Archive for November, 2009

What’s really in your food that’s making you SICK?

Posted by Alexandra on November 29, 2009 at 5:05 pm

Even health food stores carry products that can cause headaches, itching, nausea and allergic reactions – and worse!

Free glutamates, more notoriously known as MSG, are found everywhere in prepared foods, not just in your take-out Chinese dinners. Here is a list of ingredients that are hiding MSG in your food. Keep an eye out and avoid these:

autolyzed yeast

calcium caseinate

enzymes

flavors and flavorings

gelatin

glutamate

glutamic acid

hydrolyzed protein

hydrolyzed soy protein

protease

protease enzymes

sodium caseinate

textured protein

yeast extract

yeast food and yeast nutrients

may also be found in:

barley malt

boullion

malt extract

malt flavoring

natural pork or natural chicken or natural beef flavoring

seasonings

soy protein concentrate

soy protein isolate

soy sauce extract

whey protin

whey protein concentrate or isolate

anything that is enzyme modified….

…all this even in foods that advertise NO MSG!

compiled partially from “Food Additives” by Christine Hoza Farlow

Filed under: Uncategorized

Breast cancer screening debate – are we looking in the right place?

Posted by Alexandra on November 23, 2009 at 9:07 am

The recent news that the US Preventative Services Task Force recommends changing the age and frequency  for mammogram screenings has many women confused and angry. After all, breast cancer is still a top killer of women in the US.ss_womenshealth

The American Cancer Society reports breast cancer rates have risen about 30% in the past 25 years in western countries, due in part to increased screening. In the United States, though, breast cancer rates decreased by 10% between 2000-2004, largely due to a reduction in hormone replacement therapy.

Perhaps we should be putting more effort into publicizing the ways in which women can take an active role in preventing breast and other cancers NOW:

1. Follow a plant-based diet: Avoiding animal foods like meat and dairy greatly reduces cancer risks for many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

2. Maintain a healthy weight: Weight gain in midlife has been shown to significantly increase breast cancer risk.

3. Starting now, exercise regularly – for the rest of your life: Regular exercise provides amazing protection against breast cancer. Get 30 minutes or more of moderate aerobic activity daily.

4. Minimize or avoid alcohol: Alcohol use is the most well established dietary risk factor for breast cancer.

5. Go WHOLE grain: Cut out white foods: white flour, rice, potatoes, sugar and products containing them. These foods trigger hormonal changes that promote cellular growth in breast tissue. Instead, eat whole grains and beans and legumes. (For a great bread replacement, try Food For Life’s Ezekiel Bread)

6. Eat MORE fruits and vegetables: At least 7 servings a day. The best foods for breast cancer protection are lightly cooked or raw cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower) ; dark leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach) ; carrots and tomatoes. The best fruits are citrus, berries and cherries.

7. Eat organic: Avoiding carcinogenic pesticides and herbicides is the best way to eat. Organic foods are also higher in vitamins and minerals.

Be well,

Alexandra

Filed under: Women's Health,anti-cancer diet,inspiration for women
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Lego that Eggo for good and have yummy, healthy breakfasts fast!

Posted by Alexandra on November 19, 2009 at 11:05 am

CNN reported this week that:

“Kellogg is rationing its Eggo products due to flooding and equipment problems at two bakeries. The shortfall could last through mid-2010.”

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108191/leggo-your-eggo-theres-a-waffle-shortage

The story goes on to report that people are worried their favorite morning snack won’t be available due to shortages, so they’re stocking their freezers full of these processed breakfast “foods.”

Here’s what you’ll find in the Eggo Fibre Waffles:

“Water, wheat flour, whole wheat flour, soybean, palm and palm kernel oil shortening, wheat bran cereal (wheat bran, sugar, salt, malt [corn flour, malted barley], thiamin hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, d-calcium pantothenate), sugar, oat bran, rice bran, baking powder, dried egg white (contains sodium lauryl sulphate), salt, modified milk ingredients, soy lecithin.”

That’s 25 ingredients. 3 bad fats, 3 sugars and a bunch of stuff that you DON’T NEED IN YOUR BODY!

Here’s a great alternative to these processed, refined NON-FOODS:

Make your own waffles, and freeze them for later!

All you need is a good, healthy waffle recipe.

Freeze the uneaten waffles in an air-tight container or freezer bag with sheets of parchment paper in between each layer. Next time you want a quick waffle breakfast just take one out of the bag and pop it in the waffle maker! It’s so easy!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Vegan Waffle Recipe from PPK and Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Posted by Alexandra on at 11:03 am

This is one of my favorite vegan waffle recipes – it always works!00-lego-eggo-waffle-709906

http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=181

Filed under: Uncategorized

Healthy Pumpkin Pie (it’s dairy free!)

Posted by Alexandra on November 17, 2009 at 8:51 am

pumpkin-pie-recipe-11-8-2006Healthy Pumpkin Pie!? The holidays just got a lot more enjoyable with this fabulous recipe I worked out last week. Delicious, rich and barely sweetened, the natural pumpkin flavor really comes out and the anti-inflammatory spices are a great bonus.

Simple and Delicious Pie Crust

1 ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ tsp salt

½ cup Earth Balance trans fat-free, organic margarine

3 TB cold water

  • Blend the flour and salt together in a food processor fitted with a regular S-blade. Add the margarine in chunks and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Add cold water and blend until well combined and a dough  forms. Remove the dough and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Makes 1 crust.
  • Once the crust has been refrigerated for 1 hour, remove and place the dough ball between two sheets of wax paper. Roll from the center out using light pressure. If the dough is very sticky, remove one sheet of wax and sprinkle a little flour on top. Flip over and remove the other sheet of wax and sprinkle a little more flour on the other side. Continue to roll out from the center until the dough is ½ -1 inch wider than your pie plate. Move the dough into the pie plate and prick the bottom with a fork in several places. Decorate the edges with your fingers.

TO PREBAKE:

(this will ensure the crust isn’t too gummy)

  • Preheat the oven to 425. Tear off a piece of foil that will more than cover the pie crust and lightly coat with Earth Balance trans-fat free, organic margarine. Press this coated side gently onto the crust and weight it down with 2 cups of dried beans or rice. (These can be kept and used again for the same technique, but not for eating.)
  • Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the weight and foil and bake at 375 for another 8 minutes. Remove and cool while you prepare the filling.

Pie Filling

2 cups soymilk

1 TB agar flakes

4 cups canned or fresh pumpkin puree or cooked

¾ cup Sucanat or Rapadura natural sugar, or agave or maple syrup

2 TB kudzu powder or corn starch

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

pinch ground cloves

¼ tsp salt

  • Prepare the filling while the crust is prebaking.
  • Heat the soymilk over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the agar flakes and whisk well. Bring the soymilk to a simmer and stir constantly until the agar dissolves. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Combine the pumpkin, and remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend well. Once the soymilk-agar mixture has cooled for 5 minutes, pour it in and process until well combined.
  • Remove the prebaked pie crust and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Pour in the pumpkin mixture and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

* For extra credit, try Soyatoo’s canned soy or rice whipped cream from a can! Whole Foods carries it!

Filed under: Recipes
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Get certified at IIN like I did! (and get $500 off the new distance programtuition!)

Posted by Alexandra on November 12, 2009 at 2:11 pm

I have one of the best jobs on earth – I get to help women all over the world to improve their health naturally and watch as they go off to change the world.

How did I get here? Part of my success and training is due to the amazing certification program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition here in New York City. Now IIN is moving to a totally distance learning format, and you can become a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor through one of the most respected programs in the world – no matter where you live!

This is one of the most amazing offers IIN has extended, hands down.
And it expires on Monday, November 16!
What are you waiting for?

Learn more at http://www.integrativenutrition.com/GettingStarted

Call an enrollment assistant at IIN (877) 730-5444 today and mention my name to receive a $500 Fall Tuition Scholarship.

Let me know if you have any questions about whether IIN is the right program for you.

Be well, Alexandra

Filed under: Uncategorized

Alex’s Detox Helps Bike Racer Improve Performance: Book Review

Posted by Alexandra on November 11, 2009 at 7:20 pm

Bike racer in training Steve Medcroft has written a fabulous testimonial about using my book The Great American Detox to help him improve his performance:

“The second diet revelation I had was reading the book The Great American Detox Diet by Alex Jamieson. Alex was the fiancée of Morgan Spurlock, the independent documentary filmmaker who made Super Size Me.

In that documentary, Spurlock ate McDonald’s fast food for all three of his daily meals and took the Supersize option whenever it was offered for 30 days. Jamieson’s book details the physiological changes he went through and the diet that she, a nutritionist and chef, put him on to bring his system back from the brink of total collapse once his experiment ended.

The book does a fantastic job of helping you understand food as it is produced for mass consumption in the US today; educating about processes the agriculture and food processing industry use to make food cheap and plentiful that rob us of much of its nutritional value….”

Read the entire article here:

http://www.bikeradar.com/blogs/article/el-tour-de-tucson-the-final-countdown-23915

Filed under: Alex's book titles,Special Diets,book review
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Anti-Inflammatory Dessert Recipe to Astound Your Friends!

Posted by Alexandra on November 9, 2009 at 9:10 am

An easy way to avoid getting sick, and to recover from long-standing illnesses like arthritis, adult acne, and allergies, is to include anti-inflammatory spices in your cooking. These spices are easy to include in holidayrice puddingcooking and work on many levels to reduce pain without the nasty side-effects of prescription drugs or over-the-counter pain pills. You can even make life easier by ordering take-out meals that include these ingredients (think Indian food):

Ginger
Turmeric
Black Pepper
Cinnamon
Cardamon
Cloves

Whip up a batch of this delicious rice pudding for your office pot-luck or even Thanksgiving!

Anti Inflammatory Rice Pudding

(4 servings)

2 cups rice milk
(vanilla or plain)

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup short grain brown rice

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

1/4 teaspoon each: ground cardamom, ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon each: turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon

1/3 cup organic raisins

  • Combine the rice and coconut milks in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
  • Bring the rice milk and coconut milk to a boil and add the rice. Bring back to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook, covered for about 30 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
  • Add brown rice syrup and raisins after the rice is cooked. Allow the rice to cool and refrigerate in individual bowls for a few hours before serving.
  • Optional: Add a drop of vanilla extract or cashews if you like!
Filed under: Recipes,Uncategorized

New Winter Wellness and Weight Loss Program Announced!

Posted by Alexandra on November 5, 2009 at 12:28 pm

Only 6 spots available until 12/4 for Alex’s 12 Week Winter Wellness and Weight Loss Program

The holidays are drawing near, and we’re in the middle of a cold and flu season that has many people worried. The good news: you can protect your health, feel great NOW and actually feel BETTER as the year ends! autumn-cornucopia-2

I know not everyone wants to totally change her body and lifestyle. Many of you would be thrilled to lose 15 pounds, and others, well, you’re ready to fully step onto a new path and revamp every aspect of your life.

Working with me over the next 12 weeks, wherever you are is where you are met. The intention of this program is progress and implementation, not perfection and comparing ourselves to others (which always feels bad).

This unique Women’s Winter Wellness and Weight Loss program is about removing the negative and adding positive steps that help you live a healthy life. It’s a bridge that leads to rejuvenation and restoration and launches you fully into total wellness.

Too Many Talented, Driven Women are Suffering 
from the Harmful Effects of the Standard American Diet

I’ve seen it, time and again. Focused, brilliant women like you get held back from living an authentic life because of the very thing meant to fuel your days: food.

It’s not your fault – it’s pretty much engrained in our culture to eat a diet high in sugar and refined products and chemical-laden food. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way out. In fact, there are many healthful, TASTY, wholesome foods available to you – if you know where to look.

That’s why I created my signature 12 Week Winter Wellness and Weight Loss Program based on my books, The Great American Detox Diet and Living Vegan for Dummies!

Go here to learn more about the Women’s Winter Wellness and Weight Loss Program: http://www.nutritionforempoweredwomen.com/services/nutrition-breakthrough-program/

How do I know it works? Because I’ve been there myself.

I’ve suffered through my own cycles of seasonal depression, sugar addiction and stress-induced holiday meltdowns. I once barely had enough energy to get through my days, much less pursue my greater goals in life.

Fortunately, I was able to combat my low energy (and the accompanying depression and fatigue) by adopting an easy diet of wholesome, hearty foods.

* When you sign up for the 12-Week Winter Wellness and Weight Loss Program, I’ll walk you through the steps that worked for me – and have since worked for countless others. The vital curriculum you’ll follow is made up of targeted advice that will steadily lead you toward a balanced, vibrant life.

Click here to talk with Alex for 15 minutes in person about this program …

http://www.nutritionforempoweredwomen.com/schedule/

Filed under: women's winter wellness and weight loss

Diets high in processed foods lead to higher depression rates

Posted by Alexandra on November 3, 2009 at 8:17 am

A new study from the University College of London found that people who eat  a diet high in processed foods are more likely to be depressed.

The study also showed that “those who ate [a diet higher in] whole foods had a 26 percent lower risk of depression than those who ate mainly processed foods.”

This scientific study supports the work I’ve been doing with clients for years, and gives people powerful ammunition to improve their lives naturally. Many of my clients have been able to reduce, eliminate or avoid impending prescriptions for anti-depressants and anxiety medication.

The whole foods, natural plant-based diet as detailed in The Great American Detox can help you feel better in many ways! See the latest testimonial one reader submitted about her health transformations that came from following my dietary and lifestyle plans.

Be well, y’all!

Alexandra

Filed under: Uncategorized,diets for depression
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