Re: My Butcher and heart disease

[Guest guest]

>heh i recently read a book called HOMO OPtimas by Jan Kwasniewski

Where did you get this book? Did you have to order it from Poland?

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

www.wgp.com.pl

>

> >heh i recently read a book called HOMO OPtimas by Jan Kwasniewski

>

>

> Where did you get this book? Did you have to order it from Poland?

>

> Thanks,

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

In other words, you think one would be better off perfecting their

diet by following NT, as this book won't give one anything extra that NT

doesn't already provide?

The insulin issue sounds a lot like what Protein Power preaches

and I see the WAP site on the book review page doesn't recommend Protein

Power and discusses their view on insulin. Plus, PP doesn't encourage

whole foods. At least the below book does. However, a lot of these

books: Protein Power, The Zone, Atkins, etc. all seem to preach kind of

the same type of diet, lower carbs and more protein. It would appear

the book your discussing below has a similar message as well.

Maybe what would be more helpful to me is a list of sample menus

from the people on this list, to see the proper ratios and amounts that

should be eaten. I look at those meal suggestions in NT and it seems

like a lot of food to me within one meal. Do you all eat that much food

at one setting normally?

Thanks!

Robin

<<I've been reading it too. I think it is good for it's intended

audience, but some people here might find it a little vague. The one

thing I DID want to say is that I had heard it was a " low carb " diet. It

may be low carb by some people's standards (like some people find " the

Zone " to be excessively high in protein), but by my standards anyway it

suggested a pretty reasonable diet (having some protein, fat, and carbs

at each meal: which is what Cliff Sheats alwasy recommended and seems to

work for me metabolically). She varies the amount of carbs depending on

the person (diabetic people can't have many, at least at first). Mainly

she is NOT " anti-fat " and suggests butter and olive oil at your meals,

for instance. She is also for " real " food, to stop eating the packaged

stuff, which of course I'd agree with too.

She doesn't get into fermenting, soaking, raw foods, or any of the

" advanced " stuff that folks talk about here. The book DOES make it sound

like too much insulin is THE major problem in life (and that just about

every " bad " thing is bad because it causes too much insulin). Given our

culture and the rapid rise in the rates of diabetes (and the fact that

diabetics were her core patients), concentrating on that makes some

sense, but it doesn't feel as balanced as I'd prefer.

Also she glosses over some issues in a way that sounds downright not

true -- this may be in part due to the fact it is co-written. Her take

on gluten intolerance (that it is caused by " overconsuming gluten " ) is

way out of sync with what is currently known in research (not to mention

that many of the victims of gluten intolerance are babies that eat very

little of it!), and I found that irksome coming from a doctor. And

statements like " all prescription drugs cause a rise in insulin " would

be difficult to prove in any case (has anyone ever studied that? would

it even be possible? All prescription drugs have very different

reactions, I would think). Those of you who believe that high-glycemic

foods don't have anything to do with diabetes will, of course, be irked

by the entire book.

However, if you just want to get an easy-to-read take on balancing your

diet between the major macro-nutrients, it does give a good view of how

an endocrinologist views it. Having meals that combine protein, carb,

and fat is pretty much what people tend to do naturally in most cultures

(and yes, there are exceptions!) -- her main problem with the current

fads in the American diet are that people started eating nothing but

carbs, or carbs with sugar and/or bad fat, and leave out the protein.

Her call is for a more balanced, " real food " diet, which is great.

Heidi Schuppenhauer

Trillium Custom Software Inc.

heidis@...>>

[Guest guest]

Steve,

That's because your a man. I too would like to eat when I like and what

I like and might I add, as much as I'd like, but I find that I gain

weight very easily. I wish I didn't need some guidelines, but I do.

Not only to be sure I'm getting correct nutritional amounts, but in

amounts that I can keep my weight down.

When I was strictly a raw vegan I still had to watch the amount of food

I ate, but I was able to lose weight a lot easier with that diet. Once

I started adding some animal sources back into my diet I starting

gaining weight. Now, I am pregnant and the weight I'm putting on is

mostly due to the baby, but I know that I'm gaining to much weight even

for the pregnancy. I find it frustrating and dread having to lose it

all (again) afterwards. Therefore, I'm trying to establish some

guidelines now, so once I have the baby I can understand how to eat

healthily and be at my ideal weight once again. Obviously, raw veganism

helped me to obtain an ideal weight, but it left my body with some

deficiencies...I don't want that.

Robin

<<Well, I am a member, and I detest the idea of even thinking about

menus and amounts. I eat when I like, and what I like.>>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Heidi,

Perhaps Cliff Sheat's book is more what I'm looking for, but the

low-fat part might confuse me, as how will I know the proper amounts of

fats to eat?

See unlike you, one of my biggest problems is I hate to cook.

That's why I liked raw foodism, it was so much easier to prepare or grab

and eat. Although, now I know that diet was lacking in nutrients and

I'm having to force myself to do some cooking and preparation, as I

can't bring myself to eat raw meats. I also have a crew, kiddo #6 is on

the way in Oct. My kids are kind of squeamish about the meat too, it's

an all new taste for them and I'm trying to guard against the

over-consumption of carbs. I liked your *Note* (below)...I'd say,

balance is the key. We don't eat a lot of grains, noodles, etc., mostly

fruits and veggies are our carbo source. I'm fortunate that my kids

like them! My oldest son stayed at his cousins for a month in Arkansas

and couldn't wait to get home to eat fruit. They just don't buy much of

it in their household. He was disgusted with their diet, they fry

everything in veg. oil and top it all off with Velveeta cheese.

Everything comes from a can / box or is processed. My sister's family

is over weight and they have numerous health issues. The biggest thing

that gets me is they have goats, but they won't milk them and drink the

raw goat's milk. They go to the store and buy the devitalized crap

milk. It doesn't make sense to me.

Anyhow, thanks for filling me in on how you balance your families

diet and the meal suggestions.

Robin

<<NT gives a lot of information about food preparation -- and I like to

cook! It doesn't give a lot of information about balancing

macronutrients (starch, fats, vegies, proteins). That balancing was

always difficult for me when I started cooking for a crew. How many

potatoes SHOULD I cook? How much meat? What finally solved the issue was

reading Cliff Sheat's books -- he's a nutritionist specializing in

athletes, but his principles are easy and well thought-out (except he's

low fat).>>

<<Note: this is not the same as " demonizing " carbs ... it's a matter of

finding their proper place in the diet, and their proper form -- and

those are good NT principles.>>

[Guest guest]

Kris, me thinks your right. I'd have to know 'why' before I resort to

eating less than 1/2 cup of fruit per day.

Robin

<<You can follow NT perfectly and still get way more CHO than the other

books recommend. So I'd guess that it would be good to know about the

rationale for CHO restriction.>>

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi,

I'd say this is a good way to rate how many carbs one should eat.

I too prefer the high water content (carb) foods over the dry ones.

I'll have to watch the times I get sleepy in relation to the foods I've

eaten. Moreover, I never realized protein and fats are better at

holding you over between meals. I've eaten so much fruit and salad over

the years, but come to think of it when I really got hungry I'd grab an

avocado to hold me over. Most raw food Hygienists recommend eating as

much of preferably one (or two) kind of fruit(s) of all you want, until

you are full at a meal. Therefore, limiting my fruit content and

increasing my protein and fats seems to be my main focus right now.

Cheers,

Robin

<<I just see how fast I get hungry after a meal, and how I feel. If the

carb level is too high, I get sleepy (and it DOES depend on the form of

the carb! And what else is in the meal.). Also if there are too many

carbs compared to proteins and fats, I get hungry, very hungry, in 2-3

hours (the dreaded 'blood sugar dip').

" Wet " carbs (like fruit, potatoes, beans: with moisture and fiber) are

much better than dry ones (like cornbread), for me. So I know what kind

of breakfast will A) Get me going in the morning and Let me not be

hungry until lunch. But it's a different amount for each member of the

family: so the concept of telling a person they should eat " n number of

carbs " a day is pretty fuzzy, I think.>>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Kris!

You wrote below:

<<If you add the fat you've really got to be careful about the carbs or

you might gain undesireable weight - hence carb counting.>>

I'm wondering if that is what has happened to me? I've added the

fat and protein, but still eat my fruit and veggies in to large of

quantities.

Robin

<<Increasing protein is fairly straight forward - meat, chicken, eggs,

cheese, cottage cheese, nuts, milk, yogurt, kefir, etc - a good source

at each meal.

Increasing fat takes a little thought:

    Butter on veggies, bread, eggs, etc. (chopped kale, butter,

nutmeg, cashews, and a bit of Sucanat is lovely combo, I've discovered)

    Olive oil or other good oil on salads (I make salad dressing

from kefir, olive oil, and seasonings (salsa, chopped borage leaves,

herbs, etc)

    Coconut milk and butter on a small serving (to control

carbs) of cooked cereal with nuts

    Coconut milk with fresh strawberries from the garden or

other fruit and almonds

    Hot broth with meat fat served over sliced green onion and

chopped ginger Bacon, not too crisp

    Full fat, thin meat gravy

    Egg fried gently in butter (I add a few drops of water,

cover and turn down heat as soon as eggs go into gently sizzling butter

and pan and I sprinkle some seasoning on top)

    Real mayonnaise, full of good fat, on tuna, egg salad, etc.

If you add the fat you've really got to be careful about the carbs or

you might gain undesireable weight - hence carb counting.>>

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

What is MCT oil? I have butter, ghee, olive and coconut oil. Now,

to get back in the habit of regular cooking. I use butter when I

make eggs, I used the ghee when I made up the liver last week and I use

the oils regularly in making salad dressings or 'when' I cook. You must

think I'm terrible, since you obviously love to cook. However, I will

have you know that I did make the stuff cabbage roll recipe in NT last

night. My husband was impressed that I spent that much time in the

kitchen, so he ate it even though he objected to the raisins in the

recipe. Yet, he liked it. The kids didn't complain and ate it, so I

guess it was ok for them too.

<<Yeah -- BUT he also recommends a Tbls of MCT oil with each meal. For

weight loss, this is good. But you can use Coconut oil instead, or

butter, for the good fats. I don't think women need a LOT of fat to be

healthy, just some (and regular cooking supplies that).>>

I've been reading your posts on Kim Chee, so I went out and bought

a jar to see what it is suppose to taste like before I'd go to the

trouble of making it. I got the mild variety, but it still was to hot

for me. My husband likes it, but I'm not to keen on the stuff. I think

I'd have to acquire a taste for it. I do like sauerkraut and use to

make it using seaweed. I suppose I better start making it again. I do

love Mexican food! That was always my biggest down fall to being 100%

raw. I'd go so long and I'd have a fajita attack! Yes, I do need easy

recipes to start with.

<<If I was single again I'd live off fermented veggies and tacos, I

think! The trick is to find recipes that are really, really easy, and

learn how to chop fast (I got a big chinese knife and learned chinese

chopping, it helps!).>>

My kids are the same way. Sometimes they want me to buy the junk

and once in awhile I give in and let them have it, but afterwards they

are; " like why did I eat that? " My kids really like fresh, whole foods

and recognize it as food over the pre-packaged stuff.

<<What's weird is that when I do have good stuff around (oranges with

coconut, for instance, or peanut-butter apples), no one eats the bad

stuff (potato chips etc.). They WANT it, and want to buy it, they just

don't eat it!>>

My brother once said to me that my apple rolled far away from the

(family) tree.

<<My relatives are the same way. They think I'm nuts. >>

That's encouraging!

<<Once you get over the learning curve, it's not bad.>>

Thanks,

Robin