Category Archives: Diet & Nutrition

Diet & Nutrition

Let’s Get Clear on Collagen

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What Type of Collagen Should I Use?

Read this entire article, but know that all you need is 1 type of collagen then add the others based on your needs and wants. If you just stick to 1 type and you’re consistent with its use, you will experience very good results!

There are several different types of collagen, so lets cut to the chase, keep it simple, and show you what to use to get the best results possible. Collagen is one of the primary ingredients missing from our diets, and we now have more joint problems and pain conditions than ever. Putting collagen back in helps joints, digestion (heals leaky gut), skin, hair, and nails. Collagen is also helpful with inflammation. It can be used in a weight loss program as well (see my 21 Days ON 15 Pounds OFF Diet). You will look younger and feel better with collagen back in your diet. Your genetics will love you for doing this.

WebMD even praises collagen it saying it’s:

“used for for weight loss and for treating osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and brittle bones (osteoporosis). Some people also use it for strengthening bones, joints and fingernails. Gelatin is also used for improving hair quality and to shorten recovery after exercise and sports-related injury.” (source)

Getting Clear on Collagen

  1. Top Recommendation is Collagen Peptides. We only recommend vital proteins as they have the cleanest, and generate the best results. Dr. Wade was using another version for several months, switched to the Vital Proteins version and gained 20 degrees of motion in his knee recovering from an ACL reconstruction. It had plateaued in it range, so he was pleasantly surprised. Further research found that these peptides simply outperform the others at the time of this article.
    1. Take Collagen Peptides 2 times a day when you need assistance in healing or recovery from injury – they can be mixed in anything – food or drink. They are tasteless and dissolve easily.
    2. Take Collagen Peptides 1 time a day when you have achieved your goals regarding how your joints feel, how your skin looks, and how you move (especially in the mornings).

vital proteins collagen

You need to know this:

The amino acids in collagen, gylcine and proline, repair tissue, lessen inflammation and provide relief from joint pain, similar to taking cortisone or ibuprofen. The glycine also speeds wound healing, helps stiff joints and promotes recovery. Another more recent study assessed the efficiency of collagen peptides in a randomized, double blind, controlled multicenter trial, in which 250 subjects with primary osteoarthritis of the knee were given 10g of collagen peptides daily. The results showed a significant improvement in knee joint comfort, and again subjects with the greatest joint deterioration benefited most. (source)

Several studies also show that supplementing with collagen builds bone density. Collagen peptides stimulate osteoblasts, which are the cells responsible for bone formation. (source)

Anti-Aging Benefits:

Some doctors refer to collagen as the new anti-aging product of the century and I have to agree! It ensures cohesion, elasticity, and regeneration of the skin. Collagen is primarily composed of the amino acids glycine, proline, alanine and hydroxyproline. These particular amino acids are shown to reduce the signs of aging. Clinical research has shown that Vital Protein’s Collagen promotes younger looking skin, improves skin moisture level, improves skin smoothness, improves the signs of deep wrinkles and improves skin suppleness. Collagen Peptides are also being considered as a supplement to recommend to combat cancer and cardiovascular disease(source)

2. Bone Broth Collagen is my 2nd recommendation for when you have a significant joint or connective tissue problem you want to help heal. Mix this in a warm drink like coffee, mix with a soup, or other hot, moist food. Some mix it in hot tea. It does have a slight “bullion” aroma, and it has a very light taste you can sense in water, but not in other drinks or foods. It’s not like the peptides that can mix with anything. You can blend it in a smoothy though. I recommend caution with bone broth collagen if you have GERD or an ulcer. This version of collagen is very strong, but it is tougher to digest. Peptides digest very easy. Bone broth collagen is derived from bones vs hide (like peptides), so it has naturally occuring chondroitin and hyaluronic acid which give it that extra edge in helping joint problems.

  1. Take bone broth collagen at separate times in the day 1-2 times a day – don’t mix it with your collagen peptides. Take See MY PERSONAL COLLAGEN REGIMEN – at the bottom of this article.
  2. I recommend this bone broth collagen as an addition to the peptides. Peptides will be your mainstay. Add bone broth collagen in when you want a full compliment of collagen to help you address a joint or skin problem.
  3. Once your health goals have been reached, most stay on the peptides and use bone broth collagen occasionally.
  4. This collagen is perfect to decrease blood sugar after a sugary or high carb meal. Mix it in a post meal drink like coffee or the last bit of what’s left of any warm food. Nice weight management trick that works well.

beef bone broth collagen

3. Use the Cartilage collagen pills if you have a joint problem and you don’t have the wherewithal to deal with mixing the bone broth collagen. This is a type 2 collagen that also has chondroitin like the bone broth collagen although from a different source. It’s more specific for joint problems.

CartilageCollagen_Front

4. Collagen Cooler Drinks! These are awesome drinks with a bone broth collagen mixed in. They are typically used as a collagen snack and also as a food during the mini-fasts used in the 21 Days ON 15 Pounds OFF Diet. Perfect to keep around for snacks. Can be used to make smoothies.

 

slim collagen cooer

Terminology:

Collagen peptides are hydrolyzed meaning cooked all the way down to their essential components. This is the most readily available version and the most versatile. It’s made from bovine hide typically.

Bone Broth Collagen is classified the same as gelatin. It’s a larger molecule not as easily digested but has the type 2 collagen specific to cartilage and hyaluronic acid also good for joints and skin. It’s made from bones. Its not as versatile but has more nutrition.

Collagen is one of the few supplements I believe everyone should add to their diet. From more youthful looking skin to reducing inflammation and healing your gut, collagen is a true nutritional powerhouse.

Don’t overthink it. Just get collagen in your diet consistently. Go with the collagen peptides first and foremost. Add the others depending on your need. It’s good to get in 2 servings a day. 1 if you’ve met your goals and your on a budget. I get 2 a day as I feel my best when I do. I’m still using a combined peptides/bone broth collagen approach to finalize my knee recovery.

Diet & Nutrition, Keto, Reviews, Weight Loss & Fat Loss

Does Allulose Kick You Out of Ketosis

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Live Blood Test on Allulose and It’s Effect on Blood Sugar and Ketones

You want to know if allulose kicks or takes you out of ketosis and does allulose increase your blood sugar. You’re about to find out! Watch my live blood study video here (this is not public).

To purchase the exact version of allulose I use in my test CLICK HERE. You can also see this version on the right sidebar, so click there as well to take you to this version of allulose. There are other versions of allulose that are suspect. In other words, they may not be just allulose both other sugar that can definitely increase your blood sugar or take you out of ketosis. This is the only version that I have tested.

To learn more about allulose Click HERE

This test was done due to the reports that allulose was kicking people out of ketosis. Further investigation showed that these reports were coming from Quest Cereal Bar users that were on a ketogenic diet and maintaining ketosis. These Quest Bars with allulose as an ingredient were kicking people out of ketosis so they were saying that allulose kicked them out of ketosis. It was the Quest Cereal Bar, not necessarily the allulose. If you look at the ingredient listing of these bars you’ll see that they have other ingredients that can affect your blood sugar and possibly take your ketosis level down – so beware.

AIP, Diet & Nutrition, Paleo, Whole30

Collagen vs Collagen Peptides: What Type of Collagen is Best

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What Type of Collagen is Best

When it comes to what type of collagen is best, you must first know that there are a few terms that are interchangeable so you don’t get confused. Gelatin is collagen that has been cooked down. Collagen or Collagen Peptides have been processed further into smaller pieces.

Gelatin and collagen are two proteins that are commonly associated with health benefits such as healing leaky gut, preventing wrinkles, improving digestion, and reducing joint pain.

Oftentimes, you may see gelatin and collagen used interchangeably. But while they come from the same sources— bones, skin and tissue— they’re not the same thing.

The Gelatin Version of Collagen vs Collagen Peptides

As mentioned, collagen is found in bones and tissue. Since it’s too tough to eat tendons or ligaments, these parts must be cooked down using a process called partial hydrolysis, to make the collagen digestible. The hydrolyzing and drying of the bones and tissue is what forms gelatin powder. In other words, gelatin is the cooked form of collagen.

Making bone broth is one of the most delicious ways to get more collagen and gelatin into your diet. By simmering bones and tissue in water with other aromatics for 20 to 24 hours, the collagen and gelatin get released from the bones and make their way into your tasty soup.

When it comes to collagen supplements, you may have heard of hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides. This form of collagen is simply gelatin that has been more aggressively processed through hydrolysis to form smaller proteins, which can be easily digested and absorbed by the body.

Simply put, the differences between collagen and gelatin come down to how they’re processed. The processing method is what gives collagen and gelatin different textures, unique health benefits, and allows them to be therapeutic in different ways.

So, should you use collagen peptides or gelatin? Let’s take a quick look at the similar health benefits of collagen and gelatin, followed by their differences, so you can decide which one is best for you.

What Collagen Peptides and Gelatin Have in Common

First, let’s break down the makeup of each. Since collagen and gelatin are derived from the same sources, the have identical amino acid profiles. Most of the amino acids found in gelatin and collagen are highly anti-inflammatory (unlike some other animal proteins), which makes them beneficial for supporting overall health and well-being.

Gelatin and collagen contain the amino acids proline and glucosamine, as well as proteins called glycosaminoglycans. All of these nutrients support joint health by promoting the growth of new cartilage, and cushioning the joints (1)(2). Having more of these nutrients has been found to help reduce the pain associated with arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Another amino acid found in gelatin and collagen is glycine. As a powerful natural anti-inflammatory, glycine also helps to improve joint pain, but has the added benefit of supporting healthy nervous system function, improving sleep quality, building collagen, and strengthening the intestinal lining (3)(4). As you can see, glycine is one of the reasons why collagen and gelatin provide health benefits to the entire body.

Lastly, one of the most important nutrients for healthy, younger looking skin is collagen.

As the most abundant protein found in your skin, collagen helps preserve skin elasticity to keep it smooth, supple and youthful. Since our bodies begin to produce less collagen once we hit age 25, getting collagen and gelatin through your diet is especially helpful to improve your skin’s appearance from the inside out (5). As a protein, collagen is also a primary building block for healthy teeth, bones, hair and nails (6). When looking at what type of collagen is best for you, consider the following:

What type of collagen is best for you?

Benefits of Gelatin Collagen

Gelatinbeef bone broth collagen

When collagen is boiled, partially hydrolyzed, and dried to form gelatin, it turns into a brittle, dry powder. But when mixed with hot liquids, it dissolves into a gel-like substance (hence the name gelatin). If you’ve eaten Jello before, you’ve had gelatin.

The gelatinous texture of gelatin is what makes it useful as a thickener in your recipes (such as homemade gravies, vitamin gummy bears, and soups). The gel-like texture also determines how it’s digested and absorbed by your body, which can influence certain aspects of your health —  from blood sugar balance to intestinal repair.

Gut Repair

Picture gelatin as a thick, goopy gel when it’s being digested and absorbed in your intestinal tract. It moves sluggishly and is slower to digest, which is why it’s said to help soothe and coat the gut lining.

Since gelatin is 30% glycine, it’s one of the richest sources of glycine on the planet. Glycine has been shown to improve gut health by repairing the intestinal wall, and sealing the gut lining — which is essential for healing leaky gut syndrome and the autoimmune conditions that stem from leaky gut, such as rheumatoid arthritis and allergies (7)(8).

The benefits of gelatin for healing the GI tract also make it one of the top foods to eat on the GAPS diet, which is a gut health protocol designed to help repair the gut lining and heal digestive symptoms, leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune diseases.

Blood Sugar Balance

One study showed that when gelatin was consumed with sugar, it reduced the glucose response by nearly 50% (9). This suggests that gelatin is an effective protein for reducing blood sugar spikes and crashes when consumed with high carb meals. Therefore, gelatin may also be helpful for managing and improving type 2 diabetes and other blood sugar imbalances (10).

It’s possible that the slow digestion and absorption rate of gelatin is one factor that allows it to reduce insulin spikes, but the study specifically mentions the high glycine content in gelatin for reducing the glucose response. Since collagen peptides also contain glycine, it’s possible they may have a similar effect. When looking at what type of collagen is best, I use this version/gelatin for this very reason!

Digestive Health

Gelatin may improve bowel regularity, and relieve bloating and constipation. Its gel-like texture absorbs water and helps keep fluid in the intestinal tract, which is needed to promote healthy and regular bowel movements.

Gelatin has also been shown to increase gastric acid (stomach acid) production, which improves digestion and nutrient absorption.

Side Effects of Gelatin

Some may experience digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, and heartburn when first adding gelatin to their diets, or from eating too much. This is because the larger molecules of gelatin are ‘heavier’ and can be harder to digest.

To avoid these symptoms, it’s best to start with a small serving size of gelatin (such as 1 teaspoon) and gradually increase to 1 to 11/2  tablespoons.

Key Health Benefit of Collagen Peptides (Hydrolyzed Collagen):

collagenvital proteins collagen

Easier to absorb

Collagen peptides provide the same health benefits as gelatin, however there is an advantage to taking collagen peptides over gelatin.

As we covered, powdered collagen supplements are gelatin that’s been processed more aggressively using hydrolysis, which forms smaller molecules called short chain peptides.

These short chain peptides are easier for your body to digest and absorb, which means the amino acids in hydrolyzed collagen may be more bioavailable and cause fewer digestive symptoms. Not only that, it’s possible that because collagen peptides are easier to absorb, you may notice the health benefits of collagen sooner when taking peptides, compared to gelatin powder.

Summary of Gelatin Vs. Collagen Health Benefits

What type of collagen is best for you?

what type of collagen is best

My Personal Bone Broth Trick On Handling Sugar/High Carb Meals

bone broth collagen sticks

I take one of these beef bone broth sticks with me, put it in coffee or any other drink toward the end of my meal.

As you can see, gelatin and collagen both provide many of the same incredible health benefits, so there really is no ‘wrong’ choice when deciding what type of collagen is best. Whether you choose gelatin or collagen comes down to how you want to use it (ie: do you want to mix collagen in your smoothies, or add texture to your recipes?), and which form of collagen your body responds best to.

And don’t forget, in addition to supplements, you can also get collagen and gelatin in your diet the original way: by drinking bone broth. The simmering time of the bones (up to 24 hours) allows collagen and gelatin to be released into the broth, which many believe is digested quicker than a powder.

Summary of Difference Between Collagen, Collagen Peptides, Gelatin and Hydrolyzed Collagen

  • Collagen is the most important structural protein in the body. However, full length collagen is ineffective as an oral supplement because of its long, twisted shape.
  • Collagen peptides and gelatin are made by breaking down full length collagen molecules. Collagen peptides are more bioavailable and digested more quickly than gelatin due to their shorter length.
  • Hydrolyzed collagen and collagen peptides are two names for the same product.
  • Gelatin is collagen that has gone through partial hydrolysis, which makes it gel. Gelatin is not absorbed as well and is less versatile than collagen peptides.
  • Bone broth is made by slowly cooking bones and cartilage in water to form gelatin. Collagen peptides are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream than gelatin, so bone broth does not have the same healing ability as collagen peptides.

My Personal Collagen Strategy

I keep collagen peptides as a consistent staple in my diet, and I use 1 serving a day either in coffee or with one of my health drinks. I’ve also tossed it in eggs, soups, and water (before going to bed to really amp up the repair process.) If I’m drinking a bone broth that day, I mix it in for the most powerful collagen drink you can get (both gelatin and peptides). If I had to answer the question to “what type of collagen is best” with only one response, it would be “Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides.”

dr wade collagen peptides

When I’m recovering from an injury, dealing with any additional inflammation, or if I’m about to consume a high carb meal, I use bone broth collagen (gelatin in a dry form) in addition. You could call this a collagen stack. Now this particular collagen says “unflavored” and it is, but it does have a little aroma – much like a light bullion smell. It’s fairly tasteless, but when you do the water test (mix in water and drink), there is a hint of a taste. It’s not bad, but you can tell the water has “something in it.” When I mix it with my orange flavored ketones, it mildly dulls the tartness.  I like this beef collagen product as it has the most dense nutrition you can get in terms of collagen. Some report there is no flavor at all. It’s designed to be mixed in warm liquid, so it’s perfect for broth, coffees, warm teas, soups and such.

beef bone broth collagen

Both of these formulas were selected from years of collagen use, research, and experimentation starting back in the 90’s when we were first introduced to a hydrolyzed protein called Calorad. 1 tbsp of this stuff and folks started losing weight, looking younger, sleeping better, and feeling better. I knew there was something powerful going on, but the company soon went out of business. Knowing that collagen is the #1 most important protein in the body, I focused on finding the best sources of this while the industry focused on what the market was after – muscle building, meal replacement and weight loss. So that meant mostly soy, whey, and other proteins. Now the word has finally gotten out, and thanks to the resurgence of bone broth as a fountain of youth to celebrities, collagen is back!

The Coffee Test: What type of collagen is best in Coffee?

***** Hands down, Collagen Peptides is the winner here – you can detect no presence of anything. Coffee remains perfect

*** Bone Broth Collagen (beef) dissolves well and barely gives a hint of its presence in black coffee. If you use cream/sugar/flavoring/bulletproof coffee; you can’t really tell anything else is in it. If you are using any kind of sweetener (STOP!)…USE ALLULOSE. (Opens in new tab)

the bone broth coffee test

Collagen to me has never been a fad. In fact, it’s one of the 4 pillars of nutrition that we are missing in our diets today. Be sure to read Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, MD. I am 49 (almost 50) and have rapidly recovered from a blown ACL (skiing accident) much like a young athlete. I coupled collagen with exogenous ketones and stayed 4 weeks ahead of typical recovery times. I lost fat, preserved muscle, kept inflammation in check, never took any pain meds, and focused on taking care of may patients while I practiced what I preach (with a little over-doing it as expected).

Of the two types of collagen you will see in the marketplace, gelatin (including bone broth) collagen and collagen peptides, the collagen peptides take the title and win the “what type of collagen is best” award. This is because it is the most versatile, cost effective, and easiest to digest. The gelatin version is known to have denser nutrtition and additional benefits that I can’t leave on the table, so I use both.

References:

 

  • Trentham DE1, Dynesius-Trentham RA, Orav EJ, Combitchi D, Lorenzo C, Sewell KL, Hafler DA, Weiner HL. Effects of oral administration of type II collagen on rheumatoid arthritis. Science. 1993 Sep 24;261(5129):1727-30.
  • Bannai, M., Kawai, N., Ono, K., Nakahara, K., & Murakami, N. (2012). The Effects of Glycine on Subjective Daytime Performance in Partially Sleep-Restricted Healthy Volunteers. Frontiers in Neurology, 3. doi:10.3389/fneur.2012.00061
  • Weight loss maintenance: Predictors of successful weight loss maintenance: a qualitative comparative analysis.” Bdj217.9 (2014): 525. Web.
  • Ruiz-Ramírez, Angélica, Ely Ortiz-Balderas, Guillermo Cardozo-Saldaña, Eulises Diaz-Diaz, and Mohammed El-Hafidi. “Glycine restores glutathione and protects against oxidative stress in vascular tissue from sucrose-fed rats.” Clinical Science126.1 (2014): 19-29. Web.
  • Papakonstantinou, Eleni, Michael Roth, and George Karakiulakis. “Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging.” Dermato-Endocrinology 4.3 (2012): 253-58. Web.

 

Diet & Nutrition, Paleo, Recipes, Whole30

A Cauliflower Pizza Crust Will Blow You Away

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A cauliflower pizza crust is the way to go to satisfy your pizza craving without the guilt!

Having a go-to cauliflower pizza crust is must, especially if you’ve been following a Paleo, gluten-free or grain-free diet for some time. Sometimes it can get complicated and lengthy, maybe you’ve burned your hands before wringing out the cauliflower after you’ve cooked it, but no more! We made a simple, do-it-yourself crust that is a real crowd pleaser. And of course we had to add grass-fed, USDA organic Beef Bone Broth Collagen to take the health level of this pizza crust up a notch.

cauliflower pizza crust

I love Beef Bone Broth Collagen for all the versatility it brings. Consume it on its own in liquid or use it for the base of soups, but it can be way more creative than that.  Bone broth is a healthy elixir that has been around for centuries, known to boost the immune system and promote gut health (1), support sleep (2) and a healthy metabolism (3), and even promote detoxification (4). Vital Proteins Beef Bone Broth Collagen has no added salt, which means you can control the amount of salt in the recipes you make with it. It does contain hyaluronic acid, which helps your skin retain moisture and staves off the aging process (5). It’s no wonder our ancestors considered this drink magical!

Another versatile ingredient is the main one in this pizza crust recipe: cauliflower. Cauliflower is high in antioxidants, which fight free oxidative radicals in the prevention of cancer (6). It is loaded with vitamin C, which helps support the immune system fight bacteria and other harmful invaders. Cauliflower has also been studied to show it supports the cardiovascular system and improves overall quality of health (7). It is versatile because it can be chopped, cooked, steamed and grated for numerous results in different recipes.

This pizza crust is made without any type of dairy to keep it friendly for our dairy-free readers out there. Cauliflower pizza crust is typically made with some type of cheese to help bind it together, but we found that it worked well with vegan cheese as well. Look for vegan cheese that is free of soy and processed oils, preferably in chevre or cream cheese type of texture. I’m not vegan, obviously, but I have to help those folks, too.

Another savory element in our cauliflower pizza crust is garlic. This pungent vegetable is known for quite a few health benefits, including overall protection to the cardiovascular system (8). Garlic, along with other Allium species vegetables, have anticancer properties and their sulfur compounds can modify a person’s risk for cancer (9). It has even been studied to show that it can prevent the common cold and other infections (10). Garlic is also a staple pizza ingredient, if you ask us.

Don’t be intimidated to try something a little out of the ordinary with this cauliflower crust pizza. Your taste buds won’t regret it!
Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Total Time: 1 hr

Crust Ingredients

2 pounds frozen cauliflower, thawed
1 egg
1 scoop Beef Bone Broth Collagen
8 ounces vegan cheese, chevre or cream cheese style
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon sea salt

Toppings

16 ounces vegan or regular mozzarella
1 cup sliced heirloom tomatoes (I don’t do tomatoes – nightshade and I just don’t like them. )
½ cup sliced zucchini
½ cup roasted red pepper (another nightshade, so continue or substitute
5-6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

** Can mix it up with other veggies such as mushroom, onion (unless fodmap sensitive), and black olives.
*** Meatlovers, can also put in gently browned grass-fed beef seasoned to taste (http://ketopaleowellnessmeats.com), and you can also get beef mixed with beef heart for organ meat enthusiasts! It’s a treat you won’t forget! Simple Himalayan see salt and garlic powder works well.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Make sure frozen cauliflower is completely thawed.
Place thawed cauliflower in a blender to make “rice” and place into a clean dish towel or cheesecloth. Wrap up cauliflower in the cloth, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible over a sink or bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, add in cauliflower (it should resemble a dough-like ball) along with the egg, Beef Bone Broth Collagen, vegan cheese, garlic powder and salt. Mix until well combined.
Place a piece of parchment paper on a pizza stone or a baking dish and place your pizza dough on the parchment paper to shape into a crust (it will be quite sticky).
Bake the cauliflower pizza crust for 40 minutes, or until the crust is starting to turn golden brown and removes easily from the parchment paper.
Top with your favorite pizza ingredients, leaving off the fresh basil, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the vegetables have softened.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil chiffonade.
Serve immediately.

Trentham DE1, Dynesius-Trentham RA, Orav EJ, Combitchi D, Lorenzo C, Sewell KL, Hafler DA, Weiner HL. Effects of oral administration of type II collagen on rheumatoid arthritis. Science. 1993 Sep 24;261(5129):1727-30.

Bannai, M., Kawai, N., Ono, K., Nakahara, K., & Murakami, N. (2012). The Effects of Glycine on Subjective Daytime Performance in Partially Sleep-Restricted Healthy Volunteers. Frontiers in Neurology, 3. doi:10.3389/fneur.2012.00061

Weight loss maintenance: Predictors of successful weight loss maintenance: a qualitative comparative analysis.” Bdj217.9 (2014): 525. Web.

Ruiz-Ramírez, Angélica, Ely Ortiz-Balderas, Guillermo Cardozo-Saldaña, Eulises Diaz-Diaz, and Mohammed El-Hafidi. “Glycine restores glutathione and protects against oxidative stress in vascular tissue from sucrose-fed rats.” Clinical Science126.1 (2014): 19-29. Web.

Papakonstantinou, Eleni, Michael Roth, and George Karakiulakis. “Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging.” Dermato-Endocrinology 4.3 (2012): 253-58. Web.

Ambrosone CB, Tang L. Cruciferous Vegetable Intake and Cancer Prevention: Role of Nutrigenetics. Cancer Prevention Research. 2009;2(4):298-300. doi:10.1158/1940-6207.capr-09-0037.

Zhang X, Shu XO, Xiang YB, et al. Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality. The American journal of clinical nutrition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21593509. Published July 2011. Accessed July 21, 2017.

Banerjee SK, Maulik SK. Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review. Nutrition Journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC139960/. Published 2002. Accessed July 21, 2017.

Nicastro HL, Ross SA, Milner JA. Garlic and onions: Their cancer prevention properties. Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4366009/. Published March 2015. Accessed July 21, 2017.

Josling P. Preventing the common cold with a garlic supplement: a double-blind, placebo-controlled survey. Advances in therapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697022. Accessed July 21, 2017.

Diet & Nutrition, Keto

What is Allulose? Is Allulose a Safe Sugar Substitute?

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There’s A New Sugar In Town – Allulose

Move over stevia. Not so fast erythritol. There is a new rising star in the unending search for the best sugar substitute. It’s name is Allulose. So, what is allulose? Allulose is a non-GMO simple sugar that has only has 10% of the calories of regular sugar.

what is allulose

We recently got our ketokrate that provides samples of keto and paleo friendly snacks made by companies that are not the big wig sugar pumping conglomerates. Let’s face it, I live in the fattest, most unhealthy state in the world (literally) so I really have to reach out to find normal human foods so I stay in the best health possible! In our ketokrate was an amazing looking cookie by Know Better Foods, and the sugar amount was 28g! “What?! this can’t be appropriate for ketogenic dieters, there’s no way!” I said.

Then I saw it…Allulose! It hit me…Essentially, allulose has one tenth the calories and carbohydrates of table sugar.  Where 10g of sugar has 40 calories, and 10g of carbs–10g of allulose has 1 calorie and 1g of carbs.

Given that the Know Better cookies have 28g of allulose–this acts as 2.8g of carbohydrate in the body.

It’s ok if you’ve not heard of this new sugar yet. In fact, my wife’s first question after she at the cookie, was, “Hey! this has way too much sugar!..” I stopped her and said, “don’t worry, it’s allulose, and thats the way they have to report it!” Of course, her response was, “What’s allulose?!” And like her,  just about all the recipients of the ketokrate were in an uproar wondering “what is allulose,” and “how can this cookie” be considered keto?! Keep reading…

Allulose is found in nature, along with many other sugars, in small quantities in foods such as figs, raisins and maple syrup. It is just now starting to hit the market so depending on when you’re reading this, allulose may be brand new to you.

You might be interested to know that allulose is not a digestible sugar. This is NOT a problem!  Unlike some sugar alcohols that can cause some uncomfortable stomach issues, allulose simply filters out through the kidneys with no ill effects.

You can add it to anything and the taste is essentially like sugar. It’s just about like fructose. The ultimate test is making chocolate, and it passes the sugar test! Moreover,  allulose has a Glycemic Index of 0!

And the best new?  It doesn’t taste funny.  No aftertaste and no weird cooling effect.W

Where to Get Allulose

At this time, you can get the best deal HERE at Amazon!

Is Allulose the Ultimate Sugar Alternative?

It’s interesting that the FDA doesn’t really know what to do with it because it’s a sugar, so you can’t technically say that something with allulose is “sugar free.”

For my fellow nerds on the chemistry end,  think of it as allulose,  D-Psicose or an epimer of fructose.

Like I said above, it’s very similar to fructose except allulose has one “OH” that is flipped in the other direction.  That’s it.

A few more details.

  • ~70% as sweet as Sucrose
  • No aftertaste
  • No gastric upset
  • GI of 0

The end result is that our taste buds react to it the same way but in the same way some people don’t have the enzyme to digest lactose, humans don’t have the enzyme to digest allulose.

How do you use it?  Just like granulated sugar but you need to use a little more.  The literature says it is closer to 80% sweet as sucrose (table sugar) but I found in testing that it actually took more to taste similar.

what is allulose

How much to use? Simply start with multiplying it by 1.4 and adjust from there if needed. For example, 2tbs of sugar would be 2 x 1.4 = 2.8 so I’d use 3 tbs of allulose.

 

Is Allulose Safe? What Does Research Show?

Not to get too excited, but I think we’re about to see a huge shift in the sugar and diet industries (multi billion dollar industries). Research shows the anti-hyperlipidemic effect of D-allulose, combined with its anti-inflammatory actions on adipocytes, is beneficial for the prevention of both obesity and atherosclerosis and is accompanied by improvements in insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. SEE ARTICLE HERE

Research thus far shows that allulose is not only safe but that it has the potential to revolutionize how we can handle and treat obesity. As Chung et al (3) states, “we can develop D-psicose (allulose) as a sugar substitute and food ingredient since it can prevent obesity in normal people, but also suppress adiposity as a sugar substitute or food ingredients with antiobesity effect in obese people. D-psicose can be unique functional sweetener because of its function of reducing visceral fat mass and weight gain.”

Allulose passes through the body without significant metabolism.

Allulose is absorbed by the small intestine and excreted in the urine without being significantly metabolized. A study in 14 healthy adults consuming allulose at 5 to 20 g reported urinary excretion of allulose at 66-79% and low microbial fermentability of allulose in the large intestine [1]. In another study, 8 healthy adults consumed 15 g unlabeled allulose with 776 nCi of 14C-allulose. Results showed that 86% of the radioactive dose was excreted in the urine, less than 3% excreted in the feces, and virtually no radioactivity was detected in expired air. Of the radioactivity in the urine, intact allulose was predominant (84%) with no other metabolites detected indicating that allulose is absorbed in the small intestine and excreted in the urine without undergoing significant metabolism [2].

Allulose produced a neglible amount of energy

The energy value of allulose is predicted to be 0.2 kcal/g, a negligible amount based on human studies. A study in healthy adults reported that allulose, absorbed in small intestine, was not metabolized into energy as neither carbohydrate energy expenditure (CEE) nor respiratory quotient (RQ) increased in three hours after ingestion of 0.35 g/kg body weight or 20 g allulose [1]. A 0.9 to 1.6 kJ/g energy yield (0.2-0.4 kcal/g) was predicted based on low breath hydrogen excretion (due to low colonic fermentation) following intake of 5-20g allulose in the same study [1]. Another study evaluating absorption, metabolism, and excretion showed no significant metabolism of allulose [2]. Thus, the caloric value of allulose is likely negligible.

References

[1] Iida T, Hayashi N, Yamada T, Yoshikawa Y, Miyazato S, Kishimoto Y, Okuma K, Tokuda M, Izumori K. Failure of d-psicose absorbed in the small intestine to metabolize into energy and its low large intestinal fermentability in humans. Metabolism 2010; 59:206-214.

[2] Williamson et al. A single dose microtracer study to determine the mass balance of orally administered, 14C-labeled sweetener in healthy adult men. FASEB J 2014; 28(1):LB450.

What Allulose Is Not

I feel like we’ve covered, “what is allulose,” so now we need to cover what allulose is not…Allulose is NOT an “artificial sweetener” with the questionable reputation, functionality and sensory profile of saccharin or aspartame. It has 10% the Calories of Traditional Sugar. It’s sugar, by another name.

The U.S. FDA grants Allulose Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status and sanctions its use in moderate amounts by consumers of all ages.

There you have it.

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26297965
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26012374
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22339545
Diet & Nutrition

Is Your Food the Source of Your Pain?

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An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Could Be the Ticket to Feeling Better

When I say the word “inflammation,” it’s likely to evoke thoughts of painful joints and muscles, swelling, and a loss of mobility. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease, to name just a few?

The amount of inflammation in your body varies and is dependent on a number of factors – including your activity level, the amount of sleep you get, the degree of stress in your life, and even the foods you eat. What you have to realize is that these factors are cumulative – meaning they build up over time. And the more that any or all of these factors get out of whack, the risk for disease increases.

Early in life, these levels can be so low that you might not even be aware that you have any inflammation in your body. That’s because our bodies do a fairly decent job of controlling the inflammation – at least for a while. Then one day you wake up and you’re in your 40s and something is just not right. That’s when the fear begins to set in, and you think to yourself: What did I do wrong? or What can I do now to help myself?

The first step is to get your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels tested. C-reactive protein is produced by the liver, and the level of CRP rises when there is systemic inflammation in the body. Ask your doctor about this (you may have to demand to have the test done). All it requires is a blood sample that will be evaluated by your doctor. And because diet can play a large role in how much or how little inflammation you have, you may want these levels looked at by a registered dietician who can help you formulate an appropriate eating plan.

If you have pain due to inflammation, you may choose to take the traditional medical path, which includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, and even joint-replacement surgery in extreme cases. The good news is that there are natural ways to fight inflammation without the undesirable side-effects that often result from the treatments listed above.

What You Eat Makes All The Difference

The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation. The typical American diet consists of too much “BAD” fat, tons of sugar, loads of industrial processed meat, and a frightening amount of processed foods – all of which are likely to increase inflammation and contribute to obesity, which itself is can cause inflammation. By switching to an anti-inflammatory diet plan consisting of healthy whole foods, you can actually decrease inflammation and ease the pain and discomfort associated with it.

The first step is to avoid processed foods, foods high in sugar, and junk food whenever possible. Instead, choose fresh whole foods, especially anti-inflammatory varieties such as lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. But choose carefully. Many vegetables and pre-packaged “health” foods can actually work against you. Use this handy list of the best and worst foods for controlling inflammation:

Anti-inflammatory foods
Alaskan Salmon (wild)
Grass-fed beef
Fresh whole fruits, vegetables (not necessarily the nightshades: tomato, white potato, peppers, and egg plant)
Bright multi-colored vegetables
Green tea
Water
Olive oil
Lean poultry
Nuts, legumes and seeds
Dark green leafy vegetables
Old fashioned oatmeal
Spices, especially Turmeric and Ginger
Inflammatory foods
Sugar, from any source
Processed foods
French Fries
Fast Foods
White bread
Pasta
Ice Cream
Cheddar Cheeses
Snack Foods
Oils such as vegetable and corn
Soda, caffeine and alcohol
Watch out for Supplements that Can Cause Inflammation
Glucosamine/Chondroitin is made from shellfish, so watch out if you have a sensitivity to this!
Low quality fish oil pills
Vitamin D, yes, I know this is surprising, but read this: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=2165869

In addition to these dietary changes it is also recommended that you:
* Maintain a healthy weight – There is no question that eating healthy is not easy nowadays, whether you’re at home or at a restaurant. But at the very least, you must try to decrease your intake of sugars and hydrogenated oils and increase your daily intake of fiber. Ideally, you should be consuming 35 grams of fiber (that is a ton of fiber, but it’s worth shooting for).
* Get better sleep – 7 to 9 hours of sleep is a must for optimal health; getting a good night’s sleep is key to controlling systemic inflammation.
* Relax more often to lower stress levels – Find time for yourself throughout the day to focus on your breathing and clear the clutter from your mind; learn to stay focused on the most important tasks in your life.
* Exercise on a regular basis – People always ask me: What’s the best exercise to do? I always tell them: Do something you like to do and, if your body can tolerate it, aim for 15-20 minutes three times a week.
* Demand to have you CRP levels tested – This simple blood test is the best indicator of the amount of systemic inflammation in your body. Have the levels evaluated by a certified health care provider who can suggest the most appropriate action.
So, if you are in pain and you’ve made a conscious decision to help yourself get better, then…

Diet & Nutrition, Weight Loss & Fat Loss

How I Lost Weight Might Surprise You

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I Have a Secret about Weight Loss

I’m getting a lot of “you’ve lost weight” and “you look younger” comments now that I made some changes and I dropped from 187 to 170. I’m a 5’7″ 49 year old guy so 5 pounds is a lot and it will mess with you, especially if you put your fat in the belly area (dangerous!). How did I do it? I do have a secret ingredient, so stick with me as I explain – you need to know some things first. If I just blurt it out, then it’s like giving a 5th grader information that’s meant for a 12th grader. You’ll quickly dismiss it or judge it incorrectly.

Moreover, it’s not just the secret ingredient that helped my weight loss, it’s how I used it.

All weight loss methods work to an extent but you know by now that everyone gains it back for the most part. Even those who’ve have the weight loss surgeries gain their weight back.

My first trick: figure out where you want to be and set a goal (weight, body fat, clothing size, etc.). Give yourself time as rapid weight loss rarely works (although I did drop 15 pounds in 21 days!). As a 49 year old, I’m setting a goal to be in the best shape of my life by the time I’m 50. I honestly don’t like to weigh and measure myself in any way, but that which can be measured can be managed. I have a wife, kids, and a lot of patients that depend on me to be around for a long time – the extra weight had to go.

My personal health and fitness goals:

  1. Body weight 165
  2. Body fat 15%
  3. Ability to do a press to handstand
  4. Ability to do a muscle up
  5. Wear medium shirts, fitted shirts, and size 30-31 pants comfortably.

(these are subject to change as I progress along – that’s normal.)

Why these goals? They cover both health and fitness which are 2 different things entirely. Health is not well defined and fitness is wide open to interpretation, so I wanted to make sure my body is physically strong (no one ever comes into my clinic complaining about being too strong) and slender – no unnecessary storage or fat. Extra fat can cause all sorts of problems as you know, so I want a normal amount of fat. Shredding all of it off is not necessarily healthy – that’s for show! A normal amount of body fat is healthy and it will allow your body to look it’s absolute best.

If you achieve those above goals, your body will more than likely look much like a gymnast. No too muscled up and not too skinny…just right. A good reference I believe is the Statue of David, but I’ll allow a little more body fat as David looks pretty young. You should have very good energy as well.

80% of weight comes from your diet…what you eat or don’t eat. 20% of your weight is due to your activity level

This is why so many who try to just exercise more fail. Exercise is a very inefficient way to lose weight! You’ll get better at exercising but your pounds will just sit there laughing at you. Have you ever noticed how many runners, weight lifters, and walkers stay really overweight despite their efforts?

Yes, I am a physical therapist, and I DO endorse exercise! But, let’s be honest, if your goal is weight loss/fat loss, then exercise is a small part of the prescription.

You CANNOT out exercise a bad diet

Ok, so what diet should you use?

My wife will readily tell you that I annoy her completely when I start harping about eating like a human – she’ll buy all the grainy sugary floury stuff and tell my that I don’t have to eat it. She and the kids can eat that stuff with no ill effects. I eat it, and I blow up pretty quick (or I used to).

Of course I keep up with the diet industry as best I can so I can counsel my patients. There is no 1 hit wonder diet. Everyone is different beginning with their mindset and then their physiology and genetics.

The more complex and involved a diet approach is, the more destined you are to fail attempting it. Diets should be simple as God designed us in a way to eat some fairly simple things. The more we refine it, process it, and alter it, the more it will cause us problems. We are designed to eat mostly protein, fat, veggies, and some fruits and nuts/seeds. Foods that are dairy-based, sugary, or made with corn or flour are not foods our bodies love.

Our genetics are the same as when we were hunter-gatherers,  so outside of the basics mentioned above, our bodies have to really work to handle all the unrecognizable substances we put in them! Never have we had so many artificial substances, sugar, and foods that convert to sugar so readily available. We used to have to work to get our food, and it did not consist of much of what we ingest today. Just look at any movie from the 70’s and earlier…not many overweight folks. We blew up starting in the 80’s as obesity rates doubled. Mississippi has been in the lead for the greater part of the last 3 decades. The point I’m making is that our environment is so different and our bodies are acclimating to it! We now have to put forth a great effort to eat like we’re designed to.

So what diet should you use? Here are some diets that help us return to some basics that are similar to the way our ancestors ate.

  1. Any Paleolithic Diet: the paleo approach is not just about eating meat. It’s a very human way to eat. I recommend the book “Practical Paleo.” It has all the info you need plus meal plans if you’re into that. I just like the do’s, don’ts, and the principles.
  2. The Mediterranean Diet: this is one of the most studied and recommended diets across the nutritional and medical communities. It’s a fairly easy method to follow. I don’t use this approach, but I’ve had great success with patients who have. For those who simply cannot or will not give up carbs or grains, this is a good go-to. I put this here mainly because it is a medically accepted and promoted diet; however, it’s like any other diet where people do gain their weight back when they return to old habits. You’ve been warned.
  3. Ketogenic Diet: these diets keep you in a slight state of ketosis where you burn fat like crazy. Once you adapt to this way of eating, there is no going back. Your health will be amazing.
  4. Ketogenic Diet integrated with fasting (intermittent and extended) – This is the most successful, permanent weight loss and health restoration method that is time tested and proven. SEE MORE HERE. This is how you not only lose weight but fix chronic ailments, autoimmune disorders, gut and digestive issues, and metabolic disorders (type 2 diabetes).

Here is What I Used: Secret No. 1.

The Bone Broth Diet – I love it, and here’s why. It’s easy, simple, it works, and it’s a 21 day program. It’s much like a combination of paleo and ketogenic plus you use a bone broth as a snack and on “mini fast” days. This bone broth that you can buy HERE or make yourself (it will smell your house up – ha!) This bone broth has collagen in it which is a bit of an anti-inflammatory and it is awesome for your joints and your skin. It’s made from an organic grass fed source so it’s the good stuff and has no bad stuff.

I recommend getting the Bone Broth Diet book on Amazon and then either buying the easy to make broth HERE or learn how to make it HERE in a recent article I wrote about bone broth (CLICK HERE to GET the RECIPE). I’ve done both, and the bone broth packets are the way to go for me. They are easy to make and I could put it in my Yeti tumbler and sip it at work, too! The actual diet is simple. Of course there are recipes and meal plans, but I just use the recommended foods and come up with stuff – my family (yes, kids included) love it!

My wife loves the diet, my kids love the diet foods and dishes. The broths are hit and miss. The broth that I make is usually a smash hit. My wife had that first, so she doesn’t really like the broth packets at all! The absolute BEST TASTING and highest rated bone broth is made by Au Bon – Go HERE to Try It Out!

Secret No. 2.

Exogenous Ketones! You may or may not have heard of these, but in a nutshell, you are helping your body rapidly get into a state of nutritional ketosis – fat burning! You are putting in ketones which is a substance your body already makes on a low carb diet. Ketones come from metabolizing fat, and they act as a source of energy, and your body loves them more than glucose! Learn More and Get SOME HERE. (there is a short 4 minute video that gives a great run down on how exogenous ketones will work for you as they do for me. Better focus, energy, and fat loss. Very natural (your body already makes them), and very safe. In the clinic, I’ve been enjoying not only watching people lose fat but also heal better, faster and more complete! Yes, ketones are also anti-inflammatory and help healing occur. They also have a strong anti-carcinogenic effect. They are my secret, but now I’m recommending that most of my patients and clients try it – GO HERE

Secret No. 3.

And this is my favorite secret that is so effective and knocking out belly fat (and inflammation!)…use GRASS-FED BEEF! It can be hard to find, and I get mine HERE at US Wellness Meats! It costs the same as when you find it at the store, and this stuff is good! I get the ground beef and various steaks HERE.  No matter what dietary approach you use, put grass-fed beef into your diet. Grain-fed meat is what 95% of our country eats, and it’s highly inflammatory thus all the bad stories about gout, cancer, leaky gut syndrome, etc. Just get some grass-fed beef which your body will thank you for. If you’re a vegetarian, sorry – keep working hard to fill in the nutritional gaps you’ll have to deal with. I know all the arguments here, and vegetarianism/veganism is more of a lifestyle choice vs a necessity for health. Humans are designed to be omnivores – period. Being a vegetarian for some is great, just not for all. Certain genetic types do well with being a vegetarian, but it does take an effort.

Why is grass-fed beef so good? Basically, it has the ideal omega 3 to 6 ratio that’s good for you. Grain-fed beef is too high with omega 6 and causes inflammation. Grass-fed beef also has a CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which is a known and proven fat buster. Weight lifters have used this for years in pill form to try and shed those extra fat pounds. Just eat grass-fed beef.

But Wait There’s More! I HAVE A BONUS FOR YOU!

I have been testing a developing a new diet, and it’s called 21 Days ON 15 Pounds OFF. It is to come out very soon now that the tests are done and it works better than expected! How would you like to truly change your health and your body in 3 weeks?

I want you to have this for FREE! It’s only FREE to the first 25 People that fill out this form first. When you click “Submit,” you’ll get a notification by email. Click the book or GO HERE NOW!

 

 

Below are references I use to fend off the naysayers to any of my comments ;-). In other words, I’m not just giving you hype, I back it up…

1 Juanola-Falgarona M et al. Effect of the glycemic index of the diet on weight loss, modulation of satiety, inflammation, and other metabolic risk factors: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100(1):27-35.

2 A. Janet Tomiyama, Ph.D. et al. Low Calorie Dieting Increases Cortisol. Psychosom Med. 2010 May; 72(4): 357–364.

3 Susan B Robert et al. Energy requirements and aging. Public Health Nutrition: 8(7A), 1028–1036.

4 Poehlman ET et al. Determinants of decline in resting metabolic rate in aging females. Am J Physiol. 1993 Mar;264(3 Pt 1):E450-5.

5 Ryan AS. Insulin resistance with aging: effects of diet and exercise. Sports Med. 2000 Nov;30(5):327-46.

6 Gower BA et al. A lower-carbohydrate, higher-fat diet reduces abdominal and intermuscular fat and increases insulin sensitivity in adults at risk of type 2 diabetes. J Nutr. 2015 Jan;145(1):177S-83S.

7 Bazzano LA et al. Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2014 Sep 2;161(5):309-18.

8 Wojcicki JM et al. Reducing childhood obesity by eliminating 100% fruit juice. Am J Public Health. 2012 Sep;102(9):1630-3.

9 Volek JS, et al. Carbohydrate restriction has a more favorable impact on the metabolic syndrome than a low fat diet. Lipids. 2009 Apr;44(4):297-309.

10 Keogh JB, et al. Effects of weight loss from a very-low-carbohydrate diet on endothelial function and markers of cardiovascular disease risk in subjects with abdominal obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):567-76.

11 Dyson PA, et al. A low-carbohydrate diet is more effective in reducing body weight than healthy eating in both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Diabet Med. 2007 Dec;24(12):1430-5.

12 McClernon FJ, et al. The effects of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet and a low-fat diet on mood, hunger, and other self-reported symptoms. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Jan;15(1):182-7.

13 Meckling KA, et al. Comparison of a low-fat diet to a low-carbohydrate diet on weight loss, body composition, and risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease in free-living, overweight men and women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2717-23.

14 Yancy WS Jr, et al. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77.

15 Stanhope KL, et al. Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans. J Clin Invest. 2009 May;119(5):1322-34.

16 Whalen KA, et al. Paleolithic and Mediterranean Diet Pattern Scores Are Inversely Associated with All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in Adults. J Nutr. 2017 Apr;147(4):612-620

Diet & Nutrition, Keto

Bone Broth Benefits Go Beyond Getting Rid of Wrinkles

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What Is So Special About Bone Broth?

What in the world is Bone Broth, and why do I recommend it to so many patients as well as people who simply want the fastest way to improve their health? Bone broth benefits go far beyond the excitement and hype about it’s ability to reduce wrinkles.

Bone broth is one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet. It’s packed full of protein, amino acids, collagen, glutamine and other GAGs (a key group of amino acids).

Bone broth’s nutritional makeup is the reason it’s the cornerstone of the Paleo, Ketogenic, and AIP diets, as well as many other nutritional programs specifically formulated to heal digestive issues and leaky gut. I’ve personally used it for fat loss and accelerated healing of my ACL rupture both before and after surgery. Bone broth plus my secret exogenous ketones formula make for an amazing fast and pain-free healing process.

Bone Broth Benefits

  • Inhibits infection and reduces inflammation
  • Promotes a well functioning immune system
  • Protects you from pathogenic organisms, environmental toxins, and cancerous growths.
  • Supports your adrenals, bones and teeth
  • Full of minerals like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and potassium
  • Heals and seals the gut lining
  • Enhances digestion
  • Ready bioavailable source of minerals and nutrients
  • Cools inflammation and eases joint pains
  • Promotes healthy skin and hair growth (YES, it reduces wrinkles)
  • High in amino acids like arginine, glycine, glutamine and proline
  • Collagen-rich, which promotes the health of joints, tendons, ligaments, and skin

My Favorite Bone Broth Benefit – It Helps You Heal

Bone Broth has 2 little amino acids that pack a powerful healing punch!

Bone broth can be a therapeutic food for gut healing because of the many minerals, vitamins, and easily assimilated amino acids that are leached from the vegetables, herbs, and the bones of healthy, pastured animals.

The common thought behind bone broth for many years was that it was simply high in calcium (among other minerals), which builds and maintains bones and teeth, supports muscle contraction, heart health, hormone production, and nervous system support.(1,2)

We now know that bone broth isn’t as high in calcium as we once suspected, but it does have significant amounts of essential amino acids, most notably glycine and proline. These two aminos are key components of connective tissue, from the cartilage that makes up our joints to the components that hold the cells of our organs and muscles together, among other things.

These and other amino acids are critical components of healing the microscopic damage done to tissues in our bodies over time, which is why so many practitioners tout bone broth as a “healing” tonic.

7 Reasons I Recommend Bone Broth for Autoimmune and Inflammatory Problems

Leaky gut and systemic inflammation are closely associated with autoimmune conditions across the board. And it’s well known that protein deficiency suppresses the immune response and increases susceptibility to infection.(4) So, there are a couple of reasons your “in the know” health practitioner might recommend a high quality bone broth:

1. High levels of dietary glycine may help with modulating the immune system and reducing inflammation, which helps you to heal from infection and/or disease.(3)

2. Glycine plays an important role in digestive health by helping to regulate the synthesis of bile salts and the secretion of gastric acid.(5)

3. Glycine is involved in the production of glutathione, one of the body’s most important antioxidants that helps to reduce oxidative stress.(6)

4. Glycine promotes better sleep, mental clarity, improves mood, boosts memory, and helps to reduce stress.(7,8)

5. Proline helps the body to break down proteins for use in the body.(4)

6. Amino acids in bone broth are very easily assimilated by the body, making them perfect for those who may be on a journey of healing their gut.

7. Drinking bone broth counts toward your daily liquid consumption and helps you stay hydrated, which is essential for kidney health and helps keep digestion regular.

Bone Broth is NOT New!

Although bone broth is catching on in the mainstream and celebrities are clamoring to it because of it’s skin rejuvenating effects, bone broth is far from new. In fact, it’s considered ancient nutrition, and it’s why we consider so many soups and broths today  healthy items, especially when we’re sick. Our genetics love this! Bone broth benefits were known well by our ancestors thousands of years ago!

In Chinese medicine, whose origins date back over 2,500 years, bone broth is used to support digestive health, as a blood builder, and to strengthen the kidneys. Then, beginning in 12th century Egypt, physician Moses Maimonides was known to prescribe chicken soup as a medicinal remedy for colds and asthma. However, our soups and broths today are merely canned water with sodium and some flavoring and preservatives. Far from healthy.

Fortunately, you can now either make your own with a simple recipe BELOW, or you can have it shipped to you in powder or liquid form. You want to make sure it is sourced from pastured or grass-fed animals.

Where to Get Bone Broth: (these are my two sources)

1. These are packets that are convenient and the taste is good to most people: GO HERE You get the same bone broth benefits as the homemade version!

2. Highest quality and best tasting bone broth: GO HERE This is like a homemade version and it comes to you frozen.

3. Want to be DONE with it and just mix in collagen with whatever you want and get the same benefits? I understand that not everybody is going to want to really delve into ancestral nutrition and get back to basics, so here is our modern and APPROVED answer…Bone Broth Collagen Powder! I recommend bone broth collagen for the types I, II, and III found in bone along with hyaluronic acid that helps more so with joints in addition to gut, skin, hair, nails, tendon, cartilage, and ligament.

This is the BEST: GO HERE

beef bone broth collagen

This is BEEF bone broth collagen. It has the most of the kind of collagen and amino acids for healing joints, connective tissue, and gut problems. Chicken both broth collagen is good too, but it has just a little less of the good stuff. Collagen Peptides which are typically from hide (not bones), are excellent for general health/wellness, skin, hair, nails, and also a for gut and joints just not as much as bone broth collagen. It all works, so go with your budget, and just know that beef bone broth collagen is the king for what most people are looking for. This version is tasteless and can be mixed with almost anything! LEARN MORE

 

Simple Bone Broth Recipe
Makes: About 4 quarts

Ingredients

1 medium, white onion*
2 medium carrots, chopped
3-4 stalks celery*
1 leek, halved*
7 garlic cloves, smashed*
5 lb. bones (from pastured, grassfed meat – I use a mixture of chicken bones, feet, and beef knuckles. Get it all here: US Wellness Meats)
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
*Leave out if on the SIBO diet or Low-FODMAP diet. For AIP, the whole recipe is fine!

Herbs/spices:

6 sprigs parsley
6 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
1 tsp. turmeric powder
Steps

Cut onion, carrots, celery and leek into chunks and add to a crockpot with the bones.
Add smashed garlic and apple cider vinegar.
Fill the crock pot to the brim with filtered water.
Cook broth anywhere from 24-48 hours on “low” in the crockpot (If working on a stovetop, you’ll want to keep it on a very low simmer, covered, for the same amount of time. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving the stove on at night, turn it to the very lowest setting, then turn it back up in the morning.)
When you have about 2 hours left, add herbs/spices and make sure they’re covered with liquid. After the allotted time, turn the heat off and let the broth cool down until it’s safe to handle. Strain the liquid into a large bowl and discard all solids. From here, you can transfer your broth into smaller containers and fridge or freeze. Keep bone broth for up to one week in the fridge or freeze for up to six months.

 

My Favorite Chicken Bone Broth Recipe

I love this one because it tastes great, and it has the fastest cooking time. I love the fact that bone broth benefits also extend to an incredible treat to the palate when made with this recipe.

It takes 15 minutes basically to prepare then 4-6 hours to cook. I usually do the full 6. You need a large stockpot or slow cooker (crockpot). This recipe will make a full gallon of broth. I get all my chicken parts from US Wellness Meats.

Ingredients:

  • 3 or more pounds of raw chicken bones/carcasses from 3-4 chickens
  • 6-8 chicken feet or 1 pig’s foot (will not affect taste)
  • 1 whole chicken, 4-6 legs, thighs, or wings – I do the legs due to more cartilage
  • 1/4-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar depending on pot size
  • Purified water to just cover the bones and meat in the pot
  • 2-4 carrots cleaned and chopped
  • 3-4 ribs organic celery chopped
  • 1 onion, cut in large chunks (I use white onion)
  • 3-4 whole garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 bunch parsley
  1. Place bones and meat in the cooker. Add the vinegar and just enough purified water to cover all by 1 inch. Cover the pot.
  2. Bring water to a simmer  (medium heat) and in about 2 hours skim the film off the top of the broth using a spoon.
  3. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and peppercorns and decrease the heat to low – broth should barely simmer.
  4. Cook for at least 4-6 hours (I do 6 to make sure all cartilage dissolves), and add water as needed to keep bones covered – watch because this will happen.
  5. Add the parsley in the last hour.
  6. When done, remove from the heat, remove the bones and meat with tongs or a good spoon (Keep the meat for later!)
  7. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids
  8. Let the broth cool and then refrigerate within 1 hour.
  9. If you desire, you can skim off the fat (unless you are on a ketogenic diet) as it chills.
  10. When chilled, the broth should be fairly gelatinous. It’s good for 5 days in the fridge and 3-4 months in your freezer.

 

If you really want to dive deep into fixing your nutrition, I highly recommend Deep Nutrition by Catharine Shanahan, MD.

 

References:
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4337919/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0022775/
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12589194
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3750756/
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/274936
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23742196
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10587285
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3328957/