Natural Candida albicans treatment: what works and what doesn’t

Posted on 6 May, 2016 by | 2 comments

Candida natural overgrowth treatment

[This is part of an ongoing series which looks at how to naturally, effectively and permanently beat your candida problem using methods which don’t compromise your health in the process. We’ve compiled all this information and more in a 30-day protocol in our comprehensive ebook]

Candida albicans. Hearing its exotic-sounding name triggers feelings of either anxiety or confusion. Anxiety, because you’ve heard about it, suspect you have it, and have no idea how to get rid of it. Confusion, because you’ve been living under a rock and somehow haven’t even heard about it. For you poor, confused souls, perhaps you should check out this article to see whether you’re suffering from it (hint: you probably are).

For the anxious masses, we’re here to help. Because despite what you might have heard, Candida is really just a misunderstood bacterial overgrowth which simply wants to be loved. And we have just the right ingredients to shower it with love and send it back down to where it belongs (in your gut!).

As we explore in a lot more detail in the ebook, Candida is actually an important part of your gut biome, playing critical roles in nutrient absorption and protection from infection. For this reason, embarking on a kill! kill! kill! mission of destruction against Candida really doesn’t do you any good – you’ll be wiping out something which is necessary for healthy functioning of your hot bod.

Do antifungals or antibiotics work against Candida?

Yup, they work. But, they’re not selective, and essentially wipe out your entire intestinal flora, including the good bacteria which are critical for digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, hormone balance, and numerous other vital roles. If your doctor puts you on a round of antibiotics or antifungals to get rid of Candida, you’ll possibly get rid of it but you’ll severely damage your health in the process. And it’s very likely that the reason you have Candida in the first place is because of antibiotics, as they kill the bacteria which normally keep Candida in check. What’s more, if you want to keep Candida away after your first round of antibiotics, you’ll have to keep taking them, as your body will no longer be able to naturally regulate it’s growth.

Does starving your body of sugar work against Candida?

Yes and no. Yes, reducing your sugar intake helps to starve Candida of a primary food source and in this way can help to curb it’s growth and expansion. This is what most “natural” anti-Candida diets propose, however they almost always take it too far – starving your body of sugar actually puts it into a state of stress, increasing Cortisol levels and weakening your immune system. Thus you may cut out one of Candida’s food sources, but you also reduce the body’s ability to fight it via natural means. The best approach is to reduce sugar intake and limit it to “safer” sources like raw organic honey or a couple of servings of fruit a day (max).

Do natural antifungals work?

They certainly seem to! And the leader in this area is none other than little old apple cider vinegar. Mixing raw ACV into your water once or twice a day sends this glorious antifungal through your digestive system, bringing it into contact with your Candida overgrowth and letting it work it’s magic. It somehow possesses the ability to support a healthy gut biome by fighting bad bacteria, controlling bacterial overgrowth or infections (i.e. Candida), and backing up good bacteria. Essentially, it fulfills the same role as pharmaceutical antibiotics or antifungals but has the decency not to kill everything like they do.

Are essential oils effective against Candida?

Yup, certain oils are very useful in your fight against Candida. Lemon essential oil, for example, has a strong detoxifying effect on your body, helping to cleanse your blood and support your liver. It also supports healthy immune function, and in this way provides a strong building block upon which your body can start to control the Candida overgrowth on it’s own, without the assistance of drugs or fancy schmancy diets. Other anti-Candida oils include frankincense and oregano essential oil.

Does diet matter?

Ah….let me think about that…YES!!!!! Of course it does. Diet is one of the key reasons why most people fail to bring their Candida overgrowth under control. It’s not rocket science, but eating a diet rich in saturated fats, healthy organic vegetables (lots) and fruits (not so many) and good quality protein sources (grass fed or pastured organic meat and eggs) will help your body re-balance its hormones and rebuild its immune system so that it can get to work on your Candida problem. Another big step is avoiding processed foods, grains, and most dairy products. There’s a whole lot more information on this (38 pages on diet alone, to be exact!) and how to structure your diet in our ebook.

Stick with it and let us know if you have any questions. You can do this!

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Posted in Ancestral Nutrition, Anxiety & Meditation, Essential Oils, Food as Medicine, Holistic Health & Personal Development

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Why grains are causing you harm

Posted on 24 March, 2016 by | Leave a comment

grains are bad for your health

Mankind’s relationship with grains might be considered a long one, tracing back to the agricultural revolution approximately 12,000 years ago. It was at this point in our history that humans developed the means to cultivate grains, and since this point they have come to be seen as the backbone of civilization. Humans treasured grains on account of their rapid growth rates, versatility, and long storage life, and they soon became a valuable form of currency: one which could dictate the rise and fall of towns, cities, and even empires.

Today, grains continue to be seen as vital to our existence, with politicians, media, and health specialists all urging mass consumption of whole grains in order to stay healthy. The notion of grains as staple food has become so embedded in our consciousness, in fact, that it is difficult to even consider life without them. After all, how would you get your daily dose of fiber? With what would you sandwich your ham, cheese and tomato? Indeed, where would you put your pasta sauce? A life without grains seems hardly worth contemplating.

So why, then, is there such a poor correlation between grain consumption and health? Why do the heaviest grain-eating populations, America in particular, continue to get sicker and more disease ridden?

Grains, explained

Alright, alright, lets back the truck up…what the heck IS a grain, exactly?

Well, grains are the reproductive embryos of plants. Each grain is designed to ensure the establishment of a new generation of a given plant species, and must be dispersed away from the parent plant in order to ensure that it does not compete with it’s dearly beloved. To promote dispersal, most plants encourage animals to ingest the grains then poop them out somewhere else, whereby the seed contained within the grain can take hold in the poopy soil and begin to grow.

While effective, this method of dispersal presents a problem. By encouraging the animal to eat its babies, the plant risks having them destroyed by the animal’s digestive system. The plant must then design its grains to be indigestible to animals in order to ensure the survival of its species, and it is this design which is responsible for many of the chronic autoimmune diseases we see in people today.

Grains are unhealthy? That’s preposterous!

In order to discourage digestion, grains contain a potent mix of anti-nutrients and gluten. Unless you’ve had your head in the sand for the past 10 years or so, you’ve probably heard of gluten. It’s also probable that many of you have adopted a gluten-free way of life after reading about the ravages this protein can wreak upon your gut and immune system. This is certainly a step in the right direction, but unfortunately it’s not enough.

Gluten comprises most of the protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It is a compound protein which causes gut inflammation in 4 out of 5 people, and can often trigger an autoimmune response when the body develops antibodies to fight the intrusion of alien proteins in the bloodstream. Gluten contains a protein called gliadin, which is very similar to certain proteins naturally found in the tissues of organs, most notably the pancreas and thyroid. As a result, gliadin can cause your antibodies to mistakenly attack your organs and result in chronic disease, particularly hypothyroidism and diabetes.

Added to this is the highly inflammatory effect of gluten, which causes the walls of your intestines to thin and promotes the development of “leaky gut”. A leaky gut allows bacteria and toxic proteins to enter the bloodstream, and further exacerbates your gliadin-induced health problems.

In summary, gluten is a nasty little hell-raiser. So, you cast aside any wheat, barley and rye due to their glutenous evil, and turn your dietary attentions to other, “healthier” grains. The problem is, while only certain grains contain gluten, ALL grains (yes, even quinoa!) contain anti-nutrients. The most troublesome of which are lectins and phytates.

Phytates are a derivative of phytic acid, a primary source of fuel for plants. Phytates hang out in your gut and bind to important nutrients which are essential for your health, including magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron. This process can prevent your body from absorbing nutrients from food, resulting in chronic nutrient deficiency disorders.

Lectins are toxins which have been designed by plants to prevent their digestion. These proteins possess the uncanny ability to bind to, and damage, the intestinal tract, further compromising gut bacteria and contributing to leaky gut. Prolonged exposure to lectins can result in the development of leptin resistance, which can set the stage for obesity and diabetes.

The link between grains and chronic disease

Certain animals, birds in particular, have evolved to eat and even thrive on grains, and can therefore digest them without experiencing their ill-effects. Humans, however, have only been exposed to sustained grain consumption for 12,000 years or less. When considering the evolution of our species, which took place over millions of years, 12,000 years is not a long time. Certainly not long enough to have allowed our digestive systems to evolve the ability to process grains and receive benefit from them. Added to this is the increasing commercialization of grains, whereby scientists modify the genes and cultivars of grains to encourage high density yields while sacrificing nutrients and other useful compounds found in wild or heritage breeds.

As a direct result of this, modern society is riddled with chronic inflammatory conditions. These conditions are closely associated with high grain intake, and include:

• celiac disease
• dermatitis
• asthma
• thyroid disease
• dental defects
• liver disease
• epilepsy
• rheumatoid arthritis

A growing body of evidence is also beginning to suggest that grain consumption may also be responsible for certain neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, autism, and schizophrenia.

The solution is simple: stay away from grains

Based on the increasing number of studies showing the damage that grains can do to our bodies, if you’re suffering from chronic pain, it’s possible that grains are the cause. Here’s an idea: stop eating them! If you can’t bring yourself to remove grains completely from your diet, soaking and sprouting them can significantly reduce the concentration of anti-nutrients and make their vitamins and minerals more digestible.

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How to eat tasty food & avoid weight gain this Christmas

Posted on 20 December, 2015 by | Leave a comment

thrive primal how to watch your weight and still eat delicious food over christmas

Christmas is just around the corner, and with it the vast mountains of delicious yet belly-bursting food. We can already see that you’ve got that yearly look of defeat in your eyes – “oh well” you say to yourself, “might as well just accept the fact that I’m going to eat a lot of junky food over the holiday season and work off the flab next year”. Well, you can wipe that defeated look right off your face, because if you follow these tips you’ll be able to eat like a champion while maintaining your wondrous physique!

Merry Christmas and a Flabby New Year?

Around this time every year, people begin loosening and/or removing their belts, donning their elastic-waisted trackpants, and settling down for an extended onslaught of delicious food. The subsequent collective weight gain across the globe is somewhat alarming, considering it often runs hand in hand with serious health conditions and an almost universal decline in self esteem. But, despite what the mainstream media would tell you, it’s not the amount you’re eating that’s the problem – it’s WHAT you’re eating. If you take heed of the following guidelines, you’ll be able to maintain your trim waistline, stay healthy, AND eat delicious food over the holidays.

1. Balance is king: maintain a healthy macronutrient ratio

Your body needs a certain ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in order to efficiently fuel your metabolism. Advice regarding “healthy” macronutrient ratios varies widely, depending on who you listen to. As a general rule of thumb, however, most diets consider fats to be the enemy, followed closely by carbohydrates. Also as a general rule of thumb, most of these diets are horribly misinformed. Our bodies are designed to run most efficiently off fats – healthy fats, that is, not the nasty kinds which come from ultra-processed vegetable oil or unhealthy animals. As such, you should aim to maintain a ratio of around 30% carb, 55% fat and 15% protein, as determined by extensive meta-analysis and careful data gathering from this source.

It’s important to note that this is not a rigid requirement – our bodies thrive on change, therefore don’t stress out if you can’t always maintain this exact macronutrient balance. It’s also important to remember that your fats should come from healthy sources: avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and ghee, and fatty meats from grass-fed or pasture-raised animals. There’s plenty more information on how you can optimize your healthy fat intake here. So, if you’re preparing a delicious Christmas feast, cook your meat in coconut oil or grass-fed butter, put olive oil and balsamic vinegar on your salads, and make your desserts with plenty of coconut oil or butter – they both taste great in baking and don’t denature under high heat. The real upside to incorporating more fat into your meals is that they help your body absorb nutrients, so all that vegetable-eating isn’t going to waste :)

2. Avoid gluten and grains where possible

This should be a relatively easy one, as let’s face it – the superstars of holiday feasts are always the heaving platters of delicious glazed/basted/smoked meat. Many grains (not just wheat) contain gluten, which irrigates the gut, prevents uptake of nutrients, and weakens your immune system. It can also cause chronic inflammation – the kind which makes you look bloated and overweight. As such, try to avoid the following where possible:

  • bread (even “gluten-free” bread – often this still contains trace levels of gluten, and typically has other nasty ingredients to make up for the lack of wheat)
  • oats (unless they’re soaked and/or sprouted)
  • pasta
  • pie crusts
  • battered/crumbed meats and vegetables
  • stuffing
  • beer

Glutenous foods just fill you up anyway, and there’s nothing worse than getting full too early on in the Christmas eating binge! If you’d like to find out more about how grains are ruining your health, check out this article.

3. If your food is high quality, calories don’t matter

Shock horror: calories aren’t as important as you might think! Perhaps that’s a little melodramatic, but the point is that you can put away your calorie counter and focus in on WHAT you’re eating, not how much. As explained above, your meat should be from quality, grass-fed/pasture raised, organic, humane sources. Your vegetables will preferably be organic/heirloom and local – if this is too much of a stretch, there are certain vegetables available which you don’t need to buy organic due to minimal use of herbicides and other chemicals. These include onions, avocado, asparagus, sweet potato and mushrooms – this article provides more info on the topic.

As for baked goods – try to keep use of conventional sugar to a minimum, or replace recommended sugar amounts with its equivalent in raw honey, coconut sugar or maple syrup – these are the lesser of the sugar evils. We typically make use of overripe bananas to provide most of the sugary sweetness in our baking. Instead of using typical gluten-laden wheat flour, stock up with coconut and almond flour – these make great substitutions to traditional baking flours. Finally, be sure to incorporate plenty of healthy fats like coconut oil and butter, as these fill you up more and allow your body to more efficiently process the other baking ingredients.

4. Keep stress to a minimum

The holiday season is notorious for placing vast amounts of stress on families, what with rushing around buying presents, trying to finish off last-minute assignments at work before the break, coordinating huge family gatherings, and the general mayhem of having too many people cooped up under one roof for an extended period of time.

Surprisingly less notorious is the impact that stress has on your health. In his article on stress, nutrition guru Chris Kresser provides a compelling argument as to why stress is so damaging to our bodies. It really doesn’t matter how much effort you put into keeping your diet clean over the Christmas period if you’re being put under a lot of stress, as it can derail even the healthiest eater. Stress can raise your blood sugar, weaken your immune system, cause leaky gut, increase hunger and sugar cravings, and result in considerable weight gain.

To keep your stress levels down, make sure you take time to just relax by yourself. If things start getting heated around the dining table, grab a book and go and lie on the bed and read for a while. Even if the weather is nasty, get outside and interact with nature, as many studies have shown that simply spending 5 minutes in natural settings (think parks, rivers, lakes – that kind of thing) can dramatically reduce cortisol (aka the “stress” hormone) production and promote feelings of happiness. Finally, yoga can be a good way to unwind after a stressful day – spend 10 minutes before bed running through a few basic yoga exercises and you’ll find yourself immediately relaxing and feeling like you’re actually ready to go to sleep. This DVD comes with spectacular ratings on Amazon and has loads of great yoga workouts perfect for both beginners and pros.

Comments? Thoughts? Let us know how YOU plan on watching your weight while still enjoying the culinary delights of the holiday season!

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Do you really benefit from fish oil supplements?

Posted on 5 December, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Is fish oil really good for you?

The popularity of fish oil supplements has increased dramatically over the past decade, but studies supporting their heralded health benefits are often conflicting.

Around 10 years ago, fish oil emerged in vast quantities on pharmacy and drug-store shelves, and has since become a staple supplement in most homes at the urging of nutritionists, doctors, and “health-conscious” media junkies. Fish oil has been touted as an all-round good guy when it comes to health, curing anything from heart disease to arthritis.

But, as is typically the case when doctors unanimously agree on something, something fishy is afoot (pun very much intended!).

What are the health benefits of fish oil?

Fish oil is universally applauded for it’s role in the prevention of heart disease. Early research into fish oil supplementation suggested that fish oil lowered high triglycerides, and played a significant role in preventing heart disease and stroke when ingested as per recommended dosages.

However, most recent studies are now finding that there is no positive link between fish oil and heart disease. Multiple randomized trials examining the effects of long term supplementation of fish oil on adults with pre-existing heart conditions found that it had no impact on cardiovascular health. Furthermore, a meta-analysis of fish oil research concluded that there was no evidence to support the claim that fish oil prevents heart disease.

While a number of studies have proven that fish oil does indeed have some positive effects, such as prevention of cardiac death and improvement of several blood markers in those suffering from metabolic syndrome, many have concluded that fish oil can be harmful in a number of ways. In one study, long-term fish oil supplementation actually increased risk of heart disease, while another trial encountered increased insulin resistance in those supplementing with 3 grams of fish oil per day.

So, should you be taking fish oil at all?

As you can see from the above section, the literature regarding fish oil is somewhat conflicting, however it’s safe to say that fish oil isn’t the perfect little angel it’s cracked up to be. Subsequently, you might be asking yourself whether there’s any point in taking the darn stuff, and simultaneously cursing your doctor and the media for so liberally shoving fish oil recommendations down your throat.

Fatty fish and shellfish for Omega-3

Well, as with most things in nutrition, your best solution is to go straight to the source from whence said supplementation came: cold-water fish or shellfish. I know, they’re kind of disgusting, but eating the likes of sardines, mackerel or mussels can pack an Omega-3 punch while providing lots of essential nutrients such as zinc and selenium. Larger cold-water fatty fish like wild salmon are also good, however try to moderate consumption of these bad boys as they tend to accumulate higher levels of mercury and other heavy metals than wee stinkers like sardines.

The point here is that fish oil in isolation may be harmful, while obtaining your Omega-3s from real food sources like sardines and mackerel means you’re getting your fish oil all wrapped up in a delicious health sandwich of nutrients, which likely protect you from the harmful effects of fish oil while promoting absorption and uptake of the health-promoting aspects.

Another thing to keep in mind is that eating plenty of grass-fed beef, lamb and dairy (see more information on this here) should ensure that your Omega-3 to 6 fatty acid ratio remains balanced.

Finally, if you can’t get your hands on some good natural sources of essential fatty acids and absolutely MUST supplement, research-fiend Chris Kresser recommends fermented cod liver oil – it’s super nasty, but it’s packed with Omega-3 and other important nutrients. We recommend this brand.

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Does bacon really cause cancer?

Posted on 24 November, 2015 by | 2 comments

Does eating bacon result in cancer?Bacon, loved by our tastebuds but hated by nutritionists, has long been under the chopping block for it’s purported lack of concern for our health. Recently, public uneasiness towards bacon has intensified in the wake of a WHO report which claimed that processed meats, including bacon, can cause colorectal cancer. This post examines the science behind these claims and seeks to provide you, the taste-conscious yet health-savvy reader, with the bottom line in whether you should eat bacon, or avoid it like the plague.

The WHO lowdown on processed meats

Last month, 22 scientists from ten countries met at the the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to quantify the potential carcinogenicity from consumption of red meat (more on meat vs. health here) and processed meat. Based on the research findings, they determined that processed meats, such as bacon, hot dogs and sausages, can cause cancer – specifically, colorectal cancer.

Diving down into the numbers, the IARC research found that eating approximately 1.8 ounces of processed meat daily (roughly equivalent to slightly less than 2 slices of bacon) will increase the risk of colorectal cancer by around 18%. Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer, excluding skin cancers. The lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is approximately 5%, therefore, by that reasoning, eating processed meats would increase your lifetime risk of this cancer to 5.9% – not a huge jump, but nothing to be scoffed at, either.

Is bacon really all that bad?

Bacon is generally hated on by nutritionists worldwide for a number of reasons, including it’s high content of “artery clogging” saturated fat, high sodium levels and nitrates/nitrites required for curing. Ancestral nutrition (i.e. paleo) proponents, on the other hand, can’t get enough of the stuff, even going so far as to consider it as “meat candy”. So, is bacon really as bad as most people would have you think?

In short, the answer is a big fat (pun intended) NO. Extensive scientific literature reviews have found no links between nitrates or nitrites and cancer, with recent research even going so far as to suggest that these compounds may in fact be beneficial, particularly for heart health. This is due to the fact that our bodies produce far more nitrates and nitrites than can be found in food, and they may play an important role in immune and cardiovascular function.

With regards to saturated fat, if you haven’t had the chance to read some of our other posts regarding this subject, you may still be under the opinion that it should be avoided at all cost. Well, we’re happy to tell you that this is not the case, with bucketloads of peer reviewed scientific research firmly proving that not only does it NOT cause heart disease, it actually plays an important role in fueling our bodies and helping to absorb nutrients from the food we eat.

Finally, our old arch-nemesis sodium. Popular consensus would still have us believe that salt is a harmful substance and should be dramatically reduced from our diets. The truth of the matter is, however, that sodium is a vital nutrient for humans. It is a major component of extracellular fluid and is essential for maintaining normal cellular metabolism. Check out this article for more information on the importance of salt.

How often should I eat bacon?

As with everything, moderation is key. We don’t want you to read this article and assume that you can embark upon a “bacon binge” and eat to your heart’s content (or malcontent, as it were). The main point of this article is that bacon is not the villain it has been made out to be, but as always we want to stress the need to find good quality sources for this particular food. This means pastured, organic, humanely-sourced bacon. It also means that you should check the ingredients before you buy – your bacon of choice shouldn’t contain anything other than pork, water, salt and nitrates/nitrites. Some bacon is cured with sugar, which is ok in small amounts but should be avoided if possible. Finally, cook your bacon slowly in its own fat – you don’t need to add any other oils, as the high saturated fat content in bacon is sufficient for cooking purposes, provided you don’t fry the crap out of it.

With these guidelines in mind, it shouldn’t do any harm to eat 3 pieces of bacon a couple of times a week. Many people on paleo diets eat bacon every single day for breakfast, however we generally recommend cycling intake of certain foods to avoid developing allergies. As such, try to take at least a day or two off between your bouts of delicious bacon eating. Enjoy!

 

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Why you can’t be healthy without meat & animal products

Posted on 19 November, 2015 by | 1 comment

thrive primal - meat and animal products - essential for health

The topic of this post is a controversial one, and is bound to get a few of our more “plant-inclined” readers a little riled up. But here at Thrive Primal, we strive to provide our audience with useful, possibly life-changing nutritional information, regardless of how indigestible (excuse the pun) that information might be.

Humans evolved by increasing uptake of animal products

Meat and animal products. I hear a collective gasp from our vegetarian friends, but the fact is that we need these food sources to function at our best. Today, humans are arguably at the top of the food chain because of our dietary switch to animal-based nutrition millions of years ago. We evolved from our early plant-eating hominid ancestors when we began supplementing plants and vegetables with meat and animal-derived products, which resulted in marked increases in brain size.

The downside to this was a reduction in the size of the early-human gut system. This is due to the dramatic energy requirements of both brains and guts – development of one is inversely proportional to the other, thus as our brains grew and began to demand more energy, our guts shrunk. This essentially had a feedback effect on our evolving diets, as early hominids turned to the most nutrient-dense foods available – you guessed it, meat and animal products! – to support our brain development and make up for the loss in digestive capacity from our shrinking stomachs.

As such, humans have been evolving with the aid of nutrient-dense meats, organs and animal-derived products for millions of years.

Why modern diets have failed us

In recent decades, food consumption has changed dramatically from fresh, locally grown, whole foods to mass-produced, GMO, non-organic, semi-synthetic foods which have seen a dramatic increase in health problems, most notably in the US. Here, obesity rates have gone through the roof in the last 30 years, with one in five deaths associated with obesity, primarily as a result of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and liver disease, all of which are correlated with misaligned metabolic function (i.e. an unhealthy diet!).

Subsequently, many people have turned to vegetarianism and/or veganism as a means of avoiding consumption of so-called “dangerous” saturated fats, which the US government seems to have a personal vendetta against. The issue here is that, contrary to mainstream nutritional teachings, well-sourced saturated fats are necessary for healthy metabolic functioning in humans. They are vital in the absorption of important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, D and E, and actually help to support optimal heart and organ function. As a general rule of thumb, vegetarian diets are very low in saturated fats, with the exception of the odd fat-savvy veggo who consumes suitable levels of coconut oil and avocado, and so many vegetarians are severely lacking in this important dietary component.

Many vegetarians might read this and argue that they feel just fine eating only plant-based foods, and that a switch to vegetarianism has improved their health. And it’s true that many people experience marked improvements in their health and well-being with a switch from a modern, processed foods-based diet to a vegetarian one. This is because vegetarian diets do, in fact, have many benefits, particularly in that they bring people back around to eating organic, fresh, whole foods which help to replace many of the nutrients they lost while relying on processed foods. The problem is that, in the long term, our bodies cannot remain at their best on a vegetarian diet, as our digestive system is simply not designed to obtain all the required vitamins and nutrients from plants alone. This is why many vegetarians experience an initial improvement in health but then dramatic declines in health in the long term. This may manifest within as little as a few months, or take a number of years to become apparent.

Eating high-quality meat and animal products is essential

The fact of the matter is, we need animal products in order to thrive. But, and we cannot stress this enough, your meat and animal products MUST be from quality sources. In a nutshell, this means products from animals which are happy, healthy, and thriving in their optimum environment. It makes sense that food sources which make us thrive should also thrive themselves, right?

So, what are the key elements determining high-quality animal products, such as meat, organs, eggs, and dairy? The first one is a no-brainer, and one which you’ll probably roll your eyes at: it must be organic. This means free from pesticides, insecticides, herbicides (anything with the word “cide” in it, really!), artificial hormones and antibiotics. Do not automatically assume, however, that “organic” implies “non-GMO“. In many instances it does, such as in the case of USDA Organic, but not always.

Second, the animal from which your food comes from needs to be either grass-fed or pastured. “Grass-fed” applies primarily to cows and sheep, while “pastured” applies primarily to poultry and pigs. “Grass-fed” is not always synonymous with “100% grass-fed”, however, and many labels will claim that your beef or lamb is grass-fed, when in fact it may have been raised on grass and then “finished”, in the weeks leading up to slaughter, with grains in order to fatten it up. This is a nutritional no-no, and many of the benefits which can be gained from eating grass-fed products (see more on this here) are lost if the animal is grain finished. Therefore, do your homework – avoid, if possible, anything which says “grain finished” (or even “grass finished”), and consider researching your particular brand online before you buy. Sometimes this is the only way to really be sure.

“Pastured” essentially means a “free-range” diet, i.e. one which allows the animal to roam over a comparatively large area and choose foods at-will. This means that the animal chooses to eat only those foods which are best for its own nutrition, and as such the meat is of a much higher quality. This term applies a little more loosely than “grass-fed”, as pigs and poultry have a far more varied natural diet than cows and sheep, which subsist primarily on grass.

Finally, the meat or animal product should have been produced in a humane way. Typically, the previous requirements of organic and grass-fed/pastured would ensure that this is automatically the case, but not always. Therefore, always look for the “certified humane” sticker on your product before you buy it, as this will ensure that the animal was treated with compassion, kindness and not put under undue stress during slaughter.

Choosing quality animal products drives sustainable farming

If you follow the above principles while buying meat and animal products at the store, you’re helping to drive a market which supports sustainable, humane farming practices. This means that farmers have an actual economic incentive to raise their animals in the best possible way, ensuring those animals are given happy, healthy lives. Boycotting the meat industry altogether through vegetarianism is not the answer, as meat producers will continue to supply low-quality, factory raised, inhumanely slaughtered animals to the majority of the population who only cares how the meat tastes in their greasy McDonald’s burger.

The health benefits of eating meat and butter

Provided your meat or animal product is sourced based on the above criteria, it will be some of the healthiest food you could ever eat. Grass-fed beef, for example, contains the perfect composition of fatty acids (think more Omega-3, less Omega-6!), super high levels of Vitamins A and E, and bucketloads of important micronutrients like potassium, zinc, iron and phosphorus. Furthermore, grass-fed butter is loaded with saturated fat, which can improve your blood lipid profile, raising levels of HDL (aka “good”) cholesterol and providing large amounts of Vitamin K2, a nutrient virtually absent from most other foods and which helps to de-calcify your arteries.

The bottom line

Meat and animal products are the bee’s knees. Our bodies have evolved over millions of years to extract optimum nutrition from animal sources, and we function at our best when we obtain the right amounts of these on a daily basis. Make sure, however, that you only buy organic, grass-fed/pastured, humanely-raised meats and animal products.

 

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Now Appearing on The Alternative Daily…

Posted on 11 April, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Hi all! This just a quick update to share that I’ve become a Nutrition & Natural Remedies Writer with The Alternative Daily! This is a great source for friendly, bite-sized information on holistic living.

You can check out my article on common issues tied to low stomach acid, and how to improve stomach acid production by clicking HERE.

I’ll be writing several articles a week, including one personal blog-style post which will be featured on the site.

I hope you’ll check it out!

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5 Foods to Increase the Nutrient Density of Your Paleo Diet

Posted on 24 March, 2015 by | Leave a comment

How to increase nutrient density paleo diet

Hey Team! This article is meant to meet you wherever you’re at right now. Maybe you’re eating run of the mill takeaway from the cafeteria at work every day, or maybe you’ve just surgically removed gluten from your diet. Maybe you’ve been doing ‘paleo’ for a while now, eating lots of veggies, clean protein, nuts and seeds, and a little fruit.

Whatever you’re up to, perhaps you’ve heard of the term ‘nutrient density’. I think I heard about this early on in my ancestral nutrition journey but it just sort of breezed through my ears. It sounded sort of appealing but I wasn’t quite sure what it meant.

Nutrient dense foods are the next step for health and healing

At some point I started seeking more in-depth healing, like helping my leaky gut, curing joint pain and reversing tooth cavities. This is where nutrient-dense foods really come into play.

If you’ve been playing around with a clean diet but aren’t quite seeing results, or you’re ready to up your game, here are 5 foods you’ll want to incorporate into your weekly regimen to really up the nutrient density. Once you work in these nutritional heavy-hitters, you’ll start to see lasting health, slowed aging and a truly resilient immune system.

These are foods which are often kind of on the fringe of our modern diets, if not completely forgotten. They were commonly consumed in every traditional ancestral diet but have been pushed aside by large-scale agricultural food. However it’s important for us to reincorporate these foods, since they offer up a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and probiotics which you might be missing in a basic ‘paleo’ or real-food regime.

If you’re not familiar I would highly recommend checking out the invaluable work of the Weston A. Price Foundation and the book Nourishing Traditions. This is basically the go-to goldmine on nutrient dense ancestral foods and how to make & consume them.

5 Foods to Increase the Nutrient Density of Your Diet

Organ Meats:

Consume the liver, heart, kidneys, thymus gland (sweetbreads), brain of any pasture-raised or wild-caught unmedicated animals. My go-tos are:

Organ meats were a go-to for our ancestors and even up until recently when our dads still ate liver & onions. The nutrient and fat-dense organ meats were prized and muscle meats were generally left for the dogs.

Some nutritional highlights:

  • In general, organ meats are between 10 and 100 times higher in nutrients than corresponding muscle meats. (source)
  • Liver contains many important nutrients (vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron) and is higher in all of these nutrients than produce such as carrots and apples (source)
  • Upon analysis and comparison of the nutrient value of foods eaten by traditional versus modern cultures, studies show that a traditional diet provides at least four times the water-soluble vitamins, calcium and other minerals, and at least 10 times the fat-soluble vitamins, such as A and D. These fat-soluble vitamins are present only in animal fats—butter, lard, egg yolks, fish oils, and foods with fat-rich cellular membranes such as liver and other organ meats. (source)

Broth:

You may have heard bone broth mentioned in various paleo literature. This is called just ‘stock’ or ‘broth’ by normal people. To my knowledge these are exactly the same thing.

Collect any bones that come with the healthy meats that you purchase. We keep them in ice cream containers in the freezer. All too often I’ll be looking for some of our homemade raw milk ice cream and come upon a frozen chicken carcass instead…yuk!

…but the point is don’t throw out those bones!

THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE BONE BROTH & ALWAYS HAVE SOME ON HAND:

Keep each type separate (or mix red meat ones if you like) and when a container gets full dump the bones into your crock pot, add a splash of apple cider vinegar, top up with water so the bones are just covered, and simmer for 24 hours. It’s that easy! Then you can keep the broth in smaller containers in the freezer to be popped into your soups or stir fries or whatever you’re cooking up. You can also just put a cup or two in a mason jar, add some water and pink salt, and heat it up anytime for a nourishing hot drink/snack.

Find out where to grab properly-raised meat in your area with farmmatch.com or eatwild.com. I know there’s also US Wellness Meats in the states, but haven’t found a good online supplier in Canada. Let me know if you know of one!  Also, you’ll be needing a crock pot! (aka slow cooker). Do yourself a favour and get this pretty one, which won’t be such an unsightly beast in your kitchen ;)

Why you should eat broth:

  • Bone broth is a source of minerals, like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,  and potassium, in forms that your body can easily absorb. It’s also rich in glycine and proline, amino acids not found in significant amounts in muscle meat (the vast majority of the meat we consume). It also contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, the compounds sold as supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis, and joint pain. Finally, “soup bones” include collagen, a protein found in connective tissue of vertebrate animals, which is abundant in bone, marrow, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.  The breakdown of collagen in bone broths is what produces gelatin. (source)
  • bone broth assists in tissue and bone healing, keeping the skin elastic, nourishing hair and nails, keeping joints working smoothly, healing the gut lining, improving detoxification and providing vital minerals for body processes (read more here)

Fermented Foods:

Fermentation is really easy to do at home with a simple book and some kefir culture or kombucha culture. All you need is milk for kefir and tea & sugar for kombucha. You can even make sauerkraut in a few days with just cabbage and salt (see instructions HERE).

The benefits of fermented foods:

  • fermentation increases vitamin, mineral, enzyme and probiotic content of food. For example, Kombucha provides beneficial detoxifying B-vitamins, Kefir packs a heavy probiotic punch, and Sauerkraut contains 10x more vitamin C than the original cabbage. (source)
  • the probiotics in fermented foods can assist in curing many conditions such as allergies, food intolerances and digestive disorders (source)

Raw Dairy:

I wrote an extensive post on raw dairy HERE. This will help you find a local source for unpasteurized whole intact organic grass-fed milk. We buy raw milk, kefir, cheese, sour cream and butter weekly. It really doesn’t compare to what you get in the store!! It’s beyond delicious, filling and nourishing.

If you’re looking for a source for grass-fed butter, which is highly prized and recommended in the paleo community, check out my recommendations here for connecting with a local source.

Why would you want to consume raw dairy?

  • The fats are intact. Homogenization of commercial dairy means the milk is pushed through tiny holes which corrupts and/or removes the fat and makes the milk less filling & more difficult to digest.
  • The nutrients are present and bioavailable. Pasteurization (high-temperature sterilization) of commercial milk means that many of the vitamins, proteins and nutrients are denatured and destroyed.
  • It is easier to digest. Natural milk contains enzymes such as lactase which actually negate all or most of the difficulties people have with digesting dairy. This leaves a highly digestible nutritious whole food. Bonus digestive points if you consume cultured dairy such as kefir, which is bursting with probiotics and has hardly any lactose remaining. (source)
  • Raw dairy has been shown to heal conditions such as allergies, chronic fatigue and tooth decay (source)

Seafood:

Seafood is one of the most dense sources of healthy anti-inflammatory fats and body-healing minerals.

Vital Choice is an excellent place to buy high quality wild-caught seafood online (USA) or Daily Catch (Canada). If you’re located elsewhere or are curious about what seafood is the healthiest, check out this primal guide to grocery store seafood.

Some great nutrient-dense seafood choices:

  • wild salmon roe – nourishes the brain and provides a rare food source of vitamin D (more here)
  • wild-caught sardines – a great source of omega 3s, protein and calcium too – if you eat the soft bones (source)
  • oysters – farmed or wild are both fine.

Just four medium sized Pacific oysters supply a smattering of B-vitamins (including over 1000% of daily B12), 1200 IU of vitamin A, a third of daily folate, almost 7 mg of vitamin E, 3 mg copper, 280% of daily selenium, and 33 mg zinc. That comes with 18 g protein, 4 g fat, 1.5 g omega-3, 0.1 g omega-6, and 9 grams of carbohydrates. (source)

Are you inspired to up your nutrient density?

Hopefully this quick guide has given you some juicy tips on how to really fire up your nutrition for long-term health and healing. What are some of your go-to foods, or maybe you have a great source to recommend? Please share with everyone below in the comments, or on the Thrive Primal Facebook page!

How to increase nutrient density paleo diet

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