BLOG.REALFOODNUTRITION.COM

When Supplements Cause More Harm Than Good

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:57:56 GMT

I'm generally not one to get easily annoyed. However, there are a couple of things that really rattle me. One is when products make false or misleading health claims. Another is that silly pink ribbon breast cancer campaign. Please don't misunderstand me; I'm all about breast cancer awareness and prevention. It's just that many of the products that boast the pink ribbon logo, actually contain ingredients in them that cause breast cancer!

So the other day, a product caught my eye at the pharmacy: Viactiv Calcium Caramel Flavored Chews. Now with Vitamin D! And splashed across the top of the box in bright pink, reminiscent of the pink ribbon campaign, an announcement: "News! Emerging research on breast health."

To the average consumer, this box of candy could seem like a wonderful and delicious way to take a Calcium supplement. Most women are advised to take at least 500 mg by their doctors. And, well...the extra Vitamin D can't hurt! Especially since the makers claims that "Vitamin D may support breast health."

Turn the box around to read the fine print and the ingredients: sugar, calcium carbonate, corn syrup, hydrogenated coconut oil, sweetened condensed milk, caramel color, salt, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, Vitamin D3, Vitamin K, yellow #6. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

First of all, sugar feeds cancer cells. Corn syrup is even worse. The corn has probably been genetically modified, since it's not organic. Same with the soy. Hydrogenated oils cause heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and possibly cancer. Calcium carbonate is the cheapest, least easily absorbed form of calcium. Artificial flavors and yellow # 6 are some more toxins that your poor liver is going to have to filter out, putting an additional strain on your body.

Yes, Vitamin D, which acts like a hormone in your body, does support breast health among many other things. But please, please, please, don't be fooled by these junk food pushers selling their "healthy candy."

If you're feeling confused and overwhelmed with your supplements and aren't sure what to take, I'm offering a special through the month of October. I will review a week's worth of your food intake, do a nutritional analysis, and inventory of all your supplements for just $49. I am not a vitamin pusher because I believe that it all has to start with a healthy diet. But there is a time and a place for them and I'm happy to help you to sort that out.

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com

Radiation Update: Antioxidants over Iodine

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:20:00 GMT

Designs for Health, one of my favorite nutraceutical companies, hosted an educational call on the current radiation situation and here's what I gleaned from it. If we are threated by radiation, Radioactive Iodine is the least of our worries. The stampede should be for Antioxidants rather than for Potassium Iodine. And the best thing that we can do today is to keep stress levels low, avoid panic, and continue to eat a whole foods diet, free of preservatives and toxins.

Radiation essentially transforms the water in our bodies into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals, the most damaging of all free radicals. These particles can then react with our own DNA, potentially causing all types of cancers throughout the whole body. Radiation is made up of a slew of nasty particles including Krypton, Plutonium, Cesium, Uranium, and other mixed oxides. Some of these have a very long lasting half life of up to one year.

Radioactive Iodine is just one part of the horrendous concoction. It specifically targets the thyroid and causes thyroid cancer, but it has a very short half life, meaning that it dissipates quickly. Previous incidents such as Chernobyl show that adults have virtually no risk. It was mostly the children that were stricken. Most of their exposure came from drinking milk from cows that had eaten radioactive grass.

It is true that if you are eating a diet that is high in iodine, you will be less likely to absorb the radioactive iodine. Luckily for the Japanese, their traditional diet, rich in sea vegetables and fish is naturally rich in iodine.

Because Radioactive Iodine has such a short half life, it is highly unlikely that here in California we will be exposed to radiation drifting in from the Japanese incident. However, the likelihood of an earthquake, a possible tsunami, and impending accidents to our own nuclear reactors is a very real threat and we should be prepared.

In case of an emergency, right at the time of exposure or within 2-4 hours of an incident, adults should take 130 mg of Potassium Iodine. Infants under 1 year of age should take 65 mg. This will block up to 97% of the absorption of Radioactive Iodine. It should be understood that this is only protecting the thyroid. This will have no effect on all the other kinds of other cancers potentially caused from the radiation. While up to 30 mg of Iodine has been proven effective, the higher dose will ensure blood levels to remain high for a few weeks. It is not necessary to take that much Iodine ahead of time and it can in fact be dangerous to your health! Side effects include anxiety, heart palpitations, hyperthyroidism, and even death.

So what can we do to protect ourselves from the other, more dangerous elements of radiation? Quite simply, we need to ensure that we are eating an antioxidant rich whole foods diet and that we are optimally detoxifying. Herbs and spices like garlic, ginger, and panax ginseng reduce radiation induced cell death. Aloe Vera protects the skin and digestive tract from radiation exposure, as does ginger.

Melatonin protects against cellular damage. Our bodies do not make melatonin unless we get enough sleep in complete darkness. We make melatonin ourselves from serotonin which we make from amino acids (specifially l-tryptophan and 5-HTP) and Vitamin B6. Amino acids come from protein foods, so adequate protein intake is key. Glutathione is one of our body's premier antioxidants. We make it ourselves from an amino acid called L-cysteine. Whey protein powder, as long as it's been low heat processed and isn't denatured, is a wonderful source of L-cysteine.

Meanwhile, it makes sense to supplement with smaller amounts of iodine over time to ensure that your thyroid receptors are full. Many of us are already iodine deficient as a result of drinking fluoridated and chlorinated water and eating refined flour products that contain bromides. This can lead to a sluggish thyroid and symptoms such as extreme fatigue and inability to lose weight. Contact me (sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com) to order an iodine testing kit to determine what your current levels are and how much you need to supplement with.

It also makes sense to supplement with antioxidants since not all of us can eat 100% organic and fresh every day. I am a big fan of Alpha Lipoic Acid which recycles Vitamins C & E in your body. Alpha Lipoic Acid is an antioxidant that is both water and fat soluble so it can positively benefit all of your body's tissues.

If you are curious about radiation levels in your area, the Environmental Protection Agency is tracking it for us on their website, radnet.

Meanwhile, if you haven't been eating a healthy diet, perhaps this is the wake up call you need to start making some positive changes in your life. One of the most beautiful things about healthful eating is that by expanding your own consciousness and making healthier choices, you can have a positive impact on the health of the planet and the state of the world, one bite at a time. For a free 30 minute phone consultation, call me at 510-421-3214. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Yours in Health,
Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE
www.realfoodnutrition.com

Calcium Supplements Are Not for Every One

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:18:00 GMT

Recently a friend of mine was diagnosed with osteoporosis. She was shocked. "But I've been taking calcium supplements my whole life!" she exclaimed. Indeed her blood levels of calcium and even Vitamin D were within the normal range.

What many people don't realize is that osteoporosis is not a problem of calcium deficiency, but rather of calcium absorption and assimilation . What even fewer people realize is that while some folks benefit from calcium supplements, there are others who can actually cause themselves harm. It has to do with biochemical individuality, what an individual's particular metabolic type is, and how foods and supplements affect that individual's blood pH.

My mentor Dr. Kristal used to explain in seminars that if you give 100 people calcium citrate, about half will become more alkaline, while the other half will become more acidic. For the half that become more acidic, in an attempt to stay alkaline, the body will draw minerals from its bones to rebalance the blood pH. So instead of the calcium supplement contributing to bone health, for these people, the calcium supplement has a negative effect.

Aside from this blood pH issue, there are many people who take too much supplemental calcium and not enough magnesium and/or Vitamins D & K to balance it out. The body will not get the message to send the calcium to the bones and responds by storing the calcium in inappropriate and potentially troublesome areas such as the insides of the arteries or around the joints.

To build and protect healthy, strong bones, it is important to maintain an ideal blood pH. In order to do this, you should know your metabolic type, and what foods you should emphasize to keep you in balance. There is currently much misunderstanding on how to "alkalize" one's system. Alkaline water, more green foods, raw foods and "special" supplements are bogus unless you know how your individual system responds to them. In other words, a particular product may make you more acidic and your neighbor more alkaline because your metabolisms are working differently. For more reading on this subject, please refer to The Nutrition Solution, by Dr. Harold Kristal and James Haig.

In addition to maintaining proper pH, engaging in regular weight bearing exercise, rebounding on a mini trampoline, and salivary hormone testing (low estrogen can lead to weak bones), are all part of the equation for healthy bones.

I have been using Dr. Kristal's in-office testing protocol for metabolic type testing that looks at urine, saliva, and blood in order to determine an individual's metabolic type for the last 8 years and have seen tremendous results. The body does not lie! To learn more about this unique process, please contact me: sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com or call me at 510-421-3214.

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE
www.realfoodnutrition.com

Protect Yourself From Radiation

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:48:00 GMT

The catastrophe that's hit Japan is mindblowing and has affected me on a deep emotional level. Our home, Planet Earth, is not as vast as we once believed it to be and what happens far away can impact us on so many levels. We are all interconnected in this web of life.

Today, the headlines are announcing a nuclear disaster in Japan that is almost as bad as Chernobyl. Here in California, we are threatened with the pollution that could make it's way across the Pacific.

Here are my recommendations, (gleaned from Drs. Ann Louise Gittleman and Jon Barron) to protect yourself from radiation:

Eat sea vegetables daily. Sea vegetables are rich in sodium alginate which chelates radiation out of your system. You can use Nori seaweed sheets to wrap sandwiches in instead of bread. You can tear nori sheets into pieces and mix them into salad, soups, and rice. You can find dulse and kelp flakes in your local health food store and sprinkle them liberally onto your food. Drink bladderwrack tea. You can boil your grains with strips of Kombu seaweed. Use hijiki and wakame to make salads. (You can skip the sugar and use agave nectar instead in the linked seaweed salad recipes).

Boost your beta carotenes: This will help to keep your immune system strong and keep your mucous membranes lubricated. Eat carrots, winter squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and any and all dark leafy vegetables.

Protect your DNA with nucleotide rich foods: Nucleotides protect DNA integrity. Eat sardines, anchovies, and/or sprinkle nutritional yeast (at least 2 Tbsp) on your foods every day.

Supplements: If you are low on iodine, your thyroid will pick up the radioactive iodine that is being released into the atmosphere. Preload your thyroid with good iodine so that your are less likely to absorb the radioactive kind. If you have a healthy thyroid and are not taking medication, Take the iodine supplement called Iodoral, at least 125 mg daily with food. I also recommend Russian Choice Immune, a probiotic supplement that was especially designed for Chernobyl survivors.

Stay strong and positive and try to remain in a state of gratitude rather than one of panic.

Your in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

When No Amount of Food Will Fill You Up

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:35:00 GMT

Dear Readers,

I hesitated to write this post, but have decided to let myself be vulnerable. No one among us is perfect and even a holistic nutritionist is sometimes challenged with her own emotional eating! So I share with you my latest struggle in hopes that someone may identify and feel inspired.

I've had the January doldrums. The holidays are over, the credit card bills are due, the next holiday in sight is Valentine's Day and romance is NOT in the air. Although it's natural to put on a little weight over the Winter, I am unhappy that everything feels a little snug. My workout routine has been sporadic and my body would much rather rest and sleep in than go outside in the dark and cold.

So the other day, I was feeling particularly low and premenstrual. I was REALLY craving something and so I wandered into the Berkeley Bowl grocery store. As I walked through the isles, I slowly began to fill up my shopping cart with "healthy" treats. Being a nutritionist, I try to follow certain guidelines around the foods I eat. No more than five ingredients, things that I can pronounce and recognize, no sugar, no gluten (I am gluten sensitive), decent fiber content, etc, etc.

As I was approaching the checkout line, I scanned the contents of my cart. I had a pint of coconut bliss (agave sweetened coconut milk based ice cream), a couple different organic dark 70% or more cocoa content chocolate bars, several different varieties of gluten free cookies, various "raw" concoctions, and, a bagful of dried mango slices. All "nutritious" foods, but truly sugar and fat in various forms. Suddenly, I panicked. I realized that I was going to go home, probably sample ALL of these tasty treat and feel overly full afterwards. I also recognized that my HUNGER to FEEL BETTER would undoubtably still be there, despite having filled my belly. I turned around, left the shopping cart and walked out of the store. (Sorry Berkeley Bowl employees! I owe you one...)

Once out of the store, I called a friend to talk about what had just happened and we shared a laugh. THAT made me feel better. I took some deep belly breaths and asked myself "What is really going on?" I was feeling stressed out, unappreciated, and slightly anxious, and like I hadn't had any "fun" lately. I decided to take off my shoes and go walk in the grass in the median right across the street. On the spur of the moment, I tried a cartwheel. THAT made me feel better. Interestingly, there is quite a bit of research suggesting that simply putting your bare feet in the earth can do wonders for your overall health.

Am I suggesting that you walk barefoot and do cartwheels instead of numbing yourself with food? NO. Well, maybe sometimes if that works for you! What I am suggesting is to stay present with yourself. Observe your behavior with curiosity and try to find out what your real motivation is. You may be surprised by what you discover. What I am beginning to feel is gratitude for my seemingly senseless cravings. They are a cry for help. They are my spirit begging for attention. And I am starting to pay attention.

On the flip side, I know that my body and brain need attention too. Serotonin (your feel good brain chemical) drops the lowest during this time of year and the body's response is to crave sweets. Serotonin also drops dramatically right before a woman's period begins. Although eating carbohydrates at night will temporarily boost serotonin, doing so on a regular basis will sap your serotonin reserves if you're not replenishing with the building blocks of serotonin, namely amino acids that come from protein foods. You also need a lot of Vitamin B6 to convert amino acids into serotonin.

With this knowledge, I am revamping my eating plan to include more protein and healthy fats for a happy brain. I am also being gentle with myself and allowing myself to do a little bit of hibernation in this Winter season. What this experience has taught me is how important it is to be present in my body and with my emotions. Feeling connection in the universe and cultivating joy for myself truly needs to come first. Unless I have that, I won't have the energy to follow through with what I "know" intellectually as far as my nutritional needs are concerned.

So I leave you with this question: What will nourish you today besides your food? What time have you carved out for yourself to do something that brings you joy? I'd love to hear from you...

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE
www.realfoodnutrition.com

Yummy Yam & Quinoa Sushi Rolls

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:29:00 GMT

Sushi rolls are actually super easy to make. It just takes a little preparation time and some practice! I love to make these and bring them to parties and pot lucks. Beautiful, colorful, and yummy, your friends will be impressed!

I prefer to use quinoa because it is higher in protein than brown rice. Also, it tends to stick together pretty well so it's easier to work with.

Soak the quinoa overnight (for at least 6 hours) in water and a squirt of lemon juice. Soaking grains helps to get rid of the phytic acid coating that makes them hard to digest for some people. Quinoa in particular can have a bitter flavor if it's not soaked beforehand. Rinse well, and you'll see some soapy residue. Those are soapamines that are shedding off. Good riddance! Those soapamines and the phytic acid prevents aborption of minerals from the grains.

Cover the quinoa with pure water (about 2 inches above) and bring to a boil. Add a strip of Kombu seaweed into the pot to mineralize the grains and give yourself a super nutrition boost! Minerals nourish your system, strengthen your bones, tone your nervous system, and even boost your metabolism. You can find Kombu seaweed in the Asian or macrobiotic section of your local health food store. Simmer for 35 minutes or so. Let cool.

Meanwhile, chop up whatever vegetables you have on hand. This time around I had some cooked yams, steamed kale, green onions, avocado, and carrots. Cut them into long strips.

Place a sheet of Nori seaweed, shiny side down, onto a bamboo sushi rolling mat. Then, grab a handful of quinoa and spread it across the bottom of a sheet of Nori seaweed. Add on your various vegetables, making sure you don't pile them on too thick or it will be hard to roll up!

Now here's the tricky part! Using the bamboo roller mat, pinch the end closest to you closed across the top of all the goodies and then "roll" it closed. You may need a touch of moisture to "stick" the sheet closed at the end. Simply wet your finger and pat the edges.

Use a super sharp knife to slice the final roll into pieces. The ends may look too funky to serve, so just eat them yourself! If you don't have a super sharp knife, a serrated knife works well.

Because I am avoiding wheat gluten, I serve the sushi with wheat free tamari (yes, soy sauce has wheat in it). Enjoy!

Keep me posted on your own sushi making adventures!
Yours in Health,
Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE
www.realfoodnutrition.com

Dry Cracked Heels & Other Bodily Signs You Need Better Nutrition

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:28:00 GMT

I'm hanging onto sandal season despite Thanksgiving being three weeks away! Here in California, we've had a few really nice warm days and so I've been taking advantage and showing off my fabulous green toenail polish as much as possible!

Last time I went for a pedi, I couldn't help but notice how many people came in with super dry cracked heels. While slathering on lotion can be a temporary solution, not many people realize the important role that nutrition plays in skin health. In fact, there are many visible bodily signs of malnutrition. Dry skin is certainly one of them.

When clients come to see me, I do a medical history form and a three day diet recall so that I can get important background information. I also generally scan their face, skin, hair, and nails and this can give me some very strong signals of what they might need support with. I also prefer to start with a metabolic typing assessment . Some of us need way more dietary fat than others, and following the typical low fat diet that's recommended by most mainstream establishments may not be working for certain Metabolic Types. That's right! More dietary fat can be a good thing, if you're choosing the right kinds of oils. The right kind of fat will keep your skin soft and supple and will actually help you to lose weight!

Vitamins A, C, E, and minerals selenium and zinc are crucial for healthy skin. So are essential fatty acids. Most of the time, boosting the diet with plenty of deep sea fish, flax seeds and purslane (excellent plant sources for the omegas), pumpkin seeds for zinc (tis the season!), and brazil nuts for selenium provides the body with nutrients to repair those dry cracked heels.

Dry, dull, or thinning hair can be an indication of hormonal imbalances and/or protein deficiency. Dandruff is often due to fatty acid imbalances or can be caused by yeast overgrowth that comes from the overconsumption of sugar.

Peeling and ridges in the nails may indicate poor digestion and lack of stomach acid. White spots in the nail bed are an indication of low zinc which is crucial for immune function.

Rather than spend tons of money to cover up these problems with lotions and potions that are potentially harmful and cancer causing, why not make an investment in yourself and heal your body (and your heels!) from the inside out? Come and see me for a health and beauty consultation before the holidaze. Mention this article and I'll email you a comprehensive list of chemicals you must avoid in "beauty" products.

Yours in Health,
Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE
www.realfoodnutrition.com

Dark Chocolate Truffle Treats

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 22:59:00 GMT

I was inspired this Halloween to make a yummy healthy treat for myself and for my friends. Halloween is often the beginning of the downward spiral of overeating and sugar binges that last until January 1st. Don't sabotage yourself! You can enjoy something tasty without caving in to the sugar monster. You can whip these up in about fifteen minutes. Enjoy!

Trick or Treat!
Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE
www.realfoodnutrition.com

Ingredients:

½ cup pitted prunes
¼ cup pitted dates
3 Tbsp almond butter
1 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
½ cup finely grated, unsweetened coconut

Instructions:

In a food processor, drop the prunes and dates one by one.
Scrape the food processor bowl and run until prunes and dates are smooth
Add remaining ingredients except for coconut.
Run until smooth and scrape the bowl as needed.
Roll the mixture into 12 one inch balls and roll in coconut to coat.
Refrigerate for at least ½ hour.

You can also chop the ingredients by hand, for a chunkier truffle.
Cut dates and prunes in quarters.
Toss with 1 Tbs of the cocoa to prevent pieces from sticking together.
Place the chopped mixture in bowl and combine with remaining ingredients.

Chocolate Orange Decadence

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 20:14:00 GMT

Oh yeah! This delicious, rich, decadent torte is gluten free, dairy free, and sugar free! I made it last night for a group of girlfriends and it was a hit. Plus, it's really easy to make. Enjoy!

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp pink himalayan sea salt

3 organic eggs from pastured hens

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1 Tbsp orange zest

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil the inside of a springform pan using a paper towel and a dab of grapeseed oil.

In a food processor or a coffee grinder, pulse 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into a coarse, gravel like texture.

In a large bowl, mix the "graveled" chocolate chips, the almond flour, the cocao powder and salt.

Mix in the eggs, agave, and grapeseed oil.

Add in the orange zest.

Finally, fold in the remaining chocolate chips.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick for "doneness." The toothpick should come out clean.

Garnish with orange zest. Serves 12.

My Apologies

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:22:00 GMT

Dear Readers,

Yesterday I blogged about my experience with an overweight Kaiser nurse who gave me a vaccination and expressed to me how sad she felt it was that I couldn't go reward myself afterwards with an ice cream sundae due to my dairy free diet.

I must admit that while writing the post, I was still emotionally triggered from the argument we had regarding food sensitivities. She was claiming that they were "no big deal" and for me, and in my practice as a nutritionist, I feel that they are indeed a huge deal. I felt that her comments to me were essentially minimizing my entire education and what I stand for.

However, rather than reacting out of anger, I should have taken a moment to empathize with her.

I described her as "very obese, pasty, and puffy." That was not a compassionate thing to say and I apologize. What I was trying to say was that she looked unhealthy and was showing symptoms of food allergies herself. I can look at pictures of myself in the past and can tell by how puffy my face looks that I had been eating bread and or drinking beer (that contains gluten) the night before. Dark circles under the eyes for example are a tell tale sign for dairy sensitivities. Acne is often related to dairy sensitivities.

So often, we are addicted to the very foods that we are sensitive to. We crave them and find it impossible to live without them. It causes me great pain to see people suffer and caught up in the addiction cycle. Often the only joy that people feel centers around foods that are actually causing them harm.

The first step to breaking the food addiction cycle is to face the truth and to become educated. With some patience and faith, within just a few days, the physical symptoms are relieved and the cravings lessen. In my work with my clients, it is my goal to discover these hidden food sensitivities, and to create delicious customized menu plans that emphasize the myriads of yummy, healthful foods that they CAN enjoy.

Please forgive me if I offended...

Love and Light,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

www.realfoodnutrition.com

The Injection Nurse at Kaiser Today

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:42:00 GMT

At my last check up appointment, my doctor told me I was due for a tetanus shot and that I should probably get vaccinated against the whooping cough too. Now I'm a little on the fence about vaccinations I must admit. I refuse to get the flu shot because I just think it's unnecessary.

From personal experience, it seems that those who get the flu shot are always getting sick! I never get the flu and get a cold maybe once or twice a year. There used to be a time when I did get sick much more frequently. But back then, I was smoking cigarettes, not getting enough sleep, and eating too much sugar, all things that deplete the immune system drastically.

When the whole swine flu scare came out, I blogged about it, encouraging people to rethink getting vaccinated against what would probably eventually blow over as a big nothing. There are plenty of things we can do to boost our immune systems without the risk of serious side effects. I wish doctors were as eager to increase their patients' Vitamin D level than to send them for vaccinations. (Low vitamin D makes you much more susceptible to colds and flus, amongst other health issues.)

Anyway, I decided to go and get the booster shots this morning. When the nurse called my number, I asked her if there was any mercury in the shots that she was going to administer. She rolled her eyes at me and said that there wasn't. OK. Then I mentioned to her that I had a food sensitivity to eggs. Is there any way to get the injection in a base that doesn't contain egg albumin? She shook her head no.

Then we got into a big debate regarding the difference between full blown food allergies and food sensitivities. She assured me that it's only those who get anaphylactic shock from eggs that should be concerned about the vaccine. She proceeded to tell me that "people tend to overreact about food sensitivities and that it's really not a big deal." Regarding my decision to eliminate gluten, cow dairy, and eggs from my diet, she shook her head and said. "That's so sad...that means you can't go to Fenton's and treat yourself to a nice ice cream sundae after your shot."

She really meant it too. I looked her up and down. She was very obese, pasty and puffy. Now I am not a mean person and I hate to sit in judgement. But all I could think about was actually how sad it was for her....as unhealthy as she is, working in a health facility with full access to farmer's market produce, health education classes, and some of the best doctors around! Obviously, this woman has a love affair with ice cream, a love affair that has turned into an abusive relationship, judging by her waist circumference.

Oooh ouch. Did I just really write that? Guess so! All I'm trying to say is that people tend to be addicted to foods they're sensitive to. And the foods that we're sensitive to make us put on weight very quickly. Today I can honestly say that the freedom that I feel from eliminating the foods that I am sensitive to brings me a much deeper and more permanent joy than indulging for 5-10 minutes with an ice cream sundae.

There are so many delicious healthy things for me to eat out there! This week, I'll be posting the fabulous treats that I can enjoy as part of a gluten, dairy, and egg free diet!

If you're curious about your own food sensitivities, I am offering a very simple blood spot test that looks for the 30 most common food allergies. I can mail it to you or we can do it in person and the cost is only $160.

To Your Health!

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

www.realfoodnutrition.com

P.S. I have nothing against nurses; they are some of the most giving, loving people around. It is not my intention to offend

Ten Tips For Cancer Prevention

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:55:00 GMT

This last Sunday, I participated group hike and fundraiser to benefit the Breast Cancer Fund . What an uplifting experience! It was a gorgeous day. The coastal fog burned off by mid morning and the views all up and down Mount Tamalpais were inspirational.

Foggy Beginning No Carb Loading for me!

It's Wrong for my Metabolic Type....

Sunny Ascent Relief Under Shady Redwoods...

From the Top! All Downhill From Here The Finish Line!

I support the Breast Cancer Fund because they are dedicated to education around cancer prevention. There are many environmental causes of breast cancer and we need to know what they are so that we can make healthier choices!

My big take-away was that plastics are evil. For food storage I use pyrex and stainless steel. However, the bottles that I have been filling with reverse osmosis water contain hormone disrupting phthalates (BPA). Check the codes on your plastic items to see if the plastic you're using is safe or not. Here are the top 10 tips I learned while trekking on Sunday:

1). Know Your Plastics. Avoid clear, shatter proof plastic that contains BPA (usually code 7). This was the code on the bottom of my water jug. Safer plastics are coded 1, 2, 4, and 5.

2). Minimize canned foods. The lining inside of cans is coated with BPA (bisphenol A) which leaches into the food. Be especially careful with acidic foods such as tomatoes and pineapple which leach even more! Yes, this means coconut milk too. Thankfully, there is now coconut milk in cartons available for purchase.

3). Never microwave in plastic! (Try to minimize microwaving in general; plants watered with microwaved water will always die)

4). Use non-toxic cleaning products. You can use baking soda and vinegar for most cleaning jobs.

5). Eat hormone free meat and dairy. If the animal is given hormones and you eat it, you get hormones too!

6). Avoid "fragrance." Those Glade type plug ins are bad news. Use essential oils instead which are non toxic.

7). Avoid the following hormone disrupting ingredients: DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, parabens, PEG, anything that ends with -eth, triclosan, triclocarban, triethanolamine (TEA), hydroquinone, and oxybenzone.

8). Avoid anti-aging creams that contain lactic, glycolic, AHA, or BHA acids.

9). Avoid slathering on sunscreen. Yep, that's right. Most sunscreens contain cancer causing ingredients. Pretty ironic. Plus, making Vitamin D from the sun is one of the easiest and best cancer prevention strategies there is and sunscreen prevents you from Vitamin D synthesis. Do limit exposure and cover up during peak sun hours. Find a safer sunblock at: www.safecosmetics.org/skindeep.

10). Use a headset when talking on your cell phone. Or text instead of calling. The EMF's that radiate from cell phones are creating health risks that are not yet well understood and may be causing hormonal disruptions.

October is Breast Cancer Prevention Month. Please pass this information on to a friend...

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

www.realfooodnutrition.com

Chocolate Delights, Flax Seed Cones, & Natural Disinfectant

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:33:00 GMT

One of my favorite things to do is to visit Farmer's Markets and meet and try new delectable, organic, hand-made products! Time to give some props where they are due! Here are some of my recent favorites. Enjoy!

Coracao Confections Truffles.

www.coracaoconfections.com or catch them at the Tuesday afternoon Berkeley Farmer's Market on Derby.

Raw Daddy's Flax Seed "ice Cream" Cones.

James, the creator of this fun and delicious product, dehydrates flax seeds into a cone shape and fills them with incredible mixes of raw veggies, and or nut butters to create truly innovative flavors. You can buy the flax seed cones separately and use them instead of bread or a tortilla. MUCH healthier, full of omegas, fiber, and raw enzymes. I first tried one at the Underground Farmer's Market. Location changes for this "secret" market, but if you want the details, get on the mailing list with Forage S.F. You can also check out: www.rawdaddyfoods.com.

Cloud of Protection: Defense Against Illness, Bad Vibes and Stinkiness.

This is a lovely alternative to using antibacterial hand sanitizer constantly. Many "hand sanitizers" contain triclosan, a chemical which can disrupt hormones, impair detoxification, and is very toxic to critters living in our waters. Using antibacterial products frequently can increase your resistance to antibiotics over time, leaving you in a terrible bind should you ever REALLY need antibiotics. If you're concerned about "germs" use this product instead! It contains essential oils that fight airborne bacteria and viruses. It smells fantastic...

I discovered this product at the Bee Hive Farmer's Market in Berkeley on San Pablo and Cedar. Visit their website at: www.ByNieves.com.

Let me know what you think and I'd love to hear from you regarding some of your fabulous, healthy, and local new discoveries.

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

www.realfoodnutrition.com

Hidden Food Sensitivities That Keep You Fat & Sick

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:28:00 GMT

More and more of my clients are testing positive for hidden food sensitivities. If you're eating whole, healthy foods, but are still struggling to lose those last ten pounds, you may have hidden food sensitivities. If you really, really "crave" certain foods and find yourself completely unable to stop eating them, you may have hidden food sensitivities. If you've been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you probably have food sensitivities. If you suffer from migraine headaches, this may be a real issue for you worth investigating.

Let me give you a dramatic example from my personal experience. While I was working on my own weight loss plan and consistently monitoring my weight and body fat daily, I had a moment of weakness and decided to eat three slices of pizza from the Cheeseboard in Berkeley. Great stuff, quality ingredients! Well, after having been off of gluten and dairy for almost 30 days, my body revolted.

I started intensely craving bread and dairy. After the pizza, I wanted ice cream so badly! I hadn't felt the need in a really long time. I pushed past the craving but the next morning, I had a piece of sourdough toast and some melted, organic cheddar. That night for dinner, I made some whole grain pasta as a side dish. On day 3, when I went to weigh myself, I had put on 7 pounds! Most of that weight was water, but still, my pants no longer fit, and I felt and looked bloated and puffy. My bowels were out of whack for nearly 5 days. True story.

Post Pizza Blues!!

When most people think of food allergies, they think of dramatic, potentially life threatening symptoms such as anaphylactic shock or giant hives that pop up right after eating certain foods. These allergies are known as "IgE" immmune responses. The kind of allergies I'm talking about are much more subtle and can take days to show up. These "IgG" immune reactions are difficult to pinpoint. In my case, it was obvious that gluten and dairy had caused me grief because I'd been off of them for so long. When I reintroduced them, the effect was noticeable. Most people are constantly eating foods that they are sensitive too and don't even realize that they are carrying extra water weight, or that the quality of their lives are less than optimal.

The top offenders are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and peanuts. You could try a modified elimination diet and then reintroduce each food one by one to find out if any of these are problematic. But if you are feeling a little undisciplined and impatient for results, then I would recommend getting a blood test!

I'm so pleased that there is now a blood spot test available for food sensitivity testing. It tests for the 30 most common IgG food allergies and includes: gluten, corn, dairy, soy, beef, eggs, tomato, peanuts and more. It's only $160 which includes a half hour phone consultation with me to go over the results and do some menu planning. I will mail you the kit, which involves a simple blood spot test. (You'll be using a single use lancet just like a diabetic would to check their own blood sugars; it's very easy!) To order, email me: sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com.

Once you discover that you have food sensitivities, you must keep those foods out of your diet for a minimum of 3-6 months so that your gut lining can heal. There are nutritional supplements that you can take to speed up the process and I will help you to craft a personalized program. If you do it right, you may be able to reintroduce certain foods and eat them for the rest of your life, problem free on a rotating basis. This may or may not be true for you with gluten. For some folks, gluten is a life long poison that they must learn to avoid.

The good news is that there are more and more tasty alternatives out there! Next week, I'll post some ideas for delicious gluten free, dairy free, egg free menus. I just got my test results back and unfortunately, it looks like eggs are not my friends right now. I am a big fan of eggs in general for people that are not sensitive to them, provided the eggs are free range, pastured & organic! But that's a different story...Until then, get out there and enjoy the remaining summer sunshine!

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Super Yummy Gluten Free Coconut Muffins!

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:04:00 GMT

Oh my Goodness! These muffins are so yummy, you'll have a hard time saving any for later when they come out of the oven! The good news is that these sweet treats are low carb, gluten free, and high in fiber.

My secret is to use Raw Coconut Crystals rather than honey to create a truly low carb and low glycemic muffin.
Coconut is your secret fat loss ally! Coconut will help to balance your thyroid, which is the gland that regulates your metabolic rate, or how many calories you burn at rest.

Here's what you'll need:

3 organic eggs
3 Tbsp melted organic butter, melted (not in the microwave please!)
2 Tbsp coconut milk
3 Tbsp raw coconut crystals (find this at Whole Foods or your local health food store)
1/4 tsp unrefined salt
1/4 tsp organic vanilla extract
1/4 cup sifted coconut flour (I like Aloha Nu brand; buy it online)
1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder

Here's What to Do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Blend together eggs, melted butter, coconut milk, coconut crystals, salt, and vanilla.
Sift coconut flour together with the baking powder into the mixture.
Stir until there are no lumps.
Spoon batter into muffin tin.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Test for readiness with a toothpick. (Nothing should stick to the toothpick when you stick it in the center of the muffin)

Serve and be prepared to delight your friends and family members!! Above recipe makes 6 muffins.
Each muffin has: 100 calories, 7 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber.

How to Open a Coconut

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:01:00 GMT

There may be nothing better than the cool, sweet, refreshing juice of a young coconut on a hot summer day. Although you can find canned and bottled coconut water at the health food store, nothing beats getting it straight from the source. Cracking a coconut can seem like a bit of a challenge, unless you know the secret of how to easily open one! Let me show you how it's done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=108OaZ9myHU

Coconut water is an excellent source of natural electrolytes, so it makes for an excellent sports drink, without all of the extra artificial sweeteners and colors that are added to most of the sports drinks out there. It has a naturally sweet delicious taste. No extra sugar needed!

The flesh of the coconut is delicious and nutritious! Some folks are still scared of eating coconut because it's a saturated fat. Get over it!!!! Eating coconut will actually help you to lose weight!

Coconut balances thyroid function (which will help you to stay slim and energetic)

Coconut is naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal because of the lauric acid it contains. Guess what else contains lauric acid? Mother's milk.

Coconut is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCT's). These medium chain fatty acids are used by the body instantly to boost energy and are never stored as fat. Athletes supplement with MCT's to improve performance.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend adding coconut to your health and weight management program.

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Is Honey a Healthy Sweetener?

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:05:00 GMT

This morning was my second test in my Great Blood Sugar Experiment! Last time, I tested Agave Nectar to see how it impacted my blood sugar. Amazingly, the claims seem to be true! My blood sugar only went up 6 points from having about 2 oz. on an empty stomach. Based on this data, I would recommend the use of Agave for anyone who is concerned about their blood sugar or who is wanting to lose excess weight. This morning I tested myself with raw, local honey. Watch my video to see the results!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PttuN22pemg

Final Results:

Fasting blood sugar = 95

After 2 oz. of raw, local honey = 134

That's quite an increase! While it's not horrible, honey may not be the best sweetener for folks controlling their blood sugar. While it is more nutritious than white sugar, it is also more caloric (46 cal per Tbsp white sugar vs. 64 cal per Tbsp of honey), and should be used sparingly for weight loss purposes.

To purchase GlucoGone or Premium Whey Protein (2 phenomenal products I mentioned in the video), Call Metabolic Nutrition at 415-257-3099 and let them know that Sylvie sent you to receive a special discount!

I've been really curious about the various claims made with so called "healthy" sweeteners. Are they real? Are these "natural" sweeteners really better for us? How do the different sweeteners really impact our blood sugar? One of my central themes when I work with clients is to teach them about the importance of balanced blood sugar. Fluctuating blood sugar leads to weight gain, can trigger migraines, depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders and can eventually turn into Type II Diabetes.

Obviously, I recommend that all of my clients steer clear of refined sugar as much as possible. White sugar is an anti-nutrient, stripping the body of energizing B vitamins and minerals, upsetting the bacterial balance that regulates digestion, suppressing your immune system, rotting your teeth out, wreaking havoc on your blood sugar which will lead to ups and downs in your mood.....need I say more?

But what about the other alternatives? I never recommend chemical sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin (nutra-sweet and equal). Splenda is also problematic. It is NOT a natural sweetener like they claim on the label. Splenda is made by attaching a chlorine molecule onto a sugar molecule. Supposedly it passes through your system undigested and is safe for diabetics. However, studies have shown enlarged livers and kidneys and shrunken thymus glands in primates given Splenda. The liver and kidney are detoxification organs and the thymus is our master immune system gland. I don't think any of us want to end up sick and toxic!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be testing how various sweeteners impact my own blood sugar and I'll be sharing the results with you all!

I'm hoping that I'll be able to draw some important conclusions based on my own observation and quasi scientific experiment.

Tune in next time for Maple Syrup! Please let me know if there are any sweeteners you are curious about.

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

The Great Blood Sugar Experiment: Agave

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:52:00 GMT

I've started the Great Blood Sugar Experiment!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be testing how various sweeteners impact my own blood sugar and I'll be sharing the results with you all!

I'm hoping that I'll be able to draw some important conclusions based on my own observation and quasi scientific experiment.

This morning, I started with Agave Nectar:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmNijQxoqvU

Here's the Results!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvQc5tUhqnc

Final results: Agave Nectar only raised my blood sugar by 6 points. However, at around 4pm (which is when blood sugar typically dips the lowest) I was seriously irritable and needed to take a nap, which hasn't happened to me in a while.

Stay tuned for my next experiment: Raw Honey

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

www.realfoodnutrition.com

Raving About Ramps!

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sat, 29 May 2010 17:52:00 GMT

Last weekend I met some girlfriends for lunch at the Ferry Plaza Building in San Francisco. After an eclectic and delicious meal of fresh young coconut (what a challenge to find someone to open it for me--thank you cute butcher guy!), Burrata cheese, eggplant dip, and assorted charcuterie, we perused the market. At the Far West Fungi stand I noticed a vegetable that I had never seen before!

"Ramps!" exclaimed the vendor. "They're absolutely delicious! Snatch them up because it's almost the end of the season." So I did!

And I took them home and I did pretty much what I do with any new vegetable that I want to try for the first time: I sauteed them in organic butter and a touch of garlic. Success! For those of you that are still avoiding butter for health reasons, STOP! There's nothing wrong with organic butter, especially when it comes from grass fed cows. For more information on healthy fats, read my blog post on that very subject. If you're avoiding dairy due to allergies, coconut oil is another tasty, healthy option for higher heat sautees. Never use olive oil with high heat. Once it starts to smoke, it's become toxic!

Turns out ramps are a relative of the leek. You can eat the bulb and the leaves. They are one of the first Spring vegetables to grow out of the snow. Many people enjoy them pickled. They mostly grow in the Easter North American Mountains. I forgot to ask the vendor at Far West Fungi where these ramps came from. In any case, I will be awaiting next year's ramp season with anticipation!

Yours in Health and Fun Times,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

No Time to Cook: Lamb, Shitake Mushroom & Leek Stew

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sat, 22 May 2010 13:49:59 GMT

Who hasn't found themselves "too busy to cook" at some point in their work week? That's where I found myself last Thursday night. I realized that my entire Friday and pretty much Saturday too were going to be super busy. At 10pm I was wondering how could I prepare something nutritious and delicious for myself for tomorrow' busy day. Crock pot to the rescue!! It only took me about 10 minutes to chop up the ingredients. I threw everything in my crockpot, got into bed and went off into dream land which was interlaced with the delicious smells of my stew cooking all night long...

Lamb & Leek Stew

Ingredients:

Lamb Stew Meat (about 1 pound). You can use grass fed beef if you'd prefer. Lamb is one of the "cleanest" meats, meaning that they typically won't give lamb feed laced with pesticides and hormones. Grass fed meats are as good a source for omega 3 fatty acids as wild salmon. Grass fed meats also provide CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a type of fatty acid that prevents belly fat.

1 Large Organic Leek Leeks are a natural diuretic and have anti-arthritic properties.

2 Large Organic Carrots Carrots are the richest vegetable source of beta-carotenes, great for your eyes and skin.

Handful of Organic Shitake Mushrooms Super immune boosting and cancer fighting!

Beef Bone Broth You can make your own but I like to get mine from Three Stone Hearth , my local, community supported kitchen. Bone broth healing for the gut, helps digestion and breakdown of protein foods, and provides highly absorbable minerals and nutrients.

Half of a Large Onion Sulfur rich onions help your liver detoxification processes

Garlic Cloves (3-5) Garlic also helps with detox. Garlic is immune boosting: anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Thyme Supports respiratory health. Also fights candida (yeast overgrowth)

Instructions:

Chop the leek into round slices. Soak the chopped leek in a large bowl of water to wash off all of the dirt that clings inside the leek.

Chop your carrots, onion, and mushrooms into chunks.

Peel the garlic cloves and cut each into 2 or 3 pieces. Throw everything into your crock pot and set it to "Low." Add a large spoonful of Beef Broth for moisture and added nutrition. Let your crock pot do its thing!

I let my stew cook for 10 hours. Season with Sea Salt, Pepper, & Thyme to taste. Eat on its own or serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Enjoy!

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Tuesday is Taco Night! Today's Meal Plan

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:51:00 GMT

One of my favorite foods of all time are tacos! Real, authentic ones with just meat, cilantro, onions, and salsa on a tasty corn tortilla.

However, the more I've learned about nutrition, the less I want to eat conventional meat and genetically modified corn! Most of the corn in this country has been genetically modified. If you're unaware or would like to learn more about the dangers of Genetically Modified Foods, email me (sylvie@realfooodnutrition.com) and I will send you a free report. The only way to avoid GM foods is to choose organic.

As far as tacos go, that pretty much rules out most of my past favorite haunts. So what I do now is to make my own tacos! Picante on 6th street in Berkeley and Picoso in the North Berkeley food court do serve organic and sustainably raised meat and organic, GMO free corn tortillas. But these places can be somewhat pricey and these days, we can all benefit from saving a little dough and eating at home. Tonight I'm making turkey tacos with turkey leg meat; a tasty and healthy alternative to carnitas. (Although I'm not saying there's anything wrong with some great quality pork now and then!)

Here's my plan for today.

Breakfast:

Hot water with lemon (great for liver and kidney health)

Pomegranate green tea

Steamed Swiss Chard w/ extra virgin cold pressed olive oil & lemon drizzled on top & nutritional yeast (great source of energizing B vitamins) sprinkled all over

Lamb patty (I buy organic grass fed meat often because it is inexpensive. I make patties and cook them up in my cast iron skillet)

Lunch:

Brown rice seasoned with extra virgin cold pressed olive oil and dulse flakes (seaweed that is full of minerals!)

Swiss Chard (leftover from this morning) w/ lemon (lemon neutralizes the oxalic acid in the chard which can block calcium absorption

Saag's Natural brand chicken sausage (very easy! pre-cooked for your convenience)

Snack:

Organic peach (first of the season!) yummm

4 Brazil nuts

Dinner:

Turkey Tacos!!

All I did was to bake the turkey leg in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. (Did that yesterday morning!)

Pick the meat off and shred and keep warm.

You'll need the following:

Cilantro (naturally draws heavy metals out of your system)

White onion (sulfur rich helps with detoxification)

Organic Tomatoes (lycopene is great for skin, eyes, and prostate)

Avocado

Jalapeno (if you like it hot!)

Organic Corn tortillas (I like Food for Life, Sprouted Corn tortillas)

A Pat of Organic Butter !

Hot sauce (I like Cholula brand because it doesn't have sodium benzoate like most of the other Mexican brands)

Raw Sauerkraut (aids in digestion, provides probiotics for immune health as well) You can also make this yourself!

Warm the tortillas one by one in a skillet with a little pat of butter to keep them moist.

Chop up the onion, cilantro, and tomato and jalapeno.

Make up your tacos and garnish with avocado and hot sauce to taste. Serve with raw sauerkraut on the side.

My goal in sharing my food journal with you all is not to say that you need to eat like me! We are all different and some of you may need more fruit and grain than I'm eating or you may need even more protein and fat. My goal is to show that eating whole foods can be delicious and not that difficult to incorporate into your lifestyle. Whole, real food is always a great place to start. There are certain principles that I try to incorporate on a daily basis:

I eat according to my metabolic type, which for me means to eat protein with every meal.

I eat breakfast within one hour of waking up.

I aim for 4 cups of vegetables every day.

I try not to go longer than 5 hours without eating.

I choose organic, local, and sustainable as much as possible.

I try to eat something fermented and probiotic rich every day.

I avoid foods that I am sensitive to (gluten for me).

I avoid refined sugar and refined grains like white rice.

If you are interested in crafting a personalized dietary program, contact me! I'm happy to discuss your questions and concerns over the phone.

Until tomorrow,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

510-421-3214

Monday's Food Plan: Preparing for the Work Week

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:05:00 GMT

Due to popular request, I am blogging about what I eat! Today's Monday and so I'm planning ahead for the work week to come. Typically, I hard-boil half a dozen eggs so that I can have some quick protein on hand. I also cook some high fiber, gluten free starchy carbs. I'll make a pot of brown rice or quinoa. Always soak your quinoa overnight and rinse well before cooking to remove the soapamines (plant chemicals that block nutrient absorption). Another favorite is butternut squash, delicata, or kabocha pumpkin. I also like yams. I simply cut them up and bake them in the oven for about an hour at 350 degrees. Poke them with a fork to test for readiness.

This morning, I also baked an organic Turkey leg in the oven. I'm going to be making healthy tacos with the meat for tomorrow so don't foget to check back for that recipe!

Here's today's plan:

Breakfast:

Hot lemon water (cleansing and detoxifiying)

Aztec Sweet Chili Tea (Yogi brand. It was cold this morning and I felt like having something warming!) Sometimes I'll add coconut milk and cinnamon to this tea if I want something creamy.

Goat yogurt w/ mango and shredded coconut (leftover from yesterday's snack) and a dash of cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is warming and boosts the metabolism. So does cinnamon so I'll sprinkle these often on top of fruit and yogurt.

Lunch:

Broccoli, Yam, and lean organic Niman Ranch Pork in Trader Joe's Thai Red Curry Sauce.

It's what I ended up having for dinner last night, so I'm eating leftovers today. I love TJ's Thai Red Curry Sauce. It does have a few questionable ingredients: Autolyzed Yeast Extract (might be MSG), canola oil (if it's not organic it's probably genetically modified), and sugar (but only 3 grams per serving). Next time, I will try and make some from scratch using coconut milk, red chili powder, and ginger. I can't be 100% perfect all the time, so I do the best I can!

I bought some "To-Go Ware" at the Green festival and absolutely love it. I use it almost every day since I often pack my lunch. Made of stainless steel, the lunch box comes with bamboo utensils and an organic cotton carrying sling.

Snack:

Organic apple w/ cinnamon and the world's most delicious almond butter !

Dinner:

Large organic mixed greens salad w/ chopped organic tomato, and 1 Saag's Natural Brand chicken sausage . These hormone free sausages are a life saver. Pre-cooked, they are an easy delicious organic protein source.
1 slice of Grindstone Bakery gluten free bread w/ raw butter . Raw butter is so tasty and a powerhouse of nutritious. It is best to stock up on butter in the Spring time when the cows have been eating all of the fresh green grass.

Dessert:

A couple squares of Divine, dark organic chocolate . After learning about the horrors of the cacao industry, I refuse to eat anything but fair trade chocolate. No child will suffer due to my sweet tooth, thank you very much!

As always, I would love to hear your questions and comments. Hope you're all well nourished today.

Yours in Health,
Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Eggs For Health: Today's Menu

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sun, 16 May 2010 17:56:00 GMT

My clients are always asking me what I eat. For the next week, I am sharing my culinary choices with the world, in hopes that I can demonstrate that healthy eating can be easy and delicious! Today is Day 2. Eggs for breakfast this morning....

Breakfast:

2 Sunny Side Up Eggs served over Fava Bean and Carrot salad (leftover from yesterday!)

Hot water with the juice of 1/2 lemon squeezed in (the sour lemon stimulates bile flow which boosts detoxification)

I cringe whenever people tell me they're eating egg whites only in an attempt to either be healthier and/or lose weight. Egg yolks are the gold of the egg and where you find all of the nutrition!

Not all eggs are created equally, however. The best eggs to buy and the healthiest for you come from chickens that were allowed to roam freely and peck and forage some of their food on their own.

Never buy eggs that boast "vegetarian feed." Chickens are not vegetarians! They love to eat worms and other insects and that's a natural part of their diet. Ideally, you want to get "pastured" eggs from chickens that live on an organic farm. The term "natural" doesn't mean a thing anymore. Unfortunately, "cage-free" doesn't really mean much either. Choosing "organic" is always a healthier choice because this means the chickens weren't eating feed laced with pesticides and/or given hormones.

Currently, I'm eating Clark Summit Farm pastured eggs from Tomales, CA . The eggs are beautiful; they come in different sizes and the shells are various colors. Be suspicious of eggs that are the exact same size and color! This is an indication that the chicken had no say in what they got to eat!

Notice how these eggs are different sizes and their shells are different shades of brown. One of them is green!

I cooked my eggs this morning in organic butter. Sometimes I use coconut oil. I never use olive oil because the smoking point of olive oil is lower than it is for butter or coconut oil. Never let the oil that you're cooking with smoke! Smoke makes lipid peroxides which create free radical damage in your body and are almost as bad for you as trans fats. Egg yolks can get damaged by heat so if you're scrambling, make sure to use very low heat. Truly the healthiest way to eat eggs is to eat them soft or hard-boiled.

Notice the deep yellow orange color of the yolks! The one on the right is a bit darker which means the chicken who laid it probably ate a little more grass....Lucky me!

Lunch:

Steamed broccoli drizzled with extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil and sprinkled with Nutritional Yeast

Lamb Patty (leftover from last night)

Raw Mineral Rich Crust from Mauk Family Farms

Olive oil, lemon juice and nutritional yeast make a delicious seasoning for just about everything. If you've never tried nutritional yeast before, it tastes sort of like parmesan cheese. (It's great on air-popped pop-corn!) It's a great vegetarian source of all of the B-vitamins which are so important for energy production and mood. Stress, alcohol, sugar, white foods, & caffeine all deplete B-vitamins.

I'm loving the Raw Crust crackers from Mauk Family Farms lately. I have my own dehydrator and do make flax seed crackers every now and then but when I'm feeling a little lazy, these are perfect! They are crunchy, and hearty and really satisfy me. Sometimes I'll eat one with almond butter on top for breakfast on the go.

Snack:

Mango with chili and shredded coconut. Yummmm!

Dinner:

I'm not sure where my day will take me. One of the things I've learned is that it's better for me to be prepared and to have food with me at all times. I'm bringing the following in my cooler in the car:

GT's Kombucha

Orange

Mayan Spice Wild Bar (I'm not a huge fan of bars in general, but this one's awesome! It's got 1500 mg of Super Blue Green Algae, 14 grams of fiber for very low net carbs, and most importantly, tastes great!)

Brazil Nuts (great source of selenium for thyroid and immune health)

Grass-fed organic Beef Jerky

Email me (sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com) with your thoughts and questions or leave a comment here on the blog! Looking forward to hearing from you...

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Today's Menu May 15th

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sat, 15 May 2010 19:52:00 GMT

My clients often ask me what I eat. For the next week, I'm going to be posting my daily menu plan. My goal is to show everyone that eating healthy can be easy as well as delicious. Ever since the liver gall bladder cleanse workshop I taught in early April, I have been sticking to my gluten free lifestyle and feeling so great! I have more energy, have dropped a few pounds, and my digestion is fantastic. I don't miss the gluten at all now that it's out of my system.

Unfortunately, I have discovered through the process of elimination and reintroduction that my body doesn't like cow dairy unless it's raw. That's what I miss the most! But there are tasty alternative. So I stick with goat dairy. Butter seems to be alright and so does high quality, low heat processed whey protein. It's really the cow cheese that makes me break out and wake up the next morning feeling congested.

We're all different and I encourage everyone to try a cleanse and then to experiment with which foods are working best for you at this present time. Not everyone runs on the same fuel. Some people need more protein or fat than others. Some need more complex carbohydrate. Through a process called Metabolic Typing, you can begin to craft a customized nutrition plan. This is a process that I am more than happy to work with you on....

So here goes!

Saturday, May 15th

Upon Waking:

Warm water with lemon juice. Yerba mate tea with Tulsi.

Breakfast:

Smoothie with pesticide free, whey protein, spirulina powder, frozen organic blueberries, hemp seeds, coconut milk, goat yogurt and a little water. Yummy!

Lunch:

I got some Fava Beans in my Farm Fresh to You box. So I made a salad with fava beans, organic carrots, shredded organic lettuce and a ginger citrus vinaigrette. See the recipes down below! To round out the meal I ate some home-made chicken liver pate onGrindstone Bakery, high flax, gluten free bread and some steamed asparagus with melted butter on top. Email me (sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com) if you'd like the recipe for chicken liver pate! I used to hate organ meat until I discovered this recipe. Organic chicken liver is an excellent source of B-vitamins and zinc.

Fava Bean & Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

Fava Beans, about 1 cup

Carrots, about 1 cup shredded

Lettuce, about 1 cup shredded

Shell the fava beans, and steam for about 3-5 minutes or until the outer "pod" starts to shrivel a little. Rinse the beans in cool water and then pop them out from the shriveled outer shell. Grate your carrots and then chop your lettuce. Mix it all up in a big bowl.

Season with a vinaigrette such as the one below.

Ginger Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Chunk of fresh ginger, peeled

Juice from half of a lemon

1-2 Tbsp of extra virgin, cold pressed organic olive oil

2-3 tsp of local raw honey

Pink Himalayan Salt to taste

Use a microplane to grate the peeled ginger. Use as much as you'd like! I usually do a 1 inch square chunk. Use about twice as much olive oil as you've got lemon juice. Mix in honey to taste. Local raw honey will help you if you suffer from seasonal allergies.

Add you dash of Pink Salt to taste.

Snack:

Organic apple with cinnamon. Handful of raw almonds. GT's Kombucha.

Dinner:

My plan for tonight is to have an artichoke, some sweet potato, more asparagus, and a ground lamb patty.

Dessert is fresh organic peaches and strawberries.

See you all again tomorrow!

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Choosing the Best Water

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:49:00 GMT

My mom, who grew up in France, sometimes jokes about how here in California, you can find a class on just about anything, including "How to Breathe," and "How to Drink Water." So I couldn't help but laugh at myself when I found myself buying a device to "restructure" my drinking water at the Green Festival in San Francisco this last Sunday.

Standing in front of Salmon Creek Falls near Big Sur, CA

The idea behind structured water is that it is much more easily absorbed by our bodies. Purified and filtered water may be free of contaminants, but it is lacking the structure found that occurs in Nature. Human beings are meant to drink from springs and rivers where the water has been tumbling and "structuring" itself in a way that makes it ideal for hydration.

What kind of world have we created where we need to take steps to ensure that the water we're drinking is actually hydrating us?

In all seriousness though, the question of what kind of water is healthiest to drink is a tough one to answer. In a conversation with my friend Kevin , he brought up the interesting idea of water having a "memory." This relates to the principles of homeopathy. In homeopathy, the "active ingredient" is virtually non-existent, having been diluted thousands of times, and then some. There is no actual trace of the original ingredient left in the water, but there a memory which is enough to register in our bodies and start the healing process.

So what memories are in the tap water that most of us drink? What imprinted into the water from the treatment facility plant? Ewww.....I'd like to imagine that the memory of the pure mountain spring is still there as well!

Beyond that, chemicals such as chloramine and fluoride added to the water are a tangible reality. Done in the name of health and sanitation, these are actually quite toxic to the body's ecology. Chlorine destroys all bacteria, including the good bacteria that helps us to digest our food and to maintain a healthy immune system. Fish and reptiles living in chloramine treated water will die; sort of makes you wonder about how it's affecting us!

Chloramine is not something that evaporates on its own and filters that remove chlorine may not remove chloramine. According to the SF water district, boiling water for 20 minutes will remove the chloramine. However, this further destroys the ideal hydrating structure of the water. A better solution is to add citrus slices to your drinking water. According to the Berkeley Ecology Center , a few slices of orange added to a gallon of water will neutralize chloramine in about 30 minutes.

Fluoride blocks iodine absorption and can slow thyroid function, making us fat and tired. The argument that the fluoride in our water is beneficial for dental health is seriously flawed. The kind of fluoride in our drinking water is different from the kind that has been proven to fight cavities and is a byproduct of the aluminum industry. For more information on this topic, please read The Fluoride Deception .

For years I just used a Britta water filter. Then I learned about the problems of fluoride in the water supply so I switched to reverse osmosis. I would bring my jugs down to the health food store to fill up and then I would transfer the contents into glass bottles to avoid the contamination from plastic. On my glass bottles, a la Masuro Emoto I taped pieces of paper with positive affirmations: Joy, Creativity, Vitality, Gratitude. Masuro Emoto is a Japanese doctor and photographer whose photos show how water crystals become more beautiful when exposed to positive thoughts.

So I was feeling pretty good about myself until just the other day, when one of my participants in a Spring Detox workshop I'm teaching pointed out that reverse osmosis wastes three gallons of water for every one gallon that is produced. Yikes.

My grandfather swears by distilled water. Turns out distilled water is very wasteful as well. One gallon for every 5 treated!

Reverse osmosis and distilled water are also problematic because of the complete lack of minerals. They have become "hungry" water. Beyond the lack of "structure," drinking distilled or reverse osmosis water for long periods of time can leach minerals from your teeth and bones. Short term use may be beneficial in helping to rid the body of toxic heavy metals. But for long term use, you must add trace minerals back in to this water when you drink it.

What about the taste? I was surprised when one of my friends admitted to just really liking the taste of her Oakland tap water best. Turns out most people do prefer the taste of their own tap water compared to that of bottled waters in taste tests. I would completely avoid drinking bottled water if possible. The plastic is awful for the environment as well as for our bodies; and yes, plastic does leach into the water--especially when left all day in a hot car. Check out The Story of Bottled Water for more information.

Here's the bottom line: If you can't get your water from a pristine spring on a regular basis and store it for relatively short periods of time in glass, then the best thing to do is to get a filter that removes the toxic additives including chlorine and fluoride, leaves the beneficial minerals and doesn't waste water in the process! Then you can bless the water with positive intention, put slices of organic citrus fruits into it, and have faith that it will provide you with the hydration you require!

Although I'm not completely on board with everything that Dr. Andrew Weil recommends, I do like his suggestion for the KDF-55 water filters from a company called The Water Exchange. I'm going to order one and let you all know how it goes! They also make filters for your shower which is worth considering since we do absorb through our skin as well...But that's a whole new blog topic!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this water issue. What are you drinking and why? Please share....

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE

Making Friends with Saturated Fats

sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com (Sylvie Nalezny 2009) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:53:00 GMT

Misinformation about fats continues to circulate, perpetuating our general confusion about what is healthy. How many of us still believe that fats that are solid at room temperature are "bad" and that oils that are liquid at room temperature are "good?"

Unfortunately, things aren't quite that simple. Some solid fats are actually very healthy and there are some liquid oils that can cause harm. To further complicate matters, the way an oil has been refined, whether or not its source was genetically modified, and how we cook with it, can dramatically alter how it impacts our health.

We need saturated fat! Our cell membranes are made from fats. They need a solid structure, which comes from saturated fats, as well as permeability, which comes from essential fatty acids. Without enough saturated fat in the diet, our cell membranes can become "leaky," which leads to excessive cellular respiration and creates an abundance of free radicals.

Many of us have learned to avoid saturated fat due to the cholesterol content. We have become terrified of cholesterol, believing that it leads to heart disease. Again, things aren't that black and white. Cholesterol is the building block for every hormone in our body. If we do not eat enough dietary cholesterol, our own liver will make up for it. Why would our own bodies create something if there wasn't an important reason for it? We can make about 6-8 eggs worth of cholesterol in a day. Getting some cholesterol from dietary sources can actually give our livers a chance to focus more on the 4000 plus other things it needs to do, such as help us to digest our food, and detoxify our bodies.

This past February 2010, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that dietary intake of saturated fat was not associated with an increase in coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease. Much of the research done in the past on saturated fats is misleading because what was actually being used in the studies was man made trans-fat. We now know that there is no comparison between the two. We've been lumping saturated fat and trans fat into the same "danger" category unnecessarily.

Well what about cholesterol? Blaming cholesterol for heart disease is like blaming firefighters for a fire. When there is inflammation in the body, we produce more cholesterol to go and put out those fires. What causes inflammation? Sugar, alcohol, stress, eating foods that you are allergic or sensitive to (gluten is a top offender), medications, and too many omega 6 fats in the diet which come from......VEGETABLE OIL!

Vegetable oils to minimized include: sunflower, safflower, canola, corn, & soybean oils. As a general rule of thumb, choose the following fats and oils for optimum health:

All should be unrefined and organic if possible.

Flax seed oil (never heat!)
Olive oil (never let it smoke while cooking, best to use raw)
Macadamia nut oil
Sesame oil
Grapeseed oil (good for low-flavor, high heat cooking)
Butter (use raw butter from grass fed cows)
Ghee (clarified butter; better for higher heat cooking
Coconut oil (a saturated fat that helps you to lose weight!)
Palm oil (a saturated fat that is rich in Vitamin A--so good for your eyes and skin)
Lard! Yes...that's right. As long as the animal was healthy (fed organic and treated humanely), it's healthier to fry things at high heat with lard which is more stable at higher temperatures than most vegetable oils.

To keep things simple, do a little research and find out what kinds of oils your grandparents and great-grandparents were cooking with. Then try to re-create their diet as much as possible. The major difference will be that today, we need to differentiate between organic and conventional foods (a non issue a hundred years ago, when pesticides and round up ready soy were unheard of). For further information, I highly recommend Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill by Udo Erasmus, and Know Your Fats, by Mary Enig.
Email me (sylvie@realfoodnutrition.com) with any of your questions!

Yours in Health,

Sylvie Nalezny, MA, CNE