I hear this all the time: I just can’t stop drinking my diet ___, I know it’s not good for me, but it’s the only bad thing I do. (That’s code for: I’m going to keep doing this no matter what.) Sugar, flours, and trans fats, it’s easy to believe they’re bad for us. But what about Diet Foods that are supposed to make us skinny, they must be good, right? All the people you see advertising them look GREAT – we want to look great – diet products seem like the logical answer. But they’re not. They’re deadly and addictive, and studies show that partakers AREN’T skinnier/leaner/thinner. Let’s look at Aspartame, aka NutraSweet and Equal.
The evidence against Aspartame is vast, wide, and old. It’s highly, highly linked to cancer, especially leukemia; it depletes the brain of Serotonin, which causes depression; it’s a “neurotoxin”, which means it stimulates brain cells – sometimes to death; it’s highly linked to migraines, seizures, and headaches and every neurological condition out there; it has substances which break down to formaldehyde; and it stimulates areas of the brain which make you want more. Diet Soda, Low fat Yogurts, Diet Bars, Diet Candy, Diet Ice Cream, Diet Cookies, it’s a given for most of these products. But did you know it’s also in several foods that aren’t Diet products? Sauces, crackers, CHEWING GUM ( 85% of ALL gum), and medicines?
Did you know that every time you give your child a children’s pain reliever such as Tylenol or Pediacare, you’re giving them a dose of Aspartame? It’s also in Alka Seltzers, Zantacs, chewable vitamins, laxatives, and hundreds of other medicines.
The FDA refuses to fully condemn it, but it’s reputation has taken a (deserving) hit. Because of this hit, the company that market’s and owns Aspartame (Monsanto), will soon be marketing it under it’s new name: AminoSweet.
Here’s the thing: everything in moderation doesn’t apply to Poison. A little tiny bit of poison does damage. Every time. Don’t be fooled by what you don’t see, because poison, and damage, accumulate.
Worried because you want to break your habits, but can’t? That’s because when brain neurons create patterns, it’s very very hard to undo them. You can help your children avoid poor health and (future) addictions by making sure everything they eat benefits their mind and body. You have a lot of power as a parent, and,.. that’s our job. If you want to break your addictions/patterns/thoughts/habits, email me. It takes a plan, conscious effort, and support. Trust me.
One more thing, recipes: Toasted Coconut Chips. O. M. Gosh. These are amazing. Courtesy of my friend Gina:
1 bag Bobs Mill Large Coconut Chips
1/4 cup melted Ghee or butter (Ghee is butter that’s had all milk/water removed – it’s Super Butter)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Stir whole bag of chips around in bowl of melted Ghee till well coated. Sprinkle with salt. Spread on a long pan/sheet, and toast at 325 for 30 minutes. Every 6/7 minutes, you’ll need to toss/mix them well. Keep an eye on them – you might need to reduce the heat. It’s normal that they brown a little. These are HEAVEN !
Next, Plantain Muffins – Delicious and a great alternative to wheat flour, or even coconut or almond flour. These are from the Paleo Mom, and this is directly from her site. I used muffin cups because I hate washing the sides of those little pans.
- 2 large green plantains (1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups pureed)
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- about 1/3 cup ghee/butter/palm shortening
- Put about 1/2 Tbsp of fat in the bottom of each cup of a metal muffin pan (silicone pans can’t handle this high heat). Put muffin pan in oven and turn up heat to 450F.
- While you’re waiting for the oven and pan to preheat, peel the plantains. I find this easiest to cut in half both lengthwise and crosswise (quartering the plantain) and then prying the peel off with my thumbs. Combine the plantains, eggs, salt, and butter in a blender. Blend on high for 3-5 minutes, until smooth and airy. This takes less time in a high powered blender. In my Blendtec, I pressed the smoothie button to puree the ingredients, then blended on 7 for an additional minute. You get more air in your batter if your ingredients are room temperature.
- Remove the hot pan from the oven and pour batter into the muffin cups. Put immediately into the oven and bake for 20 minutes
And that’s my words for today:) I’ve got a Female Health Seminar all day Saturday, which I’m really looking forward too. If you’ve got questions about that, email them to me, and I’ll keep my ear open for answers. Eat Real Whole Foods!!