Why you don’t need to fear CHOLESTEROL

Most people fear cholesterol. They don't want to consume it and don't want to hear from the physician that their cholesterol is high.  Let's step back for a moment and ask this -  what does it mean to have high cholesterol?  What is cholesterol?  Do you know?  What are its functions?  Where does it…


Belly Size versus BMI

  Just stepping on the scale doesn’t tell you much about your future health.  That is why health professionals use a variety of measures to help predict a client’s risk of heart disease, cancer, respiratory problems and premature aging and/or death.   Commonly the Body Mass Index (BMI) is…


Palm Oil (and Orangutans Too)

If you read my book The Last Tango with Butter you’ll see that I’m a promoter of palm oil as well as lard and coconut oil.  Tragically the myth that these oils contribute to heart disease is firmly entrenched in today’s health care system and Canada’s Food Guide.  It is a sham. So forget what you…


Omega-3 and Beef

In an earlier blog (see Inflammation – An Epidemic posted on March 31, 2013) we discussed the importance of purchasing organic whenever possible to minimize our exposure to chemicals and reduce chronic inflammation in the body. When we purchase non-organic Canadian meat we are not only getting…


Anti-Inflammatory Part 5 – Fats

This blog is fifth in a series on implementing an anti-inflammatory lifestyle (If you’d like to start at the beginning please see Inflammation – An Epidemic posted March 31, 2013).    The typical North American diet is full of inflammatory fat.  And I don’t mean the ‘bad’ saturated fat that…


Our Love Hate Relationship with Dairy

North Americans love dairy.  Cheese, cheese sauces, milk, yogurt, and ice cream are commonly found in the majority of food diaries that I see…and lots of it.  Many people eat cheese 3 meals a day as a main source of protein (bagel and cheese, pizza, pasta and cheese).  Others are drinking milk like…


Coconut

At Healthy Habits we are big fans of coconut.  It is frustrating that main stream health information lumps all saturated fats together, declaring them unhealthy.  Coconut is full of short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids that are not harmful to health.  To the contrary, the fatty acids found…


Salmon for Your Heart and Brain

The average North American does not get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) in their diet.  Omega-3 essential fatty acids are ESSENTIAL, your body cannot manufacture them.  Omega-3 essential fatty acids are known to block disease-related inflammatory responses to protect your heart and…


Coconut Popcorn

Yesterday I was served this delicious popcorn at my child’s school. The coconut butter and oil used in this recipe is packed full of lauric acid that boosts immunity and destroys harmful bacteria and viruses.  Because of this medicinal property coconut butter and oil aids in digestion, destroying…


The FAMOUS ROTATION DIET

Metabolism is an intricate dance between glands,(pineal, thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, pancreas, gonads), fluids that are intracellular and extracellular, muscle activity, and the liver and kidneys. Rotation diets are an easy way to integrate essential nutrients that support the glands (endocrine…


Food and Mood

The contents of your last meal affect which neurotransmitters are predominant in your brain. Neurotransmitters are tiny proteins that electrically interconnect the nerve cells in the brain. At any given


Healthy Homemade Broth Recipe

Broth is the best way to assimilate calcium and prebiotics which are nutrients that feed the gut flora. It is easy to make and is best done with organic ingredients. All you'll need is a cooking pot and a strainer. Here are the steps you can follow at home to make your own healthy broth!…


Fats are not the villian to your diet. Saturated fats from coconut, lard, palm, and tallow are much needed nutrients to any balanced diet. In fact, saturated fats have less calories than the unsaturated


The Last Tango with Butter

The Last Tango with Butter, tells the story about saturated fat, butter, coconut, lard, palm oil. Last Tango reviews how our North American diet changed to include more unsaturated fats like safflower,