Category: Recipes

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How to start your day with these nutrients

Omega 3 Fats

Fats perform essential brain functions and help with chronic inflammation. It is beneficial to get it from a high-quality supplement as well as food. Top food sources are wild-caught fish like salmon, herring, mackerel and tuna, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

Zinc

Zinc is essential for many body functions, including immunity, and is used by enzymes and by other nutrients to perform their own functions. Zinc is also depleted by stress chronic illness. Top food sources that contain zinc are oysters, steak and turkey, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

Vitamin B12 and B9

Our brain uses these nutrients to protect neurotransmitters, which connect to our moods, pleasure, and energy. There is a linkage between low levels of B vitamins with cognitive problems as we age and weight gain. Top food sources are lentils, chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, spinach, clams, mussels, sardines, crab, trout, wild salmon, and beef liver.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a very important mineral that also stimulates brain growth and nerve function. It helps regulate blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes. Magnesium is also known for calming the body to alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, as a muscle relaxant, PMS symptoms, and migraines. Top food sources are almonds, cashews, black beans, spinach, and dark chocolate.

Fiber

Fiber is linked to good gut health and good gut health is linked to mood, anxiety, depression, and immunity. Our gut beneficial bacteria, yeast, and fungi help our bodies draw the nutrients they need from the fiber we eat and keep us healthy. Top food sources are beans, raspberries collards, fermented foods with live cultures.

Proteins

Proteins are referred to as the building blocks of our bodies. The protein breaks down into individual amino acids that are responsible for building new proteins inside our bodies and they create enzymes, stimulating biological reactions, and building cells. There are 20 different amino acids and nine of them can be available through food. Top food sources are meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, legumes, tofu, rice, a create a complete protein combine legumes with rice.

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Summer pesto pasta with poached eggs

This is a delicious, and fresh recipe, perfect for the summer. This can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. This is a simple 20-minute recipe and serves two.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of pasta of your choice
  • 2 cups of chopped asparagus
  • 4 slices of pancetta
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • 6 tbsp of olive oil (can add more)
  • 1/2 cups of Parmesan
  • 2 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta until al dente.
  2. Add the asparagus to the boiling pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking time.
  3. Start cooking the pancetta until it is crispy.
  4. Add the mint and olive oil into a food processor and blend until it is a puree. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  5. Poach the eggs in barely simmering water for 3-4 minutes. Make sure to add a tbsp of white vinegar to the water.
  6. Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain the pasta and asparagus, then mix the mint pesto. Divide it into two plates. Crumble over pancetta, sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese and mint. Add the poaches egg and enjoy it!
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Honey-Mustard Salmon Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless salmon fillets
  • 4 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon low-sodium seasoned salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 small head romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
  • 6 ounces baby lettuce greens
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Preheat a baking sheet in the oven.
  • Combine honey, mustard, olive oil, dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spread over salmon and transfer to the hot baking sheet.
  • Roast until fish is still filmy and slightly moist in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, seasoned salt, garlic, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta, tossing to coat.
  • Divide salad among plates and arrange salmon over each salad.
Enjoy!

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Apple Pie Overnight Oats

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of old-fashioned oats
  • 1 2/3 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 2/3 cup apple pie filling, chopped into small pieces
  • 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurts
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup low-fat granola cereal

Instructions

  • combine oats and almond milk until well mixed. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 12 hrs or overnight.
  • Add apple pie filling, yogurt and cinnamon to at mixture. Stir to combine.
  • As needed, place 1 cup pie oats into an appropriate size bowl.
  • Top with 1 tbs of low fat granola. Enjoy!
THIS CAN BE PREPARED 24 TO 48 HOURS AHEAD,IF DESIRED.
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Ways to Detox your Liver and Why It’s Important

The liver is an important organ in our body. It stores vitamins, minerals, and glycogen. It is also responsible for removing toxins from your bloodstream, produces bile to digest fat, breaks down hormones, helps balance protein, fats and sugar in the bloodstream and eliminates old red blood cells. In traditional Chinese medicine, the liver ensures that energy and blood flows smoothly throughout the body. The liver stores emotions such as anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, and bitterness. Symptoms of liver imbalance in traditional Chinese medicine are breast distension, menstrual pain, headaches, irritability, inappropriate anger, dizziness, dry and red eyes, and tendonitis.

From a nutritional standpoint if you are experiencing bloating, gas, constipation, heartburn or acid reflux, anxiety, depression, have a difficult time losing weight, chronic fatigue, excessive sweating, these all are signs that your liver isn’t very happy with you. Also having a healthy liver is important losing weight and keeping it off. The liver is a fat-burning organ, its responsible for breaking down, eliminating and neutralizing toxins in the body and breaking down fats in the body. Therefore it is essential for us to take care of our liver and cleanse it to help detoxify the body and metabolize and burn fats.

Doing a liver cleanse will be very helpful around these uncertain times causing us to feel anxious, stress and worry about the unknown. The following are ways to detox your liver.

1. Green Smoothie

  • 1 ripe banana or 1/2 chopped papaya
  • 1/2 green apple
  • 1 handful of spinach
  • 3 walnuts
  • 1/2 lemon juice
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of turmeric powder
  • 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk, water or fresh-squeezed orange juice

2. Herbs teas & Supplements

  • Milk thistle
  • Dandelion root
  • Burdock
  • Sarsaparilla
  • Liver rescue by HealthFource
  • Livatone by Sandra Cabot
  • Liver-GI detox by Pure Encapsulation
* Please consult with your doctor before starting any supplements. This is for educational purposes only.

3. Apply cider vinegar

  • mix one to two tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar (Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar) in eight ounces of room temperature water first thing in the morning and before going to bed. Do this for two or three weeks or until your sluggish liver symptoms improve.

4. Lemon Lime

  • 2 handfuls of spinach or kale
  • 1 large fresh-squeezed orange
  • 2 bananas fresh or peeled
  • 1/2 lemon, peeled and seeded
  • 1/2 lime, peeled and seeded

5. Grapefruit Banana

  • 2 handful of Kale, Spinach or Arugula
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 small or medium grapefruit, peeled and seeded
  • 1 cup of frozen or fresh blueberries
  • 1 banana
  • 1tsp of honey or maple syrup (optional)

6. Pear Pineapple

  • 2 handfuls of spinach
  • 1 pear, seeded
  • 1 small apple
  • 2 cups of pineapple chucks
  • 1 cup of ice (optional)

For more information about nutrition and how to stay healthy around the COVID-19 pandemic, please feel free to contact me so we can go over your options.

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How to nourish and strengthen your body during the COVID-19 pandemic

It is important to understand that these suggestions will not cure CODIV-19, but they will aid in boosting your immune system and the first line of defense. As you are all aware COVID-19 causes inflammation of the lungs. It enters our body through the mucus membrane that lines our nose, mouth, and eyes. It affects our upper and lowers respiratory tract, especially our alveoli once someone develops pneumonia. Here are supplements and functional foods to help nourish and strengthen your immune system.

Water– Hydrate! I am sure this is not the first time you are hearing this. Hydration is very important, dehydration increases the resting heart rate and susceptibility of developing certain conditions. It also leads to confusion and disorientation.

Vitamin C– Also known as Ascorbic acid is a very powerful water-soluble vitamin. It can not be synthesized by humans and therefore has to be obtained from the diet. It is one of the most potent antioxidants. It contributes to immune defense and cellular functions. Vitamin C supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and promotes the oxidant scavenging activity of the skin, thereby potentially protecting against environmental oxidative stress. Vitamin C accumulates in phagocytic cells, such as neutrophils, and can enhance chemotaxis, phagocytosis, generation of reactive oxygen species, and ultimately microbial killing. Liposomal Vitamin C is suggested for optimal absorption. The suggested dosage is between 1000-5000 mg daily.

Foods From highest to lowest that contains VITAMIN C
  • Guava 228mg
  • Blackcurrant 118mg
  • Kiwi 93mg
  • Lemon 77mg
  • Persimmon 66mg
  • Strawberries 60mg
  • Oranges 53mg
  • Mango 36mg
  • Passion fruit 30mg
  • Blackberries 21mg

Vitamin D– Vitamin D can modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as increased susceptibility to infection. It activates immune cell receptors found in lymphocytes and macrophages. It is also a calcium regulator. The suggested active form of Vitamin D is D3 and the suggested dosage is 400-800IU daily.

FOODS FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST THAT CONTAINS VITAMIN D
  • Cod liver oil 1360 IU
  • Mackerel 643 IU
  • Trout 635IU
  • Fish roe 484 IU
  • Salmon 441 IU
  • Oysters 320 IU
  • Sardines 272IU
  • Tuna 227 IU
  • Eggs 87 IU

Zinc- Zinc plays an important role in supporting the body’s natural defense system, the function of cells mediating innate immunity, neutrophils, and natural killer cells. Macrophages also are affected by zinc deficiency as well as phagocytosis, intracellular killing, and cytokine production. Zinc deficiency adversely affects the growth and function of T and B cells. The ability of zinc to function as an anti-oxidant and stabilize membranes suggests that it has a role in the prevention of free radical-induced injury during inflammatory processes. The suggested types of Zinc that are best for cold or flu symptoms are Zinc gluconate or Zinc acetate. The suggested dosage is 11-20mg/daily.

FOODS FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST THAT CONTAINS zinc
  • Oysters 36mg per
  • Beef (chuck steak) 15mg
  • Chicken 5mg
  • Firm tofu 4mg
  • Lean pork chops 4mg
  • Hemp seeds 3mg
  • Lentils 3mg
  • Low-fat yogurt 2mg
  • Oatmeal 2mg
  • Shiitake mushrooms 2mg

Garlic– Contains a compound called Alliin, when garlic is crushed or chewed its compound turns into allicin, the main active ingredient in garlic. These compounds have shown to boost white blood cells when they encounter a virus like a common cold or the flu. Clinical trials have evaluated 180 mg of allicin daily for the prevention of the common cold. The following are also suggested intake: 2 to 5 g of fresh raw garlic; 0.4 to 1.2 g of dried garlic powder; 2 to 5 mg garlic oil; 300 to 1,000 mg of garlic extract (as solid material); 2,400 mg/day of aged garlic extract (liquid). Take with food.

Olive leaf extract– It boosts your immune system and helps fight viruses and pathogens that cause a cold, and the flu. It can keep your body from contracting the flu, or help your body fight off the flu if you already have it. Just one to two capsules of olive leaf extract daily will help maintain good health and improve your overall energy.

N-acetyl-cysteine– an important small molecule that replenishes levels of glutathione (GSH), a powerful antioxidant found throughout the body. It is also found naturally in onions and garlic. The suggested dosage is 200-500mg/daily.

Vitamin A– is a fat-soluble vitamin, it protects our respiratory, intestine and urinary tract surface lining. It helps keep our membrane nourished to function against harmful viruses and bacteria. It also helps make WBC which fights off infection. Retinol can be absorbed through the body by beta carotene, solid or single. The suggested dosage for men is 900 mcg RAE and women 700 mcg RAE.

FOODS FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST THAT CONTAINS vitamin a
  • Sweet potato 1922 μg per cup
  • Carrots 1329 μg per cup
  • Tuna 1287 μg in a 6oz fillet
  • Butternut squash 1144 μg per cup
  • Spinach 943 μg per cup
  • Cantaloupe 299 μg per cup
  • Lettuce 205 μg per cup
  • Red bell peppers 198 μg per cup
  • Broccoli 120 μg per cup
  • Grapefruit 106 μg per cup

Goldenseal– Is an herb and its dried root is used as medicine. It is used for inflammation and irritation of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tract mucous membranes. The active compound is berberine, found in plant root and rhizome. It is helpful for treating colds, flu, and upper respiratory infection. Dosage suggestion is 4-6g of powder or liquid/daily, no longer than 3 continuous weeks. Do not use on infants, during pregnancy or during lactation.

Professional supplement cOMPANIES
  • Designs for health
  • Pure encapsulations
  • NuMedica
  • Apex Energetics
  • NutriWest
  • Standard Process
  • Vital Nutrients
  • Metabolic Maintenance
  • Integrative Therapeutic
  • Klaire Labs
OTC supplement companies
  • Jarrow
  • NOW
  • Life Extension
  • Garden of Life
  • Whole Foods
  • New Chapter
  • Gaia
  • Nature’s Way
  • Nature Made
  • Samson
  • Once A Day
*Please make sure to consult with your doctor before taking any medication, supplements or herbs. This is for educational purposes only.

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Foods that heal during viral infections

Water

Hydration is very important, it is recommended to drink plenty of water and other juices like pineapple that helps with inflammation, mucus, and cough. Juice or blend pineapple, honey, ginger and a pinch of cayenne pepper and take it first thing in the morning.

Whole grains

Quinoa, brown rice, oats, barley can serve as carbohydrate intake and provide your body with the energy it needs around a viral infection. These grains are high in B vitamins, besides the production of energy, they also help control the body temperature. They are so high in Selenium, which helps strengthen the immune system.

Protein-rich foods

Eating foods rich in protein helps in the repairing of damaged tissue. Foods like nuts, seeds, and wild-caught fish are high in omega 3’s and are great anti-inflammatory foods.

Green leafy vegetables

Kale, lettuce, spinach, arugula, and swiss shard among others, are packed with nutrients that can help with the healing of respiratory infections. They contain antioxidants and protect the body from free radicals and infectious agents.

Citrus fruits

Oranges, berries, kiwi, lime, lemon, grapefruit are rich with vitamin C. They help boosts your immune system and promote a faster recovery. They are also a great source of antioxidant foods.

Probiotics

Eating food rich in probiotic and or taking a supplement of at least 15 million CFU, can help inhibit the growth of the pneumonia-causing pathogen. They also help boost your immune system and increase the good bacteria in your gut.

Honey

Honey has been known for its healing properties for thousands of years. It aids in healing cough and cold-like symptoms. Honey is known for its great antibacterial and antimicrobial propreties. Mix 8tsp of honey with 4tsp of lemon juice. Take it at night, or first thing in the morning or both.