Cavewomen Don't Get Fat (23 page)
Read Cavewomen Don't Get Fat Online
Authors: Esther Blum
If you are overtraining and waking up at three in the morning, lower your cortisol with the following nutrients.
UPPLEMENTS
Vitamin C | 2,000 mg (milligrams) immediately after workout or with breakfast. |
Phosphatidylserine | 400 mg immediately after workout or with dinner. |
Rhodiola rosea | 200 mg 2 times a day. |
Vitamin B | 50 mg a day. |
Magnesium | 1200â2000 mg per day, or as tolerated. |
Topical magnesium | Evenly distribute 1 to 2 pumps of topical magnesium behind the knees or inside the elbows. |
Since sleep rules our metabolic kingdoms, we have to think about the impact of our lifestyle choices. What's the antidote to all of this? Think like a cavewoman. Unplug by nine o'âclock at night. Get in a dark room. Clear out all external stimuli and technology. Eliminate toxins from your diet and your body. Relax. Breathe. Nighty night!
â¢Â Eat within one hour of waking up and at regular intervals throughout the day.
â¢Â Snack on 2 ounces sliced turkey breast one hour before bedtime to offset low blood sugar and boost serotonin levels in the brain.
â¢Â Have a small piece of fruit with five almonds before bed to boost serotonin levels.
â¢Â Cognitive behavioral therapy is an essential part of addressing anxiety and rewiring the brain; it helps to break the vicious cycle of repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Seek out a practitioner. Meditation is also a helpful activity (see CD mentioned on p. 190).
â¢Â Drink Yogi Bedtime Tea throughout the day if your anxiety is severe and steep up to 3 bags at one time; otherwise drink
1 cup with dinner or before bed while soaking in an Epsom salts bath.
â¢Â Get the alpha waves in your brain grooving with some meditation; deep breathing is remarkably effective at lowering cortisol. One of my favorite meditation CDs is
A Meditation to Help You with Healthful Sleep
by Belleruth Naparstek, available at Health Journeys (
www.healthjourneys.com
).
UPPLEMENTS
Try taking the following combination of nutrients when anxiety strikes throughout the day or an hour before bedtime:
Holy basil | 600 mg (milligrams). |
Inositol powder | 3,000 mg to 6,000 mg. |
CatecholaCalm by Designs for Health | 3 capsules up to 2 times a day ( |
Magnesium glycinate | 400 mg up to 3 times a day. |
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) | 200 mg a day. |
Taurine | 1,000 mg 2 times a day. |
BLOOD TESTS TO HAVE DONE
How many times have you had blood tests done at your annual physical by your primary care physician, only to hear that “everything looks normal”? What we need to understand is that today's medical model is based on the blood work of Homer Simpson: someone who is overweight with elevated insulin, cortisol, blood lipids, and a bad junk-food habit. So if you're healthier than Homer Simpson, you're going to just slip under the radar and fall through the cracks. It's all relative, isn't it?
If you are already working with a functional medicine doctor, he or she will determine which tests are right for you. My friend and colleague Dr. Mark Houston, Director of the Hypertension Institute of Nashville, and I composed the following list of tests that will give you the best picture of your overall health and get to the root of any chronic issues you've been having.
â¢Â Fasting insulin and/or glucose test. If results are abnormal, follow up with a glucose tolerance test (GTT): monitors insulin resistance
â¢Â SpectraCell micronutrient testing and Lipoprotein particle profile: measures vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant deficiencies and those at risk for coronary artery disease
â¢Â Triglycerides: measures fats in the blood
â¢Â C-reactive protein: measures level of systemic inflammation
â¢Â Lipoprotein (a): identifies risk of coronary artery disease
â¢Â Vitamin B
12
: helps diagnose central nervous system disorders, anemia, malabsorption syndrome, fatigue
â¢Â Homocysteine: determines risk of arterial plaque formation
â¢Â Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH): first-line screening for thyroid disease; stimulates the thyroid to produce T
3
and T
4
â¢Â Triiodothyronine (T
3
): determines the active form of thyroid hormone present
â¢Â Thyroxine, Free (Free T
4
): a more sensitive test for thyroid hormone production
â¢Â Reverse T
3
: tests thyroid resistance and the body's ability to convert T
4
to T
3
â¢Â 25-hydroxy vitamin D: important to every cell and tissue in the body
â¢Â Gluten antibodies: helps diagnose or monitor celiac disease
â¢Â Estradiol (E
2
): helps evaluate hormonal imbalances
â¢Â Testosterone (total and free): the principal anabolic steroid directing metabolism and the repair and regeneration of healthy tissues
â¢Â LEAP mediator release test (MRT): tests for allergies in 130 foods and 20 chemicals and additives
â¢Â Heavy metals panel: tests for the presence of heavy metals in the body
â¢Â RBC zinc: assesses intracellular zinc status
â¢Â RBC magnesium: assesses intracellular magnesium status
â¢Â Urinalysis and microalbumin: tests for diabetes, urinary tract infections, and kidney disease
â¢Â Iron and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC): tests for iron-deficiency anemia
â¢Â Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): evaluates the functioning of the body's major organs, such as the heart, liver, kidneys, glands, nerves, bones, and muscles
P
aleo Chic is an ultramodern approach to an ancient idea. It's about getting back to our roots, detoxing, reestablishing balance, and giving ourselves a metabolic makeover that keeps us moving forward. Every now and then, we forward-thinking women have to turbocharge our health. When we let that inner party girl dominate our health dojo for too long, we need to hit the reset button and get back on track.
It's so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of Life 2.0 and neglect our primal needs. Modern living has so much to offer, but, now more than ever, it's important that we take the time to unplug and recharge ourselves. There are times when we need to take a break, turn off our phones, put down our iPads, and dial into our bodies' natural needs. Diets don't have to be as restrictive as a corset or as oppressive as a glass ceiling. A diet can actually make you feel your best and free you from all of the overbearing toxins, sugar, and food allergens that modern living can throw at even the most powerful women. Each of us has primal physical potential just waiting to be unleashed.
Paleo Chic isn't a one-size-fits-all diet of extreme clean all of the time. Being a gorgeous modern woman means striking a balance between what you enjoy and what you need. Finding that balance is different for all of us. Here's mine: I will always eat chocolate and
drink martinis, but I will treat them as indulgences. And a big, sexy salad with piles of farm-fresh vegetables and some grilled steak or salmon and a hard-core workout totally turn me on. The challenge lies in figuring out what works for you and your bodyâand making peace with it.
Perhaps a Paleo-style breakfast of steak and avocado slices in place of a bowl of cereal and milk gives you the energy to close a big deal. Maybe you'll satisfy those afternoon cravings with a protein shake or a square of dark chocolate instead of a cupcake. Or maybe you'll want to go straight for the gold on the fourteen-day Paleo Detox that gets your year started with a bang. No matter which path you choose on your amazing journey, this Paleo Chic diet will reward you with remarkable changes in your body, mind, and spirit.
Paleo diets can be extreme, but Paleo Chic is not. Reaching goals requires tenacity, consistency, and a can-do attitude, but there will be times when life goes askew and your eating habits will too. That's okay. Both you and how you eat are what I like to call perfectly imperfect. Whatever happens, cut yourself some slack and respect the path of your personal evolution. Trust in your awareness and mindfulness to get you back on track. Even if you make mistakes and fall flat on your face, you're still moving forward, ultimately.
When I fall off the Paleo pony, it is usually because I haven't budgeted the time to pay attention to myself. I am sure you lead a full life and as a result will have to work at putting yourself first too. Think about what will get you motivated to go to the gym, turn down that office cake, and get yourself some sleep. Cavewomen didn't have half the responsibilities we have, and making time for yourself is half the battle.
So use this Paleo Chic diet well. Use it to drop the pounds in a jiffy, but also use it to feel empowered in your own skin and in your own life!
Live gorgeously,
Esther
Unless noted otherwise, the recipes below serve one. Because I'm a big fan of cooking once and eating twice (or thrice), many of the recipes make multiple servings that can either be family sized or frozen for future use. If you batch cook a few of these recipes once or twice per week, you'll have a decent inventory of leftovers either in your fridge or freezer. And herein lies the secret to your success as a modern cavewoman: ready-to-go meals that meet all Paleo criteria. Bon appétit!
B
REAKFAST AND
S
MOOTHIES
Scrambled Eggs Topped with Avocado and Salsa
Eggs Benedict with Orange Slices
Banana-Walnut Pancakes with Turkey Sausage
You're Makin' Me Bananas Smoothie
VEGETABLE OMELET
Serves 2
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups spinach leaves, torn
2 mushrooms, sliced
1
/
4
bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1
/
4
onion, diced
3 large eggs plus 3 egg whites, beaten
In large skillet, heat olive oil over low-medium heat. Add spinach, mushrooms, pepper, and onions, and cook until tender. Remove vegetables to plate. Add eggs to skillet, stirring until lightly cooked. Add vegetables, fold omelet in half, and cook until firm.
SUN-DRIED TOMATO-PESTO OMELET
Serves 2
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 large eggs, beaten
1
/
4
cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons pesto
In skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add eggs to skillet and cook until desired doneness. Add tomatoes and pesto and fold in half before serving.
BASIL PESTO
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1
/
3
cup pine nuts, cashews, or walnuts
1
/
2
cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the basil, garlic, and nuts in food processor and pulse until everything is chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse again until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or freeze leftovers in ice cube trays and thaw individual cubes as needed.
EGGS AND CHORIZO SCRAMBLE
Serves 2
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1
/
2
onion, diced
1
/
2
red pepper, diced
1
/
2
green pepper, diced
1
/
2
pound organic chorizo, thinly sliced
4 large eggs, beaten
Hot pepper sauce, optional
Heat coconut oil in skillet. Add onions and peppers and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chorizo and cook until crispy around edges. Add eggs and scramble to mix with other ingredients until cooked to desired doneness. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.
SCRAMBLED EGGS TOPPED WITH AVOCADO AND SALSA
Serves 2
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 large eggs, scrambled
1
/
2
avocado, scooped from skin, pit removed
1 tablespoon salsa
Place coconut oil in 9-inch skillet over medium heat until pan is evenly heated. Add in eggs and scramble. Plate and top with
1
/
2
an avocado and 1 tablespoon salsa.
SMOKED SALMON EGG SCRAMBLE
Serves 2
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
4 ounces smoked salmon, diced
