Friday, January 25, 2013

Upcoming Video Presentation and Q&A

What's up y'all??  Just a quick announcement for my 3 readers (Mom, Mom, and Mom)... I've been busy the past few weeks preparing a video presentation entitled "How the Government's Nutrition Advice is Making Us Fat and Sick", which will be presented in Bellingham, Washington on Wednesday, January 30th for the Western Libertarians club at Western Washington University.  That's a lot of proper nouns.  Be sure to read that sentence again to make sure you got it all.  Anyway, my video will be presented at the club meeting on the 30th and there will be a live Q & A session with me via Skype.  The meeting starts at 4:00 pm pacific time, so 7:00 pm eastern time.  So if anyone out there lives in the Bellingham area, I encourage you to go and check it out.  You'll learn all about the Paleo diet, the history of food and nutrition, and how we got to where we are today... and of course, what's wrong with this...


...and what you should be eating instead!

Here's a link to the Facebook event if anybody needs any more details!  http://www.facebook.com/events/192811674197425/ 

And I hope to see you there!  I mean not literally there, because I won't physically be there, but I hope to see you through my computer screen from 3000 miles away.  Be there!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Carbs Cause Cancer, Not Fat

If you're a human being, and you are, more than likely you've been affected by cancer in some way.  Whether it's a close relative, or a friend, or someone more distant, we've all dealt with it.  I've been one of the lucky ones, though.  I only had my first encounter with the deadly disease a few months ago, when my good friend Shawn's mother passed away after a battle with breast cancer.  She was a wonderful woman, and it certainly was, and continues to be, a difficult time for all involved.

Unfortunately, nobody truly understands what causes cancer to develop.  Sure there are some things we know can cause cancer, like excessive sun exposure.  But the truth is there are more unknowns that knowns.  Take diet for example.  It seems intuitive that cancer would be linked to what we eat, and no doubt it is.  But what foods actually cause cancer?  Which foods protect against it?  And how would you even go about studying something like this scientifically, when the disease takes a lifetime to develop?

Well there seems to be have been a breakthrough, according to this recent video presentation by Craig Thompson, President and CEO of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  And I quote...

"If you overfeed somebody with fat, you don't increase their cancer risk at all.  You overfeed somebody with carbohydrates, and you dramatically increase their cancer rate.  And protein is halfway in between."



Do a double take if you need it.  Queue up the video at about 27:10 for the real meat and potatoes.  And I repeat...  Overeating fat does not increase your risk for cancer, but overeating on carbohydrates DRAMATICALLY increases your risk for cancer.  And I'd like to reiterate, this is not some bozo on the internet saying this... this is the president and CEO of the #2 ranked cancer hospital in the country.  This is mainstream news.  This is real.

Now.  Here are my points, displayed in an organized fashion.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Recipe: Orange Peel Pork Roast, and How to Season a Roast

I've been really into making roasts lately, whether it's beef or pork.  They're great because it's an easy way to feed a group of people, or if it's just you then save the leftovers!  Having leftovers is always good, as it saves you a ton of time over the next few days, and you can have a healthy meal ready in just a few minutes.  I just thought of this recipe the other day after buying a bag of oranges, and I was so impressed with how it came out.  It's pure deliciousness, you absolutely must try it!  And BONUS:  You get to eat the orange while it's cooking.

So here are the ingredients, sans the pork roast, which you'll see below.  I like to avoid grocery store meat as much as possible and shop at a local farm, like JT Farms in Ellington.  But if I see a Stop & Shop roast on sale like I did today for $2.99 a pound (!?!?!?), I give in and buy it.  Hey I'm still in school after all... I'm not made of money. 


Prep time:  5-10 minutes
Cook time:  Varies depending on size and type of roast.  This was a 2.2 lb loin roast and it took about 1 hour 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Here's a nice little chart for you :)

Friday, January 11, 2013

How to Treat Acne and Clear Up Your Skin

Ever since I was a teenager, I've always struggled with that damn acne on my face.  Sometimes it'll be really bad, other times it'll clear up and I'll finally think I'm growing out of it.  But it never fails to return.  Over the years, I've experimented with just about everything under the sun to treat it (including the sun itself actually).  Just off the top of my head, and remember that this goes all the way back to the late 90's...

Stridex pads, Oxy pads, Swiss apricot scrub, probably 5 different types of Clearasil, all varieties of that white spot-treatment cream you put on at night...

More recently I've tried the hippy route and experimented with different combinations of castor oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, the cod liver oil / butter oil blend...

I've tried washing it once a day, twice a day, after each meal, every other day, two days a week, once a week on Mondays at 8:00 am sharp... 

I've also tried for as long as I can remember to find a dietary connection to acne.  First I thought it was dairy, then gluten, then alcohol, then carbs, then vegetable oils.  There were several occasions when I would eat super healthy for weeks and struggle with acne, then go out and party one night, stay up late and drink alcohol, and wake up the next morning with a face clearer than I'd seen in weeks.  What gives??

Never mind the hair... focus on the acne.  It wasn't excessive, but it was just enough to be a problem.  I can remember this night specifically... it definitely ruined my confidence.  No one wants to deal with that.

In the end, after all those years of experimentation and wasted money, I ended up right back where I began... frustrated, confused, and clueless...

...until recently.  I've been experimenting with something for several months now, since early November, that has worked extremely well for me.  It hasn't cleared up my skin completely, but it's made a big difference.  I rarely break out anymore, but even when I do get the rare pimple here and there, it'll be gone in just a day or two.  It's pretty incredible.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Primal Wellness Bundle - $479 of eBooks for $39!!

2

In the past 2 months, Todd Dosenberry (also known as Primal Toad) emailed more than a few dozen well-known bloggers to see if they wanted to be part of an epic wellness sale. Thankfully, 25 unique authors (including himself) said yes to contributing their ebook(s) into what is now the Toadally Primal Wellness Bundle.
All 25 authors have taken control of their own health through an alternative lifestyle that encompasses nutrition and food in a way that goes against conventional wisdom while savoring tradition from less than 100 years ago. With the world getting more and more sick at a rapid pace, why not?
Nutrition may be the most important but it's meaningless without other lifestyle factors. These include play, sleep, skin care, fitness, socialization and in comparison to today's society, slowing down and enjoying the countless blessings that we are all surrounded with.
How will the ebooks in this bundle benefit YOU? They will help you to...
  • Heal your PCOS
  • Plan grain-free meals
  • Boost your metabolism
  • Nourish your baby well
  • Cure your skin compulsions
  • Travel and stay Paleo with ease
  • Homemake dairy-free ice cream
  • Lacto-ferment any food you want
  • Educate your kids about real food
  • Smartly indulge in treats guilt-free
  • Heal your acne without antibiotics
  • Restock your pantry with real food
  • Live a simpler, more meaningful life
  • Complete your next Whole30 with ease
  • Go on a semi-strict 21 day Paleo cleanse
  • Cook with real food via 6 unique cookbooks
  • Experience your best family camping trip ever
  • Learn what it means to be an exuberant animal
  • Give a hospital birth naturally with minimal stress
  • Blend smoothies made with real food that taste great
  • Homemake skincare products for those you love including your baby
  • Discover the relationship between music, language, evolution, and the human brain
  • Complete a 30 day introduction to Paleo while building your relationship with food
  • Sneak past the traditional Paleo way of eating and go Wild instead
  • See the other side of the Paleo story with 12 Paleo myths
  • Then discover 21 Paleo myths that then get debunked!
Buy Now

What is the Toadally Primal Wellness Bundle?

  • 33 ebooks with a total value of $479
  • On sale for 7 days - January 7 to January 14
  • Sale price of only $39 - 92% savings of the total value!
  • Includes automatic entry into the epic giveaway with a total value of $1122

Important notes

  • The sale ends on Monday, January 14 at 11:59 PM EST.
  • Click on the links to the ebooks to learn more about them.
  • Paleo Crock Pot Cookbook is linked to Caveman Feast. Please understand that the PDF you will receive includes 31 crock pot recipes.
  • The PCOS Unlocked: The Manual you will be receiving is 52 pages worth; not the entire guide. Why? It has a specifically unique value and thus $47 selling price. A significant discount code to purchase the rest of the guide is inside.
  • The giveaway ends at the exact same time of the sale. I will announce the winners on the giveaway page and email them too. Please go to PrimalToad.com/Giveaway2013 to learn more about the prizes.
  • Due to the unique nature of this sale, no refunds will be offered. With the bundle containing 33 ebooks at a cost of 92% of their normal price point, everyone is bound to find immense value well worth $39.

Paleo, real food, grain free & coconut oil cookbooks

Lacto-Fermentation, pantry overhaul & freezer guide

Indulge in treats without feeling guilty

Give birth, nourish your newborn, then educate him/her on real food

Heal PCOS & boost metabolism

Simplify, live exuberantly, camp w/ your family & play music

Paleo time: travel, myths, cleanse, start anew or go wild

Take care of your skin homemade style & heal acne

Buy Now Please remember that no refunds will be offered due to the unique nature of this sale. Enjoy the bundle if you choose to invest $39 in YOUR wellness!

Monday, January 7, 2013

5 Misleading Health Claims

The grocery store is a dangerous place.  It's a constant battle between you and the the big food companies, constantly throwing their health claims at you, hoping to reel you in like a Largemouth Bass.  The truth is, there's very little truth to what they say.  Here are 5 of the most common misleading claims...


1.  "0 Grams Trans Fat"
A few years back, the FDA decided to crack down on the amount of trans fat in the food supply, since it's just about the worst thing you can ever put in your body.  Trans fat, for those of you who don't know, is created by the chemical process of hydrogenation, which turns liquid oils into solid fats (think vegetable oil into Crisco).  It was (and still is, to some extent) common in a lot of processed foods, especially baked goods.

Recently, the FDA added trans fat to the nutrition label, so that consumers could easily see if a product contained trans fat.  Unfortunately, they also created the term "0 grams trans fat", in which "Zero" doesn't mean zero at all, and instead means "less than 0.5 grams per serving".  So if you were a food manufacturer, what would you do??  Obviously reduce the serving size until the amount of trans fat per serving drops below 0.5 grams.  Nice little trick!  In many cases though, the regulation has forced manufacturers to replace hydrogenated oils with other fats or other ingredients.  Probably a good thing.

But still, zero doesn't mean zero.  If you see "0 grams trans fat" on the label, there's a good chance that product actually does contain trans fat (ironic isn't it?)  Check the ingredient list.  If you see "hydrogenated oil" anywhere in that list, you're eating trans fat.  Put it back on the shelf.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Recipes! Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

So I'm trying something new here at The Healthy Cow... recipes!  I don't know why I haven't though of it before.  I'm constantly cooking for myself so why not just document it and share it?  But the recipes I post here will not be the typical recipes you're used to.  Here's the plan...
  1. Most of my recipes will be original, created by me.  If I get the inspiration from somewhere, I'll make note of it.  I don't typically follow recipes anyway.
  2. The food I make is simple, easy, and delicious.  I don't normally make long, complicated dishes.  I don't have time to be in the kitchen that long, and I doubt you do either.  My recipes will be simple and easy to make.
  3. I'd like to share some simple cooking techniques.  I've been a part-time cook for a few years now, in addition to always cooking at home, so I feel like I have some useful knowledge to share.
  4. The recipes will be mostly healthy, probably even paleo, but I'm not going to limit myself in that way.
  5. Overall, I'd like to give everyone a glimpse into what I eat in my day to day life, and to show you how easy it is to make healthy food that tastes good.
  6. I reserve the right to change any of this at any time, even if I decide to scrap the recipe idea altogether and post videos of myself eating entire pizzas.  Who knows, maybe one day.
So without further ado....  I give you Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes!

Prep time:  5-10 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes

Ingredients:
  • Sweet potatoes:  ~3 lbs
  • Virgin Coconut oil:  ~2-3 tbsp
  • Cinnamon:  A shit ton.  Seriously.  You cannot have too much cinnamon.  Maybe 2-3 tbsp.
  • Salt:  As much as you need.  I probably used about a quarter teaspoon.