Saturday, December 31, 2011

unknown bars

What should I call these?
Any suggestions??

Ingredients:
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup almond butter (warmed)
  • 1.2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut (unsweetened)
Directions:
  • preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • lightly grease a 9x13 pan
  • mix eggs honey and olive oil together until cream
  • add in sea salt, baking soda, cinnamon, warmed almond butter, and almond and coconut flours mix until all ingredients are blended
  • stir in chocolate chips and coconut
  • pour into pan and spread evenely
  • bake for 12-15 minutes
  • let cool and serve

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Could this be our problem?

Found this on Robb Wolfs Blog--- Please Read!

Hormones: Disrupted, Decadent, Depraved

During a recent conversation with my father over the movie “Tree of Life” I noted that life is really just 1,000 near death experiences. We are aware that an eventual end is coming. Whether it be by Mayan prediction, Solar Flares, Economic catastrophe, or Justin Bieber (bleak I know). Eventually, there will be an “end cause.” In the mean time we keep moving forward as best we can. In the meantime what we care about most is how we look, because if we do go out – dammit we are going to look fugging good doing it.
It seems, however, that if one thing won’t kill us something else will. Ever since moving forward with the idea of eating Paleo, I have come across almost way too much information that anything non-Paleo is somehow leeching a chemical into my physiological system that is causing or will cause horrendous damage. I learned a long time ago that there are people out there in charge of major companies who will cut corners, fund [biased] studies and sacrifice the health of everyone using their product to make their company a buck. Or worse, the poor bastards in charge don’t even know the product is dangerous. Cheaper, easier, more convenient…that’s the American way…even if it kills you.
Just so we are all on the same page, “Hormones are long-distance chemical messengers secreted by ductless endocrine glands (ovaries, testes, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, skin, parathyroid, heart, stomach, and adrenal glands to name a few) into the blood, which transports the hormones to specific target cells where they control a particular function by alternating protein activity” (Sherwood, p. 663).
Furthermore, “Endocrine dysfunction arises when too much or too little of any particular hormone is secreted or when there is decreased target cell responsiveness to a hormone” (Sherwood, p. 662)
Basically look at a hormonal disruption as a failure to communicate.
A quick Wikipedia search will tell you that endocrine disruptors are substances that “interfere with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action or elimination of natural hormones in the body that are responsible for development, behavior, fertility and maintenance of homeostasis. They are sometimes referred to as hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals or endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs).”
The body’s main function is to maintain homeostasis by any means necessary. In immediate situations the body will react and counteract to sudden changes (i.e. if a male took a single dosage birth control on accident the body would immediately absorb and react to balance the sudden change). But leeching situations, like a male taking small dosages of birth control daily for months, will cause the body to accumulate damage and make adjustments slowly to balance the system. An example certain males will understand is when a dude walks into a GNC because he wants to get hyyyyyoooouuugggeee!!! So the dork behind the counter tells him protein powder and a T Booster (a.k.a. Testosterone booster) are the answer because he probably has low testosterone. (I saw this one time; true story) So possibly a few days to weeks into taking the T booster the gent notices that the only things getting bigger are his nipples and new set of tits. This is called an Estrogen Rebound. Basically the body notices there is more T in the system but estrogen, like a really emotional annoying little sister, wants to play, too. So as T rises E (estrogen) rises higher. This is the body’s wonderful way of balancing the scales.
So I hit the books and searched to find out what else could be causing this failure to communicate which results in health problems and prevents not only myself but my family, friends and clients from reaching the goals of looking, performing and feeling awesome. Health problems in association with products can really be slumped into 3 categories: (1.) poisons (2.) carcinogens, and (3.) hormone disruptors. Either the product will kill you immediately or slowly or it will cause you to eventually contract a disease.
New research has pointed me to the fact that there isn’t much out there that won’t cause hormonal disruption and a consequent tirade of related health problems. For some people this is nothing new; for others, though, it’s Earth shattering.
As stated in The Anti-Estrogenic Diet by Ori Hofmekler, “Whether you are aware of it or not, you are constantly exposed to an assault of chemicals known for causing hormonal imbalances, disorders and death – chemicals that are found in the air your breathe, products you use, lotions you put on your skin, food you eat and water you drink” (pg. xiii).
So with that in mind I must give out a warning: The information below can be overwhelming to some. I will have to go into the horrors of industry, but at the end I will offer some solutions so that some readers are not too quick to have a fire sale and cast out everything they own.
What we know for fact is that for males, Testosterone levels over the past 50+ years have been steadily dropping – with or without steroids. Charles Poliquin supports that, “Strength coaches around the world are finding that it’s harder today for their athletes to pack on mass than it was 30 years ago.”  We also know that estrogen, for mostly everyone, is on the rise. This has caused a hormone disruption in a good amount of the population. The disruption itself mainly comes from estrogen being spiked too high or just high enough which results in problems to the body systems. Most disturbances and disruptive chemicals cause estrogen mimicking or an increase in estrogen itself in estrogen receptor sites. “Estrogenic chemicals exist in both synthetic and natural forms. The synthetic forms, called xenoestrogens are industrial derivative, whereas the natural forms called phytoestrogens, naturally occur in certain foods, herbs and extracts” (Hofmekler, p. 3).  Some of the top offenders include but are not limited to:
Plastics:
BPA we know by now to be evil, yet companies still make their products out of it. While I was browsing through cups at a local major coffee shop the other day (not naming names but sounds like MoonDollars), a few of them stated that they were BPA free. Staring at it I asked myself, “What about the lid?” So I called the company, and it turns out that only 2 of their travel mugs’lids are BPA free. The others have cups that are BPA free but the lids are still made with it in the plastic. Yes, the part you put on your lips. This little incident caused me to research plastics, and what I found was that we as a people use a lot of it. Food containers – supplement containers – certain tea bags – food wrappings – cups – mugs – jewelry – clothes – backpacks – just think anything with plastic. The majority of our modern conveniences are made of some form of plastic.
But it can also be found outside of plastics such as weed killers, insecticides, pesticides (“But I don’t use insecticides/pesticides!” you say. Well, no, but the farmers you buy your food from sure do – unless you buy organic, sometimes).
PVC:
CrossFitters love to warm up and demo movements with PVC pipes. I wouldn’t have originally thought this to be a big ordeal, but while at my BioSignature Certification one of the other members said during thigh measurement testing, “Oh, we CrossFitters and our fat hamstrings.” When I pressed him to explain he merely stated, “As a trainer and PT guy I see most CrossFitters have fat hamstrings.” And this got me thinking and inspecting my own gym. What I found is most people brought plastic cups to drink water while working out. The water supplied was from Sparklets bottles that had been left in the sun. Sparklets bottles contain a #7 (btw 3 and 7 are the ones that contain BPA) and we all usually warm up with PVC pipe. Now, as a member your contact is maybe an hour (over estimating here) a week with this pipe. As a trainer, though, it’s a lot more. I can’t blame CrossFitters’ fat hamstrings strictly on PVC pipe work, though, but I wonder if the industrial places where we have our boxes are leeching some kinds/amounts of chemicals. Also, a lot of water is transported via PVC pipe, drinking and bathing water.
Parabens and Phthalates:
Something I concluded that females love to do is step out of the shower, or even randomly throughout the day, and coat themselves in a thick layer of lotion. Well, depending on the lotion you could be coating yourself with an endocrine disruption. “But I’m so soft! And I hate dry skin!” Yes, I know, cupcake, but your thighs also touch when you kettlebell swing.”  Parabens and phthalates not only are found in lotions but mostly all other cosmetics such as “…shampoos, conditioners, facial and body cosmetics, skin care products, sunscreens, underarm products (antiperspirants and deodorants), colognes and perfumes, soaps, even the liquid hand soaps” (Poliquin, 2010).
Short story: Back in April I was working with a BioSignature Practitioner, and we laid out 8 weeks of nutrition, supplementation, exercise and sleep. Three weeks into it the results were great; I had dropped down to my lowest body fat percentage since being a teenager, sub 9%. The fourth week into things, though, I took a complete 180 degree turn and started gaining weight and puffiness.  Not everywhere, but mainly in my pecs, tri’s and thighs. (In the BioSignature world these are linked to male to female ratios of hormones in the body.)  At the end of the week I was debating back and forth with my practitioner about the sudden turn.  He immediately said, “You changed something.” I swore that I hadn’t. He asked me where I worked, and at the time I was training people in the gym of a medical supply company and on an astro-turf (plastic?!?) track and field coaching a local high school.  However, at the time I was doing a mild estrogen detox, and it was deduced that what I was taking would counteract those minor exposures, maybe. So then he started interrogating my shampoo, conditioner, and lotion, but I told him I hadn’t changed anything. Then he said the key word: cologne, to which I replied, “Deodorant….I changed my deodorant.” When I got home and looked at it, the first ingredient was aluminum with sub ingredients being hydrogenated castor and soybean oil. I quickly removed this and changed products and within week 5 I had returned to sub 9% body fat.
A few other everyday items to note are receipts.  Receipts are being promoted as one of the biggest causes of BPA exposure. The ink and even the paper itself contains the BPA and studies are reporting those who work at cash registers or handle receipts are often showing higher numbers of BPA in their systems.  Lubricants (think sexual, like spermicidal condoms) also contain BPA and parabens.
Lastly, another danger of phthalates is they cause male babies in fetal development to take on genital changes, causing them to be shorter and more female like and can cause other changes like smaller scrotum and penis development and non-descending testicles. Scary stuff.
Heavy Metals:
Have mercury fillings? You probably are not healthy, thin or both. Lead (such as that found in bright shades of lipstick) can also be a problem. (Just look into Roman history.) Arsenic, like what has recently been found in juice, is bad for you I hear. Other metals such as mercury (tuna anyone??) and cadmium have also shown in research studies to cause disruption.
Dirty Electricity:
Have a BlackBerry, iPhone, or Xbox? Keep a laptop directly on your lap? The normal position to use these controllers is in the seated position, hovering slightly above your genitalia. There has been a lot of research surrounding dirty electricity showing that it can cause anything from insulin sensitivity problems to hormonal problems to sleep disruption. (A simple Google search of the words “dirty electricity” will give you a lot to read.) Pregnant ladies using cell phones (dosage unknown) can result in the child developing autism, ADD, and ADHD.
Soy:
Really?? I don’t think we have to go into this. There are forms that are not as problematic such as non-GMO soy oils and lecithin, but most of the soy put into food is from a not so good source. There are also better studies and research (not funded by soy groups) that demonstrate damage to the hormonal system when encountered. Moreover, a few quiet papers link soy to lower testosterone levels, high estrogen levels, and estrogen related cancers. (A good source of study is a book called The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel.)
Other BullS**t that causes hormonal disruptions:
-          Alcohol consumption
-          Damaged or fatty livers
-          Serious knocks to the head which result in pituitary gland damage
-          Over the counter/ prescription drugs
-          Damage to testicle(s)
-          Adrenal fatigue
-          Digestive disorders
-          Insulin/ metabolic derangement
-          Vitamin/ mineral deficiencies
-          A whole host of other buggers

So what the hell to do now?!?!?!?:
Well, I think the obvious is the best:  Break into small groups, have Robb teach us how to use an atlatl, move out into the wilderness of Colorado, and iCaveman it the f**k up!
OR!
Occupy the White House and Congress demanding they change everything and make the world healthier!
No, I don’t really see those things happening either, fun as they may be, though.
As I myself started looking more into the research, studies and other products out there, I tackled living cleaner one product at a time. Same way most of us have moved on with our nutrition. Some experts advise throwing everything out of the cupboards at once, but for others that kind of fresh start doesn’t work and can be overwhelming. My advice is to choose an area of the house with which to start. Simple changes like, if you have a travel coffee mug or sippy cup you use frequently, make a move to make that a cleaner product. After that, if you use plastic plates or dishware, start to switch those out.  A really economical way to eliminate BPA ridden plastic containers is to reuse glass jars from foods you buy to store leftovers instead of storing in plastic containers.  With the holidays right around the corner now is a great time to add this stuff to wish lists. I doubt we all need new laptops, flat screens, or diamonds. A great source of information regarding this and similar subjects is EWG.org. (Be careful because that website can blow your mind, much like this one.)
Once products are removed that can cause potential disruptions, some report changes in mental cognition, libido, energy, leaning out, weight loss and so forth.  Unfortunately, there are many other possible problems that can cause hormone disruption outside of environment, such as over training, under eating, under sleeping, etc. Estrogen likes to store itself in fat tissues so there is a problem for some people when the fat breaks down (through nutrition, exercise or other methods) it releases the estrogen back into the system. If the estrogen doesn’t have a pathway to use to be excreted from the system the estrogen floats around until it is soaked up again somewhere else in the body, all the while causing an estrogen imbalance. This applies to both males and females.
I can’t tell you for certain what is going to get you or me or us in the end. It could be a few things. It could be a single squirrel. Maybe Bieber will somehow call upon the Mayans who will ride from the dark side of the Moon on a solar flare and just end it all. Some are promoting 2012 as a year of change and maybe we should all move that direction anyway:  Not down the path that the end is coming, but down the one in which we know AN end is coming.  A new beginning is also on its way. If 2012 is the last year lets go out looking and feeling our best. If it is a new beginning, then let’s start it as new, gorgeous, enlightened, hormonally undisrupted beings.

References:
Wikipedia.com. “Hormone disruption.” Retrieved on December 11, 2011.
Sherwood, Lauralee (2010).  Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems.  7th Ed. Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, Australia.
Hofmekler, Ori (2007).  The Anti-Estrogenic Diet.North Atlantic Books, Berkley, CA.
Poliquin, Charles (2010).  “Dealing with the AndropauseBridade part 2: How the Metrosexual Look is Castrating You.”  Website interview from July 29, 2010.Retrieved on December 11, 2011.http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/60/Dealing-with-the-Andropause-Brigade-Part-2-How-the-Metrosexual-Look-is-Castrating-You.aspx

Monday, December 19, 2011

Paleo Banana Cake With Strudel On Top

Ingredients:
"Cake":
  • 7 dates (with 1T honey- throw in the food processor and chop)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 bananas
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons coconut milk
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
"Strudel":
  • 3 handfuls walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
Directions:
  • preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • grease a small (I used a 9in circle pan) baking pan
  • in a large bowl combine date mixture, eggs, bananas, olive oil, vanilla, and coconut milk and mix until creamy
  • stir in coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt
  • pour batter into pan
  • throw walnuts in a food processor and chop
  • in a small bowl combine walnuts, cinnamon, olive oil, honey, and almond flour
  • stir until all nuts and flour are covered
  • sprinkle on top of "cake"
  • bake for 20 minutes
  • let cool and serve

Friday, December 16, 2011

I don't know what to call these yet- Bars

Ingredients:
  • 1 banana
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 16 (small) dates
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 handfuls shredded coconut
Directions:
  • preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • lightly grease a 6x6 pan
  • throw dates in a food processor and chop
  • in a large bowl combine banana, eggs, vanilla, chopped dates and honey- mix with a hand mixer
  • stir in cinnamon, baking soda, almond and coconut flours- mix until well combined
  • add in coconut and walnuts and give it another stir or two
  • drop batter into the pan 
  • spread evenly 
  • bake for 15 minutes
  • let cool - cut- then serve

Monday, December 12, 2011

Paleo Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
*Crust:
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons honey
*Filling:
  • 3 free range eggs
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup whole pecans
  • 12 pitted dates
Directions:
*Crust:

  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • lightly grease pie pan
  • mix all ingredients together with a spoon (make sure all almond flour has been moistened)
  • dump dough into the middle of the pan and spread out and onto the edges of the pie pan - it is not going to be perfect and will slide down the sides a little- it's okay!
  • bake for 10 minutes
*Filling:
  • while the crust is baking...
  • in a large bowl whisk together eggs, honey, and vanilla - set aside
  • in a food processor- chop dates (about 1 minute)
  • add dates to the mixture
  • stir in cinnamon, coconut flour, and chopped pecans- stir well
  • pour filling into pie crust 
  • add remaining whole pecans to the top of the pie
  • bake for 35 minutes 
  • let cool and enjoy!

Friday, December 9, 2011

Clothing Giant H&M Defends Perfect Virtual Models

- MUST READ-   

Clothing Giant H&M Defends ‘Perfect’ Virtual Models




Clothing Giant H&M Defends ‘Perfect’ Virtual Models (ABC News)
H&M

Visiting the H&M website is not the only virtual experience to be had by H&M customers who choose to order the company's clothes online instead of inside one of their 2,300 global retail stores.
Also "completely virtual" are the models at the center of H&M's swimsuit and lingerie online campaigns, the Swedish-based retailer confirmed.

"It's not a real body; it is completely virtual and made by the computer," H&M press officer Hacan Andersson told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in an article questioning the company's picture-perfect online models.
In the Dec. 4 article, translated into English by U.S. celebrity website Jezebel, Andersson explained the company's approach.

"We take pictures of the clothes on a doll that stands in the shop, and then create the human appearance with a program on [a] computer," he said.
Images from the company's website show models wearing the latest swimsuit and lingerie looks appear in generic, stock-form with their left hand resting slightly below their waist, right arm straight and face looking directly ahead.

Advertising watchdogs in the company's native Scandanavia elevated the controversy by criticizing the chain of lower-cost clothing stores for their generic approach to models.
The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, one of the most outspoken groups to criticize H&M, accused the chain of "creating unrealistic physical ideals."

"This illustrates very well the sky-high aesthetic demands placed on the female body," spokesman Helle Vaagland said.  "The demands are so great that H&M, among the poor photo models, cannot find someone with both body and face that can sell their bikinis."
Andersonn defended the company's decision to rely on virtual instead of real models by explaining that computer-generated bodies would ensure that the garments remain the focus of online shoppers' attention, not the model's bodies.

"It's not about ideals or to show off a perfect body, we are doing this to show off the garments," he told Aftonbladet.  "This is done for all garments, not just underwear. It applies to both women's and men's clothing."

A spokeswoman for the company's U.S. operations compared the use of virtual models online to the common retail practice of using mannequins in stores.
"In our Shop Online we show our fashion through real life models pictures, still life pictures or as virtual mannequin pictures," the spokeswoman, Nicole Christie, told ABCNews.com.  "The virtual mannequins are used in the same way as we use mannequins in our stores for ladies wear and menswear."
Christie confirmed Andersonn's description of how H&M creates its virtual models, as well as the intention behind the practice, one she said is common.

"This technique can be found in use throughout the industry," Christie said.  "This is not to be seen as conveying a specific ideal or body type, but merely a technique to show our garments."
Responding to the fire the company has come under in just the two days since the Aftonbladet article was published, Christie issued this statement to ABC:

"It is regrettable if we have led anyone to believe that the virtual mannequins should be real bodies. This is incorrect and has never been our intention.  We will continue to discuss internally how we can be clearer about this in the information towards our customers."

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Peppermint Cupcake

Ingredients:

Cupcake:
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 4 free range eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla 
Icing:
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
  • set aside 2 squares of Lindt 90% chocolate
Directions:

Cupcake
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • In a large bowl combine almond and coconut flours, sea salt, baking soda, and cinnamon
  • In a microwave safe bowl add coconut oil and honey and heat for 45 seconds
  • add liquid mixture to the flour mixture
  • add eggs and vanilla
  • mix well for 2 minutes
  • scoop batter into cupcake tins
  • bake for 12-15 minutes
Icing:
  • In a microwave safe bowl, heat coconut oil and butter, and honey for 20 seconds 
  • stir in peppermint 
  • pour icing on top of cooled cupcakes
  • with a cheese grater, shread chocolate over top of the cupcakes
  • enjoy!

Simple Brownies

Ingredients:
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 t pure vanilla
  • 2 T olive oil
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 3 squares of Lindt 90% chocolate (chop into small pieces) 
Directions:
  • preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • in a small bowl mix egg, honey, vanilla, and olive oil 
  • in a larger bowl combine almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt
  • pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl and mix
  • stir in the Lindt chocolate
  • pour batter into a cake pan
  • bake for 12-15 minutes

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge- From "Paleo on Main Street"


Why didn't I think of this?! GREAT recipe for the Holidays from Paleo on Main Street
Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 C Dates
  • 1 1/2 C HOT water
  • 3oz unsweetened baking chocolate (use whatever 'darkness' you like) -Heather says use 90% Lindt or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • 1 C Coconut Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Pure Peppermint Extract
  • 2 C Almond Flour
Directions:
  • Place dates in hot water and allow them to soak while you do the next steps.  Melt chocolate and coconut oil on the stove top or in the microwave.
  •  Place into a large mixing bowl.  Place dates and water into the food processor and process until the mixture becomes a paste with no lumps or pieces of date.
  •  Pour the date paste into the chocolate mixture and stir. Add in the peppermint extract.
  •  Add in almond flour and stir until everything is combined.
  •  Pour into a coconut greased dish and allow to set up in the fridge for a couple hours.
  • Enjoy!