The post How To Roast The Perfect Chicken first appeared on Dr. Kirstin Lauritzen.
]]>An easy, one pan, simple roast chicken with lemon, rosemary and garlic.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Add the sprigs of rosemary whole inside the chicken, add salt and pepper, cut the lemon in half and add it inside the chicken as well. Take the whole clove of garlic, peel it and add around 6-7 cloves whole inside.
Salt and Pepper the outside of the chicken. You can also rub butter on the outside of the chicken as well. Add butter to the pan. And place into the center of the plan.
Slice the onion in half and then into quarters and add around the outside of the chicken. Slice the gold potatoes in half and then into quarters. Place into the pan. Place the carrots in the pan.
Top the potatoes/onions/carrots with the 2 tbsp of olive oil and some salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 1 1/2 hours and until the breast and legs read 165 degrees.
Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Knowing where your food comes from is one of the biggest things you can do for your health. Poor living conditions for animals creates inflammatory conditions for their bodies, which you then consume. Getting your vegetables from local farms that do not spray pesticides and other chemicals reduces your exposure to toxins. Plus, you support your local farmers – a win all around.
You want to look for chicken that actually gets to move around (not crammed into massive barns, standing in their own waste their entire life). Chickens are meant to eat bugs, grass and greens, weeds and all sorts of food in a pasture. A healthy, optimally raised animal is not only less cruel, it is also high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which are key for fighting inflammation.
I’ve spent quite a lot of time tracking down different companies where you can order healthy, well sourced meat online. I have also found local farmers and friends who raise animals and will buy my meat through them instead of at the store. Yes, you need a freezer – but it’s often very cost effective and the bottom line… it’s healthier.
Here are some of my personal recommendations:
Check out all of these amazing companies. They are making an impact in the food production and distribution world, which is vital for improving the health of everyone.
Of course, a shout out to my local farmer and friend who raises (and raised) these chickens, and our pork. She raised these chickens for us and we went over for an entire day to help her process and package them. If you are in the Portland/Salem Oregon metro areas, I highly recommend getting in touch with her if you’re interested in healthier chicken, pork and eggs!
Do you carefully choose and source your meat and produce? What tips have you found work best for you? Leave a comment below!
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]]>The post Food Highlight: Japanese Sweet Potatoes first appeared on Dr. Kirstin Lauritzen.
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Roasted, crispy sweet potatoes can go with almost any flavor. Prepare as a side or as part of a dish.
Start by heating the oven to 425 degrees.
Peel the sweet potato and dice into small 1/4 inch pieces.
Place the sweet potatoes evenly on a baking sheet. Don’t crowd them.
Cover with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Turn occasionally to make sure they don’t stick to the pan. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned on one side, and soft in the middle.
Top with chopped parsley. Enjoy!
There are many types of sweet potatoes. I happened across these at a local produce stand. I had no idea they would be as good as they turned out.
Most Japanese Sweet Potatoes have a yellowish color to their flesh. Because of this, Japanese Sweet Potatoes are known to be high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
They are a good source of Potassium, Vitamin A (which is what makes them yellow on the inside), some B Vitamins and Vitamin C. They may also be a good source of Iron and Calcium.
Most starchy carbohydrates will spike glucose levels in your blood, which requires your body to release insulin in order to process. This makes these types of foods unhealthy for some and a food to avoid for others wanting to lose weight.
However, it was found that Japanese Sweet Potatoes are high in resistant starch, which means that they are harder to process and digest. As they go through the digestive system they require so much energy and effort to digest that the glucose is released slowly, which won’t launch a major insulin response and a blood sugar spike.
In fact, these foods may actually help reduce the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Have you tried japanese sweet potatoes? Let us know! Comment below or share this post on instagram #gymcallnutrition
Research Links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951594/
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]]>The post Blood Testing and Nutrition 101 first appeared on Dr. Kirstin Lauritzen.
]]>Have you ever wished you had access to the tools and resources that could give you a better understanding of what’s happening ‘underneath the hood’? Have you wondered if there’s something that you’re missing? There are a few simple labs, some you can even order yourself and do at home, that you and your physician can order to give you a more customized and specific picture of you and your health.
I’ve had a few clients and patients really struggle with reaching their goals to lose weight, perform better, or even gain weight. I’ve also had patients and clients struggle to get healthy, despite the fact that they are making really good healthy choices. It can be a frustrating process when you are doing everything right with nothing to show for it. In this article I talk about your genetics, how nutrition and lifestyle affect your genetics, labs you can run to get a better picture of what’s going on with your body, and a plan to help you get started.
Nutritional genomics
This is why you want to test, create a plan, implement the plan, and then re-test.
Nutrigenomics is a relatively new science. According to Dr Mark Hyman, “The new science of nutrigenomics teaches us what specific foods tell your genes. What you eat directly determines the genetic messages your body receives. These messages, in turn, control all the molecules that constitute your metabolism: the molecules that tell your body to burn calories or store them. If you can learn the language of your genes and control the messages and instructions they give your body and your metabolism, you can radically alter how food interacts with your body, lose weight, and optimize your health.” (2006)
A lot of nutrition research in the past was based on certain diseases that were associated with particular vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies. Treatments included specific pharmaceutical grade supplementation of that specific nutrient to treat, heal or “cure” the disease. A few examples include Vitamin D and Rickets, and Vitamin C and Scurvy. Although neither of these diseases are seen very often anymore (since most “foods” are now fortified with essential vitamins and minerals), it is still common for many people and medical professionals to think of specific nutrients for particular diseases.
However, this is becoming an older perspective. In fact, more researchers and physicians are finding that the way nutrients interact with the body are much more complicated. Most diseases currently are a result of multiple factors and issues from poor nutrition and lifestyle choices. Often, it isn’t just one correction that needs to be made. Diseases and illnesses now often require multiple nutrients, a different diet, different lifestyle etc. You can see some of this at work looking into your genetic code…
Single Nucelotide Polymorphisms or SNPs
If you or anyone around you has ever said, “you are your genes”… they are referring to the fact that your genetic code makes you who you are. Your genes make the proteins that help your cells do their jobs, they create metabolites to help your body fuel and function, and they also carry code for disease/illness. People carry certain genetic diseases, illnesses and disorders from generation to generation and they don’t always express themselves. So, why do some people get sick and not others?
Epigenetics is a term that encompasses the connection between lifestyle, disease and our genetic code. Although the study of both nutrigenomics and epigenetics has barely scratched the surface, it is becoming more clear that lifestyle and nutrition are linked to genetic expression. In other words, with nutrition and lifestyle changes you can have a significant influence on whether or not a “bad” gene is expressed.
One thing we start to look at when we look into the genetic code of a person is SNPs – Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms. Let’s say you start with a human with a “perfect” genetic code – no diseases, illnesses etc. In that person’s lifetime as they are exposed to toxins in the air, water, cleaning supplies, mold, allergens, smoke, drugs, alcohol, pesticides, plastics, poor nutrition and stress (to name a few), the genetic code can form SNPs. These are often negative and they can mark the precursor for disease. They are a morphological change and response in your genes.
What scientists and researchers are finding, is that lifestyle and nutrition can affect how these SNPs are created and how they are expressed. For example, in one study they found that women who consumed less fruits and vegetables than the daily recommended requirement were at a greater risk of developing breast cancer because the lack of nutrients could create a ‘polymorphism’ or a change in the genetic code that causes a protein change (in this case valine to alanine). Down the line, this change disrupts an enzymatic process (specifically manganese dependent superoxide dismutase).
Basically, that enzyme is responsible for keeping certain organelles in your cells happy. When those small structures and powerhouses inside your cells can’t do their job, it creates a toxic environment. That toxic environment over time can lead to diseases like cancer. So, when humans don’t get adequate nutrients from their food and the body sustains a nutrient deficiency for too long, genetic changes occur and predisposes us to disease.
Your genes, your nutrition, your labs, your goals
There’s plenty of research to explain why lab testing is important (see resources below). It isn’t just for your yearly physical checking your platelet size and cholesterol levels. You can utilize lab testing to create baseline markers for your nutrient levels. If there’s a notable deficiency, you can do something about it. If you test overtime, you can often catch problems much sooner.
If you recall talking about your genes and how it relates to nutrition from earlier, those same SNPs can affect how you absorb vital nutrients from your food, as well. SNPs can make it harder for you to absorb nutrients like Vitamin B, Vitamin C etc. Meaning you’ll need more of it from your diet and supplementation than your friend or family member sitting next to you. A simple test can show you all of your SNPs and give you a lot of information that you can use to make your own customized nutrition plan.
For example, there are SNPs that can affect your iron absorption. Anemias (including iron anemia) are common among women and athletes. The human body does not have any specific way to get iron out of the body, meaning how your body regulates the amount of iron you have in your body is through absorption through your food. The C282Y mutation of the HFE gene is only one example of a SNP that can affect how someone absorbs iron. But, if you have that SNP that is positive on your test, you may be at a higher risk of iron anemia. Now, if you have a history of being anemic, pair that with this test and you can create a nutrition plan that incorporates a slightly higher iron content to help your body get enough iron.
In another example, this study published in Science Direct discusses many different diseases of today. There are several studies that have shown that some of the major pathways that lead to different types of cancer are affected by nutrients. They even reference a further study on the protective effect of dietary fibers against bowel cancer.
Athletes are prone to nutrient deficiencies AND many illnesses and diseases are due to chronic nutrient deficiencies.
Active individuals and athletes are at an increased risk of nutrient deficiencies because of the stress on the tissues, the energy production pathways, the loss of nutrients through sweat and just simple dietary requirements based on body composition.
If you want to work on your nutrition from a sports performance perspective, or you want to heal from or manage your chronic disease better, consider getting some more information of what’s going on behind the scenes.
What tests to order
There are so many tests out there, do some research on ones that have been third party tested for accuracy. Just any “do at home” test may not give you accurate results.
What to do with the results
If you aren’t sure what to do with the results start the process with these few simple steps:
With so many tests that are available, you have an incredible amount of resources available to help you hack your biochemistry and create a nutrition program that is specific for you and your goals.
Did you find this helpful? What tests have you used to give you more information about your health? Let us know in the comments below, or find our post on social media!
If you’re looking for help with sports nutrition or for help with anything from chronic migraines, to hormone imbalances, digestive issues to autoimmune conditions, and you’re tired of the conventional approach, I might be able to help. Our Sports Nutrition programs and Functional Medicine programs include specialty labs in the monthly membership price to help with cost and to save you time. Dr K will walk you through your results and help you put together a plan customized to you. Then she will help you implement it over the next few months, changing anything as necessary until it’s time to re-test again. Get started today, send her an email at [email protected].
References:
Alegría-Torres, J. A., Baccarelli, A., & Bollati, V. (2011). Epigenetics and lifestyle. Epigenomics, 3(3), 267-77.
Chang Li and Hai-Meng Zhou, “The Role of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Inflammation Defense,” Enzyme Research, vol. 2011, Article ID 387176, 6 pages, 2011. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/387176.
Fairweather-Tait, S. J., Harvey, L., Heath, A. L., & Roe, M. (2007). Effect of SNPs on iron metabolism. Genes & nutrition, 2(1), 15-9.
Jang, H., & Serra, C. (2014). Nutrition, epigenetics, and diseases. Clinical nutrition research, 3(1), 1-8.
Munshi A, Duvvuri VS. Nutrigenomics: looking to DNA for nutrition advice. Indian J Biotechnol. 2008;7:32–40.
Oregon State University. “Poor Athletic Performance Linked To Vitamin Deficiency.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 December 2006. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061116091853.htm>.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/signal-transduction
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110863011000024#b0315
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