Healthy Living for Real People
Paul Malkmus
High Nutrients, Low Calories Wins Again
Feb 14th
People sometimes get the wrong idea about a plant-based diet.
They think “plant-based” means “starvation” and all you can eat is truckloads of iceberg lettuce.
Granted, if all you ate was iceberg lettuce, you would indeed starve to death — but that’s because iceberg lettuce has very few nutrients.
A proper, plant-based diet (ie. The Hallelujah Diet) includes loads of high nutrient, low calorie foods.
Translation?
It’s not about eating less. It’s about eating foods that give your body all the nutrients it needs without filling up on empty calories.
In fact, you can eat kale, collards, spinach, sprouts, berries, tomatoes, veggie juices, etc. all day long and not have to worry about consuming too many calories.
And new studies are showing that this kind of diet has more benefits than keeping you trim.
In a paper that will be presented to the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in April, new research suggests that… “cutting calories and eating foods that make up a healthy diet may be a simpler way to prevent memory loss as we age,” and that “the higher the amount of calories consumed each day, the higher the risk of mild cognitive impairment (memory loss).”
In the study, the odds of suffering memory loss more than doubled for people consuming 2,143 to 6,000 calories per day compared to those eating 600 to 1,526 calories per day.
Apparently, remembering to eat your fruits and veggies can help you remember… period.
Your turn…
What’s your favorite high nutrient, low calorie food?
Click to comment!
Healthy Love Potions
Dec 26th
Are you nuts about your honey?
Your spouse, that is.
You can show your love by helping them get healthy — and ensure your love lasts for many healthy years to come.
Making an effort to get healthy (especially eating the right foods) is one of the best things you can do for your relationship. With better health comes better moods, more energy, and even a better love life.
It’s also one of the most intimate parts of a relationship, too.
Think about it – sometimes in our busy lives the only time we really sit down and talk is at a meal time. Food can indeed be a contributing factor in the health of your relationship.
All the more reason to make sure it’s good stuff!
But it doesn’t have to always have to be about salad. There are healthy foods to match every time and season of your relationship:
- A fresh smoothie right after a robust exercise routine.
- Grilled veggies and watermelon juice on the deck in summer.
- A hearty soup after a long day at work.
Then there are times when it’s cold outside and you just want to snuggle together in front of the fireplace with a creamy cup of hot chocolate…
… or something even tastier!
We love challenging the notion that there’s no replacement for decadent foods like hot chocolate. Our “Mint Patty” recipe is a prime example:
Mint Patty
Serves 2 (curled up in front of a fireplace, preferably)
Coffee Substitute Ingredients:
Look for a coffee substitute like Oskri, Roma, or Teeccino.
Follow instructions on the package to make 2 servings.
Cashew Cream Ingredients:
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 cup water
Mocha Peppermint Syrup Ingredients:
4 Tbsp maple syrup
4 tsp carob powder
1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring*Directions:
1. Blend cashew cream ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl and set aside.
3. Blend mocha peppermint syrup ingredients until smooth and stir into bowl of cashew cream.
4. Pour up to 1/4 cup of cream mixture into each mug of brewed coffee substitute.
5. Stir and serve with love.
*Flavorings have a glycerin base and extracts have an alcohol base. Extracts are stronger than flavorings, so use less
peppermint if using an extract.
This recipe tastes awesome! (Especially when you have someone to snuggle up and sip it with.)
Like most recipes we create at Hallelujah Acres, this one is not just about taste.
It’s actually good for your heart. It’s waistline-friendly, too — and cashews are the secret.
Cashews are lower in fat than most other nuts. And the fat they do have is the good kind of fat:
- Some 75% of the fat in cashews is unsaturated fat.
- Most of this fat is oleic acid (monounsaturated fat), the same kind of heart-healthy fat in olive oil.
- This type of fat helps to reduce triglyceride levels, which can be a big help to diabetics.
Nuts in general have a high level of antioxidants, and have been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 37%.
Just a quarter cup of cashews provides you with more than 22% of your daily magnesium requirement.
Magnesium is needed to balance calcium in the body. Without magnesium, excess calcium intake can cause high blood pressure, heart spasms, and asthma-like symptoms.
Magnesium also helps reduce migraines and helps alleviate menopausal sleep disturbances.
If coffee is more of what your sweetheart enjoys, here’s an exotic and robust coffee-like recipe that you can make (while protecting them from the pitfalls of acidity and caffeine):
KaMocha and Creme
Serves 2
2 roasted dandelion tea bags
2 tsp carob
1 tsp roasted chicory root granules
1/2 cup hot almond milk (optional)
1 Tbsp honey (optional)
- Place tea bags, carob, and chicory root granules in a coffee filter and brew in a coffee maker with 16 oz water as you would regular coffee.
- Pour into 2 mugs along with 1/4 cup almond milk and 1/2 Tbsp honey in each.
Roasted dandelion tastes remarkably like coffee — and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals.
Dandelion root is a blood purifier that contains high levels of:
- iron
- manganese
- phosphorus
- protein
- vitamin A
- electrolytes
Dandelion also relieves muscle spasms and reduces inflammation. It makes a truly relaxing drink!
And if you want something to “spice” up the romance a little, try our spiced orange cider:
Spiced Orange Cider
Makes 4 cups
3 cups apple cider
1 cup orange juice
10 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- Combine all ingredients in a pot and heat for several minutes.
- Strain liquid before serving.
The great thing about discovering healthier alternatives like this together is the accountability factor. The next time either of you wants to give in to hot chocolate, the other can suggest a healthier alternative.
In fact, if you want go all out, you can create an entire Valentine’s Day feast — here’s how we created one for Hallelujah Acres Health News magazine #69 :
…and coming soon, we’ll post a new video to let you know how good all this great food tasted!
Let’s face it, when you’re tempted to give in, the buddy system is a lifesaver!
We use the buddy system for exercise, too — another great way to keep your relationship healthy. Working out together is great motivation. We actually made a free video series about it called Exercise Essentials with Paul and Ann.
Now it’s your turn.
If you’re nuts about your honey, prepare something special that’s both healthy and delicious — you just might build a healthy treat and a healthy relationship at the same time!
There’s more…
Check out this story in our brand new issue of Health News magazine!
Make Life Simpler With A Salad Box
Nov 3rd
When you come home from work the last thing you want to do is chop up a bunch of veggies for a salad. We feel the same way, which is why we invented “The Salad Box.”
The salad box is a simple concept we created so that we could have pre-cleaned, pre-cut veggies ready to go whenever we wanted – and it’s all in one handy box that fits in our refrigerator. It brings the convenience of a salad bar into your own home! You know everything is fresh and cleaned… because you did it!
All you have to do is get a large, clear, plastic under-the-bed style storage box and several smaller boxes to fit inside. All your veggies will fit into the smaller boxes, one type of veggie per box. Put them all in the larger box and you have a mini salad bar ready to go in your own refrigerator.
We searched high and low for boxes that would fit inside an average refrigerator. The best, large box can be found at Target stores, and the little boxes that go inside are available at Walmart. Watch our salad box video for details.
Here’s how it works. Simply buy 4-5 days’ worth of veggies, seeds, nuts, water chestnuts or anything you’d normally put in salads, stir frys, or pita wraps. Designate an hour on one evening to wash and prepare all the ingredients and put them in the smaller boxes within the large salad box and you’ll have everything ready to go whenever you wish for several days and even up to an entire week!
The salad box saves a lot of time and makes dinner prep a lot less stressful. Watch part 1 and part 2 of our salad box videos for all the details! We also demonstrate this concept during our 60 Days to Reclaim Your Health program.
PS – Join the Malkmus family this weekend! Join us this Friday and Saturday at Hallelujah Acres! Includes An Evening of Food Prep with Rhonda Malkmus, Rev. Malkmus’ world-famous, FREE God’s Way to Ultimate Health Seminar, plus Paul and Ann’s “Where Do I Go From Here?” class!
Thyroid Function
Jul 14th
Will consuming cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, spinach) suppress my thyroid function?
If a person is dealing with impaired thyroid function, it may be wise to consume these foods in moderation. However, those with normal thyroid function usually have no issue with these vegetables and can eat them freely.
Iodine is a component of the thyroid hormones. With iodine deficiency the thyroid is unable to efficiently produce normal levels of thyroid hormones. Unfortunately our foods today are extremely low in iodine, thus it is not uncommon to find people with impaired thyroid function. Simply increasing the iodine intake by way of supplementation often leads to regular thyroid function at which time there should be no negative impact from the cruciferous vegetables.
Fluoride in drinking water and in leaf teas as well as bromide in bakery products will interfere with iodine utilization resulting in decreased thyroid function. The book Iodine Why You Need it and Why You Can’t Live Without it, by David Brownstein, M.D. provides more information on this topic.
Seafood Collects More Mercury
Jul 7th
While many of us have known for years that seafood is polluted with toxic levels of mercury, we didn’t realize why until we read a recent article in the Charlotte Observer why levels were so much higher than what is present in fresh water fish.
The article talks about how the salt water makes it more difficult for the sunlight to break down the methyl mercury which is the dangerous form of mercury.
In fresh water the methyl mercury breaks down 10 times faster than it does in salt water. The chloride in sea water protects the mercury from degradation.
Hallelujah Acres doesn’t advocate the consumption of animal product including fish and seafood. While the oceans contain high levels of mercury our lakes and streams contain high levels of other toxic chemicals. We like go boating and it is amazing how many places have signs posted warning about the dangers of consuming any fish caught in the lakes.
If one is to consume any fish products, it is extremely important to avoid fish that has been contaminated by mercury or other dangerous chemical substances.
Click here to read the complete Charlotte Observer article.
Storing Veggies in Plastic
Jun 29th
Several have asked about the safety of storing veggies in plastic containers. Migration of plasticizers and other chemicals from plastics requires liquid contact. And water doesn’t transfer chemicals nearly as much as oil-based liquids. So storing whole raw vegetables in plastic doesn’t cause any significant migration of chemicals from the plastics.
US Scores Dead Last Again in Health Care Study!
Jun 23rd
In an article sent out by Reuters today, results from a study indicated that compared to Britain, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, the United States ranked last in health care.
The nonprofit group called Commonwealth Fund issued the report. The report looked at five measures of health care–quality, efficiency, access to care, equity, and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives.
According to the report, Americans spend twice as much as residents of other developed countries on health care, but get lower quality, less efficiency and have the least equitable system.
“We rank last on safety and do poorly on several dimensions of quality,” Cathy Schoen of Commowealth told reporters. “We do particularly poorly on going without care because of cost. And we also do surprisingly poorly on access to primary care and after-hours care.”
We are ultimately responsible for our own health care. The better we take care of our body, the less likely we will need to use the health care system.
What About Peanuts?
Jun 7th
Why doesn’t Hallelujah Acres use peanut butter is a question we often receive.
Peanuts aren’t a true nut but are a legume. They are difficult to digest and may grow in conditions that are conducive to the development of mold.
Almond and cashew nut butters are much better options. Almond butter is available raw though they have probably been flash pasteurized. Cashew nut butter is considered a cooked food as cashews are heated to extract them from the shell. It is possible to find chunky almond butter.
Almond and Cashew butter can be considerably more expensive than peanut butter if purchased in the grocery or health food store. A less expensive option is to purchase the nuts and make the butter in the Champion or Green Star juicer. Not only will you save money, you’ll have fresher nut butter an you will know exactly what is in the butter since you just made it yourself.
Cashew and Almond butters go great with celery sticks and freshly cut apple wedges. These are some of our (Paul and Ann’s) favorite snacks. Try it and enjoy!
What About Soy Milk?
May 26th
Hallelujah Acres doesn’t recommend soy milk as a milk alternative. Several reasons include: most soy comes from genetically modified plants, which we prefer not to include in our diet. Second, soy has a significant amount of protein, which we believe would be difficult for our bodies to assimilate. Finally, soy has the potential to mimic estrogen. This means that especially for women, we do not want extra estrogen in our bodies since that can create an imbalance in our hormones.
When and How to Juice
May 26th
Your health concerns will determine how much you should juice during the day.
We are maintaining our health, so we drink juice at least twice a day. We drink anywhere from 8 to 16 ounces each time we drink juice.
We drink juice in the morning and in the afternoon.
If that doesn’t work for you, choose times that will fit into your schedule.
Remember, it’s about making the diet fit into your life.
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