Category Archives: Health and Diet

Books, Entertainment, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Stress is Part of Life: Burnout doesn’t have to be

Above: Photo Collage / Publisher Ballantine Books

The time is now to start listening – to your body that is

It’s not uncommon, especially lately, at one point or another, to start asking ourselves some of the following questions: Am I working too hard? Why does life feel as if I can’t keep up? Why am I constantly feeling stressed and Exhausted? If any one of these questions resonant with you, it is very possible you are one of many experiencing burnout. But what exactly does the term burnout even mean? 

Burnout can look like different things to different people, yet it is almost always is characterized by an overwhelming feeling of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion. Burnout is often the result of prolonged exposure to stress, but there is a nuanced difference. 

Being stressed out means there is too much going on, but being burned out means not enough positive input causing a feeling of emptiness (such as; no motivation, not caring or ability to see hope or potential for positive change).

Usually burnout is associated with work, but there are definitely other factors that can contribute outside your job, including  personal lifestyle (e.g. too much responsibility and not enough support) or even personality traits (e.g. type A or need for perfection).  

Below are a few books that can help you recognize and take action to help better cope with the omnipresent burnout in our world, learn to listen to your body, and find methods to deal in healthier ways the many stressors and demands that today’s life can hold. 

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

This book focuses on helping women identify and explain burnout and how  we experience it very different than our male counterparts. 

A best-seller that relies on science-based finding also lays out realistic ways in which women can recover from burnout to  live a more joyful life by minimizing stress and managing emotions.

Also comes with worksheets and exercises that makes self-care and wellness within the realm of the possible. Click to see “Burnout“.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

This hugely popular best-selling book delves into traumatic stress and how it impacts our body. Using scientific data, Van Der Kolk breaks down how trauma literally reshapes both the brain and body.

In addition he explores ways to retrain the brain by activating parts of the brain that can help including: sports, yoga, meditation, and much more.

Discover “The Body Keeps the Score” at LynxoticBooks.

Winning the War in your Mind: Change your Thinking, Change your Life

Bad habits and unhealthy ways of thinking are part of what it is to be human. Author Groeschel understands that battle with negative thinking and helps you identify such “false thinking” and rewire your thought processes.

He also incorporates faith, allowing you to bring in a higher power to enable a life that brings more peace and joy. to Click for more on “Winning the War“.

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Fitness, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Primal Movement for fitness in 2023

Fitness trends come and go, but this one might become a mainstay

One trend that has gained significant traction in recent years is called Primal Movement, a style of exercise that focuses on natural, functional movements that mimic those of our ancestors. The concept and description alone is enough to evoke the paleo diet, and indeed, they are cousins of a sort.

Primal Movement is based on the idea that our bodies are designed and have evolved to move in certain ways, and that by focusing primarily on these natural movements, we can improve our overall fitness and health. Examples of such movements would include crawling, walking, running, jumping, climbing, and lifting.

One of the main positive characteristics of Primal Movement is that it has the ability to improve mobility and flexibility. By focusing on functional movements, we can increase our range of motion and improve the way our bodies move. The theory is that this will also reduce the risk of injury and gradually improve overall physical performance.

Another strong point of Primal Movement is that it can increase our overall strength and endurance. By performing movements that require us to use and depend on our own body weight, the body will build muscle and increase cardiovascular fitness.

Another important, key principle of Primal Movement is that it is meant to be enjoyable and accessible to everyone. This means that it is adaptable to suit any fitness level or ability, and can be practiced in an infinite variety of settings, including at home, in the park, or at the gym.

There are several different ways to incorporate Primal Movement into your fitness routine. One popular method is to use bodyweight exercises, such as squats, push-ups, and lunges. These exercises can be modified and adapted to suit different fitness levels and can be done using minimal equipment.

Another way to add Primal Movement into the mix in your routine is to participate in outdoor activities that involve natural movements. Excellent examples of this idea could include hiking, running, or climbing. These activities can help to dramatically improve overall fitness and can also provide a chance to explore the wilderness (or your urban landscape!) and enjoy the great outdoors.

If you’re interested in trying out Primal Movement, there are a few things you should bear in mind. First, it’s important to start the program slowly and gradually build up your overall strength and endurance. It’s also clear that you must always listen to your body and pay special attention to any discomfort or pain. If you do experience any pain or discomfort, it’s important to stop the exercise and seek medical advice if necessary. (This is true of any exercise program, particularly if you are adding new styles or methods)

Overall, Primal Movement can be an incredibly fun and organically effective way to improve your fitness and overall health. By focusing on evolutionary, natural, functional movements, you can gradually increase your mobility, flexibility, and strength, and enjoy the many benefits that come with being physically fit. If you’re looking for a new and exciting way to improve your fitness, Primal Movement deserves a try. After a while you may see the kind of difference it can make in your life and health.

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Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Counting Calories to Slim Down? Here’s a Guide to Doing it Right

It’s that time again! After possible indulgence or even over indulgence it’s could be time for a change

Counting calories can be a useful tool for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. However, it’s important to do so in a way that is sustainable and nourishing for your body. This guide will outline some key principles for counting calories the right way.

First, it’s important to understand that not all calories are created equal. While it’s true that a calorie is a unit of energy, the source of that energy matters. For example, a calorie from a piece of fruit will have different effects on your body than a calorie from a fried fast food snack.

This is because different types of foods have different nutrient profiles, and some provide more essential nutrients than others.

One way to ensure that you are getting the most nutritional value for your calories is to focus on whole, unprocessed foods. These types of foods are typically more nutrient-dense and have fewer added sugars and unhealthy fats. Additionally, they tend to be more filling, which can help with weight management.

Not necessarily what, but, when you eat

It’s also important to consider the timing and frequency of your meals and snacks. Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day can help keep your metabolism running smoothly and prevent overeating. On the other hand, going long periods without eating and then indulging in a large meal can lead to overeating and weight gain.

Naturally, size matters too

In addition to the quality and timing of your meals, the portion sizes of the foods you eat are also important to consider when counting calories. It’s easy to underestimate how many calories we consume, especially when eating out or snacking on packaged foods. Using measuring cups and spoons, or even just paying attention to serving sizes on food labels, can help you get a better idea of how much you are actually eating.

And, yes, fat can be an issue, particularly certain types

Another important aspect of calorie counting is being mindful of the types of fats you are consuming. Not all fats are bad for you, and in fact, some types of fats are essential for good health. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil, are considered healthy fats and can actually help with weight management. Saturated and trans fats, on the other hand, should be limited as they can increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems.

It’s also important to remember that calorie needs can vary from person to person based on factors such as age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. The number of calories you need to maintain a healthy weight may be different from someone else’s needs. It can be helpful to use a calculator or speak with a healthcare professional to get a better idea of your specific calorie needs.

In conclusion, counting calories can be a useful tool for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, but it’s important to do so in a way that is sustainable and nourishing for your body. This includes focusing on whole, unprocessed foods, paying attention to portion sizes, and being mindful of the types of fats you consume. It’s also important to consider the timing and frequency of your meals and to remember that calorie needs can vary from person to person.

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Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Learning to Fly: Hurry up and Learn Meditation or be left Ungrounded: Books

Above: Photo Collage / Publishers

Meditation is a proven way to improve mental and physical wellbeing: digital interruptions notwithstanding…

Very few activities, free no less, have the power to improve our lives as much a a regular meditation schedule, adhered to with fidelity and regularity. And yet, with digital interruptions and background static rising and increasing in intensity, it seems nearly impossible to find the time.

For me this transpires something like this: At 8am I set my timer for 15 minutes of peaceful, transcendental meditation that will, hopefully, start my day off right. Inevitably, within a minute or two there’s a text, then a “scam likely” phone call, then the leaf-blower from the street erupts in a cacophony of nearly atomic proportions (ok that’s not digital), and I either abort or have to keep restarting the timer.

There is a new apple iOS 15 feature (currently in beta but coming to the general public in September) called “Focus” that can temporarily mute all interruptions for a set time or activity. Kudos to Apple for providing a blinding obvious feature that allows you to mute or at least minimize the domination of your life by their product.

In the end, even when faced with what seems, at times, like an endless struggle to carve out the time and, yes, focus, to concentrate on something that is without the slightest doubt a boon to my existence, the end goal is clearly worth it.

When I manage to mute and muzzle all the interrupting and constant message and warnings and notifications and actually stick to the plan (15 minutes 2 times daily in my case) the positive results are obvious.

My day is less disaster more bliss and, when I achieve this modest minimum time investment on multiple consecutive days, there’s a feeling that my life is actually improving, rather than being held hostage by a digital daemon.

You, too, can reduce stress and potentially heal your body and mind in this way, with two simple steps.

First learn to meditate, either from a book, for example in the selection below, or from a teacher (my Transcendental Meditation teacher provided me with a mantra like in the Woody Allen film) and then find a way to cut through the digital chaos of modern life to practice on your own and reap the rewards.

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life 

Originally published back in 1994, even after 20+ years has continued to top bestseller lists.

This books is both simple and a straightforward introduction to Buddhist meditation practices. Dr. Kabat-Zinn lays out within the text mindful meditation techniques any one can use in everyday living.

For more on this time-honored book, check out “Wherever You Go“

Dear Universe: 200 Mini-Meditations for Instant Manifestations

Dear Universe invites you to harness the power inside you to achieve anything your heart desires. Author Sarah Prout shows readers how to best utilize your feelings in order to create success, love, joy, and all the abundance you deserve.

There are 200 mini meditations, 100 to rise above and conquer fear and another 100 to embrace love.

To look into this book of empowerment, check out “Dear Universe“.

Total Meditation: Practices in Living the Awakened Life

Deepak Chopra is synonymous with many as the holistic health guru, and Chopra has been at the forefront of meditation in the West for over 30 years.

Total Meditation offers an exploration of the physical, emotional, relational and spiritual. He teaches readers how to wake up and gain new levels of awareness to cultivate clarity.

Learn more on “Total Meditation“.

8 Minute Meditation Expanded: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life.

This 10th anniversary edition, gives beginner to the art of meditation the exact tools needed learn to effectively meditate. Even for the busiest of people, the time-frame of 8 minutes is relatively easy to handle.

Inside readers get step-by-step instructions, frequently asked questions on meditation, and even “trouble shooting” if you get struck.

Get a jumpstart on meditation by checking on “8 Minute Meditation“

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Books, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Feeling the Stress? Yoga Techniques have been giving Relief For Thousands of Years

Above: Photo by RKTKN on Unsplash

Unlike what they say about missing sleep, stress can build up over weeks, months even years. True to the “silent killer” moniker it can eventually kill you. After basically the entire world has been in an extra stressful situation due to covid and the economic fallout from the preventative measures taken to stop it, we all need to begin finding ways, not only to reduce the current stress levels, which are likely high, but to work off the effects of the accumulated stress that has been building for at least a year.

And that is not accounting for the “normal” stresses we all face individually in our own worlds, lives and due to our own unique problems.

Enter the practice and lifestyle benefits of yoga. Estimates of the origins of Yoga peg the beginnings at at least five thousand years and believe the practice could have been developed as long ago as ten thousand. The study of yoga goes beyond just the familiar “pretzel poses” and encompasses a way of life and philosophy that is universal.

According to the “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” (wikipedia: Sutra in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a condensed manual or text. Sutras are a genre of ancient and medieval Indian texts found in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.) there are eight “limbs” to the path of yoga:

1. yama (moral restraints) – how we relate to others
2. niyama (observances) – how we relate to ourselves
3. āsana (posture) – how we relate to our body
4. prāṇāyāma (breath extension) – how we relate to our breath or spirit

5. pratyāhāra (sensory withdrawal) – how we relate to our sense organs
6. dhāraṇā (concentration) – how we relate to our mind
7. dhyāna (meditation) – moving beyond the mind
8. samādhi (meditative absorption) – deep realization and inner union
(quoted from http://ashtanga-yoga-victoria.com/what-are-the-eight-8-limbs-of-yoga/)

As can be seen from the list above there are many levels of thought and action that can all coalesce to form a bulwark against stress and to improve the enjoyment of life as a whole. Wherever you begin and at whatever level your journey brings you to, any interaction with these thoughts, actions and choices can enhance your life in some way.

Even the simplest meditation or reflection on our breathing and its connection to our inner spirit can cause an instantaneous reduction in stress and psychic pain. Below we’ve put together a variety of books that could represent a first step toward discovering how yoga, in whatever level or aspect your choose to explore, can reduce stress and help you take a huge step on the road to recovery.

Descriptions are courtesy of bookshop.org and the individual publishers:

Yoga: A Manual for Life

Click here to see “Yoga: a Manual for Life” also available on Amazon.

A stand alone practice companion and beautiful coffee table book, Yoga: A Manual for Lifeis for anyone interested in yoga, mindful movement and meditation, and exploring how these practices fit within the modern world. 

As well as an extensive guide to poses, this book features a number of picture-led sequences with specific targets in mind: to combat stress and fatigue, to ground, to uplift, to inspire creativity and to sleep better.

These sequences are underpinned with essays on yoga’s relationship with different aspects of life, such as yoga and discipline, yoga and self-care, and yoga and difficulty.

Peppered throughout the book are mindful life hacks–simple ways to take yoga’s message of radical self-care off the mat and into daily life. Click here to see “Yoga: a Manual for Life” also available on Amazon.

Restorative Yoga: Relax. Restore. Re-Energize.

Click here to see “Restorative Yoga” also available on Amazon.

Are you seeking balance, healing, and a calmer mind? Unlike active styles of yoga that focus on stretching and movement, restorative yoga emphasizes mindful rest by using props to support your body in complete comfort and relaxation–no flexibility required!

Whether you already practice yoga or are just getting started, Restorative Yoga is your step-by-step guide to deepening the connection between your body and mind. Click here to see “Restorative Yoga” also available on Amazon.

Yoga: Relaxation, Postures, Daily Routines

Click here to see “Yoga” also available on Amazon.

Yoga is a popular physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that originated in ancient India.

Various traditions of yoga can be found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and in recent years Western culture has embraced yoga’s power of simplicity, stillness and mental poise.

This accessible new book focuses on a series of exercises, body motions and self-disciplines that offer the benefits of yoga to everyone.

Featuring specially commissioned practical photography, step-by-step instruction, and an introduction to the entire scope of the system of yoga. Click here to see “Yoga” also available on Amazon.

Restore and Rebalance: Yoga for Deep Relaxation

Click here to see “Restore and Rebalance” also available on Amazon.

Restorative yoga offers the body a chance to rest deeply and revitalize. Whether you are feeling weak, fatigued, stressed from daily activities, or simply need to slow down and tune into your body, this wonderfully adaptive practice is essential for well being.

Many of the practices are simple and accessible for people of all ages and in all states of health, using props that are readily available–like pillows and chairs. These deeply relaxing poses help you. Click here to see “Restore and Rebalance” also available on Amazon.

Yin Yoga: Stretch the Mindful Way

Click here to see “Yin Yoga” also available on Amazon.

Yin yoga offer remedies to the stresses of your busy yang life. Each restorative pose targets your deeper fascia and connective tissues, helping you experience increased flexibility and improved joint health. 

Yin yoga also focuses on deep breathing and longer hold times, allowing you the time and space to clear your mind and enhance your mental acuity.

These meditative poses will help you attain a renewed sense of mindfulness and physical well-being, making them the perfect complement to an active yang lifestyle and helping bring you back into balance. Click here to see “Yin Yoga” also available on Amazon.

Sleep Recovery: The Five Step Yoga Solution to Restore Your Rest

Click here to see “Sleep Recovery” also available on Amazon.

Insomnia is reaching epidemic proportions: more than half of us will suffer from a sleep problem during our lifetimes.

In this practical, compassionate guide, renowned yoga teacher and sleep specialist Lisa Sanfilippo shows how to sweep out sleep saboteurs and rest wreckers, putting in place sustainable strategies that will boost your energy during the day, and help you access a good night’s rest.

Click here to see “Sleep Recovery” also available on Amazon.

As we began this article above sleep was mentioned and, in contrast to our initial statements, recovery is also possible and yoga is one way that improvement, that so many of us desperately seek, is available. We hope you enjoyed this selection of books to help combat stress and ask that you please visit us again and also our sister sites Cherrybooks and InforMinx.

Find books on Music, Movies & Entertainment and many other topics at our sister site: Cherrybooks on Bookshop.org

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Books, Food and Cooking, Health and Diet

Alternate day or Intermittent Fasting Diets – Can they improve Strength and Stamina?

Photo / Adobe Stock

With all the different types of weight-loss strategies available, it can be difficult to choose what the best method is, and what’s right for you.

What is Intermittent Fasting

One recently popular way to lose weight is through intermittent fasting, which is an eating pattern where a person will regularly alternate between time periods of fasting and eating. One main distinction that sets fasting methods apart from other weight-loss programs, is the fact that the focus is concentrated more on when you eat, rather than what you eat. 

Having a specific time frame or window when you eat, and when you fast, allows the body a break from eating, since eating requires energy from your body to breakdown your foods, ect. Fasting is one way to retrain your body to learn to recognize when you are actually hungry and not just artificially satisfying your appetite. This is key for people that eat every two hours or enjoy frequent snacks. 

The reduction in calorie intake (as a result of eating fewer meals) should result in weight loss, however it’s recommended not to compensate by indulging in more food than you regularly would eat after the fasting periods. Overeating would defeat the purpose and most likely not yield the desired effects of shedding any pounds. 

There are different ways in which you can fast, below we highlight the three most common methods: the 16:8 regimen, the 5:2 plan, and the alternate day fasting diet. 

Time-Restricted Fasting

There are different names (16/8, the 16 hour fast or Leangains protocol) but the method, regardless of the moniker, involves restricting your daily eating to an eight hour period, then fasting for sixteen hours between (i.e. 16 hours of no eating then 8 hours to eat). For example, “fasting” from 8PM until noon would be followed by an eating period from noon until 8PM.

In the journal Nutrition and Healthy Aging, a study on obese adults during a 12 week period found that an 16/8 hour time-restriction in eating patterns resulted in an intake of fewer calories, some weight loss, and lowered blood pressure scores. 

The “Fast Diet”

Click to Buy “The Fast Diet” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

This method involves eating low calories for two out of seven days and then eating a normal calorie intake for the other five days (also known as the 5:2 plan). Various sources indicate that the daily calorie intake, on the low calorie days, should be typically in the 500-600 calorie range. This method is found to be the easiest and sustainable since it is not really fasting, but instead just limiting your calorie intake for two days out of the week.  

With this plan, there is no specific time frame within your “fast” day (“fasting” for this plan doesn’t involve not eating, rather how much you can eat). The intake during your fasting days, which should always be non-consecutive, will require that you budget your calories wisely as they are limited to the range mentioned above.

Again, the focus isn’t on the types of food you eat, although, generally and according to common sense, the foods should be “normal” (as in, not junk food), for best results.

“Fast Diet” was popularized by journalist Michael Mosley who authored a book of the same title.

Is it possible to eat normally, five days a week, and become slimmer and healthier as a result? Simple answer: yes. You just limit your calorie intake for two nonconsecutive days each week–500 calories for women, 600 for men. You’ll lose weight quickly and effortlessly with the FastDiet. Scientific trials of intermittent fasters have shown that it will not only help the pounds fly off, but also reduce your risk of a range of diseases from diabetes to cardiovascular disease and even cancer. “The scientific evidence is strong that intermittent fasting can improve health,” says Dr. Mark Mattson, Chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, and Professor of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University. This book brings together the results of new, groundbreaking research to create a dietary program that can be incorporated into your busy daily life. Also Available on Amazon 

Alternate Day Fasting / Eat-Stop-Eat

 This approach alternates the fast days and normal days throughout the whole week. With the fast days following the same limited caloric intake as in the “Fast Diet”, approximately 500-600 calories per day. During the normal days, a person can eat whatever they want, which is the greatest benefit in trying this diet since there isn’t sustained feeling of deprivation from the foods that you love to eat.

Since the outcome of this “every-other-day” fasting routine is to do a partial fast (reduced calorie intake not a complete liquid-only diet) either three or four of the seven days, it has the effect of reducing the weekly calorie intake slightly more than the “Fast Diet”.

Click to Buy “The Every Other Day Diet” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

Dr. Krista Varady has been researching intermittent fasting for over ten years and has written the widely popular title on the subject, “The Every Other Day Diet”.

That’s the satisfied declaration of a dieter who lost 41 pounds on the Every-Other-Day Diet. (And kept it off ) You too can expect dramatic results with this revolutionary approach to weight loss that is incredibly simple, easy, and effective. Created by Dr. Krista Varady, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, the Every-Other-Day Diet will change the way you think of dieting forever. Among its many benefits: 

It’s science-tested, science-proven. Dr. Varady has conducted many scientific studies on the Every-Other-Day Diet, involving hundreds of people, with consistently positive results published in top medical journals such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Obesity. Unlike most other diets, the Every-Other-Day Diet is proven to work. Also Available on Amazon.

Tips to keep it up

Click to Buy “The 4-Week Fast Metabolism Diet Plan” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon .

Feeling hungry will most likely be inevitable, and is the main side effect when fasting. These feelings are usually temporary as your body needs to adjust to new eating schedule. 

Eating high fiber and / or high protein foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, beans and even high fiber chewable supplements, can ease the feelings of hunger during fasting. Drinking lots of water is another helpful tip. 

Black coffee and tea can help with low energy, focus and concentration with the added perk that both have no calories.

** It is important to consult your doctor prior to any diet, especially for pregnant women or people that have diabetes, weight issues, and/or any other medical conditions that makes fasting inadvisable. **

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Health and Diet, Lifestyle

The Healthy Art of Fasting – It’s Not WHAT You Eat It’s WHEN You Eat

Photo / Lynxotic / Adobe Stock

With all the different types of weight-loss strategies available, it can be difficult to choose what the best method is, and what’s right for you.

What is Intermittent Fasting

One recently popular way to lose weight is through intermittent fasting, which is an eating pattern where a person will regularly alternate between time periods of fasting and eating. One main distinction that sets fasting methods apart from other weight-loss programs, is the fact that the focus is concentrated more on when you eat, rather than what you eat. 

Having a specific time frame or window when you eat, and when you fast, allows the body a break from eating, since eating requires energy from your body to breakdown your foods, ect. Fasting is one way to retrain your body to learn to recognize when you are actually hungry and not just artificially satisfying your appetite. This is key for people that eat every two hours or enjoy frequent snacks. 

Read More: 4 Best Diets: Dash, Mediterranean, Fast and more for Safe and Effective Weight Loss

The reduction in calorie intake (as a result of eating fewer meals) should result in weight loss, however it’s recommended not to compensate by indulging in more food than you regularly would eat after the fasting periods. Overeating would defeat the purpose and most likely not yield the desired effects of shedding any pounds. 

There are different ways in which you can fast, below we highlight the three most common methods: the 16:8 regimen, the 5:2 plan, and the alternate day fasting diet. 

Time-Restricted Fasting

There are different names (16/8, the 16 hour fast or Leangains protocol) but the method, regardless of the moniker, involves restricting your daily eating to an eight hour period, then fasting for sixteen hours between (i.e. 16 hours of no eating then 8 hours to eat). For example, “fasting” from 8PM until noon would be followed by an eating period from noon until 8PM.

In the journal Nutrition and Healthy Aging, a study on obese adults during a 12 week period found that an 16/8 hour time-restriction in eating patterns resulted in an intake of fewer calories, some weight loss, and lowered blood pressure scores. 

The “Fast Diet”

This method involves eating low calories for two out of seven days and then eating a normal calorie intake for the other five days (also known as the 5:2 plan). Various sources indicate that the daily calorie intake, on the low calorie days, should be typically in the 500-600 calorie range. This method is found to be the easiest and sustainable since it is not really fasting, but instead just limiting your calorie intake for two days out of the week.  

With this plan, there is no specific time frame within your “fast” day (“fasting” for this plan doesn’t involve not eating, rather how much you can eat). The intake during your fasting days, which should always be non-consecutive, will require that you budget your calories wisely as they are limited to the range mentioned above.

Again, the focus isn’t on the types of food you eat, although, generally and according to common sense, the foods should be “normal” (as in, not junk food), for best results.

Click to Buy “The Fast Diet” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

“Fast Diet” was popularized by journalist Michael Mosley who authored a book of the same title.

Read More: Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse for Spring and a Stronger Immune System

Is it possible to eat normally, five days a week, and become slimmer and healthier as a result? Simple answer: yes. You just limit your calorie intake for two nonconsecutive days each week–500 calories for women, 600 for men. You’ll lose weight quickly and effortlessly with the FastDiet. Scientific trials of intermittent fasters have shown that it will not only help the pounds fly off, but also reduce your risk of a range of diseases from diabetes to cardiovascular disease and even cancer. “The scientific evidence is strong that intermittent fasting can improve health,” says Dr. Mark Mattson, Chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, and Professor of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University. This book brings together the results of new, groundbreaking research to create a dietary program that can be incorporated into your busy daily life. Also Available on Amazon 

Alternate Day Fasting / Eat-Stop-Eat

 This approach alternates the fast days and normal days throughout the whole week. With the fast days following the same limited caloric intake as in the “Fast Diet”, approximately 500-600 calories per day. During the normal days, a person can eat whatever they want, which is the greatest benefit in trying this diet since there isn’t sustained feeling of deprivation from the foods that you love to eat.

Since the outcome of this “every-other-day” fasting routine is to do a partial fast (reduced calorie intake not a complete liquid-only diet) either three or four of the seven days, it has the effect of reducing the weekly calorie intake slightly more than the “Fast Diet”.

Click to Buy “The Every Other Day Diet” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

Dr. Krista Varady has been researching intermittent fasting for over ten years and has written the widely popular title on the subject, “The Every Other Day Diet”.

That’s the satisfied declaration of a dieter who lost 41 pounds on the Every-Other-Day Diet. (And kept it off ) You too can expect dramatic results with this revolutionary approach to weight loss that is incredibly simple, easy, and effective. Created by Dr. Krista Varady, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, the Every-Other-Day Diet will change the way you think of dieting forever. Among its many benefits: 

It’s science-tested, science-proven. Dr. Varady has conducted many scientific studies on the Every-Other-Day Diet, involving hundreds of people, with consistently positive results published in top medical journals such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Obesity. Unlike most other diets, the Every-Other-Day Diet is proven to work. Also Available on Amazon.

Tips to keep it up

Feeling hungry will most likely be inevitable, and is the main side effect when fasting. These feelings are usually temporary as your body needs to adjust to new eating schedule. 

Eating high fiber and / or high protein foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, beans and even high fiber chewable supplements, can ease the feelings of hunger during fasting. Drinking lots of water is another helpful tip. 

Black coffee and tea can help with low energy, focus and concentration with the added perk that both have no calories.

** It is important to consult your doctor prior to any diet, especially for pregnant women or people that have diabetes, weight issues, and/or any other medical conditions that makes fasting inadvisable. **

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Health and Diet

Cider Vinegar Bitters Might Do Miracles for Your Digestion

[ Editor’s note: this article is not sponsored or paid, nor does Lynxotic or the author have any relationship with with the makers or any products shown or mentioned here. The sole purpose of the information provided is the benefit or education of our readers]

It seems as if so many of us have less robust digestion than we would like. Perhaps due to the “modern” mix of food types, or the high percentage of processed foods we consume, almost everyone would like to digest more easily and completely.

Bitters, traditionally, contained a mixture of herbs and spices along with some alcohol, which acted as a preservative and enhancing agent. As far back as the ancient Egyptians, who appear to have added herbs thought to contain medicinal powers to batches of wine. By the Middle Ages, distilled alcohol was combined with concentrated herbs and tonics. In the east, such as in China and India the use of bitter herbs goes back thousands of years beyond any exact recorded date.

Holiday Feast Meets “Bitter” Antidote

In a fitting connection to todays US Independence Day celebrations, it was in the America of 1806 that the first “Cocktails” became popular – which was at the time concocted out of “bitters”, spirits, sugar and water.

In the present day it is the digestive benefits of the herbs themselves that have become popular often without alcohol at all, but rather purely as a medicinal digestive aid. Both in Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine, for over 3000 years, the benefits of herbal bitters was recognized and in wide usage.

Simply put, the herbs in digestive bitters aid digestion by stimulating bitter receptors on the tongue, stomach, gallbladder and pancreas. The internal reaction to these compounds is an improved digestive functioning through increased production of digestive juices such as stomach acid, bile and enzymes to breakdown food.

Digestive enzymes are essential to life and are naturally produced in our bodies and digestive system. Nutrients are processed into a state that allows us to absorb all the nutrients. Another role for enzymes is to protect us from pathogens in food.

Rather than adding to this process, for example by introducing additional enzymes, bitters stimulate the natural production that is already occurring in the body. In the case of our modern American diet, so lacking in traditional bitter tastes in general (the exception being the dill pickle in the hamburger, as the old joke goes) introducing these herbs, known for a bitter and yet somehow soothing effect, can actually produce far more natural stimulation of the digestive system than one might otherwise expect.

In a personal anecdote, an associate known to the author has a mild case of Pancreatitis, one variation of which can be a chronic inflammation of the pancreas. The symptoms are an inability to digest due to a lack of enzymes normally produced by a healthly pancreas. The inability to digest can cause severe pain and can reoccur anytime a meal is taken. Needless to say, this is a serious problem for those who suffer from it. Unfortunately, there are no simple treatments available and, short of risky surgical procedures, only pain medications and intravenous feeding in a hospital are available as treatment. There is no cure, and it can be fatal.

Interestingly, in the case of our colleague, the bitters we describe below elicited an immediate, seemingly miraculous, recovery. No pharmaceutical drugs of any kind were involved. The recovery was within 24 hours and there has been no return of symptoms, as long as the bitters are used regularly.

While this seems wild, even far fetched, the secret may lie more in typical “modern” eating habits rather than in any superpowers unknown to mankind (remember bitters have been known and revered for thousands of years). Our friend admitted to a stressful period of time, before his condition first arose, when fast food and generally unhealthy eating habits were the norm for him.

While this is an extreme example, the idea that any of us, for example, after a large and tasty 4th of July BBQ celebration, might find ourselves in need of a boosted digestive performance, is anything but unlikely.

As discussed from the historical synopsis above, most traditional bitters contain alcohol, and while for many, this may be neutral ingredient, our colleague is allergic to anything alcoholic, so he sought out one alternative product that was alcohol free (Cider Vinegar Bitters from Urban Moonshine).

Cider Vinegar Bitters add an additional zing to the herbal mix

While the concept is amazingly simple: bitter flavors stimulate better digestion and are an important part of the spectrum of the human palate, the ingredient combinations can vary greatly. The examples shown below can be used as an example of two, not typical but very effective products.

Cider Vinegar Bitters

by Urban Moonshine Herbal Apothecary
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Burdock Root Extract
  • Ginger Root Extract
  • Dandelion Root Extract
  • Gentian Root Extract
  • Artichoke Leaf Extract

Better Bitters (classic)

By Herb Pharm
  • Orange Peel
  • Burdock Root
  • Anise Seed
  • Artichoke Leaf
  • Ginger Rhizome
  • Gentian Rhizome with Root
  • Organic Cane Alcohol

Usage Tips for Happiness in the Real World

Once this “bitter” remedy is in your “go to” arsenal of healthy antidotes to real world stress and the challenges of overindulgence, the problems you might have been experiencing could soon be a thing of the past. Best taken shortly before meals, Digestive Bitters, can be used to aid in digesting on special occasions, or as a part of an every-day health regime to reduce inflammation and stimulate better nutrient assimilation.

Although the anecdote above related to a particular disease (Pancreatitis), many more common, and less serious, conditions are also often reduced or eliminated through use of bitters, according to Dr. Shannon Sarrasin, ND: heartburn, gas and bloating, constipation, reduction of food sensitivities, possible reduction in sugar craving, less blood sugar irregularities, liver detoxification, and more.

Bitters are not recommended if you suffer from gastritis, stomach ulcers, gallbladder disease or kidney disease. As with any medicine or herbal supplement please consult a doctor or practitioner before using.

Read More:

The Healthy Art of Fasting – It’s Not WHAT You Eat It’s WHEN You Eat

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Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Cookbooks for Bread and Comfort Foods to Enjoy During Winter Holidays

Enjoy the season and learn to bake around the hearth and home

As follows some wonderful books for baking bread and other delights from scratch in our own kitchen to savor and enjoy. 

Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza

There are few things more satisfying than biting into a freshly made, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-supple-on-the-inside slice of perfectly baked bread. For Portland-based baker Ken Forkish, well-made bread is more than just a pleasure–it is a passion that has led him to create some of the best and most critically lauded breads and pizzas in the country. 

In Flour Water Salt Yeast, Forkish translates his obsessively honed craft into scores of recipes for rustic boules and Neapolitan-style pizzas, all suited for the home baker. Forkish developed and tested all of the recipes in his home oven, and his impeccable formulas and clear instructions result in top-quality artisan breads and pizzas that stand up against those sold in the best bakeries anywhere. Click here to see “Flour Water Salt Yeast” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Tartine Bread

 It comes from Chad Robertson, a man many consider to be the best bread baker in the United States, and co-owner with Elizabeth Prueitt of San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery. At 5 P.M., Chad Robertson’s rugged, magnificent Tartine loaves are drawn from the oven. The bread at San Francisco’s legendary Tartine Bakery sells out within an hour almost every day. 

Only a handful of bakers have learned the bread science techniques Chad Robertson has developed: To Chad Robertson, bread is the foundation of a meal, the center of daily life, and each loaf tells the story of the baker who shaped it. Chad Robertson developed his unique bread over two decades of apprenticeship with the finest artisan bakers in France and the United States, as well as experimentation in his own ovens. Readers will be astonished at how elemental it is. Click here to see “Tartine Bread” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread

Co-founder of the legendary Brother Juniper’s Bakery, author of ten landmark bread books, and distinguished instructor at the world’s largest culinary academy, Peter Reinhart has been a leader in America’s artisanal bread movement for more than thirty years. Never one to be content with yesterday’s baking triumph, however, Peter continues to refine his recipes and techniques in his never-ending quest for extraordinary bread. 

In this updated edition of the bestselling The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter shares bread breakthroughs arising from his study in France’s famed boulangeries and the always-enlightening time spent in the culinary college kitchen with his students. Peer over Peter’s shoulder as he learns from Paris’s most esteemed bakers, like Lionel Poilâne and Phillippe Gosselin, whose pain à l’ancienne has revolutionized the art of baguette making. Then stand alongside his students in the kitchen as Peter teaches the classic twelve stages of building bread, his clear instructions accompanied by more than 100 step-by-step photographs. Click here to see “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Bread on the Table: Recipes for Making and Enjoying Europe’s Most Beloved Breads 

In this highly anticipated cookbook, culinary instructor and baker David Norman explores the European breadmaking traditions that inspire him most–from the rye breads of France to the saltless ciabattas of Italy to the traditional Christmas loaves of Scandinavia.

Norman also offers recipes for traditional foods to accompany these regional specialties, so home bakers can showcase their freshly made breads alongside a traditional Swedish breakfast spread, oysters with mignonette, or country pâté, to name a few examples. With rigorous, detailed instructions plus showstopping photography, this book will surprise and delight bakers of all stripes.

The debut cookbook from cult favorite Austin bakery and beer garden Easy Tiger, featuring recipes from author David Norman’s time spent exploring bread traditions throughout Europe and North America, plus menu ideas for incorporating homemade bread into everyday meals. Click here to see “Bread on the Table” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Bread Illustrated: A Step-By-Step Guide to Achieving Bakery-Quality Results at Home

Many home cooks find bread baking rewarding but intimidating. In Bread Illustrated, America’s Test Kitchen shows bakers of all levels how to make foolproof breads, rolls, flatbreads, and more at home. Each master recipe is presented as a hands-on and reassuring tutorial illustrated with six to 16 full-color step-by-step photos.

Organized by level of difficulty to make bread baking less daunting, the book progresses from the simplest recipes for the novice baker to artisan-style loaves, breads that use starters, and more complex project recipes. The recipes cover a wide and exciting range of breads from basics and classics like Easy Sandwich Bread and Fluffy Dinner Rolls to interesting breads from around the world including Lahmacun, Panettone, and Fig and Fennel Bread. Click here to see “Bread Illustrated” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

Poilâne: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery

To food lovers the world over, a trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to Poil ne. Ina Garten raves about the bread’s “extraordinary quality.” Martha Stewart says the P in Poil ne stands for “perfect.” For the first time, Poil ne provides detailed instructions so bakers can reproduce its unique “hug-sized” sourdough loaves at home, as well as the bakery’s other much-loved breads and pastries. 

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It tells the story of how Apollonia Poil ne, the third-generation baker and owner, took over the global business at age eighteen and steered it into the future as a Harvard University freshman after her parents were killed in a helicopter crash.  Beyond bread, Apollonia includes recipes for pastries such as the bakery’s exquisite but unfussy tarts and butter cookies. In recipes that use bread as an ingredient, she shows how to make the most from a loaf, from crust to crumb. Click here to see “Poilâne” and help Independent Bookstores. Also available on Amazon.

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Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet

Black pepper: healthy or not?

Above: Photo / Pixabay

Everybody knows that consuming too much salt is bad for your health. But nobody ever mentions the potential impact of the other condiment in the cruet set: black pepper. Does it have an effect on your health?

Certainly, people through the ages have thought so. Black pepper, the dried berries of the Piper nigrum vine, has been part of traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine for thousands of years. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that it has “carminative” properties – that is, it relieves flatulence. And in traditional Chinese medicine, black pepper is used to treat epilepsy.

Modern science suggests that black pepper does indeed confer health benefits, mainly as a result of an alkaloid called piperine – the chemical that gives pepper its pungent flavour, and a powerful antioxidant.

Antioxidants are molecules that mop up harmful substances called “free radicals”. An unhealthy diet, too much Sun exposure, alcohol and smoking can increase the number of free radicals in your body. An excess of these unstable molecules can damage cells, making people age faster and causing a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, asthma and diabetes.

Laboratory studies in animals and in cells have shown that piperine counteracts these free radicals. In one study, rats were divided into several groups, with some rats fed a normal diet and other rats fed a high-fat diet. One group of rats was fed a high-fat diet supplemented with black pepper and another group of rats was fed a high-fat diet supplemented with piperine.

The rats fed a high-fat diet supplemented with black pepper or piperine had significantly fewer markers of free radical damage compared with rats just fed a high-fat diet. Indeed, their markers of free radical damage were comparable to rats fed a normal diet.

Piperine also has anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is linked to a range of diseases, including autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Here again, animal studies have shown that piperine reduces inflammation and pain in rats with arthritis.

Black pepper can also help the body better absorb certain beneficial compounds, such as resveratrol – an antioxidant found in red wine, berries and peanuts. Studies suggest that resveratrol may protect against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

The problem with resveratrol, though, is that it tends to break apart before the gut can absorb it into the bloodstream. Black pepper, however, has been found to increase the “bioavailability” of resveratrol. In other words, more of it is available for the body to use.

Black pepper may also improve the absorption of curcumin, which is the active ingredient in the popular anti-inflammatory spice turmeric. Scientists found that consuming 20mg of piperine with 2g of curcumin improved the availability of curcumin in humans by 2,000%.

Other studies have shown that black pepper may improve the absorption of beta-carotene, a compound found in vegetables and fruits that your body converts into vitamin A. Beta-carotene functions as a powerful antioxidant that may fight against cellular damage. Research showed that consuming 15mg of beta-carotene with 5mg of piperine greatly increased blood levels of beta-carotene compared with taking beta-carotene alone.

Piperine and cancer

Black pepper may also have cancer-fighting properties. Test-tube studies found that piperine reduced the reproduction of breast, prostate and colon cancer cells and encouraged cancer cells to die.

Researchers compared 55 compounds from a variety of spices and found that piperine was the most effective at increasing the effectiveness of a typical treatment for triple-negative breast cancer – the most aggressive type of cancer.

Piperine also shows promising effects in minimising multidrug resistance in cancer cells, which potentially reduces the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

A word of caution, though. All of these things are fairly uncertain, as most of the studies have been in cell cultures or animals. And these sorts of experiments don’t always “translate” to humans. However, you can be fairly certain that adding a few extra grinds of pepper to your food is unlikely to cause you harm – and may well be beneficial.

Laura Brown, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition, Food, and Health Sciences, Teesside University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Food and Cooking, Health and Diet, Lifestyle, Observation

Bread and Health: Crazy Facts from the U.S.A.

In the US and some other nations, bread and wheat products have been cast in the role of villain due to gluten intolerance and related illnesses. In the UK alone, in 2017, there were a reported 10% of the population suffering from some form of intolerance. Such a percentage would translate into tens of millions in the US.

Photo / Adobe Stock

Is bread really the culprit or is there something else going on?

As a disclaimer, let it be stated up-front that there are certainly many people who suffer from conditions such as Celiac Disease who have a very real, hereditary response to gluten which is very serious. Many of the rest of us, however, who are not in that category, may have a situation brought on by a completely different set of circumstances.

Regardless of exact statistics, intolerance to gluten is clearly a “thing”, particularly in the US. Many theories are out there as to the cause, including industrial bread manufacturing methods, suspect ingredients such as emulsifiers used in baking and pesticides on wheat farms. Some have even reported that when intolerant individuals travel to Europe, symptoms disappear, although they eat bread and other gluten containing foods.

Read More: 4 Best Diets: Dash, Mediterranean, Fast and more for Safe and Effective Weight Loss

An entirely different culture producing a drastically different result: German baking tradition

While American Style bread is also available in Germany, it is rare and not commonly sold in Bakeries but rather only in SuperMarkets. They call it “Toast-Bread” as it’s primary advantage is being square and machine cut, therefore a better fit for a common toaster than the various shapes and sizes of slices cut from what they consider “normal” loaves.

What is considered normal bread is, for example, never sold more than eight hours after baking (except at “day old” scavenger prices). The number of real bakeries, ones that take very seriously the task of making “the daily bread”, per capita is large compared to any US city. This can be dug up in statistics, but is easier to realize by just walking down any street in a German city. Literally every other shop is a small bakery with a dozen different types of bread baked that same morning.

Photo / Adobe Stock

Read More: Alternate day or Intermittent Fasting Diets – Can they improve Strength and Stamina?

Bakers up at 4am all across every town and city

Another factor is the wide range of fresh ingredients included. A short list of the types of bread and various ingredients is vast, and varies from region to region. Six hundred main bread types are well known and this does not include many specialty breads and rolls.

In addition to wheat, bread is often made with rye, barley, potato, oat, spelt, soy and other lesser known grains. Added seeds, nuts and fruit often include one or more of the following (partial list):

  • sunflower seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • poppy seeds
  • fled seeds
  • walnuts
  • raisins
  • currants
  • sesame seeds
  • olives
  • linseed
  • hazelnuts
  • almonds
  • oat flakes
  • whole gain groats
  • whey

In Germany, at any common bakery on the street, most, if not all of the items described above would be available on any given day. No need to go to a special, overpriced “organic” or “gourmet” bakery in some high end neighborhood. Just any average bakery will do.

Oddly, these same ingredients are often touted in online health advice articles – implying that there are health benefits to adding these “special” ingredients to one’s diet, all while other countries have had them as daily menu items for centuries if not thousands of years.

Taking all of the above into account, it should come as little surprise that, in the US, obscure health issues due to the lack or misuse of heretofore standard food items would be on the rise. In the case of gluten intolerance, it rises to practically epidemic proportions. Fixing this for any individual, short of taking residence outside the US, would require extra efforts and involve a possible increase in the cost of nourishment. However, considering the alternatives (suffering with a condition without a cure), it might be well worth it.

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Books, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

8 Best Health and Wellness Books: Ways to Get Strong and Svelte

There are many new books emerging recently covering health and wellness that align with the goal to make healthier lifestyle choices. Whether looking for alternative health options, proven ways to build good healthy habits, wholesome food recipes, mind and bodyoptimization, or to find the best ways to shed weight, it’s better than ever now to choose a book to get started.

The books below are chosen to represent an eclectic selection on health and wellness featuring the authors’ wide ranging expertise in their respective fields. Clinical herbology, integrative medicine, neuroscience, naturopathy, nutrition, and human behavior are all represented.

Our curated selection contains the best selling and most recommended in the category of health and wellness thus far for 2020:

Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine

Click to Buy “Wild Remedies” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores

Millions of people are interested in natural or alternative health–but many of them are missing out on the most important ingredient: Nature itself Wild Remedies inspires readers to rekindle their connection with nature by identifying, tending, and harvesting the plant medicine they find growing around them. Experts Rosalee de la For t and Emily Han explain the benefits of 25 commonly found wild plants, many of which are also easy to grow. Readers will also find a wealth of recipes, remedies, crafts, and activities to bring the healing and transformative powers of these herbs to life. After reading Wild Remedies, readers will view their lawns, parks, community gardens, and other natural spaces in a whole new way. Instead of “weeds,” they will see delicious foods like Dandelion Maple Syrup Cake, Nettle Frittata, and Mallow and Quinoa Patties. They will also begin to revel in nature’s medicine chest as they make remedies like herbal oils, salves, teas, and more.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

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No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

The Defined Dish: Whole30 Endorsed, Healthy and Wholesome Weeknight Recipes

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Alex Snodgrass of TheDefinedDish.com is the third author in the popular Whole30 Endorsed series. With gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free recipes that sound and look way too delicious to be healthy, this is a cookbook people can turn to after completing a Whole30, when they’re looking to reintroduce healthful ingredients like tortillas, yogurt, beans, and legumes. Recipes like Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa or Black Pepper Chicken are easy enough to prepare even after a busy day at work. There are no esoteric ingredients in these recipes, but instead something to suit every taste, each dish clearly marked if it is Whole30 compliant, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and more. Alex includes delicious variations, too, such as using lettuce wraps instead of taco shells, to ensure recipes can work for almost any diet. And for anyone looking to stick to their Whole30 for longer, at least sixty of the recipes are fully compliant.

In the Flo:Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life

Click to Buy “In the Flo” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores

The bestselling author of WomanCode presents a biohacking program for women, teaching them how to use their natural 28-day cycle to optimize their time, diet, fitness, work, and relationships.

Women have a important biological rhythm they experience every month that affects productivity, weight, sex drive, energy, and mood. It is essential to be aware of and take care of this rhythm, but it has been widely ignored by medical, nutrition and fitness research. So as women, we diet, we deprive, and we cram as much as possible into our day, striving to accomplish impossible to-do lists, and scheduling our lives based on a 24-hour time cycle, ignoring the intuitive time our bodies naturally keep: a monthly cycle with four hormonal phases that offer incredible advantages.

Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging

Click to Buy “Boundless” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores

What if the ability to look, feel, and perform at peak capacity wasn’t the stuff of lore but instead was within easy reach? Sure, some of us find ways to hit peak performance in one area or another–there are professional poker players, computer programmers, and race car drivers hunched over card games, keyboards, and steering wheels with optimized minds; UFC and NFL gladiators fighting for glory on television with optimized bodies; and monks and meditators roaming the planet with optimized spirits. But in a perfect world, you would be able to have it all: complete optimization of mind, body, and spirit.In Boundless, the New York Times bestselling author of Beyond Training and health and fitness leader Ben Greenfield offers a first-of-its-kind blueprint for total human optimization.

The Keto Reset Diet: Reboot Your Metabolism in 21 Days and Burn Fat Forever

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Mark Sisson–author of the mega-bestseller The Primal Blueprint–unveils his groundbreaking ketogenic diet plan that resets your metabolism in 21 days so you can burn fat forever. Mounting scientific research is confirming that eating a ketogenic diet could represent one of the greatest nutritional breakthroughs of our time–and that it might be the healthiest and most effective weight loss strategy ever. Going “keto” by eating high fat, low-to-moderate protein and low-carb foods enables you to break free from the disastrous effects of carbohydrate dependency by resetting your metabolism and promoting metabolic flexibility–where your body learns to burns fat instead of sugar for energy, even when you go off plan.

The Healing Self: A Revolutionary New Plan to Supercharge Your Immunity and Stay Well for Life

Click to Buy “The Healing Self” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores

After collaborating on two major books featured as PBS specials, Super Brain and Super Genes, Chopra and Tanzi now tackle the issue of lifelong health and heightened immunity.We are the midst of a new revolution. 

For over twenty-five years Deepak Chopra, M.D. and Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D. have revolutionized medicine and how we understand our minds and our bodies–Chopra, the leading expert in the field of integrative medicine; Tanzi, the pioneering neuroscientist and discoverer of genes that cause Alzheimer’s Disease. After reaching millions of people around the world through their collaborations on the hugely successful Super Brain and Super Genes books and public television programs, the New York Times bestselling authors now present a groundbreaking, landmark work on the supreme importance of our immune system in relation to our lifelong health.

The 10-Day Belly Slimdown: Lose Your Belly, Heal Your Gut, Enjoy a Lighter, Younger You

Click to Buy “The 10-Day Belly Slimdown” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores

“This isn’t another gimmicky diet–it’s a powerful eating strategy that will take your extra pounds off quickly, safely, and permanently.” –Mark Hyman, MD, Director, Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat Fat Get Thin“The best gift you can give yourself is a slim, beautiful, healthy belly–and in this book, Dr. Kellyann, an expert I trust, tells you exactly how to get it.” –Mehmet Oz, M.D. The New York Times bestselling author of Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet reveals her powerful belly-slimming plan that will help you lose up to 10 pounds in 10 days

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Food and Cooking, Health and Diet

Turmeric is more than just Spice: it’s really the Curcumin that holds All the Health Benefits

Above: Photo Credit / Collage / Lynxotic / Unsplash

Is the Yellow-Orange Spice – helpful or all hype?

Curcumin, Curcuma, Haldi, Yellow Saffron, Yellow Root, the Golden Spice, all these names are associated with Turmeric. Not familiar with the spice? Walking past Indian restaurants, grocery stores, vitamin shops or even juiceries, you have probably come across products that contain the product turmeric.

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Nowadays it comes in many different forms:  raw (produce department), powdered, in capsules, creams or even in teas.  Turmeric, the yellow spice and the plant in the ginger family that has a long history throughout Asia, particularly in curries, however there are also a whole host of other ways in which its utilized (cooking, dying fabric, skin care/cosmetics).

According to NIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) Historically Indian and Eastern Asian areas have used in medicinal healing for a plethora of disorders ranging from skin disorders, respiratory issues, joints and for digestion.   Below are just a few of the known health benefits turmeric touts besides being one of the main ingredients in delicious curry. 

If you aren’t familiar with turmeric, a spice plant, grown for its root. What makes the yellow color pigment is one of the primary compounds (curcuminoids) specifically Curcumin, that besides the vibrant color also contains a wide range of health benefits that include: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-microbial effects.   

Turmeric, a natural compound, can block the action of inflammatory molecules found in the body and has become popular as a remedy for a number of conditions including: arthritis, joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), heartburn, kidney issues and colitis to name a few. 

In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, the spice has also been used to ease pain. Studies in 2016 have found that 1,000 mg of curcumin can reduce pain/inflammation just as well as other over the counter anti-inflammatory bursts (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen. 

Its powerful antioxidant properties which has been shown to protect us from free radicals which cause damage to the body’s cells. 

Potential Risks / Adverse Effects

Turmeric and Curcumin have been found both safe and helpful to consume, however its noteworthy to include, that there are potential risks for large doses of turmeric. Since turmeric is an antioxidant, large doses may increase levels of urinary oxalate which could cause the formation of kidney stones. Also turmeric can thin the blood and should be avoided if you have a bleeding disorder. Other mild side effects can include headaches, upset stomach/diarrhea, dizziness and acid reflux. 

As always, its best to speak to a doctor/medical professional if you have health issues prior to starting to incorporate any supplements like turmeric into your diet. 

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Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Adele’s credits her incredible Weight Loss to the Sirtfood Diet – Here are the details…

Let’s thank Adele for bringing the Sirtfood Diet to our attention…

Haven’t heard of the Sirtfood Diet?  We hadn’t either until Adele flaunted an almost unrecognizable photo of herself on her 32nd birthday. The singers’ noticeable weight-loss (down 100 pounds) has been reported to be linked to the sirtfood diet.  Since this diet isn’t always on the top list of the more recognizable diets, we decided to do some additional digging to get more information about this eating plan.

The Sirtfood diet was developed by Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten, two British Nutritionists. It makes sense that celebrities in the UK would be among the first names that follow the diet. Adele, being such a famous singer has definitely shined a spotlight on sirtfood. There have also been other notable celebrities that have followed the diet including: Pippa Middleton, Jodie Kidd, Lorraine Pascale, and Sir Ben Ainslie.

Read More: Do Keto Diets live up to the Radical Weight Loss Hype? The Basics of what you Need to Know

The “Sirt” in the Sirtfood diet gets its name from sirtuins (SIRTs) which are a group of proteins that help regulate your cellular health in a number of ways, which includes more specifically regulating inflammation, metabolism and longevity of cells, particularly in regards to anti-aging. Sirtfoods are are comprised of mainly plant-based foods that have high levels of antioxidants that allow your body’s fat burning powers to activate the SIRT-1 protein. The sirtuin protein in context to diets has also been referred to as the “skinny gene”.

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The diet claims that eating particular foods that contain high levels of the chemical polyphenols (would within sirtuins) help to quickly shed weight. This is because the chemicals put mild stress onto cells that create an effect on our genes which mimics as if we were fasting or exercising.

It is good to note that exercise in conjunction with any diet or health plan is always helpful for both losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This diet has the added bonus that eating the right types of food can kick start your skinny genes to imitate the same metabolic process of actually being active. Although I’m sure adding exercise to the eating plan would create an even more desired result.

How to follow the guidelines of the diet

Click to See “The Official SirtFood Diet” and to help Lynxotic
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Phase 1

Phase 1 is the first phase of the diet that will last for the first week (7 consecutive days). During this time, the first three days requires you to drink 3 green juices a day with 1 meal. Your calories are restricted to only 1,000 per day.  On the 4th day, you increase your calorie intake to 1,500 with 2 green juices and 2 meals.  

Read More: Alternate day or Intermittent Fasting Diets – Can they improve Strength and Stamina?

Phase 2

Phase 2 (Week 2 and 3)  is a 14 day maintenance where you can eat 3 balanced sirtfood meals daily and a green juice. After the 3rd week there is no specific eating plan other than continuing to add sirtfoods to each meal. Maintenance is key to the long-term desired weight loss and healthier lifestyle.

What can I eat?

Below are a list of some of the most popular sirtfoods to implement into your eating plan:

  • Bird’s-eye chili Peppers 
  • Buckwheat
  • Capers
  • Celery
  • Dark Chocolate/ 85%Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Green Tea
  • Kale
  • Lovage (herb)
  • Medjool date
  • Parsely
  • Red Chicory
  • Red Onion
  • Red Wine
  • Argula/Rocket
  • Soy
  • Strawberries
  • Tumeric
  • Walnuts 

Sirtfood green juices are an essential element to the diet so owning a juicer is definitely a must-have kitchen  equipment if you don’t already have one.  There are 3 key ingredients: matcha green tea, lovage (herb), and buckwheat. Other examples of Sirtfood approved green juices could include combinations of ingredients like kale, arugula, celery, parsley, green apple and lemon. 

There are many different types of food that have sirtuins, yet there are only a handful of fruits and vegetables that hold high enough levels of sirtuin that trigger the weight loss protein to be in full effect.  Foods that are heavy with polyphenols include kale, dark chocolate and red wine (none of which sound like bad eating thus far!). The polyphenols trigger the sirtuin pathways which activates the body’s metabolism.

Effective?

The Sirtfood Diet is not meant to be a one time participation of the two phases, instead its supposed to be a lifestyle where you incorporate the sirtfoods and eat healthy as you steadily lose weight at a healthy pace.  Adele’s weight loss wasn’t lost all in one go around but months of consistency to the meal plan and exercise. 

Whether or not this diet is the right path for you, sounds like even if going through the process of phase 1 and 2, its a good way to start eating cleaner and incorporating healthy ingredients into your diet.

As always, whenever choosing a specific eating plan, diet, or weight loss approach, keep in mind that everyone’s body is different and results will vary. Consulting an expert on the matter, like a registered dietitian or general practitioner, is highly recommended for the best guidance on what is best for you.

In addition to The Official SirtFood Diet we have included a compilation of additional books and cookbooks to help you along your Sirtfood Diet journey.

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Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Cannabis: how it affects our cognition and psychology – new research

Cannabis has been used by humans for thousands of years and is one of the most popular drugs today. With effects such as feelings of joy and relaxation, it is also legal to prescribe or take in several countries.

But how does using the drug affect the mind? In three recent studies, published in The Journal of Psychopharmacology, Neuropsychopharmacology and the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, we show that it can influence a number of cognitive and psychological processes.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that, in 2018, approximately 192 million people worldwide aged between 15 and 64 used cannabis recreationally. Young adults are particularly keen, with 35% of people between the ages of 18 and 25 using it, while only 10% of people over the age of 26 do.

This indicates that the main users are adolescents and young adults, whose brains are still in development. They may therefore be particularly vulnerable to the effects of cannabis use on the brain in the longer term.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. It acts on the brain’s “endocannabinoid system”, which are receptors which respond to the chemical components of cannabis. The cannabis receptors are densely populated in prefrontal and limbic areas in the brain, which are involved in reward and motivation. They regulate signalling of the brain chemicals dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate.

We know that dopamine is involved in motivation, reward and learning. GABA and glutamate play a part in cognitive processes, including learning and memory.

Cognitive effects

Cannabis use can affect cognition, especially in those with cannabis-use disorder. This is characterised by the persistent desire to use the drug and disruption to daily activities, such as work or education. It has been estimated that approximately 10% of cannabis users meet the diagnostic criteria for this disorder.

In our research, we tested the cognition of 39 people with the disorder (asked to be clean on the day of testing), and compared it with that of 20 people who never or rarely used cannabis. We showed that participants with the condition had significantly worse performance on memory tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) compared to the controls, who had either never or very rarely used cannabis. It also negatively affected their “executive functions”, which are mental processes including flexible thinking.

This effect seemed to be linked to the age at which people started taking the drug – the younger they were, the more impaired their executive functioning was.

Cognitive impairments have been noted in mild cannabis users as well. Such users tend to make riskier decisions than others and have more problems with planning.

Although most studies have been conducted in males, there has been evidence of sex differences in the effects of cannabis use on cognition. We showed that, while male cannabis users had poorer memory for visually recognising things, female users had more problems with attention and executive functions. These sex effects persisted when controlling for age; IQ; alcohol and nicotine use; mood and anxiety symptoms; emotional stability; and impulsive behaviour.

Reward, motivation and mental health

Cannabis use can also affect how we feel – thereby further influencing our thinking. For example, some previous research has suggested that reward and motivation – along with the brain circuits involved in these processes – can be disrupted when we use cannabis. This may affect our performance at school or work as it can make us feel less motivated to work hard, and less rewarded when we do well.

In our recent study, we used a brain imaging task, in which participants were placed in a scanner and viewed orange or blue squares. The orange squares would lead to a monetary reward, after a delay, if the participant made a response. This set up helped us investigate how the brain responds to rewards.

We focused particularly on the ventral striatum, which is a key region in the brain’s reward system. We found that the effects on the reward system in the brain were subtle, with no direct effects of cannabis in the ventral striatum. However, the participants in our study were moderate cannabis users. The effects may be more pronounced in cannabis users with more severe and chronic use, as seen in cannabis use disorder.

There is also evidence that cannabis can lead to mental health problems. We have shown that it is related to higher “anhedonia” – an inability to feel pleasure – in adolescents. Interestingly, this effect was particularly pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Cannabis use during adolescence has also been reported as a risk factor for developing psychotic experiences as well as schizophrenia. One study showed that cannabis use moderately increases the risk of psychotic symptoms in young people, but that it has a much stronger effect in those with a predisposition for psychosis (scoring highly on a symptom checklist of paranoid ideas and psychoticism).

Assessing 2,437 adolescents and young adults (14-24 years), the authors reported a six percentage points increased risk – from 15% to 21% – of psychotic symptoms in cannabis users without a predisposition for psychosis. But there was a 26-point increase in risk – from 25% to 51% – of psychotic symptoms in cannabis users with a predisposition for psychosis.

We don’t really know why cannabis is linked to psychotic episodes, but hypotheses suggests dopamine and glutamate may be important in the neurobiology of these conditions.

Another study of 780 teenagers suggested that the association between cannabis use and psychotic experiences was also linked to a brain region called the “uncus”. This lies within the parahippocampus (involved in memory) and olfactory bulb (involved in processing smells), and has a large amount of cannabinoid receptors. It has also previously been associated with schizophrenia and psychotic experiences.

Cognitive and psychological effects of cannabis use are ultimately likely to depend to some extent on dosage (frequency, duration and strength), sex, genetic vulnerabilities and age of onset. But we need to determine whether these effects are temporary or permanent. One article summarising many studies has suggested that with mild cannabis use, the effects may weaken after periods of abstinence.

But even if that’s the case, it is clearly worth considering the effects that prolonged cannabis use can have on our minds – particularly for young people whose brains are still developing.

Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Cambridge; Christelle Langley, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Cambridge; Martine Skumlien, PhD Candidate in Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, and Tianye Jia, Professor of Population Neuroscience, Fudan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Remind me again, why is salt bad for you?

Shutterstock

Evangeline Mantzioris, University of South Australia

Despite most of us knowing we should cut down on salt, Australians consume on average almost twice the recommended daily maximum per day.

Salt has been used in food preservation for centuries, and idioms like “worth your weight in salt” indicate how valuable it was for preserving food to ensure survival. Salt draws moisture out of foods, which limits bacterial growth that would otherwise spoil food and cause gastrointestinal illnesses. Today, salt is still added as a preservative, but it also improves the taste of foods.

Salt is a chemical compound made of sodium and chloride, and this is the main form in which we consume it in our diet. Of these two elements, it’s the sodium we need to worry about.

So what does sodium do in our bodies?

The major concern of consuming too much sodium is the well-established link to the increased risk of high blood pressure (or hypertension). High blood pressure is in turn a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, a major cause of severe illness and death in Australia. High blood pressure is also a cause of kidney disease.

Most of the salt we consume is from processed foods. Shutterstock

The exact processes that lead to high blood pressure from eating large amounts of sodium are not fully understood. However, we do know it’s due to physiological changes that occur in the body to tightly control the body’s fluid and sodium levels. This involves changes in how the kidneys, heart, nervous system and fluid-regulating hormones respond to increasing sodium levels in our body.

Maintaining tight control on sodium levels is necessary because sodium affects the membranes of all the individual cells in your body. Healthy membranes allow for the movement of:

  • nutrients in and out of the cells
  • signals through the nervous system (for example, messages from the brain to other parts of your body).

Dietary salt is needed for these processes. However, most of us consume much, much more than we need.

When we eat too much salt, this increases sodium levels in the blood. The body responds by drawing more fluid into the blood to keep the sodium concentration at the right level. However, by increasing the fluid volume, the pressure against the blood vessel walls is increased, leading to high blood pressure.

High blood pressure makes the heart work harder, which can lead to disease of the heart and blood vessels, including heart attack and heart failure.

While there is some controversy around the effect of salt on blood pressure, most of the literature indicates there is a progressive association, which means the more sodium you consume, the more likely you are to die prematurely.

What to watch out for

Certain groups of people are more affected by high-salt diets than others. These people are referred to as “salt-sensitive”, and are more likely to get high blood pressure from salt consumption.

Those most at risk include older people, those who already have high blood pressure, people of African-American background, those who have chronic kidney disease, those with a history of pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and those who had a low birth weight.

Optimal blood pressure is 120/80. Shutterstock

It is important to be aware of your blood pressure, so next time you visit your doctor make sure you get it checked. Your blood pressure is given as two figures: highest (systolic) over lowest (diastolic). Systolic is the pressure in the artery as the heart contracts and pushes the blood through your body. The diastolic pressure in the artery is when the heart is relaxing and being filled with blood.

Optimal blood pressure is below 120/80. Blood pressure is considered high if the reading is over 140/90. If you have other risk factors for heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease, a lower target may be set by your doctor.

How to reduce salt intake

Reducing salt in your diet is a good strategy to reduce your blood pressure, and avoiding processed and ultra-processed foods, which is where about 75% of our daily salt intake comes from, is the first step.

Try to use less salt in your cooking, but home prepared meals are not the worst culprit. Shutterstock

Increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables to at least seven serves per day may also be effective in reducing your blood pressure, as they contain potassium, which helps our blood vessels relax.

Increasing physical activity, stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and limiting your alcohol intake will also help to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Blood pressure reducing medications are also available if blood pressure can not be reduced initially by lifestyle changes.

Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of South Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Books, Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Dukan Diet Attack Phase food list and the various Keto Alternatives

Above: Photo / Unsplash

Deconstructing “Ketogenic”, “Keto” and “Ketosis”…

The Ketogenic Diet, popularly referred to as simply “Keto”, is on top of the list of many well-known ways in which people have lost weight by eating food low in carbs. The ketogenic diet isn’t actually anything new and has been utilized for centuries, most commonly used to help diabetes. The diet was also introduced in the 1920’s as treatment for epilepsy in children, as well as tested with people who have cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) and Alzheimer’s. 

Yet, as a popular way to lose weight, Keto can’t take all the credit, since the rise in stature can be largely attributed to The Atkins Diet, which started around the 1970’s and commercialized the low-carb/high protein diet structure. Due to the initial success of The Atkins Diet, many other low carb diets and variations have been put on the map – such as Keto, Paleo, South Beach and The Dukan Diet to name just a few.

The four phases of the Dukan diet:

  1. Attack Phase (1–7 days): You start the diet by eating unlimited lean protein plus 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day.
  2. Cruise Phase (1–12 months): Alternate lean protein one day with lean protein and non-starchy veggies the next, plus 2 tablespoons of oat bran every day.
  3. Consolidation Phase (5 days for every pound lost in phases 1 and 2): Unlimited lean protein and veggies, some carbs and fats, one day of lean protein weekly, 2.5 tablespoons of oat bran daily.
  4. Stabilization Phase (indefinite): Follow the Consolidation Phase guidelines but loosen the rules as long as your weight remains stable. Oat bran is increased to 3 tablespoons per day.

The Attack Phase is primarily based on high-protein foods, as well as a few extras that provide low calorie options:

  • Lean beef, veal, venison, bison, and other game
  • Lean pork
  • Poultry without skin
  • Liver, kidney, and tongue
  • Fish and shellfish (all types)
  • Eggs
  • Non-fat dairy products (restricted to 32 ounces or 1 kg per day), such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and ricotta
  • Tofu and tempeh
  • Seitan, a meat substitute made from wheat gluten
  • At least 6.3 cups (1.5 liters) of water per day (mandatory)
  • 1.5 tablespoons (9 grams) of oat bran daily (mandatory)
  • Unlimited artificial sweeteners, shirataki noodles, and diet gelatin
  • Small amounts of lemon juice and pickles
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of oil daily for greasing pans

So what makes Keto different? The Keto diet stands out from the other low-carb diets because you eat a much higher fat content, which accounts for as much as 70-80% of your food intake and usually, in contrast to other low carb diets, involves also eating only a moderate amount of protein.

The general idea is for your eating plan to include more calories derived from proteins and fat and less from carbohydrates.  With a low-carb diet, your body will eventually run out of fuel, usually taken from blood sugar (glucose), which will result in your body starting to break down proteins and fat for energy instead and that will result in weight loss.  This metabolic process, described here in a nut-shell, is called ketosis.  

Whether you want to just dip your feet in the pooland try out some Keto recipes, or go full hog (pun intended), we have provided some book titles on the most popular books relating to Keto.

What to Eat

  • Meat (Fish, Beef, Poultry)
  • Leafy Green Vegetables (Spinach, Kale)
  • Eggs and Diary (Cheese, Cream, Butter)
  • Oils
  • Nuts and Seeds
  • Avocados
  • Broccoli and Cauliflower
  • Berries
  • Water

What NOT to Eat

  • Bread (Flour, Wheat, Rice, Cereal)
  • Pasta
  • Starches (like Potatoes and Yams)
  • Sugar
  • high Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Corn
  • Legumes and Beans
  • Fruit (exception is Berries)
  • Soda
  • Milk (has milk sugar)

Being on a ketogenic diet is meant for the short term, rather than permanent, with the main focus being on losing weight and should not be done as a long-term lifestyle diet. This is because there have been some noted and potentially unhealthy takeaways from the diet; one that the diet heavily relies on red meat and other fat-rich processed, high-salt foods that are not optimum for daily consumption.  In addition, there have not been enough long term studies to conclude if the the short-term results of weight loss will last or if, after resuming carb intake, the pound will be put right back on again. 

As always, whenever choosing a specific elating plan, diet, or weight loss approach, keep in mind that everyone’s body is different and results will vary.  Consulting an expert on the matter, like a registered dietitian or general practitioner, is highly recommended for the best guidance on what is best for you. 

Keto-Evolution: Non Meat Options

Since The Keto Diet has been around for a long time, there’s no shortage of books and cookbooks on the topic. However there are now many new and different ways to incorporate Keto, with an offshoot of systems for non-meat eaters, including vegan and vegetarian options.

This is surprising, since when Keto comes to mind, it is normal first to picture high-protein animal products like meat, eggs and cheese at the forefront of what can be eaten on the diet. Knowing that you can have plant-based alternatives to choose from and incorporate for Keto is refreshing, and just might remove some of the biggest potential drawbacks mentioned above.

Ketotarian includes more than 75 recipes that are vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian, offering a range of delicious and healthy choices for achieving weight loss, renewed health, robust energy, and better brain function. Dr. Will Cole comes to the rescue with Ketotarian, which has all the fat-burning benefits without the antibiotics and hormones that are packed into most keto diets.

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Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

German Bread History, Culture and Traditions

Video

There is a natural human tendency to crave comfort food during a time of stress, the feelings of baking and having the ability to feed and care for oneself was probably a very strong motivator. And what is more comforting than freshly baked, nay, home baked bread with a little butter and jam to beautify an afternoon spent at home. Even if the reason for being inside is not an ideal one.

Oddly, in the US and some other nations, bread and wheat products have been cast in the role of villain due to gluten intolerance and related illnesses. In the UK alone, in 2017, there were a reported 10% of the population suffering from some form of intolerance. Such a percentage would translate into tens of millions in the US.

Above: Photo / Adobe Stock

Is bread really the culprit or is there something else going on?

As a disclaimer, let it be stated up-front that there are certainly many people who suffer from conditions such as Celiac Disease who have a very real, hereditary response to gluten which is very serious. Many of the rest of us, however, who are not in that category, may have a situation brought on by a completely different set of circumstances.

Regardless of exact statistics, intolerance to gluten is clearly a “thing”, particularly in the US. Many theories are out there as to the cause, including industrial bread manufacturing methods, suspect ingredients such as emulsifiers used in baking and pesticides on wheat farms. Some have even reported that when intolerant individuals travel to Europe, symptoms disappear, although they eat bread and other gluten containing foods.

An entirely different culture producing a drastically different result: German baking tradition

While American Style bread is also available in Germany, it is rare and not commonly sold in Bakeries but rather only in SuperMarkets. They call it “Toast-Bread” as it’s primary advantage is being square and machine cut, therefore a better fit for a common toaster than the various shapes and sizes of slices cut from what they consider “normal” loaves.

What is considered normal bread is, for example, never sold more than eight hours after baking (except at “day old” scavenger prices). The number of real bakeries, ones that take very seriously the task of making “the daily bread”, per capita is large compared to any US city. This can be dug up in statistics, but is easier to realize by just walking down any street in a German city. Literally every other shop is a small bakery with a dozen different types of bread that was baked that same morning.

Bakers up at 4am all across every town and city

Another factor is the wide range of fresh ingredients included. A short list of the types of bread and various ingredients is vast, and varies from region to region. Six hundred main bread types are well known and this does not include many specialty breads and rolls.

In addition to wheat, bread is often made with rye, barley, potato, oat, spelt, soy and other lesser known grains. Added seeds, nuts and fruit often include one or more of the following (partial list):

  • sunflower seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • poppy seeds
  • fled seeds
  • walnuts
  • raisins
  • currants
  • sesame seeds
  • olives
  • linseed
  • hazelnuts
  • almonds
  • oat flakes
  • whole gain groats
  • whey

In Germany, at any common bakery on the street, most, if not all of the items described above would be available on any given day. No need to go to a special, overpriced “organic” or “gourmet” bakery in some high end neighborhood. Just any average bakery will do.

Oddly, these same ingredients are often touted in online health advice articles – implying that there are health benefits to adding these “special” ingredients to one’s diet, all while other countries have had them as daily menu items for centuries if not thousands of years.

Taking all of the above into account, it should come as little surprise that, in the US, obscure health issues due to the lack or misuse of heretofore standard food items would be on the rise. In the case of gluten intolerance, it rises to practically epidemic proportions. Fixing this for any individual, short of taking residence outside the US, would require extra efforts and involve a possible increase in the cost of nourishment. However, considering the alternatives (suffering with a condition without a cure), it might be well worth it.

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Books, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Apple Cider Vinegar can help by cleansing to build a Stronger Immune System

Small short term sacrifices can bring big long term gains

It seems as if so many of us have less robust digestion than we would like. Perhaps due to the “modern” mix of food types, or the high percentage of processed foods we consume, almost everyone would like to digest more easily and completely. Bitters, traditionally, contained a mixture of herbs and spices along with some alcohol, which acted as a preservative and enhancing agent.

As far back as the ancient Egyptians, who appear to have added herbs thought to contain medicinal powers to batches of wine. By the Middle Ages, distilled alcohol was combined with concentrated herbs and tonics. In the east, such as in China and India the use of bitter herbs goes back thousands of years beyond any exact recorded date.

Holiday Feasts Meet “Bitter” Antidote

In a fitting connection to todays US Independence Day celebrations, it was in the America of 1806 that the first “Cocktails” became popular – which was at the time concocted out of “bitters”, spirits, sugar and water.

In the present day it is the digestive benefits of the herbs themselves that have become popular often without alcohol at all, but rather purely as a medicinal digestive aid. Both in Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine, for over 3000 years, the benefits of herbal bitters was recognized and in wide usage.

Simply put, the herbs in digestive bitters aid digestion by stimulating bitter receptors on the tongue, stomach, gallbladder and pancreas. The internal reaction to these compounds is an improved digestive functioning through increased production of digestive juices such as stomach acid, bile and enzymes to breakdown food.

Digestive enzymes are essential to life and are naturally produced in our bodies and digestive system. Nutrients are processed into a state that allows us to absorb all the nutrients. Another role for enzymes is to protect us from pathogens in food.

Rather than adding to this process, for example by introducing additional enzymes, bitters stimulate the natural production that is already occurring in the body. In the case of our modern American diet, so lacking in traditional bitter tastes in general (the exception being the dill pickle in the hamburger, as the old joke goes) introducing these herbs, known for a bitter and yet somehow soothing effect, can actually produce far more natural stimulation of the digestive system than one might otherwise expect.

In a personal anecdote, an associate known to the author has a mild case of Pancreatitis, one variation of which can be a chronic inflammation of the pancreas. The symptoms are an inability to digest due to a lack of enzymes normally produced by a healthly pancreas. The inability to digest can cause severe pain and can reoccur anytime a meal is taken. Needless to say, this is a serious problem for those who suffer from it. Unfortunately, there are no simple treatments available and, short of risky surgical procedures, only pain medications and intravenous feeding in a hospital are available as treatment. There is no cure, and it can be fatal.

Interestingly, in the case of our colleague, the bitters we describe below elicited an immediate, seemingly miraculous, recovery. No pharmaceutical drugs of any kind were involved. The recovery was within 24 hours and there has been no return of symptoms, as long as the bitters are used regularly.

While this seems wild, even far fetched, the secret may lie more in typical “modern” eating habits rather than in any superpowers unknown to mankind (remember bitters have been known and revered for thousands of years). Our friend admitted to a stressful period of time, before his condition first arose, when fast food and generally unhealthy eating habits were the norm for him.

While this is an extreme example, the idea that any of us, for example, after a large and tasty 4th of July BBQ celebration, might find ourselves in need of a boosted digestive performance, is anything but unlikely.

As discussed from the historical synopsis above, most traditional bitters contain alcohol, and while for many, this may be neutral ingredient, our colleague is allergic to anything alcoholic, so he sought out one alternative product that was alcohol free (Cider Vinegar Bitters from Urban Moonshine).

Cider Vinegar Bitters add an additional zing to the herbal mix

While the concept is amazingly simple: bitter flavors stimulate better digestion and are an important part of the spectrum of the human palate, the ingredient combinations can vary greatly.

The examples shown below can be used as an example of two, not typical but very effective products.

Cider Vinegar Bitters

by Urban Moonshine Herbal Apothecary
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Burdock Root Extract
  • Ginger Root Extract
  • Dandelion Root Extract
  • Gentian Root Extract
  • Artichoke Leaf Extract

Better Bitters (classic)

By Herb Pharm
  • Orange Peel
  • Burdock Root
  • Anise Seed
  • Artichoke Leaf
  • Ginger Rhizome
  • Gentian Rhizome with Root
  • Organic Cane Alcohol

Usage Tips for Happiness in the Real World

Once this “bitter” remedy is in your “go to” arsenal of healthy antidotes to real world stress and the challenges of overindulgence, the problems you might have been experiencing could soon be a thing of the past. Best taken shortly before meals, Digestive Bitters, can be used to aid in digesting on special occasions, or as a part of an every-day health regime to reduce inflammation and stimulate better nutrient assimilation.

Although the anecdote above related to a particular disease (Pancreatitis), many more common, and less serious, conditions are also often reduced or eliminated through use of bitters, according to Dr. Shannon Sarrasin, ND: heartburn, gas and bloating, constipation, reduction of food sensitivities, possible reduction in sugar craving, less blood sugar irregularities, liver detoxification, and more.

Bitters are not recommended if you suffer from gastritis, stomach ulcers, gallbladder disease or kidney disease. As with any medicine or herbal supplement please consult a doctor or practitioner before using.

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Food and Cooking, Health, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Try these Easy Food Swaps to follow the Heart Healthy Mediterranean Diet

Above: Photo / Unsplash

The World’s Best Diet is not really a “Diet”

The US News And World Report proclaimed the Mediterranean diet the top rated and best overall diet for 2019 and 2020 among the total 41 other popular diets evaluated by a panel of experts in diet, health and nutrition.

A lot of us have been spending much more time at home due to the isolation safety measures and business restrictions due to  COVID-19. If you’re like me – that also means you’re eating much more than usual too (easy and fast access to the kitchen, right?). If you are looking for a change in your eating plan that is also heart-healthy, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you.

The diet traditionally has been meant for foods, flavors and cooking methods that are available and readily utilized in the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea. There isn’t an exact meal plan or recipe that can pinpoint or pay homage to that which is “The Mediterranean Diet”, however most meals are known to be rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts, with olive oil used as the primary source of fat.

Meals are therefore more plant-based rather than meat-based; red meat is not eaten often and very infrequent if so, instead, seafood and poultry serve as principal protein sources, and even so in moderation. Dairy of cheese and yogurt are also often eaten daily. Even wine is customary in moderate amounts with each meal.

Mediterranean diet consists of  very minimal if any processed foods, utilizing fresh and locally grown sources that are in season, this could be seen as a stark contrast to some of the more Westernize meals where there is access to heavily processed, “fast foods” and imported goods. The Mediterranean diet does leave room for indulgence, so a little piece of cake, or soda isn’t off the table, however the key is in the moderation. 

The options for meals are plentiful and never boring, since the emphasis is on fresh, your plate will always be booming with color. 

Read More: Intermittent Fasting is not just a diet: it promotes weight-loss, detox and better health

 Do Like the Mediterraneans’ Do…

Implementing any type of food program is one parts eating the right foods, but also a big part on one’s mentality and attitude. This isn’t a type of diet where calories have to be counted, nor is overly restrictive in what you can or cannot eat, which can be extremely important for longevity and the desire to keep up healthy eating habits. 

There is also a lifestyle element attached to the Mediterranean “diet” that is also strongly associated with all the mental and physical benefits.  First, this includes having an active lifestyle, walking is central with many Mediterraneans’, however any daily physical activity will do.  In addition, creating social interactions with other is also core, this can mean having a family dinner, or meeting with friends and using meals as an occasion to share and engage with others. 

  • Eat fruits and vegetables daily
  • Use olive oil for healthy fats
  • Eat fish and poultry or beans and eggs versus red meat
  • Incorporate whole grains 
  • Reduce sugar intake 
  • Drink wine instead of beer or other liquor 
  • Add spices to add extra flavor to any dish without the need for too much salt

The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook

Bring the Mediterranean–from Italy and Greece, to Morocco and Egypt, to Turkey and Lebanon–into your kitchen with more than 500 fresh, flavorful recipes. This comprehensive cookbook translates the famously healthy Mediterranean diet for home cooks with a wide range of creative recipes, many fast enough to be made on a weeknight, using ingredients available at your local supermarket. 

The structure of the book follows the guidelines of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. You’ll find large chapters devoted to Beans and to Vegetables, the Seafood Chapter is larger than Poultry and Meat, and the Fruits and Sweets chapter, while shorter, is packed with recipes you can truly feel good eating. 

Recipes include Spiced Baked Rice with Potatoes and Fennel, Tagliatelle with Artichokes and Parmesan, Orzo with Shrimp, Feta, and Lemon, Za’atar-Rubbed Chicken, Greek-Style Braised Pork with Leeks, and Orange Polenta Cake. Also Available on Amazon. 

Related Articles:

Check out Lynxotic on YouTube

Find books on Music, Movies & Entertainment and many other topics at our sister site: Cherrybooks on Bookshop.org

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Lynxotic may receive a small commission based on any purchases made by following links from this page

Books, Food and Cooking, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Cleanse with Apple Cider Vinegar for a Stronger Immune System

Above: Photo / Adobe Stock

It seems as if so many of us have less robust digestion than we would like. Perhaps due to the “modern” mix of food types, or the high percentage of processed foods we consume, almost everyone would like to digest more easily and completely. Bitters, traditionally, contained a mixture of herbs and spices along with some alcohol, which acted as a preservative and enhancing agent.

As far back as the ancient Egyptians, who appear to have added herbs thought to contain medicinal powers to batches of wine. By the Middle Ages, distilled alcohol was combined with concentrated herbs and tonics. In the east, such as in China and India the use of bitter herbs goes back thousands of years beyond any exact recorded date.

Holiday Feasts Meet “Bitter” Antidote

In a fitting connection to todays US Independence Day celebrations, it was in the America of 1806 that the first “Cocktails” became popular – which was at the time concocted out of “bitters”, spirits, sugar and water.

In the present day it is the digestive benefits of the herbs themselves that have become popular often without alcohol at all, but rather purely as a medicinal digestive aid. Both in Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine, for over 3000 years, the benefits of herbal bitters was recognized and in wide usage.

Simply put, the herbs in digestive bitters aid digestion by stimulating bitter receptors on the tongue, stomach, gallbladder and pancreas. The internal reaction to these compounds is an improved digestive functioning through increased production of digestive juices such as stomach acid, bile and enzymes to breakdown food.

Digestive enzymes are essential to life and are naturally produced in our bodies and digestive system. Nutrients are processed into a state that allows us to absorb all the nutrients. Another role for enzymes is to protect us from pathogens in food.

Rather than adding to this process, for example by introducing additional enzymes, bitters stimulate the natural production that is already occurring in the body. In the case of our modern American diet, so lacking in traditional bitter tastes in general (the exception being the dill pickle in the hamburger, as the old joke goes) introducing these herbs, known for a bitter and yet somehow soothing effect, can actually produce far more natural stimulation of the digestive system than one might otherwise expect.

Click to Buy “Apple Cider Vinegar” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

In a personal anecdote, an associate known to the author has a mild case of Pancreatitis, one variation of which can be a chronic inflammation of the pancreas. The symptoms are an inability to digest due to a lack of enzymes normally produced by a healthly pancreas. The inability to digest can cause severe pain and can reoccur anytime a meal is taken. Needless to say, this is a serious problem for those who suffer from it. Unfortunately, there are no simple treatments available and, short of risky surgical procedures, only pain medications and intravenous feeding in a hospital are available as treatment. There is no cure, and it can be fatal.

Interestingly, in the case of our colleague, the bitters we describe below elicited an immediate, seemingly miraculous, recovery. No pharmaceutical drugs of any kind were involved. The recovery was within 24 hours and there has been no return of symptoms, as long as the bitters are used regularly.

While this seems wild, even far fetched, the secret may lie more in typical “modern” eating habits rather than in any superpowers unknown to mankind (remember bitters have been known and revered for thousands of years). Our friend admitted to a stressful period of time, before his condition first arose, when fast food and generally unhealthy eating habits were the norm for him.

While this is an extreme example, the idea that any of us, for example, after a large and tasty 4th of July BBQ celebration, might find ourselves in need of a boosted digestive performance, is anything but unlikely.

As discussed from the historical synopsis above, most traditional bitters contain alcohol, and while for many, this may be neutral ingredient, our colleague is allergic to anything alcoholic, so he sought out one alternative product that was alcohol free (Cider Vinegar Bitters from Urban Moonshine).

Cider Vinegar Bitters add an additional zing to the herbal mix

While the concept is amazingly simple: bitter flavors stimulate better digestion and are an important part of the spectrum of the human palate, the ingredient combinations can vary greatly. The examples shown below can be used as an example of two, not typical but very effective products.

Cider Vinegar Bitters

by Urban Moonshine Herbal Apothecary
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Burdock Root Extract
  • Ginger Root Extract
  • Dandelion Root Extract
  • Gentian Root Extract
  • Artichoke Leaf Extract

Better Bitters (classic)

By Herb Pharm
  • Orange Peel
  • Burdock Root
  • Anise Seed
  • Artichoke Leaf
  • Ginger Rhizome
  • Gentian Rhizome with Root
  • Organic Cane Alcohol

Usage Tips for Happiness in the Real World

Once this “bitter” remedy is in your “go to” arsenal of healthy antidotes to real world stress and the challenges of overindulgence, the problems you might have been experiencing could soon be a thing of the past. Best taken shortly before meals, Digestive Bitters, can be used to aid in digesting on special occasions, or as a part of an every-day health regime to reduce inflammation and stimulate better nutrient assimilation.

Although the anecdote above related to a particular disease (Pancreatitis), many more common, and less serious, conditions are also often reduced or eliminated through use of bitters, according to Dr. Shannon Sarrasin, ND: heartburn, gas and bloating, constipation, reduction of food sensitivities, possible reduction in sugar craving, less blood sugar irregularities, liver detoxification, and more.

Bitters are not recommended if you suffer from gastritis, stomach ulcers, gallbladder disease or kidney disease. As with any medicine or herbal supplement please consult a doctor or practitioner before using.

Read More:

Alternate day or Intermittent Fasting Diets – Can they improve Strength and Stamina?

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Books, Food and Cooking, Health and Diet, Lifestyle

Celery Juice: Easy Detox and Hydration and other Big Benefits

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic / Adobe Stock

Simple yet mighty green drink filled with many health nutrients

Looking for a way to kick-start your day? Since a lot of us are basically stuck at home due to COVID-19, starting the day on a healthy note could be much needed. Many are turning to an unlikely source: a cool cocktail of celery juice. Best known as a very low calorie, high-fiber stalk for chomping while dieting, the juice option for celery is catching on as a healthy, refreshing drink. 

Celery juice consists mainly of water, which can help in keeping your body hydrated. Staying hydrated and having adequate water intake is essential; proper hydration can help regulate body temperature, manage blood pressure and also supports gut and kidney health. 

Read More: Summer 2020: Top Eight Books for Ultimate Health and Wellness

According to the US. Department of Agriculture (USDA) FoodData Central a cup of celery juice holds the following nutrients:

Click to See Omega Juicer – Available on Amazon
  • Calories: 42.5
  • Protein: 2 grams
  • Carbs: 9.5 grams
  • Sugar: 5 grams
  • Fiber: 4 grams
  • Calcium: 8% of the Daily Value (DV)
  • Vitamin A: 7% of the DV
  • Vitamin C: 16% of the DV
  • Vitamin K: 74% of the DV

Long known as a low-calorie vegetable, it is also high in vitamins such as Vitamin A, K and C as well as being a source of potassium and, of course, the aforementioned high dose of fiber (even in juice form, apparently). Additionally, celery juice is said to be an anti-inflammatory agent and a contributor to gut health and ease of digestion. (And who doesn’t need that!). You can either DIY the juice with a home juicer or visit a juice bar.

The influence of Anthony Williams, the self-proclaimed pioneer of the celery juice movement, also known as the Medical Medium has been one contributor factor for celery juices’ newfound popularity.   Williams is an author of four New York Times bestselling books with a strong celebrity following, including Gwyneth Paltrow, whom posted on Goop about him.  On his site, he layouts the “miracles” of celery juices and how drinking sixteen ounces daily on an empty stomach can promote, heal and reverse many health related issues.

Below we have included some information from Williams book from the publisher as well as information on where to purchase if interested. Be safe and be well!

Medical Medium Celery Juice: The Most Powerful Medicine of Our Time Healing Millions Worldwide

Click to See ” Medium Medium: Celery Juice”
and Help Lynxotic and other bookstores.
Also Available on Amazon.

Celery juice is everywhere for a reason: because it’s saving lives as it restores people’s health one symptom at a time.From celebrities posting about their daily celery juice routines to people from all walks of life sharing pictures and testimonials of their dramatic recovery stories, celery juice is revealing itself to ignite healing when all odds seem against it. What began decades ago as a quiet movement has become a global healing revolution. 

In Celery Juice: The Most Powerful Medicine of Our Time Healing Millions Worldwide, Anthony William, the originator of the global celery juice movement, introduces you to celery juice’s incredible ability to create sweeping improvements on every level of our health:  Healing the gut and relieving digestive disorders, balancing blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, and adrenal function. Neutralizing and flushing toxins from the liver and brain. Restoring health in people who suffer from a vast range of chronic and mystery illnesses and symptoms, among them fatigue, brain fog, acne, eczema, addiction, ADHD, thyroid disorders, diabetes, SIBO, eating disorders, autoimmune disorders, Lyme disease, and eye problems. Also Available on Amazon.

Read More: Intermittent Fasting is not just a diet: it promotes weight-loss, detox and better health

So, skeptic or true believer, likely little harm can come from a dip in the celery juice oasis. Any testimonials or comments welcome.

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Lynxotic may receive a small commission based on any purchases made by following links from this page.