Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream

Mint chocolate chip has always been one of my ice cream favourites so I was really happy when I realized that I could totally do a healthy take on this good old classic using bananananas instead of cream. Plus, ice cream making doesn't get any easier than this. Just chuck it all in the food processor and watch magic happen!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:

3-4 frozen bananas (~330g)

1/4 cup plant based milk

A few drops of peppermint oil or extract, adjust amount after strength

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

1/2 tsp wheatgrass (optional)

Chocolate sauce:

1 tsp liquid sweetener of choice

1 tsp cacao powder

1 tsp almond milk OR melted coconut oil

Optional:

Vegan chocolate chips/chopped dark chocolate/raw cacao nibs to serve as the chocolate chips

How to:

1. To make the ice cream, simply blend all ingredients in a food processor until completely smooth. I like to blitz everything until all the banana coins have been broken down by the blades before adding the milk. Do what works best for you though, and feel free to add more milk if it won't blend with 1/4 cup.

2. For the chocolate sauce, all you have to do is mix all the ingredients together with a fork. If you decide to use the coconut oil it will harden once you pour it onto the ice cream (provided it hasn't melted ofc) which is kind of cool. 

3. Spoon the nice cream up in a bowl or a tall glass, top with chocolate sauce and chocolate chips and serve immediately!

After six months of taking statins, over 20% of people develop muscle pain

This study was published in Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia 2014 Jul;103(1):33-40

 

Study title and authors:

Evaluation of sexual dimorphism in the efficacy and safety of simvastatin/atorvastatin therapy in a southern brazilian cohort.

Smiderle L, Lima LO, Hutz MH, Sand CR, Van der Sand LC, Ferreira ME, Pires RC, Almeida S, Fiegenbaum M.

Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25120083

This study evaluated the effects of simvastatin/atorvastatin on men and women. The six month study included 495 patients, aged 25-82 years, (331 women and 164 men), who received simvastatin/atorvastatin.

When high levels of creatine phosphokinase are detected in the blood, it is considered to be an abnormal result. High levels of the enzyme may occur due to the following conditions:

• heart attack
• pericarditis after a heart attack
• polymyositis or dermamyositis
• heart muscle inflammation
• myopathy (a disease of the muscles)
• rhabdomyolysis (a breakdown of muscle tissues)
• muscular dystrophies
• convulsions
• stroke
• brain injury
• delirium tremens
• hypothyroidism (a decrease in the activity of the thyroid gland) or hyperthyroidism (an increase in activity of the thyroid gland)
• death of lung tissue

After six months the study found:
(a) 20.3% of the patients developed muscle pain.
(b) 11.1% of the patients had increased creatine phosphokinase levels and/or abnormal liver function.

Donor offers $4,000 match challenge for Healthy World Cafe's IndieGoGo campaign!

UPDATE: We reached our match challenge! And, our IndieGoGo campaign has been extended until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30, 2014. You can help us reach out $15,000 goal -- please consider donating today.

- - - - -

Since we launched our IndieGoGo crowd-funding campaign three weeks ago, we've seen great support from friends of Healthy World Cafe and generous community members. Thank you to all who have donated and are helping our vision of a full-time community cafe come to life in downtown York.

This week, we have some very exciting news to announce:

An anonymous donor has offered a $4,000, dollar-for-dollar match challenge!

There is no better time to donate -- the match challenge effectively doubles the impact of your contribution, putting Healthy World Cafe not one but two steps closer to opening our doors five days a week.

Let's rise to the challenge!

Donate today at http://igg.me/at/healthyworldcafe.

Review finds unprocessed red meats are one of the best sources of high quality protein and make important contributions to nutrient intakes

This paper was published in Meat Science 2014 Nov;98(3):445-51

Study title and authors:
Red meats: Time for a paradigm shift in dietary advice.

Binnie MA, Barlow K, Johnson V, Harrison C.
Canadian Pork Council, 1962 Faircloth Road, London, Ontario N6G 5J3, Canada. Electronic address: binnie@cpc-ccp.com.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25041653

Also http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174014001922

Binnie notes that a growing body of research suggests dietary advice to limit red meat is unnecessarily restrictive and not supported by current evidence.

This review found:
(i) Large population studies both in Europe and North America have recently reported no association between intakes of unprocessed red meat and any cause of death, including cardiovascular disease or cancer.
(ii) This is consistent with the findings of the largest meta-analyses of the worldwide evidence showing no association between unprocessed red meat and coronary heart disease.
(iii) Recommendations to limit red meat intakes date back several decades and were originally intended to reduce saturated fat intakes. Recent meta-analyses have concluded that there is no clear evidence to support decades of dietary guidelines to cut saturated fat intake.
(iv) Meanwhile such guidance may have inadvertently contributed to dietary changes associated with the rapid rise in the prevalence of obesity since the 1970s as well as other risk factors for heart disease.
(v) A decline in energy from nutrient-rich foods such as beef, milk and eggs has been accompanied by an excessive increase in energy from fats (including trans fats) and refined carbohydrates found in many processed convenience foods. The resulting energy gap has likely contributed to obesity and chronic disease.
(vi) The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) followed close to half a million people in 10 European countries for more than 12 years. The EPIC study found no significant association between unprocessed red meat intakes and all-cause mortality or death due to CVD, cancer or other causes. Furthermore, a higher risk of all-cause mortality was observed among participants with very low or no red meat consumption.
(vii) A recent analysis of data from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) concluded that meat consumption was not associated with mortality. Researchers reported no significant association between red meat intake including beef, pork, ham, and organ meats and total mortality or cause-specific mortality due to cardiovascular disease or cancer. Those who ate red meat more often tended to have lower body mass index and a smaller waist circumference. Furthermore, those who ate red meat more often were less likely to have hypertension than those who ate red meat less often.
(viii) In addition to high quality protein, red meat contains important essential micronutrients including, iron, zinc, selenium, potassium and a range of B-vitamins including niacin, riboflavin, thiamin and vitamins B₆ and B₁₂.
(ix) The iron and zinc found in red meats is more bioavailable than in alternative food sources, and red meat can enhance the absorption of these important minerals. Iron plays vital roles in children's early cognitive development, normal energy metabolism and the immune system. Zinc is essential for a healthy immune system, wound healing and for children's normal growth and reproductive development.
(x) Red meats also contain useful amounts of the minerals selenium and potassium. Selenium acts as an antioxidant and is necessary for immune system function. Potassium plays an important role in blood pressure regulation.
(xi) Red meats also provide a range of B-vitamins including thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamins B₆ and B₁₂. B-vitamins play important roles in the functioning of the nervous system and in releasing energy from foods.
(xii) Recent evidence also challenges decades of advice to limit naturally nutrient-rich foods such as red meats in efforts to reduce saturated fat intake. According to a 2014 review and meta-analysis, current evidence does not support decades of dietary guidelines that encourage low consumption of saturated fat to promote heart health. This review takes into account evidence from 45 observational studies and 27 randomised controlled trials on coronary heart disease risks based on dietary data from more than 600,000 people in Europe, North America and Asia.
(xiii) An earlier meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies also concluded that saturated fat was not associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. In another review of evidence-based dietary guidance on saturated fat and cardiovascular disease, the authors concluded that dietary recommendations did not reflect the evidence.
(xiv) Energy intakes from processed foods have increased dramatically at the expense of nutrient-rich foods, such as red meat. Research suggests processed foods are associated with the growing burden of obesity and associated diseases in recent decades.

Binnie concludes: "Unprocessed red meats are one of the best sources of high quality protein and make important contributions to nutrient intakes. It is time for dietary advice that emphasizes the value of unprocessed red meat as part of a healthy balanced diet".

Creamy Chocolate Overnight Oats

I love to cook my oats on the stove top, the taste and texture really is superior to those of microwaved porridge, but, let's be honest here. Cooking them the traditional way does take a bit more time. Most mornings, that extra time doesn't bother me at all. I'm an early bird (ok, maybe not, but I'd like to think that I am. However, I always set my alarm to the-whole-world's-still-fast-asleep-why-are-you-up o'clock, so what difference does it make?) and I don't mind spending some more time making my breakfasts taste good. But there comes a time in every 17-year-old's life when all you want to do is sleep. Well, several periods of time to be precise. When getting ready for school seems as impossible a task as climbing the highest mountains and when dozing off, sprawled out on the couch at 3 p.m., becomes a habit rather than an exception.  For me, one of those lazy sleep-cycles has just emerged and most days I just want to remain horizontal for as long as I can. What to do with the morning oats then? The oh-so-simple answer is; have them prepared the night before! Genius!

So why haven't you seen more of these über quick breakfasts on my Instagram then? Well to be honest, I've never really liked them, except for a recipe I tried a few months ago, for carrot cake overnight oats (from one of my best Instagram friends Meghan's blog! Thanks Meghs!) which I really liked. But yesterday, I decided to make a recipe of my own, just so that I could stay in bed for a few more (precious) minutes. Turns out that this recipe was actually so good that I have to share it with you guys! So here goes, Creamy Chocolate Overnight Oats!

Recipe:

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. almond milk

1/4 cup plant-based yoghurt of choice

1 tbsp chia seeds

1-2 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice (I used about 2 tbsp of date purée)

1/2 tbsp cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder

A pinch of salt (optional, but I've found it really elevates the chocolate flavour)

How to:

1. Simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl or a pretty jar, and stir until they're evenly combined. Put in the fridge for a few minutes, then take it out and stir again so that the chia seeds don't clump up. 

2. Let the oats sit in the fridge until they've thickened up, preferably overnight so you have your breakfast ready to go the next morning! Top with fresh fruit, nut butters or whatever you prefer. Eat, and relish the fact that you get to have chocolate for breakfast. Vegan, gluten-free, healthy and absolutely scrumptious chocolate oats.

Health Coach - Part 2

I like this picture because it's from a time when movement was nothing but fun. I adored gymnastics as a kid and that joy has translated into my love of yoga as an adult. Where else do you get to stand on your head as a grownup? It's also nice to see evidence of a time before my hormones went haywire and I was just a normal, cute little kid.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been working with a health coach to try and get things back on track. Sometimes you just need a little outside perspective! It's been a very positive experience and I would recommend that anyone who feels stuck to try working with someone.

Some things I've been working on:

• Tracking all my food on My Fitness Pal
• This is something I've actively resisted for a long time. Finding Paleo seemed to free me from the need for this but over time, the weight has started to creep back on. Seeing my food choices documented in black and white helps keep me honest and also allows for some wiggle room for a few indulgences within reason. 
• I've finally made my peace with this. I've found that tracking things really does keep me accountable. I also must do this 100% for every penny I spend so it shouldn't surprise me that it's important for my food intake as well. I feel great about it these days, which has surprised me. I've let go of the resistance and I'm just letting it be a tool that is helping me. 
• 
  
• Meaningful Activity
• I've been focusing on walking and yoga, mostly. I'm thinking about doing a membership at a local yoga studio -- it's the only "exercise" I really look forward to so why not go all in with it? 
• I also think sprinting (interval training) is super important. I've only actually done it a couple times since instituting it as a goal but the plan is to an interval workout once a week: 30 seconds hard; 2 min recovery. Repeat for 15 minutes. Doesn't sound like much, but it really gets the heart rate up and has great hormonal effects. I use the elliptical at my work gym and do some stretching afterwards. 

My initial bundle of consultations is now up with my coach and I'm deliberating about whether to continue. I was indeed super helpful, but it is another budget item. It's coming down to either the coaching or the yoga membership at this point and I'm leaning towards the latter. I can always seek out help again if I feel like I'm slipping. 

Low cholesterol levels predict high death rates in the very elderly

This study was published in Clinical Interventions in Aging 2014 Feb 13;9:293-300

Study title and authors:
Serum total cholesterol concentration and 10-year mortality in an 85-year-old population.

Takata Y, Ansai T, Soh I, Awano S, Nakamichi I, Akifusa S, Goto K, Yoshida A, Fujii H, Fujisawa R, Sonoki K
Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Oral Health Science, Kyushu Dental College, Kitakyushu, Japan.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24611005

This study evaluated the effect of cholesterol levels with death rates in the very elderly. The study included 207 very elderly (85-year-old) participants who were followed for ten years. The participants were allocated into three groups:
(i) High cholesterol: more than 209 mg/dL (5.4 mmol/L)
(ii) Intermediate cholesterol: between 176-208 mg/dL (4.5-5.3 mmol/L)
(iii) Low cholesterol: less than 175 mg/dL (4.5 mmol/L)

The study found:
(a) The group with the lowest cholesterol levels had a 72% higher death rate compared to the group with the highest cholesterol.
(b) Death rates decreased by 0.9% with each 1 mg/dL increase in cholesterol levels.
(c) Death rates decreased by 0.8% with each 1 mg/dL increase in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
(d) Death rates decreased by 1.0% with each 1 mg/dL increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels.
(e) Death rates decreased by 0.3% with each 1 mg/dL increase in triglyceride levels.

Takata concluded: "These findings suggest that low TC (total cholesterol) and low LDL-C may be independent predictors of high mortality in the very elderly".

Science of Nutrition Podcast

I recently did an interview with Seth Yoder, who has a master's degree in nutrition science and writes the blog The Science of Nutrition.  Seth caught my attention recently with his withering review of The Big Fat Surprise, the latest book to claim that ideological/incompetent scientists and public policy makers got the science of nutrition backward and we should all be eating low-carb, high-fat, high-meat diets.  I was impressed by how deeply Seth dug into the reference list, and how well he picked up on subtle but troubling misrepresentations of the evidence.

Last week, Seth and I got together at a local brewpub to do an interview.  We were joined by Carrie Dennett, an MPH/RDN who has a nutrition blog and writes for the Seattle Times.  I'd probably do a lot more interviews if I could ride my bike to them and have my interviewer buy me a drink.

Speaking of drinks, by the end of the interview I had a little buzz-- you might hear it in my voice if you listen closely.  As usual, I had plenty to say about body fat regulation, food reward, and other topics, with plenty of side trips to discuss particularly fascinating studies.  Also, the word of the day was 'compelling'.

Enjoy the interview!

How To Never Give Up On Your Martial Arts Ever Again

When I was in China, a friend of mine called to say that he was unwell. I asked him to come and visit me so I could teach him Qigong, he told me he didn't have time, I said to him, but when you are sick you will have time to go to hospital because you have no choice. The next day he came and studied with me for seven days. 

It has been my experience that one of the best ways to stay healthy and fit both internally and externally is through the practice of Shaolin Qigong and Kung Fu; it includes all we need for mind body health in one fully integrated unit.

The way to avoid never giving up on our martial arts is to start with a plan. My friend wanted to get better and feel strong again, the best way forward for him was to focus on internal training and not do any external training until he had regained his health. 

What do you want? If you are a beginner, it depends on your goal and your age as to what DVD you should start with. If you want to get fit and lose weight quickly then it's best to start with the Bootcamp DVDs or the Circuit Training DVDs. In these DVDs, we don't put so much emphasis on form but on fitness. If you want to be a martial artist then you start with Shaolin Workout and move through all three DVDs before you move onto Bootcamp and Circuit because you are working with your form and perfecting your movements. 

For the internal training, it's best for most people to start with "The Way Of Qigong Volume 1" but if you are under forty, impatient, training to be a fighter, or you want to quickly strengthen both internal and external then it's best to start with Qigong For Upper Body and Lower Body. Why? Because it means you will stay on target as you see and feel results  rapidly. 

Regardless of what you want, it's best to train 5 - 6 days a week. If you want rapid change then do kung fu in the morning and Qigong in the evening. Remember, you don't need to do all of the Qigong DVD, take a section, just fifteen minutes of Qigong is enough for you to feel the benefit. Alternate between Qigong For Upper Body and Qigong For Lower Body to balance your body. 

It's the same with the circuit training and bootcamp, unlike the Shaolin workouts, you don't need to learn them before moving onto the next DVD, keep surprising your body by changing your workout. Don't worry that your movements aren't 100% correct, as you keep working out, you will slowly slowly begin to perfect the kicks, punches and forms and at the same time you will gain exceptional stamina. 

Having a clear plan gives you a clear workout and keeps you on the path of The Shaolin Warrior.  

For more information on Shifu Yan Lei and his DVDs, please visit: www.shifuyanlei.com

Mint Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Dry:

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

2 tbsp. coconut flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Wet:

1 chia egg (1 tbsp. ground or whole chia seeds + 3 tbsp. water)

1 small banana, mashed

1/3 cup almond milk

Mint:

1 tsp. matcha green tea powder

½ tsp. wheatgrass powder

A few drops of peppermint oil or extract (adjust amount according to strength and preference)

Chocolate Chip:

½ tbsp. cacao or carob powder

¼ Squarebar (optional) or ½ tbsp. cacao nibs

How to:
1. First, stir all the dry ingredients together with a fork, to make sure the baking powder is evenly incorporated into the batter. 
2. Prepare your chia egg by grinding your chia seeds either by hand or using a coffee grinder. You could leave them whole but then they’ll take longer to thicken so I prefer doing it this way. 
3. Mix the ground seeds with water, stir and leave to thicken.

4. Mash your (ripe!) banana, fold it into the flour mix along with the other wet ingredients and stir until no clumps remain. 
5. Transfer ½ of the mixture to another bowl, set that aside and mix the rest with the carob or cacao powder. If you want chocolate chips in your pancakes, fold in ¼ of a chopped Squarebar/ ½ tbsp. raw cacao nibs/ 1 tbsp. chopped dark chocolate.

6. In the other bowl, mix the other half of the batter with matcha powder, wheatgrass powder and peppermint extract. Now we have both our chocolate chip and our mint pancakes!

7. Fry the pancakes over medium to high heat for a couple of minutes on each side. Stack, drizzle with chocolate sauce (the one I used is just 1 tbsp chocolate peanut butter thinned out with a splash of almond milk) and add whatever toppings you want!

Minty-breath-kisses, Tilda ;)

Statins increase the risk of suicidal thoughts by 159%

This study was published in Crisis 2014 Jan 1;35(4):278-82

Study title and authors:
Lipophilic statin use and suicidal ideation in a sample of adults with mood disorders.

Davison KM, Kaplan BJ.
School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Health Science Program, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey, BC, Canada

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25113893

This study investigated the association between statins and suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts) in adults with mood disorders. The study included 97 patients, aged over 18 years.

The study found those taking statins had a 159% increased prevalence of suicidal ideation compared to those not taking statins.



Gluten-free (Sliceable) Pizza Crust

Though I’ve never been one for pizzas, I’ve caught myself craving one like crazy more than once these past few months (and no, I’m not pregnant), which got me thinking. What if I made a gluten-free pizza crust based on my recipe for buckwheat wraps? Hmm, that might actually work. So I grabbed my buckwheat flour, chia seeds, herbs, salt and almond milk and just played it by ear. Out came a crust that exceeded my highest expectations! And I'm only exaggerating a little!

First of all, it does not crumble into oblivion when you cut a slice, as I’ve heard many other gluten-free pizza crusts do. You can actually pick up a slice and eat it like that if you want to (although I prefer to roll them up and eat them like “pizza snails” hehe). Second of all, it’s super easy to make and doesn’t require a gazillion different ingredients. Lastly, it tastes pretty good, at least in my own, not-so-humble opinion. Let me now if you give it a try, I’d love to hear how this recipe works for other people than myself!

Gluten-free (Sliceable) Pizza Crust

Serves: 1

50g or about 1/3 cup buckwheat flour

1 chia egg (1 tbsp ground or whole chia seeds + 3 tbsp water)

4 tbsp almond milk

½ tsp psyllium husk (optional but recommended)

Salt and herbs of choice, such as dried oregano or basil

Toppings: A thick tomato sauce loaded with oregano, sliced mushrooms, aubergine, zucchini, bell peppers, artichokes, vegan cheese… it’s up to you!

How to:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 220C. 
2. In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients then whisk in the wet until they’re all evenly combined. 3. Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan (or a skillet with a drizzle of oil on the bottom*), to medium to high heat, pour in the runny "dough" and make a big circle using a spoon. Leave it thicker around the edges for an authentic pizza feeling.

5. Fry for 4-5 minutes or until it’s firm enough to move from the pan, then transfer the crust onto a lined baking tray. 
6. Brush the crust with a bit of oil if you want to (I didn’t but this can prevent soggy bottoms). Spoon on the tomato sauce and desired toppings, then bake the pizza in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

Slice it up, sprinkle generously with nutritional yeast and eat to your heart’s content!

*Note: I have not tried frying the crust in a normal frying pan but I’m sure it’d work just as well as long as you have enough oil in there! It might burn quicker so make sure to watch it carefully and turn down the heat if you must.

Love, Tilda