The cholesterol/heart disease hypothesis is false

This study was published in Medical Services Journal Canada 1963 Jun;19:410-20

Study title and authors:

Serum lipid levels and the severity of coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis in adequately-nourished men, 60-69 years of age.

PATERSON JC, ARMSTRONG R, ARMSTRONG EC.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13941824

This study measured the cholesterol levels of 42 war veterans aged 60-69 at post-mortem to investigate the relationship between cholesterol levels and blockage of the arteries.

The study found:

(a) There was NO correlation between cholesterol levels and the amount of blockage in the arteries.

(b) Those who had lower cholesterol had suffered from more previous heart attacks and blood clots than had those who had higher cholesterol.

(c) One man had a cholesterol level of only 111mg/dL (2.8 mmol/l). He had suffered a heart attack and had severe blockage of the arteries.

This study shows that the cholesterol/heart disease hypothesis is false.

Ancel Keys 6 countries study actually shows the more animal fat and animal protein you eat, the longer you live!

This study was published in the Journal of the Mount Sinai Hospital, New York 1953 Jul-Aug;20(2):118-39.

Study title and author:

Atherosclerosis: a problem in newer public health.

KEYS A.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13085148

This study examined the effect of fat consumption and death rates from heart disease in males aged 55-59 from 6 countries.

In this study Keys set out to prove that a higher fat intake was associated with a higher death rate from heart disease.

He used data from 6 countries (Japan, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and USA) that did seem to show that a higher fat consumption would lead to higher rates of heart disease.

However Keys actually had data for 22 countries. For reasons known only to himself he decided to ignore the data from the other 16. The other countries were, Austria, Ceylon, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.

When the data for all 22 countries are taken into account, there is a totally different outcome. 

The data actually shows: (See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13441073 (table IV)

(a) Those who ate more animal fat lived longer.

(b) Those who ate more animal protein lived longer.

(c) Those who ate more plant protein died earlier.

(d) Those who ate more carbohydrate died earlier.

This study from Keys is often quoted as proof that a high fat diet is dangerous. When Keys data is analysed it shows that more animal fat in the diet actually extends life and more carbohydrate in the diet lowers life expectancy.

Women should not be prescribed statins as they fail to provide any overall health benefit

This article was published in the British Medical Journal 2007 May 12; 334(7601): 983 Study title and author:

Should women be offered cholesterol lowering drugs to prevent cardiovascular disease? No

Malcolm Kendrick, general practitioner

24 Prestwick Close, Tytherington, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 2TH

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1867901/?tool=pubmed

Dr. Kendrick believes there is little or no evidence of health benefits for women taking statins.

 

He makes the following observations:

(a) To date, none of the large trials of secondary prevention with statins has shown a reduction in overall mortality in women.

(b) The primary prevention trials have shown neither an overall mortality benefit, nor even a reduction in cardiovascular end points in women.

(c) Women should not be prescribed statins. Not only do statins fail to provide any overall health benefit in women, they represent a massive financial drain on health services. This money could be diverted to treatments of proved value.

(d) Statins carry a substantial burden of side effects.

(e) Mass medicalisation is a dangerous road with many psychological and societal consequences.

(f) In the Scandinavian simvastatin survival study three more women died taking statins than the women who took the placebo.

(g) In the studies of primary prevention neither total mortality nor serious adverse events have been reduced.

(h) A meta-analysis published in the Lancet found that statins even failed to reduce coronary heart disease events in women.

(i) Another meta-analysis of statins in primary prevention suggested that overall mortality may actually be increased by 1% over 10 years (in both men and women).

(j) Data from 124,814 women in 19 studies and trials found that cholesterol levels had no impact on total death rates and heart disease.

(k) Studies have suggested that side effects from statins may be much more common than is recognised.

(l) One study found that 80% of athletes could not tolerate statins.

(m) Research by Golomb and McGraw found that doctors often dismiss most (probable) statin related events. Patients who met the criteria for definite or probable adverse events reported that their doctors tended to dismiss symptoms, deny specific statins adverse events, and failed to appreciate the effect of the adverse reaction on their quality of life.

(n) More evidence comes from the US Food and Drug Administration adverse event reporting system. Between November 1997 and May 2004 simvastatin was reported as a direct cause of 49,350 adverse events and 416 deaths.Adverse events are greatly under-reported, so the actual figures are likely to be much higher.

(o) Of further concern, as statins are increasingly prescribed to younger women, is the potential for birth defects, with severe neurological abnormalities reported. Spending millions on a treatment that has no proved benefit and may cause serious harm goes against the rationale of evidence based prescribing.

 

Women should not be prescribed statins as they fail to provide any overall health benefit.

Low cholesterol levels are associated with an increase in death rates especially from cancer

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 1995 Aug 12;311(7002):409-13

Study title and authors:
Low serum total cholesterol concentrations and mortality in middle aged British men.

Wannamethee G, Shaper AG, Whincup PH, Walker M.
Department of Public Health, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7640584

7,735 men aged 40-59 were followed for nearly 15 years to examine the relationship between low cholesterol levels and causes of mortality.

The study found:
(a) Men with low cholesterol (below 4.8 mmol/l (185 mg/dL)) had a 60% increase in total death rates compared to men with cholesterol between 4.8-5.9 mmol/l (185-228 mg/dL).
(b) Men with low cholesterol (below 4.8 mmol/l (185 mg/dL)) had a significant increase in cancer death rates compared to men with cholesterol between 4.8-5.9 mmol/l (185-228 mg/dL).
(c) Low cholesterol levels were associated with an increased prevalence of several diseases and indicators of ill health.

To conclude: Low cholesterol levels are associated with an increase in death rates especially from cancer.

Both low cholesterol levels and declining cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of death from suicide in men

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 1996 Sep 14;313(7058):649-51

Study title and authors:
Serum cholesterol concentration and death from suicide in men: Paris prospective study I.

Zureik M, Courbon D, Ducimetière P.
National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Unit 258, Hôpital Broussais, Paris, France.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8811757

The aim of the study was to investigate whether low cholesterol levels or changing cholesterol levels are associated with the risk of suicide in men.

The study contained 6,393 working men, aged 43-52, who had at least three measurements of their cholesterol levels over a 17 year period.

The study found:
(a) Men with low cholesterol (below 4.78 mmol/l (185 mg/dL)) had a 216% increase in suicide compared with men whose cholesterol was between 4.78-6.21 mmol/l (185-240mg/dL).
(b) Men whose cholesterol levels decreased by more than 0.13 mmol/l (5 mg/dL) a year had an 117% increase in suicide compared with men whose cholesterol remained stable.

To conclude: Both low cholesterol levels and declining cholesterol levels were associated with increased risk of death from suicide in men.

Low cholesterol associated with liver cancer

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 1993 Apr 3;306(6882):890-4

Study title and authors:

Prolonged infection with hepatitis B virus and association between low blood cholesterol concentration and liver cancer.

Chen Z, Keech A, Collins R, Slavin B, Chen J, Campbell TC, Peto R.

Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8490412

Hepatitis can be caused by viruses that primarily attack the liver cells, such as hepatitis B. About one fifth of the patients with chronic hepatitis B are at risk of developing cirrhosis or cancer of the liver

The study examined 1,556 apparently healthy men aged 35-64 years to determine whether prolonged infection with hepatitis B virus is associated with a lower blood cholesterol concentration. 238 (15%) of the men were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, indicating that they were chronic carriers.

The study found:
(a) Cholesterol levels were 4.2% lower among carriers (that is, positive for hepatitis B surface antigen) than among non-carriers.
(b) Chronic hepatitis B virus infection, which usually starts in early childhood in China, seems to lead not only to a greatly increased risk of death from liver disease but also to a somewhat lower cholesterol levels in adulthood.

The study found that lower cholesterol levels lead to risk of death from liver cancer or from other chronic liver diseases.

Low cholesterol levels lead to increased cancer and death rates

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 1980 Feb 2;280(6210):285-7

Study title and authors:

Cholesterol and mortality in New Zealand Maoris.

Beaglehole R, Foulkes MA, Prior IA, Eyles EF.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7357343

The relationship between cholesterol levels and mortality was studied over 11 years in 630 New Zealand Maoris aged 25-74.

The study found:
(a) Men with lower cholesterol had an 130% increased risk of death compared to men with higher cholesterol.
(b) Women with lower cholesterol had a 90% increased risk of death compared to women with higher cholesterol.
(c) Those with lower cholesterol also had an increased risk of cancer and "other" causes of death.

The results of this study provide evidence for the harmful effects of low cholesterol levels.

As saturated fat and cholesterol increase in the diet, then rates of heart attack and death decrease

This study was published in Arteriosclerosis 1989 Jan-Feb;9(1):129-35

Study title and authors:
Test of effect of lipid lowering by diet on cardiovascular risk. The Minnesota Coronary Survey.

Frantz ID Jr, Dawson EA, Ashman PL, Gatewood LC, Bartsch GE, Kuba K, Brewer ER.
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.

This study can be accessed at: http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/9/1/129.long

This study compared the effects of 2 diets cholesterol levels and the incidence of heart attacks, sudden deaths, and all-cause mortality. The trial included 9,057 men and women.

The diets were either:

(i) 39% fat control diet (18% saturated fat, 5% polyunsaturated fat, 16% monounsaturated fat, 446 mg dietary cholesterol per day) (High saturated fat, high cholesterol diet)

(ii) 38% fat treatment diet (9% saturated fat, 15% polyunsaturated fat, 14% monounsaturated fat, 166 mg dietary cholesterol per day) (Low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet)

The study found:

(a) Cholesterol levels remained similar on the high saturated fat, high cholesterol diet.

(b) Cholesterol levels fell by 16% on the low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet.

(c) Those on the low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet had a 5% increased risk of of heart attack and sudden death compared to those on the high saturated fat, high cholesterol diet.

(d) Those on the low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet had a 6% increase in death rates compared to those on the high saturated fat, high cholesterol diet.

This study reveals that as animal fat and animal protein increase in the diet, then rates of heart attack and death decrease.

 



Chocolate Granola Bars (Grain Free)

I came across this recipe for Paleo-friendly granola bars and promptly pinned it to my Grain Free Treats Board. That was not enough for me, though, so I set about making my own version. I decided to use my beloved Grade B Maple syrup instead of honey and I used up most of the random bits of nuts we had in the house, but still was a little short of the amounts in the original recipe. As a result, I added some cashew butter to the liquid ingredients and it turned out great! I also wound up substituting mini chocolate chips for the dried fruit (didn’t have any) and they melted when I added the hot liquid portion to the dry ingredients. Should have seen that one coming. But the happy accident just turned these into a delicious chocolate version that was a hit with me and the Cute Man. I think I could even have cut down on the maple syrup since the chocolate added quite a bit of sugar, too. Maybe next time I’ll actually get some raisins OR still use the chips but save them until the very end and press them into the top, forming a chocolate chip layer on top.

I’ve been trying to get more coconut oil into my diet (it’s good for you!) and it works really well in this recipe. The taste melds well with the other ingredients and it acts as a good binder, since it solidifies at room temperature. I still plan to keep these in the fridge – they tend to go all gooey if the temp is even slightly above room temperature. All in all, I’m really glad to have these on hand. They’re great for a quick breakfast of afternoon snack.

Chocolate Granola Bars (Grain Free)

Adapted from Joyful Abode

2.5 cups assorted nuts and seeds
1 cup dried fruit or mini chocolate chips
2 cups shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup (can omit or use less, especially if using chips)
1/2 cup cashew or almond butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Use your food processor to pulse 1 cup of the nuts into a rough chop and put them in a medium sized bowl. Pulse the other 1.5 cups of nuts and seeds more finely and add to the bowl. Add your fruit or chocolate chips and the dried coconut. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine oil, maple syrup, cashew or almond butter, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Cook until the mixture bubbles, then pour over the nut mixture. Stir to combine completely. Press your mixture into a parchment-lined pan. Cool 2-3 hours (or in the fridge or freezer for less time), then remove from the pan and cut into bars.

Fix It With Massage

Babies need to be held and touched, when we become adults, we still hold and touch each other, whether that's hugging goodbye to a friend or shaking hands with a business partner.

When our body is tired, we want to be massaged. When we go to the spa, we step into the Jacuzzi to help our muscles relax. The need for touch and massage is instinctive. Massage is one of the oldest healing practices.

The Shaolin Temple has a long tradition of self-massage, using the bamboo Instant Health Massage Brush and progressing to the heavier metal brush. Shaolin disciples train as much as Olympic athletes but we don't have an army of massage therapists or physiotherapists, self-massage along with Qigong is the only thing we use to reduce the risk of injury and keep us fighting fit. 

The Qigong massage doesn't fit any types of massage that are given person to person, for example: sports, acupressure or deep tissue. It combines all of the above and even more, the end aim is to use the vibrations of the brush to penetrate and detoxify the bone. By doing this massage we feel empowered because we are taking charge of our health.

Because the self-massage is convenient and cheap - it's only the cost of a brush -  you can do it on a daily basis or at least a few times a week. The more you do, the more effective your massage will be.

When you do this massage,  don't be afraid to use power. You will feel a little pain but not too much. Each day you use it, your massage will get stronger and stronger. The aim of the massage is to keep the Qi and blood flowing properly, open the meridian channels, reduce any muscle tension,  detoxify the body, increase the immune system, and open the joints. 

In the UK, we don't have much sunshine and especially in winter, the cold can be a problem for people's joints especially when they get older.  Doing the Instant Health massage can help to reduce this problem.

The signs that you are doing the self-massage correctly is that your body skin will be incredibly soft. You will feel energized when you have done this massage. You will sleep better at night and have more energy throughout the day. You will get colds less often and you will feel stronger. 

I teach how to do this massage in all of my Qigong DVDs apart from Volume 1 and also in my book Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity.

The massage equipment is available from my website.

Delicious Orange Chicken

This is a winner! I discovered this gem of a recipe on Holly's meal plan. As soon as I saw it, I just had to have it. Like, now. It took me a few days to make it back to the store to get the ingredients, but I managed to get it done. I'm so happy Holly followed up with me to let me know to add some honey to the sauce. It was essential! The finished product was better than ANY takeout I ever had (and thought I missed). Making the sauce with the juice of a couple fresh oranges plus their zest had the finished product singing with flavor. I always wondered why Orange Chicken was even called that. It never really seemed to taste anything like orange – more like a non-spicy version of General Tso’s. But this? This tasted orang-y in the best possible way. And it was just slightly spicy, enough to give it a kick but not too much (we’re not really spicy-hot people, at least when it comes to food!)

I served it up with some frozen broccoli that I first nuked, then finished up in the pan I used to brown the chicken (after I added the chicken to the sauce). I flavored it with some butter, chicken stock, and a splash of wheat-free soy sauce. Yum! The Cute Man added some of his favorite brown rice to the mix, but otherwise enjoyed this creation immensely, as I did. He declared it the best of my (often not-quite-successful) Chinese Food take-out recreation attempts. The whole bowl was finished off with some chopped scallions. They added a nice crunch.

If I ever get it together, I’m going to make a huge batch of this and freeze up some portions. Having this kind of thing on hand and ready would be awesome on a Friday night. It used to be that was the night we ordered takeout/delivery (Chinese or pizza). I now mostly cook something simple but I long for those lazy nights when I didn’t have to think about dinner once a week. And the flavor of Chinese food really takes me back there. Yum!

Activate Your Environment To Support Your Goals

It's a good idea to have some small things in your home to remind you that you need to train. Whenever I travel, I always wear a Jade Buddha amulet. This isn't just for good luck, this also reminds me to be peaceful. If something difficult happens, I tell myself to calm myself down. I also carry a small Buddha with me. Before any important decision, I meditate for twenty minutes to clear my mind.

I also take my Instant Health Massage Brush with me, and a skipping rope in case I can't find a place to run then I can find a small park to skip for half an hour. This means, I never have an excuse not to train. 

In my office I have a Jade Energy Stone and a  Wooden Star Palm Massager in front of my computer. When I work at the computer a lot, I stop and use this to massage my hands for a while.

These are all powerful things to remind myself to have a positive mental outlook and to keep training. These positive things I surround myself with, make me feel that I'm not even training, this is just my routine, this is part of my life.

Different things inspire different people, think about what inspires you. Can you see it every day? Small changes in our environment can help us to activate our health and fitness goals and make them real. Research has shown that even simple things like using a smaller plate helps us to eat less. 

If you're environment isn't positive then change it so it is.  Make sure that your environment is supporting and not hindering your goals.

No More Heartburn

I’m afraid to jinx myself, but I think I’m finally free from heartburn! It’s been a couple weeks since I took my last Prilosec and I feel fine :) Although the pills worked well, I was fearful of their side-effects and of staying on them long-term in general. I didn’t stop on purpose, really. I just forgot to take them for a couple of days and realized I had an opportunity to try and get off them. It just felt right. There was something about taking those pills every day that really got me down. Eating low carb and especially Paleo, seems to be the ticket for many with this problem. It bugged me that I still had to deal with it, even with my great diet.

The only things I changed during this period were to add a lot more gelatin and probiotics to my diet. I also have made a concerted effort not to drink water with meals and to slow down and make sure not to overeat at all. I wanted to do whatever I could to help my poor gut heal itself and not irritate it unnecessarily. I also stocked up on TUMS just in case (I have not popped even one, as of this writing!)

I have struggled to find a way to incorporate probiotics into my diet. I don’t like sauerkraut or many fermented foods at all. Pickles are pretty much it, on that front. I’ve also not had much luck with yogurt. The dairy still seems to bother me. I’d like to try coconut yogurt, but I could only find it pre-sweetened in the store, so that was out. As a result, I’ve tried to get my hands on some real, lacto-fermented pickles. They have Bubbies brand at the health food store, and those are good. I’ve also discovered the joys of kombucha. I like the cranberry flavor that I found in the store (the fermentation process brings the carb content way down so it doesn’t spike my blood sugar). I very much want to learn how to make it myself and will be following this guide from Wellness Mama soon to try it out. Buying it by the bottle at the store is expensive! I’m also taking one probiotic supplement every couple of days, especially when I don’t get any from food. Who knows if it’s helping? But it doesn’t seem to have any ill effects, either.

My saving grace, though, is gelatin. It is the most soothing substance I have come across. Its health benefits include helping to heal the gut lining and it’s also good for aching joints, arthritis, etc. I’ve been putting it in everything from soup to tea, having it several times a day. Whenever I feel the smallest twinge in my tummy, I drink some tea with it mixed in and I feel instantly better. Is it the placebo effect? Do I care? I also have been making homemade bone broths (chicken, turkey, beef) using good quality bones, which are a natural source of this healing substance. The only advice I have about gelatin is that quality matters. I’m not talking about Jello brand desserts, with all kinds of additives. I get Great Lakes brand, which is sourced from grass fed animals.

I don’t have a clue if any of the above strategies are doing much to make this happen or if I’m simply healing on my own. It doesn’t matter all that much to me. I’m just glad to be feeling better and less dependent on pharmaceuticals for my daily comfort.

Body Conditioning & Qigong Self-Massage - Metal Massage Brush

For many years, my on-line students have asked me to provide them with the metal brush they have seen me using in my book and DVDs. I have been reluctant to do this without seeing the student first because this metal brush is not like the bamboo brush, if used incorrectly, it can cause damage to the body.

The person who uses this brush needs to be trained correctly and train with responsibility. But now that many of my students have followed all of the training from my first DVD through to my fifteenth, I feel, if their body is telling them they are ready to use this brush, then they are.

This is a professional brush, only to be used by highly trained martial artists, fighters, Qigong masters. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18, pregnant women, old people or health seekers. The Instant Health bamboo massage brush is perfect for most people and they should continue to use this rather than change to this metal brush.  The bamboo brush is safe to use for all people.

I had this metal brush hand-made to my specific specifications. It was difficult to find someone who could make it for me, and I only have a limited number available. This is a very heavy metal brush, it weighs about 1.6 kg and has 108 metal rods. Shaolin Temple is carved in Chinese on the end of the brush. If used correctly, it will last a lifetime.

Safety Guidelines for Using The Metal Massage Brush

1) The brush needs to be cleaned with a soft cloth before use. 


2) The brush must never be used on the head, face or any other sensitive area.


3) Keep the brush in a private place away from children and adults.


4) Never share the brush with another person.


5) Never use this brush without doing Qigong first. 


6) Warm up with the bamboo brush first then move onto the metal brush.


7) Do not use this brush for body conditioning unless you have had direct training from a qualified master.


8) Only use this brush for self-massage after the Qigong Forms that I teach on my DVDs.


9) Your body should feel happy when you massage. Listen to your body. If something feels wrong or there is any pain, stop immediately. 


10) Exercise extreme caution. Remember, this brush has the potential to damage your internal organs. Make sure you know and understand what you are doing. If in doubt, seek advice from a qualified instructor. 

I teach five Qigong forms that can be used with this brush. They can be found on the following DVDs:
The Way of Qigong Volume 1,2, & 3
Qigong For Upper Body & Lower Body
And in my book:
Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity 

I also teach Iron Shirt for advanced practioners.

Apart from Qigong Volume 1, all of the above give precise instructions as to how to do the Instant Health Massage. The instructions are the same for the bamboo brush and the metal brush. If you are using the metal brush, warm up with the bamboo brush first. The metal brush gives a deeper vibration to the bones.

I've also made this video to give more clarification on the different uses of the brushes. This is only for a guide and is not a teaching video. Please refer to my teaching DVDs and books for correct instructions on the self-massage.

The metal massage brush is available from my website.

Thanksgiving Menu

This year I’m thankful for… the Internet. As you can see below, all of the recipes I will be using for our big Turkey Day Feast come from around the web. I look forward to pulling up this post on my brand new Kindle Fire and easily bouncing back and forth between pages as I cook. I plan to do most of my shopping Sunday afternoon at Trader Joes but I will also be stopping by Wegmans for whatever items I can’t get at TJs. I’m going to be able to do most of the prep and even some of the cooking on Wednesday since I took the day off. That will make Thursday a little more relaxed and I’ll be able to focus on the Turkey and the last minute items.

All of the recipes are Amelia-approved. I figure since I’m the one cooking it all, I sure as well should be able to eat what I make. A holiday like this is the perfect opportunity to go off plan for a bit and live it up – I get that. But for me, I feel so good eating this way, why would I want to intentionally set myself up for feeling like crap afterwards? That’s not to say everything is 100% strict Paleo. For one thing, there’s quite a bit of heavy cream, butter, and cheese going on in this meal. I guess you could call it more “primal” than “paleo”. All those terms are so fluid anyway, though. There are some sweet treats involved that follow my usual concession to those types of things: definitely gluten free and low in sugar (but not necessarily completely sugar free). That being said, I haven’t neglected the needs of my guests. I put a lot of thought into my choices and I think they will appeal to everybody. Good food is good food.

Without further ado, here is what I'm making:

Apple Cider Soda

Sage and Butternut Squash Soup

Brined Turkey

Gravy

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Garlic and Herb Mashed Cauliflower

Green Bean Casserole

Cheesy Cauliflower Bake

Grain Free Bread Stuffing

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake with Honey-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cookies

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Building The Stamina Of Your Mind

I recently had a student who was a chess player. He came to study Shaolin with me for two weeks. He asked me if he needed stamina when he played chess, I said, yes, it would help him,  because when you play chess, you need to be steps ahead, working out your moves and your opponent's moves. This is the same as fighting but every teacher or coach knows that if their student don't have stamina then it doesn't matter how good they are, they can't use their skills.  This means, you have build your stamina. Through building your stamina you build the strength of your mind.

When you're tired, you can't show your weakness, you have to pretend that you still have stamina. If your opponent finds out then this is your weakness and he can beat you. Sometimes you have to learn how to hide your feelings, it's the same when you have an injury, you have to hide your injury. This is the same as a chess player who makes a bad move, he can't show it or give up, he has to hide.

The warrior fights to the end. The warrior is really competing with him or herself. His competitor is his teacher

When I taught this chess player, I made him do a lot of physical exercise; running, punches, squats, press ups. All training that had nothing to do with the mind. He wanted to give up but I pushed him. He trained with me every day for two weeks. Towards the end of his training, I made his training plan a little easier and suddenly he found out he strong he was. Everyday he trained, I would do just 25 minutes of Qigong to show him how to balance his Yin and Yang. I didn't want to do too much because I didn't want him to think. 

He told me that the Shaolin training gave him a lot of confidence and he felt  stronger when he played chess because he no  longer cared whether he won or lose, he only thought how to  make a strong move and how to conquer himself. If he made a mistake, it didn't matter, he just kept going, sometimes he could change the situation from bad to good but the most important thing was that he always gave his best.

Sign up to my newsletter for exclusive training tips only available to subscribers: 

Click here for more info on my training DVDs, books, and Zen meditation aids. 

If you like this article please share it by tweeting or sharing it on Facebook. 

Haddock en Papillote

Since the small bag of frozen wild caught Halibut that contained two small filets cost $18.99 and the large bag of frozen wild caught Haddock cost $12.99 contained four large filets, I decided to make a change to the “Halibut en Papillote” recipe. What can I say, I’m cheap a savvy shopper! The funny thing is that I am often the opposite of a bargain hunter when it comes to food. I do NOT skimp on quality. But that was just a no-brainer. It’s not as if I like signing my paychecks over to Trader Joes and Wegmans…

The idea of wrapping the fish up in parchment paper with the delicious flavorings (lemon, scallions, and the chives I subbed for the garlic scapes) and letting them all just steam to perfection was one that appealed to me and it did not disappoint. I cut two big filets in half and wound up making four delightful packets. I paired the contents with some roasted Brussels sprouts and pureed cauliflower and ended up extremely pleased with myself, and of course, my inspiration: Make it Paleo! Have I mentioned what a great cookbook that is? No? Well, it IS. Go buy it. And if you know me personally, you can ask me for it for the holidays. I will seriously buy it for you. And don’t be surprised if you get it, even if you don’t ask. It’s THAT good.

THIS SATURDAY - November 19 Market to Table - Thanksgiving Edition!

Join volunteers from Healthy World Cafe as we pay tribute to Thanksgiving dishes and this wonderful holiday. Taking inspiration from what's locally in-season, Chef and Guiding Committee Chair Sean Arnold and his team have created a collection of recipes guaranteed to inspire you.

The live cooking demonstration will take place at the Rojahn Performance Kitchen inside York's Central Market House. The Markethouse is located on N. Beaver St., between W. Market St. and W. Philadelphia St.

Copies of recipes will be available, as will more information about Healthy World Cafe and our mission. We continue in our active fundraising and "friendraising" stage of our evolution, and are so proud to be complementing what's happening in our local farming community.

Come one, come all, taste our food and plan your Thanksgiving menu around whats fresh in York county!

Meal plan - Make it Paleo Edition

I have been so excited to get started with my brand new copy of Make it Paleo. The photos alone are drool-worthy. With so many great recipes, it was hard to narrow it down to just a few. Since I'm purposely making enough with each recipe to have leftovers, these probably will be cooked and eaten over the next couple weeks:

1. Lamb meatballs with mint pesto over zucchini noodles p. 160

2. Chicken with Garlic p. 186

3. Smoked paprika chicken p. 194

4. Halibut en papillote p. 234

5. Taco Salad p. 278

6. Pot Roast p. 288

7. Butternut Squash soup p. 290

Delicious Brisket

After managing to drag myself out of bed by 3:00 on Sunday (post-Halloween/birthday party), I got to cooking up this meal including mashed cauliflower, gravy, and cut up veggies/dip from the party. It was a total hit. Here's what I did for the brisket and gravy:

3 lb brisket
1 can diced tomatoes
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 tsp oregano

Salt/pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 325*. Season brisket on both sides with oregano, salt, and pepper. Place in large oven safe pan. Sear both sides for 3 minutes on medium/high heat. Add remaining ingredients, cover, place in oven for 2.5 hours.

Remove from oven and put the meat on a plate or cutting board. Using an immersion blender, purée the veggies and drippings into a gravy.

Slice meat against the grain and serve topped with gravy.

This really hit the spot!

Carnitas - the Crockpot Killer

I seem to have killed my crockpot. It gave its life so we could eat Carnitas. Although I forgot to make them on Monday, I did successfully chuck all of the ingredients in the slow cooker before racing out the door on Tuesday. I’m not normally much of a pork eater (except for bacon – bacon doesn’t even count, right? Or, sausage. Sausage is good – whatever!) but I’m trying to branch out. The results were pretty good. I kept it super simple by just eating the shredded meat with some sliced avocado and grape tomatoes.

The only problem is that when I went to put the leftover chicken bones, water, apple cider vinegar, and garlic in the crockpot last night to make chicken stock, the darn thing wouldn’t turn on. Now, I’ve been known to declare small appliances dead, when they are really just not properly plugged in (I’m only human, after all), but I think this one is actually a gonner. Good thing I had my double slow cooker on hand (it has two smaller pots on one base) that I normally use to keep stuff warm during parties. In went all the chicken stock goodness which is bubbling away all day as I type. I look forward to getting home to the smell of Jewish penicillin. I plan to add a few sprigs of rosemary for the last hour or so before letting it cool and straining it. There is absolutely nothing better than homemade stock. Best health food ever!

How To Balance Your Yin And Yang For Mind And Body Health

When you watch my Qigong DVDs, I always start with a warm up, stretching or some physical training then I do the Qigong form. The reason I start this way is not only because this is the professional way but also because I've found many Western people believe Qigong is light training or very focused training, they believe it's about using the mind in a thinking way to control the body.

All exercise has internal and external, it's just we can't see it. For example, if you are running ten miles but at the beginning your pace is too fast then you won't be able to do ten miles. You need to understand how to pace yourself. This is the internal part of your training.

The Yin and Yang needs to be balanced and this is a combination of Qigong and physical exercise. When a person does personal training with me and I start with a warm up and stretching then the five basic stances, they find it hard.  A recent student who had been working with my DVDs, realised he was only using 20% of the strength he was supposed to be using for Qigong.  This is because he had a mistaken belief that Qigong was soft training. I told him, the training is not difficult, it's your body that is not strong yet.

Some fighters want to learn Qigong with me but they feel everything is too slow. They don't have the patience to learn it. I tell them, if you can't close your eyes and sit for five minutes to clean your mind, I guarantee you can never become a champion because you don't know how to calm yourself. Your body, mind and heart is not working together.

I am different from most Shaolin Masters because I don't just teach forms. I use my heart to find a way to help people achieve their health, fitness, martial art or fighting goals.

If you want to fight, Shaolin only give you a good foundation, you have to change and use modern techniques. If you think I'm wrong then you can research any kind of fight, K1 or UFC. Can you find any Shaolin traditional martial artists fighting there?

The world has changed. This is why I teach my fighters a fusion of traditional Shaolin with modern fighting techniques.

If you want to make your body healthy then you need a routine and a proper balance. For fighters, I recommend when they finish their training they do Qigong for half an hour.

If you are working with my DVDs and feel they are too hard this doesn't mean my DVDs are too hard, it means you are not strong enough yet and you need to build up your strength. Don't underestimate yourself.

You don't need to follow everything exactly. Learn from my DVDs then swop things around to make your own training programme that suits you and your lifestyle. 

For more information please visit http://www.shifuyanlei.co.uk/

And remember to sign to the mailing list for exclusive training tips and offers only available to subscribers. 

Turkey Day Test Kitchen: Stuffing Edition

I had this bug in my ear about wanting to come up with a grain free stuffing worthy of Thanksgiving. When I saw this Paleo Bread recipe, I knew I was on to something. So, yesterday, I baked up a loaf of bread and set about adapting my favorite cornbread recipe. I paired the creation with a delicious whole chicken, roasted broccoli, and topped it off with gravy (I added a dollup of tomato paste, an effect I liked). Here’s what I did for the stuffing:

2 tbs grass fed butter
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped (sage is great instead, but I didn’t have any)
1 egg
¼ c milk of choice (heavy cream, coconut milk…)
¼ c chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Paleo Bread, cubed (I made mine with butter instead of coconut oil)

Preheat oven to 375*. Because I’m lazy very efficient, I do this all in one oven-safe casserole pan. On the stovetop, melt butter and add onions, cooking on low heat for 30 minutes or so until they caramelize. Add in the rosemary and stir. In a bowl, combine the egg, milk, chicken broth, salt and pepper and set aside. Mix the cubed bread in with the onions and then pour the egg mixture on top. Stir the stuffing just a bit to combine but not too much, which would cause your bread cubes to get mushy and break apart. Put the pan in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until the stuffing is crispy on top. Try not to eat half of it before your husband comes home (or is that just me?)

Simple Dinner

Can't get easier than this! You know those Carnitas that were on the menu for yesterday? Guess who forgot to put on the crockpot yesterday! Yup. That’s me. As a result, I made the easiest dinner on record: I defrosted some cooked shrimp, made some ketchup, threw together a salad and called it done. I did get slightly fancy with the dressing since I went to the 2 minute “trouble” of making ketchup…

2 tbs ketchup
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
4 tbs olive oil

Stir all ingredients with a whisk and declare it “Catalina” dressing. Mix it with bagged lettuce and grape tomatoes and call it "Salad".

The good thing about the slip-up is that I now get to come home to all the Tex-Mex goodness today. I set myself up for success last night by premixing the ingredients for the Carnitas in a Ziploc bag. I got to just toss it in the slow cooker with the meat and run out the door. It was a good thing, too, since I got out of bed at 6:55 when I had to leave by 7:10. I managed to get out the door at 7:15, jogged to the metro (amazingly easy – this exercise thing is actually working!) and got to my bootcamp class just after 8:00. Not too shabby!

Also, in other news, I got my very own copy of Make it Paleo yesterday! If you are on the fence about trying out this way of eating or wondering what cookbook to buy, BUY THIS ONE! It has 450 pages of gorgeous recipes - each one with an awe inspiring photo. I cannot wait to start going through it. These guys came up with my beloved pumpkin cookies, so the bar is high.

The Shaolin Way To Train Mixed Martial Arts - Part Three

Every morning, I get up and train. My students see me do the same thing, year by year by year. It’s only when they go in the ring and fight that they understand why I do the same thing every year, every day. The simple things are the most useful but they take time and effort to master.

For example, I train my left leg to be fast and sharp. It’s not very powerful but it's fast. My right leg is very heavy and I use my left leg to attack, to break my opponents plan, any time I have the opportunity. I use my right leg to do the round house kick. If I get them with this kick then I know I will knock them out. I practice many years just for this one kick. I know I can do this kick from any angle, close or long distance. I have confidence because I've done this kick so many times.

I'm not very tall but I'm quite heavy. My opponent is always taller than me so they have a longer reach than me. This is why I need good body conditioning. I don’t have as much opportunity as them to punch and kick. I practice a lot of body conditioning so I know that my body can take their kick and punch.  When I get close to them, I can use my kick to finish this fight.

The important thing is you have to know yourself and know your body. Everyone is different. My technique wouldn’t work for you. Do you know what would? What do you want to do? Build up your punch or your kick? What are you good at? What are you bad at? How do you hide the things you're no good at? How do you use your good things? No-one can teach you. You need to find this out for yourself. You have to become your own teacher and teach yourself.

If you love martial arts then you need to be humble and lonely and simple. Try to make simple things not simple . Try to make lonely life not lonely. Try to make hard training easy. Once you have this kind of thinking you can become a good fighter because you have truly  conquered yourself.

Related DVDs:
Fighting Punches and Kicks Volume 1 & 2
Shaolin Bootcamp Volume 1 & 2
Shaolin Workout Volume 1, 2, 3
Kung Fu Ch'an 
If you like this blog please share by clicking on the links below.

On the Menu This Week

The pumpkin curry soup turned out really well. I used canned organic pumpkin and frozen veggies and shrimp to make this a truly quick and simple Friday night dinner. But that was last week. On to the upcoming week's menu. I'm making some pretty big batches of food this week to carry us through with some leftovers.

Sunday

Curried Meatballs and Sliders

Monday

Crockpot Carnitas

Tuesday

Brisket (Adapted from this Lamb Shoulder Recipe)

Wednesday

Whole Chicken and Grain Free Stuffing

Thursday

Maple Balsamic Salmon

Friday

Old Bay Shrimp and Salad

Bon Jovi Opens Soul Kitchen in NJ

Congratulations on the opening of another pay-as-you-can 

community cafe!

Pistachio Salmon

I got the idea to try this from Paleo Comfort Foods' Pecan Crusted Fish which I made last week. I fell in love with the technique that resulted in a crunchy nutty crust that stayed put, even during flipping. For this recipe, I just swapped out the kind of fish and nuts. I paired it with some roasted cauliflower for the win. The combo was a big bit with Cute Man and certainly will become part of our rotation. Here’s what I did:

1 tbs Grass Fed Butter
2 Wild Caught Salmon Filets
½ c Almond Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 egg white
1 c Pistachio nutmeats, coarsely chopped
2 slices of fresh lemon

Heat a pan over medium heat and add butter. While the butter melts, set up a station like so from left to right: plate with almond flour, salt and pepper; wide bowl with beaten egg white; and the cutting board with chopped pistachios. Dip the top of each filet in each station, going from left to right, creating a crust on the non-skin side of the filet. Put both pieces of fish into the buttered pan, crust side down (skin side up). Let cook for 5-6 minutes until the crust is toasted, then flip and cook 4-5 minutes more. Remove and serve with a slice of lemon. The fish should be cooked through and flake with a fork.

Grain Free Pizza

Having this pizza on the menu this week was a real treat. Cute Man isn’t a huge fan of the almond flour crusts, so I made his on two small flat breads he normally uses for his sandwiches. He was raving about it, so I think it’s safe to say he liked them. I used this recipe for the crust, but came up with the toppings myself based on what was on hand. Using the recommended parchment paper was the key to making this easy and week-night doable. The last time I made a pizza, the crust was super sticky and it was just an annoying process.

On to the toppings! I made a quick “sauce” with a small can of tomato paste, a bit of water, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a drop of Stevia. I kept it thick so it wouldn’t make the crust soggy. Atop the sauce, I lovingly placed some onions I had caramelized in grass fed butter for 45 minutes over low heat as well as the julienned yellow squash I had added to the onions for the last 5 minutes. Lastly, I topped this baby off with some defrosted crumbled sausage I had in the freezer. The combination was terrific! Oh, and I also sprinkled some Parmesan Cheese on top after I took the finished product out of the oven. That picture didn’t look as good so I went with the pre-cheese version.

Items like “Paleo Pizza” are a bit controversial among some. They see them as a crutch, keeping people from letting go of the modern foods that are just simply no good for us. That may be true, but I don’t think this makes me any more likely to go out and want the real deal again. Instead, these types of treats are fun to create and let me have a taste of a food that I really like and sometimes miss. Also, I have no illusions of doing this thing perfectly. I’m just doing the very best I can, making better choices whenever possible. The great thing is that my efforts are starting to show real results. The proof is in the (dairy free, grain free, omega 3-rich) pudding, my friend!

Shrimp Egg Foo Young

This is a great easy and quick option that never disappoints. The photo is of Cute Man's plate so the eggy goodness is piled on top of a heap of brown rice. I ate mine plain, but also made some pureed tomato soup as a starter. The two elements did not go together at all, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. Here is how I made this quick and dirty creation that makes two separate omelets...

6 eggs

1 c frozen shrimp, thawed

1 c frozen veggies, thawed (I used Frenched green beans)

2 tbs wheat free soy sauce or tamari

1 tbs 5 spice powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium/high heat with fat of choice (I used chicken fat). Ladle half the mixture into the pan, turn the heat down to low and cover for 5-10 minutes until the omelet begins to puff up. Remove the lid, flip the omelet allowing the other side to sear just a bit before cutting it into four triangles and plating. Add some chopped scallions or chives to the top for garnish. Repeat the process with the other half of the egg mixture for your second serving.

The Shaolin Way To Train Mixed Martial Arts - Part Two

If you want to become a good MMA fighter then you need to train with focus. You can't be the best at ground, punch, and kick. You need to choose one or two skills that you will become special at and focus on these then have the other skills as the extra things you can do.

I have many MMA students that want to study with me, they say they know Juijutsu, Thai Boxing, Boxing etc but when I see them train, I ask them, “Which  is your weapon? Your kick or your punch?”  Most people don't have a lethal weapon. They are not 100% in control of their punch or their kick. They have no weapon that can enable them to win.  This means they have nothing special.

I tell them, this means that every time you go to fight, you are hoping for luck. You don't know which skill will help you to win the fight:  kick or punch or ground fighting. When you become a fighter, you can’t live for luck, you need to have full confidence, believe in your punch or your kick or your knee or elbow. Know that when you have the opportunity, you can knock your opponent out.

Because you know you can do this, then you make a strategy to trap them, you are setting them up so you can have the opportunity to knock them out. It's only when you are at this level that you are a good fighter.

This is the reason why you need to be humble. If you have too much desire to have everything, you can't have everything. You can only have one or two skills. This is enough for you to win. Simplify your training and strengthen your skill.

But it's not easy. Because when you have a skill, you have to use your brain, you need to fight different kind of fighters so you need to be able use your weapon from different angles, you need to practice over and over again to make your weapon sharper and sharper. This humbles you. It’s boring. There’s nothing exciting. Where as when you learn different martial arts and different techniques, you feel excited and stimulated but the truth is, you can’t master them. You will always be an average fighter. This week I want you to find your special skill and train in it intensively until it becomes your special weapon
Related DVDs:
Fighting Punches and Kicks Volume 1 & 2
Shaolin Bootcamp Volume 1 & 2
Shaolin Workout Volume 1, 2, 3
Kung Fu Ch'an 
If you like this blog please share by clicking on the links below.

Fish Tacos, PCF Style

Unlike last week, I took the time to crack open my trusty copy of Paleo Comfort Foods before actually starting to make my tacos. I’m so glad I did! Their recipe is super simple and offers a great technique. The main difference was that it called for me to marinate the fish for a short while before cooking it up. Not rocket science but also not something I’ve bothered to do before. It really made it better. Two tasty thumbs up!

In other news, I’m so determined to stick with my meal plan and not go out and buy more food before the weekend that I’ve taken to rationing eggs! With Shrimp Egg Foo Young and Grain Free Pizza dough on the menu as well as the need for an egg white wash for the Pistachio Salmon, those babies are in hot demand. I thought I had a ton of them until Cute Man and I both wanted scrambled eggs for breakfast. As a result, I counted out what I needed for the week and made scrambled eggs with the rest. It all worked out and I’m glad to know we’re still on track.

I’m hoping that I’ll get my new copy of Make it Paleo sometime this week so that I can use it for meal planning next week. That book looks amazing and I cannot wait to try out a bunch of their goodies. These are the people who brought me my beloved Pumpkin Cookies, so I have high hopes!!!