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Showing posts from November 14, 2019

The Friday 5

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Hi and happy Friday! Did this week feel like a realllllly long week to anyone else? Holy cow… on Wednesday, I seriously thought it was Thursday… and then I woke up on Thursday morning thinking it was Friday. Well, we finally made it, and I’m so thankful. This is actually our last “boring” weekend before the craziness of the holiday season kicks off. We’re booked straight through the new year with festivities and fun, and I seriously can’t wait for all of it to start! 🙂 In today’s edition of the Friday 5, I’m sharing 5 things I’m loving lately including a new sports bra find, Quinn’s cool bento box, my latest Amazon obsession, and a new TV show we’re loving! Happy weekending, friends! 1. Hylete Sports Bra I’m digging this new olive green sports bra from Hylete. I’m super picky about sports bras, so I was surprised how supportive it was during a CrossFit workout. (The nice folks at Hylete sent it to me to try.) It’s super comfortable and very flattering (aka no uni-boob). Even tho...

Dear Mark: Homocysteine, Some Kefir Questions, and the Stress of Worrying

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For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering a bunch of questions from readers. The first one concerns another inflammatory marker, homocysteine. How could CRP be low but homocysteine be high? What could cause that? Next, I answer a barrage of kefir questions, including ones on kefir carb counts, pasteurized kefir, and water and coconut kefir. Finally, I address the elephant in the room: stressing out about your diet. Let’s go: How do Homocysteine levels figure in this equation? I have C-reactive protein under 1, but Homocysteine levels of 15, slightly high. Seems odd one so low and one a bit high. Both indicate elevated inflammation, but they can have different causes. There are many nutrient deficiencies and interactions that go into elevated homocysteine levels—that’s why they indicate inflammation. What are they? It all comes down to methionine. That’s the essential amino acid most abundant in muscle meats, the one most of you are getting a ton of if you’re eating a stand...

21 (More) Throw-Together Meals

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21 (More) Throw-Together Meals When I think about how I cook from week-to-week, it’s really basic and definitely not fancy like what you might see on recipe website or social media. Maybe I’ll make one new recipe each week, but, for the most part, I’m mostly cooking family favorites and simple throw-together meals. And, truthfully, most of which aren’t even “official” recipes. Even still, they are nutritious, delicious, and meals that we make again and again. Back in September, I shared 33 healthy throw-together meals , which went over really well with readers and email subscribers. So, I decided to share 21 (more) healthy throw-together meals for your menu in the coming weeks. When it comes to meal prep, I highly recommend picking 2-3 of these throw-together meals each week and then adding the ingredients to your grocery shopping list, so you’re always ready to “throw together” a quick meal. Be sure to save this email or bookmark the links to have on-h...

What’s the best way to stay hydrated? (And other news you should never believe)

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I was instantly suspicious when I saw this recent headline on a major news outlet: “Which drink is best for hydration? Hint: It isn’t water.” They reported the results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which found that milk, soda, and sports drinks are all MORE hydrating than water. Water was ranked down as 10th on the list. ( 1 )( 2 ) The first thing I did, was research who funded this study.  I always follow the money trail when reading something that goes against my common sense about food and promotes junk food or sodas as healthy options. As I wrote about in Feeding You Lies , a major way that the Big Food industry fools the public is with shady paid-for science, producing studies that are actually thinly veiled marketing ploys. They’re also really good at manipulating the media into reporting messages that support the processed food industry.  To suggest that sodas and sports drinks filled with high fructose syrup, artificial s...

Pumpkin On The Porch

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Remember when Pumpkin the cat hung out on my porch all the time!? Now I have a sweet little pumpkin baby plus some nice fall pumpkins AND a pumpkin yogurt parfait! Pumpkin or crab, he’s the cutest! Pumpkin Parfait This jar had layers of slightly sweetened pumpkin, greek yogurt, and granola. Almost as good as pie! Screened-in Porch Update On the topic of porches, the back porch is sporting some fresh white paint!! I am crossing fingers that Thomas will be able to install the screen tracks and railings this weekend. The shiplap against the house is still going up, and we’re not that close to be done but getting MUCH closer by the day! Birchie is still getting his upper teeth which made for a clingy week. I did a lot of baby back wearing. I can’t believe I never wore Mazen on my back! I have a great technique for getting him in the carrier from the couch so there is no risk of dropping him. I need to share this to IGTV ASAP! New Usborne Book Fav Birch is wild about this Wo...

Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

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This healthy sweet potato casserole is the perfect addition to any holiday table. Nobody will miss the marshmallows! I have to admit, I’ve never made the traditional version of this dish before, much… Read more → from The Gracious Pantry https://ift.tt/2NJ9gsm