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10987654321

eISBN:978-1-62873-937-4

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataWarren,Beth,1984—

Living a real life with real food: how to get healthy, lose weight, and stayenergized,thekosherway/BethWarren,MS,RD,CDN.

pagescm

Includesbibliographicalreferences.

ISBN 978-1-62636-571-1 (alk. paper) 1. Natural foods—Therapeutic use. 2.Kosherfood.3.Reducingdiets—Recipes.I.Title.

RM237.55.W372014

613.2’65—dc23

2013034823

PrintedinChina

CONTENTSI. TheKosherReal-FoodDietFoundation

Chapter1:MyKosherSongChapter2:KosherorNotKosher?Chapter3:L’Chaim(ToLife)

II. YouAreWhatYouEat:ADetailedLookintoRealFoodsChapter4:Fat:TheTrueDefinitionChapter5:MeatandMilk:APredestinedMatchoranUnfaithfulUnion?Chapter6:GrainsandtheReal-FoodDietChapter7:FruitsandVegetables:HowtoChooseGoodProduceChapter8:Protein—QualityVersusQuantity

III. LivingaRealLifewithRealFoodChapter9:EatingOutandIntotheUnknownWorldofRealFoodChapter10:SupermarketSweep

IV. ApplyingWhatYou’veLearnedRecipes

NotesAcknowledgments

THEKOSHERREAL-FOODDIETFOUNDATION

“Itisamitzvah(commandment)foronetoconducthimselfwithgoodmeasureandgoodhabitsandtomaintainhishealthinordertobe

healthyandstrongfortheserviceoftheCreator,mayHebeexalted.”

—TheTur(acommentatorduringthethirteenthcenturyinSpainandthesonofthe

Rosh,ontheeleventhchapterinthebook,TheLawsoftheDailyConduct)

CHAPTER1

MYKOSHERSONG

WHYREALFOOD?

Thereal-fooddiet.Itsoundssimpleenough.Eatrealfoods.Unfortunately,lifeiscomplicated.Thesimplicitygotpushedbeneathallthe

clutterofinformationoutthere.Figuringoutthehealthiestfoodtoeatisharderthanlearningtousetheaptly

calledsmartphone.Supermarketsfeaturenumerousproductsanditisdifficulttonavigatethroughpoorhealthchoicestofindthefoodsthatareactuallygoodforyou.Moreisnotbetterwhenitcomestothefoodindustry.

Picturethis:Standinginthebreadaisle,youscratchhead,confused.Youaretrying tobe ahealth-savvy shopper andyet the food industry isnotmaking iteasy.Overwhelmed,youallowyourchild toplaythegame“eenymeenyminymoe”andvoila!LittleTimmypicksthebreadoftheweek.Withoutrealizingit,youleavethestorewiththeworstkind...youknow,the“enriched”(morelike“depleted”) white flour, high fructose corn syrup, fiberless bread that shouldreally be served as your dessert following dinner and not as a sandwichaccessory.

Packagedbreadisaclassicexampleofaheavilyprocessedfoodoftenmadewith too many unrecognizable and unpronounceable ingredients rather than abasic mixture of real food. This problem is exemplified by the abundance ofbrandsonthemarketthatproducesimilarpoor-qualityfoods—mimickingmoreoptions to theconsumer;but in reality, theyareall thesame,single,unhealthychoice.

Making“choices”liketheseandnotchoosingrealfoodisonemajorfactorintheriseofobesityinAmerica.It’sbeyondHouston...UnitedStates,wehaveabigproblem.

Afemaleclient,Laura1,cameforanappointmentonedaywithabagfullofempty food packages. An eighty-nine year old woman, Laura was living anorganic,real-foodwayoflifeforlongerthanIhavebeenalive.Iwashelpinghergain much-needed weight, despite the painful shadow of irritable bowelsyndrome(IBS) lurking inhereverybiteof food.Shewas teachingme, too—aboutrealfood.

Oneoftheplasticfoodpackagesshehadwasforpita,apocketedflatbreadthatisamainstayinmyMiddleEastern,Mediterraneanculture.

“Beth,I’vebeenbuyingthisbreadforweeksandjustrealizeditisnot100percentwholegrain!”Lauraexclaimed.

Knowing that she is not one to be taken for a nutritionally uneducatedconsumer,Iexaminedthepackage.Unsurprisingtome,itwasoneofthemostdeceiving foodproducts I have seen.Theydesigned thepackage tomakeyouthink it is the healthiest choice. Here is what was listed on the front of thepackage:

Organic:Althoughbetterforyourhealthinmanyways,itdoesnotmakeaproductautomaticallyhealthier(seechapter7).

WheatFlour:Thetermmakesyouthinkitiswhole-wheatflourbutitdoesnotsay“whole.”

100%Natural: The term “natural” is not Food andDrugAdministration(FDA)regulatedandcanmeananything.Petroleumgasis“natural,”butwouldthat make us eat it? Also, the 100% at quick glancemakes you think it wasstating “100%wholewheat,” a sign I tellmypatients to look foronhealthierproducts.

Fat Free, Sugar Free, FiberRich: All three are playing on fad diets byhighlightingtheonenutrient,butisthebreadasawholehealthy?

Thetermwheatflourintheingredientslistonthebackofthelabelconfirmsthat this is not, in fact, 100 percent whole wheat. Ultimately, there are better

whole-grainchoices.If an educated consumer and nutritionist had to look twice at a brand of

MiddleEasternBakeryPitaBread,whathope is there for thoseconsumersontherun?Mostofusgofoodshoppinginarush,comingfromorgoingtowork,withchildrenscreamingintheshoppingcart.Formanyofus,foodshoppingissimplyonetaskonaseeminglyendlesslistofthingstodoforthatspecificday.We need food packages to be designed simply, so that ifwe have only a fewseconds tograbbreadfromthebreadaisle,wegrabone thatwillhelpandnothurtourhealth.

Wishfulthinking?Perhaps.Itmaybetoobigofanundertakingtochallengetheentirefoodindustry,butwecantakecontroloverourfoodchoices.

Throughthisbook,Icanhelpmakeiteasierforyoutochoosefoodstoeattocreate a healthier you.Youwill receive guidance on how tomake your plate,whichfoodstoeatmoreorlessof,howtoeatrealfoodsoutofyourhome,andofcourse,howtoshopfor real foods.After following theadvice in thisbook,youwill noticemore energy, a clearer complexion, better digestive health andsleeppatterns,andotherlifestyleimprovements,inadditiontothescaleslidingdownwardinthebestpossibleway:continuously,slowly,andsteadily.

MYKOSHERSONG

Alongwithhelpingyoueatrealfoodforyourreallife,Iwillgiveyouaglimpseintomykosherwayoflife.FoodplaysanintegralroleintheJewishculture.Theimportanceoffamily,observanceofholidays,andfrequentcelebrationsallshareonethingincommon:goodfood.

Bornand raisedanOrthodox Jew, I amwhat I call a “mixbreed”ofbothSephardic(emigratedfromSpaintotheregionsofAleppo/DamascusSyriaandmyunionwithmarriageintotheMoroccanculture)andAshkenazi(RussianandEasternEuropean)ancestry.Asaresult,myculinarycuisinesareeclectic.FromsavoryMiddleEasternandEasternMediterraneandisheswithspiceslikecuminand allspice, exotic salads, and kosherMoroccan fish dishes, to classic heart-warming chicken soup, coleslawandpotato salads, I come toyouwith a tale,

andataste,oftwocities.Traveling back to the days in the old country of my Syrian heritage, the

conceptof real foodwas real life.ThepopularMediterraneandietwas trulyalifestyle.Itwasfrequentlyquotedforitsanti-inflammatoryandhealth-promotingbenefits includingweightmanagement, improvements in asthma and allergies,decreasedriskofParkinson’sdisease,rheumatoidarthritis,depression,pooreyehealth,oralhealth,andinfertility.Familieswalkedtothemarketbrightandearlyforthebestselections,boughttheirgrass-fedmeatandfish(delicaciesthatweretypically reserved for Sabbath meals on Friday night and Saturday lunch);purchased local fruits and vegetables and spices just picked from the fields;fermented their own wine, pickles, dairy and cheeses; and cooked their ownfreshdishesdaily.Infact,AleppoisfrequentlyreferredtoasHaleb,anArabicwordmeaning“Hemilks.”Theyatefamilymealstogetherandtookthetimetoenjoyeachother’scompanyandtheirfood.

Most Syrian dishes incorporated vegetables like okra, eggplant, potatoes,mushrooms,anddifferenttypesofbeans,lentils,andpeas(seechapter7).Wholegrains,likebulgur,wereincorporatedintohotandcolddishes(seechapter6).Avarietyof saladswasalsoamainstay ineachmealandwereheavily seasonedwith health-promoting spices (see Recipes). Families fermented and pickledmany foods; their own grape leaves, peppers, tomatoes, beets, turnips,cucumbers, and fresh olives soaked in myriad spices. They ate from proteinsources that included freshly made cheeses, commonly referred to as SyrianCheese,and themajorityof theirdairy intakecamefromplainculturedyogurtcalledLaban.

Lastly, the foodgroupwith the ominous dark cloudover it today—fats (atrue delicacy because it was not readily available and was expensive) wasconsumedminimally during the Sabbath, but thoroughly enjoyed. Cheryl, thewifeofacancerpatientIcounseledattheMorrisI.FrancoCommunityCancerCenter in Brooklyn, New York, loved her fat. One afternoon, I met with herhusband,aseventy-year-oldmale,Charlie,whohadpancreaticcancer.Iwincedatthediagnosissprawledinblackandwhiteonaforminsidehisfolder.Charliecametoseemeafterhehadcompletedanintensefour-monthchemotherapyand

radiationcycle that lefthimbothemotionallyandphysicallydepleted.Hewasbeginningaseven-weekrespiteandawaitinganupdatefromthedoctorsonwhattodonext.Itwasanopportunetimetofocusoneatingrealfood.

“Ourgoal,Charlie,”Ibegantosay,“istobuildyoubackup.”Hesmiledandperkedup.Finally,hefelthopeful.“Iknow!Lookatmylegs,Ilostallmymuscle!”hesaidwithachuckle.He

hadasoft-spokenvoiceandInoticedaforeigntwingetohisEnglish.“What’sdone isdone,” I continued to say. “The treatmentsmadeyou feel

thewayyoudo.Youcantakebackcontrolofyourlifebytakingchargeofwhatyoueat.Workwithwhatwecancontrol.”2

Ibeganwithmyendorsementofproteinsandhealthy fats. I spokeofhownecessarytheyaretoeveryone’sdiet—andhowespeciallycriticaltheyweretoCharlie’s. I could see a sense of understanding come over Cheryl’s face as Ispoke toherhusband.Cherylwasbornand raised inSyriaona real-fooddietthatchangedonceshemovedtoAmericainadulthood.

Cheryltoldusaboutherpastdiet.Sherememberedgoingtothemarketandpayingextramoneytobuythefatandbonesoftheanimals.Whatwouldnowbediscardedasscrapsweretreasurestoherfamily.Hermothercookedthefatandmade bone marrow broths. She concluded with what I often hear fromimmigrants: “And we didn’t know about these health problems we hear oftoday.”(Backthentheydidnotsuffermanyofthehealthproblemsoftodaysuchastherapidriseincancer,allergiesandasthma.)

Shocking, right?Theywere eatingwhatwewere told is unhealthy: foodshighinfat.Istheresomethingwe’remissing?

THEMISSINGPIECETOTHEHEALTHPUZZLE

Thereisapiecemissing,butitismostlyinourpuzzlenottheirs.Itiscalledrealfood.Tome,realfood isdefinedastheclosestthingtobeingfreshandwhole,minimally processed,G–d given, and available since biblical times. There aremanydefinitionsof“real,wholefood”andpeopleregularlydebatetopicssuchas “Which foods did the cavemen eat?” and “Is an only plant-based diet the

answer?”Throughout this book,my goal is to fly above the controversies.While I

intendtopresentbothsidestoeverydebate,Iwillexplainmytakeawayforyoutoincorporateintoyourreal-fooddietwithmykoshersealofapproval.HerearethefoodsIfitintothecategoryof“real”foroptimalhealth:

Grass-fedbeefandchickenPasturedeggsFermenteddairyWholegrainsPlant-basedoilsNutsSeedsFruitsVegetablesLegumes

Allpreferablyorganic,allwithkoshercertification to fit intomyreal-foodkosherdiet.

Thelistencompassesallfoodgroups.Allowmetorepeat:allfoodgroups.Restriction isnever theanswer tobetterhealth;but theemphasisonqualityoffoodsiskey.Acalorieisnolongerthoughttobejustacalorie.Grass-fedmeatensures the animals are not fed proinflammatory soy or corn, makes morevitaminDfromthesunlight,andthemeatishigherinotherfat-solublevitaminsand the anti-inflammatoryOmega-3 fatty acids.Quality proteins like pasturedeggscanbe20percenthigherinOmega-3fats.Thefermenteddairyincorporatesenzymesandnaturalprobiotics that feedourgutwithdisease-fightingbacteriaandhelpstopromoteeasierdigestionandimmunehealth.Asidefromreportsofbetter taste,organicproducehelpsminimize the toxic loadonoursystemsandthe environment. Whole grains maintain their nutritional quality of fiber, Bvitamins,iron,andmineralslikemagnesiumandselenium—andsomeevenhavemoreprotein,too.

Awell-balanceddiet,withvariety, freshness,andsatisfyingflavor, isnotanovelconcept,butisonethathasgottenlosttocontroversy.Inmypathtowardbetterhealth,Iexposedmyselftomanydifferentnutritionstyles.Likeatrendydress,Iworeadietuntilitwasnolongerinstyleandswitchedtothenextone.Ifell hard for the differentmantras: redmeat is evil, all carbohydrates are bad,don’teatalldayandeatonlyatnight,theneatalldayandnotatnight.Iwasleftlikemostofus:confused,exhausted,andgainingweight.Ididnotfeelhealthy.

Growing up, I loved all food, especially junk food. As a child, I lookedforward togoing todanceclassafter school.Myfriendsand Iwouldarriveatdanceclassforty-fiveminutesbeforeitstarted.Thefirstthingwedidwaswalkfivedoorsdownandintoa liquorstore.Not todrinkalcohol,ofcourse,but tobuythesnackbagsattheregister.Theeightofuswouldrunatabandbuyonetwenty-fourouncebagofchips.Iheaveddownmorethanmyshare,lickingeachfingerasthoughitwouldbethelasttimeIwouldtastethatflavor.

Inhighschool,Iwasintroducedtotheworldofdieting.Iwitnessedstudentsbringing a salad, a scooped out “bagel,” or nothing for lunch, and I heardfrequentcomplaintsofbeingfat.Mywayofbeingnutritiouswaseatingpretzelsandfriends’leftoversforlunchanddrinkingatleasttwocansofDr.Peppersodaduringtheschoolday.

Ialsobegantoexerciseduringhighschool.Itaggedalongwithmyfathertothe gym two nights per week and rewardedmyself with a Coca-Cola slurpeeafterward.OnenightasIgotmyfixandguzzledtheslurpeedown,Iremembermyfathercasuallymentioning,“Youknow,we justputall thathardwork intoburningcalories.”Thecommentsetthefoundation,inahealthyway.

“Ooohhh,” I thought, “it’s not only what you push out of your body, butwhatyouputinaswell.”Iwasvigorouslymissingtheotherhalfofhealth—thebetterhalf.

It was not until college that I became interested in nutrition as a science.SinceIwasanEnglishmajor,Ineededspecialpermissionfromtheheadofthebiology department to take an elective in nutrition. The professor askedquizzically, “Why does an English major want to take a science course?”—aquestionthatfollowedmethroughoutmycareer.

I answered, “Does a scientist not need to know English?” He signed thepaperwithnofurthercomment.Tome,Ineversawaconflict.

During that time, Ialsowenton theSouthBeachDietand,while Idonotsupporttheavoidanceofcarbohydrates,Ilearnedalotabouttheglycemicindexandtheeffectsofbloodsugaronone’shealth.Theseedsofhowfoodaffectsthebodywerenowplantedinmymind.

Throughout my continuing education for a master’s of science degree innutritionandworkinginthefieldasaregistereddietitian,Istrategicallyexposedmyself to different schools of nutrition thought. From the mainstream toalternative, I worked in a hospital setting, a nursing home, and with childrenwithAttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder(ADHD)andautism.Ifoundthateach had their own method of treating various diseases from a nutritionalperspective.Insteadofgettingcaughtupinthecontroversy,Isoughttofindthecommonthread—andIdid!Idid.

Thesecrettohealth—theonenondebatableconceptfromanymedicalpoint-of-view, isa simplemessage that is subduedby thechaosofwhatbecame theworldofnutrition:

Eatrealfood.

WhatifIweretotellyousomethingbrandnewhitthemarket?Amiracledrugthat can help with weight management, fatigue and trouble sleeping, andmanaging diseases like diabetes, cancer, IBS, emotional issues of stress andanxiety,inadditiontosymptomsofautismandADHD,arthritis,andacne.Thecost is low, and it’s always available andhasno scary side effects.Oh, and ittastesgreatandcomesindifferentvarieties,soifyoudon’tlikeone,youcantryanother.Wouldyoubethefirstpersoninlinetogetit?

Noneedtowait.Thismiracleisrealfood!

Throughouttheyears,we’vebecomea“pillpopping”society.Andwhilethereisaplaceforprescriptionswhenmedicallynecessary,toolittleemphasis,ifany,isplacedonthepoweroffoodasmedicine.Oneprudentexampleisinthecaseof

diabetes and the importance of managing blood sugar. Despite medications,bloodsugarcannotbeadequatelycontrolledwithout lifestyle improvements indietandexercise.

CLEANINGUPTHEDIET:THEFOUNDATION

Wecanhelpmanagemostdiseaseswith theanswers to thequestionsofwhat,why,when,andhowweeat.Ourfirststepistocleanupthedietandreplenishyourbodywithnourishing,realfoods.Theprinciple isnotonlywhatyoutakeout, likethefadsofgluten-free,sugar-free,fat-free,orcarb-free,butalsowhatfoods you add in their places. In short, it is about the diet as a whole—mydefinitionofawhole-foodsdiet.

Yearsago,ourancestorssimplyatemeatandplants.Theyphysicallyworkedoutside all day hunting animals and picking their own grains, fruits, andvegetables.

Hence,problemnumberone.

Fortunately, the United States provides us with a land of plenty—plenty ofopportunities, plenty of comfort, and plenty of ready-made food. Theunfortunatepart about it iswe lost thedefinitionof just that: food.Eating the“whole foods” of biblical days would leave our bodies fully nourished andhealthyandourmindsclearandfocused.

I’mgoingtotakeyoubacktothegoodolddaysofeatingrealfood,howG–dmeantittobeeaten,andmakeitfitintoyourreallife.Withoursmallchanges,the bigger picture of America will change from one containing an oversized,unhealthypopulationtoonefulloffitandfabulouspeople.

THEKOSHERSEAL:HOWTOREADTHISBOOK

Throughoutthisbook,Iwillsharewithyousevenstepstolivingareallifewith

realfood.Iwill takeyouinsidethedifferentfoodgroupsandteachyouwhichonesarebetterforyourhealthwithmy“kosherseal”ofapprovalversusfoodsthatareallaboutthehypeorarejustplainharmfulforyourhealth.Iwillwalkyouthroughtheaislesof thesupermarketandbeyourcompanionwheneatingoutsidethehomesoyoucanlearntoapplytheprinciplesofthereal-fooddiettoyour real life. Finally, wewill endwith threeweeks ofmeal plans and somedelectabledishes frommyownMiddleEastern/Mediterranean–stylekitchen toaddtoyourrepertoireofsimple,healthy,andreal-foodcuisines.

CHAPTER2

KOSHERORNOTKOSHER?

“Hehumbledyou,causingyoutohungerandthenfeedingyouwithmanna,whichneitheryounoryourfathershadknown,toteachyouthatmandoesnotliveonbreadalonebutoneverywordthatcomesfromthemouthofthelord.”

—Deuteronomy8:3

“AndtheLordspoketoMosesandAaron,sayingtothem,‘SpeaktothepeopleofIsrael,’saying,‘Thesearethelivingthingsthatyoumayeatamongalltheanimalsthatareontheearth.Whateverpartsthehoofandiscloven-footedandchewsthecud,amongtheanimals,youmayeat.Nevertheless,amongthosethatchewthecudorpartthehoof,youshallnoteatthese:Thecamel,becauseit

chewsthecudbutdoesnotpartthehoof,isuncleantoyou.Andtherockbadger,becauseitchewsthecudbutdoesnotpartthehoof,isuncleantoyou....’”

—Leviticus11:1-47

3kosher'kōSHərAdjective

(of food, or premises in which food is sold, cooked, or eaten)SatisfyingtherequirementsofJewishlaw.(ofaperson)ObservingJewishfoodlaws.

Beforeembarkingonyourexodusofeatingmostlyheavilyprocessedfoods,it will be helpful to learn about another exodus where more ideal dietarybehaviorwasreallife:thedaysofMosesandtheIsraelitesinthedesert.

ThefoundationoftheIsraelite,orJewish,dietiskosher.IusedGoogle.comtofindthedefinitionaboveandwassurprisedtoreadthedescriptionbecauseit

limitsthevastscopeofthekosherworld.Modern-day vernacular is a more apropos use of the word kosher. The

meaningextendsbeyondfoodandasareferencetoanything“pure”or“proper,”suchasthewaytohandleabusinessdeal,wearanoutfit,oractatwork.Asidefromkashrutstandards(asetofJewishdietarylaws),keepingkosherexpandstowaysweapproachhow,when,what, andwhyweeat, and intohowwe live arighteouslife.

Although kashrut guidelines can be found throughout the days of theforefathers—Abraham,Isaac,andJacob—theybecamewrittenlawpassedfromG–dtoMoses,theprophet,duringthedaysinthedesert.Sincethen,kosherlawstransformedintoahugepartofJewishlifeandsetstandardsonrealfood.

THEBIBLEANDREALFOOD

Welearnmanyrealfood,reallifelessonsfromamiraclefoodinthebible:themanna.AftertheIsraeliteswerefreedasslavesfromEgyptunderthePharaoh,G–dprovided themwith themanna toeat throughout the forty years travelingthroughthedesert.ThemannawasdescribedintheBookofExodusas“afine,flake-likethinglikethefrostonthegroundandwhitelikethecorianderseedincolor”(Exodus16:15).Somecommentariesreportrawmannatastedlikewafersmadewith oil.Others specify it tasted like honey to children, bread to adults,andoiltotheelderly.Israelitesalsogroundmannaandpoundeditintocakesorbakedit,resultinginaflavorofcakesbakedinoil.

We can learn from the Israelite’s daily routine of collecting the mannaquicklyfromoutsidetheirtentsbeforetheheatofthesunmeltedit.Theywereforbiddentocarrytheday’sportionintothenextday.Ifthemannawasleftover,it“bredwormsandstank.”

TheexceptiontothedailycollectionrequirementwasinpreparationfortheSabbath,dayofrest,whentheycollecteddoubleportiontocarryoverandeatthenextday (the introductionof theSabbathwas institutedat that time sinceyoucannotcarryanythingoutsidethehomeontheSabbath):

“ThisiswhattheLORDcommanded:‘Tomorrowistobeadayofrest,aholySabbathtotheLORD.Sobakewhatyouwanttobakeandboilwhatyouwanttoboil.Savewhateverisleftandkeepituntilmorning.”(Exodus16:23-24)

If only we can incorporate their dietary habits into ours: eat daily, G–dgiven, fresh foodsgathered fromrightoutsideourhomes (local farms) forourfamiliestoeat.

MANNAANDME

While Iwas in elementary school, I remember learning themanna tasted likeanythingyouwanted. I pictured a sceneout of themovieWillieWonka& theChocolateFactorythatintroducedthe“everlastinggobstoppers.”Ifgobstopperswere real, I’d think themannawouldhavesimilarqualities.Therewouldbeafew interesting limitations: the manna would not taste like fish, cucumbers,melons, leeks, onion, or garlic as stated in the book ofBamidbar, 11:5—“Weremember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; thecucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic”—becauseitwasthoughttobeunhealthyfornursingmothersandinfants,asRashi(Rabbi ShlomoYitzhaki, a medieval French commentator on the Talmud andTanakh[Hebrewbible])specified.

Theguidelinesforlivingarealkosherlifewithrealfoodcanbetracedbacktothedaysinthedesert.IstampmykoshersealontheIsraelitewayofeatingfresh, local foodsdaily;cookingandpreparingwhatG–dhand-delivered in itsnaturalform.Ialsoapprovethepotentialforfoodtotastelikewhateverwecancreateinourownkitchen.Ifitisnotfeasibleinyourreallifetoeatthisway100percent of the time, then aim for 80 percent. It will still have a significantpositiveimpactonyourweightandoverallhealth.

HowdidwelosesightofourG–dintendedmealplans?

Didyouknow?

Thenamesofboth the sugarmannoseand itshydrogenated sugaralcohol,

mannitol,arederivedfrommanna.Byextension,“manna”hasbeenusedtorefertoanydivineorspiritualnourishment.1

KASHRUT:THETECHNICALITITES

Asidefromtheguidelinesofakosherdietinferringhowtoeatandhowmuch,itisimportanttobeawareofthestringenttechnicalitiesofkashrut.

ANIMALMEATS

TheBiblestatesthatanimalsarekosherwhentheybothchewtheircudandhavesplithooves(Leviticus11:3).Kosheranimals includecow,ox, lamb,goat,anddeer.Havingonequalificationdoesnotconstituteakosheranimal.Specifically,the Bible mentions these unkosher animals: the hare, hyrax, camel, and pig.Unkosherbirdsareonesthatprey,fish-eatingwaterbirds,andbats.Kosherfowlarechicken,turkey,duck,goose,pigeon,andpheasant.

In the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, we are shown that anythingresidingintheseasandriversmusthavefinsandscalestobekosher(Leviticus11:9).Notkosherfishincludecatfish,swordfish,skate,sturgeon,monkfish,andmackerel.For themostpart, all “flyingcreeping things,” suchas shellfishandinsects,arenotkosher.(Therearefourexceptions,includinglocusts.)

Theproductofanyrituallyuncleananimalisunkosher,suchaseggs,jelly,and cheese derived from that source. The same principle applies to kosheranimals: their produce such as eggs (without blood present inside), milk, andmeat is, for themost part, deemed kosher. There are laws specifically timingwhentoeatmilkversusmeat,aswell.WealsolearnnottocombinemilkwithmeatfromtheBiblewiththisstatementinDeuteronomy,14:21:“Youshallnotboilakidinitsmother’smilk”(seechapter5).

Cheesesmanufactured todaymust have a hechsher, (see Kosher Symbolsimage)orakoshercertification,sincetheingredientscallfortheenzymerennetthatseparates thecurdsandwheyof thedairy tomakethecheese.Oftentimes,

rennet is derived from the stomach lining of an animal versus microbial andplantsources.

Gelatin,hydrolyzedcollagenfromthemainproteinintheconnectivetissueofanimals,isaningredientwithasimilarkashrutissuetotherennetincheese.Since it can be derived from the lining of pigskin, it has to have a koshercertification that shows thegelatincame fromakosher source, i.e.kosher fishskin.

BLOOD

Thekashrutlawsforbidtheconsumptionofbloodbecauseitindicates“thelife[being] in the blood.”As a result, themeat goes through a process known asMeliha.Thekoshermeatisfirstsoakedinwaterforahalfhourtoopenitspores.It isheavilysaltedonbothsidesandplacedonaslopedplankforonehoursothatthesaltcoveringdrawsbloodfromthemeatviaosmosisandthebloodcandrain.Finally,theShohet(seebelow)bangsoffthesaltandrinsesthemeatthreetimes.

Because there is toomuch blood in internal organs like livers, lungs, andhearts, these pieces are takenout of themeat before salting for optimal bloodremoval.However,thehindquartersofnonfowllivestockarestrictlyforbidden,unlesscertainveinsandfatdepositsareremoved.ThisisareminderofthetimeJacobfoughtwithEsau’sguardianangelandwashurt in thatareaof thebody(Genesis32:33).

Prohibitions against eating pork, shrimp, shellfish, and many types ofseafood,mostinsects,scavengerbirds,andvariousotheranimalsareforbiddeninakosherdiet.

RITUALSLAUGHTER

Theprocessofhowtoslaughterananimalispaidcloseattention.Themandatorydetails were created to ensure the animal dies instantly without unnecessarysuffering.

OnlyatrainedprofessionalwhoisknowntobeapiousJewandobservestheSabbath, called aShohet, is allowed to perform the slaughtering process. Thelarge,razor-sharpknifeisinspectedbeforeeachslaughteringtoensurethereare

noirregularitiestocircumventtheslaughter.Otherwise, theentiremeatwillbedeemednotkosher.

The Talmud (the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legendcomprising theMishnah [text] and theGemara [commentary]), later specifiedlawsabouttheconsumptionofanimalsdyingfromdiseases.Asaresult,thefinalprocessafterritualslaughterincludestheneedfortheentireanimalmeattobechecked to ensure seventy different indicators, such as blemishes or scars, arenot present. A blemish may indicate problems with the animal, such asinflammation, which may be passed on to the individual. The final step ofchecking the meat (especially the lung for any strings attached to it or theslightest hole or scar) is what entitles a cut of meat to be “glatt” kosher, aYiddishwordmeaningsmooth.

KEEPINGKOSHERANDHEALTHY

Being born and bred in the kosherworld, I eyewitnessed the evolution of thekoshermarket.Iknowthatjustbecauseaproducthasakoshersymboldoesnotmeanitisautomaticallyhealthier.

Unfortunately,likemostaspectsoftheAmericandiet,thekosherwayoflifetraveled far from its real-food origins of the Israelite days in the desert. Yet,certain kashrut laws place greater emphasis on some foods, like glatt koshermeat,settingthematahigherhealthcaliberthanothernon-koshervarieties.

Ultimately,thereasonwhyJewishpeoplekeepkosherissimple:becauseG–dsaidso.But,theRambam(MoshehbenMaimon,calledMosesMaimonides,apreeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the most prolific andfollowedTorahscholarsandphysiciansoftheMiddleAges)venturestoshareinhis book, Guide to the Perplexed (3:48), a surprising theory to explain therational basis for the Torah’s dietary laws: “Imaintain that the foodwhich isforbidden by the Law is unwholesome.” However, there are modern-dayprocessingmethods thathavemadepoorchoicesoutofmany inherentkosher,healthierones.

I stamp my Kosher Seal of Approval on living a kosher life, in general,becauseitcanfocusyourpathtowardbetterhealthintheseways:

1. Iteliminatesabout30percentoffoodproductsfromthemarketandallowsyoutofocusonfeweritemstomakeamorehealthfulchoice.Thesedays,weare facedwithanoverwhelmingamountofproductsshadowinghealthierchoicesthatonlymakeasmartchoicemoredifficulttomake(seechapter10).

2. Sinceyouareinspectingafoodpackageforkosheringredientsandahechsher(koshersymbol),itencouragesyoutoreadfoodlabels.

3. Becauseofallthelawsyoureadabout,keepingkosheralsoteachesyouasenseofdisciplinewhenitcomestohowtoeatandwhentoeatandacclimatesyoutosayingnotosomefoodchoicesbothinsideandoutside the home—apractice essential to living a real-foodwayofreallife(seechapter9).

4. It isvital tounderstandthat foodswithakoshersymboldonotmakethemautomaticallymorehealthful.Inthecomingchapters,Iwillshowyouhowtosift throughvariousfoodstofindthehealthychoicesamongstkosherrealfood.

CHAPTER3

L’CHAIM(TOLIFE)

“G–d,ThouhastappointedmetowatchoverthelifeanddeathofThycreatures:hereamIreadyformyvocation.”

—Maimonides,OathforPhysicians

In thekosherworld, it is customary to enda toastwith the salute “L’Chaim!”(“To life!”) It is common to approach dietary changeswith a primary goal oflosingweight.Duringpatientassessments,Ioftenfindtheirissuesareaffectingotherareasinadditiontotheirweight.Theymaynotbesleepingwell,theymaylackenergy,feeldepressedandanxious,orexperiencegastrointestinalissueslikeconstipation.Youwill quickly come to realize through the following chaptersthatincorporatingrealfoodsintoyourreallifesurpassesadesiretosolelyloseweightandallowsyoutoreachtheultimategoal:tohaveagoodandhealthylife—atruetestamentto“L’Chaim.”Think:Eatrealfood.Liverealchange.

Headingintoanydietarychangeswithyour“Ineedtobeskinny”footwillsetyouupforlongtermfailure.Instead,adoptmymantra:“It’snotaboutbeingskinnyoroverweight, it’saboutbeinghealthy.”Puttingtheemphasisonhealth—a positive message—and not the desire to be super skinny lifts an intensepressure that ties toomany negative emotions to eating. Any extreme caloriecuttingdietwould result inweight loss,butdoes itmakeyouhealthier?Whatyouneedtomakeisreal-world,lifestylechangesforoverallbetterhealth,withweightlossasawelcomedcorollary.

Ifyoufeeloverwhelmedasyoureadon,repeatmymantra.Takecomfortinknowingyouarenotgoingonanotherfaddietthatisrestrictive,temporary,anddepressing. Personally, I cringe when I hear patients say the word diet. Eventhough theGreek language interpretsdiet as simplyawayofeating, theword

hascometoloseitsinnocence.Nowadays,“dieting”setsoffalarmbellsinyourmind.Yourbody reacts bygoing into lockdownmode. I can envision a scenesimilar to a bank robbery with iron gates crashing down in the vault whileoverwhelming panic and claustrophobia creeps over you.There is noway theanxiousfeelingscanlastfortherestofyourlife.Asaresult,whateverrestrictiveeffortyouinvestistemporary.Allthefutilehardworkleavesyouunhappyandunhealthy.

THEREAL-FOOD,REAL-LIFEDIET

Iwouldliketobeginbysuggestingyouobliteratethemisconceptionoftheworddiet fromyourmind. Instead,wewill restore the true terminologyasawayofeatingbyexploring the real foodsyou should fit intoyour real life.What thatmeansisthatyoushouldaimtoeatthewayIamgoingtodescribe80percentofthe time.Noone isaskingforyou tobeperfect; rather, thegoal is tobemoremindfulofyourdiet.(Remember,theworddietnowmeans“awayofeating”!)

These lifestyle changes pave the way for permanent benefits in not onlyweight loss, but improvements in energy, mood, sleep, skin, and other areas.Start by taking the pressure off the need to be skinny and instead think aboutbeinghealthy.Youshouldalreadyfeelweightliftoffyourshoulders.

THEREAL-FOODDIETFOUNDATION

Iwill break downmyway of eating a real-food dietwith these seven simplesteps.Thinkofthemasthefoundationoftheplan—aprecursortomorespecificsabout theactual foodchoices in thecomingchapters. JustasG–dgaveMosestheTenCommandments,IamprovidingyouwithmySevenCommandmentsonhowtofollowmyreal-fooddiet.Whenindoubt,or inanysituationwhenyouarenotincontrol,resortbacktotheseguidelines:

StepstoLivingaRealLifewithRealFood:

1. Eat real food (minimallyprocessed)aboutevery threehoursduring

theday(nolessthantwohoursafteryouatepreviously,nomorethanfourhoursapart).

2. Designyourlunchanddinnerwiththeplatemodel:one-quarterhigh-qualityprotein,one-quarterwholegraincarbohydrates,andhalfnon-starchyvegetables.

3. Forbreakfastandsnacks,alwaysthinkproteinandfiber.4. Keepadailyfood,hunger,andmooddiary.5. Moveit—aminimumofthirtyminutesperday!6. Getsixtoeighthoursofqualitysleeppernight.7. Drinkup!(Water,thatis!)

STEP1:EATEVERYTWOTOTHREEHOURS

Celia,onherfirstvisit,workedwithmetomapoutamealplanofrealfood.Herformerdietconsistedofdrinkingcoffeethroughouttheday,grabbingayogurtonoccasion,eatingdinner,andmunchingatnight.Afterthemealplanwasneatlyorganized,shelookedat itandremarked,“This isa lotoffood.”FearsetoverherandCeliathoughtshewouldgainweightasopposedtohergoaloflosingit.

Afterbeginningtoeatthereal-foodway,Celiarealizedshewaspreviouslyfallingshortofhercalorierequirementsforthedayandovereatingatnight.Herbodywasmostly inconservationmode,storinghercalories insteadofburningthemforenergy.Celia’smetabolismwasatastandstillandneededtoberevvedupbyschedulingwhentoeat.

Despitewhatyoumaythinkabouttheplanatfirst,youarenotmeanttoeatmorecaloriesthannecessary.Rather,youshouldeatfewer,morenutrient-densecalories in multiple sittings, spread over the course of the day, in a moresatisfyingandefficientway.Youwillcometolearnthequalityoffoodmattersintheoverallcontextofquantity.

Afterafewweeksfollowinganeatingroutine,youwillbeattuned to,andtrusting of, your natural hunger and satiety cues. In fact, the Rambamwrote,“Oneshouldeatonlywhenhe ishungryanddrinkonlywhenhe’s thirsty. . . .Oneshouldnoteatuntilhisstomachisfullbutshouldrathereataroundaquarter

lessthanhisfill”—anartofeatingbehaviorwewillaccomplishafterbeginninganeatingschedule.

Imagine this: Your body is like your newborn baby. Here you are,responsibleforthispreciousbeing,feelingasenseofloveandinherenturgetoprovidefornecessities.Youwouldneverthinkofsellingitshortwithfoodsthatarelowquality.

Furthermore, ababy thrivesona schedule, just likeyourbody.Yourbodylovestoknowwhenyouaregoingtoeat,allowingyourmetabolismtoworkatfull capacity by trusting that it will get the food it needs on time. Yourmetabolism is moving, your hormones are balanced—namely insulin (whichpullssugarfromthebloodandintothecells)andcortisol(the“stress”hormone)—yourbrainissteadilyfueledandyouarehappyandcontent,mindandbody.Ifyouskipmeals,thenyoufalloffschedule,becomingcrankyandunhappylikeababywhodesperatelyyearnsforconsistency,insideandout.

Yourgoalistoeatabouteverytwotothreehours,whichhelpskeepyoufullandsatisfied.Studiesshowthatkeepingyourinsulinhormonesincheckallowsfor optimal weight control and health.With breakfast, it is best to start yourmetabolic clock and eat within one hour of waking. After the natural six-toeight-hour overnight fast while you sleep, your body goes into conservationmode. The opportunity to “clean your internal engine” is welcomed by yourbodyasabreak fromeatinganda time to fulfillotherprocesses including thebreakingdownofglycogen, the storage formofcarbohydratesand,ultimately,fats.Asmuchaswewouldlovetolosefat,rememberthatfatsarealsoasourceofenergyinthebody(seechapter4“Fats:WhyWeNeedThem”).Thelossofyourbody’ssourceforenergy,namelyglucose,protein,andfatscausestheliverto make its own sugar through a process called gluconeogenesis. It is awonderful survival instinct that ensures your brain is fueled at times ofstarvation.

Anotherbyproductofconservationmodeistriglycerides,analternatesourceofenergywhenneeded.Thefattakesadvantageofthetimewithoutglucosetomake as many triglycerides as possible since your body cannot both maketriglyceridesandtakepartintheuptakeofglucosewhenyoustarteatingagain.

Thelongeryoukeepyourbodyinstarvationmode,themoretriglyceridesyourbodycreates...notagoodthing.

Therefore, it is important tostop thestarvationprocesswhenyouwakeuponanormalmorning soyoucanbeginburning calories, not conserving them.Fueling yourself as fast as possible ignites the fire in your metabolism andprovidesyourmuscleswithmuch-neededproteintoswitchintorecoverymode.Otherwise,youwillcontinuebreakingdownproteinsfromyourmusclessothebodycanusethem.Similartohowafetusisnourishedinsideawomb,ifyoudonotsupplyyourbodywithfood,itwillgetitsrequirednutrientsevenifithastopullthemfromyourmuscles,bones,vitaminstores,andotherplaces.

IstampmyKosherSealofApprovalonstartingthereal-fooddietbyeating

within one hour ofwaking up and nomore than four hours, no less than twohours,followingthepreviousmealorsnack.

REAL-FOODSNACKATTACK

Following breakfast, eat a nutritious snack within two to three hours. Forexample,ifyoueatbreakfastat8a.m,thenyoushouldeatasnackabout10:30a.m.Asnackisanutritiouspowerpunchthatkeepsyourhormonesatbay,yourmetabolismmoving,andpalatesatisfied.Ideally,itconsistsofrealfoodswithaprotein and fiber combination that fall within the 100–200 calorie rangedependingonthequalityoffoodandyourdailycaloricneeds(seeSnackIdeas).It is not that other snack food options are forbidden, but to encourage yourconsumptionof quality real foods, you are allottedonly theonenon-real-foodsnack.Forexample, ifyoudecide to indulge ina100-caloriesnackpack, thenthat is all you should consume in that sitting. You shouldn’t look for anotherfood to add another 100 calories because those non-real-food calories aremetabolizeddifferentlythanrealfoods.

Thenext time tohavea snack isbetween lunchanddinner,alongwithanoptionalafter-dinnersnackifyouhaveahabitofthenighttimemunchies.Thisshouldalwaystakeplacewithinthetwo-tothree-hourwindowtimedfromwhenyouatepreviously.

Eatingatpredestinedtimesmayfeelmethodicalatthestartoflivingareallifewithrealfood,especiallyifyouarenotaccustomedtosnackingduringtheday.Ihavepatientsthatgoasfarassettingremindersontheirsmartphonesthatblinkthewarning,“Timetoeat!”Youcanalsoengageasupportivefriendtocallandverbalize“Eatnow.”Whateverworksforyou,stayingontopofyoureatingtimesisthefirststeptolivingareallifewithrealfood.Aftereatingonetotwoweeks on a schedule, itwill begin to feelmore habitual and true to your realworld,sostickwithit!

STEP2:USEAPLATEMODEL

Being a plate designer is not only for the artsy type. The palette is simple,realistic,andessentialtowell-balanced,real-foodliving.Thewayyoufillyourplatewithfoodisonemethodyoucancontrolbothinandoutofyourhome,soyoucanalwaysfallbackonit(seechapter9).

HOWTOMAKEYOURPLATE

Simplyswitchingfromatwelve-inchtoanine-inchplatewasshowninastudyto reduceyour total calorie intakeby20 to22percent.2 Imagine a dotted linedividing the portions on the nine-inch plate: one-quarter lean protein, one-quarter whole grains and starchy vegetables, and half non-starchy vegetables(seeMy Kosher Plate on the next page). Set the entire plate with each foodgroupand takeaminutebeforeeating to soak in thecolorfulpalette,aromaticsmells,andanticipationofyourmeal.Thisfallsinlinewitharabbinicalmandatetomakeablessing toG–dbeforeeatingwhile focusingon thedelicious taste,texture, and color of the food.With eachbite, chew slowly andput your forkdowninbetweenbites.Use thedesignforboth lunchanddinnermeals, insideandoutsidethehome.It’sthatsimple.Thewebsitewww.MYPLATE.govcameup with a similar concept and replaced the more confusing MyPyramid(www.MyPyramid.gov),whiletheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealthcreatedonewithfurtherspecificsontypesoffood.

The concept of the plate model takes into account multiple nutritionstrategiesforweightmanagementandbetterhealth.Firstly,itbalancesthefoodgroups,whichhelpstomaintainyourbloodsugar,factoringinthescienceoftheglycemicindex.Thearrayofcolorfulfoodgroupsdisplayedalsoensuresyouareconsumingavarietyofnutrients,vitamins,andminerals.Finally,thecontrolledportionsareensuringyouarenotovereatingsinceyourcaloriesareincheck.

I received immediate feedback frompatientswhowere concerned that thesize of their regular plates and portions were unquestionably more than thismodel.Theyworriedaboutbeinghungryaftereatingoneplateoffood.Iadvisethatifyouwanttogoforasecondhelpingoffood,besuretowaitaminimumoftwentyminutes. It takes time for yourmind to get the hormonal signals from

yourbellythatyouarefullandsatisfied.Cholecystokinin(CCK),forexample,increases your sense of fullness during a meal. Leptin is another hormoneproducedby fat cells that enhances fullness.Leptin is also an adiposity signalthatinteractswiththebrainaboutthebody’sneedsandsatiety,dependingontheenergy stores. Some research shows leptin amplifies the CCK signals, whichamplifies the feeling of fullness. Other studies suggest that leptin alsocommunicates with the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain to create afeelingofpleasureaftereating.

Thinkaboutanold-fashionedwalky-talkysystem.You’reatoneendofthereceiverandyourfriendisrunningashortdistanceaway,holdingtheotherendofthereceiverandwaitingforthesoundofyourvoicetocomethrough.Ittakestimeandyouneedtolistenveryclosely.Whilewaitingafteryourfirstplate,sipwater,getupfromthetable,talktoafriendonthephone,enjoythecompanyofwhomeveryoumaybeeatingwith,orkeepyourselfbusywithsomethingelsetotakeyourmindoffeating.Ifyouaresincerelyhungryafterthetimehaselapsed,takemorevegetables.Beingmindfulnotto“overstuff”yourstomachatamealcanbetracedbacktotheTalmud,whichteaches,“Eatathird,anddrinkathird,andleavetheremainingthirdofyourstomachempty.”3

There is away to release thehormone leptin’s “stop eating” signals fasterfromyourbelly, aside fromsimplywaiting.What I reference is a truemiracleworkerthatactuallyexistsinmostrealfood:fiber.Amongaplethoraofbenefits—including aiding digestion, balancing blood sugar, and helping to lowercholesterol—fiberhelpsfoodtravelfastertoyourgut,whichtriggersthehungerandsatietysignals.4Oneof themost studiedsignals isCCK,which releasesasenseoffullnessand,therefore,decreasesthesizeofthemeal.5Thefasterthosemessengers are dispatched, the quicker your brain receives the signal that youarefullandsatisfied.

Speeding up satiety signals is one reason why I recommend consumingvegetables first, as they are high in fiber.Vegetables also take longer to chewand, therefore, allowmore time foryourbrain toget the satietymessageonasecondfront.Also,vegetablesarenutritiousanddelicious,soyoumaynotwanttoconsumemorecarbohydrates—thelastfoodgrouptobeeatenoffyourplate—once your hunger is satisfied. If you consume the food with carbohydratesfirst, theybreakdownquicker intosugaranddonot takeasmuch time toeat,even if you are getting some fiber from your ideal whole-grain options. Thishelpsexplainwhyyoumayquicklygo forasecondhelpingofa refinedpastadish after eating one bowl. Who knew that this order of eating follows aguidelineoftheRambam?“Oneshouldalwaysbeginwiththelighterfoodandfinishwiththeheavier”(LawsofUnderstanding,4:2).

I stampmyKosherSeal ofApproval on eating your vegetables first, thenprotein,andfinallystarchyfoodsateachmealononenine-inchplate.

STEP3:THEREAL-FOODCOMBINATION

Therearefaddietsofthepastthatexploitvariousfoodcombinationstoachieveunfounded claims of weight loss. However, combining foods in line with aconceptcalledtheglycemicindex(GI)hassolidscientificevidencebackingitsbenefits on blood sugar and hormones. The indexmeasures how quickly 100gramsofafoodcausesaspikeanddropinbloodsugar.Theconceptisdifficultto implementby itsdefinitionalonebecause therearemany factors that affecttheGI.

AREAL-FOODNOSH

Asimpler,real-lifeGIprincipleyoucanincorporateintomyreal-fooddietisinthecombinationoffoodgroupsinyourmealsandsnacks.Thegoalistobalanceyourbloodsugar,hormones,hungerpangs,andweight.

Implementingtheplatemodelinthelunchanddinnerdesignisonewaytoaccountfortheaffectofafoodonyourbloodsugar.AnotherwaytointerweavetheGIprinciplesintoyourreal-fooddietisthroughyoursnackdesign.Myidealsnackisacombinationoffoodswithproteinandgood-qualitycarbohydrates.

I find many people do not understand what happens when carbohydratesenter the body. Some diets like Atkins and the South BeachDiet, mistakenlydeclared carbs as evil and advised avoiding them altogether in the short orlongterm.Understandingtheintegralfunctionofcarbohydratesinsideyourbodywouldquicklyobliteratethesemisconceptions.

Foodswithcarbohydratesstartbreakingdownintosugars,namelyglucose,once they enter the mouth; glucose then becomes a supply of your body’sprimarysourceofenergy.Youdonothavetoconsumecandytoconsumesugars.By eatinggood-quality carbohydrates, you are givingyour body the source ofsugar it needs in a healthierway.Thewordcarbohydrate is not a stand-aloneword to describe a food. It is a chemical property, or nutrient, in a food. Theaccurate way to refer to carbohydrate (commonly called carbs) is through adescriptionofwhat’sinafood.It’smoreaccuratetosaythatyou’reeatingfoodswithcarbohydratesthantosayyou’reeatingcarbs.Clearingupthedefinitionsofrealfoodinyourmindwillhelppavethewayforlivingrealchange.Carbsarenot the weight-loss enemy. On the contrary, foods with carbohydrates are alongtermlifestyledietsavior.

Theproteininfoodswillhelpyourinsulinmanagetheinfluxofsugarintheblood. Think of the protein as an anchor attached to the sugars in your food,slowing its release. Without the drastic spike and drop in blood sugar afterconsumingfoods,yourhormoneinsulinisabletokeepupwiththeoutpouringofsugar and carry it from the blood to your cells to be utilized as energy at asteady,controlledpace.Bycombiningproteinwithcarbohydratesandfiber,your

metabolismisrunningonstress-freecruisecontrolwithminibumpsintheroadto keep it in check, instead of a hormonal burst slamming on the accelerator,followedbyacrashinsheermetabolicexhaustionfromtherapidinfluxoffood(seeSnackIdeas).

BREAKFAST

Thebreakfastmealfollowsthesameprinciplesasyoursnack.Thedifferenceistodoubleyourportionofprotein. Inotherwords,your snacksaredesignedasminimealsorhalfmeals.

Asmentioned,yourbody iscravingqualityprotein to replenish itsmusclestores when you wake up. Good sources of protein are foods like eggs andlegumes(Seechapter7).Foodshigh inproteinalsokeepyousatisfied.As forfoodswithfiber,theycanaccountforaservingofwholegrainsorahalfafruitserving: a slice of 100-percentwhole-wheat bread or a half-cup of berries aregreatchoices,forexample.

IstampmyKosherSealofApprovalonchoosinghigh-qualityproteinandfiber real-food combinations in your snacks and a similar combination, withdoubletheportionofprotein,inyourbreakfastmeal.

STEP4:WRITEITDOWN!

Theclincher at the endof allmyconsultations is a pieceof paper thatmeansmore than thewordswritten on it: Food Journal. Typically, the reaction is aninvoluntarysigh.Ontopofall thereal-foodtipsyou just learned, itmayseemdifficult to keep a food journal, too. I urge you towrite down the answers tothesequestionsaboutyourdailyfoodintake:who,what,when,where,why,andhowmuch?

Whowereyouwith?Wereyoueatingalone?Whatwereyoueating?Where were you eating? In the car, at home, at your desk, at a

restaurant?Atwhattimeofdaywasthemealorsnack?Howmuchofaparticularfoodwereyoueatingateachsitting?Whywereyoueating?Wasitbecauseyouwerehungryorbored?

Thesequestionsmayseemobviousinafoodjournal,butIaddthecolumnsfor mood and hunger scales, as well. Frequently, a passion to lose weightsuccumbs to pressures and anxieties in yourmind. I am commonly presentedwithpatientswhowanttoloseweightandsay,“Beth,Iknowwhattodo,Ijustdon’tdoit.”Takingintoaccountyourmoodandhungerduringthedaycanhelpconnect the dots to times you’re eating because you’re hungry versus whenyou’reeatingforotherreasonslikeboredom,stress,oremotionalissues.

Onewaytoleapoverthebarrieroflosingweightdespitefailedattemptsinthepastoryo-yodietingistoleapoverthehurdlesinyourmind.Bykeepingadetailed foodandmood journal,wecan try topaveapath toward trueweightlossandbetteroverallhealththatgoesbeyondthefooditself.

Asmuchassmartphoneapplicationsarehelpful, inmypractice I find thatnothingisbetterthananold-fashionedpenandpaperforyourfoodjournaling.It’sagreatideatokeepnotesonyoursmartphonewhenyoucannotcarryyourfood journal with you, but when you come home in the evening, write it alldownandgetatruesenseofhowyourdaywentforbothyourmindandbody.Asidefromthemerebenefitofpaintingaclearerpictureofyourcalorieintakeand foodchoices for theday, researchershaveproven thatpeoplewhokeepafoodjournallosemoreweight.InastudypublishedintheAmericanJournalofPreventative Medicine by Kaiser Permanente Research that studied 1,600people, researchers found that thosewhokept a food journal for sevendays aweek lost twiceasmuchweightoversixmonthscompared to thosewhowerenotregularrecorders.Sogetwriting!

I stamp my Kosher Seal of Approval on a hand-written food and moodjournalordiary,similartothesampleshownonthefollowingpage,everyday.

STEP5:MOVEIT!

Picture this:Thepartynight cameandyouhad todo it.You ate that tauntingpieceofchocolatecake.Nowwhat?Well,theworstthing,despitewhatyoumaythink,isnotthatyouateapieceofcake.Nooneeverbecameoverweightfromconsuming just a piece of dessert or a teaspoon of sugar. Sincewe’re talkingabout real lifeand long termchanges,situations like thesewillhappen.Eatingthe piece of cake becomes a problem when you view the consumption as a“cheat”andasymbolicfailureinlivingareallifewithrealfood.Theperception

of failure triggers a binge that can take over your real life. The best way tohandlethesesituationsistopickyourselfupandmoveon,knowingwithasenseof confidence that you will make a healthier choice next time. Don’t think a“cheat”happened,butthink“life”happened.

Onepieceofadviceforhandlingtimesofindulgencesistomoveit!Insteadofthrowinginthetowel,taketheopportunitytogetphysicallyactive.Exerciseisscientificallyproventoboostyourmoodandbenefityourmind,cloudingthefeelingsofguiltyoumayexperienceandhelpingyourelax.TheRambamstatesit pointblank, “As longas apersonexercises andexertshimself . . . sicknessdoesnotbefallhimandhisstrengthincreases....Butonewhoisidleanddoesnotexercise . . .evenifheeatshealthyfoodsandmaintainshealthyhabits,allhis days will be of ailment and his strength will diminish.” Being physicallyactivewillgiveyoua freshstart toyourday, inaddition to the technicalityofburningthecaloriesfromtheoneindulgence,andthensome.Sustainingmusclenotonlyburnsmorecaloriesthanfat,butalsoutilizesthehormoneinsulinandmanagesglucosemoreefficiently than fat cells.Webuildmusclesbyworkingout,sogetmoving!

DAILYFOODANDMOODDIARY

*COMPLETEONEFULLPAGEPERDAYTOREACHYOURREALFOODGOALS.

When I refer to exercise, I may see panic come over a patient’s face.Exercisedoesn’thavetomeananintimidatingworkoutfortwohoursinagymsetting if that cannot fit into your real life. Think literally: “move it!” Simpleideassuchasparkingyourcarfartherandwalkingtherestofthewaytowork,takingthestairsinsteadoftheelevator,usinghousecleaningandlaundrytimeasanopportunitytoburnsomecalories,carryinggrocerybagstoyoucar,dancingwith your children, or carrying a baby around the house when he or she iscranky.Allthesecounttowardyour“moveit”minutes.Seizetheopportunitiesto move any way you can, for as long as you can manage, daily. Set small,attainablegoalsandwhenyoureachthem,pushyourselfevenfurther.Andguesswhat?TheRambamsimilarlydefinedexerciseas“vigorousorgentlemovement,or a combination of the two, which increases one’s breathing rate,” with nomentionofgymasanecessity!

IstampmyKosherSealofApprovalon30to60minutesofphysicalactivitydaily.Twodaysperweek:30minutescardioand30minutesresistancetraining.

STEP6:SLEEPINGBEAUTY

Through studies, inadequate sleep is increasingly shown to affectweight gain.Among other hormones, two specific ones that play a major role in appetiteregulation,ghrelinandleptin,areaffectedbysleep.Ghrelinstimulatesappetiteandisproducedinthegastrointestinaltract,whileleptintransmitssignalstothebrainwhenyou are full. If youdonot get an averageof six to eighthoursofsleep,youalterthebalanceofthesetwohormones.

Ghrelinincreasesandfavorsobesityandweightgain,increasingyourriskof

diabetes,highbloodpressure, and stroke.Asmall studyhadparticipants sleepeightandahalfhoursanightforfournights.Afteronemonth,participantswereasked tosleepfourandahalfhourspernight for fournights, thus resulting intemporary sleep deprivation. They found less insulin sensitivity in those withinadequatesleep,furtherincreasingtheriskfordiabetes,afterjustfournightsofsleepdeprivation!6Youalsoexperienceadecreaseinleptinthedayafterabadnight’s sleep, so you do not get the signal that you are full and should stopeating.Didyoueverfeelhungrynomatterwhatyouatethedayaftersleepingpoorly?Thisexplainsit!

Ina studyconductedby theUniversityofChicago, researchersalso foundthatmaleparticipants craved45percentmore carbohydrates and energy-densefoodswhentheydidnotgetadequatesleep.AStanfordUniversitystudytestedonethousandvolunteersandfoundthesamehormonalaffectinthosewhosleptlessthaneighthoursinadditiontoahigherpercentageofbodyfat.Intheend,alltheworkyouputintryingtolivealifewithrealfoodcanbedisruptedifyoudonotgetenoughzzz’s.

The recommendation of the ideal eight hours of sleep dates back to theRambam,whoalsospeaksaboutsleepunderthetopicofeatingrightandstayinghealthy in the Laws of Understanding (4:4): “A day and night together laststwenty-four hours. It is sufficient that a person sleep one third of that time,which is eighthours. It shouldbe at the endof thenight so that therewill befromthebeginningofhissleeptillsunriseeighthours.”

STEP7:DRINKUP!

Hydration plays an important role inweightmanagement.Because the brain’shypothalamuscontrolsthesignalsforhungerandthirst,sometimeswemayeattoplacateourthirst,especiallysincestudiessuggestthatmostofourfluid(about75 percent) comes from our food. One study showed individuals responded“appropriately” by consuming water in response to thirst, in the absence ofhunger, only 2 percent of the time. They responded “inappropriately” (i.e.,thirstyandhungrybutdidnotdrinkoreat;notthirstyandnothungrybutdrank

and/or ate; not thirsty but hungry and drank but did not eat; thirsty but nothungryanddidnotdrinkbutate)62percentofthetime.7

HowMuchFluid?

Itisnotclearcuthowmuchfluidpeopleneedtodrinkbecauseitdependsoneach individual’s needs (even the Talmud suggests “a flask of water perpiece of bread,”9 to which we are unclear of the measurement today, butclearly indicating a large quantity); for example, how much they sweat,urinate, and consume through foods like fruits and vegetables. Someestimatethatwomen(agesnineteenandolder)need2.7 litersof totalfluidperday(morethan11cups)andmenneed3.7liters(morethan15cups)perday.Americansdrinkabouttwolitersoftotalbeveragesdaily,butlessthanaquarterofthatiswater.10

Weshould,therefore,makeitahabittodrinkfluids,ideallyintheformofsimpleH2O, to help control dehydration and the risk of trying to appease ourthirst with food when we are not hungry. Using data from a national healthsurveyofmorethantwelvethousandAmericans,researchersfoundthatpeoplewhodrankmoreplainwatertendedtoeatmorefiber,lesssugar,andfewerhigh-caloriefoods.8

Irecommendcarryingawaterbottleatalltimes.Ifitisnotconstantlywithyou,youwillnotdrinkit.Ifyouareinanofficesetting,taketheopportunityto“moveit”bygettinguptorefillcupsofwater,killingtwo“healthy”birdswithonestone.Herearesomeothertipsonhowtodrinkmorewater:

Add a wedge or slices of fresh fruits or vegetables like lemons,limes, oranges, tangerines, or grapefruit, sliced cucumber, and/ormelon.Add seasonings like fresh mint leaves, a cinnamon stick, freshgratedgingerroot,orfreshgratedzestfromanorganiccitrusrind.Freeze100percentjuiceandbitsofrealfruitlikeberriesinicecube

traystoaddcolorandflavor.

OTHERFLUIDS:

Coffee:Sometimes,apatientsneakilycoverstheircupofcoffeeastheysitdownat my desk and others may guiltily admit they drink it, waiting for mydisapproval.Believe itornot, coffeecancount towardyour fluid requirement.Althoughmany think it actsonlyas adiuretic,whichwoulddehydrateyou, itactually does not cause you to expel more urine than you normally would,thoughitmayhaveyourunningtothebathroomalittlefasterthanusual.Also,acupofcoffeeismostlywater,sothewaterconsumedintheprocessofdrinkingthe coffee may offset the diuretic effects. And be sure to remember that anydiuretic effect isdue to thecaffeine in thecoffee, soanycaffeinatedbeveragelikesodaortea,andevenafoodlikechocolate,willhavethesameresult.

Coffee, about one to three cups per day, can be used on our path towardbetter health andweight loss. Some of themost interesting studies show thatcoffee lowers the risk of developing kidney stones, gallstones, and type 2diabetesandislinkedtofewersuicides—mostlikelyduetocoffee’sabilitytoactasamildantidepressant.11

Coffee becomes an issue if you have adverse side effects to caffeine(shaking,irritability,andinsomnia)oramorningheadacheifyoumissyourcupo’joe,sobesuretonoteanysymptomsinyourFoodandMoodJournal.Ialsofindinmyclinicalexperiencethatpeoplemayusecoffeetomasktheirhungerandsipitconstantlythroughouttheday;whichisproblematicbecauseitprettymuch guarantees youwill overeat at your next chow-down time,which is notrecommended. Is coffee essential? No. But if you need a cup or two to getthroughyourday,stopfeelingguiltyaboutit!

Tea: Many of the benefits to the caffeine in coffee can be applied tocaffeinated teas, as well. More than that, each herbal tea has its own healthproperties.Istronglyurgeyoutodrinkteasthataiddigestionandmayleaveyouwith a flatter tummy like fennel, ginger,mint (or referred to as “Nana” in theMoroccancirclesmadewithrealmintleaves),andchamomile,alongwithgreen

tea.GreenteaisuniqueasithasamarvelousantioxidantcalledEpigallocatechingallate (EGCG), which is linked with anti-cancer12 and anti-inflammatorypropertiesandhelpsmanageweight.13

Alcohol: Alcohol inmoderation, about one drink per day, seems safe formost people. Dr. Walter Willet explains it may offer protection against heartdiseaseandstrokeandmayaidindigestionofyourmeal.Iliketopromotethedrink synonymous with a Mediterranean diet: red wine. The antioxidantresveratrol, found on the skin of red grapes, has demonstrated the ability toprotect cells from oxidative damage, promotes vasodilation of blood vessels,inhibits platelet aggregation, and smoothesmuscle proliferation. In short, it isanti-inflammatory and decreases the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening ofarteries).14 One caveat though: to go truly Mediterranean, and to follow inaccordancewiththeRambam’sideas,15yourredwineshouldbeconsumedwithameal.Forexample,intheJewishculture,oneoftheSabbathblessingsbeforeamealismadeoveracupofwineandtastedbyeachperson.

Ofcourse, takecautionwhenconsumingany typeofalcoholas itdisruptsyourjudgmentandsleepandinteractswithmedications.Avoidwhenpregnant.

Although each person’s fluid needs vary, I stamp my Kosher Seal ofApprovalondrinkingagoalofeightcupsofwaterperdayasageneralguidetomeetingyourfluidneedsandanoverallhealthyhabit.

THERESULTSYOUCANEXPECT

Nowthatyoubuiltthefoundationbylearningthesevenstepstolivingareallifewith real food, here is how you can manage your expectations for change.Basically, the faster you follow consistently, the faster you can revel in theresults. The more extreme your diet before, the more results you may see.Healthyweightlossisaboutonetotwopoundsperweek.Sometimesyoumaylosethreepoundsinoneweekandsometimesyourweightmaystabilizeanother

week.Theimportantpointtorememberisthatyourbodyisadjustingtothenewyou.Ithastocatchupwiththechangesandrearrangethewayithandleswhatisgoingoninside,likeatrackerthatchangescourse.

Aside from the changes in weight, take note in your food journal aboutchangesinmood,energy,sleep,andstool.Thefirstthingtochangebyeatingareal-food diet is your poop! Also, did your headaches disappear? Are yousleepingbetter?Doyouhavemoreenergy?Hasyourmoodimproved?Areyouless stressed?Theanswers toall thesequestions showhoweating real food ischangingyourreallifeforthebetter.Youwillquicklylearnthatlivingareallifewithrealfoodisnotonlyaboutthepoundsonthescale;italsofulfillsagreatergoaloffeelingandlookinghealthy.

Another important factor to be on the lookout for is howyour clothes arefitting. The scale shows everything: if you ate salty food that day or the daybefore, if you drank a glass of water, of if you’re experiencing hormonalfluctuations.Also,water,whichisdenseandweighsmorethanfat,fillsintotheareaofthebodywherefatislost.Therefore,youmaynotnoticethenumbersonthescalefallingdrastically,which isagoodthingbecauseweare interested inlosingfat,notmuscleorwater.Sometimesabettergaugeofresults isnoticingthelossininches.Losingvisceralfatandimprovingyourwaist-to-hipratiowilldecrease the risk of developing diseases like diabetes and heart disease.Whateverthebeneficialchangesyounotice,writethemdownandusethemformotivationtocontinue.

Iamexcitedforyoutobeginthisjourneyandbaskinthegloryoflivingareallifewithrealfood!

RealLife,RealFood,RealStory

Rachel, a patient ofmine, neededhelp.After having three childrenwithinsixyears,Rachelcouldnotgetherweightdownandshrinkwhatshereferredto as her problem area: the hips. Aside from her weight issues, she wasexperiencing intensemigraines,nausea to thepointofhavingdizzyspells,andmotionsicknessoften,alongwithfatigue.Itwasdifficultforhertokeep

upwithherjobandlookafterherthreesmallchildren.Duringtheday,sheskippedmeals,drankcoffee,andate“wackymac”–typefoodfordinnerforthereasonsofconvenience,accessibility,andsheerexhaustion.Becauseofthekosherissueswithhavingtocheckproduceforbugs,sheavoidedmostvegetables. Rachel’s diet was severely lacking in protein because shedislikedmeatanddidnotknowwhatproteinstosubstitute.

After adopting the real-food way of life, Rachel incorporated qualityproteins from the legume family: beans, lentils, and chickpeas. She alsofoundawaytoaddmorevegetablestoherdiet,whichincludedajuicemadewithspinachasasnack.DespiteRachel’shecticlife,herchronicmigrainesdisappeared and she met her weight-loss and waist-measurement goals.Rachel’senergyimprovedandshebecameanoverallhappier, less-stressedmomandwife.Rachelbecamesuchaproatareal-foodlifethatshestartedgivingmetantalizingreal-foodrecipes!

Weight-lossChallenges. I run “Lose Weight, Gain Health, Win Money”challenges.TeamingupwithacertifiedZumba instructor,LyndaLevy, thegoalwastopromotelifestylechangesthroughexerciseandareal-fooddiet.After theZumbaclass,onceaweekforeightweeks,I taughtandgavethereal-food meal plans and conducted the weigh-ins. The participantsdevelopedstrategiesforeatingoutandattendedsupermarkettoursonhowtoshopforreal foodandrecipes.Nutritioneducation is thekey tosuccessfulandsustainableweightloss.Thewinnerslostonaverage10poundsand7.8incheseach.And theykept their real-foodprinciplesasapartof their reallife:therealgiftthatkeepsongiving.

THEREAL-FOODDIET

By keeping to my dietary guidelines, you will begin incorporating real-foodprinciplesintoyourreallife.Theyaresimplestepsonthepathtoahealthieryouat your healthiest weight. Once you master the foundational SevenCommandments, you can progress toward incorporating better-quality food

choices.Youmayrefertothesamplemealplanstohelpwrapyourmindaroundtheprinciplesofareal-fooddietplan.Mygoal,however,istoweanyouoffthemeal plans and instill the know-how of making your own quality real-foodchoicesinyourreallife.

In the comingchapters, Iwill helpguideyou toward real-foodchoicesbyexplainingtheimportanceofqualityineachfoodgroup.Iardentlybelieve,andbearwitness,thatthroughlearningaboutyourfood,youwillmakebetterchoicesonyourownoutintherealworld.Thereal-fooddietwillbecomealifestyleandyouwillbe in thedriver’sseat,always inchargeofyourfoodchoiceswithoutallowingthemtobeincontrolofyou.Goodluck!

1Allnamesinthisbookarechangedforprivacypurposes.2Thisbookisnotintendedtodiagnose,treat,cure,orpreventanydisease.3Thisbookisnotmeanttobeavalidatedsourceforkosherlaws.Pleaseconsultyourlocalrabbinical

authorityforyourindividualkoshercustoms.

YOUAREWHATYOUEAT:ADETAILEDLOOKINTOREAL

FOODS

“FortheLordyourG-disbringingyouintoagoodland...ofwheatandbarleyandgrapevinesandfigsandpomegranates;alandofolives

andhoney(fromdates).”

—Deuteronomy8:7-8

CHAPTER4

FAT—THETRUEDEFINITION

“Whatis‘thedelightofShabbat’?ThisreferstothestatementofourSagesthatapersonshouldprepareespeciallydeliciousfattymeatandspecialwineforShabbat,accordingtowhathecanafford.ThemoreonespendsonShabbatexpenses,andthemoreonepreparestastyfoodsforthisday,themore

praiseworthyitis.”—Rambam,HilchotShabbat30:7

Walking through the streets, your home, your office, or at an event, youmayhearorsay,“Ifeelfat,”“Thatfoodwillmakemefat,”or“Dothesejeansmakeme look fat?”Like thewordkosher, themeaningof theword fat has come todefinedifferentfeelings,appearances,andattitudesaboutourselves,others,andfood.Asaresult,wehaveforgottenitsreal,simplemeaning.

Iputthesearchterm“Definitionoffat,”intotheGooglesearchengineandalinktoDictionary.comstated:

FATadjective,fat·ter,fat·test,noun,verb,fat·ted,fat·ting.adjective

1. havingtoomuchflabbytissue;corpulent;obese:afatperson.2. plump;well-fed:agood,fatchicken.3. consistingoforcontainingfat;greasy;oily:fatgravy;fatmeat.4. profitable,asanoffice:afatjobonthecitycommission.5. affording good opportunities, especially for gain: a fat business

contract.

Readingthroughthesedefinitionsleavesabadtasteinmymouth.Iwouldn’tbe surprised if you’re like the many people who view fat far beyond itsmolecular definition.But there is a larger problemwith using theword fat to

describehowwefeel,seeourselves,seeourfood,andviewothers.Simplyput,itbreedsnegativeemotions.Whenwethinkoffat,weexperiencefear—afearofgainingweight,notfittingintoabridesmaiddressforourbestfriend’swedding,gettingpickedonbyfriendsorcolleagues,and thereasonwhywecannotfindtheperfectmatchand livehappilyever after.Ultimately, itmakesusafraidoffoodswithfatinthem.

Tyingsuchastrongnegativeemotion toeating isabigno-no. Itplacesanintensepressure that leads to anunhealthy relationshipwith food.As a result,youmay avoidmany foods because you associate themwithmaking you fat,even when there is no fat in the product. (I have been told everything fromcrackerstocookieswith0gramsoffatare“fattening,”towhichIcounter,“Youmean unhealthy? Because there is distinctly 0 grams of fat in this foodlikeproduct.”)

Perhapsyou trysohard toavoid“forbiddenfats” thatwhenyoueat them,you binge. Either route you take does notmake a healthier, skinnier you. Bygroupingallfatstogether,itiseasertowritethemoffasevilandthenusethemas an excuse for your unhealthy ways and unhappiness with your physicalappearance.

Avoidingfoodswithfathasapoorimpactonyourhealthandyourgoalsofweightmaintenance.Therearedifferentkindsoffats;somehavethepotentialtohurt,butsomeserveabigfunctiontohelp.Inthischapter,Iwillguideyourviewofhealthyfatsinthedietsolelyasanessentialfoodgroupthatiscriticaltoyourbody’shealthandweight-losssuccess.Ohyeah,andadeliciouslysatisfyinggiftfromG–d,too!

F-A-T:THEDEFINITION

Allowme to narrowdown the definition of fats in yourmind to this: fat is anutrient. Plain and simple. It is not an imagined threat, like a scary monsterhidinginyourcloset,norshoulditbeanadjective,adverb,orusedasanyotherwayofdescribinganythingotherthanthenutritionalcontentofafood—separatefoodfromyouremotion!

Eggs,nuts,seeds,healthyoilslikeavocado,olive,walnutandflaxarealltiedtogreathealthbenefits.

Of course, toomuch of a good thing can easily turn into a negative. Thequote at the beginning of this chapter from the Rambam emphasizes theimportanceofenjoyingqualityfatsofmeataspartofthebiblicalcommandmenttobeautify theSabbath; but that onlypromotes fat consumption atone dinnerandone lunchmealperweek. In theHebrew language, theword for someonewho is overweight (shaman) andoil (shemen) are spelledwith the same threeletters:shin,mem,andnun.Theimplicationis:ifyoueattoomuchoil,youwillget fat.A tablespoon of oilwill cost you 119 calories fromyour daily caloricrequirements. If you choose quality oil, however, those calories will be wellspent.

It is not uncommon for a patient to be living off 100-calorie snack packsprior to seeing me. From Stella D’oro® and Chips Ahoy!® to Entenmenn’s®

brands, food manufacturers have grabbed the opportunity to package theirprocessedfoodsintiny,cutebagsandmakethemappeartobeahealthierchoiceforconsumers.Howconvenientforboththemandthebuyer:thebuyerishappyto have the portion-controlled package to eat on the go, guilt-free, and themanufacturer has sidestepped the opportunity to actuallymake the food itselfhealthierandinsteadsimplyreducedthesize.

As important as portion control is to a healthy diet, the quality of foodchoicesisrightupthereonmyhierarchyofhealthpriorities.High-qualityfoods,likenuts,mayhavemorecaloriesperservingthana100-caloriesnackpack,forexample,butthesatiatingqualityofnutsiscorrelatedwithmakingyoueatfewercalories inyourday, overall, so the calories consumedwill be compensated.16

Somecomponentsofnutsarealsonotcompletelyabsorbedbyyourbody,whichmeanssomeofthecaloriesyouconsumecomeoutinyourpoop.

Also,thesequalitycalories,likethoseinnuts,arefilledwithnutrientsyourbody needs, typically in its natural form—unlike processed foods, such asNabisco®’sOreo®100-caloriepack,whichlistsitsmainingredientsas:dextrose,cornstarch,leavening(bakingsodaand/orcalciumphosphate),coloradded,salt,

vanillin—anartificialflavor.Ifyou’reaskingyourself“WhatamIeating?Isthisevenfood?”knowthatthisisthequestionyourbodyhasbeenaskingforaslongasyouhavebeeneatingmostlyheavilyprocessedfoods.Youmayfinisheatingwithin a few seconds and move on to your next activity, but once you’veconsumedthatfood,yourbodyisonlybeginningtheprocessesofdigestionandabsorption, settingoff a systematicprocess insideyourbody.Thebodyhas toundergo a different process to break down the chemicals and sift through thenutrientsitcanuse,whichslowsdownyourmetabolism.

Nuts, seeds, avocados, and other quality calories are filled with nutrientsyourbodyloves.Likethedieselofgasoline,thesefoodsareprimeandgrantedVIPaccessstraightthroughthebody,speedingupyourrestingmetabolism.Theprocessofdigestingqualitycaloriesincreasesyourrestingmetabolicrate17by11percent. Yourmetabolic rate is the burning of calories inside your body as itundergoesitsnormalprocesseswhileyoujustsitthere.(Theothertwowaystoburn calories are through exercise and the thermic effect of food—caloriesburnedwhileprocessingandstoringfoods.)

Anothercrucialfactoristhatprocessedfoodproductsaredesignedtomakeyou eat more. The concept is not a conspiracy theory—it is real! The largeamountofsalt,sugar,andfatintheseproductschangesbrainchemistrythesamewayanaddictiontodrugsorgamblingcan.Youbecomeaddictedtothefoodandcannotstopeating,whichcauses“conditionedhypereating,”meaningeverytimeyou even think about a foodwith fat, sugar,18 and salt,19 you cannot help butcraveit.20

FATS:AHISTORY

Yourfeelingsofdisgustaboutfatarenotyourfault.Intheearly1990s,weweretold all fats are bad. The food industry caught onto the marketing niche andcreatedproductstosuitthefadofthecentury.Quickly,wewentonashoppingbingeforallproducts thatweredeemed“fat free.”Asachild, I remembermypantryfilledwithfat-freecookies,brownies,andpotatochips.Iusedtostopatthe local7-Eleventopurchase theoriginal“dietetic” tasteed-lite.Voila—eating

thesefoodswassupposedtomakeusmagicallyhealthier.Nothing could have been further from reality. As a result of the low-fat

craze, food lost nutritional quality. From ice cream—with the standardingredients of cream, sugar, and milk—came a chemically designed foodlikeproductwithalonglistofingredientsyoucannotpronouncejusttodeemit“fatfree.” Not to mention, fat-free foods taste unappealing and lack satiety andsatisfactionfactors—theveryoppositeofwhatthefoodswith fatareproventoprovide.

Take a look at the ingredients for Breyers® Fat Free Creamy Vanilla icecream: skim milk, sugar, corn syrup, polydextrose, maltodextrin, propyleneglycol monoesters, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, cream (adds adietarilyinsignificantamountoffat),carobbeangum,guargum,naturalflavor,carrageenan, ice structuring protein, vitamin a palmitate, annatto (for color).Soundsappetizing,right?

Products such as Twizzlers® depict my favorite exploitation of theparadoxicalfat-freefad:aproudstampofitsideaofhealthapproval—“ALowFatFood.”

I discovered another one of my personal favorite exploitations while outwith my children at Luna Park in Coney Island. This shocking “fat-free”ingredientliststated:

SugarandArtificialFlavors.Itcontains:

A)Blue#1–BooBlueB)Red#40–SillyNillyC)Red#2–JollyBerry,CherryBerryD)Red#40&Yellow#6–O-JayE)Blue#1&Red#3–SpookieFruttiF)Blue#1,Red#3&Yellow#6–BubbleGumG)Blue#1,Yellow#6&Green#3–Leapin’LimeH)Yellow#5–PinaColada,BananaBonanzaI)Yellow#5&Blue#1–SassyApple

Didyouguesstheseweretheingredientsincottoncandy?I’dliketothinkthatifIhadn’talreadyknownwhatitwas,Idefinitelywouldn’thaveguesseditbasedonthislist—especiallysincewhateverwaswrittenonthepackagewasnotedible.(Butitwasfatfree!)

Areyousurprisedbythefactthattheeraofafat-freedietcoincidedwiththerise in obesity? One study, which termed the trend The American Paradox,showedthattheprevalenceofoverweightfemaleandmaleadultsintheUnitedStates increased from 25.4 percent between 1976 and 1980 to 33.3 percentbetween1988and1991—a31percentincrease.Duringthesameperiod,averagefatintake,adjustedfortotalcalories,droppedfrom41percentto36.6percent,an11percentdecrease.Concurrently,therewasadramaticriseinthepercentageofthe US population consuming low-calorie products, from 19 percent of thepopulationin1978to76percentin1991.

What happened?Did the researchersmiss the boat andmake the problemworse? It seems that theerapickedupononlyonepieceof thepuzzle.Whilehappytoexploitthefindingsonthedangersoffattoyourhealth,theworlddidnotaskthefundamentalquestions:Areallfatstrulybad?Doestakingfatoutofaproductmakeusanyhealthier?

Theanswerisanemphaticno!Iamstrategicallydiscussingfatsinthefirststeptolivingareallifewithreal

foodbecause,inmyclinicalexperience,itisthemostdifficultfactortoreverseinyourmind.AlthoughtheUnitedStateswentthroughmanyfoodrevolutions,from carb-free to sugar-free, to many other diet headlines, the fat-free frenzymaybelurkingintheshadowsofyourmind.Somepatientsseeminglylistentome talk about healthy fat options to include in their diets; but instead aredistractedwithcalculatingthefatgramsofeachfoodImention.Beforeyoucanbegin to incorporate other real foods into your real life, you need to accepthealthy fats as part of your diet. As you read on, be open-minded to thepossibilitythatconsumingmoreoftherightfator“fattening”products,asyoumayrefertothem,willactuallyaidinyourweight-lossandbetter-healthgoals!

FATS:WHYDOWENEEDTHEM?

1. Fat provides needed energy—9calories per gram,which is 5morecaloriespergramthanproteinandcarbohydrates.

2. Fat helps to extend the duration of exercise. Calories fromcarbohydrates are usedwithin the first twentyminutes of exercise.Afterthat,fatisbrokendownforenergy.21

3. Fats contain essential fatty acids, which are necessary for properbrainfunction22andhelpinphysicalperformance.23

4. Fatisneededsoyourbodycanabsorbthefat-solublevitaminsA,D,E,andKandthwartthesevitamindeficiencies.24

5. Fat enhances flavor and texture in foods and prevents them frombeingdryandbland.25,26

6. Fatallowsformoresatisfactionfromfoodsandpreventshungersoonaftermeals.27,28

7. Fat may help produce endorphins (pleasurable feelings made fromthesenaturalsubstancesinyourbrain).29

8. Fatshelpcontrolcravingssincediets toolowinfat(lessthan20to25percentoftotalcalories)maytriggercravings.30

9. Fatmakesuphormones,whichhelptoregulatethefemalemenstrualcycle.

10. Fat acts as insulation by filling fat cells (adipose tissue) andprotectingyouincoldweather(brrr!).31

11. Fat makes us happier by elevating our mood, resulting in lessdepression.32,33

12. Fathasbeenshownto:

improvecognitivefunctionintheelderly,34

improvelearningandattentionspaninschoolchildren,35

improvevision,especiallynightvision,36

lowertheriskofcardiovasculardisease,lowertheriskofbreastandcoloncancer,andpromotehealthyskinandhair.

FATS:THEGOOD,THEBAD,ANDTHEIN-BETWEEN

Nowthatweknow the realdefinitionof fatsandhavean ideaof theiroverallfunctioninsideourbodies,letuslearnaboutthedifferentkindsandwheretheycanfitintoourreallifewithrealfood.

MONOUNSATURATEDFATS

Monounsaturatedfatsareclassifiedby thesoledoublebondon their fattyacidchain.Theyareliquidatroomtemperatureandtransformintosemi-solidorsolidwhen refrigerated.Monounsaturated fatsmay reduce LDL cholesterol (“bad”)and lower your risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.38 Sources ofmonounsaturatedfatsareusuallyhighinvitaminE,whichactsasanantioxidantinourbodiesandisoftenlowamongstAmericans.

The current recommendation is to consume 10 to 15 percent of fats asmonounsaturated.Besuretorefrigerateyourunsaturatedfatsourcessincetheyaremorevulnerabletorancidityinheat.

SOURCESOFMONOUNSATURATEDFATS

Monounsaturatedfatsarefoundinnaturalfoodssuchashigh-fatfruits,includinggreenandblackolivesandavocados.

Oliveoilisabout75percentmonounsaturatedfat.Thehigh-oleicvarietysunfloweroilcontainsasmuchas85percentmonounsaturatedfat.Canolaoilandcashewsarebothabout58percentmonounsaturatedfat.

Other sources high in monounsaturated fat include pistachios, peanuts,almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia, pecans, and Brazil nuts along with theaforementionedhigh-fatfruits.

TRANSFATS

The processed form of trans fat is amajor culprit in blocking—literally—ourpaths toward better health.Hydrogenation, the process of changing liquid oils

into semi-solid and solid fats, causes the creation of trans fat. The differencebetween the processed trans fats and those that are naturally occurring is asimple switch in chemistry that actually causes a big change in function onceinsidethebody:

Becausethestructureisnotcrowded,likethe“cis”fattyacidthatisnaturallyoccurring (second image), it does not bend and, therefore, enzymes and othermoleculescannotbindtoit.Liketryingtouseakeyinthewronglock,notonlywill itnotopenforyou topass through,but itmayalsogetstuckandcauseabigger problem. As a result, trans fats increase the risk of heart disease andatherosclerosisbydangerously increasingLDLcholesterol (the lipoprotein thatbrings cholesterol to your heart) and loweringHDL (the good lipoprotein thattakes cholesterol away from the heart and other tissues and back to the liver,whereitcanbedisposedofviathegallbladder).

Source:biology.clc.uc.edu.

Infact,thestraightdesignoftransfatenablescrystalformationandallowsittobesolidatroomtemperature.ThinkoftheoriginalCrisco®product.Itwouldremainsolidevenifyoutriedthrowingitacrosstheroomatawall.Now,picturethe solid form maintaining its consistency inside your body—inside yourarteries.

Thewarningsofthedangersoftransfatsbeganasearlyas1958.39Buttheconnectionwasskewedbythefoodindustry,whichappliedtransfatdangerstoall animal fats. During the 1990s, the Harvard School of Public Health alsopublished warnings on the dangerous connections between ischemic heartdisease,highcholesterol,andstrokeand transfatproductssuchasmargarines,snackfoods,andotherhydrogenatedoils.40,41,42

WHATDOESTRANSFATLOOKLIKEINYOURDIET?

WhenIaskpatientsabout trans fat, almostallareawareof itshealthdangers.However, many are consuming products that contain trans fats without evenknowing it! A ruling by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003requiredfoodstolisttransfatontheNutritionFactspanel,butdidyouknowthatforaproducttolistnotransfator“transfatfree”onthelabel,itcanstillhaveupto0.5gramsoftransfatperservingoftheproduct?

The flexibility of what is dictated on the food label and product healthclaimsisonereasonwhybecominganeducatedconsumerissoimportant(seechapter 10). Whenever it lists the term partially hydrogenated amongst theingredients, itmeans there are trans fats in the product, despite the “0grams”thatmaybehighlightedonthelabel.GothroughyourpantryandIbetyoufindat least one product you once thoughtwas a healthy choice.Now that you’rewiser, thewordspartiallyhydrogenated glare back at you from the ingredientlist.

TRANSFATANDTHEKOSHERWORLD

Thekosherworldhasabiggerchallengeexcluding transfats inproductssincethemainalternative ingredient (butter) isdairy.According to thekashrut laws,you are forbidden to mix meat with milk in one meal. Furthermore, you arerequired to wait six hours after eating meat to consume dairy. To deem theproduct “pareve” (not containing dairy or meat ingredients), the kosher foodindustry features ample recipes that require margarine as a trans fat. We’reprobablythemargarineindustry’sbestcustomers!

There are otherways to incorporate healthy fats into cooking and baking.First, I find that in most recipes requiring margarine, the margarine can besubstitutedwith heart-healthy oils like olive and canola oil.Also, you can tryyourhandatcoconutoil,whichisasolidfatthatretainsitscompositioninhighheat and has more natural properties and health benefits than margarine (seeCoconutOil).Thesamegoesfortheuseofcoconutmilkinsteadofachemicallycomposedheavycreaminmakingpuddingsandothergellikeconsistencies.

TipsforLoweringYourTransFatIntake

1. Chooseliquidvegetableoilsorcoconutoilinsteadofmargarineandothertransfatsorhighlyprocessedproducts.

2. Avoid eating commercially prepared baked goods such ascookies,pies,anddonuts, inadditiontosnackfoods,fastfoods,andprocessedfoodsasmuchaspossible.Tobesafe,assumethatall such products contain trans fats unless “partiallyhydrogenated”isnotlistedintheingredientlistand theproducthas0gramsoftransfat.Freshfoodisalwaysbestwhenyouhavethetimetoprepare!

3. Whenfoodswithpartiallyhydrogenatedoilscannotbeavoided,choose products that list them near the end of the food label,because it is required formanufacturers towrite the ingredientsfromthemosttotheleastusedintheproduct.Butonlyusethistipwhen trappedonan isolated roadwitha randomconvenientstore as your sole source of food! In otherwords, always planaheadwithyourhealthyfoodchoicessothisdoesnothappen,butrelyonthistipwhenreallifegetsthebestofyou!

CONJUGATEDLINOLEICACID(CLA)

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a naturally occurring fat that appears insomefoodsthatourbodiesdonotmake.MeatanddairyhavethehighestformsofCLA,whichhasbeentiedtonumeroushealthbenefitsincluding:

1.DecreasedCancerRisk

In recent studies, CLA showed promise in fighting breast, lung, and prostatecancersbyblocking the threestagesofdevelopmentofcancercells (initiation,promotion, and progression). Researchers have found nonhuman subjectswhoconsumed0.5percent to1.5percentofCLAhadexperienced32percent to56percentreductioninbenignandmalignanttumors.43

2.ImprovedImmuneFunction

CLA improves immune system function by reducing leukotrienes and

prostaglandins, which are responsible for immune system suppression. Theymayimproveallergiesbytriggeringaprotectiveimmunesystemmechanismthatblocks the release of IgE antibodies, which is a type of immunoglobulinassociatedwithallergies.44

3.BodyFatManagement

A study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows CLAincreases lean bodymass while reducing overall body fat mass, perhaps as aresultofimprovedinsulinsensitivity.45

4.DiabetesPreventionandManagement

Because of its role in improving insulin sensitivity, CLA can help thosewithdiabetes by improving the movement of glucose into cells, which moreefficientlyutilizesinsulin.46

5.AidsinRheumatoidArthritis

BecauseCLAhas anti-inflammatory properties, it blocks excess productionofpro-inflammatory compounds, such as prostaglandin (PGE2) and cytokines,resultinginlessjointdamageandinflammation.47

6.HeartDiseasePrevention

CLApreventsheart diseaseby loweringbadcholesterol,LDL, andpreventingatherosclerosis. The LDL deposits itself in the arteries if there is not enough“good” (HDL) cholesterol to metabolize and take away the LDL cholesterol.Whentheexcesscholesterolandfattydepositsbuildup,theyformplaqueinthearteries,whichcaneventuallyhardenandcauseatherosclerosis.Atherosclerosiscan lead to serious medical conditions such as a heart attack, embolism, andstroke.48

7.Cancer

Animal studies show that as little as 0.5 percent of CLA in your diet couldreducetumorsbymorethan50percent,includingthefollowingtypesofcancer:breast,colorectal,lung,skin,andstomach.49

BodyComposition:

CLAhasbeenbeneficialinloweringbodyfat,withevengreaterimprovementinthosewho combine exercisewith dietary intake ofCLA.Animal research hasbeenevenmorepromising,withsignificantimprovementsseeninbothreducingbodyfatandinincreasingleanbodymass.

Previous studies have shown that CLA reduces body fat while preservingmuscletissue.Itmayalsoincreaseyourmetabolicrate.AstudypublishedintheAmericanJournalofClinicalNutritionfoundthatpeoplewhotook3.2gramsofCLAadayhadadropinfatmassofabout0.2poundsaweek(that’saboutonepoundamonth)comparedtothosegivenaplacebo.50

FoodSourceswithCLAinclude:

High-fatdairyButterEggyolksBeefLambTurkeyGoatLinseedoilSunfloweroilMushrooms

SATURATEDFATS

Saturatedfatsdonotcontainanycarbon-to-carbondoublebonds.Mostoilsthataresolidatroomtemperaturehavehighersaturatedfatcontentversusliquidoils—notablybutter, lard,coconutoil,andcocoabutter.Standardrecommendationis that all saturated fats should be limited to 10 percent of the diet of anotherwisehealthyindividual.CertainkindsandexcessiveintakeofsaturatedfatmayraiseLDLandHDLcholesterol levels. (Thisdiffers fromtransfat,which

alsolowersHDLandraisesLDLevenhigher.)

SATURATEDFATSANDOURBODY

Wedoneedsaturatedfatsinourbodies.Theyhaveimportantfunctionssuchasaiding in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and some phytonutrients,building our cellmembranes, and being a source of energy. Saturated fats arealsoimportantforsignalingandstabilizationprocessesinthebody.

DIFFERENTFORMSOFSATURATEDFATS

Despitewhatmany people believe, there are studies that support the idea thatsaturatedfatscanbenefitourhealth.Researchconductedin2013thatreviewedmultiple studies showed that dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) are notassociated with coronary artery disease and other adverse health effects, orworse,areweaklyassociatedinsomeanalyseswhenothercontributingfactors,like pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fats (see PUFA), may have had more of aneffect.51 Saturated fats are often grouped under one unhealthy umbrella, so itmay come as a surprise that there are different formswith different functionsincludingmyristicacid,butyricacid,lauricacid,stearicacid,andpalmiticacids.

MyristicAcid

One function of myristic acid is that it stabilizes many different proteins,including those in the immune system that fight tumors. While analyzingphospholipidsofaformofwhitebloodcellsknownasT-cells(ourbodies’firstlineofnaturaldefense)fromoldandyoungdonors,scientistsdiscoveredalossinsaturatedfatscausingage-relateddeclinesinwhitebloodcellfunction.Thesedysfunctions were corrected when they added myristic and palmitic saturatedfattyacids.Myristicacidalsoplaysanimportantroleincancerpreventionandahealthyimmunesystem.52

CoconutOil

One food swept up in controversy is coconut.Typically, thewarnings to steerclearofallsaturatedfatsbundleunrefinedcoconutoilandcoconutmilkunderthatumbrella.Itistruethattheyarehighinsaturatedfat,butitisinadifferentform(medium-chain) thananimal fat (long-chain)andother sources.Researchhasshownthatpeoplewhoeatalotofcoconutintheirdietsdidnothavehigherblood serum cholesterol or an increased rate of coronary artery disease.53

Coconuts enhance your body’s ability to burn fat and produce ketones, a fuelyourbraincanuseasidefromglucose.

LauricAcid

Lauricacidisalsofoundincoconutandhasseveralfunctionsinthebody.Forone, it acts as an antimicrobial fatty acid. Its composition is amonoglyceride,whichmeansitisabsorbeddifferentlythanlong-chainfattyacidsand,therefore,has fewer heart health risks. Like myristic and palmitic acids, it also helpsstabilizationwhenitisattachedtocertainproteins.54

RealLife,RealFood,RealStory

Apatientofmine,Laurie, came to seemeone summer.Shewasa cancersurvivorwhohadbeencancer-freeforfiveyears.Unfortunately,shesufferedfrompost-traumaticstressdisorderfromhertumultuousordeal.Inanefforttochangeherunbearablesituation,Laurietriedherhandatwhatshecouldcontrol—her diet. Based on research done through her own Internetsearches,Lauriedecided tosupplement five tablespoonsofcoconutoilperday. She would simply dig her tablespoon into the jar and spoon the oilstraightintohermouth.

IaskedLaurietobringacopyofhermostrecentlabworkresultstoourappointment. I took one glance at her report and shockingly remarked,“Laurie,youhavethehighestHDLcholesterolI’veeverseen!”Itwasthenthatsheinformedmeofhersupplementationhabitandhowshecutdowntothree tablespoons after the bloodtest because her total cholesterolwas toohighasaresult.

Iwas amazed.There are notmanyways to increaseHDL (exercise isone),andshewasn’tdoinganythingasidefromconsumingthecoconutoiltoexplainsuchahighnumber!(Keepinmindthat this isanextremecaseofexcessiveconsumptionthatmadeherlevelsoutofwhackoverall,whichisnothealthy.)

OTHERSATURATEDFATS

Stearic acid, foundmainly in animal tallows (20–25 percent), is an 18-carbonsaturated fatty acid. It is also found in chocolate (about 35 percent). In otherfoods,itoccursinminortracesof1to2percent.

The recommendation to consume 10 percent of your fat intake fromsaturatedfat,themainstreamconsensus,isdisputedwithinthealternativecirclesof fat-promoting dieters who argue for as much as 25 percent of fat fromsaturatedsources!Accordingtowestonaprice.org,inthe1970s,researchersfromCanadatestedfoodfatsandfoundtheonewiththebestproportionofsaturatedfatwaslard,thefatwearetoldtoavoidforfearofgravehealthconsequences!

Regardless ofwhich side you support, fat or less fat for better health,mypoint is that you should focuson thequality of fat. Perhaps thiswasCheryl’ssecret behind the fat consumption of my ancestors (see chapter 1)? I recallmemoriesofmygrandmother,wholiveduntilageninety-oneandenjoyedeatingrealanimalfatshepan-fried.EarlierwritingsoftheTalmudstatethatfattymeatsare good for thewhole body.55 Eating real fat amongst the diet of other realfoodswaspartofthereallivesofmypast.

Although I amnot endorsing saturated fat consumptionpast25percentofyour fat intake, I am stressing the importance of quality fat in the diet. Lookbeyond saturated versus unsaturated and appreciate the functional needs of allkindsofrealfatinsideourbody.EatingfatscanbeincorporatedintoStepsTwoand Three in my Steps to Living a Real Life with Real Food by adding a

teaspoonoffoodswithhealthyfats,likesunflowerseeds,toyourmeal.Anotheroption that falls within the Steps is to add healthy fats that are also high inprotein—likenuts,seeds,andavocados—toyourmealsandsnacks,butbesureto keep Step 2 in mind and portion your plate so you do not over-consumecalories.

Not all food sources of saturated fat are created equal. For instance,consumingpoor-qualityfoodswithsaturatedfat(likefast-foodhamburgersandfrench fries) encompassmore red flags (like excessive calories and trans fats)thanbenefits.So,sticktoreal-foodchoicesliketheincredibleedibleegg.(No,notjustthewhites!)Checkoutthemealplansatthebackofthebookforanideaofhow tobalance fats amongotherhealthful, real-foodgroups, soyoudonotover-consumecalories.

RealLife,RealFood,RealStory

Asidefromtheresearchbehindthebeneficialeffectsonhealthyfatandourhealth,Ihaveexperiencedfirsthandtheimpactfulbenefitsonpatients’lives.Themostnotableaccount iswhenIworkedwithchildrenwithautismandattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD).

Jacob, three years old, was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (PervasiveDevelopmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified) and had difficultybehavinginschool,listeningtoauthority,andsittinginoneplaceformorethana fewminutes.After lab testing for aminoacids, it becameclear thatJacobwasnotmetabolizingfatsefficiently.Hewaslowincarnitine,whichisresponsibleforshuttlingthefatstobeusedasenergy.Instead,itseemedhis body was breaking down proteins (specifically branched chain aminoacids, leucine, isoleucine, and valine,whichwere low in the report) frommuscle for energy. As a result, he had low muscle tone and was alsounderweight;hischolesterol,fat-solublevitamins(notablyAandD),alongwithpolyunsaturatedacids(seeOmega-3below)werealsolow.

Asidefromotherbehavioralandmedical interventions,Jacob’sparentswereaskedtoincludemorefatinhisdiet(whichatthetimeconsistedofall

carbohydrates: pasta, bread, and rice), such as avocados, nuts, seeds, oliveand flax oils, coconut oil andmeat, alongwith a supplementation of codliver oil (with vitamins A and D), Omega-3 fatty acids, and othersupplements.Jacob’sbehavior,muscletone,andothersymptomsimproved!Studiesarepromisinginthesupplementationoffattyacids,notablyOmega-3s,andpositiveeffectsonsymptomsofADHD.56,57

For children younger than two years old, the American Academy ofPediatrics (AAP) does not recommend a fat-restricted diet becausecholesterol and fat are thought to be important nutrients for braindevelopment.SomewhoagreewiththerationaleoftheAAPmaynotagreewiththetwo-year-oldagelimit.Adietwiththerightkindsoffatisnecessaryforcontinuedbraindevelopmentandessentialinchildrenwithothermedicalanddevelopmentalissuessuchasseizures,autism,andADHD.

POLYUNSATURATEDFATS:OMEGA-3VSOMEGA-6

Twoessentialfattyacids(EFA),orfatsthatmustbeobtainedthroughdietsinceourbodiesdonotmakethem,are theOmega-3andOmega-6fattyacids.Bothareundertheumbrellaofpolyunsaturatedfatsandarebeneficialinourdiets.Itiscritical that theyexist inbalancewitheachother. Ifyouconsume toomanyfoodswithOmega-6fats,theymakeitdifficultforOmega-3absorptionbecausetheysharethesamereceptorthatallowsthemtobetakeninbyourcells.

OMEGA-6

ThetypicalAmericandietskewsthescaleheavilyonthesideofOmega-6fattyacids fourteen to twenty times!58 The Omega-6 fat, or linoleic acid, isincreasingly in the spotlight. One study showed that consumption of dietarylinoleic acid in place of saturated fats increased the rates of death from allcauses,includingcoronaryheartdiseaseandcardiovasculardisease.59

Although important to include moderately from real-food sources (seeSources of Omega-6 Fats), excessive consumption of processed foods withOmega-6fatspromotes inflammation inside thebody.Chronic inflammation isassociatedwithmanydiseaseconditions,including:

DiabetesHeartDiseaseCancerAutismADHDAnxietyDepressionLupusEczemaMigrainesCrohn’sDiseaseAllergiesOsteoperosisRheumatoidArthritisAlzheimersObesity

SourcesofOmega-6Fats

SafflowerOilWalnutOilCornOilCottonseedOilSoybeanOilSunflowerOilWheatGermOilVegetableOilMayonnaise

Margarine

OMEGA-3

Yourgoalwithareal-fooddiet is toskewyourscale infavorofOmega-3fatscalled linolenic acid. This is also known as an anti-inflammatory diet. Asidefromthebenefitsofweightlossandmaintenance,itenhancesyouroverallhealthbyloweringyourriskofdiseaseconditions.Asaresult,youfeelmoreenergizedandlessstressed!Ifthereisonetricktoreapingthebenefitsoflivingareal-foodlife,consuminganti-inflammatory foodswould top the list (seeShoppingList,pageXX).

BenefitsofOmega-3FattyAcids60

StopsabuildupoflargeareasofplaqueAids in protection of artery linings by reducing homocysteineandblockinginflammationAidsinnormalbloodpressuremaintenanceSlowsformationofbloodclotsAffectsresponsetostress,learningability,andmemoryDecreases bad cholesterol (LDL) and does not decrease thegood(HDL)InvolvedinheartbeatstabilizationSlowsLDLcholesterolfromoxidizing

Diets with Omega-3s, specifically DHA, may help form your cellmembranesandplaya critical role indictating the functions inyourbraincells,sincethebrainhasahighpercentageoffatforstructuralpurposes.

TipsForGettingMoreOmega-3FattyAcidsintoYourDiet

Use canola oil, flaxseed oil, and other vegetable oils high in

Omega-3fats.Remember, the higher the Omega-3 and monounsaturatedcontentofoils,thelesstheyretaintheirbeneficialfattyacidsinhigh heat, such as frying. In fact, theymay convert to toxins.Stick to using them in salad dressings, cereals, yogurts, orcooleddishes.ChoosesalmonandotherhighOmega-3,low-mercuryfishandconsume at least 7 ounces perweek. Prepare fish by grilling,baking, broiling, or poaching.Check outmy recipes formoretips.Addwalnutsorgroundflaxseedtocereals,yogurt,andsalads.Wholeflaxseedstravelthroughyourbodyundigested.Substitutegroundflaxseedforfatinbakedproducts.Tryusing3tablespoonsofgroundflaxseedinsteadof1tablespoonofoil.

FATSANDMYMEDITERRANEANCULTURE

Consuming foods high in Omega-3 fats, or anti-inflammatory foods, isprominentinmyculture.OftenreferredtoastheMediterraneanDiet,thiswayofeating has consistently been tied to health benefits including weightmanagement, improvements in asthma and allergies, and decreased risk ofParkinson’sdisease,rheumatoidarthritis,depression,pooreyehealth,poororalhealth,andinfertility.

In a fascinating study published in 2013 (the first of its kind), researcherstested 7,400 individuals who were randomly assigned to three different diets.TwowereMediterraneandietsenrichedwitheitherextra-virginoliveoilornuts—andotherMediterraneanfoods—andbothincludedmorethansevenglassesofwine perweek.The control dietwas a low-fat diet.Over the course of a fewyears, many stuck with the guidelines of their diets. Results showed a verysignificantreductionindeath,heartattack,andstrokeintheMediterraneandietgroups.The study alsoproved that one canhave sevenglassesof redwineormoreeachweekanditmighthaveafavorableeffect!61

We hardly became an obese nation from occasionally eating an egg orhavingapieceof redmeat.Theprocessed, low-quality foodsgotushere.Theovereating andmonotonous routineof eating the samepoor-quality foods also

leadusdownthispath,nottomentionthechronicstateofinflammationfromthetypical American diet (which is heavy inOmega-6 fats) and the obsession ofcountingcalorieswhilebeingobliviousofwhatwearereallyeating.Alongtheway,welostwhatitmeanstoeatrealfood!

TipsforChoosingtheBestTypesofFat

Limit fat in your diet, but don’t try to cut it out completely. Focus onreducingfoodshighinlong-chainsaturatedfatandtransfatsandselectmorefoodsmadewithunsaturatedfats.

Thedistinctionbetweenthetwoissimple—andimportant.Thefatsyouaddtoyourdietshouldbefromnatural,fresh,real-foodsources.Ingredientslikepalmoil,coconutoil,butter,andlardmayhavesomebeneficialplaceinourdiets ifprepared therightway, fromtherightsources,and in therightproportions.

Considerthesetipswhenmakingyourchoices:

Sauté with olive oil instead of butter, but only for 1 to 2minutes,asburningcreatescarcinogens.Useoliveoil insaladdressingsandmarinades.Usecanolaoilwhenbaking.Sprinklesliverednutsorsunflowerseedsonsalads.Snack on a small handful of nuts rather than potato chips orprocessed crackers, or try peanut butter or other nut-butterspreads—nonhydrogenated—on celery, bananas, or rice orpopcorncakes.Addslicesofavocado,ratherthancheese,toyoursandwich.Preparefish,suchassalmon,whichcontainsmonounsaturatedandOmega-3fats,insteadofmeat,oneortwotimesaweek.

Monounsaturatedandpolyunsaturated fatshave fewadverseeffectsonbloodcholesterollevels,butyoustillneedtoconsumeallfatsinmoderation.Eating large amounts of any fat adds excess calories.Alsomake sure that

fattyfoodsdonotreplacemorenutritiousoptions,suchasfruits,vegetables,legumes,orwholegrains.

OH,NUTS!(ANDSEEDS!)

Nutsandseedsarewrittenasanoptiononallmymealplans(unless,ofcourse,youhave a nut allergy). In a fourteen-year studyofmore than86,000womenparticipatingintheNurses’HealthStudy,researchersfoundthatnurseswhoatenutsfivetimesaweekhadfewerinstancesofheartdiseaseandonaveragewerethinnercomparedtothosewhodidnoteatnuts.62

Notonlyarenutsandseedsgreatsourcesofprotein,fiber,andantioxidant-acting vitamins and minerals like vitamin E and selenium, but they are alsoproventoaid inweight loss, improvecholesterol levels,andkeepyoufullandsatisfiedsoyoueatlessthroughoutyourday.Thetrickistoknowhowmuchtoeat at one time andhow to prepare them.So, put down those caramel-roastedclusters and grab the small, delicious handful of raw almonds while readingthese fivebenefitsof incorporatingnutsandseeds intoyour real lifewith realfood:

FIVEBENEFITSOFNUTSANDSEEDS

1.ProteinPlantPowerhouse

TheAmericanCancerAssociation for thepreventionofcardiovasculardiseaseandcancer recommendseatingamostlyplant-baseddiet andanounceofnutsprovidesaboutsixgramsofprotein.

2.SourceofHealthyFat

Thosegreatmonounsaturatedandpolyunsaturatedfatswediscussedasessentialtomanaginginflammationandmaintainingthestructureofyourcellsarefoundinnutsandseeds.Peoplewhoconsumednutsfivetimesaweekhada35percentreductioninheartdiseaserisk,accordingtoaBritishMedicalJournal study in

1998.

3.Energy-FilledEffects

Becauseof the high-quality calories, nuts are actually proven to increase yourrestingmetabolism(thekindthatisworkingwhileyousitandreadthisbook)by11percent!Theyarefilledwithcalories;forexample,asingleounceofBrazilnutscontainsabout190calories,soyoudoneedtobemindfuloftheamountatonetimeifyourgoalisweightloss.

Ruleof thumbforweight loss: 100–200calories for snackandabout300–400caloriespermeal,dependingonyourcaloricneeds.AKINDbarisagreatchoiceforasnackormealontherun,ifneeded,becauseitisportion-controlledand simply incorporates nuts and fruits in onebar,with different variations toconsumedifferentbenefits.

4.PowerfulMinerals

Themineralsmagnesium,zinc,calcium,andphosphorus,whichareneededforbonedevelopment, immunity,andenergyproduction,canbefoundinnutsandseeds. A study of almost four hundred men (ages 45–92) published in theAmericanJournalofClinicalNutrition foundacorrelationbetween lowbloodlevelsanddietaryintakeofzincwithosteoporosisatthehipandspine.63

5.NaturalVitamins

NutsandseedsaregreatsourcesofvitaminsBandE,whichhelpwithabsorbingprotein,maintainingbrainhealth,andboostingourimmunesystem.

Did youknow theUSFood andDrugAdministrationhas approved ahealthclaimforfoodlabels?Itstates:“Eating1.5ouncesperdayofmostnutsaspartofadietlowinsaturatedfatandcholesterolmayreducetheriskofheartdisease.” These nuts include almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pinenuts,pistachios,andwalnuts—whichcontainlessthan4gramsofsaturatedfatfora50-gram(about1.5ounces)serving.

SproutedNuts

Some people who have nut sensitivities may benefit from sprouting theirnuts.Raw,unsproutednutshaveenzymeinhibitorsthatmakethemdifficulttodigest.Whenthenutsprouts,theseinhibitorsaredeactivated.Tobeginthesprouting process, all you have to do is soak the nuts overnight in water(about3–12hours).Actually,squirrelsusethesproutingmethodbyburyingtheirnutsanddiggingthemupwhenthesensorsintheirnosesidentifythenuts have sprouted. High heat from roasting also removes the enzymeinhibitors,butittakesawaymanyofthevitaminsandminerals.

SPOTLIGHTONALMONDSANDWALNUTS

Almonds:

Whoknew?ArecentstudybytheUSDArevealedalmondsasarichsourceofvitaminEthathave20percentfewercaloriesthanpreviouslythought.InastudypublishedintheApril2002JournalofNutrition,scientistsreplacedhalfoftheirparticipants’ fat intakewithalmonds for sixweeks.Researchers found that thealmondeaters’badcholesterolwentdown6percentandgoodcholesterolwentup6percent.Inaddition,bloodfatdropped14percent.

These studies show that a combination of monounsaturated fats andprotectiveplantcompoundsinnutsknownasflavonoidsreducestheriskofheartdisease.

AccordingtoresearchconductedattheUniversityofToronto,eatingheart-healthyfoods,includingalmonds,canhelpreduceLDL(badcholesterollevels)asmuchasafirst-linestatindrug.

ResearchatTuftsUniversityfoundtheflavonoidsinalmondskinsworkinsynergywithvitaminEtoprotectarterywallsfromdamagereducingtheriskofheartdisease.

Walnuts:

Walnuts are unique because they are the only nut that contains a significantamountofalpha-linolenicacid(ALA),theplant-basedsourceofOmega-3fatty

acids. And, according to a 2011 study published in the journal Food andFunction, the antioxidants in walnuts rank higher in terms of quality andquantitythananyothernut.64

WhatisaServingSizeofNuts?

A serving size of nuts is 30 grams (about 1 ounce). Pistachios have 49kernels in each serving. Comparatively, almonds have 23; hazelnuts 21;cashews18;pecans19;walnuts14;macadamias10–12.Forthepurposesofa real-food snack, youmay consume½ounce of any formof nut as yourproteinportion.

SUPERNUTRIENTSEEDS

Thankfully,seedsaregrowinginpopularity.Thepurchaseofhempseeds,alone,grew156percentbetween2008and2010.Seedsdeliverasmuchproteinasnuts(andmore, insomecases)anddeliverheart-healthyPUFAalpha-linolenicacid(ALA),theplant-basedOmega-3fatalsofoundinwalnuts.

TherearesomanyhealthadvantagestoseedsthatIliketothinkofthemas“vitamins”fortheirnutritiousboostonourpathstowardbetterhealth.Seedsarerichinfiber,selenium,andvitaminEandaregoodsourcesofprotein,zinc,andiron.Feel free to sprinkleabouta teaspoononsaladsand insoups,casseroles,smoothies,muffins,yogurt,granola,cereals,andoatmeal.Youcanalsoincludemore seeds as the protein portion of your snack.Dive into the classicMiddleEastern dipTehina,which ismade from sesame seeds.Be sure to pair itwithcucumbers!

HEMPSEEDS

With similar taste andversatility to sunflower seeds, hemp seeds canbe eatenraw,toasted,sprinkledonyogurtorsalads,orgroundintoseedbutter.

HempSeeds(pertbsp):4gprotein,16%dailyvalueforphosphorus,16%dailyvalueformagnesium,1gOmega-3s.

FLAXSEED

Flax is referred to in thebiblical textmultiple timesbecause itwasusedmostcommonlytomakelinens.Butthehealthbenefitsofeatingflaxinallformsaresubstantial. Flax deliversmoreALA than any other plant food. Because yourbody cannot digestwhole flaxseeds, purchase them“milled” or grind seeds inyour (clean)coffeegrinderor foodprocessorbeforeadding tobakedgoodsorsprinkling over cereal. You can also mix flaxseed oil into salad dressings,breading,orsmoothies.

Didyouknowflaxseedscouldhelpcurbhotflashes?Theligninsinflaxoffera“natural,”lesspotentestrogeneffectonhotflashesthanthecontroversialandpotentiallyharmfulsynthetichormonetherapy.

Flaxseeds(pertbsp):2gprotein,3gfiber,13%dailyvalueformanganese,2gOmega-3s.

CHIASEEDS

Chia seeds absorb liquid easily, transforming into a gellike consistency andmaking a creamy addition to oats and pancakes while remaining neutral inflavor. The easy absorption allows chia seeds to help sensitive stomachs,whereas flaxmay be harder to digest because of the lignins.Adding just twotablespoonsofchiaseedstoyourdailydietcontributesabout7gramsoffiber,4gramsofprotein,205milligramsofcalcium,and5gramsofOmega-3.Amere3½tablespoonscontainsasmuchOmega-3sasa32-ouncepieceofsalmon,butintheplant-basedformofALA(seechapter8).

Thetypesoffiberinchiaarebothsolubleandinsoluble,whichexplainswhy

theseedsexpandinliquidswithoutlosinganyfibercontent.Aside from helping glycemic control and aiding in diabetesmanagement,

chialoadingmaybeevenbetterthancarbohydratesorenergydrinkstoenhanceathleticperformancesforenduranceevents.ResearchhasalsodemonstratedthatthebeneficialeffectsofOmega-3,as found inchia,hashelped thosesufferingwith mood disorders. A meta-analysis of trials involving patients with majordepressivedisorderandbipolardisorderprovidedevidencethattheOmega-3sinchiareducessymptomsofdepression.65

ChiaSeeds(pertbsp):2gprotein,4gfiber,1.75gOmega-3s

SESAMESEEDS

Asthefoundationofmyfavoritedip,Tehina,sesameseedsareagreatsourceofthemonounsaturatedfattyacidoleicacid,whichcontainsupto50percentfattyacids.Sesamolandsesaminolareuniquephenolicantioxidantsfoundinsesameseeds. Together, these compounds help combat harmful free radicals from ourbodies. They are also a rich source of B-complex vitamins niacin, folic acid,thiamin (vitamin B1), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and riboflavin. The mineralscalcium,iron,manganese,zinc,magnesium,selenium,andcopperareespeciallyconcentratedinsesameseeds.Manyofthesemineralshaveavitalroleinbonemineralization, red blood cell production, enzyme synthesis, and hormoneproduction,aswellasregulationofcardiacandskeletalmuscleactivities.

SesameSeeds(pertbsp):1.6gprotein,1.1gfiber,.05gOmega-3

SUNFLOWERSEEDS

Oftena“munchie”intheMiddleEasterndiet,sunflowerseedsarearichsourceofvitaminB6,whichmakesantibodies thatareneededtofightmanydiseases,

maintainnormalnervefunction,andmakehemoglobin,whichcarriesoxygenintheredbloodcells to thetissues.AvitaminB6deficiencycancauseaformofanemia.Themoreproteinyoueat, themorevitaminB6youneed toabsorb it.WecannotstoreB6inourbodies,sowehavetofrequentlyeatfoodswiththisessentialvitamin.

SunflowerSeeds(pertbsp):1.5gprotein,.9gfiber,.05gOmega-3

PUMPKINSEEDS

Afrequent“go-to”afterSabbathmeals,pumpkinseeds,referredtoas“bizard,”are often consumed from their shells. They are a rich source of zinc, whichsupports your immune system and is essential for DNA synthesis andwoundhealing.Zincalsosupportshealthygrowthanddevelopment,especiallyduringpregnancy,inadditiontoregulatingyourtastebuds—soifthingsjustdon’ttasteright,checkyourzinclevels!

PumpkinSeeds(pertbsp):3.5gprotein,.56fiber,.05gOmega-3

SelectionandStorageofSeeds

Place seeds in sealed jars, bags, or containers to help ensure freshness.Becauseseedsarehighinfat,theyspoileasily.Storethemincool,dark,anddrylocations.Seedscanberefrigeratedfromtwomonthstoayearorkeptinthefreezerforuptotwoyears.

NUTRITIONINFORMATIONOFSEEDS:

CHAPTER5

MILK+MEAT:APREDESTINEDMATCHORANUNFAITHFUL

UNION?

“Thenhetookcurdsandmilkandthecalfthathehadprepared,andsetitbeforethem.Andhestoodbythemunderthetreewhiletheyate.”

—Genesis18:8

WhenAbrahamwasrestingafterhiscircumcision,heyearnedtohostguests.G–d sent himwhat appeared to be three Ishmaelimmen, andAbraham fed themmilkandmeat.

Commentators clarify that because of the biblical prohibition to consumemilk with meat (even though Abraham lived prior to the time G–d gave theIsraelites theTorah), thetwocouldnothavebeenservedtogetherand, instead,helikelyservedthedairyfirstandthenthecalfmeat.

Whenever I think aboutmeat anddairy,mymindwanders to a songby apopular Jewishchildren’s singer,UncleMoishy.The lyricsare,“Andwemustnever, never, never eatmilk andmeat together, so joinus and sing thekoshersong”(sunginthetuneof,“JohnJacobJingleheimerSchmidt.”)Theprohibitionagainsteatingmilkwithmeatisoneofthesacredlawsofkashruttaughtfromayoungage.ThesourcecomesfromascriptureintheBookofExodusstatingtheprohibitionof“[b]oilinga(kid)goatinitsmother’smilk.”

Fromthere,theRambamdescribedthatitisforbiddentonotonlyconsumemilkwithmeatat thesamemeal,butoneshouldwaitaminimumofsixhoursafterconsumingmeattoeatdairybecausethatishowlongittakesforthemeattoberemovedfromone’s teeth.66 Ifoneshouldeatdairy first,heor shemust

washouthismouthbeforeconsumingmeatproducts.Becauseofthestringentlawspertainingtotheconsumptionofthemeatand

milkfoodgroups,youmaythinkthatperhapstheyarenotmeanttobepartofakosherreal-fooddiet.Infact,therearemanybiblicalreferencessupportingbothfoodgroupsinourdiet,butperhapsnotinthewayyoumaythink.

MEATANDTHEKOSHERDIET:

Aside from the kashrut laws around meat (see chapter 2), eating animals isviewedasaG–d-givenright.AfterthefloodduringNoah’stime,thequalityoffood—and man’s health, for that matter—changed. G–d told Noah, “Everycreaturethatisaliveshallbeyourstoeat.IgivethemtoyouasIdidthegreenplants”(Genesis9:3).

Additionally,meatsacrificeswereoftenrequired throughout theearlydaysof theBible.During the firstPassover, in theBookofExodus, thebloodof alambsacrificewasnecessarytosavethefirstbornsons.If theIsraelitesdidnotconsumethefleshofthelamb,theywouldnotbeprotected.DuringtheSabbath,itisrequiredtoconsumemeatwitheachmeal,bothforFridaynightdinnerandSabbathlunch.

HERBIVOREVERSUSCARNIVORE

Aside frommanna, other biblical references to food groups showed therewasmore to the Israelite’skosher, real-fooddietduring thedesert travels.Atsomepoint, the Israelitescomplained toMoses formeat.Asa result,G–dsent themenoughquailtolastformonths.Thedeliveryresultedina“quailfrenzy”:“Andthepeopleroseallthatday,andallnight,andallthefollowingday,andgatheredthe quail”—some say for thirty-six hours straight (Numbers 11:32)! Manygatheredthequailgreedilyandgluttonouslyconsumedit“[w]hilethemeatwasstill between their teeth, before it was chewed.” As a result, G–dwas angry:“The anger of theLordwas kindled against the people” (Numbers 11:33).Aspunishment, those who ate the quail became nauseated and were killed by a

plague.Thisscenariohasledtomanycommentariesonthesubject.G–dprovidedquailinresponsetotheIsraelites’requesttoeatmeat.When

themeatwasravenouslyconsumed,theirbodiesbecamesickandtheydied.Mykosher seal is stampedonconsumptionofquality redmeat inmoderation andbalancedwithotherfoodgroups.

MEATANDYOURHEALTH

Differentstudiessupporttheoverconsumptionofredmeatandanincreasedriskof health problems like heart disease and some types of cancers. Conversely,consuming a large proportion of your meals from plant-based sources showsnumerous advantages. However, evidence does exist that supports health

benefitsofmeat,wheneateninmoderation.Theonecaveatdependsonhowthecowwasraised.

If a cow is raised in a feedlot, it most likely never sees sunlight andpractically lives inmanure.The environment breeds bad bacteria, likeE.Coli0157:H7, that can contaminate the cow’s meat and have the potential to killwhomever consumes it. Diseases spread likewild fire from cow to cowwithconditionssuchasacidosis,liverabscesses,orfeedlotpolio,whichproducestheenzyme thiaminase thatdestroysvitaminB1, starves thebrainof thecow,andcreatesparalysis.67Makenomistakethat thesecowsaresick,reallysick.Asaresultofdiseaseandinfection,thecowmayreceiveantibiotics.Butthat’snotallthat may be injected; hormones are given to increase its size despite theexcessivecornandsoy,whichalreadypromoteschronicinflammation,fedtothecowforgrowth.Soundsappetizing,right?

Thisartificialbreedinggroundisnotthewaycowswereraisedintheoldendays.Wedonothavetogoasfarbackasthebiblicaldaystoseethis.Instead,we can simply look at the days in Halab, Syria, whenmy great-grandparentswokeupearlytobuyfreshmeatbroughttothemarketfromnearbyfarms,andcookeditfortheirSabbathmeals.Oneofmybiggestissueswithredmeatstemsfromthefact that itcomesfromcowsraisedinfeedlotsandnotfromthe“realcows”meanttograzeongreenpasturesandeatgrass.AgreatdocumentarythatgoesintomoredetailonthefarmingofcowsisFood,Inc.

GRASS-FEDBEEF

Thehealthiestandsafestway toconsumemeat is to find thegrass-fedvariety.Not to be confused with “organic” beef, grass-fed cows literally graze thepasturesandeatrealgrass.Grass,thefoodcowsaremeanttoeat,alsobalancestheratioofhealthybacteriainthegut,makingtheinvasionofbadbacteria(likedangerousstrainsofE.Coli)lesslikely.Asaresultofgrazing,cowsareexposedtosunlight,whichallowsfortheproductionofmorefat-solublevitaminslikeAandDalongwith three tofive timesmoreof theessential fattyacidCLA(seechapter 4).68 In short, their entire genetic makeup is different and you are

consumingtheirmeat.It’sacliché,buttrue:youarewhatyoueat.

THEKOSHERMEATWORLD

Unfortunately, there are few glatt kosher distributers of grass-fedmeat,whichmakes the price point much higher. Also, some packages list the products as“grain-finished,”whichmeans thatbeforeslaughter, the farmers feedgrass-fedcowsgrains to increase theirsize.Youcannotbesurewhatproportionof theirfeedthroughouttheirliveswasreallyfromgrassorgrain.

Eagerly,Iawaittheshipmentofgrass-fedmeattomybutcher.Sinceitisnoteasy to find (sometimes it’s in the freezer section), I buy larger amounts andfreeze it formySabbathmeals.Onlinevendors likeGrowandBeholdKosherandKolFoods.comsellgrass-fedbeef,butbesuretocheckwithyourrabbinicalauthorityonfindingtherightmeatsourcesthatfitwithyourcustomarykashrutguidelines.Mostarenotbeityosef,anaddedstringencynecessaryforSephardiccustoms.The reality isweneedmore 100percent grass-fed, glatt kosher, beityoseffarms!

Grass-fedpoultryisaneasieranimalproteintofindonthekoshermarket—and a good thing, too. Chicken is filled with mood-boosting tryptophan andniacin that can decrease your risk of cognitive decline.Tryptophan is also theamino acid that converts into theneurotransmittermelatonin,whichhelps yousleepbetter.

I suggestyoukeepyour redmeat intake toabout two timesperweek, theequivalentoftheSabbathmealtimes,regardlessoffarmingmethods.Remember,each redmeatportion shouldbe3ouncesandonlyaccount forone-quarterofyournine-inchplate,butpoultrycanbe4ounces(seechapter3).

Grass-FedversusGrain-FedBeef

Research conducted by the USDA and Clemson University in 2009identifiedatotaloftenareaswheregrass-fedbeefwasbetterthangrain-fedbeef.69 They found grass-fed beef was lower in total fat and had higher

levels of beta-carotene, vitamin E, the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin,and theminerals calcium,magnesium, and potassium. The grass-fedmeatalsohadbetterflavor,color,andtexture.

Asforqualityoffat,grass-fedbeefwasfoundtohaveabetterratioofOmega-6 toOmega-3 fattyacids (1.65 to4.84)versus5-to-1or13-to-1 inconventional raised cows, along with a higher CLA content, a potentialcancer fighter, and vaccenic acid, which can convert into CLA. It is alsolowerinthesaturatedfatslinkedwithheartdisease.Finally,itmyhelpyourweight-lossgoalsbycontainingfewercalories.Byswitchingtoleangrass-fedbeef, theaveragepersonintheUnitedStatescouldreduceintakeuptoan estimated seventeen thousand calories a year, which is equal to losingaboutfivepounds!

DAIRY

“AndwhentheLordbringsyouintothelandoftheCanaanites,theHittites,theAmorites,theHivites,andtheJebusites,whichhesworetoyourfatherstogiveyou,alandflowingwithmilkandhoney,youshall

keepthisserviceinthismonth.”—Exodus13:5

AprimaryreferencetomilkisinthebiblewhenG–dreferstothelandofIsraelas the“land flowingwithmilkandhoney.”At firstglance,onewouldassume“milk”alludesto“cow’smilk.”However,somecommentariesexplainthetyperefers to “goat’smilk.” Shouldwe take a hint from the text and choose othersourcesofnon-cow’smilk?

Dairyisafoodgroupthatcannotescapecontroversyin themodernworld.From popular figures in the mainstream nutrition world (such as Dr. WalterWillet,thechairofthedepartmentofnutritionintheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealth and the second-most cited scientist in clinical medicine), to leadersrecognizing a linkbetween adairy intolerance and autism, to thosepromoting

dairyconsumption(liketheNationalDairyCouncil),theansweraboutwhetherweneeddairyinourdietscomesdowntothis:itdependswhoyouask.

DairyMilk,percup,skim:86calories,0gfat,12gsugar,0gfiber,8gprotein

Thewebsitemyplate.govhighlightsthebenefitsofconsumingdairy,suchasimprovedbonehealth(whichreduces theriskofosteoporosis), reducedriskofcardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure, and a goodsourceofnutrients,includingcalcium(neededforbuildingbonesandteethandmaintainingbonemass), potassium (whichhelps regulate bloodpressure), andvitaminD.

Onemajor disputed health claim is dairy’s calcium connectionwith bonehealth. The bigger question is that even though cow’s milk accounts for 75percentofcalciumintheAmericandiet,hasitbecomeessential?

Dr.WalterWilletwasquotedsaying:

“Itisnotclearhowmuchcalciumpeopleneed.Worldwide,consumptionvaries,andcountrieswithaveragehighercalciumintaketendtohavehigherratesof

hipfractures.Thereislittleproofthatboostingcalciumtocurrentlyrecommendedlevelswillpreventfractures,theprincipalcomplicationof

osteoporosis,the‘brittlebones’disease,whichisfoundmostlyinolderwomen....Thereissomeevidencethathighlevelsofcalciummaybeassociatedwith

prostateandovariancancers.”70

Lookingattheresearchbehindbothsidesofthedairydebate,theremaybebenefitsbehinditsconsumptionforthosewhotoleratecow’smilk,butchoosingallyourproteinfromdairyand,therefore,consumingtoomuch,isnotnecessaryandmaybeharmfulindifferentaspectsofyourhealth.

ADAIRYINTOLERANCE

Doesmilk“Doabodygood?”astheDairyFarmersofAmerica’smantraduringthe1980striedtomakeusbelieve?In2007,theyreportedsalesof$11billion.Whatevertheanswer,themarketingofthedairyindustryobviouslyworked.

Theevidenceismounting,however,onthegrowingallergyandintoleranceto cow’s milk. It is reported that about 75 percent of Americans suffer fromlactoseintolerance.Lactoseisthedisaccharideinmilkmadeupofgalactoseandglucose. It requires the secretion from the gut of the enzyme lactase to breakdownthesugaranddigest it.Researchshowsthatafter infancy, theamountofthe lactase enzymebegins to decrease over time, so the difficulty in digestingdairyincreases.

Cow’sMilkAllergyversusIntolerance

Keepinmindthatacow’smilkallergyisduetoaproteinallergen,namelytheAlphaS1Casein(it is80percentcaseinand20percentwheyprotein),whilelactoseintoleranceisaconsequenceofcarbohydratesensitivity.

Aside from a lactase deficiency, there are other reasons behind lactoseintolerance. Lactase secretion relies on a healthy gut. If you have gutinflammation,youarenotadequatelydigestingsomefoodsbecauseenzymesarenot utilized efficiently to break down a multiple-bond sugar like lactose. GutinflammationisapparentincasesofIrritableBowelSyndrome(IBS),inwhichadairyintoleranceisreportedinmostcases,71alongwithconditionssuchasceliacdiseaseandautismspectrumdisordersinchildren.

Becauseoftheintolerance,peoplewiththesemedicalconditionsavoiddairy.Most often, they report a cessation of symptoms associated with dairyintoleranceincluding:

Gastro-intestinal:diarrhea,constipation,IBS,stomachbloatingDepressionandanxietyWeightgainorunexplainedweightlossRespiratory disorders like coughing, asthma, bronchitis, snoring,andsleepapneaSinuspainandheadacheChronicfatigueorlethargyorlackofmotivationSkindisorderslikeeczema,hives,orunexplainedrashesStressed immune system: ear infections, colds and flu, bronchitis,yeastinfectionse.g.thrush

HOWTOIDENTIFYANINTOLERANCE

Ifyouwanttoidentifyadairyintolerance,performaneliminationdietunderthecareofaqualifieddietitianandseeifsymptomssubside.Withdairy,youshould

noticesomekindofchangewithintwoweeks.Totrulyanswerthequestionofanintolerance,eliminatesoyatfirstbecausethesoyproteinlookssimilartodairyandcan“trick”thebody(seeNon-DairySourcesofMilk).

RealLife,RealFood,RealStory

Jackcame tomyoffice complainingof incapacitating abdominalpain thatwasaffectinghisdailylife.Hewasseverelyconstipatednomatterwhatheate.Actually,eatingmadehimfeelworse.Asaresult,hewasavoidingallfood. Being overweight, he felt content with the fact that he lost twentypoundsinthreemonthssincereceivingadiagnosisofIBS.Eatingnothing,however,stilldidnothelphisIBSsymptoms.

Through our discussion, Jack agreed that although we both supportedhimachievingahealthyweight,itwasnottobeaconsequenceofnoteatingreal food. Jack left with his “health homework,” which was to keep adetailed food diary tracking any symptoms he felt after eating a specificfood. Our goal was to decrease Jack’s overall gut inflammation byidentifying his intolerable foods.We focused on adding anti-inflammatoryfoods, like healthy fats and nuts, with additional fiber to help hisconstipation.

Jack came back to see me a quick three weeks later a new man. Hewalkedinconfidentlyandlively.Hefoundthatlivingdairy-freeandgluten-free (aswediscovered after analyzinghis self-made adjustments basedonadverse symptoms after eating those foods), significantly eliminated hisconstipation. As a result, he felt confident incorporating more anti-inflammatoryfoodsintohisdiet;hewasrelievedandmoresocial.Inthoseweeks,helosttwo“healthy”poundsandisonhiswaytolivingahealthierlifewithrealfood.

AlthoughtherearestandardrecommendationsaroundIBS,itisdifficultto generalize food tolerances. Patients affected may experience yo-yosymptoms such as constipation versus diarrhea in different situations,makingitevenmorecritical tokeepafoodandmooddiary(seeFoodand

MoodDiary)tofollowyourindividualreactionstofoods.

DAIRYOFMYANCESTORS

Asidefromtheevidentintolerancemanypeoplehavetodairy,itisimportanttorecognize that othersmay tolerate forms of real dairy balanced amongst otherreal food groups.TheSephardic culture is entrenched inmany forms of dairyfoods.Back in thedays in theoldcountry, theirdairyproductswerefreshandreal,milked fromcows thatweregrass-fed.Hereare someof the staple foodsthatareamainstayintheSyrianmarket:

CHEESE

Theuniquecheeseflavorisrichandsalty.Itisastapleatmeals,especiallyatabrunch-typesetting,andalsocomesinaformtobestrung,aka“stringcheese,”with the added flavor of a seed from the nigella sativa plant that looks like ablackseedandtasteslikepepper.

YOGURT

Syriansmake a specialty yogurt called Laban. It is a cultured kefir-like dairyproduct,richinnaturalprobiotics,thathasasourflavorresemblingthatofplainGreek yogurt. A patient of mine born in Lebanon loves to eat a dish thatcombinestheLabanwitholiveoilandzaatarspiceforacreamyspreadonfoodslikepitabread.

It is easy to get lost in the debate over dairy. The reality is that our foodindustryhasleapsandboundstotakebeforeitcanbeatrustedreal-foodsource.Itisfarfromperfect,soitisdifficulttomakeourreal-food,real-lifegoalsaboutperfection. Instead, make an educated decision by weighing the benefits andrisksofaddingdifferentfoodstoyourdiet.Then,seeifthereareotherfoodsthatprovidethesamebenefitswithlessriskandtryincorporatingthemmoreinyourreal-fooddiet.Eating the right formsof dairy, inmoderation, can be tolerable

andhealthfulinyourreallife.ItalsofitsintoStepsTwoandThreeofmyStepstoLivingaRealLifewithRealFood,asmeatanddairyarebothproteinsourcesthatcanbeincorporatedasone-fourthofyourplateformealsandaspartofyourreal-foodsnacks.BesuretokeepinmindStep1andeatnolessthantwohoursand nomore than four hours apart if you are eating dairy first. Following thekashrut laws, if you atemeat first, youneed towait six hours before you canconsume dairy. Check out themeal plans for ways to balance bothmeat anddairyfoodsincontextofareal-fooddietsoyoudonotoverdoeachone.

I enjoy eating cultured dairy products like yogurt and kefir. Beneficialbacteria and lactic acid are produced in prominent Middle Eastern fermentedmilkandcheeseproducts,likeLebne,andareproventohavetheabilitytokill

pathogens as well as modulate the immune system.72 I also find that manypeople suffering from intolerance may tolerate cultured dairy because theycontain probiotics and enzymes to help digest the sugars in the dairy.Additionally,cottagecheesehasmoreproteinandlesslactoseandisconsidereda lean meat in the food-exchange list. These quality sources of protein areconsideredhelpfulinourpathtowardbetterhealth.

Theresearchfromeithersideofthecow’smilkdebateshowsthat,insmallquantities,itisnotharmful.TheissueIfindwithmilkanddairyisthesamefortheothercontroversialfoodgroups.Peoplemayconsumetoomuchdairyortoomuchcow’smilk.Theamountincreasesthedairysensitivitythresholdandleadstointolerances.Whenyoulowerthatthreshold,thetoleranceforasmallamount,balanced amongst other whole food groups, helps with better digestion. Thenyou can bask in the benefits of dairy (consumed inmoderation), including itshighproteincontent,calcium,andvitaminsAandDwithouttheintolerablesideeffects.

MilkisoneproductthatIbuyorganicforthesamereasonIsupportgrass-fed meat: it is safer to consume since the entire makeup of the cow and,therefore, themilkquality, isdifferent. Iamcomfortablewithdrinkingasmallamount of wholemilk, inmy coffee for example, because it has the positivehealthbenefitsofnaturalCLAandislessprocessed.

Overall,Ilimitmycow’smilkintakeandsubstitutewithnon-dairysourcesofmilk, like almond and coconut. It is better to rotate your food choices andkeepyourbody“guessing”onwhatnewfoodsitwillhave.Likealittleboywhoruns to hismother to open a new gift, he eagerly shreds thewrapping paper,exclaims“Wow!”withexcitementoverthenewtruck,andspendsthenexthourfiguringoutnewwaystousethetoy,eventhoughhehasfourothertruckssittinginthetoycloset.Theoldoneslost theirexcitementandfreshness,butthenewonechangedthechildinthatmoment,justlikenewfoodswillchangeupyourmetabolism.

Keep in mind that dairy tolerance depends on a healthy gut. If you areexperiencingflatulence,bloating,ormoreseveresymptomsmentioned,Iwouldrecommend keeping dairy out of your diet. If you don’t, you may increase

inflammation in the gut and body, a chronic statewe are looking to avoid byeatingrealfoods.

Intheend,despitewhatanymarketingmakesyouthink,cow’smilkisnotavital food group, but rather a food product. If you are concerned oruncomfortablewithconsumingdairy,therearemanyalternativestocow’smilktogetyourcalciumandothervitaminandmineralneeds.Asaresult,cow’smilkisnotessential,butitisaneasieroption...andeasyisnotnecessarilyhealthier.

Here are ways to increase your calcium intake from non-dairy sources inyourcooking(seeRecipes):

1. Addtofutoyourmeals,suchasstir-fryingwithvegetables.2. Leafy greens, like kale, are an added source of calcium, so try

steamingthemoraddthemtocasseroles,soups,andstews.3. Non-dairy sources of milk, such as almond milk, contains

calcium. Use them in recipes such as pancakes, pudding, andoatmeal(seeRecipes).

4. Stiradrizzleofblackstrapmolassesintoyouroatmeal.5. Almondbutter ishigher incalciumthanpeanutbutter, so rotate

thenaturalnutbutters.6. Tryaddingbeans,likeblack-eyedpeas,tosoupsandsalads.

ALTERNATIVEMILKSOURCES

Goat’sMilkInterestingly,themostcitedsourceforthekashrutlawsagainstmixingmilkwithmeatreferencestates“[a]kid‘goat’inhismother’smilk”—itdoesn’tsayawordabout cows!Although it is dairy-based, goat’smilk closelymimics the breastmilkof humans.73As a result, someone intolerant to cow’smilkmay tolerategoat’smilkbecauseitiseasiertodigest.

Theallergic reaction tocow’smilk is largelydue to thehigh levelsof the

proteinAlphaS1Casein.Ingoat’smilk,thoselevelsare89percentlessandaredifferent in structure, resulting in a less-allergenic food.74 Researchers in onestudyfeddairy-allergicinfantsgoat’smilkand93percentexperiencedvirtuallynosideeffects.75

Furthermore, goat’s milk differs from cow’s milk in its homogenization.Goat’smilkundergoesnaturalhomogenization(theprocessofallowingthemilkand cream components to stay combined upon standing);whereas cow’smilkrequiresaprocessedhomogenization.

Nutritionally,goat’smilkhasagreateramountofessential fattyacids thancow’s milk; it also has significantly greater amounts of copper, manganese,vitamin B6, vitamin A and D, niacin, and potassium and 15 percent morecalcium.76Itisalsoagoodsourceofphosphorousandriboflavin(vitaminB2).

Goat’smilk,percup:168calories,10goffat(7gsaturatedfat),11gsugars,0gfiber,9gprotein

HempMilkHemp milk is an excellent source of Omega-3 fats, providing your dailyrequirementinasingleserving—that’sfourtimesasmuchassoymilkandsixtimesasmuchascow’smilk.Thedownsideisitslowerproteincontentthantheotherformsofmilk.

A few studies show that hemp seeds may improve the function of ourimmune system, promote healthy skin and hair, and boost cognitiveperformance.77

You can also use hemp seeds for a protein and Omega-3 boost. Add tosmoothies,soups,yogurt,andotherliquid-basedfoods.

HempMilk, per cup: 70 calories, 6g fat (0.5 g saturated), 0g sugars, 0gfiber,2–4gproteinTaste:Grain-likeandnutty

AlmondMilkIfyouwantalow-calorieandlow-sugaroption,almondmilkisabetterchoicecomparedtoothernon-dairymilks,butit’salsolowerinprotein.Almondmilkisa good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, natural calcium,magnesium,manganese,selenium,andVitaminE.VitaminEandseleniumactas antioxidants that protect the cellmembranes, improve our immune system,andaidinreproductionandthyroidfunction.78

AlmondMilk,percup:45calories,3.5gfat(0gsaturated),0gsugars,1gfiber,2gproteinTaste:Aslightlysweetalmondflavor

OatMilkOatmilkisauniquenon-dairysourcebecauseitoffersbothfiberandamoderateamountofprotein.Ontheflipside,ithasmoresugarthantheotheroptions,ischolesterolandlactosefree,andalsohashighlevelsofantioxidantvitaminE.Italsocontainsfolicacid,whichisneededtosynthesizeandrepairDNA,producehealthyredbloodcells,andpreventanemia.

Unfortunately,oatmilk isconsiderablymoreprocesseddue to theadditionoftheingredientscarrageenanandvitaminApalmitate.

OatMilk, per cup: 130 calories, 2.5g fat (0 g saturated), 19g sugars, 2gfiber,4gproteinTaste:Oatmeal-liketasteandmildlysweetwithawateryconsistency

Ifyou’reworriedaboutanallergicreaction,ricemilkisyourbestbet,asitisknowntobeanon-allergenicfood.However,itisalsothelowestinproteinandmaybehigherinsugarandcalories.Somepeoplealsoreportconstipation.

Thebeneficialunsaturatedfatisderivedfromricebranoil,whichcanhelploweryourbloodcholesterol.ThevitaminsniacinandB6alsoaidincholesterolcontrol,whilethehighmagnesiumcontenthelpstocontrolyourbloodpressure.Ironandcopperinricemilkincreaseyourredbloodcellproduction,givingyoumorevitalityasaresultofbetteroxygenatedblood.

RiceMilk, per cup: 120 calories, 2.5g fat (0 g saturated), 10g sugars, 0gfiber,1gproteinTaste:Oatmeal-liketasteandmildlysweetwithawateryconsistency

SoyMilkSoymilkisthemostcomparabletocow’smilkinprotein:8–11gramspercup—but can be higher in sugar. Soymilk has traces of fiber and is derived solelyfromplantsources.

However,thereisdebateoversoyproducts(seechapter8).Itisimportanttonotethatthesoyproteinlookssimilartodairyandisalsooneofthesevenmainfoodallergens(wheat,soy,dairy, fish,shellfish,peanuts,and treenuts). Ifyouare suspicious of a dairy intolerance, you should eliminate soy in the diet, aswell,andthenadditbackinlatertotestfortolerance.

Unfortunately, soymilk does not contain natural calcium or vitaminB12,althoughsomeproductsarefortifiedwiththem.Seechapter9forthedebateoverthebenefitsandrisksofsoyproducts.

SoyMilk,percup,unsweetened:80calories,4.3gfat(0.5gsaturatedfat),1gsugar,1.5gfiber,7gproteinTaste:Chalkytastingintheplainvarietybutifsweetenedwithflavorslikevanillaandchocolatetomaskthetaste,itaddsalotofsugar

CoconutMilk

Coconut milk is a great dairy-free alternative for those who are lactoseintolerant, allergic to animalmilk, or want to substitute for milk or cream inbakingtomakethefood“pareve.”Althoughallfivegramsoffatincoconutmilkare saturated, these fats are medium-chain fatty acids and are metabolizeddifferently than the long-chain fats associated with animal meat andatherosclerosis(seechapter4).Medium-chainfattyacidsaresentdirectlytotheliver,wheretheyareusedandburnedimmediatelyasenergy.Theymayincreasemetabolism, slow digestion, improve the immune system, and boost cognitivedevelopment(seechapter4).

Coconutmilkisalsorichinlauricacid,whichisalsofoundinhumanmilkandisshowntohaveanti-viralandanti-bacterialproperties.Unlikeothernutorplantmilks,thesaturatedfatcontentofcoconutmilkissignificantat5gramsperserving,isalsolowerinproteinandcalcium,andmayhaveaddedpreservativeslike vitamin A palmitate and carrageenan, so rotate this dairy-free alternativeamongstotherlower-calorieoptionslikealmondmilk.

CoconutMilk, per cup: 50 calories, 5g fat (5 g saturated), 0g sugars, 0gfiber,1gproteinTaste:Creamyandthicktexturewitharichflavor

CHAPTER6

GRAINSANDTHEREAL-FOODDIET

“Ifthereisnoflour,thereisnoTorah.”—PirkeiAvot3:21

Duringancienttimes,theIsraeliteslivedapredominatelyrurallife.Asaresult,many of the laws and lifestyle references in theBiblewere about agriculturalmethods.

The first reference to grainswas after the fall ofman from theGardenofEden.G–d toldAdam thatmanwill, “[t]ill the soil until death . . . From thesweat of your brow shall you get bread to eat, until you return to the groundfromwhichyouwere taken.”Asman’spunishmentafter thefirstsinofeatingthefruitsfromtheTreeofLife,hehadtoharvestthefieldinordertoeatbread.Grainswere referencedwithAdam’ssonsshortlyafter.CaindedicatedagrainofferingtoG–d,butG–dpreferredananimalofferingmadebyhisbrother,Abel.

The Bible continued to refer to grains in times of hardship. When theIsraeliteswentontheirExodusoutofEgypt,theyonlyhadenoughtimetomakeunleavened bread. Earlier, during the seven years of famine in Egypt, Josephcould only store grains and that was all the people had to eat. Later, duringEzekiel’s reign, there aremany references to grains. G–d commanded him tocarefullyportionanduse“[w]heatandbarley,andbeansandlentils,andmilletandspelt” tomakeabreadfor thepeopletoeat.Ezekielprotestedeatingthemand argued they are a food for animals. Should we feel as negative aboutincorporatinggrainsintoourdietsasthesedepressingbiblicalreferences?

Gluten,theproteininwheat,andothercharacteristicsofgrainsaresweptupin controversy. The gluten-free fad diet is rampant. About eighteen million

Americanshavesomedegreeofglutensensitivity.79,80Asaresult,thesaleandintroductionofgluten-freeproductsarethrivingatarapidpace.Spins,amarket-research-and-consultingfirmforthenatural-productsindustry,reportedthatsalesofgluten-freefoodgrew27percentbetween2009and2011—from$4.8billionin2009to$5.4billionin2010toanestimated$6.1billionin2011.CompanieslikeAmy’s®Kitchen,Bob’sRedMill®, andUdi’s®GlutenFreeFoods,whichhavesomekosher-certifiedproducts,arereportinghugegrowth.

EvenKellogg’s® introduced gluten-free Rice Krispies® in 2011 and othercompanies like Frito-Lay® and Post® Foods were not far behind in stampingtheir gluten-free seal,which identifies less than 20 parts-per-million gluten onsome products. The company, ConAgra Mills®, a leading flour supplier,publishedareportcharacterizinggluten-freespecialtyproductsasa$486millionindustry.81

Withalltheobvioushype,shouldwejumponthegluten-freebandwagon,orisitonlyforthehandfulofintolerant?Whatisthebiggerpictureofthefunctionofgrainsinsideourbodies?

Inthischapter,Iwillshowyouhowgrainscanfitintoyourreal-fooddiet.

GRAINS:HARVESTINGTHETRUTH

Medicalconditionsincludingceliacdisease,glutenintolerance,typeIIdiabetes,heartdisease,andcancerarerealproblemsintheUnitedStatesandaroundtheworld. They have a common link: chronic inflammation.82 Chronicinflammationalsocausesanalteredmetabolism,higheradiposity,andimpairedinsulinsensitivity,whichgivesastronglinktooverweightandobesity.

Some studies link grains to inflammation, arterial plaque, joint problems,rheumatoidarthritis,infertility,andPCOSsymptoms.83Celiacdiseaseisshowntobeamorecommonbutneglecteddisorderthanhasgenerallybeenrecognizedin theUnitedStates.Yet, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is increasinglyshown to be a larger issue, as well. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled rechallenge, researchers found that patients with IBS but withoutceliac disease84 experienced alleviation of symptoms following a gluten-free

diet.Previousresearchersreportedthatapproximately20percentofpatients(24out of 120 subjects) with IBS experienced food sensitivities and found reliefwheneliminatingwheatanddairyfromtheirdiets.85

I havewitnesseddifferent effects of grainswithmypatients.Here are thetwosidesofthedebate:

GoingWithorAgainsttheGrain

Some circles, such as the paleo-diet followers, argue that the chemicalcomponentsgluten,lectin,andphytatescanbeharmfulforourhealthiftheyarenotneutralized.Phytates,theyclaim,mayinterferewiththeabsorptionof calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, and iron,86—some of the verynutrientswewanttoabsorbthroughourgrainconsumption.

Interestingly, the same phytates the anti-grain movement cautionsagainst, the pro-grain group advocates as having some health benefits,including anti-inflammatory effects. Research shows phytates help tonormalizecellgrowthandstop theproliferationofcancercells.Theyalsomayhelppreventcardiovasculardiseaseand lower theglycemic loadofafood.87

In the end, there is does not appear to be any substantial evidence tosupport the significance of any harmful affects of phytates in humans.Incorporatingareallifewithotherrealfoodspromotesabalanceofallfoodgroups, which will offset any inhibitory affects of certain vitamins andmineralswithingrains,iftheymayexist.

FERMENTEDGRAINS

Interestingly, the Israelites seemed to enjoy a healthier consumption of grainsduringbiblicaltimes.Theypreparedgrainsbysoaking,fermenting,orsproutingthembeforeeating.Theprocessmayhavenotbeenintentional,butbecauseofenvironmentallywarmandmoiststorageconditions,sproutingandfermentation

likelyoccurred.DuringtheritualSederonthePassoverholiday,wereadthattheIsraelites ate unleavened bread because it did not “[h]ave time to ferment,”whichseemedtobenormalprotocol.

The process of sprouting grains changes the structure of those potentiallyharmful chemical components and reduces their effects. Fermentation furtherimproves thecompositionof someminerals ingrains.88A lotof issuespeoplehavewithgrainscanbealleviatedwithproperpreparationtechniques.

Whatcanbesprouted?

GrainsAlfalfaCloverBroccoliRadishSunflowerseedsLentilsMungbeansWheatberriesChickpeas

The brand, Food for Life® by Ezekiel 4:9® products, are made fromsproutedgrainproducts.

Inaddition,grainsofmyancestorswereoftengroundbyhandusingstonesorsimilarobjects.Thesizeofthehand-ground,sproutedgrainwasalot largerthan thepowderedflourof today.Becauseof the increase insurfaceareafromthe flour, the starch composition expanded. All carbohydrates break down tosugarinthebody,yetourstarchyflourconvertsmorequicklyintosugarinthebloodthanthegroundgrainsofbiblicaltimes.Therefore,theglycemicindexofmorerefinedflourparticlesishigherthantheflourwithlargerparticles,whichdoesnothelpourhealth.

Additionally, the most processed form of grain detailed in the Bible was

bread, asopposed toall the starch-filledprocessedproductsof today: cookies,cakes, and crackers, combined with other processed ingredients andpreservatives that would be equivalent to my ancestors reading a foreignlanguage. It seems themanifestationofwhat starchhasbecome inourdiets—overeaten, heavilyprocessed foods, refinedgrainswith tonsof unrecognizableandmanmadeingredients—iswhatishurtingus.

STARCHESANDTHEREALLIFEWITHREALFOODDIET

Youwill be happy to hear thatmy real-food dietwithwhole grains promotesanti-inflammatory ways, which can help build a strong resistance againstdiabetes, cancer, and heart disease,making a healthier you! It is important torotateyourcarbohydrate sources fromgrains toquality starchyvegetables likebeets, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and beans (see chapter 7 and chapter 8).Remember StepTwoof Steps toLiving aRealLifewithReal Food: starchesshouldaccountforonlyone-quarterofyournine-inchplate(seeServingSizeofStarch).Ifyounoticethroughyourfooddiarythatyour“go-to”starchsourceisbread,forexample,changeitup!Oftentimes,inflammationispromotednotbygrainsalone,butbytherepetitionofthesourceofgrainyouareeating.Choosingqualitywholegrains,andpreparing themina“biblical fashion” ifneeded,canhelpyoubesttoleratethisvitalfoodgroup.

ServingofStarchOptions

½cupcookedrice,bulgur,pasta,orcookedcereal1ouncedrypasta,rice,orotherdrygrain1slicebread1smallmuffin(weighing1ounce)1cupready-to-eatcerealflakes

WHOLESOMEWHOLEGRAINS89

Consumption of whole grains is widely favored over refined grains. Wholegrainscontaintheirentirecompositionintact:thegerm,endosperm,andbran.

WHATISINAWHOLEGRAIN?

Becauseoftheirwholeform,wholegrainsarenaturallyhighinfiber,protein,Bvitamins, and the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese,copper,andselenium.

Iron

Ironhelpsourbodiesmakehemoglobin(forredbloodcells)andmyoglobin(formuscles),bothofwhichhelpcarryand storeoxygen. Ironalsoplaysa role inmanyotherroutinebodilyfunctions.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral required for hundreds of biochemicalreactions,includingtransmissionofnerveimpulses,convertingfoodintoenergy,body temperature regulation, andmaintaininga strong immune system. It alsohelpsusabsorbcalciumforhealthybonesandteeth.

Phosphorus

Another essential mineral, phosphorus is present in every cell in your body,makingup1percentofyourbodyweight.Itsmainfunctionistheformationofbonesand teeth,but it’salso thekey to thesynthesisofproteinforcell repair,growth,andmaintenance;forheartbeatregularity;andfornerveconduction.

Zinc

Themineralzinchelpsyour immunesystemfightoffbacteriaandvirusesandhelpswoundsheal.ItalsohelpsyourbodymakeproteinsandDNA.Zincisalsoessentialtoproperfunctioningofyoursenseoftasteandsmell.

Copper

Copper (another mineral) helps us absorb iron and also helps regulate bloodpressure and heart rate. Copper is also needed for the production ofmelanin,whichcolorsourhairandskin.

Manganese

The mineral manganese helps us handle oxidative stress. It activates manyimportantenzymesinthebodythatarecrucialtometabolismofcarbohydrates,amino acids, and cholesterol.Manganese is also essential to the formation ofhealthycartilageandbone.

Selenium

Selenium is a tracemineral.Althoughwe only need small amounts of it, it isessential to helping prevent cellular damage from free radicals, to regulatingthyroidfunction,andforahealthyimmunesystem.

BVitamins

ThemanyBvitaminshelpwithmetabolism,theprocessyourbodyusestomakeenergyfromthefoodyoueat.Whileeachhasitsownfunctions,ingeneraltheyalso help maintain healthy skin, hair, and muscles; form red blood cells; andpromote healthy immune and nervous system function. Some research showsthatBvitaminsalsopreventmoodswings.

Source:www.wholegrainscouncil.org

MOREONFIBER

Ifavorwholegrainconsumptionlargelyduetothenaturallyhighfibercontent.Fiberdeservesachapterall toitself.It isasuperheronutrientshowntoreducebloodpressure,lowerlow-densitylipoprotein(LDL)andcholesterollevels(seechapter4), and ease inflammation. It can also increase theweight and size ofyourstoolandpreventhemorrhoids.

Dietaryfiberisacomponentofcarbohydrates.Itincludesbothinsolubleandsoluble forms. Both types of fiber are equally important for digestion andpreventingconditionssuchasheartdisease,diabetes,obesity,diverticulitis,and

constipation.90

InsolubleFiber

Because this type of fiber does not dissolve in water, it is responsible forimprovingyourdigestivesystem.Insolublefiberpromotesguthealthbyactingasanaturallaxativeandaddsbulktothediet,alleviatingconstipation.

Sources of Insoluble Fiber:Wholewheat,whole grains,wheat bran, cornbran,seeds,nuts,barley,couscous,brownrice,bulgur,zucchini,celery,broccoli,cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafyvegetables,raisins,grapes,fruit,androotvegetableskins.

SolubleFiber

Solublefiberhastheoppositeaffectasinsolublefiberbecauseitabsorbswater.Itformsagelinsidethegutandslowsdigestion,whichaidsinweightcontrol.Theaffectsofsolublefiberallowyoutofeelfullerforlongerbyslowinggastricemptyingtime.Foodshighinsolublefiberhavealowerglycemicindex,whichposes another positive effect on insulin sensitivity—it lowers the risk fordiabetes.ItisalsogoodforLDLcholesterol(seechapter4),sincethebulkandgel-like consistency draws cholesterol from the gut and interferes with itsabsorption.

SourcesofSolubleFiber:oatmeal,oatcereal,lentils,apples,oranges,pears,oatbran,strawberries,nuts, flaxseeds,beans,driedpeas,blueberries,psyllium,cucumbers,celery,andcarrots.

Source:PereiraandLudwig

IstampmyKosherSealofApprovalonconsumingfiber-filledfoodstofeelfullat and in betweenmeals and snacks. Ideally, the options should be from real-food sources (see Meal Plans), as opposed to foods fortified with fiber. Theprocessoffortificationaddsanutrientintoafoodthatdoesnotnaturallyoccur.Enhancing the fiber content in Fruit Loops® and Apple Jacks® in 2009, forexample,didnotmakethesecerealsahealthierfood.Alwayslookataproductasawholeandwhatitisdoingforyourhealth,andthenmakeyourchoice.

MostAmericansgetonlyabout15gramsoffiberperdayintheirdiets.Butthe 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends about 25 grams forwomenunder fifty and teenage girls. Teenage boys andmen under fifty (whoconsume more calories than women) require as much as 30 to 38 grams ofdietaryfiberdaily.

Whenyoubeginaddingmorefiberintoyourdiet,donotbeworriedifyouexperience symptoms of bloating and flatulence. Drink more water to offsetthese side effects. As you incorporate consistentlymore fiber, your bodywilladjust totheintakeandyouwillreapthefiberbenefitsof increasedfullness,aflatterbelly,andimproveddigestion.

MOREONWHOLEGRAINS

WhenIrecommendedthatShirley,apatient,consumeonlywholegrainsandnorefinedgrains,Iwasmetwithalookofdisgust:“Ew,Ihatethosewhole-wheatnoodles and there is noway I am eating brown rice.”Becausewhite rice is astapletomanyofmySyrianmealsandoftencombinedwithotherdishes,Iamnot surprised by the reluctance. However, I often find a patient’s limitedknowledgeofwholegrainsgoesasfaraswholewheatandbrownrice.Infact,therearemanyotherwholegrainstochoosefrom.Ifullyencourageyoutoviewthemoreextensive listonwholegrainscouncil.org,buthere isaglimpseof themost common ones I encounter in patients’ diets and my own cuisine. Trydifferent forms,brands,andwaysofpreparationand,most importantly,donotgiveup!(SeeRecipes.)

TYPESOFWHOLEGRAINS

AmaranthToday amaranth is becoming more popular, thanks to a lively,pepperytasteandahigherlevelofprotein(roughly13–14percentprotein) compared to most other grains. I have one patient whotoleratesonlyamaranthwithherIBSsymptomsandcannotgoonemorning without making it just like hot oatmeal. It can also bepopped like corn. Amaranth doesn’t have gluten, so it must bemixedwithwheattomakeleavenedbreads.Itispopularincereals,breads,muffins,crackers,andpancakes.

Health bonus: Amaranth’s complete protein containslysine, an amino acid missing or negligible in manygrains.

BarleyBarley is one of the oldest cultivated grains and is referencedmultipletimesintheBible.Hulledbarley,availableathealth-foodstores,retainsmorewholegrainnutrients,butcooksslowly.Lightlypearledbarleyisnottechnicallyawholegrain(assmallamountsof

thebranaremissing)—butitisfulloffiberandmuchhealthierthanafully-refinedgrain.

Healthbonus:Thefiberinbarleyisespeciallyhealthy;itmay lower cholesterol even more effectively than oatfiber. The betaglucan in barley is a form of fiber thatimproves insulin resistance. It alsohas tocopherols andtocotrienols,otherwiseknownasvitaminE.

BrownriceWholegrainriceisusuallybrown—but,unknowntomany,canalsobeblack,purple,red,oranyofavarietyofexotichues.Brownriceis lower in fiber thanmost other whole grains, but rich in manynutrients.

Health bonus: Rice is one of the most easily-digestedgrains—onereasonricecerealisoftenrecommendedasababy’sfirstsolid.Thismakesriceidealforthoseonarestricteddietorwhoaregluten-intolerant.

BuckwheatBuckwheatgoeswaybeyondthepancakemixesweassociatewithit (althoughIdo loveBob’sRedMill® buckwheatpancakemix!).Botanically, buckwheat is a cousin of rhubarb, not technically agrain at all—and certainly not a kind ofwheat. But its nutrients,nuttyflavor,andappearancehaveledtoitsreadyadoptionintothefamily of grains. Buckwheat tolerates poor soil, grows well onrockyhillsides,andthriveswithoutchemicalpesticides.

Health bonus: Buckwheat is the only grain known tohave high levels of an antioxidant called rutin, whichstudies show improves circulation and prevents LDLcholesterolfromblockingbloodvessels.

Bulgur(crackedwheat)

Whenwheatkernelsareboiled,dried,cracked,andthensortedbysize,theresultisbulgur.ThiswheatproductissometimesreferredtoasMiddleEasternpastaforitsversatilityasabaseforallsortsofdishes.Bulgur ismost oftenmade fromdurumwheat, but in factalmost anywheat—hard or soft, red orwhite—can bemade intobulgur.Becausebulgurhasbeenprecookedanddried,itneedstobeboiled for only about ten minutes to be ready to eat—about thesametimeasdrypasta.Thismakesbulguranextremelynutritiousfast food for quick side dishes, pilafs, or salads. Perhaps bulgur’sbest-known traditional use is the salad bazargan (see Recipes).Cracked wheat cooks faster, as the wheat berries have been splitopen, allowingwater to penetratemore quickly. Some stores alsosellwheatflakes,whichlooksimilartorolledoats.

Healthbonus:Bulgurhasmorefiber thanquinoa,oats,millet, buckwheat, or corn. Its quick cooking time andmild flavor make it ideal for those new to wholegraincooking.

Whole-wheatpastaorcouscousWheat(Exodus29:2)andbarley(Kings4:42)wereshowntobetheprimarycomponentsofbreadduring thebiblicaldays.Wheatwaspreferred, but it was also more expensive than barley and lessavailableinhardtimes.

Wheat has come to dominate the grains we eat because itcontains large amounts of gluten, a stretchy protein that enablesbakerstocreatesatisfyingrisenbreads.Twomainvarietiesofwheatare widely eaten.Durum wheat is made into pasta, while breadwheat is used formost otherwheat foods.Hardwheat, a type ofbreadwheat,hasmoreprotein, includingmoregluten,andisusedforbread,whilesoftwheatcreates“cakeflour”withlowerprotein.Liketheothergrainsabove,wheatcanbeenjoyedinmanydifferentformsinadditiontobakedgoodsandpasta.

When you are shopping for wheat, look for the term wholewheat to make sure you are getting all the bran, germ, andendosperm.Justplainwheatlegallyreferstorefinedwheat.

OatsOatshavea sweet flavor thatmakes thema favorite forbreakfastcereals.Uniqueamonggrains,oatsalmostneverhavetheirbranandgermremovedduringprocessing.Soifyouseeoatsoroatflouronthe label, relax: you are virtually guaranteed to be getting wholegrain.

In the United States, most oats are steamed and flattened toproduce “old-fashioned” or regular oats, quick oats, and instantoats.Themorethatoatsareflattenedandsteamed,thequickertheycook and the softer they become. If you prefer a chewier, nuttiertexture, consider steel-cut oats, also sometimes called Irish orScottishoats.Steel-cutoatsconsistoftheentireoatkernel(similarinlooktoagrainofrice),slicedonceortwiceintosmallerpiecestohelpwaterpenetrateandcook thegrain.Cooked forabout twentyminutes, steel-cut oats create a breakfast porridge that delightsmanypeoplewhothinktheydonotloveoatmeal!

Health bonus: Scientific studies have concluded that,like barley, oats contain a special kind of fiber calledbetaglucan,which is found tobeespeciallyeffective inlowering cholesterol. Recent research reports indicatethat oats also have a unique antioxidant,avenanthramides,whichhelpprotectbloodvesselsfromthedamagingeffectsofLDLcholesterol.Theyarealsovery high in tryptophan and selenium, which affectmood.

QuinoaQuinoa (keen-wah) is botanically a relative of Swiss chard and

beetsratherthana“true”grain.Itcooksinabout10to12minutes,creating a light, fluffy side dish.Quinoa can also be incorporatedintosoups,salads,andbakedgoods.Commercially,quinoaisnowappearingincerealflakesandotherprocessedfoods.

Quinoa is a small, light-colored, round grain, similar inappearance to sesame seeds.But quinoa is also available in othercolors,includingred,purple,andblack.Mostquinoamustberinsedbefore cooking to remove the bitter residue of saponins, a plant-defensethatwardsoffinsects.

Health bonus: The abundant protein in quinoa iscomplete protein, which means it contains all theessential amino acids our bodies can’t make on theirown. It is also high in potassium,which helps give usflatterbellies!

RyeRye is unusual among grains for the high level of fiber in itsendosperm—not just in its bran. Because of this, rye productsgenerally have a lower glycemic index than products made fromwheat andmost other grains,making them especially healthy fordiabetics.

Besuretolookforwholeryeorryeberriesintheingredientlist—justbecausesomethingis labeled“ryebread”doesn’tguaranteeit’swholegrain.

SpeltSpeltcanbeusedinplaceofcommonwheatinmostrecipes.Likeother varieties of wheat, spelt can be found in both whole andrefinedforminourfoodsupply—solookforthewordswholespelt.

Health bonus: Spelt is higher in protein than commonwheat. There are anecdotal reports that some peoplesensitive to wheat can tolerate spelt, but no reliable

medicalstudieshaveaddressedthatissue.

WheatberriesWheatberries—whole-wheatkernels—canalsobecookedasasidedish or breakfast cereal, but must be boiled for about an hour,preferablyaftersoakingovernight.MoroccansusewheatberriesinadifferentversionofChamin,astew-likedishtraditionallyeatenontheSabbath(seeRecipe).

WildriceWild rice is not technically rice at all, but the seed of an aquaticgrass.Thestrongflavorandhighpriceofwildricemeansthatitismost often consumed in a blendwith other rice varieties or othergrains.Wildricehastwicetheproteinandfiberofbrownrice,butlessironandcalcium.

OthergrainsincludeTriticale,Kamut®(whichhashigherlevelsofproteinthancommonwheatandmoreVitaminE),Sorghum(agluten-freegrainpopularamongstthosewithceliacdisease),Teff(whichhasovertwicetheironcomparedwithothergrainsandthree times thecalcium),andMillet.

STARCHYVEGETABLES

Although vegetables are essential in our diets, some are considered “starchy”and account for about 15 grams of carbs, 3 grams of protein, and about 80calories.TofulfillStepsTwoandThreeofmyStepstoLivingaRealLifewithRealFood,thesestarchyvegetables,alongwithwholegrains,shouldbereservedfor theone-quarterportionofstarchesonyourplateandas the“fiber”ofyourproteinandfiberreal-foodsnack:

Beans (Beans can also account for the protein portion of yoursnack.Seechapter8.)

BeetsCarrotsCornGreenPeasParsnipsPlantainPumpkinSweetPotatoesWhitePotatoesWinterSquash,suchasacornorbutternutsquashYams

TipsonHowtoIncorporateWholeGrainsintoYourReal-FoodDiet

Readlabels.Lookforthewordwholebeforeanygrainsontheingredient list andcheck thenumberofgramsofdietary fiberon the nutrition facts panel of packages to select high-fiberfoods.Start yourdaywith ahigh-fiber cereal that contains at least 5gramsoffiberperserving.Snack on raw vegetables and fruits in combination with aprotein.Addlegumes,seeds,andnutsintosoups,salads,andstews.

Replacerefinedwhitebread,pasta,andricewith100percentwholegrainproducts.

IstampmyKosherSealofApprovalonwholegrains,eateninmoderation,balanced with other vital food groups for better health. Whole grains havenutrientsweneedsuchas,iron,potassium,magnesium,fiber,andBvitamins.

Ifthereisanissuewithgrainconsumption,itisthatpeopledevelopa“carb-centric”diet.Carbohydratesbreakdownintosugarandresearchhasshownthatsugarbecomesanaddictionlikeonetococaine.Itcausesaeuphoriceffectthattriggersdopamine,thechemicalthatcontrolspleasureinthebrain.91Asaresult,yourthresholdoffulfillingacarbohydratecravingincreasesovertimeuntilthemajorityofyourfoodintakebecomescarbs!Sugarcravesmoresugar.

The problem lies not in the consumption of qualitywhole grains, but theproportion of whole grains in context of other food groups. Studies showconsuming a low refined carbohydrate, high-fiber diet will help you lose andmaintainweightandaddtoyouroverallhealthbyimprovingconditionssuchasnon-alcoholicfattyliver,metabolicsyndrome,andobesity.92

Duringapatient’sfoodrecall, Iaimto identifyhisorherfoodpreferences

and uncover one food group as responsible for the majority intake. Almostalways, that means carbohydrates, by a description of a potato-chip, bread-lovingdiet.Thegoalofthatpatient’smedicalnutritiontherapyistoincorporatequality foods likehealthy fats, fruits, andvegetables into thediet to lower thethresholdofcarbohydratesensitivityandachieveareal-foodbalance.Whileyouare fillingoutyour fooddiaries (seeFoodandMoodDiary), it is important torecognizea“carb-centric”trendtoyourfoodpreferences.

Ibegantorefertocarbohydratesas“afiber”tomypatients.BecauseofthecringeIseewhenIrecommendtheyeat“acarb,”Ifounditsafertorefertothemas a fiber-food because a fruit or a piece of bread will fulfill an intake ofcarbohydrateoreventualglucoseforenergy.Afterall,carbohydratesaremadeoffiberandsugars,sowhether it isapieceofbreadoranapple,anythingcanfitintoareal-fooddietaslongastheproductsinquestionarewholegrainsorfreshfruits,bothrotatedandbalanced.

Theimportantparttorememberisthatalthoughwholegraincarbohydratescanbeapartofallmealsandsnacks(includingfruits),youshouldneveraimtogetfulloncarbs.Ifyouaretechnicallyabletoeattwoslicesofbreadwithlunch,butarefullandsatisfiedwithone,thenstop.Thelongeryouliveareallifewithrealfood,themoreyouwilltrustyourbellytotellyouwhenyou’vehadenoughstarch.Youalsoshouldnoteatthestarchportionfirst.Ifyoutakeabiteofpasta,chancesarethatyou’llfinisheatingitquicklyand,withoutthinking,goformorepastaandoverconsumecarbs.

Carbohydrate foods should be a side dish amongst the larger portion ofvegetablesandsomeleanproteinconsumedwithmeals(refertoStepTwoofmyStepstoLivingaRealLifewithRealFood)orcombinedwithproteintofulfillStep3.Withthatinmind,itissafetoconsumefoodswithcarbsatallmealsandsnackstoachieveweightlossandbetterhealth.

For the other patients I have seen with sincere gluten intolerance, celiacdisease,IBS,andotherfoodallergiesandsensitivitiesrelatedtograins,itiscleartheydonottolerategluten.Theirsymptomsmaybeaccompaniedbyanincreaseinblood levelsof theantibody togluten.Otherpeoplewhodonot experienceany signs in their bloodworkmay have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).

The majority of symptoms associated with NCGS are subjective, includingabdominalpain,headache,“brain fog,” tinglingand/ornumbness inhandsandfeet,fatigue,andmusculoskeletalpain.93

ResearchersinAustraliashowedthatparticipantswithIBSwhodidnotalsohave celiac disease, found they were able to control their symptoms under agluten-free diet.94 Each person was asked to eat two slices of bread and onemuffindaily,onegroupofparticipantsatefoodswithgluten,whiletherewasnogluten in the food consumed by the placebo group. Nine participants of thegluten group stopped the study diet prematurely because of intolerablesymptoms.Duringtheentirestudyperiod,scoresforpain,stoolconsistency,andtirednessweresignificantlyworseintheglutengroupthanintheplacebogroup.

Thestudyprovidessomeofthemostconvincingevidencefortheexistenceof non-celiac gluten intolerance. The study concluded by reminding of the“[n]ecessityofstrict,lifelongadherencetoagluten-freediet;anincreasedcancerriskifexposedtogluten;andtheneedtoscreenfamilymembers.”95

Ifyoususpectanon-celiacglutensensitivity, tryaneliminationdietunderthecareofaqualified registereddietitian to identifywhich typesofgrainsareintolerable. Slowly, reintroduce grains and gauge your gluten tolerancethreshold. Symptoms of an intolerance can include stomach pains, bloat,heartburn,jointpains,headache,skinrashes,fatigue,insomnia,andbrainfog.Itisbesttogettestedforceliacdiseasebeforeattemptingagluten-freedietsoyoucanhaveamoreaccurateresult.

RealLife,RealFood,RealStory

One of my patients, Sandra, developed late onset celiac disease in hertwenties. As a result of misdiagnosis, she had severe inflammation anddecreasedgutintegrity.Asaresult,shewasnotabsorbingcomponentsofherfood,especiallystarches,whichcausedotherproblemsthroughoutherbody.

Multiple-sugar bonds, like disaccharides and polysaccharides, need tobreak down in the gut with the release of essential enzymes and othercomponents.Theprocess reliesonahealthygut. Ifyouhave impairedgut

integrity,therearemanyfoodsyoucannottolerate.Asweworkedtobolsterhergutbyeliminatingallsourcesofglutenandincludingotherfermented,cultured foods,probiotics, anda lotofveggiesand fruits,we reintroducedgluten-freegrains.Becauseofhersensitivestate,shesproutedallhergrains,tryingfoodslikebrownriceandquinoainminisculeamounts(sometimesatablespoon at a time), to ease the digestive process in her gut and build atolerance for these foods. In similar situations,with chronic inflammationand decreased gut integrity, I recommend beginning to incorporate grains(preferablysprouted)slowly,sincetheenzymesareintactandyourgutdoesnothavetodoasmuchworktobreakdownthestarchesandabsorbthefood.The goal is to work up to optimal tolerance without exacerbatinginflammationorothersymptoms.

Forthemajorityofuswithhealthygutsandnootherapplicablemedicalconditions, we can incorporate small quantities of whole grains into ourdiets,allowingourbodiestohandlethepeaksinbloodsugarandinsulin,oursugarcravingstobekeptatbayinthehealthiestway,andourbodiestotakeadvantage of the vitamins, minerals, and preferred source of energy—thecarbohydrates—theyprovide.

CHAPTER7

FRUITSANDVEGETABLES—HOWTOCHOOSEGOOD

PRODUCE

“VegetablesprovideanutritiousandinexpensiveadditionallowingascholartosubsistonasmallerincomeanddevotetimetoTorahstudy.”

—Rashi,commentatingontheTalmud,140b

2Andthewomansaiduntotheserpent,Wemayeatofthefruitofthetreesofthegarden:3Butofthefruitofthetreewhichisinthemidstofthegarden,G–dhassaid,Youshallnoteatofit,neithershallyoutouchit,lestyoudie7Andtheeyesofthembothwereopened,andthey[AdamandEve]knewthattheywerenaked;andtheysewedfigleavestogether,

andmadethemselvesaprons.

—Gen.3:2–7

Fruits and vegetables have the most positive and consistent research backingtheirconsumptionamongstall foodgroups.Aschoolof thoughtdoesnotexistthat forbids its consumption. Wait . . . I take that back; G–d forbade itsconsumptionat one integralpoint in the livesofmanandwoman.Actually, itwasthefirstmanandwoman,tobeexact.AdamandEveatefromtheforbiddenfruit of the Tree of Life and committed the first sin. And then they coveredthemselves with fig leaves—“[t]hen the eyes of both were opened, and theyknew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and madethemselves loincloths” (Genesis3:7).Weare still reaping the consequencesofthetransgression!

Asidefromthebeginningofourcreation,aplant-baseddietwithfreshfruitsand vegetables is associated with a more positive real life in biblical times.BeforeNoah’stime,thewholeworldateaplant-baseddiet,whichcontinuedtobealargepartoftheagriculturelifestyleoftheIsraelitesthereafter.

Fast-forward to our generation. Researchers have identified many plantbenefits for our general health and weight loss. The media cannot wait toheadlinesingleattributesofthelatestresearch—likethelycopeneinatomato—towardoffdiseasesandhelpuswithmemory.Reality is thata rangeof fruitsandvegetablesareshowntoshieldusagainststrokeandheartdisease;controlblood pressure; prevent different cancers; decrease the risk of developingcataracts and age-relatedmacular degeneration,which can lead to vision loss;andalsoimproveguthealth,whichpreventsdiverticulitis.Inotherwords, theyare delicious, G–d-given medications without side effects. You may then askwhyIfeeltheneedtoaddressanimportantwaytofulfillStepsTwoandThreeinmy Steps to Living a Real Life with Real Food if we already know howbeneficialfruitandveggiesareforus.(Rememberthestepsstatethatyoushouldeatalotofvegetablesandsomefruit.).

Well,despitealltheresearchbehindfruitsandvegetables,mostofAmericaisstillnotconsumingenough!Statisticsshowlessthan30percent(1in3)ofusaremeetingtheminimalrecommendationtoconsume5to13servingsoffruitsand vegetables per day (2½ to 6½ cups per day), depending on your caloricneeds.

Moreisbetter,especiallywhenitcomestohearthealth.Thosewhodoeataminimumof5servingsadayare15percentlesslikelytohaveaheartattackorother problems causedby restrictedblood flow to theheartmuscle than thosewhoeatfewerservingsperday.IntheNurse’sHealthStudy(infamousresearchconductedbytheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealththatfollowedthehealthanddietaryhabitsof110,000menandwomenforfourteenyears),researchersfoundthat themore produce a person consumed, the lower their risk of stroke—thethird leadingcauseofdeath in theUnitedStates—andheartdisease—themostserious formofcardiovasculardisease thataccounts for themostdeaths in theUnitedStatesperyear.Conversely,thosewhoatealowamountofproduce(1.5

cupsperday)werefoundtohaveahigherriskthanthosewhoconsumed8cupsper day ormore (which lessened their risk by 30 percent).96 Further researchconfirmed those who ate more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetablesexperiencedabouta2percentlowerriskofcoronaryheartdisease97andstroke98

compared to thosewhoate less than3servingsperday.Wow!That isa lotofhealthprotection.

Other studies also support the correlation between an increased fruit andvegetableintakewithareductionincoronaryheartdiseaseby20to40percentandstrokeby25to30percent.99Inparticular,onestudyshowedthatcruciferousvegetablesandcitrusfruitshad themostprotectiveeffectsforheartdisease, inadditiontoahighlevelofflavonoids,fiber,andfolicacid,whichmaycontributetotheprotectionagainststrokes.100

Eachfruitandvegetabletypehasitsownsetofadvantagesandbenefitstooffer.Forexample, flavonoids, likequercetin,arephenols thatarepresent inavarietyoffreshproduceandmayhelpremovecarcinogensfromthebody’scells.Isoflavones,aphytoestrogen,areuniquelyfoundinonecategoryoffoodknownas legumes and appear to offer a protective effect by blocking binding to cellreceptors;however,theeffectsofisoflavonesoncancerarenotsoclear-cut(seechapter8).

DISEASESANDCONDITIONSPREVENTEDBYCONSUMPTIONOFFRUITSANDVEGETABLES

CATARACTS

Cataractsareoneoftheleadingcausesofblindness.ThecaratenoidsvitaminCandvitaminEinfruitsandvegetableshelptodelaycataractformation.

CHRONICOBSTRUCTIVEPULMONARYDISEASE(COPD)

A high intake of fruits and vegetables enhances ventilatory function, which

reduces the risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).Flavonoids, like quercetin, are generally contained in higher amounts in fruitsthan vegetables, particularly in their outer layers. Vitamin C is also cited ascontributingtotheprotectiveeffectagainstCOPD.Notonlyisitanantioxidant,butitisalsothemainantioxidantfoundintheairwaysurfaceliquidofthelung,soitislocatedinausefulplacetoprotectthebodyfromharmfuloxidants.

DIVERTICULOSIS

Diverticulosis is one of the most common conditions found in industrializednations.Theconditionoccurswhensmallpouchescalleddiverticulumdevelopin the large intestineorcolon.Thediverticulummayremainasymptomaticbutcan lead to diverticulitiswhen the surrounding tissues become inflamed. Thisoftenoccursasaresultofobstructionbydietarycomponentsorstool.

Ahigh-fiberdiet,whichincreasesthebulkandmoistureofthestool,reducestravel time through the gastrointestinal tract and contributes the highestprotective effects against the development of diverticulosis. Researchers havefound that the insoluble fiber, specifically the cellulose component from fruitsand vegetables—not grains—reduces the risk of diverticulosis. Celluloseaccountsfor30percentoftheinsolublefiberinfruitsand50percentormoreinvegetables. The other closest food with the highest amount of cellulose islegumes,anditaccountsforhalfoftotalfiber.

HYPERTENSION

Hypertensionafflictsaboutforty-threemillionAmericans.Fruitsandvegetables,about 8 to 10 servings per day, can lower blood pressure in people with orwithouthypertension.Thehighamountofpotassiumandmagnesiuminproducemayalsohelptocontrolhypertension.

CANCER

Cancer is the second leadingcauseofdeathaftercardiovasculardisease in theUnited States. Some of the strongest evidence supports the protective effectscertain fruits and vegetables have on different types of cancer.More than 400grams (more than15ounces)of fruitperdaywas found topreventat least20percentofall incidencesofcancer!101Although the exactmechanisms are notunderstood, many of the protective benefits can be found in the differentvitamins,minerals, dietary fiber, and other chemical components of the fruitsandvegetables.

Benefitslieinthedifferenttypesofproduce.Forexample,thedeepyellowandorangeformsofproducearehighinbeta-carotene,acarotenoid;citrusfruitsarehighinvitaminC;leafygreens(especiallyspinachandcollard)arehighinlutein;andtomatoesarehighinlycopene.AllthesecomponentsareantioxidantsthatprotectcellmembranesandDNAfromoxidativedamage.

Leafy greens are high in folic acid, which helps prevent cancer from amolecular level. Sulfur-containing compounds, like isothiocyanates anddithiolthiones, found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli,cauliflower,andcabbagehelpincreaseenzymeactivityinvolvedindetoxifyingcarcinogensandotherharmfulsubstances.Alsofoundincruciferousvegetablesare indoles, which are shown to block tumor production in animal studies.Onions, garlic, scallions, and leeks are in the allium family and contain sulfurcompounds shown to activate enzyme detoxification systems in the body. So,basically,awidearrayoffruitsandvegetablesattackcanceronmanydifferentlevels, like an enemywalking into amine fieldwithbooby traps; steppingononesetsoffacascadeofexplosions,but theseexplosionsonlyservetobenefitourhealth.

HEARTDISEASE

Similar beneficial effects on cancer are shown with heart disease. Theantioxidants in fruits and vegetables from the sulfur-containing compounds ofthealliumfamily,alongwithantioxidantmineralszincandselenium,preventtheoxidation of cholesterol in the arteries. Additionally, the folic acid present in

green leafy vegetables,melons, and oranges alongwith vitaminsB6 andB12help to lower homocysteine, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.Finally,thesolublefiberhelpstolowerbloodcholesterollevels,ariskfactorforcardiovasculardisease.

WEIGHTMANAGEMENT

Asidefromthepowerfulprotectionagainstmanydiseases,fruitsandvegetablesaidinweightlossandweightmanagement.First,theyareverylowincalories.Second, because of their high water and potassium content, they also help toflushyoursystemandthusdecreaseswelling.Third,thehighfibercomponentskeepyoufullerlonger,whichinturncausesyoutoeatlessduringtheday,andbecauseofthedigestiverewardsoffiber,helpsyougetaflattertummy.

Toliveareallifewithrealfood,incorporatevegetablesasthemaindishatbothlunchanddinnerandutilizefruitsaspartofyourreal-foodsnacks,fulfillingSteps Two and Three in the Steps to Living a Real Life with Real Food. Asstated in chapter3,whenplanning yourmeals, you should say, “I’ll haveXXvegetableswithsidesofXXstarchandXXprotein.”Mostofwhatyoushouldbeeatinginyourmealisvegetables.

TipsforEatingMoreFruitsandVegetables:

Breakfast:Stirberries(freshorfrozen),driedfruit,orbananaslices intoyogurt,cereal,oroatmeal.Makeasmoothiewith1cup of fruit and some greens like cucumber, kale, or spinach.Makeaneggomeletandgrabsomefreshorfrozenveggies,likepeppers,broccoli,andmushroomstothrowin.Doubletheveggiesinrecipes.Whosaysyouonlyneed½cupof broccoli? Stuff vegetables into sandwiches, make a pizzaindulgence a better choice by piling vegetables on top, blendintocasseroles(likeahealthiermacandcheeserecipe),orblendthem into sauces . . . just get in the habit of always adding

more!Prep!Makealargebatchoffruitsaladfortheweek(haveabout1cupatatimewithaprotein)orgrillveggiesandrefrigerate.Don’t be fancy. Roast string beans, asparagus, and otherveggiesforeasy,fast,anddeliciousvegetableadditionstoyourmeal.Notimetoheat?Eatitraw!Crunchonsomecucumbersforaddedveggies.Get inspired.Visit local farmers’markets and other specialtyspots, or join a CSA (see CSA) to try one new vegetable aweek.Findthesavings.Seewhichfruitsandvegetablesareinseasonandfindthestoreswithsalessoyoucanenjoyabudget-friendlymeal.Haveitallaroundyou.Keepfreshfruitsoutonyourdeskortableathome.Precutandportionfreshfruitsandvegetablesandkeepthemonyou.Makeafreshgreenjuicetoaddtoyourmealsorsnacks.Incorporate fruits into your dessert indulgences. (SeeRecipesfordarkchocolatewithfruitandall-fruitices.)Experiment with salads. Throw different fruits and veggiestogetherandhavethempreppedinthefridgeforeasyandquickaccess.Dip-In. Make a platter of fresh vegetables and keep themnearby.Pairthemwithahealthydiplikehummus.Uselettuceinplaceofbreadasawraparoundaproteinliketuna.

Servings:Ruleofthumbfornon-starchyproduceiswhateveryoucanfitin1cupasaserving. The exception is for leafy greens,which need to be filled into 2

cupstobetheequivalentofa1cupserving.Fordriedfruit,Irecommenda¼cupserving(½cupfilledwithdriedfruitequals1cup).

CSA

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) became a popular way forconsumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Theway itworks is a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public—the“share” actually consists of a box of vegetables. Consumers purchase amembership that entitles them to receive a “share”—or box of seasonalproducethefarmerpicksout—duringeachweekofthefarmingseason.Thebenefits are similar to eating locally grown produce (see Local), but alsoaddsatantalizingchallengeofcookingwithnewfoodsandtastingfruitsandvegetablesyoumayotherwisenothavepurchased.

GOORGANIC?

The termorganic has become ubiquitous—sort of like the term kosher.Manyhighly processed foods are masked under the term organic and peoplesometimes flock to purchase unhealthy cookies, cakes, and other products, allthewhilethinkingthey’reautomaticallyhealthy.Weconstantlyhearthedebateonwhetherornotbuyingorganicistrulybetterforone’shealth.

Typically,studies focuson thenutritionalcontent.ArecentStanfordStudypublishedintheAnnalsofInternalMedicine inSeptember2012garnereda lotofpublicitywithnewsreelsboastingheadlinessuchas“OrganicFoodMayNotBeHealthier forYou.” In a review of two hundred studies, themeta-analysisfound that there was also no guarantee organic food would be pesticide-free,althoughitdidhave30percentlowerlevelscomparedtoconventionalproducts.Twostudiesofchildrenconsumingorganicandconventionaldietsdidfindlowerlevelsofpesticideresiduesintheurineofchildrenonorganicdiets.Finally,theresearchers did write that the “[c]onsumption of organic foods may reduce

exposuretopesticideresiduesandantibiotic-resistantbacteria.”So,itdoesseemthatorganicisactuallybetterforyou.

Someofthefindingsinthestudymissedthepointofwhypeoplechoosetogoorganic,though.Thereareotherbenefitstoorganicagriculture.AccordingtoStonyfield.com,“Organicfarmersandgrowersalsodon’thandletoxic,persistentpesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers that can pose a health hazard.Organic practices means livestock are kept strong, healthy, and productivethrough good nutrition, less stress, and humane living conditions, rather thanthroughantibioticsor injectionsofartificialgrowthhormones.Oursoil, rivers,drinking water, and air also benefit from organic agriculture because organicpractices do not contaminate them with toxic-persistent chemicals. Organicmeanslessdependenceonfossilfuelsandisestimatedtohavethesamecarbon-reducingeffectastaking217millioncarsofftheroad!”

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the issue of whether to eatnonorganicsupersedesthequestionofwhethertoeatfruitsandvegetablesifnoorganic options are available. Dr. David Servan-Schreiber wrote in his bookANTICANCER, “The fact that anticancer foods are able to detoxify bodies byeliminating carcinogens is particularly important. It follows, for example, thatevenifcertainnonorganicfruitsandvegetablesarecontaminatedbypesticides,thepowerful impactofanticancermoleculeswinsoutover thenegativeeffectsof carcinogens.” Plants were designed with survival mechanisms orphytonutrients,towardoffattack.Weconsumethoseprotectivecomponentsandrelyonthemtoactthesamewayinsideourbodies.

Organicproducehasitsbenefitsandyoucantrytoeatorganicinthemostcost-effective way by following the Environmental Working Group’s(EWG.com)annuallistofthe“Clean15”—theproducewiththeleastpesticides—and the “Dirty Dozen”—the produce sprayed with the highest amount ofpesticides:

SoWhat’stheDealwithOrganic?

Organicfoodsaccountfor4.2percentofretailfoodsales,accordingtotheUS Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA certifies products asorganic if they are produced without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers orroutineuseofantibioticsorgrowthhormones.Wepayalotmoreforsomeorganic products, mostly because these farms are not subsidized by thegovernment,butdemand is increasing.Organic foodsaccounted for$31.4billionsalesin2011,accordingtoanObamaadministrationreport,upfrom$3.6billionin1997.

Phytonutrients:Whatarethey?I love when patients come in and spew fancy terms and words like“phytonutrients.” When I ask them what the word means, they aredumbfounded. Allow me to explain: Phytochemicals have antioxidantabilities,whichmeanstheycanhelpneutralizefreeradicalsinthebodythatmight otherwise damage cells. As a result, they help prevent or reducesymptomsof some typesofdiseases.Theyact asmessengers in thebody,functioningsimilarlytohormones.

The chemical composition of a fruit or vegetable, including itsphytonutrients,varywiththeseason,thesoilitgrewin,howmuchwateritreceived,whichbugsithadtowithstand,howripeitwaswhenitwaspickedand eaten, and the storage conditions. Hundreds of components are stillbeing discovered, along with the interplay between the different complexcompoundsandtheireffectsonourhealth,whichisonereasonwhyvitaminsupplementsarenotaseffectiveaseatingthewholefruitandwhyeatingavarietyisakeyfactorinachievinggoodoverallhealth.

LOCAL

Amovementhasbeenmadebyagroupknownaslocavores—peoplecommittedtoeatinglocallygrownfoods,apracticewhichcontributesalottoyourhealth,the environment, and your tastebuds!Because of the freshness from the shorttransitionfromthefarmtoyourtable,foodistastierandhasasmallerchanceoflosingkeynutrientsduringlongtransit.Also,youcandeveloparapportwithafarmer inclose-to-homeplaces suchas farmers’markets, enablingyou to trustthesourceandsafetyofyourfood.Ifyouarelookingtolowerthetoxicloadinyour body, most local farmers explain they use minimal pesticides, so theirproduceisnotasexposedasconventionallygrownproduceshippedfromfurtherdistances.Andit’sagreatdeedtoshoplocally,sinceyouarehelpingtosupportlocal farmers and sustain agricultural lands and lifestyles, build community,conservefertilesoilandcleanwater,andbuildabetterhabitatforanimals.

SoWhat’stheDealwithGMOs?

GeneticallyEngineering (GE) orGeneticModification (GM) of food is aprocessofartificiallyinsertinggenesintotheDNAoffoodcropsoranimals.The genes can come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals, or evenhumans.Theresultisageneticallymodifiedorganism,orGMO.TheUnitedStates,unlikemanyotherindustrializedcountries,doesnotrequirelabelingofGMOs.

ResearchisintherelativelyearlystagesontheeffectsofGMOonthequality of food, the environment, and our health. It is disconcerting thatfood manufacturers are not forthcoming with using GMO ingredients, asconsumers have the right to know what is in their food. Until GMOingredientsarepublicized,youcanlimityourexposuretoGMOproductsbytryingthefollowingwheneverpossible:

Go Organic. The organic labeled products require only 70percentoftheingredientsbeorganic,but100percentmustbenon-GMO.Look for voluntary labels that read non-GMO or MADE

WITHOUTGENETICALLYMODIFIED INGREDIENTS.Somecompaniesplacetheseontheirproductsornexttoquestionableingredientslikesoylecithin.Avoidthebigfour:processedfoodsmadewithcorn,soybeans,canola, and cottonseed,whichmay look like thesewithin theingredientlist:

Corn

Cornflour,meal,oil,starch,gluten,andsyrupSweetenerssuchasfructose,dextrose,andglucoseModifiedfoodstarch*

Soy

Soyflour,lecithin,protein,isolate,andisoflavoneVegetableoil*andvegetableprotein*

Canolaoil(alsocalledrapeseedoil)Cottonseedoil*Maybederivedfromothersources

Look for Non-GMO cane sugar or organic and non-GMOsweeteners, candy, and chocolate products made with 100percentcane sugar, evaporatedcane juice,ororganic sugar toavoidGMbeetsugar.102

Our goal of living a real life with real food is to limit heavily processedfoodsformanyotherreasons,soyouwillnaturallylimitGMOexposureaswellwhenadoptingafresher,morerealfoodlifestyle.

SOMETHINGTOTHINKABOUT:FERMENTATION

Fermenting vegetables, or pickling, has become a popular trend today. Theprocess, referred to as lacto-fermentation, metabolizes natural sugars in fruitsandvegetablesand,undertherightcircumstances,createslacticacid,enzymes,antioxidants, andvitamins.Lacto-fermentationhasbeen shown to improve thenutritionalvalueanddigestibilityofthesefoods.103

Aside from providing a signature sour taste, the process allows for livebeneficialbacteria,orcultures,togrow.Whenyouconsumethem,theyhelptowardoffharmfulbacteriainthegut,digestfood,absorbnutrients,andregulateourimmunesystem(seeBenefitsofLacticAcidBacteria).

But theartof fermentation,orpickling (which is called turshi), isnothingnew.ItwasanintrinsicpartofnotonlymyMiddleEasternhistory,butothersaswell. During medieval times, most cultures consumed fermented foods andvegetables:itwascalledkimchiinKorea,zukeinJapan,chutneysinIndia,andpickled cabbage in China. The Sephardic Jewry in Spain adopted the art ofpickling vegetables from the Iberian culture. Pickles and relishes became anessentialpartofthediet,fromtheimpoverishedtothewealthy—notonlyforthehealthbenefits,butalsotheenhancementincolor,flavor,andtexturetomeals.Theseattributescontributedanundeniablepalatabilitytotheusualblandmealofhard-bread.104

Incorporating pickled disheswas also a part of keeping Jewish laws. TheTalmud(collectionofJewishlawsandtraditionsconsistingoftheMishnahandGemara)states,“OnewhoisabouttorecitetheHamotzi(blessingoverbread)isnot allowed to do so until salt and leaften (relish) is placed before him.”TheHebrew word leaften came from the word Lefet, meaning turnip, which wasderived from theword lefhet,whichmeant to twist and turnwhen referring tothe way a root vegetable is harvested. Turnips are one of the most popularvegetablestypicallyfermentedandarestilldisplayedontheSabbathatmytable.Leaften refers tomost relishes, though, andwas always an accompaniment tobreadatMiddleEasternmeals.

At first, the pickling in Spain relied on vinegar, primarily from wine, toferment vegetables. But in Eastern Europe, wine was hard to come by. Theyadapted the more advanced form of fermentation from China, the lacto-fermentationassociatedwithnumeroushealthbenefits.

Lacto-fermentation does not use any vinegar, but instead relies on theacidifyingbacteriainherentlyfoundinarawvegetablethatfeedsoffitsnaturalsugars.Justtherightamountofsaltisalsoanimportantingredientforprotectingagainst harmful bacteria and extrapolating the water and sugar from thevegetables.Ifthereistoomuchsalt,itwillnotferment.Lacto-fermentationalsoneeds warm, moist conditions to be successful. During fermentation, thevegetablesproducelacticandaceticacids,whichsoftenthevegetablesandgiveatangy,“pickled”flavor.

Astheartoflacto-fermentationspreadthroughoutEuropeanJews,thestaplesauerkraut,orrawcabbage,wasborn.Thestore-boughtpackagedsauerkrautoftodaydoesnotreapthebenefitsofthelacto-fermentedproductsoftheolddaysbecausethemodern-dayprocessofpasteurizationkillsthebeneficialbacteria,aswell. (See Recipes for making your own raw cabbage and other fermentedvegetables.)Othervegetablestypicallyfermentedarebeets,carrots,cauliflower,mushrooms,olives,cucumbers,peppers,greentomatoes,andturnips.

Barrels of fermented cucumbers can still be seen in many pickle stores,especiallyinLowerManhattan.Theyarereferredtoaskosherdillsandhaveasignature sour flavor. Today, they’remadewith fresh garlic.My grandmother,Sarah,wasanAshkenaziJewofEasternEuropeandecent,whowasmarriedtoaSephardicJew,mygrandfather,A1,whowasthesonofparentsfromAleppoandDamascus, Syria. Her cooking reflected the clash of two cultures. Lining hercountertopswerejarsofallsizeswithvegetableslikepeppers,turnips,andgreentomatoespackedinside,fermentingandwaitingfortasting.Whenshevisited,Icould depend on her to bring two things: fresh apple sauce and pickledvegetables,usuallypeppers, in largemasonjars.Shepassedawayin2009,butherjarsandtheold-fashionedfoodmillsheusedtogrindapplesauceweretwopiecesofherlifeIkeptwithme...andwithmykitchen.

BenefitsofLacticAcidBacteria

Reduces the levels of anti-nutrients such as phytic acid andtanninsinfood,leadingtoincreasedbioavailabilityofmineralssuchasiron,protein,andsimplesugarsIncreasestheamountofvitaminsinthefermentedfoodActs as a form of detoxification that preserves the nutritivevalue and flavor of decontaminated food. In addition to this,lactic acid bacteria fermentation irreversibly degradesmycotoxinswithoutleavinganytoxicresidues.Showntohaveanti-tumoreffectsPrevents diarrheal diseases because they modify the

composition of intestinal microorganisms, and by this, act asdeterrentsforpathogenicentericbacteriaProduces fungal inhibitory metabolites. These are mainlyorganicacids,whichincludepropionic,aceticandlacticacids.Produces protein antimicrobial agents such as bacteriocins.Bacteriocins are peptides that elicit antimicrobial activityagainstfoodspoilageorganismsandfoodbornepathogens,butdonotaffecttheproducingorganisms.Synthesizes other antimicrobial compounds, such as hydrogenperoxide,reuterin,andreutericyclinWorks as probiotics that restore the gut flora in patientssuffering from diarrhea, following usage of antibiotics thatdestroythenormalflora.Inthismanner,fermentedfoodisusedtopreventandtoalleviatediarrhea.Alleviatesconstipationandabdominalcramps.

We may have gotten a bit heavy in research surrounding fruits andvegetables, but this is because the results are crystal clear and show they canbenefit anyone and everyone. The more you eat, the merrier (and healthier)you’llbe!Althougheachfruitandvegetablehasitsowngreatattributes,anditisimportant to eat a variety of colors to consume each benefit, incorporating ahigher amount of dark green leafy, cruciferous and yellow-orange vegetables,along with citrus and deep yellow orange fruits, show the highest links toprotecting you and preventing the diseases associated with oxidative damageincluding cancers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cataracts, and COPD. Themost notable protective elements are vitamin C, flavonoids, and carotenoidsalongwith thesulfur-containingcompounds in thealliumfamilyofvegetables(whichareespeciallyhelpfulinpreventingheartdisease)andthedithiothiones,

indoles, and disothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables (which aid in thepreventionofcancer).

Ultimately,ifyouaregoingtotrytolivealifewithrealfood,benefityourhealth, and reach yourweight-loss goals, youwill need to incorporate a largeproportionoffruitsandvegetablesintoyourdailyintake.Remember:Alotofvegetables.Somefruit.

Thestatisticsmakeitclearthatevenifyousupportthisidea,youmostlikelystill needed some convincing before reading this chapter. Hopefully, withmyhighlightsonthebenefitsofthefruitsandvegetablesmostfrequentlyconsumedinmyMiddleEasternandEasternEuropean roots, inaddition tomy ideas forways to enjoy them (not to mention reminders about what research showsregarding their benefits to your health and goals of weight loss), youwill beencouraged to incorporate themmore intoyour real life.Besure toalsocheckoutsomerealfoodrecipes(seeRecipes)forideasonhowtotranslateeachfruitorvegetableintoanactual,reallife,dish.

CHAPTER8

PROTEIN—QUALITYVERSUSQUANTITY

“AndG–dsaid,‘Behold,Ihavegivenyoueveryplantyieldingseedthatisonthefaceofalltheearth,andeverytreewithseedinitsfruit.You

shallhavethemforfood.’”—Genesis1:29

Protein is a vital nutrient that plays a significant role in your health. It isresponsibleforkeepingyourskinandhairhealthyandmusclesstrong.Proteinisthelastnutrientonyourpathtowardeatingrealfoodforyourreallifebecausemost people already get an adequate supply, overall, since protein is in mostfoods.Another reason is because someof the proteins Iwill highlight are notnecessarilyfrommyJewishroots.Althoughcommoninourmodern-daycuisine,they are not all unique to our culture.Of course, this nutritious and deliciousnutrientisnostrangertocontroversy.

Asyouhavereadthroughthechapters,thethemeofareallifewithrealfooddietstressesqualityfood.Decipheringbetweenhigh-qualityproteinshasitsownsetofconfusionbecausewedonotnecessarilyabsorballtheproteininafood.

Mostnon-essentialaminoacids (thebuildingblocksofprotein)are fromastoragepoolinsideourbodies,butweburnthroughthemmorequicklythanourfat stores. Other essential amino acids need to be consumed from food. The“starred” amino acids in the chart (see Essential versus Nonessential) areconsidered“conditionallyessential,”whichmeansunderspecificsituationsorincertainareasofdeficiencies,theybecomeessential:

DangersofTooMuchProtein(Supplements)

Louiswasaposterchildforphysicalactivity.Hehitthegymnightly,nevermissingonedayofexercise.Overtime,Louis’sloveforthegymturnedintoan unhealthy obsessionwith bodybuilding. As a result, he put himself onmultiplesupplementsforwhathethought(andwaspromisedbymarketingmessagesandfellowgym-goers)wouldaidinhismuscle-buildinggoals.

When he started his gym obsession, Louis was clinically obese. Notfromtheweightofmuscle,buthehadbodyfatthatheneededtolose.Theadditionofaminoacidsupplements,whicharenotneeded,wouldturnintofat.Evenworse,theoveruseofsupplementscanbecomedetrimentaltoyourhealth.

It is excellent to engage in physical activity, but only when it is in ahealthywaywith realisticgoals that fall in linewithwhatyour individualbody needs. Louis is one of many patients who asked about proteinsupplements to help them build muscle faster. But most supplements areunnecessary,unproven,andunregulatedbytheFDA.Nottomention,someare dangerous, so proceedwith caution and ask for advice froman expertregistereddietitian,notyourlocalfriendsatthegym.

Proteinisabsolutelynecessarytobuildingmuscle,buttoomuchproteincanharmyourbody.Onewayproteinscanbeharmfulisthroughdigestion.Calciumandothercomponentshelpneutralizetheacidsformedbydigestingtheproteininafood,butifyouconsumetoomuchprotein,yourbodywillbegintopullcalciummainlyfromyourbones,thelargeststorageinsideyour

body. In the Nurses’ Health Study, women who ate 95 grams of protein(more than25percentof theirdailycalories), reportedmorebrokenwriststhanthoseconsumingamoremoderateamountof68gramsofprotein(lessthan15percentofdailycalories).

While there are dangers of eating too much protein, the importance of aprotein-rich diet in context of other whole foods is huge. It helps with yourweight-lossgoalsinafewkeyways:

1. Protein increases your fullness to a greater extent than fat andcarbohydrates,andtherefore,maycauseyoutoeatfewercaloriespermeal.

2. Eatingrelativelymoreprotein increases thermogenesis,yourbody’swayofburningcalorieswhileprocessingit,whichmayhelppromoteafeelingoffullness.

3. Aprotein-richdiethelpsmaintainmusclewhileyouaretryingtoloseweight.Dietsthatpromoterapidweightlossorrestrictprotein(suchas the fad“juice fasts”)causea loss inmuscle,not fat,whichdoesnot benefit you in the long run and slows down your metabolicrate.105

SOURCESOFPROTEIN

Herearesomegreatsourcesofproteinthatshouldgrabyourattention:

LOVINGLEGUMES

Legumes, frequently consumed as part of Middle Eastern and Mediterraneanmeals, are great additions to your diet for their rich source of folate, fiber,magnesium,andironaswellastheirprotectingphytonutrientsanthocyaninsandquercetin.Packedwith theseantioxidantsandmore, theircolor isaG–dgivenmaptowardbenefittingdifferentaspectsofourhealth.Theyareshowntoprotect

againstcoronaryheartdisease,diabetes,highbloodpressure,andinflammation.The legume family includes alfalfa, clover, lupins, green beans and peas,

peanuts,soybeans,drybeans,broadbeans,drypeas,chickpeas,andlentils.Hereareafewlegumesthataremygo-toplant-basedproteins:

BEANS

Beans,referencedinboththebooksofEzekielandSamuel,canfit intoanyofthefeaturedfoodgroupsonyourplate.Theyhavestarchandproteinandareavegetable,too.Highinbothsolubleandinsolublefiber,beanshelptopromoteahealthy digestive tract,whichminimizes the risk of gut-related conditions andsome types of cancer. They also help lower cholesterol and improve insulinsensitivity,decreasingtheriskforheartdiseaseanddiabetes.

Beans contain a variety of vitamins and minerals including calcium,phosphorus, potassium, folate,magnesium, and iron. Calcium and phosphorusplay a vital role in bone health; potassium works with sodium to maintainhealthybloodpressure;folateisaBvitaminthatisoftenassociatedwithhealthypregnancy.Itisalsonecessaryfortheproductionandmaintenanceofnewcells.Magnesiumhasmany purposes: it is needed formuscle and nerve function, ahealthy immune system, bone health, blood pressure regulation, and energymetabolism. Finally, iron is an important part of oxygen-transporting proteinswithinthebloodanditalsopromotescellgrowth.

Beanshaveahighphyticacidcontent, so it isbest tosoakyourbeans fortwenty-fourhourstominimizetheeffectsofinterferingwithsomevitaminandmineral absorption (see chapter 6). If you are short on time and need to usecanned beans, be sure to give them a good rinse prior to use because of theirhigh sodium content. Also, try to use brands with BPA-free (bisephenol A)lining,likeEden®Foods.Ialsorecommendnotaddinganysodiumtothedishbecausesomesaltremainsonthebeanspost-washing.

Sometimes,thehighfibercontentmayleaveyoufeelingbloatedandgassy.Trytoconsumebeansslowlyatfirst,withonehalf-cupserving,keepyourintakeconsistent,anddrinkwaterwitheachdish.Donotbeafraidtoexperimentwith

allkindsofbeansinyourcooking,astheyaddapalatable,visuallystimulating,andsatisfyingaspecttoyourdish.Ifyouareveganorvegetarian,itisevenmorecrucialyouconsumemanyformsofbeans.

LOTSOFLENTILS

ThroughmySyrianheritage,Ilearnedtoincorporatelentilsinsoups,withrice,andasacoldsalad.ButtheconnectionbetweenlentilsandJudaismhasadeeplyrootedimportanceinourdiets.

Jacob gave Esau, his brother, lentil stew he cooked after his grandfather,Abraham,passedaway(acustomtocookAdessoupisbasedonthishistoricalevent.SeeRecipes.)inexchangeforEsau’sbirthright.Hethentrickedhisfather,Isaac,withastewandwonhisbrother’sblessing(Genesis25:29).

The nutritional quality of all lentils are superb: one cup of cooked lentilscontainsabout18gramsofprotein,15gramsoffiber,over6mgofiron,38mgofcalcium,andisagoodsourceofpotassiumandmagnesium.LentilsalsohavevitaminCandK,whichareimportantforbloodclotting.Theyalsocontainsmallamountsofzinc,selenium,andcopper.106

GARBANZOBEANS(AKACHICKPEAS)

ChickpeasareanotherprominentfoodinmyMiddleEasternculture.It’sagoodthing, too, because a100-gram servingof cookedgarbanzobeanswithout saltcontains27.42gramscarbohydrates;7.6gramsdietaryfiber;2.59gramsfat;and8.86gramsofprotein.Onehalf-cupservingofcookedgarbanzobeanshas2.37mg of iron, meeting 13 percent of your daily value, and 141 mcg of folate,meeting35percentofyourrecommendeddailyvalue.

Garbanzo beans also contain vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin,pantothenicacid,vitaminB6,folate,andvitaminsC,E,andK.Chickpeasalsohave the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium,andzinc.

A study conducted in 2010 showed that chickpeas can also control your

hunger.Agroupofforty-twoparticipantsmaintainedtheirnormaldiet forfourweeks, then added 104 grams of garbanzo beans for twelve weeks, andcompletedthestudywiththeirnormaldiet,withoutthebeans,foranadditionalfour weeks. While the participants were eating the garbanzo beans, they atefewercaloriesoverallandreportedanincreaseinsatiation—agreatwaytohelpmanageyourweight!

A similar study in 2007 compared a diet with garbanzo beans versus onesupplementedwithhigh-fiberwheatfoodsandtheireffectsonbloodcholesterollevels.Afteronlyfiveweeks,participantssawareductionwithbothdiets,butasignificantlygreaterpercentage in totalcholesterolandLDLcholesterolduringthechickpeadietthanduringthehigh-fiberwheatdiet.107

I stampmyKosherSealofApprovalonallvariantsof the legumefamily.Fromblack,tokidney,tonavybeans,eachhastheirownsetofnutritionalvalueforour health.For freshbeans, soak themovernight.For canned, give themarinsebeforeusing.Keepinmindthatbeansaccountforbothstarchandprotein.Whenyoumakeyourplate,besuretoreservebeanstoone-quarterofyourplate,aboutahalf-cup,asastarch.Ifbeansaretheproteinandyouareeatinganotherstarch,youcaneatone-cupofbeans.Ifyouarenoteatinganotherproteinorastarchatameal,youcanexpandyourbeanstocoverhalfyourplate,sotheycanattributemoreproteinandstarchtoyourmeal.

DidYouKnow?

Didyouknowthatstringbeansaretheonly“bean”thatdoesnotcountasastarch?Stringbeanscanbeequivalenttohalfyourplateateachmeal.Theyare agood sourceofBvitamins andvitaminC,whichhelp tobuildyourimmune system, as well as fiber (1.6 g in a half-cup), folate, vitaminK,vitaminA,protein,andcalcium(31.5mgperahalf-cup).Yum!108

THESUPEREGG

Theeggindustry’smarketingtagline,“TheIncredible,EdibleEgg,”couldnotbemoreonpoint.Jam-packedwithessentialvitaminsandminerals,andonlyabout76caloriesperlargeegg,thisqualityanimalprotein(6.3gramseach)isagreataddition to your diet. Too bad the low-fat craze hurt its reputation. Scientistsclusteredeggsascontributorsofanincreaseincholesterolandheartdisease.Asaresult,manyeliminatedthevitalfoodsourcefromourdiets.Sincewealreadyaccomplishedthenecessityofhealthyfatsinourdiets,letusseehowelseaneggcanhelpusachieveareallifewithrealfood.

YOLKVERSUSWHITE

Egg whites do offer more protein than the yolk (as well as most of the

magnesium,potassium,niacin,andsodium),but theydonotcontainanywherenear the quantity of vitamins in the yolk. Egg whites have fewer calories,totalingabout17pereggcomparedto59intheyolk.

Thefrequentlydisposedofeggyolkisactuallytheonlyplaceyouwillfindthebeneficialfat-solublevitaminsA,E,D,andKandmorethan90percentofthevitaminsB6andB12.Theeggwhitebecamesynonymouswiththeproteinoftheegg,buttheyolkcontainsnearlyhalftheproteinofthewholeegg.Yolksalsocontainmore than 90 percent of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin,folate,andfatoftheegg.

Maybenowyouwillthinktwicebeforeyouthrowthatyolkinthegarbage?

SPOTLIGHTONCHOLINE

Eggyolksareagreatsourceofcholine,aBvitamin.Unfortunately,90percentofAmericansaredeficientinthisvitalnutrient,primarilybecauseitisnotfoundinmost foods and our bodies do notmake enough of it.A choline deficiencyleadstoadeficiencyinanotherkeyBvitamin,folicacid.

Cholineisavitalcomponent inbrainhealth.It is integral toall thebody’sfat-containing structures and cell membranes, including bothphosphatidylcholineandsphingomyelin,twofat-likemoleculesthataccountforalargepercentageofthetotalmassinthebrain.

Cholinehasthreemethylgroupsandis,therefore,importantinmethylation,aprocessinwhichmethylgroupsaretransferredfromonetoanother,similartocellssendingmessagesbackandforth.Bothcholineandbetaine,itsby-productfoundinfoodslikebeetsandsoybeans,worktogetherinthecellularprocessofmethylation,whichisnotonlyresponsiblefortheremovalofhomocysteine,butis involved in turning off the promoter regions of genes involved ininflammation.Actingasahugeanti-inflammatoryagent,consumptionofcholineis linkedwith a decrease in heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline andAlzheimer’s,andtype-2diabetes.

Choline helps comprise acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that bringsmessages to and fromnerves andmuscles—theprimarywayyour body sends

messages.It isalsolinkedtoloweranxietybecauseofcholine’simportantrolewithinthecentralnervoussystem.

YOURHEARTONEGGS

Asidefromcholine’saffectonyourbrainandnervoussystem,italsoimprovescardiovascular health by helping convert homocysteine, a molecule that haspotential to damage blood vessels, intomore benign substances. Additionally,the egg’s quality source of vitamin B12 enhances the process of convertinghomocysteineintosafermolecules.

Thecholesterolintheegg,ormorespecifically,theyolk,isoneofthemajorfactors that gives eggs a bad name. But now, even the American HeartAssociationsaysthat,basedonmultiplestudies,thoseonalow-fatdietcaneatone or two eggs a daywithoutmeasurable changes in their blood cholesterollevels.Onestudyfoundthatsaturatedfat in thediet,notdietarycholesterol, iswhat influencesbloodcholesterol levels themost.Another study showedeggsactually improve the lipid (cholesterol) profile by changing the type ofcholesterol inthebody.Afteramonthofeatingtwoeggsdaily,notonlydiditnotnegativelyaffecttheratioofLDL:HDL,butitalsoincreasedthesizeoftheLDL cholesterol—a significant change since larger LDL is much lessatherogenic (likely to promote atherosclerosis) versus the smaller LDLparticles.109

EGGSANDWEIGHTLOSS

Mostofyourgoalstolosefatincludelosingbellyfat,andcholineisshowntobeabelly-blaster.Researchers showed that thegroupwhoateeggsversuspeoplewhoateabagel forbreakfast for fivedays lost twiceasmuchweight ineightweeks;anaverageofsixpoundsmorethanthebageleaters.110Theyalsohadan85 percent greater decrease in waist circumference and reported greaterimprovements in energy. Both groups positively showed no difference intriglycerideortotalcholesterolorHDLandLDLlevels.111

LUTEIN:ANANTIOXIDANT

Lutein—acarotenoid thought tohelppreventage-relatedmaculardegenerationand cataracts—may be found in even higher amounts in eggs than in greenvegetables.Producesuchasspinachwereonceconsideredlutein’smajordietarysources.Whenfoundineggs,luteinisbetterabsorbedthaningreenvegetablesandevensupplements.Onestudyshowedthatafterfiveweeksofeatingadailyegg,participants’bloodlevelsofluteinandzeaxanthinsignificantlyincreasedby26 percent and 38 percent, respectively, compared to their levels of thesecarotenoidsaftertheirno-eggweek.

Lutein,likeothercarotenoids,isfatsoluble,soitcannotbeabsorbedunlessfatisalsopresent.BeingfatsolubleisalsothecasewithvitaminsA,E,D,andK—all found in the egg yolk, and therefore, better absorbed due to their goodcompanyofhealthyfats.

Ihope I intriguedyour tastebudsand thatyou’renowconvinced thatyoushouldtrytoincorporatemoreeggsintoyourdiet.Here’ssomeideasofhowtodojustthat:

TryapoachedorscrambledeggforbreakfastPrepareaneggsaladsandwichforworkIncludeahard-boiledeggforasnack

WHICHEGGSAREBEST?

Eggs are no different than most other food groups that got caught up inmarketing frenzy. From organic, to cage-free, free-range, and vegetable-fed(literally meaning they were fed a vegetarian-based diet), the many termsdescribing the quality of eggs leave consumers scratching their heads inconfusionofwhichtobuy.

OrganicEggs

Simplystatingsomethingisorganicdoesnottelluswhatfoodthechickenswerefed (which determines the nutritional composition of the egg); it only tells us

thatitwasorganic.Aswithmostanimalproteins,organicmeanstheirfeedwasorganicandtheywerenotgivenantibioticsorhormones.Organicchickensmaybe left uncagedbut are not required to haveoutdoor access and typically stayinsidethebarnorwarehouse.

Cage-Free

Unfortunately, when an egg carton lists the term cage-free, it only requires achicken to be out of their cage for at least five minutes, and there is nospecificity onwhere they should bewhenoutside their cage. Itmaymean thechickensarestillroamingintheirdark,crowded,indoorcoup.

Free-Range

Free-rangemeans that thechickenscan roamongreenpastures,unlimited,yetthelabelrequirestheyhaveaminimumoffiveminutesoutsideperday,withoutspecificsondurationorquality. Italsodoesnotguarantee thechickenactuallygotoutsidebecausemosthenhouseshaveasmallholein thecoopthatoneofmanychickenshastocramthrough.Thismeansthatsomesimplystayindoors.When,andif,thechickenfinallyhasaccesstothe“outdoors,”itcanbeagrassfieldorasectionofhard-corepavement.

PasturedEggs

Theaccuratetermtodescribethequalityeggsweallshouldseekoutispastured.There isno federaldefinitionofpasturedeggs,and it isdifficult to find them.More than likely,youwillencounter thematsomespecialtyhealth-foodstoresandlocalfarmers’market,whichisagreatplacetofindafarmeryoucantrusttogetqualitypasturedeggs.

Beingpastured-raised,thechickensarecage-freealldayandroamthefieldstoeatgreenplantsandinsects.Atnight,theygobacktotheirhenhouse,roost,andlayeggs.Duringthewintermonths,theymaybesupplementedwithorganicfeed.Thequalityofpasturedeggsmayalsobemorenutritious:morevitaminD,vitaminA,vitaminE,Omega-3fattyacids,andbeta-carotene.

If pastured eggs arenot available, look for thewords, “organic, cage-free,Omega-3”onthecarton,whichincludeseggslayedfromahenfedadietrichinflaxseed.Theseeggsareagoodsourceofnotonlyofluteinandzeaxanthin,butalsoOmega-3essentialfattyacids.OnestudyfoundthatOmega-3eggscontain39 percent less Arachidonic Acid (AA), an Omega-6 fat that promotesinflammation, thanonlyconventionalororganic.Furthermore, theyare rich indifferent typesofOmega-3fats,both theshort-andlong-chains.Omega-3eggsarecertainlynotnutritionallyequivalent topasturedeggs,but they’reastep inthe right direction.112 They also guarantee that, at the very least, thechickens/henswerenotgivenanyantibioticsorhormones.Keepinmindthatthecoloroftheoutershelltellsusnothingaboutthenutritionalqualityorvalueoftheegg.

GradingByQualityandSize

TheUSDepartmentofAgriculturegradeseggsbytheinteriorqualityoftheeggand theappearanceandconditionof theeggshell.Eggsofanyqualitygrademaydifferinweight(size).

USGradeAAEggshavewhitesthatarethickandfirm;yolksthatare high, round, and practically free from defects;andclean,unbrokenshells.GradeAAandGradeAeggs are best for frying and poaching, whereappearanceisimportant.

USGradeAEggshavecharacteristicsofGradeAAeggsexceptthewhitesare“reasonably”firm.Thisisthequalitymostoftensoldinstores.

USGradeBEggshavewhites thatmaybe thinner andyolks thatmaybewider and flatter than eggsofhighergrades.The shells must be unbroken, but may show slightstains.Thisqualityisseldomfoundinretailstoresbecause

theyareusuallyusedtomakeliquid,frozen,anddriedegg products, as well as other egg-containingproducts.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_(food)

FISH

Fish—especially the kosher varieties of salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna—haveagreatprotein level, lowsaturated fat content, andqualityvitamins, like

vitaminD.They are applauded for their high level of qualityOmega-3 fats, themost

readily absorbed form of EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA(docosahexapentanoic acid). Your body absorbs these forms of Omega-3sefficiently.ThisisunlikethewaythebodyabsorbsALA(alpha-linolenicacid),foundinotherdeliciousandhealthfulplant-basedsourcessuchasleafygreens,walnuts,chiaandflaxseeds,whichneedtobebrokendowntoDHA/EPAbytheliverbeforeitcanbeabsorbedandmostislostintheprocess.

WILDVERSUSFARMED

Wildseafoodisatrueorganicproteinsource.Thesefishwerebornandbredintheir natural aquatic environment. They have not been tamperedwith throughfeedingormedicinal or scientificmethods.As a result, theymay showhigherlevelsofmercurythanfarmedfish.Typically,wildAlaskansalmonisagreatandsafe choice because it is low inmercury and high inOmega-3 fats, EPA andDHA,B6,B12,zinc,copper,selenium,vitaminD,helpingtoboostmood,fightcancer, and build strong bones.A greatwebsite to check aquatic situations inyourareaandfor informationonoilspillsorotherenvironmental impacts thatmayaffectthequalityofyourwildfishisepa.gov.

Whenfisharefarmed,theyarebornand/orraisedinenclosuresortanksforcommercial use. They may be given anything from growth hormones andantibioticstocornandsoyfeed,bothhighinOmega-6fatsthatcanpotentiallychange your fish from being anti-to proinflammatory! They may also havehigherPCBanddioxincontaminationlevels.

Takecautionwhenchoosingfishandbemindfulabouttheamountyoueatperweekbecauseofhighmercurylevels(about8to12ozperweek,accordingto theFDAandEPA).Thatbeingsaid,manyvarietiescanbeenjoyed,both intaste andhealth, in a kosher, real-fooddiet.When somepatients express theirdislike of the “fishy” taste, I often find they are not preparing fish well. SeeRecipesforwaystopreparefishandfitthetimetoprepareitintoyourreallife.

AnchoviesandSardines

Althoughnotusuallyafanfavorite,eatinglittlewildfishsuchasanchoviesandsardinesisagreatboost toyournutritionprofile.Thesetinycreaturesare high in Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, B vitamins, iron, phosphorus,potassium,andthecompoundDMAE,whichmayimprovebrainfunction—andthey’regoodforouroceans,aswell.Becausetheyarelowonthefoodchain,youdonothavetoworryaboutconsumingmercuryeither.

I have read conflicting opinions on which ways of breeding have highercompositions of Omega-3s, but because of all the other manhandling withfarmedfish,Istickwiththewild,orwhatIcallrealfish,wheneverpossible.Inthekosherworld,itisdifficulttofindmanywildfishvarieties,andtheyhaveahigher price tag. Either direction you decide to turn, eating lowmercury fishwithhigherOmega-3getsmyKosherSealofApproval,whetheryougoforwildorfarmed.

Therearekosherdietary restrictionswhen itcomes to fish.Only fishwithfinsandscalesarekosher.Therefore,somefishhighinOmega-3(andhappenstoalsobehighinmercury)areunkosherincludingswordfish,mackerel,tilefish,andallshellfish.

SOY

Out of all the food discussed throughout the book, soy has been the mostdifficult to find the truth about while sifting through all the controversy. Thereasonissimple:bothsidesaresoextreme.Eitheryousupportsoyorareagainstit.Icannotsimplysay,“Eatit,because,ifanything,itmaybenefitbutwillnotharm,”becausethoseagainstsoyconsumptionbringupscaryeffectsofsoyonour health. So, I researched and read through the different sides, wrote andrewrote this section as new evidence came to light, and even flip-flopped thesides Iwas taking.All thewhile, feeling so sorry for you, the consumer,whomaybemoreconfusedthanIam!

THEBASICS

First,wewill startwith the basics of soy. Soybeans are a legume and a plantfrom the pea family.They are high in quality protein and are known to be aneffective substitution for meat protein, which aids in weight loss. A researchanalysis showed that when participants switched their red meat and dairyconsumption to soy, they had a higher intake of folate, vitamin K, calcium,magnesium,iron,andfiber.Soyisalsohighinthemineralscopper,manganese,molybdenum, phosphorous, and potassium, the B vitamin riboflavin, and theOmega-3 formofALA.Becauseof theirplant-basedpropertiesand inherentlylowerlevelofsaturatedfat,theyareshowntohelpdecreasebloodpressureandcholesterol. In fact,becauseof the research that suggestsadaily intakeof soyproteinmayslightlylowerlevelsofLDL(“bad”)cholesterol,theFDAcameupwiththeirownstampofhealthapprovalforsoyin1999:

“25gramsofsoyproteinaday,aspartofadietlowinsaturatedfatandcholesterol,mayreducetheriskofheartdisease.”

Othersideswarnagainstthewideuseofsoyandarguethebeneficialresultsare not as clear-cut.113 In 2006, the American Heart Association (AHA), andmanyother researchers,disputed theFDA’sclaims inastudy investigating the

researchonsoyandwrote:

“In the majority of 22 randomized trials, isolated soy proteinwith isoflavones, as compared with milk or other proteins,decreased LDL cholesterol concentrations . . . approximately3%.Thisreductionisverysmallrelativetothelargeamountofsoyproteintestedinthesestudies,averaging50g,abouthalftheusual total daily protein intake.No significant effects onHDLcholesterol,triglycerides,lipoprotein(a),orbloodpressurewereevident.Among19studiesofsoyisoflavones,theaverageeffectonLDLcholesterolandotherlipidriskfactorswasnil.”

Throughouthistory,soyhasalsobeenusedtotreatmenopausalsymptoms,such as hot flashes. The same AHA study concluded soy was not shown tolessen these symptoms andhadmixed results on its effects on soy’s ability toslowpostmenopausalboneloss.Thefindingisprettymuchtheconsensus:therearenoclearlinksbetweensoyanditseffectsonmenopausalsymptoms.

Forcancer,theAHAreportedtheefficacyandsafetyofsoyisoflavonesforpreventingor treatingcancerof thebreast, endometrium,andprostatewasnotestablished and cautioned a possible adverse effect. They, therefore, did notrecommendsoyfoodorpillsintreatment.

The reality is the researchsurroundingsoyandcancer isperhaps themostcontroversial.Manystudiesshowthatgenistein,theisoflavonephytonutrientinsoy(seeIsoflavones)isakeyfactorincancer-prevention.Genisteinisshowntoincrease the activity of the tumor suppressor protein called p53. When p53becomesmore active, it triggers apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancercells and inhibits activity of the cancer cells. It may also help slow tumorformation by blocking the protein kinases, especially in the case of breastcancers. However, in women with breast cancer who are premenopausal andhave developed tumors that are neither estrogen-receptor or progesterone-receptorpositive,intakeofsoyandgenisteindidnotseemtolowertherisk.Intheend,itseemsotherdietaryfactors,forexample,affectthebenefitsofsoy.For

example, ifaperson isnotconsumingenoughfruitsandvegetables,soyfoodsmaynotprovideanticancerbenefits.

Inothercases,thereisevidencethatalargeamountofprocessedsoyparts—forexample,dietarysupplementationofsoy isoflavones—mayincreasecertaincancerssuchasbreastcancer.

The overall negative effects are expected from antioxidants that act as ananti-tumorandanti-inflammatoryagent, inanyfood,not just insoy.Thesamehelpful components can become pro-oxidant, proinflammatory, and pro-tumorundercertainconditions.Theying-yangaffectof trulypositive todangerouslynegativeiswherethesoycontroversygetsitsheat.

Finally,theAHAstudyconcludedwith:

“The benefits of soy products on cardiovascular and overallhealth should be attributed to their high content ofpolyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and lowcontentof saturated fat as is thecasewithmostother legumesandnotspecifictosoy.”114

Dr.WalterWilletoftheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealthalsopointsoutinhisbook,Eat,Drink,andBeHealthy,thattheevidenceonsoybenefitsandhearthealthisweakandthelargeamountofsoyconnectedwiththereportedbenefitsis inconjunctionwithahigh intakeof saturated fat,whichdoesnotoffset therisksofhavingtoomuchsaturatedfatinthediet.

SOYANDINFLAMMATION

OriginatingfromtheAsiandiets,whichincorporatedthewholesoybeaninsmallamounts,modern-dayAmerican foodmanufacturers have taken soy as one oftheir own,most often cracking, dehulling, crushing, or subjecting it to solventextractionprocesses toseparate theoils fromthe restof thebeanandmoldingthemintoingredientsforheavilyprocessedfoods.

Soybean oil has a more of the proinflammatory, Omega-6 level ofpolyunsaturated fat versus theOmega-3 levels (anOmega-3:Omega-6 ratio of

1:7). Because of its overuse in most processed foods, it is estimated that 10percentofcaloriesfrompeople’sdietcomefromsoybeanoil!High-temperatureprocessing also denatures fragile proteins to make soy protein isolate andtexturedvegetableprotein. It seems thebiggestproblemwith soycomes in itsoveruseinmostheavilyprocessedfoods,isolatedfromtheinnocentG–dgivensoybean(non-GMOandall)itoncewas.

THECONTROVERSY

Othercontroversialaspectsofsoycanbebrokendownintothesecategories:

1. Anti-nutrients2. Isoflavone–phytoestrogens3. GeneticallyModifiedOrganisms(GMO’s)

1.Anti-Nutrients

We talkedaboutphytic acid and the abilityof fermentation to reduce someofthose issueswithgrains.Phytatesmayobstruct theabsorptionofminerals likecopper, iron,calcium,magnesium,andzincintheintestinal tract.Thephytatesinsoyactuallyenhancetheconcentrationofgenistein.

Unfermented soy contributes enzyme inhibitors, which interfere with theprocessofdigestiveenzymes,suchasamylase lipaseandprotease, frombeingsecretedinthedigestivetracttohelpbreakdownthesoyandfreenutrientsafterit is eaten. Because of this, the soybean carbohydrates and proteins are notcompletelydigested.Asaresult,yourbacteriatrytobreakdownthecomponentsofthefoodinthegut,causingbloatingandothersymptoms.

Coulditbethatfermentedsoywillsolvemostoftheseproblems?In some cases, yes. The process also allows the beneficial properties, like

probiotics, to become available to your digestive system, enhancing nutrientabsorption and contributing a plethora of healthy bacteria to the gut, whichboostsyourimmunity.Fermentedsoyalsoshowspropertiesincludinginhibitingcancer, osteoporosis, and other cardiovascular disease. Unlike the case with

grain,onlyfermentedsoyneutralizesthephyticacid,butsproutingconcentratesit.Theformsofmiso,tempeh,andnattoaretypesoffermentedsoy:

NattoisaformofsoybeansfermentedwiththeMitokunattosporesand, in the Japanese diet, most often eaten with breakfast. Itcontainsnattokinase,whichactsasapotentbloodthinnersimilartotakinganaspirin.Nattohasoneof thehighest sourcesofvitamink2, vital in fertility, with a beneficial probiotic called bacillussubtilis and a good source of protein.Youmay have to acquire atasteforthestickytexture,strongcheese-likeflavor,andpowerfulsmell.Tempeh is a fermented soybean pressed into a cake, similar to aveggie burger, or crumbled like taco meat. Tempeh is used as ameatsubstitutebecauseofitsfirmtextureandnutty,mushroomlikeflavor.Miso,athick,soybeanpastefermentedwithkojibacteria,ishighinproteinandothervitaminsandmineral.Misotastessaltyandhasabuttery texture (commonly used in dashi and miso soups). Somealsousemisotopicklevegetablesandmeatsorasanaddedflavortosaucesanddressings.Soy sauce originated in China. Traditionally, the process entailssoybeans made into a paste, combined with a roasted grain andfermentedwith aspergillus bacteria,which are pressed, producingtheliquidsoysauce.Becarefulwhenchoosingasoysauceonthemarkettodaybecauseitmaybemadeartificiallyusingachemicalprocess.Tamari,producedinJapan,containslittleornowheat.Wheat-freetamaricanbeusedbypeoplewithglutenintolerance.ItwasthefirstJapanese soy sauce, which closely resembles the soy sauceoriginally introduced to Japan fromChina.Technically, this is theliquidthatrunsoffmisoasitmatures.

2.SoyIsoflavones

Thesoybean’sisoflavonesareaphytoestrogennecessaryforthebody.Theyarealsofoundinbeansandotherlegumes,includingchickpeasandpeanuts,andarecloselyrelatedtotheantioxidantflavonoidfoundinotherplantslikethecocoabean. People seem to have a love-hate relationship with these polyphenolcompounds.Specifically, soybeanshave theglycosidesgenistein anddaidzein,isoflavones that are shown to prevent cancer, but in large, processed amounts,canbecancer-promotingunderspecificcircumstances.

3.GMO(GeneticallyModifiedOrganism)

About 80 percent or more of soy grown in the United States is geneticallymodified (seeGMO in chapter 7). To avoid purchasing soywithGMOs, buycertified organic, which cannot contain GMOs by definition, or products thatsay,non-GMOonthelabel.

Limiting your intake of heavily processed food in general also helpsminimize your isolated soy intake, a practicewe are aiming to accomplish bylivingareallifewithareal-fooddietforothermorehealthfulreasons,too.

SOYANDYOURTHYROID

Many people, especiallywomen, suffer from low thyroid activity inAmerica.Goitrogensareacompoundfoundinsoyandmanyotherfoodslikecruciferousveggies (kale, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage) that may affect thyroidfunction.Somearguegoitrogensaloneslowdownthyroidfunctionbyblockingthe production of thyroid hormones, causing goiter formation and, eventually,causing thyroid cancer. But there are usuallymany othermechanisms at playcausing those effects, such as iodine deficiency, the immune system, andmetabolicproblemsintheliver.115

Fermentationdoesnotnecessarilyhelpalleviatetheeffectsofgoitrogens,asthe process actually frees the isoflavones (goitrogens) from their conjoinedsugars and permits greater absorption. To help alleviate some effects ofconsuminggoitrogenswithsoy,eatadietrichinotheriodine-richfoods.

THEALLERGY

Soy isoneof themostcommonfoodallergies,alongwith:wheat,cow’smilk,hen’s eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish (including shrimp, prawns, lobster, andcrab);treenuts(includingcashews,almonds,walnuts,pecans,pistachios,Brazilnuts,hazelnuts,andchestnuts),andpeanuts.

Ifyouchoosetoincorporatemoresoyintoyourdiet,takenoteofanallergicreactionsuchasbreathingproblemsorskinrashesandsymptomstriggeredfromasoyintolerance,suchasnausea,vomiting,diarrhea,bloating,andconstipation.

CookingwithSoy

Becauserawsoybeans(including the immaturegreenform)are toxic, theyshould be cookedwith “wet” heat to destroy the trypsin inhibitors (serineproteaseinhibitors).

Soybeanscanbecookedandeatenasisorusedtomaketofuandotherfermentedfoods.Thedifferentformscanbeaddedtopastas,salads,patties,andgrilled,too.Mix sprouted soybeans into salads or use as toppings forsandwiches.Frozenedamameissimpletoprepareandmakesagreatsnackorappetizer. Just add the soybeanpods to slightly saltedwater andboilforapproximatelytenminutes.Addsoybeanstovegetablestewsandsoups.

Becausetheresearchisdouble-sided,thetakehomemessageistoeatwholesoy in moderation, rotated amongst other high-quality protein sources, andbalanced amongst other whole food groups. The types of soy with the mostbenefitsarethefermentedproductsliketempeh,miso,andannatto.Takecautionwhenconsuming themoreprocessedsoyvarietiessuchassoymilk, soy flour,andingredientsincludingsoyproteinisolatesandsoylecithin,inlargeamounts,as they are found inmost packaged goods. Lucky for you, that is the goal ofchoosingtoliveareallifewithrealfood!

Enjoyingsoyfoods,liketofu,edamame,andothergood-qualityproteins—inthecontextofeatingotherwholefoodsandrotatingyourfoodchoicesfrequently—willensureyouaretakingadvantageofthebenefitsofsoywithoutoverdoingthe load on your system. To avoid potential negative effects of goitrogens,

simplyconsumesoyinthecontextofaniodine-richdiet,byincludingfoodslikefish in yourmeal plan. Eating small amounts of these foods will provide thecancer-protective effects of components of soy, like genistein,without causingotherpotentialproblems.

LIVINGAREALLIFEWITHREALFOOD

“Whoeverconductshimselfinthewayswehavesetforth,Iwillguaranteethathewillnotgetsickthroughouthislife....Hewillnotneedadoctorandhisbodywillbeinperfectshapeandremainhealthy

allhislife.”

MishnehTorah,HilchotDe’ot4:20

CHAPTER9

EATINGOUTANDINTOTHEUNKNOWNWORLDOFREAL

FOOD

“AndAbrahamwentquicklyintothetenttoSarahandsaid,‘Quick!Threeseahsoffineflour!Kneadit,andmakecakes.’AndAbrahamrantotheherdandtookacalf,tenderandgood,andgaveittoayoungman,whoprepareditquickly.Thenhetookcurdsandmilkandthecalfthathehadprepared,andsetitbeforethem.Andhestoodbythemunderthe

treewhiletheyate.”—Genesis18:6-8

Bang,Clang,Plop,Crash!CanyouguesswhereIam?Here’sanotherhint:whitesubway-tilewalls,ceramic floors, stainlesssteel

potsandpans...needmore?Picture this: chefs cooking, aprons flying, vegetables chopping, food

sizzling,andthearomaofexoticflavorintheair.Iaminarestaurantkitchenandstudiesshowthatmanyofyouarenearby,

too.TheUSDAreportedthatweeat29percentofourmealsawayfromhome,accountingforupto44percentofourfoodbudgets,creepingupto53percentinthenextfewyears,accordingtotheNationalRestaurantAssociation.Iwouldberemiss not to adequately address eating out in the unknown real world oftemptation.

EATINGOUT,THEDEFINITION

Idefineeatingoutaseatingfoodoutsideyourhome,typicallyinasocialsetting.Thefoodsmaybepreparedbysomeoneatarestaurant,inafriend’shome,oratgatheringssuchasweddings,holidaymeals,birthdayparties,orotherevents.

ATAFRIENDORRELATIVE’SGATHERING

In the Jewish Community, social events are commonplace and food istantalizingly featured. From extravagant occasions to routine Sabbath Fridaynight and Saturday lunchmeals, the temptation to bite offmore than you canchewataneventispartofourrealworld.

Whathappenswhenaninvitationcomesforyouinthemail?Youmayreadthedetailsoftheeventandfeelanxious,thinking,“HowwillInavigatetheFoodUnknown?”Fearnot.Withthesereal-food,real-worldtips,youcancombatanymealatasocialgathering.

PLANAHEAD

Thegoldenruleresponsibleforasuccessfulnightspenteatingout isplanning.Thedayof,besuretomaintainyourmealandsnacktimes,eatingthemostfiberand protein-rich food combinations you have in your repertoire (See MealPlans).Yourgoalistomakeyourstomachfeelasfullandsatisfiedaspossiblesoyou can fuel your mind to resist food temptations out of the home. Starvingbefore you leave (a state of hunger many people strive for before going outbecause they want to fit in a certain dress or think they would gain thepermission toovereatat theevent) is settingyourselfup for failure.Ourbrainneedssugartofunction.Ifyoudon’teatforhoursbeforetheevent,youwon’tbethinkingefficiently.

Another important reason to choose nutrient-dense foods the day of theeventistoleavealittlewiggleroomtoindulgeinonepreplannedtreat.Ifyouknowthetypicalfoodanddessertdisplayatyourdestination,thenplanoutyourplatebeforehand.Knowyourself:ifyoucannotresistyoursister’sapplecobbler,thentellyourselfcomingintothedinnerthatyouwilleatandenjoyonepiece.

This way, you will not see all the tempting sweets and lose control afterinevitably tastingonebite.On the flipside, if yougo into the event thinking Iwillnottouchatreat,butyoudohaveataste,allbetsareoff.Psychologically,thepressureofrestrictiontriggersyourmindtothink,“IfItookonebite,Imayaswelleateverything.”Berealwithyourselffirstbeforeyoucanberealaboutfood.

Oncehungeristakenoutoftheequation,wecombatthepsychologicalurgesinvolvedwith social eating. Countless times, I have heardmy patients report,“Beth, Ididn’tknowwhy Iwaseating; Iwasn’t evenhungry!”Reality is thatmostofthetimeyouareeatingforotherreasonsthanhungeranditisimportanttoidentifywhatthatreasonis.Itcouldbeyouareeatingbecause:

1. Everyoneelseiseating.2. Thefoodisinfrontofyou.3. Someone ispressuringyou toeat, “Whyareyounoteating?”“Are

youonadiet?”“Pleasetastemydessert!”4. Youarefeelingfamished.5. Youarebored.6. Youforbidyourselffromhavinganyfoods,butaftereatingone,you

loseallself-control.7. Itjusttastessogood.Period.8. Youthinkyouprobablywon’tseefoodlikethisagain.9. You have no idea how, but your hand is grazing the cookie plate

multipletimes.

Anyofthesesoundfamiliar?Takeatime-outbeforereachingthefoodandask yourself, “Am I really hungry?Why do I want to eat this food?” If theanswer sounds like one of the above excuses, do yourself a huge favor andfollow some of these tips. I introduced them at one ofmyLoseWeight,WinMoney,GainHealthchallenges.At first, Iwasmetwith skepticism.Then, thewomenrealizedthattheirovereatingateventshadlesstodowiththefoodandmoretodowithalossoftakingcontrolinsocialsettings.Herearethenon-food

tips they tried (adapted from Connie Bennett, author of the bestselling booksSugarShockandBeyondSugarShock,wroteinaHuffingtonPostarticle116):

SeeYourselftheMorningAfter

To prevent one Shabbat of overeating and “sinning” (i.e., overindulging onsweets,carbs,andhigh-fatfoods)istopretendthatyou’retalkingtoafriendorlovedone thenextdayandopenly sharingwhathappenedatyour feast.Whatwould you say to this person?Would you be embarrassed?Would you be toomortifiedtotellherorhimthatyoulostcontrol?Myclientsfindthathavingtohonestlydishthedirttoalovedonecanpreventthemfromovereating.Ortalktoyourselfinthemirror—themind-bodyconnectionispowerful!

DotheTimedBreath,Blow-OutTechnique

Whenyou’resittingaroundyour friend’smealandsweets,carbs,orother richfoods“callout”toyou,letyourwatchhelpyoutoslowdown.Beforeyoushovethatsecond(orevenfirst)servingofcandyintoyourmouth:

Checkthetimeonyourwatch.(Ifyoudon’twearone,asksomeoneelse.)Then, whatever time it is, take that number of breaths—but do soslowly,deliberatelyandconfidently,breathinginandoutslowly.So,let’ssayit’s9a.m.Thatmeansyou’llslowly,consciouslytakeninedeepbreathsinandninebreathsout.Atthesametime,visualizeyourbreathwhooshingorblowingawayyourcravingupintothesky.(Youcanpretendthatyou’rebreathingawayyourcravingsasiftheyaregentleclouds.)Expectthattooccur.Now,watchyourcravingsgopoof.Ifyou’restilltemptedandareclosetopiggingout,repeatthewholeprocedureagain.(You’lltakeanotherninebreaths.)Ifthatstilldoesn’tworkandyourcravingsarereallystrong,thenyoucanreallybuckleup.Takeninebreathsninetimes.(Ifitwere3p.m.,thenyou’ddothreebreathsthreetimes,etc.)

TakeGratitudeBreaks

Beforeyougrabanextrahelping,takeaGratitudeBreak.Gotoacornerinyourfriendor familymember’s home (or your home) and think about themeaningbehindShabbat.Then,beforeyouputanymorefoodintoyourmouth,firstthinkabouttwentythingsforwhichyouloveShabbat.(Ifyoucan,writethemdownbeforeShabbatandreadthemaloudifyou’rehome.)

GiveaHugandaComplimentandSwitchYourFocus

AtShabbatoranotherevent,oneofthebestwaystoquitfocusingonfoodandsweetsistothinkaboutsomeoneelse.Findaguestortwo(someoneyoudon’tknow thatwell or even your least favorite relative) and give that person yourundividedattention.Ifyoucan,findoutfromyourhostorhostesswhichofyourrelativesorlovedonesishavingthehardesttime.Then,goovertothatperson,catchup,askquestions,andthenlistencarefully.Makesuretogivethispersonyour support, encouragement, validation, understanding, warmth, compassion,andlove.Whenyou’regivingtoanother likethis,yourheartwillopenupandyou’llbefilledwithwarm,fuzzy,goodfeelingsratherthanfood.

SayaPrayer...AgainandAgain

Whenthoserich,sugar-filledjunkfoodsanddrinksaretemptingyou,praytoG–dtohelpyouresist(silently)eachtimeyou’reabouttoputabiteoffoodinyourmouth. Then, if that doesn’t work, thank the farmers who brought you thevariouselementsofthemeal.Next,silentlythankthecompaniesthatmayhavebeeninvolved.Andifyouneedtogofurther,givegratitudetoG–dforrain,yourhouseplant,orwhatevercatchesyourattention.Religiouspeoplehavefunwiththis little trickand find that ithelps to lead toweight loss.Essentially, all thisthanking takes time. So delving deeply into gratitude like this can slow youdownandhelpkeepyoufromovereating.

HaveFunaftertheFeast

Soon after the evening begins, organize some kind of fun group activity.Youcouldallgoforawalkintheneighborhood,playagameofcards,ormaybeyou

couldallsingsomepizmonim,orJewishpsalms.Just findanactivity thatyoucaninvolvethemostguestsinenjoying.Youwillthenlookforwardtoyourbiggame or walk or whatever activity you organize and you’ll become lessinterested in pigging out on all the sweets and overeating the foods offeredduringyourmeal.

TellaJoke

Asweallknow,it’sdarndifficulttoeatorovereatwhenyou’relaughing.Soifyou’reclamoringaftersweetsorquickiecarbs,tellajoke.Inotherwords,figureoutawaytomakeyourselflaugh.You’llnotonlykeepyourselffromovereating,but you may get the whole table laughing so hard that they become lessinterested in their meal. (If you like, you could study some joke books inadvancetohavesomegoodcomedymaterial.)

KeepCloseTrack

Makeapromisetoyourbestfriendorlovedone(or,fornow,me)towritedowneverysinglebitethatyouconsumeonShabbatafterward.Theideaofhavingtoshareyour food listwithsomeoneelse isquite intimidatingand justkeepingawhat-I-ate-at-Shabbatlistcanpreventpiggingout.

WheninDoubt,B.Y.O.F.

The following tip is forpeoplewith special sensitivities. Ifyou find ithard tokeep control over the holidays or if you are allergic to gluten,meat, dairy, orother substances, you may want to Bring Your Own Food (B.Y.O.F.). Forinstance,whenIwasinIsraelforayear,Ialwaysbroughtmyowndesserttomyhost’shousesoIcouldbesureIlikedonepartofthemeal.Likewise,Icurrentlytry to accommodate my guests with their taste preferences if they have foodallergies and other personal health issues. If you have not yet trained yourrelatives and friends, thenyoumaywish to bring some foods thatwill enableyoutostayontrack.

ATARESTAURANT

BEFOREYOULEAVE

Yourfirstchoiceinselectingarestaurantshouldbeonewithavarietyoffoodsonthemenu.Inadvance,reviewtherestaurant’smenuonline,askthemtofaxoremailyoua copy,ordiscuss somechoicesover thephonewith thehostess soyoucanmakeyourmealdecisionsbeforeyougetthere.

It isbetter todistinguishwhatkindofmealyouare lookingfor,decideonone,andeatit—notavoidit.Thinkaboutwhatfoodsyouarecraving:pasta,fish,somethingsaltyorsweet?Doestherestauranthavetheonedishyouabsolutelylove and cannot resist? Your goal is not to be tempted by other items on themenu by planning your choice ahead of time. Some patients ofmine dowellwith recording their calorie counts throughout theday and focusonnot goingoverontheircaloricloadforthedayattheirrestaurantmeal;however,Iliketoutilize the day to have more nutrient-dense foods to fully fuel and satisfyyourselfcoming into thedinner so,overall,youwill take in fewercalories fortheday.

Agoodideaistosetareservation,decreasingthelikelihoodofgettingtoohungry or resorting to drinks at the barwhilewaiting in line for a table.Askthem to seat your party at a table away from the kitchen so you are neithertemptedvisuallyoraromaticallybythemorecaloricdishes.

While speakingwith the restaurant staff, feel free to askhow theyusuallyprepare theirmeals.Aremostof thedishes fried, baked,or steamed?Do theyaccommodatesubstitutionsonthemenu?

Itiscriticalthatonetotwohoursbeforeleavingthehouse,youeatasmall,nutrient-densesnack.Snacksshouldconsistof foods thatarehigh in fiberandprotein,suchasanapplewithonetablespoonofnaturalpeanutbutter.Ifyouarerunning short on time, a simple apple or one ounce of nuts, unsalted, issufficient.Ifyoumissthisstep,youaremorelikelytoeatthe“tablefoods,”likebreadandbutter, thatwait innocentlywith thewordsEATME stampedonto thetablecloth.

If your restaurant allows, bring your own whole-wheat melba toast, ahomemadedressing,oranyotherhealthychoicestheymaynotoffer.Itisalways

bettertobeover-prepared.Mostkosherrestaurants,however,donotallowyoutobringoutsidefoodintotherestaurant,sobesuretostudytheirmealoptionsasbestyoucanbeforehandandplanyourchoicesaccordingly.

SITTINGATYOURTABLE

Youcanstart thenightoffrightbypolitelyrequestingthewaiter takebackthefreeitems.I’mawareofhowdifficultthismaybe,butmypatientshaveproventhat this one step paves the way for a successful night of healthy, guilt-freeeating. Skipping the bread and butter will easily help you shave 200 to 300caloriesoffyourmeal.

If you must have the bread on the table because your guest insists(rationalization or truth), ask for whole wheat and eat it plain. If you need aspread,askforalower-caloriealternativetobutterorhaveextravirginoliveoilinstead.

Thesecondyousitat the tableandbeforeyoubegin tofeeloverwhelmed,startsippingwater.Drinkingmayhelpwardoffsomeofwhatfeelsliketheurgeto eat, so you can be sure what you are experiencing is not thirst. Also, wesometimesfeel theneedtobedoingsomethingwithourhandsandmouthinasocial setting and having a cup of water in handmay be enough. Finally, doyourselfafavorandremoveanydessertorspecialsmenudisplayedonthetabletodecreasethetemptationoforderingfromthem.

HOWTOORDER

Themomenthascomeandyouarereadytoorderyourmeal.Keepinmind:thisisnotatimetobepolite.Igiveyoupermissiontobethefirsttoordersoyouwillnot tempted by the dishes ordered by the rest of your party.Howmany timeshaveweheardortoldourselvesaftermakingourchoiceofwhattoeat,“Oh,thatsoundsgood,maybeI’lltrythatone”?

Additionally,ifyourservercomes,butyouarenotreadytoorder,youdonothavetomakeaquickdecisionyoumayregret.Atthesametime,ifyousingled

outyourchoiceandarereadytoorder,callthewaiteroverasquicklyaspossibleandhandbackthemenuasfastandfinalassubmittingyourtaxreturnsbythedeadline.Signed,sealed,delivered,anddone.

Often times, it is necessary to encourage my patients to ask questions ormakespecialrequestswhenorderingfood.Iwantyoutogaintheconfidencetoaskforwhatyouwant.Novegetableslisted?Youwanttoswitchabreadorpastatowholewheat?Askforsubstitutions!Restaurantsareinbusinesstoserve.Youshouldbeabletorequestadishyouwant.Theworstthatcanhappenistheysayno.Gettinginthehabitofchoosingthefoodyouwanttoeatinsteadofthemenuitemschoosingyouisasignyouarelivingareallifewithrealfood.You,notthefood,areinchargeofyou.

Youcanalsoaskabouttheportionssizesofthedishes.Attimes,asidedishoranappetizerwithasaladmakesagreatmealiftheotheroptionsaretoobig.AstudypublishedintheJournalofConsumerResearch showed thateatingoffasmaller plate, or an appetizer-sized meal, would result in you eating 9 to 31percentlessthanifyouateoffalargerplate.117

When deciding on a dish, take note of which foods have cheeses, sourcreams, gravies, and special sauces. Ideally, you should not order theseadditional itemsor, ifyouneedorwant them,youshouldask for themon theside. These ingredients are usuallywhatmake themeal go from controlled toexcessive,oftentimesbecauseofsalt,calories,andsugar.Ifyouwanttheflavorof the sauces, dip your fork, not the actual food, in the condiment and spreadoveryourfood.Ateaspoonintotalisagoodruleofthumbforameasurementofcondiments per meal. “Extras” also include preparation methods that add oil,butter,andsugar;requestthesenotbeaddedtoyourplate.

Ihavewitnessedagourmetpizzamakerpaintbrusholiveoilontothecrustathis restaurant just before serving and an ice cream shop server squirtingchocolate syrup into an already chocolate-flavored milk shake. These areadditions that are unnecessary to both flavor and calories. Most people Iencounter are not aware of these extras. I bet that if you ask themnot to addanything like oil, syrup, and sugar, youwill hardly notice the change in taste,flavor, and satisfaction—but your bodywill notice the change in calories and

willthankyou.Taketheopportunitytobethepainteryoualwayswantedtobeanddesign

your dish to be as colorful as a rainbow. Typically, a plate filled with blandcolors like brown, beige, white, or pale yellow is an indication that you arehaving a high-calorie, high-fat, heavily starched meal. A colorful palette alsohelpswithvisualstimulationandenjoymentofyourmeal,whichhelpsyoufeelsatisfiedandhappyaftereating.

Ifyoursituationallows,orderonecourseatatime.Wehaveahabittoorderwith our eyes, not our bellies. After eating an appetizer and waiting twentyminutesforthemaincourse,youmayhonestlynotbehungry.Whenyourmealfinallycomes,it’shardertodenyitspassageintoyourbody.Ifyouwaittoorder,take the twenty minutes to enjoy your company and allow your belly tocommunicatewithyourmindthatyouarefullandsatisfied(Seechapter3).

APPETIZERS

Ifyouwanttostart themealoffonapositivenote,foodsincludingvegetablesandfruitsaregoodchoicesaslongastheyarenotdipped,fried,orbreaded,butrathersteamed.Takenoteoftheappetizersasyousearchthemaindishoptionsbecauseanappetizerandasaladmakeagreat,well-portionedmeal.

SOUPSANDSALADS

Thesetwoitemsserveasamealinandofthemselves.Startingyourmealwithabroth-based soup, like a simple vegetable soup, versus creamier textures isproven to help save calories in your complete meal. However, semi-creamymushroomandbarley, split pea, and lentil soups arehealthier optionsbecausethey are packed with fiber that will help you feel fuller and more satisfiedthroughoutyourmeal.

Beforeyouthinkyoucannevergowrongwithvegetables,thinkagain.Alotofhiddencalorieshide ina restaurant’s saladbar.Skipover theoilycroutons,pasta or potato salads, and stick with typical choices of carrots, peppers,

tomatoes, and cucumbers. Add nuts, garbanzo, kidney, and black beans foradditionalsourcesofproteinandtruehealthycolors.Experimentwithdifferentdark green flavors, textures, and nutrients such as spinach leaves, kale, andarugula...ormixthemtogether!

Dressingsareapotentialsaladbarpitfallbutcanstillbeenjoyed.Thebestoptionisasimplelemonjuiceandoliveoildressingoraddredwineorbalsamicvinegar. Aside from being a real-food option, you use less of liquid-baseddressings than creamy ones to cover the entire salad (about 4 tablespoons).Creamydressingsareconservedto2tablespoons.Askyourself,“Whichoptionwillgivememorebangformyhealthbuck?”Trustme,thelemon-and-olive-oiloptionismoresatisfyingtostomach,mind,andbody.

ENTRÉE

Finally, you are ready to choose your entrée. Believe it or not, the mostnervewracking part of your meal choice is actually the simplest to decipher.Avoid the words: buttery, breaded, buttered, fried, pan-fried, creamed,scalloped, augratin, andà lamode. Find thewords: grilled, baked, steamed,boiled, poached, stir-fried, roasted, andblackened. Avoid heavy sauces madewith ingredients including milk, cheese, mayonnaise, or white-based colors.Instead choose a red-colored marinara or tomato-based sauces as a generalindication that thedish isahealthieroption.Eitherway,askforyoursauceonthesideorreplacewithotherherbsandspicesforaddedflavor.Attheveryleast,askforthecheftogolightonyoursauce.

Yourchoiceofproteinsisanotherareawhereyoucanchoosetobehealthier.Thefattyandleanmeatsareimportanttorecognize:

Fish:allfairlyleanorcontainhealthyfat.Chicken: fairly lean, especially when skin and fat is removed.Whiteis leanerthandarkmeat,butnotbytoomanycalories.Thesamerulesapplytoturkeyandduck.Groundbeefproducts(inorderofmosttoleastfat):groundbeef,

ground chuck, ground round. Eye of round and roasts are leaner,whilesteaksandribshavemorefat.Ifyouareorderingaprimeriborroast, request the leanercenterorinnercut.

Keep inmind the serving sizeofmeat is3 to4ounces. Ifyourplategetsservedtoyouwiththesteakcoveringtheentirearea,makesuretoimmediatelyrequesttopackagehalftotakehome.

If you are vegetarian or choose a vegetarian option, tread cautiously. Themenuoptionsarenotalwayshealthierandthesametipsapply.

SIDEDISHES

Youhaveanopportunitytoturnthehealthtidesofyourentiremealwiththesidedishes.Ioftenmakemyownrequestsiftherearenothealthieroptions.Askingforasideofvegetablesisanaccommodationmostrestaurantscanmake.Trynottoallowanyotherthoughtsofunhealthiersidescreepintoyourmind.Ifamealcomes with two side options, even better. Request one cooked option likesteamed,stewed,orbroiledbroccoliandarawvegetable, likesalad, tokeep itflavorful. Be careful with the mayonnaise-based sides, such as coleslaw andpotatosalad,asthesecanbehighincalories.

The retort “But the dish camewith fries” is no excuse to succumb to thefrench fries, fried potato, hash browns, chips, or other fatty food temptation.Thereisalwaysabetteroptionlikeasmallbaked,broiled,orroastedpotatowithnoaddedcreams,sauces,oils,orbutters—sochoosewisely!Ifyouneedaddedflavor,requestsalsa,chives,pepper,orveggiestomixwiththepotato.Ifveggiesaresimplynotanoption,tryafruitsalad.

DESSERT

Asdinnerwindsdown,youpray,“Pleasedon’taskifIwantdessert!”Alas,thequestionbecomesrealityandnowyouhavetoanswer.Ideally,youandeveryone

in your party decline the invitation. If they decide to order and you feeluncomfortable not ordering (a feeling of confidence I encourage you topractice!),requestahotteaorcoffee.Ifyouneedfood,freshfruitasdessertisalways the best option—with no added sauces or whipped cream. Sorbets orfrozenyogurtsarebetterthanicecream;however,besuretokeepyourservingsizeto4ouncesandbemindfulofsugarcontent.

Youareallowedtoindulgefromtimetotime.Buttheworstthatcanhappenisyoufeelsodeprivedthatyoueatonecookieanditbecomestencookiesandisaccompanied by a hopeless feeling of guilt. A sign onmy office door puts itclearly: KEEP CALM AND HAVE A CUPCAKE: “Keep Calm” being the importantpoint.

Aprimeexampleofhowoneindulgencecancatapultintoalargerproblemtakesplaceduringtheholidayseason.Holidayweightgainisnotareflectionontheholidayitself,buttheresultofoneindulgentnighteatingoutleadingtotwo,three,andsoon.Indulgingdoesnothavetobecomeahabit.Tomorrowisanewdayanditiscrucialyoupickyourselfupandsayyouwilldobetternexttime.My way of compensating for indulgences is waking up the next morning,welcoming the fresh start, drinking a lot ofwater, and being sure to fit in anintenseworkout—nomatterwhatwasalreadyscheduledonmycalendarfortheday.

Iwent toagourmetpizzashop towritearestaurantreviewoneevening. Iinquiredabouttheirchocolatepizza,whichsomeofmypatientsaskedmeabout.WhileIhadnotorderedit,tomysurprise,thechocolatepizzadessertwasinmystackoftake-outboxes.(Iwonderwhodidthat?)Thedescriptionaloneandthemanager’swarningonitshigh-caloriecontentwasreasonenoughtosteerclear.Beingachocolatelover,therewasnowaytoavoiditwhileitwassittinginfrontof me. One bite and I was, deliciously, in heaven. I had not felt the urge toconsumeanythingthiscaloricinalongtime,butboy,wasthisworthit!Iftherewereeverawaytotreatmyself,thischocolatepizzawasit.Thenightended,butmywillpowerdidnot.Thenextday,Iwasbackinchargeofmyfoodchoices.

A healthierway to dealwith an indulgence is purchasing any dessert youchoosewith a group of friends, and as soon as the dish hits your table, have

everyonerushtograbonespoonful.Ifnot,you’llendupeatingthewholething,nomatterhowstrongyourwillpoweris...dessertcanbethatdelicious.

When it comes to a Shabbat or any gathering for that matter, focus onkeepingportionssmaller,notbigger.Oversizing(unlessitiswithveggies)isnotokay.Sogofor tinyportionswithout theguilt.Forexample,opt foronesmall“pickmeup”darkchocolatedessertasopposedtoahugepieceofcake.

REALEATING

You spot your dish from amile away. Steam is emitting from the tantalizingmealabouttobedisplayedbeforeyou.Afteralltheeffortyouputintochoosingyouridealreal-fooddish,youfeellikeclappinginexcitementandanticipation,butyouthinktwicewhenyourealizethereareeyesonyou.That’sokay.Youarehaving a relationshipwith your food and the feeling ismutual.Now that youhaveyourmeal,takethetimetoenjoyit,literally.Betweeneachbite,putyourforkdown,chew,sipwater,andenjoytheconversationsofyourcompanion(s).

When deciding on the first bite, the same rules of eating at home apply:crunchonyourveggiesfirst,thenprotein,andfinally,thestarch.Eattheamountyou typically would at home, on your comforting nine-inch plate. Mid-waythroughyourmeal, askyourself, “Am Ihungry?” andanswerhonestly. If not,request the server packyour food to takehome. If yourmeal settingdoesnotallowforyoutowavethewaiterover,putanapkinoveryourdish—outofsightoutofmind.

Whileyourcompanyisfinishingtheirfood,keepyourhandsbusy:drinkabeverage,holdhandswithyourdate,orjustsitonthem!Ifyouneedto,excuseyourself.Use the restroomandgrabanafter-dinnermintearly tosuckon itorchewgum.

I fully endorse eating out as part of your real life. Ideally, you should beeatinghomewithfoodspreparedbyyouasoftenaspossible.But,theoccasionalrestaurantindulgenceiswarrantedandshouldbeenjoyed!

Indulgencescanstillbesmartchoicesandshouldbecenteredonyourpathtowardbetterhealth.Theimportantpointtokeepinmindisthatthereisalwaysabetterchoice. IfyouareonlygivenoptionsAorB,youneed tobelieveyouhavethepowertocreateoptionC.Feelconfidentinrequestingfoodsyouwantand how they should be prepared and, of course, enjoy your time out withfriendsandlovedones.Iftherestaurantwasabletoaccommodateyourhealthierrequests, be sure to give them positive feedback and note the name of therestaurantforyournextnightout.

Ifyousteeroffyourhealthierpath,youshouldknow,deepinsideyourmindandbody, that tomorrow isanewday to regaincontroloveryour foods.Takecomfortknowingthatyoumadethebestchoicesyoucouldmakeandaskedthebestquestionsyoucouldask.Confidence inknowing thatyoucan incorporate

realfoodsintoyourreallife,evenifoutsidethehome,isanimportanthurdletoovercome.

These tips for eating out can be applied to Sabbath and holidaymeals aswell.Thegoalistotrytomakethesedaysfitintoyourreal-fooddietbymakingit likeanyotherday: try towakeupat the same timeeveryday,eatyour real-foodsnacksattherighttimes,createyour“plate”atmealtimes,andbesuretoeatareal-foodsnackbeforeyougoouttoeat.Ifyouwanttoindulgeinadessert,goforadarkchocolatetreat(about1oz)or6darkchocolatecoverednutsoronefruitserving,andtrytochooseonetimeofdaytohaveit,eitherwiththedinneror lunch meals, but not both. (I prefer lunchtime since you may have morecontroloverwhatyoueatthanthenighttime.)Remember,delay,delay,delay...youmaynotwantadessertifyouavoidedtheimpulsetoeat.

EatingoutwithrealfoodinyourreallifegetsmyKosherSealofApproval.

CHAPTER10

SUPERMARKETSWEEP

“Whenthefaminehadspreadoverthewholecountry,JosephopenedallthestorehousesandsoldgraintotheEgyptians,forthefaminewas

severethroughoutEgypt.AndalltheworldcametoEgypttobuygrainfromJoseph,becausethefaminewassevereeverywhere.”

—Genesis,41:56

I fondly recall memories from childhood of a favorite television game showcalledSupermarketSweep.Twochallengersweregivenoneshoppingwagonandone minute and thirty seconds on the clock to fill it with the highest valuedproducts they could find. I anxiously watched the contestants fly through theaisles,throwingitemsliketurkeyandcutsofmeathaphazardlyintotheircarts.Ilonged toknowexactlywhich itemswere strategicallyhighervaluedandhowsomeone could possibly finish supermarket shopping in a minute and a half.Today, my goal is practically the same: to know which high-quality items tothrowintomycartforbetterhealthintheleastamountoftime.

Althoughthetimerwaspartoftheshow’scompetition,theoneminuteandthirty seconds on the clock is closer to our supermarket shopping reality.Amongstourreallivesoftendingtochildren,spouses,friends,work,andotherdailytasks,wemaynothavethetimetospendstrollingthroughtheaislestofindreal food tobuy. If only it canbe like thebiblical timesof Joseph—theBibledescribes the first reference toa supermarket.During thegreat famine, Josephforesaw through Pharaoh’s dreams that there would be seven years of plenty.Joseph had the idea, and was put in charge of collecting food and buildingstoragehouses.Comethe timeof thesevenyearsoffamine,peopleflocked tothe storage houses (or what I like to call the first supermarket) and boughtgrains.Theprocesswassimple:goinandbuygrainsinaplacethatstoredonly

grains,andoneleftwithonlygrains.Nowadays,our storesare largerand filledwith itemsother than“whatwe

really need.” From prepared foods to household products and toiletries, evenmagazines and DVDs, we are not only shorter on time, but need to make abiggerefforttofindtheproductswewantforbetterhealth.Ontopofeverything,wehavethemanipulationofthesupermarketdesignpersuadingustobuyfoodswedonotneed,andweoftenleavethestorewithouttheproductswedoneed.

How canwe quickly sift through the poor-quality foods and find the realones in these vast supermarkets? In this chapter, I will break down thepurchasing guidelines of packaged real foods so you can enjoy them in yourbusyreallife.

THEINNOVATIONS

Asmuchasyouwouldliketothinkthatthegoalofasupermarketistohelpyouonyourpathtobetterhealth,thinkagain.Thegoalofasupermarketistosellitsproducts.Someproductsneedmoremarketingstrategies togetyou towant tobuyit.Thesupermarketstartstoinfluenceyourdecisionmakingthesecondyouwalkthroughthedoor.WholeFoodsMarket®isknownforincorporatingmanystrategies to increase your shopping experience from the get-go. They playfamiliarmusicthatmakesyounostalgicandallowsyouto“feelgood,”soyouareinclinedtobuymore.Theyhandwritetheirsignswiththeirtwostaffedartistsforanappealingandhomeylookandfeeltothestore.Theproductstheysellareofahigherqualitysoyouspendmoreonthem.Thefruitsandvegetabledisplayisarrangedbycolorsoitisaestheticallypleasing.Youarehitwitharomaticsoffresh, prepared foods organized throughout the store. Seemingly countlessemployees are on duty,meeting your every need, question, or desire. Each ofyoursensesisactivatedinarelaxing,attractive,andenticingway,primingyoutobuymore.

Asmuchastheywantustobelieveotherwise,youdonothavetowalkintoaWholeFoods®tofindqualityfood.OntheotherendofthespectrumisWal-Mart®, and somewhere in themiddle are stores like Safeway.Because of our

consumerbehavior,manyofthesestorescarryqualityfoodsatalowerpricethanWholeFoods®orevenTraderJoe’s®,butmostlikelycarrymorefoodsthatarelowerqualitytokeeptheirpricepointslowandcatertoadifferentclientele.Themore you change your buying behavior, the more all stores will reflect ahealthierinventory.

Oneof the bestways a supermarketmakes a profitwith lowermargins iswiththeirownsupermarketbrand.FromShopRite® toTraderJoe’s®and,morerecently, Whole Foods® with their 365 Everyday Value® brand, somesupermarketsmake their own lineof foodproducts. If they are comparable toother quality products you are buying, then take advantage of the lower pricepointandpurchasethem.Ourgoalistobuyqualityfood,notacertainbrandorthemoreexpensiveoption.

One suggestion you may have heard for finding healthy foods in asupermarket setting is to shop the perimeter of the store for the best choices.While these areas usually have excellent optionsof fresh foods like fruits andvegetables, the innovativedesigns introduced tosomemarketsmayhavesomeinterestingkosher,real-foodfindswithintheaisles,aswell.

STARTSMALL

Frequently,IrunsupermarkettourstohelpguideconsumersonhowtoshopforrealfoodinplaceslikeDean’sNaturalMarket®inNewJersey.Iliketoconductthem in a smaller market committed to quality foods. As you begin toincorporaterealfoodsintoyourreallife,Irecommendyoufollowsuitandstartinasmallspecialtymarketcommitted toreal foodchoices. It isbest toseeallthe options available, in a less overwhelming way and without so manyunwanted choices.Although these settings have better-quality optionsmost ofthe time, you still need to have on your investigative hats to find the bestproductsthatarebothbetterforyourhealthandareworththeextrapenny(seeTips).

Health food co-ops are another good choice if they are available in yourarea; they typically have sales on their products, which make them a more

affordablevenue.Youcanalsotryshoppingatyourlocalfarmers’markets.Notonlywillyougetbetterquality,localfoods,youwill“shakethehandthatfeedsyou,” as Michael Pollan writes in his book, In Defense of Food: An Eater’sManifesto. You cannot beat education from the mouth of the source that isproviding you with G–d’s fresh food. Farmers’ markets also allow for apleasurable shopping experience, which encourages you to buy fresh, localproduce, pastured eggs, and other new ingredients with which you canexperiment.

Onceyoufindthebrandsyoulikeandbecomeeducatedonthepricingandgood health choices, you can spread yourwings to cover larger supermarketswith better-quality food from places such asWegman’s®,Whole Foods®, andTraderJoe’s®. To begin in these larger supermarketswill be overwhelming atfirst, so start small, feel confident, and add additional supermarkets as youbecomemorecomfortableshoppingforrealfood.

WALKINGTHROUGHTHEDOOR

The first things you face upon entering a supermarket are two sections: thedecompressionzoneandfreshfruitsandvegetables.Whiletheproducesectionspeaks for itself, the decompression zone ismeant to “prime”youby slowingyoudowntotakeinyoursurroundings.Wal-Mart®isknownforusing“greeters”for this priming purpose. Priming applies to repeat customers, as well, sosupermarkets are often changing what you see first, such as refreshing themagazine stands or bulk-bargains, tomake a new experience for you at everyvisit.

The fruits and vegetables section hits you first for many reasons. Thinkaboutit:ifyouaddinfreshfruitsandveggies,wouldyoufeelasguiltytossinginthemacandcheeseorchocolatebars?No,becauseyoubalanceditwiththefreshproduceyoupickedupearlier.

Thestandardsupermarketisdesignedtopromoteconsumptionofhigh-sugarand high-preservative foods because those have high margins and maximizeprofit. These supermarkets do not have to designate more than five hundred

squarefeetforfreshproduce,inanaveragetenthousandsquare-footspace.The aisle display is also planned. Products are lined up horizontally and

displayedinawaywherethecolorpops.Brownboxesofchocolatecakemixeswill be lined up next to yellow cakemixes for contrasts in color.Aside frombeing aesthetically pleasing, the placement allows consumers to sense adifferenceinflavor(chocolateversusfudge)insteadofoverlookingthedifferentitemsandseeingthembothasthesameflavoriftheywerenexttoeachother.

Thedesignofthesupermarketisalsomeanttokeepyouinthereforalongertime.Themoretimespentinside,themoreyouarepresumedtobuy.Itisquitethe opposite of our real-life plan to quickly get in and out.They intentionallymake itmore difficult for you to find the products youneedby placing itemsthey want you to buy along the way. This can explain why you only findpharmaciesandstapleproductslikemilkandeggsinthebackofthestore.

Intheend,thereisareasonwhyyouaresoconfusedaboutwhatproductstobuyandwhyyoumayleavethesupermarketwithouttheproductsyouwanted—and with a slew of others you did not intend to buy. It’s not only you; it isemphaticallytheoddsofthegrocerystorestrategicplansworkingagainstyou.

When it comes down to it, a supermarket design is a science, created tomake you spend more on marketed brand products and buy more processedfoods.It’snotthatsupermarketsdon’twantyoutobuyfruitsandvegetables.Onthecontrary,thereisagreaterriskoflossherebecausetheycanspoil.Butfruits’and vegetables’wholesomeness sells themselves. They do not need to do anystrategicmanipulationstosellthem.Itisfoodswedonotneedforbetterhealththathavetobemarketedinorderforustofeellikewehavetohaveit.Andlet’sfaceit:itworks.

YOURBUYERPOWER

Interestingly,yearsagosupermarketswouldplaceheavieritemsatthebeginningof the shopping experience and lighter products at the end. The reason waspractical: you would be less likely to crush the lighter items in your cart.However,today’sdesignhasshiftedintheoppositedirectionbecauseconsumers

areshoppingdifferently.Wearemoreoftenshoppingtheperimetersofthestore,whichmeansthatweareputtinglighteritems,likefruitsandvegetables,inthecart first. Health became a priority in our lives and our shopping strategychanged.Asaresult,thesupermarketdesignchanged.Intheend,asmuchasweare victim to the strategic manipulations of a supermarket design trying tocontrolwhatandhowmuchwebuy,wedohavethepowertochangethatsamestrategybychangingourshoppingbehaviors.

Never doubt your consumer power. If there is a product you want asupermarket to carry, ask for it! If there is something you like about thesupermarket, including how they display products or what they carry, thenverbalizepositivefeedbacksotheycontinuetopleaseyou.Youcanchangehowyoursupermarketisdesignedandtheproductscarried.Youhavethatpowerasaconsumer:knowit,believeit,andactonit!

NEVERGOHUNGRY

Iusedtovisitmygrandmother,Sarah(maysherestinpeace),inFloridaduringthewintermonths.Thefirstthingwedidwasgofoodshopping.IwouldoftenarriveclosetotheSabbath,soourfirststopwasataSyrianspecialtystorewitheasy-to-find Sabbath items, including fresh-made Syrian delicacies likeLahemb’ajeen andKibbeh.Everyyear aswe approached the store, shewouldsay, “Don’t ever come here hungry.” I laughed at her humor. The store wasknown tobeveryexpensive,and ifyouwent inhungry,youweresure tobuymorebecauseoftheenticingaromasandnoveltyproductspermeatingthestore.She couldn’t have beenmore right!With that advice inmind, I give youmyquicktipsonsupermarketshopping:

TopRulesonSupermarketShopping

Nevergointoasupermarkethungry.Always have a shopping list written down. Written ideallymeans hand-written. There are good apps on the smart-phone

today,butjustlikethefoodrecords,Ifindtheold-fashionedpenandpaperevenmoreeffective.Ifyouhaveasmallorder,onlytakeahandbasket.Ifyouneedoneortwoproducts, thenonlybuywhatyoucanholdinyourarms,withouttheaidofabasket.ThisisafoolproofmethodIusesoIdon’tbuymorethanIintended.Try to look up the sales in the circular or on a supermarket’swebsiteinadvancesoyouarenotenticedbysurprisingspecialswhen you really did not need those items. Sometimes, if youhadthosefewextraminutestothinkaboutit,youwouldrealizethat, forexample,youhadadozenpaper towelswaiting tobeused in your storage closet. This also helps control buyer’sremorse. There is little worse than buying things you did notneedandfeelingguiltyafterwards.Weightheprosandconsaboutshoppinginalargesupermarket(withmore options and bulk products) versus a smaller placethatmaybemorecostlybuthasfeaturesfewermanipulationstoget you to buymore because there are fewer products in thestore. Ioftenfind that if Igo toa largesupermarket,althoughthepricesarecheaperand Iambuyingmore formymoney, Ispendmore than if Iwere to justpop intoa localgrocery thathad the exact products I need—albeitmore costly per item—andleavingwithoutextragoodies.Ultimately,thisisadecisionyouneedtomakebasedonyourshoppingbudget,schedule,andhouseholdstoragecapacity.Leaveanyonewhowill influencewhatyoubuyathome!Thatmeans, husband, roommates, friends, kids, and others. Ofcourse, I don’t mean every time. But be aware of theirmanipulationingettingyoutobuywhattheywant.It’sgreattobringkidsalong,butmakeitarulethattheycanonlychoosetobuy real-food options and don’t be afraid to tell them no.Resolving toonlybuywhat ison the list isagoodstrategy to

relay to whoever is accompanying you on your shoppingexperience.Fillyourcartwithasmanyfreshfoodsaspossibleandreal-foodingredients.Put back productswithmore than two lines of ingredients orproducts that fill up their ingredient list with mostlyunrecognizablechemicals.Use apps like Fooducate for questionable items to make aninformed,healthierdecision.

WHATTOLOOKFORINREAL-FOODPRODUCTS

Somemaysaythat ifyouarecommittedtoeatingawhole-fooddiet, thenyoucannotbuyanypackagedgoods.Whileeatingfreshisalwaysbestbecauseyouknow what is going into the product and it is not laden with stabilizers andpreservativestokeepalongershelflife,sometimesit’snotpracticalforyourreallife.Ifyoucannoteatfresh,doesthatmeanyouneedtoabandonthewhole,real-fooddiet?No!Becausethatwouldmeanyouaremissingthesecondhalftomyphilosophy—“foryourreallife.”Eatingrealfoodshastofitintoyourreallife.Ifyourreallifeishectic,thenIwanttoguideyouonhowtobuypackagedgoodsthat will allow you to hold true to your real-food goals, not abandon them.Remember,eating real food isawayof life,nota short-termdiet.Youshouldnot feel guilty about needing some extra help from packaged goods now andagain.Atthesametime,ifyouknowyouwillneedtobuypackagedproducts,itiscrucialyoulearnhowtofindthebest-qualityproducts(seeShoppingList).

FOODLABEL

Thefirstplacetostartiswiththefoodlabel.Theconsensusisthatthefoodlabelisconfusingandmanypartsofitarenotapplicabletotheaverageperson.Atthis

time, food labelsarecurrentlyundergoingresearchby the(FDA) in regards tomaking them easier to understand so you can make a more healthful choice.Most patientswho come to seeme do not understandwhat the current labelsmean.

Nowthatwearefullyawareofthenegativesinfluenceduponusbeforeweevenwalkintoasupermarket,letuslearnhowtofindthehealthiestproductsontheshelves.

Ilovetochallengemypatientswithafoodlabelwhentheycometoseeme.Ialwaysask,“Whatdoyoulookatfirst?”Ihaveneverfoundsomeonewhodoesnotlookatthefatorcaloriesfirst,sotheyarealwayssurprisedtoseehowIreadafoodlabel.IguaranteethatifyoulookatthenutritionfactsthewayIdo,andinmyorder, youwill quickly sift throughyour shopping cart to find the real-fooditems,forintheend,therearealotoffactorstoconsiderwhenreadingafoodlabel.Youshouldnotwriteoffaproductbecause“it’sfattening”or“hasalotofcarb.”Theopposite isalso true;youshouldn’tchooseaproductbecause“it’sonly100calories.”Instead,youshouldaskyourselfthesequestions:

“Wherearethosecarbsorfatscomingfrom?”“Aretheyfromsourcesthatwillhelporhurtmyhealth?”“Arethesecaloriescomingfromqualitysourcesthatmybodycoulduse?”“Aretheythekindsthatwillhelpboostmymetabolismorslowitdown?”There are a lot of variables to consider. Asking the right questions and

looking for the right answers in your food label will help you find real foodproducts.

THE“REALFOOD”APPROACH

TONUTRITIONFACTSLABELS

ThefirstplaceIlookishowmanyservingsareinthefoodIameating.ThisisamajorfactorinfiguringouthowmuchofwhatIamgoingtoreadbelowisinmyserving.

Fiber:Mosthighlyprocessedfoodsaredevoidoffiber(Icouldconfidentlyassert this point until products like Kellogg’s® Froot Loops® decided tofortify[addinaningredientthatdoesnotnaturallyoccur]withfiber,whichdoesnotmake it ahealthier food)!For themostpart, betterquality foodswill havenatural fiber.At aminimum,youwantover twograms, but themore the better! I would love if you had over five grams of fiber in aproduct,especiallycerealsandstarches.Fiberhasaslewofhealthbenefitsandbreakingthemdownbyinsolubleandsolublefiberisevenbetter(seechapter6).

Sugar:SinceIamintherealmofcarbohydrateswhenIlookatfiber(sugarand fiber are forms of carbohydrates and are included in the totalcarbohydrate count of a product), I lookdown into the sugar content.Wewantthisnumbertobeaslowaspossible.Ideally,yourproductshouldhaveless than ten grams of sugar. However, products like yogurt have naturalsugar lactose, and may account for up to 12 grams of natural sugar.Althoughsugar is still sugar, thesourcedoesmatter.Youwant tohaveaslittleaddedsugarinyourdietaspossible(theAmericanHeartAssociationrecommends sugar intake for adult women is 5 teaspoons [20 grams] ofsugar per day; for adult men, it’s 9 teaspoons [36 grams] daily; and forchildren,it’s3teaspoons[12grams]aday).Theingredientlistwillhelpyoudecipherifthesugarisaddedornatural.

Calories: After the carbohydrate breakdown, I make my way up to thecalorie count. Some people look here first. The reason why I do not isbecause the calorie count is an overall picture of the product. It does notspecifywhere those calories are coming from. If you lookhere, youmaymiss the quality of your food. A 100-calorie snack pack will have lesscaloriesthan1ozofalmonds,butwhichisbetterqualityforyourhealth?Ifyou followedmy order, youwould automatically see about 3.5 grams offiberinalmondsandzeroina100-caloriesnackpackandaccurately,putthe100-calorieboxbackontotheshelf.

Fat:Afternotinghowmanycaloriesare in theproduct, towards the rightyouwill see howmany calories are coming from fat. This number is nottellingusmuchsincewelearnedinchapter4thatthekindsoffatmatter.(Inthe amendednutrition facts label comingout, this line itemmaybe takenawayasitdoesnotaffectconsumerbehavior).Then,Imakemywaydowntothefatcontenttoseewherethesecaloriesoffatarecomingfrom.Again,thismaybethefirst itemyoulookat,butifyoudid,youwouldnevereathealthyfatslikeavocadoandwillmissoutonmanygoodqualityrealfoodsthatwillhelpyourweight-lossandbetterhealthgoals.Iskimoverthetotalgramsoffatandintothedivisionofthespecificgramsoffat.Forsaturatedfat,youwantthenumbertoideally,belessthan1gram.Fortransfat,thatnumber shouldbezero.Thebetterquality foodsmaybreakdown the fatsfurther to include good fats likemonounsaturated and polyunsaturatedfats. If the gramsof fat are coming from these good sources, you can bemore confident that you are eating a better quality food.Asmuch as thetotal fat is important, because fat does contribute the highest amounts ofcaloriesinyourfood,thequalityoffatsandtheirsourcematters.

Sodium:After fat, I skipdown to thesodium,whichshouldbeas lowaspossible. If you need to buy packaged prepared foods like soups, do notchooseoneover250mgof sodium.Whenyouaregoingover300mgofsodiuminaproduct,putitback.Mostprocessedfoodsandpackagedgoodswillhavesodium,soitishardtoavoid.Asidefromflavor,saltisthemajoringredient in shelf-stability and freshness. This is a major considerationwhen you can choose tomake fresh foods like soups and veggie burgerswheneverpossible:youcontrolthesodiumandonlyaddforthepurposeofflavor,ifneeded.

Cholesterol: It is important for this number to be low, but I am not asconcernedasotherfatlevels.Saturatedandtransfat,forexample,aremorelikelytoincreaseyourbloodcholesterolthanthecholesterolinarealfood,likeeggs.

Protein:Youwanttoaimforahighamountofqualityprotein.Theamountdependsonthetypeofproductyouarebuying.Forexample,whenbuyingaprotein bar, youwant the protein content to be above 10 grams (and lessthen200caloriesifitisasnack).Thesedays,manyhighlyprocessedfoodsmayhavesomeprotein,whichiswhyitisnotthefirstitemIlookforonafoodlabel,oryoumaybetrickedintochoosinglowerqualityfoods.

DailyValues:Ultimately, ifa2,000-caloriedietperdayisnottheamountofcaloriesyourbodyneeds, than thesenumbersdonothelpyou. Instead,usethemasageneralguide,butnotthenumbersyoubaseyourdecisionofpurchasing. Also, when it comes to vitamins, simply stating “vitaminA”doesnotmeanitisintheformyourbodyneedsoryouwouldabsorballofthe“110%”vitaminC,fromorangejuice,forexample.

PACKAGING

Althoughwemayknowthe rightway to reada food label,ultimately the firstthingwearefacedwithistheproductpackaging.Becarefulnottofallforclaimswritten on the front of the package. I ask patients to bring pictures of thepackagingofproducts theyareunsureofeating. Ingeneral, the first time theypresentmewithaquestionaboutaproduct,theybringthefrontofthepackage.Iexplaintothemthefrontdoesnothelpusdecideifitisaqualityfood.“Yes,butit sayswholewheat, or fat free, or sugar free,” they may respond. I answer,“ThosearethesamereasonswhyIwouldputtheproductbackontheshelf.”

Hereiswhytheclaimsonthefront,forexample,theclaimthatsomethingis“AllNatural,”donotmatterinourquestforpackagedrealfood:

When a product claims to be fat free or sugar free or have zero grams ofanything, it’s most likely smart to stay away. The fundamental question is,“Whataretheyputtinginitsplace?”Usually,fat-freeproductshavemoresugarand chemicals to substitute for the fat flavor and stability. The sugar-freeproducts probably havemore fat and chemicals replacing the fundamentals ofsugarinaproduct,likecohesion.Apatientoncecalledmewhileatthegrocerystoretoaskwhichkindofpuddingsheshouldbuy.Herchoicesweresugarfreeorfatfree.Iaskedhertoreadtheingredientssowecouldseewhatwasaddedinitsplace.

Iaskedheriftherewasanothersnackoptionshewouldliketoeatormakeitfresh, because these were not real-food choices. It is hard to make a better-quality decisionwhen those are the options and you should not feel forced tomake a poor choice. Try choosing another snack option that fits your healthprioritiesinsteadofattemptingtostickwithproductsthatdonotfityourmold.Hopefully, your choice of not buying a product will influence others, andeventually the grocery store and foodmanufacturer will be forced to make abetter-qualityproduct.(Wecanonlyhope!)

Better-quality foods break down the different forms of nutrition facts ontheirpackaginglikefiberandfatspecifics.Themoreyouknowaboutwhatyouare eating, the better. Typically, when the company is sharing such detailed

informationbyfeaturingathoroughbreakdownofthenutritionfactslabel(thismay includekindsof fiber and fats), itmore likelymeans the company is nothiding anything in its products. When a product has healthful qualities, acompanywilltaketheopportunitytopromoteit.Youshouldn’thavetolooktoohardtoseethehealthyqualitiesonafoodpackage;itwillmostlikelyberightinfrontofyou.Forexample,whenaproductsimplystates“wholewheat”onthefrontofpackage,Iwouldask,“Whydidtheynotsay,100percentwholewheat.Ifitwasactually100percentwholewheat,theywouldsayit.”

ORGANIC

Organic is similar to the concept of kosher since it is another word thatdevelopedflexibilityinitsdefinitionandbenefitforourhealth.Likekosher,notallorganic foodsarenecessarilygoodforus. Justbecauseacookie isorganic,does itmean ithas lesssugar, fewercarbs, less fat,orother ingredients thananon-organiccookie?No.

Oftentimes you see the news highlight studies on organic. (See the“Organic”sectioninchapter7formoreinformation.)

Iliketotakeeveryopportunitytolowerthetoxicloadonmybody.Ourliverandkidneyscreateanaturaldetoxificationsystemthatfiltersouteverydaytoxinsfrom our bodies thatmay be taken in by our environment, foods, and naturalwaste from bodily processes. Our bodies can only handle so much. If I canchooseanorganicfood,likefruitsandvegetables,andthepriceisright,I takeadvantage of it. I would never tell anyone to not eat fruits and vegetablesbecausetheyarenotorganic.Thatiscounterintuitive.Inessence,whenweeatanon-organicfruitorvegetable,we’regettingmorebenefitfromtheanti-oxidant,anti-cancerproperties andvitamins andminerals than ifwewere tonot eat it.Andwehavenomorepermissiontoeatanorganiccookieversusanon-organicone.ButifIhadachoicebetweenorganicandnon-organicinafoodIwillbuyregardless, I would choose one that is organic because it would decrease mytoxicloadand,typically,itwouldhavebetter-quality,real-foodingredients.

INGREDIENTS

The reason why I am writing about ingredients after packaging is becauseingredientswillhelpusdeterminewhattomakeoftheclaimsonthefrontofthepackage. We can see a description of what is in our food and that is mostimportant. The first three ingredients listed are in the highest amounts in theproduct.Ingredientslikesugarshouldnotbelistedearlyoninthelist,ifatall.Anothertrickiswhenaproductstatesthatitiswholewheatonthefront,butinthe ingredients, it may read “enriched wheat flour, wheat flour, whole-wheatflour.” It is mostly made from white flour and who really knows how muchwhole-wheatflourisincludedintheproduct.InhisbookInDefenseofFood:AnEater’sManifesto,MichaelPollansuggestsagreattacticwhileshoppingistotryto choose foodswithonly five ingredients. I supportmaking amorehealthfulchoicebybeginningtochoosequality,packagedfoodswiththeleastamountofingredients as possible on the label. Keep away from heavily processedpreservatives like monosodium glutamate “MSG” and anything artificial,includingflavorsandcolors.

Thepointistotrytofindafoodmadewiththemostreal-foodingredientsaspossible, in the smallest amount, minus all the chemicals, stabilizers, andpreservatives. If you skim the ingredients and see a huge jumble ofunpronounceablewords thatdon’teven looklikereal food,doyourselfahugehealth favor and put it back. Try and find a real-food option in the samecategory. Peanut and other nut butters are good examples of this. Nut buttersneed only ingredients as close to “just nuts” as possible.You canmore easilyfind this kind of nut butter amongst the other non-real-food options. Today,“natural”islistedonthosevarieties,butcomparelabelstofindthebestreal-foodoption.

KOSHERCERTIFICATION

Thekosherchallengeismostintensewhenshoppingforpackagedfoods.Whenpicking up a product, you need to look for a kosher symbol (See chart onfollowing page). There are many different kinds, designated by differentrabbinicalauthorities.Consultyourlocalrabbiforsignsthatarelawfullycorrectfor your customs. If a product doesnot have akosher certificationor symbol,thenitisnotconsideredkosherbykashrutstandards.Simplylookingtoseeifithaskosher ingredients isnotenoughsince itcanbemadeamongstnon-kosheringredients and products and/or in a facility thatmakes non-kosher foods andriskscross-contamination.

Another valuable piece of information that comes along with a koshersymbolisasmallletterDnexttoit.Thisfactoreasilydistinguishestheproductasbeingdairy.Ifyouareavoidingdairybasedonanallergy,thissymbolisnotalways themost reliable dairy indicator. Sometimes a productwasmade in afacility with dairy and doesn’t list dairy in the ingredients, so it is moreimportanttoreadtheingredientlist,aswell.Formerly,therewasasymbolDE(dairy equipment) next to the kosher symbol, which distinguished betweenactualdairyingredientsandthefacilityitwasmadein,butthatabbreviationisno longer common. As a result of a D designation in a kosher diet, a dairyproductshouldnotbeeatenwithmeat.

IfDisnotlisted,orthereisaPorParevelistednexttothekoshersymbol,thenthatmeanstheproductdoesnotcontaindairyingredients.Asaresult,thosekeepingakosherdietmayeattheproductwithdairyfoods.

After you narrowed down your real-food choiceswithmy other shoppingtips,thedecidingfactoriskoshercertification.Sometimes,thismaymeannoneofyourchoices fit thebill,butyoumaybe thankful for thepush tomake thatproduct fresh or realize you had many other real-food options to purchaseinstead!

APPLYINGWHATYOU’VELEARNED

LIVINGAREALLIFE:THEREALFOODKOSHERSHOPPINGLIST

WEDIDIT!IHOPEYOUENJOYEDYOURREALFOODJOURNEYTOWARDSBETTERHEALTH!ONEOFMYMAJORPOINTSWASTOFOCUSONQUALITYOFCALORIES,NOTJUSTQUANTITY.EATINGAMAJORITYOFREALFOODINYOURDIETWILLHELPYOU

MANAGEWEIGHT-LOSSANDHASMANYOTHERHEALTHBENEFITS.

Whattolookforwhenbuyingpackagedproducts:

1.Ingredientsyoucanpronounce.2.Asfewingredientsaspossible.3.All natural ingredients free of artificial colors and preservatives and harmful additives like MSG,hydrolyzedproteins,hydrogenatedvegetableoils,andsoy-basedimitationfoods.4.No added artificial sweeteners and limited natural, real or artificial-Aspartame, NutraSweet, highfructosecorn-syrup,agavenectar,refinedwhitesugar,andcanesugar.5.ToavoidGMOs (GeneticallyModifiedOrganisms) corn, soy, sugar, zucchini, and papaya, should becertifiedorganic.Limitcottonseedoil,cornoil,canolaoilandgrapeseedoil.6.Shop farmers’markets and food co-ops for staples like nuts, olive oil, dairy products, and eggs inadditiontofreshproduce.7.Limitprocessedgrainproductslikebreakfastcereals,granola,andstore-boughtbakedgoodsthatarehighlyprocessed.Itisbesttomakeyourown.Forexample,oatmealfromsteel-cutoats.

Realfoods:

Examples of kosher brands are listed on the following pages, but others may meet the same criteria.Consultyourlocalrabbinicalauthorityonvalidityofkoshersymbols.

Spices&HerbsAlleposeasoningAllspiceBasilBayLeavesBlackpepperCardamomCarawayCayennepepperChilipepper,driedCilantro/Corianderseeds Cinnamon,groundClovesCuminseedsCurryPowderDillGarlicGingerltalianseasoningMustardpowderOreganoParsleyPeppercorns

PeppermintPoultrySeasoningRosemarySaffronSageSeaSalt—CelticThymeTurmericAniseSeedsOMintSmokedPaprikaHotPaprikaNutmegClovesZaatar

VinegarsRawapplecidervinegar(Braggs—KSAcertified) Rawcoconutvinegar

(CoconutSecret,Star-K) BalsamicvinegarRedWinevinegarUmePlumVinegar,EdenbrandNaturalSweetenersBlackstrapmolassesCanejuice

MaplesyrupBrownricesyrupSteviaXylitol(NatrazyleHoneySubstitute) RawlocalhoneyCoconut/palmsugarSucanatorRapadura

BeveragesGreenteaSoysauce,fermentedTamariWaterSparklingwaterChamomileTeaRicemilkKombucha(Synergy)Kefir,coconutordiary

GrainsCereals(3,Ideally5+gramsfiber)Breads&Pasta(with2+gramsfiber) AmaranthBarleyBrownriceBuckwheatCornMilletSteelCutOatsQuinoaRyeSpeltWholewheatColdcerealswithover5gramsoffiber GranolaMuesli

EzekielbrandBarbara’sbrand,highfiber FoodforLifebrandPastafromabovegrainsorTinkyada,Eden,Bionaturae100%wholewheat

OrganicPopcornOrganicPopcornkernels BasmatiRiceJasmineRiceRicepaperwrappers(SushiMetsuyan) RicePasta(Tinkyada)Buckwheat

Noodles Quinoa

Wholegraincrackers(Mary’sGoneCrackers)

Beans,Legumes&NutsAll beans—it is preferable to buy dried beans and soak overnight instead ofbuyingcannedbeans.BlackbeansDriedpeasFavaBeansGarbanzobeans(chickpeas) KidneybeansLentilsLimabeansMisoNavybeansPintobeansEdamameTempehTofuNuts&Seeds(raw)&Oils ChiaSeeds

WalnutsBrazilnutsAlmondsCashewsPeanutsOliveoil,extravirginCoconutoil,unrefinedWalnutoilSesameoilAvocadooilFlaxseedOilCanolaoil,organic MacadamianutoilPumpkinseedsFlaxseeds,Milled(orgrind“whole”incoffeegrinder) SesameseedsSunflowerseedsAlmondbutterMacadamianutbutterCashewbutterWalnutbutterCoconutbutter/spread

Produce

FruitFresh.Organic, if possible. Always keep lemons, limes, onions, garlic, ginger,parsley,cilantro,celery,andcarrotsaround.Theyformtheflavorfoundationofsomanydishes.Freshisbest,butfrozenproduceisalsogood.Avoidmoststore-boughtcannedfruitsandvegetables.Apples ApricotsBananasBlueberriesCantaloupeCherries Cranberries

FigsGrapefruit Grapes Kiwifruit Lemon/Limes

Mango Nectarines OrangesPapayaPeaches PearsPineapplePlumsPrunesRaisinsRaspberriesStrawberries Watermelon

VegetablesAsparagus Avocados BeetsBellpeppers BroccoliBrusselssproutsCabbage CarrotsCauliflowerCeleryCollardgreens Corn Cucumbers Eggplant FennelGarlic GreenbeansGreenpeas

Hotpeppers KaleLeeksMushrooms,crimini Mushrooms,shiitake MustardgreensOlivesOnions Potatoes RomainelettuceSpinach Squash,summer Squash,winterSweetpeas,frozen Sweetpotatoes SwisschardTomatoes TurnipgreensYams

Dairy/EggsCheese,lowfatEggs—pasturedbest,organic,Omega-3nextbest,free-range Milk,cow’sMilk,goat’sMilk,coconut(notlight)(NativeForestisBPAfree) Milk,almondYogurt,goatorcow,coconut,almond(MapleHillCreamisgrass-fed) Kefir

(Lifeway)

Poultry&LeanMeatsGrass-FedorPastured*,idealBeefLamb

LiverChickenTurkey

Seafood(Wild,ideal)CodHalibutSalmonHerringLemonofSoleFlounderSustainablycaughtcannedsardines,tuna,andsalmon(Wild)Planet,Vital

Cost-OUCertifiedandBPA-Free) Wild-caughtanchovies(CrownPrince—inglassjarsandOUCertified)PantryMarinarasauce—organic,no-sugaradded,inglassjars(MiddleEarth

Organics,SeedsofChange)Organicgrapejuice(fruitjuiceshouldbelimited-drinkfortheweeklyFridaynight/SaturdaylunchShabbatorholidayblessings) RedWine,KosherCapersOlivesOrganicfruitspread—noaddedsugars(hardtofindkosher,FiordiFruttais

koshercertified—sweetenedwithapplejuice).Makeyourown“quickjams”bycookingdownfreshorfrozenfruit,likeblueberriesuntilthick,seasonwithcitruszestandrawhoneyifneeded.

BakingProductsBlanchedAlmondFlourOrganicSproutedWholeGrainFlour(ToYourHealth-EarthKosherCertified)OrganicSproutedWholeGrainBrownRiceFlour(ToYourHealth) OrganicUnbleachedWhiteFlourCoconutFlour

TapiocaFlourArrowrootInstantyeastAluminumfreebakingsoda Aluminumfreebakingpowder Purevanilla

extract

Purevanillapowder(DivineOrganics)Organic,70%darkchocolateandchocolatechips(Ghirardelli,Sweetriotand

Green&Blackbrands)OrganiccocoapowderUnsweetenedshreddedcoconutSnacksRawnuts—almonds,pecans,walnuts,macadamianuts.Driedfruit(unsweetenedandunsulphured) Organicnutbutters—almond,

hazelnut(makehomemadenutellawithhazelnutbutter,cocoa,rawhoneyormaplesyrup) Coconutflakes(Unsweetened) DriedseaweedLarabarsKINDBarsPUREBarsThinkThinBarsWild,brownricecakes—eg.Lundenbergbrand FoodShouldTasteGood

brandchips Popcorn(AngiesDelightfullyDifferent)brand(Non-GMO) KaleChips(NewYorkNaturals,Elvira’sAllNatural)RefrigeratorOrganicandGrass-fedmeatandpoultry,whenpossible Pasture-raisedeggs

fromfarmers’marketsorlookforVitalFarmsandFrenz’sinthehealthfoodstore.Organicmilkfromgrass-fedcowsandnothomogenized(Straus) Organic

milkplainyogurt(MapleHillCream) Organiccream,preferablyfromgrass-fedcows,andnotultra-pasteurized(Straus) Organicbutterfromgrass-fedcows(StraussandOrganicValleyPastureButter—OUCertified) Clarifiedbutterorghee(PurityFarmsisKoshercertified) Grass-fedcheeseBubbie’spicklesHomemadesauerkraut,orBubbie’sinmarkets(otherbrandsarepasteurized).Wholegrainmustard,noaddedsugar OrganicsalsaOrganicketchupOrganicYellowMustard(Edenbrand) HummusGuacamoleTallow-renderedbeeffat(fromgrass-fedcows,availablefromKolFoods-

NOTBEITYOSEFtorenderathome)greatforhighheatcooking

FreezerOrganicfruit—nosugaradded(greatforsmoothies) Organicor*grass-fed

meat Organicor*pasturedchicken Chickenbones,feet,necks,etc(forhomemadechickenstock) Frozensustainablefishfillets Homemadefrozenbeef,chickenandfishstocks—orbuyfreshfishstockfromyourlocalfishmarketandfreezeforrisottosandsushirice(freezein2-cuppyrexcontainersorcanningjars) Frozenred/whitewine(freezeleftoverwineinjamjars) Udi’swholegrainproductslikebuns,breadetc.Brownriceorwholewheat9-inchtortillas,likeEzekielbrand Ground

flaxseed

CoconutmilkicecreamAlmondmilkicecreamOrganicwholemilkicecream(thefeweringredientsthebetter),eg.Stonyfield*GrowandBeholdKosherPasturedMeatsandKolFoodsshipkoshercertified(OUorStar-KBUTNOTBEITYOSEF)pasturedpoultryandbeef.Theyalsohavekoshernitratefreesausagesandhotdogswithonlyrealingredients.Lookforalocalbuyingclub(orstartyourown).Otherwise,sticktoleancutsoforganicmeatlikeLondonbroil.

*SECONDARYSOURCE:REALFOODKOSHER.COM

MOREONSNACKSSincesnackingisalargepartoflivingareallifewithrealfood,hereareideasonhowtomaketheperfectone.Remember,youshouldalwayscombineaproteinwithafiber.Icallit“afiber”becauseitcanbeeithera100%wholegrainservingorafruit.Irecommendyouchoosefruitservingsasthefiberportionofyoursnackmostoftenandgetinthehabitofconsumingitwithaproteinserving,whichensuresyourdietdoesnot become too starchy. Some options, including edamame and nuts, technically have both fiber andprotein.Ifyouneedtograbaquicksnack,eatmoreofthem(eg.1cupedamameor1ozofnuts,seebelow)insteadofcombiningitwithanotherproteinorfiberoption.Remember,snacksare“mini-meals.”Youcannevergowrongwithhalvingyourproteinandfiberservingsfromyourmealstobeusedasasnack(like2ozoftunaand¼ofa100%wholewheatpita).Alloptionsbelowcanbefoundinabrandwithakoshercertification,andIreferencedsomeofmyfavorites.Thechoicesalsoabidebythekashrutprincipleofnotmixingmilkwithmeatfoods.

SNACKINGTIPS

STEPONE:FIGUREOUTWHATYOUARECRAVING

Whatisitthatyou’recraving,that’sreallygoingtosatisfyyou?Thinkaboutboththeflavorandtexture—areyoucravingsaltyorsweet,hotorchilled,creamyorcrispy?

STEPTWO:THINKABOUTMAKINGABETTERCHOICE,NOTAPERFECTCHOICE

Onceyouzeroinonyourcraving,buildtherestofyourmealaroundyoursplurge.Thegoalistomakeabetterchoicebyidentifyingthefoodgroupofyoursplurgeandpairingitwithsomethingbetter.Tobalancefrenchfries,balancethemoutwithveggiesandaleanprotein,likechickenortofu.Similarly,bakedgoodsordessertscanbepairedwithfreshfruit.Pizzaprovidescarbs,protein,andfat,butnotenoughveggies,socombiningaslicewithasaladdressedwithbalsamicvinegarwouldbeasmartsplurgestrategy.Alwaysaskyourself,howcanImakethissnackabetterchoice?

STEPTHREE:SAVORYOURSPLURGE

Splurgingcanfeellikecheating,whichleadstoan“on/off”mentality,butitisimportanttobreakthatcycle.Buildingasmallersplurgeintoarelativelybalancedmealmakesmuchmoresensethanswingingbackandforth between overeating and strictly dieting. A balanced approach allows for satisfaction withoutcompletelyderailingyouroverallefforts.Soslowdown,enjoyeverymorsel,andfinishyourmealfeelingcontentbutnotstuffedandsluggish.Nomatterwhat,finishtheindulgenceandgetrightbackontrackatyournextmealorsnack.Theproblemisnottheoneindulgence,butthenegativeeffectitmayhaveonyourmindleadingtomorepoorchoices.

•4oz.lowfatcottagecheesemixedwith¼cupofdicedfreshmango•1smallapplewith1tablespoonnaturalpeanutbutter•15babycarrotswith2tablespoonsofhummus•Onepart-skimmozzarellacheesestickandapear•6oz.containerofGreekyogurt:140calories•1smallbananawith8rawwalnuts

•HalfaLarabarand1mediumorange•Trailmixmadewith15peanutsanda¼cupfiber-oneorKINDgranola•Halfacupofshellededamamedrizzledwith2tablespoonsofLemonCuminDressing•½bananarolledin1tablespoonfrozen>70%darkchocolate•1packagemangoMatt’sMunchiesand12rawalmonds•2tablespoonsalmondbutterwith4stalkscelery•Yogurtparfaitwith4ozplainGreekyogurt,2tablespoonsKINDgranolaand1cupmixedberries•1KINDBAR(<200caloriesforasnack)

•1ozrawnuts•2tablespoonstehinawith3carrots•5olivesandslicedcucumbers,1babypackofwholewheatpretzelsand2tablespoonshummus•TenMary’sGoneCrackersand¼avocado

•1cupunshellededamame•18bakedwholegraintortillachipswith¼avocado•2Lundenbergricecakes,anyvariety,with½cuplow-fatcottagecheese•1ozdarkchocolate(>70%)eg.Godiva,Green&Black•6darkchocolatecoveredalmonds(>70%darkchocolate)•1lattewithalmondmilk

•All-fruiticesmadewith1tablespoonalmondbutter•1-3cupsfreshpopcornwith1tablespoonparmesancheese•Trailmixmadewith15peanutsandaminiboxofraisins•½cupofpumpkinseedsand12cherries•1hardboiledegg

•2slicesturkey¼wholewheatpita•½cupcookedoatmealwith4walnuthalvesand¼cupblueberries•

SnackSmoothie:1cupfruitwith6ozyogurtormilk•“FoodShouldTasteGood”MultigrainChipswith¼cupfreshtomatosalsaorSpicy

TomatoSalad

MEALPLANSOnthefollowingpagesaresomesamplemealplansthatfactorintolivingareallifewithrealfood.Somekeypointstoremember:

Alwaysthinkaboutconsumingagoodqualityproteinandfiberineachmealandsnack,withaddednon-starchyveggies,especiallyatlunchanddinner.Theplatemodelshouldbeusedasaguideforyourlunchanddinnermeals.Atdinnertime,thecarbohydrateisoptional,butifyoutypicallyhavethe

nighttimemunchies,makesuretoincludethewholegraincarbatdinner.Theafter-dinnersnackisoptionalaswellandisimportanttoincludeifyour

typicalnightisgrazingthecabinetsinyourkitchenandeatingjunkyfoods.Itisbesttorotateyourfoodchoicesforallmealsandsnacks,withintheday,

andalternatedeverythreedays.Thesnackoptionscanbeswapped;thelunchanddinneroptionsare

interchangeable.Youmayincludecoffeewithbreakfastwithout“countingit”aslongasyou

useminimalmilk(about2tbsp)andanaturalsugaroption,ifneeded(e.g.Agaveorstevia1tsp).Enjoya4-ozglassofredwinewithdinner.Getinthehabitofdrinkingfennelorgreenteaafterdinnerand/orthroughout

theday.

Eachfoodoptionfollowstheprinciplesofthekosherdiet,andyouwillnotfindadairydishwithinsixhoursofameatoption,oranydishwithmeatandmilkmixedtogether.Thereisnosequencetotheweeklymealplanssoyoucanchoosewhichweek

youwanttostartwith.The“superchargeweek”isafive-daymealplanthatcanbeusedwhenweight

stabilizesformorethantwoweeks,orifyouwanttogiveyourbodyachangetoswitchitup.Themealplansrepresentfive-daysandyoucanchoosetorepeatoneortwo

daysasappropriate,leavingroomfortheSabbathFridaynightandSaturdaylunchmeals.(SeeSabbathMealIdeasfortheFridaynightandSaturdaylunchmeals,butkeepallothermealsandsnacksasconsistentasyourweek.)Thetimesindicatedaresuggested.Itisbettertogetanearlystartonyourday

soyoucanfitinallthemealsandsnacks.Ifyouwakeuplater,youmayhavetoplayaroundwiththetimingandtheamountoffoodyouareeatingperday(e.g.omitasnackorstartwithlunch,etc).Yourbodylovesmealtimeconsistency,sotryandmakeyoursleep/wakecycle

consistent.

SABBATHMEALOPTIONS:Anoteaboutsocialmeals,includingtheSabbath:Asyoulearnedinchapter8,donotbeoverwhelmedbyamealwith toomanyoptions.Keepinmindyourplatemodelandfitthefoodchoicesintoyourplate.Wantchickenandroast?Noproblem.Justbesuretofitbothintoone-quarterofyour9-inchplate.Ratherhavemorechicken?Thenleaveouttheroast.It’syourchoice. You are in charge–not the food. Oh yeah, and keep that challah to aminimum(2ozfortheblessingrequirement),andmakeitwholewheat,unlessyou want it counting as the starch portion of your plate. Otherwise, you canalwayskeepitsimplewiththeserealfoodoptions:

MoroccanFishwithVegetablesandBrownRiceChaminwithsaladChulentwithsaladChickenandOkraandIsraeliWholeGrainCouscousChickenandPotatoeswithGarlickyStringBeansLemonChickenwithSpanishRiceandArugulaSaladFasulia(GreatNorthernBeanswithMarrowBonesandMeat)andRobyn’s

FennelSaladRoastandHamidwithWildRiceHungarianBeefGoulashwith2ozchallahandsalad

SABBATHDESSERTS:

Insteadof throwingallyourhardwork towardbetterhealthdownthedrainonweekends(thealltoofamiliar“WedonotgainweightontheSabbath”mantra),allowyourselfoneportioned indulgenceasapartofyourSabbath routine, foroneofyourSabbathmeals(eitherFridaynightorSaturdaylunch,Irecommendthelatterbecauseyouaremoreactive,awakeandlesslikelytooverindulge):HealthyAppleCobblerwith2ozcoconuticecream,vanillabean(optional)

6darkchocolatecoveredalmonds4piecesoffruitdippedin1ozdarkchocolate1AllFruitIces1cupChocolatePopcorn

REAL-FOODRECIPES

Herearesometastyreal-foodrecipesthatcaneasilyfitintoyourreallifeandgoalongwithmymealplans.Witheachrecipe,a“platetip”willguideyouonhowthedish fits intoyourmeal soyoucanadaptaplanofyourown.Mostof therecipestakenolongerthan20–30minutestoprepare,someonly5–10minutes!At times, youmay have to adjust the servings to your taste, so feel free. Forexample, I love garlic, lemon, and cumin flavors, the base for most of thesedishes, but youmaywant to scale up or down on the flavorings according totastepreference.

A lot of the recipes are frommySyrian roots, some frommyAshkenazicheritage, and others are simply ones I enjoy!A special thanks tomanyofmypatients, friends, family, and go-to cooking sites for sharing some of theirrecipes,aswell.

Dressings,Sauces,andDips

Vegetables

Starches

Proteins

Soups

BreakfastsandDesserts

DRESSINGS,SAUCES,ANDDIPS

These recipes for dips come frommySyrian roots.Agreat resource for theserecipesandmoreofthisstyleofcookingisAromasofAleppobyPoopaDweck(alsocheckoutHamidandFasuliarecipes).

JULIA’SHUMMUS

Ingredients¾cupdriedchickpeas(soakedinwaterovernight,refrigerated)OR2-15½ouncecansofgarbanzo

beans2–3garliccloves,peeledandchopped3tablespoonstahinipaste2teaspoonscuminspice(adjusttotaste)½teaspoonseasaltJuiceof1–1½lemons3tablespoonsextravirginoliveoilWater

DirectionsCombineingredientsinfoodprocessor.Adjustflavoringstotaste.Refrigerateforuptooneweekorfreezeinicecubetraysforaquick,2tablespoon-sizedsnack.

Perserving(2tablespoons):Calories109;Fat8.7g(Saturated1.2g);Cholesterol0mg;Sodium216.4mg;Carbohydrate9.3g;Fiber2.3g;Protein2.5g

SpiceUpYourLife:GarlicPartofthealliumfamily,andhighinprotectivesulfurcontainingcompounds,garlicisknowntohavemanymedicinalandother health benefits. In a 2007 study, garlic was shown to increase thesynthesisofhydrogensulfideinsideourbodies,whichactsasanantioxidantand transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase bloodflow.Theprotectivebenefitmayexplainwhyagarlic-richdietisshowntoprevent breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Although it has been shown,inconsistently, tohelp lowercholesterol, researchersat theAlbertEinsteinSchoolofMedicine injectedgarlic intomice,andfoundthat itcompletelydefendedagainstheartmuscledamageafteraheartattack.

Theprotectivebenefitsinagarlic-richdietareignitedwhenconsumingatleast2medium-sized,wholegarlicclovesperday.Luckyforus,recipesinMiddleEasternandMediterraneancuisine(andmanyfoundinthisbook)callforgarlicinmostofthedishes.118

Although garlic may cause indigestion for some people, the mostfrequentcomplaintisaboutitsinfluenceonbadbreathandsweat.Cookingwithfennelseeds(seeFennelSalad)helpswardoffsomeofthesmell.Also,allow the garlic to sit for about 15minutes after you crush the clove andbeforeheating;thistriggersanenzymereactionthatenhancesthebeneficialaffectsofthegarlic.

EGGPLANTSALAD(MATBUCHA)

Mysister,Adena,makesthisrecipetogoalongwithherSabbathmeals.Ilovethe spicy flavor as an addition to anymeal or added to sandwiches formoreveggies.Youmayhavetoadjustthespicyflavoringtoyourtaste.

Ingredients

1largeeggplant

1teaspoonsalt4clovesgarlic1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil1jalapeñopepper1-20ouncecanwholetomatoes1-8ouncecantomatosauceRedpepper

flakes,optional

DirectionsPeelanddiceeggplant.Placeinstrainerandsprinklesalt.Allowthejuicestodripout.Inamediumsaucepan,sautégarlic,eggplant,jalapeño,andmashconsistently.Addthecanoftomatoesandtomatosauce,keepmashing.Addasprinkleofredpepperflakesformorespice,ifdesired.

Per serving (2 tablespoons): Calories 61.3; Fat 2.6 g (Saturated 0.4 g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium591.7mg;Carbohydrate9.6g;Fiber2.9g;Protein1.7g

TAHINA

Ingredients3clovescrushedgarlic2tablespoonskoshersaltJuiceof2-3lemons½cuptahinipaste

1teaspooncuminspice

DirectionsPuréegarlicinafoodprocessor,thenaddinremainingingredients.Adjustflavoringstotaste.Refrigerateuptooneweekorfreezeinicecubetraysforquick,2-tablespoonsnacks.

Perserving(2tablespoons):Calories92;Fat8.2g(Saturated1.1g);Cholesterol0mg;Sodium588.3mg;Carbohydrate8.5g;Fiber2.6g;Protein3.1g

BAZARGAN

Ingredients1cupfinebulgur(crackedwheat)soakedinhotwaterforabout15minutes(drainexcesswater)1

smallonion,chopped

Juiceof1lemon2tablespoonstomatopaste8tablespoonsOutORtamarindconcentrate,availableinspecialtystoresorsomesupermarkets5tablespoonsextravirgin

oliveoil2teaspoonscuminspiceKoshersalt½cupchoppedwalnutsforgarnish

DirectionsPlacebulgurinmixingbowlandaddalltheingredients.Stirtocombine.Adjustseasoningtotaste.

Perserving(2tablespoons):Calories151;Fat11.2g(Saturated1.4g);Cholesterol0mg;Sodium85.8mg;Carbohydrate12.9g;Fiber1.6g;Protein2.2g

SpiceUpYourLife:OnionsOnions are part of the alliaceous family—alongwith garlic, leeks, shallots, and chives. The high sulfur content reducescarcinogenic effects of nitrosamines andN-nitroso compounds found in over-grilledmeat.Theyalsopromoteapoptosis(celldeath)incolon,breast,lung,andprostatecancerandincasesofleukemia.Wecanseethatonionswereapartofthe Israelite diet when they were slaves in Egypt because they reminisced ofthosedays eatingonions inEgypt in theBookofNumbers (11:5).Onions arerich in phytonutrients, like quercetin, andminerals, like chromium,which arelinked to improving mood and insulin function and promoting blood sugarcontrol.

VEGETABLES

Eachdishcanbeusedtowardsyournon-starchyvegetableportiononyourplate(½theplate),unlessotherwisenoted.Ineachsalad,youmayadd2tablespoonsofyourchoiceofdressingfrommyreal-foodrecipes.

LACTO-FERMENTEDVEGETABLES(“PICKLING”)

Asdiscussedinchapter7,theartoflacto-fermentationfallsmoreinlinewiththetraditionalpicklingofEasternEuropeanJewryandislesslikethoseofSpanishdescent who may use vinegar in their pickling methods. Here is how TomMalterre, author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and creator ofnourishinghope.com, pickles his vegetables to extract the most probioticbenefits:Ingredients

1glassquartjarwithaplasticlid1–1½tablespoonseasalt2cupsfilteredwater

AnyCombinationofRawOrganicVegetables:choppedcauliflower

choppedbeetschoppedcarrotschoppedgreenbeanschoppedbellpeppersslicedradishes

sliceddaikonslicedcucumberschoppedturnipschoppedbroccolichoppedkalechoppedonionschoppedgreenonionschoppedgarliccabbageleaves(forthetop)

AnyCombinationofHerbsandSpices:driedchilipeppers

blackpeppercornsbayleaffreshdillfreshbasilfreshtarragonfreshmintseavegetables(arameorhijiki)—uselesssaltifusingtheseDirections

Dissolveyourseasaltinwaterinaglassjaror2-cupglassmeasure.Placeyourfavoritecombinationofvegetablesintoaquartjar.(Youcanusea

largercylindricaljarorceramiccrockinstead,justdoubleortriplethesaltbrinekeepingthesameratioofsaltandwater.)Addafewlayersofherbsandspices,too.(Tomprefersthepeppercornsinthefirstlayer,onthebottomofthejar,sotheydon’tfloattothetop.)Makesureyouleaveaboutaninchfromthetopofthejar.

Coverwithyour saltbrine, leavingabout1-inch toa½-inch from the top.Foldasmallcabbageleafandpressitintothebrinesothewaterfloatsaboveitandthevegetablesarecompletelysubmerged.Coverwithaplasticlid(it’sbestnot to use metal, as the salt and acids can corrode it, though you mayoccasionallyuseitifit’sallyouhave).Don’tscrewthelidontootight;youwant

some space for gasses to release.You should see a bit of bubbling and someliquidpossiblydrippingout after the thirdday,dependingon theheat level inyourhome.

Youmayplacejarsintosomesortofcontainer,likearectangularcasseroledish,tocatchanydrips.Setyourjarsinanundisturbedplaceinyourkitchen—outofdirectsunlight—forexample,ontopoftherefrigerator.

Youcantastetheveggiesafteraboutfivedaystoseehowsouredtheyare.Agoodruleofthumbistoallowthevegetablestofermentforaboutseventoeightdays in the winter and five to six days in late summer—sometimes in thesummer, they can sit for even ten ormore days. Just experiment; there is noexact sciencewith fermentation.After your veggies are soured to your liking,remove the cabbage leaf and place the jar (or jars) in your refrigeratorwheretheywillstoreformonths.

Use your vegetables on top of cooked quinoa, beans, and chopped leafygreens.Servethematopgrilledfishorchicken.Servethemwithscrambledeggsforbreakfast.Andtrytorestrainyourselffromeatingthewholejarinonesitting—itmaybea little toomuchsaltallatonce!Youcanalsowhisksomeof theleftoverbrinewitholiveoil,asquirtofDijonmustard,andadashofhoneyforaprobioticsaladdressing!Source:www.NourishingMeals.com

ARUGULASESAMESALAD

Serves4

IngredientsArugula(1-5ouncecontainerofOrganicGirlArugula)1tablespoonsesameseeds1tablespoonsunflowerseeds1tablespoonpumpkinseeds¼cupcranberries

¼cupwalnuts,chopped

Directions

Toast sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds for 3–5 minutes.Combineallingredientsinsaladbowl(carefulnottoburn!).Add2tablespoonsofBalsamicDressing.

Per serving: Calories 90; Fat 7.5 g (Saturated 0.8 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 15.7 mg;Carbohydrate4.6g;Fiber2.0g;Protein3.2g

SARAH’SKALESALAD

Serves4

IngredientsSalad1bunchkale,chopped1smallredonion,sliced½redpepper,thinlysliced

1tablespoonmixedblackandwhitesesameseedsDressing

2teaspoonsUmeplumvinegar(e.g.,EdenFoods®brand)1teaspoonextravirginoliveoil2tablespoonswater

DirectionsCombineallingredientsinsaladbowl.Mixindressing.

Per serving: Calories 57; Fat 1.6 g (Saturated 0.3 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 291.8 mg;Carbohydrate8.0g;Fiber1.8g;Protein2.7g

A note onUme PlumVinegar Eden Foods® makes the Ume Plum Vinegar,which is a by-product of fermenting umeboshi plums originating from Japan.Because of the high salt needed to achieve the right acid balance forfermentation,besurenottoaddsalttoyourmealwiththisdishandbemindfuloftheportion(seechapter7).

BEETSALAD

Serves4

Ingredients6beets1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil3tablespoonlemonjuice,freshlysqueezed1tablespooncumin1teaspoonKoshersalt

½cupflatleafparsley,finelychopped½smallonion,chopped

DirectionsPlace beets in saucepan, cover with water and boil. Reduce heat to low andsimmer for 15minutes or until the beets are fork tender. Drain the beets andrinseundercoldwatertostopthecookingprocess.Rubofftheskinofthebeetswith a paper towel. Cut the beets in cubes and transfer tomixing bowl. In aseparate bowl, combine olive oil, lemon, cumin, and salt.Mix in onions andparsley.Adddressingandadjusttotaste.

Per serving: Calories 97.4; Fat 4.1 g (Saturated 0.6 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 686.6 mg;Carbohydrate14.5g;Fiber4.1g;Protein2.6g

CHICKPEASALAD

Serves4

Ingredients¾cupfreshchickpeas(soakthemovernightabout6–8hours,thenboiluntilfork-tender.Peeloffoutershells.)OR1–15-ouncecanofchickpeas,rinsed1scallion,chopped1stalkcelery,chopped2tablespoonsflatleafparsley,chopped

2tablespoonsextravirginoliveoil

1teaspooncuminDashofwhitepepper¼teaspoonsaltJuiceof1lemon

DirectionsCombineingredientsinmediumglassmixingbowl.Stirwell.Adjustseasoningstotaste.

Per serving: Calories 123.2; Fat 7.7 g (Saturated 1.1 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 292.6 mg;Carbohydrate12.4g;Fiber2.6g;Protein2.6g

Spice Up Your Life: Parsley Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin A,vitaminC,andvitaminK.Itisagoodsourceofironandfolate.Becauseoftheoilsandflavonoids,notonlydoparsleypropertiesactasantioxidants,buttheyincreasetheantioxidantcapacityinsidethecell.119

SYRIANPOTATOSALAD

Serves6

Ingredients6mediumpotatoes*¼cupextravirginoliveoil¾cupfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice1teaspoongroundallspice

1teaspoongroundcumin1teaspoonkoshersalt2hardboiledeggs,sliced4scallions,chopped*I leave the peels on for added fiber and nutrients, alongwith lowering the glycemic index of thepotatoes.

DirectionsBoilthepotatoesinlargepotuntiltender,about20minutes.Cutthepotatoesinsmall squaresandplace inmediummixingbowl.Add theoliveoil and lemon

juice,thentheseasonings.Gentlymixthepotatoesandplaceslicedeggsontop.

Per serving: Calories 226; Fat 11.3 g (Saturated 1.9 g); Cholesterol 62.0 mg; Sodium 415.4 mg;Carbohydrate26.8g;Fiber3.2g;Protein6.2g

SpiceUpYour Life: Scallions andAllspice Scallions are part of the alliumfamily (which includes garlic, onions, chives, and leeks) and have anti-cancerandanti-inflammatorybenefits.120

Allspiceactsasananti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warmingandsoothing),carminative,andanti-flatulentspice.Ithashealth-benefitingessentialoils,whichgives pleasant, sweet aromatic fragrances to this spice. It also containscaryophyllene, methyleugenol, glycosides, tannins, quercetin, resin, andsesquiterpenes.Similartoblackpeppercorns,theactiveprinciplesintheallspicemay increase the motility of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as enhancingdigestion by increasing enzyme secretions inside the stomach and intestines.Eugenolhaslocalanestheticandantisepticproperties.

Studies have shown that preparations made from allspice oil mixed withextractions from garlic, and oregano canwork against E.coli, Salmonella, andL.monocytogenesinfections.

AllspicecontainsvitaminA,vitaminB-6(pyridoxine),riboflavin,niacinandvitamin-Cand themineralspotassium,manganese, iron,copper, selenium,andmagnesium.

ISRAELISALAD

Serves4

Ingredients3tomatoes,diced4Persiancucumbers,diced1redpepper,diced1yellowpepper,diced1greenpepper,diced1bunchflatleafparsley,choppedJuiceof1lemon

¼teaspoonsalt2clovesgarlic,crushedDashofblackpepper1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil

DirectionsCombine all ingredients in medium glass mixing bowl. Dress the salad withseasoningsandadjusttotaste.

Per serving: Calories 117.4; Fat 4.5 g (Saturated 0.5 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 154.1 mg;Carbohydrate26.0g;Fiber2.9g;Protein3.1g

ROBYN’SFENNELSALAD

Serves4

Ingredients2bulbsfennel,chopped½thinlyslicedgreenapple¼cuppomegranateseedsJuiceof½lime

1tablespoonchoppedwalnutsSaltandpepper,totaste

DirectionsCombineingredientsinglassmixingbowl.Sprinklesaltandpeppertotaste.

Per serving: Calories 67.4; Fat 1.5 g (Saturated 0.1 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 100.1 mg;Carbohydrate13.7g;Fiber4.3g;Protein1.9g

SPINACHSALAD

Serves4

Ingredients2bagsbabyspinach3hardboiledeggs,sliced¼redonion,slicedLemonCuminDressing

DirectionsCombineingredientsinglassmixingbowl.

Per serving: Calories 94.2; Fat 4.5 g (Saturated 1.3 g); Cholesterol 139.5 mg; Sodium 158.9 mg;Carbohydrate6.3g;Fiber3.2g;Protein8.9g

ALLEGRA’SCABBAGESALAD

Serves4

Ingredients1headcabbage,shreddedfinely1bagfrozenpeas¼cuppumpkinseeds¼cupsunflowerseeds

Scallionsorchives,chopped,optionalJuiceof1½lemons1tablespoonextravirginoliveoilSaltandpeppertotaste

DirectionsCombineingredientsinglassmixingbowl.Stirinlemonjuiceandoil.Sprinklesaltandpeppertotaste.

Per serving: Calories 231; Fat 9.4 g (Saturated 1.2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 197.9 mg;Carbohydrate32.3g;Fiber11.7g;Protein10.5g

BEANSALAD

Serves12

Ingredients115-ouncecankidneybeans115½-ouncecanchickpeas115-ouncecanblackbeans1cupsteamedstringbeans,chopped

2tablespoonsredwinevinegar1tablespoonextravirginoliveoilSalt,pepper,andgarlicpowder,totaste

DirectionsCombineall legumes (rinseanddrain).Combinevinegar,oil, salt,pepper,andgarlicpowderandstir.Pouroverbeans.Adjusttotaste.

Per serving (½ cup):Calories 133.6;Fat 1.9g (Saturated 0.3g);Cholesterol 0mg;Sodium296.9 g;Carbohydrate23.1g;Fiber7.3g;Protein6.9g

QUINOASALAD

Serves6

Ingredients1cupquinoa,uncooked(redorwhite)1redbellpepper,chopped1greenbellpepper,chopped1orangebellpepper,chopped115-ouncecanblackbeans12.25-ouncecanslicedblackolives

1tablespooncilantro,choppedLemonjuice,totaste¼teaspoonsaltDashofPepper1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil

DirectionsCookquinoaaccordingtopackagedirections.Combineallingredients.Adjusttotaste.

Per serving: Calories 229.5; Fat 5.7 g (Saturated 0.4 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 29.4 mg;Carbohydrate39.2g;Fiber9.2g;Protein11.0g

SpiceUpYourLife:CilantroTheleafcomponentofparsleywasfoundtohaveahigher concetrationof phenolic compounds than cilantro.One study showedthat the phenolic compounds extracted from both parsley and cilantro areresponsible,inpart,forbothantioxidantandantibacterialactivities.121

CHEESYSPINACHPORTABELLAS

Serves4

Ingredients1cupfreshspinach,finelychopped½cuppart-skimmozzarellacheese½teaspoongarlicpowder

¾cuppreparedmarinarasauce4largePortobellomushroomcaps¼teaspoonsalt¼teaspoonfreshlygroundpepper,divided1cuppart-skimricottacheese

DirectionsPreheatovento450°F.Coatarimmedbakingsheetwithcookingspray.Placemushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and ⅛teaspoonpepper.Roastuntiltender,20—25minutes.

Mashricotta,spinach,¼cupmozzarella,garlicpowder,andtheremaining⅛teaspoonpepperinamediumbowl.

Whenthemushroomsaretender,carefullypouroutanyliquidaccumulatedinthecaps.Returnthecapstothepangill-sideup.Spread1tablespoonmarinarainto each cap; cover the remaining sauce tokeepwarm.Moundagenerous⅓cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cupParmesan.

Bakeuntilhot,about10minutes.Servewiththeremainingmarinarasauce.Adaptedfrom:Eatingwell.com.

Per serving:Calories 212.8;Fat 10.6 g (Saturated 6.0 g); Sodium553.5mg;Carbohydrate 13.5 g;Fiber2.5g;Protein17.3g

KUSAJIBBON(SQUASHANDCHEESE)

Serves12

Ingredients2poundszucchinioryellowsquash,chopped1smallonion,finelychopped1teaspoonextravirginoliveoil3eggwhitesand1wholeegg,beaten6ouncespart-skimmuenstercheese

½cuplow-fatcottagecheese1teaspoonseasalt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Sauté the squash and onion with olive oil in a largeskilletforabout8minutes.Inaseparatemixingbowl,combinetheeggs,cheese,cottagecheese,andsaltwiththesquashandonionmixture.Stirtocombine.Pourinto2-quartbakingdish,or12individualsoufflécups.

Per serving: Calories 97.6; Fat 5.7 g (Saturated 0.4 g); Cholesterol 34.5 mg; Sodium 307.0 mg;Carbohydrate4.4g;Fiber1.2g;Protein6.9gAdaptedfrom:AromasofAllepo.

LENTILSALAD

Serves4

Ingredients2cupslentils(anycolor)4cupswater3freshbeetsJuiceof1lemon

¼teaspoonsalt1teaspooncumin1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil1tablespooncilantro,fresh½teaspoonsalt

DirectionsAdd water and lentils into a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a rapidsimmerovermedium-highheat,thenreducetheheat.Cook,uncovered,for20-30minutes.Addwaterasneededtomakesurethelentilsarejustbarelycovered.Separately, boil beets, peel and chop in cubes. Combine lentils with beets inmixingbowl.Add salt, cumin,oil, cilantro, and salt.Stir to combine.Stir justbeforeserving.Adjustseasoningstotaste.

Per serving: Calories 174.2; Fat 4.0 g (Saturated 0.6 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 490.8 mg;Carbohydrate26.9g;Fiber9.6g;Protein10.1g

GARLICKYSTRINGBEANS

Serves2

Ingredients1tablespoonsesameoil1poundstringbeans1tablespoonwhitesesameseeds4clovesgarlic,mincedSalt,totaste

DirectionsHeatoil inskillet.Addgarlicandsautéuntil translucent.Addstringbeansandcontinuously stir-fry until crisp-tender.Turnoff heat, sprinkle salt, andmix insesameseeds.

Per serving: Calories 139.9; Fat 9.0 g (Saturated 1.3 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 2.5 mg;Carbohydrate10.6g;Fiber3.7g;Protein1.2g

ZUCCHINISTICKS

Serves8

Ingredients3largezucchini(about1½pounds)½cupdrywhole-wheatmatzomeal⅓cupflaxmeal

½cupwholegrainpanko(e.g.,Ian’s®Japanesewholegrainbreadcrumbs)¼cup(1oz.)gratedfreshparmesancheese½teaspoonsalt

⅛teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper½cupeggsubstituteor1egg,beaten

4tablespoonswater

DirectionsPreheatovento400°F.

Topreparezucchini:cutzucchini,1atatime,inhalfcrosswise;cuteachhalflengthwiseinto8wedges.

Combinebreadcrumbs,panko,cheese,½teaspoonsalt,andblackpepperina shallow dish. Dip zucchini in egg with 4 tablespoons water, dredge inbreadcrumbmixture.Placezucchinionawire rackcoatedwithcookingspray.Lightlycoatzucchiniwithcookingspray.

Bake at 400° F for 25minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediatelywithsauce.

Per serving: Calories 67.7; Fat 1.6 g (Saturated 0.9 g); Cholesterol 23.3 mg; Sodium 81.6 mg;Carbohydrate6.4g;Fiber1.5g;Protein3.4g

DENA’SSOYCABBAGE

Serves4

Ingredients1headcabbage,chopped3teaspoonsextravirginoliveoil1tablespoonwater⅛cupsoysauce

Salt,totaste

DirectionsPlace cabbage in a roaster. Drizzle on oil, water, soy sauce, and salt. Stir tocombine.Covertightlyandbakeat350°Fforabout1–1½hours.

Per serving: Calories 48.4; Fat 3.6 g (Saturated 0.5 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 498.2 mg;Carbohydrate3.9g;Fiber1.4g;Protein1.3g

CHERISE’SSPICYTOMATOSALAD

Serves2

Ingredients110½–ouncecontainercherrytomatoes,slicedinhalves1longhotpepper,seededandchoppedJuiceof1lemon¼teaspoonsalt

Dashofwhitepepper1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil2clovesgarlic,minced

DirectionsCombineingredientsinmediumglassmixingbowl.Adjustseasoningtotaste.

Per serving: Calories 80; Fat 7.0 g (Saturated 1.0 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 290.9 mg;Carbohydrate5.5g;Fiber0.1g;Protein0.1g

STARCHES

SARAH’SPAREVEYEBRA(STUFFEDGRAPELEAVES)

Serves6

IngredientsFilling

2–3shallots,chopped1teaspoonplus1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil,separated1cupquinoa2cupswater1bunchfreshparsley,choppedSaltandpeppertotasteDashcinnamon3–4tablespoonsOu*1bunchdriedprunes(asmallhandful)1bunchdriedapricots(asmallhandful)Sauce1cuplemonjuice½cupextravirginoliveoil8clovesofgarlic,crushed2tablespoonsofsalt2tablespoonsagavesyrup

1handfulofmint*Ouisavailableatsomegroceriesandspecialtysupermarkets,andmaybereferredtoas,Tamarhindi.

DirectionsFilling:Sautee2–3shallotsinextravirginoliveoil.Separately,cook1cupquinoain2cupswater,boilandsimmeruntilwaterevaporates.Combineparsleyandouintoquinoa and add salt, pepper and cinnamon. Place apricots and prunes in foodprocessoruntilpaste-likeconsistency.Mixintoquinoawithshallots.GrapeLeaves:Cutofftipsofleaves.Scoop1tablespoonoffillingafewinchesbelowtheleavesandrollintocigar-likeshapes.

Blendthesauceingredientstogetherinfoodprocessor.Layerstuffedgrapeleavesinaglass7-¼”Lx6-⅝”Wsquarecasseroledish.Pourinthesauce.Coverthedishandbakeat350°Ffor1hour.

Per serving (Stuffed Grapeleave): Calories 193.9; Fat 3.4 g (Saturated 0.4 g); Cholesterol 0 mg;Sodium30.2mg;Carbohydrate37.4g;Fiber3.3g;Protein5.1gPerserving(Sauce):Calories181.5;Fat18.7 (Saturated2.7g);Cholesterol0mg;Sodium2,327.2mg;Carbohydrate4.8g;Fiber0.3g;Fiber0.3g;Protein0.4g

MUJEDRE(RICEANDLENTILS)

Serves8

Ingredients1cuplentils2cupsbrownrice1mediumonion1tablespoonextravirginoliveoilSaltandpeppertotaste

DirectionsSautéchoppedonioninoil.Setaside.Put1cupofwateronhighheatandlentils.Coverthepotforthelentilstosoftenandthereisnomorewaterleft.Cookthericeperpackagedirections, inabout4cupsofwater,andaddinlentils,onion,salt,andpepper.Stirtocombine.

ServingSuggestion:Servewith6ouncesplainGreekyogurtandsautéedspinach.

Per serving: Calories 93.5; Fat 1.1 g (Saturated 0.2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 1.4 mg;Carbohydrate17.6g;Fiber3.1g;Protein3.5g

SPANISHRICE

Serves6

Ingredients1cupbrownriceorwholegrainorzo2cupswater16ouncesmarinarasauce1-16-ouncebagfrozenmixedvegetables1mediumonion,minced1tablespoonextravirginoliveoilSaltandpepper,totaste

DirectionsSautéonioninoilovermediumheat.Whenonionbecomestranslucentandstartstobrown,addrice,water,marinara,vegetables,salt,andpepper.Stirandcover.Reduceheattolowflameandcookuntilthereisnomorewater.Transferto9¼x5¼-inchrectanglecasseroledish,andplaceinovenon350°Ffor10minutesifyoulikeittobecrispy.

Per serving: Calories 170.7; Fat 5.7 g (Saturated 0.8 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 580.5 mg;Carbohydrate26.7g;Fiber5.0g;Protein4.5g

WILDRICE

Serves6

Ingredients¼cupslicedalmonds

1cupwildrice¼cupfreshcranberrysauceOR¼cupdriedcranberries(sulfitefree,noaddedsugar)

DirectionsMake1cupofwildriceaccordingtopackagedirections.Afteryouaddthericeandwater,mixin¼cupalmondslices,cookuntilaldente.Stirin¼cupoffreshcranberrysauceordriedcranberries.

Tomakecranberrysauce,you’llneed¼cupxylitol,3cupsfreshcranberries(onepackage),and¼cupwater.Boiltogether,about4minutes.Setinglassbowl,coverwithsaranwrap,andchillintherefrigerator.

Perserving(includingsauce):Calories77.8;Fat2.7g(Saturated0.2g);Cholesterol0.0mg;Sodium1.8mg;Carbohydrate12.6g;Fiber3.2g;Protein2.4g

HEALTHIERMAC‘N’CHEESE

Serves9

Ingredients1½cupswhole-wheatelbownoodleNonstickcookingspray1tablespoonwhole-wheatflour1teaspooncoconutoil

½cupskimmilk¾cuppart-skimmozzarellacheese¾cuppart-skimmuenstercheese½teaspoonsalt½teaspoongarlicpowder⅛teaspoonblackpepper2tablespoonwhole-wheatpankocrumbs112-ouncebagoffrozencauliflower

DirectionsSteamcauliflower;puréeanddrainincheese-clothorcolander.Heatcoconutoilinpot.Stirinflour,continuously,tomakearoux.Addinthemilkandallowtothicken(approximately4minutes).Addallspices.Whiskinthecheese,alittleattime,inafigure-8motion.Turnofftheheat.

Stir incauliflowerpurée,addpastabackinandwhiskin thecheesesauce.Put noodles in 9-¼”Lx 5-¼”W rectangle casserole dish, sprinklewithwhole-wheatpankocrumbs,andbakeat350°Ffor15minutes.

Perserving:Calories138;Fat7.1g; (SaturatedFat4.5g);Cholesterol22.1mg;Sodium307.5mg;Carbohydrate9.9g;Fiber2.1g;Protein9.9g

BLACKRICE

There’s notmuch to this one—just cook according to package directions!TryservingblackricewithAvocadoSaladtomixthingsup.

AVOCADOSALAD

Serves2

Ingredients1AvocadoJuiceof1lemon½teaspoongarlicpowder1teaspooncumin

½teaspoonsaltRedonion,chopped,optionalforgarnish

DirectionsPeelandcutavocadointolargechunks.Seasonwithlemonjuice,garlicpowder,cumin,andsalt.Garnishwithredonion,ifdesired.

Per serving:Calories 190; Fat 14.8; (Saturated Fat 2.2 g); Cholesterol 0.0mg; Sodium 582.8mg;Carbohydrate14.1g;Fiber7.5g;Protein2.6g

EASYLITTLEPIZZAS

Serves12

Ingredients1packageofwhole-wheatminipizzadough(24pack)Marinarasauce(about½24-ouncejar)18

ouncepackageofpart-skimmozzarellacheeseOregano,garlicpowder,andredpepperflakes,totaste

DirectionsPlaceparchmentpaperontwobakingsheetsandputeachfrozendoughontheparchmentpaper,separated.Put1teaspoonofsauceoneachdough,followedby1tablespoonofcheese,andspreadoverthedough.Addoregano,garlicpowderandredpepperflakestotaste.Bakefor10–12minuteson350°F.

For a different flavor, omit the sauce and add zaatar spice on top of thecheeseforzaatarpizzas.

Want an even healthier real food version? Omit the cheese and add yourchoiceofvegetablesandolivesinitsplace!Theomissionofcheesemakestherecipepareve.

Per serving: Calories 148.8; Fat 4.8g (Saturated 2.2 g); Cholesterol 11 mg; Sodium 259.7 mg;Carbohydrate18.3g;Fiber1.2g;Protein7.7g

BULGURWITHCHICKPEAS

Serves6

Ingredients½cupcrackedbulgur1cupboilingwaterCoarsesaltandfreshlygroundpepper1-15-ouncecanchickpeas,rinsedanddrained1scallion,thinly

sliced½cupfreshmintleaves,torniflarge2mediumcarrots,peeledandchopped(1cup)¼teaspoon

choppedgarlic(about1smallclove)¼cupshelledpistachios,toasted

¼cupextravirginoliveoil1lemonwedge

DirectionsInsaucepan,cookonepartbulgurtotwopartswater;bringwatertoaboil,addbulgur, stir for 2minutes. Remove from heat, cover; let stand for 4minutes;drainexcesswater.Fluffwithafork.Stirinchickpeas,scallion,andmint.

Separately, pulse carrots, garlic, and pistachios in a food processor untilcoarsely chopped, forming a pesto sauce. Drizzle in oil and process untilcombined. Season with salt and pepper. Stir pesto sauce into bulgur mixture,squeezewithlemonandadjusttotaste.

Per serving: Calories 190.4; Fat 10.2 g (Saturated 1.4 g); Cholesterol 0.1 mg; Sodium 229.8 mg;Carbohydrates21.9g;Fiber5.1g;Protein4.3g

SpiceUpYourLife:MintMint is linked toaiding indigestionbecause itcalmsthemusclesofthestomachandimprovestheflowofbile,whichthebody uses to digest fats. Therefore, it helps with weight loss because itallowsthefoodtopassthroughyourstomachmorequickly.

One study examined fifty-seven peoplewith IBSwho received eitherenteric-coatedpeppermintcapsulesorplacebotwiceadayforfourweeks.Ofthepeoplewhotookpeppermint,75percenthadasignificantreductionofIBSsymptoms122(theactualmintleavesandoilcancauseindigestionforIBS and GERD conditions). Peppermint may help improve tensionheadachesbycalmingthemusclesintheforeheadandtemples,too!

Peppermintanditsmainactiveagent,menthol,aregreatdecongestants.Becausementholthinsmucus,itisalsoagoodexpectorant,whichmeansithelps loosenphlegmandbreaksupcoughs. It issoothingandcalmingforsorethroats(pharyngitis)anddrycoughs,aswell.123

PROTEINS

LEMONCHICKEN

Serves4

Ingredients1poundchickencutlets

1cupwhole-wheatmatzomeal1teaspoonpaprika1teaspoonsalt½teaspoonpepperJuiceof1lemonandrindseparately14ouncesoforganicchickenstock

DirectionsCombinematzomeal with salt, pepper, and paprika in a bowl. Squirt half oflemonjuiceontothechickencutlets,anddipthechickencutlets,oneatatime,intothematzomealmixture.

In aheated cast-iron skillet, put 1 tablespooncanolaoil.Addchicken andbrownlightlyonbothsides.Putchickenintorectanglecasseroledishandgratelemonrindontop.Addorganicchickenstockontopandbakefor30minuteson350°Ftocooktheinsideofthechicken.

Per serving: Calories 228.8; Fat 3.0 g (Saturated 0.8 g); Cholesterol 62.4 mg; Sodium 648.7 mg;Carbohydrate29.5g;Fiber1.3g;Protein18.9g

PESTOCRUSTEDSALMON

Serves4

Ingredients1poundwildsalmon,withtheskin½freshlemon2tablespoonsofWalnutPestoSauce4tablespoonswhole-wheatpankocrumbs(optional)

DirectionsLine baking traywith parchment paper, lay the fish, skin side down. Squeezehalflemonoverthefish,spreadonpestosaucetocovertopandsidesofthefish.Sprinklepankocrumbson top.Broil for5minutesand thenbakeforabout15minuteson350°Foruntilinsideisflaky,notsticky.

Per serving: Calories 209.3; Fat 9.9 g (Saturated 1.7 g); Cholesterol 64.8 mg; Sodium 111.1 mg;Carbohydrates4.6g;Fiber0.8g;Protein24.0g

LEMONY,LEMONOFSOLE

Serves4

Ingredients1poundlemonofsole⅓cupwhole-wheatflour1teaspoonflaxmeal1lemon,juiceandrind

Saltandpepper,totaste1tablespoonorganiccanolaoil

DirectionsCombineflour,flaxmeal,salt,andpepperonplate.Inaseparatebowl,squeeze½ lemon on the pieces of fish, dip each side in the flourmixture.Heat oil inskillet.Placefishintotheskillet,andcookaboutoneminuteoneachside.Putonbaking sheet linedwith parchment paper and squeeze the other half of lemonoverthefish.Gratelemonrindfrombothhalvesoverthefish.Bakeon350°Fforabout7minutesuntiltheinsideofthefishisflaky.

Per serving: Calories 374; Fat 15.3 g (Saturated 2.2 g); Cholesterol 64.8 mg; Sodium 111.1 mg;Carbohydrate12.9g;Fiber2.1g;Protein45.1g

VEGGIEBURGER

Serves8

Ingredients2teaspoonschiaseeds3tablespoonswarmwater1mediumonion6ouncesmushroom3clovesgarlic2cupscookedlentils,drained

⅓cupold-fashionedoats1tablespoontamari1tablespoontomatopasteOregano,basil,smokedpaprika,salt,thyme,andpepper,totaste

DirectionsPutchiainwarmwater,setthebowlaside.Mincemushroomsandgarlicinfoodprocessor, sauté onion in skillet. Stir in mushrooms and garlic and add 1tablespoonwater.Coveruntilmushroomssoften.Transfertofoodprocessor,addlentilsandchiaseeds.Pulsetocombine.

Set for 15minutes thenmold into small patties and put on baking sheet.Bakeon375°Ffor30minutes.

Per serving: Calories 104.5; Fat 0.9g (Saturated 0.1 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 298.8 mg;Carbohydrate18.9g;Fiber6.1g;Protein7.1gAdaptedfrom:fatfreevegan.com.

SALMONZA’ATARSKEWERS

Serves8

Ingredients2poundswildsalmon*,skinless,cubed3limes¼cupza’atarspice⅓cupextravirginoliveoil4greenbellpeppers,cubed

4redbellpeppers,cubed3onions,cubedGrapetomatoesWoodenskewers*Ichosethefishwithitsown“meat”andthemostabsorbedformofOmega-3healthyfat,EPAand

DHA(seechapter4).

DirectionsInsmallbowl,combinezaatarspice,juiceof3limes,andoilasdressingandstirtocombine.Take1skewerandslideonanonion,redpepper,greenpepper,andsalmoncube,andrepeatthreetimes.Topwithagrapetomato.

Place completed skewers in small baking dish. Brush dressing on salmonskewers.Pourinremainingdressing,coverwithplasticwrapandrefrigerateforatleast4hours.Placeonheatedgrill(orbroilinoven)andcook5–10minuteson each side Per serving: Calories 324.2; Fat 17.0 g (Saturated 2.5 g);Cholesterol62.7mg;Sodium79.2mg;Carbohydrate19.0mg;Fiber5.0g;Protein 25.0 g For a complete and nutritionally balanced meal, serve withgrilled asparagus (pgTK) andwild rice (pgTK)or healthymacn cheese (pgTK).

SpiceUpYourLife:Za’atarTyinginmySephardicJewrytothedish,thezaatarspiceisfrequentlyusedinMediterraneandishes.Za’atarisgenerallyprepared using ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some

combinationthereof,mixedwithtoastedsesameseedsandsalt,thoughotherspicessuchassumacmightalsobeadded.ItcaneasilybeboughtalreadypreparedfromMiddleEasternspecialtystoresandsomesupermarkets.

BEEFGOULASH

Thisbeefgoulash isahitevery time. I tweaked the recipe fromBetterHomesandGardenmagazineanditisaperfect,balanceddishformeatlovers.

Serves8

Ingredients2poundsgrass-fedbeefstewmeat(suchaschuck),trimmedandcubed2teaspooncarawayseeds1½–2tablespoonsweetorhotpaprika(oramixtureofthetwo)¼teaspoonsaltFreshlygroundpepper,totaste1largeonion,chopped1smallredbellpepper,chopped1-14-ouncecandicedtomatoes1-14-ouncecanreduced-sodiumbeefbroth1teaspoonWorcestershiresauce3clovesgarlic,minced2bayleaves

2tablespoonsfreshparsley,chopped

DirectionsPlace beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Crush caraway seeds with thebottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in paprika, salt, andpepper.Sprinklethebeefwiththespicemixtureandtosstocoatwell.Topwithonionandbellpepper.

Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a mediumsaucepan;bringtoasimmer.Pouroverthebeefandvegetables.Placebayleavesontop.Coverandcookuntilthebeefisverytender,4–4½hoursonhigh,or7–7½hoursonlow.

Discardthebayleaves;skimorblotanyvisiblefatfromthesurfaceofthestew.Servesprinkledwithparsley.

TipsMakeAheadTip:Cover and refrigerate for up to twodaysor freeze for up to

fourmonths.Prep ahead: Trim beef and coat with spice mixture. Prepare vegetables.Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Refrigerate inseparatecoveredcontainersforuptooneday.

Perserving(onecup):180calories;5gfat(2gsat,2gmono);48mgcholesterol;6gcarbohydrates;0gaddedsugars;25gprotein;1gfiber;250mgsodium;298mgpotassium.NutritionBonus:Zinc(40percentdailyvalue),VitaminC(35%dv),VitaminA(25%dv),Iron(15%dv).

Spice Up Your Life: Peppermint and Caraway A combination ofessentialoils (peppermintandcaraway)haveanamazingability to soothegastrointestinalupset.Bothwereshowntoallowsmoothmusclerelaxationof the stomach and duodenum. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trialwith forty-five patients, researchers found improved symptoms ofindigestion, including sensations of pressure, heaviness, and fullness, in89.5percentofthepopulation.124

SALMONBURGER

Agreatalternativetothehamburger, thisburgerisagreatwaytotryasalmondish.

Serves8

Ingredients2poundswildsalmon,ground2tablespoonsfreshcilantro,chopped1scallion,choppedJuicefrom½ofalemon1teaspoongarlicpowder1teaspoononionpowder1teaspoonpaprika1teaspoonsalt

⅛teaspoonblackpepper

DirectionsCombine fish, spices, and lemon juice.Rollone smallhandfulofmixture inaballandflattenintopatty.Grillongrillpanorbroil,4minutesoneachside.

Per serving: Calories 165.6; Fat 7.2 g (Saturated 1.1 g); Cholesterol 62.7 mg; Sodium 340.7 mg;Carbohydrate1.0g;Fiber0.2g;Protein22.7g

MINIFISHSTICKSWITHHOMEMADETARTARDIPPINGSAUCE

Serves10

IngredientsMiniFishSticks1tablespoon1%reduced-fatmilk2largeeggs,lightlybeaten

1poundhalibutfillets,cutinto20(1-inch)strips1cupwhole-grainpanko(e.g.,Ian’s®Japanesebreadcrumbs)¼cupflaxmeal

⅜teaspoonkoshersalt,divided⅜teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper,divided⅜teaspoongarlicpowder⅜teaspoononionpowder2tablespooncanolaoil,dividedDippingSauce¼cuplightsourcream3tablespoonscanolamayonnaise2tablespoonsbread-and-butterpickles,finelychopped2teaspoonscapers,minced

DirectionsCombinemilk and eggs in a large bowl; stirwith awhisk.Add fish and tossgentlytocoat.Placeflaxmeal,panko,¼teaspoonsalt,and¼teaspoonpepperina large zip-top bag.Add fish to pankomixture; seal bag. Shakebag gently tocoatfish.

Heatalargenonstickskilletovermedium-highheat.Add1tablespoonoiltopan; swirl to coat. Add half of fish; cook 4 minutes or until done, turningoccasionally tobrownallsides.Repeatprocedurewithremaining1 tablespoonoilandremainingfish.

In the meantime, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, pickles, capers, ⅛teaspoonsalt, and⅛ teaspoonpepper ina smallbowl for tartardippingsauce.Servesaucewithfish.

Perserving(fishsticks):Calories143.5;Fat6.0g(Saturated0.7g);Cholesterol56.7mg;Sodium68.8

mg;Carbohydrate 5.8 g; Fiber 1.6 g; Protein 15.2 gPer serving (sauce): Calories 31.5; Fat 2.3 g(Saturated0.5g);Cholesterol2.5mg;Sodium98.7mg;Carbohydrate1.7g;Fiber0.0g;Protein0.5g

ARTICHOKEGIBBON

Serves8

Ingredients1smallonion,finelychopped2garliccloves,minced2teaspoonsoliveoil2wholeeggsand2eggwhites

¼cupwhole-wheatmatzomeal2tablespoonsmincedfreshparsley¼teaspoonsalt⅛teaspoondriedoregano⅛teaspoonpepper6ouncespart-skimmozzarellacheese½cupcottagecheese1-14-ouncecanofwater-packedartichokehearts,rinsed,drainedandchopped

DirectionsSautéonionandgarlic inoiluntil tender; setaside. Ina largebowl,whisk theeggs,matzomeal,parsley,salt,oregano,andpepper.

Stirincheese,artichokes,andonionmixture.Pourintoagreasednine-inchpieplate.*Bakeat350°Ffor22–26minutesoruntilaknife insertednear thecentercomesoutclean.

*Youcanalsoputmixtureinto100percentwhole-wheatpieshellorinminicupcakeholdersandthenbake.

Per serving: Calories 129.4; Fat 5.9 g (Saturated 2.8 g); Cholesterol 54.5 mg; Sodium 269.9 mg;Carbohydrate8.7g;Fiber2.1g;Protein11.0g

CHICKENANDOKRA

Serves8

Ingredients1wholeorganicchicken,cutinto8pieces1teaspoonpaprika1teaspoonsalt1teaspoonpepper

1teaspoongarlicpowder2teaspoonscinnamon,separated1tablespoonoil4tablespoonswater1–2packagesbabyokra*1smallcantomatopaste(6oz.)

DirectionsWash and clean the chicken. Place chicken pieces at the bottom of a smallroaster. In a small bowl, combine the spices and oil. Brush the spicemixturearoundthepiecesofchicken.Add4tablespoonsofwater to theroaster.Coverandbakeat350°Ffor45minutes.Taketheroasteroutoftheovenandplacethechicken pieces on a glass plate. Add in 1–2 packages of baby okra, fresh orfrozen, into the chicken juices.Mix in 1 small can of tomato paste. Add thechicken back to the roaster and embed the pieceswithin the okra.Bake for 1hourat350°F.

*YoucanalsosubstitutetheokrawithYukonpotatoes,cubed,whichwouldcounttowardsthestarchportionofyourplate.Therecipecontainsmeat.

Per serving: Calories 144; Fat 4.7 g (Saturated 1.0 g); Cholesterol 63.4 mg; Sodium 355.9 mg;Carbohydrate2.7g;Fiber1.5g;Protein21.7g

FASULIA—GREATNORTHERNBEANSWITHMARROWBONESANDMEAT

Serves8–10

Ingredients2garliccloves,chopped1onion,chopped2tablespoonscanolaoil1poundflankenorbeefchuck,cutin2-inchcubesOR3beefmarrowbones

1cupdriedGreatNorthernBeans,soakedovernightinrefrigeratoranddrained2tablespoonstomatopaste

½teaspoongroundcinnamon¾teaspoonkoshersalt

DirectionsSauté garlic and onion in canola oil overmedium heat about 4–6minutes, oruntil onions are translucent.Add themeat andbones.Brown themeat.Add2quartsofwatertothesaucepan.Reducetheheattolowandsimmer,uncovered,for1houroruntilthemeatistender.Skimoffanyfoamthatrisestothetop.

Add the beans, tomato paste, cinnamon, and salt and raise the heat tomedium-highandbringtoaboil.Reducetheheattolowandsimmer,covered,for2hours.Cooklongerifathickerconsistencyisdesired.

Per serving: Calories 194.8; Fat 9.6 g (Saturated 2.2 g); Cholesterol 49.1 mg; Sodium 312.1 mg;Carbohydrate9.0g;Fiber2.7g;Protein17.5gAdaptedfrom:AromasofAleppo.

The next two dishes, Chamin and Moroccan fish, are traditional MoroccanrecipesIlearnedfrommyhusband’sfamily.WhenItriedtogettherecipesfrommymother-in-law, Rebecca, and Tati (Grandma Susan), it was difficult to getservingsizes,asmostdishesareadjustedtotaste.Itookastabatwritingthemdown,butyou,too,mayneedtoadjustfortaste.

CHAMIN

Traditionally,chaminiscookedinacrockpotorapotonthe“blech”(hotplate)overFridaynightandintotheSabbathdayforlunch.A“completemeal,”itisoftenservedseparatedbythetypesoffoodsinside.Itisbesttobeginpreparingthe different parts of the dishmiddayFriday or at least 2–3 hours before theSabbathbegins.

Ingredients

Serves10

1cupdriedchickpeas10russetpotatoes2–4wholeeggs1poundofyourchoiceofmeat(forexample,“kichel”)1teaspoonpaprika1teaspoonallspice1teaspooncumin1teaspoonextravirginoliveoil

Blackpepper,totaste

DirectionsPrepthenightbefore(forexample,Thursdaynight,tobegincookingthechaminFriday,tobeeatenSaturday).Soak½offreshchickpeasinwater.Cleanabout10russetpotatoesandsoakinwaterovernight.

CookingthedishonFriday:In a large pot or crockpot, layer chickpeas (drained) on bottom, then

potatoes,whole eggs (they cook inside the dish) and a piece ofmeat. Seasonwith paprika, allspice, extra virgin olive oil, black pepper, and cumin. Coverwithwater. Simmer, boil, and cook through, 2–3 hours before Shabbat starts.Thencoverthepotorcrockpotandleaveon“low”temperatureuntiltheSabbathdaymealonSaturday.

Youmayaddapruneordate,withoutthepit,tothedishforsweetnessandcolor;however,youshouldachieveanicebrownhueregardlessbecauseoftheamountofspicesused.

Per serving: Calories 167.9; Fat 11.2 g (Saturated 4.2 g); Cholesterol 71.2mg; Sodium 115.5mg;Carbohydrate5.5g;Fiber1.1g;Protein10.5g

MOROCCANFISH

Serves4

Ingredients1poundwildsalmon2tomatoes,thinlysliced7wholegarliccloves1redpepper,thinlyslicedinrounds1bunchcilantro,separatedintotwohalves2tablespoonsextravirginoliveoil,separated1tablespoon

hotpaprikaorIsraelipaprikaSaltandblackpepper,totaste1lemon,thinlysliced,andlemonzest1jalapeñoORdriedChileORdriedsweetredpepper(hydratedinhotwaterafewminutes,then

addedtodish),optional1potato,sliced,optional1-15-ouncecanchickpeas,optional

DirectionsInasaucepan,layertomatoesonthebottomofthepot.Then,layerredpeppersontopofthetomatoes,followedby½thecilantro,thenallthespicesandfishontop.Afterthat,seasonagainwithredpepper,salt,andblackpepper.Drizzle1tablespoonofoilandlayertheother½ofchoppedcilantroontop.Verythinlyslicethelemonandgrateitszestontothetopofthedish.Ifyouwantamorebalancedmeal,addslicedpotatoand/oracanofchickpeastothedish.Coverandcookabout45minutesoveramediumflame,untilthefishiscookedthrough.

Per serving: Calories 254.3; Fat 14.8 g (Saturated 2.2 g); Cholesterol 62.7; Sodium 59.3 mg;Carbohydrate10.6g;Fiber3.5g;Protein24.4g

SOUPS

HAMID(ATWISTONVEGETABLESOUP)

Serves6

Ingredients8garliccloves,peeled1smallpotatocutin1-inchsquares2celerystalks,diced

2carrots,peeledanddicedJuiceof3lemons1tablespoondriedmintleaves1teaspoonkoshersalt

DirectionsSmashgarliccloveswithflatsideofchef’sknife.Inmediumsaucepan,combinethegarlic,potato,celery,carrots,lemonjuice,mint,salt,and5cupswater.Bringtoaboilovermediumheat.Reduceuntilvegetablesareforktender.Allowthebrothtoreducetoathickerconsistency.

Per serving: Calories 39.6; Fat 0.1 g (Saturated 0.0 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 215.0 mg;Carbohydrate10.0g;Fiber1.5g;Protein1.9g

FENNELSOUP

Serves8

Adaptedfromcookinglight.com, thissoupisagreatwaytoget inyourgreens,withouttastingtoooverbearing.Tomakeitpareve,simplysubstitutetheGreekyogurtwithcoconutmilk.Ingredients

2redbellpeppers2largefennelbulbswithstalks2tablespoonsextravirginoliveoil1cupchoppedshallots1tablespoonfreshthyme⅜teaspoonsalt4cupswater

2cupsorganicno-chickenbroth(e.g.,ImagineFoods®)1bayleaf

4ouncesfreshspinach¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper½cupfat-freeGreekyogurt(tomakerecipedairy)OR½cup

coconutmilk(tomakerecipepareve)1teaspoongratedlemonrind1teaspoonfreshlemonjuice

DirectionsSlicepeppersinhalf,lengthwise.Discardseedsandmembranes.Placepepperhalves,skinsideup,onfoil-linedbakingsheet.Broil15minutesoruntilblackened.Placeinpaperbagandfoldtoclosetightly.Letstandfor10minutes,thenpeel,chop,andsetaside.

Cut fennel in half and discard core. Chop bulbs tomeasure one cup. Putfrondsonside.

Heatoilinlargesaucepan.Addfennel,leek,shallots,thyme,andsalt.Coverandcook10minutesstirringoccasionally.Addbroth,water,andbayleaf;bringtoaboil.Cover, reduceheat,andsimmer12minutes.Discardbay leaf.Stir inspinachandblackpepper.Removefromheat;coverandletstandfor5minutes.Useahandblenderandpuréethesoup.

Combine roasted bell peppers, yogurt or coconut milk, lemon rind, andlemonjuiceinfoodprocessor;processuntilsmooth.

Serve¾cupsoupineachbowl.Topwithyogurtmixtureandgarnishwithfennelfronds.

Per serving: Calories 92.7; Fat 3.8 g (Saturated 0.5 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 195.3 mg;Carbohydrate12.7g;Fiber3.1g;Protein3.6g

STEFANIE’SCHICKENSOUP

Serves8

IngredientsBroth4piecesorganicchicken1quartwater10babycarrots,diced1wholeonion,peeled½greenpepper1wholepotato,peeled2celerystalks,diced

1teaspoonparsley

1tablespoongreendillSaltandpepper,totasteMatzoball4pasturedeggs4tablespoonscoldwater4tablespoonsoil1cupwhole-wheatmatzomeal1teaspoonsalt1teaspoonpepper

DirectionsPutchickeninalargesouppotandcoverwithwater.Boilfor1hour.Combineallmatzoballingredientsandrefrigeratemixtureforatleast15minutes.

Addall theremainingandspices to theboilingchickensoup.Boilaboutahalf hour more and then form matzo balls and throw into the soup. Boil 10minutesmore.

Per serving: Calories 198.3; Fat 9.4 g (Saturated 1.3 g); Cholesterol 86.1 mg; Sodium 370.7 mg;Carbohydrate21.9g;Fiber2.0g;Protein6.3g

SHERRY’SLENTILSOUP(ADESSOUP)

Serves4

Ingredients1cupsplitredlentils4cupswater2largeclovesofgarlic,crushed½teaspooncoriander1tablespooncoarsesalt2tablespoonscanolaoilCuminandcrushedredpepper,totasteLemonjuice,

totaste,optional

DirectionsRinselentilsandaddtowater.Boiloverlowflameuntilcreamy.Stirgarlicwithsaltandcorianderandsautéinoil.Addtolentilsandsimmerfor1hour.Servewithtasteofcuminandcrushedredpepperandsqueezedlemonifdesired.

Per serving: Calories 59.7; Fat 0.2 g; (Saturated 0.0 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 630.2 mg;Carbohydrate10.5g;Fiber3.9g;Protein4.6g

BREAKFASTSANDDESSERTS

SOURDOUGHFRENCHTOAST

Serves4

Ingredients8sliceswhole-wheatsourdoughbread(e.g.BreadAlone)1egg

1cupalmondmilk1teaspooncinnamon

DirectionsWhisktogetheralmondmilk,egg,andcinnamon.Drenchbreadinmixture.Inashallow frying pan, spray cooking spray and heat the pan.Add the bread andcookoneachsideforabout3minutes,untilbrowned.

Perserving:Calories194.5;Fat3.8g(Saturated0.4g);Cholesterol46.5mg;Sodium375.4mg;Car;Fiber4.6g;Protein7.8g

BUCKWHEATPANCAKES

Serves12

Ingredients1cupbuckwheatflour1egg1cupalmondmilk1teaspoonalmondextract

DirectionsInamediumskillet,spraywithnon-stickcookingsprayonmediumflame.Whenhot,place¼cupmixture into the skillet.Cookpancakeuntilbubblesbegin toformonthetopofthepancake,thenflip.Cookforabout1–2minutesmore,untilyou can easily remove the pancake from the skillet. Repeat with the entiremixture.

Per serving: Calories 84.4; Fat 1.9 g (Saturated 0.3 g); Cholesterol 31.0 mg; Sodium 36.8 mg;Carbohydrate13.5g;Fiber3.0g;Protein3.8g

HOMEMADENUTELLA

Serves8

Ingredients½cuphazelnutbutter*(oralmondbutter)1–2tablespoonsunsweetenedcocoapowder1–2

tablespoonsrawhoneyormaplesyrup

DirectionsPlacehazelnutbutterinashallowbowl.Addcocoapowderandmixitintothenutbutterwithafork.Mixinhoneyormaplesyrup.Tasteandadjustseasonings.If you need to thin the mixture, add hazelnut oil, walnut oil, or coconut oil(warmedtoliquidconsistency).

*Tomakeyourownhazelnutbutter, toasthazelnutsonacookiesheet ina

400°Fovenforabout10minutes.Removeasmuchofthenutskinsaspossibleinadamptowel,addtoafoodprocessorandprocessintoapaste.Adaptedfrom:Realfoodkosher.com.

Per serving: Calories 105.2; Fat 8.8 g (Saturated 0.7 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 2.0 mg;Carbohydrate5.8g;Fiber1.8g;Protein2.5g

HEALTHYAPPLECRISP

Serves6

Ingredients4mediumtartapples,peeledandthinlysliced⅓cupwhole-wheatpastryflour,divided1tablespoon

honey2teaspoonslemonjuice¾teaspoongroundcinnamon,divided⅔cupold-fashionedoats

½cupagavesyrup1tablespooncoconutspreadOrganicvanillacoconuticecreamoralmondmilkicecream,optional

DirectionsInalargebowl,combinetheapples,1tablespoonflour,honey,lemonjuice,and¼teaspooncinnamon.Pourintoagreased9-inchdeep-dishpieplate.

Inasmallbowl,combinetheoats,agave,andremainingflourandcinnamon.Cutincoconutspreaduntilcrumbly;sprinkleoverapplemixture.

Coverwithwaxedpaper.Microwaveonhighfor5–7minutesoruntilapplesaretender.Servewithicecream,ifdesired.

Perserving(1cup,withouticecream)Calories212.5;Fat6.3g(Saturated2.5g);Cholesterol0.0mg;Sodium39.1mg;Carbohydrate42.5g;Fiber5.3g;Protein1.8gPerserving(1cup,withicecream):Calories:252;Fat:7g(4gsaturated fat);Cholesterol: 15mg; Sodium: 66mg;Carbohydrates: 49 g;Fiber:3g;Protein:2g.

POPCORNWITHDARKCHOCOLATEDRIZZLE

Serves6

Ingredients½cuporganicpopcornkernels

1tablespooncanolaoil1teaspoonsalt2ounces70%darkchocolate

DirectionsCoat thebottomof thepanwithoil.Coverkernels ina single layer.Addsalt.Cover pot. Put on medium flame. Turn off when there’s a pause betweenpopping.Closeheatandallowcontinuedpoppingwithlidon.Whencomplete,movepoppedcorntobakingsheetandspreadout.

Melt chocolate over hotwater bath (seeBananawithDarkChocolate andChoppedPeanuts).Drizzleoverpopcorn.Allowtocoolandharden.

Per servingCalories83.8;Fat5.5g (Saturated2.2g);Cholesterol1.3mg;Sodium391.5mg;Carbohydrate9.4g;Fiber1.4g;Protein1.0g

HUMMUSWITHPEANUTBUTTER

Serves6

Ingredients3tablespoonsnaturalcreamypeanutbutter3tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice1tablespoonplus2teaspoonsoliveoil½teaspoongroundcumin½teaspoonblackpepper⅜teaspoonkoshersalt

1-15½-ouncecanchickpeas,rinsedanddrained1garlicclove,minced7tablespoonswater4Persiancucumberscutinto¼-inch-thickslices

DirectionsCombine peanut butter and next seven ingredients (through garlic) in a foodprocessor.With food processor running, slowly drizzle inwater; process untilsmooth.Servewithcucumberasminisandwiches(hummusinbetween).Rollinblackorwhitesesameseeds,ifdesired.

Per serving: Calories 148.2; Fat 6.6 g (Saturated 1.0 g); Cholesterol 0.0 mg; Sodium 288.1 mg;Carbohydrate18.8g;Fiber4.1g;Protein5.0g

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSTherearemanypeopleIhavetothankforgettingmetowhereIam,bothinmypersonalandprofessionallife.

Abigthankyoutoallmypatientsforteachingmemorethananytextbookcould.Iamhonoredthatyoufeelcomfortableenoughtoletmeintoyourlivesand trustme tohelp.Thegoalsyoustrive toaccomplish,aside fromwhatevertrialsandtribulationsyouface,inspireme,andIamproudtobeyourdietitian.

AlotofwhatIaimtoaccomplishinmycareercouldnotbewithoutthehelpofmanyprofessionalsIlooktowardasmentors.AspecialthankstoKeriGans,MS,RD,CDN,whose quick responses and generous advice helpedme reachcareergoalsIdidnotknowIcould.Mystaffisasupercrew—thanksforallyourhelppullingthebooktogether.Especiallymyassistant,SarahSarway.

Tomy agent, JodyKlein,Brandt andHochmanLiteraryAgents, Inc:Yousurpassed the preconception I had of a literary agent’s role. Thank you forrepresentingand supportingmewithyourdetailededits andbeingmy“go-to”helpforanyquestions,nomatterhowsimpletheywere.Icouldnothavewrittenthisbookwithoutyourhelp.

AhugethankyoutoSkyhorsePublishing,fortakingachanceonafirst-timeauthor, especially Nicole Frail, for sharing my enthusiasm for this book andhelping to get my message out to the masses. A special thank you to mycommunityandfriendsfortheirsupport.Myfoodphotoshootwastrulyagroupeffort with the help of Jessica Mathews from kosherfoodies.com, StefanieSakkal, whose contributions are too much to list, the Tawil’s for graciouslyhanding over the keys to their kitchen,KitchenCaboodles for sharing sampleprops, and, of course, the talented Hannah Kaminsky, food stylist, and MeirPliskin, photographer. Thank you to Lenore Cohen for her creative graphicdesignwork.Thanks toSusieKampf,PinkbySusie, forher fabulousmakeupforthephotoshoot.

Noneofwhat I do couldhappenwithout the support ofmy entire family:

brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents—especially mymother-in-law,Rebecca,forrunningovertohelpwithmychildrenandsharingand cooking her recipes, andmymom, Aileen, for raisingmewith real-foodrecipes and home-cooked meals I could look forward to every day of mychildhood.Aspecialthankyoutomybrother,Abie,andbrother-in-laws,DonnyandAvi,fortheirinputonJewishlawandbiblicalreferences.

Tomywonderfulchildren,whoshowmewhatitmeanstoenjoylifeandbehappyeveryday.IoweahugethankyouforbearingwithmewhenMommyhadtospend timewritingandworking.EverythingIdo is foryou.Andofcourse,my husband, Elliot. Thank you for taking onmore than your share ofDaddydutiesandsupportingmethroughoutthewritingprocess.Iloveyouallsomuch!

“And youwill eat, and youwill be satisfied, and youwill bless the LordyourGod”(Deut.8:10).

Most importantly, thank you toG–d for allowingmy dreams ofwriting abooktobecomeareality,andfortheopportunitytohelpbetterthelivesofthosewho read it.Maywe all be blessed to recognize all of thewaysG–d’s lovingpresencesupportsandsustainsus,eveninthemostroutineaspectsofourlives.