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I proposed a few weeks ago that Sugar needs to be defended rather than simply vilified. But then I explained how “She” is being held increasingly responsible by some very credible sources for some of the most serious health problems we live with and die from like diabetes and heart disease, internal inflammation and even cancer. So how can we enjoy her joyful personality in our lives without getting burned by her dark side? I suggest that we take a more honest and careful assessment of how much she is already in our lives and then work out a healthier relationship. We can enjoy her sometimes, but for most of us she is like a guest who has been invited over just a bit too much. It”™s time to draw some healthy boundaries for the good of all.

Last week I gave you some ideas for healthier drinks, so today let”™s talk about breakfast. It”™s kind of a sweet meal anyhow because we seem to like simple carbohydrates like fruit, pancakes, toast or cereal along with syrup or jam, presweetened oatmeal packets, concentrated fruit juices and boxed cereals like granola. Many servings of these things end up using most or all of the sugar we should eat in an whole day! If you throw in some sweetened yogurt or a fruit shake, then sociable Sugar easily becomes the VIP. But your palette craves excitement she provides, so satisfy it instead with a interesting variety of other flavors. Here are a few ideas that work at Orange Tree Lane.

– YOGURT Buy unsweetened yogurt and add a teaspoon of mineral rich honey. Top with natural and nutritious sweeteners like raisins and dates along with omega 3 rich walnuts. If you really like fruit flavors like strawberry and blueberry, then add it fresh. Cinnamon is great here sprinkled on top and has great nutritent qualities of its own.

– PANCAKES Replace syrup with fresh fruit, cinnamon, apple sauce or molasses. It”™s still a great compromise if you add just a few teaspoons of maple syrup forthat great flavor.

– OATMEAL Instead of sugar-soaked oatmeal, dress it up with the same things like nutritious honey and fresh fruit, but it is particularly good with the addition of dried fruit such as raisins and nuts like almonds, sunflower seeds or walnuts.

– JUICE Replace fruit juices with fresh fruit”¦ always. The juice has an incredible amount of sugar without any fiber to slow it down, and this leads to a destructive spike in our blood insulin levels. I buy juice for company only and end up making it into soda with sparkling water, or if we do squeeze some OTL oranges I cut the juice by 50% with water. Usually though, I just cut them in wedges and put them on the table.

– EGGS Plan ahead and make the time to cook some Sugar-free eggs. Setting the alarm 10 minutes earlier gives you plenty of time to chop some flavor like parsley, cilantro, mushrooms, avocado, or whatever you like to make the eggs interesting and different. Sometimes I add just a few teaspoons of salsa and then mash some black beans with the back of a fork in the egg pan and sprinkle with cumin and garlic salt. I spread the beans on a plate, top with the flavorful eggs and a bit of cheese. That particular breakfast keeps me full for hours!

We have to kick Sugar out of snacks too and save her for that special dessert later on.

– Say no to sugary drinks and find alternatives like the ones I mentioned last week.

-Snack on whole fruits, and put your munchie urge to work consuming vegetables instead of empty sugar calories. One of my favorites is English cucumber dipped in hummus, and red bell peppers, cherry tomaotes or carrots will take the power out of your urge for something sweet.

I know its not what we are used to, but it is possible to transition into new, healthy habits that eventually become your new normal! And if you have kids they can learn too. I”™ve been cutting these kinds of things up and leaving them on the counter for years and they always disappear.

Cooking your own food will greatly reduce your sugar intake because processed foods use it constantly to add flavor. I hope this discussion gets you thinking about how often my/our friend Sugar is actually your guest when you don’t even realize it. I also hope that you are encouraged to find healthy ways to satisfy that sweet tooth. Sugar mingles great at a party, livens it up for everyone and you can count on her to put a smile on every face so it is hard to close the door on her completely. With that in mind, I believe we can all figure out how to create and maintain a healthier relationship with this sweet friend by making her a special treat rather than a constant companion.

My youngest promoted from junior high school today”¦on to the big leagues now! He”™s not one to make anything in the kitchen because he never needs to, but he just now asked me where the sugar is. Is he making cookies because I haven”™t made anything sweet while writing these blogs and he”™s getting desperate? (I may need to work on the that happy balance thing.) Or could it be sister”™s birthday in a few days, and she always makes something sweet as a gift for her brothers? Are you even considered a year older if you didn”™t eat sugar at some point to celebrate? Then there are the cravings. Late afternoons are dangerous times for me, and if I haven”™t eaten enough in the day, LOOK OUT! As I ramble on about Sugar and me, why don’t you take a moment to contemplate your own relationship?

TAKE STOCK
With the current escalation of obesity and metabolic syndrome ushering in higher incidence of heart disease and diabetes among all of us, I think it is a question worth asking. Like anything else, the issue is not simple because some aspects of it are not so straight forward. The first line of defense is to take stock of where sugar is hiding in your current menu. Keep in mind that 3-9 teaspoons a day is considered healthy and safe depending on your age and size:

Sweetened iced tea drink- 14 teaspoons
12 oz. soda- 10 teaspoons
12 oz. sports drink- 9 teaspoons
packaged marinara sauce- 2 ½ teaspoons in ½ cup
1 cup granola- 6 teaspoons
protein bar- almost 4 teaspoons (1)

HIDING!
This list just scratches the surface, but what you might notice is that the foods hiding sugar are not sweets and treats, but generally considered healthy parts of a breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. Unlike desserts which are almost completely nutrient deficient, these things will have nutrients you need, but the sugar that comes along with them just keeps adding up. The high fructose content of processed sugar in all of its various forms must be metabolized in the liver, and remember how the liver quickly converts it to fat. The ball starts rolling downhill and won”™t stop until we find a healthy balance.

One thing I have made great efforts to do is to get sugar out of things that aren”™t considered dessert, and even then I cut it back as far as I can. Making your own food is an important component to banning sugar because it gives you control over the contents. Let”™s just look at the list above and consider some sugar free alternatives.

DRINKS
The numbers above for tea, soda and sports drinks show how drinking sugar is a very fast way to get volumes of it into your body. Instead of opening a can or bottle for refreshment, try floating a mint tea bag in water for a few minutes and stir in a few drops of liquid stevia for lightly flavored and sweetened, nourishing water instead. You will be amazed at how fast this goes down! Or for iced tea float some tea bags and honey with water in a glass container and set it in the sun for a few hours. Honey is an added sugar, but is metabolized more slowly, it has nutrients, and you can control the amount. At Orange Tree Lane fizzy drinks are a rare treat, and I make it myself with fruit juice, sparkling water and a few drops of liquid stevia. Gone are all those chemicals I can”™t pronounce and the 10 teaspoons of sugar going straight to my liver!

Try my Phyto Iced Tea for a delicious honey, ginger and phytonutrient rich green tea refresher and let me know your own ideas for getting sugar out of drinks. Next week I will problem solve some more about getting sugar out of breakfast other meals and snacks.

(1) http://www.kitchendaily.com/2011/06/07/food-lies-10-healthy-foods-with-hidden-sugar/

(Salvation Army serves donuts to troops in the field WW1.)

What better day than National Donut Day, first day of June, to finish what I started last week in defense of my friend Sugar? She is apparently your friend too. From 1915 to 1980 the average daily consumption of sugar rose from 15 to 75 pounds of sugar. Fast forward early 2000s, Americans added 15 pounds making it 90 lbs. of sugar annually (while other reports cite 150 lbs.) In that same time obesity more than doubled from 1 in 7 to 1 in 3 Americans, and incidence of diabetes did the same going from 6 million to 14 million. One study claims that as of 2011 we are now consuming 20 teaspoons (77 grams) each day, and that is without the natural sugars found in fruit, vegetables and milk counted in! That is double or triple the USDA recommendation depending on your age. (1) Is this just the sweet fellowship of Sugar and her adoring social circle, or is there a sinister undertone we would be wise to take a look at?

Look at, yes. Dr. Robert Lustig, professor of clinical pediatrics at UC San Francisco calls Sugar “toxic”. That word means something like poison, meaning it will either bring you to your knees in sickness or kill you straight out. An overabundance of sugar causes high blood sugar, high blood pressure and resistance to the work of insulin in the body, or all of these together called Metabolic Syndrome. Insulin is what your body uses to get sugar out of the blood and into the cells to be stored or used as energy. If insulin is resisted, your pancreas just sends more insulin. Is that a bad thing?

Yes, it”™s kind of like the domino effect. Large amounts of fructose, the kind of sugar found in sweetened drinks and desserts, which can only be metabolized in the liver, become stored as fat in the body and in the liver, which leads to Metabolic Syndrome. This syndrome has been shown to lead to heart attack and diabetes. If those two don”™t get you there is always the insulin-resistance. More insulin in the blood has been linked to internal inflammation and the growth of tumors, as well as feeding the growth of pre-cancerous cells. (3)(4) (5)

Though there is debate between researchers about exactly what precedes what in the whole plummet, numbers speak for themselves. The consumption of high fructose corn syrup skyrocketed 1,000% between 1970 and 1990, and was “mirrored” by the rise of the current obesity epidemic. (7) It is the sole sweetener of soft drinks , which is 36% of the added sugar in the American diet, followed by store bought desserts, sugar-sweetened fruit drinks, dairy desserts and candy. One can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar. (8)

The USDA recommendation for maximum healthy intake of daily sugar is:
-6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women
-9 for men
-3-5 for children
-up to 8 teaspoons for teens. (8)

Sweetened drinks allow for an enormous amount of sugar to be consumed in a short amount of time, but it is hidden in other places you might not expect.
A California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Salad has about 11 teaspoons, as well as Jamba Juice Blackberry Bliss and one Sprinkles Red Velvet cupcake. Subway 6″ Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich 4 teaspoons, and Vitamin Water 20 oz. bottle 8 teaspoons. A Crispy Crème donut has 2 1/2 teaspoons while “healthy” Yoplait yogurt has almost 7! More than 14 teaspoons lurk in a Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccino Grande and a small bowl of Fruit Loops cereal has 3. (9) You can see how easy it is to double, triple or even quadruple the recommended daily amount without ever realizing you were consuming so much sugar.

I know I sang the sugar blues today instead of fully exonerating my friend, but I wanted you to know first why everyone is so mad at her. I will deliver on her defense next week with lots of ideas for enjoying her sparkling personality without getting blind sided by her sinister dark side. If you are starting to home cook more of your own meals then you are well on our way. Try Yummy, Healthy Pancakes Sans Syrup for a great alternative to a normally sugar soaked dish.

(1) (2) http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/14/health/la-he-sugar-20120414
(3) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all
(4) http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/hnf/hnf_6037.htm
(5) http://www.yalescientific.org/2011/04/research-links-sugar-consumption-fat-production-and-diabetes/
(6) http://www.livestrong.com/article/517986-the-recommended-amount-of-sugar-to-be-consumed-per-day/
(7) http://www.ajcn.org/content/79/4/537.full
(8) http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/Chapter3.pdf
(9) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/darya-pino/shocking-sugar-content-of_b_514879.html

I”™ve been surprised by how much I don”™t want to say anything bad about my dear old friend Sugar. Come to think of it, no one else has been at all 46 or my birthday parties, and then all the other milestones of life too like baby showers, graduations or anniversaries. At my wedding reception I had her elegantly adorned with fresh flowers and set up at her own table because she makes everything so much more fun. I have warm memories of other sweet times together, like eating an old fashioned donut after a miserable night in a wet sleeping bag, or the joy of a chocolate dipped ice cream cone with my kids after a long motorcycle ride. She”™s earned a special place in my heart because of all the happy memories we share. So how can I find fault?

As only true affection can do, I am fairly oblivious to her spit personality. For instance, her personality Fructose comes out in full force when she is hanging out in table sugar (sucrose), honey, molasses, fruit, root vegetables, and plants like sugar cane, sugar beets and corn. Though her alter ego Glucose is still present, Fructose is the dominant one in those settings. As Fructose she goes straight to the small intestines, then takes a ride to the Liver Spa where she has a makeover into an energy source that can be used for energy (glycogen) whenever she is needed. (1) See why I love her?

Her altar personality Glucose, on the other hand, is more dominant when she is hanging out with the whole grains in bread, pasta, rice, or quinoa, vegetables, and anything made from milk. Again, Fructose might still be there but it”™s not the one you’re talking to. When she is in this condition she skips the Liverspa and goes straight to the muscle tissues to be stored in a usable energy source (glycogen), or she is used right away.

Either way, you get my point that she is extremely helpful and generous with her time and energy”¦an all around good sport in every way. Then why is this little sweetie being blamed for the fall of the industrialized world, or at least its health, by single handedly expanding its waistline to deadly proportions? Why is what is meant for good being demonized as something evil, and is she getting to you? Personally, I am too loyal and indebted to turn my back on her completely, but I have to admit that she sometimes has more personality than you might expect behind her sugar-coated veneer. And sometimes that personality can get a little bit scary to tell you the truth.

I”™ll finish next week with the accusations made against her, and how to still enjoy her delightful company without allowing things to get out hand, or turn sideways as you might say. One thing I will say is that she is always so much nicer in the presence of Fiber”¦they seem to balance each other out. See them do this for yourself in this weeks recipe Pineapple Parfait.

Another recipe I absolutely adore is Vegapizza. I know, it”™s a little different than the usual pizza, but I promise that all of my die hard carnivores ate it at first warily, and then inhaled it very happily. The fish recipes, well they pair to save time and are such a wonderful source of healthy protein.

So tune in next week as I exonerate my dear old friend and show you that even though there are mountains of evidence stacked against her, a large portion of the blame most certainly belongs somewhere else.

(1) http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa14.htm

My eyes flew open before the alarm this morning because I had “so much to do” in so little time; robe and slippers, plug the waffle maker in for birthday waffles, chicken and mustard out for sandwiches, clean a few dishes, inhale food, birthday kisses, oops I”™m giving you a ride to school I forgot, teeth, hair, face, clothes, clutching jewelry in one hand and a cup of water in the other while running to the car”¦what a relief to finally pull into the employee parking lot! Do you ever have mornings like that? I thought so. No matter how busy, there is one thing I almost NEVER do, and that is skip breakfast.

There is a very good reason for that. If I wanted to simplify my mornings I”™m sure I could because the body is like a puppy; it adjusts to a routine. But I happen to know that skipping food in the morning will work against my desire to be able to eat plenty of good food without carrying around extra weight.

BASAL METABOLIC RATE
Here”™s what I mean. We all came from the womb with a basal metabolic rate, meaning how many calories I burn while sitting here in front of the computer compared to my ultra skinny friend doing the same thing at her house. While resting I may only burn 50 calories per hour while she uses 70 doing the exact same nothing. This is not fair I know, so this is when you resort to manipulation.

FAT CONSERVATION- OH NO!
You see, the human body is really into self preservation, with or without your cooperation. When I go all night without food and then all morning too, panic mode sets in and the brain sends messages out demanding conservation of stored calories (fat). This translates into a slower metabolism with increased insulin causing fat to be carefully horded and stored here, there, and everywhere rather than burned. (1) Heck no, that’s the wrong way to go!

“Breakfast triggers a process called thermogenesis, where the body signals the brain to activate the metabolic process of turning food into energy,” said Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution. (2) So to get my metabolism jump started and running at a higher rate all day long I eat a hearty breakfast, or at least something without fail.

But for those busy mornings when eggs, toast and fruit just aren”™t gong to happen, make sure you have something in the freezer to warm up and eat on the run rather than skip eating altogether. This week”™s menu lists Berry Breakfast Muffins that are full of fresh fruit, whole grain flour, heart healthy olive and very little sugar. In fact, if you want to use liquid stevia, a low glycemic index sweetener, then you can cut the sugar down to ½ cup for 12 muffins. Either way, keep some of these handy for a healthy morning jump start when you run out of time to eat a big breakfast.

You will also love the 7 Layer Salad and the GreenTandoori Chicken Salad with meal extension ideas added to save time.

When getting yourself and everyone else going in the morning, don’t forget about jump starting your metabolism!

(1) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119
(2) http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/14/faster-metabolism-at-any-age/#ixzz1vBsB4UpR

Let’s play a guessing game. There is a fruit dripping with the sweetest tasting of all anti-oxidants. In days past a sailor returned safely home would place this fruit on the front porch as a symbol of welcome and celebration. Fashionable hostesses would serve this exotic fruit or display it prominently as a kind of status symbol, and eventually its form worked its way into the decorative carvings on furniture or in fabric designs. Any ideas? The best part about it is that 1 cup provides 131% of the vitamin C you will need for the whole day. (1) The free radicals which damage cellular DNA, causing cancerous tumors and premature aging now start to run for their lives, and all the while you just sit there chewing with a smile on your face because this fruit is better than any sweet treat around!

That last clue about the furniture probably gave the royal pineapple away because we certainly don’t see bananas and strawberries carved in wood very often. What used to be so exotic and difficult to acquire is now yours for the taking now that it is in season and so reasonably priced. I have enjoyed a few of them lately and I’ve found its hard to stop eating them because they are so good, and especially when fresh like they are now.

Another wonderful benefit of pineapple is the imbedded enzyme bromelain. This enzyme is useful for digesting protein, and can even be purchased as a supplement for that very reason. I’ve used it myself after a meal and it provided instant comfort.

This week the Almond Crusted Chicken was as delicious and moist as ever , and I served it with fresh cut pineapple and broccoli rabe simmered in broth and seasoned with butter, onions and a healthy dose of cheesy tasting nutritional yeast. That was a surprise hit by the way.

Since the recipe is paired, I had plenty of delicious chicken left over for amazing tacos, and even more to slice thin and put in sandwiches for lunches. Pineapple can be found in the two side dishes Tropical Fruit Salad or Spring Slaw. I hope you will try using the menu and shopping list provided on the site because it is so amazingly convenient to print it out, buy all you need from the organized list, and then have it ready for whenever you choose to make it. Using a paired recipe like the chicken this week is another efficient time saver.

If you’re in the neighborhood and see a pineapple on the front porch, come on in and stay awhile. Since I saved so much time using the handy Orange Tree Lane menu and shopping list, I might just make you cup of tea while dinner is baking.

(1) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=34

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither Orange Tree Lane or any of its affiliates take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

She was suddenly just there in the gray morning mist, moving down the sidewalk pushing a wiry cart in front of her and dragging an uncooperative foot behind her. One glance showed that she was a middle-aged woman like me, but in a state of dry and twisted disrepair. Her body was like pieces of straw tightly bound together for arms and legs, and the gray morning had worked its way into the skin of her toothless concave face. The brokenness of her life seemed to dictate the fragmented rhythm off her movements; the neck jerking her head about like a chicken pecking at scratch, arms and knees pummeling the air with and exertion completely unnecessary for a slow morning walk.

She found rest down the street on a bench provided by the city, most likely for visitors to stop and contemplate their next move. But this city dweller pulled out a large plastic trash bag instead and snapped it open with a grand flourish. What had been a street bench became a gracious bed on which to carefully lay out and examine a pile of garments taken from the depths of her cart. Like a well trained clerk she smoothed them our with her whisk broom hands one by one, whipped them into a fold again and repacked her newly plastic lined cart. If a magic wand could give her beautiful skin and clothes and hair and teeth, and a little grace, there is no doubt that she could easily maintain a pile of expensive sweaters on any stylish display table.

With the job done and treasures safely tucked away from threatening sky, this street side boutique transformed into a kitchen table in the special way reserved only for those who live outside. Whatever she inhaled from the old pizza box took only minutes to mash with her gums, and then the event was over. As she thanked the cook and started to limp away I wondered… where did she collect this broken mind, broken body, this broken life? Was she ever a sweet 5 year old like the cherubs at school where I work? When did the splintering in her life begin?

On the outside her appearance and manner are the stock photo for “crazy homeless woman”, but inside and underneath it all she has a name like I do, yet shrouded in an unreachable and unknowable history. It seemed that fate had tossed her about where it would like the beating of ocean waves, and then spit her out on the sidewalk to dry in the sun.

Though I wish sometimes that the waves of my life would always be like slick glass for perpetual smooth sailing, I”™m reminded by Straw Woman that there is so much I have neglected to be thankful for.

This week, just something to think about,

PS- You know I’m ahead of you by one week in using the menus, so be warned that the fish goes quick! I was so looking forward to those delicious fish tacos but my carnivores took care of it all in one setting. I had to defrost a roast. The Minestrone Soup was delightfully simple as always, but this time I added canned, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, more basil and lots of oregano. I usually always put in a lot of nutritional yeast, but this time I kind of wished I had kept the chicken broth clear. And finally, we loved the Chocolate No-Bake Cookies, but I decided to reduce the sugar by almost half and I wouldn’t be so drastic next time. In fact, I might still reduce the sugar almost as much but I will definitely add some sweet dates, some liquid stevia, and maybe even a few chocolate chips. These super simple cookies are a very fun way to get more fiber in your diet for sure!

It’s getting personal. I ran into an old friend, an old neighbor, and found out that a mutual friend in his mid fifties died suddenly and unexpectantly of a stroke last year. I can still picture the last time I saw him, which was about that long ago… his fit and trim form, talking about how proud he was of his kids and happy with a great job. He certainly didn’t look like a potential stroke victim, but then again, what does one look like?

HIDDEN PROBLEM
Unfortunately it can look just like him, not overweight, active, with normal cholesterol level and blood pressure. (1) You might think that plaque build up in the heart is kind of like our kitchen sink, accumulating waste and narrowing the passage way until one day, boom, the last straw falls into place and there is complete stoppage.

FAT DEPOSITS TRIGGERED BY INFLAMMATION
Not so, as science has now discovered that the arterial wall is more like an onion with many, fibrous layers. Cholesterol and fatty deposits collect beneath the surface in the lining of the artery. Low grade, internal inflammation causes these otherwise benign fatty deposits to rupture, and that rupture is what causes blockage and stroke. “Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and remains the third cause of death in developed countries”. (2)

We all want to walk our children down the aisle on their weddings, or complete other works entrusted to us, so what positive actions can we take now to reduce internal inflammation?

DOCTORS CHECK CRP LEVELS
First of all, your doctor can do a blood test checking for inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) to determine if you currently have elevated levels of inflammation. President Bush was the first president to have this recently discovered marker checked, but you may need to ask for it if you want to know about your own condition.

THE TREE AMIGOS- EPA, DHA, ALA
Vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean and canola are made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids with a double bond in the 6th position from the end, or omega-6. This kind of oil found in food products all around us promotes inflammation because it is consumed in enormous and unnatural quantities.

Omega-3, on the other hand, supresses and counteracts its dirty deeds, competing robustly for positioning in cell membranes and actively combating its inflammatory work. (3) The two most beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, are found abundantly in shellfish and fish like the cod pictured in the recent Orange Tree Lane recipe.
The third omega-3 fatty acid ALA can be found in a few plants like flax and walnuts, and can be converted within to the other two fatty acids in small amounts. (4)

EPA MERCURY ADVISORY
A daily dose of purified fish oil is a great way to get your omega-3 fatty acids without the danger of ingesting unsafe levels of mercury. (See fish consumption advisory from EPA below.)

ACTION TIME!
Why don’t you make the latest Orange Tree Lane fish recipe with Chocolate Flax Cookies for dessert after you get back from the store purchasing your omega-3 supplement pills or liquid, and you will be on your way!

I know its hard to change old habits, or to get new ones. To help us here at Orange Tree Lane I bought some glass containers with lids which look fine on the breakfast table. They are filled with omega 3 supplements and are easy to reach for during a meal. I also have some delicious, lemon flavored fish oil in the refrigerator which I bring out at breakfast for those who prefer it.

EPA Advisory:
1- Avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish (also known as golden bass or golden snapper);
2- Limit consumption of all other types of fish to 12 ounces per week
3- Limit their consumption of canned albacore (“white”) tuna or fresh tuna to no more than 6 ounces per week;
4- Limit the fish eaten by young children to even smaller portions per week (no specific advice is given);
5- Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught in local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat no more than 6 ounces per week of locally caught fish, and do not consume any other fish during that week;
6- If more than the recommended amount of fish is eaten in one week, eat less in the following weeks. (5)

(1) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_2_67/ai_n8692211/(2) http://www.cardiovascular-medicine.ch/pdf/2009/2009-05/2009-05-077.PDF(3) & (4) http://www.fatsoflife.com/inflammation-and-the-immune-system.php (5) http://www.center4research.org/2010/03/can-eating-fish-be-dangerous-the-facts-about-methylmercury

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither Orange Tree Lane or any of its affiliates take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

I could easily be a vegetarian, but I cook for some hard core carnivores so red meat once or twice a week is my compromise. It’s not usually my favorite night for dinner, but I didn’t remember how good the Rubbed Steak with Polenta was until I tried it again this year. It’s so good and simple to make that I’m going to make it for dinner guests next time!

This week enchiladas sounded really good so I entered “enchiladas” in the search bar on the recipe page and then picked one of the recipes that came up so I could improve and include it in the weekly menu. I ended up making some improvements to the Easy Beef and Kale Enchiladas that I hope you will like, one of them being the option to use chicken. BTW I’ve been wondering how to avoid buying $3.69 boxes of organic chicken broth and was so excited to try something new that worked. I bought my first $16 organic, whole fryer chicken and boiled it in a HUGE soup pot full of water and vegetables for flavor. I hour later I had 4 generous cups of organic cooked chicken and 5 quarts of the same kind of amazingly delicious broth. A rotiserie chicken plus 5 qts. of organic broth would be $25, so I just made $9!

Whether you eat chicken or beef, do you know the hidden treasure of vitamin B12 found in all meat and in meat products like eggs and milk? See why Sprouts grocery store even offers occasional B12 shots to its customers for “more energy”.

B12 HELPS DISTRIBUTE OXYGEN
If you”™ve done any fast running lately, then the direct connection between energy and oxygen is probably pretty clear in your mind. B12’s contribution is multi-faceted, but one way it sustains life is by the crucial role it plays in the distribution of oxygen throughout the body, and that comes in pretty handy on a run or walk. You basically don’t move without oxygen.

OXYGEN TRAIL
Let”™s think about the last time we sprinted and then follow the oxygen trail backwards. Oxygen is sucked into the lungs through our gaping mouth. Oxygen is met there by red blood cells which have iron-rich hemoglobin within. “Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body…”(1) That of course is where you need the oxygen for energy in the muscles. Red blood cells need to be constantly replaced, and that cannot happen without iron, vitamin B12, folate and other nutrients. In other words, vitamin B12 is crucial to the manufacture of red blood cells. Anemia is the absence of a sufficient number of red blood cells, meaning less oxygen in the blood, and therefore problems like loss of energy. (2) Basically, vitamin B12 is a part of who we are down to the very core.

WHERE TO FIND B12
You will be happy to know that a vitamin B12 deficiency is hard to find where people have access to meat and animal products. The recommended daily intake is 2.4 mcg (micrograms) for adults, and about half of that for young children. (3) You might be interested in the stats below:

Beef Liver (1 slice) 48 mcg
Clams (3 oz.) 34.2 mcg
Top Sirloin (3 oz.) 2.4 mcg
Cheeseburger (double patty) 1.9 mcg
Fortified breakfast cereal 25% of DV 1.5 mcg
Milk (1 cup) 0.9 mcg
Egg 0.6 mcg
Chicken Breast (1/2) 0.3 mcg

STORES IN LIVER
All sources are obviously not B12 equal, but more good news is that this particular water soluble vitamin can be stored in the liver for a very long time. Therefore, you could eat one slice of liver and be good to go for awhile. Ok, maybe that won’t happen, but at least you can see from the chart where to to get what you need.

Time is up for this week, so we”™ll look in a future Weekly Special at how protein depends on B12 for the growth and repair of cells, what part it plays in keeping a healthy nervous system, or how it affects the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats in the body. (4)

You will love the perfectly spiced Rubbed Flank w/ Polenta which pairs with F.L.T. Sandwiches to save you time. Our bean balance is accomplished with super easy and filling Lemon Lentil Stew w/ Spinach. And don’t neglect to try the much lower fat Asparagus Guacamole and Carrot Cake…two things you will want to make more than once.

Be sure to get the daily B12 you need, especially if you aren’t an enthusiastic meat eater like me. I hope you like the beef and chicken recipes posted this week as much as we all did here at Orange Tree Lane!

(1) & (2) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/anemia/DS00321/DSECTION=causes
(3) http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12/
(4) http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=107

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither Orange Tree Lane or any of its affiliates take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

One of the Orange Tree taste testers is loathe to clean their room. I’m sure your kids keep their personal space neat and tidy, but this one of mine has a room that looks like the drier exploded right in the middle of the floor…always. Trust me, I’ve tried it all, especially the nagging. In all honesty, that same feeling I get when nagging about the mess is something I feel sometimes when writing about nutrition. We all want a beautiful, organized and well synchronized body, but its that darned cleaning up that takes more effort than we care to give most days. So forgive me if I make you feel like sloppy teenagers by constantly bringing up the “needs” we all have to change what we eat, but I want that room clean, and we all want great health!

Speaking of teenagers… one taste tester friend came over the other day, opened the refrigerator door and just stood there staring. When questioned about this strange behavior the answer was, “I’ve just never seen a refrigerator like yours before!” She must have been talking about the food inside because the appliance itself is nothing special. And it must have been close to my big weekly shopping day because then you will find bags of fresh produce stuffed here and there on every shelf. I imagine the difference she was seeing was food that was going to be chopped and cooked vs. the already processed.

So why do it? Who wants to spend time in a kitchen chopping produce? Used to be I would have replied “NOT ME!” right away in answer to that question. But as the years go by and I read over and over again the incredible value of fresh food, and the unfortunate loss of nutritional value in processed food, well, I’ve changed. I had to start by forcing myself to become a cutter and chopper, but in the end I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my new, healthy habit. I’ve overcome my cutting board blues, and here are a few things I did and still do to keep my perspective positive.

1- QUALITY CONTROL- I know I’m on the right track when I’m using it daily. No cutting board in meal prep usually means we are eating just carbs and protein, and though they are good for us, everything must be in balance with plenty of fresh vegetables!

2- CONVENIENCE- I purchased a good sized board that has turned out to be very handy for getting things ready. I’ll pull together all of the things I’m going cut, and then as I cut and chop I leave the piles next to each other on the board until it is full. Then I bring the board over to the stove and grab each item as I need it for the recipe.

3- FUN FACTOR- I love things that catch my artistic eye, so my cutting board is an interesting checkerboard pattern of different wood grains. I know it was a bit more of an investment, but it has paid itself off many times over with how much I enjoy looking at it. Maybe it helps me in the “getting it out” process too.

4- FUN FACTOR- Music can make the whole cutting event more fun too. Before I do anything I’ll go turn something on that I like, pull up my sleeves, and get ready to do something good for my family.

It is possible to change! A friend of mine told me the other day that even though her family has never eaten that tough leafy free stuff before (like collard greens and kale), now that they have found some tasty ways to eat it they like it and she has been cooking it for the first time. Did I mention that her kids are now in college and that she has been cooking meals regularly for at least a quarter of a century? (Sorry friend if that makes you feel old!) It’s never too late to start, and getting to be friends rather than enemies with your cutting board is the first step.

In the menu this week your knife will be a blur cutting up fresh broccoli, kale and carrots for Vegetable Chicken Pasta, and kale, mushrooms and tomatoes for Beef and Bean Pie. There are also a few fun ways to use bananas; to replace some of the butter in Vegan Chocolate Chip cookies, and then tossed with a delicate coating of cocoa powder and sugar for a fruitful dessert on their own.

Let me know you thoughts and happy chopping! Does anyone have advice about teenagers and messy rooms?