Health Habits

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Posts Tagged ‘low carb’

Grilled Wild Shrimp and Veg

May 22nd, 2009

Barbecue season is here! In the States this weekend is a holiday weekend celebrating Memorial Day, which also marks the beginning of summer. That means it’s time to fire up your grills. I love manning the grill. To kick off summer recipes I’ve decided to do a very simple grilled platter of shrimp and veg. If you saw my last post with shrimp you’ll recall why I’m a fan of shrimp–a four oz. serving supplies 23.7 grams of protein for a mere 112 calories and less than a gram of fat. Perfect for getting my body into that mankini.

Serves 4

RECIPE:

20 medium wild shrimp (peeled & deveined) – skewered, 5 on each skewer
2 tbsp fresh rosemary – chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro -chopped
1 lemon – zested
1/4 tsp chili flakes (or more if you like it spicy)
1 garlic clove – minced
3 tbsp olive oil
Toss all above ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and coat. Once coated, assemble 4 skewers with 5 shrimp on each. Set aside.

Fresh lemon or lime

Preheat barbeque or indoor grill pan.

1 zucchini – halved lengthwise
1 yellow squash – halved lengthwise
1 Japanese eggplant – halved lengthwise
1 portabello mushroom
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Once all veggies are cut and marinated, grill each piece for 4-5 minutes each side. When veggies are grilled and cooked through, remove and cut each into thirds for serving.

Grill each shrimp skewer for 3-4 minutes each side until pink in color, firm to the touch and cooked through.
Give the skewers a good squeeze of fresh lemon or lime and you’re good to go. Welcome to summer!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients.

THEHEALTHYIRISHMAN.COM

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Mediterranean Chicken

May 15th, 2009

A perfect fit for a low-carb lifestyle, olives are loaded with healthy monounsaturates. In general, these fats are considered to be healthier as compared to the others. They have the same amount of energy, but they reduce blood cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk to the heart. The juice of the olive, otherwise known as olive oil, acts to keep cholesterol from sticking to our artery walls and is a delicious source of antioxidants. Olives also contain polyphenols, which is what gives them their taste and aroma. Research indicates that polyphenols may have antioxidant characteristics with potential health benefits such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. This would explain why people living in Mediterranean countries, where consumption of relatively high amounts of fat is prominent, tend to have far lower rates of cardiovascular disease than in countries like the United States where similar levels of fat consumption are found.

RECIPE:
Serves 4 (with leftovers)

1 whole chicken, portioned (2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup capers, drained
1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
6 oz oyster mushrooms
1/4 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Preheat skillet on medium high heat for one minute. Season each chicken piece with S&P. Add olive oil to pan, sear chicken for 2-3 mins each side, until golden brown. Once browned, remove to a roasting tray. Deglaze saute pan by adding the white wine and scraping all the caramelized bits from bottom of pan for 30 seconds. Add wine mixture to chicken along with all remaining ingredients.

Cover roasting pan with foil, pop in preheated oven for approx 1-1 1/2 hours. Check chicken after one hour to see if chicken is fork tender otherwise cook for the additional 30 mins.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients.

THEHEALTHYIRISHMAN.COM

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Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.

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Tomato Egg Cups

May 8th, 2009

In the States, May is the month we celebrate our Mums. Mother’s Day is May 10th this year (for those of you who need a little reminder). What does every mum want for her special day? Breakfast in bed and a trip to the spa (so I’ve been told). We can handle that, right guys? Here’s a recipe that even the kids can get involved in, which means they’re likely to eat it, too. Getting the kids to eat a nutritious meal while making the Missus happy—Priceless!
It’s also a great spring/summer brunch idea, especially delicious when heirloom tomatoes are in season. The combination of the roast tomato works great with the eggs. I used one whole egg and one egg white in each to decrease the cholesterol and increase the protein in each portion. Speaking of portion, this dish is also makes perfect portion sizes. I’ve thought of everything!

Serves 6

6 large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes
6 whole eggs
6 egg whites
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
Sprinkle of feta cheese
Chopped chives to garnish

Preheat oven to 450F.
Begin by cutting the top from each tomato, about ¼ of the tomato. With a pairing knife, cut around the inner flesh of the tomato and using a spoon scoop out all the seeds. Make sure you don’t scoop too much from the bottom or the egg mixture will leak out.
Season each tomato with S&P and drizzle of olive oil. Crack one egg white in each tomato. Sprinkle a little feta cheese and fresh thyme in each. Follow that by adding a whole egg in each tomato.
Place gently on a foiled oven tray and pop in oven for 25 minutes, approx or until eggs are firm.
When they’re ready, sprinkle with fresh chopped chives and serve with Spanish Potatoes.

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients.

THEHEALTHYIRISHMAN.COM

Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.

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Red Meat Kills?

April 30th, 2009

image: Charles Valek

It’s a sad day people.

This morning, I was going through my emails and came upon this study.

This horrible, horrible study.

This decade-long study, involving the 322,263 men and 223,390 women ages 50 to 71 who participated in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study.

This study, which tries to pry the burger from my hand by telling me that red and processed meat intakes were associated with a 20 to 40% increase in total mortality.

20 to 40%!!!

Hmmmm, 20 to 40%?

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Question: Would you drastically reduce (or eliminate altogether) your consumption of red meat if you thought that it would improve your odds of dying from cancer by 20 to 40%?

If not, why?

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Weight Loss & Breakfast: Eggs are Better

April 20th, 2009

image: blogchef

Need to lose a few pounds?

Try this…

Tomorrow morning, instead of wolfing down a bagel as you run out the door, scramble up a few eggs with some cheddar cheese and black forest ham.

According to a bunch of new studies, this high protein breakfast will help you manage your hunger while also reducing the amount of calories that you pack away throughout the day.

The Science

University of Conneticut researchers found that adult men who consumed eggs for breakfast:

consumed fewer calories following the egg breakfast compared to the bagel breakfast
consumed fewer total calories in the 24-hour period after the egg breakfast compared to the bagel breakfast
reported feeling less hungry and more satisfied three hours after the egg breakfast compared to the bagel breakfast

This study was presented at Experimental Biology 2009. This research builds upon previous work by Dr. Fernandez which showed how the cholesterol from egg yolks improves the level of good (HDL) cholesterol.

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A second study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, concluded that eating eggs for breakfast as part of a reduced-calorie diet helped overweight dieters lose 65 percent more weight and feel more energetic than dieters who ate a bagel breakfast of equal calories and volume.

And if that isn’t enough proof, you can check out this study which showed that getting your protein with breakfast was more effective at controlling hunger.

But what about the cholesterol?

For years, we have been told to avoid eating too many whole eggs.

We’ve been warned by the experts that the cholesterol found in those egg yolks are going to clog our arteries.

Maybe the experts are wrong.

New research (presented at Experimental Biology 2009) out of the University of Florida State examined the relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as body mass index, serum lipids and levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and the degree to which these factors are influenced by dietary intake of fiber, fat and eggs. The study found:

no relationship between egg consumption and serum lipid profiles, especially serum total cholesterol, as well as no relationship between egg consumption and hs-CRP
a positive correlation between dietary trans-fat intake (the margarine on your bagel) and CVD risk factors, as well as a negative correlation between fiber and vitamin C intake and CVD risk factors(6)

In additional research presented at Experimental Biology, investigators with Exponent, Inc. evaluated egg consumption data from the NHANES III Follow-Up Survey to determine the association between egg consumption and heart health. The researchers developed a statistical model which showed:

no increased risk of death from coronary heart disease with increased egg consumption
a reduced risk of mortality among men who consumed one to six eggs/week compared to less than one egg/week
a significant reduction in risk of stroke among women who consumed one to six eggs/week and one or more eggs/day

So, while I am not advocating that you chug back a dozen raw eggs at breakfast a la Rocky, I am suggesting that you replace your morning toast with an omelette.

Your shrinking love handles will thank you.

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Obesity: Insulin trumps Genetics

April 15th, 2009

Artist: Brian Clarke

I have said it before and I will say it again.

Genetics isn’t Destiny.

Even when it comes to obesity.

And if you don’t believe me:

Purdue University scientists have uncovered evidence that genetically identical cells store widely differing amounts of fat, depending on subtle variations in how the cells process insulin.

They said identifying the precise mechanism responsible for fat storage in cells could lead to methods for controlling obesity.

Although other studies have suggested certain “fat genes” might be associated with excessive fat storage in cells, the Purdue researchers confirmed such genes are expressed, or activated, in all of the cells. Yet those cells varied drastically — from nearly zero in some cases to pervasive in others — in how much fat they stored.

Their findings indicate that the faster a cell processes insulin, the more fat it stores.

It’s the insulin…it’s the insulin…it’s the insulin.

Just ask Jack Sprat.

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Chicken Cacciatore

February 27th, 2009

2-4 Servings
Chicken Cacciatore, in its most traditional form, uses the dark meat of the chicken which is fattier but has more flavor. Nowadays a lot of chefs choose to use a combination of white and dark but in my version I only use the chicken breast as it’s lean protein. The meat is cooked until it literally falls off the bone.
When finished, the dish can be served alone or over either rice or pasta.

RECIPE:
2 x 8 oz skinless chicken breasts on the bone
½ x red pepper, thinly sliced
½ x green pepper, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (or as much as you can handle)
1x 28 oz. tin chopped tomatoes
1x lemon, zested
1 cup chicken broth
2 x tbsp olive oil
1x bouquet garni (oregano, thyme, bay leaf)
S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In large soup pot, saute peppers in 1 tbsp olive oil over med-low heat for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, saute for 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, chili flakes, bouquet garni & broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium low heat.
Meanwhile, cut chicken breast in half and season with a pinch S&P on both sides. Preheat medium sauté pan on high heat for 2 minutes. Once hot, add 1 tbsp olive oil and sear breasts until golden (3 minutes each side). Add to tomato sauce. Partially cover with lid and cook until chicken is very tender (falling apart), approx. 1 hour.
Just before serving add fresh lemon zest and season with S&P to taste.

TIP: Cooking the Cacciatore for too long tends to result in creating a pile of little pieces of chicken which end up having to be fished out of the stew and looses the overall appearance. Not to be confused with the picture below–that’s for the vegetarians.

For all of you vegetarians I tried the recipe with Seitan and substituted veg. for chicken broth.
Seitan is made from wheat and has has little in common with flour or bread. Also known as “wheat meat”, “wheat gluten” or simply “gluten”, seitan becomes surprisingly similar to the look and texture of meat when cooked, making it a popular meat substitute. Seitan is also high in protein, making it a popular protein source for vegetarians. To my surprise it worked great although I’d recommend cooking it for 20 minutes longer to absorb the flavor.

Let me know how you get on with this recipe. If you have any requests or questions, please leave a comment! To see more of my recipes and learn about me and my healthy food philosophies head over to thehealthyirishman.com.

The Healthy Irishman Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.

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HIIT Training: The Cure for Insulin Resistance, Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Disease and Obesity?

January 28th, 2009

Art by Bill Hall - billhall.com

It’s official:

HIIT training is AWESOME!!!

Researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland have concluded that:

The efficacy of a high intensity exercise protocol, involving only 250 kcal of work each week, to substantially improve insulin action in young sedentary subjects is remarkable.

This novel time-efficient training paradigm can be used as a strategy to reduce metabolic risk factors in young and middle aged sedentary populations who otherwise would not adhere to time consuming traditional aerobic exercise regimes.

And for those of you that don’t know, here are the risk factors of Metabolic Syndrome that HIIT training is so effective at reducing:

Abdominal obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)

Atherogenic dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders — high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol — that foster plaque buildups in artery walls)

Elevated blood pressure

Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (the body can’t properly use insulin or blood sugar)

Prothrombotic state (e.g., high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor–1 in the blood)

Proinflammatory state (e.g., elevated C-reactive protein in the blood)

People with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls (e.g., stroke and peripheral vascular disease) and type 2 diabetes.

It’s estimated that over 50 million Americans have it.

And I am 100% sure that you don’t want it.

So, what do you need to do?

Go to your doctor and get checked out – Max intensity sprints combined with a sky high B.P. is just asking for trouble.
Go through my HIIT resources
Find an exercise bike, set of stairs, outdoor track or even a carpeted area in your home to do burpees
Schedule 3 x 15 minute HIIT workouts per week
Get HIITing

And I am serious about the doctor. I don’t mean to sound like your mother, but a visit to your doctor at least once a year for a check-up is a very, very, very good idea.

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Mainstream Medicine Is Starting To Wake Up

November 14th, 2008

NOT a self portrait

Yesterday, media outlets around the world ( here, here and here) discussed a new scientific study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which reaffirmed the notion that a large waist can almost double your risk of premature death.

This shouldn’t come as news to anyone who takes an active interest in their health.

Us health nuts have known for years that visceral fat is a killer.

Because of this, I usually just skim these articles to make sure that I am not missing any new breakthroughs.

Surprisingly, in this case, I did find something interesting.

But it wasn’t the research.

It was the response to the research.

I noticed two things:

The Main Stream Media can be pretty stupid, and
Doctors have drastically improved their understanding of how our lifestyle (physical activity, nutrition, thoughts and feelings) impacts our health

So, why do I think that the MSM is stupid?

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To explain this, I need to tell you a little story.

Yesterday afternoon, a client of mine asked me if I had heard about this new study which claimed that having love handles doubled your risk of premature death.

Love handles?

I told him that he was be mistaken.

Belly fat or visceral fat is bad news.

But love handles?

Love handles may not look very sexy, but they aren’t a killer.

But he was pretty adamant and pointed me to this BBC headline:

Love handles’ raise death risk

Whoops, the BBC screwed up.

The study looks at waist circumference and visceral fat, not love handles.

Love handles, in colloquial or slang speech, are a layer of fat that is deposited around a person’s midsection, especially visible on the sides over the abdominal external oblique muscle. They are called “love handles” because they provide a soft place to rest one’s hand while one’s arm is around a person, or perhaps because they can serve as places to hold on while copulating.

So, before anyone else starts thinking that their love handles are out to get them:

Love Handles: Squishy / Not a Killer

Visceral Fat: Less squishy / Big Time Health Risk

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Interesting Observation # 2

Doctors have drastically improved their understanding of how our lifestyle (physical activity, nutrition, thoughts and feelings) impacts our health.

Just check out this video.

What I want you to notice is the doctor’s closing statement.

As he discusses treatment options for patients with a large waist (caused by visceral fat), he says:

“We can ask them to consider exercising more, reducing their carbohydrate intake, taking more fruit and vegetables in their diet, and by that way, we can help them reduce the risk and live longer and happier.”

He doesn’t say:

Restrict calories, or
Eat less fat, or
Increase their fibre intake, or
Eat more whole grains, or
Any other pre-programmed, government approved nutritional nonsense.

He says:

And considering that fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates, I think it’s fair to assume that the good doctor is telling us to reduce our consumptions of GRAINS.

Tell me it’s not true.

Eat less bread, corn, pasta and rice…how will I ever survive?

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Supercharge Your Brain On A Low Carb Diet

October 20th, 2008

It is generally believed that our brains need sugar to operate at peak efficiency.

This argument has been one of the strongest indictments of low carb diets such as the Atkins Diet.

It may also be totally false.

In fact, according to a new study published in the October 2008 edition of The FASEB Journal, your brain, just like your muscles, works harder when fueled by lactate instead of glucose.

The Study

In this study, researchers subjected their volunteers to strenuous exercise while looking at the blood running to and from their brains.

Specifically, they were trying to see what happened to the large amounts of lactate that are produced in the body as a by-product of exercise.

Analyzing the blood entering and exiting the brain, the researchers found that “the brain was not storing the lactate which had come from the muscles during exercise, but rather using it as fuel”.

In fact, the brain helped to clear lactate from the body, shifting the supply of glucose towards the hard working muscles.

In addition, the data also showed that brain activity increased significantly during the study.

The brain was thriving on the diet of lactate.

From an evolutionary perspective, this isn’t surprising.

If our prehistoric ancestors had not been able to think and react while evading four legged predators, they might literally have lost their heads.

Being able to use lactate as “brain food” allowed our ancestors to survive and evolve.

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Health Habits

Posts Tagged ‘low carb’

Grilled Wild Shrimp and Veg

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Related Posts

Mediterranean Chicken

.

Related Posts

Tomato Egg Cups

.

Related Posts

Red Meat Kills?

.

Related Posts

Weight Loss & Breakfast: Eggs are Better

The Science

This study was presented at Experimental Biology 2009. This research builds upon previous work by Dr. Fernandez which showed how the cholesterol from egg yolks improves the level of good (HDL) cholesterol.

.

Related Posts

Obesity: Insulin trumps Genetics

.

Related Posts

Chicken Cacciatore

.

Related Posts

HIIT Training: The Cure for Insulin Resistance, Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Disease and Obesity?

.

Related Posts

Mainstream Medicine Is Starting To Wake Up

So, why do I think that the MSM is stupid?

Love handles’ raise death risk

Love Handles: Squishy / Not a Killer

Visceral Fat: Less squishy / Big Time Health Risk

Interesting Observation # 2

Related Posts

Supercharge Your Brain On A Low Carb Diet

The Study

Related Posts