Tag Archives: complex-carbs

Save Your Endothelial Cells

June 11, 2022Article, Health, Heart Health, Nutrition, Video, Weight Loss#fruits, #healthy lifestyle, #plantbased, #vegan, #vegetables, blood-flow, complex-carbs, healthy-heart, Nutrition, plant based # healthy cookingJerry Casados

Did you know that heart disease is our #1 killer? Yet, you can prevent and reverse heart disease by saving your Endothelial Cells.

“The truth is that cardiovascular disease needn’t ever exist. It’s absolutely a toothless paper tiger. But if it does exist, it needn’t ever progress, as long as you are willing to change completely to an oil-free plant-based diet” ~ Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn

The basic understanding we all need to accept is that with every meal of oil, dairy or meat we eat, within minutes, there is damage & injury to the “life jackets” of our vascular health–which is the single layer of endothelial cells that line all of our blood vessels. The endothelial cells produce the “magical gas” called nitric oxide which keeps our blood vessels relaxed, prevents our white blood cells & platelets from becoming sticky and prevents the growth of plaque–the dreaded “hardening of the arteries”.

And what can you eat to ensure that your endothelial cells will have the raw materials to produce this healing nitric oxide? Like beans & leafy greens. Load up on kale, collard, chard, bok choy & beans and you will be well on your way to healing the lining of your blood vessels.

On the positive side–as soon as we stop eating these damaging foods–the endothelial cells have the capacity for restoration. Switching to a whole food, plant-based diet trumps every other lifestyle modification you can make. It trumps exercise and it trumps stress management. Both are important–but diet is the trump card.

Switching to a plant-based diet even trumps the genetics card. As Esselstyn says, “Genetics only loads the gun–it’s diet that pulls the trigger.”

Reference: Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., from book: Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

Watch this short video on the Endothelial cells from The Plantrician Project:

NEW RESEARCH: Effects of 7 days on an ad libitum low-fat vegan diet

November 4, 2017Health, Nutrition#healthy lifestyle, #plantbased, #vegan, #vegetables, calorie-density, complex-carbs, diabetes, diet, healthy-weight, Nutrition, plant based # healthy cooking, weight-lossJerry Casados

The Nutrition Journal on October 14, 2014 published the results of 1,615 patients who attended the McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California.

I attended the McDougall 10-day Live-In Program in June 2007 so my results are included in the published results of 1,615 patients. I’m very proud I am one of the many success stories from Dr. McDougall’s program and grateful for all the work he does in the name health and wellness.

Important Medical Findings Achieved in Seven Days from Eating the McDougall Diet
• Average weight loss was 3.1 pounds while eating unrestricted amounts of food
• Average cholesterol reduction was 22 mg/dL
• An average decrease of 18/11 mmHg in blood pressure in patients with hypertension (140/90 or greater)
• Nearly 90% of patients were able to get off blood pressure and diabetic medications

Jacquie Says Goodbye to Diabetes with Engine 2 Diet

June 19, 2016Health, Nutrition#healthy lifestyle, #plantbased, #vegan, #vegetables, calorie-density, complex-carbs, healthy-weight, Nutrition, plant based # healthy cooking, type-2 diabetes, weight-lossJerry Casados

Filmed at a Whole Foods Market Engine 2 Immersion program. Jacquie with Rip Esselstyn.

An amazing story on what a plant-strong diet can do and quickly!

Watch video:

What is Calorie Density?

February 22, 2015Health, Weight Loss#healthy lifestyle, #plantbased, #vegan, #vegetables, calorie-density, complex-carbs, helthy-weight, Nutrition, plant based # healthy cooking, weight-lossJerry Casados

Calorie density is the simplest approach to healthful eating and lifelong weight management. This common sense approach to sound nutrition allows for lifelong weight management without hunger; more food for fewer calories, and is easy to understand and follow. In addition, by following the principles of calorie density, you will also increase the overall nutrient density of your diet. Nutrient dense foods give you the most nutrients for the fewest amount of calories. In other words, nutrient dense foods give you the “biggest bang for the buck.” You get lots of nutrients, and it doesn’t cost you much in terms of calories. The basic principles of calorie density are really quite simple.

Definition: Calorie density is simply a measure of how much energy (calories) is provided per unit measure of food. Usually expressed as calories per pound.

Example:
1 lb. of vegetables = 100 calories (approx.)
1 lb. of ground beef = 1000 calories (approx.) – regular ground not lean

Calorie dense foods, (high in calorie density) such as beef, chicken, refined sugars, provide many calories in a small amount of food and provide less nutrients than whole plant foods.

Foods with low calorie density — fruits, vegetables — provide fewer total calories and greater nutrition in a larger volume of food. Therefore, by following a diet lower in calorie density, one also automatically consumes a diet higher in nutrient density.

All Calories Are Not Equal !

The image below gives an excellent picture of what calorie density looks like and why when consuming foods high in calories density (on right side) i.e., the Standard American Diet (SAD)–which is mostly based on animal-based products and processed foods including vegetable oils–many Americans consume too many calories and are vitamin and mineral deficient.

As you can see foods low in calorie density fill the stomach (satiety) and the foods high in calorie density don’t fill the stomach. Just imagine how a person could consume many more calories in just one meal, easily adding hundreds more calories in just one meal because your stomach is not full. As you can see with the potatoes it is even overflowing because the stomach is full and when that happens your brain is sent a signal, via stomach stretch receptors, that you are full and you can’t eat anymore. With foods high in calorie density it is easier to overeat.

Summary
Calorie density really is a common-sense approach to sound nutrition and is the cornerstone of good health. It is the simplest way to lose and/or manage your weight for life; more food for fewer calories, and is easy to understand and follow. By following a few simple principles, you will increase the amount of food on your plate while decreasing your overall caloric intake, all without ever having to go hungry. At the same time, you will be optimizing your overall nutrient intake (vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, essential fats, etc.).

Studies have shown that diets based on low calorie density foods tend to be more healthy and effective for weight management. So, eat freely of unrefined, unprocessed fruits, veggies, starchy veggies, intact whole grains and legumes without the addition of salt, sugar and/or fat/oil and you will reap the benefits of a healthy nutrient-dense diet.

Low-Carb Diets

December 15, 2013Health#healthy lifestyle, #plantbased, #vegan, #vegetables, calorie-density, complex-carbs, helthy-weight, Nutrition, plant based # healthy cooking, weight-lossJerry Casados

Low-Carb Low Point

Source: pcrm.org

Despite the overwhelming evidence that low-carbohydrate eating is not beneficial, low-carb diets manage to resurrect themselves under different names and on the pages of new books—some desperately declaring new benefits. Whether the scheme is to eat like a caveman, avoid wheat, or eat lots of meat as dictated by your blood type, chances are the unfortunate result is a diet touting high intakes of animal products.

People who consume animal-based, low-carbohydrate diets have a shorter life expectancy, compared with those who consume more plant-based sources of protein or fat and compared with those who consume more carbohydrates, according to a new study published in The Lancet. Researchers combined data from the US-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and seven other multinational prospective studies and found that consuming less than 40 percent or greater than 70 percent of one’s calories from carbohydrate was associated with a higher risk for dying, compared with consuming between 50 and 55 percent of calories from carbohydrate. However, when carbohydrate sources were exchanged for animal-based protein or fat sources (chicken, beef, lamb, pork), the risk for death increased by 18 percent, compared with an 18 percent decreased risk for death when those substitutions were plant-based (nuts, whole-grain breads, and vegetables).

References

Seidelmann SB, Claggett B, Cheng S, et al. Dietary carbohydrate intake and mortality: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis. Lancet. Published online August 16, 2018.

Soy and Health

July 13, 2013Article# healthy cooking, #fruits, #healthy lifestyle, #plantbased, #vegan, #vegetables, complex-carbs, Nutrition, plant based, plant based nutrition, SoyJerry Casados

Soy is a staple in many diets that has recently become popular across the globe. Young soybeans, also called edamame, can be steamed and eaten right from their pods. Soybeans are also used to make other foods such as soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and miso, as well as soy meats and cheeses. Like most other plant foods, the healthiest soy foods are the least processed.
Yet while soy products have many health benefits, some people question their safety. Let’s look at what medical studies show.

Lower Risk of Breast Cancer
Research shows that women who consume soy are less likely to get breast cancer. One study found that women averaging one cup of soy milk or about one half cup of tofu daily have a 30% lower risk of developing breast cancer compared with women who eat little or no soy. This may be due in part to protective substances called isoflavones found in soy foods.

Read entire article…Soy-and-Health