Testimony of the Day
Hi Maria,
For many years, I have been plagued with many auto-immune maladies. Most of them were just bothers, skin problems, aches, burning tongue. I had been on a low dose of Prednisone since 2002. About a year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with Pericarditis and then after several months of tests, Giant Cell Arthritis ( which is inflammation of the arteries going through my temple to the brain). The tests showed major inflammation in my body so I was put on very large doses of Prednisone. That caused many more problems. We have been trying to lower the dose for about 6 months and it has been up and down. I have had lab tests every two weeks for the last 15 months.
Then, 5 weeks ago, I began my life style change mainly because it was touted to be good for inflammation and I had gained lots of weight with the help of the Prednisone. After the first two weeks into your program, my inflammation tests were still high but last week, both indicators showed that my levels were in the normal range. That is the first time in more than 10 years. I can’t tell you how happy that has made me and my family. I am a believer!!!!! I feel good. I don’t miss either the gluten or the sugar. I can’t thank you both enough for the guidance and information. It just proves that you can teach an old dog, new tricks. Thanks again, Molly”
If you want to get started on your path to healing, click HERE. Don’t wait another day!
Don’t forget to take your “before” photo!
Acne Facts
“Acne is one of the Easiest Problems to Treat Naturally. Just like other chronic diseases running rampant in Western society (like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity), acne is primarily a disease of the Western world.” Dr. Mercola. “Acne is much less of a problem in non-Westernized societies, where refined carbohydrates and sugar are consumed in much lower amounts. Solid evidence exists that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are the primary CAUSE of acne.”
If you or your children are frustrated with acne, a grain-free diet will very likely clear up your skin. If you have been on a low-fat or “fad” diet, you may be also dealing with some vitamin/mineral deficiencies so concentrated doses of supplements like vitamin A and zinc may be a necessity too.
Antibiotics are unnecessary AND unsafe because correcting your diet creates an internal environment that does not allow bacterial overgrowth to occur. Taking antibiotics is SO detrimental for your gut flora…it kills all of your good bacteria which can lead to autoimmune diseases and food allergies (Fun Fact: You can decrease your baby’s/children’s chance of a food allergy by 70% if you give them bifido bacteria in the first year of their life: it is naturally found in breastmilk if the mother is eating fermented veggies).
STEP 1: We all know that “simple carbohydrates” are just empty junk calories. These would include white bread, white rice, all sugars, soda, candy, cookies. Eliminating these would be step one in clearing up your skin. TOTALLY getting rid of high fructose corn syrup is a mantra we all should follow and teach our kids how to read labels to never eat this. I found it in pickles this past weekend! Fruit also contains a high amount of fructose, so it should be consumed in very limited amounts and NEVER in the form of juice.
STEP 2: Complex carbohydrates are just glucose molecules linked together in long chains, our body breaks them down into glucose (AKA Sugar) in the blood. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods such as beans, nuts, whole grains, and starchy vegetables. These sound healthy right, BUT if acne is a problem for you, limiting these will decrease the inflammation of the skin caused by the rise in insulin. Our bodies prefer the complex carbs found in non-starchy vegetables instead of the complex carbs found in whole grains, because your body handles their digestion differently. Veggies, such as cauliflower, are slow to break down into simple sugars, with minimal insulin impact, whereas digestion of grain-carbs, such as brown rice, raises your insulin. High insulin levels increases male hormones, which cause your pores to secrete more sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria. Insulin also causes skin cells to multiply, a process associated with acne. This rise in male hormones can also cause fertility issues, so a low carb diet would greatly help women with PCOS.
STEP 3: If step 1 and 2 don’t work, then I suspect a food sensitivity to gluten. Gluten in wheat and other grains may be contributing to your acne symptoms if you have a gluten intolerance, which many people do. This is a separate issue from the insulin effects already discussed. Gluten is a prime suspect if you have rosacea. A person who is sensitive to gluten cannot digest gluten, so the body will not recognize it when it is eaten and therefore treats it as a foreign body when trying to digest it. The gluten can push the toxins through the skin and cause acne. BUT, you must be careful when choosing “gluten free” products, such as the wraps in the photo, they are very high in carbs which won’t help acne. It may seem impossible in our society to eat ‘gluten free’ and low carb, but we do it and we still enjoy pizza, donuts, risotto…just in my “healthified” modified ways!
STEP 4: Get rid of hormones in your food. Get rid of milk, or only buy whole-organic-hormone free milk. Purchase hormone-free meat, chicken, and eggs. To read more, go to: The Sea Of Estrogens!
STEP 5: Add in helpful supplements. Vitamin A and EPA/DHA are extremely helpful in clearing acne. Zinc and other minerals can also help. If you would like a VERY detailed supplement guideline, click HERE. I have it all laid out for you!
“HEALTHIFIED” ENGLISH MUFFINS
6 egg whites, whipped
3 TBS psyllium husk POWDER
2 TBS coconut flour
4 TBS cream cheese, softened (if dairy free, add in the yolks of eggs)
OPTIONAL: additional spices (cinnamon, garlic or other)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate the eggs and discard the yolks. In a large dry bowl, whip the egg white until VERY stiff. Slowly sift in the psyllium husk and coconut flour. Gently stir until well encorporated. Slowly add in the cream cheese (and spices if desired). Grease a pan with coconut oil spray. Dollop the dough into the pans (it will not rise much). Use your hands to shape into English Muffins. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Once totally cool, cut in 1/2 and store in the freezer for easy breakfast options! Makes 4 muffins. NOTE: Bake the dough right away and then freeze the baked product if you want. The dough doesn’t store well uncooked.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per muffin)
Thomas English Muffin = 270 calories, 4g fat, 6g protein, 55 carbs, 8 g fiber
“Healthified” Muffin = 104 calories, 4g fat, 7g protein, 11.6g carbs, 8.8g fiber (2.8 effective carbs)
I am excited to try these this morning. Also good post about the fasting. It is a part of my life.
I think I will use muffin top pan versus the doughnut pan you recommend in your “click here”.
Thanks again.
Thanks!
I fixed the donut pan link too! Oops;)) I appreciate your help!
“If you continue to eat a high carb diet”
what do you consider high – what amount should one be having?
Here is a good ratio to follow for calories/macro-nutrient consumption:
10-15% carbs
20-39% protein
60-70% fat
So, please listen: don’t eat just lean proteins! It is not tolerated well in our body. It leads to nausea in as little as three days. A high healthy fat diet, however, is the traditional diet to sustain for a lifetime. Eating only lean protein causes excess intake of nitrogen, which leads to hyperammonaemia, which is a build up of ammonia in the bloodstream and is toxic to the brain. Many traditional societies survived on a purely animal product diet, which was naturally high in fat…they didn’t have George Foreman Grills.
Our paleo ancestors actually consumed more fat than protein; with a ratio of about 80% calories from fat and 20% from protein. During prolonged periods of starvation or something such as marathon running, fatty acids are converted into ketones, the preferred energy source for highly active tissues like those found in the heart and muscles. Ketones provide a long lasting energy to all cells with mitochondria. Ketones are used to generate ATP. If you use glucose for energy, it needs the intervention of bacteria, ketones can be used directly.
*Note: Using a quality REAL salt is also essential for electrolyte balance. We start skipping the salt and we get low energy. I’m not talking about pre-packaged and fast food junk salt. A Celtic Sea Salt filled with minerals will help with energy.
The healthiest more energizing fats come from animal sources. Quality animal sources like free-range egg yolks and grass fed beef!
I don’t mean to doubt you but since I take my health very seriously, I have some questions.
The Inuits eat a similar diet to what you described and have a lot of health problems since their early 20s. On the other hand caucasians and hunza who eat a high carb diet have the highest life expectancy and continue to be healthy untill their 90s.
What is your opinion on that?
It’s really hard to look at a group of people that have health and longevity and say that their diet is the perfect diet for everyone. Every group has way to many factors that contribute in addition to diet (activity level, environment, stress, community and happiness, etc). I base my beliefs on the pier reviewed studies that isolate what each macro nutrient’s effects are on the body. 🙂
I’d just like to point out that while the Inuit (and many other First Nations peoples in Canada and elsewhere) do suffer from an abundance of health issues, most no longer keep a traditional diet. In fact, measures are being taken by the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative to encourage a return to traditional eating (which was high fat & low carbohydrate) in an effort to treat near epidemic levels of the disease.
Great info!!!
The Inuit didn’t start having health problems until they switched from a diet of almost entirely protein and fat to a diet of a ton of sugar and carbohydrates.
That is very true. There weren’t any issues in the past it is more recent with the introduction of the “western” diet. 🙂
I have been on board with your approach for a while but recently read some things that were contradictory and very compelling. Basically that the body needs very little protein and that too much protein keeps the liver and kidneys tied up with trying to metabolize all of the by products from so much protein. Over time, this can weaken the function of these organs. Have you heard about this?
That is not true. Here is an article on that subject.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/high-protein-safe-for-kidneys
Also, my diet in High fat, moderate protein and low carb so I don’t advocate high protein overall. 🙂
Maria, I find it easiest to skip supper and usually quit eating around 2 or 3 pm as you suggest and then eat upon waking at 8 or 9 am.
Which magnesium do you recommend and is it the same one you recommend for migraine prevention?
Wow…there is NO WAY I could quit eating at 2 or 3 pm….NO WAY. =(
P.S. For my DH – it is definitely the other way around. He finds it much easier to skip breakfast. He gets hungry at night time.
So is it okay to skip breakfast instead then? I would have a better chance being able to skip breakfast for life than dinner. Thanks.
Yes, you could do a morning fast. Move the 6 hour or so eating window later in the day. Just make sure to stop eating at least 3 hours before bed. 🙂
Thanks Maria! I was making sure I stopped eating 2 hours before bed but will make sure I move it to at least 3 hours. I am full of lipoma tumors and was wondering which program and you think would be best for me? I can not afford to buy it yet but would like to know for future reference…and if I can only buy one of your books, which one should I buy first (I have 30 lbs to lose but am more focused on my health right now).
You are a Godsend <3 THANK YOU!
Definitely my 30+7 day package. That is the lowest in inflammation and sugars (which is want you want for your situation). My book Keto-Adapted is a great place to start.
http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/my-books/
hi maria – looking for more information on why soy (as a protein source) is bad for us. i am particularly concerned because my son has dairy allergies, so he drinks soy milk. what are your thoughts on coconut milk instead? thank you!
Never EVER EVER feed a boy or man soy. Soy messes with hormones BIG TIME.. Its not good for women either it is KNOWN to be a contributing factor in the formation of uterine fibroid TUMORS. I would feed my son raw goat’s milk or coconut milk (with NO carageenan) or nothing. I’m sorry to be so blunt buy after years of eating tofu I am facing a hysterectomy from fibroids.
This is the magnesium I recommend: http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20/detail/B00012TQ5C
Hope that helps!
Why soy is bad: http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/avoid_soy.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/18/soy-can-damage-your-health.aspx
Almond milk has twice as much calcium as dairy!
My son, who is 16 months drinks bone broth!
maria – thanks for the info on soy…we can’t do almond milk either (nut allergies). yes, lots of restrictions. let me look into bone broth — ! thanks!!
I use coconut milk. Would that work?
Yes, unsweetened coconut milk is a good option. 😉
Thank you so much, Maria!
Thanks Maria… what do you think about a 3-day fast? Will that destroy your metabolism?
Thanks Susie…I actually don’t recommend 3 day fasts…sorry:)
Maria, thank you for the info on Intermittent Fasting! I am very interested in trying this!
Is this something you suggest doing daily? Also, if skipping dinner, should one have 2 or 3 meals between 9am and 3pm?
Thanks again!
Thank you for the information about intermittent fasting. I am very interested in tring it!
However, I do have a couple questions…
1- Do you suggest doing this daily?
2- If I choose to only eat between 9am – 3pm, do you suggest 2 or 3 meals?
Thanks again!!
I recommend 2 meals on IF days.
I also recommend doing this once or twice a week.
Thanks!;)
Interesting article. I am wondering what is your take on fasting for people with hypoglycemia?
Maria, When you do a morning Fast, when do you break your fast?
I’d like to give this a try!
Michelle, the way of eating I suggest diminishes hypoglycemia. I actually get my clients off of insulin by balancing their blood sugar. When it goes too high, it comes crashing too low.
If you do the AM fast, you can start eating after a hard workout at around 1pm.
Happy Eating!
So will these muffins help me get rid of my muffin top? LOL And can you refridgerate or freeze them in advance for later too? They look really good
Haha! And yes! They will;)
I freeze these all the time for an easy breakfast.
Happy baking!
Maria – I have your book and I’m a little confused on when and how much l-carnitine and glusamine to take (assuming I am not working out). Could you let me know? Thank you!
Thanks for your support! I recommend 3 grams of l carnitine in the AM on an empty stomach. Then 2 grams l glutamine 15-30 minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Thanks again!
Hi Maria
I have just downloaded your book Secrets to… & have yet to read the whole book properly, just skimmed through it. On page 160, it is mentioned that L-carnitine is helpful for hyperthyroidism, in my case it is the opposite, I have under active thyroid. Should I still take this- I bought Acetyl-L-carnitine, each capsule contains Acetyllevocarnitine hydrochloride 500mg.i have another supplement called ‘Intestamine’ which besides herbs such as turmeric, aloe, slippery elm & mastic tree gum has 2g Glutamine, 200 mg citrus bioflavonoid extract & 100 mg pectin(apple) per 5g dose.
Will this be the same as taking l- Glutamine?
Thanks again.
Gita
Hi Maria
Had another question, what are your thoughts on ‘one should eat something upon 1 hour of rising to overcome cortisol effects’ ? How does that fit in with ‘ morning fating?
Thanks:)
Gita
Here is a good read on fasting. 🙂 http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/05/04/fasting-effects-on-human-growth-hormone.aspx
Thanks Maria
Gita
For under active thyroid you should take L-Tyrosine.
L-Glutamine is different, that chapter talks more about L-Glutamine. 🙂
Thanks Maria for your information on the supplements and timing. Your book and blog are eye opening and fantastic.
Yes;) coconut milk is great too! It most resembles breast milk!
Maria, I’m sorry I should have been more specific. Let me rephrase. I have hypoglycemia unrelated to diabetes (idiopathic reactive hypoglycemia: reactive to certain foods and reactive to not eating) and have managed to greatly diminish the number of low blood sugar episodes by eating the way you suggest (I already eat that way and discovered your blog on a recipe hunt). However I still have them regularly. I am curious to know if it is possible for someone like me to incorporate fasting (for obvious reasons), and if so, how.
Thanks for explaining Michelle. In that case, I don’t recommend it.
Happy Eating!
hi maria. i am taking some of the supplements recommended (magnesium, l-carnitine and l-glutamine) in your book, and recently read about “digestive enzymes”. what do you think about them?
Yep! I have a sub chapter about enzymes too;)
Keep reading, I have tons of info about when and what to take.
Thanks for your support!
Maria, how often do you reccommend fasting? If I were to do a 24 hour fast, how often would be beneficial? I often do not eat until 10am, and stop eating at 6pm. However I wonder if doing this method every day is beneficial or if it by any chance is stalling the benefits because I am not “switching it up”. For further information, I work out every morning around 6:30, and I own your books and love them!
Thanks for your support!
As long as you supplement with amino acids around the AM fast and workout, I think it is a great way to eat! I almost always eat my first meal at 9am (I’m up at 6 and I run), then I stop eating at 3pm.
Happy eating!
is this how you eat always? or just on fasting days? also…how often do you have a fasting day…I am new to this idea. 🙂 Thanks Maria!
This is how I pretty much always eat. Sometimes on the weekends we will be at the family or something where I will eat later, but whenever at our house we eat this way. 🙂
Thanks so much for answering my question!
English muffins look great. Can I sub flax for psyllium?
Nope, sorry. That won’t work. 🙂
maria, do I have to grind the jay robb psyllium like for the amazing bread????? do I have to use jay robb. the first batch flopped, but maria, it was so delicious… I didn’t use jay robb. thanks so much.
my daughter with UC seems potential so I want to get it right for her.. thanks you maria I love your lifestyle and your supplement recommendations…. I love your meals…thanks again.
Yes, I grind the Jay Robb husks for about 5 minutes in my blender. 🙂
thank you Maria, my option 1 bagels came out great! practicing these recipes and burning calories in the process. I have lost 17 pounds in 5 weeks and within 2 weeks of kicking wheat and sugar, my knees stopped hurting and there was an immediate response to my knee health, I just couldn’t believe it. I will never eat sugar and wheat again. this is without supplements. then I got the supplement plan and I have noticed energy, sleep, calm and I just feel over all very well. I decided I was nutritionally undernourished and my body is getting back to health with just the right nourishment from food and supplements. THANK YOU MARIA. thank you. sometimes I get frustrated. but it is so worth it. I feel great. thanks again Maria.
Thanks!
How do you do the pizza ones at the bottom? And I work 4 days a wk part time and often don’t eat at all for the most part all day and only eat dinner. But unfortunately I demo food at Walmart which sadly usually isn’t the healthiest always either which doesn’t help lol so hard to figure out eating for the 10-4:30 I work Thurs-Sat and 11:30-6 on Sundays. Hmmm any advice?
I just slice in half and add sauce, cheese and toppings and put under a broiler until cheese is melted. 🙂 I make batches of muffins, quiche muffins, etc. and freeze them. Then my husband takes them to work and by lunch they are thawed enough.
When you say to not eat 3 hours before sleeping to help boost human growth hormone, how do drinks factor in? I know I need to cut down on chocolate/cocoa, but a hot cup of stevita delight in the pm is so wonderful. Would that impact the HGh if I drink that before sleep?
Technically yes, depends on what your goals are. It will still raise insulin a little right before bed. 🙂
Ok, will definitely cut out the stevita at night. Can I have tea?
And questions about timing in the morning. I’ll take l-carnatine on an empty stomach. 1) Do I have to wait long to exercise? 2) And how long after exercising do you take the l-glutamine, 3) how long after exercising/taking the l-glutamine can you eat? 4) What is the best recovery meal to not spike insulin and encourage that hgh? 5) How long should you wait after exercise before eating items that are higher in carbs?
My goal is tone up, but I definitely want to capitalize on that hgh.
1) Not too long. I usually run about 2 hours after I wake up and eat right after that. 2) Right after. 3) Pretty much right after. 4) I like Bacon and Eggs. 5) If you eat a good meal of bacon and eggs you won’t be hungry until lunchtime. 🙂 I always keep my carbs low, but when I do eat them (usually in the form of fiber) I eat them with a fat to help balance the glycemic index and limit blood sugar spikes. 🙂
I guess I am a little confused. Does stevia raise insulin or the cocoa?
When you eat anything with calories your blood sugar will rise a little. 🙂
Wow, I feel like I have so much to learn. I thought carbs and sugars raised the insulin. I was not even thinking that a little stevia could do that with just a pinch of cocoa. And since I definitely want to maximize my hgh, I’ll drop that habit of the late night hot drink.
How about sleepy time tea or something like that? Or a home remedy tea?
Well, the content of the drink does matter. I thought you were talking a hot chocolate which would have quite a few calories, fat, etc. If it is just a pinch of cocoa, that’s not so bad. 🙂
Maria, I am an RN working the overnight shift. On the nights that I work, I will get up at a “normal” time (ie daytime worker’s time), have breakfast (usually a couple of healthy brown eggs from a local farm) and perhaps a “mug” cake made with almond flour. Then run errands, take a nap in the afternoon…have a chicken sandwich (wrapped in lettuce) for “lunch”, and take strips of either lean grilled beef, chicken, or shrimp to put on a salad (with full fat dressing) for “dinner” around 1AM. To try out IF, would I skip dinner before I head to work…breakfast when I get home…? I hesitate to skip the meal in the middle of the night, because I need all the brainpower I can get in the middle of the night.
Hi, I would skip the meal closest to your bedtime. 🙂
Maria,
What would be ideal pre and post-weight training meals? I lift heavy weights 5 times a week and i would like to get away from using protein powders. I still eat carbs but they are pretty minimal. I feel like whole foods are just better for me to consume than a powder. I workout early in the morning so i eat right before the gym around 6:30-7am and eat again post workout about 2 hrs after my pre-workout meal. An example of my pre-workout meal would be 2 eggs over easy and 2 canadian bacon slices, or 1 whole wheat w/flax sandwich thin w/1 egg, 1 canadian bacon, and 1 cheese…basically around 200-250 calories (this is eaten within 45 mins of starting my workout). Then after my workout I will drink a protein shake made with either water, coconut water, or some sort of nut milk, so around 200 calories. I have read your books, but I am not clear on what exactly are good pre and post-workout meals.
Hey girl!
I would consume anything with coconut oil before hand. It produces ketones which are a great energy source!
Post workout, I recommend l-glutamine right after to help repair your muscles. I take 3 grams after I lift.
If you are working out to lose weight, I don’t recommend eating before hand. It depends on your goals…. that is why I help more individually with consults… it is hard to recommend it in a book:)
Happy Eating!
I made these the other day. While the taste is good the texture is really really odd. like a rubberry weird texture. the outside is fine. They rose to be these huge rolls in the oven and when cooled they deflated to be somewhat wrinkled looking. Are my results normal?
No, It sounds like they didn’t cook long enough. Try leaving them in a little longer. 🙂
Thanks!! – haha too funny!! They did tatse great so I figured I messed up in some way! When I toasted them they blew up (like rising) on the sides so I was wondering if they were undercooked!! I am headed to diney in 2 weeks with the family and I want to bake some things to take with me! We are staying for a week and I want to stay on track – I have been low carb and almost wheat free (very minor amounts in a few LC ingredients) since february and am afraid that if I eat anything “normal” I will get so sick during the trip! Thanks so much!! I cannot wait to try the sub bread next!
I’m jealous! I can’t wait to take my boys to Disney! 🙂 Great job planning ahead. I tell my clients this all the time. Have a great time! 🙂
All these recipes that call for egg whites and cream cheese- I’m used to trying not to deflate the whites, but I can’t figure out how to mix cream cheese and egg whites without deflating the whites…
The cream cheese needs to be softened. Watch this, I hope it helps. 🙂 https://vimeo.com/43271915
Hi Maria, thanks for posting information about fasting. I started intermittent fasting last week and my body really agrees with this way of eating. I am also lifting heavy weights. Do you recommend the same low carb/high fat macros on training days or should I increase my carbs more than 15%?
Thanks for all you do!
Thanks! Once you have turned your body from a sugar burner into a fat burner, you don’t need to change for active days. I am very active and never change my diet and I have tons of energy throughout my workout. 🙂
hi maria, this is a very interesting post thanks! i just heard about eat stop eat last week – im doing my second fast this week, my first was 36 hours and i wasnt starving myself, i just ate when i felt i needed.. today im doing the same, my last meal was 8pm last night and ill eat today when i feel i need.. slightly unstructured approach i guess and eating well after 3pm but its happened and ill plan better next time.. where should i get amino acids from? and argentine, should i take this before a bikram session or is this best with cardio only?
Hi Maria,
Is there any substitute for psyllium husk powder? I am allergic to it, but really want to make this recipe!
Sorry, the psyllium is needed for this recipe. This is another option. 🙂 http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2010/08/eggs-benedict_17.html
loving your recipes maria! i dont have powder but do have just psyllium husks.. would they not work? eyeing up your chowder bread too..
ive been fasting 36hr 2x a week – starting 8pm til 8am the day after. i eat high fat before and then after i eat eggs, nuts, berries, veg.. HOWEVER.. i ate 2 chocolate bars yesterday, not out of craving or anything.. my stomach is fuller and rounder and bloated more than when i had kefir yogurt.. i wanted to fast today but thought my body might need nutrients.. this is the first time i have eaten anything but eggs, nuts, fish, fruit, veg for 2 months.. what do you recommend i do to cleanse (and somehow get it all out of my system?). im taking magnesium but it feels like my intestines and digestive tract has just stopped working!
It has to be a fine powder to work. Just take the whole husks and grind them in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. 🙂
Not sure what is happening and I would have to do a health assessment to know what is going on. Let me know if you are interested. Thanks!
Good Afternoon Maria
I have a question about the Glutamine consumption as it is related to cancer. I read an article recently that said cancerous cells feed on Glutamine. Is this accurate? Questioning because I wanted to start taking the supplement but once I read this article I was turned off from it.
From this scientific study it appears that tumors act as a glutamine trap and thus deplete the body of glutamine. It says that glutamine supplementation actually helps the patient in these situations.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1243066/
Thanks for this link Maria!!
First, thank you for all of your “bread” recipes. This is the one thing that I miss the most after switching over to a more Paleo diet two years ago.
Question: I am also dairy-free, the recipe calls to use the yolks of the egg instead of the cream cheese. Do I still separate the eggs and replace yolks for the cream cheese in the directions or just use the whole egg.
Many thanks
And Thanks, for all the recipes – this site was a great find!
Yes, the whites won’t whip if the yolks are in there. Thanks! 🙂
can I subsitute almond flour for the coconut flour in the english muffins?
The ratio isn’t the same for coconut flour as almond. I usually start with 1/4 the amount of flour for coconut (so 4 times as much for almond) and twice the eggs (or half for almond). 🙂
thank you. Going to try one of your recipes for the first time tomorrow, so excited! does the coconut flour give it a coconut taste. I really don’t like the taste of coconut and have tried for years to eat it, as it is in so many good things. I am once again going to try to eat things with coconut….
Coconut flour doesn’t have any coconut flavor. Happy baking! 🙂
Ugh…Ive been trying to find some new things for my kids to eat for breakfast and not having much luck. Made these and neither kid likes them! Tried toasting and topping with peanut butter one day, cheese toast the next…but they didn’t like either one! I’ve also made your strawberry cereal…but they didn’t like that either (I thought it tasted pretty good myself). Any ideas for what to try next?! I’m not giving up!
My boys eat eggs every morning, but you could also try the shamrock shake. 🙂
http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2012/05/shamrock-shake-and-herb-garden.html
Thanks Maria. I also have a question regarding bread since it doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to completely remove it from my kids diet at this time. If they do eat bread, what would the best choice be? A “sprouted” bread like Ezekiel?
I would make my sub bread. It is just like store bought. I don’t recommend any grains, sorry. 🙂
http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2012/07/toasted-sub-sandwich-and-panini.html
Hello Maria,
I am thinking about doing the morning fast, I work out with weights on Mon,Wed,Fri and thinking about doing the fast 2 times a week. In the morning I take a Multivit, fish oil,l-creatine, Magnisum, Kito-7. Then I eat breakfast and head to the gym. I dont do much cardio but I do sometime. So would you fast on two of my 3 gym days or my two days between? Also should I take these supplements at different times? And should I take L-glutamine after workouts? and when should it be took on days not working out? just thought I would ask that because I saw it mentioned a couple times in these posts. I think I could do the morning fast with no problem because I would do it all the time when I was not a healthy eater not on purpose becasue of my job. Thanks!
No. Do your workout and then eat breakfast. And take the supplements
with your late breakfast. Only take l-carnitine before.
Yes take glutamine right after workouts then eat 15 minutes to 1 hour after taking it. Still take it on days u don’t work out. Helps with cravings and healing the gut. Thanks! 🙂
Thanks for the quick reply, I look forward to trying this. I want to make sure I understand this part first though. I see it says you should fast 8-10 waking hours, so if I stop eating at 3pm go to bed at 10pm that is 7hrs, then if I het up at 7am and wait until 10am to eat that equals my 10 waking hours? Just wanting to make sure that the waking hours did not have to be 8-10hrs in the same day. Thanks so much!
Yes, they don’t have to be continuous. 🙂
Hi Maria, I want to apologize if the answer to these questions are in previous posts. I have read through them and just cant figure it out. My schedule is similar to the post above. I work out 3x a week, days may differ but I go to the gym every other day. I normaly go to bed around 11P.M and wake up at 7:30 A.M. My first question is…(1) This should be done 1-2 times per week? (2) Should my schedule be like this…Wake up at 730A.M and not eat until 330P.M? (3) Should I do the fasting days on gym days or non gym days? (4) And should the fasting days be done on back to back days? and if not how many days apart should they be? Again I am sorry if I am just missing the answers. I also have on last question on supplements, I also take glutamine, but if I take it right after I go to the gym and then eat about an hour afterword that would be right around noon for me, so I would only go 4 1/2 waking hours without eating, so does sleeping hours count?
Hi, I write about this in much greater detail in my Metabolism book. 🙂 The waking hours don’t have to be continuous so you can add the evening hours to the morning hours. 🙂
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Healthy-Metabolism-Maria-Emmerich/dp/0988512408/ref=sr_1_2?m=A51JBC26TWGDE&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1364230861&sr=1-2
Maria, I’ve been taking glutamine last thing at night and first thing in the morning, is this bad?
It’s not bad, I just like taking it right after a workout to help with muscle repair or before meals. 🙂
Wow looks like everyone is getting onto the fasting train!
Thanks A lot!
Hi Maria I fast several times a week 4 hours before and after I sleep so from 8pm to midday. I drink adequate water and eat healthy, no grains or gluten or beans or junk but some sugar.. I wake dehydrated.. Any ideas?
Make sure you are getting at least you body weight in ounces of water per day. I usually get 1.5X that but that should be a minimum. I also have a glass of water by the bed so when I go to the bathroom at night I take a drink. 🙂
So if you only eat from 9-3pm then do you still feed your husband and kids dinner? I have 4 children and I’m assuming you don’t make your kids skip dinner as well? Also – is whey protein ok during fasting hours?
Yes, our boys eat 3 meals a day last one being about 5-6pm (depending on when they get up from nap). No, during fasting you don’t take in any calories, only zero calorie liquids. 🙂
Hi maria I have a question. Are Joseph’s lavash wraps healthy as well as la tortilla factory low carb wraps?
If you go out and do a google search you find that a Thomas English Muffin is only 100 calories, how did you get 270?
I made these last weekend and really liked them, but mine look nothing like yours-could it be the phsyllium husk powder? (not Jay Robb). It was very hard to keep the whites fluffed (used my Kitchen aide for a while until very stiff) while adding the rest of the ingredients-I slowly added them, but they would not mix well until the dough looked like the amazing bread dough…I had to shape them by hand into the round shapes (can’t dollup), then they puff up in the oven, and sink after you take them out. I grind that psyllium a LOT….they tasted really good, but it bugs me that they look so diferent….yours are much fluffier…any ideas?
Yes, different brands of psyllium will be different colors. 🙂
hi maria, I made the English muffins. they tasted good ! but they fell when I took them out of the oven. the only thing I could think of was the AC, cuz I live in florida. is that it? also I didn’t use your jay robb husks and that could be a reason to right? what is the pan that you use to make the muffins.. it is hard to mold them because they are sticky. I love these and hope to improve my technique.. yum any help. also folding the cream cheese in I had clops of cream cheese is this ok or normal, or is yours more dispursed. also how do you get yours so crunchy looking? thanks maria. will order the husks…but need that info
It could have been the humidity, yes. You can toast them in a pan with some butter. 🙂
when you fold your cream cheese in any of your breads are there clops of cream cheese??? I watched your videos for protein bread…but I still got clops is this going to happen because of the type of bread it is?
I don’t usually get clumps no. 😉
I do make meringue with real sugar in Florida, even in the summer and I have made an old German recipe with yeast that you cook in the pan and I have no problem with this. so I don’t think it is humidity. (won’t do that anymore though) do you think that there could be a difference in the temperature from the oven to the cold AC that makes the English muffins or even protein bread flop? what would happen if I left it in the oven would it get really burned up or dry??? I have practiced but I don’t want to keep wasting ingredients. am my family likes bread.
Then I would guess that the whites were not beat stiff enough. 🙂
ok thanks so much maria, I will practice. I appreciate you. it is worth doing that for my health! also thank you for your personalized supplement recommendations.
I have made these several times and they always fall after they come out. I like the flavor and texture of these the best for a bun, but they never come out like in the picture. They look great in the oven then fall as they cool down-every time. I have tried different Psyllium, my whites are always very well beaten, and I live in northern Illinois. I also made these the first time during winter, and recently in summer, adjusted the temps, used different baking dishes, and even beat the cream cheese a little before mixing in case that was causing the batter to fall too much when you added the whites in…same results every time-nothing close to the picture…they puff up very nicely in the oven, but not once they come out.
In your kids cookbook there is a note that says cook right away bc of boiling water being mixed in??? I’m confused
That is a slightly different recipe than this one. 🙂
Hi Maria. I just made these for the first time and they are amazing..much better than protein buns, so I may be making these for many applications. Just a question…I ordered some muffin rings from Amazon hoping to contain these on the baking sheet (they sort of spread out) and so they will be easier to slice (flattened out pretty thin).
My question is…would it help to add some baking powder? Work with ingredients at room temperature? Any advise to keep them from being so flat that I they are difficult to slice in half?
I toasted them, added butter and topped with bacon, egg and cheese. I know longer crave the Egg McMuffins. These are freakin awesome!~
A little baking powder might work. Thanks! 🙂
Dang it..I hate my typos…can you fix them? LOL
LOL. We all make them. 🙂
Hey Maria! I just Wanted to thank you for this recipe. I use these English muffins for everything! I made a triple batch and keep them in my freezer. Then when I need a mini pizza or a bun to take a sandwich to work I’m all set. I bake mine in a muffin top pan so they look “normal”. They have a nice neutral taste that makes an excellent bread substitute. Thank you for all the great recipes! Please keep them coming!
Thanks!