Kefir and the Importance of Bacteria

When most people think of bacteria, they think of something to avoid. By the abundance of anti-bacterial products out there, it is safe to say that we work very hard to get rid of bacteria. But like it or not, over many years, humans have developed a symbiotic relationship with some bacteria, and it is essential to our lives. This post will briefly describe the importance of bacteria, and provide one way in which you can vastly increase your consumption of some of the beneficial types of bacteria.

So on to the inevitable question - Why would anyone want to consume bacteria?

Gut Bacteria

Amidst the mass of cells forms our bodies, there exists a variety of tiny bacterial organisms. It may surprise you to learn that there are actually about 10 times more bacteria cells in/on your body than there are “human” cells. This population of bacteria cells consists of somewhere between 500 to 1000 different species of bacteria, each with its own characteristics and each with a different potential effect on its host (that’s us). This collection of bacteria is referred to as the “microbiome”.

These bacteria congregate in different spots on the body according to their characteristics – but the area we are most concerned about is the gut. And as it turns out, what we put into our body can cause dramatic shifts in our gut bacteria population. Remember, these guys are depending on what you eat to stay alive. Some types of foods will encourage certain types of bacteria.

Ever wonder why certain foods give you gas? Ultimately, one of the main causes is bacteria – some type of food that has not been fully digested reaches the intestine, where it becomes food for gas-producing bacteria. Studies have shown that probiotics – which can colonize the gut with good bacteria – can reduce gas-related abdominal bloating and pain.

Earlier this year, a study even showed that consumption of probiotics can affect brain activity.

There is even a new growing medical practice known as fecal bacteriotherapy, or a stool transplant - which is exactly what it sounds like. The fecal matter from a person with healthy intestinal bacteria is transplanted into the intestines of a person with a compromised gut. The studies so far have been very successful at treating some conditions that are very difficult to treat. One study showed a 94% success rate at treating difficult C. Difficile infections, compared to a 31% for the antibiotic treatment. This treatment is also being used to treat colitis, IBS, and chronic constipation, with more testing planned for the future. This is just an example to illustrate how important our microbiome can be to our health.

Much of this type of research is still underway, and I believe that as we move forward, we will understand that gut bacteria play an even larger role than we currently understand. Whether we like the idea or not, we have to coexist with these bacteria, so it is in our best interest to try to keep our microbiome in good shape.

What We Can Do

So what can we do to improve the composition of our gut bacteria?

Well, there are tons of probiotic supplements out there, each claiming a variety of strains and billions of cultures. One bottle of these pills will often cost upward of $50. Additionally, many of them require refrigeration – and we usually can’t be sure of the conditions the bottle has seen before it reaches our hands.

To be fair, many people love these probiotics supplements, and they actually may be quite beneficial. But I prefer to use an older, more cost effective method - Fermentation.

Fermentation

Fermentation is a natural process that humans eventually learned to control. For thousands of years, man has been using fermentation to preserve food without refrigeration. Controlled fermentation encourages the growth of good bacteria. These good bacteria prevent the growth of the bad bacteria that would normally cause the food to spoil. The result is that fermented food can remain healthy to eat for as long as the good bacteria are kept alive, even lasting years at room temperature without being spoiled by bad bacteria. Common fermented foods include Sauerkraut, yogurt, and my personal favorite - milk kefir.

Kefir

Kefir Grains

Kefir is a drink made from fermented milk. Earlier this year, I started brewing my own homemade kefir using a starter culture I purchased online. Note that a single tablespoon-sized starter culture will quickly grow until you have as much as you want. Each tablespoon can convert about 2 cups of milk into kefir in 24 hours of fermentation at room temperature.

Fermentation of the milk will give the bacteria time to consume the lactose – resulting in a milk-based drink that even a lactose intolerant person can drink!

What about store bought kefir? The brand I normally see is Lifeway. So why not save time and just buy it? Well, besides being much more expensive, these products are full of added sugar – just as an example, half a bottle of the Blueberry flavor (16 ounces, shown to the right) contains 40 grams of sugar! That is almost as much sugar as a typical can of soda, and more than many people (including me) would typically consume in an entire day. If you buy kefir, buy plain kefir.

On the other hand, the amount of sugar in homemade kefir will depend on the milk used and the amount of time left to ferment. Since the bacteria consume sugar, the fermented drink will actually contain less sugar than the milk it starts with.

Kefir is an acquired taste. It has a very distinct flavor. Like many fermented foods, it ends up slightly sour and acidic. If you don't like the flavor, you may want to try blending it with fruit. We also like to add protein powder.  If you are going to blend it, it is better to use a stainless steel blade because the acidic kefir can cause leaching from other types of metal. Don't go crazy and start baking with it. We've seen recipes out there for kefir pancakes. But guess what? Baking it is going to kill that good bacteria! If you have extra kefir that you don't know what to do with, then buy all means use it up this way, but don't think baking with it is going to help you gain good gut bacteria.

Making Kefir

If you are interested in making kefir yourself, here is the site I bought mine from. Full directions are included. Or if you know someone else who brews kefir, they will probably be happy to give you some for free (if you live in southern Louisiana we have plenty!).

Protein Packed Sweet Potato Oatmeal (Baked)

Oatmeal is a nice, filling, breakfast that you can make ahead of time. You can really get a lot of variety out of it, too. I am partial to putting apples or blueberries in it but this time I opted to try something I kept seeing circulating around Pinterest...sweet potato oatmeal!

This recipe is based on another one I found here. I added a bit more protein and, since I don't have individual baking dishes, made enough that I could bake it in a bread pan and get a few meals out of it.

Servings: 3

Ingredients:

1 cup quick oats
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
1 cup milk
1 cup sweet potato puree (tip: after cooking sweet potato I like to puree with a hand blender. I think it comes out best that way)
1/2 cup liquid egg whites
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbs maple syrup

1. Set oven to 350. Grease a bread pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl.

Dry ingredients...

Wet ingredients

3. Fold wet ingredients to dry. Mix thoroughly and pour into dish. 
                                    
4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until set.

I dug in before I took a picture. Oopsy.

Top with your favorite toppings--I like cranberries and walnuts!

You Are What You Eat

Americans eat junk. My generation grew up in an age of TV dinners, ice cream sandwiches, Kool Aid, sour gummies, chicken nuggets, and Happy Meals. We were raised on convenience foods. We were raised on foods with added vitamins and minerals to make it appear healthy (ie Iron Kids Bread) or junk food that was lowfat (remember Pringles made with Olestra?) when really it was just crap with clever marketing.

Chicken nugget, anyone?

Some foods are obviously crap, even to the untrained eye--fast food burgers, sugary drinks, gas station burritos--but what about the aforementioned cleverly marketed junk foods? What about the food that I refer to as "diet crap"?

Chances are if its bottled, boxed, canned, frozen, or fast food--its bad. I don't care if its only 300 calories. I don't care if its lowfat (lowfat is a ridiculous notion, but I will save that for another post), fat free (bleh), or sugar free (double bleh)--its probably bad for you!

Marketers are very clever. They find ways to get you to buy their chemical filled products. Don't start thinking I am some crazy food industry conspiracy fruit cake. I just want to eat wholesome foods. I mean, who wants to eat chemicals for breakfast? Not me!

So what do you do to make sure you are eating clean healthy food? You avoid processed foods. And how do you do that?:

1. Read your labels.

Educate yourself. Read labels on anything you are thinking about buying. In time you will know what types of food to avoid. The rule of thumb is to shop for fresh food. The fresher, the better it is for you. And by fresh, I don't mean that fried chicken in the deli!

Remember, if it looks like a chemical it probably is. Google it! Here is a fine example of something people think is healthy. Behold, Propel Zero. Thats right, I am about to ruin your day. You thought this crap was good for you, didn't you? Man, if you want water--drink water! If you don't like water, put some fruit or mint in it. Just stick with water. Don't try to get fancy. This crap is essentially diet water. Whaaaat? It has artificial sweeteners, preservatives (formaldehyde!) among other things. Its pretty much like drinking a flat diet soda. Just drink water, dammit!

What a few of the ingredients actually are-

Sucralose- Artificial Sweetener (Splenda) - Recent studies on rats have shown that sucralose can alter your gut microflora. Scientists are just now beginning to realize the importance of gut microflora, but they are particularly important to the health of your brain and digestive system, and can affect how easy it is for you to gain/lose weight. Believe it or not, there are more cells of bacteria living in your digestive system than all the other cells in your body combined. Splenda change your gut bacteria for the worse, and the effects can last more than 12 weeks after you stop consuming it.

Acesulfame Potassium- Another artificial sweetener - This sweetener needs more study overall. But it does contain methylene chloride, a known carcinogen primarily used as paint thinner

 Calcium Disodium- A preservative that prevents color and flavor deterioration. It is made from formaldehyde, sodium cyanide, and Ethylenediamine.

This water is a lie!

Speaking of diet soda--you don't even need to read the label. Just stop drinking it. Now. Stop drinking regular soda too. I promise you there is absolutely no health benefit to drinking it, and it has been linked to several health complications, including diabetes.

I also want to point out the ingredients in Gatorade. I already ruined your day, so why not cause you to lose all hope when it comes to "healthy" beverages?  I know you want to drink it for the electrolytes  Dude, get some coconut water. At least it isn't made with brominated vegetable oil. Barf.

Don't fall for the marketing. Marketers use buzzwords that will make you pick up that box of diet, sugar free, taste free, chemical laden crackers, cookies, pudding cup, etc. Be smart about it. Say "Screw you and your marketing lingo" and read the label. After you read the label, you probably won't want to eat it. Here are some buzzwords and my interpretation of them:

Fat free-we removed the fat but don't worry, we added artificial flavoring and weird chemicals so this doesn't taste like crap.

Made with Real Fruit Juice-1% of this is real fruit juice. The rest of it, crap.

Made with Whole Grains-we threw a few whole grains in the mix so you will buy this high sugar cereal for your children and think it is healthy.

Fresh-If being fresh isn't self explanatory, and it needs to be marketed as fresh...um, it ain't fresh. You dig?

Diet-This word makes me want to throw up in my mouth. I hate the word diet for so many reasons. I suppose that is another post. Anyway, diet usually means made with artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are absolute crap and are in no way natural.

Real or Natural-I love this one. If food needs to be marketed as real or natural, it most likely isn't real or natural! Take this example: "Real Natural Lemon Flavor." Think about that. Obviously there isn't anything real or natural about lemon flavoring in your snack pack. For realz.

Real Natural Lemon Flavor???

Organic-Okay, sometimes organic is good. But the word is used so much now that it really has no meaning. What is the point in organic soda? Or ice cream? Its still crap. Sugary crap.

Low calorie-This food is probably not filling. Its probably a tiny bag of low quality, sugary snack crackers or cookies. Still hungry? Yeah I thought so. Go grab a handful of walnuts and move on.

Energy boosting-This giant can of diet carbonated chemical crap has a ton of caffeine in it and it is really going to dehydrate you! If you want some caffeine, have some tea or coffee (not a frappucino mind you, but coffee. Real coffee. Black coffee).

Probiotics-Yes, probiotics are good. They are especially good in kefir and some yogurts. But I have seen probiotic ice cream. How is something good for your stomach when it is loaded with sugar?

Antioxidants-Again, something good for you that is often added to to something bad for you to get you to buy it. Beware of sugary fruit juices marketed as having antioxidants. Just go have a glass of red wine instead. You deserve it.

2. Say No to Fast Food

We all eat out. Just try to avoid the big chain fast food. Chances are you can get something much better for you at a local eatery, especially one that offers farm to table options. Big restaurant chains purchase large quantities of low quality meats, produce, etc. They add a lot of preservatives so the foods don't spoil so they can ship them out to stores and out to the public. In many cases, the food loses natural flavors in the while being frozen during transportation. The flavor must then be added back with flavor packets that were designed in a lab. Again, don't fall for the marketing. Know what you are eating. That "fresh" submarine sandwich? I don't see anyone in the back of the store baking bread or slicing meat, do you?

And big chain sit down restaurants are just as bad. I had a friend with a severe msg allergy that went to one and they didn't have a single item on their menu she could eat. The manager told her that everything came to the frozen and prepackaged. Ewww.

My best advice to you is to keep it local and search for restaurants that offer high quality ingredients. Yes, it isn't going to be cheap or fast, but it will be so much better for you! I will gladly eat a grassfed piece of beef covered in butter at a local New Orleans restaurant, but there is no way in hell you will ever find me at a McDonalds unless its the only place to stop and pee on a turnpike or something.

3. Avoid Both Real and Artificial Sugars

Sugar stimulates the release of opioids and dopamine. That means it triggers our brain's reward system, which also means that it is addictive like a drug, both behavioral and neurochemical.  The effects that go along with this are the same as any drug - binging, withdrawal, craving, and cross-sensitization. The more sugar you eat, the more addicted you become, and the more you need to satisfy that addiction. It is the classic addiction cycle.

Food manufacturers know this, and add sugar to tons of products. Its in everything. EVERYTHING. Its in your bread, your juice, your cereal, your pasta sauce, even your salad dressing. Too many people drink soda and sugary coffee drinks on a daily basis. Or load up their coffee with Splenda or Equal. Where I live people drink sweet tea. If I drink sweet tea I feel like my teeth are coated in sugar.

I used to be a hardcore sweets addict. I also used to run a side baking business until I started to eat clean. Then I decided I didn't want to contribute to the obesity epidemic in this country and put down the spatula. I must admit, I make the best brownie in town. So how did I break my sugar habit?

First, I stopped drinking soda. I used to be big into Diet Dr. Pepper. If I missed one serving of it I would have a horrible migraine. I stopped drinking it and switched to coffee. Guess what? No more migraines.

Then, I stopped putting sugar in my coffee. I just add a little cream. I tried adding almond milk but it made my coffee taste like burned almonds. Sometimes I use coconut milk. If its too dark and I want it a little sweet I use natural stevia. Natural being the key word.

I use this when I want a little sugar in my coffee. 

I was also big time into chocolate. And I have written in a previous post about how the chocolate cravings can be a sign of magnesium deficiency, which can be rectified by taking supplements and eating more magnesium rich foods like spinach. However, I have learned to love unsweetened baking chocolate. I know that might sound icky. It sounds icky because YOU LOVE SUGAR! Unsweetened chocolate has a lot of health benefits, and it pairs with a glass of cabernet sauvignon nicely.

If I want something sweet, I eat dates. I freaking love dates. I love dried fruit in general. Fruit is also another great option. If you want something sweet, at least get something that is naturally sweet like an orange.

I make my own tomato sauce, use oil and vinegar for salad dressing, and avoid foods with added sugar. It takes time to make the changes but it is worth it in the long run. I can't say that I don't occassionally want a big brownie, but I don't crave sweets all the time anymore. And when I see donuts, white bread, or other unhealthy sugary options I have no desire to eat them. Give me some meat!

4. Seek Out Local Ingredients

Your best bet for clean eating can be found at local farms and farmers markets. Cage free eggs, organic vegetables, local seafood, and grass fed beef. Some markets even offer a program where you can get a box of produce for a fixed price every week. It can be hard to seek out these markets, depending on where you live. A lot of the so called farmers markets in my area sell crafts and sugar treats but very little produce. I have to drive to New Orleans for a good market. To find information on local farms and farmers markets, check out www.localharvest.org.

You can also grow your own vegetables. I did not inherit my grandmother's green thumb, so growing fruits and veggies doesn't really work out well for me. However, growing herbs isn't too difficult. Its a good starting point!

5. Know Your Oils

As you may already know, we freaking love coconut oil. But there are other options. For cooking, olive oil can be another good choice. We actually often use a high quality butter rather than use any oil at all. Avoid soy and vegetable oils, as they are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fat, which can promote inflammation. A recent study demonstrated that butter may be better for your heart than vegetable oil, contrary to what we have been told in recent years.

You can find a lot of great information on the best oils to cook with at Balanced Bites. Go. Read. Learn.

You also have to examine the oils in your food and make healthy swaps. A prime example of this is margarine. Its often made with soybean oil, corn oil, and preservatives. If you think you are making a healthy choice by using margarine in your cooking think again--get some butter! After all, butter makes everything better.

I'm not a fan of Paula Deen but I am a fan of butter!

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes

I love pancakes. Looooove. I love them so much that I recycled this post from my old blog so I could share it with you! Maybe I am being lazy because I have been out celebrating my birthday all weekend (Actually all three of us here at Two Girls, A Guy had March birthdays. Two of us had big birthdays, but I am not telling you our ages. Nope.), or maybe I just love pancakes so much I wanted you to know you can eat them. They don't have to be bad for you.

Mmmm...pancakes

 I have been experimenting with all sorts of pancake recipes in an attempt to make them healthy without compromising taste. You can have a clean, healthy pancake that isn't loaded with sugar, fat, and starches. I have a few recipes up my sleeve and today I am giving you the recipe for my oatmeal flax pancakes!

Before I share the recipe I want to tell you about oat flour. Its great. Its high fiber and high protein. It also tastes better than a lot of the alternative flours you come across when searching for something to replace white flour. I like Bob's Red Mill Oat Flour. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can find their products at Big Lots for less than you will even at Wally World. Yep. My second favorite flour is coconut flour. It has a certain richness to it...and it smells good. Or maybe its just me. I'm weird.

I should also tell you about substitutions. See, when you see a delicious pancake recipe that you know is full of sugar and fat, you can make healthy swaps. Forget using oils (except coconut, of course!); how about some greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce? Maybe canned pumpkin? Take that sugar out. You won't be missing it. Add some banana or a few tablespoons of raw honey if your pancake needs a hint of sweetness. After all, pancakes don't need to be too sweet, especially if you just wait and drizzle a little high quality maple syrup on them later. Mmm. And of course you can swap that regular ol' flour for coconut, oat, etc.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the uber healthy pancakes that you look at and go: "that doesn't sound too tasty." It happens. Sometimes those recipes are desperately in need of flavor. I suggest adding vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg...really any extract or spice that might dress them up a little. And don't forget you can add some mashed banana if they need to be sweetened a bit.

Okay, on with the recipe! This is a recipe I adapted from Bob's Red Mill. It was actually on the package of oat flour. Basically I removed the oil from the recipe and added flax, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes
Serves 4

1 Cup Skim Milk or Milk of Your Choice (I like coconut milk)
3/4 Cup Quick Oats
3/4 Cup Oat Flour
1/4 Cup Ground Flax Seeds
2 Tbsp Sweetener of Choice (I use raw honey)
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Eggs, Large
1/2 Cup Plain Nonfat Yogurt
1 Tsp Vanilla


Preheat griddle over medium heat.

Mix milk and quick oats and cook in the microwave according to package directions. Let cool for a few minutes.

While oatmeal is cooling, mix flour, flax, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Then add oatmeal to dry ingredients.

Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla to mixture. Stir thoroughly.

Drop pancakes onto griddle using a 1/4 cup scoop. Cook until golden brown on each side.

Nom nom nom

Top with yogurt, fruit, honey, nuts...whatever you like! Just try to keep it healthy! Enjoy.

Get in my belly

Nutrition on a Budget

Here is something I hear all too often: "I don't have the money to buy the right food and supplements." While it is, unfortunately, much more expensive to buy foods with all-natural ingredients, there are things you CAN do to make the right choices. You might even find that some choices will save you money in the long run! Here are a few tips to make this process more budget-friendly:

Shop Around
There are several websites out there that offer much better prices on supplements, spices, protein powders, bulk dry goods, and oils than your local grocery or health food store. Here are a few of our favorites:

Vitacost-this website offers some of the most competitive prices on supplements, essential oils, coconut oil, gluten-free flours, all-natural shampoos, and natural skin care products that we have seen. They have good sales and offer free shipping after spending $49; you also get free shipping with just $25 in Vitacost products.
Jen: Vitacost has the best price on one of my favorite protein powders, Syntrax, made with 100% whey protein isolate (no concentrates, casein, soy, etc.; just the pure, high-quality, super-bioavailable isolate). I buy just about every health product I need from Vitacost, and they have a great refer-a-friend program: $10 off for both of you! They sell just about every brand under the sun, I can personally highly recommend all of the Vitacost brand products I've tried...and there are many. Price and quality really are amazing here.

Bodybuilding.com-offers some of the best prices for my favorite protein powder, Optimum Whey.

Protein, anyone?

My Spice Sage-has some of the best prices on spices I have ever seen!

Amazon-I always check prices on Amazon before purchasing on another website. They usually have pretty competitive prices.

Buy in Bulk
Investing in a membership at a place like Sam's Club can pay for itself pretty quickly.  They have the best price on almond butter I have ever seen! They also have supplements, bulk fruit and veggies, seafood and more at competitive prices. I also buy baking soda and vinegar there...I use both of those items for cleaning all the time.

Almond butter is more affordable at Sam's!

If buying items in bulk is too much stuff for you, try splitting bulk perishables with a friend!

Jen: I love Ginger's idea here! Granted, I love all of Ginger's ideas, but this one is a winner on more than one level. Splitting with a friend is so economical, and you and your friend can spend some great quality time shopping together while maybe taking a brisk walk around the enormous warehouse store. :-)

Plan Ahead
Plan your meals for the week in advance. This allows you to review sales ads, search for coupons, and plan meals based on what deals you have found. Not only will this lower your grocery bill, but by planning ahead you will be less tempted to make bad choices at the store or eat out as often, which could also save you more money!

Make Your Own
I make my own broth and spice mixes. I know this sounds time consuming but it really isn't. If I buy a rotisserie chicken, I use the carcass to make broth. You can boil the carcass while you are doing other things since it doesn't really need to be watched. I also make some of my own spice mixes, like taco mix, rib rub, and ranch mix. Bonus: making your own means no added preservatives! Just hop on Google and search for a recipe for the mix you want. Most of the items you need are probably already in your spice cabinet!

The Freezer is Your Friend
If you find good deals on perishables, don't be afraid to freeze them. Or better yet, make some meals ahead of time and freeze them for later! Here are a few examples of things I freeze for later.

I love bananas. I like to put frozen slices in smoothies to give my drink a bit of natural sweetness. I can buy three pounds of over ripe organic bananas at my local store for $0.75! I then cut up the bananas and freeze them.

If I find a good deal on tomatoes I will use up some of them by making a big pot of tomato sauce and freezing it for other meals.

Remember that broth I told you about? Freeze it! I have heard that you can freeze it in a cupcake pan to get one cup portions of it but I haven't tried it yet.

 Jen: I couldn't agree more that freezing is an awesome (and oft-overlooked) part of the food prep process! I use ice cube trays for freezing little portions. I'll fill the tray with raspberries, sliced strawberries, and what have you, then top it off with water. Later, I'll throw two or three cubes in with a smoothie and blend it all up in my Magic Bullet. I suppose this is less an economical comment than it is just a fun idea, but there's something to be said about getting cheap berries while in season and enjoying them again some time later. Just be sure to keep them especially freezer-burn-proof!

Take Baby Steps
I understand that this is a big change. Making small changes won't put as big of a dent in your pocket book. Start by getting rid of all of that prepackaged food (drop that box of macaroni and cheese!) and making some fresh meals. Or toss those canned vegetables in favor of fresh. Just start making healthier habits!

Jen: Amen! Being more mindful of food prep in advance can make a big difference both in making healthier and more economical choices. Try to get out of the prepackaged rut; in other words, when you think "prepackaged," don't think "money-saving." Think "health-wasting." This will automatically rid your diet of so many icky preservatives, extra calories, and, in particular, extra salt and refined, bad-for-you carbs. Prepackaged foods are full of these fillers in order to withstand travel time from their source to the store shelf, which could take weeks (nope, I'm not kidding), then they must remain shelf-stable for a long time after that. Buying raw materials for your own recipes ensures that you know everything that's in your food, further ensuring that you know exactly what your food is doing to your body. Finding good sales and buying in bulk are your friends--all you have to do is a bit of planning to get the biggest bang for your buck. Remember, too, that sometimes investing in your health does cost a little more, but this is your health we're talking about, and I don't need to tell you that it's worth that extra effort sometimes!

Ginger's Dairy Free Strawberry Protein Shake (Plus Coconut Oil!)

Here is a quick breakfast that is great for so many reasons: its dairy free, has no added sugars, and its a great way to sneak in all the healthy benefits of coconut oil. It is also a great way to get a protein boost.

1/2 medium banana, frozen
6-8 strawberries, frozen
2 tsp coconut oil
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup vanilla almond milk, or to desired thickness

Blend and enjoy!

How to Curb Cravings

Having cravings is one of the hardest things to deal with when you are trying to convert to a healthy lifestyle. Ladies, you know that there is a certain time of month when you just want to put on some sweatpants, curl up with a bag of chocolate and glass of wine, and watch TV shows about women who kill because you feel like killing someone right about now (especially if you don't have enough chocolate).

Well I have good news and bad news. The good news is chocolate IS good for you! The bad news is kind you are eating is probably bad for you. So what do you do about your cravings for chocolate, sweets, fast food, and salty snacks?

1. Craving Chocolate
According to the User's Guide to Nutritional Supplements, studies show that women tend to crave chocolate before their period because of a lack of magnesium. Chocolate has a very high level of magnesium, but those sugar filled, high fat candies aren't a good substitute. The fat makes it difficult to absorb the magnesium and the sugar is just flat out bad for you!

So what do you do?

First, I would suggest taking a magnesium supplement. In addition to being great for curbing your monthly cravings it has also been shown to help you relax. Who doesn't want to kick their out of control craving AND feel relaxed when they have PMS?

We could do an entire post on Magnesium (and probably will in the future). Magnesium is used by every organ in the body, and is particularly important for the nervous system, heart, bones, and immune system. Low Magnesium levels are linked to a variety of problems, including anxiety, depression, diabetes, migraines, heart rhythm abnormalities, osteoporosis, PMS, and restless leg syndrome. Furthermore, most Americans are deficient and since magnesium is stored in cells, blood serum testing is nearly useless in diagnosing magnesium deficiency.

So where can you get magnesium? A great source is from dark leafy greens, so keep on eating those! Big salads, sauteed veggies, or even a handful of spinach in your smoothie (trust me it tastes good!) will give you a boost of magnesium. Nuts, particularly almonds and cashews, are also high in magnesium.

But if you just have to have that darn chocolate, consider some that is very low in sugar. I like World Market 99% cacao. At first you might find it bitter because you are used to eating sugary chocolate but assure you it helps with cravings and has very little sugar. You could also use unsweetened baker's chocolate. Most of the time, I try to get 90% or darker.

Need a brownie? Try this dairy free, gluten free recipe from Sweet Sugar Bean. Dates and figs are naturally sweet and then you add cocoa (I like dark cocoa) to get a fudgy chocolate brownie that is actually good for you!

Yes, these are healthy!

2. Craving Sweets
If you are craving sweets all the time, chances you are on a high carb diet. Cut back on the carbs and I bet you will see a difference. Here is a great article on what to do to get rid of your sugar cravings. It offers suggestions on some supplements to take as well. You will get through it! Trust me, I am a recovered sugar addict.

Sometimes you just want something sweet. Well, aside from the above mentioned brownie let me offer a few healthy replacements for a sugary treat!

•  Bananas-Throw them in your smoothie to sweeten it naturally or have it as a snack with a bit of natural peanut butter. 
• Medjool Dates-These dates are big, soft, and sweet. They are my go to sweet snack. They are great in protein bars or on their own!
• Yams-a baked yam with a bit of butter and cinnamon is naturally sweet. You will find that as you cut out sugar from your diet that something as simple as a yam is all the sweetness you need!
• Cantaloupe-One of the sweetest fruits out there, in my opinion.

3. Craving Salt
Salt cravings can sometimes mean you are dehydrated, so always drink lots of water! But it can also mean that pesky magnesium deficiency  Yep, not getting enough magnesium can cause salt cravings in addition to chocolate cravings.

 Please don't fill up on pretzels, chips and other salty junk food! Here are a few substitutes:

• Dill pickles-I find that something with vinegar curbs my cravings. I love pickles, especially dills or cornichons. The best cornichons are at Trader Joe's. Trust me. 
• A small potato with salt and butter-a little salt here and there isn't bad for you, so why not have a small potato with grass fed butter instead of those fast food fries?
• Popcorn-Pop some popcorn on the stove with a little oil and salt (don't use that crap in a bag! And no fake butter). Bonus: popcorn is high in fiber. 

4. Craving Fast Food

You might be trying to kick the habit of fast food. You like the convenience and you don't have time to make meals. It happens. Please avoid that preservative filled fast food at all costs. If you grab something quick, chances are you can find something more wholesome and natural at a local restaurant or in the quick meal area at your grocery store. 

• Rotisserie chicken-okay, I would rather you find a store that has free range chicken but I know that is hard to find. Rotisserie chicken is still going to be better than picking up that burger. Just throw some in a tupperware with some veggies and hummus and BAM! Lunch. 
• Oatmeal- Need a quick breakfast? Throw some oats and milk in the microwave and when it is done top it with fruit and nuts. You can even grab oatmeal at your local Starbucks, just don't add the brown sugar (and don't buy a Frappucino!).
• Salad-In a pinch you can buy that salad at a fast food restaurant or the grocery store, but bring your own dressing. Most of those dressings contain a lot of fat, sugar, and preservatives  Get a small plastic bottle with vinegar and oil in it to spritz on your salad. 

I hope these suggestions help you kick your cravings. If I can do it, you can!