Zinc

Zinc is essential for keeping a healthy immune system, building proteins, triggering enzymes, and creating DNA. Zinc also helps the cells in your body communicate by functioning as a neurotransmitter. A deficiency in zinc can lead to stunted growth, diarrhea, impotence, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, impaired appetite, and depressed immunity. Zinc is critical in wound healing. It’s also important to have zinc to help build the stomach acid you need in order to pull the minerals from your food to begin with.

Correcting a zinc deficiency can go a long way toward helping the frustrated dieter control impulses to eat something sweet, something fatty, or something devoid of nutrition in an attempt to satisfy an inner compulsion.

You lose zinc as you sweat and through excess urination. So in the beginning of a keto-adapted diet, you will be low in zinc. The average American consumes less than 10 mg of zinc per day, far less than what is required for normal sugar metabolism or the other functions of zinc in the body. A zinc deficiency is a huge issue with PMS and salty cravings, or craving a bite of sweetness after each meal.

Our modern day soil is low in zinc, so the best source of zinc is animal products. Oysters, seafood and organic red meat are your best choices for zinc. So if you are a vegetarian, I suggest adding in a supplement. Certain prescriptions, including birth control, deplete zinc in our body. A zinc deficiency can cause birth defects such as cleft palates.

Source: mariamindbodyhealth.com

Sugar to Sugar-Free

I used to be so frustrated why diet food wasn't making me skinny.  Consider this - cereal, skim milk and a banana - a typical diet breakfast has too much sugar and way too many carbohydrates to make it a diet friendly meal.  One cup of skim milk alone has 12 grams of sugar.  Making the simple switch to almond milk or coconut milk saves the body from having to process all that sugar.  A banana should be replaced with berries for that same sugary reason.  Cereal, I'll simply ask if you really need 50 carbohydrates in one sitting?  That's like 5 pieces of bread .....

If sweets are necessary in your life, simply substitute real sugar with Swerve.  Swerve is a cup for cup sugar replacement that doesn't have an after-taste.  Simply replacing sugar with a quality sugar substitute means that there's no more deprivation.  You may just have to get back in the kitchen.

Swerve is available online from all of the popular sites or directly from the company. 

Relax

Looking for advice on this one!  I can't relax and struggle with anxiety just about every minute I'm awake.  I sleep well and tend to feel better when I exercise, so I'm lucky in that regard.  Anxiety is so common these days that I'm certain you have tips and tricks on making it happen.  I think mine stems from an overactive mind, not necessarily chemical issues. Please provide your thoughts!

Olives

An update to the low-carb diet is now being called a Ketogenic Diet.  This diet is a focus on more fat with moderate protein and very low carbs.  Our bodies thrive on fat.  Too much protein ultimately converts to sugar in the bloodstream.   Eating fat goes against everything we were taught growing up and it is difficult to make that change.  Also, a lack of salt on a Ketogenic diet can cause dizziness so my fix to both of these issues is olives!  Olives are a fatty, salty snack that can satisfy any cravings.  A typical serving size offers quite a few olives to enjoy. 

And just a little tip, olives in a martini (dirty martini to be specific) is nearly calorie free and a real treat when out for the evening (ok, or staying in).  Just be careful, low carb makes drinking alcohol a bit dangerous because there's nothing there to soak it up. Whatever amount of alcohol you usually drink - - half of that amount can make you tipsy while low-carbing!  Just be aware - and be careful until you find your new tolerance.  Same goes for wine...

Netrition.com

Ordering online is common these days, except when it comes to groceries.  I live in NW Indiana and many of the specialty ingredients I use for low-carb baking are not available in my area.  I found Netrition.com and buy nearly all of my hard to find products from this site.  Besides the very reasonable $4.95 flat rate shipping cost - the site offers all of the products I need at a reasonable price. I usually compare prices against Amazon.com just to be sure.

Netrition.com offers free gifts for purchases over $75.  As silly as it sounds, I enjoy getting my free stuff as a little treat!  Wearing a free Netrition t-shirt when I workout just makes me feel all that much healthier. 

Low-Carb Luxury

There's a diet revolution happening and I'm excited to be a part of it.  I'm a firm believer that low-carb not only helps a person lose weight, but it also increases brain function.  Like many adults, I was labeled ADHD and took meds to help gain and maintain focus.  Once I started low-carbing, my focus drastically improved and it turned out to be a wheat allergy.

Wheat has been genetically modified over the past few decades with the scientific focus on farming, NOT on how it harmed humans.  If you don't know about GMOs, do some research - it is eye opening and likely the root to many of your ill-health symptoms.

Not all low-carbers give up wheat, but I highly recommend it.  Today, almond flour and coconut flour are easy substitutions for white flour and wheat and allow us to make the breads and desserts we love.   Going low-carb is a smart decision and recent research confirms that it is what our bodies crave.

Fat Fixes Fat

Don't be scared of fat.  Enjoy oil, butter, bacon - are you weeping yet?  It's the opposite of what we were taught over the last 30 years.  There's new science blowing apart the low-fat, high carb theory.  I've spent 3 years explaining to people that they need to open their minds and consider what we now know.  Fat doesn't cause heart disease or high cholesterol.  Our brains need and thrive on fat - my concentration is much improved!  The low-fat theory has a shameful beginning - but the truth is out and a food revolution is taking place.

It has been an interesting experiment for me to talk about adding fat back into the diet.  I've seen people's outright unwillingness to even consider something contradictory to the textbook nutritionist (who hasn't learned anything NEW since college).

This website has fantastic resources and information for anyone wanting to learn more.  http://www.dietdoctor.com/science.  I'm not affiliated, just a fan of this great information.  There is nothing for sale, nothing to buy.  Enjoy watching the food revolution video - it is eye opening.  It will make you want to move to Sweden.

Eggs = Energy!

Eggs are a staple for adding essential vitamins and minerals to a low-carb diet.  Eggs are an easy breakfast in many varieties.  Eggs can benefit weight management and brain function, for about 70 calories each.  Breakfast eggs, egg drop soup, boiled eggs with horseradish, egg salad, custards and my favorite bread substitute.  The bread has an angel food texture and is more suited to visually satisfy rather than mouth texture.  Beat 6 egg whites until meringue stiff peaks are obtained, slowly add 1/2 c protein powder, pinch of salt, a dash of olive oil and any seasons you desire.  I leave mine basic as descriped above so I can either toast it for breakfast, or use as a vessel for olive oil and salt & pepper.  Bake in a medium sized bread pan for about 30 minutes at 350.

Dolmades

A great low-carb appetizer or main course is grape leaves stuffed with ground meat and seasonings.  Grape leaves can be found in jars in your grocer's international section and is an easy, nutritious additional to otherwise ordinary ingredients.

Mix the following:
2 lbs ground beef or lamb
Salt & pepper
1 garlic clove, 1 onion finely chopped and 1 tbsp. parsley

1 jar grape leaves, rinsed and dried.

Lay out one grape leaf stem side up, fill with the meat mixture and roll to secure contents.  Place in a deep, over proof dish and continue until dish is full.  Cover with chicken broth and carefully place in oven for an hour at 350.  Cool slightly to allow dolmades to firm.  Serve with a tzatziki (mixture of sour cream, diced cucumber, dill weed, salt, pepper and feta).  Enjoy!

Chia Seed Crunch

On a low-carb/ketogenic diet, I'm always looking for quick snack ideas to keep me going.  If you love peanut butter like I do, consider this simple idea, a spoonful of peanut butter dipped in Chia Seeds. It provides that crunch that we low-carbers miss.  Chia Seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition, considered a super food.  Loaded with Omega-3s, antioxidants, they hold 10x their weight in water (great for keeping baked goods moist!), Chia Seeds are worth adding to your diet for their anti-aging properties too!  It's an easy way to add fiber to your diet.

Acne Fix

For over 35 years I've had to deal with acne.  As a teenager it was a vanity, self-confidence issue.  As an adult, I felt it really held me back professionally from my full potential.   I 've tried all of the acne products varying from cheap to expensive, drug store to medically prescribed to specialty online vendors.  I even tried homeopathy cures from garlic to egg whites.  I avoided chocolate, fried foods and drank gallons of water - doing everything experts recommended.

For the past 3 years I changed my eating habits to low-carb, lost 50 pounds and felt great!!   My body, mental focus and attitude drastically improved.  Shockingly, my acne got worse on a diet full of extremely clean eating!  I reached out to a nutritional expert and she gave me surprising advice - to cut out dairy.  Being low-carb, cheese and whey protein had become a staple in my diet and it was a tall order to remove it.   I had nothing to lose so I cut out dairy.  Within 3 days, my acne had all but vanished!!  Within a dairy-free week, my skin was nearly beautiful.  So, every once in awhile, I test it - I have cream in my coffee, or sour cream on my dinner and sure enough, my acne returns within two days.  Bad, cystic acne that takes over a week to heal.  Huh!

I share this with you because in all my years of struggling with acne, no one ever mentioned dairy.  The many dermatologists I've visited, never asked me about my eating habits.  Topical ointments may be a band-aid to a food allergy that we're otherwise unaware of.  I had no other symptoms of a dairy issue and am still shocked that dairy was indeed to blame.  I hope I can save others from years of frustration.

Head Cold Fix

The common head cold is never a welcome visitor and mine arrived late last night.  I can't spare the time nor energy to not feel well this coming week and the resulting cough usually lingers for months.  I'm just NOT interested, so I went researching old world remedies.  Combining a few different ideas, I concocted my own elixir and can't believe how much better I felt after only 15 minutes. 

Naturally Me's Head Cold Cure:
Fresh ginger, grated, 1/4 cup-ish
64 oz. almost boiled water (more if this is too strong)
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
Juice of a lime
Stevia glycerite or sweetener of choice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Steep ginger in hot water for at least 15 minutes, strain and add the rest.  Drink it warm or add ice.    It's very Bloody-Mary like, if its too strong just add more water - but drink it all to move those toxins right out of the body.  My ears are draining while I write this, I feel incredibly good suddenly and I choose to not be sick! 

Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps aren't mind blowingly new, but I found a new twist offering much inspiration.  Iceberg lettuce deserves some respect for this tasty surprise.

Super simple recipe:  Chicken or steak seasoned and cooked to your liking.  Two iceberg lettuce leaves act as one taco shell to hold chicken/steak, Pico De Gallo, diced avocados, cucumbers and cilantro.  Trust me on the cucumbers, it is what makes this dish.  Dressing, if you like. 

Healthy, gluten free and very low carb.  It's my new favorite meal.