The USDA is now advocating a plant-based, very low-fat diet. What can we do beyond writing letters? Here's a chance for you to help get the truth out.
I blogged about a fantastic documentary called "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet" in a previous post after I had a chance to preview an excerpt: http://carbwars.blogspot.com/2009/10/in-search-of-perfect-human-diet.html.
Some of the world’s leading scientists in human evolutionary nutrition were involved in this international endeavor, including:
• Dr. Loren Cordain (author of The Paleo Diet, Colorado State University)
• Dr. Michael Richards (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany -Department of Human Evolution)
• Dr. Jay Wortman (Inuit Diet research, Canada)
• Dr. Steve Phinney (Professor Emeritus of Medicine, UC Davis)
• Gary Taubes (New York Times science writer and author of Good Calories, Bad Calories)
• Dr. Michael R. Eades (author of Protein Power)
• Barry Sears Ph.D. (author of The Zone)
• Dr. Leslie C. Aiello (President, Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, New York)
• Robb Wolf (Research bio-chemist, author of The Paleolithic Solution)
• Professor Richard D. Feinman, PhD (Downstate Medical Center (SUNY) in New York)
• Professor Craig Stanford (Chair, Department of Anthropology, USC)
• Dr. Lane Sebring (Sebring Clinic, Wimberley, TX)
• Eric Schlosser (author of Fast Food Nation)
CJ Hunt, producer and host of the four-part series, is nearing completion, but he urgently needs your help. Your support will enable Hunt Thompson Media, LLC to finish the post-production work by November of 2010, and release it for the 2010 Christmas and the 2011 New Year's resolution season. For more information on the documentary series visit www.perfecthumandiet.com.
Donors of $100 or more will get a Special Edition DVD set and Film Credit for their support.
To make a donation click the Chip In button below or go to: http://www.chipin.com/contribute/id/b680640edbcc5238
"In Search of the Perfect Human Diet™" (Coming Fall 2010)
www.perfecthumandiet.com
This film evolved from our hosts’ true-life story, beginning when he was brought back to life at 24 after dropping dead while jogging. At 46 he had a pacemaker implanted, and was officially classified as handicapped. Rather than being deterred by these events, CJ was motivated to help create positive change in the world by seeking out and sharing innovative discoveries that could help us all achieve longer, healthier and happier lives.
THE PERFECT HUMAN DIET is a trademark of Hunt-Thompson Media/CJ Hunt III Productions, LLC. All rights reserved. © 2009 Hunt-Thompson Media/CJ Hunt III Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
OF MICE AND MEN AND THE USDA
Yesterday was a bad news day. It came from multiple sources, including this from AOL News: "USDA guidelines target 'unhealthy lifestyle'… 'the new guidelines call for a shift to a more plant-based diet…' "
Good Morning America went into more detail as to what we can expect from the next food pyramid due out later this year. In order to combat obesity, which the show's host called "the single greatest threat to health in this century," (at least she got that right) they are recommending that most of our diet should come from plants and that we should cut fat from the current 35% of calories down to 5 to 15% and limit saturated fat to 7% rather than 10%. More "healthy" grains, more fruit, more vegetables, and much less meat, fewer eggs, and less butter, fat, and oil. And they added this: low-carb diets may help you lose weight, but they are very unhealthful.
This is what a panel of "scientists" came up with? Are they all being blackmailed by Dean Ornish? Whoever these people are, they obviously have never studied human metabolism and they know nothing about nutrition and how hormones work. They are also ignoring plenty of new research in order to hang onto their beliefs. I feel like I've just been sentenced to spend another 5 years on the lunatic fringe.
I woke up today with a poem by Robert Burns on my mind. Some of his verses are below (translations in parentheses are mine). It is appropriate for a couple of reasons: I identify with the feeling of despair expressed in the last verse, but I also thought about the plight of the poor little mouse. The vegetarians claim that their way of eating is humane and ecologically responsible. But huge numbers of animals are killed in the process of growing plants for food and entire species are being wiped out by chemicals, pesticides, and pollutants used in farming. Even more are lost due to loss of habitat as forests, wetlands, and prairies are destroyed to make more room for agriculture. As a result, much of the Earth is being turned into wasteland. The descendants of the little mouse in the poem face much more destruction from modern farming practices than she did; it's just harder to see the damage from on top of a big, gas-guzzling machine.
To a Mouse, by Robert Burns
On turning up her nest, with a plough, November, 1785
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty, (You don't need to run away so fast)
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, (I would be loath to run and chase you)
Wi' murd'ring pattle! (spade)
I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me!
Good Morning America went into more detail as to what we can expect from the next food pyramid due out later this year. In order to combat obesity, which the show's host called "the single greatest threat to health in this century," (at least she got that right) they are recommending that most of our diet should come from plants and that we should cut fat from the current 35% of calories down to 5 to 15% and limit saturated fat to 7% rather than 10%. More "healthy" grains, more fruit, more vegetables, and much less meat, fewer eggs, and less butter, fat, and oil. And they added this: low-carb diets may help you lose weight, but they are very unhealthful.
This is what a panel of "scientists" came up with? Are they all being blackmailed by Dean Ornish? Whoever these people are, they obviously have never studied human metabolism and they know nothing about nutrition and how hormones work. They are also ignoring plenty of new research in order to hang onto their beliefs. I feel like I've just been sentenced to spend another 5 years on the lunatic fringe.
I woke up today with a poem by Robert Burns on my mind. Some of his verses are below (translations in parentheses are mine). It is appropriate for a couple of reasons: I identify with the feeling of despair expressed in the last verse, but I also thought about the plight of the poor little mouse. The vegetarians claim that their way of eating is humane and ecologically responsible. But huge numbers of animals are killed in the process of growing plants for food and entire species are being wiped out by chemicals, pesticides, and pollutants used in farming. Even more are lost due to loss of habitat as forests, wetlands, and prairies are destroyed to make more room for agriculture. As a result, much of the Earth is being turned into wasteland. The descendants of the little mouse in the poem face much more destruction from modern farming practices than she did; it's just harder to see the damage from on top of a big, gas-guzzling machine.
To a Mouse, by Robert Burns
On turning up her nest, with a plough, November, 1785
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty, (You don't need to run away so fast)
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, (I would be loath to run and chase you)
Wi' murd'ring pattle! (spade)
I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal! …
.
.
But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, (not alone)
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley, (often go awry)
An' lea'e us nought (and leave us nothing) but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e, (eye)
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna (cannot) see,
I guess an' fear.
.
.
Post Script: Dr. Robert Su, author of Carbohydrates Can Kill, posted a link where we can express our opposition to the proposed guidelines. You must write the agencies at http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/ before July 15, 2010 or you can testify at the public meeting on July 8, 2010. Tell them how eating a low-carb diet has affected your health and improved your quality of life. If we can do anything to avert this disaster, it's worth a try.
.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
Saturday, June 12, 2010
BREADLESS CRAB CAKES
When my husband travels on business, he frequently brings back the food section of the newspaper from the place he has been. He was in Washington DC this week so I got part of Wednesday's (June 9) Washington Post. The subject was crab. We became very fond of Maryland's famous blue crabs when we lived in the Chesapeake Bay area for a number of years. Sometimes we did the traditional thing: we covered the table with layers of newspapers, put a roll of paper towels in the middle, and enjoyed them in all their messy, succulent sweetness with corn on the cob and steamed new potatoes.
Sometimes we bought freshly-picked crab meat and made crab cakes. I've been trying to come up with a low-carb version for my old favorite recipe, but have never really been happy with the results. I could make them taste good, but they tended to fall apart and failed to get brown and crispy without flour and breadcrumbs. Much to my delight, my husband's gift contained a recipe for "Breadless Crab Cakes." I made a few minor changes, but I give full credit to David Hagedorn, Real Entertaining columnist for the Washington Post, for his easy solution to my problem, simply letting the crab mixture drain for a few hours.
I'm going to try these tonight, so I'll add a post script if I need to make any revisions. I will divide the recipe by 3 to make 4 crab cakes rather than 12, which should be perfect for the two of us. I will also replace the cilantro with more parsley. (I'm a super-taster and detest cilantro. I've been told that Julia Child also couldn't stand the stuff, which made me feel better.)
Note: Around here, Trader Joe's and Costco stores sell fresh crab in one-pound cans that can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time. Not sure how they do that, but it is very good, with large, meaty chunks of crab, and it is also relatively inexpensive compared to the fresh crab at the fish counter.
BREADLESS CRAB CAKES
The mixture can be made a day ahead and the cakes can be formed several hours before cooking.
3 pounds of jumbo lump crabmeat
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons powdered mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
6 scallions, white and light-green parts, finely chopped (¾ cup)
¾ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ a large jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (1 tablespoon)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1½ cups real mayonnaise
6 tablespoon olive oil (not extra virgin, which should not be used for high heat cooking) or nut oil
Go through the crab meat and pick out any bits of shell or cartilage, leaving the lumps intact as much as possible. Place the picked crab in a large bowl.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mustard, Old Bay, scallions, parsley, jalapeno, and cilantro to the bowl. Carefully fold in without breaking up the lumps of crabmeat.
Beat the eggs in a second large bowl, add the mayonnaise and mix well. Gently fold into crab mixture.
Place the crab mixture in a strainer and set over a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Discard the liquid.
Form the mixture into 12 cakes, using 4 ounces each. They should be 3 inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. (The original recipe suggests packing the crab mix into a 3-inch biscuit cutter to form the patties.)
Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 200 degrees.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers in the pan. Place half the crab cakes in the skillet and cook without moving them for 3 minutes or until the bottoms are well browned. Turn them over with a wide spatula. Cook for another 3 minutes until second side is brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and put in over to keep warm until the remaining cakes are cooked.
Wipe out the skillet and add the rest of the oil. Heat as before and repeat the cooking process. Serve warm.
Serving size: 1 crab cake
Nutrition*—Calories: 240, Protein: 22 grams, carbohydrate: 4 grams, fat: 15 grams, saturated fat: 3 grams, cholesterol: 130 grams, sodium: 730 mg, fiber: 0, sugar: 2 grams.
*These counts look a little high to me. I'll run them on my program and correct them if they are different.
Sometimes we bought freshly-picked crab meat and made crab cakes. I've been trying to come up with a low-carb version for my old favorite recipe, but have never really been happy with the results. I could make them taste good, but they tended to fall apart and failed to get brown and crispy without flour and breadcrumbs. Much to my delight, my husband's gift contained a recipe for "Breadless Crab Cakes." I made a few minor changes, but I give full credit to David Hagedorn, Real Entertaining columnist for the Washington Post, for his easy solution to my problem, simply letting the crab mixture drain for a few hours.
I'm going to try these tonight, so I'll add a post script if I need to make any revisions. I will divide the recipe by 3 to make 4 crab cakes rather than 12, which should be perfect for the two of us. I will also replace the cilantro with more parsley. (I'm a super-taster and detest cilantro. I've been told that Julia Child also couldn't stand the stuff, which made me feel better.)
Note: Around here, Trader Joe's and Costco stores sell fresh crab in one-pound cans that can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time. Not sure how they do that, but it is very good, with large, meaty chunks of crab, and it is also relatively inexpensive compared to the fresh crab at the fish counter.
BREADLESS CRAB CAKES
The mixture can be made a day ahead and the cakes can be formed several hours before cooking.
3 pounds of jumbo lump crabmeat
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons powdered mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
6 scallions, white and light-green parts, finely chopped (¾ cup)
¾ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ a large jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (1 tablespoon)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1½ cups real mayonnaise
6 tablespoon olive oil (not extra virgin, which should not be used for high heat cooking) or nut oil
Go through the crab meat and pick out any bits of shell or cartilage, leaving the lumps intact as much as possible. Place the picked crab in a large bowl.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mustard, Old Bay, scallions, parsley, jalapeno, and cilantro to the bowl. Carefully fold in without breaking up the lumps of crabmeat.
Beat the eggs in a second large bowl, add the mayonnaise and mix well. Gently fold into crab mixture.
Place the crab mixture in a strainer and set over a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Discard the liquid.
Form the mixture into 12 cakes, using 4 ounces each. They should be 3 inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. (The original recipe suggests packing the crab mix into a 3-inch biscuit cutter to form the patties.)
Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 200 degrees.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers in the pan. Place half the crab cakes in the skillet and cook without moving them for 3 minutes or until the bottoms are well browned. Turn them over with a wide spatula. Cook for another 3 minutes until second side is brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and put in over to keep warm until the remaining cakes are cooked.
Wipe out the skillet and add the rest of the oil. Heat as before and repeat the cooking process. Serve warm.
Serving size: 1 crab cake
Nutrition*—Calories: 240, Protein: 22 grams, carbohydrate: 4 grams, fat: 15 grams, saturated fat: 3 grams, cholesterol: 130 grams, sodium: 730 mg, fiber: 0, sugar: 2 grams.
*These counts look a little high to me. I'll run them on my program and correct them if they are different.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
WHAT'S LEFT TO EAT?
There was a story all over the news recently about a study reported in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association linking sugar to heart disease. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63J66220100421 As usual, the wording messed up the message when lead researcher, Dr. Miriam Vos, said, "Just like eating a high-fat diet can increase your levels of triglycerides and high cholesterol, eating sugar can also affect those same lipids." The study had nothing to do with fat or cholesterol, but they just can't seem to resist editorializing. Heaven forbid that anyone might think that a study showing that sugar is the cause of heart disease might mean that fat and cholesterol are not equally guilty. So now they are probably going to tell us we can't eat fat, cholesterol, salt, sugar (starch is also sugar), and of course we can't increase the amount of protein in our diet either. What does that leave?
There is a man in India who claims to have lived for over 70 years on nothing but air—no food, no water, just air. (Why does he need the air, I wonder?) Prahlad Jani, an 82 year old "breatharian," who says he hasn't eaten since 1940, claims to live on a "spiritual life force," and that a goddess feeds him a magical elixir through a hole in his palate. His claims are being tested by the Indian military who placed him in a hospital ward so he could be watched around the clock to see if he was telling the truth. The doctors reported that he was indeed not eating or drinking and that he was still doing well after 6 days. I suppose this kind of self denial is the next logical step for a society that favors vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. The observation period was supposed to last for a total of 15 days. I haven't heard the final outcome, but I'm not holding my breath.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
There is a man in India who claims to have lived for over 70 years on nothing but air—no food, no water, just air. (Why does he need the air, I wonder?) Prahlad Jani, an 82 year old "breatharian," who says he hasn't eaten since 1940, claims to live on a "spiritual life force," and that a goddess feeds him a magical elixir through a hole in his palate. His claims are being tested by the Indian military who placed him in a hospital ward so he could be watched around the clock to see if he was telling the truth. The doctors reported that he was indeed not eating or drinking and that he was still doing well after 6 days. I suppose this kind of self denial is the next logical step for a society that favors vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. The observation period was supposed to last for a total of 15 days. I haven't heard the final outcome, but I'm not holding my breath.
(C) 2010, Judy Barnes Baker
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