Warm Broccoli Soup

This is definitely a winter favorite and destroys the myth that all raw food has to be cold and unwelcoming! By steaming the broccoli for just 5-6 minutes, the meal remains raw, but gains enough warmth to give that filling, comforting feeling of soup. The texture given by the broccoli and the kick of the ginger make this an excellent choice for those new to alkalizing.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Avocado
• 6 -8 Decent size Broccoli Heads
• 1/3 Red Onion
• 1 Celery Stick
• Big Handful of Spinach
• An Inch of Root Ginger, grated or finely chopped

Bragg Liquid Amino (Optional)
Cumin (Optional)

Directions:

• Lightly steam the broccoli (5-6 minutes) and put with all ingredients in a blender.
• Add garlic, pepper, RealSalt to taste.
• The heat from the broccoli makes this a lovely, gently warmed soup great for winter.

Immunity Broth- Restore health & Prevent disease

Support your health:

1. A person’s diet contributes significantly to preventing disease and restoring health.
2. The 3 most important immune boosting food groups include: Protein, fruits & Vegetables and whole grains.
3. Avoid highly processed starches and sugary (bad carbs) can help improve our health.

Tips for better health:

1. Do not skip breakfast!! Start your day our right !
2. Work in at least  2 servings  vegetables with each meal, 2-3  fruits a day and 6 veggies.
3. Limits sweets and processed foods. Choose fresh fruits, veggies and nuts for healthy snacks.
4. Buy local,seasonal and fresh foods whenever possible.

Immune Boosting Broth

This recipe provides the healing benefit of roots and leafy green vegetables to help stimulate the liver and enhance immune function.

Ingredients:

• 2 C vegetable or chicken broth (organic or home made is best)
• 4 chopped shallats
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 stalks chopper celery
• 2 shitake ushrooms
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 ounces of organic cooking greens ( a mix of chard, collard greens, kale spinach and/or mustard greens…)

Directions:

1. Bring the pot of broth to a rolling boil
2. Add chopped carrots, garlic,celery,  shallots and mushrooms, simmer on loe heat for 10 minutes.
3. Mix in cooking greens, tuen off heat.
4. Let sit covered for 5 minutes
5. Season with salt , pepper or dash of cayenne pepper for taste
6. Serve

** You may also add chicken, beef, shrimp to increase protein content if this healthy dish.

SOOOO Stressed

Dear Dr Heather,

I am SOOO stressed out this time if year with the holiday here. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my normal day to day demands. And now with all of the extra activities of family get together, kids activities, parties, programs, extra shopping and cooking…………. Is there ANYTHING I can TAKE or DO to help my stress level?
Sincerley,
SOOO Stressed

Dear Sooo Stressed,
We certainly live in a stressfull time and the holiday can certainly add additional stress. Yes, there are things you can do to help reduce your stress this time of year. Here are a few of my personal tips.

• Enjoy this time. It is a great time to rejoice, be thankful and reconnect with friends and families. Remember it when you were a child and how exciting and fun this time is.
• Get organized, sit down and map and plan out your week. Don’t wait till the last minute to prepare for a holiday event, to make treats or buy that last minute gift item.
• Get Sleep! Nightly sleep is critical for proper function of: the brain, immune system, endocrine system, digestion, as well as for energy, recovery from injury, and restoration of health. Sleep gives us the energy, the will, and the foundation to accomplish these changes. While a person sleeps, the body rejuvenates. Cells are repaired and the immune system is strengthened and mental functions are sharpened.
• Eat! don’t skip meals or binge on your holiday favorites just because they look good. Food is fuel for our bodies! Eating a proper, well balanced meal will give you energy to handle the extra day to day stresses of this time of year.
• Feed the body, the adrenals and the immune system. Take extra vitamins and mineral supplements that help feed your body the nutrients that are being used and drained in times of stress!
• Exercise- Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits, it increase your bodies own endorphins and improves your mood.
• Balance your nervous system. In a vicious circle of stress, muscular tightness and pain can be relieved by chiropractic treatment and acupuncture.

There will always be stress. We can learn how to reduce the physical efforts of stress and become stronger, healthier and happier in the process.

In Good Health,

Dr Heather

Top Antioxidant Foods

Antioxidants are praised for their amazing ability to fight heart disease, cancer, and aging. Which item tops the list of antioxidant foods? Surprise! It’s the small red bean. Find out what else made the list.

• Small Red Beans- Beans contain flavonoids, plant chemicals also found in vegetables and fruits. These Chemicals also act as antioxidants to protects agains heart disease and certain cancers. Serve beans once or twice a week as a side dish or substitute them for meats.
• Olive oil has a high level of monounsaturated fats to lower blood cholesterol and its antioxidants may help protect against some cancers, stokes and other chronic health conditions.
• Salmon-a heart healthy fish is a premiere source of omega-3 fatty acid. Eating this fish may reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, minimizing your risk of arthritis and inflammatory disease.
• Blueberries are loaded with healthy plant chemicals called anthocyanins, which give them the beautiful blue flavor and protects agains heart disease.
• Beans- all beans in all colors are naturally low in fat. They are high in protein fiber, folic acid, iron and potassium. A recent study shows people who are legumes regularly, four or more times a week lowered their risk for developing heart disease by 22%, also cutting their risk for stroke, cancer and high blood pressure Beans also effective for lowering cholesterol.
• Artichokes- Artichokes are packed with vitaminC, folate and high in fiber. A winning combination for cancer, stoke and cardiovascular prevention.
• Cranberries, Raspberries, blackberries-High in Vitamin C and polyphenolic compounds, a plant chemical that acts as powerful antioxidants and fights cardiovascular disease and cancer.
• Avocados-contains a good dose of heart healthy mono- and poly unsaturated fats. This fruit contains lutein which help protect against breast cancer and help eyesight. avocados are a good source of potassium which helps ward off high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
• Pomegranate-is naturally high in polyphenol antioxidants, which help you body’s cells resist damage form free radicals, which affect aging and cancer. It is know to lower cholesterol and improve flow to the heart. Pomegranate juice may slow down the growth of prostate cancer.
• Pumpkin-is loaded with antioxidants beta-carotene which your body converts to Vitamin A. This antioxidant vitamin helps prevent some types of cancer and atherosclerosis. Pumpkin also proves a healthy does for Vitamin C and sodium which is particularly important for blood pressure.
• Mushrooms -are loaded with potent disease fighting antioxidants called ergothioneine. This antioxidant helps cells in the body ward off damaged from dangerous oxygen molecules called free radicals, which may play a role in serious illness, such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. They also are a good source of potassium which may cut your rick of high blood pressure and stroke.
• Tea -whether hot or cold, has the power to keep hearts healthy. It helps prevent cancer and heart disease and may reduce the risk of stroke, obesity, arthritis and diabetes. It may also protect against tooth decay and osteoporosis.

Gluten Free Southwest Black Bean Cake & Guacamole

Ingredients for Guacamole:

• 1 medium avocado, seeded and peeled
• 1 Tbs. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp Beau Monde
• 1 Clove minced garlic
• 1/2 c shopped onions
• 1 tsp chopped cilantro
• 1 small Romano tomato chopped.
• Sea Salt to taste

Ingredients for Bean Cakes:

• 2  slices whole wheat or Gluten Free bread OR 2 soft corn tortilla-torn
• 3  Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 2  cloves garlic minced
• 1  15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1  to 2 tsp. adobo sauce
• 1  tsp. ground cumin
• 1  egg (or egg replacer)
• 1  small plum tomato, chopped
• Ground black pepper
• Sea Salt to taste

Directions for Guacamole:

1. In a small bowl mash avocado.
2. Stir in lime juice
3. Add all garlic, cilantro, Beau Monde, mix well.
4. Add in tomatoes and onions
5. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
6. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Directions for Bean Cake:

1. Place torn bread/corn shells in a food processor bowl or blender container.
2. Cover and process or blend until bread resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer bread crumbs to a large bowl; set aside.
3. Add the beans, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, cumin, garlic and cilantro. Cover and process or blend using on/off pulses until beans are coarsely chopped and mixture begins to pull away from side of bowl or container. Add bean mixture to bread crumbs.
4. Add egg; mix well.
5. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.
6. Lightly grease the rack of an uncovered grill.
7. Place patties on rack. Grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes or until patties are heated through, turning once halfway through grilling.
8. To serve, top the patties with guacamole

Butternut Squash, Bacon & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 medium butternut squash -peeled, seeded and cut into 1-2” pieces
• 1/4 c. EVOO
• 6 c. organic chicken stock
• 2 1/2 c. minced onions
• 1 c cooked wild rice
• 2 c. corn kernels
• 1 c non dairy milk, plain-almond or hazelnut or coconut, or rice
• 1/2 lb. thick cut bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 400F.
2. Season squash with salt and pepper & EVOO. Place on baking sheet and roast for 45-60 minutes (or until soft).
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat add bacon and fry until crispy brown. Remove bacon and crumble and set aside, leaving 1 tbs. of bacon grease in the pan.
4. Saute onions on low-medium heat in the bacon grease until translucent.
5. Add corn and saute mixture for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add the remaining stock and the squash and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
8. Stir in rice and crumbled bacon and continue to cook 10-15 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and stir in non-dairy milk, salt and pepper to sates.
10. Serve warm and ENJOY!

KC Fit Magazine Week 5 -19.0LBS

Jerry is on his homestretch with only 3 more weeks to go to see if he is the winner of KC Fitness Magazine’s Weight loss Challenge! Jerry lost 5 pounds this week!! 

Why Lowering Blood Sugar May be a Mistake…….

The title may be misleading but the information is right on……….,

What most of us have been lead to believe is just not true.
Conventional medicine would have you believe that lowering your blood sugar is the be-all, end-all solution to type 2 diabetes.
But what if that is a mistake that misses the REAL underlying trigger of not just what causes type 2 diabetes, but all major age-related illnesses?
You see, elevated blood sugar is just a SYMPTOM of underlying metabolic, physiologic, and biochemical processes that are out of balance.

The REAL Underlying Cause…
Lowering blood sugar with medications does NOT address the underlying triggers that give rise to the high blood sugar in the first place.
This may surprise you, but many of the methods used to lower blood sugar such as insulin or oral hypoglycemic drugs actually make the problem WORSE.
This happens because these methods actually increase the levels of another substance in your body that is the true trigger of the misery that over 125 million Americans suffer from.
This substance is the single most important trigger that leads to rapid and premature aging and all its resultant diseases, including heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cancer.
But when you shift your focus from trying to manage blood sugar, as millions unfortunately incorrectly do now, to fixing the underlying problems that cause excessive levels of this particularly deadly trigger, remarkable things can occur, such as:

• Weight loss, particularly around the belly…
• Improved energy…
• Better mental clarity…
• More stable, enjoyable mood…
• Better memory…
• Reduced joint pain…
• Improvement in blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c…
• Lower blood pressure and cholesterol…

How to Get this Poisonous Trigger Under Control
Mark Hyman, M.D., a leader in the emerging field of functional medicine who has been featured on 60 minutes before, reveal exactly how this poisonous trigger can be brought under control with a special 7-step process.

• Why blood sugar is NOT the real problem…
• Why type 2 diabetes is NOT genetic and IS reversible…
• How to lower your risk of heart disease and dementia…
• Why these “bugs” inside you may be part of the problem…
• The 7 underlying causes that must be fixed…

Once you deal with this true underlying cause, you can free yourself to return to the happy, active, normal, hassle-free life that you once enjoyed.

To your brain health,
Dr.Daniel Amen

My advise,

Please print off and take the health risk analysis to see how your body rates.

Pre-diabetes and Type II diabetes progression can be slowed down and possible even reversed  through customized diet and exercise plans created by a medical professional. Visit Cardin Center for Wellness for more information.

In good health,

Dr. Heather

KC Fitness Weight Loss Challenge Week #3

Jerry Week 3 Click on the Jerry week 3 to listen to Jerry’s success on his video blog.

I will posting his results every week so please follow along !!!

Donna B shares her recipes

I would like to thank Donna B for sending me some fabulous recipes. Please try them and let her know what you think OR please send some of your favorite recipes to share with her.

Chicken Beef and Pinto Bean Burgers

• 1 lb. very lean organic ground beef (96%)
• 1 lb. organic ground chicken
• 1 – 15 oz can organic pinto beans, drained (run through blender)
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• ¼ c. cilantro, basic & parsley, minced
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients thoroughly and shape into about 6-8 patties.
2. Place on  waxed paper on a cookie sheet and cover.
3. Freeze.
4. Take out and put patties in a large freezer bag and store in freezer.
5. Great substitute for hamburgers, meatloaf and ground meat for spaghetti as well.

Other recipes by Donna

Donna’s Broccoli & Chicken Stir Fry

Apple syrup

Chicken Apple Salad

Hi Fiber, Low Sugar Apple Sauce

Kiwi Strawberry  Salsa and GF Tortillas

God bless, Donna B
Those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.  (Isaiah 40:31)