dani - Ancestral Nutrition

Blog October 5, 2012

Why I Have Beef With Soy

Let me preface this post by saying that I used to be an avid soy eater. Having gone vegetarian at sixteen and blindly following the advice of the USDA, FDA, ADA and other agencies, I thought I was so healthy. I scoffed at meat eaters. I was such a little jerk. It’s funny, I never made the connection between my “healthy” diet and my declining health. I had rapid weight gain and loss, crazy mood swings, awful periods and horrible skin. Do I really blame soy for this? Hell yes I do! That along with my other vegetarian staples: wheat, sugar, various grains and vegetable oils. I cringe. It is also interesting to note that soy is one of our biggest cash crops, it is largely grown in the US and according to the USDA, over 94% of it is genetically modified. We know that GMO crops destroy not only our health, but also…

Blog October 4, 2012

The Skinny On Fat

Fat bashing began in the early to mid 1900s. Prior to this, animal fats in the form of butter, lard, and tallow were largely consumed without any epidemic of heart disease. It was not because doctors did not have a diagnosis for heart disease at that time – they absolutely did. It was because saturated fat actually protects, nourishes and allows our bodies to thrive. So let’s explore how cholesterol is so beneficial. Cholesterol is in every cell of the body. As for cell membranes, roughly 50% are made up of saturated fat and the brain is at least 60% fat. Cholesterol helps the molecules of the cell membrane to maintain durability, keep the environment suitable for proteins in the membrane and maintain its fluidity. Seems pretty important for our cells, huh? A proper intake of cholesterol also regulates the steroid hormones. As for steroid hormones, there are five: glucocorticoids, mineralcorticoids, estrogens, androgens, and progestins.…

Acne October 1, 2012

Butter Makes It Better/Smart Balance Is Stupid

Butter is one of my favorite foods. Hands down. It makes everything taste better, it’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s awesome. I literally drench my food in butter. To the point that Scott asks, “You want some ________ with that butter?” You can fill in the blank yourself, because anything would fit. Sometimes I even eat itraw, right out of the tub I get it in from my farmer. Unfortunately, butter takes and has taken a lot of abuse over the years. It clogs arteries, makes you gain weight, will give you heart disease, etc. None of which is true of course. In fact, everyone should eat more butter. Butter used to be largely consumed until it fell out of favor and was replaced with oxidized, high omega 6 margarine. What a bummer for the American public, their health, and their taste buds. Margarine is made of cheap, industrialized vegetable oils. Mainly soy, corn, and/or canola. These…