I’ve written a lot of blog posts in my head recently that never made it to the screen. There is so much I want to tell you about, but I just haven’t had time to get it done. I’m sending in recipes number 107 through 123 for the new book as soon as I figure the nutrition counts and add them. This batch is going in ahead of schedule because my summer is going to be very full. The laptop will be traveling with me where ever I go, so hopefully I can keep up. Only two more batches to go!
Have a great Fourth of July! Wear your life preserver, have fun, be safe, and eat well.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
WHO NEEDS LOW CARB? (PARTIAL LIST)
- Those who have diabetes who want to reduce or eliminate their dependence on medication.
-Those who have a family history of diabetes or have been told they are pre-diabetic or insulin resistant. Anyone with an “apple” body shape is probably insulin resistant.
-Those who suffer from hypoglycemia.
-The overweight and obese. This is by far the largest group who could benefit from carb restriction; they now make up over two-thirds of the population of the United States (data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001 to 2004).
-Women who are pregnant or who anticipate becoming pregnant who want to reduce their risk for gestational diabetes and lower the risk that their babies will become diabetic later in life.
- Bariatric surgery patients. Over 200,000 people a year in the United States are having gastric bypass procedures for the treatment of obesity. Patients are routinely put on a low-carb diet before the surgery to reduce fatty liver disease to help them survive the operation; afterwards, most of them are advised to avoid eating sugar and starch to prevent a painful condition called “dumping” and to avoid regaining weight.
- Those who suffer from epilepsy. Carb restriction has been shown to be effective in reducing the number and severity of epileptic seizures in both adults and children. Some children have been completely cured of the condition after two years on a strict ketogenic diet. Ongoing research indicates that an Atkins-type diet may be as effective as the more restrictive ketogenic diet and much less stressful.
- Women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Dr. Larry McCleary describes another set of problems that can be eliminated by a low-carb diet. In his book (The Brain Trust Program, Perigee, 2007), he explains that hot flashes and brain fog originate in the same way as epileptic seizures and can be cured by the elimination of sugar and starch and the addition of good, natural fats to the diet.
- Women who have fertility problems caused by polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia sufferers. An estimated 10 million people in the US have fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue. Dr. Paul St. Amand, an endocrinologist at UCLA, has developed a method of treating the condition with guaifenesin. He has written several top-ranked books on the subject. A low-carb diet is part of his protocol.
-Bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. Many trainers and coaches have embraced this lifestyle including: Dr. Jeff Volek, a professor at the University of Connecticut, and Adam Campbell, the fitness editor for Men’s Health Magazine, who co-authored the TNT Diet (Rodale Books; 2007); Fred Hahn, author of The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution (Broadway 2002), and Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth (Fair Winds Press, 2007) also recommend limiting carbs.
-Those who seek to prevent or treat cancer. Low carb is being tested as a treatment for some cancers. In Good Calories, Bad Calories (Knopf, 2007), award-winning science writer, Gary Taubes, explains that cancers are dependent on sugar to grow and to spread. He warns that advanced glycation end products, called by the deliberately chosen acronym, “AGE’s,” are formed when excess sugar molecules attach to and damage proteins in the body, promoting cancer and speeding up the aging process.
-Others. Low carb diets are being used to treat acne, eczema, acid reflux, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, gout, attention deficit disorder, and many other diseases and conditions.
(C) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
-Those who have a family history of diabetes or have been told they are pre-diabetic or insulin resistant. Anyone with an “apple” body shape is probably insulin resistant.
-Those who suffer from hypoglycemia.
-The overweight and obese. This is by far the largest group who could benefit from carb restriction; they now make up over two-thirds of the population of the United States (data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001 to 2004).
-Women who are pregnant or who anticipate becoming pregnant who want to reduce their risk for gestational diabetes and lower the risk that their babies will become diabetic later in life.
- Bariatric surgery patients. Over 200,000 people a year in the United States are having gastric bypass procedures for the treatment of obesity. Patients are routinely put on a low-carb diet before the surgery to reduce fatty liver disease to help them survive the operation; afterwards, most of them are advised to avoid eating sugar and starch to prevent a painful condition called “dumping” and to avoid regaining weight.
- Those who suffer from epilepsy. Carb restriction has been shown to be effective in reducing the number and severity of epileptic seizures in both adults and children. Some children have been completely cured of the condition after two years on a strict ketogenic diet. Ongoing research indicates that an Atkins-type diet may be as effective as the more restrictive ketogenic diet and much less stressful.
- Women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Dr. Larry McCleary describes another set of problems that can be eliminated by a low-carb diet. In his book (The Brain Trust Program, Perigee, 2007), he explains that hot flashes and brain fog originate in the same way as epileptic seizures and can be cured by the elimination of sugar and starch and the addition of good, natural fats to the diet.
- Women who have fertility problems caused by polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia sufferers. An estimated 10 million people in the US have fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue. Dr. Paul St. Amand, an endocrinologist at UCLA, has developed a method of treating the condition with guaifenesin. He has written several top-ranked books on the subject. A low-carb diet is part of his protocol.
-Bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. Many trainers and coaches have embraced this lifestyle including: Dr. Jeff Volek, a professor at the University of Connecticut, and Adam Campbell, the fitness editor for Men’s Health Magazine, who co-authored the TNT Diet (Rodale Books; 2007); Fred Hahn, author of The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution (Broadway 2002), and Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth (Fair Winds Press, 2007) also recommend limiting carbs.
-Those who seek to prevent or treat cancer. Low carb is being tested as a treatment for some cancers. In Good Calories, Bad Calories (Knopf, 2007), award-winning science writer, Gary Taubes, explains that cancers are dependent on sugar to grow and to spread. He warns that advanced glycation end products, called by the deliberately chosen acronym, “AGE’s,” are formed when excess sugar molecules attach to and damage proteins in the body, promoting cancer and speeding up the aging process.
-Others. Low carb diets are being used to treat acne, eczema, acid reflux, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, gout, attention deficit disorder, and many other diseases and conditions.
(C) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
YOU CAN HELP
Just a few more votes needed:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/get-the-nih-to-acknowledge-the-existing-science-and-fund-more-research-by-the-experts-who-have
(You can vote anonymously, if you prefer.)
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/get-the-nih-to-acknowledge-the-existing-science-and-fund-more-research-by-the-experts-who-have
(You can vote anonymously, if you prefer.)
Monday, May 25, 2009
YACON
Yacon (smallanthus sonchifolius), a member of the sunflower family and a relative of the Jerusalem artichoke, has been cultivated by the Inca in Peru for hundreds of years. The edible part, which looks like sweet potatoes, is very low in carbs and low on the glycemic index. The tubers can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable or eaten fresh like a fruit. Some describe the taste as being like a cross between apples and potatoes; others describe it as a combination of apples and watermelon (??). It can be cooked down to form a syrup which can be used like honey, maple syrup, or molasses. One/fourth teaspoon of the syrup is equal to one teaspoon of sugar or honey in sweetness. The syrup can be dried to make a powder.
Here is a quote from Macamart (http://www.herbdealer.com/macamart/products.php?cat=20), a site where the syrup can be purchased:
“Yacon contains fructooligosaccharaides (FOS), which cannot be metabolized in the human body. This means Yacon does not raise blood glucose levels and is safe as a replacement sweetener for diabetics or others wishing to avoid sugar."
This is from the Live Super Food site (http://livesuperfoods.com/search/LSF060.html), another source for yacon syrup:
“Yacon root is considered the world's richest source of fructooligosaccharide (FOS), a unique type of sugar that can't be absorbed by the body. FOS acts as a prebiotic, serving as food for the “friendly” bacteria in the colon, and preclinical studies have indicated that consumption of FOS may help increase bone density and protect against osteoporosis. Because the sugar in yacon is mostly FOS, the syrup is low in calories and is a good sweetener for use by dieters and diabetics.”
It is said to aid digestion, enhance absorption of calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins, and to improve the elimination of toxins. It acts as a prebiotic, providing food for the friendly bacteria in the colon and may reduce the risk of colon cancer. FOS is also high in antioxidants and potassium. Other benefits noted from FOS supplementation include increased production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate.
Is there a down-side? Only one that I know of. It is expensive. The small jar (8.5 ounces) of syrup that I bought at Whole Foods was, I think, about $14.00. Ouch! I later found better prices online, but the shipping may bring the price up to close to what I paid. As with many other products, however, if we create a demand, the price will go down as the sales volume goes up. Agave, for example, used to be very expensive and difficult to find and the nasty stuff (it’s almost all fructose) is available everywhere now and in a range of prices.
I had hoped to plant some yacon, which is reputedly very easy to grow and adaptable to a range of climates, but I couldn’t find roots or seeds and it is probably too late now. I’d love to hear from anyone who has had any experience with growing yacon plants or with using the roots or syrup in recipes.
I'm excited about the possible applications for this new (to me) food, as well as several others that I am playing around with. One interesting thing I've learned so far: I proofed yeast with yacon syrup and with regular sugar and xylitol for comparison. I was very surprised and pleased to discover that the dish with yacon bubbled exactly like the one with sugar, while the xylitol, predictably, did nothing. So apparently yeast can digest yacon, but we can’t. That would be cool, don't you think? (Or maybe it just means that it contains regular sugar. I'm trying to find out.)
(c) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
Here is a quote from Macamart (http://www.herbdealer.com/macamart/products.php?cat=20), a site where the syrup can be purchased:
“Yacon contains fructooligosaccharaides (FOS), which cannot be metabolized in the human body. This means Yacon does not raise blood glucose levels and is safe as a replacement sweetener for diabetics or others wishing to avoid sugar."
This is from the Live Super Food site (http://livesuperfoods.com/search/LSF060.html), another source for yacon syrup:
“Yacon root is considered the world's richest source of fructooligosaccharide (FOS), a unique type of sugar that can't be absorbed by the body. FOS acts as a prebiotic, serving as food for the “friendly” bacteria in the colon, and preclinical studies have indicated that consumption of FOS may help increase bone density and protect against osteoporosis. Because the sugar in yacon is mostly FOS, the syrup is low in calories and is a good sweetener for use by dieters and diabetics.”
It is said to aid digestion, enhance absorption of calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins, and to improve the elimination of toxins. It acts as a prebiotic, providing food for the friendly bacteria in the colon and may reduce the risk of colon cancer. FOS is also high in antioxidants and potassium. Other benefits noted from FOS supplementation include increased production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate.
Is there a down-side? Only one that I know of. It is expensive. The small jar (8.5 ounces) of syrup that I bought at Whole Foods was, I think, about $14.00. Ouch! I later found better prices online, but the shipping may bring the price up to close to what I paid. As with many other products, however, if we create a demand, the price will go down as the sales volume goes up. Agave, for example, used to be very expensive and difficult to find and the nasty stuff (it’s almost all fructose) is available everywhere now and in a range of prices.
I had hoped to plant some yacon, which is reputedly very easy to grow and adaptable to a range of climates, but I couldn’t find roots or seeds and it is probably too late now. I’d love to hear from anyone who has had any experience with growing yacon plants or with using the roots or syrup in recipes.
I'm excited about the possible applications for this new (to me) food, as well as several others that I am playing around with. One interesting thing I've learned so far: I proofed yeast with yacon syrup and with regular sugar and xylitol for comparison. I was very surprised and pleased to discover that the dish with yacon bubbled exactly like the one with sugar, while the xylitol, predictably, did nothing. So apparently yeast can digest yacon, but we can’t. That would be cool, don't you think? (Or maybe it just means that it contains regular sugar. I'm trying to find out.)
(c) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
Monday, May 11, 2009
A NEW BIRTHDAY! (WE NEED A HERO, PART 6)
I am very tardy in following up on my last post about my visit to fribromyalgia specialist, Dr. St Amand. The first time I saw him, I had been following his protocol for about 6 months without having any noticeable change in symptoms, unlike most people, who feel dramatically worse at first and then begin to feel better. I was very discouraged to learn that my efforts had indeed been ineffective. He suggested that I switch to prescription guaifenesin rather than the over the counter one and recheck to be sure I had not overlooked a source of salicylates that might be blocking the medication. I filled the prescription at the pharmacy near his office and went over all my personal care products and supplements with his assistant, but we found no blockers.
After I returned home, I signed up to receive the Guai Group Digest, an e-mail newsletter for those following Dr. St Amand's protocol which allows them to send questions to a team of volunteer administrators, a panel of veterans who have reversed their own FMS symptoms who now provide support, encouragement, and advice, as well as the voice of experience. (It is also a safe place to whine and complain to sympathetic ears about how frustrating and unfair life can be). This forum is especially helpful to those who are unable to visit Dr. St Amand and must go it alone using the doctor's books as a guide. This is an invaluable service, since a common symptom of FMS is mental confusion, often called "fibro fog," which makes even reading and understanding what you read difficult at times. Any questions that the administrators can't answer are passed on to the doctor or his assistant, Claudia Marek, an FMS expert in her own right.
I resolved to read every one of the digests, usually several a day, to learn as much as I could. There I found the real-life drama of the trials and triumphs of others as they got worse and as they got better and eventually returned to a normal, pain-free life. "Dr. St Amand gave me my life back," is a common refrain throughout the posts. It was there that I discovered a possible reason for my own failure.
I knew that herbs could be potent blockers when taken in medicinal amounts. I had specifically asked about drinking tea and was told that ordinary supermarket tea was acceptable. However, after seeing in the digest that a number of people believed that drinking tea had caused them to block, I decided to cut back on my favorite white tea. I still drank a little, but diluted it so that it was really just flavored water. Within a few days, one of my worst symptoms disappeared. I didn’t even know it was an FMS symptom, but I had suffered from temperature fluctuations for years, with hot flashes that didn’t seem to be hormone related. They were getting worse with time, often more than once in every hour. They suddenly vanished. (It seems that fibromyalgics can make heat but not energy.) Then I had a few pain-free days in a row and I noticed that I was feeling better and had more stamina. I made an appointment to have Dr. St Amand remap me to see what was happening.
On my first visit, the doctor had marked a diagram that showed all the abnormal swollen places that are characteristic of FMS. (The left thigh is usually the first place to clear when you have found your correct dosage if you are not blocking the guaifenesin.) He did a second map without referring to the first one. Then he took out my old map and showed them both to me. There were about half as many places marked on the new map and none in my left thigh. Yes, it was working!
In the Guai Digest, many people speak about their “guai birthday,” the day they started the protocol, which led to their recovery. I failed to mark down the date when I started, and I had to start over later anyway, so I‘ve decided to adopt March 25, 2009, the day of my second appointment with Dr. St Amand, as my guai birthday. That was the day that I learned that in spite of all my doubts and misgivings, this was going to work for me.
I will take a break here and continue at a future date when I want to share with you some very exciting new research that supports Dr. St Amand’s treatment protocol.
Previous posts on fibromyalgia are here (oldest post is first): http://carbwars.blogspot.com/search?q=lyrica, here: http://carbwars.blogspot.com/search?q=part+2, here: http://carbwars.blogspot.com/search?q=Part+3, here: http://carbwars.blogspot.com/2008/07/summer-adventures-southern-california.html, and here
http://carbwars.blogspot.com/2009/03/progress-report-and-we-need-hero-part-5.html
(C) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
Saturday, May 2, 2009
CARB WARS FEATURED ON LIFESCRIPT
A huge thank you to Life Script, the premier website for women's health, for the feature article on Carb Wars, which included 7 recipes with pictures and a story written by Nicole McEwen. Life Script is the 4th largest independent health site and the 10th largest women's online community.
.
Judging by the comments, the article evoked the usual controversy among the pro- and anti-low carb factions, even though the writer softened my message somewhat by suggesting that lack of exercise might be responsible for the obesity epidemic and leaving the impression that I endorse eating cereal as long as it is topped with sugar-free milk (which I do, IF it is one of my cereal recipes).
Here's a chance for you to state your support for low carb by going to http://www.lifescript.com/Body/Food/Cook/Cut_the_Carbs.aspx and leaving a comment.
(C) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
.
Judging by the comments, the article evoked the usual controversy among the pro- and anti-low carb factions, even though the writer softened my message somewhat by suggesting that lack of exercise might be responsible for the obesity epidemic and leaving the impression that I endorse eating cereal as long as it is topped with sugar-free milk (which I do, IF it is one of my cereal recipes).
Here's a chance for you to state your support for low carb by going to http://www.lifescript.com/Body/Food/Cook/Cut_the_Carbs.aspx and leaving a comment.
(C) 2009, Judy Barnes Baker
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
HOW THE OTHER HALF EATS
Menu blogs have become popular with low-carbers; Jimmy Moore chronicles every bite, usually with pictures, and many of his readers are following his lead. Even Dr. Michael Eades did it for a week on his Protein Power blog. Now Ruth Reichl, famous restaurant critic, author, and current editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine, has given us a peek at a few of her daily menus and a chance to see how our choices stack up to an unabashed gourmand and foodie. She patronizes the world’s best restaurants, she loves to cook, she loves to eat, and she can slip down to Gourmet's test kitchen for a snack whenever she feels like it. Here’s a typical day’s list (although I doubt that she ever has a typical day):
Breakfast—Pork and chive dumplings. Coffee with milk and sugar.
Snack in test kitchen—Brown-butter scrambled eggs. Dark chocolate cake with light chocolate frosting.
Lunch at a restaurant—Chicken curry with white rice, "all the vegetables," and extra red sauce.
Snack in test kitchen —A “tapioca fry thing” that was “gooey and crispy and had garlic and peanuts.” An avocado crème brûlée.
Snack before a lecture—A banana.
Snack after lecture—Coconut macaroons in all different flavors.
Dinner at a restaurant—Baked clams, chopped Caesar salad, veal piccata, spinach, and wine. (Probably also included potatoes or pasta and bread, since this was a restaurant meal.)
You can read the whole story here: http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/04/ruth_reichl_rips_into_lobsters_gets_her_dumplings_to_go.html
Judging from the picture of her at the top of the article, she is getting away with it. Oh, to be so lucky! A dream job and a metabolism that can handle it! (Mario Batali, Paul Prudhomme, Ina Garten, and many others prove that just being in the upper echelons of the food world doesn’t guarantee that you can eat this way without suffering the same consequences as the rest of us.)
I have thought about blogging my menus, but I don’t have time to do it now. I think I eat as well, as much, and as often as Ms. Reichl on my low-carb regimen—and I probably have, if such a thing is possible, an even more varied diet than hers. My husband often says, “There are 7 billion people in the world, and I’ll lay odds that we are the only ones having this.” Here’s one dinner that elicited that comment (not necessarily the best example, but a recent one that I remember):
Baked ham and roast turkey, mushroom and turkey dressing (made with popcorn—not a keeper), broiled kippered herring, cherry tomatoes and avocados with olive oil and vinegar, and rhubarb fool with strawberries and whipped cream for dessert plus something chocolate for him and butter-pecan ice cream for me later in the evening.
Granted, some of the above resulted from recipes that needed to be tested that I didn’t want to waste, but it’s not really that different from the way we normally eat. (Perhaps normal is not the right word.)
©2009, Judy Barnes Baker
Breakfast—Pork and chive dumplings. Coffee with milk and sugar.
Snack in test kitchen—Brown-butter scrambled eggs. Dark chocolate cake with light chocolate frosting.
Lunch at a restaurant—Chicken curry with white rice, "all the vegetables," and extra red sauce.
Snack in test kitchen —A “tapioca fry thing” that was “gooey and crispy and had garlic and peanuts.” An avocado crème brûlée.
Snack before a lecture—A banana.
Snack after lecture—Coconut macaroons in all different flavors.
Dinner at a restaurant—Baked clams, chopped Caesar salad, veal piccata, spinach, and wine. (Probably also included potatoes or pasta and bread, since this was a restaurant meal.)
You can read the whole story here: http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/04/ruth_reichl_rips_into_lobsters_gets_her_dumplings_to_go.html
Judging from the picture of her at the top of the article, she is getting away with it. Oh, to be so lucky! A dream job and a metabolism that can handle it! (Mario Batali, Paul Prudhomme, Ina Garten, and many others prove that just being in the upper echelons of the food world doesn’t guarantee that you can eat this way without suffering the same consequences as the rest of us.)
I have thought about blogging my menus, but I don’t have time to do it now. I think I eat as well, as much, and as often as Ms. Reichl on my low-carb regimen—and I probably have, if such a thing is possible, an even more varied diet than hers. My husband often says, “There are 7 billion people in the world, and I’ll lay odds that we are the only ones having this.” Here’s one dinner that elicited that comment (not necessarily the best example, but a recent one that I remember):
Baked ham and roast turkey, mushroom and turkey dressing (made with popcorn—not a keeper), broiled kippered herring, cherry tomatoes and avocados with olive oil and vinegar, and rhubarb fool with strawberries and whipped cream for dessert plus something chocolate for him and butter-pecan ice cream for me later in the evening.
Granted, some of the above resulted from recipes that needed to be tested that I didn’t want to waste, but it’s not really that different from the way we normally eat. (Perhaps normal is not the right word.)
©2009, Judy Barnes Baker
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