by dnshah | Dec 1, 2019 | Age Defying, Diet and Weight Loss, Health and Wellness Tips
No one changes habits overnight, instead it’s always a journey of conscious purpose. Many people want successful change, but aren’t sure how to build themselves up for success. I always start with information. What are the goals? Why? How motivated are individuals to reach those goals. Three simple questions, but they are so necessary to answer to form the foundation, motivation, and execution of change.
The other necessary awareness is what to expect during the journey. There are five phases of change. Not everyone takes time to experience all 5, but most successful people do.
- Phase 1. One change at a time. If you want to eat more plant-based for example, you can think about eating ONE plant-based meal/week at first. Many people try out “meatless Mondays” for example. During this process you will explore and learn how to make various plant-based meals. Some will be “keepers,” and repeated. After enough “keeper” meals are accumulated, you will find it easier to upgrade to ONE plant-based meal/day. In this way the goal is reached in a slow gradual process ensuring an easier journey and more success.
- Phase 2. Begin at home. If you want to eliminate dairy from your diet for example, you can begin this practice at home where you have more control over ingredients and meal planning. But when you are out, you will choose to eat what is available. By making this small commitment at home, you will begin to acclimate to non-dairy foods, experiment with alternatives, and be more successful when you want to expand the commitment to non-dairy at home and out.
- Phase 3. Peer Pressure. When you change eating habits, others around you at social events may reject that change; or they may experience an inconvenience in preparing a special meal, they may not believe there is a valid reason for you to change your eating habits. They may feel your new habits interfere with their normal eating routine or challenge their beliefs on health. They may want you to bring your own food. Regardless of this push-back, remember that you have chosen to do something good for yourself, and stay on track. Expect some questions or push-back, and be prepared to explain that you are trying to eat healthier, or the doctor has asked you to be on a special diet for good reason. When your friends and family see consistency, they will surprise you with acceptance… or they may just join you on the journey to better health!
- Phase 4. Crowding out with transition foods. Once you reach this phase, you are ready for a full commitment, and want to do it; but may need a little push. Transition foods allow that little push to keep you going. Let’s say you are eliminating all processed sugars for example. You can still use some stevia or equal or a healthy blend of sweet fruits to substitute for sugar. In this way, you can reach your goal of 24/7 no refined sugars.
- Phase 5. 24/7 commitment. Using the sugar elimination example….continuing to consume extra sweetened foods can be a great transition to reach goals; but at some point, we want to stop using crutches. By continuing to eat extra sweetened foods, you are not allowing your taste buds to re-acclimate to foods with less sugar. And when friends/family see you eating a little sweetener here and there, it becomes more difficult to stick to healthier foods when socializing with them. They can’t take it seriously because you… yourself… are not taking it 100% seriously. So goals are made to be reached, so you must strive and believe that you will reach 100% compliance, AND there is a reward to achieve once you get there. Sometimes it is a make or break achievement if you never push yourself to 100% compliance – a time for transition foods to begin to disappear. As your taste buds acclimate, the craving for transition foods also disappears.
- Phase 5. Social embracement. When your friends and family sees the consistent new habits, they will become more familiar with your eating routine. They will begin to embrace your decisions, and this is when they will look for positive effects of your new eating routine. Upon seeing those, that is when some of them will try and explore new eating routines for themselves. This step is very important as you will now be impacting positive change in others. Sometimes all people need to see is a trailblazer to show them that it can be done… and yes, they can too!
- Phase 6. Second Nature. This is the final phase when your new eating habits become second nature to you AND those around you. This is the phase when you will see and feel the rewards of your new way of life. You may see improved health, physical appearance, and outlook. You will now be viewed as a successful person because you completed a difficult journey, with expert proficiency. And the results speak for themselves. Enjoy the ride on this phase…. It is the reward you have been seeking for your entire journey.
by dnshah | Dec 1, 2019 | Age Defying, Diet and Weight Loss, Health and Wellness Tips
Soy is very controversial – some won’t touch it, and others swear by its benefits. I don’t understand how this nutritious powerhouse got its bad reputation, so let’s uncover some truths about it.
Soy is a good source of protein, B vitamins, fiber, and minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It is one of the few plant-based complete protein, and is highly versatile, and can be cooked, fermented, & cultured to create more dishes and ingredients.
Soy & GMO?
Not all soy is a GMO, most soy food manufacturers use non-GMO organic soy. Most GMO in the U.S. is fed to livestock. By law all “organic” products in the U.S. exclude GMOs. If this is a concern for you, just make sure to choose organic soy products to ensure you are buying non-GMO soy.
Soy & Breast Cancer Links?
Because soy contains phytoestrogens, there are some concerns the phytoestrogens behave exactly like estrogens and stimulate tumors in breast tissue. But a phytoestrogen is not estrogen. And current research indicates soy decreases cancer risks, and lowers cancer recurrence rates.
- The Shanghai Women’s Health Study which followed 73,223 Chinese women for more than 7 years has been the largest and most detailed study of soy and breast cancer risk in a population with high soy consumption. In this study, women who ate the most soy had a 59% lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer compared with those who ate the lowest amounts of soy.
- Low soy consumption (vs high) helps too. Another research study suggests that women who have one serving of soymilk or tofu daily are 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer.
- In another studywomen who ate more soy had 29 percent lower mortality rates and 36 percent lower recurrence rates.
- Further researchshows that the increased survival rate and decreased risk of cancer recurrence may be due to soy phytoestrogens’ effect on BRCA and other breast cancer genes (turning those tumor suppressor genes back “on”.)
Soy & Prostate Cancer Links?
Does soy decrease testosterone in men and eventually lead to prostate cancer? A meta-analysis shows that soy does not affect testosterone levels in men. In fact an analysis of 14 studies shows that an increased intake of soy actually reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 25%-30% depending on which soy products were consumed.
Recommended Forms & Quantities
Recommended forms are the ones less processed and fermented. Various forms of whole soy products include edamame and roasted soy-nuts. Minimally processed forms includes tofu and soymilk. Fermented products include tempeh, natto, and miso. Highly processed products include soy protein concentrates or isolates, soy cheese, and meat substitutes.
Like any food, I always advise moderation. For those that have thyroid or sensitivity issues, I advise a 4oz limitation daily. That’s enough to splash your tea or coffee once/day or have a few bites of tofu or soy nuts. For all others, the standard recommendation is 3 servings/day of whole or minimally processed organic soy.
A special note to menopausal women, the 4oz limit /day does seem to keep the menopausal symptoms at bay.
by dnshah | Oct 3, 2019 | Main Dishes, Recipes
INGREDIENTS – Crust
100g of ground almonds
100g of gram flour
6 tablespoons of cold water
75g of coconut oil
50g of corn flour
Salt and pepper
INGREDIENTS – Filling
5 ounces box baby spinach, roughly torn
1 bottle of JUST Egg, cold and shaken well
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup onion, chopped
⅓ cup shredded vegan cheddar
2-3 tablespoons shredded vegan parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
salt and pepper
METHOD
- Start by making the pastry: In a large mixing bowl combine all the pastry ingredients with your hands, then roll the dough into a ball and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Roll the pastry out flat between two sheets of greaseproof paper then press it down into a greased tart tin.
- Cover pie crust with parchment paper (or foil) and fill with baking beans (to keep bottom of crust from rising). Bake for 12 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 325 °F. Remove baking beans and parchment paper/foil, prick holes in bottom of pie crust with a fork and bake for an additional 8 minutes.
- While the pastry cooks you can make the filling: Add chopped onion, greens, and nutmeg to the pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring every so often, until the mixture has cooked down and most of the water has evaporated.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. Add cooked onion and greens mixture. Top with nutritional yeast, and crack of fresh black pepper. Shake the Just Egg bottle vigorously and evenly pour over quiche filling. Garnish with any desired toppings (halved tomatoes and parmesan).
- Bake in 325 °F oven for 60 minutes, or until the center is set. Let cool 15-20 minutes and serve warm or cold.
by dnshah | Sep 13, 2019 | Main Dishes, Recipes, Side Dish, Soups and Stews
A Vegan twist on Shepherd’s Pie, with a savory yet satisfying ensemble of plant-based protein and vegetables without a crust. It’s a great one- dish meal, perfect for Halloween or a Thanksgiving main dish.
INGREDIENTS –Topping
6 white potatoes, peeled/cubed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled/cubed
1 Tablespoon EVOO
1 Tablespoon Italian seasonings
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasonings
INGREDIENTS – Filling
3-½ cups water
1 cup lentils
1 cup onions, sliced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
½ cup broccoli
½ cup red bell pepper
1 zucchini, sliced
2 Tablespoon Cajun seasonings
1 Tablespoon EVOO
1 Tablespoon mashed potatoes (dry/instant)
2 cloves garlic
1 Bay leaf
1 teaspoon curry powder/garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
METHOD
- Cook the potatoes (white & sweet) in water via pressure cook, microwave, or stovetop boil.
- Drain & reserve some of the water (2 cup).
- Add 1 cup of water back into pot with potatoes & mash. Mix in other topping ingredients.
- Bring 3 additional cups of water to a boil; add in the bay leaf & lentils. Cook until tender (45 minutes) on medium heat.
- Separately sauté onions, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, and peppers in EVOO for 4 minutes.
- Mix in the remaining cup of reserved water with salt, and spices. Allow it to sit until lentils are finished cooking.
- Pour the vegetable mix into the cooked lentils
- Add the spoon of instant mashed potatoes to ¼ cup water, and mix well creating a thickening agent.
- Pour the thickening agent into the vegetable/lentil mix.
- Heat the vegetables/lentil mixture for 3 minutes allowing it to thicken.
- Assemble a prepared casserole dish with zucchini slices on the bottom.
- Layer that with 4 cups of mashed potatoes on top of the zucchini.
- Layer that with 2 cups of vegetable lentil mixture.
- Add the remaining mashed potatoes on top and smooth.
- Bake for 50 minutes on 350° F.
- Allow it to cool prior to serving.
by dnshah | Sep 13, 2019 | Diet and Weight Loss, Health and Wellness Tips
You may find stevia in your local Farmers’ Markets as green plants. The leaves of these plants are sweeter than sugar. While the leaves may be eaten, the FDA doesn’t yet consider them GRAS (generally recognized as safe). However, stevia extract from this plant is GRAS… within a certain threshold. The extract has 0 calories, but lends a taste sweeter than real sugar. Knowing that the non-sugar sweetener industry is worth over $13 billion, it’s no wonder that stevia is a serious competitor against other sweeteners known to have unhealthy side effects; and unlike other non-nutritive sweeteners, stevia does NOT increase insulin levels (like sucrose or aspartame).
On the flip side stevia can present healthy benefits, such as
After seeing all the potential benefits, one might want to start consuming it all the time, but I always caution my clients that it is an additive. And the WHO believes that we need to keep additives below a threshold not to exceed 4mg/kg of body weight (equals 1.8mg/lb of body weight). So if you multiply your body weight (lb.) x 1.8, you will get the number of mg of stevia to stay UNDER. So perhaps if you stay under 2 stevia sweetened drinks/day – you may be okay; but you can’t start putting it into everything to satisfy the American sweet tooth. That said, it is a great strategic tool to transition the palette to needing less sweet taste. Using stevia as a step-down tool in resetting the palette is a great use of this natural sweetener.
The risk of consuming stevia include:
- Maintaining a sweet tooth and increasing the risks of overeating, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes.
- Becoming prey to marketing of Stevia under brands (such as Truvia) but are just a mixture of highly processed sweeteners; so label reading is important when seeking out pure Stevia products.
- Going over the WHO threshold for GRAS – and then becoming susceptible to other illness
- As with all new products and processing, there is active research of negative health effects yet to be proven. With the case of stevia, there may be the possibility of stevia’s natural component chemicals increasing the likelihood of genetic mutations or cancer.
One should always speak to their medical practitioner before ingesting large amounts of anything new, like Stevia.
