URBAN HARVEST EASTSIDE MARKET
JULY NEWSLETTER 2013
n o u r i s h e
N a t u r a l l y 
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REDEFINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD
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Zucchini are treatment for:
Inflammation/Oxidative damage
Blood Sugar Regulation
GI conditions/Ulcers
Zucchini are an excellent source of
manganese and vitamin C as well as a
good source of vitamin A (through its
concentration of carotenoid phytonutrients),
B vitamins, and a combination of
antioxidant nutrients. Some antioxidants
deserving of special attention include
carotenoids (found in vitamin A
concentration) lutein and zeaxanthin.
These antioxidants are especially helpful in
UCCHINI
antioxidant protection of the eye, including
protection against age-related macular
Your Farmacy: This long sweet summer squash varietal is a cousin to cucumbers and
degeneration and cataracts. The
melons in the Cucurbitaceae family. While each variety may have a distinct shape, color
maganese, zinc, and B vitamins found
(both yellow and green), size and flavor, all varieties share some common characteristics.
abundantly in zucchini serve in blood sugar
Regardless of variety, all parts of summer squash are edible, including the flesh, seeds and metabolism support for our system. What’s
skin, making preparation quick and easy! Select smaller squash for a sweeter flavor profile more, the pectin form of soluble fiber found
and quicker cook time, larger squash may be woody if left too long on the vine. Select firm
in zucchini, D-galacturonic acid, helps keep
squash with bright color and store in cool dark air-tight place for up to 10 days. Summer
insulin metabolism and blood sugar levels
squash also produce edible flowers which can be delicately stuffed and cooked.
in balance, and protecting against the
onset of type 2 diabetes. This slow moving
Yo u r F ood -a s - me d i c i n e Pr es c r i p t i o n
fiber acts as a gel to decrease the
at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until
breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar,
Tips on How to prepare: There is
slightly browned and softened.
aiding to curb blood sugar spikes. The
something synergistic going on
combination of the antioxidants and this
here....research supports that zucchini have
Uses for Zucchini:
“oopy-goopy” mucilaginous fiber act to cool
the ability to retain their antioxidant capacity
• Raw Zucchini “pasta”: use spiralizer to
and soothe the body decreasing
with a variety of cooking techniques Raw,
cut up full zucchinis, toss with fresh
inflammation, particularly in gastrointestinal
frozen, roasted, sautéed, all have a strong
tomatoes and herbs.
disorders including ulcerative colitis,
presence of health providing nutrients when
• Zucchini “boat”: fill with protein salad of
eaten in its whole food form (skin and
choice (curry chicken salad, avocado tuna gastritis, and leaky gut. Beyond
inflammation, seeds of summer squash
seeds).
salad, etc.)
• Zucchini “chips”: slice into thin coins, rub and oils extracted from its seeds have
been used in traditional medicine for their
Roasted Summer Veggies
with fat and herbs/spices of your choice
2 zucchini, cut in 1-2” chunks
spread on cookie sheet and roast at 425
anti-microbial and anti-parasitic properties.
1 yellow summer squash, cut in 1-2” chunks
degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
Thin edible skins...prioritize organic!
1 pint cherry tomatoes, whole
• Zucchini “coins”: slice into thin coins
Although these vegetables did not make
1 red onion, quartered
(yep...that’s it) dip into favorite dip such as the cut for the “Dirty Dozen” the EWG
1 tablespoon olive oil
hummus, greek yogurt “ranch”, goat
found concentrations of insecticides
4 garlic cloves, crushed
cheese spread
concerning especially their thin edible skin.
3 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• Zucchini “muffins”: 2c almond flour, ¼ t I would strongly recommend focusing on
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
sea salt, ½ t baking soda, 2 eggs, 2T
sprinkle sea salt
coconut oil, 1/4 c raw honey, 3/4 c zucchini. sustainably grown or organically grown for
the benefits of additional antioxidants and
Toss vegetables in oil and mix in herbs. Lay
Mix, put in greased pan, bake at 350F
phytonutrients with less risk for toxicity!
on cookie sheet sprinkle with sea salt. Roast
35-40 mins.
Z
OPTIMIZE YOUR METABOLISM AND PREVENT DISEASE
Metabolism...This word is tossed around commonly in the wellness and weight loss
worlds. We know we want to “boost” it but what is it and how does our
metabolism impact our body? In medical terms, metabolism is defined as the set of
life-sustaining biochemical transformations and reactions within the cells of every living
organism. These metabolic functions allow us to grow and reproduce, maintain cellular
structural function, digest and absorb nutrients, and respond to our environment. In the
world of metabolism, we are either building through anabolism or breaking down
through catabolism. In an anabolic state, we are able to build muscle, repair tissue, and
provide our nucleotides for production of DNA the very code of our being (kind of a big
deal). In a catabolic state, we are able to partake in cellular respiration, the process in
the body where we turn nutrients into energy or burn excess calories from our stores.
Yes....this is the part you care about, right? But before I give you some weight loss
tips...it is important to understand our metabolic function is the catalyst of our
wellness; beyond managing our ability to maintain a healthy weight and burn
calories. In an ideal setting, we have all the nutrients available in our system necessary
to build everything the body needs for optimal function. Also, in an ideal setting our
metabolic pathways are able to tag environmental toxins, medication by-products, and
food additives as foreign and adequately excrete them out of our system. But what
happens when the balance of nutrients to toxins is tipped out our favor? When
the body is overwhelmed with excess load on metabolic detoxification pathways and not
supported with adequate nutrition to fuel them, we get toxins stuffed into storage
packages, yes these are also called fat stores! What is interesting to consider is that we
are now discovering in medical research that our fat cells themselves are functioning as
endocrine (hormonal) cells interfering with our metabolic pathways causing irregular
elevated blood sugar, decreasing calorie burning activity, and promoting additional fat
storage vs. burn. This creates a vicious cycle.
What happens when we restrict fuel to promote catabolism for weight loss but we
are lacking the nutrients necessary to fuel those pathways of energy production?
If we just restrict our calories to promote weight loss and we don’t provide the
necessary nutrients for energy production the body will auto-metabolize or eat
itself...sounds good right, you may want to get rid of some of those stores; however, the
body is smart, it knows it needs nutrients and it doesn’t get much value from
metabolizing its fat stores, so your body will go into muscle breakdown. This is
concerning as our metabolic rate or caloric burn is based on pounds of lean body mass
and our vital organs. So if you were burning at a baseline of 1600 calories and wanted
to lose 1 pound a week, you may reduce your calories to 1100 (note: it requires a deficit
of 500 calories a day to burn 1 pound at 3,500 calories). If you don’t ensure nutritional
balance and you aren’t fueling your muscle with adequate protein, you will still lose the
weight but at the end of 3 months, 12 pounds less, you may be at a metabolic rate of
1100 calories or so (as you lost your metabolically active muscle mass) and that is
where you reach a plateau, get frustrated, and fall off! To tie things together we need a
balance of all our required nutrients with adequate fat and protein to promote optimal
metabolic function.
Identify and Address your biochemical uniqueness!
What is your nutritional state? Are you absorbing all the nutrients from the foods
you are eating? Are you eating enough of the foods with nutrients you need? I
run a micronutrient panel that assesses your nutritional status compared to your
optimal state rather than a standard reference range. From this information, we
identify trends in your metabolic biochemical pathways to determine need for
optimal function. For instance, a person trending with lower B vitamins, may be
using them rapidly due to stress, inappropriately due to blood sugar fluctuations,
may be missing them in the diet due to avoidances or food selection, or not
absorbing them due to digestive function. From the lab results and an
assessment of symptoms, we are able to replete these deficiencies and correct
the metabolic errors yielding improved brain function, improved reactivity to
stress, and regulated blood sugar levels. I empower clients with functional
nutrition to fuel their bodies for optimal metabolism, decrease the need for
medications while improving energy levels, and weight loss can be a
pleasant side-effect!
Book a session with Ali for a customized food-as-medicine prescription!
DE
, LD, C
D
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Ali Mi!
Ali Miller is a registered
dietitian, certified diabetes
educator, weight management
specialist, and therapeutic
healthcare practitioner
applying functional medicine
to address the underlying
causes of illness. Ali’s private
practice, Naturally Nourished, serves to
encourage wellness in the community
through nutrition education, cooking
classes, individualized treatment plans,
and counseling on intuitive balanced
eating. With a mission deeply rooted in
sustainability of our food systems, Ali
teaches clients an "outside the box"
approach to healthy eating helping clients
discover foods that curb cravings and
address nutritional needs with a food as
medicine approach.
She promotes clean eating and works to
unveil the hidden truth on toxins in our food
system while sharing the significant
benefits of consuming local, organic, and
wild pasture-raised foods!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Natural Foods 10-Day Detox class
THURSDAY JULY 15TH 5:45-7PM $55
A safe, nutritionally-supported detox can
help rid the body of harmful toxins and
restore balance using natural nonprocessed foods. Learn about foods to
support your body in cleansing and
harmful ingredients to avoid.
Natural Foods Grocery Store Tour
Thursday August 1st 7-8:45pm at HEB on
Buffalo Speedway $55
REVIVE:Food-as-Medicine Program
Learn more about Food-as-Medicine,
decrease medications, improve your body
composition and your health with our 3
month program: REVIVE! $350
Wednesday’s starting August 28th
5:45-7:15pm (every other week) for 6
sessions including education, food demos,
group interaction, personalized care!
Details and Registration at:
http://augustrevive.eventbrite.com/
Change your habits, change your health!
Naturally Nourished RD
Ali Miller, RD, LD. CDE
www.naturallynourishedRD.com
713.800.6679