A Peek At My Week

I just finished reading a non-fiction science based book by Dr. Jon McDougall called The Starch Solution which extols the benefits of eating starchy vegetables such sweet potatoes and white potatoes and starchy whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, etc. 

I also read  How Not to Die  by Dr. Greger who has a free website at Nutritionfacts.org with a wealth of information and a video library about healthy eating for heart health and weight loss and health in general. He has videos on Youtube and he also has a book called, How Not to Diet. I like his nutrition suggestions on his video , The Daily Dozen.

Both diets promote a whole food plant-based diet and suggest ways to help normalize weight, promote excellent health, and even reverse disease.  

I adhere to the suggestions from both of these doctors and lots of other docs I didn't mention but to lose weight I am following the Starch Solution which has allowed me to eat lots of healthy carbs, lose weight, and reduce my fasting blood sugars from 112-116 every morning to about 89 - 94 every morning ( It took 3 months). I'll be reporting on my cholesterol levels soon.

Eating carbohydrates  has become very unpopular in the US  partially because of the popularity of the Atkins diet introduced the 1970's and popularized in 1990's, the Keto diet in the 1920's for epilepsy control and became popular in the last 10 years,  and Paleo diet introduced the 1970's and also gained popularity in the late 1990's. 

Diets which are high in fat and protein but low in carbohydrates and are the opposite of a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet which is the diet of choice of many well respected doctors and especially cardiologists.  Read an excellent article about  18 doctors that drive the Whole Food Plant-Based Food Movement.

 

Reading The Starch Solution led me to research other articles, Youtube presentations, and other books and websites that all promote a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet.. I was led to read The Starch Solution after seeing the enlightening and amazing video on Youtube of of Plantiful Kiki 's experience .  

Kiki lost 70 pounds by eating a whole food plant-based high starch diet. I literally found tons of videos on Youtube by others who did the same. Brittany Jaroudy a success story from Forks Over Knives website . 
  

And Brittany has a website and a Youtube channel just like Kiki- Although, the information I was reading originally seemed contrary to everything I had been taught to  believe, I began to understand the science behind it from watching videos from many of the doctors.

10 weeks ago, a close friend and I said we are going to try this way of eating Whole Foods Plant-Based diet that I was familiarized from Plantiful Kiki 's experience.  Being a vegetarian, it was an easier for me to make the switch . Yet, my close friend, who was a devoted meat eater, made the switch and is very happy with her menus, her 33 pound weight loss in 3 months, and most of all her amazing renewed energy! 

My experience, my close friend's experience and the testimonials of hundreds of ordinary people who share their success stories of recovering from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cancers, and a myriad of other ailments such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, bloating, IBS, Chrone's disease, etc. have all benefited and regained their energy and health following a high carbohydrate, low fat, oil-free diet.  

You can read testimonials on Forks Over Knives and  McDougall Website  I am linking to two sites, there are many more on the World Wide Web. 

One of the most convincing programs I watched on Youtube was presented by Suny Downstate Medical School in Brooklyn, New York which sponsored many medical doctors, who have published articles in medical journals,  to speak at a conference. 

I was fascinated by the work of Dr. Katz who spoke about 20 minutes into the presentation ( You can fast forward to that point) 

Also the work Dr. Michael Klaper in a Youtube video called : Olive Oil Is Bad For You

 which is an eye opening video and the thoughts are shared by many other medical doctors including cardiologists. 

The information is not new, but it is considered cutting-edge because it is finally being publicized by medical doctors including board certified cardiologists, internists, surgeons, and researchers., 

How many people do you know with heart disease or Type 2 diabetes that have been successful reversing their diseases with the medicine and diet prescribed to them. Usually they are able to just manage, not reverse. 

Yes, I know it is hard to understand because we have been taught to believe otherwise.  But I think you will be hearing more and more about the benefits of high starch low fat eating in the future - 

Reading List

1. How Not to Die- Dr. Greger

2. How Not to Diet- Dr. Greger

3. The China Study- T. Campbell

4. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Dr. Esselstyn

5. The Starch Solution - Dr. McDougall

6. Reversing Diabetes- Dr. Neal Barnard

7. The Pleasure Trap- Doug Lisle

8. Amazing Documentary: Forks over Knives ( you have to rent it)

9. Forks Over Knives Website 

10. McDougall Website 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and am not trying to give medical advice. I am simply sharing information that I found on the Internet or in books that worked for me. ALWAYS check with your medical doctor before making any changes in your lifestyle or diet. 

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon and I am compensated if you make a qualified purchase when you follow links from my blog.  This helps defray the costs of hosting a free blog.  I thank you for your support. 

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars -Oil-free

If you are looking for something tasty and healthy, these oatmeal breakfast bars are a quick and easy, grab and go breakfast or snack that you can make for your kids or yourself. 

They are hearty and filling. Made using all whole food ingredients, these sugar-free and oil-free bars are gluten free, high in fiber, provide antioxidants, and are sweet and delicious. To me, they taste like a muffin!

I sometimes add nuts or seeds to the recipe

They are also very versatile and adapt well to additions such as seeds and nuts (pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds etc.) or even more dried fruit such a raisins. You decide and you choose. I sometimes like to keep mine simple and plain without any additions but sometimes I like it all!

I've shared my basic recipe and you can add whatever nuts, dried fruits, or seed that you like. 

My favorite addition to the finished batter before baking is 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup of additional raisins to the  Then I pour the batterf into the pan to bake. 

My friend Nancy Andres from Colors 4 Health reminded me to mention oats or oatmeal need to be certified gluten-free to be considered_gluten-free- Read about it here:gluten free oats

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Read the remainder of this post only if you want to know more about my diet and oil-free eating or just skip and go directly to the recipe at the bottom of the page . 

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Why oil-free? I'm following Dr. McDougall's lifestyle plan which excludes oil  because it is a highly caloric, contains zero fiber ( which is essential to good health) and very few, if any, nutrients. In other words- empty BIG calories. (Yes, I know olive oil is supposed to be good for you-)  

There are healthier ways to include good fats in the diet such as eating the whole food such as avocados, nuts, olives, and seeds which do contain lots of heart healthy fiber, vitamins, and lots of other nutrients. 

I am very happy eating whole food plant-based diet ( based on the book The Starch Solution or Dr. Mc Dougalls diet for weight loss

Incidentally, many best selling authors (who are also medical doctors) suggest an oil-free diet such as Dr. Fuhrman and some of the  18 doctors ( link to a great article) 

18 Vegan Doctors Who Drive the Plant-Based Movement

 

recommend a Whole Foods Plant-Based diet to reverse or prevent heart disease and other diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and other degenerative diseases.  You want to listen to cardiologists, internists, diabetic specialists or do you want to keep getting your information about food from television commercials and magazine ads?

One more piece of information- the more sugar and salt you eat in your food, the less likely you are to enjoy whole food because salt and sugar are addicting. You will continue to crave highly processed foods that are making Americans fat and sick... 

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Ingredients for the bars.

2 cups of rolled oats blended in the blender into flour (in a blender)

1 cup of rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

2 tablespoons of cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of cardamom (optional but I LOVE it)

1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds 

1/2 cup of raisins, soaked for at least 1 hour or more, and drained

1/2 cup (about 6 dates) of pitted dates, soaked overnight or minimum of 1 hour or more, and drained

1 ripe banana

1 cup of almond milk

Optional: seeds, walnuts, 

I like to add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup of raisins!

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch non-stick baking pan with parchment paper. 

Mix oat flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and ground flax seeds to a mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside. Blend drained raisins, dates, and almond milk to the blender and mix until well blended. Mix the wet blender mixture into the dry mixture. Pour into an 8 inch lined pan and bake for 35-40 minutes depending on your oven.                                            

Mushroom and Herbs Pasta Stir Fry- Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Oil-Free

Do you like pasta? I do, and I love eating this interesting medley made with mushrooms and herbs. It's easy to make and can be thrown together for a quick weeknight dinner. 

I used penne pasta (gluten-free), tossed it with a sauté of mushrooms, onions, and herbs de Provence. Before serving I added some fresh spinach which wilted in the pot. It was a balanced healthy very tasty entree.

Mushrooms cook up quickly, are light and tasty, and add a delightful flavor to just about any recipe. In addition, they are low in calories, fat, and carbs and provide a decent amount of B Vitamins which are important for energy and they also contain vitamin D which is important for immunity. 

I purchased a giant size container of baby portobello mushrooms at Costco. I find that mushrooms don't usually stay firm too long, so I like to cook them within a few days of buying them. I had to use a lot of them. This recipe allows the flavor of the mushroom to dominate. This recipe only used half the container or mushrooms so I'll be making another mushroom recipe too for another day.

Easy To Make 

First I boiled some water for pasta. While the pasta was cooking, I chopped an onion and cleaned and sliced the mushrooms. Next, I sautéed the onions for about 5 minutes. When the onions started to stick to the skillet, I added 2 tablespoons of water and then added the mushrooms. The juices from the mushrooms provided enough liquid to continue sautéing for another 5 minutes while I stirred frequently. When the pasta was done, I drained it and added it to the pan with the sauté, added herbs de Provence  and stirred until everything was mixed well. I then decided to add fresh spinach which wilted nicely into the dish, but you could leave it out.

We really enjoyed this simple yet healthy pasta dish which could be served for any weeknight dinner or even served to guests for a special occasion. 

There are many kinds of high protein pastas available- see my post on variety of pasta . 

If you prefer a tomato based sauce on your pasta, you might enjoy my chunky eggplant sauce which is one of our favorite sauces for  pasta.

Ingredients: 

8 ounces of penne pasta ( I used a chickpea pasta that is gluten-free and high in protein), cooked 

1 and 1/2 cups of chopped onion

5 cups of sliced baby portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence ( or substitute an Italian seasoning blend) 

2 cups of fresh spinach, sliced ribbon style

Optional: 1 and 1/2 cups of marinara sauce 

Directions: 

While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet to sauté vegetables. Add the chopped onions and begin to sauté for 3-4 minutes-stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons of water, stir, and then add mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Turn off and set aside. When pasta is cooked, drain, and add the hot pasta to the skillet with the mushrooms and stir. Add the chopped spinach and enjoy. 

My Notes: 

1. As an alternative,  I like to top my bowl with some heated marinara sauce. 

2. I used a chickpea pasta which provides a significant amount of protein. If you use regular pasta and want to add more protein, add chickpeas to the mix. 

3. This is a plant-based, oil-free vegan entree. 

4. You may notice that I do not sauté with oil anymore. Why? Well, it saves a ton of calories which helps me keep my weight down, I find I am perfectly happy with the taste of my dishes without added oil. 

However, it goes deeper- I have been reading cutting edge information by prominent and well respected doctors. See my previous posts and read  18 doctors that drive the Whole Food Plant-Based Food Movement. The information is eye opening. 

 

Can Diabetes Be Reversed?

According to Dr. Sarah Hallberg of Indiana and Dr. Jason Fung of Cananda,  who are both diabetic medical doctors, Type 2 Diabetes can be reversed. These Board Certified medical doctors ( and many other doctors)  are able to take people off of insulin and medication using a different approach to eating and self care.

Too many people that I know are either pre-diabetic or have been diagnosed with full blown diabetes. The abundance and quality of American food is literally making people overweight and sick.

Statistics indicate that diseases like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure on the rise to astronomical numbers in the US, despite our sophisticated medical information and medical care.

One area that seems to always be in controversy is diet- the food we eat. What is the best way to eat? Does what, when, and how much we eat make a difference? 

Those of us who buy gluten free breads, pizza, cookies, cakes, crackers, cereal, etc. need to be particularly interested. Just because these products are gluten free does not mean that they are low in calories, low in carbohydrates, or necessarily healthy. 

I've linked 2 Youtube Videos that I think shed some important light on how to avoid becoming diabetic and how to reverse diabetes. Both videos are Excellent -

Not concerned about pre-diabetes or diabetes? How about obesity and weight loss?   The 2nd video also addresses why it is so difficult to lose weight and why so many people are obese. They are both worth watching.

If the information in these videos helps one person, I'll be satisfied!

Can you reverse Diabetes?

This is a must watch! It's by a doctor from Indiana- Sarah Hallberg who has reversed diabetes in hundreds of patients in her clinic and continues to do so. 18 minute video.. Also watch Dr. Fung's video below.

Dr. Jason Fung- a well known Canadian doctor who also is challenging the present way we treat diabetes an weight loss.. 

Similar Views on Reversing Diabetes

Love to hear your feedback: Please leave a comment

What do you think? Do you know anyone who follows these views? Do you know of doctors who think this way? Please leave a comment and let's get a discussion going.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and am not trying to diagnose or treat disease. The information on this blog is for educational purposes only and I am just sharing information that I found on Youtube. Always check with your medical doctor before making any changes in your diet or lifestyle.

I'm linking this post to  :My Blog Carnival List 

12 of My Favorite Chickpea Recipes

Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and are filling and delicious. They happen to be my favorite legume, and I like to use them in many of my recipes.

 I started publishing my blog over 12 years ago, so many of my recipes may have been seen and forgotten or never seen by my current readers. 

I decided to rummage through some of my older chickpea recipes and re-share them in one post.

Chickpeas are used in recipes from countries all over the world. They are versatile, inexpensive, low in fat, high in protein and fiber and are satisfying. 

Do you like chickpeas? Do you use them? 

Are you concerned with eating less animal protein ? Do you try to make more plant-based meals?