Crustless Cheesecake

Fighting Depression

Before I started my job as a nutritionist, Craig (my husband) and I had some really tough curve balls thrown our way. I was a rock climbing guide and I loved my job but with the bad economy came bad news. Craig lost his job which was our main source of income. Shortly after that happened, I went to have my yearly physical and I was a puddle. I cried at the drop of a hat, worried that we were going to lose our house and our dream of adopting children. My doctor immediately thought she would be a helpful “problem-solver” by offering me an antidepressant. She did not check my vitamin D levels (which ended up being low after I had them checked with a new doctor), nor did she check my liver health, which was also probably horrible with my high carb diet at the time. Not to mention the fact that I was also training for a marathon which added stress to my adrenal system.

She also did not ask if I take fish oil or a probiotic. All of these should be a prerequisite for patients to test and incorporate before being offered these mind-altering addictive drugs with lots of side effects. We would save a whole heck of a lot of money on health insurance!

On top of that she did not ask what my diet was (p.s. this is the same doctor that didn’t ask about my diet when I had severe IBS, needless to say, after this visit, I changed doctors). In biology class we are taught that our blood is manufactured and begins in the bone marrow. In Chinese medicine, we are taught that our blood begins on the end of our fork. Yep, we really are what we eat.

One of the most common serious ailments I see in my office is depression and anxiety. Our brain and cells are over 60% fat. With the trends and tips that health magazines and commercials push on us, it is no wonder depression is sucking us all down! Before my passion for nutrition came along, I had a passion for donuts. I was an athlete and thought I could get away with eating what I wanted, as long as I worked out. NOT TRUE. Even though I ate enough calories, I was starving myself … specifically, I was starving my brain. Even though my stomach was filled with “substance” my brain kept telling me to eat; our bodies are smart, they make us crave certain nutrients we need. In my low-fat past, I always felt guilty about enjoying fatty foods. But the human body is hard-wired to crave cholesterol and fat because our body is made up of this crucial macronutrient, so don’t feel guilty! You crave cholesterol and fat because they’re critical to your health. When you eat real cholesterol and fat, you regulate insulin levels and trigger enzymes that convert food into energy.

Cholesterol from food controls your body’s internal cholesterol production and protects your liver. Your liver is what governs not only how effectively your body burns fat, but it also governs your mood.

Some signs of a toxic liver are weight gain, depression, cellulite, abdominal bloating, indigestion, fatigue, mood swings, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and skin rashes. Many people struggle with weight gain and a sluggish metabolism most of their lives, and go through lots of yo-yo dieting unsuccessfully. “So why doesn’t anything work?” You may have been tackling the symptom when we should be addressing the cause; weight gain is often due to poor liver function. The liver performs more than 400 different jobs, and is the body’s most important metabolism-enhancing organ; it acts as a filter to clear the body of toxins, metabolize protein, control hormonal balance and enhance our immune system.

“Thank You Thank You! With your help, I am off the anti-depressant that I had been taking off and on for almost 20 years, wow I can’t believe it! I had been convinced that it was something I was going to have to take for the rest of my life. I feel great, I still get a little emotional the week before my period, but it is manageable. In addition to that, I am off the Armour thyroid. I will have my levels checked again in two months, but the last time it was checked I was holding in the normal range.

Also, when I started working with you I was on the verge of having my gallbladder out, which I am happy to say, I sill have my gallbladder with no significant issues. Anyway, thank you again, I know if I would not have found you, I would not feel so amazing!!!”

Your liver is a “worker bee” that can even regenerate its own damaged cells, but our liver is not invincible. When it is abused and lacks essential nutrients, or when it is overwhelmed by toxins and excess estrogens, it no longer performs as it should. Fat may build up in the liver and just under the skin, hormone imbalances can develop, and toxins increase and get into the blood stream. The liver metabolizes not only fats, but proteins and carbohydrates for fuel. It breaks down amino acids from proteins into various pieces to help build muscle; which directly impacts your calorie burn. It also transports amino acids through the blood stream for hormone balance; which is critical to avoid water retention, bloating, cravings, as well other undesired weight issues. There are many different amino acids that have a variety of important jobs. For example l-tryptophan is an amino acid that comes from protein that helps build serotonin. Other amino acids also help move waste such as excess “bad” estrogen, detoxification and elimination through the kidney, as well as many other functions like building muscles.

The liver’s most important function, and the one that puts it at greatest risk for damages, is to detoxify the numerous toxins that attack our bodies daily. A healthy liver detoxifies many damaging substances and eliminates them without polluting the bloodstream. When we cleanse the liver and eat the right foods, liver metabolism will improve and we start burning fat.

Craig’s birthday is on Christmas Day! Can you believe it!? Poor guy! I try to make the day special, but it is often over-shadowed by Christmas activities. His FAVORITE dessert is cheesecake, so in honor of his birthday, we are celebrating with my keto-cheesecake!

Crustless Cheesecake

Maria Emmerich

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dairy Free, Dessert, Nut Free, Vegetarian

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 419.5

Ingredients

  

0.25x0.5x1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 8 ounce packages cream cheese or mascarpone cheese, OR Kite Hill for dairy free
• ▢ 3/4 cup Natural Sweetener (or equivalent)
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Redmond Real salt
• ▢ 1 vanilla bean scraped clean, or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut a vanilla bean open through the middle and scrape the beans out of the inside with a sharp knife.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, natural sweetener, vanilla bean and salt with an electric mixer until blended.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each, just until blended.
• Pour into a greased spring form pan. I use a water bath to create a more even baking process.
• To prevent water from seeping into the removable bottom of the springform pan, wrap aluminum foil completely around the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan.
• Place the cheesecake into a jellyroll pan (or any baking pan with sides) and place the pans into the oven.
• Use a teakettle to fill the outer pan with hot water.
• Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
• Run knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cake and allow to cool before removing the spring-form pan ring.
• Refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 419.5 | Fat: 37.2g | Protein: 9.6g | Carbohydrates: 4.1g | P:E Ratio: 0.2

This story brought tears to my eyes!

“My 8 yo son was diagnosed with Epilepsy in November. Through the guidance of our doctor, we immediately put him on a modified ketogenic diet to reduce the number of seizures he would get. As the holiday approached and the kids in his class were eating candy and decorating cookies, he would come home and cry in his room. Then I stumbled upon your website. With his doctors approval, I made this cookie for him, so that he could enjoy a decorating party with his brother and sister. As a new mother of a special needs child, it brings tears to my eyes that I found your site. With the help of people like you, I can start to give my child some of the things he felt like he was missing. To say you have improved my life is a huge understatement, you have brought the spirit of Christmas back into our house. So grateful, thank you.”

Testimony of the Day

“The very first time in my life I was asked if I liked myself and I couldn’t answer. This was the turning point in my life. I first tried traditional medicine: anti-depressants, anxiety medications, Thyroid medication for my “hypothyroid” etc. but with little to no avail I turned to nontraditional medicine. I was 20 years old. I was able to treat my illness through diet and nutrition but I realize not all cases are that simple. I strongly believe that had I seen a psychologist before my life style change they would have diagnosed me with bi-polar. I was a mess. Sad, angry, paranoid, blaming others, something was always “wrong” or “a muck” but I never could put a finger on it. I would break down and cry throughout the day and I would always “come up” with a reason why I felt the way I did.

I first started by making dietary changes, eating protein, less grains and sugar. It helped some but not enough. I then sought Maria’s help. At my appointment, I started to cry. I said I don’t know what’s wrong with me, maybe it’s just been a long day. I remember feeling a dark cloud over me. 

Once I started your diet, my cloud was lifted, my brain fog, my depression, my pain, my suffering. I was a “new person.” I was my old self again! I was 21 years old. After the life style changes of diet, and nutrition my fibomyalgia, freezing cold all the time and sadness went away. Things were finally “perfected” once I went 100% gluten free. Until I went 100% gluten free I kept developing new allergies. I was always bloated and constipated. I would still have occasional emotional unsteadiness.

With Maria’s guidance of supplements and staying 100% compliance to her diet, my gut has finally healed, my emotional health completely stabilized, my acne gone, excess pounds gone, brain fog gone, tired / fatigue gone. I am the healthy image I longed to be. It took time, persistence, patients, and self-discipline. It has been a journey that has paid off! I am now a wife and mother of three and to have the positive energy for all of them they need. I can truly be the sound and encouraging spiritual head of the home, focused on them and not on myself. I am now 29 years old.”

To get the results like this client, click here to get started.  You do NOT have to suffer through this alone!

Craig’s Before/After Photos

“This is a partial before after photo of me.  I couldn’t find any photos of me at my highest weight (185 in college).  On the left I was about 170 and today I am 145.” Craig