. Drain soaked mung beans and add them along with water to cover. Bring to boil and cover. Simmer until tender. Drain and remove kombu. Season with a little sea salt.
• Meanwhile, heat up skillet and add remaining cauliflower and all ingredients for Spiced Cauliflower, except cilantro. Bring to a boil, then simmer with lid on until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Check on your mung beans.
• To assemble: Spread a layer of mung beans along with pizza crust. Sprinkle the cauliflower across the top of the mung beans and garnish with chopped cilantro.

These are few samples of what you can do with mung beans. Discover for yourself what you can do with this amazing bean. You can make anything from simple salads for on the go eating to creating gourmet meals for the whole family. Mung beans may not be the sexiest of names. Maybe all you visualize is those crunchy noodles like I did from the grocery, but with a little creativity, you can make them the main entree of your dinner table.

Bone Broth: Grandma’s Health Secret For Everyday

Thinking about childhood, having a warm bowl of chicken soup while laying in bed sick is tradition. You wake up with a scratchy throat, and mom would start a big pot of broth like her mother used to make. After finishing a humongous bowl of yummy soup, somehow life was better. Those childhood memories aren’t nostalgia. Bone broth has been officially been put in the superfood category for it’s natural healing powers. 

We’re not talking about broth soup you get in the grocery store aisle next to the bullion cubes. Scientist are extolling the virtues of those homemade, slow roasted broths. Drinking bone broth regularly, according to Gut and Psychology Syndrome, can improve digestion, allergies, immune health, and brain health. Also bone broth can help reduce cellulite by improving connective tissue, increase hair growth/strength, improve digestive issues and remineralize teeth.

All this magic from putting ‘leftover’ bones in a pot of boiling water, and ending up with…

Calcium

Magnesium

Phosphorous

Trace minerals

Fats in bone broth can help restore gut health which will help with absorption of minerals through it’s gelatin and collagen properties. Which help support connective tissue. Hair and nails grow shiny and strong. It helps heal the gut by coating it with a protective layer. Lastly, it helps keep joints healthy.

Need more benefits to try bone broth for yourself? You can also use it to treat adrenal fatigue. Sipping on a cup of will also give you loads of amino acids glycine and proline. Proline is essential to the structure of collagen and is necessary for healthy bones, skin, ligaments and tendons. Why not look like you go to the spa everyday? In addition, glycine helps detoxify the liver, and is necessary for the body to produce the powerful antioxidant, glutathione.  Glycine also helps promote muscle repair and growth.

Does every scientist think bone broth is the be all end all. Not so much, but when it comes to chicken bone broth, they might agree with the masses. According to a study published in 2000 in the medical journal Chest, "chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial medicinal activity." 

The researchers observed that people eating chicken soup seemed to experience a mild reduction in inflammation that helped reduce symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection.

Also, if you look court side at a Laker game you might notice Kobe Bryant and the rest of the team drinking bone broth as a sports recovery drink. Bone broth or soups made with it could help replace electrolytes after intense exercise and aid in post-workout recovery. If bone broth is Kobe’s go to recovery drink, how can you not be curious about this simple elixir? 

But enough about how good bone broth is for you, how to try this for yourself at home.

You’ll need

2 pounds (or more) of bones from a healthy source, preservative free, hormone free

chicken feet for extra gelatin (optional)

1 onion

2 carrots

2 stalks of celery

2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Optional: 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon or more of sea salt, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, additional herbs or spices to taste. 2 cloves of garlic for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

If you are using raw bones, especially beef bones, it improves flavor to roast them in the oven first. Place them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes at 350.

Place the bones in a large stock pot. Pour water over the bones and add the vinegar. Let sit for 20-30 minutes in the cool water. The acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available.

Rough chop and add the vegetables (except the parsley and garlic, if using) to the pot. Add any salt, pepper, spices, or herbs.

Bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done.

• Beef broth/stock: 48 hours

• Chicken or poultry broth/stock: 24 hours

• Fish broth: 8 hours

During the first few hours of simmering, you’ll need to remove the impurities that float to the surface.

During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley, if using.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain using a fine metal strainer to remove all the bits of bone and vegetable. When cool enough, store in a gallon size glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.

And viola you have nutrient dense broth to enjoy everyday to make your life better. Mom always knew how to take care of you on those sick days. Maybe she knew all along the multitude of benefits of this yummy broth. Mom always knows best.

     

Was it easier to be fitter in the 80's?

Looking at old family, you see happy smiles, trips to visit the Easter bunny, but have you noticed how amazingly fit everyone looks? People were eating butter, lots of red meat, and they weren’t really hitting the gym. Is just our imaginations? No, scientist have recently confirmed people today, who eat and exercise the same amount as people 20 years ago, are actually bigger.

A study published recently in the journal Obesity Research & Clinical Practice found that it’s harder for adults today to maintain the same weight as those 20 to 30 years ago did, even at the same levels of food intake and exercise.

The authors examined the dietary data of 36,400 Americans between 1971 and 2008 and the physical activity data of 14,419 people between 1988 and 2006. They grouped the data sets together by the amount of food and activity, age, and BMI.

They found a very surprising correlation: A given person, in 2006, eating the same amount of calories, taking in the same quantities of macronutrients like protein and fat, and exercising the same amount as a person of the same age did in 1988 would have a BMI that was about 2.3 points higher. In other words, people today are about 10 percent heavier than people were in the 1980s, even if they follow the exact same diet and exercise plans.

This note blew me away. You could be eating and exercising in the exact same way, but your 1988 self would be smaller than your 2015 self. So what gives? You’re eating the same amount of calories, burning the same amount of calories, but your size would be different. It doesn’t make sense. 

Research finds it’s a combination of increased exposure to hormone-altering chemicals, the rise in prescription meds like antidepressants that can lead to weight gain, and changing gut bacteria from our meat- and sugar-heavy diets. Plus, stress, eating later, and exposure to light at night, which can mess with your sleep rhythms. 

Think of the number of nights you have laid in bed, with the tablet on your lap watching Netflix. Bet you’re also scrolling through your smartphone while you’re watching your favorite tv show. This new technology behavior sadly isn’t good for us, and our bodies are letting us know.

When it comes to medication, hey, if you need it you need it. Where we can make a difference is what we’re eating, finding a way to unwind, not eating late night, and putting away technology before we’re ready to call it a night. Treat your 2015 body likes it 1988 again.

Add more organic food staples into your life. Those everyday items are the ones with hidden with additives. If you’re drinking cow milk, you don’t know what kind of chemicals may have been injected into it or what kind of feed it’s grazing off. It’s scary when you think about it. It explains how you can be eating the same things in 1988 and 2015, but your body will look different.

Scientist also said adding a little zen to your life is necessary. The driving here, driving there, the constant hustle. You have to stop. Give your body a chance to let go of all the tension life gives you day to day. Try some of these tips to bring some more ‘om’ into your life. Don’t carry around those knots you get from sitting on the freeway during rush hour.

After all that sitting on the freeway the last thing you want to do is cook as soon as you walk in the door. It’s why we’re having all these late night meals, which doctors are telling us need to stop. Maybe dinner isn’t the huge meal we think we should be. Who says you need a huge plate of food to end your day? 

There is no such thing as the perfect size, but we can work towards leading a healthy life. Scientists are telling us we need to take away some of the modern conveniences since they’re actually harming us instead of helping our bodies. We keep hearing natural, raw, organic, and it really could be a better way of life.