Should I Refrigerate Butter?

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch

Trying to spread ice-hard butter can wreck toast, pancakes and waffles, but many people aren’t sure if it is safe to keep it out of the fridge

By: Kristina Peterson

Butter evangelist Joelle Mertzel is spreading the word.

The 49-year-old small-business owner, author and mother of three is on a mission to convince American households and federal officials that it is safe and preferable to keep butter at room temperature instead of refrigerated, particularly for those with a taste for buttered toast. 

Her quixotic crusade would liberate butter sticks from a lifetime in the cold, moving from refrigerated trucks to the chilled dairy case of grocery stores to built-in refrigerator cubbies.

“Enough is enough,” said Ms. Mertzel, who lives in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles. “I want to eliminate confusion about putting butter on the counter.”

Ms. Mertzel said she came to her epiphany one morning about 14 years ago. She had forgotten to put away the butter the night before and at breakfast discovered how easy it was to spread. “My life changed in so many ways at that moment,” she said.

She has since written a children’s book, “Change Your Life for the Butter,” and developed a line of countertop holders with flip-top lids that keep clear of the softened butter inside. Traditional butter dishes, she said, “are a train wreck. The lid gets all gross.”

Food-safety scientists say butter usually doesn’t require constant cold. Butter made from pasteurized cream is safe to store at room temperature for a stretch because of its high fat content and low moisture, among other reasons. Salted butter tends to stay fresh longer.

Yet getting a definitive answer from the government’s butter bureaucracy has been a slippery endeavor. Ms. Mertzel this year petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to issue official guidance that butter could be safely kept out of the refrigerator at room temperature for three weeks.

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Recipe of the Week - Shrimp Tacos

These healthy shrimp tacos are easy and delicious! Made with sautéed or air fried shrimp served on a warm tortilla with a quick slaw and spicy sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the Shrimp

• 24 jumbo peeled and deveined shrimp, about 16 oz

• 2 cloves minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, like Tajin or Old Bay

• 8 corn tortillas

For the Slaw

• 2 cups green or red cabbage shredded, (buy it pre-shredded to save time)

• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish

For the Shrimp Taco Sauce

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 3 tablespoon Greek yogurt or sour cream

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1 tablespoon sriracha or Louisiana style hot pepper sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

• Drizzle shrimp with oil to coat and season shrimp with garlic and seasoning salt.

• For the shrimp taco sauce

  • Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and hot sauce in a small bowl adding a few drops of water if needed to thin it out so you can drizzle; set aside or transfer to a squeeze bottle.

• For the Slaw

  • To make the slaw combine the cabbage, onion, jalapeño, lime juice and cilantro in a large bowl ; cover and chill.

• To Cook The Shrimp

  • Preheat the air fryer to 360F. Cook the shrimp 5 to 6 minutes shaking the basket halfway until cooked through in the center. To make it on the skillet, cook on medium-high, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

  • Meanwhile char the tortillas on an open flame or skillet about 30 seconds and set aside.

  • To Serve: Place 1/4 cup slaw on each tortilla, top each with 3 shrimp, then drizzle with spicy mayo, and garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2 Tacos

• Calories: 288

• Carbohydrates: 28.5 g

• Protein: 20 g

• Fat: 10.5 g

• Saturated Fat: 2 g

• Cholesterol: 149 mg

• Sodium: 975.5 mg

• Fiber: 4.5 g

• Sugar: 3.5 g

What is Berberine?

Photo by Pixabay

By: Mark Sisson

As the number of people living with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, and other health scourges continues to skyrocket, so too does the demand for safe, effective treatments. People don’t just want to pop pills that mask symptoms and make it possible to “live with” a disease. And as much as we know that diet and lifestyle changes—being less sedentary, sleeping more, reducing stress—are needed to make real, sweeping public health impacts, implementation is a huge challenge. In the meantime, people need remedies that get to the root causes of their chronic health woes—ideally without a laundry list of possible side effects. 

Enter berberine, an alkaloid compound found in various plants. This is a textbook example of modern science confirming ancient wisdom. Chinese and ayurvedic medicine have valued berberine-containing plants like barberry, goldenseal, and tree turmeric for hundreds of years, using them to treat everything from gout to indigestion to hemorrhoids to skin infections to cancer. Now, research is uncovering exactly how berberine works—and it turns out to be quite a remarkable little substance. 

To date, there is pretty good evidence that berberine is useful for two applications in particular, and there are hints that it might serve other purposes as well. Let’s dive in.

Likely Benefits of Berberine

For Managing Blood Sugar, Insulin, and Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 diabetics, berberine seems to lower fasting blood sugar and fasting insulin, decrease HbA1c (a three-month blood glucose average), and improve insulin sensitivity.

Some studies even suggest that berberine can be as effective as the drugs that are currently considered standard of care, notably metformin. 

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Recipe of the Week - Chicken Divan Lightened Up

A healthier Chicken Divan made from scratch with layers of tender chicken breast and broccoli in a creamy sauce topped with golden crumbs.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 lbs broccoli florets, (3 large heads) chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• olive oil spray

• 2 tablespoons light mayo

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 8 ounces each

• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 1/4 cup shallots or onion, minced

• 1/4 cup all purpose , or gluten-free flour like cup4cup

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup fat free milk

• 2 ounces dry sherry, white wine would work

• 6 ounces reduced-fat Swiss cheese, shredded or chopped fine

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs , or gluten-free crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with olive oil spray.

• In a large skillet, over medium heat add 1 teaspoon olive oil and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the broccoli, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of water and cover.

• Let the broccoli cook until tender crisp, 3 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish.

• Pound the thicker end of the chicken breast to make it even on both sides. Brush mayo on the chicken and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste. 

• Heat the skillet over medium heat, when hot spray with oil and cook the chicken until just about cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side.

• Remove from heat and transfer chicken to a cutting board. When cooled, slice chicken into bite sized pieces.

• Reduce the heat of the skillet to medium heat. Add the butter and remaining oil until melted and then add the shallots and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

• Sprinkle the flour cook, stirring about 1 minute. Whisk in broth, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and sherry and bring to a simmer about 1 1/2 minutes on low. Remove from heat and stir in half of the Swiss cheese.

• Pour half of the sauce over the broccoli and mix to coat. Arrange the chicken on top and cover with remaining sauce.

• Sprinkle the remaining Swiss cheese, grated Parmesan and top with breadcrumbs.

• Spritz a little oil on top. Bake 30 minutes, until hot and golden.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 & 2/3 Cup

• Calories: 387

• Carbohydrates: 22 g

• Protein: 42 g

• Fat: 14.5 g

• Saturated Fat: 5.5 g

• Cholesterol: 112 mg

• Sodium: 606.5 mg

• Fiber: 3.5 g

• Sugar: 5.5 g

Nine Types of Protein Powder

Photo by Andres Ayrton

By: Mark Sisson

Whey protein isolate is the gold standard of protein powders, and it’s the only one I take besides collagen, but it’s not the only one out there. There are reasons for branching out beyond whey into other types of protein powder. Maybe you’d like some variety once in awhile. Maybe you’re just curious about what else is out there, or perhaps you don’t want any animal protein at all. Whatever the reason, I figured I’d give you some info on some of the more popular types of protein powder, including whether or not they contribute meaningfully to our intake of essential amino acids.

Before we begin, let’s talk about how we can measure a protein’s usability.

The BV (biological value) is one way to measure a protein’s “usability.” Biological value testing measures the amount of nitrogen that appears in the urine and feces after eating it to determine how much was retained and utilized by the body. If very little nitrogen appears in the toilet after eating a given protein, that protein has a high BV. If a good amount appears in the toilet, that protein has a lower BV.

The higher the BV, the greater the proportion of available protein that can be synthesized by the body’s cells. Higher BVs usually indicate a greater amount of essential amino acids—those amino acids that the body cannot synthesize or convert on its own and must instead obtain from the diet—but it doesn’t measure them specifically.

Note, though, that biological value does not refer to the amount of protein in the powder; it only refers to the usability of the protein in the powder. A particular powder might be 60% protein, and the biological value would tell you exactly how much of that 60% is usable by the body. Different powders have different protein contents. Hemp protein, for example, is often about 50% protein, but it varies by the manufacturer. A quick glance at the nutrition facts should clue you in.

There’s also the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which is the method by which the World Health Organization and FDA evaluate protein value. It’s a newer model, and it’s based on the amino acid requirements of humans, specifically children, as well as digestibility and absorption. To determine the PDCAAS, they measure fecal nitrogen and track the amount of essential amino acids in each protein powder. Most promotional materials use the BV, but the PDCAAS is more accurate for what we care about. Whey protein isolate (both isolate and concentrate) has an optimum PDCAAS of 1.

A newer method of quantifying protein quality is the DIAAS, or Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score. This is similar to PDCAAS, but instead of measuring nitrogen in the feces, it measures nitrogen in the ileum after it has left the small intestine and before it descends into the large intestine. This is more accurate than measuring fecal protein, because fecal protein may be lower due to protein metabolism by gut bacteria. Measuring it in the ileum reflects only what the body has absorbed.

Whichever method you use to quantity protein quality—BV, PDCAAS, or DIAAS—animal proteins like whey outperform plant proteins. So as a good general guideline, it’s safe to assume that animal-based protein powders are going to be higher quality than plant-based protein powders. That said, let’s get into the specific powders ranked according to overall quality and usability.

The Top 9 Types of Protein Powder . . .

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Recipe of the Week - Creamy Shrimp and Celery Salad

This light and creamy Shrimp and Celery Salad is seasoned with Old Bay and lime juice and mixed in a light creamy sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 ounces large cooked peeled and deveined shrimp

• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

• 1 large celery stalk, sliced thin

• 1/4 cup low fat sour cream, regular for Keto

• 2 tbsp lite mayonnaise, regular for Keto

• 2 tbsp lime juice

• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

• salt to taste

• chopped dill, optional for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, Old Bay and salt.

• Add shrimp, celery, cucumbers and mix.

• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 4oz Shrimp

• Calories: 160

• Carbohydrates: 4 g

• Protein: 25 g

• Fat: 4.5 g

• Fiber: 0.7 g

• Sugar: 1.8 g

Leaders with Low Self-Esteem are Likely to Cause "Toxic" Stress at Work, Research Shows

Photo by Nathan Cowley

TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

There is a mountain of evidence to show that stress is a leading cause of common and lethal diseases, including heart attacks, diabetes, asthma, cancer, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, insomnia, memory loss and premature aging. 

But how much of a role does ‘toxic’ leadership play in workplace stress, and what are the signs of a toxic leader? 

Recent data has shown that three-fifths of the world’s employees say their job impacts their mental health more than anything else. 

Backed up by 40 years of research, wellbeing expert Professor Simon L. Dolan PhD says that leaders with low self-esteem are most likely to pass on stress to their teams. 

“The stakes for leadership have always been high,” Professor Dolan states, “but knowing you’re affecting people’s mental health is cause for leaders to take stock and ensure they’re doing all they can to be their best and have their most positive impacts on people.” 

Toxic at the top 

Almost every working adult will have experienced a bad boss at some point in their working career. But at what point does a bad boss become a truly toxic leader, and what can you do about it?  

Professor Dolan, a respected scholar in human resources, has trawled decades of research to create De-Stress at Work. The guide is designed to help people understand if their manager or leader affects their mental health, and what can they do to deal with it. 

“Leadership can make or break an organization,” Professor Dolan argues, “with good leaders motivating teams to be creative and productive. But on the other side of the coin, a bad leader can demotivate teams, cause low morale and the effect on teams can be devastating.” 

After extensive research, Professor Dolan suggests the main characteristics to identify a toxic leader are those who: are jealous of their team’s success; are constantly concerned about competition or workplace ‘enemies’; often take credit for other people’s work; constantly compare themselves to others; consider their self-worth to be solely driven by their latest results. 

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Recipe of the Week - Classic Chicken Salad

Quick and easy, classic chicken salad recipe made healthier and lighter to make the perfect homemade chicken salad sandwich. The perfect cold lunch for meal prep!

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces cooked chicken breast, finely chopped (from 2 breasts of rotisserie chicken)

• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup celery, chopped

• 1/3 cup red onion, diced (or scallions or chives)

• 2 tablespoons chicken broth, optional

• 1 teaspoon Dijon

• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

• black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve over salad, in a wrap, or in a sandwich

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/2 Cup

• Calories: 131

• Carbohydrates: 2 g

• Protein: 18 g

• Fat: 5 g

• Saturated Fat: 1 g

• Cholesterol: 50 mg

• Sodium: 307 mg

• Sugar: 1 g

Should I Be Eating Avocados? Eight Reasons Why You Should

Photo by Thought Catalog

8 Reasons you Need to be Eating Avocado

1) They improve cholesterol

2) They make meat healthier

3) They make meals more filling and satisfying

4) They improve cognitive function

5) They improve gut health

6) They reduce oxidative stress and inflammation

7) They improve eye health

8) They are micronutrient rich

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What is Whey Protein?

Photo by Supplements On Demand

By: Mark Sisson

When most people think about whey protein, they think about building muscle. Protein shakes at the gym. Meal replacement drinks in lieu of real food.

The six-meal-and-three-snack-a-day bro who keeps a whey shake on his bedside table to maintain those 2 AM gains.

The up-at-dawn-to-beat-rush-hour woman who drinks a shake in the car in lieu of a pastry.

As most people see it, whey protein’s just for people who want more protein in their diets, people who don’t have the time to cook, or people who hate to cook and also need more protein. It’s for weight lifters and athletes. It’s a “poor replacement” for real food. It’s a compromise when life happens. If you can cook and eat real food regularly, the popular story goes, you don’t need whey protein. Just eat real food—right?

But there’s actually much more to whey than just building muscle.

What is Whey Protein?

Whey is a protein-packed byproduct of cheese production. It’s that pseudo-clear liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. Cheese makers used to toss it aside as waste material, turn it into ricotta cheese, or feed it to livestock until food scientists started to understand its value as a protein supplement for humans.

Today, we know that whey protein is the single best supplementary source of complete essential amino acids. It contains all the essential amino acids we need to promote muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. is far more than a byproduct of cheese-making. It’s also more than just a single protein. Instead, it houses an impressive array of components with a wide variety of biological effects: beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, and immunoglobulins.

Beta-lactoglobulin:

• Promotes glutathione synthesis and reduces allergic disease incidence.Improves retinol/vitamin A absorption and uptake.Increases serotonin levels in plasma. May have anti-tumor effects.

Lactoferrin:

• Improves bone healing and prevents bone loss. Chelates excessive iron, preventing it from fueling infections (many bacteria require iron), increasing inflammation, or becoming carcinogenic.Has anti-bacterial effects against food pathogens like E. coli and Listeria.

Immuno-globulins (A, M, G):

• Neutralize toxins from viruses and bacteria. Prevent adhesion of bacteria to tissues.Inhibit bacterial growth.

Those are just a few of the components found in that undigested whey powder sitting in your pantry. Once the whey hits your GI tract, it forms even more bioactive peptides with their own unique effects. Some improve blood lipids, lower blood pressure, or act as opioid receptor agonists (if you’ve ever seen a milk-drunk baby bliss out after nursing, his opioid receptors are likely being severely agonized by bioactive whey peptides). Others induce satiety and improve metabolic health biomarkers.

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Recipe of the Week - Baked Salmon Cakes

These baked salmon cakes are light, healthy and a perfect Holiday appetizer! With wild Alaskan salmon, peppers, capers, breadcrumbs and a zesty avocado dressing.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound wild Alaskan salmon filet, fresh or frozen (if frozen thaw overnight in the refrigerator)

• olive oil cooking spray

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 cup small-diced red onion, 1 small onion

• 1 1/2 cups small-diced celery, 4 stalks

• 1/2 cup small-diced red bell pepper, from 1 small pepper

• 1/2 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper, from 1 small pepper

• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1 tablespoon capers, drained

• 1/4 tablespoon hot sauce

• 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, or gluten-free crumbs

• 3 tablespoon light mayonnaise

• 3 tablespoon fat free Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 3 large egg whites, lightly beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

• Season salmon with salt.

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot lightly spray with oil and add the salmon.

• Cook the salmon until browned on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes then turn and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until salmon easily flakes. Set aside on a dish to cool, then flake the salmon into a large bowl.

• Add the olive oil to the pan, then add the the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot sauce, Old Bay seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

• To the large bowl with the salmon add the breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, cooled vegetable mixture, and eggs. Mix well.

• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or freeze 10 minutes. This will make them easier to shape and become less sticky.

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.

• Shape the salmon into 15 (scant 1/4 cup each) cakes and place on prepared baking sheet.

• Bake the salmon cakes for 20 minutes, or until they are golden and cooked through.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Cake

• Calories: 87

• Carbohydrates: 8 g

• Protein: 7 g

• Fat: 3 g

• Saturated Fat: 0.5 g

• Cholesterol: 23 mg

• Sodium: 297 mg

• Fiber: 1 g

• Sugar: 1 g

All About the New Weight Loss Drugs

Photo by Andres Ayrton

By: Mark Sisson

The United States and much of the industrialized world has an obesity problem. The environment is obesogenic. The food is delicious and engineered by PhDs to target and titillate our brain reward systems. The portions are enormous. Half of our waking hours are devoted to sitting slumped over in a chair staring into an electronic device—for work and for pleasure. We eat carbs we don’t need, use seed oils in quantities our bodies haven’t adapted to handling, and largely avoid the most important food our ancestors evolved consuming: animal protein. The cheapest food is the worst and the healthiest is the most expensive.

It’s a big mess, and many people resist the dietary and lifestyle changes required to fix the issue. It’s no wonder many people have been hoping for a pill or medication that fixes the obesity problem. 

Over the last few years, scientists appear to have found a class of medications that can help: GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide (sold as Ozempic® and Wegovy®) and liraglutide (aka Victoza® and Saxenda®). Hollywood celebrities and fashion models are taking these drugs in vast quantities. Silicon Valley tech circles are taking them—Elon Musk, most famously, is on semaglutide. In short, almost everyone with the money and access and weight to lose is using semaglutide and related drugs to stay thin. I know several docs who prescribe it for overweight patients.

Originally designed as diabetes drugs, these agents mimic the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1, an incretin hormone the body releases when you eat food. GLP-1 has two primary effects:

It stimulates the release of insulin and inhibits the release of glucagon. It slows down gastric motility and the passage of food through the gut, keeping you full for longer. 

GLP-1 is a hormone that “signals” fullness. There are all sorts of positive downstream effects as well:

Lower glucose productionMore glucose uptake by musclesIncreased insulin sensitivity Lower blood pressureImproved endothelial function

The new weight loss drugs bind to the receptors that normally interact with GLP-1 and elicit the same effect as the hormone itself. 

Do the obesity drugs work for losing weight?

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Recipe of the Week - Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls

Delicious high protein Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls are made with chicken breast, black beans, brown rice, cheese and smothered in hot sauce. Perfect for meal prep!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 8 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

• 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil

• 1/2 cup diced red onion

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup canned low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce

• 3 cups cooked brown rice

• 1/2 cup part-skim cheddar cheese, or dairy-free cheddar

• 1/4 cup chopped scallions

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until they have caramelized slightly, about 5 minutes.

• Add black beans, paprika, cumin and salt; stir to combine and heat through, 3 to 4 minutes.

• While that cooks, heat a large skillet over high heat, when hot spray with oil and add the chicken.

• Cook until browned and cooked through in the center, about 5 minutes, flipping so it cooks on each side.

• Set aside in a medium bowl and toss with the hot sauce.

To serve

• Pour 3/4 cup rice in each bowl, top each with 1/4 cup beans and cheese, divide the chicken over the bowls.

• If eating right away, I like to melt the cheese by putting it in the microwave 30 seconds. Top with scallions.

For meal prep

• Refrigerate up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave about 3 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Bowl

• Calories: 485

• Carbohydrates: 47.5 g

• Protein: 49.5 g

• Fat: 9.5 g

• Saturated Fat: 3 g

• Cholesterol: 134 mg

• Sodium: 1200 mg

• Fiber: 7 g

• Sugar: 1.5 g

What Does Fiber Do? Do I Need More?

Photo by Foodie Factor

By: Mark Sisson

The health world is fixated on fiber, constantly telling us how important fiber is and how we should all be eating more of it. Back in the day, our cultural obsession with fiber was all about being “regular.” You had to load up on fiber to keep things moving, so to speak. Nothing was more important. So we started our days with bland, tooth-cracking breakfast cereal that tasted like tree bark and sparked no joy. But hey, it was loaded with fiber and therefore good for us, right? 

I’ve long been skeptical of that particular story, mostly because every major health agency that recommends higher fiber intake also says that we should get much of that fiber from whole grains. And you know how I feel about that. If whole grains aren’t essential (or even healthy, if you ask me), then how could the fiber they provide be essential? It doesn’t add up. 

Now, though, as we learn ever more about the emerging science of the microbiome, the fiber story is starting to shift. It’s become less about pushing “roughage” through our colons to create bulkier, more impressive bowel movements (although some people still promote this supposed benefit). Certain types of fiber, it turns out, are essentially food for the microbes living in our guts. 

The health (and composition) of the gut flora helps determine the health of the human host (that’s you). It’s not clear what exactly constitutes “healthy gut flora,” and we’re still teasing out exactly how it affects the various physiological functions, but we know we need them and we know they need to eat something to even have a chance at helping us. Not all fiber is created equal in this respect. 

Thus, when it comes to fiber, it’s important to understand what it does, what you want it to do, and what types are likely to be helpful or harmful. 

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Recipe of the Week - Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Perfect for football season! Baked chicken meatballs with minced celery and carrots hidden inside, topped with hot sauce, and homemade blue cheese dressing – yum!

INGREDIENTS

• oil spray

• 1 1/4 lb ground chicken

• 1/4 cup panko crumbs

• 1 large egg

• 2 scallions, chopped

• 1/3 cup finely minced celery

• 1/3 cup finely minced carrot

• 1 clove crushed garlic

• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1/3 cup Franks Hot sauce

• 1/4 cup skinny blue cheese dressing, optional

• finely chopped celery leaf for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.

• Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil.

• In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, panko crumbs, egg, scallions, celery, carrot and garlic; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

• Using clean hands, mix until combined. Roll the mixture (1/8 cup each) into 26 round meatballs.

• Place meatballs onto prepared baking sheet and bake until cooked through and golden, about 16 to 18 minutes.

• Place the meatballs in a bowl, add the buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine.

• Serve immediately, drizzled with blue cheese dressing, if desired.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Meatball

• Calories: 37

• Carbohydrates: 1 g

• Protein: 4 g

• Fat: 2 g

• Cholesterol: 26 mg

• Sodium: 135 mg

How to Handle Youth Sports as a Parent

Photo by RODNAE Productions

By: Mark Sisson

My kids are all grown up now, but from talking to friends and colleagues with younger kids, it’s become clear that youth sports has become too serious. Kids compete too much and too early. They overspecialize in sports at too young an age, then get burnt out and stop loving the sport altogether. They spend too much time doing the same thing with the same movement patterns. It monopolizes any free time the kids (and rest of family) have. And, perhaps most importantly, parents are too wrapped up in it all.

But it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Kids love to play sports and need to move their bodies.

The foundation of all human movement is play—engaging in a broad spectrum of spontaneous moments, reacting to novel situations as they arise, associating movement with intrinsic reward and joy and pleasure. The problem is that the classic childhood culture of free play, which is how children have historically (and pre-historically) developed their ability to move through physical space and engage with the physical world, is disappearing from neighborhoods. Oftentimes the only chance a kid gets to move is by joining a competitive youth sports team.

So how can you make it work without getting out of hand? How can kids engage in youth sports without burning out, getting injured all the time, and hating what used to be enjoyable?

Keep it fun.

They’re “playing” sports, remember? Playing. Playing is fun. It’s joyful. If you’re enrolling your kid in a legit youth sport recreation league, make sure the emphasis is on fun. That may mean calling the coach and talking about their philosophy and their goals for the kids.

Don’t criticize them on the ride home. Don’t badger them about missing a play or shot. If they start dreading going to practice, if they start making up excuses as to why they can’t go today, then listen. Pull back. Take it easy on them. Let them play sports. If you ruin sports, you might just ruin the idea of play altogether.

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Recipe of the Week - Spinach Dip Stuffed Mushrooms

If you love Spinach Dip and Stuffed Mushrooms, you'll love these easy Spinach Dip Stuffed Mushrooms, a delicious hot appetizer!

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil spray

• 1 ½ pounds baby bella mushrooms, or larger white mushrooms for stuffing

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out

• 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 block

• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for topping

• 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

• ¼ cup chopped scallions, plus extra (optional) green for garnish

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup light sour cream

• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, or gluten-free panko

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 2 sheet pans with oil and set aside.

• Gently remove the stems from the mushrooms and place stem-side down on the sheet pan.

• Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt and pepper, to taste.

• Finely chop stems and place them in a large mixing bowl.

• To the large bowl, add the spinach, cream cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, mozzarella, scallions, garlic, sour cream, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a fork to thoroughly combine.

• Flip mushrooms stem-side up and stuff each mushroom with about 1 tablespoon filling, depending on the mushroom size, pressing mixture into the cavity of the mushroom and a small mound on top.

• In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese.

• Top each stuffed mushroom with a sprinkle of breadcrumb mixture, gently spray tops with olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through cooking to allow for even browning.

• Allow to cool slightly and with a spatula, transfer to serving platter to serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 3 Medium Stuffed Mushrooms

• Calories: 105

• Carbohydrates: 5g

• Protein: 7g

• Fat: 7g

• Saturated Fat: 4g

• Cholesterol: 20mg

• Sodium: 219mg

• Fiber: 1g

• Sugar: 2g

How to Get Over Jetlag

Photo by SheilA

By: Mark Sisson

People often ask me about my “latest” jet lag protocol. Do I have any new tips, tricks, tools, supplements, or devices that I swear by to get over jet lag when flying? No, and here’s why:

My basic jet lag protocol already works so well that there’s absolutely no reason to try including any newfangled hacks, tips, or pills. It’s based entirely on human circadian biology, which hasn’t changed for hundreds of thousands of years. I literally never get jet lag if I stick to my methods. And I put it to the test on a regular basis, traveling quite extensively on transcontinental flights. Jet lag is supposed to get worse with age, but it’s only gotten easier and easier for me.

The experts would have you believe that each hour of time zone change requires one full day to adjust. That was certainly true for me in my 20s when I went to Europe without knowing anything about circadian rhythms, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to get jet lag. You shouldn’t. And I’m going to tell you how to avoid it. Let’s get right into it.

Preparing for Flying East vs. West

To begin with, how you treat the flight is going to differ somewhat based on what direction you’re flying.

Preparing for Flying East

• Break eastbound overnight flights into two short “days”. If you’re doing a big flight east, heading over the Atlantic or Pacific to new lands, it will generally be an overnighter. With that in mind, break your flight up into two short “days.” If the flight is eight hours, the first four hours are “night” and the last four are “day.” If it’s 16 hours, the first eight are nighttime and the last eight are day.

• Sleep at “night”. Sleep as much as you can, as early as you can, during the “nighttime” portion of the flight. This will help normalize your circadian biology and get your body into the “mindset” of day and night. Don’t eat at “night.”

• Stay awake during the “day”. Act just like you do in normal daytime. Read, work, catch up on emails, watch movies. Just stay awake. If it were acceptable to walk the aisles, I’d say walk the aisles.

• Get all your calories in during the “day”. You don’t have to eat, but if you’re going to eat, do so in the “daytime” portion of the flight.

Preparing for Flying West

• For long flights west, a short nap in the middle is fine. Let your body decide to sleep or not. Just don’t sleep so long that you end up having trouble sleeping at the new location when night comes.

• Eat, or not. But don’t overdo it.

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Recipe of the Week - Vanilla Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

This lightened-up Vanilla Sweet Potato Casserole with roasted, mashed sweet potatoes and a praline topping is a wonderful Thanksgiving side dish.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE FILLING:

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, about 4 to 6 medium total*

• Olive oil spray

• 1/2 cup fat free milk , or milk alternative such as almond

• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 large eggs, beaten

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour

• 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, or gluten-free oats

• 3 tablespoons brown monk fruit sweetener

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons melted butter, or coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prick potatoes with a fork and place on a sheet pan.

• Bake until tender, about 1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool enough to handle.

• Meanwhile spray a 9 x 9 inch pan, 9 inch pie pan, or or 2 quart safe baking dish and set aside.

• Remove all the potatoes from the skin and mash with a fork or potato masher in a large mixing bowl.

• Add the milk, maple syrup, salt, spices and eggs to the bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until uniform in texture.

• Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula.

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the nuts, flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

• Stir in the butter or coconut oil and mix well.

• Sprinkle the mixture evenly across the top of the sweet potato mixture.

• Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2/3 Cup

• Calories: 218

• Carbohydrates: 35g

• Protein: 4.5g

• Fat: 8.5g

• Saturated Fat: 2.5g

• Cholesterol: 43.5mg

• Sodium: 153.5mg

• Fiber: 4.5g

• Sugar: 9.5g

What are Active Recovery Workouts?

Photo by Tim Samuel

By: Mark Sisson

Back when I was competing at an elite level of marathon and triathlon, we paid lip service to rest and recovery, but recovery looked mostly like lying on the couch for hours on end with a gallon of ice cream resting on my chest. I poured all my energy into training sessions such that I had nothing left in the tank on off days. Even basic household chores were a big ask.

If I knew then what I know now, I would have made more of an effort to move on my off days, incorporating more active recovery instead of the passive, frankly slothful recovery I favored at the time.

I suspect even the average fitness buff now understands that the real fitness gains don’t happen in the gym or on the track; they happen during the recovery period. You get stronger, fitter, faster thanks to the processes the body undertakes to repair damage caused by exercise and to prepare for your next bout. However, I still see athletes at all levels from general fitness enthusiasts to weekend warrior endurance athletes to high-level competitors resisting recovery. They feel guilty on days they don’t train. When they’re too busy to hit the gym, or accumulated soreness or fatigue forces them to take a day off, they worry that they’re losing all their hard-won gains.

So they’re usually happy to learn that taking days totally off isn’t necessary, or even ideal, for optimizing recovery and long-term performance. It’s usually better to keep moving on recovery days. You can and should hit the gym or hop on your bike between workouts, provided you move at a far lower intensity.

What is Active Recovery?

When people extol the virtues of active recovery, they are actually referring to three different things:

Recovering between sets or reps within a single workout. Think walking between sprint repetitions to bring your heart rate down instead of sitting down on the track.

Recovering at the end of a workout, as in an extended cooldown. For example, doing an easy spin on a stationary bike and a few minutes of dynamic stretching to end your sprint session.

Using movement on your off days—days you don’t have a formal training session planned—to enhance recovery.

We’ll focus on the latter today, but the goal of all three is fundamentally the same. Exercise creates tissue damage and burns through fuel, including intramuscular glycogen. That physical damage and the process of cellular metabolism create byproducts like lactate in the muscles and bloodstream and lead to inflammation, DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and fatigue. Active recovery increases circulation to working tissues (delivering nutrients and speeding up the clearance of waste products), reduces soreness, and improves perceptions of fatigue so athletes are ready to hit their next training session with more vigor.

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