How to Make Easily Digestible, Soaked and Blanched Almond Flour

It's a little crumbly at this stage, but a quick whirl in the food processor will give it a fine, flour like consistency.

Ever since stumbling across Elana's Pantry, a blog devoted to gluten free, grain free and sugar free recipes, I immediately fell in love with baking and cooking with almond flour. Of course, like many, I had no idea you could bake using nut flours, but I didn't negate it--anything made without white flour, and even wheat or other high carb grain flours suits me. Using gluten free blanched almond flour works well in many recipes, from baked "fired" chicken, to cookies and cakes. This superfood nutritional powerhouse is full of antioxidants and nutrients to support your healthy cooking.

I have written before on how I like to soak my nuts and seeds, as it helps neutralize and break down the phytic acid that surround the food nut or seed, which prevents absorption of valuable nutrients, like calcium and iron. Grains and legumes also contain these anti-nutrients, so it is always valuable to soak and sprout these foods in order to "unlock" the nutrients hidden within them. Plus, it makes the nuts, seeds, grains and legumes more easily digestible, which can help you keep on track with you weight by not backing up your digestion after consuming them.

You can purchase almond flour at the health food store or various supermarkets that carry alternative flours and health foods. This is the most expensive way of getting your hands on almond flour, and I have to tell you that I don't advise doing this unless you're in a pinch. Why? Because there are so many smarter ways to get almond flour without paying the high price. Elana Amsterdam, of Elana's Pantry has a great source for where you can purchase almond flour online, and at a much cheaper price.

I, however, love making my own blanched almond flour. Making your own gives you the chance to soak the almonds, which manufactures don't do for their almond flour. This will make your final product easily digested, allowing you to take in all the nutrients within. Cooking the almond flour will break down the phytic acid somewhat, and it will also denature and destroy some nutrients. This won't be the case if you are using it for raw foods. However, soaking the almonds before making your own almond flour will help give you a special healthy edge over already made almond flour, whether you cook with it or not.

So, how do you make your own soaked and blanched almond flour? It is really quite easy. A college student on a budget knows that almonds in the bulk section only cost $4.95/lb, meaning he/she can have a pound of super food, easily digestible homemade almond flour, which is healthier and savings of over a couple of dollars from regular online almond flour.

You can buy already blanched almonds (skins removed) for this recipe, are you can blanch them yourself after soaking them. Regular almonds are cheaper, if that is what you are focusing on; plus, blanching the almonds after soaking can be kind of fun--or time consuming, so find out what works for you.

Homemade Soaked and Blanched Almond Flour

2 cups raw almonds, regular or blanched

2 cups water

Place the almonds in a bowl and combine with water. Let soak for 8-12 hours, or overnight. Blanch the soaked almonds, if not already. Dehydrate the almonds in a dehydrator or underneath the sun until completely dry.

Pulverize the almonds in a food processor or another device until a find powder.

Voila! Homemade, nutrient packed (and completely available) almond flour!

This is The Healthy Advocate.

The Healthy Benefits of Sunlight

Photo Courtesy HealthInfoIsPower.Wordpress.com

Hello everyone. I sure hope your summer is going well, and that you are moving forward with your health. One of the most crucial aspects of health is diet, the other exercise. However even if these two elements are working marvelously, and your diet and exercise programs are pristine, you simple will not be healthy without another component that is completely natural and is available, for free, right outside your door.

I am of course speaking about sunlight, and its amazing benefits for promoting your health. Sunlight helps convert the precursor cholesterol in your skin to vitamin D inside of your body. It is then used to regulate everything from metabolism, DNA, blood sugar, mood, sleep, immune system and much more.

Read this article thoroughly to really let the information sink in, as safe sunlight exposure can really go far to increasing your health. Tell everyone you know about this necessary nutrient, including your sun hating friends and relatives that believe avoiding the sun will decrease their risk for cancer. As a matter of fact, as you will find out later in the post, avoiding sunlight can actually increase your risk of developing different kinds of cancer.

Vitamin D production first happens on our skin, when it is exposed to natural sunlight. Both UVA and UVB rays will penetrate the skin, which will then act upon the precursor cholesterol, a steroid hormone in our skin, to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D. UVB rays are being shown to be more of the beneficial rays that help activate the health benefits from the sun, whereas UVA are more damaging to the skin. Excessive exposure to both will no doubt cause damage, such as wrinkling or even skin cancer. However, moderate amounts of sunlight exposure can actually decrease your risk for having cancer thanks to the benefits of our bodies converting the sunlight into vitamin D, a vitamin showing promising health benefits.

The most important function that sunlight has for our bodies is the production of Vitamin D. This fantastic vitamin, that many people are deficient in these days, holds a remarkable amount of health promoting abilities that can be turned on almost instantly. Vitamin D has been shown to regulate about 3,000 genes in our bodies, and can help repair damaged DNA. Vitamin D also helps our bodies absorb the calcium in our diets that we (hopefully) receive from fresh, dark greens or raw milk products.

Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

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Do you ever feel down in the cold, dark and winter months? It's not just you. Many people suffer from what is known as SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. This seasonal disorder is mainly due to the position of the sun and its absence from the earth. Natural sunlight usually elicits a response within the body of light-heartedness, warmth and happiness. Even a sense of self security presents itself in the presence of sunlight. More often than not, you probably have experienced the effects that light has on your emotions.

During seasonal deffective disorder (SAD), seratonin levels are way low due to decreased sunlight, resulting in depressive like symptoms. Light therapy has shown much promise in helping people in this state during the winter months.

Research is currently being done on vitamin D, sunlight and depression, but what we know is that summer sunlight increases seratonin in the brain by twice as much as winter sunlight. This regulation of neurotransmitters helps increase positive mood and behavior. Also, when we expose our eyes to the sun, it activates our pineal gland, which then in turns regulates our melatonin and seratonin levels. With proper sun exposure, seratonin remains high during the day, while melatonin rises during the night (resulting in that sleepy feeling).

Depression has increased within the last century, as our exposure to natural sunlight has decreased, therefore hinting to a possible correlation (or perhaps even a strong correlation) between vitamin D and depression. Getting out in the sun every time you feel blue might blue might help promote a better sense of calm, well being and positive mood.

Immune System

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Once vitamin D is activated by sunlight or through dietary factors, it moves to the liver to form the state of vitamin D that is beneficial to our bodies (25-hydroxyvitamin D). From there, the kidneys export an enzyme which catalyzes another form of vitamin D that is crucial, and most powerful for our bodies (1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D).

A study performed at the University of Copenhagen fount that the T cells, the “fighter” white cells in our bodies, that detect foreign invaders and help remove them, are activated through the presence of vitamin D within the blood. In fact, recent research shows that without vitamin D in the body, these T cells would remain dormant. So, without this vitamin constantly circulating in our blood, we are open to receive a wide array of illness, and our bodies would not be strong enough to fight off everything that comes at us.

Usually you hear of people getting sick mainly during the cold, winter months. This was first blamed on the cold weather, but more and more speculation and intense focus on vitamin D leaves us to believe otherwise. In fact, since it is cold, and since the sun isn't at full strength during this time of the year, we spend most of our time indoors. This, in turn, can bring about a weak immune system, leading to colds and the flu.

Vitamin D, Blood Sugar and Insulin Secretion

For anyone who is watching their insuling levels and trying to maintain relatively low blood sugar numbers, it may be surprising to know that sunlight, when activated to vitamin D in our bodies, can regulate blood sugar metabolism. In fact, the lack of sunlight, more specifically vitamin D, can increase blood sugar, causing inflammation, weight gain and sometimes depression.

Researchers at the Institute for Metabolic Science in Cambridge showed that in a ten-year follow up study of healthy, non-diabetic men, decreased insulin sensitivity, as well as increased risk for metabolic syndrome was associated with low vitamin D serum level. The study also showed that lower vitamin D serum levels elevated a hormone called parathyroid which is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity.

Insulin sensitivity is a must for people who are wanting to slow aging, lose or maintain a healthy weight and reduce inflammation (which in turn can cause increased aging and weight gain). It's also for people who need energy during the day. When our cells are sensitive to insulin, it means they can take in the glucose from our system, into the cells and use them for energy through certain metabolic pathways. Without energy, we feel lethargic, have no motivation to exercise and can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. Do you see how much vitamin D has to offer?

Cancer

Every single part of your body utilizes many vitamins, hormones and metabolic pathways to repair damage to tissues, blood and cells. Vitamin D is no exception. A 4 year research study recorded in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007 with 1179 women showed that vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of cancer by up to 60%.

This is groundbreaking research. As cancer rates climb while industries promote avoiding the sun, it is only a matter of time before we start to see the correlation. Science of vitmain D in cancer prevention is gaining momentum, and many more people are staerting to understand the sunss health benefits in reducing cancer risk.

A study recorded in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology showed that breast cancer risk was decreased through exposure to vitamin D. It showed that this risk decreased through either oral supplementation of 2000 IU or by 12 minutes per day in direct sunlight (equal to about 3000 IU of vitamin D, depending on skin color).

According to researcher Cedric F. Garland, cancer prevention specialist at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, over 600,000 cases of breast and colon cancer could be prevented each year (about 150,00 in United States) through direct sunlight or adequate intake of vitamin D3. There are even some research studies which report a link between vitamin D deficiency and skin cancer, but the data has not been conclusive.

Osteoporosis

It's no surprise that vitamin D, which is helps calcium be absorbed within our bones, can help prevent osteoporosis. However, a study in England showed that pregnant women who were deficient in vitamin D had children who grew up to have weak bones. The results of this study concluded that women who are pregnant should up their intake of vitamin D, either through sunlight or doctor recommended vitamin D3 supplementation, to help prevent their children from developing osteoporosis later on in life.

Beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow has been in the news recently following her diagnoses of osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis. In the past she followed a strict regime of avoiding the sun and dairy products. She is now on a prescription medication for vitamin D and is enjoying spending time in the sun.

Sleep

Our circadian rhythms are our body's “biological clocks” which regulate our mental and physical functions. When we expose our eyes to sunlight, our nighttime hormone that is secreted from our pineal gland in the middle of brain (the hormone that makes us feel drowsy and sleepy) ceases, and the production of seratonin starts.

Humans are designed to awake with the sun and go down with the sun, due to the effect light and dark has on our inner biological functions, such as the pineal gland secreting the hormones in response to light, or the lack thereof. When these functions our out of whack, such as if we stay up all night and sleep all day, our bodies can reovlt against these actions that go against nature, and contribute to varying rates of illnesses, most notably insomnia and cancer.

If you are having trouble sleeping, try getting out in the sun first thing in the morning, and also about 10-15 minutes during the middle of the day, avoiding being burned. This will help regulate your biological clock. Make sure you aren't wearing sunglasses, as the waves might need to penetrate through the eyes to reach the brain to activate the pineal gland. Although, it is certainly unwise to look directly at the sun.

Precautions

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The sun is very helpful in attaining a healthy lifestyle, but there are some precautions you should take before you go out to sunbathe.

1. Don't Burn

• Research shows that you only need to stay out in the sun, unprottected, for 10-15 minutes, to receive adequate vitamin D production. Any lengths beyond this time limit without proper exposure can lead to DNA damage, accelerated skin aging and possible cancer risk.

2. Avoid Commercial Sunblocks

• Many sunblocks contain vitmain A compounds that, when exposed to sunlight, can actually contribute to the growth of cancerous tumors. A compound known as oxybenzone is found in nearly all commercial sunscreens and can seep into the skin and be directly instilled within the blood stream and can cause tremendous amounts of free radical production. Studies have not even proved, conclusively, that sunscreens actually protect against skin cancer. The current research is contradictory.

How Your Diet Can Prevent Burning

Photo Courtesy MysticalHorizons.com

Avoiding lengthy exposure to direct sunlight can help prevent burning, but what if what you eat can help you even more? Diets rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients and vitamins C and E can protect you from the inside out when exposed to the sun. Plus, these antioxidants will fight the free radicals that are the result of prolonged exposure to the sun, fighting accerlated aging. What foods can you be eating to see benefits?

As always, it's never a good idea to stay out too long in the sun; however you could load up on these valuable ingredients the next time you will be outside. Olive oil and tomatoes, both rich in anitoxidant vitamins C and E (olive oil contains vitamin E, while tomatoes contain the vitamin C) can help prevent the burning of the skin. Also vegetable and fruits sources, high in their phytonutrient content—dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberries and blueberries. Also, one of my favorite vitamin E sources are sunflower seeds, rich in this available antioxidant. Just make sure you soak the sunflower seeds for a few hours to release any anti-nutrients that surround the seeds.

Sunscreens

As mentioned before, commercial sunscreens haven't been definitely proven to prevent certain cancers due to excessive exposure to the sun. In fact, many commercial sunscreens contain oxybenzone, and when exposed to sunlight can produce free radicals within the body.

There are some sunscreens that do offer protection from the sun, if you are going to be outside for longer than the amount you need to produce sufficient amount of vitamin D, that are safe and nontoxic to your body.

I have outlined the sunscreens that the Environmental Working Group deem to be the best, nontoxic sunscreens to date. Check them out.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer, and I hope to be blogging more frequently from now on. Keep sending me your comments and emails, as I love hearing from you guys on how you are revitalizing your health.

This is The Healthy Advocate.

Coconut Part Two: Gluten Free, Grain Free and Sugar Free Healthy Coconut Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

This photo comes straight from the original recipe found at Healthy Indulgences. My photo will soon replace this, as the current one I own does not do the recipe justice. Anyone want to help me out on my photography skills, or lack there of?

I have made some great things from many different bloggers and websites available on the net. It's been an amazing experience to see different recipes that are healthy, gluten free and refined sugar free, and then putting my own little twist on them. They also give me wonderful new ideas for brand new recipes that I can bring to you to really liven up your own menu.

But, these cupcakes are so good, you would NOT know they were healthy. Believe me, you won't. I've adapted this recipe from Healthy Indulgences (one of the few blogs I go to to find basic recipes to then go out and experiment with my own). Lauren is around my age, and we're both college-bound, gluten and sugar free healthy advocates. She's a bit more experienced then me (OK, a lot more than me), but I'm getting there. I'm glad to have her, as well as others, be my "teachers", even though they don't know that they are just yet.

These cupcakes are grain free, meaning that they are going to be low in carbohydrates and gluten will be nonexistent. Many people find that they can lose weight, gain energy and vitality, reverse digestive disorders or dis-eases, clear up skin, etc., quite easily when they cut grains out of their diet. If you want to read my own grain free experiences, read my story here.

The coconut cupcakes surprisingly don't taste too much like coconut, but you can still sense that tropical feel once you bite into this amazing superfood; and as your tongue reacts to the flavors while you eat this slowly, you energy starts to feel refreshed, replenished and your mood can stay elevated for hours. OK, maybe nothing is that good--but these do come close. They definitely WILL NOT result in an energy crash like other cupcakes, because again, they are low in digestible carbohydrates (particularly refined carbohydrates, which can turn into sugar quite quickly in your body) and refined white sugar, all of which can cause a quick insulin spike and crash, resulting in low energy. So you really are good to go with these.

Be sure to try and pulverize the dried coconut in either a blender, Magic Bullet, coffee grinder, ect., as you really do want a find powder. I used a food processor the first time, and it resulted in half powder, half coconut "bits". If you don't mind having those "bits" in your 'bites', then it shouldn't bother you. Me, I would rather have a cupcake with a smooth texture. Also, make sure you are using real eggs and REAL butter or oil, as using replacements will result in a different texture and you will also be missing out on any health benefits the egg yolk, butter or coconut oil provides.

Now, on with the recipe. I tend to speak too much about the recipes I post, which will come to an end on the next one, I promise. This is a super quick, easy treat for you or anyone you know, and can be eaten as dessert, snack, or even be a high protein, high fiber meal replacement.

P.S. This cupcake is full of coconut, so you know that the fat in this recipe will not be stored as fat, but be used as energy very quickly in your body, even resulting in a higher metabolic rate. Read more here about coconut in the PART 1 of this series.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup blanched dry almonds, pulverized into a flour

2 cups unsweetened, dry coconut, pulverized into a fine flour, meal or powder

1 Tbsp. Coconut Flour

-OR Protein Powder

1/8 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt

1/2 tsp. Grain Free Baking Powder

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

3 eggs

1/4 cup coconut or almond milk (or whole, organic raw milk)

2 TBSP. Organic Butter or Coconut Oil, melted

Sweeteners

12 drops Vanilla Creme Stevia

1/4 cup Xylitol

1/4 cup Coconut Palm Sugar

1/4-1/2 tsp. Stevia Extract Powder, to taste

-OR-

3/4-1 cup natural sugar substitute

______________________________________________________

Set oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Mix the almond flour, dried coconut meal/flour/powder and coconut flour in a small bowl. Add salt and baking powder. Mix together well and set aside.

In another bowl, combine vanilla extract with 3 eggs. Next add the sweeteners. Stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients in with the sweeteners. Mix well. You can also do this in just one big bowl, if you so desire.

Line 8-9 big muffin cups with paper liners. Or, line a mini muffin pan with 20 mini muffin liners. Grease the paper liners well.

Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin cups, making sure that you are giving enough room for rising to occur.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until "springy" to the touch. Set out to cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (but they will be gone much sooner than that!).

Carob added to the final frosting. As I said before, my photos do not seem to do it any justice. Reading up on photography!

Yield: 20 mini cupcakes, or 9 regular sized cupcakes

Healthy Buttercream Frosting

4-6 TBSP. Organic Butter, or Coconut Oil (hard)

1/4 tsp. Stevia Extract Powder
or 1/4 cup Xylitol

1 TBSP. Coconut Milk (optional)

Blend the butter or coconut oil with the stevia or xylitol. Add the coconut milk, if using. Frost cool cupcakes (make sure they are cool) and place in refrigerator for storage.

________________________________

There you go, for a healthy, meal on the go or quick snack or dessert to help support your healthy lifestyle. Please check out the ingredients you may have not been familiar with anywhere on this blog by doing a quick search, or look them up on your favorite search engine to find out more. Super healthy and extremely nutritious.

Try these out and tell me what you think! I know you won't be dissappointed.

This is The Healthy Advocate.

Welcome Summer with Coconut! Part One

Photo courtesy SweetandNatural.wordpress.com

Hi everyone! It's so good to be back to the blog. I've missed writing so much. I have started a Biology course for the first summer session at my college, and I am swamped with studying. Because summer sessions go by so fast, each class is Monday-Thursday, 4 hours and 40 minutes long. However we usually go until about 5 hours. Just for one class; it's crazy. However I have met some really cool people and am very grateful for this fast-paced experience, believe it or not!

Summer is here, yet it's still as hot as spring where I am. For the first two full summer days it has been raining, giving us a little break from the heat. I will be writing about keeping yourself safe during these hot months, and keeping yourself hydrated with some very cool techniques.

These hot months are the time to enjoy fresh, water containing foods, such as fresh, raw veggies, and raw fruits, such as berries, apples, peaches and pears (watch out with the last few if you have weight or insulin issues). Tomatoes and avocados are also good health promoters this time of the season.

One really cool food you should be consuming right now (in fact, you probably should be consuming it all the time!) is coconut. Coconut is a wonderful health food, providing the body with many essential fatty acids and compounds to help you really recover, restore and/or maintain a high quality of health.

The main health promoting compounds come from the fat of the coconut, which is mainly saturated. Fat is NOT bad, and all fat is not created equal. In fact, the fat in coconut is completely digested in a totally different way than most fats. I would delve into lipid biochemistry, confusing you, my readers, and myself, in the process. So, let's not go there.

However, the fat in coconut is made out of medium chained triglycerides. These fatty acids are utilized by the body as energy almost immediately after ingestion. Many fats, particularly those found in most vegetable oils and processed foods, are composed of long chained fatty acids, or long chained triglycerides, which are stored by the body much more easily into fat and adipose tissue.

Photo courtesy fda.da.gov.ph

Many studies have shown the metabolic boosting effects of the natural saturated fat found in coconut due to its thyroid promoting compounds. Our thyroid is what regulates our metabolism, and coconut has actually shown to nourish and boost thyroid functions. Take a look at this study which showed that coconut oil supplementation helped a group of women lose weight much sooner than those fed soybean oil. To make matters more interesting, the group who consumed coconut oil had better LDL:HDL profiles, even though they had a higher intake of saturated fat (from the coconut oil). Isn't it curious as to why many people advocate a low saturated fat diet? Healthy saturated fats do not cause disease. In fact, it might be the lack of them that is what is contributing to America's health epidemics.

This study is interesting in the fact that it showed that a high fat diet, mainly coming from the saturated fat of coconut oil, helped decrease the harmful a lipoprotein found in our LDL levels. To go even further into saturated fat, and away from coconut (just for a moment), be sure to check out these articles:

• What if Bad Fat Isn't So Bad - No One Has Ever Proved Saturated Fat Causes Heart Disease
• What if Saturated Fat is Not the Problem

The oil in coconut has been shown to be antibacterial, anti fungal and antiviral. The compound lauric acid is said to be antimicrobial, and aids in the killing of bad bacteria and germs in the body. Lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid--human breast milk is another great source of this fat. More studies, articles and doctors are coming out about the benefits of lauric acid (which is then converted to monolaurin in the body) to a developing baby. We cannot produce monolaurin on our own, making it essential for keeping our bodies healthy and able to fight off infections easily.

I will be writing more about coconut in PART TWO, so please, stay tuned! Plus, I will be sharing a recipe that I made today with our featured guest star...coconut, of course. It is incredibly satisfying, beautifying, detoxifying, energizing, tasty, gluten free, grain free, sugar free, protein and fiber packed, full of lauric acids---whew! It is just too good! By the way, that list could probably go on forever; or, at least, until all the words in every language becomes useless beyond repetition.

See you soon.

This is The Healthy Advocate.

The Farmer's Market

Don't be fooled by the Eggland's Best egg carton. The local farmer reuses these cartons for their eggs. I actually had a bit more produce than this. All organic, local and all at only $5.

I have just discovered a local, organic farmer's market near me that I just had to write about it. It runs every Saturday morning, and carries a large, fresh tasty organic produce. Right now, summer vegetables now dominate the market--zucchini and yellow squash, blackberries, cucumber, okra, kale, green beans, tomatoes (huge!) and more.

Only ONE woman runs the market--she is the gardener, marketer, financier and cook. Yes, she actually cooks things and sells them at the market, as well. She even makes green drinks, full of kale, pineapple and other greens. One woman I met at the market swears by them, and says they are absolutely delicious. They sure do sound alkalizing!

The reason why I believe farmer's markets are important is because it gets people in touch back to our roots of food. Before we had supermarkets that shipped avocados all the way from Brazil, or lettuce from Mexico, we ate locally grown, "organic" food. This food contained more nutrients due to the less storage time and virtually no shipping, allowing one to eat "fresh from the farm".

We still have access to this type of food, but we have to look for it. The farmer's market I found is held in my local health food store. Isn't that cool? Find a local health food store and ask whether or not they know of any farmer's in the area that are selling their produce. You want to go preferably organic, but local is the name of the game.

The prices of local organic produce is often times much less than what you will find at your typical supermarket, as well. Lucy, the gardener who sells her produce at my health food store, sells large organic zucchini's for 4/$1. That is SO much less than any conventional store I have been in. A large bag of organic kale? $2. It's incredible at the deals you can find.

In fact, when I went, I took just a $5 bill, expecting to only buy some squash, and maybe anything else my Abe could get for me. Not only did I get some pretty good looking zucchini and yellow squash, but I received a large bag of Kale. I had $1 left over and I asked Lucy in a sort of joking way, "Is there anything I can get for $1?" She looked around, headed toward the tomatoes ($1.89 per pound), weight one, and put it into my bag. Then she grabbed two handfuls of cherry tomatoes and placed them in as well. So sweet of her!

This experience has really inspired me to start my own garden ASAP. I did a little gardening before, but didn't really invest too much into (and likewise didn't receive much out of it, either). I'm ordering seeds as I type, and am looking at ways to build a good organic soil. Does anyone know a method of doing this? I want to use the dirt in the backyard, but do I need to add compost, peat, moss, manure, etc? I live in zone 9, I believe, if that helps.

So, if you are looking for a farmers market near you, please go to Local Harvest. This website will let you type in your zip code and will pull up local market's near you. I haven't yet sought out local, free range meat yet, but you can find those listings over at Eat Wild.

Happy foraging everyone!

This is The Healthy Advocate.

What Healthy Recipes Do YOU Want to See?

Many people enjoy their sinful pleasures--chocolate cake, ice cream, hamburgers, pizza, etc., etc. But what if there was a way to make them entirely gluten (and even grain) free, sugar free, healthy and incredibly tasty?

I think there is. I'm from a notion (a "notion"--not an ocean) that says, "Everything has an answer, and everything will work out." I've seen some amazing healthy culinary pursuits in my time (in fact, I've experienced the majority of them!), so I am prepared for suggestions on your favorite food, and how to make it completely, or mostly, healthy.

"Health food" is a term that I really dislike; not because I dislike healthy food--quite the contrary! It's just that the healthy food that I make and prepare for myself doesn't really taste like health food--it takes like a sweet indulgence.

I was inspired by Lauren from Healthy Indulgences to delve into different culinary aspects that sounded quite strange to me while I was beginning on my gluten free, grain free, sugar free path. Cake made with beans, rice made with shredded cauliflower and rich, healthy, natural saturated fats used in the majority of recipes. Not only did I change the way I ate, I changed my health (both mind and body) incredibly, and I want to help you, too!

Send me your suggestions on what type of food you enjoy (and be honest!) and how I can make it healthy just for you. I WILL test as many recipes as I can before I give you the best one. One rule that I have for my cooking (or uncooking--RAW food), is that it must taste good. So I've got you there.

This is The Healthy Advocate.

Eggshells - A Bioavailable Source of Calcium

The Calcium "Myth"

Each and everyone of us have been told that we need calcium to build stronger bones, and this nutrient has been blasted on the airwaves, promoting the mass consumption of milk and dairy products. I do believe that raw dairy products are beneficial, but the conventional pasteurized dairy is what is being touted as the healthy source of our daily calcium, and this just isn't true.

If you are only focusing on calcium for building strong bones, you are going to increase your risks for developing fractures and osteoporosis later on in your life. This is because many minerals work together synergistically to combine a strong support system for bone health and growth. Calcium is an important nutrient; however, there are minerals that are essential that you may be missing out on while only focusing on drinking your milk.

Bone Building Nutrients and Their Sources

Let's look at the most important minerals and nutrients you need to grow stronger bones. Listen to that last part of the sentence--stronger bones, not just denser bones. Density and size of bone doesn't always equal strength.

Incorporating these nutrients are quite easy to do, and do not provide much effort or money to place into your healthy lifestyle.

Vitamin D. I've written about Vitamin D before (specifically Vitamin D3), and you are probably already aware of the importance that Vitamin D has in our body. This vitamin is usually added to milk to fortify it, as it helps increase the absorption of calcium into our bodies. However, sometimes this is in the form of Vitamin D2, not D3 which is what you need, or even worse, it isn't absorbable by the majority of your body.

I have a few plants growing outside, and they require sunlight at all times. Humans require sunlight as well; not as much as the plant kingdom, but it still provides this incredible vitamin for us when we expose our bare skin to it a few minutes a day. When sunlight hits our naked skin (meaning arms and legs and face uncovered--not necessarily your entire body, unless you have a private place to yourself...), it converts the cholesterol in our skin to Vitamin D and regulates over 3,000 genes in our body. It also helps facilitate and transport the calcium in our diet to the bones and muscles that need it.

Vitamin D can be found in food sources in small quantities, and also in supplement form. However, the best source is from the sunlight, and is completely free. Dr. Joseph Mercola, from Mercola.com, advises to go outside in the sun just until your skin turns a light shad of pink. This is when all the Vitamin D that your body can produce has been produced, and any more exposure to the sun can lead to free radical production and damage to your body. One food source of Vitamin D comes from egg yolk, which also provides a high quality protein.

Vitamin K. This vitamin is almost like Vitamin D, except it acts a "binder", in a way, to help 'insert' the calcium that you take in from food sources into your bones. It is essential that you receive this vitamin in the forms of K1 and K2. Vitamin K1 is found in most green, leafy vegetables, and K2 is found in fermented foods raw, fermented dairy products (natto, kefir, yogurt, aged cheese). K2 is probably the most significant, whereas K3 (synthetic version) can have adverse health effects due to the likelihood of toxicity.

Protein. Most people believe that those who consume more protein will actually secrete it in their urine, and lead to the leeching of calcium from your bones. This is true, but increasing your levels of calcium intake, along with your protein intake, will compensate for the loss and help you build stronger bones. In the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was reported that those who consumed the most protein had a 7.5-8% higher bone mineral density and strength than those who consumed less. Today's conventional animal protein (those that are NOT organic, do not have access to grass or free range) can challenge your body's pH levels, leading to an acidic reaction in your body. This will steal important minerals from your bones. Therefore, when choosing an animal protein, be sure to try and get local, free range and preferably organic (if dairy, perhaps raw).

Folic Acid and B Vitamins. In The Journal of New England Medicine, they showed that increased intake of B vitamins in the diet led to lower homocysteine levels in the body. This hormone raises the risks of bone fractures. Good dietary sources include green vegetables, carrots, avocados, cantaloupe, apricots and almonds.

Omega 3 Fats. This fat, found primarily in fish, flax and chia seeds, has been shown to provide stronger bone density in a study recorded in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Exercise. Believe it or not, but this is an essential nutrient. We must all try to aim for as much physical exercise during our day unless we want our bodies to slowly rust. Numerous studies have shown that weight bearing exercises and resistance training can help build strong bones and protect bones from becoming thin and weak. Squats and weight training are very powerful sources of this nutrient.

Egg Shells as a Bioavailable Calcium Source

Even though calcium isn't the only mineral we need for strong bones, it is an important nutrient to consume to ensure adequate protection of them. Eggshells are about 90-95% calcium carbonate, and is easily absorbable by our bodies, unlike most dairy products and fortified foods today. This is a completely safe and health source of calcium that anyone can incorporate into their diets.

Find a source of locally grown, free range and organic eggs. The likeliness that you contract salmonella from raw eggs and egg shells are actually quite low, and in fact decrease when choosing local, free range organic eggs. In fact, nutrient quality (such as omega-3 fatty acids) are much more available in these eggs, compared to ones you find at the store.

Use the eggs as you normally would, and instead of discarding the egg shells, run them under clean, cool water. Make sure to get all the egg white out of the egg shell. You can then boil the egg shell in hot water, if you feel as though you need to kill any bacteria, and then place it in a place to air dry. Then, using a blender or coffee grinder, pulverize the egg shell into a powder.

1/2 tsp. of dry, powered egg shell contains around 400 mg of calcium. The average person should consume around 1000 mg of calcium, which is easily done if you are eating a proper diet. A good source of calcium that is bioavailable, besides egg shells, include any green leafy vegetable, as well as sardines (which contain mercury, but not as much as other fish--consume with knowledge 1-2 times per week, unless you can find a source that tests mercury free).

Use 1/2 tsp. in drinks, smoothies, cereals, recipes, etc. Excessive intake of calcium can lead to muscle cramps, so be sure to eat a banana or a magnesium source food to negate these effects.

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Next post, I will discuss what you want to avoid at all costs if you are trying to protect or build your bones. Some fascinating bits of information you do not want to miss, so stay tuned for Thursday's post.

For now, this is The Healthy Advocate.