Halloween Treats for Children with Autism!

The CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network released data in 2007 that found about 1 in 150 (8-year-old) children in multiple areas of the United States had an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The number of diagnosed cases of autism is on the rise; the reason(s) for this is unclear. Autism knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not appear to affect the chance of occurrence.

Fortunately, dietary changes can make a significant change in people with autism. Research is profound on the positive impact that a gluten and casein free diet can make on children with autism. Gluten and/or casein free diet has been implemented to reduce autistic behavior, in addition to special education, since the early eighties {Autism, Vol. 3, No. 1, 45-65 (1999)}. The scientific studies include both groups of participants as well as individuals, and beneficial results are reported; “reduction of autistic behavior, increased social and communicative skills, and reappearance of autistic traits after the diet has been broken, {Autism, Vol. 3, No. 1, 45-65 (1999)}. Researchers have found that psychoactive peptides from improperly digested casein (milk) or gluten-based (wheat) foods affect brain function in some individuals with autism. Many children who have problems with cow’s milk also react to soy protein, so try rice milk or almond milk in cooking, cereals, etc.

To increase the variety of foods a child with autism can consume, you need to know what foods that child is allergic or intolerant to, so that dietary restrictions are not made unnecessarily. Testing for food allergies by a doctor who specializes in that area and assessment of food intolerances by a Registered Dietitian through food records and denoted symptoms should be considered as part of medical testing. The lack of ability to detect hunger, food allergies, and/or food intolerance can impact eating issues and ultimately the child’s health.

According to occupational therapists who specialize in autism, strong flavors are essential to increase sensory arousal. Wake up the child's oral motor skills through mint, ginger, cayenne, chili powder, black pepper, lemon. Try adding mint extract to chocolate chip gluten free cookies, cook beans with some chili powder, make quinoa/corn/rice noodle based macaroni and cheese with a dash of cayenne pepper.

For Halloween put some strong flavors in with some ginger candy: Here's some gluten and casein free grocery items that are great for the trick or treat bag:

• "Let’s Do…Organic" Classic Gummi Bears Organic Candy- pre-packaged, great for giving away to the treaters
  
• The ginger People” Ginger Chews Original sweet-hot soft ginger candy.


• Crystallized Ginger Reed’s All Natural Ginger Candy.


• Stretch Island Fruit Co. The Original Fruit Leathers.


• “Yummy Earth” Organic Lollipops.
• Real Foods Organic Corn Thins Multigrain Gluten Free.
  
• Ian’s Cookie Buttons Crunchy Cinnamon (individual pouches).
  
  Whole Foods Kid-Friendly Gluten and Casein Free Grocery List:
  
  Beverages:
  Select Organic Green Tea/Ginger Root/Rose Hips, Traditional Medicinals – Organic Chamomile/Organic Golden Green Tea/Organic Peppermint/Organic Echinacea Elder, Inko’s White Tea Unsweetened Hint O’Mint, 100% Natural White Iced Tea, 365 Italian Sparkling Mineral Water, Organic 100% Pomegranate Juice not from concentrate, Metro Mint unsweetened peppermint water.
  
  Breads:
  Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse Muffins, Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Banana Bread, Sandwich Bread Food for Life Ezekiel Sprouted Corn Tortillas.
  
  Bulk Foods:
  Rice, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Dried Beans.
  
  Produce/Juices:
  Any fruit or vegetable, “Follow the Rainbow”, vary weekly and choose organic as much as possible (definitely choose organic for items that you’ll eat the skin or ones that have a large surface area, e.g., strawberries, apples, celery, grapes, peaches, potatoes, spinach, bell peppers, cherries, nectarines, pears, red raspberries, strawberries).
  Edamame (Soybeans) Ready to Eat In the Shell or Shelled (*When buying soy products select products with soy beans rather than soy protein concentrate or isolated soy protein).
  Juices in moderation, mix juices with 50% water, choose 100% juice, rather than sugar added. Ceres Juice, 365 Organic Apple Juice, Hansen’s Natural Multi-Vitamin Juice Awesome Apple, Naked Probiotic 100% Juice Smoothie (have half the bottle, 5 oz.).
  
  Whole Body:
  Barlean’s Forti-Flax Organic Cold-Milled Select Flaxseed, Spectrum Essentials Ground Flaxseed.
  
  Seasonings/Sweeteners/Spreads:
  The Spice Hunter Seasonings (Choose organic), Simply Organic Seasonings and extracts, Whole Pantry Organic Spices, 365 Organic Vanilla Extract, Organic Frontier Natural Flavors Alcohol Free Mint Flavor, Sweet Cactus Farms Organic Agave Nectar, Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave, Shady Maple Farms Organic Pure Maple Syrup, 365 Organic Maple Syrup, Rapadura Organic Whole Cane Sugar, Maranatha Organic Peanut Butter, Fiordifrutta 100% Organic Fruit Spread, 365/Maranatha Organic Almond Butter, Eden Organic Apple Butter Spread.
  
  Baking Products:
  Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Dreams Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, 365 Gluten Free Products: Cake Mix, Pizza Crust Mix, Pancake and Waffle Mix, All-Purpose Baking Mix, Corn Bread and Muffin Mix, Sandwich Bread Mix, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Mixes, Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Mixes, Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum (great gluten free zucchini bread recipe on the back), Scharffen Berger Natural Cocoa Powder (*Cocoa increases immunity!), 365 Chocolate Chips, Bob’s Red Mill brand powdered egg whites.
  
  Cereals: (Choose >5 gram fiber and <30>5 years)}:, Lightly Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts (common allergen: test if allergic to peanuts), Flavor Tree Snack Foods Deluxe Roasted Salted Mixed Nuts (No peanuts), Raw Sunflower Seeds, Raw Pistachio Nutmeats Halves and Pieces, Raw Pumpkin Seeds, Raw Almonds
  Raw Walnuts Halves and Pieces, Health Best All Raw Nuts & Seeds (except Brazil nuts, Cashews, and Macadamia – are too high in saturated fat), Health Best Dried Fruits (Choose unsulphered, and no sugar added), “Dr. Soy” Soy Nuts
  Pavich Organic Raisins, Whole Kids Organic Thompson Seedless Raisins
  Organic Dried Fruit Cranberries, Harvest Organic Hunza Dried Pomegranates
  Dried Blueberries Sweetened with Apple Juice, Stretch Island Fruit Leather 100% Fruit Snack.
  
  Recipes:
  
  ENERGIZER SHAKE!
  
  Ingredients:
  
  Powdered egg whites (available at Whole Foods, in the baking section, Bob’s Red Mill brand)
  1 small banana
  ½ cup strawberries
  1 cup frozen blueberries
  ½ cup fruit of your choice (e.g. frozen peaches, mixed berries, or cherries)
  ½ cup of rice yogurt
  4 cups of organic enriched rice milk
  Optional –for added fiber and omega-3 essential fatty acids, stir in a Tablespoon of ground flaxseed (try Spectrum Essentials organic ground flaxseed) to the cup you drink, so it doesn’t get rancid, you need to drink it right away.
  Directions: In a blender, put all ingredients together. If you like a thinner shake, add water and use less milk. Put the top on the blender, chop, blend, and whip. You’re all set for an energizing breakfast or snack. Add a small bowl of cereal {e.g., Puffins or Gluten Free Oats (Bob’s Red Mill)} with the shake for even more sustainable energy. Make this shake the night before, keep it in the blender and store it in the refrigerator. The next morning, just press whip, and you’ve got a quick and easy “on-the-go” energizer.
  
  Serving size: 1.5 cups
  Total servings: ~4
  Nutrition Analysis per serving:
  239 Calories, 31 grams Carbohydrates, 16 grams Protein, 6 grams Fat
  
  
  
  MAC AND CHEESE IN A BREEZE!
  
  Ingredients:
  
  1 package of macaroni (quinoa/corn based), cooked
  2 Tablespoons “Earth Balance” margarine (no hydrogenated oils)
  1 ½ Tablespoons organic rice/quinoa flour
  2 cups plain, unsweetened rice milk
  Salt - pinch
  Freshly ground pepper - pinch
  Cayenne pepper – pinch (optional)
  ½ cup grated mozzarella rice cheese (casein and lactose free)
  ½ cup grated sharp cheddar rice cheese (casein and lactose free)
  
  Directions: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit (it will be a medium thickness), don’t let it brown-about 2 minutes. Add the rice milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring to a boil. (Trick: If the sauce doesn’t thicken, then in a cup make a mixture of a ½ tablespoon of flour and 2 tablespoons of cold water that is thin liquid, no bumps, then slowly add to your sauce until the sauce is just the thickness you want). Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste, and stir in grated rice cheese, lower the heat, and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in cooked macaroni (To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper).
  Another option: Add a 6-ounce can of skinless, boneless, Wild Alaskan salmon for more protein.
  Total servings: ~4
  Nutrition Analysis per serving:
  231 Calories, 20 grams Carbohydrates, 15 grams Protein, 9 grams Fat
  
  BALANCED BLACK BEANS AND RICE!
  Ingredients:
  
  1 (15 ounce) can of organic black beans, rinsed and drained
  1 (14.5 ounce) can of Mexican-style or Italian-style (your choice) stewed tomatoes
  1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
  1 clove garlic, minced
  1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  1 teaspoon expeller pressed safflower oil (for high heat)
  1 ounce rice cheese (lactose and casein free)
  
  Directions: In a medium saucepan, sauté ½ cup onion and garlic in oil until the onions are translucent and the garlic in tender not brown. Stir in the drained beans and undrained stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cover pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in rice cheese into mixture to melt. To serve, mound rice on individual plates; make a well in the centers. Spoon black bean mixture into centers. Add steamed vegetables on the side to make an optimally balanced meal. Serves: 4
  
  * Another option is to make a pasta primavera with beans by mixing beans (Italian white kidney beans or small white beans) with Italian Style stewed tomatoes and steamed vegetables of your choice, e.g., zucchini, spinach, yellow squash, red bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. over quinoa or rice pasta (rotelle or penne), and melt shredded rice cheese on top.
  
  References for more recipes and ideas for autism:
  
  The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet (Hardcover)by Pamela Compart (Author), Dana Laake (Author)
  
  The Kid-Friendly Food Allergy Cookbook: More Than 150 Recipes That Are Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free, and Low in Sugar by Leslie Hammond
  
  http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/gfcf-diet/recipes.htm
  http://www.gfcfdiet.com/
  
  Int'l Fdtn for Functional Gastrointestinal DisordersP.O. Box 170864Milwaukee, WI 53217414-964-1799http://www.iffgd.org/
  
  Gluten Intolerance Group of North America31214 124th Ave. SEAuburn, WA 98092 info@gluten.net
  
  American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology555 East Wells StreetMilwaukee, WI 53202800-822-2762http://www.aaai.org/
  
  Living Without is a lifestyle guide for people with allergies and foodsensitivities. It discusses a variety of health-related issues, and providessupport, encouragement, guidance and resources.
  http://www.livingwithout.com/welcome.htm
  
  Allergy Grocer Fully Stocked Kosher Parve & Gluten Free Certified
  http://www.allergygrocer.com/
  
• www.glutenfreeworks.com
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

A New Year, A New You!

I. Introduction: What does balanced eating really mean?

• To achieve balanced nutrition: At every meal and snack you eat, have a balance of macronutrients- protein, carbohydrate, and fat to provide sustainable energy. Aim for ~50% of calories from carbohydrate (choose whole grains, fruit, and green leafy vegetables most often); ~20% to 25% from protein; 25% to 30% from fat (<10%>
• If you wait longer than 5 hours to eat, your metabolism slows down, your body gets into a hibernation mode and thinks that you’re living during a famine, therefore you store more fat.
• Eat optimally balanced meals and snacks, within an hour to 1 ½ hours after waking and every 4 hours throughout the day, maximum is 5 hours, to keep your sugar levels stable, increase your metabolism, help prevent fat storage, and to be energized all day!
  *Bottom Line for knowing how much to eat: Be “in tune” with your hunger level, listen to your body! Your body knows how much it needs!

II. Food Label Focus: To know if it’s an optimal food to bring home- Look at 3 main items.

1. Fat

• Follow Deborah’s “3 rule” to choose low-fat foods! Look on a food label for the total grams of fat; multiply that by 3, add a 0 at the end or move the decimal place over to the right. Compare that number with the total calories, if less than the total calories, it’s less than 30% calories from fat = LOW-FAT. Example: 5 grams of fat, 180 calorie food, 5 X 3 = 15, add a 0, = 150, 150<180>

2. Fiber is your best friend for increased satisfaction, high fiber foods give you more for your chew!

• Aim for 3 grams or more of dietary fiber per slice of bread/per snack-for example, crackers, sports bars, and 5 or more grams per serving of cereal or per meal.
• High fiber starches include: whole-wheat couscous, sprouted grain bread, oatmeal, quinoa, amaranth, barley, bulgur, brown rice, yams, or winter squash
• High fiber fruits: S or S fruits (edible skin or edible seeds fruit): e.g.,apples, strawberries, blueberries or oranges (get bioflavonoids and fiber from the white part of the orange)
• High fiber vegetables: focus on eating one cruciferous vegetable daily (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, kale, mustard greens, rutabagas and turnips – these have been shown in numerous research studies to offer protection against certain cancers, they are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals). Follow the rainbow of colors when choosing your weekly fruits and vegetables to provide a variety of vitamins and minerals (for example, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, chard, kale, collard greens, zucchini, red/yellow bell peppers, apples, berries, pears, oranges, limes).
• When it comes to produce: Aim for 5 a day for your fruits and vegetables. Have 2 fruits and 3 vegetables daily.
  *One serving of fruit equals, 1 small fresh fruit (2 inch across), ¼ cup of dried fruit (try to buy naturally dried, unsulfured) or ½ cup canned in it’s own juice or ½ cup fresh fruit or ½ cup unsweetened fruit juice (100% juice) – have maximum of a half cup juice per day mixed with water to prevent the calories from adding up so quickly (eat your fruit rather than drink it, so you get the fiber and increased satisfaction).
  One serving of non-starchy vegetables = ½ cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice or 1 cup of raw vegetables.

3. Sodium

• Try choosing low sodium foods more often: Aim for less than 150 mg per serving on most products and less than 400 mg sodium per serving for frozen foods. When a food is higher in sodium, please drink a lot of water to flush the sodium through, and balance that high sodium food with lots of vegetables to provide even more hydration and fiber. If you have hypertension, aim for less than 2,000 mg or 2 grams of sodium per day.

III. Learn the 3 D’s- Deciphering Dietary Deception!

Before going grocery shopping, prepare yourself with the dietary deception on food labels with specific ingredients to look for and specific foods that cause concern. The key words to look for are Lite, Free, Diet, Sugar Free – these words often translate into a packaged food that is not clean (meaning contains chemicals that may be carcinogenic, low in fiber (has no satiety value) and can actually increase your appetite, not conducive for weight loss).

• If you see the words diet or sugar-free on the food product– keep it on the store shelf. Diet foods contain artificial sweeteners that can stimulate appetite and often contain artificial colors or flavorings that have been linked to ADHD and cancer. Sugar-free contains artificial sweeteners, which are not healthful, research has linked aspartame specifically to the obesity epidemic; artificial sweeteners are so sweet that they make us hungrier. The cleaner fuel you give yourself, the tastier the food will be and the more satisfaction you’ll receive with each bite.
• Dietary deception is most prevalent in the breads, cereal, crackers, frozen and dairy department: Some examples include: Baker’s Inn 9 grain bread (you would think there would be at least 3 grams of fiber per slice, nope only has 2 grams of dietary fiber per slice, mono and diglycerides, and 210 mg sodium per slice); one of the most known diet foods, “pinch an inch” – Special K Kellogg’s Cereal (has less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 220 mg sodium, and high fructose corn syrup).
• Specific Food Labeling Tip to not be fooled by packaging: Look at the grams of dietary fiber for all starchy foods (e.g., bread, crackers, cereal, rice, pasta), grams of fat, milligrams of sodium on all packaged foods, and the ingredient list.
  Red flags to look for in the ingredient list on labels and why:
  Artificial colors/flavors– Yellow #5, Red #3, Blue #1, Green #3, etc. = some are suspected of being cancer causing, and may exacerbate hyperactivity
  Artificial or processed sweeteners- Acesulfame potassium, Aspartame, Saccharin, Stevia, Splenda, sucralose, sorbitol, acesulfame, xylitol = may increase risk for cancer,
  BHT - butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) preservative= hepatotoxicity (liver toxicity) induced by the anti-oxidant food additive, may increase risk of cancer, and when BHT was applied to the skin, it was associated with toxic effects in lung tissue
  Caffeine – increases blood pressure, may cause insomnia if ingested late in the day, may affect the developing fetus, mildly addictive, can cause excess energy or hyperactivity in some people
  Carmine or cochineal extract = both are derived from female cochineal beetles, which are raised in Peru, the Canary Islands, and elsewhere. They provide a pink, red, or purple color to foods, may be declared as artificial color or color added on food labels and may be allergenic
  Cocoa processed with alkali- processes out the benefits of cocoa, the antioxidants (catechins) are leached
  Dough conditioners – additives to help improve the quality of the finished dough= may include carcinogenic agents, for example, potassium bromate and may include emulsifiers such as mono-and diglycerides which include saturated fats
  Enriched, bleached flour = processed bread, destroys some of the nutrients originally present in the whole grains, enriched with some vitamins but not all those present in the original grain
  RED FLAGS (cont’d):
  Flaxseed (whole not grounded), flaxseed oil = when the flax is whole, it goes right through, the body does not get the benefits of the omega-3’s, flaxseed oil may increase cancer risk due to high levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
  Ginseng (Panax ginseng) - Panax ginseng's most common side-effects is the inability to sleep. Other side-effects include nausea, diarrhea, euphoria, headaches, epistaxis, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, mastalgia, and vaginal bleeding.
  Glycerol ester of wood resin = possible allergen, largely unabsorbed, some components are metabolized by the liver
  High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids = excess fructose can increase LDL (bad cholesterol level, clogs the arteries), is more readily converted to fat by the liver, increases the levels of fat in the bloodstream in the form of triglycerides.
  Mono and diglycerides = most likely to cause unwanted effects are those containing long-chain saturated fatty acids, especially stearic acid, increases blood cholesterol.
  Monosodium glutamate (MSG) – flavor enhancer = may cause migraine headaches, chest tightness, wheezing, asthma attacks in those vulnerable
  Olestra- fat replacement = may cause diarrhea, loss of important fat-soluble vitamins
  Palm oil, palm kernel oil, fractionated palm kernel oil- saturated fat, increases LDL cholesterol
  Partially Hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils, trans fat = increases cholesterol level and is carcinogenic
  Polysorbate 60, 65- derived from sorbitol - an artificial sweetener = side effects include: Nausea, gas, diarrhea, stomach cramps or anal irritation
  Potassium bromate – may increase risk of cancer
  Sodium nitrite, nitrites – meat preservatives = may increase risk of stomach cancer
  Sodium stearoyl lactylate- Sodium stearoyl lactate (and the similar calcium stearoyl lactate) - an emulsifier used as a dough strengthener in baked goods, is made by combining lactic acid and stearic acid, and then reacting the result with sodium
  hydroxide or calcium hydroxide to make the sodium or calcium salt = stearic acid is a saturated fat
  Sodium sulfite, sulfites – provokes asthma attacks in those vulnerable, may increase risk for cancer
  Sorbitan ester of fatty acids - Mono-, di- and trisorbitan esters of palmitic, stearic, oleic, isostearic and sesquioleic acid = saturated fats
  Soy Protein Isolate, soy protein concentrate, isolated soy protein –isoflavones are weak estrogens = eating too much (more than 100 mg a day) could possibly increase risk of cancer
  Sucrose syrup – concentrated sugar
  TBHQ (TERT-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE) = may induce free radical formation and erythrocyte membrane alterations (cell damage)

IV. EATING “ON THE GO” SNACK IDEAS:
Satisfying SNACKS:
Make your own trail-mix with roasted peanuts (check ingredients for peanuts, no oils added), and raw almonds/other nuts/seeds and raisins or dried blueberries/cranberries (check ingredients for no sugar or additives).
Spread 2 Tablespoons of all-natural peanut butter or soy nut butter on half a sprouted grain bagel/whole-wheat pita/whole-wheat crackers.
Blend 1/2 cup of plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt with vanilla soymilk with 1/2 frozen banana and a handful of frozen strawberries.
Spread pizza sauce/marinara sauce over an English muffin and place a sliced tomato and 1 ounce of Jarlsberg Lite Swiss Cheese or French Yogurt Cheese on top, melt in a toaster oven.
Layer a whole-grain blueberry toaster waffle with 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt and 1/2 cup fresh berries/defrosted frozen berries.
Scoop 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese into a cantaloupe or honeydew melon half.
Top a half of a cinnamon-raisin sprouted grain bagel with low-fat ricotta cheese and cinnamon sprinkled on top.
Combine 1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese or cottage cheese with 1/2 cup apple sauce and a dash of cinnamon. Sprinkle with Grape-Nuts or low-fat granola.
Roll a whole-wheat tortilla up with scrambled egg whites with 1 egg yolk and salsa.
Stuff half a whole-wheat pita with 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese and sliced canned (in it’s own juice or water) peaches, pears, or a fresh banana.
Stuff a pita pocket with sliced turkey breast or sliced part-skim milk cheese, tomato, and a squirt of mustard.
Use spreads such as chicken or tuna salad onto whole-wheat crackers.
Mix 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/4 cup strawberry yogurt and sprinkle with Muesli cereal.
Add cereal (at least 5 grams dietary fiber) to plain low-fat yogurt.
Spread 1 Tablespoon of Soy butter (try “I’m Healthy Soy Nut Butter” from Whole Foods) on 2 apple halves.
Spread all-natural peanut butter and all-fruit jam on Ak-mak crackers or a mini-bagel.
Top a mini-bagel with turkey or chicken breast.
Put slivered almonds and roasted peanuts in 1 cup of vanilla yogurt.
Have a box of raisins with soy nuts (try Dr. Soy or Genisoy brand).
Have ½ cup of edamame (fresh soybeans) as a completely balanced snack.
Blend coffee flavored soymilk with ¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder and ice for a high protein ice mocha.
Have an ounce of yogurt cheese on “Woven wheat” (available at Whole Foods/Wild Oats/Trader Joe’s) crackers.
Have low-fat string cheese (choose Organic part-skim milk, e.g., Horizon) with an apple or pear.
Melt part-skim mozzarella on a whole-wheat tortilla or toasted wheat pita, put some veggies on top (e.g., tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli).
Spread all-natural peanut butter with sprinkled sunflower seeds in celery sticks and apple slices.
Frozen banana: Peel bananas; dip into cocoa and a dash of honey or pure maple syrup; roll in ground nuts (ground peanuts and walnuts or soynuts), freeze individually in plastic wrap.
Have ½ cup fruit or 2” across piece of fruit with 20 soy crisps, flavor of choice.
NOTE: Incorporate these snacks as part of your meal plan. If you still feel hungry beyond your individualized snack/meal times, nosh on vegetables “free foods”, e.g. bell peppers, celery, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, etc. Also, drink lots of water and hot tea (drizzled with a little agave nectar) between snacks/meals.
ENERGIZER SHAKE!
Ingredients:
6 ounces of tofu (organic, soft or “silken” packed in water, rinse and drain) or ¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder or powdered egg whites (available at Whole Foods, in the baking section, Bob’s Red Mill brand)
6 ounces organic plain low fat yogurt (Fage 0% Greek Yogurt is best for lower carbs. to fit in the fruit)
1 small banana
½ cup strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
½ cup fruit of your choice (e.g. frozen peaches, mixed berries, or cherries)
4 cups of organic unsweetened soy milk (try “Silk” or Trader Joe’s brand)
Optional –for added fiber and omega-3 essential fatty acids, stir in a Tablespoon of ground flaxseed (try Organic Bob’s Red Mill whole ground flaxseed meal) to the cup you drink, so it doesn’t get rancid, you need to drink it right away.
Directions: In a blender, put all ingredients together. If you like a thinner shake, add water and use less milk. Put the top on the blender, chop, blend, and whip. You’re all set for an energizing breakfast or snack. Add a piece of whole wheat/grain toast or a small bowl of >5 grams dietary fiber cereal with the shake for even more sustainable energy. Make this shake the night before, keep it in the blender and store it in the refrigerator. The next morning, just press whip, and you’ve got a quick and easy “on-the-go” energizer.
Serving size: 1.5 cups
Total servings: ~4
Nutrition Analysis per serving:
239 Calories, 31 grams Carbohydrates, 16 grams Protein, 6 grams Fat

Hepatitis C

What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatotropic virus also known as Hepatitis C (HVC) is an inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection and the most serious form of hepatitis. The liver is responsible to break down waste products in your blood. If the liver is inflamed, tender, and enlarged, it becomes unable to function normally. As a result, waste that would normally be filtered out by the liver builds up in the body. Therefore certain nutrients are not processed and stored.

What are the different types of Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is classified according to the virus that causes the condition. There are 3 leading types: Hepatitis A, B, and C. In addition, there are less common types known as Hepatitis D, E, and G. All are contagious to some extent.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headache, loss of appetite, muscle aches, joint pains, drowsiness, dark urine, light colored stools, abdominal discomfort, jaundice (yellowing of the skin due to an accumulation of bilirubin) and elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) liver enzyme levels in the blood.

How do you get Hepatitis C? Causes? Risk Factor?
Nearly 4 million Americans are infected with HVC. It is usually spread through direct contact with an infected person’s blood. It is hereditary and can be passed on from a mother to her unborn baby. An infected person cannot pass the virus by kissing, touching, holding hands, coughing, sneezing, or using public toilets. You may be at risk for HVC if you shared needles for intravenous drug use, used non-sterile equipment, had frequent exposure to blood products, or used an infected person’s toothbrush, razor, or other item that had blood on it.

Nutrition Intervention for Hepatitis C
If you have Hepatitis, it is crucial to eat healthy and exercise regularly.
Herbs:

• Artichoke increases the effectiveness of the liver function.
• Beets promote the regeneration of liver cells.
• Burdock and dandelion are important for cleansing the liver and the bloodstream.
• Licorice is effective in treating viral hepatitis due to antiviral activity.
  Caution: Do not use this herb on a daily basis for more than 7 days in a row; stay away from it altogether if you have high blood pressure.
• Have milk thistle extract 200-400 mgs 3 times daily. It contains silymarin (a flavonoid that has been shown to aid in healing and rebuilding the liver).

Recommendations:

• Include artichokes in your diet. Artichokes protect the liver.
• Have more greens, eat spinach, swiss chard, kale, bok choy and drink 100% vegetable juice (refrigerated at Whole foods or Trader Joes – 100% vegetables, has 2 grams dietary fiber per serving).
• Stay clear from fried foods, sugar, highly processed foods, raw fish, shellfish, chemicals, food additives, and eat predominately vegetarian protein (e.g., beans and grains, fish, low fat dairy) rather than high saturated fat animal proteins (e.g., beef, chicken, turkey, lamb).
• Get plenty of rest.
• Leave the alcohol alone, including medicines containing alcohol.
  
  Questions to address your doctor
  Talk to your doctor if you are taking over-the-counter medications. Some medicines contain acetaminophen (Tylenol) that may cause liver damage due to the breakdown by the liver.