The Food for Mood Diet; hyperglycemia

When it comes to your mood, do you know what you put into mouth affects your brain, your brain chemistry, the health of your brain and your mood? In fact depression and anxiety are related to what’s on your fork and other lifestyle habits, maybe just as much as your experiences, trauma and genetics.  Many nutrient deficiencies, sugar overload and carbohydrate imbalance and poor eating habits mimic symptoms of anxiety and depression. Sometimes an individual cannot even distinguish between the two. Am I depressed or am I hungry?

A) Dietary protein precedes neurotransmitters. If you don’t eat enough good quality protein, you can’t make serotonin. This includes the proteins from good bacteria-organic plain yogurt, kefir, miso, honey, raw apple cider vinegar, tempeh, sauerkraut, kombucha

2) Nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, magnesium help convert proteins into neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine. They are called cofactors.  Antioxidants from green tea, berries, fresh fruits and veggies scavenge free radicals and repair lesions in the brain and arteries

3) Good fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated build brain matter and pad brains cells, helping you think properly. Omega 3s are integral in the diet on a daily basis from algae, wild cold water fish, raw walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, hemp, chia, coconut, avocado and red palm oil. They are anti-inflammatory, maintain thinking, memory, mood, cope with stress and reduce plaque formations. Don’t forget about natural vitamins E  and D3.

This is why I developed the Food for Mood Diet back in 2007, to help depressed patients address their mood issues through diet. Here are the symptoms of too much sugar in the blood.

Symptoms of Hyperglycemia (www.mayoclinic.com)

Increased thirst, dry mouth

Difficulty concentrating

Headaches

Blurred vision

Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)

Weight loss

Nerve damage (causing painful cold or insensitive feet, loss of hair on the lower extremities, and/or erectile dysfunction)

Mucous membrane and skin infections; slow-healing cuts and wounds

Decreased vision

Stomach and intestinal problems, such as chronic constipation or diarrhea

Do any of them sound familiar? Here’s how you address blood sugar overload.

1) Drink water with lemon when you wake. This will get you revved up in the morning, w/o caffeine. Also, the sour flavor cuts craving for sugar. It reduces stress by switching your nervous system to parasympathetic mode….feel r-e-l-a-x-e-d yet invigorated.

2) Eat breakfast including protein, fiber and good fat. For example: Eat a whole organic egg, a gluten free or Ezekiel toast with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Put some spinach on it. Have an apple, and a spoonful of organic peanut butter (just peanuts!). Have 1/2 cup of steel cut oats with 1 tablespoon of flax seeds, a handful of raisins, some organic plain yogurt or kefir. Good bacteria stimulate the serotonin receptors in your gut. (Yup you can regulate your mood in your intestines too!)

3) Skip the sugar in your coffee or tea as they raise cortisol levels, which in turn raises blood sugar levels.  Besides caffeine makes your jittery and should be removed for the most part. Did you know that grande from Starbucks has 450mg of anxiety and stress inducing caffeine?

4) Drink organic green tea, it helps reduce blood sugar spikes and increase metabolism.  Take it with a handful of almonds and unsweetened dried cranberries, midmorning.

5) Eat Lunch: Have a cup of miso soup (again, more probiotics), dinner salad with a piece of chicken,tuna, organic tofu or kidney beans with 2-3 cups of salad leaves, fresh herbs, cooked asparagus, a boiled potato, green beans. Think Salad Nicoise and make it your best friend. Never skip the dressing, but always go for the oil and vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette. This lunch is so packed with nutrients, it will help build your mood day by day.

6) Afternoon snack: Eat a piece of dark chocolate or cocoa and coconut milk: (more than 70% and cocoa is the first ingredient). Get rid of that nasty, toxic bleached or colored sugar. It hardens your brain and gives you panic attacks and eventually Alzheimer’s (That is a reason to panic!) Dark chocolate has mood balancing magnesium, and mimickers of serotonin and oxytocin, two hormones that make us feel CALM and LOVED.

7) Absolutely AVOID the all-carb meal: For example; pasta and tomato sauce, dry cereal, plain bagel, roll or crackers, cookies, potato with fat free sour cream. These are empty calories sure to spike your blood sugar, no matter how little you eat. And you will NEVER feel full or well eating only carbs, no matter how much you crave them.  You will never feel happy eating a bad white diet like this, never ever Ever EVER.

This is a feel good lunch! This is a mood building lunch. Does your plate look like this?

Photo credit: Yuula Benivolski 

Add a healthy dressing of choice: 1 tablespoon of raw olive oil and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon or Bragg’s Amino sauce or  tahini or miso or raw apple cider vinegar.

NDNR The Food for Mood Diet

xox Dr. Millie ND oxo

Dr. Millie’s Cordials

I encourage you to maximize the tremendous benefits that nature provides on a daily basis, as much as you possibly can by eating, drinking, smelling, listening and feeling nature.  To you, this might be the sound of the waves or the birds helping you feel peaceful. The relaxation felt when hot sand is under your feet.  The softness of a lamb’s ear, the plant or the animal.  The smell of a rose in your neighbors yard or a bunch of lilies on your dining room table. These senses are signficiant! For instance there are health benefits to the aroma of rosemary in that it clears the sinuses and breaks up congestion in the nose. The tastes of caraway and fennel reduce gas and bloating in the intestines. The spice of ginger rushes your circulation, warming a body when it’s chilled.

Everything natural to the planet is medicinal in some shape or form.  One can extract the nutrition from seeds, spices, herbs, roots, flowers, leaves, shoots, stems, mushrooms and fruit. Add raw honey, maple and other special sweeteners allow a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.  Traditionally beer, wine, pickles, and apperitives had a therapeutic benefit. When you consume the right things in small amounts, they DO!

Here’s what I am brewing in my cauldron 1) Ginger Kombucha, 2) Winter to Spring Cordial (pictured on the left), 3) Immune sipper (pictured on the right).

 

These little liquid gems delight me visually and the fact they are healthy appeals to me 10 fold. They will be sold  come spring. Do stay tuned.

xox Dr. Millie oxo

PS: Some yeasts, when added to the fermentation of wine, reduces its alcohol content and preserves the flavor….maybe it enhances nutrition too! http://esciencenews.com/articles/2014/01/17/special.yeast.reduce.alcohol.improve.wine

 

Why the Paleo Diet Didn’t Work for Fred Flintstone

I wrote an original piece for the Dance Current’s March/April Edition on the Paleo Diet, so for this blog post, I’ve lessened the serious and expanded the fun and had a little fun comparing Fred Flintstone’s Diet with the Paleo Diet, as developed by Dr. Loren Cordain, PhD. If you’re going to do the Paleo Diet, make sure you do it the right way, or you might end up like Fred Flintstone.  Originally posted here: http://www.invitehealthblog.com/fred-flintstone-didnt-paleo-diet-properly/

 

By Dr. Millie Lytle ND, CNS

The Paleo Diet is on the minds of many. Paleo man, Fred Flintstone, his fitter pals Barney and Mr. Slate and their statuesque wives Wilma and Betty might have this in common with you. In your search for youth, longevity and beauty, the Paleo Diet, promising a svelte figure and fast metabolism might be on the tip of your tongue. But the problem is, the Paleo Diet is misunderstood, and mistaken for an all-meat-all-the-time diet, which it was never meant to be. Fred is a key example of how NOT to do the Paleo Diet.

The modern day Paleo Diet, named after the purported diet of the Stone-Age man, was invented by Dr. Loren Cordain PhD as an antidote for the current agriculture-based diet, which has proven to be rich in cereal grains, starch, sugar processed foods, and recently thought nutritionally responsible for diabetes and several common diet-related inflammatory conditions.
Due to some other benefits such as being high in protein and low in sugar it may also increase lean muscle mass, fuel the body’s resting metabolism and improve energy. Even through Fred Flinstone lived in the Stone Age himself, he didn’t do the modern Paleo Diet properly because, while he ate a lot of protein, he didn’t follow  all 7 principles.

1. Higher protein intake-19-35% of daily intake from wild and grass-fed animal products.
2. Lower glycemic index – Non-starchy fresh fruits and vegetables approximating 35-45 %
3. Higher fiber intake –  as represented by low starch  vegetables and legumes
4. Moderate to higher fat intake dominated Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats- approximately  20-46%
5. Higher potassium and lower sodium intake – Unprocessed and fresh green foods contain 5 to 10 times more potassium than sodium. The average American eats double the sodium to potassium.
6. A net alkaline to acid ratio in the kidneys, ensures no more than 35% of diet is meat.
7. Higher intake of whole, unprocessed and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Done with the national food guide and it’s carb heavy recommendations?

Key Paleo foods include: Grass-produced meats, Fish/seafood, Fresh fruits and veggies, Eggs, Nuts and seeds, Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut). Proportions matter.  While the traditional Paleo Diet doesn’t include lentils, pulses and legumes, I think that’s a little extreme.  

In order to maximize your Paleo efforts you’ll need to remove: Cereal grains, Peanuts, Dairy, Refined sugar, Potatoes, Processed foods, Salt, Refined vegetable oils.

Why was Fred out of shape? Because he didn’t eat vegetables, balance his sodium/potassium or acid/alkaline. Additionally, Fred was a couch potato and had the lifestyle of modern man, despite his high meat diet. He was one stressed-out couch potato. In Paleolithic times, where man normally would have been running from dinosaurs and saber tooth tigers, Fred was driving his car all over the place, and watching TV. The only exercise he got was bowling and yelling.  But because he was stressed out, his insulin was high, so he was storing fat around his belly.  Let this be a lesson to you.  If you’re going to go Paleo, abide by all the steps. Don’t cherry pick your favorites just so you can eat more meat.

You can see how far we’ve come. You might be asking yourself what was the purpose of agriculture at all, if it wasn’t to make us live longer and healthier and more beautiful? The last guy is really not so far from Fred at all.

 

Let me know your take on the Paleo Diet.

Dr. Millie ND, CNS

Check Out More From Dr. Millie Lytle, ND on Google+!

 

Meet and Greet on Friday

In Nueve York? Come meet and greet with me, Dr. Millie, Naturopathic Doctor, Nutritionist, Hypnotist and Radio Host at a Holistic Bazaar on Friday January 10th from 6:30 to 9:30 at the Meta Center
214 W 29th St # 16, New York, NY 10001
I will be demo antioxidant scanning (SPECIAL $10, save $15), Eating for Meaning and discuss plans for living healthy until 120 years. There will be other great vendors as well, chocolate, juice, massage…basically you can come meet the spiritual and alt health up and comers of New York’s holistic scene. xox

Book a mini sesh in Advance:

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— at META Center New York.

RADIATION : NUTRITION

Happy New Year Detox 101

Small steps towards 120 years old.

Detox 101 After the holidays I feel like a gentle detox, and know this is important. I drink hot lemon water. There are so many uses for it including: flushes toxins from your liver stimulates a bowel movement increase fat digestion by stimulating bile reduces cholesterol flushes small gall stones improves your mood. Never add sugar or sweet to your lemon water. Take it dilute 1 tsp per 1 cup of hot water, and increase strength from there as your taste allows.

HAPPY NEW YEARS 2014! May yours be filled with creativity, health, love, friendship and abundance!

Some Spicy Lovin

When the weather gets frightful take a sip of this:

This is my all time favorite tea for curing what ails ya. I drink it all day long when I’m chilled, on the verge of a virus, or for a gentle but robust winter detox.  My mom used to make me versions of this for me and my 4 brothers and sisters when we were kids. I have modified it over the years through trial and error, experience with the master cleanser and herbology and mostly importantly by experimenting with my sister Della.  This is exemplar of how Eating for Meaning. It serves a purpose in your life, beyond filling your gullet and taste.  The two most common reasons why people select the food they do.

To make Some Spicy Lovin 

1. Brew a large hot mug or small pot of organic green tea, nettle tea or ginger tea (can use boiled water)
2. Add:

• juice from 1/2 organic lemon
• 1 tablespoons of fresh grated or sliced ginger
• 4 whole cloves
• 1-2 teaspoons of your favorite REAL and unpasteurized honey (wildflower, buckwheat, lavender, etc.). Can substitute agave or grade B or C pure maple syrup.
• 1 dash of cayenne pepper.

This concoction warms up your body in minutes.  It’s safe to give to children with or without cayenne, depending on their age and taste.  You can modify it further by adding elderberry syrup, lemon balm, echinacea or osha tincture, and other favorite cold remedy or tension tamer.

*note: I am a bonified party animal but I don’t believe alcohol mixes much with illness, because it’s more sugar than spirit.  So if you’re fighting something, unless you’re one of those few who responds to a shot of brandy, I would skip going there.

You will love it as much as I do, as you make it your own.  Helping to inspire you towards eating for meaning.

This is part of a larger post on “Cardiovascular Christmas”: how to lower your risk of a Merry Christmas Coronary

 

xox Dr Millie oxo

 

http://milliesays.com/some-spicy-lovin/

Thanksgiving through Christmas

HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING! I want to share some tips, “How to Eat Thanksgiving through Christmas’. Normally I save this level of information for my Eating for Meaning clients but it’s the holidays so I am generous today 🙂 Read them below. These tips are literally the tip of the iceberg and leave you wanting more info so look way down there for what my holiday Eating for Meaning program…all online…. You don’t want to miss this offer to lose weight, eat well, and choose wisely over the holiday season. But here goes with my precious gift for you: Top 5 Tips for Succeeding Thanksgiving to Christmas, heck even New Year’s: 1) Include a little detox in your meal plan. Start each morning with Hot Lemon Water to purge yourself from the night before. Use half a fresh lemon. Then eat breakfast 10 minutes later. 2) In addition to a high quality multivitamin, supplement with 2000-5000 IU of Vitamin D3 to improve sugar tolerance, improve immunity and lower diabetes risk.  If you know your serum level I can tell you exactly what dose is right for you. 3) Drink organic Green tea with a slice of lemon(no sweetener unless it’s raw honey) 3 cups per day to cut sugar cravings, breakdown alcohol in the liver, increase metabolism, reduce bacteria and virus. 4) If you are watering at the mouth excited to over-indulge tonight; have some lunch right now; like that cup of green tea, an organic egg on fiber toast with spinach greens. 5) The day of a big party, do not starve yourself to save room for the dinner- eat a normal breakfast and lunch, with snacks in between so you eat normally at night.  Never plan on “ruining your diet”, “gaining weight” or “pigging out”. The food will be plentiful and good and that’s good enough. Tomorrow is another day to eat. 6) Eat small portions of everything you want: a scoop of potatoes, a spoon of stuffing, 2-3 slivers of desert.  Be that person who cuts the square in 4, share it with your nearest and dearest. You are sexy! These are tips to live by, especially at this time of the year when holiday season kicks off. Today is Canadian Thanksgiving! and celebrating the earlier harvest is a time-honored tradition north of the border. In Canada, the holiday is a bit purer because Charlie Brown’s problem of over-commercialization doesn’t begin until American Thanksgiving… or at least until after Hallowe’en. Wether north or south of the border I celebrate my Thanksgiving with free-range, hormone free turkey dinner, special home-made cranberry sauce, mashed turnips and potato mix, roasted squash, old bread stuffing with summer savory, gravy from scratch and string beans. Don’t forget the mustard pickles.  Pumpkin pie for me. But if there happens to be some Pennsylvania Dutch Shoe Fly Pie, I’ll take that the next day at breakfast with a piece of old cheese.  It’s my favorite pie! That’s how I enjoy Thanksgiving, as well as with the people! It’s the people that count most. In the US, it’s pretty much the same right? But buyer beware as it’s a tad more difficult to secure that organic fowl.  This year I have a lead on it.  I have befriended an organic turkey farmer in Wexford PA.  I will place my order with the Eichner farm as I will be with my own Mamabird that day. Learn to Eat for Meaning: The most important thing you will ever do! Gain access to private and secret information: *Weekly tips how to eat now until New Years. *When to eat, what to eat, how much. *Recipes so simple you will impress your friends and delight in the taste *Daily detox know-how *Avoid that Holiday 10 pounds. *Stay healthier (no colds and flues without the flu shot) *Enjoy yourself GUILT-FREE. *Watch willpower vanish from your consciousness. *Reprogram your genes from fat to thin If you are interested in this I recommend you sign up for my Eating for Meaning Program today and prevent the normal routine, the normal stress of eating through the holidays and the normal and boring weight gain that comes along with routine. Virtually, I will offer all this information to you.  For the first ten who sign up, I will offer a free step by step video how to detox yourself before American Thanks Giving.  Before party season. If you are a patient already, your first month is free. That means current patients will save $18.99 and receive their first month free.  For everyone else this offer is priced at $18.99 for the first month and $24.99 for 5 subsequent months, but only if you sign up in the next 5 days. That’s right this offer is over in 5 days on October 19th. Click Book Now.

PS: The Runners’ High Club meets every Sunday at 4:45pm rain or shine at the Eastern Parkway Entrance of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.  Map see here: Eastern Parkway Entrance near the bike racks where people stretch.  This is parkside of the Brooklyn Library and Grand Army Plaza. Let’s run together!  The trick is…to do it as s-l-o-w-l-y as possible. That’s right. Did you know Naturopathic Doctors receive 4 year-post graduate private and accredited medical school degrees? http://www.naturopathic.org/

Want to know one of my primary secrets to anti-aging? This juice cannot be purchased in stores, but you CAN order it online.  It is RICH in antioxidants; carotenes, lycopene and luteins.  It’ll naturally protect your skin from the sun, and cancer.  And help you reverse the aging process.  it’s called G3 juice and it comes from a South Asian Superfruit called Gac.  Gac is where it’s AT. I take 1 oz twice daily, morning and evening. Sign up for your monthly dose of this amazing and unique juice: https://www.nuskin.com/en_US/signup/customer.html Use Distributor number: US00227731 Click on Map to Meeting Place In Prospect Park This MultiVitamin is GUARANTEED to Raise your nutrition levels Book An Appointment Want to know one of my primary secrets to anti-aging? This juice cannot be purchased in stores, but you CAN order it online.  It is RICH in antioxidants; carotenes, lycopene and luteins.  It’ll naturally protect your skin from the sun, and cancer.  And help you reverse the aging process.  it’s called G3 juice and it comes from a South Asian Superfruit called Gac.  Gac is where it’s AT. I take 1 oz twice daily, morning and evening. Sign up for your monthly dose of this amazing and unique juice: https://www.nuskin.com/en_US/signup/customer.html Use Distributor number: US00227731 Click on Map to Meeting Place In Prospect Park This Multi is GUARANTEED to Raise your nutrition levels Book An Appointment Millie says, Inc provides naturopathic medicine with virtual and in-person anti-aging programs. To reduce stress, correct your eating, lose weight, reduce stress and anxiety, improve immunity, treat diabetes, cholesterol, address insomnia naturally, age gracefully and prevent chronic and communicable illness and more. I fill gaps of care your doctor doesn’t by providing a second opinion with functional medicine, anti-aging, diet, nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, dietary supplement and lifestyle changes. Take my advice and feel better! Millie says, Inc provides naturopathic medicine with virtual and in-person anti-aging programs.

Happy Naturopathic Medicine Week; Congress says so

 

Obamacare is starting to roll and as a Canadian and a graduate of international public health program, I am familiar with the pros and cons of government mandated health care. Overall the research shows it improves population health by a long-shot so don’t freak out at all the unknowns.  I have been gathering my resources to help you figure it all out, and TRUST ME, you do not know all the information so be sure to learn what you need in order to make healthcare work for you. So if you want to hear more, give me a shout! Happy Naturopathic Medicine Week to all NDs, Users, Supporters and Friends!!

Congress is recommending everyone consider Naturopathic Medicine as a treatment option and here is the official recommendation: 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 221 Designating the week of October 7 through October 13, 2013, as “Naturopathic Medicine Week” to recognize the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 10, 2013 Ms. Mikulski submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to _______________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION Designating the week of October 7 through October 13, 2013, as “Naturopathic Medicine Week” to recognize the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care. Whereas, in the United States, more than 75 percent of health care costs are due to preventable chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, which affects 88,000,000 people in the United States, and diabetes, which affects 26,000,000 people in the United States; Whereas nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese and, consequently, at risk for serious health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and depression; Whereas 70 percent of people in the United States experience physical or nonphysical symptoms of stress, and stress can contribute to the development of major illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes; Whereas the aforementioned chronic health conditions are among the most common, costly, and preventable health conditions; Whereas naturopathic medicine provides noninvasive, holistic treatments that support the inherent self-healing capacity of the human body and encourage self-responsibility in health care; Whereas naturopathic medicine focuses on patient-centered care, the prevention of chronic illnesses, and early intervention in the treatment of chronic illnesses; Whereas naturopathic physicians attend 4-year, graduate level programs that are accredited by agencies approved by the Department of Education; Whereas aspects of naturopathic medicine have been shown to lower the risk of major illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes; Whereas naturopathic physicians can help address the shortage of primary care providers in the United States; Whereas naturopathic physicians are trained to refer patients to conventional physicians and specialists when necessary; Whereas the profession of naturopathic medicine is dedicated to providing health care to underserved populations; and Whereas naturopathic medicine provides consumers in the United States with more choice in health care, in line with the increased use of a variety of integrative medical treatments: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate– (1) designates the week of October 7 through October 13, 2013, as “Naturopathic Medicine Week”; (2) recognizes the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to learn about naturopathic medicine and the role that naturopathic physicians play in preventing chronic and debilitating illnesses and conditions. Is that too long to read?  Here are the CLIFF NOTES: So basically Congress is recommending people use Naturopathic Medicine based on the high level of doctoral training, the safety, affordability and efficacy of it, the fact that over 70% of Americans suffer from PREVENTABLE nutritionally related chronic illness and Naturopathic Doctor’s proven role in preventing chronic and debilitating illnesses and conditions. xox Dr Millie oxo PS: The Runners’ High Club meets every Sunday at 4:45pm rain or shine at the Eastern Parkway Entrance of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.  Map see here: Eastern Parkway Entrance near the bike racks where people stretch.  This is parkside of the Brooklyn Library and Grand Army Plaza. Let’s run together!  The trick is…to do it as s-l-o-w-l-y as possible. That’s right.

Want to know one of my primary secrets to anti-aging? This juice cannot be purchased in stores, but you CAN order it online.  It is RICH in antioxidants; carotenes, lycopene and luteins.  It’ll naturally protect your skin from the sun, and cancer.  And help you reverse the aging process.  it’s called G3 juice and it comes from a South Asian Superfruit called Gac.  Gac is where it’s AT. I take 1 oz twice daily, morning and evening. Sign up for your monthly dose of this amazing and unique juice: https://www.nuskin.com/en_US/signup/customer.html Use Distributor number: US00227731 Click on Map to Meeting Place In Prospect Park This Multi is GUARANTEED to Raise your nutrition levels Book An Appointment Millie says, Inc provides naturopathic medicine with virtual and in-person anti-aging programs. To reduce stress, correct your eating, lose weight, reduce stress and anxiety, improve immunity, treat diabetes, cholesterol, address insomnia naturally, age gracefully and prevent chronic and communicable illness and more. I fill gaps of care your doctor doesn’t by providing a second opinion with functional medicine, anti-aging, diet, nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, dietary supplement and lifestyle changes.Take my advice and feel better!

Vibes, the secret, paying it forward, karma

What does energy have to do with health? Naturally, it is the backdrop for everything. Whatever you call it. It supports the way you think, your self-confidence, your self-perception, how others perceive you and how you handle your failures and successes.

This morning I was at a cafe on Franklin St reading a psychotherapy book called The Boomerang Effect, written by my psychotherapist Dr Nicola Bird. A friendly tatoo artist named Dammian Moore struck up a conversation with me based on the exchange of a smile, the changing Brooklyn neighborhood and that we both notice and enjoy energy, yes, the 6th sense-kind.Dammian is originally from Louisiana and gave me his own-take on his Grandma’s collard greens. Having lived in Canada for much of my life, I recognize I need a little Soul Food in my life. If you want to eat a vegetarian or vegan meal, but kinda also crave bacon, this is the recipe to make, especially now that we’re moving into chillier weather.

Dammians Greens

The ingredients for this authentic dish are:

a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to taste preference

Salt to taste

1/4 can of black-eyed peas, drained (or soaked and cooked, that’s how I’ll do’em)

Chopped shallot or onion and garliccombo, amount to your liking

2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil

1 Tbl Balsamic vinegar

1 Tbl Raw sugar

3 drops liquid smoke

A sink full of chopped Collard Greens (or other brassica greens of preference)

Directions: In a deep pasta pot (you should have more greens than the size of your pot) add the olive oil and turn low-medium heat. In a bowl mash the peas, red pepper flakes and shallots. Dammian mashes these together with a fork so that there is still a texture to them, until worked into a flavor-packed paste. He says you can also use a food processor if you’re lazy.  Add the paste in the olive oil, cook until browned but don’t burn

In a sterile sink or clean metal bowl soak and clean chopped greens. Skim dirt and insects off the top with a mesh strainer, like Dammian’s Grandma used to do. He said it was always going to be a good day when these collards were getting made.

Shake out the water and stuff the pot with the damp greens. There should be more greens than pot. Add salt, balsamic vinegar, 3 drops liquid smoke, raw sugar. Weigh down with the top and steam down for 30-40 minutes according to desired. Dammian told me he loves food and has a lot of Southern recipes to share…among other talents AND most importantly he specializes in tattooiing dark skin colors. Judging from his website he can do any skin color and can be found at the Brooklyn Inkspot, 768 Franklin Ave, http://www.Brooklyninspot.com and on Instagram FLibrooklyn. Go Meet him!!

I will help YOU apply natural health to your life, filling gaps of care your MD doesn’t.

Anti-aging, functional medicine, body sculpting, energy restoration and other more normal health goals like lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels through natural means… I can help you with all this and more. There are only two days left in September.

Looking to get antioxidants, betacarotene into your diet? G3 Juice is where it’s at.  I take 1 oz twice daily. Sign up for your monthly dose of this amazing and unique juice: https://www.nuskin.com/en_US/signup/customer.html Use Distributor number: US00227731 Click on Map to Meeting Place In Prospect Park This Multi is GUARANTEED to Raise your nutrition levels Lifepak Nano Multivitamin xox Dr Millie ND oxo

Millie says, Inc provides naturopathic medicine with virtual and in-person anti-aging programs. To reduce stress, correct your eating, lose weight, reduce stress and anxiety, improve immunity, treat diabetes, cholesterol, address insomnia naturally, age gracefully and prevent chronic and communicable illness and more. I fill gaps of care your doctor doesn’t by providing a second opinion with functional medicine, anti-aging, diet, nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, dietary supplement and lifestyle changes.Take my advice and feel better!