WATCH WHAT YOU EAT!

Lately there has been much attention to the issue of overweight and obesity amongst American children.  Sedentary activities such as too much television or computer time only add to the problem.  There is also an abundance of junk food easily available at local supermarkets.  Sometimes school lunches are high in calories and fast food eateries offer the public unhealthy selections.  Families of ALL NATIONALITIES must be encouraged to view this blog and access different links for information on diet/nutrition/exercise plus care of the mind.

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Weight Loss/Gain/Maintenance Week

Photo Courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk

Although I dislike talking about weight loss, diets and the number on the scale, readers have asked me to for some advice on losing or maintaing their weight. Some have even wanted to know how to jut get fit and stay that way. Therefore, I am devoting the entire of next week's posts to the topic of getting fit, staying lean and being happy.

This Will NOT Be a Discussion on a Diet

I will not discuss a certain diet that you need to follow in order to accomplish your goals. Diets, as I am sure you are hearing increasingly, really don't work in the long term. They won't make you happy and they don't offer fulfillment. Diets don't offer you your true potential, an you are too important to be measured by a number on the scale.

Diets will devastate your health if you go on one continuously--the health of your body, of course, but also the health of your mind and emotions. A slight change in a number can make or break your day, force you to become rigid or loose and totally wreak havoc on your mental state.

Because diets fail miserably in the long term, many people continue to try them, one after another. This can lead to internal organ damage, nutritional deficiencies and sometimes even brain damage. You do not want this to happen to you, I know you don't (deep down inside)--you are here to be healthy, to be the best at everything you do and to promote a higher force within you.

What I WILL Discuss

This is where you come in. I need your suggestions, your troubles, your woes, stories, advice, rants and raves--everything and anything that relates to what you need help on in staying fit, alive and healthy.

I will discuss conventional ways of losing, maintaining and even gaining weight. Advice that I'm sure you have heard of all before.

However--I will discuss many unconventional ways that DO work in helping people lose or maintain a healthy weight, and I will challenge many areas of the current health paradigm that discuss weight loss and maintenance. You are here to learn about true health, after all, and I don't plan on disappointing any of you.

So those of you who need advice and help on gaining or losing, maintaining or winning the battle with weight, fitness and nutrition, please send in your messages and ask me any question. All questions that are sent will be addressed, but the sender will remain anonymous.

For now, this is The Healthy Advocate.

Sprouted Grains

A sprouted wheat berry--Photo Courtesy of HealthBanquet.com

After posting the Sprouted Buckwheat Ritz Crackers, I decided to give you a bit more information on the health benefits of sprouted grains, including how to sprout your own nuts, seeds legumes and grains.

A few posts ago I blogged about my "no grain experiment". I found during this experiment that I was seriously cutting down on my carbohydrate intake, and suffered from an energy low. Usually I would consume buckwheat and quinoa (technically not a grain, but still high in carbohydrates), in very small portions (1-2 servings a day, at least), soaked, sprouted and cooked according to ancient methods. However, when I cut them entirely from my diet, my body became a bit drained at times for energy.

Very recently I discovered nutritional typing, or finding out what type of macronutrients are best consumed for your body type. I found that my body type was more of a carb type. There are three types--carb, protein and mixed type. Protein involves much more fat and, well, protein than carbohydrates. Carb types prefer more carbohydrates in the form of vegetables, fruits and properly prepared whole grains. Mixed types do well on a combination of both protein and carbs.

I'm slowly starting to bring back quinoa and buckwheat into my diet, for their carbohydrate energy forms, but still would rather not eat grains--even sprouted grains. My body doesn't do as well on grains, in my opinion, but it does on seeds like buckwheat and quinoa, especially when they are in their sprouted forms. I think I could do well on sprouted grains, every now and then, and even gluten--however I choose to not eat gluten, or grains most of the time. Some people can do very well on grains, no problem and no digestion issues. If you are those people, then this post is for you.

Before the advent of agriculture, grains were hardly ever consumed; in fact, they might have just been seen as a wild plant growing in the fields, not a food source. Even at the beginning of agriculture and harvesting, grains were consumed much differently than they are today, and in fact, most grains are different from their ancient counterparts.

What is sprouting, how do you do it and what are the nutritional benefits? Read below to find out.

Sprouted Grains

Photo Courtesy of DallasNews.com

Wheat, spelt, barely, rye, oats and other whole grains were not prepared the same way in ancient traditions as it is today. Today people are aware (at least somewhat educated people on nutrition) that whole grains are the ones to consume, but very rarely do they know that sprouted whole grains are what needs to be eaten if they want their health to be optimal.

When you sprout grains, the nutritional content goes through the roof. Vitamin E content increases (a powerful antioxidant), nutrients are maximized and the digestion and assimilation of all nutrients are better handled by the body. This means the benefits of regular whole grains are increased, and your body can utilize these benefits much better in their sprouted form than their regular, cooked forms.

Most people consume oats, wheat bread, brown rice, etc., without thinking that they can "up" the nutrition and assimilation of this nutrition just by soaking or sprouting these grains a few hours before preparing them. These methods that have been used in healthy traditions and cultures are just one of the secrets to good health.

Phytic acids are organic acids found in the bran of the seed. These compounds bind with calcium and other minerals, which then block their absorption in the body. The Weston A. Price Foundation notes that, " This is why a diet high in improperly prepared whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss." When you eat sunflower seeds, for example, it will be very hard for your body to absorb the calcium contained within unless you properly prepare them (soaking and/or sprouting). Rye contains the highest amount of phytic acids, while oats contain the least.

Legumes like pinto and black beans also sprout and this is the only way I consume my beans. Beans are almost always associated with gas, bloating and sometimes GI (gastrointestinal) distress because of their high amounts of fiber. However, when soaking beans, digestion is much easier and problems with the GI tract (gas and bloating) are usually dissolved. I suspect this is do to the neutralization of the phytic acids.

How to Sprout Your Grains

Wheat berries are the grains that sprout the best, along with rye, barely, spelt and oat groats. Buckwheat and quinoa, although not technically grains, are also easily sprouted. My favorite method of sprouting, whether it be grains, seeds or legumes, is to--

1. Soak the grain, seed or legume in water for 8, 12 or 24 hours. Soaking helps break down the phytic acid and neutralizes the anti-nutrients that surround the grain. By breaking up these acids, your body has a better time, and a better chance, of digesting and assimilating the nutrients found within the whole food. You can add an acid medium in the water like whey, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, however some people don't do this, and that's OK. An acid medium might speed up the process and provide a good pH environment for the grain.
2. After soaking the grains, drain, place in a strainer or colander, place over a bowl or something to catch the strained liquid and cover with a towel. The sprouting process begins when the water starts to slowly strain from the grain (hey, that rhymes!) and when it is exposed to oxygen. Rinse and strain every two-four hours, if time permits. Or, you could rinse and strain just twice per day.

After a day you might notice little tails sprouting from the grain. This is what you want. After two days, you can then dry the grain and grind it into a flour (if that was your goal), or you can cook the grain as usual (buckwheat, oat groats, legumes, etc.).

If you are wanting to boost the nutrition quality of other grains like brown rice, rolled oats or nuts, be aware that these do not sprout. However they do host a benefit when soaked. Soak these foods for 8-12 hours (or overnight) and then cook them or eat them the way you normally do. For rice and oats, soak in an equal amount of water, and then cook in another even amount of water the next day (or after the soaking process). You can also add more water or milk (preferably raw or other non-dairy milk) to stretch out the serving size.

Using sprouted flour in your baking recipes will definitely boost the nutrition quality of your homemade goods. Doing this yourself takes time, but after you do it once it will feel natural and will be a very easy process. Trust me, I sprouts my seeds and legumes all the time, and I don't think twice about it. It's easy, healthy and your body will thank you.

As of the time I am writing this, a fellow blogger Elizabeth Walling of Living the Nourished Life (dot com), is giving away two 5-pound bags of sprouted wheat and spelt flour. If you want a chance to win, head over to her blog, read the contest rules and enter. I've also entered, and am a bit excited to see the final results. 10 pounds of sprouted grains will last a long time in my house, unless my family (who does eat grains) desire healthy dessert dishes, as they usually do.

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This is The Healthy Advocate.

The Healthy Advocate Introduction

It struck me the other day that I never really introduced myself, or explained the goal that I have for this blog. Well, I decided to make a video to explain it all. Please comment and let me know how you like (or don't like) the video process.

Gluten Free Sprouted Buckwheat "Ritz-y" Style Crackers

These crackers are quite amazing, and I'm so glad that I attempted to even try and make them. During the winter holiday, I was looking for a healthier version of the standard Ritz cracker. Something about white flour, high fructose corns syrup and artificial preservatives just didn't get me in a warm, fuzzy mood, and it certainly didn't help my appetite.

After much searching, I figured out that I had to make these things myself. What to use? I could use wheat flour, since I'm not necessarily gluten intolerant (however I do well avoiding all grains). All I would have to do would be to soak the flour overnight, with an acid medium, to neutralize the phytic acids and enzyme inhibitors. No, I thought, there has to be a way to have a healthier cracker.

Voila! These little, crispy, lovely gluten free Ritz crackers were born! In this recipe I use sprouted buckwheat flour. I take buckwheat groats, soak them overnight in water with a little lemon juice, drain, rinse occasionally, and then they will sprout in a couple of days. I then dry and grind them into a flour using a small blender. You can do this in a coffee grinder, nut, seed and grain mill, blender, Magic Bullet, etc. You could also take pure buckwheat flour and soak it over night in 1/4 cup of water with a tablespoon of lemon juice, yogurt or whey. In fact, you can even use buttermilk in place of the 1/4 cup of water. This will help boost the nutritional quality of the flour while helping to aid digestibility and absorption of the nutrients.

This recipe was adapted from the Whole Foods website, under the recipe Whole Wheat Graham Crackers. However, this recipe uses no wheat, no grain, and no sugar, and it won't taste like graham crackers, unless you want it to. Instead of scoring the dough with a knife into squares, like with the original recipe, I rolled out the dough with my trusted rolling pin and parchment paper. If the dough crumbles, that's fine. Just pat it back together again. The key is to use parchment paper or plastic wrap in order to roll out this awesome recipe. To cut out the shapes of circles, I used a round lid from the container of a spice that I found in the seasonings cabinet. To make the tiny circles on each cracker, poke with a wooden skewer or straw (I use a straw).

These can be baked or dehydrated. If you truly want a healthy Ritz cracker, I would go for dehydrating these. I don't currently own a dehydrator, but if you have one, go for it! You could also set these in the oven at the lowest temperature setting and open the oven door with the light turned on. I don't like doing this, because the hours spent dehydrating the crackers might use a lot of energy--from both you (having to check the oven every hour) to you electricity/gas bill.

By the way, if you do not avoid gluten or grains, then you can use sprouted/soaked wheat or spelt flour. Leave out the gum, as these grains contain gluten which will provide a better binding agent.

Gluten Free, Grain Free Sprouted Buckwheat (Perhaps Raw) "Ritz" Style Crackers

Makes a lot of 1 & 1/4" circle crackers

1 cup sprouted Buckwheat Flour

1/2 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum (optional, but recommended)

1/4 + 1/8 tsp. Aluminum Free Baking Soda

2 TBSP. Coconut Oil or Cold Organic Butter (I LOVE Organic Valley!)

1 Egg White

1 1/2 TBSP. Xylitol, Sucanat or 1 TBSP. honey

1/4 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or oil a glass baking dish. Set aside.

Mix flour, xanthan/guar gum (if using) baking soda, xylitol or sucanat (if using) and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir the dry ingredients together with a whisk or spoon until all ingredients are well mixed. Work the butter or coconut into the mixture with your fingers, until the dough resembles crumbs. For a crispier cracker, add more butter or coconut oil.

Whisk together the egg white and the honey (if using) together, and slowly pour into the flour mixture. Stir into the flour until a dough forms. If too dry, add some cold ice water, a teaspoon at a time, to stiffen the dough. The dough might be sticky, but should be firm enough to form into a ball-like shape. If needed, add a little more flour.

Turn out half of the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place another piece of paper or plastic on top of this dough and start to roll out the dough into a circle with a wooden rolling pin. Let the dough roll out into a 1/8 thickness. If dough crumbles, gently pat it back together again.

Using the round cap of a seasoning, or a cookie cutter of your desired shape, cut out little crackers. You may have to wait until all the cuts are made to then take out the crackers from the dough. Take up the crackers and place them in rows on baking sheet. Poke tiny holes in the center of the cookie, if desired, with a straw or other utensil. Brush the crackers with some egg white, melted butter or coconut oil or water, and then sprinkle a little sea salt on top.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until crispy.

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This is The healthy Advocate.

Healthy, Raw and Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter

Hi there everyone. This is The Healthy Advocate.

Today I'm posting a really cool recipe that many don't believe exist, or is possible to complete. This is my healthy, homemade and raw sunflower seed butter. I really do love this recipe because it is a great alternative to peanut butter, which can be contaminated with aflatoxins, fungicides and allergic compounds (peanuts are one of the most allergenic nuts). Those with nut allergies can switch to sunflower seed butter quite easily.

I made my very first video to walk you through the nutrition information of sunflower seeds (it is packed full of so many beneficial nutrients!), how it can help burn fat and tone up, help the heart and aid in cholesterol. There are two parts to the video, as I took longer than expected when filming it. I was sure it was going to be at least seven minutes long, but it took twice that amount of time! I will also walk you through in this two part series of how to make your very own sunflower seed butter.

Video Highlights: Sunflower Seed Nutrition Information

On browsing certain sites, such as NutritionData.com, as well as checking out other sources of whole food nutrition information, I came across many facts pointing to sunflower seeds as highly nutritious additions to any diet. Sunflower seeds are packed full of Vitamin E, which is a very potent anti-oxidant. The vitamin E in sunflower seeds help combat free radicals in the body, which may help prevent disease and early signs of aging.

Sunflower seeds also contain good amounts of selenium and manganese. Selenium is an important compound used to detoxify the body of harmful molecules, while manganese promotes health muscle and bone function, as well as blood pressure and energy levels. A great pre- or even post-workout snack!

Because the selenium uses a certain pathway to detoxify the body through the liver, it might aide in fat burning, seeing how our liver is our main fat burning organ. A healthy liver, a healthy weight!

Now this butter isn't the same color as peanut butter--far from it. It is gray, and almost looks like clay dough. However, the taste makes up for the appearance. If you can find a natural food coloring that is brown, or something that resembles peanut butter, then you might be able to do sunflower seed butter without even thinking about it.

On With the Recipe...

Now this butter isn't the same color as peanut butter--far from it. It is gray, and almost looks like clay dough. However, the taste makes up for the appearance. If you can find a natural food coloring that is brown, or something that resembles peanut butter, then you might be able to do sunflower seed butter without even thinking about it.

Feel free to play with this recipe. Adding sugar and salt isn't necessary, but it definitely helps the taste. Because you are using Celtic Himalayan Sea Salt, you can feel comfortable that this salt is actually good for you! It won't make you bloated, and it contains around 84 key trace elements that are crucial for your health. Sweeteners are up to you, but I like Xylitol and Sucanat. Adjust to your preferences. Oil adds a smooth texture for a good spread; however, the sunflower seeds will release their own oils in the end. If you are going to use oil, use a healthy one like coconut, olive, walnut or flax. Oil will add calories, so be sure to process the oil one teaspoon at a time.

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Raw Sunflower Seed Butter

You will need a clean food processor and glass jar for storage. Make sure all utensils are dry.

Makes around 2 cups of butter.

• 4 cups raw, organic and shelled sunflower seeds
• 1/2-1 tsp. Celtic Himalayan Sea Salt (to desired taste)
• 1 tsp. Xylitol, Sucanat or other sugar equivalent (to desired taste)
• 1-3 tsp. oil (optional)

Place dry, shelled sunflower seeds, salt and sugar (if using) into the food processor. If you are using oil, save until the end. Process the seeds, salt and sugars until a nice flour-like texture is formed with the sunflower seeds. Continue to process this flour for a minute at a time, giving your motor a minute to cool down in between. The flour will stick to the sides of the food processer, but scraping it down each time will help move the process along.

After about 12 minutes of processing, the natural oils should have released themselves, making a a butter on the bottom of the food processor. Continue to scrap down the side of the food processor and keep blending. The sunflower seed butter will form into a ball, swirling and twirling. Keep processing, and add oil, if desired, one teaspoon at a time to give a spreadable texture to the butter.

Store and label for later use. Congratulations! You made a very inexpensive, but incredibly health alternative to peanut butter--sunflower seed butter!

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This is The Healthy Advocate.