Les 's Blog
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Coconut Oil Recipes
Coconut Oil Recipes
Here are a few great recipes using coconut oil...Great for the Holidays.
You can also substitute coconut oil for butter and oil in your favorite recipes
Coconut Oil Fudge
1 1/2 cups coconut oil
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, tastes fine without it)
Coconut Oil Ice Cream
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut meat
1 cup milk
3 ripe bananas
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom seeds
1/8 tsp. powdered cloves
1/2 cup honey
Grind coconut in a food processor. Boil milk until a thick skin has formed on the top. Place all ingredients in blender, being sure to include the white strings of the bananas, which cling to the peels. Blend to an even consistency. Place in an icecream maker with ice and rock salt and churn until thick and creamy. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, pour mixture into a flat tray. Set in freezer until almost frozen solid. Puree in blender. Then freeze again. Puree a second time. Freeze once more and serve.
(recipes courtesy of forums found at http://www.curezone.com ) -
Coconut Oil
Current mood:
A few months ago my mom started talking about how she had started using coconut oil for cooking. She told me that it was very healthy and asked me what I thought. I of course told her I thought she was crazy. I told her that coconut oil was very unhealthy..its a saturated fat for gods sake! Everyone knows that's bad for you...
calm
As usual I started looking into it so that I could prove to her that I was right and she was wrong. And as usual I was wrong and she was right.. Yes! I said it! You were right! I will stop telling you your crazy everytime you tell me something...well maybe..
I have since started cooking exclusively with coconut oil, I use it as a moisturizer and I use it to style my hair. This may sound crazy, but it works. I have never looked better and I feel great! This stuff is amazing. It may not be for everyone, but I love it and I wanted to share it with you.
Remember quality counts. In order to get the benefits you need to buy unrefined, extra virgin, organic coconut oil. It should smell coconutty and have a coconut taste to it.
Let..s take a look at the healing properties of coconut oil:
* Coconut oil is antiviral, antifungal (kills yeast too) and antibacterial. It attacks and kills viruses that have a lipid (fatty) coating, such as herpes, HIV, hepatitis C, the flu, and mononucleosis. It kills the bacteria that cause pneumonia, sore throats, dental cavities, urinary tract infections, meningitis, gonorrhea, food poisoning, pneumonia, and many, many more bacterial infections. It kills the fungus/yeast infections that cause candida, ringworm, athletes foot, thrush, jock itch, diaper rash and more.
* Coconut oil is called the "low fat" fat. It actually acts like a carbohydrate in that it is quickly broken down in the liver and used as quick energy. It is NOT stored like other fats. It boosts one..s energy and endurance. Many athletes use it blended into their drinks. It also supports thyroid function and increases your metabolism (great if you want to lose weight).
* Coconut oil improves digestion and absorption of fat soluble vitamins, minerals (especially calcium and magnesium), and amino acids. It improves the body..s use of blood glucose and improves insulin secretion and absorption (great for type II diabetes). In fact, many diabetics (type I and type II) use it to reduce their symptoms. One..s risk of diabetes decreases with regular use of coconuts and coconut oil. And as we already mentioned, cooking with coconut oil does not create any harmful byproducts.
* Coconut oil helps the body heal and repair faster. It aids and supports immune function, protecting us from a variety of cancers.
* Coconut oil, contrary to much hubbub, is good for your heart. It keeps our blood platelets from sticking together (and causing dangerous clots). Regular users of coconut oils have a much lower chance of atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries), arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and strokes. Coconut oil can lower your blood pressure.
* Coconut oil is a natural antioxidant. It protects the body from free radical damage and prevents premature aging and degenerative diseases.
* Finally, coconut oil is the best massage oil on the planet. What it does to your skin, you simply have to witness. It forms a barrier against infections, softens and moisturizes your skin, and prevents wrinkling, sagging, and age spots. It promotes healthy hair and complexion, protects from any damaging UV rays.
(this information provided by the Wellness Directory of Minnesota http://www.mnwelldir.org ) -
super foods
Current mood:
calmSuper Foods
I found this list of superfoods while going through some old files. I think it came from Oprah's website a few years ago.
The idea behind these foods is that they will make you healthier and increase your life span. Looking at the list it seems that common sense tells us that they can't hurt.
Remember just because they are "superfoods" that does not mean you can over indulge...eveything in moderation.
Enjoy!
SUPER FOODS
Best Carbohydrate Choices
Artichokes, avocados, dark-green leafy vegetables,
broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, spinach, escarole,
romaine lettuce, cherries, berries (blueberries,
strawberries, blackberries, etc.), apples, pears, barley,
beans (dried and fresh), bean sprouts, endive, eggplant,
cabbage, kale, red and green peppers, bok choy, celery,
cucumbers, kidney beans, pinto beans, chick peas,
cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, honeydew melons, lentils,
bean sprouts, mushrooms, tomatoes, turnips, pomegranates,
snow peas, slow cooking oatmeal
Best Protein Sources
Wild Alaskan salmon, halibut, trout, anchovies, sardines,
poultry, yogurt, high EFA eggs, kefir, cottage cheese, tofu
Best Fats
Extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, flax seed, nuts (esp.
almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and macadamia), pumpkin, sesame
and sunflower seeds
Beverages
Spring water, green tea, white tea, black tea
Grains
Buckwheat, whole oats, barley
Spices
Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, oregano, basil, thyme, cayenne,
(every spice and herb you can think of are stellar
anti-aging foods)
Anything in the "Allium Family"
Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots can
all help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.
Barley
This can be used as a breakfast cereal, in soups and stews,
and as a rice substitute. Barley's also high in fiber,
helping metabolize fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates.
Green Foods
Green foods like wheat and barley grasses can be bought in
powder, tablet or juice form, and offer greater levels of
nutrients than green leafy vegetables. They also help
cholesterol, blood pressure and immune response.
Buckwheat: Seed & Grain
Buckwheat is loaded with protein, high in amino acid,
stabilizes blood sugar and reduces hypertension.
Beans & Lentils
You can reduce cholesterol while beefing up on
antioxidants, folic acid and potassium. Try kidney, black,
navy, pinto, chickpeas, soybeans, peas and lentils.
Hot Peppers
Both bell and chili peppers contain antioxidants, have
twice the Vitamin C as citrus fruit and work as great fat
burners.
Nuts & Seeds
You can't go wrong with a handful of nuts a daywalnuts,
hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia and pistachio nuts contain
Omega 3 fats, which are great for your heart. Raw and
unsalted are best.
Sprouts
Numerous varieties of sprouts are great with any meal.
They're a great source of protein and Vitamin C. Try adding
them to any dish and your immune system will get a boost.
Yogurt and Kefir
These cultured foods contain healthful bacteria that aid
immune function, and the calcium helps burn fat. Try using
them as a base for a smoothie.
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Donut & Ice Cream Diet
Current mood:
Donut & Ice Cream Dietcalm
It's finally here! The diet you have always dreamed of.
You too can enjoy a steady diet of donuts and ice cream while losing weight.
The average donut has about 300 calories. The average pint of ice cream has about 650 calories. (500 if you try fat free frozen yogurt) The average person needs somwhere in the neighborhood of 1800-2000 calories to maintain their
weight.
Let's do the math...
If you need 2000 calories a day to maintain your weight, then you can safely lose weight by cutting out about 500 calories a day.
That leaves us with 1500 calories a day, which by the way is VERY low...most of us are not average.
So, if you eat nothing but three donuts a day and a pint of ice cream you can lose weight because you will be getting just about 1500 calories a day.
Sounds great doesn't it.!
Now let's think about what the new thin you will look like.
You will be thin that's for sure.
You will most likely have no muscle tone because your muscles can't stay strong on donuts and ice cream. You will probably have huge black circles under and around your eyes because your blood sugar is always really low.
Theres a good chance that eventually your hair and teeth will start to fall out..and if you are are really dedicated to the diet you finger and toe nails may fall off.
Who needs that extra weight..right!?
Now let's see how much we can eat if we eat a more sensible diet that includes fruits and vegetables.
For just under 1500 calories a day you can eat the
following:
3 carrots
2 apples
2 cups of strawberies
1 plum
2 cucumbers
2 tomatos
3 eggs
2 chicken breasts
1 can of tuna packed in water
That's quite a bit of food!
if you still want your donut or ice cream you can still have it. You just have to eat less of the other stuff.
The point of all this is to make you understand that weight loss is a numbers game. It's not about eating only carbs, or only protein or only
anything else. It's about eating a balanced diet that supplies you with enough calories and nutrients to function at a healthy level and enough of a calorie defecit to lose weight.
You can safely lose about a pound a week. If you cut out 500 calories a day you will do just that. It takes a calorie defecit of 3500 calories to lose one pound.
Don't let yourself get fooled into thinking that a fad diet is going to make you thin overnight. Most fad diets are not safe or managable for the long term. You may lose weight quickly, but you will eventually put it back and that weight gain usually comes with the added bonus of a few more pounds than you started out with.
There are some great resources out there for weight loss. Weight Watchers has been one of my favorites for a long time. Their programs teach you about portion control and eating in moderation. You can eat whatever you want, but
you only get so much in one day..then your done. Another of my favorites is www.CalorieControl.org. This is a great online source for recipes, and calculators. They have calorie calculaors for foods and for exercise. They also have calculators to help you determine how many calories you need every day and to help you figure out how many you need to lose weight.
If you have any further questions please feel free to email me and let me know.
Thanks!
Les
LesRomack@LesRomack.com