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How to Eat for Mental Clarity
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here is what you need to know:
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here’s what you need to know:
Eat to nourish your brain. The health of our brain hinges in large part on what we eat. We need to consume several vitamins, minerals, fats, and antioxidants to feel our best. The only way to authentically do this is with real food. This means eating a balance of vegetables, well-sourced proteins, starchy tubers (translation: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, plantains), fermented foods, nuts and seeds, fruit and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish (like salmon). What’s not on the plate is what most Americans are eating— sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, even seemingly healthy vegan baked goods and gluten-free replacement foods) and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil and fried foods.
Avoid foods that make you feel sad, foggy or tired. When we talk about eating real food, we often overlook the flip side, which is avoiding the foods that contribute to feeling poorly. This includes anything that takes our mood for a roller-coaster ride like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine and anything that inflames us like gluten, industrially processed vegetable oils, all processed foods, and dairy for some people.
As a society we prefer to add things to our diet or routine to improve our health. It may be easier to take a supplement or add a colorful superfood to the grocery list than to remove something from our diet—particularly when that something is tasty and cheap (and potentially addictive). While not popular, there is tremendous health gains to be had when we remove foods that are inflammatory or empty calories. For people struggling with brain fog I recommend completing an elimination diet for 30 days. Avoiding gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods can give the gut and brain a reset and help you know if these foods are problematic.
Try time-restricted eating (also called intermittent fasting). Our brains are like hybrid cars. We can run on two fuel sources, glucose and ketones. When we are regularly eating, glucose is the primary fuel used by cells, including neurons. Fasting is defined by not consuming food for a long enough period of time to deplete the liver’s store of glucose. This prompts the liver to produce ketones which are essentially small pieces of fats that cells can use as an energy source. This metabolic switch— going from using glucose to using ketones as an energy source— happens after about 10 to 14 hours of not consuming food, depending on how active you are. In lab animals and we believe humans, fasting stimulates the production of a protein in nerve cells called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This protein plays critical roles in learning, memory, and the generation of new nerve cells. BDNF also makes neurons more resistant to stress and is overall beneficial to the brain.
Need help getting started and adapting these strategies to your personal situation. Relish Health is here to help.
Mediterranean Diet For Everyone
There are so many different specialty diets these days: Keto, Paleo, Vegan, FODMAP, and the list goes on. I've prescribed all of these diets to patients for different reasons over the years, as everyone has individual needs at times. After 20+ years of medical practice, including 7 years focused on food and nutrition, I have come to the conclusion that there is no one perfect diet. That being said, I love to teach and preach about the Mediterranean diet because it is as close to a "one size fits-all" plan that works.
There are so many different specialty diets these days: Keto, Paleo, Vegan, FODMAP, and the list goes on. I've prescribed all of these diets to patients for different reasons over the years, as everyone has individual needs at times. After 20+ years of medical practice, including 7 years focused on food and nutrition, I have come to the conclusion that there is no one perfect diet. That being said, I love to teach and preach about the Mediterranean diet because it is as close to a "one size fits-all" plan that works.
While you can Google a list of specific foods and guidelines for the Mediterranean diet, it doesn't really work that way. Rather, it is really a formula for eating well rather than a specific cuisine. The basic tenants of the eating pattern are simple: focus on eating whole (unprocessed) food that is rich in fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts, legumes, spices, and extra virgin olive oil. Do this while keeping poultry, fish, dairy, and red meat to modest amounts. No matter your dietary allegience, it is hard to argue against a diet that advocates for eating real food.
The research behind this formula is extensive. Thousands of studies representing millions of lives consistently shows that eating like this helps maintain weight, keeps cholesterol in check and blood sugar and blood pressure low. Also, the risk of cancer, depression and Alzheimer's disease is also lower. All these benefits are gained simply by paying attention to what goes in your mouth.
Whether you consider yourself a vegan, a paleo die-hard or follower of a specialty diet, applying a Mediterranean diet philosophy to your approach can benefit your health.
Keep the following in mind:
1. Eat lots of vegetables. There are so many choices! From a simple plate of sliced fresh tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and flaky sea salt, to garlicky greens, fragrant soups and stews, healthy pizzas, or oven-roasted medleys. Vegetables are vitally important to the fresh tastes and health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
2. Change the way you think about meat. If you eat meat, just do it in smaller amounts. For example, add small strips of sirloin to a vegetable sauté, or garnish a dish of lentils with diced prosciutto. As a main course, have smaller portions (3-4 ounces) of chicken or pastured meat. Think of meat as an accompaniment instead of the center of the plate.
3. Consider eating seafood twice a week. Fish such as salmon, trout and mackeral are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. When you crave more variety add anchovies, sardines and herring. Shellfish including mussels, oysters, and clams have similar benefits for brain and heart health.
4. Cook a vegetarian meal one night per week. Build these meals around beans, whole grains, and vegetables, and heighten the flavors with fragrant herbs and spices. When one night feels comfortable, try two nights per week.
5. Use good fats. Include sources of healthy fats in your daily meals, especially extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados.
6. Switch to whole grains. Whole grains are naturally rich in many important nutrients including fiber to keep you satisfied for hours.
7. For dessert, eat fresh fruit. Choose from a wide range of delicious fresh fruits — from fresh figs and oranges to pomegranates, grapes and apples. Instead of daily ice cream or cookies, save sweets for a special treat or celebration.
8. Enjoy alcohol very sparingly (if at all). Alcohol, in moderation, has historically been associated with the cardiovascular benefits of the Mediterranean diet. After careful evaluation of the research, a committee of scientists updating the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is changing the current stance on alcohol. They report that studies showing alcohol can protect health are deeply flawed, and that any potential cardiovascular benefits would be outweighed by the fact that alcohol is a leading preventable cause of cancer. The committee plans to recommend that men and women who drink limit themselves to a single serving of wine, beer or liquor per day. They do not recommend drinking for health and suggest drinking less is generally better. As an alternative to alcohol, try a low sugar, organic wine or a mocktail.
Use the recipes below as inspiration to get started on a Mediterranean diet.
Looking for a place to find low sugar, organic wine. Check out Dry Farm Wines.
TIPS FOR DRY JANUARY SUCCESS
Tips for Healthier Grilling
Grilling is the hallmark of summer and food. In addition to bringing people together, it gets us away from the hot oven in the kitchen and into the outdoors. It can also help us slow down, add variety to our diet, and give us new flavors to enjoy. We need to be careful, though. Grilling can make some foods more inflammatory to our bodies. However, there are steps you take to help you get the best nutrition from your outdoor fire.
Grilling is the hallmark of summer and food. In addition to bringing people together, it gets us away from the hot oven in the kitchen and into the outdoors. It can also help us slow down, add variety to our diet, and give us new flavors to enjoy. We need to be careful, though. Grilling can make some foods more inflammatory to our bodies. However, there are steps you take to help you get the best nutrition from your outdoor fire.
Why could grilling be a risk to your food and your health? Advance Glycation End products (AGE’s) are compounds that are produced when sugars combine with certain proteins or fats. These can form inside our body or in the food we consume. Manufacturing techniques of sugary or highly processed foods contribute to AGEs, but cooking methods that use high heat to brown or char foods, such as grilling, roasting, and broiling, have the largest impact on the amount of AGEs we consume. Also, AGE’s can accumulate in our body over time and contribute to inflammation, which increases our risk of insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Learning to avoid AGE’s can lower our diabetes risk and help improve insulin sensitivity.
Use the following tips to enjoy your next cookout and optimize your health:
Choose lean cuts of meat and trim any visible fat so that less fat drips during cooking.
Marinate meat before you grill. Research suggests that citrus, vinegars, cider, herbs and vegetable oils can reduce the formation of AGE’s. Sugar can increase AGE’s, so avoid marinades that have significant amounts of added sugar.
Try precooking meat in the oven and finish on the grill to lessen the exposure and risk.
Use lower heat by waiting for the coals to burn less hot or by turning down the gas.
Raise the grill rack farther from the heat.
Bigger is NOT better. Grill thinner cuts of meat to reduce cooking time.
Go vegetarian. When veggie burgers, tofu and vegetables are grilled, there is little or no formation of AGE's.
Stay up-wind from grills to avoid breathing in smoke, which also carries health risks. No smoke is good smoke.
Use an untreated cedar plank for fish. It’s always good to have a buffer between your food and the heat source.
Choose grass-fed meats which provide extra cancer-fighting Vitamin E (from grass), Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 fats while being lower in inflammatory Omega-6 fats.
Never eat charred or blackened meat.
Eat foods rich in antioxidants with your grilled meats. Research shows topping a hamburger with avocado or other anti-oxidant rich veggies helps reduce AGE’s inflammatory effect.
Garam Masala Roasted Salmon with Spice Grapes
Garam Masala is a popular spice blend used in Indian cooking. It usually includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and peppercorns, but the ratio and spices used will vary from region to region and household to household. The combination of spices delivers the warm flavors found in most seasonal baked goods, with just a touch of intrigue from citrusy, earthy cumin and coriander.
Garam Masala Roasted Salmon with Spice Grapes
Garam Masala is a popular spice blend used in Indian cooking. It usually includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and peppercorns, but the ratio and spices used will vary from region to region and household to household. The combination of spices delivers the warm flavors found in most seasonal baked goods, with just a touch of intrigue from citrusy, earthy cumin and coriander.
A good garam masala recipe has a mix of sweet, hot, and savory ingredients. Cumin, coriander, and bay leaf provide savory notes. Cinnamon and clove provide sweetness. Black peppercorns provide heat while cardamom, fennel, and nutmeg provide fragrance. In addition to flavor, spices provide potent anti-inflammatory phytonutrients to make your meal more nutritious.
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Serves: 4
Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
Garam Masala Roasted Salmon with Spiced Grapes and Winter Salad with Roasted Squash, Shallots, and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
4 5-6 ounce wild-caught Salmon filets
1 teaspoon garam masala (store-bought or homemade)
1-2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon ghee (or more olive oil)
1 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in quarters
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (Use 325 degrees if using a convection oven).
Heat a large cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Brush each salmon with olive oil and season with salt and garam masala.
Place the salmon skin side up in the skillet. Sear for 4 minutes. Flip the salmon and place the skillet in the oven. Bake until the salmon is medium rare or approximately 120-125 degrees. (Estimate a total cook time of 10 minutes per inch thickness.)
While the salmon bakes, heat a second smaller skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the ghee, cinnamon and grapes. Sauté the grapes until they are hot and starting to soften, approximately 3-5 minutes. Season gently with a pinch of salt. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar.
Serve the salmon on a bed of grapes. Drizzle the pan sauce over the salmon prior to serving.
Garam Masala
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Makes: Approximately 1/3 cup
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
8 grams coriander seeds
8 grams cumin seeds
4 grams green cardamom pods
2 grams cloves
2 grams peppercorns
1 gram Ceylon cinnamon (approx. ½ stick)
2 grams fennel seeds
2 medium dried bay leaves
½ gram nutmeg (approx. ¼ small nutmeg)
1/8-1/4 star anise (optional)
Directions:
Inspect your spices for dust, mold, or impurities while pre-heating a pan over low heat.
Gently toast the spices to enhance their flavor. I recommend toasting each spice individually or toasting similarly sized spices together. Toast each spice for 30-60 seconds or until they start to become fragrant. Place the toasted spices on a plate to cool completely.
Grind the spices together in a clean coffee or spice grinder.
Store in an airtight glass container.
Lifestyle Tips to Ease Your Anxiety and Improve your Mental Health
If you find yourself in a frequent state of excessive uneasiness or apprehension, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder. Often anxiety is felt emotionally—like feeling dread, overwhelmed or panicked, but occasionally these emotions are accompanied with physiologically symptoms like breathlessness, heart racing, sweating, chest pain or discomfort. If these sensations sound familiar to you, know that you are not be alone. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illness in the United States and affects nearly 1 in 5 people at any given time.
Consider the following lifestyle tips for addressing anxiety:
If you find yourself in a frequent state of excessive uneasiness or apprehension, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder. Often anxiety is felt emotionally—like feeling dread, overwhelmed or panicked, but occasionally these emotions are accompanied with physiologically symptoms like breathlessness, heart racing, sweating, chest pain or discomfort. If these sensations sound familiar to you, know that you are not be alone. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illness in the United States and affects nearly 1 in 5 people at any given time.
Freud believed anxiety reflected inner emotional conflict, but now we have a more biologic understanding of anxiety. Research demonstrates that anxiety results from the interplay of many factors including genetics, diet, environmental exposures, chronic illnesses and social and emotional well-being. If we want to quiet the anxiety in our mind, we need an approach that supports each of these factors.
Consider the following lifestyle tips for addressing anxiety:
START HERE
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Our mental health is an extension of our overall health. If our body is inflamed or deficient in nutrients, then your mental health will suffer. Food is the most important environmental factor when it comes to repairing your brain and keeping your body healthy. Eating well is an act of radical self-love. It unfortunately doesn’t come cheap, and often requires immense effort, but if you’re looking for the keys to the kingdom of feeling good, then look right in front of you on your plate.
An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on nutrient-dense, unprocessed, whole, real food. It includes an abundance of vegetables; well-sourced meat, fish, and poultry, fermented foods, nuts and seeds; fruit; and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, and fatty fish. What is not present is sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, even seemingly healthy vegan or gluten-free replacement foods), and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil.
Research from the new and exciting field of nutritional psychiatry is demonstrating the power of food to influence our mood. Check out these great resources for more details:
Actively manage stress. Our response to stress is regulated by a complex set of interactions between two parts of our brain—the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands and the adrenal glands. This subsystem of the body is often called the HPA axis. It is responsible for triggering the release of hormones needed to respond to stress. In pathologic anxiety, this HPA axis may become dysregulated. The normal cues to turn off the production of stress hormones are missed, and you may be left feeling stressed despite the threat being gone. Taking proactive steps to manage stress can help keep the HPA axis healthy. Activities like meditation and yoga are well documented to help relieve anxiety and depression. These not your cup of tea? Try other reflective practices like journaling, making music or even coloring mandalas. The trick is to find a practice that resonates and make it happen. Check out these resources to get started:
Prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep activates the stress circuit and inhibits our relaxation. Our modern life often keeps us up and plugged into our devices much later than we should be. The circadian rhythm of the human body works best when we fall asleep approximately three hours after sunset and wake with the sunrise. Try going to bed by 10 pm every night. Avoid blue light emitted from devices that can suppress your production of sleep promoting melatonin. Exposure yourself to bright light in the morning by opening the curtains, going for a walk or sitting with a lightbox. Check out these resources to get started:
Lightbox from Amazon
Blue light blocking glasses from Amazon
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
Exercise regularly. Exercise alone is a powerful tool to treat anxiety. In as little as 10 days it can make a dramatic difference. The best exercise is the one you enjoy and will faithfully complete, but studies suggest that resistance training may have a slight advantage over aerobic exercise at reducing anxiety.
ADVANCED PROTOCOL
Start with the basics, but if anxiety is still problematic further evaluation and more targeted treatment may be needed.
Get a medical evaluation. Imbalances of hormones (thyroid, insulin, estrogen/progesterone, etc.) blood sugar problems, nutrient deficiencies, untreated infections and toxic exposure may be contributing to your poor mood. A comprehensive discussion and laboratory evaluation with your physician are important.
Monitor your Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV is the measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. It is regulated by a primitive part of our nervous system called the autonomic nervous system (ANS). If a person is in a fight-or-flight mode, the variation between heartbeats is low. If one is in a more relaxed state, the variation between beats is high. The healthier our ANS the faster we can switch gears between fight-and-flight and relaxation, showing more resilience and flexibility.
HRV can be easily monitored and improved. There are a number of tracking devices and training apps available on the market that are specifically designed to help address anxiety. For more information check out heartmath.com, Oura ring, and Elite HRV to get started.
Try tapping. Emotional freedom technique (aka tapping or psychological acupressure) is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It has been extensively investigated for anxiety and has been shown to dramatically improve symptoms. Similar to acupuncture, tapping focuses on the meridian points—or energy hot spots based on Chinese medicine. Tapping is easy to learn and can be completed anywhere with no side effects. Learn more here.
Consider medication and/or supplements. Optimizing lifestyle is always the best place to start addressing anxiety. However, there is a place and time to add targeted supplements and medication. If the above strategies are not providing adequate relief or more urgent relief is needed, talk to your physician about making a treatment plan.
If you’ve been feeling anxious, I hope you’re able to put some (or all) of these practices into place. I always recommend being in care with a good mental health provider to help you see your blind spots and give you support, but I’m hopeful that most people can heal their anxiety without medications and the side effects that often come with them.
If you’re experiencing depression or anxiety and need support, please call the National Depressive/Manic-Depressive Association Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
The Perfect Shrub Mocktail
How is your Dry January going? I am finding that sparkling water with lime is very refreshing with dinner. On the weekends I am enjoying some delicious “mocktails” made with fruit and vinegar. The sweet, slightly acidic and pungent flavors feel celebratory while still being mostly virtuous for my health (hello sugar, I’m still watching you.)
Drinking vinegars are often called “shrubs.” The word "shrub" refers to a cocktail or soft drink made by mixing a vinegar syrup with spirits, water or carbonated water. The history of shrubs dates back to medicinal cordials in the middle ages. In colonial America, shrubs were created as a way to preserve berries and other fruits for the off-season.
Shrubs are incredibly easy to make. Learn how here.
How is your Dry January going? I am finding that sparkling water with lime is very refreshing with dinner. On the weekends I am enjoying some delicious “mocktails” made with fruit and vinegar. The sweet, slightly acidic and pungent flavors feel celebratory while still being mostly virtuous for my health (hello sugar, I’m still watching you.)
Drinking vinegars are often called “shrubs.” The word "shrub" refers to a cocktail or soft drink made by mixing a vinegar syrup with spirits, water or carbonated water. The history of shrubs dates back to medicinal cordials in the middle ages. In colonial America, shrubs were created as a way to preserve berries and other fruits for the off-season.
Shrubs are incredibly easy to make. They can be made by infusing vinegar with fruits, herbs or spices or by simply mixing fruit juice with vinegar.
How to make a shrub
There are two strategies for making shrubs, a hot process and a cold process. The cold process can be used with any fruit, but is ideal for fruits that you rarely cook, like melons or citrus. The hot process involves making a simple syrup while helping the fruit breakdown with heat. The heat process is ideal for fruits that you would simmer to make jam, think berries, peaches or rhubarb.
Hot Processed Shrub:
Make a simple syrup by combining equal parts sweetener and water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir the mixture until the sweetener is completely dissolved.
Add your clean and sliced fruit to the simple syrup. Bring the syrup-fruit mixture to a low simmer until the syrup has started to thicken and the fruit has started to lose it’s shape.
Combine the fruit mixture with an approximately equal amount of vinegar. Start with ½ of the estimated vinegar needed and slowly add it to the fruit syrup. Taste the mixture as you go so that you get a shrub that is just sharp enough for you.
Strain the mixture and discard the fruit (or use it as a base for a vinaigrette or marinade).
Store the shrub in a jar in the fridge.
Cold Processed Shrub:
Place your clean and sliced fruit in a bowl. Toss it with the sweetener. Gently mash the fruit.
Let this mixture sit for 2 days in the refrigerator to macerate. Stir the mixture periodically.
After 2 days, strain the mixture into a measuring cup and discard the fruit (or use it as a base for a vinaigrette or marinade).
Combine the syrup with an approximately equal amount of vinegar. Start with ½ of the estimated vinegar needed and slowly add it to the fruit syrup. Taste the mixture as you go so that you get a shrub that is just sharp enough for you.
Store the shrub in a jar in the fridge.
Choosing your ingredients
Shrubs are a matter of ratio. Finding the balance between sweet and tart is often a 1:1:1 ratio of fruit, sugar, and vinegar, however, feel free to let your palate fine tune this ratio. Here is a good place to start:
For the heated process:
1 pound chopped fruit
1 cup sweetener
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
For the cold process:
1 pound chopped fruit
2 cups sweetener
2 cups vinegar
Each method should yield about 3 cups of shrub syrup, which will keep in the fridge for weeks. Feel free to adjust the recipe dependent upon the amount of fruit you have. I find shrubs are a great way to use up the bits of fruit I have on hand that may be past their prime.
Shrubs are incredibly versatile. They are a great way to embrace seasonal fruits like strawberries in the spring; peaches, fennel, berries, and watermelon in the summer, or apples, citrus, and pomegranates in the fall/winter. You are not limited to fruit in your shrub. Grated fresh ginger, fresh herbs, like rosemary or thyme, or spices, like cardamom pods, bay leaves, cinnamon or star anise, can be added to either the simple syrup (hot process) or the sugar-fruit mixture (cold process).
Choosing your vinegar
There is a dizzying number of vinegars available in the groceries these days. Most vinegars will work in shrubs but think about how your fruit will pair with the flavor of the vinegar you select. I prefer to use vinegars that are more “delicate” in flavor rather than plain white vinegar, which is too intensely sharp in my opinion. Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is the one I use most, but white or red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or Champagne vinegar also work well. Balsamic vinegar is slightly sweet and adds an amazing depth of flavor, but you only need a splash. It mixes well with cider or wine vinegar for balance in a recipe.
The Sweetener
White sugar is the traditional choice for making a shrub. It’s neutral flavor is ideal to pair with the fruit. Brown sugar, honey or maple syrup can be used, but will add another element of flavor. I personally like to use a natural, non-nutritive sweetener like monk fruit or erythritol. These are not traditional ingredients to use in a shrub, but they do allow me to minimize my sugar intake and keep control of my blood sugars without significantly changing the flavor.
Below is a list of fruit, spice and vinegar flavor combinations to consider using for your next shrub complements of food52.com:
Pomegranate + peppercorn + white sugar + red wine vinegar
Pear + star anise + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
Red plum + cardamom + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
Peach + cardamom pods + honey + cider vinegar
Strawberries + white sugar + red wine vinegar and a splash of balsamic vinegar
Blueberries + thinly sliced ginger + cider vinegar
Nectarine + peppercorn + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
Cheers! Using your shrub
Now that you have your shrub prepared you can make mocktails, vinaigrettes or even marinades with this culinary wonder.
Mocktail: Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in a splash of shrub, and top it off with sparkling water. Give it a gentle stir to incorporate the shrub. Garnish as desired.
Vinaigrette: A vinaigrette is traditionally 2 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar. Substitute part of your go-to vinegar with the shrub when making your next dressing. Add a pinch of salt, a few turns of fresh ground pepper and a small dollop of Dijon mustard for an amazing way to elevate your next salad.
Marinade: Mix the shrub with avocado oil, salt, pepper and additional herbs and spices (think garlic, onions, rosemary, etc.) and allow your fish, chicken or beef to tenderize while soaking up the shrub flavor.
Fennel shrub mocktail
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fennel juice
1.5 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1-2 tablespoons sweetener (I use monk fruit but sugar is traditional.)
8 oz sparkling water
Directions:
Juice the stems and bulb of a fennel using a juicer machine.
Mix the juice, vinegar and sweetener until the sweetener is dissolved.
Top with sparkling water and ice.
Garnish with fennel fronds and enjoy.
(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no cost to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)
Pomegranate Walnut Relish
I was so excited to see pomegranates in the grocery this week. They make an amazing sweet and savory relish for salmon (or even turkey). The omega-3 rich salmon and walnuts paired with antioxidant rich pomegranates is the ultimate anti-inflammatory, brain-supporting meal.
I was so excited to see pomegranates in the grocery this week. They make an amazing sweet and savory relish for salmon (or even turkey). The omega-3 rich salmon and walnuts paired with antioxidant rich pomegranates is the ultimate anti-inflammatory, brain-supporting meal.
Pomegranate Walnut Relish
Author: Erica Leazenby
Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredeints:
1 cup pomegranate areoles
½ cup toasted walnut pieces
Zest of ½ lemon (Use a vegetable peeler to make strips and then slice the strips thin)
2 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 small lemon)
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Pinch salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and serve on your favorite protein or add to wild rice for a delicious grain salad.
Peach Agrodolce Sauce
One of my favorite restaurants in town serves a delicious sweet and tart cherry agrodolce sauce with salmon. There is something about pairing sweet fruit with a hint of vinegar, plump raisins and crunchy savory almonds that I can’t resist. Ever since tasting this dish I’ve been recreating it at home with whatever fruit is in season. My friends, this is the best version yet.
Peach Agrodolce Sauce
One of my favorite restaurants in town serves a delicious sweet and tart cherry agrodolce sauce with salmon. There is something about pairing sweet fruit with a hint of vinegar, plump raisins and crunchy savory almonds that I can’t resist. Ever since tasting this dish I’ve been recreating it at home with whatever fruit is in season. My friends, this is the best version yet.
Peach Agrodolce with Pan-seared Salmon
“Agrodolce” is a traditional sweet and sour sauce in Italian cuisine. It is easy to prepare yet makes a dramatic and elegant statement. The recipe captures the flavor of the fruit to make a savory accompaniment to a variety of dishes including fish like salmon or trout, poultry, pork or even roasted veggies like squash or cauliflower.
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for the salmon
1/4 cup shallot, diced small
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 large peaches, pealed diced into 1 cm cubes (or 1-10 oz bag of frozen peaches)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup no-sugar added, apple juice
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Pinch salt and pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
4 5-ounce wild-caught salmon filet
Pan Seared Salmon
Peach Agrodolce Sauce
Directions:
For the salmon:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (or 325 if using convection heat).
Preheat a cast iron skillet or similar oven-safe pan to medium-high heat. If the pan is not well seasoned add 1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil to the pan.
Season the salmon with salt, pepper and a thin coating of olive oil.
Place the salmon skin side up in the skillet. Sear the salmon for 3-4 minutes until the salmon flesh is golden brown and crips. Flip the salmon to skin side down. Place the skillet in the oven and finish baking the salmon until it flakes apart easily or is approximately 120 degrees. Cook the salmon for a total of approximately 10 minutes per inch thickness.
For the peach agrodolce:
Preheat a skillet to low-medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the shallots and the bay leaf to the pan. Sautéed the shallots until they start to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet. Simmer the ingredients until the peaches are soft and the pan sauce starts to slightly thicken, approximately 3-5 minutes.
Season to taste. Serve the sauce as a base for the salmon.
How to Eat for Mental Clarity
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here is what you need to know:
Many doctors do not recognize the term “brain fog.” It is not technically a medical diagnosis, but it is a common complaint I hear in the office. Although tough to describe, people will often complain of forgetfulness, slow thinking, difficulty focusing, words-finding, or clouded thoughts. They may call it “mommy brain” or “frequent senior moments” and have valid worries about Alzheimer’s disease. Short, transient bouts of “fog” related to a missed night of sleep or a physically taxing day may be normal, but when these symptoms are chronic, they are warning signs of brain inflammation and compromised health.
Addressing the root cause of these symptoms is important to restoring normal brain function. Addressing brain fog takes a comprehensive approach. Optimizing sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones, reducing sedating medications and controlling other illnesses like diabetes are all important. Diet is also an important tool to leverage. We can use our food choices to nourish our brain with important vitamins and minerals and turn on or off inflammation.
Here’s what you need to know:
Eat to nourish your brain. The health of our brain hinges in large part on what we eat. We need to consume several vitamins, minerals, fats, and antioxidants to feel our best. The only way to authentically do this is with real food. This means eating a balance of vegetables, well-sourced proteins, starchy tubers (translation: sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, plantains), fermented foods, nuts and seeds, fruit and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish (like salmon). What’s not on the plate is what most Americans are eating— sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, even seemingly healthy vegan baked goods and gluten-free replacement foods) and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil and fried foods.
Avoid foods that make you feel sad, foggy or tired. When we talk about eating real food, we often overlook the flip side, which is avoiding the foods that contribute to feeling poorly. This includes anything that takes our mood for a roller-coaster ride like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine and anything that inflames us like gluten, industrially processed vegetable oils, all processed foods, and dairy for some people.
As a society we prefer to add things to our diet or routine to improve our health. It may be easier to take a supplement or add a colorful superfood to the grocery list than to remove something from our diet—particularly when that something is tasty and cheap (and potentially addictive). While not popular, there is tremendous health gains to be had when we remove foods that are inflammatory or empty calories. For people struggling with brain fog I recommend completing an elimination diet for 30 days. Avoiding gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods can give the gut and brain a reset and help you know if these foods are problematic.
Try time-restricted eating (also called intermittent fasting). Our brains are like hybrid cars. We can run on two fuel sources, glucose and ketones. When we are regularly eating, glucose is the primary fuel used by cells, including neurons. Fasting is defined by not consuming food for a long enough period of time to deplete the liver’s store of glucose. This prompts the liver to produce ketones which are essentially small pieces of fats that cells can use as an energy source. This metabolic switch— going from using glucose to using ketones as an energy source— happens after about 10 to 14 hours of not consuming food, depending on how active you are. In lab animals and we believe humans, fasting stimulates the production of a protein in nerve cells called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This protein plays critical roles in learning, memory, and the generation of new nerve cells. BDNF also makes neurons more resistant to stress and is overall beneficial to the brain.
Need help getting started and adapting these strategies to your personal situation. Relish Health is here to help.
Lifestyle Support for Seasonal Affective Disorder
While the pandemic has many of us feeling stressed and isolated, many of us are also confronting the long gray days of winter which may also be taking a toll on our mood. If you struggle with a low mood every winter, these strategies may make this winter a bit brighter.
While the pandemic has many of us feeling stressed and isolated, many of us are also confronting the long gray days of winter which may also be taking a toll on our mood. If you struggle with a low mood every winter, these strategies may make this winter a bit brighter.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder with depressive symptoms that occurs at specific times of year and fully resolves at other times of year. Most SAD occurs in the fall and winter. The cause of SAD is not fully understood, but theories implicate a shift in the circadian rhythm and alterations in serotonin in the brain as potential triggers. If you struggle with SAD, know that you are not alone. SAD affects 0.5% to 2.4% of the population at some point during their lifetime. Additionally, ten to 20% of people struggling with major depression will have a seasonal pattern consistent with SAD.
What are the risk factors for SAD?
Evidence for risk factors is limited, but some data suggests that family history, being female, younger adulthood, and living at a more northern latitude may increase your risk.
What are the symptoms of SAD?
SAD is a subtype of major depressive disorder. Symptoms include fatigue, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, sadness, hopelessness, and social withdrawal among others. Recent studies suggest that SAD may have additional symptoms, including excessive sleepiness, increased appetite especially carbohydrate craving, and weight gain.
How can SAD be treated?
I recommend starting with a proper diagnosis. Before starting treatment, I recommend talking with Relish Health or your trusted healthcare provider about your symptoms. Ruling out underlying physical conditions such as anemia, vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances or other medical conditions is important for addressing the root cause of your mood.
Natural ways to improve SAD include:
Light box for seasonal affective disorder
Light Therapy, also called phototherapy, is a well-documented way to improve SAD. The therapy involves sitting a few feet from a special “light box” that exposures you to bright light within the first hour of waking each day. The recommended intensity of light is 2,500-10,000 lux. The time in front of the lamp will depend on the manufacture’s specification and your response to the light. Light boxes are about 20 times brighter than ordinary indoor light. They filter out the potentially damaging UV light, making them a safe treatment for most people. However, people with certain eye diseases or people taking certain medications that increase sensitivity to sunlight may need to use alternative treatments or use light therapy under medical supervision. Light therapy mimics natural outdoor light and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood. Light therapy is one of the first line treatments for fall-onset SAD. It generally starts working in a few days to a few weeks.
Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy or cognitive behavior therapy, is another option to treat SAD. A trained metal health professional can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that may be making you feel worse. Optimizing stress management and learning healthy ways to cope with SAD can do wonders for your mood and long-term mental health.
Optimize vitamin D. Because many people with SAD often have vitamin D deficiency, nutritional supplements of vitamin D may help improve their symptoms. However, studies testing whether vitamin D is effective in SAD treatment have produced mixed findings, with some results indicating that it is as effective as light therapy but others detecting no effect.
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. A nourished brain is a resilient brain. We need to consume several vitamins, minerals, fats, and antioxidants to feel our best, and the only way to authentically do that is with real food. Eat a balance of vegetables, well-sourced fish and poultry, starchy tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes), fermented foods (sauerkraut, yogurt), nuts, seeds, fruits, and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, and fatty fish like salmon or sardines. If you think you are suffering from SAD, then avoid sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies), and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil and see if this makes any difference in your mood.
Keep moving. Commit to doing something quick, free, easy, convenient, and pleasant for a least a few minutes most days of the week. Exercise is like medicine. Even small amounts can deliver antidepressant benefits. I assure you doing something—no matter how small—is so much better than nothing.
Medicate or supplement wisely. Because SAD, like other types of depression, is associated with disturbances in serotonin activity, antidepressant medications or targeted supplements have their place in treatment regimens. I always recommend starting with good nourishment and self-care but talk to your healthcare provider or Relish Health if additional support is needed.
Learn more:
LIFESTYLE TIPS TO EASE YOUR ANXIETY
USE YOUR FORK TO IMPROVE YOUR FEELINGS
GOOD MOOD FOOD
References:
Galima SV, Vogel SR, Kowalski AW. Seasonal Affective Disorder: Common Questions and Answers. Am Fam Physician. 2020 Dec 1;102(11):668-672. PMID: 33252911.
Campbell PD, Miller AM, Woesner ME. Bright Light Therapy: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond. Einstein J Biol Med. 2017;32:E13-E25.
MayoClinic.org. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), Last accessed 2/10/2021.
The National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder. NIH Publication No. 20-MH-8138. Last accesses 2/10/21.
(This blog post is not sponsored by any manufacturer. However, at no expense to you, Relish Health may receive a commission on purchases made through an Amazon link.)
Braised cod with fennel, tomatoes and olives
Fennel is one of my favorite veggies. It has a sweet, anise flavor that in my opinion is underutilized and under-appreciated. The anise flavor of this fall veggie mellows as it caramelizes during cooking. The briny olives and bright tomatoes in this recipe make a delicious pan sauce for the humble cod. I like to serve the fish with roasted potatoes or rice.
Fennel is one of my favorite veggies. It has a sweet, anise flavor that in my opinion is underutilized and under-appreciated. The anise flavor of this fall veggie mellows as it caramelizes during cooking. The briny olives and bright tomatoes in this recipe make a delicious pan sauce for the humble cod. I like to serve the fish with roasted potatoes or rice.
Pro tip: Save the tops of your fennel to add to homemade stock. I store them in the freezer until stock-making day. Fennel tops are one of my secret ingredients for an amazing soup base.
Braised cod with fennel, tomatoes and olives
Braised cod with fennel, onions and olives
Author: Erica Leazenby
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 small onion, sliced thinly (pole to pole)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, diced
1 bay leaf
20-25 Castelvetrano olives, pitted
4 wild caught cod fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish (optional)
Directions:
Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat. Add the olive oil, fennel and onions. Sauté the veggies until they are soft and becoming translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the garlic, bay leaf, tomatoes and olives; sauté for an addition 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften. Add 1/4-1/2 cup water to the skillet if the veggie mixture starts to thicken.
Season the cod with salt and pepper. Place the cod on top of the simmering veggies. Use a spoon to baste the fish with the pan juices. Cover the skillet and cook the fish until done. The fish will take about 10 minutes per inch thickness to cook. Most cod fillets are about 1/2-3/4 inch thick and take 5-6 minutes to poach.
Garnish the cod with parsley if desired.
Want more fish recipes:
SPICE RUBBED SALMON
ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON WALNUT RELISH
Moroccan Lentil Soup
The warm and cozy spices of this dish take comfort food to a new level. This soup, also known as harira, has many variations across the Middle East and is a staple to break the fast of many religious traditions. It has the added benefit of several anti-inflammatory ingredients, including turmeric and ginger.
The warm and cozy spices of this dish take comfort food to a new level. This soup, also known as harira, has many variations across the Middle East and is a staple to break the fast of many religious traditions. It has the added benefit of several anti-inflammatory ingredients, including turmeric and ginger.
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Servings: 6
Time: about 1 hour (15 minutes active time)
Ingredients:
1-2 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
8 oz pastured, boneless, skinless chicken or lamb, cubed (optional)
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 carrots, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
5-6 grinds of pepper to taste
1 14.5 oz can diced organic tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
½ cup dried green lentils, rinsed
¼ cup long-grain brown rice
2-3 large handfuls of fresh spinach
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil in a large stock pot. (If using chicken, add the meat to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Once all sides are browned, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.) Add a small amount of additional oil to the pot if needed and add onions, carrots and celery. Sauté the veggies until they soften.
Add the turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and cumin to the veggies and stir constantly for 1 minute. Toasting the spices enhances their flavor, but use care to not burn them.
Add the salt and tomatoes with their juice. Stir and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
Add in the chickpeas, stock, lentils and rice. (If using chicken, return it to the pot with any accumulated juices.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 40-45 minutes or until the lentils and rice are soft.
Just before serving, add in the spinach and herbs. Stir until the greens are wilted.
Garnish with the juice of a lemon wedge and additional herbs.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET FOR EVERYONE
MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SALAD
CLASSIC TOMATO BASIL SOUP
Prepare yourself for sugar season
Halloween marks the official start of sugar season. All of the candy from trick-or-treating gets us primed for the sugar feasting that often accompanies the holidays. Of course, a little sugar is a fun indulgence and makes life… sweeter, but with all of the upcoming office parties, happy hours and family feasts it is easy for our consumption to get out of hand. Understanding sugar and its impacts on your body can be a powerful tool in controlling your health, your weight, and your mood throughout the entire year.
Below is a list of suggestions that can help you minimize added sugar in your diet.
Halloween marks the official start of sugar season. All of the candy from trick-or-treating gets us primed for the sugar feasting that often accompanies the holidays. Of course, a little sugar is a fun indulgence and makes life… sweeter, but with all of the upcoming office parties, happy hours and family feasts it is easy for our consumption to get out of hand. Understanding sugar and its impacts on your body can be a powerful tool in controlling your health, your weight, and your mood throughout the entire year.
What is sugar and do we need it?
Sugar is a carbohydrate that is naturally present in most whole foods. As we eat, our body produces digestive enzymes that break down these carbohydrates into simple sugars—glucose, galactose and fructose. These simple sugars are absorbed into our bloodstream and are processed by our liver. Glucose is released back into the bloodstream to fuel our cells and body.
Sugar comes in many forms. “Natural sugars” are those that come from whole foods like fruit or dairy. “Added sugars” are those that are added during manufacturing or processing. Added sugars can be natural (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc.) or processed (cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.). Added sugars may be used to balance favors, produce caramelization, act as a preservative or extend the shelf life of products. With the variety of sugar forms and the diversity or roles it plays in food production it is easy to understand why sugar has become so prevalent in our food supply.
Regardless of the type of sugar consumed, our body eventually breaks down all sugars to the same simple forms—glucose, galactose or fructose. Natural, whole food sources of sugars are healthiest because the sugar is accompanied with fiber, water, vitamins and other nutrients that slow the absorption of sugar into our body and put less demand on our metabolism.
What is the harm in indulgence?
I believe life is meant to be celebrated with the occasional sweet treat. Unfortunately, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. That is equal to 3 pounds (or 6 cups) of sugar in one week. There is abundant medical research that shows that frequent consumption of sugar perpetuates inflammation, weight gain, fatty liver disease and increases our risk of diabetes, heart disease, dental cavities and even Alzheimer’s disease.
How much sugar is OK?
There are many public health organizations that weigh in on this issue. The America Heart Association, the CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Services among others, recommend no more than 36 grams of added sugar for men per day and no more that 24 grams for women and children over 2 years of age. For reference, one teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams. It is easy to meet and exceed these recommendations, especially when that grande pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks clocks in at 50 grams per indulgence!
There is definitely a place for sugar in our lives but keeping sugar to a minimum in our everyday lives is a good idea. Reducing added sugar consumption can help minimize the risks of lifestyle related causes of death like obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
How do you reduce your sugar intake?
Making diet changes is no small task; and there is not necessarily one right way to do it. Below is a list of suggestions that can help you minimize added sugar in your diet.
1. Learn the many names of sugar so you can identify it when reading labels. The food industry has become very clever in disguising sugar. Familiarize yourself with the list below.
Agave Nectar
Barbados Sugar
Barley Malt
Beet Sugar
Brown Sugar
Cane Crystals
Cane Juice Crystals
Cane Juice
Caramel
Carob Syrup or Sugar
Coconut Nectar/Sugar
Concentrated Fruit Juice
Confectioner's Sugar
Corn Syrup Solids
Corn Sweetener
Crystalline Fructose
Dextrin
Diastatic Malt
Diatase
Evaporated Cane Juice
Florida Crystals
Fruit Concentrate
Glucose Solids
Golden Sugar/Syrup
Granulated Sugar
Grape Sugar
Grape Juice Concentrate
High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Honey
Icing/Invert Sugar
Lactose (added)
Malt Syrup
Maple Syrup
Molasses
Muscovado
Nectresse
Palm Sugar
Refiner's Syrup
Rice Syrup/Malt
Sorghum Syrup
Sugar/Raw Sugar
Table Sugar
Treacle
Turbinado Sugar
"-ol" sugars: erythritol, ethyl maltol, mannitol, sorbitol
"-ose" sugars: dextrose, D-mannose, fructose, galactose, glucose, maltose, sucrose
2. Gradually cut back on sweetened foods. Strategies like replacing sugar sweetened beverages with unsweetened tea or sparkling water, opting for fruit as a dessert or reaching for a square of dark chocolate instead of a Snickers can help move the needle when addressing our sugar consumption. Over time, our palates adapt and we may no longer appreciate the super-sweet products we once loved.
3. Or, eliminate sugars cold turkey. This method works well for some. Opting for a 7-10 days sugar elimination diet resets the palate and can dramatically reduce sugar cravings that keep us perpetually reaching for the candy jar. Be prepared: for some people days 3-5 of this challenge feel the toughest. Hang in there.
4. Eat protein at breakfast. A meal that includes protein, fat and fiber helps to balance your blood sugar and keep you fueled and focused during your day. When you are satiated, you are less like to eat the donut in the break room that may prime your sweet tooth for a day’s worth of binging.
5. Drink more water and green tea. Staying hydrated during the day means we are less likely to confuse signals of thirst for hunger. If water is too boring, try drinking your favorite tea. Green tea in particular is full of antioxidants and contains EGCG which is a natural blood sugar balancer.
6. Get your gut checked. If you have difficulty overcoming your sugar cravings, it may not be a failure of will power. Our gut is home to trillions of organisms that are metabolically active. Pathogenic bacteria and yeast may be contributing to your cravings. Luckily, there are testing and treatment options available to address the problem organisms.
Schedule an appointment with Relish Health to develop a personalized plan to reduce sugar.
Interested in guilt-free homemade candies? Check out these recipes:
Salted Date Caramel Turtles
Dark Chocolate Brain Bark
Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
Raw Chocolate Cherry Truffles
Check out these other sweet tooth solutions.
Lifestyle Tips to Ease Your Anxiety
If you find yourself in a frequent state of excessive uneasiness or apprehension, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder. Often anxiety is felt emotionally—like feeling dread, overwhelmed or panicked, but occasionally these emotions are accompanied with physiologically symptoms like breathlessness, heart racing, sweating, chest pain or discomfort. If these sensations sound familiar to you, know that you are not be alone. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illness in the United States and affects nearly 1 in 5 people at any given time.
Consider the following lifestyle tips for addressing anxiety:
If you find yourself in a frequent state of excessive uneasiness or apprehension, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder. Often anxiety is felt emotionally—like feeling dread, overwhelmed or panicked, but occasionally these emotions are accompanied with physiologically symptoms like breathlessness, heart racing, sweating, chest pain or discomfort. If these sensations sound familiar to you, know that you are not be alone. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illness in the United States and affects nearly 1 in 5 people at any given time.
Freud believed anxiety reflected inner emotional conflict, but now we have a more biologic understanding of anxiety. Research demonstrates that anxiety results from the interplay of many factors including genetics, diet, environmental exposures, chronic illnesses and social and emotional well-being. If we want to quiet the anxiety in our mind, we need an approach that supports each of these factors.
Consider the following lifestyle tips for addressing anxiety:
Basics Protocol to Relieve Anxiety:
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Our mental health is an extension of our overall health. If our body is inflamed or deficient in nutrients, then your mental health will suffer. Food is the most important environmental factor when it comes to repairing your brain and keeping your body healthy. Eating well is an act of radical self-love. It unfortunately doesn’t come cheap, and often requires immense effort, but if you’re looking for the keys to the kingdom of feeling good, then look right in front of you on your plate.
An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on nutrient-dense, unprocessed, whole, real food. It includes an abundance of vegetables; well-sourced meat, fish, and poultry, fermented foods, nuts and seeds; fruit; and plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, and fatty fish. What is not present is sugar, refined carbs (i.e., bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, even seemingly healthy vegan or gluten-free replacement foods), and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil.
Actively manage stress. Our response to stress is regulated by a complex set of interactions between two parts of our brain—the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands and the adrenal glands. This subsystem of the body is often called the HPA axis. It is responsible for triggering the release of hormones needed to respond to stress. In pathologic anxiety, this HPA axis may become dysregulated. The normal cues to turn off the production of stress hormones are missed, and you may be left feeling stressed despite the threat being gone. Taking proactive steps to manage stress can help keep the HPA axis healthy. Activities like meditation and yoga are well documented to help relive anxiety and depression. These not your cup of tea? Try other reflective practices like journaling, making music or even coloring mandalas. The trick is to find a practice that resonates and make it happen.
Prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep activates the stress circuit and inhibits our relaxation. Our modern life often keeps us up and plugged into our devices much later than we should be. The circadian rhythm of the human body works best when we fall asleep approximately three hours after sunset and wake with the sunrise. Try going to bed by 10 pm every night. Avoid blue light emitted from devices that can suppress your production of sleep promoting melatonin. Exposure yourself to bright light in the morning by opening the curtains, going for a walk or sitting with a lightbox.
Exercise regularly. Exercise alone is a powerful tool to treat anxiety. In as little as 10 days it can make a dramatic difference. The best exercise is the one you enjoy and will faithfully complete, but studies suggest that resistance training may have a slight advantage over aerobic exercise at reducing anxiety.
Advanced Protocol to Reduce Anxiety:
Start with the basics, but if anxiety is still problematic further evaluation and more targeted treatment may be needed.
Get a medical evaluation. Imbalances of hormones (thyroid, insulin, estrogen, etc.) blood sugar problems, nutrient deficiencies, untreated infections and toxic exposure may be contributing to your poor mood. A comprehensive discussion and laboratory evaluation with your physician are important.
Monitor your Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV is the measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. It is regulated by a primitive part of our nervous system called the autonomic nervous system (ANS). If a person is in a fight-or-flight mode, the variation between heartbeats is low. If one is in a more relaxed state, the variation between beats is high. The healthier our ANS the faster we can switch gears between fight-and-flight and relaxation, showing more resilience and flexibility.
HRV can be easily monitored and improved. There are a number of tracking devices and training apps available on the market that are specifically designed to help address anxiety. For more information check out heartmath.com and Elite HRV to get started.
Try tapping. Emotional freedom technique (aka tapping or psychological acupressure) is an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It has been extensively investigated for anxiety and has been shown to dramatically improve symptoms. Similar to acupuncture, tapping focuses on the meridian points—or energy hot spots based on Chinese medicine. Tapping is easy to learn and can be completed anywhere. Learn more here.
Consider medication and/or supplements. Optimizing lifestyle is always the best place to start addressing anxiety. However, there is a place and time to add targeted supplements and medication. If the above strategies are not providing adequate relief or more urgent relief is needed, talk to your physician about making a treatment plan.
If you’ve been feeling anxious, I hope you’re able to put some (or all) of these practices into place. I always recommend being in care with a good mental health provider to help you see your blind spots and give you support, but I’m hopeful that most people can heal their anxiety without medications and the side effects that often come with them.
If you’re experiencing depression or anxiety and need support, please call the National Depressive/Manic-Depressive Association Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
Good Mood Food
Our brains are composed of some of the hungriest cells in our body. They need consistent fuel and have specific nutrient needs. A diet that is rich in “good mood foods” that include B vitamins, good fats and important minerals helps boost our brain’s ability to utilize serotonin and other feel-good brain chemicals.
Here are a few key nutrients that can help lift your mood:
Do you dread people asking you “how are you today?” Do you say “fine” but secretly you are groggy or grumpy, or maybe just feeling down or in a bad mood? Anxiety and depression symptoms are common in American adults and can affect relationships, work, and overall health. While there are common pharmaceutical and counseling solutions which are appropriate, there is an additional area that you can easily control which also is a very powerful tool affecting your mood. Let’s look at food and its impact on your brain and your mood.
Our brains are composed of some of the hungriest cells in our body. They need consistent fuel and have specific nutrient needs. Study after study has demonstrated that eating a nutrient-dense diet that is low in sugar (like a Mediterranean style diet) can prevent and even be used to help treat depression. A diet that is rich in “good mood foods” that include B vitamins, good fats and important minerals helps boost our brain’s ability to utilize serotonin and other feel-good brain chemicals.
Here are a few key nutrients that can help lift your mood, and where to find them in foods:
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential building blocks of our brains. In fact, our brains are comprised of nearly 60% fat! EPA and DHA fatty acids found in cold water fish are the fats that help protect our brain and lower inflammation. Good sources of omega-3 fats include salmon, sardines and anchovies. (Check out these salmon and sardine recipes for inspiration.)
B Vitamins
Your brain needs B vitamins to initiate many essential chemical reactions which help prevent depression and heighten the effects of antidepressants. In particular, B12, B6 and folate are necessary for nerve cell functioning. B12 is a vitamin that predicts how fast our brain shrinks as we age. One key approach to slowing this process is to maximize our absorption of vitamin B12 by keeping our stomach and gut healthy and eating foods that concentrate B12. Sources of many B vitamins include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and seeds and lean meat. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products. While clams, mussels and oysters provide an especially high concentration, you can also gain benefit by eating small servings of high quality pastured eggs and meats.
Fiber and probiotics
It’s been well-established that serotonin is a powerful chemical in our brain that influences our mood. Studies suggest that 60%-90% of serotonin is in our gastrointestinal system (our gut) which makes it directly affected by our microbiome (the colony of bacteria that lives in our gut.) So, a good mood requires keeping our gut be happy and healthy. Also, the microbiome helps regulate our immunity, helps us absorb our nutrients and even creates chemicals that communicate with our brain. Fiber feeds these beneficial bacteria that are so crucial to our guts’ proper function. Probiotic foods like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi help create and balance a proper microbiome.
Vitamin D
A lack of vitamin D is associated with low mood, but also sub-optimal immunity. The best source of natural vitamin D is sunlight absorbed through the skin. However, if you have limited exposure to light, then taking a supplement may be helpful and is commonly necessary in the Midwest. Unfortunately, natural food sources of vitamin D are limited, and include sardines and cod liver oil. Those are probably not your first choices for dinner this week. Talk to your physician or Relish Health to gain a personal assessment of your level of vitamin D to customize a solution for you.
Sweet Sautéed Spinach
Fresh, raw greens are the most nutritious foods we can eat. Sure, salads are easy to throw together, but it’s not the only way to enjoy greens. Try sautéing spinach to add variety to your dinner plate and increase your intake of this nutrient-dense food. This recipe comes together in minutes and is ideal for using up spinach or other greens in your fridge.
Sweet Sautéed Spinach
Fresh, raw greens are the most nutritious foods we can eat as they provide great antioxidants and include many important nutrients that nourish our bodies and prevent illness. They should be included in everyone’s daily diet, but it’s sometimes hard to find variety with how we eat them. Sure, salads are easy to throw together, but it’s not the only way to enjoy greens. Try sautéing spinach to add variety to your dinner plate and increase your intake of this nutrient-dense food. In this recipe, we’ll use walnuts, raisins and garlic to add depth and flavor to the spinach. Don’t have these in your pantry? Try substituting pine nuts or slivered almonds for the nuts and cranberries or currents for the pop of sweetness. This recipe comes together in minutes and is ideal for using up spinach or other greens in your fridge.
Sweet Sautéed Spinach
Spinach is a versatile green. The tender leaf is ideal for salads but can become a delicious savory warm side dish. Pairing this green with walnuts and raisins creates a delicious sweet umami flavor that complements any hearty meal.
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Time: 8-10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, whole but crushed
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup raw walnuts
2 Tablespoons raisins
6 cups spinach (5 ounce package), washed and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or pot. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, walnuts and raisins. Sauté this mixture until the walnuts start to toast, the raisins plum and the garlic becomes soft, about 2-3 minutes
2. Add the spinach to the pan. Gently toss the leaves periodically until the greens are soft and wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve warm.
How to Roast Veggies like a Pro
Roasting is a wonderful technique for bringing out vegetables’ natural sweetness and deep flavor. Use some of the tips below to master veggies that are tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. Cook in bulk – big batches of veggies are a great base to make frittatas, quick lunches, simple salads and grain bowls throughout the week.
How to Roast Veggies like a Pro
Perfect Roasted Vegetables
Roasting is a wonderful technique for bringing out vegetables’ natural sweetness and deep flavor. Use some of the tips below to master veggies that are tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. Cook in bulk – big batches of veggies are a great base to make frittatas, quick lunches, simple salads and grain bowls throughout the week.
Tip 1: Choose a pan. When choosing a pan for roasting veggies, go for a heavy duty uncoated aluminized steel or natural aluminum rimmed baking sheet. The rim prevents vegetables from sliding off the edge yet is low enough to allow heat to circulate around the vegetables. The standard size for a half sheet-pan is 13"x18". I recommend using the largest sheet pan your oven will accommodate.
Tip 2: Cut veggies uniformly. Make sure that all the veggies are all cut to approximately the same size. This will ensure that they roast evenly and be finished at the same time. If you are roasting different kinds of vegetables on the same pan, make sure they have similar cooking times and oven temperatures. Check out this complete guide to roasting times for different vegetables. Many veggies roast well at 425-450 degrees.
Tip 3: Use about two tablespoons of oil per sheet. Lightly coat the veggies with oil to help keep the interior of the veggies moist. Too much oil can cause soggy veggies. A good rule of thumb is about 2 tablespoons of oil per baking sheet.
Tip 4: Arrange the veggies in a single layer. Crowded veggies will steam rather than get crisp and caramelized. Spread the veggies evenly across the baking sheet.
Tip 5: Season with salt and pepper prior to roasting. Adding salt before roasting is a key step and can really make a difference in the final flavor. It is hard to give an exact measurement since salting is a matter of personal preference and can vary from vegetable to vegetable. A general rule of thumb is to use around 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of salt per baking sheet and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste the vegetables when they have finished cooking and add more seasoning if needed.
Tip 6: Center your pans. If using only one sheet pan, the center of your oven is usually the best place to put it. When using multiple pans, always try to place them side by side if the oven allows. If you have to roast veggies on two different racks, make sure you put the top rack in the upper third of the oven and the lower rack in the bottom third of the oven. This will allow the heat and air to circulate better to help get the vegetables tender and caramelized. If the baking sheets are only an inch or two apart, the bottom vegetables will steam.
Tip 7: Rotate halfway through. Another tip when using multiple pans is to rotate the pans halfway through to ensure that all veggies are getting equal exposure to the heat and have an equal chance at getting crispy and caramelized.
Tip 8: Consider convection. If you are using multiple pans, another option is to bake on convection, a setting where the heat is circulated by a fan. This setting can produce more even heat. This can be very helpful when you are roasting multiple vegetables at once. Beware, this setting is also more drying and cooks more quickly. A good rule of thumb is to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F when using a convection setting.
Tip 9: Add flavor. Fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme can be a wonderful addition to the pan for a little extra flavor. Don’t forget to taste the vegetables before serving. You can always finish them with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and more freshly ground black pepper.
Tip 10: Store the veggies in the refrigerator. Roasted vegetables can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Roasted veggies can be frozen however, they will lose their crispy texture.
(Adapted from Kitchen Matters: More than 100 Recipes and Tips to Transform the Way You Cook and Eat--Wholesome, Nourishing, Unforgettable by Pamela Salzman)
Classic Tomato Basil Soup
Comfort food at its finest, this soup is an antioxidant rush. The potato and cashews give the soup a creamy, silky texture without dairy. Grilled cheese is optional.
Classic Dairy-free Tomato Basil Soup
Comfort food at its finest, this soup is an antioxidant rush. The potato and cashews give the soup a creamy, silky texture without dairy. Grilled cheese is optional.
Tomato Basil Soup (Gluten and dairy-free)
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Serves: 4-6
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 garlic clove, cut in 3-4 pieces
2 14-oz cans organic tomatoes
1 small yellow potato, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons dried basil
4 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
1 ½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
1 teaspoon maple syrup (to balance acidity)
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, carrots, garlic and half the salt until the onions are soft and translucent about 4-5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, basil, potatoes and pepper flakes to the mixture and stir to combine. After sautéing the tomatoes for a few minutes, add the stock and remaining salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes and carrots are soft about 10 minutes.
In batches, use a high-speed blender to puree the tomato soup. Add the cashews to the blender during this process.
Pour the pureed soup back into the soup pot. Season with salt, pepper and maple syrup to taste.
Serve garnished with fresh basil, parsley or crackers.
Red Velvet Waffles
We love waffles in our house. They are a treat we use to celebrate weekends and holidays. With Valentine’s Day approaching I created this red waffle recipe as a fun way for my kids to start their day. I love all red velvet baked goods, but I work very hard to make sure that all the ingredients in my kitchen come from real foods rather than artificially produced colors made in a lab. Cue the beets!
Red Velvet Gluten-free Waffles
We love waffles in our house. They are a treat we use to celebrate weekends and holidays. With Valentine’s Day approaching I created this red waffle recipe as a fun way for my kids to start their day. I love all red velvet baked goods, but I work very hard to make sure that all the ingredients in my kitchen come from real foods rather than artificially produced colors made in a lab. Cue the beets!
Lucky for us, the brilliant deep red color of beets makes a beautiful food coloring. It has the added benefit of boosting the heart-healthy antioxidants in our waffles as well. The red color of beets comes from the presence of pH-sensitive betalain pigments. While you can use roasted beets or beet powder in this recipe, the raw beets give the best red color. If you use cooked or processed beets your waffle will still be delicious and nutritious, but may end up more brown in color.
These waffles are also grain-free. The mixture of almond flour and cassava flour keeps the waffles light and fluffy. Both of these ingredients can be found easily at places like Whole Foods, Thrive Market or Amazon.
Red Velvet Waffles (Grain and Dairy Free)
Author: Erica Leazenby
Time: 20 Minutes
Makes 4 square waffles:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1 medium raw beet, peeled and quartered
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1-3 Tablespoons nut milk (the amount will vary depending on the size of your eggs and beet)
1 Tablespoon coco powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch pink Himalayan salt
Directions:
Pre-heat the waffle iron to medium-high heat per the manufacturer’s instructions. Grease the iron if needed.
Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend the mixture until the batter is smooth. Add the nut milk slowly until the batter is a pourable consistency,
Pour the batter into the heated waffle iron using enough batter to cover the surface of the iron. Bake the waffles for several minutes or until the waffles release easily from the iron and are at desired crispness.
For extra decadence, try this vegan cream cheese frosting:
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (I like Kite Hill brand.)
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.
My House Sauce: Italian Salsa Verde
What separates a great meal from a truly outstanding meal is an amazing sauce. They are often the finishing touch that adds balance and cohesiveness to the meal. As a chef, I want a sauce with every meal, but as a working mom sauces are rarely a weeknight reality. This sauce, however, has become my favorite go-to. It is incredible versatile and easy enough to make on a busy night.
Italian Salsa Verde
What separates a great meal from a truly outstanding meal is an amazing sauce. It is often the finishing touch that adds balance and cohesiveness to the meal. As a chef, I want a sauce with every meal, but as a working mom sauces are rarely a weeknight reality. This sauce, however, has become my favorite go-to. It is incredibly versatile and easy enough to make on a busy night. It brings instant brightness and umami flavor to everything from roasted veggies and potatoes to chicken or beef. I’ve served this sauce at dinner parties and watched people go back for second and third helpings! This year, I served this sauce at Thanksgiving as an alternative to gravy.
From a health perspective this sauce is loaded with nutritional benefits. Parsley is rich in antioxidants and vitamin K. It’s benefits far exceed a garnish. The anchovies provide a hint of extra omega-3 fat while the olive oil gives us heart-healthy omega-9 fats.
Working mom, chef tip: This Italian Salsa Verde freezes beautifully. Make it in a large batch and freeze it in 1/4 cup increments so that you can enjoy it regularly. Simply allow the sauce to come to room temperature before using.
Italian Salsa Verde
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Makes: about 2 cups
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (about 2 cups packed)
2/3-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup capers, drained
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar plus more to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice plus more to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest from 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Place the parsley, capers, anchovies, vinegar, lemon and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until they are well chopped. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as needed.
While the blade is running, slowly add the olive oil until the desired sauce consistency is reached.
Taste the sauce and season as needed with salt, pepper and additional vinegar or lemon juice. Serve at room temperature.
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature before use.