You Are Probably NOT Getting Enough of This Vitamin

What vitamin do we need in amounts up to 25 times higher than the government recommends, for us to be healthy?

What vitamin deficiency affects over half of the population, is almost never diagnosed, and has been linked to many cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic muscle pain, bone loss, and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis?

What vitamin is almost totally absent from our food supply?

What vitamin is the hidden cause of so much suffering that is so easy to treat?

If you guessed vitamin D, you're right!
  
Here is what several doctors have to say about this crucial vitamin:

Because vitamin D is so cheap and so clearly reduces all-cause mortality, I can say this with great certainty: Vitamin D represents the single most cost-effective medical intervention in the United States.

- Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, Medical Director, Penny George Institute for Health and Healing, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

I believe [vitamin D] is the number one public health advance in medicine in the last twenty years.

- Dr. John Whitcomb, Aurora Sinai Medical Center.

I would challenge anyone to find an area or nutrient or any factor that has such consistent anti-cancer benefits as vitamin D. The data are really quite remarkable.

-Dr. Edward Giovannucci, Vitamin D expert.

In all my many years of practice of medicine, I've never seen one vitamin, even vitamin C, have such profound effects on human health. 

- Soram Khalsa MD

15 Facts You Probably Never Knew About Vitamin D and Sunlight Exposure
 

Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. That’s probably because it’s free; your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin. Truth is, most people don’t know the real story on vitamin D and health.

1. Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from natural sunlight.

2. The healing rays of natural sunlight that generate vitamin D in your skin cannot penetrate glass. So you don’t generate vitamin D when sitting in your car or home.

3. It is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from your diet. Sunlight exposure is the only reliable way to generate vitamin D in your own body. Our bodies can produce vitamin D on their own when exposed to sunlight but the skin must be free of sunscreen, sun blocks and clothing, which all interfere with the process.

4. A person would have to drink 10 tall glasses of vitamin D fortified milk each day just to get minimum levels of vitamin D into their diet.

5. The farther you live from the equator, the longer the exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D. Canada, the UK and most US states are far from the equator.

6. People with dark skin pigmentation may need 20 to 30 times as much exposure to sunlight as fair-skinned people to generate the same amount of vitamin D. This is why prostate cancer is epidemic among black men—it is a simple but widespread sunlight deficiency.

7. Sufficient levels of vitamin D are crucial for calcium absorption in your intestines. Without sufficient vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium, rendering calcium supplements useless.

8. Chronic vitamin D deficiency cannot be reversed overnight; it takes months of vitamin D supplementation and sunlight exposure to rebuild the body’s bones and nervous system.

9. Even weak sunscreens (SPF 8) block your body’s ability to generate vitamin D by 95%. Sunscreen products can actually cause disease by creating a critical vitamin deficiency in the body.

10. It is impossible to generate too much vitamin D in your body from sunlight exposure: your body will self-regulate and only generate what it needs.

11. If it hurts to press firmly on your sternum, you may be suffering from chronic vitamin D deficiency right now.

12. Vitamin D is activated in your body by your kidneys and liver before it can be used.

13. Having kidney disease or liver damage can greatly impair your body’s ability to activate circulating vitamin D.

14. Even though vitamin D is one of the most powerful healing chemicals in your body, your body makes it absolutely free. No prescription required.
     

Impossible Pumpkin Pie - Healthy Version

 

This delicious nutritious pie is made with buckwheat flour instead of a white flour baking mix with zero nutrition.  And I think it is unbelievably better.  It forms its own crust, making it so easy to put together.  Although it is gluten-free, it will be loved by everyone. Top it with some organic whipped cream and this might be your new favorite holiday pie! 

Impossible Pumpkin Pie - Healthy Version (also GF)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch glass pie plate.

In a food processor bowl add:

2 cups cooked fresh pumpkin (canned whole pumpkin will work also)
1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla almond milk, or coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

3/4 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup buckwheat flour (or see tips below)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon or pie spice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Cover and process until smooth and creamy. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary to incorporate all of the dry ingredients.

Pour into the prepared pie plate and smooth evenly. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for about an hour until done. The pie should be firm- but still give a little when lightly touched. The center should not be wet. It will fall a bit as it cools.

Cool the pie on a wire rack completely. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Makes 8 slices.

This recipe was adapted from a Gluten Free Goddess recipe.  I think this is a wonderful website for gluten-free recipes.  Since I have been gluten free for a few months now it is nice to know I can have a healthy gluten-free pumpkin pie for the holidays.  I made this pie today and we loved it! 

Pumpkin Corn Muffins

 These are amazing! 

Pumpkin Corn Muffin Recipe

These golden muffins are tender and not-too-sweet. And, they reheat beautifully. They are great with soups and chili.  They are especially yummy when hot, with butter and maple syrup, for a sweet treat.  Just out of the oven they have a crispy top that is scrumptious. 

3 large organic free-range eggs

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup organic pumpkin puree

3/4 cup organic light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornmeal

1 cup Pamela's Ultimate Baking Mix or other gluten-free pancake and baking mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs till frothy, and add the oil; whisk to combine. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk well. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and Pumpkin Pie Spice and whisk to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the cornmeal, Pamela's Ultimate Baking Mix, baking powder, and sea salt.

Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, add the dry ingredients into the wet; and stir by hand just enough to make a smooth batter. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the twelve muffin cups.

Bake on a center rack in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or so, until the muffins are firm to the touch and golden. Check with a wooden pick, if necessary; if it emerges clean, the muffins are done.

Place the muffin pan on a wire to cool a bit- maybe five minutes- then remove the muffins from the tin and place them on the wire rack to continue cooling.

Serve warm.

Store leftover muffins (wrapped and bagged) in the freezer. Thaw and reheat by toasting or grilling.

Makes twelve muffins.

Recipe adapted from Gluten Free Goddess recipes.

There is no Junk Food. There is Food and there is Junk.

Case in point:  I just recently heard about the article by Karen Hanrahan back in 2008.  It's about a 12 year old McDonalds hamburger that looks virtually like it did when it was purchased.  Karen says in her post:

"This is a hamburger from McDonalds that I purchased in 1996.  That was 12 years ago.  Note that it looks exactly like it did the very day I bought it.  The flecks on the burger are crumbs from the bun.  The burger is starting to crumble a bit.  It has the oddest smell."

Here is her picture:

So, is this food, junk food, or a chemical concoction made to look like food?  I'll leave you to your own interpretation.

By definition, food is "any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc."  (from dictionary.com).  This burger seems to be anti-food in my mind, as I do not see how it could do any of those things.  In fact, I'm quite sure the body considers it an unnatural substance and has a hard time dealing with it.  

If you have watched the movie "Super Size Me", you can see what a steady diet of this anti-food can do and its not pretty!  In fact, its potentially dangerous.  My point with this is, that there is food (whole/unaltered/natural) that the body knows what to do with, and there is anti-food (altered/manufactured/processed) that is a foreign substance.  It takes a lot of your body's energy to deal with this anti-food which is providing little to no nutrition. 

You have a choice in how you feed your body.  Choose what will sustain life, provide energy, and promote growth.  I will be speaking a lot about whole foods and my recipes consist of whole food ingredients that are easy to prepare and taste great!   Stay tuned.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

I just could not let another fall day go by without talking about pumpkins and making something pumpkin in the kitchen.  Just the word pumpkin seems to evoke a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, with all the images it conjures of fall and harvest and food and thankful gatherings.

Truly, the first time you see a pumpkin patch each fall, dotted with bright orange orbs of all sizes, aren't you just a little giddy?  Our fall season is enriched in many ways because of the pumpkin.


Following the Fun Facts and the Nutrition Profile, you will find a fabulous recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Soup.  I think you will love it and it is so easy.  Try it out!

Fun Facts

Other common names for pumpkins are Field Pumpkin and Vegetable Mallow.  Pumpkin seeds are also known as pepitas. Pumpkin flowers are edible.  According to Wikipedia, canned pumpkin is often recommended by veterinarians as a dietary supplement for dogs and cats that are experiencing digestive problems. The high fiber content helps to aid proper digestion. Raw pumpkin can be fed to poultry, as a supplement to regular feed, during the winter to help maintain egg production, which usually drops off during the cold months.  Pumpkin for pet health.  I love it!

Pumpkins are an iconic symbol of the bounty of harvest.  They are native to the Western Hemisphere, it is believed.  In Colonial days, the pumpkin, or pompion as it was called, was an important food source and was crucial to survival through the hungry winter months.

Pumpkins and squashes of all sorts could be baked or roasted whole in the fire, cut up and boiled, or added to soup.  Did you know that if you pour milk in a hollowed out pumpkin and bake it, you will get pumpkin pudding.  I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to!

 An eighteenth-century pumpkin by Joseph Plenck.

 
Pumpkins are also very prominent in folklore and fiction.  Think of  jack-o-lanterns, the Great Pumpkin, Cinderella's carriage, the headless horseman in Sleepy Hollow, etc.

• "There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." -- Linus van Pelt in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Pumpkin Nutrition

Because pumpkins are one of our favorite holiday desserts in the form of pumpkin pie, we might not think of them as the nutritional powerhouse that they are.  Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, both the flesh and seeds of the pumpkin provide many health-boosting nutrients.  

 

Pumpkin is low in fat and calories and rich in disease-fighting nutrients such as:

• Alpha-carotene
• Beta-carotene
• Fiber
• Vitamins C and E
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Pantothenic acid

Health Benefits of Pumpkin

The alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants found in pumpkin and are pro-vitamin A carotenoids, meaning the body converts them to vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and ensures proper immune function. The beta-carotene in pumpkin may also reverse skin damage caused by the sun and act as an anti-inflammatory. Alpha-carotene is thought to slow the aging process and also reduce the risk of developing cataracts and prevent tumor growth. Carotenoids also boost immunity and lessen the risk of heart disease.

Pumpkin is an excellent source of fiber; one-half cup serving contains 5 grams of fiber. Fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol levels, protect the body against heart disease, control blood sugar levels, promote healthy digestion, and plays a role in weight loss.

The  vitamin C in pumpkin boosts immunity, reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, and regulates cholesterol levels. Pumpkin is also a good source of vitamin E which promotes healthy skin by protecting the body from sun damage and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and certain cancers.

The potassium found in pumpkin aids in balancing fluid levels in the body, promotes strong bones, is necessary for energy production, and helps to control blood pressure. Pumpkin is also rich in magnesium, which aids the body in hundreds of functions, including promoting a healthy immune system, contributing to bone strength, and normalizing heart function. Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5 is also found in pumpkin. Vitamin B5 help balance hormone levels and manage stress.

Pumpkin Seeds

While pumpkin flesh is nutrient-rich, pumpkin seeds also contain essential vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and are an excellent plant-based source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Here is a link to pumpkin seed recipes.

Pumpkin Recipes

Here is my giant pumpkin for today's fun!  Wish I had an heirloom pumpkin, but this one will do.  

 

All the ingredients for Spicy Pumpkin Soup are pictured here.  Other than cutting and cleaning the pumpkin, this is a very easy recipe.  And fear not, you can use canned pumpkin puree, if you're not up for using a whole fresh pumpkin.  However you will miss a lot of the fun if you just open a can!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp unsalted organic butter
• 2 medium yellow or purple onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin*
• 5 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)**
• 2 cups of organic milk (optional)
• 1 tsp sea salt 

(If soup is too spicy, add 1/2 cup cream to calm it down.  If you want it sweeter, you could add 1/2 cup of organic brown sugar)

To make pumpkin purée, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie it face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use.

Method

1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.
2 Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.
4 With the soup on low heat, slowly add milk if desired, while stirring to incorporate.  Add salt and adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add some cream to cool it down.

Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted pumpkin seeds.
Serves 8.

Well, I have a lot of this pumpkin left over.  Soon I will post more pumpkin recipes that are simple as well as simply delicious!

PS:  They are also all gluten-free, but don't tell the wheat-lovers and they will never know!

 

Skin Deep - A Guide to Safe Cosmetics from EWG

Skin Deep is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products, brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group.  You can search the site by product, ingredient or company.  Find out exactly what is in your skin care products.  You may be surprised!  As unbelievable as it may seem, personal care products aren't required to be tested for safety.  I think we should be as careful about what we put on our skin as we are about what foods we choose to eat. 

You can also print a Shopper's Guide to safe cosmetics here, and learn more about The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.

 
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/