Nutrisimple - CrossFit Omaha

You Want Me to Skip Dessert?

2011-04-27T23:03:00.003-05:00

by Jeff Shannon

Sugar, a little won’t kill you, right? Zack Johnson sent me a New York Times article written by Gary Taubes that says otherwise. Taubes is the author of Good Calories, Bad Calories a great book (lecture for the non-readers) supporting the need to free ourselves from the conventional thinking on food. (e.g. start eating Paleo)

So what are you to do? Should you cut sugar out all together and miss out on some of the greatest pleasures of life, like eating birthday cake or having a piece of pie at Thanksgiving? No way! Moderation is key, but that is also subject to interpretation.

The average American consumes 1.4 ounces of High Fructose Corn Syrup and 11.9 ounces of sugar per day. It doesn’t require too much research beyond a simple trip to the Mall to see that this level consumption is making people very unhealthy. The reason why is that we underestimate how much sugar we are consuming when we just have a couple of mini-snickers every day after lunch or just a small bowl of B&J’s ice cream before bed. It adds up quickly.

Moderation in my mind is following these simple rules; only allow yourself to eat sugar for social occasions, avoid sugar for most meals and snacks, which are just for fueling up to make it through the day, and enjoy all the pleasures of sugar when you’re celebrating a holiday, birthday, wedding or special Saturday night. This disciplined and balanced approach is a sustainable way to keep it clean and not be labeled the “nutrition guy” by the non-believers.

How does this look in practice? Avoid soda (including diet soda), desserts, donuts, syrups, fruit juices, margarita’s and candy, Sunday through Friday. When it comes to that special dinner out, order dessert and enjoy every last guilt-free morsel. You’ve earned it.

Good luck and make good choices. - Jeff

Jeff Shannon is a husband and father of two and an avid CrossFitter. He has no food science or nutrition degrees and the basis for all of his advice is observation, self-study, and experimentation. He is a believer that we pay for every decision we make or don’t make, especially when it comes to simple choices like what to eat. He recommends that you resist the urge to take his advice and strongly encourages you to do your own research to decide what version of truth is best for you.

Keeping it Simple

2011-04-25T09:48:00.003-05:00

by Addi Kahrs

By now, I think it's safe to say that most members at CFO are at least marginally familiar with Paleo/Primal nutrition and the potential benefits. There's a difference, though, between knowing what to do, and actually implementing it. I think the most difficult part of changing your food habits is just knowing where to start, especially when there are other family members to consider. It's always a gradual process, and there are always "mistakes" (I like to call them "experiments," or "chocolate milk binges") along the way. It's intimidating, which is why I really liked this (long!) story on Everyday Paleo. It's not short (at. all.), but it's a good, detailed look at the way one family has approached their nutritional health and how they're getting their kids to (willingly!) go along for the ride.

Long though it may be (have I mentioned how long it is?), I thought there were some really interesting take-aways from Paul and Theresa's story. It's easy to forget that any long-lasting lifestyle changes start long before you actually implement them.

Here's the story in a nutshell: After lots of research and some playing around and seeing the beginning of some good results, Paul decided to undergo a 30-day Paleo challenge. After seeing his results, his wife and daughters ( ages 6 and 8 ) decided to jump on for 30 days. I repeat: a 6- and an 8-year-old CHOSE to change their food for 30 days. One month. Zero candy. By choice. Pretty damn impressive. The secret? “Lead by example.” He did his thing, answered their questions, and the results spoke for themselves. Money.

Get Healthy Quick!

2011-03-28T13:16:00.001-05:00

If you are interested in becoming a healthier person all around, I suggest you pay close attention to licensed acupuncturist, Chris Kresser. This guy has a legit story and knows what to look for when it comes to cleaning up one's health. As you realize, my philosophy shifts as I learn more and more. I have come from athlete to strength and conditioning coach to nutrition heavy guy to a now more holistic approach. I'm self taught. In fact, the only two classes I took in college concerning nutrition were Intro to Nutrition and the Science of Food. Not necessarily a gold mine of information but useful nonetheless. Everything else has been experience and reading. This holistic approach has led me to put a lot more emphasis on stress and sleep as the primary culprits of our disease-laden society. It is these two areas that cause humanity the most problems followed closely by inaccurate nutrition, with inactivity being a distant fourth.

Holistic health is about taking everything into consideration to stay alive and healthy. It looks for the underlying causes of depression, weight-gain, inflammation, bad sleeping patterns, etc. A lot has to do with poor nutritional habits but looking for other causes such as poor stress management, we can alleviate a number of ailments we struggle with everyday. This is why I think Chris is a guy you should be reading. His website and blog point in a direction of supreme health. A lot of us fail to admit that we suffer from problems such as insulin resistance (as proved by stubborn belly fat), poor digestibility, inability to cope with everyday stressors, lack of sleep, etc. yet wish to look a certain way or lose a certain amount of body-weight. It is those aforementioned ailments that we must first address prior to addressing outside appearance. So much so, that the outside appearance changes, you seek, will soon follow a correction of the above listed (and others) ailments, on its own.

Please take a moment to watch the video below as well as visit Chris's site. I could sit here and discuss physiology all day with you as well as go over your life with you to teach you how to make the necessary changes to see results but I'm not sure you could afford it. I would rather take an approach of pointing you in the right direction and allowing you to learn as I did, read and experience. Only this time, you get to ask questions (as my door is always open).

What is investigative medicine? from Chris Kresser on Vimeo.

Update to Nutrisimple Way of Eating Tab

2011-03-03T11:44:00.002-06:00

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I've added to and changed some things up on the Nutrisimple Way of Eating tab above. Check it out. Most changes are subtle except for under the supplementation list. I have noticed lots of things within my own eating that have allowed me to grow as a self-proclaimed nutritionist. I have added them here. This is what I believe, what I follow. I am not always perfect but I can tell you that not being perfect keeps me honest. I do not like feeling sick and that is how I feel when real food is not involved.

Also understand that 90% of nutrition should be the same for everyone whereas that other 10% difference is for competitive athletes with multiple training sessions per day, per week, etc. and/or really sick people.

Joe and I have also partnered up with Stronger, Faster, Healthier to offer you their products at retail minus shipping. We really believe in their story, how they became a company, and their products. Joe and I don't usually preach protein powder use but know of its convenience and that if used correctly, can be a vital piece to a solid nutritional program in this modern era. Not only that, this product truly is clean and from clean animals. If this ever changes, we would not hesitate to reconsider this alliance. If you are interested in trying it out, I will, hopefully, have a canister in the gym in the next couple of days for anyone to give a try. I preach a line of quality when determining which foods are best and this could be a great supplement in place of a lot of other things you could be putting into your body.

Our plan is to carry some of their products in the gym at all times and always make available all of their products upon special request. Also, be on the lookout for a special deal we may run to kickoff and celebrate this partnership.

Don't take my word for it though. Click on the banner to the left (Products We Support), for now, as I will be creating a tab at the top for all who we support, to read more on SFH's story and about their mission statement. Truly a cool company just like CFO, one you can trust.

Health Problems Disappear

2011-02-23T13:28:00.004-06:00

Click here to read John Durant's blog post:
Health problems disappear when captive gorillas fed wild diet

Nutrisimple Challenge 4 Male Semi-Finalists

2011-02-16T16:25:00.000-06:00

Now for the guys turn. Here are the 5 male semi-finalists. It was a tough go round for choosing both the male and female semi-finalists because this was the biggest challenge we've had thus far and the most that finished the challenge too.

These guys did a great job and very proud of their accomplishment over 5 weeks. Keep up the good work. Don't let the challenge be over. Continue to improve your nutrition over a lifetime and reap the benefits for a lifetime.

Without further adieu:

Ben Schenkelberg

Mark Petersen

Andrew Carnazzo

Mark Dishaw

Greg Petersen

Nutrisimple Challenge 4 Female Semi-Finalists

2011-02-15T17:08:00.001-06:00

Five weeks of focusing on real food has produced these results. These 5 women and 5 guys have made it past the first round and will now move on to the second round of voting. This round will consist of each of your peers both the other finalists and the rest of the group who completed the challenge voting on their top 3 male and female semi-finalists.

Once only six challengers remain, a final vote will occur producing a winner, second, and third place finisher for each sex.

Here are your 5 female semi-finalists (tune in tomorrow for the 5 male sem-finalists):

Ashley Gross

Megan McNamara

Tina Andresen

Jordan Venteicher

Tara Doughty

Eat Wild - Super Natural

2011-01-18T22:17:00.003-06:00

Eat Wild - Super Natural

Click on the link to find out about what grass-fed dairy is and the benefits of drinking it. If you're going to include dairy in your diet, this is the only way to go.

Reaching Health Now

2011-01-02T17:11:00.007-06:00

If you asked me what I thought health meant and how to achieve it. This is what I would tell you:

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I believe in it so much that I truly believe you can not succeed without a daily habit of eating a clean breakfast higher in protein within an hour of waking up. The longer you wait, the more you put yourself at risk of failing. I don't want any excuses. Get in the habit. Eggs or no eggs. I'll accept a shake every now an then (once a week) but mixed with water or green tea only (not milk).

Next, you need moderate amounts of protein for the rest of your meals. Nothing too big but pretty good size. You also need to balance your protein with a SHIT TON of veggies. I'm not kidding. Acidic meats need alkaline vegetables. You also need lots of water or organic green tea. If you drink coffee (totally fine), for every cup you drink, also drink 8oz of water.

Fats? You need them or you won't lose weight. You won't feel better. You won't sleep better. You definitely won't perform better. This I promise. Most of it should come from animal fat. Grass-fed animals only. If they're not grass-fed or free range, you have to remove the fat due to the toxins but in doing so, you deprive yourself of the fats you need to be super healthy. Macadamias, coconut products, avocados, etc should be treated as supplements. Supplements taken only when you aren't getting in enough animal fat. Which pretty much means, if there isn't enough animal fat in the meal, replace it. Fruit should be limited to the morning only if any at all. Humans don't need fruit. If we don't need it, we probably overeat it, right? Stick to berries, grapefruit, and occasionally, exotic fruit.

Take supplements like VitD, Magnesium, VitC, Fish Oil, etc. in the evening before bed. Get enough sleep. Pick heavy shit up. Sprint every now and then. Throw heavy stuff. Do 3 rounds of 10-15 air squats, push ups, and some type of upper-body row or pull every morning when you wake up and before and after every cheat meal to get processes going in the body that will help with insulin sensitivity and blood-glucose uptake into the muscles instead of being stored.

Drink a GT's Kombucha (the new version is less vinegary) tea everyday or some type of probiotic. There are millions, if not billions, of bacteria in your gut and your success depends on whether those bacteria are the right kind. As disgusting as this sounds, you can tell a lot about your health from your bowel movements. They should be regular and solid. More on this later.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Most bad stress (working out is good stress) can be avoided by thinking logically and focusing on parts instead the whole. For example, if you are stressing about a large project that needs to get done (home, work, etc), break it up into tasks. Write the tasks down. Tasks can be completed in minutes or hours. As you complete them, cross them off. Crossing them off is actually a huge stress reliever. It let's you know things are getting done. Don't tackle anything overwhelming, head on. Instead, attack it in parts until its done.

These are just a few of my beliefs to true health. I have lots of other thoughts about important aspects of health and fitness but this is the gist of it. It doesn't take much to live like this. It even actually sounds quite enjoyable. One day at a time. You won't follow 100 percent, 100 percent of the time but trying to is 100 percent worth it.

Comments?

The 4-Hour Body

2010-12-29T15:20:00.001-06:00

I am halfway through the 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss and my first response is WOW! It is a terrific read that is hard to put down. In fact, Tim states in his book that you should not read from cover to cover and should actually jump straight to the goals you're after but I couldn't. This is one of the first books that I couldn't jump straight to were I wanted to go but rather have been reading front to back.

The book is chock full of tidbits. How to run longer. How to have better sex. How to lose weight quickly. How to get stronger. How to get bigger. And the list goes on. It is somewhat directed toward men but you ladies could get a lot from this book too. I truly recommend you picking up a copy today.

This post is not a review of the book but rather an opportunity to post one of Robb Wolf's recent Paleo Series Podcasts, #58 to be exact. This podcast is the Tim Ferriss edition and asks Tim questions that are relevant to the book. Give it a listen and post to comments what you think.

Download now or listen on posterous

The_Paleo_Solution_-_Episode_58.mp3 (26297 KB)

Here is the list of questions from the podcast as well.

Download now or preview on posterous

The-Paleo-Solution-Episode-58.pdf (28 KB)

Paleo Challenge III Winners

2010-12-07T16:39:00.002-06:00

Here they are guys. Your paleo challenge III winners as voted by you. John Snodgrass and Maria Gates will both receive $300 for their hard work. Which brings me to my next announcement.

We will be starting our next challenge on Monday, January 3rd. This will hopefully give everyone a chance to get all their holiday bad habits out of the way and ready to make a commitment to how they feel, perform, and look.

This challenge will take on a different look though. Up until now, we have focused our efforts on quality food but what is CrossFit without a little competition? Depending on how big the sign up is will determine the actual structure but our next challenge is going to be:

Quality vs. Quantity or as you know them Paleo vs. Zone. From those that take part in the challenge, I, or you, will choose who will follow what plan. This challenge will only last 5 weeks as opposed to the usual 7. As an added incentive, those that choose to follow the Zone, I will personally help you set up your blocks and food template as well as give you a sample 2 week meal plan.

This challenge has the potential to be the biggest one yet with hopefully, the largest payout. I challenge you to seriously consider accepting the Quality vs. Quantity challenge and try your hand at winning a nice payout. What do you have to lose?

Body-weight maybe?

Tuesday 101123

2010-11-23T12:17:00.005-06:00

Sorry for the long break. It's been a little busy lately. Hope what has been previously posted has gotten you through the last few days.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Nut Butter Cucumber Sandwich
1 medium cucumber
nut butter of choice

Cut the end off one side of the cucumber then hollow out using a butter knife, leaving the other end of the cucumber closed. Fill with nut butter. Serve with a few boiled eggs for an easy on the go breakfast.

Lunch:
Egg and Dill Salad
3-4 eggs, hard boiled
1 tbsp of mayonnaise
1 tsp of dill, finely chopped
1 cup of English spinach
1 small carrot, diced
1/2 cup of snow peas, roughly chopped

Cut boiled eggs into small cubes then place into a bowl with mayonnaise and dill. Stir until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the spinach, carrot, and snow peas then spoon the egg mixture on top just before serving.

Dinner:
No Pasta Lasagne (serves 3-4)
20 to 25 ounces of minced meat
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tbsp of tomato paste
Sage, mixed Italian herbs, thyme, basil, ground cumin, cinnamon
25 oz of canned diced tomatoes or 4 cups of freshly diced tomatoes
1 medium eggplant, sliced
1/4 of a butternut pumpkin, sliced
5 small zucchini, sliced
2 tbsp of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

To make the meat sauce, fry the onion and garlic in a heated pan until browned. Remove onion and garlic from the pan, add and fry the minced meat until browned. When the meat is cooked, return the onion and garlic to the pan along with the herbs (to taste). Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Lay the eggplant slices on the bottom of a deep ovenproof dish. Layer eggplant with half the mince meat sauce, then layer with pumpkin slices, spread the remaining meat sauce over the pumpkin and layer zucchini slices on top to finish.

Brush olive oil lightly over zucchini slices, then bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces the veggies.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Snack:
Spicy Almonds
1 cup of almonds
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of ground coriander seeds
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1/2 tsp of salt
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 350.

Place egg white into a bowl and beat until slightly frothy. Add almonds, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds and salt and combine well.

Spread almond mixture onto an oven tray lined with baking paper.

Place tray in oven and bake for 10 minutes until almonds are lightly browned and egg has set.

Remove from oven and cool. To serve, break up baked mixture to separate almonds.

MAYONNAISE RECIPE:
2 egg yolks
200 ml of oil
3 tsp of lemon juice
pinch of salt

Place egg yolks, salt, and lemon juice in a bowl. Using an electric beater, pulse until mixture has slightly thickened. Keep the electric blender running and slowly ad the oil drop by drop. This will take a few minutes - don't rush the process as the oil may start to separate from the egg.

When all the oil has been added, add more salt or lemon juice to taste. Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.

Saturday 101120

2010-11-20T21:29:00.002-06:00

Rutabaga

Nutrition WOD
Take three meals from previous WODs and make your own combination or contribute some recipes of your own to the comments section.

Friday 101119

2010-11-19T21:56:00.002-06:00

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Scrambled Egg Cucumber Sandwich
1 whole cucumber, cut into two.
3-4 eggs
2 tbsp of coconut oil

Hollow out each cucumber with a butter knife. Scramble eggs in a frying pan over medium-high heat along with coconut oil.

Once eggs are cooked, fill both cucumber with eggs. Serve.

Lunch:
Sweet Potato and Bacon Salad
4 cups of sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
4-7 slices of bacon, diced
1/4 cup of almonds, sliced
Grass-fed Butter

In a covered saucepan with some water boil diced sweet potato for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, drain, and place sweet potato into a salad bowl.

Meanwhile, place butter, onion, and bacon in a frying pan on medium heat and fry until bacon and onion have browned. Remove from heat.

Add bacon and onion to sweet potato and combine well.

Sprinkle with sliced almonds to serve.

Dinner:
Chicken Soup
7 cups of water
4 chicken drumsticks
1 large carrot, end chopped
1 onion, skinned
2 celery stalks, ends chopped
1 tbsp of salt
Pepper

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve, remove chicken meat from the bone and stir through the soup.

Dessert:
Banana w/ Honey Walnuts
1 Banana
3 tbsp of chopped walnuts
2.5 tsp of honey

Place walnuts and honey in a microwave safe mug and heat on a medium microwave setting for 30 seconds. Stir then repeat for another 30 seconds. Honey should boil and lightly toast the walnuts.

Cut the banana into slices and place in a bowl. Pour walnuts and honey over the banana. Be careful. as the honey will be very hot.

Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Thursday 101118

2010-11-18T18:08:00.001-06:00

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Salmon and Zucchini Fritters
2-3 eggs
1.5 cups of almond meal
100 grams of smoked salmon, thinly sliced
2 large zucchini, roughly grated, liquid squeezed out
1 tbsp of chopped dill
Oil

Combine eggs and almond meal in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in the smoked salmon, zucchini, dill, and salt and pepper.

Place oil in a frying pan and heat over medium heat.

Spoon 1 tbsp of the smoked salmon mixture into the pan, allowing room for spreading. Fry for 2-3 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Drain the fritter on absorbent paper.

Repeat with the remaining smoked salmon mixture, adding oil to the pan between each batch as required.

Serve with a simple salad.

Lunch:
Meatball w/ Roast Fennel and Basil Sandwich
1 large fennel, stalks removed, sliced
Olive Oil
500 grams of minced meat
1 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp of rosemary
1 tsp of mustard
1 tbsp of arrowroot
Salt
3 capsicums, seeds removed and halved
Basil

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Place sliced fennel onto one baking tray and coat with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the fennel is tender. Remove from oven.

Place minced meat, onion, rosemary, mustard and arrowroot into a large mixing bowl and combine well. Roll meat into balls approximately 2.5 cm in diameter.

Place meatballs onto the the other oven tray and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the meat is cooked and browned.

(Note: There may be more meatballs and fennel made than required depending on the size of the capsicums.)

To serve, place fennel on the bottom of the capsicum half, followed by basil and meatballs.

Dinner:
Pan-Fried Moroccan Chicken
2 chicken breasts
1.5 tbsp of oil
400 grams can of diced tomatoes or 2 cups of diced tomatoes
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika ground
1 lemon, peel finely grated
1/2 cup of water
50 grams of slivered almonds

Fry the chicken in a pan, on medium heat, with olive oil for 5 minutes until lightly browned.

Add tomatoes, parsley, lemon rind, garlic, and paprika and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add juice of lemon and water, cook covered for a further 15 minutes, adding more liquid if necessary.

Serve with slivered almonds.

Wednesday 101117

2010-11-17T16:54:00.000-06:00

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Vegetable and Nut Omelet
1.5 cups of pumpkin, diced
2/3 cup of eggplant, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
3-5 eggs
4 walnut halves, chopped
1 tbsp of sunflower seeds
salt and pepper (optional)

Boil diced pumpkin in a pan with water until nearly cooked. Place eggplant into the pan and continue to boil for 2-3 minutes or until pumpkin and eggplant are both cooked.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, salt and pepper.

Heat frying pan lined with baking paper. Place the pumpkin, eggplant, tomato, walnuts, and sunflower seeds onto the baking paper and pour over the egg mixture.

When the bottom of the omelet is cooked, turn the mixture over by placing another sheet of baking paper to the side and flipping the mixture onto it, then transfer back into the heated frying pan and cook for an extra 2-3 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Serve.

Lunch:
Mushroom and Pumpkin Salad
1/2 small butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 large flat mushroom, sliced
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp of ground cumin
4 cups of baby spinach leaves
1 chicken breast

Preheat grill to medium heat. Place pumpkin under or on grill and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked. Place into a large salad bowl along with the spinach.

Place mushroom slices under or on grill and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until slightly tender and browned.

Add mushroom to pumpkin and spinach with olive oil, lemon juice, and cumin. Combine all ingredients well. Place sliced chicken breast over mixture and serve.

Dinner:
Fish w/ Garlic Basil Mayonnaise
2-3 servings of fish fillets
4 tbsp of mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and basil.

Place fish fillets on an oven tray lined with baking paper and coat top evenly with mayonnaise mixture. Bake fish in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. Serve with leafy green veggies.

Dessert:
Nut Balls
1 cup of almond meal
1/2 cup of hazelnut meal
1/2 cup of almond butter (or sunflower butter)
4 tbsp of honey
2 tbsp of cocoa powder
1/4 cup of shredded coconut

In a bowl, mix together almond meal, hazelnut meal, almond butter, honey, and cocoa powder.

Roll mixture into small balls and if desired, roll them in the shredded coconut.

Keep refrigerated. Makes 18-20 depending on size of balls.

Tuesday 101116

2010-11-16T21:03:00.000-06:00

It has a rich, peppery taste, and has an exceptionally strong flavour for a leafy green. It is generally used in salads, often mixed with other greens in a mesclun, but is also cooked as a vegetable or used raw with pasta or meats in northern Italy and in coastal Slovenia^{[citation needed]} (especially Koper/Capodistria), where it is added to the cheese burek. In Italy, rocket is often used in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it will not wilt in the heat.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs w/ Basil and Walnuts
3-5 eggs
1/2 cup of fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
salt and pepper (optional)

Whisk eggs in bowl and then place in frying pan on medium heat, stirring constantly. When the eggs are almost cooked, add basil and continue to cook for 1 minute or until eggs are fully cooked.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and add in the walnuts before serving.

Lunch:
Beetroot and Walnut Salad
1 cup of fresh beetroot, diced
1/2 of an avocado
2 cups of rocket leaves
Your choice of beef strips, chicken strips, or fish, 4-6oz.
1/3 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

In a saucepan on medium heat, steam the beetroot in water for 20-30 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan and leave to cool.

When the beetroot has cooled, place in a medium size mixing bowl along with the avocado, rocket, walnuts, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Combine well. Serve with meat placed on top of salad.

Dinner
Meatball Piccadillo (serves 2-3)

Meatballs
1 tbsp of avocado oil or coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound of minced meat
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 apple, peeled, cored, and grated
1/4 cup of raisins
6 black olives chopped
3 tbsp of slivered almonds
1 egg
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1 tsp of chili powder
salt and pepper

Sauce
About 25-30 oz of diced tomatoes canned or 4 cups of diced fresh tomatoes
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of ground paprika

Preheat oven to 350. Heat the oil in a pan on medium-high heat and fry onion until browned.

Add onion to a mixing bowl with the beef, garlic, apple, raisins, olives, almonds, egg, cinnamon, cloves, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Combine well.

Form the meat mixture into 13 balls, place in an ovenproof dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked and browned.

While the meatballs are cooking, place the tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, and paprika in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.

When the meatballs are ready, place them in the tomato sauce and simmer on a low heat for a further 15 minutes. Serve.

Snack:
Poppy Seed Crackers and Pistachio Salsa

Crackers
1/3 cup of almond meal
1/4 cup of sesame seeds
1 tbsp of poppy seeds
1 tsp of olive oil
1 egg white
Good pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine well.

Place mixture on a sheet of baking paper, and place another sheet of baking paper over the top of the mixture. Using a rolling pin, roll mixture out into a 3-4mm thickness.

Score pastry with the back of a knife into individual square pieces. Carefully remove baking paper from the top of pastry. Then holding the baking paper on the bottom of the pastry mix, move onto baking tray.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until pastry is lightly browned. Leave to cool then break crackers into individual pieces before serving.

Pistachio Salsa
1/3 cup of toasted pistachios
1 cup of tomatoes, finely diced
1/3 cup of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon
Pinch of ground paprika

Place all ingredients in bowl and mix together well. Serve.

Monday 101115

2010-11-15T08:31:00.002-06:00

Broccolini is a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with small florets and long, thin stalks. Although often misidentified as young broccoli, it is a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, Chinese broccoli. A natural hybrid of the cabbage family Brassica oleracea, it was developed by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. Broccolini's flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Broccolini Wrapped in Bacon w/ Pine Nuts
4 stems of broccolini
4-6 slices of bacon
1/3 cup of pine nuts
toothpicks

Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat. Place pine nuts in frying pan on low heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted/golden brown, stirring constantly.

Wrap 1-1.5 pieces of bacon around the stems of each broccolini and secure in place with a toothpick. Place broccolini on a pre-heated grill, turning occasionally for 5-6 minutes until the broccolini is tender and the bacon is crisp.

To serve, place the broccolini on a serving plate and top with the pine nuts.

Lunch:
Pecan Chicken Salad
1-1.5 chicken breasts
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely sliced
1/3 cup of pecans
1 hard boiled egg, cut in half
2 tbsp of mayonnaise (optional)

In a covered saucepan on medium heat, boil chicken breasts in water for 15-20 minutes or until cooked.

Remove chicken from the pan and leave to cool. Shred the chicken meat. In a small bowl, combine the chicken, onion, celery, pecans, and mayonnaise. Combine well.

Place egg on top of salad before serving.

Dinner:
Zucchini Omelet (serves 2)
3 cups of zucchini, diced
6-8 eggs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tbsp of tarragon or oregano
Salt and Pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Line an ovenproof dis with baking paper and lay zucchini evenly over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle zucchini with tarragon/oregano, salt and pepper.

In a bowl, beat eggs with coconut oil and pour over the zucchini. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the eggs are cooked. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes before serving.

Dessert:
Crunchy Banana Pops (serves 3)
1 large banana, peeled and cut into 3 pieces
3 ice-cream sticks
Favorite nut butter

Place banana pieces onto individual ice-cream stick. Cover half the banana with almond butter or roll in chopped nuts.

Place uncovered side of banana on a plate lined with baking paper. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving.

Saturday 101113

2010-11-13T19:36:00.000-06:00

Focaccia (Italian pronunciation: [foˈkattʃa]) is a flat oven-baked Italian bread,^[1] which may be topped with herbs or other ingredients.

Focaccia is related to pizza, but not considered to be the same.

If you were good this week and didn't cheat (that much anyway), I am posting a dinner that includes a little bread. If you are an extreme paleo-ist and refuse to eat bread, that is fine. Just find a suitable alternative but if I know most people, they cheat so why not give them a recipe to help them get that urge out of the way. To each his/her own.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs w/ Veggies
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tsp of coconut oil or grass-fed butter
1/2 a carrot, finely chopped
2 broccolini stalks, finely chopped
2 asparagus stalks, finely chopped
3-4 eggs
salt and pepper (optional)

Place oil/butter and onions in a frying pan on medium heat and fry for 1 minute. Add vegetables and cook for a further 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the eggs and scramble into the veggie mixture, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are cooked.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Lunch:
Bacon, Mushroom, and Pesto Foccacia
2 bacon eyes
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of baby spinach leaves
1 tsp of pesto
1 slice of flaxseed foccacia, cut in half

Preheat sandwich press to medium heat. Fry bacon and mushrooms in a heated frying pan for 3-4 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Remove from heat.

Spread pesto onto one slice of the foccacia then top with bacon, mushrooms, spinach, and top with the other slice of foccacia. Toast in the sandwich press for 1-2 minutes. Serve.

Dinner:
Fish w/ Tomato and Almond (serves 2)
4 white fish fillets
13.5 fluid oz of diced tomatoes
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 lemon, peel finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp of paprika, ground
2 tbsp of olive oil
2oz of slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl combine tomatoes, parsley, grated lemon rind, garlic, paprika, oil, and almonds.

Place fish in an ovenproof dish and top evenly with tomato mixture. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes or until the fish is cooked.

Serve with vegetables or salad.

Dessert:
Chocolate Coconut Snack Bar (serves 4-6)
3/4 cup of almonds
3 tbsp of desiccated coconut or freshly grated coconut
1 cup of walnuts
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
3/4 cup of dates

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Press mixture firmly into a tray lined with baking paper to prevent sticking.

Cool in a refrigerator for a few hours. When cooled, remove from tray and cut into bar shapes. Serve.

Friday 101112

2010-11-12T18:20:00.000-06:00

Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pines (family Pinaceae, genus Pinus). About 20 species of pine produce seeds large enough to be worth harvesting; in other pines the seeds are also edible, but are too small to be of great value as a human food.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Scrambled Eggs w/ Mushroom and Pine Nuts
3-4 eggs
2 tsp of onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp of chives, finely chopped
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp of coconut oil or grass-fed butter
1 tbsp of pine nuts
salt and pepper (optional)

Place oil/butter and onions in pan on medium heat and fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Remove onions from pan.

Whisk eggs in a bowl then pour into the frying pan; cook while stirring constantly. When the eggs are almost cooked, add chives and continue cooking for a further 1 minute, or until eggs are cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms before serving.

Lunch:
Tasty Chicken Salad
1-1.5 Chicken breast, boiled or steamed and shredded
2 cups of baby spinach leaves
1 large Roma tomato, diced
1 cup of cucumber, diced
2/3 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 a red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup of black olives, cut in halves
3 tbsp of olive oil
4 tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette

Place all ingredients in a salad bowl and toss well. Serve.

Dinner:
Chicken, Spinach, and Asparagus Soup (serves 2)
2-3 chicken breast, shredded
4 chopped spring onions
4 cups of spinach
6 thick asparagus spears slice in half or 12 thin asparagus spears
Grass-fed butter
1.5 cups of coconut milk
Spices (choose your favorite spices or your favorite curry paste) - For example: cumin, cinnamon, Mexican chili powder, ground paprika, dried chili, garlic, ground coriander, lime, cardamom, salt and pepper.

In a saucepan on medium heat, fry the onions in a little butter until lightly browned. Add spices, asparagus and spinach and stir until spices are heated and mixed through the asparagus and spinach.

Add the coconut milk and chicken and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve.

Snack:
Coconut and Lime Custard (serves 2)
1/2 cup of coconut milk
1/4 cup of water
1/2 tbsp of honey
1/2 a lime, peel and finely grated
1 tbsp of lime juice
1/2 tsp of vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/8 of a cup of shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place coconut milk, water, honey, grated lime and lime juice in a pan and simmer over medium heat for 1 minute.

In a bowl, beat eggs for a few minutes then slowly add to the hot coconut milk mixture, whisking constantly for a smooth consistency.

Divide the custard mixture into 2 individual serve ovenproof dishes and place these in a deep ovenproof pan. Pour boiling water into pan to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until custard is set.

Cool to room temperature then place custard in the fridge to cool for 6 hours or overnight.

Serve with shredded coconut sprinkled on top.

Thursday 101111

2010-11-11T17:54:00.000-06:00

Leeks, like garlic and onions, belong to a vegetable family called the Allium vegetables. Since leeks are related to garlic and onions, they contain many of the same beneficial compounds found in these well-researched, health-promoting vegetables.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Bacon and Leek Sandwich
1 small leek, finely sliced
3-6 slices of bacon
2-3 eggs
1 tbsp of coconut oil or grass-fed butter
1 capsicum half

Fry bacon and oil in pan. When lightly browned, remove extra oil and add leek, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until leek is tender. Add eggs and scramble into bacon and leek. Remove from heat.

Fill capsicum half with bacon and leek scramble and serve.

Lunch:
Tuna and Apple Salad
4-6 oz of canned tuna (wild caught)
2-3 cups of loose, organic spinach
1 small green apple, cored and diced
Your choice, 1/2 cup of pecan nuts or 1/4 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced

Toss together in a bowl and serve. No dressing needed.

Dinner:
Chicken w/ Basil and Orange Sauce (serves 2)
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (do not use carton orange juice, in fact, what is that stuff doing in your house?)
2/3 cup of fresh basil, roughly chopped
Sea Salt (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Place chicken breasts between two pieces of baking paper. Using a meat hammer or the end of a rolling pin, flatten poultry until 1cm thick.

Place chicken in an ovenproof dish with oil, orange juice, basil, and a good pinch of salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake chicken in oven for 30-40 minutes or until cooked. Serve with a salad or steamed veggies of choice. Lots of veggies please.

Snack:
Kombucha
Grab you a bottle of GT's Kombucha or Synergy Tea and drink that sucka.

Wednesday 101110

2010-11-10T21:16:00.000-06:00

Capsicum are commonly called chilli pepper, red or green pepper, or sweet pepper in Britain, and typically just capsicum in Australian, New Zealand, and Indian English. The large mild form is called bell pepper in the U.S. and Canada.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast
Tuna and Egg Sandwich
195 grams of canned tuna
1 egg
1 capsicum half
Sea Salt (optional)

Boil egg for 5-6 minutes or until desired firmness has been reached. Cool egg, peel, and cut in half. Place tuna on the bottom of the capsicum half and place egg halves on top. Add salt if desired to serve.

Lunch
Chicken with Yellow Squash Salad
1-1.5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
2-3 yellow squash
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 an avocado, diced
1 cup of parsley, roughly chopped
1/3 cup of dill, roughly chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of lemon juice

Boil the squash in water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Cut the cooled squash into quarters and place into a large salad bowl with cherry tomatoes, avocado, parsley, dill, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Arrange the salad on a plate around the chicken and serve.

Dinner
Peppered Steak and Greens (serves 1-2)
2 - 100 gram rump steaks
2 tbsp of crushed peppercorns
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp of grass-fed butter
4-6 cups of leafy green veggie of choice (red chard, spinach, kale, etc.)

Dip each steak into beaten egg and then cover by pressing on crushed peppercorns. Place the steak on a frying pan with some butter to grease or grill. Fry on high heat for 30 seconds each side, reduce heat and cook until steak is at desired tenderness.

Serve with leafy veggies (run under water and shake dry) microwaved on high for about 30-45 seconds.

Snack
Traffic Lights (serves 2)
2 Thick chunks of pineapple
1 Kiwi, peeled and cut in half
2 strawberries
2 wooden skewers or ice cream sticks

There is no protein with this snack so be very careful not to go overboard. Part of the silliness is in the fact that you skewer the fruit in the fashion of traffic lights, kiwi on the bottom, pineapple in the middle and the strawberry on top. Enjoy and remember, organic is best. I'm serious.

Tuesday 101109

2010-11-09T21:47:00.000-06:00

I know that some of you have requested a food list but unfortunately that is not an option at this time. I would recommend that you wait a week before committing to this 30 day plan thus allowing a week's worth of meals to be posted.

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Vegetable and Nut Omelet
1.5 cups pumpkin, diced
2/3rds cup eggplant, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
3-4 eggs
4 walnut halves, chopped
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
salt and pepper (optional)

Boil diced pumpkin in a pan with water until nearly cooked. Place eggplant into the pan and continue to boil for 2-3 minutes or until pumpkin and eggplant are both cooked.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, salt, and pepper.

Heat frying pan lined with baked paper. Place the pumpkin, eggplant, tomato, walnuts, and sunflower seeds onto the baking paper and pour over the egg mixture.

When the bottom of the omelet is cooked, turn the mixture over by placing another sheet of baking paper to the side and flipping the mixture onto it, then transfer back into the heated frying pan and cook for an extra 2-3 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Serve.

Lunch
Chinese Cabbage and Chicken Salad w/ Almonds
1/2 Chinese cabbage chopped
5-6oz chicken breast cut into strips
Handful of almond slivers
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup of balsamic vinaigrette

Mix in bowl and serve.

Dinner
Beef and Mushroom Goulash (serves 2-3)
500 grams diced beef
2 tbsp coconut or avocado oil
1 onion, diced
200 grams button mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp ground paprika
600 grams can of diced tomatoes
Parsley
Salt and Pepper (optional)

Heat a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat. Fry the beef in 1 tbsp of oil for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Transfer beef to a plate. In same pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and stir fry the onion and mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, or until onion and mushrooms are slightly tender. Add paprika, stir well to coat mushrooms and onions.

Add tomatoes and beef. Cover pan and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving with chopped parsley to garnish.

Snack
Watermelon and Coconut Milk
2-4 cups of watermelon
1 cup of coconut milk
2 tbsp of vanilla essence
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 scoop of protein powder
2 cups of ice

In a blender, mix the coconut milk, protein powder, lemon juice, ice, and vanilla essence until smooth. Add in watermelon and continue to blend until desired consistency.

Monday 101108

2010-11-08T18:33:00.000-06:00

Nutrition WOD
Breakfast:
Grilled Garlic Mushrooms w/ Bacon
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
6 slices of bacon
3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp coconut oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper (optional)

Combine in a bowl and then place in heated pan. Stirring occasionally, cook for 5-8 minutes.

Lunch:
Caesar Salad
6 slices of bacon
4 cups of chopped green leafy veggie of choice
2 hard boiled eggs
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
olive oil and vinaigrette for dressing

Dinner (serves 2):
Beef w/ Zucchini
280g beef, cut into strips
2 tbsp of coconut oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp salt - 1 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup water
4 small zucchinis, cut crossways into pieces
1 red capsicum, diced

Fry beef until all sides are browned using coconut or avocado oil. Add onions, garlic, tomatoes, water, salt and pepper; cover and simmer for an hour. Check from time to time to ensure mixture has not become too dry; add more water if necessary.

Stir in zucchini and capsicum pieces and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Serve.

Snack (1 time so choose wisely):
Fruit and Nut Snack
Dried Apricots
Chopped pecan nuts (or choice)
Pumpkin Seeds
Cinnamon
(it would be in your best interest to add beef jerky to this snack)

All drinks should be green tea, perhaps a cup of coffee in the morning, or water. If you need to alter anything, go ahead but choose wisely and ask if you are unsure. If you tend to get hungry often, increase the protein source within each meal.

Thirty Days to Follow

2010-11-06T11:16:00.002-05:00

I am going to embark on a strict paleo diet for 30 days and I would like you to follow along. We will call it the nutrition WOD. How original right? A lot of you have asked me how and what should you eat like exactly. You've wanted a plan and I was always hesitant because no one ever follows a plan. They may do so for a week or so but everyone eventually falls of a plan.

The reason it is difficult for most to follow something written out is due to the small stuff. Stuff like me not knowing exactly, your likes and dislikes and the fact that when you don't educate yourself on why you are eating a certain way, you don't have that attachment to it. When you learn about a way of life, the ins and outs, you feel empowered and motivated. If you don't learn, you are just doing a favor. It's like watching someone's kids for the evening. You know they'll be coming to pick them up.

I will post three meals a day along with a snack of some sort. All four eating times will include protein, carbohydrate, and fat. All four eating times, I expect, to be of the utmost quality. We're talking grass-fed beef, steak, pork, etc. Organic produce and fruit.

This also means that, we will be cutting out grains, alcohol, legumes, and all processed foods. I may or may not include milk for post-workout purposes.

Anyways, I plan to post the first day's WOD tomorrow afternoon and will try to stay one full afternoon ahead so that everyone can prepare accordingly. There will be things you are not used to and there will be things you will not have access to. Do the best you can to replace what you do not have with a suitable replacement. And please ask questions if you are unsure about anything.

I will post the recipe with each meal and feel free to alter it in any way so long as you stay within the rules. Again, ask if you are unsure. Also, if you'd like, post some personal stats to comments so that you can revisit them after thirty days.

Good luck.

Podcast Listening

2010-11-05T11:36:00.008-05:00

In light of how incredible Robb Wolf's podcast series is and because they have now surpassed the 50 episode mark (as the list grows, people are more likely to feel they are falling behind and won't listen), I have pointed out some specific parts on some the the most current episodes for you to listen in on and learn a little.

I think that these are on some topics that get tossed around more often than others and would prove beneficial to your ongoing education into improving one's eating habits.

Remember, we are not in the business of making Paleo a religion. You are human and are entitled to however you want to eat. All I am saying is to educate yourself and make great choices more often than not. Eat meat and vegetables. Lots of leafy green vegetables. Eat solid sources of fat, mostly coming from grass-fed animals (yummy saturated fat). Go organic, it is definitely worth it. Cook in extra virgin coconut oil, it is tasty and unbelievable healthy for you. Have some organic fruit for dessert if you want to. Eliminate grains, dairy, and legumes unless of course you really want that cupcake, a cold glass of milk, or are out on the night and would like some edamame. See what I am saying? Be smart but not crazy cultish.

And if you have a question, my door is always open.

Episode 49: (it's a good one)
Bloodwork Results - 14:50
Bananas and Potassium - 18:45
Protein Shakes - 20:13
Creatine - 26:31
Magnesium Supplementation - 33:40

Episode 50:
Butter Use - 38:35
Sleep Improvements - 45:00

Episode 51:
Grilling Meat - 34:05
Protein Recommendations - 54:30

Remember, you can listen to these podcasts by visiting the Paleo Solution Series page linked at the top of the website. You can also click here. Download the files to your computer and listen to them on iTunes to find the exact points listed above.

Challenge III is Over

2010-11-02T20:48:00.003-05:00

I am just starting to get in the post-challenge pictures. Once they are in, I will go through them, pick the finalists, and let you vote on the winners.

I want to congratulate everyone that took part in the challenge in some shape or fashion. Although not everyone made it through, hopefully everyone learned something about nutrition along the way.

When the winners are chosen, I will begin to post the winners pics to this blog and send a copy of before and afters to everyone that finished the challenge.

Here is a pic of a recent breakfast of mine to give you some ideas on how it can look. Some of you don't eat enough and I hope this helps. It is eggs, steamed rainbow chard, and butternut squash with cinnamon sprinkled on. I also have a tablespoon of sunbutter.

3 Step Hormone Makeover

2010-10-13T18:28:00.005-05:00

I found this article and the read is perfect. It is written by Vera Tweed. Here is the summary:

1. Solve the Food-Stress Syndrome
You can virtually eliminate the dietary trigger of physical stress and hormonal disruption by using food to keep blood sugar levels stable (controlling insulin). These are some key things to do:

- Start the day with a breakfast that includes lean protein
- Don't go terribly long between meals if you don't have a handle on your hormonal responses yet.
- Throughout the day, avoid starchy and sugary foods and beverages sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.
- Eat lean (unless grass-fed) protein and vegetables at every meal.
- If you drink regular or diet sodas, switch to herbal teas.
- Take a good quality multivitamin and mineral supplement plus antioxidants to support healthy metabolism.
- Exercise regularly and pick activities that reduce your stress levels.
- Control stress in life. Give yourself a break to relax, if just for a few minutes, each day.

2. Avoid Toxins
For many years, scientists have known that toxins disrupt hormones in humans and wildlife, and in 1996, Congress passed a law requiring the EPA to screen chemical pesticides and other contaminant for their potential effect on hormones. However, such a program to test pesticides just began to be implemented in October 2009, and it will take some time for changes to occur.

- When buying canned food, look for BPA-free cans. (Bisphenol A)
- When choosing any products you put on your skin or use in your home, avoid those containing synthetic fragrance. Instead, select ones scented with essential oils or other natural ingredients.
- Drink water that doesn't contain toxins.
- Use refillable water bottles made without BPA.
- For food storage, use BPA-free plastic containers or glass, ceramic, or metal ones. Look on the bottom of the container. Those with the numbers 3, 6, or 7 (the number is inside a triangle) are the worst sources of BPA.
-Choose organic foods and beverages whenever possible.
- Keep in mind that "microwave-safe" indicates a food container wont disintegrate in the microwave; there is no guarantee that toxins won't leach into the food.

3. Establish a Nutritional Foundation
Sound nutrition gives your body a foundation to withstand assaults from an imperfect diet and environmental toxins. While supplements can't replace a healthy lifestyle, they can certainly enhance one.

- Multivitamin: A product that includes 50 to 100 mg of B1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, up to 1000mg of B12, 800 mcg of folic acid, 200 to 400 IU of a vitamin E-mixed tocopherol combination and at least 200 mcg of chromium.
- Fish Oil: 3000 mg. (I recommend 1000 mg for every 20 pounds of body-weight)
- Vitamin D: 1000 to 2000 IU (I recommend that for children and up to 6000 IU for adults).
- Calcium: A total (from food and supplements) of 1000 mg up to age 50 and 1200 mg after that.
- Magnesium: 400 mg (glycinate) or 600 mg (oxide) twice daily, with the second dose taken before bedtime for more restful sleep. If you experience diarrhea, cut back.
- Vitamin C: 1000 to 2000 mg and up to 5000 mg during times of stress or illness.
- CoQ10: After age 35, 50 mg, and 100 to 200 mg if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, or suffer from fatigue, diabetes, or heart disease.

And for specific situations:

- PMS and menopausal symptoms: Black cohosh and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid).
- Stress, mood, and sleep difficulties: 5-HTP and/or L-theanine. (I swear by this)
- Digestive problems: Digestive enzymes.
- Constipation: Ground flaxseed mixed in food.
- Vaginal yeast infections: Probiotics.
- Urinary tract infections: Pure, unsweetened organic cranberry juice.

This is very valuable information that you should seriously consider following. I am behind it adamantly. Sleep and stress control are two of the most important factors when living a healthy lifestyle. They are the two things I look at first when someone is not seeing results from a Paleolithic diet. It will put progress to a screeching halt. I promise you that. If you have stubborn belly fat, it is almost guaranteed to be a result of inadequate sleep and high stress.

Raw Milk

2010-10-07T10:35:00.002-05:00

Two of my favorite as of late.....

2010-09-29T16:54:00.004-05:00

Collard Greens (above) and Beet Greens

As of late, these two leafy greens have been high on my have to eat list. You may or may not like leafy greens but I seem to think they are the only vegetables necessary, along with the root veggies like rutabaga, beets, radishes, etc. I'm not a big broccoli fan (which is a leafy green) nor that much of other veggies like broccoli such as cauliflower. I have grown to love leafy greens and I have tried my fair share.

I have tried Kale, Red Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Dandelion Greens, Red Swiss Chard, Rainbow Chard, and your Spinach varieties. Out of all these, you can't go wrong with Kale and Dandelion greens are really bitter which is a huge turnoff for most. Other than that, I really like collard greens, and the greens atop beets.

Collard greens are really easy to cook for lunch meals if you have access to a microwave. The heat does kill some of the nutrients such as Vitamin C but the greens are so packed with nutrients, I am willing to bypass this because they taste much better heated up a bit. I only eat Organic by the way. I would dare touch the other stuff. Anyways, dip the greens in a bowl of water a few times and then rinse off under water. Remove the bottom stem from the leaf and then tear the thing apart and put in a microwave safe bowl. Run for about a minute or so and viola, you're ready to go. It's really amazing.

You can also do this with beet greens. Beet greens taste a bit like spinach but better. Just the other night, Crystal stovetop cooked them with some mushrooms. Use a bit of coconut oil or pastured butter and saute until soft bug don't overcook, you may not like the result.

In any case, you must be trying different vegetables because they are one of the most important things in your diet. If you feel you don't like them, keep searching because in the end, they are key to health and vitality. You know that whole apple a day saying? It holds true with dark, leafy veggies. Eat as much as you can and watch the pounds melt away, the energy go up, and the sickness stay away. This paired up with healthy animal meats and solid sources of dietary fat and you are well on your way to superhealth.

Meat is king (grass-fed anyways) but the veggies are pretty much on the same level. You gotta do it. Stop making excuses.

______________________________

Also, if you haven't seen Food, Inc., you need to get on the ball and watch it. It is a very real depiction of our food supply. Naysayers say what you will but this is for real. Some of it may be overblown but this is how our food is grown and brought to the general public. It is disgusting and despicable.

If you get the chance, you should also rent or get a hold of the movie from my last post, "The Future of Food." There is also another movie that depicts our nations most subsidized crop, corn, from the fields to the dinner table. "King Corn" is another eye opening tale that you don't want to miss.

The Future of Food

2010-09-24T10:08:00.002-05:00

You have to watch this film. It is an hour and a half long but it is important for you to know that your sicknesses and diseases are not your fault. Yes, you are responsible for what you put into your mouth but it is reaching epic proportions, the food that is genetically modified. It is not safe anymore.

The final ruling is that you are seriously playing Russian roulette if you do not know where your food comes from. I'm not talking about what grocery store either. It must not only be organic and free range but you must also know the people that grow your food. It is so important to the future of humanity.

Those that are in office to protect us from harm are the ones that work for those that care nothing about our health but only about money and power. Please support your local, sustainable farms. It is our only hope. In the process, you will heal. You will lose weight. You will feel better. I promise you this.

Watch more free documentaries

Thistles and Clover

2010-09-22T14:59:00.004-05:00

Meet the people who provide the wholesome food for this gym.

Robb talks about the book....

2010-09-21T18:36:00.001-05:00

It's Your Choice.......

2010-09-20T19:03:00.003-05:00

This shit is nasty and who knows where they are coming from or where are they are going but I can probably guess where they'll end up. How about your refrigerator? This is why we get sick. This is why our children get sick. It's because our food is sick.

On a side note, this is probably the most sun they have ever received as most chicken farms are inside a dark building with no sunshine at all, ever. They go in at night to remove dead chickens and to kill the ones for consumption. Their reasoning is, "they fight the least when it's pitch dark."

Read more here....

You can also read more about factory farming here....

What about our red-meat?

Call it what you want....

2010-09-14T14:44:00.002-05:00

NEW YORK – The makers of high fructose corn syrup want to sweeten its image with a new name: corn sugar.

The Corn Refiners Association applied Tuesday to the federal government for permission to use the name on food labels. The group hopes a new name will ease confusion about the sweetener, which is used in soft drinks, bread, cereal and other products.

Americans' consumption of corn syrup has fallen to a 20-year low on consumer concerns that it is more harmful or more likely to cause obesity than ordinary sugar, perceptions for which there is little scientific evidence.

More after the jump.....

Grass-Fed Fats

2010-09-13T23:36:00.004-05:00

Bonus: One dollar for anyone who counts how many times I say "umm." Not really but I do say it a lot.

The Challenge Starts Now

2010-09-12T21:04:00.006-05:00

I would like to start everyone off with an excerpt from my good friend Robb Wolf's new book "The Paleo Solution." It is on the chapter of hormones and their effect on the body and its health. I want you to know that no matter how well you you follow the eating plan I am suggesting, it won't mean shit if you don't sleep and manage stress.

Straight from "The Paleo Solution," by Robb Wolf:

Cortisol raises blood sugar levels, which can cause fat gain. Although many people don't know this, cortisol release from stress and a lack of sleep factors prominently in body fat gain, leading to that pesky spare tire around the midsection. Cortisol shouldn't be feared, because it is a crucial anti-inflammatory - we just don't want too much of it.

The following increase cortisol levels: intense or prolonged physical activity, caffeine, sleep deprivation, stress, subcutaneous fat tissue, and certain contraceptives.

Take these two things very seriously, sleep and stress, as they may be the very two things that thwart your success. Eating correctly can be a very powerful tool in curing disease, obesity, and lethargy but their power is greatly diminished when always tired and worried. Take heed.

Here is another excerpt from his book that I feel is essential knowledge:

Now, this may sound like heresy, but there are no " essential carbohydrates." Our bodies can make all the carbohydrates it needs from protein and fat. Although glucose (sugar) is critical for many of our tissues, the redundant mechanisms in our bodies for producing glucose indicate, it was a fuel that was transient in our past. We are not genetically wired for a 50 percent carbohydrate, bran muffin diet, despite what the USDA, AMA, and FDA have to say on the topic. Capisce?

This tells us a lot about the dangers of carbohydrates if not taken seriously. We don't need them but for a few processes but even then, the body is good at getting this made from protein and fats. Now, ideally, we ingest vegetables to cover this needed glucose for which the body requires so that your precious amino acids (protein) are not converted into glucose and your stored body fat, which even if you are lean, is in abundance, to use as the primary fuel source for all other functions. It's a balance.

Now on to the challenge:
If you haven't already, please explore the links above this post and below the logo header. There is valuable information here that will point you in the right direction. As I mentioned in the meetings, if you have any questions please email me at any time or email the Yahoo group and someone will get back to you promptly.

Speaking of the Yahoo group, please sign up for your account asap and start recording your meals, all of them. Also remember to have your picture taken in them gym no later than Monday. If I am not in the office ask Amanda or Jon to take these photos for you. You will need to have a front, right side, and back photo taken. Men need to be shirtless while ladies will be in a sports bra or bathing suit top.

In addition to all the information listed above, here is the link to the phased approach to becoming Paleolithic. I hope it helps.

CFOmaha Nutrition - Phased Approach to Paleo Diet

The Next Challenge

2010-09-07T13:26:00.008-05:00

7 Week Paleo Challenge

Our next nutrition challenge starts this Monday, September 13th and runs until Halloween day, October 31st.

You will need to attend an intro meeting either this Thursday or Friday. There will be three meetings available, two on Thursday and one on Friday. Thursday's meeting will be at 5PM and 6PM and Friday's will be at 5PM. You are required to attend one of these meetings.

The cost of the challenge is $25 (please bring cash or check) and other than this cost, you will only be required to submit a weekly log to our Yahoo group no later than every Monday evening. If a log is missed, you will be removed from the competition. You can sign up to be a part of this group by clicking on the link at the top of the right hand column (all previous members not doing the challenge will be removed).

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ricky@crossfitomaha.net.

Let's go people, it's time to change those bodies.

Why fruit only in the morning?

2010-09-03T14:43:00.002-05:00

The Paleo Solution on Underground Wellness

2010-09-02T11:04:00.004-05:00

I have been a longtime follower of Underground Wellness and Sean Croxton. I even have a post to his website on this blog. So you can understand how excited I was when I saw that he was going to have my good friend Robb Wolf on his radio show.

Here it is in it's entirety.

The Winners

2010-08-27T12:59:00.004-05:00

The battle was fierce, the voting close (at least for the ladies) but you have chosen your winners. Congratulations to all that finished the challenged. The dedication that you showed to yourself and to learning more about how you eat is very commendable.

Without further adieu...............

Male Winners:

Winner
Greg Luddington - $400

Runner-up
Bill Nesbitt - $150

Female Winners:

Winner
Paula Miller - $400

Runner-up
Laura Folchert - $150

Congratulations guys. You were chosen by your peers as winners of Nutrisimple's Paleo challenge II. You can pick up your checks the next time you are in the gym.

As for the next challenge, you guys have been asking and now the date has been set. Paleo challenge III will begin on Monday, September 13th with the last day being Halloween. The cost will be $25 to enter with the amount of sign-ups determining how many winners are chosen and how much the pot will be.

Start getting ready now as this will be the best challenge yet.

Post thoughts to comments.

Chef Gillespie

2010-08-26T16:24:00.007-05:00

Lindsey Creath, a member of our gym, is a huge fan of Chef Gillespie and when she came across this video, she sent it my way. I have one word for this video:

WHOLESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post thoughts to comments.

Paleolithic Diet: Finally Breaking Through

2010-08-24T15:07:00.002-05:00

Hey guys, here is a great read on the Paleo diet. It is a question/answer with Robb Wolf but that isn't why it's great. It's great because of where the article is from. We are finally making ground in the hardcore arena.

Pumped Up on the Paleo Diet, by Yael Grauer - Testosterone Nation

Post thoughts to comments.

The Protein Debate

2010-08-23T14:25:00.003-05:00

Every hear of the China Study? T. Colin Campbell is everyone's hero all of a sudden when he wrote this book. Well, professor Cordain iniated a debate with Campbell and refuted all his findings and even since then, there have been more instances where Dr. Campbell has been proven wrong and his findings null and void.

Free The Animal has an outstanding post on the misleading pile of crap that is The China Study. Here is the original analysis that Richard is referring to which was generated by Denise Minger.

Click on the image for the article.

Check these out....

2010-08-17T20:51:00.002-05:00

Here are a few links for you guys to take a look at and maybe give your opinion.

Coconut Water: Myth or Miracle?
The good, bad, and ugly of breakfast
Combating Obesity: How and How Come
Why Quick, Cheap Food Is Actually More Expensive

Good reading to you.

7 Day Nutrisimple Test

2010-08-11T17:21:00.019-05:00

Here is the first of two new approaches to Nutrisimple's nutritional recommendations. This first one is a test. It is a test of how you feel, how you sleep, how you perform in relationship to how you eat. It is a very short test but if followed strictly and to a T, you will see tremendous benefits even in this short period of time.

You're benefits may come on the scale or in body composition (test either if you like) but it will most definitely come in the form of how you feel. Don't take this test if you are not going to follow it precisely. I'm serious, don't waste your or my time if you are not going to commit 100%. I mean, come on, it's only 7 days.

The test has been updated and condensed, visit the link at the top of the website to see the changes.

The Final 2 Female Finalists

2010-08-11T16:48:00.009-05:00

Here are the last two finalists from our second Paleo challenge. Voting starts on Monday, August 16th.

Click on a picture to enlarge it.

Vicky Christiansen

Lindsey Creath

The First Two Female Finalists

2010-08-10T21:02:00.006-05:00

Looking through the female finalists, I noticed a lot of ladies who entered the contest that didn't finish it. This noticeably narrowed the field down and left me with only 4 challengers that I felt made changes to their appearance that were considerably more than the rest of the participants. It was after the four ladies that the gap was wide enough that I chose to cut the finalists down to four instead of six.

Here are the first two of your four female finalists: (click on any picture to enlarge it)

Laura Folchert

Paula Miller

The Next 3 Male Finalists

2010-08-10T12:43:00.007-05:00

Here are your final three male finalists.

The First 3 Male Finalists

2010-08-09T20:22:00.013-05:00

Sorry it took me so long to get this going but I finally had the time to sort through the pictures and get them organized so that I could pick all the finalists. The guys did really well and since we are doing a runner-up and a winner for both sexes, I moved the number of finalists up to six on each side.

Out of these finalists, those that entered the contest will get a chance to vote, ranking 1st through 6th, those that they feel made the most change down to the least change, in relationship to each other.

Nonetheless, congratulations to all that entered, that entered and made it to the end, and of course, our finalists.

Here are your first three male finalists:

Brian Hilgenfeld

Mike Wesack

John Stuck

For the Primal Apologist.......

2010-07-27T14:51:00.003-05:00

It's funny how encounters occur. I have never really gotten to know but a few of my fellow CrossFit brethren. I know of a lot of them but to actually know someone like I know the members of my gym, I can't say I've done my best to make the effort to be approachable as a person and athlete. I am a good guy and I love being around people but I just have this thing about me. This front that screams standoffish. I am a humble guy who believes in effort and desire, who bleeds passion. I want people to want things like I want things. If it is there for the taking and If I want it, I will take it. That is who I am. At the same time, that is not an attitude of laid back and an easy to talk to guy.

I've lost members of my gym because of this. I have current friends that I don't talk to as often as I'd like because of this. I'm a hard head. The one outlet that allows me to be different is technology. It's funny because it is true that technology has rid our society of face to face communication but I have never really been that good at it anyways and with texting, emailing, tweeting, and facebooking, I have created an alter ego of sorts. It has allowed me to really open up and let people know who I am. I would even venture to say that people probably like my alter ego than the real me which is ironic because that is the real me.

In any sense, this has made it tough for me to portray who I really am to those in my sport. It is a work in progress though and something that I continue to battle with on an everyday basis. I will be an unstoppable force if I could ever become that approachable, easy to talk to coach/athlete. It will happen but it isn't easy for me.

This has crossed over into many other aspects of my life as well. I am a strong, focused coach but I know I can be better. I am a well educated, experienced nutritionists (not in the traditional sense) but I know I can be better. I am limited in my ability because of my need to be a better people person. I need to open up more like I do through technology.

What has worked for me, are my accomplishments as an athlete and coach. These things have opened up doors for me. I am heard of in the CrossFit world because of my athletes and a bit of because my performance on the big stage. I have met people who are tremendous in both their business savvy and sporting accomplishments. The CrossFit community is without a doubt one of the best in all of competitive endeavors. I love the world community. It is what drives me to make CrossFit Omaha one of the best around. To give this middle of the country state an opportunity to shine with the big boys of both coasts and the south.

One of those people that I have not had the pleasure of meeting in person but because of technology, we have met nonetheless is Web Smith. Web is part of the CrossFit Central crew and competed on their affiliate team and his wife, Lindsey Smith, is the 12th fittest woman on the planet. A pretty fit couple If I say so myself. Web is also associated with SICFIT.com. SICFIT is a media outlet that covers all things fitness. It really is a cool idea and their website is just that, SIC.

I met Web through Twitter but now I wish I would have met him in Carson but luckily there is always next year. Through meeting Web, I have come across his many blogs and a wealth of information. This is great because I am always looking to educate myself and my clients or at least help them to understand what our gym stands for and how to help them teach their families and friends of what our gym, their gym, is all about.

When it comes to Paleo, I always hear my clients talk about how it is difficult to explain fully how we eat and why we do it. Or how to explain to everyone why we eat so much fat and meat and that we shy away from grains and dairy. The outside world thinks its dangerous. That its heart clogging, etc. In them believing that, we ourselves can become confrontational and even seem to hurt the cause rather than help people to understand the benefits of a primal diet.

Well, Web Smith wrote on this very topic and as I was reading it, I saw a lot of myself and the things I do when it comes to Paleo eating. I can almost see myself becoming someone that I wholeheartedly make fun of. I learned something from this article and because of that, I am posting it here for you to read. It is a very good article and I think you will learn how to follow the diet with more common sense and help support the cause rather than support its demise. You are the walking billboard for Paleo/Primal.

Primal Eating, Modern Perspective, by Web Smith - CrossFitChron.com

Read it and post your thoughts to comments. Let me know what you think.

Thanks Web for a great article and I look forward to meeting you and your family in the very near future.

G7 Athletics - Stories

2010-07-26T14:46:00.005-05:00

This video is from G7 Athletics, a CrossFit affiliate. It is the story of Veronica Garza, a 28 year old female who was once diagnosed with ITP and Lupus.

Check out here story:

G7 Stories - Veronica Garza from G7 Athletics on Vimeo.

More on Statins

2010-07-23T20:10:00.002-05:00

Here is a blog post by Dr Kurt Harris from over at PaleoNu. He discusses a case of one of his blog readers who has abnormally high LDL in relation to his HDL. He is worried and had sought advice from many a sources including Dr. Harris'.

Dr. Harris has posted on the fallacy that is statin use and the fact that traditional doctors who believe statin us is in order for those with high cholesterol may be causing more harm than helping. In other words, if the diet is in order, "God doesn't make mistakes." He also states that even if your diet is not in order, statin use is unwarranted and may prove costly over the long haul.

Read his blog post and read it well. There is some great information. If you don't understand something, post to comments about it and I will do my best to answer.

Statins and the Cholesterol Hypothesis - Part I, Dr. Kurt Harris - PaleoNu

Paul Chek

2010-07-13T14:21:00.006-05:00

This video is from Underground Wellness's Youtube page. It covers a bit about where protein shakes and bars comes from and also gives a few brands that he kind of trusts knowing that people are always looking for an alternative to real food.

This means that I am not a big fan of protein shakes and bars but I also am realistic and know that you will go behind my back and use them anyways so that being the case, I would rather have some healthier alternatives that you will hopefully keep to a minimum. I'm talking, running super late, a once a week break from eggs in the morning, etc. Just because they are healthier doesn't mean they aren't harmful. They are harmful to weight loss and body composition changes.

Also read these articles on whey protein as well as other ideas on a holistic approach to nutrition and lifestyle:

The C.H.E.K. Institute Position Statement on Whey Products
Sans Soy!
Deconstructing Paul Chek

These are good reads. They are kind of long but I have always revered Paul Chek because of his simplistic approach to how a person should live. He states that he doesn't have to go to church because he is the church. That shows his self love and the steps he takes to make sure he is preserving the temple that is his body and mind.

We often make excuses for why we can't do something such as eating better. We say we don't have the will power or that it's too expensive or we give up too early because we are not seeing the weight come off. Changing your nutrition is much more than weight loss. It is about changing how you think about eating and wanting to be educated on how you eat and where your food comes from.

It's about the long term. We have to stop worrying about what we look like and start to worry more about what we are doing to our world and how it is affecting us physically, mentally, and spiritually. We must focus our efforts on demanding better food from better food sources. We must stop referring to the fact that oh he or she is skinny and can get away with eating anything or what it would be like to be a child again where we could eat anything and get away with it. These are very ignorant statements and it is killing our children and ourselves.

Take care of the one thing that no one can ever take away from you. YOU! Stop making excuses. Stop looking for shortcuts. Be able find out where your food is coming from or don't eat it. Try really hard to eat only organic produce and free-range meat and eggs.

For more info on Chek and his philosophy, Google his name: Paul Chek.

Are You Sick?

2010-07-03T08:15:00.003-05:00

Choosing healthy foods now called a mental disorder

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) In its never-ending attempt to fabricate "mental disorders" out of every human activity, the psychiatric industry is now pushing the most ridiculous disease they've invented yet: Healthy eating disorder.

This is no joke: If you focus on eating healthy foods, you're "mentally diseased" and probably need some sort of chemical treatment involving powerful psychotropic drugs. The Guardian newspaper reports, "Fixation with healthy eating can be sign of serious psychological disorder" and goes on to claim this "disease" is called orthorexia nervosa -- which is basically just Latin for "nervous about correct eating."

But they can't just called it "nervous healthy eating disorder" because that doesn't sound like they know what they're talking about. So they translate it into Latin where it sounds smart (even though it isn't). That's where most disease names come from: Doctors just describe the symptoms they see with a name like osteoporosis (which means "bones with holes in them").

Getting back to this fabricated "orthorexia" disease, the Guardian goes on to report, "Orthorexics commonly have rigid rules around eating. Refusing to touch sugar, salt, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, gluten, yeast, soya, corn and dairy foods is just the start of their diet restrictions. Any foods that have come into contact with pesticides, herbicides or contain artificial additives are also out."

Wait a second. So attempting to avoid chemicals, dairy, soy and sugar now makes you a mental health patient? Yep. According to these experts. If you actually take special care to avoid pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified ingredients like soy and sugar, there's something wrong with you.

But did you notice that eating junk food is assumed to be "normal?" If you eat processed junk foods laced with synthetic chemicals, that's okay with them. The mental patients are the ones who choose organic, natural foods, apparently.

What is "normal" when it comes to foods?

I told you this was coming. Years ago, I warned NaturalNews readers that an attempt might soon be under way to outlaw broccoli because of its anti-cancer phytonutrients. This mental health assault on health-conscious consumers is part of that agenda. It's an effort to marginalize healthy eaters by declaring them to be mentally unstable and therefore justify carting them off to mental institutions where they will be injected with psychiatric drugs and fed institutional food that's all processed, dead and full of toxic chemicals.

The Guardian even goes to the ridiculous extreme of saying, "The obsession about which foods are "good" and which are "bad" means orthorexics can end up malnourished."

Follow the non-logic on this, if you can: Eating "good" foods will cause malnutrition! Eating bad foods, I suppose, is assumed to provide all the nutrients you need. That's about as crazy a statement on nutrition as I've ever read. No wonder people are so diseased today: The mainstream media is telling them that eating health food is a mental disorder that will cause malnutrition!

Shut up and swallow your Soylent Green

It's just like I reported years ago: You're not supposed to question your food, folks. Sit down, shut up, dig in and chow down. Stop thinking about what you're eating and just do what you're told by the mainstream media and its processed food advertisers. Questioning the health properties of your junk food is a mental disorder, didn't you know? And if you "obsess" over foods (by doing such things as reading the ingredients labels, for example), then you're weird. Maybe even sick.

That's the message they're broadcasting now. Junk food eaters are "normal" and "sane" and "nourished." But health food eaters are diseased, abnormal and malnourished.

But why, you ask, would they attack healthy eaters? People like Dr. Gabriel Cousens can tell you why: Because increased mental and spiritual awareness is only possible while on a diet of living, natural foods.

Eating junk foods keeps you dumbed down and easy to control, you see. It literally messes with your mind, numbing your senses with MSG, aspartame and yeast extract. People who subsist on junk foods are docile and quickly lose the ability to think for themselves. They go along with whatever they're told by the TV or those in apparent positions of authority, never questioning their actions or what's really happening in the world around them.

In contrast to that, people who eat health-enhancing natural foods -- with all the medicinal nutrients still intact -- begin to awaken their minds and spirits. Over time, they begin to question the reality around them and they pursue more enlightened explorations of topics like community, nature, ethics, philosophy and the big picture of things that are happening in the world. They become "aware" and can start to see the very fabric of the Matrix, so to speak.

This, of course, is a huge danger to those who run our consumption-based society because consumption depends on ignorance combined with suggestibility. For people to keep blindly buying foods, medicines, health insurance and consumer goods, they need to have their higher brain functions switched off. Processed junk foods laced with toxic chemicals just happens to achieve that rather nicely. Why do you think dead, processed foods remain the default meals in public schools, hospitals and prisons? It's because dead foods turn off higher levels of awareness and keep people focused on whatever distractions you can feed their brains: Television, violence, fear, sports, sex and so on.

But living as a zombie is, in one way quite "normal" in society today because so many people are doing it. But that doesn't make it normal in my book: The real "normal" is an empowered, healthy, awakened person nourished with living foods and operating as a sovereign citizen in a free world. Eating living foods is like taking the red pill because over time it opens up a whole new perspective on the fabric of reality. It sets you free to think for yourself.

But eating processed junk foods is like taking the blue pill because it keeps you trapped in a fabricated reality where your life experiences are fabricated by consumer product companies who hijack your senses with designer chemicals (like MSG) that fool your brain into thinking you're eating real food.

If you want to be alive, aware and in control of your own life, eat more healthy living foods. But don't expect to be popular with mainstream mental health "experts" or dieticians -- they're all being programmed to consider you to be "crazy" because you don't follow their mainstream diets of dead foods laced with synthetic chemicals.

But you and I know the truth here: We are the normal ones. The junk food eaters are the real mental patients, and the only way to wake them up to the real world is to start feeding them living foods.

Some people are ready to take the red pill, and others aren't. All you can do is show them the door. They must open it themselves.

In the mean time, try to avoid the mental health agents who are trying to label you as having a mental disorder just because you pay attention to what you put in your body. There's nothing wrong with avoiding sugar, soy, MSG, aspartame, HFCS and other toxic chemicals in the food supply. In fact, your very life depends on it.

Oh, and by the way, if you want to join the health experts who keep inventing new fictitious diseases and disorders, check out my popular Disease Mongering Engine web page where you can invent your own new diseases at the click of a button! You'll find it at: http://www.naturalnews.com/disease-...

How About This Scam?

2010-07-02T09:29:00.007-05:00

Flu Vaccines, pharma fraud, quack science, the CDC and WHO -- all exposed by Richard Gale and Gary Null

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) A remarkable article was published today by authors Richard Gale and Dr. Gary Null of the Progressive Radio Network (http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com). It may be the most shocking (and important) public health article published in the last two years. If you read just one health article this entire month, make it this one.

The article is remarkable not just for its timeliness on the issue of mandatory vaccinations and public health policy, but also for its damning evidence that exposes the fraud and quackery of the vaccine industry (as well as the corruption at the CDC and WHO).

As you'll read below, flu vaccines remain a mainstay modern medicine only because they provide a reliable source of profits for the pharmaceutical industry which now virtually dictates public health policy thanks to its powerful lobbying resources. And the CDC, for its part, has now become little more than the regulatory branch of Big Pharma, pushing vaccines on the entire population even though the scientific evidence reveals quite clearly that flu vaccines simply do not work. (Vitamin D actually works far better at preventing flu infections, but the CDC won't recommend vitamin D to anyone.)

What you're about to read below is absolutely shocking. If you're a reader of NaturalNews, you probably already realized the vaccine industry was a sham, but I bet you didn't know just how deep this rabbit hole really goes... until now.

That's why I'm reprinting the entire article by Richard Gale and Dr. Gary Null below. Here's a link to the original source: http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/ric...

Give this article a serious read. It is one of the most important articles you'll ever find on this topic. Dr. Gary Null, you may already know, is one of the most brilliant researchers, thinkers and writers in the health freedom field, and I've come to respect his work a great deal. I don't yet personally know Richard Gale, but his words carry tremendous weight.

If you link to this story from your own web page, be sure to give proper credit to the original authors (Richard Gale and Gary Null). The bold emphasis in the article below is my own (I added it). I also added subheads for improved organization of the article.

CDC Votes in Favor of a Flu Vaccination Assault on Americans’ Health

by Richard Gale and Gary Null, the Progressive Radio Network

A central principle of democracy is freedom of choice. We can choose our political party, our religion, and the food we eat, but this does not seem to be the case when it comes to our medical choices and our freedoms to make them.

The recent unanimous 11-0 vote by the members of the Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) favoring every American over the age of six months receive the flu influenza vaccine is one more attempt by our federal health officials to open up our bodies to the free market capitalism of pharmaceutical coffers. It is another step to mandate a vaccine across the nation, a policy that has many supporters in the pro-vaccine science community.

The vote raises an alarm about our federal government’s scientific integrity, and calls into question its true allegiance and purpose: to protect the health of American citizens or increase Big Pharma profits. If the recommendation were ever enforced, the US would be the only nation in the world with mandatory flu vaccination. However, what our investigations show and what differentiates the US health agencies from the health ministries in other nations, is that in the US federal health system Big Pharma money, lobbying and corporate favors are what shape drug and vaccine policies and this is rampant throughout the system.

Mandatory vaccines fail in Japan

Mandatory influenza vaccination has been tried before across a nation. During the 1980s, Japan had mandatory flu vaccination for school children. Two large scale studies that enrolled children from four cities with vaccination rates between 1 and 90 percent discovered no difference in the incidences of flu infection. As a result, in 1987, Japanese health authorities ruled that flu vaccination was ineffective and was no more than a serious financial and legal liability if it was to continue. The mandatory policy was quickly overturned. By 1989, the number of Japanese taking the flu vaccine dropped to 20 percent. A follow up study at that time found that there was statistically insignificant change in influenza infection rates compared to when the vaccine was mandatory.[1]

Now we are hearing that for the forthcoming 2010-2011 flu season, the H1N1 flu strain will be included in the seasonal flu vaccine. This will be a quadravalent vaccine comprised of four strains including the H1N1. As of this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to evaluate the H1NI virus at a 5 level pandemic and issues warnings to deaf ears now that people realize the WHO’s word is disreputable. Nevertheless, we should still brace ourselves for another year of old yarn, fear-mongering, media spin and more voodoo science.

A brief overview of the past H1N1 pandemic boondoggle will help us to understand the addiction of denial permeating the ranks of the CDC’s advisory committee. It presents a picture of a delusional bubble, unrelated to medical facts, that the CDC has found comfort to float within. The simple fact remains that the CDC is disconnected from anything resembling legitimate science thereby making their recent decision ludicrous and criminally irresponsible.

The CDC’s predictions of particular strains during past flu seasons has never been especially accurate. In fact, often it has been extraordinarily dismal. The previous swine flu prediction in 1976 resulted in only one swine flu death but hundreds of people suffering permanent disabilities, including death, from the vaccine. For the 1992-1993 flu season, the prediction made for the virus used in the vaccine was off by 84 percent. For the 1994-1995 season, it was off by 43 percent for the primary strain targeted and off 87 percent and 76 percent for the other two strains. The Laboratory Center for Disease Control’s study comparing vaccine strains with the strains appearing during the 1997-1998 season found the match off by 84 percent. One would achieve a greater accuracy rate by simply flipping a coin.

The CDC's scare tactics

An article published in the prestigious British Medical Journal in 2005, “Are US Flu Death Figures More PR Than Science” is apropos for addressing the wildly inflated figures by the WHO and CDC to present their case for mass vaccination measures. The article begins, “US data on influenza deaths are a mess.” The study reviews the CDC’s own statistical data and finds numerous inconsistencies and incompatibilities between “official estimates and national vital statistics data.” Although the government’s predictions never came close to the “dire outcomes” stated by our health officials, the CDC’s own communication strategy was marked by high levels of fear.[2]

The US government’s assessment of the past H1N1 scare is another example of flawed science and incompetence. In last August’s issue of USA Today, the White House’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which receives its recommendations from the CDC, warned us that the H1N1 would kill between 30-90,000 American citizens. At the same time, the CDC was predicting 2 million people would be infected and as high as 40 percent of the entire population. The WHO, which sleeps in the same bed with the CDC in their shared complexes in Atlanta, was screaming figures of 7.5 million deaths worldwide. Consequently, the FDA fast-tracked swine flu vaccines manufactured by 5 different drug makers, none which met reliable standards of viable clinical testing and data to determine their efficacy and safety.

And pregnant women, young children and the elderly were primary targets -- those also most susceptible to serious vaccine adverse reactions. Over $1.6 billion tax dollars went to Big Pharma on orders of 229 million doses, of which only 90 million were actually administered and the remaining 71 million left to decompose on shelves or dump off on poorer nations out of the graciousness of the American philanthropic spirit.

However, as we witnessed in 2009 and the early months of 2010, people woke up to the false alarm of a swine flu pandemic. Often intuition is better suited to sniff out a hoax and scandal than the pseudo-science our federal health officials give obeisance to behind closed door conference rooms. And in the case of the so-called H1N1 pandemic, intuition proved correct. Our health agencies’ warnings and numbers propagandized over mainstream media simply did not add up and have been consistently found to be contrary to more medically reliable and unbiased facts generated by independent sources without ties to the private vaccine manufacturers.

Whenever the CDC, the FDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services post figures, it is a prudent rule of thumb to be suspicious and investigate their accuracy. The fact of the matter is that the CDC is completely clueless about this past season’s flu infection rate and the number of deaths due to the H1N1 strain. Let us explain why.

No proper testing was ever conducted

Immediately following the WHO’s decision in May 2009 to cease laboratory testing of samples to determine the actual biological cause of infectious cases with influenza-like symptoms, the US followed suit. Therefore, no matter what they tell you, no matter what Dr. Gupta and other tools of the media and establishment have to say, no proper testing was performed. Only PCR technology can determine the actual subset of a Type A flu strain, such as H1N1. But PCR diagnosis was not routinely performed in order to monitor and track rates and the spread of infection. By its own admission, a CDC report found that rapid influenza kits used in hospitals and clinics were wrong as much as nine out of ten times, and on average between 40-69 percent. The CDC determined that the instant tests are “not highly worthwhile for diagnosing H1N1 infections.”

So why would any organization responsible for the tracking of an infectious disease believed to be a global health threat, potentially threatening the lives of millions of people, make such a decision to not carefully monitor flu infections is beyond comprehension, unless it knowingly determined, with malice of forethought, that the H1N1 strain was mild and not a national danger. And many independent experts in infectious diseases had been stating this throughout the season but our health agencies preferred to ignore their warnings.

Yet it is the reported death rates due to H1N1 infection that seriously call the CDC’s integrity into question. According to the CDC reports, anywhere between 8,870 and 18,300 Americans died from swine flu. For the sake of simplicity, the health feds conveniently circulate the figure of 12,000 deaths.

Projections in the UK were equally off the mark. The British Ministry of Health was expecting 65,000 deaths, but reported only 500 towards the season’s end. British citizens, however, were better informed of the scandalous hoax and of the 110 million vaccine doses purchased, under contracts amounting to over $864 million to the drug makers (not including national preparatory measures bringing the total to over $1 billion for a small population), only 6 million Brits, approximately 10 percent, were vaccinated.

What figures does the World Health Organization report for the number of worldwide swine flu deaths? 18,036. That is correct, not millions. That is only 5 percent of the global figure for deaths associated with the regular seasonal flu. I don’t need an advanced degree to notice a grave discrepancy here, unless we are to believe that the H1N1 virus was on autopilot to target victims with American birth certificates or citizenship. But the reasons for the CDC’s erroneous numbers are quite easy to understand.

The CDC's flawed statistics

First, as mentioned, the CDC did not monitor the swine flu with any precision and accuracy. Our officials don’t have, and never had, the data to make any accurate determination.

Second, the CDC does not distinguish between deaths caused by an influenza virus and deaths due to pneumonia. The two are lumped together in their mortality statistics and pneumonia-related deaths are reported as having an initial influenza cause. For example, if we take the combined figure of flu and pneumonia deaths for the flu period of 2001, and spin the figures, we are left believing that 62,034 people died from influenza. The actual figures are 61,777 died from pneumonia and only 257 from flu.

Even more amazing, in those 257 cases, only 18 were scientifically identified as positive for the flu virus. These are the CDC’s own figures. But does the New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post and all the others report this? No. Do any of the puppets that mumble on television, with access to official sources and data, actually do their homework? No.

A separate study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics for the flu periods between 1979 and 2002 reveals that the actual range of annual flu deaths were between 257 and 3006, for an average of 1,348 per year.[3] This is a far cry from the 36,000 annual flu deaths still found on the CDC’s website and vomited by the major media.

And here is the catch. If we apply the same criteria to determine the actual number of swine flu related deaths in 2009-2010, serious vaccine adverse effects, besides the hundreds of reported miscarriages, would far outweigh deaths and injury due to the virus.

Third, there are over 150 different viruses during any given flu season that can cause flu-like symptoms, such as adenovirus, parainfluenza, bocavirus, etc. Very few of these are ever tested. For example, in Canada where actual infection rates are more carefully monitored, during the 2004-2005 flu season, the Canada Communicable Disease Report showed that of the 68,849 laboratory tests performed for influenza, only 14.9% tested positive for a flu virus. The remaining 85.1% specimens were a result of other pathogens impervious to flu vaccines.[4] For the following 2005-2006 season, Health Canada received 68,439 tests for influenza like infections. Of these, only 6,580, or 10.4% confirmed positive for influenza. The rest, 89.6%, were other pathogens.[5] So no vaccine would have benefitted or protected those almost 90 percent in Canadians.

In the US, however, the CDC relies upon an esoteric witch’s brew of figures based upon various mathematical algorithms and speculative projections with no sound basis in reality. On one CDC site we find evidence of their flawed methodology: “Statistical modeling was used to estimate how many flu-related deaths occurred among people whose underlying cause of death on their death certificate was listed as a respiratory and circulatory disease.”[6] This is clearly an indication of policy turned dogmatic with utterly disregard for sound scientific evidence. It is all business as usual, negligent disregard for scientific reason, and full speed ahead.

And while the brilliant minds in the CDC decide to expose all Americans to the adverse risks of influenza vaccination -- Guillain-Barre Syndrome, schizophrenia, neurological disorders, miscarriages, polyneuritis, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, intense headaches suggestive or meningeal or brain irritation, aphasia (loss of speech), bronchopneumonia, sexual impotence, angor pectoris, anaphylactic reactions and death[7] -- we should not lose sight of what is unfolding across the great pond in the European Union’s investigations into the CDC’s favorite bed partner -- the WHO, an utterly corrupt organization at every level.

Corruption at the WHO

Two reports recently published have indicted the WHO for serious malfeasance and conflict in interests behind the fabrication and propagation of the 2009-2010 H1N1 swine flu pandemic and has been called a “momentous error” in global health oversight. The people at the WHO had as much accuracy in their predictions as the Bush administration did with WMDs in Iraq.

The British Medical Journal printed a research paper by its Features Editor, Deborah Cohen, and Philip Carter from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in London, charging the largest global health organization with exaggerating the H1N1 flu and being steered in their decisions and fraudulent fear campaign by the pharmaceutical industrial complex. According to the authors, “credibility of the WHO and the trust in the global public health system” has been damaged.

A second devastating preliminary report released by the Health Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (CE) found gross negligence and lack of transparency in the WHO’s handling of the swine flu scare. Throughout the WHO’s key advisory committees, particularly a secretive group known as the “emergency committee”, which steered the WHO’s assessment and predictions of the spread of H1N1 flu virus and advised them to announce a level 6 pandemic, were scientists entrenched in the morass of private vaccine and drug interests, particularly GlaxoSmithKline (H1N1 vaccine and Relenza anti-viral drug maker) and Tamiflu maker Roche AG.

Even worse, the WHO never publicly disclosed widespread conflict of interests. Paul Flynn, the rapporteur for the CE’s report stated, “the tentacles of drug company influence are in all levels of the decision-making process,” and “they vastly over-rated the danger on bad science.” Following a lengthy investigation, a preliminary report, which still awaits a final version next month, states the result of the WHO’s negligence in proper oversight resulted in the “waste of large sums of public money and unjustified scares and fears about the health risks faced by the European public”

The WHO continues to withhold the names of the 16 members sitting on its secret “emergency committee.” However, this week, two of the members resigned, notably Dr. John MacKenzie from Curtin University in Australia, who was the WHO advisor who first urged the organization to call a pandemic and is well known to be entangled in financial interests and investments with the pharmaceutical cartel.

So far the CDC has weathered the WHO controversy in Europe unscathed. A fundamental oversight in the CE’s investigation and hearings has been solely targeting the WHO. It ignores the role of government health agencies’ complicity in promulgating the H1N1 hoax and the flushing away of billions of dollars into the drug industry, especially during an economic downturn and recession. As we witness the WHO’s indifference and denial of wrongdoing crumble, the question remains over whether or not the CDC was complicit in the propagandizing of the astronomically expensive H1N1 hoax.

Of course, the vaccine industry doesn’t give a damn about the investigations. Their vaccines, anti-viral drugs, and oligarchic rule over the medical caste system make them immune to independent international scrutiny. And we can be assured none of the lap dogs at the New York Times, MSNBC and other major media would expose their crimes. In the shadow of this medical charade, the drug makers are laughing their way to the banks. No Big Pharma executive is sitting before investigative committees to give an accounting of corporations’ role in the pandemic debacle. Instead, after scoring over $6 billion (Associated Press, May 19, 2010) it is again business as usual and another flu season ahead to further increase revenues.

Financial corruption at every level

Similar to the WHO, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Vaccination and Practice, which voted in favor of a flu vaccine-for-all policy, is equally stacked with individuals entrenched in financial ties with the vaccine and drug makers. The Committee’s Chair, Dr. Carol Baker from Baylor University, has consistently received research and educational grants and private donations from Big Pharma. She is also on the Board of Directors of the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases, a consulting body of scientists frequently wined and dined and provided perks by the pharmaceutical industrial complex.

Another Baylor University committee member, Dr. Wendy Keitel, received clinical trial support from Novartis, the maker of the H1N1 vaccine most widely distributed in the US. Dr. Janet Englund at the Children’s University Medical Group in Seattle received financial support for clinical trials favoring vaccines made by Medimmune (the nasal flu vaccine), Novartis, and Sanofi Pasteur. Dr. Cody Meissner received Big Pharma support through Tufts University for his supporting clinical trials for Medimmune’s RSV vaccine and for participation in Wyeth’s streptococcus vaccine for children, Prevnar.

To put this into greater perspective, since the FDA relies on industry-funded clinical trials and subsequent data to approve vaccines and drugs, there also appeared in the news this month a critical finding from the German Institute for Quality and Efficacy in Health Care, published in the peer-reviewed journal Trials. The study investigated 90 approved drugs in the US (and let us make no mistake, vaccines are drugs! In fact, the flu vaccine is listed as a Category C drug; which means there are no adequate safety studies to determine whether flu vaccination adversely affects pregnant mothers and their fetuses.) and discovered that 60 percent of the 900 papers were unpublished and some were concealed from the federal regulatory agencies. Forty to sixty percent omitted clinical details or changed their final analysis. Among the pharmaceutical industry studies alone, 94 percent were unpublished, and 86 percent of the university studies sponsored by drug makers remained unpublished.

What does this tell us? If they were positive results, the drug companies would without hesitation publish their findings; but if the clinical studies’ results contradict their expectations negatively, thereby delaying and preventing regulatory approval and licensure of a product, then there is no incentive for their release. And they are under no regulatory obligation to publish or produce them. Hence the American public is denied approximately 90 percent of the actual clinical data performed on any given drug or vaccine.

Quack science, useless vaccines and wasted money

The German study concludes that drug makers intentionally “conceal unfavorable results or results that do not fulfill one’s expectations.” Therefore, the vaccine and drug makers are permitted to conduct their nefarious, quack science behind closed doors with full participation and cooperation from the WHO, CDC and FDA. Of course, the CDC and FDA condone this behavior because they are completely subservient to the power and wealth of the pharmaceutical industry.

The recent CDC vote continues a tradition of denial over independent studies and reports warning of the over-exaggerated alarm and the dangers of pushing forward with an H1N1 vaccine that was not given sufficient time to prove its safety and efficacy. They even deny their own voices.

Dr. Anthony Morris is a distinguished virologist and a former Chief Vaccine Office at the FDA. His view about influenza vaccines summarizes their efficacy well. In Morris’s opinion there is no evidence that any influenza vaccine thus far developed is effective in preventing or mitigating any attack of influenza,’ Dr. Morris states, as a matter of record, “The producers of these vaccines know they are worthless, but they go on selling them anyway.”

Canada’s Vaccination Risk Awareness Network (VRAN) website is a community of physicians, researchers and vaccine researchers and journalists reporting on vaccines’ flawed promises and pseudo-science. Among all vaccines, the flu vaccine is presented with “The Most Useless Vaccine Of-All-Time Award.”

Some of the most damning evidence about the efficacy of flu vaccines was reported in two studies performed by Dr. Tom Jefferson, head of the Vaccine Field Group at the prestigious independent Cochrane Database Group, published in The Lancet and the prestigious Cochrane Database Systems Review. The first study was a systematic review of the effects of influenza vaccines in healthy children.[8] The other was a review of all the available published and unpublished safety evidence available regarding flu vaccines.[9]

The authors of the study had also contacted the lead scientists or research groups for all the efficacy and safety trial studies under their review in order to gain access to additional unpublished trial studies the corporations may possess. The conclusions are shocking. The only safety study performed with an inactivated flu vaccine was conducted in 1976. Thirty-four years ago! And that single study enrolled only 35 children aged 12-28 months. Every other subsequent inactivated flu vaccine study enrolled children 3 years or older.

Dr. Jefferson told Reuters, “Immunization of very young children is not lent support by our findings. We recorded no convincing evidence that vaccines can reduce mortality, [hospital] admissions, serious complications and community transmission of influenza. In young children below the age of 2, we could find no evidence that the vaccine was different from a placebo.”[10] With respect to adults, in 64 studies involving 66,000 adults, Jefferson noted, “Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6 percent and reduced the number of missed work days by less than one day. There was no change in the number of hospitalizations compared to the non-vaccinated.”

And in another interview for the German magazine Der Spiegel on July 21, 2009, Jefferson seems to conclude his analysis of the H1N1 scare, “Sometimes you get the feeling that there is a whole industry almost waiting for a pandemic to occur. The WHO and public health officials, virologists and the pharmaceutical companies. They’ve built this machine around the impending pandemic. And there’s a lot of money involved, and influence, and careers, and entire institutions! And all it took was one of these viruses to mutate to start the machine grinding.”

Clearly there is no rationale for submitting the American population to a vaccine with higher risks of adverse effects than its record of efficacy in preventing flu infection. If the CDC’s vote withstands and were to ever become the law in the land, we will witness one of the largest crimes ever inflicted upon the American public, solely for corporate gain. Aside from rampant adverse effects in children, many that will not appear until their later years due to the number of toxins contained in flu vaccines, there will also be thousands of women having miscarriages. We will have entered a new medical twilight zone, where true science, responsible medical practice, and reliable public health become virtually nonexistent.

About the authors:
Richard Gale is the Executive Producer of the Progressive Radio Network (http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com) and a former Senior Research Analyst in the biotechnology and genomic industries. Dr. Gary Null is the host of the nation’s longest running public radio program on nutrition and natural health and a multi-award-winning director of progressive documentary films, including Vaccine Nation and Autism: Made in the USA.

Sources cited in this article:
[1] http://www.whale.to/vaccines/flu7.html

[2] Doshi, Peter. “Are US flu death figures more PR than science?” BMJ 2005; 331:1412 (10 December).

[3] Doshi, Peter. “Are US flu death figures more PR than science?” BMJ 2005; 331:1412 (10 December)

[4] Statement on Influenza Vaccination for the 2004-2005 Season” Canada Communicable Disease Report. Volume 31, ACS-6, 15 June 2005.

[5] Hall, Celia (Medical Editor). “Flu Vaccines ‘Not Worth the Bother’” The Telegraph, UK, October 27, 2006.

[6] Centers for Disease Control. “Influenza death statistics”. www.cdc.gov/flu/about/diseases/us_f... Accessed September 24, 2009.

[7] See the following sources: Ehrengut W, Allerdist H. Uber neurologische Komplikationen nach der Influenzaschutzimpfung. Munch. Med Wschr. 1977; 119/705-710. Miller H, Cendrowski W, Schapira K. Multiple sclerosis and vaccinations. BMJ. 1967. April 22: 210-3. Hennessen W, Jacob H, Quast U. Neurologische Affektionen nach Influenza Impfung. Der Nervenarzt. 1978. 49/90-96. Wells CEC. British Medical Journal. 1971. 2: 755.

[8] Jefferson T, Smith S, Demicheli V, Harnden A, Rivetti A. Assessment of the efficacy and effectiveness of influenza in healthy children: systemic review. The Lancet 2005; 365: 773-780.

[9] Smith S, Demicheli V, Jefferson T, Harnden T. Matheson N, Di Pietrontonj C. Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2004. 3:CD004879.

[10] Reaney, Patricia. “No Evidence Flu Shots Work for Under-2s: Study. Reuters, September 22, 2005; Jefferson, Tom. “Safety of influenza vaccines in children.” The Lancet, 2005. 366:803-804.{SubscribeHealthRangerBlock}

The Greatest Scam in Medical History

2010-06-30T13:07:00.005-05:00

by Jon Herring

The writer and social critic, H.L. Mencken once wrote, “For every complicated problem there is a solution that is simple, direct, understandable and wrong.”

Our ancestors believed that the stars rotated around the Earth. From our perspective, it made perfect sense. Of course, the idea was completely wrong. In fact, throughout history, people have believed ridiculous things. And we believed them so strongly you would have been persecuted for suggesting otherwise.

So little has changed…

Today’s gospel truth is that excess saturated fat in the diet clogs the arteries and causes heart disease. The only problem with this medical “fact” is that it isn’t a fact at all. It is a fraudulent and faulty hypothesis from the 1950s that has never been proven.

I didn’t plan to write about this topic today. But I had to speak up when I saw the same article in four major publications this week. The headline: “Leading Surgeon Wants to Ban Butter.”

Dr. Shyam Kolvekar, a heart surgeon at University College London Hospital, says that by the time he sees many of his patients, it is too late. Their hearts and cardiovascular system are too damaged for repair. He wants to stop heart disease before it starts by getting people to limit saturated fat in the diet. And to get the ball rolling, he suggests “banning butter.”

Kolvekar is particularly worried that heart disease is growing rapidly in the younger population. “It’s because most kids start the day with some toast and butter,” he says. “Porridge is a much better alternative.”

Why the butter and not the toast? Two slices of bread contain the equivalent carbohydrates of five teaspoons of sugar. And elevated blood sugar has been directly associated with heart disease. But more on that later…

Dr. Kolvekar also suggests replacing natural butter with the industrially-processed, chemically-modified yellow-colored substance known as margarine. Great idea, doc! In the interest of disclosure, the Daily Mail notes that, “Dr. Kolvekar’s comments were issued by KTB, a public relations company that works for Unilever, the maker of Flora margarine.”

Well, that might explain his motivations. But what about the veracity of his argument? And what can explain the last fifty years of propaganda against saturated fat? Is it really the villain it has been made out to be?

I asked our own heart-health expert, Dr. Dwight Lundell, for his thoughts. Dr. Lundell knows the heart and cardiovascular system as well as anyone on the planet. During his 25-year career in medicine, he performed more than 5,000 open heart surgeries. And for much of that time, he toed the party line on saturated fat and cholesterol. But his own experience – and a closer review of the literature – caused him to reject the premise. He later wrote a book on the REAL causes of heart disease, which you can learn more about here.

Dr. Lundell writes, “One wants their heart surgeon to be exacting. But, in the case of Dr. Shyam Kolvekar, who called for the banning of butter to prevent the epidemic of heart disease, he is exactly wrong!”

According to Dr. Lundell, “The theory that saturated fat causes heart disease fails on many accounts.” First, it is said that saturated fats raise cholesterol levels in the blood, and elevated cholesterol levels cause heart disease.

Lundell points out that an article published in the American Heart Journal last year, showed that in an examination of 137,000 people admitted to the hospital with heart attack, 70% of them had normal blood cholesterol levels!

It should also be noted that the long-running Framingham Heart Study showed that after the age of 50 (when 90% of all heart attacks occur), lower cholesterol levels are clearly associated with a shorter life expectancy.

But let’s put cholesterol aside for a moment and discuss the purported mass killer, saturated fat. Certainly there must have been conclusive studies and solid evidence that kicked off the campaign against animal fat. Not quite.

One of the first studies to implicate animal fat in heart disease came in the early 1900s. See if you can spot the flaws in this one. In 1908, Russian scientist, M.A. Ignatovsky fed protein-rich animal foods to a group of rabbits. He soon discovered that the rabbits developed arterial plaques and cardiovascular disease. Researchers discovered that the same thing happens when chickens, guinea pigs and goats eat a high-fat diet.

Later these studies were cited as evidence of a high-fat diet causing heart disease in humans. Hmm… let’s see. All of these animals are obligate herbivores. They evolved eating nothing but plants. They are clearly not designed to eat meat. When we feed them meat and fat it makes them sick. That makes perfect sense. What doesn’t make sense is why researchers extrapolated these results to omnivorous humans.

The Fraud of Ancel Keys Kicks off the Lipid Hypothesis

But the “lipid hypothesis” really gained traction in the 1950s, when physiologist Ancel Keys, Ph.D., published what became known as the Seven Countries Study.

Keys presented a comparison of heart disease mortality and fat intake across seven different countries. His comparison showed a “remarkable relationship.” The countries with the highest fat intake had the highest levels of heart disease. The countries with the lowest fat intake had the lowest levels of heart disease. Those in the middle fell conveniently in between.

At the time, Jacob Yerushalmy, a PhD statistician, at the University of California at Berkeley pointed out that we had data on the amount of fat consumed in 22 countries. So why wasn’t it called the 22 Country Study?

It wasn’t called that, because Ancel Keys started with the conclusion. Then he cherry-picked the countries that matched his pre-conceived notion and threw out the ones that contradicted it. And most of them did! When all 22 countries were analyzed, the “remarkable relationship” remarkably disappeared.

Furthermore, Keys established no causative basis. And he based his conclusions on only two phenomena – dietary fat and heart disease. This did not account for the possibility that something else could have caused the heart disease.

It might seem hard to believe that this flawed and fraudulent study was the genesis of the entire animal-fat-causes-heart-disease movement. Certainly, in the last sixty years, there must be hundreds of controlled studies that prove the link, right?

Not quite… there are NONE!

What about the societies that consume a very high percentage of saturated fat in the diet – groups like the Maasai in Africa or the Inuits in the Arctic North? Do they show signs of heart disease? No, and in fact, quite the opposite is true.

In the 1960s, Vanderbilt University scientist, George Mann, MD, studied the nomadic Maasai in Kenya and Tanzania. These populations consumed a very high saturated fat diet, including drinking the blood of their cattle. Yet they were not only lean and virtually free of heart disease, they also had some of the lowest cholesterol levels ever measured!

Skeptical scientists argued that they must have some sort of hereditary protection. However, British researchers found that when Maasai men moved to the city and began to consume a modern diet, their cholesterol levels skyrocketed!

In an editorial published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1977, Dr. Mann called the cholesterol theory of heart disease “the greatest scam in the history of medicine.”

But let’s get back to those studies… or, more accurately, the lack of studies proving a link between saturated fat and heart disease.

There have been about 30 long-term population studies that have attempted to link saturated fat to heart disease. Of those, only four have shown even the weakest association. And all four had major disqualifications: they were either too small to be significant, they did not isolate the variables properly, or they showed a slight decrease in heart deaths but an increase in death due to cancer.

But population studies are notoriously unreliable anyway. The gold standard among health studies are controlled, randomized trials. And not a single study of this nature has ever shown definitive evidence that saturated-fat consumption leads to heart disease. In fact, many have shown the exact opposite!

Authors of the MR-FIT trial were determined to prove the case. They enrolled 350,000 men, all of whom were considered at high risk of heart disease. In one set of participants, cholesterol consumption was reduced by 42%, saturated fat by 28%, and total calories by 21%.

What happened? Nothing. The authors referred to the results as “disappointing,” stating that “The overall results do not show a beneficial effect on Coronary Heart Disease or total mortality from this multifactor intervention.”

The Women’s Health Initiative was a huge government study, costing almost three quarters of a billion dollars. Among 20,000 women in the study who adhered to a diet low saturated fat diet for eight years, there was no reduction in the rates of heart-disease or stroke.

Then there was the Cochrane Collaboration, in 2000. This group rigorously selected 27 low-fat and cholesterol-lowering trials to review (more than 200 trials were rejected). Their conclusion was that diets low in saturated fat have “no significant effect” on heart attack mortality. Lead researcher Lee Hooper, PhD, said “I was disappointed that we didn’t find something more definitive.”

Or how about something more recent?

This month, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a review of 21 studies. The studies ranged from 5 to 23 years in length and encompassed 347,747 subjects. In the authors’ own words: “Intake of saturated fat was not associated with an increased risk of CHD, stroke, or CVD.”

I could go on… and on… and on… but I’ll conclude with this.

In 1988, U.S. Surgeon General’s office decided to end the confusion. They set out to finally prove the causal link between saturated fat and heart disease. After 11 years, the project was abandoned. The Surgeon General’s office stated that they, “did not anticipate fully the magnitude of the additional external expertise and staff resources that would be needed.” Sure! After more than a decade of trying, the government just “just didn’t have the resources.”

Scientists and researchers are supposed to have an open mind. They are not supposed to be dogmatic and swayed by politics and peer pressure. But that is exactly what the majority of scientists and doctors have proven of themselves. It is not terribly surprising. Massive industries and shining scientific careers have been built on this faulty theory.

If it were not so tragic, it would be funny to listen to them explain away contradictory findings and make excuses for why their studies don’t match their hoped-for conclusions. The most common excuses are that the “trial didn’t last long enough” or they “didn’t lower the saturated-fat intake enough.” It seems that option number three never crosses their mind… perhaps the entire hypothesis is wrong!

Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD has called the saturated fat theory of heart disease “one of the greatest and most harmful misconceptions in the history of medicine.” Dr. George Mann called it the “public health diversion of the century.”

And the problem is not just the wasted time and billions of dollars dedicated to an unscientific myth. The bigger problem is that undue focus on the saturated fat bugaboo has stolen attention from the REAL causes of heart disease. And perhaps even worse, is that many of the dietary recommendations to reduce heart disease have actually been shown to CAUSE heart disease (not to mention cancer, diabetes and obesity).

If you truly want to protect yourself from the nation’s number one killer, don’t smoke and reduce your stress levels. At least the medical authorities have gotten those two right. And when it comes to your diet, forget about saturated fat and cholesterol. Here is what you should do instead:

• Consume more monounsaturated fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, avocados and avocado oil

• Cut out the sugar and refined carbohydrates

• Consume more omega-3 fatty acids, from wild game, grass-fed beef and bison, sardines and wild (not farm-raised) salmon. And take an omega-3 fish oil supplement.

• And reduce as much as possible omega-6 fatty acids in your diet. These come primarily from conventionally raised meats, processed foods, fried foods and vegetable and seed oils (corn, soybean, sunflower, cottonseed, etc.)

To your health,

Jon Herring
Contributing Editor, Total Health Breakthroughs

Don't Call it What it Isn't

2010-06-21T08:35:00.005-05:00

Smoking Candy Cigarettes

by Dr. Kurt Harris
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 11:58PM

Some of you are no doubt too young to remember them.

They came in two forms when I was a kid in the late 60’s. The first was a hard white candy stick the same length as a standard filtered cigarette but just a bit thinner. No particular flavor, unless “sucrose” is a flavor. There was a red, actually pink, smudge painted onto one end to simulate the ember of a real smoke.

The other kind was the one I preferred. It was actually a stick of pink bubblegum. Nude, this faux cancer-stick was not too realistic and certainly did not make you look tough, as it was pink, but if you could resist the urge to chew it right away, the dimensions were closer to a real cigarette and it had a white paper wrapper, the mouthward inch or so embossed with a printed pattern that made it look like a filter.

At least one of these – I know for sure the hard candy ones and I believe the gum ones as well - had a coating of fine confectioner’s sugar that, with a sharp puff outward, you could imagine for about two puffs that you were part of the sophisticated world of those who fit in – the smokers.

After those two puffs, you could become a regular gum-chewing or candy crunching kid, or you could go for another “smoke”.

The idea that a 9 year-old kid feigning a bad habit is more likely to take up the real and very deadly one it is modeled on makes a good libertarian roll his eyes- now what, even candy cigarettes are bad?

But there may be something to the idea. It turns out that no tobacco company has ever sued a candy company for using their brand names on candy cigarettes. It seems obvious that candy companies counted on Junior’s emulation of Dad and Big Tobacco allowed trademark infringement to enable candy companies to socialize the new recruits.

Does this remind you of anything?

When you go to the birthday party for your neighbor’s kid, and you eat the birthday cake, what message does that send?

You show up looking trim and fit. You pride yourself on being a nice person. You are happy with your progress and pleased if people ask you how you lost weight, maybe more when they seem to look at you funny – a little jealous, maybe even suspicious. After eating this way for a few years, though, you are perhaps most comfortable if no one says anything at all.

You are weary of the reactions -the incredulity, the mockery, the eye-rolling. Pushing 50, you’ve tried pulling up your shirt to point at your gentle washboard, but you’ve learned that the segue to explaining why you are not just cultivating an attractive corpse due to all that artery clogging saturated fat that you live on is tedious and it gets you nowhere.

So, not having been clinically diagnosed as having Celiac disease, when the rectangular slab of Hy-Vee or Piggly Wiggly birthday cake – frosted 3/8” thick and a stratum of oily granular sugar running through the middle to boot – is preferred, you say “thank you”, flash a non-Duchenne smile that only a trained psychologist would question, and accept it, holding the flimsy paper plate and plastic fork with both hands to keep it from tumbling onto the ground.

You repair to some corner of the party where you can nibble at the cake, maybe spill a few crumbs, and eventually hide the paper plate, now soggy with vegetable oil absorbed from the corpus of the cake.

Who are the agents of acculturation here?

Even if you are not Philip Morris, are you the candy company?

What do the kids think? Well, they probably think nothing at all. It’s a birthday party after all and presents and sugar buzzes and juice and soda and treats are the sea they swim in.

All the time.

They will have no opportunity to say to you, “How come you don’t want cake?” or to their parents – “how come that skinny man doesn’t eat cake?”.

OK, young children probably wouldn’t notice one way or another, but what if you said, “No, thanks” to the cake offer? What if mom is serving, and asks “Why not?”.

Is there not a small but finite probability that you could give an answer that might lead to a discussion – a discussion that might change someone’s life, even if it’s not the questioner’s.

Maybe an image conscious teenage girl notices an adult male who from the neck down looks fitter than all the boys at her school who don’t play sports, and some of the ones that do. Maybe she hears you talk about your lack of hunger and maybe, being a teenager, after all, she is attracted to the transgressive notions you hint at – carnivorous, saturated fat -that obviously horrify her parents.

How can this scenario, however unlikely, ever occur if we all keep pretending that we eat agricultural food like everyone else. Food that is constructed or manufactured instead of killed, food that is not real, food that everyone thinks is just fine for people to eat, as long as it goes easy on the “fat”.

Maybe your response to me is “Hey, lighten up, man. I do my part. I preach paleo-nutrition and the virtue of real food and animal fats on a selective basis. I can’t be expected to ruin everyone’s day all the time.”

OK, you wear the Real Food Uniform often enough to do some good. No one expects you to get fired over diet advocacy at the office picnic.

If you nibble the cake to be neighborly, maybe the only damage you’ve done is some minimal aiding and abetting – The minions of Ancel Keys and the harpies of Ornish and Campbell have a little less work to do.

You’ve helped them just a little with your vignette of The Thin and Fit Old Guy Who Proves It’s Fine To Eat a Bunch of Sugar.

But what happens when you go home?

Do you doff the uniform of the Real Food Army and join Keys’ agricultural army reserve? Do you train yourself to crave the manufactured food of the dominant paradigm? Do you make and eat food with the modifier “paleo” in front of it?

Food that is designed to look and taste like signal dishes of 19^th and 20^th century industrially-inspired and manufactured food?

Paleo pancakes?

Paleo cupcakes?

Try a google search of neolithic treats with the prefix “paleo-” stuck on.

Here’s one:

You can make pancakes without flour? Yes! Recipe from xxxxxxxxx:

1. Beat/Mix:

1-2 eggs

1-2 table spoons of crushed almonds (or nut butter ... no peanut butter though .... peanuts are beans, not nuts)

cinnamon to taste

2. Fry the batter as you would a pancake on greased pan.

3. Top with fresh fruit. I usually heat up frozen mixed berries from Costco. When you heat them up they get all juicy and act as a syrup. I also like to add a little bit of honey even though this is not true paleo because of it's likeness to sugar.

Crushed nuts mixed with eggs? Who thinks this is not just a vehicle for sugar?

“Frozen mixed berries……get all juicy and act as syrup”

You bet they do!

Honey has a likeness to sugar ….well I suppose if likeness means “is”.

Here is another:

Paleo Pancakes Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Pecan Flour (or almond flour)

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

4 Eggs

1/4 Cup Butter, melted

1/8 Cup Agave Nectar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cook pancakes in a non-stick skillet.

Serve with natural fruit spread or pumpkin butter.

2 tablespoons of Agave nectar would give 18-27 grams of fructose, plus whatever is in the arbitrary quantity of “natural” fruit or sugar-laden pumpkin butter you put on it. A small pack of M&Ms candy has 12 g fructose.

1 ½ cups of almond flour is about 6 or 7 ounces. Almonds are about 17% PUFA, nearly all n-6 linoleic acid, probably well-oxidized after frying in a skillet hot enough to give the “pancake” that golden hue we all like.

That seems like a pretty big oxidized linoleic acid dose to just to manufacture a sugar vehicle.

Does anyone agree that “paleo pancakes” taste like complete shite unless absolutely smothered in hepatotoxic sucrose/ and or butter?

Why not just have 4 eggs fried in butter, cream in your coffee, and a few ounces of unfried almonds?

Why mash it together into a “pancake” if it’s not about the sugar?

If it’s because your kids will scream without a sugar vehicle (we all know 4-year-olds are more physically powerful than crossfitters and are messed with at your peril!), what will your kids do the first morning at University in the breakfast line when there is pile of all-you-can eat pancakes? Will they know there’s wheat flour in place of the ground-up almonds you’ve been conditioning them with?

Would it not be better to train your kids, and yourself, to avoid Neolithic food by the simplest expedient there is? So simple a child could manage it?

Something as simple as a simple rule.

A rule like:

Don’t eat anything that looks like Neolithic food, especially Neolithic food.

What is the point of all this? I just don’t get it, and I don’t think it is because I am just too lazy to make this stuff.

It’s easy to make fun of commercial junk in a box like “low carb” pasta, zone and atkins bars, etc. All stuff that may be gluten free or have sawdust in place of of high GI starch, but whose real reason for existence is just to appropriate what should properly be freestanding, honest, real food back into the maw of corporate big-agra commercial interests.

How about this:

I am not making this up. A “Paleo” chocolate cake loaded with Stevia, price $45 US. Note the high-end Barbara Barry tile in the background. I suppose that explains the price.

I am on record as stating that eating anything sweet should be totally avoided if you do not want to have difficulty avoiding sweets. I cannot prove it, but it seems plausible that eating and drinking artificial sweeteners is a physiologic version of “smoking candy cigarettes”. There is likely to be some neuro-hormonal conditioning along with three diet sodas a day. Is there any way a diet soda habit makes it easier to avoid the hyper-ubiquitous sweets we are surrounded by?

I think “cheat days” make just as much sense as a weekly Marlboro red for ex-smokers or lines of coke once in a while after you have left Hazelden. But I"ll admit that is a mere common sense observation, and if it “works” for you to go hyperglycemic or have an extra BM once a week, go for it.

But this “paleo food” thing is bogus. If your food needs a prefix, it is not “paleo” in either the historical or the metabolic sense, and it is, more emphatically, not paleo in the sense that it is helping to keep alive the reigning agricultural paradigm – the one that wants our food to look like agricultural food so that we still crave agricultural food.

Manufacturing simulacra of grandma’s comfort food in your kitchen is either:

1) Pointless work to make something awful tasting

2) A veiled excuse to make a sugar vehicle

3) An unconscious exercise in the service of Ancel Keys’ Neolithic Food Army Reserve. Keep that big-agra-supplied uniform pressed and hanging in the closet, waiting for the call-up. For the day when the paleo-pancake is not doing the trick, and hell, why not have just one real pancake?

If you’re not as evil as the tobacco company or as cynical as the candy company, are you still unconsciously the kid at school sharing cigarette–shaped treats with his playmates at recess?

Are you nurturing the seed of the dominant agriculture-based dietary paradigm, an unconscious conscript in Ancel Keys’ sugar-is-innocent reserve army?

If you are a vector for cultural change, which way is the arrow pointing?

Wear your Real Food Uniform.

Active Duty.

Fly your freak-flag high.

Say no to the cake.

History of childhood candy cigarette use is associated with tobacco smoking by adults.

BMJ article on candy cigarettes

Where to get them

Lustig video on fructose

Shi(f)t Work

2010-06-17T08:13:00.003-05:00

I was over at Robb Wolf dot com and his latest post concerns those that work in shifts or those that have hectic schedules and don't get enough sleep, etc. You most certainly can substitute the word overweight, underweight, sick, or any other less than ideal situation for shift work.

Take a read for yourself.....

Post from Ehayes: Handling Shift Work - RobbWolf.com

Matthew LaLonde

2010-06-11T08:43:00.003-05:00

Matt Lalonde is a well respected Phd in organic chemistry. He, on occasion, will do seminars on Paleolithic eating. He does not have a website and actually posts when his seminars are going to be on Robb Wolf's page.

I have been wanting to attend one of his talks for quite some time. He is very knowledgeable in primal eating and recently interviewed with the National Post newspaper. This Q&A is a quick read but helps push that what you are doing is what you should be doing.

If you have the time, give it a read.

Q&A: Mat Lalonde discusses the Paleo Diet, by Daniela Andrews - The National Post

Education

2010-06-07T13:27:00.002-05:00

A few things behind why I, and encourage you to, eat the way I do. There is a lot of research out there and then there is a lot of experience out there. I am a big believer that in the trenches is always ahead of actual research. This means that, research is only confirming, much later in fact, what those that have been trying and succeeding with. This doesn't mean that research isn't important, it just means that experience is just as important.

In any sense, I also believe that knowing and understanding why you are eating a certain way is very important to changing a lifestyle. The results will speak for themselves if you eat the way I have laid out for you but education is so strong.

You know that the biggest foundation of our diet is the omittance of grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar (both real and artificial) but why?

Here are few articles that you should take the time to read. If it's easier, print them off and read them later but read them.

_______________________________________

The article below is about cows and the difference between grain-fed and grass-fed:

Omega 6s and Omega 3s and the logic of grain avoidance, PaNu

_______________________________________

I am a big believer in the article below. I have tried this for myself and know that it works. I stronger, faster, and recover much faster when I am not bogged down by even the littlest of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates make me hungry and when I am in Ketosis, I am never hungry. Only when I need to eat, will I eat. But by the time competition rolls around, I will be on almost no carbohydrates, this includes about half a cup of fruit a day, a fair amount of veggies, coconut water for post workout, and that is it. It is probably around 30 grams or less.

Read this article and understand that you don't need fruit to survive, let alone starch.

There are no essential carbohydrates, even for athletes, PaNu

______________________________________

A good blog post on fats

Fats and Oils, PaNu

_____________________________________

A good read on humans not being adapted to consume grains:

The Argument Against Cereal Grains, PaNu

____________________________________

A question on kids and eating paleo gets answered:

Kids, Paleo, and Nutrient Density, Robb Wolf

____________________________________

An experience with very low carb (Ketosis) and CrossFit:

Low Carbs and CrossFit, Robb Wolf

___________________________________

Another experience with low carb and CrossFit but from an expert

CrossFit on a Low Carb Paleo Diet: Mat LaLonde Reporting, Robb Wolf

___________________________________

An awesome debate on protein. Dr. Loren Cordain vs. T. Colin Campell (The China Study)

The Protein Debate

___________________________________

More articles to come later....................

Paleo vs. Paleo "Friendly"

2010-06-06T16:04:00.002-05:00

I am constantly on my clients about eating the right way. As a matter of fact, I usually will send an a message to our Yahoo group out of the blue on this very topic. I just know how people really eat. They like to soup things up. They want to see what they can get away with or they really don't know what is allowed and not allowed. The funny thing is, it's not about what is and what is not allowed. It's about using common sense and truly listening to those that know what they are talking about.

When we come into a new approach to eating, some of us will selectively hear what we want to hear. I know, my wife tells me all the time that I am hearing selective. We look for how we are going to keep eating the things we have always been eating but more Paleo "friendly." Unfortunately, it doesn't work this way. Initially, you may see some changes and you might even feel better but you will come to a screeching halt if you continue with this way of eating.

You need to understand that going primal does not give us the opportunity to try and figure out how to accommodate the diet to our liking. It gives us and requires that we accommodate our lives to this lifestyle approach. It's kind of sad too because those that usually suffer from this misinterpretation the most are those that are overweight or have existing problems. It will seem as those that have the least amount of problems will do the best because they tend to have the most will power, or what ever you want to call it, to follow through with the needed changes.

You must think about this for a second. The further you are away from what you want to feel like, perform like, and look like, the harder you have to work and the more simple you have to be. This is why I think that the males doing our challenge seem to have a lot of success, because they don't know how to cook. They keep it simple. They eat what I tell them to eat.

In any sense, you must take a look at what you are eating and ask yourself if you are really following the challenge of eating the way you are supposed to or are you following it with the mindset that you need recipes because eating this way all the time is going to get boring?

Amy Kubal is a registered, licensed dietitian who is also a committed athlete just like most of my clients (yes I am calling you committed athletes). She is of the Robb Wolf and Dr. Loren Cordain camps. She is very good at what she does and one of the few United States recognized credentialed that I would actually ask for advice. She posts on her website, Fuel As Rx, on the topic above.

Read her thoughts, her website, and her advice, and think for yourself but understand that primal is MEATS & VEGETABLES, A FAIR AMOUNT OF GOOD FATS, AND SOME FRUIT. THE KEY WORD BEING SOME FRUIT.

What Paleo is not: paleo cookies, paleo pancakes, shakes and smoothies, or anything else you try to throw in because it may say natural. You know what is natural because it doesn't have to say it on the package, meat, veggies, and fat.

Paleo Hacks

2010-06-02T13:53:00.002-05:00

Another great resource that I have under the links section to the left is PaleoHacks.com. This website is a very easy to understand source for paleo information. It is people just like yourself asking questions probably not unlike the ones you would like answered. The answers come also from people like yourself who maybe have a little more experience with the diet or at least think they do.

In any sense, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the website and search through the archives for any topic as I am sure it has been covered at some point or time. I like to peruse through and find out what people are talking about. It really is very informational and most of the advice is sound. As always, proceed with caution when taking information and using verbatim. I always encourage individual research to make individual decisions.

Take a look at it and see if you can't understand a little better what we are trying to accomplish.

PALEO HACKS

Sample Meals

2010-06-01T18:54:00.005-05:00

Red Swiss Chard - A very tasty green

____________________________________________

We are one day in people, I hope you are as excited as I am to see everyone's journey. Don't lose sight of what's important in the beginning. We are trying to set the tone for the rest of your life. If you are only in this challenge to lose weight, you will not succeed. You may lose it temporarily, but you will go back to before. I've seen it all too often.

Eating primal is about being basic and about going with things that your ancestors went with before agriculture and technology. Raw is best but least amount of cooked is next best. Cooking is a form of processing and destroys natural antioxidants and nutrients in food. Cook it the least amount and get better results.

If you are eating grain fed beef, chickens, etc., make sure you are getting in your fish oil every night. Remember, 1 gram per 20 pounds of body weight. If you don't do this, you will not get to where you want to go.

To give you an idea, here are a few meals. You can get more by looking at my food log. It is simple and very rarely do I have a recipe.

Meal #1 - Breakfast
5 scrambled eggs in avocado oil
I throw pepper and Tabasco sauce on it
I very small condiment bowl of frozen berries (black, rasp, blue)
2 Tablespoons of sunbutter

(If I need a change of pace, I may go with frozen peaches and dip them in sunbutter, OMF*** is it good. I may even skip the sunbutter all together and make my eggs omelet style, throwing in chopped up avocado into the pan. I don't normally have veggies in the morning but if i do, it is in addition to the fruit.)

Meal #2 - Lunch
I large chicken breast grilled with spices
Salsa on top
1 Carrot
1 whole Avocado

(for change of pace, I may shred the breast as much as I can and mash Avocado into it then pour the salsa on top. I may not have any veggies at all. To tell you the truth, I usually only have veggies for dinner. Like I said, it's medicine and I don't take medicine all the time.

Instead of a carrot, I may go with a whole cucumber raw, straight up. I also sometimes eat red bell peppers raw like an apple. I try not to cook them. A quick meal is to take ground beef and mashed avocado and stuff it into a red bell pepper.)

Meal #3 - Mid-Afternoon Meal
I will have another chicken breast or some left over steak (ribeye, sirloin, strip). I love and eat lots of red meat. I usually eat around 8 oz or more. This is for all my meat.
I will then have another piece of vegetable or not. I will then eat some fat.
For mid-afternoon, I like to gulp down a shit ton of coconut milk. I especially like to do this if I am working evening because it gives me energy like no other. I will gulp down at least 1/2 to 3/4 cup. I love the stuff.

(for a change of pace, I will eat a different type of meat. I may even go with some mixed nuts of walnuts and macadamia's. I will usually have about two handfuls or so. Other than that, this is what i eat most of the time.)

Meal #4 - Dinner
This is my favorite meal other than breakfast. I will get a little creative here but it's more about the environment than anything. I'm home after a long day at work and now I get to enjoy my food at the table with my family. It's awesome. We'll turn on the grill and just cook steak. Crystal will usually throw together some sliced tomatoes on a large plate and drizzle olive oil over it for sort of a mozzarella-less Caprici salad. I will also have a leafy green veggies that is either baked or wilted in a pan. And to top it off, I will have a large amount of fat. Sunbutter, avocado, coconut milk, nuts, whatever.

(If you've never tried Red Swiss Chard, you have got too. What about Kale? You are missing out. I took a pan and covered the bottom with avocado oil and then chopped up long ways, the chard, stem and all, and put it in the pan on medium-high heat along with garlic salt and sea salt and covered for 6 minutes. I tossed it once or twice during this time with a spatula. I basically waited for it to wilt. I will also take Kale and do it this way too or I will toss it in avocado oil and put it on a baking sheet and broil for a few in the oven. It comes out crispy and delicious.)

This is just a typical day. It doesn't change much except for special occasions. I love the way I feel after a good meal. I don't need a lot of changes and you don't either. Let the food do its magic first before you go start exploring. Remember that you are eating for fuel and life and not for variety or so you don't get bored. You gotta make this marriage work, hear what I'm saying? It's you and it for the long haul. If you don't or can't eat four meals a day, you will have to eat three very large meals to get you through.

Oh yeah, I drink a lot of tea but mostly at dinner or for breakfast. I don't drink a lot of liquids throughout the day. You don't need too. I don't believe in the whole 8, 8oz cups of water a day. You get plenty of h2o from the foods you eat. Believe me. If you are feeling dehydrated, then that is a sign you aren't eating enough and may need more veggies.

I can usually pin point a problem back to what you are deficient in or if it is an irritant to your body. Meaning, if you are constipated, I can look at your log and probably find the answer. The same with most other things such as acne, etc.

Also, supplementation is important. You will need to supplement your diet with Vitamin D pills and a solid Probiotic such as what you can get from Kombucha Tea along with the fish oil you are supposed to be already taking.

Anything, please see me. Thanks and hope this helps

Cooking with Real Food

2010-06-01T14:54:00.005-05:00

Out of all the pics I Googled, for the most part, this was the only one that had a male cooking. What's up with that?

________________________________________

In any sense, we all need to become better cooks so that we can live long healthier lives with great tasting food. Convenience should only be for just that, convenience. We should all try to be prepared for things that come up or we will fall flat on our face. In the end, if you are eating really well and for some reason didn't prepare, I would rather you forgo the idea of at least eating something and just call it fasting until you can eat something paleo. The fasting could do all of us a bit of good in the long run.

Today marks the first day of the challenge and what a day to start. I am excited for everyone and here to help in any way I can. My door is always open. I would recommend that you go it alone this first week and then if you would like, have me take a look at your food log.

Just think, after this first week, you will only have 6 weeks left. It will go fast so make sure you try your hardest to stay on track.

For your viewing pleasure, because breakfast may be the one time of day that people try to come up with other options. I love and can eat eggs every morning but I also understand that if that is to happen, you will need ideas on how to spruce things up.

Try these breakfast ideas on for size:

Paleo Breakfast Recipes

When looking through a recipe book such as this, minimize your use of almond meal, use oil of choice (preferably coconut, avocado, or ghee). Also try to stay away from sweet potatoes unless you are lean already and/or using it as post-workout.

Remember that corn and potatoes are considered grains and not vegetables. When a recipe calls for three eggs but you usually eat 4, 5, or more eggs, put that many in. You don't have to follow the recipe verbatim. Put all the protein you need in it.

__________________________________

Looking for another fat source? Head on over to Hy-Vee and pick you up a bag of unsweetened coconut chips. I had some chicken breast earlier with some salsa (Melina's) on it and then had about two handfuls of coconut chips. A serving size is 28 grams and has about 18 grams of fat (16 saturated) per serving.

If you like coconut, you'll love this stuff. It is unsweetened so it tastes really good. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

The Next Challenge

2010-05-20T07:54:00.011-05:00

Just to let everyone know, even though the meetings are mandatory, they are not open to the public. This means, if you want to sit in on the information, you will have to do the challenge, pay your $25, and get your pictures taken. Thank you for your understanding. Ricky

Also, I will need everyone to re-sign up for a membership to our Yahoo Group. I have had a few of you email me that you are re-doing the challenge and I have left you on the group. I kicked everyone else off. This is a special group and unless you are paying the money, taking the pictures, and turning in the logs, you will not be allowed into the group. Fail to turn in one food log or turn it in late and you will also be removed from the group.

The following people do not need to re-sign up for a group account:
Ben Mason
Brian Hilgenfeld
Chad Cox
Chris Baldwin
Lynn Cover
Danielle Baker
Dirk Grenemeier
Laura Folchert
Paula Miller
Stacie Tovar
Zach Ries
Megan Guthmiller
Dave LeClaire
Bill Nesbit
Vanessa Wattier
Karen Wattier
Irvin Wattier
Greg Luddington

If your name isn't on here please visit our yahoo group and re-sign up. Thanks.

The time is upon us. The next installment of the Nutrisimple Paleo Challenge is about to begin and a few tidbits of information need to be released. The last challenge went well and we had spectacular results. Because of this, it seems as though a whole new batch of challengers want in on the results.

This has caused me to sit back a bit and re-think the challenge and how things are run. I have thought about the pictures, the food logs, the duration of the challenge, and many other things and how they can be improved. This is what I have come up with:

The challenge will remain 7 weeks long. I had thought about moving it to a full two months but in the end, I felt the results were good and I also felt that challengers started to fall off the wagon a bit toward the end. The contest will be won in the last two weeks because some will grow tired and lose their motivation. It is up to you to keep that from happening.

The food logs are probably the most important part of this whole challenge. Yeah, the pictures tell the story but the food logs are where the changes start to take place. They allow you to see how you eat and make the appropriate changes so that you can change how you look. Because they are so important, they must be turned in and they must be exact. This go round, I will need everyone to be exact in recording their intake. Every meal, every drink, every thing. Record it all. Lastly with the food logs, they must not be turned in late. If you feel you might not have access to a computer, you better turn it in early. If for any reason the log is turned in late, you will be removed from the challenge, no questions asked. DO NOT BE LATE TURNING IT IN!

The pictures. How important are the pictures? Well, they don't lie. You saw the results of the first challenge. So many challengers saw crazy results and I bet they were true with recording what they ate. Others who weren't so satisfied with their results can probably be led back to the food log. This is why it is so important to record everything. Embarrassed or not, you must let me know exactly what you eat for 7 weeks or I can not help you achieve the results you want.

Also with the pictures, everyone will be asked to sign a waiver. This waiver will cover two things in particular. The first is a release of indemnity. I am not a dietitian or a doctor. I am not prescribing this diet. When deciding to enter this challenge, it is under your own free will and judgment. You assume all risks and liabilities with the choices you make concerning this challenge and the possible risks associated. The second subject covered will be a media release. By signing this waiver, you will release your before and after photos to CrossFit Omaha and Nutrisimple for the use of marketing and/or placement on the blog. You may request a copy of these photos but the gym will keep a copy as well and be free to use them how we see fit within the context of supporting the program only and in good taste.

You may not enter the challenge without signing this waiver. Also, the last changes to the program concerning photos. They must all be taken during the mandatory meeting at the gym by one of the coaches. This is non-negotiable. We will take your before and after photos. We request that the clothing you wear be the same for both sets. Doing these things, we will be able to control the situation more closely. I felt some of you may have done better had your after photos been better taken.

With all this being said, the challenge starts Tuesday, June 1st with the first food logs being due on Monday, June 7th. The mandatory meetings that everyone must attend, will take place on Thursday, May 27th at 7:30PM and Saturday, May 29th at 12PM. You must attend one of these meetings. You will learn everything you need to know about the challenge and the diet, just short of someone holding your hand and walking you through it. Pictures will be taken at this time so please bring the appropriate attire, shorts only for males and shorts and sports bra/bathing suit top for females. The buy-in is $25 and this will be due at the meeting as well.

If you are doing the challenge, you may start to request to be added to our Yahoo group now. Click on the link in the right hand column above the quote. Once here, follow the steps to set up an account. I will receive your request and add you to the group. Do this as soon as you can. Finally, under The Challenge tab up top, you will find links to a few documents that I want you to download and print off. Read them and bring them to the meeting.

I hope this clears things up a bit for everyone and that you all are excited about this challenge as much as I am. As I've mentioned before, you start the challenge motivated but there will be lots of things and people that will try to wane that motivation. The key to success is keeping that motivation alive and strong. Perception is reality. Believe that you will make it and that you will see magnificent results.

P.S.
I understand that the Paleo challenge meeting and the Stink and Drink are on the same night. I knew this when we scheduled everything. They are two different things. If you are going to the stink and drink but the only time you can attend a meeting is the same night, unfortunately, that is something you will have to figure out on your own. If it means anything, there will be other stink and drinks, oh yes, there will be other stink and drinks.

Voting

2010-05-18T15:10:00.002-05:00

Those of you that took part in the first Paleo challenge, I need you to stop by my office (me there or not) and place your vote for who you think is the winner. You get one vote for male and one vote for female.

If you are a finalist, you also get one vote for each but may not vote for yourself.

Write down your choices, anonymously, on a piece of a paper and leave in the appropriate spot. The pictures are on my office desk. Please get this done asap so that we can tally and award the winners.

Thanks so much for a wonderful challenge and I am looking forward to the second one.

_________________________________________

This next one looks to be even more competitive and the winner this time will take home a load of cash.

Remember that you must attend the either of the meetings in order to join the challenge. Anyone, whether a member or no member, is eligible to participate but you must attend either the meeting on May 27th at 6:30 PM or on Saturday, May 29th at 12PM.

________________________________________

Keep checking under the RESULTS! tab as I will be posting the rest of the pictures of those that gave me the okay to do so. I will also email your before and after pictures to you if you would like me to do so or I can just erase them. Let me know by email, ricky@crossfitomaha.net

Paleo Challenge Finalists Have Been Chosen

2010-05-17T15:32:00.002-05:00

We have looked over the pictures and it was really hard for us to choose finalists but we did. We took into account only the pictures. The pictures made or broke each contestant.

The following people will be voted on by you guys who took part in the challenge:

Women

Jillian Kinzer

Erin Fogarty

Paula Miller

Gina Petersen

Men

Dave LeClaire

Zach Ries

Ben Mason

The above persons will have their pictures available for looking at and judging immediately. Those that are finalists, will also get a vote, but only for one of the other finalists.

We will tally all the votes and announce the two winners when all the votes are in.

Paleo Challenge Winner

2010-05-17T08:39:00.003-05:00

Be on the lookout for the top three place winners from both the males and females later on this morning to be posted here. From these top six, I will ask that those that competed in the paleo challenge to step forward and place a vote for the contestant of their choice.

At the end of everyone placing their vote, we will tally them all up and choose a male and female winner.

Thanks again for everyone who put in the hard work to achieve the success they did. I encourage you to re-enter the second challenge to continue your progress toward the goals you have set out for yourself. It will be fun as there will now be a monetary incentive.

There will be two meetings for the next challenge that are mandatory. You will only have to attend one. These meetings will again go over the rules of the challenge along with rehashing the diet.

I expect a lot more entries this time around so be ready to compete. Who can change the most?

The meeting times will be:
Thursday, May 27th @ 7:30PM
Saturday, May 29th @ 12PM

Email me at ricky@crossfitomaha.net with further questions.

Greg Petersen

2010-05-10T18:38:00.003-05:00

Greg is on of our master's competitors. He partook in the paleo challenge and these were his results after 7 weeks.

Greg Petersen

Before / After

Jill Kinzer

2010-05-09T08:53:00.003-05:00

Below is a soon to be CFO member. Jill followed our primal prescription and dropped from 121 to 111 over 7 weeks and changed the way she looks, feels, and peforms. Awesome results.

Jill Kinzer

Before / After

Brian Hilgenfeld, Kylie Roe, & Mark Petersen

2010-05-08T18:07:00.004-05:00

Look at the results from these three CrossFitters after only 7 weeks of eating Primal.

Brian Hilgenfeld

Before / After

Kylie Roe

Before / After

Mark Petersen

Before / After

Danielle Baker

2010-05-08T13:57:00.003-05:00

One more pic and one more primal success.

Danielle Baker

Before / After

Zach Ries & Megan McNamara

2010-05-08T09:13:00.005-05:00

Two more of the same. Results from Primal eating.

Zach Ries

Before / After

Megan McNamara

Before / After

Chad Cox & Stacie Tovar

2010-05-08T08:47:00.004-05:00

Two more of our Paleo athletes:

Chad Cox

Before / After

Stacie Tovar

Before / After

Addi Kahrs & Bob Sidzyik

2010-05-08T00:58:00.005-05:00

Two more of our athletes that followed paleo for 7 weeks. Awesome results for both of them.

Addi Kahrs

Before / After

Bob Sidzyik

Before / After

Brian Christiansen

2010-05-07T23:12:00.002-05:00

Our third athlete looks damn impressive. Great job Brian C.

Paula Miller

2010-05-07T18:33:00.006-05:00

Without further adieu............... our second athlete:

Paula Miller

Before / After

Amazing. Paula, you look awesome.

Post Paleo Challenge

2010-05-07T14:28:00.007-05:00

We have come to the conclusion of our spring leaning challenge and I have to say that the results speak for themselves. I have received pictures from a few and still waiting on the rest but I think most will be happy.

I hope that these results will drive everyone to more success and to realize that not only will the weight come off but you can feel and perform well too.

We will be starting a new challenge, a summer challenge, that will begin on June 1st. The rules will become a bit tighter but this is only because money will now be involved. There will be a buy-in and this buy-in will be put into a pot. The pot is up for grabs. Judging will be the same as the last challenge, by before and after pictures. The winners, guy and gal, will split the pot.

You can be sure that there will be new challengers because when they see your results, they are going to want in on the fun too. I believe it's going to be fierce. Stay tuned for more info.

I have asked all of the contestants for their okay in placing their before and after photos on the blog and I have received the green light from some of them. I would eventually like a testimonial from all those that get their pictures posted here. I will move them from the front page to under a tab headed, Results!

Without further adieu............... our first athlete:

David LeClaire

Before/After

Vitamin D

2010-04-28T13:04:00.003-05:00

There is some very interesting research on Vitamin D out there but definitely not enough to give the complete green light on supplementation. At least this is what most doctors in the know will say. Now there are a few mavericks out there who contend that humans need to supplement with Vitamin D for a number of reasons. For one, we are very deficient in this all important steroid precursor.

The RDA is 400 international units but MD's such as Dr. Mercola and a few others, think as adults, we need to be in the 5000 i.u. range. They say there are a lot of benefits we could be seeing with Vitamin D supplementation. I am in no position to prescribe Vitamin D but I would recommend that you look into the matter and find out everything you can and make a decision for yourself.

Below are a few links to local media on the topic as well as Dr. Mercola's take. I would google Vitamin D as well do some of your own research. It might be the ticket.

Vitamin D a magic bullet? - Omaha.com
Boosting Vitamin D can do a heart good - KPTM.com
Why you need more Vitamin D - Action 3 News
Vitamin D Resource Page - Mercola.com

Tuesday 100420

2010-04-20T08:32:00.009-05:00

You ever see this at the grocery store and wonder if maybe it's okay? Well it isn't. The name on the front of this bag is just another way that these people try to get into your home. Avoid!!!!!

__________________________________

Below is a link to an article that Eric Clements sent me. I like it because it is everything that I try to get across to you guys but here it is all in one place. The stuff in this article is no joke. It is very real. We, as a people, are dying quickly and our medical field is arguing against it being our diets and those that are somewhat hip to the idea, are arguing against the wrong foods.

Gluten (stay away from gluten-free foods too) and fructose are two very terrible things in our diet. It's one thing to have a piece of bread or an apple every now and then but when we are putting it in our bodies every second of every day, it is a cancer that is causing cancer. These two things are in everything we eat. The bad thing about fructose is that it is only metabolized in the liver and no where else. Glucose on the other hand, is used by the body where needed. Not fructose. Have you ever hear of liver disease? It is usually associated with alcohol but it is now showing up in the form of NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). There are adults, and I bet before too long, children as well, who are getting liver disease from food and not alcohol.

For example, you can pretty much assume that about the same amount of sugar in a can of soda is what's in baby formulas, deli meats, etc. Did you also know that agave nectar is at least 70% or higher in fructose. That is more than soda, which contains about 55% refined fructose. Both are made the same way in the fact that they are highly chemically processed with genetically modified enzymes.

Back to the deli meat. I fount this on about.com:bodybuilding. It is only for practicality. To give you an idea of how fast you can fall of track. Think about our line of quality. Remember that line? The higher on the line, the better off you are. Also think about the line in terms of your own self. The more resistant to insulin you are (over-weight), the more you absolutely have to pay attention to this line of quality. Does that make sense? You guys that have a longer ways to go to reach your appearance goals unfortunately have to be that much more strict. You just have to or you will not reach the places you wish to reach. It's a shitty deal but it is what it is. The part of the article that was useful is pasted below:

97% fat free: Again, this sounds great! However, what does the percentage really mean? 97% fat free means that the product is 3% fat by weight. So as a result, this has nothing to do with the percentage of fat calories per serving. So your 97% fat free product in reality may have as much as 30% of its calories from fat! How could this be? Let's look at an example. Let's suppose that a 97% fat free slice of deli meat has 30 calories per slice and only 1 gram of fat. Since we know that the 1 gram of fat equals 9 calories, then you can clearly see how if you look at the percentage of fat in terms of calories, most of the caloric content offered by the food comes from fat!

And just for fun, let's go ahead and calculate a few other things. Since we know that 9 calories of the deli meat come from fat, the rest of the calories will come from protein (even though some deli meats also have some sugar in them, but for this example let's assume zero sugar). So 21 remaining calories divided by 4 (since each gram of protein has 4 calories) equals 5.25 grams of protein. Now, a male bodybuilder needs around 35-40 grams per serving and a female around 20-25. So in my case, I like to have 40 grams each meal. If I were to use this deli meat then I need around 8 servings. At 8 servings, now my fat content goes up to 8 grams, which is too high of a content in my opinion, for non essential fats (fats that are not Omega 3's). In addition, deli meats are extremely high in sodium, so that would definitely deter me from eating it.

by Hugo Rivera for About.com for bodybuilding

(now understand what my message is by posting the above statement. It's not the fact that you have to really understand the total macro-nutrient content of the foods you eat because it can be very misleading (which you should pay attention to anyways) but more so that you need to get fat from solid sources only. Because fat in deli meat is where most of the omega-6 lies from the grain that the animals were fed. Yes, probably more than one type of animal in your deli meat. Now if your deli meat is from grass-fed animals that's a whole other story. You now would only have to worry about nitrates, the sugar content, the shitty sodium, and things of that nature but it would be a lot better than your grocery store deli meat. I am just trying to get you to understand that these things contribute to that stubborn subcutaneous fat that stays stored on your body. Look for better sources of protein. WHOLE FOODS ONLY. Preferably from pastured animals.)

Hopefully this little post helps you understand a little more clearly on how sugar affects us. Most of the world's population is eating so much sugar, the majority of it in the form of fructose and in hidden foods, that we are basically committing a form of suicide. Take notice and do something about it.

The 76 Dangers of Sugar to Your Health, by Dr. Mercola - Mercola.com

Listen to both videos and read the article. I mean, really read the whole thing and post your thoughts to comments.

Is Paleo, Kid Friendly?

2010-04-18T20:54:00.006-05:00

Bam-Bam was a very strong primitive child.

___________________________________

Robb Wolf posted on the question of paleolithic nutrition and children. One question that I get a lot from those that are just starting out on paleo is whether they will be or are getting enough vitamins and minerals. My first answer is always, "Did you ever concern yourself with adequate vitamin and mineral intake on your diet of processed foods, grains, and sugar? So why now?"

In any case, it is a valid question and becomes even more so when the idea of children eating ancestrally comes into play. Every one wants to know if their kids will become deficient and sick because they aren't getting whole grains and milk. Robb Wolf discusses this very topic and even provides research articles. Understand that paleolithic nutrition is not necessarily low carb by nature. It is more associated with real, raw foods that come from sources that are sustainable. It is the adult that must take into consideration how much carbohydrate he/she desires to eat in order to meet their goals. Children on the other hand, carbohydrate amount is less important as long as the quality of the carbohydrate is high. Organic fruits and vegetables only but as much as they want.

Read Robb's post and make the decision for yourself. Should you be worried about the outcomes of eliminating dairy, grain, and legumes from your kids' diets? I didn't put processed foods because hopefully that is not a staple in their diets currently. You are the parent, you ultimately decide what they eat in the beginning and the shape of how their minds develop in regards to nutrition. You can't always control what they eat when they are away from you and that is all the more reason to provide a healthy nutritional environment when they are around you.

Don't make it strict as if they are adults. Make it fun and educational. Provide an environment where they're intrigued and interested in how you eat. Make them wonder. Have you ever asked a kid (yours or not) who has been to a CrossFit gym and seen everyone workout if they would like to do CrossFit Kids? They want to so bad that they will ask you over and over until it becomes a reality. Do the same for nutrition in your household. Involve them. Show them the difference. Explain to them, in their own words, why. Provide a house chock full of chopped up fruits and veggies. Always have beef, chicken, and egg snacks available such as reheat-able Rubbermaid containers with last night's left-overs, hard boiled eggs, crock potted chicken, beef jerky, etc. Provide avocado slices, roasted macadamias, sun butter, almond butter, etc. And keep all the unwanted stuff in the grocery store.

If they are used to eating a certain way, you may get a little hold-out but they'll come around. Look at Dave and his daughter. Apparently she loves egg cupcakes. I just tried them and I'm thinking, who wouldn't love these things? I introduced Damian to roasted Kale and he loves it so much. Show them how to eat a red bell pepper like an apple and I bet sooner or later they will be doing the same. They wanna copy you so provide a solid source of copying.

Kids, Paleo and Nutrient Density, by Robb Wolf

Egg Cupcakes

2010-04-16T08:39:00.016-05:00

Today's post starts out with a recipe for those of you that need to be getting in more protein but are having trouble with the whole lots of eggs in the morning thing. I know Kat uses this recipe already and some others have given them a try. I bet some of you can dominate eggs this way. You can play around with your own version to try and make it fit your likes and needs. They freeze well to last quite a while and in the fridge, they probably last 3 or 4 days. Just another way to help with the preparation issue that some of us have.

This recipe is from Sarah who is a CrossFit coach in NorCal. She has a wonderful site that gives people an opportunity to play around with the same foods but showing different ways of preparing them. Give these eggs a try and see if they help with the problem of not being able to eat enough protein in the morning.

Egg Cupcakes - Everyday Paleo.com

__________________________________

If you haven't already watched some of the videos from the last post, please do. There is some great information. I would have never known about Kombucha tea and its many benefits if it wasn't for Garage Strength. I was in Hy-Vee the other day picking up some coconut milk and I noticed that they carried Kombucha tea. I gave it the eyeball test to check for ingredients and what not and determined that this brand was reputable and the drink was solid. This is cool because you know don't have to make your own, although learning how would be a good tool to have in your toolbox.

Kombucha is a very healthy, and I think, necessary part of anyone's diet. It is a fermented drink that contains live pro-biotic cultures. Kind of like yogurt but better and without the dairy. This drink is all about gut flora and your internal ecosystem. For some of you, this may be the golden ticket to revving up the results. As I have mentioned to you, there are a lot of things that go into making a nutritional lifestyle change work to your advantage. The eating part is only the major part but it is definitely not the only part.

Some of you are seeing great changes and some of you are seeing the progress but it has been kind of slow to your liking. This has to do with cleaning up the rest of the equation. You seem to have the food part down for the most part but now we need to look at sleep and cortisol production. Cortisol is a hormone that is needed but in large doses can wreak havoc on a lot of things in the body. Most noticeably for you, it can put a complete halt to feeling, performing, and looking better. Two of the main areas that can be controlled by you are sleep and stress. These two areas are horribly neglected by a lot of people. You can have the greatest nutritional plan in the world and if you producing adequate amounts of cortisol due to lack of sleep or high stress, you will not see the results you want or at least, they will come at a turtle pace.

Another area that may cause the body composition changes to speed up, the lethargic feeling during the day to go away, and the performance in the gym to go up is your absorption of key vitamins and minerals from the paleolithic foods you are eating. Think of it as a vending machine that takes paper money along with coins. You put in your dollar but it keeps spitting it out. Now think of doing this for an hour in the hopes of getting your vended item but to no luck. You have the right money but it just isn't taking it. This is kind of the same thing inside of your body but in your case, you can't see the dollar or don't realize the dollar is being spit out. It may be affecting your results and don't even realize it.

This is where the Kombucha can help you. It contains over 1 billion Lactobacillus Bacterium and S. Boulardii live pro-biotic cultures, live active enzymes, polyphenols, and organic acids that the body uses to aid in improving digestion, skin and hair, vitamin and mineral absorption, detoxifying, and many other other bodily functions that I know you will appreciate.

Read as much information as you can about Kombucha tea and I recommend you add it to your nutritional plan. Like I mentioned, you can buy it at Hy-Vee and they have the whole line at Whole Foods. The brand is GT's and was created by GT Dave when he was a kid as a result of his mother's bout with breast cancer and eventually her victory over breast cancer. He has since been making it and the company that was born is very successful. There are two versions of his Kombuchas. One is 100% raw, unpasteurized Kombucha tea and the other is called Synergy which is 95% raw, unpasteurized Kombucha with 5% fruit juice. They both come in different, for lack of a better term, flavors.

When you pick up a bottle, you will see floaties. Do not fret, this is the live culture in your tea. The Kombucha is also fermented so there is a trace amount of alcohol that may be present and finally, it is effervescent, so it tastes carbonated. It is a really strong elixir. Some of you may not like it at first but as I mentioned, there are many flavors for you to try.

Check out GT Dave's website and hop on over to Whole Foods or Hy-Vee (health market) and pick yourself up a bottle. You won't be disappointed in the benefits of adding Kombucha to your life.

Kombucha/Synergy Website - GT's

And, oh yeah, get some more sleep and don't sweat the small stuff. Following this advice can really speed up results.

Garage Strength

2010-04-14T09:59:00.019-05:00

I've never visited Dane's site (www.garagestrength.com) prior to this day but there is a ton of good information on training and eating, so it has been added to the blogroll. His gym out sources pasture raised beef, poultry, etc. as well as raw, unpasteurized milk. Check out these videos for some great info and ideas on some major foodstuffs that heal and grow the body.

Click on the link below to see some really cool videos on nutrition.

A look into Pasture Raised Animal Farming - Awesome

Bone Broth - Marrow from bone is without a doubt, super healthy.

Kefir Grains - A super probiotic that aids in digestion and eats lactose (milk sugar) so you can drink your milk again, if you want it.

Kombucha Tea - A fermented tea that detoxifies

Questions Answered about Raw Milk

Insulin Control w/ Dr. Connelly

2010-04-05T11:51:00.013-05:00

Here are a few videos from CrossFit.com with Coach Glassman and Dr. Connelly talking nutrition. Click on the link below to watch them.

Dr Connelly is known for his creation of the Met-Rx shake with his blend of protein called Metomyosin, I believe.

Watch these videos and post your thoughts.

Why Grass-Fed?

2010-04-03T22:48:00.016-05:00

Some of us from CFO pooled together and purchased a beef and a half from Range West Beef, a company of L & L Jacobsen Farms which is located in Marquette, Nebraska. They are a small family farm that raises mostly black Angus cows raised on grass and hay, from start to finish.

They are wonderful people and it was very nice to meet them. Crystal and I will be ordering from them again. If you wish to order from them, please visit their website.

For more info on grass-fed beef and why you should be eating it, click on the link below. As I have preached to you, you only need animal protein and fat from those that have been fed their natural diets from birth to death. Humans do not need carbohydrates but only sparingly and in-season. There was always animal but not always vegetation, at least certain types only during certain times. Eat a lot of protein and a lot of fat from naturally fed critters and you will live very healthy, very long, free of disease.

Why Grass-Fed?

Unfortunately, the government is trying to keep Luke and Lori Jacobsen (Range West Beef owners) and all other sustainable farms from thriving, through loosely defining how beef is labeled. The feedlot farmers have lobbied and won. Read the article below to see how you can educate yourself. Be very leery of the product you buy in grocery stores, as the labeling laws have changed.

All Natural, Pasture Raised, Grass Fed, and Cloned Beef Labels

Buy from your local, sustainable family farms only. Keep them in business and not the big money. We must stand up for our families. We must stand up for what is right, for what is healthy, and for what was meant to be.