Finding a New Primary Care Doctor

A Big Thanks To Leslie at Wellparents.com for this great advice Thanks to Leslie at Read more

The Rollercoaster of Life

Grandma: "I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like Read more

Sheltering at Home/Covid 19

Never in the last two decades of my career as a physician would I have imagined that we would be using the same mask to see patients all day and then sterilizing/recycling them at the end of the day. Read more

Turmeric Health Benefits

Have you ever wondered what the paste is applied to the bride and groom's faces and arms in Indian weddings?  It's actually the spice turmeric.  Turmeric is the ingredient in curry that gives it a vibrant yellow color.  Actually, Read more

COVID 19 Precautions

With the scare of COVID here in the USA now, I wanted to post a little info about boosting immunity to prevent contracting the virus. Here are some important facts about Covid-19 It is spread by contact with Read more

Natural Tips for Avoiding Colds

This cold and flu season is still upon us and unfortunately, many patients are still being plagued by these nasty viral symptoms.  Here are a few tips to try if you feel like you are coming down with something. Of Read more

Sherry's Story

Sherry has a great story.  She has been diabetic for years and she has made some massive changes!   "I have been on a lifestyle change. It has been a year following a ketogenic food plan.  When I started this journey Read more

Pharmacy to Farmacy

Many of you may know Erin-- the fabulous Pharm D that worked in our office a few years back.  Erin is a phenomenal gal and we embarked on the journey  into natural medicine around the same time.  As we both Read more

Body

Going Against the Grain: Part 1

I had the fabulous opportunity to listen to Dr. William Davis speak at the World Conference on Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.  He presented his thoughts on wheat in an incredibly logical and understandable format.  I have decided to give you my dumbed down synopsis on why WHEAT is not the healthy grain with which educators inform us.  I have to plead ignorance on this subject and am grateful to read and learn more everyday to help educate you to the dangers of our food supply.  Remember, nutrition isn’t taught in medical school!

 

Wheat dates back to the Roman Empire when grain was traded for land.  Around 850 to 900 BC , huge glacier melts raised global temperatures allowing wheat to be grown more readily.  Thus ensued the first consumption of grain by humans.  Initially, the seeds of the grain were intolerable to the human gut and caused severe diarrhea.  Therefore, the seeds had to be cooked or heated to make  human digestion possible.  This dramatically changed the culture from the hunter/gathering model to a cultivation model. Hence, birth of agriculture changed our food supply.  When we started consuming grains on a regular basis many changes happened.  The jaws and facial structures of humans decreased because of less need for mastication.  Dental decay increased.  We lost height and bone size. Also, iron deficiency was born.  So ironically, wheat started causing disease this early in the evolutionary path.  Spoiler alert—it’s only going to get worse.

This original wheat was called Eiknorn wheat that contained 14 chromosomes.  I won’t bore you with the intricate science that ensued and will refer you to the book for the specific details but this original wheat was then mated with wild grass multiple times to evolve to the 19/20th century version of wheat called Spelt which then contained 42 chromosomes.

In the 1960’s, the fear of world population explosion caused a push by the government to fund the development of high yield crops.  We then started to increase the yield of wheat crops in hopes to feed the starving population.  The wheat then underwent repetitive hybridization with other wheats and grasses to yield a crop with big seeds and heads and a much smaller stalk.  This modification allowed for a heartier plant that was much more resistant to climate changes, susceptible to fertilizers, and yielded larger seeds.  Now remember–what did the wheat seed originally do to humans? (make them sick???)

Many people say that it is unethical to not eat bread.  I mean what did Christ do at the last supper?  He broke bread–but his bread isn’t the bread we are eating today!  His bread was much closer to what God placed on this earth.  Humans have modified that original grain so dramatically that we have made ourselves ill!

Please consider reading Dr. Davis’s great book for more information.  More to come on the whole Gluten/Gluten Free issues in following posts.  He also has some great grain free ideas and recipes at his site http://www.wheatbellyblog.com

More blog posts to come as I continue to read and educate myself on the dangers of wheat.

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Organic, Whole Food 1 Comment

10 Fun Food Facts!

1.  Aspartame breaks down to formaldehyde in the body–yep, the same chemical we use to embalm dead bodies!

2.  The same chemical that gives tart cherries their color may relieve pain better than aspirin or ibuprofen.

3.  The term Pound Cake comes from the literal pound of butter used to make it.

4.  There are about 100,000 bacteria in 1 liter of drinking water

5.  Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties.  Mixed with milk, it can be used as an antiseptic for the skin

6.  Two twelve ounce servings of juiced apples, pears, carrots, celery, and leafy greens has twice the potency of 1 dose of an over-the-counter laxative.

7.  1.2 billion pounds of potato chips are consumed each year in the United States.

8.  A baked potato (with skin) is a great source of dietary fiber (4 grams)

9.  A typical American eats 28 pigs in his/her lifetime.

10.  A well-done steak with charred portions contains much higher levels of carcinogens than a medium or rare steak.

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More Posse Recipes

How is the Smoothie Posse doing?  Anyone cheated?  Any good recipes or favorites?

Yummy Local Grown Produce

 

Here is what is coming in my Green Bean Delivery next week and we need to brainstorm some power smoothie recipes—-anyone had experience with snap peas or broccoli in smoothies?  I have juiced snap peas in the past and they turned out fine (see Pea Juice post).   Also –send me all of your favorite juicing recipes from this past week!

 

1 8 oz. Local Lettuce, Spring Mix

Bok Choy

6 Each Apples, Fuji –
1 Bunch Broccoli
1 Bunch Herbs, Cilantro
5 Each Kiwi-
3 Each Lemons
1 order of 2 Lettuce, Baby Bok Choy
2 Each Onions, Sweet –
4 Each Oranges, Navel
1 10 oz. Peas, Snap
4 each Potatoes, Russet Bakers (Large)

 

Luckily Green Bean knows my issues with developing recipes and has added a great recipe for Sugar Snap Peas and Bok Choy.

 
2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 oranges
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon spicy chili sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper
4 cups roughly chopped lettuce or salad mix

For the full recipe visit:

http://greenbeandelivery.com/healthytimes/recipes/snap-pea-and-bok-choy-salad-with-citrus-vinaigrette/

 

 

Here are a few of my favorite smoothies from the past week.

Photo

Blackberries, blueberries, cucumber, spinach, and coconut water. Amazing smoothie!

Loads of real food!

Another good one
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Made a smoothie creation today I loved! -2 carrots, 2 persimmons, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup coconut water, and 1/2 cup butternut squash, peeled.

Loads of real food!

Also, I would highly recommend visiting Modern Alternative Mama’s Blog.  Todays post is all about shopping healthy on a budget and she breaks down the cheapest ways to get tons of healthy, fresh, real food on a budget!!!
http://www.modernalternativemama.com
Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Green Living, Nutrition, Organic, Whole Food Leave a comment

Day #2 Menu

 

Kicking off the day with this beet strawberry smoothie. Very simple and clean recipe. I’ll throw in some hemp seeds for a little protein. http://www.refinery29.com/beet-recipes?page=4   Warning:  This could turn your pee RED (sorry, I mean urine).  So don’t call the Doctor’s office thinking you have a urine infection or kidney stone.

Emma –the Smoothie Ninja

Lunch

So I got a mango in my Green Bean Delivery Bin this week and I realize this wasn’t on the Smoothie Fest shopping list but I thought I would post it for any of you Green Bean customers that had no idea what to do with it–like me.  This was pretty easy and one of the least difficult smoothies to make!

 

2 cups ripe mango chunks (from 1 to 2 mangoes)
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups unsweetened coconut water
Pinch of cayenne powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 159 calories; 1 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbs; 256 mg sodium; 3 g protein; 6 g fiber.

 

 

Dinner-Recipe for kale and broccoli with caramelized onions! What’s your favorite way to prepare kale?
http://greenbeandelivery.com/healthytimes/recipes/kale-and-broccoli-with-caramelized-onions/

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Whole Food Leave a comment

Cranberry Smoothie

Here’s another great recipe for this week!  I want to remind everyone that I am posting the smoothie posse recipes and experiences from last week because I leave for a nutrition conference this week so I can’t participate.  The one major note that I will tell you before starting the fest is to not forget to drink water!!!  By day #2, I was cranky, tired, and really hungry!  Also, (spoiler alert) that the beet juice recipe from day #2 will make you pee red!
Very happy with my cranberry smoothie this morning. Fresh cranberries. ’nuff said.

1/2 cup frozen cranberries
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen blackberries

5 frozen whole strawberries
1 ripe banana
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup brewed green tea, cooled (i’ve brewed a bunch and it’s chillin’ in my fridge for upcoming smoothies).
Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Whole Food Leave a comment

Day #1 Menu

I’m going to have to confess that I’m only going to do 2 meals daily with smoothies considering that I have a 13yo and a 5yo at home that I will have to cook for this week and will be greatly tempted by the real food they are eating.  I will however make a whole food paleo based dinner for the family and will share that with you.   I will post any weight loss at the end of the challenge and am planning to go as long as I can in this endeavor.  I know Amy plans to do a full 10 days—I am planning on taking it one day at a time as that is our philosophy here.  Baby steps!  Remember-we are all in this together and are human!  So here we go with day one!

Breakfast:  Mixed in my NINJA—-5 strawberries, 1/2 banana and 2 tablespoons of chia seeds

Lunch:  1 stalk kale, 1 cucumber, 3 apples with 2 tablespoons of chia seeds—all juiced in the Omega 3 rather than the NINJA

Dinner:  1 pkg grass fed chicken breast sautéed in butter and olive oil with 1 stalk broccoli, 1 zucchini, 1 cup (cooked) whole grain rice and 1 egg–

All the cool kids in the back of the bus!!!!!!

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Smoothie Posse Shopping List

Ok guys—we have 3 days to start preparing menus for the Smoothie Fest–Here is a basic shopping list created by Amy our Smoothie Posse Queen—-Start composing your lists and I will be reposting juicing information as well although you don’t have to juice for this.  I am planning on using my Ninja and I know Amy used her Nutribullet.

 

Liquid bases

unsweetened soy milk (GMO free) unsweetened oat milk unsweetened yogurt- greek or soy green tea- decaf or regular pomegranate juice

Frozen produce

mango, all types of berries, pineapple, kiwi, cranberries

Fresh produce

fresh fruit- bananas (cut them up and freeze them), pomegranite greens- spinach, kale, and/or beet (this will turn your pee red)
pumpkin (or use canned but fresh is better)
fresh ginger root

Pantry

chia seeds
hemp seeds
unsweetened shredded coconut
nut butter(s)- peanut, almond, and/or cashew. shoot for unsweetened pumpkin (or use fresh)–we determined last week that fresh is better!

Spices and things

turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla bean if you want to be fancy. None of these are necessary.

 

Game on guys!!! Let’s do this Marines!

Posted on by Angela in Body, Call to action, Diet, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Smoothie Posse Pre-Holiday Smoothiefest

 

Meet Amy—Smoothie Posse Queen

“The Smoothie Posse Pre-Holiday Smoothiefest”  is about to begin!  Sorry for the short notice but there is no better time than now. All Angela MD Wellness Warriors are invited to join our challenge to replace up to 3 meals daily with a healthy whole food smoothies for a week to ten days—or as long as you can take it.    More to come tomorrow as we post our recipes and shopping lists for next week’s endeavor –My friend Amy posted this challenge on Facebook  last week and she had 27 people on board to start out the holiday season eating and drinking wholesome fruits and veggies!   We go into the holidays guiltless with a healthy mindset completely compensated and prepped for any overindulgence we may face.  We will face it without shame after restoring our bodies with real nutrition.   We will share all the bitchy withdrawal symptoms we may experience so be prepared –this S*#T is REAL!    You don’t have to own a juicer, blender or fancy kitchen utensils to participate.  We have accounted for all that.  My dear friend Amy and I have reconnected on Facebook since high school–she was an amazing cross-country athlete and I was a nerdy dork.  She then went on to study exercise physiology at the University of Texas and become a personal trainer and running coach.  I went on to medical school learning how to treat sick people instead of preventing disease with nutrition and wellness.    As my daughter Ciara shared after her high school senior retreat,  “I absolutely loved hearing everyone’s story and am sad that there were so many people in high school I should have tried to get to know better!”  Did I remind you that this child is wise beyond her years?  Don’t get too excited since she still doesn’t know how to change a toilet paper roll at age 19.  It is sad that Amy and I didn’t spend more time together back then considering we share so many beliefs. This is one time  I am grateful to Facebook for helping me reconnect.  So game on people–tomorrow I will be posting menus and plans–the whole point is to try to eat real food for as long as we can!  We are doing smoothies,  juices, and whole foods only!  Please join in gang —you can do 1 day at a time without commitment.  I will be posting shopping lists and recipes that we tried over this past week tomorrow for anyone willing to give this a try!

 

Posted on by Angela in Body, Diet, Exercise, Nutrition, Uncategorized, Weight Loss, Whole Food Leave a comment

Guess Who’s Back? Back Again? Dee is back–tell a friend!

Remember Dee?

Dee fell off the wagon for a while–heck don’t we all?  I’m not sure I’ve had a CLEAN eating day since Thanksgiving!   That’s not even mentioning the half a bottle of wine I probably polished off that day.  How is that for toxic calories?   But remember, it doesn’t have to be black or white and all or nothing.  It’s about meaningful eating and wanting to be a better version of yourself.  This counts in all aspects of life, not just eating and exercising.  It’s about individual behaviors, decisions, and not about outcomes.  I am responsible for how I look and feel today!  Nobody else forced me to eat badly, skip exercise, or allow negative thoughts to arise.  I did that all myself.   There is no quick fix in the game of life and dieting isn’t just a hobby!  Or at least it shouldn’t be–save that for something that is actually fun and not such hard work!  Our good blogger, hilarious writer, and real friend Dee emailed me that she is back in the game!  She missed the team spirit and wants to play–so let’s get inspired by her spirit  and rededicate ourselves as well.

Dee writes:

Taking a quick-lunch break to check in. I have been AWOL again but I just noticed that Dr. Angela re-linked my blog and I have a co-worker who has agreed to work with me in the area of accountability. There is a saying that people don’t do what’s expected, they do whats inspected. This is true for me. So, thanks to Dr. Angela and my new accountability partner (you know who you are) for helping me help myself.

This blog has really been a blast for me, and was a great tool in helping in my weight loss efforts. Last November/December I lost nearly 20 pounds and plan to do it again. Actually, if successful, I’ll be losing the same 20 pounds. Frustrating to admit, but I will never give up. I will make better choices and I will get control of my weight.

I shouldn’t admit this, but I really love Dr. Phil-isms. As much as I try, they always pop into my brain when relevant. So, I have to say that “the only way to fail, is to quit trying.” Check back for new posts this weekend.

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Breaking up!

Instead—-upgrade to a more healthy alternative–try Spectrum’s Coconut spray oil available at http://www.spectrumorganics.com

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