Tag: health and wellness

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What is Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid, a plant pigment found in single-celled freshwater algae. Under stressful conditions, the unicellular green cell Haematococcus Pluvialis (the main source of astaxanthin) makes astaxanthin in lipid droplets. This turns the cells bright red and protects them from the harsh environment. This red substance goes up the food chain and is the source of almost all of the red in crustaceans, fish, and birds. In humans, astaxanthin helps with cellular survival too.

A Few Impressive Numbers

In The Kaufmann Protocol, Dr. Sandra Kaufmann explains that, “When antioxidant capacities are compared, […] astaxanthin is 10x greater than lutein and zeaxanthin, 14x greater than vitamin E, 54x greater than B-Carotene, 65x greater than Vitamin C and 100x greater in antioxidant activity than alpha tocopherol. Astaxanthin is simply more powerful than its competitors.” 

Benefits of Consuming Astaxanthin

Being a remarkable antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, astaxanthin offers many health benefits, as highlighted at draxe.com: 

  • Improves brain health
  • Protects your heart
  • Keeps skin glowing
  • Eases inflammation and improves immunity
  • Enhances your workout
  • Supports healthy vision
  • Improves cognitive function

In Summary

In a previous post, Eating the Rainbow: Is it Important? I had mentioned the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables of various colors. These colors are the product of different chemicals such as anthocyanins, chlorophyll, and various carotenoids that offer high antioxidant values. Astaxanthin is yet another carotenoid to include in our diet. It is found in abundance in wild-caught sockeye salmon, krill, algae, red trout, lobster, crab, shrimp, crawfish, salmon roe, and red seabream. So pick seafood that contains the “king of carotenoids” whenever you can!

Until next time!

References

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, p. 533.

Kaufmann, Sandra, et al. The Kaufmann Protocol : Why We Age and How to Stop It. Kaufmann Anti-Aging Institute, 2018, pp.153-168.

Link, Rachael. “This ‘King of Carotenoids’ Is Even More Beneficial than Vitamin C.” Dr. Axe, 6 Dec. 2018, draxe.com/nutrition/astaxanthin-benefits/. Accessed 13 Sept. 2020.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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The Gut Microbiome

The gut has trillions of microorganisms from three hundred up to a thousand different species (it varies from person to person). In Your Personal Paleo Code, Chris Kresser adds that “those microbes have one hundred times more genes than the human genome does.” Stanford microbiologist Justin Sonnenburg concluded: “Humans can be regarded as elaborate vessels evolved to permit the survival and propagation of microorganisms.” We are clearly more bacteria than human!

The gut microbiota (or gut flora) helps with normal gastrointestinal function and with protecting us from infections. Indeed, it is home to most of our immune cells and it helps regulate metabolism. Knowing that the gut microbiota is critical to our overall health and wellness, it is important to stay away from things that can disrupt it.

13 Ways to Help Protect Your Gut Microbiome

The following strategies are mentioned in Young and Slim for Life, by Dr. Frank Lipman:

  • Avoid GMOs whenever possible – we simply don’t know enough about them.
  • Keep away from sweet and starchy foods.
  • Avoid junk food and processed food, as most have trans fats, GMO corn, GMO soy, or industrial seed oils.
  • Keep away from gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some other grains, as well as in soy sauce, seitan, beer, and a lot of packaged and processed foods.
  • Steer clear of preservatives and artificial ingredients.
  • Keep away from conventionally farmed meat, poultry, dairy products, and eggs as they likely contain antibiotics and hormones, and as they likely have been fed on GMO corn or soy.
  • Whenever possible, avoid antibiotics, (NSAIDs, and other medications).
  • Steer clear of artificial sweeteners.
  • Drink filtered water. You can add water filters to your home taps, for instance. Also, there is the Aqua Tru countertop water purifier that I like to use.
  • Consume fermented foods – kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or other fermented vegetables. Fermented foods offer natural bacteria that help protect your gut microbiota.
  • Consume prebiotics: foods that have the fiber on which friendly bacteria feed (like garlic, onions, radishes, leeks, asparagus, and Jerusalem artichokes).
  • Find efficient ways to deal with stress.
  • Get sufficient sleep.

In Summary

Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Many things can influence gut health, so we want to do our best to put into practice as many of the above strategies as possible, as a start. By choosing to eat a paleo/primal diet over 6 years ago, I got to eliminate the unwanted or suspect foods that can easily disrupt the gut microbiome. And as mentioned in My Paleo/Primal Eating Habits, I do not contemplate, even for a minute, going back to eating foods that are not beneficial to my health and wellness. 

Until next time!

References

Kresser, Chris. Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit and Healthy for Life. 1st ed., New York, NY, Little, Brown and Company, Dec. 2013, pp. 162-66.

Lipman, Frank. Young and Slim for Life : 10 Essential Steps to Achieve Total Vitality and Kick-Start Weight Loss That Lasts. Carlsbad, California, Hay House, Inc, 2016, pp. 33–42.

Mailing, Lucy, and PhD. “The Ultimate Quick-Start Guide to the Gut Microbiome.” Lucy Mailing, PhD, 11 Feb. 2020, http://www.lucymailing.com/the-ultimate-quick-start-guide-to-the-gut-microbiome/. Accessed 3 Sept. 2020.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Tree Pose

Why Balance Training Matters

We don’t necessarily think about it, but balance training is of primordial importance. Working on our balance is recommended as we are getting older to help prevent falls which can further lead to things such as hip fractures. Working on our balance is also helpful when we practice a sport like running, swimming, or cycling. And if this isn’t enough to convince you how beneficial balance training can be, it turns out that balance training can help improve memory too!

What Helps You Maintain Your Balance

Three sensory systems allow you to control your balance (along with the cognitive system and the musculoskeletal system): the vestibular system, the somatosensory system, and the visual system.

In Beyond Training, Ben Greenfield defines these three sensory systems:

  • Vestibular system – the sense organs in your head, primarily your ears, which regulate equilibrium and give you directional information as it relates to your head position.
  • Somatosensory system – the nerves called proprioceptors in your joints, along with the pressure and vibratory sense information in both your skin and your joints.
  • Visual system – the ability of your eyes to figure out where your head and body are in space, and also where you are relative to other objects.

9 Training Strategies to Work on Your Balance

The following are different strategies suggested in the same book listed above. 

To help better your vestibular balance, you can:

  • Go barefoot as much as possible, or use minimalist footwear. Neuroscientist Dr. Michael Merzenich said: “I have invested in shoes that help me feel the ground beneath my feet better. I don’t want every step I take to be predictable.”
  • Balance on one leg while keeping your gaze on something stationary. You can practice the one-leg standing exercise for 30 seconds as a first goal (“without having to put your other foot down for balance”), then aim at 60 seconds. Then try with the eyes closed. In that case, it is helpful to mentally picture something stationary. I like to stand on one leg with my eyes closed for 60 seconds on a regular basis. It’s important to keep practicing. Every day may be needed at first. Also, make sure you engage the core muscles and the glutes, and grip with the toes. Have something nearby you can hold on to at the beginning, just in case. This exercise is beneficial to the brain cells in your cerebellum and inner ear-vestibular system. Yoga is also great to work on your balance skills – try the tree pose!
  • Look for things to stand on wherever you are, like narrow ridges, sidewalks, or posts.

To help better your somatosensory balance, you can:

  • Stand one-legged or two-legged on unstable surfaces like wobble boards, thick balance mats, or balance disc pillows.
  • Use an unstable mat under your desk. I like to use a thick balance mat, engaging the core muscles and glutes. 
  • Use a mini-trampoline, great for practicing single-leg stances.
  • Stand on one leg on a raised height, like a balance beam or a plyometric jump box.

To help better your visual balance, you can:

  • Play a sport that requires eye tracking, like soccer, golf, tennis, basketball, and ping-pong.
  • Do vision drills – exercises to help strengthen the 6 eye muscles and boost your visual-acuity skills, using, for instance, the Z-Health Vision Gym. I do those regularly too, as mentioned in a previous post.

In Summary

These are 9 balance training strategies that can help make a big difference over time. Being that I am now 50 years old, I see working on my balance as something essential to do for the rest of my life. Which strategy will you pick first?

Until next time!

References

Chiu, Titus. BrainSave : The 6-Week Plan to Heal Your Brain from Concussion, Brain Injuries & Trauma without Drugs or Surgery. Middletown, De, The Modern Brain, 2018, pp. 105–6.

Dunsky, Ayelet. “The Effect of Balance and Coordination Exercises on Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Mini-Review.” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 11:318. 15 Nov. 2019, http://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00318/full. Accessed 23 Aug. 2020.

Greenfield, Ben. Beyond Training : Mastering Endurance, Health and Life. Victory Belt, Las Vegas, 2014, pp. 137–45.

Merzenich, Michael M. Soft-Wired : How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life. San Francisco, Parnassus Publishing, Ltd, 2013, p. 228.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Home Cooking

In Cooked, Michael Pollan states, ”The decline of everyday home cooking doesn’t only damage the health of our bodies and our land but also our families, our communities and our sense of how our eating connects us to the world.” It doesn’t have to be this way. 

What I like the most about cooking my own meals (with well-sourced ingredients) is that I can better control what fuels my body every day. As mentioned in Why Home-Cooked Meals Sustain Health and Wellness, you don’t have to cook every single day in order to obtain an optimal level of health and wellness. Most of us have busy schedules and aren’t able to set that time aside each day. Instead, you can implement a few different strategies into your weekly routine to achieve the same goal. One strategy you can implement is to set some time aside on the weekend to prep several dishes for the week. Prepping meals ahead of time lets you enjoy those meals at the end of busy weekdays with even more pleasure!   

What Prepping Meals Ahead of Time Looks Like

Home-cooked meals imply cooking with whole foods, which means using nutrient-dense ingredients that have not been tampered with. Once you have selected a few recipes to make for the week ahead (also called “batch cooking”) make sure you have all the ingredients written down on your shopping list. If you buy certain items online, order early enough so you have all the needed ingredients delivered in time. This does require some organizational skills that can progressively be learned and improved. If you keep your pantry stocked with the basic primal/paleo staples, that helps too.

Then, you can pick a couple of hours or so to prepare your meals. The weekend is usually the best time to do that. Cooking in batches gives you big enough quantities of ready-to-eat food that you can store in the fridge and/or the freezer for the upcoming days.

You can even make salads ahead of time! In The Plant Paradox Quick and Easy, Dr. Steven Gundry explains how to use a jar to cleverly layer the different ingredients of your salad: “dressing on the bottom, dense/heavy ingredients next […], then extras like cheese or nuts, topped off with veggies and greens. Since the greens won’t touch anything wet, they won’t wilt, and the whole jar will last in your fridge at least three days. To serve, just invert the whole thing into a bowl and toss.”

In Summary

There you have it! There is no better way than making our own meals to help maintain our health and wellness. Preparing meals ahead of time allows us to achieve this goal without any big fuss. Eating healthy is possible, even on hectic days. And to rediscover where real food comes from, how it grows and thrives, can lead to moments of true amazement!

Until next time!

References

Gundry, Steven R. The Plant Paradox Quick and Easy : The 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Live Lectin-Free. New York, Ny, Harper Wave, An Imprint Of Harpercollinspublishers, 2019, pp. 112-15.

Hyman, Mark. Eat Fat, Get Thin : Why the Fat We Eat Is the Key to Sustained Weight Loss and Vibrant Health. First Edition. New York, Little, Brown And Company, 2016, pp. 190–91.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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The Unavoidable Daily Stress

Stress is ubiquitous nowadays, even more so this year with this pandemic that came upon us. And some days can certainly feel “heavier” than others. Dr. Steve Maraboli said, “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” As the years go by, we can definitively become stronger and more resilient. But it is not just one thing that can help us handle stress better (and life-changing events at times). Rather it is a set of tools, such as daily meditation, exercise, and better nutrition. As mentioned in 10 Reasons You Feel Old and Get Fat, by Dr. Frank Lipman, what follows is a list of some of the things we can do that can help us unwind and better handle whatever we have to deal with every day:

Strategies to Manage Stress

  • Exercise
  • Meditate
  • Practice mindfulness
  • Use guided visualization
  • Do a breathing exercise
  • Listen to some music
  • Take up tai chi, yoga, or some other type of “moving meditation”
  • Set some limits when it comes to engagements; learn to say “no” at times
  • Set time for yourself (like two hours a week) to do something that brings you calm and fulfillment
  • Get enough sleep to strengthen your mitochondria, among other things
  • Try to limit your exposure to toxins in your food, water, and personal-care products the best you can
  • Avoid sweets and too many starches; see which foods work for you and buy accordingly

In Summary

Being equipped with the right tools like the ones listed above to handle stress better and to tackle life’s never-ending ups and downs can help in more than one way. Choose the strategies that resonate the most with your present mindset as a starting point, and then add a few more whenever it feels right to do so. Building new habits takes time. Be patient and persevere!

Until next time!

Reference

Lipman, Frank. 10 Reasons You Feel Old And Get Fat : — And How You Can Stay Young, Slim, And Happy!. Carlsbad, California, Hay House, Inc, 2016, pp. 86–7.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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The Importance of Daily Movement

As I mentioned in my previous post, Why Everyday Movement is Non-Negotiable, it is said that when we have to sit for long periods of time, we should get up to stretch and walk around every thirty minutes or so. The same goes for if we are at a standing workstation. It is important to incorporate movement throughout the day to nourish our cells. A few squats or other simple exercises can be nice little breaks throughout the day. That way, going to the gym after work can be optional.

As a matter of fact, if you think that going to the gym for one hour can make up for a long day of sitting for hours, that is not the case. We want to shape our daily life so that it is as similar as possible to how it was during hunter-gatherer times. And when it comes to movement, it has to be varied motion throughout the day. Taking short walks in the morning, at lunch, or after dinner, whenever you have a few minutes can be a great addition to your daily movement regimen. Start trying whatever fits your schedule best and be sure to only implement one change at a time in order to ensure adherence to it. 

Each day, I do a certain amount of stretches. Stretching is a habit most of us can benefit from, no matter what our fitness level is (Just make sure you get the okay from your personal physician before starting any new exercise routine). What follows are 5 simple leg (& hip) stretches that can easily be done every day.

Calf Stretch

  • Stand facing a wall 1 to 2 feet away.
  • Place your hands on the wall.
  • Keeping the right foot in place, position the left foot 1 to 2 feet behind the right foot.
  • Bend the right knee and lean towards the wall as you are keeping the left heel on the floor, 2 to 4 feet away from the wall. 
  • Hold the stretch for about 20 seconds or 3 deep breaths.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Quad Stretch

  • Stand upright with weight balanced on the right leg (hold on to something if needed).
  • Keep the right foot pointing straight forward and the right knee almost straight.
  • Bend the left knee by grabbing the left foot or ankle tightly and pulling the left heel backward and upward without over flexing the knee. Also, do not let the left knee go out at the same time.
  • Push the hips forward by doing a slight pelvic tilt.
  • Hold the stretch for about 20 seconds or 3 deep breaths.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Hamstring Stretch

  • Lie flat on your back. Place a yoga strap over and around the toes of the left foot and grab both ends of the strap firmly with your hands. Slightly activate the core muscles.
  • Slowly raise the left leg (pulling on the strap) until you feel a stretch in the back of the left thigh.
  • Hold the stretch for 20 seconds or 3 deep breaths.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Psoas (Hip Flexor) Stretch

  • Step forward with the right leg and bend the knee at about a 90-degree angle. Keep the right knee positioned above the right ankle. (If you have any knee issues you can instead put the right foot on a stable chair or couch, for instance, and bend the right knee. In that case, the left leg will not lie on the floor, of course). Hold on to something if needed.
  • Extend the left leg behind the torso and touch the floor with the left knee. The lower leg lies on the floor. 
  • Move the hips forward (doing a slight pelvic tilt and activating the glutes), pushing the right knee in front of the right ankle. Make sure to keep the right knee pointing forward. You should feel the stretch in the hip area on the left side.
  • Hold the stretch for 20 seconds or 3 deep breaths.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Piriformis (Hip Rotator) Stretch

  • Sit on the floor with the left leg extended.
  • Bend the right leg and place the right foot on the outside of the left knee.
  • Bend the left arm and place the outside of the left elbow against the outside of the upraised right knee.
  • Put the right arm on the floor near the right hip. 
  • Push the left elbow against the right knee, twisting the trunk as far as possible to the right. Maintain enough pressure with the left elbow to keep the right knee in a stable position. Do not arch the back or bend forward at the waist.
  • Hold the stretch for 20 seconds or 3 deep breaths.
  • Repeat on the other side.

So, which one is your favorite stretch?

Until next time!  

Reference
Nelson, Arnold G, and Jouko Kokkonen. Stretching Anatomy. Champaign, Il, Human Kinetics, 2007, pp. 78–9, 98–9, 104–7, 130–1.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Why Boosting Mitochondrial Function is Important

Being that I am now 50 years old and that I want to keep my energy levels up as much as possible, anything related to how we can boost our mitochondrial function is of interest to me. The mitochondria truly are the powerhouses of the cells. They are little organelles within the cells that produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the energy that our body needs each day in order for us to do anything. In Head Strong, Dave Asprey mentions: “From age thirty to age seventy, the average person experiences a 50 percent decline in mitochondrial efficiency.” So whatever we can do to strengthen our mitochondria, especially as we get older, is a big plus. I am devoted to red light therapy (as mentioned in 4 Easy Steps to Start the Day), grounding, and cold showers.

12 Actionable Steps to Strengthen your Mitochondria

These steps are highlighted by Dr. Frank Lipman in How to Be Well:

  • Quit eating sugar. Mitochondria don’t like using sugar as food.
  • Adopt a grain-free diet to further limit the amount of sugar in your blood.
  • Eat more vegetables to gain more nourishing phytonutrients.
  • Consume plenty of healthy fats. These are the preferred fuel of mitochondria.
  • Eat clean. Pesticides and toxins damage mitochondria.
  • Practice intermittent fasting.
  • Develop a routine of high-intensity interval training. HIIT has been shown to make more mitochondria.
  • Get strong. There is more mitochondria in lean muscle mass than in fat.
  • Practice better sleep hygiene.
  • Soak up some sun. Sunlight is a powerful mitochondrial booster.
  • Avoid electromagnetic radiation.
  • Start your day with a cold shower. Cold exposure, in short bursts, helps trigger the production of new mitochondria.

In Summary

The above steps are a great starting point in building new habits for improving mitochondrial health. Always check with your personal physician first, of course. Just focusing on one or two of these steps when starting this habit is fine. You can always progressively add a few more as time goes on. Eating primal may help in choosing the right foods for your mitochondria. Then you can later implement the other steps gradually according to what works best with your schedule. To better energy levels no matter what your age!

Until next time!

References

Asprey, Dave. Head Strong the Bulletproof Plan to Activate Untapped Brain Energy to Work Smarter and Think Faster – in Just Two Weeks. New York Harper Wave, 2017, p. 41.

Lipman, Frank M D. How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life. Houghton Mifflin, 2019, pp. 168-69.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Yoga and Intentional Breathing

My neighborhood yoga center reopened last weekend. I was happy to attend an in-studio class again. Last January, I wrote about Why Yoga Poses Can Be So Beneficial. From maintaining muscle tone and flexibility, to improving balance and breathing skills, to strengthening how organs can function through various poses, all these are good reasons for practicing a few yoga asanas every day if you can. Yoga is great at helping reduce daily stress as well.

This past weekend, we practiced box breathing again. I really enjoy this calming breath exercise that helps regulate the autonomic nervous system. There’s no simpler way to help you reach a relaxed state than a quick intentional breathing exercise. So here’s the technique for box breathing (previously mentioned), along with a few other breathing exercises, to help you unwind!                                                                                                     

Box Breathing

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and count for 4 seconds before breathing in again. You can increase the number of seconds as you become more skilled but always practice in moderation. And just a few minutes (up to 5 minutes) at a time is plenty.  

Belly Breathing

This technique is explained by Dr. Frank Lipman in the July/August 2018 Experience Life magazine, which you can also find in his book How to Be Well: “Place both hands on your belly, just below your bottom ribs. Rest the tip of your tongue behind your front teeth. Take a slow, deep inhalation through your nose. Draw your breath all the way into your belly, past your chest. Notice your diaphragm moving downward and feel your belly and rib cage expand. When you can take in no more air, exhale slowly through your nose until your lungs are empty – you’ll feel your belly falling under your hands. Repeat 10 cycles. As you continue, see if you can extend the exhale until it is twice the length of the inhale. Breathing this way helps quiet spinning thoughts and brings you back to your body in the present moment.”

Vagal Nerve Stimulating Breathing Exercise (also called 4-7-8 Breathing)           

This exercise (which I love to do every day) is well described by neurologist Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein in a Bulletproof podcast. Begin by sitting comfortably without crossing your arms or legs. Place the tip of your tongue right between your palate and the upper teeth. Breathe in for 4 seconds through the nose. Hold the breath for 7 seconds. Breathe out through the mouth for 8 seconds, making a “whoosh” sound as you keep your tongue placed between your palate and upper teeth. Repeat 4 times only, twice a day.

Breathing Exercise Paired with Visualization

I read about this breathing exercise in a book titled The Fourfold Path to Healing, by Dr. Thomas Cowan, Sally Fallon, et al., and find the visualization very relaxing. Picture yourself by the seashore and as a wave comes crashing at your feet, breathe out. Pause for a few seconds, then as a new wave forms in the distance, take a deep breath in. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then breathe out as the new wave reaches your feet again. Repeat this breathing exercise a few times.

Which breathing exercise is your favorite?

Until next time!

References 

Asprey, Dave. Talking Dirty about Spiritual Plants and Microbial Biodiversity. blog.daveasprey.com/talking-dirty-spiritual-plants-microbial-biodiversity-426/. Accessed 17 Aug. 2019.

Cowan, Thomas S, et al. The Fourfold Path to Healing : Working with the Laws of Nutrition, Therapeutics, Movement and Meditation in the Art of Medicine. Washington D.C., Newtrends Pub, 2004, pp. 50–3.

Greenfield, Ben. Boundless : Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging. Las Vegas, Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2020, p. 49.

Lipman, MD, Frank. “6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life.” Experience Life, July 2018, pp. 68–9.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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Doing Away with Nutrient-poor Foods 

Once we decide to do away with processed foods and the traditional nutrient-poor foods found in most supermarkets, the amount of money we are going to spend on food is probably going to increase a bit. The next time you are looking at the low price tags on some processed foods, keep in mind that they are cheap because many of them are just a mixture of inexpensive fat, sugar, flour, and salt with barely any nutrients. On the other hand, when we consume real nutrient-dense foods, these will keep us satiated for a long period of time. We won’t feel the need to constantly have snacks throughout the day. Although at first it may seem you will be spending more when trying to eat cleaner, applying some of these simple strategies below will help to eat healthy on a budget.

Strategies to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Here are a few of these strategies, as described in The Wild Diet, by Abel James:

  • Buy in bulk and cook large meals ahead of time.
  • Shop at a food co-op (member-owned “cooperative”).
  • Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm.
  • Shop at farmers’ markets.
  • Look into volunteering at local farms.
  • Grow your own garden.

There is also what is called “cowpooling.” This is when you decide to buy with your friends a whole butchered cow at a local farm, each one of you getting a section of it.

To locate where you can buy meat and produce in your area, you can check eatwild.com, localharvest.org, americangrassfed.org, and slowfoodusa.org.

Online, Thrive Market is an awesome option to buy low-cost paleo and keto products.

In Summary

Eating healthy on a budget doesn’t have to cost a fortune. It is also important to keep in mind that eating nutrient-dense foods will most likely save you some money down the road by providing better overall health in the many years to come than would the traditional processed foods. Knowing that we are all unique individuals with specific requirements and sensitivities, as always, see which foods work for you and buy accordingly.

Until next time!

References

James, Abel. The Wild Diet:  Go Beyond Paleo to Burn Fat, Beat Cravings, and Drop 20 Pounds in 40 Days. New York, Penguin Random House, 19 Jan. 2016, pp. 300-301.

Sisson, Mark. The Primal Blueprint : 21-Day Total Body Transformation. Oxnard, Ca, Primal Blueprint Publishing, 2016, pp. 94-96.

You can also find me on Instagram.

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An easy way to start eating primal/paleo

Do you ever wonder how easy or difficult it is to make the switch and start eating healthier? Does eating paleo or primal entail buying a whole set of new cookbooks or recipes to download? Not at all. Of course, there are many paleo/primal websites now that can help you discover the advantages of ancestral eating, such as Mark’s Daily Apple. But know that you can also simply start by picking your favorite recipes and change a few things only to make these recipes paleo/primal-friendly. The recipe below is an Italian meatball recipe that I have been making for more than two decades. And as I am now eating primal/paleo, I keep making it by just tweaking a few things.

How to change an old family recipe into a paleo-friendly goodness

So my original meatball recipe calls for:

  • 3 lb ground round
  • 1 lb bulk sausage
  • 1 handful of parsley
  • ¼-½ lb parmesan cheese
  • 1 big chopped onion
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • I tablespoon of salt
  • Pepper

Now to make this recipe primal/paleo-friendly, first I want to make sure that the meat is well-sourced (How to Source Beef has different links to websites you can purchase your meat from). The parsley has to be organic. The cheese becomes optional, but if you still want to add some cheese, it has to be well-sourced too, from a local farm or sites like US Wellness Meats. The onion can be organic or not, it doesn’t matter as much for onions, as mentioned in What to Buy Organic. Instead of using bread crumbs, I add ½ cup of a paleo nut flour blend that works just as well. The eggs have to be well-sourced (no eggs from CAFO chickens). Celtic or Himalayan salts work best, along with freshly ground organic pepper. So now we have:

  • 3 lb well-sourced ground round
  • 1 lb well-sourced bulk sausage
  • 1 handful of organic parsley
  • ¼-½ lb well-sourced cheese
  • 1 big chopped onion (organic or not)
  • ½ cup paleo nut flour blend
  • 2 well-sourced eggs
  • 1 tablespoon Celtic or Himalayan salt
  • Freshly ground organic pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and shape meatballs out of the mixture. Next, you add the meatballs to your favorite organic paleo-friendly tomato sauce and let simmer 3 to 4 hours. The tomato sauce can be made from scratch of course, or if you are in a rush, there are different paleo-friendly options too at Thrive Market, for instance.

In summary

Remember that taking it one step at a time is probably the best approach for most to make any change long-lasting, as mentioned in a previous post: What foods to Get Rid of First. With that in mind, picking an old favorite recipe and changing just a few things to make it a healthy ancestral option is an awesome incentive. It is a small step that can make you feel good about how effortlessly you can eat better in no time!

You can also find me on Instagram.